lemon bundt cake

1. CAKE:
2. 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3. 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
4. 1/2 tsp salt
5. 4 eggs
6. 2 cups sugar
7. 1 tsp vanilla extract
8. Zest of 2 large lemons (about 2 Tbsp of zest)
9. 1 1/4 cups milk (I use whole milk, but 2% would work)
10. 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
11. 
    
12. GLAZE:
13. 1 1/2 Cups of confectionery sugar
14. 2 to 3 Tbsp of fresh squeezed lemon juice
15. 
    
16. LEMON SUGAR TOPPING:
17. Zest of 1 lemon

1. 2 to 3 tsp of granulated sugar (enough to coat lemon zest)

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a large (12 cup) bundt pan very, very well, making sure to get all the crevices, then lightly flour pan. (or 9x13 if you prefer)
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside
3. In a large bowl (or in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment), beat eggs on high speed for 5 minutes or until thickened and lemon-colored. Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy.
4. Add vanilla and lemon zest and beat in.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until smooth, scraping bowl as needed.
6. In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter just until butter is melted (don't let boil). With mixer running, gradually add milk mixture to batter; beating just until combined and scraping bowl as needed. (this will be a very thin batter that pours easily)
7. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake at 350° for 28 to 35 minutes- until top springs back when pressed and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs)
8. Remove from oven, place on a wire rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes or until the cake starts to pull away from side of pan. With a knife gently release the cake from the sides of the pan and turn cake out onto cake platter. ( I do not recommend removing cake if you use a 9x13 pan). Let cake cool a bit before putting on glaze.

Glaze

1. Whisk together the confectionery sugar and enough lemon juice to make a drizzling consistency until smooth.
2. Drizzle, pour, or brush onto cake.

Lemon Sugar Topping (optional)

1. Mix lemon zest and sugar in a small bowl and sprinkle on top of freshly glazed cake while the glaze is still wet (so it will stick)

Original recipe found HERE.

fruit leather

(pictured: Ariana's rendition with the added cranberry sauce and banana)
This Christmas my sister from Ohio sent us home made fruit leather and it was a big hit with this crowd. I asked her for the recipe and have made it four times already. This stuff disappears around here! I especially like that it just has a few simple ingredients (as opposed to fruit roll-ups from the store). The cooking times vary quite a bit depending on how thick you spread these out and the type of fruit you use, so I just plan on starting a batch in the morning when I don't have to go anywhere and check it periodically. Most batches have taken 4-6 hours.

Ingredients:

about 4 medium apples

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

water

*Wash, peel, and chop 4 cups of apples (about 4 medium). 

*Place apples in a saucepan and add 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer then cover and cook about 10 minutes or until soft.

*Add sugar and cinnamon. Mash in pot. Cook 2-3 more minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.

*Pour mixture into blender and process until smooth. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with a baking mat or with parchment paper. Spread into a thin layer with a spatula.

 *Once it is spread, you can whack the baking sheet on the counter a few times to get the mixture even.

 *Bake at 170 degrees for 4-6 hours or until it's tacky but doesn't stick to your finger. Place onto waxed paper and cut into strips. Roll-up and store in air tight container.

Ariana's Rendition:

Follow the above recipe, but add a banana and 1/2 can of cranberry sauce when you puree everything in the blender. You may need to add a little more water, too, if the mixture is too thick. Since this mixture is thicker, it can take longer to cook (6-8 hours).

Original recipe found HERE.

creamy chicken noodle soup (crock pot)

This is our spin on the Lion House Chicken Noodle Soup recipe. I make this at least once a month, and even my non-soup-loving child will eat this.

 Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1-2 cups chopped carrots (we tend to lean towards 2 cups)

1 cup chopped celery (I recently read that you can add 1 cup frozen peas instead...we'll have to try that some time!)

5 cups chicken broth

1 medium onion, chopped

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup evaporated milk (just use regular milk if you don't have evaporated)

8-12 ounces egg noodles (other noodles work fine, too. We like bowties or pinwheels)

Salt and pepper to taste

*Place chicken, carrots, celery, and onion in crock pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours. remove chicken and shred with fork or chop. Return to crock pot. Add chicken broth, bouillon cubes, cream of chicken and evaporated milk. Stir together, replace lid, and cook at least another hour, or until ready to serve.

*Cook noodles per instructions on package and add to soup. Stir in and serve immediately.

*We like to top this with shredded cheese and sour cream.

**This recipe can also be made over the stove with a shorter cooking time, but I prefer to do the work in the morning and have less to do right before dinner.

HERE is a link to a stove top rendition.

one pan honey garlic chicken

One of our family's favorite dinners. I love that it bakes in one pan so there is less clean up.

Ingredients: 

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

2 Tbsp butter, melted

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

(or you can just use 1 tsp italian seasoning)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

24 oz. baby red potatoes, halved

4-5 boneless chicken breasts, or thighs with skin removed

24 ounces broccoli florets

*Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat sheet pan with nonstick spray.

*In a small bowl, whisk together 2 Tbsp. olive oil, butter, honey, brown sugar, dijon, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

*Place potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken to pan and drizzle each with honey mustard mixture.

*Roast in oven until chicken is cooked through (about 25-30 minutes). Stir in broccoli during the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until caramelized and slightly charred.

Original recipe found HERE.

italian sausage and peppers {don't knock it 'til you try it}

 I admit that this dinner doesn't necessarily look the most appetizing, especially when you look at the sauce in the pan. Buuut, don't knock it 'til you try it! It got rave reviews in the Chunn household. If even the kids will eat something that looks like this, you know it must be good.

Ingredients:
1 package mild Italian Sausage
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 large or 2 small sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste (we just used the whole can)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

*cook sausage in large saucepan over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. You do not need to cook it through at this point. Remove sausage from pan and set aside.
*Add onion and peppers to grease left in pan and cook over medium heat until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
*slice sausage into 1 inch pieces. Return to pan with all other ingredients.
*Cook for 5-10 minutes, until sausage is cooked through and sauce is thickened.
*Serve on hoagie rolls or over rice.

Original recipe found HERE.

chocolate frosted peanut butter cookies

Sometimes a plain peanut butter cookie just doesn't do it for me. It lacks...a little something. That's why I love these chocolate frosted peanut butter cookies. You get that peanut butter flavor, plus the added richness of chocolate frosting. A match made in heaven! And--even better--the frosting is made in the microwave and still turns out nice and fluffy and smooth.

Servings: About 22 medium cookies

Cookies:

1 large egg

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup peanut butter (don't use 'natural' pb that separates)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

pinch salt, optional, to taste

chocolate sprinkles (optional)

*Mix together egg, butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add peanut butter and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Mix in the dry ingredients: flour and baking soda. 

**The recipe says to use a cookie scoop, scoop out dough, and refrigerate for 3 hours (as pictured below). When we baked our cookies they never flattened out so we had to use the bottom of a cup to flatten them after we took them out of the oven. I think next time I will omit the step to refrigerate and see if that makes a difference.

*Bake at 350 degrees for 8-11 minutes

For Frosting:

*Melt butter in microwave safe bowl. Add remaining ingredients (except sprinkles) and whisk together until smooth and combined. Frost cookies and add sprinkles.

*Enjoy!

Original recipe found HERE.

chicken marsala

This dinner is super tasty served over noodles. The sauce is my favorite part of this meal. Make sure you get extra sauce to pour on top of your noodles (or rice, even!).

Ingredients:

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

salt and pepper

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup marsala wine (we use white grape juice)

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy whipping cream (if you don't have any on hand use 3/4 cup milk, 2 Tbsp. butter. Add butter directly to the sauce while cooking and stir 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch in with the milk before adding to the sauce).

1 tsp. ground mustard

1 tsp. garlic powder

fresh chopped parsley for garnish

*In a large skillet over medium heat add 1 Tbsp olive oil to pan. Add the chicken and lightly salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove chicken and set on plate.

*Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and saute mushrooms for 1-2 minutes. Add marsala wine (or white grape juice) and bring to a boil over medium heat 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, heavy whipping cream, ground mustard, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Place chicken back in sauce and continue to simmer 1-2 minutes. 

Original recipe found HERE.

hummus

This was my first time trying my hand at homemade hummus and it was a success! It's definitely a keeper. The only "odd" ingredient that I don't normally keep on hand is tahini (ground up sesame seeds), but I have a big jar of it now so I am set to make this several more times before I run out.

(I found the recipe HERE)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• pinch of salt and freshly-cracked black pepper (to taste)
• 1/4 cup water, or more if needed
• optional topping ideas: extra drizzle of olive oil, chopped fresh parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, toasted pine nuts, chopped roasted red peppers, basil pesto

DIRECTIONS:

Add first seven ingredients (chickpeas thru salt/pepper) to a food processor, and blend until smooth. Add in the water and continue blending until the hummus reaches your desired consistency, adding additional water if needed.

Garnish with optional toppings and serve immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

double chocolate pumpkin muffins

These muffins are delicious. I like to double the recipe and freeze half. You can pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds and they are just perfect. I like to think they are a little healthy, too, since they have pumpkin in them! Ha!

I added mini m&m's on top this time, but I typically don't. They make for a more colorful picture and they kids were even more excited about eating them this time:-)

You can find the original recipe here: thekitchenmagpie.com

Servings: 12 muffins 

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips 

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees
*Mix together butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and cocoa powder. Add chocolate chips and mix until they are spread evenly throughout the batter.
*Spray muffin tins with non stick spray or line with muffin liners. Use a 2 tbsp scoop to fill muffin tins. 
*Bake at 350 for 17-20 minutes.
*cool on racks

      

peppermint bark fudge

This recipe is so easy and it is delicious. I only intended to make it one time for the Sisters I Visit Teach. Buuuut, it was so good I decided I needed to make it again. I chopped up a Giardelli dark chocolate and peppermint candy bar the first time I made this and sprinkled it on the top instead of the crushed candy canes. The second time I made it I used the crushed candy canes and it was good, but the candy canes became soggy when I stored the fudge in the fridge. It's delicious both ways, but it will store longer without candy canes on top.

Photo and recipe credit: sugarspunrun.com

 Prep Time 15 minutes

 Total Time 15 minutes

 Servings 32

 Calories 128 kcal

 Author Samantha Merritt

Ingredients

• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (396g)
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (175g)
• 1 cup premium white chocolate chips (175g)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract optional
• 1/3 cup crushed candy canes divided. About 5 regular-sized candy canes, crushed (75g)

Instructions

1. Line an 8x8 square pan with aluminum foil and lightly butter the sides and bottom of the foil.  Set aside.
2. Divide condensed milk equally into two separate small/medium saucepans (just over 1/2 cup in each pan).  
3. Add dark chocolate chips to one pan and white chocolate chips to the other.
4. Melt chocolate chips over medium heat, stirring constantly until completely melted.  
5. Once chocolate has melted, remove dark chocolate mixture from heat and stir in vanilla extract.  Immediately spread evenly into prepared pan.
6. Once white chocolate has melted, remove from heat and stir in mint extract, if using.  Stir in 1/4 cup (50g) crushed peppermint pieces and immediately spread evenly over chocolate layer.
7. Immediately sprinkle with remaining crushed peppermint pieces.
8. Allow fudge to harden completely before slicing and serving (about 4-6 hours at room temperature, or about 1-2 hours in refrigerator).  

crepes

This is our go to crepe recipe. Turns out great every time! They are especially tasty served with home made whipped cream and fruit. Yum!

Crepes (I usually triple this recipe):

2 eggs
2/3 cup flour 
1 cup milk
Pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp oil
Butter to prevent sticking to pan

Blend all ingredients in blender. Melt pat of butter in frying pan and add 1/8th of batter for each crepe. Cook on both sides til lightly browned.

country apple fritter bread

I made this Country Apple Fritter Bread. It was so tasty I didn't even get around to drizzling on the icing because I kept "tasting" it. I pretty much tasted the entire loaf before it was even lunch time. Yikes!

Here is a link to the blog where I found the recipe:

Country Apple Fritter Bread

Country Apple Fritter Bread

Country Apple Fritter Bread - Awesome!

Serves 8

Bread Loaf

• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 apples, peeled and chopped (any kind), mixed with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Old-Fashioned Creme Glaze

• 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
• 1-3 tablespoons of milk or cream- (depending on thickness of glaze wanted)

Instructions

• 1
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a 9x5-inch loaf pan and spray with non-stick spray or line with foil and spray with non-stick spray to get out easily for slicing.
• 2
  Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside.
• 3
  In another medium-sized bowl, beat white sugar and butter together using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
• 4
  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended in; add in vanilla extract.
• 5
  Combine & whisk flour and baking powder together in another bowl and add into creamed butter mixture and stir until blended.
• 6
  Mix milk into batter until smooth.
• 7
  Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan; add half the apples and half the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
• 8
  Lightly pat apple mixture into batter.
• 9
  Pour the remaining batter over apple layer and top with remaining apples and brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
• 10
  Lightly pat apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using knife or spoon.
• 11
  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, approximately 50-60 minutes.
• 12
  To make glaze, mix powdered sugar and milk or cream together until well mixed.
• 13
  Let cool for about 15 minutes before drizzling with glaze.

Optional

• Next time I think I would add in walnuts. You can always use other fruit, or you could add in chocolate chips too! (Of course!)
• Substitutions: I've also substituted this with 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, 1/3 cup milk and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda instead of 1/2 cup milk as called out in the bread loaf ingredients.
• Baking options: Bake 30-40 min. for 2 loaf recipe, 15-20 minutes for muffins or 50 -60 minutes for one full loaf recipe or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

taco soup

This is one of my favorite meals to make because it's a one pot meal, it's full of veggies and legumes, and everyone loves it.

Soup:

1 pound lean hamburger meat

1/2 large yellow onion

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn, drained

1 can sliced olives, drained

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can water

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 taco seasoning packets

Topping:

shredded cheddar

sour cream

tortilla chips

chopped cilantro (optional)

First, brown 1 pound of hamburger with 1/2 large onion (diced) in a large pot until the hamburger is cooked through and the onion is translucent. Meanwhile, drain beans, corn, and sliced olives. Add to cooked hamburger and onion. Add one can of diced tomatoes and one can of water to pot and stir. Stir in 2 taco seasoning packets and 1 Tbsp. brown sugar. Bring to a boil then cover and let simmer until you are ready to serve.

Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, and cilantro!

Some of our favorite toppings....

Delicious!

murray's chicken marinade

I could eat this chicken every single week and never get tired of it. It's that good!

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 Tbsp. mustard 

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 lime, juiced

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

6 Tbps. olive oil

ground black pepper

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Whisk together all ingredients except chicken and pour into a gallon sized ziplock bag. Place chicken in the mixture. Marinate in fridge 8 hours or overnight. Discard marinade. Grill or broil a about 10 minutes per side.