Crisco is celebrating their 100th anniversary by adding a new category, ‘Crisco Innovation’, to the big 17th Annual American Pie Council Pie Championship.  It encourages pie makers to combine creativity with traditional pie baking skills and come up with something truly innovative.

Because I do feel that Crisco is the best shortening for pies and all kinds of other baking, I wanted to honor the celebration with some of my favorite pies that have been made using Crisco to make the perfect pie crust.  Enjoy!

Perfect Pecan Pie

Pina Colada Banana Pie

Sour Cream Apple Pie with Streusel Crumble Topping

Buttermilk Pie

Quick and Easy Chocolate Banana Pie

Do you feel like I do in that Crisco truly makes an outstanding pie crust?  What is your favorite pie?

In my previous video, I made you Healthy Pumpkin Bread. Today, I bring you quite the opposite with Rocky Road Brownies.  When it comes to food gift giving during the holidays, so many people give breads and cookies but something we like to give, are brownies served in a dish.

I like to find pretty bowls or plates, place brownies in them, and wrap them up as a gift.  The receiver can use the dish over and over again instead of it getting thrown away, and the family can enjoy the brownies. Brownie pan was bought at my local Walmart.

HOW TO MAKE ROCKY ROAD BROWNIES

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) Great Value unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 bag (12 ounces) Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick’s Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 cup Jet -Puffed Mini Marshmallows
• 1/2 cup chopped Fisher pecans or your choice of nut.
• Reddi-wip for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch-square baking pan or use a brownie pan like I did.

Step 2. In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of boiling water, combine butter and 1 cup chocolate chips. Heat, stirring occasionally, just until melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Or you can use the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Just watch carefully.

Step 3. Remove mixture from heat; stir in sugars and salt, then eggs, and finally flour, stirring just until combined. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes.

Step 4. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips, then marshmallows and nuts. Bake until chocolate is shiny and marshmallows are puffed, about 5 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Cut into 16 squares and top with Reddi-wip!!! **DROOL*

Disclosure: Compensation has been provided by Walmart for my time and efforts to create the recipe, video and post. All opinions are my own, always have been, always will be. Check out more holiday baking and gift giving ideas from my fellow Walmart Moms and from the Walmart website.

November marks the part of the season where we give thanks, give gifts, and help those in need.  Giving a homemade food gift is one of the most popular ideas because it’s so friendly to your wallet and it comes from the heart.

Today, I’m bringing you a healthy alternative to traditional pumpkin bread (found at Dashing Dish) and  sharing my food gift giving how-to idea.

Most of the ingredients for the recipe are items you probably already have in your pantry which will minimize the cost some.   To wrap up the loaves up and make them into a gift, you’ll need the following:

• Great Value Twist Tie Bags (100 ct) $2.76
• Matching Napkins & Paper Plates $2.00 for each.  There were at least 10 in the packages.

Because you are getting so many bags and so many of the plates & napkins for $6.76 total, you’re going to easily be able make quite a few loaves for a low price.  Gifts like these are great for teachers, neighbors, coworkers, and really just about anyone.

PUMPKIN BREAD RECIPE

Ingredients

• 1 (15oz) can pure pumpkin
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (about one individual portion of yogurt)
• 4 large egg whites – Eggland’s Best
• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 cups Splenda
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. McCormick’s Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick’s Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. McCormick’s Pumpkin Pie Spice (or 1/8 tsp McCormick’s Ground Nutmeg)

Directions:

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350′. Spray mini loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. You can also buy those mini loaf aluminum pans that are disposable as well.

Step 2
Using a food processor (or blender), mix all of the ingredients together. Blend until oats are ground and mixture is smooth. (I put the oats in first to make sure they were blended down well.)

Step 3
Place mixture into loaf pans, and place into oven. Bake mini loaves for 40-50 minutes (depending on your oven and altitude:), or until toothpick comes out clean, which is how I always check!

Cool loaves before removing from pans or if you are using disposable, just cool down before wrapping up to gift.If using disposable, you can omit the paper plates and find napkins to match the disposables that you used.

What are some of your holiday food gift giving ideas? I’d love to hear them and even perhaps make them this holiday season!

