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Lynsey Lou's

Enjoying Life One Bite at a Time!

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Fudgy Tar Heel Pie

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I’m a sucker for sweets in general.  If it has sugar, give me a plate and a fork and I’ll dig in to whatever is on the table.  Fruity, chocolate, vanilla, brown sugar, cookies, cake, ice cream, pie and so on, I don’t discriminate.  I love all my desserts, but there’s one thing that is my ultimate weakness.  What’s that you ask?  Well, a good ol’ simple fudgy brownie.

The type of brownie that has a slightly crispy top, but then once you penetrate that barrier it’s fudgy and almost sticks to your teeth.  Oh, you know what I’m talking about.  I’d be lying if I said my mouth wasn’t watering just thinking about that pure perfection.

I’ve tried a few brownie pies and they’ve all been incredibly amazing.  But, you know my theory, I’m always looking for new recipes to try and fall in love with.  So when I saw this fudgy tar heel pie on Pinterest I was immediately drawn in by the name alone.  I honestly could have stopped at the word fudgy, everything else was just a bonus.  And, if the name wasn’t enough…which it totally was, the picture had me entranced.  It was a picture of a perfectly cut piece of pie; the top had a slight sheen, the center was a deep dark brown color and the texture looked perfectly fudgy, oh and it had a big ol’ scoop of vanilla ice cream that was dripping off in all the right places.  I wanted to dive through my computer screen to say the least.

This pie lived up to every single expectation I had for it, and then some.  The pie crust was buttery and flaky, which served as the perfect base to hold that rich, fudgy, chocolatey brownie.  The velvety brownie mixture was poured over toasted pecans and then baked to gooey perfection.  In one word, it was AMAZING.  Pure perfection in a slice of pie.

Fudgy Tar Heel Pie

Ingredients:


1 (9 in) pie crust, homemade or store bought
1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 Cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 Cup packed brown sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 Tsp salt
1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 Cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

Directions:


Preheat oven to 375.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle.  Place in a 9-inch pie place, letting the excess dough hang over the edges.  Trim the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch overhang.  Fold and crimp the dough so it’s flush with the edges of the pie plate.  Loosely cover the dough-lined pie plate with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until it’s fully chilled and firm, about 15 minutes.

Line the pie shell with parchment paper and place pie weights in the shell.  Bake until golden brown, about 18-25 minutes.  Remove from oven and carefully remove weights and parchment paper.  Return the pie shell to the oven and bake an additional 3-6 minutes, until the center begins to look opaque.  Allow shell to cool completely.

Reduce oven temperature to 325.

Place 2/3 cup of the chocolate chips and the butter in a microwave safe dish and heat in 20 second intervals, stirring after each, until completely melted.  Add oil and cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.

In a separate bowl combine sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt and whisk until smooth.  Add the chocolate mixture to the sugar mixture and whisk until incorporated.  Add the flour and remaining chocolate chips and gently stir until just combined.

Spread the pecans, in an even layer over the bottom of the pie shell.  Pour the batter over the pecans and spread in an even layer.  Place in the preheated oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a thin coating of batter attached, about 30-35 minutes.  Place the pie on a cooling rack and allow to cool until barely warm, about 1 1/2 hours.  Serve.

Recipe source: Cook’s Country

{Baked} S’mores Donuts for Dad

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Donuts are a staple at breakfast on the weekends.  At least one day of the weekend we either enjoy a batch of homemade donuts, or we load up and head to our favorite shop and rack up a collection of delicious, light and fluffy donuts.  So, since father’s day is right around the corner I thought I’d only be fitting to share a decadent and indulgent donut recipe that you can make for pop on his special day.

