Ooey, Gooey, Chocolatey, Peanut Butter S'mores Bars!

Peanut Butter S'mores Bars 

Ingredients

• 5 or 6 full-size graham crackers
• 1 ½  cups mini marshmallows
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1 cup peanut butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½  cups Rice Krispies Cereal

1) Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a 8 by 8-inch or 9 by 9-inch pan with foil and spray with cooking spray (Important!)

2) Line the pan with one flat layer of graham crackers. Sprinkle the marshmallows over the graham cracker layer and bake for 6 to 7 minutes, or until marshmallows have begun to puff up or are starting to brown.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle white chocolate chips over the top and bake for 2 minutes more and remove from the oven and allow the pan to cool a bit.

3) Make the Peanut Butter Krispies Layer by placing chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heating for 45 to 60 seconds, then removing and stirring. Microwave again for 30 more seconds, or until mixture has fully melted. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Add the vanilla extract and Cocoa Krispies and stir to coat. Pour this mixture over the top of the melted marshmallow and white chocolate chip layer.

4) Place the pan in the freezer for 20 minutes or in the refrigerator for at least one hour to set up completely before slicing and serving. Store the bars in an airtight container.


Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Cinnamon bun in cookie form!? I'll take it! These were a rush batch of cookies that I made the night before I was going to Vegas for the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Convention, so I apologize for the lack of pretty pictures. I hadn't even packed yet that night and my friend was over baking cookies. I guess cookies > convention preparation? hehe :)

These cookies take a little bit more work because you have to roll out the dough, wait for it to firm up, spread on the cinnamon and maple syrup, roll it into a log, wait for it to harden again, cut it into uniform circles, and then bake, cool, and frost. I didn't know what to expect because I've never had "cinnamon roll cookies" before, but let me just say...they were delicious!! The only thing was that I found them to be a bit too sweet. Next time I'll be sure to cut down the sugar (edited in the recipe). Overall, this cookie recipe was a fun one to try. So if you've never had them before...bookmark this recipe and TRY IT!


Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Recipe adapted from: A Little Bit Crunchy

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 c. flour 
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 T. unsalted, soft butter
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp. vanilla

The Filling:

• 2 T. maple syrup
• 2 T. packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

The Glaze:

• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 1-2 T. milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
1. Combine and sift the dry ingredients. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugars together.  Add the egg white and vanilla. 
3. Add the dry ingredients just until combined.
4. Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper to form a 12-inch square.  Chill for about 30 minutes. 
5. After chilled, carefully peel the bottom paper off the dough.  Flip the dough and do the same with the other paper. Top the chilled dough with the maple syrup and then sprinkle with the cinnamon and brown sugar.
6. Carefully roll the cookie dough up in a spiral and wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze until firm.
7. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 
8. Slice into 1/4-inch slices and bake on a parchment lined sheet pan for 8-10 minutes. 
9. Allow to cool and then drizzle the powdered sugar glaze onto the cookies. 
10. Enjoy them like a fresh hot cinnamon bun! ;)


-Little Sister

Green Tea Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Green Tea Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting 
Adapted from Sweet Kitchen
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cake flour, not self-rising
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh matcha powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and matcha powder; mix on low speed until combined.
3. Add butter, mixing until the cubes of butter are peanut-sized or a little smaller.
4. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla.
5. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
6. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:

•  8 oz cream cheese, at room temp
•  2 cups powdered sugar
•  1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. In a bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
2. Beat with an electric mixer until everything is fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting is still too wet, then add more powdered sugar.  
3. Place frosting into a pastry bag with a cake decorating tip and pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Have fun with your cupcakes and decorate them however you like. My cupcakes turned out beautifully. I'm no decorator, but the cake was very moist and fluffy on the inside. I thought black sesame went well with green tea, so I made a sugar tuile and sprinkled some black sesame on it. Great recipe.

Enjoy!
Little Sister

Panang Curry with Beef and Bamboo Shoots

Panang Curry with Beef:

 Yields 3-4 servings

 Ingredients:

•     1 cup coconut milk
•     2 tablespoons panang curry paste
•     2 tablespoon roasted peanuts
•     2 cups thinly sliced beef
•     1 cup of sliced bamboo shoots (I used canned)
•     1/2 cup water
•     4 kaffir lime leaves
•     Fish sauce and Sugar to taste

1.    Pound 2 tablespoons of roasted peanuts into the 2 tablespoons of panang curry paste.
2.     Pour 1/3 cup of coconut milk into a sauce pan.  Heat the coconut milk over medium heat until it starts to boil.
3.     Add the peanut curry paste and stir into the coconut milk until its well incorporated.  Then add your beef slices and coat them with the curry paste.
4.     Add the bamboo shoots, the rest of the coconut milk, and water. Let the beef cook until it's nice and tender.
5.     Once the beef is tender, add the kaffir lime leaves and season with fish sauce and sugar. Depending on the curry paste you use, you might not have to add any fish sauce. I found mine to be too salty so I added about a tablespoon more of sugar.You can also add more water.
6.     Serve with some jasmine rice and enjoy! 

-Little Sister

White Chocolate Chunk Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

This is my most favorite cookie recipe of all time. Might as well consider it to be my favorite cookies of all time. Why? It's the ease of the recipe, the harmony of the oats, dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and the use of only 1 stick of butter. These are considerably healthier than your classic chocolate chip, in which a good chocolate chip cookie recipe calls for at least 2 sticks of butter and chilling time before you can actually bake and eat them. I'll take these cranberry white chocolate oatmeal cookies and a glass of milk over those any day. Sprinkle the tops with a little bit of sea salt and wow...just wow.

