Have you all been matching the recipe micro-series Tasty puts out on Facebook and Buzzfeed's website? For some reason I kept coming back to their garlic pull apart rolls. So today I made them! They are just as easy and delicious as they look in the video!
Cut biscuits into fourths, and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter, garlic powder, parsley, and mozzarella, and mix with your hands, coating all of the biscuit pieces. Place the pieces in a muffin tin, three pieces per tin (you’ll have two extra — just use them in whichever tin you want). Bake for 15 minutes. Best served fresh out of the oven!
As all my cubicle-mates will tell you, I have a dangerous addition to coffee cake muffins. Seriously. Want my day to start on the wrong foot? Be the Dunkin Donuts drive-thru team member that hands me a chocolate chip muffin instead of coffee cake.
So this week I'm sharing my favorite coffee cake recipe. Thanks to those of you linking up and sharing your recipes! I love you for it. <3 br="" nbsp="">
Coffee Cake
Topping:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Cake:
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
In small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork until crumbly. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine together beaten egg, sugar and melted butter. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt, mixing well.
Pour batter into a greased and floured 9-inch layer-cake pan. Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over batter. Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, when a toothpick will come out clean. Partially cool in pan on wire rack. Cut coffee cake into squares while still warm.
Like me, I'm sure you noticed the deluge of posts, tweets, Facebook statuses and Instagram pictures coming from your friends (or maybe you too!) that have decided to make a dietary change as part of their new year. Whole30 seems to be the most frequent diet chosen. I haven't tried it myself...but I can see the draw!
I was recently offered the opportunity to receive and review Chomps Snack Sticks. Given that tastebuds vary, I decided to bring a few friends and my dad along for the ride! When I opened my sample package of Chomps Snack Sticks, one of the first things I noticed was that it was Whole30 approved.
What Are Chomps All About!?
Chomps Snack Sticks are new healthy snacks that recently hit the market and has quickly become quite popular in the Gluten Free, Paleo and Crossfit communities. We use only the best 100% Grass-Fed Beef and the sticks are cured naturally. Chomps are free of synthetic nitrates, nitrites and MSG. They're shelf stable for a whole year and the only natural preservative used is celery juice!
I'll be honest - beef sticks wouldn't be my first choice when looking for a snack. But the more I read about these little morsels, the more interested I became. They are 100% grass fed beef, nitrate and nitrite free, have no MSG, are 9g of lean protein per serving and use celery juice as their preservative!
On to the taste test!
First we tried the Original flavor. I noticed right away that they didn't have the greasy feeling of other beef sticks that are commercially available. We all (Jeanne, Rachel, dad and myself) agreed that they taste good! The spices come across well, and they're a little smokey. They are a bit softer than you might expect...think slightly firmer than a hot dog.
Next was the Hoppin' Jalapeno. This was by far the favorite! You can see the little bits of jalapeno in each beef stick, and the flavor is spicy without being overwhelming. They're just good!
Last was the Crankin' Cran. I admit, I didn't look at the full ingredient list before tasting and was expecting something slightly sweet. At first, that's what you get too...but this flavor has habanero pepper in it. The flavor of those peppers builds, and builds, and builds. Unless you LOVE hot food, I wouldn't recommend this flavor. The cranberry flavor is a good pairing with the beef, and wish it was more balanced with the habaneros.
All in all - I think that Chomps Snack Sticks are something that I'd recommend to my friends who are looking for a tasty snack that is Whole30 and Paleo friendly.
All opinions are my own (and my lovely friends & dad); this review is powered by BrandBacker.
Happy December! The last few months seem to be flying by even faster than normal. I can't believe that Christmas is a few short weeks away!
Did you all enjoy your Thanksgiving? Find any awesome sales over the weekend?
This week I'm sharing one of my more potent recipes. It tastes delicious. But I wouldn't recommend it for parties where you might encounter mistletoe. Kissing someone with garlic breathe just isn't fun!
Dragon's Breath Dip
2 heads garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil 8 oz. Brie cheese 1 (3-oz.) small pkg. cream cheese, softened 1/2 teaspoon salt Dash or two of fresh cracked pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut top 1/2" off the top of the garlic heads and remove some of the loose papery skin, leaving the heads intact. Place each on a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle each with the olive oil, and wrap tightly. Bake at 350 degrees 50-60 minutes, until the garlic is very soft and begins to brown. Cool until easy to handle and squeeze each head to remove the soft roasted cloves.
In a food processor, process Brie cheese and cream cheese with the salt, pepper, and garlic cloves. Refrigerate several hours to blend flavors. Serve with melba toast, crackers, crustini or the like.
I'm sure you're all ready of the end of my month of thanks...
