Pass the Plate

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

2012-02-26T10:17:00.001-05:00

I was watching the food network the other day and I heard one of the hosts describe a dish they were making as being "like a hug on the inside."

After one bite of this gooey, cheesy, potato-y casserole, I don't think there is a more perfect explanation of the way this tastes and makes you feel.

This is one of those recipes that is so comforting and warm, it just tastes like home. Usually, I only get to enjoy it one day out of the entire year, on Christmas Eve.

But it's so simple to make, I thought why not make it more often?

I have a feeling I might make this so much for dinner now, I might be sick of it by Christmas Eve. However, that is highly doubtful.

The best part of this is the crusty, melted cheese on top, no doubt.

My mom and I always fight over the corner pieces, which have that extra crunchy part!

And afterwards, you can find us scraping the sides of the casserole dish with our forks to make sure every last piece of cheese is gone :)

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog

Ingredients

1 (32 oz.) package frozen shredded hash brown, thawed
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 can cream of potato soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 (8 oz.) sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheese (sharp cheddar, monterey jack of parmesan), plus extra for top

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Spoon mixture into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish.
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with extra cheese and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is melted

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

2012-02-20T14:56:00.002-05:00

Recipe #8 from my 12 recipes for 2012 is complete! 2 down, 10 to go...

Oh, and in case you haven't noticed...I've kind of had a cheesecake obsession recently.

I usually don't like to post two similar things in a row, but I just had to share these because they are just ridiculously amazing.

Today school was cancelled because of *SNOW* :) (first time all year!) So being trapped inside, I immediately knew it was going to be a baking kind of day.

However, for some reason, I had a really difficult time choosing what I wanted to bake today.

My "to-bake" list is expanding rapidly by the day, thanks to this lovely website. There are so many great ideas out there, and I seriously just want to make/eat everything. It's kind of a problem.

Also, it seems weird but when I actually have a lot of ingredients in the pantry it gets a little overwhelming because of all the possibilities.

I finally decided on these (and thank goodness I did) because I realized February is coming to an end (where does the time go?) and back in January I set a goal of 12 recipes I wanted to make, one for each month. I had an unopened bag of oreos, and realized this was the perfect, simple, yet delicious recipe to make!

They have a crispy, crunchy, oreo coating, filled with a slightly chewy, very creamy inside. Dip them in some ice cold milk and you're officially in heaven...

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker

Yields: 16-18 cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
1 cup Oreos, crushed

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and well-combined.
Add the sugar and vanilla extract and mix until the ingredients are well-combined. Add the flour and mix on low until the flour is incorporated. Stir in the mini chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
Place the Oreo cookie crumbs in a small bowl. Scoop the cookies into about 1½ to 2″ balls and then roll in the cookie crumbs. Place the cookie balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the tops are slightly puffed.
Cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

2012-02-15T19:59:00.002-05:00

How was everyone's ~~Single's Awareness~~ Valentine's Day?

Well, mine consisted of a lot of chocolate and these amazing cheesecake bars, so I'd call it a success!

I go back and forth on my feelings about Valentine's Day. I like the idea of it, but not necessarily all of the little knick knacks that come with it.

I think there should be a day to celebrate love. Because, let's be honest, love is one of the most important things in our lives. And it doesn't just have to be the love for your boyfriend/girlfriend or significant other, but it's also important to celebrate the other people you love in your life.

For me, being single on Valentine's Day (insert sad face, but not really), I chose to celebrate the important relationships in my life, especially family. Being the *angel child* that I am, I decided to take my love (sorry, I realize I have slightly overused that word) of cooking and create a delicious dinner for my parents and brother.

The main thing I truly dislike about this holiday is all of the cliches. The flowers, the chocolates, the unsentimental cards...be original!

It's very classic to go out to for a special Valentine's Day dinner. And I have no problem with that, because it takes the stress away from preparing a fancy meal. But if you like to cook (like me), then it just gives you an excuse to make an extravagant meal :)

Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to take pictures of the rest of my dinner, because 1. it smelled too good and I didn't want it to get cold and 2. the table was only lit with candles, so the pictures wouldn't have turned out.

I made this super-delicious-creamy-cheesy-healthyish-best-pasta-dish ever though: Light Garlic Shrimp Baked Penne from Pinch of Yum, and the only change I made was I used linguine instead, which is just a preference because I'm not a huge penne fan. This seriously was one of the best pasta dishes I've ever tried. My family literally could not stop talking about how amazing it was the whole night.

I also cut out strawberries to look like hearts, like these (Photo from It's the little things)

And then I had the most difficult time picking out what dessert to make, because there were just SO MANY OPTIONS. I'm literally so bad at making decisions...

As you can see, I decided on these raspberry white chocolate cheesecake bars.

I've made a lot of cheesecake and variations of cheesecake, and this recipe easily make the top 3 best ever!

The combination of the chocolate wafer crust, the creamy white chocolate cheesecake along with the tart raspberry swirl...ahh it's just heaven in a bite (or a lot of bites).

So don't wait until next Valentine's Day to try these...they would be great all year long!

Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog, adapted from My Recipes

Yields: 1-9x 13 pan

Ingredients:

1 9-oz box chocolate wafer cookies
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2-2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2-8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs plus 2 yolks
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-oz white chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a food processor or bag, crush cookies completely. Then mix with butter and spread in a greased 9 x 13 pan, pressing firmly to create an even layer on the bottom. Bake for 8 minutes and let cool completely.
Lower oven temperature to 250 F.
Combine raspberries and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a food processor or blender. Blend until completely smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding all of the seeds.
In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to combine cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Once completely mixed, add in one egg at a time, beating briefly after each addition.
Add flour, vanilla and mix until just combined. Then, fold in white chocolate.
Pour cheesecake mixture over cooled crust, spreading evenly. Drop spoonfuls of raspberry puree on top and, using a toothpick or butter knife, drag raspberry puree through cheesecake to create a marbled effect, taking care not to drag in crust.
Bake until edges are pale golden and cheesecake is just set in center, 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes.
Let cool completely on a wire rack, then cover and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 2 hours. Cut and serve.

Blueberry & White Chocolate Chip "Muffies"

2012-02-11T16:47:00.002-05:00

Is it a cookie? Or is it a muffin?
How about something that looks like a cookie but tastes like a muffin?
I'll just call it a muffie...

Have you ever had the intentions of baking something and it came out completely different than you expected?

Well, this is a perfect example of that happening to me...

except the results were even better than my original plans.

I wanted to make "pudding cookies"...basically mixing in pudding to a cookie batter to make them more moist. Also, I wanted to use minimal butter, and instead use Greek yogurt (by the way, Greek yogurt is an excellent way to cut out calories fat and add extra protein..it's definitely become my new favorite thing ingredient in baking).

So I came up with this recipe for what I thought would be fudgy, gooey, blueberry and white chocolate pudding cookies.

The batter consistency before I baked them was exactly like your typical chocolate chip cookie. This was also one of those batters where you just can't stop eating it. Like I'm pretty sure I ate more of the dough than the actual cookies.

But anyways...I made the first batch and baked them for 12 minutes. I found out that this was definitely not long enough.

Sure, they were supposed to be gooey, but these were like I tried to scoop pudding onto a baking sheet and then cook it, gross. They were a very strange texture and consistency. I thought this was a complete failure.

But I had reserved half of the batter and let it chill for approximately 30 minutes. So I decided to take another shot at these, and scoop out another pan of cookies.

This time, I baked them for about 17-18 minutes...and you would not believe what a difference this made! I let them cool for about 10 minutes on the sheet before I tried one.

I took one bite and got a burst of the tart blueberry with a slight crunch of the sweet chocolate chip. But one thing was missing...this most definitely did not have the same texture as a cookie.

If I closed my eyes, I could have sworn it was like taking a bite off of the top of a blueberry muffin.

So that's when I came up with the "muffie" concept. It's like the best of both worlds.

I learned a valuable lesson today, not just in baking but that can be applied to other parts of life.

If you think you've failed, don't give up. Because at first what might seem like a mistake could actually be better than you ever imagined.

Blueberry & White Chocolate Chip "Muffies"

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog, adapted from Chef in Training

Ingredients

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Sift together flour, baking soda and pinch of salt and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together, than add in Greek yogurt and mix until thoroughly combined.
Add in pudding package, eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
Add flour mixture slowly until completely incorporated. Then, fold in white chocolate chips and blueberries.
Cover and chill dough for 20-30 minutes.
Bake 16-18 minutes until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Store in an airtight container.

Super Bowl XLVI Feast

2012-02-06T11:45:00.000-05:00

We all watched the Patriots lose last night...again...

Did I ever mention I hate the Giants? And absolutely love Tom Brady (oh, and the rest of the team, I guess)

Soooo yeah, I'm not too thrilled about the results

But what I am happy about is the food : )

(Random fact: Super Bowl is the second largest food consumption day in the US, first is Thanksgiving, of course)

Because it was absolutely, deliciously, amazing. And it made the loss sting just a little bit less...

Here's a review in pictures of what we had at our Super Bowl Party:

Appetizer Table

Drink Table

Dad's Famous Salsa

This really is the best salsa in the world! (extra cilantro please)

Toasted Almond and Parmesan Dip (Click link for recipe)

The main attraction: Chicken Caesar and BBQ sliders

These Chicken Caesar Sliders are seriously one of the best things I've ever eaten! (Click link for recipe)

Decorations!

And you know there had to be a dessert!

Mini red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing (decorated w/ both team's colors)

Classic Carrot Cake

2012-02-03T17:13:00.001-05:00

Did you know...

...today is National Carrot Cake Day?

Conveniently and somewhat ironically, I had made a carrot cake for my Grandfather's Birthday (because it is his all time favorite dessert) last week, and even had the chance to take pictures of it to post on here.

Unfortunately, this past week my schedule has been absolutely CRAZY. I have been really busy between school, internships, going to the gym and soccer that I haven't been able to bake at all! So so so so sad...there should always be time to bake! Am I right?

I've been meaning to post this for over a week now, and have finally been able to take a breath and get it done. And how absolutely perfect that today is national carrot cake day? It was meant to be! (and sorry, I realize I have just asked a lot of rhetorical questions).

Anyways...this cake recipe is special because it wasn't taken off of a website or adapted from a cookbook. It is an authentic family recipe that I was given by my grandmother. I love "old-fashioned" recipes that have a lot of history and memories behind them. Sure, creating new and delicious treats is fun, but it's those classic and traditional ones that are always the most special.

Classic Carrot Cake

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog via "Grandma Bennett"

Yields: 9"-2 layer cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup nuts (optional-I omitted)

For the cream cheese icing:

1 stick butter, softened
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 lb powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
In a separate bowl, mix oil, eggs and sugar. Then mix in dry ingredients. Once fully incorporated, fold in carrots and nuts.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes and let cool completely before icing.
To make icing - using an electric mixer, mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined.
To assemble - Place one cake layer on cake pedestal and spread 1/4 of icing on top. Then, place second cake layer on top, and spread the rest of the icing on entire cake.
Note - allow cream cheese icing to set before serving and best when served slightly chilled

Chocolate Stuffed Mint Cookies

2012-01-27T08:28:00.000-05:00

Look at that ooey-gooey, melty chocolate!

