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Thirsty Thursday… in a mug?

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Happy Friday Junior, Foodie Friends!

Welcome to what has become a monthly blog post-I really must get better at this writing and posting thing, lol. Well, I am thankful for my Food Network Magazine inspiration for “A Year of Brownies”.

It’s March already! I have been happily baking for my family this week, as I have my son home on spring break, as well as my niece visiting from Pittsburgh on her break. My house is full of happy taste testers! My heart is full having almost all my family together. The rest of my brood returns to the nest this weekend.

Last night I whipped up a batch of the “Irish Coffee Brownies” which happens to be the March featured brownie. You bake them in individual mugs, which are the perfect portion size for individual desserts!

I made a few minor adjustments, and I have to say they were DELICIOUS!! A little boozy (only a tablespoon of Bailey’s Irish Cream) , very dense, rich and fudgy. Highly recommend for all ages (without alcohol of course)! You could substitute the Irish Cream for a coffee flavored liqueur or Irish whiskey if you prefer. This recipe could also be the base of a brownie ice cream sundae!

I was lucky enough to find this mug at Home Goods, perfect size for “Irish Coffee Brownies” AKA “Mug Brownies”

The recipe was easy to follow, had minimal ingredients and serves four hearty dessert or snack portions of these totally cool mug brownies. You divide the batter among four microwave safe mugs, with each mug taking only 1 minute and 30 seconds to bake. Winner -winner for after dinner sweetness!

The recipe called for making your own flavored whipped cream for garnish, but I had store bought whipped cream in the fridge and opted to use that instead for ease and convenience. I had all other ingredients on hand , with the exception of coffee extract. I didn’t have that so I substituted vanilla extract and it was still amazing.

Click the link above for the original recipe. My only tweaks were store bought whipped cream and vanilla extract. We still enjoyed every bite!

I hope you try your hand at this recipe, and if you do, let me know!

Reach out to the Kitchen via email fromginaskitchen@gmail.com! I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time….

Make everyday a sweet one!

Gina

It’s “Twelve Months of Brownies”

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Happy February, Foodie Friends!

While most of the country was focused on football, I spent the day watching hockey and catching up on what I decided would be one my fun projects in 2020.

If you read the title of this post, you know what that is. A new brownie recipe a month. Only I didn’t start on Jan. 1. I baked the January recipe on Thursday night. Late, on January 30th. Handed out samples on the 31st (and yesterday!) Then, I dove into the February recipe today. So, I did two months worth in 72 hours. I’m counting that as a win! I also had ALMOST all of the ingredients on hand for both recipes. Another win!

Inspired by Food Network Magazine’s latest double issue, I present to you the first two months of brownies.

January’s recipe was titled “Snow Day Coconut Brownies” and they did not disappoint! The original recipe called for macadamia nuts, but I had pecans on hand so I used those instead. I upped the coconut flavor by adding coconut extract to both the frosting and the brownie batter. I also made my own frosting.

Gina’s version of “Snow Day Coconut Brownies”

Here’s my version:

For the brownies:

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (I used Nestles Toll House )

2/3 cup coconut oil

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 tsp. coconut extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans

For the icing :

1 stick softened butter

1/2 cup shortening

4 cups powdered sugar

3-4 tablespoons of half and half

3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

For the brownies: Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper. Coat with cooking spray. Combine chocolate and coconut oil in saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring , until melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, and extract until well combined. Stir in flour and salt until smooth. Stir in coconut and pecans. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake until brownies are done, 30-35 mins. Transfer to a rack and allow to cool before frosting.

For the frosting:

In a standing mixer with whip attachment (or using hand mixer) whip all ingredients together except coconut. When frosting is smooth and spreadable, use angled spatula to cover brownies. Sprinkle coconut over top. Cut into wedges to serve and enjoy!

Now, the February brownies were another hit in the household. I followed the recipe for “Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies” in it’s entirety, so I’ll just leave that link here.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies, recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine

I will admit I was distracted watching hockey while I baked today, and I made a little tiny mistake. The top layer is the cheesecake layer, and should not have cocoa powder in it. It should be more of a swirl effect, but it was a tense 3rd period of the Pittsburgh Penguins game, and I accidentally added some of the cocoa powder to the cream cheese mixture. Once I realized what I did , I scraped out as much as I could, lol! You can see a little of the swirl effect on mine, but not as much as in photo attached to original recipe. I also got fancy and used a heart cookie cutter. It is February , after all!

