Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Apple Cinnamon Sangria

It's here!  Cinco de Mayo is an excuse to drink some festive drinks and eat Mexican food...sounds like a holiday to me!  The most common drink of Cinco de Mayo is definitely margaritas, but I wanted to make something a bit different.  Don't get me wrong, I could down a pitcher of lime margaritas on the rocks, but today I decided to change it up a bit.

On a recent trip to Philadelphia, I ordered an Apple Cinnamon Sangria at a great little gourmet pizza place.  I thought the cinnamon might be weird and a little bit too much like a fall mulled wine drink.  To my surprise, it was wonderful...and I loved eating the few tart, wine-soaked apple slices after I finished my sangria.

In writing this recipe, I didn't really know how to infuse all the cinnamon and apple flavor.  So, I did what I always do and threw a bunch of ingredients together and hoped for the best!  Letting it sit overnight is key to this recipe, so throw this sangria together and look forward to an awesome at-home happy hour tomorrow night!

Ingredients:

1 bottle red wine
2 bottles hard cider
1 green apple
1/2 orange
3-4 cinnamon sticks

Directions:

Core and chop the apple into large chunks.  Slice the orange and put the fruit and cinnamon sticks in a jug or pitcher.  Pour in the wine and cider and let the sangria sit over night in the fridge.  I gave mine a full 24 hours to infuse the most cinnamon flavor possible.

A few notes:  

• I recommend a full-bodied red wine that isn't too sweet, but use your favorite.  
• The hard cider I used was Angry Orchard Apple Ginger Cider.  It gives the sangria a bit of fizz, a more intense apple flavor and a nice hint of ginger.  
• Let the sangria sit for at least 4-6 hours.  24 hours is ideal.  
• Do not use ground cinnamon. 
• Finally, if you down this all in one evening like we did, save the fruit and cinnamon sticks in the fridge and make another batch.

Family Reunion Picnic

Triple Chip Oatmeal Scotchies

For my family reunion this weekend, I wanted to take a dessert that was easy to pass and could sit out all day safely.  I didn't have any recipe in mind when I went into the kitchen tonight, but I found a little inspiration in my pantry.  I had 1/3 of a bag of butterscotch chips left from another recipe.  That recipe probably used half the bag and I snacked on the rest.  I absolutely love butterscotch!

I figured cookies would be the easiest, so I settled on Oatmeal Scotchies because I always have a ton of oatmeal in the pantry too.  To make them a little bit more decadent, I added white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips.  The cookies are a combination of chewy and soft with the sweetness of butterscotch and chocolate.  These will be the perfect sweet treat for an afternoon at the lake with the whole family (if they make it the 2 hour drive without me eating them)!

Triple Chip Oatmeal Scotchies

Ingredients:

1/2 C softened butter
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 large egg
1 t vanilla
1 1/4 C all-purpose unbleached flour
1 C oats (I use old fashioned)
1/2 C butterscotch chips
1/3 C white chocolate chips
1/3 C mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
36 pecan halves (optional)

Directions:


Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a stand mixer or bowl, beat softened butter for about a minute.  Add sugars and beat until light in color and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add dry mixture to the butter and sugar.  Beat until just incorporated.  Add oats, butterscotch and chocolate chips and fold in.  Place the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Scoop out rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets.  If desired, top each cookie with a pecan half.  Since not everyone likes nuts, I usually do half the batch with nuts.  Place in preheated oven and bake for 10-14 minutes (mine were perfect in 12 min)

Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on wire racks.  After cookies are cool, pack them up for your picnic or eat them right away!  This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.  Happy picnic season :)

Gooey Chocolate Decadence

Chocolate Pudding Cake

This is one of my favorite chocolate dessert recipes.  It is so simple, at it is great with so many different accompaniments (whipped creams, ice creams, fruit).  My favorite application is definitely with a big dollop of hazelnut whipped cream.  I made this dessert for the first time when we were going to our friends' house for dinner.  It was the perfect end to an awesome meal and everyone loved it.  There were no leftovers for me to take home which I (and my skinny jeans) appreciate.  If you love chocolate or even like it just a little bit, try this recipe, serve it warm with a creative topping and your friends will be begging for you to make this dessert again...trust me.

 My only tip for this recipe is to follow the directions.  It will sound weird, it will look weird, but it will turn out perfectly.  I promise.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Pudding Cake 
with Hazelnut Whipped Cream
Cake recipe adapted from Gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake


Ingredients:

Cake
3/4 C sugar
1 C all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 C cocoa powder
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 C low fat buttermilk
1/3 C unsalted butter, melted
2 t vanilla extract

Topping
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C light brown sugar
1/4 C cocoa powder
1 C hot water

Hazelnut Whipped Cream
1 C heavy whipping cream
2 T powdered sugar
1-2 T Hazelnut-flavored syrup (I used Torani Sugar-Free Hazelnut)

Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place a glass bowl in the freezer.

