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Hello Summer

May 31, 2011 Keep It Sweet 42 Comments

Well hello, Summer. We are so happy to have you here.

I’m pretty sure I was wearing a winter coat a couple of weeks ago, but when Mother Nature sends sun and temperatures in the 80s you won’t see me complaining

No complaining when we make trips to the New Jersey farmstands

Not complaining about huge Jersey tomatoes

And especially not complaining about big juicy strawberries

Memorial Day weekend kicked off my summer in full gear with a trip to the Jersey shore. We had the most amazing weekend that included walks on the beach, walks around town, walks to CVS (do you see a pattern?), a family barbecue, and of course my favorite chocolates. All that was missing was my husband!

But, luckily, we had whipped cream vodka to entertain me in his absence! Whipped cream vodka + diet root beer = amazing. Try it!

And we were very excited that my earrings matched the glassware

My sister also brought her friend Jen to join the fun

Of course we had to take advantage of the gorgeous weather for a few backyard shots:

Dad and me

Sisterly love

Mom and her girls

And my favorite Uncle! Hi Marty!!!

How was your Memorial Day weekend? Has summer arrived where you are?

Blog

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Pie

May 25, 2011 Keep It Sweet 65 Comments

I have to tell you, the pictures don’t do this dessert justice. Whoever has tips for taking pictures of ice cream please send them my way!

So lately I haven’t been showing enough love to my two favorite food groups: peanut butter and ice cream

What, those aren’t food groups? Could have fooled me!

Does peanut butter combined with chocolate make up a food group?

Protein, healthy fats, antioxidants? Am I close?

Oh well, because you know what, when it comes to dessert you just have to enjoy what you love. Personally, I’m good at that…

…just need to work on eating one slice, one scoop or one cookie and being satisfied. I’ll get there one day.

But in the meantime, send over some self-restraint so that I don’t eat this entire Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie in one sitting

To make the crust, grind up about 8 Nutter Butters in a food processor until fine

Add melted butter and stir to combine

Press crust mixture into a prepared 9-inch springform pan

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crust darkens around the edges and allow crust to cool

When ready, layer half of chocolate ice cream over crust

Next cover the entire layer with large peanut butter cups

Then, cover peanut butter cup layer completely with chocolate ice cream (shh I ran out of peanut butter cups); Freeze until ready to serve

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Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Pie

Yield: Serves 12

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups Nutter Butter crumbs (about 8 cookies)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 quarts your favorite chocolate ice cream or frozen yogurt (I used Edyâ€™s slow churned)
24 large peanut butter cups

Cooking Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray, set aside
To make the crust, grind up about 8 Nutter Butters in a food processor until fine; add melted butter and stir to combine
Press mixture into prepared pan
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crust darkens around the edges and allow crust to cool
When ready, layer half of chocolate ice cream over crust
Layer peanut butter cups over ice cream and then cover them with remaining ice cream

[/print_this]

If you could create a new food group, what would it be?

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24 Hours

May 24, 2011 Keep It Sweet 27 Comments

The other day I had 24 hours with my best friend/college roommate, Rachel

We brunched, we window-shopped, we walked, we pedicured… it was fabulous

And since she was in town from Florida we made a couple of very important stops…. Pinkberry

…and forty carats

Best friends don’t let best friends go without fro yo.

And then after a day of running around the city and catching up on months of conversation (I hadn’t seen her since my wedding!) we changed our out-on-the-town evening plans and crashed the husband’s dinner

We went to this restaurant near my apartment

Beer sampler anyone?

Of course the rest of the night was spent catching up some more on life like only best friends do

We were so happy to be reunited, I almost didn’t let her leave!

What would you do if you had a best friend visit for 24 hours?

Blog

Magic

May 22, 2011 Keep It Sweet 43 Comments

Magic: Possessing distinctive qualities that produce unaccountable or baffling effects

source

The ability for a pie to exist one minute and be gone the next, that seems like magic to me.

The ability for a dessert to call your name and whisper sweet words into your ear, I’d call that magic.

The ability for a dessert to sit on your counter one day and your butt the next, yes magic.

All of those elements make this cookie bar turned pie magic.

