Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

I've been on quite a cookie dough frenzy lately.

I mean how can you not be??? 

Cookie dough, by definition, is absolute BLISS. It's basically just butter and sugar....and you gotta love those two ingredients. But cookie dough ON TOP OF A BROWNIE?????? Umm...yummmmm! This recipe is so sinfully delicious, and I promise everyone will be asking you for it once they take the first bite. The bottom layer is a super fudgey, rich, densely chocolatey brownie (no cakey texture here! Just the way I like it!), and the cookie dough is wonderfully buttery, vanilla-y, and everything you believe the perfect cookie dough should taste like. And, just like my incredibly delicious cookie dough cheesecake bars here, the cookie dough is eggless, so you can eat as much as your little tummy pleases(:

I brought these treats to a party at my school and they were declared "little squares of heaven." My friend is now seriously OBSESSED with them and goes insane and drools whenever someone mentions them. As do I.

Don't believe me? Try them yourself.

Yield: 16 brownies

Ingredients:

BROWNIE LAYER:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

COOKIE DOUGH:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup miniature chocolate chips
additional miniature chocolate chips, if desired (to garnish the top)

Instructions: 
Prepare the brownie layer:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x9-inch pan with nonstick spray, then line with a strip of parchment paper so that it covers the bottom and comes up two sides of the pan. Spray the parchment with nonstick spray too.
2. In a microwave safe bowl (or in the top of a double boiler or pan set on top of a pan of simmering water), microwave in 30 second bursts to melt butter and chocolate chips together until all is melted and smooth. Whisk in the sugars, then whisk in the eggs, vanilla and salt. Sift flour into the bowl and stir that in too. Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the brownie layer is cooked through (toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean). Place the pan of brownies in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process (or cool at room temperature and add the cookie dough layer later).

Prepare the cookie dough layer:
3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter, sugars and salt until soft and creamy (2 minutes). Mix in the milk and vanilla. Sprinkle in the flour and mix in until combined. Stir in the 1 cup of chocolate chips. Scoop the cookie dough onto the top of the brownies and spread onto the brownie layer. I find that it's easiest to do this if the brownie layer is chilled and firm. Wet your hands or spray them with nonstick spray and pat the cookie dough on top in a even layer. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top to create a nicer, visual appearance. For easy, clean cutting, chill the brownies (wrap the brownies with plastic wrap and chill until firm- 1 to 2 hours or up to 2 days).
4. Cut the brownies: Run a knife along the sides of the brownie pan and then use the parchment paper to lift the brownies from the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice the brownies with a sharp knife, wiping the knife with a paper towel between cuts. If you'd like all of your slices of brownies to look clean-cut without edges, use the knife to cut the sides of the brownies off before cutting pieces. Keep brownies slices covered and chilled until ready to serve.

Note: these taste most delicious just slightly cool (after about an hour of thawing at room temperature) or completely at room temperature (at least two hours of thawing), or my personal favorite: warmed up in the microwave until gooey and amazingly delicious.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

First off, I sincerely apologize for not blogging in such a long time. The end of my junior year in high school was...well - INSANE. But now it's summer! And all my hard work was totally worth it. Now I am officially a senior! 

You wanna know what I'm pumped about the most for this summer? BAKING! So my first post of the summer is this absolutely incredible recipe for cookie dough cheesecake bars. Oh my goodness, are they something magical. These scrumptious treats are the perfect combination of cheesecake and chocolate chip cookie dough. Can you even think of a more amazing pairing? I sure can't. I brought a full pan of these to a cross country party and they literally vanished before I could even blink. I guess you could say my parents were more than a little disappointed that I came home with an empty tray...

The recipe begins with a fool-proof, classic graham cracker crust. Above the crust lies another perfect, creamy layer of luscious cheesecake, wonderfully vanilla-y and delicious. Last but not least, my personal favorite layer is at the top: the cookie dough. Ahh cookie dough....my love...buttery and brown-sugary and studded with chocolate chips....can you say YUM??? This cookie dough is egg-less, so it's safe to eat (yes, by the spoonful if you wish). Together, the three layers form this heavenly dessert that you won't be able to resist.



