Homemade Fluffernutters

fluffernutter

When I was initially invited to particpate in the pb&j cookoff in celebration of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day I was elated.

I have a love affair with peanut butter. I am one of those people that eats it by the spoonful.

It is my favorite component in the classic peanut butter and jelly.

But when you wanted a real treat in your lunch, you didn’t go for a pb&j. Oh no. You went for a fluffernutter.

If you are anything like my boyfriend you are thinking, “what the heck is a fluffernutter?” 

Let me tell you…it is quite the guilty pleasure. Sandwich bread smeared with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. And just for good measure, a layer of sweet jam. 

fluffernutter Homemade Fluffernutters

It is much better than it sounds. Trust me. I was skeptical – even at 10. But I obliged my cousins and gave it a try. Mmm I’m glad I did!

Today I’m sharing a homemade version of my guilty pleasure.

Instead of the traditional creamy store bought peanut butter I used my own homemade peanut butter, sweetened with a bit of honey, and homemade marshmallow fluff a’la BraveTart’s instructions.

You can make your own bread if you so desire. I recommend checking out this recipe. You can also opt for homemade jam. I didn’t this time, but if I could I would have used this recipe. 

[Read more...]

Fruit Smoothies

smoothie stuff

This year I made the resolution to eat better.

I’m sure many people made similar resolutions, but what exactly does it mean to eat better?

For me it means not snacking mindlessly, eating a breakfast, and incorporating more fruits & veggies into my meals.

So far, it’s been really tough. Not snacking is easy, eating a breakfast is doable (but I usually forget), and eating more fruits and veggies is not easy.

ingredients for smoothie Fruit Smoothies

But I’ve found the best way to both eat a breakfast and add more fruits/veggies is through smoothies.

Smoothies have always been a favorite of mine. They are fast, easy and you can make them very healthy. [Read more...]

Whipped Vanilla Milkshake

vanilla milkshake

Have you seen the new flavors Smirnoff recently released? Toasted marshmallow, whipped cream, and espresso…to name a few.

I have been wanting to try the marshmallow and whipped cream flavors for a few weeks. Once I finally got to the liquor store to decided on the whipped cream vodka.

As soon as I got home I opened it, gave it a sniff and made a drink! The smell was surprisingly sweet with very little of the intense “burning in my nose” feeling.

The sweet creaminess inspired me to make milkshakes.

Vanilla Milkshake 1 Whipped Vanilla Milkshake

When it came time to make the milkshakes my darn ice cream maker wasn’t completely ready to make ice cream.

Instead of waiting another day to make the milkshakes I pulled out Blendy, threw in some ice with the ice cream mix and vodka, then blended away!

The result: a Wendy’s Frosty like consistency with a subtle after burn. Delicious for dessert or if you want a cocktail.

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A Vitamix Lesson

Vitamix

Sunday, before I started school for the spring semester, was intended to be a relaxing day.

My #SundaySupper  post was up, I had been productive, and the day was going smoothly. So I decided to make some smoothies with my Vitamix (lovingly named Blendy by the boyfriend).

Side note: This wasn’t the first time I had used a Vitamix … This wasn’t even this first time I had used Blendy. But the error I made was so silly you’d think I’d never touched a blender before.

This is what happened…

I happily made a cup of coffee, stirred in a tablespoon of sugar and 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder then let it chill in the refrigerator.

Then I chopped up 2 bananas and dumped them into the Vitamix, added the coffee, 1/2 a cup of milk and a cup of ice.

Dishwasher mess A Vitamix LessonEverythings dirty A Vitamix Lesson

After I blended this to my hearts content I gave it a taste. The texture, thickness and flavor were perfect. So, I set up a little area on the counter to take a few pictures, grabbed a glass then went to move the Vitamix back a bit.

I think you have an idea of what might have happened… If not, here’s a little play by play.

With glass in hand I attempted to push back the base of Blendy (I had already given the smoothie a taste so the lid was off – mistake 1). [Read more...]

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