Pao de Queijo: Brazilian Cheese Bread

When I first saw this recipe I immediately thought it was one I had to try. Besides being gluten free the combination of cheese and bread looked amazing. These are incredibly easy to make and are delicious warm right out of the oven. Alex said they taste like cheese-it crackers in biscuit form.

Making these is really odd. The tapioca flour is an odd ingredient to work with. When you add it to the liquids it turns into a gelatinous mess, then as you beat it the mixture becomes reminiscent of cookie dough. The finished dough is very soft and does not resemble bread dough. It feels and scoops like a very soft cookie dough. You will want to grease anything you use to touch the dough or it won’t come off very easily.

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Pao de Queijo: Brazilian Cheese Bread:1 Cup Milk½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil1 Teaspoon Salt2 Cups Tapioca Flour2 Eggs1 ½ Cups Shredded Parmesan CheesePreheat the oven to 450 and line two baking sheets with silpat liners or baking parchment.

Boil the milk and oil until there are large bubbles coming up through the oil.

Remove from the heat, add the tapioca flour. Your mixture will be soft and gelatinous.Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a greased paddle attachment. Cool the dough by beating it until you can hold your hands on it for several moments.

Beat in the eggs until well combined.Beat in the cheese until thoroughly combined.

Using a small greased cookie scoop portion the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Place the cookie sheets into the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 350. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:38]

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Source: The Kitchn

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Lavender Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

When I made these I was worried that people wouldn’t be adventurous enough to try them. Alex refused to try them, he said it was weird that they were made with Lavender and he didn’t think they should be eaten. However there were more than enough people who ate these, and even enjoyed them! I got rave reviews from these cupcakes. One person said they reminded him on Lemon Poppyseed cupcakes and he really enjoyed them.The key to these cupcakes is to infuse the milk with the lavender. It creates a sort of lavender tea that you then use to flavor the cupcakes. You also want to coarsely chop some lavender and add it to the batter. This gives even more lavender flavor and also a little bit of texture to the cupcakes. I chose not to color these cupcakes. But if you desired, you could add some red/blue food coloring to give the cupcakes a purple color. I decided that I preferred the natural look for these, but it is entirely up to the baker.

The frosting on this recipe is amazing. I really wanted to make the lemon flavor pop, so when I created this frosting I added both lemon extract and lemon juice to give the frosting a very complex and slightly tart flavor. I also used the 1/3 less fat cream cheese which itself has a slightly tangy flavor. This frosting really compliments this cupcake.

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Lavender Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:2/3 Cup Milk2 Teaspoons Dried Lavender½ Cup Canola Oil¾ Cup Sugar2 Eggs¼ Cup & 2 Teaspoons Buttermilk1 Tablespoon Butter (very soft)1 Tablespoon Vanilla1 Teaspoon Baking Powder1 Teaspoon Baking Soda1 Tablespoon Dried Lavender (finely chopped)1 ¾ Cup FlourFor Frosting:4oz Butter8oz Cream Cheese2 Cups Powdered Sugar½ Teaspoon Lemon Extract½ Teaspoon Lemon JuiceDried Lavender for garnishTo make the cupcakes:

Heat the milk in the microwave until boiling. Put the lavender in a tea ball or bag and steep until the milk cools. If you don’t have a tea ball or bag you can just put the lavender into the milk and then strain the milk when it has cooled. Set aside.Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.In the bowl of a stand mixer combined the oil and sugar until well mixed.

Add the eggs and beat well. Add the lavender infused milk, buttermilk, butter, vanilla, salt, baking powder, baking soda and chopped lavender. Beat until completely combined.Slowly add the flour while keeping your mixer on low. Once all the flour has been added turn the mixer on high and beat until there are no lumps left.

Using a ¼ cup measuring cup fill the muffin tin with batter.Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from the muffin tin and set on a cooling rack. Wait until the cupcakes have cooled completely before frosting.To make the frosting:In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the butter and cream cheese until well combined.

Slowly add in the lemon extract and lemon juice, beat into the mixture.Add the powdered sugar a ½ cup at a time to the mixture. Beat on high once everything has been added until the frosting is a spreadable consistency.

Using a piping bag fitted with a tip frost the cupcakes. Sprinkle with dried lavender to finish.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:37]

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Source: Cake adapted from Oh Sweet Day

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Chocolate Seafoam Cookies

These are incredible cookies. They are light, fluffy and filled with chocolaty goodness. These bad boys are also gluten free! You will want to make these in a stand mixer. If you don’t have one you can still make them, but it will take much longer and be more difficult if you do it by hand or even with a hand mixer.

