Tag Archive: Food

Savory Garlic Green Beans

Written on March 21, 2014 by in Side Dish

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A lot of the time I’m asked if this is purely a dessert blog. It’s not, but I can see where the confusion comes from between brownies and bark and cookies.

Desserts are just easier to photograph. You don’t have to worry about them cooling too much. You can even wait a whole day before cutting a slice. But spend 10 minutes photographing green beans and all you’re left with are mediocre pictures and cold vegetables.

You’ll only get one mediocre picture from this blog post, but a darn good recipe. If you like vegetables—or even if you don’t—using garlic and shallots and just the right amount of salt makes these greens addictive.

Savory Garlic Green Beans

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 2-3 servings):

  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 shallot, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
  • 1lb fresh green beans, end chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat.
  2. Add in the shallots and garlic and cook until they begin to brown.
  3. Add in the rest of the oil and the green beans. Sauté moving constantly so that the green beans cook on all sides.
  4. Season with salt and toss before removing from the pan. Serve while hot.
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Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Written on March 17, 2014 by in Dessert

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

I can’t believe I haven’t made something this simple yet. Brownies + Reese’s cups. What more do you need?

When it comes to brownie recipes, I have a few favorites that I stick by. On occasion I’ll try a mix, but homemade usually comes out better.

Whether you’re making your own or using a mix, this batch will definitely come out better. Seriously, with peanut butter cups how could you go wrong? Once these cool, the milk chocolate sets again and the peanut butter has a roasted, nuttier flavor. It’ll definitely be a hit with your peanut butter lovers.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 16 servings):

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Prepare your brownie recipe according to directions.
  3. Grease an 8×8 baking pan well and pour the batter into the pan.
  4. Unwrap the peanut butter cups and place them evenly around the pan on top of the batter pressing them in gently.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes according to directions.
  6. Remove and let them cool completely before cutting.

 

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3 Irish Cream Dessert Recipes

Written on March 12, 2014 by in Dessert, Holiday, Recipe Round-Up

St. Patricks Day has never been a favorite holiday. Perhaps because my birthday’s right around the corner, or Easter which is centered around chocolate eggs filled with candy(I mean, what’s not to love?). Potatoes, beer, and colcannon just don’t do it for me. But there’s one Irish food I can get down with.

Irish cream is made with just about everything bad for you, so naturally it’s one of my favorites. There’s nothing better than making a dessert with it and then sitting down to enjoy it with an ice-cold glass on the side. These are 3 of my favorite recipes with Irish cream you can enjoy this weekend(after the potatoes and beer, of course).

Bailey's Frosted Brownies

Bailey’s Frosted Brownies

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 8 x 8 pan):

For the brownies:

  • 3/4 cup oat flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 4oz bittersweet baking chocolate
  • 1/3 cup Irish cream

For the frosting:

  • 6 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Irish cream

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix together the oat flour, salt, cocoa powder, and baking powder and set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, melt together the chocolate and butter.
  4. While the chocolate is melting, beat together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and Irish cream.
  5. Slowly pour the melted chocolate and butter into the egg/sugar mixture while whisking until fully incorporated. Don’t go too fast so that the raw eggs don’t cook upon contact.
  6. Add the chocolate mixture in with the dry ingredients and mix completely.
  7. Pour the batter in a greased 8 x 8 pan.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Let these cool completely before frosting.
  9. To make the buttercream, beat the powdered sugar, butter, and Irish cream heavily until it’s entirely mixed. Add a touch more buttercream if it’s too dry at first.

Bailey's Hot Chocolate Truffles Yield

Bailey’s Hot Chocolate Truffles

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup(8.5oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 6 Tablespoons Irish cream
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup powdered hot chocolate mix*

*I wouldn’t recommend using a mix that is overly processed or full of chemicals. You could also mix 6 Tablespoons of sugar and 2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder for a nearly identical coating.

Method:

  1. Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a microwave or over a double boiler.
  2. Mix the Irish cream into the melted chocolate until it’s smooth and shiny.
  3. Refrigerate or freeze the chocolate until it’s semi-soft and doesn’t stick to your hands. You want it to be a little colder than you think it should be since your hands will warm it over time.
  4. Pour the hot chocolate mix into a small bowl or onto a small plate.
  5. With a melon-baller or a spoon, carve out pieces of chocolate about 1-inch in width. Roll the chocolate into as round a ball as you can and drop it into the hot chocolate mix.
  6. Roll the ball around in the hot chocolate mix until the sides are all covered and move it to an air-tight container.
  7. Refrigerate the truffles for 30 minutes for the right consistency before eating.  Keep them refrigerated when not enjoying.

Hot Amaretto Mocha

Hot Amaretto Mochas

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 serving):

  • 6oz fresh brewed coffee
  • 1 Tablespoon hot cocoa mix
  • 1 1/2oz Irish cream
  • 1/2oz amaretto

Method:

  1. Make sure the coffee you’re using is steaming hot. If not, heat it up gently.
  2. Stir in the hot cocoa mix until it’s completely dissolved.
  3. Pour in the Irish cream and almond liqueur and stir well until blended.
  4. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate if desired. Serve hot.

