Chocolate Hazelnut & Raspberry Greek Yogurt Parfait

 

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

Much like every other holiday since last March 2020, Valentine's day is kind of a bust this year!

Then again, we don't usually do much for V-Day anyway. Mr. V and I are not exactly what you would call romantic people.

Not that we don't love each other, of course!

It's just that our perfect movie date night would include something more along the lines of John Wick than The Notebook. No biggie.

"Hey girl.... I feel like there's not enough death & destruction in this movie for us."

(Remember those 'Hey girl' Ryan Gosling memes? Or am I just embarrassing/dating myself haha?)

Anyhow... what I have for you today is more of an idea than a recipe. But I will do my best to approximate amounts so you can replicate this deliciousness at home. 

I will never forget the day I went into the grocery store and saw Chobani was now making little containers of Greek yogurt mixed with nut butters, including chocolate hazelnut. 

It didn't stop me in my tracks because I thought it was a revolutionary idea, though. 

No, I had been making this at home for years and felt like I should definitely own the patent to that combo by then.

Robbed, I tell you. Robbed!

However, that didn't stop me from buying a few containers because, well, convenience.

But I can't say I've seen any of those in the stores by us recently? So I guess they weren't hot sellers, though I can't imagine why. 

Whatever the reason, that just means you'll have no choice other than to make it yourself at home!

For this, I like to do about a tablespoon of Nutella per half cup of plain Greek yogurt. That would honestly be pushing it on the sweetness for me as a lunch option.

But, you do you. This is your parfait.

"Hey girl... put as much Nutella in that yogurt as your beautiful heart desires."

(See, Ryan says it's cool- go nuts.)

After a while, I discovered that this delicious yogurt mixture is further complemented by fresh raspberries. Yum.

Then Santa brought me some chocolate granola in my stocking and boom. My parfait was born.

Yes, I'll admit we are definitely getting closer to dessert territory as opposed to lunch. So let's just go ahead and cross that line! 

Add a dollop of whipped cream and some chocolate sauce because it's pretty.

And delicious. The perfect storm.

"Hey girl... you deserve nothing less than perfection."

Ok ok, I'll stop now.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Hazelnut & Raspberry Greek Yogurt Parfait

• 1 T. Nutella (or other chocolate hazelnut spread)
• 1/2 C. plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 C. chocolate granola (or any other granola of your choosing)
• 1/4 C. fresh raspberries
• optional: whipped cream, chocolate syrup, mini chocolate chips

Mix Nutella and yogurt together in a small bowl, until well combined. 

Spoon half of yogurt mixture to a parfait cup or small mason jar. Sprinkle with granola. Add remaining yogurt and top with raspberries.

Top with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and/or mini chocolate chips if desired.

Original Recipe

Pumpkin Spiced Chocolate Loaf

Here we are and it's almost Fall again.

That means it has been waaaay too long since I last posted.  (I know- what else is new?)  But that also means it's nearly time for my favorite season and favorite holiday, so I'm pretty excited!

As usual, it was an action-packed Spring and Summer for us.  My in-laws are incredibly generous, and took us all to Disney World in April.  OMG.  Can I just tell you that I felt like a kid again myself?

Best. Vacation. EVER.

In May, the Vittles family also gained a niece/cousin - my brother-in-law and sister-in-law welcomed a daughter, Annie, and she is soooo sweet!  Chubby cheeks just like her cousins, and possibly one of the happiest babies I have ever seen!

I think we'll keep her.

In July, we took our annual trip to Canada to my in-laws' house on the St. Lawrence River. Mini got to try her hand at driving the boat, and we did lots of fun activities.

Unfortunately we only got to the beach ONCE all summer, in August while my aunt and cousin were visiting- but that was a great time too.

And now... Mini Smalls is officially a Kindergartener, and the Minion just started nursery school!

They both did so great. No drama or tears from either of them (or from Mama, for that matter!)

The Minion didn't even say goodbye, just made a beeline to the play kitchen to make some food.

Wonder where he gets that from?

As for Miss Mini, I knew she was beyond ready for Kindergarten, but this summer I was still feeling slightly unsure of all the changes that come along with going to school full-time. I was also mourning a little for the end of her toddlerhood (although Lord knows there were plenty of days over the last 5+ years that I longed for more independent and rational days ahead!).

In the weeks leading up, I bought us matching bracelets to go with a sweet poem I had seen online, and wondered how she would do that first day. Would she be nervous to ride on the bus? Would she feel anxious about spending the whole day at school, away from family and the babysitter she's known since she was a newborn? Would she have any fears of this new routine?

Spoiler alert: No, no, and no.

The night before the big day, I presented her with the bracelet and read her the poem. She hugged me tightly, seeming to enjoy idea of us wearing matching bracelets - but showed no signs of anxiety.

She got something called 'Jitter Glitter' at orientation from her teacher - she was supposed to sprinkle it on her head the night before her first day, to calm her nerves.  However, I think she was more excited to have an excuse to pour glitter on her noggin than to ward away any potential jitters.

She also read a book she received from her nursery school at Pre-K graduation, called "The Night Before Kindergarten." Overall, it was a pleasant, drama-free evening.  After the kids went to bed, I braved the crazy last-minute, back-to-school shoppers of Walmart to get her the pizza Lunchable she had wanted (which I had regretted saying 'no' to in the grocery store, a few days before).

The next morning, she literally could not wait to get to the bus stop. She rushed us through pictures, and power-walked to the corner. We were by far the first ones there, even beating some other neighbors who took an earlier bus to a different school.

She pranced around in her backpack, anxiously awaiting her friend and her friend's older brother to come from around the corner. The latter two are veterans, in 2nd and 5th grade respectively, and chattered excitedly about where they would sit on the bus, where their classrooms were, and what Mara could expect at school.

When the bus finally came, and her friend thoughtfully led her by the hand to a seat they would share, I found that I wasn't at all sad or emotional like I thought I might be.

She was ready.

And so was I.

I'm sure the year will come with its ups and downs, but it makes a mama happy to see that her children feel ready and prepared for the next chapter in their lives- even if the book isn't very long yet.

In the meantime, I am also totally ready for Fall.  I bought a stash of  pumpkin-scented candles at Bath & Body Works.  I didn't care that it was 90-something degrees with 100% humidity the last week of August - I lit them anyway.

I ask the kids almost daily what they want to be for Halloween. (I'll stop when their answers are consistent).

Instead of being disgusted by the Autumn and even Halloween displays in stores in August, they only served to escalate my anticipation.

I made my own pumpkin spice syrup so I could enjoy a "PSL" before Starbucks was even ready to unleash the fall flavor.

I changed our holiday banner in the dining room from flag bunting to glittery leaves, the first week of September.

And finally, I created this Pumpkin Spiced Chocolate Loaf to share with anyone whose excitement for Fall matches mine.

A couple years ago, I bought a candy bar at a local chocolate shop that was spiced chocolate, and I realized that these flavors go together way better than most people (myself included) give them credit for.

If you are a fan of autumn spices and chocolate, I hope you will give it a try. I don't think you will be disappointed!

Pumpkin Spiced Chocolate Loaf

• 1/2 C. butter, softened (1 stick)
• 1/2 C. granulated sugar
• 1 C. packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 C. canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 3/4 C. buttermilk (can add 3/4 t. vinegar to regular milk if you do not have any)
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
• 3/4 C. cocoa powder + a little extra for dusting pan
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 t. cinnamon 
• powdered sugar, for dusting finished loaf (optional)

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.  Butter & lightly dust an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan w/cocoa powder and dump out excess. (Note: I recommend a glass loaf pan - if using metal, it may not need to be in the oven as long as the recipe calls for).

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, spices together until well-combined.  Set aside.

In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk pumpkin into buttermilk.  Set aside.

In large bowl of electric mixer, on medium speed, cream butter until smooth.  Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add egg and mix well.  Then add buttermilk mixture and vanilla. Beat until combined (mixture will be soupy with chunks of butter, this is ok).

Add dry ingredients to wet and stir together with a spoon until just combined and no flour streaks remain - do not overmix.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, and bake 60-70 minutes in preheated oven or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10-15 minutes in pan on rack, then turn out loaf onto rack to cool completely. When cooled, dust with powdered sugar in sieve if desired.

Recipe Adapted from Smitten Kitchen's 'Everyday Chocolate Cake'

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream (No Machine Required)

Here we are at the end of July already.  A few weeks ago, Mr. Vittles and I were sitting out on the deck, enjoying some toasted marshmallows around the chimnea after the kiddos went to bed.

At one point, some neighborhood kids went flying by on their bikes, laughing and seemingly having the time of their lives.

It made me nostalgic for my own childhood, when summer meant something entirely different.  "Remember when we were kids and summer was awesome?" I said aloud.

My husband replied "Yup. Now it's just hot."

And really, that's so true. At some point, summer loses its magic and becomes more of a pain than a wonder.  Sure you get to go to the pool or beach and do things like eat outside.  But for the most part, you just have to do all the same stuff you do all year, except now you get to sweat while you do it.

But that line of thinking got me wondering if maybe I needed to take a breather from 'adulting' once in a while, and enjoy summer like a kid again.

So one beautiful afternoon, while The Minion napped, The Mini and I blew bubbles and played in the treehouse.  We laid down in the grass for what seemed like ages just looking up at the clouds through the trees.  And it was wonderful.

The Minion turned one last month and got lots of fun outside gifts like a pirate ship water table, a balance bike, and a whale sprinkler - so we've been having lots of fun with those.

Then this week, I decided to show the Mini how we could made ice cream the old-fashioned way, with rock salt, ice, and some elbow grease. But I always see recipes for vanilla, and while that's nice and traditional, I wanted to try something different.

Mini is all about the baking experimentation, so that was fine with her.  We got the "gredients" (as she calls them) at the store, to try a peanut butter version.  I have always been intrigued by the peanut butter powder I seem to see everywhere now, and I figured this would be the perfect application.  We also bought a huge sleeve of peanut butter cups, and Mini was coveting them like a pirate hoarding buried treasure.

"These are all for me, right?"

"No.  They are for everyone.  We have to share."

Immediate tears. "But I want ALL of them!"

Boy, do I know that feeling.  Peanut butter cups are pretty much the best thing ever.  I convinced her to let me cut one up for our ice cream, then we took turns shaking our concoction. By 'taking turns' I mean I did about 95% of the shaking.... and I must say, it came out great.

It was a pretty hot day, and this does melt more quickly than store-bought ice cream, so we had to eat super fast - but she didn't seem to mind!

As it turns out, I still got to enjoy some vanilla yesterday, when my nephew Holt came over to play.  The Mini was on a road trip with her dad to go see my brother-in-law compete in an Ironman triathlon (go Uncle Nick!), so it was just Holt and I with the Minion.

I let Holt pick between the two flavors, and he is apparently more of a traditionalist.  He is also a much more jovial shaker...

...although despite his enthusiasm, the length of my 'turn' was only reduced by approximately 5% in comparison to my first session, haha!  (Needless to say, every kid wants to shake until they try it for about 10 seconds, so get your 'guns' out for this one.)  But our ice cream came out just as good, and vanilla is the perfect canvass for lots of sprinkles! Yum.

Happy summer, y'all!

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream 

Ice Cream:
1/2 C. half and half
1 T. sugar
1 T. + 1 t. peanut butter powder, such as PB2 (I found it at Walmart, in the peanut butter section)
1 large Reese's peanut butter cup, cut into small pieces
1/8 t. vanilla extract

Other Ingredients:
1 large & 1 small ziploc bag
lots of ice
1/2 C. rock salt (such as Morton's ice cream salt, I found it at Walmart in the salt section)

Combine all ice cream ingredients (half & half thru vanilla extract) in a sandwich or quart-sized ziploc bag.  (I would recommend first placing the bag over a cup or bowl to stabilize it, before you add the ingredients).  Seal bag tightly & set aside.

Next, fill a large, gallon-sized ziploc bag about halfway with ice.  Add rock salt and shake to distribute.  Nestle small bag inside the large bag, so that it is surrounded by ice cubes.  Then seal large bag, and shake consistently anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, or until the ice cream mixture thickens to desired consistency.  Make sure the small bag stays surrounded by ice as much as possible. Serve and eat immediately.

Makes 1 to 2 servings (depending on the size of your consumer(s)!)

*Helpful hints: The shaking part can get quite messy as the ice melts, and the large bag may start to leak, so I definitely recommend doing the shaking outside.  I also recommend setting out your serving bowl(s) before you make the ice cream, so you can empty it out and start eating right away- it does melt fairly quickly.  (Or maybe I'm just too impatient and I don't shake it long enough, ha!)  You can also experiment with more or less peanut butter and/or peanut butter cups to your taste.  Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food.com 

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Crispy Rice Treats

Has it seriously been almost 3 months since my last post?

I can't even believe that is possible.

Then again... a lot has happened since then.  Nothing bad or overly exciting... just busy life, I guess.

Besides the craziness that is always 'the holiday season,' I did take a solo trip to Savannah toward the end of January, with my mom's side of the family to surprise my grandmother for her 85th birthday.

My aunt drove her and her two friends up from Florida, to visit my uncle & aunt & cousin (who live in Savannah).  What she didn't know is that my other two aunts, my uncle, most of the rest of my cousins, and I were all there too!  We surprised her at my uncle's house, but since there were so many of us, we rented a house on Tybee Island.

My Grammy is the 2nd one from the right, in the front row.  We are all wearing hats that my aunt had made, which said "Happy 85th from your shorebirds." So cute!

It was tough to leave Mr. Vittles and the kids though, especially because the Jersey Shore ended up getting hit with a really serious blizzard AND I ended up getting extremely sick a few days before we left.  But she was so surprised, and it was completely adorable and totally worth it. You could tell that she was truly overwhelmed with joy to see everyone.  It has been years since that many of us were together in one place, so it was really nice to spend that time as a family.

Not long before the Savannah excursion, Mr. Vittles, the kids, and I took a trip up to Connecticut to see my dad's side of the family.  It was really hard to have our first Christmas without my grandmother Yaya... but of course we all still had a lot of laughs together. She wouldn't have wanted it any other way!

My great-aunt Theresa actually told me a story I had never heard before, which had me rolling.  Apparently, when my mom and dad were newlyweds, Yaya gave my mom a baby picture of my dad.  Aunt Theresa went to my parents' house one day, and saw the baby picture on my mom's dresser.  She was curious to know why my mom had the picture there, and my mom explained that Yaya had given it to her, and it was my dad as a baby.

Except... it wasn't my dad.  Turns out, it was my dad's cousin, Aunt Theresa's son.

Now, as a mother of two wee ones, I'm not entirely sure how you mistake a photo of your nephew for your own son?  And it's not like she had 12 kids, she had 3.  I dunno, maybe in 20 years it will make more sense to me.  But either way, it is such a classic Yaya moment, and I loved hearing the story.

She was also notoriously bad at picking out gifts for people, but she LOVED to shop.  So at first it was a little sad that we didn't have any crazy Yaya gifts to laugh at this year, but dad and stepmom surprised us all by wrapping every terrifying Christmas gift they had ever received from Yaya, and re-gifting them to each member of the family. A couple of my personal favorites included a light-up crystal paperweight with a hot air balloon inside, and a hat with a photo of my dad, stepmom, and I....and our names underneath (just in case my dad ever forgot who we were?)

Mr. Vittles was lucky enough to get that gem.  You haven't lived 'til you've rocked a hat with a captioned picture of your wife & in-laws.

In any event, one thing I noticed over the months of holiday & family gatherings, is that I often get asked "Do you still have that food blog?"

And my answer is obviously yes (otherwise I wouldn't be typing this!) but I am always a little ashamed to admit how infrequently I post.  I wish I could say that I still posted 3 or 4 times a month, but with a full-time job and a 24/7 job as a mommy to a 3 year old and 8-month old... there is barely enough time in the day to maintain, let alone do any extras.

It makes me sad, though, because I genuinely enjoy the creative outlet of adapting recipes, making new things, and staging photos.  And I have always found writing to be therapeutic. Sometimes I have ideas for a new recipe for the blog that I get so excited about, I can hardly wait to find time to get to the kitchen.

"Ideas."  In case you haven't noticed, I have a lot of ideas.

When we were in Savannah, I was actually reminiscing with my cousins about something we all did as teenagers - we went to a non-profit research facility and completed a very extensive aptitude test.  My mom did this when she was a teenager, and though she never really shared what her aptitudes were, she apparently found the testing useful enough to bring me to New York City and do it myself.  My grandparents started this tradition with all of their children, and as far as I know, all of my cousins did it too.  At best, it helped some of us choose a career path; at worst, it was very interesting to see what we were naturally good at, and what we were not.

To be honest, I didn't get much out of it by way of career choice, but I definitely did find it interesting.  One part where I scored 'off the charts' in ability was something they called "ideaphoria." For that portion of the test, they give you a jump-off point, and you have to write as many thoughts as possible about that topic in a given period of time.

Apparently, I had a whole lot of... thoughts.

And so far, they hit the nail on the head with that one. Unlike interests, aptitudes are supposed to hold true over the course of your lifetime - and I will tell you that I still have a boat-load of ideas.

The problem is, I have neither the time nor the motivation to execute about 99% of them!

But I do have a blog that I've grown very fond of, and even if I only get to share one idea a month (or every 3 months?) then so be it.

So this recipe turned out to be one that had me really excited, and I ended up surveying the wares of 3 different stores before I found satisfactory ingredients to bring my idea to life.

I was racking my brain to think of what I could add to the marshmallow & butter mixture to make it strawberry-flavored. Initially, I settled on instant strawberry pudding - until I realized there is no such thing.  (Or at least not that I found.  Maybe someone should develop that as a product?  Just sayin.')

The next thing that came to mind was strawberry gelatin, but I was not sure what that might do when combined with hot marshmallow cream.  Gelatin overload?  So then I settled on strawberry frosting... until I found marshmallows made by Jet-Puffed that are already strawberry-flavored! Problem solved.  But I still added some of that frosting for good measure, because let's face it- extra strawberry and sugar can only make it that much more delicious, right?

To match my enthusiasm for the recipe, I wanted to get a decent photo.  The winter is the absolute worst time for food photos, because there is such a small window of natural light (especially for someone that works or is tending to kiddos throughout the majority of daylight hours!)  But luckily for me, Mr. Vittles and I recently cleaned out our finished basement, and cleared a space for a table and chairs as a craft area for the minions.

When I was a kid, we actually had a special room in our house devoted to creating.  My mom called it "the Studio."  It was filled with supplies like markers and paper and glue and stamps and glitter and clay and beads.... and more importantly, the space to spread all that out and make something with it.  I have a lot of memories of working on things in there, from Christmas presents to school projects.  I can see that Mini already has a flair for creating, so I'm thankful we have the room available to have our own miniature 'studio' for the kids.

I dunno, there's something that just seems really nice about having a big, flat area to do stuff.  Anyone knows me personally has probably figured out that I have some difficulty controlling the level of clutter in my life, so an empty surface in my house almost seems downright luxurious!

One of the fun things we did in Mini's new craft area was to paint one side of a closet door with chalkboard paint.  So last night I decided to draw a little Valentine-themed backdrop for my treats.

My treats!  Duh, that's why you're here, right?

I'll be honest, I'm usually not huge on fruit and chocolate together- but there is something so irresistible to me about a chocolate-covered strawberry.  They actually remind me now of my sister-in-law, because she prefers them to cake as her special birthday treat.  But it's still classic Valentine's Day, if you ask me!

Seriously, these are pretty delicious, guys.  Embarrassing fact: I actually gave myself a stomach ache eating too many of them.  So just beware of the V-Day tummy troubles, and don't say I didn't warn ya!

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Crispy Rice Treats

Cereal Bars:

• 3 T. butter, cut into pieces
• 1 8-oz package strawberry marshmallows (I used Jet-Puffed Strawberry Mallows)
• heaping 1/4 C. canned strawberry frosting
• 5 cups crisp rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)

Topping:

• 1 12-oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 T. butter
• sprinkles, if desired

Grease a 13x9 pan & set aside.

In a large, microwave-safe bowl, heat butter on high until melted (about 45 seconds). Add marshmallows, and toss to coat in butter.  Heat about 90 seconds, in 30 second intervals & stirring after each, until marshmallows are completed melted & mixture is smooth. Stir in strawberry frosting.

Add rice cereal, and mix well to coat.  Using a greased spatula or piece of waxed paper, firmly press mixture into bottom of prepared pan.  Cool completely.  Then place chocolate chips and 2 T. butter in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until mixture is smooth.

Pour chocolate over the top of cooled bars, and spread to evenly coat entire surface.  Top with sprinkles, if desired.  Let chocolate topping harden, then cut into squares.  Tip: I like to cut off all the edges, for a more uniform look.

Recipe adapted from Kraft, Jet-Puffed Marshmallow packaging

Leftover Easter Candy Fudge

Before Easter, my best friend Lauren and I were discussing how, now that we have children, sometimes the anticipation of holidays is more fun than the actual experience of them.

You envision this fabulous day of family togetherness and tradition... when the actuality is a totally overwhelmed little munchkin, all hopped up on sugar, who is likely to crash and burn at any moment.

Surprisingly... that did not happen this Easter.

Despite a steady intake of chocolate eggs and jellybeans and only a 30-minute power nap in the car, the Mini was pretty much a rockstar.

She hunted eggs like a champ (they had more chocolate treats in them - duh), and despite a few tears over pictures, she was mostly kind to our family members to boot.

Egg hunting pro.. with a little help from Dad 

"Look Mom... more chaw-colate."

It's funny to me that we ended up with such a little treat monster.  In fact, she loves food in general.  She points it out in books, is obsessed with pretend food, and is relentless in her pursuit of another snack.  ("Mommy - I want sumpin'.")

I wasn't sure how she would be, just because Mr. Vittles is an "eat to live" kinda guy and I'm a "live to eat" kinda gal.  I figured it could have gone either way.  But as a true Mini Smalls, she takes after her mommy.  Food is forever on the brain.

When I put her to bed the night before Easter, she sighed and said "I hope the Easter Bunny brings me treats."

And he did.  He brought the whole Vittles family treats, in fact.  Hence, this fudge.

This would also be great with leftover Halloween candy. Or half-price candy that you buy on clearance after either holiday.

Er, not that I would know anything about that.

Leftover Easter Candy Fudge

• 2 1/2 C. sugar
• 4 T. butter
• 1 5-oz. can evaporated milk
• 1 7.5-oz. jar Marshmallow creme (such as Fluff)
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 12-oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 C. chopped candy of your choice (I used Cadbury Mini Eggs)

Grease a 9" square pan, or line with nonstick foil.  Set aside.

Combine sugar through salt ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.  Stir until melted.

Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil (do not mistake air bubbles for boiling).  Boil slowly, lowering heat slightly if necessary, and stir constantly for 5 minutes or until mixture reaches softball stage (about 235 degrees Fahrenheit).

Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla.  Then stir in chocolate chips, and mix until chips are completely melted and combined with the marshmallow syrup.

Pour into prepared pan, and jiggle pan to level mixture.  Sprinkle with chopped candy, and press gently to set.  Allow mixture to cool completely and slice into squares.

Recipe Adapted from Durkee Mower Inc, as posted on MarshmallowFluff.com

Chocolate Almond Coconut Granola

It's been a while since I've been this excited about a recipe but... holy smokes, y'all.  I am in love with this granola!

I recently saw a recipe for Triple Chocolate Crunch Granola and knew that was something I needed to try.  But shortly thereafter, I was inspired by a very nice representative from Nuts.com* to develop a recipe using almonds.  I had the idea to make a chocolate granola, with almonds... and coconut.

For a coconut lover like me, that's essentially a trifecta of deliciousness.  Almond joy-ous, if you will!  Plus I keep hearing about all the health benefits of almonds and coconut oil, so I feel like it's an indulgence you don't have to feel too guilty about.

And while I had a pretty decent first attempt at this, I tweaked a few things and my second try was spot on.  I have been sneaking handfuls of this stuff every time I walk by the container.  It's addicting!

Honestly.  The photo session was like 30% shooting, 70% snacking.

Soo good.

I just feel badly for Mr. Vittles-- he's not big fan of granola, and he's REALLY not a fan of people crunching food in his presence.  It's a weird pet peeve of his.

I didn't realize how super crunchy this granola really is until The Mini was chomping away on some as her "after-dinner treat" the other night.  Pretty much her dad's worst nightmare.  I wasn't sure if I should be more worried about her tiny teeth chipping, or his soul being crushed with every bite.

So... uh, sorry, Mr. V.  But everyone else - you're welcome!

Chocolate Almond Coconut Granola

• 2 1/2 C. old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
• 1/2 C. sliced almonds
• 1/2 C. sweetened, shredded coconut
• 1/4. C. agave nectar
• 1/3 C. dark brown sugar
• 1/4 C. coconut oil (use unrefined for coconut flavor)
• 1 T. almond butter
• 1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1/8 t. salt
• 2/3 C. mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or nonstick foil, & set aside.

In large bowl, mix oats with almonds and coconut until evenly distributed.  Set aside.

In small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine agave, brown sugar, coconut oil, and almond butter.  Stir until oil and almond butter are melted, then add cocoa powder.  Mix until no lumps remain (mixture will be thick, like brownie batter).