Yield: about 12 bars

Ingredients:
Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cookie Dough
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil allowing a little overhang and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Mix the melted butter, cinnamon, and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove pan to a cooling rack. Leave your oven on while you prepare the dough.

3. While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour on low speed, and mix until just incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips. Set aside. (Note: if the cookie dough looks a little dry, it's fine. It will be crumbled on top of the cheesecake layer.)

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Use your hands to form "clumps" of the cookie dough, smoosh it together and flatten it out.  Distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter in teaspoon-sized clumps. Be sure to use all of the dough.

5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm (the cookie dough) and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Chill in refrigerator overnight or for at least a couple hours.

6. Lift the bars out by the overhang and cut into squares for serving.

**Note: these taste best at room temperature.

Brown Butter Soda Bread

Every Saint Patrick's Day, my family has to have Irish Soda Bread. It's tradition, and you can't mess with tradition. I typically bake a large batch in the morning for breakfast, where my family and I eat the bread hot from the oven with salted butter....Mmmm....it's truly to-die-for.  And then that night, we dip the bread in our corned beef and cabbage or stew or whatever Irish dinner we're having. Then, we have the leftovers for breakfast the following morning reheated with butter -- that is...if it makes it that long.

And I am pleased to announce that this is officially my favorite soda bread recipe. Why? Because of the browned butter. 

If you've never browned butter in a recipe before, here is your chance (and if you seriously haven't tried my Brown Butter Cookies, you really haven't lived yet). By browning the butter, you end up with a toasty, rich aroma that tastes so flavorful and savory. The rich flavor compliments the rosemary perfectly, and the whole wheat flour gives the bread an amazing texture. By brushing the top of the bread with olive oil before baking, you end up with wonderfully crisp edges, while the interior stays soft and fluffy.  You also get a delicious burst of sea salt and black pepper with every bite.

This is definitely going to be a staple in my house every Saint Patrick's Day!

*adapted from Epicurious

Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper plus additional for topping
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
• Olive oil, for brushing
• Sea salt

Instructions:

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. 

2. Stir butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until melted and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Stir flour, oats, sugar, rosemary, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl to blend. Pour buttermilk and melted browned butter over flour mixture; stir with fork until flour mixture is moistened.

4. Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Knead gently until dough comes together, about 7 turns (the goal is to work it as little as possible -- for a fluffy texture. If you work it too much it will become dense). Divide in half. Shape each half into ball; flatten each into 6-inch round. Place rounds on ungreased baking sheet, spacing 5 inches apart. Brush tops with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with ground black pepper and sea salt. Using small sharp knife, cut 1/2-inch-deep X in top of each dough round.

5. Bake breads until deep golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Cool breads on rack at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sweet Potato Oranges

I made these this past fall and I am SO excited to finally be posting them! When I was a baby, my favorite food was sweet potatoes -- I gobbled down so many baby food cans of mashed sweet potatoes...I just couldn't get enough! And now...I still LOVE them. I don't understand why people love regular baking potatoes so much. They are just bland and tasteless unless you add a bunch of cheese and sour cream, especially when compared with the magnificent sweet potato.  I was extremely happy with the flavor in this recipe; the potatoes compliment the oranges very well. And not only do these taste amazing, but they look absolutely fabulous and oh-so-impressive! Don't get me wrong...they were a bit of work -- having to scoop out the flesh of the oranges wasn't so easy. But it was totally worth it. The orange flavor is subtle and the brown sugar topping caramelizes the nuts, while seeping into the mashed potato mixture below. The result? Pure sweet potato bliss.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

6 medium/large oranges

3 cups mashed, cooked sweet potatoes

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup loosely packed light brown sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup butter, softened, divided

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 cup (largely) chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Prepare oranges by cutting tops off, 1/4 to 1/2 inch down. Spoon out the flesh, leaving a shell.
3. In a large bowl combine sweet potatoes, sugar, orange juice, eggs, vanilla extract, 1/2 cup butter and grated orange peel. Spoon mixture into orange shells. Place in a deep casserole dish.
4. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine remaining 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, flour and pecans. Cook until sugar dissolves in melted butter. Spoon over oranges. Fill casserole dish with water to reach 1/2 inch in depth.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Italian Cream Pancakes

I know I haven't posted in a while...I've been super busy with school work (junior year is killing me), but now it's FINALLY time for Spring Break! I will try my best to post at least one recipe each day because there are so many recipes I've been meaning to post and I know I am super behind. For my first post in a while, I have decided to present to you these incredible, sweet, nutty pancakes topped with a decadent cream cheese glaze. 

