My Favorites of 2011

 2011 certainly came and went much quicker than I anticipated. It has been a busy, exciting and exhausting year. I wish I would have devoted more time to the blog (I only posted about half as many times in 2011 as I did in 2010), but Oven Love was on the back burner for most of the year. I won't be making any promises about posting more often in 2012, though it sounds like a nice idea in theory. I know things are about to get crazy in this house with the new baby arriving in just a few weeks.

So, just like I did in 2009 (somehow this link no longer shows my photos, sorry!) and 2010, and like everyone in Blogland will probably be doing sometime this week, I present my favorite posts from 2011. I hope you'll enjoy the look back and put a few of these on your list (or pin them on your board, Pinsters) to try in the new year.

Lots of love and best wishes for a great 2012!

Lightened Up Chili

This chili doesn't taste light at all- it's really filling!

 Fruit and Nut Granola
Forgot how much I love this recipe until today. Now I've got to make some before baby comes..

Sweet and Savory French Toast BLT

A fun twist on the BLT that's great for brunch or a light lunch.

Ham and Egg Crepe Squares

These seem so fancy but are simple to put together. Don't be afraid to make crepes- you will love them!

Farfalle Con Broccoli

I love the simplicity of this dish.. AND the fact that if you add chicken, it tastes like Olive Garden's Garlic Chicken con Broccoli!

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies

Usually I just eat Nutella with a spoon, but when I'm feeling fancy, these cookies really hit the spot.

Corn, Crab and Tomato Salad

A fresh summer salad for picnics, potlucks or packed lunches.

 Smoky Pork Tacos

 One of my favorite meals to serve to a crowd. Guys love this one.

 

Blackberry Galette

This is just a beautiful thing to put into your belly.

 New York Style Crumb Cake

You don't ever need to go to Starbucks for coffee cake if you have this recipe!

Fall Harvest Salad

All the best fall flavors in one big bowl.

 Santa Hat Snack Mix

It's just adorable, seriously. Those little hats are too much!

Salted Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats

My last post of the year, but a really tasty discovery.

Now go forth into 2012 and start cooking something delicious!

Salted Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats

I really wasn't planning on sharing more sweets with you, but occasions to bake keep coming up out of nowhere! I made these last night for some friends, and then whipped up another quick batch for the hubs to take to work today.  This recipe took me less than 15 minutes to pull together- talk about a Christmas miracle!  I have no energy left these days (this baby is coming in a month.. woah) to slave away in the kitchen making complicated treats (even though I wish I had the time to!), especially with all of the other holiday hulabaloo going on.

I think you'll really like these. They have just enough peppermint- certainly not the overwhelming minty-ness that you get from some Christmas desserts. The chocolate drizzle and sea salt add the  salty/sweet component, and you've got the classic crunchy/chewy thing going on with the Rice Krispies and marshmallow combo.

If you have the ingredients on hand (or even if you don't- you'll probably be out shopping soon anyways), I am certain you have the time to throw these together. Yum, yum, yum!

 

Salted Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats

by Oven Love

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 4 cups peppermint marshmallows **There are a few ways to do this. You can make them homemade (I like this recipe from Beantown Baker), you can buy store-bought (Jet-Puffed has a peppermint variety during the holidays), or you can use regular marshmallows with a dash of peppermint extract and a drop or two of red food coloring (optional).**
• 5 cups Rice Krispie cereal
• 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 3-5 peppermint candies, crushed
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

To prepare, butter a 9x13 baking dish.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the marshmallows and reduce heat to low. Stir until the marshmallows are melted completely and remove from heat. Add the Rice Krispies and stir until well-coated. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and press down with a spatula or buttered fingers.

Next, heat the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Transfer into a pastry or Ziplock bag and cut the corner. Drizzle the chocolate evenly over the Rice Krispie mixture (you can also use a spoon to do this, but it will be a bit messier). Sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies and sea salt evenly over the chocolate and let rest until the chocolate is set. Cut into squares and serve.

Sprinkled Chocolate Thumbrint Cookies

Good morning, all! How are your holiday sugar hangovers?

Today I've got some more sugary treats for you in honor of the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, hosted by the fabulously talented Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen. I have had the pleasure of meeting these two darlings in real life and I couldn't say no when I heard they were putting this fun swap together. 

After some deliberation, I started my search for a great thumbprint cookie recipe, hoping to replicate my favorite sprinkled Christmas cookies from the Oakmont Bakery in Oakmont, PA. My 8-month-pregnant self will unfortunately not be traveling back to PA this Christmas, so I needed a good substitute anyways (wouldn't want to send myself into a nostalgic/hormonal tailspin).

Once I found my base recipe, I then decided that I would use said recipe for another cookie exchange and a weekend get-together.  I ended up making at least 10-12 dozen of these little guys within a week's time. Needless to say, I will be finding tiny sprinkles all over my kitchen for at least the next year.

And let me just say that I will never again participate in two cookie exchanges at one time. One is more than enough. I have dozens upon dozens of cookies on my counter just staring at me, begging to be eaten, talking to me in my sleep (not that I'm actually getting any), making my toddler crazy (since they are just out of his reach) and giving me tummy aches. The cookies I received from my blogger matches were very yummy, though. I got New Orleans Praline Disks from Of Cabbages and King Cakes, Candy Cane Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt from Bonnie the Baker and Peppermint Sables from Daily Nibbles.  My little sprinkled cookies were sent off to The Cookie Monster, Food Victorian, and Sorelle e Cibo.

And while I'm being chatty, can I say that sprinkled cookies are a pain to photograph? Especially with the dark chocolate spot in the middle. These two pictures are all I could salvage from a ton of photos. I'd love any tips if you've got them!

Hope you give these cookies a try this Christmas. They're simple enough to make in large batches (trust me), but special enough to stand out on your cookie tray. Thanks again to Julie and Lindsay for putting this event together!

Sprinkled Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

-by Oven Love, basic recipe via Technicolor Kitchen

 For the cookie dough:

• ½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup (70g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups (175g) all-purpose flour, sifted

For the decoration and chocolate filling:

•  Sprinkles, nonpareils or sanding sugar of your choice for decoration
• 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 56g (2oz) semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup

Preheat the oven to 350ºF; line two baking sheets with baking paper or silicone baking mats.
 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in flour, beginning on low speed and increasing to medium high, until a dough forms – it won’t be sticky.

Roll dough into balls. Dip each ball into your sprinkles or other decoration, making sure to get even coverage all around. Place onto prepared sheets. (At this point, you can make a pre-thumbprint to be sure your holes are deep enough, or you can wait to do it after the next step). Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and press thumb into tops of cookies to make indentations. Return to oven, and bake until light brown on the edges, 7 to 9 minutes more. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

While the cookies are cooling, combine chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a small heatproof bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals until melted or set over a pot of simmering water; stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Allow to cool and thicken slightly. When cookies are cool, fill the thumbprints with the chocolate mixture. Let the chocolate set before serving.

Santa Hat Snack Mix

Christmas is here!

That means stuffing your face with sugar for a whole month.  No matter how hard you try to avoid it, there are treats everywhere this time of year.  So I'm just jumping on the bandwagon and sharing another one with you.

I am loving this little snack mix! It is a little more time consuming than your typical Chex mix, but it's worth it. I made it for our second annual gingerbread party (post forthcoming) and it was a big hit with all of the already sugared-up guests. 

The best part is the little Santa hats. They're made from Caramel Bugles (didn't even know they existed until I found this recipe) dipped in red chocolate melts, with a few sprinkles and a marshmallow to top it all off. The Bugles have this salty sweet thing going that is awesome- I think next time I'll just eat a bowl of the Santa hats and call it a day.

After you've prepared the Santa hats and let them dry, you just pour melted white chocolate over the rest of your ingredients, mix, let dry and then throw in the Santa hats and some Christmas M&Ms. This is a great recipe to take with you to potlucks and parties since it's easy to travel with. Just make sure you don't eat it all in the car.

Thank you, Cookies & Cups, for this great idea!

Santa Hat Snack Mix

via Cookies and Cups

For the Santa hats:

• 1 bag Caramel Bugles (or regular, if you can't find them. they're typically near the ChexMix at the store)
• Red melting chocolate disks (one bag should be sufficient)
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• Mini marshmallows (just a handful is enough)
• White nonpareil sprinkles

Melt the candy melts and shortening together in 30 second intervals in your microwave until melted. As soon as everything is melted, start dipping the Bugles into the chocolate, letting the excess chocolate drip off. Let them set up until firm on parchment or wax paper.

When the Bugles are set, remelt the red chocolate if necessary and dip just the bottom of the Bugles into the white sprinkles. Then flip the Bugle over and dip the top in red chocolate and firmly press a mini marshmallow on top. Let set again on the parchment or wax paper.

For the snack mix:

• Your Bugle Santa hats (see above for procedure)
• 3 cups mini pretzels
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup salted dry roasted peanuts
• 2 cups Rice Chex
• 2 cups holiday M&Ms
• 8 oz white chocolate

Spread all of your ingredients, except M&Ms, out on a large baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Melt the white chocolate according to package directions and drizzle over the ingredients. Use a spatula to mix and cover the ingredients evenly with white chocolate. Allow the mix to dry on the baking sheet. When the chocolate is set, break the pieces up and sprinkle the M&Ms and Bugle Santa hats over the mix. Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy!