Candy Pumpkin Peanut Butter Kisses

It's official. The Sunday night blues have set in yet again. Typically I consider myself a happy, positive person, but it's tough to find the joy in Sunday nights sometimes. After a wonderful weekend with two of my favorite people in the whole world I now find myself cleaning up my apartment and getting ready for the week ahead with my mom traveling home in one direction, and Joey heading home in the opposite direction.

Lately, what Joey and I have been craving more than anything is a sense of place, normalcy and tradition. We marvel at what it would be like to spend a Sunday night together, to have a tradition like eating popcorn and watching movies, or even just being together in the same room preparing for the week ahead. Until then, I'll take whatever little bits of normal we can get. For now, that comes in the form of me packing him a sandwich for the drive home and baking something sweet for snacking on. Something like these Candy Pumpkin Peanut Butter Kisses.

Last week when I posted about Halloween and Butterfinger candy bars, a number of people commented about their passionate love for candy pumpkins. Can I get an amen? These cookies have been made in your honor, to let you know you're not alone in your obsession. And just because Halloween is over does not mean we need to retire these little objects of desire just yet.  I, for one, have stocked up on enough candy pumpkins to last for at least a month.

Chances are, you've had the more traditional version of these cookies made with Hershey's Kisses in the center. I've never really been a big fan of these cookies, but the addition of candy pumpkins in the center makes all the difference in the world. Peanut butter and chocolate can go ahead and make room for the peanut butter candy pumpkin combo any day in my apartment.

Candy Pumpkin Peanut Butter Kisses
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*1/2 cup butter, softened
*1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
*1/2 cup sugar
*1/2 cup brown sugar
*1/4 tsp. salt
*1 tsp. vanilla extract
*1 tsp. baking powder
*1/4 tsp. baking soda
*1 large egg
*2 Tbsp. milk
*1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour
*1/4 cup sugar
*Candy Pumpkins

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
*With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and peanut butter. Add in the sugars and beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until creamy and fluffy. Add in the salt, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, and egg. Beat until well combined.
*Add in the milk and the flour and beat until just combined. Roll rounded teaspoons of the cookie dough in the sugar. Place on baking sheet, about 1 inch apart, and bake for 12 minutes.
*Remove cookies from oven and immediately place a candy pumpkin in the center of each cookie. Cool on baking sheets for about 10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.

Happy Baking!

Madison

Butterfinger-Pumpkin Bread

Having candy on hand in my apartment is a rarity. In fact, I rarely even have chocolate chips lying around. Some baker I am. Thankfully, I live within walking distance of Target, making it easy to go grab supplies and a whole lot less tempting than having chocolate in the house. But last week while Joey (yes, I've decided to start calling him by his real name!) and I were up in Minneapolis, his mom sent us all home with a giant bag of Halloween candy.

Knowing I needed to get that candy out of my apartment fast, I saved a few pieces for my secret stash and got to baking with the rest. A majority of said candy was mini Butterfinger candy bars, which I think really go well with the flavors of classic fall baking. And by fall baking, I mean pumpkin treats. For a few weeks now, pumpkin bread has been on my list of things to bake and those extra Butterfingers were just the push I needed.

Adapted from Baking in America by Greg Patent, this recipe is killer. Crispy on the outside, sweet, dense and moist on the inside.  And the Butterfingers? It seems that pumpkin and Butterfinger were meant to be together. Give it a try and I think you'll agree.

I'm off to get ready for the weekend. My mom and Joey are coming to stay with me and I've got cleaning to do! Do any of you have Halloween plans?

Butterfinger-Pumpkin Bread
Adapted from Baking In America by Greg Patent 
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
*1 tsp. baking powder
*3/4 tsp. baking soda
*1/2 tsp. salt
*1 tsp. ground ginger
*1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
*1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
*2 large eggs
*3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
*1/2 cup sugar
*1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
*1 tsp. vanilla extract
*1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
*1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped Butterfingers (about 14 mini candy bars)

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
*In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cardamom, and ginger. Set aside.
*With an electric mixer, beat the eggs for about 1 minute, until frothy. Add both sugars and beat until creamy and thick, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin, vanilla, and oil until smooth. Stir in the Butterfingers. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
*Bake for 50 to 60 (it was more like 65 minutes for me) until the loaf is well browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and turn the loaf right side up on the rack to cool completely. Cut with a serrated knife.

Happy Baking!

Madison

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

Cue the Jack Johnson song because I'm making banana pancakes. And you should, too. Actually, I've been making banana pancakes for over a week now and am convinced these pancakes are the best breakfast yet on Espresso and Cream. This recipe is loosely adapted from the buttermilk pancakes in my most recent cookbook obsession, Gourmet Today. I've been reading and cooking my way through it, recipe after delicious recipe, entirely shocked it sat unused on my shelf for almost a year.

What makes them so great? They're fluffy and light, despite being made with whole wheat flour, and the addition of mashed bananas and cinnamon gives the sensation of eating banana bread without the 50 minute bake time. And my personal favorite part is that they're just slightly sweet so they don't send you into a sugar coma. Breakfast sugar coma? Gross.

Aside from making banana pancakes to start off our Saturday, Joey and I headed off to Minnesota to watch his brother Jason play football. It was a great weekend spent with J's family and some of our friends from Bethel.

 

 

Joey's sister Amber and her husband Jake came from Chicago. 

 

Profile shot of the cheering section. 

 

Sarah and I have been friends since we were four. Coincidentally, she married one of Joey's close college friends, Kurt, in June. Aren't these newlyweds the cutest? 

 The whole gang: Joey, me, Amber, Jake, Jason, Ali, and Joey's parents, Lisa and Brian. Thankfully most of the rain stayed at bay and we were able to bypass the ponchos. Have I mentioned how much I love fall weather?

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*1 medium ripe banana, mashed
*1 large egg
*1 tsp. baking soda
*1/4 tsp. salt
*1 tsp. ground cinnamon
*1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
*1 Tbsp. sugar
*1 cup milk
*1 Tbsp. ground flax (optional)
*1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Sliced bananas 

Instructions
*In a large bowl, combine the banana, egg, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar. Stir to combine. Add in the milk, ground flax, if desired, and flour. Stir until well combined.
*Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
*Spoon batter, two pancakes at a time, into preheated skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until bubbles form in the center of the pancakes. Flip and cook an additional two minutes. Serve with sliced bananas and other desired toppings. (Peanut butter is my favorite)

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Candy Corn Cupcakes

Every year around this time, I realize I'm not a Halloween person. Candy, scary movies, haunted houses - no thanks. And don't get me started about what Halloween means when you're a college student. Not my cup of tea. But for fear of being seen as the Grinch of October, I've made an attempt at Halloween-themed baking.

Maybe it's a bit of a stretch. In fact, one of my co-workers told me the concept was lost on him, but the cupcake tasted delicious. I believe his exact words were "lose the concept, keep the cupcake". But since this is likely to be my only attempt at something themed for Halloween, I decided to keep the theme and the cupcake.

If I could do it again, I would have made the orange layer a little more neon orange with the addition of more food coloring. And instead of trying to imitate the chocolate-bottomed candy corn, the read might have been stronger if I had gone with the white, orange and yellow color combination. Either way, these cupcakes are a fun, low-commitment way to celebrate (or not) Halloween.

P.S. - I finally rounded up some photos from a couple weeks back. J and I were part of an awesome cheering section at the Chicago Marathon. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day, and Jake and Amber (J's sister and brother-in-law) did great! Maybe we'll be running it next year?

Candy Corn Cupcakes
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
Cupcakes
*1 box white cake mix
*2 eggs
*1 1/4 cups water
*2 Tbsp. oil
*2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
*1 tsp. orange extract
Yellow Food Coloring
Red Food Coloring

Almond Buttercream
*2 sticks butter, softened
*3 cups powdered sugar
*2 Tbsp. milk
*1 tsp. almond extract
Yellow Food Coloring

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
*In a mixing bowl, combined the cake mix, eggs, water and oil. Whisk together until smooth. Transfer half of the batter to a clean bowl.
*In one half of the batter, stir in the cocoa powder until combined. In the second bowl, stir in the orange extract, 2 drops red food coloring and 3 drops yellow food coloring. Stir until well combined.
*Spoon a heaping tablespoon of chocolate batter into the bottom of each prepared liner, followed by some of the orange batter.
*Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely.

