Praline-Pecan Banana Bread

I often have to hide bananas into desserts - particularly breads, since my husband doesn't really like them. However, I'm slowly breaking his will by increasing the banana flavors in truly amazing dishes. This is definitely one of them.

The banana flavor is pronounced, but not overwhelming here. What really makes this dessert shine and brings them coming back for more, is the Praline-Pecan topping that's poured over the bread before it's baked. The flavor seeps into the bread and permeates throughout while creating a sweet crust on top.

You will never look at banana bread the same way again!




Praline-Pecan Banana Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Cup Praline-Pecan Sauce
3 ripe large bananas, mashed
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup Sour Cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place the rack in the center of the oven. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-cup loaf pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, sour cream, 3/4 C of Praline sauce, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients until just combined and the batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. Over mixing the batter will yield a tough, rubbery bread.)

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and pour the remaining 1/4 cup of Praline sauce over the top of the batter. Bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 - 60 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes one - 9 inch loaf

*If you do not have or can't find Praline-Pecan sauce, you can substitute caramel sauce and add pecans.


Pecan-Praline Sauce

2 cups unsalted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
3 pounds light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat 1 cup of the butter in a large saucepan until melted. Add the pecans and mix well. Bring to a boil. Cook until the pecans begin to change color. Be careful! This mixture will foam over, so use a large saucepan.

Add the remaining 1 cup butter and mix well. This will cool the pecan mixture and stop the cooking process. Remove from heat.

Combine brown sugar, whipping cream and cinnamon in a saucepan and mix well. Cook over low heat until blended, stirring constantly; increase heat. Cook to 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Stir in pecan mixture. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix well. Remove from heat.

**Just remember this makes a LOT of praline sauce - probably more like 12 cups. However, it freezes amazingly well and keeps that way for a long LONG time. :)

Seven Layer Magic Bars

These bars are truly MAGIC!! They are a classic pot-luck and party treat that combines layers of sweet, salty, creamy goodness. They are truly simple and always a crowd-pleaser. Chocolate chips, butterscotch, and coconut are all caramelized and melt together on a crispy graham crust.







Seven Layer Magic Bars

yield: about 24 bars



No-Stick Cooking Spray

3 cups graham cracker crumbs (chocolate grahams will also work here! YUM!)

1 cup butter, melted (2 sticks)

1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 cup butterscotch-flavored chips

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/3 cups flaked coconut

1 cup chopped nuts



HEAT oven 350°F. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.



COMBINE graham cracker crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Pour 3/4 of the sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture.



In a bowl, mix together all other ingredients, reserving 1/3 Cup of coconut. Spread evenly over the condensed milk and press down firmly. Top with remaining sweetened condensed milk. Top with 1/3 cup of coconut and press down firmly.



Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Loosen from sides of pan while still warm; cool on wire rack. Cut into bars or diamonds.



**For perfectly cut cookie bars, line entire pan with foil, extending foil over edge of pan. Coat lightly with no-stick cooking spray. After bars have baked and cooled, lift up by edges of foil to remove from pan. Cut into individual bars.

White and Dark Hearted Brownies

I found this recipe when looking for a really tasty brownie for a friend who was in the hospital. Nothing says "Get Well Soon!" like a big plate of brownies. I came across these at Smitten Kitchen and fell in love. They are not only the cutest little brownies I have ever seen, but they had the perfect sentiment.

I was a bit hesitant about the white chocolate brownies because I'm not a huge white chocolate fan. However, these were really good....amazingly good even. Don't tell anyone, but I actually think I liked them better than the dark chocolate brownies. Maybe it was because they had a little dark chcolate heart belly, but the combination of flavors was out of this world. I also loved that they still remained very much a "brownie" to me - rich and chewy, the way a good brownie should be.

I hope you try it soon - and feel free to make the bellies whatever mini shape you have - I think these would be a very welcomed non-green treat for St. Patty's Day and little shamrocks would be irresistible!

White and Dark Hearted Brownies

**This recipe makes 16 2-inch square white or dark chocolate brownies. To make a pan of each and reverse the middles, you’ll need double the ingredients listed below. You will end up with 32 reversed-center brownies.

