This basil lime curd tart has a Biscoff crust, fresh strawberries on top, and is finished with basil whipped cream.

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What happens when you make something so good you think about it years later? Normal people would just make that same thing again, but what if it could be just as good but different? That’s what I did after dreaming about my blood orange curd tart for two years.

I changed almost everything about it from the crust, to the filling, and the topping. This time around the crust is crushed Biscoff (Speculoos) cookies because that’s one step up to traditional graham cracker crust, especially when the filling is a lime curd tart. But not just any lime curd, a basil lime curd tart.

Once the basil lime curd tart was set, I topped it with a heaping pile of macerated strawberries. A very organized heap, but a heap nonetheless. And no tart is complete without some chantilly cream (sweetened whipped cream) so I added a little basil to that too.

I made this for a friend’s birthday but it doubled up as the kick starter for Spring Sweets Week. Technically spring has begun but the weather is yo-yoing around that it’s hard to know what season it is from day to day. But instead of dressing for the job we want, we will be eating for the season we want. Check out what everyone else made listed right before the recipe for my strawberry basil lime curd tart.

• Strawberry Pop Tart Cookie Bars by Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Napoleon with Fresh Berries by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Strawberry Lemon Crinkle Cookies by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Lemon Pudding Cake by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Matcha Strawberry Cream Buns by Magical Ingredients
• Lemon Crinkle Cookies by Art of Natural Living
• Bowtie Cookies with Strawberry Jam by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Lemon Lush by Rave About Food

STRAWBERRY BASIL LIME CURD TART

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Yield: 10 Servings Prep Time: 4 Hours 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 50 Minutes 50 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CRUST

• 1 cup crushed Biscoff cookies
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

FILLING

• 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 Tbsp lime zest (~2 limes)
• 1-1/4 cup lime juice (~10 limes)
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 4 large basil leaves

TOPPING

• 1 lb. sliced strawberries
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
• 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• 1 large basil leaf, minced

Directions

1. Move the oven rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF.
2. Make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor* add the Biscoff cookies, sugar, and salt. Pulse to combine. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and drizzle with vanilla. Pulse until the butter is fully incorporated, 20-30 seconds**. 
3. Coat a 4 x 14-inch tart pan with a removable bottom*** with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough into the pan and press the crust evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
4. Place tart pan directly on oven rack and bake until the top edges of the crust are just barely starting to turn golden, 15-20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack. Lower the oven temperature to 325ºF.
5. Make the filling: Place the butter and lime zest in a heatproof bowl, then set a mesh strainer over the bowl; set aside.
6. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, salt, eggs, and egg yolks. While continuing to whisk, gradually pour in the lime juice until combined. Add basil leaves and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and reaches 160-165ºF on an instant-read thermometer, about 5-10 minutes. Immediately pour the curd through the prepared mesh strainer and into the bowl of butter. Whisk to combine then pour into the cooled crust.
7. Bake the tart at 325ºF until the the center wobbles like firm gelatin when gently shaken, 20-30 minutes. Remove and let cool to room temperature on a wire rack for about an hour, then chill until firm, 3-4 hours or overnight.
8. Make the topping: When ready to serve, in a medium bowl, combine the sliced strawberries and 2 Tbsp+2tsp sugar. Toss to coat and set aside to macerate. Meanwhile, in another medium bowl, whip the heavy cream until it form soft peaks. Add the remaining teaspoon of sugar and minced basil and whip further until it forms firm peaks. Serve topped with macerated strawberries and whipped cream on top.

Notes

*Can also use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. **If using a stand mixer, run on medium-low until the dough comes together, 3–5 minutes. ***You can also use a 9-inch round tart pan.

Source: Adapted from my Blood Orange Curd Tart, inspired by Pick Yin.

Don’t let the racks in the powdered sugar fool you, these basil lime gooey butter cookies are as chewy as they are flavorful.