*Meanwhile, prepare buttercream. With an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add in the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, and beat until fluffy. Add in the milk and almond extract, followed by four drops of yellow food coloring.
*Pipe buttercream atop cooled cupcakes (I used a large star tip).

Happy Baking!

Madison

Oatmeal Raisin Peanut Cookies

 

As much as I enjoy a good recipe, I'm just as much a sucker for all things pretty. I'm not overly girly, but give me a piece of lace, a ruffle, floral pattern or cookies tied up in a ribbon and I swoon. 

Fact: When I was a little girl, my mom hardly ever let me out of the house without a giant bow perched atop my head. To this day, I plan to do the very same thing with my own girls. 

So even though I had planned to post this recipe Thursday, or even Friday, the ribbon has me feeling a little impatient and itching to share. That, and the fact that I brought these cookies to work and got some pretty great reviews. They're based off the simple little recipe from the back of the Quaker Oats container - Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. 

But instead of the raisins, I substituted the golden variety. And added peanuts in the mix, too, for added crunch and a salty bite that highlights the sweetness of the cookie and raisins. These cookies are exactly how I like them: thin, crispy on the edges and chewy on the inside. And I think you'll like them, too. 

Oatmeal Raisin Peanut Cookies 

Adapted from Quaker Oats' Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

(Printable Recipes)

Ingredients

*1 stick plus 6 Tablespoons butter, softened

*1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

*2 large eggs

*1 teaspoon vanilla

*1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

*1 teaspoon baking soda

*1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

*1/2 teaspoon salt

*3 cups oats 

*1/2 cup golden raisins

*1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts 

Instructions

*Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins and peanuts; mix well.

*Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

*Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Happy Baking!

Madison

Red Lobster's Cheddar Biscuits

I'm almost, just almost, shaking my head at myself for posting this recipe. For starters, it's based off Bisquick baking mix - hardly something to write home about. And then there's the fact that these biscuits were popularized widely by the restaurant chain Red Lobster. It's not that I have anything against Red Lobster, per say, in fact as far as chains go it's pretty tasty and can be decently healthy. But if it came between a chain restaurant and eating at home, I'd choose the later.

But some things get wildly popular for a reason, like these Cheddar Biscuits, and I know I'm not the only person who finds them irresistible. The best part? The joy in J's voice when I told him I had found a recipe to make them at home. I'm telling you, I don't think I've ever met someone who loves bread more than he does, in every form and variation.

Keep in mind, like most homemade variations of 'secret restaurant recipes' these biscuits aren't exactly like the originals; however, if you find yourself at home craving the famous Red Lobster biscuits, these certainly will do the trick. They're light, buttery and speckled with cheddar cheese. Honestly, it's pretty hard to go wrong with a combination like that.

Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits
Adapted Slightly From ABC News Online 
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix
*3/4 cup cold 2% milk
*4 tablespoons cold butter
*1/4 tsp. garlic powder
*1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

*2 tablespoons butter, melted
*1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
*1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
*pinch of salt

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 400°F.
*Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don't want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and ¼ teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.
*Press dough mixture into a disc and cut out with circle cookie cutter or the mouth of a drinking glass. Transfer discs to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
*Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.
*When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter is a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Makes one dozen biscuits.

Happy Baking!

Madison

Life in The Swamp

Before anything else, I want to say a big thank you for your helpful and reassuring comments and e-mails about my blog identity crisis. Knowing I'm not the only person to have these feelings made me realize I don't need to make a formal decision about where I want Espresso and Cream to go. Instead, I'm going to keep cooking and baking, and when other events seem post-worthy, they'll make their way to these pages, too. Case in point....

 

Friday night after work we flew down to Florida so J could attend his first ever Florida Gator game. And while some people may think it's just football, for my dad and me it's something more. For as long as I can remember, my dad and I have been watching and attending games together. When I was really little, our game nights consisted of 'popcorn and fruit juice' (fruit juice being an icy mixture of Five Alive frozen drink mix) and as I got older, watching the games on television gave way to going to games. 

