Christmas Cake Roll

December 22, 2021 Amanda Plott

With Christmas just a few days away now, I thought I would try my hand at making a dessert to have on hand that was not only festive, but tasty too! I really enjoy roll cakes, even though they aren’t the easiest of cakes to make, they are always super impressive. Especially when you make them colorful and halfway homemade; which is exactly what this Christmas Cake Roll is!

I started off with a simple box mix that I whipped together, colored, baked, and then filled with a homemade buttercream frosting. The frosting here is always the best part, that’s because it’s homemade and not out of a can. Although, I will say that everything has its place. Even canned frosting…

Gingerbread Waffles

December 13, 2021 Amanda Plott

I’ve been using the hell out of waffle maker ever since I got it. I’m sort of in love with the idea of making everything into a waffle at this point, and gingerbread was not about to escape! These Gingerbread Waffles are easy to make with the help of some waffle mix, molasses, and gingerbread spices to boot. They are perfectly gingerbread flavored without being over powering and make for the best festive breakfast option during the holidays!

Being as these are made with a mix, the only thing you can really do here to lighten them up is potion control. My waffle iron makes big giant Belgian style waffles that take a full cup of batter to make. I was able to get 4 large waffles out of what I made and half of one of these waffles is plenty for me…

Instant Pot Creme Brûlée

December 4, 2021 Amanda Plott

I’ve only had creme brûlée a handful of times in my life and I’ve never ventured to make it for myself because I always had it in my head that it would be a complicated dessert that likely required some sort of kitchen torch of which I can’t seem to allow myself. But, as it turns out, creme brûlée is actually a pretty simple and easy to make dessert. Especially when you make it using a pressure cooker!

This creme brûlée is started off with a few minutes in a pressure cooker. It then chills for several hours and is finished off when you’re ready to enjoy by broiling in the oven for a few minutes. Yep, it’s just that easy to make yourself creme brûlée at home…

Pecan Upside Down Cake

December 1, 2021 Amanda Plott

This tasty upside down cake has been winterized for your pleasure! That’s right, I’ve taken a classic upside down cake and made it into something that’s more festive to the season with ooey gooey pecan topping! This Pecan Upside Down Cake is super easy to make with most of the ingredients being pantry staples and it’s perfect not only for dessert, but also as a sweet option for breakfast or brunch.

This cake is the perfect mix of a pecan pie and an upside down cake. All of the pecan crunch and goo paired with a simple cake mix. I prefer this to be served warm and straight away with some homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream…

Lightened Up Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

November 24, 2021 Amanda Plott

This Lightened Up Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie has been a family favorite for many years now, we're thinking maybe 10 years at least. The original is what we made this year for Christmas, mostly because I don't have my 'skinny' pantry on hand with my usual bag-of-tricks. But, the usual way that I make it is just as delicious and lightened up by at least half the calories and sugar too!

This pie is great for almost any holiday, Thanksgiving through New Years and back again. I honestly haven't come across anyone that didn't like it yet and it's more often than not, a recipe with legs. That is to say that the recipe is often requested by friends and family after they enjoy it!

Since this is such a rich flavored pie, I usually like to cut it into smaller slices. A little bit can go a long way, especially if you use a traditional bourbon!…

Breakfast Stuffed Pumpkin

November 7, 2021 Amanda Plott

Even though Halloween is over, pumpkin season is still upon us. And I love to find creative and fun uses for pumpkins in the kitchen all the way through Thanksgiving. This Breakfast Stuffed Pumpkin would be a super fun and easy way to feed the family around the Holidays, or even as breakfast on Thanksgiving morning!

My local grocery place had pumpkins on sale for just one dollar and fifty cents, so I grabbed up one of the smaller pie pumpkins. They’re small, sweet, and meant to be used for cooking and eating unlike some of their larger cousins…