So, pretty much ice cream is the best dessert ever...

But when it's 28 degrees outside, it's definitely not as enticing.

When it's 28 degrees outside, all I want is something warm and soul satisfying.

I think cookies are like a blank canvas. You can really throw anything into a typical butter, flour, sugar mixture, scoop it into individual portions and Voila, you have a new, unique cookie creation.

I was craving ice cream. Not just vanilla or chocolate, but my absolute favorite ice cream. Which is, of course, mint chocolate chip!

Thus, the chocolate stuffed mint cookie was born.

You absolutely must eat one right when it comes out of the oven. As you bite through the sweet, minty cookie and hit the warm, decadent, melted chocolate, you get transported to those hot summer days of enjoying this nostalgic ice cream flavor.

But, since you obviously can't eat all 18 right out of the oven (or maybe you can), they are great when stored. I was surprised when I had one the next day, and the chocolate in the center was still soft and gooey and not hard.

Enjoy these truly decadent cookies now, and coming up in a few days, I plan on baking a *healthy* cookie that is completely guilt-free but still has plenty of flavor!

And if you're craving mint chocolate chip, but don't want to budge on your new year's resolution, try these low calorie Mint Chocolate Chip Meringues!

Chocolate Stuffed Mint Cookies

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog, adapted from Betty Crocker

Yields: 18 cookies

Ingredients

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
6-8 drops green food coloring
1 egg
18 individual dove chocolates (I used dark chocolate)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, mix sugar cookie mix and butter with an electric mixer. Mix until combined and dough-like. Then add mint extract, egg and food coloring. Mix again until combined.
On a cookie sheet lined with wax or parchment paper, drop teaspoon size balls. Then, place one chocolate per cookie on top. Cover with another teaspoon size ball of dough, and press down around edges to seal.
Bake 10-12 minutes and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Strawbanana Bread

2012-01-23T11:29:00.000-05:00

OH. MY. GOSH. This is amazing...

Okay, so this completely, unexpectedly has become one of my favorite things I've EVER made!

You are probably like, really, banana bread? How great can it be?

Well, as most banana bread recipes are born, I had three overripe bananas that I just had to use, because I didn't want to throw them away. But I didn't want just a plain ole' loaf of bread, I wanted to kick it up a notch.

Conveniently, about a third of a carton of strawberries was sitting in the refrigerator. I know strawberries and bananas go well together in a smoothie, but would it work out if I baked them together? I had to at least give it a try...

I skeptically placed the pan in the oven, and waited to see the verdict.

I come downstairs about an hour later and the most amazing smell was coming from the oven. Full of cinnamon, sugar and bananas. Maybe this was actually going to turn out good?

I ~~impatiently~~ waited for the bread to cool for about 10 minutes than cut myself a steaming slice. I could see the fresh chunks of strawberry and the moist cake as I slathered it with some margarine (because banana bread just begs for butter).

I took one bite and knew it was a success.

Most of my baked goods get eaten in about a week or so between my family and I.

But not this bread, it was gone in TWO days. So yeah, I would absolutely give this recipe a try, it's so much more than your average banana bread.

Strawberry Banana Bread

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog, adapted from The Family Kitchen

Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
3 ripe bananas
1 cup strawberries, diced
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups All Purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add butter and sugar and mix well. Then add yogurt, eggs and vanilla and mix well.
In a separate bowl, sift together baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and flour. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until just combined.
Fold in sliced strawberries.
Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake 55-60 minutes.

Triple Layer Lemon Bars

2012-01-19T11:29:00.000-05:00

I love having a reason to bake.

Sure, I love to bake with random things around my house and see what creative recipes I can come up with, but it's more rewarding and exciting to bake for someone instead of just yourself.

That's one of the main reasons I prefer baking desserts over savory dishes. Because something sweet can always make someones day. Desserts are a staple at any holiday or birthday gathering. They are all about celebrating something joyful. Desserts and negativity just don't go together.

For Christmas, I gave a gift of any dessert "baked by Lauren" to my Aunt and Grandparents. It's a way to share my love of cooking with my family members. It also encourages me to go outside of my comfort zone and try a recipe that maybe I wouldn't necessarily have chosen.

My Aunt, step Uncle and Cousin all agreed on this recipe, a triple layered lemon bar, for me to make them. It has a shortbread crust, lemon cream cheese filling and is topped with a lemon curd.

I may have snuck a bite before I delivered it, and can say that they turned out absolutely delicious and even better than I expected! I had never attempted lemon curd before, because it kind of scared me. However, it came together perfectly on my first attempt.

I think giving this present was as exciting for me as it was for the recipients. I love to bake, and like I said earlier, I love having a reason to bake. I have a feeling a lot of friends and family will be getting an abundant amount of desserts this year :)

The recipe was from my Aunt's cookbook, but I found the same recipe online:

Lemon Bar Recipe

Homemade White Chocolate Reese's Cups

2012-01-15T09:02:00.000-05:00

If you've never had a white chocolate Reese's than I honestly feel bad for you...because they are AMAZING and way better than the classic chocolate (I know, crazy right?)

Ever since I took my first bite of one of these on Halloween, I knew I wanted to make a homemade version. I've seen many variations of Reese's cups made from scratch, and some pretty unusual ones, such as these cake filled ones over at one of my favorite blogs, Vanilla Sugar.

But I've never seen anyone try this version, and I'm so glad I did! It was a total experiment from the cupcake liners to the right consistency of the filling, I was totally winging it. Thankfully, I'm pretty proud of the way they turned out and I can't believe this version is even better than the commercial one! (P.S. the commercial version is the smaller one in the pictures above)

Please, please, please either go out and buy a bag or make these soon. I thought chocolate and peanut butter was a match made in heaven but now I think white chocolate and peanut butter are...

White Chocolate Reese's Cups
Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog, Inspired by Vanilla Sugar
Yields: 12

Ingredients

2 cups white chocolate chips
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions

In a double boiler, melt white chocolate chips. Meanwhile, place 12 mini cupcake liners in a muffin tin.
Using a spatula or pastry brush, carefully coat bottom and sides of liners with melted white chocolate. Let first layer cool and then coat with another layer. (Note: you may need to reheat white chocolate throughout this process if it starts to harden before placing it in liners). Reserve about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of white chocolate for top.
Place tin in refrigerator to let the white chocolate harden completely.
In a medium bowl, Stir together peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.
Reheat reserved white chocolate. Then, fill each white chocolate shell with a tablespoon of chilled peanut butter filling.
Evenly distribute remaining melted white chocolate on top of peanut butter filling to create the top.
Chill in refrigerator until top is completely hardened. Serve chilled or room temperature.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

2012-01-12T09:29:00.000-05:00

Recipe #5 from 12 Recipes for 2012 is a total success!!

I contemplated which recipe I should start with on the wish list, considering they are all amazing. I chose this one for January because it epitomizes this month. What's better than a warm, soul satisfying soup on a cold, rainy winter night? I can't think of anything more perfect. Also, January seems to be designated the "healthy" month (even though I believe every month should be) so this soup fits in with that criteria. Overall, it came together better than I expected, and it will be a go-to recipe for the rest of the year!

Broccoli cheddar soup seems to be a popular recipe among other food blogs recently, and it's actually a recent discovery for me. I had it for the first time over New Year's and became obsessed with the combination of cheese and broccoli. Seriously, it's like red velvet and cream cheese, a perfect match.

There are many rumors that Panera's is the pinnacle of this particular soup, so I will definitely have to try that soon! I'm actually really surprised I've never had it because Panera is easily in my top five favorite restaurants (you must try the BBQ chopped chicken salad!) I eat there at least once a week.

Not only am I excited about trying different variations of broccoli and cheese combinations, but this has also gotten me excited about the rest of my "12 for 2012" recipes to try. I hope they turn out as scrumptious as this one! Stay tuned to see which one I choose for February...

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog, adapted from Katrina Runs

Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

4 tablespoons salted butter
1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli
1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 cans chicken broth
1 cup milk (1%, 2% or skim)
1/2 cup half and half or cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, melt butter over medium-high heat.
Add onions, carrots, salt and pepper and saute until translucent.
Add flour and cook for 1 minute, until a golden-blonde color is reached.
Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and add broccoli. Simmer uncovered until broccoli is cooked through and tender, about 12-15 minutes.
Pour in milk, cream and cheese. Stir to combine and completely melted. Serve hot.

S'mores Cookies

2012-01-08T12:18:00.000-05:00

There is absolutely nothing better than the combination of chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallow. Whoever invented the s'mores was a genius!

S'mores always make me think of warm weather and good times with good friends...they are a nostalgic treat that will always remain a Summer staple.

So why make them in January?

Because sometimes Winter can put us in a rut. The cold is relentless, and we find ourselves stuck inside, bitter and unhappy, just trying to make it through the season. Especially once the holidays are over and the excitement has worn off, there isn't much to look forward to.

When you eat these hot out of the oven, with the marshmallows all gooey and the Hershey's bar slightly melted, you are suddenly transported to those long Summer nights.

So indulge a little and have a little piece of Summer during the Winter!

This recipe is from The Girl Who Ate Everything and can be found here:

S'mores Cookies Recipe

Layered Peppermint Cheesecake with White Chocolate Mousse Frosting

2012-01-04T16:15:00.000-05:00

What New Year's Resolutions have you made?

Last year, my resolution was to give up eating red meat. It was a step toward becoming healthier and eating things that were better for my body. I'm so glad I did, and am happy to say I plan on continuing this resolution for the rest of my life.

For 2012, I didn't set a specific goal. Instead I want to think of this year as the year of positivity and possibilities.

I plan on being more optimistic about certain situations that seem stressful such as school, internships, jobs and relationships. I want to look for the good qualities in people, instead of focusing on their faults. I have been known to be impatient and uncaring at times, and I would like to change that. I've learned from my grandmother that being positive is a mindset and a way of life that's worth living.

2012 is also the year of possibilities for me. Largely due to the fact that I'm a SENIOR and will be going to COLLEGE this year! Sometimes I look back and think time has passed too fast, but I take another glance and realize how long I've wanted this time in my life to come. Their are a lot of "lasts" right now, but soon there will be plenty of "firsts."

I did promise you that I didn't forget the dessert to my Christmas Eve feast. And I never break a promise...

This was a showstopping, absolutely decadent, five layer, peppermint, cream cheese and white cake. It's one of my most fabulous and tastiest dessert to date. My whole family enjoyed it and it was the perfect ending to a great meal.

As I was decorating the cake, I decided to playfully adorn the sides with peppermint candy canes, and my Mom mentioned this would be great for Valentine's Day as well! So let's just say I'll be making this again (soon!)...

The recipe came from the holiday edition Southern Living magazine (my favorite), and the link to the recipe can be found here: Layered Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe

12 Recipes for 2012

2012-01-01T11:23:00.000-05:00

Okay, so the amount of recipes I have bookmarked to eventually try is getting ridiculous! There are just too many things I want to make!

So instead of being overwhelmed, I've decided to make a wish list of the top 12 recipes I want to try for 2012. My plan is one recipe per month, but I will probably get too excited and make them early on.

Since starting my food blog, I've become very interested in other people's blogs. I love seeing the unique creations that are made on a daily basis, they never cease to amaze me.

I can't wait to get in the kitchen this year to try these fabulous recipes from fellow food bloggers!

Here is the list, in no particular order:

1. Baked Crab Rangoons

I think I should have been born Asian...because I'm obsessed with their food. I could eat sushi all day and hibachi all night. I especially love crab rangoons, the crisp outer shell mixed with the cream cheese and crab, my mouth is watering! I'm really excited to give them a try myself.

2. Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

Usually I find my recipes via foodgawker.com. However, I found this one on pinterest. Bananas are a recent obsession. I'm pretty sure I eat at least one a day. But I'm very particular about which bananas I eat. I prefer them extra ripe, no brown spots means I won't eat them. As for this pie, I can't wait to mix the classic banana cream pie with a chocolate bottom (drool!)

3. Crème brûlée

Okay, this one I'm particularly ecstatic about. That's because Creme Brulee is my ALL TIME FAVORITE DESSERT! That's a pretty big statement, considering I've tried a lot of desserts. I don't have a blow torch, so that's why I've been apprehensive about trying it, however this recipe doesn't require one, so I'm all in!

4. Fudge Babies

If you've ever read the famous dessert blog, Chocolate Covered Katie, then you know about these fudge babies. And if you haven't, you may be a little confused. First of all, her blog is pronounced a "healthy dessert blog" and everything is vegan. The things she makes are incredible, and I'm astounded at how decadent everything looks, with out being high in calories and fat! I have many of her recipes bookmarked, but these are at the top of the list.

5. Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

What's funny is I just had broccoli cheddar soup for the first time yesterday at a place called Mimi's Cafe, and it was amazing! I've also heard Panera's is pretty outstanding, so I can't wait to try that too. I found this version that seems to be not too heavy, yet still delicious. This will be perfect on a cold January night!

6. Homemade Peppermint Patties

I love to recreate commercial food items, for example my homemade cheez-its and homemade oreos. So, of course when I saw this on Tracey's Culinary Adventures, one of my favorite food blogs, I knew I had to make these! Peppermint patties land among my top favorite candies, I can't wait to see if these taste similar.

7. Mushroom Wellington

Woah, this is fancy. But something I realized in 2011 is that mushrooms actually taste good (and not like fungus!) I had always been skeptical about mushrooms, so I never really ate them. But once, when I tried my mom's chicken marsala at The Cheesecake Factory, I was hooked! As fancy as this recipe is, it looks fairly simple to make, and absolutely delicious.

8. Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

As if I haven't tried enough Oreo and/or cheesecake recipes already...but come on, these look amazing! Cookies are my favorite things to bake, because the possibilities are endless, and they are usually fairly simple to make. These will be made, very, very soon!

9. Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

How could these not be good? Peanut butter and chocolate are a match made in heaven! These look extremely decadent and probably similar to a giant Reece's cup. Maybe I could make a healthier version, with slightly less sugar? And maybe all natural peanut butter, instead of the processed stuff?

10. Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

Did I mention these are healthy? I will totally be making these in the fall win pumpkin season rolls around. I found these on another "healthy blog" called Dashing Dish. She makes all sorts of wonderful meals and desserts that are totally indulgent without the guilt. I might not be able to wait all the way until September to make these! ( I do have a jar of pumpkin sitting in my pantry, leftover from holiday baking...)

11. Red Velvet Krispie Treats

Anything red velvet has my name on it. So when I found these only a couple weeks ago, they immediately jumped to the top of my "to do" baking list. They look so simple, and I never would have thought to combine red velvet cake with rice krispie treats!

12. Japanese "Yum Yum" Sauce (White Sauce)

I did say these were in no particular order, but I have to admit, this is the one I'm most excited to try! Aside from chicken parmesan at Carmine's Restaurant in the Bahamas (long story), Sakura, a local hibachi Japanese steakhouse, is my all time favorite restaurant. I go at least twice a month, and order hibachi shrimp with rice, and drench it in the white sauce. There is absolutely no food better than this sauce. (yeah it's that good). It's almost like a secret recipe, and to be honest, I can't really explain the taste, other than that it's amazing! I hope this turns out just as good as the restaurant's!

Stay tuned and I can't wait to see what's in store for Pass the Plate for 2012!

Christmas Eve Feast

2011-12-27T10:34:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I know I sure did, filled with food, festivities and family.

Christmas Eve dinner is something I look forward to ALL year.

Instead of words, I thought it would be better to share (mouthwatering) pictures of what was on my plate...

how cute are these kiwi grinches?

They aren't as hard as they look to make!

Poached Pears in the Crock pot

Finished Product

Sweet Potato Puffs

Spiral Ham

Three Cheese Bread

Deviled Eggs

Roasted Cauliflower and Tomatoes

I saved the best for last... Cheesy Potato Casserole

Oh and don't worry, I didn't forget the dessert! I thought it deserved a post of it's own! (coming soon...)

Mom's Famous Peanut Butter & Chocolate Fudge

2011-12-20T20:10:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas Eve Eve everyone! Has it set in that Christmas is in 2 days?

Are you gathering all of the ingredients and setting out all of the nice china for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day feasts?

Are you rushing to the store and fighting the crowds to pick up those last ~~ten~~ few presents that you said you were going to get 3 weeks ago?

There's just nothing comparable to the energy and excitement that surrounds these last few days leading up to Christmas.

I'm most excited to start BAKING the Christmas Eve dessert (which I was automatically designated to make, of course!) But I want to keep it a surprise, because I will definitely share a post on here in a few days!

I'll give you a hint...It involves cheesecake, peppermint and white chocolate and the recipe can be found in a famous southern magazine.

Okay, I'm not giving anything else away, you will just have to check back here in a couple days to find out!

But I WILL reveal my mom's and grandma's best kept secrets for making the world's best peanut butter and chocolate fudge.

Every family has that one recipe that must be made every holiday season. And for mine, fudge is it. Just as I look forward to the appetizer table on Christmas Eve that has my absolute favorite cream cheese dip, I crave this fudge, that my mom will only make once a year (I know, it's unfair!)

I'll be honest, I definitely prefer the peanut butter over the chocolate...but there is definitely a dividing line in my family. Team Peanut Butter and Team Chocolate. It's really just a preference. (Go Team Peanut Butter!)

Now, my mom assures me that as long as you follow these best kept secrets, there will be no candy thermometer required, and both recipes will turn out divinely decadent!

Use an extra large, heavy bottom pan
Must stir (constantly) with a wooden spoon
Add the ingredients to the pan, and let it sit for at least 5 minutes before turning on stove
Once you pour into the glass baking dish, DO NOT touch it, and let it sit at room temperature until completely set (about an hour) before refrigerating

Chocolate Fudge

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog

Yields: 1 9x13" pan

Ingredients

1 can carnation milk (large)
24 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 sticks unsalted butter
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon peanut butter
3 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

Boil sugar and milk for 6 minutes, stirring constantly.
In a large bowl, pour milk and sugar mixture over butter and chocolate chips and beat using a mixer.
Add peanut butter and vanilla, beat until stiff.
Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Let sit at room temperature for an hour before chilling.
Cut, serve and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Fudge

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog

Yields: 1 9 x 13" pan

Ingredients

5 1/2 cups white sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 can evaporated milk (large)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 of 7 oz. jar Kraft Marshmallow Cream
12 oz. jar peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

In a large, heavy pot, boil sugar, butter, evaporated milk and salt for 12 minutes.
Remove from heat and add Marshmallow Cream. Blend well.
Then, add peanut butter and vanilla.
Using an electric mixer, beat until all ingredients are well blended.
Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Let sit at room temperature for an hour before chilling.
Cut, serve and enjoy!

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

2011-12-19T10:04:00.000-05:00

I would have to say my favorite thing about the holidays are traditions.

Every family has them, and they are all unique, that's what makes it so special.

From where we get our Christmas tree to what we bake for the neighbor's gifts, our traditions are what make the holidays come to life.

I sometimes make fun of my mom because whenever we do something fun she always says "oh, this will be our new tradition!" Sometimes, there are so many it's hard to keep track of them all!

Although Christmas cards, present buying and watching 25 Days of Christmas all land among my favorite, the best traditions in my family are during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Christmas Eve is celebrated at my house with our entire family. My mom is responsible for the entire feast as well as the entertainment. We always have the traditional ham, potato casserole, cream cheese dip, rolls but also different dishes such as sweet potato casserole, poached pears and Parmesan baskets. It's always a meal I look forward to the entire year. I hope to share a post with pictures featuring what we have this year.

After dinner, we all go in the basement and sing Christmas carols, as my grandmother plays the piano. The feeling of family, love and happiness in the air is what Christmas time is all about.

As everyone leaves, the excitement really starts to set in that tomorrow is Christmas day. My brother and I put on our holiday pajamas, eat our last advent calender chocolate, set out fudge and milk for "Santa" and try to sleep in anticipation for the morning.

Around 7:30 or 8 my brother and I wake up my parents and grandparents (even though we've probably already been awake for at least an hour) to get ready to open presents. A cool thing we have recently started to do is tape wrapping paper around the doorway to our living room, so we can both run through it to our presents that "Santa" has left us. The rest of the day consists of eating ham biscuits and sausage balls, opening presents and most importantly spending time with family.

The reason I keep reminiscing about these, is because this is basically the last year I will get to have the same holiday traditions that I have had for the past 17 years of my life. Next year, everything will change when I am in college. I'm sure I won't miss out on anything, but it will just be different.

Now about these crazy, awesome, most-delicious-combination-ever brownies...

I made these once before I started my blog and knew I had to make them to feature on here. Fortunately, it's the holiday season, so I had an excuse to make them and share them with friends and family.

These are a crowd pleaser...

The moist, dense, subtle chocolate flavor of the brownies match perfectly with the cheesecake topping. I'm pretty sure red velvet and cream cheese are destined to be paired together.

I also love the red color and the swirl, it's so festive and looks stunning to share at a holiday party or with neighbors. So if you are looking for that one last dessert to complete your holiday party, look no further!

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter
4-oz semi sweet chocolate chips
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 - 8 oz blocks cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

For Red Velvet Layer:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Using a double boiler, melt butter and chocolate together. Stir until completely melted and very smooth. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and food coloring.
Add chocolate mixture to bowl and whisk until smooth.
Then, add flour and salt slowly and stir until just combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.
Pour into prepared pan and spread into an even layer.

For Cheesecake Layer:

Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.
Drop dollops onto prepared brownie batter and swirl using a knife.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until brownies and cheesecake are set.
Cool in the pan completely before slicing and serving. May be served at room temperature but best when chilled.

Pumpkin Spice & Butterscotch Toffee Bark

2011-12-14T17:00:00.000-05:00

Is it just me, or are the amount of Christmas cookie, bark, cake and sweet treat recipes overwhelming?

I mean everything looks SO GOOD! I just want to bake all day long during the holiday season! And during my winter break, hopefully I will be able to.

On another note, I found something really intriguing I wanted to share...

