Peppermint Bliss Bark - SRC

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Wendy's blog, The Weekend Gourmet.  I had a lot of fun browsing through her recipes and, although I saw some tasty-looking pasta recipes, I kept finding myself drawn back again and again to her Peppermint Bliss Bark.  Who can blame me?  One look at hers and you'll see it's stunning.  Not to mention, it's HER original recipe (genius).  So, I bring you Christmas in November.

This bark is so quick and easy to make.  No cooking, no baking, and very little prep time.  I think I whipped up the whole thing in less than an hour.  In fact, the most time-consuming part of it was crushing the peppermint candies.  Seriously, I do not know why someone has not thought to sell peppermint candies already crushed.  Bakers all over the world would be grateful.  I made short work of it though by putting them in a ziplock bag, putting it onto a paper bag in my driveway, and pounding on it with the end of a small dumbbell.  Whatever works, right?

I did make a couple changes to the recipe.  First, I tempered my chocolate so that I wouldn't have to worry about keeping the bark in the fridge to prevent it from melting.  Then, instead of using mini Oreos, I crushed up some regular sized ones since that's what I had.  Otherwise, it was Wendy's way all the way.

Let me tell you, this bark is perfect for the holidays.  It's not only beautiful but absolutely delicious.  There's a little crunch from the cookies, a little chew from the marshmallows, and a lot of chocolatey-minty goodness in every bite.  I loved that the peppermint flavor wasn't too overpowering and that the bark itself wasn't overly sweet like other storebought ones.  I've never made chocolate bark before, but you can bet it's going to be a new holiday tradition from now on.

BTW:  I took some of this to work and it disappeared fast!  They loved it!  

Thank you Wendy for giving me a great idea for Christmas.  Loved the bark!

Peppermint Bliss Bark (adapted from The Weekend Gourmet)

2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. mini marshmallows
1 c. crushed Oreos
1 c. crushed peppermint candies
1/2 c. white chocolate chips

Melt 1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave.  Remove from the microwave and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips until completely melted.  Add mini marshmallows, Oreos, and 1/2 cup peppermint pieces.  Stir gently to combine.

Spread the mixture evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Melt the white chocolate chips and drizzle over the top.  Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup peppermint pieces.  Place in the fridge to help it harden quicker.  Once it's hardened, it can be stored outside of the fridge.  

Peppermint Bliss Bark - SRC

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For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Wendy's blog, The Weekend Gourmet.  I had a lot of fun browsing through her recipes and, although I saw some tasty-looking pasta recipes, I kept finding myself drawn back again and again to her Peppermint Bliss Bark.  Who can blame me?  One look at hers and you'll see it's stunning.  Not to mention, it's HER original recipe (genius).  So, I bring you Christmas in November.

This bark is so quick and easy to make.  No cooking, no baking, and very little prep time.  I think I whipped up the whole thing in less than an hour.  In fact, the most time-consuming part of it was crushing the peppermint candies.  Seriously, I do not know why someone has not thought to sell peppermint candies already crushed.  Bakers all over the world would be grateful.  I made short work of it though by putting them in a ziplock bag, putting it onto a paper bag in my driveway, and pounding on it with the end of a small dumbbell.  Whatever works, right?

I did make a couple changes to the recipe.  First, I tempered my chocolate so that I wouldn't have to worry about keeping the bark in the fridge to prevent it from melting.  Then, instead of using mini Oreos, I crushed up some regular sized ones since that's what I had.  Otherwise, it was Wendy's way all the way.

Let me tell you, this bark is perfect for the holidays.  It's not only beautiful but absolutely delicious.  There's a little crunch from the cookies, a little chew from the marshmallows, and a lot of chocolatey-minty goodness in every bite.  I loved that the peppermint flavor wasn't too overpowering and that the bark itself wasn't overly sweet like other storebought ones.  I've never made chocolate bark before, but you can bet it's going to be a new holiday tradition from now on.

BTW:  I took some of this to work and it disappeared fast!  They loved it!  

Thank you Wendy for giving me a great idea for Christmas.  Loved the bark!

Peppermint Bliss Bark (adapted from The Weekend Gourmet)

2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. mini marshmallows
1 c. crushed Oreos
1 c. crushed peppermint candies
1/2 c. white chocolate chips

Melt 1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave.  Remove from the microwave and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips until completely melted.  Add mini marshmallows, Oreos, and 1/2 cup peppermint pieces.  Stir gently to combine.

Spread the mixture evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Melt the white chocolate chips and drizzle over the top.  Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup peppermint pieces.  Place in the fridge to help it harden quicker.  Once it's hardened, it can be stored outside of the fridge.  

Blueberry Muffins

For this month's SRC, I was assigned to Ewa's blog, Delishhh, which is the perfect word for it since everything she makes is sensational.  I especially loved looking at her Swedish recipes and still want to try making her Semla one day.  But, for now, I decided to make her blueberry muffins.

Not too long ago, I tried a different blueberry muffin recipe from another site and was extremely disappointed with how they came out.  Those muffins were way too dense.

Ewa's muffins, on the other hand, were sweet, fluffy, and bursting with juiciness from the blueberries in every bite.  They were delicious right out of the oven and just as delicious when they cooled.  I would definitely make these again, and again, and again.  Right now though, I'm off to go get some butter so that I can go and eat up the rest of the muffins in my kitchen.

Thanks Ewa.  Your muffins made for one yummy Sunday morning.

Blueberry Muffins (adapted from Delishhh)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest (I omitted this)
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tbsp (2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1¼ cups sour cream, plain yogurt or ricotta (I used 1 c. fat-free Greek yogurt + 1/4 c. water)
1½ cups fresh blueberries (I used frozen blueberries)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin (or line with paper liners) and set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl untill combined. Whisk the egg in a separate medium bowl until well-combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add the sugar and whisk vigorously until thick, about 30 seconds. Add the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add the sour cream/yogurt or ricotta in 2 additions, whisking just to combine, and then add the lemon zest.

Add the berries to the dry ingredients and gently toss just to combine. Add the sour cream, yogurt or ricotta mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until the batter comes together and the berries are evenly distributed, 25 to 30 seconds. Small spots of flour may remain and the batter will be very thick. Do not overmix.

Using a large spoon or a cookie scoop sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, divide the batter amount the muffin cups. Bake until the muffins are light golden brown and a toothpick or thin knife inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through the baking time. Immediately remove muffins to a wire rack and cool for at least 5 minutes. Serve immediately or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Blueberry Muffins

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For this month's SRC, I was assigned to Ewa's blog, Delishhh, which is the perfect word for it since everything she makes is sensational.  I especially loved looking at her Swedish recipes and still want to try making her Semla one day.  But, for now, I decided to make her blueberry muffins.

Not too long ago, I tried a different blueberry muffin recipe from another site and was extremely disappointed with how they came out.  Those muffins were way too dense.

Ewa's muffins, on the other hand, were sweet, fluffy, and bursting with juiciness from the blueberries in every bite.  They were delicious right out of the oven and just as delicious when they cooled.  I would definitely make these again, and again, and again.  Right now though, I'm off to go get some butter so that I can go and eat up the rest of the muffins in my kitchen.

Thanks Ewa.  Your muffins made for one yummy Sunday morning.

Blueberry Muffins (adapted from Delishhh)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest (I omitted this)
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tbsp (2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1¼ cups sour cream, plain yogurt or ricotta (I used 1 c. fat-free Greek yogurt + 1/4 c. water)
1½ cups fresh blueberries (I used frozen blueberries)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin (or line with paper liners) and set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl untill combined. Whisk the egg in a separate medium bowl until well-combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add the sugar and whisk vigorously until thick, about 30 seconds. Add the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add the sour cream/yogurt or ricotta in 2 additions, whisking just to combine, and then add the lemon zest.

Add the berries to the dry ingredients and gently toss just to combine. Add the sour cream, yogurt or ricotta mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until the batter comes together and the berries are evenly distributed, 25 to 30 seconds. Small spots of flour may remain and the batter will be very thick. Do not overmix.

Using a large spoon or a cookie scoop sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, divide the batter amount the muffin cups. Bake until the muffins are light golden brown and a toothpick or thin knife inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through the baking time. Immediately remove muffins to a wire rack and cool for at least 5 minutes. Serve immediately or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry Apricot Cookies

I have to admit, when I started searching Cupcake Muffin's blog for this month's SRC, I was like a kid in a candy store.  Oohhh ooohhh look at all the yummy cookie recipes, I want that!  Wait, wait, look at all the delicious cake recipes, I want that!  What?  There's more sugary stuff over there too?  What they hey, I'll just take all of it.  Consequently, I didn't make just one recipe from Sara's blog, I actually tried three different ones over the course of the month.  But, one of those recipes was one that she made for her SRC before, so I chose not to showcase that one.  Instead, I bring you some amazing Spiced Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cranberries and Apricots. 

I teach a group of teenage girls and I like to make their birthdays special by presenting them with an assortment of cookies.  Each month, I change things up and try new recipes and Sara's oatmeal cookie recipe looked like just the thing to make.  I didn't have any dried cherries, but I did have some dried cranberries, so I added those in instead.  I also didn't have any cardamom on hand, so I subbed in some ginger powder.

