Italian Flag Cookies (a/k/a Rainbow Cookies)

I have always wanted to make these cookies. I was always a little trepidatious in doing so because there seemed to be a lot involved with making them. I was, of course, CORRECT! The process was long. To be exact, a little over 3 hours for the preparing and baking. Then they have to "set" overnight before they can be finished. I am not going to type out the recipe, but I will provide the link to the recipe I used, which was AMAZING! These cookies, all 96 of them, were devoured the night they were unveiled... and there was only 10 of us! Here is the link: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/05/rainbow-cookies. Some tips... make sure you have a strainer, 3 13x9x2 metal baking pans (this will help the process go a little smoother... I only had two pans :(...DIVIDE the sugar, which is noted in the recipe under ingredients, but not so much in the preparation...make sure you have space in your freezer and refrigerator and heavy cans to compress cake layers.

Happy Baking!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Waffles Stuffed with Banana Cream (say that 5 times, quickly)!

Henry's, well now it is known as Sprout's, was having a sale on oatmeal. All different kinds: Steel Cut, Quick, Old Fashion, and so on... you get the idea. I have never had oatmeal waffles, but have had my fare share of oatmeal pancakes. And, I love them! I decided that last night we were going to have a brenner - breakfast for dinner. On the menu, peanut butter oatmeal waffles stuffed with banana cream and a side of maple cured sausage. Heaven, that's where my taste buds thought they were with this meal!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Waffles
Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup peanut butter chips*
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon chia seeds**
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups milk
6 tablespoons butter melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar

In a large mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, stir together wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until completely blended. Batter will be thick. If it is too thick for your liking, add milk a tablespoon at a time.

Make sure your waffle iron is heated. Pour batter onto lightly greased waffle iron (amount varies depending on size of waffle iron). Close lid and do not open until done cooking. Time varies depending on waffle iron and personal preference. Mine take 3 and 1/2 minutes to cook. Use fork to remove cooked waffle.

For stuffed waffles, which are da bomb, prepare the following recipe before cooking waffles. Then cook waffles. Cut freshly cooked waffles in half. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling onto one side of waffle and then cover with the other half. Drizzle, or pour, your syrup of choice... mine is 100% maple syrup. Enjoy! 

It is mucho importante to serve these immediately while hot!!!

Banana Cream for Stuffing

1 ripe banana smashed***

3 oz cream cheese

2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon course sea salt

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients until well blended. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

* This could be substituted for any type of chip, nuts, or berries

** Optional. They have added health benefits. Click here for more information.

*** This could be substituted for any type of fruit.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

A favorite treat of mine are Oreo cookies dunked in a cup of black coffee. OH.MY.WORD. that is some serious deliciousness.

With Valentine's coming up, I was struggling to come up with something to make for my son's class. I had a dilemma... food allergies. Two little girls in his class have food allergies. One little girl is allergic to apricots, and the other girl is allergic to peanuts and eggs. This makes things a tad more challenging. I found a recipe for homemade Oreo cookies from Sugar Cooking's blog, but had to alter the recipe, slightly. These cookies are absolutely amazing! WOW, I don't think I will ever purchase another pack of oreos again... they were also very easy to make.

Homemade Oreo CookiesCookie Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa or cocoa powder for baking works well
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
3 to 4 tbsp milk
For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 tsp milk
2 to 3 drops red food coloring*

1. Preheat to 375°F. Retrieve two baking sheets. If you don't have two baking sheets, the remaining dough will have to be refrigerated while the wafers are cooking in the oven. This will stop the cookies from spreading to much.
2. In a bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the milk. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 5 minutes, rotate and bake for another 3 to 4 minutes. Set cookies on cooling rack. Makes about 24 Oreo cookies, total of 48 wafers.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar, vanilla, milk, and food coloring*. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk or coffee.

*optional

Since these are for my son's class for Valentine's Day, I made them a little more special by using a gel icing to write "XO" on the top of the cookie and sprinkling pink decorative sugar over the "XO." Then I placed one cookie in a muffin tin, so each kid will have a special treat.

