Chicken Tamale Pie

    This week is going to be crazy busy.  I'm working after teaching every day and won't be home until after 6 so I've been looking for simple one dish meals I can prepare when I get home.  I always have pasta dishes ready to go and I had a crock-pot meal as well so I needed something different.  Chicken Tamale Pie was the answer.

     I was able to cook and shred the chicken two days ahead of time which saved me time.  The base of the pie is a spicy green chili cornbread crust that is topped with enchilada sauce.  The chicken and cheese and placed on top and baked until bubbly.  The flavors in this dish just burst in my mouth.  The cornbread was spicy but sweet.  The chicken, cheese, and sauce were amazing.  Then cilantro and queso fresco add a bit of colorful for a gorgeous presentation as well.


Chicken Tamale Pie (adapted from Prevention RD)

1/4 c. 2% milk
1 egg
2 T. fajita seasoning, divided
1/4 t. ground red pepper
1 c. cream-style corn
1 (8.5 oz) box corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy)
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
2 c. cooked chicken breast, shredded
1/2 c. part-skim cheddar cheese, shredded
2 T. cilantro, chopped
2 T. Queso Fresco cheese, crumbled for topping

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a pie pan with cooking spray.

2.  Combine the milk, egg, 1 tablespoon of fajita seasoning, red pepper, cream corn, corn muffin mix, and green chilies in a large bowl.  Stir just until moist.  Pour the mixture into the pie pan.  Bake for 25 minutes or until the cornbread is golden brown.

3.  Meanwhile, toss the chicken with the remaining fajita seasoning.

4.  Remove the cornbread from the oven and pierce the entire surface with a fork. Pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with the chicken; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.

5.  Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Top with cilantro and Queso Fresco.

This post linked to:
Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Trick or Treat Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays,

Foodie PenPal July

     It's the end of the month and that means it's time for another Foodie PenPal!  This month my box came from Cassie in Minnesota.  Cassie sent me a breakfast box filled with goodies!

    Inside my box were two delicious breakfast cookies.  Both were great and gone within the first few days we received the box.  There were also a few soft caramels in the box which we ate immediately.  Nothing is better then soft caramel as a treat.  There was also a bag of red velvet cupcake coffee!  I've never seen such a thing but it was A-Mazing!  Seriously, if you haven't tried it go get it now!  The last thing in my box was hot sauce.  We haven't yet used it but I guarentee it will work it's way into breakfast or dinner soon!

    Thanks to Cassie for sending such a fun foodie box!

Award Winning Black Bean Burgers

     In case you haven't heard by now, I entered a burger contest at Giant Eagle Market District in Pittsburgh.  Contestants had to live in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, or West Virginia so luckily I was able to participate.  They had two categories-a beef burger category and a vegetable burger category.  I entered a black bean burger in early June in hopes I'd hear something later in the month.

    In making the burger I took elements of the best black bean and veggies burgers I've eaten and combined them together.  They made for a moist, tasty black bean burger.  The avocado sauce adds a different texture and a bright color.  The roasted red peppers add a sweetness and the mozzarella cheese is smooth and delicious.  

    They ended up having hundreds of entries.  From those entries they chose 10 beef burgers and 10 vegetable burgers to make and be judged.  From those entries they came up with the top 3 in each category to compete at the store in early July.  Imagine my surprise when they called and told me that my black bean burger was in the top three!  We immediately made plans to go up to Pittsburgh for the contest.

     The day of the contest was exciting.  I knew my parents, my brother, and his girlfriend were coming to see me but my cousin, her son, my aunt, and another one of my cousins ended up coming to show their support.  It was so sweet of them to take time on a Saturday to come see my burger compete.  The burgers were made by local chefs and judged by a panel of local celebrities including newscasters, local chefs, restaurant owners, and the manager of Market District.

     When they announced the winner I was so shocked I started clapping and looking around when I realized I had won!  I was so excited to have won this competition.  I received a gift card for the Market District, which my husband and I promptly used, and a sweet trophy.  The best part was that several of the judges came over afterwards to tell me how much they enjoyed the burger.

Award Winning Black Bean Burgers  (avocado cream inspired by Elly Says Opa!)
For the burgers:
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained  
3/4 c. Italian seasoned breadcrumbs 
1 T. olive oil
1 egg + 1 egg white
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. oregano
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into quarters
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, minced
1/4 c. fresh parsley, minced
1/4 c. onion, minced

For the avocado cream sauce:
1 avocado, pitted and cut into strips
1/2 c. creme fraiche
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. cumin
2 T. lime juice
2 T. cilantro, minced
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper

For the toppings:
6 slices mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. arugula
6 brioche buns

1.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2.  Place the quartered red peppers on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until the skin is beginning to char.

3.  Remove the roasted red peppers from the oven.  Cut half of them into strips and set aside to cool.  Dice the other half of the peppers to use in the burgers.

4.  Place 1 can of the drained black beans in a large bowl and mash with a fork.

5. In a medium bowl combine the egg, egg white, remaining olive oil, cumin, oregano, salt, peppers, and garlic.  Stir to combine.

6.  Add the egg mixture, breadcrumb mixture, remaining black beans, dice roasted red pepper, cilantro, parsley, and onions to the bowl with the mashed black beans.  Stir together until  combined.

7.  Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 15 minutes while making the avocado cream.

8.  Place all the ingredients for the avocado cream in a food processor.  Processor until smooth.  Remove to a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

9.  Divide the black bean mixture into 6 black bean patties.  Pack them into burgers about 3/4 inch thick.  Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and place the burgers in the pan.  Cook until brown on one side, about 5 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

10.  Remove from pan and set on a plate.

11.  To serve place the black bean burger on a brioche bun.  Top with a slice of mozzarella cheese, 4 strips of the reserved roasted red pepper, and a few tablespoons of arugula.  Spread a tablespoon of the avocado cream on the top of the bun and place on top.  Enjoy.

This post linked to:
Meatless Mondays, Making You Crave Mondays, Mouthwatering Mondays, Mangia Mondays,

Let's hear It For Almigal by Wendy Kupfer

      Let's Hear It For Almigal is written by Wendy Kupfer and illustrated by Tammie Lyon.  This book is about a little girl named Almigal who has hearing loss.  Almigal wears cotton candy colored hearing aides in school and thinks she is a very lucky girl.

     Unfortunately, Almigal begins to get frusterated when she can't hear a baby's giggle, the robin's chirping, or the soft song in her dance class.  When she goes to the hearing doctor she is told that she is a great candidate for cochlear implants.  The next day she under goes the surgery and comes home with a silly bandage around her head.

     Suddenly Almigal feels like the luckiest girl in the world again!  She can hear the birds, the baby's giggle, and even the soft song at dance class.  But best of all, Almigal is able to hear her parents say I love you when they tuck her in at night.

     As a special education teacher who teaches several students with haring impairments I found this book to be inspirational.  Almigal is such a happy, positive little girl who looks at herself as lucky for what she has.  She has many friends at school, two sweet puppies, and parents that love her.

     The author of the book, Wendy Kupfer, knows a lot about this subject and it shows in this book.  Her daughter, Ali, has profound hearing loss.  With the help of her parents and her own determination, Ali has learned to speak and exude confidence.  I can't wait to share this book with the students in my classroom.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

This post linked to: 
Review Party Wednesday, Saturday Situation,

Become (Desolation #1) by Ali Cross

     Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.

     When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had before—a friend. (synopsis from Goodreads)

     I found this book to have a slow and confusing start.  There were a lot of characters to learn about and the names used for Heaven, Hell, and Earth were different and unknown to me.  Also, a handful of the characters have several different names which confused me as well.


     After getting into the book it was much easier to keep track of the characters and the setting.  Desi is a teenage girl who is the daughter of the Devil.  She believes she is sent to Earth in order to Become.  In her mind Becoming means to Become a demon.  Little does she know that on the night she actually Becomes a demon is not what she is.  In that moment everything changes for Desi. She sees the truth of who she really is and she begins to Remember.


     Armed with nothing more then her mortal friend Miri and her long lost love, Michael, Desi is determined to fight Akaros, the Devil's right hand man.  It's a tale as old as time as good and evil are in the battle of a lifetime.  The difference in this case is there is a fresh, modern twist to the story.


