I’m such a fan of sweet and spicy and shortbread cookies are my go to. Chocolate and chipotle are a match made in heaven for me, so this recipe is on a regular rotation in my kitchen. I served these at last week’s workshop, and I’m pretty sure they were a hit. A good cup of coffee and a couple of these Chocolate Chipotle Shortbread Cookies, and I’m a happy girl.

I haven’t given Valentine’s day too much thought yet, but at least I’ve made some cute heart shaped cookies. To give these a pretty Valentine’s day vibe, I dipped them in pink royal icing. Check out this post for easy smooth royal icing tips and tricks.

Chocolate Chipotle Shortbread Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2-3 tsp. chipotle powder
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg

With an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter until smooth.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients – flour, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, chipotle powder. Mix the dry ingredients with a whisk to combine and remove any lumps. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar and butter mixture and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Place the cookie dough in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least one hour. Roll out the dough to 1/4″ on a well floured surface or between two pieces of parchment paper. Cut into shapes and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 F for about 10 mins.

This recipe is modified from Martha Stewart’s Halloween Cookies.

The best way to chase away those Monday blues is with a Mocktail!  And I’ve got a really fun one for you. It’s not only the prettiest shade of pink, but it’s a very unique flavor that I’m sure you will love. Don’t worry, it’s not overly spicy.  It has just a tiny bit of heat, just enough for make it interesting.

Pink Peppercorn Lemonade

Start by making the pink peppercorn simple syrup.

Pink Peppercorn Simple Syrup

• 1 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp. pink peppercorns

In a small pot, combine the sugar, water and pink peppercorns. Bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes on high. Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely. Pour the syrup through a fine metal sieve to remove the peppercorns. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Pink Lemonade

• 1 cup sugar
• 5 cups water
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup grenadine syrup

In a large pitcher combine all the ingredients. Mix well until all the sugar is dissolved.

• club soda or sparkling water
• lemon slices for garnish

In a glass filled with ice, add 3-4 tbsp. of pink peppercorn simple syrup. Add equal parts lemonade and club soda. Stir and garnish with a slice of lemon and a few whole peppercorns.

I served this with as a grown up cocktail this weekend at my latest workshop. A little gin is a fun way to spike this tasty drink.

I’ve partnered with got milk? to share two new fun mocktail recipes with you today. It’s the season for entertaining, so why not try something new – Milk Mocktails are where it’s at. These really are fun for the whole family. For your next get together, I suggest skipping dinner and serve mocktails and appetizers. These recipes are jam packed with flavor.

On the menu:

• Earl Grey and Lavender Milk Steamers
• Iced Gingerbread Milk
• Mini Cranberry Baked Brie
• Sage Shortbread Cookies and Wensleydale with Cranberries

Earl Grey and Lavender Milk Steamers

• 2 earl grey tea bags
• 1 tbsp dried lavender
• 1tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• steamed whole milk

Bring the water to a boil. Add the tea bags and lavender, allow the it to steep for an hour. Strain the tea and lavender. In a small pot, bring steeped water and sugar to a boil. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat and cool completely.

In a mug combine 2 tbsp. of the syrup with a cup of steamed milk. If you don’t have a milk steam or frother, milk can simple be heated in pot to the point just before it boils.

Top each milk steamer with a sprinkling of dried lavender.

I’ve never met a guest that didn’t love baked brie, and how can you resist then adorable mini versions. Warm Earl Grey and Lavender Milk Steamers served with a piping hot baked brie is the perfect combination to warm you from the inside out on a chilly winter evening.

Mini Cranberry Baked Brie

• pre-made puff pastry
• mini brie or a large brie cut into 2 inch cubes
• cranberry sauce (or any other fruit preserve)
• 1 egg

Cut the brie in half and spoon 1 tsp. cranberry sauce into the middle on the brie. Cut 5 inch. circles of puff pastry. Place the brie in the center of the pastry and wrap the pastry around the cheese. Beat the egg with a fork, using a pastry brush, brush a generous amount on the pastry to glue to edges together. Cut a small star shaped pieces of the the pastry and top each brie with a star. Brush the entire pastry wrapped brie with the egg wash. Bake at 400 F for about 18 mins. or until golden brown.

