Funfetti Blondies
I semi-obsessed with Funfetti cake mix and I fully intended to make Funfetti cupcakes this past weekend, but decided to mix things up and try out some Funfetti Blondies.
The Funfetti experiment was a hit. You get the full-on taste with a firmer texture. Sadly, some of the color is lacking, but this is still a great dessert.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups Funfetti cake mix
Funfetti Blondies
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup melted butter
- Seeds from one vanilla bean
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3 TBSP sprinkles
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Grease an 8-inch square pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolk, brown sugar and vanilla bean seeds.
- Whisk in the melted butter until combined.
- In another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and Funfetti cake mix, stirring to mix.
Sprinkles make everything better!
- Slowly mix the flour/cake mixture into the wet ingredients until combined.
- Stir in 2 TBSP of the sprinkles (save the remaining TBSP).
- Pour the batter into the greased pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining sprinkles on top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool and cut into squares.
Aside from Funfetti’s awesomeness in the cake world, it’s also pretty damn delicious. And while this recipe isn’t cheap on the calorie scale, it’s worth it on the taste scale.
I found these Funfetti Blondies to be pretty sweet so I didn’t add frosting on top, but if you want to add some rainbow chip or vanilla icing, it will make them even more decadent.
Tags: Blondies, Cake Mix, Dessert, Dessert Recipe, Funfetti, Funfetti Cake
The perfect dessert for all the leftover Reese’s from Halloween.
I can’t take credit for this dessert. This one was made by my dear friend Annie Flettrich for one of our Sunday movie nights. She made this Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Trifle and it was amazing so I’m sharing with the world.
My love of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups is well-known and this dessert satisfied my love of Reese’s. It’s so light and airy that you totally forget about all the calories.
Ingredients:
- 1 store-bought angel food cake
- 2 (3-ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
- 3 cups milk
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 16 ounces Cool Whip
- 8 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (crushed)
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Trifle
- Crumble the angel food cake and set aside.
- Beat the chocolate pudding mix and milk together until blended.
- Beat together one cup of Cool Whip and all of peanut butter.
- In a large trifle bowl, layer 1/2 the crumbled cake, half the chocolate pudding and half the peanut butter mixture.
- Smooth half of remaining Cool Whip on top and sprinkle with half of crushed Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
- Repeat with another layer of cake, chocolate pudding, peanut butter mixture, Cool Whip and Reese’s.
- Chill for four to six hours or overnight then serve.
Chocolate and peanut butter is a food lover’s dream combo. At least, for me, it is. So this dessert is perfect for the chocolate and peanut butter lovers.
If I could serve it to trick or treaters by plopping a spoonful in their bags, I would, but I guess I’ll have to buy some other candy this year. This is great for adult trick or treaters though.
Tags: Angel Food Cake, Chocolate, Cool Whip, Dessert Recipe, No Bake, No Bake Dessert, Peanut Butter, Recipe, Reese's, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Trifle
Bone Marrow on Toast with Goat Cheese and Black Pepper Fig Jam
Bone Marrow
Hands down, Bone Marrow on Toast with Goat Cheese and Black Pepper Fig Jam is one of the best appetizer recipes I’ve yet to create.
I also call it Blood and Bone Toast for short so it may make a nice addition to an adult Halloween appetizer spread. This recipe may look like a lot of work, but it’s surprisingly easy to prepare.
Ingredients:
For the Black Pepper Fig Jam:
- 1 lb. Mission figs, diced
- 2 TBSP lemon juice
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 TBSP cracked black pepper
- 2 TBSP butter
For the rest:
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- On a large baking sheet, stand bones up vertically and roast for 20-30 minutes or until marrow is melting inside the bone.
- While bones are roasting, in a small pot, melt butter then add all Black Pepper Fig Jam ingredients. Bring to a boil and let simmer on low for 20-30 minutes.
- Remove fig jam from stove and refrigerate to let cool.
- Remove bones from oven and on a separate baking sheet, arrange bread pieces in a single layer and toast for 7 or 8 minutes.
- While bread is toasting, over a bowl, remove marrow from bones by using a kitchen knife (the narrower the better) to push or scoop out the marrow from the bone.
- Once bread is toasted, fig jam has cooled and bone marrow has been extracted, prepare the toast by spreading goat cheese on first, followed by fig jam and top with roasted bone marrow.
