Chocolate Toffee Crackers

Today is National Chocolate Day, which gives us all an excuse to start the Halloween candy binge early! The average American adult consumes 24 pounds of chocolate annually. No wonder chocolate was voted as our favorite flavor. During Halloween, Americans purchase nearly 600 million pounds of candy, 90 million of this in chocolate form is sold just the week of. That's the equivalent of 16 billion fun sized Snickers bars. Side note: I keep my chocolate bars in the freezer. I love the crunch and coolness of frozen chocolate.

 Chocolate is king during Halloween with $1.2 Billion in sales and today, October 28th, is the biggest contributor. So quit reading this and go buy some chocolate!

You're back? I may or may not be snacking on a chocolate toffee cracker while I type this... 

You've probably heard of this recipe before. It's all over Pinterest in different varieties. This version is my favorite. I read several recipes and played around until I got just the right combination. You might know this recipe as "Christmas Crack" or "Saltine Toffee". I prefer the version with chocolate and love the idea of adding sprinkles to dress it up for the current holiday celebration. The whole thing only takes 15 minutes to make and most of you will already have all 4 ingredients, just needing the right color of sprinkles. You could also add crushed peppermint candy on top for Christmas or crushed cinnamon candy for Valentine's Day. If you come up with a great combo, leave a comment below. I love to hear your ides!


Chocolate Toffee Crackers

Ingredients:

2 sticks of butter
1 cup of light brown sugar
1-2 sleeves of saltine crackers
1 12 oz bag of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
sprinkles of your choosing


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°

Line a cookie sheet with tin foil, making sure to create an edge to prevent leaking.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over med-high heat. Add the brown sugar and stir with a whisk until the sugar is dissolved.

Let the mixture stand and boil for 3 minutes.

While the toffee cooks, line the cookie sheet with saltine crackers to create a solid, single layer.

Pour the toffee mixture evenly over the crackers and spread out with a silicone spatula.

Place the sheet onto the center rack of the oven and bake for 5 minutes.

Remove the sheet from the oven and rest on the stovetop.

Evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the toffee. Place the sheet back in the oven for one minute to melt the chocolate chips.

Remove the sheet and gently spread out the melted chocolate until you have a smooth, even layer of shiny chocolate. To finish, shake sprinkles over the top for decoration. Place the sheet in the fridge for 10  minutes to cool, remove and break into individual squares. 

Done! Wasn't that easy? Now the hard part is letting the batch make it to the serving table. I bet you can't eat just one...

Dutch Baby Puffed Pancake (GF option)

If you've never had a Dutch Baby pancake, you're in for a real treat today! They are by far one of my favorite breakfast foods and were eaten frequently in my house growing up for dinner as well. One of my earliest cooking memories, was watching my Mom whip up the batter and sitting next to the oven to wait for the magic to happen. Sure enough, after a few minutes the sides of the pancake would start to swell and morph into this giant creature; attack of the killer pancake! I was in awe watching the sides rise and get bigger, and bigger, and BIGGER!  It was always such a treat and one dinner option my Mom never got complaints about, just requests for second.. and third helpings.

Dutch Babies are also known as German pancakes. Their roots are derived from the German word for pancake Pfannkuchen (Pfanne "pan" and Kuchen "cake") and are typically topped with squeezed lemon juice and powdered sugar. They also can be topped with fruit or savory toppings like tomato. Dutch babies are a mix between an omelette and a soufflé. The nutty browned butter in the bottom of the pan swirls around the batter, creating the most delicious flavor as it is baked into the rising beautiful, golden brown edges and floating across the custard like center.

Batter:

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup bread flour*
• 1/2 cup milk (almond will not work)
• 1 Tbs. of sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/8 tsp. fine sea salt
• 1/2 stick of butter, cubed
• 
  

*Bread flour has a higher protein content than all purpose. Protein helps make the pancake rise. You may use all purpose flour, but the pancake will not rise quite as high.

Toppings:

Powdered sugar for dusting and lemon wedges

or 1 can of your favorite fruit pie filling

You may make this a savory option for brunch by serving with roasted cherry tomatoes and sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

A fried egg with prosciutto and fresh herbs would also be a great savory option. 

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Place a seasoned 10 or 12 inch cast-iron skillet or a 9X13 glass baking dish in the center rack of the oven. Add the cubed butter. Check back every two minutes until the butter is melted and light golden brown, swirling the butter around the bottom of the pan to coat as much of the lower sides as possible. Be very careful as the skillet and butter are extremely hot. Remove the pan from the oven and place on your stovetop. Leave a towel or hot pad on the handle as a reminder that this baby is HOT.

Make the batter by combining the remaining ingredients into a blender. Pulse until smooth, about one minute. Pour the batter into the center of the skillet, allowing the browned butter to spread to the edges. Slowly and carefully place the skillet back into the oven. 

Bake until the pancake is puffed and the edges are golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes. You'll be tempted to open the door as it raises, but refrain. Peeking will ruin the magic of the soufflé action and make your pancake fall. I promise it won't spill over the sides, no matter how large it becomes. 

Remove from the oven using hot pads and remove the pancake from the skillet with a large spatula. Turn the pancake out onto a large platter or wooden cutting board. It will fall slightly, which is normal. At this point you may sprinkle with lemon juice, powdered sugar and serve, or slice into pie cuts and serve each plate with your choice of topping or just plain maple syrup.

GLUTEN FREE VERSION

Batter:

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup Gluten free flour blend 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (GF variety)
• 1/2 cup milk (almond will not work)
• 1 Tbs. of sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/8 tsp. fine sea salt
• 1 cube of butter

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Place a seasoned 10 or 12 inch cast-iron skillet or a 9X13 glass baking dish in the center rack of the oven. Add the cube of butter to the center of the dish. Check back every two minutes until the butter is melted and light golden brown, swirling the butter around the bottom of the pan to coat as much of the lower sides as possible. Be very careful as the skillet and butter are extremely hot. Remove the pan from the oven and place on your stovetop. Leave a towel or hot pad on the handle as a reminder that this baby is HOT.

Make the batter by combining the remaining ingredients into a blender. Pulse until smooth, about one minute. Pour the batter into the center of the skillet, allowing the browned butter to spread to the edges. Slowly and carefully place the skillet back into the oven. 

Bake until the pancake is puffed and the edges are golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes. You'll be tempted to open the door as it raises, but refrain. Peeking will ruin the magic of the soufflé action and make your pancake fall. I promise it won't spill over the sides, no matter how large it becomes. 

Remove from the oven using hot pads and remove the pancake from the skillet with a large spatula. Turn the pancake out onto a large platter or wooden cutting board. It will fall slightly, which is normal. At this point you may sprinkle with lemon juice, powdered sugar and serve, or slice into pie cuts and serve each plate with your choice of topping or just plain maple syrup.

Cucumber Tea Crackers

The longer I go in-between cheat meals, the more creative I become with my snacks. I guess you could call it "Inspiration through deprivation". So as you can imagine from how fancy these cute Cucumber Tea Crackers look, I am in a serious need of pizza or a frozen Snickers bar! Or Doritos or an asiago bagel... .. .

Ok enough with cravings... This appetizer came together for me while searching in the fridge for something a little salty and crunchy. The added garnish of chive acts like a pair of drop earrings to jazz these babies up for a dinner party or luncheon. But don't think they are for a special occasion only, they can just as easily be an afternoon snack at the office by simply dicing the toppings up and sprinkling over the hummus. Most of these items are usually in your fridge already. Once you get the crackers in your pantry, you are good to go! 

Did I mention they taste as good as they look?! The perfect blend of crisp, sweet, salty and creamy. Try some out for yourself!

