I’ve been a cookie-making machine this weekend! We hosted our annual beer and cookie exchange Saturday, then I went to a cookie exchange at Two Sticks Bakery last night. Needless to say, I’m still riding a bit of a sugar high.

The great thing about having a weekend revolving around cookies is my holiday baking is already done! I made eight different types of cookies, and stuck most of them in the freezer. Now all I have to do to get ready for celebrating with family next week is pull them out and put them on a plate. It couldn’t get easier!

I like trying a couple new recipes every year, but I’m big on tradition. I always make almond cut-out cookies with buttercream, pretzel cookies, bourbon balls, and lemon pistachio biscotti.

And, an old favorite returned to my baking list this year. I started making potato chip cookies in college, when my infatuation with baking started.  I brought some home for Christmas break one year, and my brother and his friends went crazy for them. So, I started making them every year.

But I swapped these out for other cookies the past two years — and my family never let me hear the end of it! My brother was especially bummed not to have any potato chip cookies during the holidays. So, I brought them back this year. After having one this weekend, I don’t know why I stopped making them! I’m a sucker for the salty-sweet combination, and these cookies are addicting.

I’ve tested a few different brands of potato chips in this recipe, but I find Ruffles have the best texture and perfect amount of salt. I’ve had problems with some other chips not staying crunchy once mixed into the batter.

I highly recommend only baking one sheet of these cookies at a time. It’s good to do with all cookies to ensure they cook evenly. I still use two cookie sheets, prepping one with dough while the other bakes in the oven. This makes things go more quickly. If you do put two cookie sheets in the oven at the same time, switch which oven rack they’re on halfway through baking.

I want to know what’s on your holiday baking list every year. Tell me in the comments!

Potato Chip Cookies

modified from My Baking Addiction

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup Ruffles, crushed
• 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• sea salt, for sprinkling

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet (or two) with parchment paper.
2. In an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add potato chips and pecans to butter mixture and beat on low until combined. Add vanilla, then flour, and mix on low just until the dough comes together.
4. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion out heaping Tablespoons of dough. Roll them into balls, and place them about two inches apart on the cookie sheet.
5. Dip the end of a flat-bottomed glass in the powdered sugar, then lightly press down on each a ball of dough until flat. Repeat with remaining dough.
6. Bake cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are just starting to turn golden brown. Remove cookies from oven and let sit at least one minute before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely.
7. While cookies are cooling, place chocolate chips in a small, microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Continue heating chocolate in 15-second increments and stirring until it’s smooth. Use a spoon to drizzle chocolate over cookies. Top each cookie with a light sprinkling of sea salt. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
   [/directions]

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We’re well into October, but it still feels like summer in Indiana. As much as I love afternoons spent swimming in the lake and late-night ice cream runs, I’m more than ready for fall to arrive.

There are so many reasons fall is my favorite time of year in Bloomington. The cooler temperatures and smell of fires draw me outdoors. The Farmers’ Market is full of my favorite produce — apples, pears, figs and squash. Our favorite hiking trails seem to change each week, constantly revealing new colors. And, the hearty food sticks to your ribs in the most comforting way.

While temperatures are still in the 80s, I couldn’t wait any longer to start incorporating some of my favorite fall flavors into my cooking. I associate this time of year with baking, so cinnamon and nutmeg always taste like fall to me.

This recipe is perfect for straddling those weeks between summer and fall, when it’s still too hot to spend hours over the stove. I whipped this dip up on a recent afternoon when some friends invited us over for beers. We devoured it with apple slices and pumpkin crackers. But, this could also be a delicious spread on a bagel, or a great base for a fall crostini.

Here’s hoping we can break out our chili pots sometime soon!

Honey-Cinnamon Mascarpone Cheese Dip

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 8 oz. mascarpone cheese
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup walnuts

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Combine mascarpone, honey, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium  mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on high speed until combined and fluffy. Transfer dip to a decorative bowl and set aside.
2. Heat a small pan over medium-low heat. Once pan is warm, add walnut and toast until fragrant — about two minutes. Remove walnuts from heat and cool. Once nuts are cooled, chop them finely.
3. Top dip with chopped walnuts and remaining 1/4 tsp. cinnamon.

[/directions]

The post Honey-Cinnamon Mascarpone Cheese Dip appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

450 North is located on a farm in Columbus, which is about an hour from where we live in Bloomington. In addition to making beer, they also produce cider and wine. And, they have great pizza! The taproom closes for the festival, but it’s worth making a return trip to check it out.

