Honeydew-Celery Granita | Dandy®

You know those cheesy scenes in old movies where someone is walking through the sweltering desert and they're so thirsty that they hallucinate about an oasis? That's sort of how this recipe came to be.

Except, replace burning hot desert sands with 98% humidity, and you have my reality every day when I walk out the door -- the classic Florida summer.

I don't know how many times I can talk about how sweaty-hot it is outside, but I'm gonna bring it up just one more time because all that perspiration finally led to some inspiration.

Walking through Publix on a sizzling summer day is equivalent to splashing around in that desert oasis; an air conditioned wonderland of never ending thirst-quenching snacks at your disposal. Since I always go straight to the produce aisle, I am often easily enticed by the first few things in my line of vision that look like they might give any kind of relief from the blazing temps -- namely honeydew and Dandy® celery. When it's hot and sticky out, it's hard not to daydream about things that are cool, crisp and refreshing. So it's no wonder that celery snuck its way into my frozen summer treat in this Honeydew-Celery Granita.

I know what you're thinking. Celery?? Not chopped in a salad or slathered in peanut butter?? What in the world? But I guarantee that you'll stop questioning my sanity once you make this. Because, just like raw celery gives that nice, fresh crunch and snap when you eat it as a snack, the essence of celery works harmoniously with the flavor of sweet honeydew melon in this icy refreshment.

Truth be told, I hadn't given much thought to using celery in any way other than in soup or alongside wings until I served as a brand ambassador with Dandy® during the Food Wine Conference last month. But their creativity in using celery in desserts and cocktails at the conference gave way to all kinds of new ideas, which is nice because I can never quite use up an entire bag!

They say necessity is the mother of invention, but I'm here to tell you that so is humidity. This summer, you're bound to be cool as a cucumb... er... celery stalk when you get creative with Dandy®!

You may not have to imagine a tropical paradise if you enter and win the Summer Snacking Sweepstakes where the prize is a chance to "Build Your Own Dream Vacation!" Make sure to check it out and score a free e-book with summer-inspired recipes while you're there!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with Dandy® Celery. As always, all opinions here are my own! 

Honeydew-Celery Granita

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
4 pieces of celery, trimmed and roughly chopped
1/2 of a medium honeydew {I used an orange-fleshed honeydew, but any honeydew or cantaloupe would work here}, roughly chopped

1. Make simple syrup: Stir together water and sugar in a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and allow to bubble until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 1-2 minutes.

2. Add chopped celery to the hot simple syrup. Set aside to let the flavors steep, about 10 minutes.

3. Place syrup mixture in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Using a mesh strainer, strain the mixture, pressing on the celery pulp to extract all liquid. Discard the pulp, and set the celery-infused syrup aside.

4. Place chopped honeydew in blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add about 1/4 cup of the celery simple syrup and blend together. Depending on how sweet your honeydew is, you may want to add more or less of the syrup -- sweeten to taste.

5. Pour the honeydew mixture into a glass baking dish or container and place in freezer. After 30 minutes, stir with a fork to break up any ice crystals. Continue to do this every 30 minutes for the next 3-4 hours or until the desired consistency is reached.

Note: Celery stalks make great scoopers!

Bacon Lattice-Top Peach Pie a La Mode {with Bourbon Sweet Tea Syrup}

There is something about the honest to goodness, no apologies, "y'all come back now", rib-sticking recipes of the South that speak to me. I've mentioned my infatuation with Southern culture before, so it's no surprise that the food is no exception.

So around this time of year when everyone is all "tacos and margaritas" for Cinco de Mayo, I'm usually dreaming of Derby dishes and thinking about what foods go well with a splash of bourbon. {Hint: It's all of them.}

You can imagine my delight when I discovered that one of the contests for this year's Food & Wine Conference calls for creating your own twist on a classic Southern recipe. Um, done. 

My problem was not coming up with an idea, but narrowing down the slew of ideas that came to mind! My husband, bless him, has been kind enough to listen with {feigned} interest as I brainstormed over the past few days, abruptly blurting out Southern-inspired concoctions and waiting for a look of approval {or disbelief}.

When I came up with this combination, the look on his face was somewhere between curiosity and concern... so I knew it must be a winner.

On a lot of the cooking shows I watch, the celebrity chef judges often praise or criticize a contestant's
"restraint" or lack thereof in a dish. And this pie? This pie would definitely fall into the latter category.

This pie laughs at diets and sneers at daintiness. It says, "Don't come around here looking for a cream puff.", and yet, has some of the genteel qualities of a true Southerner.

Strips of bacon {yes, I went there} are interwoven with flaky bands of pie crust to create a perfectly piggy lattice top. Underneath the shocking exterior is a heap of sweet peaches that balance the salty bite of the bacon canopy. You could stop there, but I mean... you topped a pie with a bacon crust. So I highly suggest going full steam ahead with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of Bourbon Sweet Tea Syrup. It's just the right thing to do.

This ain't the way your grandma from Georgia made her peach pie, but listen... I'm not trying to win a blue ribbon at the county fair. {But I am trying to win a free conference pass!} Sometimes it's ok to #BreakTheRouxles!

