Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles in...April?

It may not be fall, but who says you can't bake with pumpkin?  Trust us - you'll love the result!



Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Recipe adapted from Baked Perfection 
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy

                                         Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

  • 2 3/4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 1/2 - 3 tablespoons cinnamon




Directions
  1. PREHEAT oven to 400F.
  2. WHISK together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl.
  3. MIX together butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and beat until combined, then add the pumpkin puree and beat until combined.
  4. ADD the flour mixture and beat slowly, until combined.
  5. COMBINE 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.  The cookies will be rolled in this mixture.
  6. ROLL dough into 1 or 1 1/2 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar.  Place onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
  7. BAKE for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are just set and begin to brown.  This can be hard to notice, so watch carefully!  Make sure the centers remain soft.
  8. COOL on the baking sheets roughly 5 minutes (less if the cookies start to crisp too much and lose their softness).  Remove from the baking sheet and ENJOY!



Snickerdoodle cookies are a fabulous treat.  There's something about the smell of cinnamon drifting from the oven that makes every mouth water.  And if you love soft cookies like we do, a snickerdoodle done right can be your best first.  Warm, soft, and cinnamony - what more could you want?  Try adding pumpkin - that's what you'll want.  We've found that the pumpkin adds an incredibly smooth texture to the snickerdoodles.  Without overwhelming the cinnamon flavor that snickerdoodles are known for, the addition of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice add subtle taste variations that will definitely make you smile.  While these are perfect in the fall (and for Thanksgiving!), there is absolutely no need to wait until September, October, or November to whip up a batch.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

It's All Greek To Me

These Greek-themed wraps are sure to please!


Greek Hummus WrapRecipe adapted from recipes.sparkpeople.com
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy



Greek Hummus Wrap

*Note - We found it easiest to prepare these one at a time.  The recipe below is for one wrap.
1 large sun-dried tomato wrap
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup red pepper, diced
1/4 cup cucumber, diced
2-3 leaves of lettuce
4 tablespoon hummus
3-4 kalamata olives, pitted



Directions
  1. SPREAD hummus onto flattened wrap.  Spread slightly off-center (it's easier to roll up).
  2. SPRINKLE feta cheese, red pepper, cucumber, and olive on hummus.
  3. PLACE lettuce leaves on top of hummus and other toppings.
  4. ROLL tightly, but do not fold ends in.
  5. CUT into small (1") pieces and enjoy!

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Southwestern Chicken Salad

A simple, filling salad when you need that southwestern kick.


Southwestern Chicken Salad
Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy



Southwestern Chicken Salad

1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice from one fresh lime
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Shredded lettuce
Grape tomatoes
Small red bell pepper
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup corn
1 diced avocado
Sharp cheddar cheese



Directions
  1. MIX together the cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, and oregano.  Set aside for roughly 30 minutes.  (For the Love of Cooking suggests using a blender for the dressing...mixing vigorously worked for us though!)
  2. ADD tomatoes, avocado, bell pepper, black beans, corn, and cheese to lettuce.
  3. TOP with your the cilantro dressing (cilantro lime vinaigrette).  Enjoy!
*Note - We kept everything separate and added individually.  This worked well for us, and made keeping the dressing for leftovers really easy!

Sorry for the pictures - we just had our cell phones!

Monday, March 5, 2012

Italy on a Toothpick

Not your typical "Little Italy"





Caprese Skewers
Recipe from Bake Yourself Happy
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy



Caprese Skewers
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Grape tomatoes
  • Fresh mozzarella pearls (tiny)
  • Toothpicks
  • Balsamic vinaigrette


Directions
  1. PIERCE a grape tomato, a mozzarella pearl, a grape tomato, and a mozzarella pearl with a toothpick.
  2. CAREFULLY wrap a fresh basil leave around the tomato/mozzarella skewer.  Pierce each end of the basil leave with the toothpick.
  3. DRIZZLE with balsamic vinaigrette and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.  You can marinate for much longer, but we recommend at least 30 minutes.  Enjoy!