So long & Boston Creme Pie Cupcakes!

   Oh my goodness! It has been sooooooooooo dang long since I have blogged! Update? Well, school is going great! We have an exchange student and shes super nice! That's basically it! I wanted to do a recipe post today! Over Thanksgiving break I made Boston Creme Pie Cupcakes!!!! They were S O good!!!
   Here's a picture & the recipe! I made it up myself!
*Ingredients*
-1 package of any brand of yellow cake mix (I used Jiffy.)
-1 package of instant Cheesecake flavored pudding (there is usually some left over, so you can make less if you want. & you can always use vanilla if you can't find cheesecake.)
-about 2 cups of heavy cream (feel free to half this amount & the chocolate because it makes a lot of ganache, I usually just use it for something else though.)
-about 1 cup of chocolate (any kind you like, I used semi-sweet.)
-sliced almonds
*Instructions*
1. Bake the cupcakes according to the package directions.
2. While the cupcakes are in the oven, prepare the pudding also according to package directions.
3. When the cupcakes come out of the oven, let them cool before removing them from the pan.
4. To make the ganache (the chocolate topping) heat the cream on high until it boils.
5. Immediately remove from the heat once it boils.
6. Add the chocolate & stir until the ganache is smooth & silky & all the chocolate is mixed in.
7. Cut each cupcake in about half horizontally. You should cut them at about the line where the cupcake emerged from the pan. You will now have the bottom half & top half.
8. Spread 1-2 tbs of pudding on the bottom layer & cover with the top.
9. Spoon the ganache onto the top & sprinkle the almonds on also.
10. Serve & Enjoy!
   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

Cupcakes!

   Today I don't really have a post in mind, but I'm the kind of girl that would L O V E to open up a cupcake shop when I'm older! There's one in my town and they are so good! And they just opened an icecream place right next door! I wanted to work there, but you had to be 16...maybe next year! But I've been watching The Cooking Channel, as well as Food Network & there have been a bunch of shows about cupcakes lately! I am also doing a project in one of my classes & we had to make a restaurant, my group named ours "Taste Of Summer" and the slogan is "Summer-ize Your Seasons!" and we sell cupcakes & lemonade! I wish I was old enough to start my own business! That would be S O awesome! To have my own cupcake & lemonade store! I've been daydreaming so much that I actually sort of designed the place!

   I know it's really small, but I don't know how to make it bigger without making it blurry! But I spent a lot of time on it & I'm super proud of it!!! Hope you like it! Also, I made this on polyvore.com !

   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

"Cooking for the Lost Chef's!"

   Hey guys! I believe this is my second "Cooking for the Lost Chef's!" post, maybe third, I'm not sure...
   Anyway, I wanted to make a post for this series that really made things easy for people, and using ingredients that most "Lost Chef's" would have (yeah, that's a bit of a stereotype I know...). I found this super cool link!

http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2009/12/01/100-awesome-ramen-recipes-for-starving-college-students/

   It's called "Awesome Ramen Recipes for Starving College Students"! Every "Lost Chef" has ramen right? Heck, even I have ramen! I looked at some of these and they seem pretty accessible and easy enough.

   If you don't have time to look at the link, here are my three favorites (or three I like, there's a B U N C H so it was hard to choose...)

1. Ramen Noodle Alfredo: You’ll add margarine, light cream, seasoning and parmesan cheese to ramen noodles.


2. Shrimp Scampi with Asparagus: You’ll use garlic pepper, frozen shrimp and sour cream in this recipe.


3. Ramen vegetable soup: Make a cup of hot ramen soup with carrots, turnips, celery, garlic, and onions.


   Hope you guys enjoyed this quick post! If you like the sound of these three, check out the link to see more great recipes! 
   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

Spur of the Moment Post!

   Hey guys! Usually when I post, I plan out what I am going to do and what kind of post it will be & all that jazz. I mean, today I was just so lazy, I skipped youth group & I've been neglecting to do my laundry, but come on, I'm tired..! But it's only about 7:30 pm but I am already in my PJ's and ready for bed, which is weird for me! But anyway... I just wanted to do a spur of the moment post! I have so many series going & I need to start working these posts into my schedule more! Today, I think I'm going to do a "Food Inspirations!" post, and the next post I'll try to do a "Cooking for the Lost Chef's" because I've really only done one of those posts & I like that series a lot. So here comes today's post. Oh, and:
* N O T I C E *
I really want to get more posts out that you guys like, so let me know what you want! Also, I just ask that everyone keep helping me get my blog out there, everything you do means so much to me! Thanks AJ & KV especially(:

   So, today's picture is...

   I don't know why I like this picture S O dang much but I do, I love mother/daughter (maybe sisters?) pictures, and this one is especially cute! I love how much they match and the fact that it's edgy but still super cute! Anyway, this picture reminds me of cherry pie! Because it's sweet, girly, and red all over! I've never actually had cherry pie, but I know a good recipe when I see one! So, I'm  going to go find a recipe now! P.S. I really want to try cherry pie soon!!!

* FOR PICTURES & SOURCE CLICK ON LINK! ALL CREDIT GOES TO LINK; THIS IS NOT MY RECIPE, JUST ONE I FOUND. I DON'T TAKE ANY CREDIT! *
http://www.dishingthedivine.com/2011/07/02/cheesecake-pie-with-cherry-topping/

cheesecake pie with cherry topping
from Pie, by Ken Haedrich

pie crust:

3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
2 tbsp firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tbsp graham cracker crumbs
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
big pinch salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

cheesecake filling:

9 oz cream cheese1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract

cherry topping:

3 cups individually frozen pitted sweet cherries (not packed in syrup) – or use fresh cherries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

whipped cream for garnish

To make the crust:

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter a 9 1/2-inch deep dish pie pan. Combine the nuts, brown sugar, and flour in a food processor and process in a number of long bursts until the nuts are very finely chopped. Dump the mixture into a large bowl. Run your fingers through them, breaking up any bigger pieces the machine may have missed. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter and incorporate well. Mix first with a fork, then with your hands, and rub everything together thoroughly to form evenly dampened crumbs. Spread the crumbs evenly and loosely in the pie pan, pressing them into the bottom and up the side. Refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes. Place on the center oven rack and bake for 7 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before filling. Leave the oven set at 350.

In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese with an electric mixer, gradually beating in the sugar on medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until evenly blended. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and almond extract and blend. Carefully pour the filling into the cooled pie shell.

Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake until the center of the filling is set, 25-30 minutes. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Cover loosely with tented aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least three hours or overnight.

About an hour before serving, make the cherry topping. Combine the cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium size nonreactive pan. Cover and bring to a low boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially uncover, and simmer for 2-3 minutes. While the cherries simmer, blend the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl, then stir the mixture into the cherries. Bring to a boil and continue to boil, stirring, for about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let cool to room temperature.

Spoon the cooled cherries evenly over the chilled filling. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. If desire, pipe some whipped cream decoratively around the edge of the pie, using any remaining whipped cream for garnish. Slice and serve.

   I R E A L L Y want to try this! If you try it let me know! That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

Meal of The Week/Getting Organized!

   Hey guys! I know I've been slacking a little with posts & I'm sorry about that! But I'm really excited to post today & tell you what I'm up to! So, I watched Elle Fowler's video on youtube called "School Glitz: Organize Your Life!" (http://www.youtube.com/user/AllThatGlitters21#p/u/1/-neIyrFZfUM) and it S U P E R inspired me! I bought myself an agenda and I bought sticky notes & different colored pens! I'm working my blog posts into my schedule now, so hopefully I'll be getting one to two up a week! So, I'm really excited about that! A L S O, thank you to everyone supporting me! I will continue to try & support you! If you know any other ways to help me get my blog out, L E T   M E   K N O W ! ! !

   Anyway, today's post is going to be a meal of the week post! I know it's only Wednesday, but I had an awesome meal last night so I figured I'd do one now!
*Meal of the Week!*
Marinated Portabello Mushroom Burgers (balsamic vinegar, italian seasoning, salt & pepper) with assorted greens, cheese, caramalized onions, and garlic-red pepper sauce.
   This meal was S O good! It's a great healthy alternative to A N Y kind of burger, and you won't even realize you're eating a mushroom not meat! If you have the "Eat This Not That" cookbook you can get the recipe out of it, but if not, B U Y  I T ! But, I'll put the recipe here in case! (but you really should buy it because it's the best thing E V E R !)
~All of this information came from the Eat This Not That Cookbook, I do not own any copyrights!~
"Veggie burgers may seem like safe havens for nonmeat eaters and calorie counters alike. But the shocking truth we discovered after years of analyzing restaurant nutritional information is that vegetarian burgers offer little to no refuge from the onslaught of calories, fat, and sodium found in beef burgers. (Exhibit A: Ruby Tuesday's 952 calorie veggie burger.) We don't mess around with fake patties; instead, we go straight for a meaty portobello cap, rubbed in olive oil and balsamic and topped with a crown of melted mozz. Even if you're a beef buff, we think you'll like this meatless burger.

You'll Need:
2 tbsp mayonnaise
juice 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped roasted red peppers
1 clove garlic, minced
4 large portobello caps, stems removed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried italian seasoning
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded mozzerella (I used sliced provolone)
4 slices red onion
4 potato rolls or whole grain buns
a few handfuls of mixed greens, arugula, or other lettuce

1. Heat a grill pan or grill. Combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, red peppers, and garlic.
2. Rub the mushrooms with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Grill top side down for 2 to 3 minutes, flip, and immediately add cheese. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is melted and the mushrooms are fully cooked. While the mushrooms are cooking, grill the onions until brown and toast the buns.
3. Top each bun with greens, grilled onions, mushrooms, and the red pepper mayo."
   I   L O V E this recipe & you save $5.52 and 558 calories if you eat this instead of the Ruby Tuesday's Veggie Burger! I suggest you try it & if you do, let me know how you like it!!!
   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

Um, Y U M !

   So, I was searching around on stumbleupon the other day & I found this recipe that looks (sinful but) D E L I C I O U S ! It was a brownie I N S I D E a chocolate chip cookie! W H A T ? ! You heard me! It was sooooooo good! I did mine a little differently, but first I'll give you the original link!

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1NaG00/www.gojee.com/links/3780

   Unfortuanately, I just tried to go on it, but it seems to not be working. They're called "Pillow Cookies" I'm pretty sure. I'm not sure if you can find them anywhere, but I'll see if I can.

   This is it, the website that I used. The link above used to link you right to it, but I guess it doesn't now. Anyway, here is the link that works!

http://www.bakerella.com/pillow-cookies/

   So, as I said I did things a little differently. First I used this brownie mix :

   I just baked them according to the package directions and then let them cool a bit (but not too much so that they aren't soft anymore, they need to be malleable.) Then I cut them into about 1/2 inch by 1 inch squares.
   Then, I took these cookies :

   They come pre-sized. Instead of making them as big as the other website did, I used one frozen cookie for the bottom, and one frozen cookie for the top. I flattened them into rounds, placed a brownie piece in the middle and topped it with another round. Then I baked them according to the package directions!
   This recipe was super easy to make! *I M P O R T A N T* You will have a B U N C H of leftover brownies, so just know that going into this! I personally like making them this way better, it is much faster and easier!
   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

Been lazy!

   Hey guys! I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while! I've been having a lazy spell! Anyway, today I think I'm making an apple pie! Last time I tried to make apple crisp, the filling didn't have such a good taste.... but the topping was yummy!

*OCTA Tip*
   For a more flavorful "crisp" use flavored oatmeal instead of regular oats! I used one cinnamon bun flavored package and one maple & brown sugar package. It made enough crisp for about six servings.

   Today, I am kind of sick.... I really wanted to make apple pie though! I'm in New York & my Aunt Ro has this S U P E R yummy pie crust recipe, and I like to make pies when I come out here! Last time I made my first pie ever by myself under the direction of my Aunt. You can see that post here...
http://kbcakathelittlechef.blogspot.com/2011/08/omghhkp-i-havent-blogged-in-forever.html

   But this time, with Fall fast approaching (well, I guess technically it's already here...) I wanted to make an apple pie! As I said though, I'm kind of sick... I have a head cold & a sore throat! It stinks! I'm leaving early tomorrow to go home to New Hampshire, so I'm really hoping I'll feel better by the end of the day so I can make my pie! If I do, then I'll try to make a post about it...if I have time!

   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

Outfit Inspirations!

   Hey guys! So, today I wanted to do an outfit inspirations post just because I was making an outfit on polyvore & a meal came to mind! I wish I could say that this is what I'm wearing today, but I wasn't. I just made it up, so it's basically just an outfit that I would wear for like, a leisurely boating! Here it is!

   Sorry it's so small, but if i make it A N Y bigger it gets S U P E R blurry, so sorry! But this outfit reminds me of a fish dish, now I personally don't really like fish much, so I'm thinking a shrimp dish! Let me know what you think of the outfit! Here's the recipe!

Y U M ! This recipe looks S O delicious! It seems to have a lot of fancy ingredients in it though..

http://nettleandquince.com/2011/05/12/baked-shrimp-with-lemon-rosemary-and-tarragon/

If you're looking for something quicker & easier, here's an alternative recipe! This looks like a super easy (and classic!) recipe, but also delicious! 

http://www.singforyoursupperblog.com/2011/02/25/roasted-shrimp-cocktail/

   Hope you guys enjoyed, let me know what you think! Thanks! 

   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

A little bit of beauty...

   Hey guys! So, instead of doing what I said I would, I wanted to do some kind of beauty thing incorporated with cooking. I know it doesn't really make much sense, but it will soon! I want to call this series "Outfit Inspirations!"; a play off of  the "Food Inspirations" series I already have. Here's the outfit & then I'll tell you a recipe that it reminds me of & give you a good recipe for it! Sound good?

(Made on www.polyvore.com , check it out! It's really fun!)

   This is just like what I am wearing today, but I added a different hairstyle, a clutch and some nail polish. It is a plaid shirt with black leggings and a black headband (mine didn't have a flower on it, but I liked this one and thought it went well with the outfit.) 

   This outfit for some reason reminded me of a farm; just the shirt & pants.. (I'm not sure why, maybe because of the plaid, and the fact that I had my hair in a braid earlier that day? I'm not sure, it just did.) And when I think of the country/a farm, I think of two meals. Chicken Pot Pie and Shepard's Pie. MMMM. I couldn't decide which one to choose, so here is a recipe for both! 

Shepard's Pie: 

   So, I was searching online & I found this recipe video that looks amazing! What's better than thanksgiving dinner in shepard's pie form?! I also thought this would be fitting since Thanksgiving is coming so soon! 

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2jGQaO/www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Make-French-Vanilla-Cooked-Ice-Cream-59515299

Chicken Pot Pie:

    This recipe looks nothing but delicious! I'd never thought of a crumble topping before, but that sounds like a really good idea! I hope you guys like this recipe..

http://firstlookthencook.com/2010/10/25/chicken-pot-pie-with-savory-crumble-topping/

   So, let me know what you think about doing this kind of post more often, I like it, but do you? There's no sense in me posting if nobody likes it! Let me know in the comments below! 

   That's all for now! Stay inspired! 

Sorry!

   Hey guys! Sorry it's been S O long since I've blogged. With school just starting up & homework & everything I just haven't found enough time! But I'm trying my best, summer was easy, I could just blog whenever I wanted! But most of you know that feeling. So....today I don't really know what I'm going to talk about. I just really wanted to apologize for my lack of posts. I think after this one, I'll do a food inspirations one and maybe a cooking for the lost chef's. Even though I  S T I L L have homework to do. But I'll try.

   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

"Cooking for the Lost Chef's!"

   Hey guys! Me again! It's F I N A L L Y time for the first "Cooking for the Lost Chef's" post! Y E S ! Here it is! Hope you enjoy it, let me know if you do in the comments below!

   Okay, so the purpose of this series is to help out the Lost Chef's. This is for the ones who don't know what they can do, haven't tried, or just think they can't do it! Well, get this, Y O U  C A N ! So, here's a super easy recipe that you can whip together in a mug! A C A K E in a mug? Yes, a cake in a mug! Two dishes & you're done! It's even cooked in a microwave, making it perfect for college students! This is so easy you can't even complain. I'm N O T going to say that you can't mess up though. Because, truth is, you can. & you probably will. But cooking isn't about not making mistakes. It's about not giving up. Just because you put baking soda in instead of baking powder doesn't mean that your life is ruined, or that you can't try again & get it right. Don't give up, because then you'll never learn to love cooking and you'll never read my blog again! Anyway, here it is!

Nutella Mug Cake

Ingredients

4 tablespoons self rising flour
4 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons Nutella
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a large coffee mug. Whisk well with a fork until smooth. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 – 3 minutes. (Time depends on microwave wattage. Mine took 1 /2 minutes.) 

2. Top with whipped cream and chocolate sauce if desired. 

Note: Depending on the wattage of your microwave, you may have to increase cooking time.

Makes 1 very large serving.

   So, I couldn't make this today because I didn't have cocoa powder, but I'm going to see if I can make it tonight & then I'll edit this post and add the picture!


   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

It's been a while!

   Hey guys! Sorry it's been such a while since I've blogged! I was going to blog yesterday, but I couldn't because blogspot seemed to be down... I'm not sure what happened but I couldn't get on! So, today is the day that I'll post!

   So, I actually have been R E A L L Y busy with band and all the 'get back to school' crap. I've had no time to actually sit down (or stand up, actually) and cook something. I helped make some cheesy potato soup the other night... but nothing substantial. I'm looking forward to this weekend (other than the 4 H O U R band practice \: ) so that I can get back to my cooking!

   My family has never been the sit down & eat a full meal together type, but since our exchange student got here, we've been doing a lot of that. I wanted to start a new series called "Meal of the Week". There may not be one E V E R Y week, but I'll try my best. So, here's the first one!

"Meal of the Week!"
Shrimp Fra Diavlo ! This is so delicious! It's shrimp over spaghetti and this scrumptious spicy sauce! I totally suggest trying it sometime!

   So, I really should be doing my homework, but I'll try to get up (within the next ten minutes) the first post of the series "Cooking for the Lost Chef's". So, I'm going to go now, so I can work on that!

   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

N O time ):

   Hey guys! I hope everyone is doing well! I'm in the marching band at my school and tonight was our very first game of the year (football, that is!) Our team isn't very good, I think we've won two games in like, 3 years. We lost tonight but my band continued to cheer and support them! We played and marched the halftime show and did the pre-show and then we played final countdown at the end ! It was so fun!

   Anyway, with all the band stuff (I had practice Wednesday & Thursday from 6-8:30 and a game tonight so I spent 2:15 to 9:15 at the school!) I haven't even had time to cook anything! I try to sneak in some cooking when I can, but sometimes I just don't have time!

~OCTA Tip~
Always try to find an easy, quick, and delicious recipe that you can make on the go, something that you'll always enjoy, and when you're running out the door, you have time to make! This way, you'll always have time for a good (maybe healthy) home cooked meal, even on you're way to work/school! My favorite breakfast one is to simmer some tomato sauce & then just crack an egg into it, then just swirl it around in the tomato sauce while it cooks! It's sooooo good & perfect for the fast paced mornings of high school!!

   I know this blog was really scattered, but I had a bunch of different things to talk about! I'm going to write a post on Elle & Blair dot com and ask people to help me name my blog post. You can either go on E&B to answer or you can just comment on this post. Here's the choices!
*Cooking for the Lost Chef's
*Cooking for Dummies
*The Unfortunate Cooks
*Cooking for the GOTG (girl on the go)
*GOTG Cooking
*Cooking in a Time Crunch

   Another series I think it would be fun to try was like, meals for under $15... something like that! Let me know what you think!!! Thanks!

   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

Some Thank You's!

   Hey Guys! I just wanted to take a post to say thank you to a fellow blogger that has really gone out of her way to help me get my blog out there. She didn't even know me prior to commenting on my post on E&B 's website, but she has shown me continuous support & I'd like to ask you guys to check her out next time you have a chance. Actually, I think I should say 'their blog' because I'm pretty sure there is two of them(: anyway. Here is the link to their blog !
http://2girlsindresses.blogspot.com/


   Another thing I wanted to say was that my new series "Cooking for the Lost Chef's" was inspired by a girl names Taylor that I also met on E&B 's website! Her blog is www.taylornow.blogspot.com .  The post that inspired this new series said this, 

I'm not much of a hand in the kitchen :( Otherwise I may like your blog haha.

Bascially, I cook anything that takes 10 minutes or less, usually involving my foreman, blender, or the microwave!!! maybe an idea is for those people who are very busy or VERY UNSKILLED in the kitchen?!

just an idea :)

   I just wanted to have a post to thank everyone involved in helping my blog grow and thrive. I'm thankful for each and every one of my six (I un-followed myself so it really I S six followers now!) followers! Thanks everyone & I ask that you keep helping me & I will certainly do my best to help & support all of you! Let me know if you want me to do a blog post on like a review of your blog, to just get it out there! I'd be more than happy to! So, anyway. Again, thanks to everyone who has helped me along the way & I hope that you will still help me! 

   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

Hilarious Recipe!

   Hey guys! I found this hilarious recipe online (stumbleupon, how'd you guess?) and I really wanted to share it with you! It actually looks like a good recipe, and it looks pretty easy! Here it is!

   This may be kind of hard to read, so here's the link.  

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/6foBuy/9gag.com/gag/210107

   Also, a new series I was looking to come out with was like something for people who don't like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, or people who just aren't good at cooking. So maybe call it like, Cooking for the Lost Chef's; or something like that... what do you guys think about that? Let me know in the comments below! I might start that today if I have time with band and everything... 

   Well, that's all for now! Stay Inspired!

Food Inspirations!

   Hey guys! This is going to be a quick post, but I wanted to get one in before I head off to the beach today!(yay!) So, since I made the delicious Strawberry Shortcakes last night I really wanted to find a picture that described it for me. One that, when I just glanced at it, I thought of my dessert (which I'm now planning on making for breakfast!) I searched high and low on stumbleupon and finally found a picture that I loved. Here it is!

   I can't really explain W H Y this makes me think of my dessert. I think it's because it has an element of fun, but it's a classic ride, just waiting for it's chance to make a come back. (this picture was taken at a retired six flags in new orleans!) Just like strawberry shortcake, it's fun to look at & fun to eat. Plus, it's a classic also just waiting to make it's come back! 

   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

Late night snack!

   Hey guys! How's everyone doing? I'm up to five followers, even though I really should stop following myself because technically I only have four...

   Anyway, I just finished making (and then eating) the most delicious late night snack ever! Okay, I admit that it wasn't T H A T late, around 9:45 pm. But it W A S delicious! I made up the recipe just from what I had. I saw the strawberries in the fridge and I R E A L L Y wanted strawberry shortcake, so I looked around for some sponge cake/ sponge cake mix, but I had no luck. So I moved onto looking for some kind of bread that I could use, I found some day old baguette (is that how you spell it...?) and thought it would be perfect, but you could probably use any kind of bread you have on hand! Here's the recipe! (I ate it so fast that I didn't remember to take a picture of it! I know I hate making things that don't have a picture, but honestly, if you like strawberries and sweet things, you'll like this! I also didn't have any whipped cream, but H E Y I saved myself some calories and I honestly didn't miss it!)

~Strawberry Shortcake-The Little Chef* Style!~
-a little over a half of a cup of chopped strawberries
-one teaspoon of sugar
-one teaspoon of water

1. Let the sauce simmer until the strawberries are soft and the sauce has thickened (about five minutes.)
2. Toast slices of baguette in a toaster (this recipe makes a perfect four slices!)
3. Spoon the sauce onto the baguette slices & E N J O Y !

   Let me know how you like this recipe in the comments below! Thanks for reading! That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

A little help here...?

   Hey guys! So, if you read my blog at all you know that I've been R E A L L Y trying to get my blog 'out there'... so I'm asking for a little help here! If you're reading this & you have a blog & you wanted to mention me in a post, I'd be sure to return the favor!

   If you're reading this & you don't have a blog & you actually L I K E my blog, then please tell your friends, you don't know how much it would mean to me! Thanks S O much everyone for helping me out when I need it!

   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

The Hidden Flavors Of Paris!

   Hey guys! I've missed you! Even though no one is even reading this, but whatever. I've tried to get it out there & nothing's worked, so now I'll just blog for MY own pleasure & if someone reads it- GREAT- but if not, it's fine.

   Anyway, rambling over with, I wanted to show you a link I found ! I've always wanted to go to Paris, that place just A M A Z E S me from every angle. From the food, to the people, to the atmosphere to the architecture. It's my dream to get there, even just for a day. But this is a link that I would T O T A L L Y print out and bring with me if I ever went. When go to a new place, of course I want to go into town & explore all the traditional 'tourist sites' but I also want to find the hidden gems! I want to actually explore the city on my own & find a place that almost no one knows about & discover that it has A M A Z I N G food, then go back time & time again to my little hidden gem. A little poetry there for you. Haha. But honestly, this is my dream as a chef, to go out & discover the unknown foods & tastes of the world. If this is your dream too, then here's a link that will help you out in Parisss!

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/22X8dF/www.lonelyplanet.com/france/travel-tips-and-articles/42/57794%253Faffil%253Dfb-fan

   Hope you liked! That's all for now! Stay Inspired! ♥

The Little Chef*s Favorite StumbleUpon Recipes!

   Snicker doodle cupcakes! Here's the recipe that I found on stumbleupon & I'm looking forward to making them either today or tomorrow. We ( my family ) are picking up our exchange student for the year at the airport tonight, so I might make them today. Or maybe tomorrow..? Who knows. Anyway, here is the recipe! They look S O delicious! On a side note: can you tell I'm obsessed with stumbleupon ever since using it ? Haha. Here's the link!

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/8i4WA7/www.marthastewart.com/316419/snickerdoodle-cupcakes

  I'm back! This is the blog that I had already posted, but now I'm editing it so I can show you this delicious looking & sounding bread that I A L S O found on stumbleupon (what a surprise right?). Haha, here's the link!

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/5DjbyG/www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/03/cinnamon-sugar-pull-apart-bread

   So, I changed the name from "Snickerdoodle Cupcakes? Um, Y E S!" to the title that it is now, because i just couldn't stop running into delicious sounding recipes! So, here's another link, & more to come!

http://annies-eats.com/2009/11/16/smores-cupcakes/

   This cake looks S O delicious and it looks super duper easy to make! And not too many dishes either, which is what my parents like to see (; Here's the link!

http://sipsandspoonfuls.com/2010/12/moist-chocolate-cake-one-bowl-cake.html

   These are literally the most adorable & thoughtful valentines day gift you could give! Does anyone else agree with me? Well, you'd have to see it to agree! Also, you can buy store bought marzipan (an ingredient you need for this recipe!) Or I think you could just use store bought (or homemade if you prefer) fondant! I feel like it would have the same affect as the marzipan !

http://www.fullcircleadv.com/2011/02/valentine-petits-fours.html

  I just keep finding Favorites! I can't explain how much I love stumpleupon! You can type in a key word (mine was cooking! surprised?) and you just click "Stumble!" and the website generates a new website/picture/recipe/blog about your desired word! It's A W E S O M E ! So, here's another cute gift idea!

http://iammommy.typepad.com/i_am_baker/2011/05/cheesecake-in-a-jar.html

   OMGHHKP! This is the best website ever! As a budding chef that always wants to cook, I can A L W A Y S make something with this website! The best, the best, the best! Here it is! I'm so excited that stumbleupon found this for me!

