I realized I did not have this recipe on my website, and I really should. We make this recipe all the time, whether it’s hot or cold outside, whether it’s soup weather or not!

What makes this chicken and dumplings recipe easy?

You only need a handful of ingredients, and the dumplings are NOT made from scratch. Don’t hate on it ’til you try it.

The soup base comes from the Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken stock in jar, and the rest of the flavors come from McCormick’s Season-All (you know I use it all the time in all the things, and dried dill.

Now, don’t give me that look. I know what you’re thinking. You hate dill. It’s for pickles only. Well, I have some surprises for you.

Did you know that several famous chicken places marinate their chicken in pickle juice? It’s true.

The reason? Dill just changes when it’s combined with chicken. It creates this wonderful, moreish flavor that’s hard to resist.

And I can tell you, this Chicken and Dumplings recipe is requested all the time at my house. It’s a huge hit.

How to Make Chicken and Dumplings

It’s very simple. Add everything but your biscuits to a stock pot or dutch oven, and set to simmer.

Then, walk away for about 40 minutes. Really!

You can make this in the slow cooker or instant pot too, but there’s really no need. It comes together in under an hour, with hardly any work.

At the 40 minute mark, chop up the biscuits into bite-sized pieces. Then, remove the chicken from the pot.

Using two forks, pull the chicken apart into small chunks and strips. Add the pulled chicken back to the soup.

Drop the biscuit pieces on top of the soup, stir once they’re all in, and then cover with a lid.

Stir once or twice more, and simply watch for the biscuits to be poached in the same way the chicken and carrots are.

And that’s your soup done.

What should I serve with Chicken and Dumplings?

We’re big fans of carbs on carbs around here, so we actually serve this soup over mashed potatoes. Try it once, I swear you’ll love it.

You could also serve with additional biscuits for dipping (not that we’ve EVER done that…) and a green salad. This soup is a meal, so you really don’t need a lot extra.

Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

I've made this easy Chicken and Dumplings meal so many times I can do it without measurements. I think you'll love it enough to get to the same point. It's that good.

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Ingredients

• 2 large Chicken Breasts or 4 Chicken Thighs
• 1 16 ounce bag of Baby Carrots
• 4 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Stock Base
• 8 cups of water
• 1-2 tablespoons Dried Dill
• 1-2 tablespoons McCormick's Season-All or Lawry's Seasoning
• 1 8-count can Grands Biscuits of your choice (we like Butter Tastin')

Instructions

1. Place the chicken, carrots, stock and water in a large stock pot or soup pan. Stir to combine.
2. Add dried dill and Season-All. Use both sparingly at first, and taste the broth as you go. You may like this soup more salty or less, based on your personal preferences.
3. Simmer over medium heat. The chicken and carrots will poach in the liquid for 45 minutes to an hour.
4. When chicken is fully cooked and carrots are soft, remove the chicken from the broth and pull it apart with two forks. Return the chicken to the pot.
5. Tear or chop grand biscuits into 1" bite-sized pieces. Add to the pot and cover with a lid.
6. Allow to simmer for another 10 minutes so that the dumplings can cook. Stir once or twice to make sure the dumplings get a little soaking of the chicken broth flavor.
7. Serve immediately over mashed potatoes.

Notes

• Even if you are not a fan of dill, do not skip this ingredient. Dill changes completely when combined with the flavor of chicken. Trust me.
• If using Lawry's Seasoned Salt, please start lightly and taste as you go. It contains more salt than McCormick's Season-All, and I don't want your soup to get too salty, there's no coming back from that.
• You can also make your own dumplings. Cooking process will work the same.
• You can turn this into chicken noodle soup by replacing the dumplings with your favorite egg noodle.
• You can also make this in the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker, but do not add the dumplings until you've released pressure and everything is fully cooked except the dumplings.
• You can use frozen chicken in this recipe, with no need to defrost. You may just need to simmer for longer.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 577Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 158mgSodium: 3615mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 3gSugar: 11gProtein: 44g

This nutritional information is just an estimate and not to be considered perfectly factual.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag me on social (@bluebonnetbaker) so I can see how awesome you are!

The post Easy Chicken and Dumplings appeared first on Bluebonnet Baker.

The table is special. My sister sanded, stained and made beautiful this giant table that doesn’t actually work well for my house – it fit great in the last one, but not so much this one.