Yes, they are just as delicious as they sound. I promise.

If you've never tasted Italian Cream Cake, then you totally need to. Like...immediately. Sooo..you can start with this breakfast recipe! These pancakes seriously taste just like Italian Cream Cake, only hot and in heavenly pancake form, with warm glaze oozing all over them. Coconut, cream cheese frosting, and pecans are the most perfect combination perhaps in the entire world, and they taste scrumptious in this recipe.  Not to mention, [ toasting ] the pecans give the pancakes a wonderful nutty-ness that tastes so warm and comforting.

There were no leftovers when I made these for my family, and I'm sure the same thing will happen for you.

You can find this decadent recipe here. 

Toasted Coconut Banana Bread

I've been trying to find the perfect, classic banana bread recipe, and I have not had any luck with that yet, however....during my search, I found this delicious alternative.  Coconut and banana are just so amazing together, am I right?  The combo reminds me of summer: drinking pina-coladas....just so refreshing!  This bread is also not too sweet, and has just the right amount of banana flavor.  In this recipe, your classic banana bread jumps up to a whole new level. Finely shredded coconut adds a sweet crunch to this moist, flavorful treat.  I recommend it plain, but I highly recommend it with these loaded up variations: served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream/whipped cream and/or chocolate chips, with coffee for breakfast, chilled in the refrigerator, or toasted with cream cheese frosting and/or nutella and/or peanut butter.

Yield: 1 loaf (about 10-12 servings)

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs, at room temperature
1 cup mashed, very ripe bananas (2 large or 3 medium bananas)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cups flaked coconut, toasted

Instructions:

Grease a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center. In a medium mixing bowl combine beaten eggs, mashed bananas, oil, milk, and vanilla; mix well. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir just till combined. (The batter should be lumpy.) Fold in toasted coconut.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.  Serve warm, at room temperature, and/or chilled.

Classic Monkey Bread

Hmmmm.....sticky....gooey....sweet....oozing with caramel and cinnamon....the amazing, classic monkey bread.  If you've never tasted it, mannnnn are you missing out because it's unforgettable.  I don't know if you have tried my fluffernutter monkey bread, but this classic recipe is, in my opinion, even better.  I guess I can't really compare the two recipes because the fluffernutter one is bursting with my favorite combo: peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.  However, this recipe is a CLASSIC, and it's just so darn good.  Also, the leftovers store wonderfully in a resealable container; just reheat them and they will taste almost as good as they do straight from the oven(:  I wouldn't change anything about this recipe except to make MORE of it because it goes so quickly.  Once you start eating it, you just can't stop!  You just keep popping the bite-size pieces of heaven into your mouth! It's truly irresistible.

Yield: about 12 servings

Ingredients

1/2

cup granulated sugar

1

teaspoon cinnamon

2

cans (16.3 oz each) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1/2

cup chopped walnuts, if desired

1/2

cup raisins, if desired

1

cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3/4

cup butter, melted

Instructions:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube pan with shortening or cooking spray. In large -storage plastic food bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon.
• Separate dough into 16 biscuits; cut each into quarters. Shake in bag to coat. Arrange in pan, adding walnuts and raisins among the biscuit pieces.
• In small bowl, mix brown sugar and butter; pour over biscuit pieces.
• Bake 26 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