I'll keep it brief, I know we all have things to do. Today, I'm thankful for Thanksgiving Day itself. It's a labor intensive day for those of us cooking - but it's done out of love and out of thanks for everything around us in the past year.
I'm thankful for the police, firefighters, nurses, doctors and other first responders who have to rotate through working on holiday. I'm thankful that it's illegal in MA to open for Black Friday before midnight - all of you who go shopping immediately after Thanksgiving dinner are crazy! I love ya...but you're crazy!
I'm thankful for being forced to cook some foods that are only prepared on holiday. As much as they aren't my favorites, it keeps family traditions alive. I'm thankful that even though I have to work tomorrow, it's likely to be a quiet day where I can sneak in a few projects of my own (shh...don't tell anyone!).
What are you thankful for this year? Anything you've been surprised to see on my list so far...or shocked I've left off? A few more days of things I'm thankful for and you we can move firmly into December!
Hi everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. :-) I'd tell you what I did...but this is one of my pre-scheduled posts. However, it's safe to say that I'm enjoying my vacation! I'll be back in a week; well, eight days.
This week I'm re-posting a recipe that I shared back in 2012. These zucchini fritters are delicious, although slightly less than healthy. Sorry!
Zucchini Fritters 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini) 3 eggs 1 Tbs flour (coconut flour for those of you gluten free or on a paleo diet) 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper Extra virgin olive oil (coconut oil or bacon grease for the paleo diet) Shred zucchini by hand or in a food processor and set aside (if it is wet, blot it dry with a paper towel). In a large bowl, beat eggs together. Sift flour into eggs and beat together. (Note: coconut flour often has clumps, hence the sifting.) Add the shredded zucchini, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a large skillet and add your desired oil. Spoon the mixture into the pan in desired sized fritters. Cook on each side until each side is browned and tender to the touch. (Prevent breaking by turning as few times as possible.) Serve warm. What's cooking in your kitchen?
Happy Tuesday! Fall starts this week. How did that happen?! Luckily, it's my favorite season (even if I would happily boycott all things pumpkin spice flavored...), full of apple picking, baking, crisp sunny days, leaf-peeping and other really fun stuff!
This week I'm sharing my beer bread. While it tastes good on its own - I love to cut it into hunks and eat it with a little veggie or onion dip. So good!
Beer Bread 3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 bottle (12 ounces) beer, at room temperature {the darker the beer, the better!}
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Brush the bottom and sides of your loaf pan with melted butter. In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Add the beer all at once, mixing as little as possible; the batter should be lumpy.
Pour the batter into a 9-x-5-x-3-inch loaf pan and brush with the melted butter. Bake in the oven at 375 for 35 to 40 minutes, or until an toothpick comes out clean. Turn out onto a rack to cool.
Happy Tuesday! This weekend, our little band of misfits had an end of the summer firepit. I knew I wanted to do something classically summery, but with a twist.
I had heard of s'mores dip before - but I'll be honest, I'm not so great at following directions. So I perused a few recipes and then did what I wanted to do. Ha! I have to say - it went over well with the group. I'd show you an "after" picture to balance out the "before" pictures...but it's not pretty!
Peanut Butter S'mores Dip
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 bag (10 oz) mini marshmallows
1 pat of butter
Pretzels and graham crackers for dipping
Butter a 9 inch pie plate. If you used Hershey bars as your milk chocolate, break them into small pieces, then evenly distribute the semi sweet chocolate chips over them in the pie plate. Drop small amounts of peanut butter across the chocolate mixture. Top with a bag of mini marshmellows.
Bake on 350 for 10 minutes, then bring the oven up to a broil and toast the top. Keep a keen eye on the marshmallows while broiling! Burnt sugar does not smell too good. :-)
Happy Tuesday! Oh, and happy September too! :-) I'm not a mom...but I have to say that I'm secretly a little happy to see all the kids going back to school. It's totally selfish, but I worry about some of the neighborhood kids who seem to be out WAY after dark, in dark clothes and RUNNING in front of cars. I don't want to be the one that doesn't stop quick enough. :-( If they're back at school, they need to go to bed early-ish, right?!
Thanks to everyone that has participated in Tuesdays at the Table. I love cooking for others and am thrilled when you respond to the recipes that I share and/or share one of your own!
This week I'm sharing a recipe that my uncle taught me as a pre-teen. He was a chef for a while before becoming a corrections officer and has some fabulous recipes that I've stolen through the years! (Sorry for the less than gorgeous picture. I thought I got a good one...then by the time I realized I didn't, dinner was over and my subject matter disappeared!)
Zucchini and Mushroom Fettucini Alfredo
1 box (a pound) of fettucini
1 pint heavy (or whipping) cream
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 cups mushrooms (sliced)
1 large zucchini (cut into 2 inch wedges)
1 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Boil water, cook pasta, drain, and set aside.
