Super Bowl Puppy Chow

I've got the perfect last minute festive treat idea for tomorrow' Super Bowl! Most of you know Muddy Buddies or Puppy Chow or whatever other name it goes by, but if you don't just know that it's both delicious and easy to throw together. It's a mix of Chex cereal, chocolate, peanut butter and powdered sugar. I know you're drooling now. What takes it up a notch is to add your favorite team's colors to the mix by adding in m&m's!

I'll admit I'm not a fan of either team this year, but I refuse to cheer for those filthy Panther's after they beat my Seahawks so this year, I'm rooting for the Broncos. I grabbed two bags of m&m's at the grocery store and weeded out all of the blue and orange ones to toss in with my Puppy Chow and voila Super Bowl Festive Puppy Chow!

This literally took all of 10 minutes to throw together, so if you're still looking for something to bring to your Super Bowl Party, try this!

Super Bowl Puppy Chow

9 Cups (or 1 Box) Chex Cereal of your choice (we grabbed Rice Chex)
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar
M&Ms (or other colored candy of your choice)

In a large bowl pour the cereal and set aside.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips and melt for one minute. Remove from microwave and stir. Add in vanilla.

Pour the chocolate mixture over your cereal and stir till all the cereal has a generous coating of chocolate.

Pour mixture into a gallon size ziplock bag and pour in about 1 cup powdered sugar. Zip the bag close and shake to coat all of the cereal with powdered sugar. If it looks like you need more, add about 1/4 cup of powdered sugar until you reach the right consistency.

Pour into a large bowl and mix in your m&m's.

Enjoy!

Adult Rootbeer Floats

have you guys tried "not your father's rootbeer" from small town brewery yet? because if you haven't, run to your nearest trader joe's and pick up a 6-pack immediately!

kevin and i treated ourselves to some adult rootbeer floats this past sunday because we decided we were 10 days into the new year, hadn't broken our respective new year's resolutions yet and needed to reward ourselves. ;0)

it does have alcohol in it. 5.9% ABV to be exact so it's definitely for adults only, but it is the perfect treat for a trip down memory lane. we used the trader joes speculoos cookie butter ice cream for the base of our rootbeer floats and topped them off with "not your father's rootbeer." the two combined perfectly and i see this little treat popping up over and over again this summer when we're looking for a quick way to cool down and beat the heat! the only thing that would have made this better is a big dollop of whipped cream, which i will definitely do the next time we make these!

and don't worry, we let the little guy enjoy a miniature size scoop of ice cream so he could join in the fun too!

Thanksgiving Recipe No. 3: Mint Truffles

it wouldn't be thanksgiving without dessert, right? lots and lots of dessert that is. i've already posted mom's famous sugar cookie recipe that we make every year, as well as the crazy good peanut butter ball recipe, but i haven't shared her famous frozen mint truffle recipe, and i'm fixing that today.

if you like chocolate (i mean who doesn't?) and are a peppermint freak like i am (beginning november 1st, if you can put mint in it, i pretty much do it) then you will love love love these mint truffles.

the best part about them is they are so easy to make. (disclaimer: these taste way better than they look in the one and only picture i snapped! let's not judge a book by it's cover here, okayyyy!)

check out the recipe below!

Mom's Mint Chocolate Truffles

1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
4 eggs
3/4 tsp peppermint extract
2 tsp vanilla
crushed candy canes for the topping
mini cupcake liners
mini cupcake pans

in a large mixing bowl beat together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy with a hand mixer. beat in the melted chocolate. add one egg at a time and continue to beat until light and fluffy.

add peppermint extract and vanilla and beat.

line mini cupcake pans with the liners. scoop truffle filling into the mini liners and top with crushed candy canes. cover will foil and freeze.

these are supposed to be eaten frozen, otherwise they melt and turn into mush....serve directly from the freezer and enjoy!

