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…
Dessert
A Year of Free Cupcakes
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….
Sugar Cookies: Two Ways
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…
No-Churn 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…
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…
Baked Apple Cider Donuts and Donut Shop Coffee
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…
Churro Dessert Kabobs
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…
No Churn Java Chip Ice Cream
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…
S’mores Burrito from Food Network Snapchat Discover
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,…
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
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…
Espresso White Chocolate Chip Cookies
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…
Graduation Party Ideas
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! This was the “party…
Blackberry Cheesecake Fudge Brownies
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. These brownies are so moist and fudgey they taste…
Date Night Blog Collaboration with DearSerendipity
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. For a casual date…
Homemade Hot Chocolate
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…
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
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….
Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
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…
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
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…
Rolo Pretzel Turtles
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…
Aunt Ann’s Homemade Caramels
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…
Pumpkin
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…
Caramel Apples
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…
Chocolate Caramel Popcorn
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…
Sonoran Living
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…