Bacon Lattice-Top Peach Pie a La Mode with Bourbon Sweet Tea Syrup

For Pie Crust : 
1 box of store pie crust {or your own from scratch if you prefer, just make sure your recipe yield's 2 9 inch circles}
4 strips bacon {lean or thin cut if possible}

For Filling: 
4 cups frozen peaches {or 3 to 4 medium fresh peaches, peeled & pitted}
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water
{Optional} 1 tablespoon sanding/sparkling sugar
Your favorite vanilla ice cream

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Carefully unroll pie crusts to fit a 9 inch round glass pie dish. Place the dough for the bottom half of the pie directly in the dish, pressing lightly and making sure it goes all the way up the sides.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients for filling. Add the peaches to the dry mixture and toss to coat all of the peaches evenly. Pour over the dough-covered bottom of the pie dish.

3. On a lightly floured surface, place the second circle of dough and measure out about 1 1/2 inch strips {the goal is to have strips of dough about as wide as your strips of bacon}. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut into strips. For a lattice design, the easiest way to create the pattern is to fold back every other strip of dough about half way, then place a strip of bacon horizontally across the dough and return the strips to their normal position to overlap the piece of bacon. Continue this pattern until all the strips of bacon and pie dough are interwoven in a lattice design. This is a good tutorial for you visual learners out there!

3. Press the edges of the pie dough to seal or create a fluted design. {I actually reserved a few strips of pie dough from the top and pressed them around the edge to create a fluted border. You don't have to, but it makes for a nice presentation.}

4. In a small bowl, beat together egg and a tablespoon of water to create a wash. Brush the egg mixtures over the strips of pie dough. Bake the pie for about 35-40 minutes until the crust is golden and the bacon is cooked and crisp.*

5. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 20-30 minutes before slicing.

Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of Bourbon Sweet Tea Syrup!

For Syrup:
1/2 cup brewed peach flavored or regular black tea {bottled is fine, just make sure it's unsweetened}
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon

1. Bring tea, sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced by about half.
2. Remove from heat and stir in bourbon.

Set aside until ready to use or refrigerate, stored in a sealed jar.

*I typically like to use fresh fruit, but I couldn't find any peaches as they aren't in season just yet. Frozen works just fine. A pound of frozen peaches equals about 3 medium peaches. Depending on the source, it is suggested that you thaw and drain the peaches, though I did not. {And therefore had a bit of extra liquid in the pie.}

*If the edges of your pie is getting too dark before the bacon is crisp, you can use foil to tent the perimeter so that it doesn't over-brown. They also sell these nifty pie crust shields for this very purpose!

*There was a little grease from the bacon that I simply poured off by tipping the pie {carefully!!!} over the sink once the pie was slightly cooled.

Chocolate Orange Pudding Cups

Saturday marked The Kitchen Prep's 5 year anniversary. Five years of stories, recipes, eating and tasting. Two hundred-sixty weeks {give or take} of meeting new friends, going to conferences, attending dinners and covering food events. One thousand eight hundred twenty five days of molding this space, and being enamored with this space, and detesting this space, and wondering if it's worth all the work, and knowing that it's the only work I've ever truly loved.

If it were a kid, I would be packing its lunchbox and sending it off to Kindergarten, though sometimes I feel like it's been around long enough to have earned its Ph.D.

This space means an awful lot to me. It has been the cause of many tears, but even more smiles, and it has given me the chance to make some dreams that I couldn't imagine coming true become realities.

All from sitting here typing my thoughts. From being candid about my life and sharing personal things, ridiculous things, and things you shouldn't wait another minute to take a bite out of. {Oftentimes, while using terrible grammar and horrendous sentence structure.}

And though I would continue to do it for myself even if no one else read one word, it's so nice to know that you are out there on the other side of this screen letting me take up a second of your life so that I can add some purpose to my own.

That's a pretty big deal.

Until about 3 years ago, I didn't even know this could be the kind of thing it's become. To be honest, I am in a constant battle with myself, contemplating going full-steam ahead so that I can potentially become as successful as some of the other bloggers I have come to know, or keeping this a sacred place and "doing it my way." {I wish it could be both. It can't. Or at least I haven't figured out how to make that happen.} I've had to practice "staying in my lane" and avoiding constant comparison to others I admire. I'm sort of the toughest boss I've ever had.

I've sold out a little bit in the past year because diapers are expensive and so are college funds. I've made myself feel bad enough about it sometimes, so I'm thankful that you haven't. {Note: There's never been a time when I've tried to sell you on something I think is gross. Nothing is worth that kind of deception.}

While the past five years have been full of all kinds of changes, adjustments, ups and downs... this blog has been a constant, slowly becoming a bigger and bigger part of my identity.

So, I guess what I'm saying is thanks for getting to know me while I continue to figure out who I am. Or at the very least, thanks for letting me share a meal with you, because few things make me happier than chatting and sharing food with people.

Except maybe chocolate. Chocolate makes me pretty happy, too.

Chocolate Orange Pudding Cups
Adapted from Food Network 

3 cups whole milk
1/3 cup milk chocolate chips, melted
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier

1. In a medium pot, heat milk until steaming over medium-high heat. Stir in both kinds of chocolate and whisk until completely incorporated.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, corn starch and cocoa powder until smooth. Add about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture, whisking the whole time, to bring the egg mixture up to temperature. {Otherwise you'll get scrambled eggs.}

3. Pour the heated egg/milk mixture back into the pot with the remaining milk. Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk continually until the mixture has thickened. {It'll be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, but will continue to thicken in the refrigerator as it chills.}

4. Remove the mixture from the stove. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the pudding to ensure a super-smooth texture a little at a time over a large, clean bowl.* Whisk in vanilla extract, orange zest and orange liqueur.

5. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the mixture to cover the bowl, {this will keep it from forming a "skin."} and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours or overnight.

Serve in individual cups topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with extra orange zest and a slice of orange if desired.