Almond Butter Cups

so i mentioned that i gave up sweets for lent, right? i failed. i failed majorly! i only made it two weeks. two very long weeks.

but in my defense, as a preggo lady, i can't have wine, i can't have sushi, i can't have lunch meat, or certain cheeses or my favorite blue cheese dressing...i can't. i can't. i can't. so the way i see it, i'm giving up so much already (totally worth it for the nugget!) that i should get a pass this lent. dontcha think that's fair? and if you don't, well....hasn't anyone ever told you, you can't argue with a pregnant lady ;0p

also in my defense is the fact that these almond butter cups are chock full of ingredients that are good for you! almonds, oats, almond butter, and chocolate (hey, dark chocolate is good for you). plus there's no sugar in these, so i would argue that these technically don't even count as a sweet.

no sugar = not technically a sweet.

the most important thing though, is that these are good. really really good. and so easy (and fast!) to make. so if you have 10 minutes, and need a chocolate fix (i mean who doesn't need a chocolate fix), you should go make these.

have a great week!

Almond Butter Cups
Recipe adapted from Oh She Glows 

for the base:

1 c almond meal
1/4 c rolled oats, ground into a flour
2 tbsp almond butter 

1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil, warmed if necessary
1 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup (or agave nectar)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch of fine grain sea salt, to taste

for the topping:

1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips

1 tbsp canola oil, if needed

Add oats into a high-speed blender and blend on high until a flour forms. Dump into a large bowl and break up any clumps with your fingers. Add the flour mixture to the almond meal.

Add the nut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup (or agave), cinnamon, vanilla, and salt into the bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined. The dough should be fairly sticky like cookie dough.

Line a mini (or regular) muffin tin with paper liners. Portion the dough into each muffin cup and press down until even and smooth.

Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. If the mixture needs to be thinned out slightly, add 1/2 to 1 tbsp of the canola oil and mix well. Spoon the chocolate mixture over the almond cups in even amounts. 

Place in the freezer in a flat area for 30-45 minutes, until firm. Pop out the cups & enjoy immediately! 

These are best consumed straight from the freezer.

Super Soft M & M Cookies

so i recently learned that my husband loves cookies. like really really love cookies. he seriously rivals the cookie monster.

so i set out to make the softest, chewiest, yummiest m & m cookie i could find and boy did i succeed. so much so, that husband ate an entire batch of cookies in a 24 hour period. these are that good. they have a secret ingredient in them too, and you know how much i love secret ingredients. it's CREAM CHEESE. who knew?

i officially never have to bake him a birthday cake again. these cookies will suffice.

and i have bright eyed baker to thank for the recipe. find it here!

Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes

who has been watching the olympics?? while the 2014 winter olympics have been surrounded in contraversy...i can't help but get sucked in. the opening ceremony was pretty great (minus a malfunction or two) and there's something about athletes from all around the world coming together to compete in healthy sporting events, when the world can, at times, appear to be a little crazy.

we watched the opening ceremony with some friends this past friday, and i decided to get a little festive and make some team usa cupcakes. and, what better cupcake to make than magnolia bakery cupcakes?

for those of you who live under a rock, magnolia bakery is a cupcake bakery in nyc made famous by a little show called sex and the city starring sarah jessica parker. my girlfriend's and i, after a night out on the town, or sometimes to start the night out, or simply just because, used to venture into the city, new york city that is, and snatch up the world's best cupcakes from magnolia. it's one of the things i miss the most about living in nyc.

so you bet my pregnant little heart that when i found the recipe for magnolia bakery cupcakes from their  the magnolia bakery cookbook, i was determined to find an excuse to make these. you, however, don't need an excuse to go make these. i mean they are magnolia bakery cupcakes. winter olympics or not, these need to be made. do it.  

Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cake with ButterCream Frosting
1c unsalted butter, softened
2 c sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 c self rising flour
1 1/4 c all purpose flour
1 c Vitamin D milk
1tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F.

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake wrappers.

Cream butter until smooth and gradually add sugar. Beat until fluffy. Next, add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flours and add to mixer in four parts, alternating with milk and vanilla.

Bake 20 – 25 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.

Magnolia Bakery Buttercream Frosting

1 c unsalted butter, softened
8 c confectioner’s sugar
1/2 c Vitamin D milk
1tsp vanilla
Your favorite food coloring (optional!)

Place butter, milk, vanilla and 4c confectioner’s sugar in mixer and beat until smooth and creamy.

Add remaining confectioner’s sugar 1c at a time, until frosting has reached a spreadable consistency.
Add food coloring if desired.

Depending on the level of cupcake to frosting ration you like to use (I like lots of frosting to my cupcakes ;0p) you may (or may not) have frosting leftover. This will store for up to three days in an airtight container or one month in the freezer.

For more Magnolia Bakery yumminess check out The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old Fashioned Recipes from New York’s Sweetest Bakery.

Santa Approved Sugar Cookies

i realize i may be a little late in the game posting a christmas cookie recipe the day before christmas eve, seeing as every other food blogger out there has been giving you cookie recipe after cookie recipe since halloween.

but. this is the best christmas cookie recipe out there for santa. i promise you. especially because the frosting to cookie ratio is easily 2:1. that's two parts frosting, one part cookie, in case you were confused.

my family has been making this frosted sugar cookie recipe for thanksgiving and christmas since i can remember. we look forward to these all.year.long. no joke.

they're pretty simple and easy to throw together and they look so festive with their red and green frosting and sprinkles, that if you need just one more cookie recipe, you know, for the jolly fat guy in the big red suit....you should make these.

merry christmas!

Mom's Sugar Cookies
makes about 48 smallish cookies

1.5 c granulated sugar
1 c butter
1 egg
1.5 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp milk
1.5 tsp baking powder
2.25 - 2.5 c flour, plus more for later

preheat oven to 325.

cream together the sugar, butter and eggs. add in the vanilla, milk and baking powder. slowly add the flour. the dough will be slightly sticky.

roll the dough into one inch balls. in a small bowl, pour your additional flour and using a the bottom of a glass, dip the glass in flour and flatten out the balls of cookie dough.

bake for about 9 - 10 minutes. the cookies may not look done on top, but the bottoms will be brown.

Buttercream Frosting

3.5 c powdered sugar
3/4 c butter
1.5 tsp vanilla
3-4 tsp milk
green and red food coloring
green and red sprinkles

cream together about 1.5 cups of the powdered sugar with the butter, add the vanilla. slowly alternate between adding additional powdered sugar and milk until your frosting is the correct consistency.

divide your frosting into two bowls. put 1-2 drops of green food coloring in one of the bowls and the same amount of red food coloring in the other bowl. mix together till you get the color green and red you want. i prefer mine on the lighter side, because the sprinkles are darker in color.

frost and top with sprinkles!

these cookies freeze really well, so you can definitely make a double batch for thanksgiving and they will last till christmas!

Mom's Peanut Butter Balls

so i know there are about a bazillion recipes out there for homemade "peanut butter cups" or peanut butter bars or peanut butter balls, but you know what? i even posted earlier this year, right here.

but this recipe trumps them all. and for two great reasons. one...it's my mom's recipe and two, the butter. i'm talking paula dean amounts of butter. like, you can really only eat these once a year (or twice like we do) because just one is guaranteed to make you gain 5 pounds. but they are so worth it.

you know why else my recipe is better ( like the first two weren't good enough. ha!) they are so easy to make. all you do is cream peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar together and dip them in chocolate and woilah! you've got melt in your mouth (and head straight to your ass!) amazingly delicious chocolate covered peanut butter balls.

 they might not be the prettiest recipe on earth, but i guaranteed they're the yummiest!!!

we make a double batch of these bad boys for thanksgiving and they last us through till christmas. and yes, you need a double batch. they're that good.

your welcome.

Mom's Peanut Butter Balls
**This recipe is doubled already

2 c creamy peanut butter
2 c butter, room temperature
5 1/2 c powdered sugar
64 oz (6 bags) milk chocolate chips (i get crazy and make white chocolate too)

cream together the butter and peanut butter. add powdered sugar, one cup at a time.

stick the mixture in the freezer for about 30 minutes to harden up. remove from freezer and scoop into balls (about 1 tbsp each). a melon baller works great for this!

stick back in the freezer.

over a double boiler, melt chocolate chips. a little tip on making the melted chocolate a little thinner for dipping...add about a tbsp of canola oil to the chocolate chips and this will make the chocolate thinner and easier for dipping.

put chocolate covered peanut butter balls back in the freezer till they've harden. Store in a sealed container in your freezer.

when ready to eat, remove from the freezer about 15-20 minutes before hand to soften up slightly.

Smitten Kitchen's Carrot Cake Cupcakes

i am learning that when it comes to desserts, my husband likes two things...no LOVES two things. cookies and carrot cake. if i can find a way to turn carrot cake into a cookie, i think he might marry me all over again. i'm working on it ;0)

i had some spare time on my hands this past weekend (read: it was Sunday, which meant husband was watching football) and we had all the ingredients on hand for carrot cake (thanks CSA basket and your never ending supply of carrots) so i whipped up a batch of carrot cake cupcakes for husband to take to work with him (so i didn't eat them all myself).

they were delicious. but of course they were because i used the recipe from smitten kitchen, and well everything i make from her is mouth wateringly good. i skipped out on the nuts and raisins (i'm not a big fan of nuts or dried fruit in my desserts) and made a simple cream cheese frosting instead of the maple cream cheese frosting (only because i think cream cheese frosting is sweet enough on its own).

husband came home with rave reviews from his co-workers (score one for the home team!) and i may or may not have scored a back massage out of the deal. :)

head on over to smitten kitchen for the recipe!

Vegan Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

 i embarked on a 21 day cleanse no more than 10 days ago when right in the middle of it i had a craving for chocolate chip cookies. let me tell you. it is the worst feeling in the world when you're supposed to be all "i'm only eating vegan food" and your body's like "psych! give me sugar." i had to remedy this situation immediately.

so i perused my list of "allowed ingredients" on the cleanse and then i did what any normal, sane person would do. i scowered the internet for a cookie recipe that could be made from said allowed ingredients. and you know what....internet did not let me down. i found a vegan dark chocolate chip cookie recipe from the detoxinista and armed with all "healthy" ingredients i got to baking. immediately.

and you know what happened. my idea of a yummy chocolate chip cookie was completely blown away. these are so good! i like them better than normal chocolate chip cookies and they don't have any icky ingredients like butter (who am i kidding i love butter...but you know, the cleanse is screwing with mind) in them. score one for the internet. score one for the detoxinista. and score two points for me for not breaking my cleanse and still getting to eat chocolate chip cookies.

so even if you're not on a cleanse...you should still go make these.

Vegan Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
taken from detoxinista 

2 c almond meal

1/4 c coconut oil, softened

3 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 c dark chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine almond meal, baking soda and salt. Add coconut oil, vanilla and maple syrup and stir well. Once combined well stir in the dark chocolate. 

Spoon cookie dough onto a cookie sheet and bake for 8-9 minutes. 

Enjoy!!

Blueberry, Peach & Basil Crisp

when i was a kid, i was determined that when i grew up and could "eat whatever i want whenever i wanted" i had dreams of eating giant slices of chocolate cake for breakfast. topped with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream of course.

now that i'm an adult, and well, could do just that, it doesn't sound as appealing. well that and of course the fact that they don't tell you when you grow up, you'll no longer have the metabolism of an eleven year old. damn.

but you know what does sound appealing? a perfectly baked and bubbling blueberry peach and basil crisp served with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream (hey...some things don't change). and i can justify it for breakfast because (a) it's got fruit in it (b) it's got oatmeal in it and (c) i'm an adult so i can do what i want. ;0)

so when i made this for dessert this past weekend, i knew exactly what i was having for breakfast come monday morning.

blueberry, peach & basil crisp

3 peaches, peeled and chopped into 1 in squares
1 pint blueberries
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sugar (if you like it sweeter double this)
1 small handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped

1 c oatmeal
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c all purpose flour
1 stick butter, room temp

vanilla ice cream
more basil for topping

preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

in a bowl, toss together your peaches, blueberries, basil, lemon juice and sugar and set aside. lightly butter and flour a 9x9 baking pan. pour your fruit mixture into the baking pan.

in another small bowl, mix together your oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon and flour. using your fingers combine the butter with your dry ingredients until the mixture is slightly crumbly. distribute evenly on top of your fruit mixture.

bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and the crisp on top is slightly browned.

serve immediately with vanilla ice cream and a few pieces of basil on top.

enjoy!

