Happy Halloween Sugar Cookies

As much as I hate to admit it, this only-posting-on-the-very-last-day-of-the-month thing is becoming more common than I would like. This month it works out okay though because it's Halloween today!! I know there were a ton of cute creative Halloween projects that I missed out on, but one that I had always wanted to try was homemade sugar cookies. I've never really been a fan of eating them because the ones that I have had were way too sugary and sweet even for me, but I thought I'd give them a shot anyway because they look like fun to make. I also had a bit of an ulterior motive in making these cookies because I had volunteered to make some cross shaped cookies for my God daughter's Baptism and I wanted to bake a practice round first. With Halloween coming up, I figured they would be the perfect theme for my first batch of sugar cookies. I had a lot of fun making them and they weren't too detailed for a first time cookie decorator.

So here's what I discovered about making sugar cookies: it takes a loooooonnnnggg time!!!! Of course I learned more than that, but that is the main thing I realized after my 10 straight hours of cookie baking/decorating. After this experience, I have a whole new respect for Glorious Treats, which is where I got the base for all of my recipes and tips for this project. She always has beautiful, creative sugar cookies, but I can only imagine how many hours she spends in her kitchen!  Don't get me wrong though; I enjoyed being able to pour so much love & care into creating sugar cookies because it takes a good bit of time and patience.

With so many carefully decorated cookies on hand, Jimmy & I took some to our next door neighbors to introduce ourselves since a couple of them were new to the neighborhood. I also sent some to friends and family, and they held up surprisingly well through UPS. Unfortunately, I will admit I ate about a half dozen myself...and they were definitely more "treat" than "trick!" I cut back the sugar in the icing recipe and they turned out to be the perfect sweetness for my taste. Since it may be a little late to make these for Halloween, you can use the same recipes for some fun Thanksgiving themed cookies or of course for some cheery Christmas ones. Like it or not, the holidays are here and you can celebrate each one with sugar cookies!

Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract
Parchment paper

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer (using the paddle attachment if you have it or if not just the regular beater whisks) cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy or about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat another minute or so. Slowly add the flour mixture and use a spatula to scrape the sides as needed. Blend until all of the flour is incorporated and the dough begins to form a ball. Take out the dough and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Knead the dough a few times with your hands and separate it into 2 pieces. Wrap each piece in parchment paper and place the dough in a large Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes. You may want to set a timer if placing it in the freezer as it will take a few hours to defrost if it gets too frozen. Even after pulling it out of the fridge, it will need to sit for about an hour before it's pliable enough to work with. Once the dough is about ready to roll out preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Stagger the time (about 1-2 hours apart) you take each half out of the fridge to keep the dough at the right temperature. Roll out dough to 1/3 inch thickness & cut out shapes. 

Once your tray is full of similar sized cookies, place it in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes right before going into the oven so that they'll keep their shape. Decorate with Royal Icing.

Recipe source: Glorious Treats

Royal Icing Recipe

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons Meringue Powder
3 cups powdered sugar
6 Tablespoons warm water

1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Make sure all bowls and utensils are totally grease-free to ensure icing sets properly. Beat all ingredients until stiff peaks form. Divide white icing into individual bowls and add food coloring. Transfer into piping bags or squeeze bottles and decorate with love!

Recipe adapted from Glorious Treats. Visit her site for in-depth tutorials about cookie decorating and more creative sugar cookie ideas.

Super Simple Weekend Frittata

Whew, I got a September post in just before October 1! Talk about waiting til the last minute...
Oh the shame in not making more regular posts! I hate to say "I've been sooo busy!"...so I won't. I WILL say that I'm so happy about the season change and am really looking forward to making lots of fall dishes. My favorite holiday of the year is Thanksgiving because of course I love to cook, but it's tradition that I make a full Thanksgiving dinner for my immediate family and the gratification of cooking with love for my favorite people in the world is beyond words!
Anyhow, today's recipe is one you could make anytime of year. Frittata's are flexible because the ingredients can be changed up, so you can use whatever is in season at the time. If you've never had a frittata, it's kind of like a scrambled egg pie. You put pretty much the same stuff you might put into an omelette or scramble, but you bake it. I made this one on a whim one Saturday morning and we ate it for breakfast all weekend. I made it a little thin because it would just be Jimmy and me eating it, but I think it would be prettier and would definitely feed more people if it were a little thicker. A thicker frittata can be made by just adding a few extra eggs to the recipe below. This whole meal was made in just one pan as well, so that makes it even more appealing to me because I'm all about avoiding dishes. And Jimmy can attest to that! So if you're looking for a simple breakfast/brunch recipe that will feed you and your sweetheart all weekend long, try this one out!

Feta & Veggie Frittata

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup Egg Beaters
(or use 4 more eggs if you prefer)
1 medium squash, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese (I use fat free, but it's optional)
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
Kosher salt & Course Ground Pepper (or whatever S&P you have on hand)
Handful of shredded cheddar for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute the veggies in a large pan with an oven-safe handle so that you can stick the whole pan in the oven at the end. Use the extra virgin olive oil to coat the pan, mix the veggies in it, add the Italian Seasoning and some salt & pepper. About 1 tablespoon of kosher salt (start with half of that if using regular iodized salt and taste as you go) and about 1 teaspoon or as much pepper as you like. As the veggies cook, beat the eggs, Egg Beaters & feta cheese with a whisk in a separate bowl and add some salt & pepper. Use about the same amount as was used with the vegetables. Remember that it's better to go light on salt and add more as you go if you're not sure.
Once the vegetables start getting soft and slightly translucent add the egg mixture and remove from the burner. Stick the whole pan in the oven for about 15 minutes or until it appears solid throughout. Remove from the oven & sprinkle the cheddar on top. Enjoy!

Juicy Grilled Lemon Chicken...even after Labor Day

Wow! August thirty-whaaaaat?!! I know it is so cliché to use phrases like “time flies” but sometimes it really does feel that way. There were just as many hours in the days of August as there were in July and yet somehow this will be my one and only post for the whole month. Funny thing is that I have cooked more this month, but the difference is the timing and ingredients. You see, I sort of instigated a health challenge amongst my family because we are planning to go on a vacation soon and as I have mentioned more than once, I have put on several L-B’s recently.  So in the interest of stimulating mine and my families’ competitive nature I thought making a challenge out of it might be a fun way to give me some much needed motivation. Thankfully I have been able to get my butt in gear and have been making deliciously healthful meals most nights this month. Unfortunately I haven’t quite figured out a good routine though because Jimmy and I go play tennis once it cools down outside so by the time we get home and I start on dinner it’s super late. Of course I’m famished by the time we actually eat and have no good lighting or patience for taking any pictures and so that’s how it is now August 31 and the whole month has passed without sharing a single recipe.  Today’s concept comes from my main culinary education source, the good old Food Network. Claire Robinson showcased Greek flavors on an episode of Five Ingredient Fix where I stumbled upon a delightful grilled chicken dish that can be made on an outdoor or indoor grill, so you can whip this yummy dish up anytime of year.

Grilled Lemon Chicken

Bone in chicken with skin
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch fresh oregano picked
4 smashed cloves of garlic
Juice of 2 lemons
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper 

Mix together the oil, oregano leaves, garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a bowl. Rinse & pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then place in a ziploc bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and seal the bag, pressing out any excess air. Shake up the bag carefully to distribute the marinade. Allow the chicken to soak in the marinade in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, but not more than about 24 hours or the chicken starts to cook in the acidity of the lemon juice.

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.

Place a grill pan over moderately-high heat until very hot. Place the chicken skin-side down and cook until well browned about 10 minutes making sure not to move it around. Flip the chicken over and cook for another 10 minutes or so. Move the chicken to an oven safe pan and finish cooking in the oven until golden brown and cooked completely. About 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165. For best results, let the chicken rest around 10 minutes outside the oven before serving.

Recipe adapted from Five Ingredient Fix

My Fancy New Kitchen & Plum Cake Dad, really?!

So as I mentioned, my family came to visit me recently right before my kitchen remodel was finished, and from the moment they got here, my Dad was going on about Plum Cake. That was the first time I had ever heard of such a thing, but he was insisting that my Mom used to make it all the time. This would probably be a good time to admit the fact that, my mother does not like to cook. Surprising, I know, but my parents own restaurants, so she has never really had to cook. Since I've never seen a boxed Plum Cake, I was skeptical that my Mom had ever actually made such a thing. My Dad explained that they used to make a boxed Plum Cake and she would bake that and Spice Cake. I definitely remember loving her Spice Cake, but the Plum Cake is still debatable. Anyhow, my Dad had found a Plum Cake recipe in the local newspaper along with a bag of black plums and we got to work. At first, it sounded weird to me, but after I thought about it, plums are similar to peaches which are in all kinds of delicious desserts. I was a little concerned that the tart skin might not be so appealing, but it actually turned out to be a super moist and flavorful cake without being overly sweet. The skin actually added a beautiful color to the cake as well, so needless to say, I was delighted with the final result. Good call Dad! :)

Now, about the kitchen...I love it!! My sweet husband worked so hard to get it done as soon as possible because he knew how much I would miss it, but I don't think he realized how much he would miss my cooking until we were eating out every night. As you can see, we upgraded the counter tops, added a back splash, got a new microwave, a new sink & faucet and repainted all of the kitchen cabinets. I'll admit it was kind of a pain in the ass even though Jimmy did most of the work, but just dealing with the mess was a hassle in itself. Thankfully, it turned out to be totally worth it because I think it looks absolutely beautiful. I may just have to make his favorite meal in heels and something cute to repay him! ;)

