[caption id="attachment_237" align="aligncenter" width="523"] Goat Cheese Quiche[/caption] I am a huge fan of brunch and brunch items. Here, I've made quiche tartlets composed of goat cheese, roasted red pepper, spinach, and topped with parmesan cheese. The crust has a bit of sweetness to it as I...
[caption id="attachment_250" align="aligncenter" width="523"] Honey Almond Ravioli[/caption] The month of February always brings on an air of love weather you want it or not. With Valentine's day coming up I wanted to experiment with sweet dishes. This one is great if you plan on staying in...
[caption id="attachment_204" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Pistachio Buttercups[/caption] My dad's absolute favorite candy is Reeses peanut butter cups so growing up it wasn't uncommon to find a stash nestled in our refrigerator drawer. They quickly become one of my favorites as well. With my recent discovery of pistachio...
[caption id="attachment_182" align="alignleft" width="225"] Pistachio Butter[/caption] I grew up on skippy. Started out as a creamy skippy peanut butter lover then graduated to the chunky kind. As I got older and started to develop a more sophisticated palate, I ventured off into trying almond butter. Almond butter...
[caption id="attachment_170" align="alignleft" width="300"] French Toast Doughnut Holes[/caption] When I was younger, circa elementary school era, my mom would pack my lunch for me everyday. Everyday EXCEPT french toasts sticks day. First of all, any type of breakfast for lunch is amazing. It wasn't until I...
[caption id="attachment_159" align="alignleft" width="225"] Lemon Cupcakes[/caption] There is no better way to add sunshine to your day then by whipping up a batch of these tangy lemon cupcakes. I wanted to find something to use the limoncello lemon curd I made in the previous recipe and...
[caption id="attachment_150" align="alignleft" width="300"] Limoncello Lemon Curd[/caption] I first encountered Limoncello when I was studying abroad in Florence, Italy. This Italian lemon liqueur is popular all over Italy but is known to be produced in the south. Traditional Limoncello is made from the zest of lemons...
[caption id="attachment_300" align="aligncenter" width="523"] Pisatchio Coconut Pinwheels[/caption] Pinwheel anything is always eye catching. The shape is common with both sweet and savory dishes. One of the most common pinwheel items in the food category is the "pinwheel cookie". Here I've concocted up a version using, of...
[caption id="attachment_120" align="alignleft" width="300"] Banana Bread Cookies[/caption] I love bananas in general but I love them even more so when they over ripen and I am able to use them in baking! These banana bread cookies have a cakey texture and are topped with a swirl...
[caption id="attachment_110" align="alignleft" width="334"] Pear and Pecorino Cheese Ravioli[/caption] During college, I spent a semester abroad in Florence, Italy. While I enjoyed soaking up all the breath taking art and architecture located at an eyes glance in Florence, I especially enjoyed the amazing flavors and dishes...
[caption id="attachment_104" align="alignleft" width="329"] Peanut Butter Shortbreads[/caption] Ingredients: 12 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tsp Agave 2 tbls peanut butter 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (optional for coating cookies) Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a standing mixer, mix together butter...
[caption id="attachment_98" align="alignleft" width="283"] Kahlua Filled Chocolates[/caption] A bitter sweet chocolate shell with a creamy kahlua coffee filling. Ingredients: 1 lb Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped 3/4 cup heavy cream 1 tb instant espresso or coffee powder 6 oz. of white chocolate 2 tbs. Kahlua Directions: To make the filling, combine espresso and cream in a...
[caption id="attachment_88" align="alignleft" width="314"] Honey Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies[/caption] Always a fan of oatmeal cookies, these crispy edged, soft centered cookies are tempting as both a late night snack and breakfast bite. Ingredients: 2 Cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp Baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp kosher salt 1 cup unsalted butter,...
[caption id="attachment_83" align="alignleft" width="314"] Pistachio Orange Cranberry Granola Bars with Greek Yogurt Drizzle[/caption] Pistachio Cranberry Orange Granola Bars with Greek Yogurt Drizzle Ingredients for Granola Bars: 8 oz. Old fashioned rolled oats 5 oz Pistachios shelled 6 oz. Honey 1 ¾ oz. Light Brown Sugar 1 oz unsalted butter (plus more for...
[caption id="attachment_77" align="alignleft" width="314"] Strawberry Champagne Rainbow Bars[/caption] The traditional italian tri-color rainbow cookies with chocolate frosting were always one of my favorite treats growing up. In light of the upcoming New Year's Eve celebration, I've decided to add a bubbly twist to it. Taking the...
[caption id="attachment_63" align="alignleft" width="220"] Lime Raspberry Bar[/caption] Craving some citrus and missing the hot summer days, I decided to whip up some key lime bars with a raspberry whipped cream and candied lime peels. Ingredients for Candied Lime Peels: 2 cups granulated sugar (plus extra sugar for dusting) 1...
[caption id="attachment_56" align="alignleft" width="300"] Mango Mint Detox[/caption] The past few days have been filled with sugar, sweets, and lots of food. My body has been craving a health kick! Today I'm sipping on a Mango Mint detox filled with sweet tropical flavors and healthy greens. Ingredients: 2 cups...
[caption id="attachment_46" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sea Salt Carmel Pretzel Thumbprints[/caption] I am a huge fan of salty and sweet, one of my favorite sweets of all time is salted caramel. For the holidays I decided on making this recipe from the Food Network: Salted Caramel Pretzel Thumbprints....
[caption id="attachment_49" align="alignleft" width="300"] Pistachio Cake with Mascarpone Filling[/caption] The rich flavor of pistachio makes it a versatile nut for both sweet and savory dishes. Here I am making a pistachio orange cake with a mascarpone filling. The recipe for the pistachio cake is a great...