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Second to Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite holidays for which to cook and bake. I feel like they both lend themselves to so much creativity and are often overshadowed by all the festive and/or traditional creations for the bigger holidays. Most people don’t have set things that they make for Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day so I can usually get away with more than I could otherwise.

These basil lime gooey butter cookies might not be the most festive thing I’ve ever made in preparation for St. Patrick’s Day but they are green and that’s the most important part, right? They are based on my lemon gooey butter cookies but with some basil added in for a little something special. Also since I didn’t have lime extract, I added more lime zest and used lime juice instead. The result may be a more subtle flavor than with the lemon version but they are still quite delicious.

These basil lime gooey butter cookies are slightly bigger than normal as well as I was just feeling a slightly larger cookie, but I left directions in the notes if you want to stick to the classic little guys. I did use a small amount of green food coloring as well – just enough to give them a slight green hue. If you are not a fan of food coloring, even the more “natural” food coloring, then feel free to leave it out. Just be prepared for them to not be very green so don’t say I didn’t warn you :-P.

BASIL LIME GOOEY BUTTER COOKIES

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Yield: Approximately 3 dozen Prep Time: 2 Hours 30 MInutes Cooking Time: 12 Minutes 12 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• Zest from 2 limes (about 4 tsp)
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbsp fresh minced basil
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• Green food coloring, optional
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed (or handheld electric mixer and a large bowl), cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in sugar, zest, juice, and basil until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg yolk (and a few drops of green food coloring if using) and beat until creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
3. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. When ready to bake, arrange oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Place powdered sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
5. Roll dough into 1.5-inch balls (I used a medium cookie scoop*), flatten slightly, roll in powdered sugar to coat, shake off excess, and place on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 12 minutes, or until cookies are puffed and crackly. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheet and transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Once completely cooled, transfer cookies to an airtight container.

Notes

*In the past I have used a small cookie scoop, baking 10 minutes, with a yield over 4 dozen

Source: Adapted from my Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies.

Elote and Huevo met at a bar and 9 months later these Mexican street corn deviled eggs were born! Made with mayo, cotija, lime juice, Tajin, and of course corn.

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Over 10 years ago I graduated with my PhD and started my academic researcher journey. And after finishing my 120 payments towards the PSLF program in September, I just found out that the remainder of my student loans have disappeared! Better yet, they will be paying me back for all the payments over the required 120 made while waiting for this to go through. Holy freaking ray!

Meanwhile, these Mexican street corn deviled eggs have literally zero to do with this story, it’s just what I had planned to share today in honor of National corn on the cob day. Even though technically the corn is no longer on the cob, traditional Mexican street corn is and was the inspiration.

It wasn’t a stretch to turn traditional deviled eggs into Mexican street corn deviled eggs since the main component is mayo for both. Just swap out the mustard and vinegar for cotija cheese and lime juice. The fancy part involved dipping the hard boiled egg white shells into a mixture of tajin and smoked paprika before filling them back up again, and topping with lime zest, extra corn, and cilantro. Just like that, you’ve got yourself a deviled egg ready for summer parties.

One small dilemma about adding corn to the filling is that you may have some leftover unless you super stuff the eggs, which I don’t really see as a problem. Otherwise you can pipe the leftovers straight into your face like I did. The only other problem I could see happening is if you can’t find Tajin. Don’t you dare skip out! Instead make homemade Tajin by mixing ancho chile powder, chipotle powder, lime zest (or powder), and salt.

