Birthday Cake Oreo Rice Krispie Treats

Oreo celebrated its 100th birthday yesterday! WOW! What an accomplishment, and surely a reason to get in the kitchen and enjoy some of the wonderful cookies that have thrived in our industrialized society through all of our economic ups and downs for a century.

If you know me, you know that Oreos are one of my favorite store-bought treats. They take me to a simpler time, spending many a childhood afternoon dipping these cream-filled chocolate cookies into small cups of milk, timing it just perfectly so that the cookie was removed from the milk mere seconds before breaking off completely, only to be lost in a sea of speckled white. Ahhh, the good old days....

My grandma got me hooked on these bad boys, and I enjoy giving them to our kids every so often as a bedtime snack (usually one I partake in, too!). For the most part, Double Stuf are my go-to variation, but I also have really come to enjoy the Mint Oreos, as well. I have several recipes already posted that utilize Oreos in some form or another, so feel free to browse through those, too, to find your perfect way to celebrate your love for Oreos. By the way, if you don't love Oreos, just stop reading now. This one is probably not for you!

I had heard about the Birthday Cake Oreos, but had yet to try them until yesterday. They really are a party in your mouth! I had a hard time reserving enough of them to actually use in the recipe, but after hastily chopping them up, it was much easier to resist.

I saw a recipe similar to this one on Culinary Concoctions by Peabody. She is always coming up with innovative and sinful treats; you definitely need to check out her blog if you haven't already. Her version inspired mine, which I will now tell you about!

Birthday Cake Oreo Rice Krispie Treats

- 1/2 cup butter
- 18 oz. miniature marshmallows
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Rainbow Chip cake mix
- 8 cups Rice Krispies
- 16 Birthday Cake Oreos, finely chopped

For the topping:
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup Rainbow Chip Frosting
- 3-4 Birthday Cake Oreos, crushed
- 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

1. Spray a 9x13" pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, melt butter. Stir in 18 oz. marshmallows, vanilla, and Rainbow Chip Cake Mix, mixing well until smooth and creamy. Stir in the Rice Krispies and the chopped Birthday Cake Oreos until well-combined. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan, using wax paper if necessary to evenly press the Rice Krispie treats into the bottom of the pan.
3. Place white chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 20 second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Immediately stir in Rainbow Chip frosting, crushed cookies, and remaining marshmallows. "Spread" over the top of the Rice Krispie treats.
4. Let set for 30 minutes or until topping is set. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

These bars are seriously Ah-Mazing.... They combine so many of my favorite childhood treats into one, deliciously fantastic dessert. One of the things I love the most about these Birthday Cake Oreo Rice Krispie Treats is the fact that, even though all of the ingredients come together to create an incredible, cohesive dish, the integrity of each individual component remains largely intact, and you can truly enjoy each ingredient for what it brings to the overall flavor palate. And, to make them even better, they are beyond soft with just a perfect amount of gooey-ness to allow for enjoyment with mess!

The classic Rice Krispie Treat, the Birthday Cake Oreo, and the Rainbow Chip birthday cake are all in attendance at this party, and you truly don't want to miss out! I definitely recommend that you make these SOON! Especially if you love Oreos. Celebrate their accomplishment and appreciate some stability in an ever-changing world- spread some cookie love!

Layer upon layer of birthday treat perfection... I am so making these for Brooklyn's birthday party at daycare this month! 

Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge Cream Cheese Cake Bars

Every so often, a recipe catches my eye that sounds so beyond perfection that I must make it immediately. Now that I am attempting to limit my "over-indulgence," I really have to exercise self-control more often than not for my waistline's sake. Following as many other food blogs as I do, in addition to my regular Pinterest browsing, makes this task seem impossible at times, as I sit with my mouth watering in front of my computer and try to convince myself that "it can't be THAT good..."

Well, no matter how many times I tried to tell myself this when I saw these bars on Cookies and Cups, I could never quite convince myself. I obsessed over them for a little under a week when I finally caved and hurried to the store, head hung in shame, to gather the few additional ingredients I needed to undertake my baking endeavors. I needed my "fix," after only three days of being "on track" with eating better and exercising. The good thing is, although I ultimately gave in, my craving was satisfied and more, as these bars are SO rich that I only needed a very small piece to feel fulfilled. The scale never reflected my weakness! Hooray!

I ended up taking these to book club and also to work to share, as well as the kids (brother included) and Chris, of course, tried them. They were an all-around hit. Everyone was raving about them. Even Chris. I know, right? Now you KNOW that they must be divine, right?

The bottom layer consists of the beloved boxed cake mix vamped up with a few additional ingredients. The middle layer, which is my personal favorite, consists simply of cream cheese mixed with dark chocolate hot fudge sauce. Heaven...on...earth... Top that off with toffee bits and dark chocolate chips, sprinkled with a few of the leftover crumbs from the crust layer and you have yourself and rich, decadent, deliciously and sinfully chocolate dessert that is packed with layer upon layer of indulgence.

If you're anything like me, you are probably already drooling. So without further adieu, I give to you the gift I call Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge Cream Cheese Cake Bars...

Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge Cream Cheese Cake Bars (Adapted from Cookies and Cups)

- 1 18.25 oz. package chocolate cake mix
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp. coffee (or cream/milk would work, too, I just happened to have coffee)
- 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 16 oz. jar Hershey's Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge Sauce
- 2 cups dark chocolate chunks
- 1 cup toffee bits

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" cake pan with foil, leaving enough excess on each end to create handles. Lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, egg, and coffee using your hands. Press all of this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, reserving 1 cup for topping.
3. In the same large bowl, mix together the cream cheese and hot fudge sauce using an electric mixer until creamy and well-blended. Pour over the crust.
4. Sprinkle the dark chocolate chunks and the toffee bits over the cream cheese layer, then sprinkle the reserved crust mixture over the top.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, then cool to room temperature on wire rack, at least 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least three hours, then cut into bars and serve. Store in refrigerator, but these bars are best served at room temperature.


Anyone else find it hard to stay strong when recipes like this are sitting in front of you, staring at you, calling to you and beckoning, just begging to be baked, eaten, and enjoyed???