Disclosure: Compensation has been provided by Walmart for my time and efforts to create the recipe, video and post. All opinions are my own, always have been, always will be. Check out more holiday baking and gift giving ideas from my fellow Walmart Moms and from the Walmart website.

I 100% recommend Eggland’s Best Eggs which is why I’m also proud to be an ambassador for EB & the Pink Dozen. So good for the heart y’all!

Yesterday, I was early preparing my list for our Fall Festival cake walk.  Since my oldest is a junior, I get the pleasure of making at minimum of 12 cakes for the cake walk.  Each junior parent is asked to do this.  That’s a lot of cakes!  My plans are to mix it up with cakes, cookies, and I’ll even be doing pink cupcakes in honor of breast cancer awareness month.  I guess I’ll start on Friday and bake all day.  This is when it would be nice to own a double oven!

I started my breakfast yesterday with HoneyNut Cheerios.  I’ve been eating them for awhile now.  I’ve gotten to where I can’t eat sugary cereals and try to keep raisin bran or cheerios on hand instead.  What do you eat for breakfast?

I browsed through my pantry to see what cake mixes and baking goods I already have and it didn’t take me too long unfortunately. It’s quite bare in fact but I’ll be making trip to get it fully stocked.  I also had to buy the disposable cake pans because even if I owned a dozen cake pans, I wouldn’t be using them. Can you imagine having to wash all those, plus, the people who win the cakes can’t take them home if used my own.  duh.

For lunch, I went with my absolute favorite thing ever….Stouffer’s Lasagna!!!  If you’ve read my blog long enough, you’ll recall that it’s actually what I’d want for my last meal.  What I love about it is that you can buy it in a huge party size,  family size, regular size, or in a small serving size for one.  I love to cook it longer than it says just to have that crispy edge.  You can cook the smaller ones in the microwave, which I do but I usually buy the big party size and serve with Texas Toast and cauliflower.  The party size feeds 6 or more and we are a family of 5 so it works perfectly for us.  I feel like the pasta, cheese, and well, all of it tastes fresh to me.  It’s like as if it was a home-cooked meal.  It’s also my favorite because it means I don’t have to wash a big casserole pan. LOL  You know you hate cleaning those caked on casserole pans.  I forgot to take the photo before I hacked into it..sorry.  If you look closely though, you can see towards the back that my edges are crispy. hehe Have you tried Stouffer’s Lasagna?  Oh!  The party size would be great for game day too!

So with a full belly, I went back to preparing for bake a dozen cakes day.  I need to prepare mentally because that’s a hot kitchen and a lot of cakes. I’m wondering if I’ll even want to eat a cake by the time cake walk rolls around……Have you had to bake in huge amounts for something like a cake walk or fundraiser? Do you have any tips for me?

You should know that just because I am taking Wilton Decorating classes, that it doesn’t mean I’m any good at it still.  I’m definitely learning much more but I still have such a long ways to go.  With this Hair Raising Cake, I wanted to do three things; incorporate Halloween of course, try not to completely ruin it, and pay tribute to those fighting breast cancer like my Aunt and Grandmother since October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Now one of my biggest problems is that I do things spur of the moment and when making cakes like this, it’s really important to read all the directions to see what supplies you’ll need and try to estimate how much time you’ll need. I did neither. And it’s obvious.  I guess you should see how the original looks like first before I get to mine.

She’s cute huh?  Mine does NOT look like her, sadly.  I did want to incorporate pink though so I switched up her hair a bit. See below……

GETTING STARTED

I was missing a couple of tips and had no clue how to make certain colors of icing but I just went with the flow. I mean, why get all crazy cause you don’t have the exact things right? While it would be nice, I was simply having fun more than anything.  I started with the Long Loaf Pan that uses 8-9 cups of Duncan Hines cake batter.  To give you an idea, one box of cake mix is about 4-5 cups of batter so I used two boxes but didn’t  use it all. I also made a couple of different batters for something else I was making which is why you see two different color batters below.

