Category Archives: Dessert

Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts.  I love the crumbly crush, the sweet and creamy filling, and the variety of toppings you can use.  It’s such a customizable dessert!  I recently tried my hand at cheesecake bites made in an Instant Pot and let me tell you, they did not disappoint.  They had the perfect texture, were just the right size to satisfy a craving, and took very little time to make. Please note, you will need not only an Instant Pot but also an Instant Pot Silicone Egg Bites Mold to make either of these recipes. My first batch was Instant Pot Oreo Cheesecake Bites.  This is the easiest cookies and cream dessert you will ever make.  The “crust” is one Oreo and the filling has crushed Oreos mixed in.  I could eat each and every cheesecake bite from this recipe in one sitting.  Delicious! The recipe can … Continue reading

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Can you believe it?  Easter is right around the corner.  With all that is going on in the world these days I’m starting to lose track of time.  What is typically a day of family and friends gathering together will most likely be spend apart or perhaps in very small groups.  This puts quite the strain on menu planning when you won’t be hosting, won’t be attending the usual get-together, or are just trying to maintain social distance. Not to worry – I won’t let you know down!  I have created a menu of simple items you can make at home.  Some can be modified depending on the ingredients in your pantry, some can be reduced in size or doubled depending on the number of people in your household, and some make great leftovers 🙂 I’m going to start the morning with Peeps Pancakes and Hash Brown & Bacon Egg … Continue reading

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St Patrick’s Day is a fun holiday for everyone!  You can usually find some type of celebration around town whether it be a parade, green beer at your favorite bar or specials on Irish food at restaurants.  Even if you aren’t Irish, it’s fun to participate in the festivities. We like to watch the parade and enjoy an adult beverage with the dressed-up crowds (the people watching is phenomenal), then head home for a feast!  Some years we like to enjoy traditional Irish food but other years we like to take a favorite dish and add and Irish twist.  It really depends on what we feel like cooking that day!  This year, we are going to enjoy the following menu with friends and family: Reuben Dip Guinness Cheddar Mac & Cheese Guinness Glazed Chicken Sandwich Irish Mule Guinness Brownies   The Reuben Dip is our appetizer and something to much … Continue reading

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I.  Love. Sweets.  Candy, cake, cupcakes, pie, cookies, you name it!  I would rather skip dinner and go right to dessert, then go back and have dinner.  That’s how much I like sweets. I recently made some homemade candy bars as a treat to bring to work for Valentine’s Day.  These can be treats for any time of year, no special occasion needed, it just happened to be around Valentine’s Day for me 🙂  If you like to treat your coworkers (or family or friends) from time to time, I would highly recommend trying any of these recipes! First up is Homemade Snickers Bars.  These taste so similar to a Snickers bar you won’t be able to tell the different!  The nougat is soft and chewy, the chocolate is rich and melts in your mouth, and the caramel so smooth. The recipe can be found here. Start by lining a … Continue reading

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Valentine’s Day is a week away and I’m sure you’re busy making plans.  Whether you opt for a nice homemade meal or dinner at your favorite restaurant, you can’t skip dessert.  Calories don’t count on holidays, right?  Regardless of where we eat on Valentine’s Day, we always have dessert at home.  You can kick your feet up, snuggle up with your loved one, and gorge on delicious sweets 🙂 Your local Festival Foods will have a variety of desserts and chocolates ready to go! 5-inch Round Classic Chocolate or White Vanilla Bean Curly Cakes Abdallah Assorted Chocolates Frosted Brownies Chocolate Dipped Long Stem Strawberries Mini Sweetheart Devil’s Food Cakes (available in 3 varieties) Cream Puffs Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes Ice Cream Valentine’s Day Themed Candy …and more! We like to make a few desserts of our own as well as get a few desserts from the store to have throughout the … Continue reading

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Homemade crepes are perfect for any occasion!  They are thin, tender, and easier to make than you think 🙂  You only need 6 ingredients to make these French-style homemade crepes.  No blender or special pan required (although it does help). The recipe can be found here. Start by combining the eggs, milk, flour, butter, vanilla, and salt in a mixing bowl.  Whisk together until smooth – you don’t want any chunks in the liquid!  Then let the batter rest for about 10 minutes. I have a crepe pan that I like to use but you don’t need a special pan to make crepes, you just need a flat-bottomed non-stick skillet.  You want to heat the pan over medium heat. Add ½ Tbsp butter to the pan and let it melt.  Then add ¼ cup of the batter to the pan.  Use a wooden crepe râteau to spread the batter into … Continue reading

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Baking is one of my favorite things to do but baking Christmas cookies is extra meaningful to me.  I used to spend a few days with my mom in the kitchen before the holidays baking her traditional cookies.  It was always so much fun…and something I looked forward to helping with every year.  Nowadays, I help when I can, but also like to bake a few batches of my own. I like to create new recipes or put a holiday spin on an existing recipe.  It’s fun to be creative and I love hearing reactions to the different goodies.  It doesn’t hurt that I have a sweet tooth so if no one else wants the cookies, I sure do!  This year, I’m making 5 different holiday treats to share with friends and family. Christmas Cookie “Charcuterie” Board No Bake Mint Oreo Truffles No Bake Butterscotch Clusters Holly Ginger Cookies Homemade … Continue reading

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One of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions from my childhood was getting up early to help my mom prepare all the food.  We’d spend hours in the kitchen chopping vegetables, assembling casseroles, prepping the turkey (one in the oven and one on the grill), and baking pies.  We would clean up and get ready for the day while everything was baking in the oven, then we’d wait for company to arrive.  It was the best! This year, I’m thinking of changing the plan.  Why not do something a little simpler and less time consuming so we can enjoy each other’s company and spend the day with family?  The holidays are busy enough without spending hours in the kitchen, so I want to create a menu that is delicious but also fairly quick to put together.  At least that’s what I want my thought process to be going into the holiday season!  … Continue reading

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With the temperatures starting to drop I’ve been craving something warm and hearty for dinner.  My criteria is the dish has to be hot, filling, seasonal, and something good enough (and big enough) to have leftovers.  I ended up with the following: Pumpkin Dinner Rolls Apple Cheese and Beer Soup Banana Cookies with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting   The Pumpkin Dinner Rolls are homemade.  Sure, you can buy store-bought rolls if you prefer but there is something about the smell of bread baking in the oven that gets me every time.  The bread is fresh (literally right out of the oven), warm and so easy to pull apart to eat. I recommend using a stand mixer to make these rolls but it’s OK to mix by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer – you’ll just get quite the arm workout! Heat the milk in a microwave safe … Continue reading

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Caramel Apples are a classic fall treat.  These Gourmet Caramel Apples are even better and will satisfy any sweet tooth! You can make these caramel apples at home in a few easy steps.  Start with tart green apples (or any apple of your choosing), dip into melted caramel, cover with any topping of your choice, let set, and enjoy – treat yourself! The recipe can be found here. My favorite toppings are mini chocolate chips, mini M&M’s, crumbled Oreo cookies, peanuts or mixed nuts, and chocolate almond bark.  You can use any candy or snack topping of your choice.  A fun topping to try would be potato chips – the perfect combination of sweet and salty.  Maybe next time I’ll give that a try! I like to make these Gourmet Caramel Apples to serve for dessert when company is over, bring out as a snack, or give as a fun … Continue reading

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