Recipes

Chicken Caprese Pizza

/ Jodi / 28 Comments

chicken caprese pizza 2

A fun, fresh, delicious way to use a rotisserie chicken is to make it into a pizza!

Chicken Caprese Pizza.

chicken caprese pizza

A tube of Pillsbury Pizza Crust, some red, ripe campari tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, garlic and balsamic vinegar, along with the chicken make an amazing quick and easy weekday or weekend dinner.

chicken caprese pizza 1

Served with a fresh green salad, and you are ready to rock in 30 minutes or less.

We made this last night for dinner and absolutely loved it!

What is your favorite way to use a rotisserie chicken?

Chicken Caprese Pizza

Ingredients:chicken caprese pizza 2

  • 1/2 rotisserie chicken, diced
  • 1 Pillsbury pizza crust or your favorite
  • 1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
  • 3-4 campari tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Spread pizza crust out on baking stone or cookie sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with minced garlic.  Bake for 5 min.

Remove pizza crust from oven and spread chopped rotisserie chicken evenly on top.  Layer sliced campari tomatoes, followed by sliced mozzarella cheese and chopped basil on top.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.  Return to oven, and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and beginning to brown and crust is golden brown.

I hope you will enjoy this yummy pizza as much as we did!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Cookie Butter Cinnamon Chip Cookies

/ Jodi / 39 Comments

cookie butter cinnamon chip cookies

Have you discovered the amazingness of Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter yet?  (It’s quite similar to Biscoff spread, which I also absolutely adore!)

cookie butter cinnamon chip stack

I knew there had to be an EXTRAordinary cookie to make with this magical spread, so I went a googling and discovered a great recipe to start with at the wonderful Averie Cooks blog.

cookie butter cinnamon chip cookie

These cinnamony, gingergread biscuity, ooey-gooey brown sugary in the center, crispy crunchy on the outside little gems of deliciousness may just be my new favorite cookie ever!

Bake them if you dare!

Cookie Butter Cinnamon Chip Cookies

  • Servings: 2 1/2 dozen
  • Print

Ingredients:cookie butter cinnamon chip cookies

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter or Biscoff Spread
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter (softened)
  • 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 bag Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips

Directions:

Cream the egg, Cookie Butter, butter, brown sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 4-5 mins.

Add flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  Mix on low speed until just incorporated, about 1 min.  Fold in cinnamon chips.

Make 1 ½ inch balls from the cookie dough, place on a cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter. Chilling the dough is a must.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Place cookie balls on baking stone or sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart, and bake for 8-9 mins, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set. Do not over-bake.

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Mud Cake

/ Jodi / 65 Comments

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake cutting

Do you every just get a “hankering” for something?  Something you don’t usually have, but you just get stuck in your mind that you really, really, really want?!

That’s how I was feeling this past week about chocolate cake.  And chocolate cake is not something I usually make/eat/crave.

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake unfrosted

But – there was no getting it out of my head, so what’s a girl to do?!  Bake cake!

And when I found this recipe for a “boozy” chocolate cake – well – even better!  But dang, it was in metric measurements, and try as I could to search for it in U.S. equivalents, no luck.  So I postponed doing it the first day I thought of it, but then just bit the bullet the next day and converted it myself.  I’m not sure if I converted exactly or correctly, but it turned out absolutely amazing!

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake adding ganache

Oh Dear Me!  This is a real treat for the hankering!  It is rich and dense and chocolately and smothered in a decadent Bailey’s chocolate ganache!   I only needed a few bites to satisfy.

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake sliced

Hubby loved it too!

After our couple of bites/slices, however, I decided to put it in the freezer to save for special occasions or special guests.  I’m guessing it will freeze well (as all cakes do), and be just the thing to pull out and slice when “needed!”

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake slice

So here it is – the Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Mud Cake – converted for us U.S. bakers and also in Metric equivalents.

Are you craving chocolate cake yet?!  Grab that bottle of Bailey’s and get baking!