So now it’s an outdoor table, made able to withstand the weather and the barbecue sauce drippings. So let’s eat!

Best Barbecue Sides

Texas barbecues are legendary, not just for the brisket, but for the sides too. From creamed corn to borracho beans, potato salad to good ol' white bread, it's not good barbecue if it's not accompanied by all these things.

Rudy’s Creamed Corn

Rudy's Creamed Corn is a classic Texas barbecue side. This homemade version will make you famous with your family and friends, I promise!

Get the Recipe

Borracho Beans

Borracho Beans, or “Drunk” beans, are a year round favorite in San Antonio, but I personally love them doubly so in Autumn. They’re warm, and earthly, and oh so filling. Great for eating before you head out to the Friday night lights of the home team’s football game.

Read More

Nanny's Potato Salad

Earth Day is about celebrating the planet that we live on. The Nature Conservancy came up with the idea of having a Picnic for the Planet. They’re encouraging communities around the globe to come together and enjoy the great outdoors, good food, and each other and celebrate the beauty that is Nature this Earth Day. […]

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Garlic Beer Bread

Garlic Beer Bread made with delicious Shock Top Beer. Great with chili, stew, and your favorite soups! You’ve had beer bread before, right? This mind-blowingly simple recipe means you can have fresh baked bread to go along with your favorite chili, soup, or stew in the same time it takes to make them. Yeasty flavors […]

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Maple Cornbread

Is there anything better along-side some good barbecue or beef stew than a thick slab of warm cornbread, slathered with fresh butter? I’m going to guess the only thing might just be this maple cornbread. I’ve been on a bit of a maple kick in recent weeks, well, a) because I am SO ready for […]

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The post The Best Barbecue Sides appeared first on Bluebonnet Baker.

The contributor received a copy of the cookbook for review. No compensation was provided, and all opinions are her own.

You may or may not know (my last name might give you some indication), but my husband is British.

And there’s one meal an English bloke will always gravitate towards – curry.

It’s true. Curry is the national dish of England.

I myself had never had Indian food in my life until I started dating him, and he insisted I try some on one of my trips to London.

I started with Tandoori Chicken – I mean, how dangerous can clay-oven-baked chicken be?

Turns out, it IS dangerous. In a oh-my-gosh-why-have-I-never-eaten-this-before?! way.

Since that fateful first encounter, Indian food has become a mainstay of our family diet.

Up until our three-year-old became opinionated about his food (why must they always have opinions!), he was all about the curry.

We’re raising the 7-month-old up right as well, with little tastes of tikka masala and korma sauces.

Poor chunkster LOVES to eat, but he has no teeth. Recipes with sauces are a good compromise for him to try new foods without having to chew.

This recipe comes from the new book, Our Sweet Basil Kitchen, by Cade and Carrian Cheney.

We received the book from our dear friends for review, and as my husband and I flipped through it, there were lots of meals that called out to me personally.

I LOVE a good one-pot-meal as much as the next busy mom, and there are great options here, like the Garden Skillet, and Braised Dijon Chicken and Potatoes.

Both have graced our dinner table since receiving the book.

But it’s the Coconut Curry Chicken recipe that we’ve made more than once, because what can I say? We’re a curry household.

As soon as my husband spotted it, there was no making any other recipe before that one.

That’s why dinners like this easy coconut curry chicken are a total win for everyone in the family. The little one can taste the sauce.

The big one can eat the chicken sans sauce (“Sauces are yucky, Mama”), since it’s grilled separately before being combined.

(Oy, how did I get a kid that won’t even dip things in ranch dressing or KETCHUP, I ask you!).

The whole thing comes together in about 40 minutes, and I’m here to tell you that the leftovers are triple times better the next day.

Just like a good chili or chicken soup, a little melding of flavor time in the fridge makes this meal even better the second time around.

We love to add okra to curries and keep a bag of frozen chopped okra on hand at all times for just that reason, so I’ve added it here.

It’s a great way to hide green veggies in a flavorful sauce and get your kids trying new things.

But if okra’s not your jam, feel free to leave it out, or add par-boiled potatoes, carrots, or cauliflower instead.

There are lots of other recipes in the book we cannot wait to try, from Heirloom Apple Rolls to Tailgater Nachos and Churro-Style Bread Pudding (WUT!).

If you’re looking for a new book that’ll get you out of that meal-rotation rut, this is a great book to have on hand.