Blueberry Ginger Muffins

WHOA these are good. Seriously, if you don't believe me just ask my boyfriend who plowed devoured  enjoyed five in less than 10 minutes! Yes, you read correctly... he ate five muffins in less than 10 minutes. He couldn't stop himself... at least that is what it looked like. No self-control I tell ya...

Anywho, these muffins are great and easy peasy to make! I was only able to get 11 muffins, not 12, but I filled my cups almost to the brim.

Blueberry Ginger Muffins
Dry Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp course sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 package instant vanilla pudding
Wet Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup no sugar added applesauce
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh (or frozen) blueberries

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients with a whisk and make a well in the center. In a small bowl combine wet ingredients, but not the blueberries. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix together with a spatula. Once dry ingredients are completely wet, add blueberries. In a medium size muffin tin, that has been sprayed with cooking spray, spoon batter to 3/4 full. Optional: Sprinkle a cinnamon sugar mixture (1 tbsp sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon) on each muffin. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Tops of muffins should be golden brown.

Mac-n-Cheese with Garlic and Cherry Tomatoes

I love mac-n-cheese...A LOT...who doesn't...pasta and cheese...all in one...what more could a grown woman ask for? A twist, that's what! This is not your typical mac-n-cheese... I like to call it my "sophisticated comfort food!"

Mac-n-Cheese with Garlic and Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups Penne Pasta (uncooked, but rinsed)
2 tbsp mustard (Dijon is best but yellow will suffice)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 1/2* cups of milk (any fat percentage will do)
handful cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan
1/2 cup freshly shredded roman
1/2 cup freshly shredded Gouda
1/4 cup goat cheese
salt and pepper to taste

* If you like a more saucy mac-n-cheese use 3 cups of milk -  2 cups for boiling and 1 cup when the cheese is added.

In a medium size pot (I like to use a pot that can go in the oven, such as a dutch oven, because I like mine a little more crisp on the top), mix together 2 cups of milk (holding back 1/2 cup of milk for use later), mustard, and nutmeg. Then add rinsed pasta to the pot. Bring to a boil, but make sure the milk doesn't get scorched, so stirring is necessary. In a separate pan, add olive oil, garlic, quartered tomatoes, and salt/pepper to taste - cook on medium heat until the edges of the chopped garlic are slightly browned. Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, about 7 to 8 minutes for me, but I like mine al dente, reduce heat to medium, add the remaining milk, and slowly stir in the cheese a 1/4 cup at a time stirring until melted. Then add the cooked garlic and tomatoes (include the remaining olive oil that is in the pan). Salt and pepper to taste. If this is a side it could easily serve up to 6; if this is the main course it could serve up to 4 depending on how hungry they are.

Optional: If you like your mac-n-cheese with a little crunch, cook in the oven at 400 F for 15 minutes. Also, if you want some extra protein and have some leftover chicken, shred and add before putting into the oven.

Mini Baked Donuts

My son loves, loves, loves donuts. I have to be honest, so do I! However, my thighs and arse... not so much. I have been dying to create, or find, an awesome baked donut recipe. In order to move this wish along I ordered a mini donut pan by Wilton. A recipe came with the pan. I tweaked it. Here is my version of the Wilton recipe:

Suspiciously Deliciously Baked Donuts

Dry Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup and 1 teaspoon of milk

1 egg lightly beaten

1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted.

Preheat oven to 425* F. Spray donut pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients together. In a small bowl, mix together liquids. Then add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir until combined (I like to use a spatula for this). Scoop batter into large ziplock baggie, cut corner off (not too much) and pipe into pan. Fill each donut cup 1/3 to 1/2 full. Bake 4 to 6 minutes (I did 5 and it was perfect) - donuts should spring back when touched. Cool in pan 1-2 minutes. Then transfer to cooling rack. Then ice with your favorite flavor of icing OR sprinkle a sugar and cinnamon mixture (3 tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon) on donuts while hot. Also, I added flavors to the batter as I went along, but that I did by my own judgment... like chocolate, lemon, maple, and blueberry. Then I iced with different flavors of icing, not frosting.