This event is still in its infancy, as this was only the third year of the fest. My friend Andrea and I have been going since the beginning, and it’s fun to see what changes every year. The maze seemed bigger this time around, with more breweries in attendance. I love this beer festival because the setting is so unique. There also tend to be quite a few smaller Indiana breweries there. That means I end up discovering a lot of great, new places.

We once again opted to get VIP tickets to the festival. It’s so worth the extra money! You get into the maze 1.5 hours before the general admission crowd, which means the lines for beer are minimal. We were able to hit up all of the breweries we really wanted to try before everyone else got into the maze.

Here are my favorite brews from this year’s festival.

1. The Great Pumpkin Shake, 450 North

450 North always has some special releases the weekend of the festival, and I always look forward to seeing what crazy brews they put out. This one was at the top of my list, although I’m not usually a huge pumpkin beer fan. This Milkshake IPA is hoppy up front, with just a subtle hint of pumpkin and vanilla on the back end. I loved how the bitterness of the hops helped balance out some of that sweetness. We tried to grab some cans on our way out of the festival, but were sad to see them sold out. This is a delicious seasonal beer, if you can find it!

2. Ottermelon, Central State Brewing

It was in the upper 80s during the festival, so I found myself gravitating toward a lot of lighter styles. I haven’t had many beers from Central State, and this Leipziger-style Gose with sea salt and watermelon sounded so refreshing in the heat. And, Central State uses Indiana watermelons to give this brew its fruity flavor! We may be well into October, but I have a feeling I’ll be sipping this summer beer all year.

3. Banana Foster Stout, 2Toms Brewing Co.

I’d never heard of this Ft. Wayne brewery, but I was immediately intrigued by the sound of one of its stouts. This is a style of beer that’s taken me a few years to enjoy, but now I find myself reaching for stouts more and more. I love their warmth and hearty flavor as the temperatures start to drop. I could barely taste the banana in this beer, but it lent the perfect amount of sweetness. I’m hoping James and I can make a stop at 2Toms next time we are heading north.

4. Grapefruit Sour, Bloomington HopJockeys

I was so excited to see Bloomington’s homebrewing club represented at the festival! James and I want to get involved with the club as we take on my dad’s tradition of homebrewing, and that desire is even stronger after sampling some of their beers. Two of their brews ended up being my favorites of the festival. I love citrus flavors in beer, so I started with the grapefruit sour. Grapefruit has such a strong flavor on its own — it can easily overpower the other notes in a beer. But, this sour was perfectly balanced. The club only brought a couple growlers of this particular beer, and I was so happy we got a taste before they ran out.

5. Extra Brut IPA, Bloomington HopJockeys

I haven’t had many IPAs of this particular style, but I really enjoyed the crisp finish. I love juicy, hazy IPAs — but they’re everywhere right now. I really appreciated how different and dry this Extra Brut IPA was. I wish I would have snapped a picture of the beer, because its light color was not what you’d expect from an IPA. It was absolutely delicious.

This year we left the festival with a four-pack of special release beer, which is included in the ticket price. I think this is another aspect of the festival that makes it well worth the money. I’m excited to crack open the Double IPA and Belgian Tripel later this week!

We always have a blast at this festival, and I’m so glad we’ve made attending an annual tradition. My husband tagged along for the first time this year, and it was fun to finally share the experience with him. Cheers to another great year of beer!

The post 3rd Annual Corn Maze Beer Festival appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Because I come from a family full of foodies, much of the planning for this trip involves figuring who is going to bring what snacks or drinks. We have a cooler full of our favorite Indiana craft beer, Cardinal Spirits Maui Mules, homemade pesto and Impostor Al Pastor marinade from Alison Roman’s Dining In cookbook. I also packed plenty of healthy snacks and homemade sandwiches to get us through the nine hour drive to Arkansas. Stocking up ahead of time is so much healthier, cheaper and tastier than grabbing snacks at gas stations and fast food joints.

My all-time favorite sandwich is the vegetarian muffuletta from the Garlic Press Cafe in my hometown. I’m not sure what inspired me to order it for the first time, because it was full of ingredients that I’d never tried growing up. But I was blown away by the first bite. The sandwich had only a handful of components, but was packed with amazing salty, sweet and acidic flavors. It was unlike any sandwich I’d tasted before, and nothing else has compared since.