*This isn't absolutely necessary, but I like to do it to make sure there aren't any lumps or scrambled egg bits in the pudding.

Brown Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Would you believe me if I told you this was a bundt cake and that it was really, really good?

Because it is, and it was.

I haven't done a whole lot of baking lately, and the baking I have done hasn't produced anything blog-worthy. Instead, I have become addicted to watching Dateline, 20/20 and 48 Hours On Demand and getting my baking fix through Kids Baking Championship on Food Network. It's all the fun, minus the clean up and calories. It's also a nice little show to lighten the watchlist, because I'd rather go to sleep dreaming about cake than about murderers.

If you haven't watched KBC, it's basically a baking competition featuring a group of kids vying for $10,000, being judged by cake guru Duff Goldman and actress-turned-cooking personality Valerie Bertinelli. Each week they are given a theme or a challenge for their baking creations and either advance to the next round or get voted off. {I have no idea how Duff & Valerie do it with those puppy dog eyes staring at them!}

I am blown away by those smart, talented little people. They are hilarious and inspiring, and I'm hoping that watching them in action will give me some clue as to how to make my own child turn out to be charming and eloquent. I won't hate it if he can whip up a mean French pastry while he's at it, but beggars can't be choosers.

You'd never know from from all the talk of  "ganache", "coulis" and "creme anglais" that these pint sized bakers only range in age from 10-13, and their ingenuity at problem solving when their plans go awry is pretty spectacular. {Plus, their nasal little voices and chubby cheeks are so stinkin' cute. It's amazing the things you find darling when you're no longer in charge of teaching these rascals.} Most of the time, they try to convince the judges that they meant to produce whatever it is that turned out once their time is up, which isn't necessarily truthful, but is a nice last-ditch effort to win.

So when this very delicious Brown Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake crumbled into a pile of cake rubble as I was turning it out of the {clearly, not properly greased} pan, I channeled the mini baking masterminds and thought to myself, "Hmm. Now how can I make it look like I meant to do that?" And this is as good as it got.

If you're not falling for the presentation, don't let it deter you from trying it out for yourself because you'll be missing out for sure. Not only is this recipe super easy, but it's also extremely flavorful thanks to the extra {but worthwhile} step of browning the butter, which lends a nutty, almost toffee-like note. And banana and chocolate together? Always a winning combo.

Some weeks things don't quite work out the way you want them to. This is one of those weeks. But let's just pretend I meant to lose half of my cake to the bundt pan, and that I had planned to photograph it all cut up. Yeah. We'll go with that...

Brown Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Barely adapted from The Best of Fine Cooking, 2010 Party Food Edition

Makes 1 bundt cake that serves 12, or 2 mini bundts made in a 6 cup pan

1 cup {2 sticks} unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
1 cup mashed banana {about 2 medium bananas}
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare bundt pan* by buttering or spraying with non-stick spray. {Do a good job so that you don't have to fudge your presentation like I did!}

2. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Bring it to a bubble and allow it to simmer until it starts to turn light brown and smells toffee-like or nutty. This should take about 5-7 minutes.

3. When the butter is browned, remove from heat and pour it through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to remove the brown sediment that will form at the bottom. Set the bowl of hot melted butter aside to cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, sift together the salt, flour and baking soda in a small bowl.

4. In another bowl, whisk together sugar and cooled butter until smooth. Add in the eggs, mashed banana and vanilla extract and beat until everything is well-incorporated.

5. Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips into the wet ingredients and fold everything together until well-combined. Don't overdo it or you'll end up with a tough cake.

6. Pour the batter into the buttered baking pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a knife or skewer inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean {a few crumbs are ok}.

Remove the cake from the oven and set is aside to cool for 20 minutes or so. Carefully flip over the bundt pan and give it light tap to remove the cake -- hope you have better luck than I do!

The good news is, whether in crumbs or as a whole, the cake is equally as divine!

* Making this much batter will give you either 1 large bundt cake in a 10-cup bundt pan, or 2 small bundts made with a 6-cup pan {baked for about 25 minutes}. You can also make this in muffin tins or any other cake tins you desire, but you'll have to adjust the cook time accordingly. Have I given you enough options yet?

Hazelnut Bow Tie Cookies | The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

The older I get, the more I agree with the old adage: "Tis better to give than to receive." But for the past 3 years, I've participated in an event that brings the absolute best of both worlds straight to my mailbox: The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!

This event -- the brain {tummy?} child of food bloggers Julie Deily and Lindsay Landis -- celebrated its 5th season of giving this year and I couldn't wait to get in on the cookie clamor.

Not only does FBCS contribute to spreading holiday cheer in the form of a national cookie exchange between food bloggers, but it also serves up a healthy donation to Cookies for Kids Cancer , helping to fund new therapies used to fight pediatric cancer raising over $35,000 in the last for years! I mean, total win-win.

I shipped out 3 dozen homemade cookies this year to three bloggers whose names are randomly selected from the bunch, then waited {im}patiently for my 3 dozen cookies to arrive from those who were matched with my name. Time sure does move slowly when you're waiting for cookie mail...

This year, I received some amazing Chocolate Chunk & Peanut Butter Pretzel Stuffed Cookies from Stark Raving Delicious, fantastic Hot Cocoa and Marshmallow Cookies from Annie One Can Cook, and finally, superb Chocolate Ganache Filled Gingerbread Cups The Suburban Soapbox.

Back in my kitchen, I was a busy little elf baking and packaging cookies to send out to my matches.

