Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch

Strawberry Peach Daiquiri

2013-06-14T15:08:00.000-07:00

Since it's Friday I couldn't think of a better way to kick off the weekend then with a Strawberry Peach Daiquiri.

Sometimes Friday's just calls for something a little boozy and fruity to kick off the weekend!

I was so excited to see the peaches coming into season I had to make a little cocktail to celebrate.

Ok who am I kidding I just wanted a cocktail, no shame in that!

Cheers to all the wonderful Father's out there!

I hope each and everyone of you have the most wonderful weekend with your kids and families.

I look forward to celebrating with my Father and Colt with our kids!

Happy Father's Day Dad's!

This ones for you, even if it's a little fruity, I think you'll enjoy it all the same!

Mexican Sloppy Joes

2013-06-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

I have a little soft spot for sloppy joes.

Alright you caught me and Mexican food too!

These are amazing with taco seasoned ground beef mixed with black beans topped on a toasted bun with my famous Pico De Gallo and avocado.

Need I say more?

I really couldn't decide whether to call these Mexican Sloppy Joes or Tex/Mex Sloppy Joes so I just went with the first.

These are quick, cheap, easy and well sloppy.

I love quick dinner ideas the kids devour and are healthy too.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Protein Cookies

2013-06-12T17:49:00.000-07:00

This is a sponsored recipe for Visalus Body By Vi. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received Vi Shape shake mix from Visalus to sample and knew it would be perfect to make some Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Protein Cookies for a treat for the kids..

I love that these are packed with protein, what a perfect afternoon snack after school to tide everyone over until dinner.

Who doesn't like peanut butter and chocolate with oatmeal and protein mix add for nutrition.

The kids had no clue of the added health benefits in their cookies.

These are simple and easy to make and hit the spot for a perfect afternoon or evening snack.

Truth be told I even had 2 for breakfast.

Deliciousness.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie Bars aka Brown Butter Brookies

2013-06-10T18:20:00.000-07:00

These are my all time favorite treat.

Who can resists Brownies or Chocolate Chip Cookies?

Not I, especially when brown butter is involved.

If you're feeling really naughty go ahead and add a big scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream..

I promise I won't tell, actually I did it myself and oh boy was it worth every last bite..

My friend Lisa requests this anytime we have dinner at their house, it's her favorite too..

For very good reasons..

I adapted this recipe from my Ultimate Brookies post and used The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies with the brown butter.

Now go get to baking!

Balsamic Steak Shish Kabobs

2013-06-06T16:44:00.000-07:00

I just love everything about shish kabobs.

Veggies and meat barbecued on a skewer.

Watching the kids eat off the skewer in pure bliss like it's corn on the cob.

Or maybe its just not summer without grilling some shish kabobs.

Whatever the reason is I'm excited for the sun and many more nights this summer of different versions of Shish Kabobs.
Are you in need of a tasty cocktail to enjoy with your Balsamic Steak Shish Kabobs? Make sure to check out Mango Pineapple Mint Daiquiris and Pink Grapefruit Lime Margaritas. Both are perfect summertime cocktails.
This recipe was shared over at The Shine Supper Club dinner on the grill.

Mud And Hen Bars

2013-06-03T19:09:00.002-07:00

Have you had mud and hen bars before?

If not these need to go onto your list of must make cookies asap!

Chocolate, marshmallows and a brown sugar meringue need I say more?

Lorna calls them shamores because she wanted some more...lol.. I thought it was rather cute!

These were super easy to make and gone faster than I could take a picture.

I actually made two pans of these because the first pan was gone before I could take a picture. The three little squares in the picture above was all that was left of the little mouthfuls of deliciousness, out of the second pan.

Yes these are that good and a perfect dessert for any occasion.

Looking for another delicious cookie bar recipe make sure to check out Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie Bars aka Brown Butter Brookies.

Hot Seafood Salad With Sherry Vinaigrette

2013-05-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes all I want is a healthy, fast, easy, flavorful dinner.

This salad fulfills all those requirements.

I used salmon, shrimp, scallops, kalamata olives and artichokes but feel free to use whatever seafood you prefer. Any firm fish will work well.

I like the cold crisp romaine lettuce paired with the hot seafood over the top and drizzled with a sherry vinaigrette, for a bit of tang.

This salad was based on a fabulous salad we had at Saltys on Alki last year after a visit to Logans cardiologist when he was having heart issues...

It was our celebration lunch after he finished his stress test and passed with flying colors.

One year down and two to go before we head back to the cardiologist.

Three years seemed like forever but I look back and realize how fast this last year has gone..

How many things have happened good and bad..

How much my kids have grown and changed..

How this blog has grown and changed..

I want to take a moment and tell you thank you for all the love and support you all provide.

Your daily kind words and friendship mean more to me then you'll ever know..

Mango Pineapple Mint Daiquiris

2013-05-22T12:18:00.002-07:00

Are you looking for something fruity, light and refreshing?

Something a little boozy.. Or not..

Something to kick off a summer BBQ with a bang?

You've come to the right place my friends.

To top it all off Mango Pineapple Mint Daiquiris are so very, very easy to whip up.

Just in case your needing a second option make sure to check out Pink Grapefruit Lime Margaritas With Agave, another all time favorite!

Baked Beans From Scratch

2013-05-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

I made these for Mothers Day to bring to a friends house.

With Memorial Day fast approaching and then Fourth Of July I thought you might need a side dish for your weekend BBQ's..

These will defiantly be on our menu.

A little sweet and a little tangy with a nice smokey bacon flavor.

Oh and did I mention other then cooking time they are definitely easy to make!

Are you looking for a few other recipes for your holiday weekend make sure to check out Peanut Butter Fudge Pie, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Easy Crock-pot Pulled Chicken With Homemade BBQ Sauce (In case you aren't in the mood to BBQ), Tangy Cilantro Jalapeno Lime Coleslaw, and you definitely can't forget Pink Grapefruit Lime Margaritas!

Creamy Lemon Bars

2013-05-20T12:08:00.001-07:00

I made these while ago and delayed posting...

Why you ask?

Well you see before I could even dust them with powdered a piece was cut into and then two pieces went missing the minute they were removed from the pan.

I don't have a clue who would have done this...

~~I mean there is no way I cut into my own lemon bars to taste test them and ate 1 1/2 bars only sharing a large bite with Colt who I had to shout at for taking too large of a bite..Gheesh men~~!

So I snapped a picture and then set a few aside to take a picture the next day, but the next day for the lemon bars would never come.

~~It definitely wasn't because Colt and I had a late night snack of Creamy Lemon Bars in bed while the kids were asleep, no that would never happen in our house.. That would be bad very bad..~~

They must have been eaten by the dog when no one was looking, right?
Where else would they go?

So I thought I would remake them since they survived less the 12 hours in our house but that day hasn't arrived yet. So I threw in the towel and decided you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.

These are amazing and even loved by my non lemon loving husband!

Not in the mood for Lemon? Make sure to check out Key Lime Cheesecake Bars With Almond Cookie Crust! There always a hit!

If you are looking for a Gluten Free Lemon Bars make sure to check out my wonderful friend Rachelle's post at Gluten Free Cooking And Baking Recipes By Rachelle. They look delicious!

Quinoa Black Bean Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers

2013-05-16T20:02:00.001-07:00

I was craving Mexican food last night but in reality when am I not?

It's my biggest weakness.

When ever we go out to the Mexican restaurant we always order fried jalapenos which come covered in a salty spice with a squeeze of lime and are the inspiration for this dish.

Poblano's are a fairly mild pepper usually with just a little kick not nearly as hot as a jalapeno's.

They make for a fabulous twist from the normal stuffed bell peppers and are usually fairly inexpensive.

We used quinoa, black beans, corn and chicken to keep them healthy and light.

