Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies

A Posh Cuisine Update & Cookie Jar Favorite

UPDATE: First, I have to say I'm so sorry for not posting a lot! This past week has been super busy and while I know that's no excuse, you need to know how much I think of you, my readers! And I'd love to show you what I've been doing...

This was my first wedding cake attempt because...my uncle is getting married on Saturday! And I'm making the cake!! (Eeeep! Are you as excited as me!?) I know I should have told you sooner, but with all the baking and recipe testing going on this summer, it's been crazy!  I've been doing so much research towards making a wedding cake, in addition to finding the pans and equipment (there's a lot to it!). And since I was going to a family BBQ today, I thought it'd be a great time to put my research to the test and make a smaller version of the cake. (With a theme to match this summer party, of course!)

Wedding Cake #1

It was such a huge hit! I don't even know where to begin! The flavor, texture, frosting - everything! This is no cardboard cake with frosting. If Posh Cuisine is going to make a cake, it's gotta be pretty and delicious! (That's how true posh is measured.) And this cake has got some posh, let me tell you!

But now, let's get back on topic. What's this about a "cookie jar favorite" in the title?

Click here for the recipe!

Want a chocolate chip cookie which melts in your mouth? Doesn't get hard-as-a-rock in the cookie jar? Holds up to freezer storage and still tastes fresh? Then look no further! The recipe I am about to share is a favorite of mine (and I'm pretty picky when it comes to cookies). It's always a huge hit with the family, at parties, as gifts, with my friends at school - you name it! So thank you again Taste of Home, because this recipe for Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies is fantastic! And I must warn you - not only will these cookies remain airy and melt in your mouth, they're addicting, too!

I follow the recipe on this one, yet I always use crisp rice cereal (never cornflakes) and quick-cooking oats (never regular). I also always use Hershey's Special Dark chocolate chips in nearly all my cookie recipes. They're wonderful chips for both melting and baking (and snacking...). As seen in the image above, I always flatten these cookies just a tad before baking for a smoother-topped cookie. The recipe yields about 6 dozen (using a large cookie scoop), so I highly recommend freezing some!

I actually prefer them frozen...they're just wonderful! Store them in plastic freezer bags for months - they'll stay tasting fresh and delicious! This is the only chocolate chip cookie recipe I like to make now, and trust me, I've made it a lot! For some reason, they just don't last long in my house (or at school with my friends). This recipe is amazing and I just know you'll love them! Click here or visit www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/crisp-chocolate-chip-cookies for the recipe. And keep it posh, people!

With love (for food),

Ellen

-A dash of posh can make all the difference in your next dish!--

Cobb Salad

Cobb (Posh) Salad

Not Your Ordinary Salad!

I'm a salad girl. I confess! As much as I'd love to tell you I'm your solid, meat-and-potatoes girl with a heart for cheesy side dishes, my heart yearns for that fresh crunch of lettuce under a sweet vinaigrette. Don't get me wrong though! I love a good chicken pot pie or fall-off-the-bone ribs. Yet, every now and then, I want a meal to freshen up my palate, as I step back from all the heavy cooking. So, I give you this Cobb Salad, with tons of posh and so many ways you can make it your own! In fact, I'm calling it Cobb (Posh) Salad. Give it a chance! (You might just like this whole 'salad' thing!)

There are so many ways you can make Cobb Salad (or most salads, for that matter). This is how I did it. You do it the way you want! I customized each plate for each person (all three of us - Mom, Dad, and me!) Extra tomatoes on one, bacon on two, avocado on all three, you get the idea! But talk about fun to make! It's like an entire plate of posh! How you arrange the veggies, what type of dressing, chilling the plates, serving the eggs warm, grilling the corn etc etc etc! We should really just omit the "Cobb" and call it "Posh Salad."

Each topping can be poshed as well. For example, the corn (the only thing not individually pictured below, of course) was from a partial bag of frozen corn. I defrosted it in the microwave, and threw it in a cast iron skillet. Then, cook until it browns, season with garlic powder and pepper, and viola! Perfectly poshed corn to top this Cobb (Posh) Salad. Think of all the creative ways you can posh the other toppings!

The dressing is another very important salad component. I love this brand called Annie's. (Check out annies.com to see all the great products!) It's natural, organic, and delicious! This was the the first time I tried the Annie's brand salad dressing and it was amazing! A good Cobb (Posh) Salad needs a dressing which will allow the flavors of the toppings to really shine, just like this Fat Free Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette. It wasn't too sweet and had just enough tang to lightly flavor the entire dish.

So what are you waiting for!? Posh up some fun in the kitchen and impress your dinner guests with customized Cobb (Posh) Salads! 

With love (for food),

Ellen

--A dash of posh can make all the difference in your next dish!--

Lemon Blueberry Bread

Great recipe alert!! 

Prepare yourself for the flavors of the season with this Lemon Blueberry Bread!

