Beantown Baker

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 - adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything - serves 4-6
Printable Recipe
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

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.

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 - by ME! - makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes, doubles easily
Printable Recipe
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

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!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Brownies

2012-01-11T10:11:00.000-05:00

I love putting a new spin on a classic recipe. I had the pleasure of enjoying these Peanut Butter and Jelly Brownies when I was hanging out with my friends Fiona, Aimee, and Katie one night a couple months ago. Fiona had whipped up quite the unique recipe. Her recipe involves cutting the brownies in half after they've been baked and cooled. When it came right down to it, I was just too lazy to commit to that kind of effort.

I know, it really isn't that much additional effort, but that's the decision I made. Instead of following Fiona's recipe exactly, I decided to just use peanut butter chips in the brownies and top it with jelly, just like Fiona did. The outcome is a great combination of the classic peanut butter and jelly flavors mixed into a brownie. These were a huge hit, as to be expected.

One Year Ago: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls and Indian Spiced Beans
Two Years Ago: Cranberry, Caramelized Onion, and Goat Cheese Dip

Peanut Butter and Jelly Brownies - adapted from A Boston Food Diary - makes 16 bars
Printable Recipe
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp espresso powder, optional
1/2 Tbsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup red raspberry jelly

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x9" pan

In a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat briefly, just until it's hot, but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

Transfer the sugar mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl, if you've heated it in a saucepan. Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla.

Whisk in the eggs, stirring until smooth.

Add the flour and chips, again stirring until smooth.

Spoon the batter into a lightly greased pan.

In another pan or microwave dish, heat the jelly until warm and melted. Spoon warm jelly on top of brownie batter. Use a knife to swirl around to mix into brownies.

Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look very moist, but not uncooked. Remove them from the oven and cool completely prior to cutting.

Broccoli and Fruit Salad

2012-01-10T11:54:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year where everyone is eating healthy to keep up with their resolutions. I wasn't planning to jump on the bandwagon, but when I saw this recipe the other day, I had to make it. It was so colorful and chock full of some of my favorite fruits.

Even when I was mixing it together, I figured I wouldn't even share it with you guys. I mean, this is a baking blog. I'm not really known for posting healthy recipes on here. But once I put it into the the bowl, it was so beautiful I just had to take a picture of it. And after that first bite, I knew I had to share it with you guys. It's delicious.

I have a feeling I'll be eating this salad year-round. I went heavy on the ingredients I love and lighter on the ones I'm not crazy about.

Broccoli and Fruit Salad - adapted from Yummy Mummy Kitchen - serves 2-4
Printable Recipe
2 small bunches broccoli
3 tangerines
1 pomegranate, seeded
1/4 cup shaved or thinly sliced fennel
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 cup slivered almonds
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Blanch broccoli by adding it to boiled water. After two minutes, submerse broccoli into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Peel two of tangerines, separate the segments, and cut them in half. Place the tangerines, broccoli, pomegranate seeds, fennel, avocado, and almonds into a medium bowl.

Drizzle olive oil and juice of the last tangerine over salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Hot Chocolate Cookies

2012-01-09T12:00:00.000-05:00

Secret Recipe Club is going through a transition period right now. So you might not see as many posts this month as you normally do for SRC. I decided I definitely wanted to participate even though it was optional in January. Once again, I was lucky enough to "meet" a new Blogger. Kate blogs over at Kitchen Trial and Error.

After browsing through her archives, I once again had a handful of recipes that looked appetizing. I chose the Hot Chocolate Cookies because they seemed fitting this time of year. They're basically chocolate cookies, filled with a variety of chocolate chips, but instead of using cocoa powder, you use hot cocoa mix in the cookie dough. I used this Ghirardelli Double Chocolate mix, because it's really good (not as good as Homemade Hot Cocoa, but definitely a close second).

I used a total of four different kinds of chocolate chips. I just pulled out a bunch of bags that were almost empty and finished them off. I ended up using 3/4 cup of both white chocolate and milk chocolate chips, then 1/4 cup of both bittersweet and semisweet chocolate chips. I loved how each of these cookies was jam packed with a ton of chocolate chips and every bite brought a new combination of chocolates.

Hot Chocolate Cookies - from Kitchen Trial and Error - makes ~5 dozen cookies
Printable Recipe
3 1/4 cups flour
4 ounces hot chocolate mix (not sugar free)
1 tsp Kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp table salt)
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups of chocolate chips - any variety

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa mix, salt, and baking soda together. set aside.

