Coconut Orange Body Scrub

Hey friends!  Long time no see!  I have no excuse other than some other things have had to take priority, and there aren't enough hours in a day.  But I think I am back.  I think I said that before, but I am pretty positive now.  I am running 2 businesses, caring for my grand littles a few days a week and trying to keep up the blog and website.  Oh then there is being a wife, and having household duties, and all of that stuff!  We have had weddings, and baby showers and lots of photo shoots, it is crazy but I refuse to give up the things I love, so even if it is between 2 and 6 a.m., I WILL keep things up!

So speaking of baby showers, I held a surprise one this week for my niece Maegon.  She is my oldest niece, she is only 5 years younger than me, so she is more like a little sister.  She is pregnant with her first baby, and this was something she was told may never happen so I wanted to celebrate big!  She lives out of state and was coming in for another nieces wedding and it was the perfect time!  I wanted to do something fun for the favors, as I themed her shower "The Jungle Book".  Her favorite color is orange (good choice, so is mine).  So I filled brown paper bags with banana runts, gummy bears, coconut jelly beans, animal crackers, bright green sixlets (needed the color!) and this sugar scrub.  Lots of you said you didn't mind seeing a recipe that wasn't food, although, you technically could eat this so if you have little ones and like to keep things natural, well, this is safe. 

There are 5 million recipes for body scrubs out there.  Many the same and many different.  I had some coconut oil I wanted to use up, and I wanted a sugar based scrub and not a salt one.  By the way, this is an awkward disclaimer, make sure you use this on your body and keep it away from, umm..... your "undercarriage" as it is sugar based which feeds yeast and well, I will let you google it, if you don't know what I am sayin!  OMG, that was so weird to type in a food blog.  Let's hurry ad just move on.  Act like it didn't happen.

This made about 10 half pint jars, but if you are using just for yourself, store in an airtight container and use it before self tanning, after being out in the sun, or just to pamper your skin it smells out of this world and it works amazing!  My mix and match was a hit, so here we go!

1 cup coconut oil, melted
4 cups granulated sugar
10 drops of orange essential oil.  (I purchase it at my local natural product store)
orange food coloring

Literally just put this all in a bowl and start mixing.  It might take a couple of minutes but it will all mix beautifully. 

The addition of the food coloring will not affect your skin at all.  When you have the color consistent you are basically done!  While I can't be exact on the shelf life, I am sure that it is at least several weeks and honestly, it won't be around that long anyway!!!

Enjoy soft, exfoliated, delicious smelling skin!!

Whopper Brownie Bites

Sometimes, one of my favorite things is to peruse (omgosh, my sister uses this word ALL the time and it drives me NUTS and here I just used it) the store, grocery store, Target, drug store, ANY store with food and see what I find on sale or on clearance and then write a recipe around it.  When my creative juices feel all dried up, it gives me inspiration. 

 

That is exactly what happened when I found this bag of Whoppers.  I seem to have these fond childhood memories of my dad making us "malts" in the blender as kids.  Not shakes, malts.  He used that wonderful malt powder we all know and love!  The Whoppers just confirmed that I needed to make something chocolate...malted....and delicious with them!   I will confess something, right here, and right now.  I have never made homemade brownies.  Yes, I know, shoot me now.  The good thing is, I will from now on!  This recipe from my mom is amazing.   I of course added some malt powder and such but, on the regular, you can bake these in an 8x8 pan!  They are SO fudgey which is how I like my brownies!

If you decide not to use liners, spray your mini cupcake pan liberally!  Don't forget or you will be serving them savage style, everyone trying to chip their brownie bite out of the pan at once!  Wouldn't THAT be fun!  I also piped my icing, you can just dollop it with a teaspoon, I am just obsessed with piping anything I possibly can.  It's a personal thrill.....leave me alone, don't judge. HA

Brownies:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup chocolate malted milk powder
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using a mini muffin pan, add liners or spray liberally and set aside.  In a medium saucepan, melt butter completely.  Remove from heat and add cocoa, malted milk powder, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt.  Mix until completely combined.  Now add in flour, mix until JUST combined.  Using a teaspoon or small cookie scoop, fill each cup about 2/3rds of the way.  You should get 38 mini brownie bites out of this batter.  Bake for 12-14 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean!  Let cool completely.

Chocolate Malted Buttercream:
1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup chocolate malted milk powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup SMASHED Whoppers (I mean smashed to dust or it will clog your piping bag if you are piping)
38 whole Whoppers

Mix all ingredients.  Place in a piping bag or use a teaspoon and add a small dollup to the top of each brownie.  Use a star tip or plain piping bag, or heck, use any tip you like!  Add a whole Whopper to the top of the dollop of icing!

Make sure to keep these sealed in a container to keep them fresh until you are ready to serve.  You could also freeze these!!

These are so good and will work wonders on your chocolate cravings!  ANYTIME!!

Your "do you whopper or don't you whopper"chefwannabe

Where's The Macaroon Brownies!