There are recipes for every course, and they’re very reflective of the more international-embracing kitchen we try to keep in our house.

I loved seeing every kind of flavor profile here, from Indian and Mexican to Southern (Cade is a good Southern boy, after all) and Italian.

There are delicious looking sides and salads, starters and mains, breakfasts and desserts.

Had I not had a Brit guiding the way, I would have had a seriously difficult time deciding what to make first.

Thank goodness for his British-y ways, right?

I’ve shared the recipe for Coconut Curry Chicken below, but make sure you pick up a copy of Cade and Carrian’s book for yourself. It’s a keeper.

Coconut Chicken Curry

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Coconut Chicken Curry is magic if you love Indian food. It's not too spicy, and I know the whole family will love dipping naan in that delicious sauce.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Curry Powder, divided
• pinch of Salt and Pepper
• 1 tablespoon Garam Masala, divided
• 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, diced into 1" chunks
• 2 tablespoons Oil
• 1 medium Yellow Onion, diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, smashed
• 1 14-ounce can Sweetened Coconut Milk, full fat
• 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• Ground Black Pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
• 1 cup Frozen Okra Pieces
• 2 tablespoons Water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Cornstarch
• 2 cups Cooked White Rice, for serving
• Fresh Cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine divided curry powder, divided garam masala, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine evenly.
2. Dice chicken breasts into small chunks, then toss in the spice mixture, coating evenly.
3. Place the chicken chunks onto the skewers, making sure not to crowd so that they cook evenly.
4. Heat grill or grill pan – make sure it’s up to temperature before adding chicken.
5. Grill chicken for 6-8 minutes, turning every 1-2 minutes to grill on all sides.
6. When chicken is fully cooked, remove to a plate and finish the sauce.
7. Add oil to a large skillet or sauté pan, heating it over medium heat until shimmering. Add the remaining curry and garam masala, stirring to mix well, for 1 minute.
8. Add chopped onion to the pan, and a little more oil if needed. Saute for about 3 minutes, or until the onion is tender.
9. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so.
10. Stir in coconut milk, tomato paste, sugar, and more salt and pepper. Make sure it is well combined.
11. Add frozen okra to the sauce, and allow to simmer for a few minutes.
12. Mix water and cornstarch together in a small bowl or mug, making sure to fully combine (with no lumps!) before adding to the sauce.
13. Simmer 15 minutes on low heat, stirring often to make sure it doesn’t burn.
14. Add grilled chicken pieces to the sauce, allowing to simmer for another 3-5 minutes.
15. Serve over freshly cooked basmati rice and garnished with fresh cilantro.  

Notes

Adapted from the Our Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 356Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 624mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 23g

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The post Coconut Chicken Curry from the Our Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook appeared first on Bluebonnet Baker.

Hi, friends.

It’s been forever and a day. There are lots of things happening on the B&B front. So many that there hasn’t been a spare second to share, to photograph food, to write down recipes.

To say I miss it would be an understatement. But there are lots of things I miss these days.

We’d been making plans, lots of plans. We moved. 1900 miles. That’s a 26 hour drive, straight-through, if you’re asking. Or a 3.5 hour flight. Which I did with our toddler, a dear friend I’m still wondering how I’ll live without, and one cat.

Yes, one.

If you follow me on any sort of social media, you know for the last 10 years we’ve had two glorious, handsome, lovable Maine Coons.

In the midst of all this change, our sweet Milo had a heart attack. We think.

James found him in the basement. His cries up the stairs will haunt me for a long time. Holding Milo to say goodbye will haunt me for a long time.

Connor seems sad, but okay. He’s sticking close to us at times, and disappearing for hours at others. I think he’s grieving too.

Since we moved, he’s much more anxious. He’s never been a kitty that dealt well with change, so I think all this has taken a pretty big toll on him. Breaks my heart.

The Bracegirdles are now settled in Texas. We’re so much closer to family. And friends. And Tex-Mex. And each other – no more long commutes for the Brit. It’s been an adjustment, but I so far mostly a good one, I think.

We’ve spent a some time getting to know Texas again as residents instead of visitors. We got annual passes to the zoo, and took Evan the day before his second birthday. It was the most beautiful day, and one I know I’ll remember the rest of my life.

Evan had his own birthday party for the first time (last year he shared with my niece, Ava), and a real bounce house and piñata experience.

