Watermelon Mint Granita

I had some leftover watermelon from a barbeque and refashioned it into a tasty after dinner treat.

A treat that's both fresh and fruity that satisfies my ever-so-present desire for ice cream.

Maple Almond Cookies

I've been baking up a storm ... and I am so excited to share my creation with you! These cookies are both delicate and delicious. Their light almond flavor and texture is reminiscent of a sugar cookie.

We've been enjoying these cookies in our house for a couple of days now. But they are nearly gone. A treat this good doesn't last long around here!

German Chocolate Cake Popcorn

I've enjoyed the sweet twists to popcorn. This week, I was inspired by a desire for chocolate. Rather than have a whole chocolate bar, I created a chocolaty and crunchy popcorn.

Vanilla Bean Ricotta with strawberries & toasted coconut

I've had some gorgeous vanilla beans burning a hole in my kitchen cabinet for several months now.

There are many good uses for a vanilla bean pod . I considered flavoring my sugar canister, making sweet treats and even a savory treat with the vanilla. I finally settled on dessert. A light dessert.

Lightened-Up Cookie Dough Cheesecake

The hubs has a sweet tooth. This is an understatement! He has a mouth full of them! And his favorite treat is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake, to which, I make for him this time every year.

Guest Post at Healthy Cooking for Me

Today, I am thrilled to be guest posting my Cinnamon Crunch Baked Apples over at my friend Ann's blog: Healthy Cooking for Me.

Ann has adopted a healthy lifestyle and blogs to share her journey.

As you know, I too share the passion for healthy eats. So naturally, we quickly became friends! Plus, she has such a positive spirit - I love that too!

I invite you to check out my healthy baked dessert - and say "Hi" to Ann on her blog Healthy Cooking for Me.

See you there - for a yummy, yummy dessert!

Valentine Treats

The day for LOVE is nearly here! What sweet treat are you making for your Sweet?

This conversation heart inspired treat is both festive and easy. And the possibilities are endless - adapting words for love of all kinds. A 'Cutie Pie' treat for my niece and a 'Kiss' treat for the hubs.

Milk and Cookies

I am currently in the baby phase of life - many of my girlfriends are pregnant. It's been such fun to watch their bellies grow! My own Mom wanted to honor my preggo friends by having a brunch for them.

Dine & Dish: Hey There, Cupcake

I ordered cupcakes for a holiday party I was hosting. I opted for the mini cupcakes for an easy, eat while mingling, treat. On the dessert menu were the Naughty or Nice and Candy Cane Lane cupcakes. The mini size invited me to taste both flavors.

The cleverly named Candy Cane Lane cupcake was a chocolate and peppermint cake with buttercream frosting. It was garnished lightly with a dusting of candy cane pieces - a simple, yet attentive decoration. The cupcake was strong with peppermint flavor and embodied the holiday spirit.

The Naughty or Nice cupcake was a gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting. Not being a fan of frosting in general, I prefer cream cheese frostings for the less sweet taste as compared to a buttercream. This frosting satiated my need for sweet and was velvety smooth. The gingerbread was my favorite because of the cake's moistness and gingerbread cookie decoration. I enjoyed the cookie on its own, almost as a starter to the cupcake. It was wonderfully gingery and sweet. I’d like to order a whole box of the gingerbread cookies!

Final word on Hey, There Cupcake … Moist, elegant cupcakes delivered to your door. Party hosting can't get much sweeter than that.

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Hey There, Cupcake

Peppermint Cocoa

It's snowing outside. I'm staying warm by drinking my dessert - holiday style.

Ingredients: Serves 2

2 c. water or non-fat milk
Hot cocoa mix*
1/4 tsp. peppermint flavoring
2 peppermint candy canes

1/4 c. whipping cream
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

In small pot, heat milk on medium until hot. Stir in cocoa mix. *Use quantity as specified by serving instruction. (I use 365 Organics Hot Cocoa Mix from Whole Foods.) Stir in peppermint flavoring. Reduce heat to low.

