Bacon + Cheese Croissants

January 31, 2016January 31, 2016 ~ Annie Allodi ~ Leave a comment

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

January 30, 2016January 30, 2016 ~ Annie Allodi ~ Leave a comment

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.

Top with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Bootie Bargain

April 4, 2015 ~ Annie Allodi ~ Leave a comment

I 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

Decorate in a Day

April 3, 2015April 4, 2015 ~ Annie Allodi ~ Leave a comment

Easter is one of my favorite holidays to decorate for. I love its jelly bean colors, pastel patterned eggs and handfuls of chocolates. However, all of a sudden Easter is less than 2 days away and I haven’t had as much as a single jelly bean!

Instead of turning your home into an explosion of Alice & Wonderland whimsy, choose to highlight a few areas that are most visible by guests (ie. kitchen counter).

Put a spin on your every day flowers with this easy fix – snag a handful of carrots (stem included) and add them to your bouquet!

My all time favorite Easter decoration is this paint chip garland. I love that you can customize the colors to brighten up your space! (Directions to make Easter garland)

How cute are these bottle toppers?! They don’t take up any display space and are easy to store.

Easter Egg Garland

April 3, 2015April 4, 2015 ~ Annie Allodi ~ Leave a comment

I originally saw this DIY blow up over Pinterest a few years ago and it’s hands down my favorite Easter decoration. This is one of the few Pinterest posts I’ve tried that actually turned out looking just like the pictures!

1. Using a pencil, outline your cookie cutter or stencil of choice on the paint chip. Carefully cut out the shape using a sharp pair of scissors and repeat with the remaining paper chips.

Hint: You can also tilt the stencil to make the white lines diagonal on the egg like the image below.

2. Once the shapes are cut out it’s time to make a hole for the string. I’ve made these 2 different ways and the first way was easier but not as sturdy.

Option 1: Use a mini hole punch to make a hole at the top of the egg. Thread a 2 inch piece of string through the hole. Tie the 2 inch string onto the garland in a knot to secure.

Options 2: To avoid the eggs all sliding to the middle when hung, I used a thick needle [instead of hole punch] to make a hole at the top of the egg. This way, the string wouldn’t have as much room to move around.

3. After all the holes are punched, place the eggs in order you would like them to hang. I threaded wax cotton string [from Walgreen’s] through the needle and one by one strung the eggs.

Now all you have to do is pick the perfect spot to display your work!

You will need:

– 8+ paper paint chips
– Egg shaped cookie cutter or paper stencil
– String (waxed cotton works best)
– Scissors
– Needle or hole punch

“It wasn’t over.. it still isn’t over!”

March 29, 2015March 29, 2015 ~ Annie Allodi ~ Leave a comment

[Cue the dramatic music and Ryan Gosling storming through the rain]

Thanks for the early April Fool’s Chicago, that burst of warm weather didn’t last too long. This never ending winter has my outfit repeats at an all time high and I’ve exhausted each sweater at least 17 times. I’ve been sorting through my closet in search of new layers and came across this little gem.

I love blazers not only because they can dress up a pair of jeans but they are a great source of warmth too! It’s a timeless must-have in any wardrobe. You can stay neutral or brighten up the outfit with a colorful scarf or fun jewelry.

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BCBG blazer, JCrew scarf, DL1961 denim.

Baked Mac & Cheese Rolls

March 1, 2015March 3, 2015 ~ Annie Allodi ~ Leave a comment

It’s a Mac & Cheese kind of day. I love a good “finger food” recipe and these are an easy crowd pleaser. As if Mac & Cheese wasn’t good enough already, lets roll it up in a crisp doughy blanket and smother it in BBQ sauce.

Obviously everything is better fried but I needed a “healthy” alternative to make up for my weekend splurges. I only baked about half of the Mac & Cheese rolls and froze the others. I love recipes where I can freeze and easily reheat for those super lazy days or another blizzard rolls through and I have to choose between frostbite or a rumbling tummy.

I’ve never used egg roll wraps before and it was so easy – fill, fold and bake. The options are endless with other ingredients you can fill these with!

1. Prepare your Mac & Cheese of choice and let it slightly cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350°. Place 2 spoonfuls of Mac & Cheese on the center of the egg roll. Lightly brush the edges with water to help the folds stick together.

3. Begin by folding the bottom corner to the center then repeat with side corners.

4. Finish by rolling the dough from bottom to top until closed. Place egg rolls on baking sheet with the seam side down. (Note: the egg rolls will not spread so you can place them close to one another on baking sheet)

5. Before baking, lightly brush the tops of the rolls with an egg wash – this will give them a deep golden color and that “crunch” you want when you bite into them.

6. Bake for 15 minutes on each side. The Mac & Cheese will be super hot so be sure to let rolls cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

You will need:

– Mac & Cheese of choice (I used Annie’s Homegrown 6 oz. box)
– Egg roll wraps
– 1 Egg
– BBQ sauce or condiment of choice

Makes 17 Mac & Cheese Rolls

Greek Inspirations

February 26, 2015March 5, 2015 ~ Annie Allodi ~ Leave a comment

Reminiscing on a trip to the stunning Greek Isle of Santorini. This well known “honeymoon spot” was already on the top of my bucket list but when I heard it hosts one of the best sunsets in the world, I immediately packed my bags.

Santorini did not disappoint. The scenery is remarkable with white washed houses and windmills overlooking the rich blue Aegean Sea.

Even the restaurants are picturesque tucked into the island cliffs. I’m obsessed with the detail inside this little outdoor nook. The drift wood flower pot and mirror reflecting the award winning sunset behind me – um can I go back now?

I might have interrupted a few dining couples to capture these beautiful pops of color but it was well worth it!

Ice Cream Cookie Cups

February 26, 2015February 26, 2015 ~ Annie Allodi ~ 1 Comment

Day 1 of a new juice cleanse and I’m drooling looking back on these scrumptious ice cream sundae cups I made last weekend.

Cookie + ice cream + melted chocolate.. I think the mouthwatering picture says it all.

One of the best parts about this dessert is that it’s not supposed to be super “pretty” or clean cut – the messier, the better! So pile on as many marshmallows and M&M’s as your little heart desires.

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine 3-4 generous tablespoons of cookie dough into a ball and place into a non-stick muffin tin. Roll the remaining dough and distribute until entire muffin tin is full.*Add more cookie dough for a thicker cookie cup.

2. Bake cookie cups for about 13 minutes or until golden brown. Pull your tray out and immediately take a spice jar and gently press into each cookie. This should form a little “crater” where the ice cream will sit.

3. Let the cups cool for 10 minutes. Take your ice cream of choice and place a mini scoop in the cookie cup. My ice cream started to melt pretty fast so after I scooped all the ice cream I stuck the tray in the freezer for about 10 minutes before adding my toppings.

4. Before taking the tray out of the freezer make sure your chocolate is melted and all toppings are laid out. To make things easier, pull out each cup and set on a flat plate or pan before decorating.

5. Take a spoon and drench your ice cream cookie cups with chocolate and as many toppings as you can find! When finished, place desserts in the freezer for an additional 10 minutes before serving. – that is if you can get that far before sticky little fingers grab them : )

Enjoy!

You will need:

– Roll of cookie dough
– Ice cream
– Melting chocolate + toppings of choice

Cook time 13 minutes