MEXICAN STREET CORN DEVILED EGGS

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Yield: 2 Dozen Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 15 Minutes 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 12 eggs
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp crumbled cotija cheese
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• Corn kernels from 2 ears of corn, larger pieces* reserved for garnish
• 2 Tbsp tajin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions

1. In a pot of salted water, add the eggs. Bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat, and let cook until hard boiled, approximately 15 minutes (I love my egg indicator). Drain and let cool.
2. Once cool, remove the sell, cut in half lengthwise, and scoop the yolks into a medium bowl. Place the hard boiled whites on a tray.
3. Add the mayonnaise, cotija, and lime juice to the bowl with the yolks. Blend until smooth. Stir in the corn kernels. Set aside.
4. In a small shallow dish or bowl, mix together the tajin and smoked paprika. Dip the flat sides of the hard boiled whites into the mixture and place back on the tray.
5. Spoon or pipe filling back into the egg whites**. Sprinkle with more cotija, larger chunks of corn, and cilantro. Chill until ready to serve.

Notes

*When cutting the corn kernels off the cob, some will stay stuck together, Save these for garnish! **You may have excess filling if you don't pile them high. If so, enjoy straight up!

Source: Adapted from my BBQ Deviled Eggs.

Why mix up cocktails one at a time when you can make a batch? This pitcher paloma cocktail recipe is so refreshing everyone will want a glass. Don’t forget the Tajin-salt rim!

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I made this batched pitcher paloma cocktail recipe for a neighborhood potluck and it was very popular. I normally don’t enjoy grapefruit, but the combination with fresh lime and smoky mezcal made for a rich get refreshing beverage. Prefer a mocktail version? Either substitute with your favorite non-alcoholic tequila, lime juice, or more sparkling water.

No matter which way you make it, this pitcher paloma cocktail is the perfect beverage for all your summer cookouts and BBQs – after all it’s BBQ week! May I suggest serving it with corn spoon bread, scalloped potatoes with bacon & jalapeno, foolproof ribs, or something else from the list below from a few foodie friends of mine also participating in BBQ week.

Welcome to #BBQWeek where we celebrate all things barbecue related! From slow cooked pulled pork to grilled chicken, salsa and sides, and delicious pies there’s a recipe that’s perfect for your summer cookout parties.

Monday’s #BBQWeek Recipes

• BBQ Dry Rub Seasoning from Blogghetti
• Cheesy Corn Dip from Art of Natural Living
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad from Our Crafty Mom
• Grilled Chicken Salad with Blueberry Vinaigrette from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Margarita Jello Shots from Easy Recipes for One
• Pellet Smoked Weisswurst from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Smoked Leg of Lamb from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

PITCHER PALOMA COCKTAIL RECIPE

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Yield: 8 Servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

COCKTAILS

• 16 oz. fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
• 16 oz. mezcal*
• 2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
• 2 oz. agave nectar**
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Ice
• 16 oz. cold sparkling water

GARNISH

• 2 Tbsp Tajin
• 2 Tbsp smoked coarse salt***
• Grapefruit or lime slices

Directions

1. In a large pitcher, stir together the grapefruit juice, mezcal, lime juice, agave, and salt. Cover and chill until ready to serve****.
2. Before serving, combine salt and Tajin in a shallow bowl or small plate. Rub the rim of the glasses with a lime wedge and invert into the Tajin-salt mixture to coat.
3. Fill classes 3/4 with ice, 3/4 with Paloma, top with sparkling water, garnish with a slice of grapefruit or lime and serve.

Notes

*Or tequila if you prefer, mezcal gives a little smoky flavor. **Or simple syrup. ***Regular coarse salt also works. ****Best served same day.

Source: Adapted from The Kitchn.

Get down with all the flavors in these lime, mint, rosemary and lavender sugar cookies. Then choose your own adventure by rolling them in granulated or turbinado sugar.

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Savory recipe inspiration is lacking lately. Sure I’ve spruced up several old recipes lately, but not new ideas are developing in my brain. I think I am just distracted with other goings-on in life. Nothing bad, just busy. As a result dinner-time ideas suffer and instead I turn to sugar.

When it comes to sugar, my go-to is obviously cookies. I suppose there’s no harm in the fact that I have posted more cookie recipes than anything else lately, being The Spiffy Cookie and all, but I’m certain I’ve posted more cookies than anything else in 2023. This will be eight in case you were wondering.

