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Friday, October 31, 2014

Chocolate Dipped Pumpkin Shortbread

Chocolate Dipped Pumpkin Shortbread | The Sweets Life
Chocolate Dipped Pumpkin Shortbread 

In an attempt to tame my sweet tooth, I am trying to train my body to appreciate sugar more (says the girl who is now posting her THIRD dessert recipe in a row. I promise we eat real food--and I have a savory recipe coming Monday!). Don't get me wrong, desserts--even the super sweet kind--aren't being banished from my house (everything in moderation!), but I am on a mission to reduce sugar where possible, especially since it's already hidden in just about everything. You can usually cut some sugar out of most baked goods recipes and you won't notice a difference. You can also make less sweet desserts, like shortbread! 
Pin ItChocolate Dipped Pumpkin Shortbread | The Sweets Life
The star ingredient in shortbread is butter, not sugar. Again, everything in moderation...and it's always worth it for this buttery dessert. I was sent some Kerrygold coupons via my partnership with Cooking Light and while I love their cheese, my mind immediately went to butter and to shortbread! When you're making shortbread you want good butter, since that's the dominant flavor, and I knew Kerrygold wouldn't lead me astray. I couldn't resist a fall twist, hence the pumpkin, and while good, it just didn't seem complete...until dipped in chocolate! The pumpkin makes the cookie a little softer than a traditional shortbread, so reduce to 1/3 a cup if you want something a bit crunchier. These are the perfect treat to eat with some coffee. Given that today is Halloween and excessive sugar is EVERYWHERE, whip up something to balance (?!) all that sugar--this shortbread won't disappoint!
Chocolate Dipped Pumpkin Shortbread | The Sweets Life
Note--this post is not sponsored. I was sent coupons, but opted to post and share based on my own experiences. 

One Year Ago: Monster Marshmallow Treats
Two Years Ago: French Apple Galette and Slow Cooker Applesauce
Three Years Ago: Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Havarti Croutons and Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Filling and Buttercream Frosting
Four Years Ago: Pumpkin Granola Bars
Five Years Ago: Mountain Dew Apple Dumplings and Stuffed Acorn Squash

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Caramel Apple Bars


Caramel Apple Bars | The Sweets Life
Caramel Apple Bars 

After making caramel apple ice cream, I found myself with leftover caramel and a craving for all things caramel apple. I turned to an old recipe, caramel apple nut bars, that I've been thinking about remaking in the four years since I first made them. Side note: how in the world have four years passed? I'm increasingly aware of how fleeting time is, and this realization really hit home a few weeks ago, the night before my cousin Ashlyn's wedding. My sister Julia and I, her matrons of honor, slept over at my Aunt and Uncle's house the night before, as did my brother Quinn. With he and my cousin Ben in one room, and us three girls tucked away in another, we couldn't help but reminisce about the countless times the 5 of us had slept under the same roof before, for yet another cousin sleepover. Weren't we just six and seven, ten, eleven, and twelve years old? Where does time go?!?!
Pin ItCaramel Apple Bars | The Sweets Life
Anyway, before I go too far down the nostalgic path, let's turn our attention back to this dessert. As I said before, I'd made a similar iteration in the past and they were begging to be remade. This time around I reduced the butter a bit (you'd never know), added a bit of whole wheat flour, and omitted the nuts, turning caramel apple nut bars into caramel apple bars. The nuts can just as easily be included, I was simply working with what I had on hand and truthfully, these were still fantastic even without the added crunch. The bars freeze well, and can be re-warmed once thawed (and served with ice cream!) or eaten at room temperature / chilled. If you choose to eat them warm have a fork on hand, that caramel gets gooey!
Caramel Apple Bars | The Sweets Life

Grab a few apples and some caramel and whip up this fall-inspired dessert bar! 

One Year Ago: Thai Cobb Salad
Five Years Ago: Pumpkin Bran Date Bread

Monday, October 27, 2014

Gingersnap Snickerdoodles


Gingersnap Snickerdoodle | The Sweets Life
Gingersnap Snickerdoodle 

The line of thinking for this recipe went as follows:

1. Pin Crepes of Wrath's Graham Cracker Snickerdoodles onto my To Make: Cookies board and make mental note to make sooner than later.