I hope you enjoyed the first two installments in the “Twelve Months of Brownies”. Wait until you see March! In the meantime, enjoy February, with all its lovely winter coziness. Bake yourself a batch of brownies, and let me know how they turn out for you!

Gina

New Toy in the Kitchen !

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It’s not what you think, foodie friends.

I’m not a big techie gal. Computers scare me. My iPhone scares me sometimes, lol . So this purchase was a bit nerve wracking for me.

My first Cricut !

So? What do you think I’ll be using this bad boy for? I’m thinking cupcake and cake toppers, goody bag tags , logo labels, cards and more!

Do you have a Cricut? What do you use yours for?

I want to know!

Drop me a message or email with ideas and suggestions. I could use all the help I can get with this toy. It’s not my comfort zone for sure.

Wish me luck !

Gina



Sugar Cookies, anyone? Order today!

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Sugar cookies , anyone? Gift mixes with sprinkles and one cookie cutter! Available today through December 3rd… contact the Kitchen via email at fromginaskitchen@gmail.com for details and to order! All orders must be placed by December 3, and will be ready for pick up December 6th. Cost per kit is $6.

Mix as packaged makes 2-2 1/2 dozen cookies, depending on size of cookie cutter (shape and design subject to availability) .

Last minute edible craft for Turkey Day fun!

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Happy Pre-Thanksgiving Day, Foodie Friends!

I’m sure you are having the same kind of week I’ve had… a short work week that ends in pie and shopping (haha) BUT still SO. Much. To. Do.!

I’ve got pies ready for my family. I’ve got the turkey brining, bread is prepped for homemade stuffing, and my to-do list is on the counter for tomorrow. I’m ready to run in a Turkey Trot at 8:30am tomorrow, too! Starting the day with a calorie deficit is a plus in my book!

In the kitchen I’ve also been prepping some goodies for Small Business Saturday at Manassas Olive Oil Company I hope to see you there! The shop is open 10am-6pm, and I’ll be there from 11am-2pm. Samples, new treats , and old favorites infused with the best olive oils in town.

But back to today, and more importantly, tomorrow! I have a fun little “edible cornucopia” craft for your kiddos to assemble while you are busy with the main meal prep. Oh, and if you watched the FB live we did last week, you also saw what wines Ann Marie came up with to pair with your Thanksgiving desserts.

Waffle cone filled with your favorite small snacks (pretzels, caramel corn, candies) and a surprise baked right in (if you feel inspired!)
Fun, quick, and hands on for kids of all ages. I baked a mini cupcake in the bottom of mine, but if you can’t, no worries… more room for snacks and candy!

To make this edible cornucopia, start with a waffle cone (I got mine at Target) .

Other items you can use : frosting and sprinkles , candy (m&ms, candy corn, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips) pretzels, popcorn, caramel corn, or any snack foods you like that will fit into the mix!

I frosted the outer edge of the cone with frosting, then dipped the cone in sprinkles. After I did that, I stuffed the cone full of my favorites, and plated it with more candies for decoration.

For even more of a dessert , bake one tablespoon of cake batter in the bottom of your cone for a surprise treat. I’d recommend using a Wilton ice cream cone cupcake holder for that though!

That should give the kiddos a great activity around your kitchen table!

Cheers to you, your family, and all the memories you’ll make tomorrow, and all throughout the holiday season!

Happy Thanksgiving, from my kitchen to yours!

Gina

Flashback Friday/Fast Forward Friday?

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It’s Friday, foodie friends! Welcome to another little blog post, around the kitchen table!

Today I’m sharing a recipe from my friend Emily over at Manassas Olive Oil Company. MOOC, located at 9406 Grant Avenue in historic Old Town Manassas has welcomed me in with several pop up shop opportunities , including last month’s Halloween themed cookie decorating and “crispy rice treat” demo.

If you missed last month’s demo, no worries. I’m having one next week, and the theme is “turkey”, as in cupcakes decorated in a turkey theme! Click here to find out more! $5 per kid, more details and to express interest on the FB page!