In saute pan, melt 1/2 cup butter on medium heat. Add garlic. Let simmer for 30 seconds.
Add sliced zucchini and sliced mushrooms. Let simmer until both completely cooked. Add whipping cream. Simmer on low heat until the mixture begins to boil. Add parmesan or romano cheeses (or a blend).
Toss with fettuccine. Salt and pepper to taste. Sauce will thicken if you let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
Happy Tuesday! I hope you're all having a great week and that you'll share one a recipe that you really enjoy - or one you just found and are trying for the first time. :-)
This week I'm sharing one of my favorite recipes. It's been a family favorite for YEARS and I could probably make it in my sleep. In fact, we had a family gathering on Saturday and I made these yummy little bars, hoping that there would be a few leftover so I could hide them and indulge in a midnight snack. No such luck! My mom's cousin met me at the front door of her house, asked what I made and then started sampling before they even made it to the kitchen. I think my "dessert" turned into a "pre-meal snack" for everyone. I'd like to say it's because I'm that good of a cook...but I know it's because no one in their right mind can say no to these bars!
Reese Peanut Butter Bars 2 sticks butter 1 cup peanut butter (I don't the recommend low-fat version) 1 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar 12 oz. (1 bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips
In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the margarine. Stir in peanut butter, powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs. {Note: This works best if the powdered sugar isn't mixed in last.} Pour out and flatten into a greased 9x13 pan. Refrigerate for about an hour.
Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Pour out chocolate over the cooled peanut butter bars, covering evenly.
Happy Friday, everyone! As noted in my title, we've been ever-so-lucky to have a heatwave here over the past week and fingers crossed, I think it finally broke! This girl would rather be cold than hot. After all - there's only so much you take off and maintain your dignity, but you can always add another layer!
I'm happily linking up with April again this week. :-)
You all love FREE as much as me, right?! Have you ordered your free pet tag from Shutterfly yet? Act quick and get yours with promo code: DOGGIETREAT. :-) The freebie only last through midnight tonight! Brady is my lucky recipient of the freebie. I think gray will look nice against his red fur!
Fall is coming (thank goodness), but this accurately depicts how I feel about companies starting to put out their pumpkin spice "stuff" already. By the way, I'm a weirdo...who doesn't like pumpkin spice ever, so I find this graphic even funnier!
Calling all runners (and walkers). My rescue, Little Paws Dachshund Rescue, is holding our First Annual "Dachshund Dash" Virtual 5K. Register HERE and then you'll have two weeks starting on September 19th to do your 5K and record your time. :-) Register before August 31st, and you get a $5 discount. Share the registration link on Facebook and you automatically get another $5 off. The registration software tracks social shares!
I mentioned to you all last week that I finally took the leap and created a Facebook page for this humble little blog. I've decided that I'll be doing a little David's Tea giveaway when the page reaches 100 followers. You know...because I love you all. And because I'm obsessed with David's Tea!
I know that most of the country hates the New England Patriots right now. (Sorry!) But the new commercial for Sports Center is making everyone here giggle.
Hurray, it's Friday!! It's been a long, busy, productive week around here. :-) How is your week going? I'm linking up with April, and hope I get to visit more lovely blogs this week than I did last week!
I'm leading off with a confession. I had a few posts written in my head that should have made it to the blog this week...but didn't. #bloggingfail I promise you'll all get more than two posts from me next week!
Animals of all kinds must know I'm a soft touch. I was greeted by these four (loud) sweeties as soon as I got out of my car. After a little research, I'm going to bring them some air popped popcorn and leafy greens this weekend.
Jamberry's new catalog comes out September 1st. Guess what?! We're going to have a line of gel nails!! Please leave me a comment or email me if you're interested in being one of my September hostesses and being one of the FIRST to check out both the gel nails and the new release of Jamberry wraps. (Psst... we have a lot of wraps retiring, so stock up on your favorites from my "Going, Going, GONE!" page.) I'll also be having #manimonday Instagram giveaways this month. So if you're not following me, you should. Just sayin'. :-)
I have been drinking this tea like it's going out of style. If you like peaches, you really need to try this tea! It makes a really yummy iced tea! I've made it as sun tea a few times and have to say that I've cheated a bunch and steeped it using the "hot water" function of my Keurig and then poured it over ice.
Does anyone have a FitBit? (I know...insert laughter HERE.) How about a FitBit One? I'm considering the FitBit One. I like that it is supposed to track my activity and my non-existant sleep. Plus I found what I think is a good deal HERE. I need advice!
During September - 10% of your purchase will go to Little Paws Dachshund Rescue! Purchase and be entered to be the mystery hostess and get all the fun rewards. :-)
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