Baking it on My Own

Perfect Pizza Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 01:52:00 +0000

We are full swing in school mode over here and desperately trying to find our groove with our new routine since returning to work after a busy summer and maternity leave. As you know, when it comes to the day to day grind - I am all about anything that saves a little bit of time. This recipe is no exception. It is super easy to throw together, can be eaten warm or cool and can be customizable to your child's (and your) individual taste. This recipe is also a perfect way to use up some leftover veggies you have in your fridge and introduce them in a fun way to get your kiddos excited!

Last week, Benjamin moved up to a preschool classroom at school (wahhhh, where has the time gone!?). He is absolutely loving his new class and enjoying his new teachers and new room (with all new toys!). At home, I have had to adjust the way I pack his lunch as well. With this new class, they no longer heat up the children's lunches - which is a major adjustment for us since all of my boys love a warm lunch! (Yes, my husband takes a warm lunch almost everyday). Until I can find a thermos that works well for his lunches, I'm trying to stick to a main course that travels well, is fun to eat and can be eaten cold/room temperature. I found some really handy (and thin) ice packs which fit perfectly in our personalized Pottery Barn lunch boxes. (FYI - to keep the box as cool as can be, I use two of these ice packs in the zipper pouch of the lunch box)

I have recently started purchasing turkey pepperoni and Benjamin is a huge fan. It makes for a perfect snack and also travels very easily. A week or so ago, we had homemade pizza night and Benjamin had such a blast helping add the toppings to the pizza. I had some left over toppings so I decided to add some pasta for a new family favorite. This recipe is a lot of eyeballing and really adding whatever your heart (and tummy) desires. The best part of this recipe, is that you can make it different every time. You choose a few options from each of the main ingredient categories and mix and match! This is a wonderful way to engage children in the process of preparing food. Toddlers especially love helping in the kitchen and by encouraging this you, in turn, get them excited about helping pack their lunch. The more fun you make these experiences for them, the more excited (and proud!) they will be to open up their lunch box and scarf their meal down.

I hope your kiddos love this recipe and it puts a smile on their face! The possibilities are endless... have fun with it!

Perfect Pizza Pasta

Basic ingredients:

Pasta + Meat + Veggies + Cheese + Sauce

PASTA options (cooked and cooled) -

Wheat/Whole grain pasta

Cheese tortellini

Veggie pasta

MEAT options (cooked, cooled and chopped) -

Turkey pepperoni

Mild Italian sausage

Chicken sausage

Ground beef

Ham cubes

VEGGIE (and one fruit!) option -

Mushrooms

Cherry tomatoes

Peppers

Black Olives

Pineapple

Scallions

Yellow/Red Onion (chopped)

CHEESE options -

Mini mozzarella balls

Mozzarella chunks

Cheddar chunks (white or yellow, mild or sharp)

Pepper Jack chunks (for a little spice)

Monterey Jack chunks

SAUCE options -

Marinara sauce

Meat sauce

Pesto

Alfredo sauce

White sauce (garlic + butter)

Combine all desired ingredients in a bowl until blended and Mangia!

Make Ahead Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 13:47:00 +0000

I feel like I've hit the mommy jackpot with this recipe. Not only is it healthy and delicious but it is a major time-saver - and these days, those types of things are certainly speaking my love language. Also, this recipe is geared towards mini muffins which makes them really easy to pack in lunch boxes and to hold in little hands. The original recipe is from one of my go-to toddler cookbooks: "Baby & Toddler - On the Go." I have slightly modified the recipe for our taste.

The concept behind "make-ahead" muffins is the master muffin dry mix! This recipe makes four separate batches of 14-16 mini muffins OR two batches of 24 muffins. You mix all of the dry ingredients together and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Having the dry mix already taken care of allows me to throw together (and bake) fresh muffins for toddler breakfasts + snacks in less than 20 minutes - each week. I modify the flavor every week using different mix-ins which keeps those little toddler taste-buds excited! This recipe is also perfect for baking and freezing - which comes in especially handy when we are away traveling for the weekend and our Sunday prep is non-existent.

As mentioned in my lunchbox post - last week I made banana cinnamon. This week, we had some extra carrots and apples from our CSA box, so I decided to make some apple carrot spice muffins. Both, as expected, were a big hit and it just warms my heart when Benjamin asks for muffins and tells me how yummy they are - "so good, mommy, so good in my tummy!" I hope these are a hit in your house as well!

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Make-Ahead Muffins:

Makes 4 batches of 14-16 mini muffins or 2 batches of 24 mini muffins

Master Muffin Dry Mix:

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cup wheat bran

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup light brown sugar

Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Store in a plastic ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Banana Cinnamon Variation (Wet Mix):

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup plain-whole milk greek yogurt

1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup mashed banana

+ one cup master muffin mix

Apple Carrot Variation (Wet Mix):

1/4 cup shredded carrot

1/4 cup diced apple

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup plain-whole milk greek yogurt

1/4 cup applesauce

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

+ one cup master muffin mix

Preheat the oven to 400*F. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.

In a bowl, beat together the wet ingredients. Add the master muffin mix and stir until just evenly moistened. The batter will be thick.

To ensure even distribution - use a medium (1.5 tablespoon) cookie scoop to portion batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean - approximately 13 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then transfer to the wire rack to cool.

Store in an airtight container in fridge for one week and/or seal in a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Enjoy!

NOTE: If you are making just one batch of this mix and using a 24 mini muffin cup pan you will have empty cups (since a single recipe usually yields approximately 14-16 mini muffins). For each empty cup, fill half way with water as to ensure even cooking for the filled cups and also not to ruin your pan! :)

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.
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Until next time... I'll leave you with this delicious morsel! #nomnomnom

PS: This post is not sponsored; it simply contains a few of my all-time favorite products in which an occasional Amazon affiliate link may be associated.

School Lunch 101 - A Look Inside Benjamin's Lunchbox

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 01:48:00 +0000

This post is dedicated to all the moms out there trying to figure out what lunch/snack options to send their kiddos to school with. It's also dedicated to the stay at home moms that are in the lunch time rut and need a few fresh ideas to spruce things up. Occasionally, I'll post pictures over on my IG feed of the contents of Benjamin's lunchbox. Most often times, I get a handful of questions about what I pack and inquiries about recipe ideas to share. I thought this would be a good place to share that information as I know I am always curious as to what other moms pack for their kids lunches/snacks. Benjamin has been going to daycare since he was three months old. A few months later he started on fruit and veggie purees and I started making and sending those as well. Fast forward two years... and now we are well into the toddler food world. My motto on feeding wee ones is - variety! While we have main staples that I send in his lunch box everyday, I add variety consistently. Are their times when he doesn't care for what I've sent for him? Sure! My answer for that most often times it to keep sending it. Things he likes today, he's over tomorrow. His mind is a tornado at this age so I certainly don't give up when he tells me "mommy, me no like!" Most often times when I try again, it's a hit. This has allowed us to continue eating all of the wonderful variety of things in our home that we love without having to create additional meals every night for a super picky eater.

Typical Sunday prep around here. Benjamin's lunches for the week all labeled and ready to pop in the bag each night for the next day. Such a lifesaver during a busy work week. Thankful even more now for every extra minute I get with the boys during the week. #sharemybubbles #bigbeneats

A photo posted by @nicolemhartford on Aug 9, 2015 at 11:44am PDT

When it comes to planning out the lunchbox meals for the week, I always try to incorporate our family meals as well. I share ingredients as much as possible and try to optimize our shopping. We don't like throwing away food in our family. To such a point, in fact, that I've dubbed my husband our "human garbage disposal."

So here we go on our lunchbox adventure! I hope you find this the slightest bit helpful!

The Main Categories I try to stick to:

Yogurt
Fruit
Veggie
Cheese
Protein
Grain/Carbs
"Treat"/Snack/"Fun Food"

On the Menu (Last Week/This Week):

Yogurt - 1 4oz container each day, alternating flavors. We have been eating the Trader Joe's Organic yogurts in the following flavors: blueberry, vanilla, mango, peach, strawberry and banana.

Cheese - 1 stick per day. This week I sent him with cheddar sticks. Last week I sent him with Colby jack sticks.

Fruit - 1 4oz container of chopped fruit. I usually put two types of fruit in each container. This week was strawberries/raspberries and strawberries/donut peaches. Last week was strawberries/blueberries and blueberries/peaches.

Veggies - 1 4oz container of steamed veggies. Benjamin is not a huge fan of raw veggies so I steam almost everything for him, but if your child likes raw veggies you can substitute those... which certainly makes for easier prep! Last week I alternated with fresh green beans and sweet potatoes. This week we are alternating between fresh green beans and broccoli.

Main Lunch - Last week I alternated between homemade creamy broccoli mac+cheese and 1/2 chicken cutlet sandwich on 12 grain bread. This week I am alternating between whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce, Parmesan + sausage (leftover from our sausage and peppers night) and Spanish rice + Mexican pork (leftover from our grilled stuffed burrito night).

Lastly, I supplemented with alternating flavors of GoGo Squeez last week and homemade banana cinnamon whole wheat muffins this week. These mini muffins also fit perfectly in my favorite 2 oz containers (link below).

Notes:

I absolutely love love love these containers - both the 2oz and the 4oz. We have had them for over 2 years and have never had to replace them. They are sturdy, affordable and best of all - dishwasher safe!!

All contents of Benjamin's lunchbox must be labeled each and every day. To make it easier, I purchased dishwasher safe labels from Name Bubbles and labeled all of my 2oz and 4 oz containers. I use a piece of masking tape with his name hand written - on the yogurt, cheese stick and other pouches or baggies.

There are a bazillion types of lunch boxes out there, but we personally love the lunch boxes from Pottery Barn that are personalized with their first name on the front. I purchase them during a sale that also includes free shipping!

I'll be back in a few days to share a super simple baking time saver AND the recipe for the homemade banana cinnamon whole wheat muffins! So easy, nutritious... and tasty, too!

Please feel free to leave me a comment or a message and let me know if there is anything you would like to see me elaborate on or cover in a future post. I'd love to hear from you!

Finishing up our Sunday prep earlier today. Benjamin was a big help in the taste testing department! #bigbeneats

A photo posted by @nicolemhartford on Aug 16, 2015 at 5:53pm PDT

PS: This post is not sponsored, just a list of some of our favorite products. A few Amazon affiliate links may be included.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread with Coconut Crumb Topping

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 10:00:00 +0000

Zucchini bread and blueberry muffins are two of my all time favorite treats - and there is no better time to make both recipes than right now! This time of year our garden is usually overflowing with zucchini; fresh blueberries are plentiful at our local farmers market (or in my in-laws back yard!). While I love both recipes independently, last year I decided to try to morph the two. The result was nothing less than amazing... and the rest is history.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread with Coconut Crumb Topping

Makes 24-30 medium sized muffins or 4 medium sized loaves or 2 large loaves

Bread/Muffin Mix:
3 eggs

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup vegetable or canola oil (feel free to modify to 1/2 cup applesauce, 1/2 cup oil)

2 cups granulated sugar

1-2 teaspoons lemon zest

3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut (optional)

2 cups (or 1 pint) fresh blueberries

Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup quick or old fashioned oats, uncooked
1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup unsalted butter, chilled and diced
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners or spray loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix together the eggs, zucchini, oil, granulated sugar, lemon zest and vanilla extract until well combined. In a separate bowl - combine flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Gently pour dry ingredients into wet mixture and stir until incorporated. Fold in coconut (optional) and blueberries. Pour into paper lined cups (3/4 full) or into greased loaf pans.

For the crumb topping: pour all ingredients in a bowl and mix together using a fork or pastry cutter. Mixture is ready when the ingredients start to hold together but crumble easily. Place 1-2 heaping tablespoons crumb topping onto each individual muffin or split in four (or halves) if using loaf pans.

Cooking times will vary by oven (as always), but 20-25 minutes is usually perfect for my muffins, 35-40 minutes for my medium loaves and 45-55 minutes for my large loaves. Bread/Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Say Hello to Benjamin!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 17:03:00 +0000

Well - after a very long hiatus from blogging, I've decided to get back into it. In case you are wondering why I've been absent for so long, well here is the reason:

I was off enjoying every single second of this sweet love muffin. There is no greater joy in this world than being a mother. My life and my heart have been filled with endless joy ever since. It is hard to believe that in two weeks he will turn 18 months old! I guess we have a lot of catching up to do, friends!

Stay tuned for some more of my favorite family recipes as well as the addition of baby and toddler friendly recipes! If you have a specific request of anything you would like to see, feel free to let me know in the comments. I'd love to hear from you! xoxo

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 02:09:00 +0000

Howdy, 2013! Nice to meet you - SO glad you are here.

I have a feeling that 2013 may just be our BEST. YEAR. YET.

::High five to that::

There are so many fun things to look forward to this year and I've never been as excited for a year to come as I am 2013!

Here is a little glimpse of life in the new year so far (with a few of the eve too!):

Delicious breakfasts

Saying goodbye to trusty old friends...

...and saying hello to new ones!

Little Baby H nursery prep!

Simple BLTs with avocado

And last, but not least:

Just over 8 weeks to go!

Can't wait. xoxo

May you all have a blessed 2013 - filled with endless happiness and love.

Want to follow Baking it on My Own on Instagram? You can do so HERE!

Helloooooo Third Trimester!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:51:00 +0000

Yesterday marked the 28th week for little baby H and I. I can't believe that I've been pregnant for more than half a year! Craziness, I tell you.

While there have been some ups and downs during our journey, this whole process (for the most part) has been amazing. He really is an active little bugger - constantly moving around and making sure he lets his momma know that he is there! My stomach has definitely been wigglin' and jigglin' all over the place lately. Last week I was in a meeting at work and actually had people sitting across from me stop the meeting and mention my stomach moving around like crazy. This belly and those movements cannot be masked these days.

While I have been keeping that majority of my weekly pictures and stats to close friends and family, I thought I would share some tidbits about the pregnancy since hitting this milestone has been kinda a big deal in our life lately!

Here are my current stats (and a few belly shots too!):

28 weeks
Note to self: Stay away from stripes and pulling my hair back!
Also - ignore the big bags under my eyes. Hard to conceal these days.

How far along? 28 weeks and 1 day

Total weight gain: 17 pounds - although at 4'10" I feel like I've gained at least half my body weight already. Been working hard at following the 80/20 rule. I have my nutritionist's motto running through my head, "no eating for two, healthier eating for one!" SO crazy that little baby H really only needs just over 400 extra calories a day for the last trimester.

Maternity clothes? All maternity pants and some maternity tops. Just got a few new things during the Thanksgiving holiday sales - SO necessary.

Stretch marks? Not yet and hopefully not ever! Gotta love the 100% Shea butter!

