Carrot Cake Truffles with Cream Cheese Icing Center

On Friday, my dorm hosted a benefit and as a result, there was a TON of cake leftover.  Within these next couple holiday weeks, you may also find that you have a lot of leftover desserts.  A fun way to not waste leftover cake is to make truffles or cake balls.  These truffles were made only out of leftover cake and white chocolate!  So if you are at a holiday party and the hosts force you to take home leftovers, take home the cake and make truffles!! This way you avoid stale or dry cake.  The icing centers are also a wonderful surprise! Plus, they are automatically portion controlling :)

Carrot Cake Truffles

• Leftover carrot cake
• 1 cup white chocolate baking chips

1. Separate the icing from the cake of the leftover cake, (save the icing carrots separately as well)
2. Freeze the icing for 10 minutes
3. Refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes
4. After icing hardens and is cold, roll the cold icing into penny size balls
5. Take the cold refrigerated cake and form about a golf ball sized truffled around the icing centers (work quickly so the cake and icing do not melt)
6. Place the truffles back into the freezer
7. Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave
8. Dip the cold truffles into the white chocolate until completely coated
9. Put the dipped truffles back in the freezer for 5 minutes
10. Add mini icing carrots by cutting up the large icing carrots, or use colored icing tubes to create new carrots
11. Store in the refrigerator

Halloween Candy Popcorn Pops

I know candy corn is gross.  It has all the food dyes and corn syrups I try to avoid during my everyday food choices.... but

I love it.

I can't help it.  There is something about the way it sticks to my teeth, the addicting second handfuls, the bright Halloween colors that gets me.  I also love Reese's Pieces for the same reasons.

My friend Sam asked me to develop a recipe using popcorn, because in college there is always an abundance of microwave popcorn.  So for Sam, here are some popcorn pops to put you in the mood for fall!  I used pretzel sticks as the base and then molded them inside of plastic cups.  Enjoy :)

Halloween Candy Popcorn Pops

• 1 bag of microwave popcorn (light butter or natural) 
• 1 bag of marshmallows
• 1 bag of Reese's Pieces
• 1 cup candy corn
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 1/2 stick butter
• Pretzel sticks
• Plastic cups
• Baking spray

1. Pop popcorn in microwave and pick out kernels/burnt pieces
2. Place into a bowl with Reese's Pieces, candy corn, and peanuts
3. Melt butter on low heat, add marshmallows, and stir until it becomes a uniform marshmallow sauce
4. Add marshmallow sauce to popcorn mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed
5. Spray plastic cups with non-stick spray and fill 1/3 of the way up with popcorn mixture
6. Stick pretzel rod in the middle pressing popcorn around it so it stays
7. Place cups in refrigerator and take out 1 hour before serving

7 No-Bake Creative Birthday Cakes

It's sometimes hard to find the time to bake a cake in college, especially when roommate and classmate birthdays seem to happen everyday.  Here are some easy no-bake cakes to celebrate your friends birthdays.  (It's my birthday today by the way, so I expect all seven of these cakes delivered to my dorm by 11:59 pm :)))

1. Pancake Cake

http://potterandbutler.com/?p=1093

2. Kit-Kat Barrel Cake

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1302915

3. Doughnut Cake

http://blog.weddingpaperdivas.com/wacky-wedding-cakes/

4. Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

http://icecream-cake.com/

5. Oreo Cake

http://homedesign.marthastewart.com/2010/08/oreo-cake-tulip-arranging-how-to.html

6. Snack Cake Tower

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZZVSYqdkO_Y/Sv7rJzvdc5I/AAAAAAAAA4Y/PjwwFPTn1WM/s1600-h/twinkie+cake.JPG

7. Candy Bar Cake

http://www.cookiepots.com/candy-bar-cake.htm

10 Dorm Room Pantry Staples

1. Olive Oil Cooking Spray: For grilling and sauteeing, an olive oil cooking spray is a must for cooking vegetables, meats, eggs, fish etc.  It is low calorie and healthier than your average cooking sprays.  Plus it is super easy to use and requires no clean up, unlike messy olive oil bottles.
2. Peanut Butter: Whether you like it straight up, in baked goods, or in Asian inspired dishes, peanut butter is cheap, nutritious and versatile.  Spread it, mix it, love it.
3. Almonds: Almonds are a great healthy snack on their own, but can also be used in baked goods, sprinkles onto salads, sauteed with fish or vegetables, or as the star of a trail mix. 
4. Chocolate Chips: Be careful to not just eat them out of the bag by the handful, but chocolate chips can be used in various dessert dishes, added to mixes, mixed into oatmeal, or melted ready for fruit to be dipped into.
5. Tortillas: Tortillas can be used to make wraps or quesadillas, but also can be toasted in the oven to make sweet or savory chips.
6. Apple Sauce: Apple sauce is a great baking secret. Use it to keep muffins and breads moist, while cutting the oil and eliminating fat.  Also apple sauce is an easy snack if mixed with some cinnamon or nutmeg.
7. Pancake Mix: I am a staunch homemade believer, but pancake mix makes pancakes and waffles a cinch, but also creates delicious breads and biscuits.
8. Dried Fruit: Add dried fruit to spice up salads, baked goods and trail mixes.
9. Chickpeas: Throw some canned chickpeas onto a baking sheet and create a crispy snack! Or mix with tahini for some fresh hummus. Or just sprinkle on to your salads. Or... just eat them plain :)
10. Baking Essentials  : Flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and brown sugar should all be staples if you want to make cookies, muffins or any other delicious oven treat.

all photos from www.amazon.com

Weekly "Avoid the Freshman 15" Tips

1. Every time you pass a water fountain drink from it.  This will keep you hydrated and full throughout the day.  It will also curb cravings for other thirst quenchers like soda and sugary bottled drinks. 
2. Establish a "Plan B" for the days after a calorie-fest.  For example, if you and your friends had a late night run to Wendy's, plan on filling up on veggies, protein, and water the next day.
3. Swap lattes for coffee with skim milk every other time.
4. Crush up candy, such as M&Ms, and mix it in with nuts and granola, so you still taste the candy in every bite, but there is more nutrition and more quantity. 
5. Make your sandwiches with whole grain bread at the cafeteria instead of white bread. 

Dorm Cooking Equipment Essentials

Build your ideal dorm room kitchen with these tools!

all images from www.amazon.com