Remove saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.  Add to oat mixture, and use clean hands to coat oats with cocoa mixture until evenly covered. (I know this is messy, but I recommend using your hands because you'll be able to coat the dry ingredients more thoroughly if you stir & squeeze the ingredients through your fingers.)

Spread granola evenly onto prepared sheet, and bake for 30 minutes, stirring well but gently every 10 minutes with a rubber spatula.  Remove from oven, and immediately sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.  Stir well to form larger clusters of granola, then spread back out evenly on pan to cool.  Place pan on wire rack until granola has cooled completely & chocolate has hardened (2-3 hours). Store in airtight container.

Recipe Loosely Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

*Note: I did not receive any free samples or compensation from Nuts.com when collaborating on this post.

(Flourless) Peanut Butter Blossoms

Sometimes, you think you know a person.

Seven years ago in October, I met Mr. Vittles.  Five years ago (from almost the same day) I married him.

Two days ago... I found out his favorite cookie.

Friday I had gotten a flourless peanut butter blossom recipe from someone at work, but it had a few ingredients I was unsure of.  So I did a quick internet search and found a recipe that had only peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in the dough.

I was still a little skeptical that it would make a good cookie, but it looked so easy it was worth a potential fail.  Especially when I took into consideration the only person I'd be disappointing is myself. 

Or so I thought.

When I took them out of the oven Friday night, Mr. Vittles asked "Are those gluten-free?"  

"Ummm... yes, duh, I'm eating them."

But apparently his actual question was whether or not the original peanut butter blossom recipe is gluten-free.  I said that I didn't think so, but I honestly didn't know - I hadn't made them in years.  I thought maybe my mother-in-law would know, because she usually makes them at Christmas.

That's when he said "Yeah I know. Those are my favorite cookies."

Wha-what?

All this time I had thought his favorite cookies were scotcheroos, a chocolate & butterscotch crispy rice cookie that his grandmother makes.  But apparently I was wrong.  Peanut butter blossoms take the #1 spot on his cookie list.

Who knew???

Then I figured these would be a huge disappointment to a Blossom Connoisseur such as himself.  The first pan I made wasn't even rolled in sugar, and he loooves his treats sweet.  So I tried to redeem the second pan by rolling them in coarse sugar.  

Much to my surprise, he said they were more peanut-buttery than his mom's, but still really good.  Success!

On another note... I would like to dedicate this post to my mom, who would have been 60 years old today.  

We just celebrated my dad's upcoming 60th birthday with a fabulous surprise party, and I only wish that she was here to celebrate as well.

She is the one who fostered my love of baking and creating, and I know she would love the idea of this blog.  

Mom, I miss you every day, and thank you for everything.  I would not be the person I am today were it not for you.  I hope you are somewhere having a huge piece of cake that's as delicious as all the treats you baked for us over the years.  Pssst... I love you!

(Flourless) Peanut Butter Blossoms

• 1 cup smooth peanut butter (I used Jif's Natural creamy peanut butter)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 14 Hershey's milk chocolate kisses
• Extra sugar, for rolling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap chocolate kisses, and set aside.  Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil or parchment paper, and set aside as well.

In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla.  Stir until well-combined.  If rolling balls in sugar, place some in a shallow dish.  Wet hands until damp, then roll about 1 Tablespoon of dough into a ball.  Roll in sugar (if using) and place balls onto prepared baking sheet at least an inch apart. 

Bake 10-12 minutes until set and lightly browned (although dough will still be soft).  After removing from oven, press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie.  Let cool on baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 14 cookies.  Recipe slightly adapted from nutritiouseats.com 

Heath Bar Brownies

By now you might be like "Another brownie recipe?"

I dunno.  I like brownies, I guess.

And pants with elastic waists.

(In case you didn't know, brownies and stretchy pants go together like Thelma and Louise.)

I made this recipe when Mr. Vittles' parents and grandmother came over for a visit this past weekend, and my mother-in-law also made brownies.  Hers were not only deliciously dense and fudgy, they were healthy! I'll share them with you someday.

Alas, these are not healthy.  But you knew that already.  Your first clue was probably the part about Heath.  Anything with toffee in it cannot possibly be healthy, right?

So the Mini has been going through this phase (like many 18-month-olds, I'm sure) where she says "no" when she actually means yes.  Our 'conversations' go something like this:

"Mini, do you want to eat breakfast now?"

"No!"

And then she takes off running into the kitchen, climbs into her 'eating' seat, and bounces with sheer excitement and anticipation of whatever food is about to be placed on her tray.

She probably gets that from me.  I definitely do a mental dance every time I think of my next meal. (Sadly, The Pancake Shimmy is not nearly as adorable when you're 31 as it is when you're 1.)

As for the confusion between No and Yes - I think she gets that from her daddy.

Mr. Vittles told me he could "take or leave Heath bar," but ended up eating more than half of these brownies singlehandedly.  Go figure.

Heath Bar Brownies

• 1 1/2 sticks of butter (12 T.) cut in chunks, plus more for greasing foil 
• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 C. sugar 
• 3 large eggs 
• 2 t. vanilla extract 
• 1 C. all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 C. Heath bits, divided (or other brand of English toffee bits) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick or buttered foil, and set aside.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat butter and chocolate at 30-second intervals, stirring after each until mixture is completely melted (1 1/2 to 2 minutes total).

Stir in sugar, and beat for 100 strokes.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.  Add flour and stir gently, just until no streaks remain.

Spread half of batter in prepared pan, then evenly top with 1/2 C. of toffee bits. Pour & spread remaining batter over top, then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 C. toffee bits.

Bake brownies until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool, then cut into 16 pieces.

Recipe Adapted from Kim Jameson, as it appeared in Country Living Magazine

Instant Mocha Latte Mix

If you know me well, you know I am not a "morning person."

I hate waking up, in fact I have hated it since I was a kid.  I can remember epic battles with my mother, as early as kindergarten, where she would be trying to get me out the door while I was throwing a fit.

When I was a few years older, I also tried to get out of walking to school by telling my parents that "my legs don't work in the morning."  I'm sure you can imagine how that ended... with me trudging grumpily to school.

I'm happy to report that at this point in my life, I don't cry and scream anymore (though Mr. Vittles might disagree) and my legs work just fine at 7AM.  But no matter what time I wake up, or how smoothly my morning duties go, I still always seem to be scrambling at the end.

In case you didn't know, I am also a coffee-a-holic, so those aforementioned "duties" typically include making myself either iced coffee or a latte.  Or if things are REALLY going well, I may forgo that duty and stop to buy one instead.

