Best Bruschetta Ever

 

We LOVE Bruschetta!  This is a fast easy fresh recipe that even the kids who don't eat tomatoes like. The secret is mixing red and yellow tomatoes.  The yellow tomatoes add a little sweetness and tone down the acidity of using all red.  Only fresh garlic, basil and tomatoes in ours - no canned or jarred!  That's what keeps it tasting so fresh!  Its a great way to use up extra tomatoes from the garden.  In our house, it goes with practically everything, and we like to make a double batch and use the leftovers as a relish on top of fish or chicken the next night.

Recipe:

4-5 Roma Tomatoes

2-3 Cloves garlic - depending on how much heat your want

lots of basil - 20 leaves

I used about half a pint of yellow cherry tomatoes

Half 1 green onion - I think this adds a fresh flavor

olive oil  and sea salt

 

I chopped the tomatoes pretty small - I didn't use a food processor because I like my bruschetta a little chunky.  I used a garlic press to add the garlic so that its small, and I added some green onion just for the flavor. Drain off a little of the juices and then add olive oil and sea salt. 

Stack all of the basil leaves up and then roll them up and slice thinly to make basil confetti strips and still them in. - we like LOT'S of basil :)

 

 

 

We used a whole grain baguette this time and it was fantastic.  We slice it really thin - the bakery will do this for you if you remember to ask before leaving - and then we drizzle a little olive oil over the slices and toast in the oven for about 5 min at 350.  We like to have a little crunch and it doesn't get all soggy if the bruschetta sits on it for a little while.

 

 

Top with Bruschetta and Enjoy - Cora :)

 

 

 







Pumpkiny Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

 

Pumpkiny Brown Butter Snicker Doodles

We are usually all for chocolate desserts, but this summer all kinds of snicker doodles have taken over the kitchen. This is a variation on our favorite Brown Butter Snickerdoodle from the Ambitious Kitchen blog, and they are delicious! With a slight pumpkin flavor from pumpkin pie spice and caramely flavor from the brown sugar and browned butter, these cookies are extraordinary. I will definitely be making them again ASAP.

 

These cookies have the best texture and flavor, maybe you can add these little bits of heaven to your cookie list too?

 



 

 

      Pumpkiny Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 sticks butter
• 1 c. packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus one egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon plain greek yogurt

For rolling:

• 1/4 c. sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

 

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. The butter will begin to bubble and then foam, make sure you stir consistently during this process. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to give off a nutty aroma and brown to a caramel color under the foam, continue to stir so the bottom doesn't burn and remove from the heat after reaching a nice light brown color throughout. (This happens fast after you see the first start of color.) Immediately pour into another container and set aside.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.
3. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and yogurt until combined. Add the dry ingredients slowly on low-speed just until combined. The dough will be pretty soft.
4. Chill dough for at least 3 hours (important!) in the refrigerator. You want the dough very cold!
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Once the dough is chilled, spoon about 2 T. of dough and roll ball in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place dough on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Makes about 24 cookies.
6. Bake the cookies 9-11 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. They will sit up when cooling. Bake 12 or 13 minutes a more fully done cookie, or longer if you like a crispier snickerdoodle. Let cookies cool slightly on pan for a few minutes, then transfer onto a wire wrack or paper towels to cool completely. Enjoy!  



 



NO BAKE NUTELLA BITES

This is a great summer chocolate or peanut butter fix when you need something chewy & decadent... but have no desire to turn on the oven!

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup butter

dash of salt

1/2 cup milk

Boil above ingredients for 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Add in 1/2 cup nutella or peanut butter... whatever your taste buds are in the 

mood for :) 

Nutella is fudgelike & super chocolaty ... peanut butter is more recess flavored.

Stir in 2 3/4 cups quick-cook oats

1 tbsp vanilla extract

Drop onto a cookie sheet or wax paper with a teaspoon.  Cool in the refrigerator or freezer.  Eat when firm...about 20-30 minutes...and if you leave them hidden in the freezer that means more for you!!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

 

My Aunt Dawn and I made these cookies this week, and they are definitely one of our new favorites. They are gooey chocolaty and just the right thickness. Here's our little secret though, the recipe comes from the back of the Reese's peanut butter chip bag! Sometimes, the bag recipes are the best.

 Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

• 2 c. all purpose flour
• 3/4 c. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1-1/4 c. softened butter (2-1/2 sticks)
• 2 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1-2/3 c. peanut butter chips

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Whisk/sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
3. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer; add eggs and vanilla, beat well. Gradually add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in peanut butter chips.
4. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes, they will still be soft when done. Cool slightly, then remove from pan.  

Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Bars

These no-bake bars are the perfect blend of chocolaty, peanut-buttery goodness! They are super easy to make too :)

Chocolate Peanut No-Bake Bars

• 1/2 c. melted butter
• 3/4 c. peanut butter
• 1/2 c. crushed rice crispies (pour about 1 1/2 c. rice crispy cereal in a large bag and finely crush to get 1/2 c. crushed crispies
• 1/2 c. quick oats
• 1 c. powdered sugar

• 2/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2-3 T. peanut butter
• 1/2 T. shortening

To Make:

1. Combine melted butter and peanut butter in a medium bowl.
2. Add crushed rice crispies and oats, mix well.
3. Slowly add powdered sugar and combine.
4. Pour into a foil/parchment paper lined (with some paper hanging over the edges, so the bars can easily be lifted out) 8x8 or 9x9 pan and press down.
5. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in short increments, stirring until just melted. Stir in the peanut butter and shortening, and spread over the bottom peanut layer. 
6. Let sit in the fridge for about 2 hours, or until the chocolate top is set. 

 

HOMEMADE PIZZA NIGHT

TOMATO BASIL ON ONE SIDE & TURKEY PEPPERONI ON THE OTHER

BAR B Q CHICKEN PIZZA

 HOMEMADE PIZZA ALLOWS YOU TO... CREATE SOMETHING TASTY FOR EVERYONE

first is the homemade dough

1 & 1/2 cups warm water from the tap

1 package highly active yeast

3 tablespoons sugar

mix above ingredients and let rise 7-10 minutes

in a mixer i.e bosch or kitchenaid ...

add 4 cups flour

1 tsp salt

after the yeast mixture has risen pour over flour & mix

dough should be soft but not sticky

let rise covered with a damp cloth in a warm place for an hour 

while the dough is rising prepare all the the toppings your family loves

tomato basil pizza

dice 4-5 juicy tomatoes (preferably homegrown)

a large handful of fresh basil (whole if the mini style or cut with scissors over the bowl if the larger leaf style)

a tsp to a tbsp of fresh chopped garlic to taste

4 oz crumbled tomato basil feta

4 oz finely shredded mozzerela

bake @ 450 for 11-12 minutes

bar b q chicken pizza

water down 1/4 cup bar b q sauce

chop grilled chicken breast (we use left overs)

sliced green onion

chopped bell pepper

cilantro chopped

*pineapple (optional)

*mushrooms (optional)

*onions (optional)

mix of 8 oz cheddar/ mozzerella (or pizza mix bag)

bake @ 450  for  11 minutes

pepperoni

ragu homestyle pizza sauce 1/2 to 1/3 jar per pizza

turkey pepperoni

8 oz finely shredded mozzerella

bake @ 450 for 11 minutes

get creative & let the kids make mini pizzas the dough recipe makes 6-8 personal size or 2 large pizzas.

LEMON LOVERS DELIGHT

LEMON LOVERS DELIGHT

THIS CAKE IS AMAZING COLD!!!

1 MOIST LEMON CAKE MIX

12 OZ. SPRITE

1 BOX VANILLA PUDDING MIX

3 EGGS

3/4 CUP OIL

MIX ABOVE INGREDIENTS & BAKE @ 375 FOR 30 MINUTES OR UNTIL GOLDEN

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1/2 PACKAGE SOFTENED OR WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE

1/4 CUP SOFTENED BUTTER

1 TSP VANILLA .... I ALWAYS ADD EXTRA

1 CUP POWDERED SUGAR OR MORE TO YOUR LIKING

WHISK TO SMOOTH CONSISTENCY

DRIZZLE OVER CAKE

TOP WITH POMEGRANATE SEEDS

Sweet and Sour Saucy Sandwiches

 

 

These sandwiches are sooo good. In our house, we love having "fancy" sandwiches like Paninis, or grilled sandwiches, with pesto. They are a treat whenever we have them, and these sandwiches are right up on the same scale as Paninis. The sauce is sweet, and goes perfect with a sourdough sandwich roll. So next time you need a good sandwich, give these babies a try!