Sleep: My husband kindly refers to my side of the bed as the "pillow fortress." Been sleeping great once I got rid of that awful useless expensive maternity pillow. Just goes to show you don't have to buy into all this special maternity product hoopla. Makes a great little cocoon for Henry dog to snuggle in during the day though. He likes it! Normal body pillows have worked the best for me.

Best moment this week: Picking out a vintage dresser to be refinished and painted for the nursery and also receiving a sweet "just because" gift from my hubby for doing a great job growing baby. Moments like the last one don't happen too often, so when they do it's perfect and makes my heart melt. He has such a good heart (and good patience too!).

Miss anything? Prosciutto sandwiches and tuna whenever I want instead of just a tiny bit here and there. For never being much of a drinker, I've really wanted a glass of champagne (with a strawberry - of course).

Movement: See story above. I have a feeling that he is working hard at perfecting his Gangnam style after having to listen to it for weeks due to his dad's current dance obsession.

Food Cravings: Jelly doughnuts and cinnamon rolls. Sweets have consumed my thoughts all day for pretty much the last two weeks. Did I mention that I was never really a jelly doughnut fan before? Also, before this pregnancy - I'd happily take potato chips over a brownie any day. Guess this baby is gonna take after his daddy - sweeeeeeet-a-holic!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really that interested in red meat lately.

Gender: Boy oh boy.

Labor signs: Experienced my first braxton hicks contractions the other night. Creepy!

Symptoms: Crazy heartburn/reflux almost every day. Back pain that comes and goes. I've also been getting some leg cramps in the wee hours of the morning. But otherwise, there are times that I forget I'm pregnant!

Belly Button in or out? Still an innie but getting flatter and flatter by the day.

Wedding rings on or off? On and still a little jiggle room. So happy that I can still wear them.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy for the most part but have had some really emotional moments lately.

Looking forward to: A special Christmas date with Henry and Carl at the end of the week, Our friend's annual holiday gathering on Saturday, finalizing a date for my maternity shots (since our last session got rained out) and finishing our baby registry!

28 weeks + 1 day
I feel like I live in yoga pants and tank tops at home.

So there you have it! We are starting to nest and looking forward to little baby H's arrival in a little less than 12 weeks!! Such a amazing journey and an even sweeter blessing. We can't wait to meet him.

I hope you are all having a fabulous week. Now that my sweet tooth has arrived, hopefully I'll be back to posting some new holiday treats in the days/weeks to come!

Gender Reveal Recap and Lucky Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Truth be told - two weeks ago, I had this entire post finished. It was late at night - I was stressed out with a bazillion things on my mind. Carl had tried to entice me to put down the computer and watch Home Alone with him - a movie date (LOVE that movie)! I told him that I just had to finish this post. 15 minutes later he fell asleep (some date!) and shortly thereafter, I went to click publish and then my computer did some weird wacky thing and then last thing I knew that post was wiped clean. I mean not a single freakin' word left. There was no way to recover what was lost. It had taken me 2+ solid weeks to get this post done working alongside the chaos that is my life right now. In the flash of a second - it was gone and I was really sad. Heck, I am still sad but I guess today I've decided to make lemonade out of lemons and surge on.

Anyway - For those of you who didn't hear already:

Little Baby Hartford is a...

BOY!

Carl and I are beyond thrilled and happy. Carl so desperately wanted a boy and I really wanted that for him. He never asks for much, so I was hoping his wish would come true. Truth is, we are lucky and blessed and really would have been happy with either as long as they are healthy. The day we found out was really exciting and I would be lying if I said we didn't shed any tears ;) The toughest part was keeping it a secret for almost six weeks. I only slipped once! and the person must have not noticed because they were on team Pink!

...and now it's official - I will finally be outnumbered in my house.. by humans! Although Henry love bug is pretty much a human anyway.

As for the big party -

Our gender reveal party was a wonderful day. We had our closest and dearest friends and family present and it was an all around fantastic day.

The menu was Italian and consisted of:

Baked ziti
Roasted sausage, potatoes, peppers and onions
Homemade marinara sauce
Bruschetta
Strombolli
Pizza bites
Homemade Garlic Knots (A Carl specialty)
Italian meats, cheese and crackers
Assorted olives
Vanilla and double fudge cupcakes
Pumpkin whoopie pies
and my MIL's chocolate whoopie pies

I'm sure I'm probably missing a few other things in there - but that was the basic gist of it.

I really wanted to face plant myself into this delicious italian meat platter. MY WEAKNESS! Carl has been informed that I ~~want~~ NEED a proscuitto sandwich T minus 30 minutes after I give birth!

What will little baby Hartford bee? A baby He or a baby She?! I loved making these cute little behive cupcakes. I also loved eating them... especially the chocolate ones.

The guests were encouraged to wear their color of choice and it was really fun to see people show up wearing blue and/or pink. Team boy was definitely winning the numbers contest but where team pink lacked in numbers, they made up in style! I mean - little girls in pink fluffy dresses?! SWOON!

Here were the teams:

Team Blue (plus a few really cute team pink triplets and Juliet!):

Team Pink:

As far as the actual reveal went, we had everyone count down from ten and then released a balloon for the gender that was not correct. We were then left holding the gender of our sweet little babe.

Team Blue (minus a few) celebrates the victory:

I also had a little contest going on here on the blog. Remember this post!?

Well the opposite happened on the blog. Team pink far outnumbered team blue. Carl and I loved reading all of the comments that people left. It was so exciting especially because we just wanted to shout it from the rooftops instead of keeping mum for so long.

The individuals that correctly voted boy were:

1 - Aireen Arellano
2 - Diana J.
3 - Carrie Hartford Fedders
4 - Diana Cardella
5 - Meg Trimarchi
6 - Charlotte
7 - Jimbo
8 - Cupcake Kelly

All the correct entries were entered into a little raffle to win a $10 gift certificate to Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks (winner's choice).

And the lucky winner is....

Congratulations, Charlotte!! Please e-mail me at bakingitonmyown@gmail.com and let me know your preference of gift card.

Thank you, again, to all who voted.

Happy Thursday. Just remember - tomorrow is Friday. Yipeey!

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookie Crunch Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 22:26:00 +0000

Today is a special day - my step-dad's birthday! Steve is a wonderful guy and I am very lucky to be able to call him my dad. It's a complicated story to explain how he came into my life, but - although we share no blood relation, he has and always will be my dad. He has been there for me through thick and thin and stood by me in the tough times when others didn't. My life has forever been changed because of him and Carl, Henry & I (little baby H too) love him dearly.

I'm sure it will come as no surprise to you that some of my fondest memories growing up with Steve involve food. He has a sweet tooth like no other and I know I can always count on him for a taste of anything I make. We have a lot of the same food similarities but one that I was never 100% sold on was butterscotch. While I do enjoy a little bit every now and then, it's never been my top choice. Steve, on the other hand, LOVES butterscotch.

Since his special birthday is today and I wanted to send him something that he loves - I decided to create a new recipe just for him. As I was cutting these bars up and melting my caramel for the drizzle, the rebel inside of me snatched up some crumbs and I was blown away! These bars are delicious and so decadent. The butterscotch just throws them over the top. I am seriously questioning why the heck my taste buds have fooled me for so long.

Even though these bars probably won't make it to Steve-o until tomorrow (darn snail mail) - I couldn't hold back sharing this recipe any longer. Also, I'm pretty sure if I pushed this post off one more day - I wouldn't have anything left to photograph! yes, trust me - that are that. good.

