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everything ham sliders

mains, quick and easy · February 2, 2021

everything ham sliders

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baked a buncha these beauties today. 🥰 nothing lik

baked a buncha these beauties today. 🥰 nothing like confetti cookies to celebrate someone special!

I’ll always advocate for homemade baked goods; I think it’s the quickest way to make the day-to-day ✨magical✨. and these cookies are just right for the job! they’re crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and the sprinkles make them extra special. mini or mega sized - you can’t go wrong. search “the best confetti cookie” on the blog!

here’s to making everyday moments count, friends. and also sprinkles. 💛

hi hello did you miss me? maybe don’t answer that.

hi hello did you miss me? maybe don’t answer that. 🥴

lets dive right in in with the perfect spring bake: glazed lemon ricotta cake! what began as an earnest pursuit to recreate a lemon ricotta cookie I ate YEARS ago landed me here. not-quite-pound-cake but not a straightforward lemon loaf, this beauty lands somewhere in between.

let’s just call it a lazy lemon bake. you’re not zesting and juicing 83 lemons, just two! it comes together easily with (mainly) staple ingredients. bonus? it’s the perfect accompaniment for a @bridgertonnetflix binge (but do not make me like tea, I just won’t do it) or Easter brunch. you can find the recipe on the blog!

here’s to spring bakes, friends! hope you and yours have a wonderful week. 💛

when the world falls apart it feels trite to show

when the world falls apart it feels trite to show up with a cake. I never want to look ignorant but, at the same time, I’m not an expert in literally ANY of the things happening. I’m learning alongside everyone else, anxious like everyone else, trying to make sense like everyone else; my voice isn't the one that matters.

But I watched a TikTok that said, “doom scroll, plan your day, do what you need to do to feel in control.” so this is what I do: I drink my coffee, I donate to groups in Texas and Ukraine, I play with my boys, then I bake. making cake channels my hope into my hands; it's an action, a prayer, a way to process. and cake is something I can talk about.

this is a super fudgy (almost) flourless cake/pseudo brownie hybrid. there's a few steps involved but nothing crazy. it's delicious with coffee ice cream or served straight from the pan. I promise you can't go wrong.

*almost* flourless chocolate cake
-3 large eggs, room temp
-3/4 cup brown sugar
-6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
-6 oz chocolate, chopped (or about half a bag of chocolate chips)
-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1/2 cup cocoa powder
-2 tablespoons flour

-In a microwave safe bowl, melt together the butter and chocolate. I do 30 second increments on half power, stirring each time. Set aside to come to room temp.
-Preheat your oven to 325. Line an 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray.
-With the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, beat together the eggs and brown sugar until thick and frothy. This takes about 4-5 minutes in my stand mixer on medium speed!
-While the mixer is on stir, slowly pour in the room temp chocolate mixture to the eggs. Mix until incorporated. Add in salt and vanilla, mix again.
-Add cocoa powder and flour, and stir on low. I often let it get mixed in a bit then finish stirring by hand to avoid overmixing.
-Evenly spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 33-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. (You don't want to overbake!)
-Let cool in the pan. Remove, slice, serve, and enjoy.

doom scroll, go on a run, make the cake. take care of yourselves and your people, friends.

need a last minute snack or dessert for Valentine'

need a last minute snack or dessert for Valentine's Bowl weekend? you got it. this brownie pizza is the gift that keeps on giving. 6 ingredients, easy to make, and has fruit so it's hEaLtHy. what more could you want? (aside from endless chips and guac and queso, but that's neither here nor there.)

this fruit pizza has crispy edges and a fudgy middle, making it the brownie of my dreams. top it with a simple cream cheese frosting and it's *chef's kiss* perfection. make it into a football for the game, a heart for your loves, or just for yourself. let’s get to it!

—brownie fruit pizza—
* 1 box brownie mix
* 1 large egg
* ⅓ cup neutral oil, like canola or vegetable
* 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
* ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
* fresh fruit for topping

INSTRUCTIONS
* Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
* Add your brownie mix to a medium bowl and break up the large clumps with a fork.
* Whisk together egg and oil. Add to your brownie mix and stir to combine. Mix until no dry streaks remain. It might get hard to stir towards the end but I BeLiEvE iN yOu.
* Put your dough onto your lined baking sheet and pat it into an even disc. Roll the dough to 10 inches in diameter.
* Some of the edges might look cracked, so soften them up a bit by gently pressing/patting. I do not know how else to describe this but I trust you understand.
* Bake for *exactly* 12 minutes. Normally I want brownies suuuuper underbaked, but not here! We want it sturdy enough to hold up to the toppings but stay fudgy. In my oven 12 is perfect! The top will look crisp but not dried out. Remove and let cool completely.
* When you put your crust in to bake, go ahead and pull out your cream cheese! This gives it time to soften.
* Using a handheld mixer, cream together your cream cheese and powdered sugar. Taste and see what you think here! I always add a pinch of salt. If it's too tart for your liking, add more powdered sugar 2 tablespoons at a time.
* Evenly spread the cream cheese topping onto the crust.
* Top with any and all sliced fruit your heart desires! Except for apples, don't be a weirdie.
* Slice and serve!

our oldest is FIVE today and it's making me feel.

our oldest is FIVE today and it's making me feel. some. things. COVID messed with our plans for the birthday boy but we're making the most of it. and this @kingarthurbaking birthday cake was the perfect remedy.

to keep things simple, I baked the cake in a 9x13 and used a 6 inch cake ring to cut two layers. thankfully I'd already prepped the frosting and it's *chef's kiss* perfect for this cake. I would recommend a crumb coat but ya girl couldn't hang. (spoiler: no one cared because cake, y’know?) plus now I’ve got a bunchhh of scraps and leftover frosting, so I see some old school Kayla’s cake truffles in my future. (iykyk 😜)

I always (okay, except for one birthday I forgot) take a pic of the birthday cake on my MaMa's buffet. >>>swipe to see his past cakes! and my deep and unconditional love for a good balloon arch.

love you, friends. here's to modified plans and making the most of it. 💛

The wind chill is *8 degrees* and there’s not a sn

The wind chill is *8 degrees* and there’s not a snow flake in sight. We’re in the perpetual state of, “is it a cold or covid or a flare or allergies or…” and I’m letting my children mix play doh colors. 😳 IT IS THE WILD WEST OVER HERE. So it felt high time to share our favorite snack mix.

