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CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS

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A friend of mine was commenting on my Peanut Butter Cut-Out Cookie recipe the other day and said she plans to make those for her kid’s class party this week. First and foremost, I was thrilled that she wanted to use my recipe. However, my second thought was complete shock. I was shocked that any kind of peanut product was allowed in her daughter’s classroom. I was also shocked that homemade treats were allowed. Here in San Antonio, I don’t know of any schools that allow nut products of homemade treats in the classrooms. This is true even at the daycare level. I understand the risks to those with nut allergies, and I’m not necessarily complaining here. I think it just makes me realize how much things have changed since I was a kid. Most people brought homemade cupcakes or cookies to class when we had parties back in the day. There is a part of me that is sad I’ll never be able to bring my daughter’s favorite homemade treat to her class. But you know what? Part of me is also relieved. There will never be that pressure to create some fancy homemade treat at the 11th hour the night before a class party.

When my daughter’s current classroom has parties, they ask us to sign up to bring something off of a premade list of foods. This week, our contribution is Valentine colored m&m’s. Perfect. Easy. Done. But for home, I still wanted my daughter to have a fun treat made by mom. Inspired by pink m&m’s, and my daughter’s love for chocolate chip cookies, I’ve created these chocolate chip cookie bars. Mixing up the dough is easy and adding m&m’s along with sprinkles adds a festive flare. I also love that you end up with two dozen servings all done at once. No scooping. No swapping out baking sheets. It is all in one pan and then you simply cut it as you’re ready to serve.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

The all-American classic chocolate chip cookie turned into a bar.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cookies, Dessert Recipe, Easy Cookies, Easy Recipe, Homemade Cookies, Valentine’s Treat
Servings: 24
Author: Sarah Baade

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (I used mini chips)
  • 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • Optional toppings: 1/4 cup candy coated chocolates such as m&m's, 1 Tablespoon jimmie sprinkles

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat brown sugar and granulated sugar with butter.
  • Add eggs and vanilla.
  • Mix in dry ingredients 1 cup at a time, until all ingredients are fully combined.
  • Stir in chocolate chips.
  • Press cookie dough into pan. If adding candies and sprinkles, spread them evenly and press into the top of cookie dough.
  • Bake 35-38 minutes or until a test toothpick comes out clean.
  • Let cool completely before cutting.

EASY BUFFALO DIP

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I can remember when Buffalo Wild Wings opened in Manhattan, Kansas. I was in my final year of school at Kansas State University and everyone was so excited to eat there. Everyone… except me. I understood the price point was spot on for a college student’s budget. I think they offered 10c wings on Tuesdays or something like that. I tried them. I tried them several times. Those wings just never hit the spot for me. (No offense to BWW or anyone who loves them.) Fast forward to grad school in Buffalo, NY – home of the original buffalo wings. I very quickly became a convert. I had wings at more restaurants than I can count and loved them! When you live in Buffalo, you eventually claim one of two places as the best in town for wings. Anchor Bar or Duff’s. To be clear, I am a Duff’s girl.  The wings are crispy, the fries are crispy, the sauce is incredible. If you’re ever in Buffalo, you’ve got to stop by and have an authentic wing experience.

These days, I don’t eat much fried food and I lean toward a vegetarian diet. In other words, I can’t even remember the last time I had wings. However, I’m still a fan of buffalo sauce and enjoy incorporating it into other foods. Here, I’ve created an easy buffalo dip recipe. This is perfect for game day parties or even just to have on hand for a snack. Serve it up with a variety of vegetables and chips or spread it onto a sandwich. Eat it warm or cold, either way it is delicious!

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Easy Buffalo Dip

With just 6 ingredients, this buffalo dip comes together in less than 5 minutes.
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Buffalo Dip, Buffalo Sauce, Chip Dip, Party Dip, Snack Dip

Ingredients

  • 8 oz sour cream
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup buffalo sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles Additional blue cheese crumbles for garnish if desired.

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in a medium sauce pan and whisk together over medium heat until cheese has melted and all ingredients are fully combined.
  • Serve warm or cold.
  • Enjoy with vegetables, chips, pretzels, or spread it onto a sandwich.

ONE POT VEGETARIAN CHILI

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People spend years perfecting their chili recipe. Years. My dad included. Getting to that point of self-proclaimed perfection requires passion. Trial and error on spices. A commitment to eating LOTS of chili. Do you make it all meat and no beans? (hi there, Texas, I’m looking at you.) Do you pour it over pasta? (Cincinnati, I’ve never tried it but I’m sure it’s delicious.) If you’re going vegetarian, do you use beans exclusively or add in a variety of other veggies?  I kind of consider Chili to be a personal journey – find a style you like and then perfect it to your own flavors from there.

Every year for the Super Bowl, we head over to a friend’s house for a big get together. The game is on for those who are interested but they also hold a chili competition. I’ve used other people’s recipes for this in the past but this year I look forward to bringing my own. Here, I’ve created a vegetarian chili that is bean and tomato based – no other veggies added in. I feel like it gives more of a classic, hearty feel to it while still giving you a meatless recipe. On that note, if you are cooking for a meat eating crowd, you can absolutely brown up a pound of ground beef and add it in here.

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One Pot Vegetarian Chili

This hearty chili will warm you up and fill your belly – no meat required.
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chili, Easy Chili Recipe, Healthy Chili, One Pot Chili Recipe, One Pot Vegetarian Chili, Vegan Chili, Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 15oz cans kidney beans
  • 1 15oz can pinto beans
  • 1 15oz can black beans
  • 1 7oz can diced green chiles (mild)
  • 2 28oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 14oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
  • 3 Tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

Optional toppings:

  • sour cream, plain greek yogurt, avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, corn chips

Instructions

  • In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Stir in beans, chiles and diced tomatoes. Stir in spices and Worcestershire sauce. Pour in crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and vegetable
    broth and stir together. Increase heat to bring pot to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 30 minutes.
  • Top with desired toppings and serve with corn bread or a loaf of rustic bread.

EVERYTHING SEASONING

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Everything bagel toasted with vegetable cream cheese and a glass of orange juice. This was it. My must have order at my neighborhood bagel shop when I was in high school. It might sound strange but I have so many fond memories that took place at this bagel shop. Every Friday, two of my teachers would send me off campus (against school policy) to pick up a bagel for each of them. In exchange for risking getting caught, they would also pay for my bagel. I surprised my then best friend there to take her on a scavenger hunt for her 16th birthday. This was the place I would hang out with my youth group friends on Sundays after church.

That bagel shop is long gone and, frankly, I don’t eat bagels on the regular any more anyway. However, I love incorporating that nostalgic everything seasoning into other dishes these days. Yes, if you have a Trader Joes nearby, you can purchase a pre-made blend of the seasoning. Not everyone has that luxury though. Thankfully, everything blend is incredibly easy to make and very versatile in cooking. I routinely sprinkle everything seasoning over avocado toast, on salads, on biscuits or bread just before popping them in the oven. I think it would be incredible on pizza crust as well. Let me know how you end up using this everything seasoning!

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Everything Seasoning

A versatile, easy to make savory spice blend.
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Everything Seasoning

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoons black sesame seeds
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons minced onion
  • 2 teaspoons flaked salt

Instructions

  • Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in a sealed container.

OATMEAL CHERRY COOKIES

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We are in full cookie exchange season and I am loving it! This week I participated in an exchange at work and we ended up with seven varieties of cookies (and recipes). SEVEN!!! It had been several years since I last participated in a cookie exchange and I had kind of forgotten how great it is. I love seeing what people bring in and the stories behind the recipes. This is such a great way of using food to create community. With each story that is told about a recipe, we get to know each other a little bit better.

I am a huge fan of any category of dessert – cakes, pastries, tarts, etc. But let’s be real here, cookies are awesome for several reasons. They are typically easy to make. Most recipes make at least a couple dozen cookies which means you have more to share. If you aren’t needing a few dozen cookies to share, you can always freeze them for later. Actually, you can freeze the dough into individual cookie dough balls and then bake them when the craving strikes. OR, you can bake them all from the get go and just thaw them out when you’re ready for a treat. Cookies really do have a flexibility that most other desserts just don’t have.

For this year’s cookie exchange, I reached into my grandmother’s recipe box. To be fair, I chose this Oatmeal Cherry Cookie recipe partly because I already had all but one ingredient in the house and partly because it sounded like a fun twist on the more traditional oatmeal cookie. The maraschino cherries add a different sweetness than the raisins you would typically find in an oatmeal cookie but they also give a festive pop of color. These cookies are a bit smaller than what most recipes seem to make but I actually really love the size. It gives you that sweet treat that you’re looking for without over indulging. This recipe is also perfect for a cookie exchange because it makes FIVE dozen cookies. That’s right, no need to double the recipe. You’ll get five dozen little cookies out of the recipe as it is. You’re welcome.

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OATMEAL CHERRY COOKIES

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Oatmeal Cherry Cookies, Oatmeal Cookies
Servings: 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3/4 cup shortening
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 3/4 cup red maraschino cherries, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and cloves. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat shortening, sugars, egg, and vanilla extract.
  • Stir dry ingredients into sugar mixture.
  • Stir in oats and cherries.
  • Drop dough by the teaspoonfuls, two inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes.

Notes

Tip: Wear food safe gloves when chopping the cherries so the food dye doesn’t stain your hands.
Original recipe source unknown. Recipe has been modified from this version for the purpose of this blog.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like:

Peanut Butter Cut-Out Cookies

Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Potato Chip Cookies

Lemon Iced Ginger Cookies

Vegan Shortbread Cookies with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Stir-N-Drop Sugar Cookies

ORANGE SPICED MONKEY BREAD

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Before we ever met, my husband and I each had a family tradition of making Monkey Bread during the holidays. One year we even had a bake off with the two family recipes. I can’t recall who the judges were but I sadly didn’t win that competition. We had a lot of fun but, if I’m honest, we also had way too much monkey bread for two people to finish off.

A couple of weeks ago we lost my oldest brother in a car accident. There is a void in the family. I loved baking with my brother, Ron. We didn’t see each other often but when we did, activities often revolved around food. He was the bread master of the family and would make delicious loaf breads and bagels. My absolute favorite of his? Orange rolls. Nothing can compare to his orange rolls.

Let me just admit right here that breads are not my specialty. As much as I love baking, I can screw up bread with the best of them. In other words, replicating those orange rolls on my own is not a very realistic goal. To honor Ron’s baking legacy, and still keep things really easy, I’ve mashed up the family tradition of monkey bread with the flavors of his orange rolls. This orange spiced monkey bread is much lighter in flavor than the traditional version. It is bright and sweet and a perfect dish for sharing with family as a dessert or a breakfast option.

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ORANGE SPICED MONKEY BREAD

Citrus and spices give this monkey bread a bright twist to the classic monkey bread.
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Monkey Bread, Orange Monkey Bread, Orange Spiced Monkey Bread
Author: Sarah Baade

Equipment

  • 12 cup Bundt Pan

Ingredients

For the Monkey Bread

  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 2 Tablespoons orange zest
  • 2 packages 8-count canned flaky biscuits
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Glaze

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon orange zest

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12cup sized bundt pan.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together sugar, ground ginger, ground nutmeg and orange zest. Set aside. Cut each biscuit into quarters. Dip each piece of biscuit into melted butter then coat with the sugar mixture. Arrange coated biscuit pieces evenly in the bundt pan.
  • If you have any remaining melted butter and sugar mixture, stir them together and pour over arranged biscuit pieces. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through.
  • Let cool 5-10 minutes then turn over onto a serving plate.
  • For the glaze, stir together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract and orange zest. Drizzle over monkey bread and serve warm.
Love and miss you, big brother.

HONEY SRIRACHA SNACK MIX

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There are certain foods that we tend to eat only for special occasions. Holidays, birthdays, Super Bowl, etc. I love that it makes those dishes seem extra special. When you eat them, you instantly have memories of those special gatherings – the people you were with or the event you were celebrating. One of those dishes for me is homemade snack mix. Don’t get me wrong, store bought is great and I routinely buy it for road trips. But homemade snack mix? That’s extra special to me. I can recall the smell wafting through the house as it cooked in the oven. The wait for it to cool enough to eat was excruciating but so worth it.

One of the things I love about cooking and blogging is putting a twist on a classic dish. The flavor options are almost endless with something like snack mix. Salty, sweet, spicy… or a combination like I did for this version. The heat of the sriracha isn’t overwhelming. It’s that type of heat that adds flavor and the presence gradually increases as you eat more and more. Similarly, the honey doesn’t cause excessive sweetness; it adds a balance to the heat and the saltiness. The result? A snack you’ll struggle to put down. You might want to just double the batch so you’ll have enough for friends. 😉

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Honey Sriracha Snack Mix

Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Honey, Honey Sriracha Snack Mix, Snack, Snack Mix, Sriracha

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup sriracha sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons Honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups Crispix cereal
  • 3 cups wheat Chex cereal
  • 2 cups mini twist pretzels
  • 2 cups Cheez-It crackers
  • 1 cup whole, raw cashews, unsalted

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 250°F.
  • In a large pot over low heat, stir together butter, sriracha, honey, garlic powder, onion powder and salt until butter is melted and all ingredients are incorporated.
  • Remove butter mixture from heat and stir in all remaining ingredients until evenly coated. Transfer mixture into a roasting pan and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like Chili Lime Roasted Cashews.

8 HOLIDAY SIDE DISHES

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I’m going to keep this short. We’re days away from Thanksgiving and we need easy side dishes for the big dinner. I’ve got you covered. I’ve gathered together eight of my favorite side dishes. Each one is easy to make, mostly healthy and definitely delicious. Any and all of these would make a wonderful addition to any dinner table.

1. BROCCOLI AND RICED CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

2. SWEET TURMERIC ROASTED VEGETABLES

3. LEMON ROASTED BROCCOLI

4. AUTUMN HARVEST SALAD

5. FARM STYLE BISCUITS

6. SWEET POTATO HASH

7. PARMESAN ASPARAGUS AND TOMATOES

8. KALE SALAD WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE

BARLEY SOUP

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This has felt like the longest summer I’ve ever experienced. As of a few days ago, we were still hitting temperatures near the 90’s. Did Mother Nature forget to check the calendar? It is already late October?! Truthfully, I love living in a warmer climate. I’ve done my time with cold and snow and I learned it wasn’t for me. That being said, I can’t help but crave a few cooler (not cold) days so I can indulge in winter comfort foods. We are finally cooling off here in Texas and I’m going full out on my comfort food recipes.

I’ve been craving soup lately but my brain has also been wandering back to my recipe for Baby Bella Shepherd’s Pie. The solution? Turn the base of that shepherd’s pie into a soup! The result? Pure satisfaction! This soup is hearty and rich in flavor. Anyone who eats this is going to think you slaved away in the kitchen all day when, in fact, it is simple to make. Bonus? This is one of those recipes that tastes even better as leftovers.

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Barley Soup

This hearty soup is rich in flavor yet easy to make – a perfect way to warm up on a cold day.
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Barley, Barley Soup, Dinner, Easy Recipe, Homemade Soup, Soup, Vegan Recipe, Vegetarian Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 large carrots, cut into 1/4" slices
  • 2 large parsnips, cut into 1/4" slices
  • 2 lb white mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2/3 cup pearl barley

Instructions

  • In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add carrots and parsnips, cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt & pepper. Cook until mushrooms start to sweat. Sprinkle flour over vegetable mixture and stir until evenly coated. Pour in diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, vegetable broth and wine. Stir in tomato paste and barley. Increase heat to bring pot to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 45 minutes or until barely is cooked through.

Notes

  • Having a hard time pulling those thyme leaves off of the stem? Grab a few sprigs and tie them together with kitchen twine. Toss the whole bundle into the soup and simply remove the bundle when soup is fully cooked.
  • This is a thick, hearty soup. If you prefer a thinner soup, you can add water after simmering until you reach the consistency you desire.

BROCCOLI & RICED CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

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Casserole or hotdish? I only recently even heard of the term hotdish. I’ve looked up several sources trying to get some clarity on the difference between the two. Both include a creamy condensed soup with vegetables and usually meat of some sort. The differences? From what I gather, casserole tends to use a lighter meat like tuna or chicken while a hotdish is more likely to use beef. But honestly, even that seems somewhat vague given you could eliminate meat altogether. The biggest difference seems to be a matter of where you’re from. Hotdish is more of an upper Midwestern term (think Minnesota). Having grown up in Kansas, I’m definitely a casserole gal.

Grab those veggies out of the freezer and soup out of the pantry, we’re making casserole today! Now that the temperatures are finally cooling off here in Texas, I’m ready for comfort food. As you know, I’m also a huge fan of super easy recipes. This is basically a stir and bake recipe – if only every recipe were this easy! You can use it as a side dish or make it the main event.  Either way, this broccoli and riced cauliflower casserole has made it onto the regular rotation of dinner recipes in our house. I’d love to hear what types of casseroles (or hotdishes) are your favorites!

Tips

  • Trying to keep things low carb? Replace the bread crumbs with more shredded cheddar.
  • For added veggies, you can use a riced cauliflower & sweet potato blend.
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Broccoli & Riced Cauliflower Casserole

This broccoli and riced cauliflower casserole is basically a stir and bake recipe – Comfort food at it's best!

Ingredients

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 8 oz sour cream
  • 2 cans (10.5oz each) cream of celery soup
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 10.5 oz frozen riced cauliflower
  • 1 lb frozen broccoli florets
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, soup, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese.
  • Stir in riced cauliflower then stir in broccoli.
  • Spread broccoli mixture into a greased 9×13 casserole dish.
  • In a small bowl, stir together butter and breadcrumbs then sprinkle over broccoli mixture.
  • Bake 45 minutes. If breadcrumbs are not golden, turn the broiler on and watch carefully until you achieve golden color.