Bacon + Cheese Croissants

Are pictures even necessary? Bacon + cheese in any form is unbeatable. I’ve been trying to get rid of a small sliver of cheese in my fridge and instead of making an extra gooey cheese omelet like I normally would, I decided to make something that I could freeze and eat later.

I had never worked with puff pastry before but I’m already addicted and dreaming of all the things I can fill inside of these croissant like crusts – Nutella, Thanksgiving leftovers, Nutella..

When I’m cooking for just myself I love anything that I can freeze and reheat later. This is a great recipe to make ahead of time for tailgates or even a nice back up for any unexpected company!

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You will need:

– 1 Puff pastry sheet
– 3 pieces of cooked bacon
– 3/4 cup of cheese
– 1 Egg
Makes 16 croissants

 

  • Cook bacon and after it’s cooled begin to crumble it into tiny pieces. Set cheese and bacon aside while preparing the puff pastry.

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  • Roll sheet out to roughly a 12″ square and divide into 16 individual squares.
  • Place an even amount of the bacon and cheese mixture into the center of each square.

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  • Brush the edges of the squares with water and gently fold over one corner to form a triangle. Using a fork, seal the edges of the dough. *If you are planning to freeze the pastries, stop here and seal them in an air tight container. 

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  • Lightly brush an egg wash over top the puff pastries to give them a beautiful browning in the oven.
  • Bake at 400° for about 18-20 minutes or until brown.
  • Let cool before serving.

Enjoy!

 

Holiday Pancakes

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Whether you’re throwing a festive Valentine’s Day brunch or looking to feed a very hungry partner in the kitchen, these heartful pancakes are a must!

Every year I ambitiously plan to make a super elaborate Valentine’s Day brunch.. but every year I wake up on the 14th still dreaming that my non-existent private chef is patiently waiting to serve me breakfast in bed.

I often forget how easy pancakes are and with one extra step you can dress up an old recipe into a stunning holiday plate! Add a fun twist to your routine breakfast without losing any of the original, scrumptious pancake flavor.

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You will need:

– Pancake Mix (I used Martha Stewart’s recipe)
– Red food coloring
– Heart shaped cookie cutter
– Powdered sugar or toppings of choice

 

  • Split pancake batter into 2 bowls and put a few drops of red food coloring in one of the bowls. I used about 5 drops of coloring until the mix turned a medium red. Make pancakes as instructed and place them on a flat surface.
  •  Press your cookie cutter into the pancake and gently move it from side to side to make sure it has successfully cut through.
  • Collect the heart cut outs and gently place it back inside the pancake of opposite color. *Optional: place pancakes in the oven at 200°F for a few minutes to warm up before serving.  

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  • Top with powdered sugar and enjoy!

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Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich

I’ve been brainstorming some dessert ideas to make for my Valentine this year immediately thought to combine his two favorite things – ice cream and cookies. Selfishly I love this recipe because it doesn’t require any baking.

These ice cream sandwiches are a festive treat that you can customize for any occasion and you likely already have half of the ingredients in your kitchen!

IMG_2837You will need:

– Chewy Chips Ahoy cookies
– Ice cream of choice
– Melting chocolate
– Sprinkles

 

  • Gather your cookies and ice cream of choice. Be sure to use a softer cookie like the Chewy Chips Ahoy cookies – remember the cookies will harden when you freeze them later.

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  • Place a small spoonful of the ice cream on the cookie and level it out before sandwiching it with another cookie. Immediately place in the freezer to harden.

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  • Once the sandwiches have hardened, assemble the melting chocolate and sprinkles. Quickly coat the sandwiches in chocolate followed by sprinkles and stick back in the freezer.

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  • Let the sandwiches harden for 10 or so minutes and enjoy!

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Funfetti Cookies

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Funfetti.. a childhood staple notorious for elementary school birthday treats. I’m all for baking from scratch but why mess with a perfectly packaged recipe?

This week’s dessert goes out to an office birthday. The biggest problem I have when making treats for friends is packaging them up without smearing icing or melting the perfectly drizzled chocolate.

