My Cookbook Is Available to Pre-Order!!!

I can't contain my excitement any more. Lick The Bowl Good: Classic Home-Style Desserts With A Twist is available for Pre-order on Amazon.com! 

I didn't even know this until my blog friend, Jenny, looked it up. But there it is! This is not the final cover image, but it's a sneak peak of what is on the inside. 

Pre-order my book here: http://www.amazon.com/Lick-Bowl-Good-Home-Style-Desserts/dp/1626360383/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367269659&sr=8-1&keywords=lick+the+bowl+good

Thank you all so very much for your continued support. This book has been like a second baby to me and I can't wait to share all of my hard word with you! 

Monica

Pillsbury Funfetti Celebrates 25 Years! (Giveaway Closed)

It's party time- the cake we all know and love is having a birthday!  Pillsbury's Funfetti is turning 25 this year and is celebrating in a bold and colorful way. When I think of birthdays, I immediately think of cake and Pillsbury Funfetti has us covered with their Funfetti Premium Cake and Cupcake Mix and four new frosting colors- Aqua Blue Vanilla with fish shaped candy bits, Hot Pink Vanilla with pink sugar crystals, Vibrant Green Vanilla and Bold Purple Vanilla with colorful candy bits. 

Last year for my birthday my mom made me a Funfetti birthday cake and while I wasn't so thrilled about turning 30, that cake made me feel like a kid again, with it's brightly speckled sweet interior. In honor of it's 25th birthday, I made something equally fun and delicious and started with everyone's favorite- crispy rice treats amped up with Funfetti cake mix and frosting. These definitely taste just like cake and worthy of a celebration. 

How do you celebrate birthdays? While chatting with my family and fellow baking buddies we've come up with some tips for you on how to maximize your birthday experience. 

1. Get the kids involved. Let them help in the celebration and planning of the day- from the food, to the decorations to the cake. Not only allow them to make some decisions on their own but let them help you mix the cake mix, hang the streamers and decorate the invitations. Even something as simple as choosing what color candles or balloons to use will make their day. Not only with the celebration be more personal, the kids will be proud of their contributions.
2. Often times, when there are birthdays, there is pressure to bring a gift. Then you struggle with getting the right gift for the person or how much to spend. Instead, ask your guests not to bring gifts but instead to donate their time, a toy or funds to a charity that means something to your family. If they insist on a gift ask them to provide an experience like a trip to the zoo, or going out for some ice cream rather than a gift wrapped plastic toy. 
3. Incorporate a craft into the celebration and let that serve as the party favor. Decorate a small wooden frame with non-toxic colorful paints, glue, beads, glitter and jewels. Let the kids craft and socialize. Once the festivities are over, they'll have a handmade keepsake to remember the great day. 

Frosted Funfetti Crispy Rice Treats by Monica h

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• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for dish
• 10 oz. mini marshmallows
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix, dry
• 6 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1- 15.6 oz. can Pillsbury Funfetti Frosting (any color)

Butter a 9x13-inch dish and set aside. 

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add marshmallows and vanilla and stir constantly until marshmallows are completely melted. 

Add the dry Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix to the marshmallow mixture and stir to combine. Add rice cereal and stir until the mixture comes together and the cereal is well coated. 

Immediately scrape the cereal into the buttered dish and press into an even layer. Allow to cool to room temperature before before frosting. 

Once rice treats are completely cool, frost with Pillsbury Funfetti Frosting and sprinkle the tops with the included sprinkles. 

Cut into squares and serve.

As part of the Funfetti 25th birthday celebration, Pillsbury wants you to join in on all the fun. They are generously offering one lucky reader a Celebration Starter Kit including: Pillsbury Funfetti Premium Cake and Cupcake Mix and 4 boldly hued Funfetti Frostings as well a $50 Visa or American Express Gift Card (total value ($60). 

To enter the giveaway: 

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me about your Funfetti birthday memories. Please be sure to leave an email for me to contact you if you win.

2. For a second entry "Like" Pillsbury Baking on Facebook

3. For a third entry "Like" Lick The Bowl Good on Facebook. Leave a separate comment for each entry. 

A winner will be selected at random and announced by May 1, 2013. 

To learn more about Pillsbury's Funfetti 25th Birthday Celebration please visit Pillsbury on Facebook where they're running a birthday promotion that ends April 25th. Also visit PillsburyBaking.com and Pillsbury on Pinterest. 

**The J.M. Smucker Company sent me free product samples and other compensation and asked me to promote it's new Funfetti products. 

National Pecan Day!

