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Appetizers

Pistachio-Pecorino Flatbread

Pistachio-Pecorino Flatbread with Turkey Breast and Sun-Dried Tomato

Have you ever bought an ingredient in bulk at Sam’s Club or Costco only to wonder weeks later just how you’re going to use it all? Yep, me too. More often than I care to admit. My latest “bulk buy” was a mega-huge-monster-sized bag of Pecorino Romano cheese. Luckily, I love the taste of Pecorino Romano and it lasts a long time in the fridge or freezer. But because this mammoth-sized container of CHEESE has been staring at me every time I open the refrigerator, I’ve been challenged to come up with new recipes worthy of this great ingredient.

When I heard that today was National Pistachio Day (and I LOVE me some pistachios), I decided I’d whip up some pistachio-pecorino flatbread for lunch. I had some leftover turkey breast that I could shred for protein and some delicious sun-dried tomatoes that would be a great accent flavor. It was only 9:30 am but already I was psyched for lunch!

Pistachio-Pecorino Flatbread

I used a package of Pillsbury® Original Crescents. Just unroll the dough on a prepared baking sheet. Brush with extra virgin olive oil and season with parsley flakes and Italian seasoning. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Then remove from the oven and cover with shredded turkey breast, diced sun-dried tomatoes and generous amounts of shredded Pecorino Romano cheese. Note: in the photographs, you’ll notice I used grated Pecorino Romano cheese, which was fine but tended to fall off the flatbread. I’d recommend using shredded Pecorino instead so it has a chance to “hang on” to the flatbread better.

Pop it back in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Then sprinkle with chopped pistachio and you’ve got a great lunch for 2 to 3 — or apps for 4 to 6 folks. This would also be a great (and super quick) Academy Awards viewing party appetizer. Just saying. Enjoy!

pistachio pecorino flatbread with turkey breast and sun dried tomato

Pistachio-Pecorino Flatbread with Turkey Breast and Sun-Dried Tomato

Rating: 51

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Yield: 4 servings (2 slices per serving)

Ingredients

2 cups oven-roasted turkey breast, shredded
2 tablespoons pistachios, chopped
3/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, diced
extra virgin olive oil
parsley, chopped
Italian seasoning

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unroll the dough and arrange the crescent dinner rolls on the baking sheet so they are lying flat.

Drizzle each with olive oil. Using the back of a spoon, spread the olive oil to cover the tops. Sprinkle lightly with Italian seasoning and chopped parsley. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove from oven.

Place shredded turkey breast evenly on each flatbread piece. Sprinkle with diced sun-dried tomatoes and cover generously with cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Serve immediately.

http://bakedchicago.com/pistachio-pecorino-flatbread-recipe/

Entrees

Mediterranean-Inspired Fish Tacos

Mediterranian-inspired Fish Tacos #FoodDeservesDelicious #CollectiveBias #shop, salad dressing recipe, Zesty Italian, Ranch

Mediterranian-inspired Fish Tacos #FoodDeservesDelicious #CollectiveBias #shop, salad dressing recipe, Zesty Italian, Ranch

The key to Mediterranean food is fresh ingredients. And these Fish Tacos are filled to the gills with fresh veggies, like baby spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet peppers, red onion and black olives. It’s like a mini farmer’s market in every flour tortilla!

Mediterranian-inspired Fish Tacos #FoodDeservesDelicious #CollectiveBias #shop, salad dressing recipe, Zesty Italian, Ranch, mise en place

In a mixing bowl, combine all the prepared fresh vegetables. Drizzle generously with Italian Dressing, and gently toss to coat. You want the onions, sweet peppers, cucumber, black olives, and tomatoes to absorb all the savory herbs while you prepare the fish tenders. Cover the vegetable mixture with plastic wrap or put in a resealable container and refrigerate.

Mediterranian-inspired Fish Tacos #FoodDeservesDelicious #CollectiveBias #shop, salad dressing recipe, Zesty Italian, Ranch, marinate

Then bake your fish tenders (I like to use tilapia, but any white fish would be equally delish) according to package directions.  About 5 minutes before the fish is done, start warming your flour tortillas according to package directions.