A savory sage shortbread is a surprising treat. Paired with Wensleydale Cheese with Cranberries, this pile of cookies and block of cheese was gone in no time. It’s a rich bite, so icy cold, spicy Gingerbread Milk is a perfect match.

Sage Shortbread Cookies

• 1 cup butter (room temperature)
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage
• a pinch of salt

With an electric mixer, beat the butter on high for a minute. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add the flour and salt and beat again until smooth. Add the sage a mix until it is incorporated evenly.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. Roll out the dough to 1/4″ thickness on a well floured surface. Cut out 2 inch circles. Place the cookies on parchment lined baking sheet. Place the cookies in the freezer for at least 30 mins. Preheat the oven to 350 F, bake the cookies until just golden brown on the edges, about 12 mins.

Iced Gingerbread Milk

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2tsp. ginger
• 1tsp. cinnamon
• 2-3 tbsp. molasses
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• whole milk
• ice

In a pot, combine the first 8 ingredients, bring to a boil and cook for 4 mins on high.  Cool and store in an sealed jar or bottle. Keeps up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

In a glass filled with ice and cold milk, stir in 1-2 tbsp. gingerbread syrup.

This post is sponsored by got milk? (Food Loves Milk!) Thanks for supporting the companies that help make this blog possible. 

With the Holiday season here, I’m looking for some great hostess gifts to take to all the parties and events that there are to attend. I love taking something homemade, so this year, I’m making this Pineapple Kumquat Cardamom Marmalade. It might be the best preserves I’ve ever made. Or Kumquat tree is loaded with sweet, juicy fruit so I wanted to use them in a jam of some sort. This marmalade is definitely a twist on the traditional, with the taste of the tropics with sweet pineapple and a little spice with a healthy dose of freshly ground cardamom (my FAVORITE flavor!!!!!).

And to sweeten this gift a little more, I cut out cute little vinyl pineapples from Damask Love’s designs for the Cricut Gold Explore Machine for JoAnn Fabrics. This adorable modern pineapple is the perfect finishing touch for this homemade gift. Really, there’s no other label needed for these preserves. Whoever receives this marmalade is sure to remember the gift giver.

You know I’m a huge fan of Cricut. It’s really the best crafting tool I own. I can give gifts a custom look with very little time or effort.

I cut this pineapple shape in both white and gold vinyl and using transfer tape, adhered them to the outside of the filled jars.

Pineapple Kumquat Cardamom Marmalade

• 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple
• 2 cups of thinly sliced kumquats ( I used my mandolin slicer and then cut those slices in half)
• 4 cups sugar
• juice of one lemon
• 1tbsp. freshly ground cardamom
• 1 envelope liquid pectin

In a large heavy sauce pan, combine all the ingredients except the pectin. Stir to combine. Heat over high heat until the marmalade come to a rolling boil. Boil one minute and then add the liquid pectin. Bring back up to a rolling boil and boil for one more minute. Remove from the heat.

Pour the hot marmalade into prepared canning jars. Seal and process for at least 10 mins. in boiling water.

I love Friendsgiving, it’s all the fun of Thanksgiving with a lot less pressure (and a lot less family dynamics – tee hee). It doesn’t have to be perfect or fancy, it’s a fun relaxed way to celebrate the friendships we are thankful for. This week, I threw a little Friendsgiving at the studio. I put together an easy-to-make menu that is a twist on traditional Thanksgiving. It gave me a chance to try some non-traditional and a lot more casual takes on the usual staples you find at Thanksgiving.

Who wants to be driving all over town for the ingredients and supplies when you are throwing a party? From prep to plate, Target is my one-stop shop for affordable, simple and unique Thanksgiving solutions. I really do most of my grocery shopping at Target Grocery. Well, actually, I just do a lot of every kind of shopping at Target. All the ingredients and decor for this Friendsgiving get-together were all purchased at my local Target – now how easy is that?