    The book becomes a story about choices.  Desi is able to chose whether she should use her gifts for good or evil.  She struggles to really find herself, to learn what's important to her, and to Become her destiny.


I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. 

This post linked to: 
Saturday Situation, Review Party Wednesday,

Crackers for Daring Bakers

      Our July 2012 Daring Bakers’ Host was Dana McFarland and she challenged us to make homemade crackers! Dana showed us some techniques for making crackers and encouraged to use our creativity to make each cracker our own by using ingredients we love.  I've had a few different cracker recipes pinned that I've been wanting to try, but after seeing the recipes Dana posting I ended up trying two of hers.


      The good news is that crackers are much easier to make then I thought.  This means I can make more of them in the future.  When given this task it was requested that we make crackers using two different techniques.  I made the Seedy Crisps using the pasta roller technique.  They came out thin and crisp.  The seeded crackers were great for topping with different cheeses because they were hearty and sturdy.

      I then made Pepper Jack, Smoked Cheddar, and oregano crackers using the hand rolled technique.  I had difficulty getting the dough really thin but these crackers were awesome!  I didn't need to put anything on them because they were already full of spices and cheese.  I can't wait to try more cracker recipes in the future!

Pepper Jack, Smoked Cheddar, and Oregano Crackers (adapted from Garde Manger: The Art and Craft of the Cold Kitchen (3rd ed.))
1 c. flour
1/2 c. Pepper Jack cheese
1/2 c. Smoked Cheddar cheese
1 t. oregano
1 t. parsley
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. water

1.   Grate the cheese and put it in a large mixing bowl along with the flour, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper.   Mix well with your hands until everything is well combined.  This can also be done with a food processor.

2. Add in the oil and mix until it has the consistency of wet sand.

3.  Add in enough water for the dough to come together.  Form the dough into a large disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

4.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

5.  Cut the dough in half and use a rolling pin to roll it to 1/8 inch thickness.  Cut the dough into square crackers or use a cookie cutter to make them into shapes.  (I used a small biscuit cutter)

6.  Place the crackers on a parchment paper lined cookie sheets.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

7.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.  Store in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

Seedy Crisps  (adapted from Good Eats 3:The Early Years by Alton Brown)
1 c. flour
3 T. poppy seeds
3 T. sesame seeds
1 t. salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
3/4 t. baking powder
2 T. olive oil
1/3 c. water

1. Mix the flour, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, salt, garlic powder, and baking powder in a large bowl.  

2.  Add in the oil and stir until well combined.

3.  Add the water and stir until the dough comes together.  

4.  Knead the dough 5 or 6 times.  Cover the dough and allow to rest for 15 minutes. 

5.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

6.  Working with half the dough, roll out using pasta rollers until desired thickness is reached.  Place the strip on a parchment covered cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining half of dough.

7.  Bake crackers for 6 minutes then flip over and bake for an additional 6 minutes.  

8.  Cut into squares and then return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes.

9.  Remove from oven and store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

This post linked to:
Foodie Friday, Shine on Friday,

Beef with Eggplant: Blogger's Choice Swap

   It's the end of the month and with that comes another recipe swap!  This week's theme was blogger's choice meaning I could go to my designated blog, which was Sunny Side Up in San Diego, and pick any recipe I wanted!  Now I already have a lot of Jessica's recipes pinned but when I went on her site I went looking for a healthy dinner.  She has great recipes and beautiful photographs on her site.

    When I found the beef with eggplant I was interested.  The picture showed the browned beef paired with bright purple eggplant and red peppers on top of rice.  We eat Asian inspired meals every week and I had just bought a great looking eggplant at the farmer's market.

    This recipe was excellent.  The colors of the vegetables look gorgeous against the white background of the rice and browned beef.  There is a hint of spice along with soy and a slight sesame  flavor.  It's a quick dish too which is always great to have during the week.  We both really enjoyed this one and will be making it again soon.