2. Weeks later, recall recipe and make mental note to pick up some graham crackers.

3. When writing grocery list, remember I have Spekulatius Spice Cookies (from Aldi, but any gingersnap or spiced cookie would work!) leftover from Caramel Apple Ice Cream.

4. Remember I also have some Rose Hill Ginger samples that were sent to me awhile back.

5. Decide a Gingersnap Snickerdoodle (a Gingerdoodle?! Gingersnoodle?!) sounds like the perfect seasonal cookie. Rush to kitchen and begin pulling ingredients out of my cabinets.

6. Bake. Bite. Boast. These are as chewy and spicy as you'd imagine. If you could bottle up the best parts of fall and put them in a cookie, these are what you'd end up with (okay, I guess they're missing pumpkin!). 
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Gingersnap Snickerdoodle | The Sweets Life
In case you couldn't tell, I loved how these turned out! I'm so glad I strayed from the original recipe, because the gingersnap version was brilliance, if I do say so myself. I knew we would be fans of them, with as big of gingersnap fans as we are in our house, but they were a hit with those we shared them with too. Next time I might have to double the recipe because the 2 1/2 dozen disappeared rather quickly!

One Year Ago: Grandma's Apple Pie
Two Years Ago: Odds & Ends and Caramel Apple Dip

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Odds & Ends


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Odds & Ends | The Sweets Life


















1. Why Fewer Toys Will Benefit Your Kids. I love this, and I 100% agree with the closing line...I am not anti-toy. I'm just pro-child. Yes to everything on this list! Our kids will have their fair share of toys, and that's completely fine, but I also want to raise Brecken and any future siblings to be resourceful, creative, and most importantly, thankful and appreciative of what they have!






2. We make pizza a lot in our house. I also keep some pizza dough on hand in the freezer so that we can throw whatever random ingredients on top and call it pizza whenever the craving strikes. Needless to say, I found Bon Appetit's list of Common Pizza Mistakes to be very interesting. Some of the tips I was already abiding by, such as par-baking the crust and baking the pizza at a very high temperature, but I definitely need to add more salt to my pizza dough and I'm going to experiment with stretching rather than rolling the dough. [Pictured above: Butternut Squash, Spinach, and Red Onion Pizza with Goat Cheese]

(image source)
3. I can't even handle how cool this airstream trailer decorated with all things Anthropologie is! I wouldn't be opposed to camping more than one night (my preferred limit for tent camping!) if this was where I could stay!


4. Last, but certainly not least, a happy SIXTH anniversary to Ryan! While each year has been special and precious in its own way, growing our family this year has by far made for the best year yet! I am supremely blessed by this man who loves his family so well, and I eagerly anticipate the adventures ahead of us!

One Year Ago: Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Two Years Ago: Ginger Cookies
Three Years Ago: Greek Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Four Years Ago: Twelve in Ten Challenge: The King & I
Five Years Ago: Apple Puff Pancake

Friday, October 24, 2014

Turkey Pumpkin Chili



Turkey Pumpkin Chili | The Sweets Life
Turkey Pumpkin Chili 

When cans of pumpkin fill up the grocery store shelves this time of year, I can't seem to leave the store without at least a few cans in my cart. I don't have the pantry space to "stock up" on any item, meaning I pretty much always shop according to my meal plan. The exception is pumpkin, and this couldn't have been more apparent when I recently looked in the cabinet and counted at least four cans of pumpkin taking up space! Truth be told, I'd rather take up precious real estate than be without any pumpkin when the urge to cook or bake strikes. This chili took care of two of my cans (which I promptly replaced!), and ranks high on the list of my favorite recipes I've made this season. 
Pin ItTurkey Pumpkin Chili | The Sweets Life
Starting with a Whole Foods recipe, I doubled it (because extra chili is never a bad thing!), added a few ingredients, and found myself with a giant pot of comforting (and healthy) chili on the stovetop one Sunday. We ate it, and shared with friends, for a few days and still had enough left over to freeze and pull out for packed lunches a few weeks later. This chili is hearty but not heavy, and pumpkin haters need not worry, the vegetable essentially melts into the rest of the chili, adding nutritional value, but the flavor is completely undetectable. This will be a staple in our kitchen for the next few months, meaning I'm going to need to buy even more pumpkin to have on hand...I'm not complaining!
Turkey Pumpkin Chili | The Sweets Life
One Year Ago: Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing
Two Years Ago: Pumpkin Spice Granola and Spicy Asian Chicken with Brussels Sprouts
Three Years Ago: Pumpkin Roll and Pepperoni Polenta Pizza
Four Years Ago: Amaretto Chunk Cookies and Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
Five Years Ago: Tropical Bran Bread

