Mini Maple Pecan Pumpkin Pies - Recipe!

Pumpkin is huge around the Holidays - you can have virtually anything pumpkin spiced, from Lattes to Donuts.. but I decided to make mini pumpkin pies with maple pecans on top.

Absolutely amazing.

Okay, so I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. I did very, very little with this 'recipe'.

There is the traditional, long way to make pumpkin pie or there is my way.

I'm posting this more for the love of pumpkin pie rather than the actual recipe. So, forgive me if you're here to learn to make Pumpkin pie from scratch because you won't learn 'the full recipe' from me.

Basically, what I did with this recipe was bought pre-made pie shells (mini sized ones) and cans of pumpkin that was already puréed. (The only reason it was done this way, was to save a lot of time! The café can get extremely busy during Holiday season)

**RECIPE**

(To make 12-16 mini pies)
2 cups of Pumpkin Purée (canned)
1 cup of double cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs plus the yolk of a third egg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
(You can use cloves - I prefer not to - if you do, add 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp lemon zest
12 - 16 mini pie shells
12 - 16 Pecans
Maple Syrup


**DIRECTIONS**

Preheat oven to 425F
Beat eggs in a large bowl
Mix in sugars, salt, spices and lemon zest
Mix in pumpkin purée
Stir in cream
Mix together well until smooth

Pour filling into uncooked pie shells

Bake at 425F for 15 minutes

(While your pies are cooking - mix maple syrup and pecans together in a plastic container, ensure pecans are fully covered in syrup)

After 15 minutes, lower temperature to 350F

Remove pies from oven and place maple covered pecans on top

Bake for 40 - 50 minutes more

Use a knife or skewer to check the middle of the pie

If it comes out clean, your pies are ready.

Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for about 1.5 - 2 hours

(Your pies will be slightly puffed up when you remove them from the oven - this is normal - they will reduce after they've started to cool) 

Enjoy!

Baileys Toblerone Cheesecake Recipe - YUM!

Ugh - cheesecake. My love.

Now, as you may have seen from my last post - I'm on a weight loss journey but that doesn't stop me enjoying the food that I love. That includes cheesecake.

Luckily for me, I've already lost 53lbs (and counting) and with the plan I'm on, I can eat cheesecake and not feel bad about it.

I make a Baileys Toblerone cheesecake, which is the recipe I'm about to give to you.

It is divine.

Anyways, here is the recipe for my Baileys Toblerone cheesecake. It usually makes about 8 slices but I've sold them in bitesize portions at my café and they went down a treat!

Perfect with a cup of coffee after lunch.

**Recipe**

200g Digestive Biscuits (I'm sorry, Rich Tea just wont do!)
100g Butter
300g Cream Cheese (Philadelphia works best)
200g Whipping Cream

200g Toblerone

3-4 shots of Baileys

(When I say shots, I literally mean a shot glass of Baileys, popped into the mix!)


**Directions**

Crush digestives and melt butter in a pan, once melted, add biscuits and mix together

.Place mixture in an 8" spring form tin, flatten until even and firm

Empty cheese into a large bowl and beat until smooth.

Lightly whisk cream until almost stiff then add to the cheese

When you've finished mixing cream and cheese, add your shots of Baileys (taste to test)

(There are two options for the toblerone - I use the following method)
Break up toblerone into small pieces, add to mixture and mix well

(Second option - not one I've used)
Melt toblerone in a pan, once melted, add to cheese/cream mixture and mix well.

Pour the mixture onto the base, smooth out.

Bang cake tin onto a hard surface gently to ensure mixture settles.

Pop into the fridge for 2 -3 hours (preferably overnight)

Add some chocolate on top to decorate

Enjoy!

Weight Loss Journey - How I lost 53 lbs & still losing.

Hey guys! Happy New Year. 

I wanted to share my weight loss success with you all & let you in on my secret. 

I've always been a big girl until a friend told me about a programme that's designed specifically for women. I

I was reluctant at first, as you always hear of the newest fad diet or quick fix (and we all know how much I love my food!) but once I started, I was so happy that I did. 

So far, I've lost 53 lbs. I'm so happy with the results and I've only been doing this programme since September! 

I gave it my all, I was determined that It would work.

I'll share my link & you ladies can check it out for yourselves. I promise you will not be disappointed. 

http://tinyurl.com/os8pkm7

I suppose, there's always going to be a bit of doubt in the back of your mind, will it work, is it worth the money. My answer is YES, it will and YES, it is. 

