Today I debut my new featured weekly posts in which I will share a recipe that I discovered in the glorious land of Pinterest! Seriously I will admit I am addicted to Pinterest, we have a love/hate relationship. I have so many new "projects" that I never knew I needed/wanted to do until I discovered this site. Today's recipe I had this weekend at a cocktail party. My sister-in-law, who threw the party had these adorable little things as one of her appetizers. I was so intrigued and when I asked her where she got the recipe it was none other than, you guessed it, Pinterest! This was where the inspiration came for making my featured Pinterest posts. Thank you Stace :)

With that being said these little lasagna's are perfect! They are great for kids or even to make in bulk then wrap and freeze for an easy reheat-able snack. As a bite size party appetizer, I suggest using the mini cupcake pans as they are easier to pick up and pop in your mouth, but for dinner I would use the regular size (pictured above) and serve with a salad or veggie on the side. The best part, is that they are easy, easy, easy! Without further ado, I give you Lasagna Cupcakes....

Lasagna Cupcakes Adapted from Pinterest via quick-dish.tablespoon.com Ingredients 1 lb Ground Beef, turkey or Italian sausage 36 Wonton wrappers 8oz Ricotta Cheese (I use fat free) 2 cups shredded mozzarella 1 cup shredded parmesan 1 cup marinara or favorite pasta sauce Italian seasonings: dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic salt, pepper etc Fresh Basil leaves Directions Preheat oven to 375. Brown ground beef  (or meat) and season with Italian seasonings. Drain fat and set aside. Spray 12- cupcake tin with cooking spray. Using a glass or biscuit cutter, cut wontons into circles. Leave the first 12 wontons uncut. Press into the cupcake tins one of the uncut square wontons. Sprinkle in a little of the mozzarella and parmesan into each cut, spoon in a little scoop of ricotta, meat and then sauce (The amount varies on how many layers you want to do but I would say about a teaspoon or so of each.). Cover layer with a wonton circle then repeat the layering process with cheeses, meat, sauce and another wonton. You can do as many layers as you like. I prefer to do 3-4 layers but its up to you and how much filling you put in each layer. Leave the top layer uncovered (no wonton on top) and sprinkle the remaining tops with the shredded cheeses. Bake in oven uncovered for about 20 minutes. The outside of the wontons should be crispy and the part in the cupcake pan should still be soft. Let cool for 3 minutes. The lasagna cupcakes should pop right out of cupcake pan. If they feel like the layers are coming apart, they need to cook a little longer. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Makes 12 lasagna cupcakes

 Tonight I wanted to make my husband something for dinner after after a not so awesome dinner the night before. Lately Ive been doing this thing where I go to the grocery store undecided on what I want to make for dinner and then I wander up and down the aisles, putting things into my basket, and taking them out. This battle in my head continues until I have settled upon an idea, which can take awhile as I am horrible at making up my mind (reason #1 why my husband will NOT go grocery shopping with me). Anyways tonight I knew immediately I wanted to do a pasta dish but it took a good 25 minutes for me to finally decide on manicotti. I love manicotti because it is such a versatile dish. Truly you can put any ingredients into it and it is hard for it not to be delicious. My favorite however is a yummy combo of spinach and sausage. My manicotti is made with a blend of cheeses, each with its own texture, yummy hot Italian sausage, onion, and spinach. On weeknights when I want to get dinner on the table in a hurry, I grab a jar of marinara sauce from the store and add a can of diced tomatoes, but believe me when I say everything is better when you make your own sauce. That however is not always an option, and so jar marinara, you win.

Assembled Manicotti- ready for the oven

Hot out of the oven. Don't forget to let cool!

Spinach, Cheese & Sausage Manicotti Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 1 pound ground sausage (I use hot italian) ½ onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup part skim ricotta 1 cup (1 pkg) cream cheese ½ cup parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling ¼ cup Panko Bread crumbs 10oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 1 egg 1 tsp fresh parley, chopped or ½ tsp dried Freshly ground salt & pepper 1 pkg manicotti noodles, uncooked 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, with herbs, drained 2 cups Marinara sauce (or 1 jar) Directions Preheat oven to 350. In a 9x12 baking dish pour half of the jar (or 1 cup) marinara sauce. Make sure it covers the entire bottom of dish. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened about 3-4 minutes. Add sausage to pan and cook until browned. Add in garlic and cook for another minute. Remove sausage from pan and let cool. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, ricotta, parmesan, bread crumbs, spinach, egg, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir to combine completely. Add in sausage mixture and stir combine. Stuff uncooked manicotti with sausage/spinach/cheese mixture (I like to put the mixture into a plastic bag and cut a hole at the corner to use as a “pastry” bag to fill manicotti, but you can also do my hand). Place manicotti in baking dish on top of marinara sauce. After all manicotti are in pan, drizzle the other cup of marinara on top. Top with the diced tomatoes. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Continue baking uncovered for an additional 15 minutes. Let cool then serve. Makes 13-14 Manicotti

The Last Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe You'll Ever Need

Don't you love that feeling? That moment when you finally realize you found the one.  Your heart stops, you get butterflies in your stomach and you cant stop smiling. You know what I am talking about- The PERFECT chocolate chip cookie. It's love at first bite.  I'm happy to say that your life long search for that perfect companion to that cold glass of milk is over. This cookie is everything you were ever looking for: crispy outside with a soft chewy inside filled with soft gooey chocolate and (my addition) crunchy pecans. What really makes this special is that little hint of sea salt that you get with each delectable cookie. 

 I wish I could say that I created this masterpiece but another fellow blogger at Savory Sweet Life deserves all the credit. Needless to say you will never need another recipe ever again. My dear husband gave me the stamp of approval through small moans of joy in between bites. I think this is a fantastic cookie and can be dressed up (with a variety of nuts, toffee, etc.) or enjoyed plain and simple. What is more amazing than a warm cookie on cold winter night? Stay in, treat yourself (or someone special) to these and you won't be disappointed.

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies Adapted from SavorySweetLife Ingredients 2 sticks of salted butter (1 cup), softened 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar ½ cup white sugar 2 eggs 2 ½ tsp vanilla extract 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp baking soda 1 ½ tsp baking powder 12 oz pack of semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup chopped pecans (optional) Directions Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cream butter, white sugar and brown sugar in mixer on medium high speed for 3-5 minutes until light & fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla and continue mixing for another two minutes. Add in baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and flour until thoroughly combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon 2-tablespoon sized mounds of cookie dough onto cookie sheet, sprinkle top with a pinch of sea salt. Bake in oven on medium rack for 12-14 minutes until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven. Let cool for two minutes on baking sheet. Move cookies (keeping on the parchment paper) to cooling rack and let cool for an additional five minutes. Makes about 30 cookies

Frango Triple Treat Chocolate Layer Cake

If you are from Washington it is more than likely you know what a Frango is. As I am relatively a newcomer to the Pacific Northwest, it was only recently that I became educated in the world of Frangos. Frango mints are a smooth and delicious brand of chocolate truffles that were created here in Seattle in the early 1900's. A little history lesson, Frangos were created by the Frederick & Nelson Department stores in 1918, and later recipes and trademarks were acquired by Marshall Fields of Chicago. After some legal drama a lot of years later Macys became the only place that now carries the northwest version of this long standing truffle. 

I learned from my husband that his sister grew up loving Frango's and remembered having this Frango Mint Cake that his mom would bring home on special occasions from Frederick & Nelsons. With her birthday on the way, I thought what a better gift than to surprise her with a cake from her childhood (also a great way to save myself from eating the rest of the box of Frangos Santa brought me this year). So I began my search to find the recipe. I went days  finding recipes and showing them to my husband, who would look at them and say "no that's not it", until finally I came across an old Frederick & Nelson book, which no doubt had the recipe I was looking for! 

 Needless to say she was very surprised and loved it! Mission accomplished! If you are looking for something new to try, give this cake a whirl! You will not be disappointed!

Frangos can be ordered on Macys online ( Click here to order )

Frango Mint Cake Cake Ingredients: 6 Frango Mint Dark Chocolates, chopped Fine 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine 1/2 cup boiling water 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour 1/4 cup unsweetened non alkalized cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 2 cups granulated sugar 4 large eggs, at room temperature 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk Directions: 1.Place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350f. Generously butter three 9-inch round layer cake pans. Line the bottom of each with a circle of waxed paper. Lightly butter the paper. 2. Put the Frango Mints and unsweetened chocolate in a small bowl. Add the boiling water and stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. 3. Sift together the cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set Aside. 4. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until smooth. gradually add the sugar and increase to high speed. Continue beating about 2 minutes until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and chocolate mixture. Alternately add the buttermilk and dry ingredients, adding about one-third at a time, beginning with buttermilk. 5. Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 15 minutes. Rearrange the pans in the oven from front to back so they bake evenly. 6. Continue baking 15 to 20 minutes longer, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Loosen from the pans and invert onto a wire rack. Peel off the waxed paper and cool completely. Frosting Ingredients: 30 Frango Mint Dark Chocolates. chopped fine 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine 2 1/4 cups (4 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar sifted Directions: 1. For the frosting, melt the Frango Mints and Chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool. 2. With an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Gradually add the cooled chocolate. Add the confectioners sugar and beat until smooth. 3. Invert one layer onto a cake plate. Smooth about 1 cup frosting over it. Top with another layer and frost. Add top layer, upside down. Evenly frost the top and sides of the cake with the remained frosting. Sprinkle the cake with additional chopped Frango Mints.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

The past few years I didnt really get to enjoy the holidays in the traditional sense. I lived in Hawaii, I was away from family and of course we never got that chilly weather which to me is a big part of Christmas. Not saying I don't miss the 70 degrees and sunshine all year long but I was really excited to spend this Christmas the way I used to growing up. I forgot was how hectic this time of year can be (especially while working on my masters degree). Yikes! With all the holidays gatherings at home, school, or with friends I share with you a recipe that is surely to please!
Crab stuffed Mushroom, elegant yet simple and of course delicious! Who doesn't love the succulent flavor of crab? This recipe combines smooth cream cheese and Parmesan (use fresh grated!) and is stuffed into a juicy little mushroom for a bite size piece of crab heaven!

Make these ahead of time and then pop them in the oven when ready to serve!

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms Ingredients 20-25 small white mushrooms 1 cup crab meat ½ cup cream cheese ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped ½ green onions, chopped ¼ teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne (can be omitted) 5 tablespoons shredded Parmesan Cheese ½ cup Panko bread crumbs Cooking Spray Salt & Pepper to taste Directions 1. Preheat oven to 375° F 2. Pop out the stems of mushrooms and then spoon out the gills and base of the stem to make deep bowls. Set mushroom caps on lined baking sheet 3. Combine crabmeat, cream cheese, parsley, green onions, cheese, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 4. Stuff mushroom caps with crabmeat mixture. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of each mushroom. Spray tops with non-stick cooking spray (to help them brown) 5. Bake in oven for 20 minutes

In a rush to find something to bring for your next holiday gathering? I hate cliches but when it comes to "easy as pie" it doesn't get any easier than this. Another one of my grandma's recipes this lemon pie is easy and delicious- a win-win in my book. With just a few simple ingredient and a pre-baked pie crust you can have this pie ready to go in under 30 minutes (my personal best is 21). This pie has the right combination of sweet and tart. When life gives you lemons.... Make lemon pie!

The filling should look like this after boil and cooling

Easy Lemon Pie Makes one 9-inch pie Directions Prebake a deep -dish 9-inch pie crust according to directions on package (or make your own crust!). Combine 1 large box of lemon pudding mix 2/3 cup of sugar ¼ cup water Mix together in a saucepan until smooth then add 3 Beaten eggs yolks 2 cups of water Bring to a boil while stirring (Mixture should become thick). Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Then stir in 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons lemon zest Mix together and pour filling into baked pie crust. Let cool completely, cover and refrigerate. Serve chilled with whipped cream.

Photo Credit: Pioneer Woman Home and Garden

The Holidays are upon us!

Starbucks is officially serving drinks in their Christmas cups which means its finally here: The Holidays! Growing up the holiday season was always a huge deal. My mom and dad would decorate the entire house with lights making sure to always "out-do" the neighbors. The day after Thanksgiving my Grandma would have our tree up and decorated with all of her beautiful ornaments. It was all so magical back then that as an adult with my own home I try to recreate the memories.

The holidays also meant lots of cooking and baking, something I did not appreciate until I was older. Luckily I have been passed down the wonderful recipes of my Grandma Mable which I make every year to keep her spirit and traditions alive. To start of my month of Holiday recipes I am sharing with you my favorite recipe that I look forward to having every year. I love this recipe so much, that when I moved to Hawaii and couldnt make it home for the holidays I asked my Aunt Barbara to send it to me in a care package. The first recipe in my holiday collection is my Grandma Mable's Rum Cake. Moist yellow cake topped with crunchy pecan and soaked with a delicious rum glaze is sure to bring out the holiday spirit in you. The best part is that it is so easy to make! A wonderful dessert to bring to any holiday gathering. Enjoy!

Rum Cake Ingredients 1 box instant vanilla pudding 1 box yellow cake mix ½ cup oil ½ cup water 1/3 cup rum (light or dark) 4 eggs ¼ cup chopped pecans Glaze ¼ cup water 1 cup sugar ¼ cup rum ½ cup butter (1 stick) Directions 1. Preheat oven to 325. Sprinkle pecans in the bottom of a WELL greased bundt pan. 2. Mix together cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil and rum. Beat together with electric beaters until fully combined. 2. Pour batter into pan over the top of the pecans. 3. Bake at 325 or 1 hour. Make the glaze ten minutes before cake is done. On stovetop in small saucepan combine butter, sugar, water and rum. Heat until boiling. 4. Remove cake from oven, let cool 3 minutes, then pour glaze over top. Let stand in pan overnight or at least 6-8 hours. Flip pan gently to dump cake out.  **Note: The alcohol is cooked out of the glaze when it boils so this recipe is suitable for all**