 

These cookies came out just like the ones in Sara's picture, all thick and chewy and full of orange and red bits of fruit that looked like jewels.  My mom saw them cooling on the counter and, after asking if it was alright to take one (she knows I gotta take pics first), promptly declared that they were really good!  I ate one myself and boy was she right.  Even better, these are totally healthy - just bursting with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C.  Okay, maybe you don't care about that.  In that case, they're bursting with flavor, fruitiness, and spiciness that can't be beat.

Sara, your cookies rock! My tastebuds thank you.

Spiced Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cranberries and Apricots (adapted from Cupcake Muffin)

1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
2 sticks softened butter
1-1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2-3/4 cups quick oats (not instant oats)
6 ounces dried cranberries
3 ounces dried apricots, diced

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger powder and set aside.
2. Beat together the butter and sugars until smooth and creamy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add the vanilla and beat to incorporate.
3. Add the flour mixture and stir in with a rubber spatula until the flour is mixed in enough not to fly out of the mixer.  Then beat until just incorporated.  Add the oats and beat until just combined.  Stir in the cranberries and apricots with a rubber spatula.
4. Cover the bowl and chill at least 6 hours or overnight.
5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with foil or parchment.
6.  Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie, and gently roll into a ball with your palms.  Bake 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cookies just begin to brown.
 7.   Let cool on a cooling rack. 

Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry Apricot Cookies

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I have to admit, when I started searching Cupcake Muffin's blog for this month's SRC, I was like a kid in a candy store.  Oohhh ooohhh look at all the yummy cookie recipes, I want that!  Wait, wait, look at all the delicious cake recipes, I want that!  What?  There's more sugary stuff over there too?  What they hey, I'll just take all of it.  Consequently, I didn't make just one recipe from Sara's blog, I actually tried three different ones over the course of the month.  But, one of those recipes was one that she made for her SRC before, so I chose not to showcase that one.  Instead, I bring you some amazing Spiced Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cranberries and Apricots. 

I teach a group of teenage girls and I like to make their birthdays special by presenting them with an assortment of cookies.  Each month, I change things up and try new recipes and Sara's oatmeal cookie recipe looked like just the thing to make.  I didn't have any dried cherries, but I did have some dried cranberries, so I added those in instead.  I also didn't have any cardamom on hand, so I subbed in some ginger powder.

 

These cookies came out just like the ones in Sara's picture, all thick and chewy and full of orange and red bits of fruit that looked like jewels.  My mom saw them cooling on the counter and, after asking if it was alright to take one (she knows I gotta take pics first), promptly declared that they were really good!  I ate one myself and boy was she right.  Even better, these are totally healthy - just bursting with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C.  Okay, maybe you don't care about that.  In that case, they're bursting with flavor, fruitiness, and spiciness that can't be beat.

Sara, your cookies rock! My tastebuds thank you.

Spiced Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Cranberries and Apricots (adapted from Cupcake Muffin)

1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
2 sticks softened butter
1-1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2-3/4 cups quick oats (not instant oats)
6 ounces dried cranberries
3 ounces dried apricots, diced

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger powder and set aside.
2. Beat together the butter and sugars until smooth and creamy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add the vanilla and beat to incorporate.
3. Add the flour mixture and stir in with a rubber spatula until the flour is mixed in enough not to fly out of the mixer.  Then beat until just incorporated.  Add the oats and beat until just combined.  Stir in the cranberries and apricots with a rubber spatula.
4. Cover the bowl and chill at least 6 hours or overnight.
5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with foil or parchment.
6.  Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie, and gently roll into a ball with your palms.  Bake 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cookies just begin to brown.
 7.   Let cool on a cooling rack. 

Butterflake Rolls - SRC

 

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Meghan's blog, Cupcakes with Sprinkles.  I just love her blog.   It looks so cheerful and her food looks amazingly good.  I thought about making one of her sweets (you know me), but apparently I love bread as much as I love sweets and I couldn't get my mind off her Butterflake Rolls.  Plus, I had just made some peach jam and I needed something to eat it with.

 

What I learned as I made them is that I need to pay attention more to directions.  When I first set out to make the rolls, I just copied down the ingredients, thinking that it was just like all the other bread recipes I had made.  So, as a result, after making the dough, I let it rise for an hour.  That's when I found out I was totally wrong.  When I looked at the recipe again, including the directions, I realized that you're supposed to start rolling and buttering the dough right after you make it.  In fact, the only rise you're supposed to do is after the dough has been cut and formed into the rolls.  Still, I figured, I could make this work.  I took my risen dough, rolled it out, buttered it, folded it, buttered it, folded and buttered again.  The dough began breaking off in layers and was a complete mess and totally unsalvageable.  I would have to start again.  Lesson learned - follow the instructions.

 

The second time around, I followed everything to the letter.  This time, everything came together beautifully and the dough made it into the muffin tins intact.  I was kind of skeptical about only letting them rise once before baking, but if they worked for Meghan, then I trusted that they could work for me too.  Sure enough, once they baked, they were a thing of beauty.  It was like magic.  Instead of the four pieces of dough I put into each muffin cup, the intricate layers of buttered dough had unfolded, giving me even more layers to pull apart and enjoy (kind of like the layers in a croissant).  The bread itself was pillowy soft, buttery in every bite, and paired really well with my homemade peach jam.  Not to mention, since they only need to rise once, they're so much quicker to make!  I'm thinking that these rolls are going to make many more appearances in my house, you know, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and basically any time in between.  Thanks Meghan! 

Butterflake Rolls (adapted from Cupcakes with Sprinkles)

1 Tbsp. yeast
3/4 c. warm water
1/4 c. sugar (I increased this to 6 Tbsp.)
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. buttermilk (I used 1/4 c. nonfat plain yogurt + 1/4 c. water)
3 1/2 - 4 c. flour
1/4 c. butter, softened

Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.  In a large bowl, mix yeast in 1/4 c. warm water with a pinch of sugar.  Let sit till foamy, about 5 min.  Whisk in the sugar, salt, and eggs.  Add in the yogurt and remaining water until combined. 

Use a wooden spoon to stir in about 3 cups of flour, adding more up to 4 cups, to make a soft dough.  You want to be able to knead the dough and not have it stick to your fingers.

Knead dough a few times.  Roll it out so that it's a 1/2" thick and spread with a thin layer of butter.  Fold dough in half, then spread with butter, Repeat three more times.

After the final butter and fold, roll the dough out again to 1/2" thick and cut it into 1x2 inch squares.  Place 4 squares upright in each sprayed muffin cup.  Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 45-60 min., or until doubled.

Preheat oven to 400F and bake rolls for 10-15 min. until golden brown. 

Butterflake Rolls - SRC

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For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Meghan's blog, Cupcakes with Sprinkles.  I just love her blog.   It looks so cheerful and her food looks amazingly good.  I thought about making one of her sweets (you know me), but apparently I love bread as much as I love sweets and I couldn't get my mind off her Butterflake Rolls.  Plus, I had just made some peach jam and I needed something to eat it with.

 

What I learned as I made them is that I need to pay attention more to directions.  When I first set out to make the rolls, I just copied down the ingredients, thinking that it was just like all the other bread recipes I had made.  So, as a result, after making the dough, I let it rise for an hour.  That's when I found out I was totally wrong.  When I looked at the recipe again, including the directions, I realized that you're supposed to start rolling and buttering the dough right after you make it.  In fact, the only rise you're supposed to do is after the dough has been cut and formed into the rolls.  Still, I figured, I could make this work.  I took my risen dough, rolled it out, buttered it, folded it, buttered it, folded and buttered again.  The dough began breaking off in layers and was a complete mess and totally unsalvageable.  I would have to start again.  Lesson learned - follow the instructions.

 

The second time around, I followed everything to the letter.  This time, everything came together beautifully and the dough made it into the muffin tins intact.  I was kind of skeptical about only letting them rise once before baking, but if they worked for Meghan, then I trusted that they could work for me too.  Sure enough, once they baked, they were a thing of beauty.  It was like magic.  Instead of the four pieces of dough I put into each muffin cup, the intricate layers of buttered dough had unfolded, giving me even more layers to pull apart and enjoy (kind of like the layers in a croissant).  The bread itself was pillowy soft, buttery in every bite, and paired really well with my homemade peach jam.  Not to mention, since they only need to rise once, they're so much quicker to make!  I'm thinking that these rolls are going to make many more appearances in my house, you know, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and basically any time in between.  Thanks Meghan! 

Butterflake Rolls (adapted from Cupcakes with Sprinkles)

1 Tbsp. yeast
3/4 c. warm water
1/4 c. sugar (I increased this to 6 Tbsp.)
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. buttermilk (I used 1/4 c. nonfat plain yogurt + 1/4 c. water)
3 1/2 - 4 c. flour
1/4 c. butter, softened

Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.  In a large bowl, mix yeast in 1/4 c. warm water with a pinch of sugar.  Let sit till foamy, about 5 min.  Whisk in the sugar, salt, and eggs.  Add in the yogurt and remaining water until combined. 

Use a wooden spoon to stir in about 3 cups of flour, adding more up to 4 cups, to make a soft dough.  You want to be able to knead the dough and not have it stick to your fingers.

Knead dough a few times.  Roll it out so that it's a 1/2" thick and spread with a thin layer of butter.  Fold dough in half, then spread with butter, Repeat three more times.