Golden Sweet Potato Brownies

I'm not one to cut the chocolate out of a brownie, but this recipe seriously doesn't need it.  Similar to my Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, this "brownie" is super moist, wonderfully sweet, with just the right amount of spice.  However, this recipe has more of a moist brownie-like texture than my cake recipe, and the cake part - or should I say "brownie" part - is a little sweeter as well.  These are not crumbly like brownies, though...I guess you could say they are stuck in the middle between a brownie and a cake.  The brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter make this recipe super sinfully rich. And the glaze on top is just delicious.  I don't recommend adding a frosting because that would make the dish a little too sweet.  I do, however, recommend adding the golden raisins (regular are fine too, but the golden complements the color better), and they are incredible when soaked in boiling orange juice for an hour. The shredded sweet potato (or yam) that you use melts away into the cake, similar to what a carrot cake would be like. I also love the sunny-orange-golden color this cake makes; it's unlike anything I've ever eaten before.  Do NOT use canned yams for this recipe because I have no idea how that would turn out!  I would think that it would make it too moist/wet.  Use fresh, shredded yams or sweet potatoes for the best results because they will be amazing!

Yield: 1 9x13 inch baking dish (about 20 servings)

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups peeled and finely shredded sweet potato (or yam)
1 cup golden raisins (optional)

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg; stir into the batter just until blended. Fold in the shredded yam and (optional) raisins. Spread the batter evenly in the greased baking dish.
3. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center, comes out clean. Mix together the confectioners' sugar, butter and milk until smooth. Spread over the brownies while they are still warm. They will absorb some of the glaze. Serve hot or warm.

Nutella Stuffed Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

I could go on all day with these mouth-watering pictures.......
                                            ....but I won't.  Because I know you guys just wanna get to the recipe already.  Let me start off by saying that these are the most magnificent muffins I have ever tasted in my entire life.  (My second favorite is tied with my lemon raspberry muffins and my chocolate chip muffins.) They are like CRACK.  You will be wanting one of these EVERY SINGLE DAY once you bake them.  In fact, my family has already decided to have these for Christmas day breakfast!  Yep yep --- they are that good.

Let me tell you a little bit about them.  The muffin cake itself has the perfect amount of spice; wonderfully cinnamon-y, with just the right amount of nutmeg. It is also super moist and tender, everything you would dream the perfect muffin should be.  You know what a snickerdoodle tastes like right? (I'm working on the perfect snickerdoodle recipe by the way)  Hopefully you do.  Well...these muffins tastes just like snickerdoodles...just in muffin form of course (which makes them way cooler).   Plus they are fluffy.  Which makes them way better than snickerdoodle cookies(:  Anyways, on the outside of these heavenly clouds of pure deliciousness is a decadent cinnamon-sugar-butter topping which causes every single bite to melt in your mouth.  Seriously...it may sound like I'm exaggerating but I swear I'm really not.  And I haven't even gotten to the absolute BEST part of these muffins: the NUTELLA center.  Mmmmm...once you take the first bite into these treats, you'll discover a chocolate surprise in the middle, filled with warm, fudgey, sinful nutella.  The chocolate in the nutella pairs amazingly with the vanilla-cinnamon-y-buttery muffin.  They make fantastic left overs too, but are best eaten warm from the oven (of course, these only lasted up until the day after I made them, but they were still awesome). 

Ohmygosh just make these muffins.  I promise they will be a new favorite of yours!

Nutella Stuffed Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

yield:  8 medium-large muffins

• 1/3 cup (5 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 heaping teaspoons Nutella (about 4 tablespoons)

Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

• 6 tablespoons white sugar (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4.5 Tbsp unsalted butter (1/4 cup + 1.5 teaspoons)

Preheat oven to 425F.  Spray muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together on medium speed.  Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and milk. Gently stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  DO NOT overmix – stir until *just* combined.

Spoon 1 heaping Tablespoon of batter into muffin cavity.  Layer with 1 heaping tsp Nutella in the center and spoon another heaping Tablespoon of batter on top.  If the muffin tins are completely full, that is ok.  They will not overflow.  Repeat layering batter + Nutella into each muffin tin.  I got exactly 8 muffins.

Bake at 425F for 5 minutes.  Reduce oven to 350F and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes until batter is set. Allow muffins to cool for about 5 minutes.