Plum Cake Recipe:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon iodized salt
about 7 black plums, cut off the ends of each (like the piece in the pic) then pit, peel & chop the rest
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, dust with flour and tap out the excess. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients with the butter mixture. Take the peeled & chopped plum flesh and fold it into the batter. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Arrange plum butts cut side down on top of the batter. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the cake is lightly browned on top. Note that the plum butts will sink into the cake, that's supposed to happen. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Cool for 30 more minutes, then dust with the powdered sugar and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from San Antonio Express Newpaper

My favorite taste testers and biggest fans! 

One Pot + 7 Ingredients = Chicken Tacos

Tacos, tacos, tacos!!

It was such a nice surprise having my family come visit Jimmy & me last weekend, but I was a little bummed that my kitchen still wasn't fully restored from the remodel. As of today, however, the kitchen is complete! I'm thrilled at the way it turned out all thanks to my super hard working hubby and will be sharing pics soon. 
Having my whole family here at home with me doesn't happen too often, so it made me happy which in turn made me want to feed them! With my cooking stuff spread out between the guest room and the garage, I knew I would have to make simple meals that wouldn't require too many dishes or gadgets. I had a bunch of chicken thigh meat in the freezer, so with some other ingredients I had on hand, I was able to make these hearty tacos without much fuss. I just threw everything in my trusty dutch oven & let it cook while I joined my Mom & sister for a day of shopping. We came home to a house that smelled of Mexican deliciousness and all chowed down! So next time your loved ones visit you at home, whip up this easy dish that will have them wanting to visit you more often!

My sweet baby nephew so wanted to get his little hands on these, so you know they were good!!

Isn't my taco holder neat? I got it as gift for our 5th wedding anniversary from a long time friend & I love it!

Ingredients
1 pound boneless chicken thigh or breast meat
1 can diced tomatoes with chiles
(I used Rotel-Hot)
1/2 large yellow onion, sliced up
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf (I prefer using fresh when possible)
3 tablespoons chicken taco seasoning
(or your own combination of cumin, garlic & chili powders)
Handful of fresh chopped cilantro
Kosher salt & course ground black pepper (Which don't count as "ingredients" since they go in practically everything!)

To make the chicken taco meat, either use a slow cooker or a heavy pot with a lid like my lovely red dutch oven. Add full chicken thighs or breasts, the can of tomatoes with juice, the onion slices, chicken stock, bay leaf & taco seasoning in the pot. Liberally (at least one tablespoon each) add the kosher salt & pepper then stir it all together to combine. Put the lid on the pot and place it in the oven at 300 degrees for about 2-3 hours. If you need it to cook longer, say you want to throw it in early then use it for dinner, lower the temp to about 200. My oven has a slow cook function that can be set at either low or high, so that's what I used. Once the chicken is almost done, add the cilantro so it keeps that nice green color and bright flavor. (I didn't add much because my Mom's not a fan, so you can't see much of it in the pic.) Of course you can also just toss it in with the other ingredients at the beginning if you want. Be sure to taste the meat once it's cooked to be sure the flavor is good. Remember you can always add salt, but too much will ruin your hard work.

Once the meat has cooked down so much it falls apart on its own, it is done. Stir it around to break up any big chunks, but it shouldn't take much effort for the chicken to break down into stringy pieces like in the pics. Take out the bay leaf and drain the meat well if there is still a lot of juice before serving. 

Corn tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream & shredded cheese obviously put the ingredients well over 7 items, but these are all things that can be switched up to make the dish your own. For example, try crema oaxaquena or crema fresca instead of sour cream. They are a bit sweeter and add more depth to the flavors of Mexican dishes, especially spicy ones. Or add avocado if you don't like cream. You can also try using queso fresco or cotija cheese instead of shredded cheddar, which are crumbly white cheeses that are also used in Mexican cuisine. If you're trying to limit your carb intake, use butter lettuce leaves to make chicken lettuce wraps. Ooo, good idea Jackie! I'm gonna have to do that next time since I need to get serious about shedding these extra ten pounds I've gained this year. Especially considering it's only July! *sigh* :-/

Patriotic Red Velvet Blueberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

I loved the way the liners were dyed from the Red Velvet and blueberries. They have this cool tie-dye effect that's very patriotic!

With the fourth of July falling midweek this year, people celebrated earlier or later than usual and I was no exception. I chose the early route because the sooner I can get a day off always seems to be better these days. I opted to travel to my hometown to spend time with my family and get out of my work-in-progress house for a bit. Things are coming along quite nicely with the remodel though, as I can now access everything I need to cook. There are still a couple of last steps left for it to be camera ready, so stay tuned! 