These lime, mint, rosemary and lavender sugar cookies are another version of my classic chewy sugar cookies. I did a little experiment with them as I could not decide whether to stick to rolling them in granulated sugar or to get fancy with some turbinado sugar, so I did half and half and had friends taste-test.

As you might expect, the turbinado added more texture and crunch to the exterior of the cookies. It also may have mellowed out/masked some of the lime, mint, rosemary and lavender flavors. So if you prefer less crunch and a more herb-forward cookie, then stick to the granulated sugar.

While you are literally “sugar-coating” them, in my opinion you can’t go wrong with either sugar coating for these lime, mint, rosemary and lavender sugar cookies. Maybe you could also go half-and-half and do your own taste-test!

If you love these herb sugar cookies, check out my chewy mojito sugar cookies, lavender white chocolate chip cookies, lemon-rosemary white chocolate chip cookies, and orange-lavender white chocolate chip cookies.

LIME, MINT, ROSEMARY, AND LAVENDER SUGAR COOKIES

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Yield: 2 dozen Prep Time: 35 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to almost room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp lime zest
• 2 tsp minced fresh mint
• 2 tsp minced fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp dried lavender
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Turbinado sugar, for rolling*

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in lime zest and herbs until evenly distributed. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until combined. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
3. Place extra sugar in a bowl, roll tablespoons of dough into balls, roll in turbinado sugar*, and shake off any excess. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until edges of cookies are just starting to brown and centers are set. Let cool on sheets for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

*You can also substitute for regular granulated sugar if you prefer.

Source: Adapted from my Chewy Sugar Cookies.

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These key lime pistachio cheesecake bars are the perfect combination of two delicious desserts. Complete the fusion with a little sprinkle of crushed pink peppercorn on top.

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

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What’s better than key lime pie and pistachio cheesecake? When you combine them into one – key lime pie pistachio cheesecake bars.

Let’s start from the bottom to the top.

The crust isn’t just your standard graham cracker, but with a little bit of pulverized pistachios as well. Then the filling is cream cheese, key lime juice and zest, and some homemade pistachio butter. To finish it off I topped it with whipped cream, more pistachios, and a little bit of crushed pink peppercorns.

Pink peppercorns as a garnish for key lime pistachio cheesecake bars? Yes trust me, the addition enhances the key lime citrus flavor as well as the cream cheese. It’s such a small thing but a tiny bit really does bring this dessert to full fruition.

Of course if you are still a skeptic you can omit it, but I challenge you to try it out on just one bite. Live a little!

KEY LIME PISTACHIO CHEESECAKE BARS

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Yield: 16 Pieces Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 50 Minutes 50 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CRUST

• 1 cup crushed graham crackers
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios, plus extra for garnish
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

FILLING

• 2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup pistachio butter
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp key lime zest
• 1/2 cup key lime juice
• Few drops green food coloring

TOPPING

• Fresh whipped cream
• Reserved chopped pistachios (from crust)
• Crushed pink peppercorn, optional for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on opposite sides, and lightly grease. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, chopped pistachios, and melted butter until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until set and just barely golden. Remove from oven and cool completely.
3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, pistachio butter, and cornstarch until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, vanilla, lime zest and juice, beating on low speed just until blended. Add a few drops of green food coloring, if using and stir until just blended.
4. Spoon batter evenly into crust. Bake 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight before serving topped with whipped cream, more pistachios, and crushed pink peppercorn, if using.

Source: Adapted from my Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake Bars, AllRecipes Key Lime Cheesecake, and Recette Magazine’s Labneh Cheesecake with Pistachio Crust.

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Thank you #SpringSweetsWeek Sponsors: Selefina Spices, Anolon, Melissa’s Produce, and Taylor and Colledge for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The #SpringSweetsWeek giveaway is open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older.   All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Four (4) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #SpringSweetsWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #SpringSweetsWeek posts or entry.