Now to the “flashback Friday” recipe !

Delicious, marshmallowy goodness combined with butter infused olive oil make for a tasty twist to a childhood classic treat! Pictured here with natural food coloring from the Halloween themed pop up. The purple is actually elderberry syrup! YUM!

Crispy Rice Treats

recipe courtesy of Manassas Olive Oil Company

3 Tbsp. MOOC Butter infused olive oil

1 Tsp. vanilla extract

1 (10 ounce) bag of marshmallows (mini or large)

6 cups crispy rice cereal

Coat a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil spray. In large pan or electric skillet, combine marshmallows and oil until melted. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Using rubber spatula, fold in cereal. Stir until coated. Pour into oiled pan. Press down evenly with spatula. Cool. Cut into squares, or use your favorite cookie cutters and sprinkles for fun holiday shapes!

You can also use any of their flavored oils to infuse a different , fresh flavor to your treats. Lemon, Blood Orange and Lime are my favorites.

Coming up next week, I’ll switch to Thanksgiving and turkey themed cupcakes!

  • This little turkey cupcake was infused with espresso balsamic in the buttercream! Stop by the shop from noon-2pm on Wednesday the 20th with your little ones to find out how, and to make your own!
  • This little turkey cupcake is traditional buttercream and candies… but we will have vanilla and chocolate balsamic on hand for the adventurous foodie in your kid!

I hope to see you and your littles on Wednesday the 20th. Have questions about baking with olive oil? Email me or visit the Kitchen online.

Make it a sweet Friday!

Gina

Happy 244th Birthday, USMC!

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Edible images make any cupcake a personal, heartfelt treat. Honored to bake these cupcakes as a surprise for a friend’s fiance!

Today marks the 244th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. Did you know each year on this day you should send a birthday sentiment to any Marine you know? Cards, emails, texts, FB posts… you’ll see birthday wishes all around. Even in the form of edible image cupcakes. Surprise birthday ambush from a friend to her fiance! I love being a part of special occasions, no matter how big or small. And when you turn 244, I’d say that’s HUGE!

Thank you to all who served, and to all who continue to serve.

For more on the history of the USMC, click here.

For more information on edible image logos for cupcakes, cookies, or cakes, contact us. The Kitchen has done many themed desserts using “sugar logos” or edible images. We send your image/logo out to a professional cake supply shop and it’s custom printed on a sugar sheet. What does all that mean for you? It means your party them will carry through all the way to your desserts! Paper products, party invite, company logo, monogram, the list goes on and on. Want to celebrate the grad, bride, mom-to-be, or anniversary couple? We can even put your favorite photo on a dessert! Looking forward to working with you to make your next event a little sweeter, a little more personal, and a lot less stressful!

Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

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Happy Monday, Foodie Friends!

If you caught the latest installment of the “Curly Girls” this morning (I know, it’s a day early!) you saw us in our themed helmets recapping one foodie related highlight of AnnMarie’s trip to South Africa. I paired her french press coffee (spiked with Amarula ) with a perfect fall brunch casserole. Formal name ” Pumpkin French Toast Casserole”. Those at the brunch party today just called it “DELICIOUS”, “AMAZING” and “MORE, PLEASE ”

Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

I didn’t get the chance to snap a picture of it, as we were so excited to dig in while it was warm. You can see it in our Facebook video though!

My recipe was a take on one I found on Food Network, and it did not disappoint! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did today.

We devoured that casserole before I could get a pic… I guess you could say it disappeared like a ghost! You can see the bottle of alcohol used in the coffee AnnMarie made… so cheers to that!

One and one half 15 ounce cans pumpkin puree

One 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

One tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 cup almond milk

I tsp. vanilla extract

4 eggs

one loaf brioche bread, sliced (I used two small chocolate marble loaves from Walmart!)

Two 8 ounce packages cream cheese, at room temp.

I cup powdered sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons softened butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. lightly butter or spray a 12×8 baking pan

Combine pumpkin, condensed milk, almond milk, pumpkin pie spices, and eggs in large bowl and whisk until combined. Dip read slices one by one (covering both sides of bread) and transfer to baking pan. Repeat process until bottom is covered.

