Dirty Graveyard Pudding Cups

Happy Halloween! This is one of my all-time favorite Halloween party treats from when I was a kid. It is super simple to make, and probably doesn't even count as an actual recipe, but I will take it. If anything on this blog deserves it's own post, this is definitely one of them. You can change and decorate these however you like. Get creative and make them extra spooky!

Recipe yields 10 cups

Ingredients
2 boxes Jell-O Instant chocolate pudding
4 cups milk
24 Oreo cookies
1 bag gummy worms
10 Nilla Wafers
Chocolate icing or gel (for decorating)

Prepare the chocolate pudding as directed on the package using milk. Using a food processor, crush the Oreo cookies into crumbs. You can also arrange the cookies in a bag and go over them with a rolling pin. Line up your cups. In the bottom of each cup add a spoonful of pudding. Top with a layer of cookie crumbs and a worm. Repeat with another layer of pudding, some 'dirt' for the top and another worm peaking through. Decorate your Nilla wafers as tombstones and arrange in the top of each cup. Enjoy!

Taco Skillet Rice + Cinco de Mayo Dessert

I hope everyone enjoyed their Cinco de Mayo! This year, I whipped up some enchiladas (Click here!), this delicious and simple taco inspired rice and some homemade cinnamon sugar tortilla chips for dessert. What are some of your Mexican favorites that you may have enjoyed this year?

Recipe yields 6 servings

Ingredients
3 cups brown rice, cooked
1 medium green bell pepper
1 can pitted black olives
1 can corn
1 cup diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt

Finely dice the pepper and cut the olives.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix together.

Add the mixture to a hot cast iron skillet in an even layer.

Cook for 35 minutes, being sure to mix every 5 minutes and scrape up any bits on the bottom of the skillet. Serve hot alongside enchiladas or any of your favorite Mexican dishes.

As I mentioned, for dessert, whip up a batch of cinnamon sugar tortilla chips.

Fill a large skillet with canola oil about 1 1/2 inches deep. Slice corn tortillas into small triangles. Add pieces to skillet once the oil is hot and tortillas sizzle. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side and remove to a towel lined tray. Sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon (1 cup sugar to 2 tablespoons cinnamon). Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container. Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Reese's Peanut Butter Egg Cookies

Happy Easter, everyone! It has been a long 40 days, but I can finally eat cookies again. I can't think of a better way to jump back into them, then with my favorite Easter candy - Reese's peanut butter eggs. If you like Reese's peanut butter cups, then you will love these eggs, which are filled with creamy peanut butter and a milk chocolate coating.

This year's masterpieces:

Recipe yields 24 cookies

Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
5 Reese's peanut butter eggs

In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix together the sugars and butter until smooth and creamy.

Add your egg and vanilla, and mix on medium speed until egg is completely incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. In batches, add your dry ingredients to the mixer.  Mix until just incorporated, being sure not to overmix.

Cut your eggs into little bite sized pieces. Add them to the cookie dough and mix together with a spoon.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. As the dough is chilling in the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment paper.

Using a cookie scooper, spoon 1 tbsp of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 8 minutes.

Remove from oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

Serve and enjoy with your Easter feast!

Grandma's Irish Soda Bread

Happy St. Patricks Day! Growing up, my favorite memories of St. Patrick's Day are all centered around the table (now, does that come as a shock to any of you?). For me, the celebration of Saint Patrick has two requirements, the first being corned beef and cabbage, and second (and more importantly) Irish soda bread with plenty of whipped butter. This recipe is one that was passed on to me by my Grandma, and it was given to her by her mother who brought it with her to America from Ireland. Every Irish family has their own version of traditional Irish soda bread, but this is the one I grew up loving. It has just the right amount of raisins and the most perfect buttery and sweet flavor. If your family has a traditional recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments!

Recipe yields 2 medium loaves

Ingredients
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups raisins
2 tbsp caraway seeds (these are optional, I personally don't care for them so I left them out)
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Plenty of extra butter and jam for topping

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Measure out your flour and sift it into a large mixing bowl.

Add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the bowl and whisk together.

Slice the butter into cubes and add them to the bowl with the dry ingredients. You want to make sure your butter is soft, room temperature, so it will be easier to mix.

Using your hands, combine the dry ingredients with the butter to form a crumbly mixture. (I am not sure if crumbly is a word, but in essence, you want plenty of crumbs to form.)

Add your raisins and stir to incorporate them. Try to coat all of the raisins in the crumb mixture. This will help them 'float' in the bread and not all sink to the bottom while baking.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk until well combined.

Create a well in the center of your ingredients. Slowly add the buttermilk mixture while continuously stirring. Your dough will be very sticky - thats what you want!

Now you can either split your dough in half to make two loaves or bake one giant loaf. I split mine in half and baked each half in a 9" cake pan lined with greased parchment paper.

Place the loaves in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. You will know when the bread is ready because it will have a golden brown top, it will sound hollow if you tap it with the back of a spoon and a tester will come out clean as can be. If after 40 minutes your bread is not ready, continue to check it every 2 minutes so you do not over bake it.

Once you remove it from the oven, coat the top with a layer of butter while still warm to soak into the bread. Slice it up and enjoy all day long with butter and jam. Or serve it with bacon for a traditional bacon sandwich. However you prefer it, enjoy!

Tip: For an extra sweet treat, soak your raisins in whiskey over night and drain them of any excess liquid before adding to your ingredients.

New Year's Eve Countdown Cookies

I found this great idea on Pinterest. The concept is easy, fill a cookie with sprinkles so when you break it open at midnight, you have a confetti themed dessert. I chose to make sugar cookies but you can make whatever flavor cookie you like. I hope you enjoy this cute cookie that is perfect for a New Year's Eve party.

Recipe yields 10 cookies

Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Frosting:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
4-5 tbsp milk

Sprinkles for confetti

In a large bowl, combine your butter and sugars. Beat until butter is smooth and airy.

Add your eggs, one at a time and beat in between. Continue to beat until eggs are fully incorporated.

Mix in the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Mix together with a fork. A little at a time, mix the dry ingredients into the wet, being sure not to over mix.

Form the dough into a ball and wrap in saran wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour but preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare your working surface with flour and a bit of granulated sugar. Roll out your dough to 1/4" thick. Use a cookie cuter (or the rim of a glass) to cut out circles.

Prepare your baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Place your circles on the sheet. For every two circles, cut a smaller circle out of the center of the third. In other words, each cookie should have two circular discs and one doughnut shaped circle.

Place the cookies into the oven and bake for 6-8 minutes. The second the edges start to brown, remove from the oven.

Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire cooling rack. In the meantime, you can prepare your frosting by mixing together the sugar and milk. If you would like the icing to be thinner, just add a little more milk (I suggest only adding 1/2 tsp at a time.)

Now it is time to assemble your cookies. The bottom layer will be one of the circular discs. Coat the edges with icing and 'glue' together a doughnut shaped cookie.

Fill the hole with a teaspoon of sprinkles. Now add icing around the edges of the doughnut shape and 'glue' on another circular disc.

Now you have a cookie sandwich with a surprise confetti center for your countdown. Decorate the top cookie however you like.

Bring these to your New Year's Eve party and serve just before midnight. Enjoy!