Archive for the ‘Sweet Treats’ Category
Cocoa Crusted Chocolate Chip Bacon – Man Candy III
May 19th, 2013 | 
Author: Well as those 2 recipes went global I got requests for a dessert-y bacon. Now everyone and their mother makes chocolate dipped bacon (with peanut butter/caramel/nuts/etc) but I wanted something different. Why? I like to be different and push the envelope. Hmmm… wonder exactly what that means. I mean where is this proverbial ‘envelope’ they speak of anyway? *shrugs* this is how my mind works… scary, I know!
I’m not really sure how this came about as literally I was in the kitchen putzing around (yes, that’s a technical kitchen term for standing there staring into space pretending to be working but not really getting anything done) and I was moving the container of cocoa powder. For some reason I went to put it in the fridge (which again, I don’t normally do but like I said I was putzing around and not really paying attention) when I saw the package of bacon there. Inspiration hit me! Cocoa and Bacon! However have you ever dipped your finger in cocoa powder, expected it to taste just like chocolate only to realize that it soooooooooooo doesn’t taste like powdered chocolate but something butt nasty?! Yeah… so cruel! I knew I had to add sweetness to it. From that point on I was a machine. I love it when stuff just falls into place.
Yeah, I’m thinking it fell into place quite nicely! Now I’m not going to fool you. This isn’t pretty and it looks burnt BUT it’s not. That ‘burnt’/char look is PURE CHOCOLATE people! I mean seriously.. this stuff is crusted with cocoa and chocolate and so much love I can’t stand it!
This took that envelope and not only pushed it but it done sealed it shut, put a stamp on it and mailed it to Timbuktu!
THAT’S how incredible this Man Candy III is!
Go on, stare it some more. Trust me it was pure torture waiting for these to cool down as the smell of warm chocolate was incredible!
| Cocoa Crusted Chocolate Chip Bacon – Man Candy III |
|
- 1 lb thick cut bacon
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used double dark chocolate)
- 1/2 tsp espresso powder
- 1 tsp chocolate extract (or water will work but the extract makes it)
- 1-2 tsp water
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Combine brown sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder and extract in a bowl. You want not quite to a paste consistency (very slightly moist). If it’s too dry add a teensy bit of water.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Place a wire cooling rack on top.
- Spray the rack with cooking spray.
- Place the pieces of bacon on top of the rack trying not to overlap.
- Lay the cocoa mixture on a plate and press each strip of bacon down into it coating the bottom.
- Flip over and coat the other side. You want a pretty good coating on this (no exposed bacon).
- Place in oven and cook for 13 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and flip the bacon.
- If you want, add some more of the cocoa mixture on top of each strip.
- Return to the oven and cook for 13 minutes.
- If you want crispier bacon you can broil for 1 minute each side but watch as this will burn but keep in mind that this bacon will crisp/firm up while it’s cooling so broil at your discretion.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool 1 minute on the rack and then using cooking tongs, remove the bacon from the rack and plate.
- Carefully adorn each strip with mini chips (side facing up).
- While it looks charred and deep dark crusty (okay, not pretty) it’s unbelievably delicious.
To help simplify clean up, as these are cooling, fill your sink up with hot soapy water. Remove the bacon from the racks and immediately put your cooling racks in the water. Let soak for 5-10 minutes and clean up is a breeze! *Note – make sure your cooling racks can be submerged in water first!
Protein Packed Lemony Coconut Blueberry Cookies
So last night I had a sweet tooth pretty bad but it was one of those where I didn’t want chocolate or something like that but rather I wanted something light and ‘summery’. Now this could have been from the fact that the past 2 nights/mornings it’s been below 30F! Yes.. it’s May and I’m STILL scraping frost off of my vehicle!
Side message… “Dear Mother Nature, whatever people did, forgive them here in Pittsburgh because I’M TIRED of freezing my booty off at night and in the mornings! Have one of my cookies, k? They make everything all better!
K, thanks! Bye!
Love,
TKW!
Okay so now that I got that off my chest, my sweet tooth. So I was standing in my kitchen and literally just staring at some of the most gorgeous blueberries ever. We’re talking huge, fat, purple and super juicy. Now sure I could have eaten a handful of them but I wanted a cookie. Since I wanted ‘summery’, nothing speaks that more than the combination of lemon and blueberry. It’s bright and light. So I got to putting some ingredients together and tasted the batter (shush… I love cookie dough batter). It was super yummy but I wanted another level of flavor. I wanted to elevate it. Since I already had coconut oil it I decided to add some raw coconut flakes and coconut extract. People, people, people! I literally could have eaten that entire bowl of batter with a spoon. It was so good that I was super geeked out because if the batter tasted that good then I knew the baked cookie was going to be off da hook! LOL
When these came out of the oven…
I was in complete and utter love! ♥♥♥♥♥
They were soft but firm, the blueberries were just about to burst and the smell of lemon was so pungent that all you wanted to do was sniff in the aroma… well okay, after you stuffed 2 in your mouth!