Friendsgiving Menu

• Sparkling Vanilla Cider Mocktail
• Charcuterie and Cheese Board
• Cranberry Sage Mini Corn Muffins
• Pumpkin Spice Dinner Rolls
• Spinach and Pomegranate Salad
• Roasted Maple Sweet Potatoes with Feta and Cranberries
• Chipotle Mashed Potatoes
• Cider Brined Turkey Breast
• Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Mousse
• Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn

Get ready for a whole bunch of recipes!  This post is jam packed with no-fuss, totally yummy food.

I’m a huge fan of a Mocktail, they are fun drinks the whole family can enjoy, especially when you are celebrating in the middle of the day. This is the flavors of fall in one glass.

Sparkling Vanilla Cider Mocktail

• Dry Sparkling Vanilla Bean Soda
• Archer Farms Spiced Apple Cider
• Cocktail Crate Craft Mixer – Ginger Bee
• Cinnamon Sticks
• Apple Slices

In a glass with ice, pour 2 ounces Drink Mix with about 1/2 cup Spiced Cider.  Top off the rest of the glass with Dry Vanilla Bean Soda. Stir and garnish with a cinnamon stick and a slice of green apple. (For a spiked version, add a shot of Apple Whiskey.)

Any great party starts with a great Charcuterie and Cheese Board. It’s always a crowd favorite. While you put the finishing touches on the meal, guests can snack on bites of cheese, olives, and salami.

Charuterie and Cheese Board

• Archer Farms Entertainment Crackers
• Goat Cheese
• Smoked Gouda
• Sharp White Cheddar
• Kalamata Olives
• Peppered Dry Salami
• Proccuto and Provolone Rolls
• Grapes

I say anything goes with a Charcuterie Board, if you like it, put it on the board. A good mix of cheeses, meats, fruit, olives and bread or crackers and you are set. Arrange the ingredients on a pretty marble or wood cutting board. Olives can be placed in a small bowl. Cheese does not have to be sliced, just provide little cheese knives and guests can cut off what they want.

In place of traditional stuffing, I decided to make mini corn muffins with all the flavors of Thanksgiving in packed in them. Fresh sage, dried cranberries and orange zest give these muffins a little kick. And since it’s the holidays, I say, “Give Me All Carbs!”, so I served two types of bread. Pumpkin Spice Dinner Rolls and Cranberry Sage Mini Corn Muffins are both fun, unique twists on the classic dinner roll. 

Cranberry Sage Mini Corn Muffins

• 2 packages Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
• 1/4 cup Market Pantry dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage or 1 tsp. dried sage
• zest of one orange
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients. Spray a mini muffin pan generously with non-stick cooking spray. Fill each cup 2/3 full. Top each muffin with a leaf of fresh sage. Bake at 400 F for about 12 minutes, or until just golden brown.

They holidays are all about indulging, but a healthy green salad with fruit, cheese and nuts, is still always a hit.

Spinach and Pomegranate Salad

• 1 bag of pre-washed baby spinach
• 1 pomegranate
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 bag of Archer Farms Cranberries and Sliced Almonds Salad Topper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup Archer Farms balsamic vinegar
• juice of one orange
• 1 tbsp. poppy seeds
• 2 tbsp. honey
• salt and pepper to taste

In a small jar combine the oil, vinegar, juice, poppy seeds, honey and salt and pepper.  Seal the jar and shake to combine.

Place the spinach, pomegranate seeds, feta and salad topping in a large bowl. Drizzle with the balsamic dressing just before serving and toss.

A lot of the pressure of cooking a whole Thanksgiving dinner comes from having to tackle a whole huge bird. This Citrus Brined Turkey Breast is quick to cook and a lot less stressful. I was nervous that a boneless, skinless breast had the potential to be dry and flavorless. But, brining this turkey breast made all the difference. This might be the juiciest, tastiest bird I’ve ever made. Really, I mean it!

Citrus Brined Turkey Breast

• Archer Farms Cook-in-bag Homestyle Boneless Turkey Breast
• 1/2 recipe Cider Brine
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• small oven roasting bag

Since this recipe is just for cooking a turkey breast, a 1/2 recipe of the Cider Brine is more then enough. Combine all the ingredients for the brine in a large stock pot. Remove the turkey breast from the bag and place in the brine.  Then place the pot into the fridge.  I brined my turkey breast for about 36 hours and it was delicious!  When you are ready to cook the turkey, remove it from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels.  Spread the butter over the turkey breast and place in a small roasting bag. Prick a hole in the bag and seal it with the tie.  Place on a baking tray and roast in a 375 F oven for about 1 hour or till meat thermometer reads 165 F at the center of the breast (cook time really depends on how big your turkey breast is).