Mediterranian-inspired Fish Tacos #FoodDeservesDelicious #CollectiveBias #shop, salad dressing recipe, Zesty Italian, Ranch, tablecloth

Now you’re ready to assemble. This is an easy weeknight dinner that allows everybody to customize their own fish tacos (make mine with extra cheese, please!).

Place a fish tender in the center of the tortilla. Pile on heaping spoonfuls of veggies with Zesty Italian dressing. Sprinkle with cheese. And top it with a dollop of Classic Ranch-sour cream.

Mediterranian-inspired Fish Tacos #FoodDeservesDelicious #CollectiveBias #shop, salad dressing recipe, Zesty Italian, Ranch, closeup

Most of the ingredients in this recipe are plug-and-play, which means use whatever fresh vegetables you’ve got in stock and your favorite shredded cheese blend.

Mediterranean-inspired Fish Tacos

Rating: 51

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup Ranch Dressing
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cucumber, diced
1 cup black olives, halved
1 cup sweet peppers, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
2 cups baby spinach, shredded
2 cups tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
14 ounces frozen breaded white fish tenders, about 6 servings (e.g. tilapia or cod)
8 8-inch flour tortillas

Instructions

Mix together ranch dressing and sour cream in a resealable container. Refrigerate while preparing remaining ingredients.

In a mixing bowl, combine cucumber, black olives, sweet peppers, red onion, baby spinach, and tomatoes. Drizzle with Italian dressing and gently toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let vegetables marinate in the refrigerator while cooking fish tenders, according to package directions.

Heat six flour tortillas, according to package directions. Place one fish tender on each tortilla and top with Zesty Italian vegetable mixture and a generous dollop of the Ranch dressing-sour cream mixture. Serve immediately.

http://bakedchicago.com/mediterranean-fish-tacos/

Snacks & Candies

Pecorino Romano Peppered Popcorn

pecorino romano peppered popcorn with butter balsamic and bacon

The butter and raspberry balsamic in this recipe for Pecorino Romano Peppered Popcorn, with Butter, Balsamic and Bacon blend beautifully to add some subtle notes to the strength of the Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper.

And what can I say about the bacon? The hickory-smoked bacon is perfect with the balsamic. So good that I have to admit that I doubled up the amount of bacon, cause you can’t ever have too much bacon, right!

pecorino romano peppered popcorn

Pecorino Romano Peppered Popcorn, with Butter, Balsamic & Bacon

Rating: 51

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

8 cups popcorn, popped
4 slices thick-cut hickory-smoked bacon, crispy and crumbled (or cut in 1/4-inch strips)
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons raspberry balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Cook bacon in the microwave on a microwave safe plate. I put the bacon strips on 5 sheets of paper towels on a large plate, then top it with 3 sheets of paper towels. Cook on high until crispy (about 6 to 8 minutes for thick-cut bacon). Let cool before crumbling or cutting into 1/4-inch strips.

In a small bowl, stir together Pecorino Romano grated cheese and ground black pepper for even seasoning. Set aside.

Pop a standard-sized bag of microwave popcorn according to package directions, yielding about 8 cups. Pour the popped corn in a large mixing bowl; set aside.

In a microwave safe medium-sized bowl, melt butter and balsamic together (2 to 3 minutes). Cover bowl to avoid making a mess in your microwave as the butter starts to get hot.

Drizzle about half the butter mixture over the popped corn, followed by about half the cheese/pepper mixture. Toss gently to combine and coat. Drizzle the remaining butter and cheese/pepper mixtures over the popcorn. Toss to coat evenly and serve immediately.