Rules for Being Human

You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time around.
You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called life. Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant and stupid.
There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial and error and experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately "works".
A lesson is repeated until learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can then go on to the next lesson.
Learning lessons does not end. There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. if you are alive, there are lessons to be learned.
"There" is no better than "here". When your "there has become a "here", you will simply obtain another "there" that will again, look better than "here".
Others are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflect to you something you love or hate about yourself.
What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
Your answers lie inside you. The answer to life's questions lie inside you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
You will forget all of this.

Author unknown

This is just something to think about during the upcoming holiday season, and for a new year's resolution. It's important to end this year strong, and head into the next one open-minded and optimistic.

Now for this delicious pumpkin spice & toffee bark...

As I mentioned earlier, I am overwhelmed by the amount of "bark" recipes out there in the realm of food blogs. I think this is because bark is so versatile, it's literally layers of whatever you want. So, I decided to try my spin on it and came up with this recipe!

I absolutely love the combination of the salt from the saltines, the warmth from the pumpkin spice layer and the sweetness from the butterscotch chips.

In case you want to add another recipe to your long list of holiday baking, I would definitely try this one out! It would be a great gift for the neighbors and teachers or just to nibble on during the holiday season.

Pumpkin Spice & Butterscotch Toffee Bark

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog

Ingredients

24 saltine crackers
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 cup butterscotch chips

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a small baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place 24 crackers, side by side on pan.
In a medium sauce pan, combine butter, brown sugar, pumpkin and spices. Bring to a boil, than reduce heat and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat, and pour over crackers. Place pan in oven and bake for 5-7 minutes. Toffee should be bubbling.
Remove from oven and let cool 2-3 minutes. Then, sprinkle buttercotch chips over top. Let cool completely and refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.
Once cooled, cut crackers into triangles and/or squares.

*note: the texture of the "toffee" will not be completely hard, and more gooey than the traditional saltine toffee candy

Mini Peanut Butter and Snickers Cheesecakes

2011-12-08T20:32:00.000-05:00

17 days until Christmas!!!!

December is a crazy month!!

I haven't posted in a week AND I realize this recipe is very similar to my last post.

With Christmas approaching at rapid speed, it's hard to slow down and enjoy all of the wonderful aspects that accompany it. My Christmas baking list is multiplying and expanding exponentially. I only wish I could add more hours in the day to juggle school, internships, exercising, cooking and blogging.

Speaking of exercising, I ran in my 3rd 5k of the year this past weekend in Charlotte, NC for the ACC Football Championship. I am very proud to say that I got my best time yet at 24:57! Not to mention 2nd place in my age division! I have only a week to recover, in preparation for my next 5k which just so happens to be in two days.

Oh, and don't worry, the highest the temperature is supposed to reach that day is 38! Yay for cold weather!

Okay, that was a little sarcastic, but I really am excited to run The Jingle Bell Run, not only to get into the Christmas spirit, but also to remember what Christmas is all about. And that's helping others and giving to people who need it the most. I love running 5k's because I'm able to push my endurance and strength, train for soccer season, and ultimately donate to great causes all across the country.

On another note, I would like to make a quick shoutout to my Mom on her 48th birthday! Happy Birthday Mom! You have helped me discover my love of cooking and baking. You always support anything I do, and have taught me to follow my dreams and do what I love.

I sent my mom various dessert recipes and asked her to choose one for me to bake on her birthday, and she chose this one!

And what an awesome choice that was!

These are bite-sized, peanut butter, chocolate, cheesecake heaven.

Mini Peanut Butter and Snickers Cheesecakes

Recipe from Macaroni and Cheesecake

Yields: 20 mini cheesecakes

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 cup graham crackers crumbs
2 tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened (can use 1/3 less fat if desired)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp. heavy cream (or fat free half & half)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla
6 Fun Size Snickers Candy Bars, chopped

For the Topping:

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp. heavy cream (or fat free half & half)
3 Fun Size Snickers, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray, set aside.
Crush the graham crackers in a food processor or by hand. In a medium sized bowl, add graham cracker crumbs, sugar & salt. Stir to combine. Pour in melted butter and stir until all crumbs look slightly moist. Place 1 tablespoon of crumbs into each muffin tin, and press down until compacted. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the cream cheese and peanut butter on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides to ensure it is all incorporated. Turn speed to low and add in egg, cream, vanilla, sugar & salt. Mix until fully incorporated. Remove bowl from stand mixer and stir in chopped snickers. Spoon the cheesecake batter over the crust, distributing evenly (each will be about 2/3 full).
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until cheesecakes are set in the middle. Let cool in the pan on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour.
Once cooled, run a butter knife around the outside edge of each cheesecake and pop it out.
For the topping, melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe container in 30 second intervals, until melted & smooth. Stir in cream and continually stir until smooth & glossy. Spoon the ganache over the cheesecakes and top with additional chopped snickers.
Place cheesecakes in refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes until ganache has set. Serve & enjoy! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Marbled Brownies

2011-12-01T13:04:00.000-05:00

I LOVE CHRISTMAS! (okay, who doesnt...am I right?)

But you know what I especially love about Christmas?

I LOVE TO BAKE AT CHRISTMAS!

All of a sudden I have this excited energy in anticipation for the holidays. Thanksgiving has come and passed like a blur, and now, the only holiday left in the year to celebrate is CHRISTMAS! (that sounds so crazy.)

I wonder when this Christmas fever will wear off? I listen to Christmas music non-stop. In the morning, on the way to school, during school, on the way home from school and at my house. It hasn't gotten old (yet.)

I hope I'm not overdoing the Christmas excitement too early. What happens if I'm all "Christmas-ed out." Honestly, I don't think that's possible! It only comes once a year, so I might as well celebrate for as long as possible.

I do get angry when Christmas overshadows Thanksgiving though. Thanksgiving deserves it's time in the limelight, it's one of the most important holidays in my opinion. But now, I'm allowed to get excited, because today is December 1st. Which means only 25 days until CHRISTMAS!

Okay, so like I said earlier, I love love love to bake during this time of the year.

I've always loved to bake, but now I actually have a reason to fix all of the sugary treats that are associated with the holidays (because I get to share them on here!) But I also want to incorporate healthy holiday recipes that are equally indulgent.

I have an infinite amount of recipes bookmarked to bake, so be prepared for a bountiful amount of holiday confections coming your way.

For now, I decided to make these insanely ~~sinful~~ delicious peanut butter cream cheese marbled brownies. I'm drooling right now just trying to describe how good these are. The intense richness of the chocolate balances perfectly with the creamy and tangy peanut butter layer. I mean, it's no secret chocolate and peanut butter are a match made in heaven! You absolutely have to try these. They would be perfect to bring to potlucks or share with friends, families and neighbors during the holiday season. Enjoy!

The recipe can be found here: Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Marbled Brownies Recipe

Thanksgiving Feast

2011-11-27T17:21:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving break filled with family, fun and food. In my last post I promised I would share what was on my plate for Thanksgiving.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

The Bird!

Mom's Famous Stuffing

Green Bean Casserole and Gravy

Something Different - Grilled Pineapple

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Pumpkin Pies! (don't forget the whipped cream)

The Final Product :)

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:12:00.000-05:00

Hello, no recipes or pictures today, just wanted to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Although Thanksgiving is heavily centered around food, it's also about being with family and remembering how blessed you are.

I don't think I could even list the amount of things I am thankful for because of all of the wonderful things in my life. I'm so lucky to have a loving, supporting family, with both parents who still love each other. I am close with both sets of grandparents, and also with my aunts, uncles and cousins.

I live each day, not having to worry about whether or not I will get my next meal or if I'm going to be safe when I go to bed. I am so thankful that I am able to get up each morning and live another long, sometime stressful, but always rewarding day.

It's important to have days like Thanksgiving, because sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the 'hussle and bussle' of everyday life. It's nice to take a step back, and realize all of the positive things that are uplifting in life, and not to get weighed down by all of the negative things that are so prevalent in our society.

For my Thanksgiving, I am also lucky enough to share a huge feast in Charlotte, NC with my Mom, Dad, brother, Grandmother, Grandfather and cousins.

I wanted to share of course with you what will be on my plate!

We always have the traditional Thanksgiving foods, nothing fancy, just the classics, which is exactly what I prefer.

The menu:

Turkey (of course)
Gravy (store bought)
Classic Green Bean Casserole
Mashed Potatoes
Sister Shubert Rolls
Cranberry sauce (Julia Child's version)
My mom's famous stuffing/dressing
Pumpkin Pie

I hope to share a post soon with all of the pictures from the feast!

Homemade Cheez-Its!

2011-11-20T16:02:00.000-05:00

I have some exciting news...

My blog has reached over 30,000 views!!

To some this may seem minuscule, to others it may seem massive...to me, I'm just ecstatic and honored that people are interested in my pictures, stories and food!

I love food blogging now, it has become a hobby that I never knew would take so much time and dedication, but also be so rewarding. I've always loved to cook and bake, but now, the anticipation of making something, and putting it out there for the world to see is so exciting.

I only hope that I can continue to enjoy cooking, as well as blogging in the future. It's only been five months, but my expectations have been far surpassed. I can only imagine where my blog will be in another five months : )

Now for these little cheesy, orange, crackers of perfection...

I cannot believe how much they taste like the real thing! Seriously!

I was a bit skeptical as I rolled out the dough, because they didn't smell or look anything like one of my favorite snack foods, the cheez-it.

I hesitantly cut out the cute little stars, and put them in the oven, expecting the worst.

As I let them cool, the familiar orange, crunchy snack transformed before my eyes. I took one bite, and was convinced.

In fact, I would say these are even better than the store bought! There is a much stronger cheese and spice flavor, without any added artificial ingredients. They were so simple to make, I know I'll be making them again soon.

Homemade Cheez-Its

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog, adapted from petitekitchenesse via A Cozy Kitchen

Ingredients

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese, grated
4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon paprika
couple dashes Worcestershire

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine cheese, butter, flour, pepper, paprika and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Cover and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add the milk and Worcestershire and process until the dough comes together.
Form into a ball, and let rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes or longer.
Roll out dough to 1/16 inch thick.
Cut the dough using a small cookie cutter (any shape you prefer), or knife.
Transfer onto a wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Using a toothpick, make a small hole in the center of each cracker.
Sprinkle tops with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until no longer soft in the middle, and edges are slightly browned. Let them cool for a few minutes.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting

2011-11-15T15:49:00.000-05:00

I love pumpkin. I love cookies. I love weddings.

Okay, so these cookies don't really have any correlation to weddings. But I did go to a wedding this weekend. And I ate these cookies today. So it all makes sense.

I can't wait until I'm the age where all of my friends (and I hope and pray me as well) are getting married. I've only attended a handful so far, and the pure bliss of new love and the warmth of seeing family you haven't seen in a while, all contribute to my adoration of weddings.

This past weekend, I went to my second cousin Jamey's wedding. It was set in a gorgeous location, up in the mountains of northern Virginia. You can just imagine, the spectacle of Autumn leaves, the never ending mountains, and deep valleys...it was breathtaking.

It was also nice to spend time with family who I don't get to see regularly. The adorable, energetic "chaos twins", the shy but beautiful Sarah, Aunt Judy, Uncle Charlie, Jeff and Verena, and of course my sister/cousin Alison, who's in college.

As I returned home from the wedding, I was definitely in the mood to bake something "autumn-ish" (if that's even a term).

Nothing screams Autumn like pumpkin! I've had this recipe bookmarked since the beginning of the season, and was ecstatic to finally try it!

I'm so glad I picked this one to make, out of the several pumpkin recipes on my "to-do baking list" because they are probably my favorite thing I've put on this blog to date! You might think this is an overstatement, but just try them, and you will believe me.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog, Adapted from Hungry Girl Por Vida

Yields: 2 dozen cookies

Cookies-

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons malt powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup almond milk (regular works fine too)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, malt powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice.
In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Then, add pumpkin puree, egg, milk and vanilla and mix until combined.
Slowly pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Using a spoon, scoop teaspoon size dough onto prepared sheet pans.
Bake cookies for 10 minutes, bottoms are lightly browned and the tops spring back to the touch. Let cool before frosting.

Browned Butter Frosting-

Ingredients

1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon malt powder
Pinch of salt
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cooking Directions

In a large bowl whisk together sugar, malt powder and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together milk and vanilla.
In a shallow skillet heat butter of low heat until butter melts and becomes golden brown. Do not walk away as you do this, the butter can go from perfect to burnt in moments. Once browned, add the butter to the sugar mixture and whisk well.
Then, whisk in milk and vanilla. If the frosting is stiff, add small amounts of milk to achieve desired consistency.
Using a spatula or knife, spread onto cooled cookies.

Malted Hot Chocolate

2011-11-11T16:06:00.000-05:00

What is perfection?

Perhaps lying on a swing in the crisp Autumn air, bundled in sweatpants and a blanket, reading an awesome book...all while sipping hot chocolate.

Yep, sounds pretty ideal in my opinion.

That's exactly what I did this past Sunday.

I'm literally obsessed with the book "Eat, Pray, Love" (which you can see in the pictures). I haven't seen the movie yet, but if it's half as good as the book (and it does have Julia Roberts, so it's kind of a given it will be) then I can't wait to see it also.

I love food (obviously) and I am very spiritual. I love books that are modern, but not shallow. I'm not even finished, and I would classify this book in the top 10 best I've ever read.

Some may disagree, but everyone has their preferences, and this one just fits every aspect of my criteria for what I consider a good book. I highly recommend it, even if you've already seen the movie.

I was tired of reading inside on my bed, and wanted a change of scenery. Fresh air is always nice, so I nestled myself into a swing in our back yard and snuggled under my fuzzy blanket as I continued to read this wonderful book. But something was missing.

Hot chocolate would complete this perfect picture of a Sunday afternoon. But not just any ole' hot chocolate. Malted hot chocolate.

Malted Hot Chocolate

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog

Yields: 1 serving

Ingredients

1 packet Swiss Mix Hot Chocolate
1 1/2 tablespoons malted milk powder
1 cup almond milk (1%, 2% or skim works fine too)

Cooking Directions

Microwave milk for one minute. Stir in hot chocolate mix and malted milk powder. Top with marshmallows.

Butterscotch Brownie Pie

2011-11-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Warning: excessive drooling may occur.

Okay, so you remember when I told you it's okay to indulge occasionally?

Yeah, well this would pretty much be the definition of indulgence.

If you heard me ramble on about how much I love running and eating healthy in my last post, I may be contradicting myself a little with this butterscotch brownie pie.

But I have an excuse.

I've literally had this recipe bookmarked forever. I have been waiting in anticipation for Halloween, so I can use all of the leftover candy bars. Since I finally had all of the ingredients, I knew I had to make it, ASAP.

But I was a little apprehensive. I paced around the kitchen, as my mind went back and forth like a ping pong ball.

"I should probably not make this, because I don't want to feel guilty about eating all of it."

"But I love butterscotch, and chocolate, and brownies and something gooey and warm."

"But it's really unhealthy, and I just talked about how I want to bake healthier recipes, not the exact opposite."

"Okay, let's compromise. I'm going to make this pie. I'm going to eat it too. But I promise, it will be in moderation. I have all of the ingredients, I've wanted to make it forever, so the decision is final."

37 minutes later, the house was filled with the aromatic scent of butterscotch, sugar and chocolate.

I think the pictures are self-explanatory and reveal the how delicious it really is. There's not much I can say about the taste except that it definitely lived up to my expectations. I love the cake-like, gooey texture, with the sweet crunch of the butterscotch chips and candy bars. Oh, and you can't forget the ice cream. There's nothing better than the conflicting temperatures of cold and warm against your tongue (drool)!

This is one of my favorite baked treats so far, and I truly do recommend trying it.

Butterscotch Brownie Pie

Recipe from Becky Bakes

Ingredients

3/4 cup butterscotch chips, divided
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups candy bars, chopped (any variety works)

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large microwave safe dish melt butter and 1/2 cup butterscotch chips, 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth.
Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk again until well-blended.
Stir in flour and salt.
Add chopped candy bars, and remaining butterscotch chips and stir to combine. Pour into a greased 9 inch cake or tart pan.
Bake for 35-38 minutes or until golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.
Serve with vanilla ice cream, cool whip and/or butterscotch sauce.

Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

2011-11-02T16:59:00.000-04:00

P.S. They're healthy (shhh!)

If you know me, it's no secret I'm health conscious.

If you don't know me, and only know my blog, you may find that as a bit of a surprise.

That's why I decided to post this cookie recipe because it's the best of both worlds. It combines my healthy habits with my love of all things sweet. And generally speaking, baked goods are not exactly good for you.

But my philosophy is it's O.K. to splurge every once in a while, as long as it's not everyday and it's in moderation. Another vital part about splurging on sugary treats is making sure you get exercise!

Now, I'm very lucky, because I actually love to exercise. I honestly don't know what I would do without it! I don't mean to brag, or make anyone feel bad about themselves, but I try and run at least 5 times a week, and about 2-4 miles each time. I'm addicted to that "runner's high" I get afterwards, and honestly, it's such a good way to relieve stress.

Running is so concrete. Just one step after another, nothing to think about but being in sync with your body and moving forward. I also like pushing myself to see how strong I can be mentally. Running and exercising in general is all just a mental game. It's seeing how far and how long you can go, without giving up.

I would encourage anyone who is scared of the gym, or doesn't think they are the "running-type" to go out and take it one step at a time. That doesn't mean go out and run a 5k. Start off slow. Maybe jog 1/2 a mile, than walk 1/2 a mile. The next time, try 3/4 mile. You would be surprised at how far you can run, as long as your mind is in the right place. The accomplishment afterwards is incomparable to the pain you may feel during the run.
Another thing about running is you have to keep it interesting! Going to the same track or the same gym every day, and running the same course every time is extremely boring. Mix it up a little. One day I'll do the treadmill while watching an episode of "Law and Order". The next day, I will jog around my neighborhood. After that, I will go on my gym's track. Over the weekends, it's fun to go to parks and enjoy the scenic views.

This post has become pretty lengthy, but it's important because I want to introduce a new part to my blog. I want to start featuring healthier recipes, but I don't want to sacrifice the taste. Don't get me wrong, I will still post plenty of decadent meals and treats, but it's good to have balance.

These chewy, decadent, peanut butter, oatmeal cookies contain NO BUTTER and are only 73 calories per cookie! That's about half as much as a regular chocolate chip cookie! And trust me, the flavor and texture is just as good.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Peanut Butter (smooth or chunky)
1/4 cup cinnamon apple sauce (regular works too)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Couple dashes cinnamon
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1/4 cup ground flaxseed

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ground flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
In a large bowl, beat together PB, sugars, applesauce, egg and vanilla. Working by hand, stir in the flour mixture and the oats until just combined and no streaks of flour remain.
Drop tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 10-12 minutes.
Let cool on sheet for 3 or 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container. Makes 30 cookies.

Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog, slightly adapted from slashfood

Toffee Crunch Tailgate Brownies

2011-10-29T11:17:00.000-04:00

My dad took one bite, and I quote, claimed them as "the best brownies I've ever eaten".

Tailgating: an American tradition.

The anticipation before the game, the rivalries that divide friends and families alike, and of course the food are all things I absolutely love about college football tailgates.

In fact, tailgating might possibly be just as fun as the actual game!

Given my love of food, of course that's my favorite part. When my parents told me we had been invited to a college football game, and wanted me to make the dessert for the tailgate, ideas flooded through my head.

The food at tailgates can practically constitute their own entire category. From ribs to fruit trays, the possibilities are endless.

The inventory at the tailgate I went to consisted of the following:

A taco bar (with marinated flank stank or chicken), guacamole, corn salsa and tomato salsa, homemade chili, cream cheese dip, vegetables, hummus, hot dogs, ham biscuits, and of course THE BROWNIES. I'm probably leaving out some things, but as you can see, there was quite an array of options!

I ultimately decided on these toffee crunch brownies because they are a common dessert that almost everyone knows and loves, they are easy to whip up in a short amount of time and they travel well.

But if I was going to do brownies, I most definitely was not going to use a box mix! So I chose my favorite made-from-scratch variation, and kicked it up a notch by stirring in toffee bits.

If you love a fudgy texture, rich chocolate flavor, and a gooey caramel crunch, then you absolutely must try this recipe out!

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and divided
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup water, boiling
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 bag (about 1 1/2 cups) mini heath bars, chopped

Cooking Directions

Heat oven to 350Â°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan
Stir together cocoa and baking soda in large bowl; stir in 1/3 cup butter.
Add boiling water; stir until mixture thickens.
Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining 1/3 cup butter; stir until smooth.
Add flour, vanilla and salt; blend completely. Stir in chopped heath bars.
Bake 30-33 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Toffee Crunch Brownies

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog, adapted from Hershey's

Triple Layer Oreo Birthday Cake

2011-10-25T16:17:00.000-04:00

Little Brothers. Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em.

The cutest thing ever happened.

My brother has this crazy, wild side, and then he has this sweet, innocent, lovable side. With 90% of the time being crazy! However, I can't help but smile when he actually does/says something so cute.

For example, he knows I love to bake. Probably because he's the one who will try anything I cook, as long as it has plenty of sugar. Anyways, he came up to me the other day and he says "I want you to be the one to make my birthday cake, because you make really good stuff." (enter awww sound here).

How can you say no to that?! All of the annoying little brother traits went out the window, and I immediately started to think of how fabulous I could make this cake.

He had one request. Make sure there is chocolate. (like brother, like sister).

So, as you can see, I decided on a 3 layer Oreo cake.

It's very simple to assemble, and can be made using store bought mixes and icing for the novice/in-a-hurry chef. Or, it can be made using your favorite made-from-scratch recipes. I chose to use a mixture of both, half store bought, half scratch baked.

Ingredients:

1 box vanilla cake mix
1 cup sugar
3/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water, boiling
7/8 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 can vanilla frosting, divided
1 package oreos, crushed and divided

Cooking Directions

For the vanilla layers:

Make vanilla cake mix according to instructions on box.
Divide batter evenly into two 9" greased pans.
Bake according to directions, allow to cool.

For the chocolate layer (adapted from Hershey's):

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Grease one 9" pan.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake 30-35 minutes and allow to cool.

For the icing:

Mix half of crushed oreos with half of the can of vanilla frosting.
Reserve rest of icing to frost outside of cake.
Reserve rest of oreos to sprinkle on top and on sides.

Assembly:

Start with vanilla cake layer on cake pedestal.
Use half of Oreo/vanilla frosting mixture and spread evenly on top.
Next, top with chocolate cake layer.
Use remaining Oreo/vanilla frosting mixture and spread evenly on top.
Top with last vanilla cake layer.
Frost entire cake with reserved plain vanilla icing.
Sprinkle reserved oreos on top and press onto sides.
If desired, drizzle with chocolate syrup.

Oreo Birthday Cake

Twice Baked Potatoes

2011-10-21T10:38:00.000-04:00

Today, this post shall be slightly different...

In addition to a recipe, I have a cost and time efficient method for making and storing a classic side dish: twice baked potatoes.

I recently read this post on pinterest (which by the way is addicting) and became inspired to do something similar!

What do you do when a humongous sack of potatoes is on sale AND you have a coupon for it?

Well twice-baked potatoes seems like a logical answer!

First bake the potatoes (I used 14 potatoes) on a metal sheet tray for 1 hour at 350 degrees F.

Let cool for 10-20 minutes, than slice off the very top layer of potato and scoop out the insides using a spoon.

Place the inside of potatoes into a large mixing bowl.

In bowl, beat potatoes with 3 tbsp salted butter, 3 tbsp sour cream, half a cup of milk and salt and pepper to taste.

Continue beating until combined. You can make them as creamy or chunky as you like.

Now for the fun part...the toppings!

Choose an array of ingredients and flavors to mix in. Scoop out individual portions of the base (instructions above) into a bowl, and stir whichever toppings you choose to combine.

Scoop filling back into potatoes and place back on to sheet tray. Make sure to use sticky notes or labels to keep track of which fillings you have put in each potato.

Once you have made all of the potatoes, you can eat them now or save for later.

To save for later:

Wrap each potato in plastic wrap and attach label used before.

Place potatoes in Ziploc freezer bag and freeze.

Now, if you want a quick snack for one, or are in a time crunch to make dinner, you are ready to go with these delicious potatoes!

To reheat: just remove from freezer, place on sheet tray, top with extra cheese if desired, and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees F.

This recipe is so diverse, and can be altered to any one's taste buds.

Toppings and combinations I chose were:

Bacon, Onion, Cheddar
Spicy (jalapeno, red pepper flakes, hot sauce) and cheddar
Cilantro and Mozzarella
Spinach, Onion, Mozzarella
4 cheese (Mozzarella, Cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan)
Parmesan and Rosemary
Rosemary, Cilantro, Onion and Swiss
Onion, Red Pepper and Swiss

Enjoy!

My Favorite Cupcake Shop ~ Bubblecake

2011-10-19T09:25:00.000-04:00

I'll take one of each...please!

Their signature flavor...vanilla cake with almond frosting

Summer Flavors

MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE FLAVOR

Jealous?

Tell me you don't want a cupcake now?

Bubblecake is a landmark in my town. It's the cupcake shop to go to. Although cupcake shops seem to be the newest trend, I have never been to one better than Bubblecake. (And yes, I've been to quite a few on the east coast!)

Other flavors not pictured include: cotton candy, ho ho, old school, triple chocolate, birthday cake, lemon drop, toffee crunch, apple cinnamon, white wedding, pumpkin pie, berry whip, black and white, grasshopper, fallen chocolate souffle, and red velvet.

If you are ever around southwestern VA, Bubblecake is a MUST to visit! http://bubblecake.com/

Halloween Rice Krispie Treats

2011-10-13T16:05:00.000-04:00

True Fact: Halloween is probably my least favorite holiday.

I'm sorry, but I just don't get it! It's so bizarre...children dress up in bloody masks and zombie costumes, than go ring a random person's doorbell and innocently say "trick or treat" when really, they mean "hand over the candy!"

And what do children and candy have to do with ghosts, witches, black cats and full moons? Maybe I'm missing the point, but it just doesn't make sense to me!

As a kid, I loved going trick-or-treating and picking out a costume. It was so exciting going to the local Halloween store and sifting through all of them until I found the perfect one. I have been everything from Tinkerbell (my personal favorite) to a grandma.

Traditions are also a big part of Halloween in my family. My grandparents come over at dusk, just as all of the festivities begin. My friends comes over around noon to carve pumpkins, and then later we hand out candy together. We eat heaping bowls of my mom's homemade chili and cornbread, as we prepare the "cauldron of candy". We probably receive over 200 costumed kids over the course of the night, so usually there is no candy to spare (even though I always sneak a ~~ton~~ few pieces of candy as I hand it out).

My brother and his neighborhood friends conclude the night around 9 or so, and rush into our house, sweaty and energized. They dump pillowcases full of candy on our rug, as we count every last piece. I make sure to snatch up any of my favorite (whoppers, snickers and heath bars) and make a stack of my own, which is usually devoured by the end of the night.

So I guess Halloween isn't that bad, as long as there is candy! But I'm not taking back what I said earlier, I still find it bizarre, and it is incomparable to Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Despite my enthusiasm for it, I knew I had to bake something Halloween themed. I love the food aspect, just not everything else. So what do you bake when you have a bag of candy corn in the pantry? Well peanut butter, candy corn, rice krispie treats of course! I was pondering what I could make that was anti-pumpkin ('cause let's be real, as much as I love pumpkin, it's been a little over done) and that included some type of candy. My mom suggested doing something with marshmallow fluff and candy bars, and *boom* this idea came to me.

You may be wondering, why the addition of peanut butter? My sarcastic response might be, umm why not? But I will be nice and say that the saltiness balances out the intense sweetness of the rest of the bar. Not to mention peanuts and candy corn is a fantastic combination. Thus, the Halloween Rice Krispie Treat was born. So, even if you despise Halloween like me, you can still have the treats :)

Recipe by Pass the Plate Blog, adapted from Kelloggs Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients

3 tbsp Butter
4 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky is fine)
6 cups Rice Krispies
12 oz bag Candy Corn

Cooking Directions

In large saucepan melt butter over low heat.
Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.
Stir in peanut butter until melted.
Remove from heat and stir in Rice Krispies and Candy Corn, until well coated.
Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray.
Let cool and cut into squares. Serve and Enjoy!

M & M Pancakes!

2011-10-09T17:35:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it's the simple things in life.

The innocence in a child's eye is so pure and intangible. The hearty laugh as they run around on the playground. I miss those times. When there isn't a care in a world, no worries, no stress, no responsibility. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm definitely not ancient or anything (only 17 haha!) But still, once you reach those teenage years, the innocence is lost, and there is a whole new set of things to worry about.

Being older isn't always negative though. It also has it's perks. More freedom, more knowledge and the ability to become whatever you want to be. I've always been known as "ms. independent" for as long as I can remember. I've always wanted to grow up and be my own, unique, person. But I've realized that it doesn't matter what age you are...it's just important to live in the moment, seize every day, take every opportunity. It's fun to be a child sometimes, but it's also fun to be an adult.

It's ironic being so philosophical on a post such as M&M pancakes. But the thing with these golden circles of deliciousness is whether you are 3 or 43, I bet you'll love them. Everyone has had the typical chocolate chip pancake. And anything with chocolate is delicious of course, but sometimes it gets a bit monotonous. If you don't like M&M's than you should probably stop reading now, 'caues you won't like these. But I would have to consider you a minority if you don't (no offense!)

For the rest of you, if you are looking for a way to bring back your childhood, make Sunday morning breakfast for the entire family or just want to try something different than this is the recipe to try!

It's not even really a recipe. I make them by using a boxed pancake mix according to directions, and just drop M&M's on top while they sizzle on the griddle. simple. easy. perfection. You can really use any of your favorite or typical pancake mixes from scratch, and stir M&M's in and I'm sure they'd be just as good! Enjoy!

Coconut Cream Pie

2011-10-05T16:47:00.000-04:00

This is probably one of the best pies I've ever made...

Now, don't get me wrong here, I love autumn, but sometimes my taste buds just crave something tropical. I must admit, anything with pineapple or coconut is a winner for me. Maybe you don't feel that way. I know plenty of coconut skeptics, but after one bite of this creamy, ultra-decadent pie, I think I could change them into coconut lovers, like myself. Fortunately, my whole family could be considered "coconut lovers" therefore I won't be eating this whole pie by myself!

I haven't been feeling well lately...headache, stomach ache, cough...I won't elaborate, but I've definitely been under the weather. Of course, when I'm not feeling well, the first thing that pops into my mind is definitely not "hey, I think I'll make a coconut cream pie, that should do the trick." I really just want a hot bowl of soup, fresh fruit, and to cuddle under my blankets, and never leave my bed. Unfortunately, I don't want a mound of school work lurking over my conscience, so I decided to suck it up, and go. Getting out of the house can actually help sometimes. You aren't sitting alone, feeling sorry for yourself, and focusing on how bad you feel. Instead, you have to put on a happy face, and pretend you feel just fine to get through the day.

This fake "feeling good" actually turned into real "feeling good" this afternoon. I got a jolt of energy, was able to focus in school, and was finally able to bake something! Since my mom bought some coconut at the store because she had a coupon for it (more about her new found interest in extreme couponing later!) and there was a half empty box of crust (don't worry, it was still fresh) from the apple pie I had made a couple months ago, it became the perfect remedy to make a coconut cream pie! As I said earlier, it's one of the most delicious, creamy, toasty, magnificent pies I've ever tried. I just can't get enough of the various textures: the rich custard, light cream topping, crunchy crust and chewy coconut. It's a perfect combination. Please give this recipe a try, even if you are a coconut skeptic!

Also, I found this cool new website that helps me post my recipes on the actual blog post, instead of providing a jump to my google sites page. I hope this is more convenient:

Recipe from Pass the Plate Blog. Adapted from The Neelys.

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 2 hours
Yield: 8 servings, 1 pie
Ingredients

1 boxed pie crust
1 3/4 cups sweetened shredded coconut, divided
2 cups milk
1 cup half and half
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp butter
whipped cream for topping

Cooking Directions

Mix box pie crust with 1/4 cup coconut. Bake according to directions, let cool.
Steep 1/2 cup coconut in 1 cup of half and half for one hour.
Strain half and half, and reserve coconut to fold in later.
Add the half and half, milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla to a round-bottomed saucepan off the heat and whisk together until the mixture is smooth and the cornstarch has dissolved.
Place on medium heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly while it thickens.
Once thick like pudding, remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons butter, reserved coconut, and 1/2 cup more of coconut.
Pour the thickened mixture into the cooled pie shell and refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.
Add the remaining 1/2 cup coconut to a baking sheet and toast in oven until golden at 400 degrees F.
Top the pie with whipped cream and toasted coconut before serving.

Mint Chocolate Chip Meringues

2011-09-29T14:08:00.000-04:00

I'm always trying to find and make up recipes that don't require going to the store. First of all, it's a hassle. Getting in the car, driving all the way there, dodging carts left and right down the "baked goods" aisle, finding the specific ingredient(s), checking out, driving all the way home and THEN starting the recipe. By the time all of this happens, you could already be done!

Second of all, it's expensive to bake! It's not the flour, sugar, butter, eggs I'm talking about...it's all of the ingredients that make the recipe unique. Whether it's organic almond flour for macaroons or 1/8 of a teaspoon of nutmeg for pumpkin pie, the ingredient list can get a little out of control. I like simplicity. Not boring, just honest, natural flavors.

In my quest for baking something delicious, yet time and cost efficient, I came up with this recipe. I am somewhat unfamiliar with meringues, but I remember trying one last year in culinary arts, and loving the "light as air" texture and sweet, subtle flavor.

Instead of doing classic meringues, which are usually just egg whites, vanilla and sugar, I decided to kick the flavors up a notch, but not get too out of the box with the ingredients. I came up with the idea of mint chocolate chip meringues because I had peppermint extract, half a bag of chocolate chips and a box of food coloring in my pantry. I didn't have "cream of tartar" which is generally used in meringues to help stabilize the eggs, so I decided to try my luck and go without.

Thankfully, they turned out amazing. It's a guilt free, airy, cookie that tastes just like my favorite ice cream flavor! You can find the recipe here: Mint Choc Chip Meringue Recipe

Pumpkin Bars

2011-09-23T15:39:00.002-04:00

IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF AUTUMN!!!!

Reasons why Autumn is my favorite season:
the crisp air, the clothes, the holidays, the colors...oh and of course the food!

I love Autumn so much that I'm dedicating a whole post to it. And what better way to kick off this wonderful season of spices and warmth than with classic pumpkin bars?!

The amount of pumpkin recipes out there in the realm of the Internet is astonishing! I could probably bake a different pumpkin recipe for each day of Autumn (which I would totally do, if I had time). I asked my mom to pick up a can of pumpkin at the store, but I had no clue what I was going to use it for. I've been searching for unique ideas, and I've certainly found plenty, but I just couldn't make up my mind! Finally, I settled on the classic, because I've learned that you can never go wrong with these. I mean after all, that's why they are called classics! When I think of pumpkin recipes, I immediately think of this one. It's a moist, cinnamon spiced, airy cake layer, topped with a creamy, tangy cream cheese icing that makes you just want to hug someone.

This is only the beginning of many more pumpkin/Autumn recipes that I hope to try! Next on my radar is making home-made pumpkin spice lattes. You know, like the one's you get at Starbucks?! I heard someone describe those drinks as being heaven in a cup (I totally agree).

So be on the look out as I share more recipes from my absolute favorite time of the year!

You can find the pumpkin bar recipe here: Pumpkin Bars Recipe

Cookies & Cream Muffins

2011-09-18T16:55:00.000-04:00

Have you ever heard of these "heads or tails" oreos? No? Don't worry, me either...

Sometimes classics are the best.

Like don't put raspberry jelly on my peanut butter sandwich, I prefer grape. Or put a fancy dressing on my salad, I prefer ranch. And definitely don't mess up a perfectly good brownie by adding weird ingredients, I prefer just chocolate.

So, when they came out originally with those "vanilla" oreos, I was like, umm where's the chocolate? And now these crazy concoctions...a vanilla and chocolate double stuffed oreo? Just give me a plain oreo, and I'll be satisfied!

However, on accident, my Dad bought these oreos, instead of the classics. They were just sitting in our pantry for about a week, with maybe a couple eaten here or there...not like the originals that get gobbled up in seconds. So I thought, hey, why not give them a chance and make some use out of them by baking. I also noticed in the pantry some white chocolate and chocolate chips...*idea* Why not make a cookies and cream something or another?

Cookies and bars have gotten a little monotonous lately, so I decided to switch it up and make cookies and cream muffins! And why not make them mini? Cause they're cuter that way, and my family won't yell at me because they end up eating ~~three~~ one large muffin by themselves and blame me for "gaining" a couple pounds.

The recipe can be found here: Cookies & Cream Muffin Recipe

Something Fancy

2011-09-12T20:33:00.002-04:00

Sometimes it's fun to be fancy...

People should enjoy cooking, it shouldn't be a chore. Cooking is a hobby, a career for some and for me, it makes me happy. The best part is being able to share my food with friends and family. That's what it's all about...it doesn't matter what you're having for dinner, but rather who you are with, and that everyone is having a good time.

I think my love of cooking comes from my Mom. Anyone in our family, both close and extended, knows she is a great cook. She loves to entertain, whether it's Christmas Eve or a 10 year old's birthday party. I've been fortunate enough to grow up in an environment where there is always a fabulous dinner on the table, and my family can all sit around the table together.

Recently, I think I've inspired my Mom in some ways. With this new food blog and baking all sorts of things, I think she is motivated to try new and different recipes. Tonight, she decided to be fancy. This meal basically took her all day...and although that may sound laborious to some, I think she enjoyed it because she really does love to cook, no matter how stressful it can seem sometimes.

So, what exactly is this? Well, if I had to describe it, I would say it's a jumbo, deconstructed California roll, but way tastier, and of course way more fancy. The technical name for this is "Crab and Lemon Grass Rice Tower with a Tomato Gazpacho". Basically, using a ring mold you place "sushi" rice on the bottom that is infused with lemongrass, then you stack avocado on top of that, and lastly you place jumbo lump crab meat on top of the avocado. And if you are as good of a cook as my Mom, it should come out looking like the pictures. But I must warn you, this recipe is very time consuming and difficult, so if you are looking for an easy meal to be whipped up in 30 minutes or less, this is not the one for you. However, if you're really daring, you can find the recipe here: Crab Tower Recipe

Oh and to top off the meal, why not wash it down with a smoothie in a martini glass? Just because you feel like being fancy...

Peanut Butter & Banana Protein Shake

2011-09-07T18:57:00.000-04:00

I don't like bananas and I don't like peanut butter...but when they're together, I love them...really weird? I know.

Another weird fact, I only like drinking smoothies through straws. If you drink them out of a cup, it just doesn't taste as good in my opinion!

And random fact number 3: I'm literally obsessed with peace signs. Ask anyone I know, they will agree with no hesitation. If it can be made with peace signs on it, I most likely have it. Currently, without even thinking about my peace sign collection, I'm wearing two peace sign bracelets, peace sign earrings, a peace sign water bottle is sitting on my desk, as well as a peace sign notebook. Not to mention my peace sign jeans, multiple peace sign shirts and peace sign bumper sticker. Too many peace signs...nope, I need more!

So place all of these weird traits, put them a blender, and voilá you have a protein shake! Okay...it doesn't exactly work that way, but if you are looking for an early morning boost, post workout muscle builder, or simply just want a delicious milkshake, TRY THIS! It's seriously addicting! Protein is essential in our every day diets, so why not make it taste good? The recipe can be found here: Protein Shake Recipe

Parmesan, Onion, and (Turkey) Bacon Cream Cheese Dip

2011-08-31T17:07:00.001-04:00

Did I ever mention I don't eat red meat? Yes, only chicken and fish (or as my friend calls it, feathers and fins).

It's actually a fairly new thing, I started on exactly January 1st. Okay, so maybe I've cheated like 2 times since then. Once because I ate spaghetti, and the other because I made a vow if I did give up red meat, I would never give up eating my Uncle Rich's ribs. They are legendary in my family, and they are literally the best ribs in the entire world. But, that was on Easter, so I've still done pretty good! The surprising thing is, I don't miss it at all. I don't crave hamburgers or steak, and now just the thought of eating a hot dog is repulsive.

Anyways, this is the best dip I've ever had. And I don't say that lightly. My mom usually only makes it 2 or 3 times a year, once on Christmas Eve and the other are just random times. Like today, for instance. However, the last time I had this dip was before the whole red meat thing, and it has bacon in it...but I wasn't about to give up eating my favorite dip of all time. The solution? Turkey Bacon! Although not as smoky as regular bacon, you still get the same effect and I can still enjoy this ridiculously delicious and addictive cream cheese dip. I completely recommend giving this recipe a try! You can find it here: Cream Cheese Recipe

Homemade Oreos

2011-08-28T12:48:00.000-04:00

I should probably post something savory or a restaurant review by now, but I think I'll just bake some more...

So, first week of senior year down, about 1,000 to go! (okay, that's probably an exaggeration)...anyways, I'm really enjoying all of the benefits that come with being a senior, such as special seating in the cafeteria, getting to leave school 5 minutes before everyone else and standing at the bottom of the student section at football games.

I can already tell that it's going to be a fun, yet very full year with plenty to look forward and sadly a lot of "lasts". However, I still managed to bake this delicious treat, that takes me back to elementary school. Oreos are just a classic growing up. I actually used to not be a big fan of chocolate, but I did always love oreos. I've been wanting to try this recipe for a while, and with the workload of school it seemed like a simple recipe to make, and even easier to eat : ) So whether you want to take a trip back to your childhood, or even make them for your kids, this recipe tastes just like the original (maybe a little softer, but still just as good)! Find the recipe here: Oreo Recipe

Orange Chiffon Pie

2011-08-21T12:27:00.000-04:00

This pie is like velvet on your tongue...

Tomorrow is the first day of school. Am I excited? Not quite...Usually when this time of the year rolls around, I am looking forward to the new year and seeing all of the people again. But for some reason this year I feel different. Maybe it's because I'm going to be a senior (yay!)...but it's probably because I've had one of the best summers ever! I love the lazy days, sleeping in, tanning by the pool and eating whatever and whenever I want :)

In a way, this is the last dessert of the summer. I've enjoyed starting this food blog over the summer, and sharing my creations, but I'm very interested to see how it will play into my daily life once I go to school. But enough of the pessimism, let's eat pie!

This is an old family recipe, that has been eaten by many generations. The fluffy, creamy, citrus flavor is unique and is the perfect "light" ending to a summer meal! If you are looking for something different than your typical apple or chocolate pecan pie, definitely give this recipe a try. You can find it here: Orange Pie Recipe

Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

2011-08-17T15:22:00.001-04:00

I really wanted to improve my photography. This time, I actually made an effort to understand my dSLR camera better, and it's manual properties. I also decided I would make my own "reflectors" (by using aluminum foil), so the light is more evenly distributed on the food. So how do you think it turned out?

I obviously need A LOT more practice and skill to get to the level of taking flawless pictures like most food bloggers, but for now I am content with my results. On a scale of 1-10, I would say my food photography is at about a 5. Could be worse, could be better.

Anyways, about the cheesecake already! The "dessert of the week" as my family likes to call it this week, are blueberry cheesecake bars! I love summer blueberries, and mixing them with the rich, sweet, tang of cream cheese is well, perfect! These consist of a layer of shortbread crust, a cheesecake layer, and then of course fresh blueberries! The recipe can be found here: Blueberry Cheesecake Recipe

Classic Apple Pie

2011-08-13T16:00:00.000-04:00

The Aftermath : )

Hot Apple Pie + Cold Vanilla Ice Cream = heavenly!

What was in the pantry today for dessert? Apparently this apple pie was! After dinner, I was still hungry and was definitely in the mood to bake. I raided the kitchen, because let's be honest, going to the store would be way too much of an effort! After throwing out expired sugar cookie mix and year old, half opened frosting (gross, I know!), Betty Crocker came to my rescue. An unopened, and thankfully still fresh, pie crust with an apple pie recipe on the side was staring me in the face. And because we always have an abundance of apples in our house (and of course, ice cream too) this seemed perfect!