Once you've entered the site, watch the video for a bit, it explains the programme and how it works. Once you've watched the video the Add to Cart button will appear, you can then purchase the programme! Although, if you'd like to purchase it a little quicker, in the bottom right hand corner of the page there's an 'Order Now' link. 

Click 'Order Now' to place your order. 

I absolutely LOVE this programme.  

The Venus Programme is designed for any body shape, size and fitness level. So, if you're like me, love food and haven't been active or done much exercise for a long time, these results are still HIGHLY attainable. I am the proof. 

My weight loss so far! 

I know we all want the perfect body - to be at a healthy weight and to feel great about ourselves. 

This programme makes that possible. As you can see from the pictures, which are all women who have used and are still using the Venus Factor programme, the results are amazing. 

The programme not only has a great nutritional component, it's also jam packed with exercise and work out videos for all fitness levels. This will not only help you lose weight but also give you a leaner, tighter and much sexier figure. (What nearly all of us desire)

Venus Factor is programmed specifically for women, targeting all of our problem areas. Which means, we can lose weight while still keeping our gorgeous curves. 

The programme also boasts one much needed component, which I think a lot of us could benefit from. Social support. It gives you access to an online support group with other women who are on the same journey as you and I. Here, you can share your journey, your struggles and your successes with everyone else. (We all need a little support sometimes, right?)

The fantastic thing about this programme is that there are no harmful medications to take, no need to starve yourself to get to your desired body. There's a great food plan and excellent work out videos - what more can you ask for? 

Be assured, this is not like those flashy celebrity diets that claim you can lose 3 stone in a week (although, if you do, FANTASTIC!) 

This will take patience, motivation and will power, now, as scary as that sounds, it's all made so much easier by the online support group, the awesome trainers in the videos and the delicious food you will be chowing down on. 

You will start seeing results within the first two weeks. 

The diet plan is easy to follow, will keep you full up and will stop all those cravings! That's not to say that you can't enjoy the things you love, like chocolate and red wine, hehe ;) 

The programme also explains all of the different hang ups women have about their bodies and how to overcome them. 

I would not recommend a programme to anyone if I didn't feel like it works. I most certainly wouldn't put my name to something and recommend others to try it if it was going to let anyone down.

This, I can and DO recommend. 

I'd also like to mention the PRICE of this programme. I was shocked by the price. I expected it to be hugely expensive when I discovered it. It seemed to good to be true, but, believe me, it's not. It's a mere $47. It's a one time payment that guarantees a fantastic weight loss. Really, $47? Yep.

I paid for mine in Euro and with tax it amounted to €50. I was more than happy to pay that for something that I felt I could trust. If you consider, a personal trainer my set you back hundreds if you go every week for 12 weeks. 

Although, if you do purchase VF and you're not 100% happy with the results, they offer a 60 day Money Back guarantee. No questions asked. My advice is to give the programme your all for the first 60 days - see the results and I can guarantee you won't be looking for a refund. 

I look forward to hearing about your success. Make sure to pop a comment below & let me know! Don't forget to subscribe, like & share!

Good Luck in your journey!! 

Here's that link again.

http://tinyurl.com/os8pkm7

New Recipe Book!

So, I love recipe books. I'm always searching for the newest recipe books, with the best recipes.

I like to buy new recipe books every few months to keep up to date with the best food.

The newest recipe book I've bought is no exception.

My dream is to one day write my own recipe book. 

So, I was googling new books and I came across the new Paleo Recipe Book. I did a lot of research on it, to see how good it was. I don't want something that I've possibly already bought another version of. I was nicely surprised. This book has the best recipes I've seen in a long time.

Now, if you're anything like me and you absolutely love trying new food, creating dishes and feeding friends and family, you will LOVE this book.

I bought it and I've made a few different recipes from it so far (I haven't taken photos but I will!) and they were delicious. My favourite is the avocado bacon omelette. I love avocado. I love bacon. Win win!

I also love a good discount - so when I bought this book I had a discount code to give me a percentage off the price. I got €5.90 off the total price. Happy days!


I will be sharing links to different recipe books so you guys can join in on the fun, buy the books I'm buying and enjoy the food I'm trying.

This one is a must-have.

If you're deciding on buying this book - it may already have the discount code attached.
If not, this is the discount code/coupon you should use: holidaysale

New Paleo Recipe Book. 

You will NOT be disappointed. I promise.


I also want your feedback - let me know how you get on with the recipes and I will do the same.

Keep an eye out!


Bon Appetite.

Christmas time - Did you eat as much as I did?

Let's be honest - we all eat wayyyy too much at Christmas time and I am absolutely no exception.
I spent Christmas day eating, drinking and lazing around the house in my new pjs (and santa slippers.. yes, I'm in love with them)

So, my day started off pretty crappy - I was late getting out of bed. I'm usually the first one up on Christmas morning, jumping up and down like a 4 year old waiting on everyone else to move their bums so we can see what Santa left under the tree. Not this year.

I woke at 10.15 - for the first time in my life. I was shocked. I almost fell out of my bed.

Now, I don't know how your family does it but we choose a different family member every year and we all congregate there on Christmas afternoon, eat some nice nibbles, exchange gifts and spend quality time together. Well, much to my dismay, our ETA was supposedly 12pm - what?
Since when?! (T&T has plans elsewhere and had to leave at 2pm, which meant we all had to arrive early. Boo!)

That was not going to give me enough to time get ready, eat breakfast, open presents, and get to their house. I panicked. This meant that I could only eat toast for breakfast. Toast on the go, I might add.

Tradition in my house is usually a fry-up, juice, toast and then a cuppa to finish it all off nicely. That was not happening this year. Mostly my fault. Why did nobody wake me up?

Anyway, after we got home, the dinner was started and I made a little stop off at another family members house. Much to my delight, there was a cold bottle of Blossom Hill on the table.
No prizes for guessing what I had before dinner.

There was a delightful home-made trifle up for grabs too but I didn't want to spoil what I knew was coming as soon as I got home.

Turkey, Ham, Potatoes, Croquettes, Mushy Peas, Brussel Sprouts (Yes, I do actually like them), Carrots, Home-made Stuffing (thanks Liam!), Cranberry Sauce and Mint jelly.

My mouth was watering before it even got to the table. Christmas dinner is the one dinner of the year that I absolutely cannot WAIT to dig my claws into.

I was stuffed.  No room for seconds, for me.

I relaxed for a while. There was no chance of eating any dessert any time before 7pm.

A cold can of Canadian and some roses. That'll do the trick for now.

We had banoffee pie for dessert and my goodness, it was divine. Not home-made, unfortunately.
I just didn't have the time. Although, it was good enough.

More beer and a couple of chocolate fingers (Cadbury, of course) and I was done.

I pretty much rolled into bed, barely able to move from all I'd eaten but it was worth it.

I've already started to plan next years Christmas dinner (I'm crazy, I know) but this one will involve some home-made desserts.


I'm curious, does anybody else eat as much on Christmas? Or was that just me?

*Hic*





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Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes (recipe)

These absolutely adorable Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes are a creation that my main chick & I came up with, on pancake Thursday. Yes, I said Thursday.

Now, we all know that it's pancake Tuesday but unfortunately for my main chick & I, we were both working on pancake Tuesday and didn't get a chance to make them until two days later.

This, my darlings, was the result. Beautifully crafted banana chocolate chip pancakes, which were an absolute delight to devour.

I can tell you now, I didn't leave so much as a crumb on the plate. They were awesome.

So, I feel like I should share this delightful recipe with you.


**RECIPE**

This recipe makes 4 large pancakes
adjust your supplies according the how many pancakes you wish to devour (and share..of course!)

1 1/2 cups of flour

1 tbsp of sugar

2 tsp of baking powder

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

1 1/4 cups of milk

1/2 cup of banana, mashed gently

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp of vanilla essence

1/2 cup of chocolate chips, divided

Maple Syrup to drizzle


**DIRECTIONS**

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl.

After mixing well, stir in milk, banana, egg and vanilla.

Fold in 1/4 cup of Chocolate chips.

Heat a pan on a medium heat with a spray of oil.
(Don't have the pan up too high, you may burn the pancakes!)

Pour batter onto pan making 3 inch rounds, roughly.

Cook for roughly two minutes or until the top starts to bubble.

Flip pancake and cook for another minute or until the pancake turns golden.

Prepare remaining pancake batter as above, adding more spray if needed.

Place on plate, sprinkle with chocolate chips and drizzle with maple syrup. 


Enjoy!! 

Johnnie Cupcakes - TDF.

A little birthday gift for me - these bad boys were amazing! 

I've never had a Johnnie Cupcakes before, I'll most definitely be having one again.

There were Oreo, Reece's Cups and Red Velvet.

My absolute favourite was the red velvet cupcake.

MELT IN YOUR MOUTH.