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookie Crunch Bars

Makes 15-20 good sized cookie bars

2 sticks butter or margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 and 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 heaping cups of quick or old fashioned oats, uncooked
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
1 and 1/2 cups caramel bits (1 cup for caramel drizzle and 1/2 cup to stir into cookie mixture)
1 cup of rice cereal
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together with mixer. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. In a separate bowl - combine flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Add dry mixture into wet mixture and stir until combined. Add oats, butterscotch chips and caramel bits. Once combined, gently add in rice cereal - stir and press into pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cool on wire rack. When completely cool, cut into bars and place evenly spaced on a wire rack. Place wax paper under wire rack to catch caramel drizzle.

Heat the remaining cup of caramel bits with the tablespoon of heavy cream over medium-high heat. Continuously stir until mixture is thin and runny. Using a spoon, gently drizzle the caramel over cookie bars. Let sit to set. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Happy Birthday, Steve-o - I hope you enjoy your birthday treats. We love you and can't wait to see you soon!! xoxo

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Thank you to all of you who have submitted your comments/votes on the gender for little baby H. I am loving hearing everyone's guesses - so keep them coming! I have decided that the prize will be a gift card to either Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts - winners choice.

PS: For those of you who have commented as unknown or anonymous, I have not published those comments. If you'd like to be entered into this little contest - please make sure your name is either in the name field or the comment field. I just want to make sure I know who to contact in case you are the big winner!

If you haven't voted - what are you waiting for!? Click HERE to vote.

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Lastly, Today I am blogging over at CafeMom about my quest to find a good work/life balance. Click HERE to go check it out!

Family Pictures 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:05:00 +0000

A little over a month ago, Carl and I got some family pictures done with Henry in the Boston Public Garden. It's hard to believe that we have not had any formal family photos done with Henry for the past four+ years that he has been on this earth. Now that our little family is soon to expand to four - we wanted the capture a few photos with our fur baby.

Morgan - the genius behind the blog xoxome - just formally started her own photography business and she generously offered to do these pictures free of charge during the month of September. Not only is she a beautiful person on the outside - she is just as gorgeous on the inside. She was a DELIGHT to work with and really made us feel at ease [we both hate getting photos taken]. I was absolutely smitten when I got these pictures and saw her work come to life. She really is ONE. TALENTED. GAL.

I cannot express in words how wonderful these pictures came out, so I'm just going to let you see for yourself! All I can say is that she captured EXACTLY what I wanted her too - the love that Carl and I have for Henry. Add the fact that little baby H was four months growing in my belly for these shots and my heart just might explode. I have been blessed by the good Lord and I know I am definitely a lucky lady. I am so grateful to Morgan for allowing me to have these gorgeous photos to look back on for years to come.

and because I just couldn't help myself...

This last one will MOST DEFINITELY be featured in little baby H's nursery. My heart be still. xoxo.

If you live in the Boston area (or even outside the Boston area) - go check out Morgan Lee Photography. She specializes in a variety of photography and is also available for travel. You can check out her website here, her blog here and her Facebook page here.

Thank you so so much again to Morgan - you are the best! I can't wait for my maternity shoot in December!

Baby He or Baby She (and a weekend re-cap too!)

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:59:00 +0000

Today is a BIG day my friends! We just found out that our sweet little baby is a ________ !!!

Cruel to keep that exciting news from you, I know - I'm sorry. We are having a cute little gender reveal party in a little less than a month for our friends and family and just have to keep our lips sealed until then. You know I will be back here in November sharing lots of pictures and... of course the BIG news! We are so so so happy!

This past weekend was busy but very productive. I had my last dress fitting for one of my best friend's wedding this coming weekend and we got to get a little tour of my father-in-law's place of employment. He works in a paper mill as a head engineer and has been working countless hours and 7 day work weeks for the past few months and his hard work (on his latest project) is finally starting to pay off. He is one of the smartest people I know and it was great to see him get to show off all of his hard work. In true Hartford fashion - the one picture I got of Carl and his dad, their eyes were closed. I decided to spare you guys that picture (it is goofy though!) - gotta love those sensitive blue eyes! (I secretly hope our baby has my dark hair and Carl's gorgeous blue eyes!)

Since we were home on Sunday, I was able to cook a delicious meal. It was a chilly day outside and therefore perfect to turn on the oven and cook up some comfort food. I have been craving meatloaf - so that is what I made. We also had some homemade Paula Deen mac+cheese (one of my favorite recipes) and delicious apple crisp. It was delightful and I was happy.

Speaking of delightful and happy.... this is how Henry spent 95% of his long weekend.

I also gave my closest an overhaul and started getting the upstairs ready to transition our office/2nd spare bedroom into our little babe's nursery. I can't wait to shop and get moving on my baby registry! And speaking of moving - late last week I started to feel little baby moving around... it is THE. BEST. FEELING. I am in love. Here is a picture taken this morning. Yesterday, I hit 19 weeks.

Do you think little baby Hartford will bee (hint hint at our little party "theme") a baby HE or a baby SHE? Leave your guess in the comment section below and you'll be entered to win a little gift if you are correct. That's right - I'll pick a name from those who have guessed correctly and that person will win a prize. If you are having trouble commenting, e-mail me at bakingitonmyown@gmail.com and I'll help you. NOTE: those entries that come through without a name or anonymous will not be entered into this drawing. Drawing ends on November 10th - Good luck!

...and last but definitely not least - Don't forget to check out my post over at CafeMom . Today I'm talking about deciding to find out the gender of our little one!

Birthday, Breakfast, Baby and a Bump!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 13:49:00 +0000

Happy Tuesday!!

I hope your week if off to a great start. We had a wonderful weekend in New Hampshire where the foliage was absolutely breathtaking. It is definitely peak season up there and it was so gorgeous. Ahhh New England in the fall - LOVE!

It was wonderful spending time with some friends and really special spending time with Carl's Grandmother. She is just the sweetest lady. She turned 89 in June and she rarely has an opportunity to get out anymore so we took her out for breakfast and we all had a blast. Lots of laughter and great conversation - it was a special treat in more ways than one.

Last night we had dinner with my sister and her husband for my brother-in-law's 31st birthday! We got to feast on some delicious Italian cuisine and our tummy's were all very happy. I'm really blessed to have such a great brother-in-law. Henry loves him and I know our sweet little baby is going to be SO lucky to have a great uncle like him. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TIM!

Speaking of yesterday - Baby and I hit the 18 week mark! Carl is just finishing up the last minute touches on our refurbished bump magnetic chalkboard so stay tuned for a 19 week picture alongside the board next week. In the meantime, I snapped a not so great picture of the bump for you all this morning. Pardon my sleepy face. My tummy sure is growing!

And last but not least: Today I am blogging over at CafeMom about baby advice and incorporating the below little munchkin into the mix. Please stop over and check it out. I'd love to hear any advice you are all willing to share!

Have a great day!

Apple Treats and Baby Bumps

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 11:27:00 +0000

Happy Tuesday!

Today I am blogging over at CafeMom about sharing the big [baby] news with our family as well as my quest to find the perfect maternity clothes. Go check it out!

In other news:

A little over two weeks ago - the sweet little baby growing inside my tummy was approximately the size of an apple. In true cheesy fashion - Carl, Henry and I celebrated this occasion by going on our annual apple picking adventure! SO smahhhht I tell you! It was, of course, the perfect opportunity for me to get my first bump shot for our little one's baby book.