Baileys Chocolate Mud Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake adding ganache

  • 1 1/3 sticks butter (10.5 Tbsp) or 150 grams
  • 3.5 oz or 100 grams dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup or 100 grams sugar
  • 1/2 cup or 100 grams brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup or 50 grams  cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup or 180ml Baileys Irish Cream Whiskey
  • 1 1/3 cups or 170 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsps baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 eggs, room temperature

Baileys Ganache:

  • 7 oz or 200 grams good quality dark chocolate,  chopped
  • 3/4 – 1 cup or 200ml Baileys Irish Cream (you can also do 1/2 cream and 1/2 Bailey’s if you don’t want it quite so “boozy,” but what the heck?!)
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 – 1 1/2 Tbsp or 15 grams butter, softened

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325° F (160°C). In a pan over low heat, melt the butter, chocolate, sugars, cocoa powder and Baileys. When chocolate and butter has melted, whisk together to combine making sure to get rid of any lumps of sugar or cocoa powder. Remove from heat and leave cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, grease and line an 8″ (20-21cm) round cake pan.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. Add the eggs to the slightly cooled chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Gently fold in the sifted flour mix until free of lumps.

Scrape into cake pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean (Be cautious, however, as this is one cake you don’t want to over-bake so better to be a little under than over). The top of the cake will have some beautiful cracks.  This is normal for a mud cake, and you will be covering it with a lovely and oh so concealing ganache anyway!

Remove cake from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing and cooling completely on wire rack.

To make the ganache, heat the Bailey’s and the salt to a simmer in a pan (be careful to not get the heat too high and catch the alcohol on fire like I did!).  Remove from heat and add the chocolate.  Stir until completely incorporated, and then stir in the butter.

Set aside at room temperature and cool until it is thick enough to spread over your cooled cake (or if you are as impatient as me, put in the freezer to cool more quickly).  Gently stir the ganache occasionally as it cools to keep the temperature even and the ganache smooth.

When it is cooled and thickened, spread the ganache on the top of your cake and let it drip down the sides.

Enjoy!

Recipe found at:   Runcible Eats (www.leaandjay.com)

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Healthy Egg & Avocado Breakfast Sandwich

/ Jodi / 51 Comments

Breakfast Sandwich Egg tomato avacado

I didn’t used to be a big fan of breakfast, but I am beginning to enjoy it more and more.

One of my favorite new hot, healthy, protein and vitamin-rich go-to’s is this yummy breakfast sandwich.

Breakfast Sandwich Egg tomato avacado 2

A protein-rich fried egg topped with fresh and juicy, red-ripe Campari tomatoes and slices of nutrient-dense avocado sandwiched between a whole wheat English muffin is just the way to start my day.

When I don’t have ripe avocados, I love to use a slice of smoked gouda cheese or some crispy bacon.  Not nearly as healthy, but oh so yummy!

I’m already looking forward to my next breakfast!  How about you?

Healthy Egg and Avocado Breakfast Sandwich

Ingredients:Breakfast Sandwich Egg tomato avacado

  • I large egg
  • 1 Campari tomato
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1 whole wheat English muffin
  • butter, salt & pepper to taste

While English muffin is toasting, fry egg to your liking – sunny side up, over easy, over hard (my personal preference).  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Place egg on lightly buttered toasted English muffin, top with slices of tomato and avocado.  Smoosh together, cut in half, and ENJOY!

Remember what we were always told as children….
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so here’s to breakfast!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Best-Ever Amish Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

/ Jodi / 55 Comments

Amish Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

If you are an oatmeal raisin cookie lover……

You know – you love the ones that are crispy around the edges, but caramely chewy with plump sweet raisins on the inside…..

You are going to be in OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIE HEAVEN when you make and taste these amazing Amish Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

Amish Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 2

I honestly believe these are the BEST EVER Oatmeal Raisin Cookies on the Planet!

Earth AND Mars!

Amish Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 3

Get ready to be a Cookie Rock Star when you make these!

Now go get baking!  You MUST have these!

Amish Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

  • Servings: 4 dozen large cookies
  • Print

Ingredients:Amish Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 2

  • 3/4 cup softened butter
  • 3/4 cup coconut oil or shortening
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp baking soda
  • 3 cups oatmeal
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk ( you can make a substitute by adding 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar to milk or half and half and allowing to sit for 5 min as a substitute, and it works perfectly fine!)
  • 1 1/2 – 2 cups golden raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream together butter, coconut oil or shortening, and granulated sugar until fully incorporated.  Add the egg, molasses and vanilla and beat well.

Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl – flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder – and add to creamed butter/sugar mixture.  Add buttermilk next, followed by oatmeal.  When well combined, gently stir in raisins.

Drop by heaping tablespoon onto baking stone or cookie sheet.  Flatten slightly.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Let cool on baking stone/cookie sheet for additional 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy these amazing cookies (that include some healthy ingredients)!