 

 

Sweet and Sour (Saucy) Sandwiches

-makes 6-8 sandwiches

• 1 pack of sourdough bread rolls; (or other kind of bread in a roll form)
• Swiss cheese slices
• 1/2-1 lb. good deli ham or turkey
• option: thin avocado slices (put on sandwiches after baking)
• 1/4 c. butter, melted
• 1 1/2 T. worcheshire sauce
• 1 T. mustard
• 1 T. brown sugar
• heaping 1/2 T. honey
• dash of onion powder

1. Cut rolls in half; and lay bottom halves out on a baking pan. Layer on the meat and cheese.
2. Whisk ingredients from butter down together in a small bowl. Using a spoon or small ladle, ladle a small amount of sauce over each slice of cheese on the sandwiches and spread over the cheese. Then ladle another small amount on the inside of each top half of the sandwiches, spread, and place the top halves on the sandwiches.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, uncovered.



Recipe: Fresh Tomato- Basil Pasta

Ashley here! This pasta was delicious, and a definite one to make again. My mom always says that cooking dinner after a long day is her relaxer and de-stress time, and she would enjoy every day being able to make a good dinner. It's not very often that I make our whole dinner with my love of baking, but tonight was an exception, and it turned out great!

Chopping the tomatoes was the hardest part, when I could have just pulsed them through our food processor. To tell the truth, I just didn't want to have to clean the processor later on. Sometimes we feel the need to make things harder than they should be, and that's ok :)

 

This light tomato sauce thickens to perfection after a half hour of simmering and "stirring occasionally." Feel free to try with different kinds of tomatoes; I used Roma and Cherry tomatoes for extra sweetness. It's a great way to use up extra garden tomatoes that you don't know what to do with!

 

 

• 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 c. finely diced onion
• 5-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 3 pounds fresh tomatoes, diced with juices or food processed (about 6 cups)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 T. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 pound angel hair pasta, cooked according to package
• fresh grated parmesan cheese

 

 

1. Heat a large skillet to medium heat and add oil when hot to coat pan. Add onion and garlic to sauté, stirring frequently, until onion is tender (about 5 minutes).
2. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, vinegar, and sugar. Stir gently, breaking up tomatoes with the back of a spoon or a large fork. Simmer 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until desired thickness.
3. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Toss with pasta and top with cheese.

 

 



 

 



 

Recipe: Fruit Pizza

 

First Post of Sweetened with a Dash of Style! After months of talking about starting a blog, we have finally done it! Feel free to comment and give suggestions on any posts.

 

 This "cake" is super easy, delicious, and a family favorite. It's light, summery, and perfect for anyone who isn't a fan of real cake. You can mix and match fruits for different holidays or events, or just use up any extra summer fruit sitting in your kitchen!

 

Recipe courtesy of one of our all time favorite cookbooks: Our Best Bites

 

Crust

• 1 c. real butter (no substitution)
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 egg (large)
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 3 c. all- purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• zest of 1 orange

Creamy Topping

• 1 8oz. package cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp. orange extract
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 1/2 c. powdered sugar

(Instead of this topping, we have tried mixing a package of cool whip with the same amount of orange extract. It gives the cake an even lighter topping, and is just as delicious!)

 

Fruit Topping

• 4 cups sliced fruit of your choice
• option: 1/4 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips (melted and drizzled on top)

 

1. For the Crust: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and extract and mix to incorporate.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Slowly add the flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until combined. Mix in orange zest.
4. Spray a round 14-inch or slightly larger pizza pan and, using your hands and a rolling pin, spread the dough out to the edges of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
5. Bake the crust at 350 degrees F. for 18- 25 minutes until lightly golden brown around the edges and completely baked in the center. Allow to cool completely before spreading creamy topping or fruit.
6. For the Creamy Topping: Use an electric mixer or kitchen aid with a whisk attachment to combine cream cheese, orange extract, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Whip cream and powdered sugar in a separate bowl until medium peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture and combine well. Spread mixture over crust.
7. Arrange fruit, and Enjoy!