Oatmeal Scotchies

Oatmeal Scotchies
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I love having friends and family who share my passion for food. I love emails and late night chats about the latest recipes we've tried and giving each other pointers. My cousin, Merissa, is quite domestic and I have fun keeping up with all of the food she cooks and bakes. She gave me this recipe to try out and it was practically perfect. She told me that this recipe happened to be a "accidental magic." You know those moments where you are in the midst of making something and you don't have enough of whatever the recipe calls for? Then you just start throwing in a little of this and that in of whatever you have on-hand? Happens to me all of the time. That's one of the fun things about baking and cooking is that a recipe is just more of an outline and not a set of rigid rules; you get to create and make the recipe your very own. That's why I love baking and cooking so much. The butterscotch chips became the "accidental magic" in this recipe.

These aren't your "cakey" oatmeal cookies, but rather are chewy and so buttery. Most oatmeal cookies have  just chocolate chips, but these have a mixture of semi-sweet and butterscotch. The butterscotch chips are amazing! It takes oatmeal cookies to new heights. I also love the incorporation of pecans with the chocolate. These have so much chocolaty chunk goodness that it's practically sinful. I also added a little bit of cinnamon. It's just enough to add that finishing touch.

Here's what you need:
-1 C butter, softened
-1 C brown sugar
-1/2 C white sugar
-2 eggs
-2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
-1 1/4 C all-purpose flour *High-altitude bakers: add 1/3 C extra flour
-1/2 tsp. salt
-3/4 tsp. baking soda
-3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
-3 C quick oats
-1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
-3/4 C butterscotch chips
-1 C pecans, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. *Sea-level bakers preheat to 325 degrees

2. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugars together with an electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla and beat mix until well-incorporated. Add flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix until incorporated. Add the oats, baking chips and pecans and stir by hand until all incorporated.

3. Drop mixture by the spoonfuls on a parchment-lined baking sheet or lightly greased baking sheet.

Chocolaty Chunk Goodness
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4. Bake for 11-12 minutes. Edges will be slightly brown and top will still look under baked. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cute gifting idea.
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These will keep in a cookie jar or an air-tight container for a week or so. I also like making a double batch and either freezing the baked cookies or the frozen scoops of dough for a quick treat when company comes over.

To make from frozen cookies: scoop dough out on to a baking sheet as if you were going to bake them, but put them in the freezer instead. Once scoops of dough are frozen, transfer them to a gallon Ziploc bag. I like to write the name of the cookie and the baking temperature and time amount right on the front. Then all you have to do is pop them onto a tray and bake. I like to put the frozen cookie dough on to the baking sheet and let them sit in the oven while it preheats. Bake about 2 minutes extra from the recommended baking time.

You can also bake the entire batch of cookies and once the cookies are completely cooled, you can put them in an airtight, freezer-safe container with waxed paper separating the layers. Or I have placed 2 cookies in a sandwich bag and put several of those bags into a Ziploc bag for freezing. Any way works well, it's just personal preference.



Enjoy and Happy Baking!


Here's the printable recipe.

Rum Cake

Linda and Ester
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My family and I recently took a trip to Florida to visit some dear friends. During our trip our friends graciously shared favorite recipes and gave us a taste of the types of food they enjoy in their region. The wanted our visit to be a culinary treat, which it was. They introduced us to a shrimp boil, New Orlean's food with a Mardi Gras dinner party (King Cake and all), good fried chicken and my favorite: rum cake. I had never tried rum cake before. When I tried it I wondered where it had been all of my baking life. Rum cake can be kind of involved, but this recipe is SO easy. Every time I make this cake it reminds of that awesome trip. That trip was so special and we are so blessed to have such amazing friends! The Mardi Gras party was so fun with beads and all. Ester was such a sweet lady who taught me all about " Loo-siana" food and how to make the best brown roux. It was great to meet her and chat about food. What an experience to remember! Thanks to Linda for the amazing cake recipe. I wish that I could take credit for it. :)

Mardi Gras decor

Linda tells me that deep down inside I'm really a Southern girl that got geographically relocated. I love Southern food, the hospitality and the people. Florida will always feel like my second home. And can you believe the view? My. Favorite.

