My second favorite Easter candy is magicked into Easter 7 Layer Bars just in time for the holiday.

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There are a few recipes I make on repeat but change up the components and 7 layers bars is definitely one of them. Just for holidays alone I have one is Valentine’s Funfetti, a lucky 7-layer bar for St. Patrick’s Day, two for Halloween, and also two for Christmas. It seemed only fair that I finally make Easter 7 layer bars with the second best Easter candy – cadbury mini eggs.

The first is obviously Reese’s eggs – did you really even need me to say it?

Not the Cadbury creme or caramel filled eggs, and not even the regular milk chocolate Cadbury mini eggs, I am talking about the harder to find royal dark chocolate cadbury mini eggs. That sweet and crunchy candy shell over the less sweet dark chocolate is just perfection.

I have made other recipes with cadbury mini eggs for Easter before including bird’s nest krispie treats, Easter gooey butter cake, and cadbury egg cookies but it was time for the literal magic of the 7 layer bars.

The graham cracker base (1) is layered with semisweet (2) and white chocolate (3), slivered almonds (4), coconut (5), chopped Cadbury mini eggs (6), and sweetened condensed milk (7). Add some sprinkles if you dare for festive flair. Toss it in the oven for 25 minutes, patiently let it cool for at least 2 hours and then you can dig in!

CADBURY MINI EGGS 7-LAYER BARS

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Yield: 2 Dozen Prep Time: 2 Hours 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 18 graham crackers (10 oz.), crushed
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup chopped Cadbury mini eggs
• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

Directions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Line the pan with two overlapping pieces of foil or parchment paper, leaving overhang to act as handles for lifting the bars out of the pan. Spray with non-stick spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until  distributed. Pour into the prepared pan and press evenly into the bottom.
3. Evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips, almonds, coconut, and chopped Cadbury mini eggs over the graham crumbs. Pour the condensed milk evenly over the entire dish.
4. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours.
5. Remove the bars from the pan using the foil or parchment handles and transfer to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife cut into 24 bars.

Source: Adapted from my Chocolate Coconut Pecan 7-Layer Bars.

Chambord macerated pears are key to this chocolate blackberry pear tart. Cut to resemble skulls, layered with blackberry jam blood and almond sliver bones, and baked in a chocolate crust.

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What happens when you dress up a blackberry pear tart with chocolate crust for Halloween? You get a skull tart. While obviously this recipe is meant for Halloween, with pears cut into skulls sitting in a pool of blackberry preserve blood and almond sliver bones, but you could definitely make this year round with sliced up pears. Or maybe you’re spooky year round -no judgement here.

Originally I wanted a layer of chocolate ganache on the bottom, underneath the blackberry jam and pear skulls, but usually toy don’t bake ganache. I suppose I could have roasted the pears and cooked the crust separately, layering the chocolate ganache, blackberry jam, and pears into the pre-baked crust, but this way was simpler and just as tasty and creepy looking.

I think the best part of making this blackberry pear tart for Halloween is that it is very forgiving. Break the pears while cutting them? Those cracks actually make the end result look cooler than if they did not, because they play into the creep factor looking like fractured/scratched skulls. Filling didn’t fully set? Looks more like oozing blood.

However, if you manage to not break your pears while cutting them, you can easily cut some lines into them to get the same effect. And if your filling sets properly, the macerating liquid from the pears gets cooked down and turned into a syrup to serve on top anyway to produce the same bloody resemblance. Seriously, you can almost do no wrong here.

Another neat idea would be to bake each pear half in its own mini tart pan, allowing you to serve each pear skull whole instead of slicing through them to serve up the full-sized tart. Don’t have 8 small tart pans? Try using ramekins or turning them into free-form mini skull galettes.

This chocolate blackberry pear tart would also be delicious served with some fresh whipped cream or ice cream. Just make sure you serve that on the side as you don’t want to cover up your hard work making all those pear skulls!