I cannot wait to hear what you think of them, and I dare you to challenge me to a better oatmeal raisin cookie recipe! 🙂

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Neiman Marcus Dip

/ Jodi / 41 Comments

neiman marcus dip

Next Sunday is the Super Bowl – an annual event in the U.S. that even non-football fans often enjoy just for the great commercials, celebrity national anthem and half-time show, parties, cocktails, beer, and yummy food and SNACKS!

This Neiman Marcus Dip is a MUST-HAVE for Super Bowl parties, whether you are hosting, taking something as a guest to a party you are going to, or just hanging with the family at home.

It is so amazingly easy and even  more incredibly addictive and delicious (though probably should not be eaten too often as it is a bit far from healthy, which is probably why it is so amazing!)   

I am pretty sure you will be considered a snack dip rock star if you make and serve this to your family and friends.

neiman marcus dip closeup

I first tried this Neiman Marcus Dip at my DIL Colleen’s Christmas Cookie Exchange Party this past December, and I made it for a recent Steelers Playoff game when the family was all over.

And though our Pittsburgh Steelers did not make it to the Super Bowl this year, we will still be watching, and we will surely be snackin’!

So whoever you are rooting for, win or lose, you will still be happy that you had this yummy dip!

Neiman Marcus Dip

Ingredients:neiman marcus dip closeup

  • 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 lb bacon, chopped and cooked very crispy
  • 1 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 cup slivered almonds
  • 2 cups mayonnaise

Directions:  Mix all together in large bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours for flavors to meld together well.  (The day before is even good.)

Serve with crackers, corn chips, tortilla chips or celery sticks.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies (with Terry’s Chocolate Orange)

/ Jodi / 27 Comments

Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies 1

If you haven’t finished your holiday cookie baking yet – you are in luck!  I have discovered an amazing new recipe for Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies using Terry’s Chocolate Oranges that is TO DIE FOR!

Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies 2

Terry’s Chocolate Oranges are sometimes only available around this time of year, so drop what you are doing and get to the store and stock up on these so you can make them now and throughout the year!  ( You can always order from Amazon too!)

Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies 3

I found this recipe on a lovely blog called, What Jessica Baked Next, and I’m looking forward to continuing to see what Jessica bakes next!   In Jessica’s recipe, she calls for using EITHER Terry’s Chocolate Oranges OR chocolate chips with fresh orange zest.  I, however, used both Terry’s Chocolate Oranges AND fresh orange zest!  OH MY MY MY!

I also decided to dust them with a sprinkle of powdered sugar to make them look a bit more festive.

This cookie is like a brownie and a cookie all in one.  Crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside and just that right amount of fresh orange taste to compliment the chocolate in such a divine way!

Here is the recipe.  ENJOY!

Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies 2

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • Dash of salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 4 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2 (6.17 oz) Terry’s chocolate oranges, chunked (I used the DARK chocolate)
  • 1 tsp fresh orange zest
  • Powdered Sugar for dusting, optional

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • Cream butter, brown sugar and vanilla together with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until incorporated.
  • Add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder, and mix until dough comes together.
  • Add the chocolate chunks and orange zest and gently mix to combine.
  • Make heaping tablespoon sized balls and place on baking stone or baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes until crackling occurs on top.
  • Allow cookies to cool on stones/baking sheets for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
  • Cool 5 more minutes on stone/baking sheet, then remove to cooling rack to completely cool.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Christmas Apricot Kolache Cookies

/ Jodi / 44 Comments

apricot kolaches christmas cookie baking 2015

Holiday baking continues this week.

apricot kolaches christmas cookie baking 2015 single

The other day I shared Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread and told you how that is one recipe I bake for “me.”

Well…. Hubby, who reads my blog daily, mentioned it is one of HIS faves too.

These little treats I’m sharing today – Apricot Kolaches – however, I make for him!  I know this is one of his favorites, and that is why I make them.

apricot kolaches christmas cookie baking 2015 2

Yep – Grandma made these too, and I shared this recipe last year around this time also, but I just had to share again since they are such a part of our holidaying.

I cannot believe Christmas Eve is only a week away.  For some reason, I am as excited as a child this year.  Not sure why…  Not really fussing more than usual….  Nothing particularly unusual going  on….. Just feeling happy….. Just cherishing the moments…

Hope you are too!  Amidst all the “stuff” we all deal with (and we ALL have “stuff”- me included) – I hope you are taking time to “cherish the moments.”

They really are precious, and they bring such joy.