I’ll be honest, I only like my version of magic bars. No coconut, no nuts, just gooey, chocolaty, chewy and delicious. And so in my Magic Pie, that is what you get: graham cracker crust and a sweet oozing filling made up of dark chocolate, milk chocolate and toffee. Don’t tell me this doesn’t pull at your sweet tooth for an extra slice bite. I made this pie at about 3pm one afternoon… by midnight it was gone. And here is a little secret, Matt thought it was too sweet.

I’ll let you come to your own conclusions.

Start with a pre-made or baked graham cracker crust and pour sweetened condensed milk into the shell

Arrange dark chocolate kisses

Sprinkle with toffee bits

Sprinkle on the milk chocolate chips

Bake for about 25 minutes or until filling appears set and has bubbled around the edges; allow to cool before slicing

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Magic Pie

Next time I’m going to sprinkle pretzel pieces on top immediately after baking to add a salty crunch to the pie The Edy’s slow churned Caramel Delight ice cream was the perfect complement to this pie

Yield: 6-8 slices

Ingredients

1 pre-made or baked 8-inch graham cracker pie crust
1 cup sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free)
21 dark chocolate Hershey kisses (~1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips would also work)
1/3 cup toffee bits
1/3 cup milk chocolate chips

Cooking Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Pour sweetened condensed milk into shell pie
Arrange dark chocolate kisses along on top of the milk
Sprinkle with toffee bits and milk chocolate chips
Bake on a baking sheet for about 25 minutes or until filling appears set and has bubbled around the edges
Allow to cool before slicing and serve with a scoop of ice cream

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Adapted from Magic Cookie Bars

I’ll let you in on a secret- I didn’t like the crust (that’s what I get for using a healthier pre-made) so I left that behind and ate all some of the filling. Have you ever picked out the parts of a dessert you like and gotten rid of the rest?

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The Cake

May 19, 2011 Keep It Sweet 34 Comments

Not only was Saturday Sara’s bridal shower, but it was also just a couple of days after a big birthday for her mom. So, in addition to fun pick-up desserts, I wanted to make a birthday cake.

Usually I’d stay safe with a vanilla or chocolate cake for a crowd, but I wanted to make something more special. Given that the bride loves pink and it was a girly event, strawberry cake with a bright pink hue sounded perfect. I used this strawberry cake recipe. To keep it simple, I filled and iced the cake with a rich and creamy white chocolate buttercream. The cake itself had a strong enough strawberry flavor that strawberry icing would have been over the top, and a plain buttercream just didn’t seem as exciting. The white chocolate recipe I use is just so silky that it made a wonderful addition to the cake. Plus, I’ve made that frosting before and knew that it would hold up well, even if the room got warm.

The cake recipe looks like a lot of work, but once you get past pureeing the frozen strawberries it is a pretty standard cake recipe. (Warning: I almost broke my mini blender with the super frozen whole strawberries.) Get the cake recipe here and see the photos below as a reference.

This buttercream recipe is very easy; combine the white chocolate and whipping cream in a medium saucepan on low-medium heat, stirring continuously

Remove mixture from heat and stir in milk

Refrigerate for a half hour

When white chocolate mixture is cool, finish making the buttercream

Using the whisk attachment of a mixer, beat the butter until creamy

Beat in confectioners’ sugar until butter and sugar are light and fluffy

Now beat in the cooled white chocolate mixture until buttercream is creamy and light

The buttercream may get lumpy at first, just keep beating it at high speed

Once cake has cooled and buttercream is ready, ice the bottom cake layer with about 1 cup of frosting

Place top layer over top of that and press down lightly

Cover top and outside of the cake with remaining buttercream smoothing it out around the edges and on top

I forgot to use the trick of putting a piece of paper or cardboard under the edges of the cake to keep it clean!

