Rustic (aka Non-Fussy) Strawberry Tart

It's officially that time of year- strawberry season. Actually, it has been for about a month now, but I'm procrastinating as always.

For the past 27 years of my life, I actually thought I didn't really care for strawberries. I thought they were too tart and didn't have all that much flavor. I could take them or leave them, I certainly wouldn't go crazy over them. Well, as it turns out, I only dislike out-of-season strawberries shipped from halfway across the world. In season strawberries grown on our CSA farm 15 minutes away- OMG. Totally. Different. Story.

I can't believe it's taken me this long to realize that- I am absolutely kicking myself. And now- let's just say I'm making up for lost time. We've bought about 8 quarts in the past couple weeks.

One of the most especially delicious recipes I've enjoyed with all the fresh strawberries we've had was this rustic strawberry tart from the kitchen sink recipes.

I've always thought tarts were beautiful and tasty, but have shied away from making them. They just seem so... fussy. Overlaying the fruit in a pretty pattern and achieving the perfect crust seems so difficult... that and I don't exactly own a tart pan. So when I cam across this tart recipe, I was sold. I will hereby refer to it as the non-fussy tart.

It was absolutely delicious, and so easy to make. I definitely see more of these in my future. I am excited to try different fillings as well- the dough can be used for both sweet and savory purposes.

Rustic (aka Non-Fussy) Strawberry Tart
Serves 4 (individual tarts)

for the crust:
1 cup of all-purpose flour, leveled off
1/8 of a teaspoon of salt
4 Tablespoons of cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 Tablespoons of ice cold water

for the filling:
2 1/2 cups of strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of corn starch

for topping:
4 teaspoons of raw sugar
1 egg white

Directions: Place the 1 leveled cup of flour and the salt into a mixing bowl and whisk together. Cut in the butter and mix until it resembles course meal. Add the 4 Tablespoons of water, and mix until just moistened. Knead a few times to bring the dough together. (I found the dough to be pretty crumbly at this stage- like there was too much flour. Don't worry, it all works out.)

Divide the dough into four quarters. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

While the dough is refrigerating, combine strawberries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Allow to sit. Preheat oven to 350 F.

After 30 minutes, unwrap each portion of dough and place on a square of parchment paper. Place the plastic wrap back on top of the dough and press the dough down into a disk. Roll into an approximately 8" circle.

Peel off plastic wrap, and using a slotted spoon, place 1/4 of the strawberry mixture in the center. Leave a couple inch border around the edges to fold over. Fold over the edges and brush with the egg white. Sprinkle a bit of raw sugar on top of the whole tart and place the tart, parchment square and all, onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 3 dough rounds.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Adapted from kitchensinkrecipes.com, original recipe here.

Soft Sugar Cookies with Frosting

I'll admit it. I'm a total sucker for those grocery store sugar cookies in the plastic container with different colored frosting for every imaginable holiday. Orange and black for Halloween? Yum. Red, white, and blue for Fourth of July? Don't mind if I do. Pink, white, and red for Valentine's Day? Do you even have to ask? Loaded with preservatives and artificial ingredients though, I'm sure they're not the greatest food in the world health-wise. And while I'm sure the home-made version isn't toooo much better for you, at least they are slightly more natural? Maybe? At least that's what I'm telling myself.

These cookies totally live up to their name is softness. They have a rich buttery taste, and are completely satisfying. And with the endless combinations of frosting and sprinkle colors, they can truly work for any holiday!

Soft Sugar Cookies with Frosting
Makes 24 cookies

For the cookies:
4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
4 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
3/4 teaspoons of salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) of butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups of sugar
3 large eggs
5 teaspoons of vanilla extract

For the frosting:
4 cups of powdered sugar
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract
5 Tablespoons of milk (and more, if needed)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Turn the mixer to low, and add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Place dough in non-metal bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for one hour. (I had some straggler dry ingredients at the bowl when I was done, if you do- don't mix them in with the dough.)

After the dough has chilled, scoop a heaping Tablespoon of dough into your hands and roll it into a ball. Place on the parchment-lined baking sheet, and flatten the ball slightly with the bottom of a glass.  Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies 2-3 inches apart. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. You don't want to even let them get to a golden brown- and if so, just slightly. Let cool on the baking sheet for several minutes, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, place the confectioners sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the melted butter, vanilla, and milk to the bowl and beat until smooth. Whisk in additional milk if icing is too thick, one teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Color frosting with gel food coloring, and frost cookies. Top with sprinkles, and store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Adapted from Annie's Eats, original recipe here.