But then there are those mornings when nothing goes right.

When... every outfit I put on looks terrible.

When... I happen to notice I forgot to put on makeup (eek!)

When... the Mini is running around, refusing to get her clothes and/or coat on (maybe she inherited my morning-hating?), OR decides that 30 seconds before we leave is a good time to test-drive her fresh diaper.

When... I can't find my keys, anywhere.

When... I'm pulling out of the driveway and I realize my cell phone is still sitting on my dresser.

Or maybe some awful combination of the above, who knows.

But whatever the reason ... there are sad, sad days when I get to work coffee-less.  And for dire times like these, I keep a stash of instant coffee at my desk.

Coffee snobs are likely horrified, and I'll admit my early experience with instant coffee was not too positive - but when Starbucks came out with their Via line, I felt instant coffee was redeemed.  Then, when I recently saw their new instant lattes, I was even more excited.  I'll take a hot latte over a hot cup of coffee any day.

It pains me to say it - I am a Starbucks lover from way back, and gold card-holder for many years - but these lattes just have a weird taste... which I happen to dislike immensely.

So my disappointment gave me an idea.  What if I made my own mixture, and I could save the servings in little baggies at my desk?

Well it turns out, not only does this NOT taste weird (at least, not to me), it has the added benefit that you can adjust the mix to your personal preferences.  If you like the coffee flavor to be strong, add more espresso powder.  If you like it super sweet, add more confectioners sugar (or vice versa if you prefer less sweet, or even unsweetened).  If you like it creamier, add more milk powder.

It's the little things that make the mornings a little more bearable :)

Instant Mocha Latte Mix

• 5 T. nonfat dry milk powder (I used Carnation brand)
• 1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 T. confectioners sugar
• 1 1/2 t. instant espresso powder (I used Medaglio D'Oro brand)

Combine all ingredients and mix until evenly distributed.  Store in airtight container until ready to use.  To make a latte, empty mixture into mug and add 1 C. boiling (or very hot) water.  Stir until powder is dissolved, and enjoy.  Makes 1 serving.

Original Recipe

Flourless Fudgy Brownies

Cake-like brownie lovers, look no further.

No, seriously - I mean don't even bother scrolling down, because this recipe is not for you.

That's right, better luck next time.  These bad boys are only for those of us who enjoy thick, chewy, barely-cooked, melt-in-your-mouth, death-by-chocolate, get-out-your-stretch-pants brownies.

And if that wasn't enough, they also happen to fit into my new gluten-free diet.  Holla!

Ok now wait, stay with me here.  If you're like Mr. Vittles, don't get all weirded-out by the "GF" term.  This isn't one of those "These are pretty good ... for being gluten-free" situations.

Like, even if I was still eating wheat, I would make these brownies.  And then eat the whole pan, single-handedly.

Much to my own amazement, I even managed to achieve the flaky top (which always seems to elude me with flour-based brownies.)

Yep.  This is my new go-to recipe.

So thanks to a storm this week that dumped about a foot of snow on us, I was forced to take my brownie photos indoors this morning.  Which meant, I had a little assistant who was way more interested in munching on my subject than helping me snap photos.

I know... still in jammies and eating brownies.  What kind of mother am I?  But judging by her miniature chocolate beard and persistent requests for "Mo'? Mo'?" I would say she agrees that these brownies are pretty awesome.

Flourless Fudgy Brownies

• 1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 T. cornstarch*
• 6 T. butter (salted)
• 8 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 C. sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

Let eggs come to room temperature.  Sift together the cocoa powder and corn starch in a small bowl, and set aside. Line the inside of an 8-inch square pan with non-stick or lightly greased foil and preheat oven to 350º F.

In a medium metal saucepan over very low heat, melt butter.  Add chocolate, and continuously stir until mixture is smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, then the eggs one at a time.

Stir in cocoa/cornstarch mixture, and beat vigorously for at least one minute, until the batter is no longer grainy and nearly smooth.**  It will pull away from the sides of the pan a bit.  Scrape batter into foil-lined pan.

Bake for about 28-30 minutes, or until the brownies feel just set in the center. Do not overbake.  Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing.  Makes 12 brownies.

Notes:
*Some cornstarch contains gluten so check the label if you are making this for someone with an allergy
**Beating everything thoroughly is very important - the batter should be shiny and fairly smooth, otherwise the brownie consistency may be crumbly after baking.

Recipe slightly adapted from David Liebovitz

Frozen Coconut Chocolate Chip Mousse (Vegan)

Whether it's for medical necessity or personal preference, in this day and age I feel like everyone knows at least one person who has dietary restrictions.

After having some medical issues myself, I had a blood test done in October that seemed to indicate I had mild food allergies to basically every staple of the American diet (namely milk, wheat, corn, eggs, soy, peanuts, and beef).

Let me tell you, this can really mess with your mind.  I challenge anyone to walk into the average grocery store and load up their cart with a variety of foods that do NOT contain any of the above.

Not easy.

Well after getting a skin test done by an allergist a few weeks ago, it turns out I do not have allergies to any foods, except fish.  The doctor suggested that at worst, I may have a sensitivity to gluten and recommended I try a "GF" diet.

But this all came after 6 weeks of avoiding eggs, wheat, and dairy as much as possible.  So although it pains me to give up my breads and flour-based treats, it has been a lot more manageable to avoid one type of food than 3+.

I have only just begun being gluten free after the New Year (and a pasta-filled visit to my grandmother's house yesterday broke my streak!).  But I have to say, whether it was all in my mind or not, I did feel better after limiting those foods.  And in the process, I also realized that while there is really no true substitute for milk (at least in my mind), you can still make some tasty things with alternatives.

Not that I'll be going vegan any time soon.  Right after my allergist appointment, the first thing I did was head to Dunkin' Donuts for an iced coffee with cream - heaven!

Frozen Coconut Chocolate Chip Mousse (Vegan)

• 1 14-oz. can full-fat coconut milk*
• 1/3 C. cocoa powder
• 1/2 C. powdered sugar
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1/3 C. vegan chocolate chips

Refrigerate coconut milk until cold.  In a large bowl, combine coconut milk with cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt.  Mix with an electric mixer on high speed, until fluffy (about 3 minutes).  Add vanilla extract and mix until combined. Stir in vegan chocolate chips.  Transfer to a freezer-safe, coverable container and freeze until firm.

*Note: I have read on more than one occasion that not all coconut milks are created equal.  For one, I don't think this would work with a "lite" coconut milk, or the refrigerated kind in a carton - make sure you use canned, full-fat.  Also, you may need to experiment with different brands of coconut milk.

Recipe Adapted from Kojodesigns

Lamingtons (Chocolate Coconut-Covered Cakes)

Have you ever made Lamingtons before?

Have you ever even heard of Lamingtons before?

Me either.  But over the summer, my dad saw some show on television about a bakery in NYC that makes these.  He was going on and on about how amazing they looked, except he couldn't remember what they were called.

After some digging online, I discovered these magical chocolate & coconut-covered square cakes were called Lamingtons and originated in Australia.

Well, my dad was supposed to come over last weekend to celebrate his birthday, so I decided I would surprise him and make these for dessert.  I found what looked like an easy recipe on one of my go-to sites, Joyofbaking.com, so I figured I'd be on my way to deliciousness in no time.

Or... not.

The cake part came out fine, but when it came to coating them in chocolate icing and rolling them in coconut, I was a complete disaster.  It took me way longer than it probably should have, and I made an absolute mess.  All the while, the blog's photo of Stephanie Jaworksi's beautifully covered cakes were taunting me, saying "This is totally possible - you just SUCK."

Well I think I managed to get about 6 of the 16 squares thoroughly covered (in addition to my dining room table and floor) before I threw in the towel.  For the remaining squares, I just ladled some chocolate icing over the tops, sprinkled them with coconut, and called it a day.

Our scheduled dinner ended up being cancelled anyway, because my dad got super sick (no, it was not the Sickness of Death from my last post, but it did leave him bed-ridden for 2 days!)  I still gave the Lamingtons to him, because I am never. making. these. again.

Not that it should stop YOU from trying, however - you can get the recipe here.  (Apologies, normally I would not do that to you, but for once I followed the recipe to the letter.  So per the rules of blogging etiquette, I cannot re-post it here on V&B!)

I will tell you that I had a bite of one, and saved a couple squares for Mr. Vittles, and we both agreed they tasted pretty amazing.

That is, as long as someone else makes them!

Lamingtons Recipe can be found at Joyofbaking.com

Cookies & Cream Marshmallow Crispy Treats

A while back I made a comment that no idea I ever have seems to be original.

(Maybe with the exception of Coconut Kona Ice Cream... there are still barely any recipes for coconut coffee ice cream on the internet, and mine predates the ones that exist.  So HA!)

That being said - I'm sure someone has already thought of mixing Oreos into Rice Krispie treats.  But... I refuse to 'Google' it and rain on my own parade.  I made this without looking up anything (including the basic crispy treat recipe) so I'm calling it original.  So there.

Anyway, last night our friends Kristen & Keith were nice enough to babysit the Mini while we went into the city to celebrate my sister-in-law Melissa's ENGAGEMENT! (Ahh!)

It was a bit of a last-minute surprise and our usual babysitting hopefuls were all either at the same dinner, unavailable, or too far in the wrong direction of NYC.  But Kristen came through like a champ, and I wanted to leave her and Keith a treat.

Keith and I have worked together for over 5 years.  He was one of the first people to teach me my job, and also my first friend there.  I don't get to hang out with his wife, Kristen, as much as I would like but I know her better than you'd think just from talking to Keith every day at work.

So I got two boxes of her favorite candy, and made these crispy treats for Keith.

 He has an Oreo obsession that knows no bounds.

When we got home last night, I was surprised that Kristen was actually the first one to comment on how good these were.  I'm just glad they both enjoyed them.

Now... let the pre-wedding festivities commence!  Congratulations to Melissa and Rick!!

Cookies & Cream Marshmallow Crispy Treats

• 4 1/2 C. crispy rice cereal
• 15 Oreo cookies, crushed (about 1 1/2 C.)
• 1 10.5 oz. bag mini marshmallows
• 4 T. butter
• 1 t. vanilla extract

Grease a 9x13 baking pan and set aside.

Combine rice cereal and crushed cookies in a large bowl, and mix until evenly distributed.

In a 5 qt. saucepan, heat marshmallows and butter over medium-low heat, and stir until melted and smooth.  Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla until combined.

Add rice cereal & cookie mixture, and mix to coat.  Spread evenly in prepared pan, using either a greased spatula or piece of waxed paper.  Allow to cool then cut into squares.

Original Recipe

Coconut Patty Brownies

I feel like there are not many people out there who like coconut as much as I do, but Mr. Vittles is an exception.

As I told you last year, he loves coconut patties in particular.  I was reminded of this at Easter last month when his mom gave him one of his childhood favorites, a giant coconut egg, and he refused to share with me.  He claimed that she gave it to HIM not "us."

While I highly doubt this (and he did eventually offer me a slice regardless),  I can understand his desire to covet the coconut egg.  Coconut drenched in chocolate - especially of the dark variety - is a magical experience.  Not much can beat it.  Except maybe coconut drenched chocolate... on top of a fudgy brownie.

YES.

Mini Smalls better get ready to love coconut or she's going to have a tough childhood.

But alas, since we don't even have teeth yet, we're still working on things like watered-down peas and bananas.  Though I am happy to report that she has gotten over her aversion to most "1st foods" (except oatmeal - still brings tears to the Mini's eyes) since my last post.

In fact... she turned 6 months this week!

"Who, me?"

Time flies when you're eating coconut patty brownies.  (Which, let's face it, is one & the same as "having fun.")

Coconut Patty Brownies

• an 8"x8" pan of your favorite brownies (I like this recipe; you could also use a mix)
• 3 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1/4 C. confectioners sugar
• 1 1/2 C. loosely packed sweetened, shredded coconut
• 1 1/2 C. chocolate chips 
• 1 T. coconut oil (optional)

Combine sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and confectioners sugar in a medium bowl.  Add coconut and mix until evenly distributed.  Using a rubber spatula, spread thinly over surface of cooled brownies.  (If the mixture is too sticky, spray the spatula with a little nonstick spray before spreading).

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until melted.  (The coconut oil is optional, but imparts a slight coconut flavor & also makes the mixture more runny & therefore easier to pour/spread).  Spread melted mixture over coconut layer.  Allow to set (you may place the brownies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to speed this up) and cut into small squares.  Makes 16 brownies.

Original Recipe

Baked Chocolate Coconut Coffee Donuts

In case anyone was wondering how my 30th birthday shaped up to be (I'm sure you were on the edge of your seat) -- it was great!

It was a little more low-key than going on vacation (as we had planned pre-Mini Smalls) but it was still perfect!  Last weekend I celebrated with all my fellow February B-Day people in Mr. Vittles' family, at his parents' house.  Then on Sunday my dad & stepmom came over for Super Bowl with enough snacks for a small army and also a delicious, homemade chicken parm dinner!

On Monday (my actual birthday) Mr. Vittles had to work but my stepdad & his wife babysat The Mini so we could go somewhere after & sit down for a nice dinner.  They also brought me a fabulous chocolate mousse cheesecake (which turned out to be the THIRD birthday cake I enjoyed - yeah that's right, don't hate!)

You probably think it ends there.  But noooo.

This past weekend, my mother & father-in-law watched The Mini for a night while we continued the festivities out west in Lambertville, NJ.  Mr. Vittles planned for us to stay over in a really cute old hotel there, and we went to a great restaurant over the bridge in New Hope, PA.  It was awesome to do "couple stuff" for a night!

I heart us :)

So anyway, Valentine's Day is this week and I thought it was time to honor another couple I heart...

Coffee and coconut!

As I've mentioned previously, the discovery of Coconut Iced Coffee at Dunkin' Donuts was a life-changer for me.  I do not know who came up with this holy marriage of deliciousness, but I hope that today finds this person very, very rich and successful.

Now in my opinion, baked donuts are more like cake than traditional donuts.  So really this is like eating chocolate cupcakes with coconut coffee frosting for breakfast.

(If that sounds like a problem to you, you should probably leave this blog.  Immediately.)

But if you're still here - I heart you too.   Happy Valentine's Day, hope you enjoy it!


Baked Chocolate Coconut Coffee Donuts

Donuts:

• 1 C. flour
• 1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• Pinch salt
• 1 t. instant coffee granules
• 1 T. water
• 1/2 C. low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 C. packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 T. melted butter
• 1 t. vanilla extract

Glaze/Topping:

• 1 C. confectioner’s sugar
• 1 T. melted butter
• 2 T. half & half (or cream or milk)
• 1 t. instant coffee 
• 1/2 t. coconut extract 
• 1/2 C. toasted coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat mini donut pan with non-stick cooking spray. (If you do not have a donut pan, you can also use a mini muffin tin).

In small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt to combine.  In very small bowl, mix water with instant coffee granules to dissolve.  Then add to large bowl with buttermilk, sugar, egg, butter, and vanilla.  Whisk to combine.  Add dry ingredients to wet and whisk until batter is smooth.

Spoon batter into a large resealable plastic bag. Cut a little bit off of one corner and squeeze batter into prepared mini-donut pan, about 2/3 full.  Bake for about 6 minutes, until donuts spring back when lightly pressed.  Allow to cool in pan 2-3 minutes before carefully turning out donuts onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with remaining batter (unless you're really cool and have two mini donut pans?  I'm not that cool.)

In a very small bowl, combine the half and half with coffee granules and mix until dissolved.  In a medium bowl, stir coffee mixture into confectioner's sugar, melted butter, and coconut extract until consistency is thick.

Dip cooled donuts into glaze and top with toasted coconut.  Return to rack to dry, or serve immediately.  Makes 24 mini donuts

Recipe Adapted from Shutterbean (who originally adapted from Full Circle Magazine)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast 'Cheesecake'

At my shower, my mother-in-law gave me the fabulous gift of a newborn photo session for the baby.  The original photographer's studio was unfortunately ruined during Sandy, so she had to schedule with a new one & we had the shoot at my in-laws house yesterday.  (BTW- considering the fact that Mara is no longer a sleepy, pliable newborn it went surprisingly well.  I am SO excited to see the pictures!)

The photographer is a mother of two children (3 and 5 years old) and one of her first questions for me was, "How are you adjusting?"

My immediate answer was "Good!" with raised eyebrows & a happy little smile.

And I realized right after I said it... that's not true at all.  (And she probably knew it!)

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that having a baby is not the most incredible thing in the world.

Every day I look into the eyes of this adorable little person and think, "Holy crap.  We created her."

But I'm not gonna lie... this mom business is exhausting.  "Adjusting" to not sleeping and spending your days & nights tending to an extremely needy little critter is no easy task!

As a person who functions best with about 8 hours of sleep per night, six weeks of catnapping is really not cutting the mustard.  (Also I would just like to say for the record that the next person who tells me "Sleep when the baby sleeps!" is taking their life in their hands.)

It was also not helping matters that our munchkin was having terrible gas pains that were making her miserable.  Sleep, eat, cry, repeat - this was how it went for weeks.  We tried everything to help her, even the pediatrician was out of ideas.  Then my dad pointed out that as a wee Maggie, I too cried all the day long.  Eventually they discovered I had a sensitivity to lactose.  He said my mom had to stop breastfeeding & switch to a soy formula, and then I was "a very different baby."

At Mara's one-month checkup, the pediatrician noticed the gas situation right off the bat, and actually told me to avoid dairy... (and vegetables... and anything else that might potentially be gas-producing.  Which is, like, everything under the sun.)

Like a good little mommy I tried to avoid it but a) it's in sooo many things you don't even realize, and b) telling me I can't have dairy is like telling me I can't breathe air.  I pretty much live for cheese and Greek yogurt.

So after a week of us BOTH being absolutely miserable, I called the pediatrician back and said nothing I had tried was helping.  She was fresh out of ideas, so I started doing some poking around on the internet about lactose sensitivity.  As a last resort, I decided to try two days of strictly hypoallergenic formula - and lo and behold we had a much calmer and more pleasant Mara.

So, long story longer... I'm not sure she'll be enjoying any 'breakfast cheesecake' anytime soon?  Especially not of the peanut butter variety.

But at least I can again.

 :) :) :)

Please note:  This is a breakfast, not dessert.  So don't expect the ingredients below to magically morph into a 1,000-calorie slice of heaven from The Cheesecake Factory, ok?  It still beats a a bland bowl of oatmeal any day!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast "Cheesecake"

• 1 6-oz. container plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
• 3 T. creamy peanut butter
• 2 t. honey
• 1 1.76-oz package chocolate BelVita breakfast biscuits (4 biscuits), crushed

Mix yogurt with peanut butter and honey in a small bowl.

Reserve a bit of the crushed biscuits for topping, then divide remaining crushed biscuits between 2 separate, small serving bowls/cups.  Top each with half of yogurt mixture, then reserved biscuit crumbs.  Serves 2.

Original Recipe