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Black & White Chex Mix

Written on March 7, 2014 by in Dessert, Snack

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Did you know today’s national cereal day? I probably wouldn’t have if the people at Chex cereal didn’t tell me and invite me to celebrate.

I really need a calendar with these fun food holidays like national cereal day, national peanut butter day, and—of course—national margarita day(which was thoroughly celebrated). I even forgot the Oscars were last weekend until that day, but thankfully I already had this classy snack to watch it with.

Black tie events are not my style but white and dark chocolate most certainly are. This Chex mix has a good balance of flavors; it’s a perfect class act for an award show party or just a football party. And it’s fairly easy to put together, too.

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When you’re making this recipe, just like any other recipe that involves melting chocolate, make sure to pick a brand you trust and know melts well. Some chocolate chips have too many preservatives added to them and seize up instead of melting. Anything that markets itself as baking chocolate is a good bet for melting.

Black & White Chex Mix

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 8 servings):

  • 2 cups chocolate Chex cereal, divided
  • 2 cups vanilla Chex cereal, divided
  • 2/3 chocolate chips, divided
  • 2/3 white chocolate chips, divided

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Method:

  1. In a large bowl mix together 1 cup chocolate Chex cereal, 1 cup vanilla Chex cereal, 1/3 cup white chocolate chips, and 1/3 cup chocolate chips.
  2. Melt the remaining chocolate chips over the stove or in a microwave.
  3. While the chocolate is melted, mix in the remainder of the chocolate Chex cereal until it’s well-coated.
  4. Pour the chocolate covered Chex onto a non-stick surface and gently flatten into a single layer.
  5. Repeat the same process with the white chocolate chips and vanilla Chex.
  6. Let the Chex sit until the chocolate has rehardened.
  7. Break up the chocolate covered Chex into bite-sized chunks.
  8. Mix the chocolate covered Chex in with the rest of the ingredients well.
  9. Serve at room temperature or store in a cool, dry place.

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Buffalo Cream Cheese Chex Dip + Giveaway

Written on March 3, 2014 by in Side Dish

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I love being challenged to make recipes with a few ingredients(a la Chopped). I think it’s easier than starting with a blank canvas. Chex & General Mills challenged me to make something with Chex cereal and Frank’s hot sauce—an odd combination for sure. But immediately I had an idea and I’m happy it turned out so well.

This recipe’s a twist on a savory cheese ball and my vegetarian buffalo chicken dip. The last time I had that dip was for the Super Bowl; I think this one’s going to be the winner for college basketball and any other party I go to this month. It’s just as tasty but a little simpler because there’s no baking involved—perfect for bringing to a party where you won’t be able to heat anything up.

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I debated which Chex cereal to suggest making this with. Using rice or corn makes it gluten-free, but some people might prefer wheat. I would recommend matching it to whatever cracker you’re serving with this. If they’re corn-based, go with corn, wheat-based go with wheat, etc.

Buffalo Cream Cheese Chex Dip

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Serves about 8-10 people):

  • 1 8oz block of cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup cannellini beans
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 1/4 cup Frank’s RedHot buffalo wing hot sauce
  • 2/3 cup crushed rice, corn, or wheat Chex cereal
  • Chips and vegetables for dipping

Method:

  1. Combine the cream cheese, cannellini beans, shredded cheese, hot sauce, and 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon crushed Chex cereal in a large bowl.
  2. Using a potato masher, forcefully mix all of the ingredients until it forms a smooth, even-colored dip.
  3. Using your hands and a clean, non-stick surface, form the dip into a ball.
  4. Lightly bread the outside of the cheese ball with with the remaining Chex cereal.
  5. Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips and vegetables to dip.

Chex-Franks

Giveaway:

Want to make your own? You can get the same inspiration I did to make this pictured above. Just do one or multiple entries as listed below and I’ll pick a winner at 11:59pm on Sunday, March 9th.

Good luck!

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4 Easy Nutella Recipes

Written on February 21, 2014 by in Dessert, Recipe Round-Up

I have two half-eaten jars of Nutella in my kitchen. I think I have a problem. (I need more Nutella.)

There’s a store near me that sells imported European jars for less than $4($3 each if you buy 3). At that price it’s hard not to turn into an addict. Not that Nutella on oatmeal or bagels could ever get old, but using it in recipes helps mix it up from time to time.

Here are 4 recipes that take about as much time to make as it does to eat an entire jar. Also, all of these recipes are 4 ingredients or less, so there’s no reason not to enjoy them all. Maybe even in one day.

Easy Nutella Brownies

Easy Nutella Brownies are exactly what they sound like. You can instantly make any brownie mix into Nutella brownies with just Nutella and eggs. There’s no reason to make any other kind.