It was good as usual to see my family, but it had been way too long since I'd seen my sweet nephew. He was so much bigger than he was just a short month ago! I try to spend as much time as possible with him because he changes so much every time I see him. We enjoyed a little time in the pool and he seemed to like kicking around in his little baby float. Due to the kitchen remodel, we had to head home earlier than expected, so unfortunately, I didn't actually make these goodies until I was back at home.

Making too many of these sweets without having enough people to unload them on is a dangerous thing in our house. I have eaten one almost everyday since the fourth...yikes! It's really showing now too, so I may just have to implement a limit of one baked good per week. :(

Red Velvet Blueberry Cheesecake Cupcake Recipe

Let me start by admitting that I used a boxed Red Velvet Cake mix...oh, the shame! Well I'm not exactly a professional baker as you know, and I haven't experimented much with red velvet yet. I thought of this combination kinda last minute too, so I didn't have all day to get it right. Anyways, if you have a great red velvet recipe, definitely use that instead of the box mix, but they are still pretty darn good!

1 box of your choice of Red Velvet Cake, mix with ingredients as instructed.
24 vanilla wafers or graham crackers cutout with round cookie cutter to fit in baking cups

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt (I used Oikos)
2 large egg whites
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup blueberries

Heat oven to 350°. Line cupcake tin with liners. Place a vanilla wafer or small graham cracker cutout at the bottom of each liner.

Gently beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth using an electric mixer. Gradually beat in fat free yogurt, egg whites, and flour. Do not over beat. Gently fold in the fresh blueberries and scoop mixture into cupcake liners filling about one third of the liners. Smooth the mixture to provide a somewhat level surface for the next layer.

Now, scoop a layer of red velvet mix over the cheesecake mixture. Fill liners a little over 2/3 full and bake about 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool on cooling rack for about 15 minutes then transfer to fridge. Chill for at least an hour before frosting.

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. heavy cream

1 cup blueberries for garnish

Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar a little at a time until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Be sure to taste the frosting as you add the sugar to ensure it does not become too sweet for your taste. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired and top with fresh blueberries.

Kitchen Purgatory Pot Roast

Aaaaahhhhhh!!! I'm having kitchen withdrawls! Look at my poor oven. 

How could I not have seen this coming? Of course a kitchen remodel sounds glamorous, but as you can see from this picture, the process is far from glamour of any sort! I hate to sound like such a whiney baby considering Jimmy has done most of the hard manual labor, but it has taken a toll on both of us and it's looking like we will need to endure it for another week or so. Thankfully, we really don't argue much in general, but this project really has me pushing his buttons just as effortlessly as I type this posting. I'm not trying to aggravate him, but sometimes I'm just so darn good at it! Plus, it's easy to get sassy when everything is covered in dust, it's over 100 degrees outside and you can't turn on the AC and especially when you can't access the fridge for a drink or snack. Hopefully this madness will get wrapped up soon because I'm looking forward to whipping up something scrumptious for my hard-working hubby in my upgraded kitchen!

The first night this whole remodel debacle started, we had committed to taking dinner over to a friends house as they had just moved into a new home and had their first baby. With so much to celebrate, I really wanted to take them something comforting and delicious, yet low maintenance considering the circumstances in the kitchen. So I opted for a pot roast. It has a pretty broad appeal and is easy to transport. Dessert was also a must, so I also baked up some of my Brownie Cookies to go along with dinner. Although it was a bit of a hassle running back and forth to the guest room to grab cookware & ingredients, it was definitely worth it to support our friends at such an exciting time in their lives. So if you get brave and decide to undergo a kitchen remodel...well, you're probably just gonna wanna go out to eat! ;) But if you have a good dutch oven (or Crock Pot), you can still turn out some delicious low hassle meals to share with people you love.

Beef, carrots & potatoes is a hard combination to beat, although I guess it coulda used something green. Ha! The plate! ;)

This is what was left of that delicious dinner all cooked right in my fun red dutch oven.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (about 3 lb) boneless chuck roast or shoulder roast
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 white or yellow onion, roughly sliced
3 garlic cloves, smashed

1 cup red wine (and the rest of the bottle to drink!)
1 1/2 cups low sodium beef stock
2 bay leaves
1 cup baby carrots
2 pounds (about 8-10) small red potatoes, quartered
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350º.
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chuck roast with salt and pepper. Add roast to pan; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Add onion to pan; sauté 3-5 minutes or until tender. Add the red wine, thyme sprigs, smashed garlic cloves, beef stock and bay leaves to pan; bring to a simmer. Cover pot and bake at 350° for 1 1/2 hours or until the roast is almost tender.
Add carrots and potatoes to pan. Cover and bake an additional 1-2 hours or until vegetables are tender. If you're pressed for time, boil the potatoes & carrots in another pan for about 10 minutes so that they are partially cooked before tossing them in the dutch oven with the meat. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf from pan & discard before serving. Serve roast with vegetable mixture and cooking liquid. Cheers!