Florida Beach

This cake is SO good. It's dense, moist, and the brown sugar gives it a delicious caramel taste. If you are worried about baking with alcohol, you can boil the rum for the cake until you smell the alcohol burn off (3-5 minutes) and then fill up the measuring cup with water to get to 1/2 C. The glaze is also boiled so the alcohol will burn off and just the rum flavor remains. The pecans are also a nice compliment to the rum and brown sugar flavor. I also love that the top of the bundt cake gets caramelized. We all fight over who gets to eat the top. I hope you enjoy this cake. It's a crowd-pleaser and I get so many requests to make this cake and it's usually the first dessert to get gobbled up. I always buy 3 or 4 cake mixes and boxes of pudding at a time so that if I need a quick dessert for company or a pot-luck I have all the ingredients on-hand.

Here's what you need:

Cake:

-(1) Duncan Hines Butter Golden cake mix (not the standard yellow cake mix)

-(1) 3.4 oz. instant vanilla pudding (not prepared)

-1/2 C. oil (I used canola, but you could also use veggie or melted coconut oil)

-1/2 C rum (I used Bacardi because it was on sale. Just get regular, not spiced)

-1/2 C water

-3 eggs

-1 C. pecans, coarsely chopped

*High altitude bakers: add 1/3 C flour to mixture.

Glaze:

-1 C brown sugar
-1/2 C butter

-1/2 C rum

-1/4 C water

-1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Garnish:
-1/2 pint whipping cream

-3 TBS powdered sugar

-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

-sprinkle of cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (350 degrees if you are using a dark-colored pan) or 325 degrees for sea-level bakers. Grease and flour a bundt pan.

2. Combine all ingredients except for nuts in a medium mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer until well incorporated. Pour batter into bundt pan.

3. Sprinkle the top with pecans and lightly push the pecans into the batter.

4. Bake about 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Sea-level bakers: bake 50-55 minutes at 325 degrees.

5. While cake is baking make the glaze. Combine sugar, butter, rum, water and vanilla in a medium skillet (gives more surface area for alcohol evaporation). Boil for 4-5 minutes or until you smell the alcohol burn off.

6. After cake is baked, remove from oven and allow it to stand in the pan for 5 minutes. Poke holes in the cake with a knife and then pour glaze over top of cake. Allow to stand at least 15-20 minutes (or longer if you wish) and loosen the sides of cake from the pan with a knife. Turn the cake out on to your serving platter.

7. Pour whipping cream into a medium mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar.

Cut cake and serve with fresh whipped cream and sprinkle cream lightly with ground cinnamon.

This was my first cake. The whipped cream idea came when I made my second cake.
It was eaten too quickly before I could take a picture of it. :)

Enjoy and Happy Baking!


Here's the printable recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Making cookies with my Mom is a very fond memory from my childhood. We had so much fun baking together and these cookies just remind me of home. A couple of months ago my girls and I spent the weekend at my parent's house. There is just something so comforting about going me. The last time we spent the weekend we had a PJ party and my Mom made these chocolate chip cookies with my oldest daughter. It was so sweet to watch them bake together the way my Mom baked with me. My daughter loves being in the kitchen and I hope she will remember these times with her Gran. My youngest was also trying to get in on the baking fun. She was a good helper loading the dishes. :)

Not all chocolate cookies are created equal and this recipe my all-time favorite. The cookies are chewy, full of chocolate, buttery and they aren't flat. Seriously, I hate flat cookies. The butter is what makes these cookies amazing, so make sure you don't substitute it with margarine (BTW "margarine" is a swear word in my kitchen..). Also, these don't bake very long and when you take them out they will look under-cooked and slightly doughy, but after they are cooled they will be perfectly chewy. I hope you love these cookies.

This dough also makes a perfect base for other cookies. I love using this recipe and using white chocolate chips and pecans. You can also substitute milk chocolate chips for any other favorite baking chip that you like or have on-hand. I also like using the mini mint chocolate chips from Ghirardelli and adding a few drops of green food coloring to the dough to make green cookies for St. Patty's Day.

Here's what you need:

-1 C butter (2 sticks), room temperature

-1 C brown sugar
-3/4 C white sugar
-2 eggs (If doubling the batch use 3 eggs)
-1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I usually double this)
-3 C all-purpose flour
-3/4 tsp. baking soda

-3/4 tsp. salt
-(1) 12 oz. bag milk chocolate chips
-1 C nuts, optional (I like walnut, pecans or chopped almonds)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream sugars, butter, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Add dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Add chocolate chips and nuts and stir to combine.

2. Take 2 teaspoons and spoon cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Mine usually bake 11-12 minutes. The edges will start to look golden and the cookie will look like it's not baked enough. This is how it's suppose to look. **If baking from frozen dough, let the cookies thaw in the oven while it's preheating and then bake 2 minutes longer.

3. Take them out (no longer than 12 minutes) and let them rest on the cookie sheet for 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a cookie rack and allow to cool (if you can resist warm cookies).

These will keep in a cookie jar or an air-tight container for a week or so. Not that they have ever lasted that long at my house. I also like making a double batch and either freezing the baked cookies or the frozen scoops of dough for a quick treat when company comes over.

To make from frozen cookies: scoop dough out on to a baking sheet as if you were going to bake them, but put them in the freezer instead. Once scoops of dough are frozen, transfer them to a gallon Ziploc bag. I like to write the name of the cookie and the baking temperature and time amount right on the front. Then all you have to do is pop them onto a tray and bake.

You can also bake the entire batch of cookies and once the cookies are completely cooled, you can put them in an airtight, freezer-safe container with waxed paper separating the layers. Or I have placed 2 cookies in a sandwich bag and put several of those bags into a Ziploc bag for freezing. Any way works well, it's just personal preference.

Enjoy and happy baking!

Here's the printable recipe.

Biscoff Cookie Truffles

Biscoff Cookie Truffles
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Okay, so it's no secret that I love Biscoff Spread. Seriously, that stuff is amazing and addictive. I try and find reasons to use it when I bake because I completely love it. I recently won a case of (8) jars for free during a promotion on the Biscoff Facebook page, so it was fun to think of ways to incorporate it into some of my recipes. I'm usually very conservative in using it because it is kind of expensive, but I love this stuff. But I figured I could use a couple jars just to play around with. Check out some of the other recipes I've used with Biscoff Spread: Biscoff Bars and Biscoff Spiced Cream Frosting for the Butterscotch Spice Cupcakes.

Have you ever tried Oreo cookie truffles? They are one of my favorites. They were my inspiration behind this recipe. What could be better than Biscoff cookies mixed with Biscoff Spread and a little cream cheese and vanilla? Heaven.

I made these for a family party and they were a big hit. The texture is a little more oily than when you make Oreo truffles, so I discovered if you let the mixture sit an hour or so, it gets a little soft. Then make sure they are really chilled before dipping and it works much better. I also dipped these with white chocolate, but they would also taste great dipped in chocolate. I also love the combination of Biscoff and butterscotch, so I drizzled melted butterscotch chips on the top. You can customize it with whatever flavors you prefer.

Here's what you need:
Makes about 25 truffles

- (1) 8.8 oz pkg of Biscoff cookies,
-5 oz cream cheese, room temp
-1/2 C Biscoff Spread
-1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
-pinch of salt

Dipping:
-7 oz. white almond bark (found in the baking isle of most grocery stores)
-3 oz butterscotch chips, separated
- 1 tsp. coconut oil, melted

1. Take Biscoff cookies and put them in a food processor and pulse until they are a fine crumb. Put crumbs in a medium mixing bowl with cream cheese, spread, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine and mix  until thoroughly incorporated.

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2. Take a tablespoon scoop and roll into balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator or freezer for 30-45 minutes until completely chilled.

Biscoff Truffles
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3. While truffles are chilling, melt almond bark either in a chocolate melter, double boiler or for a few minutes in the microwave on 50% power, stirring every 15-30 seconds. You may need some extra coconut oil to thin it out if it's too thick for dipping. I prefer using the chocolate melters.

Mmmm. Chocolate.
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4. Once truffles are chilled, take a dipping utensil and dip truffles and place back on parchment paper. Continue dipping each truffle.

5. Once all truffles are dipped, place back in refrigerator and melt the remaining 2 oz. of butterscotch chips. Use some coconut oil to thin out chocolate so it's easier to drizzle. Drizzle butterscotch chocolate on top of each truffle. Chill truffles until ready to serve. You can also store them at room temperature in an airtight container.

Biscoffy Goodness
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Yummy cookie center
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Enjoy and Happy Baking!


Here's the printable recipe.

Oatmeal Cake with Coconut Frosting

Oatmeal Cake with Coconut Frosting
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We have a tradition in our family that the birthday person gets to choose their favorite dinner and favorite birthday cake for me to make. This year my husband chose my oatmeal cake with coconut frosting. This is a recipe that I grew up with that is one of my all-time favorites. It totally reminds me of home. I remember having it for my Dad's birthday. He's a sucker for this cake.

This cake is awesome. It's moist, dense, and reminds me of why I love brown sugar. It has a slightly caramel taste and the frosting totally compliments it. The frosting I could just eat by the spoonful. The vanilla extract makes the frosting rock and this cake isn't complete without it. I almost never make this frosting to go on German chocolate cake. It's always reserved for oatmeal cake. When I was little it was kinda tradition that we'd eat the leftover cake for breakfast the next morning. That's probably not the most healthful, but it's made with oatmeal so it completely justifies having seconds, right?

When I make this cake for a special occasion I like to do the double-layer round, but if you are in a hurry or just want a cake for a simple dessert, then a 9x13 works well. Sometimes we just make this cake for a treat and I almost always do it in a 9x13. But because it was my husband's birthday, I did the double-layer. The cake actually comes together in about an hour and a half for the double-layer, but a 9x13 takes less than an hour, so you can plan accordingly. I always make my frosting while the cake bakes and it saves a lot of time. If you do the double layer, you will want each cake to cool almost completely so that the layers don't break. I usually frost mine when it's slightly warm when you touch it because I'm a little impatient. The frosting is okay to be slightly warm also when you frost it. If doing it in a 9x13 pan, I usually let the cake cool for about 5 minutes and then I put the frosting on it and then let it cool completely before serving. This cake also tastes amazing after it sits a day. The frosting makes it even more moist.

Here's what you need:

-1 1/2 C oatmeal (I use rolled oats, but you can use quick oats if that's what you have)

-1 1/2 C boiling water

-1/2 C (one stick) butter 

-1 C brown sugar

-1 C white sugar 

-2 eggs

-1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (sometimes I double this)

-1 1/2 C all-purpose flour

-1/2 tsp. salt

-1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Frosting (do a double batch for a double-layer cake):

-2/3 C evaporated milk

-2/3 C brown sugar

-2 egg yolks

-1/4 C real butter

-1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

-1 1/2 C sweetened flaked coconut

-1/2 C toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine oatmeal and boiling water in a large mixing bowl and let it stand for 5 minutes. Add the butter, white and brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and baking soda and mix with an electric mixer. Mix for about a minute until all ingredients are well incorporated. Add the flour and mix just until incorporated.

2. Grease and flour (2) 9 in. round pans. I usually grease with butter-flavored Crisco. I also trace the bottom of the pan on a piece of waxed paper and cut out a circle to put in the pan. This really helps the cake not to stick. Separate your batter evenly into both pans. If using a 9x13 pan, grease and flour and pour all batter into the pan.

3. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30-35 minutes. Do the toothpick test after 30 minutes and check. (Mine usually bakes for 33-35 minutes). Rotate your cake halfway through baking to ensure that it gets baked evenly. (You should do this for all baked goods.)

4. While cake is baking, make the frosting. Combine milk, sugar, egg yolks, and butter in a medium sauce pan. Stir over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Boil for a minute or 2 until the frosting begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and coconut. Set aside.

5. For a double-layer cake: Remove pans from oven and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes. Take a knife and run it around the cake pans. Take a cloth and flip the cake onto your hand holding the cloth to remove from pan. It should come out easily. Remove the waxed paper from the bottom and transfer the cake to a wire rack for cooling. Repeat for the other cake. For a 9x13 cake: Remove pan from oven and allow to sit 3-5 minutes and then add frosting. Sprinkle with pecans

6. Double-layer cake: Once cakes are cooled completely, get your serving platter or cake stand. Take 3 strips of waxed paper and form a triangle on the platter. Place bottom layer on top of waxed paper strips. If the top isn't even, trim the top with a knife to make it even.

Place a big dollop of frosting on the first layer. Spread to the edges and then garnish with 1/2 C of toasted pecans. Add the next cake layer on top. Add a dollop of frosting and spread to edges. Continue frosting the cake all the way around to completely cover cake.

Once frosted sprinkle with remaining toasted pecans. Remove strips of waxed paper.

Let the cake cool completely and then serve. Enjoy and resist the temptation to eat the cake entirely to yourself. :)

Enjoy and Happy Baking!


Here's the printable recipe.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Anyone that knows me knows that I love love LOVE vanilla. I love using vanilla extract and vanilla beans in baking. I think it adds the most wonderful flavor to cookies, cakes, frostings, puddings, etc. It is a sin to bake with margarine just as it is a sin to bake with imitation vanilla. Not only does imitation vanilla have man-made chemicals in it, but it tastes chemically, too. Homemade extract tastes amazing and it's not too expensive to make yourself. It also makes for cute gifts for birthdays, Christmas, etc. I think homemade vanilla also looks awesome, too. There's just something domestic looking about a cute jar with vanilla beans.

So here's a little bit about vanilla beans. Vanilla beans come in grades. Grade B and C are usually ones that are stiff, cracked or split. Grade A beans have a high moisture content and are greater than 6 inches in length. Grade A (also known as gourmet beans) also have the best vanilla flavor because of the moisture content and natural oils. It was hard to find grade A beans for a decent price, but then I found this awesome company, Beanilla. They sell many varities of  gourmet vanilla beans. I have purchased from them several times and their customer service is impeccable. They are such a great company.

The variety that I use the most in baking is Madagascar beans because they have the most versatile flavor. They taste rich and creamy with a slight buttery undertone. Once you get more accustomed to using vanilla beans and making extracts, you can move into the other varieties like Indonesian, Mexican and Tahitian beans. I also use vodka in my extract because it doesn't add any additional flavors. You can also use rum or brandy or any other 35% + proof alcohol. Rum is also nice as an extract base as it adds a yummy warmth to certain recipes. If you don't want to make your own extract, Costco's Kirkland brand of pure vanilla extract is delicious and it's reasonably priced compared to grocery stores. Just promise that you'll stop using imitation vanilla if it's in your kitchen. :)

I also got the cute glass jars from Beanilla and also from The Container Store. I love making my extract into 4 oz. bottles because they are the perfect size for gifting. You can also make one large bottle of extract, just make sure you use a 5:1 (5 beans to 1 C liquid) bean-to-alcohol ratio for optimal flavor and strength.

Here's what you need:
-8 oz vodka (I used Skyy because it was on sale)
-5 Madagascar vanilla beans, whole
-(2) 4 oz. glass bottle with a cork

1. Take a sharp knife and cut your vanilla bean in half length-wise leaving about 1/2 inch intact at the top. You can slice it completely in the middle or just break through the top layer. Do NOT scrape out the beans.

2. Place 2 1/2 vanilla beans in each glass jar and cover with vodka.


Extract just after pouring
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Left: Extract just poured, Right: Extract after 1 hr.
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3. Store in a cool dark place for 6-8 weeks. The longer it sits, the more intense the flavor. About every 2 weeks give each bottle a gentle shake.



Steeped for over 12 weeks. Yum!
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 4. Once vanilla is done steeping, use it as you normally would use extract in baking.The longer it steeps, the richer the color and flavor. Once your bottle is near empty, refill again with vodka and steep again for at least 6-8 weeks.  You can do this several times. You get get lots of uses out of the vanilla beans.