After picking a couple pints of fresh blueberries, some just had to be made into lemon blueberry bread! (But not just any lemon blueberry bread. This recipe, found here, is fantastic!)

The bread took less than 30 minutes to whip together (Just don't really whip it! It's very important to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet and use great care when adding the blueberries. This way the bread stays light and airy.) Also, since the recipe only calls for a little lemon, I'd recommend adding some extra zest and freshly squeezed juice for that burst of lemon flavor! (Don't be afraid to add a bit of posh right into the batter!)

The recipe also calls for a glaze, yet I found with some extra blueberries and a sprinkle of sugar on top (more posh!) it was just enough! (The extra lemon juice in the batter really helps, too.)

So, if you're up for a quick and easy bread, with fresh summer flavors - this is the one! It stays moist, light, and delicious. It's great for brunch or even dessert! (Or both...like with whipped cream and extra blueberries on the side...) And you can add the icing, or sprinkle your own posh on top. Maybe you want to try it with raspberries in place of the blueberries? This bread would be excellent paired with a cream cheese filling or frosting, too. There are so many ways you can make this your own! Grab your apron and try it for yourself!

'Posh' is Spreading...

Also, quick update! Last night my dad was in charge of dinner, and since I wasn't allowed to snoop around the kitchen or guess what he was making, I was left only with the beautiful aroma drifting through the house of this homemade beef stroganoff. With its white wine and fresh mushrooms, topped with nonfat Greek yogurt (no, not sour cream!) and dried parsley flakes, each plate was a masterpiece and tasted delicious! He really put the 'posh' on this dish and it was amazing! So well done, Dad!

With love (for food),

Ellen

--A dash of posh can make all the difference in your next dish!--

"Everything-is-better-with-posh" Bagels

Posh...on a bagel?

Bagels. You may think of cream cheese, peanut butter, or maybe even salmon, but posh? Posh on a bagel, too?

Let's talk about posh for a minute. What is 'posh' exactly? I toss around the term a lot, and it's become a major part of my life. I try to put a little bit of 'posh' in everything I do, make, even the way I dress! It's fun! But, what exactly is it?

In short, it's a lot of things. So, here's ONE type of 'posh,' or at least one way of looking at it.

I'll put it into a food reference so we can all understand it a little better. Recall one of my first posts "Bagels - A beautiful and delicious transformation" (don't remember? click here for a refresher!). Well, the other day I found myself in a creative mood (and craving bagels). So, I decided to test my bagel making and posh skills with this wonderful recipe for Honey Whole Wheat Bagels, "everything" style!

I have to ask - why take the time to make something, following a recipe, and merely leave it at that? Why not be a little creative and add a little posh? Posh, in this case, is the creative spin you can put on your dish. Whether it's a topping, a sprinkle or garnish, or an entirely new ingredient - posh makes recipes special. It's a way to put yourself into each dish!                                                                                                                                       For example, I could have made this bagel recipe as I've done before, and leave them as delicious honey whole wheat bagels. OR I could make an "everything" topping and put a creative spin on this treat. (I chose the latter.) And it turned out fantastic! Never be afraid to try something new, or show a little of yourself in your dish. Sure, I've had recipes and ideas which don't work (like using raisins as a topping and not realizing they burn in a 450 degree oven, then tasting them...tastes like burned sugar.) But that's part of the fun! You'll never know if you don't try. And who knows? Maybe you'll find something you really like by adding that extra pinch, or sprinkle on top.

I definitely recommend taking the time to make these bagels. They're super fun, and really easy! Enjoy each moment as you shape the dough, let it rise, and add the posh. (Then toast and smear them with cream cheese as soon as possible, even if it means you're having bagels for dinner!) Take a creative spin on your next dish and let me know how it works! (And trust me, this won't be the last time you hear about this 'posh' business from me!)

With love (for food),

Ellen

--A dash of posh can make all the difference in your next dish!--

Peanut Butter Banana (Chocolate Chip) Muffins

Muffins - Bakery Style (and healthy!)

I was in the mood for muffins...but not just any muffins! You see, I love muffins and muffin-shaped foods - I could eat muffins every day and love it! Yet, sometimes my muffin recipes end up with flat tops, or they're too heavy, and it breaks my heart. So, I've been doing some research...

In searching for how bakeries get that big, puffy, delicious muffin top, I began to notice how some recipes called for a baking temperature of 425 degrees, before lowering it to 350 degrees to continue baking. Intrigued, I had to try it. And viola! This recipe, from Sally's Baking Addiction, tested just that and was a huge success!

Almost full 

I found the recipe on Pinterest (where else?) and within minutes I was in the kitchen. And my grandmother's "Ellen is baking something" sensation must have been tingling because she stopped by the house just in time to try one! (And may I say, they totally passed inspection.)

Baking the muffins at 425 degrees for the first 5 minutes made such a difference, for it gave them a chance to puff up on the top, then continue baking after lowering the oven to 350 degrees. I also followed the instructions when filling the muffin pan, and put the batter nearly to the top of each liner (this recipe made 12 wonderful sized muffins.)