Serve cake with a couple of strawberries for decoration

[print_this]

Strawberry Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream

Yield: Serves 12 generous slices

Ingredients

2 8 or 9-inch round layers of prepared and cooled strawberry cake*
1 batch White Chocolate Buttercream

Cooking Directions

Once cake has cooled and buttercream is ready, ice the bottom cake layer with about 1 cup of frosting
Place top layer over the frosted layer and press down lightly
Cover top and outside of the cake with remaining buttercream smoothing it out around the edges and on top
Store cake in refrigerator for up to 3 days; remove from fridge a half hour before serving

White Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients

6 ounces baking white chocolate
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup milk (any type is fine)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confectionersâ€™ sugar

Cooking Directions

Combine the white chocolate and whipping cream in a medium saucepan on low-medium heat, stirring continuously
Remove mixture from heat and stir in milk
Refrigerate for a half hour
When white chocolate mixture is cool, finish making the buttercream
Using the whisk attachment of a mixer, beat the butter until creamy
Beat in confectioners’ sugar until butter and sugar are light and fluffy
Now beat in the cooled white chocolate mixture until buttercream is creamy and light

Note: Cake can be frozen up to 3 weeks if wrapped tightly[/print_this]

*I recommend this recipe from Sweetapolita

What flavor would you pick for your birthday cake?

Blog, Recipes

Double Chocolate Mint Krispie Treats

May 17, 2011 Keep It Sweet 34 Comments

First of all, a huge thank you for all of your inspiring comments on Sunday’s post! I was actually a little nervous to hit publish but I’m so glad I did. I love this community:-)

Now, let’s get back to the desserts! For the shower, I made some of my old favorites and a couple of new recipes. Additionally, I made cookie brownie layer bars, a strawberry birthday cake (recipe to come!) and these Double Chocolate Minty Treats.

Coming up with the menu for an event like this is so much fun. Just like with my Thanksgiving dinner party, I wanted to have a variety of delicious and fun pick-up desserts. After accounting for chocolate, caramel, peanut butter and sweet and salty, I knew I needed to fill the hole for Sara’s love of chocolate with mint. Madison’s rice krispie treat pops immediately caught my eye, but I knew I didn’t have time to make individual pops for a big crowd. Instead, I made the rice krispie treats in their regular form and dipped them in chocolate to keep them special, fun and delicious. It turns out these were the favorite for quite a few people so I think the recipe was definitely a success!

Start by melting butter in a large pot

Add the marshmallows and stir until they are completely melted

Remove pot from heat, and stir in Andes

Add rice krispies to the mixture and stir

Once everything is combined, press the ingredients into a 13X9 pan lined with foil and allow to cool

Once cool, remove the rice krispie treats from the pan; the easiest way to do this is to flip the pan upside down and peel off the foil

Cut the treats in to small cubes (I made slices in a 9X7 matrix)

Now set up a space to dip your treats in chocolate; I suggest lining 2 jelly roll pans with wax paper for the chocolate to harden

Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring in-between each until chocolate is smooth

One at a time, dip rice krispie treats in the chocolate to cover half of each bar

Allow to cool for 1-2 hours[print_this]

Double Chocolate Mint Krispie Treats

Adapted from Espresso and Cream

Makes ~60 rice krispie bites

Ingredients:

½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1 10.5-ounce bag mini marshmallows
1 heaping cup Andes (or mint chocolate candy of choice)
7 cups rice krispies
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate for melting

Directions:

Melting butter over low-medium heat in a large pot
Add the marshmallows and stir until they are completely melted
Remove pot from heat, and stir in Andes
Add rice krispies to the mixture and stir
Once everything is combined, press the ingredients into a 13X9 pan lined with foil and allow to cool
Once cool, remove the rice krispie treats from the pan; the easiest way to do this is to flip the pan upside down and peel off the foil
Cut the treats in to small cubes (I made slices in a 9X7 matrix)
Now set up a space to dip your treats in chocolate; I suggest lining 2 jelly roll pans with wax paper for the chocolate to harden
Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring in-between each until chocolate is smooth
One at a time, dip rice krispie treats in the chocolate to cover half of each bar
Allow to cool for 1-2 hours

[/print_this]

Have you taken any big risks in your career? Are there risks you wish you had taken?

Blog

Dreams

May 15, 2011 Keep It Sweet 59 Comments

First came the engagement celebration, then we had the bachelorette party, and yesterday was the bridal shower! We are just about a month away from Adam’ and Sara’s big day!