Banana Bread... My Way...

I love banana bread. I love when it is moist in the center and has a crunch to the outer shell. I don't like all the fat that usually goes into banana bread. My resolve... devise my own recipe... and, It.Is.Amazing! So I have been told. Here it is:

Banana Bread My Way **

Dry Ingredients

2 cups flour

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 package instant vanilla pudding

1 tsp course sea salt (or sub for table salt but to ½ tsp)

Wet Ingredients

3 medium bananas mashed

½ cup applesauce

3 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs (slightly beaten)

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, add dry ingredients and mix together with a whisk (the whisk adds air). In a medium bowl, mix together wet ingredients, but not the eggs. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add wet ingredients. Then add slightly beaten eggs. With a spatula, mix together until dry ingredients are wet. Add mixture to a greased (I used butter) and flour coated bread pan. Bake for 55 -  60 minutes, but check after about 30 minutes to see if it needs to be covered with foil to prevent further browning.

**Also, this batch has 2 tbsp chia seeds, which can be found at almost any grocery store or farmer's market. Chia seeds are rich in omega-3, great for staying hydrated, weight loss, reducing blood pressure, and good for controlling blood sugar. Chia seeds have a lot of health benefits, so when I bake I try to incorporate into my recipes.  

Carrot Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing

I am really trying to show my son the different ways we can eat food. He loves carrots, but only one way - raw! This is how he is with everything. I figured if we  bake/cook together he will see what ingredients go in something and learn to appreciate the variety of flavors and uses for each ingredient. We will see! Since we had an abundance of carrots, we decided to make carrot muffins. Well, originally I said "carrot bread" and Ant man retorted with "carrot cake" and we settled on "carrot muffins!" Love the conversations with my son! Also, I should note that this recipe is all my own, as are all of the recipes that I post here. They are not tweaked recipes or recipes I just love as is... they are my creation! This recipe will make 18 muffins. I like to use a muffin pan with liners instead of greasing the pan. Makes it easier to transport and a much easier clean up.

Carrot Muffins
Dry Ingredients
2 cups Flour
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Course Sea Salt (yes, I love cooking/baking with this)
1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
3/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

Wet Ingredients
2 cups Shredded Carrots
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
3/4 cup Orange Juice, no pulp
3 Large Eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

 

Preheat oven to 350* F.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together wet ingredients, aside from carrots (those are added at the end). Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula until all ingredients are combined. Then, add carrots a 1/2 cup at a time and mix until incorporated. Repeat until all carrots have been incorporated. Fill muffin liners 3/4s full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Once completely cooled to room temperature, ice with cream cheese icing recipe.

Cream Cheese Icing

I love frosting, icings, and glazes... I also love making them just as much as I enjoy consuming them :) Below is my cream cheese icing recipe. This recipe can ice 18 cupcakes/muffins/cookies... double to ice a cake.  Another great use for this recipe is as a cake filling!

Cream Cheese Icing

4 oz Cream Cheese, almost at room temperature

1 cup Powdered Sugar

1 tbsp Milk

1/2 tbsp Vanilla Extract

2 tbsp softened Butter

In a medium bowl with a spatula, mix together all ingredients. This will take some elbow grease, but is worth it in the end. Then use it to ice your favorite cookies, muffin, cupcake, or cake!

Pumpkin Alfredo Rigatoni

Oh.Em.Gee! Delish. Fall is the best time of year for cooking. I'm always drawn to cooking with pumpkin during this season. The following recipe would be great for any occasion but especially for those cold, sunny Fall days. I failed in the picture department :(. I made this for an impromptu dinner party and we were all drinking and laughing, so the picture was lost in the shuffle of enjoying company! Promise this is delicious... everyone said so and the empty baking dish proves it. Next time I make this, because there will be a next time, I will take a picture!

