Boyfriend Birthday Brownies

Betcha can't say that three times fast?

Because I sure can't. 

This past Sunday was my boyfriend's 27th birthday! Birthdays are and have always been a huge deal to me. When I was younger, I knew that when I woke up on my birthday, the traditional Tucker-family birthday sign would be hanging on the mantle, a special birthday breakfast was in store (waffles with strawberries and whipped cream), and I would get a call from my grandmother to sing 'Happy Birthday'. I almost always had a party, usually one that involved a pool (the result of having a birthday in the middle of the hot Oklahoma summers). Birthdays were a little different as I grew older and went to college, especially that monumental 21st birthday, but had no less importance and level of celebration. I love everything about birthdays and feel that they should be celebrated from the moment a person wakes up until they go to sleep!

The most important component of any birthday is the cake (that's my sweet tooth talking) and I wanted to make sure my boyfriend got exactly the kind of "cake" he wanted. I always request a strawberry cake with strawberry icing with strawberries on top, but he wanted plain and simple, delicious chocolate brownies. Feeling the pressure to make these brownies perfect, I turned to a constant source of recipe inspiration and followed this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. 

all images via. Smitten Kitchen

I thought the brownies turned out delicious; dense and flavorful. We even did a comparison taste test between the brownies I had made and the pan that his mom had sweetly made for him to (he had dropped hints to all the right people about his "cake"). He wasn't willing to reveal his thoughts and honestly, I couldn't decide with I liked better. They were both delicious and the perfect way to end the perfect birthday day!

Until the next birthday!

Shrimp and Vegetable Saute Over Spaghetti Squash

I had already planned to make this spaghetti squash dish Tuesday night when I found out that that particular date was "National Splurge Day". Apparently on that day you can eat things that you normally wouldn't eat like bacon wrapped cupcakes and pizza topped with macaroni and cheese. Tuesday night would have been a great night to indulge and yet I was so excited about this healthy, spaghetti squash that I stuck with my meal plan and kicked the national holiday to the curb. I will celebrate twice as hard next year. 

I had bought a spaghetti squash on impulse and wasn't quite sure what to do with it. I had only used spaghetti squash once before, in my Smitten with Friends and Family tacos. I knew that I loved the addition of squash and I was looking forward to trying it out again. I found this recipe on Food Gawker  and immediately loved it since I had all the ingredients at home! So maybe it wasn't your typical splurge, but my dessert was definitely splurge-worthy. My sweet, little sis brought me an afternoon treat to work and I showed incredible restraint by saving half of it for dessert. These snickerdoodle bars are crazy good!



A healthy dessert warrants a dessert splurge.

Pasta all'Amatriciana

Let me just begin by giving full credit for this recipe and the photo to one of my favorite bloggers, Victoria of vmac and cheese. She had blogged about this pasta months ago and when I came across it, I quickly bookmarked it to make later. When some of my sweetest friends decided to get together for dinner, I pulled this recipe out because I knew it would be easy, yet completely satisfying. There is something to be said about making a big pot of pasta for friends. 

Like I mentioned, this pasta was so easy and required very few ingredients. To accompany dinner, I threw together a big salad with blackberries and candied walnuts (a simpler version of this) and we finished everything off with angel food cake topped with strawberries. Angel food cake (which I totally bought at the store) is a completely underrated dessert and it's basically air so we all went back for seconds. Besides, I have always said that if there is fruit involved then you are practically losing weight. 

I'm gonna go lose some weight with some apple pie and strawberry ice cream.

A Bread Post

I am honestly a little surprised that I haven't had a post that has been dedicated to all the fantastic uses of bread. It is one of my absolute favorite food groups and if you put a bread basket in front of me, then you will not be enjoying any of it. It will be gone. In a flash.

Story time: As a child I enjoyed bread so much that I thought I would start a little bread collection. My tiny, undeveloped brain thought of the genius plan to fill a shoe box with all sorts of breads to keep under my bed for those middle of the night cravings. Completely normal.  So after dinner one night, I stealthily filled a Ked's shoe box with two leftover dinner rolls, some biscuits from breakfast that morning, and a few pieces of classic Wonder Bread. I went to bed that night happy, knowing that under my bed was my own, little collection of carbs. Well, after about 30 minutes of "sleep", I woke up STARVING and had to break in to my rations. Ten minutes later... bread collection had been depleted. Gone, vanished, gobbled up by carb-loving Kathleen. 

Now you understand the need for a bread post.