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Broccoli with Red Pepper Flakes and Toasted Garlic


Broccoli with Red Pepper Flakes and Toasted Garlic


It's been hilarious watching Brecken's facial reactions as she tries new foods. I'm proud to say that (so far), she hasn't rejected a single food. Girl loves to eat, just like her mom and dad! I remember when we were flying home from New York in September, she reached for a pickle and I gave her a try, fully expecting her to spit it out. Instead, she immediately grabbed it and made it clear she had no intentions of sharing. Although I was pretty cautious when we first started giving her solids, making sure to wait a few days before introducing a new food and avoiding giving her anything with strong flavors, we've pretty much thrown caution to the wind and are letting her try bits of most things now. 

She seems to have a penchant for spicy foods, or at least tolerates them, which is exciting for Ryan and me, as we prefer our food with quite a bit of heat. I made this spicy broccoli side dish before Brecken was eating solids, but something tells me it'll get her stamp of approval next time I make it. Looking at the ingredient list, you'll notice this dish is simple, but bold. If you're like me, you don't have time to make a fifteen ingredient side dish, but you want something a little more flavorful than steamed broccoli. If your little ones (or big ones!) can't tolerate a little heat, skip the red pepper flakes during the cooking process and add them at the end to individual servings!

One Year Ago: Freekeh with Thyme-Roasted Grapes, Chickpeas, and Spinach
Two Years Ago: Sautéed Cabbage with Red Onions and Bacon and Nacho Black Bean Burgers
Three Years Ago: Salty Caramel Ice Cream and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Capers, Walnuts, and Anchovies
Four Years Ago: M&M Cookies and Shakshuka
Five Years Ago: Cereal Dessert Bars and Black Bean Burgers

Monday, October 20, 2014

German Chocolate Cake


German Chocolate Cake | The Sweets Life
German Chocolate Cake 
When I threw my friend Katie's baby shower a few months ago, I was determined to keep the food fairly simple. After all, the shower was scheduled for a weeknight and there's nothing that screams STRESS more than trying to throw together a bunch of fancy foods after working all day. One area I refused to go simple, however, was the cake. I don't get many opportunities to make fancy layer cakes, my sister had promised to make a cute cake topper, and the beauty of most layer cakes is that they're actually better when made ahead of time. The decision to make a German Chocolate Cake came after consulting Katie's husband, Matt. Actually, truth be told, my original query to Matt left me a bit befuddled, as he suggested I find a way to combine what he believed were her favorites: chocolate, strawberries, and coconut. While I'm sure there's a way to deliciously combine those into one cake, I instead did a little more digging and discovered that Katie's loves German Chocolate Cake. German Chocolate Cake it was!
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German Chocolate Cake | The Sweets Life
I made the cake layers the weekend before, froze them, and then made the frosting two days before the shower. I assembled and frosted the cake, stuck it in my cake dome, and let it sit in the fridge for two days. I have no idea whether this helped the flavor at all, but it certainly didn't hurt anything. This cake was magnificent! The cake layers are closer to a dense brownie than a fluffy cake and while the frosting is a bit sweet (I even reduced the sugar some), it's not too cloying since it's only between the layers and on top, and small slices go a long way. Because we were leaving town the next day, I stuck the rest of the cake in a tupperware and froze it, completely experimentally to see how it'd fare. The pictures you see are actually after I came home and thawed it once again (I was too busy the day of the shower to take good cake photos, which is why there aren't any decent ones of the entire cake), and spoiler alert: it was just as good the second time around! Next time you want a dessert that impresses, but prefer something you can make ahead of time, here's your answer!

One Year Ago: Odds & Ends
Two Years Ago: Roasted Butternut Squash and Black Bean Salad
Three Years Ago: Spiced Pear Bundt Cake and Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Four Years Ago: Easy Turkey Chili and Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies
Five Years Ago: Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie and Pumpkin Cake

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Apples for Days: A Dozen Favorites

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Check out Apples for Days: A Dozen Favorites
by Natalie McLaury at Foodie.com
A few weeks ago we loaded up babies and strollers and the abundance of gear that we tend to bring anytime we go anywhere, and we headed to Eckert's apple orchard with a group of friends/family. In typical St. Louis fashion, it was over 90 degrees that "fall" day and we found ourselves dripping sweat on the hayride as the tractor pulled us to the apple orchard.
As you can see from the photo, Brecken wasn't all that amused. She was content to chow on an apple the size of her face but refused to smile for the camera or even pretend to be interested in any of the fall festivities that day. Thankfully my excitement made up for the lack of Brecken's. It partially stems from my own fond memories of apple picking as a child, but also because I love cooking with apples. 
Pumpkin Apple Streusel Cake

I've created a collection of apple recipes on Foodie, highlighting some of the ways I've been using (and plan to use) apples this season. Two years ago I made Pumpkin Apple Streusel Cake and I've been looking for an excuse to make it again. I've already made Apple Buttermilk Muffins a few times recently and I make Curried Butternut Squash multiple times each fall and winter. I'm never without apples in my crisper drawer this time of year and they find their way into a recipe, sweet or savory, each week!

Perhaps next year Brecken will be more interested in a trip to the apple orchard but until then I've got enough excitement for the both of us! Check out my entire apple collection (aptly titled Apples for Days: A Dozen Favorites) and pick your favorite to make!

This post was sponsored by Mode Media but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Odds & Ends

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1. 10 Alternative Uses for a Salad Spinner. I use my salad spinner for greens all the time, but loved some of the unique ideas shared in this list from the kitchn.


2. Last October, General Mills sent me their infamous Monster Cereals and I had fun making Monster Cereal Treats and my all-time favorite October STAPLE: Monster Munch (pictured above). This year they generously sent me more cereal and while I had every intention of creating something new, I couldn't stray from my tried and true. We have two weeks until Halloween...pick up your favorite Monster Cereal variation and give one of these a try!

Slim by Design
(image source)
3. I'm occasionally sent cookbooks from different publishing companies to review, if I so choose, on the blog. They're never paid reviews and I won't even mention a cookbook unless it's something I genuinely enjoyed. Most recently I received Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life. While I'm not trying to lose weight, I do believe the tips in this book are incredibly helpful at addressing many of the bad eating habits that society in general tends to fall into. I was fascinated by some of the research done on how certain changes in restaurants, grocery stores, our workplaces, our homes, and our kid's schools could go a long way in impacting our overall health. It was a quick read, complete with a "checklist" at the end of each section allowing you to see how your own situation stacks up in terms of healthfulness / mindful eating practices, as well as a lot of practical ideas on how to be a catalyst for change.


4. Shine Theory: Why Powerful Women Make the Greatest Friends. I can't remember which blog I read that linked to this article, but I absolutely love the premise behind this idea. Let's do less comparing ourselves (and feeling inferior to) strong, powerful women, and instead befriend them! The picture above is me, my two sisters, and my cousin Ashlyn...three pretty amazing women that it would be very easy to feel intimidated by. Obviously I'm related to all of them, but I would choose them as friends anyway because being around them makes me shine more, just as the article explains!