Move over marshmallow topped sweet potatoes, these maple glazed, golden sweet potatoes are one of new favorite sides.

Roasted Maple Sweet Potatoes with Feta and Cranberries

• 2 bags of Archer Farms Sweet Potatoes
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup  Archer Farms 100% Pure Maple Syrup
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 Market Pantry dried cranberries

On a parchment line baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil, maple syrup, parsley and salt and pepper. Roast in a 375 F over for about 30-40 mins or until the edges of the sweet potatoes are just barely charred and dark brown.  Place the sweet potatoes in a serving bowl or platter and top with the cranberries and feta.

No-bake Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Mousse

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup Pumpkin Pie Mix
• 2 tsp. unflavored gelatin
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 20 Market Pantry Gingersnap Cookies
• Archer Farms Pumpkin Spice Glazed Pepitas

This recipe can be made in a 9 inch. pie pan or in 10 individual mini versions like I did.

Prepare the ginger snap crust by placing the 20 ginger snap cookies in a food processor. Process until the cookies are fine crumbs. Melt the butter and add it to the cookie crumbs. Pulse to combine. With the back of a spoon, press the crumbs into the pie pan or glass jars.

Whip the heaving whipping cream to stiff peaks, set aside.  With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and powered sugar until smooth, add the pumpkin pie mix and beat again until smooth. In a small microwave safe bowl, combine the water and gelatin. Microwave on high for 10 seconds or until the gelatin is dissolved. With the mixer running, pour the gelatin into the cream cheese mixture. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Spoon the filling into the pie pan, or place in a large piping bag and pipe in the jars.  Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Top with Pumpkin Spice Glazed Pepitas.

Here’s some of the pretty things I used to decorate the table with:

• Tablecloth
• Gold Flatware
• Candle Holder
• Wheat Wreath
• Ice Bucket
• Bottle Opener
• Geometric Vase
• Geometric Bowl

This post is sponsored by Target. Thank you for supporting the companies that help make this blog possible. 

This is a recipe from the archives of O + P and it’s one that I grew up eating.  My mom made this caramel corn recipe every Fall. It’s buttery and crunchy and just so, so yummy. You think you’ll eat just a handful and then before you know it you’ve had 15 handfuls, it’s just that good.

I found these little wax paper bags in the dollar section at Target. They are perfectly spooky just in time for Halloween. I really don’t like “evil” halloween, but I do like creepy, crawly. So, there will be lots of spiders and bats around our house.

We are planning a big Halloween party for Oct. 31st. Denali’s 15th birthday is the next day, so we are throwing her a fun Halloween/Birthday Party. This is actually the first time we’ve ever combined her birthday with Halloween. I’ve always tried to make her birthday feel special and set apart, but now that she is a full-on teenager, a Halloween party felt like a great idea.

This Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn is sure to be a hit at the party! This recipe can definitely be made without the pumpkin spice and the pecans (but, pecans do make everything better, right?).  With the pecans as part of the mix, I like to call it Cockroach Nests, just to be a little gross this time of year.

Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn

• 6 quarts popped popcorn
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tbsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 cup pecans (optional)

Welcome FALL!!!! We are so glad you are here. And to celebrate the first day of Fall, I have the perfect mocktail. Our days are still really warm, so I’m not ready for warm drinks yet. This crisp, refreshing Sparkling Apple Ginger Mocktail is just the right about of Fall, but still cool and refreshing.

I picked these cute mini apples at my parent’s tree. They are the perfect size for topping a drink. I sliced these apples and ginger super thin with a madoline.

Sparkling Apple Ginger Mocktail

• Ginger Beer
• Unfiltered Apple Juice
• Apples and Fresh Ginger

Fill a glass with ice, add equal parts ginger beer and apple juice, stir. Garnish with thinly sliced fresh ginger and apples.

This drink would be perfect spiked with Jack Daniel’s Apple Whiskey.