The weather was gorgeous and we really had a wonderful time. I made sure that I ate an extra apple cider doughnut for myself and the little one... I didn't want them to feel left out of our family tradition this year! I also thought I was not going to be able to have my cup of fresh cider until I walked in the door and saw a huge sign saying that all of their cider was pasteurized. I almost cried tears of joy. After indulging in our treats, purchasing a few pumpkins and colorful mums - we lugged our half bushel of Macintosh and Cortlands home and got to making some of our favorite apple treats.

I just HAD to share my favorite apple recipe of all with my favorite people of all - YOU! yes you! If I can give you any advice about the recipe below it would be to stop whatever you are doing and get making this recipe RIGHT. NOW. You (and your tummy) will be glad you did!

Apple Pie Coffee Cake

[Recipe modified from Taste of Home]

Serves 16-20

Apple Filling:

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch
4 cups cored, peeled and sliced
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cold butter (2 sticks, unsalted)
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
2/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cold butter (unsalted)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (add more to taste)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9x13 glass pan with non-stick cooking spray - set aside.

In a saucepan - combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, apples and lemon juice. Bring to a boil on Medium High heat and cook until mixture starts to thicken and apples start to soften - approximately 5-8 minutes (use judgement). Stir constantly to avoid mixture from burning. Remove from heat and add cinnamon. Let mixture cool while combining the cake and topping.

In a large bowl - combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Chop cold butter into small portions and add to dry mixture. Cut butter into mixture using a pastry blender. In another bowl - beat the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; stir into butter crumb mixture just until moistened. Spoon two-thirds of the batter into greased pan. Top with apple mixture and remaining batter.

For topping - combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle topping over batter. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. The base of the cake should be golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Soup for You

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 09:00:00 +0000

The cooler weather has definitely started to creep it's way into our weekly forecast and I have to admit, I really don't mind! I LIVEEEE for this time of year - my absolute favorite favorite favorite season. Carl and I have started a variety of fall traditions and they are some of the things that I look forward to year round.

What I also love about this time of year is the return of heartier meals and COMFORT FOOD - oh how I love you! Apples, Pumpkins, Mac+Cheese, Squash, Beef Stew, Chicken and Dumplings, Pot Pie, Baked Chicken, Pot Roast, Grandma Hoffmeister's Famous Brisket, Soup galore - ahhhh the list goes on and on (and on)!

A few weeks ago, I got to thinking about this delicious beef and barley soup that our friends Ty and Mandy had made for us a few years ago. She rendered the beef in some duck fat to start and it was absolutely divine. So scrumptious that I am still thinking about it over 2 years later!

I love soup with barley in it but for some reason I have always been a little scared of attempting it myself. I happen to see it on sale last week and decided to give it a go. Here is the delicious result that I am sharing with you today and will be adding to our stockpile of go-to soups from now on. I took a bit of a lighter approach and used some leftover chicken but I'm sure beef (or beef rendered in duck fat) would be just as tasty.

Enjoy!

Portobello Mushroom Soup with Barley and Chicken

Makes 6-8 servings

1/2 cup pearl barley
4 cups water
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
16oz sliced portobello mushrooms
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth/stock
1 tsp chicken base or 1 chicken bouillon cube
1 cup chopped chicken
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 heaping tsp fresh thyme (removed from stem)
2 tbsp lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine barley and water in a large saucepan (soup pot) and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 40 minutes. Stir occasionally.

In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, garlic, carrots and portobello mushrooms. Saute for 10-12 minutes until translucent and soft.

Add chicken broth/stock, chicken base/bouillon, parsley, thyme and lemon juice to the large saucepan with barley. Add the cooked vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chopped chicken and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

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PS: Billie Hester - I am still waiting to hear from you regarding your winning prize from this post. If I don't hear back from you in the next few days I will be picking a new winner!

BIG News!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:27:00 +0000

As I have previously mentioned, my waistline has certainly started to grow since the start of this blog. Now, it is expanding for other reasons!

Carl and I are expecting a sweet little bundle of joy in very early March and we are beyond excited.

Expanding our family has been something we have dreamed about for many years and we are just so happy that the time has finally come! Of course we are a little anxious and overwhelmed but I think that comes along with the territory!

And as for our other little "baby" - Henry is going to be a fantastic big-brother - we just know it!
I mean - come on - just look at this face!

Stay tuned for updates on the "baking" of this little baby bun as the weeks go on. It sure is the sweetest recipe I know I'll ever create and I'm so excited to share it with all of you.

Now that food sounds appealing to me again and my stomach has decided to temporarily let it stay - I'll be back to sharing new recipes in the weeks to come!

Have some baby advice? Know some fantastic products that are a MUST? I'd love to hear them! We are all ears on this end!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Layer Cake Shop Giveaway - Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:05:00 +0000

Apologies are in order for my recent lack of posts. There has been A LOT going on this summer and I would be lying if I said I'm not exhausted! These are the days I wish I was in school again so I had the whooooooole summer free. Do you ever feel that way?

Thank you all for waiting so patiently for me to pick the winners of my first contest from the Layer Cake Shop!

I promise (pinky pinky promise) to be prompt with these things next time! I had 24 total entries for this contest and that was awesome. I loved hearing what flavor of cupcakes were your favorite. As for myself - I love sooo many different flavors but if I had to pick just one, I would probably go with chocolate/peanut butter. YUM!

It was so much fun picking the winners that I decided to not only pick two...

That's right - I picked a third winner!

Congratulations to the below individuals on each winning a $15 gift certificate to the Layer Cake Shop. Please e-mail me at bakingitonmyown@gmail.com to claim your prizes!

Winner #1 - Billie Hester

Winner #2 - Brittany L.

Winner #3 - Aireen Arellano

We have been entertaining my grandmother and dad for the past week and are looking forward to going to Maine this weekend for some delicious lobsta! I am really excited to spend the weekend with them as well as my in-laws.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I can't wait to catch you up on all the fun stuff we've been up to next week!
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Disclaimer: Layer Cake Shop kindly donated one of the three prizes in this giveaway and I am contributing the others. My opinions are my own - I just love the shop and wanted to let you have an opportunity to love their great products just as much as I do!

Giveaway! My Favorite Baking Supplies - 1st Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:53:00 +0000

Happy Monday!!

My sincerest apologies for being a bit absent the past few weeks or so. I've been working on some really great things that I can't wait to share with you all in the coming weeks/months. I'm starting to feel like free time in the summers is almost non-existent. Does anyone else feel that way!?

Anyway... to make it up to you I've got something GREAT to share with you today. And by great - I really mean: fantastic, wonderful and totally awesome!

Remember a few weeks ago when I shared this post? And then shared one of my favorite recipes to make using said baking supplies.

Well - because I love ya AND because I very much so appreciate all the support you have given me and this blog, I am going to be giving away two $15 gift certificates to one of my absolute favorite online baking supply stores - LAYER CAKE SHOP!

I absolutely love every. single. thing. in this little vintage inspired baking supply shop! If you are looking to jazz up your cookies or cupcakes - Layer Cake Shop definitely has all of the necessary supplies to get the job done (... and in the cutest way possible, might I add).

My absolute favorite thing to order are the grease proof cupcake liners that I mentioned in my Favorite Baking Supplies post. These are the first liners that I have ever used that hold their vibrant colors after baking and I highly recommend them.

Here are the nitty gritty details on how to enter this giveaway.

(1) Leave a comment at the bottom of this post answering the following question:

What is your favorite cupcake flavor!?

If you would like additional opportunities to win you can do any or each of the bonus entry options below (for up to 4 additional entries).

(2) LIKE Baking it on My Own on Facebook. Come back and leave a separate comment letting me know you did so.

(3) Follow @Baking it on My Own on Twitter. Come back and leave a separate comment letting me know you followed.

(4) Add Layer Cake Shop as a friend on Facebook. Come back and leave a separate comment letting me know you did so.

(5) Following Baking it on My Own on Pinterest! Come back and leave a separate comment letting me know you are following.

NOTE: If you already are a fan of BIOMO on Facebook or already follow me on Twitter, just simply leave a comment (at the bottom of this post) letting me know you already do so!

This contest ends Monday, July 30th, 2012 at 6pm EST. Winners will be chosen by Random.org and will be e-mailed/notified. The two winners will have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize. If no response is received with 48 hours - new winners will be chosen.

GOOD LUCK!

Disclaimer: Layer Cake Shop kindly donated one of the two prizes in this giveaway and I am contributing the other. My opinions are my own - I just love the shop and wanted to let you have an opportunity to love their great products just as much as I do!

Happy Birthday, America!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 11:29:00 +0000

I hope you all had a wonderful July 4th holiday. I really wish that I had taken some more time off of work because having a day off was definitely too good to be true.

Carl and I spent our day yesterday doing miscellaneous odds and ends around the house. We also made sure we got a few naps, good food and games in as well.

Here is a little recap of our mini fourth of July celebration.

Wilmington Fireworks with Amanda and Tim!
Pic courtesy of my BIL @beingboston

Lots of snuggles with my favorite little firecracker

Blockus Domination - even Carl's good luck charm couldn't help him!

But he redeemed himself winning three games in a row of ladderball.
Appropriately festive, eh?

Land of the free and home of the brave.
A true test of burger bravery - homemade Adirondack burgers. DELISH!

All in all it was a perfect low-key day!

Thank You to all who have served and continue to serve our great country. It is because of you that our independence and freedom is maintained and honored.

God bless you all and God bless America!!

What did you do to celebrate America's birthday?

Happy Monday!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 12:09:00 +0000

I hope you had a splendid weekend!!

Ours was filled with sunshine, air-conditioning, glutony,

outdoor games, running, fun times with great friends,

endless episodes of Swamp People (creepily intriguing)

and...

relaxation!

AHHHH - pure bliss.

Here's hoping your weekend was just as great!

xoxo

Please go and share your support for Baking it on My Own on Facebook.

As soon as the page received 100 likes, I'll be doing a "sweet" giveaway you definitely don't want to miss!

Hint hint - it has to do with this.

HAPPY MONDAY!

The Best Banana Bread Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 09:00:00 +0000

TGIF!

Today I am sharing the perfect recipe to make this weekend - The moistest, tastiest, delicious banana bread... EVER!

I know... I know... there are no less than 48098264876500129858 banana bread recipes currently in existence - but this one is really special. Something definitely worth bragging about.

You just have to trust me that this is as good as I say it is. You do trust me, right?

The Best Banana Bread Ever

Makes 1 large loaf, two medium loaves or four small loaves

1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup butter - melted and slightly cooled
1 - 2 tablespoon(s) cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray large loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine the first 4 ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt and sugar) in a large mixing bowl.

Add mashed bananas and lightly beaten eggs. Stir until just combined.

Gently stir melted butter into batter.

Pour mixture into a large loaf pan and lightly sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean - about 40-50 minutes.

NOTE: Cooking times are approximate.

If you have an abundance of ripe bananas but are not able to bake with them right away - don't fret! Did you know that they freeze wonderfully? Just stick them in the freezer whole and take them out a half hour to an hour before you are ready to bake.

This recipe is an equal opportunity appeal-er (HA) - feel free to mix in anything that suits your fancy. Chocolate chips, walnuts, almonds, pecans - all taste great ... the possibilities are endless!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Stay cool!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Our First Garden - Update #1

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:16:00 +0000

A little over a month ago, I shared with you the process of creating our first garden. A LOT has changed since my last post and we are definitely enjoying seeing our hard work pay off. Our stomachs are really happy too!

Here is a breakdown of how everything is doing:

Thomas Laxton (early) Peas [grown from seed] - I'm going to try to be happy about these peas, but they have provided a lot of angst over the past month. Aside from the letter received from the environmental conservation board saying we weren't really supposed to plant our peas in the "no plant" zone - these just didn't do as well as we thought they would. We got very excited when we saw the plants started to flower and expected to be able to harvest a ton of pods, but in the end - we only got 1 dinner's worth of peas. I'm pretty sure they were cursed from our little brush with the "law" but for the amount of work it took to get them set up - we aren't sure if it is worth it to do it again. Carl spent his entire birthday evening planting them this year and countless other hours getting the netting and posts set up. Knowing we will have to rip up, yet another portion of our lawn, to plant these again - makes it less likely that we will do these next year. A real bummer since I'm not usually a pea fan and I thought they tasted absolutely delicious. We'll have to see...
Calypso cucumbers [grown from seed] - We originally planted numerous cucumber seeds in mounds in the middle of our peas. Due to the letter, we knew we were going to have to rip them up since the peas would definitely harvest well before the cucumbers. Crockett states that cucumber seedlings usually don't transport well so we are still a little worried about these guys. We had to find a new place in our yard to house them and since then they have been doing alright (not great - just OK). Now that they get plenty of sun, we wonder if we never had to move them - if they would have done well anyway. I think the peas starting to climb may have been stealing some of the cucumbers sun. Regardless, I am keeping my fingers crossed as I have been mapping out my plan for homemade pickles for months now. Grow cucumbers, grow!
Organic Relay Lettuce [grown from seed] - We are in lettuce HEAVEN! Currently - the lettuce has been the highest producer in both quality AND quantity. The regeneration on some of these plants is really incredible and we have been eating steadily off of the same 5 or 6 plants for a month now. A few days ago we ripped up the last bits of the old plants and re-planted some seedlings that we started a few weeks ago. Crockett suggested this as it is a great way to ensure that you have lettuce throughout your growing season. There is just something about this lettuce that I absolutely love. I think that the type of soil that we used (organic loam) definitely has something to do with it. The leaves are colorful and really crisp and definitely last much longer than if you purchased them in the grocery store. Carl and I have enjoyed taking a fresh salad for lunch everyday and also eating Asian stir-fry turkey lettuce wraps - once a week!
Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce [grown from seed] - see above. We only planted half of the amount of this type of lettuce than we did the other variety and it's probably a good idea since we have had way more than we know what to do with. This lettuce if definitely delicious but not as crisp.
Sardinia Spinach [grown from seed] - our spinach grew a little faster than we anticipated and as a result, we didn't harvest it as early as we should have. While the plants grew out of control, by the time we did harvest - we quickly realized that it takes A LOT of spinach to make a decent portion for two adults for dinner. We both really love spinach so it was great that we were able to get a handful of meals out of it before it started to die. I don't think that spinach loves the warm weather as when it started to get REALLY hot last week - the main structure of the plant started to warp - causing the plants to fall over and the leaves to get limp. We still ate the fallen over plant but knew that our spinach days for the season were pretty much over. I think you can re-plant in the early fall again - but I'm not entirely sure. We'll have to read Crockett and see what spinach wisdom he can provide us. Aside from having it as an accompanyment to dinner - my favorite meal we had with this spinach was fresh farm egg omelets, spinach and homemade feta cheese from the Lancaster, NH farmer's market. YUMMY!
Scallions/Bunching Onions [starter plant] - We only purchased one starter plant and it while it has been growing great, it has been hard to harvest since they really do "bunch." I want to savor these babies and only use one at a time, but being so close together means that their roots also grow together so I have been trying to be extra careful when I pull one out. Next year, I think we will definitely grow a couple more bunches as I find myself buying scallions EVERY week at the grocery store.
Black King Eggplant [grown from seed] - these are the one thing in the garden that I am not convinced will grow great. They have not only been slow to grow, but some little insect has decided to make it's leaves it's grand feast. Leaves aside, the plant is doing relatively well but for some odd reason I'm less convinced that these will be successful. I am hoping I am wrong though because I definitely LOVEEEE me some eggplant parmesan!
French Breakfast Radishes [grown from seed] - Carl was convinced that these radishes grew in bunches. After harvesting our first round a few weeks ago, we soon realized that there was no bunching going on. As a result, we were left with 7 tiny radishes. Needless to say we were both a little bummed so after harvesting the first batch, we planted a bunch more and expanded them to two rows. In another week or so I'm pretty sure we will be eating radishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Detroit Dark Red Supreme Beets [grown from seed] - Carl also applied his "bunch" theory here. #FAIL. 15 beets later - we got one dinner out of them. We harvested them last night for dinner and plan to eat the greens in a few days. Next year - we will definitely be planting at least two rows as these are one of my favorites.
Italian Dark Green Parsley [grown from seed] - growing like crazy! 5 plants was a bit excessive and I hope it doesn't go to waste. Next year, we might stick to a plant or two as that is more than plenty for what we need it for.
Sweet Basil ~~[grown from seed]~~ [replaced with starter plants] - We got a little carried away with the basil planting and accidentally planted the seeds a little deeper than we were supposed to. After two weeks without one seedling, my impatience got the best of me and we purchased two large starter plants that I split into 6. I was immediately able to harvest a bunch of leaves for homemade pesto and I've been able to do it two more times since then. The plants are growing great and after the hot weather we have been having... coupled with some rain - it looks like I'll be making another batch of homemade pesto this weekend! This is definitely one of Carl's favorite garden delicacies.
Cilantro [starter plant] - at first, this was doing excellent. After a wave of very hot weather - the plant started to turn a lighter shade of green and dry out (even though the soil was wet). Next year, I think we will try to plant in a section of the garden that gets less sunlight. Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs so I was a little bummed I didn't get more than a few guacamole batches out of it.
Dill [starter plant] - growing well although it just started to flower recently. I'm not sure what that means, but I don't think that's good for this herb.
Oregano [starter plant] - growing well.
Rosemary [starter plant] - growing well.
Thyme [starter plant] - growing well.
Trailing Tomatoes [starter plant] - starting to flower and growing well.
Sweet 100 Cherry Tomatoes [starter plant] - starting to flower and growing great. Lots of little baby tomatoes are starting to pop up.
La Roma II Red Tomatoes [starter plant] - starting to flower and expand. This is the second largest tomato plant and it is really growing well. This was also the first tomato plant to bear baby fruit.
Early Girl Tomatoes [starter plant] - starting to flower and growing well.
San Marzano Tomatoes [starter plant] - starting to flower and expand. I can't wait for these tomatoes as - in my opinion - they make the best tomato sauce and soup with.
Orange Blaze Peppers [grown from seed] - growing well. We aren't expecting to see anything major start growing for another month or so. I can't wait for them to start growing though.
Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers [grown from seed] - same as above.
Fat 'n Sassy Peppers [grown from seed] - same as above.
Horn of Plenty (early bush crookneck) Squash [grown from seed] - we accidentally forgot to write down or commit to memory which squash plant was planted in each mound. Either way - one is growing out of control and the other is doing fine. We made sure to plant these with plenty of room to expand as they often times start to take over.
Richgreen Summer Squash [grown from seed] - see above.

Here are some pictures of the progress over the past month:

baby cucumber plant

peppers in pots

peas, pahlease!

front to back - spinach, lettuce, radishes and beets

lettuce seedling replacements, ready for the garden!

summer squash x2 and tomatoes

beets, radishes and lettuce

basil deliciousness

sweet pea

lettuce galore

spinach

plum tomato baby

cherry tomato babies

lettuce harvesting

my favorite live-in scarecrow

custom flower boxes built by my handy husband

With some of the leftover wood from the garden, Carl made some custom flower boxes that sit in front of our garage. All three boxes have the same flowers in them and really look great next to the garden. Next month, Carl plans on using the rest of the wood to make one more small above ground garden to house rhubarb, chives and (maybe) strawberries next year. I am REALLY looking forward to that.

Speaking of berries, have a little look-see at what we found growing right next to our house:

blackberry surprise

I've secretly been chanting over these bushes - "grow, grow, grow." For totally selfish reasons, of course... The Pioneer Woman makes a delicious blackberry cobbler that I've had my eye on for many months now.

Needless to say, I think things have been quite successful for us so far. What is also surprising is that we have escaped (knock on wood) any sort of woodland creature eating our prized possessions. That, in itself, is a win in my book! I am really looking forward to fresh peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers and squash in the coming months. Until next time...

Have you started a garden this spring/summer? If so, what are you growing?

If you haven't started a garden this year, I'd love to know what your favorite garden veggie is!

Please feel free to leave responses in the comment section below. I REALLY enjoy hearing from my readers!

...and a special thank you to all of the folks who have stopped by via www.kevinandamanda.com and also showed me support on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. I really appreciate you taking the time to check out my blog! If you also have a blog, I would love to check it out. Feel free to leave your URLs in the comments section below!

Old Fashioned Date Filled Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:00:00 +0000

At the beginning of the month, this gorgeous lady turned eighty-nine years young....

This is Carl's grandmother, Elizabeth, and she is quite possibly one of the sweetest ladies known to mankind. I was first introduced to her cooking a little over 7 years ago when Carl and I first started dating. The very first recipe of hers I tried were these delicious date filled cookies.

I know what you're thinking - DATES?! BLEH. I said the same thing at first... that was until I bit into one of these delicious morsels and life has never been the same since. In the past few years, Carl's grandmother has handed over her recipes to the family and cut back on her cooking. A few years ago, she re-located to an assisted living facility and sadly, had to give up her kitchen. Before our last visit to New Hampshire, I asked her if she wanted to assist me in making these cookies and she was all for it. She was quick to let me know that assisting really meant "watching" or in other words - bossing me around... but I really wouldn't have it any other way. She was dressed to the nines when I picked her up and even called a few hours before wondering when I was going to come pick her up. We had a wonderful day and being able to "cook" with her really warmed my heart. This was definitely a great memory I'll have with her for many years to come.

Grandmother's Old Fashioned Date Filled Cookies

Makes just over 2 dozen 4-inch round cookies

COOKIES:

1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup shortening
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine dry ingredients in bowl. Cut in shortening. Add wet ingredients and mix until well combined.

Roll dough out on a floured surface.

Cut circles and place on cookie sheet. Add filling [recipe below] to center of cookie.

Place additional cookie circle (see note) on top of cookie + filling and gently press around edges.

NOTE: Cut a small slit in the middle of the cookie circle BEFORE placing it on the other cookie with jam.

Cook in a 350 degree F oven for 10-12 minutes.

FILLING:

1/2 lb dates, cut up
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Mix all ingredients in a small sauce pot. Cook mixture on medium heat until it starts to thicken. The filling should be close to jam consistency (not watery) when done.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Doesn't Grandma's touch just make everything taste better?

Do you have a prized recipe that your Grandma used to make/makes?

If so, please leave a comment below - I would love to hear them!