While the muffins are cooling, make the cinnamon-sugar topping.  Melt the butter for about 30 seconds in the microwave.  Stir and stick back in microwave if not fully melted.  In a separate small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon.  Dip the top of each muffin generously into the melted butter and dip into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Swirl them around in the cinnamon-sugar a bit to make sure you get a thick coating. Set upright on cooling rack.  Enjoy!

***photo-creds to Sally's Baking Addiction, and this recipe was adapted/altered from her as well.

Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Woah now.  Sweet potato cake?  There's sweet potato pie...and pumpkin cake...and potato bread...and sweet potato casserole...but sweet potato cake?  Yeah okay so it sounds a little strange at first, but it's really not all that weird when you think about it.  Sweet potatoes are super similar to pumpkin, and there's pumpkin cake, so why not have a sweet potato cake?  At least this is what I was thinking before I made this magnificently scrumptious masterpiece.  I brought this to school for a party, and all my friends - and the teachers - raved about it. It is SO amazing.  The secret ingredient in this recipe is the beer.  I don't know the scientific reason for it, but beer makes baked goods so incredibly moist and have the softest texture.  Oh and I haven't even started on this cream cheese frosting.  It's like heaven in your mouth.  Beating it for 3 minutes makes it fluffy and it melts in your mouth.  And the cinnamon flavor mixed with the sweet potato flavor makes the whole dish just scream fall.  And with fall comes Thanksgiving(:  This cake may just be on our Thanksgiving table this year...

Yield: 1 9x13 inch pan

Ingredients
1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 pinch of nutmeg

Directions
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking dish.

2.Stir together the sugar and vegetable oil in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and sweet potatoes. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in a separate bowl; stir into the batter 1 cup at a time, alternating with the beer just until everything comes together. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

3.Bake for 30-35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting (optional) or serving.

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cream Cheese Frosting: 

• 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick), room temperature
• 8 oz of Philly cream cheese (1 package), room temperature
• 2 - 3 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Instructions

1 With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

2 Add the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until you get to desired sweetness and thickness.

5 Minute Coffee Cake In a Mug

Ohmygoodness.  This is pure GENIUS.  Who wants to go through the trouble of baking a huge pan of coffee cake one morning that would take over an hour to prepare when you're super hungry?? Not me, that's for sure..  I prefer eating not long after waking up.  This recipe is absolutely amazing.  It's SO delicious!  It's perfectly sweet, moist, buttery, and pairs perfectly with --- shocker --- coffee! I can honestly say it's one of the best coffee cakes I've ever had.  It's definitely THE BEST classic coffee cake I've ever had (yup, even yummier than Starbucks).  And it's ready in minutes.

You can find this incredible recipe here.  BUT make the alterations below!

The alterations I highly suggest are:
~Do not let the butter get melty. It should be softened; just soft enough to cream the sugar in.  You will get a much moister cake when the butter is soft like this.
~Cook it based on your microwave.  All microwaves are different levels of power. Check it after 45 seconds.  My microwave is pretty powerful, so my cake was perfectly cooked in only 45 seconds.  The very tippy-top was still slightly gooey (in a good way!), but the inside was definitely cooked.  To check, try sticking a knife into the center of yours to see if it comes out clean.
~Use 1 tablespoon of flour in the topping. The topping was way too floury with 2 tablespoons.  You may have to crumble it a little with your hands cause it was kind of wet, but super yummy.
~Mix half of the topping into the batter. This assures a delicious, buttery, brown sugary, cinnamon-y delight in every bite(: Instead of a heaping sugar-butter blob on top.

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

I'm not a huge fan of dressings.  Whenever I have a salad, I don't usually use that much dressing; its just never been my thing.  However, after making this recipe, my whole viewpoint of dressing completely changed.  Who knew that ranch dressing could make chicken so........wonderful??  The ranch dressing added sooo much incredibly delicious flavor to the chicken, and made it perfectly salty and wonderfully moist.  You truly can't get any moister than this chicken is.  This is definitely one of my new favorite chicken recipes.  Ohmygoodness, just typing about it makes me want to eat a bunch of it.  The chicken literally melts in your mouth, and it's super duper addicting.  The sauce is awesome too, especially over rice!