I instruct you to use Baker’s sugar in this recipe. However, regular sugar will work but you will have to beat it longer to get it to dissolve. Baker’s sugar is a super fine sugar that dissolves easier in baked goods and provides you with a smoother finished product. I highly suggest using it in recipes like this, you will taste the difference in the finished cookies.

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Chocolate Seafoam Cookies:4 Eggwhites (at room temperature)1 Teaspoon Cream of TartarDash of Salt1 Cup Baker’s Sugar2 Teaspoons Vanilla2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder½ Cup Chopped Pecans1 Cup White Chocolate ChipsPreheat the oven to 300, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat liner.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and continue to beat until the mixture forms soft peaks.

Add the sugar, vanilla and cocoa powder a little at a time and continue beating until the mixture holds stiff peaks and the sugar is dissolved.

Gently fold in the pecans and white chocolate with a spatula.

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets.Bake for 25 minutes.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:36]

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Source: Adapted from The Cookie Party Cookbook – Robin L Olson

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Honey Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling and Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

I had a request for Lemon cupcakes recently and it got me to thinking: “what flavors would really compliment a lemon cupcake?” I decided that a honey based cupcake would really make the lemon flavor pop. I created what I feel to be the perfect lemon cream cheese frosting. I paired both lemon extract and lemon juice to give it an extra pop. This frosting is incredible and would go perfectly with just about any cupcake you might make.My Mom had given me a jar of lemon curd that she had received as a present. She doesn’t bake much and wanted to make sure it got used. I decided that this would be the absolute perfect filling for these cupcakes! Since I didn’t make this myself I don’t have a recipe, but if you decide to make this there are many recipes you can find on the internet.

Since these cupcakes have honey in them I adapted the recipe so that they cook at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. This will keep the cupcakes from browning unevenly. Baked goods with honey tend to brown faster than baked goods without it. Because of this you will want to remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin as soon as they are cool enough to handle. This will keep them from browning further in the pan after the baking time has finished.

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Honey Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling and Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:For Cupcakes:5 Tablespoons Oil¾ Cup Sugar2 Eggs½ Cup Buttermilk¼ Cup Honey1 Teaspoon Baking Powder½ Teaspoon Salt½ Teaspoon Vanilla½ Teaspoon Lemon Extract½ Tablespoon Lemon Juice1 ½ Cup FlourFor Filling:Lemon CurdFor Frosting:4oz Butter8oz Cream Cheese2 Cups Powdered Sugar½ Teaspoon Lemon Extract½ Teaspoon Lemon JuiceHoney for drizzlingTo make the cupcakes:Preheat the oven to 325 and line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set the muffin tin on an aluminum baking sheet.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the oil and sugar until combined. Add the eggs and beat until the mixture is full of bubbles.Beat in the buttermilk, honey, baking powder, salt, extracts and lemon juice. Beat until well combined.

Add the flour and beat on high until there are no lumps.Using a ¼ Cup measuring cup spoon the batter into the prepared liners.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven.As soon as the cupcakes are cool enough to handle remove them from the baking pan and set on a wire rack to finish cooling.To fill the cupcakes:Wait until the cupcakes are completely cool before moving on to this step.

Using one of these methods fill the cupcakes with the lemon curd.To make the frosting:

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the butter and cream cheese until well combined.Slowly add in the lemon extract and lemon juice, beat into the mixture.Add the powdered sugar a ½ cup at a time to the mixture. Beat on high once everything has been added until the frosting is a spreadable consistency.

Using a piping bag fitted with a tip frost the cupcakes. Drizzle with honey to finish.

 [amd-yrecipe-recipe:35]

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Source: Cake adapted from The Cake Blog

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Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Orange Ginger Frosting

I saw this cake recipe in the April 2015 edition of the Food Network Magazine and I knew I had to make it. I had previously read on several occasions about paring ginger frosting with carrot cake so I decided to build a recipe that showcases that flavor and also compliments the orange flavor of the cupcakes.I didn’t think I would actually like the frosting since it isn’t the flavor combination I typically go for. However this is one of the most amazing frostings I’ve ever tried. I am currently trying to see what other types of cupcakes it would be appropriate on because it is so amazing. The orange and ginger combination are the perfect complement to each other and neither is too strong for the recipe.

Alex and his coworkers raved about these cupcakes. They really seemed to love the carrot cake pared with the orange ginger cream cheese frosting. If you like carrot cake these cupcakes are a must make. I would encourage you to try them with the frosting recipe here. I really think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the end result.

