SRC: S'mores Bites (Dairy-Free/Vegan)

It's a somewhat sad day for me because this is my last Secret Recipe Club.  After being a part of this group for a few years now I've decided that I needed to step away from it all.  I simply don't have the time to dedicate to creating things on a set schedule and commenting on others' posts like I used to.

For my final assignment I am honored to have my fellow Cincinnati blogging friend Desi of SteakNPotatoesKindaGurl.  We "met" through this club.  Though we live in the same city, we have never actually met in person.  She did, however, contribute a beautiful guest post of Grilled Filet with Bourbon Butter to my blog when I was on vacation.  If I learned anything about Desi it's that the girl LOVES bacon.  So when I went to choosing a recipe, I thought I'd make something with bacon in it.  Then I took a completely different direction when I saw her post for one of her other loves...s'mores.  I considered throwing some bacon crumbles in with the chocolate center and/or on top as a garnish as a tribute but tried to stay true to the recipe ;).

Many of you know that I've gone dairy-free for my son who is nursing and I suspect to be sensitive to it.  Since I could customized the cookies, I made mine dairy-free while using regular Hershey milk-chocolate for my husband's cookies.  I tried to make some substitutions of coconut oil instead of butter and dark chocolate instead of milk to keep it dairy-free (and vegan for that matter!).  Finding graham cracker crumbs that were dairy-free was also surprisingly challenging.  I usually buy store brand to save a few bucks but the store brand and most national brands for that matter had dairy in them.  Boo!  The only dairy-free graham crackers I could find were Nabisco Honey Maid.

The taste was awesome.  I actually loved the not-so-subtle coconut flavor.  It kind of reminded me of my favorite Girl Scout Cookie, samoas...which, I also can't eat right now.  Sad face.  The only problem was that my cookie crust was too crumbly and totally didn't hold together right on removal.  I'm not sure if substituting my coconut oil 1:1 for butter was the issue or if I just didn't bake it long enough.  Still experimenting with this whole dairy-free baking thing.  The fact that my cookie crumbled didn't stop me from enjoying these little s'mores bites straight out of the pan with a spoon ;).  Don't judge.

As I say goodbye to my SRC friends I want to thank you all for being awesome and for helping me to discover your wondering blogs.  And of course a special shout out to our hostess, Debbi.  I hope that you all will continue to follow me even as I leave the club...and probably post less frequently.

On an unrelated note...have you entered my Wildtree giveaway??

S'mores Bites (Dairy-Free/Vegan)

Ingredients

• 7 whole graham crackers or 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (Nabisco Honey Maid are dairy-free)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 6 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (use butter if you don't care about it being vegan/dairy-free) 
• 4 dark chocolate candy bars, divided (I used Lindt Excellence 85% Cacao Bars for my dairy-free ones and regular Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars for the hubby)
• 12 large marshmallows, cut in half crosswise with kitchen scissors (Dandies brand are vegan)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  
2. If using whole graham crackers, place inside a ziplock bag and then crush with a rolling pin.  Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted coconut oil into a bowl. 
3. Divide crumb mixture into each cup of a 24 cup mini muffin pan. Press crumbs to form shallow cups.
4. Bake for 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling. 
5. Meanwhile, break two of the candy bars into rectangles. Break the rectangles in half. 
6. Remove pan from oven; place 2 rectangle halves into each cup. Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup. Return to oven for 3 minutes or until marshmallows are just slightly softened.  If desired, flip on the broiler to lightly toast the tops.  Watch them carefully because they burn quickly!  
7. Using remaining candy bars, break into rectangles and top each marshmallow with a piece of chocolate.
8. Cool on a cooling rack for 15 minutes before carefully removing cups from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Source: Modified from SteakNPotatoesKindaGurl

SRC: Pumpkin Pie Yogurt Parfaits

I've got something delicious and nutritious for this month's Secret Recipe Club!  I was assigned Serena and Deanna's blog, Teaspoon of Spice.  They are both registered dietitians so I was excited to see what healthy yet tasty recipes they had on their blog.  The pictures made everything look so delicious!  In fact, though I had not visited their blog before my assignment I realized I had seen some of these pictures on pinterest and even re-pinned them myself.  That's how you know you've made it big in the blog world is when people find your photos to be so beautiful that they must collect them.  Speaking of pinning recipes, did you know you can now hover over my pictures to pin them?  So easy!

It didn't take me long to decide on a recipe since I'm still working through my 16 cups of pumpkin puree and this one was staring at me on the homepage.  However, I'm not much of a gingersnap fan and wanted to keep this really light and fluffy.  Easy enough because I used graham crackers instead of gingersnaps and just sprayed some whip cream in place of the cheesecake layers.  If you'd rather use the cheesecake layer (which I'll admit, does sound wonderful!), checkout the original recipe linked below in the source.

It has all the flavor of a pumpkin pie with a light, silky texture making it the perfect easy, no-bake dessert to impress your Thanksgiving guests.  Heck, I would even eat this one for breakfast if I added some crumbled granola or maybe some nuts.  Since it's made with 0% fat Greek yogurt, it's practically sinless!

One Year Ago: Savory BBQ Pulled Pork Cinnamon Roll and Taco Dip
Two Years Ago: Roast Beef with Onion Gravy
Three Years Ago: Peanut Butter Fudge Cheesecake
Four Years Ago: Sweet Potato Souffle and Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Pumpkin Pie Yogurt Parfaits

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 15 oz fresh or canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
• 2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt
• whipped cream or Cool Whip
• 6 graham crackers

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and yogurt.
2. Place cookies in a ziplock bag.  Crush with a rolling pin until you have crumbles.
3. Starting with the yogurt on the bottom, divide pumpkin yogurt, whipped cream, and graham cracker crumbs into six tall serving glasses making however may layers you want.  Refrigerate until serving.

Source: Modified from Deanna Segrave-Daly, RD of Teaspoon of Spice

SRC: Ginger-Pear Skillet Cake

After a two month baby hiatus I'm back to my monthly Secret Recipe Club!  It's crazy to think that the last time I completed an assignment in July I had no baby and now, I have an absolutely adorable two month old baby boy.  I shared a picture of him with his "month birthday" cupcake on Saturday and let's just say that this mama has a new favorite photography subject :).