Simple Summer Salad (since my kitchen's kinda outta commission)

This would be a great salad to prepare for July 4th celebrations because it's fresh & light and super easy to put together.

This week I spent several nights out of town for some work meetings I had and when I checked in with my husband one night he casually mentioned that he had removed all the cabinet doors as well as everything stored in the kitchen cabinets. "Huh??!!!" was all I could say...at first, but like most women, I'm rarely speechless when it comes to words for my other half. Once I visualized my kitchen with empty cabinets it led me to picture how all of the stuff that was in there might look sprawled out all over the guest room where it had been relocated. And that's where I started to get concerned. Thankfully, Jimmy was very thoughtful in keeping all items moved out of the cabinets well organized in boxes, so right now the situation is about as good as it can be given the circumstances. We had talked about remodeling the kitchen, but I guess I hadn't fully thought through the inconvenience of it. So, as you can imagine, I haven't been too eager to work on really anything in the kitchen this weekend unfortunately. Since I have been limited in the use of the kitchen, I wanted to share a simple idea for a fresh summer salad that's pretty easy to throw together. You could tailor this salad to include any combination of fruit & nuts (blueberries and walnuts sounds good too!) that you enjoy, so use this concept and get creative to serve up a fresh and healthy dish for you and your loved ones this summer.

Strawberries in salads was a pairing that I didn't used to find appealing, but it didn't take long for me to appreciate the somewhat unlikely combination. This particular recipe brings together the sweet and fleshy texture of the strawberries with the crispy, salty bacon and pungent, creamy bleu cheese. Yumm!

Strawberry Bacon Spinach Salad Recipe
Serves about 4-6 people as a pre-dinner or side salad
About 8-10 slices bacon
1 bag Baby Spinach
1 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup bleu cheese crumbles
1 cup pecan halves (chopped pecans work too, but I prefer larger pieces)
Honey mustard salad dressing (I like Newman's Own Light Honey Mustard)

I like to start most of my salad recipes by putting my glass salad plates in the freezer. It's something many restaurants do to help keep your salad cold and taste fresh. Even if you don't remember until you're almost ready to serve, just a few minutes in the freezer is enough to create the same effect.


If bacon is precooked, move onto the next step, but if not, cook the bacon in the oven. It is easier and cooks the bacon to the perfect crispiness. Spread the slices out on a foil-lined cookie sheet (to make clean up easier) then place in the oven at 375 degrees for about 12-15 min or until brown and crisp. Once the bacon is done remove from pan, place on paper towels to absorb excess grease and let cool. Chop up bacon once it has cooled.


Make sure baby spinach is well rinsed and place in a large salad bowl. Toss in sliced strawberries, bleu cheese crumbles and pecans. Top with chopped bacon and serve on chilled plates with honey mustard dressing on the side.

As you can see I only have a few super important items left in my cabinets like a bottle of wine with glasses and my cheap little coffee maker on the bottom shelf next to the oven. This is the before picture, but hopefully the after picture will include granite counter tops, a new stainless over-the-range microwave and freshly painted cabinets. It's not exactly a gourmet kitchen, but it's all I need to produce some tasty treats.

My Brownie Cookie Love Affair

These brownie cookies were sooo irresistible that one bite turned into two, then three and...well look at the almost empty glass of milk! 

 I'm not much of a cookie girl when it comes to my favorite sweets, but these brownie cookies have stolen my heart! Brownies have always been a go-to item when I want an indulgent and comforting treat, so I had high hopes for this new take on them. To say these sweeties delivered on their promise would be an understatement considering that I have already made them 3 times and really had to contain myself each time. I will admit though, that the second time I made them I wasn't as impressed. As it turns out, using unenriched, unbleached flour was the downfall of the second batch even though they were still pretty good. The unbleached flour gave the cookies a more crunchy texture that felt kinda dry to me in comparison to the rich, chewy texture of the first & third batches.
So, if you like a crunchy cookie, try unenriched,
unbleached flour, but if you like the soft & moist texture of say, the middle brownie of a batch, than go with unenriched, bleached flour. It still has a slight crunch on the edges that give it that cookie feel, but the inside is so soft and almost fudgey yet not too sweet. I could go on and on about the deliciousness of these treats, but the more I describe them and drool over these pics, the more I am tempted to make another batch! As it is, my thoughtful hubby had to practically pry a dozen from my death grip to take to his coworkers so we wouldn't gain five pounds over the weekend. I love to share my creations with them, but I will admit that it was hard to part with these this time. Actually, I'm starting to worry that with all of the goodies I've been experimenting with lately, I may have to skip out on any summer activities that involve wearing a swimsuit in public this year! Believe me, it'll be a small price to pay, so do yourself (or a loved one) a favor and bake these gems today!

Thank goodness I would be seeing my brother the week I made these so I could unload all these tempting treats on him!

Brownie Cookie Recipe

½ cup butter
4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 cups (18 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (I recommend unenriched, bleached flour which is most common)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup roughly chopped walnuts (optional)

Combine butter, unsweetened chocolate, and 1 ½ cups chocolate chips in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter and chocolate melt (will be slightly thick). Let cool while separately you combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl, set aside.

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer. Lower speed and gradually add dry ingredients to egg mixture. Then add the chocolate mixture and beat well. Stir in remaining 1 ½ cups chocolate chips and walnuts.

Scoop dough (should resemble thick cake batter) onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper about 1 inch apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-14 minutes. Carefully remove cookies from baking sheets leaving them on the parchment paper and transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from Pure and Yummy

Banana Bread with Walnuts...and maybe Peanut Butter Frosting

So I know this isn't what you picture when you think "Banana Bread," but the Peanut Butter frosting added a rich & creamy layer of flavor that pairs so well with the banana.

 It was a rainy, somewhat gloomy day and I felt like baking something new that would be good to snack on but wasn't too sweet. Banana bread sounded like the perfect treat and it was something I had never made before, so I decided to give it a try. When I Googled it, I looked at several recipes and decided to go with this Food Network one because it looked pretty simple and didn't involve too many ingredients. It smelled so delicious in the oven and filled the house with a sweet banana scent that started to make Jimmy a little impatient. After pulling it out of the oven, he said "I want extra frosting on mine," and I explained that banana bread traditionally doesn't get frosted. I told him I didn't have the ingredients to make a frosting right then, so he opened the fridge and pulled out the leftover Peanut Butter Frosting I had used in my Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes a few days before and said "what about this one?" At first I thought, "yeah, but that one is peanut butter," and then it clicked...peanut butter & banana is such a great combination! What a genius my husband is! I just used a round cookie cutter (or small glass) to cut out little cake rounds, piped the frosting on & topped it with a fresh banana slice. It was such a rich flavor pairing with the frosting, so the fact that it is small works out perfectly. On its own though, I could (ok, so maybe "did" is more accurate) eat slice after slice of this delightfully comforting treat at breakfast, lunch or dinner...yikes!

This banana bread is so moist and perfect served as is without any extras.  The crunchiness of the walnuts adds a nice variety to the texture and the heartiness of it makes it truly comforting. 

If you want to step it up a bit, pipe some Peanut Butter Frosting on top and you have a lovely little dessert.

 Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for preparing the pan
1 cup sugar
3 very ripe bananas, peeled, and mashed with a fork (about 1 cup)
1 cup toasted walnut pieces (use less or omit walnuts to suit your taste)

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup with a spout, set aside. Lightly brush a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled, so don't worry), and remove the bowl from the mixer.

With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack. Wrap in plastic wrap. The banana bread is best if served the next day but of course we ate a few slices immediately. If you like crusty pieces though, don't wrap it in plastic because it gets very soft.

Recipe adapted from Food Network Kitchens

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup smooth peanut butter (I used a honey peanut butter)

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon heavy cream (or milk)

Beat the butter until smooth. Add the cream cheese, and continue to beat until smooth and fully combined with the butter. Add the peanut butter and beat until well combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue to mix until the frosting is smooth. Add in the cream, and beat another 30 seconds. Frost cakes with piping bag & top with a fresh banana slice immediately before serving to avoid turning brown.

Frosting Recipe adapted from Glorious Treats

Chocolate Fruit & Nut Granola for light snacking...think summertime & swimsuits!

I have been making variations of this recipe for a few months now ever since I saw an episode of Giada at Home on Food Network, but this particular recipe has turned out to be my favorite. I had always wanted to try making my own granola and as it turns out, it's pretty easy. The hardest part about making it is gathering the ingredients, which looks like a long list, but it is so good altogether that I wouldn't want to leave any of these ingredients out. My next experiment with granola will definitely include peanut butter though, so stay tuned!

This is a double batch of nuts before they are roasted, but you can pretty much include any nuts that you like. If you've never experimented with these nuts though, I highly recommend them. I never knew I liked flax seed until I started making this, and pumpkin seeds have really grown on me too!

It should look kinda like this after you've mixed all the ingredients and baked it. I love that this recipe is so easy to tailor to your personal preferences because you can change the variety of fruits & nuts as you wish.  

