A Bite of the Sweet Life by Creative Bakery Solutions

2012-01-13T07:02:00.000-08:00

Pina Colada Muffins

Recipe by Creative Bakery Solutions

Amazing flavor for morning and afternoon coffee breaks.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20-30

Total time: 30

Yield: 18 muffins

Ingredients

1 18.25 ounce package Vanilla Variations by Creative Bakery Solutions
1 tablespoon Coconut Extract or paste
1 tablespoon Run
1 cup Flaked coconut
1/2 cup Chopped nuts - optional
3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Pineapple juice or water
3 eggs
1 cup Crushed Pineapple

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a blender mix: variations mix, eggs, oil, water/juice, run and coconut extract. Mix for 3 minutes on medium speed scraping the sides to well blended. Fold in coconut, pineapple and nuts. Fill muffin cups 1/2 full with batter. Bake for approximately 20-30 minutes.

2012-01-11T09:36:00.000-08:00

Cherry Cake Balls

Ingredients

1 18.25 ounce package Chocolate Variations Mix
1 1/4 cup Strong brewed coffee
1/4 cup oil
3 eggs
1 jar (10 ounce) maraschino cherries

Cooking Directions

Combine the variations mix, coffee, oil and eggs. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13 inch x 9 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
Place cherries in a food processor; cover and process until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in the brandy, preserves and 3 tablespoons coffee. Crumble cake into a large bowl. Add frosting and cherry mixture; beat well. Shape into 1 inch balls.
In a microwave, melt candy coating and shortening; stir until smooth.
Dip balls in chocolate mixture; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Store in an airtight container overnight before serving. Yield: 6 dozen.

2012-01-06T06:27:00.000-08:00

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins or Quick Bread

Ingredients

1 Vanilla Variations Mix by Creative Bakery Solutions
3 eggs
3/4 cup Vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest

Cooking Directions

Mix with a blender for 2-3 minutes. Scrap the sides of the bowl to blend appropriately. Decide if you want quick Breads (makes 1 large or 2 one pound loafs) - or - if you want to make muffins - 12-18 muffins. Spray the quick bread pan with non-stick spray or line your muffin tins with paper liners. Bake at 350 degrees. Muffins will take 20-30 minutes and the quick bread 40-60 minutes. Great for breakfast or afternoon coffee break.

Mint Brownie Crinkles

2011-12-20T11:10:00.000-08:00

Mint Brownie Crinkles

Ingredients

1 - 18.25 ounce bag Melting Mint Brownie Mix by Creative Bakery Solutions
2 eggs
2 teaspoons water or vanilla

Cooking Directions

Using an electric mixer blend all the ingredients until it looks like dough - very solid. Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper so the crinkles don't stick to the pan. Using a teaspoon or the smallest scoop place on the cookie sheet allowing a little room in between each cookie.
Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. They are amazing delicious cookies. Makes 4 dozen!
Enjoy the mint!

Marble Brownies

2011-12-15T04:35:00.000-08:00

2011-12-02T10:13:00.000-08:00

Rum Cake

Ingredients

1- 18.25 ounce Vanilla Variations mix by Creative Bakery Solutions
3 3/4 oz - 1 package Vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup dark rum
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour ring pan or 9x13 pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. Mix all ingredients together. Pour batter over nuts. Bake 1 hour. Cool. Invert on serving plate. Prick top. Drizzle and smooth glaze evenly over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze. Repeat till glaze is used up.
For glaze: melt 1/4 cup butter in saucepan. Stir in 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup dark rum. Optional: Decorate with whole maraschino cherries and border of sugar frosting or whipped cream. Serve with seedless green grapes dusted with powdered sugar.

Pumpkin Quick Bread

2011-10-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Quick Bread

Ingredients

1 18.25 ounce bag Vanilla Variations mix by Creative Bakery Solutions
3 eggs
1 cup Water
3/4 cup Oil
1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg, cinnamon, all-spice
1 cup Pumpkin Puree

Cooking Directions

Combine all the ingredients. Mix on low for approximately 2 minutes making sure you scrape the sides periodically. Spray your pans using 2 small 1 pound loaf pans or 1 large loaf pan. Place the batter in the prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.

Caramel Apple Walnut Ring Cake

2011-09-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

Caramel Apple Walnut Ring Cake

Ingredients

1- 18.25 ounce bag Vanilla Variations mix by Creative Bakery Solutions
1 cup Water
3 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 cup diced / peeled apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using an electric mixer; mix the Variations mix, water, eggs and oil until well blended- approximately 3 minutes. Fold in the diced apples and cinnamon.
Grease and flour ring pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. Mix all ingredients together. Pour batter over nuts. Bake 1 hour. Cool. Invert on serving plate. Prick top. Drizzle melted caramel evenly over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb caramel.

Strawberry Pound Cake

2011-08-06T12:45:00.000-07:00

Simple Strawberry PoundCake

1 Vanilla Variations Mix by Creative Bakery Solutions

3 eggs

1 cup water

3/4 cup butter

3/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup strawberries, sliced and stirred with 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 pans loaf size 1 pound. In a medium bowl, use a potato masher to crush strawberries. Set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, eggs, mix, water and the almond extract. Mix in crushed strawberry mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Muffins

2011-06-16T05:08:00.000-07:00

Porch Classic Muffins

1 Vanilla Variations Mix (18.25 ounces)

3 eggs

1 cup water

3/4 cup oil

1/2 -3/4 cup raisins

2 Tablespoons Molasses

3/4 cup Bran

Mix the first 4 ingredients for 2-3 minutes. Fold in the remaining ingredients. Bake regular size muffins at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean)

Sit on the porch with a good cup of coffee with your freshly baked muffins.

Sweet Summer Dessert

2011-06-08T05:37:00.000-07:00

Sweet Summer Desserts starts with a simple raspberry Brownie Mix
Bake according to directions (easy - just water and oil)
Cool completely
Cut the brownies in small - bite size squares (1")
Using your favorite glass fruit or dessert cups - place 2 brownie bites in each glass
Layer with a few fresh Raspberries, blueberries or blackberries
Top with Whipped Cream (either fresh, frozen or from a can)
Add a few more brownie bites
Top with a few more berries
Swirl a chocolate sauce over the whipped cream

Satisfy All Your Kids

2011-05-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

School is out and that means lots of baking for breakfast, snack and dessert.

Keep it simple with Vanilla Variations. After the batter is ready (mix, eggs, oil and water) - scoop into muffin tins and add what each person likes into each muffin tin.

Now you can make 18 muffins- 2 strawberry for Sally, 3 blueberry for Jimmy, 5 banana nut for Nathan, 4 chocolate chip for Charlie and 4 raspberry for Rhonda.

18 muffins - one mix - all finished start to finish in less than 30 minutes.

Grab a glass of milk and celebrate life's simple moments from abiteofthesweetlife.com

So glad we are all one happy family.

Tin Roof Mint Brownies & Chocolate Raspberry Cream Brownies

2011-03-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

Want a special treat? Try the mint and raspberry brownie mixes available through Creative Bakery Solutions. They are really yummy! Want to make them even better? Try these variations.
Dr. Ann Werner
werne023@umn.edu

Tin Roof Mint Brownies
Top the cooled mint brownies with Hershey’s hot fudge, warmed slightly to spread easily. Spread a layer of peanuts over the hot fudge, then, warm the hot fudge so it is easily drizzled over the peanuts and finally, drizzle caramel over the chocolate and peanuts. REALLY good stuff!
To make it more festive, bake the brownies in a half sheet pan (larger than a regular cookie sheet) so that they are thin when done. If you line the pan with parchment paper before baking the brownies you will be able to turn the pan over and easily remove the baked brownies from the pan.
Cut the sheet pan of brownies into three rows lengthwise. Place a layer of chocolate, peanuts and caramel over the bottom layer, add a brownie layer and repeat the peanut, chocolate and caramel layer over the second and third layers ending with the peanut, chocolate and caramel layer.
Freeze so that when the cake is cut, the layers show nicely. If it is not frozen before cutting, the layers will collapse together. It is not only pretty but very refreshing and flavorful.

Chocolate Raspberry Cream Brownies
Mix the chocolate raspberry brownie mix. Bake in a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper so that the brownies can be easily turned out of the pan and cut into three lengthwise strips. Cool thoroughly before cutting and adding filling.

Filling:
Thaw a regular size bag of raspberries
Drain juice and set aside raspberries.

Bring 4 oz. cream cheese to room temperature

Whip one pint of whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. raspberry juice
Add powdered sugar to taste
Fold in cream cheese to whipping cream mixture

In a small saucepan thicken the raspberries and remaining juice with cornstarch.
Cool.

Layer the brownies, a thin layer of thickened raspberries, and a layer of whipping cream
Repeat.
On the top layer of brownie first mix the remaining thickened raspberries with the whipping cream and spread over the top.

Freeze before cutting. If you try to cut the layers without freezing you will not be able to see the layers.

Let set for a few minutes to thaw a bit before serving.

If desired, garnish with a cluster of fresh raspberries and a mint leaf.

Both recipes are great dinner party treats.

Everything RaspberryRecipe card design created with Smilebox

2011-01-17T05:52:00.000-08:00

This free recipe card design generated with Smilebox

2011-01-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

This free recipe card design generated with Smilebox

Valentines Gift Package

2010-12-29T06:03:00.000-08:00

This is a Valentines gift basket offered by one of our closest customers promoting the Chocolate Variations bakery mix for Valentines Day. You can purchase their gift basket by going to: www.krafty-kreations.com

Raspberry Muffins for Christmas Morning

2010-12-10T13:01:00.000-08:00

It's a Wonderful Life
Just a few weeks before Christmas it is time to think about what you are serving for Christmas morning.

Raspberry is a Holiday flavor with the burst of color we expect this time of year. We can discover just how wonderful our lives are - exactly as they are right at this moment - by doing what George did. We can step back and take another look at our lives and the lives we've touched.

The ordinary moments of life are the ones we cherish the most:
Sleeping in
Good health
Bills are paid
Shoes are put away
Laundry is done
Kids are sleeping
2nd cup of coffee

Whatever your ordinary moment is - celebrate with a little time for yourself.

Raspberry Swirl Muffins

Enjoy the simplicity....

1 bag of Vanilla Variations (www.abiteofthesweetlife.com)
3 eggs
3/4 oil
1 cup water

Mix in a blender for 2 minutes.

Swirl in 1 cup of raspberry preserves or premade sauce.
Place in cupcake liners. Sprinkle sugar on top. Bake 20 - 25 minutes at 350. These can be made well in advance so that your ordinary moments can be extended.

Enter code wonderfullife for a $1.00 discount on the Vanilla Variations www.abiteofthesweetlife.com - now until Christmas morning

Cranberry Orange Muffins

2010-12-06T09:22:00.000-08:00

Enjoy a Holiday morning with cranberry orange muffins:

1 - 18.25 ounce package of Vanilla Variations by www.abiteofthesweetlife.com
3/4 oil
3 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

Mix the first 4 ingredients with an electric mixer until well blended (2 minutes). Fold in the cranberries. Scoop the mixture into individual cupcake liners. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a little sugar for added taste and crinkle top.

Bake for approximately 20-23 minutes at 350 degrees.

One package of Variations makes approximately 18-24 muffins.

Enjoy and happy winter season.

Rum Cake

2010-12-02T14:14:00.000-08:00

Holiday Time with friends and family ... enjoy this rum cake recipe - easy and amazing!

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 18.25 ounce package of Vanilla Variations by Creative Bakery Solutions
1 3 3/4 oz pkg Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding and Pie Filling
4 eggs
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup dark rum

Glaze:
1/4 lb butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark rum

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour ring pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. Mix all ingredients together. Pour batter over nuts. Bake 1 hour. Cool. Invert on serving plate. Prick top. Drizzle and smooth glaze evenly over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze. Repeat till glaze is used up.

For glaze: melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heart. Stir in rum. Optional: Decorate with whole maraschino cherries and border of sugar frosting or whipped cream. Serve with seedless green grapes dusted with powdered sugar.

3 sofa cushions equals a fort

2010-09-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

Don't you love the imagination of children? When finding a quarter meant being rich and 3 sofas made the coolest fort.

Having a great life is simple and sweet by making something out of nothing:

Make a cape out of any old fabric. Tie it around your neck and pretend to be 'Super Heroes'.
Go camping in your home. You know how to make a fort so pretend you're camping.
It's pumpkin time - decorate the pumpkin instead of carving it using only items from a nature walk.
Make it a race....because we want time to make forts we also need to get something done. Make it a race to dust, vacuum, mop the floors. Time the group and when you are all done - get back to camping and cherish the wonderful great today.