Beantown Baker

Warm Chickpea, Mushroom, and Brussels Sprouts Salad

2012-02-10T08:57:00.000-05:00

Hubby and I LOVE brussels sprouts. When they're roasted, they are my favorite vegetable. We probably eat roasted brussels at least once a week. Sometimes more like three times a week. They're just SO GOOD. And I'm proud to say that I introduced them to my family and now my 17 year old sister makes them at home for dinner.

As much as I love roasted brussels, I also like to mix things up sometimes. I made this recipe for the first time as an excuse to try that Cardamom Candied Bacon. Let me tell you, we've been mixing this Warm Chickpea, Mushroom, and Brussels Sprouts Salad pretty often since that first time.

If I don't have candied bacon, I just use regular old bacon. I honestly couldn't notice a difference when the bacon wasn't candied. The hardest part of this recipe is just slicing the brussels. Luckily, Hubby enjoys this dish so much, he offers to slice the brussels for me while I cook the bacon. This salad is great fresh off the stove and it also reheats well and is a perfect addition to a packed lunch from home.

Two Years Ago: Mixed Berry and Cream Cheese Filled King Cake
Three Years Ago: Crockpot Red Curry Chicken with Butternut Squash

Warm Chickpea, Mushroom, and Brussels Sprouts Salad

Ingredients (serves 6)

3 Tbsp butter, divided
8 oz mushrooms
20 brussels sprouts (~10 oz)
2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 slices cardamom candied bacon, crumbled (or plain bacon, fried, and crumbled)
1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
freshly grated parmesan for topping

Instructions

Heat a large skillet oven medium heat and add 2 Tbsp of butter.

Add mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to caramelize, stirring occasionally.

Add brussels with a pinch of salt and the remaining tablespoon of butter, stirring to coat, then cooking for another 5 minutes.

Add in chickpeas, bacon, pecans, pepper and nutmeg, then stir and let sit for 5-6 minutes until chickpeas are warm and the flavors come together.

Serve warm with grated parmesan on top.

Recipe from How Sweet It Is

Cardamom Candied Bacon

2012-02-09T08:56:00.000-05:00

I think we can all agree that bacon makes everything better. (except maybe those brownies I posted a couple weeks ago). But how do you make bacon better? You candy it. With cardamom. Yep, candied bacon is amazing. And cardamom is one of my favorite spices. I love the citrusy, spicy flavor.

Hubby and I enjoyed this bacon next to eggs for breakfast. I also used this bacon in the Candied Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies that I made recently. And be sure to check back tomorrow for a savory recipe to use this bacon.

One Year Ago: Triple Layer Oreo Cake

Cardamom Candied Bacon

Ingredients (10 slices bacon)

10 slices thick-cut bacon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cardamom

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then lay a wire rack on top of the baking sheet.

On a large plate, mix sugar and cardamom. Dredge bacon slices through the mix, lightly patting the sugar on top but not overdoing it.

Lay strips on wire rack and bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping the bacon once halfway through.

Remove and drain on paper towels for 1 minute.

Recipe from How Sweet It Is

Amazingly Blueberry-ey Blueberry Muffins

2012-02-08T12:00:00.000-05:00

Last summer, Hubby and I went blueberry picking with some friends. We came home with tons and tons of blueberries (15 pounds to be exact!). I whipped up a bunch of blueberry treats, like Cinnamon Blueberry Rolls, Blueberry Cobbler Bars, and even some Blueberry Salsa over Grilled Mahi Mahi. Even after all these yummy blueberry treats, I still frozen quite a few blueberries so we could enjoy them all year.

Hubby likes to sit down with a bag of frozen blueberries and just snack on them. But he lets me bake with some of them as well. These muffins really are Amazingly Blueberry-ey Blueberry Muffins. They're bursting with berry deliciousness. The blueberry jam swirled into the top of the muffins add an extra burst of flavor. I love this idea and can't wait to try it with other fruit muffins.

One Year Ago: Black Forest Cupcakes for Frosting for the Cause
Two Years Ago: Chinese Restaurant Almond Cookies

Amazingly Blueberry-ey Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients (12 muffins)

For the Jam

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tsp sugar

For the Muffins

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 1/8 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp table salt
2 eggs
4 Tbsp butter , melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

For the Jam

Bring 1 cup of blueberries and 1 teaspoon of sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook the berries, mashing with a spoon several times to break some of the berries open.

Stir frequently until mixture is thickened and reduced to about a 1/4 cup (about 6 minutes).

Transfer to small bowl and cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.

For the Muffins

Preheat oven to 425F. Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl.

Whisk 1 1/8 cups sugar and eggs together in a medium bowl until thick and texture is consistent (about 45 seconds).

Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined. Whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla until combined.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg mixture and the remaining cup of blueberries into the flour mixture until just moistened (batter will be very lumpy with a few spots of dry flour; do not overmix).

Divide the batter equally among the prepared muffin cups (batter should completely fill cups and mound slightly).

Spoon a teaspoon of jam into center of each mound of batter. Use a chopstick or skewer to gently swirl the berry jam into the batter using figure-eight motion.

Bake until the muffin tops are golden and just firm, about 17 to 19 minutes rotating muffin tin from front to back halfway through baking. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe from America's Test Kitchen, as seen on See Brooke Cook

Cherry M&M Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

2012-02-07T12:40:00.000-05:00

I saw these cookies on Picky Palate over the holidays. They reminded me of these Oatmeal Chocolate Cinnamon Cookies that I love. I decided I had to find some cinnamon M&Ms. Then I found out the hard way that getting my hands on some cinnamon M&Ms was going to be much easier said than done.

I looked in every place I could think of for those silly cinnamon M&Ms. Apparently everyone else in Boston was sitting at home snacking on them while I was out searching for them. Or maybe they just didn't make it to Boston. Either way, I was ready to give up.

Then I was at the store and noticed they had candy out for Valentine's Day. I thought maybe they'd have some of the mysterious cinnamon M&Ms since they're red. No such luck. But they did have these red cherry M&Ms. I decided to give them a shot and just give up on the cinnamon ones.

I followed the same recipe and even included the ground cinnamon which turned out to be the right decision. The cinnamon gave a great boost of flavor to these cookies.

I ran out of M&Ms for the last few cookies and I have to say, this chocolate chip cookie recipe without the M&Ms is pretty tasty too.

One Year Ago: Colorful Cumin Quinoa Salad

Cherry M&M Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients (5 dozen cookies)

2 sticks softened unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup rolled oats
1 3/4 cups chocolate chips
1 9.90 ounce bag Cherry M&Ms

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.

In a stand or electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla mixing until well combined.

Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl, mix to combine then add slowly to mixing bowl, mixing on low speed. Add cinnamon, rolled oats and chocolate chips. Mix until just combined.