Southwest Shepherd's Pie

Every so often, I find that it becomes necessary to have a week at the grocery store where we only buy perishable food items and make our meals revolve around the huge supply of non-perishable food we have stocked in the cupboards and pantry. Without this occasional "cleansing ritual," if you will, we would never even make a dent in our stockpile of canned goods, mismatched pastas, and other staples that have collected and compiled over time.

More often than not, these attempts of mine to clear out some room in our cupboards end up in a pretty tasty dish of some sort (sometimes not-experimentation is bound to yield occasional failures), although they are usually so random that my beloved fiance and brother (both of whom have been previously mentioned throughout this blog) refer to them, lovingly of course, as sh*t casserole. Many a dishes have been endearingly termed this, and if Southwest Shepherd's Pie ends up in this category, it is by far the best sh*t casserole I have ever created.

This baked dish is layered with flavors of savory and sweet, with a very subtle spicy sensation, and is absolutely delicious. It will indubitably be a go-to dinner when we plan our weekly menus. It has been promoted past the point of mere cupboard cleaning to deserving its place in our regular dinner rotations.

Here is what you will need:

Southwest Shepherd's Pie (AKA Best Sh*t Casserole Ever)

- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1/2 yellow or sweet onion, chopped
- 1 tsp. garlic paste
- 1 tbsp. EACH chili powder, paprika, and cumin
- 1 tsp. EACH season salt and black pepper
- 6 mini sweet peppers (I used two of each color- red, orange, and yellow, but any combination would be fine), chopped
- 1 10.5-oz can Rotel tomatoes UN-DRAINED
- 1 15-oz black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 7-oz can green chilies
- 1 15-oz can sweet corn, drained
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar -jack cheese mix
- 1 box of honey cornbread mix (plus all ingredients called for on box mix- I used and LOVED Krusteaz-brand)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, cook beef, onion, and garlic paste until beef is cooked through and no longer pink. Drain. Stir in all seasonings, chopped sweet peppers, Rotel tomatoes with juice, black beans, green chilies, and corn. Cook beef mixture for approximately 5-7 minutes, just long enough to slightly soften the peppers and let the flavors develop. Spread meat mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with cheese.
3. In a medium bowl, mix cornbread batter according to instructions on box. After batter has been mixed, spread evenly over the cooked beef mixture.
4. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until cornbread is cooked completely and a toothpick inserted into center comes out mostly clean. Cool for approximately five minutes before serving. If desired, top with fresh salsa and sour cream.

A beautifully layered dish that delivers a ton of flavor

We served this with a simple mixture of Romaine, crushed tortilla chips, and a dressing of fresh salsa and sour cream. It was such a perfect start to a delicious dinner, and all in all, this meal was incredibly well-balanced. 

Do you ever have nights where you just throw everything in the cupboard into a dish and cross your fingers and hope for the best? Sometimes, innovation brings about great things, and this one was definitely an example of that principle at work! 

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Crescent Rolls

I have really been craving cinnamon rolls lately... not sure where the craving came from or how it got stuck in my head, but once it did, it wasn't going anywhere until I satiated it. I knew I would have to break down and make them, but the problem with homemade cinnamon rolls, as delicious as they may be, is the amount of time and effort that sometimes has to go into them in order for them to be genuinely scrumptious. Unfortunately, time is not always a luxury we enjoy at our house between work and three kids to try and keep up with.

I decided that mostly what I was craving was the cinnamon flavor, along with the cream cheese frosting that I prefer my cinnamon rolls to be slathered in. I remembered coming across an idea on Pinterest (if you haven't yet experienced this addiction, I highly suggest you do, but beware, I do NOT use the word addiction lightly here!) where someone had used crescent rolls as the base for their dessert and basically just rolled up whatever they wanted inside and then baked them accordingly. I decided I should try to make that work with a cinnamon roll concept, and so I did. And it was delicious, easy, and quick! Best of all, in spite of the obvious differences between this concoction and a traditional cinnamon roll, they satisfied my craving.

Here is what you will need:

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Crescent Rolls

- 1 can refrigerated Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
- 4 tbsp. butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 tbsp. butter, melted for brushing
- 1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Using a hand mixer or whisk, in a medium bowl combine the 4 tbsp. softened butter and the softened cream cheese until smooth. Mix in 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar, again combining until mixture is smooth and you no longer get the "grittiness" of the sugar granules when tasted.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the 1 tbsp. cinnamon.

Unroll crescent rolls onto a sheet of wax paper to prevent sticking. One at a time, separate the rolls at their perforations. Brush each triangle with melted butter, then sprinkle with the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Spoon roughly 1 tsp. of the cream cheese filling into the middle of the triangle and spread out. Roll the crescent roll according to the package instructions. Place onto prepared baking sheet, then brush the top with more melted butter, and again sprinkle a little of the cinnamon and sugar mixture on top. Repeat until all of the rolls have been filled and rolled.

Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until rolls are lightly golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Spread remaining cream cheese filling over the top for a nice icing-like finish, and enjoy!

The kids went crazy over these, and they were absolutely perfect for a quick Sunday morning breakfast. I served them to the kids with some cinnamon applesauce; they seemed to enjoy the pairing and I felt better about giving them the equivalent of candy for breakfast....ha! Win-win. 

One of the things I think I ended up loving the most about these pseudo cinnamon rolls was how much they ended up being a lot like one of my all-time favorite breakfast/dessert danishes- cream cheese croissants. That is my go-to pasty of choice, and the filling was really very similar to that. The cinnamon added a sweet kiss of flavor to cut through the semi-savory notes of the cream cheese- roll all of that up into a buttery, flaky, crescent roll and you have a really, really tempting dish. Whether you serve these for breakfast, dessert, or dinner party coffee treat, these are sure to impress. 

What other things do you think would pair well rolled up inside of a crescent roll? I am pretty excited about the endless opportunities that this new-found idea may lead to... 

Apple Cinnamon Bread

I have a confession to make... 


Sometimes, my baked creations are far from beautiful... Sometimes, they fall short, leaving me with concave cupcakes and M-shaped loaves of bread. Don't get me wrong, they still taste as beautiful as they SHOULD look, but I am really striving to improve the end quality of my food's appearance. 


