When December comes around, you're pretty much obligated to add peppermint into at least a few desserts. It'd be strange to bring peppermint treats to a party in the summer, but in the winter, people expect them somewhere on the dessert table.

Sometimes I feel like my blog is an ode to pudding cookies and chocolate, so it's only natural that I incorporate peppermint into my winter baking in the form of delicious white chocolate peppermint pudding cookies. They're sweet and sugary, which is to be expected with white chocolate and peppermint. It's a good thing because I could eat a million chocolate chip cookies, but I find myself satisfied with just one of these (and then maybe going back for another in an hour or so). They also have the soft inside with slightly crisp edges that you get by adding a box of pudding to the mix and allowing the dough to chill.

I've talked about my love for pudding cookies countless times, so it seems pointless to write much more since the only thing different about these are the mix-ins. Regardless, you should all put these on your holiday baking list because they are a perfect winter cookie!

Peppermint White Chocolate Pudding Cookies
Recipe adapted from Averie Cooks (idea adapted from The Baker Mama!)
Yield: 15 large cookies Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Total Time: about 3+ hours, for dough chilling

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix (not sugar-free and not 'cook & serve'), OR use 2 teaspoons cornstarch in place of pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
 3/4 cup white chocolate chips (1/2 cup in the dough and 1/4 cup for placing on top of the dough mounds)
3/4 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch (1/2  and 1/4 cup for placing on top of dough mounds)

Directions:

1. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) combine the butter, sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes.
2. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, pudding mix (or cornstarch), baking soda, optional salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
3. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup of the peppermint crunch. Beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
4. Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form 15 equal-sized mounds of dough, roll into balls, and flatten slightly.
5. Add about a few white chocolate chips and peppermint crunch pieces to the top of each dough mound. This will make them look even better when they come out of the oven!
6. Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
7. Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (8-10 cookies per sheet depending on the size of your cookie sheet) and bake for 11 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center. Cookies firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving.
8. Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

Crisp edges + soft inside = the perfect cookie.

I'm back! My apologies for the November hiatus. Work was busy as ever, and since that pays the bills, sometimes blogging ends up getting pushed aside.

But back to the good stuff -- and by good stuff I mean more chocolate. In particular, this amazing chocolate cake. I've been holding out on you with this one. I actually made it this summer (hence the summer platter you can see in the pictures). I don't know why I haven't posted it. I already have one cake on here that I declared the "best-ever" chocolate cake, so it seems like if I say the same about this one I'm just throwing out that award left and right. 

But really--I don't know what else to say about it. Maybe they can be tied? Given that I posted that old one almost a year ago it's hard to say which is actually better. At the time I made that one, I thought it couldn't be knocked from its top spot. Then I made this one and thought the same thing. I may have to do a bake-off and eat both of them at the same time so I can declare a winner. Such a hard task, but I'd do it.

This cake is rich, chocolaty, moist and delicious. The espresso powder adds an extra level of richness the same way that the coffee does in the other recipe. Coffee or espresso powder are always great additions to chocolate baked goods. Either one brings out the chocolate flavors and gives the recipe a depth that you wouldn't be able to achieve without it. I kept this cake in the refrigerator, and it got better every day. That said, I don't think it made it past the morning of day three, so the timeline is short. 

This is a perfect cake for making for family for the holidays. You could decorate it with red and green accents or top it with fun holiday sprinkles.

Enjoy!

The Best Chocolate Cake

Recipe from Robyn Stone,  Add a Pinch

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.
2. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
3. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
4. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.
6. Frost cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Chocolate  Buttercream Frosting
Recipe from Robyn Stone, Add a Pinch

Ingredients

• 1½ cups butter (3 sticks), softened
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 5 cups confectioner’s sugar
• ½ cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon espresso powder

Instructions

1. Add cocoa to a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Whisk through to remove any lumps.
2. Cream together butter and cocoa powder until well-combined.
3. Add sugar and milk to cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk. After each addition has been combined, turn mixer onto a high speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and milk have been added.
4. Add vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well.
5. If frosting appears too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency. If it appears to wet and does not hold its form, add more confectioner’s sugar, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.

Whoever invented pesto was really onto something. I typically stick to basil pesto, but recently I've been on a Cosi kick (not sure how widespread that chain is), and they have the most amazing sun-dried tomato spread. I could eat it on anything. I'm thinking about it now, and I'm honestly getting hungry as I type.

So, I decided I'd make my own sun-dried tomato pesto spread, and proceed to eat it on delicious bread and then use it as a spread for one hell of a grilled cheese sandwich. Everyone has different opinions on how to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. I change it up depending on the recipe I'm making, but I usually butter the bread (not the pan), use shredded cheese, and heat the pan over medium low so it can slowly get a nice crunch to the outside while getting the perfect melty cheese inside.

The pesto couldn't be easier to make. You just toss everything in the food processor and pulse until it's done. If you use fresh sun-dried tomatoes you will need to add 1/4 cup olive oil, but if you're just purchasing a jar of sun-dried tomatoes (which is what I did) they come pre-packed in olive oil.

It's a grown up grilled cheese that kids will like too because it tastes slightly like my pizza grilled cheese, just without the pepperonis. I used the Swiss and Havarti grated blend from Trader Joe's for the cheese, but you could also use mozzarella. Some of the other  mild white cheeses would work as well. This should be your lunch tomorrow.

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
Makes roughly 1 cup 
 

Ingredients
8-8.5oz jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil (or 1 cup fresh sun-dried tomatoes)
1/2 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
*If using fresh sun-dried tomatoes, add 1/4 cup olive oil.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, basil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until well-combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you are using fresh sun-dried tomatoes, add all ingredients except the olive oil and pulse together prior to adding the EVOO. Once ingredients are combined, slowly add the olive oil and pulse until smooth. You do not want the spread to be liquidy, so use your judgment to pulse until it is spreadable and combined.

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Makes Two Sandwiches

Ingredients
Four slices thick white or wheat bread (sourdough works well)
1 tablespoon mayonnaise (optional)
3/4 cups shredded Havarti cheese or six slices of fresh mozzarella
4 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto 
1 tablespoon softened butter


Heat skillet/pan over medium heat. Butter one side of each slice of bread, making sure to cover the whole surface. Spread approximately 2 tablespoons of the Sun-dried Tomato Pesto on the opposite side of two of the slices. On the remaining slices, spread a thin layer of mayo on the non-buttered side (this is optional, but you're already eating a super cheesy grilled cheese sandwich, so why not go all out and make sure it's the best grilled cheese sandwich?).

Place the two slices with the tomato spread buttered side down into the pan. Sprinkle on cheese generously. It's ok if some falls into the pan, it will sear into the outsides of the sandwich and make an even more delicious crust. Lower the heat to medium-low. Cook about 2-3 minutes, or until sides have turned golden brown. Flip the sandwiches and cook another 2-3 minutes. Slice and serve immediately.

*A tip for getting gooey melted grilled cheese sandwiches is to grate your own cheese and bring it to room temperature before adding it to the sandwich. I did not do that here, but I recommend it for amazing grilled cheeses.

I would love fall a lot more if it weren't a direct descent into winter. There are just so many things to like about this season -- football, nice temperatures, beautiful colors, pumpkins and, of course, delicious food.

I've mentioned before how I am really not a fan of pumpkin pie. I'd choose cake over pie anyways, but pumpkin pie, in particular, just doesn't do it for me. In fact, if I had the choice of pumpkin pie or no dessert at all, I'd probably choose no dessert (actually, I'd just eat the crust). Pumpkin in any form other than pie? Sign me up. 

This is a perfect, easy pumpkin bread. It is SO moist (there's no getting around using that word in this instance), and it's simple, yet packed with flavor. I bought one of the larger sizes of canned pumpkin, which has allowed me to make/eat this multiple times in the last week. Healthy choices. 

