Sea Salted Caramel Brown Butter Cookie Cups

I feel like I've been slacking.  I know I don't post as much anymore, but what I really mean is that I've been totally skimping on sharing my amazing Chicago experiences.

I've been living in my apartment in Chicago for over a year now, and I really haven't shared all the amazing times I've had around the city.   I will be at an event thinking, "I should totally post about this," and I'll even take pictures so that I'm ready for the post.  But then, I forget, or get busy, or just get lazy.  So, I have ended up with tons of photos of amazing times that have never ended up here.  

This issue ends today.  I am going to start actually informing you all about how great Chicago is.  Starting with: Breweries.  Bri and I are huge fans of going to various breweries to take tours and sample beer.  Chicago is a fantastic place to do that!  So far, we have hit up two spots: Revolution and Half Acre.  Both breweries have great beer and we even had dinner at Revolution which was also fantastic.  If you are ever in town, try to find a brewery tour to take.  There are so many in Chicago and it is a really fun way to spend an afternoon.  

Today I also have an amazing dessert recipe to share!  I made these, brought them to school, and was told they were the best thing I've ever made.  Now, I get told that a lot, but truly these guys are delicious.  They also go along with the theme of amazing things that I am currently into because I am currently obsessed with carmel and sea salt.  I can't get enough.  I just ordered some dark chocolate sea salt caramels to support the school's band, and I bought the Dove ones from the store to keep in my desk.  I can't get enough! Sweet, salty, and delicious, these Sea Salted Caramel Brown Butter Cookie Cups are just divine!  

Sea Salted Caramel Brown Butter Cookie Cups

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

1 egg

1 egg white
2 cups mini chocolate chips

24 caramels

sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a mini muffin pan.

2. Place butter in a small sauce pan and melt over medium heat.  Continue to swirl the butter around over medium heat until it browns.  Remove from heat.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  

4. In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, sugar, and browned butter until well combined.  Beat in the egg and egg white until combined and then the vanilla.  Slowly mix in the flour mixture until just combined.  

5.  Fill each muffin well about halfway with cookie dough.  Press a caramel into each well and sprinkle sea salt over the top of each caramel.  Scoop cookie dough on top of each salted caramel and press into the muffin well.  

6. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cookie dough just starts to brown. Let cool and remove from muffin pan.

Enjoy :)

Whole Wheat Gnocchi with Feta and Peas in a Brown Butter Balsamic Sauce

Whole Wheat Gnocchi with Feta and Peas in a Brown Butter Balsamic Sauce

Ingredients:
1 box whole wheat gnocchi (or homemade)
tbsp crumbled feta cheese
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:
1. Cook gnocchi according to directions, drain and place back into pot.
2. In a medium pan, brown butter by melting butter over medium heat and then swirling until it just starts to brown.  Remove butter from heat and stir in the balsamic and the frozen peas.  Continue to cook over low heat until peas are cooked.
3. Pour butter and balsamic mixture over the cooked gnocchi and then stir in the feta cheese.

Brown Butter Gnocchi with Roasted Corn and Green Onions

I recently ran the longest run that I've done in a while.  I've been sort of lazy this winter because it has been so cold and snowy and it is just no fun to run outside.  So, I've been running on the treadmill we have at our apartment building, but I get so bored and it is hard to stay motivated.  I do have Netflix and I worked my way through the entire series of Gossip Girl, but now I don't know what to watch next.  I'm thinking Breaking Bad?  I hear its great so hopefully that will keep me interested and running.  My long run happened because I found Grease on Netflix!  It was fantastic! I ran through most of the movie and then when I started to get tired around 7 miles, I skipped to the end to watch the last few song scenes and made it up to 8 miles! Typically, I've been getting to 5 or 6 on the weekends and then feeling tired/bored.  I felt really good about this run and it was so fun to watch all those classic scenes from Grease.  I don't know what I would do without Netflix!

Running is my way to stay fit and shed a few pounds this winter.  I have also been trying out new, healthy recipes.  The one today is a vegetarian recipe that incorporates some great veggies.  It was also delicious and I gotta send my thanks to How Sweet It Is for the great idea! I love her blog and I always find something delicious on it! It's awesome.

Brown Butter Gnocchi with Roasted Corn and Green Onions
(adapted from How Sweet It Is)

Ingredients:
1 package whole wheat gnocchi, cooked according to directions
2 ears corn
5 green onions, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 tbsp unsalted butter
parmesan cheese
few basil leaves, chopped

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and then swirl the pot until the butter browns.  Set aside.
2. Season the corn with a little salt and pepper.  In a large skillet, pour a few tbsp olive oil and place the corn on the skillet.  Turn occasionally and continue to cook until the kernels become bright yellow.  Take the corn off the heat and cut off the kernels. Place back into the skillet and add the chopped green onion and cooked gnocchi.  Cook over medium-low heat until gnocchi becomes toasted.  Turn off the heat, pour in the brown butter, toss to combine and top with parmesan cheese and chopped basil.

Enjoy :)

Foodie Friends Friday: Picnic Party!

This week, Foodie Friends Friday is back!  This week is all about Picnics! Picnics during the spring and summer are so much fun! Just follow the rules and link up some recipes that are perfect for this party! Also, host favorites will be featured on Daily Dish!  This week I'm linking up Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownies, Chocolate Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Lemon Brown Butter Pasta Salad with Arugula, Tomatoes and Pine Nuts.

Most Clicks:

1. Rustic Christmas Candle

2. Homemade Christmas Ornaments

3. Old Fashioned Christmas Fudge

And Host Favorites!

Welcome to Foodie Friends Friday!

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*By linking up you agree that you read these rules and all photos/recipes are original and belong to you. You agree to allow Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications (Social Girls Media, LLC) to use photos, links, and recipes for reprint and/or republishing and distribution without monetary compensation to you. If photos & recipes are used, proper link backs to you will be included.

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Lemon Brown Butter Pasta Salad with Arugula, Tomatoes, and Toasted Pine Nuts

I have fantastic news to share!  I passed!!!

I took TWO more teacher tests recently so that I can become certified in Illinois as well as Wisconsin and I just found out that I passed! So, I am one step closer to being a full-fledged certified teacher!  This is both very excited and a little scary, but I am so glad that I passed those dang tests and now I can relax!

Today I am sharing a fun recipe that I found while watching Giada on the Food Network.  I love Giada and her food always looks so good!  This pasta dish sounded amazing and so I made it right after I watched her show!  Instead of warm pasta, I served it as a chilled Pasta Salad and it was a huge hit!

Lemon Brown Butter Pasta Salad with Arugula, Tomatoes and Toasted Pine Nuts (adapted from Giada's Recipe)

Ingredients:
1 box whole wheat penne pasta
4 cups arugula
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 cup italian blend shredded cheese
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
Dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, making the dressing.  Pour olive oil in and then zest the whole lemon and put that in.  Next, juice the lemon and add that to the mixture.  Finally add in salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Set aside.
2. Place pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5-6 minutes at 350 degrees.  They should be fragrant and lightly browned.
3. Cook pasta to al dente according to directions.  Drain and place back into the pot.
4. In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Continue to cook the butter, stirring occasionally  until browned and fragrant.  Turn off the heat, add in the pasta, arugula, tomatoes, pine nuts, cheese, and dressing.  Toss to combine.  The arugula will wilt.
5.  Serve immediately as a hot dish or chill in the fridge to serve as a pasta salad.

Enjoy :)

Whole Wheat Blueberry Coffee Cake

So I attempted this coffee cake and it turned out terribly! I am sharing this with you because people seem to think I am perfect at cooking and baking and this is just not true.  I have to practice and learn a lot and sometimes things just don't turn out right.

Bri and I are moving in together and I feel like this coffee cake is symbolic of how I need to think of myself.  I am not always going to be perfect, neither is he, but if we work on ourselves and focus on our relationship, we will end up with something pretty awesome anyways.

For example, this coffee cake looked awful.  It stuck to the pan, it was mushy in the middle, the blueberries sank. However, if you closed your eyes and took a bite, it was pretty darn fantastic.  Super tasty and all you have to do is ignore it's imperfections because its a blueberry coffee cake and those things are tasty.  Also, I slathered on browned butter vanilla glaze, which admittedly made it look worse, but also made it taste heavenly! Oh man, I could have eaten that glaze straight out of the bowl...all of it.

I know that Bri and I are going to have to always work hard and focus on the positives  but I have faith that we are going to do great! I already taught him how to make risotto and it turned out amazing!

Blueberry Coffee Cake with Browned Butter Vanilla Glaze

Before the oven...looked pretty good :)

Coffee Cake Recipe HERE (follow this exactly because mine turned out like crap)

Browned Butter Vanilla Glaze:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Make the coffee cake and let cool.
2. To make the glaze, put butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and swirl continuously until butter is an amber color and smells fragrant.  Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.  Drizzle over coffee cake.