Beef with Eggplant (adapted from Sunny Side Up in San Diego)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. fresh ginger, minced
1 T. rice vinegar
1 t. sesame oil
1 t. Sriracha sauce
1 T. brown sugar
1 t. lime juice
1 lb. flank steak, thinly sliced
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 T. vegetable oil
green onions, sliced

1.  In a small bowl combine the garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, sesame oil, Sriracha, brown sugar, and lime juice.  Set aside.

2.  Season the beef with the salt and pepper.

3.  Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add in half the beef and cook for 2 minutes per side or until browned.  Remove from pan and repeat with remaining beef.  Keep warm.

4.  Reduce heat to medium and add the other tablespoon of oil to the skillet.  Add in the eggplant, red peppers, and green peppers.  Saute for 3-4 minutes.

5.  Add the sauce to the pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes.   Return the beef and any juices to the skillet.  Cook for 3-4 minutes.

6.  Serve over rice and top with green onions.

This post linked to:
Foodie Friday, Seasonal Saturday,

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Glaze

     I've been on the hunt for a new chocolate cupcake recipe because the one I normally use sticks to the cupcake liners and isn't too sturdy.  When I asked some foodie friends they suggested I check out Dorie Greenspan's cakes and cupcakes.  My brother bought me her cookbook Baking:  From My Home to Yours for Christmas last year and I've only made one recipe from it.

      I went with the chocolate cupcake and ganache recipe.  The ingredients sounded similar to those in my other recipe but the batter looked much different.  It was fluffy and soft and it tasted almost like a mousse.  The resulting cupcakes are dark and delicious.  They are not overly sweet so it's easy to pair them with a sweet glaze or frosting.  The ganache gets firm on the outside but stays soft and silky underneath.  These will definitely be my go to chocolate cupcakes from now on.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Glaze (adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan)
2 c. flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 sticks butter
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 t. vanilla
1 c. low fat milk
1/2 c. chocolate chips, melted

For the glaze:
1/2 c. milk chocolate melts
2 T. powdered sugar
2 T. butter 

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.   Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners.


2.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 


3.  In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter at medium speed until it is creamy.  Add in the sugars and beat on medium for 2 minutes.  Add in the eggs one at a time beating for 1 minutes after each one.  Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula.


4.  Add in half the dry ingredients and mix on medium just until incorporated.  Then add the milk and mix for 2 minutes.  Mix in the remaining dry ingredients.  Fold in the melted chocolate with a rubber spatula.


5.  Divide the batter evenly between the 24 muffin cups.  Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.  Cool completely.


6.  To make the glaze melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals.  Stir in the powdered sugar and then the cold butter.  Stir until the butter is melted.  


7.  Glaze each cupcake with a spoonful of the chocolate ganache.  Allow to sit for 15 minutes to harden the glaze before serving.

This post linked to:
Full Plate Thursday, It's A Keeper Thursday, Frugal Food Thursdays,

Soutzoukakia (Greek Meatballs)

    I've been on a bit of a world tour with my meatballs lately.  I've made the traditional Italian meatballs many times.  Last month I finally got around to trying the North African meatballs which were out of this world!  Then I made the Russian Meatball Stroganoff.  So when I came across a recipe for Greek meatballs I thought, why not?

    Soutzoukakia are similar to traditional meatballs and are usually served in a simple tomato based sauce over rice or mashed potatoes.  I happened to have an abundance of grits so we had our meatballs over top of that.  The basic meatball was juicy and tasty with the herbs and onions in them.  The sauce was smooth and had just a hint of cumin in it.  I spooned the meatballs and sauce over some cheesy grits which made the perfect base for this dish.

Soutzoukakia  (adapted from Elly Says Opa! as seen on  A Taste of Home Cooking)

1/2 onion, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/2 t. oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. parsley
1 egg
2 T. bread crumbs
Olive oil
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 c. water
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. cumin
1/4 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 T.corn starch dissolved in 1/4 c. water

1.  Mix together the beef, minced onion, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, parsley, egg, and breadcrumbs.  Form into 15-20 meatballs. 

2.  Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Pan fry the meatballs until the are browned on each side.  Remove the meatballs to a plate and drain the oil.



3. Return the empty skillet to the stove and add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Add in the garlic and heat for 1 minute.  Add in the tomato sauce, water, cumin, sugar, salt, and  pepper.  Bring the mixture to a boil and add in the meatballs.  