Sadly, while the Garlic Press is still open, the cafe is now a popcorn and candy shop. The closure led me to create my own version of the veggie muffuletta I loved so much. I tend to tweak the toppings based on what’s in my pantry and fridge, but the recipe I’m sharing below is the standard base for the sandwich. I love adding sliced tomato and fresh basil this time of year.

I will warn you: this sandwich can get messy. If you plan to eat it on the go, wrap the sandwich in waxed paper before slicing it in half and storing the sandwich in a plastic bag or glass container. Peel back the wax paper when you’re ready to eat, keeping it wrapped around the bottom of the sandwich to catch anything that falls.

While this sandwich is great fresh, I think it’s even better if you let it sit overnight. That allows the flavors to really marinate.

What’s your favorite road trip snack? Tell me in the comments!

Vegetarian Muffuletta

serves one

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• Two slices crusty bread, such as ciabatta
• 1/2 oz goat cheese
• 4 Kalamata olives, pitted
• 4 Manzanilla olives
• 4 artichoke hearts, sliced in half
• 4 Peppadew peppers, sliced in half
• 1 tsp. olive oil
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Finely chop Kalamata and Manzanilla olives, then place in a small bowl and stir until combined. Set aside.
2. Spread goat cheese on one slice of bread. Top with chopped olives, pressing down slightly to get them to stick to the goat cheese. Top olive mixture with artichokes and peppers, then drizzle with olive oil. Top with the other slice of bread, pressing down slightly to compress sandwich. Eat immediately, or refrigerate overnight.

[/directions]

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After a few months of stepping away from the blog, I’m back! I fell off the writing wagon for awhile because life got busy, and I honestly wasn’t feeling very inspired in the kitchen. Sometimes you just have to get a meal on the table as quickly as possible, and there aren’t enough hours in the day to make the perfect meal. But, that’s life! I hoped things would slow down a bit over the summer, but this seems to be our busiest season every year. There’s just so much going on in June and July — holidays, birthdays, all sorts of celebrations. It’s all so much fun, but sometimes it’s hard to juggle it all.

But there’s something about all of the delicious, fresh produce that comes along during the summer that makes me want to embrace simplicity. When you have high quality ingredients that are naturally bursting with flavor, there’s no need for meals to get complicated. I can’t get enough melon lately, and the tomatoes I’ve been picking from our garden are to die for. I didn’t like tomatoes at all as a kid, but they’re one of my favorite summer treats as an adult.

While BLTs and panzanella are delicious, my favorite way to enjoy summer tomatoes is actually by slow roasting them. We grow three varieties in our garden and, when I’ve got more tomatoes than I know what to do with, I throw them in the oven for a couple of hours with some good olive oil and fresh herbs. Cooking them low and slow almost caramelizes the tomatoes, drawing out their sweet and acidic flavors. And, they make your house smell delicious — definitely worth turning the oven on for in the middle of the summer.

Once the tomatoes are done roasting, you can store them in a jar in the fridge until you’re ready to use them. I like to throw them on sandwiches and salads, but they also make for the best pasta or pizza sauce ever. All you have to do is sauté some chili flakes and garlic in a saucepan, then add the tomatoes and crush them up a bit with a wooden spoon to draw out some of the juices. I like my sauce thick and rustic, so I just let it simmer this way until it breaks down a bit and the flavors come together. Throw some chopped basil in at the end and you have a ridiculously delicious sauce.

You can use this recipe with any type of tomato, but the cooking time will vary based on their size. If you’re roasting several varieties at once, you’ll want to keep a close eye on them and pull out the smaller tomatoes early so they don’t get burnt. I like this recipe best with a variety of cherry and Roma tomatoes.

Slow-Roasted Summer Tomatoes

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 lb. tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 sprigs fresh herbs (I like Thyme and Rosemary best)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. Place tomatoes in a large bowl, then toss with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper. Carefully spread tomatoes in an even layer on the baking sheet, making sure the cut side of the tomatoes is facing up.
3. For small varieties of tomatoes like cherry, roast for 1.5 to 2 hours — until the tomatoes are shriveled but still have some liquid in the middle. For medium and large varieties of tomatoes, roast for 3 to 4 hours.
4. Allow tomatoes to cool on baking sheet until they reach room temperature. Transfer tomatoes and any oil into a large mason jar and store in the fridge for up to five days.