The Past Two Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 11:51:00 +0000

We celebrated our two year wedding anniversary 50+ floors above Boston. The view was breathtaking and the champagne and excellent cuisine just threw it over the top.

I can't believe how fast two years goes by! It seems like just yesterday that I was saying, "I do!"

I am definitely a lucky girl. I am very blessed to have such a wonderful husband and I can't imagine life without him. I love you, Carl! xoxo

We harvested the very first pea from our garden. It was sweet and delicious and Ecto-cooler green!

Our basil was starting to grow out of control so I made pesto and then slathered it on this bad boy.

I also made one with pepperoni - as this is a must if you live with ~~the human garbage disposal~~ Carl.

I've been training hard for the Boilermaker 15K coming up in just a few short weeks. I've had a few near death experiences, but I'm surviving.... BARELY. We'll see what the next 13 days brings - hopefully new lungs and faster legs.

Carl convinced me to make homemade LOBSTA rolls. WICKED good indeed.

Carl brainwashed Henry into thinking the Indiana Jones marathon was the coolest thing since peanut butter, cheese and ice cream combined.

We went to the New England Revolution game and painfully sat through 90+ scoreless minutes. #NOTCOOL.

Henry couldn't bear the thought of it either.

Henry and I put the theory "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach" to a test on Father's day. I think we were successful with these steak and cheese breakfast burritos.

Sweet Sunday hammock bliss.

...until I fell asleep and was woken up by 60lb raccoon climbing up my hammock tree. Just saying: If raccoons were chasing me in the Boilermaker... I could come in first place - for sure. I'll leave it at that.

Nutella brownie bites with Nutella buttercream frosting helped me survive the traumatic raccoon experience.

This dapper dude was the only one that came to my rescue. I'm pretty sure everyone in the neighborhood heard me except for Carl... who was only 500ft away.

Oh ha-PEA day...

...x 2538798375 when I stumbled upon these babies.

We finally got to catch up with my sister and BIL. It was great to hear about their trip to DisneyWorld while chowing down on homemade chicken nuggets. Classy dinner, I know! (PHOTO COURTESY of my other BIL - Peter)

My "breakfast of champions" lately - Rice cakes, almond butter and bananas.

...with Samoa crunch bars chasers!

I was blessed and incredibly lucky to meet up with one of my absolute favorite bloggers on earth - Amanda from www.kevinandamanda.com! These treats were well deserved after walking 24580 miles though Boston while our faces melted off in 95+ degree heat.

Followed by a little Modern Pastry redemption from my "Johnny Cupcake isn't really a cupcake shop incident." I'll save that story for another day though - I'm still shuttering in embarrassment!

We capped off our delicious day together at Nebo feasting on delicious pizza and great conversation. My belly was full and my heart was even fuller. A special Thank you to Amanda and Kevin for a great day! You totally made my day/week/month and probably year too!

My dear friend got married!! I'm pretty sure she was one of the prettiest brides to ever walk this earth. I may or definitely did cry through the entire ceremony.

This salad at the wedding was life changing. So life changing that the next day I ran to the grocery store and bought every single ingredient to try to re-create it. I'll let you know how that turns out.

Am I right? or am I right? How gorgeous is she!? Monaa and I have been friends for many years. We went to college together and also cheered our division 1 basketball team on for four years. I love her so much! Congratulations Monaa + John! Enjoy your honeymoon in St. Lucia!

Carl decided to take the "scenic" route home from the wedding in Saratoga - which had us driving through almost every NE state you could possibly imagine. Three hours into the drive he shouts, "The Hartfords are driving through Hartford, VT!"

We were happy to pick Henry up from his doggy-cation with his pals Joe+Sam. It was pretty great seeing how happy he was to see his momma and daddy - it defintely made the 2958 mile drive through New England worth it!! On another note: I think he was also happy to hear that doggy braces are NOT in his future.

We rounded off the weekend with homemade peach cobbler for me and raspberry cobbler for Carl. The two scoops of ice cream on top were totally ~~excessive~~ necessary.

Get in ma belly!

This is how we all feel after the past two weeks. Although, if Henry were president, I'm pretty sure he would be a strict enforcer of nap time. He's got my vote.

And last but not least - a real treat... I'll leave the caption of this one up to you guys. (Thanks to our dear friend, Connie for this hilarious picture!)

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! xoxo.

Want to keep up with me on Instagram? You can find me here.

Facebook Frenzy

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:53:00 +0000

It looks like Facebook made a few changes recently and as a result my posts don't seem to be showing in other people's feeds anymore. Thank you to those individuals who pointed it out to me!

The morsels on how to fix it are as follows:

Go to Baking it on My Own on Facebook.
Hover over the button that says "Liked"
Make sure that the option "Show in News Feed" is checked.

As always - I can't thank you all enough for your love and support of this blog. It means so much to me. You guys are the best!

Stay tuned to Facebook in the coming weeks as once the page receives 100 LIKE's - I'll be giving away a special gift!

Can't get enough Baking it on My Own? You can also follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

Nutella Brownie Bites with Nutella Buttercream Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole H. | Baking it on My Own) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:36:00 +0000

A few days ago when I posted about my favorite baking supplies, it was all thanks to these babies I'm sharing with you today. I love this recipe and it definitely has become my go-to recipe when we are expecting last minute company or when I'm in the mood for some Nutella (besides face planting myself into the entire jar spoonful for spoonful!). These brownie bites are so incredibly delicious and decadent. But - the best thing of all... they are only 5 INGREDIENTS!! That's it - it's fantastic and wonderful and easier than the easiest thing on the planet.

These Nutella bites are really tasty plain but what really throws them over the edge, is the Nutella buttercream that I plop on top. This is the stuff I dream about! Rich, sweet and absolutely divine. I totally know what you're thinking - How can these get any better?! Right!? (just humor me and spare my feelings and tell me you're thinking that... but really - you are, right?!) - the frosting is only 5 ingredients too!!

I hope I've sold you on how tasty these scrumptious little morsels are. This recipe cannot be any simpler and I hope you end up loving these as much as I do.

Nutella Brownie Bites

Recipe slightly modified from Savory Sweet Life which was printed with permission from the original creator: Abby Dodge - cookbook author of Desserts 4 Today: Flavorful Desserts with Just Four Ingredients.

Makes 24-30 mini brownie bites.

1 cup Nutella

2 Large Eggs

10 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup hazelnuts, finely chopped

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 24 well mini muffin pan with grease proof mini cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl - whisk the Nutella and eggs together until well blended. Once blended, add the flour and whisk until there are no clumps.

Stir in chopped hazelnuts and mini chocolate chips.

Scoop into pan lined with mini liners using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop.

Bake brownie bites until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean - approximately 12-15 minutes (NOTE: Cooking times may vary according to oven variances).

Once cooked, let sit in pan for 5 minutes. After five minutes, transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Once completely cool, these babies are ready to frost.

Nutella Buttercream Frosting

Recipe very slightly modified from Handle the Heat.

1 and 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 heaping cup Nutella
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup powdered sugar

Using a mixer (hand or stand) - beat butter and Nutella together until well combined. Add the vanilla, cream and powdered sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated. Once incorporated, increase speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and stable.

NOTE: I usually have some leftover frosting after using on the Nutella bites - I have found that this frosting freezes really well.

You can click here and here for the printable versions of these recipes.

Missed my post on my favorite baking supplies to make these scrumptious treats? You can find it here.

Make today a great day and go make these babies - RIGHT! NOW!