My PB + J

the best cookie you’ll ever eat. period.

If you are looking for a cookie recipe to wow the socks off of your friends look no further. The first time I ate this cookie was in NYC with my bestaaay shortly after we arrived in the city. I had been dreaming about them since that hot Summer day. So, I was even more excited when I saw that Momofuko Milk Bar shared the recipe for their beloved cornflake-chocolate chip-marshmallow cookie with Martha Stewart.
Whether you only get through the first step of toasting the cereal simply because you munched on it, burning your tongue in the process as it immediately came out of the oven. Or, because you baked the entire batch and gorged yourself silly and baked another batch to bring to a dinner party. Regardless of the outcome, you will see how addictive these crispy, gooey, buttery goodness of a cookie are. Get going! Bake these babies up and forget those useless resolutions you just made.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holiday Entertaining with Whole Foods + $50 GC Giveaway

Are you entertaining this holiday season? Or, are you heading to a party and are in need of some quick, inexpensive yet healthy options? Then look no further! Whole Foods Market is your one-stop entertaining shop this holiday season. 



For those in the San Diego area, there’s a Dressing Rehearsal on Thursday, December 12th from 6 to 8 pm at the Whole Foods Market Encintas (687 S Coast Highway 101, Encintas, CA 92024)

The event will feature: 

o   Beer & Wine – Holiday favorites, pairings and sampling

o   Holiday Cheese Board – How to create

o   Premier Party Dips sampling

o   Coffee and seasonal treats

I don’t know about you but when it comes to entertaining it can be stressful worrying about all the details, making sure you have special diets covered, yummy food to serve and overall, happy guests! Keep it simple and let Whole Foods do the some or all the work. 


Last week I created a yummy cheese board that impressed out-of-town guests as they arrived. It was a nice afternoon treat as we caught up and enjoyed one another’s company. 

While shopping I asked the cheesemonger for advice on how to create a memorable cheese board, she walked me through the cheese case and gave me some great advice! 

Tips for  How to create a cheese board: 
• Pick cheeses of contrasting textures and flavors: creamy, firm, sweet, pungent. 
• Offer at least one cow, sheep & goat’s milk cheese.                                               
• Contrast Old World cheeses with New World selections.
• On a budget? Buy one or two fantastic cheeses, rather than five or six so-so options.
• Two ounces of cheese per person is a good rule of thumb.
• Let sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before serving for optimal flavor.
• Serve with bread and crackers for different textures and flavors to accent the cheese. 


 “Easy, breezy, wine and cheesy” pairing and entertaining ideas:


o   Roger d’Anoia Cava ($9.99) – A great crowd-pleasing, Spanish sparkling wine that’s ripe, round and perfect for toasting. Pair with a smooth, semi-firm Uniekass Parrano cheese.  
o   H & G Priorat ($13.99)– A spicy, dusty nose with aromas of red fruits, orange peel and licorice lead to a full-bodied and complex palate. This Spanish red has a silky feel and long finish and pairs perfectly with Guillateau Fromager d’Affinois ($15 per pound).
o   BYOBrie – Start with your favorite brie like Isigny Sainte-Mère French Brie (exclusive to Whole Foods Market) and then grab pre-portioned toppers to mix and match, like dried cranberries, walnuts, marcona almonds and more to suit a variety of palates.
o   DIY: Learn how to dress your table with parchment paper flower napkin rings, cork and using DIY craft tutorials Etsy’s seller community has developed exclusively for Whole Foods Market. 

                                                             

For additional holiday inspiration make sure to check out Whole Foods Market’s Best Holiday Ever!

  
One lucky reader will win a $50 Gift Card to Whole Foods Market to help simplify your holiday season! 

Winner will be notified by email and will have 24 hours to reply, at which point another winner will be selected if winner does not reply.
To enter to win enter via the rafflecopter form below. Be patient, it might take a minute to load. 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Whole Foods Market Encinitas.

Holiday Baking with Land O’ Lakes Butter {Caramel Apple Pie Pops Recipe}

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and its client. 

Over the weekend I had my sister, best friend and their families over for a little holiday crafting date. Basically this translates to: my best friend brings some yummy food, I bake, my sister does all the crafting, the kids get to play and the husbands watch football. It was a great excuse to get everyone together even if that meant we barely got any real crafting done. We can partially blame that on the food coma and maybe a glass of wine (or two!)

The day before I stopped by Walmart to pick-up some last minute craft and baking supplies. The one thing about my refridgerator is that it is usually fully stocked with butter, I mean who doesn’t love butter? But, with all the holiday baking I have been doing lately I was all out of the good stuff. When I bake I make sure to use quality butter and always choose Land O’ Lakes.