4 ounces (this was 1 bar for me) semisweet or good white chocolate (I used Ghirardelli for both), coarsely chopped

1 stick unsalted butter

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1-inch heart or other shaped cookie cutter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over opposite sides of pan. Repeat with second piece of foil in opposite direction. Grease the foil.

Melt white or dark chocolate and butter together in a large bowl over a simmering pot of water until it is melted; remove from heat and stir the mixture until it is smooth.

Whisk in sugar. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Add flour and salt together, stirring until just combined. Spread into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes (for the dark chocolate version) and 30 to 35 minutes (for the white chocolate version).

Repeat this recipe with the other kind of chocolate and a second 8×8-inch square pan. Cool pans on a wire rack in the freezer if you’re going to make cut-outs; frozen brownies are much easier to make clean cuts from. Once solid, transfer brownies in their foil “sling” to a large cutting board and cut each pan of brownies into 16 even squares, about 2×2 inches each.

Still cold (and if they warm up and soften too quickly, pop them back in the freezer for 5 minutes), carefully, slowly, gently, press your cookie cutter into the center of each brownie and set the cut-out aside. Insert the dark cut-outs into the centers of the light brownies, and vice-versa. From here, you can let them warm up to room temperature or wrap them up in the freezer until you will need them.

adapted very slightly from Smitten Kitchen

Red Velvet Cake Pops

This recipe is so easy and so tasty that I had to post it as fast as I could blog about it! My great friend, Kathy, came over for a cooking visit and we had a great time making these cute little bites of deliciousness.

This was Kathy and my second attempt at making cake pops. You may have heard of them....yummy bites of cake and frosting covered in chocolate and on a lollipop? AMAZING! Please, PLEASE go visit Bakerella (www.bakerella.com) to see some truly amazing treats!

The only problems is we've never actually made them on the sticks...so they become more like bonbons, and that's ok!

You can make them using a homemade mix or a box mix (like we did). I am excited to try these using homemade recipes, but for the purpose of this post, I'll give you the quick low-down and you can experiment all you want!

Kathy's husband even renamed these treats "Devil Pops" because they're so good...consider yourself warned.

Red Velvet Cake Pops (or balls or bonbons, whatever!)

1 box of red velvet cake mix (or whatever flavor cake you'd like)
1 container of cream cheese cake frosting
1 package of chocolate candy melts
1 package of white chocolate candy melts
Sprinkles for decorating

Make the cake mix according to the box directions for a 13X9 cake pan. Allow the cake to cool completely. Over a large bowl, break the cake up into fine crumbs (Bakerella's tip is to rub pieces of cake together and it works like a charm!). To the crumbled cake, use about 3/4 (adding a little bit at at time) of the frosting and mix well. (You will NOT be using the rest of the frosting...feel free to use it for something else or discard it). The mixture should be moist enough to form into balls but not so moist that it is squishy.

*Be sure not to use too much frosting...if the cake is too moist, it will not set and it will be too squishy to coat with the candy melts. I also suspect this was our problem with getting them to stay on the sticks...I think we had the cake a bit too moist - so use a light hand with the frosting!!
Roll the mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze the balls 15 - 20 minutes until very firm but not frozen through.

While the cake balls are setting up in the freezer, melt the candy melts in batches in microwave safe bowls. We used both white and dark chocolate candy melts for our cake balls. In a microwave safe bowl, melt at 50% power in 30 second increments.

Once the cake balls are set, plop one ball into the candy coating of your choice. With a spoon, make sure the ball is completely coated. Using the spoon, scoop out the cake ball and tap lightly to let any excess drip back into the bowl and get a nice, smooth finish on your cake ball.

Allow the cake ball to slide off the spoon back onto the parchment paper. Decorate immediately with the sprinkles of your choice (candy melts harden really quickly, so make sure if you're using sprinkles, to do it now!). Repeat with the remaining cake balls.

Try to resist, I dare you!

French Macarons

I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU!