So the mini chocolate chips I used look weird because I had them in my car and they all melted into one big chunk! I just carefully stabbed at the chunk with a knife to break it back down into small pieces and sprinkled it all over. I also used white chocolate chips to add some color, and because more chocolate is never a bad thing! Make sure to add the chocolate chips just when the granola is pulled out of the oven so that the warmth slightly melts the chocolate into place. Of course if you want a more healthy version you could just omit the chocolate chips altogether...womp, womp!! : (

I managed to make some pretty good looking bars for some fairly nice pictures, but truth be told, they don't actually hold up like this so well. They fall apart really easily because they're more soft and chewy, but maybe I just got over eager and didn't let them cool long enough before cutting them. Either way, they are delicious and sort of addicting probably because they're kinda healthy so I subconsciously allow myself to keep stuffing more in my mouth! 

This whole batch only lasts about a week in my pantry because my hubs and I munch on it for an early morning to late night snack. It's definitely more figure-friendly than the amazing banana bread I recently made that seems to be perfect at any time of day as well.

 Chocolate Fruit & Nut Granola Recipe

1 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds

1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice (not cranberry cocktail)
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup brown sugar (I used dark brown because it's what I had, but dark or light should work fine)
1/4 cup agave nectar (I used Amber, but dark should work too)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup roughly chopped roasted, lightly salted almonds
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots*
1/3 cup dried mixed berries*
2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Optional:
1/2 cup of mini milk chocolate chips (I used Tollhouse)
1/2 cup of white chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli)


-Start with roasting the pumpkin, flax & sunflower seeds at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes keeping a close eye (and nose because you'll smell the nuttiness) on them so they don't burn. While this is working, you can chop up your almonds & dried apricots.
-In a small saucepan, bring the cranberry juice, orange juice, brown sugar, agave & cinnamon to a simmer. Stir it regularly and you should notice it thicken just a little bit.
-In a large mixing bowl, add the oatmeal, salt, toasted nuts, almonds, apricots & berries. Mix together well with the cranberry juice reduction and spread onto a baking sheet coated with a non-stick spray.
-Bake granola for about 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown. Sprinkle on chocolate chips soon after removing from the oven. Allow time to cool before cutting & removing from pan. Store in an airtight container for up to a week or so.

*Note: When choosing dried fruit, check the ingredients to be sure there is no added sugar because it adds unnecessary calories and sweetness for this application. I used some local dried fruit from Nature's Eats (www.texasnut.com) found in it's own little section within produce at HEB.

Heavenly Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

Jimmy and I were in cupcake heaven with these rich Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes today. The chocolate cake is so moist and the frosting is not too sweet (with some adjustments to the recipe). I only wish my brother could have one because he and I have a long history of love with Reese's. Pieces mostly, but cups were a close second. I remember he loved getting the bag of Reese's peanut butter baking chips and still does now. Hopefully we will live closer some day, but for now, I have another excuse to bake these bad boys next time I go home to visit. The combination of chocolate and peanut butter tends to be a favorite of men in general, so this would be the perfect dessert for Father's Day!

This cake is so rich you'll almost NEED a glass of milk to wash it down with!

What the heck am I gonna do with all of these tempting treats?!

It starts out so innocent, but before you know it you've got a sweet new addiction!

Chocolate Cupcakes
(makes 24-27 standard sized cupcakes)

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (best quality available)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (best quality available)
1 cup boiling water

Directions-
1. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Heat oven to 350*F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for one minute.
4. Stir in boiling water (the batter will be very thin, don't worry, this is right).
5. Fill liners about 3/4 full with batter.
6. Bake cupcakes for approximately 18-20 minutes.
7. Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.



Peanut Butter Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup smooth peanut butter (I used a honey peanut butter)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon heavy cream (or milk)

Beat the butter until smooth. Add the cream cheese, and continue to beat until smooth and fully combined with the butter. Add the peanut butter and beat until well combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue to mix until the frosting is smooth. Add in the cream, and beat another 30 seconds. Frost cupcakes with piping bag & top with Reese's Mini Cups or Reese's Pieces.

Frosting Recipe adapted from Glorious Treats
Cupcakes Recipe Adapted from Hershey's

Cute Little Watermelon Jello Shots

The jello shot has become even more fun recently with all of the creative ideas circulating the web. I saw this one on a dessert blog I have been enjoying lately called Erica Sweet Tooth. They were a bit labor intense due to the gutting of the limes, but I think they turned out pretty adorable.

A helpful tip is using a mini muffin pan to hold the lime halves in place like this while they set in the fridge. This also works well when using strawberries instead of lime rinds because if the jello seeps out it stays contained in the pan and you can scoop it back into the strawberry when it becomes solid. (You can see a little of the strawberries on the very top of the picture above.)