[/directions]

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I’ve only been to NYC once before — more than a decade ago. My mom and some of her friends took me as an early 18th birthday present, and we spent all of our time taking in the sights and sounds of Manhattan. I was long overdue for a return trip!

Saturday

We got in late Friday night, thanks to a flight delay, but we were up early Saturday morning and eager to explore Brooklyn. We stayed at a friends’ apartment while they were out of town, but also spent quite a bit of time with our friends Larry and Erin. They live about a five minute walk away from where we were staying, and were the most amazing tour guides the entire weekend.

My favorite way to vacation is by experiencing a city the way locals do. That’s exactly how we spent our first day in Brooklyn, and it made it easy to see why so many people move to New York. The day started with coffee and croissants at our friends’ favorite neighborhood bakery, before we spent some time browsing at a couple local shops. I immediately fell in love with an independent bookstore called Books Are Magic,which has a stellar cookbook selection. I actually went back a second time that day to pick up a few more Short Stack Editions, which are amazing, short cookbooks that are focused on one particular ingredient.

After doing some shopping, we grabbed a couple of amazing sandwiches from Court Street Grocers on our way to Valentino Pier, which Erin says is one of her favorite spots in the city. There’s plenty of space to tie up hammocks or throw down a blanket and take in the amazing views of the Harbor and Statue of Liberty. We enjoyed our sandwiches and the sunshine, then dug into a birthday cake Larry and Erin got James from Milk Bar. I’ve heard so many people rave about these cakes, so I was pretty excited to finally try one. It’s like a grown-up funfetti cake, and it definitely lived up to the hype. I especially loved the rainbow cake balls on top.

We took a brief break from stuffing our faces with carbs before Larry and James headed out on a mission: get a table for dinner at Lucali. If you haven’t heard of this super popular pizza joint in Brooklyn, go watch the first episode Ugly Delicious to see what all of the hype is about. Since appearing on that and several other shows, the restaurant is even more popular. James had been before and kept saying how excited he was for me to experience it for myself. That meant he and Larry had to go stand in line with dozens of other people just to put their names in for a table. Bless them for doing the hard part, while Erin and I hunted down wine. We killed a few hours walking around and hanging out at the apartment before our 9 p.m. seating. Boy, was it worth the wait. What’s so great about Lucali is it’s a no-frills pizza place. You order a pizza or calzone, with about six toppings to choose from. We ordered two pizzas and a calzone, which I never thought we would finish. But, we ate every last bite. The simplicity of the pizza let the quality of the sauce, cheese and huge amounts of fresh basil shine through. The crust is my favorite kind: super thin and crispy, with the perfect amount of humped dough around the perimeter. And, the atmosphere was pretty amazing. The restaurant is very small, with the staff making pizzas out in the open. It’s cozy and intimate — or as intimate as a super-popular restaurant can be. Any time a restaurant is talked up so much, I worry I’ll walk away disappointed because all of the hype. Lucali was just as amazing as everyone said. We went to bed with tired feet and happy stomaches.

Sunday

Sunday started the way Saturday ended — with a feast of carbs. We had brunch at Frankies 457, which several friends had also raved about in the past. We all ordered our own entrees and split an order of the french toast for dessert (because calories don’t count on vacation, right?), and everything was phenomenal. James and I then headed out on our own to play tourist for a few hours.

Our first stop was The Other Half, a brewery in Brooklyn I’ve been dying to try. It’s known for its impressive list of super-hazy IPAs, and I couldn’t believe how many different versions they had on tap. I got a 4 oz. pour of Einstein’s Daydream and Double Dry Hopped Cheddar, which were both Imperial IPAs. They were so damn good, and we probably would have hung out at the brewery all afternoon if we weren’t so stuffed from consuming nonstop carbs. We grabbed a Lyft to Manhattan to walk off some of what we consumed on The High Line. The city took over the old rail line and converted it into an amazing public space with walking paths, beautiful plants and artwork. Walking along the High Line is a great way to see the city from different perspectives. And, we had the perfect, sunny day to take advantage of the views.

We walked as far south on the High Line as we could before hopping on the subway and heading over to see the 9/11 Memorial. The two waterfalls are placed where the towers once stood, and are inscribed with the names of every person who died. Seeing the memorials in person was emotional, but something I’m so glad we did. I was especially touched by the Survivor Tree, which somehow withstood the carnage of the attacks. While it was severely damaged, the city was able to save and nurture the tree for several years before returning it to the site of the memorial. What a fitting symbol of resilience.

