Classic Zucchini Muffins

I am loving these muffins.  They are an easy and delicious classic muffin.  Simple ingredients, one bowl and sweet cinnamon flavor.  I have already made them twice in the past week.  They quickly became a new favorite recipe.  I love how simple they are and I love that they use 2 whole cups of zucchini and the batch only makes 12 muffins.  That is a bunch of zucchini packed into these muffins.

They are soft and tender and have just the right amount of sweetness and cinnamon flavor.  They stay fresh for several days.  They taste great plain and they are incredible smothered with jam.  I picked up some Tayberry Jam at a local Farmer's Market the other day, which apparently is a mix of a Blackberry and Raspberry and it is incredible.  It goes great with these muffins.

You might also like:

Cinnamon Roll Zucchini Bread

Pistachio Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Cake Sandwich Cookies

Cream Cheese Swirled Zucchini Muffins

Lion House Zucchini Bread

Classic Zucchini Muffins
(Printable Recipe)

2 large eggs
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla or 1 Tbl. vanilla bean paste
1/2 c. canola or vegetable oil
2 c. shredded zucchini, peeled or unpeeled
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or brush each muffin cup with melted butter; set aside.  Whisk together eggs and sugar in a large bowl until thick and lemon-colored.  Mix in the vanilla and oil until combined.  Stir in the shredded zucchini. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and stir together until just combined.  

Divide batter between muffin cups, filling each cup almost full.  Bake in preheated oven for 20-21 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Makes 12 muffins.  

adapted from: Taste and Tell

Family Fun Night Pledge and A&W Root Beer Floats

Today, I'm joining forces with A&W to celebrate their 100th Anniversary by taking the Family Fun Night Pledge to go technology-free for ONE HOUR on Friday nights and make family fun memories to remember for years to come.  

A&W Root Beer has a long history of creating family memories and they are celebrating 100 years of those sweet family memories by calling on their fans to create new ones.  First, go to www.rootbeer.com and take the pledge and A&W will give you a coupon, redeemable for a FREE, 2 liter bottle of Root Beer to help make your memories even sweeter.  

The unique, creamy taste of A&W Root Beer is why I love it so much.  

  With the help of A&W, you can create the perfect timeless family night treat: an A&W Root Beer Float! When is the last time you had a root beer float?  My family enjoyed these delicious floats last weekend and I was instantly flooded with memories from my childhood.

The easiest way for me to go technology free is to stay busy and keep my mind occupied.  When I'm sitting around doing nothing, I tend to reach for my phone a lot more.  My family loves spending time outdoors and that is where I spend most of my time.

Here are some fun ideas for Family Night:

go on a walk
color with sidewalk chalk
play board games
have a scavenger hunt
set up a slip 'n slide or swimming pool in the backyard
decorate sugar cookies or bake something yummy together
make tie-dye t-shirts
go fishing
buy some cheap wood crafts at the craft store and paint them together

What does your family enjoy doing together? 

To help provide families with everything they need to jumpstart their Family Fun Nights this Summer,  A&W is also debuting a first-of-its-kind Family Fun Night box, featuring a carefully curated selection of novelty items and essentials for creating root beer floats at home, to help make family time even more memorable .  The limited-edition, fun-inducing box is available while supplies last at www.rootbeer.com. 

Go now and take the pledge and let the fun begin! 

This post was sponsored by A&W, however all opinions expressed herein are my own.  The information about A&W Root Beer was provided by A&W.  

Classic Root Beer Float

Vanilla Ice Cream
A&W Root Beer

Start with a frosted mug.  Add two scoops of vanilla ice cream to cold mug and fill to the top with A&W Root Beer.  Serve.

Go to A&W's website for some fun recipes for Root Beer Floats. 

S'mores Bark

What kind of yummy treats have you all been making this Summer?

I've already made this S'mores Bark twice in the last week.  It's so easy and extremely delicious.  I keep it stored in the freezer and it's nice to have on hand to pull out a piece when I'm craving something sweet.  I like to eat mine straight out of the freezer, it's firm, yet still chewy.  If you want it to be a little softer, then remove from the freezer a few minutes before eating.  

Only four ingredients are needed to create this addicting bark.  Let me show you how to make it.

First, you melt some chocolate chips and spread out evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until hardened.  I like to use a mixture of semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips. Use whatever you prefer.  

Then, you melt some white chocolate chips with some marshmallow cream and spread that over the first chocolate layer.  Top with graham cracker chunks and refrigerate until hardened, about 30 minutes.  

Last, you melt the remaining chocolate chips and spread over the mallow/graham cracker layer.  Refrigerate until completely firm, a few hours.  Then, cut into chunks and serve.  That's seriously all you have to do - easy, huh!

You might also like:

S'mores Popcorn

Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Bars

S'mores Bars

Rocky Road Brownies

S'mores Bark
adapted from: Wine and Glue
(Printable Recipe)

3 1/2 c. chocolate chips, divided (I use half milk and half semi-sweet)
3/4 c. white chocolate chips
1 (7 oz.) tub of marshmallow cream
4 full sheets of graham crackers

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.  Melt 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted.  Pour onto the parchment-lined pan and spread out into an even layer.  You don't want it too thin or too thick.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until firm.

Next, melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.  Add the marshmallow cream to the white chocolate and microwave for about 15 more seconds, then stir until smooth and creamy.  Spread over hardened chocolate layer.  Immediately break graham crackers into chunks and press into the marshmallow layer.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until firm.

Last, melt the remaining 2 cups of chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth and creamy.  Carefully spread over mallow/graham cracker layer.  Refrigerate until firm, about a few hours, then cut into chunks and serve.  Store S'mores Bark in the refrigerator or freezer.

Cinnamon Sugar Fruit Biscuits

Holy crap, these biscuits are to-die-for!  I loved them way more than I thought I would.  The recipe starts with canned biscuits that are dipped in butter and rolled in cinnamon and sugar and then topped with jam and baked.  I used my Mom's homemade strawberry jam which has been my favorite jam my entire life.  The end result is the softest, most tender, flaky biscuit with a crispy coating of sweet cinnamon and sugar and a fresh bright flavor from the jam.

I took one bite and knew this recipe is a keeper and will be made frequently from now on.  Even the hubby gave them a huge thumbs up and said they are so good.  You can use any flavor of jam you prefer.  I have a delicious recipe for Less-Sugar Peach Freezer Jam that would be delicious, but I sure love how the pretty red color of the strawberry jam stands out.

These are perfect to make for Mother's Day and easy enough the kids could help.  

You might also like:

Baking Powder Biscuits

Cornmeal Buttermilk Biscuits

Strawberry Swirled Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Cinnamon Biscones with Vanilla Glaze

Blueberry Pancake Muffins

Cinnamon Sugar Fruit Biscuits
adapted from: Taste of Home
(Printable Recipe)

1 (16 oz.) can Jumbo Biscuits (8 per can)
1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbl. ground cinnamon
1/4 c. unsalted butter, melted
strawberry jam (or your favorite jam)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar.  In a separate small bowl, melt the butter.  Dip top and sides of each biscuit in butter and then in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Make a deep indent with your thumb in the center of each biscuit and fill with 1 - 1 1/2 tsp. jam.

Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and place biscuits on a serving platter, using a spatula.  Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving (jam will be hot).

Chewy Brownies with Malted Robin Egg Frosting

No matter how hard I try, I can't resist buying at least one bag of Robin Eggs each Easter.  I love the texture and flavor.  I have always been a fan of chocolate malt flavor . . . milkshakes, candy, cupcakes - you name it and I will love it.  I decided to crush up some of those delicious little candies and add them to my buttercream frosting.  It was a great decision.  I prefer the flavor best after day one.  The malt flavor really develops overnight. 

 I spread this colorful speckled frosting over my Mom's chewy brownies.  If you don't want to make brownies from scratch, you can always used a box mix.  I was actually planning to use a box mix, but the grocery store was out of my favorite one, so I decided homemade brownies was the way to go.  These homemade brownies are so soft and chewy and full of chocolate flavor.  I hope you all give these fun and festive brownies a try.

You might also like:

Robin Eggs Malted Milkshake

No-Bake Chocolate Malt Pie

Chocolate Malt Cupcakes

Banana Pudding Milkshake with Chocolate Malt Whipped Cream

Chewy Brownies with Malted Robin Egg Frosting
From: Mom
(Printable Recipe)

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 large eggs
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and cocoa powder.  Whisk in the eggs, one at a time.  Add the sugar, vanilla and salt and mix until combined.  Stir in one cup of flour at at time.  Batter will be very thick and you might think it won't come together, but it will.  Spread batter into a greased 9x13-inch pan.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven, cool completely and then top with frosting.  

Malted Robin Egg Frosting
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of salt
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1-2 Tbl. milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. mini Robin Eggs, crushed

Using a hand mixer, beat butter and salt in a medium bowl until fluffy.  Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition, adding milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.  Mix in the vanilla.  Add the crushed Robin Eggs and mix until combined.  Spread over cooled brownies.  Slice and serve. 

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Alfredo

This veggie-loaded Alfredo is such a hearty and delicious dinner.  I used jarred Alfredo sauce, frozen broccoli, canned corn and jarred roasted red peppers, so it's a super delicious and easy shortcut recipe.  You can even use rotisserie chicken too, if you want.

This was instantly a hit and I have already made it 4 times.  If you want it to be more saucy, add less pasta or if you want it less saucy, add more pasta.  It would also be great with other veggies too, like spinach, asparagus or cauliflower just to name a few.  

You might also like:

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Macaroni

Tomato Alfredo Pasta with Grilled Chicken

Roasted Red Pepper and Cilantro Lime Rice

Chicken Florentine Red Pepper Sandwiches

Super Easy Guiltless Alfredo

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Alfredo 
From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe)

2 1/2 - 3 c. uncooked pasta (I like bow-tie and radiatore) 
1 (14 oz.) bag frozen broccoli florets
1 (15 - 17 oz.) jar Alfredo sauce
1/2 c. chopped jarred roasted red peppers, patted dry
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 (11 oz.) can Mexicorn (corn and peppers), drained
1/4 c. milk
salt and pepper, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Just before the pasta is done cooking, add the frozen broccoli and allow to cook for a minute or two.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, combine the Alfredo sauce, chopped red peppers, cooked chicken, corn and milk.  Heat until everything is warmed through.  When pasta is finished cooking, drain, and add to sauce mixture. Stir until everything is coated in sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Serves 5-6.

Jenn's Notes: If you like it saucier, add less pasta.  The package size might vary with the broccoli, Alfredo and Mexicorn depending on what store you go to.  Similar sizes will work fine.