Nutella Cheesecake Strawberries

Nutella Cheesecake Strawberries impressed everyone the last time I made them, which isn’t bad for something with just 4 ingredients. The hardest part is slicing and stuffing the strawberries, but it’s fine if you have a little patience.

Nutella Yogurt Dip

Nutella Yogurt Dip will make you feel a little better about eating Nutella by the spoonful. It’s just as tasty but a little more healthy. I like it with fruit and veggies but graham crackers and pretzel sticks work just as well.

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Gluten-Free Nutella Cookies have been my afternoon snack since I made them. Since they’re crispy and chewy when they’re done I like to break them up and add it to yogurt. That practically makes them a health food, right? 

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Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

Written on February 18, 2014 by in Dessert

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It’s a good think I never made a resolution to eat less sugar because if I did I’d be doing horribly at it.

I always like to have something sweet after dinner, whether it’s part of a chocolate bar or just a handful of chocolate chips. That’s probably why I buy a bag and end up finishing it before actually making a recipe. Oops.

These cookies are simple because all I had this weekend in my pantry was simple ingredients. But simple can be all you need.

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Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 18 cookies):

  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup cane sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup peanut butter chips

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Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together the peanut butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and baking soda.
  3. Fold in the chocolate and peanut butter chips evenly.
  4. Roll the dough into 1-ounce balls. Lightly press down on the balls with a fork in a criss-cross pattern to flatten it to about 3/4-inch thickness.
  5. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the tops are firm to the touch and the edges begin to brown.
  6. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool before moving to a separate plate.

 

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Gluten-Free Nutella Cookies

Written on February 13, 2014 by in Dessert

Gluten-Free Nutella Cookies

Caught the day before Valentine’s Day with out a dessert? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

These are some of the easiest cookies I’ve ever made. At first I was sure they wouldn’t work and would come out flat as a pancake but I’m glad they didn’t. And they tasted great, too!

These cookies are chewy and crunchy. The texture reminds me of a Little Debbie oatmeal raisin cookies. They’d be perfect for making sandwich cookies with raspberry jam or ice cream sandwiches. I only made half a batch because 9 seemed like more than enough, but these would be just as good for a party as they are for a valentine.

Gluten-Free Nutella Cookies

To make sure these are 100% gluten-free make sure you’re using gluten-free oats. These cookies would probably work gluten-full with regular all-purpose flour but I haven’t tried that myself.

Gluten-Free Nutella Cookies

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 18 cookies):

  • 1 cup Nutella
  • 2 cups oat flour*
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 eggs

*I always make my own by blending oats in a high-power food processor.

Gluten-Free Nutella Cookies

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, beat all of the ingredients together until well mixed. If your Nutella is hard to mix you might want to soften it a bit first.
  3. Roll the dough into balls and place them on a non-stick baking surface. Do not flatten them out at all.
  4. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookies are firm.
  5. Remove from the oven and let them cool before moving.

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Cowboy Caviar

Written on February 10, 2014 by in Miscellaneous

Cowboy Caviar

My favorite recipes all have two things in common: They’re easy and they’re delicious. This one’s both.

This dip’s about as easy as it comes. There’s no cooking or processing. Just mix all the ingredients and voila! (Or whatever the Mexican equivalent of voila is.)

Make sure to soak the onions before adding them to the dip. Soaking them takes away the sharp bite that raw onions have so they don’t overpower the rest of the ingredients. You can add some diced avocado in as well for an added touch.

Cowboy Caviar

Cowboy Caviar

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Serves about 6 people):

  • 1/2 large red or white onion
  • 1 cup black beans
  • 1/2 cup salsa
  • 3/4 cup corn kernels
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

  1. Dice the onion with a sharp knife.
  2. Soak the diced onion in cold water for 5 minutes to remove the raw onion bite.
  3. While the onion’s soaking, mix the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl.
  4. Strain the water from the onion and add it to the mixture.
  5. Mix well. Serve at room temperature.
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My Favorite Gluten-Free Cookie Recipe

Written on February 3, 2014 by in Dessert

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The toughest thing about being gluten-free is not knowing where to start out. You go from baking and cooking with “flour” to suddenly having to choose between 30 different flours and starches that you’ve never heard of before and have no idea what to do with. Most of the time you don’t even know where they come from(Sorghum flour? What’s a sorghum?).

These cookies are my favorite because you’d hardly know they’re gluten free from start to finish. They’re made with almond flour—everyone knows what an almond is—and don’t have any weird starches or gums you’d have to search high and low to find.

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Besides that, they just taste good. Soft, gooey, and pillowy like a classic Tollhouse cookie. What’s not to love? Whether you’re new to gluten-free, just dabbling, or an expert, this recipe is worth the try.

Change up the recipe by adding pecans or walnuts into the batter. This time around I used dark chocolate chips and miniature chocolate chips.

You can see the original recipe that I posted almost 3 years ago(!!) here: http://www.thewannabechef.net/2011/05/04/almond-flour-chocolate-chip-cookies/ There are plenty of useful reviews and comments to help you make the perfect gluten-free cookie.

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