Pumpkin Alfredo Rigatoni**
1 1/2 lbs Rigatoni, cooked al dente
1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup Half-and-Half
1-15 oz can Pumpkin Puree (not for pies)
3/4 cup Shredded Parmesan, set aside 1/4 cup for topping
3/4 cup Shredded Romano, set aside 1/4 cup for topping
2 Bay Leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook pasta as directed on box, but not all the way. Make sure the pasta is al dente.  Preheat oven to 425° F. In a medium sauce pan, combine heavy whipping cream, half-and-half, pumpkin puree, and bay leaves. Whisk until pumpkin is completely combined with cream. Once combined add salt and pepper to taste, turn heat on medium and whisk continuously. Add Parmesan and Romano and continue to whisk at a consistent speed until cheese is melted. Do not allow the sauce to bubble/boil. If it starts to bubble/boil, reduce heat. Once the cheese is melted, remove from heat and remove bay leaves. In a glass 9 x 13 baking dish, mix pasta and sauce. Cover with remaining Parmesan and Romano cheese. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, just until cheese is melted and slightly golden.

**For some added protein, add a cup of shredded chicken to the pasta and sauce in the baking dish before covering with cheese. I like to purchase a whole roasted chicken from Sprouts (a local grocery store) and use this for the shredded chicken.

Strawberry "Shmarsh"mallow Pancakes

Twas the night before Saturday, we were out at play.
When a loving Mother called upon her adorable son to decide what they shall have for din-din.
"Strawberry Shmarshmallow Pancakes," he exclaimed!
The loving mother obliges.

Strawberry "Shmarsh"mallow Pancakes (makes 8 to 10 medium pancakes)
Dry Ingredients
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp course sea salt
1 tbsp sugar

Wet Ingredients
1 cup milk
2/4 cup strawberry purée (about 10 to 12 strawberries pureed in a blender)
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 egg

2 tbsp butter for cooking. For a healthier take, use non-stick cooking spray - butter flavored.

In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients. In a small bowl, mix wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until mixed. Using 1/4 cup dry measuring cup, scoop batter and pour onto greased nonstick cooking pan. Wait until bubbles appear to flip. Flip and the pancakes should be done in less than a minute at that point.

S'Mores Cupcakes, Sans the Campfire

Bringing the campfire tradition to the schoolyard because my marshmallows bring all the grahams to the yard! O.k. I will stop now :) For work I signed up to bake a dozen cupcakes for a fundraiser. I decided on S'Mores cupcakes. YUMMMOOOOO!  I began with my basic chocolate cake/cupcake recipe (below, makes 24-28 standard size cupcakes), followed it up with my delicious vanilla butter cream frosting, topped it with marshmallows and crushed graham crackers. If I had a culinary torch I would have toasted the tops of the marshmallows, which means I would have done frosting, graham crackers, and then marshmallows and toasted with the torch. As always, ingredients are listed in the order they are needed.

Chocolate Cake/Cupcake Recipe
Dry Ingredients
2 cups sugar, leveled
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, or cake flour if you have it, leveled and not packed
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa, leveled
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon course sea salt (if you don't have, table salt is fine)

Wet Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or 1% will work)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Garnish Ingredients
1/4 bag of mini marshmallows
10 Graham Crackers, crushed

Heat oven to 350° F and line cupcake pan with liners. In a large mixing bowl, whisk dry ingredients in order listed. Then add wet ingredients (but not hot water) in order listed into bowl with dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. Don't panic, the batter is meant to be thin. Fill liners 1/2 to 2/3 full with batter. Cupcakes will bake for 18 - 20 minutes. Take cupcakes out of tin and cool completely before frosting.

Then frost with my spectacular vanilla butter cream frosting recipe.

Top with mini marshmallows and crushed graham crackers.

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting

Yes, I realize buttercream is one word but I don't put mine together because my buttercream frosting is just that buttery AND creamy and both need to be distinguished. This frosting is tested, tried, and a true winner! I receive compliments all the time when I use this recipe.

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cold
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon course sea salt
1/3 cup whole milk
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl, cream the softened butter until smooth. Then add cold butter and cream until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, salt, milk, and vanilla and mix until smooth and creamy.

Pumpkin Scones

There is just something about this time of year that makes me want to cook everything with pumpkin in it. I scoured the Internet for a spectacular pumpkin scone recipe. All, and I mean ALL, of them were the exact same recipe claiming to be the best. I could tell by the ingredients I would be eating a pumpkin flavored brick. So I did what any good person does... I set out to create my own pumpkin scone recipe... voila.  PS I list my ingredients in order of use.

Pumpkin Scones
6 tbsp of frozen butter, cubed (the smaller the better)
Wet Ingredients
1/4 cup  milk (whole, fat free, 1%.. whatever you like it will still be great)
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (my fave brand is Faye)
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie puree mix)
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
Dry Ingredients
3 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp course sea salt (or regular salt if that's all you got, but I love baking with course sea salt)
1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Utensils Needed
Knife
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Medium Bowl
Large Bowl
Rolling Pin
Fork
Whisk
Spatula
Pizza Cutter (not necessary but useful)
Parchment Paper (not necessary but helps with mess when kneading and rolling out dough)

Preheat oven to 425° F. Cube butter and place in the freezer. In a medium bowl, mix (with a fork) wet ingredients and place in refrigerator until ready to use. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients (I like to use a whisk to mix so it breaks the clumps up and adds a little air to the mix). Once mixed, add cubed butter. Toss with a spatula until butter is nicely coated. Then add wet ingredients and fold with a spatula until ingredients are combined. Transfer dough to a well floured surface (this is when I use parchment paper, put the flour on the parchment paper that is on the cookie sheet). Dust the top of the dough with flour and knead with floured hands about 6-8 times just until the dough holds together in a ragged ball. Add flour as needed to prevent sticking. Roll dough into a 12 inch square. Fold dough into 3rds like a letter. Should form a 4 inch square. Put dough on a floured plate and place in freezer for 5 minutes. Put dough back onto floured workspace and roll into a 12 inch square again. Roll dough into a tight log. Lay long seam down and press the log into a 12 inch by 4 inch rectangle. Cut into 4 equal rectangles with knife or pizza cutter. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles. Transfer to baking sheet either lined with parchment paper or greased with nonstick cooking spray.  Bake until tops and bottoms are golden brown, 15 - 20 minutes.

Homemade Whipped Cream

Who doesn't love whipped cream? I love making my own whipped cream. The flavor is so much richer. Plus, I can play with the flavor of the whipped cream. I will give you the basic to making whipped cream and will follow it up by giving options for different flavors.

Homemade Whipped Cream
8 oz Heavy Whipping Cream (will make a little more than 2 cups of whipped cream)
1 tbsp of sugar

Place cream and sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir together. Using a hand-held or upright mixer, whip the cream and sugar until stiff peaks are formed. Put on your favorite fruit, waffles, dessert, or spoon and enjoy!

Other Flavors I personally LOVE
1. 1/4 tsp of almond extract & 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
2. 1 tsp of vanilla extract
3. 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract & 1 tsp of cocoa powder
4. 1/4 tsp of coconut extract and 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract

Potential Flavors
Orange Extract
Maple Extract
Blueberry Extract
Strawberry Extract
Amaretto extract & Banana extract

For each of the potential flavors, suggest starting with 1/4 tsp and add to taste.

Strawberries Au Chocolat

I'm sitting at my desk, bored and craving something sweet but not laden with sugar. Suddenly I remember that I have strawberries in the refrigerator. Then, I think about slicing them and sprinkling with sugar. Sounds good but really isn't quenching my craving for something sweet. See, I wanted something sweet, chocolatey, but healthy. That's when it hit me... chocolate covered strawberries... wait! I am at work... totally impossible... not... we have hot cocoa mix! And sugar-free to boot... SCORE!

Strawberries Au Chocolat

Sliced Strawberries (amount you desire to consume)
1 Package of No Sugar Added Swiss Miss (or hot cocoa of your liking)

Place sliced strawberries in a bowl, preferably with a lid. Open package of hot cocoa and dust strawberries with hot cocoa. Place lid on bowl to seal. Shake gently until strawberries are coated. Let sit 5 minutues. Enjoy!