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Recipes

Chicken Alfredo Pizza Recipe with Dollar Tree Ingredients

by Dana Zeliff on March 20, 20142014-03-20
in Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

chicken alfredo pizza recipe collage
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Who knew that you could cook a tasty and gourmet style dinner using ingredients from your local Dollar Tree? Now that you know,  you won’t be able to wait to try it!

Take a look below at how you can make this tasty and inexpensive Chicken Alfredo Pizza Recipe using ingredients found for $1 or less at your local Dollar Tree.  In no time, you can be enjoying this divine dish that is sure to impress.

chicken alfredo pizza recipe ingredients

Dollar Store Dinner: Chicken Alfredo Pizza Recipe

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1 Comment

Filed Under: Recipes

Quick Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe

by Dana Zeliff on March 13, 20142014-03-13
in Cupcakes, Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Quick Easy Chocolate Frosting

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Enjoy this quick easy chocolate frosting on your next batch of cupcakes, brownies or cake.  It’s simply delicious!  Use my quick easy chocolate frosting recipe to dress up a simple box mix or as a nice addition to cupcakes made from scratch!

We made yellow box mix cupcakes with this Quick Easy Chocolate Frosting for LuLu’s 7th birthday.  They were a huge success and everyone loved the frosting!

*I tried making Whole Foods Yellow Cake Mix from scratch but those didn’t turn out right, so I ended up with back-up box mix 🙁  They were still delicious – thanks in part to the icing!  If I had time for baking another batch from scratch, I would have gone with my white chocolate cupcakes.

Quick Easy Chocolate Frosting:

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, softened
3 Cups powdered sugar
1/2 Cup Cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
5-8 Tbsp half & half (or milk)

Directions:

  1. Whip butter and vanilla together in mixer until smooth.
  2. Mix in cocoa and then slowly add in powdered sugar
  3. Add half & half 1 tbsp at a time until desired consistency is reached (the more half and half the creamier/thinner your frosting will become)
  4. Frost 1 9in cake or about 24 cupcakes – Note based on a comment: if you use a lot of icing, you may need to make a double batch.

5.0 from 3 reviews
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Quick Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe
Recipe type: Dessert
 
Ingredients
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 3 Cups powdered sugar
  • ½ Cup Cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 5-8 Tbsp half & half (or milk)
Instructions
  1. Whip butter and vanilla together in mixer until smooth.
  2. Mix in cocoa and then slowly add in powdered sugar
  3. Add half & half 1 tbsp at a time until desired consistency is reached (the more half and half the creamier/thinner your frosting will become)
  4. Frost 1 9in cake or about 24 cupcakes
3.2.1283

 

Quick Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe

Share your thoughts on this Quick Easy Chocolate Frosting recipe!  Do you have a favorite Chocolate Frosting recipe?

You might also like this easy Chocolate Buttercream Icing Recipe!


17 comments

Filed Under: Cupcakes, Recipes

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

by Dana Zeliff on February 27, 20142014-02-27
in Cupcakes, Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

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Ever wonder how to make Buttercream Frosting?  This super simple recipe for buttercream frosting will be perfect on your next cake or cupcakes.  I used a simple red velvet box mix for hubs birthday cake, but you could also make your own cake from scratch.  It also makes a great base for fancy cakes such as my daughters 4th birthday castle cake.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting:

I used my KitchenAid mixer which made this a snap!

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick of salted real butter
  • 1 stick of unsalted real butter
  • 1 cup of shortening (not oil)
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
  • 2 pound bag of powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. Combine 1 stick of salted real butter, 1 stick of unsalted real butter, 1 cup of shortening (not oil) until smooth.
  2. Mix in 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
  3. Slowly add in a 2 pound bag of powdered sugar and mix thoroughly.
  4. Add 5-6 Tbsp of water (adding 1 T at a time).  Icing will be really stiff after adding in the powdered sugar, so add a little bit of water to get the texture you want.

Print
How to Make Buttercream Frosting
Recipe type: Dessert
 
Ingredients
  • 1 stick of salted real butter
  • 1 stick of unsalted real butter
  • 1 cup of shortening (not oil)
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
  • 2 pound bag of powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Add 1 stick of salted real butter, 1 stick of unsalted real butter, 1 cup of shortening (not oil).
  2. Mix then add 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
  3. Add a 2 pound bag of powdered sugar.
  4. Add 5-6 Tbsp of water (adding 1 T at a time). It will get really stiff so then you add just a little bit of water at a time to get the texture you want.
3.2.1275

 

Add this recipe buttercream frosting to your favorites page today!

Do you have other tips on how to make buttercream frosting?

You may also like my Chocolate Buttercream Icing Recipe & Coffee Buttercream Frosting Recipe

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Filed Under: Cupcakes, Recipes

How to Make Easter Bunny Cake

by Dana Zeliff on February 25, 20142014-02-25
in Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Learn how to make an Easter bunny cake with just a few simple steps.  An Easter Bunny Cake is super cute and requires very little cake decorating skills.  This was a fun project for the kids to get involved it.  Kids can help bake the cake and decorate.  LuLu did all the candy decorations on the bow tie 🙂

How to Make Easter Bunny Cake:

1.  Bake your desired cake mix in (2) round cake pans.

2. Cool and trim middle “bump” if necessary so cakes will lie flat, set aside excess.

3.  Use (1) round cake for making the bunny ears and bow tie.  Use used a bowl to help with the rounded edges.  Leave the other round cake for the head.

 

4.  Assemble the bunny cake by placing the bow tie, round cake for head then bunny ears.

5. Decorate cake as desired.  We used white icing with a star tip facing straight down to decorate a majority of the cake & smooth pink icing for the ears.  The kids used pink icing for the nose, black licorice for the eyes and whiskers, and flower sprinkles to decorate the bow tie.

Did your kids make Easter bunny cake with you?

Want to make your own homemade Butter Cream Icing?

See my Cross Cake too

2 comments

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Easter

8 Baked Macaroni Cheese Recipes

by Dana Zeliff on February 16, 20142014-02-16
in Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

8 Baked Macaroni Cheese Recipes Collage

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Are you looking for baked macaroni cheese recipes?  I have a tasty round-up of 8 baked recipes plus 3 bonus non-baked mac & cheese recipes you can try to tempt your taste buds.  Mac & Cheese is one of those ultimate comfort foods, so serve one of these recipes as a side or as the main event for your next meal.

5 Baked Macaroni Cheese Recipes:

  1. Baked Macaroni & Cheese Freezer Recipe by Confessions of an Overworked Mom
  2. Ina’s Macaroni & Cheese by Confessions of a Cooking Diva
  3. Muffin Tin Mac n Cheese Bites by Lori’s Culinary Creations
  4. Macaroni Corn Bake by Stockpiling Moms
  5. Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese by Views from the Ville
  6. Pumpkin Mac and Cheese by Paints and Paws
  7. Pumpkin Head Beer Macaroni & Cheese by Paints and Paws
  8. Country Style Macaroni and Cheese Recipe by Melissa’s Bargains

Easy Slow Cooker Macaroni Cheese Recipe

If you like Mac & Cheese, here are 3 more recipes you may want to try:

*On the Stove* Homemade Macaroni & Cheese Recipe by A Mom’s Take
*Slow Cooker* Slow Cooker Macaroni Cheese Recipe by The Coupon Challenge
*Healthy Alternative* Butternut Squash Mac n Cheese by Mom on Dealz

Macaroni & Cheese is an easy meal that is sure to please everyone in your family.  If serving as a main dish, I like to add a nice garden salad and warm bread – YUM!

What are your favorite Baked Macaroni Cheese Recipes?

You might also like these Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes – cook your chicken in the crock pot while your mac & cheese bakes in the oven!

1 Comment

Filed Under: Recipes

Basic Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

by Dana Zeliff on February 13, 20142014-02-13
in Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Basic Peanut Butter Cookies recipe
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Are you looking for a tasty Basic Peanut Butter Cookies recipe?  These cookies are chewy, delicious and sure to be a new family favorite.