Have you heard about the Blue Poop Challenge Muffins? It’s a fun experiment designed to help you learn about your gut health while enjoying blue muffins.

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Nothing like a title with poop in it to draw in readers for a recipe, amiright? It’s only partly as gross as you think.

A couple weeks ago a friend asked if I had heard of the Blue Poop Challenge where you eat not just one blue muffin, but two and track when the dye comes out the other end in the form of, you guessed it, blue poop. It’s based on research examining gut health conducted by healthcare science company ZOE and researchers at King’s College London.

To be honest, I was immediately skeptical because ZOE asks you to sign up for their services upon completion of the muffin challenge. Anytime a healthcare company tries to sell you something is a huge red flag, especially when gut health research is still so very new.

What are the Blue Poop Challenge Muffins based on?

As mentioned above, the Blue Poop Challenge was derived from research done by a group of scientists who work with ZOE, published September 2021 in Gut. In this study, they used several different methods to track gut transit time of 863 healthy people. They concluded that not only is transit time a better measure of your gut microbiome that frequency and appearance, but that blue dye is a cheaper and easier option for measuring gut transit time that previously used methods.

By tracking their participants blue poo transit time and sequencing stool samples, they observed a correlation of the gut microbiome composition to transit time groups. Meaning, if you have a longer transit time, you tend to have a different gut microbiome composition than a shorter transit time.

Can Blue Poop Challenge Muffins really predict gut health?

It is important to point our that they are not making specific claims about health in this study, just correlations. After all, gut transit time it only one factor contributing to your over all “gut health”. However, a previous study by the same team published January 2021 in Nature Medicine did show a strong link between overall health, the foods you eat, transit time, and the presence of certain gut microbes. In other words, the faster the blue dye moves through your body, the more likely you are to have a healthy gut microbiome. But there isn’t enough scientific data yet to determine exactly what transit time is optimal for health.

Another short-fall of the Blue Poop Challenge? Eating two muffins one day only gives you a transit time for that particular day. Tomorrow may be different based on your diet, sleep, exercise, etc. So if you try the Blue Poop Challenge muffins, don’t stress about your results because there’s not enough data to say what it truly means – it’s more of a fun experiment.

The one intriguing thing about their program is that it effectively is crowdsourcing science which in beneficial in many ways, including getting a bigger picture of what is going on, which is what we need for their field to develop a bigger picture.

How long should the blue poop challenge take?

For the participants in their Nature Medicine study, gut transit time ranged from less than 12 hours to several days, but averaged around 29 hours.

Since I am completely enthralled by gut health and enjoy a fun little experiment, I set out to bake blue muffins for my coworkers, first ensuring that I had enough of the right blue food coloring.

Without divulging too much information, all 6 participants in my mini Blue Poop Muffin Challenge were around the average found in the published study.

What information does the Blue Poop Challenge provide?

After calculating our transit time on the ZOE website and answering some questions about our eating habits it paired us with one of the participants in their study whom had similar transit time and eating habits. By no way it is diagnostic but it goes on to tell you the good microbes that were common in your “gut twin”.

This is where the red flags come in because if you want to actually learn what microbes are in your microbiome you have to enroll in their program which will tell you what to eat based off the results. Since, as I mentioned above, there isn’t enough data I am not advocating for anyone to sign up. Maybe if you have bowel issues already and have not had success remedying it other ways, talk to your doctor about it.

BLUE POOP CHELLENGE MUFFINS

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Yield: 6 servings Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour*
• 1 Tbsp (15g) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (120g) buttermilk
• 1 Tbsp lime zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp Wilton Royal blue food coloring
• 1/2 cup (100g) vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• Coarse sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 12-count muffin pan with non-stick spray, set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl mix the buttermilk, lime zest, vanilla extract, and blue food coloring. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the oil and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until just incorporated. Alternate adding in the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, mixing just until combined. Gently fold in the fresh blueberries trying not to break them as you stir.
5. Fill your muffin pans about 3/4 of the way full and smooth the top as best as possible.
6. Top each muffin with coarse sugar.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the muffin a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Notes

*Can be made gluten-free by substituting with a 1-to-1 gluten-free all purpose flour.