When Tucker was in daycare they would always go above and beyond to make moms and dads feel special on Mother’s and Father’s day.  For moms they would always have muffins for moms and they would serve various flavors of muffins along with juice and coffee.  For the dads they would always have donuts for dads and serve donuts along with juice and coffee.  It was a little way to show how much they appreciated not only us but our kids.  Tucker isn’t in daycare anymore, but the donut for dads is still stuck in my head so I decided to make an over the top donut for Tucker to give Spencer this Sunday. 

This, my friends, isn’t just your basic donut.  It’s not even a basic donut that has a fancy or off the wall frosting.  This is a s’mores donut.  A graham cracker donut, topped with roasted marshmallow buttercream and drizzled in a dark chocolate.  Oh. My. Word.  Right? 

Spencer LOVES anything s’mores and Tucker loves roasting marshmallows, so this was a match made in heave that called both their names.  S’mores donuts doesn’t exactly scream breakfast, and it’s not typically something I would serve on a regular basis but it’s the weekend and it’s Father’s day so we can splurge! 

These donuts are so fluffy and packed full of graham cracker flavor, and while they are delicious, it’s the frosting I’m longing for.  A basic buttercream frosting, which is so good, but it has roasted marshmallows in the mix.  The roasted marshmallows bring that roasted, campfire marshmallow flavor right down to the slightly charred ones.  This frosting is amazing, life changing even.  I mean, I can literally sit down and eat it with a spoon.  But I didn’t…well not all of it anyway!  I topped the graham cracker donuts with this heavenly concoction and then drizzled it with dark chocolate.  The end result, a donut that is delicious and beyond belief.  So go ahead, make these donuts…for dad, for you, for your family and friends. 

Baked S’mores Donuts

Ingredients:


1/2 Cup all purpose flour
1/2 Cup bread flour
1/4 Cup graham cracker crumbs
1 Tsp baking powder
1/2 Tsp baking soda
1/2 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1/2 Cup sour cream
1 Tsp vanilla
1 Egg
1/4 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup granulated sugar

For the roasted marshmallow buttercream-
1 Stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
1 Tsp vanilla
2 Cups marshmallows

Additional ingredients-
1/2 Cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:


Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a donut pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl combine both flours, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and stir to combine.  Make a well in the center and set aside.

In a separate bowl combine butter, sour cream, vanilla, egg, brown sugar and granulated sugar and whisk to combine. 

Pour in the prepared well in the dry ingredients and fold ingredients together. 

Fill prepared donut pan 2/3 full and place in oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, until set and beginning to turn golden brown.

Remove from pan and place on cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

For the buttercream-

Place marshmallows, in a single layer, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Place under broiler for 45-90 seconds, until slightly charred but not burned.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, place butter in a mixing bowl and beat on high until creamy, about 1 minute.  Gradually add powdered sugar and mix to combine.  Once incorporated, add heavy whipping cream and vanilla and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the cooled marshmallows and beat on high until incorporated, about 2 minutes.  Allow frosting to cool completely.
Once the frosting is cooled, spread on the cooled donuts.

Place dark chocolate in a microwave safe dish and heat in 20 second intervals, stirring after each until completely melted.  Place melted chocolate in a sandwich bag, twisting to seal, and snip a small hole in the corner.  Quickly drizzle over the donuts.  Allow to set and place in an airtight container.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Sweet and Spicy Nut Mix

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I have long been a fan of snack mix; the regular ol’ seasoned mix, sweet and salty and even the variety that has a drizzle of chocolate.  I’m not prejudice, I like them all.  My favorite part of any snack mix is those little overly-seasoned pieces.  I will pick through an entire bag of snack mix and search for those little pieces of seasoned goodness.

So what’s your favorite part of snack mix?  The nuts, cereal, pretzels, pieces of rye toast?  Or, are you like me, and like the overly-seasoned pieces?

I’m addicted to all the deliciousness so much that I’ve been wanting to make my own for so long, but for some reason or another just haven’t gotten around to it…until now.  And it couldn’t be better timing since Father’s Day is right around the corner.  What better snack to give dad than a big bowl full of sweet and spicy mix filled with a variety of nuts, pretzels and rice cereal.

