Butterbeer Mudslide
My sister-in-law is a HUGE Harry Potter fan, so when I talked about making these mudslides, she insisted on being part of the taste-testing crew. Originally when I went to the liquor store in search of what flavor liquors to use in this recipe, I grabbed a caramel flavored vodka to try out. It smelled and tasted delicious, so I used it in the first batch. Well, we ran out of enough mudslides for everyone to taste and I had to make some more, but I was out of that caramel flavored vodka. (more…)
Tiramisu Cupcakes
I’ve had these on my to-do list for a couple of months now, and finally had the perfect opportunity to make them when my Tiramisu-loving mother-in-law was coming to visit. Just the mention of this word makes her knees buckle, so this was the time to make them. Unfortunately, the only ingredient missing was the mascarpone cheese, so I called to see how far away she was. (more…)
Oven Roasted Red Potatoes
These potatoes are one of my favorite healthy comfort foods. I’m a HUGE fan of potatoes, and like them in any form. Baked, fried, roasted, mashed, I’ve even popped some small cubes of raw potatoes to munch on during childhood when my mom would be cutting them up for dinner. (more…)
S’mores Cookies
While I was looking through some recipes one evening, I found one of a s’mores cake. It sounded delicious…graham cracker crumbs baked in with the flour to make an amazing cake. So, then I thought, What if I made that into a cookie? I fell asleep that night, dreaming of s’mores cookies, brainstorming of how to put all of this together. Two graham cracker cookies sandwiching a marshmallow and semisweet chocolate? Yes!! A few days later, I made my list for the grocery store and decided to give it a shot. These actually may be equivalent to my S’mores Candy Bars, but it might be a close call. (more…)
Cinnamon Roll Muffins
I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love a big ole Cinnamon Roll, and it makes me wonder if anyone actually doesn’t. That can’t be possible. A couple of years ago, my mother-in-law and I checked out a local bakery to get some coffee and breakfast. As I was stalking the variety of breakfast options, the Cinnamon Roll Muffin stood out. I’ve never had a Cinnamon Roll Muffin before, I thought. As I sat down with a cup of coffee and took a bite, I was mesmerized by the way this delicious little muffin tasted so similar to a cinnamon roll, but wrapped up into a cute little muffin. (more…)
Eggnog Martini
While enjoying my hot cup of coffee this morning, wrapped up in a blanket and looking through recipes, it hit me that I hadn’t utilized the eggnog that I bought at the grocery store last week. Well, Christmas Eve is tomorrow, so I have to make SOMETHING with eggnog!! Great idea. (more…)
White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
It’s incredible how tantalizing this cheesecake is, thinking about the combination of white chocolate and peppermint together in a New York style cheesecake harmony on a chocolate crust, then topped with more white chocolate ganache and peppermint. Hello, sugar coma. (more…)
Spiked Hot Chocolate
I have a confession to make. There have been a few times when I have a hankering for hot chocolate, but don’t want the kids to hog my hot cup of chocolate heaven. My two options are to add liquor to make it not child-friendly, or pretend like it’s coffee so they don’t want any. Obviously, I’m going for Mother of the Year during this time of survival. (more…)
Red Velvet Cheesecake Tarts
Red Velvet anything dessert is a favorite all year long, but ESPECIALLY during the holidays. Why is that?? Maybe because it’s so pretty. So festive with the red. Or, maybe it’s just so ridiculously good and this is the time of year (especially the year we’ve had) and we all want to drown away the negativity of the year by eating Red Velvet sweet treats. Either way, a red velvet flavored cheesecake is fantabulous on its own, but in the form of a tarts on top of a Dark Chocolate Oreo Cookie topped with a sweetened whipped cream cheese icing??? Yes, please! (more…)
Tiramisu Trifle
As I have mentioned before, I’m obsessed with trifles. They look so elegant sitting in that trifle dish all layered and put together, and there hasn’t been one yet that didn’t taste amazing. The first time I tried this out was on my mother-in-law, since she’s a professional Tiramisu consumer. I had been toying with ingredients to use in this to make it taste similar to the real Tiramisu, yet keep it really simple to throw together. The end result was bliss, and you know it’s a winner when my I-don’t-go-back-for-seconds husband when and got another scoop. (more…)
Chocolate Irish Cream Bundt Cake
While I was searching through an old “to do” list of recipes that is the same length as Santa’s Christmas List, I came across this one. Since our basement kitchen is finished and I had a day off from work, I was looking for something to bake for fun. All my husband heard was “OH!!!” and me sprinting to the beer fridge to see if we still had any Irish Cream Liquor in there. “YES!!!” was the follow up he heard, along with his crazy wife scurrying into the pantry and preheating the oven. All of this happened in less than ten seconds, if you’re wondering what it’s like when a light bulb goes off over my head. (more…)
Butterscotch Brownies
We all have certain foods and desserts that take us bake to our childhoods with fond memories. For my husband, this particular recipe resonates with his grandmother, Nana. Last December, we lost Nana right before Christmas. She lived a long and happy life, always surrounded by family. (more…)