Research Reveals How to Dominate Pinterest

Photo: StartBloggingOnline.com

Pinterest is the social-media version of Hobby Lobby: a giant inspiration destination, with a gazillion ideas that make women squeal "I want to try that!" You'll find everything from Mason jar desserts to outdoor wedding lanterns made from—you guessed it—Mason jars, all of which adds up to hours spent carefully curating your boards (and hoping your boyfriend doesn't see the one devoted to the wedding he doesn't know you're planning).

So which pins are most likely to catch other women's attention—and make you a Pinterest sensation? Apparently, this is a subject of interest even to scientists. A new University of Minnesota study analyzed the Pinterest content that gets pinned, and repinned, most often by female users. Here's what they found: 

1. Food and drink

2. DIY crafts

3. Home decor

4. Women's fashion

5. Weddings

6. Hair/beauty

7. Kids

8. Humor

9. Design

10. Health and fitness

Want to get more play on Pinterest? The researchers' advice: Follow lots of other pinners, create lots of boards and pin like mad (users with 4,00o-plus pins were the most popular), and post on the topics listed above, without focusing too much on any one area. That said, if you are going to zero in on a topic, you should make it food: If up to 35 percent of your pins are food-related, you're more likely to have lots of followers, the study found.

Birthday Cake Oreo Bark

I'm well aware that I just made Birthday Cake Cheesecake. But I think my recipe repetition is justified, because I FINALLY found Birthday Cake Oreos! I'd all but given up on tracking down the elusive cookies, assuming they were a very-very-limited-time release. But this weekend, when I was visiting my family in Tennessee, there they were, prominently displayed on a shelf in Walmart. Naturally, I snagged two packages. (Which means they'll be appearing in a few more recipes in the near future.) 

       I considered making truffles, but it was nearly 9 o'clock when I started baking, so I wanted something simple (and instantly rewarding). My solution: Oreo bark. It doesn't require baking, it hardens quickly, and it's so sweet I only need one piece to satisfy my sugar craving. 

       I incorporated cake batter into the recipe, which, as my boyfriend so kindly commented, made it taste like frosting. I think he (with his pitifully weak sweet tooth) intended that as an insult, but I consider it a compliment—I could eat frosting by the spoonful. Now I don't even need the spoon.

Birthday Cake Oreo Bark

What you need
12 oz almond bark candy
1/3 cup yellow cake mix
12 Birthday Cake Oreos, crumbled
Sprinkles

Put it all together

1. Break up the almond bark candy, and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat until melted, about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. 
2. Stir the cake mix into the melted candy, then add the crumbled Oreos and gently combine. 
3. Spread mixture to 1/4" thickness on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and greased lightly. Top with sprinkles. Allow to harden completely. (It should take about half an hour.)
4. Cut into squares and serve!

You may also enjoy...

Birthday Cake Cheesecake
Funfetti Pie
Peeps Rice Krispies Treats

Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Boredom doesn't bode well with me. I don't have cable (weird, I know), and my (stolen) internet connection tends to be spotty. So, instead of binging on Hulu, I dig through my pantry, mix random ingredients, and pray the resulting creation doesn't explode in my oven. I've had a few failures: collapsed butter cake, delicious dough that turned into disgusting cookies, a pie that overflowed into a goopy mess. But my latest experiment was a sweet success: I constructed a three-layer bar from a tongue-teasing, sweet-and-salty combination of peanut butter, white, dark, and milk chocolates, graham cracker crumbs, and nuts. In other words, ingredients that guarantee eat-the-entire-pan results. 

 Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

What you need

Bottom layer
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams 

Middle layer
5 oz. white chocolate
¼ cup salted peanut halves
¼ cup Peanut Butter & Co. White Chocolate Wonderful

Top layer
1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips
¼ cup creamy peanut butter 

Put it all together

1. Make the bottom layer: In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and dark chocolate peanut butter. Press into an ungreased 9x13 baking pan.
2. Make the middle layer: Place the white chocolate and white chocolate peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about 1 minute (or until melted), stirring every 30 seconds. Pour over the bottom layer, and spread evenly with a spatula. Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes, or until chocolate has hardened.
3. Make the top layer: Place the milk chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about 1 minute (or until melted), stirring every 30 seconds. Pour over the hardened middle layer, and spread evenly with a spatula. Place in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. 

You may also enjoy...
Peanut Butter Brownies with Chocolate Ganache
Mini Chocolate Chip Pancake Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

Peanut Butter & Co. Elvis Whoopie Pies

I hate bananas. So much so, in fact, that I've only ever eaten one banana. But I love Elvis. And Elvis loved to pair bananas with peanut butter (and bacon). So I felt obligated to at least give his signature combo a chance. My compromise: Elvis Whoopie Pies, which consist of two pieces of soft banana cake, honey-peanut butter filling, and bacon crumbles dotting the edge.

