Chicken Bacon Doggie Cupcakes

Our precious Yorkie, Maggie, celebrated her 6th birthday recently so I took the opportunity to make some homemade dog treats. Ive seen peanut butter cookie treats done all too often so I searched for a more cake like approach. And what better than mini cupcakes for a birthday celebration?

Maggie tends to be quite the picky eater so I was thrilled when she lapped up these little treats and begged for more. Our other little monster, Sophie, quite enjoyed them as well. But don’t worry, the smell of the batter won’t have you wanting to lick the spoon.

For the treats:

• 3 strips bacon, crumbled
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup corn oil
• 2 jars chicken baby food
• 2 cups finely shredded carrot
• plain Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease mini cupcake pans. Set aside.

Cook the bacon until crisp then crumble and set aside.

Whisk together the flour and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the eggs and oil. Stir in the chicken baby food and carrots. Add the flour mixture and mix well.

Dip the batter into the tins and bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean. Allow to cool and pipe yogurt on top for “icing.” Sprinkle tops with crumbled bacon.

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Keep the leftover cupcakes covered and refrigerated. This batter can also be used as a cake by pouring into 2 8″ cake pans and baking for 60 minutes. Now it’s your turn to head for the kitchen and make your pups a treat! I found my recipe and many other dog treat recipes at Dog Treat Kitchen.

Kicked up Pimento & Cheese

If you’re from the South like me, then pimento & cheese was probably a staple around your house growing up. But when mom and I offered to bring pimento & cheese to a get together at a friends house, they had no clue what we were talking about. They’re from the North. So if you’re also from the North, do yourself a favor and make some pimento & cheese.

Not only does P&C offer wonderful flavor, but it’s simple and makes for a quick meal. Spread on some toasted bread and you have a wonderful sandwhich. To use it as an appetizer, spread it on crackers or celery and watch peoples’ faces light up with happiness!

For the pimento & cheese:

• 1 8-oz block sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 8-oz block pepper jack cheese
• 1 8-oz block sharp white cheddar
• 1/2 cup mayo (or greek yogurt)
• 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped jalapenos
• 1 4-oz jar pimentos
• 1/2 teaspoons pepper or McCormick Hot Shot

Shred the three blocks of cheese. Don’t cheat and buy pre-shredded because you’ll regret it. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until moist.

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If you don’t like spicy, leave out the jalapeno and substitute more cheddar or monetery jack cheese for the pepper jack. If you’d like to turn it into a warm dip, add an 8-oz block of cream cheese and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese gets melty and bubbly. Enjoy!

Cookies N’ Cream Macarons

Now that I’ve learned to love making (as much as eating) macarons, I thought I’d share them with Adam since he’s never tried them. I told him to choose any flavor he liked, and cookies and cream was decided on. Oh, I was excited! And thankfully, he enjoyed them.. or the few that were left by the time they arrived.

I made these macarons by mixing in oreos with the almonds, and using the oreo filling as a component in the cream center. It tasted very similar to an oreo cookie, with a much different and in my opinion more pleasing texture.

For the macarons:

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, finely ground
• 1/4 cup oreos (cookie part only), finely ground; about 3-4 oreos
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling:

• about 12 oreo centers
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3-5 tablespoons heavy cream
• confectioners’ sugar

In a food processor, pulse together the almonds, oreos, and confectioners’ sugar. Sift into a mixing bowl and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, or stand mixer, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy and soft peaks form. Gradually add in the granulated sugar and continue to beat until the meringue becomes shiny and stiff peaks form when the beater is lifted.

Add the almond mixture to the meringue, about 1/3 at a time. With a rubber spatula, fold the mixture until just combined before adding in the next third. When all the dry ingredients are incorporated, continue folding until the batter flows from the spatula in ribbons. Try not to under or over fold the mixture.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a wide, round tip. Pipe the batter into small circles (about 3 cm in diameter) spaced about 1 inch apart. Beat the baking sheet down against the counter to release air bubbles and to help the macarons form their “foot”. Sprinkle tops with crushed oreos, if desired. Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to form a crust. You should be able to touch the macarons lightly without getting batter on your fingers.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Bake the macarons in the bottom middle of the oven for 10-15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Carefully peel macarons off the parchment paper and let cool completely on a wire rack.

While the cookies cool, make your cream filling. Beat all ingredients together adding in sugar and extra cream to achieve the flavor and texture you desire. Match cookies up by size and sandwhich together with cream. Enjoy!

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I sincerely hope you try your hand at making these and that you enjoy them as much as I did. If you’re having trouble with your batter, try using weighted measurements. Don’t worry if you don’t get the perfect size on every macaron when piping them. Simply match up the sizes when sandwhiching them together.

Also, a BIG thank you to SnazzyBiscuits for awarding me the Versatile Blogger award. It’s much appreciated, and I’m very thankful for all my readers and supporters!

Veggie Fajita Wraps

I love ordering fajitas when we go out for mexican, but I believe I love them homemade even more. Not to mention it’s much simpler and much cheaper. Make these with any type of vegetables you like, adding any spices or meat you may prefer. I simply sauteed the veggies without any added spice and thought the taste was just wonderful. Make these however you prefer, my recipe is as simplistic as it gets.

For the fajitas:

• 1 green pepper, julliened
• 1 red pepper, julliened
• 1 orange pepper, julliened
• 1 yellow pepper, julliened
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small squash, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• pepper jack cheese
• tortillas

Simply saute the vegetables in olive oil until peppers soften and onion becomes translucent. Add any spices (garlic, paprika, red pepper flakes) or meats as desired, making sure to cook meat through until no longer pink. Sprinkle cheese on bottom of tortilla and cover with cooked vegetables. Top with toppings of your choice including sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, or beans. Fold the tortilla taco style or like a wrap and enjoy! 

Salted Caramel No Machine Ice Cream

There’s a frozen yogurt shop down the road from my house that I often visit. And when I say down the road, I mean I can walk there (which won’t be good for my thighs in the long run). They recently started serving a salted caramel flavor and my, oh my, did I fall in love! Over a big, heaping bowl one day I exclaimed to Adam that I was going to figure out a way to make it.. and I did!

When I say I did recreate it, I mean I made it in ice cream form. The tanginess of the yogurt in homemade froyo isn’t appealing to me, but sweet ice cream can brush my tastebuds any day. And being that I’m broke and don’t own an ice cream maker, I made this wonderful stuff without one.

For the ice cream:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup caramel bits
• 3-5 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoons salt

In a microwavable bowl, melt caramel bits with salt. Stir in 3 tablespoons of milk, adding more as needed to achieve a fairly thin substance. Let it cool completely. Meanwhile, whip the two cups of heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Stir the salted caramel into the sweetened condensed milk until completely combined. Fold in the whipped cream, put in a freezable container (tupperware works fine), and freeze! 

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As the temperature’s get hotter, this ice cream becomes more and more delicious. And it’s so simple. I adapted my no machine ice cream recipe from here.

Spicy Spaghetti Bake & One Lovely Blog Award

I have two very important rules to making spaghetti.

1. Turn on Frank Sinatra Pandora
2. Keep a never empty glass of wine by your side

How could you go wrong? So instead of the classic spaghetti this time around I went for a spicy, Mexican flare. With salsa, green chiles, and loads of cheese.. it was fantastic (and I dare say I prefer it over regular spaghetti bake).

For the spaghetti:

• 1 package (16 oz) whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 pound ground turkey (or beef)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 jar (24 oz) salsa
• 1 jar green chiles
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 block pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 2 cups (16 oz) mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 cups (16 oz) white American cheese, shredded
• crushed tortilla chips

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. In the mean time, cook turkey, onion, and pepper in a large skillet until no longer pink. Stir in salsa, chilies, red pepper flakes and cayenne.

In a large bowl whisk egg and butter. Drain spaghetti and add to egg mixture, tossing to coat.

In a greased baking dish place half of the spaghetti mixture. Top with half the meat mixture and half the pepper jack and mozzarella. Repeat layers topping with crushed tortillas and white American cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

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Seriously, I love this dish. Next time I believe I’ll add jalapenos to the mix. If you have a difficult time finding white American cheese, check the deli section. I adapted my recipe from Taste of Home.

