tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77380406707198481362024-03-27T19:53:18.167-04:00What's Baking in the Barbershop?!A blog written by a Boston blogger who loves to bake and believes that life is good. :) I invite you to stop by often and enjoy my simple and delicious recipes, made with everyday ingredients!Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.comBlogger404125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-31223520373859726712014-11-03T10:42:00.002-05:002014-11-03T10:42:31.577-05:00Reese's KitKat Peanut Butter Banana Bread<div style="text-align: center;">
Hello and happy November to you! It's been about a month since my last post (whoops!), and things are about to get busier. So I wanted to try to share one more recipe with you before that happens. What's going to make me even busier you ask? A baby! We're two days past our due date so it really could be anytime now... </div>
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The recipe I'm sharing with you today was important to me to share with you sooner than later. If you're like us, you may have purchased <i>a bit too much</i> Halloween candy. Better safe than sorry though, right? It would have been a bummer to run out! But now, unfortunately, we're stuck with a lot of extra candy lying around the house. Mike and I have pretty good self control when it comes to candy, so we honestly won't eat much of it. But I don't want it to go to waste. So naturally I had the idea to bake with it! I also had some super ripe bananas to use up. So what do you get when you put ripe bananas and leftover Halloween candy together? Reese's KitKat peanut butter banana bread, of course! It's a no brainer really. ;)</div>
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To prep, I chopped up some Reese's peanut butter cups and KitKat bars ahead of time and put the chopped pieces in the freezer for a couple hours. I wanted the pieces to stay whole in the bread while they baked. For the bread recipe itself, I chose to follow <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/peanut-butter-banana-bread">a Cooking Light recipe</a>. The recipe called for chopped peanuts but I omitted those. I also used half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose versus only all-purpose. Otherwise, I pretty much followed the recipe as is. Here you go!</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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-1 and 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large bananas)</div>
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-1/3 cup plain yogurt (regular or Greek is fine)</div>
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-1/3 cup creamy peanut butter</div>
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-3 Tbsp. butter, melted</div>
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-2 large eggs</div>
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-1/2 cup granulated sugar</div>
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-1/2 cup packed light brown sugar</div>
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-3/4 cup whole wheat flour</div>
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-3/4 cup all-purpose flour</div>
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-1/4 cup ground flaxseed</div>
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-3/4 tsp. baking soda</div>
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-1/2 tsp. salt</div>
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-1/2 tsp. cinnamon</div>
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-1/8 tsp. cloves</div>
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-1/4 tsp. nutmeg</div>
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-1 cup chopped (previously frozen) candy pieces</div>
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(Reese's and KiKat - or whatever other kinds you like!)</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5 loaf pan with cooking spray.</div>
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Combine first five ingredients (through the eggs) in large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add both sugars, and continue to mix until well incorporated. In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, flaxseed, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and mix well until incorporated (but be careful not to overmix). Stir in the chopped candy pieces.</div>
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Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour (but you may want to start checking for doneness after 45-50 minutes since ovens vary). Bake until a knife or cake tester comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes or so until removing from pan to cool completely.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZN7-yaYjhroA_Z3I3KPBDQK2wzK-am6nR5RHssRSpdauEOyuIiKpM1popSRoSnWiAxKzH10-pSigOCHrZQrY146FcsqBFY3OvOY6-1mILqPHHwBzbYvEXNObMjIFM13QTXAp-FC6r1Si/s1600/P1100404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZN7-yaYjhroA_Z3I3KPBDQK2wzK-am6nR5RHssRSpdauEOyuIiKpM1popSRoSnWiAxKzH10-pSigOCHrZQrY146FcsqBFY3OvOY6-1mILqPHHwBzbYvEXNObMjIFM13QTXAp-FC6r1Si/s1600/P1100404.jpg" height="640" width="426" /> </a></div>
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This bread was incredibly moist. The peanut butter flavor was there, but it was subtle. And of course, the bread was slightly sweet thanks to the addition of the candy! But it wasn't too sweet, I promise. I guessed on adding about 1 cup of candy pieces, and that amount seemed to work well for the loaf. The banana, peanut butter, and chocolate flavors all complemented each other quite well. But that's no surprise. :)</div>
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If you have extra Halloween candy lying around like we do, definitely give this bread a try! </div>
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And I also wanted to take a moment to wish my wonderful husband a very happy second wedding anniversary today! Hard to believe that we tied the knot two years ago already. What a lucky lady I am to have him in my life. For fun, I was looking back at some of my <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/p/wedding-related-posts.html">Wedding Wednesday posts</a> and remembering what a special day we had. The past two years have been amazing, but I also have a feeling that the best is yet to come! ♥♥♥</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-88919714575907837112014-10-07T20:06:00.002-04:002014-10-07T20:06:47.076-04:00Crockpot Applesauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi808l8lOwLfk5-qhPNlNPM8hyphenhyphend-dbY0gZVTlWU70jbd_J6oTVqo-baV3evXdlTLV_RFCTEFFfIYOLY4TyhaxYrWwiYGJ32YU5nHMwmJw5cn5ZOpkYa689Db1Z4QKHpPdhbxz7dPVrN4OcG/s1600/P1100295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi808l8lOwLfk5-qhPNlNPM8hyphenhyphend-dbY0gZVTlWU70jbd_J6oTVqo-baV3evXdlTLV_RFCTEFFfIYOLY4TyhaxYrWwiYGJ32YU5nHMwmJw5cn5ZOpkYa689Db1Z4QKHpPdhbxz7dPVrN4OcG/s1600/P1100295.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Life right now may be the busiest I can ever remember it...and this is still <i>before</i> the baby is even here! Life is only going to get busier. So, I know that I need to be armed and ready with easy recipes in the coming months. Enter our good friend, the crock pot!</div>
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Last weekend I made a delicious sweet potato apple soup in the crock pot (<a href="http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/10/02/recipe-slow-cooker-sweet-potato-apple-soup/">this recipe here</a> from <a href="http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/">100 Days of Real Food</a>). And last week I made this great crock pot applesauce recipe that I'm about to share with you. Seriously, I may never make applesauce on the stove again!</div>
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Apple season is passing quickly, so I wanted to be sure to share this with you sooner than later. If you've recently gone apple picking or have plans to go soon this fall, make this applesauce with all those delicious, fresh apples you pick! I would imagine you can freeze this too, although I didn't (we ate it too fast!). And, if you know how to can, you could probably can this as well.</div>
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<a href="http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/crock-pot-applesauce/">The recipe</a> is from <a href="http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/">My Baking Addiction</a>. The original recipe called for about 12 medium apples, but I used 16. And I still used the same amount of brown sugar (1/3 cup) called for in the original recipe. I thought the sauce was plenty sweet (but not overly so). Of course, it may depend on which types of apples you use (I used a combo of Cortland, Macintosh, and Macoun). So, feel free to taste it along the way and adjust the sugar as needed! Also, the recipe calls for "apple pie spice." Honestly, I just eyeballed the spices that I added! I added a combo of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, I believe (and the overall amount was probably closer to 3 tsp., not 1 and 1/4 tsp.). I also added 4 or 5 whole cinnamon sticks (that I removed at the end!). Oh, and I added some apple cider too, just because... No need to though (the original recipe does not call for it).</div>
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<u>Ingredients</u>:</div>
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-4 pounds of apples (about 16 medium)</div>
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-1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar</div>
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-2 to 3 tsp. apple pie spice</div>
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-4 or 5 cinnamon sticks</div>
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-1/2 cup apple cider</div>
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<u>Instructions</u>:</div>
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Combine all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on high for 5 hours. If desired, taste the applesauce about an hour before it's done to test for sweetness. Add more sugar and/or spices if you'd like. </div>
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If you like slightly chunky applesauce (as mine turned out in the pictures), just stir and mash the apples with a spoon or potato masher. It will be very easy to make it into applesauce, I promise; the apples cook down quite nicely. If you like a smoother applesauce, let the sauce cool and then transfer it to a blender or food processor to puree until smooth. Store applesauce in airtight container in fridge (for up to 10 days) or in freezer (for up to 6 months).</div>
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This is good stuff, friends! If you love
homemade applesauce and are looking for a ridiculously easy way to make
it, this recipe is for you.</div>
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I think I may need to go apple picking again just so I can make another batch!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLxrEt_S9WIN_607ha7Auj4oJb0-Be-l6OH_g3FdUh8Z_8GJQErqRtEtfa3asnYNcCUHMnbg65OQPz4um585pIun7SPkXLsqslNr5ERthf9BRVMy4c6fthyphenhyphenfejDd2Lt7VQqrYiIuS-cGS/s1600/P1100297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLxrEt_S9WIN_607ha7Auj4oJb0-Be-l6OH_g3FdUh8Z_8GJQErqRtEtfa3asnYNcCUHMnbg65OQPz4um585pIun7SPkXLsqslNr5ERthf9BRVMy4c6fthyphenhyphenfejDd2Lt7VQqrYiIuS-cGS/s1600/P1100297.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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And once you've made this applesauce, you can go make my <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2014/10/cinnamon-swirl-apple-bread.html">cinnamon swirl apple bread recipe</a> since it calls for applesauce!</div>
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:)</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-75959863233822632892014-10-01T17:42:00.003-04:002014-10-02T08:43:24.992-04:00Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And once again, looong time no blog! Another month and a half has gone by since <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2014/08/ive-been-little-busy.html">my last post</a>. Oops! I know I said this <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2014/08/ive-been-little-busy.html">last time</a>, but honestly, life has never been busier. We finally moved into our new house (yay!) a few weeks ago, so the process of moving, unpacking, and attempting to get settled has been taking up much of our time. Not to mention the crazy busy schedules we keep in normal life...and also not to mention getting ready for <b><i>baby</i></b>!!! Every day, the to-do list only grows and doesn't get shorter. Blogging is always on my list but somehow it always gets pushed to the bottom, sadly.</div>
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I have enjoyed baking a number of Barbershop goodies thus far in our new kitchen, and so far, so good! Everything's been turning out great. Oh, and here are a few pics of the new kitchen. :) There are a few final touches we need to do still (paint some of the trim white, touch up some paint spots under the cabinets, etc.) but it's pretty much DONE!!<br />
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One of the first recipes I wanted to share with you is this delicious cinnamon swirl apple bread that I made last weekend after we went apple picking. I made these cute little mini loaves to give to some of our new neighbors. But don't worry, we kept a couple for ourselves too. :) Ya gotta taste test, right?! This quick bread recipe is easy, moist, and flavorful. And oh-so-fall-like. I am in full fall baking mode these days, and I love it. Everything I've made over the past two weeks has been with either pumpkin or apples! </div>
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<a href="http://www.a-kitchen-addiction.com/cinnamon-swirl-apple-bread/">The recipe</a> is from <a href="http://www.a-kitchen-addiction.com/home/">A Kitchen Addiction</a>. And I followed the recipe pretty closely too (usually I tweak a few things). I did not add the glaze on top of the bread, but feel free to if you'd like that added touch of sweetness. The bread was plenty sweet on its own, we thought. But, sometimes a glaze can really make a bread come together. So, the glaze is your call!</div>
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<b>Ingredients</b>:</div>
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<u>For the bread</u>: </div>
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-1 cup whole wheat flour</div>
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-1 cup white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour</div>
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-3/4 cup sugar</div>
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-2 tsp. baking powder</div>
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-1/2 tsp. baking soda</div>
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-1/2 tsp. salt</div>
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-1 tsp. cinnamon</div>
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-1/4 tsp. nutmeg</div>
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-1/8 tsp. ginger</div>
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-1/8 tsp. cloves (this was my addition)</div>
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-1 cup low fat buttermilk</div>
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(feel free to use powdered buttermilk; follow the package's instructions)</div>
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-1 egg</div>
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-1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce</div>
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-1 and 1/2 to 2 cups chopped apples (peeled or not; your choice)</div>
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<u>For the swirl</u>:</div>
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-2 Tbsp. sugar</div>
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-1 Tbsp. brown sugar</div>
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-2 tsp. cinnamon</div>
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-1/2 tsp. nutmeg</div>
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-1/8 tsp. ginger</div>
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-1/8 tsp. allspice </div>
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<u>For the glaze</u>:</div>
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-1/2 cup confectioner's sugar</div>
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-1 Tbsp. milk</div>
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<b>Instructions</b>:</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray (or mini loaf pans). In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and applesauce. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir until just combined. Fold in chopped apples. In a small bowl, mix together the "swirl" ingredients.</div>
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Pour about 1/3 of batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cinnamon sugar swirl mixture. Repeat with the remaining batter and swirl mixture until both are gone. Carefully swirl a knife through the batter crosswise.</div>
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If using the traditional 9 x 5 loaf pan, bake for about 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If using mini loaf pans, start checking for doneness around 20 minutes or so. Allow bread to cool on wire rack for 20 minutes before removing from pan. If using glaze, mix together the sugar and milk, and pour glaze over warm bread. Makes 1 large loaf or about 10 mini loves. Enjoy!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYmC_vH4bLYYxEXnVb0matrNI1Q39pAcC89SCQSdE51j9Roq53ScJ6fjhyphenhyphenMmElkNsp3gv6pVzTQ0lI25Q0AfUz3xtF8nVQw7OCNccvAHLVTW8X4NYhs8ChCbuhpb3rkTVEecTocDeee7r/s1600/P1100168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYmC_vH4bLYYxEXnVb0matrNI1Q39pAcC89SCQSdE51j9Roq53ScJ6fjhyphenhyphenMmElkNsp3gv6pVzTQ0lI25Q0AfUz3xtF8nVQw7OCNccvAHLVTW8X4NYhs8ChCbuhpb3rkTVEecTocDeee7r/s1600/P1100168.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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The other great quality of this bread that I didn't mention earlier? It will make your home smell deeeelicious. Just. Like. Fall.</div>