With hand mixer in small bowl, mix vanilla, cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy (no lumps). Spread the mixture on top of the bread layer, spreading all the way to cover ends. Soak remaining bread slices in custard, layer on top of cream cheese mixture. (I poured the remaining custard over the whole thing after I finished layering. )

Combine softened butter, pecans, and brown sugar in small bowl. Top casserole with pecan mixture. I put my casserole in the fridge for about 90 mins, and baked before guests arrived.

Bake uncovered for 40-45 mins until top is golden.

Cheers to Monday brunch!

Gina

Disney inspired Curried Chicken Salad

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Happy Sunday, Foodie Friends!

This post is a few days overdue. I’ve had several friends ask me about this recipe, as AnnMarie and I shared it on our latest installment of the “Curly Girls”! If you haven’t watched us this past Tuesday, click here .

Sips and Swirls of fine wine and Disney recipes!

Now that you’ve caught up, here’s the recipe and wine pairings we shared.

Curried Chicken Salad (adapted from the cookbook “A Cooking Safari with Mickey” by Pam Brandon and the Disney Chefs)

This recipe is featured in Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Wild Africa Trek. Try this easy version, when you can’t make it to the “Happiest Place on Earth”!

1 1/2 pounds cooked, cubed chicken (I used Purdue Oven Carvers)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup Greek Yogurt (can simply use all Greek yogurt if you prefer)

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1 tbsp. lime juice

4 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. honey

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. black pepper

3/4 cup sliced red grapes

1/2 cup diced mango (I used pre-cut mango from my grocery store produce aisle )

Combine mayo, yogurt , onion, lime juice, curry powder, honey, ginger, pepper, and salt in large bowl and combine. Stir in chicken, and mix until blended. Fold in mango and grapes. Serve with a side salad, naan bread, or your favorite crackers or roll.

Wine notes:

Big Game Reserve, Cape Leopard 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon

Kanonkop Estate Wine 2016 Pinotage

Cheers to a delicious lunch, light dinner, or midnight snack!

Pack a Picnic Recipes (FB LIVE August 20)

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Hello Foodie Friends! AnnMarie and I had a great time today on “location” . If you watched live, you saw our antics sideways because neither of us realized it would post in the opposite orientation. If you sat through the entire clip we applaud and clink our glasses to you!

Today we paired two canned wines (YES, I said CANNED) with a simple light lunch/easy appetizer of Roasted Turkey and Cheddar wraps (or pinwheels, depending on how you slice them) Our platter had both, and we added fresh fruit, figs, olives and mini-pickles to round out the spread. Here’s the recipe , along with the wine pairings. We shopped at Wegmans, Trader Joe’s and our local farm market for everything! Let us know if you try this, or most importantly, if we have sold you on wine in a can!

Picture perfect picnic with super simple wraps, fruit and wine in a CAN! Don’t judge…it is really good!


Turkey Cheddar Wraps

4 ounces cream cheese spread (from 8 oz container)

*Homemade spice mixture (see below) OR – try the Trader Joe’s “Everything but the Bagel ” seasoning . Both are delicious!

4 (8 inch) flour tortillas ( I used a combo of white and whole wheat)

1 pound roasted turkey (I used Boar’s Head from the deli)

8 slices mild or sharp cheddar cheese

*Spice mixture : in small mason jar , combine 2 tablespoons each of dill, parsley, onion powder, and garlic salt. Shake until thoroughly combined. Sprinkle roughly 1 tsp. on each tortilla, after you spread the cream cheese. You’ll have enough left over to store for another batch later. Try it in sour cream as a spread or dip!

To assemble:

Spread thin layer of cream cheese on each tortilla, sprinkle with your choice of seasoning (see above).

Top with the two slices of cheddar cheese and 4-5 slices of roasted turkey

Roll tortillas and wrap in plastic wrap. Store in fridge 2-3 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap and slice off ends, cut in half (for a wrap served sandwich style) or, slice off ends and cut on the diagonal into 4 pieces for appetizer style pinwheels.

AnnMarie’s wine picks:

Day Owl California Rose

Crafters Union Rose

(both found at our local Wegmans)

Cheers to Tuesday, picnics, and fine wine in a can !

Gina