The next day, he walked to the back door and asked where his bounce house was. We had to reset expectations pretty quickly!

We’ve spent a lot more time with our niece and nephew, which we’re cherishing. Evan idolizes them both, though “Bubba” is the only name he can say so far.

And Bubba (David) is quite clearly the coolest dude he has ever met. We took David to one of his flag football games back in November, and afterwards, both boys completely crashed in the back seat of the car.

Most adorable thing ever.

We’ve been able to spend so much more time with family and Texas friends – a sudden built in social life, with places to go and people to see. A little overwhelming for these two introverts at times, but good for us too.

You might think I don’t want to admit I miss New Jersey. But I fully admit it. We built a life there from nothing. When we landed in New Jersey in 2006, we didn’t know a soul. Not a single person to call on for advice, to share a meal with – nada.

And in the last 9.5 years, we built a beautiful life, with dear friends that we miss every day. The food blogging community has been so imperative to building that life.

Karen and Chris, Casey and Dan, Urvashee, Kate, Mary Kay, Nancy, and Stephanie.. each of you made our time in New Jersey happier than we ever thought it could be. And we met each of them because of food blogging.

Which is why it’s so important to me to get back to this space. It IS coming.

In the meantime, you can see what I’m doing day-to-day over on Food Fanatic. That takes up any and all of my work hours, in between taking care of Evan.

We built that site from nothing too. And I’m so very proud of it. Our fanatics are some of the best recipe developers around. I make the recipes regularly – in fact, three are on the meal plan this week!

Here’s to starting over, friends. Thanks for letting me ramble, and give you a little insight into why it’s been so quiet around here.

The post Best Laid Plans appeared first on Bluebonnet Baker.

But my incredibly British husband didn’t grow up with peanut butter, and finds the taste off-putting.

I know. I don’t know how I married him either, but it turns out he’s a pretty nice guy and the best daddy around, so I think I’ll keep him, peanut butter-hating tendencies and all.

I could make batches of the dough and freeze the dough balls, but all that temptation taking up space in my freezer, when it’s only me to eat them, is just a little too dangerous. So I just don’t make them.

But this year I decided to participate in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap again, after a few years off. (Having a baby will throw off your traditions like whoa, people.)

I love that I get three dozen not-baked-by me cookies, and I love that the whole shindig raises money for Kids’ Cancer research.

Now that I have a kid myself, I think about those sort of things more, and they always make me cry. I don’t like to cry, so instead, I decided to bake cookies and help raise money.

It’s only a little thing to do, baking cookies, but the raising money thing is pretty huge. I’m amazed at Lindsay and Julie for pulling it off every year.

Now, about these cookies. Maple is a flavor that I love – when it’s baked into things. But when it’s poured over pancakes and you get sticky hands that then smell like maple syrup for the rest of the day? Not. So. Much. But I do really love maple as a baking flavor.

Paired with peanut butter? Quite magical. It’s sweet, a little savory, with that nice nutty undertone. They bake up just like traditional peanut butter cookies, so expect that texture.

The only thing to be wary of is over-baking. You do NOT want to do that here, or you will end up with hockey pucks instead of cookies.

Go for the under-baked vs. over-baked. They’ll cook a little more on the pan while they cool, and then they’ll be just perfect for devouring with a big ol’ glass of milk.

If you have peanut butter cookie lovers in your life, you’ve got to add these to your holiday baking list. They’re such a fun twist on the original, and as the Brits like to say, completely more-ish.

That means you want more and more of them. Isn’t it a great word? I wish we’d use it more in the U.S., because it completely describes some foods, like these maple peanut butter cookies.

Maple Peanut Butter Cookies

Yield: 56 cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Pure maple syrup and peanut butter combine to make the yummiest cookies in the land. I know you'll love them, and this make enough to give gifts too!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups Pure Maple Syrup
• 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 Eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups Creamy Peanut Butter, or crunchy peanut butter
• 3 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• Granulated Sugar, for rolling

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine softened butter and maple syrup. Mix on medium high speed until light and creamy. Add in vanilla extract and mix again until incorporated.
3. Add eggs and peanut butter and mix again until both are fully incorporated.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. Use a whisk to combine and aerate the dry ingredients.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three increments, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition is mixed in.
6. Use a medium cookie scoop to measure cookie dough into balls. Roll the dough ball in your hands to make it round, then roll it in the granulated sugar.
7. Place the dough balls roughly 1-2 inches apart on a parchment or silicone mat lined cookie sheet, then press each one in a cross-hatch pattern with a fork.
8. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Do not overbake!
9. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then move to a cooling rack.

