Crock Pot Brownies

Where do I begin with this one? Yes, I made amazing, fudgy brownies in my crock pot. They were super easy to make with a bunch of pantry staples and we practically inhaled them. Mostly topped with ice cream. to the point that I thought I might need to make another batch because there was barely anything left for me to use for pictures. And that wouldn't have been a bad thing. Except for the part where my pants would be snug. I don't know, snug pants might be worth it for how chocolatey and delicious these brownies turned out. I've been wanting to make a few more desserts in my crock pot lately, after making coffee cake and banana bread in the past, so when I saw this recipe from my Secret Recipe Club assignment, I knew my mind was made up.

Italian Herb Focaccia

I love a good bread. Whether for the prefect sandwich or as an accompaniment for a delicious pasta dinner or some other amazing meal, there's something about a great piece of bread. I like it with a crunchy crust and soft center or a buttery, flaky texture throughout or a nice, chewy and perfectly fluffed piece, like this amazingly easy focaccia bread. This loaf is perfectly seasoned with salt and Italian herbs, and bakes up super quick after two easy rises. I didn't need a lot of ingredients or time to make this bread and I can't believe it took me so long to tackle this recipe. I've wanted to make focaccia for along time--it's one of my favorite indulgences to pick up from the bakery or our farm stand (which sells for a local baker), but I don't due it very often. That's why I have Secret Recipe Club to challenge me to try recipes on my list of must-makes!

Chocolate Applesauce Muffins

Sometimes you need chocolate. And sometimes it's breakfast so you need something that's passes as real food because apparently chocolate and ice cream aren't appropriate breakfast foods. Remind me I need to talk to whoever is in charge of deciding the appropriateness of ice cream consumption (answer: always). But if I make muffins (breakfast food!) and they happen to be chocolate (yay!), then that's acceptable. Hey, I don't make the rules, I just look for ways to bend them so I get my delicious treats whenever I want. Fortunately, these chocolate muffins aren't completely horrible for you because they are made with applesauce to replace some of the fat, but still keep them moist and delicious. Nope, these muffins don't taste like apple, they are all chocolate all the way and perfect for a morning pick me up, or for a great afternoon snack. Thank goodness I have the Secret Recipe Club to convince me to try new things!

Inside Out Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Do we need to go into all the reasons why peanut butter and chocolate are the most amazing combination? I think that's fairly well-documented here. And if you're new here, a quick glance at the recipe index will show you I'm serious about this rich, sweet and salty combo. Seriously, I will try alltherecipes that include these two lovely flavors. Which is why I needed to try these brownies with the peanut butter goodness on the outside of a fudgy brownie, including a peanut butter shortbread crust and a sweet peanut butter candy coating on top. These are glass of milk brownies because you'll need one to help wash down these rich and dense brownies that hit all the right notes on both flavor and texture. I honestly can't remember why I made these the first time (I think they were birthday baking and then I didn't see the birthday girl, so we ate them all?), and then second time I felt bad about eating them all, plus I didn't take a picture so I made them again, but I still can't remember if we shared them with anyone. Bottom line: these brownies are so good you'll want to share but then they will cast a spell on you that you'll forget who you wanted to share them with and eat the whole pan. Twice.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Blondies

My lovely, sweet and beautiful niece Elyse turns 13 today (blink.blink.). It's insane to think about the time that has passed but I'm so excited to see her take on life as an awesome teenager. Not sure what to make her for birthday baking, I decided 13 warrants a bit of sophistication. Instead of candy or chocolate overloaded sweets, I went for a classy combination of white chocolate and dried cranberries in a moderately sweet blondie with a crunchy edge and a slightly chewy center. This version is delicious and celebratory in a subtle way. Plus, in a pinch, you can toss a scoop of ice cream and maybe some caramel sauce on top and make a lovely blondie sundae.

Brioche French Toast

I adore French toast--it's definitely one of my favorite breakfast foods. But I rarely make it at home because it doesn't ever turn out the way I want it to: perfectly fluffy inside and a touch of crisp outside with a sweet, cinnamon finish. Mine is usually soggy and the cinnamon clumps together so only the first few pieces get the spice, which is always spotty and heavy. But last week I was in Aldi (of all places) and spotted a beautiful loaf of chocolate chip brioche. For real. Aldi. As soon as I saw it, I thought--French Toast! I hemmed and hawed for a second and then took it as a sign that yes, I need to master this dish. Dave and I were thrilled with the result--it was exactly the type of challenge I needed. Fluffy? Yes. Sweet and subtle with cinnamon and nutmeg? Yes. Grilled to a perfect exterior crisp with no soggy interior? Yes. Now I just a have to stalk Aldi for brioche in order to make it again!

Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Bread

Sometimes, usually when ordering soft-serve ice cream, I can't decide if I want chocolate or vanilla. I mean, chocolate is always a yes, but occasionally I like the idea of vanilla. But to go all vanilla means I get no chocolate, which seems kind of wrong in a lot of ways. Which is why I thank my lucky stars for the genius that invented the swirl. The clean, fresh sweetness of vanilla without sacrificing the rich goodness of chocolate all in one delicious treat. Which is exactly the best description for this quick bread. A perfectly tender crumb with all the loveliness of both chocolate and vanilla, not to mention a pretty little swirl when you cut off each slice. It might seem like twice the work since you need to make two batters, but you get two loaves out of the deal, so there's a nice return on investment (yes, I supposed you could split the recipe in half, but then you won't have a loaf to share with someone).

M&M Snack Cake Bars

Part cake, part bar, all delicious. These bars are all that's right in the world and were super simple to put together after I got our little guy down for the night. My evening baking time is limited since we have a pretty regular routine getting Logan to bed, so finding quick recipes that can be completed in the time before I hit the pillow is imperative. And this one isn't only quick, but delicious. The bars are soft, but not overly cakey. Like the perfect cross between cake and cookie and blondie. Perfect texture and not crumbly. Now the base is perfect for just about any sort of mix in, but really chocolate chips and mini M&Ms solidifies these bars as a great snack. The only thing better would have been to add sprinkles (it is cake after all) and get some funfetti action up in these tasty treats. There's always next time.

Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Last week I started back at the gym again. I was a pretty regular gym rat prior to our little nugget working out right up until he was born. Five days a week I did strength, cardio or yoga. Plus Dave and I were pretty active with biking, kayaking, and other outdoor activities. But a winter baby--born during the worst winter in recent history (do the people complaining about the lovely summer heat forget our 7 feet of snow?)--plus the lack of time, energy and shear access to get to the gym has meant I've neglected my former workouts. I workout to be healthy and this body was built by baby and cookies, so getting back into some sort of active lifestyle needed to take on a new priority level in my life. So the other day I found myself on day two of my new workout routine, on the elliptical and really pushing hard. It felt great and I surprised myself by not being nearly as out of shape as expected. And then I remembered I wanted to make brownies or some sort of bar for work the next day. Browsing Pinterest on my phone, the irony hit me right away that while I was working to shed the pounds from baby (and yes, far too many cookies and other sweets since then), I was also researching a new way to enjoy sugar and chocolate. But really these bars have oatmeal so that means they're healthy, right (right?!?). Soft, chewy, gooey bars mimic a perfect oatmeal cookie all full of nutty goodness but made more awesome with an overabundance (is there really such a thing?) of chocolate chips. Plus, hello simple. I got these done in about a half hour, after work, start to finish, including washing the dishes while they baked.

Cookies and Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies

Welcome to another installment of "I had to make these more than once because we ate them all before I could take a photo." And really, isn't that the true sign of an awesome recipe. Particularly a cookie--because that's a lot of opportunities that got shoved into mouths before you realized a critical step of the recipe was missing when it comes to food blogging. So, yes, these cookies are that good. I mean, it's a cookie with cookies in it. Can it really get better than a cannibalized cookie? Well, if you're going to add cream cheese to make the soft and tender and both chocolate chips AND white chocolate chips for good measure, then yes it can get better. I gifted a batch of these to my friend Rachel for her birthday and she just about lost her mind. Cookies for the win!

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

The days are longer, the weather is warmer and no one wants to spend a lot of time in the kitchen this time of year. It must be summer. Even though I don't want to be in the kitchen for hours, we still need to eat, so my crock pot keeps a spot on the counter even through the summer. It's perfect for creating excellent dinners without heating up the kitchen or keeping me away from the summer fun. So I'm thrilled to have this recipe for stuffed peppers with a Mexican twist to cook right in the crock pot. They are delicious, filling and super easy to make. Mexican flavors are always a win in our house and these peppers definitely make us happy. Enchilada sauce, seasoned rice and diced tomatoes with green chiles and more get added to ground beef for a delicious filling to these tender pepper just bursting with flavor. This is one of those recipes that makes me so excited to be part of Secret Recipe Club!