Earlier this week, when buying bread for my grown-up almond butter + jam sandwich, I had a major George Banks "Superflous Buns" moment at the grocery store. I kept looking at the loaves of bread thinking about how I was buying bread for one person. I wanted to stick my hand in the bag, take out the two slices that I needed and leave the rest for another 23 year old in my predicament. What on earth would I do with all those slices before it eventually molded? Oh, don't worry, carb-loving Kathleen has found some ways.

1. Avocado + Egg Toast 

Mash 1/4 of an avocado with salt, pepper, and a little Tabasco sauce and spread on a toasted slice of bread. Top with a scrambled egg. Delicious breakfast!

2. Grilled Almond Butter + Jam Sandwich

It was so good the first time, why not enjoy it again on this upcoming lazy weekend. I might even add some variance to my berries.

3. Summer Panzanella

The Smitten Kitchen panzanella looks absolutely wonderful and it is basically a salad with extra croutons so what's not to love?

4. Whole Wheat Bread Pudding

After three meals of carbs it is only right to have a dessert made completely of bread. It includes apples, raisins, and walnuts so those make it perfectly healthy!

Carb up, it's almost the weekend. 

Margarita Cake

I cannot go to the mall without going to Williams-Sonoma. Even though 95% of the time I know I won't be buying anything, I can't resist just stopping by to browse and dream about one day owning all those beautiful kitchen gadgets. Another huge part about going to Williams-Sonoma is for those tasty samples they sometimes have at the front of the store. I love the hot, apple cider they have around Christmas time and these cookies began as a WS sample. Last weekend, while shopping for "big girl job" clothes, my mom and I popped in to Williams-Sonoma and they had out little, bite-sized samples of margarita cake. As a lover of margaritas I had to try this cake and after the first sample there were many more sneaky trips back to the front of the store to snatch another and another and another. Finally the sweet and not-so-naive sales woman (who had watched me eat all four samples) handed me a small card with the recipe on it. I was busted but happy as a clam now that I was able to make this cake at home!

Are you ready for the best part about this cake? Other than that it is cake and that it is margarita flavored? It is made from a box cake mix! I never rarely make baked goods from pre-made packages. It takes all the fun out of the baking process, but because I loved this cake so much, and because I trust Williams-Sonoma, I decided to stick with the recipe and use the box mix. This cake could not have been easier to make and it is unbelievably moist (even three days after I originally made it). I have only gotten rave reviews from all of my friends official blog recipe testers and this dessert will make the perfect Memorial Day treat, especially if want something quick and easy that is sure to please all your guests. 

Williams-Sonoma Margarita Cake

For the Cake:

1 store-bought yellow cake mix (will also need eggs and butter, determined by box recipe)

Margarita mix as needed

For the glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

1/4 cup margarita mix

Directions:

To make the cake, preheat an oven according to the cake mix package instructions. Grease and flour a 9-by-13 inch baking pan. 

Prepare the cake batter according to the package instructions, using the margarita mix instead of water. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake according to the package instructions. Transfer the pan to a wire rack after removing from the oven. 

To make the glaze, in a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and margarita mix until well blended. Pour the glaze evenly over the warm cake. Let cool completely before serving.  

Margarita anything. 

Homemade Nutter Butters

When I first saw Emily's recipe post for homemade Nutter Butters I knew that I would be making them that same day. I freely admit that I love peanut butter and I will eat it in almost any context. For breakfast, on my waffles and even in my smoothies, for lunch, in a classic peanut butter and honey sandwich, and it makes the perfect snack with sliced apples. Did I mention that I also love peanut butter in my desserts? I love it in cookies and pie and more cookies, so it was only right to test out another peanut butter cookie recipe to hopefully add to my long list of favorites. 

This cookie definitely made it's way to my long list of favorites. This cookie is completely sinful with an irresistible peanut butter cream wedged between two soft and chewy peanut butter cookies. These cookies are so rich that I (yes I, the girl who never met a dessert she didn't like) could only eat half a cookie at one time. Don't worry, I found plenty of people to share my cookies with and within two days all the cookies had disappeared.

I cannot wait to make these cookies again, they are so cute and delicious, but I would definitely make my cookies smaller next time. There is so much going on that you can afford to downsize the cookies!

Emily can do no wrong. 

Whole Lemon Bars

I think I would trust Deb Perelman (Smitten Kitchen) with my life. Well I at least trust her with my cooking and baking life and that is big.

I have never had any problems with any recipes from her cookbook or blog, and many have become my favorites, like granola and homemade oreos. I don't even get nervous when trying one for the first time, even when the recipe is for an important event, like your best friend's bridal shower. 

I think that lemon bars are perfect for an afternoon, spring event and they are one of my favorite desserts. I had never tried making them before but I knew to go to my Smitten Kitchen cookbook for the best recipe. I was surprised upon reading the recipe that Deb's lemon squares call for a whole lemon; skin and all. I trusted her and went ahead and threw the whole, sliced lemon in the food processor and was quite proud of the results. 

You begin my baking the crust and then top it with the yummy lemon filling. The greatest part about this recipe? That you make the entire thing in the food processor!

Topping lemon bars with loads of powdered sugar is a must. Even with all the sugar on top, lemon bars are still an acceptable breakfast, so enjoy!

I absolutely loved these lemon squares and received lots of compliments throughout the day. I know that I will be making this recipe again very soon, but maybe after the wedding I have in two weeks. 

Still smitten with Smitten Kitchen. 

Caramel Flan

It was obvious that I was feeling ambitious and brave earlier this week when I decided to make two dishes that were completely foreign to me. Tuesday I attempted to make two Spanish traditional dishes, paella and flan... And I kind of nailed it. Granted, my paella was very americanized and turned out to be more like a rice casserole, but it didn't stop my boyfriend (who ate paella often while living in Spain) from going back for thirds. While eating dinner I hadn't told him about the flan I had made for dessert; I wanted it to be a surprise and I was scared that it was going to be awful. He was shocked when I dramatically pulled the dish towel off to reveal the mini flans and I was shocked when I realized that they actual looked and tasted good!

I had only tried this Spanish custard dish once before, but after tasting my own version, I have to admit that it tastes exactly the same. I learned that there are so many variations to this recipe, but after buying Eagle Brand condensed milk, I thought it would be safe to use their recipe. 

Everything was fairly easy, except coating the bottom of my ramekins with caramel. It didn't turn out quite as evenly as I had hoped, but I found that if you do one at a time while you continue to let the remaining caramel heat in the pan then you will have more luck.

My only other issue came with the cook time. The recipe said to cook these flans for just 25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Well at 25 minutes they were not even close and I had to end up cooking these for 50 minutes until they reached a custard consistency. They eventually got there and all four ramekin dishes were quickly scraped clean.

What Spanish dish can I try next?

Smitten with Friends and Food: Night 2

I know some people might run the opposite direction when they hear about putting spaghetti squash in your tacos, but that ingredient is exactly what intrigued me to make this recipe. Unfortunately, that might have been the ingredient that caused the disgusted look on my roommate's face when I told her about Tuesday night's menu. To satisfy all my friends for Taco Tuesday we had delicious shredded chicken tacos too!

Now back to the delicious, spicy, wonderful, interesting, delicious (I already said that, didn't I?) spaghetti squash and black bean tacos from my Smitten Kitchen cookbook. The squash didn't even taste like a vegetable after all the different spices that this recipe called for. The whole combination made for a unique, but kind of incredible taco experience. 

Along with tacos, my sweet and domestic roommates helped out by making some other Mexican must-haves; guacamole and fresh margaritas! They were both a huge success and the three of us had a lot of fun tripping over each other in our tiny kitchen. The entire mexican spread was perfect for a lazy Tuesday night of great food, drinks, TV, and girl time with best friends.

Spaghetti Squash and Black Bean Tacos with Queso Fresco: by the Smitten Kitchen

(Makes sixteen 6-inch tacos, serving 4 generously or 8 modestly)

(but if you add chicken like me and have enough tortillas then you could probably feed a small army)

What You Need

3 pounds spaghetti squash (I snagged the last one at Sprouts in OKC)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 lime)

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Sixteen 6-inch corn tortillas

One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained very well

4 ounces crumbled queso fresco, feta, or Cotija cheese

1/4 cup finely diced red or white onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

What You Do

1. Cook the squash in the microwave (it's the easiest!)

Pierce the squash all over with a sharp knife so it does not explode in the microwave. Cook on high power for 6 to 7 minutes then flip and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until soft to the touch. Cool for 5 minutes.

2. When the squash is cooled slightly, cut in fourths and working over a bowl, scrape the squash with a fork, loosening and separating the strands as you remove it from the skin. 

 3. In a small dish, whisk the lime juice with chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt. 

4. Pour over the squash and gently toss to coat.

5. Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Warm and slightly blister each tortilla, about 30 seconds each side. (If you walk away they will burn- happens to me every time)

6. Fill each tortilla with 2 tablespoons black beans, 2 tablespoons of spiced squash, 2 teaspoons of crumbled cheese, and a couple pinches of onion and cilantro. Add hot sauce or lime if you feel so inclined!