After the final butter and fold, roll the dough out again to 1/2" thick and cut it into 1x2 inch squares.  Place 4 squares upright in each sprayed muffin cup.  Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 45-60 min., or until doubled.

Preheat oven to 400F and bake rolls for 10-15 min. until golden brown. 

Barbecue Chicken Sandwich Rolls

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Jessica of The Inquiring Chef.  Do you know that she lives in Thailand?  So lucky!  I absolutely love Thai food and I can only imagine the wonderful access she must have to both the food and the exotic ingredients to make it.

Her blog is filled with yummy recipes that she came up with herself and it was with great joy that I chose to make her Barbecue Chicken Sandwich  Rolls.  In case you didn't know, she grew up in Kansas with some great barbecue so these rolls are part of her personality and I wanted to showcase that.  Besides, I love barbecue myself as well as baking bread, so this recipe was perfect for me.

I had some chicken tenders in my freezer, so I poached those and used them instead of roasted chicken.  I also made my own barbecue sauce instead of using storebought.  In addition, I changed the method of making the rolls a little, but otherwise, kept the recipe the same.

Eating these rolls reminded me of my favorite baked char siu bao (now I totally want to fill them with char siu aka Chinese barbecued pork).  The rolls were super fluffy and soft, slightly sweet, and paired deliciously with the barbecue chicken filling on the inside.  My only regret is that I didn't use more filling in the rolls.  But, even then, my family declared this recipe to be fantastic and they thoroughly enjoyed eating them.  I would love to try these rolls with other fillings in them, the char siu for instance or curried chicken or even sloppy joe filling.  The possibilities are endless.

And, speaking of possibilities, since I'm very much a sweets person, I went ahead and filled some of the buns with leftover chocolate ganache that I had in my fridge.  Voila!  Chocolate filled sweet buns.  Spread them with some raspberry jam and ohhh so good.  So, if you do what I did, you'll have dinner and dessert with one recipe.  Can't beat that.

Thanks Jessica for your delicious recipe.

Barbecue Chicken Sandwich Rolls (adapted from The Inquiring Chef)

3 Tbsp. warm milk (I used yogurt)
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 c. warm water 
2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar (I increased this to 4 Tbsp.)
3 and ¾ cups all-purpose flour (plus about ½ cup extra for shaping the rolls) (I used 1 c. bread flour + 2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour)
1 tsp. salt
2 ½ Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs (separated – 1 for dough and 1 for egg wash)
2 cups shredded and roughly chopped, roasted chicken (I used poached chicken breasts)
½ cup barbecue sauce (can use storebought or your own homemade sauce)

Combine the warm water with the yeast and a pinch of sugar and let sit for 5 min. till foamy.  Combine the yeast mixture with the melted butter, sugar, milk or yogurt, and the egg and mix well.  Add 1 cup of bread flour and the salt and mix well.  Add the rest of the flour and mix well till combined.  Knead the dough as best as you can until it forms a smooth ball.  Put the dough into a well-greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.

Combine the chicken with the barbecue sauce and mix well.     

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Using lightly floured hands, remove 1/4 of the risen dough and gently roll it into a cylinder, approximately 8 inches long.  (The dough will be quite sticky, but add only as much flour as you need to prevent it from sticking to your hands.)  Using a knife or dough scraper, cut the cylinder of dough into 8 even pieces. Flatten each piece into a circle. Drop one teaspoon of the chicken mixture into the center of each dough circle. Pull the sides of the dough around the filling and twist them together firmly to seal the chicken inside. Place each filled roll, seam-side down on parchement paper.

Let sit until doubled in size, about 30 min.  Preheat oven to 350F.  
 
Brush the top of each roll liberally with a beaten egg.

Bake until the surface of the rolls are golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note:  Alternately, you could fill each piece of dough with a teaspoon of chilled chocolate ganache.  







 

Barbecue Chicken Sandwich Rolls

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For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Jessica of The Inquiring Chef.  Do you know that she lives in Thailand?  So lucky!  I absolutely love Thai food and I can only imagine the wonderful access she must have to both the food and the exotic ingredients to make it.

Her blog is filled with yummy recipes that she came up with herself and it was with great joy that I chose to make her Barbecue Chicken Sandwich  Rolls.  In case you didn't know, she grew up in Kansas with some great barbecue so these rolls are part of her personality and I wanted to showcase that.  Besides, I love barbecue myself as well as baking bread, so this recipe was perfect for me.

I had some chicken tenders in my freezer, so I poached those and used them instead of roasted chicken.  I also made my own barbecue sauce instead of using storebought.  In addition, I changed the method of making the rolls a little, but otherwise, kept the recipe the same.

Eating these rolls reminded me of my favorite baked char siu bao (now I totally want to fill them with char siu aka Chinese barbecued pork).  The rolls were super fluffy and soft, slightly sweet, and paired deliciously with the barbecue chicken filling on the inside.  My only regret is that I didn't use more filling in the rolls.  But, even then, my family declared this recipe to be fantastic and they thoroughly enjoyed eating them.  I would love to try these rolls with other fillings in them, the char siu for instance or curried chicken or even sloppy joe filling.  The possibilities are endless.

And, speaking of possibilities, since I'm very much a sweets person, I went ahead and filled some of the buns with leftover chocolate ganache that I had in my fridge.  Voila!  Chocolate filled sweet buns.  Spread them with some raspberry jam and ohhh so good.  So, if you do what I did, you'll have dinner and dessert with one recipe.  Can't beat that.

Thanks Jessica for your delicious recipe.

Barbecue Chicken Sandwich Rolls (adapted from The Inquiring Chef)

3 Tbsp. warm milk (I used yogurt)
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 c. warm water 
2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar (I increased this to 4 Tbsp.)
3 and ¾ cups all-purpose flour (plus about ½ cup extra for shaping the rolls) (I used 1 c. bread flour + 2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour)
1 tsp. salt
2 ½ Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs (separated – 1 for dough and 1 for egg wash)
2 cups shredded and roughly chopped, roasted chicken (I used poached chicken breasts)
½ cup barbecue sauce (can use storebought or your own homemade sauce)

Combine the warm water with the yeast and a pinch of sugar and let sit for 5 min. till foamy.  Combine the yeast mixture with the melted butter, sugar, milk or yogurt, and the egg and mix well.  Add 1 cup of bread flour and the salt and mix well.  Add the rest of the flour and mix well till combined.  Knead the dough as best as you can until it forms a smooth ball.  Put the dough into a well-greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.

Combine the chicken with the barbecue sauce and mix well.     

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Using lightly floured hands, remove 1/4 of the risen dough and gently roll it into a cylinder, approximately 8 inches long.  (The dough will be quite sticky, but add only as much flour as you need to prevent it from sticking to your hands.)  Using a knife or dough scraper, cut the cylinder of dough into 8 even pieces. Flatten each piece into a circle. Drop one teaspoon of the chicken mixture into the center of each dough circle. Pull the sides of the dough around the filling and twist them together firmly to seal the chicken inside. Place each filled roll, seam-side down on parchement paper.

Let sit until doubled in size, about 30 min.  Preheat oven to 350F.  
 
Brush the top of each roll liberally with a beaten egg.

Bake until the surface of the rolls are golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note:  Alternately, you could fill each piece of dough with a teaspoon of chilled chocolate ganache.  







 

Blueberry Upside-Down Cake - SRC

 

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I had such a hard time choosing what to make from Evelyne's blog, Cheap Ethnic Eatz, that I did not make a decision until yesterday morning.  At first, I was all set on making her chocolate covered peanut butter cheesecake (believe it or not, she made hers in the shape of a fish).  I even had all the ingredients for it.  But, then, at the last minute, I steered in a completely different direction and decided to make her Blueberry Upside Down Cake.  Of course, now, it means I've still got peanut butter cheesecake on the brain, but oh well.

I've made pineapple upside down cake in the past but had never tried it with blueberries.  It was such a nice change.  The blueberries get totally jammy and the lovely golden cake beneath it is the ideal pairing.  It's sweet, but not too sweet, and with all that anti-oxidant filled fruit I say it's healthy, which means that cake for breakfast in this instance is perfectly okay.  Plus, the cake is so versatile that you could add cinnamon, lemon, or oranges to it, something that I intend to do the next time I make it.  All in all, this cake made my Sunday morning a real treat.

Thanks Evelyne for your delicious cake!

Blueberry Upside Down Cake (adapted from Cheap Ethnic Eatz)

1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups blueberries (fresh or Frozen)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
3/4 cup milk (I used 6 Tbsp. yogurt + 6 Tbsp. water)

In 9 inch square cake pan, combine melted butter and brown sugar; spread evenly on bottom. Spread blueberries evenly over top. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. Sift or mix together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon if using. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Spread batter evenly over blueberry layer.
Bake in 350°F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out on to large flat plate.

Blueberry Upside-Down Cake - SRC

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For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I had such a hard time choosing what to make from Evelyne's blog, Cheap Ethnic Eatz, that I did not make a decision until yesterday morning.  At first, I was all set on making her chocolate covered peanut butter cheesecake (believe it or not, she made hers in the shape of a fish).  I even had all the ingredients for it.  But, then, at the last minute, I steered in a completely different direction and decided to make her Blueberry Upside Down Cake.  Of course, now, it means I've still got peanut butter cheesecake on the brain, but oh well.

I've made pineapple upside down cake in the past but had never tried it with blueberries.  It was such a nice change.  The blueberries get totally jammy and the lovely golden cake beneath it is the ideal pairing.  It's sweet, but not too sweet, and with all that anti-oxidant filled fruit I say it's healthy, which means that cake for breakfast in this instance is perfectly okay.  Plus, the cake is so versatile that you could add cinnamon, lemon, or oranges to it, something that I intend to do the next time I make it.  All in all, this cake made my Sunday morning a real treat.

Thanks Evelyne for your delicious cake!

Blueberry Upside Down Cake (adapted from Cheap Ethnic Eatz)

1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups blueberries (fresh or Frozen)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
3/4 cup milk (I used 6 Tbsp. yogurt + 6 Tbsp. water)

In 9 inch square cake pan, combine melted butter and brown sugar; spread evenly on bottom. Spread blueberries evenly over top. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. Sift or mix together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon if using. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Spread batter evenly over blueberry layer.
Bake in 350°F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out on to large flat plate.

Fudgie Wudgies - SRC

Ever since I became a member of the Secret Recipe Club, I have been waiting and waiting to finally be assigned to Katrina's blog, Baking and Boys.  Not only is she the reason that I became a member of this wonderful club, but she is also a very good blogger friend of mine.  I even got to meet her and she is every bit as sweet as the treats that she makes.

 

Of course, I had been following her blog for quite a while, even before I knew her.  Her blog is just so fun to read as she talks about her beautiful family and her signature chocolate twists on her sweets.  I put a lot of stock into what she says.  If she mentions that a recipe was good, then I know it's good.  As a result, I've made quite a few things from her blog over the past years - Crunchy Nut Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies, Joanne Chang's Chocolate Chip Cookies (which are my all-time fave CCC), Marbled Peanut Butter Brownies, Cherry Ice Cream, and Spicy Peanut Butter Ice Cream - and they all get a double thumbs up from me.  This month's assignment gave me an excuse to make even more of the delicious things she's posted about and I couldn't wait to dive right in.

Now, if you know Katrina, then you also know about her proclaimed love for all things chocolate.  So, I just had to choose a recipe that would pay homage to that part of her personality.  And, what better recipe than her Fudgie Wudgies.  These are Katrina to a tee!  They have melted chocolate and cocoa powder in the dough, PLUS more chocolate chips added in for a triple chocolate dose.

 

These cookies are fantastic!  My family loved how they tasted.  They're exactly like brownies in cookie form from the crackly, papery top to the soft, chewy, fudginess inside.  I used regular cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate chips to make these, but I would love to make them again with dutch cocoa powder and a good brand of 70% chocolate to really get them chocolatey to the max.  Because, as I've learned from Katrina, there is never such a thing as too much chocolate.  

Fudgie Wudgies (from Baking and Boys)

1 3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. sugar

Preheat oven to 325F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Melt 1 c. chocolate chips with the butter in a glass, microwave safe dish in 20 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted.  Allow to cool 5 min.  Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt together in a small bowl using a wire whisk.

Beat the eggs and vanilla with a wire whisk until combined.  Add the sugar to the egg mixture and blend until the mixture is thick.  Add the melted chocolate and whisk together.  Add the flour mixture and blend just until combined.  Stir in the 3/4 c. of chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.  Bake the cookies until they form a thin crust, about 14 min. 

Fudgie Wudgies - SRC

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Ever since I became a member of the Secret Recipe Club, I have been waiting and waiting to finally be assigned to Katrina's blog, Baking and Boys.  Not only is she the reason that I became a member of this wonderful club, but she is also a very good blogger friend of mine.  I even got to meet her and she is every bit as sweet as the treats that she makes.

 

Of course, I had been following her blog for quite a while, even before I knew her.  Her blog is just so fun to read as she talks about her beautiful family and her signature chocolate twists on her sweets.  I put a lot of stock into what she says.  If she mentions that a recipe was good, then I know it's good.  As a result, I've made quite a few things from her blog over the past years - Crunchy Nut Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies, Joanne Chang's Chocolate Chip Cookies (which are my all-time fave CCC), Marbled Peanut Butter Brownies, Cherry Ice Cream, and Spicy Peanut Butter Ice Cream - and they all get a double thumbs up from me.  This month's assignment gave me an excuse to make even more of the delicious things she's posted about and I couldn't wait to dive right in.

Now, if you know Katrina, then you also know about her proclaimed love for all things chocolate.  So, I just had to choose a recipe that would pay homage to that part of her personality.  And, what better recipe than her Fudgie Wudgies.  These are Katrina to a tee!  They have melted chocolate and cocoa powder in the dough, PLUS more chocolate chips added in for a triple chocolate dose.

 

These cookies are fantastic!  My family loved how they tasted.  They're exactly like brownies in cookie form from the crackly, papery top to the soft, chewy, fudginess inside.  I used regular cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate chips to make these, but I would love to make them again with dutch cocoa powder and a good brand of 70% chocolate to really get them chocolatey to the max.  Because, as I've learned from Katrina, there is never such a thing as too much chocolate.  

Fudgie Wudgies (from Baking and Boys)

1 3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. sugar

Preheat oven to 325F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Melt 1 c. chocolate chips with the butter in a glass, microwave safe dish in 20 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted.  Allow to cool 5 min.  Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt together in a small bowl using a wire whisk.

Beat the eggs and vanilla with a wire whisk until combined.  Add the sugar to the egg mixture and blend until the mixture is thick.  Add the melted chocolate and whisk together.  Add the flour mixture and blend just until combined.  Stir in the 3/4 c. of chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.  Bake the cookies until they form a thin crust, about 14 min. 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Noelle's blog, "An Opera Singer in the Kitchen."  Like her, I also love to sing and cook, so it was like finding a kindred spirit.  But, she doesn't just sing as a hobby, she actually performs.  How cool is that!

Her vocal talent is equally matched with her skills in the kitchen and I thoroughly enjoyed perusing through her recipes.  But, the one thing I kept focusing on was PUMPKIN!  I have a love affair with it and so I couldn't stop oohing and aahing over the choices on her blog - Fluffy Pumpkin Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Cake, and Pumpkin Scones.  But, I knew I was done for when I saw her Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.  Usually, I only make cinnamon rolls during Christmastime, but I was perfectly willing to make an exception for these.

 

What I love is that Noelle's recipe uses less butter than others I've seen (which means less fat and calories).  As I say, a little less guilt goes a long way.  But, I promise that you will NOT miss it at all.  Oh no, these rolls are every bit as delicious and decadent as any other.  Plus, you've got that lovely spice, the pretty orange color, super fluffy, soft bread, and a cream cheese icing which is truly the icing on the cake.  Plain cinnamon rolls move over.  Make way for pumpkin!

 

Thanks Noelle for making all my pumpkin-y dreams come true.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
(adapted from An Opera Singer in the Kitchen)

1/4 c. warm water, not hot, about 110 degrees)
1 pkg. (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1/3 c. warm milk (I used Greek yogurt)
1 egg
3/4 c. pumpkin puree, either fresh or canned
1 Tbsp. melted butter
3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I used 1 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. ground ginger (I used 1/2 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom (I used 1/2 tsp.)

Filling:
3 Tbsp. buttery spread, softened
1/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
1 1/4 c. pecans (I left these out due to allergies)

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. milk (I used Greek yogurt)

In a large bowl, stir yeast into water to soften. Let rest for 5 minutes before stirring. Add milk, pumpkin, butter, egg, brown sugar, and spices.  Stir in 2 cups of the flour and beat vigorously for 2 minutes.

Gradually add remaining flour, a little at a time, until you have a dough stiff enough to knead. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead, adding flour as necessary, until you have a smooth, elastic dough.

Put dough into an oiled bowl. Turn once to coat entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Combine the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a small bowl, set aside. Transfer the risen dough to a lightly greased work surface, and pat or roll it into a 16" x 12" rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough and then sprinkle with the sugar mixture.  

Roll the dough into a log the long way; it'll stretch to about 20" long as you roll. Using a piece of dental floss, cut the log into 1" slices.  Place slices in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan (or in two 8 or 9 inch round cake or pie pans). Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes. 

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven. Bake the rolls till they're brown around the edges and beginning to turn golden brown across the center, about 20-30 minutes.

While rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese frosting.  Beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and milk until well combined.  Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until well mixed and desired consistency is reached.

Frost warm rolls with the cream cheese frosting and serve immediately  

Notes:

1. I doubled the amount of spices in the dough and would probably triple them next time.  
2. The original recipe calls for all-purpose flour and whole wheat white flour.  I just used all-purpose flour since that's what I had. 
3. I made half the recipe and got 9 rolls. 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Posted by admin No comments

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Noelle's blog, "An Opera Singer in the Kitchen."  Like her, I also love to sing and cook, so it was like finding a kindred spirit.  But, she doesn't just sing as a hobby, she actually performs.  How cool is that!

Her vocal talent is equally matched with her skills in the kitchen and I thoroughly enjoyed perusing through her recipes.  But, the one thing I kept focusing on was PUMPKIN!  I have a love affair with it and so I couldn't stop oohing and aahing over the choices on her blog - Fluffy Pumpkin Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Cake, and Pumpkin Scones.  But, I knew I was done for when I saw her Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.  Usually, I only make cinnamon rolls during Christmastime, but I was perfectly willing to make an exception for these.

 

What I love is that Noelle's recipe uses less butter than others I've seen (which means less fat and calories).  As I say, a little less guilt goes a long way.  But, I promise that you will NOT miss it at all.  Oh no, these rolls are every bit as delicious and decadent as any other.  Plus, you've got that lovely spice, the pretty orange color, super fluffy, soft bread, and a cream cheese icing which is truly the icing on the cake.  Plain cinnamon rolls move over.  Make way for pumpkin!

 

Thanks Noelle for making all my pumpkin-y dreams come true.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
(adapted from An Opera Singer in the Kitchen)

1/4 c. warm water, not hot, about 110 degrees)
1 pkg. (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1/3 c. warm milk (I used Greek yogurt)
1 egg
3/4 c. pumpkin puree, either fresh or canned
1 Tbsp. melted butter
3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I used 1 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. ground ginger (I used 1/2 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom (I used 1/2 tsp.)

Filling:
3 Tbsp. buttery spread, softened
1/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
1 1/4 c. pecans (I left these out due to allergies)

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. milk (I used Greek yogurt)

In a large bowl, stir yeast into water to soften. Let rest for 5 minutes before stirring. Add milk, pumpkin, butter, egg, brown sugar, and spices.  Stir in 2 cups of the flour and beat vigorously for 2 minutes.

Gradually add remaining flour, a little at a time, until you have a dough stiff enough to knead. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead, adding flour as necessary, until you have a smooth, elastic dough.

Put dough into an oiled bowl. Turn once to coat entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Combine the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a small bowl, set aside. Transfer the risen dough to a lightly greased work surface, and pat or roll it into a 16" x 12" rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough and then sprinkle with the sugar mixture.  

Roll the dough into a log the long way; it'll stretch to about 20" long as you roll. Using a piece of dental floss, cut the log into 1" slices.  Place slices in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan (or in two 8 or 9 inch round cake or pie pans). Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes. 

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven. Bake the rolls till they're brown around the edges and beginning to turn golden brown across the center, about 20-30 minutes.

While rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese frosting.  Beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and milk until well combined.  Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until well mixed and desired consistency is reached.

Frost warm rolls with the cream cheese frosting and serve immediately  

Notes:

1. I doubled the amount of spices in the dough and would probably triple them next time.  
2. The original recipe calls for all-purpose flour and whole wheat white flour.  I just used all-purpose flour since that's what I had. 
3. I made half the recipe and got 9 rolls. 

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

I was thrilled to find out that my Secret Recipe Club assignment for this month was Peggy from the blog, "Feeding Andy."  I've been following her posts for quite a while now ever since the time that she used to blog over at, "My Fiance Likes It So It Must Be Good."  With all the great food that comes from her kitchen, I'd say that Andy is one very lucky person.

I decided to make her Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars.  They just have autumn written all over them and combine every delicious thing into one treat.  Cheesecake?  Yum!  Streusel?  My favorite!  Caramel apple-y goodness?  You don't need to ask me twice.

 

The only changes I made were to double the ingredients for the crust and to use caramel ice cream topping since I had a jar of it in my fridge.  Other than that, I kept the recipe as is.  These bars were a delight to eat.  Creamy, crunchy, sweet and gooey.  Whatever you do, do not skip the caramel topping because that is what really makes these bars pop!  I shared these bars with some friends and they got some rave reviews.

Thanks Peggy for a great recipe!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars (from My Fiance Likes It So It Must Be Good)

Crust:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly chilled and cubed

Filling:

16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 teaspoons
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced (I used Gala apples)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Streusel:

1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly chilled and cubed
1 cup flour

caramel ice cream topping

To make the crust, combine flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl.  Cut the butter into the mixture with your fingers or a fork until the mixture is crumbly.

Press the dough into a 9x13 inch pan in an even and flat layer.  Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Set aside.

Make the filling by beating cream cheese and 1/2 cup of sugar in a large bowl.  Add eggs, one at a time, until just incorporated.  Stir in vanilla until just combined.

In a small bowl, combine the apples with the cinnamon and 2 teaspoons of sugar.  Let sit for about 1-2 minutes, then gently fold into cream cheese mixture.

Pour the batter over top of the warm crust.

Make the topping by combining the oats, flour, and brown sugar.  Cut the butter into the mixture until it is chunky and crumbly.

Top the cream cheese mixture with an even layer of the topping. 

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until cream cheese mixture is set and topping is a nice golden brown.

Drizzle caramel topping over cheesecake.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Posted by admin No comments

I was thrilled to find out that my Secret Recipe Club assignment for this month was Peggy from the blog, "Feeding Andy."  I've been following her posts for quite a while now ever since the time that she used to blog over at, "My Fiance Likes It So It Must Be Good."  With all the great food that comes from her kitchen, I'd say that Andy is one very lucky person.

I decided to make her Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars.  They just have autumn written all over them and combine every delicious thing into one treat.  Cheesecake?  Yum!  Streusel?  My favorite!  Caramel apple-y goodness?  You don't need to ask me twice.

 

The only changes I made were to double the ingredients for the crust and to use caramel ice cream topping since I had a jar of it in my fridge.  Other than that, I kept the recipe as is.  These bars were a delight to eat.  Creamy, crunchy, sweet and gooey.  Whatever you do, do not skip the caramel topping because that is what really makes these bars pop!  I shared these bars with some friends and they got some rave reviews.

Thanks Peggy for a great recipe!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars (from My Fiance Likes It So It Must Be Good)

Crust:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly chilled and cubed

Filling:

16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 teaspoons
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced (I used Gala apples)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Streusel:

1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly chilled and cubed
1 cup flour

caramel ice cream topping

To make the crust, combine flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl.  Cut the butter into the mixture with your fingers or a fork until the mixture is crumbly.

Press the dough into a 9x13 inch pan in an even and flat layer.  Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Set aside.

Make the filling by beating cream cheese and 1/2 cup of sugar in a large bowl.  Add eggs, one at a time, until just incorporated.  Stir in vanilla until just combined.

In a small bowl, combine the apples with the cinnamon and 2 teaspoons of sugar.  Let sit for about 1-2 minutes, then gently fold into cream cheese mixture.

Pour the batter over top of the warm crust.

Make the topping by combining the oats, flour, and brown sugar.  Cut the butter into the mixture until it is chunky and crumbly.

Top the cream cheese mixture with an even layer of the topping. 

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until cream cheese mixture is set and topping is a nice golden brown.

Drizzle caramel topping over cheesecake.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares

Several weeks ago, we were told about the sad passing of Daniel Saraga who blogged over at "The Haggis and the Herring."  As a tribute to him, a lot of Secret Recipe Club members decided that we would all make a recipe from his blog and post about it today.

You can read more about Daniel in this beautiful eulogy. 

I chose to make his Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares and am so glad that I did.  They are so chewy and gooey and tasted just like Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, which are one of my favorite candies in the whole world.  The neat part about them is that they're topped with two glazes - a chocolate one and a peanut butter one - which not only makes them super pretty, but also doubles the awesome peanut-buttery taste.  Plus, they've got some oatmeal in them, so maybe you can convince yourself that these are a "healthy" breakfast, you know, for those mornings when you wake up with a craving for something sweet.

 

Although I didn't know Daniel, I'm happy that I got the chance now to "know" a little bit more about him through his blog.  Rest in peace.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares (from The Haggis and the Herring)

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. peanut butter
1 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. quick cooking oats (I used rolled oats)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Peanut butter glaze:
1/3 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
1-2 Tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 pan.

Cream sugar, brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter in a large bowl.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Add the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in the oats.  Spread evenly in the pan.

Bake for 15-20 min., or until golden brown, and then immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Let stand for 5 min. or until chocolate chips have softened and then carefully spread melted chocolate over the baked layer.  (Note:  I melted the chocolate chips and then spread it over the bars.) 

Chill for about 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.  Mix all ingredients for the glaze until smooth and thin enough to drizzle.

Drizzle glaze, refrigerate again for 10 min. and cut for serving.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares

Posted by admin No comments

Several weeks ago, we were told about the sad passing of Daniel Saraga who blogged over at "The Haggis and the Herring."  As a tribute to him, a lot of Secret Recipe Club members decided that we would all make a recipe from his blog and post about it today.

You can read more about Daniel in this beautiful eulogy. 

I chose to make his Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares and am so glad that I did.  They are so chewy and gooey and tasted just like Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, which are one of my favorite candies in the whole world.  The neat part about them is that they're topped with two glazes - a chocolate one and a peanut butter one - which not only makes them super pretty, but also doubles the awesome peanut-buttery taste.  Plus, they've got some oatmeal in them, so maybe you can convince yourself that these are a "healthy" breakfast, you know, for those mornings when you wake up with a craving for something sweet.

 

Although I didn't know Daniel, I'm happy that I got the chance now to "know" a little bit more about him through his blog.  Rest in peace.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares (from The Haggis and the Herring)

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. peanut butter
1 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. quick cooking oats (I used rolled oats)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Peanut butter glaze:
1/3 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
1-2 Tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 pan.

Cream sugar, brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter in a large bowl.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Add the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in the oats.  Spread evenly in the pan.

Bake for 15-20 min., or until golden brown, and then immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Let stand for 5 min. or until chocolate chips have softened and then carefully spread melted chocolate over the baked layer.  (Note:  I melted the chocolate chips and then spread it over the bars.) 

Chill for about 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.  Mix all ingredients for the glaze until smooth and thin enough to drizzle.

Drizzle glaze, refrigerate again for 10 min. and cut for serving.

Self-Frosting Pumpkin Nutella Muffins

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Holly's blog, Phemomenon. In case you didn't know, she has some of the cutest kids ever. Lucky them, because they get to eat all of her scrumptious creations.

After searching through a ton of recipes on her blog, I finally decided to make her Self-Frosting Pumpkin Nutella Muffins. After all, I love, love, love pumpkin and it just so happened that I had some Nutella sitting in my pantry too.


Like all pumpkin-y treats, you're going to want to let these cool before you eat them. That way, the pumpkin and spice flavors have a little time to set. Believe me, it's worth the wait.



Now, let me tell you about the Nutella. The idea of putting Nutella onto the top of the muffin is pure genius. The muffins aren't that sweet themselves. But, the Nutella adds just the right amount of sugary, chocolatey goodness that will make you feel like you're having dessert for breakfast, but still eating healthy at the same time. The Nutella swirled muffin tops were so good that I was sorely tempted to make off with the tops alone, you know, just like that Seinfeld episode. I can totally relate.


Thanks Holly for one yummy recipe!

Self-Frosting Pumpkin Nutella Muffins (adapted from Phemomenon)

1 – 15 oz can pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used melted butter)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

12 heaping teaspoons Nutella for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line or spray a 12-cup muffin pan, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, vanilla and brown sugar. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups evenly (will be about 3/4 full). Scoop a heaping teaspoon of Nutella onto the top of each muffin. Use a toothpick or skewer to swirl the Nutella slightly around the top of the batter.

Bake the cupcakes for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container.

Notes:

1. Holly added some cocoa powder to her muffins, but I opted to leave it out.
   
2. These muffins tasted best after they had cooled completely. Then, you could really taste the pumpkin and spice flavors.
3. I made half a batch and got 8 muffins.
   

Self-Frosting Pumpkin Nutella Muffins

Posted by admin No comments

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Holly's blog, Phemomenon. In case you didn't know, she has some of the cutest kids ever. Lucky them, because they get to eat all of her scrumptious creations.

After searching through a ton of recipes on her blog, I finally decided to make her Self-Frosting Pumpkin Nutella Muffins. After all, I love, love, love pumpkin and it just so happened that I had some Nutella sitting in my pantry too.


Like all pumpkin-y treats, you're going to want to let these cool before you eat them. That way, the pumpkin and spice flavors have a little time to set. Believe me, it's worth the wait.



Now, let me tell you about the Nutella. The idea of putting Nutella onto the top of the muffin is pure genius. The muffins aren't that sweet themselves. But, the Nutella adds just the right amount of sugary, chocolatey goodness that will make you feel like you're having dessert for breakfast, but still eating healthy at the same time. The Nutella swirled muffin tops were so good that I was sorely tempted to make off with the tops alone, you know, just like that Seinfeld episode. I can totally relate.


Thanks Holly for one yummy recipe!

Self-Frosting Pumpkin Nutella Muffins (adapted from Phemomenon)

1 – 15 oz can pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used melted butter)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

12 heaping teaspoons Nutella for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line or spray a 12-cup muffin pan, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, vanilla and brown sugar. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups evenly (will be about 3/4 full). Scoop a heaping teaspoon of Nutella onto the top of each muffin. Use a toothpick or skewer to swirl the Nutella slightly around the top of the batter.

Bake the cupcakes for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container.

Notes:

1. Holly added some cocoa powder to her muffins, but I opted to leave it out.
   
2. These muffins tasted best after they had cooled completely. Then, you could really taste the pumpkin and spice flavors.
3. I made half a batch and got 8 muffins.
   

Chocolate Peanut Butter Filled Cupcakes - SRC

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Kate's blog, Kitchen Trial and Error. You can bet I spent a good part of a night browsing through the many recipes on her blog and making a list that was like half a page long. I finally settled on making her recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake. After all, it's chocolate, it's peanut butter, it's awesome! But, since I intended to give this a group of teenage girls, and I wanted it to be more portable, I opted to make them into peanut butter filled chocolate cupcakes instead.


Let me just say, the cake itself was delicious - chocolatey, fluffy, and moist. Then, you've got this peanut butter filling. I'm warning you, do NOT take a taste of it until you've finished filling the cupcakes, because you might end up eating the whole bowlful and not having any left. Drizzle the cupcakes with luscious chocolate ganache and you'll have the best chocolate peanut butter cupcake in the world. I am so glad I chose this recipe.


Oh, and in case you were wondering what happened to those little cake parts that were removed to make room for the filling . . . *mmmfff mmmff* . . . I'm not saying.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Filled Cupcakes (from Kitchen Trial and Error)

3/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. flour
1 c. sugar
6 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. buttermilk (I used vanilla flavored yogurt)
1/4 c. vegetable oil (I used melted butter)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract (I decreased this to 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 c. brewed hot coffee (I used hot water)

Peanut Butter Filling

4 1/2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, soft
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
4 1/2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

For the ganache:
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, mix the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until incorporated. Slowly mix in the hot coffee or water. The batter will be very thin.

Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full with batter (it'll make 10 cupcakes in all). Bake for about 20 min., or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before filling.

Combine all the ingredients for the peanut butter filling in a bowl. The mixture will be very thick.

When the cupcakes are cool, cut a small cone out of the top of each one with a serrated knife. Form the peanut butter filling into a 3/4"-1" ball and put into the space in each cupcake. Top with a little of the cake cone you cut out.

To make the ganache, bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Place the chocolate in a medium heat proof bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Let sit for a minute or two before mixing. Mix until smooth.

Slowly pour the hot ganache over each cupcake, letting it naturally spread to cover the cupcakes. Let the ganache set before cutting and serving.

Makes 10 cupcakes

Note: I glazed half of the cupcakes with the ganache and decided to top the other half with chocolate buttercream frosting. Either way, it's absolutely delicious.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Filled Cupcakes - SRC

Posted by admin No comments

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Kate's blog, Kitchen Trial and Error. You can bet I spent a good part of a night browsing through the many recipes on her blog and making a list that was like half a page long. I finally settled on making her recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake. After all, it's chocolate, it's peanut butter, it's awesome! But, since I intended to give this a group of teenage girls, and I wanted it to be more portable, I opted to make them into peanut butter filled chocolate cupcakes instead.


Let me just say, the cake itself was delicious - chocolatey, fluffy, and moist. Then, you've got this peanut butter filling. I'm warning you, do NOT take a taste of it until you've finished filling the cupcakes, because you might end up eating the whole bowlful and not having any left. Drizzle the cupcakes with luscious chocolate ganache and you'll have the best chocolate peanut butter cupcake in the world. I am so glad I chose this recipe.


Oh, and in case you were wondering what happened to those little cake parts that were removed to make room for the filling . . . *mmmfff mmmff* . . . I'm not saying.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Filled Cupcakes (from Kitchen Trial and Error)

3/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. flour
1 c. sugar
6 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. buttermilk (I used vanilla flavored yogurt)
1/4 c. vegetable oil (I used melted butter)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract (I decreased this to 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 c. brewed hot coffee (I used hot water)

Peanut Butter Filling

4 1/2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, soft
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
4 1/2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

For the ganache:
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, mix the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until incorporated. Slowly mix in the hot coffee or water. The batter will be very thin.

Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full with batter (it'll make 10 cupcakes in all). Bake for about 20 min., or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before filling.

Combine all the ingredients for the peanut butter filling in a bowl. The mixture will be very thick.

When the cupcakes are cool, cut a small cone out of the top of each one with a serrated knife. Form the peanut butter filling into a 3/4"-1" ball and put into the space in each cupcake. Top with a little of the cake cone you cut out.

To make the ganache, bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Place the chocolate in a medium heat proof bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Let sit for a minute or two before mixing. Mix until smooth.

Slowly pour the hot ganache over each cupcake, letting it naturally spread to cover the cupcakes. Let the ganache set before cutting and serving.

Makes 10 cupcakes

Note: I glazed half of the cupcakes with the ganache and decided to top the other half with chocolate buttercream frosting. Either way, it's absolutely delicious.

Gingerbread Biscotti - SRC

It's time for another Secret Recipe Club post! This month, I was assigned to Isabelle's blog, Crumb. I was totally familiar with her blog having made her Chocolate Mint Crackle cookies before, which my sister and I devoured. So, I was thrilled to have the chance to officially make something from her blog for this month's SRC.


She had many tantalizing recipes on her site, but the one that caught my eye was for Gingerbread Biscotti. I simply love gingerbread and I'll take it in any form - cookie, cake, scones, ice cream - they're all delicious to me. It doesn't matter that it's not anywhere near Christmastime or that it's like 80 degrees outside. There's just something about that warm combination of spices that makes my tastebuds dance. But, for me, a little spice is just not enough. I need a LOT of spice to satisfy me.


Which makes this Gingerbread Biscotti perfect because it is packed with spices! It uses a whopping three tablespoons of ginger powder alone, not to mention the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice for a total of one whole quarter cup of spices. Now we're talking!




This biscotti did not disappoint one bit. The spicy flavor came through in every bite and it was the best gingerbread biscotti I have ever eaten. I drizzled mine with some dark chocolate and sprinkled on some chopped almonds, but you could also use white chocolate like Isabelle did.

Thanks Isabelle for one awesome recipe!

Gingerbread Biscotti (adapted from Crumb)

1/3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp each ground cloves and allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup crystallised ginger, finely minced (I left this out)

dark chocolate, melted
chopped almonds

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until mixture is smooth; add molasses and vanilla.

In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and spices; stir in the minced ginger. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until the dough begins to come together. Turn out dough onto a clean surface and knead gently until combined.

Divide dough in half and shape into two 12″ long rolls. Place the rolls on the prepared cookie sheet, and then pat each one down into a flat log, which should be roughly 3 inches wide and 3/4 inches thick, leaving at least 2 inches of space between the logs.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, place the logs on a cutting board and cut with a serrated knife held slightly at an angle into 3/4 inch wide slices.

Arrange the slices on the baking sheet, placing them cut side down, and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes per side or until crisp. Set on a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, drizzle biscotti with melted dark chocolate and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

Gingerbread Biscotti - SRC

Posted by admin No comments

It's time for another Secret Recipe Club post! This month, I was assigned to Isabelle's blog, Crumb. I was totally familiar with her blog having made her Chocolate Mint Crackle cookies before, which my sister and I devoured. So, I was thrilled to have the chance to officially make something from her blog for this month's SRC.


She had many tantalizing recipes on her site, but the one that caught my eye was for Gingerbread Biscotti. I simply love gingerbread and I'll take it in any form - cookie, cake, scones, ice cream - they're all delicious to me. It doesn't matter that it's not anywhere near Christmastime or that it's like 80 degrees outside. There's just something about that warm combination of spices that makes my tastebuds dance. But, for me, a little spice is just not enough. I need a LOT of spice to satisfy me.


Which makes this Gingerbread Biscotti perfect because it is packed with spices! It uses a whopping three tablespoons of ginger powder alone, not to mention the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice for a total of one whole quarter cup of spices. Now we're talking!




This biscotti did not disappoint one bit. The spicy flavor came through in every bite and it was the best gingerbread biscotti I have ever eaten. I drizzled mine with some dark chocolate and sprinkled on some chopped almonds, but you could also use white chocolate like Isabelle did.

Thanks Isabelle for one awesome recipe!

Gingerbread Biscotti (adapted from Crumb)

1/3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp each ground cloves and allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup crystallised ginger, finely minced (I left this out)

dark chocolate, melted
chopped almonds

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until mixture is smooth; add molasses and vanilla.

In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and spices; stir in the minced ginger. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until the dough begins to come together. Turn out dough onto a clean surface and knead gently until combined.

Divide dough in half and shape into two 12″ long rolls. Place the rolls on the prepared cookie sheet, and then pat each one down into a flat log, which should be roughly 3 inches wide and 3/4 inches thick, leaving at least 2 inches of space between the logs.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, place the logs on a cutting board and cut with a serrated knife held slightly at an angle into 3/4 inch wide slices.

Arrange the slices on the baking sheet, placing them cut side down, and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes per side or until crisp. Set on a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, drizzle biscotti with melted dark chocolate and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

Gingerbread Scones - SRC

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, it was my pleasure to be assigned to our sweet host's blog, The Heritage Cook. She had so many amazing looking recipes on her blog that I ended up with a list of about 20 different things and then had to take on the difficult task of narrowing it down. But, I finally decided on the Gingerbread Scones.


I did make a few changes to the recipe. First of all, I increased the amounts of the spices to 1 1/2 tsp. ginger powder and 1 tsp. of cinnamon. I also increased the amount of brown sugar to 4 Tbsp. In addition, since I was using a rather strong brand of molasses, I added only 3 Tbsp. of it to the recipe and used 2 Tbsp. of honey to make up the rest and mellow the taste. Finally, I drizzled the scones with some melted white chocolate and sprinkled some candied ginger on top.


These scones were delightful. I literally can't stop nibbling on them. I'm really glad I upped the sugar and spices because the flavor was spot-on gingerbready. Plus, the scones were so soft and moist right out of the oven, no dry hockey pucks here. I'm totally glad that I picked these for this month's assignment. Thanks Jane for one lovely recipe.

Gingerbread Scones (adapted from The Heritage Cook)

2 c. all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. brown sugar (I used 4 Tbsp.)
1 tsp. ground ginger (I used 1 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I used 1 tsp.)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (I used salted butter and omitted this)
1/4 c. cold butter
1/3 c. molasses (I used 3 Tbsp. molasses + 2 Tbsp. honey)
1/4 c. milk (I used skim milk)
1 egg, separated

melted white chocolate, for drizzling
chopped candied ginger

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, combine the molasses, milk, and egg yolk until smooth; stir into the flour mixture just until moistened. Turn the dough onto a floured surface; knead gently 6-8 times. Pat into an 8-inch circle; cut into 12 wedges and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet.

Beat egg white until frothy; brush over scones. Bake for 12-15 min. or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire rack. Serve warm. If desired, drizzle with melted white chocolate and sprinkle with candied ginger.

Gingerbread Scones - SRC

Posted by admin No comments

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, it was my pleasure to be assigned to our sweet host's blog, The Heritage Cook. She had so many amazing looking recipes on her blog that I ended up with a list of about 20 different things and then had to take on the difficult task of narrowing it down. But, I finally decided on the Gingerbread Scones.


I did make a few changes to the recipe. First of all, I increased the amounts of the spices to 1 1/2 tsp. ginger powder and 1 tsp. of cinnamon. I also increased the amount of brown sugar to 4 Tbsp. In addition, since I was using a rather strong brand of molasses, I added only 3 Tbsp. of it to the recipe and used 2 Tbsp. of honey to make up the rest and mellow the taste. Finally, I drizzled the scones with some melted white chocolate and sprinkled some candied ginger on top.


These scones were delightful. I literally can't stop nibbling on them. I'm really glad I upped the sugar and spices because the flavor was spot-on gingerbready. Plus, the scones were so soft and moist right out of the oven, no dry hockey pucks here. I'm totally glad that I picked these for this month's assignment. Thanks Jane for one lovely recipe.

Gingerbread Scones (adapted from The Heritage Cook)

2 c. all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. brown sugar (I used 4 Tbsp.)
1 tsp. ground ginger (I used 1 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I used 1 tsp.)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (I used salted butter and omitted this)
1/4 c. cold butter
1/3 c. molasses (I used 3 Tbsp. molasses + 2 Tbsp. honey)
1/4 c. milk (I used skim milk)
1 egg, separated

melted white chocolate, for drizzling
chopped candied ginger

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, combine the molasses, milk, and egg yolk until smooth; stir into the flour mixture just until moistened. Turn the dough onto a floured surface; knead gently 6-8 times. Pat into an 8-inch circle; cut into 12 wedges and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet.

Beat egg white until frothy; brush over scones. Bake for 12-15 min. or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire rack. Serve warm. If desired, drizzle with melted white chocolate and sprinkle with candied ginger.

Giant Orange Cranberry Cookie - SRC

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Jaida's blog, Sweet Beginnings. Not too long ago, she was assigned to my blog, so I was thrilled to have the chance to reciprocate. Although she has a lot of savory recipes, I'm sure you know what I gravitated towards - the SWEETS!!!


Since I had a ton of orange zest and juice cubes in my freezer, I decided to make her Orange Cranberry Cookies. I did make several changes to the recipe. I increased the amount of orange zest since I like a lot of orange-y flavor. Then, I decreased the amount of cranberries. I also omitted the white chocolate chips from the dough and opted instead for melting some white chocolate and drizzling it on top after baking it. Finally, since I know my oven has a tendency to flatten cookies, I decided to put all the dough into a round pan and bake it up as one giant cookie (no flattening now!).


The giant cookie turned out lovely and putting it into a pan proved to be a good call. I'm also glad that I upped the amount of zest because then I could really taste the orange flavor. Thanks so much Jaida for making this SRC a sweet one!

Giant Orange Cranberry Cookie (adapted from Sweet Beginnings)

1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp. orange zest
1 Tbsp. orange juice
2 Tbsp. egg
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. dried cranberries
melted white chocolate, for drizzling

Heat oven to 350F. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with foil and butter the foil. Cream the butter with the sugars. Add the orange zest, juice, and egg. Slowly mix in flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Stir in the cranberries.

Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 35 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean. When cooled, drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Giant Orange Cranberry Cookie - SRC

Posted by admin No comments

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Jaida's blog, Sweet Beginnings. Not too long ago, she was assigned to my blog, so I was thrilled to have the chance to reciprocate. Although she has a lot of savory recipes, I'm sure you know what I gravitated towards - the SWEETS!!!


Since I had a ton of orange zest and juice cubes in my freezer, I decided to make her Orange Cranberry Cookies. I did make several changes to the recipe. I increased the amount of orange zest since I like a lot of orange-y flavor. Then, I decreased the amount of cranberries. I also omitted the white chocolate chips from the dough and opted instead for melting some white chocolate and drizzling it on top after baking it. Finally, since I know my oven has a tendency to flatten cookies, I decided to put all the dough into a round pan and bake it up as one giant cookie (no flattening now!).


The giant cookie turned out lovely and putting it into a pan proved to be a good call. I'm also glad that I upped the amount of zest because then I could really taste the orange flavor. Thanks so much Jaida for making this SRC a sweet one!

Giant Orange Cranberry Cookie (adapted from Sweet Beginnings)

1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp. orange zest
1 Tbsp. orange juice
2 Tbsp. egg
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. dried cranberries
melted white chocolate, for drizzling

Heat oven to 350F. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with foil and butter the foil. Cream the butter with the sugars. Add the orange zest, juice, and egg. Slowly mix in flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Stir in the cranberries.

Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 35 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean. When cooled, drizzle with melted white chocolate.

No-Rise Cinnamon Rolls - SRC

It turns out that Allison, from the blog, Alli N' Son was orphaned during this month's Secret Recipe Club. So, I volunteered with another blogger to step in and make something from her blog as well and it worked out great.

See, my family loves homemade cinnamon rolls. Don't get me wrong, I love them too. But, what I don't love is having to get up at 6am to start the process. Then, while the dough rises, I try to go back to sleep. But, because dough rises so fast in my warm kitchen, I only end up closing my eyes for 20 min. before I have to get back to work on it again. Meanwhile, my family is in sweet dreamland.


So, when I saw this recipe for NO-RISE Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls on Allison's site, you can bet I jumped on it. The only thing I wondered was, can it really be done? I was about to find out.

The dough is more like a biscuit dough since there's no yeast in it. I did run into a few mishaps trying to roll it out and then roll it up since it kept sticking to my surface no matter how much I floured it. But, I soldiered on and soon I had some mini cinnamon rolls all ready to go in the oven. I'll admit, a few burst open while baking (my fault), but the rest came out beautifully.


To my surprise, I actually liked the combo of chocolate and cinnamon in these rolls. The filling kind of reminded me of chocolate syrup (which is always a good thing) and the rolls were soft and melt in your mouth good. Will these replace my go-to cinnamon roll recipe? Probably not. But, if my family wants cinnamon rolls for breakfast and I want to sleep? You can bet I'm gonna make these.

Allison gets double the love today because Andrea from the blog, Adventures in All Things Food, also stepped up and volunteered to help out. She made an amazing looking Pineapple Fried Rice. You're gonna want to reach into your computer screen and pull the plate out when you see it. Yum!

No-Rise Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls (from Alli N' Son)

Chocolate-Cinnamon Filling:
1/3 c. melted butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

Dough:
2 c. flour
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. melted butter
1 c. buttermilk (I used 1 Tbsp. vinegar + milk to make 1 cup)
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips (I left these out)

Glaze:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. buttermilk (I used plain milk)

For the filling: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, sugars, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

For the dough:

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray an 8" pan with non-stick spray.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the melted butter and buttermilk to form a soft dough.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured countertop and knead 8-10 times, adding flour if necessary (I had to add in about 1/4-1/2 cup more of flour). Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/3" thick and 12 inches long.

Evenly spread the cinnamon-chocolate mixture on the dough and sprinkle with the chocolate chips, if using. Starting with the long end, roll the dough up.

Cut into 12 even slices (I used dental floss to cut them). Place cut side down on prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 min., until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly, then turn out onto a plate.

While the rolls are cooling, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and cream cheese in a small bowl. Mix until smooth. Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls.

No-Rise Cinnamon Rolls - SRC

Posted by admin No comments

It turns out that Allison, from the blog, Alli N' Son was orphaned during this month's Secret Recipe Club. So, I volunteered with another blogger to step in and make something from her blog as well and it worked out great.

See, my family loves homemade cinnamon rolls. Don't get me wrong, I love them too. But, what I don't love is having to get up at 6am to start the process. Then, while the dough rises, I try to go back to sleep. But, because dough rises so fast in my warm kitchen, I only end up closing my eyes for 20 min. before I have to get back to work on it again. Meanwhile, my family is in sweet dreamland.


So, when I saw this recipe for NO-RISE Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls on Allison's site, you can bet I jumped on it. The only thing I wondered was, can it really be done? I was about to find out.

The dough is more like a biscuit dough since there's no yeast in it. I did run into a few mishaps trying to roll it out and then roll it up since it kept sticking to my surface no matter how much I floured it. But, I soldiered on and soon I had some mini cinnamon rolls all ready to go in the oven. I'll admit, a few burst open while baking (my fault), but the rest came out beautifully.


To my surprise, I actually liked the combo of chocolate and cinnamon in these rolls. The filling kind of reminded me of chocolate syrup (which is always a good thing) and the rolls were soft and melt in your mouth good. Will these replace my go-to cinnamon roll recipe? Probably not. But, if my family wants cinnamon rolls for breakfast and I want to sleep? You can bet I'm gonna make these.

Allison gets double the love today because Andrea from the blog, Adventures in All Things Food, also stepped up and volunteered to help out. She made an amazing looking Pineapple Fried Rice. You're gonna want to reach into your computer screen and pull the plate out when you see it. Yum!

No-Rise Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls (from Alli N' Son)

Chocolate-Cinnamon Filling:
1/3 c. melted butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

Dough:
2 c. flour
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. melted butter
1 c. buttermilk (I used 1 Tbsp. vinegar + milk to make 1 cup)
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips (I left these out)

Glaze:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. buttermilk (I used plain milk)

For the filling: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, sugars, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

For the dough:

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray an 8" pan with non-stick spray.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the melted butter and buttermilk to form a soft dough.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured countertop and knead 8-10 times, adding flour if necessary (I had to add in about 1/4-1/2 cup more of flour). Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/3" thick and 12 inches long.

Evenly spread the cinnamon-chocolate mixture on the dough and sprinkle with the chocolate chips, if using. Starting with the long end, roll the dough up.

Cut into 12 even slices (I used dental floss to cut them). Place cut side down on prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 min., until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly, then turn out onto a plate.

While the rolls are cooling, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and cream cheese in a small bowl. Mix until smooth. Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls.

Berry Muffins - SRC

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Jessie's blog, Vanderbilt Wife. After browsing through all her recipes, I knew exactly what I wanted to make - Fresh Strawberry Muffins. I am a strawberry fiend. Whenever it's strawberry season, I buy several pounds at a time and finish them off in just a few days. I could literally eat them every day and never get tired of them.

And since it just happens to be that time of year, my fridge had several more pounds of strawberries just sitting in there all ready to be eaten. I suppose I could afford to part with some of them to make into delicious muffins.

I ended up putting strawberries into some of them. Into others, I added some chocolate chips with the strawberries. Then, I remembered that I had some blueberries and lemons, so I threw that into some of the muffins as well. While they were all delicious, I think the blueberry lemon ones were my absolute faves. There's just something about having a juicy berry explode in your mouth with every bite. At some point, I had considered glazing the muffins maybe with a lemon-powdered sugar glaze. But, upon eating them, I realized the muffins don't need it at all. They're totally yummy without it.

Thanks Jessie for a super muffin recipe!

Berry Muffins (from Vanderbilt Wife)

1/2 c. butter, melted
3/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon zest (if using blueberries)
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. chopped strawberries or blueberries
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

If using the lemon zest, add it to the sugar and rub it in with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Cream butter and lemon-sugar. Add egg and mix well.

Add flour, baking powder, and salt to a small bowl. Stir well with a wire whisk. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture. Add vanilla. Gently stir in strawberries or blueberries or chocolate chips, or whatever you wish.

Spoon batter into muffin pans. Bake at 400F for 20-25 min.

Berry Muffins - SRC

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For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Jessie's blog, Vanderbilt Wife. After browsing through all her recipes, I knew exactly what I wanted to make - Fresh Strawberry Muffins. I am a strawberry fiend. Whenever it's strawberry season, I buy several pounds at a time and finish them off in just a few days. I could literally eat them every day and never get tired of them.

And since it just happens to be that time of year, my fridge had several more pounds of strawberries just sitting in there all ready to be eaten. I suppose I could afford to part with some of them to make into delicious muffins.

I ended up putting strawberries into some of them. Into others, I added some chocolate chips with the strawberries. Then, I remembered that I had some blueberries and lemons, so I threw that into some of the muffins as well. While they were all delicious, I think the blueberry lemon ones were my absolute faves. There's just something about having a juicy berry explode in your mouth with every bite. At some point, I had considered glazing the muffins maybe with a lemon-powdered sugar glaze. But, upon eating them, I realized the muffins don't need it at all. They're totally yummy without it.

Thanks Jessie for a super muffin recipe!

Berry Muffins (from Vanderbilt Wife)

1/2 c. butter, melted
3/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon zest (if using blueberries)
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. chopped strawberries or blueberries
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

If using the lemon zest, add it to the sugar and rub it in with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Cream butter and lemon-sugar. Add egg and mix well.

Add flour, baking powder, and salt to a small bowl. Stir well with a wire whisk. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture. Add vanilla. Gently stir in strawberries or blueberries or chocolate chips, or whatever you wish.

Spoon batter into muffin pans. Bake at 400F for 20-25 min.