Black Pepper Fig Jam
All these ingredients may seem like a weird combo. Hell, bone marrow itself may seem like a weird ingredient. But, I promise you this appetizer is decadent and full of flavor.
I should probably actually jar some of the black pepper fig jam. To me, it and the bone marrow are the equally award worthy costars in this recipe for Bone Marrow on Toast with Goat Cheese and Black Pepper Fig Jam.
Tags: Appetizer, Appetizer Recipe, Black Pepper, Bone Marrow, Fig Jam, Figs, Goat Cheese, Recipe
Bob Armstrong Dip
WARNING: Prepare the following recipe with extreme caution. Symptoms of serving this recipe include: foodgasms, overeating, chip disappearance, double dipping, eyes rolling back and generally euphoria.
Now that I’ve posted a full disclaimer, this is one of the best dips in the world. I was first introduced to Bob Armstrong Dip while eating at Mattito’s restaurant in Dallas. It’s not on the menu — something I full understand so the restaurant soundtrack doesn’t consist of When Harry Met Sally moments. Anyway, enjoy!
Ingredients:
For the guacamole:
- 4 avocados, chopped and mashed
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh jalapeño, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Bob Armstrong Dip is a combo of guacamole, chile con queso and taco meat.
- 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 TBSP cumin
- 1 TBSP garlic powder
- 1/2 TBSP salt
- 1/2 TBSP ground black pepper
For the chile con queso:
- 1 can tomatoes with green chilies
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup reserved liquid from ground beef
- 1 pound 2% milk Velveeta cheese
- 1 TBSP cumin
- 1 TBSP garlic powder
- 1/2 TBSP salt
- 1/2 TBSP ground black pepper
You’ll get a lot closer to Bob Armstrong Dip than this.
- In a large bowl, mix together all guacamole ingredients and chill.
- In a large skillet, stir in bell pepper, celery, onion and spices from taco meat ingredients. Spread uncooked ground beef on top.
- Cook over medium heat until meat starts to simmer then break up meat and simmer on low for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Drain liquid from cooked ground beef and reserve for chile con queso.
- In a sauce pan, combine all ingredients for chile con queso except the cheese.
- Bring to a light simmer and gently simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Turn down heat and add cheese. Simmer until cheese is melted.
- Warm a 9×13 inch casserole dish or pan.
- Spread guacamole into the pan, then add the taco meat, and top with chile con queso. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients.
- Serve with plenty of chips.
To keep this Bob Armstrong Dip warm, you can place it in the oven at 250F.
This is supposed to be served as an appetizer, but you may want to plan to serve it as an entree. It’s impossible to resist the dip known as Bob Armstrong Dip. Get ready to have your mind blown by this Tex-Mex concoction. It’s worth every bite.
Tags: Avocado, Cheese, Chile con Queso, Chips, Dip, Dips, Ground Beef, Guacamole, Taco Meat, Tex-Mex, Tex-Mex Cuisine, Tex-Mex Dip
Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce over Mushrooms and Red Pepper
If you’ve never had chimichurri, you’re missing out. It’s an Argentinian condiment, similar to pesto, that contains parsley, garlic, oregano, garlic and onion.
Chimichurri pairs very well with red meat so this recipe combines one of my favorite cuts of steak, the flank. While it’s no filet, flank steak is still a nice cut that’s very versatile. I decided to turn the flank steak I had into Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce.
For the chimichurri:
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Finely chop the parsley, fresh oregano, and garlic (or process in a food processor several pulses). Place in a small bowl.
- Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings to your preferences.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate. If chilled, return to room temperature before serving. Can keep for a day or two.
For the Flank Steak:
Ingredients:
- 1 to 2 lbs. flank steak
- 1 red bell pepper (julienned)
- 1/2 cup mushrooms (sliced)
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 TBSP butter
Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
- Preheat a charcoal or electric grill.
- Cook steak to desired temperature. I went with medium-rare.
- In a medium pan, saute the red pepper and mushrooms in butter and olive oil until cooked.
- Once steak and vegetables are cooked, make a bed of vegetables on a large serving platter then top with steak.
- Spread sauce over steak and serve.
This dish is great served cold or warm, it’s up to you. Feel free to add other vegetables to accompany the Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce.
Since I didn’t want to bother with going outside to grill, I used a George Foreman Grill and the steak still turned out perfectly (even it was missing some char).
