Sarah – DessertedPlanet.com

One Bowl Gluten-Free, Vegan Banana Bread

August 10, 2017 No Comments

We do gluten-free around here every now and then and it’s not because anyone has any type of allergies but more so because I truly love a lot of recipes that use almond flour. I can’t say I’ve had much success with coconut flour (as in ZERO) but almond flour never lets me down and it surprisingly makes the most moist and delicious banana bread I have EVER had.

My go-to and favorite banana bread recipe for years had been this one but I prefer this gluten-free version WAY more and it is honestly so much better. Plus, it’s VEGAN which I totally love seeing as how we’ve recently decided to eat plant-based in our every day lives.

The original recipe calls for one egg but I have recently discovered the magic of aquafaba. What’s that you ask? It’s bean water! More specifically the liquid from cooked or canned chickpeas. Crazy, right?! Well this stuff is magic! It’s a GREAT egg replacement for so many things. I am still learning and experimenting but it works wonders in this banana bread and helps take it to the next level of super healthy deliciousness! I’m pretty sure you’ll never go back to a regular ‘ole oil and sugar filled banana bread after you try this version!

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One Bowl Gluten-Free Banana Bread

Ingredients

3-4 Medium VERY Ripe Bananas (I use 4)
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
3 T. Aquafaba
3 T. Coconut Oil, melted
¼ c. Xylitol
¼ c. Sucanat
3½ t. Baking Powder
¾ t. Sea Salt
½ t. Ground Cinnamon
¾ c. Unsweetened Almond or Cashew Milk
2½ c. Blanched Almond Flour
1¼ c. Gluten-Free Quick Oats
Handful of Chopped Walnuts (optional but delicious!)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat ripe bananas until mashed. Mix in all other ingredients through the milk and combine. Add almond flour and oats and stir to combine. Add chopped walnuts (if using).
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes (mine took 1 hour and 5 minutes), until a tester comes out clean.
Let cool completely before removing from pan and slicing. Store in an airtight container.

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Cake, Chocolate, Desserts

Dark Chocolate Strawberry Cream Cake

July 28, 2017 No Comments

If you are looking for a super decadent, rich, absolutely DELICIOUS and most importantly HEALTHY chocolate cake–look no further! I can honestly say this is maybe the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had and I can only guess it has something to do with the crazy amount of avocado in it! Yes, avocado!

I just love avocado. Although you’d NEVER guess it was in this cake. All you’ll taste is chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate! Oh and some strawberry. 😉 Avocado is so great for chocolate desserts, like this Chocolate Avocado Pudding and I’ve also seen chocolate frosting recipes that use it in place of butter although I have yet to try it myself! It really is the ultimate super food!

What makes this cake even better is the fact that it is totally dairy-free, gluten-free and refined sugar-free! Enjoy a big ‘ole slice without any guilt!

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Dark Chocolate Strawberry Cream Cake

Author: Desserted Planet

Category: Cake

Ingredients

Dark Chocolate Cake

3 c. Chopped Avocado (4-5 large), pureed
¾ c. Xylitol
¾ c. Sucanat
¼ c. Agave (optional)
4 Large Eggs
3 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 ½ c. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
½ c. Special Dark Cocoa Powder (or use another ½ cup regular)
½ t. Sea Salt
1 t. Espresso Powder
2 t. Baking Soda
1 c. Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chunks (optional)

Chocolate Whipped Cream

1, 14.5 oz. Canned Full-Fat Coconut Cream, chilled in fridge (unopened) for at least 5-8 hours or overnight
2-3 T. Refined Coconut Oil, softened
Pinch Sea Salt
2 t. Pure Vanilla Extract
2 t. Cocoa Powder
2 T. Agave
2 Packets Truvia (or use couple teaspoons of powdered stevia, etc)

Other

1 c. Sliced Strawberries
½ c. Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chunks, melted

Instructions

For the Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two, round 9x9-inch pans with non-stick spray and line with parchment paper.
In the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed, beat the avocado puree, xylitol, sucanat and agave until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until fully incorporated.
Beat in remaining ingredients (except chocolate chunks). Stir in dark chocolate chunks.
Divide batter evenly between the two pans--it will be VERY thick. Bake for 22-25 minutes until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

For the Chocolate Whipped Cream

Place the metal bowl and whisk of an electric mixer in the freezer for at least 30 minutes (if you don’t have an electric mixer, a bowl and whisk should work as well).
Place the thick cream part of the chilled coconut milk (you can just discard the liquid if there is any or save for smoothies, etc) into the chilled electric mixer bowl and whisk the coconut milk, coconut oil, salt, vanilla, cocoa powder, agave and truvia on medium/high speed until fully combined and thick. Refrigerate or use immediately on cake.