Notes

• Store in an airtight container for up to four days, or freeze for up to three months.
• You can freeze the dough balls before baking them, and then bake just a few cookies at a time, whenever you like.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 56 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 141Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 111mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 3g

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Want the recipe for these ridiculously good bars? Head on over to Chocolate, Chocolate and More. I’m guest posting to support my friend Joan, who passed away in October. Every pageview works towards income for her three kiddos, so please visit!

The post Leftover Halloween Candy Shortbread Bars appeared first on Bluebonnet Baker.

Disclosure: I purchased my copy of Dessert for Two, and all opinions of the book are my own. There are Amazon affiliate links in this post. If you purchase anything after clicking the link, I will receive a few pennies for referring you over.

If I made a list of some of the most joyous things in life, there’s a few things it would absolutely have to include; Evan’s cheeky smile when he knows he’s up to no good, ooey-gooey, fudgy brownies, and seeing your friends’ dreams come true.

Today’s post is about two out of the three. Since you don’t see Evan’s grinning face, I think you can figure it out from there. *wink*

I’ve known Christina from Dessert for Two for years, though I’m not actually sure how we found each other.

What do I know? We’re both proud Texans with a deep love for tortillas, pecans, and bluebonnets. That we both love to bake. And that maybe we both cried the first time we held her book, Dessert for Two, in our hands.

It’s a heady thing, when a friend you hold dear in your heart has one of her dreams come true. As long as I’ve known Christina, I’ve known that she wanted to write a book.

And be on TV. And she’s accomplished both those things since writing Dessert for Two. Hooray for having the courage to pursue your dreams!

But I’m here to tell you, even if I didn’t know Christina from Adam, I would adore this book. The recipes are solid.

Each one I’ve tried has come out perfectly the first time. The directions are spot on, even for beginners.

And there are so many Southern treats throughout the book – from Divinity to Peach Pie Bars, German Chocolate Cake to Tres Leches Cake, it’s all here; just sized down to two perfect servings.

True story, though: if I could choose, I’d probably choose a brownie over most any other dessert. Uncomplicated, unadulterated – just chocolate, in all its glory.

That’s why the original name of this blog was Bluebonnets & Brownies. It seems only fitting that I share Christina’s amazing recipe (like, you could make it every. single. night. and never get tired of it amazing) for brownies that serve just two people.

And they’re not little squares, either. Big ol’ restaurant-style brownies that you can top with vanilla ice cream or eat straight from the pan – your choice.

I’m pretty sure you’re going to make this recipe at least once a week. Just two brownies at your fingertips, friends. It’s a magical thing. And quite addicting!

Brownies for Two

Yield: 2 brownies

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 23 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Brownies for two with deep, dark chocolate. They're so good you'll be making them twice a week!

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Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Line a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. If baking in a regular sized oven, make sure your rack is in the lower 3rd of the oven. (I baked mine in my Breville Smart Oven). Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. In a microwave bowl or extra large measuring jug, combine butter, sugar, and cocoa powder. Microwave in two 30 second intervals, stirring between each blast.
3. Stir this very well, then add salt and vanilla extract. Continue stirring for one minute to allow the mixture to cool down.
4. Add the egg and stir until it's mixed in well. Sprinkle the flour over the batter and mix it in gently - with about fifty brisk strokes with a wooden spoon.
5. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread with a spatula to even it out.
6. Bake for 23 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness - it should have moist crumbs when inserted and removed from the center.
7. Let cool completely in the pan, then remove and slice in half to serve.

Notes

From Christina Lane's Dessert for Two cookbook. To achieve the dark color, I used a mixture of regular Dutch Process cocoa and Black Cocoa, which can be purchased from King Arthur Flour.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 brownie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

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You know how sometimes you get an idea in your head and it just won’t go away? That’s where these Mixed Berry Mascarpone Scones come from.

You see, I have a toddler now. And he eats a LOT of fruit.

But sometimes I over-buy accidentally, and that fruit starts to spoil before he can eat it all. Especially berries.

I’m buying more berries than I ever have in my life, because this kid will eat them when he won’t eat anything else. Except, much to my chagrin, blackberries. (My favorite.)

