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Carrot Cake Cookies

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Gourmet Gab Carrot Cake Cookies-3

I am clearly having a moment with carrots right now. From my orange carrot smoothie bowl to these carrot cake cookies, I can’t stop finding ways to use this sweet veggie in creative ways. When I was little, I wasn’t a huge fan of carrot cake because of the nuts and raisins. Now I’ve discovered a love for smooth carrot cake (sans nuts and raisins) with a good cream cheese frosting.

Today on Food Network Snapchat Discover, I’m making a version of carrot cake but in cookie form. I add oatmeal for texture and natural ingredients to make these a “health-ier” cookie. The consistency is chewy, the flavors are sweet and the glaze is just like a cream cheese frosting from cake. These would make a great change up to traditional chocolate chip cookies for summer parties or potlucks.

Carrot Cake Cookies
 
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Adapted from Amy's Healthy Baking recipe.
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Serves: 16 cookies
Ingredients
  • Cookies
  • 1 cup instant oats
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup, room temperature
  • ½ cup grated peeled carrot (freshly grated is best, but store-bought shredded will work too!)
  • Cream Cheese Drizzle
  • 2 ounces of cream cheese (must be room temperature or the frosting will curdle!)
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, salt.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter or oil, egg, vanilla and maple syrup. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture and then fold in carrots, careful not to over mix.
  3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes or longer.
  4. Scoop cookie dough into tablespoon size balls onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
  5. Cool completely.
  6. While cooking, mix cream cheese drizzle. Using a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid, start mixing the cream cheese to soften. Add half of powdered sugar, allow to incorporate and add the rest. Whip until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add half of the lemon juice and mix until creamy. If needed, use more lemon juice as needed to thin.
  7. Once cookies are cooled, drizzle cream cheese over cookies.

When my friend took a bite of the cookie, she commented that it tastes kind of like a granola bar. I think she is right! The combo of the shredded carrots, oatmeal and cinnamon does remind me of a Lara bar flavor because it tastes healthy and has some chewiness. If you’re a fan of oatmeal cookies and carrot cake, these carrot cake cookies are a perfect combo for you! Open up your Snapchat app, swipe over to the Discover section and watch me make this dessert on Food Network’s story.

Happy Father’s Day to all those amazing dads, uncles, grandpas and guys out there. Earlier this week, I wrote about my dad, Jose. You can read it here!

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

A Year of Free Cupcakes

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My aunt Buffy is a firm believer in the philosophy of “Eat cake for breakfast.” It’s not uncommon to see her finding an occasion to have dessert first or celebrate with something sweet. Every December she hosts a Gingerbread Party for my cousin, Emily, and goes to town on holiday baking and even Red Velvet Cake. One of my favorite memories with her is when we baked mini cupcakes for Emily’s graduation party and felt like professional bakers.

Buffy always loved my cooking and baking adventures, especially when cake was involved. In my early teens I began to teach myself how to use fondant and make custom cakes. Eventually baking them for fun turned into my first business called Cake Girl. Instead of birthday gifts, I delivered custom fondant cakes to my friends detailed to fit their personality. (You can browse through old photos here!) My mom, one of Buffy’s sisters, was so supportive in my Cake Girl ventures. She would start baking the cakes for me while I was at school so I could come home to finish them at night or grocery shop while I was at dance so I could get right to baking on the weekends. I treasure our memories in the kitchen together so much now! She was such an advocate for my early entrepreneurship and it has played an important role in me now living out my Gourmet Gab dreams.

The wedding cake I made for my aunt and uncle during my Cake Girl days.

In January I got a notification that Buffy tagged me in a Facebook post on Gigi’s Cupcakes page. She entered us into their Customer Appreciation giveaway to win a year of free Gigi’s items. The post asked, “We want YOU to share a story of someone special you appreciate in your life and why you appreciate them. We will select three of the most compelling stories and award both you and the person you appreciate “Free Gigi’s” items monthly for a year!” Here’s what Buffy wrote:

About 10 years ago my sister Betsy and her daughter Gabriela started making a decorating cupcakes with hopes of turning it into a business. Even though Gabriela was only 15 she had a knack for everything that included cooking and baking and her cupcakes were no exception. Betsy always encouraged Gabs to make a huge mess in the kitchen with her creations. About 9 years ago, while making cupcakes, Betsy had a brain aneurysm and died. Gabriela continued to cook and bake and has her own cooking blog and is sometimes featured on Food Networks Snap Story with great recipes. We both love Gigi’s Cupcakes and I truly believe an adorable, amazing cupcake shop like Gigi’s is exactly what Betsy envisioned when she started making cupcakes with her small daughter. I very much appreciate that my niece Gabs has continued following her dream of cooking and baking despite the tragic loss of her Mom

Shortly after, I got a Facebook message from Gigi’s saying they had selected us as one of the three pairs of winners! I was completely shocked because there were more than 530 comments. Buffy and I were so excited and both couldn’t believe we were picked! Buffy then told me that she was not so thrilled about the writing of her entry because she did it quickly at work one day before we would miss the deadline. It makes me laugh thinking about Buffy hurrying to type this because she is a elementary school teacher who loves a good, well-written story! Either way, it caught the attention of the judges and we now get to enjoy Gigi’s for a whole YEAR.

The prize is kind of like a punch card where we get to go into our local Gigi’s to redeem a new combination of cupcakes or desserts each month. I will definitely be posting along the way throughout the year as I try new flavors and varieties. The first round of cupcakes I got were chocolate chip cookie dough, Fireball (like the whiskey!), Champagne, and chocolate chocolate chip with white chocolate frosting. The cookie dough one was amazing, but I think I would go back for the Champagne next time, preferably served with a chilled glass of bubbly!

Thank you Gigi’s for picking Buffy and I as your winners! Now we can definitely have cake for breakfast at least once a month.

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

Sugar Cookies: Two Ways

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Gourmet Gab Sugar Cookies

Happy Saturday! This week has been so festive with holiday spirit and I’m absolutely loving it. My roommate and I make a spontaneous trip to Target to decorate our apartment with holiday decor, it snowed in Indiana and I’m going to a holiday party this afternoon. Next up, I’m ready for a holiday baking day! Christmas wouldn’t be complete without some sugar cookies and classic baked goods. Whether you like regular sugar cookies, or the cookies cut in festive shapes and decorated with icing, my family has two recipes I’d love to share.

Gourmet Gab Sugar Cookies

My Grandma Mary Ann gave my mom these recipes years and years ago and we always used to joke that she would leave a little something out to make sure they wouldn’t taste as good as hers. After double checking for years, I think we finally nailed down the recipes. We always stored the sugar cookies in the freezer. They stay a little chewy, but taste extra buttery when they’re cold. The sugar cookie cut outs are complete with a frosting made with vanilla extract – but almond extract would taste amazing too!

Sugar Cookies
 
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Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter or margarine
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ tsp. cream of tartar
  • ½ tsp. soda
Instructions
  1. Cream butter and sugar. Add vegetable oil and egg.
  2. Sift flour, salt, cream of tartar, and soda. Add into wet mixture. Mix until incorporated.
  3. Wrap ball of dough in saran wrap and chill for at least one hour.
  4. Roll dough into tablespoon sized balls. Place onto cookie sheet, flatten gently with heel of hand and top with holiday sprinkles.
  5. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. (Watch! They overcook easily, so remove from oven before they turn golden brown.) Enjoy!

Gourmet Gab Sugar Cookies
Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs
 
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Ingredients
  • Cookies
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp. almond extract
  • 1½ c. powdered sugar
  • 2½ c. flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. cream of tartar
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • Frosting
  • 1 pound powdered sugar
  • ⅛ tsp. salt
  • ½ c. butter, softened
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 4-5 Tbsp. milk
  • Food coloring
  • Sprinkles
Instructions
  1. Mix together ingredients above.
  2. Mold dough in a ball and wrap with saran (plastic) wrap. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.
  3. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out to ¼″ thick.
  4. Cut into shapes using holiday cookie cutters.
  5. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 7-8 minutes or until light golden brown.
  6. Let cool. Frost and decorate with sprinkles.

Gourmet Gab Sugar Cookies

I am bummed to be missing my family’s baking day this year, but hoping I can do some holiday baking with friends instead. If I make a batch of sugar cookies with girlfriends, I’m going to definitely need to give them away as gifts here in Indy (so I don’t eat them all!). Sugar cookies make such a classic gift for neighbors, friends, family, co-workers or anyone you can think of. Spice them up with your favorite sprinkles, jewels, colored frosting, edible glitter…the options are endless!

Gourmet Gab Sugar Cookies

Also, in case you’re curious, this adorable Ho Ho Ho shirt is from one of my favorite boutiques in Phoenix called Muse Apparel. You’ll see me wearing some more of their clothing in upcoming images for the blog! When I was home in Phoenix for Thanksgiving, I spent time with Brooke Marcella for a photo shoot and cannot wait to keep sharing her images. If you’re looking for a photographer in Phoenix for a wedding, she is incredible.

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

No-Churn Peppermint Chip Frozen Yogurt

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Gourmet Gab Peppermint Chip Frozen Yogurt

Peppermint chip ice cream is one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. Every year I know Christmas is around the corner when the grocery stores start carrying the pale pink and chocolate-studded ice cream. This year, after I made a no-churn java chip ice cream in honor of my mom’s birthday, I wanted to give peppermint chip a try. In an effort to lighten things up during the holidays, I experimented with using yogurt. The results were just as creamy and luscious as the ice cream version. Today, I’m on Food Network Snapchat Discover showing you how to make this holiday dessert…you have to go watch!

Gourmet Gab Peppermint Chip Frozen Yogurt

Making this no-churn peppermint chip fro-yo is really simple. You just whip heavy whipping cream and fold it into yogurt mixed with peppermint extract, agave, sugar and red food coloring. Fold in your chocolate chunks and freeze for at least 4 hours until it’s ready! The results create this gorgeous dessert. I tested recipes with less whipped cream, less sugar and different options, but to keep it creamy, it really is important to have a balance of fats and sugars. While the texture of the frozen yogurt appears more icy, let it sit for a good few minutes before you scoop. Once it’s softened, I like to stir a scoop around a little bit to soften even more and then scoop into my favorite bowl.

Peppermint Chip Frozen Yogurt
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups plain yogurt
  • ¼ cup agave
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • red food coloring
  • 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks, reserve ¼ cup for topping, chopped
Instructions
  1. Begin whipping heavy whipping cream with a hand mixer or blender and continue blending until stiff peaks form (about 1-2 minutes).
  2. In a medium-sized freezer safe bowl, mix yogurt, agave, sugar, peppermint extract and red food coloring.
  3. Fold in half of the whipped cream until incorporated. Add second half of whipped cream and fold.
  4. Fold in ½ cup of chocolate chips.
  5. Smooth and sprinkle remaining ¼ chocolate chunks on top.
  6. Freeze for 4-8 hours and serve!

Gourmet Gab Peppermint Chip Frozen Yogurt

My roommate, Danielle, and I have been enjoying this in our freezer for the last month in celebration of Christmas. We put a scoop in a mug – it’s more cozy to eat it out of there for some reason – curl up on the couch with our fur blankets and watch TV, catch up on the day and make plans for tomorrow. We just ran out of our fro-yo the other night, so I think I’m going to have to whip up a new batch! I can’t wait to hear what you think of it.

If you have the Snapchat app, don’t forget to head over to the Discover area and click through Food Network’s to watch my video today! It only lasts 24 hours, so be sure to catch it while you can. Thanks for tuning into my videos!

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

Almond Butter Chai Balls

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Gourmet Gab Almond Butter Chai Balls

One of my favorite things about fall is the return of chai. When the weather cools down a bit, I turn to a sweet and spicy chai tea to warm me up. A dirty chai latte (chai latte plus espresso) is a delicious way to change-up a usual coffee drink. The chai spice combination usually is composed of a handful of the following: green cardamom, fennel seed, ginger, peppercorns, cloves, coriander seeds and star anise. I love using some of these spices individually in holiday baking and was brainstorming how to be able to combine them into one dessert. Then I tasted Revival Food Co.’s Chai Time almond butter.

Gourmet Gab Almond Butter Chai Balls

Crunchy almond butter and chai spices – all I could think about was how delicious this would be to compliment a holiday dessert. As I mentioned in my last post in collaboration with Revival, I am new to the almond butter-lovers crew since I have been a loyal peanut butter fan for life. Once I tried the almond butter, I couldn’t stop imagining making little almond butter, chai and white chocolate balls for the holiday season. The recipe turned out exactly like I was hoping! I could pop these little bites into my mouth like popcorn. They are chewy, sweet and just a little bit spicy. The dessert has crunch from the textured Revival almond butter (the almonds are stone-ground) and sprinkling of chia seeds, but is also perfectly sweetened by the agave and white chocolate.

Gourmet Gab Almond Butter Chai Balls

If you did not specifically have Revival’s Chai Time almond butter with you since they are mostly sold in the Midwest, you could use an almond butter you have and add a 1/4 teaspoon of few of the spices listed above (ground ginger, allspice, cardamom, plus the cinnamon and nutmeg). I added a little extra cinnamon and nutmeg to the dessert because I love those flavors and wanted to be sure you could really taste the punch of chai.

As you can see in the recipe, I used all natural ingredients and basically no refined sugar – just agave for a touch of sweetness and the white chocolate as a drizzle! The recipe feels like it could double as a healthy snack (sans chocolate), but is indulgent enough to double as a beautiful dessert for the holidays. Swap the sprinkle of cinnamon with red, green, silver or blue sprinkles and these almond chai balls would make a gorgeous celebratory dessert for upcoming festivities.

Almond Butter Chai Balls
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • ½ cup almond butter (Revival Chai Time almond butter is recommended)
  • ½ cup old fashioned oats
  • 2 tablespoons agave
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • ⅓ cup white chocolate chips
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • Extra cinnamon for sprinkling
Instructions
  1. Put the oats in a blender and pulverize until smooth like sand.
  2. In a bowl mix together all ingredients except white chocolate and oil.
  3. Once the ingredients are mixed, form into about 8 small balls.
  4. In a microwave safe container, melt white chocolate chips with vegetable oil in 30 second increments until smooth.
  5. Place the almond chai balls on a sheet of wax paper or a plate and drizzle with melted white chocolate. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
  6. Let chocolate dry and then serve.

Gourmet Gab Almond Butter Chai Balls

I am so excited about the holiday season and ready to get baking! When my aunts and cousins and I gather to bake our usual cookies and bars at our annual baking day, I may have to bring a batch of these almond butter chai balls to snack on. With a cup of coffee, they are a delicious late morning snack and feel healthy enough to eat during breakfast – thanks to the natural, high quality ingredients! I hope you enjoy. I can’t wait to hear what you think.

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

This post is sponsored by Revival Food Co., but all opinions are my own. Thank you for helping support brands that support Gourmet Gab!

Baked Apple Cider Donuts and Donut Shop Coffee

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This month I already got to cross two things off my fall bucket list: going to an apple orchard and trying apple cider donuts. Roaming around the orchard with all the gorgeous colorful apples felt so quintessentially fall. My friends and I went on a cloudy day where it actually ended up raining, so we hurried indoors in search of warm apple cider donuts and hot coffee. I was so pleasantly surprised by the apple cider donut. The apple flavor was subtler than I expected and the cinnamon really shined. Paired with hot coffee, the apple cider donut quickly became a new fall favorite.

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Donuts are such a fun, nostalgic treat to eat, which is why I wanted to put a healthy twist on them. Baked donuts definitely have a distinctly different flavor than the traditional fried version, but I actually love how light and fluffy they can turn out. This recipe creates a donut that resembles a muffin or cake just in a donut form. Dunked in cinnamon sugar for a glistening touch, you won’t even miss the difference. I recipe tested for days and finally found The Faux Martha’s recipe. I adapted it slightly, but am so happy she nailed the light and fluffy elements of the baked donut. She gave the great tip to add your donut batter into a plastic bag to evenly distribute into the donut pan…it helped so much!

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To recreate the apple cider and coffee experience at the orchard, I brewed a cup of Donut Shop coffee in my Keurig and dunked my donut right into the mug. Once I made the switch to mostly using a Keurig versus my French Press every morning, I tried other types of coffee but always came back to the Donut Shop brew. There’s just something about the adorable packing that makes me happy every time I reach for my K-cup in the morning. I think of the nostalgia of being at a neighborhood donut shop in line for a donut (chocolate with sprinkles!!) and coffee. The medium flavor of Donut Shop is bold and compliments the apple cinnamon flavors of this baked donut perfectly.

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While I start my days with a cup of coffee, I love winding down at night with a warm cup of tea. Right now I am really into drinking a pumpkin rooibos or harvest spice tea to celebrate the fall flavors. I am so glad I got the Keurig that stores plenty of water to also easily brew a quick cup of hot water (in several different sizes) with the touch of a button. The pearl colored Keurig is sleek, simple and doesn’t take up too much precious counter space. Plenty of room left to bake these apple cider donuts to pair with coffee!

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Baked Apple Cider Donuts
 
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Adapted from The Faux Martha, these baked apple donuts are a lighter and healthier alternative to the fall classic.
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • Donuts
  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons apple cider
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ⅛ tsp. nutmeg
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 large egg
  • Non-stick cooking spray
  • Topping
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • Special tools
  • Donut baking pan
  • 1 large plastic bag
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Melt butter for donuts on the stove slowly or in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Stir in apple cider and set aside to cool.
  3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  4. Into the butter and cider mixture, whisk in sugar, maple syrup and egg.
  5. Add wet mixture into dry ingredients until just combined. Mix until just incorporated. It is okay if there are lumps in the batter. Spray donut pan. Add batter to a piping bag and pipe evenly into the pan.
  6. Bake for 7 minutes. Wait 1 minute before removing donuts from pan and placing on cooling rack. While donuts cool, melt butter for topping. In a flat-bottomed bowl or plate, mix together cinnamon and sugar.
  7. Lightly dip one side of the donut in butter and place buttered-side-down into cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place back on cooling rack, but they are best eaten warm as soon as possible!

 

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If you don’t have a donut pan, you can snag one easily online or your favorite place to shop. Once you have one, I think you’ll be surprised by how often you use it! I love how this recipe makes 6 donuts, it was the perfect amount to enjoy with my roommate and share with a few co-workers. If you’re going to save them for later, don’t put the donuts in a plastic bag! Gently cover on a plate with plastic wrap so they can breathe a little bit. If you’re an extra good friend, you’ll share a Keurig Donut Shop K-cup for your friend to pair with their baked apple cider donut.

Thank you to Keurig for sponsoring this post!

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

Churro Dessert Kabobs

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One of the dishes I fell in love with when I studied abroad in Sevilla, Spain was churros and chocolate. The Spanish dunk the warm, fried dough of a churro into thick, almost pudding-like warm chocolate for dessert. I was feeling inspired to add a healthier spin to this dessert by pairing little bite-size churro balls with fresh fruit. The sweetness of the strawberries, creaminess of the bananas and decadent chocolate make for a perfect contrast against the sweet, crispy churro bites. In Spain, you traditionally won’t find churros rolled in cinnamon sugar, but I opted for the American way to add to the presentation value.

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Churros and chocolate from Valor in Sevilla, Spain. I ate these for the first time in October 2012 while studying abroad.

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Over on Food Network Snapchat Discover you can watch me make this dessert right now! While this dessert is something that takes a little more assembly, it really has an incredible presentation value. I mean, look at those pretty colors of the fruit and the chocolate drizzle! You could certainly make the churro bites by themselves and serve with a chocolate dipping sauce, or even make smaller versions of the kabobs without the fruit. Totally up to you, but I loved bringing a little piece of Spain into my kitchen with these churro and fruit kabobs.
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Churro Dessert Kabobs
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 6-8 kabobs
Ingredients
  • Chocolate-Covered Fruit
  • 1/2 carton strawberries
  • 1-2 bananas, depending on size
  • ¼ cup milk chocolate chips
  • Churros
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ stick butter
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • Vegetable oil
Instructions
  1. Chocolate-Covered Fruit
  2. Slice fruit into ½ inch thick rounds. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
  3. Melt milk chocolate in microwave for about 20 seconds and stir to smooth.
  4. Open a sandwich bag and line a drinking glass or mug with it. Pour chocolate into a sandwich bag and seal. Push the chocolate to one corner of the bag and twist the excess bag to create a piping bag. Cut a very small hole at the corner.
  5. Drizzle a little chocolate over each piece of strawberry and banana. Set to the side so chocolate hardens.
  6. Churros
  7. Fill a large pot with at least 2 inches of vegetable oil (amount depends on your pot). Use a candy thermometer to bring oil up to 350 degrees. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees to keep churro bites warm.
  8. Mix cinnamon sugar in a bowl or plate. Have another plate ready with a paper towel for drying grease.
  9. Over medium high heat, bring water, butter and sugar to a boil so the butter melts.
  10. Add the flour to the pan and stir for a minute over heat while the dough clings together to form a ball.
  11. Let cool for two minutes, add the egg. Really use your arm muscles to stir like crazy with a wooden spoon! Roll dough into about 20 teaspoon size bites.
  12. Once oil has reached 350 degrees, cook one churro to test. Let fry for about 6 minutes or until the churro has floated up to the top of the oil, is golden brown and the bubbles have settled down around the edges. Once it's ready, remove from oil, immediately dry slightly on plate with paper towel and then toss in cinnamon sugar mixture. Move to a baking dish and keep warm in 200 degree oven.
  13. Repeat process and cook 5-6 churro bites at a time until all are done. Dry on paper towel, roll in cinnamon sugar and then keep warm in 200 degree oven.
  14. Assemble the kabobs by alternating churro, banana, churro, strawberry on to bamboo skewer. Serve immediately so the churros are still warm!

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These churros would be the perfect dessert for your next dinner party. Prep the chocolate-covered fruit ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator. Then, you can get friends involved by making the dough on the spot and having them help you roll the bite size churro balls. If you want to do it all ahead of time, you can prep the dough the day before and pull out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you want to fry the churros. Bringing the dough to room temperature will help it cook faster while frying.

I’m dreaming of Spain while staring at the photos of these churros and think I either need to make another batch for dessert ASAP or book a ticket back to Sevilla. Maybe I’ll just do both!

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

No Churn Java Chip Ice Cream

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Today is a really special day and, like most special occasions in my family, we’re going to celebrating by eating ice cream. Today is my mom’s birthday and java chip ice cream was one of her favorite things. I have vivid memories of walking into the kitchen and seeing my mom grab her pint of Starbuck’s Java Chip ice cream from the freezer for a little dessert before going to bed. Ice cream was also our comfort food when we needed a pick-me-up. Whenever someone was having a bad day or was just feeling down, she would always say, “Ice cream makes everything better.” We’d take a trip to Dairy Queen to get blizzards or share a few scoops of ice cream in bed, savoring the indulgence and letting the ice cream bring a sweet smile to our faces.

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You may have read my special leap year and lasagna post and learned that my mom passed away eight years ago from a sudden brain aneurysm. Simply put, my mom was the absolute best. She had the gift of making people feel special and appreciated with her genuine kindness. She worked hard, whether that was in her professional life or completing marathons as a hobby. She brought people together, was a mediator, shoulder to cry on, friend to laugh with, sister to have dance parties with, aunt to call in times of need. I miss her more as I get older than I even knew was possible at the young age of 15 when I celebrated her birthday with her last. Today, I want us to all celebrate with her in heaven and eat plenty of ice cream just like she would want.

Photo: Michael J Photography
Photo: Michael J Photography

Even if you never got to meet Betsy, join in with me celebrating her today with this decadent, but insanely easy, no churn java chip ice cream. The reason it’s called no churn is because you don’t need a fancy ice cream maker or special attachment for your Kitchen Aid to churn the cream into ice cream. Instead, whip heavy whipping cream into soft peaks, then fold into sweet and condensed milk, instant espresso, chocolate chunks and chocolate covered espresso beans. Freeze for at least six hours and scoop just like regular ice cream.

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You only need a few ingredients: those pictured above along with a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness and a dash or so of vanilla to bring out the richness. Because we were celebrating, I used both semi-sweet chocolate chunks and dark chocolate covered espresso beans, but you could absolutely pick just one – and honestly next time I make it I may do that too. I also recommend chopping up both chocolates into tiny pieces so they get incorporated nicely into the mixture.

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While the heavy cream whips, you’ll mix the sweet and condensed milk with the instant espresso. It takes just a minute or so to make with store-bought instant espresso and warm water. Once the whipped cream is ready, when you fold it into the milk, mix ever so gently and don’t mix too much. You want to keep the fluffiness of the whipped cream to give the ice cream that light fluffy texture. I used a simple folding method to scoop from the bottom and literally fold the sweet and condensed milk into the cream.

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I was looking for the ideal presentation, so I sprinkled some extra chocolate chips onto the top of the ice cream. Taking that first scoop into the ice cream was so rewarding. I loved seeing the marbling of the colors and the chunks of chocolate forming into the perfect scoop. The texture of this ice cream is almost like a gelato consistency. It’s fluffy, creamy and smooth. It melted really quick though, so be sure to savor immediately!

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No Churn Java Chip Ice Cream
 
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This no churn ice cream takes no time to prepare and tastes even better than the store bought version. Adapted from Fresh April Flours.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • 2 and ½ tablespoons instant coffee
  • 2 Tablespoons warm water
  • 2 cups (16 ounces) heavy cream
  • 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped to desired thickness (save some for the top of the pan)
  • ¼ cup chocolate covered espresso beans, chopped to desired thickness
Instructions
  1. Combine instant coffee with warm water in a small bowl until dissolved.
  2. Using a stand mixer or hand blender, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. (About 3-4 minutes.)
  3. While heavy cream is whipping, combine sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, salt and coffee in a medium size bowl. Stir together. Add chocolate chips and chocolate covered espresso beans.
  4. Fold whipped cream gently into sweetened condensed milk mixture.
  5. Pour the ice cream into a loaf pan or freezer-safe container, sprinkle with leftover chocolate. Freeze for about six-eight hours, or overnight.

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This java chip ice cream absolutely hit the spot for me this week while I was thinking about mom and wishing we could celebrate her birthday together. I love that I got to make a homemade version of one of her favorite desserts that was so simple. If Betsy would’ve tried this no church java chip recipe, I’m pretty sure she would’ve converted from her usual grocery store purchase and made this with me instead. I can’t wait to hear what you think of it! Enjoy it whenever you need a quick celebratory dessert or spontaneous pick-me-up, in honor of Betsy.

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Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

S’mores Burrito from Food Network Snapchat Discover

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When I think summer desserts, I think of s’mores. Every summer I visit my family at our lake cabin in Minnesota. After a long day of swimming, skiing, and grilling, we savor the sunshine until the very last drop. Just as the sun sets, we fire up the bonfire to make s’mores. A few years ago, my aunt introduced a twist to the s’mores routine – making them into a burrito – a s’mores burrito.

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We take a flour tortilla, smear a little peanut butter in the middle, break up Hershey’s chocolate squares, top with a handful of mini marshmallows and microwave. Since the graham crackers are my favorite part of the s’more, I started adding some crumbled graham cracker pieces over the melted marshmallows. Roll up the melted PB chocolate marshmallow combo like a burrito and indulge immediately while it’s warm.

I like to use small flour tortillas so they are individual sized. It rolls up to be a perfect four-bite dessert! If you have extra fruit on hand, you can really play up the burrito factor and stuff in sliced strawberries, bananas, raspberries, or all of the above. Just a little balance of healthy and indulgent!

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Head over to watch me make these s’mores burrito on Food Network’s Snapchat Discover channel right now! Here’s a real behind-the-scenes shot from the filming…I was caught red handed eating the s’mores burrito after we were done filming. It’s THAT good.

S'mores Burrito
 
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A super easy microwave dessert that takes the flavors of s'mores inside a tortilla.
Author:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 1 flour tortilla
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter
  • 1-2 squares of chocolate, or 1 tablespoon chocolate chips
  • Approximately ¼ cup mini marshmallows
  • Graham cracker crumbs (about ¼ of a full graham cracker)
  • Optional: sliced strawberries or bananas to stuff on the inside
Instructions
  1. Lay flour tortilla on a plate.
  2. Spread peanut butter in the middle of the tortilla. Break up chocolate squares into pieces and place over peanut butter. Top with marshmallows.
  3. Microwave for no more than 20 seconds, watching to be sure marshmallows don't explode!
  4. Once chocolate is melted and marshmallows are soft and gooey, break up graham cracker into pieces on top.
  5. Roll the tortilla up like a burrito. First fold two sides in together. While holding the two folded edges, fold a third side of the tortilla over the filling and roll up.

Want S’More?

Don’t forget to head over to Food Network’s Snapchat Discover Channel right now to watch the full video! Let me know what you think of the burrito and if you share a picture, tag or mention me: @Gourmet_Gab! I can’t wait to see. To watch behind the scenes of my cooking and Snapchat filming, follow me on Snapchat: GourmetGab.

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

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If Baking Day could be a national holiday, I would encourage every family and group of friends to celebrate. Every December, my family and I organize a baking day where we each make a recipe and then share the treats with each other. It is one of my favorite days of the holiday season because it involves some of my favorite things: family, the kitchen, food and mimosas. Yesterday I decided to try a new recipe and whipped up Gimme Some Oven’s Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies.

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Ever since I had the gingerbread cupcake from Sprinkles a few weeks ago, I have been obsessed with the flavor. These cookies did not disappoint. I mean, look at that butter…how could cookies ever taste that bad with that much butter? The molasses and combination of spices gives the cookies the gingerbread-like flavor. My trick for measuring molasses: Spritz your measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray before the sticky syrup slides right out!

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Baking Day would not be complete without my pink Kitchen Aid mixer. I got this mixer as a surprise Christmas present when I was twelve and it has been with me for the last 10 years. So many memories, so many recipes and so many more to come. It whips up the perfect cookie dough every time.

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Speaking of which, check out how gorgeous these cookies look right out of the oven. Rolling the dough in sugar gives them a sparkle–perfect for the holiday season. Eight minutes cooking in the oven was plenty…I would even go with six or seven if you love the really soft almost gooey like cookies. Serve them in coffee for dessert (or breakfast) and your company will be quite happy.

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Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

Espresso White Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Espresso and chocolate go so beautifully together. Think of a white chocolate mocha or dipping chocolate biscotti into a coffee drink. These Espresso White Chocolate Chip Cookies prove why a dash of instant espresso takes dessert up to the next level.

When these cookies came out of the oven, I had to stop myself from eating the whole first batch up. Dunk these in a big, cold glass of milk or wash them down with a cappuccino.

Espresso White Chocolate Chip Cookies

The batch makes about 36 cookies, so you’ll have plenty for the whole family and maybe even some lucky friends! Recipe slightly adapted from Savory Sweet Life.

Espresso White Chocolate Chip Cookies
 
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These cookies are rich and divine. The espresso brings out the chocolate flavor, which is contrasted by the smooth crunch of the white chocolate chips.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 3 teaspoon instant espresso
  • 2 cup flour
  • 2 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream room temperature butter, white sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. This will take about 3-5 minutes.
  2. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes.
  3. Add salt, baking soda, cocoa powder, instant espresso and flour until well combined.
  4. Fold in white chocolate chips. Using a small ice cream scooper or spoons, dollop 2 tablespoons of dough on cookie sheet.
  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let sit for about 2 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove to cool completely. Continue baking cookies until batter is gone.

 

Fourth of July is right around the corner! Any fun plans for the weekend? If you’re going to be traveling, be safe and take a batch of these cookies on the road ;)

Love food | Love self | Love life … Gabriela

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to Gourmet Gab so you don’t miss out on any posts. You can use Bloglovin, Google Reader, or “like” the Facebook Page.

Graduation Party Ideas

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Graduation season means two things: festive parties and tasty sweets. My cousin Emily just graduated from high school in North Dakota. She and my Aunt Buffy were Pinteresting (planning) for months coming up with lots of fun ideas. I had a blast helping them craft, bake and decorate for the celebrations!

Cupcake Icing
My Aunt Buffy baked 400 mini cupcakes in Chocolate, Vanilla and Red Velvet. The mini cupcakes are fun for parties so people can sample one of each.
Cupcake Icing
The homemade Peanut Butter, Buttercream and Cream Cheese Frostings were so divine!
Cupcake Sprinkles
Icing cupcakes is so therapeutic for me…I love making the uniform swirls! Adding a pinch of multicolored sprinkles is a magical touch.
Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes
These little toothpick flags printed on scrapbook paper added personalization to the cupcakes, not to mention lots of pizazz.
Emily and Gabriela
Here’s my cousin Emily, the graduate, and I! We are all about bright colors this summer…and just happened to match the party’s theme.

This was the “party wall!” We made tissue paper flowers to hang from the ceiling. Buffy made flag banners out of scrapbook paper and printed letters. Tied together with some ribbon and ta-dah! The dessert plates are made out of drink glasses or vases, glued to plates, and spray painted. Inexpensive and adorable!

Graduation Party Wall

The table center pieces were my favorite part of the decor. Spray painted wine bottles accented with multicolored ribbon were filled with mini tissue paper flowers. I made these little flags with scrapbook paper and wooden dowels. Adding a quote of advice from Emily’s family members made for great conversation and even a bit of inspiration!

Graduation Quote Center Pieces
“Be nice…to everyone…all the time!” -Words of advice from Emily’s Mom

Don’t these pictures make you want to have a summer party? I’m ready to bake some lemon bars and have a few friends over to celebrate. P.S. For more details from the graduation party check out my Aunt Buffy’s (aka Sara) board on Pinterest!

Love food | Love self | Love life … Gabriela

Blackberry Cheesecake Fudge Brownies

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These Blackberry Cheesecake Fudge Brownies are rich and decadent. I first experienced the combination of blackberry and espresso in a latte and was dreaming about how spectacular the flavors would be in brownie form. Adding cheesecake and chocolate to the palate really takes this treat up to gourmet dessert status.

Blackberry Cheesecake Fudge Brownies

These brownies are so moist and fudgey they taste almost as if they were half-baked. Pair them with cup of coffee or a scoop of ice cream and, boy, will your taste buds be happy! Any berry would be great in this recipe, but I find the blackberries to be so unique! You’ll also notice a dash of espresso, which really enhances the chocolate flavors overall.

Blackberry Cheesecake Fudge Brownies

Blackberry Cheesecake Fudge Brownie Recipe

Ingredients

  • For Blackberry Sauce:
    • 6 oz. fresh blackberries
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 1 tsp cornstarch
    • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
    • 2 tsp water
  • For Cheesecake:
    • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
    • 1 egg
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp flour
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • For Brownies:
    • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
    • 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
    • 1 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon instant espresso
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 cup flour

Directions:

Blackberry Sauce:

  1. Heat blackberries and sugar in a pan over medium low heat until the blackberries release their juices.
  2. Combine cornstarch, lemon juice and water together in a separate bowl.
  3. Add cornstarch mixture to pan and stir together. Bring mixture to simmer for a few minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Brownies:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
  2. Melt butter and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat. Scrape chocolate mixture into a bowl and allow to cool.
  3. Stir sugar, vanilla and salt into the cooled chocolate mixture.
  4. Add eggs, one at a time beating until each is just mixed.
  5. Sprinkle flour over the chocolate mixture and stir until blended.

Cheesecake:

  1. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla until well combined.
  2. Add blackberry mixture and combine.
The finishing touches:
  1. Spread 2/3 of the mixture into pan. Dollop blackberry cheesecake mixture over. Then dollop remaining brownie mixture over.
  2. Using a knife, make a swirl pattern with the batter (run knife up and down the pan).
  3. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center is cooked. Test by inserting a knife into the center of the pan. If it comes out clean, the brownies are done.
  4. Allow to cool and serve.
(Recipes modified from Beantown Baker and Kids Baking.) 

Blackberry Cheesecake Fudge BrowniesTo simplify the recipe you could use store-bought brownie mix, although these fudge brownies are to die for! I hope you enjoy these amazing brownies. Let me know what you think!

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

Date Night Blog Collaboration with DearSerendipity

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Gourmet Gab and Dear Serendipity

My friend from high school, Emily Piskulick, writes a darling fashion blog called DearSerendipity. We collaborated our two passions–food and fashion–to create two date night ideas. One is more casual with a classic jean look and chicken dish. The other is a bit fancy with a pretty dress and gourmet pasta.

Casual Date Night IdeasFor a casual date night, this dinner is easy to prepare and delicious to enjoy. The lemon pepper chicken from Life’s Ambrosia is flavored by a zesty marinade. The spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette is full of colorful veggies. A side of Uncle Ben’s wild rice, or any flavor that you like, will be a nice balance and will only take a few minutes to cook. Store-bought or homemade angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream is a light, no-bake dessert.

Fancy Date NightThis pesto and shrimp pasta tastes as gourmet as it looks. Plus, the leftovers double in flavor the next day. Any roasted vegetable would pair beautifully with the pasta. I chose asparagus, but squash, tomatoes or yellow zucchini also be complementary. The side of bread is an extra touch, but not essential. A giant pizookie (pizza-cookie), like this one from Serious Eats, is fun to share with a date.