With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Press cookies down about 1/2 inch to flaten slightly. Press 3 cinnamon M&M’s onto each cookie.

Bake for 9-12 minutes, until baked to your liking. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.

Recipe adapted from Picky Palate

I am submitting this for February's What's Baking, hosted by Sandra of She Cooks and Bakes. This month's theme was to Bake with Valentine's Day Colors!

Black and Tan Brownies

2012-02-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

It's Secret Recipe Club time again. This group has been so much fun because it's so low pressure and I get to meet new bloggers and try new recipes. My matchup this month is Itzy's Kitchen.

Back when we were dating, Hubby would order a Black and Tan on a regular basis. He was the first person I had ever seen order one. I'm not a huge fan of the original black and tan (made with Bass and Guinness), but I do enjoy some of the variations, especially mixing Blue Moon and Guinness Some places call this a Black Moon or a Black and Blue. Although be careful when you order a Black and Blue. Some places will mix blueberry beer with Guinness. Weird!

When I saw the pictures on Itzy's Kitchen the bars looked a little thin and I definitely enjoy thicker blondies/brownies. I decided to make the entire recipe but use a smaller pan. I definitely got a thicker bar, but the ratio of batter wasn't 50:50 like I was expecting. I double checked the ingredients and I definitely put everything in, so it's a mystery why the tan layer was so thin.

Even with the thin tan layer, these were delicious. The Guinness keeps the black layer very moist and the nuts in the tan layer provide a nice crunch.

Black and Tan Brownies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients (25 brownies)

For the Tan Brownies

6 Tbsp butter, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans

For the Black Brownies

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup Guinness Stout
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

For the Tan Brownies

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9x9 or 8x8 pan.

Cream the butter and brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix flour mixture and pecans into sugar mixture, beating until just combined.

Spread evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes.

For the Black Brownies

Melt chocolate and butter in large microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute. Stir after every 20 seconds until smooth.

Add sugar, stirring until well combined. Add the eggs, vanilla, and Guinness.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, stirring to combine.

Pour evenly over Tan Brownies.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack; cut into squares.

Recipe from Cooking Light as seen on Itzy's Kitchen

Candied Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-02-03T09:53:00.000-05:00

After I made those disappointing Bacon Bourbon Brownies, I couldn't get the thought of a bacon-ey dessert out of my head. Luckily there are plenty of bacon filled desserts out there on the internet. I was so happy when I took my first bite of these cookies. The bacon lends a smokey saltiness that isn't too overpowering but very well appreciated.

I took these cookies to work and had fun listening to people's reaction when they saw the label on the ziplock bag. Some people were instantly turned off by the idea of bacon in a cookie. Others were intrigued and a few of them didn't believe there was actually bacon in them until they took a bite.

I chopped the bacon pretty small so you don't see huge chunks of bacon. I wanted them to be about the same size as a chocolate chip and I think that size worked well. You could definitely use larger chunks to get more of a wow-factor just by looking at the cookies.

Two Years Ago: Spicy Sweet Pretzel Party Mix
Three Years Ago: Alton Brown's Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Four Years Ago: Chocolate Cupcakes and Stuffed Chicken Burgers

Candied Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients (4 dozen cookies)

For the candied Bacon

6 slices thick-cut bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar

For the Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups chocolate chips

Instructions

For the Bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bacon in a single layer on a foil lined sheet.

Sprinkle brown sugar on top of bacon strips. Bake for 18-25 minutes or until crispy, making sure to turn bacon over after 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack for cooling. Once bacon has cooled chop it finely.

For the Cookies

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Sift flour and baking soda.

In a medium bowl, cream butter with the white and brown sugar. Add vanilla, egg, and egg yolk to the bowl and beat until light and creamy. Add flour mixture and mix well.

Add diced candied bacon and chocolate chips and stir until just combined.

Place tablespoon sized balls of dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes or until edges are brown. Remove from oven and let cookies sit on the pan for a couple of minutes before placing on a wire rack.

Recipe from Tablespoon, as seen on Fake Ginger

Roasted Garlic Hummus

2012-02-02T11:27:00.000-05:00

Now that you all know how simple it is to roast garlic at home, you can make all sorts of delicious treats with it. First up is some Roasted Garlic Hummus. I always like to have some fresh vegetables at any sort of party, including parties for the upcoming Superbowl. I like to give people the option to have something lighter and healthier on their plate.

Once you have some roasted garlic that has been cooled to room temperature, whipping up the hummus only takes a few minutes. Serve it with some fresh veggies and pita chips.

One Year Ago: Peppermint Patty Cupcakes
Two Years Ago: Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Three Years Ago: Pork Chops with Blue Cheese Gravy

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: no cook time

Ingredients

1 (14 oz) can or 2 cups cooked chickpeas
3 Tbsp tahini
4 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup warm water
2 heads roasted garlic
1 lemon
1/2 tsp sea salt or Kosher salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

Using your fingers, squeeze the soft, roasted garlic out of each clove into food processor. Rinse and drain chickpeas. Add them, and all other ingredients except olive oil to the food processor and blend until completely smooth.

Scrape ingredients off sides of food processor to make sure it blends evenly. Finally add a tablespoon of olive oil at a time until you have reached the desired consistency. Add it very slowly, allowing the mixture to combine fully before adding more liquid.

Drizzle with olive oil prior to serving with fresh vegetables and pita chips.

Recipe adapted from Made in Melissa's Kitchen

How to Roast Garlic

2012-02-01T11:27:00.000-05:00

Today kick's off Hubby's birthday month! The crazy thing is that he's not a big birthday person. But I am. I would celebrate my birthday the entire month of June if he let me. Usually I'm lucky to get just the one weekend of my birthday dedicated to me. But that's ok. I like making a big deal out of other people's birthdays almost as much as my own.

So this month, I'm going to feature some of Hubby's favorite foods. Or foods containing his favorite foods.

It's pretty easy to predict if Hubby is going to like something. For one, he's not a picky eater at all, so really, there are very few things he won't like. I don't think there's anything he absolutely won't eat. He claims to not like peanut butter in desserts, but he still eats them... I've been told that as a boy, he often requested liver and onions for dinner. I can tell you one thing. If you serve something with one of these foods, he's going to love it:

lobster
caramel
coffee
creme brulee
garlic
bacon
blueberries

So to kick things off today, I'm going to show you how to roast garlic. It's quite simple and roasted garlic is so sweet and fragrant, it's worth the small amount of effort that it requires. Hubby would bathe in this stuff if I let him. Instead, I let him smear it on bread by the spoonful.

One Year Ago: Oven Roasted Chickpeas
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Overdose Cake

How to Roast Garlic

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 45 min

Ingredients (1 head roasted garlic)

1 head garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the top of the garlic head off to expose a portion of each of the cloves.