We’ve had this on repeat the past few weeks. I call it Snow Day Snack Mix because I usually have everything on hand. Plus it’s perfect for drive-by-snacking and makes theeee best tomato soup topping. But I’m thinking a rebrand to Stress Eat Snack Mix might be more accurate. 😅

Either way, it’s super easy and salty and snackable. Let’s get to it.

❄️Snow Day Snack Mix❄️
• 9 oz bag oyster crackers
• 8 oz pretzel twists
• 8 oz Cheez Its
• 2 packages dry ranch seasoning (@hidden.valley only, y’all)
•1 tsp dried dill
•1 tsp garlic powder
•1 cup canola/veg oil
-preheat oven to 325. line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
-whisk oil with seasonings in small bowl and set aside. make sure it’s fully combined!
-in a large (like biggest you have) bowl, combine oyster crackers with pretzels and Cheez Its.
-pour dressing mixture over top. stir stir stir until everything’s coated.
-carefully pour snack mix onto your sheet pan, spreading out as evenly as possible. bake for 15 minutes, stir, then another 15 minutes.
-let cool as long as you can wait then snack away!
**note-works well with half the dressing and two bags of pretzel sticks!**

love you, friends. take care of yourselves this week. 💛

hi hello and welcome to the time warp of post-Chri

hi hello and welcome to the time warp of post-Christmas pre NYE. this Christmas was a weird one; the unseasonably warm weather combined with a Saturday holiday made everything feel off. so I’m doing what I do best – combatting feelings with food. and what’s better than eating cheese when you’re feeling out of sorts?

if you’ve never made whipped feta you’re in for a treat! it’s super simple but packs serious flavor. feta and cream cheese take a quick spin in the food processor then ✨like magic✨ you’ve got a dreamy dip.

the flavor possibilities are endless but these two combos are my current faves: plain with honey thyme roasted tomatoes and lemon dill. it’s the perfect easy app for all your holiday snacking needs.

love to you, friends! hope you’re able to enjoy this holiday season. and if not, there’s always cheese. 💛

today is my PaPa's birthday! he would've been 97.

today is my PaPa's birthday! he would've been 97. he was a million things, but stubborn definitely tops the list...as does his fudge recipe.

last year as I kicked off this bLoG journey my dearest @sweetish.co let me share a few words about him as well as this cherished recipe. we don't know when or where it originated but it's a family favorite. I'd be honored if it became a favorite of yours, too.

you can find the recipe and a few favorite stories (as well as INSANELY BEAUTIFUL pics) on Robyn's blog! just search "PaPa's fudge." it really is a fudge for people who don’t think they like fudge. I updated it a bit, using dark chocolate and sprinkling with my OTL @maldonsalt. if you take the time to make homemade (!!!!) marshmallow cream it'll rock your world. but no side eye if you use pre-made; his recipe still holds up.

and, just to keep family traditions intact, please finish off the row. it would be rude not to, really. 💛

just putting the cute in charcuterie over here...😏

just putting the cute in charcuterie over here...😏

nothing wins like a cheese board! and to make those smiles bigger, everything is from @aldiusa and clocks in at $35! (bonus: had about half of everything leftover, so you could easily make another board !) >>>swipe for all the Aldi details.

here's a few notes about making the best of your board...
🧀 don't stress about a pretty platter! cheese and crackers are universally loved. use what you have!
🧀 cut a bit off of each cheese before serving; people are more likely to dig in if it looks like they're not the first.
🧀 no need to PACK IN THE BOARD. leave room for movement!
🧀 when buying for the board, think about: sweet, salty, briny, crunchy, smooth. a mix of textures and flavors is always a hit!
🧀 and when in doubt, a cheeseboard is a cheeseboard. PEOPLE WILL LOVE IT! but always buy dill havarti; it's a no-fail crowd pleaser.

my favorite bite? it's a tie between the rosemary raisin crisps with goat cheese and plum preserves or dill havarti with dried apricots on sea salt crackers. what about yours?

happy "calm before the holiday storm" week, my friends! here's to healthy family gatherings and a whole buncha cheese. love to you and yours. 💛

baking up these beauties tonight. 🥰 if you’re lo

baking up these beauties tonight. 🥰

if you’re looking for a sleeper hit, you’ve found it. if you want to be Star Baker at a Christmas party, she’s your gal. if you want to impress your significant other’s co-workers, I’ll report back tomorrow. 😅

this was my first post on my blog so it’s a bit SenTiMenTaL but don’t let that stop you! they’re soft with the best crispy edges, perfectly spiced, and a dang good Christmas cookie. make them for your family, friends or even just yourself and I promise you won’t regret it. find them on the blog under “soft spiced molasses cookies”!

happy Monday to you and yours, friends! here’s to a week with *happy* emotional eating. 😏

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