Notes

By drizzling only half the butter and a time, followed by sprinkling half the cheese mixture, will allow the popcorn to slowly absorb the butter. If you put too much on at once, the popcorn will become overly clumpy and the cheese mixture won't blend well.

http://bakedchicago.com/pecorino-romano-peppered-popcorn-recipe/

Soups, Salads & Sides

Rustic New Potatoes with Bacon & Edamame

rustic new potatoes

If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be potatoes. Hands down. No need for discussion. Potatoes are so versatile and so comforting. The neatniks of the world say “cleanliness is next to Godliness.” I say a mouthful of scrumptious potatoes is as close to heaven on earth as you can get (with food).

What I like about rustic cooking is that it’s simple. There’s no fuss. And this recipe uses a slow cooker, which makes it almost effortless. The only work you have to do is quarter the potatoes and turn on your slow cooker. And as slow cooker recipes go, it’s relatively fast to cook. This is a great side dish for a pot roast or chicken. You could even cut up some oven-roasted turkey breast or chicken and add it to the mixture for a one-pot meal.

Baked potatoes with sour cream, crunchy tater tots, hash browns with scrambled eggs, au gratin potatoes with anything – I luv ’em all! So now you know just how much I love potatoes. Which kind of potatoes is your favorite?

rustic new potato edamame salad_hero

Rustic New Potatoes with Bacon & Edamame

Rating: 51

Cook Time: 2 hours

Yield: 4 servings

Rustic New Potatoes with Bacon & Edamame

Ingredients

12 ounces shelled edamame
1.5 pounds new potatoes, quartered
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 slices thick-cut bacon, crispy and crumbled for garnish

Instructions

In a 4-quart slow cooker, add the edamame and potatoes. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Drizzle the oil mixture over the potatoes and toss to coat.

Cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, or until potatoes are fully cooked. Garnish with crispy, crumbled bacon and serve warm.

http://bakedchicago.com/rustic-new-potatoes-recipe/

Desserts

Brownie Pops

brownie pops

It’s National Cake Pop Day and one of my favorite “cake on a stick” treats is a dressed up in sprinkles brownie pop!

Brownie pops are perfect for any casual party or celebration, especially with guests who are kids or adults who want something sweet in portion-controlled bites. The brownie pop makes it easy to enjoy a bite of a great dessert that satisfies the sweet tooth.

Dipped in chocolate and decorated with sprinkles, they are irresistible for kids and adults!

Cake pops

Brownie Pops

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Yield: 20 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup and 1/4 cup butter, divided
2 ounces and 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate, divided
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
16 ounces almond bark (vanilla or chocolate-flavored)
40 lollipop sticks
nonpareils, jimmies and candies for decoration

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter and 2 ounces of baking chocolate. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour and salt. Pour in the almond bark mixture, and add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 22 minutes, or until the brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool pan completely, preferably on a wire rack.

Melt the remaining butter and baking chocolate in another saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until melted, and set aside.

Crumble the cooled brownies into a large bowl. Add the chocolate-butter mixture and confectioners' sugar and mix well.

Shape 1-inch balls with the crumbled brownie mixture. Place them on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours, but you may also refrigerate overnight).

Melt the almond bark according to package directions and keep warm. Remove one-third of the brownie balls from the refrigerator and insert the lollipop sticks. Dip the brownie balls into the melted almond bark coating. Swirl or tap off any excess. Press the coated brownie balls into your preferred decorations. I recommend using ramekins to hold each of the different decorations. At this point, you could also enlist the help of your birthday boy or girl to help with the decorating [yes, it's that easy].

Place the coated brownie pops onto parchment paper and let stand until the coating is set. Repeat with the remaining brownie pops until done. You can make these brownie pops up to one day before your event, but refrigerate any items in an airtight container.

http://bakedchicago.com/brownie-pops-recipe/

Desserts/ Events & Entertaining

Football Fumble Nutter Brownie Bites

Fumble Nutter Brownie Bites

You’ve all heard of the fluffer nutter, right? A peanut butter and marshmallow cream sandwich. I don’t know a lot of football terms, but one I do know is “fumble.” And when I do brainstorming, I tend to think in sound-alikes so I started thinking about what I might do with a brownie for the Big Game. My brain went from ‘fumble’ to ‘fluffer nutter’ to ‘fumble nutter’ in about 90 seconds, so this brownie recipe incorporates yummy peanut butter and it’s topped with a marshmallow butter cream frosting.

Fumble Nutter Brownie Bites 4

After you’ve baked the Football Fumble Nutter Brownie Bites, let them cool on a wire rack or platter. Then prepare your frosting.

Fumble Nutter Brownie Bites 8

Frost half of your brownies in one team’s color, then the other. Let them set a bit after you frost them. I found they can set out for a few hours with no issues, but I recommend putting them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve them. We all know how long the Big Game can last and you want to make sure to practice proper food safety when entertaining your guests.

Fumble Nutter Brownie Bites 3

Football Fumble Nutter Brownie Bites (Peanut Butter Brownies with Marshmallow Butter Cream Frosting)

Rating: 51

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Yield: approximately 3 dozen

Football Fumble Nutter Brownie Bites (Peanut Butter Brownies with Marshmallow Butter Cream Frosting)

Ingredients

For Brownies:
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 ounces milk
For Marshmallow Butter Cream Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 ounces confectioners' sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk, divided
food coloring (optional)

Instructions

For brownie bites: Preheat your oven to 350 F degrees. Generously grease a mini muffin pan with non-stick spray.

Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the milk and eggs to the melted butter. Stir in the peanut butter. Stir in all the dry ingredients and mix just until blended.

Using a small cookie scoop, add batter into the prepared mini muffin pan. Do not fill the mini muffin cups more than 2/3 full, or it will overflow into the others as it bakes.

Bake for about 12 minutes or until the brownies are dry around the edges. Cool before frosting.

For frosting: Place the butter, marshmallow cream and vanilla in a small bowl. Beat with electric mixer on medium until well blended. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, beating after each addition until well blended.

Blend in 1 tablespoon of milk. Add remaining tablespoon, if necessary, for desired spreading consistency. Frost brownie bite and let set.

http://bakedchicago.com/fumble-nutter-brownie-bites-recipe/

Soups, Salads & Sides

Soup Comforts, Warms Up a Brutal Winter!

Thank you Idahoan® Steakhouse® Soups for sponsoring this post. Grab yourself a bowl and celebrate National Soup Month with me!

I have a love, yet hate relationship with winter. I love how picturesque and pristine everything looks after a fresh snowfall. And consequently my dogs love romping around in the backyard through the drifts of snow. But when the wind chill goes below zero, that’s when my love for the beauty of winter turns to annoyance for the reality of just how cold it can be. The extended periods of cold, dry air saps my energy. Most of all, winter can make me a bit grumpy.

But one of the ways that I like to warm up my winter — and it’s been brutally cold so far — is with soup, soup, and more glorious soup! Whatever powers that be which named January as National Soup Month picked the perfect time to celebrate how comforting, nourishing, and totally satisfying a hot bowl of soup can be.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeUnkdAF0VP/?taken-by=bakedchicago

Personally, I love the versatility of soup. It can be simple or sophisticated. It can be a snack, a meal starter or the main course. For all of these reasons, I was excited to try for myself the new Idahoan® Steakhouse® Soups, available in four varieties:

  • Cheddar Broccoli
  • Loaded Potato
  • Creamy Potato
  • Cheddar Potato

Idahoan Steakhouse Soups

When I’m preparing soup, I look first for flavor and then for convenience. Idahoan Steakhouse Soups bring together real, red Idaho® potatoes with flavorful seasonings and rich cheeses to provide a creamy taste in every spoonful.