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Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Orange Ginger Frosting:For the Cake:6 Tablespoons Chopped Pecans1 ¼ Cup Flour1 Teaspoon Baking Powder½ Teaspoon Baking Soda1 Teaspoon Ginger½ Teaspoon Cinnamon1/8 Teaspoon Allspice1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg1/8 Teaspoon Salt¾ Cup Sugar¼ Cup Brown Sugar½ Cup & 2 Tablespoons Oil2 Eggs¼ Cup Unsweetened Applesauce1 Cup Grated Carrots1 Teaspoon Orange ZestFor the Frosting:6oz Cream Cheese6 Tablespoons Butter2 ½ Teaspoons Ginger3 Cups Powdered SugarJuice of ½ of a medium Orange (about 3-4 Tablespoons)To make the cake:Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the sugars, oil and eggs together until light and fluffy.Add in the spices, applesauce and vanilla. Stir until well combined.

Add the flour, carrots and orange zest. Stir well.Remove from the stand mixer and stir in the chopped nuts. Using a ¼ Cup measuring cup put the batter into the prepared muffin tin.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Remove the muffins from the baking tin and set on a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.To make the frosting:

Cream the cream cheese, butter and ginger together in the bowl of a stand mixer.Slowly add the powdered sugar to the mixture. Stir until well combined.

Slowly add the orange juice to the frosting, while beating it on low.Cream the frosting until it is light and fluffy.

Frost cupcakes using a frosting bag with tip.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:34]

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Source: Cake adapted from Food Network Magazine, April 2015

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Amish Pizza Soup

My sister sent me this recipe several months ago. Since she lived in the middle of Amish country she was constantly getting wonderful recipes from the Amish cooks who lived and worked nearby. She told me that Alex and I HAD to try this recipe. I don’t really know why it took me so long to try it, but after we had it I was sad I hadn’t made it sooner.The original recipe calls for using Tomato soup. However, since tomato soup contains wheat ingredients I had to make a couple of changes. If you don’t need to eat gluten free you can substitute the tomato sauce for two 10oz cans of tomato soup and two cans water.

 The finished product is an amazingly rich and full flavored soup. It really seems like you are eating a pizza! Ideally if you were serving a multiple course meal this would make an amazing soup course. You could also cut down the ingredients and just serve it as a marinara sauce. It would be a delicious topping for breadsticks or garlic toast.

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Amish Pizza Soup:33.5oz Tomato Sauce1 Cup Water2 Teaspoons Oregano2 Teaspoons Basil¼ Teaspoon Parsley½ Teaspoon Onion Powder½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder1 Teaspoon Salt5 Tablespoons Sugar1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar½ Cup Mozzarella (shredded)¼ Cup Parmesan (shredded)¼ LB Sausage (cooked)¼ Cup Pepperoni (chopped)

Combine the tomato sauce, water, seasonings and sugar in a 5qt Dutch Oven. Cook until boiling. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the cheese and meat to the pot. Cook until everything is heated through and the cheese is just starting to melt.

Serve with breadsticks or garlic toast.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:33]

Gluten Free Brownie Pie

This is the most amazing brownie pie I’ve ever tasted. I think the magic ingredient is the sour cream you put it. This gives the pie a creamy texture the compliments the chocolate. This is about the richest pie you will ever taste. One small piece is plenty and ice cream would make it an even more decadent treat.

If you prefer plain brownies don’t use the extra chocolate chips or nuts. However if you like brownies chock full of yumminess go ahead and add them. I’ve tried this pie both warm out of the oven and cooled to room temperature. Surprisingly I prefer to eat this pie at room temp. I feel that it gives it a much stiffer consistency which is much tastier.

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Gluten Free Brownie Pie:6 Tablespoons Butter2 Cups Chocolate Chips½ Cup Gluten Free Flour¼ Teaspoon Xanthan Gum½ Cup Cocoa Powder1/3 Teaspoon Baking Powder¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt3 Eggs1 Cup Sugar½ Teaspoon Vanilla½ Cup Sour Cream1 Cup Chocolate Chips (optional)½ Cup Chopped Nuts (optional)Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a deep dish pie plate.

Place the butter and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the contents in 30 second increments until the chocolate chips have melted. Stir to combine, set aside to cool.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, whisk to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the chocolate mixture, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined.Add the dry ingredients, reserving about ¼ of a cup for later. Beat until  well combined.

Add the sour cream and beat until the batter becomes thicker and more elastic.

Stir in the optional chocolate chips and nuts if using and the remaining dry ingredients. Stir until everything is evenly distributed.

