Breakfast For Dinner with Krusteaz

Breakfast is quite possibly my favorite meal- when there's sweet and savory, and never ending freshly brewed coffee, I am a happy woman. Throw in some salty bacon or sausage and it's a perfect meal in our household. Eating breakfast at dinnertime is even better and so comforting. 

Ever since my kiddo started school last month, he's been sick. He's picked up yucky school germs and has either had a cough, cold or congestion since the start of September....that he kindly shared with his parents. Just recently he also had a fever that really wore him down. When Hayden is really sick, he just sleeps and doesn't eat very much. While it's nice and quiet in the house, I worry about him getting enough nutrition. So when he specifically said he was hungry and wanted pancakes for dinner, I happily obliged. 

I reached for the Krusteaz Blueberry Pancake mix and made a double batch of pancakes for my boy. I like to make enough pancakes to stock my freezer so that school day breakfast are quick and easy. I followed the directions on the back of the box but added a little vanilla extract and a few handfuls of fresh blueberries- for extra berry goodness. He ate every single bite and after a few days, felt much better. 

**GIVEAWAY CLOSED** Would you like to try Krusteaz mixes as well? One lucky winner will receive a Krusteaz Breakfast Night prize pack containing each of the Krusteaz mixes- Buttermilk Pancake, Blueberry Pancake, Belgian Waffle, Wild Blueberry Muffin, a pancake pen, a spatula and a coupon for free product. Simply leave a comment on this blog post along with your email and tell me what your favorite kind of pancakes are. **GIVEAWAY CLOSED**

Krusteaz kindly sent me product to try, but the options I express are my own. I was not compensated for this blog post- just sharing so that you can enjoy it too!

My Return To Blogging and Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Hi! Remember me?! I've been away for some time. It wasn't planned, I just got burnt out. I worked so hard on the cookbook and was making and photographing 2-3 recipes a day. Once it was all done, it was a huge relief but I really didn't want to do it anymore and that meant blogging was put on hold. That also meant that I didn't pick up my camera for a long time either. I am still baking and trying new recipes and am taking pictures with my iphone to share on Instagram (monica_h30) and Facebook. It's easier and faster and much less pressure and I get to post daily pics of my growing curly haired boy! 

Christmas 2014

I've been getting emails and comments asking when I'm returning and posting a new recipe, so here I am! I am so thankful for you guys and your support. I'm feeling motivated and I'm learning to use my camera once again (I sort of forgot how to use it and felt lost and confused when I picked it up...which also led to me not wanting to take pictures of food or anything else, for that matter). I took pictures of Hayden's 3rd birthday in September and was disappointed with how they turned out. The lighting was off and things were out of focus but I think I'm getting the hang of it again and I'm feeling inspired to try new recipes....which is kind of thrilling. 

These cookies were my "practice cookies". I took so many pictures of them, relearning the camera as I went. Some were too dark, some were over exposed and many were blurry and out of focus. But in the end, I think this is what I needed to do. I just needed to sit and shoot until it felt comfortable again. Thus I bring you, hard boiled egg chocolate chip cookies. 

I know what you're thinking and you're probably making faces at your screen right now but trust me on this. This was a way to use up some of the leftover boiled eggs I had from Easter. It's a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe but instead of raw eggs, you use finely chopped cooked eggs. I chopped the eggs, then I used a pastry cutter to chop them up even finer. You can see the bits of egg in the raw dough but once it's cooked they kind of melt away into the cookie. In the end you're left with a buttery, slightly chewy cookie, reminiscent to oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. We all really liked these and they seemed to stay fresher than most other recipes. I didn't tell hubby what was in these until after he ate them but it didn't make any difference. We all loved them!

These look much different than the cookies from Cookies and Cups. Her cookies were fluffy and thick while mine were thin. I made one batch on a Silpat mat and they spread into each other and were super thin. The other batch I baked on an unlined metal sheet pan and I preferred them much more. They were still thin but they looked better. The edges crisp and the center chewy. Also I baked them a little longer, I'm not a big fan of underbaked cookies. Bake them however you like, but definitely give this unique recipe a try!

Boiled Egg Chocolate Chip Cookies

Printer Friendly Version

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1¼ cups brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl cream together butter and brown sugar, approximately 2 minutes until light and fluffy. 

Add in vanilla and finely chopped eggs and continue mixing. (You will still see bits of egg in the batter, this is okay.)