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2pOrlJ/www.myfridgefood.com/mobile/index.php%253Fkitchen%253Ddetailed

   This website has about 4 different recipes that all sound delicious! I'm going to leave this post now so I don't make it T O O long, but I hope you guys enjoyed these recipes & start to use stumbleupon yourself so you can find as many great recipes (along with other things) as I did ! Here's the last link!

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2FvHhQ/todayscreativeblog.net/skinny-recipes/

   That's all for now! Stay Inspired!

Food Inspirations!

   Hey guys! I know I literally J U S T posted about my new series, but I just wanted to show you guys this picture & add it to my collection of "Food Inspirations!"
   Here is the picture!

   I also found this one on stumbleupon but I thought it was simply beautiful! This just reminds me of the homemade mac & cheese I make. It's an original recipe & I'll post it sometime if you guys would like! Let me know in the comments below if you want that!

   Anyway, this picture reminds me of that dish because it has such soothing colors & I just imagine sitting in that lighted window people watching out my window & listening to the cars rushing by. I feel like I'm already there eating my delicious mac & cheese & sitting with my family. I've always wanted to live in a suburb on NYC, so I could be close to the city but not T O O close. This describes it perfectly!

   That's all for now! I might post another "Food Inspirations!" later if I find another picture that I L O V E !

OMGHHKP! I haven't blogged in FOREVER!

   OMGHHKP guys, I am S O sorry. I literally haven't blogged in like 2 weeks. That's S O not okay! It was mostly because I was feeling like "why blog when nobody reads it & you only have 3 followers, 2 not including you !?" But then I came to my senses and realized it's mostly M Y fault that no one reads my blog because I haven't taken the time to get it out there.

   So, a while ago I was planning on doing a blog about my F I R S T strawberry pie everrrr! I made it all by myself under the direction of my aunt. I wanted to do a whole blog about it with before and after picture & OCTA tips (One Chef To Another Tips) but right after I made the pie I went off to camp where my camera got S T O L E N ! I was S O bummed that I lost all my pictures! But I've reluctantly & camera-lessly moved on & I just want to give you a quick OCTA Tip before I get onto the main point of this blog!

~OCTA Tip!~ 

   When you are making a pie crust & it comes time to roll out the dough & you realize that you don't have A N Y wax paper, D O N ' T  F E A R! The OCTA Tip is here. Hahaaa. So, all you need to do is take a grocery shopping bag (one of the plastic ones, not the reusable square-ish kind!) and cut off the handles and cut along the two sides (I don't cut the bottom off because I don't think there is a need to, but if you'd like to then you can!) Then just place your dough in the center & R O L L ! It's non-stick & I think it's better than wax paper! This was my aunts idea while making a pie crust at her house when she found out she didn't have any wax paper! Just thought I'd share! Now onto the R E A L point of this blog! 

   So, I found this B E A U T I F U L picture on stumbleupon & it reminded me of my blog & that's mainly why i decided to blog today! So, this is the picture! 

   This is going to be part of a new series that I want to call "Food Inspirations!". This series will be all about me finding pictures that inspire me to cook different kinds of food or a picture O F food that makes me want to make that R I G H T away. So, basically just a visually appealing picture that makes me think of/ or inspired to cook food! If I D O end up making something inspired by the picture, I will post the inspiration picture W I T H a picture of what I cooked (I can use my mom's phone for a camera d; )

   This picture- for instance- makes me think if Paris at night time & it makes me want to make some B I G French meal for my family. I actually might tonight! Or it makes me want to go to France immediately and eat their delicious food! Like un croque monsier ! Y U M ! 

   So, basically this blog is just me explaining why I haven't been blogging lately & that I'm sorry! Also, there's a fun OCTA tip & my new series! I'm definitely going to work on getting my blog out there, If you're reading this & you like it please tell your friends, mention me in a video/post or just comment letting me know that you like it! Positive words do S O much for me! Thanks so much to my two followers for sticking with me even though I haven't posted & thanks so much to the people reading this for taking the time to! 

   That's all for now! Talk to you guys later! Stay inspired!    

Cookbook Review!

   Hey guys! So today I wanted to do another cookbook review; it's one of my favorites & I'll tell you why in a second! First, here's what the cookbook looks like!

   It's basically a way to eat healthier [and maybe lose some weight] without going on a diet & giving up the comfort foods you love! This book has so many great recipes & here's the B E S T part! With each recipe; there is a dish that you would buy at a regular restaurant with a list of the calories, fat, & the money you save! So this way, you K N O W exactly what you're saving yourself!
   That's all for now! Bye!

August!

   W O W, August already? Time flies when you're having fun, I guess. Summer's almost over, but N O T   Y E T ! There's still YoungLives Camp! Woo! I'm so excited! I won't go into complete detail about what this camp is, but basically all of the childcare volunteers watch babies/toddlers for about 6 hours a day while their [teen] mothers go have fun, get pampered, & are brought closer to God. It's so fun, & of course my favorite part is being with babies A L L day, because quite frankly, I   L O V E   B A B I E S ! Anyway, my second favorite part is the F O O D !

   Let me tell you, I can't even tell you how delicious this food is, I feel like I've died and gone to heaven while eating it. I don't know how those chefs do it, but when I grow up, I'd L O V E to be a chef there. Every time I eat a meal there I walk away feeling fuller than full, sometimes I can't even bear to get up I'm so full! But trust me; It's the best kind of full there is! I mean, it's probably not the healthiest food out there, but it's delicious & it's vacation, so who cares? Another thing is; they have a vegetarian option at E V E R Y meal which is great for my mom [because she's a vegetarian].

  So, if you're ever in and/or near down-state New York & you want to sign up for a childcare volunteer position at YoungLives Camp; D O   I T ! You'll get the best food ever! That's all for now; see ya later!

   O H ! And p.s. ; I know my posts haven't been super 'cooking' related lately, & it's actually because I haven't really cooked much lately. Which I don't like, but I've been busy with friends, band, & summer projects for school. I also want this blog to be about the appreciation of food as well as cooking, so look forward to more posts like the one's I've been posting lately. Okay, now that's R E A L L Y all for now!

Cookout-ed out!

   Hey guys! So, lately we've been having lots & lots of cookouts! & I must say, I am C O O K O U T - E D   O U T ! The first cookout I went to was up in Sunnapee at the "Dog House" reunion. They put this D E L I C I O U S special sauce on their burgers and/or dogs! I had "The Super" which was a hamburger with white american cheese, bacon, onions, and the S P E C I A L sauce. It was soooooo delicious, I must say.

   Also, we had just a regular cookout last night & today. I had a veggie burger & a cheeseburger. And as much as I love cookouts, they get old after a while! What are your favorite cookout items & recipes? I'd love to know!

   That's all for now! See ya later! <3

Hey A G A I N!

   Hello! So I know I just posted literally 15 minutes ago, but I went to check if I had the ingredients for a Coffee Milkshake & realized that I didn't. After a bit of sulking about the missing instant coffee & vanilla ice cream I rummaged through my freezer only to discover C O F F E E   I C E   C R E A M ! I was S O happy! This is an easy recipe I came up with, a little spin on the regular 'coffee ice cream & milk' combination.

Coffee Milkshake!
*Milkshake*
-About 3/4 cup to 1 cup of Coffee flavored ice cream (mine was 'Friendly's')
-about 1/2 cup of milk (maybe minus a teaspoon or two because I ended up pouring some out!)
-about a teaspoon or two of your favorite coffee creamer (mine was vanilla caramel flavored!)

*Directions*
1.Combine everything in a blender!

Super easy & delicious, E N J O Y !

Cookbook Review; One of my favorites!

   Hey everyone! Today I wanted to talk about one of my F A V O R I T E cookbooks! It's called Food Fest 365 & it's awesome! Here's what it looks like;

   In this cookbook, there is a theme for each & every day & a recipe to go along with it! It's S O fun to look through & find out what your favorite holiday's and/or you & your friends' birthdays recipe is! My birthday's (June 28th) theme is Tapioca day & the recipe is Thai Bubble Tea. I haven't actually gotten around to making many of the recipes (including this one!), but from the ones that I have tried, they are D E L I C I O U S ! The cheesecake is personally one of my favorites, it's super creamy & has that super yummy homemade taste! 

   Today's (July 27th) theme is Scotch day & the recipe is a drink called the 'Rob Roy'. Obviously I can't try this recipe out because I'm under aged but yesterday's recipe was a Coffee Milkshake & I'm S U P E R looking forward to trying that out! When I do, I'll be sure to blog about it! I'm not sure if I can post a recipe, due to copyright reasons...? But I'd love to tell you where you can get it! 

   That's all for now, I'll probably go see if I have the ingredients to make that milkshake! Goodbye! <3

Original Recipe!

   Hey guys! How is everyoneeee? My summer has been super super good ! So, today I wanted to share an original recipe with you guys! My mom & I came up with it one night on the spot because we were hungry! Haha, here's a picture & hope you enjoy! Even if you don't like one of the ingredients, you can subsitute other things in for them, but i think you should just try it out, my friend didn't like asparagus, but she L O V E D these, she makes them all the time for her family! '
(these are the measurements I like to use, you can vary them to how you'd like them to taste!)

Mushroom, Shrimp & Asparagus Ravioli (:
*Ravioli*
-1/2 cup of chopped shrimp
-1/2 cup of chopped asparagus
-1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms
-about 1/4 cup of Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs. If you can't find Panko, just use regular [unseasoned] breadcrumbs.)
-about 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
-1/2 to a full package of wonton wrappers
-salt & pepper to taste

*Sauce*
-about 2-3 cups of milk (maybe more, depending on how much sauce [or how thick] you want.)
-1/2 cup of parmesan cheese (either use the pre-shredded kind with the green cap or freshly grated! N O T the shaky stuff!)
-1/8 cup of finely chopped mushrooms
-salt & pepper to taste

*Directions*
I M P O R T A N T : Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Put chopped asparagus, mushrooms, and shrimp into a heated [about medium-high heat] pan, leave it in the pan until everything is cooked.
2. Add in enough Panko to bind everything so when you mix it, the mixture doesn't immediately seperate (about an 1/8 to a 1/4 cup).
3. Do the same for the Parmesan cheese.
4. Lay all the wonton wrappers in a line and wet your finger with water, wet down two sides (that share a corner) on all of them.
5. Place about a teaspoon of the mixture into the center of the wonton wrapper and fold into a triangle. Press the wet side onto the dry sides to form a seal.
6. Do this to all of the mixture.
7. Place all of the ravioli's onto a * G R E A S E D * baking sheet and place in the pre-heated oven for about 10-15 minutes, I would check them after about ten, and bake in 1-2 minute intervals after that.
8. Don't wash the pan that you made the filling in! Just use the 'pan drippings' to flavor your sauce! Pour the milk in & let it heat up.
9. Add in the mushrooms once your milk is hot. Let simmer for about 5 minutes.
10. Now add in the cheese & your salt & pepper. Let simmer for another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
11. Serve ravioli with sauced over top, or dip.