 

It didn't take long for me to realize that Florida Field, or The Swamp, was going to be one of my favorite places in the world. And over the years, that feeling has only grown stronger. It's quite possibly the only place where I can just let go and forget everything besides here and now. The same applies for my dad - it's obvious from the moment we set foot in the stadium.

 

Hopefully J will start to catch the bug, to really understand what it is I'm talking about. I think after his first game he's one step closer. Because no matter what, a bad day at The Swamp is better than a great day anywhere else. 

Back tomorrow with a recipe for something you've probably had dozens of times but have never tried to make at home!

Madison

Confession and Cookies Time: Alfajores

Working as an editor makes writing as a blogger absolutely maddening at times. Throughout the day, I'm constantly thinking about editorial direction and cohesive themes to the pieces and recipes I'm putting into place. There's a rhyme and a reason for everything, and every recipe serves a purpose.

But life as a blogger isn't nearly as cut and dried. Blogs by their very nature are extensions of the people who write them, and just like people are multi-dimensional, so are their blogs. And as those people change, their blogs come along for the ride, since at its core a blog is really nothing more than a journal or sorts.

As my blog grows, I've been wrestling with the direction of Espresso and Cream, and to be honest it's got me feeling a little bit lost. Some of my favorite blogs are those that paint a bright, vivid picture of the bloggers behind the scenes - their lives, loves, daily routines, and adventures - like The Front Burner, Eat Live Run, Kath Eats, and Carrots 'n Cake. They're the girls you feel as if you already know because they share a part of themselves in each and every post.

On the other side of the coin, there are the food bloggers I revere and admire for their jaw-droppingly beautiful photos, inventive recipes and beautiful prose: Smitten Kitchen, Orangette, Tartelette, and 101Cookbooks to name a few. You want them to mentor you, and teach you their brilliant secrets with cameras, food styling, and Photoshop.

As it is, I feel only a small potion of myself is shared here on Espresso and Cream. And just as I'd like to get to know you, the readers who make this whole thing worthwhile, I'd also like to share more of me on these pages but have hesitated for fear my blog will lose its direction, voice and personality. What does this all mean? I'm not entirely sure. Just bear with me as I try to sort it all out. What I can guarantee is that the recipes will keep on coming, and maybe a few extras, too.

Do any other bloggers out there have the same feelings from time to time?

Alfajores
Adapted from Gourmet Today
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*1/3 cup cornstarch
*3/4 cup all-purpose flour
*1/4 tsp. baking powder
*1/8 tsp. salt
*8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

*1/4 cup granulated sugar
*1 large egg yolk
*1 Tbsp. Amaretto liquor
*1/2 tsp. almond extract
Caramel sauce, dulce de leche, or raspberry preserves

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
*Whisk together cornstarch, flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
*Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, Amaretto, and almond extract. Stir in flour mixture until combined, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour if dough is sticky. (Dough should be soft)
*Form dough into a disk. Roll out into 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out 18 to 22 rounds with a circle cookie cutter. Transfer to baking sheet, arranging rounds 1/2 inch apart.
*Bake until firm and pale golden around edges, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
*Spread about 1/2 teaspoon homemade caramel sauce or dulce de leche on flat sides of half the cookies and top with remaining cookies.

Happy Baking!

Madison

Back to Basics: Caramel Sauce

 

Let's make a deal: if you make this caramel sauce sometime in the next couple days, I'll be back on Friday with a tempting, mouthwatering way to use said caramel sauce. Well, besides just eating straight out of the jar with a spoon, that is. Go ahead and try it; I won't judge.

Making caramel sauce has been on my list of 'must make' items for as long as I can remember. And now that I've finally done so, it seems silly to ever buy caramel sauce from the store again. What really surprised me about this homemade sauce was the difference between it and those prepackaged varieties. The depth and complexity of this caramel sauce blew me away, as if the color amber was finally given a taste and a name.

Caramel Sauce 

Adapted slightly from The Joy of Cooking via Yummy Supper  

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients 

*1 cup sugar

*1/4 cup water

*8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

*1/2 cup heavy cream

*2 teaspoons vanilla

*pinch of salt 

Instructions

*Place sugar in a small heavy sauce pan. Pour water evenly over the top. Turn stove top to medium-high heat. Hold sauce pan by the handle and swirl occasionally until sugar has dissolved. (Avoid letting sugar burn until completely dissolved.) 

