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Reeses Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip

February 8, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

So how many of you are guilty of eating cookie dough straight from the bowl? Will any of you admit that you just might make cookie dough for the sheer enjoyment of eating it by the spoonful before a drop is even able to hit the cookie sheet? Come on, you know we’re all guilty of having at least a bite or two at one point or another. There’s no shame it that, I promise!

What if I were to tell you I have a dip that will cure your cookie dough craving? And yes, you’re supposed to eat it as a dip and not bake it. That’s right, all the yumminess of cookie dough without the guilt of eating it raw! Are you intrigued yet?

It’s true, I have a dip for you that is amazing. Seriously, I can’t say enough good about this dip and just how awesome it is. It starts with cream cheese. Which who doesn’t love cream cheese? Then given a hefty dose of peanut butter and brown sugar. All that is then beat to form a fluffy base. To that base is added mini chocolate chips. And why stop there? Throw in a bag of mini Reeses peanut butter cups. I know, amazing right? Mix all that together and then you’re ready to go.

This is one of those dips that you’ll make over and over again. It’s great for the cookie dough lover and the sweet lover alike. This is a dip that you’ll be known for, and it will be requested at every gathering or party you attend! Enjoy it on pretzels, vanilla wafers, or even by the spoonful. However you decide to eat it I know you’ll love it! I must say thanks a million times over again to Aimee of Shugary Sweets for creating this deliciousness…and for my new addiction!

Reeses Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
8 Oz (1 bar) cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 Cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 Cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
1/2 Cup brown sugar
3/4 Cup powdered sugar
1 Tsp vanilla
3/4 Cup mini chocolate chips
1 (8oz) bag mini Reeses peanut butter cups

Directions:

Combine butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and place over low-medium heat. Stir mixture occassionally until butter is completely melted. Once the butter has melted whisk to combine, until sugar is dissolved into the butter. Bring the mixture to a boil then immediately remove from heat. Add the peanut butter and stir to combine. Set mixture aside and allow to cool.

Pour the heavy whipping cream in a small bowl and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large bowl and beat until creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce the mixing speed to low and add the vanilla and mix until just incorporated. Keeping the mixing speed on low, slowly pour the peanut butter mixture into the cream cheese, mixing until completely incorporated. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and peanut butter cups. Once the chocolate chips and peanut butter cups are mixed in, fold in the whipping cream. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve with vanilla wafers, graham crackers, or pretzels.

Recipe source: barely adapted from Shugary Sweets

Brown Butter Caramel Cookies

February 6, 2013 by Lynsey 3 Comments

What is it about a cookie that instantly makes your day better? It’s a comfort food in a sense. No matter how bad or good your day is going, if you buy a cookie or if someone brings you one it instantly brightens your day…if only for a moment. It takes you outside of the here and now and transports you to your happy place. It’s funny how such a simple thing can bring such joy.

Food has a way of comforting people and bringing them joy. Some people find happiness while eating, while others find joy in the preparation. Don’t get me wrong, I love to eat but I find my joy in the preparation and cooking. While I enjoy making food, I get just as much joy sharing it with others. There’s just something about seeing a smile come across somone’s face after enjoying something you made.

Growing up we always had something sweet to nibble on in our house; cookies, cake, brownies or pie. Any time my mom or dad got the itch to bake something I darted to the kitchen to help. I wanted to be involved in whatever it was they were doing, not only to spend time with them but also because I knew in a short period of time there would be something fresh and tasty coming out of the oven. It’s been along time since I have baked something with my parents, and I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed it. A few weeks ago I finally had the chance to get in the kitchen, spend some quality time and bake something tasty with them.

We started naming off different sweet treats; before we knew it we had a list a mile long! (I come by my sweet tooth honestly) But when I mentioned something about brown butter cookies by dad gave me a second glance. This was something that instantly intrigued him. He had never had anything with brown butter (I’ve failed in my job to introduce this goodness to him), so right when I told him about the flavor and how much it adds to anything it touches he was on board with a brown butter something or other! We finally decided on brown butter cookies with chocolate chips, caramel and pecans.

The end result amazing. A thick and fluffy cookie packed with a rich nutty, caramel-like flavor. That delicious golden dough was then studded with chocolate chips, toasted pecans and bits of caramel. Each bite is chewy gooey goodness that is sweet with hints of salt. My dad became an instant fan of brown butter after the first bite!

Brown Butter Caramel Cookies

Ingredients:

12 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Large egg
1 Egg yolk
1/2 Cup sugar
1 Cup brown sugar
2 Cups + 3 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 Tsp baking soda
1/2 Tsp salt
1 Cup pecans
1/3 Cup caramel bits, or chopped caramel candy
1 Cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, or parchment paper and set aside.

Place butter in a medium saucepan 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, and transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, place pecans, in a single layer, on a baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven to toast, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool enough to touch, roughly chop and set aside.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt and sift together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Combine the cooled brown butter, brown sugar and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat together on medium to combine. Add the eggs, and mix to incorporate. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix to combine. Once all ingredients are combined add the pecans, caramel bits and chocolate chips and stir until evenly incorporated.

Scoop the dough (I used a 2 tablespoon scoop) and place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each scoop. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until cookies are golden. Remove from oven, allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling racks to allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

Slow Cooker Black Bean Ragout

February 4, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

So did ya’ll have a wonderful Super Bowl Sunday? Did your team win? If yes, then congratulations. If not, I’m sorry but at least you got to partake in some yummy eats throughout the game! Speaking of Super Bowl food, how many of you are in a foodie coma from everything you ate yesterday? I honestly think Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest eating days of the entire. year! Thanksgiving and Christmas are close, but I think the game day takes the prize. I honestly think just as much preparation and planning goes into all of the game day parties and festivities as does Christmas and Thanksgiving.

I kept this year’s eats small, but we still had quite the spread. And you can’t really allow all those good dips, sandwiches and treast to go to waste, I mean that would just be a shame…and possibly a sin! I know I ate my fare share of food throughout the game yesterday. I was on the verge of miserable. So for all of you that are in the same boat as I am, and need a meal that will satisfy you without weighing you down I have the perfect option for you!

This black bean ragout is not only satisfying, but is delicious and full of flavor. And I think possibly my favorite part is the fact that it’s a slow cooker meal. You all know by now that I’m a huge fan of slow cooker meals. I love putting everything in there in the morning and coming home to a tasty meal that is ready to eat when you walk through the door. I honestly think this is one of the easiest slow cooker meals ever. You literally throw all the ingredients into the crock pot, give it a quick stir, turn it on and walk away. There are only two things that need to be chopped; an onion and garlic. Those two things take all of 2 minutes to cut up. How easy is that? When you’re ready to eat the only thing you have to do is make the toast and prepare the crema. This meal is ready to eat within 10 minutes of walking through the door. It’s an effortless meal that is huge on taste!

Slow Cooker Black Bean Ragout with Garlicky Toast

Ingredients:

For the beans-
1 Large onion, diced
3 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tsp dried oregano
2 Tsp smoked paprika
1 lb. (2 1/2 cups) dried black beans, rinsed if not previously soaked
1 Dried chile
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp freshly ground black pepper
8-9 Cups water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock
1 Tbsp lime juice or sherry vinegar

For the garlicky toast-
Crusty bread cut into 1-inch slices
Olive oils
Salt
1 garlic clove, cut in half

Cumin crema-
1 Tsp ground cumin
1 Cup sour cream, creme fraiche or crema Mexicana
Garnishes-red onion, green onion, cilantro and/or lime wedge

Directions:

For the beans-
Combine all of the ingredients for the beans, except for the lime or sherry) in a slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours (low for 6-8 hours), until beans are tender.

Once the beans are cooked, stir in the lime or sherry. Adjust seasonings if needed.

For the toast-
Preheat broiler.

Brush the toast slices with olive and sprinkle with salt. Place on a baking sheet and place in oven until butter is melted and the toast is golden. Remove from oven and immediatly rub with the garlic clove.

For the crema-
Combine cumin and sour cream in a small bowl and stir to combine.

When ready to serve-
Spoon beans onto the toasted bread, top with the crema, cilantro, onions and lime juice.

Recipe source: The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Loaded Butterfinger Banana Muffins

February 1, 2013 by Lynsey 3 Comments

It’s been quite some time since I’ve made some muffins. What’s up with that? Well, have no fear I’ve got a muffin recipe to share with you today. And I must say, it’s the muffin of all muffins! It’s got bananas, candy bars and chocolate chips. Ummm, yeah. It’s got it all!

Now, before I go any further let me tell you this. I don’t serve breakfasts with candy in it on a regular basis, but I am a firm believer that it’s quite alright…even necassary to indulge from time to time. And what better way to indulge than a delicious, moist muffin packed full of chocolate and Butterfinger? I’m tellin’ ya, I don’t think there’s too many things that are better than this.

This muffin starts out with a banana bread type base that is delicious, moist and amazing on it’s own. Then the flavor is amped up by the addition of not only chocolate chips, but crushed Butterfingers! Tell me that doesn’t sound awesome.