Let me know how they turn out and/or if you liked them, and I'm open to A N Y suggestions on improving the recipe! My mom & I did put it on www.allrecipes.com (one of my favorite websites to find recipes!!) but I can never seem to find it when I search for it! Oh well!

Talk to you guys later!

Cake Decorating!

    Hey guys! So, something I wanted to talk about was cake decorating! Woo! Ha, so I really actually like cake decorating, I think it's fun! I know I'm not the BEST at it, but I work towards being greeeeaaaaat! Haha. I just really like the idea of being able to make something (like candy, or other sweet food) look like a princess castle, or a butterfly's wings, or a golf course! Something simple like a rectangle cake can become something crazy! I just love it!

   So, I wanted to show some pictures of cakes that I've decorated before! One that I don't have a picture of was my favorite, but I'll do a brief description for you! It was a circle cake with white butter cream frosting, then my friend & I added a striped detail all across the cake using a 'Betty Crocker' tool that she had, we then piped a simple pink 5 petaled flower in the center, and placed about five or six little yellow decal balls making the center of the flower! It looked SO pretty, and i was sooooo proud! Now, onto the pictures!

   So, this cake was made my my friend & I when we were serving (our 'business' M&K Serving It Up, we serve & cater parties!) at my dad's 60th birthday party! It was a surprise & he's super into golf so me & my friend wanted to make a gold course cake for him! All of the flags had his 'golf buddies' names' on them & the tallest flag in the middle was for the hole. There is a sand pit made out of graham cracker crumbs and the taller grass is made out of green (we just used food coloring) coconut! My dad loved it & we were so proud and happy to give it to him! 

   This cake (it's actually a pie) was made about two years ago with the same friend as the golf cake. We teamed up against my older sister & her friend and had a cake competition. We were Team B & I believe this was a Chocolate Bar Pie (I think the recipe was from allrecipes.com, I'm not positive though!) We had so much fun decorating this & it was actually one of the first times I had decorated something! The base was just cool whip & the heart & lines were piped on in pink frosting. The brown filling of the heart is shaved chocolate! 

 This one is [obviously] not one of my favorites, it's so simple. But it is just a bunt cake covered in white vanilla frosting & sprinkles. My friend & I just made it for a family gather about two years ago. 

   This was the most recent cake I've made! Haha, my friend & I went a little crazy with decorating, but I found an old butterfly pan that I had & just HAD to make it, I mean, after all, my friend & I HAD spent the past 24 hours watching cake decorating videos (; We are silly teenage girls, so this isn't one of my BEST pieces, but it's one of my favorites, because I think the love & fun shows through! We covered the cake with a chocolate frosting & went nutso decorating with purple, lime green, orange, and yellow colored vanilla frosting & BUNCHES of candy, sprinkles, and yellow dot decals! 

   Hope you guys enjoyed this blog! If you have any super good (or not so good; or just silly) cakes you;ve made, feel free to comment ! I'd L O V E to see! <3 

   Bye for now!

Grilled Cheese & A Cookie!

In my quest to eat healthier I ended up discovering a new favorite [and healthier] way to make a grilled cheese! You eliminate soooo many calories by not using butter or oil !

Grilled Cheese-
~2 slices of bread (mine were only 100 calories each!)
~1 slice of orange american cheese (only 70 calories!!)

~Instead of loading on the butter on the bread [or oiling (and dirtying) a pan], simply take your slices of bread, and stick them in the toaster!
~When your toast comes out, place your slice of american cheese on it, and cut off the crusts (or keep them on, but I've found that when you cut them off, you save calories, the bread fits the shape of the cheese slice better and you're not left with any non-cheesy bread!).
~Simply press down on the sandwich with a spatula (or like device) to secure & melt the cheese.
~Lastly, pop your sandwich into the microwave for about 15 seconds to make sure the cheese melts!

I've found this recipe super satisfying, especially since I know I'm being healthier! I like to pair this with a chocolate chip cookie to cure my last bit of hungriness & my sweet tooth! The cookie [when using hannaford brand pre-made cookie dough roll] was surprisingly only 120 calories for every 1 & 1/2 inch cookie ball!

So, basically, I've had a satisfying lunch for a satisfying amount of calories! (290!!!)

One last tip, I suggest that you do something while you eat! Whether it be reading, blogging, writing, talking with a friend/family, or anything else! Studies show that it takes your body a full twenty minutes to register that it's full, so by doing something in between, you're buying time, and you eat less, while still being full !

That's all for now!

Hey look! I have a blog!

   Wowowow. Never in a million years would I think I'd have a blog ! But, here I am, blogging myself away to nothing!

   So for starters, you may want to know a bit about me; or maybe not, but whether you want to or not, here we go.

~My name is Kendra, but i prefer to go by The Little Chef*.
~I'm 15 years old.
~I'm only 4'9". (see where the 'little' comes from?)
~Cooking is my passion & I'd L O V E to be on the Food Network someday!

   So, that's about all you need to know for now. If you have any [non-creepy] questions, feel free to ask. Also, if you have any ways to help me get my blog out there, I'm up for suggestions.

   Hopefully, I'll be posting my favorite recipes (maybe with some Little Chef* spins on them) along with the joys I find in cooking ! Ha, way to make myself sound boring, eh ? In order to undo the nerdiness I've just caused myself, let me tell you a few of my other hobbies!

~I play flute & piccolo (flute at my lessons & piccolo in the marching band at my high school.)
~Facebook is pretty much my addiction.
~I L O V E to watch Elle & Blair on youtube, as well as iJustine.
~I love swimming & hanging out with my friends!
~I love to um, C O O K !

   That didn't really do much for me. now did it ? Well. I'm going to go explore this whole blogging world now. Good bye !