These just remind me of summertime at my grandma’s house, enjoying a piece of her peach cobbler. The next time I make this I’m going to serve it with a side of homemade vanilla ice cream!

Ingredients

• Puff Pastry
• 4 Peaches, sliced thinly
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp water

Directions

1. Begin by heating your oven to 400 F.
2. Bring a sheet of puff pastry to room temperature.
3. Gently unfold the dough and, using a sharp knife, score it about 1 inch from the edge, making a rectangle all the way around. Inside the rectangle, dot the dough to prevent it from puffing.
4. Layer the peach slices on top of the pierced dough and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar. Distribute the cubed butter evenly over the peaches.
5. Brush the visible dough with egg wash (egg beat with 1 tablespoon of water).
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

These cute little pastries just want me to host a lady’s tea party! They are simple and elegant, and the best part is they super-fast and easy to make!

Ingredients

• 1 box Puff Pastry Sheets
• Fresh Berries
• Lemon Curd

Directions

1. Cut the Puff Pastry sheets into squares and dot them.
2. Place on a baking sheet, no thawing necessary.
3. Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Once the pastries have cooled, pipe in the lemon curd.
5. Top with seasonal fruits and serve.

I love how these quick and easy delicate desserts came out. They are rich, tart, soft, and crunchy all in one bite! I will be defiantly making these for our next dinner party.

Ingredients
• 1 package of phyllo cups
• Fresh Raspberries rinsed and dried
• Ganache (Find recipe here)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. Arrange phyllo cups onto a non-stick baking sheet
3. Blind bake the phyllo cups for 5 minutes, to prevent sogginess
4. Using a small star tip, pipe in ganache in cooled phyllo cups
5. Top with fresh raspberry

Last month I learned the Knights of Columbus at our parish was hosting a Valentine’s Dance and I was instantly excited and volunteered to make chocolate-covered strawberries. Much to my surprise, the gentleman that was organizing the event asked me if I would be interested in doing the whole dessert table! I genuinely felt honored to be asked and happily accepted. He requested pastries along with cupcakes, which isn’t something I normally make. I told him I would come up with a few ideas and would do a tasting at their next Knights meeting. They were all a big hit but was able to narrow it down to five types, plus four flavors of cupcakes. Oh, plus the 80 chocolate-dipped strawberries I was still doing! Talk about ambitious and it was a lot of work, a lot of planning and scheduling, and a lot of support, but I pulled it off and couldn’t be more proud of the dessert display!

I was blessed to receive so many sweet compliments as Jack and I enjoyed the wonderful dinner and dancing.
​
I will be sharing the pastry recipes in upcoming posts if you want to try them too.

This is the best of two awesome desserts in one. It is a little time consuming, but totally worth it!

Ingredients
 For the crust:

• 9 whole (135 grams) graham crackers
• 5 tablespoons (72 grams) unsalted butter, melted

 For the filling:

• 16 ounces (454 grams) cream cheese, completely softened at room temperature
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

 For the brulee topping:

• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar

Directions
For the crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square metal baking dish with foil, leaving an overhang.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until moistened. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned and set, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool and reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.

For the filling:

1. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese at medium-high speed until smooth. Add the sugar and continue beating until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
2. Add the cream then the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla paste, and salt one at a time and beat until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 300°F until the cheesecake is set but still slightly jiggly in the center, about 35 minutes. Do not overbake.
4. Place the cheesecake on a cooling rack to cool completely in the pan. Cover and chill until firm, at least 4 hours. Using the foil overhang, transfer the cheesecake to a clean cutting board and cut into squares.
5. Sprinkle the tops of each square with sugar and torch the tops with a kitchen torch until it turns a deep amber color. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

One of my favorite Christmas Day treats for as long as I can remember is good old fashion fudge. There was always a platter with this homemade sweet treat and I always managed to take a few extra pieces when packing up leftovers. I would look forward to sneaking a piece here and there usually all the way up to New Year’s Eve. Sadly however our Christmas gatherings have gotten smaller over the last few years and that means no delicious homemade fudge.

This year I decided to change that and make my own and I could not believe how easy it was! Don’t believe me? Its only two ingredients and only took five minutes…try it. I bet you will impress everyone on Christmas!

Ingredients:
     14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
     2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Combine the milk and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minutes.
2. Remove and stir, if not smooth microwave for another 15 seconds, Repeat until completely smooth.
3. Pour the fudge into an 8x8 pan lined with parchment paper.
4. Spread it evenly and let it set in the fridge for at least an hour. 
5. Pick up the parchment paper from the dish and place on a cutting a board and cut into 1 inch squares.
6. Enjoy!

* If desired you can add 1/2 cup of walnuts by mixing in before spreading into pan.

​Is nothing more summery than strawberry shortcakes? How about a patriotic version for the Fourth of July!

​I baked a loaf of pound cake and sliced it into a thin slice, then using a medium-sized star cookie cutter, cut the slices into stars. I spooned on some diced strawberries and blueberries on top of a few pound cake stars.

Last I topped it off with some homemade whipped cream. Or on a hot day add some homemade vanilla ice cream to help cool you off!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe Independence Day!

It turns out that Creme Brulee is probably the easiest, fanciest dessert you can make! Amber and I decided to have a romantic Valentine's Day dinner in my courtyard last night instead of making our husbands to take us out. We had a lot of fun and dinner and of course dessert was delicious! At first when I came up with the idea of making Creme Brulee I was a little intimidated, but once I started I couldn't believe how easy it was! The guys were really impressed with it and Jack even got to toast the sugar with his blow torch!  

Ingredients:
     1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons white sugar
     2 cup heavy cream
     6 egg yolks  
     1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
     4 tablespoons white sugar, divided by four

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Whisk the 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons with the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave for one minute. Take out and whisk and heat again for another minute or until sugar is fully dissolved.

And there you have it! A easy fancy dessert that will impress all of your friends! ​

​To go along with the Saint Patrick’s Day Trifle, I made these amazing Mint Brownies. The sweetness was a nice balance to the Corned Beef and Cabbage we served for dinner. I used my go to pre-made brownie mix and added a mint cheesecake layer and they came out so soft and chewy!
 
Ingredients:
     1 Pre-made Brownie Mix
Mint Cream Cheese
     8 oz Soften Cream Cheese
     1/4 Cup Sugar
     1 Egg
     1/4 tsp Peppermint Extract
     Green Food Coloring
     1/2 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips, divided
 
Directions:
 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix brownies as instructed. Pour 3/4 of the brownie batter in 9 X 13 prepped pan.
2. To make the mint cream cheese, mix the softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, peppermint extract, and a few drops of the green food coloring until smooth. Slowly stir in half of the mini chocolate chips.
3. Spoon out the mint cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie batter, and then cover the cream cheese mixture with the rest of brownie batter. Using a butter knife create swirls in the batter allowing some of the mint cream cheese to show. Sprinkle the remaining mini chocolate chips on top.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes and cool before cutting.

​Every Fourth of July I make a trifle so I knew it would be fun to make a Saint Patrick’s Day version. Instead of using pound cake I used brownies, vanilla pudding and Mint Oreo’s. It turned out so pretty and was a big hit at our party!
 
Ingredients:
     1 pre-made brownie mix
     1 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding
     8 oz whipped cream
     Green food coloring
     10 Mint Oreo’s, crushed
 
Directions:
1. Bake brownies as instructed. Once cool cut brownies into small rectangles
2. Make pudding as instructed and color with green food coloring.
3. Crush Oreo’s by using a food processor with a few pulses or a rolling pin and a gallon zip bag.
4. Place a layer of brownies on the bottom of a trifle bowl, layer 1/3 of the green pudding on top of the brownies, sprinkle on a few of the crushed Oreo’s and cover with 1/3 of the whipped cream. Repeat two more times and sprinkle the rest of the Oreo’s on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

These homemade chocolate truffles are not only super easy to make, but better than anything you can find at the store! To make the homemade ganache you only need 8 oz. of cream, 8 oz. of chocolate chips, and a tsp of vanilla. Slowly bring the cream to a boil in a small sauce pan, do not walk away because the moment you do it will boil over. Place the chocolate chips in a heat resistant boil and slowly pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and add the tsp of vanilla. Let the cream start to melt the chocolate chips before stirring. Once room temperature, cover and refrigerate a minimum of 24 hours. The longer the time the firmer the ganache gets.

​Once the ganache is fully firm, use a melon baller and create round balls of chocolatey goodness. If your hands get to warm cool using ice, if your chocolate get too warm place a bowl of ice under the bowl or pop in the fridge for 20 minutes. 

After all of the balls have been rolled place in the fridge for 20 minutes to rechill. ​

​Whatcha Makin'? Fruit Cake. Does anyone know that song by  The Superions? They play it every year on the local radio station and every time I say the fruitcake, it instantly pops into my head. But yes today I made a fruitcake and no it will not last the end of the world. Heck I don't even know if it will last the end of the day, because it is that good! Seriously! I have never made a fruitcake before and I know it is my Dad's favorite holiday treat, so I thought it would be a great gift basket item. I used an adaptation of Alton Brown's Good Eat Recipe, I use a lot of his recipes because they call for best quality ingredients. I dear you to try this recipe and tell me that fruitcake is horrible and can only be used as a door stop!

Ingredients
 
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup sun dried cranberries
1/2 cup sun dried blueberries
1/2 cup sun dried cherries
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
Zest of one lemon, chopped coarsely
Zest of one orange, chopped coarsely
1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
1 cup gold rum
1 cup sugar
5 Tbsp butter
1 cup unfiltered apple juice
4 whole cloves, ground
6 allspice berries, ground
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1/4 chopped pecans
Brandy for basting and/or spritzing

Instructions

1. ​Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.
2. Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with the sugar, butter, apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts. Spoon into a 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.
4. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again. Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack. Spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning out from pan.
5. When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe container. Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with brandy. The cake's flavor will enhance considerably over the next two weeks. 

You're a Mean One Mister Grinch....tonight we hosted our annual Christmas party and this year we made it a Grinchmas Party. It was so much fun! We all dressed up with Whoville in mind and we even had a Grinch! Our entertainment was the original Grinch cartoon (sorry Jim Carrey just not a fan of your version) and a few other Christmas classics. I wanted to do something fun and simple for the menu so we had a red and green veggie and fruit trays, homemade salsa and chips, chicken white chili, country toffee, and the perfect cupcakes for dessert. Oh and don't forget about the Grinch Popcorn! There was even champagne, cider, and a hot chocolate bar too! 

Cupcakes:
Green colored vanilla cupcakes
A ring of white buttercream to create the base of the Santa Hat
Swirled red buttercream to create the Santa Hat
Topped with a white sixet for the puff ball
Santa suit cupcake wrappers

It’s the week of Thanksgiving and it’s time pull out those favorite recipes. Last year I made Yam Soufflé, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin roll recipe, but this year instead of the roll I decided to make my first pumpkin pie. This is a super easy and tasty recipe and goes perfect with my homemade whipped cream!

Ingredients:
1 Pre-made Graham Cracker Crust
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
½ cup dark brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
¼ tsp all spice
¼ tsp cloves
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup evaporated milk
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl whip egg whites until frothy. 

Although I am guilty of using store bought whipped cream in my peanut butter pie and ice cream recipes, I never use it on holidays. I quickly whip up my own and it is the perfect topping to my pumpkin pie! Once you try it you won’t want to go back to store bought again!!

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp. powder sugar
 
Directions:
Mix the heavy whipping cream in a large bowl and right before peaks form beat in the vanilla and the sugar until peaks form.
*Over beating can cause the cream to separate and become lumpy. 

Today was my coworkers birthday and all she wanted was an apple cheesecake that currently isn't in season, so I decided to make my own version. I found some over complicated cheesecakes recipes that would take hours to make with all of the prep and baking...the version I came up with only took an hour! Everyone at work loved the pie, the birthday girl proclaimed it was her new favorite pie, and my husband stole the small piece I tried to save for a later treat! Follow the steps below to make your own amazing Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake Pie!! 

Ingredients
•Pre-made Graham Cracker Crust

Cheesecake:
•2 8oz package softened cream cheese
•2 tbsp corn starch
•¼ cup brown sugar
•¼ cup white sugar
•2 tsp vanilla extract
•½ tsp cinnamon  

Apple Crisp Topping:
•¼ cup all purpose flour
•¼ cup rolled oats
•¼ cup brown sugar
•½ tsp cinnamon
•2 tbsp melted butter
•2 medium to large apple, peeled and thinly sliced
•Caramel Topping, if desired  

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
   
   
2. In the bowl of your electric mixer blend together cream cheese, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and vanilla.
   
   
3. Once well combined, pour on top of your graham cracker crust.
   
   
4. To start your apple layer, arrange the thinly sliced apple on top of the cheesecake in a single layer.
   
   
5. Top with the Apple Crisp Topping. Bake at 350F for 40-50 minutes.
   
   
6. Once it's done cooking, cool for 15 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.
   
   

When Jack and I eloped eight years ago, I didn’t want to lose all of the extras. I made a bouquet for me and a boutonniere for Jack; we still had champagne and even a small cake. Every year I go back to that bakery and get the same cake for us to enjoy after dinner.  This year since I have been making a lot of ice cream pies, I decided to make an ice cream pie version. Yum! I used a graham cracker crust, strawberry cheesecake ice cream, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries.  I followed the same steps as the Fourth of July Pie: melted the ice cream, layered the strawberries on the bottom of the crust, poured in ice cream, layered more strawberries before pouring the rest of the ice cream, and froze. Once frozen, I topped the pie off with the whipped cream and strawberries. It was perfect after a long and hot summer day! Next year I think I am going to try to make it with custard….yummmm.

It hot where we leave during the summer time and the best way to cool down is with some homemade ice cream pie! Normally I make my Fourth of July Trifle, but this year since we are keeping it small I decided to make an ice cream version this year. I got a graham cracker crush and layered sliced strawberries along the bottom. I think poured some melted strawberry ice cream. I put another later of strawberries and added some blueberries before topping it off with more ice cream. I placed it in the freezer until the ice cream re-froze and then finished it some whipped cream and decorated with more strawberries and blueberries. This is going to be such a nice cool treat while we watch the fireworks! 

Today is my wonderful husband’s birthday. Happy Birthday Jack! Last year I made Jack’s favorite dessert: Reese’s Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie; but this year he said I could try a new recipe I found. As a kid I remember going to potlucks at our church and there was my favorite dessert of all time: Jack’s Peanut Butter Pie. Jack was our pastor and he made this dessert for every potluck. It was so thick and rich and delicious! I have been trying to find the recipe for years so I can recreate it and last week while on Pinterest I came across a recipe that was similar enough that I could tweak and try it. The original recipe called for a chocolate crust and creamy peanut butter and I knew that Jack’s pie had graham cracker crust and chunky peanut butter.
Ingredients:
1 Pre-Made Graham Cracker Crust
1 Cup Chunky Peanut Butter
1 package (8 Ounce) Softened Cream Cheese
1-1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1 package (8 Ounce) Whipped Cream, Thawed
 
Directions:
In a mixer add the peanut butter and the cream cheese, beat until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Lastly add in the whipped cream and beat the mixture until smooth.
 
Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust and chill for at least an hour before serving.
 
The pie turned out better than imagine and it was just like Jack’s pie! I am so happy that I finally have the recipe to make this childhood favorite any time I want! Oh and Jack loved the new pie too!

Today is my amazing mother's birthday. She is the strongest person I know. I truly admire her and I hope I am at least half the mom she is. Since it is her birthday I thought I would share her favorite recipe, she loves banana nut muffins and if I'm making her any type of cake for her birthday she will ask for a banana nut with buttercream frosting. Yum!

Ingredients:
     1 1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour
     3/4 Cup White Sugar
     1 tsp Baking Powder
     1/2 tsp Salt
     1/2 tsp Cinnamon
     1 tsp Baking Soda
     1 Egg
     1/3 Cup Butter, Melted
     3 Large Bananas, Mashed
     2 oz Chopped Walnuts
 
Directions:

1. Preheat to 375 degrees. Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl. Shift in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Pour in to prepared pan(s) and bake for 10-15 minutes for mini muffins or 25-30 minutes for large muffins, loaf, or cake pans.

 
Happy Birthday Mom!!!