Amish Friendship Bread Cake Balls

Amish Friendship Bread Cake Balls are so easy to make. You make them the same way you make any cake balls. These are perfect bite sized and everyone loves them. Have you ever made cake balls?

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 40-50
Yield: 40-50 cake pops

Ingredients

1 baked Amish Friendship Bread, any variety baked or any cake baked
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 package vanilla or chocolate almond bark or colored candy melts
Lollipop sticks, cut in half (optional and not needed for cake balls)
1/2 cup crushed cookies (optional)
Decorative sprinkles, colored sugar, mini-chocolate chips or crushed nuts

Directions

1. Completely cool (4 hours or overnight) any Amish Friendship Bread variation or cake.
2. Put cake in a large bowl and break it up with your hands into small pieces.
3. Add in cream cheese and mix into cake until well incorporated.
4. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil.
5. Roll into bite-sized balls and place on baking sheet. Put in freezer until firm, about 30-40 minutes.
6. When cake balls are firm, melt chocolate in melting pot, double boiler or microwave bowl.
7. Dip each ball into the chocolate with a toothpick until covered and gently tap off excess chocolate. Use another toothpick to push off cake ball onto the baking sheet. Use extra chocolate to cover the top where the inserted toothpick left a hole.
8. Add decorative topping right after you dip into chocolate. Top with extra chocolate for decoration once all the pops are dry.

Kitchen Notes

Variation #1: Upside Down Cake Pop. Once the ball dipped into chocolate, place on a baking sheet with the stick up in the air. Decorate “upside down.”

Variation #2: Cake Pop: Once the ball is dipped in the chocolate stick it upright in a half a styrofoam ball until dry.

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Amish Friendship Bread Cake Pops

Here are some tasty Amish Friendship Bread Cake Pops. These can be made with any amish friendship bread or any cake mix. Everyone loves cake pops.  Kids and adults of all ages love these cake pops! Decorate them to suit any theme–baby or bridal showers, birthday or office parties–anything goes!

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 40-50
Yield: 40-50 cake pops

Ingredients

1 baked Amish Friendship Bread, any variety or any baked cake
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 package vanilla or chocolate almond bark or colored candy melts
Lollipop sticks, cut in half
1/3 cup crushed cookies (optional)
Decorative sprinkles, colored sugar, mini-chocolate chips or crushed nuts

Directions

1. Completely cool (4 hours or overnight) any Amish Friendship Bread variation.
2. Put cake in a large bowl and break it up with your hands into small pieces.
3. Add in cream cheese and mix into cake until well incorporated.
4. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil.
5. Roll into bite-sized balls and place on baking sheet. Stick in lollipop sticks and put in freezer until firm, about 30-40 minutes.
6. When cake balls are firm, melt chocolate in melting pot, double boiler or microwave bowl.
7. Dip each ball into the chocolate until covered and gently tap off excess chocolate. Stick into Styrofoam to keep lollipops upright.
8. Add decorative topping right after you dip into chocolate. Top with extra chocolate for decoration once all the pops are dry.

Kitchen Notes

Variation #1: Upside Down Cake Pop. Once the ball dipped into chocolate, place on a baking sheet with the stick up in the air. Decorate “upside down.”

Variation #2: Cake Ball. The quickest method for bakers on the run! Don’t stick lollipop sticks into cake balls. Once firm, use two forks or a toothpick to dip cake ball into melted chocolate and another toothpick to push ball off onto aluminum foil. Use extra chocolate to cover the top where toothpick was inserted. Decorate.

Kids in the Kitchen Cookbook

I'm a huge fan of cooking in the kitchen with my girls.  I have great memories of them as little toddlers in the kitchen playing with the pots and pans while I would cook.  I loved having them in there and to make them feel ''at home'' they had a special cupboard within their reach to get out their supplies.  I would give them a dash of flour and some spices here and there!  We also had the ABC magnetic letters for them to play with on the fridge.  These were a staple in the kitchen and became a wonderful learning tool.  We would spell out names or words used in the kitchen for them to see.

This early kitchen play is important as well as letting them see you following a recipe.  Soon, too, they will be doing the same!  I love to teach in the kitchen!  Besides reading, math is also a skill that gets baked in the kitchen!  If your young one is having a difficult time with fractions, the kitchen will help give hands on practical lessons!  To go along with the actual cooking, take your child to the store and let them get the ingredients to their recipe.  This will teach them how to shop, find/match the right items, reading the aisle markers,  reading products on the shelves, addition, money counting,etc. 

Thanks to Gooseberry Patch for offering a review copy of Kids in the Kitchen: Recipes for FUN!  My daughter had a fun time following the recipes to make some new creations for us!  The recipe book is just the right size for a kid!

The spiral binding makes it easy for them to flip the pages.   Each recipe includes a little pictures describing when to make this recipe (dinner, snack,etc), how many it serves and how much time from start to finish.

(My daughter took a picture of her first time making this dish)

My daughter  made Texas Straw Hats!  The recipe was very easy to follow and included picture ingredients as well as written out words.  A tool kit list is included with each recipe so they know what to get out for the recipe. The book also included very cute tips to make it an extra special meal.  The tip with Texas Straw Hat was to line a cowboy hat with napkins and fill with the corn chips needed for this recipe!!!  How fun is that?

(My updated picture! We used melted cheese instead of shredded.)

Texas Straw Hat

Ingredients


1 lb ground beef
1 onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
1 tablespoon water
15 oz. bag corn fritios
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup lettuce, chopped
1/2 cup tomato, chopped
1/4 cup sliced black olives
Garnish salsa and sour cream
Melted cheese

Directions


1) Crumble ground beef in skillet.  Add in onion.
2) Cook beef until no pink remains and onion is soft. Drain.
3) Return beef to skillet, add in seasoning and water.  Simmer for 5 minutes.
4) Cover the bottom of 4 plates wiht corn chips.  This is the bottom of the HAT.
5) Scoop out seasoned beef and onion mixture with a small ice cream scoop and place on a plate. This is the top of the hat.
6) Divide cheese, lettuce, tomato and olives equally between all 4 servings.
7) Serve with salsa & sour cream.

What I was most impressed with how easy it is for a kid to make this recipe.  The directions were very easy to read and follow.  She showed a lot of pride in her work because she did it all herself.  This book is perfect for beginner readers and up!

Here is my lil' chef preparing her dish!

While the meat cooked, she chopped up the lettuce, tomatoes and olives! She has great cooking skills for being 10 years old.  It is never to late to get your kids in the kitchen to cook and read! I strongly suggest this book for you to use in the kitchen with your Lil' chef!  It is oh so much fun!

Link up One Skillet Meals with my Gooseberry Patch Friend

(Thai Basil Rice)

Click here, Slow Cookers, Casseroles & Skillets to see more recipes that I have made using the  featured cookbook by Gooseberry Patch. 

(From Gooseberry Patch) What's better than a meal that cooks all in ONE skillet? Less dishes to wash, plus delicious flavor to boot! We love these simplified recipes that come together in a flash and we know you have some good ones to share. So, tell us...

What are YOUR favorite recipe for SKILLET MEALS? 
Share 'em all in today's Recipe Round-Up! 

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Here's a recipe to inspire you from our cookbook, 
Slow Cookers, Casseroles & Skillets...enjoy!

Quick Skillet Spaghetti
This recipe was shared by Lisa Parrish of Trinity, North Carolina. She writes, "My husband requests this recipe for dinner weekly! It’s so easy because you don’t even have to boil water for the spaghetti. Try it
with half sausage and half ground turkey too."

1 lb. sweet Italian ground
    pork sausage
1 clove garlic, pressed
7-oz. pkg. spaghetti, uncooked
    and broken into 1-inch lengths
2 14-oz. cans diced Italian tomatoes
15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 T. fresh parsley, chopped
2 t. dried basil
3 T. shredded Italian-blend cheese

In a skillet over medium heat, brown sausage for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often. Drain; stir in garlic and broken spaghetti. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining ingredients except cheese and stir until well blended. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer about 20 minutes, until spaghetti is tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer to melt cheese. Serves 4 to 6. 

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Link up your favorite recipe for a SKILLET MEAL below

Herb Frittata by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich

Are you familiar with chef & author Lidia Matticchio Bastianich? If you are looking for some tasty Italian recipes then you will want to look up her books! They are well worth the price. I love looking at the photos in her cookbooks. Can you say :drool:? 

HERB FRITTATA
Serves 2 as an appetizer, 1 as a lunch dish

From "Lidia's Family Table" (Alfred A. Knopf, 2004)

• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and fresh herbs until just blended together.

Heat the butter and oil in the small frying pan until it just starts to sizzle, then pour in the eggs and turn the heat down very low. 
Cook gently for 3 to 4 minutes. The eggs will start to puff up and sizzle at the edges. Lift a corner of the frittata with a spatula, and check to see if the bottom has browned in splotches. When it has, flip the frittata over by giving the pan a firm, quick shake up and over toward you so that the egg mass dislodges and flips over in one piece. Or, if that unnerves you, turn the frittata over with a spatula.
Cook the second side for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, again checking to see if the bottom has browned to your liking. Serve right away, or let cool to room temperature and cut the frittata in wedges.