Cucumber Tea Crackers

Ingredients:

1 package of Rosemary Rice Crackers

1 container of Roasted Garlic Hummus

1 medium cucumber

1 red bell pepper

Chives for garnish

Directions:

1. Clean and slice the cucumber into 1/2" slices. 

2. Scrape the hummus into a pastry bag with a large star tip on the end. 

3.Align the crackers onto your serving platter and top each with a cucumber slice.

4. Slice the bell pepper into thin strips, then halving the strips on the diagonal.

5. Slice chive strands into 1/3's for garnishment.

Assembly:

Pipe hummus into the center of each cucumber slice. You can use a spoon to apply, but piping will give better presentation.Top with two bell pepper slices in a standing X. Lay a slice of chive across the top as shown and serve.

*Gluten free and also vegan.

Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

I am a soup addict! I eat soup for lunch at least four times a week and sometimes for dinner as well. It's perfect for the cool fall weather and so easy to meal prep, portion out or freeze for later. Soup & a sandwich or soup & salad combos are the best! We all know that tomato soup and grilled cheese are soulmates that were destined to be together. They're our favorite lunch couple. This recipe gives them a fresh new twist that will renew your love and make you never open a can of that "Mmm mmm good" watered down mess again.

Ingredients:

1 28 oz. can Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes
1 box of low sodium vegetable or chicken stock
4 Roma Tomatoes, finely diced (can substitute 8 oz. can, crushed)
3 medium carrots
1 celery stalk
1 med vidalia onion
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 T. olive oil
2 T. Sweetener (sugar in the raw or stevia, optional)
sea salt to taste

Garnish:

Crème Fraîche
Fresh chives or scallions

The best grilled cheese:

Butter two slices of sourdough bread on the outside and sprinkle with garlic powder. Place 
1 slice of pepper jack and one of sharp cheddar cheese (or your choice) on the inside. Toast on Med-Low heat in a cast iron skillet or heavy cast pan until the cheese melts and the outsides are golden brown, Slice into triangles, or cube and use the sandwich as croutons in your bowl of soup.

Directions:

Add the carrots, celery and onion to a food processor. Blend until coarsely chopped.

Add the mixture to a large pot with 4 Tbs. of olive oil heated to medium heat. Sauté for 3 minutes, add the minced garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.

Add canned and diced tomatoes, stock and thyme. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add stevia and salt to taste. Cook an additional 10 minutes and turn off heat.

Serve by spooning into Soup bowls, swirl the top with Crème Fraîche and garnish with chives.


*Can be made vegan by omitting the Crème Fraîche and using vegetable stock. Also by using non-dairy cheese and vegetable spread on your sandwich.

Tea Party Wedding Shower

I wanted to share a fun family moment from my cousin's wedding shower the other night. My cousin Bryce is marrying his adorable fiance Clair this Friday, so my Mom had the cute idea of throwing them a tea party themed shower.  My Mom is the reason I enjoy cooking so much today and has inspired so much of my passion for good food and entertaining. She's the best at organizing and planning the cutest details for a perfect event. 

We both decided to break out her Fine China and silver for the occasion. This is a suggestion I would recommend for everyone keeping theirs locked up in a dusty cabinet. These treasures should be given life and used! It's ok to be selective, but realize that they are made to be eaten on and your guests will feel extra special that you trust them with your family heirlooms. It is a tea party after all, bring out the China!

Mom ordered scone mixes in a variety of flavors from King Arthur Flour and baked up a storm that morning. They turned out amazing! She served them with flavored jams and marmalades, and I picked up a jar of clotted cream to give the tea an authentic English touch. As this was my first time ever trying clotted cream, I did a little research before and found out that depending on where you live, there are strict rules on the order that the cream is applied to the scone. This article from The Guardian gives insight to the clotted cream and tea feud between Devon and Cornwall on the issue, I found it an interesting read.

It took some searching, but I was lucky enough to find some at my favorite gourmet shop, Pirate O's. If you don't live in Utah, you're still in luck and can order from them online! Check them out. They have yet to let me down on an ingredient or rare find and have the largest variety of selections that I've ever seen. From oils to spices to a wall of chocolate bars, they have it all!

The cute couple, Bryce & Claire who are getting married this Saturday! So excited for them!

The punch is a combination of limeade and Sprite with fresh lime and cucumber slices. You could also use Ginger Ale as a festive option for the holidays.

Look how beautiful the scones turned out! My Mom sprinkled sanding sugar over the top to add a little sparkle and sweetness.

I conjured up my inner Audrey for this Breakfast At Tiffany's look. I was lucky enough to find this Ted Baker dress a few days before and thought I would arrive to the shower in my London best.

Bryce, my Mom Dianne and yours truly.

This was my plate before I garnished the scones with jam and cream in the Devon fashion. Sorry Cornwall! I think the assembly holds up better for eating with jam first, then a large dollop of cream.

*Hibiscus flower and Mango herbal tea

I hope this post inspires you to plan a tea party for your next book club gathering, or just as a way to get your girlfriends together to reconnect and converse. You could turn this into a full luncheon with tea sandwiches and a light soup as well. 

*I shot at night in poor lighting, but still wanted to share how cute everything turned out. Here's the jams and clotted cream.

I really enjoyed seeing my family and welcoming Claire into ours. We don't get together as often as we used to, but always enjoy catching up when we do. I've always been especially close to Bryce. He's the oldest male cousin and has always been a great influence on me growing up. Our Dad's were thick as thieves as the two oldest boys out of 8 kids. They were full of mischief as little boys usually are.  It amazes me that my grandparents decided to have 6 more, knowing they might duplicate Mark (Bryce) and Steve (me)! But I'm glad that they did! Mark passed away in 1984, but I know he is a proud papa of his son and will be there with them on Saturday. I'll be sure to update this post with a few wedding photos to share.

 

Zombie Brain Krispy Cake

Tonight was the Season 5 Premiere of The Walking Dead. In usual Amelia fashion, I decided to make a Zombie Brain Rice Krispy Cake to celebrate the occasion with my friends. I love all things Halloween, the scarier, the better. The Walking Dead fits in perfect for my October foolishness of making Halloween crafts, watching scary movies and coming up with gory, yet delicious treats.

I wanted something simple, as we planned a group viewing last minute. After surfing Pinterest for a bit, I ran across an idea for Red Velvet Rice Krispie Teats from The Homicidal Home Maker and decided to spin it into a Zombie Brain Cake.

To mold the cake, I lined a dome shaped glass bowl with plastic wrap. I poured the Rice Krispie mixture into the mold, let it set up for 5 minutes and then de-molded onto a platter. The brain is formed by hand. Run your freshly washed hands with cooking oil before touching the cake to prevent sticking. Roll the edges under to create more of a rounded shape. Take a butcher knife and make a seam down the middle. Push each end up in a triangle shape / \ and round the edges to make each side appear more brain-like.

To create the blood ooze, I used a tube of red icing, heated it for 20 seconds in the microwave and drizzled over the top and around the perimeter of the cake. The icing will cool and set in place, once it is completely cooled, Stick your knife in the side as shown for a gorey presentation.

This cute Zombie was another Pinterest craft I ran across from Mason Jar Crafts Love and decided to create with my own spin.

I painted the inside of the jar red and the outside grey. This made it much easier to distress with sandpaper and also cut the drying time in half. I added Green google eyes to make him look more infected and the vivid green also makes his eyes pop.

As we get closer to Halloween, I'll be posting more fun crafts and recipes to celebrate All Hallow's Eve.  Try some out and enjoy while watching a scary movie in the dark.

Candy Corn Pretzel Melts

Fall is such an amazing time of year! The leaves are changing, the air is cool and crisp, pumpkins are on a rampage to take over the world.. pumpkin spice... everything! Not that I'm complaining, I love the flavor of pumpkin spice and look forward each year to seeing all of the new creative ways it's incorporated into food. Pumpkin Spice Oreos are a game changer. 

As are Hershey's Pumpkin Spice Kisses, and I showcase them in today's recipe for Candy Corn Pretzel Melts. I got the idea to make these adorable candies for Halloween from Sallys Baking Addiction on Pinterest and decided to play around with a few seasonal flavors and colors of candy corn and chocolate.

I used three flavors of candy corn; S'mores, Caramel Apple and Pumpkin Spice. I also used two flavors of Hershey's kisses; Hugs and Pumpkin Spice. Mix and match to your liking. As for the pretzels, I used butter pretzel snaps for their flavor and the square shape works as a perfect platform to place the chocolate kisses snuggly in the middle.

This little man is my nephew McCoy. He sat and tugged at my leg the entire time I made these candies and waited for his turn to taste them. With a face this cute, how could I resist?

After all the photos were taken, I had had my fill of chocolate for the day and let this cutie go to town! I'm sure my sister was thrilled to take home a baby who was just given a sugar rush before bed, but that's what aunts are for! :) McCoy approves and recommends you try these ones out on your little ones at home. Enjoy!


Candy Corn Pretzel Melts

Ingredients:

Candy corn
Pretzel squares or circles
Hershey's Kisses or Hugs

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 250°

2.Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

3.Place pretzels on the sheet in a uniform grid, taking care to leave room between to ensure they don't touch and melt together.

4. Unwrap the Kisses and center on each square. Place in the oven for 4-5 minutes, until the tips of the kisses curl and the chocolate is softened. Don't over melt as the chocolate will spread out too far on the pretzel and run down the sides when you place the candy corn on top.

5. Open the candy corn packages and place on the counter or in a bowl for easy access. You'll need to move quickly once the chocolate is melted.

6.Remove the melts from the oven, carefully push each candy corn into the center of each kiss as shown. 

7.Place the sheet pan in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to cool and set the chocolate. Remove from the fridge, they are ready to eat!

Play with multiple flavor combinations. This recipe works for a variety of candies and holidays. I'm going to whip up a batch for Christmas with mint and peppermint Kisses and the Christmas M&M's. This would also be a fun after dinner snack for Thanksgiving.

Mint & Cucumber Green Melon Smoothie

I purchased a large basket of English Cucumbers for pickling (recipe to come) from a local family run farm, and ended up with a handful left over. I started thinking of my usual water detox blend of sliced cucumber and fresh mint leaves that is a staple for me to stay cool in the hot summer months. Now that Autumn is here and the weather is cooling, I thought something more substantial was in order. With my busy lifestyle, I tend to grab a shake on the go and a handful of veggies. Then I thought, why not combine them? This is where the idea of a smoothie struck me.

This green smoothie is packed with nutrients. Cucumbers are loaded with Vitamin B for energy; they detoxify and help with de-bloating and hydration. Honeydew is packed with Vitamin C, Potassium and fiber. And the champion of superfoods is the Chia seed. "Chia" actually means strength in the ancient Mayan language. Chia seed was a dietary staple of the Mayans and Aztecs for good reason. Chia seeds are loaded with antioxidants, fiber, protein and a Omega-3 fatty acids. With all that nutrition, it has to taste like something your disposal spit back out, right? Wrong! This smoothie tastes delicious and is quite refreshing, it will leave you craving more.

Ingredients:

2 C. chopped honeydew melon

1 C. chopped English cucumber

1/2 C. almond milk

1 bunch of fresh mint leaves

1 lime, juiced

1-2 Tbs.of Stevia

5-6 ice cubes

2 tsp. chia seed

Directions:

Puree all ingredients, but the stevia and chia seed until smooth. Depending on how sweet the melon is, taste for sweetness and add one to two tablespoons of stevia and the chia seeds. Pulse lightly until blended. Taste again and make any adjustments before serving.

Note: You may add a scoop of vanilla protein powder to turn this into a meal replacement shake.