This month I received Kristy's blog, Gastronomical Sovereignty.  I'll admit that now that I'm a mommy, I don't always have a ton of time to browse blogs and read the content that goes along with each post but Kristy is gosh darn funny.  I truly enjoyed reading through her commentary.  Another thing I found in common with her was that we both partake in CSAs (community supported agriculture).  If only I had known about her blog when I was still getting my weekly boxes and standing there wondering what to make with my umpteenth bunch of chard...

What's wonderful about a CSA besides supporting a local farmer is that you know you're getting food that's fresh and in season.  When food is in season and not shipped from thousands of miles away, it's fresh and at its peak.  It's better tasting and full of nutrition...the way that Nature had intended.

This is why I chose a seasonal recipe from Kristy's blog.  I went straight for the "Fall" tag and was excited to make a cake in my cast iron skillet.  It's something that I've always wanted to try.  When I was baking this cake, my house smelled like Autumn.  Warm spices that taste like gingerbread and juicy pears.  It was heavenly.

Top it with some vanilla ice cream and your life will be complete...

I had to wait until supper time to make it a la mode and enjoy this beauty because I was bringing it to my in-laws' house.  I'm always fascinated by how natural light (see the third photo on this post) versus artificial (first two photos) makes a huge difference in the quality of the photo.  That's one down side to Fall's arrival is shorter days = less light = uglier food photos.  Sorry about that!

One Year Ago: Cinnamon Sugar Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts
Two Years Ago: Apple Pie Cookies
Four Years Ago: Christine's Fried Rice

Ginger-Pear Skillet Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 1/3 C Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
• 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves (optional)
• 1/4 C Canola, Grapeseed, or Other Neutral Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 C Gently Packed Light Brown Sugar
• 1/2 C Unsulfered Dark Molasses
• 1/2 C Plain Whole Milk Yogurt or Sour Cream
• 1 TBSP Fresh Ginger, finely grated
• 1 Large Egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 C Hot, Fresh Brewed Strong Coffee (recommended) or Boiling Water

For the Topping

• 4 Firm-Ripe Pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices (Bosc or Anjou are good)
• 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 C Gently Packed Light Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Tsp Kosher Salt

Directions

1. Place rack of oven on the lower third and preheat to 325F. Generously grease a 10 or 11 inch cast-iron skillet. 
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, ground ginger, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves (if using). Set aside. Whisk together the oil, brown sugar, molasses, yogurt, fresh ginger, and egg in a large bowl until well blended and smooth. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in half of the flour mixture. Stir the baking soda into the hot coffee until dissolves, then add to the batter and stir until combined. Stir in the remaining flour. Transfer the batter to the prepared skillet and spread evenly. 
3. Arrange the longer slices of pear in a circle along the edge of the pan, overlapping them slightly and with the narrow ends pointing toward the center. Arrange the shortest slices in a second circle in the center to cover the batter completely. Dot the pear slices with the butter along the outer circle only. Mix together the brown sugar and salt and sprinkle evenly over the top.
4. Bake until the top springs back when you press it lightly in the center and a toothpick inserted in the center comes up clean, about 1 hour. Transfer the skillet to the stove top to cool for at least 20 minutes. 
5. Cut cake into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Source: Farmers' Market Desserts by Jennie Schacht as seen on Gastronomical Sovereignty

SRC: Cherry Cake

This is my last Secret Recipe Club entry for at least a month if not two since Baby Boy could be arriving at any moment now.  The fact that he could come anytime between today and 5 weeks from now and still be considered "normal term" baffles my mind.

This month I was assigned The Avid Appetite.  I love how personal she makes her blog as it's not just about food but also about her family (what a cute little one!) and travels, too.  I could have spent hours perusing but with limited time on my hands, focused on the recipes where I debated the Pretzel Crusted Brownies with Fluffy Buttercream Icing (and we all know that it would have become PEANUT BUTTER buttercream in this house!), the Banana Bread Smoothies (because I've been craving frozen treats with this baby!), and a Cherry Cake which was made as a SRC swap.

Ultimately the Cherry Cake won...but only because the sweet allure of cherries in July.  I try not to make a swapped recipe because I want to highlight something from the assigned blog but I just *really* love cherries and so it was calling me.  I substituted 0% Fage Greek yogurt for the buttermilk.  Also, I don't own an 8" springform so used a regular cake pan and just made sure to grease and flour it generously but otherwise stayed true to the recipe.

I brought this sweet little cake over to my friend Emily's house where we three women literally killed this cake.  To be fair, we were two nursing and one pregnant ladies :).  This is justifiable, right??  To satisfy my frozen treats craving, we served ours a la mode with Cincinnati's best...Graeter's  brand vanilla ice cream.  Soooo delicious together!

One Year Ago: Cold Avocado Soup with Sweet Corn and Bacon and Pineapple "Ice Cream"
Two Years Ago: Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Three Years Ago: Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Four Years Ago: Honey Lime Grilled Chicken

Cherry Cake

Ingredients

• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1/4 c unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 c non-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 12 oz. frozen whole sweet cherries, pitted
• powdered sugar for dusting
• vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8" springform pan with butter or generously butter and flour a regular 8" cake pan.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add Greek yogurt and mix until blended.  Add eggs one at a time.  Mix in the vanilla.  Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan.  Place cherries on top of the cake batter and then lightly press them into the batter.
4. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Let cool completely.  If using a springform pan, remove the sides and then dust with powdered sugar.  If using a regular cake pan, simply dust with powdered sugar.   Serve at room temperature and with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Source: Barely modified from The Avid Appetite

SRC: Brownie Pudding

It's Secret Recipe Club time yet again and this month's assignment comes from Karen at Cinnamon Freud.

The recipe that I chose is a SERIOUS WINNER.  Not only is it really easy but it had my husband's entire family going back for seconds and wanting to lick their bowls and spoons clean.  Even I finally chose to play the "eating for two" card in order to help myself to a second serving of this decadent fudgey goodness.  It's like eating a rich molten liquid chocolate and mixed with ice cream.  Omigod!

