Caramel apples make me weak in the knees. I like to think of them as my healthy snack, because let’s face it… I’m eating an apple. You can never have too much of a good thing. Last week I bought a few packs of Kings Hawaiian Rolls, and even though it is hard to keep them around the house very long, I found the last pack of 24 rolls sitting on my table begging me to make some bread pudding out of them. A smile quietly spread itself across my face, and a little voice in my ear whispered “caramel apple bread pudding.” Ohhhhhh! My heart jumped and thumped with an exuberance of love, I knew this would be a bread pudding with my name carved in it. Luckily, the weather has dropped to a cool 60 degrees here in Los Angeles, and It made it the ideal time to turn on my oven. Mmmmmm. The house quickly filled with aroma of caramel, cinnamon, apple, and a luscious smell of sweet Kings Hawaiian bread. I quickly pulled it from the oven and dug my spoon in. When caramel and apples are combined with Kings Hawaiian Rolls and baked into a bread pudding, it tastes like an apple cinnamon roll, and that my friend is an absolute AMAZING THING!

Ingredients For Caramel Apple Bread Pudding:

• 24 – Kings Hawaiian rolls
• 1 – cup chopped pecans
• 5 – ounces caramels squares, about 20 pieces (unwrap and cut into 4’s)
• 2 – large honey crisp apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
• 1 – cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 1/4 – cup sugar
• 4 – eggs
• 4 – cups half and half
• 5 – tablespoons butter (melted and brought back to room temperature), plus a tablespoon to butter baking dish
• 1 – teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 – teaspoon almond extract
• 1 – teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Cut each roll into 9 pieces. you will have an entire large bowl full of bread cubes.
3. Line the cubes on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes to toast.
4. Remove from the oven and set to the side. Lower the oven heat to 300 degrees fahrenheit
5. Generously grease a 9×13 pyrex dish with 1 tablespoon of butter.
6. Layer half of your toasted bread crumbs on the bottom of the pyrex.
7. Pour in the pecan and caramel pieces.
8. Layer the apples on top of the bread, pecan, caramel layer.
9. Top with the remaining bread crumbs.
10. In a mixer, add sugar and eggs, and beat for 5 minutes on high.
11. Add in half and half, butter, cinnamon, almond and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
12. Pour the liquid mix over the bread layers, then push down on the top of the bread to make sure all the liquid is soaking into the cubes.
13. Sprinkle the top with coconut.
14. Place the 9×13 pyrex into a larger pan and fill halfway with boiling hot water to create a water bath (Bain-Marie)
15. Bake for 1 hour.
16. Remove from oven and remove 9×13 casserole dish out of water bath.
17. Let cool for 30 minutes.
18. Enjoy!

Great holiday recipes start with KING’S HAWAIIAN® Dinner Rolls! Vote for your favorite KING’S HAWAIIAN recipe here for a chance to win one of three $500 gift cards! Sweepstakes Rules.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of King’s Hawaiian®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post between Latina Bloggers Connect and The National Peanut Board. However the recipe and all opinions are 100% my own.

I feel like I have been hanging by a thread lately. I’m not complaining… I’m just working hard everyday to meet deadlines and get to all my work in a timely manner. As my workload expands and the needs of my 4 year old son grow,  I find more than ever I need help getting through my day and deep into my night. A fast snack I like to eat: Peanut butter and apple. The peanut butter has 7 grams of energy boosting protein per serving, which helps me get through y day. Or I”l reach for a handful of peanuts to pop in my mouth as I run around. Peanuts or peanut butter really provide a lasting energy, and are so super affordable. I always keep a pouch of peanut butter in my purse or a little packet of peanuts, because I never know when I’m gonna need it especially with the holidays upon us.

Going off the subject a little…. My son has taken a serious interest in my pantry. I can’t tell you how many times a day he pulls out ingredients and makes suggestions of what we can make. He’ll pull out salt, flour, peanut butter, and sugar and ask if we could make a cake or cookies or strawberry pancakes. I love that he is becoming familiar with everything that goes into kitchen recipe making. Most of the time I have to turn down his request because I’m busy with something else. The other day I wanted to indulge his new found interest of the kitchen, and I suggested we make some calavera candy to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos. His cute little eyes lit up and he smiled and said “Do we use peanut butter in it?” I told him sure… we will use peanut butter in it!

Ingredients for Potato Peanut Butter Calavera Candy:

• 1/2 – cup mashed potato (about 1 potato)
• 2 1/2 – tablespoons half and half
• 1 – teaspoon vanilla
• a pinch of salt
• 10 – cups powdered sugar
• 1 – cup peanut butter (smooth)
• chopped peanut pieces

Directions:

1. Peel and chop a potato. Then boil the potato for 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain potato and mash. Do not add anything to the potato. Let cool completely. 
2. In a mixer add mashed potatoes, half and half, vanilla, salt and powdered sugar. Mix until everything is combined and it becomes a dough like texture. Not sticky to the touch. 
3. Powder a clean work surface and a rolling pin with powdered sugar. Working in quarters roll out your first batch of dough. I sprinkled the top of the dough with powdered sugar as well. 
4. Roll the potato candy out to 1/4 inch thickness. Then with a skull cookie cutter, cut out as many skulls as possible. Re-roll scraps and cut out more skulls. 
5. With a small pairing knife cut out the eyes and nose of the calavera / skull on half of the cutouts.
6. The other half should be placed on a wax paper lined baking sheet and generously spread with peanut butter. 
7. Then take all the calaveras / skulls with the cut out eyes and place them on top of the peanut butter layer. Press in little pieces of peanuts into the mouth area to form the skeleton teeth.
8. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
9. Enjoy! 

If you know me, then you know I heart coffee cake big time. I seek it out, I crave it, and I go absolutely bonkers when I find a good one. Rarely do I make it myself….. I don’t really know why that is, maybe from sheer fear that I will eat every last crumb and share none. I get stingy and greedy when I have a good piece of coffee cake in front of me, it’s kinda funny to see. Here is my solution to a piece of coffee cake…. I made coffee cupcakes…. that way I will know exactly how many I’m eating and it forces me to share. In this case, I curse the cupcake, but I know it’s the right thing to do.

Ingredients for Mango Rum Streusel Cupcakes:

• 1 – box of yellow cake mix (make batter according to package with eggs, water, and oil)
• 1 – mango (peeled, cut, and diced into small little cubes)
• 2/3 – cup flour
• 1/2 – cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 – cup sugar
• 1/2 – cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1 1/2 – teaspoons cinnamon
• 4 – tablespoons butter (room temperature)
• 1 – tablespoon rum

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit
2. Mix cake mix according to box, by mixing cake mix, oil, water and eggs together until combined.
3. Line a cupcake pan with cup cake liners.
4. Add 1/4 cup of batter to each cupcake holder.
5. Peel and cut mango into small cubes. 
6. Then add a teaspoon of mango to the top of each cupcake holder. Set to the  side. 
7. In a bowl combine flour, almonds, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Give it a good mix. 
8. With the tips of your fingers bend in the butter until fully incorporated. 
9. Once streusel becomes crumbly, pour rum over the top then toss crumbly streusel to combine.
10. Top each cupcake with 1 teaspoon of streusel. 
11. Bake for 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
12. Remove from oven and allow to cool for an hour. 
13. Enjoy!

The other day I was driving with my girlfriend A-dre and I told her how I just LOVE these cherries that Melissa’s Produce sends me from time to time. I went on to tell her they are unlike any cherry I have ever had. No farmers market, or specialty market has ever offered me a cherry so fine. PERFECT is the only word that comes to mind when trying to describe them. They are firm with no mush, they are sweet and juicy, and delightful. Unfortunately they are almost out of season, but in the meantime we should celebrate every moment eating these fine specimens.  Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. I will miss my sweet cherries! 

Ingredients For Pecan Cherry Pancakes:

• 1 1/2 – cups flour
• 2 – teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 – teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 – teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 – tablespoons sugar
• 2 – eggs
• 1 1/2 – cups buttermilk
• 1 – cup milk
• 3 1/2 – tablespoons butter (melted and cooled)
• 1/2 – teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 – cup chopped pecans
• 15 – cherries (pitted and cut in half) (I use Melissa’s Produce)
• butter or nonstick spray
• maple syrup

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Give it a good whisk.
2. In a separate bowl combine eggs, buttermilk, milk, butter, and vanilla, then mix really well.
3. Then add the flour mixture to the milk mixture. Mix together until combined. You don’t want your mixture to be perfectly smooth. Leave some lumps in there.
4.  In a large frying pan lightly brush with melted butter or mist with a non stick cooking spray and place over a medium flame. Allow pan to get hot then take 1/4 cup of batter and pour into pan…. the batter will spread slightly then top with a 3 cherry halves and a pinch of pecans.
5. Cook for 5 minutes or until the batter starts to have little holes in it. Some will even pop.
6. Flip pancake and cook on the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from flame and spread butter on top and drizzle with syrup.
7. Enjoy!