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup dried cranberries

2/3 cup white chocolate chips

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Add oats, cranberries, and chocolate chips and mix on low speed until incorporated.

Scoop spoonfuls of cookie dough and shape them into rounded mounds and place them on to the cookie sheets. Arrange them so that they are spaced evenly apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Spherification: Cantaloupe Caviar and Noodles

Stepping into the world of Molecular Gastronomy with the basic spherification technique. 

 What is spherification? Spherification consists of a controlled jellification of a liquid which forms spheres when submerged in a bath. The spheres can be made of different sizes and have been given names like caviar, eggs, gnocchi and ravioli. The resulting spheres have a thin membrane and are filled with the original liquid. A slight pressure of the mouth on the sphere makes them burst and release an amazing explosion of flavor. (Molecular Recipes)

Neat isn't it?

My setup with everything you need. The ingredient measurements and preparation instructions can be found here.

Always try to be as precise with measurements as you can. Too little calcium chloride can create too thin of a casing and vice versa. Too much sodium alginate can make your "juice" become like jello. This is my 3rd trial and I must say it turned out great. :)

Third time's a charm! From caviar to noodles to ravioli...be creative and have fun with it. 

Chicken Pot Pie

Reminiscent of the frozen chicken pot pies I used to eat when I was younger... but this is better since I can make it now. :) Simple comfort food on a cool summer day.

Chicken Pot Pie

4-6 servings (1 8x8 pan)

Recipe loosely adapted from Closet Cooking

-The recipe calls for pie crust, but I used puff pastry dough instead. This tastes just as great but maybe the only downside is that if you want to eat it the next day, the puff pastry probably won't be as crispy. Wouldn't hurt to pop it back in the oven.

-I used whatever I had on hand. I didn't include celery, I just used the frozen peas and carrots and canned corn. 

-The filling should have a thick and creamy consistency. If you find it to be too watery, then add more flour. Taste and season to your liking.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion (chopped)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 pound cooked chicken (shredded or cut into bite sized pieces)
1 teaspoon thyme (chopped)
1 cup peas
1 cup corn 

salt and pepper to taste
2 pie crusts or 4 sheets of puff pastry (thawed)

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a large pan.
2. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Mix in the flour and let it cook for a minute.
4. Mix in the chicken broth followed by the milk.
5. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add the chicken, thyme, peas, corn.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Pour the filling into a pie dish with the bottom layer.
10. Place the pieces of puff pastry on top of the filling
13. Make an egg wash with the water and egg and brush it on top of the puff pastry
14. Place the pie onto a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400F oven until the crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Apple Frangipane Galette

A rustic tart = a tart that tastes delicious but doesn't have to look perfect ;)

This was so delicious and simple. Highly recommend this recipe! For those that don't know what Frangipane is, it's a light and flavorful almond cream. Spread it on your pastry dough, place your cinnamon sugared apples on top, and bake. Voila! Yummy :)

Apple Frangipane Galette

Adapted from Bake List

Pate Brisee

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 stick ( ½ cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

¼ cup ice water, plus more if needed

1.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and sugar, pulse a few times until just combined.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some large butter pieces remaining.  Add half the water and then process, if the mixture is too dry and does not hold together, add the remaining water plus more if need until the mixture just holds together and forms a nice ball.  Form the dough into a disk and refrigerate for at least one hour before using.

Apple Filling

4 Granny Smith apples, washed (I just used the leftover apples in my fridge)

¼ cup white sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

A pinch of kosher salt

1.  Peel and core the apples. Set in water until all the apples are peeled so that they don't turn brown.  Slice the apples into thin slices.  Toss with the sugars, cinnamon, flour, and salt.  Set aside.

Frangipane

½ cup almond flour, lightly toasted

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ cup white sugar

A pinch kosher salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

1.  Whisk together the almond flour, flour, sugar, and salt.  Add the softened butter and whisk in the large eggs.  Set aside.

Assembly

1 large egg, beaten mixed with a little water/milk for an egg wash

Sparkling sugar (optional)

Cinnamon sugar

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface.  Roll the dough out into a 16-inch diameter circle.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Transfer the dough circle to the baking sheet.  Brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash.  Sprinkle the dough with cinnamon sugar.  Spread the frangipane out in the center of the dough, leaving a 1-½ inch to 2-inch border.  Taking the apple slices, start at the edge of the frangipane and layer the apples until reaching the center. Fold the edges of the dough up and over the edges of the apples and frangipane, crimping as you go.  Brush the edges of the tart with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with sparkling sugar and then cinnamon sugar over the entire tart.  Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the apples are soft and the edges of the tart are golden brown.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  

Enjoy!

Little Sister

Chocolate Cranberry Flax Cookies

No way, healthy cookies!? Those two words don't even belong together in a sentence. 

I found and adapted this recipe from Eat Good 4 Life and I couldn't have been more pleased with the way my cookies turned out. I've been avoiding buying cookies at the store because looking at the nutrition facts would give me a little heart attack every time. 2 measley oreos contain almost 200 calories and 7grams of fat! This recipe is super simple and I had cookies on the counter in no time. They didn't even taste "healthy", which I loved. In my recipe I substituted a 1/4 cup of flour for a 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and left out the chocolate chips. 

Yield: 14-16 cookies

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4  cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup canola oil
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup dry cranberries

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl whisk oil, sugar, egg and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa powder, flax, oats, baking soda, cranberries and mix well.

Drop rounded scoops onto cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. (I refrigerated my cookie dough to make it less sticky on the hands and easier to round)

Cool in the cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes and transfer to a wire rack.

Eat and Enjoy! :)

-Little Sister

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

Made with semi-sweet salted chocolate ganache

Recipe adapted from SheSimmers