Add in baking soda, salt and flour and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop onto pan using a medium cookie scoop.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden. 

Allow to cool for a few minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Makes about 2 dozen. 

Pumpkin Spice Pie & The Jif Giveaway Winner

 

I make pumpkin pie every year but I've never blogged about it. Maybe I feel it's so common it's not worth a post of it's own? Or perhaps I think everyone has their own recipe for it already? Or maybe I just never got a good picture of the pie? I don't really know the answer, but today I'm sharing my version of this pie. 

There's a BBQ joint here in town that sells pumpkin pies around the holidays. No one in my family thinks they're that great except for my brother. He buys them in multiples and eats 2-3 whole pies just by himself. A couple years ago I set out to make him the best pumpkin pie I possibly could. I researched several recipe and combined bits of each to create this one. You can make your own pie crust recipe or use a frozen or refrigerated crust. It's up to you and no one will judge you for choosing one over the other. Today we are simply talking about pumpkin pie filling. 

This pie uses brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper. That's the little surprise ingredient that makes this pie special. It adds an extra bit of spiciness, that you can't quite pinpoint but you know there's something a little different about it. I also like to refrigerate the pumpkin pie filling overnight before baking it. Some chocolate chips cookie recipes call for the same step- it allows all the ingredients to meld together and makes it that much better. If you're short on time you can skip the refrigeration step but if you have the time, try it! This pie is silky and creamy and while it's got some quirky aspects to it, it's very traditional. My brother still likes his store bought pies but I found out he likes them dry and firm and I'm not willing to make dry pie. haha! 

Pumpkin Spice Pie from Lick The Bowl Good

Printer Friendly Version 

• 1- 15 oz. can pure pumpkin
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1  1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1- 12 oz. can evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 

In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, brown sugar and spices. Whisk the ingredients together together then add the eggs one at a time until just combined. Gradually add the evaporated milk to the pumpkin mixture, stirring to combine.  

Optional Step: Refrigerate the pumpkin pie mixture overnight to intensify the flavors. Otherwise, continue on with the next step. 

Pour the pumpkin pie mixture into a deep dish unbaked pie shell. 

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes then reduce the oven to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 45-50 minutes. The pie might be a little jiggly in the center but it will firm up as it cools. 

Place pie on a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Serve at room temperature or chilled. 

The winner of the Jif giveaway is commenter #99 Elle who said: 

"I am incredibly thankful for my family, specifically my Mother who has always supported me and loved me through everything and who has always been my personal cheerleader in life."

Congratulations Elle! Please email me with your address. Thank you all for entering the giveaway.

~Monica 

Almond Butter Pie And A Giveaway!

In honor of my 600th post and my 7th year of blogging at Lick The Bowl Good, I have an awesome giveaway for you today! I received a few jars of Jif Almond and Cashew Butters recently. We had a few snacks incorporating the butters but I was itching to make something with it, so I made pie! In my opinion, pie is perfect any time- it's a casual, comforting dessert. When searching for the right recipe to make, I wanted something easy and something my 3 year old and my 34 year old husband would like. Enter Creamy Almond Butter Pie. 

First there's a crunchy buttery crust, then a toasty, nutty, creamy filling and then it's topped with more whipped topping and a sprinkling of sliced almonds for texture. My husband said this reminded him of an ice box pie and he liked his slightly frozen. Hayden and I liked ours straight from the fridge. If you can't find Jif almond butter, you could certainly use Jif creamy peanut butter. That cream cheese and almond filling is delicious together, though. If you want you could always make a chocolate crust instead of the graham cracker, maybe even add a layer of chocolate ganache in there. Yum!

Creamy Almond Butter Pie adapted from Jif

Printer Friendly Version

Graham Crust: 

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Almond Butter Filling: 

• 1/2 cup Jif Creamy Almond Butter
• 1- 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 1- 8 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 3 Tablespoons sliced almonds

For The Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in the melted butter until thoroughly blended. Press mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, bringing crumbs evenly up the sides up to the rim.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. While crust is cooling, prepare the filling.

For The Filling: In a large bowl, beat the almond butter, cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and almond extracts and blend until combined. Blend in 2/3 of the  whipped topping, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. 

Pour the almond butter filling into the cooled crust. Spread the remaining whipped topping onto the filling. Top with sliced almonds. Chill at least one hour or until pie is firm. Serve chilled. 

I promised a giveaway, so one lucky winner will receive a prize pack from Jif, including:

• Jif Creamy Almond Butter
• Jif Crunchy Almond Butter
• Jif Creamy Cashew Butter
• Jif Crunchy Cashew Butter
• $200 Visa Gift Card
• Jif Note Pad
• Recipe Cards Using Jif Almond and Cashew Butters

To enter, tell me what or who you are thankful for this year. Leave me a comment on this blog. Giveaway open to US residents only. One winner will be chosen this weekend. Please leave your contact info with your comment. One entry per person. 

Thank you for entering and good luck!

Thank you to each and every one of you for encouraging me, supporting me and inspiring me in my blogging over the past 7 years.   I wouldn't be where I am without you. I look forward to choosing recipes, making them, photographing them in just the right light, adding the little details here and there, and sharing them with you. I  feel like you are all my friends sitting at my kitchen table and indulging with me. So thank you  for being you!

Jif Almond and Cashew Butters

I recently received a shipment of New Jif Almond and Cashew Butters. Next to pecans, almonds are my favorite nut so I was super excited to get to try these. I was never a big fan of cashews until about a year ago when a friend gave me some salted cashew brittle, that was simply amazing, and now I can't get enough of the elbow shaped nut! Both flavors come in creamy and crunchy and are simply tasty. 

For snacks, we've had the spreads in sandwiches as well as in smoothies, on raisin toast with banana slices and with Fuji apple wedges. Of course, Hayden licked the almond and cashew butters off the apples and toast and discarded the rest of his snack, he's just in it for the good stuff!

I also used the creamy Jif almond butter and made a creamy, dreamy pie, that I will share with you tomorrow. In the meantime, here are a couple ways to get that delicious spread into your belly. For something different, I highly recommend you grab a jar or two and give them a try. 

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from Cowboy Hayden!

Chocolate Fudge Oreo Bundt for National Chocolate Day!

I had a major craving for chocolate cake one night. It was almost time to start dinner, so I didn't really have time to search for a recipe or bring butter to room temperature so I pulled out one of my favorite baking books- Bundt Classics. I immediately found a recipe that looked good to me and I had all the ingredients on hand. Of course, I added my own touches to it and it took this cake to a whole new level of chocolate deliciousness!

This recipe starts with a chocolate cake mix but you'd never know it. I took the help of the mix and got this cake in the oven in less than 15 minutes. It baked while I made supper then we had it for dessert. Win! I have to be honest, when I was making this, I had no intention of adding Oreos to the batter. I was getting the ingredients from the pantry and Hayden grabbed the Oreos- positioned right at his eye level. He said we needed to add Oreos, so I did! I keep that little genius child around for a reason ;-).

This cake was over the top, a chocolate lovers dream! I mean really, there's the chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, chocolate syrup, chocolate chips and chocolate cookies. Then I had the audacity to top it off with silky ganache and even more chocolate chips. This was fudgy and decadent and cured my cravings. Coincidentally, it's National Chocolate Day, so make this Bundt! 

Chocolate Fudge Oreo Bundt adapted from Bundt Classics

Printer Friendly Version

Cake:

• 1 (18.25 oz) box chocolate cake mix
• 1 (3.4 oz) box instant chocolate pudding
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup Hershey's chocolate syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips
• 10 Oreos, coarsely broken

Ganache: 

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Decoration: 

• Mini chocolate chips or Oreos, optional

To Make The Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a 12 cup Bundt pan with non-stick baking spray (with flour). Set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the cake ingredients except the chocolate chips and Oreos. Blend with a hand mixer over medium speed until well blended. Scrape the sides of the bowl down and stir in the chocolate chips and crushed Oreos. 

Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 20 minutes. Unmold cake onto a cooling rack or a serving platter and allow to cool completely. 

To Make The Ganache: In a small mixing bowl, heat cream in the microwave until hot and steamy, about 60 seconds. Add the chocolate chips to the hot cream and let them sit for 5 minutes. With a spatula, gently stir the chocolate chips and cream together until the mixture comes together and becomes shiny and silky. Do not use a whisk or stir too vigorously, this will cause air bubbles in the ganache. If tiny lumps of chocolate remain, let the mixture sit a little longer, then stir again until smooth. 

The longer the mixture sits, the thicker it becomes. Allow ganache to thicken a bit before pouring onto cooled cake. You want it pourable but not so thin that it runs off the side of your cake. 

Immediately top with additional mini chocolate chips or Oreo cookies, if desired. Allow ganache to set before serving. Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature.

Smucker's Giveaway Winner

And the winner of the Smucker's Giveaway is #29 Jean Badgley! Congrats Jean!

Thank you all for entering my giveaway!

~Monica

Hayden's 3rd Birthday and Ice Cream Social

I'm a little late with the post, but better late than never, right? Today I'm sharing with you a couple photos from Hayden's 3rd birthday. We had a Labor day celebration with family and friends complete with a petting zoo and an ice cream sundae station courtesy of Smucker's. 

Hayden is a lover and was so thrilled to see each and every one of his guests. He went around socializing with everyone and enjoying the party fair until he noticed the petting zoo being set up in the backyard, then he was glued to the back door in total amazement. There were rabbits, goats, a lamb, a potbelly pig, a rooster and a hen. He LOVED that little chicken and while he went back and forth petting and feeding all the animals, that chicken became his best bud and he was so protective over her.  It was really sweet to see. 

Afterwards, we returned inside to escape the heat with Smucker's ice cream sundaes! Who doesn't love a good sundae? We had Blue Bell vanilla ice cream with a multitude of toppings- hot fudge, salted caramel, chocolate coconut, dark chocolate as well as magic shell toppings in chocolate pretzel and rainbow sherbet flavors. There was also an array of sprinkles, nuts, cherries and whipped cream to round everything out. Everyone had fun building their sundaes- some people adding so many topping and sprinkles that you couldn't see the ice cream and some people went with one topping with no other accoutrement. I went with salted caramel, hot fudge, pecans, shredded coconut, cream and a cherry. Hayden on the other hand just wanted all the sprinkles, hold the ice cream :-). We also had Red Velvet Cupcakes (recipe from Blaise The Baker). 

After tasting all the toppings, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the chocolate coconut topping, It was, by far, my favorite of all. Its good on ice cream and equally delicious eaten right out of the jar with a spoon! But don't take my word for it. Go get a jar for yourself or enter to win a giveaway from Smucker's of all their new ice cream topping flavors and a few other goodies. 

One lucky winner will receive:

• Scalloped Edge Hanging Chalkboard
• West Elm Outdoor Metal Serving Tray
• Smucker's Branded Ice Cream Scoop
• Smucker’s Ice Cream Toppings:

1. Smucker’s® Simple Delight Chocolate Coconut Flavored Topping 
2. Smucker’s®  Simple Delight Salted Caramel Topping
3. Smucker’s® Simple Delight Dark Chocolate Topping 
4. Smucker’s® Simple Delight Hot Fudge Topping 
5. Smucker’s® Magic Shell® Chocolate Pretzel Flavored Topping 
6. Smucker’s® Magic Shell® Rainbow Sherbet Flavored Topping 
7. Smucker’s® Microwavable Hot Dark Chocolate Topping

To enter the giveaway tell me about your ultimate sundae? How would you top it? Leave me a note in the comment section. One entry per person, please. A winner will be chosen at random and announced this weekend. Offer open to U.S. residents only.

Good luck!

Salted Brown Butter Biscoff Treats

Any time I see Biscoff or brown butter in a recipe, I perk up and my eyes get a little bigger. I love those two ingredients and they're even better when you you combine them to make these Salted Brown Butter Biscoff Treats. Rice Krispy treats are so easy to make and they're perfect to make any time of year and I've never met any one who didn't like them. I've made Brown Butter and Spice Rice Treats for years but decided to try something a little different this time. 

Biscoff, if you're not familiar with it, is a creamy spread very similar in consistency to peanut butter, but it's completely nut free because it's made from crushed up Biscoff (Lotus Brand) cookies. They are lightly spiced, caramelized cookies that are quite addicting. When you make it into a spread and can then shovel it into your mouth with a spoon, it becomes heavenly! Mixed with the earthy, nutty flavors of browned butter and accented with sea salt, these treats become irresistible. Hubby said these were amazing, and he rarely dishes out that compliment. 

Salted Brown Butter Biscoff Treats adapted from Bakerella

Printer Friendly Version

• 10 ounces mini marshmallows
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup creamy Biscoff spread
• 6 cup crisp rice cereal
• 1 cup coarsely broken Biscoff cookies
• fleur de sel salt

Butter a 9x9-inch pan. Place the marshmallows in a large bowl and set aside. 

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, swirling the pot occasionally until the butter boils and becomes foamy. It will turn golden brown and start to smell nutty. Once the butter stops sizzling and the foam subsides, it is ready. Keep an eye on it because you don't want it to burn. This could take 5 to 8 minutes.

Once the butter has browned, remove from the heat and pour the butter and the browned bits over marshmallows. Stir until the marshmallows are fully coated. Place the bowl into the microwave and heat for one to two minutes, stirring occasionally until the marshmallows are completely melted. Stir in the Biscoff spread until fully incorporated. 

Carefully fold the cereal and the crushed Biscoff cookies into the marshmallow mixture until everything is well coated. Press cereal mixture into the buttered pan and sprinkle the top with sea salt, use as much or as little as you'd like. Allow treats to cool before cutting. 

Lick The Bowl Good Cookbook- Celebrating The First Year

It's been one year since I released my cookbook Lick The Bowl Good so I thought I'd celebrate by sharing one of my favorite recipes from the book- Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Glaze. 

This is an adaptation of the Cinderella Cake that I have been baking for years. I swapped out the cream cheese icing for a deliciously nutty brown butter icing. I have been craving this cake for weeks and now that it's Fall and cooler, today was the perfect day to whip this up. As this cake sits cooling on the counter and the aromas of pumpkin and spice are floating in the air, I'm wishing I could share a slice with you all. 

Thank you all for your continued support of this blog and my cookbook. I hope you enjoy this cake!

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Glaze

Printer Friendly Version

Pumpkin Cake: 

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1- 15 ounce can pure pumpkin 

Brown Butter Glaze: 

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour a 9-inch Bundt pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs until well blended and light in color. Add oil and vanilla and continue to beat.

Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt to the egg mixture and stir to combine.Add pumpkin puree and mix well. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let stand in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto baking rack to cool completely.

Once the cake has cooled, place it on a serving platter and make the glaze.

For The Glaze: In a medium bowl add the powdered sugar and set aside while you make the brown butter.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, swirling the pot occasionally until the butter boils and becomes foamy. It will turn golden brown and start to smell nutty. Once the butter stops sizzling and the foam subsides, it is ready. Keep an eye on it because you don't want it to burn. This could take 5 to 8 minutes.

Once the butter has browned, remove from the heat and pour the butter and the browned bits over the sugar. Add the vanilla to the butter and sugar and whisk until smooth.

Spoon the warm glaze over the cooled cake and allow the glaze to set before serving.

Store at room temperature.

Balance Bar #BalanceShapeUp Challenge

I was given the opportunity to partner up with Balance Bar and Walmart to try a "new to me" product. I've heard of and I've seen Balance Bars in stores but I've never felt compelled to try them until now. In the past, I've eaten other protein bars and they all have a similar texture and taste. I'll admit, I was a little skeptical and didn't think I'd like these but I did! 

I was given a Walmart gift card to purchase Balance bars and other Summer essentials in the #BalanceShapeUp challenge. I chose these four flavors as well as some sunscreen, a Puddle Jumper for Hayden and some eos lip balm. I'm not a naturally athletic person but I try to eat healthy foods. I do have a major sweet tooth though. I was recently asked if I baked something everyday- when I was working on the cookbook I baked almost everyday but there's no way I have the time or energy for that. There are three of us in this house and we cannot consume that much dessert. I make one dessert once a week and my husband is an ice cream junkie, so our freezer is usually stocked. Every day around mid afternoon, I get a sugar craving. Sometimes, I'll have an iced coffee or a yogurt. sometimes I'll sneak an Oreo but lately I've been more mindful of my snacking. I still indulge in those treats but I've been replacing a sugary snack with a Balance Bar and a glass of water. Each bar has 13-15 grams of protein, vitamins and minerals. It not only cures my cravings but it keeps me full until dinnertime. 

I'm a big fan of chocolate, so I chose Double Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Craze, Caramel Nut Blast and Honey Peanut. I went for the Caramel Nut Blast and chocolate flavors first and found they were kind of chewy and tasted like protein bars. But I was quite pleased with the Honey Peanut flavor. It had a softer, smoother texture and no vitamin after taste. I would definitely like to try other flavors and will be keeping some in my pantry as well as in my purse for days when I need a snack and don't want to cave in to fast food. Thanks Walmart and Balance Bars!