Emily has all the details about the outfits on her DearSerendipity post! Check it out and share the link with your friends. You could even pass the link on to your significant other as a hint for a date night ;)

Homemade Hot Chocolate

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While you are gathered around the fire opening gifts, playing a board game or catching up with family and friends this Hot Chocolate recipe would be a nice accompaniment. Its warm, rich and full of holiday cheer. You may think that hot chocolate and hot cocoa are the same, but they are slightly different. Hot chocolate is made from real chocolate that is finely cut up and melted, while hot cocoa is flavored with cocoa powder. Depending on the recipe hot chocolate is typically heavier and more filling due to the melted chocolate.

You can see the chopped chocolate melting in the milk.

Two of my friends came over the other night and we made a batch of homemade hot chocolate ourselves. It was so wonderful to make memories with them in the kitchen. We had a blast. Bring some family in the kitchen and have them assist making hot chocolate on Christmas Eve! Maybe even leave some out for Santa ;)

Here's me, Courtney and Jenn making homemade hot chocolate!

Check out the beautifully photographed step-by-step process to making homemade hot chocolate on this blog. The recipe calls for whole milk and heavy cream, but we just used skim milk because we didn’t want it to be too rich. I thought the addition of maple syrup as a natural sweetener was very unique.

Our Homemade Hot Chocolate and biscotti!

It has been a wonderful past 23 days celebrating Christmas and the holiday season on the blog with you all. Thank you for reading along and for inspiring me. This will be my last post as I will be spending time with family the next two days, and I hope you will be too! But if you need any ideas for cooking or baking scan the posts from the past month, send me a Tweet or write on the Facebook wall. I’d love to help with any last-minute needs! :)

Merry Christmas and Happy Baking + Cooking!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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My Aunt Patty shared her recipe for these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies a couple years ago and I always look forward to the holidays so I can enjoy them. The pumpkin spice flavors compliment the rich chocolate chips so well. Pair these cookies alongside a cup of coffee or some vanilla ice cream for dessert. Yum!

Patty’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 can pumpkin (or 1 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Measure all dry ingredients (except sugar) into a separate smalls bowls cream butter and sugar together in larger bowl.
  2. Beat in egg, pumpkin and vanilla to butter and sugar. Blend/add in dry ingredients to wet. Add chips once well blended.
  3. Drop on lightly greased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees, 12-20 minutes depending on cookie size.
  5. Bottoms should be light brown and cookies soft.

9 days until Christmas!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

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The combination of sweet and spicy in this Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies recipe is what makes them a perfect 10. They are chewy, but a bit crispy because of the cinnamon-sugar-chile crust. Plus, these cookies are a sinch to make. Dunk them in a cold glass of milk right out of the oven and you will be in paradise. The chile powder might sound odd, but it is subtle, so go for it!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
from The Naptime Chef and Martha Stewart

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ¾ cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon chile powder

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 ½ cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down side of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined.
  2. In a small bowl, combine remaining ¼ cup sugar, cinnamon, and chile powder (if using). Using heaping tablespoons, form balls of dough and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place, about 3 inches apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.
  3. Makes about 28 cookies. Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week, or freeze.

 

Love food. Love self. Love life.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies have been getting me through finals week. My friend Nora made them for a holiday party this weekend and they were a hit. She even made a double batch so I got to take some home!

The recipe comes from the back of the Nestle chocolate chip bag, but you can also view it on VeryBestBaking.com.

 

While I was devouring these for breakfast one day (sad, but true) I imagined how delicious they would be sandwiching pumpkin or peppermint ice cream. Then I thought about how heavenly these cookies would be hot out of the oven with vanilla ice cream while sitting by the fire. Needless to say, I’m going to have to make these again soon!

19 days until Christmas!

Rolo Pretzel Turtles

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Hosting a holiday party can sometimes be an overwhelming task. Make your experience smoother by preparing a simple dessert snack like these Rolo Pretzel Turtles. They only require 3 inexpensive ingredients and are simple to make. I promise these treats will disappear from their bowl in no time. Once you have one, you just can’t stop!

Ingredients

  • 1 small bag of round or square pretzels
  • 2 bags Rolo candies
  • 1 bag pecan halves

Directions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. On two cookie sheets spread out rows of pretzels about 1 inch apart. Optional: Roast the pecans on the stove or in the oven. Unwrap Rolo candies.

Place a Rolo candy onto a pretzel.

Bake for for 4 minutes or until the candies soften. (Bake until the chocolate is warm not melted.)

Take the baking sheets out of the oven and quickly place one pecan on top of the Rolo. Press gently until the pecan has pushed the Rolo down.

Allow to cool until the chocolate and caramel have hardened, or put in fridge to chill. Store in airtight storage container.

21 days until Christmas!

Aunt Ann’s Homemade Caramels

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My Aunt Ann is famous for her caramels. When she makes a batch, they disappear almost immediately. Ann says that you have to be very patient when making caramels. The caramel has to be cooked slowly, so be sure to set aside about two hours. While you are stirring, grab some friends and family to chat with, watch a Christmas movie or listen to some holiday tunes!

Aunt Ann’s Caramels

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of butter
  • 2 pounds of brown sugar (1 bag)
  • 16 ounces of Karo syrup
  • 2 14 oz. cans of sweet and condensed milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Melt butter in a heavy, 6 quart pot on medium low heat. Stir in the brown sugar.
  2. Stir in the Karo syrup. The caramel will come to a gentle boil.
  3. Gradually add the sweet and condensed milk and continue to stir over heat.
  4. Using a candy thermometer, heat until the caramel is at softball stage, approximately 240 degrees.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. The caramel will bubble up, keep stirring.
  6. Pour caramel into a generously buttered jelly roll pan. Cool completely.
  7. Cut caramel into 1×2 inch squares with a sharp knife. (Or whatever size you prefer!)
  8. Cut wax paper or decorative foil into 3×5 inch pieces. Wrap caramel squares into wax paper or foil and twist ends. Or simply serve like shown below (but don’t keep unwrapped for too long or they will harden!)

This recipe makes about 150 caramels, so you’ll have plenty to gift to friends and fam, bring to the office, or save for yourself ;) Package these caramel treats into cellophane bags or holiday take out boxes for gifts. Check out the selection of Christmas baking supplies at your local craft store. OrientalTrading.com also has a great selection, like these 3-D Christmas Gift Boxes With a Bow. Too cute!