I was skeptical.

But I was proven wrong.

The cake's banana flavor was subtle enough so as not to overwhelm my banana-hating palate. The decadent filling tasted like melted peanut butter pie. And the salt of the bacon was the perfect complement to the sweetness of the cake. As one taster described it, it's  "heaven between two slices of heaven." 


Elvis Whoopie Pies 
Courtesy of Peanut Butter & Co. 

What you need


Cake

2 sticks of butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 large very ripe bananas, mashed

½ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Filling

2 sticks of butter, softened

¾ cup The Bee's Knees peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 cups powdered sugar
4-6 Tbsp milk


Garnish
1-2 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

Put it all together

1. Make the cookies: Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs until well combined. Stir in the bananas, milk, and vanilla. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture—about ½ cup at a time. Chill the dough for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
3. Use an ice-cream scoop to drop balls of dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until the cookies’ edges are browned. Transfer to a cooling rack, and let them cool completely before adding filling.
4. Make the filling: Cream together the butter, peanut butter, and vanilla. Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. If necessary, add the remaining sugar so the mixture is easily spreadable but not runny.
5. Spread a large dollop of peanut butter filling on one cookie, then top with a second cookie. (Don’t press too hard, or the filling will squeeze out.) Sprinkle bacon bits on the frosted sides. Serve immediately.

     

Mini Chocolate Chip Pancake Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

I am not a pancake monogamist. I have my diner pancake buddy. A pumpkin pancake pal, and, as everyone should, a granola pancake partner (we're on a quest to find the best granola pancakes in town).  And, finally, there's the one person who's actually willing to make me homemade pancakes. In other words, I'm passionate about pancakes, and I suck my friends into the middle of my love affair. 

I'll eat the fluffy little pieces of heaven any time of day, but I especially love them for dinner. But, it recently occurred to me, why stop at breakfast for dinner? Why not eat breakfast for dessert?

I walked by Baked by Melissa in NYC the other day, and was inspired—if not a little offended—by the bakery's mini pancake cupcakes. Offended, only because I didn't think of it first. I found a similar recipe, and although the maple taste wasn't as strong as I would have liked (I have a super sweet tooth), the pancake texture was spot on. 

Mini Chocolate Chip Pancake Cupcakes 

with Maple Buttercream Frosting

From Two Peas and Their Pod

What you need

1 stick butter, softened

½ cup sugar

1 ½ cups cake flour*

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ cup pure maple syrup

½ tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup milk

2 eggs

½ cup mini milk chocolate chips 

*If you don't have cake flour, replace 2 Tbsp of every cup of all-purpose flour with 2 Tbsp of cornstarch. 

Maple Buttercream Frosting

1 stick butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup pure maple syrup

1 Tbsp milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

Put it all together

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Coat the chocolate chips with ½ tbsp of the flour mixture (so they don’t sink in the batter).
4. Beat the maple syrup, vanilla, eggs, and milk into the butter mixture, combining well after each addition. Add the flour mixture ½ cup at a time, mixing until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Line a mini cupcake tin with cupcake liners, and fill each three-quarters of the way full.
6. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. To make the frosting, cream the butter, sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth, about 5 minutes. Add the milk if the mixture is too thick for easy spreading.
8. Frost the cupcakes after they have cooled completely, and place a few chocolate chips on top of each.

Cinco de Mayo Sweet, Part 2: Deep-Fried Churro Balls!

I'm lazy when it comes to truffle making. Applying the candy coating is tedious work, so for my friend's Cinco de Mayo party, I made just enough Churro Cake Ball Truffles to be considered socially acceptable. My laziness left me with rows of naked little cake balls in my fridge, waiting to be devoured. (No innuendo intended.) 

       I tried deep-fried Oreos at the fair last year, and found them to be absolutely delightful, in a low-brow, don't-tell-anyone-I-ate-this kind of way. (If you're into frou frou desserts, stick to the truffles.) So, alone in my kitchen, where there's no such thing as shame, I whipped up a batch of cinnamon batter, coated the leftover cake balls, and dunked them in a skillet full of sizzling oil. The little fried guys came out crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and tasted like a melted cinnamon roll, wrapped in a doughnut hole. In other words, like heaven. 

First, follow the Churro Cake Ball recipe. (Skip the candy coating, obviously.)


Once you've prepared the cake balls, make this...


