Browsing Tag

baking

Tasty

Healthy Donut Holes

May 21, 2014

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The hardest part about my Barre3 Spring Challenge is laying off of the sugar (oh and the wine, and the bread, and…) but luckily they have a ton of recipes to help you get through the month with minimal slip-ups.  My favorite “cheat treat?” These “healthy” donut holes.  And not only are they not SUPER bad for you, but they are easy enough to make that a 4 year old can make them… literally!

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Healthy Donut Holes

by Andrea Nakayama

  • 1-1/2 cups raw almonds
  • 5 tbsp raw cacao powder
  • 1 cup dates (pitted)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Large handful unsweetened, shredded coconut (I recommend toasting it!)
  1. Place first 5 ingredients (all but coconut) into a food processor and combine until mixture resembles a cookie dough consistency (you may need to add a little water at this point… I usually need a Tablespoon or 2).
  2. Roll the dough into little bite sized balls (about a Tablespoon worth).
  3. Roll date balls/donut holes in coconut.
  4. Transfer finished treats into a Tupperware and freeze for about an hour (although they really are great straight away too) and enjoy!

Store them in the freezer/fridge until a craving hits!

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(they took artistic liberties during our arts and crafts session)

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The great part about this recipe is once the dough is made, any little helpers can be in charge of making their own bited sized treats.  Or you can be like Tucker (above) and just eat your serving straight away.

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They store wonderfully… so I highly recommend doubling this recipe and storing for those days where you want to go nuts on those new Ben & Jerry’s Core Ice Cream flavors… ugh.

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Domestic

Spring Cleaning – How to Clean a Cooking Sheet

April 24, 2014

I am going to start a little series called “Spring Cleaning” (original huh?) with some of my favorite cleaning tips I’ve picked up along the way… First up? How to de-gunk your baking sheets.

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I always forget to line my baking sheet with foil, thus eliminating the need to clean it 99% of the time.  So if you are like me, your cooking sheets may be a little grimy if you’ve had them awhile…

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Have no fear! In a few easy steps you can have your sheets (almost) like new!

  1. Place gunky baking sheet in sink.
  2. Top with a Bounce dryer sheet and fill with warm water.
  3. Let soak overnight.
  4. Remove dryer sheet and wipe clean with a sponge.
  5. Rinse well.

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After Cookie Sheet

*Note: You don’t want your sheets looking like how they did when you bought them… a well seasoned baking sheet is important, but that being said chunks of food (for lack of a better phrase), or stubborn stains can be off putting, so this method helps with getting rid of some surface stains without removing the yummy seasoning you have worked hard to create!

Click here and here for more cleaning tips!

 

Tasty

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

March 5, 2014

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In preparation for our annual family vacation, the Feezor females have kicked healthy eating into over drive – gotta get swimsuit ready!  That being said, I still have a major sweet tooth, and sometimes it just cannot be denied.

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I have been on the prowl to figure out a great dessert option that is quick, easy and has a little bit less guilt factor.  I introduce you to – the Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookie – created by the very talented Shockingly Delicious!  I’m telling you, with 5 ingredients, and no usual gluten free baking ingredients (you know what I’m talking about – aarowroot starch, xanthan gum, tapioca flour – WHO HAS THIS IN THE PANTRY?!), this is a great way to fight a craving before you walk down to 7-11 to binge out on Snickers Bars and Skittles.

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GF Peanut Butter Cookie

via Shockingly Delicious

  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used organic TJ’s)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Blend above ingredients in a Kitchen Aid mixer until well mixed (about a minute or so).
  3. Use a cookie scoop to portion cookie dough to a Silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet.
  4. Using fork tines, press the usual “peanut butter cookie crosshatch” pattern into the tops of the dough balls.
  5. Sprinkle course sugar (I used raw brown sugar).
  6. Bake for 11 minutes and let cool on baking pan for 5 minutes or so (they are really fragile until they have cooled down).
  7. Let cool completely on a rack and store in airtight container.
  8. Allow yourself to eat one cookie… as to not completely botch your attempt at dieting.

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Now go make them and tell me that you would even know they are gluten free…

Tasty

Neiman’s Treats

September 18, 2013

So I’m sure you’ve all Pinned or at least seen pins of the famous $250 Neiman Marcus cookie.. you know this one? Or this one?

Neiman Marcus Cookie

Well I finally decided to give it a try, and test it out for myself!

Chocolate Chip Cookie

The recipe makes 112 cookies, and considering I shouldn’t have been eating them in the first place, I decided to cut the recipe in half.  Here is what I did:

Neiman Marcus Cookies

1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups blended oatmeal (measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder)
12 ounces chocolate chips
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 -8 ounce Hershey Bar (I only had a 1/5 oz. bar, so added more chocolate chips)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (your choice, I like pecans and walnuts)

Directions:

  1. Cream the butter and both sugars
  2. Add eggs and vanilla
  3. Mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda
  4. Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts
  5. Use an ice cream scoop to ball dough onto cooking sheet (place two inches apart on a cookie sheet)
  6. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

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Consensus? It was a little more involved than a standard chocolate chip cookie and the end result wasn’t really worth it to me.  I may be a chocolate chip cookie purist, but the blended oats and grated chocolate bar didn’t really bring anything extra spectacular to the table for me.  If you love a soft cookie with some texture, this is for you… but if you are more into chewy/crispy cookies, these aren’t the ones for you.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie

Tasty

Cookie Jar

July 3, 2013

An American (as well as Feezor) fan favorite will always be the chocolate chip cookie.

Chocolate Chip

Growing up I’ve tried and tested many recipes, but two of my favorite (and memorized) recipes are this one and the one below.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 12-oz package semisweet chocolate chips
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease a large baking sheet (or use a Silpat baking sheet). 
  2. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl to blend.  using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy.
  3. Add sugar and brown sugar and beat until well blended.
  4. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until mixture is creamy and well blended.
  5. Gradually add flour mixture, beating just until blended.
  6. Stir in chocolate chips.
  7. Working in batches (use an ice cream scoop or melon baller) to scoop mounded tablespoonfuls onto a prepared baking sheet.
  8. Bake cookies until pale brown, about 11-13 minutes.
  9. Cool slightly on sheet, then transfer to racks to cool.

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Tips:

  1. Make sure to let butter sit out to room temperature (this is key in ALL baking… butter temperature can make or break any baked treats).  It needs to be soft to the touch but not melted.
  2. If you bake at all, you MUST invest in a Kitchen Aid.  It makes baking so much easier and makes for perfectly incorporated cookies that are chewy, crunchy and all around amazing!
  3. Silpat baking sheets are another great investment.  You don’t have to grease your baking sheets (which helps with cleaning up), and you’ll never have to worry about cookies burnt on the bottom!

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