Tag: treat

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Well Hi! It’s been a hot second since I’ve written a blog post. Sorry I went MIA for a couple months. Life has been a tad hectic. Let me catch you up to speed.

 My husband and I moved out of our house temporarily so that he could do some major renovations. We are back in our house now and I have brand new kitchen! My husband did an awesome job! He painted our kitchen cabinets, we extended our counters, had granite counter tops installed, added some pretty back splash and got a new fridge. I have a lot more counter space now which has been a God sent. Meal prepping just got so much easier. Since we had to move out, I decided to take a break from blogging since I wasn’t doing too much cooking.

Before
After

While we were away, I started a new endeavor and launched my own YouTube channel! I hope you will check it out and subscribe! My channel is beauty and lifestyle focused. My video content includes makeup videos, travel vlogs and soon I will be posting some food videos. It’s been fun to throw myself into creating videos. It’s another creative outlet for me to share my interests with others and meet new people.

My husband and I are super busy at work and still working on getting settled back into our home. In the meantime, I’m so happy to have my kitchen back. I’m enjoying getting back into a routine of cooking and baking on a regular basis. Fall is in full swing and I’ve been fully embracing it with some fall inspired treats. Today’s recipe is a super soft and sweet Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie recipe that is sure to be a fall staple in your household.

Print Recipe
 Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings
dozen
Ingredients
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings
dozen
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, pumpkin puree, sugars, maple syrup, vanilla, 2 eggs and mix to combine with mixer on lowest speed.
  2. Add the oats, flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt, and mix on low-medium speed until combined.
  3. Add in the chocolate chips and mix on low to combine.
  4. Stick dough in refrigerator for 2 hours to firm up.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease pan with butter.
  6. Scoop dough out in 1 tbsp servings and form into balls, placing them on the baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes.
  7. Remove baking sheet from oven and let cookies sit on baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to cooling rack or serve warm.
  8. Store cookies in an airtight container. They will keep for up to 1 week at room temperature or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Sweet Strawberry & Chocolate Chip Muffins

I’m not going to lie, but it’s been difficult to get back into my normal routine post honeymoon. I’m still reminiscing back to our mornings of sleeping in and our long, laid back, beachfront breakfasts. Derek and I rarely take the time to sit down and have breakfast together at home. We are more of the spring out of bed, grab a granola bar and go-go-go type of people, which again is why it’s been hard to get back into the swing of things.

Our nice leisurely Jamaican breakfasts were such a treat and the perfect way to start the day! So now that we are back, I’m vowing to cook us a home cooked breakfast at least once a week. Sitting down and having breakfast together is such a nice way to spend quality time together, especially on the weekends.

One of my favorite breakfast items in Jamaica were the freshly baked pastries. We indulged in English muffins, bagels and of course delicious muffins. I love muffins because it’s kind of like eating dessert for breakfast. Feeling inspired after our trip, I spent a Saturday morning whipping up these delicious Sweet Strawberry & Chocolate Chip Muffins. Strawberries are in season and they have been amazingly sweet this summer. Also, I’ve been picking up 16 oz containers of strawberries for less than $2 at my local grocery store, which is awesome!

Strawberries and chocolate are the ultimate pair. These muffins are sweet, moist and the perfect summery morning treat. Whether you prepare them for a leisurely Sunday brunch or so that you  can easily grab one out of the fridge on your way to work, these muffins are sure to be the perfect start to your day.

Print Recipe
 Sweet Strawberry & Chocolate Chip Muffins
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings
muffins
Ingredients
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings
muffins
Ingredients
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Melt 4 tbsp of butter in a microwave safe bowl and set aside to cool.
  3. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, gently whisking together 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of sugar, 4 teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt.
  4. In a stand mixer, crack 2 large eggs into the mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of milk and ½ cup of vegetable oil to the eggs and mix together for 2 minutes on low speed. Next, add the melted butter and 1 tsp of vanilla extract to the egg mixture, mixing on low until combined.
  5. In small batches, slowly mix in the combined dry ingredients, mixing on medium speed, until the batter is completely combined and lump free.
  6. Next, wash your strawberries and pat them dry with a clean towel. Dice your strawberries. Once your strawberries are diced, put them in a clean bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of sugar. The extra sugar will help to bring out that sweet strawberry flavor even more.
  7. Add the chocolate chips and diced strawberries to the batter. Mix in the fruit and chocolate on low speed until combined.
  8. Line your muffin pan with muffin liners. Scoop the batter into the muffin liners, approximately 2/3 of the way full.
  9. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes until the muffins are golden brown. Remove the muffins from oven. Immediately remove the muffins from the tin and place them on a cooling rack.
  10. After the muffins cool completely, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe Notes

I prefer these muffins cold, so most definitely refrigerate these after they are cool for the best results.