Cinnamon Batter
Adapted from Willow Bird Baking

What you need
1 egg
1 cup ice-cold water
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Other ingredients
Cornstarch
Vegetable oil
Pre-made cream cheese icing 

Put it all together

1. Whisk together the egg and water. Mix in the flour, sugar, and cinnamon.
2. Heat vegetable oil, about 1 inch deep, in a skillet over medium heat. 
3. Roll each cake ball in cornstarch, then dunk into the cinnamon batter. Using tongs, and allowing excess batter to drip off, transfer two or three at a time to the skillet.
4. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, flipping the cake balls halfway through. They should be golden brown. Remove them from the oil onto a paper towel. 
5. Serve with cream cheese icing for dipping.

Gooey deliciousness.

Cinco de Mayo Sweet: Churro Cake Ball Truffles!

My first encounter with churros was at camp in 11th grade. (Yes, I was still going to camp.) It was one of those dorky but fun theme nights, probably a fiesta, because the camp staff delivered a bucket of churros—strips of fried dough, dusted with cinnamon and sugar—to each table. I sampled one of the Spanish doughnuts, immediately fell in love, then discreetly inhaled as many as possible.

       Fast forward a few months. It's a big family dinner—my sister, aunt, cousins, boyfriend, everyone. We'd all gathered so my mom could introduce her new man to the crew. I decided to impress them with my international flair and made churros for dessert. But my mom quickly stole the show. She took one bite of a churro, started choking on the sugar, and ripped a giant fart. Her chair was wooden, so you can imagine the reverb. I'm still a little shocked that her date, Paul, ended up marrying her.

      Anyways, lesson learned: I don't serve churros at parties. It's a shame, since churros have the potential to be life-changing.

       But, I've recently learned, there is is a way: I was thumbing through 101 Gourmet Cake Balls by Wendy Paul last weekend—and voila! A churro cake ball recipe! They're only lightly sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar (safe for even old farts, like my mom). So, eager to reclaim the dessert, I made them for a Cinco de Mayo party. Each little truffle is packed with intense cinnamon flavor, sort of like a Taco Bell Cinnamon Twist, but better. 

Churro Cake Balls

What you need

1 box yellow cake mix

3 eggs

¾ cup whole milk

¼ cup oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla candy coating
Cinnamon 
Granulated sugar

Frosting

1 stick butter, room temp

3 ¾ cups powdered sugar

4 Tbsp cream

1 Tbsp cinnamon

Put it all together

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine cake mix, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Pour into a greased 9 x 13" baking pan, and bake for 30-32 minutes.
3. While it's baking, make the frosting: Beat the butter in a large bowl until it's soft and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla, and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in cinnamon.
4. Cool completely, then crumble into small pieces.
5. Stir the cake crumbles into the frosting until a thick dough forms. Roll tablespoon-size portions of dough into balls, place on a baking sheet, and chill in the freezer for 20 minutes. 
6. Dip each dough ball into melted vanilla candy coating*, then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Allow to harden completely. 

*Try piercing each ball with a fondue stick for easier dipping. 

Chex Creamsicle Buddies

I've always been a Muddy Buddies devotee—I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, layered over the crispiness of Chex cereal. But, recently, my eyes were opened to a whole new world of flavor: Chex Funfetti Cake Batter Buddies. Instead of peanut butter and melted chocolate, the recipe calls for vanilla Almond Bark, and the standard powdered sugar coating is combined with Funfetti cake mix. The stuff is insanely sweet, and frighteningly addictive. (When I made it, a pregnant woman in my office went wild—and you can't argue with a pregnant lady's taste.)


      I decided to temporarily set aside my Funfetti obsession, and play with another one of my favorite flavors: orange creme. I combined orange cake mix with powdered sugar, and dusted it over vanilla candy-coated Chex. It's super sweet, but not cloyingly so, and has a refreshing punch of citrus, which partners deliciously with the powdered sugar. It tastes just like a Creamsicle, minus the brain freeze.

Chex Creamsicle Buddies
Adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff


What you need
5 cups Rice Chex cereal
5 squares vanilla flavored Almond Bark
1 tsp vegetable shortening
1 ¼ cup orange cake mix
¼ cup powdered sugar

Put it all together

1. Melt the Almond Bark and shortening in the microwave on high for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. 
2. Pour the melted Almond Bark over the cereal in a large bowl. Gently stir until the coating is evenly distributed.
3. Dump the cake mix and powdered sugar into the bowl, and toss lightly until the cereal is evenly coated.

Family Recipe: Oatmeal Raisin Muffins!

My motto: The more raisins, the better.

This is perhaps the most sentimental recipe in my family cookbook.  As long as I can remember, we've referred to my mom's oatmeal raisin muffins as "Dan's Muffins." Dan was a family friend who had multiple sclerosis, and my mom often looked after him. One afternoon, she left a batch of muffins on his kitchen counter, having expected him to be home. (He'd gone to a gun show, despite being told not to drive.) By the time he came back, the muffins had gone slightly stale, but he loved them, saying the harder texture made them easier for him to eat. The name Dan's Muffins stuck.     