One Year Ago: Grandma Grump's Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
Two Years Ago: Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Three Years Ago: Curried Cashew, Apple, and Grape Salad
Four Years Ago: Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
Five Years Ago: Amish Baked Oatmeal

Friday, October 17, 2014

Chicken and Black Bean Fajita Stir Fry


Chicken and Black Bean Fajita Stir Fry | The Sweets Life
Chicken and Black Bean Fajita Stir Fry 
I know a lot of you (like me!) would be perfectly happy eating some form of Mexican food most nights of the week. You just can't go wrong with anything that can be served with chips and salsa, am I right?! My standard go-to Mexican dish is enchiladas (especially these with the avocado sauce), but enchiladas can be a little time consuming with all of the pre-cooking ingredients and then filling and rolling and finally baking.
Pin ItChicken and Black Bean Fajita Stir Fry | The Sweets Life
Enter: chicken fajita stir fry. It still requires a little prework (chopping), but otherwise it's just a matter of sautéing some ingredients while your rice cooks. Jarred salsa is used as a shortcut here, which gives you great flexibility to alter the dish....make it as sweet or smoky or spicy as you wish! If you use that microwave rice you can have dinner on the table in less than thirty minutes. Save the enchiladas for the days you have time and patience for all that rolling and filling and break this out on the evenings you're craving Mexican immediately!

One Year Ago: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans and Avocado
Two Years Ago: Pumpkin Apple Streusel Cake and Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Sandwiches
Three Years Ago: Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread and Tiramisu
Four Years Ago: Peanut Butter Banana Panini 
Five Years Ago: Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage, Spinach, and Tomatoes


Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage, Spinach, and Tomatoes | The Sweets Life
Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage, Spinach, and Tomatoes
Pre-kid weekends looked a little bit different than our weekends do now. We used to sleep as late as we wanted (which, truth be told, was never past 8 am), often headed out to run together, and then spent our days doing whatever it is that we wanted. For me, that usually involved spending multiple hours in the kitchen, often taking advantage of the extra time I had and preparing more labor-intensive meals that I'd normally pass on during the week. Nowadays we're up earlier, which is actually something we love...and don't hate me, but we are sometimes up before Brecken on the weekends!, we try to coordinate workouts around naptimes, and I'm soaking up every spare minute with Brecken after missing her all work week long. Occasionally I'll strive to make a more complex recipe, but most of the time the "30 minute weeknight recipes" are showing up on our travel on the weekends too.
Pin ItSkillet Gnocchi with Sausage, Spinach, and Tomatoes | The Sweets Life
This particular skillet gnocchi dish was hastily prepared on a Sunday night, in between a trip to the playground and a miniature concert in the living room with Brecken's electronic piano. I added spinach to the original recipe to get some greens in and turn this into a one-dish meal. There are a ton of flavors of sausage and chicken sausage out there so you can easily use your favorite; I believe the ones I used for this were sundried tomato and basil flavored. Note that while the recipe serves 4, since it was the only thing we ate that night there was only a tiny bit left for lunchtime leftovers...but maybe we're just pigs!

One Year Ago: Mexican Calzones
Two Years Ago: Banana Oatmeal Cookies with Candied Ginger & Chocolate Chips
Three Years Ago: Connecticut & NYC 
Four Years Ago: Sautéed Cabbage, Apples, and Zucchini
Five Years Ago: White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Monday, October 13, 2014

Caramel Apple Ice Cream


Caramel Apple Ice Cream | The Sweets Life
Caramel Apple Ice Cream 
Caramel apples are one of those things I refuse to make in my own kitchen. Of course I like the idea of it, who doesn't like a crisp apple coated in caramel and rolled in nuts or chocolate or sprinkles?! However, dipping things isn't my favorite, and dipping in sticky caramel sounds like a disaster waiting to happen (for the record--love dipped foods, see: chocolate covered s'mores on a stick, chocolate covered pretzel cheesecake bites, and gingerbread truffles,--just don't love the process!). This time of year, then, when caramel apple cravings strike, I'm either buying the prepackaged ones or finding a more unique way to enjoy one of my favorite flavor combinations.
Pin ItCaramel Apple Ice Cream | The Sweets Life
Enter: caramel apple ice cream. This recipe is particularly awesome because you don't need an ice cream maker! I'm all for making homemade ice cream, but I know an ice cream maker is a novelty kitchen item that many don't have. No worries, for this recipe you saute some apples in a skillet with butter, cinnamon, and sugar, then mix in some caramel sauce. Once the mixture is cooled, you stir it into softened vanilla ice cream and BAM--'homemade' caramel apple ice cream! I thought it was best when eaten a little softened, so when you're ready to serve, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 10 or 15 minutes before scooping into dishes and topping with a gingersnap or spice cookie (my new favorites are the Spekulatius Spice Cookies from Aldi!). This ice cream would also be a great accompaniment to a fall-themed pie or crisp dessert!