Enjoy :)

Foodie Friends Friday: Lodge Giveaway

This week, Foodie Friends Friday is back with a Lodge Casserole Dish!  This week you can win from our sponsor Lodge.   Just follow the rules and link up your recipes! Also, host favorites will be featured on Daily Dish!  This week I'm linking up Cosmic Love Brownies and Banana Bread with Brown Butter Icing!

Last Foodie Friends Friday was sponsored by and here were the winners:

And, of course, here were your top 3 voted and clicked recipes!

Most Votes:

1. Strawberry Napolean

2. Strawberry Jam Cookies

3. Oven Tacos

Most Clicks:

1. Munchies Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins

2. Meyer Lemon Cake

3. I Love You Cupcakes

Grab our NEW button! 

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Enter below and you might be a lucky winner!!

But first, here are this week's co-hosts:

Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsview.com

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://walkingonsunshinerecipes.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar http://www.alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com

Kelly at Adorned Well http://www.adornedwell.blogspot.com/

Cindy at Cindy's Recipes and Writings: : http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com 

Joanne at Winelady Cooks: http://www.wineladycooks.blogspot.com

Marlene at Nosh My Way: http://www.noshmyway.com

Jutta at Hungry Little Girl: http://www.hungrylittlegirl.com/

Erika at Chef Picky Kid: http://www.chefpickykid.com/

Beth at Honey Locust Hills http://www.honeylocusthills.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Banana Cake with Brown Butter Icing

There are certain things that I really love to do when I am cooking or baking.

1. Separating an egg.  It's just so much fun!

2. Whipping cream.  I think it's just ridiculously cool how after a few minutes you go from liquid to more of a solid.  Chemistry man, it's awesome.

and 3. Browning butter.  This may be my newest favorite thing, but it is definitely up there on things I just find fun to do while baking.  I love everything about brown butter.  I love watching the butter melt, turning bubbly, and then swirling it until it browns and you get those awesome brown flecks on the bottom of the pan.  It is just great.  Also, it smells AMAZING and tastes even better!

So, when I was craving banana bread, making a brown butter frosting to go on top just seemed like a natural thing to do.

Banana Bread Bundt with Brown Butter Icing (adapted from Bakergirl)

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 tbsp white vinegar
3 medium bananas, mashed
Icing: 
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp skim milk
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease your bundt pan.
2. In a liquid measuring cup, place white vinegar.  Pour in skim milk until you reach the 1/2 cup line.  Let sit for at least 5 minutes.
3.  In a medium bowl, whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined.  Beat in the vanilla.  Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk mixture, starting with the flour and ending with the flour.  Mix until just combined.  Fold in the bananas.
5.  Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

6.  Make the icing: Place powdered sugar in a large bowl and whisk.  In a medium suacepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Then continue to swirl butter around the pan until it browns.  This takes a few minutes and keep and eye on it so that it doesn't burn.  Pour the brown butter over the powdered sugar and whisk to combine.  Whisk in the vanilla and the milk.  Add more milk for a thinner icing or less milk for a thicker icing.  Ice cooled cake and top with some good, old chocolate chips.

Enjoy :)

Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Gnocchi and Peas with a Baslamic Sage Brown Butter and Goat Cheese Sauce

Bri was still on break for my first week back to school.  So, he came up to Madison with me and it was great!  We had a lot of fun hanging out together after school/work and it was nice to have the company since Madison is so dead right now with Winter Break still going on.  During the days, I had school and work so Bri worked a ton on his thesis.  It worked out perfectly that he had so much to do because I was so busy all day long.  However, at night we were able to get in some really fun activities around Madison!

On Tuesday, Bri got into town pretty late so he got a bite to eat at Potbelly's and then we discovered a new frozen yogurt place called Cherry Berry.  It was pretty awesome and it's really close (too close) to where I am teaching.

The next night, we made dinner and dessert. It was a really nice time.  The dinner we made was Sweet Potato Gnocchi and Peas in a Brown Butter Balsamic and Sage sauce and then for dessert, Creme Brulee. Everything was delicious and people thought it was our anniversary or something.  Nope, just Wednesday night.

On Thursday, we went to Ella's Deli for dinner on the way to the movie theater.  We saw Les Mis.  It was fantastic.  It is my favorite musical to begin with and now I can watch it whenever I want.  Anne Hathaway truly deserves her Oscar nomination.  I bawled my eyes out at the end and was a tad embarrassed leaving the theater looking like a splotchy mess.  We were able to make it to the 6 p.m. movie time, which was great since it was almost 3 hours long and I was exhausted after my long day of teaching/work.

Friday was when Bri had to leave to get back to Chicago before his long drive back to school so we went to Panera for a quick lunch between school and work and then it was time to say goodbye.  It was really nice having him around for the week.  It felt like a little preview of what next year could be like with me teaching and him in law school.

Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Gnocchi and Peas with Balsamic Sage Brown Butter Sauce and Goat Cheese
(adapted from Aida Mollenkamp)

Ingredients:
1 16 oz package Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Gnocchi
3/4 cup frozen peas
2 oz. goat cheese
4 tbsp unsalted butter
12-16 sage leaves
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 shallots, chopped
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1.  Cook the gnocchi according to the directions.  Drain and set aside in a large bowl.
2. Cook the peas according to directions and add to the gnocchi.
3.  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  When it starts to foam, add in the sage leaves and cook for a few minutes.  Remove the leaves and place them in the gnocchi bowl.  Return the butter to the stove and add in the shallots.  Cook until butter browns, stirring often.  Scrape the brown bits from the bottom and remove from heat.  Stir in the balsamic and pour over the gnocchi.
4.  Top with goat cheese and season with the pepper to taste.  Toss everything together and serve!

Enjoy :)

Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Cranberry Sauce Topping

This is the perfect Christmas Cheesecake.  It was absolutely amazing!  I was shocked at how creamy this guy was, but also how light it was.  Plus, the beautiful cranberry topping put this cake over the top.  I am going to make this again!  However, I am celebrating Christmas at my aunt's house and she is lactose intolerant.  Maybe cheesecake isn't the best dessert to bring over there...

Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Cranberry Sauce Topping (adapted from Dash of East)

Ingredients:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
4 tbsp unsalted butter, browned
16 oz low-fat cream cheese
12 oz goat cheese
1 cup sugar
zest of one lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 and lightly grease a 9 inch spring-form pan.
2. Brown butter in a saucepan: over medium  heat, melt butter and then continue to swirl for a few minutes or until it is lightly browned and fragrant.
3.  In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, oats, and brown butter together.  Press the mixture into the bottom of your pan.  Bake in the oven for about 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove and let cool.
4. Reduce the oven heat to 325.
5.  In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese with the goat cheese until well combined.  Scrape down sides and add in the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  Beat until well combined.  Scrape down sides and mix in the eggs one at a time until well combined.  Beat in the vanilla.  Scrape down sides and continue to beat for another minute or two.  Pour mixture over your crust and bake in the oven for about 60 minutes.  Sides should be firm and middle can be slightly wobbly.  Remove and let cool.  Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
6. Make the cranberry sauce: Place the cranberries, orange juice, sugar, and spices in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat.  Stir and bring to a boil until all the cranberries have popped.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Mixture will thicken.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Top cheesecake with the cranberry sauce.

Enjoy :)

Foodie Friends Friday: Honey Locust Hills

I feel like I've been on vacation! We took a week off from Foodie Friends Friday for Thanksgiving, but this week we are back! This week's sponsor, Honey Locust Hills, is giving away jars of Apple Raspberry Honey Jam or Cranberry Apple Honey Jam.  I'm linking up some of my favorite recipes that include some of these fun, fall flavors: Honey Wheat Cakes with Brown Butter Honey Glaze, Baked Apple Cider Donuts, and White Chocolate Raspberry Tipsy Cupcakes!

In the last party a bunch of lucky winners won great prizes from Don Thomas Coffee!

And here are the winner's from last week's party!

Most Votes:

1. Palpitation Cupcakes

2. Eggnog Bundt Cake

3. Salted Caramel Mocha Latte

Most Clicked:

1. Palpitation Cupcakes

2. Salted Caramel Mocha Latte

3. Mexican Nutella Hot Chocolate

Enter below and you might be lucky winner of one of these great jams!

But first, here are this week's co-hosts:

Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsview.com

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.blogspot.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar http://www.alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com

Jutta at HungryLittleGirl http://www.hungrylittlegirl.com/

Kelly at http://www.adornedwell.blogspot.com/

Cindy at Cindy's Recipes and Writings: : http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com 

Joanne at Winelady Cooks: http://www.wineladycooks.blogspot.com

Marlene at Nosh My Way: http://www.noshmyway.com

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Butternut Squash Blondies

With Thanksgiving coming up, I have been on the lookout for fun recipes to celebrate fall flavors.  When I came across the idea for Butternut Squash Blondies, I just couldn't resist! I love when recipes are unexpected and exciting and this was perfect! I adapted it slightly from Food Plus Words and the result was amazing! I knew I was going to like it since I adore butternut squash, but even I was surprised at how much I loved it.  I roasted by own butternut squash to make the puree and then got to work on the blondies.  I can't wait to make this again and share it with my family for Thanksgiving!

Butternut Squash Blondies 

Ingredients:
Roasted Butternut Squash Puree:
1 butternut squash
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp brown sugar
Blondies:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp (heaping) cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
4 tbsp brown butter, cooled
1 1/2 cups butternut squash puree
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mixed chocolate chips (I did white chocolate, milk chocolate, and semi-sweet chocolate)
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400.
2. Prepare your butternut squash by peeling it, taking out the seeds, and then cutting it into 1/2 inch cubes.
3.  Toss the chopped squash in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, and brown sugar.  Spread the squash out on a baking sheet in a single layer and place in the oven for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, stir the squash and roast for another 15.  After 15, stir again, and leave in for a final 15 minutes.
4.  Place the roasted squash in a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher.  Let cool.  You can do this ahead of time and place in the fridge for a few days, or you can let it cool and use immediately.
5. Reduce the heat of the oven to 350.
6.  In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
7.  In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar and eggs until pale in color.  Beat in the brown butter, squash, vanilla, and salt until well combined.  Switch to a spatula and fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips and cranberries.
8. In a lightly greased 13 by 9 inch baking dish, pour the batter.  Bake the blondies for about 30 minutes or until sides are lightly browned and the middle is set.  Let cool.

Enjoy :)

Honey Wheat Cakes with Brown Butter Honey Glaze

I made these amazing little honey cakes for my study night this week.  Rosh Hashanah is coming up on Sunday and I wanted to bring a dessert that really celebrates that holiday!  Honey was on my mind because you eat honey on this holiday to celebrate having a sweet new year! I have a lot of sweet things going on in my life right now (including these mini cakes!) and I can't wait to see what this next "new" year has to bring!

Mini Honey Cakes with Browned Butter Honey Glaze (adapted from Pastry Affair)

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup skim milk
2/3 cup non-fat greek yogurt (I used Plain Chobani)
Glaze:
3 tsp honey
1 tsp butter

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease some cupcake pans.  This recipe will make about 24 mini cakes.
2. In a large bowl, beat the oil, applesauce, and sugar together until well combined.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined.  Then, beat in the vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves together.  Incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.  Stir in the milk and yogurt. Pour batter into prepared pans filling each hole about 1/2-2/3 full.  Bake for about 18 minutes.
4.  While cupcakes are baking, make the glaze.  Place butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Swirl butter around until completely melted and then continue to swirl until butter browns and smells fragrant.  Pour butter into a small bowl and whisk in the honey.  Drizzle glaze over the warm cupcakes!
Enjoy :)

It's time for another Foodie Friends Friday! Last week these three lucky winners won an adorable towel from Bazor Designs:

The Meltaways Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Earning My Cape Microwave Dried Fruit

Slice of Southern Pineapple Grilled Pork

And here are the winner's from last week's party!

#1 Top Voted AND Most Clicked:

Hun What's For Dinner Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Loaf

#2 Top Voted AND Most Clicked:

Cozy Cakes Cottage Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

#3 Top Voted:

Jenmi Jenmi Chocolate Chip Cream Pie

#3 Most Clicked:

One Creative Procrastinating Gal 3 in 1 Meal

This week is sponsored by Miss Macie and one lucky winner will win this gorgeous ring!

But first, here are this week's co-hosts:

Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar  http://alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com/  

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com

Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings  http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade  http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Ericka at Chef Picky Kid  http://www.chefpickykid.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.blogspot.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.blogspot.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

Amber at http://www.mamasblissfulbites.com/

One more thing: The Rules

Step 1: Make sure that anything you link up is:

• A recipe that is made and photographed by you
• Not part of a sponsorship/sales/giveaway or other promotions/linky parties
• Linked to a specific page of your recipe, not your homepage
• Please limit your link-ups to 3 per party

Step 2:

• Show some love and link back to my blog and Foodie Friends Friday (http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com)  on the post of the recipe you are submitting. For example: This recipe is featured on "Host Blog Link" and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com Linky Party

If you want to be the very best Foodie Friend Ever...

• Grab our button at  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com and put it on your page and share Foodie Friends Friday! 
• Take some time and check out other submitted links and the blogs of all our gracious hosts
• Come on over and "like" us on Facebook www.facebook.com/foodiefriendsfriday

Step 3: Come back on Sunday and vote for your favorite recipes by clicking on the star  under the recipe.  You only get 3 Votes so use them wisely!

***Please note that by linking up your recipe you are agreeing to allow Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications to use photos/links/recipes for any reprint, republishing and distribution without monetary compensation to you.  If photos/recipes are used, proper credit and link backs will be included.