I didn't have vanilla beans so I used more vanilla extract and took out some of the water from the recipe.  I also chose to use all regular cocoa powder instead of a mix of cocoa and dutch process cocoa as Karen suggests.  It's pretty amazing nonetheless and makes it such that any novice chef can tackle this recipe easily with items that are commonly stocked in the pantry.

This is one for the recipe box.  Thank you Karen so much for sharing!

One Year Ago: Oven Baked Sriracha Chicken and Brat Burgers with Drunken Onions
Two Years Ago: Banana and Sour Cream Pancakes
Four Years Ago: Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

Brownie Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325F.  Grease a 7"x12" baking pan or casserole dish.
2. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and eggs for 5-10 minutes, until it is thick and light yellow.  It's long mix times like these that make me super grateful for my KitchenAid stand mixer!  Beat in the vanilla extract and water.  Then add the flour, salt, and cocoa powder and beat until just combined.  Finally, add the melted butter and beat once more until combined.
3. Pour brownie mixture into prepared pan.  Place the brownie pan inside a 9"x13" pan.  Fill the larger pan halfway up with the hottest tap water.  
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes being careful not to over bake.  The cake is done when a cake tester or toothpick comes out 3/4 of the way done when placed 2" from the border.  
5. Let cool slightly for 3-5 minutes then serve immediately with ice cream.

Source: Modified from Cinnamon Freud as originally from Ina Garten

SRC: Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

This month's Secret Recipe Club assignment comes from one of my favorite bloggers, Jennifer at Mother Thyme.  Jennifer had guest posted for me last year with her very popular Cream Cheese Coffee Cake.  It's always fun to get to know a new blog through SRC but sometimes, it's also good to get one you know and follow already because you just know it will be filled with great recipes!   I had already bookmarked her Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothies and so it seemed it was destiny that made her my assignment for the month.

What I loved about this recipe was how it tasted just like strawberry cheesecake filling.  With strawberries in season and having bought FOUR POUNDS from Costco, I added twice as much in my smoothies for extra strawberry oomph.  This made mine a bit thick so I had to add a splash of vanilla almond milk to thin it out.  It was awesome and so simple!

Jennifer topped hers with whipped cream and some graham cracker crumbs for the full cheesecake flavor experience.  Looks pretty, too!

Do you have any favorite strawberry recipes?

One Year Ago: Creamed Chard and Spring Onion Pasta and Fresh Strawberry Pie
Two Years Ago: Lemon-Rosemary Turkey Meatballs

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt (I used 0% Fage Greek Yogurt and added about 1/2 tsp vanilla)
• 3 ounces light or fat free cream cheese
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1-2 teaspoons agave nectar (I used about a tablespoon of honey)
• Vanilla almond milk or regular milk (optional)

Directions

1. Add all ingredients except for the milk into a blender.  Process until smooth and creamy.  If needed, add milk of choice to thin the smoothie out to your desired consistency.  Serve immediately.

Source: Modified from Mother Thyme

SRC: Peanut Butter Cup Bars

This month's Secret Recipe Club assignment comes from Mele Cotte which apparently means "Baked Apple" in Italian.  I learned something new!  And I am so extremely glad to have found Christina's blog.  She has the most amazing looking desserts which made it oh-so-hard to pick a recipe this month.

I ended up letting my husband pick the recipe and no surprise that it involved his favorite combination of flavors...peanut butter and chocolate!  What made me happy was the fact that this recipe came together ridiculously quickly and easily.  All it requires is melting the ingredients on the stove top, pouring it into a pan, and allowing it to set in refrigerator.  Perfect for the novice chef or busiest of people looking to impress.

The concept is a peanut butter cup but in bar form.  It delivered!  My husband originally told me to take the pan of treats to work but after one taste, he changed his mind and hoarded them.  My father-in-law said it was the best "fudge" he has ever eaten and happily went for seconds.  What set these apart for me was the slightly crunchy texture that came from the graham crackers.  Who would've known?

Oddly, I don't have an 8x8 pan in my kitchen so used a 9x9.  This works fine but results in a thinner bar and more squares (yah!).  The thinner bar I actually enjoyed because any thicker it would be too rich for me to enjoy.  However, the increased surface area made my chocolate layer suffer slightly.  In the future, I'd increase the amount of chocolate layer and have noted these changes below.  In the spirit of being lazy and not wanting to buy a bag of peanut butter chips just for decorating, I used straight-up peanut butter that was melted slightly in the microwave.  Delicious and pretty, too!

One Year Ago: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed Cinnamon Rolls (my first Secret Recipe Club reveal...wow time flies!)
Two Years Ago: Churro Bites
Four Years Ago: Grandma B's Spaghetti Meatballs

Peanut Butter Cup Bars

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
• 2 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter

Directions

1. Line a 9x9-inch square pan with foil, leaving enough to hang over the sides.  Butter the foil and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the 3/4 cup of butter over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar. Add 1 cup peanut butter and graham cracker crumbs and stir until combined and smooth. Transfer the peanut butter mixture into the prepared pan, even out and smooth the top with a rubber spatula or by tapping it gently on the counter top.
3. In the saucepan, melt the 1/3 cup unsalted butter. Add the chocolate and stir until almost completely melted, remove from heat, and continue stirring until completely smooth. Pour over the peanut butter layer and smooth into an even layer using a rubber spatula.
4. Put the remaining 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter to a zip lock bag.  Microwave for about 30 seconds.  Snip the corner of the bag and drizzle in a decorative pattern on top of the chocolate layer.
5. Refrigerate the Peanut Butter Cup Bars at least 30 minutes to set. Remove from the pan by lifting the foil and place on a cutting board. Cut into 25 bars (5 rows by 5 columns). Store in an airtight container.

Source: Slightly adapted from Mele Cotte

SRC: Cadbury Creme Egg Mini Cupcakes

Because I'm a horrible planner, I took this Secret Recipe Club assignment from Our Eating Habits as a way to get ahead of the game and create an Easter treat.  I mean let's face it.  When I post themed recipes AFTER the holiday has already occurred, it doesn't really help you out much now does it?