There is a method to my madness you guys.  I swear there is.  I asked on Facebook how many of you like coconut.  I couldn't believe it!  I always thought most people DIDN'T like it.  You proved me wrong in a hurry.  I don't care for coconut unless it involves lotions, oil, or flavoring.  I don't enjoy the real deal.  This is how I keep from eating these things, I just make things I don't like! HA!  Genius, right?  I knew you were thinking it, it is OK to admit it. 

Anyway, when I named these all I could think of is "Where's Waldo?" when my husband asked, where the macaroon part was.  Thus, we got this name for them.  They are really so delicious, I even tasted one.  All good cooks taste their own food before they serve it.  WAIT, for the love....are you telling me if you make something you don't like, you don't TASTE it?  You just feed it to the masses?  I feel faint.  I actually loved these.  So moist and delish on the inside, soft and chewy brownie on the outside.  Perfection!

Let me tell you something that will make some of YOU faint.  Ready?  I can't type it, I am laughing to hard, because some of you FRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAK out over this.  Ready now?  I used a BOXED brownie mix!  You busy moms will thank me.  I figure, what the heck.  End of my story.  So go ahead, purchase your favorite brand because I KNOW you have one, you sly cat.....I know you do!  Prepare it per the package directions and set the batter aside.  You have some other work ahead of you!

MACAROON MIXTURE:
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 tbsp cornstarch
Combine all ingredients.  Form into balls.  You should get 15, you only need 12.  Feel free to bake the others off as plain macaroons.  DO NOT feel tempted to add to the others to make them all bigger.  If they are bigger the brownie batter won't cover!  Bake away my dear chefwannabe.....and just trust me.  Put them in the freezer for 15 minutes.  I can be longer, just at least 15. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Spray your muffin tin with non stick cooking spray, liberally.  Add 1 tbsp of batter into the bottoms of each cup.  Now, take the ball of macaroon mix, flatten it out just a wee bit and put it on top of the batter.  Don't push it down once it is in.  Make sure it has room to groove all around it so that the rest of the brownie batter can get around it.  When you have placed all of the balls, cover each with more batter.  Just keep feeling by the tablespoon until they are all filled and you can no longer see the macaroons!!

 

Bake for 30 minutes.  Let sit in the pan until completely cooled!  Carefully run a knife around the edges and they will pop right out.  If you try to do it while they are hot, they will come apart to easy.  They need to carry over cook and they are perfection!  You can do the toothpick test but not sure how accurate it will be with the macaroon centers.  The tops will be nicely firm, you will know when they are done, I have faith in you!

These will pop in your freezer nicely as well!  You can make them ahead or take one out at a time for a treat!  Let it sit 30-60 minutes on the counter and you are good to go!

Your "does NOT care for macaroons but these, are different" chefwannabe

Mockiatto Coffee Drink Mix

Only a WEEK until Christmas you guys!  Accckk!  Is your shopping done?  Cleaning? Decorating? Baking? Hurry, hurry, hurry! 

Actually what I wish you would all do is sit down, make a Mockiatto, and think about the real reason for celebration.  Daydream for 20 minutes about holidays past, memorable gifts, memorable visits and realize, the house being clean isn't important, the only thing important is the special time you will spend with those you love, family, friends, etc.   I was just thinking about the Christmas I got my first pair of Velcro sneakers, and pin stripped jeans.  Or the Christmas I got a red plastic sled FILLED with new crayons and coloring books.  How about my first cabbage patch kid?!  So many fun memories. 

Nobody will starve and the Christmas tree may not be perfect, the garland may be half falling off the window but is all that REALLY so important?  Celebrating the birth of our savior, IS the reason for the season!!

OK, turning off memory lane now.   You all know what an avid coffee drink I am.  I think I could possibly qualify for a career in competitive coffee drinking.   I drink way to much coffee, my doctor says so anyway, I say, can you EVER drink ENOUGH?  I love the flavored creamers, I love it black, I love it about any way I can get it.  Instead of spending to much money on expensive coffee drinks from fancy coffee houses, I would love for you to give my Mockiatto a try.  I found a recipe similar at Hillbilly Housewife and wanted to change it up to the flavors I enjoy most....caramel and vanilla. 

I know you all are busy so I will get right to the recipe.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! (I will be making a double recipe next time, just easier and stores perfectly in an airtight container)

1 cup powdered milk
1 cup caramel vanilla creamer
1 lg pkg (5.1 oz)  instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2-3/4 cup instant coffee granules

Add all ingredients to your food processor.  Process until it is a fine powder.  Add 3 heaping tbsps to 10-12 ounces of hot water.  You can adjust to your taste, more or less!

This keeps beautifully in an airtight container.  How about giving some for a gift?!  Include a baggie of it on your cookie tray! 

You do NOT have to do this in a food processor.  I just like it powdery more than I like it in bigger granules but will work fine either way!

Enjoy my friends.  Take a minute to cherish the true meaning of the season and enjoy the preparation and anticipation with a hot Mockiatto!

Your "still not done shopping"chefwannabe