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I made a couple mini bundt cakes as well for the hubs and me. Those were what we taste tested to make sure the recipe was worthy of sharing with our new neighbors. First impressions are important, you know! I wouldn't want to give a new neighbor anything sub-par for their first Barbershop treat experience.</div>
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Here's a picture of me at 34 weeks pregnant. Wow! I can't believe how quickly this baby is coming... Our due date is a month from today, in fact!</div>
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And of course, there's the hubs, attempting to be funny with his pumpkin baby belly... :)</div>
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I made an awesome applesauce recipe in the crock pot (!!) this past weekend. Hope to share that one with you next. And hopefully it'll be sooner than a month and a half from now...</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-37329430545073552082014-08-18T20:43:00.006-04:002014-08-18T20:43:54.945-04:00I've Been a Little Busy...<div style="text-align: center;">
It's been a month and ten days since I last blogged (yikes!!). Every week I say to myself, this is the week I'm going to share a great new recipe! But alas, the best laid plans... Life is a tad busy for us right now (and by a tad busy, I mean the busiest it's ever been that I can remember) so please forgive me for my lack of blogging. I'm still cooking and baking whenever I can but I just can't seem to find the time to take photos or share the recipes with you online! :(</div>
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The main two things keeping us insanely busy right now, for those of you who don't know, are...</div>
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1) A new HOUSE that includes a KITCHEN RENOVATION!!! So, so exciting.</div>
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and... </div>
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2) A BABY due to arrive in early November!! Also so, so exciting. :) </div>
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Soooo, here's a small sampling of photos of what our life has been consumed with (in a good way!) for the past few months...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPu2YhSX7Nx4qU0sDhp84f_xGILSd9kOeRXKeCNmQ1ehjsUPQdgHHlPkh9GGptznhnP6I6Nrpook-jPQO-QVBCoqvuh3ALrrDu65_r9ZfGGwmL-_RWdT8PNILX8ih3DpNj6wHvMafTL3Ce/s1600/P1090284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPu2YhSX7Nx4qU0sDhp84f_xGILSd9kOeRXKeCNmQ1ehjsUPQdgHHlPkh9GGptznhnP6I6Nrpook-jPQO-QVBCoqvuh3ALrrDu65_r9ZfGGwmL-_RWdT8PNILX8ih3DpNj6wHvMafTL3Ce/s1600/P1090284.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a> </div>
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I can't believe how many decisions go into a kitchen renovation! It's been overwhelming at times but overall, it's pretty darn awesome! We are very thankful to have this opportunity to make the kitchen in our new home our own. I will most definitely be sharing a blog post later on with all the before and after pictures. It's a drastic transformation, let me tell you!! :)</div>
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And speaking of a gazillion decisions, my oh my do babies need a lot of items. :) Although creating a baby registry is also overwhelming, we've ultimately had a lot of fun with it and again, are so thankful to be in this amazing place in our lives! We are thrilled to meet our little one later this fall and are having a lot of fun getting ready for him or her (we didn't find out if it's a boy or girl!). If all goes as planned with the kitchen renovation and other changes/updates we're doing to the house, we should be moved in within a few weeks from now, which will give us about a month and a half before the baby arrives. <i>Plenty</i> of time to get settled, right? ;)</div>
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Can't wait to share more with you about the house, kitchen, and baby in the upcoming months!</div>
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But in the meantime, since this is a food blog after all, here are links to a couple recipes I've made lately that have been incredibly delicious. You've gotta try 'em!</div>
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<a href="http://www.mysanfranciscokitchen.com/watermelon-agua-fresca/">Watermelon Agua Fresca</a> from <a href="http://www.mysanfranciscokitchen.com/">My San Francisco Kitchen</a></div>
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This drink was so easy and ridiculously refreshing. Aaand pretty awesome for me since I can't drink alcohol right now. ;) We still have a few more weeks of summer so make sure to try this while the weather is still warm!</div>
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<a href="http://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/gluten-free-peanut-butter-breakfast-cookies/">Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies</a> from <a href="http://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/">Chelsea's Messy Apron </a></div>
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These are amazing. That's all you need to know. Try them!!!</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-57277394478460288502014-07-08T23:04:00.003-04:002014-07-08T23:04:47.251-04:00Peanut Butter Chocolate Flaxseed Energy Bites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocC13pvWxhHWIkMJd2WfVj6eOg3B_XDznCQLuGZhK85P_ekZjcBJ3hwZWwZDuaHvHWApPSwfeTQlAf7nWIL6mKV8xJlHxVWThEDw5V8w4lDf7oOhT07GCLOBy9Oe5Ig84ZgL91trmxdqT/s1600/P1090255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocC13pvWxhHWIkMJd2WfVj6eOg3B_XDznCQLuGZhK85P_ekZjcBJ3hwZWwZDuaHvHWApPSwfeTQlAf7nWIL6mKV8xJlHxVWThEDw5V8w4lDf7oOhT07GCLOBy9Oe5Ig84ZgL91trmxdqT/s1600/P1090255.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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My oh my, where does the time go??! So sorry for my big lapse since my latest post. Life is just crazy busy right now! And speaking of crazy busy, I turn to quick, easy, and healthy snacks when life is so busy that I barely have time to think. And quick, easy, and healthy is the recipe that I have for you today! These peanut butter chocolate flaxseed energy bites are a breeze to put together, and they're perfect for when you're on the go...go...go...go....</div>
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I adapted this recipe from <a href="http://www.handletheheat.com/2014/04/peanut-butter-chocolate-energy-bites.html#_a5y_p=1654895">Handle the Heat's recipe</a>. I could tell from the list of ingredients that I was going to love this recipe, and I was right! I played around with the original proportions a bit, and below is the list of ingredients I put into my version. But definitely check out the original recipe too in case you want to follow that one. They're both pretty similar in the end! This made about 24 1-inch to 1.5-inch bites for me.</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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-1 and 1/2 cup regular oats</div>
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-2/3 cup <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Essentials-Organic-Essential-Flaxseed/dp/B00012NHAC">ground flaxseed</a></div>
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-1 cup peanut butter</div>
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-1/3 cup honey</div>
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-1 tsp. cinnamon</div>
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-1/2 cup chocolate chips</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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In a medium bowl, stir together all the ingredients with a spoon or spatula (or your hands!) until thoroughly combined. Cover the mixture and let chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so that the dough is firm and less sticky (i.e., easier to form into balls!). Once the dough is ready, form into balls about 1 to 1.5-inches in diameter. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You could also freeze these for up to 1 month.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliAgY_6FPcGmEeQEB_beUQLgMpGuAV0hWg7JR-hG7NbbhYjxplEiuT6Mz-iTNFm9OiK7Bzl-qEUegXXkrDDGqUJQHveofE0aDhmBwatXAGhpmjZYFEs5lQaKK_PIlKojfMB2f1rjtU-NE/s1600/P1090251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliAgY_6FPcGmEeQEB_beUQLgMpGuAV0hWg7JR-hG7NbbhYjxplEiuT6Mz-iTNFm9OiK7Bzl-qEUegXXkrDDGqUJQHveofE0aDhmBwatXAGhpmjZYFEs5lQaKK_PIlKojfMB2f1rjtU-NE/s1600/P1090251.JPG" height="494" width="640" /></a></div>
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I <i>love </i>these little guys! They're so cute, aren't they? What's not to love about cute, delicious, easy, and healthy?! You could definitely play around with the ingredients in this recipe too. Maybe try almond butter instead of peanut butter, or craisins instead of chocolate chips. Be creative!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8JXMfva0IaMWghZaRp9bfoo6SIrw9K_liPGEU4jMqJQSAHRK5xv9QdcEu7_SXAonEasFPS9qi4G_wXHzBt4ofKdoy0r_Ljxt6Ufc74bfT-GIUgyYgrJGxDq642eR8e3axVzXoN99EIjG/s1600/P1090257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8JXMfva0IaMWghZaRp9bfoo6SIrw9K_liPGEU4jMqJQSAHRK5xv9QdcEu7_SXAonEasFPS9qi4G_wXHzBt4ofKdoy0r_Ljxt6Ufc74bfT-GIUgyYgrJGxDq642eR8e3axVzXoN99EIjG/s1600/P1090257.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I personally think these taste best when stored in the fridge. When they're cold, they taste that much better to me for some reason! These are great to have on hand for that afternoon slump at work, for a quick snack before or after a workout, or for the kids when they come inside after playing out in the summer sun.</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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:)</div>
Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-70158002971786141462014-06-18T18:03:00.000-04:002014-06-18T18:03:27.702-04:00Snickerdoodle Sprinkle Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLYtqo6slHuWl5S0XQubJDQLfPilM-sy2wzruTdAhdMN4L0Q2wdjOXjjhM_q6BfJn7ScFlGoWNtutTaUm9gMteRDoASPlOco9HUq_SNse22jojt6lbrQCOr2LPNRbjxJeJjx_-j1i36Owv/s1600/P1090127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLYtqo6slHuWl5S0XQubJDQLfPilM-sy2wzruTdAhdMN4L0Q2wdjOXjjhM_q6BfJn7ScFlGoWNtutTaUm9gMteRDoASPlOco9HUq_SNse22jojt6lbrQCOr2LPNRbjxJeJjx_-j1i36Owv/s1600/P1090127.jpg" height="640" width="473" /> </a></div>
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Hey look! I actually made a recipe and photographed it! As I said before, despite the lack of blog posts lately, I've still been busy in the kitchen; I just haven't been taking many pictures or writing about the recipes. But, this cookie recipe was <i>way too good </i>to not share. Boy, was it a hit! And when you stop and think about it, it's easy to see why it is such a hit...chewy, soft cookies filled with sprinkles and rolled in cinnamon sugar goodness. Yes, please!</div>
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<a href="http://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2014/02/soft-chewy-snickerdoodle-sugar-cookies.html">The recipe</a> is from Joanne over at <a href="http://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/">Eats Well with Others</a>, a wonderful blog I've been following for quite some time. Her recipes always sound amazing, her photography is beautiful, and she always has a funny story to tell besides!</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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-1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</div>
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-1 tsp. cream of tartar</div>
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-1 tsp. baking powder</div>
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-1/2 tsp. baking soda</div>
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-1/4 tsp. salt</div>
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-1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature</div>
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-1 and 1/2 cups sugar, divided</div>
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-1 large egg</div>
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-2 tsp. vanilla</div>
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-3/4 cup sprinkles</div>
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-3/4 tsp. cinnamon</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Add in the flour mixture in three additions, mixing each time until completely combined. Mix in the sprinkles until well distributed.</div>
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In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar with the cinnamon. Scoop the cookie dough into balls of about 2 to 3 teaspoons of dough. Roll balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, leaving at least one inch between cookies on the sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the centers are set. They may not look completely cooked, but don't worry; they will continue to cook as they cool. Let sit for 5 minutes on cookie sheets before removing to cool completely on cooling rack.</div>
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Seriously, these cookies are amazing. You will love 'em. I promise! :)</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-3508974259430328802014-06-04T19:18:00.000-04:002014-06-04T19:18:47.262-04:00Lately...<div style="text-align: center;">
Lately I have been doing everything <i>but</i> blogging! Luckily though, I've been keeping track of the foods I've made and loved so that I can still share them with you. You gotta love Pinterest! I have a <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/cbarber15/i-pinned-it-and-i-did-it/">"I Pinned it...AND, I Did it!" board</a>, where I put all new recipes that I've made, usually with some quick notes about how I liked them, how I altered them, etc. So I thought it would be fun today to share a few recent recipes that I've made and really enjoyed (and kept track of through <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/cbarber15/i-pinned-it-and-i-did-it/">Pinterest</a>).</div>
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<a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/lemon-poppy-seed-muffins/">Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins</a> from <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/">Two Peas and their Pod</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(photo <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/">source</a>)</span></div>
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Yum! I brought these muffins to work for an occasion with coworkers, and everyone loved them. They would be a great addition to any brunch. I found poppy seeds in the bulk section at Whole Foods (I had never purchased poppy seeds before!). Because I needed so few, they cost next to nothing. Just thought I'd share that little tip in case you've never bought poppy seeds either. ;)</div>
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<a href="http://natashaskitchen.com/2010/05/31/broccoli-grape-cucumber-salad/">Broccoli Grape and Cucumber Salad</a> from <a href="http://natashaskitchen.com/">Natasha's Kitchen</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(photo <a href="http://natashaskitchen.com/">source</a>)</span></div>
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With summer just around the corner, you'll probably be needing recipes to bring to family and friends' bbq's, and you'll be looking for easy recipes that don't require turning on the stove or oven. This salad serves both of those purposes! It's healthy, refreshing, and a breeze to put together. I did change the recipe slightly though by adding toasted pumpkin seeds instead of sunflower seeds and by adding about one half cup of craisins (not called for in the original recipe). Also, I changed the dressing recipe by using plain greek yogurt instead of mayo.</div>
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<a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/whole-wheat-toasted-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/">Whole Wheat Toasted Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies</a> from <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/">Two Peas and their Pod</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(photo <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/whole-wheat-toasted-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/">source</a>)</span></div>
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I loved these cookies. They were soft and chewy, which I love, and the toasted oats add a nice nutty flavor. And really, can you ever go wrong with a chocolate chip cookie? I don't think so. :)</div>
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<a href="http://www.steamykitchen.com/20966-cauliflower-mashed-potatoes-recipe.html">Cauliflower Mashed "Potatoes"</a> from <a href="http://www.steamykitchen.com/">Steamy Kitchen</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(photo <a href="http://www.steamykitchen.com/20966-cauliflower-mashed-potatoes-recipe.html">source</a>)</span></div>
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A great alternative to mashed potatoes, this mashed cauliflower recipe was a fun new dish to try. Mike and I both really liked it! Maybe you could even fool your kids into thinking they're potatoes. ;) The recipe calls for sour cream, but I didn't have any on hand, so I used plain greek yogurt instead, which worked great. And also, I added some feta cheese (not called for in the original recipe), and that was a great addition for some extra flavor!</div>
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What are some of your favorite recipes you've made lately? Fill me in on anything amazing that I should try to! :)</div>
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Happy June! Hope to be back on the blog again soon.</div>
Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-87266405651621776842014-05-11T20:40:00.002-04:002014-05-11T20:40:14.544-04:00Maple Candied Bacon: Taking Brunch to a Whole New Level<div style="text-align: center;">
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Greetings, friends! It's Colleen from the Barbershop...remember me? I am embarrassed to say that I haven't blogged in a month! Crazy. I've still been cooking and baking up a storm in the kitchen, but blogging has been on the back burner for a while (pun intended ;)). Thanks for understanding. I'm hoping to slowly get back into it and get back to posting at least once a week if I can.</div>
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So, onto this next amazing recipe! Maple candied bacon. You thought you loved bacon before. Well, I challenge you to think again. This recipe bring bacon (and breakfast/brunch!) to a whole new level. Wow. My husband Mike made an amazing brunch for his mom this past weekend on Mother's Day, and on the menu was this bacon. We all LOVED it. It's great for a special occasion! If you want to impress your guests or if you're an invited to a party and want to impress the host or hostess, bring this bacon. Everyone will love it; I guarantee it!</div>
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The recipe is really quite simple. First you marinade the bacon slices in a delicious mixture of sweet and savory/smoky ingredients. Then, you bake it! Finally, you eat. It's that simple. :) When we saw the title of this recipe as maple "candied" bacon, we were worried it might be too sweet. But it definitely wasn't! The flavors were the perfect balance of sweet and savory. <a href="http://www.theclevercarrot.com/2012/12/maple-candied-bacon/">The original recipe</a> is from the <span id="goog_661458861"></span><a href="http://www.theclevercarrot.com/">Clever Carrot</a><span id="goog_661458862"></span>. Check out the photos of the bacon on her site...beautiful!</div>
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-1 lb. good quality bacon (we used 10 slices of thick-cut)</div>
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-2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup (you <i>have</i> to use the good stuff!)</div>
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-1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark) </div>
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-2 tsp. Dijon mustard</div>
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-1/2 tsp. Kosher salt</div>
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-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with a wire rack. In a large bowl, add the maple syrup, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, and cayenne pepper; mix well. Add the bacon to the bowl and toss with your hands until all the bacon is evenly coated. Place the bacon on a single layer on the wire rack. Bake in the center of the oven for about 20 minutes. The bacon may be brown after 20 minutes, but it will need to bake for 10 to 15 minutes more after that. Continue to check it to be sure it's not burning, but it will likely need at least 30 minutes total of bake time (ours took 35 minutes total). It should look slightly dark and be crispy. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on rack. Don't let the bacon sit too long or it may stick. Serve at room temperature.</div>
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This is one of those "dress to impress" recipes. It seems complicated but it's really not! And the flavors are truly amazing together.</div>
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What a meal we had this morning. I'm so lucky that I married a man who can cook. :) We enjoyed this delicious candied bacon, an amazing garden veggie frittata, and decadent challah french toast with fresh berries and maple syrup. Oh, and orange mango prosecco mimosas.</div>
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So. Good.</div>
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Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mothers out there!! :) </div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-8041534647014950582014-04-13T21:31:00.002-04:002014-04-13T21:31:15.311-04:00Avocado Feta Dip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This avocado feta dip <i>belongs in your life</i>. I actually feel badly that I haven't shared this with you sooner. I discovered this recipe a few months ago and have made it several times since. Yet somehow, until this last time I made it, I hadn't taken any pictures of it! So I finally made sure to snap a few quick pics so I could write a blog post about it. </div>
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If you love avocados like we do, or you're a fan of guacamole, then you really need to give this dip a try. It's a nice change-up from a traditional guacamole, yet it's similar enough that if you eat it, you feel like you're getting your guac fix. ;)</div>
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This super simple <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/avocado-feta-dip/">recipe</a> comes from <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/">Two Peas and Their Pod</a>. You can find the <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/avocado-feta-dip/">original recipe here</a>. The ingredients below are the ones I use when I make this. I don't add the jalapeno or cilantro that are called for in the original recipe because they're not my favorite ingredients... BUT, if you like them, definitely add them!</div>
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-2 avocados, peeled and pit removed</div>
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-1/2 cup feta cheese</div>
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-1/4 cup diced onion</div>
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-2 cloves garlic, minced</div>
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-juice of 1 lime (or 1/2 lime, depending on your taste preferences)</div>
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-salt and pepper, to taste </div>
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Instructions:</div>
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In the bowl of a food processor, place the avocados, feta, onion, garlic, and lime (I'd recommend starting with juice of 1/2 lime first, then add more as you go, depending on how "lime-y" you want it to be). Blend until creamy and smooth, adding more lime if you wish. Add salt and pepper to taste; blend a little bit more. Serve with pita chips, tortilla chips, crackers, veggies, etc. Enjoy! Makes about 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups of dip.</div>
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At our house, we loooove this dip. I've brought this to friends' houses too a few times now, and they've all loved it as well. And, it's not only great as a dip with chips or veggies, but it's also great as a sandwich spread, Or, sometimes I even just simply spread some on toast for a snack! Delicious. </div>
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Have a great start to your week, everyone!!</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-31180628290512271392014-03-31T20:36:00.000-04:002014-03-31T20:36:07.643-04:00Sweet Potato Bacon Hash with Fried Eggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello! I have another easy dinner (or breakfast!) recipe for you today. I just realized I haven't shared many dessert recipes with you yet in 2014. Sorry about that! Hope you don't mind. Hopefully I'll have more dessert recipes for you this spring. :)</div>
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Mike and I enjoyed this sweet potato bacon hash with fried eggs as an easy weeknight meal. However, you could certainly enjoy this for breakfast or brunch too. Eggs work for any meal, in my opinion! This recipe is incredibly simple and comes together pretty quickly (about 30 minutes, start to finish). <a href="http://www.laurenslatest.com/fried-eggs-sweet-potato-bacon-hash/">This recipe</a> from <a href="http://www.laurenslatest.com/">Lauren's Latest</a> was the inspiration for this dish. The only thing I really did differently was add in some mushrooms and grape tomatoes to increase our vegetable intake! :) I did not, however, add the jalapeno that the recipe calls for. The recipe serves two, but you could easily increase the quantities of the different ingredients to serve more people. It's a pretty straightforward dish! And of course, you could make this meatless by omitting the bacon.</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
-2 slices bacon</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-1 Tbsp. olive oil</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-1 small or medium yellow onion, diced</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-1 medium sweet potato (peeled if desired), diced into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-other vegetables (e.g., tomatoes, mushrooms), if desired </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-salt and pepper to taste</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-1/2 Tbsp. butter</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-2 eggs</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Instructions:</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Cook bacon until crispy and transfer to plate lined with a paper towel to remove excess grease. In medium pan over medium heat, drizzle olive oil, and saute onion and sweet potatoes until the potatoes are fork tender and are browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. If adding vegetables that won't take as long to cook, such as tomatoes and mushrooms, add them later on during the cooking (maybe with about 5 minutes left; use your best judgment). Season veggie mixture with salt and pepper to taste (and other herbs, if desired).</div>
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In a medium nonstick skillet, melt butter. Fry eggs until yolks are done to your liking. Divide sweet potato hash between two dishes, top with fried eggs, and crumble bacon over top. Feel free to add some shredded cheese on top too! Enjoy. :)</div>
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This really is such an easy meal. And it tasted so good! We both loved it. The sweetness of the potatoes paired nicely with the salty bacon and egg. Mmmmm. </div>
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I think this dish might make it into our dinner rotation again soon. It's too good not to have again! </div>
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Do you make eggs for dinner sometimes? If so, I'd love to hear your favorite egg for dinner recipes! I'm always looking for new ways to enjoy eggs. :)</div>
Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-83945885810491214102014-03-25T21:04:00.001-04:002014-03-25T21:04:06.110-04:00Spinach and Avocado Greens Pasta with Roasted Grape Tomatoes<div style="text-align: center;">
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I am <i><b>obsessed</b></i> with this recipe. It's by far my new favorite dinner. I've made it twice in the past few weeks, and I've had to restrain myself from making it more often...for variety's sake. But I can easily say that I'd be happy to eat this at least once a week, if not more! It's that good.<br />
<br />
A couple things in particular that I love about this dish are how
healthy it is and how filling it is! And, in the grand scheme of dinner
recipes, it's fairly easy too. There are several steps to make this meal, but they're all easy; I promise. Also, the dish is meatless, which is another added
bonus (for me personally - I don't always love cooking meat!). And also
because it's meatless, it's perfect for the Lenten season if you are
someone who happens to be observing the practice of not eating meat on
Fridays.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.annies-eats.com/2013/06/04/great-greens-pasta/">recipe</a> is from <a href="http://www.annies-eats.com/">Annie's Eats</a>. I only adapted the <a href="http://www.annies-eats.com/2013/06/04/great-greens-pasta/">original recipe</a>
slightly. I did not add the greek yogurt to the green "sauce," although
I'm sure it would be yummy. The first time I made the dish, I tasted
the sauce before adding the yogurt and liked it as is, so I decided to
omit the yogurt. But definitely add it if you'd like! And also, both
times I've made this I've used feta cheese in lieu of parmesan cheese.
Below are the ingredients I used both times I made the dish.<br />
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<u>Ingredients</u>:<br />
<br />
For the tomatoes:<br />
-1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes (halved or whole - your call)<br />
-1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil<br />
-salt and pepper to taste<br />
<br />
For the pasta:<br />
-12 to 16 oz. whole wheat pasta (I recommend linguine)<br />
-2 Tbsp. olive oil<br />
-1 medium yellow onion, chopped<br />
-3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced<br />
-1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (add more if you want a bigger spice kick)<br />
-approx. 5 to 6 cups of loosely packed baby spinach leaves<br />
-1 and 1/2 to 2 avocados, split and pitted<br />
-6 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves, packed<br />
-1/2 cup feta cheese<br />
<br />
<u>Instructions</u>:<br />
<br />
To
roast the tomatoes, preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a rimmed baking
sheet, combine tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper, tossing well to
coat tomatoes. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
Remove from oven and let cool.<br />
<br />
In a large pot, bring
water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1
cup of pasta water, and then drain pasta. While the pasta is cooking,
heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan over medium-high
heat. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened,
about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute
more. Add spinach to pan, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low (it's
okay to add spinach in batches if it doesn't all fit at once). Stir
occasionally until all the spinach has fully wilted.<br />
<br />
In
a food processor or blender, combine the spinach mixture with the
avocado, basil, and feta. Adding a splash of reserved pasta water at a
time, processing mixture until smooth, adding more water as needed along
the way. You will likely end up needing 1/4 to 3/4 cup of water total,
depending on your other ingredients and your preferred sauce thickness.
Toss the sauce with noodles, and if necessary, return to stovetop to
reheat the mixture over low heat. Top with roasted tomatoes and more
cheese (feta, parmesan, or any other kind!), if desired. Enjoy! Makes 5
to 6 servings.<br />
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Did I mention that I love this recipe? I <b><i>love</i></b> this recipe. :) The second time I made this, I roasted red peppers with the tomatoes, and they were a great addition. Roast any other veggies you think might be yummy with this! Also, another great thing about this recipe? It tastes awesome as leftovers. The flavors really come together nicely on the second or third day... So it's a great recipe to make for dinner one night and then enjoy for lunch the next day!<br />
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I highly, highly recommend you give this recipe a try. It might even be fun around Christmas time with its green and red colors. :) Or, it might be a fun dinner (without the tomatoes ;)) for St. Patty's! If you have kids and are looking for new ways to incorporate veggies into their dinners, this would be a great recipe to try!<br />
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-55916346921703265462014-03-18T09:37:00.000-04:002014-03-18T09:37:02.564-04:00Herbed Parmesan Buttermilk Biscuits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitL-Aj3nTHm1K6PdPnfqHEOPtdykfOBuALepxolRim4dnxeKAmZpAzkG5S8lqqNXOLEZj-NoYdcMFW9ZldeaURSQJfvkwYmLBDxZgz25q1osoPtguVptBifqnf8E1BhHy_d8fuw381ZH7e/s1600/P1080815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitL-Aj3nTHm1K6PdPnfqHEOPtdykfOBuALepxolRim4dnxeKAmZpAzkG5S8lqqNXOLEZj-NoYdcMFW9ZldeaURSQJfvkwYmLBDxZgz25q1osoPtguVptBifqnf8E1BhHy_d8fuw381ZH7e/s1600/P1080815.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Homemade biscuits are one of my favorite goodies to bake. When I was young, whenever we were having biscuits with our dinner, my mom enlisted my help to make them. Lucky me! Back then I got my start baking biscuits with Bisquick, so making biscuits then involved fewer steps than making them from scratch, but still, my love of baking biscuits began many years ago and hasn't faded since!</div>
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I posted a delicious recipe for <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2014/01/crock-pot-sweet-potato-turkey-or-beef.html">garlic cheddar beer biscuits</a> a few weeks ago, and this recipe isn't <i>too</i> different. It simply uses buttermilk instead of beer and parmesan instead of cheddar! Otherwise, the recipes are fairly similar.</div>
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These herbed parmesan buttermilk biscuits are everything I love in a biscuit. Fluffy, flaky, and flavorful - the three fundamental f's of biscuits, apparently. :)</div>
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The recipe is adapted from these <a href="http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2013/03/parmesan-chive-buttermilk-biscuits.html">parmesan chive buttermilk biscuits</a> from <a href="http://www.goodlifeeats.com/eats">Good Life Eats</a>. I halved the recipe, and the half proportions are below. This makes about 8 to 10 biscuits. If you are feeding a crowd, feel free to double (or triple!) the recipe.</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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-2 cups all-purpose flour</div>
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-2 tsp. baking powder </div>
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-1/2 tsp. baking soda</div>
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-1/4 tsp. salt </div>
