{ PB&J with Sunflower Butter }

"It's so pretty! I love it!", those were the words I exclaimed after trying my new Crustless Sandwich Press from Williams-Sonoma . This handy little gadget cuts the bread and seals it into a cute pocket of yumminess. I used it for the first time this evening while packing my daughter's school lunch after she went to bed. It's a PB & J but with a yummy twist to it b/c instead of peanut butter, I made it with butter made from sunflowers seeds aka Sunbutter. Won't she be pleasantly surprised when she opens her lunch kit tomorrow :)

Sun Butter. Sunnnnn---Butterrrr. Those 2 words put together sound really pretty, right? This is the equivalent of peanut butter except made from sunflower seeds instead of peanuts and made by Sunbutter. Oh, and it's organic. It is a really nice alternative to the same-ol-same-ol. My daughter does not have a peanut allergy, however, this would be great for anyone who does b/c it has ZERO peanuts and is made in a peanut free factory. Plus, if your kid tends to get burned out on school lunches (like mine) and you need easy alternatives (like me), then this is perfect to change up the typical PB & J and make it a SB & J. It is also yummo with bananas or as a dip with apple slices..... and in my husband's case, a spoonful after midnight.

Sealed with a Kiss, Kirsten

S.W.A.K.

Cinnamon Swirl Cake

I love how we stop to ponder all the blessings in life time to time and recognize what or who we are thankful for....especially at Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for my daughter's 3rd grade teacher and what better way to say thanks than with CAKE!

To be more exact---Cinnamon Swirl Cake with Apples and Almonds.

   I collect cake pans from Williams-Sonoma. They are my grown-up toys. Truthfully, I am obsessed with novelty and classic cake pans and love how easy it is to make just about any cake look fancy shmancy just by using any pretty shaped cake pan. Plus, with the right type of pan, you can just decorate with berries, nuts, fruits, etc. and skip frosting all together. I love frosting---okay, I think frosting is one of the best things known to the human race ever and I will lick a spoon of frosting in less than a second---sorta like those sci-fy movie scenes when a swarm of locusts attack a corn field and devour the whole field in one minute. That is how it is with me and frosting. HOWEVER, big HOWEVER, I do not always like frosting a cake. Plus, I think that when certain shaped cakes are left unfrosted and decorated instead with fruits, glazes or a once over with powdered sugar, they can look rather sophisticated and worthy of being the centerfold or front cover of Gourmet magazine .

Now back to the feelings of Thanksgiving, I feel truly blessed that my daughter has such a fantastic teacher. My daughter and I decided to make her a cake for her to enjoy over the Thanksgiving holiday. I wanted to make a cake that looked sorta Autumn-ish and had typical Fall flavors to it like Apples and Cinnamon. I am very pleased with how it turned out.

Here is what I did....

Follow the directions on the back of a Betty Crocker Decadent Supreme Cinnamon Swirl cake mix . Spray cake pan generously with non-stick baker's spray. Pour in the batter and bake according to package directions. When done, remove and let cool.

While cake is in oven, core and slice 3 gala apples. Keep skin on. It isn't necessary to skin the apples. Gala apples, in my opinion, have a thin skin which becomes really tender when boiled. Plus, I think the skin makes the apples look more farmish, rustic, homemade.

Place slices in a medium pot and fill with water about halfway to the top of apples. Also add some dashes of cinnamon and sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter. Boil the apples over low heat. Stir gently and avoid making the apples mushy. Allow water to reduce itself slowly. Once apples are tender, remove from heat and set aside.

Once cake is cool, place apples decoratively on cake and use sliced almonds and powdered sugar as a finishing touch!!! Easy Peezy Lemon Squeezy!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Sealed with a Kiss, Kirsten

S.W.A.K.



Biscuit Donuts

I know I am not the only one who grew up with homemade donuts. Who remembers these yummy treats? When I was a kid, my mom use to make homemade donuts for us using a can of biscuit dough. She would use a soda pop lid to create the hole in the center of each biscuit. She would fry up the "donuts" and also the "donut holes" in a skillet with oil and then sprinkle some with powdered sugar and others with cinnamon sugar. One of my older brothers, who was often in his room sweet talking to girls on the phone, somehow always made an appearance in the kitchen when Mom made these yummy warm homemade donuts.

Many years later, I enjoy making them with my daughter. I found a donut cutter at Williams-Sonoma . However, I think mom's way with the soda lid was better and funner.

Sealed with a Kiss, Kirsten

S.W.A.K.

Pumpkin Walnut Cupcakes

I made a batch of perfectly pumpkiny autumn-inspired cupcakes today---Pumpkin Walnut Cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting topped with a fondant circle and finished with orange sprinkles. My daughter has been asking me a gazzilion times in the last few days to make these and I have also been wanting to try out my new Halloween Cupcake Stencils fromWilliams-Sonoma . So here is what I think...The cupcakes were howlerificly yummo. But, the stencils were a small disappointment. I think they might work better on a chocolate cupcake with powdered sugar instead of sprinkles. The cupcake was delicious and the cream cheese frosting went perfectly with the pumpkin walnut cupcake.

***Here is the recipe***

In a large mixing bowl

4 eggs beaten

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups canned pumpkin

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup milk

1/2 chopped walnuts

Mix everything in bowl, pour into cupcake molds, bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting. Makes 24 cupcakes. Enjoy!

NOTE-I used a store bought cream cheese frosting and I also used a ready-made fondant by Wilton. I rolled out the fondant and used a small drinking glass to cut out the round shapes.

Sealed with a Kiss, Kirsten

S.W.A.K.