*Cover pan, turn heat to high, and boil for 2 minutes. Remove lid and continue to boil until syrup turns brown around the edges of the pan. Again grab the handle and swirl syrup occasionally until it turns a deep amber and begins to smoke.
*Remove pan from heat. Add butter. Gently whisk, until all butter is mixed in.
*Stir in cream. (If sauce become lumpy, set pan over low heat and stir until smooth then turn off heat again.)
*Stir in vanilla and salt.

*If a thin consistency is desired, serve immedeatly; caramel can also be stored in the refrigerator and heated up for 10 to 20 seconds in the microwave. 

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Back to Basics: Baked Doughnuts

Happy Monday!

Let's get straight to the food, shall we? Maybe it's a bit of a stretch to consider doughnuts part of this back to basics series, but for some people doughnuts are a basic breakfast staple. Me? I'm not a huge doughnut eater, but when I came across this recipe for a homemade version that's baked instead of fried it intrigued me.

As with all things homemade, these doughnuts are different than those you might pick up at the store. They're slightly denser than traditional raised doughnuts, and lighter than a cake variety. But for those of you whose idea of a good weekend breakfast doesn't include a deep-fryer, they make a great alternative to what is traditionally available for purchase.

There's a little time and effort involved in making doughnuts at home. It's important to give them adequate time to rise, and then rise again once you cut them into rings. When I first started making them, I was doubtful the dough would rise enough since it seemed rather dense. But giving the full hour on the first rise, then 45 minutes on the second was the trick. And the result? Once I dropped them off at work they were gone in under an hour.

Cinnamon-Sugar Baked Doughnuts

The original recipe for these doughnuts comes from one of my favorite healthy living bloggers, Heidi Swanson of 101Cookbooks.com. Since this is one of those recipes that I didn't change at all, I'll shoot you over to her site for the recipe. You can get it and print it off here.

Happy Baking!

Madison 

Back to Basics: Eggplant (Baba Ganoush)

A few weeks back, I issued a challenge to J. - each week pick out one vegetable you've never cooked before and learn how to cook it. I promised to guide him through the process, thinking it would be a less-intimidating way to approach cooking and learning new skills. 

While I helped him cook asparagus over the phone, I decided I could use a bit of my own advice. Typically, unless I have a specific recipe in mind, I tend to buy the same veggies every week: broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, asparagus, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, sweet potatoes and summer squash. Consequently, the eggplants, hot peppers and cabbages, among others, get overlooked. But not this week! This week was the week of the eggplant. 

When it comes to eggplant, I've found that people have some pretty strong opinions. You either love it, or you hate it - there doesn't seem to be much wiggle room. I can't put a finger on why this veggie is so polarizing, but I do think baba ganoush is the middle ground eggplant lovers and haters can meet at. For those unfamiliar with baba ganoush, it's probably best described as eggplant's equivalent to hummus. Used as a dip or spread, baba ganoush is a simple, healthy middle eastern staple. 

And since health is her specialty, I went to Ellie Krieger for the recipe. Of course, like most hummus recipes, this baba ganoush recipe called for tahini, or sesame seed paste. But I'm far too cheap to break down and buy an entire jar just to use a few spoonfulls, so I substituted a little bit of purchased hummus and called it good. The result was a slightly tangy, smooth spread with a zippy lemon finish that made a fresh compliment to toasted slices of French bread.

Side Note: A few months ago, I partnered with Better Homes and Gardens and General Mills to create and film some fun snack videos. They are up on the web now, and you can see them here!

Homemade Baba Ganoush 

Adapted slightly from Ellie Krieger's Babaganoush

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients

*1 large eggplant 

*2 cloves garlic, minced

*1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt 

*1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 2 Tbsp. dried basil

*2 Tbsp. hummus 

*2 Tbsp. lemon juice

*Bread or pita chips (optional)

Instructions

*Preheat oven to 450°F.