Reposted with permission by By Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, Author of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes

Pork Roast and Cranberry Dressing by Sandra Lee

What do you think of Sandra Lee? When we had the Food Network I always made sure that I watched her show. Is it still on? I know that I see her cookbooks all over the place. This recipe sounds great and it will be the next Pork Roast that I cook.  I love that this can be used in the slow cooker. We do not like stuffing mixes so I will have to come up with something else. Let me know if you make this. I"ll have a picture soon!

Pork Roast and Cranberry Dressing - Entree

Prep 15 minutes 

Cook 5 to 6 hours (Low) Stand 15 minutes 

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1 1⁄2 cups frozen chopped onions
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 3-pound boneless pork shoulder roast
2 tablespoons Montreal steak seasoning
1 can (16-ounce) whole cranberry sauce
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
1 cup vegetable broth
1⁄4 cup butter
1 box (6-ounce) pork stuffing mix
3⁄4 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Directions

1. In a 5-quart slow cooker, combine onions and celery. Sprinkle roast with steak seasoning; place on vegetables in slow cooker. In a medium bowl, stir together cranberry sauce and wine until combined. Spoon over roast in slow cooker.

2. Cover and cook on Low heat setting for 5 to 6 hours.

3. Transfer roast to a cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, over high heat, bring vegetable broth and butter to a boil. Stir pork stuffing mix and dried cranberries into pan. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

5. To serve, mound some stuffing on center of plate. Spoon a portion of celery, onions, cranberries, and accumulated juices from slow cooker over stuffing. Top with sliced roast.

Permission given to post this Excerpt from the book, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Money Saving Slow Cooking, by Sandra Lee Copyright © 2009 SLSH Enterprises, Inc. www.sandralee.com

Free Gooseberry Patch Quick & Easy Dinners Cookbook

Happy Monday from Gooseberry Patch! They are offering their Quick and Easy Family Dinners ebook for a very limited time. Click on Gooseberry Patch to go to their landing page which will give you all the links to get the book on Kindle, NOOK, Apple, Sony and Kobo. Remember you do NOT need an ereader to get this free book. You can get free software and have the cookbook right on your computer. The price could change at anytime. Make sure it is the price you want to pay before clicking buy!

Thanks for stopping in! If you want more free, quick & easy family dinner ideas click my Menu Monday where you will find my recipes for the day. You can also check my Recipe Database for more!

My Review of Quick and Easy Family Dinners from just browsing the book today. I post this on Nook and Kindle since I downloaded it on both ereaders.



First off, I'm a fan of Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks. So this is a biased review and I got the book for free today on my NOOK color. I have their print and ecookbooks. I'm a huge fan of the paper books just because I love curling up with a cookbook and marking pages with sticky notes. BUT I have to admit I'm becoming a quick collector of their ebooks, especially when they offer their freebies. I'm now getting copies of ebooks of paper books that I own. I love taking my ereader with me to the store. Never again will I forget an ingredient to a new, tasty recipe.

I LOVE my NOOK! It makes reading ebook so easy (sometimes it isn't so easy on the Kindle-not sure why but I couldn't find a table of contents on the Kindle.) There is a table of contents on the NOOK so I could quickly see all the recipes and go to the one that I wanted right away! Using an ereader isn't the same as pulling a book off the shelf but it comes pretty close! I"m also a huge fan of their new line of photos of every recipe. These cookbooks can be enjoyed with the paper copy and the NOOK color.

Gooseberry Patch has made a business out of collecting recipes from kitchen all across America and producing cookbooks chocked full of tasty recipes and helpful tips. Not every recipe is one that I would make but I love reading what other kitchen moms are making and trying. As with all cookbooks, being that a Gooseberry Patch or some other brand, I can almost always find something new to serve my family.

For this cookbook, I love looking at the variations of recipes that are already familiar with me. So for example, in this cookbook, a reader submitted Mom's Potato Salad. I'm a mom and I've been making potato salad since I was a kid. I don't even have my own written recipe for this salad because I make it different every time. That is why I appreciate reading another "Mom's Potato Salad" because now I have some new ideas to add to my ever so changing potato salad. The recipe in this book is mayonnaise based, red potato with a zing of horseradish. Bam! That is it. I'm going to add horseradish to my next batch of potato salad. See I found a new idea!

The recipes in this cookbook could easily be called Family Favorite Comfort Foods because that is what they are! Casseroles, fried chicken, baked spahgetti, apple pie (crustless), brownies and more! Pair any of their tasty mains with a healthy salad to balance out your menu that you serve your family. The book was full of such tips. I loved the "Spicy side" which instructed one to take frozen corn and stir in red roasted chilies, cumin, chili power and serrano chile. Yum!

I LOVED the chapter, "Keep these basic pantry items on hand &  you can whip up just about anything!" which is helpful for any kitchen.

True to their Gooseberry Patch style, this cookbook will fill your heart, home and family dinner plate with loving, tasty goodness! Thanks Gooseberry Patch.