One Year Ago: Odds & Ends
Two Years Ago: Monster Munch
Three Years Ago: Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins and Coconut Rum Ice Cream
Four Years Ago: Pumpkin Scones and Bombay Sloppy Joes
Five Years Ago: Indonesian Chicken with Peanut Sauce and Tuscan Pumpkin White Bean Soup

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Odds & Ends

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1. The Buy-Nothing Year: How Two Roommates Saved More than $55,000. Their social experiment was a little extreme, but if nothing else this article will make you think twice about how you spend your money! Two weekends ago we went through a MAJOR declutter / donate project and I am intent on being more intentional about what we bring into our house from here on out!
2. Finding the Work-Life Comfort Zone. I could definitely relate to this blog post. Returning to work after maternity leave was definitely an adjustment and it took me a little while to figure out where my "comfort zone" was. Five months in, I'm established a good routine, though harried at times, and I've learned to let a lot of little things go. In other words, our house might not be as clean as it used to be, I might sometimes look like a slacker when I rush out of the office at 4:00 pm on the dot, and parking in front of the TV in the evenings to relax is a thing of the past, but on the up side, I maximize every minute I get with Brecken and our little family is happy and healthy!
(image source)
3. The Husband's Secret was all the rage when it came out last summer and I finally got it from the library a few weeks ago and finished it in a matter of days. I totally understand the hype; it kept me interested from start to finish! I think it'd be an excellent book club selection, as it brings up a lot of thought-provoking questions about parenthood, marriage, and forgiveness! Next I want to get my hands on Moriarty's book Big Little Lies.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Filling

4. Time for ALL the fall foods! Everyone goes gaga for pumpkin for the next few months. Win even your biggest critic over with these Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Filling!

One Year Ago: Sriracha Glazed Chicken Wings
Two Years Ago: Dark Chocolate and Cocktail Pairing
Three Years Ago: Garam Masala Lentils and Potatoes
Four Years Ago: Caramel Apple Nut Bars
Five Years Ago: Chocolate Caramel Oatmeal Bars

Friday, October 10, 2014

Chocolate Banana Bundt Cake


Chocolate Banana Bundt Cake | The Sweets Life
Chocolate Banana Bundt Cake 
We are buying a lot of bananas these days. All three members of our household eat bananas--me in my morning smoothie, Ryan as part of his lunch, and Brecken, as often as we'll let her. Despite the rate at which we're flying through them, I'm still occasionally over-buying with a not-so-secret plan of letting them go brown so that I can bake with them. I tried a new banana muffin recipe a few weeks ago that was good, but not quite Sweets-life worthy. More often than not I stick with what I'm pretty sure is my all-time favorite banana bread recipe. However, when I was on duty to bring treats to church a few weeks ago, I needed something that would serve a large group of people, so I turned to this recipe for a chocolate banana bundt cake.
Pin ItChocolate Banana Bundt Cake | The Sweets Life
Adding chocolate chips to banana muffins or banana bread or banana granola bars is a no-brainer, but what happens when the entire thing takes on chocolate?! I was surprised to find out that more than anything, the banana flavor was still prominent. Of course you can taste the chocolate as well, but next time I might add some chocolate chips to the batter for even more of a chocolate boost! I kept things simple and dusted the entire cake with powdered sugar, but this would also be good with a chocolate glaze, like the one from this cake!
Chocolate Banana Bundt Cake | The Sweets Life
One Year Ago: Monster Munch with Count Chocula Cereal
Two Years Ago: Mini Lentil Turkey Meatloaves and Roasted Cabbage and Pear Salad
Three Years Ago: Wilted Spinach Salad 
Four Years Ago: Pumpkin Nutella Bread and Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
Five Years Ago: Whole Wheat Pizza Dough and Red Cabbage Salad