At first, I was going to take the healthy(er) way out by making these Carrot Muffins but then I saw the most adorably festive Easter decoration technique in my What's Cooking Blogger's Choice swap on Friday so was swayed to making the Cadbury Creme Egg Cupcakes on Jamie's blog instead.  Because I didn't want tons of cupcakes around and all the candy makes these cupcakes super sweet, I adapted the original recipe to be mini-sized cupcakes instead.

Hope you consider adding these to your festive Easter spread and checkout the rest of the Secret Recipe Club member's reveals in the blog hop below!   As usual, thank you to April of the blog Angel's Homestead SRC leader and Debbi of the blog Debbi Does Dinner, our Group C Hostess!

Cadbury Creme Egg Mini Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

• 5 Tablespoons butter 
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 3/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/8 teaspoon salt 
• 3/8 cup milk 
• 24 Cadbury Creme Mini Eggs

For the Buttercream Frosting

• 1 sticks of butter 
• 1.5 cups powdered sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
• Pinch of salt
• Green food coloring

For the Decoration

• 24 Mini egg-shaped candies such as Whoppers or Cadbury Chocolate Eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 24 mini-cupcake wells with paper cupcake liners.
2. To make cupcake batter cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, add both extracts with last egg. Blend in all your dry ingredients, then milk. 
3. Divide batter into prepared mini-muffin tins. Top each cupcake with frozen creme egg, pushing it in so that half of the egg is inside the batter. 
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350F.  Cool.
5. Meanwhile, make the buttercream by creaming together the butter and powdered sugar.  Add vanilla, salt, and food coloring to get desired tint.
6. Fit a piping bag with a multi-opening decorating tip (I use Wilton #233) and then fill with green frosting.  Decorate the top of each cupcake with "grass" by holding the piping bag at 90 degrees about 1/8" above the surface of the cupcake.  Apply gentle pressure while lifting up about 1/4".  Stop pressure and pull tip away.  Repeat until entire surface is covered.  Finish by placing 3 mini egg candies on top of each cupcake.

Source: Modified from Our Eating Habits with frosting and decoration inspiration from Sweet Beginnings

This recipe received the March Group C SRC Editor's Choice Award!

SRC: Salted Browned Butter Rice Crispy Treats

Sometimes, the best recipes are some of the simplest.  All you need is a few quality ingredients.  And with a little manipulation, you can create magic.  This is the way I chose to go with this month's Secret Recipe Club assignment from Debbi Does Dinner Healthy.  She's the hostess of our group so I was honored to get a chance to dig deep into her blog.

I ended up choosing salted browned butter rice crispy treats.  The key to the flavor wow in what looks like a regular old rice crispy treat is the butter.  Yes, you need to start with real butter.  If you've ever tried to make rice crispies with margarine I bet you ended up with something that was soft if not even a bit stale tasting.  It's because the margarine is made as a blend that includes water.  And water is not friends with the snap, crackle, and pop.  So don't use margarine in your rice crispy treats...for this recipe or otherwise!

When you take butter and then gently heat it, it eventually becomes this beautiful brown color with a subtle nutty smell.  As you can guess, this is browned butter.  And it's a way to make any buttery dish instantly delicious.  Make sure you're using the unsalted kind because it allows you to control the amount of salt in your finished product (different manufacturers have more or less salt in their salted butter).  Unsalted butter is also fresher than its salted counterparts.  Because salt is a natural preservative, it can sit on the shelf longer and still be stable.

The verdict?  Everyone raved about the unique flavor of these rice crispy treats.  They were buttery and slightly nutty while staying true to their roots.  It was a winner!

Other recipes I considered from Debbi's site: 

• Sweet and Tangy Chili (Crockpot) - The use of balsamic vinegar in this chili was intriguing to me and as you know from the recently shared Balsamic-Honey Glazed Roast Beef Sandwiches with French Dip, I'm a real fan of that flavor.  Plus, who can't use another crockpot recipe in their repitoire?
• Cincinnati Sloppy Joes - As a Cincinnati girl, this screamed for me to make them...and I will, soon!
• Debbi has an assortment of recipes based on Amish Friendship Bread starter mix.  I was into doing that for awhile and then took a break by throwing my starter into the freezer so I wouldn't have to keep feeding it.  Not to mention I was getting pretty sick of cinnamon bread after awhile.  These two recipes were my top picks originally but since I had to go on vacation, I wasn't able to get my starter up and running in time to post this recipe.  So, maybe later I'll try Amish Friendship Honey Biscuits and Amish Cinnamon Rolls!

Salted Browned Butter Rice Crispy Treats

Ingredients

• 4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter 
• 1 10-ounce bag marshmallows 
• Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt (I used Kosher salt as I didn't have any sea salt)
• 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about half a 12-ounce box) 

Directions

1. Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides. 
2. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute. 
3. As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth. 
4. Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. 
5. Quickly spread sand gently press into prepared pan.

Source: Smitten Kitchen as seen on Debbi Does Dinner Healthy

SRC: Microwave Streusel Topped French Toast in a Mug

Ah the microwave.  What did people do before they had this easy, quick cooking wonder?  Suddenly people that have no idea how to cook are enabled and empowered with this tool.  And sometimes, even more advanced chefs can use it to take the easy way out...kind of like how I did with this month's Secret Recipe Club pick from Alli 'N Son's.

Alli's blog includes a bit about baking, motherhood, and life with her boys.  I was touched when I read her PCOS story because it reminded me of my own struggle from last year when I had my miscarriage.  It's inspiring to read her story and see the success that she's had raising beautiful children.

As for the food, since she's a busy mama, a lot of the recipes that you'll find on her blog are kid friendly and quick along with a lot of sweets. Having just come off of the Holiday sugar high, I considered but then ultimately avoided decadent recipes like Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Bar, Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls, and Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake.  Instead, I tried to find something that I'd be able to fold into our regular dinner rotation.  I considered Grilled Cheese Waffle Sandwich and Peanut Sesame Noodles with Szechuan Style Tofu.  In the end, I had  recently made a  homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread (recipe to be shared) which inspired the choice of Streusel Topped French Toast in a Mug.  Sweet but not overly so and still quite simple.  Hello brinner.