The key to choosing a cookie recipe for FBCS is to create something that will survive a trip through the mail. Nothing too gooey or crumbly. You don't want your recipients to end up with a box of cookie dust, after all. After much consideration, I came up with these Hazelnut Bow Tie Cookies.

Made up of a cream cheese-based dough, they're very much like traditional Hungarian Kiffles. I actually used the same dough recipe that I make Rugelach out of, and it worked out perfectly. The dough forms a fantastic base for the addition of a filling {I chose Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, but you can fill them with anything really} -- sturdy enough to hold up during travel, yet tender to bite into.

A sprinkle of chopped hazelnuts emphasized that roasted hazelnut flavor in the filling, and a dusting of powdered sugar over the top gives these pretty bites just the right amount of adornment.

Confession: I made these THREE separate times and forgot to photograph them. Every. Single. Time. On the final batch that I did photograph, I forgot to dust them with powdered sugar, hence my "naked" cookies in these photos. Sigh... welcome to the hectic holidays!

Anyway, enough yammering. If you're planning on baking {or mailing!} Christmas cookies this year, give these bow ties a try. They make a present anyone would love to unwrap and devour!

A great big thank you to my matches, to Julie & Lindsay, and to our wonderful sponsors who sent us goodies -- Dixie Crystals, OXO, and Land O'Lakes! Here's to another year of goodies and giving!

Hazelnut Bow Tie Cookies

1 {8 oz.} block of cream cheese
2 sticks butter {8 oz. total}
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups flour*
Pinch of salt
1/2 - 3/4 cup Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
Powdered Sugar for dusting

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla and mix to incorporate fully.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Slowly add the flour to the butter mixture until it forms a dough that begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. {*I usually add just 2 cups of flour and then sprinkle in an extra 1/4 to 1/2 cup while the mixer goes until the dough is no longer super sticky.} Try not to over mix.

2. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and, with floured hands, gently knead it together to form a ball -- divide it in half. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap. Pat dough into 2 square-ish shapes and wrap well. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, several hours or overnight.**

3. When the dough is firm, place one square onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to a rectangle or square, about 1/4 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut as many 2 inch-wide strips across as you are able to, then repeat vertically to end up with 2x2 inch squares of dough. If you have scraps left over, re-roll the scraps and repeat the process.

4. Place the dough squares on a baking pan -- the corners should be facing each other so that you have a tray full of  "diamond" shapes.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

5. Fill a zip top plastic bag or small piping bag with chocolate hazelnut spread, then snip the tip. Pipe a straight line down the center of each diamond from tip to tip -- I estimate I used about a teaspoon of spread in each cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with chopped hazelnuts, pressing lightly to adhere to the spread.

6. Wet your fingertips with a little bit of water and lightly swab one side of the cookie dough to moisten -- this will make it slightly sticky so that it adheres to the other side and stays closed. Carefully fold the outer edges of the diamond in toward the center {like its hugging itself}, making sure to fold the sticky side over the non-sticky side so that it helps to seal the cookie. Repeat until all cookies are sealed into bow ties.

5. Bake for about 12 minutes until they're just slightly golden at the edges. They'll be a little soft when you take them out of the oven, but they'll firm up slightly. Remove from baking pan and place on a cooling rack.

When the cookies are completely cooled, dust with powdered sugar to decorate.

The yield depends on the size you cut your squares. Mine were about 2x2 inch squares and I got about 3 dozen cookies out of one batch.

**This dough is best after a rest and some chilling, but I will admit that I've used it without much of a rest and they turn out just fine. Chilling the dough does make it easier to roll out.

Chai Spiced Brownies

When you blog for a while, people start wanting to send you stuff for you to write about. As great as that sounds, it gets a little overwhelming when you are an honest kind of gal who wants to give everyone a shout out, but doesn't want to turn her sacred space into one giant ad.

So a lot of times, I end up saying, "Hey, thanks for wanting to send me your cookbook/food product/kitchen gadget/recipe idea/fill-in-the-blank! It's so nice of you to think of me. I'm happy to share a picture of it on social media {if it's something I like and would actually use}, but I can't pay my bills with artisan crackers so I'm can't promise that I'll have time to write a whole post singing your product's praises."

Ok, maybe I don't say it exactly like that, but that's essentially the message that I send back. And then we might talk a little bit about working together in a business sense, which is when you'll see me mention that a post is "sponsored". {So, THAT'S what that means!}

But every once in a while {though less and less lately because, hello, baby's college fund}, I get an email and I'm like, "Heck yeah, send your chocolate/wine/cheese/awesome little-known fancy condiments right on over!" Then I try really, really hard to highlight the product in a post or use it in a recipe so that no on thinks I'm ungrateful or sneaky, trying to bum delicious things off of generous companies who are trying to promote their products. No one likes a mooch.

It's a fine line to keep this whole blog business both genuine and profitable!

Anyway, I get so much stuff in the mail that my mailman and UPS delivery guys probably think I have a major food hoarding problem. One day I'll have to invite them all in for a feast made out of all the products they've delivered to my door so they can see for themselves what's going on.

But yeah, from time to time someone sends something for you to check out and it gets lost in the shuffle. And then you're cleaning out your pantry one day and you go, "Whoa, this looks like a fancy little tin of chai tea that I probably wouldn't buy for myself, where the heck did it come from??" And then you remember and you feel bad for not doing what you said your were going to do {back in February! eek.} because you've been busy writing and cooking and raising a baby and having a life and keeping your head above water most days. Sigh.

I'm really glad I found this tin of Palais des Thes Chai Imperial because it is a perfect transitional flavor between the pumpkin spice season we're leaving and the turkey/apple/peppermint season we're entering. Really, it's a flavor you can enjoy all year long, but it's such a nice, cozy blend of aromatic ingredients that I think it's most appreciated when it's a little chilly out. {Not that it is here, but you know what I mean.}

Since we are nowhere near sweater weather in these parts, I decided to bake the flavors of chai tea into a brownie. Because I can get down with brownie-eating no matter what the temp is outside.

Chocolate and chai go together swimmingly with the warm, spicy notes of cardamom, pink peppercorn and ginger balancing the sweetness of the chocolate. If brownies and warm spices don't sound like pure comfort, then I don't know what does!

Phew! I feel way better now that this little tin of chai goodness has been unearthed from the depths of my pantry and had its day in the sun. Having a pan full of brownies is a nice perk, too! ;)

Disclosure: I received Palais des Thes Chai Imperial to try for this post. As always, all opinions here are my own. 

Chai Spiced Brownies
Makes 9 large brownies, or 12 decent sized brownies

1/2 cup milk, divided {I used almond milk}
3 tablespoons Palais des Thes Chai Imperial loose tea
1/2 cup {8 tablespoons} butter, melted
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare and 8x8 inch baking pan* by spraying with non-stick spray or lining with foil for easy removal.

2. In a small saucepan {or in a microwave safe cup}, heat milk until steaming. Add loose Chai Imperial and allow to steep for 5-7 minutes. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, coconut oil, vanilla and eggs until fully combined.

4. Using a strainer, pour milk/tea mixture into a small cup or bowl, pressing on solids to remove as much liquid as possible-- discard tea solids. Whisk 1/4 cup of tea mixture into the wet ingredients. Set remaining 1/4 cup aside for use in glaze.

5. In another bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

6. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir until just combined and no dry spots are left. Fold in chocolate chips.

7. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.

*You can also make this in a 9x13 inch pan. The brownies will be thinner and may bake a bit faster, so check on them after 18-20 minutes.

For Glaze: 

4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup remaining chai spiced milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1. In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in cocoa powder until dissolved.

2. Remove from heat and add chai spiced milk and vanilla extract.

3. Beat in confectioners sugar until smooth.

Quickly pour glaze over cooled brownies and allow to set, about 20 minutes. Slice and serve brownies.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Panna Cotta

My child has an uncanny ability to detect the exact moment that I sit at my laptop to get some work done. Even when he's sleeping. It's both extraordinary and highly frustrating.

Since I'm no longer "ahead of myself" when it comes to blog posts {meaning I have nothing on standby for a rainy day}, this "gift" of his means that I haven't prioritized blog-related activities in quite some time. {Unless there's a deadline or special project, of course.}

It's hard to work on a recipe when you might have to stop mid-way, and even more difficult to keep your train of thought when your writing is stop & go. Answering emails and responding to texts {or pretty much anything requiring more than 30 seconds of my attention at a time} also fall into the category of things that have suffered as a result of staying home with the little guy.

As maddening as the lack of {perceived} productivity can be sometimes, I've cut myself some slack because, as it turns out, there is truth in that whole "The first year flies by!" adage. {We're already coming up on Cole's first birthday... what?!!} Being constantly tied to technology only makes it speed by even faster.

At this time last year, my belly was most definitely resembling a pumpkin, but since Cole was born just before Thanksgiving, I didn't have as much time for seasonal recipes as I would have liked. This year, I'm all about cramming in as many pumpkiny, appley, cinnamon-spiced things as possible just because I can... even though I still don't have much spare time. So, the biggest winners as far as recipes are concerned are those with a short prep time and handful of ingredients, extra points for holiday flavors and pretty presentation.

These Pumpkin Spice Latte Panna Cottas fit the bill. I originally saw this recipe in an email from Nielsen-Massey -- you know, the brand that Ina refers to as "good vanilla extract." Their version was a Peppermint Mocha Panna Cotta {which... yum}, but I don't shift gears to Peppermint Mocha mode until December. With a few little tweaks, I gave their recipe an October-appropriate makeover.

Truthfully, I've never been as nutty about the whole pumpkin spice thing as most everyone else is, but I who am I to deprive the masses from their seasonal sweetheart?

I'd never attempted panna cotta before, mostly because it seemed fancy and fussy. Now that I know how simple it is, I wish I had tried it a long time ago! I was surprisingly pleased with texture -- a cross between a pudding and flan. {I'm sort of funny about gelatinous things.} Unlike a pudding or custard, there are no eggs required which drastically cuts down on the cook time but still manages to achieve a smooth and creamy mouthfeel.

The addition of pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and coffee extract creates that signature coffeehouse flavor that the crowds clamor over this time of year.

Though I served my panna cotta straight up, I was thinking a cookie crumb base, or maybe even a gooey pool of caramel in the bottom of the glass would be a great twist!

With recipes this easy to put together, I may actually get to participate in holiday entertaining... even if I have to do so between nap times. :) Give this one a try!

What flavor combination would you try in panna cotta?

Pumpkin Spice Latte Panna Cotta
Adapted from Nielsen-Massey
Makes 4 martini glass-sized servings

1 {.25 oz} envelope of unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup water
2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Coffee Extract
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice {plus an extra sprinkle for garnish}

1. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water and allow to soften for about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat heavy cream over medium heat until just steaming. {You could also do this in a microwave, just be careful not to heat too much or it'll bubble over.} Stir in sugar and whisk until sugar is dissolved.

3. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract, coffee extract, pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice until well-combined. Pour in softened gelatin and stir until it is fully dissolved. Cool slightly.

*If you're attempting my cookie crumb or caramel idea, this would be the time to put it into the bottom of your glasses or serving dishes.

4. Divide liquid evenly among martini glasses or serving dishes {yield will vary based on what you use, of course}. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours until chilled and set.

Garnish with a dash of pumpkin spice or cinnamon if desired.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, but I did receive samples from Nielsen-Massey for my use. As always, the opinions here are all my own!

Pumpkin Spice Beer Bread

I turned 34 yesterday. Whoa. I have no idea how I got here. It sort of feels like when you get in the car and, before you know it, you've arrived at your destination with no recollection of the drive. Well, kind of, anyway.

I certainly remember the majority of the milestones and landmarks that have led to this day. Reflecting on them is one of my favorite parts of celebrating a birthday, in fact. But still, I feel like it wasn't that long ago since my friends threw me a birthday celebration in their college apartment where I wore a pink boa and drank things that I'd probably use to unclog a drain these days.

My friend actually posted this to Facebook yesterday after I'd already written this post.
Perfect timing!

We drove up to Gainesville just a week ago for our annual visit and, sitting in an old college bar surrounded by sticky tables, half-filled plastic cups of cheap beer and, for lack of a better word, babies, I was quickly reminded that over 10 years has definitely elapsed! On the bright side, I had a conversation with a nice kid that went something like this:

Kid: {While bouncing quarters into cups of lukewarm beer.} Your boyfriend is awesome!

Me: Oh, my husband? Thanks!

Kid: {Giving quizzical look.} Your husband? {Like I said, my alien. Or my

Me: Yeah, we're married...

Kid: :: blank, confused stare ::

Me: Oh... we're "old!"

Kid: :: eyes widen :: Like, how old are we talking?

Me: I'm about to turn 34. He's 33.

Kid: Wait, what??? Noooo... no way. I would never have guessed. Really?

Me: {Not sure if that's good or bad} Haha, um, thanks.. Yep. We met here when we were students. We've been together for 11 years. Married for 6. Have a baby. You know... old.

Kid: {mind. blown.} OMG, That's CRAZY. Well, you guys are awesome.

Me: You can still have fun when you're in your 30's, you know.

Kid: ::: attention already shifted to next drinking game :::

Oh, man.

It is a nutty, twisty, exhilarating thing, this life. Every year I am struck with pure amazement when I think about how many wonderful people I've crossed paths with, how many things I've learned and all that I've accomplished in a mere 365 days.

And let's not forget all the fantastic things I've cooked and eaten. {And sipped!}

This Pumpkin Spice Beer Bread is such an appropriate thing to celebrate this occasion. First, it reflects my autumn{ish} birth date with the warm fall flavors of pumpkin spice. It represents my love of baking and sharing, since this recipe makes one loaf to keep and one to give away. And since I'm reminiscing about the college years, there's even a glug or two of beer in the recipe.

Though there's beer in the recipe, it's really more like a traditional pumpkin bread and less like a beer bread. I think the seasonal beer I chose {Leinenkugel's Harvest Patch Shandy} gave it just the right amount of fall flavor, but you could choose any type of beer you enjoy. I'd also love to try this with some toasted pecans on top, or maybe some mini chocolate chips added to the batter. I mean, you can't go wrong with chocolate...

So let's clink glasses {or loaves?} because I can't imagine having more to celebrate than the gift of another year!

Pumpkin Spice Beer Bread
Barely adapted from Southern Living
Makes two large loaves or 4 small loaves

2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2/3 cup pumpkin or seasonal beer {I used Leinenkugel's Harvest Patch Shandy. IT'S SO GOOD.}
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup honey
4 large eggs
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare to 9x5 inch loaf pans by buttering or spraying with non-stick cooking spray. {You may also make 4 mini loaves if you prefer.}

2. In a stand mixer {or in a large bowl by hand} beat together sugar, canola oil, beer, vanilla and honey until well-combined.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add pumpkin and mix until fully incorporated.

4. In another bowl, whisk together flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder and pumpkin spice. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, mixing until just incorporated.

5. Divide batter evenly between prepared loaf pans {or mini loaf pans}, filling them 3/4 of the way. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes*, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. {Note: If the top begins to brown to much, you can lightly place a sheet of aluminum foil on top to prevent over-browning.}

Cool bread in pans on a wire rack 15-20 minutes before attemping to remove from pan. I prefer waiting until it's cool enough to handle to ensure that it doesn't crumble to pieces.

*For mini-loaves, decrease bake time to about 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean.

For Glaze {Optional}
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons beer
Sprinkle of pumpkin spice {scant 1/8 teaspoon}

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bread if desired.

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Let me ask you a question: How do you use Facebook? {Because, I'm assuming that you have an account just like everyone and their grandma.}

Do you use it to connect with family and friends? Do you post sparingly... or are you an oversharer? Are you taking advantage of all that album space, or do you share a photo every now and again?

I'm trying to decide how I want to use my Facebook page for The Kitchen Prep because, frankly, it's been a while since I gave it any effort at all. You sort of lose your enthusiasm when you see that the post you've carefully crafted has only been seen by a handful of your supposed viewing audience. Whomp, whomp.

Meanwhile, everyone's all "Follow me on Snapchat!", "Check out my Periscope account!" "Have you seen what's happening on Meerkat?"... and I'm just over here trying to grow extra thumbs so I can keep up with the 3 billion {okay, 4} social media accounts I already have.