We capped our day of sightseeing off with a late afternoon treat at Supermoon Bakehouse, which looks like it was made for photo opps. I came across the bakery while perusing Instagram one day, and James kindly trekked to another area of the city so we could check it out. He got a matcha lemon croissant, while I opted for the banana sundae version. They were both insanely good, with such unique flavors. But, I actually think I preferred James’ —the more simple filling let the pastry itself shine. We were stuffed, and happy to spend the rest of the night in having dinner and watching a movie (Brooklyn, appropriately) at Larry and Erin’s. It was the perfect Sunday night.

Monday

We didn’t let our last full day in NYC go to waste. We woke up early to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge with Erin in the morning. She makes the walk everyday to get to work, and it may be the most amazing commute in the country. The bridge itself is stunning, and the views of the city are breathtaking. We lucked out with mostly sunny weather during our trip, and the most beautiful blue skies. Once getting across the bridge, James and I headed off to grab breakfast before taking the subway to Central Park. One of my favorite things to do when visiting cities is to take advantage of the unique outdoor spaces. It’s pretty amazing to be walking through such a lush, beautiful park,  while also seeing the NYC skyline in the background.

It started to drizzle a bit, so we ducked into The Met for a few hours. Neither of us had been, and we both found ourselves wanting to look at every single exhibit. If only we had more time! We decided to focus on what we wanted to see most: The American Wing, Greek and Roman sculptures, Ancient Egypt and photography. I’ve always loved art, and it had been a while since we’d gotten a chance to check out a new museum. I love discovering new artists through the exhibits, and seeing paintings I remember from books in person. Washington Crossing The Delaware surprised me the most, because I had no idea the enormous scale of the painting. Both the painting, and the intricate frame that held it, were breathtaking.

Once we finished our speedy tour of The Met, we headed back to Central Park to walk past the Alice In Wonderland statue, boating pond, and Strawberry Fields. We had a specific destination in mind: another bakery. Because I love baking, I always like checking out different bakeries while vacationing. We walked more than 30,000 steps several of the days we were in the city, so I’d like to think we earned it? We grabbed a chocolate chip walnut and chocolate peanut butter chip cookie from Levain to split, and all other cookies are now ruined for us. I’m not a huge cookie lover, so I was skeptical about Levain’s baked goods being as good as everyone said. I cannot begin to describe how wonderful those cookies were. They were thick, rich and perfectly gooey. Now I understand why there’s oftentimes a line out the door.

The sugar helped reinvigorate us for the last big event of the trip: seeing the Colbert Show! This is something James has always wanted to do, so we requested tickets as soon as we booked our flight. Erin and I snagged a couple priority seats, while James and Larry got tickets in the balcony. The taping is a several hour commitment: you check in, wait in line to get in, then a comedian and the band warm the crowd up before the show starts. It was so cool to see the behind-the-scenes work that goes into getting the show on the air every night, and Colbert never disappoints with his jokes. I was cracking up the entire time. We ended the night with ramen and one last indulgent dessert — the perfect way to cap off our trip.

The weekend was the perfect balance of experiencing the city like a local, and hitting up some of the tourist spots we’ve always wanted to see. Like so many others, I fell in love with New York and found myself wondering what it would be like to live there. I can’t wait to make another trip to the city! But, until then, I’m in need of a serious carb detox.

The post Long Weekend In NYC appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

I’m baaaaack! After a two-month blogging hiatus, I’m reviving my little corner of the internet. Life got pretty crazy once 2018 hit. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything I had on my plate, so I stepped back from the blog for a bit in an attempt to maintain my sanity. I needed the break, but I really missed sharing my latest recipes and adventures with you all. Here’s to getting back in the swing of posting regularly again!

This weekend’s weather is pretty awful. Mother Nature keeps teasing us with sunny, 50-degree days. And, then we get hit by snowstorms. Freezing rain is coming down right now, which makes it the perfect day to hole up inside and spend some time in the kitchen. Lazy weekend mornings spent sipping coffee and reading on the couch are my favorites.

Since the weather gave us an excuse to stay in our pajamas a little longer, I threw together a frittata for breakfast. I knew it was good when James had three slices and then said, “You should make frittatas more often!”

I love frittatas because they come together quickly, are full of protein and reheat really well. If you’re into meal prepping, this a great thing to make ahead of time for weekday breakfasts.