I was anticipating enough leftovers for Colt to take to work but the kids quickly devoured every last morsel left in the pan. Even Mas my pickiest eater declared these the bomb and asked for me to make them again.

If you are looking for something healthy that you could easily assemble ahead of time this is the dish for you!

Another family favorite is Chicken Fajita Stuffed Bell Peppers.

These are definitely worth checking out!

Quinoa Black Bean Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers come to Momma...

Creamy Macaroni And Cheese With Broccoli

2013-05-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

This is the top requested meal or side dish in our house and since I thought it's been awhile since I originally shared the recipe it would be a great time to update the picture.

There's just something about creamy cheese sauce smothered over pasta and broccoli that always elicits fond childhood memories and brings such comfort to my heart.

My Granny would have never thought, let alone allowed a box of macaroni and cheese to enter our house.

It was simply from scratch all the way.

This recipe is very similar to what she would make but my lovely cousin Melissa recently let me know Granny would add a pinch of turmeric, I'm not sure if this was for taste but I am going to assume it was for the lovely yellow color of the turmeric.

I usually make this recipe with pasta shells but they were missing from the pantry on this occasion so macaroni had to suffice.

Feel free to use what pasta you have available.

Anything in cheese sauce always is a favorite in our house!

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2013-05-07T17:41:00.000-07:00

I think I have a true peanut butter addiction!

There I said it and it's out of the way..

Phew..Glad to have that off my chest!

These are light and delicious with a perfect balance of peanut butter and chocolate plus gluten free to boot!

What more could you need in a cookie?

Peanut Butter Fudge Pie

2013-05-04T19:59:00.000-07:00

This months Shine Supper Club theme is childhood favorites and I knew this is it!

Who could ever resist the peanut butter pie at every picnic ever attended as a child?

Not I so I bring you this pure slice of deliciousness!

Warning: This is not one of those healthy recipes I post, so please don't get mad at me!

Yesterday I was bad.. Very bad..

You see my kids were gone to my Sister-in-laws, the husband was at work and I was stuck home alone..

It was not a good thing.. Who am I kidding it was great!

I should have been doing the ever dread piles upon piles of laundry but instead I whipped up one of these bad boys..

I knew I needed an Oreo cookie crust but that possibly couldn't be enough chocolate right?

No defiantly not enough!

I needed a layer of fudge too, yes it definitely needed a layer of fudge and a peanut butter filling!

I bring you Peanut Butter Fudge Pie with an Oreo cookie crust!

Heaven!

In case you are looking for a few other childhood favorites make sure to check out Creamy Macaroni and Cheese With Broccoli, Puff Pancakes and of course the Hubs favorite Strawberry Rhubarb Pie With Crumb Topping.

Crock-Pot Tomatillo Hominy Chili

2013-04-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

There's just something about chili. It's easy fairly inexpensive and healthy to boot.

If you've been reading the blog for sometime you'll know I've done several twists on chili from Darn Good Chili to Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Pumpkin Ale Chili, it's a mouthful but worth every wonderful bite!

I adapted Tomatillo Hominy Chili from my Chicken Chili Verde . I was looking for something with a little less maintenance and crock-pot friendly.

This chili has a nice twist from traditional with roasted tomatillos and hominy.

When Colt and I were first living together I bought yellow hominy at the store on accident instead of canned corn.

I hadn't realized my mistake until I had opened the cans to find something that looked a little like corn but had a different texture and was much larger.

Needless to say I avoided hominy for the next 15 years until I ordered a Tomatillo Soup from the cafe in Nordstoms. I had no clue at first it was hominy but after further inspection I asked the waiter to confirm these little puffy pieces were white hominy.

Defiantly not what my mind recalled and I am sure it helped being slow cooked in a broth along with other ingredients!

Deliciousness!

Shrimp Scampi

2013-04-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

This recipe was shared in the very early days of this blog.

Can you believe it's been almost 2 years?

Time has really flown by and I am so thankful for each and everyone of you! You are such wonderful friends to have! You are all simply amazing!