One year ago: Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Four years ago: Flying Purple People Eater Cake Balls

Five years ago: Slime Lava Cakes

Seven years ago: Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies

Eight years ago: Weekly Meal Plan #33

Nine years ago: Chocolate Deviled Eggs

Ten years ago: No-Churn Pumpkin Cannoli Ice Cream

Eleven years ago: Ghost Chili with Cornbread Topping and Chipotle Crema

CHOCOLATE BLACKBERRY PEAR TART

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Yield: 6-8 Servings Prep Time: 8 Hours 45 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 MInutes 45 MInutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

PEARS

• 4 pears*, peeled, cored, and halved lengthwise
• 2 cups Chambord liqueur
• 1 cup dry red wine 

CRUST

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder**
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold shortening (or unsalted butter)
• 1/4 cup cold milk

FILLING

• 10 oz. blackberry preserves
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine Chambord liqueur and wine; set aside.
2. Use an apple corer to cut out two holes for eyes on the larger half of the pear, then use a paring knife to cut out a triangle for the nose, and slits on the narrow end for teeth. Place in macerating liquid, cover, and allow to soak overnight.
3. For the crust, in food processor or a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugars, and salt. Add shortening by pulsing in a food processor or cutting in with a knife until it resembles coarse wet sand.
4. Add milk to flour mixture, and mix until distributed. With hands, form dough into a round flattened disc, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes or overnight.
5. When ready to assemble, position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
6. Remove pears from the macerating liquid and place on a plate lined with paper towel.
7. Pour macerating liquid into a medium saucepan, set over medium-high heat, and cook until reduced, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool then refrigerate until ready to serve.
8. While the liquid reduces, roll dough out on a floured surface to fit to a 10-inch tart pan (or pie plate). Transfer to the pan, fold over any excess crust.
9. In a small bowl, mix together the preserves, cornstarch and almond extract, then spread evenly into the bottom. Arrange pears on top and sprinkle with slivered almonds.
10. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until filling is bubbling all over. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving with reduced Chambord-wine syrup.

Notes

*I used bosc pears because they hold their shape well after baking, but if you prefer a softer pear try anjou or bartlett. **Since it’s not a leavened recipe, you can substitute Natural cocoa powder but the crust will have a lighter color.

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Source: Crust adapted from my Blackberry Tart, filling adapted from Ghoul at Heart.

These fig almond muffins have fresh fig jam in the middle of a tender almond muffin. They taste like a fig newton in muffin form.

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Are you ready for some muffin lovin’? Because these almond muffins are tender, filled with fresh fig jam, and topped with crunchy sliced almonds.

I have heard the joke that muffins are just cupcakes without frosting, but sometimes I want something a bit less sweet in my life. I appreciated that the fig jam in the middle wasn’t sweetened at all, just contains the natural occurring sugars. Perfect for breakfast or a snack, as would be carrot date muffins.

Basically, imagine a fig newton, but in muffin form – that’s what these fig almond muffins taste like.

This recipe was a long time coming. I made these fig almond muffins over 2 months ago, but that was right before my cat Brady was officially diagnosed with large granular lymphoma. Unfortunately, their 2 month prognosis was spot on and he passed a little over a week ago.

It was like losing another family member in the carnage that has been the last 4 years. Not as painful as my mother of course, but I still struggle. While we lost 2 other pets in our household during that time, Brady was originally just mine. Adopted at just over a month old when I was 22 and his 16.5 years with me were not enough.

As such, my motivation to update my blog has been completely lacking. I have a few other recipes queued up eventually but in honor of my favorite cuddle muffin I decided to share a this recipe for fig almond muffins.

FIG ALMOND MUFFINS

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Yield: 1 dozen Prep Time: 25 MInutes Cooking Time: 35 Minutes 35 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 12 small figs, stemmed
• 1-1/2 cups almond meal/flour
• 1 all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Zest of 1 small lemon
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 small egg
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1-1/4 cups milk
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 6 Tbsp sliced almonds

Directions

1. In a food processor, puree the figs until smooth and transfer to a small saucepan. Place over low to medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until puree gently boils, about 5-10 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate.
2. Heat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with paper cups; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, honey, milk, and oil. Incorporate into flour mixture and blend on low with a hand mixer.
5. Pour batter into muffin pan halfway up. Add 1 Tbsp fig puree to center of each, cover with a small spoonful of batter, and sprinkle almonds on top.
6. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Source: Adapted slightly from SELF Magazine.

All of the deliciousness of baklava in a cookie. These baklava thumbprint cookies are chewy, crunchy and crispy all at the same time.

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I adore baklava but if I am being honest I have yet to ever make it myself. All those thin layers of phyllo intimidate me, even if I use premade sheets. As such, I have resorted to making baklava cookie bars for years because they are a deliciously easy substitute.

