Sunshine Sweet Potatoes for Two

Growing up, I never liked sweet potatoes. The other day, a friend gave us a sack full of organic sweet potatoes from his farm, and I thought it was high time I learned to like 'em! I cooked them the way I cook regular potatoes and turnips-- with onions and eggs! At first, this may sound like a strange combination, but they compliment each other nicely.

For potatoes, you will need:

2 large sweet potatoes

4 tbsp. olive oil

1/2  tsp. sage

1/2 tsp. white pepper (black works too!)

1/2 tsp. salt 

1 tsp. garlic powder 

1/2 white onion

For the eggs, you will need:

2 large eggs

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 pinches Mediterranean spices

To start:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. 

2. Wash and chop the sweet potatoes into small chunks, and put them aside in a bowl. Dice the white onion and put it with sweet potatoes. Toss them together with 4 tbsp. of olive oil.

3. Next, the spices (salt, pepper, sage, & garlic powder) need to be tossed in. You may want to combine them together first, to get sufficient coverage. 

4. Pour the potatoes and onions into a pan (I used my skillet,) and use a rubber spatula to get all the spice and oil out of the bowl. 

5. Bake for 25 minutes. Halfway through, shuffle the potatoes and onions around in the pan and turn them over. Be sure that the potatoes are crispy!

6. Fry the eggs during the last 5 or 6 minutes of the potatoes baking. The way I like to fry egg is by letting a tablespoon of olive oil get hot in my pan. Then I crack the egg into the hot oil and sprinkle a pinch of Mediterranean seasonings while the egg is still uncooked. Just leave the egg on the heat to cook through. Move the pan around so the whites are fully cooked. 

7. Divide the potato mixture in half into two bowls, and put an egg on top of each.

I've done this with and without the onions, and it's great either way! The runny egg yolk compliments the sweet potatoes so well! It's a great, southern breakfast dish to enjoy on a chilly autumn morning!

Happy cooking!

Plum Tarts

In case it's not obvious by now, I absolutely love plums paired with short butter crust! This recipe is the perfect thing to ring in the autumn weather! Making pastries can be tricky, but I think you'll find this recipe to be fairly simple!

For the crust:
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 stick softened butter
1 tsp. baking powder
1 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2-3 tbsp. cold water

For the tarts:
24 plum slices (any color is fine! I used red)
12 tsp. brown sugar (roughly)
1 egg
Brown butter frosting OPTIONAL

To Start:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a 9x13 baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and 1/3 cup brown sugar.  Cut the butter in using a pastry cutter or large fork. The mixture should be crumbly and clumpy. Add the cold water and knead dough. (If the dough is too dry, add a little more water. If the dough is too wet add a bit more flour.)
3.  Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is about 1 inch thick.  Use a medium sized drinking glass to cut out 8 pastries. Carefully transfer them to the baking sheet. Spread a small amount of brown sugar across the surface of the dough circles.Use the rest of the dough to cut 8 more circles out and place them on top of the other ones on the baking sheet.
4. Make an egg wash by whisking an egg and 2 tsp. of water together and lightly brush the pastries with it. Spread a small amount of brown sugar on top of this layer of pastry.
5. Place 3 plum slices to each pastry, pressing them in slightly.
6. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until the pastry is crusty and no longer soft.
7. Allow to cool completely before drizzling with brown butter frosting and serving.

These are so tasty! You can get away with no frosting, but I think it really compliments the tartness of the plum. It had a warm flavor which just reminded me of autumn in the best way. You'll be happy you made them!

Happy baking!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I love oatmeal raisin cookies and always forget how easy they are to make! This recipe calls all for ingredients you're likely to have in you're kitchen! There's nothing worse than having a craving for something but none of the groceries you need to make it.

You will need:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter (softened)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 large egg
1 & 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup oats
2/3 cup raisins

To start:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350F and line a 9x13 baking sheet with parchment.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugars, vanilla, and egg. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, and baking powder and continue to mix.
3. Fold the flour into the wet mixture 1/3 cup at a time. Add the oats and raisins making sure they are evenly distributed in the dough.
4. Drop twelve 2 & 1/2 inch dough balls onto your lined baking sheet.
5. Bake for 13-15 minutes and allow to cool completely before serving.

Yields - 1&1/2 - 2 dozen cookies

I've been told by so many people that they love these cookies! The cinnamon and nutmeg really make them perfect. This is the ideal recipe to tuck in your back pocket for when autumn rolls around and you're needing something that tastes like fall! I like to pair these with chai tea lattes or coffee. I'm craving cold weather and sweaters just by thinking about these cookies! They're thick and warm and have have all the important qualities an oatmeal raisin cookie should have! I hope you enjoyed this recipe and enjoy these cookies!

Happy Baking!

Whole Wheat Bread

There's just something so satisfying about making your own bread! This is great bread to have with jam and tea or coffee. It's perfect for serving with breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner! Wrap it in pretty paper, tie it off with a bow and you've got a nice gift for a friend!

You will need:
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 cups whole wheat flour (plus some for sprinkling)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. non-fat dried milk
2 cups + 2 Tbsp. warm water
OPTIONAL
1 egg
salt

To start:
1. In the bowl of your standing mixer dissolve the brown sugar into the oil and water. Sprinkle the yeast onto the surface of the liquid. Once the yeast is also dissolved, add the dried milk.
2. Using your standing mixer fitted with the bread hooks, mix the flour into the liquid. one cup at a time.
3. Once thoroughly mixed, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. The dough may be sticky, so you'll want to flour your hands as well.
4. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a room-temperature, draft free place. (an unheated oven works well for this.) Let the dough rise for two hours (or until doubled in size.)
5. After the two hours, pre-heat your oven to 375 F. Grease two 8x4" loaf pans or line them with parchment.
6. Punch the dough down to size. Make sure you flour your hands because the dough is apt to be sticky. Separate the dough into two even portions and place them both in the pans. If the dough is not sreading to edges of the pan, use your hands to spread it out. OPTIONAL- Beat an egg and wash the dough with it. Salt the top of your dough and slash it.
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Yeilds 2 loaves.

Happy cooking!

Peach-Strawberry Jam

This was my first time making jam and it turned out so well! This recipe doesn't call for any gelatin base products: just fruit and sugar!

You will need:
A small saucepan
2 large peaches
5-6 ripe strawberries
2/3 cup brown sugar
Juice from one lemon

To start:
1. Peel, pit, and cut the peaches into small chunks.
2. Cut the tops of the strawberries off. Cut the strawberries into smaller bits as well.
NOTE: The smaller you cut the fruit, the better. This will help you avoid overly chunky jam.
3. Put the cut up fruit and lemon juice in the sauce pan and stir so the juice is evenly distributed.
4. Turn the stove up to high heat and place the pan on the burner.
5. Add 1/3 cup of brown sugar to the pan and stir as it melts. Use your spoon to slightly mash the fruit. I used a potato masher to make the fruit a bit softer.
6. Add the remaining brown sugar and let it melt in the pan. Once it's melted and no longer grainy, let the mixture sit on the heat and simmer. Stir the pan occasionally to keep it from burning.
7. Once the jam has taken on a thick consistency, pour it into a jar and let it cool completely before adding the lid.  Refrigerate for 2-4 hours before serving.

This jam is simple to make and so delicious! It's great for gifts or to keep for yourself.  You can try it on toast, pancakes, crepes, or as cake filling. Not a strawberry or peach fan? This works with blueberries, plums, raspberries, or blackberries as well!  I hope you have fun with this recipe and enjoy the jam!

Happy cooking!

Baked Peaches and Plums

I love peaches, plums, and baking, so this recipe is just about my all time favorite! It's a healthy, yet delicious breakfast option!  The plums and peaches are so warm and gooey and just melt in your mouth.

This recipe calls for butter, but it can be omitted for an even healthier version.

You will need:
2 peaches
2 plums (red or black)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2-3 tbsp. melted butter
Cinnamon- OPTIONAL

To start:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 F.
2. Half your peaches and plums and scrape out the pits. Halving them can be tricky business.  Starting at the top of the fruit, make a cut that goes as deep as the pit and wraps all the way around the fruit.  Twist the two sides in opposite direction of one another. Be careful when doing this with the plums because their skins are more sensitive than the peaches'.
3. Place all the halves in a baking dish big enough to fit all the fruits. Lay them so the cut side is facing up.
4.  Sprinkle the brown sugar over all the fruit, paying special attention to the plums. They tend to be more tart than peaches. OPTIONAL- Sprinkle a little cinnamon over the entire dish.
5. Drizzle the melted butter over and in between the fruits.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

I loved this dish with some heart shaped egg on toast and good company! It's a simple, but tasty recipe that will impress your friends and family; not to mention beautiful! I love making baked peaches and plums and hope you find that you do as well! I hope you found this recipe helpful!

Happy cooking!

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Cookies

I've discovered the secret to chocolate chip cookies that never get hard... cream cheese! These little cookies are so perfect and delicious!! You'll amaze any and every one who tries these cookies. They literally do melt in your mouth.

You will need:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 tbsp. imitation vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 large egg

To start:
1.  Let the butter and cream cheese set out for about 30 minutes to get soft.  If the cream cheese is not soft enough, it will ruin the consistency of the cookies.
2. In a large bowl cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugars, egg, and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl mix together all the dry ingredients, including the chocolate chips.
4.  Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture 1/3 at a time.
5.  Heat oven to 325 F.  Line a 9x13 cookie sheet with parchment paper and drop cookies onto it.  This batter is runny, so don't try to to roll into balls unless you want sticky hands! Drop them 1 1/2 inch apart because they will spread.
6.  Bake for 20-23 minutes or until cookies don't jiggle when the pan is shaken.
7.  Allow the cookies to cool down completely before removing them from the sheet, otherwise the bottoms will fall out.

Yields: 3 dozen small cookies

I absolutely adore these cookies. Bake with caution: they are extremely rich and highly addictive.

Happy Baking!!

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

My family was needing a little comfort food tonight, and these cookies were the perfect fix.  They're tangy and sweet and so addictive.  They're soft, chewy, and melt in your mouth!! I frosted mine with Martha Stewart's Swiss Meringue Buttercream (my newest obsession!)  This icing complements these sweet little cookies perfectly and I strongly suggest using it with this recipe!

Yields 36-48 cookies

You will need:
1 8oz. package of cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 large egg
3/4 cup almond meal (sifted)
5/6 cup (1/2 plus 1/3 cup) all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup confectioners sugar

To begin:
1. Your cream cheese needs to set out for 25 to 30 minutes before being used.  If it's not soft enough, it will cause the batter to be clumpy. Pre-heat oven to 325 F and line two 9x13 cookie sheets with parchment.
2.  Once the cream cheese is soft enough, cream it together with the sugar, lemon juice, and egg.  Mix well until there are no clumps.
3.  In another bowl, combine the sifted almond meal, flour, baking soda, and confectioners sugar. Add a quarter of the dry mixture to the wet mixture at a time.
4.  Drop dough balls 1 1/2 inch away from each other. The dough should be a little runny, so once it hits the cookie sheet, it will spread itself out.  Bake for 20-23 minutes or until slightly golden on the edges.
5.  Let the cookies cool before removing them from the parchment. If you try to take them off too soon, the bottoms will fall out of them.
6.  Once the cookies are completely cool, ice them with the Swiss Meringue Buttercream.  This icing is extremely sensitive to heat, so make sure you've allowed your cookies enough time to sit.

I love these cookies! They're fun to personalize and decorate, not to mention soooo tasty! I hope you found this recipe helpful and simple!! Happy baking!

Coconut Crepes

I just recently a recipe for crepes (see here), but the other day I was feeling creative and decided to jazz them up a bit!

You will need:
1 cup flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1  1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. imitation coconut extract
3 eggs
3 tbsp. of melted coconut oil (Melted butter will work fine)
Additional sugar for sprinkling.

To start:
1. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt.
2. Pour the milk into a medium sized measuring bowl. You'll want to let the milk sit out for about 10-15 minutes before adding oil. Add the coconut, vanilla, eggs, and oil and whisk with a fork. When hot oil comes into contact with cold milk, the oil thickens and ruins the consistency of the mixture.
3. Pour the dry ingredients in with the wet and whisk until there are no lumps.
4. Grease a small frying pan and turn your stove to medium heat.
5. Once the pan is heated, pour about a 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan. Tilt the pan until the batter is spread over the whole pan.
6. Let it cook until you can see it solidifying and the edges are slightly brown. Sprinkle some sugar over the surface of crepe then, using a spatula, flip the crepe. Sprinkle more sugar on the other side.
7. Once the crepe is fully cooked on both sides (it should look a lot like a flour tortilla), flip it once more to make sure the sugar melts on both sides.

These coconut crepes are absolutely heaven! They don't even need any toppings because they are already so sweet! Not a fan of coconut? Not a problem! You can use whatever kind of flavouring you like! Almond, coconut, or strawberry extract can all be found on the baking aisle, among other flavours. I hope you found this recipe helpful and enjoy your crepes!

Happy cooking!

Crepes, ooh la la!

I absolutely love making crepes! They're basically just French pancakes. They're very simple to make and delicious to eat! This recipe makes 12-14 crepes, depending on the size of your pan and how thick you make them:)

You will need:
1 cup flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1  1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
3 tbsp. of melted butter
Additional sugar for sprinkling.

To start:
1. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt.
2. Pour the milk into a medium sized measuring bowl. You'll want to let the milk sit out for about 10-15 minutes before adding butter. Add the vanilla, eggs, and butter and whisk with a fork. When hot butter comes into contact with cold milk, the butter thickens and ruins the consistency of the mixture.
3. Pour the dry ingredients in with the wet and whisk until there are no lumps.
4. Grease a small frying pan and turn your stove to medium heat.
5. Once the pan is heated, pour about a 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan. Tilt the pan until the batter is spread over the whole pan.
6. Let it cook until you can see it solidifying and the edges are slightly brown. Sprinkle some sugar over the surface of crepe then, using a spatula, flip the crepe. Sprinkle more sugar on the other side.
7. Once the crepe is fully cooked on both sides, flip it once more to make sure the sugar melts on both sides.

You can eat these plain or with toppings! Some like jam or chocolate sauce, but I drizzle honey over them and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over that. You can serve them with fruit for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! They're simple to make and so tasty! I hope you found this recipe helpful and easy to understand.

Happy cooking!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Hello! I'm so excited about this new raisin bread recipe! I've made it three times already this week. Its so sweet and has a warm taste. I've gifted it a few times and have gotten great responses! It's a fairly simple recipe and I hope you enjoy it!

You will need:

1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup oil (or melted butter)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. of cinnamon
1 tsp. of baking soda
1  1/2 tsp. vanilla
a pinch of salt
1  1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup of raisins
OPTIONAL: Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling.


To start:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the brown sugar, applesauce, egg, and oil together on low speed.
3. Next, blend in the cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and baking soda. Use a rubber spatula to smooth out any clumps that might form.
4. On medium speed, blend in the flour.
5. Mix in the raisins on low/medium speed.
6. Grease a loaf pan. OPTIONAL: Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the sides and bottom of the loaf before pouring the batter. Once batter is poured, sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top as well.
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Happy Baking!

Glazed Brown Sugar Banana bread.

If you love banana bread, this is the recipe for you! It's sweet and delicious and a favourite in my house! It's pretty simple to make.

You will need:
1. 3-4 bananas (mashed)
2. 1/3 cup + about 3 tbsp. melted butter
3. 1/2 cup granulated Sucralose (Splenda)
4. 1/2 cup + about 5 tbsp. brown sugar
5. 1 cup flour
6. 1 tsp. baking soda
7. 1 large egg
8. 1 tsp. vanilla

To make:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a small loaf pan.
2. Cream bananas and 1/3 cup butter together in a large bowl.
3. Beat in egg, Splenda, vanilla, and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Once mixed add in baking soda.
4. Mix in the flour one half cup at a time.
5. Pour your mixture into the loaf pan and set to bake for 30 minutes.
6. While its baking melt the 3 tbsp. of butter and mix with 5 tbsp. of brown sugar. If its too runny, add extra sugar, if its too thick, add more butter. This is your glaze.
7. Once the 30 minutes are over, spoon the glaze to the center of the loaf and spread it. It will run down to the sides on its own, so don't spread it too much.
8. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until bread is golden brown.

It's great with coffee or tea, as a breakfast or desert, morning or night:) I hope you found this recipe helpful and easy! Happy Cooking!

White Cake to Chocolate

Have you ever been craving a chocolate cake and only had a white cake mix at hand? Here's the solution!

You will need:
1. White cake mix
2. Unsweetened cocoa powder

To start:
1. Empty the contents of the mix into a bowl.
2. Add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder and mix well.
3. Add the ingredients called for and bake, according to directions on your mix.

Viola! A chocolate cake out of a white cake mix!
Happy Cooking!

Fantastic Fondant

Whenever I'm making cupcakes, (which I do quite often) I like to use fondant to fancy 'em up! Sometimes it's hard to make frosting look nice, but you can't go wrong with this recipe!

You will need:
1. 1 cup light corn syrup
2. 1 cup shortening
3. 1/2 tsp. salt
4. 1 tsp. clear vanilla extract
5. 2 pounds of confectioners sugar
OPTIONAL: Food colouring

To start:
1. In a large bowl, mix together the corn syrup and shortening using an electric mixer.
2. Next, mix in the vanilla and salt.
3. Now, gradually knead in the confectioners sugar.
NOTE: Don't use a mixer for step #3. It will get too thick and stuck in the mixer.
4. If desired, add a few drops of food colouring and knead.
5. Put the fondant away in the fridge for about 25 minutes before using.

To use:
1. On a clean surface, sprinkle confectioners sugar and roll out your fondant.
2. If your using it for a cake, cut the fondant to fit your cake and smooth it out around the edges.
3. For cupcakes, find a cup that fits your cupcakes and use it to cut out circles. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the cupcakes for the fondant to adhere to.
4. You can use leftover fondant to make shapes using small cookie cutters.

I hope you found this recipe helpful for the next time you make a cake or cupcakes! Happy Cooking!

Easy Cookie Frosting

This is a really simple recipe for cookie frosting. It hardly takes any time and very little effort!

You will need:
1. Powdered sugar
2. Milk
3. A bowl
4. A spoon or small whisk
OPTIONAL:
Food colouring

To begin:
Pour powdered sugar and milk in a bowl and mix. If you want your frosting to be thicker, add more sugar. If you want thinner frosting add more milk. For coloured frosting, add a few drops of food colouring.

This recipe is so easy! You can put it in a pastry bag and pipe it on to your cookies or drizzle it on. Whatever you do I hope you enjoy yourself and found this recipe to be helpful:)

Happy Cooking!

Getting Started!

Hi everyone! I have made this blog so i can show you creative, pretty, and (of course) yummy dishes! I hope you learn things you didn't know, find new recipes that are easy and delicious, and have fun in the process!
                                                               Happy cooking!