Picnic Cake

We had a pretty lazy Labor Day weekend, but I did want to mark the unofficial end of summer in some way. So I whipped up this cake. It reminds me of the ambrosia dessert my Aunt Marge always used to have at her big summer parties.

With mandarin oranges and pineapple, this treat definitely tastes like summer – but I can also see using it as a winter pick-me-up when the cold and dreary days drag on – especially since my boys liked it so much.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Picnic Cake
Inspired by this recipe from The Country Cook

1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 14 ounce can mandarin oranges, plus 1/2 of juice from the can
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 4 ounce box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, plus all of the juice from the can
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 (4 ounces) of Cool Whip from a regular sized tub

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Note: To reserve juices from canned fruit, place a strainer on top of – or inside – a similar sized bowl. Pour contents of can into strainer. The juice will be saved in the lower bowl.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, butter, mandarin orange juice, eggs and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium for about 4 minutes, until everything is smooth. Add oranges and beat to break up orange sections and incorporate into the batter.

Pour into prepared baking dish and use a spatula to smooth the batter out. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake is beginning to brown and is set in the center.

Remove from oven and cool about 15 minute on counter. Then transfer to refrigerator for about an hour.

To make the icing, add pineapple juice and pudding mix to a medium bowl. Beat for about 2 minutes. Stir in powdered sugar and beat again until combined. Add Cool Whip and use a rubber spatula to gently fold together. Then mix in drained pineapple.

Spread frosting on cooled cake. Refrigerate until serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

S'mores Pizza

Happy July 4th! Here's a summer dessert your kids will love.

As soon as I took it out of the oven, my boys starting grabbing the gooey marshmallows off the top.

This recipe makes enough for a crowd and would be great at a holiday picnic or pot luck.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

S'mores Pizza
Inspired by this recipe from Six Sisters' Stuff

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 12 ounce package chocolate chips
4 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a large (13 inch) circular pizza pan or a large rectangular baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine.

Add 1/3 of dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and blend until combined. Repeat two more times until you incorporate all of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

*This dough was a bit sticky, so I rolled mine out on top of parchment paper, to make it easier to transfer to the pan.

**There will be a lot of dough. You might want to use less than you have, depending on the size of your pan, or if you prefer a thinner crust.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to fit the pan you are using. Transfer dough to pan. Press into place and press together any pieces that break or fall apart.

Bake for 12 minutes or until just beginning to brown and set in the middle. Remove for oven and set on a work surface. Sprinkle crust with most of the chocolate chips, then top with marshmallows.

Return to oven and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until marshmallows are browned on top. Melt the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and stir until smooth while marshmallows brown.

Drizzle melted chocolate on top of s'mores pizza. Slice and serve warm. Also tastes great at room temperature.

Yogurt and Cherry Peach Pie

Need to use up some Greek yogurt? Make this pie. It's a fun breakfast treat for summer or a nice dessert.

This recipe is pretty versatile, too. You can make the crust from scratch or use granola from your pantry.

And the topping? Use whatever jam or preserves you have on hand.

I came across this recipe when I made Fudgy Greek Yogurt Brownies the last time I had half a container of yogurt waiting in the fridge.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Yogurt and Cherry Peach Pie
Inspired by this recipe from Food & Wine

2 tablespoons butter
2 cups prepared granola, crushed
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup warmed cherry-peach preserves (or substitute another flavor like apricot)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet melt the butter in the oil.

Add the crushed granola and stir until coated in the butter-oil mixture and heated through. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and let cool.

Use a flat-bottom glass to press the granola evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Put pie plate in the freezer for about 10 minutes, to completely cool the crust.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. Pour into chilled pie crust.

Bake the pie for 25 minutes. Filling will be set but a little jiggly in the center. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Spread the warmed preserves onto of the pie.

Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Fudgy Greek Yogurt Brownies

When we have a large container of plain Greek yogurt sitting in the fridge, I usually put it in smoothies for my kids to use it up.

Recently I started looking around for other ways to use Greek yogurt. Thankfully, Bon Appetit has compiled a round-up of easy dessert recipes with yogurt.

I haven't made brownies from scratch in a while, so that's what I decided to try. These are dense, chocolatey and well worth the little bit of effort the recipe requires. Bonus: Your kids will tell you they love you when you present them as an after-school snack.

Need more brownie inspiration? Try our Double Peanut Butter Cup Brownies or Mo's ROLO-ver and Die Good Brownies.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Fudgy Greek Yogurt Brownies
Inspired by a recipe from Bon Appetit

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet, dark or milk chocolate chips, divided
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

Set a saucepan of water to simmer on the stove. Combine butter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a medium stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan and stir the butter and chocolate until melted and smooth.

Remove bowl from heat. Whisk in sugar, cocoa, vanilla and yogurt until smooth.

Add wet ingredients to the bowl of flour and fold in until incorporated. Add remaining chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of browning comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Connor's Chocolate Chip Muffins

My sister and her family are visiting this week and my nephew Connor needs at least one breakfast with chocolate chip muffins. And there can be no banana mixed into the muffins.

So Connor and my niece Layne helped me whip up a big batch of buttermilk chocolate chip muffins. We made large ones and some mini muffins, so that everyone could taste-test them.

Layne made a list to make sure everyone got a sample. Her Uncle Bob tried to refuse, but eventually ate 3 of them.

My boys, Layne and Connor say these muffins go great with bacon, hard boiled eggs and fruit for breakfast. Connor, who last appeared here when he inspired this cucumber salad recipe, also likes these muffins for dessert.

What's your favorite chocolate chip muffin recipe? Let us know!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Connor's Chocolate Chip Muffins
Inspired by this recipe from LittleSweetBaker.com

2 /12 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips (mini or regular size)
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or spread with coking spray. (This recipe makes a bit more than 12 muffins, unless you use an extra large muffin tray.)

Melt the butter in a microwave-safe dish and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking power, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.

Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture in the large bowl. Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry flour and gently stir to combine.

Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tins. Fill about 3/4 of the way to the top.

Layne filling the muffin cups.

Bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes. Then lower the heat and bake for about 12-14 minutes or until the muffins are browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Mini muffins will cook faster.

Mini muffins.

Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before enjoying with cousins for breakfast, lunch, dinner, a snack or dessert!

Connor tested and approved.

Brian's Blackberry Jam Cake With Caramel Icing

Friday was a momentous day in the George family as it marked our last single-digit human birthday. Penny turned 9. It should be noted that doggie Ellie will turn 1 in May.

We celebrated all weekend with food — duck curry at a favorite Thai restaurant on Friday, homemade meatballs and sauce on Saturday, slow cooker Philly cheesesteaks on Super Bowl Sunday. And for dessert: blackberry jam cake with caramel icing.

I'd never heard of a jam cake before, but was intrigued when I saw my friend and former newspaper colleague Brian post about it on Facebook.

Brian's husband was grew up eating jam cakes in Kentucky. But Brian had never heard of them before either. Brian grew up in Virginia, and I'm from Ohio. I found a Southern Living story that explains that this dessert originated in Appalachia when store-bought sugar was scarce and jam was used to sweeten cakes.

Now because I'd never had or seen a jam cake before, I didn't realize that the icing was supposed to be spread all over the cake. Because the cake is to be baked in a tube pan — like angel food cake — I was picturing icing more as a glaze. Consider the picture of my finished cake.

And now Brian's finished cake.

Brian's is prettier, no doubt. But happy to report mine still tasted amazing. Subtly spiced. Not sickeningly sweet despite all the sugar and jam. Even the kids loved it. (Although, Lucy wants me to leave out the raisins next time.)

Y'all try this cake!

XOXO,
Amy

Brian's Blackberry Jam Cake
2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 pint blackberry jam
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Slow add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then, add buttermilk.

In another bowl, sift together flour, salt, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and cocoa. Add this to the sugar-egg-buttermilk mixture and mix well. Add blackberry jam and combine. Place raisins and nuts in a small bowl and coat with a small amount of flour; add to mixture.

Grease and flour a tube pan. Pour cake batter into pan. Cover pan with a stoneware plate. Place a pan of hot water on the bottom rack in the oven, so the cake will steam as it bakes. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until a straw inserted in the center comes out clean. Frost with caramel icing.

Caramel Icing
1 1-pound box of light brown sugar
1 stick butter
1 cup milk

Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Cook until the soft ball* stage. Beat with an electric mixer until thick. If it gets too thick, add a few drops of milk and stir.

*Soft ball stage is candy-making lingo for 235 degrees, and it will be a major marking on any candy thermometer, Brian explained when I asked. He added: If you don't have a candy thermometer, "the test is something like `drop a little into water. If it forms a soft ball (as opposed to a hard ball, hard crack, etc.), you're good to go."

More from Brian: "Because the temperature is so important, making jam cake frosting is among the more complicated things I do. It will probably take longer than you'd expect for it to reach temperature. But it's really good—sweet but sophisticated, not like Betty Crocker glucose goo." (Sorry, Betty.)

Sweet Potatoes Topped with Spicy Black Beans & Tomatoes

We've all got Super Bowl food traditions. At my house, some combination of nachos, chicken wings, pizza, trays of veggies, cheese and crackers and all sorts of dip usually make an appearance.

Amy's husband loves Crockpot Queso. I think Erin's Pretzel Wrapped Hot Dogs will be a hit with my boys this year.

The dressed-up dogs are going to be on my menu, next to these festive potato boats. These potatoes are full of flavor and low in greasy fat. Combined with black beans, tomatoes, green chilis and spices, they carry all the zesty tastes this food-centric day calls to mind, without the guilt.

Plus, I'm not a fan of chicken wings.

Sadly, my boys are not keen on black beans. I've already served this dish to them and they preferred the potatoes topped with no-bean chili and shredded cheddar instead. (Hence, the pretzel-wrapped hot dogs.)

There are some children who will enjoy this meal. We made a version at a recent Junior League of Peoria Kids in the Kitchen program and a few of our kiddos gobbled them up.

The students inspired some other sweet potato topper ideas, which would be great for a make-your-own sweet potato bar at a party: taco meat and cheese, chili and cheese, marshmallows and mini chocolate chips.

Whatever you whip up for your Super Bowl celebrations, enjoy and Mangia! Mangia!

Andrea

Sweet Potatoes Topped with Spicy Black Beans & Tomatoes
Inspired by this recipe from EatingWell.com and these ideas from Schnucks grocery stores

4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean
2 medium-large tomatoes, diced
1 4 ounce can roasted green chili peppers
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For serving: Chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream

Note: You can sub in a can of Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chilis for fresh tomatoes and canned chilis

Cook potatoes.

Oven method: Place each potato on a square of aluminum foil. Spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt and wrap in foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until potatoes are soft.

Microwave method: Prick potatoes with a fork. Place in microwave and cook for 15 minutes or until soft all the way through

In a microwave-safe bow, combine tomatoes, green chilis, beans, garlic, spices and olive oil. Stir to combine. Once potatoes are done, warm bean mixture in microwave for 2-3 minutes.

Split potatoes lengthwise down the middle. Top with 1/2 cup bean mixtures. Sprinkle with cilantro, green onions and cheddar cheese.

One young Kids in the Kitchen chef calls this "dinner dessert potato." She ate 3 of them!

Peppermint Pretzel Bark

My pantry is overflowing with half-full bags of pretzels and lots of chocolate chips. Some festive bark is just the way to use them up.

After reading a bunch of online recipes, I decided that making bark was the next best thing to slaving away over Christmas cookies.

Making this holiday dessert couldn't be easier. (Although my husband will tell you that the crunching sound that comes from breaking up pretzels is disturbing if you're trying to watch TV. LOL)

The bark is also nice to give as gifts when you wrap it up in a cute little box or bag and a bow.

What treats are you making this year?

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Peppermint Pretzel Bark

1 16 ounce package of chocolate or vanilla candy coating
2 12 ounce bags of chocolate or vanilla chocolate chips
1 to 2 cups broken pretzels (any shape) crushed into small pieces
About 12 candy canes, crushed (or buy 2 of the 2 ounce bags of crushed peppermint)

Note: To crush pretzels, place in a gallon size ziplock bag. Smash with the bottom of a metal measuring cup to break into pieces.

Line a large baking sheet or 2 smaller ones with parchment paper.

Place candy coating in a large bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Add chips and microwave another 1 minute. Stir well. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one until chocolate is smooth.

Add pretzels and mix well, until all pretzel pieces are coated. Mix in about half of the crushed peppermint.

Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet and spread out into a layer that is about 1/4 inch thick.

Sprinkle with remaining crushed candy canes and gently press them down with the back of a spatula.

Place baking sheet in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Remove tray and break up bark by hand, or use a sharp knife to cut into pieces. Store in airtight containers. 