Peach Bars with Crumb Topping

It's hard to believe I had these peaches sitting around the kitchen for almost a week before I could decide what to make with them. I thought about pie, I thought about jam, I thought about peach shortbread cookies, but nothing seemed right. I finally decided on these peach crumb bars, and I am certainly glad I did!

I actually added a couple plums to the peaches in the filling and they gave it a bit of a tangy kick. They are the perfect combination of flavors and texture- a buttery, almost shortbread-y crust, sweet peach filling, and a nice, crumbly top. They went fast!

Peach Crumb Bars

1 1/2 cups of sugar, divided into 1 and 1/2 cup portions
1 teaspoon of baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
zest of one lemon
16 Tablespoons (2 sticks) of cold, unsalted butter cut into 1/4" pieces
1 large egg
5 cups peeled, chopped peaches- about 5 peaches (I used 4 peaches and 2 small plums)
5 teaspoons of cornstarch
juice of one lemon
1/4 teapoon of nutmeg

Directions: Preheat oven to 375.  Grease a 9 x 13 pan with butter, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of the sugar, the baking powder and flour. Add the salt and lemon zest, and stir together with a fork. Mix in the butter and egg with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Place about half of the dough mixture in the greased pan and press down to cover the bottom of the pan.

In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and nutmeg. Gently mix in the peaches and stir lightly until combined. Using a slotted spoon, spread the fruit evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining dough with over the top of the peaches.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until the top is slightly golden brown. Cool completely before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

Adapted from Annie's Eats, original recipe here.

White Lemon Cake with Berry Topping

I tend to be an early riser. Well, I am if you compare me to H, at least. Out of the two of us, he is definitely the one who likes to sleep in. And while I love H dearly, I really savor those couple hours of the weekend morning that I have to myself before he wakes up and our day begins.

During the winter, those mornings are often spent wrapped up in a blanket, reading, listening to jazz, and drinking a home made peppermint mocha. In the fall, the windows are open; I'm loving the brisk wind and crisp, undoubtedly fall smell; and I'm more likely than not baking some sort of pumpkin treat or starting a big batch of chili.

This summer, I've been spending those mornings listening to some Ray LaMontagne or Amos Lee, appreciating the soft breeze of the ceiling fan, and putting coffee iced cubes in my morning cup. And yesterday morning, enjoying this cake. Really, really enjoying this cake.

This cake truly made my morning. It manages to be light, yet rich at the same time. The lemony sweetness of the cake is a perfect complement to the slight tartness of the berries. I just used blueberries in the topping, but I bet raspberries or blackberries would be just as delicious. 

White Lemon Cake with Berry Topping

(serves 12)

1/2 pint of berries

1 stick of butter, room temperature

3/4 cup of white sugar

1 egg white

3/4 teaspoon of lemon exract

1 cup of cake flour
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 cup of buttermilk

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Cut a parchment paper round to fit inside your cake pan. Grease parchment paper with a bit of butter, place it in the bottom of the cake pan, and spread berries out on top of the greased parchment. 

Beat butter and sugar together with medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add egg white and lemon extract and beat for another 30 seconds. 

Combine all dry ingredients (cake flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder) in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add 1/3 of dry ingredients to bowl while beating on low. Alternate with buttermilk, ending with dry ingredients, beating until just combined. 

Plop batter on top of the berries in the cake pan, and spread to the edges. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until slightly golden brown on top and the middle is no longer jiggly. (I used an 8" pan, so I may have needed a bit longer. If you're using a 9" pan, check after about maybe 25 minutes.) Allow to cool on a rack for 15 minutes, and then invert on to a plate. Cool completely before cutting, and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Inspired by Smells Like Home, and adapted from The Powdered Plum, original recipe here.

Cherry Hand-Pies

Last week our grocery store had an amazing sale on cherries. Needless to say, we now have ... quite a lot of cherries. While H loves to snack on them and I froze a bit more for later, there was still a lot left over that I wanted to use for some baking. When I saw these little hand-pies, I knew they were exactly what I wanted to make.

I loved the concept- all the tasty goodness of a pie, but ... portable. (As if the lack of mobility is what was missing from your traditional pie.) It's possible though! These are perfect for a cookout or a picnic, where it might be too messy and difficult to bring, slice, and eat a full pie. Just grab one of these babies!

Cherry Hand-Pies

for the dough:
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
8 Tablespoons of cold buttermilk
2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of lemon extract (or 2 teaspoons of lemon zest)
2 sticks of cold butter, cut into 1/4" pieces
powdered sugar, for dusting

for the filling:
4 cups of cherries, pitted and halved
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
1 Tablespoon of cornstarch
1/4 cup of sugar

for finishing:
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup of sugar

Directions: Combine buttermilk and vanilla extract in a small mixing bowl. Add flour, sugar, salt, and lemon extract (or zest) to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Give it a quick beating to combine. Add the butter cubes, and mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Remove bowl from mixer, add buttermilk/vanilla mixture, and mix by hand until dough just comes together. Move dough to a powdered sugar covered surface, and flatten into a thick disk shape. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, put three cups of cherries in a large mixing bowl. Pulse the remaining one cup of cherries in a food processor with the lemon juice until they are a thick liquid. Add the cornstarch to the cherry liquid, and whisk until combined. Then add the sugar, and stir to combine. Add the liquid back to the bowl of cherries, and stir to coat.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator, and place on a powdered sugar-dusted surface. Divide dough into 12 equal parts, and roll each part into a 6" circle, about 1/8" thick.

Preheat oven to 400. Have beaten egg and sugar, as well as cherry filling ready in bowls. Place a dough round on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Spoon about 3 Tablespoons of cherry mixture into the center of the dough. Brush the edge of one half of the dough round with beaten egg. Fold opposite side of dough over to meet the egg-brushed side, into a half circle-shape Press edges together, containing the cherry filling. Brush tops of pies with egg, and sprinkle with the sugar. Cut three 1" slits in the dough to let steam escape. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until tops start to turn golden brown. Allow to cool on pans for 10 minutes, and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Enjoy!

Adapted from Annie's Eats, original recipes here and here.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Some people feel red velvet cupcakes are a perfect Valentine's Day treat. I don't disagree, but I certainly wouldn't limit them to that holiday. I think they're perfect for many other occasions. Like Mondays. Or for the Fourth of July. I mean, they're red! What could be more perfect? With the white cream cheese frosting and some blue sugar sprinkles, they are perfectly patriotic little treats.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
makes 24 (and maybe a bit more) cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
5 Tablespoons of butter, softened
1 3/4 cups of sugar
2 eggs

1/4 cup of red food coloring (the liquid kind)
1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups of cake flour
1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 cup of buttermilk

1 cup of sour cream
1 Tablespoon of white vinegar

For the frosting:
8 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature
5 Tablespoons of butter, softened
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Line standard-size cupcake tins for 24 cupcakes.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar with medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one by one, beating after each one. Turn mixer off.

Whisk red food coloring and cocoa powder together in a bowl until combined. Add to mixing bowl, beating until incorporated.

Mix the 4 dry ingredients- cake flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda together in a separate bowl. Combine the vanilla and buttermilk. Turn the mixer back to medium, and add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl in three batches, alternating with two batches of the wet ingredients. Beat until just combined.

Add vinegar to the sour cream, stir to combine, and add to the mixing bowl. Beat on low until just combined.

Fill cupcake tins 3/4 full. (You may end up with slightly over 24. I think mine made 27.) Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans for five minutes, and then move to racks to cool completely.

For the frosting: Beat butter, cream cheese, and vanilla together in a bowl with medium high speed until smooth and creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar, while continuing to beat mixture until it reaches the desired consistency. (If you're looking for a stiffer frosting, you may need to add more powdered sugar.) Frost cupcakes, and enjoy!


Adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride, original recipe here.

Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling and Lemon Buttercream

Happy Easter! Hope you are having as lovely of a spring day as we are here!

We had a nice relaxing morning, and then attempted to dye some eggs, which didn't turn out as gorgeous as we hoped. We are headed out to H's parents' house for dinner soon for a nice, small get-together.

MIL said it would be great if I could bring a dessert, and we all know what the answer to that was! I found a number of desserts incorporating Cadbury Creme eggs (swoon), but I doubted they'd be as much of a crowd-pleaser as I would hope (although I may have to try some of them soon!). I love the combination of lemon and raspberry, and decided on something using those light, spring-y flavors: lemon cupcakes filled with raspberry jam and topped with a lemon buttercream.

Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling and Lemon Buttercream
(makes 24)

For the cupcakes:

3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 cups of sugar
2 sticks of butter, at room temperature

4 large eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
zest and juice of 3 lemons
1 cup of buttermilk

For the filling:
1 1/2 cups of seedless raspberry jam

For the frosting:
1 1/2 sticks of butter
2 cups of powdered sugar
3/4 teaspoon of lemon extract

Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 325. Line 24 standard cupcake tins.

Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.

Cream butter and sugar with a mixer on medium until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and mixing after each. Mix in the lemon zest (should be about 3 Tablespoons) and the vanilla. Add the flour mixture, alternating with 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and the buttermilk, and mix until just combined.

