Author Archives: Laura Youngquist

It’s that time of year again where we bake way too many cookies, gorge on sweets, go cocktailing with friends, enjoy meals with family, and celebrate the holidays!  This is my favorite time of year for baked goods and all things dessert.  Anyone that knows me knows what a sweet tooth I have.  I could spend all year creating new dessert recipes, fun reindeer shaped cookies, peppermint bark, anything gingerbread related, and more.  Which is basically what I want to share with you today – delicious dessert recipes for the holidays!  Here’s what I have for you: Gingerbread Whoopie Pies Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting Peppermint Lush Bars with Oreo Crust Cherry Fudge with Dark Chocolate   First up are my Gingerbread Whoopie Pies.  These are phenomenal!  Incredibly moist cookies, an excessive amount of filling, and the perfect amount of spice.  If you like gingerbread, you will LOVE these cookies.  … Continue reading

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Christmas is a time for family, friends, food, and of course, cocktails!  I want to share 4 new martini recipes with you today.  All are fun, festive, and sure to get you in the holiday spirit.  Here’s what I have for you: Ornamentini Sugar Cookie Martini Eggnog Martini Holiday Spice Martini   ORNAMENTINI These are super fun to make and are a great way to serve martinis to your guests.  I think they would make great place settings at a dinner party, or you can make them ahead of time and save them to serve as an after-dinner drink.  It’s a very merry martini with a citrusy flavor! The recipe can be found here. Start by adding one rosemary sprig and a few cranberries to the bottom of 2 martini glasses.  Bonus points if you make sugared cranberries to use because they are both delicious and festive!  I opted for … Continue reading

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Look no further for fun and festive martinis that are packed with seasonal flavors and are delicious to drink!  I have 4 recipes to share with you today.  All are great for holiday parties or family gatherings because they are simple to make and don’t require many ingredients, and you probably have most of the ingredients at home already.  Here are the recipes: Espresso Martini Snickerdoodle Martini Mint Chocolate Martini Salted Caramel Martini   ESPRESSO MARTINI This martini tastes just like boozy espresso and it’s phenomenal…if you like coffee! Start by making the instant espresso, and let it cool completely.  Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.  Add the vodka, Kahlua, espresso, and simple syrup.  Shake vigorously then strain into a martini glass.  Enjoy! This recipe is for ONE cocktail and can be found HERE. SNICKERDOODLE MARTINI This martini tastes just like a snickerdoodle cookie.  It’s perfectly sweet with a hint of spice. Start by combining 2 Tbsp of … Continue reading

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Sweet & Tangy Air Fryer Chicken Skewers make for a quick and easy meal.  They are a little sweet from the brown sugar and a little tangy from the cayenne and chili powder, but the combination just works!  Each skewer is packed with juicy, tender chicken that slides right off the skewer.  These are great for a weeknight meal after a busy day, can be served as a side dish or appetizer, and make a great lunch throughout the week.  Serve as is, over a bed of rice, with some cooked veggies or a salad on the side, and you have a complete meal! The recipe can be found here. Start by soaking the wooden skewer for at least 30 minutes.  This helps to prevent the meat from sticking to the skewer while cooking and it prevents the wood from burning.  I like to use 6-inch or 8-inch skewers (that’s what fits inside my air fryer). … Continue reading

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Grilled Pork Chops with Spicy Peaches is a new recipe we enjoyed this past summer (sorry, I’m a bit behind on posting!) and it was phenomenal!  I can’t wait to make it again.  The pork chops are tender and juicy, the peaches are grilled and served warm, and the marinade for the peaches really rounds out the dish.  There is a bit of heat from the sriracha and red onion, but it’s cut down by the sweetness of the peaches. I would HIGHLY recommend making this during the summer when peaches are fresh, but you can also use canned or frozen peaches (thaw first) to enjoy this dish year-round.  If pork chops aren’t your thing, you can follow the same recipe but substitute chicken breasts.  I’ve tried this version and it’s just as good as the pork chop version.  You will not be disappointed in the vibrant flavors and fresh taste of this recipe. The recipe … Continue reading

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I’m sure most of you reading this are familiar with Jalapeno Poppers, they are such a popular appetizer.  We recently made a batch for a party but made too much of the filling, so I saved it to use on a later date.  Coincidentally, the day I planned on using the leftover filling was cold and rainy, so I didn’t feel like grilling but thought, let’s try them in the air fryer and see how it goes. The end result?  Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers that are filled with rich cream cheese, salty bacon, and plenty of melted cheese.  They taste similar to the grilled version but seemed to take a fraction of the time. The recipe can be found here. You want to start by removing the tops ONLY of the jalapenos.  Core out the inside and remove any seeds.  Then slice in half (lengthwise) and set aside. Combine the softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, … Continue reading

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I’m sure you are familiar with the ever-popular Peanut Butter Blossoms in cookie form, but have you ever tried them in bar form?  If not, you are in for a treat!  The cookie versions are incredible, but they are a little time consuming to make because you must roll out the dough into individual cookies before baking.  The bars don’t require any extra work yet taste identical.  I highly recommend giving them a try! The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Also use the preheating time to unwarp the Hershey Kisses. Add the softened butter, peanut butter (I like to use creamy), sugar, and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until well combined.  Add the egg, milk, and vanilla, and mix until well combined. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until … Continue reading

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Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers are bursting with fresh lemon flavor, have tons of juicy, tender chicken, are perfectly peppered (try saying that 5 times in a row), and slide right off the skewer.  They are a perfect weeknight meal, make ahead lunch, or appetizer.  Serve over a bed of rice, with some cooked veggies, or a salad and you have a delicious and healthy meal! The recipe can be found here. Start by soaking the wooden skewer for at least 30 minutes.  This helps to prevent the meat from sticking to the skewer while cooking and it prevents the wood from burning.  I like to use 6-inch or 8-inch skewers (that’s what fits inside my air fryer). Cut the chicken into 2-inch pieces and place in a Ziploc bag.  Add salt, pepper, garlic, lemon zest, and olive oil.  Seal and toss to coat the chicken.  I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you … Continue reading

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Smoked Brownies with Caramel are the first dessert type recipe I’ve made in a smoker.  It was a long shot, but I’m impressed with the results.  I don’t know how to describe it, but it just works.  The brownies are sweet, savory, and smokey.  They smoke flavor doesn’t bring out much of the caramel but does enhance the chocolate nicely.  It’s a simple recipe that doesn’t require a lot of ingredients or time in the smoker. The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the smoker to 275 degrees F and add woodchips to the tray.  I used hickory woodchips but any flavor you prefer is fine.  I do want to note that I only added woodchips during the preheating process and about ½ way through cooking.  I didn’t want the woodchips to overwhelm the taste of the brownies but go ahead and add woodchips at your discretion.  It’s all about personal preference when it comes to smokey … Continue reading

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Easy Taco Skillet is perfect for Taco Tuesday or any time you are looking for some Tex-Mex flavors.  It’s very easy to make, is packed full of flavor, and is a versatile recipe.  When I asked Andrew what his thoughts were, he said “it’s good”.  What he means is it’s cheesy, the beef is spicy, the veggies are fresh, and it has some heat to it but it’s not overpowering.  I would say it’s like taco soup in taste (if you are familiar) but is much heartier. The recipe can be found here. Start by preparing your ingredients.  Chop the bell pepper and green onion, mince the garlic.  Drain and rinse the black beans. Heat oil in a large skillet (one that has a lid) over medium heat.  Add the bell pepper and green onion and cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes.  Next, add the garlic and continue to cook until fragrant.  This happens quickly, about 30 seconds. Add … Continue reading

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