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.

This slow cooked, Italian Braised Beef is a show stopper of a meal and yet most of the cooking time is inactive. Serve over Parmesan Polenta to impress your guests.

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As you may know, I loved a good themed meal. During COVID lockdown, I dreamed of all the themed dinner parties I would host once things went back to “normal”. Jokes on me, right?

Despite the madness, we have managed to host a few smaller outdoor gatherings when the weather cooperated (or not as we heavily used our gas-powered space heater for porch visits during winter), one of which actually had two renditions.

I can’t recall where I got it in my head, but hosting a full nine course Italian dinner party was at the top of my list (because the Seven Hobbit Meals weren’t enough). But when the primary people I had hoped to invite had conflicting schedules, I decided to do it twice. Yes, I know I’m nuts.

I’m not going to get into the entire menu just yet (I’ll post the full menu in its own post), but the first time I hosted the Italian dinner party I made beef braciole as the meat course. As a testament to it’s deliciousness, I lacked the patience to ensure I captured good photos. Instead, I am sharing the Italian braised beef from the second menu.

I honestly cannot say which I liked better. Both were different enough to be uniquely delicious. Also both catered to their accompanying other courses. But either would be delicious served with Italian roasted potato bites and/or roasted broccoli if you’re not in the mood to cook 9 courses. But I digress.

What you need to know about this Italian Braised Beef recipe, is that once your brown up the outside of the beef chunks, saute the veggies, and cook down the wine, you combine it all back in the Dutch oven to simmer in the oven, for 3-4 hours. Towards the end of the cooking time, whip up the polenta are serve the beef on top. It’s hearty, flavorful, and absolute comfort food.

We may have required an extended break between courses after this one – ha.

ITALIAN BRAISED BEEF WITH PARMESAN POLENTA

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Yield: 6-8 servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 5 Hours 5 Hours

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

BRAISED BEEF

• 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour*, divided
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 3 Tbsp Italian parsley chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 cup beef broth, plus extra if needed
• 1 cup tomato sauce

POLENTA

• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup dry polenta
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a gallon zip-top bag, place the beef cubes, 1 tablespoon of flour, salt, and pepper. Seal the bag and shake to coat. Shake off excess flour and set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch Oven (or other pot with an oven-proof lid) over a high heat. When the oil is hot, add the floured beef and cook until evenly browned on all sides, turning as needed (may need to batches depending on pot size). Remove the beef to a plate.
4. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley, rosemary, and season with additional salt and of pepper to taste. Cook 8-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove to another plate.
5. Add more oil if needed to total 2 tablespoons in the bottom of the pan. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for about 6-7 minutes for a medium roux. Add the wine and scrape up any bits that cling to the bottom of the pan; cook until the alcohol evaporates, and the wine reduces, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the beef broth, tomato sauce and bay leaf and bring to a gentle simmer. Return the beef and vegetable back to the pot, place the lid on top, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3-4 hours or until so tender that you can slice your beef with a spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. About 45 minutes until the beef is done, prepare the polenta. Pour broth, water, and salt in a large sauce pan and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then slowly pour in polenta, whisking constantly until there are no lumps. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 5 minutes. Polenta is done when texture is creamy and individual grains are tender. Turn off and remove from heat.
8. Stir in butter until partially melted. Add 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and stir until cheese has melted. Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken. Season with salt to taste before transferring to a serving bowl or platter, top with beef, and more parmesan and parsley for garnish. Serve immediately.

Notes

*You could also use cornstarch for gluten free.

Source: Adapted from Healthy World Cuisine, Food Schmooze, and AllRecipes.

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This Pinot Grigio-based cocktail has dark cherry and pomegranate notes for easy couch drinking.

Here’s the latest #HalesTails cocktail to whet your whistle from my mixologist friend, Haley! – Erin

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Me again! This time I’m sharing a wine cocktail that I concocted for a friend get-together. What’s really nice about a lot of wine-based cocktails is that they can be pretty versatile.

I’m definitely that person that shops for wine by the label and description. So, while I’m certainly no sommelier, I knew I needed something crisp that could hold up against the sweet fruity components I was going to add. For this drink I tried a couple of Pinot Grigios and a Rosé. While they were all worked just fine, I settled on the 2018 Chalkboard Pinot Grigio. It has the classic apple and citrus notes of a Pinot Grigio but what I really loved was the flavor of lychee that came out with this cocktail!!

Made in 1818, Heering is the original cherry brandy liqueur originating from Copenhagen. It’s a beautiful deep red color, thick, and full of flavor. It lacks the medicinal taste that a lot of cherry liqueurs carry and instead is reminiscent of jam with a slight dark cherry tartness and hints of wood and almond. If you want to know what else you can do with Cherry Heering, the Singapore Sling and Blood and Sand are two classic cocktails and it’s often used in a number of food and dessert recipes. If you have a jar of pitted dark cherries, you can use the juice from this instead to get a similar taste.

The ginger simple syrup is just a heated 1:1 of granulated sugar and water steeped with slices of ginger root. It will keep in a closed container in the refrigerator for a few weeks but might start to lose the ginger flavor so just check on it!

I’m sensitive to bitter but with cocktails I’ve learned that by including bitters or an amaro, I achieve a more well-balanced flavor. Aperol is a really approachable with an orange and rhubarb flavor and that bitterness that a grapefruit provides. It helps cut the sweetness from the pomegranate and cherry but also plays really nicely with the basil.

I layered the ingredients for the photo and stirred it up and drank afterwards but I think it is better if you can shake the ingredients. And there were so many garnish options! I went with a ginger root wheel and basil leaves but a cherry, candied ginger, or pomegranate seeds are all great too.

Four years ago: Coconut Pistachio Larabars

Five years ago: Strawberry M&M® Cheesecake Truffles

Six years ago: Black Bean & Chorizo Soup

Seven years ago: Three Cheese Chicken and Artichoke Bake

Nine years ago: Almond Cherry Chip Blondies

Ten years ago: Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins

BLOOS AND BONE COCKTAIL

Print

Yield: 1 serving Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 4 oz. Pinot Grigio
• 3/4 oz. Cherry Heering
• 1/2 oz. pomegranate juice
• 1/2 oz. ginger simple syrup
• 1/6.oz. (or a barspoon) Aperol
• 3-4 basil leaves (smack ‘em!)

Directions

1. Combine all in shaker and fill 3/4 with ice. Shake for ~30sec.
2. Strain into a wine glass.
3. Garnish with a ginger wheel and/or basil if you’re feeling fancy.

There’s nothing fake about this sauce, unless you are fooled into thinking there is meat in it. Pair it with your favorite pasta!

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I couldn’t make homemade cecamariti and serve it with any old jarred sauce, now could I? I went ahead and tried to reproduce the entire dish from the first time I ever had this type of pasta and made my own sugo finto, aka fake sauce.

It’s called fake because it’s just like meat sauce (sugo di carne) but without the meat. Sugo finto relies on a vegetable soffritto to stand in for ground beef. An economical option when you cannot afford (or don’t eat) meat, and it’s quite easy to make.

The most important part of this recipe is to make sure you cut the vegetables really small. While traditionally this is done by hand, you can make things easier by pulsing them in a food processor.

I actually made this twice already and prepared it both by hand and in a food processor. Sure I felt some pride chopping them up real fine by hand, but I own a food processor for a reason.

When I had this dish at a restaurant in town it was also topped with crispy capers. I’m not normally a huge capers fan but these salty crispy bits were delightful. If there are any leftover they would be great on top of salad too.

Oh and don’t forget a healthy dose of freshly shredded Parmesan on top.

Two years ago: Lemon Lavender Madeleines

Three years ago: Poppin’ Pepsi Perfect Cocktail

Four years ago: Black Bean & Chorizo Soup with Sweety Drops

Five years ago: Corn on the Hog Pizza

Six years ago: Single Serving White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Rice Krispies Treat

Eight years ago: Pretzel Crusted Peanut Butter Blondies with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Nine years ago: Spicy Mac and Cheese

SUGO FINTO WITH CRISPY CAPERS

Print

Yield: 2 servings

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CAPERS

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup small capers, drained and patted dry

SAUCE

• 1 large red onion
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 sprigs each of fresh parsley, sage, and rosemary, stems removed
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
• Salt, to taste
• Water

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, add olive oil over high heat. Add capers and fry for 3 minutes, or until crispy and golden. Remove from heat and strain capers with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel-lined plate. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the oil in the pan.
2. Finely chop the onion, carrot, celery and herbs together into a rough paste (or use a food processor). Place pan over medium-low heat and add the paste. Sauté gently until tender, making sure you do not brown the onions by occasionally adding a pinch of salt and a few drops of water.
3. Add wine and let it cook off. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until thickened. Remove from heat and serve with preferred pasta (I used cecamariti) topped with crispy capers.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see!

Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

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.

What’s better than a glass of rosé? Baking into a cupcake topped with fresh raspberry frosting and sprinkles.

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One good thing to come out of all this social isolation? Lots of Skype dates with friends! One friend even rounded up a bunch of local comedians and hosted a virtual live stand up show.

Both Bob and I have had happy hour skype sessions with friends, drinking our beverage of choice. That way anyone needing a drink during this mayhem doesn’t have to drink alone.

I decided to eat my wine instead of drinking it in order to make these rosé cupcakes topped with fresh raspberry frosting. Topped with plenty of sprinkles to help brighten your day.

To create these cupcakes, I had help from Adams Extract twice as strong vanilla extract, natural food coloring, and Fresh April Sprinkles The Final Rosé Swanky Sprinkle Blend. Be sure to scroll down below the recipe to enter the giveaway made possible by these sponsors and more!

Friday #SpringSweetsWeek Recipes

• Blueberry French Toast Casserole by Fresh April Flours
• Buttermilk Birthday Cake with Creamy Chocolate Frosting by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Caramel Pecan Cannoli by Palatable Pastime
• Carrot Cake Muffins by Books n’ Cooks
• Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread by Shockingly Delicious
• Dark Chocolate Raspberry Almond Truffles by Family Around the Table
• Disney Spring Treat Lemon Cheesecake by Simply Inspired Meals
• French Silk Tartlets by That Recipe
• Gluten Free Blackberry Mocha Brownies by Frugal & Fit
• Hummingbird Pancakes with Homemade Pineapple Syrup and Candied Pecans by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Lemon Blueberry Fritters by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Lemon Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze by Blogghetti
• Lemon Cheesecake Ice Cream with Strawberries by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Lemon Poppy Seed Poke Cake by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Lemon Poppyseed Bars by Cookaholic Wife
• PEEPS Crispy Treats by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Raspberry Moscow Mule Cupcakes by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
• Raspberry Rosé Cupcakes by The Spiffy Cookie
• Spring Cut Out Cookies by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Strawberry Banana Bread with Cinnamon Chips by Sweet Beginnings
• Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes by Jen Around the World
• Strawberry Rhubarb Bread by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Strawberry Shortbread Bars by A Savory Feast
• Vegan Lemon Berry Sweet Rolls by The Baking Fairy

Three years ago: Root Beer Glazed Ham

Four years ago: Weekly Meal Plan: March 28-April 3

Five years ago: Blood Orange Curd

Six years ago: Pig Cupcakes

Seven years ago: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Half & Half Cookies

RASPBERRY ROSÉ CUPCAKES

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Yield: 2 dozen Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CUPCAKES

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1-1/3 cup rosé wine
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• A couple drop Adams Extract red food coloring, if desired

FROSTING

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp Adams Extract twice as strong vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 oz. fresh or frozen raspberries, pureed, plus extra for garnish
• 3–4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• Fresh April Sprinkles The Final Rosé Swanky Sprinkle Blend (white, pink, gold), for decoration

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, yogurt, wine and eggs for about 3 minutes until nice and smooth. Spoon batter into 24 cupcake liners and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
3. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
4. To make the frosting, cream butter, vanilla, and salt in a mixer bowl. Add 1 powdered sugar and blend well. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Blend the raspberry sauce into the frosting. Add the remaining powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.
5. When the frosting is not runny, but still a bit thick, continue whipping for another 5–10 minutes so the frosting becomes light and fluffy. Refrigerate for an hour then pipe frosting on cool cupcakes. Garnish with fresh raspberries and sprinkles if desired.

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Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

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This recipe is intended for individuals ages 21 & up. Please drink responsibly.

Thank you #SpringSweetsWeek Sponsors: Dixie Crystals, Millican Pecan, Door County Coffee & Tea Co., Anolon, Fresh April Sprinkles, Deiss Kitchenware, and Adams Extracts 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.Seven (7) 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.

I know it’s not even November yet but if you are hosting for the holidays, it’s time to start thinking about what you are going to make. For Thanksgiving, I thoroughly enjoy coming up with themed menus (as if I don’t like themed menus any other time of year). Last year we smoked our turkey and made a Southern inspired meal to compliment it and to satisfy my cravings of missing Southern food. But since no one would have needed those recipes after Thanksgiving last year I am finally sharing them starting with this sangria.

Sweet tea is a staple in the South (not to be confused with iced tea) so I used a cranberry sweet tea made by Simple Times Mixers to make this festive sangria. Don’t live in Columbus? Never fear, you can order their mixers from anywhere in the US. And no this is not a sponsored post, I just love their mixers and love using it to make easy cocktails or fun sangrias like this (however I do earn a tiny commission when you use my code SPIFFY10 to receive 10% off). But you could also substitute with a little cranberry juice and regular sweet tea.

Two years ago: Peanut Butter Mississippi Mud Brownies

Four years ago: Pumpkin Corn Spoon Bread

Five years ago: Slow Cooker Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili

Six years ago: Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

Eight years ago: Stuffed Flank Steak with Potato Cakes and Amaretto Chocolate Cheesecake

CRANBERRY SWEET TEA SANGRIA

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 navel orange, sliced and seeds removed

1 lemon, sliced and seeds removed

1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained

1 (750 ml) bottle of sweet white wine

1/2 cup triple sec

1/2 cup bourbon

1 cup Simple Times cranberry sweet tea (or 1/4 cup cranberry juice + 3/4 cup sweet tea)

2 Tbsp preferred sweetener (I used Winter Park ginger honey)

Fresh mint or rosemary, for garnish

Directions:

1. Place fruit in a large glass pitcher. Add remaining ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cover and store in the refrigerator for at least a couple hours, best overnight.
2. Serve over ice, with a splash of lemon-lime soda or other sparkling beverage if desired. Garnish with more fruit.

Source: Adapted from my Pomegranate Sangria.

Leftover wine? I don’t know what that is but in case you do these are the perfect way use up the bottom of the bottle (or maybe just an excuse to open one). Complete with a frosting made with a wine reduction!

Happy Valentine’s Day! I actually made these brownies for a Galentine’s Day party last night. Actually if we are going to be honest I’ve made these brownies at least 4 times now. Not because they are amazing (even though they are despite how that sounded) and not because I was tweaking it, but because I’ve been trying to post this silly recipe on my blog for the past 9 months. Why has it taken me that long? Like I said, i wasn’t tinkering with the recipe, there were no kinks to work out, the kinks existed in my everyday life because every time I made them, the timing was terrible and today’s version is no exception.

The first two times did not come with frosting – that was a thought bubble that came later. The first was for an event with the Columbus Food Bloggers at Inked & Screened and I quite literally pulled them out of the oven moments before I needed to leave for said event. Super delicious but not photogenic in their hot gooey state. The second was for my shower, but no they were not actually served at my shower, more so I brought them to my shower to give to one of my bridesmaids who originally gave me the idea to make them in the first place I don’t remember why I failed to take pictures of them but I bet I made them right before we left to drive to Rochester for the weekend for said shower. The frosting finally came around when I made them the third time for an undergraduate student in the lab who was turning 21 that has celiac. But yet again I did not get photos because I baked them late the night before and frosted them in the wee hours of the morning before leaving for work (at 6:15am mind you).

So here we are, the fourth time I’ve made these brownies and yet I have to admit I still made them in haste. They came out of the oven at the very time I should have been leaving for a Galentine’s Day party, but I was determined, so I stuck them in the fridge in an attempt to cool them faster while I made the frosting. Of course the brownies were still warm but at this point the sun was setting and I was already going to be 30 minutes late so I slathered on the frosting, cut them up, and shot a few photos before racing out the door to stuff my face with all the deliciousness made by my friends Hannah and Joel of The Beard and the Baker. Are they the pictures I had hoped for? No. Are they worth making a fifth time in attempts to get the photos I want? Yes, but dang it it’s Valentine’s Day and I want to share these with the world! I also wanted to be real, that this is my reality, friends. Sometimes you have to embrace that gooey, still-hot-from-the-oven brownie with the frosting melting off the top. Not all delicious food is pretty and the same goes for the opposite (heck the same could be said about people).