It’s the perfect mix of sweet and salty with a hint of spice.  It’s a subtle spice that hits you kind of in the back throat but then is quickly cut by the sweet brown sugar.  I love this mix of nuts and spices; it came out exactly like I had hoped for.  A little salty, sweet, spicy and a hint of stickiness; which if you think about it it’s kind of like our family.  A little nutty, a hint of spice, a lot of sweet and a little sticky because of all the fun messy chaos we have! 

So make this mix for your special guy and tell him he’s the nut that holds the family together!

Sweet and Spicy Nut Mix

Ingredient:


1/2 Cup almonds
1/2 Cup dry roasted peanuts, unsalted
1/2 Cup walnuts
1/2 Cup pecans
2 1/2 Cups Chex rice cereal
3/4 Cup mini pretzel rods
3 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
1-2 Tsp hot sauce, more or less depending on spice preference
2 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tsp salt
1/8 Tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 Tsp chili powder
1/4 Tsp cumin

Directions:


Preheat oven to 350.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl combine almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans, cereal and pretzel rods.  Toss to combine and set aside.

Place butter in a microwave safe bowl and place in the microwave, heat in to melt.  Once the butter is completely melted add the Worcestershire, hot sauce, brown sugar, salt, cayenne pepper, chili powder and cumin and stir to combine.  Taste, adjust seasonings if needed.

Slowly pour the butter mixture over the nut mixture stirring to completely coat.  Once all the butter mixture has been added, toss to ensure everything has been coated.  Pour on the prepared baking sheet and spread in an even layer.

Place in oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, stirring every couple minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely then transfer to an airtight container.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Ale and Pretzel Soft Caramels

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This week it’s all about dads.  I’ve been featuring a variety of recipes and easy DIY gift ideas that the special guy in your life would love.  From a fun s’mores filled beer mug to brown sugar bacon cookies (The ultimate man cookie), there have been some fun and delicious ideas shared with you so far this week, and the ideas don’t stop there.  For the next 3 days I am going to have some delicious recipes that will be sure to win dad over.

Like these ale and pretzel caramels.  The salty and sweet combination is obvious in here; sweet and chew caramel paired with salty and crunchy pretzels.  Could it really get any better?  Um, the answer here is yes!  This winning combination has another addition that truly puts this candy over the top, beer.  And we’re not talking just taking a bottle of beer and dumping it in the mix; this is beer two ways.

First, half of the bottled is simmered until it reduces to a thick syrup with a truly intense beer flavor.  Secondly, the remaining bottle of beer is added to the caramel mixture an simmered away.  Once the caramel mixture is completed the beer reduction is added and mixed in to the sweet, buttery caramel goodness.

That mixture is then poured into a pan and topped with pretzels and allowed to set.  Once the mixture has set, then it’s time to taste the magic.  The end result is a gooey, chewy caramel that is the perfect taste and texture.  It’s chewy, but doesn’t stick to your teeth.  And trust me, when I was cutting these bad boys I was skeptical because the caramel strands were incredibly stringy.  So the perfect chewy caramel that is complimented by the salty crunch of the pretzels, all this with a slight beer undertone.

These caramels are truly amazing and would be the perfect addition to your dad’s special day.

Ale and Pretzel Soft Caramels

Ingredients:


1 (12 oz) bottle of brown or pale ale, divided
2 Cups granulated sugar
1 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 Cup unsalted butter
1 Cup heavy cream
1 Cup light corn syrup
1 (8oz) package pretzel rods or 3/4 pretzels sticks, roughly chopped

Supplies-
Wax paper
Scissors
Candy Thermometer

Directions:


Place 1 cup of ale in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, reduce slightly and cook until reduced and syrupy.  This process should take about 20 minutes and yields about a teaspoon of concentrated ale.  Set aside.