Applesauce Granola Bread

How could I forget to post this bread? It's so delicious and super easy, not to mention fairly healthy for a quick bread. I made this a few times in a short period and have been thinking of making it again. The first loaf was to try it out. The second was to share with some friends. And the third went to Logan's teachers at daycare as a thank you and morning surprise for them. Overall, this recipe got great reviews from everyone. What's great about this bread is how you can play with the flavor depending on the kind of granola you have on hand. So you can get a little something different each time. Which is always fun.

Classic Stuffed Peppers

Sometimes comfort food is in order and for me, stuffed peppers are one of those comfort foods I love. They remind me of my mom, who made them fairly regularly growing up. And even though when I was little I wanted "stuffed peppers without the pepper" (aka, meatballs) which Mom was good enough to oblige this one menu request, I eventually grew to love the pepper part too. Now I make these and serve them up with lots of mashed potatoes and a salad for a hearty, comforting delicious dinner. I love the seasoning, the extra texture from the rice and frankly, the satisfying look of a pepper just overstuffed and overflowing with a delicious filling.

Birthday Oreo Blondies

These are definitely birthday blondies. I made them three times in two months, for three different birthdays. Of course, the first two times we ate them all/gave them to the birthday honoree before I remembered to take a picture. In fact, this picture is of the last few in the pan. They are just so good, we gobbled them down before I had the time/sunny skies to grab the camera. Clearly. The blondie itself is perfect--sturdy with the right amount of crunchy edge and enough softness on the interior to gently break. But the real fabulousness is in the flavor--a little hint of birthday cake with sprinkles, white chocolate chips and big fat chunks of golden birthday cake flavor cream filled Oreos. Clearly these were made for a party and I hope the three birthday girls (Rachel, Lisa and Lisa) loved them.

Korean Beef

I'm embarrassed that I've been absent for this long. I've been cooking, but the new job has taken some getting used to in terms of setting our routine (but it's great!) and of course my new little kitchen helper is still figuring out all the tools and how they work. But at 5 months old, he has a lot more to learn, not the least of which is don't put all the tools in your mouth. I've got a backlog of birthday baking to share with you, a few more tasty quick breads and some other goodies I'd like to get to you before this time next month. Because I while I super excited that today is Secret Recipe Club reveal day, I'm disappointed that the last time I posted something delicious was for last month's Secret Recipe Club. But we all hit these ruts and I'm thrilled with this recipe and the nudge to get back in gear with posting. We've actually had this a few times already because it's super easy to make during the week after work and daycare, between feeding the little guy and getting him ready for bed. Plus it tastes awesome. I love my crock pot Beef and Broccoli, but this stove top Korean Beef is equally delicious with a slight twist in the flavor, texture and presentation. I've never been to a Korean restaurant, so I can't vouch for authenticity. Authentic or not, it's still delicious and is definitely in our rotation. The first time I made this, I didn't have any broccoli, so I substituted green beans and it was equally good. thank goodness for Secret Recipe Club for helping me get back on track and find this awesome recipe.

Oatmeal and Honey Lactation Cookies

If you're a breastfeeding mom like me sometimes you worry about the milk. And if you like cookies like me, you think "How can I not try to ensure the milk supply while enjoying a delicious cookie?" It's definitely not something I'd ever thought I'd blog about, but now I understand. And the plus side is these cookies are really good. Like seriously tasty. Oats and honey, with the help of dark chocolate chips and dried cranberries, make a really delicious soft cookie with a serious combination of a honey nut flavor. Yes there is flax and brewer's yeast in these cookies, but honestly I didn't even notice the yeast come through the flavor (and yes, I've definitely seen an increase in milk supply). And who knew I'd be lucky to stumble upon a lactation cookie recipe, in the very month I needed it most, from my Secret Recipe Club assignment!

Chocolate Stout Bread

Yes I realize St. Patrick's Day is long over but I also know that like me, many people have one lonely bottle of Guinness kicking around their fridge and maybe you want to do something other than drink it. Since chocolate and stout go so well together, and this is a great way to sneak alcohol into your breakfast (just kidding, it cooks off), this recipe is bound to make you happy. And hello it's super easy. This bread is perfectly tender and has a nice richness that brings out the beautiful chocolate flavors, totally enhanced by the stout. This bread is perfect for sharing,at brunch or as a snack. This bread has a nice cocoa flavor without being overtly sweet or screaming rich chocolate. Even Dave liked this bread, and he's usually not a fan of the chocolate breads, particularly in the morning. So I must have done something right here.

Blueberry Muffin Cookies

You all know how I love to combine my sweet treats--taking something you'd typically associate with one type of dessert and blend it together with another. Ice Cream Sundae Cookies. Apple Fritter Muffins. Smores Waffles. So it should comes as no surprise that I would jump at the chance to make cookies that taste like blueberry muffins, especially for my niece Abi who loves blueberry muffins and just happened to celebrate her birthday last week. These cookies taste like fluffy blueberry muffin tops, complete with struesel crumbled on top. They are deliciously soft and the blueberries burst with sweetness in every bite. Dave and I couldn't get enough of these and they were Abi approved as well. Plus, if it has muffin in the name, that means it's an acceptable breakfast item, right? Just ignore that part about a cookie if it's before noon.

Carrot Coconut Bread

Easter is right around the corner, which means it's pretty much carrot cake season. I'm not a huge fan of carrot cake, but I will have a piece when in the right mood. And I'll certainly entertain the idea of turning carrot cake into something else, like a cookie or in this case, a lovely loaf of quick bread. I actually made this twice in the past week--once for my friend Cindy for her birthday baking and again for us because Dave was drooling when he saw Cindy's loaf and I think was a little disappointed he couldn't try it. But I'm glad to repeat it since it's a delicious twist on a breakfast or snack bread and was super easy to make. And the glaze. Do not skip the glaze. If carrot cake is just a delivery vehicle for cream cheese frosting, then this bread was made specifically for this cream cheese glaze. So. Good. This loaf is hearty, so you could totally just make it breakfast with a cup of coffee. Or a mid morning snack. Or lunch. Or grab a slice when you're up at 2 am with the baby.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

I love some buffalo chicken wings. That spicy meaty game day grub is one of my favorite indulgences. Heat and spice makes me happy, so I like having that flavor some other way, like the Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf I shared a while back. So I'm loving these meatballs which are perfect little appetizers without the mess of wings with bones. Dave even tossed a few of these on a sub roll for a buffalo chicken meatball sub--brilliant! Yes, we'll have these again for many parties, I'm sure.

Guinness Brownies

St Patrick's Day is tomorrow and I need to share with you guys the awesomeness that is these brownies. A thick, dense brownie full of rich chocolate goodness, heightened with that beautiful Irish stout Guinness. And then I did something awful. And by awful I mean amazing. I took the Bailey's buttercream frosting from my Irish Triple Threat cupcakes and slathered it on top of these brownies. Irish dessert squared. I took these to a party over the weekend were they got rave reviews. I've never made a brownie quite like this. It's fudgy but not gooey and thick but not cakey. Seriously, these are so good I can hardly describe them. Just trust that you need to make these. Now.

Leek & Potato Soup

When Dave and I went to Ireland, one of my favorite meals included a delicious bowl of leek and potato soup. It was fresh, creamy and the perfect consistency. Ever since I've wanted to make a version at home and I've finally gotten around to it. And the timing is great for a beautiful and healthy green dish for St. Patrick's Day next week. This soup is simple to make and has very few ingredients but tons of flavor. I love the flavor leeks give to dishes, so a soup that celebrates the leek itself makes me very happy. This soup seems fancy but uses just a few ingredients and is ready in less than 30 minutes.

Bacon Wrapped BBQ Chicken Tenders

I know, I had you at bacon. Really, do I have to tell you how delicious these chicken strips are? Tender, flavorful and just so good--after all, bacon makes everything better. Not only was this a delicious dinner on a cold, gray day (will this winter ever end?), but it took all of 3 minutes to put together and 20 minutes to cook. Bacony goodness in record time. I'm always up for wrapping food in bacon and I'm glad my Secret Recipe Club match had this idea on her menu as well.

Oven Chicken Fajitas

These fajitas have changed my whole perspective. I actually have several cast iron skillets--even the flat ones like you get fajitas on at a restaurant--but I never get that smoky flavor or the perfectly soften vegetables. Somehow my veggies always end up soggy and the chicken just so-so. Well that's all changes and I'll never bother making skillet fajitas again. Seriously, no need to stand by the stove willing the excess water to cook off. Just chop the veggies, slice the chicken and season them up. Toss it all in the oven and behold--amazing fajitas. Dave was totally on board and said these fajitas were better than one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. Oh, and I totally made this while Logan slept in the carrier. I kept asking him to help, but he just yawned and snuggled in for a nap. He's not yet useful in the kitchen.

Magic Turtle Bars

These days I'm looking for quick recipes for delicious treats that I can make either while Logan sleeps or while he "helps" me when I wear him in the kitchen. Magic bars definitely fit the description because they are basically just piles of tasty goodies layered on top of one another and baked to perfection. Very easy to do, even when your littlest kitchen helper falls asleep on you while you explain the merits of semi sweet versus dark chocolate chips. And this turtle candy inspired version of a magic bar live up to the hype. They are amazing--dark chocolate, caramel and pecans are an irresistible combination. The chocolate gets slightly melted, the caramel is gooey and the nuts offer a perfect salty crunch. Plus the texture of these bars is like a party for your mouth. Based on how quickly these vanished from our counter (and the fact that I had to package some up to give away), these are a huge hit.

Soft Cocoa Sugar Cookies

I'm on a soft cookie binge and these cocoa cookies definitely hit the spot. They are tender and soft, with a lovely sugar coating and have a perfect cocoa flavor that's not too chocolatey. Dave really liked these because the chocolate wasn't overpowering and they still had the best parts of a soft sugar cookie. And the sugar coating on the outside gives a nice crunch to house all the soft cookie goodness.

Peanut Butter Nougat Brownies

We are buried. For real we've gotten about 7 feet of snow in 3ish weeks and I keep finding myself stuck in the house. Even when I can go out, I'm kind of afraid because the snow banks are so tall it's a hazard to go to an intersection. Unless I'm in Dave's bright orange Jeep. But being stuck in the house means I have to occupy my time, so I might as well bake. Sigh. As a result I ended up with these delicious brownies with a layer of peanut butter marshmallow nougat through the center and I swooned. The brownies are a cross between fudgy and cakey, with a perfect chocolate flavor. And the peanut butter filling  shows up in every bite, so it's almost like the brownie equivalent of a Reese's cup. Which is to say these brownies are amazing.

Funfetti Waffles

I wanted waffles and I wanted sprinkles. When such spirit overtakes you, the only thing left to do is figure out how to make a funfetti waffle and enjoy breakfast. Part of me was sad I didn't have any whipped cream to top these waffles, but that was fleeting since these fluffy breakfast treats definitely came through with cake batter flavor and pretty rainbow sprinkles throughout. A few simple adjustments to a basic waffle recipe and you've got a perfect celebratory breakfast. Yay!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bread

So it's the day before Valentine's Day and you'd think I'd be posting something red velvet like most everyone else. But the thing is, I know the way to Dave's heart isn't paved with red velvet. It's paved with peanut butter and chocolate. So the only thing I could think of was to make him something to show him I love him and give him the chocolate and peanut butter he deserves. And for some reason, I can make pretty decadent breads that are usually consumed for breakfast and he doesn't complain about me trying to sneak dessert into breakfast. I call it Dave Logic. But, Dave Logic aside, this break is delicious and you really can (and will want to) snack on it any time of day. Tender chocolatey bread with lots of peanut butter flavor, and I think it's rather pretty. I love that the bread isn't just chocolate or peanut butter, but really has both flavors in the batter. And then it's speckled with chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, not to mention a healthy dose of chopped peanuts on top. Yes, this is perfect of the chocolate peanut butter feign in your life.

Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

We ate all the pretty pieces of this before I remembered to take a photo on the plate. But trust me when I say it was worth the sacrifice. We eat pork tenderloin fairly regularly and this is another super simple recipe for the versatile protein. This crock pot version combines just a few ingredients for a sauce that offers a lot of flavor. And you can probably pull this together in under 5 minutes before work on morning and come home to a delicious dinner that definitely taste like more than a 5 minute time investment. All of the ingredients are pantry staples, so you'll be able to make this a last minute addition to your meal plan without any issues and end up with a tender, juicy pork tenderloin begging to be paired with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies.

Soft Batch Cake Batter Cookies

Our friends Felise and Nick have a little boy, Theo, who celebrated his first birthday last month. And since every little kid deserves some birthday baking, I couldn't resist bringing these celebratory cookies along. I mean, seriously, they taste like cake and have sprinkles. They are a birthday cookie for sure. But on top of all that, they are soft and chewy. A particularly delicious cookie as far as I'm concerned. This was a fortuitous recipe since I found it from my blog assignment from Secret Recipe Club.

Crock Pot Coffee Cake

Having a baby means sometimes you wake up at 4 am. Since I used to wake up for the day at 5 am, after I've fed, changed and rocked Logan back to sleep, there's a good chance I'm up for the day (only to crash in a nap at 10 am, but that's neither here nor there). So if I'm going to be awake, I'd like to be productive and though making breakfast would be beneficial. It's been quite a while since I made banana bread in a crock pot and I've been toying with the idea of cake in the crock pot for a while. It's just so wild. So I got up one morning, quickly got a batter and struesel topping together and put this is the crock pot. By the time normal people wake up, it was ready and a nice treat for breakfast. The cake is tender, not soggy, sweet and perfectly adorned with struesel. The edges get a nice edge, but can easily get crusty so don't cook too long!

Marbled Brownies

Sometimes I have a dessert crisis. When faced with both, do I choose the blondie or the brownie? The chocoholic in me says the brownie, but the blondies usually have chocolate chips and a different type of sweetness. Fudgy or chewy? Sweet or decadent? So why not combine the two? A fudgy brownie with a swirl of blondies throughout. Not only are they beautiful with a pretty blondie design, they are delicious. I couldn't get over how well they turned out--rich and tasty and perfect just as is, but also fantastic with a scoop of ice cream.

Banana Cranberry Bread

My Dad came to visit Logan last month. He really enjoys my banana breads and is up for anything with cranberries in it. So I decided to make this Banana Cranberry Bread while he was here. It was perfect timing--he could enjoy the bread and give Logan the attention he inevitably decides he needs as soon as I pull out any ingredients. (That little boy doesn't yet understand that it's a good thing when Mommy is busy in the kitchen.) Besides the fact that this banana bread required only 2 bowls, a whisk and a spatula to make, I had all the ingredients in the pantry and thought the combination of banana and cranberry would be super tasty, even though I'd never paired the two flavors before. It's definitely a winner and I think I'll be making this again. The cranberries offer a tartness to the sweet banana and the baking spice offers just a touch of comfort to bring it all together in a tender bread.

Honey Glazed Pork Tenderloin

We love a pork tenderloin--juicy, tender and so easy to load up with all kinds of flavor. Plus you can cook them up pretty quickly in a variety of ways--grill it (if your grill isn't covered in 2 feet of snow), roast it, or use the slow cooker. Which is good because with a baby I find myself making the best intentions to cook dinner (i.e., taking a pork tenderloin out of the freezer for dinner) but then getting a bit distracted and realizing at 4 pm I forgot to prep the crock pot or think about how to cook said tenderloin. So this recipe requiring less than 5 minutes to get ready and about a half hour to cook is perfect for those nights when you realize when you're hungry that you haven't made any food yet. The pork is juicy and flavorful, definitely good enough that we would even plan to make this again. Assuming I remember to take the pork out of the freezer.

Hot Chocolate Pancakes

Snowy, cold winter days require lots of hot chocolate. And snowy, cold winter days are the perfect reason to make a big breakfast. After all, you need a good, hearty breakfast to snuggle up on the couch watching movies all day while the snow comes down in droves. so a combination of hot chocolate and pancakes sounds fantastic. And they are. Fluffy pancakes flavored with cocoa, chocolate chips and marshmallows mimicking the lovely flavors of hot chocolate. I've been wanting to make these pancakes for a while (hello--dessert for breakfast is my favorite) and finally got a chance. These made for a completely indulgent, but totally delicious, breakfast. Even Dave liked them and he doesn't believe in dessert for breakfast.

Thanks for your patience!

So, life with baby is going great. He's awesome, eats great and is letting us sleep a little more. But he's also incredibly distracting and I find it hard to stop looking at him long enough to write some blog posts. Yup, he's just that amazing.

Have no fear, I'll be back tomorrow with more yummy goodies. Until then, survive the snowstorm if you're on the East Coast. I intend to do so by baking cookies and cooking chili.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

Simple Secret Ingredient Meatloaf

While I spent some time in the last few weeks of my pregnancy preparing freezer meals so that Dave and I could eat well without having to cook every night, I also started looking for simple recipes Dave could throw together quickly. We're fans of meatloaf, but sometimes the recipes can get pretty extensive--or at least require more work or ingredients than we want to engage in with an infant to care for. Enter this recipe with only four (4!) ingredients for a really delicious and quick meatloaf. Seriously, I could not get over how tasty this meal was and in fact we've had it twice already. So what's the secret? Stuffing mix. It's used as both your binding ingredients (breadcrumbs) and your seasoning and the result is a perfect meatloaf.