In a separate bowl, use a mixer to cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes.

Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture and mix until combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, a bit at a time, until incorporated.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough for one hour.

Preheat your oven to 350F. line two baking sheets with parchment paper. drop by rounded teaspoons on about 2 inches apart.

Bake them one sheet at a time, for about 10 minutes. let cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

I am submitting this for January's What's Baking, hosted by Melissa of I was Born to Cook. This month's theme was Snowday Treats!

The America's Test Kitchen Menu Cookbook (autographed copy) Giveaway

2012-01-06T00:01:00.001-05:00

I've got another ATK cookbook to giveaway today. Remember when I participated in the America's Test Kitchen Food and Friends campaign? Hubby and I hosted some friends for an AMAZING Rack of Lamb Dinner. The dinner party was to help promote one of their new cookbooks called The America's Test Kitchen Menu Cookbook.

By participating in the campaign, I got a copy of the cookbook prior to my dinner party. Then, when I went to the launch party for The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook that I mentioned the other day, I found an autographed copy of the Menu cookbook in my good bag! Obviously, I don't need two copies of the same cookbook, and I've already made a mess of the copy they sent earlier, so I'm passing along this autographed copy to one lucky reader. To find out more about what I thought of the Menu cookbook and some tips I learned by browsing through it, be sure to check out the post about my Rack of Lamb Dinner

Giveaway rules (CLOSED):
~~- Winner will be chosen using Random.org~~
~~- US shipping addresses only~~
~~- Giveaway is open until 11:59 PM EST on Friday, January 6th (that's today!)~~
~~- Mandatory first entry: answer the following question: What was the last hugely successful meal you've executed?~~
- For an additional (optional) entry, Tweet the following "I want to win an autographed copy of The America's Test Kitchen Menu Cookbook @beantownbaker www.beantownbaker.com" (leave a separate comment saying you Tweeted about the giveaway)

Note: America's Test Kitchen has no idea I'm doing this giveaway. I enjoy their cookbooks and wanted to share one of them with you!

MyCandyCrafts.com Giveaway

2012-01-05T00:01:00.000-05:00

I love trying out new websites for various cupcake liners. I have a few go-to places that I always order from, but sometimes it's nice to mix things up. When I saw this Eversave for MyCandyCrafts.com, I thought I'd give it a shot. And while I was adding things to my cart, I decided to order and extra one to give away on here.

One lucky winner will receive a $24 voucher for MyCandyCrafts.com. This voucher expired March 1, 2012 and cannot be used towards shipping fees or taxes.

Giveaway rules (CLOSED):
~~- Winner will be chosen using Random.org~~
~~- US shipping addresses only~~
~~- Giveaway is open until 11:59 PM EST on Thursday, January 5th (that's today!)~~
~~- To enter, answer the following question: What is your favorite kind of cupcake liner? Do you like solid colors? Prints? Bright bold colors? Brown or black?~~
- For an additional entry, Tweet the following "I want to win a $24 voucher for www.MyCandyCrafts.com from @beantownbaker www.beantownbaker.com" (leave a separate comment saying you Tweeted about the giveaway)

Note: MyCandyCrafts.com has no idea I'm doing this giveaway. I just saw a great deal and thought I'd share it with you!

Three Years Ago: White Chocolate Cranberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate, Cranberry, and Pistachio Cream Cheese Frosting and Apple Cake

The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (autographed copy) Giveaway

2012-01-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

Over the summer, I found out that America's Test Kitchen is located right down the road from where I live. It's literally less than a 10 minute walk from my house. I had no idea. But since then, I've been building a relationship with the folks down there and I've even got a good friend (Megan) who works there!

A few weeks before the holiday season hit, ATK hosted a private reception at the Test Kitchen to celebrate the launch of The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook. I had a great time at the reception. You can check out the photos from the reception on the ATK Facebook page. As part of the goodie bag at the end of the night, we all got to bring home a copy of The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook which had been autographed by none other than Christopher Kimball himself!

Because my cookbook collection is out.of.control on top of the fact that I have about five other Cook's Illustrated cookbooks, I've decided to pass this copy along to one of you!

Giveaway rules (CLOSED):
~~- Winner will be chosen using Random.org~~
~~- US shipping addresses only~~
~~- Giveaway is open until 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, January 4th (that's today!)~~
~~- Mandatory first entry: answer the following question: What's your favorite cookbook in your collection?~~
- For an additional (optional) entry, Tweet the following "I want to win an autographed copy of The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook from @beantownbaker www.beantownbaker.com" (leave a separate comment saying you Tweeted about the giveaway)

Note: America's Test Kitchen has no idea I'm doing this giveaway. I enjoy their cookbooks and wanted to share one of them with you!

One Year Ago: Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake Truffles

Peanut Butter and Co Giveaway

2012-01-03T00:01:00.000-05:00

This week, I'm going to be giving away some stuff that I've accumulated for giveaways and just never got around to. First, I'm featuring Peanut Butter and Co's peanut butter. Have you tried yet? It's really good. They also have a shop in NYC where you can get sandwiches (check out the menu here).

Every morning for breakfast, I eat a whole wheat bagel thin, toasted, topped with peanut butter, and banana slices. I enjoy the Mighty Maple and Dark Chocolate Dreams the best. When I was in NYC, I got one of the boxes of 6 jars of peanut butter for one lucky reader. The box includes: Smooth Operator, Cinnamon Raisin Swirl, Crunch Time, White Chocolate Wonderful, Dark Chocolate Dreams, and The Heat is On.

Giveaway rules (CLOSED):
~~- Winner will be chosen using Random.org~~
~~- US shipping addresses only~~
~~- Giveaway is open until 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, January 3rd (that's today!)~~
~~- Mandatory first entry: answer the following question: What do you eat for breakfast on a regular basis?~~
~~- For an additional (optional) entry, Tweet the following "I want to win a 6-pack of Peanut Butter and Co peanut butter from @beantownbaker www.beantownbaker.com"~~

Note: Peanut Butter and Co has no idea I'm doing this giveaway. I just love their peanut butter and wanted to share some with you!

5 Tips for Walking an Avon Walk

2012-01-02T10:46:00.000-05:00

Since I've crewed a walk one and walked two Avon Walks now, I thought I'd put together a list of advice. Here are my 5 Tips for Walking an Avon Walk for Breast Cancer:

Training is Worth the Effort - This may seem obvious, but it seems that a lot of people don't train enough for these long walks. Each year, I get in at least one ~20 mile training walk along with numerous other 8-12 mile walks. I see the point of training as a way to test out your gear and learn how your body reacts to walking such a long distance. Be sure to wear any clothing or gear that you plan to wear on walk weekend during your training walks. Also be sure to train in weather similar to what you'll expect the weekend of your walk if possible. If you have trained well, you will know what works and what doesn't work for you. You'll also hopefully have fully broken in your shoes and won't get any blisters!

Have a great Team of Supporters by Your Side - For me, the 13.1 miles on Sunday is mostly a mental challenge. Yes, my body is sore and I'm tired, but I can power through that knowing what a great cause I'm supporting. Hubby has joined me to walk the last mile or so for both walks that I've done. It's nice to have someone there encouraging me through to the end. Whether it's a teammate, friend, or family member, I recommend having someone there to cheer you on at the end. It's great to get a big hug when it's all said and done.

Listen to Your Body - This is another seemingly obvious point. It is very important to pay attention to what your body is telling you. If you're starting to tighten up, stop to stretch. Don't wait until the next stop, do it right away. If you're not peeing at every rest stop, you're probably not drinking enough and could risk getting dehydrated. Training walks will help you to be able to identify the signals your body is sending you.

Skip the Tenting - I know a lot of people will disagree with this tip. But I stand by it. I tented when I crewed Boston in 2009. I was tired and sore the next day. I remember thinking that I could never get up and walk 13 miles after sleeping on the ground. Both of the walks I have done have been out of town, so there's also the factor of traveling with all the gear necessary to tent at the Wellness Village. I think it's worth it to be able to take a long hot shower, have a cold beer at a bar, and sleep in a bed on Saturday night.

Enjoy your Walk! - The walks go through some amazing parts of some amazing cities. Take the time to see the sights. Take pictures. Read the little snipets about the landmarks you walk by. Stop in Chinatown for a dumpling. Or at a famous bakery for a cupcake. Talk to the other walkers and ask them why they're walking. Remember that you should be proud of this amazing accomplishment and enjoy yourself!

If you've been thinking about joining me for a walk, now is your chance! I will be walking the Avon Walk in Boston 2012 on May 19-20. If you'd like to join my email, email me. If you'd like to donate to my walk, you can do so by clicking here.

Friday Favs Roundup!

2011-12-30T13:04:00.000-05:00

I had a lot of fun featuring some of my favorite bloggers this year with my Friday Favs. I'm posting an entire roundup of all the posts that you saw throughout the year. If you're reading this on my blog home page, be sure to click through to see the entire post. Thanks to everyone who participated this year!!

Katie from The Small Boston Kitchen made Cranberry Risotto Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod made Pomegranate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Fiona from A Boston Food Diary wrote about her Favorite Boston restaurants

Jene from The Original Bean talked about Life married to an Engineer

Peabody from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody wrote about Various treats from her blog

Amy from Drawings in Motion wrote about Food Photography

Megan from Delicious Dishings made Chocolate Babka

Cate from Cate's World Kitchen made Dolmas

Anne from The Fit Bridesmaid's Blog talked Cupcakes and her upcoming Wedding

Ashley from Big Flavors From A Tiny Kitchen made Thai Chickpea Soup

Shawnda from Confections of a Foodie Bride made Banana Zucchini Bread

Courtney from Cook like a Champion made Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Amy from Sing for Your Supper made Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

Cara from Cara's Cravings made Massaged Kale “Cobb” Salad with Crispy Eggplant “Bacon”

Michelle from Hit the Bricks made Buttermilk Biscuits

Nikki from Pennies on a Platter made Cookies N' Cream Ice Cream

Michelle from Fun and Fearless in Beantown made Drunker Pound Cake)

mycameraeatsfood wrote about Food Photography

Brandy from Nutmeg Nanny made Chocolate Almond Pastry

Danae from The Busty Baker made Pumpkin Muffins

Tina from Carrots 'N' Cake wrote about Her Book

Kerstin from Cake, Batter, and Bowl made Reese's Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Meaghan from the decorated cookie made Cookie Sticks n' Dip

Niki from Big City Cooking made Frozen Yogurt

Melissa from Made in Melissa's Kitchen made Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Elly from elly says opa! made Corn Fritters with Feta and Dill

Daisy from Indulge Inspire Imbibe wrote about Osushi

Bridget from The Way the Cookie Crumbles did a Tapioca Pudding Comparison

Elina from Healthy and Sane made Chewy Caramel Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Stef from The Cupcake Project made Hefeweizen Cupcakes

Stephanie from White Room Colorful Life made Pickled Banana peppers

Mary from The Food Librarian made Coffee Cake Bundt)

Josie from Pink Parsley made Spiced Peach Carrot Bread

Hannah from Bittersweet made Marbled Blueberry Bundt Cake

Aimee from The Apron Archives made Orange Kiss Me Cake

Emily from Sugar Plum made Italian Black Forest Cookies

Liz from Blog is the New Black made Strawberry and Cream Scones

Becky from Becky Bakes made Caramel Apple Crisp

Jessica from The Novice Chef made Churro Cake

Kelsey from Apple A Day made Cranberry Chai Cupcakes

Rachel from Baked by Rachel made BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

Amber from Sugared Whisk made Spiced Pumpkin Fudge

Stefany from Proceed with Caution did a Carrot Cake Comparison

Erin from Erin's Food Files made Tipsy Cake

Rebecca from Ezra Pound Cake made Rosemary Cheese Crackers

Shannon from Tri 2 Cook made Butternut Thyme Bars

Julie from The Little Kitchen talked all about Cookies and Pinterest

Reader's Favorite Recipes from 2011

2011-12-28T08:06:00.000-05:00

Today I'm going to share the top reader's choice recipes from each month in 2011. By the way, I only considered new posts from 2011. In some months, old posts rated the highest, but I ignored those.

January: This Brasato al Barolo (Beef Braised in Wine) was the first recipe I made in my new dutch oven. Braising beef in wine for hours is a great way to make dinner. The meat was so tender and it made for such a hearty meal in the middle of winter.

February: Hubby loves caramel and dulce de lecehe. I made this Dulce de Leche in the Crockpot to use in some cupcakes for his 30th birthday party. It was so simple to make, there's no reason I'd ever buy dulce de leche again.

March: You all know I'm a huge fan of the combination of sweet and salty. These Sweet, Salty, Chewy, and Crunchy Brownies take that combination to a whole new level. The brownies are topped with caramel, pretzels, and more chocolate and are so indulgent.

April: I have enjoyed making layer cakes over the past couple of years. After getting some 6" cake pans for Christmas last year, I used them to make this Coconut Layer Cake Filled with Lemon Curd. It was a perfect spring cake to enjoy with friends.

May: It seems that cake batter and funfetti flavored everything were all the rage this year. I gave in to the trend and made these Funfetti Blondies. I loved these colorful treats that were so easy to make.