Another great thing about the recipe is that it only uses 2 tablespoons of cream cheese for the frosting, so let's say you buy an 8oz block of cream cheese and a 28-29oz can of pumpkin. You can make this bread 3 times! All of the other ingredients are probably things you have on hand. In a world of expensive baking ingredients, this recipe is a godsend. Just try to block the amount of sugar from your mind, and you'll love every bite.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe from Garnish and Glaze

Prep time - 10 mins 

Cook time - 70 mins

Total time - 1 hour 20 mins

Serves: 12 slices

Ingredients

For the Bread:

• 1¾ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1½ cup sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup canola oil
• ⅓ cup water

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• ¾ - 1 cup powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease 1 4½" x 8½" loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Make a well and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, thoroughly beat together the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, and water. Add to the well of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Pour batter into greased loaf pan.
4. Bake for 60-70 minutes but tent a piece of foil over the top half way through (you need to pinch it at the ends so it forms a dome so the bread can rise) to prevent the top from browning too much. Start checking the bread at 50-55 minutes and if it looks too wet on top, take off the foil and finish cooking without it. Cook until toothpick comes out clean. Let the bread cool completely in the pan before removing.
5. Make the frosting by creaming the frosting ingredients together. Spread on top of bread.

When I was in high school, my friends and I loved Chili's. This was before Durham, NC was quite the foodie town it is today, and before our metabolisms started to slow down. So, eating there sometimes even weekly was perfectly acceptable and normal. We'd all head there and get a big entree each, and then we'd order molten lava cakes...one each of those as well.

I remember being a sophomore and having a group of older girls from our school walk by our table one time (because yes, everybody was at Chili's), and with a look of shock one said something like,"Wow, did you all really order one each?" Up to that point I guess we hadn't considered the fact that maybe some people would split this giant dessert. To us, seven girls meant seven molten lava cakes. It just made sense. Long story short, we didn't let that judgment faze us, and continued to order our individual molten lava cakes for years.

The best thing about molten lava cakes is that you have multiple different elements all coming together at once. The cake is warm, the lava center is hot, and the ice cream is cold. When you cut into the cake with your fork, the heat from the chocolate core starts slightly melting the ice cream and the "lava" and ice cream flow out in chocolatey glory. It's incredible. When consumed following a giant plate of Chicken Crispers it will also send you straight into a food coma, but it's worth it.

I try to eat at local restaurants rather than chains these days (fast food chains not included), but Chili's is one of the few restaurant chains that holds a soft spot in my heart. Since I'm no longer close to one, this homemade version of the molten lava cakes does the trick. I think it's probably even better than the real thing. I debated taking a shortcut and using some leftover hot fudge for the filling, but opted to make the homemade version. If you have time I highly suggest doing this. The recipe as a whole is a breeze, so one step that takes slightly longer is worth it.

For the cake I used Duncan Hines Triple Chocolate Cake. I topped it with Smucker's Chocolate Pretzel Magic Shell, and used just plain store-bought ice cream. I didn't have caramel around for the sauce and didn't feel like making it, but I have no doubt that would take things to a whole new level.

Enjoy!

Copycat Chili's Molten Lava Cake

Recipe from Oh, Sweet Basil

Ingredients

• 1 Duncan Hines Fudge Cake Mix and ingredients
• Vanilla Ice Cream
• Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping
• Caramel Sauce
• Hot Fudge, recipe follows
Hot Fudge
• 1 Cube Butter, Unsalted (1/2 cup)
• 1 Cup Evaporated Milk
• 1 Cup Chocolate Chips
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 Pinch of Salt
• 2 Cups Powdered Sugar

Instructions

1. Mix the cake mix according to instructions and bake in a Texas size muffin tin according to package instructions. Turn out to cool. (Remember you will be eating these upside down so you'll want them level)*
 Hot Fudge
2. Melt all of the ingredients in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to boil and stir for two minutes.Remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir for one minute. Allow the fudge sauce to cool.
3. Once the cupcakes and fudge are cool, use a serrated knife or another sharp knife to level the top of the cupcakes. Once level, turn the cupcakes over and at a slight angle carefully cut a well out of the bottom of each cake. Do not cut all the way through!
4. Fill the cake with the fudge sauce, wrap in saran wrap and freeze for 1 hr or up to a few days.
5. Once you are ready to serve, heat each cake in the microwave for 35-45 seconds or until warmed through. Drizzle caramel over the cake and the plate.
6. Quickly top with vanilla ice cream and pour the chocolate shell topping over the ice cream. Serve IMMEDIATELY. 