No, today is not the day in which I finally reveal my attempt at making my own baklava. In fact, I have regressed even further and am sharing a recipe for baklava thumbprint cookies today. All good things lead to cookies, my friends. Hence the name of this blog I suppose.

The base of this cookie is actually a cream cheese sugar cookie that I have used for years. While cream cheese is not usually in baklava, it did produce a chewy cookie which reminds me of biting into true baklava.

Different that usual thumbprints, these baklava thumbprint cookies are baked most of the way before indenting, filling with a combination of almonds, pistachios, walnuts, crushed phyllo, butter, honey, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and returning tot the oven for the final minutes of baking time. This allows the nut filling to caramelize and crisp up just enough without overdoing it. Then finish them off with a lemon-honey glaze.

• Peppermint Bark Cookies by Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Orange Cardamom Snickerdoodle Cookies by Blogghetti
• Peppermint Candy Sandwich Cookies by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lemon Butter Cookies by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Honey Lace Cookies by That Recipe
• Cinnamon Powdered Sugar Panko Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Cocoa Cup Cookies by Our Good Life
• Black Sesame Cookies by Magical Ingredients

BAKLAVA THUMBPRINT COOKIES

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Yield: 3 dozen Prep Time: 1 Hours 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

COOKIES

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups plus 2 Tbsp sugar, plus more for rolling
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 2 Tbsp 2% milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2-1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

FILLING

• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup chopped almonds
• 1/3 cup chopped pistachios
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 8 frozen mini phyllo shells (from 2.1-oz package), crushed

ICING

• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Directions

1. In a stand mixer or large bowl with electric hand mixer, mix ingredients in order until fully incorporated (except for the sprinkles and jam).
2. Place more granulated sugar in a small shallow bowl. Shape dough into walnut-sized balls (I used my medium cookie scoop) and roll in sugar, lightly shaking off excess. Cover and chill dough in refrigerator for one hour (or overnight).
3. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, combine the filling ingredients until combined; set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
5. Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and quickly push a crevasse into the center of each cookie (using the back of a spoon - be careful not to push all the way through). Immediately spoon a teaspoon of filling into the center and return to the oven to bake for another 2 minutes or until cookies are lightly golden on the edges.
7. Let cool on cookie sheet 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
8. While the cookie cool, prepare the icing. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, powdered sugar, and lemon juice. If needed, reach desired consistency by adding a little water or more powdered sugar. Drizzle over the cookies and allow the glaze to set for a few minutes.
9. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Source: Adapted from my Grinch Heart Thumbprint Cookies, Betty Crocker, and Practically Homemade.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

Who else loves strawberry spinach salad? What if I served it on top of a pizza crust? Cause that’s what this pizza is all about.

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Are you on team fruit as a pizza topping? Pineapple is usually the fruit in question and personally I think it is amazing on pizza. Especially when paired with ham or bacon. Mmmm deliciousness.

But today I am expanding your horizons to strawberry! It is #BerryWeek after all and I love an excuse to get creative.

After weeks of falling off the wagon, I’ve been trying to get back into the habit of eating more greens, so what better way than to serve one of my favorite warm-weather salads on top of a pizza?

This oil based pizza is topped with all the components you love in strawberry spinach salad: crumbled feta cheese, fresh strawberries, red onion, almonds, and post oven spinach and a balsamic drizzle.

The best part? The strawberries basically get roasted on top. If you’ve never had a roasted strawberry before you are in for a treat.

And of course a balsamic drizzle elevates any pizza. It’s one of my favorite post-own pizza toppings in recent times along with hot honey, fresh greens, and ricotta. Not necessarily all at once…. but maybe ;-).

Wednesday Berry Week Recipes

• Berry Pretzel Dessert by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Berry Sourdough Muffins by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Blackberry Glazed Chicken by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Blueberry and Cream Breakfast Pastry by The Freshman Cook
• Mixed Berry Sangria by Family Around the Table
• Oven Baked Ribs with Blackberry Sauce by Eat Move Make
• Raspberry Danish Pinwheels by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Raspberry Peach Jam by The Redhead Baker
• Strawberry Spinach Salad Pizza by The Spiffy Cookie
• Strawberry, Bacon & Brie Panini with Balsamic Honey Sauce by Sweet Beginnings

One year ago: Pesto Chicken Salad

Four years ago: Taco Hummus

Five years ago: Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce & Coconut-Ginger Rice