To Assemble

Remove chilled cakes from pans and peel away parchment paper. Put one cake on a large plate or cake stand. Spread ½ of the whipped on the first cake layer.
Top with the second cake layer and spread with the remaining whipped Cream
Place strawberry slices around the outer edge and drizzle with melted chocolate. Serve immediately or refrigerate covered until ready to serve.

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Desserts

Saturday Morning Pancakes

July 9, 2017 No Comments

As the title suggests, these are the PERFECT Saturday morning pancakes…minimal effort when you’re just feeling kind of tired and things are slow. They come together quickly and in minutes you’re enjoying fluffy, thick pancakes! Best of all they are dairy, egg and sugar free!

We topped ours with fresh raspberries, dark bing cherries and a bit of powdered xylitol (that I had made by just processing xylitol in my Vitamix). Oh and someone may have used just a bit of Dark Chocolate Fudge Sauce on theirs but I’m not saying who. 😉

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Saturday Morning Pancakes

Author: Desserted Planet

Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

1½ c. Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
¾ c. Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
2 T. Baking Powder
¼ t. plus ⅛ t. Sea Salt
1, 14 oz. Can Full-Fat Coconut Milk
⅓ c. Xylitol
1½ T. Pure Vanilla Extract
⅓ c. Coconut Oil

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder and sea salt. Set aside.
Place all the remaining ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend on high until everything is smooth and completely combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk gently to combine. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes.
Heat a griddle over medium heat and melt just a bit of coconut oil on it. Scoop the pancake batter onto the griddle using a ⅓ measuring cup for each pancake.
Cook until bubbles appear on the top of the pancake and the edges look dry, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side.
Eat with toppings of choice...fresh fruit, powdered xylitol, maple agave, etc.

Notes

Makes 12

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Desserts, Sauces

Dark Chocolate Fudge Sauce

July 6, 2017 1 Comment

It’s summertime and we’ve been eating lots of ice cream around here! The other day I was craving the Jamoca Almond Fudge ice cream from Baskin Robbins which I haven’t had for YEARS and decided to recreate the coffee and chocolate ice cream concoction. So I whipped up a coffee ice cream and topped it with a hot fudge sauce and some roasted almonds…all dairy and refined sugar FREE, of course.

The coffee ice cream turned out fabulous and I may share that recipe another day but for now I wanted to share this awesome Dark Chocolate Fudge Sauce! The recipe I adapted it from called it a hot fudge sauce but when I warmed it up I got it a little TOO hot and it got too thin for my liking so I did away with the “hot” part and just left it at fudge! If you warm it up just a bit, it maintains a nice, thick, creamy texture and it really is perfect on ice cream or fruit!

Free of all the nasty chemicals, refined sugar, processed oil and whatever else goes into the store-bought kind and this one is spoon-licking good! And yes, it’s totally ok to just eat it straight from the jar. 🙂

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Dark Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Author: Desserted Planet

Category: Dessert

Ingredients

1, 14 oz. Can Full Fat Coconut Milk
½ c. Sucanat
1 T. Agave
⅓ c. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Pinch Sea Salt
2 T. Coconut Oil
2 t. Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Place the coconut milk, sucanat, agave, cocoa powder and salt into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until mixture comes to a boil.
Turn heat to low-medium and simmer for 10 minutes, still whisking frequently.
Remove from heat and whisk in coconut oil and vanilla.
Allow the sauce to cool for 20 minuets. A thin film will form over the top as it cools, but simply whisk it before pouring it into an airtight glass container.
Store in the refrigerator. Warm up VERY slightly and give a good stir to get a nice, creamy texture.

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Bars, Desserts, Healthy

Chewy, Crunchy Strawberry Protein Bars

July 2, 2017 No Comments

I’ve made a lot of protein bars in my day and every now and then I think, “hmm, these may be the best ones yet…” but that thought has never been 100% accurate until now. In my daughter’s words “these are the GOODEST. ONES. EVER!!!!”. And she should know, she’s tried a LOT. 🙂

Previous experiments (such as my Rich Baked Homemade Protein Bars and Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Power Bars) have been good but I really wanted a super simple, non-dairy, gluten-free AND sugar-free bar that used a plant-based protein powder and these are it! My kids lose their minds over these and I have zero guilt handing them out as a bedtime snack.