Peanut butter, bananas and chocolate are made for each other. So they were destined to be combined to make an amazingly, delicious muffin. Most people like muffins, but everyone likes candy so everyone will love these muffins. Seriously, who wouldn’t want a moist, mini “cake” packed with candy and chocolate? So, surprise your family with some of these muffins this weekend, it’s the perfect way to start off a Saturday!

Loaded Butterfinger Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

1 Cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
1 Egg
3 Ripe bananas
1 Tsp vanilla
2 1/4 Cups flour
1/4 Tsp salt
1 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp baking soda
3/4 Cup miniature chocolate chips
1 Heaping cup Butterfinger candy bars, crushed
1/4 Cup Butterfinger candy bars, crushed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners and set aside.

Place bananas in a medium bowl and mash. Set aside.

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside.

Place butter and both sugars in a large bowl and beat on high to cream. Add vanilla and egg and beat again to combine. Add the smashed bananas and gently stir to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture to the banana mixture, mixing on low until combined. Add the chocolate chips and 1 cup Butterfingers and gently stir to combine.

Fill the prepared muffin tins about 3/4 full. Sprinkle with crushed candy bars. Place in preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, until goldne brown. Remove from oven and transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: Inside Bru Crew Life

Buffalo Chicken Twice Baked Potatoes

January 30, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Potatoes are a weakness of mine, to say the least. I like them mashed, baked, shredded, fried, stuffed and pretty much any other way you can think of. I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like! We are also a house that LOVES hot wings. And I mean LOVE. We still love wings, but we had a time when we were some wing eating fools. We’re talking about eating wings like 1-2 times a week. And this trend went for months and months. We finally decided to slack off on the wing eating, not because we were burnt out or anything, but because they really aren’t the healthiest thing you can eat. So we toned down the wing madness quite a bit, and turned our wing nights into a treat more than a regular occurence ont he meal plan.

We still enjoy our fare share of wings and wing inspired meals. And we love every. single. bite! This is another one of those wing inspired meals. It’s a fushion of two foods that I love very much; the potato and the hot wing. These two things alone are delicious, but what about combining them. What about a buffalo chicken stuffed twice baked potato? How good does that sound? Delish, right?!? When I tossed this idea around to Spencer, he said yes before I even got the words out of my mouth. It involved buffalo chicken and that’s all he needed to know.

These potatoes are the perfect mix of light, fluffy potatoes and tender, juicy chicken. The chicken is tossed in spicy buffalo sauce then added to the perfectly fluffy potatoes. The mixture is then spooned into the shells, topped with cheese and placed in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese to gooey perfection. But it can’t be a “true” buffalo chicken dish without blue cheese, so once the potatoes come out of the oven it’s topped with the ever so delicious blue cheese crumbles. I then took it one step further by adding a drizzle of homemade blue cheese dressing. I’m telling ya folks, it’s out of this world. You have the fluffy potatoes, spicy chicken, gooey cheese, tangy blue cheese and the cool dressing. If there were ever two foods that needed to marry it’s these.

These potatoes were hearty and the perfect meal. I served them with a simple green salad and we were completely satisfied. They were incredibly simple to assemble, but I couldn’t tag them as a quick and easy meal simply because of the time it takes to bake the potatoes initially. Don’t let the hour of baking time drive you away, that wait is totally worth the goodness! These would also be a fun appetizer; simply use new potatoes or fingerling potatoes to make them a “portable” more bite size snack. This would be a great addition to your Super Bowl party this Sunday! Who are you rooting for?

Buffalo Chicken Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 Medium Russett potatoes
1/4 Cup whipping cream
1/4 Tsp pepper
1/8 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp garlic powder
1 Cup cooked chicken, chopped (approximately 1 chicken breast)
1/4-1/3 Cup buffalo sauce, homemade or store bought
3 Tbsp blue cheese
1/4 Cup shredded provolone cheese
1/2-3/4 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
Scallions-for serving
Blue cheese dressing, for topping-optional
Milk-if needed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Wash potatoes thoroughly. Prick with a fork, spray with vegetable oil, sprinkle with salt and wrap each potato tightly in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet. Place potatoes in the preheated oven and baked for approximately 1 -1 1/2hours, until tender. Reduce oven temperature to 350.

Top the chopped chicken in a bowl with buffalo sauce, being sure to coate evenly. Set aside.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to touch, remove them from the foil. Using a sharp knife slice the potatoes in half lengthwise, using a spoon scoop out the flesh of the potato and place in a medium bowl. Return the shells to the baking sheet.