Easy Lemon Sheet Cake

Today I’m sharing a delicious recipe for an Easy Lemon Sheet Cake that is to die for. Before I get to that, I wanted to catch you up to speed on the rest of my bachelorette party.

For those of you who may have missed last week’s blog post about my struggle with epilepsy, I had a seizure while in Florida for my bachelorette party and was hospitalized. Although the situation was not ideal, I was still able to enjoy the weekend thanks to my bridesmaids and some very special cast members at the Walt Disney World Resort. I wanted to take some time to share my experiences at Walt Disney World and how they made my bachelorette weekend truly magical, and something that I will never forget.

Enjoying a beautiful night at the Magic Kingdom.

Being hauled off by ambulance and hospitalized for a day was obviously not part of our bachelorette party itinerary, so I was super bummed knowing that we were missing out on all the fun. When I had the seizure, I was at the pool at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and one of the resort managers rushed to the scene to help. He provided my friends with his card and told them to contact him if we needed anything.

Goofing around with my Maid of Honor at Epcot’s 2018 Flower and Garden Festival.

Once I was discharged from the hospital, I really wasn’t sure if we should even use our park tickets. We had purchased two-day park hopper tickets and I wasn’t sure if it would be worth the money spent to use them when we were only going to be in the parks for partial days. One of my bridesmaids called the manager at the resort, explained our dilemma and he kindly offered to give myself and each of my bridesmaids two 1-day park hopper tickets, free of charge to use in the future. I was beyond thankful for the kind gesture because we were able to use the tickets we already purchased and enjoy the parks, without stressing about getting our money’s worth.

Lunch at The Garden Grill Restaurant in Epcot.

When I got back to the resort after being discharged from the hospital, the resort had also sent a complimentary wheel chair and a gift basket with bridal Mickey ears and four beautiful champagne glasses. People always ask me why I continue to travel back to the Disney Parks repeatedly, and this is exactly why. Despite the circumstances, Disney did their best to make me feel comfortable and make my weekend as special as possible. Even though we only got to spend a short amount of time in the parks, we still had a blast! We were even able to get a reservation for a character meal and the resort manager got us VIP access to a special viewing of the fireworks at Epcot. It was truly magical!

Complimentary VIP viewing of Illuminations Reflections of Earth fireworks at Epcot.

Now I’m back home and getting back into the regular grind, work, blogging, wedding planning and school. With all that has been going on, I’ve felt the need for some sweet treats to brighten up my spirits. When I’m feeling down, stressed or anxious I head to my kitchen to bake. For me, baking is so therapeutic. Now that spring is officially here, I felt compelled to bake something fruity and lemon cake sounded like the perfect spring time treat! And lemon things just make me happy! This lemon cake is great because it’s just the right amount of lemon and the flavor isn’t overbearing. I love this cake because it has such a complex flavor. It’s dense, but very moist with a slight lemon flavor and a buttery finish. This cake is pretty much perfect. So if you are having a rough day or just feeling a little down in the dumps, don’t fret! When life gives you lemons, you make lemon cake!

Print Recipe
 Easy Lemon Sheet Cake
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 35 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Lemon Sheet Cake
Lemon Frosting
Prep Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 35 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Lemon Sheet Cake
Lemon Frosting
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Lemon Sheet Cake
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13 pan with butter.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk together.
  3. Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave and set aside.
  4. Add the eggs, melted butter, sour cream and lemon juice to the flour mixture. Beat until smooth.
  5. Pour the mixture into the greased pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes. Remove the cake and press a tooth pick or fork into the cake, ensuring that it comes out clean and that the cake is completely baked. Set the cake aside to cool, while you make the frosting.
Lemon Frosting
  1. In a stand mixer, beat 1 cup of softened butter on medium speed.
  2. Zest a lemon and measure out 1 tsp of lemon zest.
  3. Add the vanilla extract, lemon zest and lemon juice to the butter and beat on medium speed until combined.
  4. Finally, add in powdered sugar to the mixture, one cup at a time and mixing until thoroughly combined and the frosting is smooth. Frost the cake once it’s completely cool.