Source: Adapted from my Blueberry-Lime Streusel Muffins and Zoe.

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These boozy mojito cupcakes are the perfect summer treat. It may start with boxed mix but is jazzed up with lime, mint, and rum not only in the batter but also the frosting!

This content is sponsored by the Ohio Poultry Association. I was compensated for this post but all thoughts and opinions remain my own.

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Today may be June 10th, but June 13th is Cupcake Lovers Day! I couldn’t wait until the day of to share these cupcakes. Besides, this way you have advanced notice and no excuse not to make these to celebrate the occasion.

But before I get into the cupcakes themselves, let’s talk about eggs, because they are one of the most important ingredients in baking – adding moisture, color, flavor, and nutritional value. And while the whites contain the egg’s high quality protein, riboflavin, and selenium, the majority of the nutrients are actually in the yolk such as vitamin D, choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

In other words, don’t skimp on the yolks!

More fun facts? There’s a really good chance the eggs in your fridge came from an egg farm right here in Ohio it is ranked #2 in the national for egg farming, producing over 10 billion eggs a year. Obviously I live in Ohio so I know for sure that’s where mine are coming from.

When purchasing eggs from the grocery store, I bet you typically buy large eggs if you’re a baker because they are the best. But if you have a different size in your fridge or are lucky enough to have a hook-up with a local egg farm like me, you should be aware that different sizes can affect the texture, flavor, and consistency if you don’t adjust accordingly. No one wants a recipe to fail, so use this conversion chart to see how to substitute different sizes.

But if you don’t know what size you are starting with another option is to weigh them, which is what I do with my farm-fresh eggs as their sizes vary within the carton. So pull out your handy kitchen scale and sort away.

Mojito Cupcakes Ingredients:

• Eggs*
• Milk*
• Butter*
• Greek Yogurt*
• Canola Oil
• Fresh Mint
• Limes
• White Rum
• White Cake Mix
• Powdered Sugar

It is important to note that all the ingredients with a (*) should be set at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to baking. Especially for the eggs, this step allows for easy mixing of the batter. Once you have all your ingredients ready to go.

You will notice in that list a box of white cake mix. Oh yes, one of my secrets to making fun cupcakes easier is to jazz up a boxed mix. With the amount of rave reviews these cupcakes got I don’t see any shame in it. So kick up your feet and enjoy a mojito cupcake, or maybe you would prefer strawberry daiquiri cupcakes instead, on your porch for National Cupcake Lovers Day! Maybe even serve it with a real mojito ;-).

Visit OhioEggs.com to meet more egg farming families. Ohio egg farmers are proud to provide healthy, safe and affordable eggs to consumers year-round, while protecting the environment for future generations. You can also follow the OPA on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. for more eggs recipes, nutrition, and safety tips.

MOJITO CUPCAKES

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Yield: 2 dozen Prep Time: 1 Hour Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CUPCAKES

• 3/4 cup milk, room temperature
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, bruised
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
• 1 box white cake mix
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• Zest from 1 lime
• 2 Tbsp white rum*

MINT-RUM BRUSH

• 2 Tbsp white rum*
• 2 sprigs fresh mint

FROSTING

• 1-1/2 cups  unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 Tbsp fresh mint leaves, minced
• 1-1/2 Tbsp lime juice
• 3 Tbsp white rum*
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4-1/4 cups powdered sugar
• Fresh mint, for garnish
• Fresh lime slices, for garnish

