Simple Everyday Food

biscoff choco-cinnamon chip cookies

Posted by :Amy On : January 16, 2017

Tags:biscoff, chocolate chips, cookie butter, cookies, dessert

Yesterday was Little B’s due date. Which means in less than two weeks, we will have a ONE year old! Can you believe it? Can you also believe that in this entire year, Brian and I have never left Little B in the hands of a babysitter and gone out for a date?

Just this past weekend, we started this new thing where we each leave the house for a few hours to go where ever we want and do whatever we want. Whether it’s to run errands in peace, to hang out with friends, to leisurely stroll up and down the aisle of Target (because let’s be honest, that can be a treat in itself sometimes), or to just sit at a coffee shop and read a book – I think it’s important to be able to get away and go something and not have to listen to the Paw Patrol theme song for them umpteenth time.

So what did I choose to do for my first two hours of scheduled freedom? I went to Starbucks, ordered myself a mocha, and read a book. It was heavenly. Part of me felt bad for enjoying that time away from Little B. I mean, I’m a mom, and shouldn’t moms want to spend as much time with their babies as possible? It’s called mom guilt, ya’ll.

So I sat in a soft, plush sofa by the fireplace and read my book (I’m currently reading The Ladies’ Room), wishing I had some of these soft pillowy Biscoff cinnamon chip cookies to go with my coffee.

biscoff choco-cinnamon chip cookies

2015-04-03 12:38:44

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Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup creamy Biscoff spread
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup cinnamon chips

Instructions

Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, Biscoff spread, and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined, scraping the sides occasionally if needed.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and cinnamon chips. Using a medium cookie scoop, drop 1.5 tablespoons worth of dough onto a lined baking sheet. Chill the dough balls for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown - do not over bake!
Makes 22-24 cookies

By Simple Everyday Food

Adapted from Buns In My Oven

Simple Everyday Food https://www.simpleeverydayfood.com/

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Recipe adapted from Buns In My Oven

© Simple Everyday Food. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use any of my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or kindly link back to this post for the recipe.

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s’mores icebox cake

Posted by :Amy On : August 13, 2016

Category: Desserts

Tags:cake, chocolate, dessert, marshmallows, no bake, smores

I don’t know about you, but my summer is flying by right before my eyes. It didn’t seem all that long ago the sun rose and painted the sky a pretty mixture of pinks, purples, and oranges at 5 a.m., it was still bright out at 9 p.m., we grilled burgers and steaks and pork chops every night, and Starbuck’s iced coconut mocha macchiato became my summer jam.

Every year around this time I always look back at my summer bucket list, and every year I realize there are so many things I wanted to do but didn’t accomplish – I wish I went to the farmer’s market more, baked a little more, blogged a little more, spent more days out in the sun, checked off more books off of my list, went to more fairs, and ate more ice cream.

What I did do, however, was make this cake. This amazingly simple, no-oven-required-because-we-all-know-how-hot-it-already-is, cake.

S’mores icebox cake, to be exact. Layers of creamy marshmallow cream on top of sweet chocolate ganache on top of graham crackers, topped off with mini marshmallows that’s broiled to toasty perfection. So so good to where you will want to eat it straight out of the pan when your husband isn’t home.

So before summer is over, before the weather starts to cool down, before your kids go back to school, please make this as a last hurrah to summer – I promise you won’t regret it.

s'mores icebox cake

2016-08-09 07:05:44

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Ingredients

2 and 3/4 cups heavy cream, divided
7 oz marshmallow fluff
1 and 1/2 cups mini marshmallows, divided
11 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1 box graham crackers (you probably won't use the entire box)

Make the marshmallow cream

Using a stand or hand mixer, beat 2 cups heavy cream on medium-high for 5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Add in the marshmallow fluff and continue beating on medium-high speed for another 3 minutes. Gently stir in 1 cup mini marshmallows, set aside.

Make the chocolate ganache

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the remaining heavy cream until simmering. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes, then stir until combined and smooth.
In a 9x9" baking dish, spread a thin layer of the marshmallow cream on the bottom. Top with a layer of graham crackers. Break the crackers into pieces to make sure all the marshmallow cream is covered. Top with another layer of marshmallow cream, then generously drizzle/spread the ganache over the top. Repeat layers once more, leaving about 1/4" from the top of the pan.
Garnish the top with remaining mini marshmallows, crushed graham cracker pieces, and extra chocolate chips, if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Right before serving, turn on your broiler and broil the cake for 1 minute or until marshmallows are brown and toasty. Remove immediately and freeze for 10 minutes to let set and serve. Cake can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Makes one 9x9" pan

By Simple Everyday Food

Adapted from Delish.com

Simple Everyday Food https://www.simpleeverydayfood.com/

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The beautiful thing about this recipe is that you can change up the layers based on what you like more. Want more chocolate? Then add in a few more layers of chocolate ganache. Love graham crackers? Then put it another layer of graham crackers. Whatever you decide to do, it’ll be delicious either way.

Recipe adapted from Delish

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peanut butter, apple, and oats dog pretzels

Posted by :Amy On : January 9, 2016

Category: Puppy treats

Tags:applesauce, dog treats, no mixer required, oats, peanut butter, puppies

My little boy turned FOUR yesterday! Can you believe it? I can’t. I can’t believe we’ve had this little rascal for pretty much four years already.

He may be the best decision both Brian and I have made together. Even though him and I had a little rough start during his first year (there was a alpha-struggle in the beginning as well as a minor anxiety attack that almost made me give him back to his breeder), he has grown into such a loving happy boy that we can no longer imagine our lives without him.

He has so much personality, bring us so much joy, makes me look forward to coming home after a long day of work, pushes our limits at times, tests our patience, and has taught us how to be good, caring, loving parents. Our love for him really is unconditional, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going to be the best big brother for our little nugget.

So to keep up with tradition, I’ve decided to make him some yummy homemade treats to celebrate his birthday.

Bentley was not shy at helping himself to a couple of these during the photo shoot…

You can find treats (and other dog-friendly treats) from previous years here.

He also got two brand new toys that has kept him occupied for two days straight.

(yes, he’s spoiled…)

Just like all the other dog treats I’ve made in the past, these pretzels don’t contain any butter, sugar, artificial flavors, or preservatives of any kind. It’s cheap, easy to make, and you know exactly what goes in it. Not to mention they’re almost cute enough for people to eat! And I bet you probably have most of the ingredients sitting around in your pantry already!

So go ahead and make these for your beloved four-legged friends, even if it’s not their birthday. Shouldn’t their constant companionship and unconditional love for you deserve something as tasty as homemade dog treats?

peanut butter, apple, and oats dog pretzels

2016-01-09 09:07:35

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Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
3/4 cup quick cooking oats
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup all natural (no sugar added) applesauce
3 teaspoons peanut butter - make sure it does NOT contain xylitol

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour and oats and mix well. Add in all but 1 tablespoon of the beaten egg to the flour, reserving the rest of the egg for later. Then add in the applesauce and peanut butter.
Mix everything together with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to come together (I actually found it easier to use my hands to incorporate all the ingredients). The dough should not be sticky to the point where it sticks to your hands. If it is, add in a few tablespoons of flour and mix some more until the dough is pliable and not sticky.
Scoop the dough using a medium cookie scoop (~1.5 tablespoons) and roll the dough into an approximate 10" rope. Shape the "rope" of dough into a U shape, then take the ends of the "U" and fold it back down, cross-crossing it in the middle to form it into a pretzel. Repeat for the rest of the dough.
Once all the pretzels are made, brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of beaten egg. Bake for 25-30 minutes until pretzels are hard and golden brown on top. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wired cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Makes 18 pretzels

Notes

* Some dogs may have allergies to certain ingredients - consult your veterinarian prior to making these if this is the case.

By Simple Everyday Food

Adapted from The Cookie Rookie

Simple Everyday Food https://www.simpleeverydayfood.com/

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Recipe adapted from The Cookie Rookie

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golden oreo cupcakes with whipped cream frosting

Posted by :Amy On : January 2, 2016

Category: Desserts

Tags:cake mix, cupcakes, dessert, oreo, whipped cream

Happy New Year, friends!

To say that it’s been a while would be an understatement, so thank you for sticking with me and following along despite the fact that SEF has been on a long hiatus since May of 2015.

The main reason why it’s been a little quiet on the blogging front is because I’ve been a leeeetle preoccupied with something else in our life right now. Something that’s been taking up most of my energy..

Yep, we found out we were expecting a little bundle of joy (it’s a BOY!) not too long after we came back from our Taiwan trip last May, so instead of spending time blogging, I’ve been spending my energy shoving donuts and cinnamon rolls in my face and taking multiple naps on the couch for the past 9 months.

I can’t promise that there will be regular posts on SEF once the baby is born, but I’ll do my best to make an appearance on here every once in a while in between the messy hair, sleepless nights, and multiple diaper changes.

Now that we’ve got the big news out of the way, did everyone have a fabulous holiday season filled with family, friends, fun, and food? I hope so. Our holiday season this year was pretty low-key considering I’ve been achy, tired, and uncomfortable pretty much 24/7. Putting up Christmas decorations and planning a feast and making a few dozen Christmas cookies just seemed way too exhausting while carrying around a 6+ pound bowling ball.

To celebrate the beginning of 2016, let’s start the year off on the right note – cupcakes!

Diet? Diet schm-iet. You can resume your healthy diet after you make these cupcakes!

These golden Oreo cupcakes are made with a little help from a box of yellow cake mix. Each cupcake is lined with a golden Oreo on the bottom as a surprise, and is topped with homemade fresh whipped cream frosting.

IMPORTANT: Because the whipped cream frosting uses heavy cream as one of its main ingredients, I would recommend either making and piping the frosting right before serving. If you prefer to make the frosting ahead of time, transfer the frosting into a piping bag, store it in the refrigerator and pipe onto cupcakes when they’re ready to be served.

I brought these to work and they were a huge hit! Everyone loved the little Oreo surprise on the bottom and people raved about the fluffy frosting that had just the right amount of sweetness to it.

Thank you again for everyone’s support throughout the past few years and sticking with me even when posts have been scarce – let’s make 2016 a good one!

golden oreo cupakes with whipped cream frosting

2015-03-28 11:02:38

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For the cupcakes

3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup skim milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 box yellow cake mix (I used a 15.25 oz box from Betty Crocker)
1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
24-26 Golden Oreos

For the frosting

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup instant vanilla pudding mix
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
24-26 mini Golden Oreos, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cupcake pan with liners and place a Golden Oreo in each liner. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla, sour cream, milk, and oil. Beat over medium speed until combined. Then slowly add in the cake mix and pudding mix and beat until just combined. Spoon about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons worth of batter into each liner.
Turn your oven down to 350 right before you place the cupcakes in. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean (mine took exactly 20 minutes). Remove from oven and cool for about 5 minutes before transferring them onto a wired cooling rack to cool completely.
Right before you're ready to serve the cupcakes, make the frosting: beat the heavy cream over medium-high speed then gradually increase the speed to high (I used the splash guard that came with my mixer to prevent splatters all over my kitchen walls). Add in the powdered sugar, pudding mix, and vanilla extract, and continue to beat the mixture on high for about 5 minutes, or until frosting looks pale and fluffy. Pipe onto cupcakes prior to serving and top with a mini Oreo.
Makes 24-26 cupcakes

Notes

Because this frosting uses heavy whipping cream, the piped cupcakes cannot be stored at room temperature. I transferred the frosting into a piping bag, stored it in the refrigerator, then piped the cupcakes (as many as needed) right before serving.
Otherwise the unpiped cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

By Simple Everyday Food

Adapted from Living Better Together

Simple Everyday Food https://www.simpleeverydayfood.com/

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Recipe adapted from Living Better Together

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root beer meringue cookies

Posted by :Amy On : May 22, 2015

Category: Desserts

Tags:cookies, dessert, meringues, root beer

A few weeks ago, I crossed one more thing off of my culinary bucket list: homemade pastry cream. I made some Boston cream pie cupcakes for a coworker’s birthday, and I was surprised at how easy it actually was to make pastry cream from scratch.

After it was all said and done, I was left with four egg whites sitting in a bowl on my kitchen counter. I had an internal conversation with myself regarding what to do with them: tossing them down the drain was out of the question. Maybe an egg white scramble for breakfast? Orrrrr…. I could make meringue cookies.

Yes! Meringue cookies. Now the big question: what kind of meringue cookies? Since Memorial Day is around the corner and summer is soon approaching, how about something that screams “summer”? That’s when I remembered that little bottle of root beer extract I bought last year, tucked all the way in the back of my “extracts” bin (yes, I have a bin just for extracts).

ROOT BEER MERINGUE COOKIES, you guys!

…Sorry, I’m yelling. But seriously, it can’t be any fancier and cooler than that, can it?

You know how there are certain things and smells that remind you of something? Well, as these babies were baking in the oven, my entire house smelled like root beer, which totally reminded me of sipping on an ice cold glass of root beer on a hot summer day and how much I wish it was 85 degrees and sunny outside at the time.

If you’re not familiar with making meringue cookies, I have a few tips that I’ve learned based on past personal experiences that I talk about here. And in case you’re not familiar with meringue cookies, they’re not the kind of “cookie” that comes to mind; instead, they’re light, slightly crunchy, and melt right in your mouth as soon as you bite into it. Think of it like a fancy cookie that fancy people eat, except it’s not at all difficult to make whatsoever.

Make these for your family and friends to impress them – each batch easily makes at least 60-80 of these cookies so there will be plenty to pass around, plus I swear you can never just eat one!

root beer meringue cookies

2015-04-24 16:04:44

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Ingredients

4 egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons root beer extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt starting on medium speed for a few seconds, then gradually increasing the speed to medium high. Beat for 1-2 minutes or until soft peaks form*.
Turn your mixer to high and add in the granulated sugar into the egg white mixture, one spoonful at a time (about 1 tablespoon) until gone. Beat the mixture for 5 minutes until stiff peaks form**. Add in the root beer extract and beat until combined.
Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag with a large open star. Pipe meringues about 1" apart and bake for 60 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the meringues stand in the closed oven overnight. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 5 days.

Notes