Banana Nutella Granola

Ingredients:
3 and 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup ground flax
1 cup sliced almonds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup mashed banana (1 very large banana)
1/4 cup Nutella
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup banana chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together oats, flax, almonds, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the mashed banana, Nutella, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt together. Allow to bubble for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour over the dry ingredients. Stir it all together until all of the oats are moistened.

Spread the oats on the baking sheet in a thin even layer. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and stir. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. 

Top the granola with chocolate chips and banana chips. Gently stir. The chocolate will melt, creating larger chunks of granola.

Allow granola to cool completely; it will harden and crunch up as it is exposed to air. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes filled with chocolate chips and topped with Nutella buttercream frosting and more chocolate chips...

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup greek yogurt
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

For Buttercream recipe see Cookies n Creme Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line one 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in vanilla. 

With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with greek yogurt and beginning and ending with flour. Gently fold in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool in pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Top with Buttercream and chocolate chips.

Cookies n Cream Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream Frosting

Okay so these cupcakes are probably one of the best I've ever made. They weren't much of a challenge but more of a giant mess in my kitchen... Oreos are probably one of my favourite cookies and cupcakes are well cupcakes, so putting them together seemed like one pretty great idea right?

Ingredients: 

Cupcakes

24 oreo halves with cream filling attached

2 1/4 cup flour

1tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

8 tbs room temperature butter

1 2/3 cup sugar

3 egg whites at room temperature 

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk

15-20 oreos quartered

oreo crumbs (optional)

Frosting

1 cup butter at room temperature

2 cups confectioners sugar

2/3 cup Nutella

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbs cream (heavy or whipping cream)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners. Place an oreo half in the bottom of each liner.

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

In an electric mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Blend the egg whites one at a time. Add vanilla. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk beating well after each addition.

Fold in the chopped Oreos until evenly incorporated. 

Divide batter even into cupcake liners. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes until fork or toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool for 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack. Let cool completely. 

In an electric mixer beat butter and confectioners sugar on a low-medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add Nutella and increase speed, mix for another 2 minutes. Add vanilla and cream. Beat another minute. 

Frost cupcakes using knife or icing bag. Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs.

Amazing!