I was so excited that I almost shared these early on Facebook but I waited. Trust me, it was TORTURE to with hold these!
I took a batch of these to work (gotta love co-workers who love samples). Now my friends are brutally honest and will tell me what they think. I had more people coming to my desk asking for another.. and another… and another! One offered to have my babies in exchange for more cookies! So yeah, these are a HUGE hit!
What I love most about these is that they are SUPER HEALTHY but they don’t taste it! You really want to feel guilty about eating cookies but with these, you don’t have to! They are packed with protein and yummy good stuff!
You’re gonna fall in love with these gorgeous summery cookies! These are PERFECT even for bridal showers, wedding showers, cookie tables and graduation parties!
| Protein Packed Lemony Coconut Blueberry Cookies |
- 1 cup coconut oil, softened (but not melted)
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar or 5/8 cup Splenda Sugar Blend
- 2 eggs or 6 Tbl egg whites
- 1/2 tsp coconut extract
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup Syntrax Micellar Creme Vanilla Milkshake Protein Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 cups rolled oats, not steel or instant
- 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
- 2 cups dried blueberries
- 2 Tbl lemon zest
- 1 Tbl lemon juice
- 3 Tbl milk
- Coarse sanding sugar
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened coconut oil and sugar until creamy/fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, lemon juice, milk and coconut extract. Mix well to incorporate scraping sides down.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, Syntrax Micellar Cream Vanilla Milkshake Protein Powder, baking soda and salt.
- Turning your mixer speed to the lowest setting, slowly add in the flour mixture.
- Mix just to combine and turn off the mixer.
- Scrape down the sides and the paddle attachment.
- Add in the oats, coconut flakes, dried blueberries and lemon zest until everything is well combined.
- The mixture should be tacky to the touch and feel moist but not wet. It should hold it’s shape.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape off the paddle.
- VERY gently fold in the fresh blueberries. Be sure not to break them otherwise you’ll end up with purple cookies. If you find it’s too difficult, scoop out your dough and gently press some blueberries into the dough trying to cover them slightly.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (about 2 Tbl), place the dough 2” apart. You should be able to get 12 on a standard sized pan.
- Slightly press down just to remove that ‘cookie hump’.
- If desired sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly golden brown and the tops, when pushed, have a slight give. Do NOT overbake these.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for no more than 1 minute on the pan.
- Using a spatula, carefully remove them from the tray onto a cooling rack. They will seem soft at first but they will firm up.
- Store in an airtight container.
If desired you could drizzle some melted white chocolate on top for garnish.
Awesomest Double Chocolate Chunk Crusty No Knead Bread
Ever since I posted my recipe for the Most Awesomest Crusty No Knead Bread EVER! the bread baking revolution has soared. Folks that were afraid to make bread from scratch were now becoming master bread bakers in their kitchens. Those that tried numerous times making other breads and ended up with nothing but bricks failed; giving up hope.
Until this… this GLORIOUS gorgeous bread.
When I tell you this is the EASIEST bread you will ever make, believe me! No kneading, no mixers, no fuss and nothing complicated.
Now while I make that bread about once a week with various flavor adaptations I always try and push the limits; see how far I can take it. Well the one day I was in a I NEED chocolate mood! But I also wanted bread. I really do limit my bread/carb intake even though it’s just cruel and pretty much a punishment but for me bread tends to pack on weight which is so not what I want. So as I stood in the kitchen one night staring at the jar of chocolate sitting right next to the loaf of tomato basil bread I contemplated making a chocolate sandwich. I instantly regressed back to sitting in 7th grade Social Studies watching a film and them discussing how French people eat chunks of chocolate between 2 slices of baguette bread for lunch. Yes, I did consider this but the though just seemed ‘dry’.