I've seen and pinned  many microwave recipes in the past but this was my first time actually *trying* it.  And wow was it delightfully good, fast, and simple!  The entire recipe was done in about 5 minutes and had the yummy french toast flavor covered in a sinful streusel topping.  The only thing I missed was the slight crispness that comes with real french toast.  But in a pinch or when you just want enough for a single serving (or two), this would definitely do.

Thank you to April of the blog Angel's Homestead SRC ring leader and Debbi of the blog Debbi Does Dinner, our Group C Hostess!  Please also check the blog hop to see what everyone else in Group C made this month!

One Year Ago: 2011 Recap: Reader Favorites
Two Years Ago: French Dip Sandwiches and Football Snackadium 
Three Years Ago: Chinese Bolo Bao with Nai Wong Filling (Pineapple Custard Buns) and Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bols

Microwave Streusel Topped French Toast in a Mug

Ingredients

For the French Toast

• 3-4 slices cinnamon swirl bread, depending on the size and thickness of your bread 
• 1 large egg 
• 3 tablespoons milk 
• dash cinnamon 
• drop or two vanilla extract or almond extract 

For the Streusel Topping

• 1/2 tablespoon butter, cold 
• 1 tablespoons flour 
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

Instructions

1. Spray a large mug or small bowl with nonstick spray. Set aside. Cube the bread into 1-inch pieces. Place in the prepared mug. 
2. In a small bowl beat together the egg, milk, cinnamon and vanilla or almond extract with a fork. Pour over the bread. Stir together until all of the egg mixture has been absorbed by the bread. 
3. To make the struesel topping: In a small bowl combine the butter, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Use your fingers to everything together. The mixture will resemble coarse sand. Sprinkle evenly on top of the bread mixture. 
4. Microwave for 1 minute on high. Check and microwave in 10 second increments until the eggs are no longer runny. Let cool before enjoying.

Source: Alli 'N Sons

SRC: Cinnabon Caramel Corn

Oh.my.word!  I just might be in trouble now that I discovered this recipe.  I've always loved gourmet popcorn and for awhile, I spent a small fortune on Dale and Thomas Popcorn.  Now that I tried this recipe, someone's going to have to save me from myself!

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was introduced to Veronica's blog, Veronica's Cornucopia.  She makes roughly a 2-to-1 ratio of sweets to meals and sides so I figured sweets were the way to go.  I didn't have to search far because right in her highlighted popular recipes listings I found something that immediately caught my eye - Cinnabon caramel corn.

In making this recipe, I actually got to kill two birds with one stone.  I'd seen recipes for homemade microwave popcorn floating around pinterest for quite a while now.  It is said that all that is needed to create healthy, homemade popcorn was corn kernels, a paper lunch sack, and a microwave.  I followed the directions and held my breath while watching the bag spin round and round on the microwave turn table.  Then, like magic, I heard the kernels start to pop!  Pop, pop, pop pop pop!  Once it was done, I cautiously opened the bag and there they were.  Fresh, fluffy, perfectly cooked popcorn that was made in under 3 minutes without oil, without scary microwave popcorn bag liner chemicals, and without a special machine.  It was amazing!

Now, I could have topped my popcorn with a bit of salt, butter, and/or other seasonings and then stopped there for a pretty healthy, fiber-filled snack.  But, I pushed onward knowing this batch of popcorn had a different destiny.  Dutifully I used my microwave again to prepare the caramel and  then coated my precious popcorn with the mixture.  Then it went into the waiting oven and it got all caramelized and crispy.  With each stir I had to "sample" the warm caramel corn to ensure it was progressing.  Finally, it was done.  Again, I could have stopped right here but no, it needed a bit more to complete its gourmet transformation.  A quick drizzle with the almond bark and then another "sample".  Perfection!  I'm pretty sure I could have stood at my kitchen island and ate the entire pan warm and fresh from the oven.  After it cooled, I "sampled" some more.  Cinnamon and caramel and nuts and chocolate oh my!  Needless to say, I was hooked!

Seeing how easy this recipe was, I promised my husband that I'd make him his own special batch drizzled with his favorite sweets combination, peanut butter and chocolate.  This would make an excellent holiday and/or Christmas gift.  Your friends will think you're such a crafty person and may not believe you when you say that you made it from scratch.  They'll probably even beg you for the recipe ;).

Special thank you to April of the blog Angel's Homestead SRC ring leader and Debbi of the blog Debbi Does Dinner, our Group C Hostess!  Please also check the blog hop to see what everyone else in Group C made this month!

By the way, have you shared then commented on each of my Mac and Cheese Monday posts?  Each week there's a new chance to win either Mac & Cheese by Ellen Brown or Mac and Cheese, Please! by Laura Werlin!  See here for full contest details.  Good luck!

• Best Potluck Mac and Cheese
• Smoked Mac and Cheese
• Bonnie's Grammy's Mac and Cheese

Cinnabon Caramel Corn

Ingredients

• 12 cups Easy Microwave Popcorn (recipe follows)
• 1 cup roughly chopped pecans 
• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/4 cup Karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution) 
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) real salted butter
• 1/2 tsp baking soda 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 3 squares almond bark

For the Easy Microwave Popcorn

• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels, divided
• 2 brown paper lunch bags

Directions

1. Place 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels into each bag.  Fold the bag over in half-inch increments, twice.
2. Place one of the bags in the microwave standing upright and set for 3 minutes (popcorn may be done after 2:30 to 2:45) or use the popcorn button if available.  Listen carefully for kernels to stop popping.  As soon as the popping stops, take the bag out of the microwave.  Repeat with the second bag.
3. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
4. Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl and set aside.
5. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a 2 liter capacity microwave safe bowl.  Mix well.  Chop butter into chunks and place on top of the sugar mixture.  Pour corn syrup over the top of everything.  Microwave the mixture on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine.  Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes.  Remove and stir again.  Then, return to the microwave for 2 minutes more.  
6. Remove from the microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda.  Stir to combine.  The mixture will foam and rise.  Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pecans and stir until well coated.
7. Spread coated popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan.  Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.  Remove from oven.
8. Melt almond bark according to package instructions.   Using a fork, drizzle all over the popcorn mixture.  
9. When almond bark is hardened and popcorn is cool, break into chunks and enjoy!