One year ago: Purple Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Five years ago: Valentine’s Day Recipes for Two Roundup

Six years ago: Sun-Dried Tomato Ravioli with Basil Cream Sauce & Jumbo Reese’s Heart Stuffed Cookie

Seven years ago: Raspberry Hugs Cheesecake Blossoms

Eight years ago: Sweet Swirl Cookies

GLUTEN-FREE FROSTED RED WINE BROWNIES

Makes 16 bars

Ingredients:

BROWNIES

1/3 cup cornstarch, spooned and leveled

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

1/4 cup red wine

FROSTING

1/3 cup red wine

1 Tbsp sugar

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 to 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together cornstarch, cocoa, and salt.
3. In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter and chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs, one at a time, until combined.
4. Add cornstarch mixture and whisk vigorously until mixture is smooth and begins to pull away from side of bowl, about 2 minutes. Add wine and whisk for an additional 30 seconds, or until just incorporated.
5. Spread batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
6. Bake 30-35 minutes, turning halfway, or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool 1.5 hours.
7. Using parchment overhang, lift brownies from pan. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
8. While the brownies cool, make the frosting. Place red wine and tablespoon of sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook while stirring occasionally until is it reduced to about 3 tablespoons.
9. In a medium bowl, beat the butter until fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time until it forms a fluffy frosting. Add wine reduction, 1/2 Tbsp regular wine, and continue beating. Add more powdered sugar if needed to reach desired consistency. Spread over cooled brownies.

Source: Adapted from my Gluten-Free Pop Rocks Brownies (aka Doc Brownies) and the frosting from Sensual Appeal.

Change up your everyday meatballs and add some Greek into the mix. This easy Greek tomato sauce is cooked with turkey meatballs for a great meal.

Did you know that January is National Slow Cooking Month? Certainly makes sense as the temperatures continue to drop and we end up craving more comforting foods to compensate, which often can be prepared in a slow cooker. As such, I paired up with Farm Rich this month to create a fun recipe perfect for winter and slow cooking using their frozen Meatballs.

While I love making things from scratch, sometimes I don’t have time to do so every single day so it’s nice to have some frozen options. All of the Farm Rich products are made with wholesome ingredients, quick-frozen and carefully packaged so you can prepare great tasting food even with the busiest schedule. Their Meatballs are gluten free, and come in three varieties: Italian Style, Turkey, and Original.

I used the Turkey variety to make slow cooker Greek meatballs which are similar to Italian meatballs but with Greek spices and served over rice. First you make a Greek-spiced tomato sauce, place the Meatballs in a slow cooker, cover with the sauce, and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Viola dinner is served!

Can’t get enough meatballs? Try using these meatballs to make Spanish Meatballs.

The Farm Rich Meatball Truck Tour will be coming to greater Columbus, OH Walmart Supercenter locations (and other cities in Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio). At each stop, there will be free samples of Meatballs and recipes ideas to help you and your busy schedule during the New Year. The dates the tour will be in greater Columbus are January 4-8, 11-15, and 18-19 in 2017. Specific times and store locations can be found at: https://farmrich.com/meatball-tour.

One year ago: Spiralized Zucchini Pesto Caprese Salad

Four years ago: Baby Chicken Fingers with Apple

Five years ago: Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Six years ago: Homemade Vanilla Extract

SLOW COOKER GREEK MEATBALLS

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 (16 oz.) cans finely chopped tomatoes, with juice

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp oregano

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 (28 oz.) bag frozen Farm Rich Turkey Meatballs

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk vigorously until flour browns very lightly.  Add the tomatoes, wine, parsley, garlic, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, sugar, oregano, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until sauce thickens, about 30-40 minutes.  Add a bit of water during cooking if needed to keep the sauce from reducing too much. When done cooking, remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender).
2. Place Meatballs in a greased slow cooker. Pour sauce over the top, cover, and cook on high for 3-4 hours.
3. When ready, serve Meatballs over rice pilaf, orzo, or mashed potatoes.

Source: Adapted from Marilena’s Kitchen.

Everyone needs a good roast once in awhile. Beef pot roast I mean. This version was inspired by the dwarf Balin from the Hobbit and would be perfect for Christmas dinner or an everyday meal.

Wanna know how I know it’s the holidays? It’s not the dread of going to any shopping center, the tree up and decorated, or my pants fitting tighter. No, it’s the box of tissues I have been burning through.

