Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Empanadas

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On occasion I like to torture myself.  There are many things that I have tried to make and they never quite turn out right.  bite-size breakfasts, cut-out cookies, pasta with chickpeas and empanadas/calzones.

It is so frustrating because I love them.  The perfectly baked dough.  The delicious fillings perfectly heated.

Nope, never happens for me.

I’m not sure why I thought this would be any different, but when I saw this recipe for Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Empanadas from Pillsbury, I just HAD TO MAKE IT!  I know it is going to taste good, but I know it won’t be as pretty as the perfect little empanadas on Pillsbury’s website.

Or would they?

© You Want Me to Cook?
Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Empanadas

Mango-Lemon Drop Sunshine Puffs

Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – April 25, 2011

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Mango-Lemon Drop Sunshine Puffs recipe originally published by Pillsbury: Bake-off Winners – April 2012.

Since my husband has been home in the mornings, I’ve decided to try to make breakfast more often than just the weekends.  

Okay, total honesty here… my husband makes most of the breakfasts on weekends.  I assist!  

Okay, no I don’t... I watch TV while drinking coffee and reading magazines.

So yeah, I decided I need to start making more breakfasts.  I wanted to start easy and simple so I picked a pastry.  Looking for something different, I went with a mango and coconut puff.

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Mango-Lemon Drop Sunshine Puffs

They look very tasty, but not quite like the picture on Pillsbury’s web site or in the magazine.  I think what I consider “golden brown” and what they consider “golden brown” are two totally different things.  Also, my glaze looks a lot darker, but I’m not too worried about that.  I used a different jam than what was used in the recipe.

Frosted Banana Bars

Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – April 24, 2011

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Frosted Banana Bars recipe originally published by Cooking.com via e-mail – April 16, 2012.

My husband LOVES sweets, but he would probably kill someone for anything with cream cheese frosting on it.  I LOVE banana bread and happen to enjoy a schmear of cream cheese of it with my coffee in the morning.  When I found this recipe I knew it was going to be a big hit.

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Frosted Banana Bars

This picture doesn’t really convey the soft cake with the fluffy frosting.  All I can do is try to explain it… the cake is firm enough to allow your fork to pass through it like butter without crumbling apart.  The frosting?  Well it is the perfect combination of creamy, tart and sweet.  I honestly could have eaten it alone.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook on February 26, 2011

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Recipe originally published in Simple and Delicious, December/January 2011.

I have to be honest; I don’t have much of a sweet tooth.  If I do get a craving, it is usually in the morning and can be taken care of with a cup of coffee with cream & sugar.  Of course, that isn’t the healthiest option and doesn’t leave me full to make it to lunch.  Because of this, I am always looking for easy to make and semi-healthy morning pastries.  I don’t try to fool myself: Muffins, bagels, donuts are not the healthiest option for me, but every once in a while, I just gotta have one!!!

I was really excited that this recipe used a whole wheat flour blend.  I really want to start cooking with more whole grains, and this was a great place to start.  Simple and slightly healthier than normal – I’m in!

Sticky Pecan Buns

Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? on February 20, 2011

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Recipe originally published in Good Housekeeping, February 2011.

So my quest to make breakfast has lately hit a roadblock.  Before it did, I was cranking out an egg dish every week.  Then I decided I needed to make a pastry as well, if only because I have a ton of recipes for muffins, rolls, waffles, pancakes, etc…  I was going to start out big and bold and then chickened out.  I ended up picking out a quickie recipe for a very complex pastry.

My finished product: © You Want Me to Cook? Sticky Pecan Buns

Picture published with recipe: None

Good Housekeeping had done a whole bunch of these quickie recipes and none of them had pictures.  And what a shame!  I am far from a professional photographer (I barely can point-and-click) and look how gorgeous these look on the plate.  As I was going through my pictures for this post, I began to drool.