It might just be a smile from a stranger, the realization of timing that protected you from a “near accident,” the beauty of a sunrise or a sunset, the sound of a bird chirping or the laughter of a child or of a senior, the taste of that first sip of coffee in the morning, the warmth of a fire, the twinkling of Christmas lights, a lick from a dog, a purr from a cat, a kiss hello or a kiss good-bye, an “I love you,” a card in the mail, a “like” on your Facebook page, an email from your boss that says “perfect,” singing a Christmas carol or a favorite hymn, the softness of your pillow, the thirst-quenching of a tall glass of fresh water.

You see – we all have an abundance of moments to cherish each day.

I cherish each one of you reading this.  Thank you for giving me some “moments” of your day.

Christmas Apricot Kolache Cookies

2 8-oz blocks of cream cheese, softened
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups apricot preserves or apricot filling (I use Baker’s)
1 Egg, beaten
Confectioner’s (Powdered) Sugar, for dusting

Beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed of stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Turn mixer on low, and gradually mix in the flour until a smooth dough forms.

Knead dough on lightly floured work surface, and gently form a ball.  Divide dough into fourths, flatten, and wrap each in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line cookie sheet or baking stone with parchment paper.  Working with one piece of dough at a time (after bringing back to room temperature from refrigeration), roll out to approximately 1/8 inch thick rectangle.  Trim edges and cut dough into 2 inch squares.

Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of apricot filling into the center of each square.

Fold one corner into the center, dab with the beaten egg, then bring the opposite corner into the center and press firmly to seal.

Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet, and bake for approximately 10 minutes.

Dust with confectioner’s sugar and cool on wire rack.

These cookies freeze well and thaw quickly.

This recipe makes about a million ….  or at least feels like it when you are making them!

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread

/ Jodi / 40 Comments

apricot nut bread

It’s not officially Christmas baking time until I make Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread.

apricot nut bread mini

And that is exactly what I did this past Sunday.

Unlike most of the things I bake, this recipe is for me.

Measuring the flour with my favorite antique tin measuring cup from Grandma,

snipping the apricots just like she did with kitchen shears,

mixing with old-time Christmas music playing like we did when I helped her as a child…

Remembering how she smelled, remembering how her hands looked and felt, remembering her voice, remembering her love.

Baking this bread every year at this time just takes me back – makes me smile – allows me to remember – fills me with love.

apricot nut bread slice

The smell of this bread baking is one of my very favorite smells in the entire universe.  (In fact, sometimes I go outside for a couple of minutes, so that I can come back in and be HIT by the smell!)

The taste of this bread…

not too sweet – a bit dry – densely filled with bursts of tart apricot chunks and crunchy walnuts….

For me – this bread is love – it is memories of childhood – memories of a grandma’s heart.

Do you have a recipe that does this to you?

I wonder if Grandma is why I often express my love for people by baking?

Thanks for the memories, Grandma.  Thanks for the love.  You are my Stella Star!

You can  find the recipe for my all-time favorite thing to bake here – Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread where I shared it last year.

Hope you are enjoying the season.  I’m going to go have a slice and a cuppa!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Christmas Pittsburgh-Style Thumbprint Cookies

/ Jodi / 33 Comments

Christmas Pittsburgh Thumbprint Cookies 2

Christmas baking time is in full swing around here.

Christmas Pittsburgh Thumbprint Cookies 3

And those of us that live in and around Pittsburgh make thumbprints our own special way.  With icing!  and Sprinkles!

Christmas Pittsburgh Thumbprint Cookies

So for my Cookie Swap Party this coming weekend, Christmas Pittsburgh Thumbprints it is!

If you’d like to give them a try and share something different with your family and friends, try a few new thumbprints – like last week’s Twix Chocolate Caramel Shortbread version and these tasty Pittsburgh favorites.

Christmas Pittsburgh Thumbprint Cookies

Cookie Ingredients:

  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tsp vanilla extract
  • Sprinkles

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour and salt. Once it is mostly incorporated, slowly increase the speed back to medium-high and beat for another minute or so until a dough forms.
  3. Form tablespoons of dough into balls and roll in the sprinkles.  If dough is a bit dry, you can add a little bit of milk or cream or put on your hands when rolling the balls to allow sprinkles to stick.
  4. Place on baking stone about 1 – 1/2  inches apart. Make a slight indentation with your thumb or finger on the tops of all the cookies.
  5. Bake for 8 minutes, then make a deeper indentation in the middle, and bake for an additional 7-8 minutes. The cookies should not brown much at all around the edges. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Icing:

  • 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbsp corn syrup
  • 3 Tbsp milk or cream
  • Pinch salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp butter, room temperature
  • Food coloring

Stir together all ingredients until smooth, then drop a spoonful into each cooled cookie.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi