Not Your Ordinary Chocolate Chip Cookies

In my family, cookies equal love. My husband and two little ones get so excited when they hear me getting my mixer ready. Little feet run in and little voices squeal their requests to help measure and stir. Now that I put this all into words I see why, in our hearts, love gets intertwined with baking. These cookies are soft and gooey yet chewy with a bit of crunch on the outside. So pretty much perfect!

I hope your home becomes filled with the feelings of love when you bake these whether you're baking with a house full of kids or just a pet sitting by your feet! Enjoy!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Ingredients:
1 stick of softened salted butter
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of unbleached sugar
1 egg
1 TBSP plain greek yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP oat bran or wheat germ
1/2 bag of chocolate chips

Whip the butter and sugars on high for a minute until it becomes light and fluffy. With the mixer turned down add in the egg, yogurt and vanilla. Turn mixer off and add all the dry ingredients. Mix on low just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. I scooped with a small ice cream scoop and baked on my pizza stone. Bake for 13 minutes at 350 degrees.

I take my cookies out when they are just firm to the touch and starting to look a little golden. You may wonder if they are actually done. Keeps them softer while storing.

Lemon Poppy Seed Yogurt Muffins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:
1 stick of softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup plain yogurt
2 cups unbleached flour
3 TBSP poppy seeds
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Blend the wet ingredients until well combined. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients. Scoop into muffin tins greased or lined with papers. Bake for 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 big muffins.

Corn On The Cob With A Smoky Spice Rub

Summertime. Long hot days, suntanned feet, and fresh vegetables to the local farmers market. Our summertime Saturday mornings get the added bonus of a morning walk down our street to see what goodies the local farmers have brought to sell. Last Saturday, Alaina and I headed down just the two of us. A mommy-daughter morning. We were having friends over for dinner that night and I was hoping to come across something that would inspire a side dish to accompany my meal plan. After a stop in to our coffee shop for a cup of coffee and a chocolate milk, we made our way and found just the inspiration I was looking for.  Along with some organic bing cherries, I found beautiful fresh corn on the cob. I quickly added it to my mental meal plan which included Fajita burritos with seasoned shredded chicken and chips with salsa. Pleasantly inspired, the tex-mex theme took my thoughts towards some sort of spice rub for the corn. It would be an experiment but sometimes some of the greatest meals turn up that way. Well it worked! It made this fresh summertime side dish into the star of the meal!

Ingredients:

2-3 tsp of Cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Alaina approved!!!!

 

 

Angel Food Cake with a Lemon Glaze

My mom, or Nana as we all call her, had her birthday today! About a year ago, she began some amazingly healthy eating habits, seriously the woman is a robot, and so I wanted to choose something that not only all of us would enjoy but also something she could feel less reluctant and more pleased with the thought of eating. I also knew that she adores angel food cake. Since never making one, I set out to look around at how the process went. I familiarized myself, came up with a plan and then tried out my own version which now may be the ONLY cake I may ever make again! With the availability of delicious fresh summertime fruit this is an all-around perfect "Nana approved" dessert!

Ingredients for the cake:

1 dozen egg whites~ at room temperature. Seperate into mixing bowl and let sit for 30 min.

1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup unbleached flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Ingredients for the glaze:

2 cups of powdered sugar

1/3 cup of lemon juice

In a sifter or mesh strainer, sift the flour and powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. Whisk the sifted dry mixture for a bit to sift it even further.

Once you have seperated the egg whites and allowed them to sit, sift into them the cream of tartar and salt.

 

Turn the mixer gradually up to high speed and whip. Gradually add the 1 cup of sugar to the mixture until stiff peaks form.

 

Remove from mixer stand and fold 1/3 of the dry ingredients at a time and the vanilla.

*To fold, you scoop under the whites and lift up until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Do not stir. Folding and stirring are two different methods. Stirring will deflate the air out of the whipped whites*

Add 1/4 cup to cupcake pans. This will be about 3/4 of the way up the side of the pan.

 

Bake at 345 degrees for 12 minutes and check with your finger. Continue baking another 3-5 minutes until cakes are just firm to the touch. They will not be very brown on top. Rest the pans for a minute and then remove the cupcakes onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

 

This made two dozen "cupcakes" and with the rest, I made a small loaf pan cake.

Now they should be completely cooled.

Stir the powdered sugar and the lemon juice together to make a thick glaze. If it's too thin simply add a bit more powdered sugar. If it's too thick just add a few more drops of lemon juice. Spread onto the cupcakes and loaf cake with a spoon. Top with berries and drizzle them with more glaze... and savor every last bite!

One last picture because it was just so so pretty! My sister, Marcy, helped me with the final touches and my brother, Evan, took this picture. It was a family affair! And we may or may not have topped this with freshed whipped cream....

Fresh Broccoli Salad

Broccoli salad is a recent discovery of love in my life. It's fresh, sweet, tangy and perfect! If you can chop broccoli then you can make and believe me, once you do, you'll be wanting to make it everyday!

Ingredients:

2 bunches of broccoli crowns ~ diced very small

1/2 cup of Veganaise (also Miracle Whip or Mayonaise could be used)

3 tsp of apple cider vinegar

2 TBSP of sugar

1/4 of an a sweet onion~ grated into a paste (or a diced red onion)

1/4 tsp salt
dash of pepper and garlic powder
1 tsp of olive oil

1/3 cup of raisins or dried cranberries

1/4 cup of sunflower seeds

1/3 cup of chopped bacon or real bacon bits
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Whisk the Veganaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Grate the onion into the sauce to give it it's flavor without the chunks of onion in the salad. (You can dice it up very small and toss it in if preferred) Taste to adjust seasoning to your liking. Pour over broccoli and add the final 3 ingredients. Stir to combine. Refigerate before serving. SO, so good!

Strawberry Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with a Lemon Cookie Crust

Three years ago, I was blessed with a daughter and my life has increasingly become filled with all things pink and girly! Because of my connection with my daughter, Alaina, I was inspired to host a Mother~Daughter brunch at our lovely Bella Cucina. It was a fun time with some of the mommies who are dear to my heart, their daughters and even some of their moms too! When planning it, I wanted to come up with something special to give all of the ladies coming but just couldn't pin point exactly what that would be. In the cookie aisle, while gazing at my favorite "Back To Nature" California Lemon cookie, it came to me! Wouldn't these make the best crust for a cheesecake! This cheesecake was a hit and made an already precious lunch with our little ladies even more of "girl's day out"!

Strawberry Sauce Ingredients:

3cups of strawberries

2/3 cup of sugar

1/3 cup of water

1/2 lemom

2 TBSPs of cornstarch

Add strawberries, sugar, water and the juice of half the lemon to a small saucepan. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add cornstarch and boil for a few minutes. Smooth in a blender. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare a 9 inch springform pan

Lemon Crust Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of ground lemon cookies

1/2 stick of butter

Zest of one lemon

Stir ingredients together and press pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees

Cheesecake Ingredients:

4~ 8oz packages of cream cheese at room temperature

1 3/4 cups of sugar

4 eggs

pinch of salt

2 TBSP of flour

1 pod of vanilla seeds (or just use 2 tsp of vanilla)

Whip cream cheese on high for 5 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides and whip for 5 more minutes. This is to make the cream cheese light and airy. Combine all other ingredients in. Scrape down sides and stir. Pour onto the crust. Top with half of strawberry sauce and swirl with a knife or toothpick. Bake at 325 degrees for 65 minutes. Open oven door, don't move the cheesecake, for 15 minutes. Refigerate overnight. Serve with the remaining strawberry sauce drizzled. Enjoy!

*When cutting cheesecake, wipe the knife with a warm wet towel between slices* 





Bruschetta Stuffed Chicken

Basil.

Beautiful, fragrant and delicious! And this meal is one of my favorite ways to use fresh basil from my fun, new basil plant I found at Wegmans! This chicken is simple to put together but gives you a gourmet meal to present to your family, which in our house helps alot when there are red and green "things" mixed in with their food! It's a great way to start off this great summer season.

Chicken Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts

Marinade- olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, 2 torn basil leaves

Butterfly 3 chicken breasts and marinate in olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and basil leaves. Refigerate for as long as you can.

(To butterfly a chicken breast, just filet it, slowly, across from side to side but stop before you slice clear through. You will be able to unfold it and have a wide flat piece.) 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Bruschetta Ingredients:

3 medium tomatoes

1/4 cup of mozzerella cheese

5-6 leaves of basil

dash of salt, pepper, garlic powder

Dice tomatoes and remove the wet seeds. Tear the basil into the tomatoes. Toss with remaining ingredients. Set aside.

Lay the chicken out, cut side up, and lay some of the bruschetta on one half of the breast. Fold the other side over and toothpick to secure. Repeat with other two chicken breasts. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes.