Birthday Oreo Pudding "Cake"

Woe is me.

I meant to post this recipe way back when I was freaking out about the introduction of Birthday Cake Oreos...Perhaps the excitement caused me to go temporarily insane.

If there are still boxes of those Birthday Cake Oreos to be found, or you still have a box waiting in your pantry (btw you must be crazy) then pay attention!

I love Oreo desserts. Love them. When those Oreos came out I knew I had to come up with something. Since they taste kind of like cake batter I went that route...naturally.

Anyway, who doesn't love Oreo/dirt pudding?

Exactly. Well this version has cream cheese, cake batter and sprinkles.

You're welcome.

No, seriously. When I made this I could not get it in my mouth fast enough. I'm typically a slow eater but this little dessert made me abandon all reason and manners. I grabbed the biggest spoon I could find and went to town with a "pudding-eating-grin" on my face.

I really want some now. Why did I have to eat all my oreos?!

(BTW you can obviously still make this with regular Oreos, the bday ones just bump it up a notch)

Birthday Oreo Pudding "Cake"

Dame Good

Ingredients:

1 (10.5 ounce) package birthday cake oreos (or regular if you cant find them)
1/4 cup  light butter
1 (16 ounce) container fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 (8 ounce) packages neaufchatel cream cheese
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups skim milk
1 (3.5 ounce) package fat-free sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
1/4 cup yellow cake mix (dry)
1/2 cup sprinkles

Directions:

Crush cookies into bite size pieces. Reserve 3/4 cup for top. Melt butter and mix with rest of cookies. Press into 8x8 (or 9x9) pan. Put in freezer for 5 minutes.

Blend 1/2 of the whipped topping, all of the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Spread over crust and place cake back in freezer.

Prepare instant pudding with the milk according to package directions. Add cake mix and 1/4 cup sprinkles to the pudding. Spread the pudding over top of cake. Spread the remaining whipped topping on top of the pudding then sprinkle with the remaining cookie and sprinkles. Keep cake refrigerated.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

I'm alive!!

Well, kinda. If you consider being the most busy you have ever been in your life "alive" then yes, I qualify.

It has been a long time since I have posted. Too long I'm afraid. Along with my usual class and work schedule I have recently started an "internship"-type gig where I do real-life signing with real-life people!

I know, crazy right?! You spend all this time learning sign language and practicing these mock situations with your fellow peers who pretend to be deaf for so long that you kind of forget that the whole reason you are even in the program is to interpret for living and breathing deaf people!

It has been something else. Let me tell yah. I have been tirelessly adjusting to the new craziness that is my life that my lovely little hobby that is Dame Good Eats has been neglected.

I must say, I have missed the excuse to be creepy and take pictures of everything I eat and make...I also miss the excuse to try to come up with the most outlandish kind of dishes in the hopes that maybe, just maybe they will be successful.

I kinda miss you all :(

I have set a goal for myself this quarter to allow myself more "me" time and more time to enjoy the things I like to do with my "free" time. Well, I no longer have this "free" time (I think it's a myth) but I decided I need to make some...even if just a teensy bit...I miss reading novels, cooking and blogging about my obsession with food.

We shall see how this transpires eh?

I have like 10 billion recipes from months ago just patiently waiting for me to post them. So stay tuned!

Ps...did anyone eat themselves into a 2-day food coma on Super Bowl Sunday because there were too many different types of dip and dip is one thing that forces you to throw all other cares out the window? No?...yeah me neither :/

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
From Beantownbaker.com

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (18 ounces) creamy peanut butter
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (18 ounces) strawberry jam or other jam
2/3 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch cake pan. Line it with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingredients are combined.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.

Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread over the bottom with a knife or offset spatula. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; it will spread in the oven. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

Strawberry Peach Crumble

I am literally giggling like a little school girl.

Fall is coming!

The past two days have been a glimpse of fall weather...there's been a slight chill and some leaves are starting to fall.

Fall makes me happy.

I love the weather, it's football season, pumpkin pie, my birthday, sleeping with my windows open...the list? It never ends.

This is my absolute favorite time of year.