4.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add in the corn starch mixture at the end.  Serve over rice, potatoes, or grits.

This post linked to:
What's Cooking Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, Whatcha Whipped Up,

Murder Takes Time by Giacomo Giammatteo

     A string of brutal murders has bodies piling up in Brooklyn, and Detective Frankie Donovan knows what is going on. Clues left at the crime scenes point to someone from the old neighborhood, and that isn't good.

     Frankie has taken two oaths in his life - the one he took to uphold the law when he became a cop, and the one he took with his two best friends when they were eight years old and inseparable. Those relationships have forced Frankie to make many tough decisions, but now he faces the toughest one of his life; he has five murders to solve and one of those two friends is responsible. If Frankie lets him go, he breaks the oath he took as a cop and risks losing his job. But if he tries to bring him in, he breaks the oath he kept for twenty-five years - and risks losing his life.

     In the neighborhood where Frankie Donovan grew up, you never broke an oath.  (-synopsis from Goodreads)

     The novel starts out with three best friends growing up in Delaware, just 30 miles south of Philadelphia.  Nicky "The Rat" Fusco, Frankie "Bugs" Donovan, and Tony "The Brain" Sanullo.  The three are thick as thieves until a gang fight gets deadly and Nicky takes the fall for everyone.  He's sentenced to 10 years in prison.


     The book bounces back and forth between the past and the current day.  The characters in the story are well developed and we learn what happened to them in the past that makes them how they are today.  Tony is a mobster who is trying to stay away from the cops, Nicky gets out of jail and becomes a contract killer, and Frankie became a cop.  


     When bodies start showing up shot execution style along with dead rats and rat poop at the scene, Frankie is starting to suspect his childhood friend Nicky is the killer.  Frankie is soon in the middle of an investigation that could put all of his old friends from the neighborhood in jail.  Will Frankie keep that long ago oath of friendship and honor or will he adhere to the oath to uphold the law?


      Murder Takes Time is a book filled with love, hate, friendship, and murder.  There are some graphic, violent scenes and explicit language throughout the book.  There's also the lingering question about what is right and what is wrong.  God plays a minor role in the book as well.


     I enjoyed the different story lines in the book that all came together at the end.  I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen, who was going to die, and who was getting out alive.  The only thing I had trouble with was the changing point of view.  The view point often changed in the middle of a chapter which left me momentarily confused.


      Overall, this was a book that made me want to keep reading until the end.  I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries or action novels.


I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

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Old Fashioned Pancakes

       My husband enjoys a big breakfast on the weekends while  I can eat a piece of toast and be just fine with it.  So for a special treat, this Saturday I decided to make him homemade pancakes.  I couldn’t find my original recipe so I just pulled one off the Internet.  It made fluffy, light pancakes that were great with butter and syrup.

Old Fashioned Pancakes (adapted from Allrecipes  )

1 ½ c. flour

3 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

2 T. sugar

1 ¼ c. buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

3 T. melted butter

1.     1.  In a large bowl combine the buttermilk, egg, and butter.  In a smaller bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  

2.   2.  Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture and whisk until smooth.  

2.      3.  Heat a frying pan over medium heat.  Spray with cooking spray.  Pour two pancakes into the pan, using ¼ c. batter for each.  When the top begins to bubble flip the pancake and allow to cook for two more minutes.  

4.   Remove from pan and serve.

This post linked to:
Meatless Monday, Mangia Monday, Making You Crave Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, 
Tasty Tuesdays, Trick or Treat Tuesday, 

Golf Course Cupcake Cake with Simple Vanilla Cupcakes #SundaySupper

    This week for #SundaySupper we are doing part two of  the recipes from Katie Workman's cookbook, The Mom 100 Cookbook.  I've been enjoying working my way through this cookbook during the past month. I've made the Japanese Restaurant Salad, Chickpea Poppers, two version of the Basic Vinaigrette, and Tofu Veggie Stir-Fry.  They all been wonderful recipes but the one thing I haven't tried yet was a dessert.

     That brings me to this past weekend.  It's my dad's 60th birthday this month and we were having a surprise party for him last weekend.  He had no idea we were planning it.  I wanted to make him a special cake for this big occasion.  He loves to go golfing so I thought about a golf cake but then I came across a picture of a golf cupcake cake.  I needed a good vanilla cupcake recipe for the base and knew I saw one in Katie Workman's cookbook.  Sure enough there was a recipe for simple vanilla cake with a variation for making cupcakes.

      These cupcakes were simple to bake and I already had all of the ingredients on hand.  The only change I made was to cut out some of the butter and add in applesauce in it's place to cut down on some of the fat.  These cupcakes are super moist and buttery.  They also hold up well to frosting.

      For the frosting I made a simple buttercream and dyed 3/4 of it green and then divided the remaining 1/4 into two bowls.  I dyed one blue and left the other white.  To make the golf course I first placed the cupcakes where I wanted them on a cake board.  Then I frosted the sand trap cupcakes with white and sprinkled them with crushed graham cracker crumbs.  Next I did the putting green. It was a little more difficult because most of the pieces had half sprinkles and half jimmies on them.  Then I finished up with the water hazard.

     My dad absolutely loved the cake!  He thought it was so creative to use cupcakes, that everyone could grab, and make a golf course out of them.  I really like the way they turned out too and they tasted good as well. 

Golf Course Cupcake Cake with Simple Vanilla Cupcakes (cupcakes recipe from The Mom 100 Cookbook by Katie Workman)
10 T. butter (1 stick + 2 tablespoons)
1/2 c. applesauce
3 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 1/4 c. sugar
5 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 c. low fat milk

For the buttercream:
2 sticks butter, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
2 t. vanilla
2-3 T. low fat milk

For decorating:
2 sheets graham crackers, crushed
1/4 c. blue sprinkles
1/3 c. light green sprinkles
1/2 c. dark green jimmies
Tiny white mints 

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners.  Set aside.

2.  In  medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3.  Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Using an electric mixer beat them together until light and fluffy.  Add in the applesauce and mix until combined.

4.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Stir in the vanilla.

5.  Add half of the flour mixture and mix until just blended.  Add the milk and stir until almost incorporated.  Mix in the remaining flour until just combined.

6.  Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling 3/4 of the way full.

7.  Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

8.  Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tins.  Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

9.  Meanwhile place the softened butter for the frosting in a large mixing bowl.  Beat on medium speed until the butter is fluffy.  Add in the powdered sugar and beat until well incorporated.  The frosting will be stiff.

10.  Mixing on low speed, add in the vanilla and then the milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it is the desired consistency.

11.  Dye 3/4 of the frosting green.  Dye half of the remaining frosting blue and leave the rest white.

12.  Frost 18 cupcakes with the green frosting, 3 with white, and 3 with green.  Top the white cupcakes with crushed graham cracker crumbs.  Top the blue cupcakes with blue sprinkles.  Using the picture as a guide, top the green cupcakes with green sprinkles and dark green jimmies.

13.  Assemble the cupcake cake on a cake board.  Use tiny white mints for gold balls and make a flag for the hole.  Enjoy!

The Sunday Supper Group has enjoyed creating Katie’s recipes.  We are honored to have Katie as our guest during our #SundaySupper live chat at 7:00 pm est.  Join us and chat with Katie about being a mom, kids and Spending time Around the Family Table.
We will be giving away 3 copies of the Mom 100 Cookbooks. This is an event you don’t want to miss!!
Here are some  favorites we will be sharing with you during #SundaySupper this week.
Salads:

• Japanese Restaurant Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing  Shockingly Delicious @shockinglydlish

Main Dish:

• Spicy Ranch Bacon & Avocado Quesadilla Daily Dish Recipes @nicolehcook
• Turkey Meat Sauce The Meltaways @MrsMeltaway
•  Lasagna with Turkey Meat Sauce GirliChef @girlichef
•  Salsa Chicken Quesadilla with a homemade cilantro chimichurri Juanita’s Cocina @juanitascocina
• Individual Grilled Pizza Big Bears Wife @bigbearswife
• Beans and Cheese Quesadila with Tomato Salad Basic n Delicious @basicndelicious
• Grill Roasted Honey Ginger Chicken Are you Hungry? @redkathy
• One-Pot Arroz con Pollo – Cuban Style Comfy Cuisine @trish0605
• Sesame Noodles With Shrimp and Vegetables Magnolia Days @reneedobbs
• Fresh Mozzarella Pasta Casserole Twitter Doggie at The Dinner @doggieatdinner
• Arroz con Pollo Puerto Rican style Cooking by the seat of our pants @cbsop
• Rice Toppings of Garlic, Lemon, Rosemary Roasted Chicken with Summer Pineapple The Queen’s Notebook @mango_queen
• Pizza Quesadillas Meal Planning Magic @mealplanmom
• Sesame Noodles Cupcakes and Kale Chips @CupcakeKaleChip
• Lasagna Parcels with Turkey Meat Sauce Small Wallet Big Appetite @wallet_appetite
• Grilled Garlic Lemon Rosemary Chicken Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again  @shlylais
•  Grilled Breakfast Pizza & Sauteed Corn & Spinach Grilled Pizza Momma’s Meals @mommasmeals
•  Pear, Goat cheese and Pancetta Grilled Pizza MamaMommyMom @mamamommymom
•  Sauteed Corn, Spinach, Bacon and scallions! Mama’s Blissful Bites  @mamapoolecooks
•  Thai Style Sesame Glass Noodle My Trials in the Kitchen @seetfei
•  Caramelized Onion & Flank Steak Quesadilla In The Kitchen with KP  @InTheKitchenKP
•  Teriyaki Skewers Real Best Recipe @realbestrecipe
•  Skillet Spinach Corn with Edamame Cilantro & Bacon Bits Sue’s Nutrition Buzz @ssunithi
• Pulled Pork with Papa Mike’s Cole Slaw In the Kitchen with Audrey @audreysmamma
• Sauteed Corn, Spinach Bacon and Scallions That Skinny Chick Can Bake @thatskinnychick
• Arroz con Pollo Portuguese Style Family Foodie @familyfoodie

Desserts:

• Fudgy One Pot Brownies Mrs. Mama Hen @MrsMamaHen
• Simple Vanilla Cupcakes Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks @HezziD
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares Chocolate Moosey @chocolatemoosey
•  Butterscotch-Bacon Apple cookies What Smells So Good? @jo_jo_ba

Wine pairing Wine Everyday  @wineeveryday

We will be sharing great family recipes all afternoon and want you to share yours with us! #SundaySupper starts every week at 3:00pm EST by showcasing fabulous recipes.  Follow us on twitter by using hashtag #Sundaysupper or using Tweetchat.  We love to feature your recipes on our #sundaysupper pinterest board and share them with all our followers.

This post linked to:
Think Pink Sundays, Sundae Scoop Sundays, Crazy Sweet Tuesdays, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Totally Tasty Tuesdays,

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved--that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt--among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life--and love--in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
Are you ready?
(--synopsis from Goodreads)

     I absolutely loved this book!  The world that is created in this futuristic book is incredible.  The "real world" has been basically destroyed by war and people live in stacked trailers 20 or 30 units high.  The streets are dangerous and anything of value is stolen immediately.  The only relief from the world is the virtual world of OASIS.

      Wade is such a likeable character.  He's a poor, teenage boy who lives with his aunt.  His parents have passed away and his remaining family members steal anything he is able to keep.  He was only able to obtain an OASIS console if he was willing to go to virtual school.  When Halliday dies Wade embarks on the treasure hunt for the hidden "Easter Eggs" and the big prize.


      Along the way Wade works with his virtual best friend and his virtual crush.  While they share basic information it's every man for himself in a race to the finish.  The entire book is riddled with fun references to the 1980's.  The music, the video games, and the TV show knowledge that the characters need to know was so much fun for me to read about as a child of the 80's.  Even the "Easter eggs" reminded me of secret rooms and pathways I found in the original Nintendo and Sega systems.


     In the end the book is all about fighting for what you believe and knowing who your friends really are.  This is a book I could easily read over and over again and find something new in it every time.  


I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.  

This post linked to:
Saturday Situation,