Directions

1. In a small sauce pan, combine the milk and mint leaves. Warm over medium heat until just starting to steam (do not simmer), remove from heat, cover, and let steep 15-30 minutes. Strain the mint-infused milk through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl. Whisk in the yogurt and set aside.
2. While the milk and mint steeps, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with paper cups and set aside.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, lime juice, lime zest, and rum. Add the dry cake mix in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture in two batches, mixing only until just incorporated.
4. Fill prepared cups 3/4 to the top. Bake for 20-25, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for 5-10 minutes then remove from pan and allow to cool on cooling rack.
5. While the cupcakes are baking prepare the mint-rum brush, in a small saucepan combine the rum and mint, warm over medium heat until starting to steam, remove from the heat, cover, and let steep until ready to use.
6. Also while the cupcakes are baking prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and minced mint until creamy. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Continue beating until very light and fluffy. Add lime juice, rum, and salt. Add more powdered sugar to reach desired consistency.
7. Brush the tops of the cooled cupcakes with the mint-infused rum, Spread or pipe frosting onto the brushed cupcakes and garnish with a slice of lime and fresh mint.

Notes

*Avoiding alcohol? Replace white rum with 1 tsp rum extract (and omit the rum brush).

Source: Cupcakes adapted from my Mini Lime Cupcakes with Blueberry Frosting. Frosting adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.

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This edamame guacamole tastes very similar to guacamole with all the same seasonings and mix-ins, but without using avocados. Plus the added bonus that it’s healthier for you.

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I love avocados. When I was in Belize I thought I would be able to get some local avocados. However, not only were they out of season (we went at the end of rainy season) but they are not as easy to acquire as they are in the US even when they are in season.

On top of that I recently learned they are an unsustainable fruit.

Unfortunately these deliciously creamy avocados have an enormous carbon footprint, require 320 litres of water each to grow and are often unaffordable for people indigenous to the areas in which they are grown. Additionally, these communities are running into additional problems including deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and water shortages – which means that they don’t even have enough water for hygiene.

While there really isn’t a great substitute for fresh sliced avocados or their derivatives commonly used in gluten-free and vegan baking (avocado oil and avocado butter), some restaurants are starting to offer alternatives to an avocado-based guacamole. It’s not substitute, but if seasoned right it could be an acceptable alternative given the circumstances.

So I decided to try it out for myself. All I really did was add guacamole seasoning, cilantro, tomato, red onion, and jalapeno to my edamame dip recipe. Then I brought it to a potluck to test it on others. The general consensus (and nearly empty bowl) was that it tasted pretty damn good. Not quite the same flavor or texture but still enjoyed by all. There was even an avocado-based guacamole on the side to compare!

One year ago: Buckeye Macaron Cake

Three years ago: Purple Sweet Potato Pie

Four years ago: Daytrip to Athens, Ohio

Five years ago: Salted Caramel Apple Cider Bliss

Six years ago: Peanut Butter Turtle Cookie Cups

Seven years ago: Breakfast Nachos with Greek Yogurt Hollandaise Sauce

Eight years ago: Pumpkin Baklava Bars

Nine years ago: Baked Purple Sweet Potato Doughnuts with Marshmallow Glaze

Ten years ago: Gluten-Free Cake Batter Pancakes

EDAMAME GUACAMOLE (NO AVOCADO)

Print

Yield: 8 servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 2 Minutes 2 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen, shelled edamame
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped tomato
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded (optional)

Directions

1. In a small saucepan add the edamame. Cover with 2-inches of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Once cooled, place 3/4 of the edamame, garlic, cilantro, and yogurt in a food processor. Pulse 10 times or until coarsely ground. Add water, oil, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Add reserved edamame and pulse until just combined.
3. Transfer to a bowl, fold in the tomato, red onion, and jalapeno. Serve with chips, crackers or veggies.

Source: Adapted from Nutty Edamame Dip and Guacamole Seasoning.

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These coconut key lime mini cheesecakes have a gluten free graham crust and are topped with sweet kiwi berries. Perfect little bite-sized treats for spring!