And because I’m not so smart sometimes, it didn’t occur to me that I should eat the berries until they were on the cusp of not so greatness.

Armed with those softening blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and (sigh) blueberries, I knew I had to bake something, and bake something quick.

I’m also having a love affair with mascarpone right now. During my childhood, we never experienced mascarpone.

I think the first time I had a cannoli was in high school, at some school-sanctioned restaurant trip, and simply had no idea there was actually cheese in the middle of that sucker.

If you’ve never had mascarpone before, to me, it tastes and feels the same way heavy cream does to your tongue – only in a more solid form.

Then my friend Megan made Mascarpone Pancakes for Food Fanatic, and we became completely enamored with them around here.

They’re one of Evan’s favorite breakfast foods. So we suddenly had spare mascarpone kicking around pretty much all the time. It’s not a bad problem to have.

These scones went through a few iterations before this current recipe. In case you were wondering, when baked in frozen chunk form, mascarpone does, in fact, still melt.

It also takes on a much “cheesier” taste than it started with. Not what I wanted at all. So I backed off a bit, and just used mascarpone in the liquid portion of the scones.

I just kept makin’ ’em until I got it right, because I was obsessed with the idea of mascarpone in scones – and you should be too.

What comes through is exactly what you wish a scone made with heavy cream would taste like. It’s got that heavy, decadent mouthfeel that keeps you going back bite after bite.

Paired with berries, it’s like the most magical tea time treat you can imagine.

That’s why I just had to serve them up today for my sweet friend Christina’s virtual baby shower.

Christina and her hubby are expecting a darling little girl they’ll call Camille. How could she be anything but lovely with a sweet name like that?

Evan and I cannot WAIT to meet Miss Camille, and hopefully someday give her a few kisses and cuddles too. In the meantime, we’re celebrating her mama the way any good Texans would – with lots of good food and fun stories.

Christina, I know that you will be the most attentive, loving, generous mama.

You’ll raise that baby right, with bacon and refried beans on occasion, and you’ll make sure she’s got at least a few pictures taken in Bluebonnet fields as she grows up. She is so lucky to have you and B as parents.

Mixed Berry Mascarpone Scones

Yield: 8 Scones

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes

Mixed Berry Mascarpone Scones make an excellent breakfast or afternoon treat. Hello, gorgeous!

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Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup mixed berries, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter, frozen (1 stick)
• 1-2 tablespoons half & half, (optional)
• sparkling sugar, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large measuring jug, whisk together egg and mascarpone until it becomes a cohesive liquid.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda together. Whisk thoroughly to combine and aerate.
4. Chop fresh mixed berries into bite sized pieces – use any mix of berries you like. When you have enough to fill a 1 cup measure, add them to the flour mixture and stir gently so that they’re mixed throughout the flour, and well covered, but not crushed.
5. Using a coarse-sized cheese grater, grate frozen butter directly into flour-berry mixture. Toss gently into the dough so the butter shreds are well distributed.
6. Add mascarpone-egg mixture into the bowl.
7. Begin to mix dough together with your hands, a dough scraper, dough whisk, or gently with a rubber spatula. Your hands will work best. Knead the dough against the side of the bowl, pressing gently to bring the dough into a cohesive dough. If you find that the dough is too dry, add half and half a tablespoon at a time, kneading after each addition, until your dough can be formed into a firm, round dough ball.
8. Place the dough ball onto your prepared baking sheet. Press and flatten the ball until you’ve got a disk about 1" thick. Use a sharp knife to carefully slice the disk into 8 triangles of roughly equal size. At this point you have two choices; you can leave the triangles together, and you will have softer, more doughy scones (and they may take slightly longer to bake), or you can pull the triangles carefully apart, and arrange them on your baking sheet so that they’re about 2" apart. Do this if you prefer a scone with crispy edges.
9. Sprinkle each scone with sparkling sugar if you are using.
10. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the tops and sides are beginning to turn golden brown.
11. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then move to a cooling rack to finish.

Notes

• The half and half is listed for if you find your dough too dry. You may need it if your berries are super fresh and not very juicy. The more ripe the berries, the less extra liquid you will need, or not any at all. Add half and half a tablespoon at a time to bring your dough together. Do not add too much!
• I would not suggest using frozen berries in this recipe, as you will not fully know their liquid content until after they’ve cooked, which could result in a goopy, floury mess of scones.
• These scones will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Do you know what I love about being Southern? We can party. It may seem like we’re all proper and mannerly, but when it comes to celebrating, I personally think the South is where it’s at.