Not always easy at 7,220 feet above sea level. The altitude here plays a HUGE factor in my baking, and even sometimes in my cooking, since everything from boiling temperatures to necessary amounts of leavening agents and everything in between is affected by living in the mountainous region of good, old Wyoming. 


With that said, I am still contemplating "forgetting" to include a picture with this post, as this apple-y, cinnamon-y, goodness I like to refer to as bread really looks nothing like a picturesque loaf, just beckoning you to devour it. I will decide and keep you posted...  :-) 


Picture or no picture, I assure you, you really need to try this bread. Make it for a special Saturday evening snack, or, dare I suggest, Sunday morning breakfast. 


I am constantly finding new blogs to adore and idolize, seeing all sorts of pages displaying everything I aspire to be as a food blogger. Two Peas and Their Pod is no exception. That is how I came across this divine-looking recipe, and lucky for me, I had everything I needed to make it on hand.


Here is what you will need:


Apple Cinnamon Bread (recipe slightly adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod)


- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. cloves
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup cinnamon applesauce
- 1 tsp. vanilla 
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups chopped apples, skins removed
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar, 1 tbsp. white sugar, and 1 tsp. cinnamon for topping 


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare an 8"x4" bread loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, sift together the flours, baking soda and baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, combine the eggs, canola oil, cinnamon applesauce, vanilla, and sugar, whisking well until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chopped apples, then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Bake in preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

This bread is moist and really packs a BIG cinnamon punch. If you love cinnamon as much as I do, this recipe will surely please your palate. The cloves really add a hint of essential flavor, but serve more to give the cinnamon flavor an even bigger boost. The chunks of apple add just the right amount of crunch for a nice textural contrast, and they are a sweet surprise when you bite into one in the midst of your moist, cinnamon-y bread.

What is your all-time favorite sweet bread to make?

Stuffed Shells

I recently came upon a fantastic new blog - Iowa Girl Eats - and have since spent quite a few afternoons browsing through her recipes, pictures, workout suggestions, and more. She really has built up quite an enjoyable and diverse selection of Internet reading.

One of the things I love about spending hours on the Internet scouring Pinterest and Facebook for fun new ideas and finding blogs to follow is that I see so much that inspires me. Not just in the kitchen- in life, in general. Whether it's uncovering a delicious new recipe to try or a new activity to try with my kids, there are a lot of creative, brilliant people out there sharing their ideas with others, and I can only hope to inspire others someday the way I feel inspired when I meander through the random musings of any given fellow blogger or Pinterest addict...

Anyways, back to Iowa Girl Eats... I happened across her recipe for Stuffed Shells last week sometime, and it was one of those recipes that I saw and knew instantly that it would be making its debut on our next weekly menu. It did, and just as I expected, it didn't disappoint!

This recipe is simple to throw together, and it can be made ahead of time, if desired. It would be perfect to assemble on the weekend when you have a little extra time, and then throw it in the oven on a busy weeknight to have a hearty and delectable dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Here is what you will need to make Stuffed Shells:

- 1 box of jumbo shells (approximately 24)
- 1/3 cup reserved cooking water from pasta
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tsp. garlic paste
- salt, pepper, & Italian seasoning to taste (I used approximately 1/2 tsp. of each)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. 1/3 fat cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded Italian-mix blend cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 24 oz. marinara sauce

1. Cook shells according to package instructions. Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside. If you are doing this step earlier on before you start preparing your meat, you may want to drizzle a little olive oil over the shells to keep them from sticking together.
2. Cook the onion, garlic paste, and beef until it's cooked through and no longer pink. Stir in the seasonings, the reserved pasta water, the Parmesan cheese, the egg, the cream cheese, and the Italian-mix shredded cheese.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In a 9x13" baking dish, pour approximately 1/2 to 1 cup of the marinara sauce to evenly and thoroughly coat the bottom. Spoon the meat mixture into the cooked shells, then place in the baking dish. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells, then top with the mozzarella cheese. (It is at this point where you can cover the dish with foil and refrigerate to bake at a later time.)
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until sauce is bubbling and cheese is completely melted. If desired, place dish directly under the broiler for a few minutes to give the cheese a nice, golden brown color.

(Recipe adapted from Iowa Girl Eats - Stuffed Shells Recipe)

We served these cheesy shells of goodness with a mixed greens salad and some good old bread and butter. The meal was filling, well-balanced, and palate-pleasing. The meat filling was so flavorful and had a wonderful, almost creamy texture. The kids loved it, too, so as you know, that always receives bonus points at our house!

These Stuffed Shells really felt like comfort food at its best, but the satisfaction came without the heaviness and guilt that often times follows classic comfort food. Remember, everything in moderation... so eat up and ENJOY!

Cake Mix Cookies X2

Things have been crazy busy lately, and I have a feeling that they are going to get even busier before they slow down! I skimped out on a post last week because time just completely eluded me, so I wanted to make it up to you by giving you two recipes in one post.

One of my friends asked if I would donate some baked goods to her roller derby team to give away as prizes in their fundraiser bingo event. I was honored that she thought of me, and of course I agreed. I needed something quick, yet still delicious, so I decided to try out some of the cake mix cookies I have seen various types of popping up everywhere.I also wanted to use ingredients I already had on hand, so here is what I came up with!

The first cookie I decided to name White Chocolate Toffee Nutty Crunch Cookies, and here is what you will need to make them:

- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 stick butter or margarine, softened
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. peanut butter
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup toffee chips
- 6 Nutter Butter cookies, crushed

Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl, saving the white chocolate chips, toffee chips, and cookies for last. Drop cookies by the tablespoon-full (small cookie scoop) 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned on the edges. Let cool for 5 minutes, then move to wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

So full of flavor and fun textures, these cookies will not disappoint!

The second cookie I came up with I decided to call Pecan Cinnamon Roll Cake Mix Cookie, and here is what you will need to make them:

-  l box yellow cake mix
- 1 stick butter or margarine, softened
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp. canola oil
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. cream cheese, softened
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cup glazed pecans, chopped finely

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, saving the pecans to stir in last. Drop cookies by the tablespoon-full (small cookie scoop) 2 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for five minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Rich, buttery, and full of cinnamon flavor with a delightful crunch of pecans.