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

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I love playing with new ingredients, especially produce, and these mini cheesecakes seemed like a great place to start! While I am pretty sure most people are familiar with key limes, a smaller and tarter lime, kiwi berries are less common. They are also a smaller and sweeter version of it’s cousin. The best part is they lack fuzz so you can literally pop them straight into your mouth.

Have you ever had a kiwi berry?

Due to their size and being ready to eat, I simply sliced them in half and topped these coconut key lime mini cheesecakes with them. Such a simple way to take an everyday cheesecake to the next level.

While I have been lucky enough t recently see kiwi berries stocked at my local grocery store, these mini bites of deliciousness were made with Melissa’s Produce key limes and kiwi berries, Narin’s gluten free oat grahams, and Dixie Crystals sugar.

Take a peek at the list of other great recipes made by other bloggers below. And don’t forget to check out all the awesome prizes up for grabs from our amazing sponsors! Enter using the widget at the bottom of this post.

Monday #SpringSweetsWeek Recipes

• Carrot Pineapple Mini Loaves by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Hot Cross Bundt Cake by Nik Snacks
• Instant Pot Lemon Lavender Cheesecake by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Key Lime Lavender Curd by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Kiwi Coconut Key Lime Mini Cheesecakes by The Spiffy Cookie
• Kumquat Pie by Eat Move Make
• Lavender Lemon Mini Loaves by Sweet Beginnings
• Lemon Lavender Macarons by Jen Around the World
• Lemon White Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes by Art of Natural Living
• Mandarin Orange and Rhubarb Mini Loaves by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Mandarin Orange Donuts with Ganache Glaze by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Mini Blueberry Bread by The Carefree Kitchen
• Mini Lemon Cakes with Lemon Glaze by Family Around the Table
• Mini Pound Cake by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake by Pook’s Pantry
• No Bake Lemon Cheesecake by Devour Dinner
• No-Churn Lemon Ice Cream by Kate’s Recipe Box
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake by House of Nash Eats
• Raspberry Cheesecake Bars by Books n’ Cooks
• Strawberry Oatmeal Cookies by Palatable Pastime
• Strawberry Rhubarb Breakfast Bread by For the Love of Food
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping by Blogghetti
• Vegan Chocolate Loaf Cake by Shockingly Delicious
• White Chocolate Latte Cupcakes by That Recipe

We share recipes from #SpringSweetsWeek on Pinterest! Make sure you follow the board to see all the delicious recipes shared this week.

Six years ago: Raspberry Pick-Up Pie

Eight years ago: Baked Chicken Bacon Ranch Taquitos with Avocado Ranch

Nine years ago: Funfetti-Peanut Butter Layer Pie

Four years ago: Apple Maple Turkey Burgers with Maple-Dijon Sauce

KIWI COCONUT KEY LIME MINI CHEESECAKES

Print

Yield: 12 Servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 35 MInutes 35 MInutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CRUST

• 2 oz. graham crackers
• 1 oz. shredded coconut
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

CHEESECAKE

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (2 oz.) coconut cream
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp key lime juice

TOPPING

• 6 kiwi berries, halved
• Key lime zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Add graham crackers and coconut to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Combine crust mixture and melted butter in a bowl until well combined.  Spoon into 12 mini cheesecake cups that have been sprayed with cooking spray.  Press into the bottom of each cup so the crust is flat (I used a tall shot glass).  Partially bake for 5 minutes, or until slightly golden, then remove from oven.
2. With an electric mixer beat the cream cheese, sugar, and coconut cream until smooth.  Beat in egg and lime juice until combined.
3. Pour the cheesecake mixture evenly into the 12 cups.  Bake for 25-28 minutes or until cheesecake is cooked through.  Let cool completely, remove cheesecakes from pan, and refrigerate until ready to serve*.
4. Serve topped with halved kiwi berries and fresh lime zest.

Notes

*Cheesecakes cane be made and refrigerated a day in advance.

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