Add a cute tag and some bakers' twine and you have a darling homemade gift!

Homemade vanilla gifts.
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Once you feel that the vanilla isn't as strong then replace the vanilla beans. You can take the old vanilla beans, dry them off and add to a jar of sugar to make vanilla sugar.

Enjoy and Happy Baking!

Here's the printable recipe.

Pesto Quinoa Salad

Our family gathers once a quarter to celebrate birthdays in the extended family. We always do a potluck and I'm usually scrambling the day of to think of something awesome to take. This recipe totally happened by accident. I had a bunch of stuff in the fridge that needed to be used and I wasn't sure how this potpourri salad would turn out, but it rocked. This is a great salad because you can throw whatever fresh veg you have in your fridge and add it. Or you can customize it with your own favorite veg.

This salad is light, fresh and the lemon adds a wonderful brightness. It's very filling, so you can serve as a side dish or add more veggie to make a main dish. I love basil pesto and the lemon was a great compliment to it. I also used prepared basil pesto. My favorite place to buy it is in the refrigerated section at Costco or Sam's Club. It's really yummy and cheaper than making it yourself  if you don't grow your own basil. I  also served this chilled, but it would be delicious also served warm. I also love incorporating chia seeds into my salads. They look like little poppy seeds and they had a great crunch. Not to mention that they are packed full of protein and vitamins. They are so good for you. If you haven't tried fresh goat cheese, you are missing out. The texture is similar to cream cheese, but a little more crumbly like feta cheese. It's also tangy like cream cheese. I love using goat cheese because it's very flavorful and doesn't have as much fat as most other cheeses. Give it a try--I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I also buy goat cheese at Costco.

Here's what you need:

-2 C quinoa
-4 C water or vegetable broth
-1.5 C fresh sugar snap peas, coarsely broken into pieces
- (1) 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
-1/2 C kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
-3 green onions, sliced
-1/2 C dried cranberries
-1/2 C raw almonds, whole
-2 handful of fresh spinach leaves, separated
-1/4 C fresh parsley, finely chopped
-1 tsp. chia seeds, optional
-1/4 C goat cheese, crumbled (about 2-3 oz.)
-salt to taste

Dressing:

-1/2 C prepared basil pesto
-juice of 1 medium lemon
-2 TBS balsamic vinegar

Garnish:

-5 slices of lemon
-a few pieces of parsley

1. In a medium sauce pan take quinoa and water and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Boil uncovered for 15 min or until majority of liquid is gone. Remove from heat, add one handful of spinach and cover pan with lid. Fluff with fork after 5 minutes and stir in wilted spinach. Remove lid and set aside.

2. While quinoa is cooking, add peas, chickpeas, olives, cranberries, parsley and almonds to a large mixing bowl. Toss to mix.

3. In a separate bowl combine pesto, lemon juice and vinegar. Stir until well incorporated.

4. After quinoa is mainly cooled to room temp, add it to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients. Pour dressing over top and mix to ensure the dressing is well incorporated. Taste salad and add salt to taste. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

5. Once ready to serve, take remaining handful of spinach and spread over serving platter. Pile quinoa on top of spinach, sprinkle with chia seeds and crumbled goat cheese. Add a few pieces of parsley and add lemon slices to garnish.


Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Here's the printable recipe.

Valentine's Giveaway Winners!!

Thanks SO much for all of you that entered the Valentine's Giveaway! That was a lot of fun! Sorry for the glitch of not being able to leave comments. This is my first "official" giveaway, so hopefully the next one will be easier. Thanks for your patience!

Alighty! Here are the winners using Random.org! Drum roll, please.........................................

Biscoff Winner: #29, Missy W.

White Chocolate Raspberry Fudge Winner: #19, Nikki

Vanilla Extract Winner: #4, Danielle

AND.... just because I love you guys even more, I'm giving away (2) more Biscoff Spreads!!

Drum roll.................. #7, Jenny P.  and #18, Tammie B!
Please contact me and I'll send out your prize. Thanks for entering and following along! Please feel free to leave me comments of what other things you'd like to see in future giveaways and suggestions for entering in the giveaways. 

*Winners have 24 hours to claim their prize. Otherwise another winner will be chosen. This giveaway was paid for by me and is not affiliated with Facebook or Biscoff.

Vanilla Bean Giveaway!

So I promised some vanilla beans when I got 100 "likes" on my FB page! Thanks to all of you, my page hit 100 "likes" tonight! Thanks for showing some love and following along. I really love cooking and baking and it's fun knowing people are reading. This has been a fun experience and it's been a fun hobby to pursue. And I can't tell you how much I LOVE vanilla beans in baking. And even more how much I love where I got them, an awesome company called Beanilla. They have a fantastic selection of gourmet vanilla beans for excellent prices AND their customer service is impeccable. If you need vanilla beans or extract-making supplies, check them out.

Thanks to all of those who "liked" my page, left comments on FB and the blog for the original contest from when my blog first started (you earned extra entries for that). You all are awesome. Be sure to follow along and share with your friends and family. The more the merrier. :)

Drum roll, please............................ The WINNER is #54, Susan Neal! Congratulations! You have 24 hours to claim your prize. Please contact me via here or Facebook and I'll send them out to you!

Winner,Winner, Chicken Dinner!
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Don't forget that the Valentine's Giveaway ends tonight at 10pm MST. Hurry fast! You have less than an hour to enter!

Vegetable Barley Soup with Quinoa



Vegetable Barley Soup with Quinoa
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Soup is one of my most favorite things in the Winter. I'm always looking for recipes that are filling, can be made into freezer meals, and that incorporate ingredients that I have on-hand. I was having a hard time finding a great vegetable barley soup recipe, so this is my creation. I hope you like it. It's pretty basic and if there are more veggies that you like, feel free to throw them in. This soup is great because you can use whatever you have on-hand.

I used beef broth for this recipe, but if you are vegetarian just substitute vegetable broth . This soup is very filling and flavorful. It's also thick like a stew, so if you want it more brothy, then cook your barley and quinoa completey and then throw it in at the end. If you are gluten intolerant then omit the barley and just double the quinoa. I love quinoa and I throw it in almost every soup I make. We don't eat a lot of meat, so we pair it with beans and vegetables and it's wonderful.

You can double this recipe and it freezes well so you make can extras for when you need a quick meal. I love having a stock of freezer soups because all you have to do is throw your plastic bag in some boiling water and within a few minutes you have a hot, delicious homemade meal. I'm tellin' ya, it's a time saver when you need a quick supper. And it's so much more healthful than eating out.

Here's what you need:

-3/4 C barley (I used hulled barley, but you can also use pearl barley)
-3/4 C quinoa
-3.5 C water, separated
-1 TBS coconut oil (or olive oil)
-1 large onion, chopped
-2 stalks celery, chopped
-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
-3 large carrots, sliced in circles
-4 C beef broth
-2 quarts of canned crushed tomatoes
-(1) 14.5 oz can corn (or about 1 C frozen)
-(1) 14.5 oz can sliced green beans (or about 1 C frozen)
-1/2 C frozen peas
-(1) 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
-1 TBS dried basil
-1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
-1 tsp. dried dill weed
-1/2 tsp. black pepper
-1/4 tsp. curry powder
-1/4 tsp. paprika
-3 bay leaves

1. In a medium sauce pan, combine barley and 2 C water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until tender and chewy.

2. In another medium sauce pan, combine quinoa and 1.5 C water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, cover and remove from heat.

3. While barley and quinoa are cooking, get a large soup pot and heat coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add celery and saute 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add carrots, corn, peas, green beans, chickpeas, and all seasonings. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30-40 minutes. After about 15 minutes add barley to simmering soup. Add quinoa about 10 minutes before soup is done. If you prefer a more broth-like soup, add quinoa right before serving.

4. Remove bay leaves and garnish with some extra dill weed and fresh parsley.

Hearty and Delicious
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Here's the printable recipe.


Enjoy and Happy Cooking!