Source: Slightly modified from Veronica's Cornucopia as originally from Our Best Bites; Easy Microwave Popcorn from Good Thymes and Good Food as seen on Prevention RD

SRC: Gruyere and Bacon Stuffed French Toast

Breakfast continues to be the theme here on my blog today.  On Friday I shared a recipe for Cinnamon Sugar Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts.  Today, I'm sharing something with everyone's favorite breakfast meat treat...bacon!!!

But this isn't your run-of-the-mill side of bacon.  This bacon is coupled with smooth, melty Gruyere cheese.  And then they're both stuffed inside of thick french toast and topped with sweet sweet maple syrup.  Mmm.  Anyone else a sucker for the sweet and savory combination?  I'd never think to make a savory French toast but it worked and was AMAZING.  Seriously one of the best things I've eaten in a long time and was so simple!  I was in a rush that morning so I used pre-cooked bacon to speed things along.  Would have loved to have the bacon crispier as I bet the contrast of texture would only add more to this already delightful experience.

This wonderful creation comes from Lisa's blog, Authentic Suburban Gourmet.  She is so talented and I'm jealous that she lives in my favorite US city, San Francisco.  I envy her food photography and I went a little bookmark crazy when trying to decide what to make for this month's Secret Recipe Club because everything looked SO GOOD.  

To name a few other contenders:

• Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Bacon, Dates, and Pecans - Perfect for Fall!
• Brandied Yam with Crumbled Pecan Topping - Boozed up food, again!  I think this will likely make an appearance for Thanksgiving in my home.
• Apple and Fig Tart - I noticed she has a thing for figs...I love the flavor of them but have never cooked with them yet and am still a little intimidated...not sure why!

As usual a special thank you to April of the blog Angel's Homestead, SRC ring leader and Debbi of the blog Debbi Does Dinner, our Group C Hostess!

One Year Ago: Apple Pie Cookies

Gruyere and Bacon Stuffed French Toast

Yields: 4 slices stuffed French toast

Ingredients

• 4 slices good sourdough bread (cut about 1 1/4 inch thick)
• 8 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and then crumbled
• 1 cup Gruyere Cheese, grated
• Cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup half & half (or whole or 2% milk)
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• Maple syrup

Directions

1. Use a sharp knife to cut into the bottom of each slice of sourdough.  Slice to almost the end of the top and sides to create a pocket to stuff each slice.
2. Once the bacon has cooled, combine it with the Gruyere cheese in a bowl.  Divide evenly among the four slices of bread and gently stuff each one.  Gently press each stuffed bread piece together to prevent the inside ingredients from escaping.
3. Add the eggs, half & half, and vanilla together and whisk until gently combined.
4. Use a large griddle to cook all of the French toast at the same time.  Heat griddle on medium and spread butter evenly across the surface.  
5. Meanwhile, dip each stuffed bread into the egg mixture and place on the heated griddle.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Let cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side.  If necessary, reduce heat to prevent burning.
6. Serve hot with your favorite maple syrup.  Take a bite, close your eyes and be amazed by all the contrasting flavors and textures!

Source: Authentic Suburban Gourmet

SRC: Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps

How's it going friends?  Miss me yet?  Unfortunately I'm not back quite yet but I do hope that you're enjoying all my wonderful guest posters so far (2 down, 4 more to go!).  I can't say it enough but they are making my life infinitely easier this month as I'm busily globetrotting in Asia for work.  They really are a great bunch of ladies with drool-worthy blogs, aren't they?

Anyway, it's time for another edition of Secret Recipe Club.  Has it really been a month already?  It seems what goes around, comes around because this month I received my fellow Jazzercising friend Joanna's blog, Cairns Manor.  For those who are facebook fans or that follow me on twitter, you might recognize her name because last month I gave her a shout out for being my SRC swap partner and making my Watermelon Slush.

As I perused her blog, I also considered Sriracha Macaroni Salad which I would have brought to our annual family Labor Day picnic...except it rained so there was none.  Another one that I'd like to try when I have more time is her Char Siu Bao.  If you've followed my blog for any period of time you'll know that this was my FAVORITE growing up and I was left with my Grandpa's original recipe on an old scrap of paper.  But when I made it, it just wasn't right to me.  So, I vowed that it would be the first trial of many in order to tweak the recipe and get it just right...but...I haven't done it any more trials yet.  D'oh!  Of course, I digress so back to this post.

Ultimately I ended up choosing these chicken fajita lettuce wraps.  Not only am I a fan of trying people's original recipes but I might just be obsessed with lettuce wraps lately what with my BLT Corn Salad Wraps, Chorizo and Sweet Potato Lettuce Wraps, Asian Lettuce Wraps, and not-yet-posted California Roll Up Lettuce Wraps!  Fajitas are one of my favorite Mexican foods so this was an awesome way for me to keep the Summery lettuce wrap theme going AND cut some carbs.  The flavor was very good and came together quickly though in the future, I'd probably only use a single lime instead of two.  It was a bit too limey (is that a word?) and tart for me.  Also, I didn't have any chipotle peppers on-hand so substituted 1/4 tsp of chipotle chili powder in the dry rub and added a few slices of minced jarred jalapenos.  Perfect level of spiciness and added smoky flavor!

As usual a special thank you to April of the blog Angel's Homestead, SRC ring leader and Debbi of the blog Debbi Does Dinner, our new Group C Hostess!

Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite sized pieces
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• Several slices of jalapeno pepper, sliced (optional for added heat)
• 1 Tbsp honey
• Juice of 1 lime
• Lettuce leaves
• Toppings as desired: diced tomatoes, avocados, cheese, sour cream, etc.