Yesterday’s shower was a wonderful afternoon with almost 60 people excited to celebrate such a perfect couple.

And because I am crazy love them both, I offered to bake for the event. Of course the restaurant has dessert, but there is something about homemade desserts that make people feel happy and loved.

Yes, that’s right, I baked for 60 people. It was a lot of time, a lot of work, and a lot of butter, but it was worth it. Seeing people’s eyes widen as I brought out plate after plate of assorted bite-sized treats was really something.

This actually gave me the confidence I needed to start thinking about my pipe dream future in the world of baking.

It’s not something I bring up on the blog because, well, I’ve never considered it a real option. But why not? People take risks and figure out a way to combine passion and work all the time. Why should I be any different?

Up until now I was afraid.

Afraid I would fail. Afraid that my friends have only been kind to complement my baking in the past. Afraid that the one talent I believe I have isn’t really that special. Afraid of turning something I love into work and then hate. Afraid of not making enough money. Afraid I don’t have it in me to succeed in something that is really hard.

Up until now, I’ve followed a safe road. The biggest risk I took was leaving investment banking for a finance job at a start-up company. Ironically, my former employer crumbled a few months later.

But the start-up has done well and I’ve been there almost four years.

So maybe it’s time I reach a little further. Explore an unfamiliar world where cookies are a dime a dozen. Where it takes something pretty special to stand out.

And maybe I can be that special.

And maybe my talent is real.

And maybe a little fear never hurt anyone.

Because that is what will push me, what will motivate me to succeed.

Blog, Recipes

Healthy Muffins and a DSLR

May 12, 2011 Keep It Sweet 41 Comments

These cute little banana corn muffins are low fat, easy to make, and the perfect healthy breakfast treat.

Earlier this week I had an agenda:

1. Start experimenting with my NEW camera (!!!)

2. Bake something healthy enough to eat on a daily basis

3. Use up the extremely brown bananas on my counter

Based on the above list, I decided to make Banana Corn Muffin Bites.

1. New camera experimenting, check

2. Low fat whole grain baked good, check*

3. Brown bananas in muffin form, check

These mini muffins are moist and grainy with a wonderful sweetness from the ripe bananas. I snacked on them alone, topped with peanut butter (obviously) and mixed into ice cream. Matt cut his in half and topped them with jelly.

The best part? Muffins like these are easy to make and don’t require a mixer. Plus, mini muffins bake so quickly that it shouldn’t take you an hour from start to finish.

*Don’t worry, I’ll be back with something decadent and extra delicious shortly.

Start by combining the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside

In a large bowl, whisk together all remaining ingredients except for sliced banana

Whisk the dry ingredients into wet until just combined

Spoon batter into prepared mini-muffin pan; top each muffin with a slice of banana

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean

[print_this]

Banana Corn Muffin Bites

Yield: Makes 24 mini muffins

Ingredients

1 cup corn meal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup mashed ripe banana (~2 large bananas)
3/4 cup skim milk (or any light milk of choice)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 large banana, sliced

Cooking Directions

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray or fill with cupcake liners
Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside
Whisk all remaining ingredients, excluding sliced banana, in a large bowl
Whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until combined
Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin
Top each muffin with a slice of banana
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean

Adapted from All Recipes

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[Note: I recommend serving these soon after baking because the bananas on top brown by the next day. They are still edible but not all that pretty for company]

On another note, Mila at Lofty Appetite has some great tips for beginner DSLR users. What is the most useful photography tip you use?

Blog, Recipes

Brownie Cheesecake Insanity

May 10, 2011 Keep It Sweet 29 Comments

Let’s talk about this dessert.

Let’s talk about how many emails my mom and I exchanged regarding the details of this dessert.

Ok, let’s not, because it is a little embarrassing. Let’s just say I started craving cheesecake around 7am every day over the course of a week or so. No big deal.

We can’t help ourselves. What is more fun to talk about than how you are about to gain 10 pounds your next dessert creation?

Cheesecake. Caramel. Brownie. Ganache. Cashews. This is my life. Sorry I’m not sorry.