Solution: cookie sandwiches. These guys are super easy to pile into a box and no fork or knife needed!

Take a bite down memory lane and surprise your friends with a new take on a childhood treat.

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You will need:

1 box Funfetti cake mix

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

Icing of choice

Makes 31 cookie sandwiches

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Combine cake mix, oil and eggs in large bowl.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and space 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten the dough to 1/4 inch thickness.

4. Bake for 6-8 minutes and let cool before icing.

Enjoy!

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

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As you’ve probably guessed, I have quite the craving for all things chocolate and dusted with sugar. With beach season finally underway, I started searching for some healthy alternatives that would satisfy my sweet tooth as well as my waistline.

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I was recently given the recipe book Chocolate Covered Katie  and it’s a guilt-free baker’s dream! Her chewy oatmeal cookie recipe is one of my favorites – no eggs, butter or processed sugar! I make these nearly once a week and like to store them in the freezer so they have a deeper crunch when you bite into them.

*Gluten free and boyfriend approved


You will need:

– 3 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
– 2 Tbsp milk of choice
– 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
– 3/4 cup oats
– 1/2 cup almond or coconut flour
– 1/2 cup date or coconut sugar
– 1/4  tsp salt
– 3/8 tsp baking soda
– pinch of stevia

Makes 12-16 cookies

1.  Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Mix ingredients together in a bowl then form into 1 inch thick balls and space 2 inches apart and place on baking sheet. *If you’ve zapped the coconut oil in a microwave to nearly a liquid, your cookies will spread more so be mindful when arranging the dough.

3. Bake for 8-10 minutes and let cool. Eat right away or store in air tight container.

Enjoy!

Italian daydreams

Today’s sunshine has me daydreaming of my favorite cobblestone city – Florence, Italy.

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It’s hard to believe it was only four years ago I was living in these Italian streets wandering from one gelato shop to the other while surrounded by ancient beauty. Among the thousands of pictures I took, this has always been one of my favorites.

I crossed off nearly every museum, cathedral and piazza (pizza too) in Florence. But in a city full of such stunning architecture and rich history, it was a pleasant surprise to find this picturesque scene buried between buildings.

I almost think it was hidden here for me to find : )

Spring party cookies

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It’s that’s time of year again – mapping out your calendar for wedding showers, derby parties and Mother’s Day brunch. These dainty treats can be made for any springtime celebration and you won’t have to sacrifice your precious Saturday locked in the kitchen.

– Use two circle cookie cutters of different sizes to make the hat.

– Once the cookies have cooled, place a dollop of icing on the bottom of the small circle and “glue” it to the middle of the larger circle.

– Melt icing and drizzle over top. Let icing set and decorate!

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 If you think the cookie hats are “cute, but..” you have some fancy party guests to impress, try the cookies below. I saw these “painted” flower cookies on Pinterest and was amazed how simple it was!

– Use a small icing tip to form a flower on the chilled cookie.

– Using any type of super small brush, lightly brush the icing in a downward motion. This creates the smeared edges.

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For a step by step guide click to see one of the many tutorials I found on Pinterest.

Don’t wait for the next summer party to whip these up – you can buy store bought cookies and test out the painting technique too!

Today’s forecast calls for..

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 After four straight days of cloudy skies and showers I’ve given up on the “cute work outfits” and went straight for comfort. I’m almost always cold so when I came across this fluffy blanket disguised as a sweater I had to try it on.

This cardigan is my go to when cozying up on the couch with a cup of tea but when I need to appear a little more “socially acceptable”, it turns into a complete look with a pair of skinny jeans and heels.

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It’s the next best thing to wearing a snuggie at work and a rainy day must have!

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Ella Moss cardigan

Bootie Bargain

DSC_3348I saved up some energy to go scavenging through Nordstrom Rack last week and came across these beauties! I’m all about shoe neutrals because they pair well with everything and won’t go out of style.

Even though it’s starting to warm up, I find I still wear booties almost year round. In spring/summer I’ll even wear boots with tights and a shorter dress.

 As we near the end of boot season it’s a great time to snag deals on shoes for fall!

Pictured: Vince booties