Today is National Pecan Day! Since it's my second favorite nut (right behind Mr. H) I thought I'd share some of the tastiest pecan recipes that I've made over the years.

Banana Pecan Butter Buns
Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake
Waffles with Butter Pecan Syrup
Monkey Bread
Drunk Blondies
Pecan Pie Bars
Kentucky Derby Pie Bars
Magic Cookie Bars
Hummingbird Cake
Carrot Cake
Cinderella Cake
Italian Cream Cake
Texas Sheet Cake
Maple Pecan Shortbread
Pecan Butter Balls
Cowboy Cookies
Mini Pecan Pie Cupcakes
Texas Sheetcake Cupcakes
Graham Breakaways
Pumpkin Pie Cake
Sticky Bun Pumpkin Muffins
Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie
Kahlua Pecan Pie
Hoosier Pie
Derby Pie
Goldfish Bowl Bites

Happy Pecan Baking!

Hayden Eats: The Sequel

When Hayden turned 6 months old, he got his first taste of solid food and I documented and shared it HERE. Well today I'm sharing with you a few snapshots of my little stinker eating momma's creations. I've been super busy trying to get all the cookbook baking and photographing done. I have less than three weeks to complete everything. In the meantime, my boy has a mouth full of teeth and he's putting them to good use. 

I think it's funny that he takes bites of stuff I'm photographing. I'll be taking a picture of a beautifully plated slice of cake, then all of a sudden a little hand will appear in my window frame, followed by "mmm mmm". He doesn't think I can see him on the other side of that lens. 

"I don't need a fork. I got this."

"WHAT?!" 

"I didn't do it."

He LOVES turning on the mixer. He pushes the kitchen chair over to the island and turns it on and off, on and off then starts laughing. It's kind of funny til he drops stuff into the bowl full of creamed butter. 

The other day I heard movement in the kitchen, followed by sounds of a moving chair. I walked into the kitchen to find him sitting on my cake plate on the kitchen table, grinning ear to ear. The boy is a comedian. By the way, when did my baby turn into a toddler. Dang!

Hayden drives me crazy at times, he opens the dishwasher, stands on the door and pulls out dirty dishes. He opens the pantry grabs the maple syrup and spills it all over himself. He tries to eat ketchup, marshmallows and Old Bay seasoning on a daily basis. He's figured out how to work the microwave, insists on helping open the oven (with a hot pad in hand) and tries to sit in the refrigerator every time I open it up. His helping isn't always helpful but I wouldn't have it any other way. I am so grateful for those precious moments and I realize how much he learns every single day and how independent he is and that makes me proud.

And no matter how frustrated I get at him or his messes, I look at this face and I melt, then I laugh because I realize he has Cool Whip in his hair. I am wrapped around this beautiful boy's sticky fingers and toes. 

I'll have a recipe and a giveaway for you soon. In the meantime, have a blessed weekend everyone!

Insanely Great Waffles and Easter Weekend

We had a great Easter weekend. We celebrated a few birthdays, dyed eggs, took some pictures in a field of bluebonnets, I baked and cooked til I fell into bed and we had an Easter egg hunt. This was Hayden's second Easter but the first time he was big enough to get involved. I got him a puppy basket and filled eggs with yogurt raisins and m&m's. He also got a new toothbrush and toothpaste which he LOVES. He could brush his teeth all day long if you let him. He had so much fun hunting eggs and crushing cascarones in the backyard, that my aunt and uncle brought over. 

This year for Easter, my grandparents were in town so the family gathered and we had brunch. I made a lemon tart, a strawberry cake, a breakfast casserole, wrapped up Cowboy cookies as favors and whipped up a quintuple batch of these waffles. I usually make yeasted Belgian waffles but these are much quicker to prepare and just as delicious. I made them the night before, froze them, then reheated them in the oven just as the guests arrived. It saved a ton of time and everyone got piping hot waffles. The only thing missing was the fried chicken!  

Waffles of Insane Greatness from Food Network

Printer Friendly Version

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.

Preheat a waffle iron. Do not use non-stick spray on the waffle iron; the oil in the batter will allow the waffle to release easily. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve immediately.

Serves 3-4 

NOTE: The waffles will vary in size depending on your waffle maker. I have a Belgian waffle maker that produces thick waffles. This recipe makes 6 squares of waffles. I often double or triple the recipe and freeze the leftovers for a quick breakfast during the week. 

Buttered Pecan Syrup from Monica H

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan, combine pecans, butter and syrup. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Just before serving, stir in vanilla extract. Pour over waffles, pancakes, or ice cream. 

Serves 4

Happy Spring!