*Note: I believe a Texas size muffin tin is just an oversized muffin tin. The only jumbo pan I had made six muffins, which, when using all of the batter, resulted in me having to cut off a lot of cake to make it level. I think this amount of batter would probably make 8-10 cakes, filling each section no more than 3/4 full. When making these again (since that will be happening), I will probably bake up six, wait for those to cool, and then re-use my pan for the remaining batter instead of just pouring it all in the six pan at once!

 

I'm not a snob when it comes to pizza. I have been happily enjoying greasy pizza for years, and I'm not really sure whether I will ever grow out of it. After all, when you want pizza at 2am you have to make some sacrifices. You may regret those sacrifices in the morning, but quality is never an overriding factor when the pizza craving hits right as you're heading in for the night. I also make homemade pizza a decent amount, and I'll admit that I'm not remotely above using jarred sauce. 

All that said, nothing beats great pizza with fresh ingredients. Using a homemade sauce makes a noticeable difference. The same thing goes for using homemade dough (even if you purchased that homemade dough from the bakery counter or a local pizza place). This sauce has a bold tomato flavor mixed with the perfect blend of spices. It's slightly sweetened with a teaspoon of sugar, and has a little kick from the red pepper flakes. It's well worth the time if you have it. I've also found that eating pizza with homemade sauce and homemade dough reduces the guilt factor you get from eating it by at least half.

I realize I'm talking about pizza and my pictures only show a jar of sauce, which is only part of the equation. You'll have to imagine the sauce on a delicious, cheesy slice of pizza because I didn't take pictures of the one I devoured shortly after making the sauce. But it was good. This recipe makes enough for more than one pizza, and if you keep it stored tightly it will stay good for over a week.

Enjoy!

Homemade Pizza Sauce

Recipe Slightly Adapted from Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch

Serves: 2 cups

 

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ medium onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon fresh basil (or 3/4 dried)
• 1 ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Drizzle olive oil into 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent and tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, chopped basil and dried oregano. Cook for about 1 minute to release flavors.
2. Pour in tomatoes, tomato paste, and add salt, sugar, and black pepper. Stir well to combine. Add fresh oregano. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent any sticking or burning.
3. Remove from heat and use immediately or allow to cool before storing in an airtight container for up to one week.

 

Growing up, one of my favorite activities was grocery shopping with my mom and choosing what my lunchbox dessert would be for the week (easily entertained kid). I was usually an Oatmeal Cream Pies or Swiss Cake Rolls kind of person, sometimes swapping out for the occasional Nutty Bar or Zebra Cake.

It's worth noting that this was before everyone started frowning upon pre-packaged, preservative-filled lunchbox treats. From what I can tell, kids these days have really stepped up their lunchbox game (e.g. elaborate bentos - ?!?). But for my 12-year-old self, organic was a completely foreign concept, and I enjoyed my Little Debbie's in judgment-free bliss.

The Little Debbie dessert that never made the lunchbox first-string was the Cosmic Brownie. I couldn't tell you why my chocoholic self never wanted those, but if those Cosmic Brownies taste anything like this copycat version I was wrong.

Forget cakey brownies. If that's what you're into this isn't the recipe for you. These are fudgy, rich and delicious. It's like brownies and fudge joined up for a fun party (obviously with lots of confetti m&ms) and realized they were meant to be together.  I would recommend adding the m&ms after cutting the brownies/ganache so that you can get really smooth lines. A trick for cutting into something like this is to run a knife under hot water for 5-10 second and dry it off before slicing into the dessert. Repeat the process between each long slice. The heat from the knife will help create the smooth line.

Enjoy!

Copycat Cosmic Brownies
Recipe from Averie Cooks

Ingredients:

For the Brownies
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons coffee or water (coffee leftover from the morning brew is fine)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder or dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso granules (make sure it's instant so it dissolves), optional but recommended
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

For the Ganache
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup half-and-half or cream
1 cup M&M minis (you can either buy them in small tubes or check out your local grocery store for the larger bags. I like the little ones, but if you can't find them anywhere you can use regular size)

Directions:

1. For the Brownies - Preaheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a large, microwave safe bowl, melt the butter, about 90 seconds on high power.
3. Add the eggs, sugars, coffee, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
4. Add the cocoa powder, instant espresso, and whisk until incorporated, free from lumps, and smooth. It could take a few minutes if your cocoa powder is lumpy.
5. Add the flour and stir until it's just incorporated; don't overmix.
6. Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 29 minutes, or until top has just set, isn't jiggly in the center, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few fudgy moist crumbs, but no batter. I baked mine for 26 minutes. Allow brownies to cool completely in pan. While brownies cool, make the ganache.
7. For the Ganache - Add chocolate chips to a medium, microwave-safe bowl and heat on high power for 1 minute to soften chips. They won't be melted, this is okay. Don't stir; set bowl aside.
8. Heat cream in a glass measuring cup or microwave-safe bowl until it begins to bubble and show signs of just beginning to boiling, about 1 minute on high power.
9. Pour cream over chocolate chips and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
10. With a whisk, beat mixture until silky, smooth, and combined. If your mixture isn't smoothing out, heat in 15-second bursts in the microwaves until it can be stirred smooth.
11. Pour ganache over mostly cooled brownies (after about 30 minutes is fine; they don't have to be completely cooled). Smooth ganache lightly with a spatula or offset knife.
12. Evenly sprinkle with M&Ms. Cover pan with a sheet of foil to prevent fridge smells, and place pan in refrigerator until ganache sets up before slicing and serving, at least 2 hours. Do not slice into them until the ganache has set; feel free to make these in advance and store them in the fridge; they get better with time. Brownies will keep airtight for 1 week at room temperature, for 2 weeks in the refrigerator, and for up to 6 months in the freezer. I highly recommend storing them in the refrigerator because having a slight chill to brownies this rich and fudgy is almost imperative.

Sometimes you need a little indulgence in the morning. I'm a breakfast person, so I always wake up and have breakfast followed by something sweet. I'm not talking about an entire piece of chocolate cake (though it's been done before), just a little something to round out the meal.

This cake handles my breakfast and sweet craving all at once. Basically it's the king of sweet breakfast cakes. Each slice has rolls of buttery biscuits filled with cinnamon sugar, marshmallow, chocolatey goodness. As if everything going on with the filling wasn't amazing enough, the marshmallow topping is out of this world, too.

It's one of those things you feel slightly guilty eating because it's almost too good. I have a habit of starting out by cutting myself a small piece of something, and the entire time I'm eating the small piece I just think about how I wish I cut a bigger piece. This almost always ends up with me going back for seconds. I wouldn't recommend eating it every morning unless you also want to invest in a new wardrobe for your expanding waist-line, but it's absolutely worth every single minute of cardio you'd need to do to burn it off. For those of you who aren't ready for this kind of sugar high at 9am, it's good any time of day.

Chelsea has step-by-step instructions on her blog if you want to check that out. The process is simple. Roll out the biscuit, dip it in butter, dip it in cinnamon sugar and add the filling. If you divide everything into little bowls beforehand and make it into an assembly line of sorts it will be a breeze.

I purchased two tubes of the Pillsbury Buttermilk Grands (8 biscuits in each), so I filled up my first pie dish with only 10 biscuits. The recipe calls for 15 because it doesn't use the oversized biscuits. Either will work. I had extra ingredients for the filling anyways, so I just made another little mini cake by using a regular cake pan and making a smaller circle of rolls in that. Since this circle was only about 6 inches across I used tin foil to second off a 6-inch circle within the 8-inch cake pan. It did the trick.

Enjoy!

