Tag Archives: Dessert

Dark Chocolate Cherry-Berry Oatmeal Cookies

Posted in Desserts, Foodie Penpals, Other Fun Stuff, Recipes by

This Holiday Season, I participated in The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!  The Cookie Swap is a seriously delicious Food Blogger’s version of Pen Pals.  I cooked up 3 dozen cookies, sent them out to 3 different food bloggers, and 3 other food bloggers sent me cookies!!

As if getting 3-dozen cookies isn’t reason enough to participate, the Cookie Swap raises money for the charity “Cookies for Kids’ Cancer” which OXO (the company that makes my absolute favorite coffee to-go mug ever btw) will match up to $100,000!  I loved hearing this so I was signed up right away!

fbcookieswap_wood

The cookies I baked up were based on this yummy Heart-Healthy recipe from Cooking Light.  The funny thing about baking these cookies were that I totally forgot I had to make THREE dozen for the swap, not TWO.  I baked JUST over 3 dozen, so instead of having a leftover 15-ish cookies… I only had 4!  I guess it was for the best though, because these cookies are really really good… I would have eaten too many :)

Dark Chocolate Cherry-Berry Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup) 
  • 1.5 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1/3 cup) 
  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten 
  • 1/2 bag dark chocolate chips
  • cooking spray 

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Spoon flours into dry measuring cups and level. Combine flours and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.
  3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; add brown sugar, stirring until smooth. It will completely combine well with only a small layer of melted butter ontop.  
  4. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended.  Add cherries and cranberries, vanilla, and egg; beat until combined.
  5. Fold in the chocolate chips. Drop dough by Tablespoonfulls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or silpat.
  6. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Cool on pans 3 minutes or until almost firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.
Whisk your dry ingredients to mix the flours and the oats together

Whisk your dry ingredients to mix the flours and the oats together

I loved the combination of the sweet cherries and the sour cranberries with dark chocolate

I loved the combination of the sweet cherries and the sour cranberries with dark chocolate

You can see how crumbly these are!

You can see how crumbly these are!

Stelly is a kitchen pup! She waited patiently with me while the cookies baked in the oven.

Stelly is a kitchen pup! She waited patiently with me while the cookies baked in the oven.

Yummmmm! I LOVE my Silpat. If you don't have any, pick two sheets up ASAP! Nothing sticks to them. The best.

Yummmmm! I LOVE my Silpat. If you don’t have any, pick two sheets up ASAP! Nothing sticks to them. The best.

A few notes I have to share with you… these cookies might be on the healthier side, but they are REALLY tasty!  I found the batter to be very crumbly, to the point where I had trouble at times making the cookies into scoops to drop.  I was worried they would fall apart, but they DO NOT.  So, it’s okay if yours turn out a little crumbly!  Also, I did try a few cookies where I rolled them into a ball (when they were super-fally-aparty) and they did not turn out as pretty as the drop.

I will certainly whip these up again, next time making more leftovers for us :)

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

The cookies I received for the swap were so yummy!  I wanted to give these awesome bloggers a little shout-out because their cookies really made my day.

I would have loved to say I had a picture of these really interesting Vanilla Cardamom Cookies but between myself and all of our moving crew/family ate them all!  They were so good!  I never would have thought to put Cardamom (do I even have Cardamom??  Probably  not!) into crisp vanilla cookies, but I’m glad Molly did!  You can find more of her recipes and blog posts on Bytes and Bites.  Good luck on your finals, Molly!

White Chocolate Chunkies were from Katheryn @ The Baker’s Sheet.  How cute is her blog name?  She has plenty of other recipes on her blog that I’m dying to try (especially those Pumpkin Bars!)

*Unfortunately (or luckily for my diet, I can’t decide which), I only received two of my three batches of cookies for the swap so far! *

Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse (Light?!)

Posted in Desserts, Recipes by

I know you’re already all like… “How can Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse be light?!” but just hang with me a minute and you’ll get just as excited as I was to discover this recipe.

I originally found this recipe on Dashing Dish, a blog making typically not-so-healthy meals into better-for-you recipes.  As I’m already in FULL Fall mode, the word Pumpkin stood out to me immediately and I had to try this one out.

If you’re looking for healthy fall desserts, definitely try this one out!  OR, be naughty and go for these Apple-Toffee Blondies with Brown Sugar Frosting!  OMG!

Apple-Toffee Blondies. YUMYUMYUM

Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse 

Recipe inspired by:  Dashing Dish

Ingredients:

1 cup Fat Free Cottage Cheese

1/2 cup Canned Pumpkin

1/4 cup Skim Milk

1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Cheesecake Pudding Mix 

1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

2 teaspoons Sugar

Light Whipped Cream & Crushed Reduced Fat Nilla Wafers for topping

Directions:

Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to eat.  Top with Light Whipped Cream and a few crunched Nilla Wafers!  

Here’s what the actual mousse/pudding looks like

Ta-Da!!! So pretty!!

Dig in, everyone! (and we did… ha)

 

So, first of all, this recipe has two servings… so if you’re making it for just an anytime thing, it’s perfect.  Double it for family dinners or entertaining.  I was so excited to have found the Sugar Free Cheesecake Pudding Mix, as the original recipe called for Butterscotch or Vanilla… and using Cheesecake would be perfect!  I really loved this recipe (although in one batch i used TOO MUCH Cinnamon… yes apparently there is such a thing, lesson learned).  My only complaint is that it was more like a pudding than a mousse… still absolutely delicious, just a little more of a heavy consistency than I expected.

But we do have to remember here, there is NOTHING “bad for you” in here!  You can even replace the 2 teaspoons of sugar (big deal…) with Splenda if you wanted.

In other Pumpkin and Fall-related news… I have discovered and AM LOVING Pumpkin Beer!  Octoberfest!  Go Fall Flavors!  I never thought I’d be able to drink anything other than Light water-like beer… but here we are!  Check it out :)  Aren’t you proud?

Here I am workin’ on the blog drinkin’ an Octoberfest! Now I know where all the hype comes from! It’s so good…

OH, and HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

Caramel Apple MilkyWay Stuffed Cookies

Posted in Desserts, Recipes by

I’ve been drooling over so many Stuffed Cookie recipes lately, I had to try it.  With bloggers stuffing Oreos, Candies, Caramel, and god knows what other delicious treats into their cookie dough left and right… I just couldn’t help myself!

I was doing a quick food shop at the store on Saturday and picked up a roll of cookie dough and a bag of the new Milky Way Caramel Apple flavor.  Normally, I’d try to make the cookies from scratch but let’s face it… with the dinner I was making (get excited for the recipe btw… it’s naughty) the last thing I wanted to do was stand there longer and bake cookies.

Once my Crabcake Mac and Cheese (oh yeah… I went there) went into the oven, I took out a baking sheet and my silpat and went to work.

Crabcake Mac and Cheese. Recipe coming soon!

Here’s all I did:

1.  Unwrap 8 mini Caramel Apple Milky Way candies.  

2.  Break cookie dough roll into 16 pieces.  Roll a piece with my hands, smush it, then place the milky way in the center.  Roll and smush another piece of cookie dough and place it ontop of the candy.  Roll into a ball (they were pretty big) and place on the silpat on the cookie sheet.

3.  Repeat.

4.  Place in an oven preheated to at least 350.  Set the timer for 8-10 minutes and check on them.  When they are starting to get brown ontop, they’re done.  Dig in… OMG.

They were freakin’ amazing!  Besides the fact that we rarely make dessert for after dinner (anything more than Fro Yo that is) and the fact that the cookies were huge… they were SO GOOD.  Baking the candy inside the cookie turns it soooo chewy and all kinds of yummy deliciousness.  So. Freakin. Good.  You could totally taste the Caramel Apple in the candy, well done Milky Way.

As for stuffing my cookies- two thumbs up!  This is a great idea.  I’m in.

Love these!

That’s one big cookie!

I wanted to show you the ooey gooey middle!

Foxfire Restaurant at the Stone Barn

Posted in Restaurants by

I am hating Thursdays lately.  Since Dave broke his ankle, I have to pick him up from his hockey coaching gig in the city.  I have been able to have a small crappy workout, shower at the gym, then head down into Philly to grab him at 7.  It’s a seriously unproductive day and I’m exhausted and all-drived-out once it’s all said and done.

I do get to see some pretty gorgeous sunsets from the view of the Ice Rink at Penn. :)

With all of this being said, one would guess I wasn’t the happiest camper when Dave wanted to take me out to a surprise dinner last Thursday night, an hour away.  My initial irritations were completely invalidated when we arrived at Foxfire at the Stone Barn.  The surprise restaurant is located, like I said, an hour away in Kennett Square PA (the mushroom capital!).  We were racing the clock to get there before 8 when they stop seating for dinner.  I had no idea what was in store for me- winding our way (with my gas on E… oye) through the last twenty minutes of farmland, we finally arrived at the Stone Barn.  Did Dave really discover this place?  In the middle of nowhere?

Immediately, I was soooo excited… “Is the restaurant on this farm?  Is it like… farm to table!?“  Dave laughed at me, but yes, the hidden gem on the farm indeed is a farm to table style restaurant.  Love.

Foxfire Restaurant at the Stone Barn is a BYO (yesssssssssssss) that is open for dinner Thursday-Sunday.  They typically do a 5-Course meal for $32- which is an AWESOME deal… but for their 2 year anniversary, the 5-Course meal is only $25/pp in Sept and Oct… INCLUDING a complimentary glass of wine :) How did he find out about this place?!  This is normally my job… you know… doing some research online and on Yelp and finding the most perfect restaurant… not Dave’s!  Well the one good thing about Dave going out with the boys after breaking his leg playing hockey is this:  his teammate Chuck told him about the restaurant where he works: Foxfire.  Here we are.  Thank you Dave and thank you Chuck.

Our meal started off with an Amuse Bouche.  Am I judging an episode of Top Chef here?  What’s going on?  Thankfully, I do pay attention when I’m watching my shows, and know that an Amuse Bouche is a single bite-sized starter from the chef.  Ours was a flavorful explosion of Fig, Balsamic, and Blue Cheese.  MMMM!  It was presented to us in an eggshell.  How cute.

How cute is the little plate it came in?

Closeup!

For our starters, I ordered Chef Ray’s famous Kennett Square Exotic Mushroom Soup, topped with Jarlsberg.  It. Was. Heavenly.  OMG. He is famous for his soup and I totally get why.  You have to try it.  It’s super creamy and flavorful, full of mushrooms too.  Like, every bite had some in there.  Dave picked the Foxfire Salad of Romaine Heart which was drizzled with Black Pepper Parm Dressing, Roasted Tomatoes, and a Grilled Garlic Flat Bread.  Besides being beautifully presented, the salad was delicious and sooo fresh and crunchy.

A HUGE portion of Mushroom Soup

As if we weren’t excited enough about our entrees, Chuck brought over two just-made Popovers with Raspberry Butter.  Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?  Popovers?  We get to eat this… as apart of our meal!?  YUMMMMMM!  They were sooo amazing!  You can see how light and flaky they were, and the Raspberry Butter was different and it was perfect after our savory starters.  I loved this part!

Steamy hot! Almost couldn’t wait to tear open this thing and dip it in the Raspberry Butter.

MMM Popoverrrrrr

Next was a small scoopful of Berry Sorbet with Mint before our entrees arrived.  Now you get to drool over our entrees… and I know you will.  Let’s start off with Dave’s order:  the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake.  Sidebar:  Okay so I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked a server about Crabcakes… they say that their Crabcake has “no filler”, and then it comes out and totally does.  I am so turned off of ordering Crabcakes for this very reason.  Well when Chuck told us this about Chef Ray’s Crabcakes, he was NOT lying.  Like, this dish is Gluten Free.  They get to that that, because it literally has NO filler.  None.  It was more like a humongous pile of seasoned crab meat.  Uhhhhh droooooollling!  The Crab Cake is actually put together with Scallop Mousse (is Chef Ray going to be on Top Chef?  Seriously.  Mousse.) and served with Roasted Potatoes, Haricot Verts (explained to Dahv that they are just green beans), and a Citrus Beurre Blanc Sauce.  I need to relax- I want to eat this again NOW!  What an amazing dish.

I want this now… hungryyyy!

Dave was saving his last bite! He didn’t want it to end…

 

Moving on.  My pick:  Maine Lobster (I should just stop there, right?) Risotto:  tossed with Lancaster County Sweet Corn and Saffron Risotto.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  Ah-May-Zing.  Everything. Is. Just. So. Creamy!!!!!  Delicious!  Oh, and how adorable is the presentation?  It looked like a Lobster :) I’m pretty sure I smiled every single bite I took.  Whoa.

Lobster Risotto

Just take a look at that bite. OMGGG

 

We loved, loved, LOVED, it all.  I think we ate extra slow because we didn’t want it to end!  Dave was even saving his last bite until I was finished so he wouldn’t get jealous.  It was just an unbelievable meal.  But wait, there’s dessert.  We got the Creme Brulee and the Chocolate Lava Cake (which is made by their special pastry chef… to order.).  Do I mind waiting for the Lava Cake?  Nope!  Ahhhh drooooolinggggg againnnnnnnn!  This cake is a girl’s dream.

Creme Brulee

Lava.Cake.

MMMMM Lavaaaaa

 

So, if you didn’t get it the first hundred times I’ve said it, let me just reinforce the fact that I LOVED THIS PLACE!!  I have already suggested we go back, and I would say we most likely will be before the $25 deal is over… and probably after that too.  If you’re in the area, you have to go check it out.  Go with your family, go with your friends, go on a date… whatever you do just go.  Foxfire has ridiculously fresh and delicious food, a warm, cozy, but adorable rustic atmosphere, and top-notch service.  Besides having Chuck as our server (who told us the entire history of the farm, the restaurant, and Chef Ray… the only thing we didn’t know is the name of the Lobster I ate!) the rest of the staff was polite and attentive- our water was full the entire meal.  SO- go here, ask for Chuck, and send your regards to Chef Ray because he’s THE MAN!  Oh, and take me with you.  I want to go back, like, now.

(we had just downloaded the upgrade for the Iphone which lets you take Panoramas… I tried it out!)

Apple-Toffee Blondies w/ Brown Sugar Frosting

Posted in Desserts, Holidays, Recipes by

L’Shana Tova everyone!  Today is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.  Traditionally, apples and honey are eaten on Rosh Hashanah to symbolize a “sweet” new year.  I’ve had my eye on this recipe for a while and wanted to take the “sweet” new year tradition to a new level.

Eating apples is a tradition on the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah

Apple-Toffee Blondies w/ Brown Sugar Frosting

Recipe by:  Cookies & Cups Apple Toffee Blondies

Ingredients:

2/3 Cup Butter (room temp, you’ll need 2 sticks)

2 Cups Light Brown Sugar, packed

2 Eggs

2 teaspoons Vanilla

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1  Green Apple, peeled and chopped

1/2 Cup Toffee Bits* + 1 Tablespoon to garnish

Frosting Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Butter (1 Stick)

1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, packed

1/4 Cup Skim Milk

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

*You can find the toffee bits in a bag just like chocolate chips, in the same area.  

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2.  Cream butter and brown sugar until smooth.  This took me a good 5 minutes, having to stop to take a knife and remove gunked up dough from the beaters a few times.  Add eggs and vanilla, continuing to beat on medium speed until it’s well combined.  

3.  Turn the mixer to low and add the flour, baking powder, and salt slowly until a dough forms.  Stop the mixer.  Add the chopped apples and toffee and stir with a sturdy spoon, it will be very thick.  

4.  Spread evenly into the prepared baking dish.  Mine did not cover the entire thing… it will spread in the oven.  Bake 30 minutes.  Remove and place on a cooling rack until it is completely cool.

5.  For the frosting, melt the butter in a saucepan.  Add brown sugar and milk.  Bring to a boil, stirring so it does not burn.  Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.  Slowly, using a whisk, stir in the powdered sugar.  Let cool until it thickens enough to spread onto the blondies once they are cool as well.  

6.  Let the iced blondies set for at least 30 minutes, then cut into bars.

Everything ready for a nice stir!

You can see how the batter didn’t completely coat the bottom of the pan. Don’t worry.

Here they are out of the oven and cooling. You can see the center is set and the edges have just started to brown. Perfect.

Blondies iced, toffeed, and ready to be cut and devoured.

These blondies are amazing.  I’m not even kidding you… I think this is THE best dessert I’ve ever baked.  Dave and I tried a little baby piece of blondie after a huge dinner.  We were BOTH blown away.  They ROCK. 

While this recipe is NOT healthy, it is certainly worth the calories to try one.  Or two… plus the batter from the bowl.  No big deal.

So, it’s a really easy dessert to make despite the fact that there are two separate parts.  I made the icing while the blondies were in the oven.  The icing was simple and I was able to sit back, relax, and enjoy my iced coffee.  MMM.

The icing is super sweet so I didn’t use all of it on the bars.  I saved some to use for later… maybe to dip some apples in… or to just eat with a spoon.  Cut these babies (like all brownies) with a PLASTIC knife.  Just a little trick that will help keep them nice and pretty.

Like I said, it’s going to be one SWEET New Year!

Happy New Year to all!

The gorgeous photo Cookies & Cups took of her bars… if only mine could look THAT perfect!