Bites of My Life

Kudos to an incredible weekend. I was slightly distracted all week with sights set on getting to go out of town this past weekend. A great family friend got married in Scottsdale, AZ , so the whole gang reunited for a celebratory weekend in paradise! 87 degrees both days, incredible food, the best of friends, a little shopping here and there and just all around great times about sums up the weekend. We made a stop at my favorite store and my favorite market. My belly and my suitcase where much more full on the way home.

#HappilyEverHerritt was just perfect. I was in such a need of a little getaway weekend. It's typically hard to adjust coming off a great trip, but I'm feeling refreshed and ready. Ready for spring weather, new opportunities, and fresh feelings. 

-Came home to Spicy Chili Lime soup made by roomie Madeline. The spice may have singed our throats but it sure did clear out those sinuses!
-Finally tried the beet yogurt from last weeks bites. Opted to try this savory yogurt concept paired with more breakfast for dinner. Verdict--> good but wouldn't buy it again.
-Big hugs and kisses to my SCOUT crew. Thanks for my goodies, miss y'all so much. Check out the new collection ASAP if you haven't.
-Thursday night got a little kinky.
-Valentine making for galentines.
-A new nutrition bar to try thanks to my foodie friend Clara!
-First meal in Scottsdale and can't wait to recreate it. Shrimp wrap with sweet potato tots.
-Frozen mojitos with rum whipped cream just entered my life and they are never leaving it. Thank you for that Sumo Maya.
-A quickie little hike to fit in with the locals.
-A weekend in paradise did me well.
-My peeps run deep, just missing our New Yorkers.
-Homemade red sauce over spaghetti squash for me, myself and I.

Annie

Save This Recipe Snickerdoodles

The title says it all. I promise, you can trust me on this one. I've attempted to make snickerdoodles here and there over the course of my baking career, but they have never resulted in anything fantastic. They are always kind of puffy and don't get that cracked crust. This recipe is chewy, a little dense and just perfectly crispy around the edges!

I turned to cookie queen Christina Tosi for help on this one. If you don't make them asap, at least save them for a rainy day. 

Snickerdoodles adapted from Milk Bar Life
yields 24-30 cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tarter
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Cream on high for about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.

Add the flour, cream of tarter, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix until just combined. If time allows, let dough chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before scooping.

Combine your sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Scoop the dough into golf ball size and roll between your palms. Toss in the cinnamon sugar mixture until completely covered. Arrange about 2 to 3 inches apart on a lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes, until just golden brown and slightly cracked. Cool and enjoy! 

Annie

Valentine Vibes

wafer cookies // waffles // iced heart cookies // xoxo
white chocolate cherry cookies // homemade kit kats // pop tarts // raspberry smoothie
donuts // hershey kiss cookies // bundt cakes // scones

I love Valentine's Day, I've said it before. I see no harm in a holiday about pink and red and hearts and candy and loving on people who are special to you. Oversized teddy bears, red roses, and other commercialized stuff aside, it's a pretty cute holiday. 

If all of the above were in my possession this Valentine's Day I wouldn't be mad about it. Even better is that those cute little bundt cakes found above can be (if you are in the OKC metro area)! My friend Sallie, of Sallie Sells Cakes, makes delicious and adorable bundt cakes.  She has three special flavors for Valentine's Day including White Chocolate Raspberry, Red Velvet and Chocolate Covered Cherry. Need a little sweet treat for your lovie? Her mini bundts are only $5. Send orders to salliesellscakes@gmail.com.

Annie

Cinnamon Roll King Cakes + A Video

Raise your hand if you are slightly obsessed with Buzzfeed's Tasty videos? Food videos are kind of taking over social media recently. I catch myself watching near 10 food videos in a row. From roasted chicken and veggies, to cake mix cookies four ways, to buffalo dip etc. 

If you don't know what I'm talking about, Buzzfeed has a Facebook page called Tasty where they post short little step by step videos on how to easily make fun recipes. These recipes have been getting shared left and right in my news feed. Our generation is visually stimulated and these videos are basically a super speed food show. 

I took a dabble at my own Tasty-like video to bring a little pizzaz to my easy peasy individual Cinnamon Roll King Cakes!

Cinnamon Roll King Cakes
yields 5 individual cakes

Ingredients:
1 tube of cinnamon rolls, icing included
purple, yellow and green sprinkles

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet and set aside.

Unravel a cinnamon roll. Fold it in half longways, then twist it. Bring the two edges together to create a circle and press the ends so it stays together. Repeat with each cinnamon roll. Bake for 18-20 minutes. 

Right out of the oven, evenly distribute the frosting on each cake. Immediately follow with the sprinkles in alternating colors to give them the signature King Cake look. Throw some beads on and enjoy!

Not quite Buzzfeed's Tasty, but it does the trick! What did you think, are we into the food videos? I'm kind of obsessed...

Annie

Bites of My Life

Hello food coma. Holy cow there is still so much spinach artichoke, queso, mexican sweat (don't ask) and buffalo chicken dip just chilling in my tummy post Super Bowl snacking. Oh and cookie butter popcorn, chocolate chip cookies and a Hickory Farms meat and cheese board. Do I regret it? no. Does my body regret it? yes. But one can never regret an event where food is the MVP. 

Last week was nice. An easy ease into a new month. New recipes got posted, a new grocery store in the neighborhood opened (I'm a sucker for a good grocery store) and Mr. Groudhog didn't see his shadow, so I'm happily looking forward to spring coming a bit sooner. 

-I love putting warm oatmeal in an almost empty jar of AB, but this plastic Barney Butter container couldn't quite handle the heat.
-Loving power balls for a post-early morning workout snack before I'm ready for breakfast. Posted the whole recipe for these Pecan Spice Power Balls on instagram.
-An epic clean out the fridge meal. Grated sweet potatoes hash with baked eggs and avo.
-CCC recipe round 4!
-Cookie Butter Popcorn is my everything right now. It was a hit at my Super Bowl Party, but is also perfect for any holiday just switch up the sprinkles.
-Can't wait to try the Blue Hill beet yogurt I brought home from Uptown Grocery. Most turned their nose, but I'm all about the weird flavors. Sweet potato and butternut squash sound so good too, but I think I'll pass on tomato and parsnip.
-Weekend breakfasts are a little unbeatable. AB toast with bluebs and hemp hearts with a soft boiled egg that turned out hard boiled.
-Crock pot spinach and artichoke dip was my contribution to the Super Bowl feast. 
-Stay tuned for a second post coming later today. I have a special surprise with this one you won't want to miss. 

Annie