This recipe has been long over due for a new picture but every time we enjoyed it for dinner I lacked enough light outside by the time dinner was done and I couldn't find a better excuse to make this for dinner then I needed to update the picture!

I almost always have the ingredients on hand to make this meal.

Shrimp Scampi is a delicious meal in under 30 minutes, perfect for a busy weeknight yet I make this quite often for company too.

If you make this your taste buds will thank you!

This was my Hubby's Father's Day requested dinner! It was delicious as always! He is an amazing man who at this very moment has torn apart my kitchen to fix the back splash for my new stove. I have a post coming on why never to buy Kitchen Aid, stoves and dishwashers. But I haven't seem to finish it yet. I will tell you from experience don't do it! Anyways this is a pretty quick meal to put together and full of flavor!

Tall And Creamy Lemon Cheesecake

2013-04-10T20:53:00.002-07:00

Dorie Greenspan strikes again!

All I can say is this cheesecake is to die for!

Enough said!

It's lusciously smooth, tall and an amazing creamy texture.

I have made a lot and I mean a lot of Cheesecakes over the years.

I defiantly rate this as one of the all time best Cheesecakes ever!

If you love lemon and cheesecake this is a must make!

On another note if you haven't entered already make sure to enter to win a Le Creuset Stoneware Batter Bowl! (It's in my favorite color!)

Winner Announced of the Le Creuset Giveaway

2013-04-08T10:12:00.002-07:00

I am excited to announce Cindy as the winner of the bowl!

An email has been sent to the recipients so if your name is Cindy, double check your email!

Thanks,

Serena

Since it's Monday and I was sick last week and failed to accomplish anything!

It totally left me missing you all!

I thought what better way to kick off the week then a giveaway!

Well and I just couldn't resist this gorgeous Le Creuset Stoneware Batter Bowl In Caribbean Blue (2 Quart). Can you?

Plus this might go well with the next giveaway I am working on!

Muahahahahaha...

Also, thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch at voiceboks.com! I feel very blessed to have made it into the top 10! It means so much to me that you took the time to vote!

Woot..Woot...

Use the Rafflecopter down below and leave a comment telling me what your favorite T.V. show is!

Inquiring minds want to know!

As an extra bonus you can tweet about this giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to US residents only. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. This giveaway is sponsored by serenabakessimplyfromscratch.com, meaning I purchased this prize.

Grandma Sybil's Dilly Bread

2013-03-27T20:11:00.001-07:00

This recipe is an old recipe from my husbands Grandma Sybil she passed away last year at the lovely age of 100! Simply amazing I thought!

While we were visiting my Husbands Father brought up this Dilly Bread his mother had made for him over the years.. I believe his exact words at the time were, "That was the best darn bread I ever had."

So I proceeded to see if he might know where the recipe might be hidden but he was sure it was long gone since she went to the assisted living facility.

Fast forward to around Christmas time when I was having a conversation with my Mother-in-law about recipes she wanted to make sure I had copies of and I bring up the story about the Dilly Bread.

Guess what she had Sybil's Dilly Bread recipe and it's every bit as delicious as my Father-in-law had described.

P.S. This bread is super easy and doesn't require a mixer!

Light and airy with these little dill seeds that taste mildly like caraway..

Oh dear deliciousness!

Beef Stroganoff Recipe From Scratch

2013-03-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

This was one of the first recipes I shared on the blog. It's also our family's all time favorite dinner!

I knew it was time for a few better picture's!

Plus it was a great excuse to make Beef Stroganoff the other night and share our all time favorite meal.

There's just something about the beef and mushrooms in a creamy sour cream sauce smothered over noodles.

This isn't that dreaded stuff that comes in a box folks! This is the real deal!

If you've been looking for a Beef Stroganoff recipe look no further. This ones D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!

I stirred the egg noodles in for the pictures but I prefer the sauce over the top of the noodles instead. (Like the picture below.)

Just my own little opinion!