Cherry Berry Bars

If you ever find yourself with a mess of berries and cherries that need be consumed quickly, this recipe is your new best friend.

After buying more berries than my family could eat, I decided to cook them in a saucepan to make a compote to serve with yogurt or ice cream. When my oldest son started asking for a cherry pie, I improvised.

These dessert bars were delicious, with a dough that reminds me of shortbread. My kids put them in their school lunches and ate them for after school snacks. They disappeared from my kitchen in just a few days.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Cherry Berry Bars
Inspired by this recipe from the Kitchn

7 to 8 cups of berries (blackberries, strawberries, raspberries) and cherries, hulled or pitted, and halved
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon water
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 sticks cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon course sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Place berries, cherries and 1/2 cup sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until berries break down and release their juices, stirring frequently to avoid burning and lowering the flame if needed.

In a small bowl, mix corn starch with water until dissolved. Stir into berries. Continue to cook until berries thicken. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Set aside to cool.

Insert the blade attachment on your food processor. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and pulse to combine. Add egg yolks, almond extract and butter. Pulse in short intervals until dough comes together (about 1 minute). The dough will be crumbly and soft.

Transfer about 2/3 of the dough to the baking pan. Use your fingers to press the dough into the bottom of the pan. Spread the cherry mixture evenly over the dough.

Scoop tablespoons of the remaining dough into your hand and flatten them into an oval shape, then place on top of berry mixture. Repeat until you use all of the dough, evenly spacing the dough ovals on top of the fruit. The berries will not be completely covered.

Brush the dough pieces with the melted butter, then sprinkle with the coarse sugar.

Bake until the dough is light brown and the fruit is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars.

Old-Fashioned Cream Pie

I rip recipes from magazines (that I own, not say in waiting rooms) all the time. If I never tore another recipe from People, Real Simple and more, I'd easily spend the next couple years cooking my way through my "to make" recipe pile.

Anyhow, this year for Easter the kids and I decided a cream pie sounded tasty. I used a recipe from the June 2013(!) issue of Ladies' Home Journal. It was worth the wait, so give it a try sooner rather than later.

XOXO,
Amy

PS: What drew me to the LHJ recipe was the headline on the article — "The Pie That Made My Dad Propose." Here's a version of that story, originally published in LHJ. And below is a piece of art that ran with the story.

Old-Fashioned Cream Pie

Crust:
12 graham crackers, broken into pieces
2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Or...
1 store-bought graham cracker pie crust (For less than $2 and a lot less hassle, this is my preferred option.)

Filling:
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
 2 1/2 cups cold milk
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Fresh berries for serving

For crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, blend graham cracker pieces and sugar until finely ground. Add butter and pulse until combined. Set aside 1/4 cup of graham cracker mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture into bottom and side of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake until lightly browned, about seven minutes. Cool while you prepare the filling.

For filling: In a 3-quart saucepan, whisk together sugar, salt and cornstarch. Add milk and egg yolks and whisk to combine. Heat mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture begins to bubble and then cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, nutmeg and butter. Place over and ice bath to cool slightly before pouring into prepared crust. Cover pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm — about 5 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with reserved graham cracker crumbs and serve with cold berries.

Cranberry Gingerbread Cake

This holiday cake is worth the wait, people. I bookmarked the recipe a year ago but never got around to making it.

Then a few days before this Thanksgiving, my husband emailed me a link to a New York Times story about holiday recipe ideas, and there it was again.

With three bags of fresh cranberries practically shouting at me every time I opened my fridge, I needed to take the plunge.

I didn't change much from the original recipe. I reduced the sugar to achieve some tartness in the cranberries — to counterbalance the sweetness of the cake batter.

Let me just say: Sauced cranberries partnered with gingerbread and a nice dollop of whipped cream make for the perfect dessert this season. And, FYI, this treat tastes even better the next day, so consider making it ahead.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Cranberry Gingerbread Cake
Tweaked from this New York Times recipe.

2 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 stick unsalted butter
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

Line a 9-inch square or round baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350.

In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, white sugar and 1 tablespoon of water. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries begin to break down. Continue to cook about 10 minutes, until half of the cranberries have burst and the sauce is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and set aside.

In another saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, milk, maple syrup and molasses. Stir over medium heat until butter is melted, then bring to a simmer. Do not let the mixture boil.  Remove from heat once butter mixture reaches a simmer.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pepper. Beat in the butter mixture, and then beat in the eggs. Then add the grated ginger and beat until combined.

Pour batter into pan. Then dot the top with big spoonfuls of the cranberry sauce. Use a butter knife to swirl the cranberry sauce into the cake batter.

Transfer to the oven and cook for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let pan cool on a wire rack before serving.

Slice and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Leftover cake should be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator. Tastes best served at room temperature.

Pumpkin Brownies

It might still be 90 degrees in Charlotte, but it's Fall, that time of year when everything comes up pumpkin. For example, while reading my People magazine (guilty pleasure) the other day, I found a recipe for The Cake Boss Buddy Valastro's "Pumpkin Chocolate Brownies."

I decided to try them out — minus the chocolate sauce, because my kids don't like frosting or icing. Plus, nine eggs, one and a half cups of butter and four cups of sugar make these brownies plenty sweet. In fact, the recipe called for four and a third cups of sugar and two and two thirds cups of butter, so I trimmed a bit. I also added a generous pinch of cloves, because you can't have pumpkin spices without the cloves.

The verdict: Pumpkin brownies deserve their place next to pumpkin lattes, pumpkin bread and pumpkin beer. Yum!

Happy Fall, y'all!

XOXO,
Amy

Pumpkin Brownies
Adapted from The Cake Boss Buddy Valastro's recipe in the Sept. 26 issue of People magazine

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon table salt
Generous pinch of ground cloves
9 large eggs
2 (15 ounce) cans plain pumpkin puree
4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, melted
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Equipment note: This recipe makes two 9X12 pans of brownies! The batter barely fit in the bowl of my KitchenAid blender and some of it was sloshing out. Next time I will use a hand mixer and my largest bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and next five ingredients. Set flour mixture aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and pumpkin on medium speed until combined. Beat in sugar.

With mixer running, add in the melted butter in a steady stream. Next, gradually add in the flour mixture, stopping now and then to scrape the sides of the bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Lightly grease two 9X12 baking pans and divide the batter between the two. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the brownies comes out clean.

Cinnamon Cheesecake Squares

A few weeks ago I shared a recipe for Cheesecake Squares that I made for my husband to take to work on his birthday.

During that same baking session I also made Cinnamon Cheesecake Squares for variety.

These dessert goodies are very easy to put together and so delicious. (I ate them for breakfast!) They got some good reviews from the husband's office, too: "The cinnamon bar was scrumptious, but thanks to you, I will have to do extra burpees in kickboxing today (it was worth it!)."

I can't really take credit for the recipe, though. That honor goes to the folks at Pillsbury.com. While I didn't change much from the original instructions, I encourage you to check it out for the step-by-step photos found here.

I'm thinking of trying these again with some fruit (maybe strawberries) added into the cream cheese filling. What do you think?

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Cinnamon Cheesecake Squares
Inspired by this Sopapilla Bars recipe from Pillsbury.com.

2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
2 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each), at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use cooking spray to lightly coat a 9 x 13 inch baking dish or pan.

Open and unroll 1 can of dough. Stretch to cover bottom of pan. Pinch together dough at perforations to close any gaps.

Place cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and beat until smooth. Add vanilla and beat again to incorporate. Evenly spread cream cheese over dough, using a rubber or wooden spatula.

Unroll second can of dough and place on top of cream cheese layer. Stretch to fit, then pinch together to close up any openings at the seams.

Pour melted butter evenly over the top of the dough. In a small bowl, mix together remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup sugar mixture on top of the melted butter. Use more as desired (using the full amount seemed like too much to me.)

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until center is set. The top should be a darker brown and appear to be somewhat crunchy. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

Refrigerate about 1 hour before cutting. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.

Cheesecake Squares

Ah, cheesecake. I love to eat the creamy dessert but I've never made one myself – until now.

My brother wears the cheesecake crown in my family. He makes a traditional Italian ricotta cheesecake every year for Christmas that used to be the only version of this delicacy I would eat. (Note to self: Ask Greg to do a guest blog in December!)

Now enter my husband, who also loves cheesecake. When we were planning our reception, he was pretty psyched when he discovered that cheesecake was a filling choice for the wedding cake.

My DH celebrated a milestone birthday in June. At his office, the birthday person brings treats for everyone. My guy usually brings dozens of bagels, but when he asked if I would make something, I decided it was time to try my hand at cheesecake.

I opted for cheesecake squares because they are portable and easy to eat. This recipe whips up quickly and will definitely satisfy your cheesecake cravings.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Cheesecake Squares

Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

Filling:
4 bars cream cheese, softened or at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Note: If you want less cheesecake, cut the recipe in half and use an 8 x 8 baking dish.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil. Coat lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

To make the crust, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Mixture should resemble a crumbly paste. Pour into baking dish and spread out so that it covers the entire dish. Press the mixture down, using your fingers, the back of a spoon or a flat spatula. Set aside.

To make the filling, place all of the cream cheese in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sour cream and sugar and beat until everything is well combined.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat again to incorporate flavoring.

Spoon cream cheese mixture on top of crust. Spread out evenly and smooth the top with a flat spatula.

Bake for 40 minutes to 1 hour or until edges start the brown and the middle is no longer jiggly. Turn off oven and prop open the oven door. Let cheesecake cool in oven for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove from oven and place pan on a wire rack. Let cool completely.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To cut into bars, grab edges of foil and lift cheesecake from pan. Place on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into squares. Wipe knife dry after each slice.

Top with fresh berries, if desired.

Beat-the-Heat July 4th menu

A couple weeks ago a friend messaged me for July 4 menu ideas that were easy to make, didn't need the oven and would work well for feeding a crowd.

That got us thinking. Amy, Erin and I put our heads together and came up with some suggestions.

These recipes should satisfy your guests, earn you some rave reviews and keep your house cool so you can beat the heat and spend more time celebrating summer and our nation's independence. Happy July 4th to you and yours!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Main Dishes:

Brats! They're so Midwest. You can boil them in beer ahead of time and grill them last minute.

Turkey Feta Spinach Burgers. Change up the usual burger fare with these super-tasty gems.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork – 2 ways.If you have time to apply a rub and let your pork sit in the fridge overnight, tryNorth Carolina Pulled Pork in the slow cooker. If you want an even easier but just as tasty version, use a bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce and get cooking with this recipe!

Side Dishes:

Greek Quinoa Salad stays fresh in the fridge. It's a very complimentary side for grilled meat or a stand-in main dish for when your cousin's vegetarian girlfriend shows up unexpectedly.

Summer Salad with Berry Vinaigrette. Erin figured out a way to bottle summer with this recipe! 

Dessert & a Cocktail: 

Popcorn Marshmallow Bars. Get patriotic and add red, white and blue M&Ms to these treats.

Watermelon Raspberry Rum Punch. Grown-ups need a treat, too. This cocktail is refreshing, slightly sweet and oh so yummy.

Watermelon Pizza

We had friends over for dinner last week. The moms and four girls went to the pool first. Between pool time and it being nearly 100 degrees out, my goal was to keep it easy and to turn up the heat as little possible in the kitchen. So, Jeff smoked a beautiful salmon. I threw together a salad and pulled out the pasta salad I'd made the night before. For dessert, I thought it would be fun for Lucy and Penny and their friends Hannah and Sophie to make the watermelon pizza I'd seen in my latest Good Housekeeping magazine.

Aren't they all adorbs?

From left to right: Penny, Hannah, Lucy and Sophie hard at work making watermelon pizzas.

The girls loved making their "pizzas," but didn't love eating them so much. The "sauce" — made of cream cheese, ricotta and honey — was weird and I tended to agree. But they liked the berries and the watermelon itself, of course. In the future, I'd turn this into a fruit salad, cutting the watermelon into bite-sized chunks and mixing in the berries and a little mint. I bet they'd gobble it up.

Still, it was fun to watch and a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen.

XOXO,
Amy

Watermelon Pizza
Adapted from Good Housekeeping

1 seedless watermelon, cut into four rounds
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 ounces ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons honey
Couple handfuls of coconut, toasted
Variety of berries of your choosing -- blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries
Kiwi, optional but could serve as your "pepperoni"
1 bunch of mint, roughly chopped

Mix cream cheese, ricotta and honey together. Spread this "sauce" on your watermelon rounds. Next, sprinkle toasted coconut and top with berries and fruit. Sprinkle chopped mint.

Cut each round into quarters. Enjoy!