However…
and there’s always a however with me. What if I made chocolate infused bread?!?! A wicked little grin formed on my face (kind of Grinch-like) and I figured I’d throw caution to the wind and make a chocolate version of my crusty no knead bread. I put it all together and covered it. About 18 hours later this thing looked so gorgeous. All black and puffy. I could not WAIT to put this baby in the oven. Since I was leery on the chocolate melting and sticking to the pan I dusted some parchment with cocoa and placed it on that. When this came out of the oven the chocolate chunks that were expose were charred (in a good way) and the smell of warm cocoa and chocolate was intoxicating!
Sadly I didn’t get to eat it that day as Mr. Fantabulous wanted Date Night (which means Home Depot) then dinner then here and there. By the time we got home it was super late and while I could have nommed on that bread then, I waited until the next day. The next day we worked in the yard however I kept thinking about this bread. I wasn’t sure how to eat it. I mean – do I butter it? Peanut butter? Nutella? So I did what I always do when I need suggestions.. I took it to the TKW Facebook Family! There were awesome suggestions but one member, David gave the most perfect suggestion EVER. A deconstructed S’more! I mean how awesome is that?! My dear TKW friend, you are brilliant!
So I cut a piece, well okay 2 pieces – 1 to try plain (which ROCKED… OMG!) and the other for the deconstructed S’more! When I took my first bite of this I swear I saw angels! This was totally mind blowing! The next day I made this as a ‘grilled cheese’ but with raspberry jam, brie and nutella. DELISH!
You have to try this! Seriously, you HAVE TO TRY THIS!
| Awesomest Double Chocolate Chunk Crusty No Knead Bread |
|
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1/2 tsp instant yeast
- 2 Tbl double dark chocolate cocoa plus additional for dusting
- 2 Tbl sugar
- 3/4 tsp table salt
- 1 1/2-3/4 cups water (room temp)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Lidded cast iron dutch oven or clay dutch oven/pot – see note if you do not have one of these!
- In a large bowl add in the flour, yeast, cocoa, sugar and salt. You need to make sure the bowl is at least 2 times the size as this will easily double in volume.
- Whisk to combine.
- Add in the water and chocolate.
- Mix with a wooden spoon – do NOT use a stand mixer.
- Mix it until it’s combined and forms a ‘shaggy’ dough. Just make sure that all the flour is incorporated. It will not be a smooth dough – that’s how it’s supposed to be.
- Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place overnight for at least 12 hours but no more than 24.
- When you’re ready to bake, put the rack in the middle and preheat to 450F.
- When the oven reaches temp, put your dutch oven pot (cast iron or heavy ceramic {check to see that your ceramic can handle 450F temp first!}) in the oven WITH THE LID on.
- Let it heat up for 30 minutes.
- While that’s heating up, use a dough scraper and scrape your dough onto a heavily floured surface (or you can flour parchment paper and put it on there). *See note
- Shape into a ball, tucking the sides under. It will be sticky but that’s good.
- Cover lightly with plastic until the 30 minutes is up.
- Remove the pot from the oven and plop the ball down in. Or if you transferred it to a cocoa dusted parchment paper, you can place the whole thing inside (try to remove the excess cocoa if you have a bunch on it).
- Sprinkle the top with cocoa lightly.
- Replace the lid and bake for 30 minutes. No peaking!
- Remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and using tongs remove the bread and cool on cooling rack.
If you’re not comfortable with shaping the dough, when you remove the pot from the oven after 30 minutes you can carefully just pour the dough into the pot. It won’t be a perfectly round bread loaf but that’s okay – it’s just rustic. If you do pour it in, just jostle the pan around to kind of even out the dough before putting the lid on. But practice with shaping the dough. You can’t screw it up.
Don’t have a dutch oven or clay pot? Never fear! Grab your cast iron pan instead!
1. Take a 12″ round cast iron pan (with preferably a 2-3″ side wall) and place that into your 450F degree oven (just like the directions on the site). This pan will go on the middle rack.
2. WHILE you are heating that up, place a metal pan on the lowest shelf/rung in the oven at the same time. I just use an old cake pan that has seen better days.
3. When you remove the VERY HOT skillet from the oven and put your dough in it (have the dough resting on parchment paper so the bottom doesn’t get that ‘black’ color from the pan).
4. AND as soon as you put it in the oven put about 3 cups of ice cubes in the hot baking pan. DO THIS FAST as you want to trap the steam in the oven!
5. This will create steam (just like a dutch oven).
6. After 30-35 minutes check the bread. It should be done but if it’s not cook for 10-15 min more. If at 30 minutes it’s getting dark but not done (will sound hollow when tapped), just tent some foil over top for about 10 minutes.