Fill tins about 3/4 full of batter, and place in oven for 12 minutes. Rotate, and place back in oven for another 10-13 minutes, or until they are starting to turn golden brown.

Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Filling: Fill a pastry bag with the raspberry jam (I found it easier to use half the jam at a time and refill when needed) and attach a medium-sized round tip (I used Wilton #10). Use a small, sharp knife at a very shallow angle to cut a circle out of the top of the cupcake. Then knock a bit of cake off of the bottom of the piece you remove and set it aside. Use a very small spoon (I use a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon) to hollow out the cupcake a bit more, careful to not hit the bottom. Fill with the jam, and place the top back on, pressing down and wiping away any extra jam as needed.

Frosting: Cream butter on medium high until light and fluffy (about 1-2 minutes). Lower the mixer to medium and add the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add in the lemon extract after the sugar. Place mixer on high for 10 seconds to aerate the frosting. Frost cupcakes as desired. (I split up the frosting in 4 bowls, added a different gel paste color to each, frosted with a butter knife, and topped with sprinkles). Enjoy!

Cupcakes and frosting adapted from Martha Stewart, original recipes here and here.

Happy New Year! (and Chocolate Raspberry-Filled Cupcakes)

Happy new year, everyone! I hope you all had an enjoyable New Years Eve, and that your 2011 is full of health, wealth, and happiness.

For New Years Eve, H and I, and two of our friends, had dinner at the Smith in NYC, which I would definitely recommend if you're ever in the area! Our friend chose the spot mainly because it wasn't crazy expensive, included a three-course meal, and a table that was ours for the night (funny how things have changed since the days when an open-bar and great DJ so we could dance the night away were top priorities). We were expecting the food to be decent, but it totally blew our expectations out of the water! The food was really, really, good. It was traditional American with a slight modern spin. We were very impressed! And the champagne sangria was delicious :)

The only downfall of the night was that there was no official countdown and the big ball wasn't on a TV there. This led to about 10 different drunken, randomly started countdowns between 11:58 and 12:02. Oh well! But on to the new year...

I'm not too big on resolutions, since I can never keep them, yet I still try. My goal for this year is for healthy eating and exercising to be more of a lifestyle for me, and less of a quick fix. I need to learn some darn moderation! I have the will-power to to diet and lose weight when I force myself to, but I'm too strict with myself, which causes me to burn out. And then I stop exercising completely and don't watch what I eat at all. And that bingeing is exactly what's happened in the past couple months. It's really not pretty when your loose, flowy tops are starting to become too snug. Yikes!

So I'm going to try to steer towards a bit more healthier recipes in the coming months- I'm excited to eat a bit cleaner, greener, and healthier. But I just have to sneak this cupcake recipe in first! It is the last of the recipes I made for the soup kitchen dinner last month, so it doesn't count, right??

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream


for the cupcakes:

9 Tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of baking powder

8 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup strong coffee (or water)

1/2 cup of low-fat milk

for the filling:

1 cup of seedless raspberry jam

for the frosting:
16 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 cups of powdered sugar

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

Pink icing color

Directions: 
Preheat the oven to 350 and line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a small bowl whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time.

In a measuring cup, combine the coffee and milk. Add half of the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl and mix on low speed until just combine. Stir in the coffee-milk mixture. Add in the remaining dry ingredients, again mixing until just combined. 

Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling the cups about 3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, use a small spoon or knife in the top of the cupcake to create a small hole in the center for the filling. Spoon in about 2 teaspoons of raspberry jam in each cupcake. (It may help to heat it up a very tiny bit to make it easier to work with. Be careful not to heat it to the point of being liquid, as it will just absorb into the cupcake.)

Finally, for the frosting, place the butter and jam in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium-high speed until well combined, for about 2 minutes. Sift in the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Tint with the pink icing color as desired. Ice cupcakes, top with chocolate jimmies, and enjoy!

Adapted from Annie's Eats, original recipe here.

Gingersnap Cookies

I definitely have quite the soft spot for gingersnaps. My mom used to buy them every fall, and I looked forward to that crispy, spiced cookie treat all year. My tastes have evolved a bit since then though, and my favorite way to eat them now is to dip them in my coffee. 

Gingersnap Cookies

2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons of ground ginger
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/4 of teaspoon salt
3/4 of cup butter, softened
1 cup of white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon of water
1/4 cup of unsulphered molasses
2 Tablespoons of white sugar

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, and then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the flour mixture ingredients into the molasses mixture. Place dough in freezer for about 20 minutes to harden.

Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 Tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Yields about 30 cookies. Enjoy!

Adapted from allrecipes.com, original recipe here.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

In my early baking days, I loved making Christmas cookies, and my absolute favorite one to bake was Betty Crocker's Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie with chunks of candy cane mixed in. It was truly a heavenly combination. When I found this recipe for a slightly more grown-up version, I knew I had to try it.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

8 oz of semisweet baking chocolate, roughly chopped
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup of flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup of packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract
1 package of chocolate chunks
5 peppermint candy canes, roughly crushed

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Gradually add the chopped chocolate, stirring until melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract on a high speed until sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce speed to low and add chocolate/butter mixture. Slowly add the flour mixture, while continuing to beat on low.

Remove bowl from stand, and mix in chocolate chunks and crushed candy canes by hand. Drop onto baking sheet in heaping Tablespoons, about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, and transfer to wire racks. Yields about 20 cookies. Enjoy!

Adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride, original recipe here.

Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

I had an amazing baking opportunity last week. One of my co-workers volunteers at his local soup kitchen, and every year they host a large holiday dinner. They prepare all of the food themselves, and last year close to 800 people showed up for it.

A couple weeks ago, he sent an email around asking for volunteers to help contribute some baked goods. I signed up immediately. I knew this would be a great chance to do something I enjoy, and help others at the same time.

I ended up making 3 types of cookies for the dinner- Gingersnaps, Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, and Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies. I also made a Raspberry-filled Chocolate Cupcake with a Raspberry Buttercream icing. I was thrilled to get my hands "dirty" with all this baking and then hand it off, bringing some holiday cheer to those in need. We certainly didn't need all those sweets sitting around!

Here is the recipe for the Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies, and the rest of the recipes will be in subsequent posts!

Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 peanut butter- or caramel- filled chocolate candies, unwrapped
2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together peanut butter and butter on medium speed. Slowly add brown sugar, and beat until light and smooth. Add in eggs, beating after each, and then add the vanilla. Slowly add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture, and beat until just combined. Refrigerate the dough for about 20 minutes, until it hardens slightly and is easier to work with.

Scoop out about 1 heaping Tablespoon of dough. Flatten into somewhat of a patty-shape, and place 1 candy in the middle. Top with another heaping Tablespoon of dough in the same shape, and press lightly down on edges to enclose the candy. Place on the parchment-lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, pull out, and gently press dough down with the bottom of a drinking glass. (It may be handy to have a small dish of sugar handy, to dip the glass in between cookies, in case glass begins to stick to the dough.) Continue baking for 3 more minutes, or until they just start to turn golden brown. Allow to cool on sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Yields 12 cookies. Enjoy!

Note: If you use caramel-filled candies, and you have a penchant for eating cookies warm out of the oven, be careful! The caramel will be hotter than the cookie.

Adapted from Bake or Break, original recipe here.

Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake

I have been somewhat MIA lately. It is definitely a busy time of year! But, I have a number of things on my to-make list that I am quite excited about, so hopefully that will change in the near future. But for the first order of business...

One of the things I love about having people over (other than seeing my dear friends and family, of course) is being able to cook/bake dishes that I wouldn't normally make for just the two of us. And an entire cheesecake would certainly fall into the category of one of those dishes that I wouldn't make for just us.

So this past weekend, when H and I, along with MIL, FIL, BIL, and his girlfriend gathered at our place for dinner after picking out our Christmas trees at the farm, I knew I had a chance to make one of those dishes that I had reserved for a larger group of people. I had my favorite beef stew cooking away in the crock-pot, a nice loaf of French bread to soak up the gravy, and for dessert (not to toot my own horn or anything) one of the greatest cheesecakes I've ever had. Seriously. This was just that good.

This recipe was on the cover of my December issue of Cooking Light. I wanted to make it the second I saw it, and I was so happy to finally have the perfect occasion. I probably fattened it up slightly (but not too bad), and I think I made it a bit easier as well. Please note that you will need a large roasting pan for this recipe. The original recipe has you putting a 9" spring-form pan into a 9X13" baking pan, which doesn't exactly work all that well.

Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups of chocolate graham crackers crumbs (approximately 6-8 whole crackers)
5 Tablespoons of butter, melted

For the swirl:
1 1/2 cups of cranberries
1/2 cup of sugar
2 Tablespoons of raspberry jam
3 Tablespoons of water

For the filling:
2 1/2 (8 oz.) packages of 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of low-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon of salt
3 large eggs

Directions: Preheat oven to 375. Line the inside and outside of a 9" spring-form pan with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Mix melted butter and graham cracker crumbs together in a bowl. Press mixture into the bottom of the pan, to all the edges. (You can do up the sides a bit if you want, but I just did the bottom.) Bake crust for 8 minutes, and allow to cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325. 

