Gingersnap Cookies

Gingersnap Cookies 

These cookies melt in your mouth they’re so delicious!

Ingredients:

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup cinnamon sugar mix

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture to blend evenly.
3. Place the shortening into a mixing bowl and beat until creamy.
4. Gradually beat in white sugar and then mix in dark molasses and egg.
5. Sift 1/3 of flour mix into the shortening mixture and blend thoroughly.
6. Add remaining flour and mix completely until a soft dough forms.
7. Roll rough into 1 inch diameter balls with your hands.
8. Roll each ball into cinnamon sugar mix and place 2 inches apart on an un-greased baking sheet.
9. Bake in pre-heated oven for 11-12 minutes (tops will be rounded and slightly cracked). Leave on pan for 3-4 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool
   **cookies will be really soft when coming out and are harder to transfer immediately

Coconut Bundt Cake

Coconut Bundt Cake (this cake is absolutely incredible!!!)

Ingredients:

Cake –
1½ cups butter, softened
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup light sour cream
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsps coconut extract
1¾ cups flour
2 cups flaked coconut, chopped

Coconut Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tsp coconut extract
½ cup flaked coconut, toasted (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease a bundt pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour and flaked coconut. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter & sugar. Add eggs and mix until mixture is light and fluffy.
4. Add sour cream, baking powder and coconut extract. Mix well.
5. Add half of the flour mixture to creamed mixture, mix well.
6. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until well combined.
7. Let cake batter rest for 5 minutes.
8. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for for 60 – 70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Cool 25 minutes.
10. Invert onto serving plate. Frost with coconut glaze.
11. For the glaze: Mix ingredients together. Pour on top of cake and let the glaze drizzle down the sides of the cake.
12. Top with toasted coconut, if desired.

*To toast coconut – spread out coconut on baking sheet. Cook for 3-4 min, pull pan out of oven and shake to rotate the coconut. Put back in the oven for another 2-3 min, or until coconut slightly browns on edges.

PB&J Muffins

Ingredients (makes 6 muffins):
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp coconut oil
jam or preserves, your choice or flavor (I used strawberry)

Crumble Top –
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar sugar
1 tbsp bsugar
1/4 cup flour
Directions:
1. Preheat over to 375 degrees
2. Line muffin tin with baking cups and set aside.
3. Combine flour, salt, baking powder & sugar into a medium size bowl.
4. Stir in peanut butter until crumbly.
5. Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract & coconut oil.
6. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix low until combined.
7. Fill each cup 1/2 way with batter
8. Talk a 1 tsp scoop of jam and place in the center of each 1/2 filled cup.
9. Divide remaining batter into cups.
10. Make crumble mixture by blending flour, sugar & butter.
11. Lightly sprinkle the crumble mixture on top of each batter filled cup.
12. Baked for 18-20 minutes.
13. Let cool slightly before serving.

Garlic Bread Waffles

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp white sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup of warm milk
2 tbsp melted butter + additional 1 tbsp (separate)
1 tsp garlic powder + 1/2 tsp (separate)
1 1/2 tsp parsley flakes + 1/2 tsp (separate)

Directions:
1. Preheat waffle iron.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar
3. In a separate bowl, beat egg until fluffy. Stir in milk and butter.
4. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until blended.
5. Mix 1 tbsp melted butter, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp parsley flakes.
6. Using a pastry or basting brush, generously coat your waffle iron with the melted butter mixture (both sides).
7. Pour 1/3-1/2 cups of batter per waffle into waffle iron (depending on size of iron).
8. Cook for roughly 6 minutes.
9. Top with mozzarella stuffed meatballs (recipe coming soon) and sauce.
10. Serve warm!

Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

Homemade Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich

I think we all deserve to treat ourselves to a delicious homemade ice cream cookie sandwich once in a while (or, a few times a week).

Ingredients:

1 stick salted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt + a little extra sprinkle
1 cup chocolate chips
Ice Cream of your choice
Sprinkles (jimmies)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds (this will just barely melt it)
3. Mix butter with sugars (using a standard or hand mixer) until creamy
4. Add vanilla and egg, mix until just combined (be careful not to over beat the egg)
5. Add the flour, baking soda, salt and mix into a crumble form
6. Use your hands to form into a large ball
7. Add chocolate chips and mix in evenly with your hands
8. Roll dough into 12-14 larges balls and place on baking sheets
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies look puffy and dry – just barely golden (DO NOT OVER BAKE – this keeps your cookies soft and AMAZING); take them out when they’re pale and puffy, even if they don’t appear to be done yet.
10. Let them cool on the pan for 30 minutes (or eat a few warm – I won’t try to stop you!)  They should sink into a dense, buttery cookie.
11. Once the cookies a cooled, soften your favorite ice cream (I like to use coffee flavored).
12. Pour a generous amount of sprinkles onto a small plate.
13. Scoop one large scoop of ice cream onto the inside of a cookie and place another cookie on top.
14. Gently press the cookies together, squeezing the ice cream to the edges of the sandwich
15. Roll the outside of the sandwich into the sprinkles
16. Eat immediately or freeze for later!

Enjoy!

***for super delicious chocolate chip cookies skip steps 11-16 and the ice cream and sprinkles

Roasted Tomato Appetizer

This is so delicious yet so simple.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb cherry tomatoes 

1-2 rolls of your choice (I used multigrain)

1.5 tbsp olive oil

Salt, pepper, garlic powder & red pepper to season

Parmesan cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Slice tomatoes into halves and place in bowl

3. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and mix with a spoon

4. Line baking pan with parchment paper and spread tomatoes out evenly 

5. Season with salt, paper, garlic powder and red pepper

6. Baked for 30-35 minutes

7. Lightly sprinkle Parmesan cheese 

8. Serve warm with toasted bread of your choice (I sliced a multigrain roll and toasted the last 5 minutes in the oven)

Crock Pot Roast

I initially created this roast recipe for French dip sandwiches (which are the bomb). The next day NYC decided to hit us with a 13 degree commute and I needed something more hearty. I had a lot of extra meat from the night before so I turned this easy crock pot roast into a pot roast dinner. Nothing* I love more than having a variety of options for my crock pot meats. Weird to say? Not ashamed. (also see my crock pot pulled pork)

*except maybe a good jalapeno margarita, binging Netflix and organizing my closet

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INGREDIENTS:

3 lb beef chuck roast
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cups unsalted beef broth
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp dry french onion soup mix
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 can of Campbell’s French Onion Soup + 1 can of water

If making French dip sandwiches –
1. Rolls (sliced & toasted)
2. Provolone cheese (melt the cheese in the au ju before putting on your sandwich, trust me)
3. Dijon mustard, mayo *optional (after toasting roll spread mustard on half of roll and mayo on the other)

If making Pot Roast Dinner –
1. Sweet mashed potatoes (I’ll post my go-to recipe soon)
2. Steamed veggies (I chopped a celery, carrot and onion mix; steamed in a bit of beef broth; seasoned with salt, pepper & garlic powder) *doesn’t need to be extremely flavorful, the flavor will be in the au ju from your roast

DIRECTIONS:
1. Turn crock pot on low
2. Layer bottom of pot with thinly sliced onions
3. Mix garlic, pepper, salt, thyme and onion powder
4. Remove excess fat from roast and rub spice mixture with dry French onion soup mix onto roast
5. Set roast on top of onion slices
6. Mix beef broth, soy and Worcestershire sauce and pour on top of roast
7. Pour Campbell’s soup on top of roast
8. Add additional can of water into crock pot
9. Cook roast on low for 4-6 hours until fully cooked (cook longer if you’d like shredded roast, you should be able to pull apart with 2 forks)
10. Remove roast from pot onto cutting board and thinly slice
11. Add sliced or pulled meat back into pot mixing into the juices
12. Serve hot

Healthy Sweet Potato Breakfast Skillet

This recipe easily makes my top 3. It’s my go-to for a hearty brunch. It’s quick, delicious and guilt-free.

Makes 1-2 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/3 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/3 cup black beans, rinsed
2-3 eggs
1/2 tbsp olive oil (or oil alternative, i.e. coconut)
for seasoning: salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, red pepper
Sriracha sauce (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Over medium-high, heat olive oil on stove in a 9 inch cast iron skillet
3. Add sweet potato (stir and cook 2-3 min)
4. Add green pepper and onion, season veggie mixture lightly with spices (you can always add more but these spices have strong flavors)
5. Continue to stir until veggies begin to soften
6. Remove from heat
7. Use a spoon to make 2-3 pockets in your mix
8. Crack eggs into pockets and season lightly with salt & pepper
9. Bake 9-12 minutes (or until your eggs reach a consistency you prefer)
10. Drizzle Sriracha sauce on top serve immediately

 

Easy Skillet Huevos Rancheros

Easy Skillet Huevos Rancheros

Mexican food is my favorite food – and huevos rancheros is the best way to make sure you can get your fix for breakfast, lunch & dinner 😉

INGREDIENTS-

2 small (7-9 inch) round cast iron pans
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 14 oz can peeled tomatoes
1/2 cup diced onion
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 cooked chorizo sausage links – chopped
1/4 cup black beans
1/2 ripe avocado
pickled jalapeno slices (depending on your preference)
4-6 eggs

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease your cast iron pans
2. In a pot heat olive oil over medium heat add onions once olive oil coats pan (1-2 min)
3. Cook onions until almost translucent
4. Add canned tomatoes, cooking and breaking tomatoes apart until it becomes more of a sauce
5. Add spices and cover, letting simmer for 10-12 minutes
6. Once tomatoes are broken down into a chunky sauce, divide into your cast iron pans
7. Crack 2-3 eggs over tomato mixture and season with salt and pepper
8. Sprinkle black beans and jalapeños as you choose
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes (or until eggs are cooked to your liking)
10. Top with avocado and chorizo
11. Serve warm with bread or tortilla chips!

Churro Waffles

Do I really need to provide an explanation as to why you should try these? I didn’t think so.

Ingredients:

Dough –
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water

Toppings –
Cinnamon Sugar – mix 1.5 tbsp cinnamon with 4 tbsp of sugar
Additional choices – strawberries, whipped cream, etc.

Directions:
1. Pre-heat your waffle iron
2. In a sauce pan, add water, sugar, salt & butter – stirring once or twice until butter melted and sugar has dissolved
**do not let water boil, once butter has melted stir just enough to dissolve sugar**
3. Remove pan from heat and add all of the flour
4. Use a whisk to combine flour into liquid mixture to avoid lumps
5. Return pan to medium heat and cook the dough for 2 minutes or so
**no need to mix, you will be able to use a spatula to flip dough – it will turn into a shiny dough, leaving a film of flour on the sides of your pan (see below for a better idea of what your dough should look like)

6. Once dough is cooked, remove from pan and divide into 6 parts
7. Spray waffle iron with non-stick spray then place 2 portion of dough onto iron (unless your iron makes 4, then 4 parts)
*note: this dough is not mean to cover every corner of the iron
8. Cook in iron for 5-6 minutes
9. Remove from iron
10. Transfer to plate with cinnamon and sugar mixture and coat generously
11. Repeat steps 7-10 for remaining waffles

Enjoy!