After salivating over seeing this masterpiece on Sprinkle Bakes, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So many delicious components in one place, her recipe is genius!

But I do want my pants to fit, and trust me that isn’t easy these days. So we brainstormed and we emailed and we emailed some more until we found our perfect balance of insane decadence and self-control. I’m talking self-control with ingredients, not eating. One step at a time.

What my mom ended up creating was almost perfection. I may have to recreate it soon because I don’t have step-by-step photos or even a full photo for you. Ok, or I just want to eat it again.

[print_this]Brownie Cheesecake Insanity

Inspired by Sprinkle Bakes

Ingredients:

1 batch of brownies baked in an 9-inch cake pan (we used No Pudge)

½ batch of Low Fat Banana Cheesecake without the crust prepared in an 9-inch cake pan

1/3 cup caramel sauce of choice

½ cup chopped cashews or cashew clusters

1 batch Chocolate Ganache & Gananche Frosting

Directions:

Remove cooled cheesecake from pan and freeze for 1-2 hours

When cheesecake is ready, remove cooled prepared brownie from pan and place on a serving plate

Drizzle caramel sauce over brownie and top with chopped cashews

Top that layer with cheesecake and put dessert in freezer

While dessert is freezing, prepare Ganache as directed.

Remove dessert from freezer and top the cheesecake with ganache; ice entire dessert with the Ganache Frosting

Store dessert in refrigerator before serving

Notes:

The Cheesecake Brownie may be easier to slice if frozen

I recommend lining your cake tins with wax paper for easy removal of brownie and cheesecake[/print_this]

Is there a dessert that you can’t stop thinking about?

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Oreo Mallow Clusters

May 8, 2011 Keep It Sweet 47 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day to all of my mom and soon-to-be mom friends! I hope that all of you had a great weekend. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen but also a lot of time outside. The sunny and warm weather makes me so happy. Yesterday I got to take a long walk along the water with a good friend. We caught up on life and it was wonderful. Today we celebrated Mother’s Day by grilling and eating outside with family. The fresh air is like free therapy.

After the last chocolate cluster recipe I made, I knew I wanted to make another version. They are so easy to whip up and so delicious. Who doesn’t love homemade candy filled with delicious mix-ins? So in the midst of a baking marathon, I made some Oreo Mallow Clusters in a matter of minutes. They are milk chocolate clusters filled with Oreos and marshmallows (or in my case Peeps). And you know what? Huge success. It figures that this 10-minute recipe turned out so much better than an overly complicated dessert I also made.

To make these, you will need some broken up Oreos

And chopped up Peeps (sorry bunnies)

And of course milk chocolate

Just melt your chocolate

Stir in the mix-ins

And drop clusters onto wax paper

Chill in the refrigerator

[print_this]

Oreo Mallow Clusters

Ingredients (Makes 15 clusters)

12 ounces high-quality milk chocolate
1 1/3 cups Oreo chunks (~8 Oreos)
2 cups chopped Peeps (~8 Peeps) or marshmallows

Instructions

Gently melt the chocolate in 30 second increments in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring in-between
Once chocolate is completely melted, add Oreos and Peeps and stir until completely coated
Use a tablespoon to drop large clusters of the mix on a baking sheet lined with wax paper
Chill chocolates in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until candy is completely firm
Store chocolates in a cool place for up to 7 days

[/print_this]

P.S. The above picture was taken with my Dad’s DSLR, what an amazing quality difference! I am FINALLY getting one and hopefully my blog will be prettier very soon.

How was your weekend? Is the weather getting better where you live?

Blog, Recipes

Sweet & Salty White Chocolate Blondies

May 5, 2011 Keep It Sweet 48 Comments

Can you believe it is May now?! Memorial Day is only a few weeks away and summer is so close I can taste it! This winter was pretty brutal in the Northeast and I am just now feeling like myself again. The cold and the snow tends to put me in complete hermit mode. Good for my baking blog, not so good for my real life. Now I am ready for longer days, dates with friends, flip-flops and spending all of my money on frozen yogurt. I’m also ready to plan my summer calendar and travel schedule.