Pour cream, sugar and vanilla into medium bowl. Using hand mixer, beat until fluffy and soft peaks are formed.

Break off end of candy canes and roughly chop. Set pieces and remainder of candy canes aside.

Pour prepared hot cocoa into mugs. Top with generous dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with peppermint pieces and serve with peppermint stick.

Enjoy!

Happy Anniversary

Today marks the first anniversary of my blog. So much has happened in one year … 73 posts, 2 foodie fundraisers, 4 food adventures, meeting 1 famous chef, becoming a featured blogger on Urbanspoon and LocalEats, 1 amusing recipe disaster, 15 Dine & Dishes, 27 ‘official’ followers and countless ‘unofficial’ followers < smile >.

Thank you to all who’ve journeyed with me - dish by dish. And to my blog … thank you for being my creative outlet and the forum for my love affair with all things food.

I guess I can have my cake and eat it too.

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Strawberry Country Cake

Boozy Berries

In celebration of the summertime fruits currently filling the produce section of the grocery store, I was inspired to make a healthy and fruity dessert. And really, who doesn’t like a little adult beverage twist to a healthy snack?

The recipe – (I acknowledge the loose use of the word here) - is very easy. It’s as follows:

Fresh berries of choice, thinly sliced
Dessert wine, chilled
Low-fat, organic vanilla yogurt
Lime zest

Layer the berries in a clear drinking glass or container, drizzle berries with dessert wine and chill. When ready to serve, place dollop of yogurt on top of fruit layers and garnish with lime zest. Serve chilled.

Dine & Dish: Pinkberry

I’ve developed a new food obsession courtesy of Pinkberry. The swirls of frozen yogurt are sour and tangy - and in my dessert cup, fruity too. To add to your frozen treat are the offerings from a colorful toppings bar that ranges from fresh fruit to cheesecake bites and yogurt chips.

In my cup were swirls of mango and pomegranate frozen yogurt with raspberries, strawberries, granola, and carob chips. Yum!

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Pinkberry

Dine & Dish: Bonnie Brae Ice Cream

For 25 years, this neighborhood favorite has been dishing up scoops of creamy goodness to satisfy even the biggest sweet tooth. A favorite flavor in my house is the Cookie Dough ice cream served on a cake cone. My personal all-time favorite is the Sinfully Cinnamon of which I cannot seem to get enough of.

Final word on Bonnie Brae Ice Cream: Housemade ice cream worthy of a walk, drive or trip across town for a delicious scoop.

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Bonnie Brae Ice Cream

Drinking Chocolate

The leaves have turned color, the air has chilled, and it's time for the first hot chocolate of the season – with a few a marshmallows thrown in for added comfort.

A spoonful of sugar

Sometimes in the middle of an ordinary day, a dessert lover comes across something that makes her giddy with childlike excitement. That giddiness was inspired by a large, sugary treat in the form of a cupcake! With a candyland of decorations, flavors and colors to choose from, it was hard for me to decide. But I eventually settled on a couple of classics: “Midnight Magic” (Devil’s food cake with cream cheese frosting) and “Peanut Butter Cup” (Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting). Here’s to several spoonfuls...

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Gigi's Cupcakes

A cereal kind of weekend …

So it seems that cereal was my favorite ingredient this cooking weekend. My menu pairing was definitely not planned and ended up being pretty amusing in its pattern. Cereal made its first appearance in the dinner menu with a healthier version of fried fish. I ‘oven fried’ cod filets for a crunchy and healthy dinner. I used my trusty food processor to blend up a batter of Corn Flakes, garlic powder, dill, lemon, cracked pepper and season salt. I especially loved the crunch!

Then, what should follow a healthy dinner? A small treat to satisfy my hubby’s insatiable sweet tooth! I whipped up a batch of Rice Krispie treats – black & white cookie style. I made one batch and lathered half of the pan with melted dark chocolate atop. I’ve now sampled both the regular and the dark chocolate krispie treats. I can’t decide which I like better. Maybe another would help me decide?