This was my mantra when attempting to make French Macarons for the first time. Everywhere in the blogging world I was seeing these beauties. But just as frequently, I was reading posts about how difficult, finicky, and troublesome these treats were. So....I was afraid....just a little.

My brother and sister-in-law were coming over for a special dinner and I really wanted to surprise them with macarons. They'd first had them in France and then found some at Trader Joe's....and they were also amazing. But, being as daring (foolish?) as I was, I was determined to make them from scratch....please pray for me.

As it turns out, they are truly not that difficult. If you read up, do your homework, and have a plan things will go just fine. Once you're comfortable with the process, the possibilities are truly endless. Exciting new color and flavor combinations abound on the internet. So read this post, read some other posts, and decide if you're ready to make some of the most rewarding treats of your life!

Good luck!

*You will find the the measurements for the macaron shells are in metric, not volume. A kitchen scale is a MUST for these, therefore, other measurements will not be given.

Chocolate Macarons with Espresso Ganache Filling

For the Macarons:
110 gm blanched slivered almonds
200 gm minus 2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp. cocoa powder (Dutch-process preferred)
100 gm egg whites (from about 3 eggs), aged at room temperature for 12-24 hours
50 gm granulated sugar

For the espresso ganache:
½ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
4 tbsp. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1½ tsp. espresso powder

To make the macaron shells: Pulse the almonds until finely ground in the bowl of a food processor. Add the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder until blended.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until a smooth, shiny meringue (with stiff peaks) forms.

Add the ground almond mixture to the bowl with the meringues and gently fold together using a rubber spatula until all streaks are gone.

Line two baking sheets with silicon mats or parchment paper. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a plain, wide round tip. Pipe into small rounds (1-1 1/2 inches) spaced about 1 inch apart. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 - 60 minutes or until a hard shell forms.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Bake 10 - 12 minutes (do not underbake! They will stick to the pan and "disembowel" themselves - although these still taste just as yummy!). Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the shells to cool completely before moving the cookies.

While the cookies are cooling, make the ganache. Combine the cream, butter, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Place the chocolate in a small heat-proof bowl. Bring the cream mixture to a simmer, remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes, then whisk gently in a circular motion until the ganache forms. Blend in the espresso powder (if using). Let the mixture cool until it is thick enough to pipe. (To speed the chilling process, place the bowl in the freezer and let cool, stirring every 15 minutes, until thick.)

Once the cookies have totally cooled, match them up by size. Pipe a layer of ganche on one cookie and sandwich it with another. Store in an airtight container.

Vanilla Bean Macarons with Swiss Buttercream Filling

Yield: about 20 macarons

For the macaron shells:
200 grams confectioners’ sugar
110 grams almonds (blanched, slivered, or sliced)
90 grams egg whites (aged at room temperature for 1 day or 3-5 days in the fridge)
25 grams granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise with the seeds removed

For the filling:
½ cup sugar
2 large egg whites
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ tsp. vanilla extract

To make the macaron shells, combine the confectioners’ sugar and almonds in a food processor. Pulse until the almonds are finely ground and the mixture is well blended. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat, gradually adding the granulated sugar. Beat until a stiff, glossy meringue forms (do not over-beat). Add the ground nut mixture to the bowl with the egg whites. Add the vanilla beans. Fold together with a spatula until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated and the batter is thick and smooth.

Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a plain round tip and pipe small rounds onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1½ inches in diameter. Let the piped rounds sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes to harden their shells.

Preheat the oven to 280˚ F. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool 15-20 minutes before removing from the baking sheet. Let cool completely before filling or storing.

To make the frosting, combine the sugar and egg whites in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar is completely dissolved. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until a thick and shiny meringue has formed and the bowl is cool to the touch. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low. Add in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting until each is incorporated before adding more. Once all the butter is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until thick and smooth. Blend in the vanilla.

To assemble the macarons, pair up the shells by size. Add the finished frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip. Pipe a small round of frosting onto the flat side of one shell from each pair. Sandwich together with the other shell and push gently together so that the frosting reaches the edges of the cookies. Place the crushed candy canes in a shallow dish. Gently roll the assembled macarons in the crushed candy canes so they adhere to the frosting.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies have been making their rounds in the blogging world...so I just had to see what all the fuss was about! Turns out, these cookies are really decadent, full of rich chocolate flavor, and HEAVENLY when eating warm with a tall glass of cold milk!

