Red Velvet Cake Balls

One thing that stinks about being an adult: lack of birthday parties. 

You may still get together with friends, have some wine, go out to eat, etc.  But I'm talking about old school birthday parties with elaborate themes, every single one of your friends, cake, ice cream, candy, soda and party favors.  Before you cared about counting calories or where on your thighs those snacks would end up.  Where you'd run around with your friends for a few hours and be sent home buzzing around like a maniac from the crazy extreme sugar high.  I was at a few with ponies.  Oh yes.  Those were the days.

I had the same college roommate all four years of school (hiiiiii, Di!).  We had known each other from high school, and decided to room together when we found out we were attending the same college.  She lovessss her some red velvet cake, so her mom made her one every year for her birthday.  Ever since we graduated, in an attempt to relive the glory days and/or sugar highs of childhood, I make her red velvet cupcakes.  I wanted to switch it up this year and try red velvet in a different form.  These cake balls have all the flavors of red velvet cake, with the cake and frosting rolled together and then dipped in dark chocolate.  I gave these babies a nice neon chocolate drizzle in homage to our 90's upbringing and finished them with some confetti-colored birthday sprinkles.

I'm bringing the candy-induced sugar coma back for birthdays, baby.

Red Velvet Cake Balls:
Makes around 60 cake balls

1 box of Red Velvet cake mix + ingredients required on the box to make it
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups of powdered sugar
chocolate candy melting wafers (milk, dark or white - I used dark)
colored chocolate melting wafers for drizzle, optional
sprinkles for decoration, optional

Bake the red velvet cake in a 9x13 pan according to package directions.  Set aside to cool completely.

While cake is cooling, make the frosting.  In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth.  Add the sugar on low speed and beat until incorporated.  Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Once the cake has cooled, crumble with your hands into a large bowl.  Take 1 3/4 cups of the cream cheese frosting and spoon in the bowl with the cake crumbles.  Freeze any remaining frosting for later use (resist the urge to promptly devour over the kitchen sink with a spoon).  Mix the frosting and the cake crumbles using your hands until thoroughly mixed and uniform.  If too dry, add a few more spoonfuls of frosting, but be sure it's not too wet or it will be difficult to roll.  Using your hands, roll into one-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to make them easier to dip. 

When ready, melt the chocolate candy melting wafers in 30 second increments in the microwave.  Stir until smooth.  Dip each cake ball in the chocolate and place back on the wax paper-lined cookie sheet.  Drizzle with colored chocolate and sprinkles, if desired.  Store in the refrigerator.

They're like a party in your mouth.

Lightened Up Baked Potato Soup

Mother Nature is being sort of mean. Mean, mean.

Spring still hasn't decided to cooperate here in PA.  So even as we approach Easter weekend, I still find myself craving comfort foods to combat the cold weather outside.  Hopefully our local kiddos won't need to be hunting eggs knee deep in snow this year, although I wouldn't be surprised. 

This soup has all the flavors of a restaurant-style loaded baked potato.  It's fast enough for a weeknight, and it won't majorly set you back in your calorie intake since it uses low-fat/low-sodium ingredients whenever possible.  This is good news considering you probably ate about five peanut butter eggs today.  Which is why we're such good friends... great minds think alike.



Lightened Up Baked Potato Soup:
Serves 4-6

4 baking potatoes, about 2.5lbs
3 tablespoons butter, divided
small amount of onion, diced
small amount of celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup flour
5 cups milk (I used skim)
1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup part-skim shredded cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup fat-free sour cream
6 slices low-sodium bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

Scrub potatoes under running water and pat dry.  Poke several holes in the potatoes with a fork to vent

Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa

Can we talk about my painfully obvious quinoa kick lately? It might be up there with avocados and anything salted caramel as one of my top food obsessions. Quinoa is often touted a "superfood" because it's high in protein and it's a good source of dietary fiber, iron, and even a little calcium. Because it packs such a nutritional punch, I don't mind throwing cheese on top and calling it a deliciously rounded-out side dish. 

I never used to be very good at side dishes. I spent so much time menu planning for the week for just the main course, that sometimes I forgot that something actually needs to be on the plate with it. I've gotten much better at making creative sides now (goodbye lazily steaming veggies every single day), though I still prefer the quick & easy variety that have some nutrients are are easy to throw together while the main dish is finishing up. I served this with a chicken dish and it was delicious!  I don't even think my husband knew he was eating something healthy.   Mwahaha... trickery.

 

Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa:
Adapted from Closet Cooking
Serves 4

1 cup quinoa, well rinsed
1 3/4 cup vegetable broth, chicken broth or water
2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar
salt and pepper to taste

Add the quinoa, broth/water and broccoli to a boil over medium heat.  Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium low.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender (about 15 minutes).  Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Chocolate Covered Easter Eggs (Peanut Butter and Coconut Crème)

I must be feeling awfully generous today.  I have not one, but two wonderfully festive Easter candy recipes for you!

I have enjoyed these recipes my entire life and they are two of the many reasons I look forward to Spring every year.  I love Starburst jelly beans and Cadbury eggs as much as the next girl, but homemade peanut butter eggs and coconut crème-filled eggs pretty much rock my world.  I would eat these all year long if it wasn't for fear of my waistline exponentially expanding.  My mother got the recipe almost 40 years ago from a Pennsylvania Dutch woman named Bonnie Dry, who had the recipe in her family as long as she could remember.  You can tell it's a really old school recipe by the presence of egg whites.  If this skeeves you out, you can totally omit them, but I like what they do for the consistency.  You can read more about egg safety here.  We've been eating them this way forever and while I may be a little strange, I am otherwise unscathed. 

And let's get real for a second.  You people that don't like coconut... we can't really be friends anymore.  Okay we can still be friends, but I will outwardly judge you and try to change your mind every. single. year.  Because you're crazy.  Don't worry, my husband is among you, but you're crazy.

Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs:
Makes around 75 eggs (depending on the size you roll them)

2 sticks of butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 egg whites
1 small jar peanut butter
1 1/2 lbs powdered sugar
chocolate for dipping (I usually use dark)

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, vanilla, the egg whites and the peanut butter until smooth.  Gradually add the powdered sugar.  Mix until uniformly combined.  Roll into egg-shaped blobs and refrigerate or freeze for 20 minutes or so to make them easier to dip.  Melt the chocolate, dip the peanut butter eggs into the chocolate, and shake off excess chocolate.  Decorate, if desired, but I mostly prefer mine naked.  Refrigerate until hardened.

Homemade Coconut Crème Eggs:
Makes about 75 eggs (depending on the size you roll them)

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 cups coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 lbs powdered sugar
chocolate for dipping (I use dark)

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together cream cheese, butter, coconut, and vanilla until combined.  Gradually add the powdered sugar.  Mix until uniformly combined.  Roll into egg-shaped blobs and refrigerate for 20 minutes or so to make them easier to dip.  Melt the chocolate, dip the coconut eggs into the chocolate, and shake off excess chocolate.  Decorate, if desired.  Refrigerate until hardened.