Directions

1. In a plastic ziplock bag, add the onion powder, garlic powder, coriander, chipotle powder, salt, and pepper.  Add the diced chicken then seal and shake and squish the bag to combine.  Allow chicken to  marinate in the dry rub for about 30 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked through.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan.  Add the onion and bell pepper and saute until just starting to get soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the jalapeno peppers, honey, and lime juice stirring to combine.  Bring to a light simmer and add back in the chicken, cooking until warmed.  Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve with lettuce and whatever toppings you like.

Source: Slightly modified from Cairns Manor

SRC: Homemade Nutella

It's that time of the month again!  This month for Secret Recipe Club (SRC) I received Heidi's blog, Heidi's World.  She is Danish and so it was my first adventure with a foreign blog.  I was excited!

Since most of the world other than the US cooks by weight, I was grateful to have my food scale.  But, since I realize not all of you may have one (highly recommend to get, though!), I did my best to translate the recipe into volumetric cups based on the ingredients that I used.  Please realize though that depending on the particle size of what you're measuring, you could actually end up with more or less of the item than intended because of packing, though.

I was intrigued by her recipes which included many unfamiliar things (such as these Moink Balls - Meatballs wrapped in bacon, grilled and then brushed with BBQ sauce...sounds like a Summer cookout winner to me and almost made those!).  Ultimately, I went with a homemade version of Nutella.  If you don't know what Nutella is, surely you've been living under a rock all of these years.  It is chocolate hazelnut spread and somehow passes as dessert for breakfast when you smear it on your toast.  Every time I think of Nutella now I think of the woman that sued them because she was "deceived" into thinking it was a healthy breakfast food for her child.  Really, it's quite laughable to think this given it's CHOCOLATE but hey, that's how Nutella markets themselves with their "breakfast never tasted this good!" slogan.  I'm not sure if this is necessarily healthier than the real stuff but at least you know exactly what is going into it.

I haven't had Nutella in a long while but from what I can remember, this is good!  I mean really, can you go wrong with chocolate and nuts?  I think not.  When it was hot, it was quite soupy and I thought surely I must have read something wrong (it wouldn't be the first time).  But, it does get nice and thick as it cools and sets so don't fret!  I personally would like a thicker spread and more hazelnut flavor so have adjusted those ingredients, accordingly.  This recipe made a lot and is supposed to last 2 weeks in the fridge (if it lasts that long).  I think mine might become ingredients for other things...possibly more recipes to come?

As usual a special thank you to April of the blog Angel's Homestead, SRC ring leader and Debbi of the blog Debbi Does Dinner, our new Group C Hostess!

Homemade Nutella

Ingredients

• 75g (3/4 cup) pre-chopped hazelnuts
• 150g (~1 cup) good chocolate, chopped (I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• 30g (2 Tbsp) butter
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
• Salt, to taste

Directions

1. In a microwave safe dish, toast hazelnuts in the microwave for about 1 minute.  Ground them up finely using a food processor.  For a chunkier spread, process for less time but keep it going longer until the oils are released and it forms a nut butter if you want it nice and smooth like real Nutella.
2. Heat the cream in a small saucepan on the stove.  Pour in the chopped chocolate pieces and stir until the chocolate has melted.  Add the butter and stir until melted.  Add the nuts, powdered sugar, and salt.  Stir until well combined.
3. Transfer the mixture to a glass jar and close immediately.  Put in the refrigerator and allow to set.  Can be stored for 14 days in the refrigerator.  You may need to allow it to come to room temperature a bit before becoming spreadable again.

Source: Re-written from Heidi's World

SRC: Pineapple "Ice Cream"

It's that time of the month again!  This month for Secret Recipe Club (SRC) I received Erin's blog, A Tale of One Foodie's Culinary Adventures.  Erin started her blog much for the same reasons that I did.  And that's to document the cooking and baking that we do.  When I was browsing Erin's blog, I was greeted by some pretty delicious looking cupcakes in her header and found lots of drool-worthy desserts.

Because my husband and I are watching our weight and we absolutely LOVED the 5 Minute (Healthy) Chunky Monkey Banana "Ice Cream" that I made last year, I thought I'd give her pineapple version a try.  It was very simple to make and definitely tasted of summer.  Not as custard-like and creamy textured as the banana version but I think adding more yogurt could help with the creamy taste.  Or, leave it out entirely for a vegan sorbet treat.  I did leave out the booze in this instance since we ate it right away but you can add it back in if you're into that or plan to save for later.  I hollowed out a pineapple half and scooped the "ice cream" inside it for serving.  It also serves as a great freezer mold :).

Thanks Erin for this healthy recipe and I look forward to going back to try some of your more unhealthy treats like the Frozen Reese's Peanut Butter and Oreo Pie, Peanut Butter Toblerone Cheesecake, or Truffle Filled Chocolate Cupcakes.

As usual a special thank you to April of the blog Angel's Homestead, SRC ring leader and Angela of the blog Big Bear's Wife, our Group C Hostess!

Pineapple "Ice Cream"

Ingredients

• 1 whole pineapple, cut up into bit size chunks and frozen
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3-4 Tbsp spiced whiskey (omitted)
• 3 heaping Tbsp non-fat Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Combine ingredients in food processor until smooth and combined.  Scrape down as needed.  Enjoy!

Source: A Tale of One Foodie's Culinary Adventures

SRC: Brat Burgers with Drunken Onions

It's time for another Secret Recipe Club (SRC) reveal!  I can't tell you how excited I am to be a part of this club.  It has provided wonderful exposure to some new blogs for me to follow and, I'm sure I've gained a few readers myself (Hello out there!  Please feel free to comment and let me know what you think!).  Reveal day is especially delightful because you never know what someone will have chosen to make!  I love secrets :).

This month I received Debra's blog at Eliot's Eats.  I was impressed by the wide variety of recipes that I found on her blog and love how many of them were family and/or original recipes.  That's refreshing because honestly I feel like sometimes the food blog world is a bit incestuous with popular recipes making their rounds on the blogs that I follow.

I chose this particular recipe because it was one of her originals and the Summer grilling season is in full force.  Plus, I absolutely love the flavor of brats and drunken anything.  Oddly enough I don't really drink alcohol but add it to foods and I'm all about it!  This recipe did not disappoint.  It was wonderfully flavored and not unlike something you'd get at a fancy pants burger joint.  Something as simple as toasting the buns makes homemade burgers a little more special.  Since this recipe makes a lot, I'm also excited to have 4 more burgers in the freezer for when I need a quick meal in the future.