Idahoan Steakhouse Soups Cheddar Broccoli

First of all, I boiled four cups of water. Then I whisked in the Idahoan Steakhouse Soups Cheddar Broccoli flavor. So simple!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeVxD8aFFY8/?taken-by=bakedchicago

Soup’s On

For the first soup I tried, I decided to make a sourdough bread bowl — which is much easier than you might think. So I took a whole loaf of sourdough bread from my local bakery. I cut off the top third of the loaf. Then I hollowed out a bowl. Finally I garnished it with some shredded Cheddar cheese.

sourdough bread bowl with Idahoan Steakhouse Soup

I was really impressed with the texture, because it had a variety of sizes of potato chunks. As a result, it made for a delicious balance of textures. It was almost like having little potato dumplings in a thick, creamy potage. Hence, my taste buds were very happy!

Idahoan Steakhouse Soups are made with real Idaho potatoes

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Breakfast

Potato-Ricotta Frittata

Nothing could be more relaxing than the thought of having a weekend brunch with the entire family! Unless you’re the one who’s cooking it. In this recipe for Potato-Ricotta Frittata (don’t you love the alliteration!), I use Simply Potatoes shredded hash browns. Frittatas are a type of hearty Italian egg dish that is typically easier to make than omelets. And it’s easy to feed a family from a single skillet or baking pan.

potato-ricotta frittata #SimplyPotatoes

And sometimes I’ll change it up and use Simply Potatoes O’Brien hash browns, Southwest style hash browns, diced potatoes with onion, or steakhouse seasoned diced potatoes. I love the versatility of this brunch recipe: you can mix + match any of your favorite Simply Potatoes cut potatoes products along with your family’s favorite vegetables and breakfast meats to create your family’s own signature brunch casserole.

From the front….

potato-ricotta frittata #SimplyPotatoes

…or from the back…

potato-ricotta frittata #SimplyPotatoes

…it looks scrumptious from any direction. But dibs on one of the corner pieces for me! I love that golden brown and slightly crispy crust around the edges.This is what I call a biteful of brunch bliss!

Potato-Ricotta Frittata Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 12 large eggs
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 14 ounces shelled edamame
  • 20 ounces Simply Potatoes shredded hash browns
  • 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
  • 5 ounces shaved Parmesan cheese
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 6 ounces roasted red bell pepper (from a jar), cut into bite-sized pieces

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 F degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

This dish is easiest to prepare if you first gather your ingredients – also known as mise en place.

potato-ricotta frittata #SimplyPotatoes

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and milk until frothy.

Pour half of the egg mixture into the prepared baking pan. Place the edamame in a single layer over the egg mixture. Repeat the layering with the shredded hash browns and spinach.

potato-ricotta frittata #SimplyPotatoes

Then layer generously with the shaved Parmesan cheese.

potato-ricotta frittata #SimplyPotatoes

Pour the remaining egg mixture over these ingredients.

Dollop spoonfuls of the ricotta cheese evenly over the egg mixture; top with red pepper pieces.

potato-ricotta frittata #SimplyPotatoes

Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until eggs are completely set and edges are golden brown.

potato-ricotta frittata #SimplyPotatoes

Slice and serve immediately.

potato-ricotta frittata #SimplyPotatoes

Make It Ahead: You could assemble this dish the night before the next morning’s brunch. Cover baking pan with airtight plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Allow for an extra 5 to 10 minutes of cooking time.

Prep time: 15 minutes; Cook time: 40 minutes; Makes 8 servings.

Soups, Salads & Sides

Wild Rice with Edamame & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

slow cooker wild rice with edamame

My immediately family is quite large. When we get together over the holidays, it’s like a yule tide flash mob has descended on Grandma’s house! Feeding this army can be a challenge, but we manage by dividing and conquering the holiday menu.

Grandma makes the turkey and dressing. My sister-in-law makes the desserts. My sister makes cheesy potatoes  with help from my nieces. My brothers and I make assorted menu items to complete the smorgasbord. This year, I wanted to make a wild rice dish because my dad, who died in 1995, loved having wild rice at the holidays. Wild rice can take quite a while to cook, so it’s perfect for the slow cooker, which is great for transporting a hot dish on a road trip to Grandma’s.