30-Minute Cinnamon Roll S'mores Cake
Recipe from Chelsea's Messy Apron

Ingredients

• 15 buttermilk biscuits
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons miniature chocolate chips, separated
• 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
• 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs, separated
• Optional: 1 chocolate bar

Marshmallow Frosting

• 4 tablespoons butter, softened, not melted
• 1 and 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup marshmallow fluff
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
2. Remove the biscuits from the packages.
3. Using a rolling pin, roll each of the biscuits very flat and thin. Stir together the white sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
4. Dip each biscuit in the melted butter or brush melted butter over both sides. Shake off the excess and then dip the biscuit in the cinnamon sugar mixture making sure to cover both sides as well, again making sure to shake off the excess.
5. Slice the marshmallows in half.
6. Using the picture in Chelsea's post as a guide, place a small handful of graham cracker crumbs, miniature marshmallows, and miniature chocolate chips on one side of each biscuit.
7. Roll up each biscuit and place the rolled up biscuit on the outside of the cake pan in a circle fashion spiraling towards the inside of the pan.
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until biscuits have slightly browned on the outside and insides are fully cooked.
9. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by beating together the powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Beat in the marshmallow fluff.
10. Slowly add in the heavy cream until desired consistency is reached.
11. Remove the cake and let cool for about 5-7 minutes before frosting.
12. Pipe the marshmallow frosting over the cake and cut into slices to serve.
13. Top the cake with any leftover miniature marshmallows, miniature chocolate chips, and graham cracker crumbs that weren't used to fill up the biscuits.
14. If desired, unwrap a room temperature chocolate bar, and “peel” it from top to bottom directly over the cake.
15. Slice into large pieces and enjoy while warm!

I realize this looks like a pie plate of sausages, but trust me, it is much better than that.

I felt the need to overly zoom in so you could see what's going on here. SO MUCH GOODNESS IN ONE SLICE.

I've professed my love for pimento cheese many times on here, so it's no surprise that I have yet another way to take your pimento cheese game up a notch. Even better - these warm bacon pimento cheese cups are perfect for Labor Day cookouts and tailgating in the fall.

To make them you take your standard, delicious phyllo shells (found in the freezer section), and fill them with a smoked cheddar bacon pimento cheese and top each with a few more fresh bacon bits. Smoked sharp cheddar pairs really well with the bacon, but you can also make it your standard way with just regular sharp cheddar. Sometimes I use pepperjack for a little kick. The key is to find two cheeses that complement each other. Melted cheese, mayo, pimentos and bacon is probably going to taste good regardless as long as you don't go with something too crazy cheese-wise.

The number of phyllo shells that come in a pack varies by the brand, and different grocery stores carry different brands. If you're serving these for a crowd you can absolutely buy more than 48. These go QUICKLY! The recipe will probably yield enough for 60 mini cups, since only about a tablespoon goes in each cup. I usually buy Cracker Barrel cheese, which comes in 8oz packages, so most of the time I go ahead and shred the whole 16oz of cheese (upping the other ingredients as well) and then serve the rest of the pimento cheese with crackers. There are worse things than having extra pimento cheese around the house..

Enjoy, and have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Bacon Pimento Cheese Phyllo Cups

4 oz sharp white cheddar, freshly grated
4 oz smoked sharp cheddar or sharp yellow cheddar, freshly grated
3 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons diced (not sliced) pimentos
1/4 cup Duke's mayonnaise
6 strips bacon, cooked until crispy
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional
48 mini phyllo (filo) shells
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and set aside. Combine cream cheese and mayo. You can do this with a mixer, but I usually just stir them together. Add grated cheeses, spices (optional), pimentos and salt and pepper to taste. Add in crumbled bacon, reserving a few tablespoons-worth for garnish.

Scoop mixture into the individual phyllo cups and place on the pan (they can be close together). Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until shells have slightly browned and mixture has melted. Remove from oven, let cool for just long enough so that you're not risking any burnt mouths and serve!

A few weeks ago I mentioned that Smucker's sent me seven of their new ice cream toppings in the mail to try, and that I would be having a giveaway on my blog so that one of my readers could receive a "Top It Your Way" prize pack full of Smucker's goods for themselves. Well, today is the day!

I'm not one to even post recipes I don't like, so endorsing a product I don't personally like (regardless of whether I get it for free) is a big no in my book. That said, I love these Smucker's products, and I am SO excited that one of you gets this awesome prize pack. I've been using them in ice cream, on brownies, in blondies, etc.

The prize pack comes with all of the Smucker's products pictured here, AND you get the West Elm tray, Smucker's freezer bag, Smucker's ice cream scoop and chalkboard sign (you're on your own for the Anthropologie bowls and ice cream). The only thing missing is the Salted Caramel flavor. I looked high and low for where I put it with no luck. That's my favorite of all of the products, so I'm guessing I brought it with me somewhere and left it--let's just pretend that traveling with salted caramel in your purse is completely normal. The good news is that Smucker's will send you your own bag of products, and the Salted Caramel will be included. Here's the full list of what you will get in the "Top It Your Way" prize pack:

·     West Elm Outdoor Metal Serving Tray

·   Scallop Edge Hanging Chalkboard

·     Branded Ice Cream Topping Bowls + Scoops

·     All seven NEW Smucker’s toppings flavors including:

o   Smucker’s®  Simple Delight Salted Caramel Topping

o   Smucker’s® Simple Delight Chocolate Coconut Flavored Topping

o   Smucker’s® Simple Delight Dark Chocolate Topping

o   Smucker’s® Simple Delight Hot Fudge Topping

o   Smucker’s® Magic Shell® Chocolate Pretzel Flavored Topping

o   Smucker’s® Magic Shell® Rainbow Sherbet Flavored Topping

o   Smucker’s® Microwavable Hot Dark Chocolate Topping

You can do as little as comment on this post to enter, or you can earn extra entries by doing the other items in the Rafflecopter. A winner will be selected randomly from the entries on Sunday. Labor Day may be this weekend, but that doesn't mean the end of ice cream season!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
A few ways I've used the toppings:

What makes brownies better? Salted Caramel and Hot Fudge. 

...and the same thing goes for adding Salted Caramel and Hot Fudge into this Double Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream.

Oatmeal Cookie Chunk Ice Cream with Chocolate Pretzel Magic Shell. There are no words. 

Now for the Golden Oreo Funfetti Ice Cream. I photographed it with the Smucker's items, but there was so much going on with it that I actually didn't even feel the need to add to it with toppings (though I'm sure the results couldn't be anything but good). So, my apologies the picture is slightly misleading!

This is for all those people who love homemade ice cream, but weren't convinced buying an ice cream maker was worth the investment (despite my case for it): homemade ice cream WITHOUT an ice cream machine.

Even better - homemade funfetti cake batter ice cream with Golden Oreos that you can make WITHOUT an ice cream machine. *Happy dance*

It's very sweet (as with all cake batter ice cream), but it is incredible. The consistency is also great. I gave it a few minutes to soften after pulling it from the freezer, but even when it's straight out it's not remotely icy. I had to give the rest of the batch to my bf because I was sneaking in huge spoonfuls every time I passed the freezer, and we haven't quite gotten to the point of the year where I justify eating more desserts than usual because it's "sweater-weather"...

But if you've been upset with me for posting so many ice cream recipes all summer when you don't have a machine, now is your chance to get in on it too! Also, a word to the wise, don't use the standard nonpareils because they will start bleeding into the ice cream almost immediately. I knew it would happen, and for some reason I did it anyways. Stick with the other kinds of jimmies so that you don't end up with some weird brown and green shade of ice cream.

Make this ice cream stat! And enter the giveaway above so that you can score yourself all sorts of delicious toppings to throw an ice cream party (or to keep to yourself).