Cookies and Cream Brownies

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and I have the perfect chocolate dessert for you to share with your special someone. Over the weekend, our friends Shelby and Matt had us over for dinner and I opted to bring dessert. Anything chocolate is always my go to. I must confess that I am a chocoholic.

My friend Shelby and her husband hosted us for dinner. She is also a fellow food blogger.

Our weekend was busy as usual, so I knew that I wouldn’t have time to bake anything from scratch. Instead, I opted to spruce up a boxed brownie mix and top them with the dreamiest cookies and cream frosting.  I love boxed brownie mixes because they are extremely versatile. You can very easily mix in a variety of ingredients into your brownies such as, chocolate chips, candies and you can also top your baked brownies with a gourmet frosting. To be honest, I have yet to find a homemade brownie recipe that I have liked more than the boxed mixes. Rich fudgy brownies, topped with a cookies and cream frosting are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Print Recipe
 Cookies and Cream Brownies
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Passive Time 25 minutes
Servings
brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
Cookies and Cream Frosting
Prep Time 15 minutes
Passive Time 25 minutes
Servings
brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
Cookies and Cream Frosting
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Prepare the brownies as directed on the box. After baking, set the brownies aside to cool.
  2. In a stand mixer, combine 1 stick of butter, 1 tsp of vanilla, 1 lb of confectioners sugar and 4 tbsp of whole milk. Set the mixer speed to low and mix for approximately 2 minutes and then increase the speed to medium. Mix the ingredients until thoroughly combined and until the mixture resembles a frosting like consistency.
  3. Place 24 chocolate sandwich cookies into a gallon sized plastic bag and seal the bag. Crush the cookies on the counter, using your hands to break the cookies into small pieces.
  4. Dump the cookie crumbs into the stand mixer with the frosting. Set the mixer speed to low and mix until combined.
  5. Finally, spread the cookies and cream frosting on top of the brownies and if desired you can crumble a few extra cookies over top of the brownies.
Recipe Notes

If you feel like your frosting is too thick, feel free to add in an extra 1-2  tablespoons of milk.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This past week has been insane. Not only have I been extremely busy, but I’m also trying to knock this awful cold. I don’t know about you, but when I’m sick, all I want to do is to chill in front of the TV and take a nap. Unfortunately, that’s not a choice for me this week. It’s my last week of classes and I have to wrap up all of my school work to turn in before the end of the semester. So I am continuing to push through and keep reminding myself that this time next week, I will be on winter break.

But what do we do when we are feeling stressed? Stress less and cook more. I took a mental health break the other night and baked some of my favorite chocolate chip cookies. I would argue that I’m actually a better baker than cook. Baking is how I got my start in the kitchen. There is something so therapeutic about baking and for me it’s the perfect stress reliever. Also, there is something so comforting about a chocolate chip cookie. It’s so familiar, simple and so delicious.

This is my signature chocolate chip cookie recipe, a cross between an oatmeal raisin cookie and a traditional chocolate chip cookie. I add cinnamon and just a little bit of oats, to give it a flavor similar to that of an oatmeal raisin cookie. Another great thing about these cookies is that they are so easy to make. This recipe can be easily prepared on a weeknight, with very little effort. The end result, warm and gooey chocolate chip cookies that will make you forget all of your troubles.

Print Recipe
 Chocolate Chip Cookies
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease the cookie sheet with butter.
  2. Using a mixer, cream ½ cup of salted butter (1 stick), ¾ cup of brown sugar and ¾ cup of white sugar together.
  3. Add 2 eggs, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, ¾ tsp of baking soda, 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1 tsp of salt and mix until combined.
  4. Add 2 cups of flour to the mixture, one at a time and mix in between so that flour doesn’t get all over the place.
  5. Lastly, add ¼ cup of quick oats and 1 bag (12 oz) of milk chocolate chips.
  6. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the cookie sheet and place in the oven. For a softer cookie, bake for 12 minutes and for a firmer cookie bake for 14 minutes. Remove from oven and place cookies on a wire rack to cool.