I almost put bacon in this recipe, but because I was traveling with the dish I decided to go with Italian sausage instead. Bacon would have been great, but you wouldn’t want to put it in the dish until 15 minutes before you’re ready to serve. Otherwise it would lose it crunchiness. I’ve also tried versions of this recipe with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, but I find in general that vegetable broth has such a subtle flavor that it doesn’t hold up against the earthiness of wild rice. So a chicken (or turkey) broth is a better option.

For me the star ingredients are the edamame (possibly my favorite vegetable – after potatoes, of course!) and the sun-dried tomatoes. Sun-dried tomatoes pack a lot of flavor and it adds a nice counter-punch to the wild rice.  This recipe makes at least 16 servings (I was feeding an army, remember), so if you have a smaller group just halve the recipe for your brood.

Wild Rice with Edamame and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

15 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups uncooked blend of wild rice, brown rice and red rice
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
42 ounces chicken broth
16 ounces edamame, shelled
16 ounces bulk Italian sausage
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Instructions

In a medium skillet, brown the Italian sausage and break into chunks. Cook thoroughly and remove from heat.

In a 6-quart slow cooker, mix all the ingredients. Stir to incorporate, then cover and cook on high heat for about 1 hour. Stir again. Set heat to low and cook for another 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

http://bakedchicago.com/wild-rice-with-edamame-and-sun-dried-tomatoes-recipe/

Desserts/ Gifts & Gadgets

Harvey’s Brownie Mix in a Jar

Open in case of emergency! Or when hungry…

We all know the holidays can be stressful for many reasons. You’ve got present shopping, holiday cards to write and mail, office or neighborhood holiday parties to attend, laundry and luggage to ready for holiday travel, putting newspaper and mail deliveries on hold, and much, much more on your To Do List this week.  That’s why your pantry needs (at least one, if not a half-dozen) Brownie Mix in a Jar on hand — much in the same way you have an emergency kit in your car or a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. You just never know when you’re going to need the kind of help that only a fresh, homemade brownie can deliver!

This Brownie Mix in a Jar can help you survive the holidays – and every day – in a number of ways, including as a:

  • Perfect last-minute hostess gift
  • Welcome to the neighborhood gift
  • Grab bag gift for the office party
  • Holiday gift for the letter carrier
  • A great way to personalize a holiday bonus for the dog walker
  • Gift any time of the year for that homesick college student (especially during midterms or finals)

In about 10 minutes of time and about $3 for ingredients (not including cost of airtight container or wrapping), you can have a great gift that reflects your personality and that everyone will appreciate. I started this tradition several years ago with family and friends, and quickly learned that it also inspired them to do more baking from scratch. When the ingredients are already on hand and ready to go, it’s so easy – and often more delicious – to bake from scratch. That’s what this Brownie Mix in a Jar gift can do for the recipient: inspire them to be more creative in the kitchen.

I suggest buying a case of one-quart canning jars (about $24 for 12) and making a batch of 12 to have on hand for easier gifting. Buying the canning jars and dry ingredients in bulk will also lower your overall costs. It will also ensure that you have one on hand for your own personal brownie emergencies!

brownie mix in a jar ingredients

 

Holiday Survival Kit: Harvey

10 minutes

Holiday Survival Kit: Harvey

Ingredients

1 quart- or 3/4-liter-sized airtight container
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips or chunks
1/2 cup dark brown sugar

Instructions

Organize all of your dry ingredients, including measuring cups and spoons.

In a clean, airtight container (such as a jar), layer the dry ingredients in the order listed starting with flour and ending with M&M's®. As you add each layer, tap the sides of container to level ingredients. Seal the container and set aside.

Personalize and print out the preparation and baking instructions (below) to accompany the brownie mix jar.

DIRECTIONS FOR HARVEY'S BROWNIE MIX:

Add to dry mix:

- 1/2 cup butter

- 2 eggs

- 2 ounces milk or water

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease the bottom of an 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch baking pan.