Liberally butter a 9×13 or (2) 9×9 pans.  Set aside.

In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan combine the remaining beer, both sugars, butter, creamy, and corn syrup.  Attach candy thermometer securely to the side, place over medium heat, being sure to stir the mixutre occasionally.

Once the butter has melted, the mixture will begin to boil.  Continue to cook until the candy thermometer reaches 244, this process should take about 30 minutes.  Once the temperature has come to 244, pour the mixture in the prepared pans and top with pretzels.

Allow the mixture to cool completely, or refrigerate to speed up the process.  Once the mixture is set and has cooled, turn onto a cutting board, placing pretzel side up, and cut into 1 inch pieces.  Wrap in wax paper.

Recipe source: Sprinkle Bakes

S’mores Filled Beer Mug

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Are you still searching for gifts for dad?  We’re on the downhill stretch to Father’s day!  Today I have a fun little gift to share with you.  One that is so simple but perfect for the dad that is a beer connoisseur as well as a s’mores enthusiast. 

There’s not a lot to this mug, but it is incredibly fun to make.  You could also go one step further and personalize a mug by etching your dad’s name or initials on it.  When I started thinking about this idea I started thinking about all the different types of beer and the coloration of them.  I wanted to do a mug that held the makings for s’mores since Spencer LOVES s’mores, and my mind automatically went to a dark, amber style beer.

Once I got that nailed down, it was a cinch from there.  I added some fun size dark chocolate Hershey’s bars, to resemble the amber beer.  Then to resemble the gradual color change of the head on the beer I layered in some graham cracker sticks and then topped it with an overflowing mound of marshmallows.

I couldn’t have been happier with the end result.  A big beer stein filled with the makings for s’mores and all the while resembles a mug of ice cold beer.  Give this, alone, to dad and he’ll be thrilled.  Or, pair this cute mug with a 6 pack of his favorite beer and tell him to relax and enjoy on his day.

S’mores Filled Beer Mug

Ingredients:


1 Large beer stein
2 Packs of Hershey’s fun sized candy bars
1/2- 1 Cup graham cracker sticks
1- 1 1/4 Cups mini marshmallows

To assemble-
Place the candy bars in the bottom of the mug, next add the graham cracker sticks, and then top with marshmallows.

Give to dad as is, with a 6 pack of his favorite beer, or tie a ribbon and note around it.

Brown Sugar Bacon Cookies- A.K.A The Ultimate Man Cookies

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Oh. My. Goodness.  Have I got a cookie for you.  A cookie that has IT all.  Bacon. Sweet. Salty. Nutty. Cararmel-y. Chocolate.  Oh, and did I mention bacon?  Yeah, it’s got all that.  Are you sold yet?

This is a whopper of a cookie to say the least.  A quarter cup of dough, pressed out to fit in a muffin top pan.  A pan, that I have been anticipating to use for a couple of months now.  A pan, that I knew would help the cookies to hold their shape, ensuring that they were the perfect size and width.  Can you tell I was chomping at the bit to use this pan?

But, back to the cookie.  When I started thinking of Father’s day and what foods dads would want to enjoy on their special day, my mind instantly went to sweets.  But not just any sweets.  A cookie.  A cookie that was thick and chewy, kind of caramel-like undertones.  One that was packed with not one, but two kinds of chocolate and then salt.  Salt of two variations; chips and bacon.  These elements would comprise the ultimate man cookie.  But, I wanted to take it one step farther.  What else?  Brown butter.  The magical stuff that dreams are made of.  The substance that just makes everything better.

So after this idea came to mind, it wasn’t too much longer that I was in the kitchen at my mixer.  Combining ingredients, browning butter, cooking bacon and making cookies.  My mouth was watering just thinking about them.  When I pulled them out of the oven I couldn’t wait, I had to dive in immediately and taste what I had been dreaming of.  The result.  Out. Of. This. World.  Ah-mazing.  There truly are no worlds. And no, it’s not just my biased opinion.  I let Spencer try them and then took them to various friends and family members to get them to test them.  They literally disappeared in a matter of minutes.  That was my sign, I had a true winner!