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-1 tsp. sugar</div>
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-1 stick (8 Tbsp.) very cold butter</div>
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-3/4 cup cold buttermilk</div>
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-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese</div>
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-2 tsp. dried herbs de provence</div>
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Using two knives, a pastry blender, or a cheese grater, cut the butter into small bits and work it into the dry ingredients. Stir in the parmesan and herbs. Form a well in the center, and add the buttermilk, stirring until moistened. On a well-floured surface, knead the dough until it comes together well and you can easily form it into a disc (it should not be sticky). Roll the dough (you can use your hands for this) to 1/2 to 3/4-inch thickness. Using a biscuit cutter or the top of a round drinking glass, cut the dough onto biscuits. Combine the dough scraps and form more biscuits, continuing until all the dough is used. Place biscuits on prepared baking sheets, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, checking after 10 minutes. The tops should be a light-medium golden brown. Enjoy!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEaWoIbf_53R7q46_7RJeoEa0vMo9I-bv4CEoAWiSFpEeT9nW3FQAZSmO5epHhXUearPnx1V2bFq_4rijk0cESltU5va64AE5BA72mPiXOPEFJRzBxFe8lEwwzOlD0IxJvifVK5cRyJE9/s1600/P1080808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEaWoIbf_53R7q46_7RJeoEa0vMo9I-bv4CEoAWiSFpEeT9nW3FQAZSmO5epHhXUearPnx1V2bFq_4rijk0cESltU5va64AE5BA72mPiXOPEFJRzBxFe8lEwwzOlD0IxJvifVK5cRyJE9/s1600/P1080808.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you'd like, you could use half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose. Also, you're welcome to use your favorite type of cheese instead of parmesan, and the types of herbs can easily be changed up as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3I0qfQkY34VgyVmd4nd472KSeOerlIHtbGKKX915GlmzO6IXyk43REd-YXUmeU3-dLPBOu3l59GWl1qNddRHh265ACjYOxlUDN7eVcaSkY-y6NnRRoh15GYWJb_4MEBi6IKanqeaLB4rK/s1600/P1080811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3I0qfQkY34VgyVmd4nd472KSeOerlIHtbGKKX915GlmzO6IXyk43REd-YXUmeU3-dLPBOu3l59GWl1qNddRHh265ACjYOxlUDN7eVcaSkY-y6NnRRoh15GYWJb_4MEBi6IKanqeaLB4rK/s1600/P1080811.JPG" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
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One night we enjoyed these biscuits with some beef stew I'd made in the crock pot. They go perfectly with soup or stew! And then we saved a few for the weekend to eat with our eggs. These biscuits are perfect for breakfast too. Oh my goodness. So good. The biscuits I made with the omelettes Mike made were the perfect pairing! We toasted the biscuits too - I highly recommend that!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9xPUkYSXrtPj3BJ5pTXr4ngVHNeha42q_VioCcqyDWxI4BDyG2Z0ftPC2C5vRI_8dhlFhQoCKVG6V4gePWNPWqQUFmyM4urOtelZEjkGJlepDqoxXpTy7cm-cauoXRnVjbGrF_z2IMMa/s1600/P1080814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9xPUkYSXrtPj3BJ5pTXr4ngVHNeha42q_VioCcqyDWxI4BDyG2Z0ftPC2C5vRI_8dhlFhQoCKVG6V4gePWNPWqQUFmyM4urOtelZEjkGJlepDqoxXpTy7cm-cauoXRnVjbGrF_z2IMMa/s1600/P1080814.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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My husband makes the BEST omelettes. As I'm writing this post, I'm getting hungry for one! And of course, I'm getting hungry for more biscuits too. I might have to make some more pretty soon. ;)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7hVfGRaHDu34IiLOLI5FQrrzNeGDFEuAWDCXQEXTkwHE1y0w767OW5m7Hj4z3PwgjxXwC6hBelLANWUDlkjhujVd2_eELDCuB9OIUwNKiX6eDpwXE4ZFxN99k6hu8o26rhcwPnGNg-ri/s1600/P1080819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7hVfGRaHDu34IiLOLI5FQrrzNeGDFEuAWDCXQEXTkwHE1y0w767OW5m7Hj4z3PwgjxXwC6hBelLANWUDlkjhujVd2_eELDCuB9OIUwNKiX6eDpwXE4ZFxN99k6hu8o26rhcwPnGNg-ri/s1600/P1080819.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-76729206156917305652014-03-12T21:46:00.000-04:002014-03-13T06:10:09.882-04:00Mocha Chip Cinnamon Rolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlSRHnvWELy1pRimpErdMkEwXiPolKKAAptKkkygug0buUPMKpruUUZU9_REYlSKVVfH7_mhg1_Vpnmt1Y8xpTN3rxUhlgoq-HclJwGZaABgC7qW_hHQRhKKGkFBy3RLN_VKm9vvYiS3W/s1600/P1080704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlSRHnvWELy1pRimpErdMkEwXiPolKKAAptKkkygug0buUPMKpruUUZU9_REYlSKVVfH7_mhg1_Vpnmt1Y8xpTN3rxUhlgoq-HclJwGZaABgC7qW_hHQRhKKGkFBy3RLN_VKm9vvYiS3W/s1600/P1080704.JPG" height="640" width="426" /> </a></div>
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Remember a couple weeks ago when I shared with you an <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2014/02/brown-sugar-cinnamon-topped-coffee-cake.html">amazing coffee cake recipe</a>? And I suggested that you add it to your next brunch menu? Well, I have another brunch <strike>requirement</strike> suggestion for you. Mocha chip cinnamon rolls. Holy cow are these babies delicious.</div>
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The <a href="http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2013/04/mocha-chip-cinnamon-rolls/">original recipe</a> is from <a href="http://insidebrucrewlife.com/">Inside BruCrew Life</a>. And an excellent recipe it is! What I love about this recipe is that it's a no-yeast, no-rise recipe. You can have these cinnamon buns on your brunch table in less than an hour!</div>
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There are some great step-by-step photos on <a href="http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2013/04/mocha-chip-cinnamon-rolls/">Inside BruCrew Life's post</a> about this recipe, so definitely check them out! Also, there is a coffee glaze that you can put on top of the cinnamon rolls should you so desire. I didn't make the glaze, and we found the rolls to be wonderfully flavorful as is and sweet, but not too sweet. If you're a glaze person though, by all means, go for it!</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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For the filling:</div>
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-3/4 cup brown sugar</div>
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-1/4 cup granulated sugar</div>
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-2 tsp. cinnamon</div>
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-1/4 tsp. nutmeg</div>
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-1 Tbsp. butter, melted</div>
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-1/2 cup mini chocolate chips</div>
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For the dough:</div>
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-2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</div>
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-2 Tbsp. sugar</div>
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-1 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder</div>
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-1/2 tsp. baking soda</div>
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-1/2 tsp. salt</div>
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-1 and 1/4 cups buttermilk</div>
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-2 Tbsp. instant coffee</div>
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-5 Tbsp. butter, divided</div>
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees. </div>
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Combine all filling ingredients in small bowl, and mix until it resembles coarse sand; set aside. Stir together the buttermilk and instant coffee; set aside.</div>
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Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the coffee buttermilk and two tablespoons of melted butter; mix until combined. Transfer the dough onto a well-floured surface. Knead about 10 times to get some of the extra flour incorporated into the dough. It might be sticky at first. Once the dough is easy to work with, press it (as best you can) into a rectangle about 16 by 10 inches. Spread the dough with two tablespoons of melted butter, and sprinkle evenly with the filling. Try to keep the filling away from the edge of the dough by an inch. Gently roll the dough (from one of the long sides) until it's in a log shape. Press the ends together and fold into the log. Cut into 9 even rolls.</div>
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Cover the bottom of an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 pan with one tablespoon of butter. Place rolls in the pan. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZ0ybmpfgQq8EuKqqghfkkXz8yuKfJUPFN-zq5s3ZARMJrS6KxdqJ8YrYNAg9USEtvBd7gdQOYoTfdw1DB-c-805AH-V7QyzNu3V5CFYwZZNgFXTHCbOEtcikLOvRvuOzNIVifqUblIT_/s1600/P1080703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZ0ybmpfgQq8EuKqqghfkkXz8yuKfJUPFN-zq5s3ZARMJrS6KxdqJ8YrYNAg9USEtvBd7gdQOYoTfdw1DB-c-805AH-V7QyzNu3V5CFYwZZNgFXTHCbOEtcikLOvRvuOzNIVifqUblIT_/s1600/P1080703.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Other than being very excited to share another great recipe with you, the other main reason I wanted to share this recipe is that I have a snowman mug in these pictures!!! I made these cinnamon rolls about a month ago, when at the time, we were smack dab in the middle of winter. And now spring is just a week away! Of course, just because spring is a week away on the calendar, it doesn't mean it's actually starting to feel like spring... 20 degrees and snow in Boston today!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHDbA3YdP8j8S39Gbg5MVXNEM_ileW18gb66cGzOzzeEo2i6hBCyk-P4qoH5r7X5bjN0clzfO_PUHhPLXIBNLfM7HqLl8SWhRWHz5MCc61hAtXiv3RmHfXvTpU4mMzvyJOQYLWnbqcpSU/s1600/P1080710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHDbA3YdP8j8S39Gbg5MVXNEM_ileW18gb66cGzOzzeEo2i6hBCyk-P4qoH5r7X5bjN0clzfO_PUHhPLXIBNLfM7HqLl8SWhRWHz5MCc61hAtXiv3RmHfXvTpU4mMzvyJOQYLWnbqcpSU/s1600/P1080710.JPG" height="640" width="426" /> </a></div>
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Although we may not be sure if winter will stick around for a while longer or if spring is coming soon, one thing we can be sure of is that these cinnamon rolls need to make an appearance in your life. ;)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNL60fPO1AYSKLW9zRZXMknXUdK34b9c-pFcdXhAMFX_9xXaMpu2eyVQ5obKF6-RgdbLnhUYZ9LJ476VpXEjpM7-bzsyI720WbNRSKm4FHqavH-YM-ucMoLodUA1vHSNm36AuKDn9m7N7u/s1600/P1080714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNL60fPO1AYSKLW9zRZXMknXUdK34b9c-pFcdXhAMFX_9xXaMpu2eyVQ5obKF6-RgdbLnhUYZ9LJ476VpXEjpM7-bzsyI720WbNRSKm4FHqavH-YM-ucMoLodUA1vHSNm36AuKDn9m7N7u/s1600/P1080714.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-20076408587904058622014-03-05T07:37:00.001-05:002014-03-05T07:37:10.827-05:00A Special Valentine's Day Dinner: Chicken Cordon Bleu with Prosciutto and Gruyere<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKVVHj3BHmMx2GybMIzevszPhnm5YTxalXhAiqw3WcRfNPTuLEOG2SwX5BR1NS55XXe6pjsdGVjvnNd1KGrS57GWkbga9RBFuh6DkIxCp6HiauyjTvtFajCISjs2LUqa1EN4ngNTtO598/s1600/P1080686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKVVHj3BHmMx2GybMIzevszPhnm5YTxalXhAiqw3WcRfNPTuLEOG2SwX5BR1NS55XXe6pjsdGVjvnNd1KGrS57GWkbga9RBFuh6DkIxCp6HiauyjTvtFajCISjs2LUqa1EN4ngNTtO598/s1600/P1080686.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I love my husband. Obviously. :) But one of the many reasons I love him is that he can cook! Mike is an excellent cook, and we are fortunate to love both cooking together and for each other! For Valentine's Day last month, Mike asked if he could cook dinner for me. And I think you can guess what my answer was... </div>
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He chose to make a "fancified" chicken cordon bleu recipe that was out of this world. Instead of the traditional ham and swiss, this recipe used prosciutto and gruyere. It is a recipe that contains many steps, and I'm so thankful that Mike was willing to put the time and effort into making such a special meal for me. The delicious meal and Mike's thoughtfulness made our 2014 Valentine's most memorable. ♥<br />
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Mike printed this recipe and couldn't remember where it came from. So I'm just repeating the recipe from his print out. :) </div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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For chicken:</div>
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-4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless</div>
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-4 thin slices prosciutto di Parma</div>
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-1/2 lb. gruyere, grated</div>
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-1/4 cup all-purpose flour</div>
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-salt and pepper</div>
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-1 cup panko bread crumbs</div>
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-4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only</div>
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-1 clove garlic, minced</div>
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-2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted</div>
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-2 eggs</div>
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-extra virgin olive oil</div>
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For sauce:</div>
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-3/4 cup white wine</div>
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-1 and 1/4 tsp. chicken broth</div>
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-1 and 1/4 cup heavy cream</div>
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-1 Tbsp. cornstarch</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-dash of paprika</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Lay the chicken, one breast at a time, between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove the top sheet of plastic and lay one slice of prosciutto neatly over the top to cover the breast and sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over the prosciutto. Tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tight like a jellyroll inside the plastic wrap. Squeeze the log gently to seal and twist both ends tight to form a nice log. Repeat with remaining chicken.</div>
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Season the flour with salt and pepper. Mix the bread crumbs with thyme, garlic, salt, pepper, and melted butter. The butter will help the crust brown. Beat together the eggs and season them slightly with salt and pepper as well. <br />
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Lightly coat a baking pan with olive oil or cooking spray. Remove the plastic wrap from the chicken. Lightly dust the chicken with flour, dip in the egg mixture, and gently coat in the bread crumbs. Carefully transfer the chicken to the pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until browned and cooked through.<br />
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For the sauce, in a small saucepan, over medium heat, warm the wine and chicken broth. Whisk to combine. In a small cup, whisk the cornstarch into the cream until smooth. Pour the cream into the saucepan very slowly, whisking until combined. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring the mixture until it thickens. Add a dash of paprika. Pour the cream sauce over the chicken when ready to serve.<br />
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Enjoy!</div>
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<br />
This meal would be a great option if you're trying to impress a date ;) or say a special thanks to a friend or family member for all that they do. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9o-7BW86zObeBjSMqNat3TYZ85WeXIL84k5cvU3g0T9CvoT-EN38Yp2gUG8VKGi2ztSDpiwiUZMMVpzd1fIKCjHFGhK43we0EbD3oFkI1K-jjtX1JuSgiG2JIacTZ-xhLPleDQKHFct9/s1600/P1080690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9o-7BW86zObeBjSMqNat3TYZ85WeXIL84k5cvU3g0T9CvoT-EN38Yp2gUG8VKGi2ztSDpiwiUZMMVpzd1fIKCjHFGhK43we0EbD3oFkI1K-jjtX1JuSgiG2JIacTZ-xhLPleDQKHFct9/s1600/P1080690.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
The flavors of this dish were awesome. The gruyere cheese and prosciutto were amazing together. And the breading couldn't have been more perfect! It was a decadent meal and oh-so-worth the calories. Is it possible to fall in love with your husband even more when he cooks a dish like this? :)<br />
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Hope everyone's having a good week and month of March thus far!</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-53111773280719852092014-02-25T09:30:00.001-05:002014-02-25T09:30:54.867-05:00Brown Sugar Cinnamon Topped Coffee Cake with Vanilla Glaze<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyE3trVhwJE83jkahGPDkqGXfxbUt-o4kTVmzK3R9lvIfwvlYV-5QUJfiu0I5vLtKb4KgXtZeC_fSwTzbKNqUD4HLISdUY41PGpGfzhss-H6GrCMQ9bEbsgEJowrsTWxCOZ_xtvFVMUVP/s1600/P1080772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyE3trVhwJE83jkahGPDkqGXfxbUt-o4kTVmzK3R9lvIfwvlYV-5QUJfiu0I5vLtKb4KgXtZeC_fSwTzbKNqUD4HLISdUY41PGpGfzhss-H6GrCMQ9bEbsgEJowrsTWxCOZ_xtvFVMUVP/s1600/P1080772.JPG" height="444" width="640" /></a></div>
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I love brunch. Egg dishes of all kinds, fruits, bacon, sausage, muffins, bagels, bread...you name it - I love it. But brunch wouldn't be brunch without coffee cake, right?</div>
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Right.</div>
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So, today I'm sharing with you my new favorite version of coffee cake: brown sugar cinnamon topped coffee cake with vanilla glaze.</div>
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Oh boy.</div>
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I made this coffee cake this past weekend for brunch with friends. Thankfully, it was a hit! </div>
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The <a href="http://www.averiecooks.com/2013/12/brown-sugar-topped-cinnamon-sugar-coffee-cake-with-vanilla-cream-cheese-glaze.html">cake</a> and <a href="http://www.averiecooks.com/2013/04/blueberry-and-jam-buttermilk-coffee-cake-with-buttery-vanilla-glaze.html">glaze</a> recipes are both from <a href="http://www.averiecooks.com/">Averie Cooks</a>. The original glaze recipe that goes with the brown sugar cinnamon coffee cake was a cream cheese glaze...but I decided to use Averie's <a href="http://www.averiecooks.com/2013/04/blueberry-and-jam-buttermilk-coffee-cake-with-buttery-vanilla-glaze.html">buttery vanilla glaze</a> instead. She uses that for her <a href="http://www.averiecooks.com/2013/04/blueberry-and-jam-buttermilk-coffee-cake-with-buttery-vanilla-glaze.html">blueberry and jam buttermilk coffee cake</a> (another recipe I'd love to try sometime!).</div>
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<u>Ingredients</u>:</div>
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For the brown sugar topping:</div>
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-1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened</div>
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-1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed</div>
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-3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour</div>
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-1 tsp. cinnamon</div>
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For the cake:</div>
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-1 cup all-purpose flour</div>
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-3/4 cup granulated sugar</div>
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-2 tsp. baking powder</div>
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-1 Tbsp. cinnamon (not a typo - yes, 1 TABLEspoon :))</div>
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-1 tsp. ground nutmeg</div>
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-pinch of salt</div>
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-1 large egg</div>
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-1/2 cup buttermilk*</div>
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-1/3 cup Greek yogurt</div>
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-3 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil</div>
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-2 tsp. vanilla extract</div>
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For the glaze:</div>
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-1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted</div>
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-1 cup confectioners' sugar (sifted)</div>
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-3/4 tsp. vanilla extract</div>
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<u>Instructions</u>:</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with cooking spray and set aside. For the brown sugar topping, combine all four ingredients in a small bowl, mixing with a fork until crumbly (some lumps will remain and that's okay).</div>
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, yogurt, oil, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry, stirring with a spoon or spatula until just combined; do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar topping evenly over top of the cake batter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove cake and place on cooling rack, cooling for at least 30 minutes before glazing.</div>
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For the glaze, melt the butter. To start, add about 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and the vanilla, and whisk to combine. Continue to add the remaining sugar and whisk until desired consistency is reached. If too thick, thin out by adding milk or cream, one half teaspoon at a time. Drizzle glaze over cake just before serving. If not serving entire cake immediately, only drizzle the glaze over the portion you are serving, and wait to drizzle the rest until closer to the time it will be eaten. If have any cake leftover with the glaze on it, store in the fridge. Makes 9 servings.</div>
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*For the buttermilk, if you don't have regular buttermilk, you can make your own with a few different methods:</div>
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<a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-quick-easy-buttermilk-substitute-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-185757">Combine milk and lemon juice or combine milk and white vinegar</a>.</div>
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Use buttermilk powder; add the powder with the dry ingredients and the water with the wet ingredients.</div>
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So if you don't have actual buttermilk on hand, have no fear! You have a few other alternatives.</div>
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Several months ago, I bought <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/dried-buttermilk-powder-16-oz">King Arthur Flour's dried buttermilk powder</a>, and <i>I love it</i>. It has completely solved my problem that occurs when I buy a quart of buttermilk when really all I need is a cup...and then if I don't have time to bake something else, the buttermilk goes to waste. :( Anyone else had that problem?! Powdered buttermilk is definitely a great solution! If you bake a lot, I highly recommend it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67V4TUZi3BaSJ8RWtxdehk4mBCsvSr-v8F9s5zZjmi2hPV2l2j7ghFoGFKzrOMhEdekNkvtC-4-Y4HmIrAjDk7wbYllrWiEYp0Its5R_P6LK_QmgK009Rg-MY3N43hZs0LWJawK3t0ke0/s1600/P1080769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67V4TUZi3BaSJ8RWtxdehk4mBCsvSr-v8F9s5zZjmi2hPV2l2j7ghFoGFKzrOMhEdekNkvtC-4-Y4HmIrAjDk7wbYllrWiEYp0Its5R_P6LK_QmgK009Rg-MY3N43hZs0LWJawK3t0ke0/s1600/P1080769.JPG" height="454" width="640" /></a></div>
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Back to this cake though... It's full of flavor, moist, sweet but not too sweet, and so, so easy to make.<br />
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This cake would make an excellent addition to any brunch table. Or, it would be a wonderful, simple breakfast on a lazy weekend morning. Served with a hot cup of coffee, I'd call this coffee cake "perfection." :)</div>
Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-63400859746811202822014-02-16T09:15:00.002-05:002014-02-16T09:15:43.688-05:00Sweet Potato Carrot Quinoa Soup<div style="text-align: center;">
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I've made this soup four times now. Finally, I am blogging about it and sharing it with you all. 'Bout time, I'd say! This soup is a real winner. It's easy, healthy, and filling...and oh-so-perfect for this brutal cold, snowy winter we're having!</div>
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The <a href="http://www.cookincanuck.com/2012/10/roasted-sweet-potato-soup-with-quinoa-recipe-dairy-free/">recipe</a> is from <a href="http://www.cookincanuck.com/">Cookin' Canuck</a>, a delightful blog with beautiful photography. If you want to see really lovely photos of this soup, check out <a href="http://www.cookincanuck.com/2012/10/roasted-sweet-potato-soup-with-quinoa-recipe-dairy-free/">her blog post</a> about it!</div>
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Since I've made this a few times now, I've adapted the recipe slightly. The ingredients below are what I typically use when I make it. If you decide to make this, be sure to read the recipe through all the way first. You'll want to keep in mind that the recipe calls for a cup of cooked quinoa. So, you could cook the quinoa as the sweet potatoes are roasting, or if you have leftover quinoa from another meal, keep it and use it for this soup!</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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-3 medium sweet potatoes</div>
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-1/2 large onion (or 1 medium), diced</div>
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-3 or 4 large carrots, diced</div>
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-2 garlic cloves, minced</div>
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-32 oz. chicken or vegetable stock (low sodium)</div>
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-1 cup water</div>
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-salt and pepper, to taste</div>
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-3/4 tsp. dried herbs de provence</div>
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-1 to 1 and 1/2 cups cooked quinoa</div>
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-shredded or grated cheese (your choice) to garnish, if desired</div>
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-pumpkin seeds to garnish, if desired</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash sweet potatoes and peel if desired (I do not peel them because I like the skin). Dice into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes. Do the same with the carrots (although I do peel my carrots). Place both sweet potatoes and carrots on large baking sheet and drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes.</div>
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With about 5 to 10 minutes remaining in the roast time for the sweet potatoes, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until tender. Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot, and slowly pour in chicken broth, water, and herbs de provence. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. If using a hand blender, blend soup right in the pot until vegetables are pureed. If using a regular blender, add soup to the blender but let it cool for 10 or 15 minutes before blending to puree it. If you find the soup to be too thick for your liking, add a little bit of water at a time and continue to blend. Return soup to pot over low heat and stir in cooked quinoa. Taste, and add salt and pepper, if desired.</div>
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When ready to serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with shredded (or grated) cheese and/or pumpkin seeds, if desired. Serve with your favorite crackers, bread, or just have the soup by itself! Makes 4 to 6 servings.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCoaJS98IWad3eLi8OCzNE0K1gLxoGGnFT2w1qNAym4FrkVyQ8nCxR0OgUZ2zvYba7X8Uj2kcObSPpFtFeq4Uu6vFhP5TI9u0oNXTbI6_SSN7DSpC49Y-K3bDqLZEKGazCtqmBY8Lp8Tu/s1600/P1080660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCoaJS98IWad3eLi8OCzNE0K1gLxoGGnFT2w1qNAym4FrkVyQ8nCxR0OgUZ2zvYba7X8Uj2kcObSPpFtFeq4Uu6vFhP5TI9u0oNXTbI6_SSN7DSpC49Y-K3bDqLZEKGazCtqmBY8Lp8Tu/s1600/P1080660.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you have time, I bet it would be yummy to toast your pumpkin seeds a bit too! We like to top our soup with both cheese and pumpkin seeds. :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5jg00R-7utQgdqoKz9SIqWFCDLPbQBGj3zWQvpYuqwOvKS2zrWeze6anYUQAPVrOBKD1hSUYunCTUfE1W5PU9gbi48dH2-D97Ocp9ZakHuTeb1THw-COjG1WRXItHJX2HUJhVRBHkkpR/s1600/P1080668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5jg00R-7utQgdqoKz9SIqWFCDLPbQBGj3zWQvpYuqwOvKS2zrWeze6anYUQAPVrOBKD1hSUYunCTUfE1W5PU9gbi48dH2-D97Ocp9ZakHuTeb1THw-COjG1WRXItHJX2HUJhVRBHkkpR/s1600/P1080668.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-67135895090374084752014-02-11T18:27:00.001-05:002014-02-11T18:27:10.012-05:00Spinach, Broccoli, Mushroom, and Ricotta Calzones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have another delicious dinner recipe for you! The last one I shared was my <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2014/01/crock-pot-sweet-potato-turkey-or-beef.html">crock pot sweet potato beef chili</a> (in case you missed it, you should probably check it out ;)), and now I have a calzone recipe for you. </div>
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We made these calzones last week on a night when our weekly meal plan said "pizza or calzones." Well, we haven't made calzones in quite some time, so they won out! And I'm glad they did.</div>
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The <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/kale-mushroom-and-ricotta-calzones/">recipe</a> I semi-followed is from <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/">Two Peas and Their Pod</a> for <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/kale-mushroom-and-ricotta-calzones/">kale, mushroom, and ricotta calzones</a>. I ended up adding a couple more veggies to the mix when I made these, but in general, I followed their technique for the most part. It's definitely a versatile recipe. Add whatever vegetables (and perhaps meat?) that you and your family like! The ingredients below are roughly what we added when we made our calzones.</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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-1 pound fresh pizza dough (homemade or store bought)</div>
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-1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus additional for brushing</div>
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-1/2 yellow onion, diced</div>
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-2 garlic cloves, minced</div>
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-2 cups fresh baby spinach</div>
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-8 oz. sliced white mushrooms</div>
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-1/2 large red pepper, diced</div>
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-1 small head broccoli, florets cut in halves</div>
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-1 cup ricotta cheese</div>
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-1 cup shredded three-cheese blend (asiago, fontina, parmesan)*</div>
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-1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese</div>
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-1/2 tsp. dried herbs de provence</div>
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-1/4 tsp. ground black pepper</div>
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-small pinch crushed red pepper flakes</div>
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-all-purpose flour for rolling pizza dough</div>
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-marinara/tomato sauce or diced tomatoes, for dipping</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Make sure pizza dough is already at room temperature. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. For the calzone filling, saute olive oil and diced onion over medium heat on stove, 3 to 4 minutes. Add minced garlic. Add the mushrooms, red pepper, and broccoli, sauteing for 5 to 7 more minutes. Add the spinach and cover pan; cook for 2 more minutes or until spinach is wilted. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, shredded cheese, and pecorino romano. Stir in the vegetable mixture, and then add all the spices.</div>
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Divide the dough into four equal portions and shape each portion into a ball. On your workspace, sprinkle flour. Roll each ball of dough out into a circle or oval, about 7 inches in diameter (just do the best you can with this!). Lightly brush the edges of each circle with water. Place desired amount (about 1/2 to 2/3 cup) of cheese/vegetable mixture on half of each circle, leaving an inch around the border. Gently fold the dough over so the edges meet, and press down around the edges with your fingers or a fork. Pierce the top of each calzone with a fork, and brush the top of each with a little extra olive oil. Repeat until the filling is used up.</div>
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Bake calzones for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving with warmed marinara/tomato sauce or diced tomatoes for dipping.</div>
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For dough, we used Whole Foods' whole wheat dough, which we love. We also love their multigrain dough, but they were all out when I went to buy it. Use whichever dough is your favorite - store bought or homemade! And you can certainly use your own favorite types of cheeses as well. The original recipe calls for shredded mozzarella, but we used a three-cheese blend that we buy at Whole Foods all the time. I do think that the ricotta is a necessary type to add to the calzones though. It made the calzones feel much more authentic to me for some reason...</div>
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Also, I did not do the best job ever of shaping the pizza dough to be as thin as I would have liked. As you can see in the pictures, the edges of the dough were a bit thick in spots. As I said above though, just do the best you can with your dough. These calzones will taste excellent, no matter the thickness of your dough! Pizza dough is pretty great in any size, shape, or form, in my opinion!</div>
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Adding some marinara sauce for dipping the calzones is a great idea. The reason I used diced tomatoes for dipping is simply because we had some leftover from a different dish we'd made earlier in the week. We definitely liked the addition of some tomato "sauce" for dipping and would highly recommend it. Although, as you can see from the photos, we didn't really dip...we put the tomatoes on top of our calzones... You get the idea though. Tomato "sauce" + calzones = a good thing. :)</div>
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Such an easy weeknight meal! We served these with side salads and were completely satisfied. I can't wait to make them again!</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-19203241121526548042014-02-06T21:12:00.001-05:002014-02-06T21:23:32.431-05:00Soft and Chewy Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I was a kid, I used to loooove brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts. I mean, LOVE. Although my pop tart eating days are long gone (I can't even remember the last time I ate one), I still adore the flavors of brown sugar and cinnamon together, especially when they're in a homemade baked goodie. :)</div>