Watermelon Shaped Strawberry Limeade Jello Shots
Idea adapted from That's So Michelle
Recipe yields about 40 wedges

10 limes, pulp removed
1 box Strawberry Jello (or use any other red flavor)
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cold Strawberry vodka (or whatever flavor you like)
Black colored food gel

-Halve limes and use a melon baller to juice limes and pull the pulp from the rind. My approach in doing this was to juice them, pull out the pulp and then gently turn them inside out to scrape out as much of the white skin as possible. That white skin is what tastes bitter, so the more you can remove the less bitter flavor your jello shots will have. Place lime halves in mini muffin pan empty side up.
- In a separate bowl, add 1 cup of boiling water to the Jello powder and stir for 2 minutes until fully dissolved.
- Stir in a cup of cold strawberry (or regular) vodka.
- Pour mixture into lime halves, filling all the way to the top.
- Chill Jello-limes in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully cut each lime half in half again, making wedges.
- Paint on watermelon seeds with colored food gel.


As I mentioned above, I also tried some strawberry filled jello shots which were more tasty to eat, but a little tricky to make. You have to trim the tips to get them to stand upright & if you take too much off the bottom, the liquid jello will spill out before it sets. They basically looked like the picture below, but filled with the jello shot recipe above. (Using the mini muffin pans will really help.) My sister (in-law) Judy had a simple recipe for Strawberry Cheesecake Bites that were another delicious way to use strawberries as a fun little edible vessel. Try these for a guaranteed home run at your next summer gathering.

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites
from Nutmeg Nanny

Ingredients:
1 lb large strawberries
8 oz. cream cheese, softened (can use 1/3 less fat)
3-4 tbsp powdered sugar (4 tbsp for a sweeter filling)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Graham cracker crumbs

Directions:
-Rinse strawberries and cut the tops off. Carefully scoop out insides with a melon baller and trim the bottoms to create a flat surface so the berries stand upright. Prep all strawberries and set aside.
-In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy
-Add cream cheese mix to a piping bag or ziploc with the corner snipped off.
-Fill strawberries with cheesecake mixture. Once strawberries are filled, sprinkle tops with graham cracker crumbs. You can also drizzle a little melted white or milk chocolate over the tops to dress them up some more.
-If not serving immediately, refrigerate until serving.

A Sweet Memorial Day Treat

My brother is an EMT and recently he had to go on a pretty scary unofficial call when my grandma got sick and passed out in his arms. Since he's very good at what he does, he just got to work and took care of the matter at hand, so she got proper care in time and is doing well today. But, this gave me a whole new respect for how brave some people really have to be in their everyday jobs when it comes to the responsibility of protecting & serving people of our country. I know for sure that I am not capable of contributing to society in this way, so thankfully I have a few other gifts to share. Thank God for our men and women of the military, public servants and their strong families. This fresh and easy dessert would be a great way to show appreciation for the heroes in your lives this holiday weekend.

My version of the Red, White and Blueberry Cheesecake Yogurt Cupcakes I saw on Pinterest from wwww.Skinnytaste.com.

This fresh little dessert is perfect for summer celebrations.

See the little Nilla cookie as the crust.

Happy Memorial Day! Thank God for all the people who serve our country at home & abroad.

Red, White and Blueberry Cheesecake Cupcakes
 Recipe adapted from: Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 12 • Serving Size: 1 cupcake • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 98 • Fat: 4.3 g • Protein: 3.6 g • Carb: 10.5 g • Fiber: 0.3 g • Sugar: 7.6 g
Sodium: 29.5 mg
(Not including whipped cream topping.)

Cheesecakes:

• 12 reduced fat vanilla wafers or graham crackers trimmed down to fit in baking cups
• 8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 6 oz fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt (I used Oikos)
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 8 oz strawberries, hulled and sliced thin
• 8 oz blueberries

Whipped Cream Topping:

• 8 oz heavy whipping cream
• 2/3 cup confection sugar
• 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract 

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°.

Line cupcake tin with liners. Place a vanilla wafer or small graham cracker  at the bottom of each liner.

Gently beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth using an electric mixer. Gradually beat in fat free yogurt, egg whites, and flour. Do not over beat. Pour into cupcake liners filling half way.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool to room temperature then chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

For topping, place stainless steel bowl & mixer attachments in the freezer for about 10 minutes while you clean and cut fruit. Take the heavy cream and use the cold bowl to whip the cream with a whisk in standing or handheld mixer. Just as it starts to get thick, slowly add the sugar and vanilla extract until cream gets stiff. Take care not to over-beat the cream as it quickly goes from smooth to curdy. Like mine, even if it doesn't turn out smooth it should still taste pretty good. Place whipped cream in a plastic piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes. Arrange berries on freshly applied whipped cream using the design I used or get creative with your own. You could also use any other fruit to top these cheesecakes like peaches, cherries or bananas. They would actually be pretty good anytime of the year.