A cookie that is big, thick and chewy.  One that is full of flavor from the nutty, almost caramel like brown butter.  That wonderful, decadent dough then enveloped crunchy chips, salty bacon along with dark and semi-sweet chocolate.  The best of all worlds.  Because, bacon does make everything better.  And well, there’s not a whole lot better than chocolate chip cookies.

So, this father’s day make pop something that he can truly sink his teeth into.  These thick, chewy brown sugar bacon cookies…or the more fitting title The Ultimate Man Cookies.  You may, however, want to make a double batch because dad will want at least one batch all to himself!

Brown Sugar Bacon Cookies

Ingredients:


2 Cups flour
1/2 Tsp seal salt
3/4 Tsp baking soda
3/4 Cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 Large egg
1 egg yolk
1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 Cups dark chocolate chips
1/2 Cup cooked bacon, roughly chopped
1/2 Cup original ruffled potato chips, roughly chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a muffin top pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and whisk to combine.  Set aside.

Place butter in a small sauce pan and place over low-medium heat.  The butter will begin to melt and then start to crackle and foam.  Once the crackling subsides, the butter will begin to brown. Swirl the butter around the pan as the butter cooks. Once the butter is brown remove from heat. Allow to cool.

Once the butter has cooled  place in a large bowl and add both sugars, beat on high for 1 minute.  Add the vanilla, egg and egg yolk and beat on medium-high for 5 minutes.  Decrease the mixing speed and slowly add the flour mixture, and mix until combined.

Remove from mixer and add chocolate chips, bacon and chips and stir to combine.  Use hands, if needed, and knead the mixture to ensure all ingredients are completely incorporated.

Scoop 1/4 cup of dough and place on prepared pan.  Gently press the mixture to fit in the cups.  Alternately, if you do not have a muffin top pan, scoop 1/4 cup of dough, gently roll into a ball and split in half.  Place the torn piece on the cookie sheet, rotate the other half, torn side up, and place on the dough ball.  Place in the oven and bake for 11-14 minutes, being sure not to over bake. 

Remove from oven, allow to cool on the pan for 3-5 minutes, remove to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

“You’re an Awesome Pop” Gift Bucket

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Father’s day is exactly one week from today.  Have you already shopped for, purchased and wrapped the gift(s) for those special men in your life?  Or, are you frantically scouring the net trying to find the perfect gift for your guy?

Shopping for Father’s Day gifts can be a daunting task.  You want to find just the right gift to say thanks for being the best dad ever.  Sometimes the hard part is finding something that the person doesn’t have.  That’s the problem I have when it comes to my dad, the dad who has everything.  Although he doesn’t care about getting stuff, I still like to get him something special, even if it’s a little something special.

So, if you’re scouring the net and still can’t find something then how about a DIY gift.  One that holds all his favorite snacks.  Something you can give him and say, here, enjoy this while you relax today.

Well, that’s just what I have here.  Something quick, easy and inexpensive.  A bucket full of popcorn, coke, pop rocks and lollipops.  Notice a theme?  “Pop”.  I love this idea, not only does it hold some of his sweet and salty favorites, but the tag I put on it says “You’re an Awesome Pop”.  Not only is he amazing, but Tucker also calls him Pop which makes this little gift that much more fitting.

What you need-
Popcorn
Soft drinks
Lollipops, his favorite kind
Pop Rocks
Poppycock or something other caramel corn snack mix
A cute bucket, or a microwavable tub of popcorn

Assemble, add a personalized tag and viola.