To top off this meal, I whipped up one of my all-time favorite treats with a grown-up twist.

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats

Harvest Roast Chicken with Grapes, Olives, and Rosemary tonight!

Champagne Cupcakes

I have been wanting to make champagne cupcakes for months, but knew that I had to wait until the perfect occasion to make them. Well I don't think there is a better occasion than New Year's Eve to make these pretty, delicious, and bubbly cupcakes. 

I also wanted to post this immediately so that if someone out there is still searching for a special treat to take to a party tonight, they would have the recipe. I wish that I could say that I was going to a party that I could use these cupcakes to feed and impress guests, rather I will eat them for breakfast and use the holiday as my validation. I think this would be the time to declare that my New Year's Resolution is to not eat cupcakes for breakfast indulge in more cupcakes for breakfast. Hey, life is short, eat dessert first-- and I really mean first, as in the first meal of the day. 

I followed the recipe here that included some interesting new techniques. My only change would be to cook these cupcakes for less than the recommended 20 minutes.

Also, you can embellish your cupcakes anyway that you like. I chose edible glitter, available at Michael's. 

Enjoy!

Glitter is even better when it's edible. 

It's (Not) Complicated Part 2

After we finished our delicious French dinner, I was craving dessert. Usually I turn to frozen yogurt, cookies, or even a piece of fruit, but our dinner called for something spectacular to follow it. 

Not only spectacular but something french...

Why not Chocolate Croissants?

Again, Meryl Streep and Steve Martin enjoying delicious, homemade chocolate croissants in It's Complicated. 

This recipe I just made up myself but it was so easy if you already have the croissants.

Ingredients

Croissants (as many as you are wanting to serve)

Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Honey or agave nectar

Vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 400. 

2. Mix together a small amount (I did about 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla for 2 croissants) of the honey or nectar and vanilla. 

3. Spread this on the croissant.

4. Evenly place your chocolate chips on the croissant

5. Bake for about 5 minutes or until chocolate is all melted.

6. Dust with powdered sugar if you so wish (I so wished)

These are so easy and I believe I heard "this taste like they came from a French bakery"...

Swooning over that comment. 

It's not complicated, it's really quite easy. 

Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

I woke up Saturday morning with nothing to do. 

And when I say nothing, I mean I had tons of things I could have done, but none of them really involved me changing out of my pajamas and leaving my apartment.

Besides, my desire to bake on Saturday would have trumped any real plans that I had. 

So for two and a half hours I sat on my couch (watching Little Women) and searching the entire world wide web for something sweet to make. The possibilities were really endless and ranged from cranberry crumble bars to peanut butter fudge cookies to white chocolate peppermint fudge.
I landed on these espresso chocolate chip cookies; a decision based solely on the fact that I already had all the ingredients and didn't have to change out of my pajamas and go to the grocery store.

Not that going to my grocery store (Wal-Mart...) in my pajamas would be a shock to anyone there. Every time I walk in I spot people in their pajamas, slippers and everything. 

This. Is. Not. Okay.

So it was settled. I was going to make espresso cookies, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the little tiny detail that these cookies have coffee in them...

The cookies were quite easy to make and I anxiously awaited for them to come out of the oven so that I could enjoy them with a glass of milk. 

And here is where the story gets sad. Cue somber music and cut to an image of me eating a sub par cookie by myself in my pajamas. Actually the score from Little Women was playing in the background and it doesn't get more somber than that. 

These cookies were not bad, I promise. They just were not everything I was expecting.
I was tempted to throw the entire batch away so that the cookies wouldn't even be a temptation (wasting calories on mediocre cookies is a crime) but I was too lazy and told myself I would get rid of them later.

Cut to Sunday morning- me in my pajamas, on my couch, watching Little Women. Dejavu?
I decide to try another cookie with my coffee for breakfast.
It was SO GOOD.
Yes, you read that right. These "okay" cookies had magically transformed overnight to "awesome" cookies.

So here are my conclusions--
1. These are "next day cookies". This syndrome for baked goods really does exist. Like the chocolate cake that gets better as it sits, these cookies are better after they rest and the flavors mature.
2. These cookies are best dipped in or paired with coffee. My glass of cold milk did nothing for these chocolate chip cookies, but the hot coffee made these cookies melt in my mouth and I was hooked. So hooked that I had two more for breakfast.

Never judge a cookie until the next day.