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This <a href="http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/12/20/chewy-brown-sugar-cookies/">recipe</a> for brown sugar cinnamon cookies is from <a href="http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/12/20/chewy-brown-sugar-cookies/">Sally's Baking Addiction</a>. I've made several of her recipes before, as you may know, and they are always wonderful!</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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-2 cups all-purpose flour</div>
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-1 tsp. baking soda</div>
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-1 and 1/2 tsp. cornstarch</div>
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-1 tsp. ground cinnamon</div>
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-1/4 tsp. salt</div>
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-3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted</div>
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-1 and 1/4 cups dark brown sugar (light brown is okay)</div>
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-1 large egg, room temperature</div>
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-2 tsp. vanilla extract</div>
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-1/3 cup granulated sugar (for rolling)</div>
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-3/4 to 1 cup cinnamon baking chips (optional)</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Melt the butter and set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg, followed by the vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix together with a spatula or large spoon. If using, mix in the cinnamon chips. The dough will be soft and thick. Cover the dough and chill for 2 hours or overnight (or up to 3 days). You <i>must</i> chill the dough; do not skip this!</div>
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Take the dough out of the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 10 or 15 minutes if you've had it chilling for 2 hours or more. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.</div>
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Pour granulated sugar into a shallow bowl. Take 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball, and then roll in the sugar until coated. Place on cookie sheet. Continue until all the dough is used. Bake cookies for 8 to 9 minutes; remove from oven and press down very slightly with the back of a spoon or your fingers (this will help create a crinkle on top of your cookie). Place back into the oven for 1 to 2 more minutes. The cookies might look slightly underdone, but that's okay. Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheets for 10 minutes before placing on cooling racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container. Cookies will keep for 7 days. Makes about 20 to 24 cookies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIz-xVzMC7hEptho_R8w4Jav2RFHE34U2dQlNALueeYQ1Qhyh-LpbfvWpaJ9h62uTFCODNHYIafNUCG22jA9nwaCaektuKQTRjNuktfOrfu86FxS28lBMxCGnRBzVOPku9A_0VP0ybOQxz/s1600/P1080628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIz-xVzMC7hEptho_R8w4Jav2RFHE34U2dQlNALueeYQ1Qhyh-LpbfvWpaJ9h62uTFCODNHYIafNUCG22jA9nwaCaektuKQTRjNuktfOrfu86FxS28lBMxCGnRBzVOPku9A_0VP0ybOQxz/s1600/P1080628.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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These cookies are SO soft and chewy! Oh my goodness. And they practically melt in your mouth too. I think we finished these within 4 days, and by the fourth day, they were still super soft! </div>
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A few notes for you if you make these... The 3/4 to 1 cup of cinnamon chips is the amount I'd recommend for the entire batch of dough (Sally's original recipe did not call for the chips). I, however, made half of my cookie dough without the cinnamon chips and half with them, so I used closer to 1/2 or 2/3 cup, probably. Also, the original recipe only calls for 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon, but Sally recommends upping the amount to 1 tsp. if you like cinnamon. And since I love cinnamon, I added a whole teaspoon. Obvi. ;)</div>
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Finally, my cookies turned out to look quite a bit flatter than Sally's, and I can't figure out why that might be! I chilled the dough for a day and a half before baking it, so I don't think it's that. Hmmmm. Anyone have any thoughts for me??</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbATtIijIXygVYoT3IgVsE__x7sLuideDQ_24OZ7-OphD6lL_pKkZ8lpx7zvcE_-hzsQ-bXqfPyW_1jZsAb9reqxbhhOlvX40WAgDaFAUOFI4RswafaJ0slkAj0Wx5m7HQTXu53NVmJRac/s1600/P1080627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbATtIijIXygVYoT3IgVsE__x7sLuideDQ_24OZ7-OphD6lL_pKkZ8lpx7zvcE_-hzsQ-bXqfPyW_1jZsAb9reqxbhhOlvX40WAgDaFAUOFI4RswafaJ0slkAj0Wx5m7HQTXu53NVmJRac/s1600/P1080627.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Oh, and I highly recommend getting your hands on <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/sparkling-white-sugar-15-oz">King Arthur Flour's Sparkling White Sugar</a>. Love the stuff! I use it whenever I make cookies or goodies that are rolled in sugar. The bigger granules are awesome. And they sparkle too. What's not to love? :)<br />
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If you're snowed in this weekend or just don't want to go outside because it's soooo cooooold, I suggest you stay inside to bake these cookies. You'll be glad you did!</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-75019950051295993492014-01-26T12:47:00.000-05:002014-01-26T12:47:09.321-05:00Crock Pot Sweet Potato Turkey (or Beef) Chili and Garlic Cheddar Beer Biscuits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Gh7EiTvuJjmCiKHHbzd_5YR82VPLhywF4C4cCAnL0rKrTnvXareLNnFWCJay0fMClJkFOAVi0Le9Z-_sqBmLEA35_DJvaCmujuxc-W3a7QeXtRlAvLvLOu4ElGknTbtZyWQDPW4FQbi5/s1600/IMG_6793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Gh7EiTvuJjmCiKHHbzd_5YR82VPLhywF4C4cCAnL0rKrTnvXareLNnFWCJay0fMClJkFOAVi0Le9Z-_sqBmLEA35_DJvaCmujuxc-W3a7QeXtRlAvLvLOu4ElGknTbtZyWQDPW4FQbi5/s1600/IMG_6793.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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Are you experiencing the same frigid winter temperatures that we're experiencing in Boston (aka Polar Vortex 2)? If so, this slow cooker chili is for you! Side note: as I just typed, "slow cooker," I actually typed "cookie" instead of cooker. Guess cookies are always on my mind. :)</div>
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Aaaanyway, back to the slow COOKER chili. This recipe is a breeze! I made it twice in December but am only now getting around to blogging about it. I wanted to make sure to share it with you while there is still plenty of winter weather ahead of us. And in New England, we have <i>at least</i> two more months of it. ;)</div>
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<a href="http://www.catzinthekitchen.com/2013/09/slow-cooker-sweet-potato-and-turkey.html">This recipe</a> is from a blog, <a href="http://www.catzinthekitchen.com/">Catz in the Kitchen</a>. This is a great recipe to enjoy on a weekend day when you're busy running errands or getting household chores done...or, on a weekday when you've had a long day of work and don't have the time to cook dinner! Crock pots are seriously the best, aren't they?</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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-1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes</div>
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-1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes, with liquid</div>
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-1 can (15 oz.) black beans, with liquid</div>
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-1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, with liquid</div>
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-2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces</div>
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-1 medium onion, chopped finely</div>
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-2 garlic cloves, minced</div>
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-1 lb. ground turkey or beef, browned</div>
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-2 Tbsp. chili powder</div>
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-1 Tbsp. ground cumin</div>
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-2 tsp. smoked paprika</div>
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-1 Tbsp. brown sugar</div>
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-1/2 tsp. salt</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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In a medium-large skillet, brown the turkey or beef until cooked through. Pour into crock pot (a 5 or 6 qt. crock pot will do). Add the rest of the ingredients in the crock pot and stir until well combined. Place lid on crock pot and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. The chili will be done when the sweet potatoes are soft and fork tender. Makes 8 to 10 servings.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOx16cx4OJ3R0lzaw36klQdxWBlrSbKEiBpQkeD_wXv8TpiJPrIQgJfn6OFMZ98Fu3M-_WDsj56g9SDwIiwZkGlY3ujZEE9G3IqjXh9rB0SGEmGRbI2SkY8DU1UACcuNEkniI5qYy0wgel/s1600/IMG_6797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOx16cx4OJ3R0lzaw36klQdxWBlrSbKEiBpQkeD_wXv8TpiJPrIQgJfn6OFMZ98Fu3M-_WDsj56g9SDwIiwZkGlY3ujZEE9G3IqjXh9rB0SGEmGRbI2SkY8DU1UACcuNEkniI5qYy0wgel/s1600/IMG_6797.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I served this chili with some amaaazing garlic cheddar beer biscuits. Although these biscuits can't be made in the crock pot (darn!), they are incredibly easy and pair very well with this dish. So if you have the time, I highly suggest whipping up a batch of these biscuits to enjoy with this warm, hearty chili.</div>
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<a href="http://www.bakeyourday.net/garlic-cheddar-beer-biscuits/">The biscuit recipe</a> is from <a href="http://www.bakeyourday.net/">Bake Your Day</a>.</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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-2 cups self-rising flour*</div>
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-1 tsp. garlic powder</div>
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-1 tsp. baking soda</div>
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-1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, chilled</div>
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-4 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded</div>
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-8 oz. beer (pick your favorite!)**</div>
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-4 Tbsp. butter</div>
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-2 tsp. garlic powder</div>
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*Note: If you don't have self-rising flour, don't worry! You can make your own; that's what I did. Just follow <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/tips/homemade-self-rising-flour.html">this method from King Arthur flour</a> of mixing all-purpose flour with baking powder and salt.</div>
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**Also, if you prefer not to use beer, you can substitute milk.</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the self-rising flour, 1 tsp. garlic powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut in the chilled butter until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Stir in the cheese until well incorporated, followed by the beer.</div>
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Turn the mixture out onto a well-floured surface and knead for about 1 minute or until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky. Form into a round ball and roll or pat it down into a large circle about 1/2-inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter to cut dough into biscuits, and place them onto prepared baking sheets. Roll out scraps of dough again, and continue forming into biscuits until all dough is used.</div>
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Melt the additional 4 tablespoons of butter, and mix in the two teaspoons of garlic powder with the butter. Using a pastry brush, give each biscuit a generous coating of the garlic butter. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until edges are lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and serve warm biscuits with chili.</div>
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We LOVED these biscuits. They were soft, flakey, and full of wonderful flavors. A perfect accompaniment to the delicious chili! </div>
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Please, please make this chili and these biscuits. You won't regret it! It's a meal your whole family will love, and it will both fill and warm you up on a cold winter's night. I promise. :)</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-20866524527386402472014-01-22T17:51:00.002-05:002014-01-22T17:53:43.753-05:00Cookie Butter White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4KjClyzXldBXSiM1HrnDcQbEiNSqyr-yyuYgHR7bz03tUgA-Mk4rrNOw3191ZRM6UDL9fFmU8Sho_1fLShasjIpWtg44jG76VO7bNtLnocuzuOE_2pM_XbvoSk8YFjuz7j-rlwmHhyphenhyphenB3/s1600/IMG_6860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4KjClyzXldBXSiM1HrnDcQbEiNSqyr-yyuYgHR7bz03tUgA-Mk4rrNOw3191ZRM6UDL9fFmU8Sho_1fLShasjIpWtg44jG76VO7bNtLnocuzuOE_2pM_XbvoSk8YFjuz7j-rlwmHhyphenhyphenB3/s1600/IMG_6860.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Biscoff. Cookie Butter. Speculoos. I talked about this amazing product last summer on the blog when I made my <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/08/chocolate-and-cinnamon-chip-cookie.html">chocolate and cinnamon chip cookie butter cookies</a>. Do you remember? Well, if not, you should go back and take a look at <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/08/chocolate-and-cinnamon-chip-cookie.html">that post</a>. I go on and on and on about how much I love cookie butter. If you don't yet know it, you <b><i><u>need</u></i></b> (noticed how I bolded, italicized, and underlined that? :)) to get to know it! </div>
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<a href="http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/11/20/biscoff-white-chocolate-oatmeal-cookies/">This recipe</a> is adapted from the ever wonderful, <a href="http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/">Sally's Baking Addiction</a>. I've made several of Sally's recipes thus far, and they're always excellent!</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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-3/4 cup all-purpose flour</div>
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-1/4 tsp. salt</div>
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-1/2 tsp. baking soda</div>
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-1/2 tsp. baking powder</div>
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-1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted</div>
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-3/4 cup dark (or light) brown sugar</div>
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-1 large egg</div>
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-1/2 cup cookie butter/Biscoff/speculoos spread (creamy or crunchy)</div>
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-2 tsp. vanilla extract</div>
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-2 cups quick oats (do <i>not</i> use regular oats)</div>
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-1 and 1/4 cups white chocolate chips or chunks </div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stove and let cool slightly. In the meantime, whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together in a large bowl; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until no lumps remain. Whisk in the egg, followed by the cookie butter spread, until combined. Finally, whisk in the vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir together with a spatula. Fold in the oats and 1 cup of the white chocolate chips. The dough will be thick and heavy.</div>
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Form dough into balls (about 2 to 3 Tbsp. of dough each), and place on cookie sheets, two inches apart. Bake cookies for 11 to 12 minutes. The cookies will look soft and slightly underbaked; this is okay, as they will bake a little more while on the cookie sheets. If desired, press down the cookies slightly to flatten them out (I did <i>not</i> do this). Also, if desired, press remaining 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips/chunks into top of cookies (also, I did <i>not</i> do this step). Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes on cookie sheets before removing to cool completely on cooling racks. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week. Makes 18 to 20 cookies.</div>
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These cookies are sweet but not overly so. The white chocolate chips add to the sweetness. And the cookie butter flavor lends a nice change of flavor from a more traditional cookie. The cookies have some great gingerbread and cinnamon flavor notes. And the oats? Well, they make these a healthy cookie, of course! ;)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioTTMEfUGCYj59e6Yib_2s6S-276VIGZ7GjH4hSy-hNzmrRU3pXVQr0HBnKhbpItWvK1K_6oI66duFcmRhjADg6pL0zV6Zs2qjoH3kRqY9XOdx9iopZ3ksUh7kCz2QFwC9zVY42J9udVMl/s1600/IMG_6859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioTTMEfUGCYj59e6Yib_2s6S-276VIGZ7GjH4hSy-hNzmrRU3pXVQr0HBnKhbpItWvK1K_6oI66duFcmRhjADg6pL0zV6Zs2qjoH3kRqY9XOdx9iopZ3ksUh7kCz2QFwC9zVY42J9udVMl/s1600/IMG_6859.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I loved the texture of these cookies, too. Chewy and airy with an <i>ever so slight</i> crunch around the edges. Cookie texture perfection!<br />