On another note, a big thank you to Sharing Me, Myself and I for the One Lovely Blog Award! It requires that I tell 7 things about myself and pass on the award as well.

1. I love nothing more than a good book. Right now the Dark Tower series by Stephen King.
2. I also enjoy playing video games (currently waiting for Skyrim DLC)
3. I was born a blonde, but have always wanted black hair.
4. I’d love to win the lottery and spend my life traveling.
5. Speaking of traveling, I spent a week in Ireland a few summers back and LOVED it.
6. I love anything from the 20’s era.
7. My taste in music is very diverse, but I love a good jazz or classical piece.

I chose to pass this award on to these 5 blogs (in alphabetical order).

• A Fresh Start For Molly
• A Lot On Your Plate
• Creative Noshing
• Struggling Not Starving
• Tattoomummy

What I Ate Wednesday! Mexican style

Last Wednesday I couldn’t pull myself away from the wonderful tastes of Mexican food.

Breakfast began with a Greens First shake and boost, which is highly nutritious. I find that I rather enjoy it (much better than slimfast or other diet shakes) despite its rather green color.

On the lunch menu, I convinced Adam that our Mexican hiatus should end and we went to one of our favorite (and cheapest) Mexican restaurants. And as many times as we said we would be ‘healthier’ and not order cheese dip.. the urge was uncontrollable. My apologies for the half-eaten taco. I was so excited for it I nearly forgot to snap a photo.

I ended Wednesday with a homemade spicy spaghetti bake (I plan to post the recipe soon). Using salsa, multiple cheeses, and tortilla crumbles.. I was in heaven! Plus, there was enough to freeze a second, smaller casserole for the days where money gets tight. This I served with my triple cheese crostini. If you’ve failed to notice, I’m quite the cheese lover.

Happy Wednesday! And may yours be healthier than mine!

Black Bean ‘Hummus’

It may not be the prettiest looking thing, but where it lacks in looks it makes up for in taste! I’m not a huge fan of hummus, but put black beans in front of me and I go crazy. So I decided to combine the two beans (black and chickpeas) in attempt to make a healthy snack I could stand.

This type of recipe is so versatile. You’re pretty much free to add any type of flavorings you’re taste buds crave. I started off going spicy then added sesame oil which gave it a smokier, Asian flare. No matter, have fun making this recipe your own!

For the ‘hummus’:

1 can chickpeas

1 can black beans

1/4 cup liquid from each can

1/4 onion

1/4 red pepper

1/2 cup salsa

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

about 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos

1 tablespoon jalapeno juice

1/8 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until you have a smooth mixture. If you don’t have a large enough food processor, blend in a blender or pulse in smaller batches.

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I really enjoyed the flavor of this dip, especially served on toasted bread pieces. It can also be served with various crackers or veggie slices. For a hot dip, try adding cream cheese and shredded cheese and baking in the oven.

English Breakfast Tea Cookies

I got very excited when I saw A Lot On Your Plate was hosting a bake-off this month for cookies, and of course I had to join in! The goal was to make the cookies as simple as possible so I went on search for the perfect recipe. I considered no-bake cookies because I love them oh so much, but figured that’s been done time and time again. Thankfully I happened upon this recipe that sounded equally delicious as it was easy.

I’m a sucker for hot tea. That’s probably why I get giddy when looking at tea pot/cup sets. After doing a research paper on the health benefits of tea my freshmen year, I became obsessed with the stuff. After finding this recipe for cookies with tea leaves baked right in, I knew I had struck gold. And simple.. you bet!

For the cookies:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon black tea leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon water

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

Option 1:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor, add all the dry ingredients and pulse until the tea leaves are finely ground. Next add in the remaining ingredients and pulse until a dough begins to form. On a sheet of wax or parchment paper, roll out your dough into a log. Wrap the paper around the log to smooth it out. At this point you can freeze your dough for later use or chill for 15 minutes before slicing into 1/3 inch pieces. Bake for 12 minutes or until sides begin to brown.