Add whipping cream to the potatoes, using an electric mixer beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the pepper, salt and garlic powder and beat until incorporated. Taste, adjust seasoning if needed. Stir in the provolone cheese. Add the chicken to the potato mixture and gently stir to combine. Fill the shells evenly with the potato mixture.

Return potatoes to the oven for 5 minutes, just heat re-heat ingredients. Remove from oven and top with shredded cheddar, return to oven for an additional 5-8 minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with blue cheese and top with scallions. Drizzle or serve with a side of blue cheese dressing.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Lou’s original

SRC: Granola Bars

January 28, 2013 by Lynsey 14 Comments

I am a huge fan of granola; it’s so easy to make and a great snack. It’s one of those things that travels well and can be tossed in a baggie, put in your purse and pulled out the moment hunger strikes. It’s easily customizable, and there are so many different options for add-ins. I’ve made granola a couple times now, and I honestly can’t get enough of it! Since I’ve had success with granola, I’ve been itching to make homemade granola bars but I just haven’t found the time to get around to it…until now.

For this month’s secret recipe club I was given Sally’s blog, Bewitching Kitchen. Sally is a biochemist who is originally from Brazil. She has traveled to and lived in Paris and California, but now calls Manhattan home. She is a biochemist by day and cook and baker by night. She is married and has 3 fur babies, all terriers, so she definitely has a full plate! I enjoyed reading through her blog, getting “to know” her a little better and looking at all the wonderful recipes she’s made. Bewitching Kitchen is home to many delicious recipes, some with Brazilian influence and some without but all delicious. From looking at her recipe index it seems to me that her specialty and love is bread. Sally has a plethora of bread recipes, and they all sound mouthwateringly amazing.

After scouring through all of her recipes I went back and forth between some of her many bread recipes, flourless chocolate cake, triple chocolate brownies, and these granola bars. What a wide array of options, right? HA! After much debating, I finally decided on the granola bars since I had been wanting to make some for quite a while. I’m so happy with my final choice, they were delicious and turned out exactly how I imagined.

The process of making homemade granola bars is incredibly simple. Like homemade granola, it is so easy to customize to suite you taste. Simply toast the oats, along with any nuts, and grains. Toss in a binding mixture, pat out and bake. It really is as simple as that. I know these probably aren’t the healthiest of granola bars, but I wanted something with chocolate so I drizzled them with both white and dark chocolate. These were slightly crisp around the edges, with the centers being perfectly chewy. They were sweet, tart with a caramel undertone. They were a hit with my husband, 3 year old son and everyone else that’s tried them. They will leave you wanting more, I promise!

Granola Bars

Ingredients:

2 Cups old-fashioned oats
3/4 Cup sliced almonds
1/4 Cup chopped pecans
1/2 Cup flax seeds
1 Cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 Cup brown sugar
2/3 Cup honey
1/4 Tsp cinnamon
1 Cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 Tbsp dark chocolate
1 1/2 Tbsp white chocolate

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Line a 8×12 pan with parchment paper, spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine oats, almonds, pecans, flax seeds, and coconut and stir to combine. Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Place in preheated oven and toast for 10 minutes, tossing periodically to prevent burning. Remove from oven and transfer back to bowl. Reduce oven temperature to 300.

Meanwhile, combine butter, brown sugar, honey and cinnamon in a medium sauce pan and place over low-medium heat. Once ingredients are melted, bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 1 minute.

Carefully pour the brown sugar mixture over the oat mixture and stir to combine. Add the dried cranberries and stir once more. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Using a sturdy spatula, spread the mixture evenly in the pan then press firmly to pack the mixture together.

Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely, about 2-3 hours.

Melt the dark and white chocolate, in separate bowls, and drizzle over the bars. Allow chocolate to set, then cut the bars. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: adapted from Ina Garten, via Bewitching Kitchen and Life and Kitchen

Peanut Butter Pie

January 23, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Well, today is National Pie day. Yes, pie has it’s very own day. Don’t believe me, check it out. You really didn’t think I would make up a holiday just for an excuse to bake, did you? I know I look for any excuse to bake or get in the kitchen, but this excuse was actually legit!

Holidays, in general, are fun. They are an excuse for people to get together, eat good food, and visit. But food holidays, well how cool is that? Different types of food that are so incredibly good, and loved around the world are special enough to get an entire day dedicated to their goodness! I love it. And I’m pretty sure that every other foodie out there, cook or not, agrees too! What better way to celebrate pie day than with a delicious peanut butter pie?

A few weeks ago I mentioned something about my brother and his love (maybe even obsession) with pies. Although the raspberry cream cheese pie came into the picture because of him, it’s stayed in the picture because of my sister-in-law. This peanut butter pie, however, came into the picture because of my brother and has stayed in the picture because of him. He’ll venture out and requests different types of pie from time to time but he always returns to ol’ faithful, the peanut butter pie.

I can see why he keeps going back to this pie, it is soooo good. It’s packed with huge peanut butter flavor. Short of scooping a heaping spoonful of peanut butter out of the jar and enjoying it all by itself, you can’t get more peanut butter goodness than this pie. The peanut butter is whipped to light perfection, then fresh whipped cream is folded into the peanut butter and it’s then poured in a delicious, homemade graham cracker pie crust to set. While this sounds perfeclty amazing to me, why not take the flavor up another notch or two? Shall we? Melted semi-sweet chocolate is drizzled over the top of the pie, then topped with a heaping dollop of more fresh whipped cream. How good does that soud? Pretty stinkin’ good!

So if you’re looking for an excuse to make something sweet, then look no further. Make a pie today and celebrate pie day! Can’t make it today, well tomorrow is natinal peanut butter day so you can make this pie to celebrate!

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

2 Cups heavy whipping cream, divided
2 Tbsp sugar
8 Oz (1 bar) cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 Cups peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
1 Cup confectioner’s sugar
1 Graham cracker crust, homemade or store bought (recipe follows)
1/4 Cup semi sweet chocolate

Directions:

Place 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream in a medium bowl with two tablespoons of sugar and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Place cream cheese and peanut butter in a large bowl and beat on high until combined. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar and beat until incorporated. Increase speed to high and beat an additional 1-2 minutes, until mixture is slighly airy. Gently fold the whipping cream into the peanut butter mixture. Transfer mixture to the cooled pie crust.

Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave in 15 second incremints, until completely melted. Fill a piping bag, fitted with a round tip with the melted chocolate and drizzle the pie with the chocolate.

Whip the remaining 1/2 cup whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Spoon the whipped cream onto the center of the pie. Drizzle with additional chocolate, if desired.

Place the pie in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving, to allow to set.

For the graham cracker crust-
Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups (about 12 whole crackers finely ground) graham cracker crumbs
1/4 Cup sugar
5 Tbsp unsalted butter*, melted
Pinch of salt

*If using salted butter omit the addition of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine graham cracker crumbs, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the melted butter and stir until incorporated. Pour the crumb mixture into a 9 inch pie plate, spread mixture evenly into the pie plate and press firmly to pack down.

Place pie crust in the preheated oven and bake for 12-14 minutes, until slightly crisp and edges are golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Recipe source:peanut butter pie adatped from Paula Deen via Food Network,
graham cracker pie crust Martha Stewart

Baked Brussel Sprout Gratin

January 22, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

For the most part, I try to prepare well-balanced and healthy meals for my family. However, there are times where we splurge. And when I say we splurge, I mean we splurge. Add the butter, pack on the cheese and of course there are the sweets. Don’t even get me started on the sweets. I think if I threw everything reasonable and healthy to the wayside I would bake numerous times daily. Yes, daily. But for the health of my family and everyone around me, I try to bake in moderation. I said, try!

Normally when I cook veggies, I don’t over do it with the additional sauces or toppings. My family, even my 3 year old, loves all vegetables. So I’m blessed in the fact that I don’t have to do a whole lot of disguising or covering up to get my family to eat their vegetables. However, it’s fun to dress things up and play with them a bit from time to time. And yes, even douse them in a ooey-gooey, cheesey sauce that is beyond delicious.

This brussel sprout gratin is an example of a splurge. Delicious brussel sprouts, smothered in creamy, buttery, cheesy sauce then baked. Only to be topped by even more cheese and baked for a moment again, to deliver a perfectly crunchy and gooey crust. Yes, it’s just as good as it sounds.

We’ve enjoyed this gratin I don’t know how many times. We enjoy other brussel sprout recipes, but this seems to be one of those guilty-delicious pleasures we always go back to. It’s so easy to put together, it’s practically effortless. Factor in some time for a little baking and then you have a delicious, cheesy dish that truly could be consumed by itself.

Baked Brussel Sprout Gratin

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Pounds brussel sprouts
1 Small onion, diced
2 Cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 Cup heavy cream
1/2 Cup milk
1 1/4 Cups shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 Cup grated parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 Cup Mayonnaise

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray a 2-3 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Fill a large pot a third of the way with water. Place over high heat and allow to come to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Meanwhile, clean brussel sprouts, remove stems and cut in half. Place the brussel sprouts in the boiling water for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, immediately remove from the boiling water and transfer to ice water.