Meanwhile, heat cranberries, sugar, water, and jam in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until cranberries begin to pop. Set aside and allow to cool, for about 20 minutes. When cooled, pulse mixture in a food processor until mostly smooth.

Place softened cream cheese into stand mixer bowl, and beat on medium-low with the sugar until smooth. Beat in Greek yogurt, vanilla, and salt. Add eggs, one by one, mixing well after each addition.

Pour cheese mixture over chocolate crust. Spoon cranberry topping over the filling, swirling lightly with a butter knife. Place spring-form pan into large roasting pan. Fill roasting pan with about 2" of hot water. Place roasting pan in the oven and bake cheesecake for 50 minutes.

After 50 minutes, it will still be a little jiggly in the center- like a Jello consistency- but that is what you want. Turn oven off, and allow cheesecake to sit in inside with the door shut for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and remove cheesecake from water bath. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Cake will then firm up, and allow you to remove it from the pan with ease. Enjoy!

Adapted from Cooking Light, original recipe here.

S'mores Brownie Bars

Last weekend when we went camping again, I was looking for another s'mores inspired treat to bring with us. I made the cookies, for our last adventure, so of course I wanted to do something different. I decided on a s'mores bar, and after browsing around a bit, I chose to combine two different recipes.

These turned out delicious, and exactly what I was hoping for. But let me just say, these were RICH! I certainly can't say I wasn't forewarned- the recipe I used for the brownies was called "Chewy Fudgy Triple Chocolate Brownies" after all. I'm not complaining (really!), but had I known exactly how sinful these were, I probably would have cut them a bit smaller!

S'mores Brownie Bars

Graham Crust:
3 cups of graham cracker crumbs
1 1/4 sticks of butter, melted
2 Tablespoons of sugar

Brownie Layer:
8 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
8 Tablespoons of butter
3 Tablespoons of cocoa powder

3 eggs
1 1/4 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of all-purpose flour

Toppings:
1 handful of mini marshmallows
3 graham crackers, crumbled
2 chocolate bars, roughly chopped

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9X13 pan with foil. Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar and mix until combined. Press the crust into the pan, and push out to all the corners until the bottom is covered. Bake for about 7 minutes, and set on a wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile, melt butter for the brownies in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in chopped chocolate and cocoa powder, and stir until combined. Immediately remove from heat.

In a mixing bowl (doesn't need to be a stand mixer bowl, since these are all mixed by hand) combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until combined. Add chocolate mixture and stir to incorporate. Stir in flour until just combined. Pour the mixture into the pan over the graham cracker crust and spread to the edges. (This will be one thick batter!)

Bake for about 18 minutes, and then remove pan to sprinkle toppings on the brownies. Try to "glue" down the graham cracker pieces with marshmallow to make them stick. Return to oven, and bake for about 6-8 minutes more, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely, and cut into 24-30 pieces. Enjoy!

Brownies adapted from Annie's Eats, original recipe here, and graham cracker crust from My Baking Addiction, original recipe here.

French Apple Tart

One of my farm market finds last weekend was large basket of red delicious apples. They ended up being more than we could eat, so I went on a mission to find something to bake them into. Pies still intimidate me something fierce, so I decided to look for a tart. H loves fruity desserts, and probably would have been (secretly) disappointed had I baked them into muffins or cupcakes. I found a recipe for a French Apple Tart from Ina Garten, and since I've heard nothing but praise for her recipes, I decided it would work. To be honest though, it did still intimidate me, but I decided to bite the bullet.

And yes, I'm glad I did! Of course it didn't turn out as beautiful as the one in the picture, it was still delicious and not as difficult as I expected. And H loooved it, which of course, made me happy as well :) 

French Apple Tart
(serves 6-8)


For the dough:
2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1 Tablespoon of sugar
12 Tablespoons of cold butter, diced
1/2 cup of ice cold water

For the apples:
 4-6 Granny Smith apples (I used red delicious, which worked as well)

1/2 cup sugar
4 Tablespoons of cold unsalted butter, diced
2 teaspoons of cinnamon


Directions: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse to mix. Add diced butter, and pulse 10-12 times for 4 second intervals, or until butter is no larger than the size of peas. With the motor running, slowly pour ice cold water down the feed tube until dough starts to form. Dump onto a floured work surface, and knead into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out dough onto a floured work surface and trim to about a 10x14" rectangle. Place on baking sheet, and place in refrigerator while you prep the apples. Wash and peel apples, and slice them vertically into 1/4" slices (removing the cores). Arrange them in overlapping slices over the dough. Sprinkle the whole cup of sugar all over the apples, then cinnamon, and then arrange the diced butter on top of that.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until apples start to brown slightly. Remove from oven, and let cool slightly. Loosen tart from parchment paper with a metal spatula. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Adapted from Food Network, original recipe here.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Bars

Remember my pumpkin rules?