The original version is peanut butter (I call them my homemade butterfingers because that’s what they taste like to me!) but I just tried the strawberry version again and I’m so excited with how amazing they turned out, I’m sharing that recipe first! Be on the look out for the peanut butter ones coming soon!

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Chewy, Crunchy Strawberry Protein Bars

Author: Desserted Planet

Category: Protein Bar

Ingredients

4 c. Rolled Quick Oats
¼ c. Ground Flaxseed
2 T. Hemp Hearts
4 T. Chia Seeds
1 c. Vega Bodacious Berries Protein Powder
½ t. Sea Salt
1½ c. Fresh Ground Almond Butter (the kind you grind yourself at the store..no added oil or salt)
½ c. Coconut Oil, melted
⅔ c. Agave
3 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 c. Freeze Dried Strawberries

Instructions

Line a 9x13 pan with foil. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the dry ingredients.
Add all wet ingredients and mix on low until thoroughly combined.
Add freeze dried strawberries until they have broken up into smaller pieces and are just combined (you don't want them to be too crushed/pulverized..they add an awesome crunch to the bar).
Press evenly into the pan and place in the freezer for one hour or until firm.
Remove the bars from the pan, peel away the foil and cut into even bars.
Place in an airtight container and store in the freezer or refrigerator (we like our in the freezer).

Notes

36, 1-inch bars

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Breakfast, Desserts, Dip, Healthy

Chocolate Hummus

June 27, 2017 No Comments

Surprise! It’s me. 🙂 Yep, I’m blogging again…a year later! I took a break to do a little something called bhsmealplans.com (ebook coming soon!) and while it was a great year of creating, testing and perfecting recipes, I’m ready to get back to blogging!

I decided to give the ‘ole blog a fresh new look (thanks to my super talented and creative hubby) and even a new direction…HEALTHY desserts! It’s my true passion and pretty much the only type of sweet anything that happens in this house most likely contains chia seeds, some kind of nut butter and agave. 😀 Whereas I used to never run out of butter, refined sugar and all-purpose flour, I don’t even keep those things stocked!

I’m super excited about the new direction for Desserted Planet and started to think about what recipe I’d debut my new-ish blog with but instead of agonizing FOREVER about the recipe I wanted to use, I decided to just do one that I make ALOT around here and my kids LOVE–Chocolate Hummus!

It’s super easy, great for dessert OR breakfast (yes we totally eat it for breakfast) and just good. Really, really good! So here you go, hope you try it and find it as incredibly yummy as we do!

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Chocolate Hummus

Author: Desserted Planet

Category: Dessert

Ingredients

1, 15 oz. Can Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
3 T. Unsweetened Cocoa
1 t. Pure Vanilla Extract
¼ c. All-Natural Almond Butter (I’ve also used cashew butter and it’s yummy)
¼ c. plus 2 T. Unsweetened Cashew or Almond Milk
¼ c. plus 2 T. Agave (or sweetener of choice)
⅛ t. Cinnamon (use less or omit if you don’t care for cinnamon)
Pinch of Sea Salt
Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips (for topping--optional)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Refrigerate until completely chilled, topped with mini chocolate chips and serve with strawberries, grapes, sliced bananas, sliced apples, whole grain graham crackers, etc.

Notes

Makes 10-12 servings.

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Candy, Cookie, Dessert Tables/Buffets, Desserts, DIY

Sparkle Princess 3rd Birthday Party!

July 6, 2016 No Comments

This year, Avery had enough of an opinion that SHE wanted to pick the theme for her third birthday party. I had the luxury of being in total control of her first and second birthday and honestly thought I’d have a couple of more years to decide party themes, but apparently not! I’m not upset though because doing a sparkle princess theme was actually a lot of fun and gave me a little challenge with the dessert table. I ended up doing Princess Popcorn, White Chocolate Castles, Crown Cookies, Royal Gumballs, Majestic Sixlets and Magic Star Fruit Wands! Oh and her cake was by Affordable Splendor Cakes and absolutely DELICIOUS.

Here are some shots from the day.

We had such fun at Avery’s party! Can’t believe she’s 3! Love our baby girl!

Desserts

German Chocolate Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

May 24, 2016 1 Comment

So life has been…busy. And I have been MAJORLY slacking with Desserted Planet! Sigh. Between now having two kids and starting an awesome meal planning side business (more on that later but for now you can check out what I’ve been up to at bhsmealplans.com!) I have just let this little blog go which was not my intention at all so I’m slowly but surely starting to get back into dessert blogging mode! I won’t be posting every week but hopefully more than once every six months, haha! And to kick things off, I’ve got a FABULOUS ooey gooey butter cake recipe to share with you all!

As I’ve said before, I’m only slightly obsessed with ooey gooey butter cake (see examples of obsession here, here, here, here, here and here). I can still remember the first time I ever had it probably 10 or 15 years ago! One taste and I was hooked forever.

With this ooey gooey cake I was wanting to capture the essence of a german chocolate cake and think I managed to do just that! We ate it with a scoop of vanilla custard on the side and it was divine! Simple, delicious and totally not good for you but so worth it!

Enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews

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German Chocolate Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 (18¼ oz) pkg. German Chocolate Cake Mix
1 Egg
8 T. Butter, melted
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract

For the Filling:

1 (8 oz) pkg. Cream Cheese, softened
2 Eggs
8 T. Butter, melted
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract vanilla
1 (16 oz) Box Powdered Sugar
1 c. Pecans, toasted and chopped
1 c. Sweetened Flaked Coconut

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

For the Cake:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cake mix, butter, vanilla and egg until well combined. Pat evenly into the bottom of the pan and set aside.

For the Filling:

Still using the electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in eggs. Dump in powdered sugar and beat well. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly pour in melted butter until combined. Beat in vanilla, pecans and coconut.
Pour into pan and bake for 40-45 minutes until center is firm. Let cool completely and cut into squares.

Notes

Makes 18-24 bars.

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Bakery Reviews, Cupcakes, Desserts

Bakery Review – Wicked Good Cupcakes

April 27, 2016 4 Comments

I was recently contacted by the lovely ladies of Wicked Good Cupcakes and asked if I’d care to sample their cupcakes in jars. Now I will be completely honest and admit that I had never heard of Wicked Good Cupcakes but OF COURSE I’d never pass up on opportunity to try cupcakes! I will however admit that I had my reservations—cupcakes in jars?? Seemed slightly gimmicky to me and how fresh and delicious could these cupcakes possibly be? Well, I was about to find out!

To start off, the jars came packaged neatly and securely in a box with four spoons. They were adorable little mason jars which I was actually excited about because I realized after the cupcake is gone and they are thoroughly cleaned, they are reusable–yay! So that was an immediate plus. Now, on to the cupcakes!

I was sent the three new spring flavors, Strawberry Lemon, Neapolitan, Tiramisu and a bonus flavor, Mr. Wonderful’s Cookie Butter. I’m just going to get right to the main point–these cupcakes in jars were DELICIOUS. Even my husband who is not a big cupcake person was loving them and my three year old daughter wouldn’t stop asking for bites! An amazing combination of the most moist and flavorful cake and creamy, not-overly-sweet frosting in a tiny jar. They actually tasted fresher than most cupcakes I’ve had from bakeries which was shocking to me! These were really, really hard to not eat all of each and every jar.

My absolute favorite was the Strawberry Lemon which is lemon and strawberry cake layered with strawberry jam and lemon buttercream frosting. Tangy, sweet and just divine. My second favorite was the Neapolitan which is chocolate, vanilla and strawberry cake layered with vanilla buttercream frosting and sprinkled with some cute chocolate jimmies on top. Third favorite was Tiramisu which is vanilla cake with layers of coffee syrup, and tiramisu butter cream frosting. And my least favorite (and my daughter’s new cake obsession haha!) was Mr. Wonderful’s Cookie Butter which was yummy cinnamon cake layered between homemade caramel and cookie butter buttercream frosting topped off with a dollop of Biscoff cookie butter in the center. Don’t get me wrong, this one was super yummy just not my favorite. If you love cinnamon it would probably be your top pick though!

The only thing I noticed about the jars was that there was no description of each flavor like there is on the website and I think it would be nice to read what’s inside the jar when you open it up. Kind of get your taste buds going before you have that first bite. 😉 As for price they are a tad pricey but you are getting the equivalent of two cupcakes in ONE jar plus a jar to keep! In my mind totally worth the cost and they would make a fabulous gift for Mother’s Day or just about any special occasion…Valentine’s Day, birthdays, Christmas…or just treat yourself! Don’t wait, order some today!

Bakery Reviews, Breakfast, Desserts

Bakery Review – Grandma Ruth’s in Branson, MO

October 14, 2015 No Comments

My friend Shana had raved many times about a little place in Branson, MO called Grandma Ruth’s that apparently has some of the BEST cinnamon rolls around. So the first opportunity I got, I high-tailed it down to Branson and stopped into this little hole in the wall cinnamon roll shop!

The first thing I noticed was the music coming from the room that had the table and chairs where people were eating their treats…it was live music! A guy with a guitar singing your typical country western tunes and he wasn’t bad! And there is nothing fancy about this place, just basic tables and chairs in one room and then you enter the next room and it’s the “kitchen” and counter where you place your order. It’s completely open so you can see all the baking happening and Grandma Ruth herself is sitting there making cinnamon rolls! Adds a nice personal touch!

The day we visited they had three kinds of rolls: Cinnamon, caramel and toffee. We purchased two of each kind and made our way back to the tables and chairs area to eat them. My favorite was the classic cinnamon followed by the caramel and then the toffee. These rolls were HUGE, enough for two people to share! And they were indeed delicious! Tender, yeasty, not to sweet (ok the toffee was a tad too sweet for me!) and so good, just like you expect a classic cinnamon roll. My daughter LOVED them and my hubby and I both enjoyed ours immensely.

If you’re in Branson and looking for some sweet indulgence, these cinnamon rolls are just the thing!

Enjoy!

Bread, Breakfast, Recipes

Chocolate Chip-Espresso Banana Bread

July 8, 2015 No Comments

I love banana bread but when you throw in deep, dark chocolate and a hint of espresso, something magical happens to this delicious breakfast staple–it gets even BETTER. This bread was so moist and decadent, I’m not sure I’ll ever go back to my standard banana bread recipe again! And I love that I get a little extra jolt of caffeine from the chocolate AND the espresso. Pair it with a mug of steaming coffee and you’re good to go until lunch!

Enjoy!

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Chocolate Chip-Espresso Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 c. Mashed, Very Ripe Bananas (I used 6 large bananas for this)
¾ c., plus 2 T. Granulated Sugar
¼ c., plus 2 T. Packed Brown Sugar
¾ c. Coconut Oil, melted (original recipe calls for butter but coconut oil was all I had on hand)
2 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
3 Large Eggs, room temp
2¼ c. All-Purpose Flour
2 t. Instant Espresso Powder
1½ t. Baking Soda
¾ t. Baking Powder
1½ t. Salt
1 c. Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (I prefer Ghirardelli)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray one, 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
In the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed, beat together bananas, ¾ cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted coconut oil, vanilla and eggs. In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With mixer on low, add flour mixture to banana mixture and thoroughly combine. Beat in chocolate chips. Pour into loaf pan. Sprinkle remaining 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar on top.
Bake 50-55 minutes, until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on cooling rack.

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Desserts, Inspiration, Recipes

A Sweet July 4th!

June 29, 2015 No Comments

I can’t believe I’m already writing a Fourth of July blog post! This last couple of months have flown with my daughter turning two and having a baby…suffice it to say I’ve baked nothin’ in the last few weeks and don’t have any super-fabulous, totally-original July 4th recipe to share with you BUT I do have some past inspiration from my blog and others that are patriotic AND delicious! So here are 10 gorgeous red, white and blue desserts that you can feel proud serving this Fourth of July holiday! Enjoy!

Red Velvet and Blueberry Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

Red Velvet Funnel Cake

Cherry Star Turnovers

Easy Flag Fruit Dessert

Red, White and Blue Pinwheel Icebox Cookies

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Firecracker Popcorn

Easy and Healthy Fresh Fruit Dessert Pizza

Mini Fruit Tart Cheesecakes

Cookie, Desserts, Recipes

Best Ever Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

June 22, 2015 No Comments

The original title of these cookies is actually Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies but after making and eating a couple (or 5…) I thought BEST EVER was more of an accurate description. Because they truly are that good! And of course this cookie recipe comes from Sally’s Baking Addiction. I am in love with her cookie recipes. I really, really am. Some of the ones I’ve tried and LOVE include:

Soft-Baked Monster Cookies

Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Soft & Thick Snickerdoodles

And then there are these oatmeal raisin cookies. Typically oatmeal raisin isn’t at the top of everyone’s favorite cookie list, but this one definitely deserves a spot. The raisins are plump and sweet, the addition of molasses gives it a slightly deeper flavor and the white chocolate chips are the perfect amount of additional sweetness. This cookie rocks.

Enjoy!

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Best Ever Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients

1 c. Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1 c. Light Brown Sugar
¼ c. Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs, room temperature
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 T. Molasses
1½ c. All-Purpose Flour
1 t. Baking Soda
1½ t. Ground Cinnamon
½ t. Salt
3 c. Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
½ c. Raisins, soaked in water overnight and drained
½ c. White Chocolate Chips

Instructions

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs and mix on high until combined, about 1 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and molasses and mix on high until combined. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Beat in the oats, raisins and white chocolate chips on low speed. Dough will be thick and very sticky. Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll dough into 1.5" ball and place on baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until very lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft and undone. Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to "set" on the baking sheet during this time.
Store cookies in air-tight container.

Notes

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

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Bakery Reviews, Desserts

Natasha’s Mulberry & Mott

June 15, 2015 1 Comment

My friend Shawna had more than once told me how AWESOME Natasha’s on the Plaza in Kansas City was. Especially their macarons, apparently the best and I LOVE macarons. So, when Jeremy and I had a chance to go to a B&B in Excelsior Springs for a couple of days for our fifth anniversary (yay!), I knew that I would absolutely have Natasha’s on my agenda since KC was so close and I wanted to go shopping on the Plaza anyway. Perfect!

All I can say is from the time I walked into Natasha’s Mulberry & Mott until the time we left, I was absolutely mesmerized by everything about this little place. I felt like I was in a little Parisian shop/cafe, surrounded by vintage furniture and picture frames, pristine white walls with pastel accents, gorgeous chandeliers and a little tea bar against one wall. And the desserts…jars of cookies, bars and marshmallows, assorted pastries, tarts and little cakes in the pastry case and the most impressive display of macarons I’ve ever seen!

And the best part…because we were there on Saturday, they had a fresh batch of their massive brioche cinnamon rolls, covered in buttercream. They apparently only make them on Friday and Saturday which is a shame because if I lived there, I’d buy one every. single. day. They were TO DIE FOR. We got one to share and then every flavor of macaron which was 14 different kinds in all. We thought there was no way we’d be able to eat the whole cinnamon roll but oh my gosh, once we started, we couldn’t stop! Best one I’ve ever had. As for the macarons? Also amazing and probably the best I’ve had. I liked almost every one (except the maple bacon…I just can’t get into desserts with bacon ick) but Jeremy and I agreed our favorite was the margarita which I wasn’t expecting!

Our overall rating: 5 out of 5 stars! This place is a MUST if you are anywhere near the Plaza in Kansas City. You will be in French pastry heaven!

Candy, Desserts, Snack

S’mores Puppy Chow

June 8, 2015 1 Comment

Don’t you hate it when you have a whole blog post written and nearly done and you shut your computer WITHOUT SAVING IT and the next day, BAM!, it’s not there?! Yeah, me too. Sooooo, without further adieu, we’re just going to get right to this recipe! S’mores are everywhere right now because camping is the thing to do (at least in Missouri) and you obviously can’t camp without making s’mores! But if you’re anything like me and hate to camp but still love s’mores and can’t legally/safely build a bonfire in your backyard, this S’mores Puppy Chow is THE PERFECT thing to make. It combines the crunchy, addictive goodness of puppy chow with all the decadent components of s’mores. And it is impossible to keep your hands out of it. Trust me, I know. This would be perfect for any July 4th party (yeah, already time to make that menu!)…s’mores without the work and mess but all the flavor!

Enjoy!

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S'mores Puppy Chow

Ingredients

1 c. Smooth Peanut Butter
½ c. Butter
2 c. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
9 c. Rice Chex
2 c. Brownie Mix
4 c. Powdered Sugar
4 c. Golden Graham Cereal
4 c. Mini Marshmallows
2 c. each Semi-Sweet and Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions

Place the Rice Chex, 2 cups of the Golden Grahams and 2 cups of the mini marshmallows in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a microwave safe bowl, melt the peanut butter, butter and chocolate chips at 20-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each until completely melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
Pour the chocolate/peanut butter mixture over the cereal and marshmallow mixture and stir gently until everything is evenly coated.
Place the brownie mix and powdered sugar in a large paper bag. Add the chocolate/peanut butter/cereal/marshmallow mixture to the bag. Shake vigorously to evenly coat everything with the powdered sugar and brownie mix.
Spread the remaining 2 cups of Golden Grahams out in a single layer on two large, foil-lined baking sheets. Melt 1 cup of the semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 cup of the bittersweet chocolate chips in a medium bowl in a microwave at 20-second intervals, stirring between each until completely melted and smooth. Drizzle over the Golden Grahams and let the chocolate dry completely.
Place the puppy chow in a large bowl and add remaining 2 cups of the Golden Grahams with the chocolate drizzle, remaining 2 cups mini marshmallows and remaining 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips. Stir everything together. Eat!

Notes

Makes ???? servings. A LOT. Enough for at least 25 people.

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Dessert Tables/Buffets, Desserts, Ice Cream, Inspiration, Life

Ice Cream Shoppe 2nd Birthday Party!

May 31, 2015 No Comments

I almost can’t believe that I’m already posting about my daughter’s SECOND birthday party! It seems like just yesterday I was posting about her Rainbow Sprinkles & Confetti FIRST Birthday Party! This year I had a much easier time coming up with a theme because her tastes and likes are a little more formed now at the age of 2. 😉 And without a doubt one of her most favorite things in the whole wide world is ICE CREAM! So it was kind of a no-brainer to do an ice cream shoppe themed birthday party!

There were so many great ideas for an ice cream theme party on Pinterest and I had about 8 or 9 different ice cream themed desserts I was going to do for her dessert table, but in the end I realized my limit (thank God!) and just did two cute little treats along with an ice cream sundae bar and birthday cake. It was more than enough for everybody!

Donut hole “melting ice cream cones”!

White chocolate dipped, sprinkle ice cream cone chocolate cookies. Yummy!

We also had an ice cream cone pinata, ice cream cone garland and her very own ice cream shoppe stand! I tried to keep it as simple as possible and was still really happy with how things turned out. It was so much fun and she STILL sings happy birthday to herself almost every other day! Haha!

The gorgeous cake!

Blowing out the candles!

Beautiful birthday girl….happy SECOND birthday Avery Gwen! We love you SO MUCH!

Cake, Desserts, Recipes

Nutella Buttercream Frosting

May 27, 2015 2 Comments

I’m currently sitting at home typing this blog post as fast and furious as I can before my kids wake up from their naps. That’s right I said kids…as in plural, as in I now have more than one! Our little boy was born at home a little over a week ago on Sunday, May 17th and it’s been non-stop crazy since then. But in a good way of course. 🙂

So since I’m pressed for time I’m sharing a super simple, completely decadent buttercream frosting recipe with you today! I had initially planned on blogging about the whole scrumptious cake you see above but to be honest I was a tad disappointed with how the yellow cake turned out. Heavy, dense and slightly dry…bummer. I still think this is the best Yellow Cake recipe I’ve found to date so I’m sticking with that one as my go-to for now. The Nutella buttercream however was a whole different story. Not only was it good, it was GOOD. Forget putting it on the cake, I about made myself sick eating it with a spoon. But it was so, so worth it. Try it on homemade Yellow Cake, sandwiched between Chocolate Chip Cookies or even spread over Sugar Cookie Bars.

Or….just eat it with a spoon.

Enjoy!

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Nutella Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

1 stick Unsalted Butter, room temperature
½ c. Crisco
4 c. Powdered Sugar
1 c. Cocoa Powder
¾ c. Nutella
1 c. Heavy Whipping Cream
2 T. Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and Crisco together on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder on low speed until combined. Slowly add the heavy whipping cream and vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in Nutella until frosting is well combined and smooth. Use on cupcakes, cake, cookies or eat with a spoon.

Notes

Makes enough for a round, 9-inch three-layer cake or 48 cupcakes.

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Desserts, Restaurants

Sinfully Delicious Desserts in Las Vegas

May 13, 2015 No Comments

Las Vegas can be a dangerous place for people with sweet tooth’s. Though the city is widely known for its selection of casinos and endless forms of entertainment, perhaps one of the most evil temptations is the food that fulfills every foodie’s fantasy.

The food isn’t deemed as one of the most common reasons for visiting Vegas, and it’s strange to think that some of the best dishes come from casino establishments. It might be peculiar, but there’s an explanation for the need of upscale menus in gambling facilities.

It struck a chord for the gaming industry when the revolutionary online portal InterCasino was introduced in 1996 as it paved a way for regular patrons to gamble without having to leave their homes. Land-based casino operators took it upon themselves to broaden their scope of non-gaming entertainment, inviting international artists to grace their stages with their talent and world-renowned chefs to feed hungry patrons with their latest creations.

For years, Las Vegas casinos have successful reeled in celebrity chefs such as Gordon Ramsay, Giada De Laurentiis, and Wolfgang Puck, taking casino goers on a culinary adventure with their delectable dishes. But it’s the selection of desserts that truly epitomizes the sin of “Sin City.” By the looks of it, sin seems to follow you from the casino floor to the dessert menu.

Some More S’mores, N9NE Steakhouse at Palms

This dessert isn’t your ordinary marshmallows-graham crackers-chocolate combination. The chefs put an “adult” spin on the s’mores, making their own marshmallows using orange and strawberry Grand Marnier, or hazelnut amaretto, and smearing dark and white chocolate ganache over the graham crackers.

24-Layer Chocolate Cake, Strip House at Caesars

Chocolate cake doesn’t get any better than this Strip House delight. Between the 12 layers of cake is a generous amount of rich chocolate filling, with the outside of the cake covered in a semi-sweet chocolate ganache.

Bamboozled Shakes, Holsteins Las Vegas in The Cosmopolitan

Another dessert for adults are these alcohol infused milkshakes, Holsteins’ signature creations. One of the most popular shakes is the Drunken Monkey, which is a concoction of Reese’s, banana, malt, and Frangelico.

Have you tried any sinfully delicious desserts in Las Vegas lately?

Cookie, Desserts

Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies

March 30, 2015 No Comments

I honestly don’t need to say much about this recipe other than MAKE IT. IMMEDIATELY. For your own good and the good of all the people you love around you, make these cookies and share them with the world! Yes, I love them that much.

Once again, Sally of Sally’s Baking Addiction has nailed it with these Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies. I will admit that at first I was skeptical about putting a Rolo in the middle. Umm, there’s not much gourmet about a Rolo? But once you put it in the middle of this super dark double chocolate cookie that is sprinkled with sea salt and it gets all melty and gooey inside…you forget it’s a Rolo and only know you can’t stop eating it! These cookies are thick and soft and perfect. Honestly, perfection. Grab some milk and enjoy!

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Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

1 c. Unsalted Butter, softenend to room temperature
1 c. Granulated Sugar
1 c. Light Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs, rom temperature
2 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
2 c. All-Purpose Flour
1⅓ c. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 t. Baking Soda
¼ t. Salt
¼ c. Heavy Whipping Cream
3 c. Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (or whatever dark chocolate chip you prefer)
35 Rolos, unwrapped
Coarse Sea Salt

Instructions

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the sugars with the mixer on medium speed and cream together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to the wet ingredients. Slowly mix in the heavy whipping cream then the bittersweet chocolate chips. The dough will be thick and sticky. You can chill it for a few minutes at this point but I used mine immediately and had no issues with it.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Form a 3-inch ball of dough in your hands and then flatten slightly and make an indentation in the middle. Place the Rolo in the indentation and wrap the rest of the cookies around the Rolo making sure to seal well and form into a slightly flattenened ball again. Repeat with the rest of the dough and remaining Rolos. Sprinkle each cookie with sea salt before putting in the oven.
Bake for 12-13 minutes. Cookies will appear undone and very soft. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Makes about 36 cookies. Store in an airtight container.

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Brownie, Cheesecake, Cookie, Cupcakes, Desserts, Ice Cream

St. Patrick’s Day Dessert 2015

March 13, 2015 No Comments

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve done a recipe roundup and thought St. Patty’s day would be the perfect time to share some goodies from around the web! These all look SO good to me and I wish I could make every single one! Hope they give you some inspiration!

Thin Mint Puppy Chow