French Bread Pizza

French Bread Pizza is something I remember since Elementary school lunches! It’s such a quick and easy meal for lunch or dinner, or cut into pieces, it can make a great snack for a crowd! My boyfriend and I decided to make some tonight! We made cheese, bacon, ranch chicken, and BBQ chicken! Below are the ingredients for all 4 kinds.

Ingredients:
1/2 of a- 10-12″ French Loaf
Mozzarella Cheese
Pizza Sauce, BBQ Sauce, or Ranch
Cooked, diced, chicken
Cooked, crumbled bacon
Salt
Pepper
Butter

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400.
Slice your French bread in half lengthwise, and then cut each slice in half again to make 4 pieces.

If you are making a pizza with tomato sauce, top the bread with tomato sauce and then add cheese and other toppings.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.
If you are making a pizza with BBQ or ranch, top the bread with a little butter, and bake the bread for 5 minutes.
Then, add your BBQ or ranch to the bread like you did pizza sauce.
Coat the chicken in a small bowl with salt, pepper, and BBQ or ranch.

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Add the chicken to the bread.
Top with cheese and bacon.
Put back in the oven and cook for another 10 minutes.
This is a picture of all the breads having been in the oven for 5 minutes, then I took them out to add the BBQ sauce, ranch, chicken, etc. to the other two pizzas before finishing them in the oven.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

I went to a baby shower last weekend for a wonderful couple, and I decided to make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies!! My boyfriend loves the pre made ones, so I was excited to try a homemade recipe! I have never been a fan of white chocolate chips, but when mixed with the saltiness of the macadamia nuts it makes the perfect cookie. Thanks to my Aunt Jeanne who brought down the macadamia nuts to my family straight from Hawaii!

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup plus 2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup macadamia nuts, cut in half
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
In a medium bowl combine flour and baking soda.
Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
Stir in nuts and chips.
I measure each ball of dough to be 2 oz. each to make large cookies.
This recipe yields 12 cookies.
Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Coconut Cream Cupcakes

Since tomorrow is Easter, I decided to make some festive cupcakes. I saw this idea on Pinterest and adapted the recipe from http://www.bettycrocker.com

Ingredients:
1 box white cake mix
Water, oil, & eggs called for on box
1/2 cup sweetened, condensed milk
2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
1 tsp. coconut extract
1 container cream cheese frosting
Shredded coconut for topping
Mini Cadbury eggs (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven according to box cake mix instructions.
Mix cake mix with ingredients on the box and coconut extract.
Add sweetened, condensed milk and shredded coconut and fold in.
Line 24 cupcake wells with liners and fill each 2/3 full of mixture.
Bake according to package directions.
Once cool, frost with cream cheese frosting and dip in coconut.
*If you want to create the Easter egg nest cupcakes, toast your coconut on a cookie sheet, and press that on to the cream cheese frosting, then add Cadbury eggs.

White Chicken Chili

Repost! Made this White Chicken Chili for my roommates today in the crockpot! It is so delicious and served all of us, with leftovers!!
This time, I was able to cook it on low for the full 8 hours.
I posted this recipe for the first time in February of last year, and since I did not have many followers back then I thought it was worthy of a repost! Also, since I made it again under a different cooking time, and had new reviews from my roommates, I decided to post again!
*I added some minor changes to the ingredients.

This is my first time making a crockpot chili and I was so excited! I found this recipe on Pinterest, and it comes from :
designwinedine.com

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into 1 in. cubes
2- 15 oz. cans white beans, rinsed and drained
1- 15 oz. can white corn, rinsed and drained
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pckg taco seasoning
2- 4.5 oz. can chopped green chiles
1 can cream of chicken soup
1-15 oz. can reduced sodium chicken broth

Extras:
Sour cream
Shredded Mexican cheese
Finely Chopped Cilantro
Tortilla Chips

Ingredients:
Place cut up chicken in the bottom of the crockpot.
Add beans, corn, and onions to the top of the chicken.
Mix together soup, broth, taco seasoning, chiles, and garlic in a large bowl and pour over chicken and bean mixture.
Cook on low for 8 hours
Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, and cilantro.

Serve with tortilla chips!!

Tropical Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Today is my Dad’s birthday.
Happy Birthday Dad!!!!

One of his favorite desserts is carrot cake, so I decided to make him carrot cake cupcakes! We went out to dinner yesterday so I gave him them then, and they were beautiful, and delicious!!

I adapted this recipe from: http://www.momontimeout.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 cup of sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup Dole crushed pineapple in 100% juice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Line 18 cupcake wells with liners.
Lightly spray each liner with cooking spray (my cupcakes stuck a little).
Combine applesauce-egg.
Add in baking powder-cinnamon and combine.
Add in grated carrots-pineapple and mix together until combined.
Evenly fill 18 cupcake wells with batter and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Once cooled, I frosted with (I cheated) store-bough cream cheese frosting, but you can make homemade by following my recipe here: !

I also topped the cupcakes with mini candy “carrots” that I bought at my local cake and candy store: Ladybug Cake and Candy Supply

I topped the remaining cupcakes (since I only bought 12 candy carrots) with crushed walnuts and drizzled chocolate.

1 Year Blog Anniversary

Today marks one year since I created lexbake!! I cannot believe that it has already been a year. Last January I was commuting to school and had a lot more time to blog. This year I am living in an apartment at school so I am extremely happy that I can keep the blog alive with my crappy oven and small kitchen that I have!!
I have learned so much in a year and gained so many followers and comments and I never imagined it! I hope that in another year from now my blog keeps growing!
I just want to thank everyone who visits and subscribes to my blog and to my family and friends who help me with my recipes!!!!