The recipe is one that claims to be a replica of the famous Giant Double Chocolate Cookies from Lavain Bakery in Manhattan. This bakery is known for their decadent and over-the-top cookie creations. I have never been to Manhattan, so I've never had these cookies, but they seemed pretty irresistible to me.

Rather than make 12 enormous cookies as the original recipe stated, I decided to make smaller cookies. That way, when I eat them, they are tiny and therefore have less calories....right?

Another tip - try these still warm out of the oven. That's when they are the best! But, if you wait a bit, try reheating them for 10-12 seconds in the microwave the make them gooey and melty all over again! They will be good as new!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
1¼ cup sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup dark cocoa powder
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in the cocoa powder until well blended. Add the flour, salt and baking powder to the bowl and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead briefly by hand to be sure the ingredients are well combined.

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, divide into equal portions (OR divide into 12 equal pieces for those giant cookies!). As you work, roll each portion of dough into a ball and flatten just slightly into a disc. Place on the prepared baking sheets, a few inches apart. Bake 16-20 minutes or until the centers are just set - do not overbake!. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Buckeyes

When I first saw these peanut butter beauties, I knew I had to make them for my husband. You see, on one of our first dates, he found a buckeye and told me that his grandpa used to carry a buckeye in his pocket for good luck. He gave it to me and told me to keep it. He said that he didn't need any more good luck because he already had me. Altogether now, "AWWW!" He's so sweet like that. I knew even then that he was a keeper.

These treats turned out perfectly and were a real hit over the holidays. To me, they taste a lot like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and are dangerously addictive. They were also really simple to make but were impressive enough to bring to a party.

I hope you give these a try and if you're ever lucky enough to find a real buckeye, pick it up and hang on to it. Mine's been pretty lucky for me so far. :D

Buckeyes

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (from about 10-12 graham crackers)
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
10 Tbs. butter, melted and cooled
12 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter together until combined. Add the graham cracker crumbs and beat for 10 seconds. Add the sugar and butter, and mix on the lowest speed until combined, then increase the speed until the ingredients are well mixed (remember to scrape down the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated). The mixture will be crumbly and a little dry — this is perfect for shaping. Set it aside while you prepare the coating.

Melt the chocolate either over a double boiler, stirring until it is completely smooth or in a microwave in 30 then 10 second increments, stirring before you start it again until it is completely smooth. Let it cool to tepid while you shape the peanut butter centers.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Scoop out slightly more than one tablespoon’s worth of filling, break in half and use your hands to form it into two balls. Place the peanut butter centers on the prepared sheet and repeat the process until all of the candies have been shaped. They can sit close to each other but make sure they are not touching.

Using a fork or large skewer, dip each ball into the chocolate and roll it about so that almost the entire candy is coating, leaving a small circle uncoated. I found it easiest to stick the skewer in the side, angle the bowl I was using towards it and make sure it became submerged as I rolled the candy around.

Chill the buckeyes until they are set, about 30 minutes.

Recipe adapted slightly from Smitten Kitchen

Apple Cake with Homemade Caramel Sauce

Recently, I found some amazing apples on sale at my grocery store. Normally, I see apple desserts as more of a Autumn comfort food, but I just couldn't resist. I decided to make homemade Apple Cake. Once I made it, I decided to go on caloric overload and add some homemade caramel sauce. Oh man....the cake was pretty great on it's own, but the caramel sauce really did me in. It was so simple, too. Eat this cake heated with the caramel sauce and some vanilla ice cream and you're in Heaven....

Apple Cake with Homemade Caramel Sauce

1/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 /2 tsp. baking powder
1 /2 tsp. salt
1 /2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 /2 tsp. ground nutmeg or mace
1 /2 tsp. ground ginger
3 cups peeled, diced tart apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With an electric or hand mixer, cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add to mixture slowly, in batches. Stir in apples. Spoon into greased 8X8 pan.

Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.

Optional: Add 1/4 cup chopped nuts to recipe at same time as apples.

*Note: this recipe is for an 8X8 pan but could easily be doubled for a 13X9


Homemade Caramel Sauce
makes about 1 1/2 cups

1/2 C water
1 C sugar
1 C heavy cream, at room temperature
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Place the water and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, uncover and continue to boil until the mixture is thick and the color of straw, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until the mixture is a deep amber color, about 1-2 minutes more.

Remove the mixture from the heat. Very carefully, pour about one quarter of the cream into it (the mixure will bubble vigorously). Add the remaining cream, salt, vanilla, and the lemon juice. Whisk until the sauce is smooth.

The sauce can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Reheat in a microwave or in a small saucepan until warm and smooth.

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen.

Beer Bread

While making beef stew, I realized that I needed a hearty bread to go with it. I am not a typical bread-maker, so I wanted something quick and easy. I remember LOVING the Tastefully Simple beer bread, but didn't have any on hand. A quick internet search (what would we do without Google?!) and I found a "copycat" recipe that I thought looked pretty good.

Turns out, this version is really close to the original. I couldn't really tell any difference, so I will be making this from now on....much cheaper than actually buying the TS kit too!!

Beer Bread

3 C. self rising flour
1/2 C. sugar
12 oz. beer (seasonal or flavored beers are great, but any beer will do! You can also use another carbonated drink if you don't have any beer on hand)
3 Tbs. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar, and beer. Mix just until combined. Spoon into a greased loaf pan. Pour melted butter over the batter and bake for 55-60 minutes.

Halloween Sugar Cookies

Decorating sugar cookies is one of my favorite ways to celebrate the holidays. For a long time I was on the search for a good icing that would dry hard, but also taste good. What I love about these cookies is they are cute but, more importantly, they taste amazing and are easy to transport. I included that recipe below, but the real fun of these cookies is how festive they are!!


For the pumpkins, a little orange cake sparkle on the wet icing really made them POP! They went from ok to fantastic in one simple step!


These spider webs were really fun because I was trying out a new flooding technique. My husband even asked if it was a sticker that I bought and put on the cookies - silly man! They are really much easier than they look. Next time, I think I will add a little green spider.


These were the first Halloween cookies that I made and I still love them. I think that next time I will make some "girl" skeletons by adding a bow - how cute would that be?!


Finally, these were the "leftover" cookies. I was really just using them to practice writing with icing and I wanted to use the orange sparkle again!



So....what fun things are you making for Halloween??

Royal Icing
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. meringue powder
5 tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. flavored extract (I used Almond this time but lemon, orange, almond, etc. would be great to use!)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sheen has disappeared and the icing has a matte appearance (about 7-10 minutes). Transfer the contents of the mixing bowl to an air-tight container. This will be the stiffest consistency of the icing, and at this point it is still too stiff to use for decorating. Add water a very small amount at a time and stir by hand until fully incorporated. Continue until the icing has reached a consistency appropriate for piping. (Remember, if you are having any difficulty piping, it is still too thick. Add a little more liquid and try again.) Using a pastry bag, pipe around the edges of each cookie. Let stand so the icing will set. Make sure to keep the leftover icing covered at all times when not in use so that it does not begin to harden.

Once all the cookies have been edged, transfer some of the remaining icing to a separate air-tight container. Thin out by incorporating a small amount of water at a time, until the icing drips off the spoon easily when lifted and then smooths in with that still in the bowl. If you go too far and the icing is too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar to thicken it again. Once the icing has reached the desired consistency, transfer it to a squeeze bottle (or a plastic bag with a hole in one corner), and flood the area surrounded by the piping on each cookie. If it does not completely spread to the edges, use a toothpick to help it along. Allow to set.

Use the remaining thicker icing for piping decoration as desired. Gel icing color is best as it does not add a significant amount of liquid. Liquid food coloring can be used as well – add powdered sugar as needed to compensate for any thinning that occurs.