Well, I don't know what's gotten into me, but I have not been following them too closely as of late. First I go all crazy and make something as daring as pumpkin lasagna, and now I've gone off and baked a batch of pumpkin bars to (gasp) share!

We were tailgating last weekend with friends, and I wanted to bring a fall-y dessert, to off-set all the savory snacks we'd be having. I didn't want anything fussy or frilly- this is a tailgate now, not a tea-party! So when I found these on my "to-bake" list, I decided they would be perfect for the occasion.

They were a big hit! These turned out to be like a combination of cake and a brownie in texture, and the white chocolate and butterscotch chips were a perfect touch!

Pumpkin Butterscotch Bars

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 cup of pumpkin puree
1 cup of white chocolate chips
1 cup of butterscotch chips

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350. Line a 9 X 13 baking pan with foil.

Mix the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl, and set aside.

In an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree until well combined. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients, and beat until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate and butterscotch chips.

Spread batter on foil-covered baking sheet, bringing it to all the edges. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until edges start to pull away and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely, and cut into 24 pieces. Enjoy!

Adapted from Annie's Eats, original recipe here.

S'mores Cookies

First of all, I would like to mention that this is my 100th post!! WOW! I have to say I've had a lot of fun with this blog so far, and I'm extremely happy to have reached that milestone. I know the blog has evolved a bit (OK, a lot!) from it's original direction, but I'm pleased with that. I really feel that it's an accurate portrayal of our life, food, decorating, and family. And of course I would like to thank anyone who reads, comments, or follows my blog. I really appreciate it- and a big thank you!!

But anyway... I was looking for the perfect dessert to bring along on a camping trip with friends this past weekend, and I immediately thought of something s'mores inspired, of course. I've seen s'mores inspired cupcakes before, but decided against them because I figured they would be too much of a pain to transport. I debated doing s'mores whoopie pies for a bit, but I deemed them too delicate. Cookies would be perfect!

Ingredients

2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups graham flour (this was found in the organic section of my supermarket)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
3 large Hershey’s chocolate bars, broken up

8 large Marshmallows cut into pieces

Directions
: Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter and sugars in mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined.

Mix dry ingredients- flours, salt, and baking soda- together in a bowl. Slowly add to wet mixture, followed by chocolate chips, and beat until just combined. Place dough in refrigerator  for about 15-20 minutes to allow to firm up.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form cookies with roughly 2 Tablespoons of dough each, and flatten slightly on the sheet. Press marshmallow and chocolate bar pieces into the top of each cookie. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until edges just start to brown. Remove from oven, let sit for about 5 minutes, and then move cookies to cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Adapted from My Baking Addiction, original recipe here.

Margarita Cupcakes

I have to say, H and I had a pretty awesome last weekend. We went to the Tom Petty concert on Sunday, and wow- what an amazing show!! It was awesome- one of the highest energy and just plain fun concerts I've ever been to. And while that was all fun and good, of course my mind was on the tailgating beforehand with some friends. The food! The drinks! Oh my! What should I bring?? I had been reading quite a bit about margarita cupcakes recently in the cooking blog world, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try some.

Margarita Cupcakes



Ingredients: 


For the cupcakes:
3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

3 limes, zested and juiced

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir with a fork to blend. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Blend in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the lime zest, lime juice and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting:

2 Tbsp. tequila, room temperature
3 Tbsp. margarita mix, room temperature
4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar (approximately)

Mix the tequila and margarita mix together and set aside. In stand mixer bowl with whip attachment, combine the butter and 2/3 cup of powdered sugar on medium. Pour in 2 Tbsp. of tequila and margarita mix, blend well until mix. Continue to alternate powdered sugar and liquid until finished, frosting should be smooth, not too fluffy and not too liquid-y. Frost cupcakes with butter knife, leaving a bit unfrosted at the very edges. Let set for about 15 minutes, then roll edges in sugar to mimic a margarita. Enjoy!

Cake recipe from Annie's Eats, original recipe here. Frosting recipe adapted from Apple a Day and Martha Stewart, original recipes here and here.

Peach Cobbler

I hope everyone had a good weekend!