Place the head of garlic on a small piece of aluminum foil. Cup the foil in your hand to create a small foil bowl that holds the garlic.

Drizzle olive oil on top of exposed garlic cloves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Finish wrapping the garlic with the foil to seal it into the foil. Place foil wrapped garlic on a rimmed cookie sheet.

Bake for 45 minutes and allow to cool. Cloves can be squeezed out of the head of garlic.

The Ultimate Whoopie Pies

2012-01-31T10:47:00.000-05:00

I've been hearing that whoopie pies are the new cupcake. I'm not sure how I feel about that statement. Whoopie pies do have some similar attributes to cupcakes. You can make them with just about any cake and frosting combination you can think of. And they're portable. You can make thing big or small.

I decided to give whoopie pies a shot. I used my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe for the cake/cookie part. When I started to think about filling options, I kept coming back to the jar of salted caramel sauce I had in the fridge. I whipped up a few batches of the caramel sauce to give for holiday gifts and still had half a jar left for me and Hubby to enjoy.

I knew I could make caramel frosting but I really wanted the caramel to shine on it's own. Then one morning, it hit me. Marshmallow frosting. But not just any marshmallow frosting. Toasted marshmallow frosting. I mean, marshmallow frosting is great, but when you toast it - WOW.

So there you have it. These Ultimate Whoopie Pies are composed of chocolate cake, toasted marshmallow frosting, and salted caramel sauce. Seriously, these are the best whoopie pies ever. I decided to make these guys in the shape of a football since I was sharing them with friends at a football watching party.

Marshmallow frosting doesn't hold up very well, so you can make the caramel sauce and the cake parts in advance. Then make the marshmallow frosting and assemble the whoopie pies the day that you plan to serve them.

Three Years Ago: Apple Spice Bars
Four Years Ago: Lemon Meringue Cup-pies

The Ultimate Whoopie Pies

Ingredients (18 Whoopie Pies)

1 batch chocolate cupcake batter
salted caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)
1 batch marshmallow frosting

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

Once cupcake batter is ready to use, transfer to a piping bag with a medium round tip. Pipe batter into a small circle ~2” in diameter. If making football shaped whoopie pies, pipe into a football shape.

Bake for 8 minutes or until done. Allow to cool on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Pair up the whoopie pies to similar sized and shaped pairs.

Once they have cooled completely, pipe a generous amount of marshmallow frosting onto one of each of the pairs. Toast the marshmallow frosting with a small kitchen torch.

Drizzle with salted caramel sauce. Top with matching whoopie pie pair.

Cake from Joanne Chang. Marshmallow frosting from Martha Stewart. Salted Caramel Sauce from Cooks Illustrated, as seen on Erin's Food Files

Jalapeno Popper Inspired Grilled Cheese

2012-01-30T10:43:00.000-05:00

Well it's here. The week of the Superbowl. I'm lucky enough to have friends who don't mind me taking over their kitchen to provide all the food for their Superbowl party. Fiona and I have a pretty killer menu planned out for next Sunday. For the rest of you who might still be tweeking your menus or who just need a few more ideas, I've got some posts coming up this week that will hopefully inspire your football food needs.

You all know I'm a big wimp when it comes to spicy foods. So I could only handle about one bite of this Jalapeno Popper Inspired Grilled Cheese. That one bite was delicious. I had hoped that roasted the jalapenos might mellow them out a bit, but it didn't. I loved the addition of the apricot preserves gives a subtle sweetness and the goat cheese mimics the cream cheese smoothiness that is found in most jalapeno poppers. Hubby really enjoyed this sandwich and it would make a great addition to your Superbowl spread.

Two Years Ago: Butternut Squash and Spinach Casserole
Four Years Ago: White Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes - take two

Jalapeno Popper Inspired Grilled Cheese

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 slices sourdough bread
2 ounces goat cheese, softened to room temp
4 slices crisp-fried bacon
3 whole fresh jalapeno peppers
1 Tbsp apricot preserves
2 Tbsp butter

Instructions

Slice each jalapeno in half lengthwise, and remove stem, ribs and seeds.

Place cut-side-down on a baking sheet, and broil until skins blacken and blister, about five minutes. Remove jalapenos from broiler, and transfer immediately into a plastic bag or other sealed container.

Seal and let steam until cool enough to handle, about 10-20 minutes. Remove blackened skins by pinching them between your thumb and forefinger, and discard.

Spread one of the slices of bread with the goat cheese. Top with roasted jalapeno peppers, then bacon.

Spread the other piece of bread with the apricot preserves, and add to sandwich. Butter each side of the sandwich, and toast in saucepan over medium heat until bread is toasted, about 2-3 minutes a side.

Recipe from Cooking and Eating From Away in Maine

Avon Walk Interview and 10th Birthday Celebration!

2012-01-29T08:29:00.000-05:00

I was approached by the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer with an opportunity to interview one of their executives. Since I wasn't able to fit an in-person interview into my schedule, I did an email interview with Eloise Caggiano, Program Director, Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

Before I get to the interview, I wanted to let everyone know about the Avon Walk's 10th Birthday Party coming up on Saturday, February 4th. The Avon Walk is celebrating in all of the nine walk cities nationwide. If you're interested in learning more about walking, participating as a crew member, or even if you're an alum, the party will be a great opportunity to kick off the 2012 Avon Walk season. You can also register at a discounted rate! I've already signed up to attend in Boston. More information can be found here about the locations of the celebration.

And now, on to the interview. I hope you find it informative and interesting. If you have any questions about the Avon Walk, feel free to email me. If you'd like to donate to my walk, you can do so here.

How did you become involved in the Avon Walk?
Going through something like breast cancer really helps put things in perspective. I was working very hard at the time I was diagnosed, and thought to myself: “If I'm going to work this hard, I want to feel really good about it at the end of the day.” I was looking for a more rewarding, fulfilling career and a way to give back. I knew I wanted to move into the non-profit world and while it wasn't a requirement that my new job be breast cancer related, I was hoping it would be. It took a little while to find the right thing, but when the position at the Avon Foundation for Women became available, I knew I wanted it! It is so rewarding to be able to take my experience with breast cancer and put it to good use in my career. To know that the work we do is helping women and men who are facing a diagnosis have a better chance for survival, is really special to me.

How are the cities chosen for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer?
It’s more complicated than you’d think! We currently have nine Walks across the country in some really fantastic cities. We make some tough choices in determining where to schedule the Avon Walk events, creating a schedule that allows us to produce enjoyable, safe and successful events within our resources and in areas that can support an event of this magnitude (choosing the perfect venues for our Opening and Closing Ceremonies, an overnight campsite, coordinating 39 miles of safe and interesting walking routes, etc.), while giving as many people as possible a chance to participate. Even if there is an Avon Walk in their own city, many of our participants choose to travel to different Avon Walks -- what a great way to experience a new city!