Yield: about 6 servings

Ingredients

• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup ranch dressing
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste (optional)
• 5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 1 inch cubes

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

Chocolate Chip-Apple-Cinnamon Bread

I wanna start off by saying that I am SO SORRY I haven't posted in so long!  My school started at the end of August and I've been super busy with my crazy schedule.  Buttt.... this recipe is totally worth the wait.  I made this a few weeks ago and I fell in love with the flavors of cinnamon, apples, and chocolate.  I know they sound kind of weird together, but I promise the flavor is really delicious.  I love the nutty flavor as well.  It's such a wonderful bread/cake to make in the fall, and goes great with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream when hot from the oven.  It also tastes divine the next day with a cup of coffee.  What I loved the most about this bread is that it has so many different flavors, textures, and ways to eat it!  My entire family gobbled it up within a day, and I will definitely make it again.  The next time I make it, I will experiment with walnuts, white chocolate chips, and maybe vanilla chips and/or cinnamon chips.  I also may try swirling the topping into the batter, or maybe even swirling in some - - - - wait for it...........Nutella! Yumm!

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons white sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup finely chopped nuts (I used almonds, but walnuts would be my first choice)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons buttermilk

1.5 cups chopped apples

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup chocolate chips (i used semi-sweet, but dark or white would be great too)

Directions:

1.  To make the topping, in a small bowl mix the sugar, cinnamon and finely chopped nuts. Set aside. 2. In a medium bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside. 3. In a separate large bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in apples, nuts, and  chocolate chips. Pour into a greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with topping. 4. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Sweet and Tangy Coleslaw

I do not like coleslaw with mayonnaise...yuck.  Mayonnaise in coleslaw is so heavy and gross, in my opinion. However, I love vinegar based coleslaw, and this is the BEST Cole Slaw recipe ever!!  America's Test Kitchen has yet another success.  I served this with barbecue sandwiches and it was such a delicious, southern meal.  This is now my go-to coleslaw recipe.

Published May 1, 2011.  From Cook's Illustrated.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

To keep our coleslaw recipe crisp, we needed to find a way to make the cabbage shed its excess water. Our usual technique involves salting the cabbage for a few hours, but we were determined to speed up the process. We discovered that sugar, which we were already including in our coleslaw recipe, has the same effect on cabbage that salt does. Microwaving a batch of shredded slaw that we’d tossed with salt and sugar made it shed the same amount of liquid that it had taken three hours to release at room temperature. Cooling down our cabbage was easy: We simply chilled the dressing and then refrigerated the finished coleslaw for a few minutes. 

SERVES 4

Do not use a pre-shredded coleslaw mix with this recipe; its texture and flavor are inferior to fresh cabbage. If you don’t have a salad spinner, use a colander to drain the cabbage, and press with a rubber spatula to remove all excess liquid. When it comes to the sweetness level of coleslaw, tastes vary. For this reason, prepare the coleslaw as directed and then season to taste with up to 2 teaspoons of sugar or up to 2 teaspoons of vinegar, adding one teaspoon at a time.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4cup cider vinegar, plus extra for seasoning
• 2tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4teaspoon celery seed
• 1/4teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2large green cabbage (about 1 pound), cored and shredded fine (about 6 cups)
• 1/4cup sugar, plus extra for seasoning
• Table salt
• 1large carrot, peeled and grated
• 2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Combine 1/4 cup vinegar, oil, celery seed, and pepper in medium glass or metal bowl. Place bowl in freezer until vinegar mixture is well chilled, at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
2. 2. While mixture chills, toss cabbage with ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with large plate and microwave on high power for 1 minute. Stir briefly, re-cover, and continue to microwave on high power until cabbage is partially wilted and has reduced in volume by ¬one-third, 30 to 60 seconds longer.
3. 3. Transfer cabbage to salad spinner and spin cabbage until excess water is removed, 10 to 20 seconds. Remove bowl from freezer, add cabbage, carrot, and parsley to cold vinegar mixture, and toss to combine. If desired, adjust flavor with sugar or vinegar. Season with salt to taste. Refrigerate until chilled, about 15 minutes. Toss again before serving.