Fluffy Cheddar Cheese Bread

When I was younger my Grandma always had fresh bread at her home waiting for us when we came to visit.  It was the best thing to have for breakfast; we would toast it and then slather it with butter and peanut butter and just chow down!

Sadly back then I had no interest in baking other than the occasional batch of cookies.  Now that I can appreciate how delicious homemade baking really is, I regret that I never took the chance to learn how to bake from my Grandmother.  Luckily my husband's grandmother lives right down the street from us (how lucky are we?) and she indulges me with my random questions when it comes to the baking basics.

Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins

Some of our favourite meals these days are ones that we can throw in the crock pot and forget about until dinner time.  Lilly has amazing timing when it comes to dinner prep or time to eat, that is when she decides to eat as well! I guess she just wants to eat when everyone else does :)

At our house we love anything related to 'buffalo chicken' and these Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins from skinnytaste.com looked way to good to pass up!

Chocolate Banana Pecan Bundt Cake

One of our favourite cakes to make at home is still this Banana Pecan Bundt Cake.  It is so moist and flavourful, every time we have some bananas sitting on the counter I seem to whip this up!

The other day I was also craving a bit of a chocolate fix, so I decided to dress up this easy bundt.  Some chocolate chips and a little chocolate ganache later and we had a treat that was both tasty and pretty!

{Skinny} Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones

Hello everyone! Today I am rocking it out at 39 weeks...and yup that means there is still no baby.  Yeesh, the kid is really taking their sweet time, aren't they?  So keep the 'boy' and 'girl' predictions coming (currently 'boy' is in the lead!)

I know the 'average' pregnancy is 40 weeks and that most first pregnancies result in babies AFTER the 40 week mark, but a person can hope for a bit of an earlier appearance, right?   Right!  So I am keeping my fingers crossed that we finally get to meet this busy little baby in the next few days instead of maybe two weeks from now :) I don't know if my body can take another two weeks of waddling! It's an attractive look, trust me.

S'more Krispies

It seems that lately every time a new recipe pops up it is some new take on the classic s'more.  The crazy part is that each and every variation looks so freaking delicious! And I don't think I'll be getting over this 'craze' anytime soon.  Despite the cooler temperatures I think my next s'more adventure will be some version of s'more ice cream...hmm.  Ohhh, or maybe s'more brownies!

This particular dessert came about because a couple weeks ago I found myself with 4 bags of mini marshmallows, and nowhere to store them.  4 bags! Ridiculous right? 

Camping-themed Baby Shower

In May one of our closest friends gave birth to an insanely cute little boy, Emmett!  This little dude is so awesome; we couldn't be happier for the new parents.

My friends and I eagerly waited until we could throw little Emmett and his mom a prime baby shower.  Since our friends spend almost every weekend in the summer camping all over Alberta, we decided that a camping-themed baby shower would be perfect!

We served all sorts of camping themed food such as mini burgers and mini hotdogs

Marinated Feta and Roasted Peppers

How about something fresh and easy for your summer BBQ's? I am all about the easy (but tasty!) dishes these days, and this marinated salad totally fit the bill.  

A couple weeks ago we had a Greek-themed dinner at our house (more tasty recipes to come!) and we put out this salad as part of the appetizers and to enjoy with dinner.  This salad was delicious on it's own, and also great spooned on top of some fresh bread that we had put out.

Brown Butter Glazed Baked Cinnamon Doughnuts

As I sit here typing this, my keyboard is getting progressively stickier because I am currently shoving the third one of these, in as many minutes, into my mouth.


No shame.


And since the recipe only makes 6 doughnuts, I either need to pack them up in order to save some for my husband OR finish the other three and clean up my baking mess so he never ever knows that doughnuts were even made today. 


I like the second option personally, but I have a sneaking suspicion that he can smell homemade doughnuts from a mile away.  I tell ya, he is right on par with my few pregnancy cravings!  Also, please tell me I'm not the only one who considers hiding the treats in the house from their husband? Right?

Doughnut Week! Baked Blueberry Doughnuts

After two days of deep frying, you might be wondering what has gotten into me? I mean really, me deep frying in my kitchen?? I used to think that was something that would never happen in my house!


Buuut then the pregnancy cravings hit.  Well, the pregnancy craving.  So far in my 19 weeks I have craved one thing and one thing only: doughnuts. Soft, delicious, still warm doughnuts.

Butterscotch and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Muffins! Who doesn't love a soft and tasty muffin for breakfast, or to kick that 'wall' we all hit at work in the middle of the afternoon?

