Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Awhile ago I spent some time making cupcakes with my dear friend Allysa who is almost exactly like me just a little more crazy. Love that girl :)
She found this recipe on Pinterest from Your Cup of Cake (she's brilliant), we of course had to choose from like 10 of her Pinterest pins and thought this recipe looked best!

I'm glad we did too because these were raved about at work!

Vanilla Cake:

24 Oreos

1 box white cake mix

2 egg whites

2 eggs

1/3 cup oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1 Tbl vanilla extract

3/4 cup chopped Oreos

Cookies & Cream Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4-5 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup finely crushed Oreos

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake tin with liners or spray with pam. 

Twist 24 Oreos and place the cream side up in each cupcake liner, reserving the other plain half for the frosting.

Sift the white cake mix in a small bowl, set aside. 

In a large bowl, whisk egg white, two eggs, oil, buttermilk, greek yogurt, and vanilla. Add the sifted cake mix and combine. Fold in the chopped Oreos.

Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full with batter and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes. Make sure a toothpick comes clean through the middle.

For the frosting, mix together the butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla extract. Slowly add the powdered sugar, tasting as you go. Gently mix in your crushed Oreos. If you have a piping bag, fill it with your frosting and pipe on your cooled cupcakes. If you don't, use a plastic gallon freezer bag and snip the end like I had to do... Top with mini Oreos (optional but cute). Leftover crumbs? Sift on top of your icing after piped.

Boston, Wisdom, and Smoothies

So I haven't gotten around to cooking or baking lately since:
 1. Nick got his wisdom teeth out and making delicious food that he can't eat would be cruel and
 2. I've had a brand new puppy to chase around and make sure he knows to not eat my computer cords, go to the bathroom outside, and stay off the furniture. 
 It's two wonderful full-time jobs. 

But, I have to write and post how adorable our newest family member is!

Yes, we fell in love with him immediately and named him Boston. The day we picked him up Nick was wearing a shirt that I had given him the week I went to Maine and Massachusetts. I fell in love with the city and got him a "Boston" shirt. It also happened to be his birthday and I was missing it... and we thought it was unbearable to be apart for a week (haha, he joined the Navy a year later. We got used to it...) so it was one of his birthday gifts. Anyway, we were stopped for a pit stop on the way home from picking our pup up and throwing name ideas back and forth. While we walked, a guy shouted after Nick, "Boston, Yeah!" and pointed to his hat which had the Red Sox logo. Nick looked at me and we both knew it was the perfect name for our puppy. For some strange reason, it just had a ring to it and let me tell you now I can't imagine any other name on this dog! It suites him. He's so adorable, watching him fetch is honestly the cutest thing I have ever seen.

Anyway, enough of my rambling on... Nick's assigned to plenty of bed rest and aspirin so we need to make some nutritiously-filling soft food!

What I have been doing is making some protein smoothies, which is probably the best thing you can do for someone who can't chew... The oats balance out all the sugars from the fruit and powder. It's packed full of vitamins as well!

Our all-time favorite smoothie: Strawberry Mango Oat Smoothie

Ingredients:
5 ice cubes
1/4 cup milk
1 scoop oats
1 mango
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Directions:
In your blender, add ingredients in order. Quickly increase speed and make sure all ingredients are blending. Blend for a minute and serve.
Makes two servings.