Spread into the pie plate. Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for another 5-10 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Cool to room temperature before serving.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:32]

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Source: Adapted from Gluten Free on a Shoestring – Nicole Hunn

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Shredded Buffalo Chicken

I’m always keeping an eye out for new recipes to try and when I came across this one I knew Alex would love it. He adores spicy food and I don’t make things “spicy enough” very often because I don’t care much for it. These however, were WAY too spicy for me so Alex LOVED them!This recipe is an easy dinner solution that your family will love. Using your crock pot makes dinner super easy. Once you put the ingredients in the crock pot in the morning you don’t have to worry about it until dinner time again.This recipe is gluten free if you make your own Ranch seasoning mix. I’m working on perfecting the one I have and will post it in the future. However there are many different places you can get recipes to make it. The ranch mix give the chicken a fuller flavor. If you don’t use it you will only have the buffalo sauce and no other flavor. I highly suggest using it in this recipe.

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Shredded Buffalo Chicken:3 Large Frozen Chicken Breasts1 Cup Buffalo Sauce1 Cup Water1 Teaspoon Ranch Dressing Mix1/3 Cup Water3 Tablespoons Corn Starch1 Tablespoon Butter

Lightly grease your crock pot and put the frozen chicken in the bottom.Whisk the buffalo sauce, water and ranch dressing mix and pour over the top of the chicken.

Cook on low 6-8 hours, or high for 3-4, until the chicken is cooked through.Shred the chicken in the crock pot.Combine the water and corn starch in a cup. Stir until completely combined. Pour into the shredded chicken mix. Add the butter.

Stir to combine everything in the crock pot and cook for 30 minutes more.Serve with cheese on buns or gluten free bread!

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:31]

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Source: Adapted from Greens & Chocolate

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Grain Free Pizza Crust

I’m continuing to experiment with my Coconut flour and I thought, what better thing to try than a pizza crust?! Alex has been getting tired of the gluten free crust I normally make and I wanted to try something different. The taste of this crust is absolutely fantastic! The different seasonings really make this crust pop and it is an amazing Italian party in your mouth.I expected great things out of this recipe and I was sadly disappointed. However, this would be a fantastic crust if you prefer a sauceless pizza. I found this crust to be pretty soggy when all was said and done. But if you prefer just veggies ect on your pizza this crust is for you.

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Grain Free Pizza Crust:3 Eggs1 Cup Milk½ Cup Coconut Flour2 Teaspoons Onion Powder½ Teaspoon Baking Soda1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning¼ Teaspoon Garlic PowderToppings of choice

Preheat the oven to 375 and prepare a pizza pan by lining with parchment paper and olive oil.Whisk together the eggs and milk until well combined.

Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until there is no dry coconut flour.Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so that the coconut flour can absorb the liquid.

Spread onto the parchment paper, the mixture will be reminiscent of pancake batter but slightly thicker.Bake the crust for 20 – 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and flip over. I used a cooling rack to flip it over. Let the crust cool for 5 minutes.

Put the crust back into the pan and top with your toppings.Bake until the cheese is bubbly.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:30]

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Source: Adapted from Gluten Free Bread

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Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the most amazing Chocolate Chip cookies you will ever taste. Alex actually prefers them to regular chocolate chip cookies when they are fresh out of the oven. They don’t have that heavy feel you normally get after eating a cookie too! These are from my favorite gluten free cookbook – Gluten Free on a Shoestring by Nicole Hunn. I absolutely love her book and suggest you go pick up a copy if you eat gluten free.I’ve made these cookies several times and each time they just seem to get better and better. The key to these cookies is refrigerating them for about 10 minutes before you cook them. If you do this they spread out like regular chocolate chippers. I’ve also refrigerated the batter overnight. I don’t prefer to do this though. The cookies tend to hold their mounded shape if you do this and don’t spread as much.

I’ve baked these both as written and as a half batch. They both turn out equally as well. Just make sure that you let them sit for 10 minutes before baking so that the gluten free flour has time to absorb the liquid in the batter.

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Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies:8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter¾ Cup Sugar¾ Cup Brown Sugar2 Eggs1 Tablespoon Vanilla2 ¼ Cup Gluten Free Flour1 ¼ Teaspoon Xanthan Gum½ Teaspoon Salt1 Teaspoon Baking SodaChocolate ChipsPreheat the oven to 350, and line two baking sheets with Silpat liners or parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.Add the eggs, vanilla, salt and baking soda. Stir until combined.Stir in the xanthan gum and gluten free flour, stir until well combined and slightly elastic. Add the chocolate chips

Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.Drop scoopfuls of cookie dough onto the prepared sheet. Stick the sheets in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Bake for 7-10 minutes or until the edges are starting to brown slightly. Remove the pan from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before moving the cookies to a cooling rack.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:29]

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Source: Gluten Free on a Shoestring – Nicole Hunn

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Gluten Free Hi-Hat Cupcakes

I decided that I finally wanted to try making Gluten Free cupcakes. For some reason I’ve been nervous to try making gf cupcakes even though I bake cupcakes all the time. These however, turned out amazing! They are light and fluffy and make a fantastic base for any frosting.

I chose to turn these into Hi-Hat cupcakes, although by the time I served them they were pretty slouchy hats. ;) The marshmallow frosting that these were topped with was incredible. So much so that I thought that it needed its own post!

The easiest way to glaze these cupcakes are if you heat the glaze in a bowl deep enough to dip the cupcakes into it. The frosting stays put on the cupcakes, even when you turn it upside down. This makes it easy to swirl the cupcakes in the bowl. Just make sure to let them drip off upside down before putting them on a cooling rack to dry.

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Gluten Free Hi-Hat Cupcakes:1 Cup Gluten Free Flour½ Cup Cocoa Powder1 Cup Sugar4 Tablespoons Salted Butter¼ Cup Olive Oil1 ¼ Teaspoon Vanilla3 Eggs½ Cup WaterMarshmallow FrostingChocolate Glaze:6oz Chocolate Chips2 Tablespoons Butter2 Tablespoons Corn SyrupPreheat the oven to 350 and line a 12 cavity muffin tin with liners.Whisk together the cocoa powder and flour, set aside.

Beat together the butter, sugar, olive oil, and vanilla until light and fluffy.Add the eggs and combine well.

Alternate adding the flour mixture and water, stir until well combined.Let sit for 10 minutes to allow the flour to absorb moisture.

Scoop by ¼ cupfulls into the prepared pan.Bake for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool on a cooling rack completely before frosting.

Once the cupcakes are completely cool frost as usual with Marshmallow Frosting.Heat the ingredients for the glaze in 30 second increments in the microwave.

Once it has completely melted stir together. Dip the frosted cupcakes into the glaze and set on a cooling rack.

Put in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to harden the glaze.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:28]

Source: Cupcakes adapted from King Arthur Flour

Marshmallow Frosting

This frosting is pretty much the most amazing thing I’ve ever tasted. It is the perfect amount of marshmallow and frosting combined. One thing I did realize (after I’d made it), was that you need to serve it directly after you make it. I made the mistake of preparing it a few hours in advance and that was definitely the wrong thing to do. While it still tastes amazing a few hours later, the frosting falls the longer you leave it. So basically delicious product, but it doesn’t look pretty.

I suggest using Baker’s Sugar for this recipe. While granulated sugar works you are going to get a finer finished product with the Baker’s Sugar. Baker’s Sugar is a super fine sugar that dissolves well in recipes. Using this for the frosting will result in a super smooth and fluffy frosting.

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Marshmallow Frosting:4 Egg Whites1 Cup Baker’s Sugar¼ Teaspoon Cream of TartarDash of Salt1 Teaspoon VanillaFill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

Place the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the clean bowl of a stand mixer and whisk by hand to combine. Nest the bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Heat the egg white mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch (about 120°F on an instant-read thermometer), about 6 minutes.

Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and add the vanilla extract. Turn the mixer to medium and whisk for 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes more.  Use immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 hours.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:27]

Source: Adapted from Chow

Cinco De Mayo – Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

Growing up every year we would “celebrate” cinco de mayo by having tacos and other Mexican food. If you aren’t familiar with Cinco De Mayo it is the annual Mexican celebration that commemorates the Mexican Army’s triumph over the French in 1862 at the Battle of Puebla. It is celebrated in the US and Mexico and is a great source of Mexican pride. My family isn’t the slightest bit Mexican, but we love to celebrate each year by enjoying Mexican food.I have a few recipes already on the blog you might enjoy if you’re looking for a last minute addition to your own Cinco De Mayo fest:Spicy Lime GuacamoleHomemade Taco Seasoning

If you still need a dessert for your celebration tonight these cookies are the perfect addition! Normally I make tacos every year, but I wanted to showcase something different this year. These cookies are slightly spicy and VERY chocolaty! If you haven’t ever had Mexican Hot Chocolate before you are missing out! It is a great light chocolate base with cinnamon and cayenne pepper added. This gives it more depth and flavor than your traditional hot chocolate. Alex took these cookies to work and everyone absolutely loved them!

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Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies:½ Cup Unsalted Butter½ Cup Shortening1 Cup Brown Sugar½ Sugar2 Eggs½ Teaspoon Vanilla1 Teaspoon Cinnamon¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper1 Teaspoon Baking Soda1 Teaspoon Salt6 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder1 ¾ Cups +2 Tablespoons FlourChocolate Chips (optional)Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine the butter, shortening and sugars until light and fluffy.Add the eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, cayenne, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix until well combined.

Add the flour and stir until well combined. Remove from the stand mixer and using a spatula mix in the chocolate chips if using.

Refrigerate for at least two hours. Using a cookie scoop place the cookie batter on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on a rack completely before serving.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:26]

Gluten Free 76 Calorie Brownies

My Mother sent me a recipe for a 37 calorie brownies a few weeks ago and I’ve been wanting to try making them. However I didn’t have all the fat free ingredients they called for so I had to trace back to the original recipe to see what they used.I was able to track down the original recipe for 100 calorie brownies from the Londoner. I adapted this original recipe to be gluten free and to match what I had on hand. Also I love chocolate chips in brownies so I added a few Enjoy Life mini-chips to this recipe. When I was completely done adapting the recipe the brownies ended up being 76 calories. I don’t normally look up nutrition information but since the allure of this recipe is how few calories it has, I’m posting the nutrition information:

Recipe Nutrition Calculator

Serves 12 people

Ingredients	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Milk 1% - 1cup, 0.25 cup	33	4	1	3	43	4
Trader Joe's - Cocoa Powder Unsweetened (Net Carbs), 0.5 cup(s)	160	8	8	8	0	0
Trader Joe's - Rolled Oats, 0.5 cup uncooked	150	27	3	6	0	1
Sugar - White Granulated Sugar, 0.5 Cup	15	4	0	0	0	4
Eggs - Whole, raw, 1 large	74	0	5	6	70	0
Applesauce - Unsweetened, 5.33 tbsp(s)	34	8	0	0	3	8
Argo - Baking Powder, Aluminum Free, 1 tsp(s)	0	0	0	0	760	0
Spices - Salt, table, 1 dash	0	0	0	0	155	0
Dannon - Okios Vanilla Greek Yogurt, 5.3 oz	120	19	0	12	45	18
Enjoy Life - Semi Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips, 4 Tablespoon	320	36	20	4	0	28

Total:	906	106	37	39	1,076	63
Per Serving:	76	9	3	3	90	5

The texture of these brownies are very unique. My sister described them as “chalky”. However if you are on a low calorie diet you may enjoy them as a special treat. One other thing I noticed was that because I had granny smith applesauce on hand the brownies were actually quite tart. I accidentally left the egg out of the batter when I made them. However they held together quite nicely. So if you are looking for an egg free alternative you can go ahead and just leave the egg out without any consequences.

I have cut these brownies into 12 pieces. I typically cut an 8x8 pan of brownies into 12 or 16 pieces. If you chose to cut these into 9 pieces the brownies would be about 100 calories. Also if you chose to leave out the chocolate chips and still cut them into 12 pieces the brownies would be just under 50 calories.

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Gluten Free 76 Calorie Brownies:5.3oz Vanilla Greek Yogurt1/4 C Milk1/2 C Cocoa1/2 C Gluten Free Oats1/2 C Sugar1 Egg1/3 C Unsweetened Applesauce1 tsp Baking PowderPinch of Salt4 Tablespoons Enjoy Life Mini-Chocolate ChipsPreheat the oven to 400 and grease an 8x8 glass baking dish.

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a Food Processor. Pulse until well combined and the oats have been chopped.

Stir in the chocolate chips and pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting. Cut into 12 pieces.

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:25]

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Source: Adapted from The Londoner

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Turtle Cupcakes

It seems like the last few weeks I’ve been in love with making Turtle flavored treats. Everyone seems to be enjoying the caramel, pecan and chocolate combination. For these cupcakes I started with a basic chocolate cupcake. I filled them with a turtle mixture, topped them with salted caramel buttercream frosting. I then drizzled caramel sauce over the tops, sprinkled on some chopped pecans, mini-chocolate chips and then drizzled a little bit of chocolate ganache to finish.

These cupcakes received rave reviews. I baked them for a class we have every week and everyone loved them. They said that the filling is what really put them over the top. These are definitely a fork needed cupcake!