I hope all my current followers keep coming back & that I see many new followers to come!

Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal Singles

One of my best friends Kim told me about this delicious recipe. Her and her sister found this recipe on Pinterest from the website: http://www.emilybites.com

These are delicious breakfast treats that really fill you up, or satisfy your chocolate craving for dessert. This recipe makes 18, and each individual oatmeal is only 3 points plus on Weight Watchers!

Ingredients:
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs whites
1 egg
3/4 cup mashed bananas (about 2)
1 1/4 cups skim or non-fat milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350.
Spray 18 muffin tin wells with cooking spray or line with cupcake liners.
Combine first four ingredients (dry ingredients) in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients (wet ingredients) except chocolate chips.
Then, fold in the chocolate chips.
Spoon the mixture evenly into 18 muffin tin wells.
Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the oatmeal singles come out clean.
Let them cool in the pan for 15 minutes before trying to remove.

Servings: 18
Serving Size: 1 Oatmeal Single
Points Plus per Serving: 3

Cocoa Brownies

I found the recipe for these thick, fudgy brownies on weightwatchers.com

This batter is extremely thick when you stir it and the brownies come out deliciously fudgy. They are better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours-overnight.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup low-fat yogurt
2 tblsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350.
Spray an 8×8 square pan with cooking spray.
Mix together the first 5 ingredients; then add yogurt and vanilla and mix with a wooden spoon.
Spoon the thick batter into the pan and spread out evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes and cut into 16 squares.

Serving Size: 1 brownie
Servings: 16
Points Plus per Serving: 2

Veggie Pizza

Today I am very happy to say that I have a Guest Post from one of my best friends Jeanette Scinto. When we got together this past week she made a fabulous Veggie Pizza and she is sharing her story and recipe with us!

Thanks Jeanette!!

 

Ever since I was a little girl I would help my grandma make homemade pizza! My family has always been close, and getting together for a good meal has always been a priority. Rather than ordering a pizza, I decided to make Alexa a homemade veggie pizza for our Pretty Little Liars get together this past Tuesday. When Alexa asked me to share this recipe with you guys, I was ecstatic! I chose to top our pizza with veggies, but feel free to use your favorite toppings!

 

Ingredients:

 

1 lb. of pizza dough (can be purchased at your local grocery store or bakery)

1 tbsp Crisco

1 jar of Casa Visco Italian Style pizza sauce

1 bag of Sargento shredded mozzarella cheese

1 green pepper (sweet)

1 red pepper (sweet)

1 onion

1 package of sliced mushrooms

1 head of broccoli

1 tbsp of olive oil

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch of black pepper

1 pinch of garlic powder

1 pinch of oregano

 

1 large cookie sheet

1 Ziploc sandwich bag

1 small frying pan

1 large bowl

1 damp dishtowel

 

 

 

 

Directions:

 

The night before or the morning of:

Take pizza dough out of plastic bag and place it in large bowl.

Place a damp dishtowel over the bowl (covering in completely) to prevent a skin from forming on the dough.

Let bowl sit out in room temperature until ready to prepare pizza.

 

Preheat oven to 450^o  about 1 hour prior to putting the pizza in the oven.

Place the Ziploc bag over dominant hand and dip fingers in Crisco, allowing a 1 tbsp. chunk to stay on fingers.

Evenly coat the large cookie sheet with the Crisco.

Cut the green and red peppers, onions, broccoli, and mushrooms as desired. **I chose to dice the green and red peppers, onions, and mushrooms, and then break apart the head of broccoli and cut off its stems**

Put olive oil, onions and mushrooms into a small frying pan on medium heat until they are semi-sautéed (about 5 minutes).

Take dough out of the covered bowl.

Gently stretch out the pizza dough by simply holding the dough up off the countertop and letting gravity do the work.

Place the dough on cookie sheet and stretch it out so that the entire sheet is covered (make sure you pinch any holes that may appear closed!)

Spread several large tablespoons of pizza sauce onto the dough until it’s fully covered (use the back of the spoon to spread the sauce around).

Sprinkle about ½ to ¾ of the bag of shredded mozzarella cheese onto pizza.

Sprinkle the green and red peppers, frying pan contents (oil and all), and broccoli onto pizza.

Sprinkle the rest of the bag of mozzarella cheese and drizzle about 2-3 more tbsp of pizza sauce on the pizza (do not spread sauce).

Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano to pizza as desired.

Place the pizza in to the preheated oven.

After about 15 minutes, take a spatula and gently lift up a corner of the pizza from the cookie sheet. **If bottom of pizza is brown, it’s done! If not, leave in oven for about another 5 minutes.

Place hot pizza on top of stove and let it set for about 5-10 minutes, then cut, serve, and enjoy!

 

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Monkey Bread

This was my first ever blog post back when my only follower was probably my mom! Now that I’m expanding and it’s almost lexbake’s 1 year anniversary, I thought I could repost this recipe.
It’s a delicious treat and I never had a picture of my own before but since I made it again last night, I thought I would repost!

Enjoy this delicious recipe for breakfast, snack, or dessert!

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Ingredients:

2 cans Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits (16.3 oz.)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup butter, melted

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Directions:

Heat oven to 350.

Lightly spray 12-cup fluted tube pan with cooking spray.

In a large plastic bag mix sugar with cinnamon.

Cut each biscuit into quarters and place into the large plastic bag, shake until coated.

Arrange pieces in pan.

Mix brown sugar and melted butter in a small bowl and pour over the pieces.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Cool in pan 10 minutes and then invert bread onto a plate.

Pull apart to serve.

Serve warm.

Weight Watchers Points Plus: 3 points per roll.