Since going gluten-free over two months ago I have been brainstorming my baking list to see where I can make some changes with treats I enjoy. One of my favorite desserts during the holidays is my dutch apple pie. I tweaked the recipe slightly by taking away the crumb topping, added in mini caramel bits, switched the all-purpose flour to gluten-free flour and made them pops! They are so stinkin’ cute and taste that much sweeter. I would love to say that making them mini would stop me from eating more but I cannot. The crust is my favorite part! Land O’ Lakes butter makes the crust so flaky, delicate and perfectly crisp that you don’t even realize that it’s gluten-free.

Gluten-Free Caramel Apple Pie Pops Recipe
 
For the Crust: 
Ingredients:
  • 2 cups gluten free flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons guar or xanthan gum
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick Land O’ Lakes butter cut into pieces
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
  • lollipop sticks (optional)
  •  
  • Instructions:
  • In a food processor mix: gluten-free flour, sugar, guar or xanthan, baking powder, and salt. Cut in chilled butter.
  • In a separate bowl, combine: eggs and apple cider vinegar. Add to flour mixture and stir to blend. You may need to add a tablespoon or two of water to dough.
  • Gather dough into a ball, wrap, and refrigerate until slightly chilled.
  • The easiest way to roll out the dough is between layers of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Roll dough fairly thin, but thick enough so it does not tear. Using a biscuit cutter, cut an even amount of circles. Place the cut circles onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Place a lollipop stick half way onto the dough. I found red stripe sticks but plain sticks will work too.

 

 

 

 

Apple Pie Filling: 

 

  • 2-3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored & diced 
  • 2 TB brown sugar
  • 2 TB granulated sugar
  • 2 TB cinnamon
  • Caramel Bits (2-4 bits per pie)
  • half & half
  • sanding sugar
  • In a mixing bowl, combine: apples, sugars and cinnamon. Place a heaping teaspoon onto each dough circle. You will want to make sure the mound isn’t too high as the top layer of dough will tear.
  • Add 2-4 caramel bits on top of the apple layer. Place second piece of dough on top. Slightly push the two pieces of dough together. Take a fork around the edges to crimp the dough together. You can add a decorative piece of dough onto the pies like I did if you wish. I’ve made some with acorns for Thanksgiving and some with stars for Christmas, the options are endless.
  • Brush a little half & half onto the crust and sprinkle sanding sugar. Bake at 350º for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. I tend to like my crust a little darker so mine were baked for roughly 33 minutes. Let cool & enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Caramel Apple Pie pops will bring a smile to anyone’s face this holiday season! For additional holiday ideas using Land O’ Lakes butter make sure to visit their holiday recipe collection.

what will it bee?

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of baking for the most adorable bee themed baby shower. The owner of The Dailey Method, Stephanie, is expecting her first baby this Christmas and was having her second shower. This shower was also a gender revealing so it was even more exciting for me and all her friends that have been dying to know what she’s having. The spread was simple: vanilla and chocolate cupcakes, chocolate cake pops, perfectly tart lemon bars and a {pink} cake! The event was held at the Barrel Room, a perfect spot for an intimate luncheon. I truly hope that Stephanie loved every detail I incorporated.

my baby turned two.

This past Friday my baby boy turned two. It is insane that he is no longer considered a “baby”. I know in my eyes he will always be my baby but he is turning into a boy so quickly and his baby face is slowly diminishing. I love each new milestone, each new word and honestly there isn’t one thing I don’t obsess about with this boy. I could stare at him for hours watching him closely analyzing everything around him. He has the sweetest soul, is the biggest animal lover and loves sports. He wants to do everything his big sister does and honestly she is his biggest fan, too! Payton is so patient with him and helps him each day sounding out words, helping him draw, plays games and whenever they’re apart they want to be back together again. My sweet little man is already sarcastic and has the most infectious laugh there is. His ability to kick and throw a ball is amazing, I cannot wait to watch him grow as an athlete. His love for the Chargers has already set in and wherever he sees football or the Chargers logo he exclaims, “GO CHARGERS!” at the top of his lungs.

To celebrate his birthday we headed to Disneyland a few days early. He could not wait to see Goofy, Mickey, Pluto and Mater. As soon as we arrived we were greeted by Goofy and we had one ecstatic boy on our hands. The day was perfect, he is perfect and we couldn’t have asked for a better day to celebrate his birth.

I love you, Brayden James. You completed my heart the day you were born and the past two years have been magical. Thank you for choosing me.