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If you end up trying these cookies, be sure to use quick, not regular oats. But what if you only have regular oats in your pantry? No problem! Pulse those regular oats a few times in your food processor, and voila, you'll have yourself quick oats. As <a href="http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/11/20/biscoff-white-chocolate-oatmeal-cookies/">Sally notes in the original blog post</a>, the finer quick oats act more like a flour in this recipe and are important to the way this dough comes together; regular oats won't allow the dough to bind together as it should.</div>
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Cookie Butter. Go get yourself some. ASAP.<br />
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But a warning if you have this in your house: you may want to eat it by the spoonful.<br />
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Don't say I didn't warn you!!</div>
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Just realized it's been 17 days since <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2014/01/chocolate-avocado-cookies.html">my last post</a>. OOPS! Hopefully I'll get back to posting once or twice a week again soon. In the meantime, hope everyone has been enjoying some delicious goodies in their own kitchens. :)</div>
Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-36277270612289286802014-01-05T20:36:00.001-05:002014-05-28T10:20:45.571-04:00Chocolate Avocado Cookies<div style="text-align: center;">
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Chocolate avocado cookies? Yes! You read that right. The avocado in these cookies, along with some coconut oil, takes the place of the butter that you'd find in a traditional cookie recipe. So if you're looking for a slightly healthier option, definitely give these a try! And these cookies are also vegan - another added bonus. Although I do not eat vegan, I have a few friends who do, so it's always nice to have options for dessert recipes I can make for them. :)</div>
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This <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/vegan-chocolate-avocado-cookies/">recipe</a> is from <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/vegan-chocolate-avocado-cookies/">Two Peas and Their Pod</a>, an awesome blog.<br />
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Ingredients:</div>
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-1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour</div>
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-1 tsp. baking powder</div>
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-1/2 tsp. sea salt</div>
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-2/3 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder</div>
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-1/4 cup coconut oil</div>
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-1/4 cup mashed avocado</div>
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-1/4 cup granulated sugar</div>
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-1/2 cup brown sugar</div>
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-1 tsp. vanilla extract</div>
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-1/3 cup almond milk (or cow's milk - but they won't be vegan)</div>
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-1/2 cup chocolate chips (vegan ones, if desired)</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder; set aside. In a stand mixer or with a hand-held electric mixer, beat the coconut oil, avocado, and both sugars together until creamy and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low, add half the flour mixture, followed by the milk. Add the remaining dry ingredients and incorporate until well-combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.</div>
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Place dough by the tablespoonful on prepared baking sheets, placing balls of dough about 2 inches apart. Slightly flatten the cookies with your hand or a spatula. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, or until set around the edges but still soft in the center. Let cookies sit on baking sheet for about 2 minutes before removing to cooling rack to cool completely. Makes about 20 cookies.</div>
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These cookies turned out to be very chocolatey, which I loved. And they were quite dense, chewy, and fudgey also. Score! A very good cookie. Definitely a keeper.<br />
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I have to say though, that although you could not taste the avocado, I do think that if you were looking for a difference in these cookies, you might be able to detect that they don't have butter in them. But honestly, if you weren't trying to figure out what's different, I don't think you could tell! Also, you can't taste the coconut oil either in case you were wondering.<br />
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If one of your resolutions is to bake healthier...or to be more "daring" in your baking, then add this recipe to your list. Although I didn't make any official resolutions, in general I am trying to bake and cook more often with ingredients that are less familiar to me. Coconut oil is an ingredient I've been wanting to try but hadn't until recently. So far so good! I used it in this cookie recipe and in another homemade granola recipe I made last week also. I have a feeling coconut oil may become a staple in my kitchen! I've read so many great things about it and am glad I finally gave it a try.<br />
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Have a wonderful start to your week, all!<br />
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PS - To be sure you see my posts regularly, <a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3925610/?claim=cuqq8r3rnux">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>! :)</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-85065718216425055652013-12-30T20:29:00.000-05:002013-12-30T20:29:02.738-05:002013: Year in Review<div style="text-align: center;">
I thought it would be fun to do a brief Year in Review of What's Baking in the Barbershop?! for 2013. Many other blogs I follow have done this, and I always enjoy reading their year-end recaps. Sometimes bloggers share their most popular posts with readers, their own personal favorites, and various highlights from their own personal lives. I thought I'd follow suit and share a few in each of these categories!</div>
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First, a brief recap of the posts that were most popular with my readers this past year...</div>
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/03/3-ingredient-healthy-banana-oatmeal.html">3-Ingredient Healthy Banana Oatmeal Banana Cookies</a></div>
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The post for these cookies ended up surpassing my <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2011/07/chocolate-chip-graham-cracker-blondies.html">chocolate chip graham cracker blondies</a> as my most viewed post of all time!</div>
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/03/double-chocolate-fudge-cookies.html">Double Fudge Chocolate Cookies</a></div>
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/05/easy-healthy-chocolate-almond-date-balls.html">Chocolate Almond Date Balls</a></div>
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/06/red-wine-buttercream-frosting.html">Red Wine Buttercream Frosting</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdRbMgsiiVM5_v0cwLRqFZ6TwNCMEZR0Bgh6Acw06OKLL5ApFpZFsQJ6nidsAnN9NIkjKOBMUGAG5aBapxQ8PkFCv6GJjBiR9EdYnKoh1QbfPo1yt1tGwqqQFfrmG5_beOSH-ptAXsF0b/s1600/red+wine+frosting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdRbMgsiiVM5_v0cwLRqFZ6TwNCMEZR0Bgh6Acw06OKLL5ApFpZFsQJ6nidsAnN9NIkjKOBMUGAG5aBapxQ8PkFCv6GJjBiR9EdYnKoh1QbfPo1yt1tGwqqQFfrmG5_beOSH-ptAXsF0b/s400/red+wine+frosting.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/10/homemade-healthy-peanut-butter-oat.html">Peanut Butter Oat Granola Bars</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxVyFeSMb0XVkM-UzsQEi0xqqNCwNUDWCBI32CbAjOumJp6TQAwNBdVFDfD7S-VDHJ8NWvGSHl1p_3Q2YJbxdARb35JyA-xT0cbg5XEk8ryeZ61PeC7Bcm1TbyJrEX-0Zr310bUYFZuPq/s1600/pb+oat+granola+bars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxVyFeSMb0XVkM-UzsQEi0xqqNCwNUDWCBI32CbAjOumJp6TQAwNBdVFDfD7S-VDHJ8NWvGSHl1p_3Q2YJbxdARb35JyA-xT0cbg5XEk8ryeZ61PeC7Bcm1TbyJrEX-0Zr310bUYFZuPq/s400/pb+oat+granola+bars.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/10/cinnamon-sugar-almonds.html">Cinnamon Sugar Almonds</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_CIeOAHlGCdRqzYpQSHhgxVj9RYkwg83H-QBY5arlya4JjkXibVV-7m-iCVwnvwhiFEPOrUj-VAWkd21vzXDDWmACrtpexaQQ3ZBdPoU7DKEr1kKmOOHEUapPUZ2t_2qNdCpd3IS5YT3/s1600/cinnamon+sugar+almonds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_CIeOAHlGCdRqzYpQSHhgxVj9RYkwg83H-QBY5arlya4JjkXibVV-7m-iCVwnvwhiFEPOrUj-VAWkd21vzXDDWmACrtpexaQQ3ZBdPoU7DKEr1kKmOOHEUapPUZ2t_2qNdCpd3IS5YT3/s400/cinnamon+sugar+almonds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My own personal favorite recipes that I posted in 2013?</div>
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Well, a few are the same as what my readers liked! I was a huuuuge fan (and still am) of the <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/05/easy-healthy-chocolate-almond-date-balls.html">chocolate almonds date balls</a> and the <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/10/homemade-healthy-peanut-butter-oat.html">peanut butter oat granola bars</a>. And my other favs... </div>
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/03/happy-st-patricks-day-2013-and-irish.html">Irish Soda Bread with Whiskey Soaked Raisins and Whiskey Butter Syrup</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaMbUvDvVMWNDSmNlebDvR3_sr0zxJCWe9AJSOV8mfVfDZ8mbb7xpUyZh0k3gZr8AFwp-uM53SoQAe_jfvZ6tT8eFa0ctmQDXUgiWUG5RfyztaCldhxykkDriQGGxSct5apZL8g-EGto2/s1600/irish+soda+bread+with+whiskey+syrup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaMbUvDvVMWNDSmNlebDvR3_sr0zxJCWe9AJSOV8mfVfDZ8mbb7xpUyZh0k3gZr8AFwp-uM53SoQAe_jfvZ6tT8eFa0ctmQDXUgiWUG5RfyztaCldhxykkDriQGGxSct5apZL8g-EGto2/s400/irish+soda+bread+with+whiskey+syrup.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/06/homemade-mint-chocolate-ice-cream-with.html">Homemade Mint Chocolate Ice Cream</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_GOjMYgGM5N1vXv-AbPFiv2UxMreUX7C1BotLcnsfO0bUaaVODTqVLFyn9Fua1yv2OsHhIMcLF96vZDhGBT_W7amvMBlPPwzzT-NSZwCX_UNOo9TgP6ZfOJvE98fNJ0l06cEsBkAHCx7/s1600/mint+choco+ice+cream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_GOjMYgGM5N1vXv-AbPFiv2UxMreUX7C1BotLcnsfO0bUaaVODTqVLFyn9Fua1yv2OsHhIMcLF96vZDhGBT_W7amvMBlPPwzzT-NSZwCX_UNOo9TgP6ZfOJvE98fNJ0l06cEsBkAHCx7/s400/mint+choco+ice+cream.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/08/chocolate-and-cinnamon-chip-cookie.html">Chocolate and Cinnamon Chip Cookie Butter Cookies</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDRvxqRdBEiZXXlHOZu9QsQiYRqH5oL1NDxDlFSbxUcKSa68HfQDhDHddn3lskLbG8qYOAQ2DfeYw3yQy9Il6Nud61JLOiN3-FXgofA9kx2NQZAOeEkTLOyFpAdDrqYzA4EWfx9QLoj6-/s1600/choco+cinnamon+chip+cookie+butter+cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDRvxqRdBEiZXXlHOZu9QsQiYRqH5oL1NDxDlFSbxUcKSa68HfQDhDHddn3lskLbG8qYOAQ2DfeYw3yQy9Il6Nud61JLOiN3-FXgofA9kx2NQZAOeEkTLOyFpAdDrqYzA4EWfx9QLoj6-/s400/choco+cinnamon+chip+cookie+butter+cookies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/10/cinnamon-chip-scones.html">Cinnamon Chip Scones</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_n-suvajN_-c-f00utKNZKzwSxxq-Bu7QACcavUqIWCN7NPUeEF5t2bmEoxwllPf5KVo3y3Z-044oml2D5WJlfnunQiTQQucFqq2dZBrSa_82Iv6hnW0IYXcxsK7b_jaXnFfjeVINzxKM/s1600/cinnamon+chip+scones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_n-suvajN_-c-f00utKNZKzwSxxq-Bu7QACcavUqIWCN7NPUeEF5t2bmEoxwllPf5KVo3y3Z-044oml2D5WJlfnunQiTQQucFqq2dZBrSa_82Iv6hnW0IYXcxsK7b_jaXnFfjeVINzxKM/s400/cinnamon+chip+scones.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And a couple other highlights from my year...</div>
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Going on a most amazing honeymoon to France and Belgium this summer with my husband! If you missed some of the pictures I shared, you can check out <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/07/ive-been-away-from-kitchen.html">this post</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25z2EHwSNfdo0IDmot41CGIpsNCAnXTnvK2owGblh5UzZECavGKs9l38UOGs1WPZX5LzRYDDeXTU0gBK6zkytuVudlCZENIZO_4Q8NKXks6zTXr-cR2P8v9hYYvgRWEIU0O0BACQ9ntHG/s1600/beer+bruges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25z2EHwSNfdo0IDmot41CGIpsNCAnXTnvK2owGblh5UzZECavGKs9l38UOGs1WPZX5LzRYDDeXTU0gBK6zkytuVudlCZENIZO_4Q8NKXks6zTXr-cR2P8v9hYYvgRWEIU0O0BACQ9ntHG/s400/beer+bruges.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Celebrating our one year wedding anniversary in November. :)</div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvR0ybU9tJ-vuVmb_bA0YEXUQmTOr4lJ6EhbaTJDI5ZBkD4HBL7tAwOdWhgPoZhYqVaDTCui6iHWS9pEtj6EZG7LcIKAJgfro7CD_RLp6ySNI-Tcd1KRY3H3fpyqGBwj3sNtpptEq7c-G/s1600/P1080356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvR0ybU9tJ-vuVmb_bA0YEXUQmTOr4lJ6EhbaTJDI5ZBkD4HBL7tAwOdWhgPoZhYqVaDTCui6iHWS9pEtj6EZG7LcIKAJgfro7CD_RLp6ySNI-Tcd1KRY3H3fpyqGBwj3sNtpptEq7c-G/s400/P1080356.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We celebrated with a wonderful meal at <a href="http://tentables.net/">Ten Tables</a> in Jamaica Plain.</div>
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And finally, we sold our condo! That was definitely a big highlight. Although we are sad to leave the city, we are ready for a house in the 'burbs with more space. We are still house hunting (the Boston market right now is ridiculously tough for buying!), and thankfully, we are lucky enough to be staying with my in-laws in the meantime while we house hunt... We're really hoping that 2014 is our year to find our new home! :)</div>
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I also wanted to share a big thank you to my readers who continue to read my blog; you are very much appreciated! The blog "audience"is what keeps me going. Although I may not post as frequently as I used to, I still really love trying new recipes and sharing them with you in this little space. Thank you for being there for me!</div>
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And I wish everyone - all of you - the best year yet in 2014. :)</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-30096268865045501212013-12-16T21:56:00.002-05:002013-12-18T08:27:28.159-05:00Chocolate Espresso Crinkle Cookies<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PLNLuRXOlQJM6QBUv9bJ_Vw6lcPIR6cv6rTFgs1E6xIvFHySzwsBUrOVZlkmm_K-ilHLT0DnmRuOjFVdI7HI_5zs_XAVt2NgRDq6XWLAJFjArxgEwe-bBMiPlVnP0b4kSBIqw_1vpdyd/s1600/IMG_6741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PLNLuRXOlQJM6QBUv9bJ_Vw6lcPIR6cv6rTFgs1E6xIvFHySzwsBUrOVZlkmm_K-ilHLT0DnmRuOjFVdI7HI_5zs_XAVt2NgRDq6XWLAJFjArxgEwe-bBMiPlVnP0b4kSBIqw_1vpdyd/s640/IMG_6741.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The countdown is on! Fewer than 10 days until Christmas. Have you done your fair share of holiday baking already, or have you yet to start?! I have done some here and there, but I plan to do more. Thankfully, I've already made these awesome cookies with enough time to spare before Christmas to share them with you! If you're still looking for more Christmas cookie recipes to try, then stop looking. I've found one for you. ;) These chocolate espresso crinkle cookies are <i>amazing</i>.</div>
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The fabulous recipe is from <a href="http://heatherchristo.com/cooks/2013/12/12/chocolate-espresso-crinkles/">Heather Christo</a>.</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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-1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened</div>
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-1 and 1/2 cups sugar</div>
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-2 eggs</div>
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-3 Tbsp. espresso, cooled</div>
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-2 cups all-purpose flour</div>
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-1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder</div>
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-2 tsp. baking powder</div>
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-1 tsp. salt</div>
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-1 to 2 cups powdered sugar (for rolling)</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with a silpat or parchment paper. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the espresso. Mix everything together until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; add dry ingredients to the wet. Scoop dough by the tablespoonful, roll into balls, and then coat by rolling in powdered sugar. Place on cookie sheets, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies "crack" and are set. Let cool for a couple minutes before removing to cool completely on cooling rack. Store in airtight container. Makes about 30 cookies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Ft-EZxcF8pk0PTQIhk3XWcRvNER0XSX3ORW4QEg6YC4FPqXb_2HZoLro4TyaFzzatnW83LB7r9BCnf24eB1Wj2svO1cBLvp8CVcL9JUDRrZ9iNCSIJDBQ-c7OzBapCdlUU9XXUXmB1oS/s1600/IMG_6740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Ft-EZxcF8pk0PTQIhk3XWcRvNER0XSX3ORW4QEg6YC4FPqXb_2HZoLro4TyaFzzatnW83LB7r9BCnf24eB1Wj2svO1cBLvp8CVcL9JUDRrZ9iNCSIJDBQ-c7OzBapCdlUU9XXUXmB1oS/s640/IMG_6740.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
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I baked these the day after we got our first snowstorm of the season. It was a perfect way to spend a snowy afternoon!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1cDzrp1rOopYX770m_Feh6PgvzNGnuvwnaRDuI4qrpQyb0OHKIc_kEa4-ixR4yNpdKjLIvWIAu-nFOwUxTDPPubhEX92ZnfCxYJrktmvSNRkfkEv2UPldChzFhBKFN8TdVj9X27-wQELE/s1600/IMG_6745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1cDzrp1rOopYX770m_Feh6PgvzNGnuvwnaRDuI4qrpQyb0OHKIc_kEa4-ixR4yNpdKjLIvWIAu-nFOwUxTDPPubhEX92ZnfCxYJrktmvSNRkfkEv2UPldChzFhBKFN8TdVj9X27-wQELE/s640/IMG_6745.jpg" width="461" /></a></div>
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We <i>love</i> these cookies. If you know someone who loves coffee and chocolate, definitely make these for them! They are soft, chewy, and full of flavor. And the espresso definitely kicks up the chocolateyness (yes, that's a word) a notch.</div>