Creamy Potato Salad

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We’ve hit our first of many 90 degree days.  Hello heat, humidity…hello summer.  I know we haven’t made it to the first “official” day of summer, but I believe it’s safe to say summer is here.  The heat is here, pools are opened up and kids are out of school.  This also means it’s cookout season.  Grills are being dusted off and fired up, roaring to cook steaks, burgers, chops and much more.

For me, planning the entree isn’t the hard part; it’s the sides that give me fits.  I feel like I have a nice variety in the entree realm, but the sides are a different story.  I feel like I get in a rut; I make the same few things over and over again and try to rotate them in such a way that the family doesn’t get burned out.  Does anyone feel my pain?

One thing to keep in mind is keep the sides simple.  I know I don’t want to be in the house prepping and assembling the side dishes while everyone else is out visiting and enjoying the summer sun.  I am always on the lookout for dishes that can be assembled quickly, or even better, ahead of time.  This will require very little time in the kitchen, away from your guests. Cool dishes are also a plus, especially on a hot summer day.

One popular side that comes to mind that fits all my summer side requirements is potato salad.  It’s quick, requires very little prep time (especially once the taters are boiled) and can be made earlier in the day or even the day before.  My MaMaw always made the best potato salad and to this day I still use her recipe; a little mayo, a little mustard, both dill and sweet pickles, a little onions and some hard boiled eggs.  It was creamy, tangy, a little sweet, a little salty and had a lot of textures running throughout the dish.  Simply, it’s delicious.

Just because hers is my go to recipe doesn’t mean I don’t like to try new ones that catch my attention.  And when I came across a recipe for Creamy Potato Salad in the latest issue of Food Network Magazine, I quickly skimmed over the ingredients and knew that I needed to try it.  A little mayo, sour cream, cider vinegar, dill and chives.  Oh yes.  My mouth was watering just reading the ingredient list.  So when we were asked to bring a side to a friends Memorial Day cookout it was no question, I knew I was making this potato salad.

It came together in no time.  I was able to assemble it early the morning of, so the flavors were able to meld together and really develop before we headed out for the day.  By the time we started making our plates the flavors had really come together and each bite was bursting with flavor.  The potato salad was creamy with chunks of potatoes along with a little tang from the cider vinegar, and a little crunch from the celery, the dill and chives were running throughout and the flavors were obvious in each bite.  This was a perfect side to go along with the delicious smoked ribs we had, and would be an ideal side at your next cookout.

Creamy Potato Salad

Ingredients:


2 1/2 Pounds new potatoes, quartered
3 Tbsp cider vinegar, divided
1/2 Tsp Kosher salt
1/2 Cup mayonnaise
1/2 Cup sour cream
1 Tsp sugar
1 Cup chopped celery
3 Hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1/4 Cup chopped chives
1/4 Cup chopped dill
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:


Boil potatoes for about 20 minutes, until tender.  Drain the potatoes, transfer to a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar and Kosher salt.  Allow to sit until cooled.

Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise, sour cream and sugar and stir to combine.  Pour over the cooled potatoes and toss to coat.  Add the celery, eggs, chives, and dill and gently toss to combine.  Taste, add salt and pepper if desired.

Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe source: Food Network Magazine, June 2014

DB: Pão de Queijo

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What is Pão de Queijo?  Well per our hostess, here is a brief description. Pão de Queijo ( Pão = Bread; Queijo = Cheese) is a non-yeasted bread, the main ingredient is not wheat flour instead it uses tapioca starch, but it is referred to as “bread”. It dates back to the eighteenth century (I had to research that!) it became popular in the 1950’s in Minas Gerais (a state of Brazil). You can find Pão de Queijo everywhere now in Brazil, from specialized snack bars that sell them hot out of the oven, to packages of frozen dough balls, sold in supermarkets, ready to bake at any minute in the comfort of your home. However, most Brazilians who like baking have a favorite recipe to make from scratch.

This month’s Daring Bakers’ Challenge took us on a trip to beautiful Brazil! Renata of “Testado, Provado & Aprovado!” taught us how to make Pao De Queijo, tasty cheese buns that make the perfect snack or treat, and that will make your taste buds samba!