Grandma Lucy's Angel Food Cake

When I was a kid, it wasn't June unless we had Grandma's angel food cake slathered in strawberries and whipped cream for my Dad's birthday.

Lucky for all of us, my grandma taught me the recipe and her tricks for making sure this dessert stays light and fluffy:

• Never make it on a humid day (back then not everyone had air conditioning).
• Use a serrated knife to slice the spongy goodness.

It's been awhile since I made angel food cake – June of 2012, to be exact, because my Dad was visiting on his birthday, which happens to be the same day as my husband's.

Last summer, my youngest son Sam took a liking to angel food cake after I let him buy one at the grocery. He can easily devour one "angel cake" on his own in about two days. I had great intentions of making some for him, but life got in the way.

So....a visit from my parents earlier this month, plus a successful strawberry picking outing, plus a couple of angel food cake lovers in the house meant only one thing – it was time to whip up Grandma's Angel Food Cake.

With Father's Day coming this weekend, you might consider making some for the Dads in your life.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Grandma Lucy's Angel Food Cake
1 cup cake flour (I use Swans Down)
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons white sugar
12 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Have ready a tube pan with a removable bottom (sometimes called an angel food cake pan). Do NOT grease the pan.

In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour and 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar. Set aside.

A note about the egg whites: For this recipe, separate the egg whites one at a time into a small bowl or cup before adding to the mixing bowl. You want to be sure there are no bits of yolk, as this will prevent the whites from becoming as fluffy as they need to be. Reserve the yolks for another use.

In a large bowl, combine egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Beat with an electric mixer until the egg whites begin to form peaks. Add remaining 3/4 cup sugar and then continue to beat until stiff peaks form, like in the photo below:

Sprinkle flour mixture over egg whites. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold flour and extracts into egg whites. Do not stir. Gently fold in from the sides and bottom of the bowl. This combines all ingredients without deflating the egg whites.

Spoon batter into angel food cake pan, distributing evenly. Slowly move a knife through the batter to remove air bubbles. Smooth out top with rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until top of cake is lightly browned and it springs back when you gently push the cake with your finger.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, or until the pan is cool enough to touch.

Then invert cake pan on a funnel to let the cake continue to cool. Don't worry, the cake will not fall out of the pan! Cool completely, at least 2 hours.

Remove tube pan from funnel. Run a rubber spatula around the edges of the cake pan to loosen the cake. Place a plate or cake stand on the top of the cake and invert the pan. Gently lift cake pan up. If cake does not begin to slide out on its own, tap the sides of the pan. Remove outer pan, then ease bottom of pan off what is now the top of the cake. You may need to use a rubber spatula to separate the cake from the pan.

Now you're ready to slice and serve Grandma Lucy's Angel Food Cake. To ensure that the cake retains it's height, be sure to use a serrated knife to cut the cake.

Angel food cake is delicious all by itself, but at my house, we think it tastes even better with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

Kentucky Derby Cookies

This past weekend was Derby weekend and I was nostalgic thinking of my Old Kentucky Home. As usual on the first Saturday in May, I teared up at the playing of the state song just before the big race.

I was lucky enough to get to cover three derbys while a reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader, where I met my husband. The Bluegrass is a special place.

Often on Derby Day, I make Derby pie. But this year I decided to create something different -- Kentucky Derby Cookies. Think of them as Derby pie in cookie form. Yes, there's bourbon and two kinds  of  nuts -- pecans and walnuts. That's because I learned that some versions of the pie have walnuts and others have pecans, which is what I've always used. Why choose?

And why wait until next Derby to bake up these delicious cookies? With more than half a cup of bourbon I promise you will enjoy them any day of the year. Besides, we have a Triple Crown to watch out for in the coming weeks.

Then next year, you can add Kentucky Derby Cookies to your Derby Day menu.

XOXO,
Amy

Kentucky Derby Cookies
(Note: This is a double batch that yields 7 dozen cookies. I like to bake a lot of cookies and freeze half or more for later. If you want to cut this recipe in half, no problem. For the bourbon, use 5 tablespoons)

5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons bourbon
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
1 12-ounce package chopped pecans
1 12-ounce package chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt -- and then set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugars and butter until smooth. Add in eggs and mix to combine. Mix in vanilla extract and bourbon. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.

Drop large spoonfuls of cookie batter on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until just beginning to golden. Cool cookies on wire racks.