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Also, a few notes about the recipe and method... I did use espresso, although my guess is you could try making these with regular coffee - just brew it strong! Also, I refrigerated my dough, only for 10 - 15 minutes or so, before rolling it into balls. It made it slightly easier to work with. That being said, it wasn't a very difficult dough to work with in the first place! So chilling is definitely not necessary (the original recipe does not instruct to chill the dough). And finally, I only needed about 1 cup of powdered sugar for rolling although the original recipe calls for 2 cups. So, I recommend starting out with just 1 cup so you don't "dirty" more powdered sugar than you have to. And finally, my cookies took closer to 11 or 12 minutes to bake, instead of 8 to 10 - so just keep an eye on yours. As we all know, baking times will vary with each oven!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGwmFACINk_UjdhVRxgbKjClXQk4Ryxgoi67uXXmEtg7NHzEc5IQvtdOHJx_C9ypOQROMColFGCJ6NhK7WMu6nX7e2p46hrNGyXmus80uckMe5eETvaG-gDZQE9M5QsYNOu7djnzIQXWv/s1600/IMG_6747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGwmFACINk_UjdhVRxgbKjClXQk4Ryxgoi67uXXmEtg7NHzEc5IQvtdOHJx_C9ypOQROMColFGCJ6NhK7WMu6nX7e2p46hrNGyXmus80uckMe5eETvaG-gDZQE9M5QsYNOu7djnzIQXWv/s640/IMG_6747.jpg" width="458" /></a></div>
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Santa was eyeing these cookies... I think he'd like some left out for him on Christmas Eve. ;)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin2yEjzA_TrR9egFhpXUAX9qLhj0Hks8weeuj_h2X1f8TmzO-wu1l3yLHza6jL9I-Huc6ywOvkQ4oNrPS0jSlzTz3ZQd5BL57_cT9iXQhK4ezAjhFaUFSHhVznhdRW4hBBkN88k4LNWtUv/s1600/IMG_6748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin2yEjzA_TrR9egFhpXUAX9qLhj0Hks8weeuj_h2X1f8TmzO-wu1l3yLHza6jL9I-Huc6ywOvkQ4oNrPS0jSlzTz3ZQd5BL57_cT9iXQhK4ezAjhFaUFSHhVznhdRW4hBBkN88k4LNWtUv/s640/IMG_6748.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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These are a perfect Christmas cookie, in my opinion! I hope you get the chance to make them this season. :)</div>
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Btw, apparently I'm into sharing recipes lately that involve rolling things in powdered sugar! In case you missed it, these <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/12/rum-balls-no-bake.html">rum balls</a> I recently posted about would also make an excellent Christmas treat this season.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYdwTVZnd6bxUqCRJmA12XnIj8TmUjkQmUajm8pRtDmlm7t-yFc8fHuWsYPSpH52iznrW18eSqx7A740IRGztPbMgxj5cmHJbnkaQvvJREiHpGQYQgqh69qdDzg648WcXcUrraFqjhd6H/s1600/IMG_6724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYdwTVZnd6bxUqCRJmA12XnIj8TmUjkQmUajm8pRtDmlm7t-yFc8fHuWsYPSpH52iznrW18eSqx7A740IRGztPbMgxj5cmHJbnkaQvvJREiHpGQYQgqh69qdDzg648WcXcUrraFqjhd6H/s640/IMG_6724.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-56215595449151720902013-12-09T19:30:00.005-05:002013-12-09T19:35:46.612-05:00Rum Balls (No Bake)<div style="text-align: center;">
Rum balls = holiday time. Wouldn't you agree? :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCXVsgkBRm1wl0F20OkuLwgw29AFmOHGOEWEFdInyPTb7FHLgdqlTBTSwBigW426YnRMRC9Szmm4s4ttTYh7lBrH7MgpUH_icDWmwAYRE15IN4keER4H2kJ2QHo3yKqIcbglfcYDAk8Ry/s1600/IMG_6724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCXVsgkBRm1wl0F20OkuLwgw29AFmOHGOEWEFdInyPTb7FHLgdqlTBTSwBigW426YnRMRC9Szmm4s4ttTYh7lBrH7MgpUH_icDWmwAYRE15IN4keER4H2kJ2QHo3yKqIcbglfcYDAk8Ry/s640/IMG_6724.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Last year I made some deeelicious <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2012/12/baileys-balls-no-bake.html">Bailey's balls</a>, and boy, were they good! I think I made them three different times for various holiday-themed occasions, and they were a big hit every time. For the first holiday party that we attended this past weekend, I wanted to bring the <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2012/12/baileys-balls-no-bake.html">Bailey's balls</a>...but the blogger in me also wanted to try something new! I know all you other bloggers know what I mean... So, I made some Bailey's balls <i>and</i> I tried a new recipe for rum balls. Thankfully, they turned out quite well also!</div>
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And these rum balls couldn't be any easier, just like the <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2012/12/baileys-balls-no-bake.html">Bailey's balls</a>. They come together in 15 minutes flat. Perfect for when you're rushing around at the last minute, getting ready for that holiday party this coming weekend but don't yet have a treat to bring. ;)</div>
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The recipe is adapted from <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/rum-balls">this recipe from Taste of Home</a>.</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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-2 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (or vanilla wafer crumbs)</div>
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-1 cup ground pecans (or walnuts)</div>
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-1 cup confectioners' sugar</div>
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-2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder</div>
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-1/4 cup rum</div>
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-3 Tbsp. honey (or maple syrup)</div>
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-2 Tbsp. water</div>
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-additional graham cracker crumbs, ground pecans, or confectioners' sugar</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, ground pecans, confectioners' sugar, and cocoa. In a small bowl, combine the rum, honey (or maple syrup), and water. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well incorporated. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll into the additional graham cracker crumbs, pecans, or confectioners' sugar to "garnish." Store in airtight container in fridge for a couple weeks. Makes about 2 dozen balls.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiji-VeZXJ7IULwAfNDiFKlTz5Q3b54jc7EcncxwjMriXGaLIAlWEiUtkcf_F5lq9mqStlvgxtHG31bm-ojOAiGPHYvxGtTVjIJ0qrZ8yxJSMwd8GaYwcUAwSxKMHX11Pv3SfBHtj_p_01k/s1600/IMG_6728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiji-VeZXJ7IULwAfNDiFKlTz5Q3b54jc7EcncxwjMriXGaLIAlWEiUtkcf_F5lq9mqStlvgxtHG31bm-ojOAiGPHYvxGtTVjIJ0qrZ8yxJSMwd8GaYwcUAwSxKMHX11Pv3SfBHtj_p_01k/s640/IMG_6728.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A few points to note...</div>
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The original recipe actually called for crumbs of vanilla wafers, not graham crackers. But graham crackers are what I had on hand, so that's what I used. I'm sure vanilla wafers would work just as well. Also, I used a combination of ground pecans and walnuts, as I didn't have enough pecans on hand. Again, this worked just fine! I love recipes like this where it's easy to improvise. And finally, the original recipe called for honey, but I tried maple syrup instead. Easy and delicious! So, keep in mind when you make these that you have some options. ;) For the rum, I used Captain Morgan's, as you can see in the photos.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJuUm0ugzfeZcTtW63Qaf37RL_2HWZxAeMXAnznTT3NlzmqmGoJ7ISYvgWobxpoDLFidXqLgRYxqLxf2aie24mH_RQg0Wt-qBIWrIjzIJq8qZ3Clljah1wrAzie3RaBmq5nwOftBKITrDE/s1600/IMG_6723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJuUm0ugzfeZcTtW63Qaf37RL_2HWZxAeMXAnznTT3NlzmqmGoJ7ISYvgWobxpoDLFidXqLgRYxqLxf2aie24mH_RQg0Wt-qBIWrIjzIJq8qZ3Clljah1wrAzie3RaBmq5nwOftBKITrDE/s640/IMG_6723.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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You can definitely taste the rum in these! It wasn't too much though. It was juuuust right. They're just slightly chocolatey and sweet, and then that rum flavor comes through as well. And they're fun to eat besides! I also think the flavor of these is even more enhanced a day or two after you make them. So, if you have the time to make them ahead, definitely do that!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCq_7OejFiniL_kTbZ97-vzLOu8cVhaTMZtlf2PtwzLBr7fqCGlNyJC2qpUzIkuAmBIM46KIJpYzBkqR3CI1D0gEs3ws_uHrqoer8jb3dCKm2jsxXyC8JrGK440YfkOb0k44vJyoik2ZF/s1600/IMG_6726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCq_7OejFiniL_kTbZ97-vzLOu8cVhaTMZtlf2PtwzLBr7fqCGlNyJC2qpUzIkuAmBIM46KIJpYzBkqR3CI1D0gEs3ws_uHrqoer8jb3dCKm2jsxXyC8JrGK440YfkOb0k44vJyoik2ZF/s640/IMG_6726.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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In need of other ideas of sweet treats to make this holiday season? Maybe to give to friends or coworkers? Or to bring as a host/hostess gift to a holiday party? Then check out these other recipes that have previously been on the blog. They're all fairly simple - perfect for this time of year when you might not have much extra time to spend in the kitchen!<br />
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2012/12/homemade-chocolate-covered-sea-salt.html">Chocolate Covered Sea Salt Caramels</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Wq0znurjAYduAwjn6Crt0d4s-65eOBBcY_zaBdD9FZ_jD0SyJyW7EWu1jumdFlAac5DUzlS56QDB2MT33uf7D2tcD6wXBbKRd9S8-s4E-tST90BnPIV1bdN3cJvja-1UrCs2KVl8Jmpk/s1600/sea+salt+caramels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Wq0znurjAYduAwjn6Crt0d4s-65eOBBcY_zaBdD9FZ_jD0SyJyW7EWu1jumdFlAac5DUzlS56QDB2MT33uf7D2tcD6wXBbKRd9S8-s4E-tST90BnPIV1bdN3cJvja-1UrCs2KVl8Jmpk/s400/sea+salt+caramels.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2013/10/cinnamon-sugar-almonds.html">Cinnamon Sugar Almonds</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6nJP4ctQ5Q9WRa6JJbF7ByUbSsqJcpxFspC5HNeFe6togmrKIUUiCMCBtUcEwjCN4Sjk64nKmgY3QMDJTa9iuDLL5f5DpE8fXl4cB0zq04oNLzp5TVgk_yu_volJ4P7Hle7xandu8coIU/s1600/cinnamon+sugar+almonds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6nJP4ctQ5Q9WRa6JJbF7ByUbSsqJcpxFspC5HNeFe6togmrKIUUiCMCBtUcEwjCN4Sjk64nKmgY3QMDJTa9iuDLL5f5DpE8fXl4cB0zq04oNLzp5TVgk_yu_volJ4P7Hle7xandu8coIU/s400/cinnamon+sugar+almonds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2012/02/hershey-kiss-pretzel-bites.html">Hershey Kiss Pretzel Bites</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRdr03h9G1NdX2TSSyQEdh44UECzY7sChXlAqZkKO_a8icVw3bOYl9_oZhVxu60rwpgM5nEST2MHpZ20Y5hGmzCR4ejbnfLw3KA2ez1P9sT4zfLXt8DBf76Thch2CmLQtw8ulgW-jYrYv/s1600/hershey+kiss+pretzel+bites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRdr03h9G1NdX2TSSyQEdh44UECzY7sChXlAqZkKO_a8icVw3bOYl9_oZhVxu60rwpgM5nEST2MHpZ20Y5hGmzCR4ejbnfLw3KA2ez1P9sT4zfLXt8DBf76Thch2CmLQtw8ulgW-jYrYv/s400/hershey+kiss+pretzel+bites.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2012/12/baileys-balls-no-bake.html">Bailey's Balls</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4JFBmaKz7OouTzPsEYHqjfi8Pd9NJWD0lPDAGgLXts__nEWvwTf79fvL49KFssurX8pXsvJOhtJfUFs59KuTqzOCkT31zh47RqVL0BUoId7pnwu6isr6p6ocHGOF-SwHqhqinIzGKAbz/s1600/bailey's+balls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4JFBmaKz7OouTzPsEYHqjfi8Pd9NJWD0lPDAGgLXts__nEWvwTf79fvL49KFssurX8pXsvJOhtJfUFs59KuTqzOCkT31zh47RqVL0BUoId7pnwu6isr6p6ocHGOF-SwHqhqinIzGKAbz/s400/bailey's+balls.jpg" width="277" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2010/12/easy-peanut-butter-fudge.html">Easy Peanut Butter Fudge</a><br />
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2010/12/chocolate-graham-toffee-treats.html">Chocolate Graham Toffee Treats</a><br />
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<a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2010/12/cranberry-white-chocolate-cinnamon-chip.html">Cranberry White Chocolate Cinnamon Chip Bars</a><br />
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7738040670719848136.post-52887025158985927032013-12-01T16:25:00.001-05:002013-12-01T16:29:42.284-05:00Cranberry, Oatmeal, Cinnamon Chip Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpsNxTYgR5QUX7bO78uBHo9Oe5pa8XjA3Yz15GMMEdH-i-saOF5yLhavql9Y6GWFJrySWaab17MxXrorp0Rw9M47AQ4wSIYGx-plv7fpnr_HLtJLvBctoy_xBnMZMZCTsPSV46sWbrYDuV/s1600/IMG_6688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpsNxTYgR5QUX7bO78uBHo9Oe5pa8XjA3Yz15GMMEdH-i-saOF5yLhavql9Y6GWFJrySWaab17MxXrorp0Rw9M47AQ4wSIYGx-plv7fpnr_HLtJLvBctoy_xBnMZMZCTsPSV46sWbrYDuV/s640/IMG_6688.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The holiday season is here! Hard to believe, but it's true. And with the holiday season comes cookies. Of course. :)</div>
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Whether it's for a family gathering, a work party, or a cookie swap with friends, this time of year there <i>always</i> seems to be a reason to eat cookies.</div>
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And to me, any reason to eat a cookie is a good reason. ;)</div>
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These cranberry, oatmeal, cinnamon chip cookies are just a simple variation on another couple cookie recipes I've shared on the blog before. This recipe involves the same base cookie dough recipe as my <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2012/01/pecan-cranberry-cinnamon-chip-cookies.html">pecan, cranberry, cinnamon chip cookies</a> and these <a href="http://whatisbakinginthebarbershop.blogspot.com/2012/01/oatmeal-butterscotch-chocolate-chip.html">oatmeal, butterscotch, chocolate chip cookies</a>. The main thing I changed this time around was just the add-ins. It's almost too simple to share on the blog, but we enjoyed this ingredient combination so much that I decided it was blog worthy!</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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-6 oz. (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter</div>
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-1 cup packed light brown sugar</div>
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-1/2 cup sugar</div>
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-2 eggs</div>
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-2 tsp. vanilla extract</div>
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-1 cup all-purpose flour</div>
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-1 cup white whole wheat flour</div>
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-1/2 tsp. salt</div>
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-1/2 tsp. baking soda</div>
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-1 tsp. cinnamon</div>
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-3/4 to 1 cup regular oats</div>
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-3/4 cup dried cranberries</div>
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-3/4 cup cinnamon chips</div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter, and let cool slightly. Combine the two sugars in a large mixing bowl with a whisk, and once the butter is cooled slightly, whisk in the butter with the sugars. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined. Stir in the oats, cranberries, and cinnamon chips.</div>
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Line baking sheets with parchment paper, and drop cookie dough by the tablespoonful on baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until outside edges of cookies are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool for a couple minutes before removing to cooling rack to cool completely. Once completely cooled, store cookies in an airtight container. Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sE8h136354JRoE_C1svoA17IJ4cPCaX3Sjm1sfJm9ocTfkyvlLP4w9iHA2hqjI4oh0I1QZq4HC0yC2aq46qnw-Qp1EWymdv307KPnQdSmrIIZx7Li0k4icP0c48bVhAcZPXYTNFsNCry/s1600/IMG_6693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sE8h136354JRoE_C1svoA17IJ4cPCaX3Sjm1sfJm9ocTfkyvlLP4w9iHA2hqjI4oh0I1QZq4HC0yC2aq46qnw-Qp1EWymdv307KPnQdSmrIIZx7Li0k4icP0c48bVhAcZPXYTNFsNCry/s640/IMG_6693.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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What I love about these cookies (and the other cookies made with the same base dough recipe) is 1) how simple they are (you don't even need a mixer), 2) how full of flavor they are, and 3) how soft and chewy they are. There is just a very, very slight crisp to the outside edges of these cookies, but the overall texture of these is definitely chewy. It's my favorite kind of cookie!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4INVA-wRRxCzPpcJcTYPy9H0QOmC0wNXaj2q3zgX9QsUtv9vtXGm-806zI8mm-IJ5AhCnJ6wPGfZkAoI0QUuM0PcPVgPDtmG9EcS92BSWDCZC0QFhZRdGdF3LgeBCSuc-vP7ztvGLcC4/s1600/IMG_6695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4INVA-wRRxCzPpcJcTYPy9H0QOmC0wNXaj2q3zgX9QsUtv9vtXGm-806zI8mm-IJ5AhCnJ6wPGfZkAoI0QUuM0PcPVgPDtmG9EcS92BSWDCZC0QFhZRdGdF3LgeBCSuc-vP7ztvGLcC4/s640/IMG_6695.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8nnjEJy_pC5MElGqAuJUItknOipo-ZCjWZgld_UllGvCTZe7b2LDwQ1ZzBccnWSAqSCP1wczDuqsjBxKPkF0UMVs2fPHT4TKZ_mH3HkncrfGX67nOLfiRgaZxJoQnOG36tslBtm7ACsE/s1600/IMG_6697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8nnjEJy_pC5MElGqAuJUItknOipo-ZCjWZgld_UllGvCTZe7b2LDwQ1ZzBccnWSAqSCP1wczDuqsjBxKPkF0UMVs2fPHT4TKZ_mH3HkncrfGX67nOLfiRgaZxJoQnOG36tslBtm7ACsE/s640/IMG_6697.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I think these would make a great addition to your holiday cookie swap or dessert table over the holidays. The cranberries and cinnamon are such perfect flavors for this time of year.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR_D4tRyP2VsUhOxC_no8Np7qniNatWtFZDmFzKZonvlx1G_zrms9MiYbqYtl8ri_CILerW_unhAWY_Q0lJIjncK9A5RI3nhcQ6swYCbLxzqhQm1KcuZ4cKr2Ai7h6PVpcThqEUf6yeiov/s1600/IMG_6700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR_D4tRyP2VsUhOxC_no8Np7qniNatWtFZDmFzKZonvlx1G_zrms9MiYbqYtl8ri_CILerW_unhAWY_Q0lJIjncK9A5RI3nhcQ6swYCbLxzqhQm1KcuZ4cKr2Ai7h6PVpcThqEUf6yeiov/s640/IMG_6700.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Happy December! I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving filled with family, friends, and delicious food. Thanksgiving is my favorite for those reasons. :)</div>
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15383613391870171415noreply@blogger.com0