As usual a special thank you to April of the blog Angel's Homestead, our new SRC ring leader and Angela of the blog Big Bear's Wife, our Group C Hostess!

One Year Ago: Banana Sour Cream Pancakes
Three Years Ago: Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

Brat Burgers with Drunken Onions

Ingredients

• 5 T. olive oil, divided
• 2 large red onion, cut in half and sliced thin (I used 1 red and 1 sweet yellow)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bottle Dunkel (Munich style) beer, or other dark German beer
• 1 T. red wine vinegar
• 2 t. Tabasco sauce
• 1 t. celery seed
• 1 t. mustard seed
• 1 1/2 t. fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 t. grey sea salt
• 1 lb. fresh Bratwurst
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 6 Kaiser rolls, split
• 1/4 c. whole grain mustard

Directions

1. Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a medium sauce pan. Cook onions and garlic for 3 minutes. Add beer, vinegar, Tobasco, celery seed, mustard seed, pepper, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the brat burgers.  Take brats out of casings and mix with ground beef, bell pepper, and 1 Tablespoon of “Dunkelized” onion sauce. Form into six patties and season with salt and pepper.  (Hint: Use your fingers to make a dent in the center of the pattie to keep it flat after cooking!)
3. With preheated grill set at 350 degrees, place patties on grill and grill for about 5 minutes on each side.
4. Brush rolls with remaining olive oil and toast them the last minute of grilling burgers.
5. To assemble, place about 2 teaspoons of mustard on bottom-half of Kaiser roll. Add burger and top with cooked onions. Top with top-half of roll. Serve.

Source: Eliot's Eats

Secret Recipe Club: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed Cinnamon Buns

Hi friends!  I have exciting news to share.  You may have noticed that I've been rather absent from my blog this year.  I've been busy, to say the least.  And so to help me get back to regularly blogging, I was accepted to and joined the Secret Recipe Club.  The idea is simple.  Each month, you are assigned a random blog and then you get to choose a recipe that you'd like to make from it.  On a prescribed day and time, everybody reveals what they've made!

I'm part of Angela's Group.  She's the hostess of Group C and the blogger behind Big Bear's Wife.  This month I was assigned Melissa's Cuisine and boy did things look tasty!  At first, I considered making Grilled Pizza since it's always something I've wanted to try but then I decided I'd use this opportunity to make something sweet instead.  Melissa's blog is FILLED with cinnamon rolls and so I knew that I'd have to try one out.  But the question was....Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls or Cookie Dough and Chocolate Stuffed Cinnamon Rolls?  I went with the latter, knowing one of my husband's absolute favorite desserts are the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles that he often begs me to make.

I think that I was not supposed to have chocolate chips in my cookie dough stuffed cinnamon rolls now that I look back at Melissa's pictures so what I ended up with was a hybrid roll.  I don't buy margarine so I used something better...BUTTER!  Yum!  Also, lately in my cooking I've been trying to swap out some of the white flour with whole wheat.  Nutritionally I don't think it makes too much of a difference but psychologically it makes me feel better haha.  I also didn't reserve any cookie dough for the frosting (I was a bit overzealous in stuffing my rolls!) so I winged my own frosting by adding a bit of butter for well...buttery flavor.

Now, I knew that these cinnamon rolls would be rich but I had no idea of the sheer decadence that would explode in my mouth.  They were ADDICTING!  Chocolate chip cookie + cinnamon roll?  This is dessert for breakfast!  What's not to love?  I'm embarrassed to say that my husband and I each ate 3 in a single sitting.  Yup, good thing I added some whole wheat flour to the mix, huh? ;).

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

For the Ready to Eat Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the Cinnamon Rolls:

• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 packet yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
• 4-1/2 cups flour (I used 1-1/2 cups whole wheat and 3 cups all purpose)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 stick (4 Tablespoons) butter
• cinnamon
• sugar
• 1 batch ready to eat cookie dough
• 2 cups chocolate chips

For the Icing:

• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk

Directions

1. Make the Cookie Dough:  In a small bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in milk and vanilla. Add in flour. Stir in chocolate chips.  Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
2. Mix the milk, oil, and sugar in a large pot. Scald milk mixture (heat until not quite boiling) and then let it cool to room temperature.  The cooling step is important because if the liquid is too hot, you will kill your yeast and your rolls will not rise!
3. Sprinkle yeast over milk mixture and let it sit for a couple minutes.  Stir in 4 cups of flour to form a sticky dough. Cover pan and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
4. After dough has risen, stir in remaining 1/2 cup of flour, baking powder, and baking soda until well combined. Divide dough in half. On a flour covered workplace (I use my counter), roll the dough out until it's about 1/8" thick and in a rectangular shape about 18 inches long and 12 inches wide.
5. Melt butter in a glass measuring cup or a small bowl. Pour half of the melted butter over the dough and spread using a brush. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon (the amount is up to you). Now top with spoonfuls of prepared chocolate chip cookie dough.
6. Roll dough toward you, keeping the spiral as tight as possible. Cut into 3/4 inch slices. Place in a greased pan. 
7. Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. 
8. Let the cinnamon rolls rise for 30 minutes. Then bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.
9. While rolls are in the oven, mix together ingredients for icing.  Add more powdered sugar if the consistency is too thin.  If the mixture is too thick, add more milk or cream.  You want it to be the consistency of a spreadable frosting.  
10. Let the rolls cool for about 5 minutes before icing.  To really put these over the top and/or for the chocoholics in your life, drizzle with melted chocolate.  Eat them warm right out of the pan...and don't say I didn't warn you!

Make Ahead Tips: Once you have cut your rolls and placed them into the greased pan, you can cover then put them in the refrigerator or freezer to bake later.  To bake straight from the fridge, bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.  If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.  Fresh cinnamon rolls hot out of the oven in the morning!  You're welcome!

Source: Slightly modified from Melissa's Cuisine