Option 2:

If you don’t own a large enough food processor there’s still hope! Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flour, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and tea leaves (make sure the leaves are finely ground by pulsing them in a food processor if necessary). Beat the butter and granulated sugar together in a large bowl until combined. Beat in your vanilla and water. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms. On a sheet of wax or parchment paper, roll out your dough into a log. Wrap the paper around the log to smooth it out. At this point you can freeze your dough for later use or chill for 15 minutes before slicing into 1/3 inch pieces. Bake for 12 minutes or until sides begin to brown.

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I love the little specks of black the tea leaves form in these cookies. Don’t worry if you think you must purchase full leaf tea for this recipe. Pop open a tea bag and it works just as wonderfully. They go nicely as a snack with afternoon tea or a large glass of milk and they work great for cut-out cookies as they hold their shape very well. Be adventurous and try flavored or green teas as an alternative! I found my recipe at TheKitchn. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

*Update: I recommend using strong brewed tea in place of the water to give it an added tea flavor.

S’mores Macarons

Okay, I did it. I broke down and jumped on the macaron bandwagon (not to be confused with the coconut-y macaroon treats). And, all I have to say for myself is that I’m glad I did!

After hearing and reading horror stories about making these little French delights, I was nervous to say the least. Here I’m going to take a second to brag and say that my macarons turned out on the very first try! That just means if I can make them, so can you! Maybe it helped that I had this little guy tagging along in the kitchen.

My pretty Persian, Paxton.

For my first batch, I decided on a s’mores flavor. It’s summertime, s’mores are fun treats, so why not turn them into macarons? I started with a basic chocolate macaron and added a marshmallow and graham cracker filling. They turned out quite tasty, and I found myself continually going back for seconds.

There are many little tips and tricks to making the ‘perfect’ macaron. I’ve read where you should use weighted measurements for best results, but lacking a kitchen scale, I used regular cups and tablespoons and still came out with great results.  It can all seem overwhelming, but it proved very fun once I got into the swing of it! With tons of flavor combinations to mix/match and choose from, macaron making is going to be a new favorite of mine. I’ve got my eye on cookies & cream next!

For the macarons:

3/4 cup slivered almonds, finely ground

2 extra large egg whites, at room temperature

Scant 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup granulated sugar

For the filling:

2 cups marshmallow fluff

3 oz cream cheese, at room temperature (optional)

graham crackers, crushed

Before starting, separate egg whites and let stand in a bowl covered with a paper towel until room temperature; about 2 hours. Let cream cheese come to room temperature as well.

In a food processor, pulse the almonds until finely ground. In a small mixing bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Add in cocoa and whisk to combine. Add the powdered sugar mix to the almonds and process until blended. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, or stand mixer, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy and soft peaks form. Gradually add in the granulated sugar and continue to beat until the meringue becomes shiny and stiff peaks form when the beater is lifted.

Sift the almond mixture and discard any fine parts of almond left. Add the almond mixture to the meringue, about 1/3 at a time. With a rubber spatula, fold the mixture until just combined before adding in the next third. When all the dry ingredients are incorporated, continue folding until the batter flows from the spatula in ribbons. Try not to under or over fold the mixture.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a wide, round tip. Pipe the batter into small circles (about 3 cm in diameter) spaced about 1 inch apart. Beat the baking sheet down against the counter to release air bubbles and to help the macarons form their “foot”. Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to form a crust. You should be able to touch the macarons lightly without getting batter on your fingers.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Bake the macarons in the bottom middle of the oven for 10-15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Carefully peel macarons off the parchment paper and let cool completely on a wire rack.

While the cookies cool, make your marshmallow filling. If you want to cut the sweet, add the marshmallow fluff and cream cheese together and stir until well combined. If desired, simply use marshmallow fluff. Place the graham crackers in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin (or your hands). What to do with them is up to you! I incorporated them into my marshmallow filling, but you could also roll your finished macarons in the crushed crackers so they’ll stick to the filling that may spill out the side.

Match the macarons by size, pipe filling onto flat side, and push together to form tiny sandwich cookies.

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If you’re unsure how to get the correct size circle when piping your batter, you could trace out the circle size onto your parchment paper or dip the correct size cutter into powdered sugar and tap into circles for guidelines. I found all my tips, tricks, and the chocolate macaron recipe in this book.