So I figured I should just come out and ask you what you think. I mean, if you're like me, you probably already have enough to juggle Facebook-wise: people who cannot stop taking quizzes to tell you which Disney princess they're most like, what their birth order means in the grand scheme of life or who is their true Facebook soulmate. People testing their IQ, grammatical abilities and historical knowledge. Folks who are so darn curious about their future that they have to summon the magical powers of the internet to tell them how many kids they'll have, who they will marry or when they will croak.

You may already have enough to look at between cat memes, inspirational quotes or clickbait articles that reveal what happens when "This girl makes herself a PB&J sandwich, but you won't believe what she discovers when she takes a bite!!!"

If you're a mom, you probably have your fair share of posts to scroll through including {but not limited to} the latest recalls and safety warnings, posts from the hundreds of mommy groups people have added you to, articles for/against/supporting/criticizing/condoning/condemning anything and everything related to child rearing, and of course, the latest piece of information to add to your mom-guilt inventory.

If you're a professional of any kind, you might be agonizing over that friend request from a client, coworker or competitor that will open the Pandora's box of information that you may not want to know about them -- or worse, letting them see things you may not necessarily want to share with folks you're not super close with. {Though I have nothing to hide, I'm still on the fence about accepting friend requests from people who know me only through my blog. Anyone with me on this?}

And then there are the invites from club promoters {no}, friends who want you to play mindless online games {double no}, sporting events {do I LOOK like I'm in shape to run a 5K??}, essential oil parties, jewelry trunk shows, multi-level marketing schemes.... agggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! It's enough to drive a person to hit "Delete Account" and forget about the whole thing!

Of course, some of this I say in jest {if you are my "friend" and you do any of the above things, please don't take this personally. If you bugged me that much I would've already "defriended" you.}, but some of this is too true.

Instagram has become my social media sweetheart, where I share a 50/50 mixture of business and personal photos. There's a different vibe over there and I like it. I've considered sharing the same type of stuff on my Facebook and seeing how that goes, but again, Facebook already seems a little "clogged" and I don't want to add to that mess.

So... what do you think? What types of things do you like to see from the blogs you follow on Facebook? Would you rather I keep it all "Here's the latest recipe!" or should I add in some daily activities, events and the occasional bit of my real life? Let me know!

While you mull that over, let me just share what really counts -- this ice cream. Because, you guys... holy moly. So good.

I have been on a serious homemade ice cream-making kick lately and not to toot my own horn, but every batch is better than the last. So far I've made Espresso Brownie Chunk, Cinnamon Dulce de Leche Snickerdoodle, and now this Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream.

Hello lover.

Though I normally make ice cream with a traditional custard base {meaning eggs, a stovetop and the whole nine yards} this one actually doesn't require any cooking OR eggs, which basically means there's less time between the moment you decide to make it and the second you get to shovel it into your face. You will thank me.

I adapted this recipe from one I found in this No-Churn Ice Cream cookbook that was sent to me... except I churned it because I like to make things difficult. Ha. You can totally try to make it without churning as it is recommended in the cookbook, but if you have an ice cream maker let that puppy do all the work.

Then you can scoop yourself a giant bowl of ice cream and sit in front of Facebook to wonder why you're on there to begin with. ;)

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Adapted from No-Churn Ice Cream: Over 100 Simply Delicious No-Machine Frozen Treats

1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup half and half {or whole milk}
1/2 of a 13 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk {not evaporated milk}
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup strawberry jam
2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup finely diced strawberries
1 sleeve graham crackers {about 8 crackers}, crushed

1. In a large bowl, whisk together heavy cream, half and half {or milk}, condensed milk, vanilla and salt.

2. In another bowl, beat together strawberry jam and softened cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth. Slowly add a few tablespoons of the cream mixture and begin to beat and incorporate liquid a bit at a time {doing this slowly will help keep the mixture from becoming lumpy}; continue to add the liquid until fully incorporated.

3. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions. You'll want to get to a soft-serve consistency. Before finishing churning, toss in the diced strawberries to incorporate them into the mixture.

4. Scoop half of the ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Sprinkle about half of the crushed graham crackers over the ice cream. Scoop the rest of the ice cream into the container and top with the remainder of the crumbs.

Freeze for about 4-6 hours or until the desired scooping consistency is reached.

Disclosure: A copy of No-Churn Ice Cream was sent to me for review. As always, the opinions here are all my own!

Two-Bite Bourbon & Coke Cakes

I hate saying, "We've been so busy." because it's usually just a lame excuse for being bad at staying in touch or not posting on Mondays being able to make it to something, no matter how true the statement is. But you guys, we've been so busy.

The month of May began like a starting pistol and we've been going ever since. We have had a wedding every weekend -- one out of state -- and weeks filled with projects and obligations, not to mention, you know, life.

Currently, I am typing this with 1,200 other things swirling around in my brain, Cole sitting next to me eating a set of colorful plastic car keys & listening to "Under the Sea" on Pandora, sweet potatoes boiling so I can puree them for his lunch and pollen violently attacking my sinuses. It's always a good time around here.

Anyway, BOURBON {and chocolate. Yes, please.}.

I have mentioned several times before that I am a fan. And that most people look at me funny because apparently you should only like it if you have chest hair peeking out from the neck of your collar. Whatever. My taste buds like it and that's all that matters.

But I understand that it's not everyone's cup of... er... liquor. If you are among the folks that fall into this category, I highly suggest you try this recipe before writing it off altogether. Because YUM.