Melt 1/2 cup butter. Mix melted butter, 2 eggs and 2 ounces of milk in medium bowl with spoon until blended. Stir in dry contents of the brownie mix, until moistened. Batter will appear slightly lumpy. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until dry around edges and toothpick inserted comes out almost clean. Cool completely, for about an hour. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows to make 16 brownies.

Notes

Personalize as you wish to create a gift that reflects your personality. For example, you could swap the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips OR swap the peanut M&M's® for chopped walnuts. One of my favorite versions of this brownie mix swaps out the milk for raspberry liqueur and the peanut M&M's® for fresh raspberries.

http://bakedchicago.com/brownie-mix-in-a-jar-recipe/

 

Desserts

Salted Caramel-Macadamia Nut Gingerbread Brownies

Recently, the folks at Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts invited me to participate in a recipe contest to create an original recipe using Mauna Loa’s new Dry Roasted Chopped Macadamia Nuts. The only rule was that macadamia nuts should be the hero ingredient, so I adapted one of my most popular brownie recipes to create a new version infused with gooey salted caramel and crunchy macadamia nut flavors.

Let me know what you think!

Salted Caramel-Macadamia Nut Gingerbread Brownies

Rating: 51

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 24 brownie bars

Salted Caramel-Macadamia Nut Gingerbread Brownies

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/2 cup caramel baking chips
1 1/2 cups Mauna Loa dry roasted chopped macadamia nuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease bottom of a 13x9-inch baking pan with butter.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and baking soda. Set aside.

Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add molasses and eggs to the melted butter. Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Fold in the dark chocolate chunks, caramel baking chips and chopped macadamia nuts.

Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan. Lightly sprinkle the sea salt evenly over the batter. Bake for 20 minutes. The center should be slightly firm to the touch. Cool completely for about 1 hour before cutting into bars.

Notes

Holiday breakfast muffin idea: Spoon the batter into paper-lined muffin cups until about 2/3 full. Then bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes.

http://bakedchicago.com/salted-caramel-macadamia-nut-gingerbread-brownies/

Desserts/ Events & Entertaining

Celebrate International Stout Day with these Scrumptious Stout-glazed Brownies

stout glazed brownies

Happy International Stout Day! You don’t have to be Irish to appreciate these stout-glazed brownies. Many people aren’t familiar with stout, which is simply a strong, dark beer brewed with roasted malt or barley. If a beer is a stout, it’s considered to have a strong or the strongest flavor.

Irish stout

There are several kinds of stout beers: dry (Irish), imperial (Russian), porter, milk, oatmeal, coffee, oyster and even chocolate! Chocolate and beer often makes for a great combination in recipes. These stout-glazed brownies will have you dancing an Irish jig with each bite.

Want to share these stout-glazed brownies with the kids? Here are some things to consider when baking or cooking with alcohol:

  • alcohol boils at 172° F, so almost any kind of baking or cooking with alcohol won’t leave any in the food once it’s done. It evaporates quickly. 
  • there’s not much alcohol in beer to begin with. It’s mostly water.
  • there’s not enough alcohol in beer for it to burn.

Bob’s your uncle!

Stout-glazed Brownies

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

1 cup stout
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces plus 4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons and 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350° F.  Lightly grease the bottom of a 9x9-inch baking pan with butter or shortening. In a medium saucepan, bring the stout to a boil and cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 10 minutes). Let cool and set aside.

In a medium heatproof bowl set on a small saucepan of simmering water, melt 12 ounces of dark chocolate and 1 cup butter. Stir constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Whisk the sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the chocolate mixture and 1/4 cup stout, reserving the remaining stout. Fold in the flour and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt.

Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the brownies surface begins to crack. Toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs. Cool for 20 minutes.

Stir the remaining 4 ounces of dark chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl, set on top of small saucepan of simmering water, until melted and smooth. Add the reserved 1/4 cup stout, remaining 2 tablespoons butter and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until well blended.

Pour the warm glaze over the brownies. Let stand until glaze is set (about 40 minutes). Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows to make 16 stout-glazed brownies.

http://bakedchicago.com/international-stout-day/