What's your favorite walk city?
As the program director for the Avon Walk events, I don’t think I’m allowed to play favorites! I travel to all nine of our Walks each year and can truly say each one is incredible in its own way. For example, our Rocky Mountains Walk is absolutely gorgeous, the scenery is breathtaking; our Washington DC Walk gives you a great tour of an incredibly historic city; our Avon Walk Charlotte takes you through some of the most charming and beautiful neighborhoods; our New York Walk is our biggest of the season (and it’s my hometown!) so that’s always an exciting one for me…but no matter which city you choose, you are going to have an amazing Avon Walk weekend and most importantly, you’ll be raising money and awareness that will help in the fight against breast cancer.

Who lays out the routes? Are they the same from year to year? How is the route mileage measured?
All of the Avon Walks are two days and 39.3 miles. We work with the local police departments, city organizations and parks departments to develop a safe and interesting route for our participants. We try hard to give you a really nice tour of the city you are in and we are always looking for ways to improve the experience, so while our routes are often similar form year to year, we are always trying to fine-tune the route to make it the best it can be.

How much money has the Avon Walk raised since its first year?
This is our 10th birthday season this year! Since the Walks’ launch in 2003, the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Series has raised more than $423 million, which is fantastic. The Avon Foundation for Women has donated $47 million to organizations and institutions in New England alone, which is really nice for our Boston Walkers and Crew to know that so much money stays in their area.

How many people have walked the Avon Walk since the beginning?
Nearly 160,000 participating women and men across the country that have walked a total of 5.3 million miles since 2003 – the equivalent of 210 times around Earth!

What's the best advice you've given or heard for first-time walkers?
Oh there are so many good things I can tell them! Here are just a few:
• “You can do it!” Many people think they can’t walk all of the miles or raise all of the money, but they can! We provide a lot of support along the way, from training walks to fundraising clinics, to help set each person up for success. And the good thing is, the Avon Walk is not a race and it is not competitive – you can walk at your own pace and if you don’t finish all the miles, that’s okay with us!
• “Don’t ask…don’t get!” Many people are shy about asking for donations. But I always remind them of two things. 1) they are not asking for themselves, they are asking for money that will help so many other people, and 2) you will likely need to ask people more than once. Many people intend to donate, but then it slips their mind. Don’t hold back! Ask, and ask again. You’ll be surprised at how many people truly want to support the cause. And if you don’t ask….you don’t get any donations!
• “You’ll never walk alone” Some people hesitate to register for an Avon Walk if they don’t have someone to do it with them. But rest assured that we have MANY walkers who sign up on their own and by the end of the experience they will have met so many amazing people and made new friends. One of my favorite parts of being at these events is getting out on the route and talking to people! There is always someone to talk to and walk with. Many of our teams welcome in our “solo” Walkers – it’s such a great community of people!

How often do you wear pink?
It’s a good thing I like pink, because I wear a LOT of it! At our nine Avon Walk events, for three days straight I’m wearing pink, usually several layers of pink because we start very early in the morning when it is often chilly so I’m always layered up! When I’m not at the Avon Walks, I wear some pink, and have a lot of pink accessories (everything from socks, to my phone case). But I am also surrounded in pink at my office, with Avon Walk pictures, posters, and more everywhere. I even have a big ribbon made out of pink Christmas lights hanging by my desk!

What about those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Why do some walks not have them?
The peanut butter and jelly graham cracker sandwiches are so addicting! Our participants go crazy for them! I even have a friend who has asked me to smuggle a few home from a Walk for her! On the rare (and very sad) occasion, the company we get them from runs out of inventory, we have to substitute them with another snack. The first time it happened, I was worried there would be riots! (I’m only half kidding!) We do our best to keep our Walkers happy.

What's your favorite part of walk weekend?
Well, I already mentioned how I love being out on the route in each city walking with everyone and meeting new people. I get to hear such amazing and inspiring stories, and also just get to meet some really interesting folks. But another favorite of mine is our Closing Ceremony. Once everyone completes the walk, they have such an amazing sense of accomplishment - not only because of the miles they walked, or the money they raised, but also because they know they’re making a difference, what they just did will help saves people's lives. Our Ceremony is a great celebration of all they’ve accomplished and when they see the big checks presented on stage to our beneficiaries who are literally fighting breast cancer right now, it is so rewarding! For two days and 39 miles we all come together with one shared mission—to end breast cancer once and for all—and the Closing Ceremony is a great way to end our special weekend together.

What are some of the most creative fundraising tactics you've seen?
Our Avon Walk participants are some pretty savvy and creative fundraisers! Some keep it simple and stick to traditional fundraising letters and emails. Others have parties at their house and charge everyone $20 that goes towards their fundraising. Some will do a car wash, or bake sale, or make jewelry to sell. Some will do raffles or auctions. The ideas are endless! And if someone is in need of ideas, we have tons of them! We also try to make fundraising as easy as possible by giving each participant their own personal web page. We also have social media tools that help you raise money via Facebook or your iPhone, we offer fundraising clinics, and more!

Do people get more nervous about the training for the 39.3 miles or raising the $1800? Which do you think is harder?
It really varies for each person. For some, the physical challenge of walking up to 39.3 miles is an accomplishment they never thought they could achieve. For others--especially those who have never fundraised before -- the idea of raising money is daunting. But one thing is common among them all: there is such a feeling of pride knowing that the money and awareness they raised is going to help people get the breast cancer care they need, regardless of their ability to pay for it and will help researchers continue their quest for a cure.

For some, the challenge of completing the Avon Walk is their way to pay tribute to those who are battling breast cancer right now, and you will often hear people saying “Sure, I'm exhausted, but what I'm feeling now is nothing compared to what my mom went through with chemo.” The hundreds of breast cancer survivors walking by their sides (some of whom are in the midst of their treatments) are a source of inspiration and a reminder of why we need to keep walking. For others the accomplishment lies in knowing they have done a wonderful thing in memory of someone they've lost to this disease. When you learn that someone you love has been diagnosed, you can feel helpless, and for many of those people, participating in an Avon Walk is a way to help, a way to do something and a way to show their support. Whether they walk 9 miles or 39 miles; whether they raise $1,800 or $18,000 -- every single Avon Walk participant is making a difference.

Which crew job is the most fun (or most requested)?
It depends on who you ask! Some of our Crew are so loyal and come back year after year and want the same Crew job – even if it’s a tough one! Some of them love to be on our Food Service team and feed the hungry and tired Walkers a hot meal. Some of them love to be on the Gear and Tent Crew because they know how much the Walkers appreciate not having to lug their own stuff around. The Walkers are so appreciative of all the Crew teams. They especially love our Moto Crew – these are great men and women who are on their motorcycles at some of the bigger intersections to make sure Walkers get across safely. They are fantastic--some of them wear crazy costumes, or tell silly jokes, anything to put a big smile on the Walkers faces!