       Now for a little gloating: It's not just Dan who adored these muffins.  I, being the dorky kid that I was, entered Dan's Muffins into a 4-H muffin competition in elementary school. I  took home the blue ribbon for these bad boys. They have a delicious, sticky sweetness, thanks to the trio of brown sugar, applesauce, and dried fruit, that somehow doesn't compromise the light, fluffy texture you expect from a muffin. 

Dan's Muffins

What you need
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 cup flour
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
¾ cup applesauce
½ cup raisins
1 cup quick-cooking oats


Put it all together

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cream butter and sugar in a bowl. Add egg; beat well.
3. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Alternately add the flour mixture and applesauce to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
4. Stir in raisins and oats, only until combined. 
5. Spoon into paper-lined muffin cups*, and bake for 30 minutes. 
6. Cool in the pan for 3 minutes, then remove from baking pan. Cool completely before covering.

*To make your muffins prettier—presentation matters!—evenly space a few raisins over the top of each cup of batter. 

Fat Witch Bakery Lime Squares

My family has a problem with lemon squares. A problem, meaning a total lack of self control. My mom once scarfed an entire batch by herself, then punished the family by refusing to make them for years. I never understood her lemon-square mania until I made them myself. When I bake, I develop a sense of both entitlement and responsibility—a feeling of freedom but also of obligation to eat my desserts. What I'm saying: I ate the entire pan of lemon squares with little assistance and no regrets.

I've since learned my lesson, and only make lemon squares when I have an event to attend. I made these guys for a soldier's coming-home celebration, so traditional lemon didn't seem festive enough. I swapped in limes, and instead of powdered sugar, dusted the tart tops with turbinado sugar to mimic the texture of a margarita's salty rim. 

Fat Witch Bakery Lime Squares
Adapted from Fat Witch Brownies 

What you need

Crust
1 cup flour
½ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, chilled, cut into pieces

Filling 
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup fresh lime juice (5-6 small limes)*
1 ½ Tbsp lime zest
3 Tbsp flour
Big pinch of salt
2 drops of green food coloring
Turbinado sugar (for dusting) 

*Hint: Zap the limes in the microwave for 10 seconds before juicing them. The heat will get the juices flowing!

Put it all together 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. 
2. To prepare the crust, combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl. Fold in the butter, using a fork or your hands. 
3. Press the flour mixture into the floured pan, and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
4. To make the filling, beat the eggs until frothy, then slowly stir in the sugar. Add the lime juice and zest, and mix until thoroughly combined.
5. Add the flour, salt, and food coloring to the filling mixture, and mix well. Pour over the baked crust, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The top should be bubbly and without any liquidy spots. The edges should be brown and pulling away from the pan's edges.
6. Remove from the oven, and cool for an hour. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar, then cut into squares before serving. 

Maple Cinnamon Peanut Butter Pie Parfaits

Much to my delight, I recently received the entire line of Peanut Butter & Co. peanut butter in the mail. That's 12 incredible jars—a lot, even for a daily peanut butter eater. So, to ensure no spoonful goes uneaten, I'll be featuring peanut butter in my baked goods for the next few months. I'm not complaining. 

     This recipe, devised in the middle of the night due to lingering jet lag, features both PB&C Mighty Maple and Smooth Operator (classic creamy) peanut butter. The authentic maple flavor, combined with Sweet Cinnamon Cool Whip, gives the parfait a bit of an autumnal taste. I know, it's springtime, but you won't mind the cool-weather vibe once you taste the rich, creamy flavor. It's like peanut butter pie with a whole new dimension.

Maple Cinnamon Peanut Butter Pie Parfaits

What you need
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3.5 Tbsp butter, melted
6.5 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup Peanut Butter & Co. Mighty Maple peanut butter

½ cup creamy peanut butter

¾ cup sugar

2 cups Sweet Cinnamon Cool Whip* 
Cinnamon


*You can also use regular Cool Whip, mixed with ½ to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. 

Put it all together

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, and press into a 9" square baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
3. Thoroughly combine the cream cheese, both types of peanut butter, sugar, and 1 ½ cups of the Cool Whip. 
4. Break up the graham mixture until crumbly. Spread about a tablespoon of the crumbs in the bottom of a parfait glass,* then layer the peanut butter mixture on top. Continue alternating the graham and peanut butter mixtures until the glass is full. The top layer should be the peanut butter mixture. 
5. Use a small ice cream scoop to place a dollop of Cool Whip on top of the parfait. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Repeat in additional parfait glasses.

*I used brandy glasses.