Now, for the taste - delicious! The chocolate chips are optional, but something about peanut butter, honey, and chocolate just makes a girl happy. I added a handful of mini dark chocolate chips into the batter, and sprinkled some on top before baking. (That's what I call posh!) Not to mention, these muffins are healthy! Healthy with everyday items! I'm all for good-for-you meals/snacks and these were perfect! Made with whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt, no butter, no oil - it's a muffin good enough for breakfast or a mid-day snack! (or both...and maybe lunch, too) I know you'll just love them! So, click here for the recipe, preheat your ovens to 425, get your ingredients out, and let your posh shine!

With love (for food),

Ellen

--A dash of posh can make all the difference in your next dish!--

Best Sugar Cookie Recipe EVER!

World's Best Sugar Cookies

(And I mean the "best")

I have found the most amazing recipe for sugar cookies WITH royal icing! Look no further for a sugar cookie which melts in your mouth, yet stands the test of rolling, cutting, and being iced. Even without the icing, and merely baked up as a drop cookie - these. are. the. best. They're not too sweet. They have just enough lemon flavor. And they're wonderful. So thank you to Butter, with a Side of Bread for this amazing recipe and step by step instructions!

These cookies were such a big hit, my family is still raving about them! To quote my dear grandmother (who doesn't really eat sugar cookies as rule), these were "absolutely the best I've ever had." Along with that, I heard her say they were "so light!" and "the world's best sugar cookies!" (Now you know they're good!) I was touched. It was such an honor! I really put myself into these cookies, and took the time to roll, cut, bake, frost, and decorate each one. And trust me, these cookies certainly took time, but were totally worth every sweet, lemony bite. 

Plus, this recipe was super easy to follow. I made the cookies up one day (the hottest and most humid day of the week, of course). The next day I made the royal icing (a great recipe, too - I used the meringue powder version) and put it into small squeeze bottles with caps. This site does a great job explaining how to frost the cookies, and above I showed my step-by-step process. (As a note, don't be afraid to add a little water to the icing if it becomes too thick. Adding a couple drops at a time and stirring well can make a huge difference.) 

In total, I spent about 4 hours frosting, and there were a lot of cookies! So, this would be a great recipe to make with friends or family. Click here to see the recipe (and visit an awesome site). Plus, there's so many ways you can make this recipe your own by adding some posh! Choose your colors, shapes, decorations, perhaps a theme, or roll the cookies into balls, dip in sugar, and bake as classic sugar cookies. Whatever you choose, they will be delicious - I just know it. And your family, too, will fall in love with these light, soft, hint-of-lemon sugar cookies! (Mine did!)

With love (for food),

Ellen

--A dash of posh can make all the difference in your next dish!--

Italian Sage Meatloaf

Home Style Meatloaf

Ready to add some 'posh' to that average meatloaf recipe? Well, I've been working on this recipe for homemade meatloaf for years! It's become a family favorite, a classic even! And it's often requested by hungry parents and relatives alike. So, after measuring and tweaking and testing (and eating lots of meatloaf), I'm ready to share a real Posh Cuisine creation! (And did I mention this doubles as a great meatball recipe?)

I'm not even kidding when I say meatloaf makes the list of ultimate comfort foods. A plate of mashed potatoes with a slice of meatloaf on top - my mouth is already watering... PLUS leftover meatloaf makes terrific sandwiches, additions to soup, or cut up and used as makeshift meatballs! The possibilities are endless with this Italian Sage Meatloaf recipe!

Also, this recipe is super easy! Once it's all mixed up and in the oven, you have plenty of time to go about the rest of your business. (Like making the mashed potatoes and drooling over the wonderful smell in your kitchen.) It all starts with soaking some bread (leftover biscuits, sliced bread - all works fine!) while you get the rest of the ingredients in the bowl. Next, just mix it all together! I find the best way, honestly, is to dig your paws right in and mix it by hand. This way all the spices and goodies are well incorporated. Then, pop it in an ungreased loaf pan and you're well on your way to a wonderful meal! 

As a note, meatloaf can take a while to bake depending on the size of the loaf pan (and I used a pretty small loaf pan so mine took extra time, which, of course, required more excruciating patience on my end). After about 45 minutes in the oven (less if you're making mini meatloaves), it's time to add the sauce! I find it's great with ketchup or a favorite BBQ sauce - and served with extra on the side.

Be sure to let it bake until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, then take it out of the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes - this makes it much easier to slice and enjoy! And trust me, you will enjoy it!

And, as always, feel free to posh it up as you please! Try your favorite sauce on top, throw in some fresh sage, or make mini loaves just for fun! Find a printable recipe for this Posh Cuisine creation here and start cooking! 

With love (for food),

Ellen

--A dash of posh can make all the difference in your next dish!--