A few weeks ago I received a Hershey’s S’mores Kit, and have been a S’mores fool so far this summer since. Making s’mores every chance I get and for all occasions. I even made them ahead of time for the baseball game a few weeks ago (pictured left). I decided to toast the marshmallow in the toaster oven along with one side of the graham cracker, and once the marshmallow was nice and gooey I added the other graham cracker to make a sandwich. Then I dipped the whole thing in melted Hershey’s chocolate. Once the chocolate set, I wrapped them in a wax paper and packed them up for the baseball game. 

All the people sitting in my area were so happy as I passed out my homemade snacks. It was as if the Hershey’s chocolate s’mores were little gifts of friend introduction as strangers gladly accepted my s’mores. I think maybe it’s because they had already seen me eating my own and they practically drooled in envy over the homemade treat…. it was enough to let them know I was alright. Plus my team won that night! 🙂

Over the 4th of July weekend I took my s’mores kit to a bar-b-que I was invited to and wrapped my graham crackers stuffed with marshmallows and Hershey’s chocolate in foil and place them on the grill. Everyone was so happy as we nibbled on our s’mores under the firework lit sky.

Now my son thinks everyday is a s’mores day, and it kinda is.

Here’s some awesome news!!!! Hershey’s is now offering consumers the chance to win an 11-piece BBQ grilling set through its Hershey’s Summer Grilling Sweepstakes – one set will be awarded every hour of the summer.  All you have to do is text GRILLSMORES to 44144 or enter online on the Hershey’s website. I’m going to enter and I’m sharing this info with all my friends. Enjoy your S’mores Summer!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by ViSalus. All opinions and recipe are my own.

A friend of mine is on a diet, and is looking for ways to slim down but still keep all her favorite treats in place. I’ll have her at my house over the holiday weekend, so I needed to make sure she would be satisfied with her treat. I didn’t want her to feel left out while everyone else got to eat cake or cookies. I racked my brain for a while, thinking maybe I should make her cheesecake bites, or lowfat chocolate cake. Then after talking to her those ideas seemed to decadent for her weight loss plan. Luckily I had recently got a bag of ViSalus shake mix and a couple of new paleta molds. I thought what if I make a banana visalus mixture and freeze it into paletas then dip them at the tip in a chocolate? I knew that would make her happy since she loves banana and chocolate. I called her and told her all about the ViSalus product, how it is gluten- free, lactose – free, low fat, contains non-GMO soy protein, and low sodium. I then told her I made paletas out of them and they are DELICIOUS, she said she was so thankful cuz she has a hard time finding something great when everyone else is eating dessert.

Ingredients for Banana Paletas:

• 3 – super ripe bananas (if they have brown spots they are even better to use.)
• 1 – cup almond milk
• 2 – rounded scoops of Visalus Vi-Shape Nutritional Shake Mix -Sweet Cream Flavor
• 1 – cup dark chocolate chips (melted)
• 1/4 – cup chopped peanuts

Directions:

1. In a blender add in bananas, almond milk, and Visalus Vi-Shape Nutritional Shake Mix. Blend on high till smooth.
2. Pour mixture into paleta / popsicle molds, then insert sticks and freeze over night.
3. Prepare a cookie sheet with piece of wax paper on it.
4. Melt down dark chocolate chips, either in a double boiler or microwave.
5. Remove paletas from the freezer, then unmold them.
6. Dip the tip of the paleta in melted chocolate, then sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
7. Place dipped paletas on the cookie sheet and place back in the freezer for one hour.
8. Enjoy!

I have always been intimidated by pastel de tres leches. It is my cake of choice for every birthday I celebrate and happens to be one of my favorites. I like it topped with fresh fruit best. I decided to gift it to America for it Independence Day celebration.

Ingredients for Pastel De Tres Leches:

• a box of cake mix (white or yellow) (bake according to instructions- time, temp, and ingredients)
• 3/4 – cup of fresh blueberries
• circle cookie cutter (optional)
• 1/2 – cup half and half
• 1 – cup milk
• 6 – ounces of sweetened condensed milk
• cool whip
• fresh strawberries cut into star shapes and blueberries for the top of cake

Directions:

1. Mix cake batter per instructions on the package, then add in blueberries. Pour batter into a 9×13 baking pan lined with wax paper. Allow to come to room temperature. Then place in the fridge over night.
2. Poke cake all over with fork to allow liquid to soak into cake.
3. In a bowl add half and half, milk, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix to combine.
4. Then gently pour all the liquid over the entire cake or cut the cake with a circle cookie cutter to make individual circles.
5. Frost top of cake with cool whip and then decorate with star shaped strawberries and blueberries.
6. Enjoy!