Fast forward 30 minutes, and my family got to enjoy a rich, gooey, cinnamon-y, decadent apple pie. But don't forget the vanilla ice cream, it's a must! Here's the recipe: Apple Pie Recipe

Thai Tonight!

2011-08-11T18:53:00.000-04:00

Wait, who knew Thai food was actually good and not weird tasting? not me...until this little dinner came along!

Peanuts, lemongrass, coconut, monkey business...hmm, sounds interesting to say the least, right? I recently took a trip to my local organic food market. It was my first time there, and lets just say I fell in love! From the hummus to the granola, everything tastes so fresh and unprocessed. Because it was the first time I went, I decided to basically try things I normally wouldn't, this "simmer sauce" being one of them. It sat in the pantry, as the rest of the items got devoured because I was a little apprehensive about trying it. Finally, after a long day of babysitting, my mom had this awaiting me on the dinner table.

Was I excited or scared? Definitely a mixture of both. But after my first bite, I knew this would be a keeper. It's hard to describe the flavor, you kind of just have to try it. Like all Indian or Thai food, in my opinion, it has a unique flavor that is so unexpectedly harmonious. It's savory with a hint of sweetness, but definitely could use some more salt.

So if you want to try something new for dinner, and can find this completely organic sauce (vegan, no msg, no preservatives), I completely recommend the Satay Party Simmer Sauce!

Chocolate Chip Malt Cookies

2011-08-09T10:40:00.000-04:00

Have you ever tried a vanilla malt milkshake from Steak and Shake?

If you answered no, then you MUST try one, they are the absolute best milkshake around (coming from a vanilla malt lover). Recently, on the way back from the beach, we drove through Greensboro and had a chance to stop at the Steak and Shake there. It's such a treat and I really wish we had one closer to my home. Anyway, basically I have been on a vanilla malt kick, and found malted milk powder at the store. I made a milkshake using that, vanilla ice cream and some milk and it turned out delicious! No joke, it was almost as good as Steak and Shake's!

After buying the malted milk powder, I also remembered book marking a recipe for chocolate chip malt cookies from http://www.thepastryaffair.com/. I never thought I would get the chance to make them because I didn't know the powder was so accessible. But obviously I did get to make them, and they turned out just as good as I imagined they would be. It's like a thin, chewy, classic chocolate chip cookie (say that 5 times fast) with a wonderful hint of classic malt flavor. Check the recipe out here: Malt Cookie Recipe

Foil Wrapped Tilapia (with carrots and fresh dill)

2011-08-07T10:32:00.000-04:00

For all of you seafood lovers out there...this is a wonderful mid-week meal!

If you've never had tilapia, you need to! It's a very sturdy, mild, white fish and when paired with the sweetness of carrots and the freshness of dill, it's perfect. Also, it's an ideal dinner if you are on a diet or looking to include a healthy dish in your weekly menu. You can have a whole filet for only 100 calories and not to mention it's very affordable!

You'll never believe how I cooked this...from a bag, kroger brand, frozen! Yes, you heard me, but before you freak out, it really does taste just as good, maybe even better than the fresh filets...so don't turn away now, just give it a try, trust me! Here's the recipe: Tilapia Recipe

Red Velvet Cookies

2011-08-02T15:00:00.000-04:00

Sorry I have been away for a while, I took a vacation to the beach this past week, and didn't get a chance to bake or cook anything, but man, did I eat good! haha! I will be sure to share a post about all of the delicious meals and great times I had. But for now...

One of my obsessions is DEFINITELY red velvet cake (in particular cupcakes!). We have a local cupcake shop called Bubblecake that makes the absolute best ones. When I came across this recipe on http://fakeginger.com/ I was caught somewhat off guard because I never thought of putting the flavors of red velvet into a decadent cookie. This is one of the best cookies I have tried, and I know I will be making seconds! I baked them for 11 minutes and they turned out perfectly soft and chewy in the middle, just the way I like it!

So for all of you red velvet fans out there, you must give this recipe a try. Here is the link: Red Velvet Cookie Recipe

Salsa Roja

2011-07-19T12:46:00.000-04:00

Countdown until the beach: 4 days!!!!

Salsa seems to be a beach classic, at least for my family. The funny thing is though, I didn't even make this salsa to take to the beach. It's basically a "pre-game" salsa before we head off on our vacation.

I came across this recipe on foodgawker.com and it was claimed to be "the best salsa ever" so hello, I had to try it! It was also unique, because instead of the usual freshness of diced tomatoes and onions, they were roasted and then pureed. And, I might as well add, it IS the best salsa ever! It's sweet, salty and spicy, and has a wonderful texture and undefinable taste that you get from roasting.

I didn't want a huge batch, so I cut this recipe in half, and also added only ONE Serrano pepper, and it's still bordering the line of too spicy for me. So be cautious when adding because it's a lot easier to add then to take away! I got the recipe from oneparticularkitchen.com and here is the specific link to the recipe: salsarojarecipe

Simple Summer Smoothie

2011-07-18T13:14:00.000-04:00

Hot Weather + Cold Smoothie = Perfection!

I love how much sweeter and juicier fruit is in the summer. It's just not the same biting into a succulent strawberry in the winter as it is during these warm weather days. Because of the abundance of fruit at my house, I was inspired to cool off with a simple smoothie.

Let's just say, they are so good, I have had one 3 days in a row! It's so easy to make too...just toss in frozen bananas, frozen blueberries, fresh strawberries, a little yogurt and some milk and Voila! This recipe can definitely be as diverse as you want, so throw in any of your favorite summertime fruits! Here's my version, go check it out: smoothierecipe

Churro Cookies

2011-07-16T18:32:00.000-04:00

It can easily be said that churros are one of my family's obsession. It all started when we took a trip to California and Disneyland and, if you've never been before, it's like churro heaven over there. Living on the east coast, we had never even heard of these Mexican pastries! Let's just say, we never went a day without having one while we spent a week on the west coast.

I love making cookies, because I think they are the simplest, yet most diverse desserts. I love churros and I love snickerdoodles, so it's like the best of both worlds! Also, something I learned at Disneyland is that caramel is a MUST for dipping. So, I would recommend drizzling a little caramel sauce over before serving. This is not my recipe, I got it from http://heatovento350.blogspot.com/ and here is the link to the specific recipe, go check it out: churrocookiesrecipe

Gooey Caramel and Peanut Butter Blondies

2011-07-11T15:58:00.000-04:00

You can achieve rich, gooey, decadent, perfection with these blondies!

This is somewhat of a monumental recipe for me because it's the FIRST EVER one that I have written completely on my own, with no reference or inspiration from another recipe. And surprisingly, it actually turned out and tasted good! Shocking!

I came up with this recipe because I wanted a chocolate-free dessert (I know, gasp!) But hey, you can still have something delicious that isn't chocolate. Case and point right here. It starts out with a classic graham cracker crust on the bottom, then it's topped with a melty caramel, peanut butter, and butter batter. Baked until golden, and a little drizzle of white chocolate to top it off.

Check out the recipe here: BlondieRecipe

My Favorite Pasta Sauce!

2011-07-03T20:26:00.000-04:00

To think I discovered my all-time favorite pasta sauce off of a free sample! I was at a local, specialty food store and smelled something delicious coming from one of those little stands that hand out small cups of a new product they are trying to sell. I thought, hmmm maybe I'll try some of that. The nice lady handed me the cup with pasta and sauce and I immediately fell in love! I just thought I would share with you how awesome this sauce is and if you are ever in a time crunch and don't want to make your own, this is what you need to buy! No preservatives or artificial ingredients...I checked out the label...just good honest, sweet pasta sauce! yum!

For dinner tonight, I made a special trip to buy this sauce because it's a special "pre-game" meal. Well to be specific, I'm running in a four mile race called "Four on the 4th" (tomorrow is the fourth of July) to help support the Boys and Girls Club of America. I've been training for about a month now to keep myself in shape and also to get my Dad in shape, because I convinced him to run with me : ) I'm so excited for the race and am just doing it for fun. My goal is to not walk the entire 4 miles. Anyhow, as you can see I had a dinner full of carbs to keep me fueled for tomorrow!

A Visit To The Melting Pot!

2011-06-29T08:56:00.000-04:00

Our Dessert ~ "The Flaming Turtle"

Spinach and Artichoke Cheese Fondue

The Perfect Bite ~ banana slice topped with banana's foster fondue

Oh you know...just licking the bowl clean!

Banana-Almond-Chocolate-Chip Muffins

2011-06-27T15:50:00.000-04:00

What do you do with over-ripe bananas?

Make banana-almond-chocolate-chip muffins of course!

I get serious cravings to bake sometimes, and that happened this morning. I totally didn't want to go to the store to pick up any ingredients so I decided to raid the pantry and see what I could come up with. After seeing two very ripe bananas sitting in the fruit bowl, and a half-full bag of chocolate chips, I immediately wanted these muffins! Add in some nuts, flour, sugar and a pinch of cinnamon and we're in business!

These little jewels are a perfect bite-size snack packed with flavor. The name basically says it all...a wonderful combination in your mouth of something fruity (banana), salty (almonds) and sweet (chocolate chips). Check out the recipe: bananamuffinrecipe

Muenster Chicken with Rosemary and Parmesan Potatoes

2011-06-23T10:51:00.000-04:00

This is one of my all-time favorite dinners that my mom fixes for me! The "muenster chicken" as my family calls it is an ideal mid-week meal, while the rosemary and parmesan potatoes are a perfect compliment to any dish. I usually ask for these potatoes as part of my birthday dinner, so you know they have to be awesome!

The "muenster chicken" consists of marinated grilled chicken breast, smothered in sauteed bell peppers and mushrooms, topped with melty muenster cheese. Click here for the recipe: muensterchickenrecipe

The potatoes have a coating of butter, parmesan cheese, rosemary, and are dusted with cilantro. (I bet you thought it was parsley!) Then they are baked in the oven till crispy. Click here for the recipe: rosemaryandparmesanpotatoesrecipe

The Beginning!

2011-06-22T11:54:00.000-04:00

Ahh, it's finally here...the day I started my food blog!

I'm so excited and have really high hopes for where this blog will go in the future! For now, I plan on having a stress free way of showing the world all of my culinary creations. I love the idea of this blog and it just came to me in the middle of night, literally!

I was lying in bed, looking through my phone gallery (trying to find a picture) and realized how much I take pictures of food! Also, because it's the summer, I've been watching A LOT of the food network! So I thought, hey, why not start a blog? I follow a lot of great food blogs on a regular basis, and decided it's time to unleash one of my own.

I must admit, it's a little intimidating because it seems like there is this "food blogging empire." There are so many out there, and a lot of them are flawless! It's definitely hard to compete! For me, I like things simple and to the point. Although this post is pretty wordy, I plan on showing just pictures, with an occasional story here and there of what's on my plate for the day!

I can't say enough how excited I am to start this little adventure! I'm pretty inexperienced when it comes to blogging but hang with me and who knows where we will end up...