Living in New York, I’ve found that we spend most of our summer weekends out of the city and as a result away from my kitchen. This is pretty normal for Manhattanites. Come to the city for the 4^th of July and you should be able to get almost any dinner reservation you could imagine. You also will sweat your way from place to place and especially waiting for a subway. While I’m a homebody at heart, I have a definite preference for the beach or a pool during those days.

All of this means that most of my cooking and baking from May through the end of August takes place at night after work. On a good day, I’ll be home by 7. Given that I am 8626 years old and get into bed before 10pm, that means only three real hours of kitchen time. I’ve gotten pretty good at coming up with quick dinners for these nights (when in doubt, make eggs), but baking in that time span as well can be a bit more challenging. Baking is like therapy for me, not something I like to rush. This means planning ahead, making desserts that aren’t overly complicated, and making desserts that don’t require an insane amount of oven time (air conditioning isn’t NYC’s best quality). Think cookies, brownies, and ice cream desserts.

These Sweet and Salty White Chocolate Blondies are the perfect dessert for baking under a time constraint. They are pretty easy to make and take only 30 minutes to bake. Plus, they are easy to wrap up and bring to a summer barbeque or gathering. The texture has a wonderful chew to it and there is a lovely sweetness and caramel-like flavor from the white chocolate melted in the batter. Some chocolate chips and pretzel pieces add crunch and my favorite salty sweet taste combo.

Start by melting butter and some of your white chocolate chips over low-medium heat

Stir occasionally; Don’t worry if your butter and chocolate separate, you can fold them together to combine

Once completely melted, set white chocolate mixture aside

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside

In a large bowl, beat together sugars, eggs and vanilla until well-combined

Reduce speed of mixer to medium and add white chocolate mixture

Stir in the dry ingredients until well-combined

Stir in white and semi-sweet chocolate chips and pretzels

Pour batter into pan lined with wax paper and greased

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and a knife comes out clean; allow to cool before slicing

[print_this]

Sweet & Salty White Chocolate Blondies

Yield: Serves 24-36 depending on size

Ingredients

6 ounces white chocolate (any form, to melt)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup salted pretzel pieces
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips (for mix-in)

Cooking Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Line a 9×13 pan with wax paper and grease; set aside
Melting butter and white chocolate over low-medium heat
Stir occasionally; donâ€™t worry if your butter and chocolate separate, you can fold them together to combine
Once completely melted, set white chocolate mixture aside
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside
In a large bowl, beat together sugars, eggs and vanilla until well-combined
Reduce mixer speed to medium and add melted white chocolate mixture
Stir in the dry ingredients until well-combined
Stir in white and semi-sweet chocolate chips and pretzels
Pour batter into prepared baking pan
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and a knife comes out clean; allow to cool before slicing

[/print_this]

Are you taking any weekend trips this summer?

Blog

Making Your Mother’s Day

May 1, 2011 Keep It Sweet 42 Comments

Mother’s Day is only one week away! Our day will revolve around food family. I’m heading home to see my Parents and some of my mom’s family for a casual lunch at my house near Philly. There may be some grilling, but more importantly there will be lots of dessert. For those of you spending time with loved one’s here are 75 recipes that might help make your day:

Brunch:

Asparagus Tart by Young Married Chic

Baked Vanilla Donuts by Fake Ginger

Bananas Fosters Topped Overnight French Toast by Gina’s Skinny Recipes

Blueberry Blintz Bake

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes by All Day I Dream About Food

Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes with Chunky Blueberry Sauce by Liv Life

Chocolate Chip Muffins by Two Peas and Their Pod

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins by Healthy Food for Living

Cinnamon Apple Chunk Scuffins

Cinnamon Bubble Buns by Sprinkled with Flour

Cinnamon Roll Waffles by Recipe Girl

Fruity Baked Oatmeal with Crunchy Cinnamon Almond Topping by Oh She Glows

Funfetti Waffles by Lauren’s Kitchen

Homemade Muffin Tops by Keep it Simple Foods

Jelly Donuts by We Are Not Martha

Lemon Blueberry Granola by Chocolate and Carrots

Mango-Lime Muffins by Wilde in the Kitchen

Multigrain Pancakes with Vanilla and Cinnamon by Three Many Cooks

Strawberry Crumb Cake by Gingerbread Bagels

Strawberry-Stuffed French Toast by The Girl Who Ate Everything

The Sunday Morning Sammie by Crepes of Wrath

Lunch or Dinner:

Asparagus Mozzarella Tart from Delightful Bitefuls

Baked Lemon Spaghetti by Recipe Girl

Braised Short Ribs in a Spicy Tomato Sauce by Foodies @ Home

Buffalo Chicken Calzones by Baked by Rachel

Chicken Pot Pie with Cream Cheese and Chive Biscuits by Joy the Baker

Cornbread BLTs and Creamy Blue Cheese by Can You Stay for Dinner?

Crispy Potato Roast by Smitten Kitchen

Crispy Shrimp Pizza by How Sweet It Is

Greek Pasta Bake by Weekly Bite

Homemade Ginger Pasta with Sweet Potato-Wasabi Sauce by Eats Well With Others

Individual Cheese Souffles by A Thought for Food

Lasagna Cups by Lauren’s Latest

Lasgana Fritta by Pass the Sushi

Leek & Asparagus Soup by RhodeyGirl Tests

Low-Fat Blue Cheese Salad Dressing & Dip by The Yummy Life

Parmesan Crusted Goat Cheese with basil Oil by Annie’s Eats

Shaved Asparagus Salad by How Sweet It Is

Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Beans by 52 Kitchen Adventures

Southwest Ground Beef Casserole by Amanda’s Cookin’

Spinach Pesto Penne by The Novice Chef

Strawberry and Leek Quesadillas by Sprouted Kitchen

Vegetarian Chili with a Cashew Pistachio Sauce by Eats Well With Others

Dessert:

Banana Cake with Mocha Ganache

Birthday Cake Cheesecake by Willow Bird Baking

Black Bottom Ice Cream Cupcakes

Blueberry Pretzel Clusters

Butterfinger Blondies by Sweet Pea’s Kitchen

Cereal Layer Bars by Espresso and Cream

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bark by Cookies and Cups

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Rice Krispie Treats by Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

Chocolate Lover’s Bites

Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake by Baking Junkie

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Creamy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Tart by Picky Palate

Gluten-Free Strawberry Cupcakes by Joy the Baker

Ice Cream Brownie

Lemon Blackberry Cheesecake Squares

Lemonade Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting by Cookies and Cups

Lighter Lemon Pound Cake

Low Fat Banana Cheesecake with Mixed Berry Sauce

Mascarpone Meringue Cake by Sweetapolita

Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cake Cheesecake by Sprinkle Bakes

Ooey Gooey Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies with a Crunch

Raspberry and Lemon Torta by Cake Duchess

Rice Krispie Treat Pops by Espresso and Cream

S’mores Cupcakes by Dessert for Two

Strawberry and Cream Cake by La Mia Vita Dolce

Strawberry Pistachio Tart by Val So Cal

White Chocolate Lemon Truffles by What Megan’s Making

Cocktail Time:

Blood Orange Margaritas by Confections of a Foodie Bride

Cucumber Mint Cocktail by Leslie Sarna

Fresh Strawberry Mojito by The Culinary Chronicles

Ginger Lemon Martini by All Day I Dream About Food

Royal Champagne Cocktail by Young Married Chic

I think that Mother’s Day is a great day to show appreciation for your mother, grandmother, or even yourself if you are a mom! I’m lucky to have a mom who is also my best friend and a mother-in-law who has welcomed me into her life like a daughter. How are you spending the day?

*If you haven’t already seen it, check out my guest post on The Healthy Apron.*

Keep It Sweet Desserts

Monthly Archives: May 2011

Hello Summer

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Pie

24 Hours

Magic

The Cake

Double Chocolate Mint Krispie Treats

Dreams

Healthy Muffins and a DSLR

Brownie Cheesecake Insanity

Oreo Mallow Clusters

Sweet & Salty White Chocolate Blondies

Making Your Mother’s Day

Cookie cakes, dessert platters, pop-ups and more!