Six years ago: Homemade Whole Wheat Bread Bowls

Seven years ago: S’mores Puppy Chow

Nine years ago: Banana Foster Cream Pie

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD PIZZA

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Yield: 2-3 servings Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 recipe pizza dough, risen
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup pizza cheese blend, shredded
• 4 fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 Tbsp toasted almond slices
• 1 cup chopped spinach
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (or balsamic reduction)

Directions

1. Place pizza stone on middle rack and allow to preheat in the oven to 450 degrees, for at least 10 minutes.
2. Roll out pizza dough and transfer to a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal.
3. Evenly brush on the olive oil,followed by feta cheese, pizza cheese, strawberries, red onion, and almond slices. Transfer to the pizza stone (without removing from the oven) and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust starts to turn golden and the cheese starts to bubble.
4. Allow to cool 5 minutes. Top with spinach, drizzle with balsamic, slice and serve.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see!

Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

These brown butter, chocolate almond and marshmallow cookies are inspired by the favorite ice cream flavor known at Rocky Road.

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There certainly is nothing easy about 2020. It seems like someone found all the skeletons in America’s closet and is pulling them out one by one.

As a result, I stand by my statement that, even when we thought COVID-19 was the worst thing to happen, we shouldn’t be asking when we will go back to “normal” but instead when we will we be better – for having faced our faults, endured challenges, saved lives, grown to be better humans, sand learned more than just a few things along the way.

I worry when I read hateful things on the internet in response to the various crises but I do still hope that we will collectively come out stronger because of 2020. In the end we should be thankful that we were forced to better ourselves on so many different levels, especially when lives were at stake.

I’ve cried a lot over the past week, attempting to educate myself on matters that I clearly was ignorant about despite thinking I understood, but I know it cannot compare to the grief of the oppressed. I am trying to do the best that I can – surely fumbling a long the way.

The road we are are is not smooth paved road so I thought it was appropriate to stress-bake some rocky road cookies in honor of the journey.

This chocolate based cookie dough has extra depth with the use of brown butter. Add some chopped milk chocolate almond bars, toasted almonds, and toasted marshmallows on top as just as the ice cream has by which these cookies were inspired.

Three years ago: Homemade Veggie Chips

Four years ago: Baked Strawberry-Ginger Glazed Doughnuts

Five years ago: Slow Cooker Honey Gold Chicken Wings

Nine years ago: Blueberry Blondie Cheesecake Bars

CHOCOLATE ROCKY ROAD COOKIES

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Yield: 3 dozen Cooking Time: 9 Minutes 9 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg + 1 yolk, room temperature
• 2 cups chopped milk chocolate almond bars (6 pack of Hershey's)
• 1 cup chopped toasted almonds
• Approximately 3/4 cup mini marshmallows

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer until it turns brown and nutty. Remove pan from the heat and pour the butter into a large heatproof bowl to stop the cooking. Set aside to cool.
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the brown butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients in three batches until just blended. Fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Roll 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and place on a plate or tray, press 3 marshmallows into the tops of each dough ball, cover tightly and chill for at least 2 hours (overnight for best results).
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with silicone baking mats (or parchment paper); set aside.
6. Place cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Source: Adapted from my Double Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see!

Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

Raspberry pie is tart yet sweet with a crumbly streusel topping. Serve with a dollop of allspice whipped cream for the final touch.

Like everyone else, the first days of true spring weather have me spending as much time outside or with the windows open as possible. It also has me ready for all the fruit pies! Raspberries have been crazy cheap lately (especially blackberries, I’ve been snatching up pints at $1/each) so now is the time to make this raspberry Pie. Normally is it not very friendly on the wallet to buy enough raspberries to fill a pie! But totally worth it in case you are not lucky enough to find them on sale.

With a crumbly streusel topping it’s basically a berry crisp baked in a pie crust and that’s alright by me. And of course I can’t serve pie without a dollop of fresh whipped cream. In this case I added some allspice into the whipped cream for an extra layer of flavor. A seasoning that tends to get pigeonholed into the fall but I’m here to break it out of that mold! It pairs so well with the tart but sweet raspberries, making it a pie worthy to serve through spring and summer.