These cookies were SO easy to whip up on short notice, and you could do pretty much a million different variations on these. It is no wonder why they have caught on and spread like wildfire. I look forward to experimenting more with different types of cake mixes and other mix-ins. What are some of your favorite go-to recipes when you have to come up with something quickly?

Strawberry Chocolate Scones

I am and probably always will be a romantic at heart. Many people may not initially think that upon meeting me, but deep down inside, I love the sweet, thoughtful gestures that can, in a sense, define the love and nature of a relationship between two people. Be they between lovers, friends, or family, gifts and gestures genuinely from the heart speak louder than words ever can.

Needless to say, I love Valentine's Day. I get all kinds of giddy inside as I start to plan how I will surprise all those who are near and dear to my heart. Chris's all-time favorite dessert is brownies... plain, simple, fudgy brownies. So, I planned to get up early Tuesday, make him a fresh batch of brownies after he left for work, and then deliver them to him on my way to work so he could have them to enjoy all to himself throughout the day. He beat me to it... He got a craving on Sunday night and decided to make his own. They were delicious, by the way, and I thoroughly enjoyed them!

Either way, that sent me back to the drawing board. I decided I would come up with something more breakfast-like to make fresh for him Tuesday morning to take to him at work. I had been wanting to try scones for some time, but for one reason or another, I had never got around to making them. I was excited to try something new, and I remembered seeing all kinds of amazing-sounding scone recipes on Annie's Eats during my food blog perusing. I took another peek and immediately knew that her Strawberry Yogurt Scones were the scones for me. I already had all of the ingredients, and it just so happens that strawberries are one of his favorite fruits.

I must say, I don't know why I had never tried making scones before, but I am SO glad I did. I really enjoyed the flavor, consistency, and ease of this recipe, and I look forward to experimenting more with my new-found breakfast food.

I did adapt this recipe ever so slightly, but all in all, the recipe is basically the same as what you find in the link above. I believe she mentions that her recipe originally came from Cooking Light, so that ought to clue you in, too, that these are a somewhat lighter recipe.

Strawberry Chocolate Scones 

- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup diced fresh strawberries
- 2/3 cup strawberry yogurt
- 3 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 large egg white
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- cooking spray for pan
- more sugar for sprinkling on top

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine both flours, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine strawberries, yogurt, butter, orange peel, vanilla, and egg white. Mix into the dry ingredients, then add in chocolate chips. (This is some THICK dough- I just used my hands to knead everything together.)
3. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. If you have not already done so, knead the dough four times. Using your hands, pat into an 8" circle. Cut into 8 wedges and place onto baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle each wedge lightly with sugar, then bake 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.

Enjoy! These scones were so moist and flavorful- they were dense, yet still light and fluffy. The strawberry pieces and chocolate chips complimented each other perfectly without being overly sweet, and they added diverse elements to the overall texture. If you haven't ever given scones a try, I highly suggest that you do! I am pretty sure you will be seeing some more recipes coming from me in the future...

Valentine's Popcorn

I love how holidays give me an excuse to get in the kitchen and bake. No matter how big or how small, I love celebrating special days with sweet treats, and even more so when I have the opportunity to play around and experiment with different flavor combinations. This popcorn recipe evolved in my mind over the course of a few days, and after a little trial and error, the end result is absolutely fantastic, if I do say so myself. :)

I have really been on a big York Peppermint Patty kick lately... the balance of dark chocolate and minty creaminess is just absolute perfection to my palate right now. (No- I am NOT pregnant... for those of you whose mind automatically goes in that direction with the slightest mention of cravings, no matter how obscure the reference may be! I feel the need to make this disclaimer, as I have already been asked by my dear aunt...) I knew I wanted to incorporate these somehow, and my initial thought was to melt them. That, however, absolutely did not work. The mint patties reacted in a way similar to marshmallows when I put them in the microwave- they ballooned up to five times their normal size. Needless to say, they did not melt well and there was no way I could have poured the end product over the popcorn successfully.

After some more debate, I finally decided that to include the York patties I would simply chop them up and toss the pieces together with the popcorn. The ingredients I chose to include in this concoction are really some of my all-time favorite things ever: three different kinds of chocolate, M&Ms, Oreo cookies, and the thoroughly-discussed peppermint patties. Seriously... what's not to love?

If your children want to take treats to school or daycare, or if you are a nerd like me and still give Valentine treats to all your friends and coworkers, this popcorn is perfect to share! It all came together in less than 10 minutes (minus cooling time, of course), and it was super simple. It would be adorable to package in individual treat bags, tied up nicely with some pretty ribbon. You can also head over to Our Best Bites and check out their fun and festive printables. They have some that would be perfect with a popcorn treat just like this one!

Here is what you will need:


Valentine's Popcorn
- 1 full-sized bag microwave kettle corn, popped with old maids removed
- 6 miniature York Peppermint Patties, cut into small pieces
- 6 Oreo cookies, broken into small chunks
- 1/2 cup Valentine's edition M&Ms
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 tsp. vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips

After popcorn is popped, place in a shallow roasting pan or a very large bowl that will allow for easy stirring. Cut up peppermint patties and break up cookies. Toss the peppermint patties, cookie pieces, and M&M's in with the popcorn.

Place the dark chocolate and the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl with the 1/4 tsp. vegetable shortening. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is completely melted. Pour melted chocolate over the popcorn mixture and stir well to evenly coat.

After this is done, place the white chocolate chips in a baggie. Microwave in 30-second increments, squeezing the chocolate after each, until chocolate is melted. Cut the corner off the baggie and drizzle the white chocolate over the popcorn lightly.

Let cool and set up, then store in an airtight container.

Colorful, fun, and full of complimentary texture and flavor combinations! 

Share some love this year and give those important to you a delicious treat, whether it's for Valentine's Day or some random Tuesday down the road when everyone least expects it. Pay it forward. Spread some smiles and happiness- they are, after all, contagious, and what goes around comes around! 

PS - If anyone comes up with a better, more creative name for this, that would be super! My mind was not in that mode apparently.... :) 

ENJOY!

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Alfredo

Comfort Italian food? Yes, please! Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo is one of my all-time favorite dinners to make when I am allowing myself that rich and savory indulgence. I have been making this for years, but only within the last couple of years did I decide to start making my own Alfredo sauce. The first few trial runs were okay...not anything worth making again, in my opinion, but all of the trial and error led to a fabulous, creamy, delicious end result, which I will now be sharing with you.

If you are thinking about staying in and cooking a romantic dinner for you and your significant other (or for you and a group of friends who are boycotting the holiday!), this would be a perfect choice. It is simple and quick, but you would never know that once you taste it. You could easily fool people into thinking you are a gourmet chef of sorts... okay, maybe not so much, but it is REALLY good!

This is kind of a four-part process, with each part having its own instructions and own preparation, and then everything comes together into one at the end. The ingredients/instructions format will be a little different for this one. I am going to divide everything into its own respective sections... Hopefully, this is the most efficient for everyone else, too!

Roasted Red Pepper
- 1 large red bell pepper, washed and cleaned
- Olive Oil, for drizzling
- Aluminum Foil
- Plastic Wrap

The first and foremost thing you will want to do is roast your red pepper. Preheat your oven to the highest setting it will go to (for me, it was 550 degrees F or Broil). Wash and clean a red pepper (wholly intact), Place the red pepper on a small piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with just a little bit of olive oil. Place the red pepper (still on the foil) into the super hot oven. Let it roast for a good 15-20 minutes, or until at least 75% of the skin is blackened. Remove the roasted pepper to a small bowl, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. This will make the skin removal easier later on. Pop the bowl in the freezer to help it cool down so you can work with it when you need it. After it's cool enough to handle, peel it, then remove the stem and seeds and cut into small pieces or strips. Set aside.

Fettuccine 
- 1 lb. uncooked fettuccine noodles
- Water and salt for boiling
- Olive Oil

This part is the trickiest.... Cook fettuccine noodles according to package instructions. Drain, then toss with olive oil to prevent sticking.

Chicken
- 1 lb. chicken
- 1 tbsp. EACH butter and olive oil for pan
- Salt, black pepper, and garlic powder for seasoning

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter and add the olive oil to the pan, giving it a good swirl to mix the two. Add the chicken, seasoning to your tastes with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Cook on both sides until cooked through and chicken is no longer pink. The less flipping, the better- a little bit of a crust on the chicken is super tasty! Once cooked, cut the chicken into small pieces or strips. Set aside.

Alfredo Sauce 
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1/2 tsp. garlic paste
- Dash or two of garlic powder
- Black pepper, to taste
- 5 oz. fresh Parmesan cheese, shredded or cut into small chunks

Melt the butter. Add the heavy cream, the milk, the garlic paste, the garlic powder, and the black pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat, being careful to scorch the dairy ingredients. Once the sauce is boiling, slowly stir in the Parmesan cheese until fully melted and you have a smooth, creamy sauce. Once your sauce is made, reduce the heat to as low as you can go, then stir in the chicken and red pepper pieces. Allow this to simmer together for just a minute or two- it really helps melt all of the flavors together, but this step is completely optional. Pour the entire mixture over the prepared fettuccine noodles and toss together to coat.

Even though this may look like a lot, it actually all comes together very quickly. I had dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes from start to finish since you can do so many of these steps simultaneously. It is also a very simple recipe, with very "pure" ingredients that come together nicely for a well-balanced combination of flavors. One of the other things I really liked about this particular Alfredo variation is that it didn't leave me with such a heavy feeling lingering in my stomach after I ate. The addition of milk in lieu of a sauce consisting almost entirely of heavy cream really lightens the sauce up a bit. This will be my go-to for Alfredo sauce now- no turning back!

Here is what your end product should look like! Sprinkle with a little Italian cheese blend and serve with a fresh salad and some yummy bread for a perfect dinner, whether it's for a special occasion or just a random Tuesday like ours was! Enjoy!

Creamy, delicious comfort. :) 

Grams' Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies are one of my favorite go-to treats for pretty much any holiday. They are fun, delicious, and can be so darn cute when you spend a little extra time with the frosting and sprinkles. One of my favorite childhood memories is helping my grandma bake sugar cookies (okay, well really bake ANYTHING), and then helping frost and decorate them, too. We did these mostly for Christmas, but she was also known to make them for Halloween and Valentine's Day on occasion, too. She was, by her very essence, the quintessential embodiment of everything that a grandma should be: warm, loving, full of good advice and wisdom, and ALWAYS baking or cooking something delicious for her family whom she adored. Between her, my fantastic mother, and my wonderful aunt, I had some of the most amazing women role models to look up to as I was growing up, and still to this day, they are pretty much everything I aspire to be as a mom and wifey now, a grandma someday, and an all-around good human being every other day of my life. So here is a little thank you to them! My grandma, my mom, and my aunt will always be three of my special valentines.

Grams' sugar cookies are practically famous. Anyone who has ever had them fell in love with them instantly, including me! I have made them quite a few times for coworkers and friends, as well as for holiday celebrations, and everyone always graciously and excitedly devours them. They are really just a very basic sugar cookie, but I think that my grams' addition of grated orange peel is what sets her cookies above the rest.

It may seem like sugar cookies are too much of a process- too much time and hassle to make the dough, roll it out, cut the shapes out, re-roll the dough, and so on, only to spend another good hour or two decorating the baked cookies, but in my opinion, it is totally worth every extra ounce of effort it requires. I mean, seriously, who doesn't love getting a sweetly decorated sugar cookie, knowing that the person who gave it to you spent that extra time making something special just for you? For me, at least, it really is "the thought that counts." I would rather get a homemade gift of any sort any day over something fancy and store-bought that I may never use. Gifts from the heart, people, that's where the love is at!

So here, make THIS recipe for someone special next week, and rest assured that they will be pleasantly satisfied with your homemade and delicious gift to them!

Can you tell these get used A LOT?!?!



Grams' Sugar Cookies

- 2/3 cup shortening (I like butter-flavored Crisco)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel (this can be fresh or from the spice section at the grocery store)
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 4 tsp. milk

In my grandma's words: "Cream shortening & sugar. Add egg, beat until light & fluffy. Add vanilla, grated orange peel; mix thoroughly. Add dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture together w/milk. Roll dough 1/8" thick. Cut; put on greased cookie sheet; Bake in moderate oven (375) 12 min."

(She was so good at keeping it short and sweet! Maybe I have something to learn from her there....)

After the cookies are COMPLETELY cool, make the following icing recipe to frost the cookies.

Grams' Icing

- 2 cups powdered sugar
- dash salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tbsp. melted butter
- Milk

Mix together powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and melted butter, then add milk till you reach the desired consistency.

I, personally, like to lean more on the side of a thick frosting so it doesn't completely drip/run off the cookie once you start frosting it. Trust your instincts - you will know when it's right! And if you end up adding a little too much milk and it's too runny, just add in some more powdered sugar. This is pretty much a no-fail icing recipe.

Decorate the cookies to your liking! Sprinkles, candies, whatever floats your boat! Let the kids help, too. They will have a blast, even it means a little bit more extra clean-up time for you. :) Trust me when I say they will appreciate these kinds of things, now and much later down the road.

Simple. Perfection. Share some love... 

Super Bowl Sunday Special

For as long as I can remember, Super Bowl Sunday (for me, at least) has been more about delicious food and spending time with family than football... I am sure Chris would probably disagree with me on this one, as would many others with a Y chromosome in their DNA. I have so many fond memories of Super Bowl Sunday growing up. The whole family would get together at Grams' and Gramps' house, and there would be so much food and laughter that it made for an absolutely perfect day. Grams' and Gramps' are both gone now, may they rest in peace, but so many of us left behind carry on the traditions that they instilled within us. Small and insignificant as it may be, one of these traditions for me will always be celebrating the Super Bowl with food and family.

To be completely honest, I am not a huge football fanatic. I enjoy watching the "good" games- you know, the ones that aren't completely one-sided and are exciting to watch because it could be anyone's game right up until the clock runs out at the end of the 4th quarter. Hopefully, that is what we have to look forward to on Sunday!

In spite of the fact that my adoration for football falls far short of a die-hard fan, I AM excited to have an excuse to get in the kitchen and make some of my favorite appetizer/snack recipes that are perfect for these casual get-togethers. I am also excited to share some of my favorite recipes with you today, too! The two that I chose to post about are so delicious and addicting that they will surely be a hit if you decide to make and serve them at your own football gathering this weekend.

The first recipe I picked to share is Pizza Dip. I got this recipe from an old college roommate who is, still to this day, one of the best cooks I have ever met. (Hi Elizabeth!) Every time I make it, this dip gets devoured and everyone is asking for the recipe for it. I always share. It's just too good not to. Plus, it's quick and easy to throw together, and you can either bake it or prepare it in the slow cooker to take with you on-the-go.

Pizza Dip

- 2 8-ounce blocks cream cheese, softened and at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheese (use your favorite)
- 1 cup miniature pepperonis
- 1 tsp. garlic powder -OR- 1/2 tsp. garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste, depending on your heat preferences)

1. Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl until well-combined. Either bake in a casserole dish at 350 degrees F until bubbly -OR- cook in the slow cooker on high till warmed throughout, then reduce heat to low or warm setting. Serve with French bread or tortilla chips.

The next recipe that I wanted to share with you today is a recipe for our almost-famous caramel corn. This stuff is straight addictive. I DARE you to eat only one handful... :)

Almost-Famous Caramel Corn  (Recipe adapted from Paula Deen http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/grandma-pauls-caramel-corn-recipe/index.html)

- 8 quarts popped popcorn, sprinkled lightly with salt and cinnamon
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light karo syrup
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. baking soda

1. Place popped popcorn in a large, shallow roasting pan. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
2. In a large pot, over medium heat, melt butter. Mix in brown sugar, karo syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from stove top and quickly stir in vanilla and baking soda. Mixture will foam, so be prepared!
3. Pour the caramel mixture over the popped popcorn and stir well to coat evenly.
4. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and spread out on foil or wax paper to cool. Store covered in an airtight container.

This is seriously one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. Everyone who has tried it gives it rave reviews, and they just love the layers of flavor found in this sweet treat. It is amazing what the addition of cinnamon and vanilla can do to an already delicious recipe by the lovely Paula Deen.

Here are a few other suggestions for recipes that would be great for this weekend's food lineup that are from older posts:

Peanut Butter Dream Dip
Peanut Butter Cup Blondies
Double Chocolate Mint Cookies and Cream Cookies
German Chocolate Caramel Brownie Bars
Slow Cooker Chicken Chili 
Shredded Beef Sandwiches with Balsamic Slaw
Magic Cookie Bars 

Hope you enjoy! Would love to hear feedback from any of you who make any of these tasty recipes this weekend! Who are you rooting for at your house Sunday?

Have a fabulous weekend all!

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

It is no secret that I love slow cookers… They are such a hassle-free and time-efficient way to prepare a hearty and delicious dinner that makes itself ready for your enjoyment while you spend the day at work, slaving away - or, writing blog posts… J

I honestly don't remember where I saw the dish that ultimately inspired this recipe; otherwise, I would totally share it with you. Along those same lines, however, since I never printed it or did anything more than glance at it, wherever it was, I feel confident to say that this is pretty much my own concoction at this point. And it turned out mighty tasty, too, if I do say so myself! Oh, and it's got lots of good ingredients for you, too!

Anyways, short and sweet today, but here is your basic rundown for Slow Cooker Chicken Chili…

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

-          1 - 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into small, bite-sized chunks (or skip this step, throw them in whole, and shred them later after they're cooked, whatever floats your boat!)

-          1 8-oz can tomato sauce

-          2 10-oz cans Rotel tomatoes, drained

-          1 15.5-oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed well

-          1 15.5-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed well

-          1 15.5 oz can sweet, no salt added corn, drained

-          1 7-oz can green chilies

-          1/2 large sweet onion, diced into small pieces

-          2 tsp. chili powder

-          1 tsp. EACH garlic powder, paprika, and cumin

-          1/2 tsp. EACH black pepper and seasoned salt

-          2 tbsp. brown sugar

-          1/2 - 1 cup water, depending on how thick you like your chili

1.       Set your slow cooker on low.

2.       In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, black pepper, seasoned salt, and brown sugar.

3.       Place the chicken chunks, tomato sauce, Rotel tomatoes, pinto beans, black beans, corn, green chilies, and onion into the slow cooker and mix well. Stir in the seasoning mix and mix again. Add between 1/2 and 1 cup of water to help everything mix together well, depending on how thick you like your chili.

4.       Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours, until chicken is cooked completely through. Top with shredded cheese and/or sour cream and enjoy!

We also made some honey corn bread muffins to accompany this, but it would be fantastic with some multi-grain tortilla chips, too! Everyone loved this stuff, and it had just the right amount of spice that even Brooklyn devoured it.

Hope you enjoy!



Smashed Raspberry Dark Chocolate Buttermilk Pancakes

Not to sound cliche... but when I first saw this recipe posted on Joy the Baker's site, it was love at first sight. Raspberries... Dark Chocolate... Pancakes... Sunday morning breakfast... What else do you need to start a lazy day off the right way- a bit of indulgence, or as Joy says, "Breakfast Dessert." I liked that idea...  And after making these last weekend, I LOVED that idea. These pancakes will definitely be frequenting our breakfast table on a regular basis now, or at least on as regular of a basis as "Breakfast Dessert" responsibly allows...

I really enjoy finding fun ways to vamp up regular pancakes, and these were the perfect opportunity to experiment a little more, but with most of the leg work done for me this time since the recipe was close to perfect as it was.

And here is that close-to-perfect recipe now, with very minor adaptations made by me...

Smashed Raspberry Dark Chocolate Buttermilk Pancakes
(Adapted from Joy the Baker http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2012/01/smashed-raspberry-chocolate-chunk-pancakes/)

- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled a bit
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup fresh raspberries, rinsed and sprinkled with 1/2 tablespoon EACH honey and sugar
- Maple syrup/powdered sugar for topping
- Butter on nonstick spray for griddle

1. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients (through the cinnamon). Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, the melted butter, the egg, and the vanilla extract.
3. After the wet ingredients are thoroughly combined, add in the dry ingredients, mixing well. Add the dark chocolate chips and set aside while you preheat your griddle.
4. After the griddle is preheated, either melt your butter on top of it or spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Drop the pancake batter about 1/4 cup at a time onto the griddle. Wait until the pancakes start to bubble, then flip and cook until browned.
5. Place cooked pancakes in a pan in the oven heated on "warm" setting to keep them hot and fresh while the other pancakes cook.
6. To serve, smash the raspberry mixture onto your plate, then top with a pancake, then more raspberry mixture, etc. Build your breakfast however you want! Top with powdered sugar, maple syrup, or just more raspberry mixture if you want! ENJOY! (And I promise you, you will...)

 I thought it was so delicious that the syrup wasn't all that necessary, and I enjoyed putting an extra few raspberries whole with some more dark chocolate chips on the top of mine. Ah-Mazing!!!

What breakfast do you enjoy the most that starts your day off with a bang? Although I was just recently introduced to these bad boys, this is now, and quite possibly forever, my favorite!

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

Sweet treats are good for the soul; they nourish me in ways that little else can, and I truly believe that they are an essential part of a person's overall well-being. I am sure there are many who would blatantly disagree with this notion, but that's okay. Everyone is different, and for me, I love the indulgence of desserts, the guilty pleasure of digging into a chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven, the sneaky taste of some homemade cream cheese frosting before it is slathered all over pumpkin spice cake - red velvet cupcakes - er, pretty much anything to be quite honest.... I guess now would be a good time to mention the idea of MODERATION. This is key, lest I be typing to you hiding in the shell of a 500-lb body.  :)

And, with all of that in mind, it comes as no surprise that I started seeking out lighter, lower-calorie dessert treats that I could still enjoy not only baking, but also eating, even though I am trying to shed a few pounds and eat a more balanced diet. I have a subscription to the food magazine "Cooking Light," and I have not been at all disappointed with the variety of dessert options that they present for their readers. I saw these Peanut Butter Cup Blondies in the latest issue I received in the mail, and, alas, they were baking in my oven less than three days later. Go figure. They say when you know, you just know.... And I knew that I needed to make these, savor them, and enjoy every last morsel. I was actually nice enough to share with my coworkers, who were happy to sample them, ESPECIALLY after I mentioned that each bar was less than 150 calories. That's a win-win in my book.

Anyways, here is what you will need to make these Peanut Butter Cup Blondies:
(Note: Due to accurately offering a calorie count, as well as altitude issues that sometimes arise with baking brownies/blondies from scratch, this recipe has not been adapted at all and is the exact recipe that you can find in "Cooking Light.")

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies (recipe from "Cooking Light" magazine, September 2011 edition, p. 110)

- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- cooking spray
- 4 (0.75-ounce) peanut butter cups,  coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with a whisk. Set aside.
3. Combine peanut butter, butter, milk, vanilla, and eggs in a separate bowl, mixing well. Add peanut butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Mix in chocolate chips.
4. Spread mixture into a 9-inch square pan that has been prepped with cooking spray. Sprinkle the chopped peanut butter cups over the top, lightly pressing them into the mixture.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 20 bars and serve. (Each bar equals 153 calories!!!)

I actually made this recipe times one-and-a-half and then baked the blondies in a regular 9x13" cake pan so that I would have more to share. They turned out absolutely fantastic. The texture was fabulous, although, personally, I think that they were more of a cookie bar consistency than the dense consistency typically found in a blondie. They were very light and fluffy, for lack of a better word, and they were very satisfying even though they were on the lighter side of the dessert fence. Even Chris, who usually shies away from blondies because he is such a die-hard brownie fan, enjoyed these scrumptious, peanut-butter-and-chocolatey bars. I have said it before, but I'll say it again: whenever I get his stamp of approval on a dessert, I really consider it a winner and a keeper. These will definitely be bookmarked for future baking endeavors, and I am looking forward to trying the other three sinful-sounding brownie bars that were in that same issue of "Cooking Light." I am sure you will hear more about those later! 

On an ending note, someone needs to remind me to take some ginko biloba or whatever the heck that stuff is called. I need a memory boost and then some. I forgot AGAIN to take a picture of these beauties before they were all gone. It really made me sad (as lame as that may sound) because they really were picture perfect. Promise I am going to try harder to start remembering this key step in the successful food blogging process...Forgive me?