Avocado Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

say what?!?!

yup! that's right! i put avocados in my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. 

but why?!?! why ruin a perfectly good batch of delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookies by putting avocados in them?!?! 

no i'm not crazy. and no it's not some weird pregnancy craving (and no i'm not pregnant!) 

but apparently putting avocados in everything is a thing. don't believe me? check out my avocado egg salad here,  or this recipe for avocado goat cheese crostini (side note: i'm dying to try this!)

see told you.

it's a thing. 

so when i saw this recipe for avocado oatmeal chocolate chip cookies on eat. live. run i first thought.....gross! who would put avocados in their cookies? but as much as i tried, i couldn't shake it. 

i had to try them myself. 

i'm so glad i did. 

they really make the cookies so light and fluffy and delicious. 

and just plain good.

so go make these, i promise you'll thank me later ;0)

get the recipe here!

Slutty Brownies

have you guys heard of slutty brownies?

oh my god!

so good. 

so so so so very good. 

slutty brownies have rocked my world.

get ready because they'll rock your world too.

it's a chocolate chip cookie topped with oreos and then covered in a fudgy brownie mixture that you bake all together to turn into the most delicious brownie you'll ever eat in your entire life.

mind blown.

i made husband take them to work with him, because you can't just keep slutty brownies in the house.

you eat them.

and that can be very very dangerous.

check out the recipe over at What's Gaby Cooking!

Mini Strawberry Crisps

So I bought some mini ramekins from Williams Sonoma over the weekend. 

And I could not wait to put them to work!

Which, luckily for you, means I have the perfect Mother's Day dessert idea for you for this coming weekend!

Oh, and since husband (aka professional taste-tester) is home now, I'm back in the kitchen, 

cooking up a storm!

Now, to get to the good stuff...

Mini Strawberry Crisps! 

These are so easy to make and so delicious and refreshing that they are the perfect treat to "treat" your mom to for Mother's Day.

And since they're "mini" and filled with fruit...technically they're good for you, right?

That's my story and I'm stickin to it ;0)

Happy Monday folks!

Mini Strawberry Crisps

Makes 8 mini strawberry crisps using ramekins

1/2 c oats
1/2 c flour
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c butter
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 c thinly sliced fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together oatmeal, flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter or margarine until crumbly.

In another bowl, mix strawberries and white sugar together.

Line up your ramekins and spread half the crumb mixture on bottom of each ramekin.
Cover with strawberries and spread remaining crumb mixture over top.

Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.

Serve warm or cold with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt. 

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Cookie Dough Bites

I have a confession to make. 

I could eat cookie dough by the spoonful. 

I know! I know! 

The eggs! Salmonella! I'm going to get food poisoning! 

All that said and done...I've been eating cookie dough batter for as long as I can remember, and I'm still here...BUT

I know it's not good for you. 

So, here's a little oatmeal cookie dough batter that's (a) eggless and (b) delicious! 

You can eat it by the spoonful....or live dangerously, roll it into little cookie dough balls and dip those bad boys in melted chocolate. 

Holy Yum. 

These are perfect for a girl's night, fun with the kiddos or (if dipped in chocolate) could even be dressed up for a fun party dessert! 

Oatmeal Cookie Dough Bites

1 cup flour
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, room temp
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats
water (add small amounts until the dough is proper consistency)

Combine all ingredients except for the water in a bowl. The mixture will be crumbly. Gradually begin adding small amounts of water until dough reaches desired consistency.

If you want to get crazy, melt some chocolate chips and dip these in chocolate to make chocolate covered oatmeal cookie dough bites....mouthwatering good!

Store in the fridge or freezer if you can make it last that long!