You know what I realized? Butterscotch is delicious, and I do not think to use it in baking nearly enough.  After throwing butterscotch chips in these muffins, both my husband and I were surprised by how much we really loved them! Lesson learned, our lives need more butterscotch.

Banana Pecan Bundt Cake

This cake. Ohhh, this cake.  


Please make this cake.


I don't know if it is the pregnant lady talking or not, but this cake is pure heaven! It is the perfect texture, and the pecans work so well with the banana flavour. This cake doesn't even need any extra adornments! I'm sure a chocolate or classic glaze poured over the top would be amazing, but maybe try this cake without those, just once.  Just so you can appreciate how perfect it is!

Fried Egg Sandwiches

If you follow me at all on Instagram, then you might notice my love for a good fried egg sandwich.


I'm not even sure what it is about these beauties that is perfect every time, but throw a perfectly fried egg with it's runny, oozy yolk, onto some toasted bread and add some meat and/or veggies and VOILA! The perfect sandwich.

Blueberry Granola Muffins

OK! Time to get back on track! This whole posting around once a week thing doesn't sit to well with me, but I currently have no-one to blame but myself :) So no excuses, right? It is true that after we got over out jet-lag (AKA completely useless for a week around the house) spring cleaning kicked in so that is a bonus, but I haven't shared some delicious desserts and meals that are piling up in my iPhoto, and that's no fun.  What good is tasty food if you can't share it with anyone?


So I'll start off with something quick and tasty. Blueberry Granola Muffins! Yay muffins!

Baked Avocado Fries with Wasabi-Lime Dipping Sauce

After a week of sweets, how about we have something that is light and tasty? 


These avocado fries are amazing!! They are coated in panko bread crumbs and baked in the oven (instead of fried), then served with a lightened up dipping sauce that is incredibly addicting.  These are fantastic as a side dish, after work snack (or school!), or even as an appetizer.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

One of my favourite quick snacks to whip up is still hummus.  It is tasty, easy, and good for you too!  It is also super versatile. You can serve it with nacho chips, crackers, vegetables, as a spread on pizzas, and who knows what else!


I had a jar of roasted red peppers in my refrigerator so I decided to throw some into my hummus and it turned out delicious!  Feel free to play with the recipe, you can add all sorts of spices and other vegetables to change up the taste.

Sun-dried Tomato Hummus

While I am excited to post the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing, I figured that some people might need a bit of a break from this pumpkin madness.


I absolutely love hummus. It is so easy to whip up, perfect for a snack or to bring as an appetizer, and it is incredibly versatile when it comes to what flavours you can add to it.  I have made the Chipotle Hummus a few times now so I wanted to try some other variations. Sun-dried tomatoes are a wonderful way to add some variety to your hummus!


I based this recipe off of this one that I found at allrecipes.com. That site has not disappointed me yet!

Sun-dried Tomato Hummus

• 1 large clove of garlic, chopped
• 1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas) drained
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 jar sun-dried tomatoes (210 mL jar, drained)
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 - 3 tbsp olive oil

1. In your food processor add the garlic, chickpeas, tahini, and lemon juice
2. Pulse the mixture until it is fairly smooth
3. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the dried basil and pulse until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper
5. Add olive oil until your desired consistency is reached (I usually add about 1 - 2 tbsps)
6. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve
7. Enjoy!

My favourite hummus (right now) and an exciting trip!

Today is a very exciting day! Around lunch-time I board the first of 3 planes that will take me to sunny San Diego for the BlogHer '11 conference!  This is my very first blogging conference and I cannot even describe how excited I am.

Follow me on Twitter! @naked_cup_cakes 

I am bunking with the awesome Amy of Do You Know the Muffin Pan? who was kind enough to offer to let me stay at her place. :)  How lucky is she to live in San Diego?  We are going to tear BlogHer '11 up!


I can't decide what I am the most excited about: meeting in person the wonderful people that I have met online, the huge array of sessions, the parties at night, the expo, etc etc. I think this whole weekend will be an amazing experience.

I cannot wait to share my experiences with you, hopefully as the weekend progresses. If I don't find that I have a lot of time to jump on the computer, please feel free to follow me on Instagram where I will be posting photos (you can find me: @nakedcupcakes or Hailey Elliot). I have no idea if I will have any free time over the course of the conference :)

I think some people might be blogging during the sessions, but I am more of a pen and paper kind of girl, so I might not be lugging around the ol' laptop.


Here is my favourite hummus recipe that I have been chowing down on this week! It comes together super fast, and is a great healthy snack (or supper while you are packing!).