I prepared my icing first while cake was baking (which took about 80 minutes at 325′), starting with the green.  Now Wilton tells you to combine Lemon Yellow Icing color and Leaf Green Icing color to get the green but I had neither so I used Buttercup Yellow and Teal.  It’s not near as lime green as shown in the photo but I thought it was a nice compliment to the light pink hair.   I also just added a tiny bit of Christmas Red Icing color to white to get the light pink.  Since I didn’t really want to use black on the cake, I went with a mustard color for the pupils, lashes, mouth, and plug things in the sides of her neck.

The cake cooled for over an hour and I set out to decorate. I was missing an important tip, 4B to be exact so I had to make due with what I had.  I think I used 21 or something….not as easy to use ad 4B I’m sure.  Anyways, I iced about 6 inches of the cake with the green color for Halloween and alternated pink and white for the hair in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I did not take my time..it was getting late and I was tired. I had no idea how long it actually takes from start to finish to do this. I’ll know next time though.   Overall, she’s not just real pretty but I love her.  I made her and feel like she’s a fighter……

So Happy Halloween and don’t forget to get a mammogram and support the women fighting breast cancer like cooking for the cure baby!

P.S. If you don’t have a hobby store that sells Wilton products, you can always order online or check out Walmart’s selection of Wilton goods!  You know what I’d love to see?  Classes taught at our local Walmart!  You know how they have them at Michaels?  Well ours is over an hour away so I’d love if they’d bring the Wilton classes to Walmart!!  *HINT*

Have you seen my post where Truett helps me bake a ton of cupcakes?  I LOVE cooking and baking with my kids, always have.  Even if it’s just them helping me stir something or grabbing a potato and handing it to me, it’s all special because they are moments between me and them.

I want to see moments like this from you.  Maybe you’re a Mom, know a Mom, or know someone who has the heart of a Mom, whatever the situation, I want you to share a photo of a Mom and child baking.  By sharing a baking with mom photo, you will be entered to win this lovely kitchen helper, aka the Breville Stand Mixer.

I’ve been told that it’s comparable to that other brand (you know who I’m talking about) and my review of it will come later but for now, I’ll give you some basic specs on it and then more about the contest.

• The 10-minute backlit LCD timer can be set to count either down or up to accommodate recipes with specific mixing times.
• Twelve speeds with easy-to-follow descriptions ranging from folding and kneading to whipping and aerating.
• The innovative scraper beater has flexible edges that continuously scrape the bowl’s interior, reducing mixing times by up to 60 percent
• An additional reverse speed mixes dry ingredients or loosens dough.
• The head moves in a planetary dual rotation for professional results.
• Lock the head in the tilt-back position for unobstructed access to the beater and bowl.
• Durable die-cast housing with brushed-stainless-steel finish.
• Auto-shutoff with sound alert prevents ingredients from being overbeaten.
• An attachment guide provides recommendations for attachment selection and mixer speed, ensuring foolproof results for a variety of tasks.
• For clutter-free countertops, the hideaway cord is conveniently stored inside the base.
• Includes 5-qt. stainless-steel mixing bowl, splash guard, flat beater, dough hook and wire whisk attachments.

Who wouldn’t want to win this baby!

HOW TO ENTER

—–>SUBMIT A BAKING WITH MOM PHOTO MOMENT to be entered into this contest and for a chance to win the above Breville Stand Mixer.  You can find the rules on the entry page. You’ll also be able to browse other entries and even vote for your favorites, although the voting will not determine the winner.  It’s just for fun

It’s very easy to enter.  Once you get to the entry page, you can either browse other entries or enter.  You’ll be taken to a page that includes the rules and a form to fill out and upload your photo. Once done, come back to this post and leave a comment telling me you entered.

So let’s recap:

1. Submit a Baking with Mom photo.
2. Come back to THIS post and leave a comment telling me you entered.

I would love for you to share this with your friends and family!  Also, if you have a baking story you’d like to share, I’d love to hear it!!

Since I’m on a new computer, the only photo I could find of me and Truett whipping something up in the kitchen is this one which is actually a video that I took a screenshot of.

.

Now find a photo to submit or get to bakin’ and create a baking with mom photo moment!

Disclosure: Contest is sponsored by Breville.  Breville also sent me a stand mixer to review (which will be soon). As always, my opinions are my own, always have been and always will be.  Read more about my blogging ethics in my full disclosure. Find and follow -> Breville on Flickr | Breville on Twitter | Breville on Facebook

The million dollar winner of the Pillsbury Bake-Off has been announced live on the Oprah show.  I had the pleasure of watching 100 finalists compete in Orlando for the million dollar prize and out of those, it was narrowed down to these 4 finalists; (see my previous wrap up of the event)

• Breakfast & Brunches – Tomato-Basil Eggs Alfredo in Bread Baskets by Niki Plourde of Gardner, Mass. (recipe)

Inspired by her love for pesto, Niki Plourde brought together the combination of pesto and basil with the creaminess of eggs and tomato for her winning Tomato-Basil Eggs Alfredo in Bread Baskets. A student majoring in social work, Plourde entered the 44th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest to pay for her college education.

• Entertaining Appetizers – Salmon Pecan-Crusted Tartlets by Evelyn Henderson of Roseville, Calif. (recipe)

When she learned she was a Bake-Off finalist, Evelyn Henderson “had a smile a mile wide.” Inspired by her love for tuna melts and salmon sandwiches, Henderson paired salmon and pecans to give her dish a gourmet feel.

• Dinner Made Easy – Zesty Lime-Fish Tacos by Kellie White of St. Louis, Mo. (recipe)

Setting out with the intention of creating a meal to satisfy the craving for this popular California dish, Kellie White knew her recipe was a hit when the first batch went so quickly. Although her mother hails from the South and serves as her inspiration in the kitchen, White’s mission was to bring this West coast dish into homes across America.

• Sweet Treats – Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups by Sue Compton of Delanco, N.J. (recipe)

Known for her baking, Sue Compton finds cooking to be her creative outlet, with her son and his college friends being the lucky beneficiaries of her homemade meals. Referring to her cookie cups as “cute and yummy,” Compton thought she had a good chance in the Bake-Off Contest because people rave about her creations.

Of course, there could only be one Pillsbury Winner for the Pillsbury Bake-Off 2010 and that winner is…………………………………………

And now enjoy the Pillsbury winner’s recipe!

No, I wasn’t IN the Pillsbury Bake-Off but I did get the awesome opportunity of watching all 100 finalists compete for a million dollars and even eat some of their tasty creations.   The bake-off was held in Orlando, Florida at a beautiful Waldorf=Astoria Orlando and Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek hotel.

While riding from the airport to the hotel, I actually got to sit next to a finalist who happened to be from Texas!  Her name was Kim Rollings from Dallas, TX and was sweet as can be.  She clearly was honored to be a finalist and no matter the results, I’m pretty sure she was happy and proud with just getting to the bake-off. Here’s a few pics of her!

Her recipe:

A good pie crust seems to be one of the harder things to make in the kitchen. Contrary to the title, mine are not perfect but I do feel like they come close to being great. I bet I’ve tried a gazillion pie crust recipes over the years and this one comes out just the way I like it and makes at least 4 which works out perfect if you’re making double crust pies.  Mine has more of a darker yellow to it because I use fresh eggs to bake with.

What I truly enjoyed this time around, was using my grandmother’s pie plate.  I’m sure many of you will remember the pattern; the Corning Ware with blue cornflowers.  As great as the new stuff is, the old is what I love and what makes cooking so much fun to me.  Doesn’t using things passed down make everything better, even taste better?   She made a really great pecan pie, my grandmother that is.  What I’d give for a few moments of conversation with her, while indulging in a piece of her pie…………

recipe below

In my goal to be fit, not only am I working out to the Your Shape Wii Game, I’m also eating things healthier when I can.  Trying to find healthy substitutions to replace the easy accessible junk food can prove to be difficult at times.  I realized that trying to find prepackaged healthy food was the real problem. I needed to discover ways to create healthy snacks “from scratch”.  So instead of buying granola bar type snacks, I decided to make my own version. Since granola seems to be an ingredients that’s hard to come by around here, I chose to use oatmeal as a substitute but you could use granola (and I recommend you do) to make this recipe.