*Prick eggplant with a fork and place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake the eggplant until it is soft inside, about 20 minutes. Let the eggplant cool. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise, drain off the liquid, and scoop the pulp into a food processor. Process the eggplant until smooth. Add in the garlic, salt, basil, hummus and lemon juice and continue to process until well combined.
*Serve on toasted bread or with pita chips. Garnish with additional fresh or dried basil, if desired.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Back to Basics: Roasted Potato Chips

Most of the cooking that goes on in my own kitchen is so simple it's embarrassing. Sure, there's always cooking involved and hardly ever any takeout, but simplicity is the name of the game. So with that notion in mind, Espresso and Cream is going back to basics for the next few weeks. I'll be sharing with you my favorite ways to prepare veggies, simple soups, and other recipes that will make life in the kitchen easier.

If you're someone who needs to multitask at night to get everything done and dinner on the table, then embracing good roasting strategies is the best gift you can give yourself. Frequently I return home from the gym after work, fire up my oven to 400°F, roughly chop some veggies and potatoes and throw them on a baking sheet and let them roast while I shower, fold laundry, clean, etc. Before I know it, dinner is ready and my hands-on time was minimal. 

These Roasted Potato Chips make an appearance at my table at least once a week, made either with russet potatoes (as shown) or sweet potatoes, and satisfy my craving for something undeniably unhealthy in a healthy way -- without leaving me sluggish and weighed down afterward. Does it get any better than that?

Roasted Potato Chips

(Printable Recipe)

Make sure to give the pan a good coating before laying the potatoes down on the baking sheet to prevent sticking, then another quick spray on top of the potatoes before popping them in the oven. For best results, your potatoes should be thinly sliced into discs of even thickness. As you can see in the photo, mine weren't exactly evenly sliced, giving me some extra crispy potatoes and some slightly softer. Either way, they were delicious. 

Ingredients
*2 medium russet potatoes, washed with skin on
*Nonstick cooking spray
*1/2 tsp. kosher salt
*1/4 tsp. black pepper
Ketchup (optional)

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. 
*With a knife of mandolin, thinly slice potatoes into discs. Place discs in an even layer on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then coat the potatoes with an even layer of cooking spray.
*Roast potatoes in the oven for 12 to 16 minutes (depending on the thickness of your slices), turning once halfway through baking. Cook until potatoes are golden brown and slightly crispy around the edges. Serve with ketchup, if desired.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

Easy Coconut Cake

On Friday night I was sitting on my couch, waiting impatiently for J to arrive so the weekend could officially start. And when I heard a knock at the door, I sprung off the couch to answer the door. I wish I would have thought to take a photo of the sight in front of me: J, holding a homemade coconut cake with two candles numbering '23' glowing brightly. Seriously one of the best birthday cakes I can remember receiving.

Although my birthday isn't until Tuesday, celebrating solo during the week isn't nearly as fun as celebrating the entire weekend long with someone you love. That someone baked a heck of a birthday cake, satisfying the craving I've been harboring for coconut cake over the past two months.

This morning when I told J this cake and the recipe was going on Espresso and Cream, he balked at the idea. Sure, we spent the weekend marveling at the pure deliciousness of each bite, but I'll be the first to admit this dessert hardly fits the mold of what I traditionally post. It starts with a boxed cake mix and is full of all types of bad-for-you ingredients, like half and half, sugar and Cool Whip. Yes, you read that right. Cool Whip. Just go with it for my sake, because it's my birthday (almost!) and everyone has the right to eat deliciously low-brow birthday cake on their special day. 

P.S. - My dad sent me something special to celebrate the occasion, too. Check it out here.

Easy Coconut Cake
From Cooks.com 
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*1 box yellow cake mix
*2 cups half and half
*16 oz. fresh coconut
*1 cup sugar
*1 large carton Cool Whip

Instructions
*Bake prepared cake mix in a 13x9-inch pan according to package directions. About 10 minutes before cake is done, mix half the coconut, the half and half and sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
*Remove baked cake from the oven and let it cool about 10 minutes. Punch holes in top of the cake with a fork and pour mixture over it. Let cake stand at room temperature for an additional 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 2 hours.
*To ice cake, mix the whipped topping with the remaining coconut. Cover cake with frosting and return to refrigerator.

Happy Baking!

Madison