Chipotle Hummus

• 1 can (19 oz) chickpeas, drained and liquid reserved
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• scant 1/2 tsp salt
• pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 - 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1. Place all of the ingredients (except the reserved liquid from the chickpeas) in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth
2. Add the reserved liquid until the desired consistency is reached
3. Serve with crackers, pita chips, vegetables, etc.
4. Enjoy!

I was fortunate enough to receive this Blog on Fire Award from Kelly at Eat Yourself Skinny!  I feel so lucky to be counted amongst the other amazing blogs that she passed this award onto.  Now it is up to me to pass it along to 10 amazing blogs that have made an impression on me.  

1) Amy - Do You Know the Muffin Pan?

2) Rachel - The Avid Appetite

3) Sukaina - Sips and Spoonfuls

4) Erica Lea - Cooking for Seven

5) Kay - The Church Cook

6) Gina - Skinnytaste

7) Jamie - My Baking Addiction

8) Lindsey - Hot Polka Dot

9) Katrina - In Katrina's Kitchen

10) Darla - Bakingdom

For those of you listed above, now it's your turn!  Pass this Blog on Fire Award to the 10 blogs that have influenced you!

Nutella Granola Bars

A few weeks ago this delicious granola bar recipe popped up in my inbox from La Fuji Mama.  It looked like the perfect thing to bring as a snack for the busy days at work!


I whipped these up with the dried fruits that I had in my cupboard, and while I will admit that they were fairly sweet, I absolutely loved them.  My husband thought they were a bit too sweet as a granola bar or for breakfast, but I thought they were just right.


This makes a whole 9" x 13" pan of granola bars, so it will easily last you the whole week. I found these quite filling, and they really gave you some fantastic energy to make it through the 'wall' we all sometimes hit in the afternoons.

These are best if stored in the fridge instead of on the countertop. They can get quite soft and they are delicious cold.  Please feel free to substitute the fruits and nuts for whatever you happen to have on hand!


Nutella Granola Bars

• 2 1/3 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup dates, chopped
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2/3 cup Nutella
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter (melted)
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1 1/2 tbsp water

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line your 9" x 13" pan with parchment paper.
2. Lightly spray the lined pan with baking or cooking spray and set aside
3. In a large bowl mix together the rolled oats, sugar, whole wheat flour, salt, raisins, dates, sunflower seeds, chocolate chips, almonds, and quinoa.
4. In a second bowl, whisk together the nutella, vanilla, butter, honey, and water
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix well
6. Press the mixture into the pan, forming a nice firm layer
7. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until the edges darken
8. Let cool, and then refrigerate for about half an hour before cutting.
9. After they have set in the fridge, cut up the bars and store in a plastic bag (or airtight container) in the fridge
10. Enjoy!

Baked Onion Rings

Here is a quick and easy side dish that is perfect for a weeknight dinner! 


I really like onion rings, but usually they are dripping with grease after being deep fried, gross!  After I saw these on skinnytaste.com, I was so excited to see a light and healthy alternative.

These come together with only a few ingredients, and one onion can produce a ton of onion rings.


Give these a try instead of the classic french fries on your next burger night!


Baked Onion Rings

• 1 medium onion, sliced into 1 cm thick rings
• 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup italian seasoned bread crumbs
• salt 
• cooking spray

1. After the onions are sliced, place them in a bowl with the buttermilk and let them soak in the refrigerator for about 1 hour
2. After the onion rings have soaked, preheat the oven to 450 F and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper
3. Mix together the Panko bread crumbs, seasoned italian bread crumbs, and pinch of salt in a bowl
4. Dip each soaked onion ring (one at a time) into the bread crumb mixture and then place onto the prepared baking sheets, making sure none of the onion rings are touching or overlapping
5. Quickly spray all of the finished onion rings with baking spray and then bake for 10-12 minutes or until a light golden brown
6. When golden brown, place in a serving dish and serve with dinner!
7. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Crescent Rolls

The other day I had cinnamon buns on my mind, but I didn't have the time to make a full batch of these amazing cinnamon buns.  I had grabbed a package of those Pillsbury crescent rolls the other day, and decided to work with what I had!

I unrolled the crescent rolls, spread on some butter, and then sprinkled each triangle with some sugar and cinnamon.


Then I rolled them all up, and in 10 minutes we had warm delicious cinnamon crescent rolls!

These were so easy :) I am definitely going to keep these in mind for my next quick cinnamon roll fix!


On a side note, it is finally warm outside.  I can't get enough of the sun right now!