Whisk together dry cake ingredients: sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.  In a separate bowl, mix together buttermilk, butter and vanilla.  Pour wet into dry ingredients and stir until the mixture is smooth.  Pour into a baking dish (I use a 9" square or similar sized round glass baking dish).

Now, for the topping, whisk together sugars and cocoa.  Sprinkle mixture over cake batter.  Now, pour the hot water over the top.  Do not stir at all at this point.  This is where it looks weird and it looks like the cake is ruined, but you just have to resist the urge to stir the water into the batter.  The water on the top is what allows the cake to have that ooey, gooey, hot fudge-like pudding center!  Place in preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center is just set.

Meanwhile, make the whipped cream.  Take the glass bowl out of the freezer.  Pour cold cream into bowl and beat on a medium-high to high speed with an electric mixer until it starts to thicken.  Add sugar gradually.  Add syrup to taste and continue beating until the cream is light, fluffy and holds peaks.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove cake from the oven and let it cool for about 20 min before serving with the hazelnut whipped cream on top.

Macaroni and Cheese

Slow Cooker Shells & Cheese

I love my slow cooker.  If I could make every meal in it, I would.  It is so effortless and dinner is ready as soon as I get home.  This recipe, however is very quick cooking.  It's perfect for the nights when you come home right after work, but have to go to the gym, run errands, go to a meeting, etc. and want a delicious meal waiting when you return.  Option one would be to have your husband make dinner.  For me, this is not the best option...to my husband, "making dinner" equals take-out or boxed mac and cheese (which is still a little risky).
Mac and Cheese is the perfect comfort food and it's so easy to make in the slow cooker.  Just throw the ingredients in and give them a quick stir.  Even the pasta can go in uncooked!  This recipe serves about 4-6 people depending on whether it is the main dish or a side dish.

After 2 hours on low, this is how it looked.  I stirred it and added 2 shredded pieces of american cheese and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese and set it to 'Warm' for another 45 min.

Here is the finished product, ready to eat!  All I did was spoon it into a bowl and top it with some fresh parsley from my little herb garden.

 Slow Cooker Shells & Cheese


Ingredients:


1/2 lb whole wheat medium shells
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese
2 T light butter
1/2 t salt
1 t mustard powder
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t onion powder
2 C reduced fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 C skim milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 t paprika
2 slices American cheese, shredded/sliced
1/4 C grated parmesan cheese

Directions:


Spray crock of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine cream cheese and butter in a small bowl and microwave about 30 seconds so that it is soft enough to stir together.  Stir in salt, mustard powder, pepper and onion powder.  Add eggs and milk.

Place uncooked pasta in crock.  Pour liquid mixture over pasta and add the cheese.  Stir everything together a few times to make sure all the pasta is surrounded by the milk mixture.  Sprinkle the top with paprika.  Set the slow cooker on low for about 2 hours.  Remove lid, stir and top with shredded American cheese and parmesan cheese.  Replace lid and set on 'Warm' for about 30-45 min to allow the rest of the cheese to melt.

Spoon out servings and top with parsley or any herb you like.  Enjoy this effortless mac and cheese on a busy night!

Red Velvet White Chocolate Swirl Brownies 

Fourth of July is just about the best holiday.  You can't beat a day when the sun is shining, you get to cookout, watch fireworks and celebrate our great country's independence.  We're on our way to our friends' house for a cookout and I took on the task of bringing a dessert and a cocktail.  My two favorite things, so I'm not complaining ;)

I scoured Pinterest for the perfect red, white and blue dessert.  I found so many great things, but I wanted to try to do something a little unique.  I found a recipe for Red Velvet Swirl Brownies that sounded so good that I had to try to make it with just a little twist.  Everyone loves red velvet cake with sweet cream cheese frosting, so the cream cheese swirl in these brownies was the perfect touch.  I thought adding white chocolate would make these even a bit more decadent.

I layered the white chocolate filling, so there were two layers of it running through the brownies.  Start with a layer of brownie batter, follow with white chocolate filling, brownie batter, white chocolate and a final layer of brownie batter.  Got that?  Five layers.  I did four layers and the white chocolate layer on the top was a little too brown and sort of ruined the red, white and blue beauty I was trying to achieve.

After all the layering, take a knife or skewer and start swirling.  Do horizontal and then vertical stripes through the batter.

I'm off to our cookout with these brownies and some homemade cinnamon ice cream!  Happy 4th of July!

Red Velvet White Chocolate Swirl Brownies
Adapted from Red Velvet Swirl Brownies

Ingredients:


For brownies
1/2 C butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 C sugar
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1/4 C cocoa powder
1 T red food coloring
1 T white vinegar
2 eggs
3/4 C flour
1/8 t salt

For white chocolate swirl
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/3 C powdered sugar
1 egg
1/8 t vanilla
4 oz white chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 8x8 pan with cooking spray and place a square of parchment or wax paper in the bottom of the pan.

Mix butter, sugar, salt and vanilla in a large bowl or stand mixer with paddle attachment.  In a separate bowl, mix cocoa powder, food coloring and vinegar to make a paste.  Add this to the butter and sugar mixture.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Finally, add the flour and mix a few seconds until just combined.