P.S. My soon-to-be mother-in-law got me some FANTASTIC food blogging and food photography books for Christmas, so please keep your fingers crossed that the wisdom hiding between the covers of those books will rub off on me soon and my pictures will improve dramatically! :)

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

As part of my recent goals to get healthier and drop a few pounds in the process, I have been scouring the web and my ridiculous collection of cookbooks for healthier, lighter recipes that will still allow me to practice my passion for baking while obtaining my goals. We had company coming into town last weekend, and a brunch at our house for Sunday was planned. I thought that some muffins would be a perfect accompaniment to yogurt, granola, fruit, and an assortment of juices. I found this recipe for Lemon Blueberry Muffins and it sounded perfect. I LOVE the flavor combination that results from mixing lemon with pretty much any kind of berry.

These muffins are moist, delicious, and full of ingredients that have a nutritional benefit, so although they may not be low-calorie, at least the calories you are ingesting are serving a purpose! The original version of the recipe that I used to base my adaptation off of can be found on The Kitchen Magpie's website at http://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/lemon-blueberry-muffins-lighter-version.

Here is what you will need to make these scrumptiously light and tasty fruity muffins:

-          6 oz. container lemon yogurt (or lemon Greek yogurt, if you can find it)

-          2 tbsp. melted unsalted butter

-          Juice of 2 lemons

-          1 egg

-          1 cup whole wheat flour

-          1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

-          3/4 cup white sugar

-          1 tbsp. baking powder

-          Dash of salt

-          Zest of one lemon

-          1 cup chopped, fresh blueberries

-          1 small (coffee-sized) packet of Truvia, Splenda, or other calorie-free sweetener

-          Splash of lemon juice

1.       Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 muffin tins with muffin cups. Set aside.

2.       Start by preparing your blueberries first. After they are cleaned and chopped, sprinkle the packet of Truvia and the splash of lemon juice over them and give them a good stir. This will add a ton of flavor and create almost a syrupy effect with the berries that is just delicious. Set aside.

3.       Whisk together all of the dry ingredients, including the lemon zest.

4.       Combine the yogurt, melted butter, lemon juice, egg, whisking well. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well.

5.       Gently stir in the blueberry mixture, folding in until just incorporated and well distributed throughout the batter.

6.       Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes until the tops spring back when touched and are lightly browned.

7.       Remove to wire rack to let cool, spread with a little butter or yogurt, and enjoy!

Lemon Blueberry Muffins that are about to be devoured by the hungry two-year old, Brooklyn :)



What are some of your favorite flavor combinations for muffins? Do you have a go-to recipe that you love, or do you enjoy experimenting with new ones? Any in particular that you would like to see here?

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Personally, I am looking forward to a much-needed date night kid-free on Sunday! Woo-hoo!

Shredded Beef Sandwiches with Balsamic Coleslaw

I love pot roast. I love it in the traditional carrot and potato sense, and I also love the limitless possibilities of other ways to prepare a good roast. Last week, Joy the Baker made shredded roast beef sandwich of sorts and it looked fantastic. It inspired me to put one on the menu for our house for a nice Sunday dinner, and the recipe that Chris and I ended up coming up with was absolutely delicious. It felt like comfort food, but in all reality, was not that bad in the bigger scheme of health-conscious food choices.  Even better, this beauty simmers all day in the slow cooker, so there really is little to no "real" work involved for you!

Chris really has a talent when it comes to sauces, marinades, and preparing meat, in general. Some of the concoctions he comes up with sound absolutely bizarre, but they always turn out amazing. The subtly sweet flavors in the roast paired perfectly with the slight tang of the coleslaw we topped it with. Anyways, the main point of this little side note is that this recipe is really more of Chris's than mine, but since he doesn't blog about food like I do, it's getting posted on my site! He was happy to share, of course. J

Here is what you will need to make Shredded Beef Sandwiches with Balsamic Coleslaw:

For the meat:

-          3 lb. beef roast (use your favorite cut, the less fat the better)

-          32 oz. (one large box) reduced-sodium beef broth

-          1 sweet onion, peeled and sliced into wedges

-          1 tsp. garlic powder

-          1 tsp. black pepper

-          1 tsp. seasoned salt

-          1 tsp. paprika

-          3/4 cup brown sugar

-          2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

-          2 tbsp. worchestire sauce

-          2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

-          2 tbsp. honey

For the coleslaw:

-          1 regular size bag of Dole Coleslaw Mix (dressing packet included)

-          1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

-          1/4 cup olive oil

-          1/4 cup brown sugar

-          2 tbsp. dressing mix from Dole included in bag

Also:

-          8 whole wheat hamburger-style buns

-          Oven fries for a delectable side

1.       Set your slow cooker on high. Rub all sides of the meat with the garlic powder, black pepper, seasoned salt, and paprika. Place the meat into the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with the entire 32 oz. of beef broth and the onion wedges. Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, worchestire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and honey and give everything a little stir. Cover with the slow cooker lid and let cook for 3 hours on high.

2.       After 3 hours has passed, reduce heat to low. Pull out the roast and shred into bite-sized pieces. Put the shredded meat back into the broth mixture and continue to cook for another 3-4 hours on low. This will allow the meat time to really soak up all the goodness that the flavored broth has to offer.

3.       After your meat is done, mix the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and brown sugar in a small bowl or jar. Pour the bag of coleslaw mix into a medium bowl and gradually add the balsamic mixture until you have the desired flavor, then again slowly add the dressing mix until the balance of flavors is suited to your taste. We liked ours with a little more tang to contrast the sweetness of the roast.

4.       Toast up your whole wheat buns by placing them in the oven for just a minute or two to give them a nice crisp. Top each bun with shredded beef and coleslaw, then enjoy! As mentioned above, I definitely recommend the oven fries recipe shared earlier as a perfect side for this hearty sandwich. The sandwiches were also delicious with just a tiny spread of barbecue sauce on the bottom/meat side of the bun.

Let me know what you think of this super easy and delicious meal! Our whole family enjoyed this one all around, and we all felt full and satisfied after devouring our sandwiches.

What are some of your favorite slow cooker meals?