I used spiralized sweet potatoes because they cook more quickly, but you can also use diced sweet potatoes if you don’t have access to a spiralizer or pre-made sweet potato noodles. You’ll have to cook the potatoes longer — about ten minutes covered, then another five minutes uncovered to brown them a bit. The sweetness of the potatoes pairs perfectly with the spicy chorizo.

While we had this for breakfast, I love taking frittatas for lunch. Whip up a small side salad, and you have a complete meal!

Sweet Potato, Chorizo and Manchego Frittata

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/2 lb. chorizo sausage
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 large sweet potato, spiralized
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup Manchego cheese, grated
• 1 avocado, sliced thinly

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place 1 Tbsp. of oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add chorizo to the pan and use a spoon to break it up into small crumbles. Cook until browned and slightly crispy, about 7 minutes. Place cooked chorizo on a paper towel-lined plate and carefully wipe skillet clean.
3. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, and add another 1 Tbsp. of oil. Add garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sweet potato to the pan, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Spoon chorizo back into the skillet, distributing as easily as possible.
5. Stir cumin, salt and pepper into the beaten eggs, then pour egg mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes and chorizo. Sprinkle grated cheese over the top of the frittata. Cook over medium-high heat until the edges of the frittata are just set, about two minutes.
6. Carefully place the frittata in the oven and bake until the middle is set and the edges are just starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
7. Slice frittata into 8 pieces, and top each slice with avocado.[/directions]

The post Sweet Potato, Chorizo and Manchego Frittata appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

While most of our time here will be spent in Cocoa Beach, we headed to Orlando for a couple of days to check out theme parks. Our week started with a day at Universal Studios, which none of us had visited before. I’ve been dying to go and check out the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and it lived up to all the hype.

We headed straight for Hogsmeade when we got into the park. It was cooler than normal for this time of year in Florida, which worked to our advantage. The crowds were relatively small when the park opened. So, James and I got on to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey right away. It ended up being my favorite ride of the entire week! You walk through Hogwarts to get to the ride, and all of the detail put into the castle is absolutely amazing. Then, you get strapped in to go on a magical ride throughout the Hogwarts grounds with Harry. The ride combines video elements, animatronics and motion for a real thrill.

We, of course, couldn’t resist grabbing a butterbeer when we got off the ride. They offer it as a soda, frozen or hot. We went for the classic soda version, which tastes similar to cream soda. It’s topped with a frothy, butterscotch cream. We sipped our drinks as we wandered through Hogsmeade and checked out a few shops. You can buy just about everything from the books, from wands to chocolate frogs. We couldn’t resist picking up a couple of chocolate wands for some friends.

Next, we hopped on the Hogwarts Express to head over to Diagon Alley. In order to ride the train and see all of Harry Potter World, you need a park-2-park pass, because the attractions are spread out over two parks. Like all of the rides in Harry Potter world, the train ride was magical. The ride is also different each time if you ride it both ways! We stepped outside into the streets of London, and ducked into Diagon Alley.

This area of Harry Potter world is also full of shops and restaurants inspired by the books. There’s a Race Through Gringotts ride, which is extremely popular. The wait was 1.5 hours, so we decided to grab lunch at the Leaky Cauldron before heading to check out the rest of the park.

I wasn’t allowed to watch The Simpsons growing up, but a large part of the park is dedicated to the long-running show. This section of the park is setup like Springfield, the town where the show is set. There are several rides, as well as famous food from the show. We couldn’t resist trying Duff beer and a giant Lard Lad donut. I was constantly amazed by all of the detail put into each area of the park.

We went on a few more rides before taking the Hogwarts Express back to Islands of Adventure. We kept hopping on rides until about 5 p.m. there, when we decided to call it a day.

We stopped for a treat at the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium  on our way out of the park. If you have a sweet tooth, you MUST stop here. The restaurant has everything from specialty chocolates and macarons, to the most insane milkshakes I’ve ever seen. James and I split and peanut butter and jelly shake, which came topped with half a sandwich and a cupcake. It was a meal in itself, and I’ll be dreaming about that shake for a while.

We had a blast at Universal, and I would definitely go back. We lucked out with minimal crowds, and were able to do almost everything we wanted at the park in one day. I’ll be back later this weekend with another recap from our day at Disney!