To keep you up to date, here’s the Easter Menu I’ve shared thus far (updated as I post more):

• Apricot-Honey Glazed Ham
• Black Pepper Parmesan Biscuits
• Creamy Spring Peas
• Herb-Roasted Carrots & Parsnips
• Smashed Potatoes with Lemon Aioli
• Carrot Top Pesto
• Mom’s Investment Salad (aka Ambrosia Salad)
• Raspberry Almond Streusel Pie with Allspice Whipped Cream

Three years ago: April 2016 Stitch Fix #14

Four years ago: Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

Five years ago: Spaghetti with Roasted Butternut and Brussels & Greek Yogurt Cream Sauce

Six years ago: Creamy Pesto with Mini Ravioli, Asparagus and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Either years ago: Guiltless Cajun Chicken Alfredo

RASPBERRY ALMOND STREUSEL PIE WITH ALLSPICE WHIPPED CREAM

Makes 1 pie

Ingredients:

CRUST & TOPPING

6 Tbsp brown sugar

6 Tbsp sliced almonds

6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4-1/2 Tbsp old-fashioned oats

4-1/2 Tbsp all purpose flour

1 refrigerated pie crust

FILLING

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca

2 Tbsp lemon or orange juice

5 cups fresh raspberries

WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp powdered sugar

1/8 tsp ground allspice

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine all topping ingredients. Process until moist clumps form. Transfer to a bowl, cover and place in the fridge.
2. In a large bowl mix sugar, tapioca, and lemon juice. Add berries and toss gently to coat. Let stand until tapioca softens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out pie crust on a lightly floured surface to 15-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch pie dish. Trim or fold overhang under and crimp. Place in freezer for 20 minutes.
4. Spoon filling evenly into crust and crumble topping over filling. Bake crust and topping are golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 55 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 3 hours.
5. When ready to serve, make the whipped cream. In a large chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream with a hand mixer until peaks almost form. Add the powdered sugar and allspice and beat until peaks form. Cut pie into wedges and serve topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

Source: Adapted slightly from Epicurious.

Today is my last recipe contribution to this years #CookoutWeek! I hope you’ve enjoyed everything so far and are bookmarking all kinds of things from other bloggers as well to make all summer long. Maybe some of you have even planned your Fourth of July menu from it? Either way make sure you check out the list of all he recipes for today at the bottom of this post. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Okay guys, I am a little scatter brained as I write this because I stayed up too late going to a concert last night and then had to wake up early to get ready to head out of town for my bachelorette party! So yes I made this recipe for dinner pre-concert last night and am now writing it pre-bachelorette but that does not take away from the deliciousness of this recipe! It should show how badly I needed to share it with you that I woke up early with minimal sleep to do so.

This salad is my favorite summer salad recipe I have come up with in my almost 8 years of blogging. Being topped with grilled fruit in kind of a game changer, especially when there is also prosciutto, almonds, and goat cheese involved as well. After grilling I did wrap a couple of the nectarines in prosciutto which made me think they’d also be great appetizer bites on their own (drizzled with balsamic reduction!) but I ended up leaving some unwrapped because I wanted you to see those beautiful grill marks!

As for the butter, instead of using plain boring butter I brushed the nectarines with Chef Shamy’s strawberry flavored honey butter. Guys, that stuff is dangerously good I could eat it off the spoon. I introduced Chef Shamy butter in my grilled avocado recipe so check out that post for more info about their company. I also have a discount code for you to use so you can try it yourself! Use 10BUTTER10 to get 10% from now until July 4.

Two years ago: Blackberry-Sage Pie Bars

Three years ago: Browned Butter Salty Sugar Cookies

Five years ago: German Chocolate Brownies

GRILLED NECTARINE SALAD

Serves 3

Ingredients:

SALAD

2 ripe but firm nectarines, pitted and cut into 16 slices

1/4 cup Chef Shamy strawberry honey butter, melted

5 oz. arugula and baby spinach mix

6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

3 oz. sliced prosciutto

3 Tbsp almonds, toasted and chopped

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Place sliced peaches in a rimmed baking dish and brush melted butter on all sides.
3. Once grill is hot, place nectarines on the grill. Cook until charred, about 2 minutes per side.
4. In a jar with a lid (or small bowl), combine all the dressing ingredients. Cover and shake well (or whisk until combined). Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
5. Divide greens evenly among 3 salad plates. Top each with dressing, 1/3 of the nectarines, 2 oz. of goat cheese, 1 oz. of prosciutto (I wrapped a couple nectarines with it), and 1 Tbsp almonds, .