Ours was relaxing, but went by too fast (as always). We enjoyed a quiet night in on Friday. On Saturday, we had a family reunion on H's mom's side of the family, which was great fun. The food was absolutely delicious, and it was really good to see a lot of family we haven't seen since our wedding (almost a year ago- when did that happen??). And then we enjoyed a nice (albeit crazy hot and humid) night out on the boardwalk with some of H's cousins. Sunday was more relaxing, but with a trip to the farmer's market for some Jersey fresh tomatoes (and peaches) and the beginning of my next project.

This is one of the two matching nightstands we currently have in the guest room. They're from IKEA and we got them when we first moved into our first apartment. They have since been banished to the guest room, and I didn't feel the oak finish was working in there. I decided they would look a whole lot better all pretty-ed up in a really pale spring green.

So here are the two drawers in their new color. I'm super excited about it, I'm positive they'll look great when they're all done. I also got some new hardware for them at Lowe's, that looks just like those super cute and fancy ones from Anthropologie. Score!

But unfortunately, that's all I can show you for now... because that's all I've done so far (I know, I'm easily distracted)! Those peaches we picked up at the farmers market were calling my name, begging me to turn them into this:

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup milk
• 4 cups fresh peach slices
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg 

Preparation

Melt butter in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).
Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool.

from Southern Living, on myrecipes.com. Original recipe here.

It was super-easy, and absolutely delicious. I halved the recipe, because somehow I knew we'd probably devour the whole thing in one sitting. I also used skim milk, which didn't affect it at all. All in all, a wonderful way to use up fresh peaches!

New Recipe Review- Key Lime Pie

For my new recipe this week I decided to make Key Lime Pie. H's parents, brother, and aunt were coming over for dinner and I needed a dessert. I'm kind of "known" for making cupcakes, so I wanted to do something unexpected. I wanted something easy and summery and thought key lime pie would be perfect. I didn't have a recipe bookmarked for a while, so I turned to good old Google (and made sure it had a couple good reviews). Here is the recipe I found, on gourmetsleuth.com and it seemed to fit the bill. 

It was super easy to make, which surprised me a bit, and turned out to be absolutely delicious! I did have to use regular limes, because my grocery store didn't have Key limes but I couldn't taste a difference. This is definitely something I will be making again!

And bonus- the directions for the crust definitely made more than needed for a 9" pie dish, so I got to shove heaping spoonfuls of graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar into my mouth. You can't beat that :) Below is the original recipe from gourmetsleuth.com, with my changes in italics.


INGREDIENTS
Crust
16 graham crackers, crushed
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cube (1/4 lb) margarine or butter

Pie
4 large or extra large egg yolks
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh key lime juice (approximately 12 Key limes) (I used regular limes- needed about 4)
2 teaspoons grated lime peel, green portion only

Whipping Cream For Garnish
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla


INSTRUCTIONS
Crust:
Mix the ingredients and press them into a 9" pie plate. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. Place on a rack to cool.

Pie Filling:
Use an electric mixer and beat the egg yolks until they are thick and turn to a light yellow, don't over mix. Turn the mixer off and add the sweetened condensed milk. Turn speed to low and mix in half of the lime juice. Once the juice is incorporated add the other half of the juice and the zest, continue to mix until blended (just a few seconds). Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake at 350F for 12 minutes to set the yolks and kill any salmonella in the eggs.

Serving:
If you are using the whipping cream garnish, prepare the cream. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream. (I spread the whipped cream on top of the entire pie before serving to pretty it up, as the shell was only 3/4 filled and it looked a bit empty and sad)

One Sweet Surprise

Whoo hoo! I won something! I actually won something. I can't believe it, I've never won anything before!

Alright- back up a little- I've been reading Sarah's blog Pink of Perfection for quite a while. I love her recipes, style, entertaining ideas, and just her nod to the simple pleasures in life. And when I saw there was a give-away for the cookbook Booze Cakes, my heart may have skipped a beat. I love booze (what can I say?) and I most definitely love sweets, so in my mind it doesn't get much better than that (as you may have guessed). I entered, and didn't give it a second thought. When I got an email the next day saying that I had won, I did a little happy dance in my chair. And when the book came the very next day(!) I may have even let out a bit of a squeal.

Naturally, I had to make something right away. I flipped through the book, book-marking almost every other recipe and marveling at all the wonderful ideas. I asked H to help narrow it down, and he chose the Mudslide Cake. It is two layers of chocolate cake with a hint of coffee and Irish cream, Irish cream whipped cream between them, and and Irish cream caramel sauce to top it off and covered in chocolate shavings. WOW. Good pick, H :)

This was truly delicious, and I can't wait to make the next one!