22 days until Christmas!

Pumpkin

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Pumpkin is the representative flavor of the Thanksgiving season. It seems like every where I turn, pumpkin specials are being served–pumpkin lattes at coffee shops, pumpkin ravioli at restaurants, pumpkin cookies at bakeries. Here are some ways to reinvent how you enjoy pumpkin in your own home.

Background

Pumpkins are in the squash family, which describes why they have a similar taste, texture and appearance to butternut squash. The Worlds Healthiest Foods website says that all winter squashes are excellent sources of immune-supportive vitamin A. 

Canned pumpkin can be found in the grocery store year round. While pumpkin is in-season though, take the opportunity to make your own pumpkin puree. This article breaks down the process step-by-step. It is rather easy. By making your puree, you know it has zero artificial preservatives.

Pumpkin Seeds

If you plan to roast your pumpkin at home, make sure to save the seeds to roast them and eat. The pumpkin seeds are a plentiful source of minerals and zinc. Here is a short video to show how simple it is to roast pumpkin seeds yourself. They can be seasoned sweet or savory and can be added to many dishes.

Recipes

Now let’s talk about all the fun you can have with pumpkin recipes. Here are my three picks to mix up the pumpkin flavors you savor this month.

1. Start your day off right with these homemade Pumpkin Waffles. The batter is quick to mix up and the aroma of the pumpkin will linger in your home all morning.

Pumpkin Waffles from Smitted Kitchen.

2. Go the nontraditional route and serve these Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting from the Pioneer Woman as your Thanksgiving dessert. They will take about half the time to make and are light so you can have seconds.

3. Snack on this Pumpkin Spice Granola, add it to a yogurt parfait, or sprinkle it over some vanilla bean ice cream. Yum!

Pumpkin Spice Granola from Baking Bites

Happy Thanksgiving!

Caramel Apples

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The temperature is cooling down here in Arizona so I can finally tell that the holiday season has arrived! Apples are in-season during Fall, which makes it the perfect time for Homemade Caramel Apples. The crispy, juicy and slightly tart flavors of apples contrast perfectly with the chewy and creamy texture of caramel.

This holiday season, turn baking time into family fun. Make a batch of Caramel Apples with the whole kin. The apples can be personalized with an infinite amount of creative toppings. You can even visit an apple orchard to pick your own, fresh apples!

Simple Semi-Homemade Recipe

If you’re in a time crunch you can purchase premade caramels at grocery stores. Unwrapping all the individual caramel pieces can be tedious, but melting the candy on the stove top is effortless. The caramel might taste somewhat processed, but toppings with detract from the flavor of the caramel.

Brown Eyed Baker’s recipe is simple. I love the idea of an Apple Pie Caramel Apple.

Homemade Caramel Apples from Brown Eyed Baker.

Homemade Caramel Recipe

If you are ready to go all out gourmet, take a little extra time to make a homemade caramel. The quality of the caramel will be noticeable and the flavor will be so good you will not even want toppings to distract. Keep in mind that patience is the most important quality to make caramel. Use a low heat and stir frequently to ensure burnt-free flavor.

The Family Kitchen presents a basic recipe for “Perfect Caramel Apples.”

Perfect Caramel Apples from The Family Kitchen

Gift Idea

These Caramel Apples are going to turn out so good you’ll want to eat them for every meal. To avoid the temptation, you can turn these cute treats into gifts. Wrap in a cellophane gift bag and tie with cute holiday ribbon.

Our Best Bites decked out her Caramel Apples with super creative toppings. Be sure to check them out, along with her unique caramel recipe!

Caramel Apple Gifts from Our Best Bites

Happy November!

Chocolate Caramel Popcorn

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While I was in Minnesota last week visiting family at our lake cabin I tasted an oh-so-sweet dessert that is an absolute must to make. If you have ever had “Scotcheroos” or “Special K Bars” imagine the peanut butter chocolate flavors…but imagine them with the salty crunch of popcorn.

My Aunt Buffy enlightened my taste buds with this recipe for Pop-A-Roos. This sweet and savory dessert is ideal for entertaining a large crowd because: 1. It will keep fresh even if made beforehand and 2. It takes almost no time to make. If you have leftovers it makes a fab snack to munch on throughout the day (but beware it’s easily addicting).

Pop-A-Roos

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
3 bags microwave popcorn
3/4 cup Butterscotch chips
3/4 cup Chocolate chips

Time to make:

  1. Pop the bags of popcorn and put into a very large bowl. Pick out the kernels and set aside.
  2. Combine corn syrup, butter, and sugar in kettle on stove. Just before it boils, remove from heat and mix in the peanut butter. Pour over popcorn and gently mix so the popcorn is covered. As Pop-a-roos sit, you may need to break up the pieces as they may stick together.
  3. Combine butterscotch chips with chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Cook 30 seconds then stir and repeat until chips are melted (do not overcook the chips). Slowly and sparingly drizzle the chocolate-butterscotch mixture over the popcorn and gently stir. Enjoy! Store in an airtight container or sealed storage bags.
Love food. Love self. Love life.

Sonoran Living

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All my life I have dreamed of hosting my own cooking show and this summer I became one step closer to my dream! I was asked to appear on a local Arizona television show called Sonoran Living to share a simple and fun dessert recipe. The experience of being a part of a live television show was unexplainable…I was on cloud nine!

For the first section of the show I was a guest judge for a Chef Challenge. You can watch a little bit of that segment here!

Later in the show I also had a short segment making Peanut Butter Nutella Ice Cream Sandwiches….YUM! These are great to make in the summertime with the whole family and can be customized in infinite number of ways. Watch the segment of me making this treat with Andi Barness here! You can also get the recipe on the link.

Here are a few snapshots of my experience!

Me and Sonoran Living host Andi Barness
Me with Chef Challenge judges Susie Timm and Chef Jon Paul Hutchins, celebrities Chefs Matt Carter and Eric Guerin, and hosts Stephanie Sandoval and Andi Barness.

Overall, the experience of appearing on Sonoran Living is something I will never forget. The crew and hosts were so welcoming to me, and the support I received from friends and family was amazing. (Thank you!) I am more certain, now than ever, that this is exactly the career that I want to pursue and how I want to make my mark in the world. Food Network–here I come!

Love food. Love self. Love life.