In a separate bowl, mix all ingredients for white chocolate swirl using a whisk attachment.  Beat until it is smooth and creamy.  Taste and adjust sweetness as necessary.  You don't want it to be too sweet because the brownie part takes care of that!

Now for the layering...spread 1/3 of brownie batter into the prepared pan.  Use 1/2 of white chocolate filling to make dollops on top of the batter.  Gently spread out the white chocolate layer and top with another layer of brownie batter.  Now spread one more layer of white chocolate and top that with the remaining 1/3 of the brownie batter.  Take the tip of a sharp knife or a long skewer (don't try to do this with a toothpick!) and make about 6 horizontal lines and then 6 vertical lines to make a swirl pattern.

Bake for 30-35 min, topping with blue sugar or sprinkles halfway through cooking time, if desired.  Cool on a wire cooling rack.  Turn out on a cutting board, peel off wax/parchment layer and slice into 12 brownies.

Enjoy celebrating Independence Day with family and friends!

Bananas and Peanut Butter

Banana Pancakes with Peanut Butter

About once a month, I will make a special breakfast for my husband and me to enjoy on a lazy Sunday morning.  This past Sunday, I wanted to add something new to my basic pancake recipe.  

When I was little, I had a friend whose whole family put peanut butter on their pancakes instead of butter.  I always though it was weird...until I tried it.  It is AMAZING.  The salty, creamy peanut butter combines perfectly with the fluffy pancakes and sweet maple syrup.  I wanted to think of a pancake recipe that would make this combination even better.  I've already tried the usual chocolate chip pancakes (which are always delicious), but I wanted to make something a little different.  While I was trying to brainstorm new ideas, I saw some overly ripe banana's in my fruit basket.  Perfect!

Any time I make pancakes, I try to cut out calories without losing flavor and texture.  This allows me to eat more pancakes without sacrificing the wonderful taste of pancakes on a Sunday morning.  The key is to not over-mix the batter and to let it rest for a few minutes before cooking.

My final tip is to use a large griddle.  I have a big electric griddle and I set it to 375 degrees.  I like using the large griddle because I can cook all the pancakes at the same time so that I don't have to cook, serve, cook and then be left with cold pancakes for myself.  (Also, see below the recipe for my tip on saving leftovers!)

Banana Pancakes with Peanut Butter

Ingredients:


2 C unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/4 C low fat buttermilk (or skim milk)
1 t light butter, melted
2 small ripe bananas, mashed (plus one for garnish if desired)
1 T sugar
1T brown sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 C natural peanut butter (any brand/texture you like)
1/2 C good maple syrup (I usually use light or sugar-free, but real maple syrup give you the best flavor with no artificial ingredients)

Directions:

Preheat your griddle to 375 degrees or a griddle/large frying pan over medium to medium high heat.

Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl, mix egg, milk, bananas and sugars.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just incorporated.  Stir in melted butter.

Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes while you get the toppings ready and maybe cook up some bacon!

Warm peanut butter in the microwave until it's slightly melted (30 sec-1 min).  Also, heat your maple syrup in a saucepan or in the microwave.

Grease griddle.  Pour about 2/3 C (I do a ladle-full) portions to make the cakes.  Let them cook until bubbles on the surface just begin to burst.  Flip and cook another two minutes or until golden, fluffy and cooked through.  Plate your pancakes and top each cake with peanut butter, syrup and a few banana slices, if desired.

Note: If you're in the mood for more banana, put the slices in the batter before you flip them (about 2-3 slices per cake).  This will cook them into the bottom and give you more banana flavor and texture.

***Leftovers can be frozen on a cookie sheet and then transferred to a freezer bag.  This way, you can just put it in the toaster and have a homemade pancake to enjoy on any day of the week!

I hope you too can enjoy this recipe with someone special on a lazy Sunday morning :)

Roasted Potatoes

Roasted Parmesan Potatoes

This is my basic recipe for roasted potatoes.  It can be varied by type of potato, herbs, cheese and seasonings used.  Just use these general guidelines and you'll easily make the best roasted potato ever!

Roasted Parmesan Potatoes


Ingredients:

2 lb potatoes (anything you have...my personal favorite is the mini red potatoes)
3 T olive oil
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t cracked black pepper
2 T minced garlic
2 T grated parmesan cheese
2 T dried rosemary, Italian Seasoning, ranch seasoning and/or parsley (whatever you like...I used Italian Seasoning and parsley here)
1/4 C shaved parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut potatoes in quarters or halves (or chunks depending on the type of potato you use), making sure they are all about the same size.  Spread potatoes out on a baking sheet and pour olive oil over them.  Sprinkle on salt, pepper, garlic, cheese and dried herbs of choice (if using parsley, add it after cooking to avoid browning).  Toss with your hands to coat all the potatoes.  Make sure they are in an even layer.  Put the pan in the oven for about 45 minutes.  Flip the potatoes a few times during cooking so all sides get nice and crispy brown.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley and shaved parmesan cheese.