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Turtle Cupcakes:Chocolate Cupcakes¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Sugar1 Cup Flour¼ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Dutch Process Cocoa Powder½ Teaspoon Baking Soda½ Teaspoon Baking Powder¼ Teaspoon Salt½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract1 Egg½ Cup Milk¼ Cup Oil½ Cup Boiling WaterPreheat the oven to 350 and prepare a (12 cavity) Cupcake pan by putting paper liners insideMix the eggs, sugar, vanilla, milk and oil in a large bowl.When well combined add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well.Add the flour and mix well.Slowly add the boiling water and mix well, being careful not to splash the liquid around.Bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.Let cool completely before filling and icing.

Turtle Filling:¼ Cup Caramel Sauce¼ Cup Chopped Pecans¼ Cup Mini-Chocolate Chips

Mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl.Using this tutorial fill the cupcakes.

Salted Caramel Buttercream:¾ Cup Unsalted Butter3 Cups Powdered Sugar1/3 Cup Caramel Sauce¼ Teaspoon SaltWith an electric mixer cream the butter until fluffy.Slowly add the powdered sugar until completely mixed.Add the salt and caramel sauce and beat until the mixture is light an fluffy.

Put into a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. Ice the cupcakes as normal.Chocolate Ganache:½ Cup Heavy Cream4oz Chocolate Chips½ Teaspoon Vanilla ExtractIn a small saucepan bring the cream to a light boil.Once boiling remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips. Whisk the mixture until the chips have melted.Add the vanilla and whisk until it is combined.

Let cool slightly then spoon over the iced cupcakes.

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Source: Cake Adapted from: Kiss my Bundt by Chrysta Wilson

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Gluten Free Spicy Sausage Alfredo

I ran across this amazing looking recipe on pinterest a couple of months ago. Sadly though, the original recipe wasn’t gluten free. I decided to go ahead and make some changes to make it gluten free.

I cut the amount of gf pasta in half, but left the sauce at a full recipe. If you have a larger family you can go ahead and double the pasta and bake it in a 9x13 baking dish. I, of course, thought this dish was pretty spicy, but Alex didn’t feel it was spicy enough. So if you love really spicy dishes you can feel free to add some additional spices while cooking.

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Gluten Free Spicy Sausage Alfredo:8oz Gluten Free Pasta3 Tablespoons Butter2 Cloves Garlic (minced)1 ½ Tablespoons Gluten Free Flour1 Cup Chicken Broth2 Cups Milk½ Teaspoon Salt¼ Teaspoon White Pepper¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes½ Cup Parmesan Cheese2 Cups Mozzarella1 Tablespoon Parsley12oz Fully Cooked Polish SausageCook pasta according to package directions. Grease an 8x8 baking dish and preheat the broiler.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Stir in flour.

Whisk in chicken broth until smooth, then stir in milk.

Add salt, pepper, cayenne, and red pepper flakes and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in Parmesan cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella until cheeses are melted and smooth.

Slice sausage into 1/4 inch pieces and add to the sauce, along with the chopped parsley and cooked pasta.

Pour the pasta mixture into the baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.Broil for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is golden.

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Source: Adapted from Let’s Dish

Spicy Lime Guacamole

I wish I could say that this recipe has more of an origin than this, but avocados were on sale at the grocery store and Alex decided he wanted guacamole. I’ve made this recipe for him several times now and I feel like I’ve really gotten it perfect. Alex really loves the finished product. He says that it has the perfect amount of onion, spicy and tart.Picking avocadoes is not an easy thing. Ripe avocadoes are soft and squishy. The first few times I purchased them I bought firm ones then tried to use them for guac. It wasn’t until a nice old man at the store taught me how to pick them that I actually began to pick good ones. If you want to use the avocadoes right away pick soft squishy ones. If you are wanting to use them later the firm ones are what you need.The best way to remove the insides of an avocado is to cut the avocado in half. Remove the pit, either by using a spoon to pop it out, or by using a knife to pull the pit out. After the pit is gone use a spoon to spoon out the meat inside. You can then discard the skins and the pit.

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Spicy Lime Guacamole:2 Avocados½ Teaspoon Salt½ Fresh Lime Juice4 Tablespoons Onion (minced)2 Jalapeños (minced)2 Tablespoons Cilantro (minced)1 Clove Garlic (minced)Dash of White Pepper

Remove the skin and pit from the avocadoes, mash the insides with a fork until smooth.Mince the onion, cilantro, jalapenos and garlic, stir into the avocado.

Add the salt, lime juice and pepper. Stir until well combined.Store in the refrigerator with plastic wrap directly over the guacamole.