What is your favorite memory from being involved with the Avon Walk?
Oh gosh - there have been so many amazing moments! I wish I could list the name of every single person I've met at an Avon Walk, because each of them has made this a special experience for me. Their stories, their dedication, their passion -- it's just incredible! I absolutely love when I meet someone who has benefited from the programs we fund with money raised at the Avon Walks -- like a survivor who was able to get the breast cancer treatment she needed or a mammogram even though she did not have insurance. It is living proof that we are doing amazing work, that we are making a difference! Meeting the other survivors is always significant for me -- especially when I meet the "big number" survivors, like this fabulous woman Deb who is a 25 year survivor! It gives me such hope, and they are so inspiring! Recently, I was talking to a women who was very recently diagnosed and she was asking a lot of questions about my experience and my perspective now as compared to how I felt 6 years ago when I first went though it and she said, "Wow - I'm so glad I'm talking to you. You are making me feel so much better! Knowing that you went through all of these same things, worried about the same things is making me feel less crazy!" So knowing that just by talking to people that I'm helping them in some small way, means so much to me.

What do you think makes the walk different from other fundraising activities?
I think it is the incredible sense of community at the Avon Walk that really makes it special. All of these amazing people coming from all walks of life, all parts of the country (and beyond), all ages, shapes and sizes – they would likely never cross paths otherwise, but for one weekend they are united, one big family, knowing that together they are an unstoppable force in the fight against breast cancer.

What percent of walkers have walked before? What about crew members?
We love our Avon Walk “alumni”! We have Walkers and Crew who come back year after year after year…starting with our very first Walk in 2003! We have some participants who do several Avon Walks per year, some who chose a different city each year – they are a wonderful and loyal group! It varies per city and from year to year, but a fair estimate would be that at least 25% of our participants each year are alumni.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Every three minutes someone in the US is diagnosed with breast cancer. Every three minutes! If you don't know someone who has been affected by this disease, then chances are, you will. Every person diagnosed is someone's mother, sister, best friend, or even brother. We have to change these statistics and we are really trying, but we need your help. Participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Boston (or any of our other cities!) is a way to help raise much-needed money and awareness for this deadly disease. For two days you will walk and you will laugh. You will meet amazing people with amazing stories, who really, really want to hear your story too. You will make new friends and become closer to those you already have. Whether you walk 20 miles, or finish all 39.3 miles of the Avon Walk, you will feel an incredible sense of accomplishment not only for what you physically achieved, but because you know that you are making a difference. The money you raise will help researchers continue their quest for better treatments, preventions and a cure. And it will help people get the breast cancer care and treatment they need, regardless of their ability to pay for it. It sounds cliché, but I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true: participating in the Avon Walk is a life-changing experience. I see it time and time again.

Cheesey Mushroom Pull Apart Bread

2012-01-27T09:36:00.000-05:00

I'm just going to come out and say this bread is AMAZING. Seriously. If you are looking for ideas for the Superbowl, MAKE THIS BREAD. Actually, you should make it this weekend to test it out and play with what flavors you want to use as a practice run. Then make it again next weekend to share with your friends at the Superbowl.

But be warned, it's quite addictive. In fact, maybe you should plan to bring two to your Superbowl party. It's seriously so gooey from the melted cheese. The butter, green onion, and poppy seed sauce on top really takes this bread to the next level.

When I saw this recipe, I was instantly thinking of other flavors you could stuff into the bread. Anything that works on pizza would be great here. I went with provolone and mushroom this time. I'm sure it would be great with pepperoni and mozzarella, bacon and cheddar, or just plan old cheese. If you guys make this, you have to come back and let me know what flavors you made.

Two Years Ago: Chocolate Covered Strawberries
One Year Ago: Vegan Sugar Free Chocolate Rum Cookies

Cheesey Mushroom Pull Apart Bread

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

For the Mushrooms

12 oz sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

For the Bread

1 unsliced loaf sourdough bread
12 ounces Provolone cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup finely diced green onion
2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Instructions

For the Mushrooms

Heat a medium skillet on medium. Add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms. Cook 4-5 minutes until they start to sweat. Add the thyme and continue to cook another 2-3 minutes.

Set mushrooms aside and allow to cool.

For the Bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the bread lengthwise and widthwise without cutting through the bottom crust. This can be a little tricky going the second way but the bread is very forgiving.

Place loaf on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Insert cheese slices between cuts. Pour the mushrooms between the cuts. Use your fingers to push the mushrooms down into the loaf.

Combine butter, onion, and poppy seeds. Drizzle over bread. Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Unwrap the bread and bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Recipe Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Pretzel Bites

2012-01-26T11:23:00.000-05:00

Have you guys been noticing the theme around here recently? That's right - it's time to start thinking about Superbowl party food. To me, football means finger foods and appetizers. And bacon. We'll get the bacon soon enough. First, let's talk about pretzels. I love making homemade soft pretzels, but I think I love these little pretzel bites even more.

First of all, you don't have to shape them into pretzels, just roll the dough into a long snake and snip off little pieces. Easy peasy. And for whatever reason, as bites, the pretzels are even more additictive. What is it about small foods that makes them so addictive?

Look - I added a Football Food tag to my blog! Be sure to check it out.

One Year Ago: Mini Whole Wheat Bagels
Three Years Ago: Chicken Wings

Pretzel Bites - from Baked by Rachel, adapted from Bobby Flay - serves 6-8
Printable Recipe
1 1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1pkg active dry yeast
6 Tbsp butter, melted
2 1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 – 5 cups flour
2 quarts water
1/4 cup baking soda
1 egg, beaten plus 1 tbsp water
course sea salt for topping

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (personal preference, you can use the dough hook if you prefer), combine brown sugar, yeast, melted butter and water. Give a quick mix, then let sit for 5 minutes or until slightly puffy.

Add salt and flour to wet mixture. Mix on low speed, gradually increasing the speed to medium. Continue mixing until all flour is encorporated and the dough is pulling away from the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add additional flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl and is no longer super sticky. Transfer dough to a clean work area, knead by hand for 3-5 minutes, shaping into a ball.

Grease a medium bowl with oil. Toss dough into bowl, then flip to coat all sides with oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm location for an hour or until dough is doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large stockpot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Carefully and quickly, add baking soda – this may splatter.

Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long snake. Using kitchen sheers, cut 1″ pieces. Transfer pieces to a clean plate. Repeat process with all pieces of dough. Slightly more than a quarter of the full recipe should fit on one standard size baking tray. If making the full batch, work a quarter of the dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough covered with plastic wrap until ready to roll and cut.

Prepare a baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper. Whisk one egg together with 1 tbsp water, set aside. Boil 10-15 pieces of cut dough at a time for 30-45 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon, transfering to your prepared baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough pieces.Brush egg wash over dough pieces. Immediately sprinkle with course sea salt.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Continue process with any remaining dough.

Serve warm with dipping sauces, such as mustard or cheese. Store any remaining pretzel bites in an airtight container.

Amped Up Rice Krispies Treats

2012-01-25T10:20:00.000-05:00

You know how certain foods can just take you back. Whether it's to a time or place, sometimes even the scent of a food can really trigger a memory. One random memory I have is eating applesauce to the tune of Jeopardy. Every time I see a jar of applesauce, that song just runs through my head. I think it's because Jeopardy was on around dinner time growing up. And I hated applesauce. Blech. But my sister Brooke loved it. She ate it by itself, one her hamburgers, on her spaghetti. She's weird.

Anyways, the whole reason for my tangent was thinking how Rice Krispies treats take us all back to our childhood. But these Amped Up Rice Krispies Treats, a family recipe from my friend Cara, really kick things up a notch by adding a variety of flavors all into one bite. I threw some cinnamon chips into the mix because I had some on hand. I loved the combination of butterscotch, cinnamon, and chocolate.

Two Years Ago: Butternut Squash and Spinach Casserole
Four Years Ago: White Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes - take two

Amped Up Rice Krispies Treats - from Cara's Cravings
Printable Recipe
2 cups (1 12oz bag) butterscotch chips
1 cup cinnamon chips
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
12 cups (1 12oz box) crisp rice cereal
4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbsp water

Line the bottom of a 9×13 pan with parchment paper and spray the sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips, and peanut butter, stirring. When smooth, remove from heat and add the crisp rice cereal. Stir to coat. Place half of the cereal mixture into the pan and pat down evenly. Place in the refrigerator to let it firm up a bit while preparing the chocolate.

Place the chocolate chips and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Melt together in the microwave over medium-low heat, stirring every 60-90 seconds, until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar and water.

Spread the chocolate evenly over the cereal layer in the pan, then gently pat the remaining cereal mixture evenly on top. Refrigerate for at least two hours, then cut into squares with a sharp knife.

Mini Roast Beef, Goat Cheese, and Radish Sandwiches

2012-01-24T12:04:00.000-05:00

I made these little sandwiches for a party we had at our house a while ago. They were a HUGE hit and would be perfect for the Superbowl in a couple weeks. You could really use whatever sandwich combinations you enjoy in some little puff pastry buns.

Making the little puff pastry buns took a bit of time just because after they cooled, they all had to be cut in half. I made the puff pastry buns one day and assembled the sandwiches the next day.

Hubby requested roast beef and I decided to pair it with some creamy herbed goat cheese and a thin slice of radish to give it some bite and crunch. The combination was pretty awesome and I can't wait to make these again!

One Year Ago: Oatmeal Chocolate Cinnamon Cookies

Mini Roast Beef, Goat Cheese, and Radish Sandwiches - inspired by Elizabeth's Edible Experience - serves 6-8
Printable Recipe
2 8-ounce sheets of frozen puff pastry (thawed)
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
4 oz herbed goat cheese, at room temp
10-12 ounces thinly sliced roast beef
10 radishes, thinly sliced

Heat oven to 375.

Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut circles from puff pastry and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake until golden brown, about 18 minutes.

Allow puff pastry to cool and then split each puff. Spread some goat cheese on the bottom of each puff. Add a slice of radish and top with a piece of roast beef. Replace top of puff and use a toothpick or other skewer to hold sandwich together (optional).

White Chocolate Frito Popcorn

2012-01-23T11:07:00.000-05:00

I ~~like~~ love Frito's. In fact, I'm pretty sure they have crack in them. Especially the Frito's Scoops. They simply have a perfect amount salt and corn and crunch. They're perfect. If you've been reading for a while, you may have picked up on my love of Frito's.

I made Frito Candy over four years ago! I think that was the first time I had Frito's and chocolate. Then I was inspired about a year and a half later to take a stab at putting Frito's into a cupcake. They were delicious but not very pretty. Then last year, I perfected the Frito Cupcake. Seriously, those guys are dangerously delicious.

So yea, I love Frito's. So when I saw this recipe I knew I'd be making it soon. It makes the perfect snack because it's sweet and salty in a perfect ratio. The white chocolate binds all the delicious pieces together and the M&Ms give a great pop of color and chocolate! I (obviously) used Scoops for this recipe. This recipe can be cut in half or doubled easily. I used homemade microwave popcorn.

Two Years Ago: Gingerbread Apple Upside Down Cake
Four Years Ago: White Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes

White Chocolate Frito Popcorn - adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything, originally from Your Homebased Mom - serves 6-8
Printable Recipe
8 cups of popped popcorn
1 lb (16 ounces) white chocolate or almond bark
2 cups Frito's, crushed
1 1/2 cup M&M’s

Pop corn according to package directions.

Put popped corn and crushed Fritos into a large bowl. Make sure to get all of the unpopped kernels out.

Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted.

Pour melted chocolate over popcorn mixture and mix with your hands to coat completely. Pour onto a wax paper or parchment paper lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with M&Ms. Mix a little more to incorporate M&Ms.

Allow to cool and serve.

Bid on my Hot Chocolate Cookies for a good cause

2012-01-23T02:43:00.000-05:00

My friend Amanda is running the Boston marathon this year. To help raise the $4,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, she is hosting an online bake sale. I donated 3 dozen of my Hot Chocolate Cookies.

The bidding is open until 5pm on January 28th - so head on over to Tales from a Kitchen Misfit to bid on my cookies or any of the other delicious treats.

Click HERE to bid on my cookies.
Click HERE to see all the other delicious treats available.

Bacon Bourbon Brownies

2012-01-20T10:58:00.000-05:00

I know, right?!? Bacon + Bourbon + Brownies = sounds amazing. Too bad these brownies were a bit disappointing... I wanted to post this recipe because I think it has a TON of potential and should be perfect for the upcoming Superbowl. For whatever reason, when I think of Superbowl food, my mind goes straight to bacon.

I was really excited about these Bacon Bourbon Brownies. I followed Dan's advice and poured some bourbon directly onto the brownies while they were still warm. The brownies definitely smelled like bourbon as you went to take a bite. The problem was that once you took a bite... They just tasted like a brownie. And a cakey brownie at that.

I was disappointed when I took my first bite, but waited to see what others thought of them. After a few people, including Hubby, tasted them, everyone agreed that they didn't taste like bacon. If you closed your eyes and took a bite you wouldn't even guess there was bacon on them. And look at them! There's a LOT of bacon on there.

Now I am not just going to bash this recipe without some suggestions on how I'd do things differently. The first issue in my book is how tall they are. There's just too much brownie to bacon there. I took one brownie and cut the bottom off and took a bite. I could actually taste the bacon! To fix that, you could just bake this recipe in a 9x13 pan instead of an 9x9 pan.