Granted, the 5 hours in the cold on Saturday, screaming my lungs out while I watched my buckeyes go into double overtime to beat that team up north, probably didn’t help my condition. Worth every nerve wracking second.

But now I’m in need of some hot tea and a slow cooked meal. This spiced beef roast would be perfect right about now. I actually made it back in February for our Lord of the Rings movie marathon (Balin is one of the dwarves). It was devoured in true hobbit form so unfortunately there were no leftover to make roast beef sliders, but I guess that just means I have to make it again – oh no!

Another great slow cooked beef is my Italian Braised Beef.

One year ago: Peanut Butter Sheet Cake with Chocolate Icing

Two years ago: Sweet Potato Casserole Pancakes with Cranberry Sauce Syrup

Four years ago: White Cheddar and Arugula Pesto Mac & Cheese

Five years ago: Bean and Cheese Taquitos

BALIN’S SPICED BEEF ROAST

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

MARINADE

2-3 lb. beef rump or blade roast

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup apple juice or cider

1 bay leaf

1-1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp ground cloves

ROASTING

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup beef broth

2 carrots, chopped

1 white onion, chopped

1 russet potato, peels and chopped

1 bay leaf

1 bunch thyme

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh minced ginger

Salt and pepper to taste

Water as needed to cover

Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a large zip-top bag, add the beef and all of the marinade ingredients. Squeeze out excess air and seal closed. Place in a large bowl and refrigerate 12-24 hours in the fridge.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
3. In a large, heavy, oven-safe pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Remove meat from marinade and add to pan. Brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Add wine and broth and scrape up any bits that stuck to the pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and enough water just to cover everything.
4. Bake covered in oven for about 3 hours, or until internal temperature reads 160F.
5. Serve garnished with parsley.

Source: Adapted from Middle-Earth Recipes.


This recipe should sound familiar, because I made a baked penne with this same slow cooker bolognese and it was amazing! Since the recipe for the bolognese made a large amount, I had plenty of bolognese leftover for another meal. In truth I made today’s recipe first and then made the baked penne later but I digress.

My inspiration for this dish came from a meal I had at a restaurant in town – Cooper’s Hawk. It was my first experience with bucatini and I think I had only had burrata once but I’m totally obsessed with burrata now. How can you beat a ball of cheese oozing on top of your pasta? If it’s wrong, I don’t want to be right.

One year ago: Chocolate Peanut Butter Gingerbread Tart

Two years ago: Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls with Speculoos Icing

Three years ago: DOVE® Christmas Chocolate Drops

Four years ago: Penne with Trapanese Pesto

Five years ago: Butter Pecan with Brandy Ice Cream

BUCATINI WITH SLOW COOKER BOLOGNESE AND MEATBALLS

Serves 8-12, with sauce leftover

Ingredients:

MEATBALLS

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. Italian sausage

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Salt and pepper, to taste

SAUCE

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

2 stalks celery, finely diced

2 medium carrots, finely diced

4 Tbsp minced garlic

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

1 lb. ground beef, crumbled

1 lb. Italian sausage, casing removed and crumbled

4 oz. thinly sliced pancetta, finely diced

1/2 cup dry red wine

2 (28 oz.) cans peeled whole tomatoes

1-14 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

2 Parmesan rinds

2 bay leaves

1/4 cup parsley, roughly chopped (plus more for serving)

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 cup heavy cream

PASTA

2 lb. bucatini pasta, cooked according to package

16 oz. burrata

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, stir together all the meatball ingredients. Gently roll into 24 small meatballs (if you squeeze them too much they will be tough). Place on a plate/tray and set aside.
2. In a large skillet medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add meatballs and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate, and set aside.
3. In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté until soft and onions are transluscent, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and let cook for 30 seconds. Add beef, sausage, and pancetta and sauté until browned, about 15 minutes. Add wine and scrape up the browned bits.
4. Add the meat mixture to the slow cooker along with the peeled tomatoes, diced tomatoes, parmesan rinds, bay leaves, parsley, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Add browned meatballs and submerge. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
5. Remove the bay leaves, add half and half and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve sauce over bucatini pasta, and top with burrata, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.

Source: Inspired by a dish I had at Cooper’s Hawk. Adapted from Grandma’s meatballs, Bon Appetit, and Little Spice Jar.