Place 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over low-medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the diced onion and saute until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds, until fragarent. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the onion mixture, then add flour and stir continuously until a lump-free paste forms.

Add the milk and cream and stir continuously, until combined and there are no lumps. Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add the mayonnaise and one cup of Gruyere cheese, stir to combine. Leave mixture over heat until the cheese has melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread the brussel sprouts evenly into the prepared pan. Pour the cheese mixture over the brussel sprouts. Sprinkle with a touch more salt and pepper. Place in preheated oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, until brussel sprouts are tender.

Combine the remaining Gruyere and parmesan in a small bowl, toss to combine and set aside.

Sprinkle the top of the brussel sprouts with the cheese mixture and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes.

Recipe source: adapted from White on Rice Couple

Browned Butter Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

January 18, 2013 by Lynsey 2 Comments

My feelings about dessert bars and anything with browned butter are definitely not a mystery. I feel a deep-down love for both of these things. I feel that bars are the best way to enjoy all the goodness of cookies, without the tedious tasks of scooping, baking, rotating and cooling. I also feel that browned butter most definitely makes ANYTHING better.

These bars are a conglomoration of some of my favorite things; cookies, browned butter, chocolate, caramel and salt. And it’s another one of those sweet and savory combos that I’m so fond of. When I saw this recipe I was instantly drawn in because of the brown butter, then when I continued to read the title it just kept getting better and better. It was like I was reading a list of the things that make me so happy; it started great and got better and better with every word!

These bars start with a browned butter cookie base. Which honestly, I could stop right there and be one very happy girl. But why stop there when it could get so much better? To that delicious base are chocolate chips. Part of the dough is then patted down in a pan, preparing itself to become a vessel for melted caramel. Yum. It’s getting better, right? The caramel gets a generous sprinkle of sea salt and then more cookie dough is dropped right there on top of all that deliciousness! No, we’re not done yet. Then comes another dose of chocolate chips, Hershey’s kisses and caramel candy. Honestly, I could take a spoon and eat these bars as is…before they even go in the oven.

But I practiced much self restraint, and put them in the oven and waited ~~ever so patiently~~ for them to come out of the oven. After the baking process I couldn’t wait any longer, yes, I cut a little piece immediately. I HAD to try these. Oh. My. Goodness. These bars are amazing! This are like the best chocolate chip cookie bar…times a gazillion! A chocolate chip cookie, topped with caramel and salt, topped with more cookie dough, more chocolate and caramel.

Whether you’ve had a bad day and need to indulge, need some baking therapy or just need something sweet, look no further. These are the bars for you.

Browned Butter Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 Large egg
1 Large egg yolk
1 Tsp vanilla
2 1/8 Cups flour
1/2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp baking soda
1 1/4 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
3/4 Cup chocolate chips
11 oz caramel bits (or candy caramels, unwrapped)
1/3 Cup caramel candy, cut in quarters
3 Tbsp milk
Sea salt, for sprinkling
1/4 Cup caramel filled Hershey’s kisses

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper, spray and set aside.

Place butter in a 2 quart saucepan and place over low-medium heat. (Butter will begin to crackle and foam as it melts.) 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, transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Once the butter has cooled add brown sugar and granulaged sugar and beat on high to combine. Add whole egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix to combine. Stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips and set aside.

Place the caramel and milk in a microwave safe bowl, place in microwave and heat. Heat the caramel and milk in 20 second increments, stirring between each interval. Continue to heat until caramel is completely melted and “pourable”.

Place 2/3 of the cookie dough mixture into the prepared pan, pressing firmly to distribute the dough evenly in the pan. Pour the melted caramel over the cookie dough and sprinkle with sea salt. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining cookie dough evenly over the caramel. Evenly scatter the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the cookie dough, along with the chopped caramel candy and Hershey’s kisses.

Place bars in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove bars from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, remove from pan and cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: adapted from Ciao Mama originally from Two Peas and Their Pod

Mixed up at Mixed Con!

January 16, 2013 by Lynsey 6 Comments

As most of you know, at the end of November I had the pleasure of attending my very first food blogger’s conference in the rolling Virignia hills. MixedCon was held at the infamous Mountain Lake Hotel in Pembroke, Virginia.

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. You are looking at THE Kellerman’s Mountain House. Yes, the one from the movie Dirty Dancing. “Hello, Mr. Kellerman!” Yup, that’s we were spent this wonderful, funfilled weekend. I know what you’re thinking. Eeekk is right!

On a Friday afternoon about 150 food bloggers took Mountain Lake by storm. I honestly don’t think they knew what they were getting themselves into when they agreed to host this conference! 150 (mostly female…well, 2 males to be exact) poured into the quiet, mountainess hills reenacting scenes from Dirty Dancing, using up every. Single. Ounce of band with available and giddy to meet all of wonderful bloggers we had come to “know” through the blogging world. The staff at the hotel were incredible, so nice and accommodating and ready to help in any way possible.

Upon arriving at the Roanoke airport, the conference attendees instantly started spotting one another and introducing themselves. We got so carried away getting acquainted and visiting in the airport we actually had our shuttle waiting for quite some time…ooops! We quickly loaded our luggage and got on the shuttle and started the trip to the mountain. The entire trip to the hotel was filled with constant chatter, everyone so excited about meeting one another, the conference and everything in store.

The girls I roomed with, along with 3 other attendees, I “know” from an on-line cooking board. It was great to finally be able to meet some of these people I talk to on a daily basis! Lucky for me, they were just as nice in person as they are on-line. Amy, author of What’s Brewing in the Kitchen, Heather, author of Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks Maeghan, author of The Way To His Heart, Liz, author of Books-N-Cooks, and Stephanie, author of Brownies and Blondies were all absolutely amazing. Just as wonderful as I expected!

When we entered our room we were greeted with even more swag from our amazing sponsors! After we got settled we visited and sorted through our swag bags. I must say, Wow and a huge thanks to all of the incredible sponsors. Ya’ll really loaded us up with some fabulous stuff! A big kuddos to OXO, KitchenAid, Dixie Crystals, Real Butter, Dreamfields, Attune Foods, Hershey’s, Way Better Snacks, Lucky Leaf, Creminelli, Roland Foods, Stonyfield, Harvard Common Press, Le Creuset, Duff Goldman, Edgeware, John Boos, Boos Butcher Blocks, Dreamfarm, California Raisins, Anderson Seafood, Wisconsin Cheese and Captain Morgan! Ya’ll help make the weekend!

After we chatted for a bit and sorted through all of our goodies we headed down to the cocktail hour sponsored by Wisconsin Cheese. We enjoyed some delicious cheeses, wonderful salami from Creminelli, sipped on some wine and met some of the other incredibly talented ladies attending the conference.

After the cocktail hour, was dinner, then we headed over to the barn to enjoy some fabulous cocktails from Captain Morgan’s and munch on some cookies. More visiting and introduction went on for a bit, but not too long since everyone was ready for our midnight mac and cheese party. Ali, the author of Gimme Some Oven, won the contest put on by Dreamfields for the best mac and cheese. Be sure to check out the winning recipe for her vegetable mac and cheese. It’s delish!

Saturday was jam packed with fun (and educational) sessions with some of my foodie icons! First up-photography with the amazing and incredibly talented Bree Hester of Baked Bree. (Let me just say, she doens’t give herself enough credit for just how talented she is…don’t be fooled by her humility…she’s awesome!) Bree who is a foodie and professional photographer spent time going over various topics suchs as ISO, aperature, and lighting. It was a great way to start off the day and I walked away from this session with quite a few tips that will come in handy!

Next up was a session dedicated to holiday cookie decorating. The wildly talented Marian, of Sweetopia not only taughts us tricks, tips and techniques to use when decorating sugar cookies, she also demonstrated her techniques for us. Talk about someone who is so sweet and so nice, Marian is the real deal. She re-instilled my confidence and gave me the courage to go home and try frosting sugar cookies again. Before this session I had lost all hope that I could frost, fill and flood cookies. Thanks to Marian, I went home and successfully lined and flooded cookies for my little man’s 3rd birthday. Thanks, Marian!

The third session of the day, the last one before lunch, was videography. Denise Woodward and Lenny Ferreira of Chez Us educated us in the ever so indepth world of videography. Wow. I have so far to go before I even think about trying to tackle the world of video. (Note to readers…it’ll be a LONG time before you hear any words spoken from this southern girl) I did, however, learn so much from Lenny, as well as, had a ~~few~~ lot of laughs along the way. Be sure to check out their blog for terrific video footage, as well as some delicious recipes!

After lunch we had some free time. Myself, along with Heather, took this time to wonder the grounds, take a self guided Dirty Dancing tour (and along the way I just may have envisioned myself as Baby…that’s for me to know and you to never find out)!

The house where baby and her family stayed, while at Kellerman’s!

This rock was a tribute to the late, Patrick Swayze. It was placed on the path the leads guests through the self-guided Dirty Dancing tour.