I want to curl up with a book in my coziest clothes with pumpkin candles lit and the fall breeze coming in through the window.

Heaven.

Did I mention the pumpkin spice latte is back?! I am due for a walk across the park to the old bookstore across the street from Starbucks where I can buy a new book and indulge in some pumpkin deliciousness...

I want to jump in a pile of leaves! Anyone?

I guess fall makes me a little excited...or ADD...whatever. I'm happy. :)

This dessert is a great one to make for the end of summer. If you can find peaches and strawberries still in season go snatch them up! The strawberries and peaches scream summer while the oats, and cinnamon and the crunchy crumble make you long for fall.

It's perfect.

Strawberry Peach Crumble
From Foodnetwork.com


Ingredients:

Butter, for pan
Filling:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 large lemon)
1 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot flour
1 pound medium strawberries, halved
1 1/2 pounds yellow or white peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup light brown sugar

Topping:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup old fashioned style oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Directions:

Serving suggestion: whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or gelato

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish. Set aside.

For the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and arrowroot until smooth. Add the strawberries, peaches and brown sugar. Gently toss until the fruit is coated. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared pan.

For the topping: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, oats, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt. Pulse until mixed. Add the butter. Pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Sprinkle the mixture over the filling and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the top is light golden. Cool the crumble for 5 minutes.

Spoon the warm crumble into bowls and serve with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream

Peach BBQ Baked Beans

I have been a horrible blogger.

I know. I am sorry.

If it is any consolation I have had a really really tough and challenging week. Sometimes things happen to challenge you or to drastically shift your perspective so you can see things clearly and learn about yourself.

I have been learning about myself.

It has been tough. And things aren't ideal right now but I am putting the confident and positive Tarrah I used to know so well back on and never taking her off again.

Things get tough for a reason. If you belive in your gut, then you just have to believe things will work out the way they should.

Positive. Positive. Positive.

A few weeks back, we had a work potluck. Gosh I love potlucks. It was a backyard barbeque kind of theme...Gosh I love barbeques :)

I have had this recipe tucked away in my "to-do" list for what feels like ages. I have always been dying to make it but never had the ample opportunity until now.

Love it. Love love love it!

It makes a TON...and by a ton I mean you will be putting containers of it in the freezer. But that's okay because its so yummy and come winter time when you are really missing that beautiful summer that feels like so long ago and would give anything for a backyard barbeque you can pull this out.

You'll feel better. I promise.

Ps, I am leaving for a much needed little mini-vacation with a few friends tomorrow night so I will be MIA for a bit, but for happier reasons :)I am so ready to be on a boat with good friends, margaritas, junk food and no sense of time...yes please!

I shall return refreshed and revived!

Peach BBQ Baked Beans
From foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

8 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 (#10 can, about 6 pounds and 10 ounces) baked beans (recommended: Bush's)
3 cups canned peach pie filling
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons Jack's Old South BBQ Rub

Jack's Old South BBQ Rub:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1/4 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until somewhat crispy and its fat has rendered. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, leaving the fat in the skillet.

Add the pepper and onion to the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large baking pan.

Add the bacon, beans, pie filling, barbecue sauce, and rub to the pan. Mix to combine and bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, about 1 hour.

Peach Yogurt Pie

I found a cool website.

I don't know that I have told anyone this but I am certain that if the idea of "past life" exists that I was a 50's housewife.

Truly.

I thoroughly enjoy cleaning and baking. Yep, I said cleaning.

So this website....it is a recipe database full of vintage recipes found in old housewife magazines and old hand-writen recipe note cards! Neat right?!

Only con? It appears that it is no longer being updated BUT there are plently of charming recipes that you can imagine your grandma making in her floral apron with her vintage kitchen-aid appliances. ::sigh::

Let's face it...nobodys anything taste better than Grandmas...and Grandmas is always the most simplistic and straight-forward version. These days (and yes I am oh so guilty) people want to throw hundreds of ingredients and layers and components in their food and the simple classic flavors are often lost.

Do I feel that is wrong? Absolutely not...I do it all the time. But sometimes you need that simple pie or that 5 ingredient cookie recipe.

Simple. Delightful. Classic.

This is one of the recipes I couldn't resist. There is nothing like a juicy peach in the summer and a pie that requires a ready-made crust.

I just wanted to put on my brightest apron and whip this bad boy up. And that is exactly what I did. Though I wasn't as well put-together as a traditional 50's housewife. I was in my pajamas that I had been in for 36 hours and hadn't pulled a comb through my hair in 35...

Like I said...PAST life.

Peach Yogurt Pie
From recipecurio.com

Ingredients:

1 package (3 oz.) JELL-O Brand Peach Flavor Gelatin
3/4 cup boiling water
2 cartons (6 oz. each) low fat Peach Yogurt
2 cups thawed fat-free Whipped Topping
1 cup finely chopped fresh peaches
1 reduced-fat Graham Cracker Pie Crust

Directions:

Dissolve gelatin completely in boiling water. Chill until slightly thickened. Using wire whisk, blend in yogurt. Fold in whipped topping and peaches. Spoon into crust. Chill until firm, about 4 hours.

Greek Yogurt Lemon Mousse

It's hot outside.

Like really REALLY hot. The kind of heat that makes it hard to keep your eyes open because the heat is literally burning your eyeballs. You know? Like when you are squinting so hard it hurts?

That kinda hot.

I want to complain...and I guess I kinda just did...but I must remind myself I live in Ohio where extreme weather is expected. And I was kinda maybe just recently whining about the cold and the snow.

I suppose I am hard to please when it comes to weather.

If I'm looking at this scorching heat in a "glass half full" kinda way then I guess it offers up a great excuse to desperately chase after the ice cream man, or induldge in some ice-cream in mountain-sized portions, or even eat that 7th popsicle (you know the kind that comes in a plastic bag) even though the edges have cut open the sides of your mouth.

There's the silver lining I suppose.

You could go a healthy route though. I find this here mousse to be extremely refreshing and bonus! It's guilt-free. It's made with greek yogurt and fresh lemon and is perfectly light and fluffy.

You hot? Make this...

Greek Yogurt Lemon Mousse

From kitchenmonki.com

Ingredients:

1 cup Fat-Free Greek Yogurt
1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
3 tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1⁄4 cup Water
1 envelope Unflavored Gelatin, about 2 1/2 teaspoons
2⁄3 cup Egg White, from 4-5 eggs
pinch Salt
3⁄4 cup Sugar

Directions:

Combine yogurt, zest, juice, and extract in a small bowl. Whisk together and set aside.

To a separate small bowl, add water. Sprinkle gelatin on top and set aside.

Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water. Boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, to the bowl of a stand mixer, add egg whites, salt, and sugar, stirring gently to combine. Once water is boiling, carefully lower stand mixer bowl into saucepan. Whisk gently until sugar is dissolved and eggs are near-scalding to the touch. Remove bowl from pan.

Scrape gelatin into egg mixture and whisk quickly and thoroughly to combine.

Secure bowl to your stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip egg mixture at medium-high speed until the outside of the bowl is totally cool to the touch. (This took me about 8 minutes.) Once this occurs, add yogurt mixture. Continue whipping a few more seconds, until it's all combined.

Divide mixture among serving vessels and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. Serve cold. My suggestion? Serve with fresh berries...yum!

End of Summer: Ricotta Cheesecake with Fresh Raspberries

I know the summer is far behind us and ended a while ago but I found this post hiding in my drafts and I'll admit it, I am a procrastinator...please forgive me. I made this with a dinner one night because I needed a lighter dessert and was intrigued. I am still undecided on this dessert but thought there was no harm in posting it for anyone else to give it a try. There was something with the texture that rubbed me the wrong way. I'm assuming it was the ricotta, which apparently is a common way to make cheesecake in Italy...so I hear. I enjoyed the flavors of this cheesecake and the fresh raspberries were refreshing but for me personally, I think ricotta is better left between layers of pasta, meat and sauce.

I do have a cheese danish recipe that is on my "to-bake" list that calls for ricotta but I feel it may work a lot better in something like that...this cheesecake just didn't have that creamy smooth heavenly texture that I love so much. It was worth a shot and considering the good reviews it had on the foodnetwork.com, I think it was just a personal preference and that other people may actually enjoy this, so here it is...

Ricotta Cheesecake with Fresh Raspberries
From foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
4 ounces Neufchatel cheese, or reduced fat cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup all-fruit seedless raspberry jam
1 tablespoon orange liqueur or water
2 (6-ounce) containers fresh raspberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Place ricotta in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Add sour cream, Neufchatel, eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla, orange zest and salt. Process until well blended. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the center is just set, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

In a small saucepan, bring the jam and liqueur or water to a boil, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove sides of pan. Brush the tart with the jam mixture and top with raspberries, flat-side down.

Speaking of undecided...I just finished this book a couple weeks ago (I love to read. I know. How nerdy!) I can't decide how I feel about this book. I'm a sucker for romantic comedy kind of books ( LOVE Sue Margolis, Jen Lancaster and Candace Bushnell). This on the other hand was written by a man. It had it's quirky moments and I did appreciate how the ending was unpredictable and rather twisted. Yet, this book was easy to put down. Most of the time I read a book in 2 days, 3 days at the most because I'm so unbelieveably impatient and HAVE to know what happens. That didn't happen with this book. I felt maybe it was slow and hard to relate to....maybe that is just me. Has anyone else read it?

(Now I'm in the Halloween mood and reading "Wicked" and then "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" :))

End of Summer: Peach Cobbler

All summer I was craving peach cobbler. It is probably one of my favorite desserts. Anytime I can use peaches (especially fresh ones when they are in season) I jump on it. It's quite obvious I love peaches by making so many different things like this salad, these pancakes, these muffins, and this chicken. While some of those recipes are untraditional ways to use peaches, I went for a classic this time. This cobbler is from Betty Crocker so you know it doesn't disappoint. It satisfied my craving for cobbler for a minute but left me wanting more. You can't have peach cobbler without homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. I chose the whipped cream but I don't think you could go wrong either way.

Random thought/fact: The other day Shawn and I were watching a movie where they were eating marzipan mushrooms. He asked me what marzipan was and I had no idea. I know I'm ashamed, I should actually know as much about food as I pretend to...I mean I watch hours of the Food Network a week and cook most of my meals. So I googled it and learned that it is a confection consisting mostly of sugar and almond meal. It is used mostly for sweets...who knew?!

Fresh Peach Cobbler
From Betty Crocker: Baking Basics

Ingredients:

For the Cobbler:
6 medium peaches
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup AP flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the Sweetened Whipped Cream (makes 2 cups):
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

For the Cobbler:
Heat the oven to 400F. Cut each peach in half, and remove the pit. Peel each peach half using a pairing knife. Cut peaches into slices to measure 4 cups.

In a 2-quart saucepan, stir 1/2 cup sugar, the cornstarch and cinnamon until mixed. Stir in the peaches and lemon juice. Cook over medium-high heat 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until moisture thickens and boils. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Pour into and ungreased 2-quart casserole; keep peach mixture hot in oven while making dough.

In a medium bowl, stir flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, the baking powder and salt until mixed. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or fork, until mixture looks like fine crumbs, Stir in the milk. Drop dough by 6 spoonfuls onto the hot peach mixture. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over dough.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Meanwhile make sweetened whipped cream. Serve cobbler with whipped cream.

For the Whipped Cream:
Always start with cold cream from the refrigerator. Beat all the ingredients with an electric mixer until peaks form. Overbeating the whipped cream will curdle and separate the cream so only beat until soft peaks are formed (when the cream will hold its own shape when beaters are lifted from the cream).

End of Summer: Ultimate BBQ Chicken

This here is another one of those meals that screams summer to me. I had a mini potluck with some lady friends of mine at me new apartment. The theme was "indoor bbq". I made the bbq chicken, cornbread and peach cobbler (up next!). The girls brought salad, baked beans and potato salad. It was nice to catch up with the friends I haven't seen as much as I'm used to since graduating college over good food and wine. I'm hoping to be able to host these little potlucks more often. Come this thursday some of my girlfriends are coming to my place to watch Greys Anatomy and Jersey Shore (guilty pleasure, I know, I'm insane) and enjoy some pumpkin bread. Can't wait!

This bbq chicken has gotten RAVE reviews on the food network and I wanted to try it because I had never made bbq sauce from scratch. Big BIG fan of this recipe. Making sauces from scratch is so worth the extra effort.

Ultimate BBQ Chicken
From foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

Brine:
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a large knife
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 chicken legs and thighs, still connected, bone in, skin on, about 10 ounces each

The Ultimate Barbecue Sauce:
1 slice bacon
1 bunch fresh thyme
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika if available
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

For the brine, in a mixing bowl combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme. Transfer the brine to a 2-gallon sized re-sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you've only got 15 minutes, that's fine) to allow the salt and seasonings to penetrate the chicken.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve for serving along side the chicken at the table. The rest of the barbecue sauce will be used for basing the legs.

Preheat oven 375 degrees F.

Preheat a grill pan or an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue to a medium heat. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick surface. Take the chicken out of the brine, pat it dry on paper towels. Arrange the chicken pieces on the preheated grill and cook, turn once mid-way, and cook for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer the grill marked chicken to a cookie sheet and then place in the oven. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and then brush liberally, coating every inch of the legs with the barbecue sauce and then return to the oven for 25 to 30 more minutes, basting the chicken for a second time half way through remaining cooking time. Serve with extra sauce.

End of Summer: Grilled Peach Spinach Salad

Towards the end of summer I made a couple meals that used some of my favorite summer foods like bbq chicken, peaches, fresh greens and the like. I was grilling things like crazy to get my summer food fix so that I could be totally prepared for fall. I am just madly in love with fall. Summer is great, but fall is wonderful.

While I may clearly favor fall over all other seasons, Summer does have one thing that beats them all and that is peaches are in season. Peaches are my favorite fruit (perhaps this is my 9th time declaring this but oh, well, its true). So I gathered a basket of peaches and got to work the last couple weeks of summer. Over the next few days I will be rapidly posting these before my blog is overflown with pumpkin, apple and holiday spiced recipes.

I know I say this everytime I make a salad but this might be my favorite salad recipe thus far. It features some of my alltime favorite ingredients: peaches, bacon, blue cheese, red onion and spinach. The ingredients seem odd and bizaar and that they can't possibly work together but they do, omigoodness they sure do. The dressing is easy and effortless and I just adore blue cheese. There's nothing about this salad I don't like.

 I typically don't care to add nuts to much, I like to just snack on palmfulls of them with bits of dried fruit and dark chocolate but toasted pecans are delicious and compliment all the other flavors. For those of you who like snacking on nuts like I do, try toasting pecans and popping them in your mouth when they are warm, addicting I tell you. Anyways, this salad is right up there with a Strawberry Mozzarella salad I made a while back, strange but fabulous.

Grilled Peach Spinach Salad
From Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

For the salad:
1/2 cup pecans
4 ripe peaches, pitted and quartered
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1/2 pound hickory-smoked bacon, roughly chopped
8 cups baby spinach
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

For the dressing:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) crumbled Danish blue cheese
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, 6 minutes; roughly chop.

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat on one side and medium heat on the other. Lightly brush the peaches with oil and grill over medium until nicely marked, about 4 minutes per side. Meanwhile, place a flat cast-iron skillet on the grill over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Combine the spinach, red onion, grilled peaches, pecans and bacon in a large bowl.

Make the dressing: Mash the blue cheese with a fork in a bowl. Mix in the buttermilk, sour cream, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss with the salad just before serving.

Chunky Guacamole with Homemade Lime Tortilla Chips

Does anyone else hate those effortlessly thin and perfectly toned girls that show up in the middle of your workout only to make you feel fat and totally discouraged? This girl came into the gym today and I envied her body, she hopped on the eliptical for 20 minutes without breaking a sweat and then left. Is that all it takes?! Meanwhile, I've been going at it for 40 minutes with 20 to go sweating buckets with my thighs full of chocolate, vodka and buffalo chicken bouncing all over the place. I'm convinced these girls starve themselves because while I do enjoy indulging, and aside from my compulsive baking, I generally eat pretty healthy, reasonably portioned meals but can pack on a pound like nobodies business.