Tomato Basil Soup With Cheesy Bread

2013-03-20T15:41:00.000-07:00

This soup comes out of a love for Tomato Basil Soup and Cheesy Bread.

Sometimes I just need a quick healthy weeknight meal and this is it!

I love Tomato Basil Soup but my kids have a strong dislike for grilled cheese well 2 out of 3 kids.

This happened thanks to my Dad.

He had babysat the kids a few years back while we went out of town and his specialty is Grilled Cheese. When I say specialty I mean they went through a lot of cheese, like 2 2lb blocks of cheese with in 5 days.

Yes I meant a lot of cheese..

At least my kids were fed well even if they did have to consume a lot of high fiber food upon my arrival home..
I won't go into details I think you get the idea..

This however hasn't hindered their love of Cheesy Bread..

That is the story of how Tomato Basil Soup With Cheesy Bread was born.

Flaky Pie Crust

2013-03-19T11:07:00.002-07:00

I've slowly perfected this pie dough since the early years of marriage.

There's nothing like a flaky pie crust that shatters with the touch of a fork.

I've tried different variations over the years like using the food processor but I find a pastry cutter works best, it leaves a lot more control in cutting in the fat.

I also have tried all butter and all shortening.

I find the shortening seems to make the crust tender but lacks the wonderful flavor the butter imparts on the dough.

For a flaky, tender and flavorful crust I find half shortening and half butter makes a tasty flaky crust.

Just in case you need a filling for your pie make sure to check out Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Skinny Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Cream Pie, Caramely Apple Pie with Crunch Topping and of course the infamous Banana Cream Pie.
I truly ❤ pie!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie With Crumb Topping

2013-03-17T14:55:00.000-07:00

The suns out today and it's starting to look a bit like spring with the crocus's popping up their pretty little heads next to our drive way.

It's just a matter of time and the tulips and daffodils will be next.

I can't wait!

I couldn't think of a better way to help the sunshine peek through then with a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie With Crumb Topping.

This pie speaks Colt's love language, it goes straight to his heart.

It reminds him of childhood at his Grandma's house and makes him a little giddy!

He deserved every moment of sheer enjoyment! He's such an amazing man. He works hard and is always willing to lend a hand whether it is around the house or with the blog.

He was even kind enough to help take the picture above after he returned from work.

That man defiantly earns his pie!

Colts other all time favorites are Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (for when I'm not in the mood to make a pie crust) and Banana Cream Pie.

They keep my husband happy...

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

2013-03-15T12:42:00.001-07:00

4 Days left until spring! I can't wait!

In Washington that means warmer weather, hopefully less rain and tulips!

I can't wait for our first 60-70 degree day to kick everyone out of the house and work in the yard, my poor garden could use some serious attention.

As I was flipping through Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home To Yours yesterday I came across Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins and knew these would be a perfect treat to help kick start spring with the bright lemon flavor and gorgeous little poppy seeds.

After a few taste testings later, Colt and I agreed these are an Easter brunch must!

Besides being easy and gorgeous they are absolutely divine!

In case you need a few more muffin recipes make sure to check out Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins With Streusel, Moist Banana Nut Muffins , and Bakery-Style Double Chocolate Muffins.

Broccoli Ham And Cheese Pockets Recipe

2013-03-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

I promised you I would be back today with a favorite!

Broccoli Ham and Cheese Pockets.

Broccoli, ham and gooey cheese all wrapped together into a hand pie, no wonder the big and small alike love these babies!

L.J. had a buddy over for dinner the other night and we had just had pizza night 2 nights prior so we decided Broccoli Ham and Cheese Pockets were the way to go..

I made them fairly large and I was going to cut them in half for the kids and save the extras for lunch the next day but my plans were destroyed.

The kids devoured their pockets and my lunch was gone.

It was a sad moment, I had already envisioned sitting on the couch eating my left over pocket while the kids were at school.

Enjoying every last bite of broccoli and ham, cheesy goodness while watching some cheesy T.V. show or movie..

My plans were spoiled, failed, destroyed!

Be warned these will be a favorite!