Recipe from Annie's Eats - originally from Good Things Catered

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am ridiculously excited to share this recipe with everyone. I have been looking for the "perfect" chocolate chip cookie for years....literally years. Sad? Yes. Pathetic? Probably. But, alas, it is also true. You wouldn't think that the recipes are that different...same basic ingredients thrown together in a pretty typical fashion. But, for some reason every chocolate chip cookie recipe I have come across has either turned out too thin and crispy (too much butter?), too cakey/ puffy (too much baking soda?), or just...gross. I have been in search of the PERFECT chocolate chip cookie, and I have finally found it.

I truly think that everyone should have a "go to" cookie recipe. This has definitely become mine. To me, these cookies just say HOME. They have crispy edges, a soft center, and just enough chocolate chips. Also in this recipe, you do not use the entire bag of chocolate chips - weird, right?! That's what I thought....but the balance between all of the ingredients come together perfectly to make one irresistible treat and there's the perfect amount of chips, I promise!

The shaping method here is definitely different, but I think that it's worth the one extra step. Plus, it's pretty fun too!



Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven 325°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside. Mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low-speed just until combined. Gently stir in chocolate chips.

Roll a scant half-cup of dough into a ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull apart into two equal halves. Rotate halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, place formed dough onto cookie sheet, leaving ample room between each ball.



Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy (about 13 minutes - cookies will settle a bit while cooling).

Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.



Recipe found on Annie's Eats (thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!)

Peach Preserves

Not that I needed an excuse to use up some summer peaches I have, but I did find an AMAZING way to make the distinct taste of summer last all winter. My uncle made these peach preserves and this recipe is so good. We (ok, mostly I...) plowed through his batch and just had to make a batch of our own. It's as fresh tasting as it is addicting. I just spread it on crackers and eat it, but you can also use this recipe as a glaze over chicken or pork. So simple, very impressive, and defintely worth the canning effort!



Peach Preserves
(thanks to my uncle for the fool-proof recipe!)

3 lbs peaches, "cling free" ( they are much easier to work with like Red Haven)
1/4 cup of lemon juice
7 1/2 cups of sugar
1 pouch of liquid pectin - 3 oz.

Boil a pot of water and drop peaches in for about 1 minutes. This will soften the skin and it should come right off. Remove the pit and discard. Finely chop skinned and pitted fruit. You should get about 4 cups of fruit.

Wash canning jars in your dishwasher on hottest setting and leave them in there until ready to use. Put lids into just simmering water on stove and let them stay. Put bands into a bowl and pour boiling water over them just until covered. Bring your boiling water canner, half full of water, to a simmer.

In a 6-8 quart heavy saucepan, mix exact measure of fruit, stir in lemon juice and sugar. Bring mixture to a roiling boil. Add pectin and bring back to a roiling boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam with a metal spoon.

Ladle hot jam into prepared jars to within 1/8 of top. Place lid on and secure with band tightly, but not too tight. You should get about 8 - 8 oz jars.

Put jars on a rack in boiling water canner and bring to a gentle boil. Jar should be covered by 1-2 inches of water. Process for 10 minutes.
Remove jars and place upright on a towel to completely cool. After jars are cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. If lid springs back it is not sealed and should be refrigerated.
Let stand at room temperature to help with the setting process. This can take awhile, so be patient. Store in a cool, dry place for up to a year.

Almond Joy Truffles

When I saw these truffles, I just knew I had to make them. Almond Joy candy bars are irresistible to me and I have to have one or two...or twelve. I have even been known to raid Halloween bags for them. So although these truffles were my first attempt at making any kind of truffle, the recipe seemed easy enough. Thankfully, they turned out great and taste really close to the candy bar!

With 5 simple ingredients, a little messy rolling, and BAM! Heaven in a ball. These went really fast at my last get-together and my husband even found the ones I was hiding in the back of the fridge. (I have to find a new hiding place!!) Try these out as a special treat or a gift - they stand up really well to packing and storing.



Almond Joy Truffles

1/3 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
8 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
20 salted almonds, whole
1 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut, toasted*

In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, heat cream and butter until hot. Turn heat off, and stir in chocolate until melted. Chill chocolate in the freezer or refrigerator until firm (about 2 hours). Roll chocolate into 20 balls and place almonds in the centers of them. Roll truffles into coconut.

*To toast the coconut, place in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally but keep your eye on it. As the moisture is drawn out of the coconut, it will turn a beautiful golden brown.

Makes 20 truffles

Adapted slightly from Sugar Plum

Homemade Caramel Popcorn

For Father's Day (or any other holiday, really), I always try to find ways to give homemade gifts. This year, my husband had a great idea for our dads. Homemade Caramel Popcorn! They both love it and you can put it in all sorts of fun containers. We went with simple, clear canisters...much more manly, I thought.

Since caramel popcorn is normally seasonal (Halloween - Christmas) it's hard to find any that's fresh and not really expensive. After doing some research, I found a great recipe. It's simple (nearly foolproof, really) which is good considering I've had some caramel-making disasters in my past. Plus, most of the ingredients are pantry staples, so you can make it all year! The bonus is that this caramel corn tastes exactly like the gourmet, super-pricey kind you can find in specialty shops around the holidays.



Homemade Caramel Popcorn

Non-stick Cooking spray
12 C. popcorn (I used the microwavable kind - it's just about 2 bags worth of popcorn)
2 C. peanuts (optional)
1 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. corn syrup (light or dark)
1/2 C. (1 stick) of butter
1/2 tsp. salt, plus a pinch
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda


Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Spray a large shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Combine popcorn and nuts (if using) and set aside.

In a heavy 2 quart sauce pan mix brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and 1/2 tsp. of salt. Stir constantly and bring to a boil over medium heat. Without stirring, boil for 5 minutes. Remove sauce pan from eat, stir in vanilla and baking soda.

Pour the syrup over popcorn (and nuts), making sure to coat each piece. The caramel hardness pretty fast, so make sure to move quickly as you pour and mix!

Bake in 250 degree oven for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, let cool, and break popcorn apart.

Package in cute containers to give away as gifts - or just eat it all yourself...hey, I don't judge!

Cranberry-Orange Scones

This is another recipe from the America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) geniuses. They have many, many scone variations so I decided to use what I had on hand to make my first scones! What’s great about these is you can use any mix-ins you have. Plus, you can freeze the scones instead of baking them right away and have warm, bakery style scones whenever you want them!

I chose the cream scones as a base because I wanted a creamy, yet flaky breakfast (or any time of the day, really) treat. Then, I also decided to do the “cakey scone” variation. This adds an egg and slightly reduces the butter and cream. I loved the overall texture and cakey-ness of the scones. They would have turned out much more biscuit-like had I not gone this route.

Also, I loved how easy shaping these scones were. Using the cake pan and pressing the dough to form a disk made cutting perfect scones so simple! They look really impressive but are truly simple to pull together.



Cranberry-Orange Scones

2 C. all purpose flour
1 T. baking poweder
3 T. sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 tsp. salt
4 T. very cold butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 C. dried cranberries
3/4 C. heavy cream, plus more for brushing – about 1 Tb.
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. orange zest
Juice from 1 orange

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Zest an orange and set aside 1 tsp. to use later. Place cranberries in a small bowl. Juice the orange over the cranberries and allow them to plump up while you work.

Place the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process with six 1-second pulses, until combined. Sprinkle the orange zest and butter evenly over the dry ingredients. Process with twelve 1-second pulses.

Drain the cranberries. Add them to the food processor bowl and pulse together with one quick pulse. Stir in the egg and heavy cream with a rubber spatula or fork until the dough begins to form, about 30 seconds.

Transfer the dough and any remaining dry flour bits to a countertop that has been lightly dusted with flour. Knead the dough by hand just until it comes together – do not over knead!

Lightly dust an 8-inch cake pan. Press the dough evenly into the cake pan. Turn the dough out on to the countertop. (You should have a nice, flat, and even disk to work with!) Cut into 8 equal wedges. (At this point you can flash freeze the wedges in the freezer for 20 minutes. Then put them in a ziplock bag and freeze until needed).

