Believe it or not, I’m actually not a girly girl. I wasn’t a little girl who grew up dreaming about getting married. In fact, I was the angst-y young adult who actually purchased a book entitled Marriage and How to Avoid It. But then, life throws you a curveball. A tall, handsome curveball who is your perfect match. A man who makes each day better just by being a part of it. A man who encourages you to start a food blog and eats everything you make.  A man who comments on posts that no one else does just for support and still loves the first food photo you ever took. Then one day, that man gets down on one knee with fireworks going off overhead and gives you the most gorgeous diamond ring you’ve ever seen.

Let me be the first to tell you, it turns out that diamond rings are incredibly distracting. They are so shiny and pretty, it becomes hard to get anything done because you are distracted by the sparkles. You begin to wonder why you haven’t been wearing diamonds like this your whole life. Suddenly your life is flipped upside down into Wedding World. All the time you used to spend on foodgawker staring at gooey cupcakes, is now being spent on weddingawker staring at big white dresses. You are worrying about flower colors and invitation printing … and suddenly you need chocolate, in a bad, bad way.

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© A Dash of Sass, 2012. | Permalink | 13 comments

My apartment is overrun with black bananas.  For most folks, this would be a cause for concern, but for me it’s a gift that keeps on giving.  Black bananas lead to batches of naturally sweetened homemade granola bars, cookies and breads.  Looking for yet another way to use up these mounds of black bananas, I came up with a super moist muffin that is cross between carrot cake and a bran muffin.  Introducing Carrot Raisin Bran Muffins!  Ta-da!

These whole wheat muffins are made with whole rolled oats and wheat bran so they are loaded with fiber.  Packed with bananas and shredded carrots, you are secretly working on your daily fruit and veggie serving requirements while enjoying a delicious muffin.  Unlike most bran muffins, these are naturally sweetened with raisins and honey and packed with bananas and carrots, so they are moist, nutritious and perfectly suited for a breakfast or quick snack.

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© A Dash of Sass, 2012. | Permalink | 14 comments

Wait, weren’t we talking about amazing holiday cookies just the other day?  Yes, I know I just gave you those addictive Maple Jam Thumbprint Cookies a few days ago.  Too many cookie recipes, too soon!  Well, ’tis the season for homemade baked goods.  Besides, who can go to a party with only one type of homemade cookie?  Underachievers, that’s who.  These shortbread wedges are ultimate party showstoppers.  People will be raving.  You will be a party queen.  Recipe requests will come pouring in.  Holiday cookie success.

Sweetened entirely with honey and made with whole wheat flour, these hover on the border of healthy cookies.  Eh, the cup of butter aside … they might qualify.  Either way, they only have six ingredients and I can pronounce all of them which is enough for me.  Honey-sweetened and pecan-studded, these addictive shortbread wedges are drizzled with enough decadent dark chocolate to satisfy even the most demanding palette.

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© A Dash of Sass, 2011. | Permalink | 8 comments

Cookie season is upon us.  The social calendar is quickly filling up with parties and other cookie-appropriate gatherings. Your kitchen is probably covered in a fine layer of powdered sugar by this point.  In a sea of sugar-laden, overly-processed baked goods, sometimes you want to be able to bring something to the party you can actually feel good about eating.  Or at least not feel bad about eating.  No need to sabotage those New Year’s Resolutions before they even have a chance to get started!

I’m the first to admit that I’m a chocolate snob.  One look at a fruit-based dessert and I’ll quickly move on to something fudgy and decadently chocolate.  These jam thumbprint cookies converted me.  After one bite I was addicted … after eating nearly the whole batch, I quickly had to make a second batch so there would be some to actually take to the party!  Lightly sweet and nutty, these naturally sweetened jam thumbprint cookies are the holiday cookies you can feel good about sharing.

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© A Dash of Sass, 2011. | Permalink | 3 comments

I love the flavors of apple pie, but rarely have the patience (or energy) to make a whole pie from scratch.  Besides, of all the pies out there, apple pie falls into the Labor Intensive with Great Risk for Failure category.  Plus, establishing portion control rules for an entire apple pie in a house of two people is just asking for trouble.  Bleh.  No thanks.  Instead, I decided to find a way to incorporate all my favorite apple pie flavors in a simple-to-make, easy-to-hold, and light enough to enjoy with a cup of tea scone.

Made with whole wheat flour and rolled oats, these whole grain cream scones are specked with fresh apples tossed in honey and cinnamon.  Only lightly sweet, they are perfect topped with a slather of apple butter or just eaten plain alongside a warm cup of tea or cider.  All the spiced apple flavors you love from apple pie in a light, simple scone.

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© A Dash of Sass, 2011. | Permalink | 4 comments

I am in love with a man who loves Pizza Rolls.  Several of our first dates involved heated debates about the pros and cons of Pizza Rolls.  My list of cons always ended up being more substantial than his “They just taste good” list of pros.  Once I even let him prepare a taste testing session for me in an effort to convert me to the Pizza Roll Fan Club.  Fail.  While I have yet to try the imitation recipes floating around out there, I have come up with a semi-decent substitute.

These whole wheat calzones may not pack the same mouth-melting explosion of Pizza Roll volcanic lava filling, they are healthier and tastier!  They are endlessly adaptable, can be filled with whatever you can dream up and if you stick with the creamy spinach riccotta filling you can actually slip some veggies into your football-friendly munchies without anyone even noticing!  Simple to whip up, these calzones can be frozen ahead of time so you are ready to go for a fast weeknight dinner or easy game day snacks.

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© A Dash of Sass, 2011. | Permalink | 3 comments