A classic cocktail-turned-cake, this recipe from Morgan Murphy's cookbook, Bourbon & Bacon, has the sweetness of chocolate and cola with just a hint of Four Roses Bourbon shining through. The little cakes are rich and fudgy, crowned with a generous drizzle of Bourbon & Cola Glaze to gild the lily.

No matter how "crazy busy" you are, make some time to try out these little two-bite cakes. You won't regret it for one overbooked second!

Disclosure: I received a bottle of Four Roses Bourbon and compensation for this post. As always, the opinions here are all my own!

Morgan Murphy’s Two-Bite Bourbon and Coke Cakes
Reprinted with permission from author Morgan Murphy from Bourbon & Bacon

Makes: 3 Dozen
Hands-On: 20 mins
Total: 1 hr. 40 mins

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups butter, softened
2 ½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup cola soft drink
¾ cup buttermilk
½ cup bourbon
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. table salt
Bourbon- and- Cola Glaze

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beat until blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat at low speed until blended.

2. Stir together cola, buttermilk, and bourbon in a small bowl. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients in another bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with cola mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed.

3. Pour batter into 3 lightly greased 12-cup Bundt brownie pans, filling each three-fourths full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool 30 minutes.

4. Drizzle warm Bourbon-and-Cola Glaze over cakes.

Take note: Batter can be poured into 1 greased and floured 15-cup Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Bourbon-and- Cola Glaze:
Cook ¼ cup butter, 3 Tbsp. cola soft drink, and 2 ½ Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until butter melts. Remove from heat; stir in 1 Tbsp. bourbon. Beat in 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Makes 1 ¾ cups

Strawberry Vanilla Yogurt Scones

My child has apparently inherited one of my worst characteristics: An inability to nap in the daytime hours. Poor baby. But mostly, poor mama.

Most days I can squeeze a few 30 minute snoozes out of him, which is nice and all... but how many tasks can you complete in 30 minute spurts? Give it a try if you're looking for a delightful challenge.

It is seriously by the grace of God that I accomplish anything at all during the day, because 3 month olds aren't able to entertain themselves just yet. So, I've discovered a talent for what I'll call "singing narration" in which I musically narrate just about everything I'm doing so that I can get something done and entertain this baby at the same time.

"Mama is washing her haiiiiiiir with cheeeeeap shampooooo!"

"Let me shaaaaaaaaaave my left leg now, babyyyyyy! Otherwise I will be forced to wear paaaants!"

"We're maaaaaking daddy dinner so he doesn't staaaaarve!"

It's a whole lot of fun, really. If "fun" is defined by the urge to gouge your eardrums out at the sound of your own voice.

My life has turned into the worst musical you've ever seen.

When I'm not at home singing myself into a frenzy and I actually have a few minutes to get out and do something alone, I sometimes notice that I'm starving on my way out the door. And, because my time is limited, sometimes I just need to grab something to hold myself over so I can run a few errands and get back to Life with An Infant: The Musical.

These Stonyfield Organic Protein Smoothies have been lifesavers more times than I care to admit! I can grab one from the fridge, drink it in the car and save myself from having a hunger-fueled meltdown in the middle of the grocery store. Because you know what happens when you don't? You buy anything on an endcap, in the checkout line or on a well-placed display. Or you almost cry when the 16 year old cashier asks you for your ID for the wine you're buying and you realize you don't have it with you. {Not that that happened to me last week or anything.} I'm way less emotionally stable when my stomach is growling.

Anyway, these little protein smoothies are quite handy. And they also make the perfect liquid component for scones. Because buttermilk, shmuttermilk! Who has time to run out for silly ingredients that can be easily substituted?? Not this singing nitwit.

It was purely by chance that I discovered that the same protein smoothies I love for a quick boost can be used for these tender treats. It was a good discovery.

My husband, who generally tries to maintain a gluten-free diet and is normally not interested by baked goods, pretty much polished off the entire tray of these by himself. They're that tasty.

So maaaaake these todaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Oops, sorry. Force of habit. :P

Disclosure:  I have an ongoing partnership with Stonyfield as a member of their Clean Plate Club and received this product for review. As always, the opinions here are all my own!

Strawberry Vanilla Yogurt Scones

2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold butter, diced into small pieces
1/2 cup Stonyfield Vanilla Protein Smoothie, plus extra for brushing
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped strawberries

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment or a silicone baking mat.

2. In a medium bowl {or in the bowl of a stand mixer or a blender}, stir together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

3. Add cold butter to dry ingredients. The goal is to incorporate the butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. There should be small pieces of butter distributed throughout the mixture. You can accomplish this by hand with a pastry cutter, by beating in the butter in your stand mixer, or by pulsing in the blender or food processor. It's up to you!

4. In a small bowl {or a measuring cup with a spout} stir together Vanilla Protein Smoothie and vanilla bean paste or extract. Pour into dry mixture and stir together just until a firm dough forms. Try not to overmix. Add strawberries and fold in gently.

5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently pat into a square, approximately 8 x 8 inches. {It doesn't have to be perfect!} Cut the square in half to form 2 long rectangles.

6. Beginning at the top of one rectangle, cut a diagonal slice to form a triangular scone. Continue to cut down the rectangle. You should be able to get about 8 scones from each rectangle. {16 total} You can also use a biscuit cutter or cut into whatever shape you'd like.

7. Place scones on prepared baking sheet and brush each one with yogurt, then sprinkle with granulated sugar or sanding sugar. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until just starting to turn golden on top.