My other main issue was the texture of the brownie. I'm biased against cakey brownies, so if you like cakey brownies, you might be happy with this one. But I just felt like a bacon brownie should be more fudgey and gooey. To fix this issue, I'd use my go-to brownie recipe as it's written and just add the bourbon to the batter and top with bacon and pecans. That would also solve the first issue since those brownies are not very thick. I'd also be sure to pour the bourbon on top while they're still hot.

I was hoping to make these brownies again before posting them, but I just didn't have time. If anyone tries these suggestions, please let me know how they turn out!

Bacon Bourbon Brownies - from Food in my Beard, originally from Food and Wine - makes 25 brownies
Printable Recipe
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
1/2 pound sliced bacon
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick plus 2 Tbsp butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp bourbon
4 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup bourbon

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the paper with vegetable spray.

In a skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, turning once, until crisp, 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and let cool; reserve 3 tablespoons of the fat. Finely chop the bacon.

In a saucepan, combine both chocolates with the butter and stir over very low heat, until melted; scrape into a large bowl. Beat in both sugars with the reserved 3 tablespoons of bacon fat. Beat in the 3 Tbsp of bourbon. Add the eggs and salt and beat until smooth. Sift the cocoa and flour into the bowl and beat until blended.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the bacon and pecans on top. Lightly press bacon and pecans into batter.

Bake for about 50 minutes, until the brownies are set around the edges but slightly wobbly in the center; a toothpick inserted into the center should have some batter clinging to it. Immediately pour 1/4 cup bourbon over top of the brownies.

Transfer the pan to a rack and let the brownies cool completely. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve.

Mango Avocado Salsa

2012-01-19T10:13:00.000-05:00

I have confessed my love of avocado many many times. I freaking love those things. I believe that avocado is one of those foods you can add to almost anything and it'll taste better. I love using avocado to add creaminess to salads.

Obviously one of the best ways to enjoy avocado is on top of a tortilla chip. The mango in this salsa provides a nice sweetness to balance out the red onion. I made a double batch of this Mango Salsa when we had some friends over and this was the first dish to get devoured. It's amazing.

One Year Ago: Pomegranate Cranberry Quinoa Salad
Two Years Ago: Gooey Bars
Three Years Ago: Crockpot Tamale Pie and Inauguration Day Cupcakes
Four Years Ago: Clam Chowder

Mango Avocado Salsa - from Pennies on a Platter - serves 5
Printable Recipe
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice from one fresh lime
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Tortilla chips, for serving

Stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and let the flavors blend in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin and Ginger Beer Biscuits

2012-01-18T11:18:00.000-05:00

I rarely make biscuits. They're really easy to throw together but I just don't think of it. I saw this recipe on Foodgawker and it caught my eye. Mostly because it had ginger beer in it.

I have been loving a good Dark and Stormy recently. The fizz and spice from the ginger beer is awesome. You can taste that same fizz and spice in these biscuits. (confession - I'm not sure that you can actually taste fizz, but Hubby and I both thought these biscuits tasted fizzy, so just go with it).

We snacked on these biscuits while they were still warm with some melted butter. They were perfect with subtle hints of pumpkin and the taste of ginger (and fizz).

One Year Ago: Brasato al Barolo (Beef Braised in Wine)

Pumpkin and Ginger Beer Biscuits - adapted from Raspberry Cupcakes - makes 10 biscuits
Printable Recipe
1.5 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
A pinch of fresh nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup ginger beer
Milk, for brushing

Preheat oven to 425F. Grease a 9x9 pan and set aside.

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, powdered sugar, nutmeg, and ginger together in a large mixing bowl. Form a well in the middle and add cream and pumpkin puree. Using a pastry cutter or a knife, begin to cut wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Gradually begin to add ginger beer until there is enough to form a soft dough. The mixture should hold together but not be sticky.

Working quickly and gently, gather dough together on a floured surface. Try to handle the dough as little as possible, using lightly floured hands to stop dough sticking to you, and pat the dough into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. You can lightly knead the dough with your hands but be sure not to overknead it.

Cut out rounds and place next to each other in the prepared baking pan. Brush tops with milk then bake for 12-15 minutes, or until scones are cooked through and golden on the top.

Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then cover with a tea towel until you are ready to serve. Serve warm with butter, or jam & cinnamon whipped cream.

30-while-30 7 Month Update

2012-01-17T08:44:00.000-05:00

We're past the halfway mark and it's time to check in on my 30-while-30 list. I marked a couple things off the list this month!! Still quite a few to go, but that's ok.

Food / Blogging

~~Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake~~ - Done! I made a holiday version by adding peppermint!
Gnocchi
Donuts
Eggs Benedict
Laminated dough (either danishes or croissants)
Make bread at least 4 times
Bake at least 4 layer cakes - 1: Neapolitan Cheesecake Cake
Buy a whole coconut. Open it. Do something (delicious) with it.
Make at least one thing from each cookbook I own - any cookbooks that don't get used in a year, donate or giveaway on here - I started making my list of cookbooks. I plan to post it on here shortly.
Cook with 3 new foods - Being part of a CSA this summer was AMAZING. I've definitely already cooked with 3 new foods, including this Summer Shrimp Salad.

Relationships

Send birthday cards to my and Hubby's families (including siblings, parents, nephews, etc) - So far, so good on this one
Continue to bake for a good cause - I was able to participate in an online bake sale on The Spiffy Cookie, I hosted a Holiday Cookie Swap where $0.10 was donated to Cookies for Kids Cancer for every cookie exchanged, I'll be participating in an online bake sale on The Kitchen Misfit in a couple weeks
~~Go see my sister's new house~~ - Done! We got to see Brooke's house while we were in the Midwest for Thanksgiving
~~Go on a girls weekend getaway~~ - Done! I spent a weekend in St Louis with my mom and two sisters in July. It was a great time.
Volunteer 4 times

Random

Get another tattoo
~~Pay off my car~~ - Done!
Decide on a signature / go-to cocktail - I'm working very hard on trying new cocktails to make this decision... I have a good idea but I want to master making it at home first...
Watch a sunrise
~~Read 4 books~~ - 1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2. Water for Elephants 3. The Hunger Games 4. Catching Fire 5. Mockingjay

Healthy living

~~Walk another Avon Walk for Breast Cancer~~ - Done! Recap here
Continue to work out on a regular basis - I've been a working out machine recently. It's been awesome.
Treat myself to 6 massages - five down, 1 to go
Get my first facial

