Cake Mix Biscotti

I am a Biscotti maniac! I love to try different recipes of this wonderful cookie. Yesterday I needed something quick and I had some cake mixes in my cupboard that I would never get around to using. This recipe can be used with any cake mix (18 oz). As you can see below, I used a Carrot Cake mix here. I've also used a Lemon Cake mix before and added poppy seeds - YUM. So get creative because as you'll see, this is SO EASY!

This is all you need: 

1 Cake Mix

2 eggs 

1 Cup of flour

1/2 Cup butter (melted)

(nuts, chocolate chips, poppy seeds, or whatever creative addition will go with the flavor of cake mix)

Mix until it forms a ball of dough.

Divide dough in half and pat or roll out to about 1/2 inch thick (appx 5x8"). I put them on a silicone baking mat that I've cut in two to fit 2 small cookie sheets. You can use parchment paper or just grease the pan, but I find this the easiest for me. I use 2 cookie sheets because they fit in my oven best. You can put them together on one large cookie sheet as they won't spread much. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool for 10-15 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 325. If you baked these on baking mats or parchment paper, you can gently lift them off the cookie sheet to a rack to cool. If baked on a greased pan let cool on pan and remove carefully to cutting board.

Using a sharp knife, slice carefully into 1/2-3/4" slices. Try not to saw through the biscotti or it will break up. Place the slices back on the cookie sheet, cut side down (no need to grease pan at this point) and return to oven.

Bake for 7-8 minutes, turn slices over and bake another 7-8 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool.

I topped these with some melted white chocolate.

You can get very creative with biscotti at this point. For the lemon poppy seed biscotti I make a glaze with lemon juice and powdered sugar and spread on top. For chocolate or other biscotti you can dip in melted chocolate. The possibilities are endless! Now if only my diet allowed me to actually EAT these...

Fantastic Teriyaki Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

- Veggies (I used: Broccoli, Bell Peppers, Garlic, Carrots, Onions, Other suggestions: Sweet peas, Asparagus, etc.)  

- Meat (it can be anything, beef, chicken, or i used pork)

- Teriyaki Sauce

Marinate 1 lb steak strips in Kikkoman's Garlic Teriyaki sauce -- a day ahead of time is best =)

Cook the meat FIRST and remove from pan and set aside.

In same pan and leftover sauce cook veggies, add 1/3Cup of Teriyaki Sauce. When the veggies are the right tenderness add the cooked meat, add more Teriyaki to taste.

Done!

Thanks to my dear friend Talitha for the Recipe

Surprise Monkey Bread

Ingredients 

1 Cup packed brown sugar

1/2 Cup Butter, cubed

2 Tubes (12oz each) refrigerated flakey buttermilk biscuits or crescent rolls

1/2 Cup Sugar

1Tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 package (8oz) cream cheese cut into 20 cubes

In a small bowl, heat the brown sugar and butter on high for 1 minutes or untill the sugar is dissolved; set aside

Flatten each biscuit into a 3-in circle. 
Combine the sugar and cinnamon; 

Sprinkle 1/2teaspoon in the center of each biscuit. 
Top with cream cheese cube

Fold dough over filling; pinch the edges to seal tightly

Pinch biscuits into ball shape; 
Layer half of the biscuits in a greased fluted tube pan, 

pour some of the brown sugar and butter mixture onto the layer and repeat the layers

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Immediately invert onto a serving platter. Serve warm.

Refrigerate leftovers. 

ENJOY!!!

Banana Muffins

I have 2 versions of this recipe. The first one is the "healthy" version (shown above) that I just re-worked from the original recipe that I used to make for my kids. I'll include that version too:

Banana Muffins (healthy)                          Banana Muffins (original)

1/2 C honey                                                            1 C sugar

1/2 C applesauce                                                  1/2 C margarine

2 eggs                                                                     2 eggs

1/4 C yogurt (or sour milk)                                    1/4 C yogurt (or sour milk)

1 tsp. vanilla                                                            1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt                                                             1/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2 C whole wheat flour                                      2 1/2 C flour

1/4 C bran                                                               1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking soda                                                 1 C mashed bananas

1 C mashed bananas                                            1/2 C raisins

1/3 C chopped dates or raisins                            1/2 C chocolate chips

1/3 C chopped nuts

Mix first 6 ingredients well. Add flour, bran (for healthy recipe) and baking soda. Add mashed bananas and finally the dates, nuts, raisins &/or chocolate chips. Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.