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Paleo Banana Muffins

I’ve been wanting to experiment with Coconut Flour baking recently and I finally found the flour on sale a couple weeks ago. These muffins are grain-free, dairy-free, gluten-free and Paleo. For this recipe I’ve used Enjoy Life Mini-Chocolate Chips, they are optional for the recipe, but make the muffins better in my opinion.These muffins are light and fluffy. They have a fantastic banana, cinnamon, coconut flavor to them.  If you don’t like coconut flavor, you can try substituting Olive Oil for the coconut oil. This still keeps them Paleo, but without as much coconut flavor. The batter may seem dry but I find that the finished product is pretty much perfect. If you add any more liquid the muffins will be a little on the soggy side.

You need to make sure to use a very dead banana. Make sure its completely black before making these muffins. Since there is honey in the recipe you need to watch these carefully towards the end of the baking time. Baked goods made with honey are more apt to burn if not watched carefully. I found that it took approximately 20 minutes for my muffins to be done.

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Paleo Banana Muffins:½ Cup Honey5 Eggs¼ Cup Coconut Oil (melted)1 Dead Banana1 Teaspoon Vanilla3 Tablespoons Coconut Milk½ Teaspoon Baking Soda1 Cup Coconut FlourCinnamon to tasteChocolate Chips (optional)Preheat the oven to 325 and prepare a 12 cup muffin tin by spraying with cooking spray or lining it with paper liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the honey and eggs.

Add the coconut oil, banana, vanilla, coconut milk and baking soda. Stir on low until combined.Stir in the coconut flour and cinnamon.With a spatula stir in the chocolate chips if using.

Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup spoon the batter into the muffin tin.

 

Cook for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

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Dulce De Leche Cookie Bars

I ran across these bars in the March edition of the the Food Network Magazine. I just knew I had to try making them. Alex really loves caramel and pecans together so I thought he’d really enjoy these cookie bars.We had friends over for dinner one night and I thought that would be the perfect excuse to make these bars. They were a hit! Everyone who tried them thought they were the perfect combination of caramel, chocolate and pecan.

This recipe will also work if you have a 9x9 pan. I do not so I’ve adapted everything to work in my 8x8. If you have the larger pan simply adjust your baking times down by a few minutes. If you are really worried about it make sure to pay attention the last 10ish minutes of baking and take them out when they look done.Originally I thought I had a can of dulce de leche on hand, but I remembered that I’d used it on a previous recipe.  I then chose to make my own for the recipe. I’ve posted instructions if you would like to make your own. You can find the recipe HERE.

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Dulce De Leche Cookie Bars:2 Cups + 1 Tablespoon Flour12 Tablespoons Butter (diced)1/3 Cup Powdered Sugar1 Tablespoon Vanilla½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt1 Cup Dulce De Leche¼ Cup Heavy Cream2 Egg Yolks¾ Cup Chocolate Chips¾ Cup Pecans (chopped)

Preheat the oven to 350. Line an 8x8 baking dish with tin foil leaving a few inches of overhang on each side. Spray the foil with cooking spray.

Pulse 2 cups flour, the butter, sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and the salt in a food processor until it begins to clump together.

Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, and ¼ inch up the sides. Bake until firm and lightly brown about 30-35 minutes.

While the crust is baking combine the dulce de leche, cream, egg yolks, remaining 1 tablespoon of flour and 2 teaspoons of vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth.

When the crust has finished baking pour the mixture over the top of the crust and sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans.

Return to the oven and bake until slightly jiggly, about 25-30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack. Once the bars are completely cool, remove from the pan using the tin foil overhang. Remove the foil and cut into pieces.

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Source: adapted from Food Network Magazine, March 2015

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Homemade Dulce De Leche

Dulce De Leche is a smooth caramel flavored sauce popular in Latin countries. This caramel is very easy to make if you have a can of Sweetened Condensed Milk on hand.  Most recipes I’ve seen call for you to use a crockpot to boil the can of milk for several hours. I didn’t want to do this because it can be dangerous and create rust lines in the bottom of your crockpot.I decided to do essentially the same thing, but with baking pans in the oven. Make sure that you put in enough water so that the pans don’t dry out. If your pans dry out they can shatter in the oven. I put in water about half way up my pans, and next time I think I’ll probably put in more. By the end there was very little water left in my pan.

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Homemade Dulce De Leche:14oz Can Sweetened Condensed MilkPreheat the oven to 425.

Pour the condensed milk into an 8x8 baking pan. Cover with tin foil.Put the 8x8 pan into a 13x9 baking pan. Fill with water, about halfway up the sides.

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, until the milk is golden brown.Remove from the oven, uncover and transfer to the bowl of a food processor or the cup of a stick blender.

Blend until smooth. Refrigerate until thickened, about 1 hour.If not using right away cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator

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