Travel and Life in Boston

~~Go to the Head of the Charles~~ - This one didn't happen. It was really sad. The Head of the Charles weekend was beautiful. Hubby and I were getting ready to head out to walk over to see the races and I started feeling sick. It was a combination of allergies and something else. I tried to stay strong and power through it, but about a mile into our walk, we had to turn back. I had a horrible fever and just wasn't doing so well. Hopefully we'll make it to the HOTC next year...
Visit the New England Aquarium
See the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
~~Go to Top of the Hub for cocktails~~ - I went to Top of the Hub on Sunday with some friends for cocktails. It was a beautifully clear (and cold!) day and we had great views of Boston. We had great service while we were there. One of my friends ordered a martini that was poured tableside. They left her the shaker to top off the rest of her drink. When she poured the rest of her martini in the glass, there was a tiny little bug in there. We informed the waitress and she took the glass away. My friend didn't want another drink so we were just hoping they would take her martini off the bill. When the waitress returned she said they comped our entire bill, which was totally unnecessary! The manager even came over to apologize about the drink. We were all very impressed by that service. I'll definitely be going back here with Hubby some time.
~~Visit 3 new cities~~ - 1: St Louis, 2: Niagara Falls 3: Keene, NH 4: Exeter, NH

Reader's Choice

Post more how-to tips (including videos) on here (thanks to Mary and Sarah for the suggestion!) - Check out my new How-To tag. I've posted a few how-to posts this month already!

Roasted Pumpkin and Squash Soup with Sage

2012-01-16T11:21:00.000-05:00

I saw this Sweet Potato Soup in my Google Reader and it inspired me. I went home that night and whipped up this soup. I didn't follow Amy's recipe, but I just kept imagining that picture of the bowl of warm creamy soup.

I used homemade pumpkin puree and ambercup squash that I had in the fridge but you could use either squash or pumpkin when making this. I would recommend using homemade puree here because the smooth texture and pumpkin flavor really shine in this soup. In a pinch, you could obviously use the canned stuff..

One Year Ago: Spinach with Pan Roasted Red Peppers and Goat Cheese
Two Years Ago: Overnight French Toast
Three Years Ago: Raspberry Meringue Cookies

Roasted Pumpkin and Squash Soup with Sage - by ME!, inspired by Sing for Your Supper - serves 4-6
Printable Recipe
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
25 oz (2 1/2 cups) pureed roasted pumpkin, squash, or a combination of the two
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or other large pot. When the oil is warm, add the shallots and allow to cook until they start to turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir. Cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the puree and broth. Add sage, nutmeg, smoked paprika, and salt. Bring soup mixture to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the heavy cream and taste for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary and simmer another 5 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender.

My Go-To Cream Cheese Frosting

2012-01-13T11:32:00.000-05:00

Cream cheese frosting makes everything better. This recipe has appears on my blog so many times, I decided it deserves it's own post. I've used it to top cinnamon rolls, Oreo cupcakes, Carrot Cake Cheesecake, and everything in between.

When you're making cream cheese frosting, make sure you give the cream cheese enough time to come to room temperature. If it's still cold, the frosting will be clumpy. And no one likes clumpy frosting! I usually set mine out at least 2 hours prior to whipping up the frosting.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting
Two Years Ago: Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients (2 cups)

4 oz cream cheese at room temp
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) butter at room temp
1/2 Tbsp vanilla
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Place the cream cheese in the bowl of your mixer. Beat on medium-high until completely smooth, 3-4 minutes. Add the butter and continue to cream until fluffy.

Add vanilla extract. Slowly add powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time) until desired consistency is reached.

White Bean Soup with Andouille and Collard Greens

2012-01-12T11:18:00.000-05:00

It's definitely that time of year. The bitter cold wind outside makes you crave foods that will warm you from the inside to the out. I first made this soup a couple months ago. I didn't have time to make it in the crockpot like Erin did, so I just made it with canned beans in a large pot. Since then, I've played around with the recipe a few times and have come up with a soup that Hubby and I really enjoy.

I like to make a big batch on Sunday afternoon and we eat it throughout the week for lunch or a quick dinner. The andouille sausage gives a great flavor to the broth of the soup.

One Year Ago: Chicken Noodle Soup
Three Years Ago: Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Four Years Ago: Holiday Cupcakes

White Bean Soup with Andouille and Collard Greens - adapted from Erin's Food Files - serve 10
Printable Recipe
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb celery (about 12 stalks), chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
12 oz andouille sausage links, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cans white beans (such as cannellini or great Northern)
1 bunch collard greens, stems discarded and leaves cut into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
kosher salt and black pepper
bread of your choice for serving

In a 5 or 6-quart stock pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and thyme. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the andouille sausage and cook for two more minutes. Add the chicken broth and beans. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Check seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. Stir in the collard greens and cook two minutes.

Serve immediately with bread of your choice.

Giveaway Winners Announced!

2012-01-11T18:00:00.000-05:00

I've got a handful of giveaway winners to announce today. If you won any of these giveaways, please email my by the end of the day Friday, January 13th with your mailing address so I can get the goodies sent out ASAP.

First, remember the $100 Serve credit giveaway from a couple weeks ago? I really enjoyed everyone sharing their holiday plans. It sounds like most of us got to spend the holidays relaxing with friends and family. The winner of the $100 Serve credit from American Express is: Elizabeth "Betsy" Kelley from A Dancer in the Kitchen who's holiday plans included spending time with her in-laws and her parents!

I loved reading about what everyone has for breakfast every morning! Lots of you eat fruit, Greek yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, or cereal. Others mentioned eating eggs every morning. And it sounds like a lot of you love peanut butter in your breakfast as well! The winner of the Peanut Butter and Co 6-pack is: Natalie from The Sweets Life who eats oatmeal with PB every weekday!

The comments from the autographed The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook giveaway were enlightening for me. Most of you told me you loved cookbooks that I already have or at least have seen. But there were quite a few comments about cookbooks that I had never heard of and I'm going to have to go check out. So thanks! Oh, and a lot of you said your favorite cookbook was a collection of family favorites or some other home-made cookbook. I love those kinds of cookbooks too! The winner of the autographed The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook is: Christina Chang who's favorite cookbook is Hello, Cupcake!

For the MyCandyCrafts.com giveaway, I asked you guys about cupcake liners. I always gravitate towards plain colors that are bright and bold or brown liners for chocolate cupcakes. A lot of you guys love polka dots and festive prints as well! The winner of the MyCandyCrafts.com voucher is: Melissa Ward who loves solid colors!

And last, but definitely not least, for The America's Test Kitchen Menu Cookbook giveaway, you guys shared a hugely successful meal that has happened recently. Depending on anyone's level of comfort in the kitchen, hugely successful can mean a variety of things. From holiday meals serving 60 to trying a new recipe that turned out well, I loved to learn about your recent feats in the kitchen. Nice work guys! The winner of the autographed copy of The America's Test Kitchen Menu Cookbook is: Emily from A Cambridge Story who successfully pulled off a big Christmas dinner with her mom!