I can't give up food because quite frankly IM HUNGRY! I miss the days when my metablolism was so fast that I couldn't even keep up with it. I could eat whatever I wanted in large quantities and still be too skinny. At the tender age of 22 I'm already suffering the lovely effects of a slower metabolism...this is crap. But don't think I'm going to stop baking up pieces of heaven that temporarily excuse being fat because let's face it, I will die of chocolate shock.

I suppose this story has little relevance to guacamole but it is something to feel less guilty about and I needed a little space to rant. Also, I love mexican food and dips so this makes me happy :) The guacamole is nice and fresh (I'm a sucker for guacamole...and most other dips for that matter) and I love the idea of baking your own tortilla chips. They're easy! Something I have learned with avacados is that when you are working with them, sometimes it is easier to handle them when you allow them to come to room temperature first.

Is anyone else as obsessed with Chipotle's Chips and Guac as me?! This is my homemade take on that :)

Chunky Guacamole
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

4 ripe Haas avocados
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (1 lime)
8 dashes hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato, seeded, and small-diced
2 jalepenos, seeded and diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Cut the avocados in 1/2, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. (I use my hands.) Immediately add the lime juice, hot pepper sauce, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the tomatoes, jalepenos, and cilantro. Mix well and taste for salt and pepper.

Homemade Baked Whole Wheat Tortillas with Seasalt and Lime
Dame Good

Ingredients:

1 package whole wheat tortillas (or corn if you prefer)
1-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lime for juice and zest
seasalt to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F. Put about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small boil. Zest one lime and add to bowl. Brush each tortilla on both side with oil and lime mixture. Cut each tortilla into about 8 triangles (almost as you would with a pizza. Arrange evenly on a baking sheet. If you have a rack I recomend putting them on a baking rack to that they bake evenly. Sprinkle tortillas with salt. Bake about 15 minutes or until the chips are golden brown on the edges. Remove and squeeze fresh lime juice (from the lime you zested) onto the chips. Allow chips to cool about 5 minutes. (If you want extra crispy chips, turn the oven off when they brown and allow them to remain in the oven for a few minutes)

Lemon Icebox Bars

I have been on a bar kick, I think you all may be seeing a plethora of bars coming up. I can't quite put my finger on why I love not only making but eating them as well. I was browsing Ellie Kriegers healthy dessert recipes and came across these. I love anything lemon...always have. I also love anything with cream cheese so these guys right here were a done deal.

There was one problem I had and that was that the graham crust was more like a graham dust, I would add more butter or less graham cracker next time (I changed the recipe here to accomodate that). Other than that, I loved them. I found them refreshing and addicting. They are not exactly low-calorie but they have a lot less fat than many other bar desserts out there. So if you are aching for some sweet lemony treat but am like me and have too much guilt because of how bad you've been (story of my life) try these out and cut them into small bite-size bars. I froze half of them so that I didn't devour them all at once and I could grab a little bite whenever an urge for lemon overtakes me :)

Lemon Icebox Bars
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

Crust:
12 whole-grain graham cracker squares (6 full sheets)
4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Filling:

1 (8-ounce) package 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup pasteurized egg product (such as egg beaters)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
3 tablespoons boiling water

Directions:

Make Crust:

Place graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until crumbs are formed. Add butter, brown sugar and salt and pulse to incorporate, until crumbs resemble wet sand. Coat an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray and pack crumbs firmly into the bottom of it. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the filling:

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, condensed milk and pasteurized egg product and beat on high with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add lemon zest and juice and beat until fully incorporated, another 30 seconds. In a small bowl, combine the gelatin and boiling water and whisk until gelatin is entirely dissolved; let cool 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the gelatin into the cream cheese-lemon mixture until well incorporated. Pour the filling over the crust. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight, until filling is firm. Slice into 2-inch squares using a chilled knife coated with cooking spray.