Take these Maple Bourbon Balls. Many a Southern woman is a complete teetotaler – never a cocktail to be had (though not this woman).

Cookies with a little extra “oomph”, though? That’ll strike just the right tone for celebrating a new bride, without being too naughty for an afternoon bridal shower.

I told you we know how to party.

My sweet, sweet friend, Stephie, is getting married here shortly, so today a bunch of us are ready to virtually party on her behalf. Any excuse for bourbon balls, I tell ya.

I’ve known Stephie for a couple of years now, as she was one of the first contributors to the other site I run, Food Fanatic. I adored her online, and then last year, we got to hang out at a food conference together.

Not only did she kindly hold my baby whenever I asked, she made me laugh and laugh at every opportunity. Charming, funny, and just as sweet in person as she is online, that’s our Stephie.

I’ve also gotten to know Stephie’s Momma, affectionately known as “Momma Swope” among many food bloggers. She’s incredibly supportive of all our work, and though I’ve never met her in person, I’d just love to give her a hug some day.

I know she’s so super excited for her baby girl getting married, and I’m pretty sure she’s gonna be as excited by this surprise online virtual shower as Stephie.

Stephie, I am so excited for you and Alex. This is the beginning of a great adventure for the two of you. I have two pieces of advice for you, as an old married woman (10 years this year!):

1. On your wedding day, make sure to pause, take a breath, and take in everything around you. Ten years from now, these are the only moments you’ll remember with any clarity.
2. Nothing worth having comes easy, and that includes “Happily Ever After”. Choose, each day, to love Alex, and be in love with Alex. It is very much a choice, and choosing that happiness for yourself and him every day is a way to ensure a long, happy marriage.

   Even when the day is hard, finding a way to remind yourself of the happy moments will make for a better relationship.
   It’s hard to be mad at a guy when you’re reminding yourself of that time he made a complete fool of himself just for you, and then you had an epic kiss.. know what I’m sayin’?

So let’s sit back, and nibble on these amazing Maple Bourbon Balls, and talk about all the ways that being married is awesome. Especially when it’s to your best friend.

I made these cookie balls a little differently than most recipes. For one, they’re not chocolate. For two, I skipped the corn syrup and went for maple.

For three, I decided just plain ‘Nilla wafers weren’t good enough to be truly celebratory. But Pepperidge Farm Bordeaux Cookies? Oh man.

If you’ve never tried them, they’re these wafer-thin, caramelized sugar biscuits that are completely irresistible. They add a depth of flavor and additional crunch that I am SO in love with.

Lastly, I used Angel’s Envy as the adult beverage of choice. Have you ever tried it? It’s a bourbon aged in Port wine barrels, and it is incredible.

I’m not big on hard liquor on its own, usually. But Angel’s Envy is incredibly smooth, and just a little bit sweet. You’re going to LOVE these things.

Serve them at your next party or barbecue if you don’t have any bridal showers coming up. Just make sure you label them adults-only, because they can pack a whallop!

Maple Bourbon Balls

Yield: 46 Balls

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Maple Bourbon Balls are a true southern treat. They're no-bake too, making them an awesome quick treat!

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Ingredients

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• 2 cups vanilla wafers
• 1 1/2 cups Pepperidge Farms Bordeaux Cookies (about 16 cookies)
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 cup powdered sugar, plus more for rolling
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup Angel's Envy Bourbon

Instructions

1. Line a jelly roll pan with wax paper or parchment paper.
2. Pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup of powdered sugar for rolling into a bowl, and set both aside.
3. Combine vanilla wafers, Bordeaux cookies, pecans, and powdered sugar together in a food processor and pulse until all cookies are well crushed, and ingredients well mixed.
4. Combine maple syrup and bourbon together, mixing well. Add to the food processor and pulse again until combined into a moist dough.
5. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop the dough into balls. Roll in your hand to make round, and then roll in powdered sugar.
6. Place in the refrigerator to firm up for at least an hour. Serve cool or at room temperature.

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Call me crazy, but I’m kind of over banana bread.

I mean, I’ve made Strawberry Banana Bread, and Maple Cranberry Banana Bread, and even used coconut oil to switch up the standard banana muffin.

I feel like there’s only so many times you can look at the black bananas on the counter (how does that keep happening?), whip up a quick bread, and actually have people eat it.

If I’m honest, I think James and his coworkers are quite over banana quick bread in its many forms too.

The truth is, this post has been two weeks in the making. Four attempts at bread-making, three of which failed spectacularly.

Why do I tell you this? Not to scare you away from yeast, that’s for sure.

Rather to point out a part of bread-making that may be often overlooked – you need to make sure the recipe you’re attempting to make is appropriate for the size of pan you have.

I didn’t think an extra inch in pan size could really make a difference, but I’m here to tell you, friends, that if the recipe says you need an 8×4 inch loaf pan, that’s what you need.

This particular recipe, for Banana Yeast Bread, uses a 9×5 inch loaf pan, which seems to be the standard for most commercially sold bread pans.

Now let’s talk about this swirly, sweet, golden-brown loaf of bread for a minute. At first glance, it’s quite unassuming.

Sure, there’s a pretty curlicue of cinnamon brown sugar. But until you taste this bread, you aren’t expecting the flavors that pop.

On day one, I will admit, this bread did not taste overly of bananas to me.

Just a sweet yeasted bread with a hit of cinnamon and sugar that toasts like that’s the only reason you made it (which, let’s face it, I did).

On day two, hello bananas! I’m here to tell you, if you didn’t already know, that bananas and cinnamon are a match made in heaven.

Toasted to perfection, slathered in creamy butter with just a little salt.

Good golly, breakfast is my favorite meal of the day for a reason.

The Brit gives this bread two thumbs up, especially when toasted. I’ll say it again – this a loaf of bread that you make specifically for toasting.

It’s okay un-toasted, but reaches award-winning breakfast heights if you let it get all crunchy-chewy-golden-gorgeous.

I didn’t find the actual recipe any harder to make than a quick bread because I let my stand mixer do the kneading for me.

The only thing you’ll have to do differently is let it rise, and that’s a totally hands-off experience anyway.

Now about that toaster – it seems a little silly, but watching toast brown is actually really fun.

Getting to that just right point of golden-ness is something that makes me really happy.

Funny story about toast involving my sister-in-law, Sophie: Twelve years my junior, Soph is most definitely the baby of the entire family (not counting Evan), and is very particular about her toast.

Or as James and I like to call it, warm bread.

Anything past the slightest tinge of gold and Sophie considers the bread burnt and starts again.

Banana Yeast Bread

Yield: 1 Bread Loaf

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Banana Yeast Bread is a totally different way to think about banana bread. With a cinnamon nutmeg sugar swirl, you may never go back to quick bread again!

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Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

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• 2 3/4 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Ingredients:

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• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup mashed overripe bananas (about 2 bananas)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

For the Filling:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

1. Mix bread flour and kosher salt together in a medium sized bowl, whisking to combine and aerate.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine water, yeast, and pinch of sugar. Leave it to sit for a moment, so that the yeast can start to eat the sugar.
3. When frothy, add the rest of the sugar, yogurt, mashed bananas, and vanilla. Mix well using the dough hook.
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and continue to mix with the dough hook on low speed until the sides of the bowl are clean, and the dough begins to be elastic.
5. Add the canola oil and continue mixing until the dough turns silky smooth.
6. Spray a separate bowl with cooking spray. Form the dough into a ball and place it into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap down around the dough ball.
7. Place the bowl in a warm place and allow to rise until doubled in size, about an hour. (Take a picture with your phone so you can check the size!)
8. When the dough is ready, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a bowl, whisking together so the spices are well distributed.
9. Spray a bread loaf pan with cooking spray that has flour in it, coating well.
10. Flour your work surface, then knead the dough for about 5-8 minutes, until the dough is soft and supple. Work the dough slowly, or it will be tough.
11. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a flat rectangle, about 9x12 inches.
12. Spread the brown sugar mixture over the rectangle, leaving 2-3 inches sugar free at the edge of the dough.
13. Roll the dough, jelly roll style, from the shorter end of the dough. Pinch to seal the ends and seam.
14. Put the dough in the loaf pan. Cover it with the same plastic wrap, and allow to rise until doubled, about half an hour to 45 minutes.
15. Preheat the oven to 325°F about 10 minutes before dough is fully risen.
16. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the bread is golden brown.
17. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the loaf pan, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack before attempting to cut.

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  KitchenAid Stand Mixer
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