I also took some time to read up on the mystery of Mountain Lake. That’s right, the lake that was a staple in the movie was dry. gone. Vanished. It was a little eerie looking out where the lake should be and seeing high weeds and grass. Hopefully it’ll fill up again soon…and maybe I’ll have a chance to visit again and see the flowing waters.

After touring the grounds, it was time to head back to the next session of the day. Cake decorating with Duff and his gang. That’s right, we got to actually decorate side by side with Duff, Mary Smith and Elana! Duff and the girls are just as down to earth as they appear to be on their show. I had a blast cake decorating as well as chatting with him and the girls. They are all a hoot and so fun to be around. He was even nice enough to provide us with some fondant, icing and other supplies to take home!

The next to last session of the day was all about food styling. Just how do they make the food on the magazines and websites so pretty? Well, we learned all about it from fellow food blogger and professional food stylist Tami Hardeman of Running with Tweezers. Tami shared great insights about how the pros make the food look so great, but also shared some wonderful tips for the homecook. I have already tried to implement some of the tips and tricks she shared with us.

The final session of the day was e-books. The amazing and talented Heidi Larson, of Foodie Crush, schooled us in the ins and outs of ebooks. She informed us on how to get started in the e-book phenomenon, how to organize our materials and layout of the book, and finally how to market the finished product. During this session the wheels in my tiny, little brain started spinning and I came up (with what I thought) were some pretty nifty ideas for an ebook. Don’t start holding your breath yet, I’ve still got a ways to go before I have any type of book out there!

*Be sure to check out Heidi’s e-magazine that’s all about food and foodies, Foodie Crush Magazine

Throughout the day booths were set up with different snacks and goodies from our sponors. We were able to sample different products, stock up on samples, and chat with the reps throughout the day. I know all of you are familiar with Hershey’s so I don’t even need to begin to tell you about all the prodcuts they have to offer…I’ll just say that they hooked us up! Way Better Snacks specializes in healthy(ier) snacks and they are making a splash into the food scene. They provided all sorts of goodies for us throughout the weekend, and I must say their sweet potato chips and sweet chili chips are amazing. You must try them. Thanks so much to all the vendors that made sure we didn’t go hungry while we were getting our learn on all through the day Saturday.

After the final session wound up we took a minute to go unload all our goodies. We then headed down to another wonderful cocktail hour, followed by dinner and then headed on over to the barn for another mixer. We had more yummy drinks from the wonderful and generous Captain Morgan, some live music from a local band, and lots of giveaways from our more than generous sponsors. Oh yeah, I was once of the lucky winners too! Wooohoooo!

I had a terrific time sipping cocktails, scoring a great prize and getting to mingle with some of the other fabulous and talented ladies. I also got to chat up some of the reps of the sponsors; they are amazing and beyond nice. It was so nice getting to talk with the Lizs (yes 2) from Dreamfields and Kimberly from Dixie Crystals, just to mention a few. I also got to talk to some talented bloggers, as well, Erin of Eat Bake Drink Cook, Mackenzie of Susie Freaking Homemaker, Karen of Pint Sized Baker and Krista of Budget Gourmet Mom, just to name a few.

After sipping on some tasty concoctions, some great music and wonderful giveaways we headed back to our rooms, changed into our pj’s and got ready for the movie. You guessed it, the midnight showing of Dirty Dancing. We had seen the set and toured the grounds, now it was time to watch the movie in the ballroom at the place it was filmed. How surreal! While we were watching the movie there was no shortage of candy to munch on, thanks to Hershey’s. You have no idea how fun it was to watch this movie with so many ladies that were just as equally enthused as I was, I think we all found ourselves quoting each scene…and even cheering at times!

Sunday morning we woke up, packed up and at one last meal with all our new friends. Then it was time to bid farewell to Mountian Lake and our friends and head back to the real world. At the airport I had some free time before I had to board my plane so I spent some time with some more fabulous ladies; Carrie of Bakeaholic Mama and Lauren of Climbing Grier Mountain. I had such a wonderful time visiting and chatting with them, my only regret is that we didn’t connect earlier at the conference. After tons of chatting it was time to board the plane and all head back home.

It was a great weekend, that was jam packed with so much to do. I still can’t believe that I was able to go and that I was surrounded by so many talented and gifted foodies. It’s a weekend I will cherish forever.

Thanks again to our fabulous hostess’ and conference organizers. Paula, of Bell’ Alimento, and Susan, of Doughmesstic, ya’ll are awesome! Thanks again for everything and providing a weekend for so many foodies to have the time of our lives!

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