Basic Peanut Butter Cookies:

Ingredients:

½ cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
Turbino sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until soft and smooth. Cream together with the sugars, then mix in the peanut butter and egg.
  2. Sift in the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
  3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375-degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Roll 1-inch balls and flatten with the back of a fork to make a criss cross pattern.
  5. Sprinkle with the turbino sugar.
  6. Bake for 9-11 minutes.
  7. Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, before transferring to a wire rack.
  8. Store leftovers in an air tight container.

Print
Basic Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
Recipe type: Dessert
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • Turbino sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until soft and smooth. Cream together with the sugars, then mix in the peanut butter and egg.
  2. Sift in the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
  3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375-degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Roll 1-inch balls and flatten with the back of a fork to make a criss cross pattern.
  5. Sprinkle with the turbino sugar.
  6. Bake for 9-11 minutes.
  7. Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, before transferring to a wire rack.
  8. Store leftovers in an air tight container.
3.2.1275

 

Share your thoughts on my Basic Peanut Butter Cookies!

Homemade Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

You might also like White Chocolate Cupcakes

2 comments

Filed Under: Recipes

Easy Coffee Buttercream Frosting Recipe

by Dana Zeliff on February 6, 20142014-02-06
in Cupcakes, Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Coffee Buttercream Frosting Recipe

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This Coffee Buttercream Frosting Recipe is amazingly delicious and more than a little addicting. A perfect creamy filling and icing for layered cakes or to top your favorite cupcake recipe. Spread a thin layer on brownies or scoop some between a couple of chocolate chip cookies.

If you are a coffee lover like I am, this rich and tasty icing is a must have for your recipe arsenal. I love using it to top a dark chocolate cupcake or even carrot cake flavor. Homemade Buttercream Icing can take a box mix from so-so to over the top, the extra jolt of coffee flavor makes it doubly decadent. Substitute almond or hazelnut extract for vanilla for another layer of flavor. To pipe icing on using a decorator bag, thicken it by using more powdered sugar.

* Icing Tip- to load bag roll it halfway down over a glass and fill, roll bag back up and press icing down from top with even pressure, start on the outside and work your way inward.

Coffee Buttercream Icing Collage

Ingredients:

½ to 1 Tbsp. instant coffee granules, dissolved into 1 Tbsp. half and half
1 stick of butter, softened
1-1 lb. box of powdered sugar
¼ cup half and half
1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl cream butter until smooth, beat in powdered sugar on low speed until well combined.
  2. Stir in instant coffee, vanilla, half and half and whip until thoroughly mixed and fluffy on a medium-high setting.
  3. If you prefer a thicker icing add more powdered sugar, for a looser consistency add additional half and half.

Print
Coffee Buttercream Frosting Recipe
 
Ingredients
  • ½ to 1 Tbsp. instant coffee granules, dissolved into 1 Tbsp. half and half
  • 1 stick of butter, softened
  • 1-1 lb. box of powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup half and half
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl cream butter until smooth, beat in powdered sugar on low speed until well combined.
  2. Stir in instant coffee, vanilla, half and half and whip until thoroughly mixed and fluffy on a medium-high setting.
  3. If you prefer a thicker icing add more powdered sugar, for a looser consistency add additional half and half.
Notes
*Allow butter to soften but do not melt in the microwave
3.2.1275

You might also like my Chocolate Buttercream Icing Recipe

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Filed Under: Cupcakes, Recipes Tagged With: Coffee Butercream recipe, cupcake icing, icing for cupcake


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About The Coupon Challenge

Hi! I'm Dana, the writer behind the scenes of The Coupon Challenge, a Hampton Roads, VA based coupon blog. I'm a wife and mother of 2. After getting out of debt we started using our savings to travel together as a family and create memories.

Are you looking for ways to save your family money? I strive to help you save on the products you need, so you can spend more on the things you want. Read More about Dana & Family

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