No-Ice Cream Maker Funfetti Cake Batter Golden Oreo Ice Cream
Recipe from Averie Cooks

Ingredients:

24 Golden Oreos or vanilla-flavored sandwich cookies, coarsely chopped
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups heavy whipping cream - for the No-Ice-Cream-Maker version (if using an ice cream maker, use 4 cups/1 quart)
3/4 cup+ sprinkles

Directions:

1. These directions (through number 7) reflect the No-Ice-Cream-Maker method.
2. Chop the Oreo cookies and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and almond extract to combine; set aside.
4. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or large mixing bowl and hand mixer), whip 2 cups heavy cream to very stiff peaks, the time this takes will vary based on your mixer.
5. Gently add about half the whipped cream to the sweetened condensed milk mixture, and fold the cream in gently. As Averie points out, fold means turn the mixture over with a spatula from the bottom of the bowl up, rotate the bowl, repeat until the mixture is homogenous. The goal is to keep all that fluffy cream you just made as fluffy as possible. Take your time and be gentle. When you get the first half of the cream folded in and combined, add the remaining cream, and fold it until until mixture is smooth. Be patient with this part!
6. Add the cookies, sprinkles, and gently fold them in to distribute evenly, being careful to stop if you start noticing that the sprinkle colors are bleeding into the base. If you see this happening it's ok, but you should take that as a sign to go ahead and transfer it to the container. If you are folding them in correctly, it won't take much to fully incorporate all of this into the base.
7. Transfer ice cream mixture to a freezer-safe 2-quart container with a lid or freezer-safe bowl that can be covered with plasticwrap. Cover and freeze for at least 6 hours, or until solid. Ice cream takes about 5 minutes to come up to room temperature. Ice cream will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3 months.
8. If you are Using an Ice Cream Maker - Steps 1, 2, 3 are the same. Skip steps 4 and 5. Instead, add 4 cups heavy cream to the sweetened condensed milk mixture, and stir to combine. Step 6 is the same. For step 7, follow processing directions on your ice cream maker, noting to chill the mixture if necessary before churning.

Every time I make muffins I find myself wishing I made them more often. I realize there are healthier things I could eat for breakfast than a muffin, but starting the morning with orange juice and a freshly baked blueberry muffin just feels right. It's the one muffin flavor we can all agree on (I'm sure there are some blueberry haters out there who disagree).

There are a few components to the perfect blueberry muffin. It can't be so dense that you need something to wash it down. It has to have blueberries in every single bite, and the top always needs to be the best part. Maybe the top is the best because it has that fully-baked yet still gooey thing going on. Maybe it's sprinkled with sugar. I personally love streusel. These muffins are chock full of berries, they're not too heavy and the streusel on top is amazing. I've never made a blueberry muffin recipe with oatmeal in the streusel, but I've been missing out.

When I went back to grab this recipe for the post, I realized there was a glaze that I completely skipped. Note to self: don't get so distracted by the amazing smell of the muffins coming out of the oven that you forget everything else you were doing. The good news is that they were already great without it, so when you make them they will be even better! Do as I say, not as I do....except the part about making and eating these muffins. Because that part you should absolutely do.

Bakery Style Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Recipe from The Cafe Sucre Farine
Serves: 12

Ingredients

CRUMB TOPPING
    5 tablespoons butter
    ½ cup sugar
    ½ cup flour
    ½ cup oatmeal
    ¼ teaspoon salt

MUFFINS
    2 cups all purpose flour
    1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
    ½ teaspoon salt
    ½ cup butter, softened
    1 cup sugar
    2 large eggs
    ½ cup buttermilk
    finely grated zest of 1 lemon
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  
 GLAZE
    3 tablespoons lemon (juice)
    1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1.     Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners
2.     Make the crumb topping by combining the melted butter, sugar, flour, oatmeal and salt. Stir with a fork until crumbs form. Set aside.
3.     Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium size bowl. Set aside.
4.     If using frozen blueberries, place them in a small bowl and return to freezer until ready to use. If using fresh berries, place in a small bowl and set aside.
5.     In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter for 1 minute until soft and fluffy. Add sugar and continue to beat for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time and beat just until incorporated. Add buttermilk, vanilla and lemon zest and mix on low until combined.
6.     Remove bowl from mixer. Add flour mixture and stir, by hand, until flour disappears. Do not over mix or muffins will be tough. Gently stir in blueberries.
7.     Divide mixture evenly in the prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle with the crumb topping.
8.     Bake at 350˚F for 22 to 25 minutes or until light golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack. Drizzle lightly with the lemon glaze.
9.     For lemon glaze, combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in a medium size bowl. Stir with a fork or whisk until smooth.