Source: The Spiffy Cookie original

Disclosure: Sponsors provided bloggers with complimentary product to use as we saw fit in our recipes. I was not otherwise compensated. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Become a fruit cake lover with these easy fruit cake 7-layer bars. With layers of candied cherries, candied pineapple, golden raisins, almonds, and coconut!

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In my family, fruit cake is rejoiced, not dreaded, because my dad makes a fruit cake that people actually want to eat.

Last year I ventured out a little bit and make fruit cake cookies and I enjoyed them so much actually made these fruit cake layer bars shortly after. But then it was past Christmas and no one wanted to hear about fruit cake anymore.

But it’s that time of year again and its okay for me to talk about fruit cake! Yes I’ve been sitting on this recipe for a year now (and it’s not the only one) and I still think a year later that it’s totally worthy.

I took all the components of my dad’s fruit cake and layered them in these bars. The only difference is the addition of coconut and the use of almonds instead of pecans. But that’s the great thing about layer bars, you can do whatever you want!

One year ago: Gluten-Free Tahini Swirled Brownies

Three years ago: Cone Head Cupcakes with Ice Cream Frosting

Four years ago: White Cheddar Mac & Cheese in a Mug

Six years ago: Toffee Apple Dip

Seven years ago: Brownie Peanut Butter Cups

FRUIT CAKE 7-LAYER BARS

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Yield: 2 dozen Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup chopped candied red and green cherries (so 1/2 cup each)
• 1 cup chopped candied pineapple
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup chopped almonds
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press evenly into the bottom of prepared pan.
3. Sprinkle cherries, pineapple, raisins, almonds, and coconut over the top. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top of the bars.
4. Bake for about 25 minutes, until they get golden around the edges. Cool completely before slicing into bars.

Source: Adapted from my S’mores Lucky 7-Layer Bars and my dad’s Pecan Fruit Cake.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

Regardless of your feelings for the show Game of Thrones, it will be difficult to deny this fiery cheese ball shaped like a dragon’s egg!

I have a confession to make: I am not a fan of Game of Thrones. While the unpleasant moments of shows such as House of Cards don’t bother me, for some reason Game of Thrones often disgusts me. Maybe it was all the hype and the fact that I binge watched it last summer prior to the release of Season 6 but I am just not on board. My breaking point was “the red wedding”. There are just too many unsavory characters and plots at play for me to care about what happens to the few left with some redeeming qualities. (Who says unsavory? What am I 32 going on 80?)

That being said, yes I am posting a cheese ball in the shape of a dragon’s egg today because Season 7 starts this weekend. Being Bob’s favorite show I end up watching/overhearing most of it anyway so to make the most of it I do what I do best, make food! Heck even if you think I’m a crazy person and don’t want to read my blog anymore because I don’t like Game of Thrones, you cannot deny a delicious ball of cheese. Accept me for my flaws and love me for my food? Pretty sure that’s the gist of what I just said.

However much to my dismay, when I proudly displayed this to my GoT friends they all thought it was a pinecone or a hedgehog. Guess I should’ve been more dedicated and painted each almond with edible shimmery green and gold paint. But I digress. The base of this recipe is the ever popular blue cheese ball (which has also been featured in the shape of a snowman).What I changed this time beyond the toasted almonds (in attempts) to resemble dragon scales was the addition of hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and more cayenne pepper to give it some fire. See what I did there? But if you’re not into spicy, then ignore my changes and stick to the original (which is covered in bacon FTW)!

Other GOT inspired recipes from some blogger friends: Fiery Deviled Dragon Eggs, “Wildling” Wild Mushroom Tart, and Sansa Stark’s Easy Lemon Cakes.

Three years ago: BBQ Chicken Salad with Cornbread Croutons

Four years ago: Peach Chicken with Balsamic Glaze

Six years ago: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Mini S’mores Pies

DRAGON’S EGG CHEESE BALL

Makes 1 cheese ball

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature

4 oz. crumbled blue cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup finely chopped green onion

1 tsp hot sauce (or more to taste)

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

1. Stir together butter, cheeses, onion and seasonings until well blended. Turn out onto a large sheet of plastic wrap, shape into a egg, and tightly wrap.  Chill at least 8 hours or overnight (you must do this or it will have no flavor).
2. Invert cheese onto serving plate. Individually place each almond slice in overlapping rows to create a scaly-effect.  Serve with crackers or pretzels.

Source: My Blue Cheese Ball.