The post One Day At Universal Studios Orlando appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

I’ve been MIA from the blog for the past couple of weeks because I’ve been insanely busy. I honestly just haven’t felt inspired to develop recipes lately — I’ve been cooking easy standbys because of how busy we’ve been. I started this blog as a creative outlet, and I want to keep it that way. I never want to post something just to meet an arbitrary quota. That means, sometimes, I may be silent for a few days. With that said, I’m hoping to get back into the routine of posting more regularly now that the holidays are over. My goal is to step outside of my comfort zone more when it comes to cooking this year.

Now, let’s get to some of my favorite things from this week! Tell me what you’re loving in the comments section.

Cookbook Club

I’ve mentioned before that I’m part of a cookbook club, and getting together with the group is something I always look forward to. We select a different cookbook to cook from each month, then get together for a potluck using recipes from the book. Our most recent selection was Smitten Kitchen Every Day. I think the title says it all — this is a good cookbook for everyday meals. The recipes are simple, but delicious. Many of the dishes are things I’ve made before, but with surprising twists or ingredients that take the flavor to the next level. I made the marbled bundt cake from the book, which was a dense, rich cake. My favorite dish from our potluck was the sweet potato steaks. They were seasoned with smokey spices and roasted to perfection. I can’t wait to make them!

Under Your Skin

This book took me a while to get into, but now I can’t put it down. It follows Gaby Mortimer, who finds the body of a woman in the woods and quickly finds herself at the center of the criminal investigation. Once you get through the first couple of chapters, this is a real page turner. I’m about 75 percent through the book, and I have no idea how it will end. I need to pickup a couple of other books for our upcoming trip, and I would love recommendations!

The Handmaid’s Tale

I’d been wanting to watch The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu for a while, and I finally got around to it over the weekend. It’s based on the Margaret Atwood book, which I read years ago. If you aren’t familiar with the story, here’s a description from Goodreads:

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now…

Like with the book, I immediately got hooked on the series. I finished all ten episodes over a period of about 48 hours. I don’t know if that’s a new high or a new low! The series is very dark, but so good. I can’t wait for season two.

Korean-style Pork and Rice Bowls

This is one of my all-time favorite Cooking Light recipes. It features gochujang, which is one of my favorite ingredients to cook with. It’s a red chili past, which gives the pork a spicy, but sweet, flavor. I like to make these pork bowls when we are craving takeout. I served them with a side of broccoli and some store-bought cream cheese wontons. The leftovers are even better!

The post Friday Favorites: Cookbook Club & Handmaid’s Tale appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

With that said, I’m looking forward to getting back into the kitchen and cooking more outside of my comfort zone in 2018. I started this blog to give myself a creative outlet, and I want to try more new things in the new year. As we get ready to close the book on 2017, I wanted to share my ten most popular recipes from the past 12 months. They may not be the most unique or extravagant, but I believe the best food is simple — and delicious. Here’s to another year of good eats!

1. Five Easy Weeknight Dinners

I’m not surprised to find this collection of recipes is my top post from 2017. If there’s one thing we could all use more of, it’s time. These dinners come together quickly and easily, making them great for nights when you really don’t feel like cooking.

2. The Best Banana Cookies

These cake-like cookies are my husband’s favorites. They’re topped with a frosting that melts in your mouth.

3. Healthy Almond Butter Banana Bread

This may be my favorite recipe of 2017. I made this healthier version of banana bread more times than I can count, and I have yet to get sick of it. The almond butter gives the bread the perfect texture.

4. White Texas Sheet Cake

This cake is the one everyone requests for birthdays and special occasions. The secret ingredient? Almond extract.

5. Chocolate Zucchini Cake

I’m counting down the days until summer so I can make this zucchini cake again. The summer squash makes this cake perfectly moist.

6. Chicken Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner

Sheet pan dinners got really popular in 2017, because they’re effortlessly healthy. This one is our favorite, especially in the winter.

7. Southwest Cheesecake

This spicy, baked spread can feed a small army. It includes three of my favorite things: green chiles, cheddar cheese and salsa.

8. Spaghetti Squash With Spicy Meat Sauce

The secret to this delicious meat sauce is using a combination of sweet and hot Italian sausages. This is a recipe that’s always in our weeknight rotation.

9. Chocolate Chip Banana Blondies

Are you starting to sense a theme? I love baking with bananas! These blondies are inspired by one of my favorite treats: banana and Nutella crepes.

10. Summer Berries With Mascarpone Whipped Cream

There’s nothing better than berries and cream on a hot, summer afternoon. While temperatures are near record lows right now, I’m dreaming of this dessert.

The post Top Ten Recipes Of 2017 appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.