Tags: Argentinian Food, Argentinian Recipe, Beef, Chimichurri, Flank Steak, Latin Food, Latin Recipe, Mushrooms, Parsley, Recipe, Red Pepper, Steak
Coconut-Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
I was nervous when I made this Pineapple-Coconut Upside-Down Cake. Why? Admittedly, I’m not the best baker although I’m getting a lot better. Also, I was cooking this as a birthday cake for my mom so no pressure or anything.
Turns out my worrying was unwarranted. This cake is moist, delicious and full of tropical flavor. I made it while I was on vacation so I didn’t have access to my iron skillet, but I’m sure using it would have taken it to another level. That said, the level this cake is on is already pretty high.
Ingredients:
For the topping:
For the cake:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup coconut flakes, plus another 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- For the Topping: Melt the butter in a well seasoned 9” cast-iron skillet or pot (if using cake pan), over medium-high heat. Melt the brown sugar with salt, stirring constantly, until bubbling, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, add pineapple rings in one even layer in skillet or round cake pan, and set aside.
The topping for Coconut-Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
- Mix the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until creamy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add 1/4 cup coconut flakes and stir in. Beat in vanilla and Malibu coconut rum.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low speed just until blended.
- Add the pineapple juice and mix to incorporate, add remaining flour mixture, beating until just incorporated.
- Spoon the batter over the pineapple/brown sugar topping, smoothing the top evenly.
- Bake on the center rack of the oven until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes.
- To remove from the skillet, run a sharp knife around the edge to release the sides. Invert a cake plate or service platter over the skillet and invert the cake onto the plate, keeping pan and plate firmly pressed together. The cake should drop from the skillet onto the plate.
- Drizzle the cake with additional Malibu coconut rum, top with toasted coconut flakes, and serve.
I made this Pineapple-Coconut Upside-Down Cake while I was on vacation at the beach and it really fit the bill for a beach birthday.
If you’re a fan of coconut and/or pineapple this is the cake for you. I also envision this recipe making some great cupcakes if you place a single pineapple ring in each cupcake slot.
Tags: Baking, Cake, Caramel, Coconut, Dessert, Dessert Recipe, Pineapple, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Upside-Down Cake
Coconut Shrimp Curry
I’m pretty sure is the third curry recipe I’m posting, but the stuff is just so damn good. This one is a sort of a hybrid of coconut shrimp and Thai curry, hence the name Coconut Shrimp Curry.
Curry is so full of flavor, it’s quickly become one of my favorite dishes. And it’s not that hard to make — especially with the assistance of a food processor.
Coconut Shrimp Curry blends shrimp, vegetables, pineapple and toasted coconut in a Thai curry.
For the curry:
- 1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
- 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup sugar snap peas
- 1/3 cup dry toasted coconut
Directions:
- Place all curry sauce ingredients in a food processor and process well. Alternatively, whisk the ingredients together and stir well to combine.
- Pour sauce into a deep pot and heat over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring occasionally.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium. Add the vegetables, pineapple and shrimp, stirring to mix. Simmer until shrimp look plump and turn pink.
- Remove from heat and cover to keep warm while you toast the coconut.
Toasted Coconut in Curry
- Place dry shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat. “Fry” the coconut, stirring continually until it turns golden-brown and is fragrant. Then turn off heat.
- Add half of the toasted coconut to the curry and stir to combine.
- Taste for salt and sweetness, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough, and more brown sugar if you want it sweeter. Also, you can also add chili sauce if you’d like it spicier.
- To serve, transfer curry into a serving bowl. Sprinkle the rest of the toasted coconut on top of each dish and serve (over rice if desired).
As I live in New Orleans, I’m lucky enough to have access to fresh Gulf shrimp. They really make this dish stand out from using frozen shrimp, but you gotta use what you have access to. I recommend fresh over frozen any day.
As this is a curry, it goes great over rice, but it’s good enough to eat it without. The choice is yours. Enjoy this Coconut Shrimp Curry!
Tags: Asian Food, Asian Recipe, Coconut, Coconut Milk, Coconut Shrimp, Curry, Curry Recipe, Louisiana Seafood, One Pot Meal, Pineapple, Recipe, Seafood, Seafood Recipe, Shrimp, Thai, Thai Curry, Thai Food, Thai Recipe
Silken Tofu with Kimchi
Looking for a vegetarian entree or appetizer that’s full of spice and loaded with nutrition? Look no further. This recipe for Silken Tofu with Kimchi is delicious and takes about 15 minutes to make.