You know me, I’m a carb craving, carb loving fool.  So when I saw what this month’s Daring Bakers’ challenge was I was over the moon.  What’s my next favorite thing, besides bread?  Well, trying new recipes and learning about the traditions, cultures and recipes of other areas.  This time we were taken to Brazil to learn about their traditional cheese bread.

This bread was amazing.  But how could it not be when it’s packed full of delicious, stringy, melty cheese?  Not only was is delicious with a little schmear of butter, but we also made toasted sandwiches too.  This challenge has not only opened my eyes to this one Brazilian dish, but has made me want to expand my knowledge of the region even more by researching and making more traditional Brazilian dishes.

Traditional Pão de Queijo

Ingredients:

4 Cups tapioca starch
1 Cup whole milk
2 3/4 Tbsp butter
1 Tsp salt
3 Cups Monterey jack cheese, coarsely grated
1-3 Large eggs

Directions:

Heat milk, butter and salt in a small saucepan until it comes to a boil.  Watch closely to avoid scorching.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Sift the tapioca starch into a large bowl.  Pour the hot butter mixture over the tapioca and start stirring with a fork.  The milk mixture will be a lumpy, but not quite wet enough to form a dough. 

Continue stirring with a fork, breaking down the lumps as much as possible, until the mixture cools slightly. 

Preheat oven to 400.

Add the grated cheese to the mixture and mix well, using hands if needed to really work the mixture together.  Add eggs to a small bowl, one at a time, whisking before adding to the tapioca mixture. Add the whisked eggs, one at a time, to the tapioca mixture mixing with hands between each addition until the dough comes together, but may still be sticky. 

Form Ping-Pong sized dough balls and place on a silicone lined baking sheet.  Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the bottoms just start to turn golden.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Be sure not to over-bake as the bread will become hard and bitter.   

Serve immediately.

SRC:Mixed Berry Smoothie

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I am a sucker for smoothies.  I love that they are super quick and easy to assemble, and that they are the perfect snack or meal to have in your hand on the way out the door.  They are easily customizable and something delicious can be made from pretty much any ingredients you have on hand.

Along with being packed with a variety of fruit, smoothies can also be a great way to get those veggie servings too.  Adding spinach or kale is a great way to amp up the veggie power and, honestly, it doesn’t alter the taste of that delicious smoothie.  Combine some berries, yogurt, even a bit of protein powder and then toss in some of the green stuff and you’ll have a nutritious and filling meal or afternoon pick-me-up.

So when I came across this berry smoothie from Turnips 2 Tangerines, I knew I had to make it.  But, the decision didn’t come easy, I guarantee.  From the Mexican coffee, Dulce De Leche Krispy Treats, to the cinnamon swirl bread and let’s not forget about the sour dough blueberry muffins my mouth was watering, to say the least.  But, since I’m always looking for quick and easy snacks and meals both for myself and my little guy, I knew I had to make this smoothie.

And can I just say I’m so glad I did.  This smoothie hit the spot, and I’m not sure who was more excited about it, me or Tucker.  It was sweet, tart, and filling.  I also added a handful of spinach for a little more nutrients, but it didn’t affect the flavor or texture of the smoothie.  We’ve had this particular smoothie several times since I first made it and I’m sure we’ll have it several more!

Mixed Berry Smoothie

Ingredients:
2 Cups frozen mixed berries, I used blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries
1 Cup Greek yogurt, plain or flavored
1 Cup apple juice
1/2 Cup loosely packed spinach
Protein powder, if desired
Honey, if desired

Directions:


Combine berries, yogurt, juice, spinach and protein powder in the blender.  Pulse until all ingredients are incorporated and mixture is smooth.  Taste, add honey if desired and serve.

Recipe source: barely adapted from Turnips 2 Tangerines

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