June: I created a to-go tag this year to tag some of my favorite recipes. My Favorite Brownies are seriously so simple to make, there's no reason to make brownies from a box. And they're just delicious.

July: As I mentioned the other day, we really enjoyed all sorts of fresh produce thanks to our CSA last summer. This Summer Shrimp Salad used quite a few vegetables from our CSA box and provided a great salad for lunches. And, it gave me a chance to try a new food - radishes!

August: I had a lot of fun participating in Secret Recipe Club this year. It gave me a chance to "meet" some new bloggers and try plenty of new recipes, like this Egg, Avocado, and Apple Salad. It was like a cobb salad, but healthier. And just look how pretty it was!

September: I went to a potluck picnic with some girlfriends over the summer. Part of my contribution to the picnic was Baked Zucchini Sticks with Caramelized Onion Dipping Sauce. The sticks were amazing, but seriously, that dipping sauce was out of this world.

October: In October, I made a bunch of pink food for my Power of Pink challenge. This Berry Cream Cheese was such a no-brainer, I can't believe I've never made it before.

November: It's no wonder this Pumpkin, Cranberry, and Pecan Pie was so popular in November. I mean, just look at it. It's beautiful. And it tastes even better than it looks. In fact, I made it again for Christmas this week and Hubby's family agreed that there's simply no reason to ever make a plain old pumpkin pie again.

December: Last but not least, this Peppermint Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake made the top choice for December. I had been lusting over the Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake recipe for years and finally made it for our holiday party. It does require a decent amount of effort because of all the components, but believe me it is WORTH IT.

My Favorite Recipe from 2011

2011-12-26T16:06:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone is having a great last week of the year. Hubby and I are both off of work until January 3rd. We're enjoying the week by just relaxing and doing nothing. It's been great so far. I decided to review some of my favorite recipes from this year.

January:You guys all know that I love cinnamon rolls. I have made plenty of cinnamon rolls over the years. These Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls and How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls are some of my favorites. And I learned a great technique for freezing cinnamon rolls.

February: The Oreo Cupcakes on my blog are seriously one of our favorite recipes ever. When I was asked to bring a cake for a surprise birthday party, I decided to turn those Oreo cupcakes into a Triple Layer Oreo Cake. It's seriously as decadent and amazing as it looks.

March: In March, I featured a week of cupcakes. I whipped these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes for my friend M's birthday party. They were such a huge hit that I made them again (in miniature cupcakes) for Cupcake Camp Boston.

April: Not to brag, but these Frito Cupcakes were the talk of Cupcake Camp Boston. The salty-sweet combo and the unique aspect of eating your favorite chip on a cupcake added to the buzz around these cupcakes. They're ridiculously good. If you ever need a unique dessert recipe, I highly recommend giving these little guys a shot.

May: This New York Style Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce was on my 30-by-30 list and I'm glad I finally hunkered down and tried to make cheesecake again. (My first attempt at cheesecake a couple years ago didn't go so well). This one turned out beautifully and the blueberry sauce on top was divine.

June: In June, I celebrated by 30th birthday. To honor such a monumental occasion, I whipped up these Chocolate-Chocolate-Chocolate-Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcakes (aka, Quintuple Chocolate Cupcakes). Definitely a mouthful to describe, but worth the effort.

July: You all know I'm a HUGE Harry Potter fan. While the books are obviously better than the movies, I still really enjoy the movies. The eighth and final movie came out this summer and I made these Harry Potter Cupcakes to celebrate.

August: Cinnamon Rolls again. I know. I warned you, I love them. This time I decided to put a twist on them that Hubby would enjoy after an adventure in blueberry picking. He really enjoyed these Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls.

September: We enjoyed tons of fresh produce over the summer thanks to our CSA. As peach season rolled around, I wanted to whip up some unique dessert bars to enjoy. From that inspiration came these Strawberry Peach Basil Bars. I love mixing basil with desserts. These were great for the end of summertime.

October: In October, I celebrated National Breast Cancer Awareness month by posting only pink foods for the entire month. The Raspberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast were hands down the favorite pink food we ate that month. I could see this recipe working really well with other fruits like blueberries or strawberries.

November: I chose these Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies as part of my monthly Secret Recipe Club participation. They were huge cookies with crunchy edges and chewy centers. They were honestly some of the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever eaten.

December: I made lots of delicious treats in December. But these Candy Cane Chocolate Oreo Cupcakes were my favorites. I had been playing with the idea of turning my Oreo Cupcakes into a chocolate cupcake version. I had the opportunity to do just that and used Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe Joe's to make them all choco-minty.