Kimchi is a Korean dish that’s a spicy blend of spicy peppers, cabbage and other Asian vegetables. I used storebought kimchi I got from our local Asian market, but feel free to make your own. Here’s a recipe.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Boil a pot of water and add tofu and simmer until the tofu is warmed through. This should take about 5 or 6 minutes.
- Drain the tofu.
- Divide the tofu evenly between 2 bowls (or 4 if making as an appetizer). Drizzle each portion with half of soy sauce and half of chili oil. Divide kimchi evenly atop both bowls of tofu.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, then serve.
Silken Tofu with Kimchi serves 2 to 4
I was surprised at just how much flavor is in this dish given the limited amount of ingredients and easiness to prepare it. The only problem is that I was left wanting more.
While this can be served as an entree or an appetizer, it’s probably better as an appetizer as the portions are small. I chose to eat mine as an entree as I had a tennis match to play an hour later so I wanted something light. This Silken Tofu with Kimchi definitely fit the bill.
Tags: Asian, Asian Food, Asian Recipe, Kimchi, Kimchi Recipe, Recipe, Silken Tofu, Soy Sauce, Tofu, Tofu Recipe, Vegan, Vegan Recipe, Vegetarian, Vegetarian Recipe
Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf
This recipe for Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf is a great alternative to a ground beef recipe. You’ll cut calories and add texture and health benefits of the ingredient exchange.
The quinoa in this meatloaf really adds a nice, but subtle, crunch. And you won’t miss the ground beef once you’ve traded it out for ground turkey.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup quinoa
- 1 package (at least 20 oz.) of ground turkey
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, diced
- 1 TBSP hot sauce
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 TBSP ketchup
- 2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 TBSP light brown sugar
- 1 tsp water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf is a healthy alternative to ground beef meatloaf.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Bring the quinoa and 1/2 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute; remove from heat to cool.
- Stir the ground turkey, cooked quinoa, onions, ketchup, hot sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, eggs, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. The mixture will be very moist.
- Shape into a loaf in a loaf pan.
- Combine the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Rub the mixture over the top of the meatloaf.
- Transfer squash to prepared baking sheet and roast, turning occasionally, for 20 minutes or until tender and lightly golden. Let cool slightly.
- Bake until no longer pink in the center, about 50 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to assure the meatloaf has cooked to an internal temperature of at least 160F. Let the meatloaf cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
I’ll admit that this meatloaf doesn’t photograph well, but I can promise you it’s full of flavor. I served mine with some mashed new potatoes for a classic Americana pairing.
Feel free to play around with different spice blends if you want to give it an extra kick. Sometimes salt and pepper are all you need for seasoning, sometimes you want more. Either way, just about any spices will go well wit this Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf.
Tags: Classic Recipe, Ground Turkey, Healthy Recipe, Meatloaf, Meatloaf Recipe, Quinoa, Turkey, Turkey Recipe
Butternut Squash and Kale Salad
Kale is a well-known super food. It’s also a very versatile ingredient in the kitchen. This recipe for Butternut Squash and Kale Salad combines two of my favorite ingredients to make a perfect salad.
This salad can be served hot, cold or at room temperature. Adding in toasted almonds gives it a nice crunch and a balsamic vinaigrette gives it a nice acidic kick.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk 5 TBSP olive oil, balsamic vinegar, shallot and hot sauce. Set aside.
Sauteing the Kale
- In a medium bowl, combine squash and 2 TBSP oil, season with salt and pepper then toss to combine.
- Transfer squash to prepared baking sheet and roast, turning occasionally, for 20 minutes or until tender and lightly golden. Let cool slightly.
- While squash is roasting, heat remaining 1 TBSP of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add kale and cook until bright green and slightly wilted (about 1 to 2 minutes).
- Remove from heat then add 4 TBSP dressing and toss to coat.
- Add squash and almonds to kale and toss well. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
- Divide the salad among bowls and drizzle with remaining dressing.
This Butternut Squash and Kale Salad is fresh, flavorful and full of antioxidants and other nutrients. It can be a main dish or a side dish.
The flavors in this dish pair well with a fish or chicken dish. It’s also perfect for vegetarians and vegans.
Tags: Almonds, Balsamic Vinegar, Butternut Squash, Kale, Olive Oil, Salad, Salad Recipe, Vegan, Vegan Recipe, Vegetarian, Vegetarian Recipe
Po' Boy Livin' Rich 