7. Cool as normal.
Protein Packed Apple Crisp
Partnering with SI03 and their AMAZING Syntrax Protein Powders has been a true blessing. I’ve preached to the choir about the superior quality of their powders, the health benefits and how incredible they taste. You NEED to order this stuff! If you’re interested in getting some (which I HIGHLY recommend), shoot me an email as my dear friends at SI03 have a special offer for TKW Family members!
Growing up my mother ALWAYS had Apple Crisp in the house. It was simple, inexpensive to make and fed a big family – even 4 ginormous older brothers! But most of all it was the taste. Whether it was straight out of the oven or out of the fridge, it tasted AMAZING! When I got the Apple Ecstasy flavor and opened it up I knew immediately what I wanted to make. Mom’s apple crisp. The smell instantly took me back ‘home’.
As this was baking, Mr. Fantabulous came out from the office nose in the air sniffing away. Gotta love my ‘silent’ way to call him, huh? Trust me – if you have something amazing cooking you don’t have to call them for dinner, the smell will bring to yhou. When this came out of the oven all bubbly and sizzling, I was in LOVE. However I had to let it cool for 5 minutes. I am not a fan of burning my mouth and tongue. Bandaids don’t stick to the inside of your mouth… just sayin! LOL
| Protein Packed Apple Crisp |
|
- 1 cup rolled oats, not instant (can use Gluten Free oats)
- 1 large granny smith apple, peeled and sliced into 1/4” slices
- 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbl Syntrax Nectar Apple Ecstasy Protein Powder
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 Tbl brown sugar (or roughly 1 1/2 tsp Splenda Brown Sugar Blend)
- 3 Tbl coconut oil, softened but not melted (can use equal amounts butter)
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Lightly butter or spray 2 8ounce ramekins.
- In a bowl mix together the oats, 1/4 cup Syntrax Nectar Apple Ecstasy Protein Powder, corn starch, cinnamon and brown sugar.
- Add in the coconut oil and gently with a fork mix it in to form a crumbly texture.
- Put the apple slices in a bowl and mix with the 1 Tbl Syntrax Nectar Apple Ecstasy Protein Powder.
- Place the apple slices in the ramekins and then evenly divide the streusel topping over top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the apples are softened, fork tender.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- If desired serve with a scoop of vanilla bean frozen yogurt.
Posted in Appetizers, Desserts, Diabetic Friendly, Gluten Free, Protein Powder - Healthy Additions, Recipes, Snacks n'at, Sweet Treats | 
Tags: high protein, Protein Packed Apple Crisp, Protein Powder, Syntrax Nectar Apple Ecstasy Protein Powder, Syntrax Nectar Sweets, Whey Protein Isolate, work out treat | 
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Roasted Cauliflower Hummus
Seriously, this is probably one of the BEST hummusseseses..eses (how do you pluralize hummus? hummi? Hummuses?). I don’t care how you pluralize it just as long as I can eat it. Oh dear sweet baby Jesus on a pogo stick was this AMAZING!
Like see that HUGE bowl there? Yeah um.. let’s just say I made a MASSIVE dent in it after I made it. Like um massive enough that I *may or may not* have had to make a 2nd batch.
*bats her baby blues*
This is perfect with veggies, as a sammich spread (it’s AMAZING on ciabatta with roast beef.. just sayin!) or dipped with Grilled Flatbreads (the bread in the pic).
| Roasted Cauliflower Hummus |
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets (I left the stem on) *when it was cut up I had almost 2 pounds)
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbl Tahini
- 2 Tbl fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 Tbl water *optional
- 1/2-3/4 tsp smoked paprika
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- On a baking sheet lay out the florets.
- Drizzle with 2 Tbl olive oil.
- Sprinkle 1 tsp sea salt and black pepper over top.
- Using your hands, gently mix on the baking sheet.
- Roast for 20 minutes, stir on the pan and roast for 20 minutes or until very tender.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on the pan.
- In a food processor add the cauliflower, oil, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, smoked paprika and remaining salt and pepper.
- Process until smooth.
- Add 1 Tbl of water at a time for a thinner consistency.
- Serve with
- Grilled Flatbread and veggies.
Posted in Appetizers, Cakes/Cupcakes, Cupcakes, Daily Soul Fuel, Desserts, Diabetic Friendly, Gluten Free, Gourmet Cookies, Main Dishes, Pies, Pork & Sausage, Recipes, Salads, Seafood, Side Dishes, Snacks n'at, Sweet Treats, Turkey, Vegetable |
Tags: Healthy Hummus, Roasted Cauliflower Hummus, roasted vegetables |
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