Place wedges on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops are light brown. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes (ATK recommends truly letting the scones sit for the 10 minutes. It firms them up and improves their overall texture).

Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy with coffee or tea!

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf Cake

I was looking for a recipe to use up some blueberries that I had. When I came across a lemon-blueberry yogurt loaf, I knew I had to try it. I LOVE lemon. Because of my lemon obsession, I decided in this recipe to use lemon flavored yogurt (instead of plain) to add to the lemon flavor and, also, because it's what I had in my fridge! The result is a very moist, lemony loaf cake that perfectly compliments the blueberries. It's a rich loaf cake that's not overly sweet and it works equally well as a muffin paired with your morning coffee.

When it comes to blueberries, I highly recommend using fresh, so wait until they go on sale at your grocery store! You can certainly substitute frozen, but they tend to be mushy and stain the batter purple when you fold in the berries.

Next time, I plan to experiment with other yogurts and fruits, just to see if they turn out as fabulous as this! If you try it, or another combination, I'd love to hear about it!!

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf Cake

1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup lemon yogurt (you can also substitute vanilla or plain yogurt if that's what you have)

1 cup plus 1 1/2tablespoons sugar, divided

3 eggs

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups blueberries, fresh (if you only have frozen, make sure that they are thawed and patted dry)

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

powdered sugar, optional for garnishing

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 60 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping out onto a cooling rack. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, use a toothpick to poke holes all on the top of the loaf. Then, using a pastry brush, brush the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Allow the loaf to cool and top with powdered sugar just before serving.

Adapted slightly from Smitten Kitchen

Spice Rubs and Homemade BBQ Sauces

For Father's Day, I really wanted to do something special for my dad. He's a great guy who's always helping other people. He's also a great cook and I learned a lot of my recipes and cooking techniques (or lack-thereof!) from him. Whenever I am out of dinner ideas or want to test out a new pie recipe, I know I can always count on Dad. Plus, I love that he likes to experiment with food! So for Father's Day, I decided to make him some spice rubs and homemade bbq sauces that he can try. Spice Rubs

All-Purpose Spice Rub

makes 1 1/4 cups

(Adapted from Everyday Food)

1/3 C. coarse sea salt
1/4 C. packed brown sugar

1/4 C. paprika

2 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbs. dried oregano
2 Tbs. dried thyme

1 Tbs. cayenne pepper

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Use a fork or your fingers to break up any brown sugar lumps. Store in an air-tight container up to 6 months.

Lisa's Creole Seasoning

makes 2/3 cup

2 1/2 Tbs. smoked paprika

2 1/2 Tbs. coarse sea salt

2 Tbs. garlic powder

1 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbs. onion powder

1 Tbs. cayenne pepper

1 Tbs. dried oregano

1 Tbs. dried thyme

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an air-tight container up to 6 months

Sweet 'N Spicy Paprika Rub

(Adapted from Everyday Food)
4 tsp. paprika

3 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. packed brown sugar

3 tsp. coarse sea salt

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an air-tight container up to 6 months

Maple Chipotle BBQ Sauce

1 C. ketchup

1/4 C. real maple syrup

1/4 C. packed dark brown sugar

2 Tbs. spicy brown mustard

1 to 3 chipotles in adobo, chopped

3 Tbs. adobo sauce (from the chipotle peppers)

In a small saucepan, whisk together all ingredients. Summer, whisking occasionally until sauce is reduced and thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Down Home BBQ Sauce

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

3/4 C. onion, finely chopped

2 Tbs. garlic, pressed or minced

4 C. ketchup

1/2 C. plus 2 Tbs. packed brown sugar

1/2 C. cider vinegar

1/4 C. Worcestershire sauce

3 Tbs. hot sauce

2 Tbs. spicy brown mustard

2 Tbs. Creole Seasoning

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onions are softened, about 4 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Rib Sauce

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

coarse sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 C. ketchup

1 C. beef broth

3/4 C. cider vinegar

1/4 C. plus 2 Tbs. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. celery salt

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 40 minutes.

BBQ Sauces