Extraordinary Desserts

A few years ago one of my best friends was attending school in San Diego. I would visit her every so often and one trip she told me about this place that I would LOVE, Extraordinary Desserts. So naturally we went. And, yes I did LOVE it! 

Over the weekend I spent the day in San Diego with my family and we hit up Extraordinary Desserts on the way out and took some desserts to go! :) 

If you find yourself in the San Diego, CA area please visit Extraordinary Desserts you will not be disappointed! 

Creme Brûlée so yummy. 

Chocolate Dulce De Leche Bar was very decadent and rich I enjoyed it :) 

White Chocolate cake with fresh berries- This was my favorite the cake was SOO moist, fluffy the cream was amazing the fresh berries and the white chocolate shavings just took me over the moon :)

This VERY chocolatey cake was scrumptious! There is a layer of blackberries in there as well

Monkey Bread Stuffed with Cream Cheese

Warm Gooey Sweet Bread stuffed with Cream Cheese? HELLO! Can I have some NOW! I waited to make this recipe because I just knew it would be AMAZING! And as much as I overload on sugar every single day I knew this would make a large portion and I would end up eating it all. I would happily do it but I am trying to be "healthy" :( 

So a few weeks ago for my birthday I went to Glen Ivy Hot Springs with some of my best friends. There was 10 of us, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to make this! I got up early and prepared it before all the girls came over- It smelled amazing in the oven and took all of 10 minutes to prepare. 

Once we dug in we couldn't stop it was so scrumptious! And very nice because you could easily break off a ball or two of dough stuffed with the cream cheese! Cream cheese really does make everything better :) 

Ingredients: 

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar 

3/4 Cup Sugar 

1 TBSP Cinnamon 

1 Cup Butter 

1 8oz Block Cream Cheese 

2 16oz Cans Refrigerated Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits ( I ended up with 4 extra biscuits) 

Directions: 

1. Grease a large Bundt Pan and preheat oven to 350F I sprinkled some extra brown and white sugar onto the bottom of the pan as well :) 

2. Mix together the sugars and cinnamon

3. Cut 20 discs of dough from the biscuits and cut the cream cheese block into 20 squares

4. Wrap each disc around a square of cream cheese then place 10 of the dough/cream cheese balls inside the prepared pan

5. Melt 1 cup of butter and add it to the sugar mixture, Spread half of the mixture over the dough balls 

6 Layer the rest of the dough balls on top and sprinkle the rest of the sugar mixture on top. Bake for 40 minute and enjoy 

Recipe adapted from: pipandebby

Biscoff Mallow Bit Chocolate Chip Cookies

The other day I was at my local Cost Plus World Market and picked up some more of one of the most addicting things ever!! BISCOFF SPREAD!! I LOVE IT!! Then I was at Target and picked up some Mallow Bits which I also LOVE! 

Later on in the week I was craving cookies (I always crave cookies who doesn't?) and decided I wanted to throw in some mix-ins to a basic chocolate chip cookie. I decided on these and it was wonderful! If you have never had the joy of tasting Biscoff Spread you are surely missing out! The great thing about it is that the consistency of the spread is like a creamy peanut butter so it is super easy to add into baked goods :) 

The cookie had a caramelized taste to it and the mallow bits added a nice sweetness too! 

Ingredients: 

1/2 Cup Butter 

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Sugar

3/4 Cup Biscoff Spread

1 Large Egg

1 TSP Vanilla Extract 

1 3/4 Cup AP Flour / Whole Wheat Flour 

1/2 TSP Salt 

1/2 TSP Baking Powder 

1 Cup Mallow Bits 

1 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line your baking sheet with silpat liner if you have them 

2. In bowl of an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugars. Then add the Biscoff Spread. Add egg and vanilla

3. Whisk together flour, slat and baking powder in a small bowl then add to the wet ingredients 

4. Mix in the chocolate chips 

5. Hand stir in the Mallow Bits

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool on wire rack. Enjoy

Joan's On Third

I have heard/read great things about Joan's On Third. I am sad I waited this long to go but being in Orange County the drive to and from LA is a bit much! Let's be honest I HATE IT! Traffic SUCKS! Anyways my Nan is in town visiting from England (YAY) so we decided to go to The Museum of Tolerance and Joan's happened to be only a 10-15 minute drive away! 

The Museum of Tolerance was amazing. It was so well put together. Very classy. At the beginning of the Holocaust Exhibit you were given a card of a child and at the end of the exhibit you would find out if you're child survived. Mine did but it was so horrific to think about all of the poor innocent children who did not. 

We were lucky enough to sit in on a Holocaust survivor's story. His name was Joseph. His brother left for America in 1938 and he was scheduled to go in 1939 (As the government only allowed 1 family member per year) but the War started and Joseph instead began living in the ghetto's and eventually was sent to multiple concentration camps, including Auschwitz. He went through so much, more than many of the other survivors he was really meant to live and tell his story. 

After the MOT we headed over to Joan's on Third. It was 3 miles away but took 20 minutes to get there! Typical LA traffic. Well I am happy to say it was worth it :) I was with my mom, nan and sister so we got to try a lot! 

*Half of the pictures were taken with my cellphone - Silly me forgot my camera* 

FRESH MOZZARELLA, TOMATO & BASIL drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, cracked pepper & sea salt- This was AMAZING! So yummy I highly recommend it! 

I saw this delicious square of Mac & Cheese on the way out. It looked amazing. So thick creamy and cheesy. I regret not trying it next time I definitely will!! 

CROQUE MONSIEUR with ham, gruyere, Dijon mustard and béchamel sauce- My nan ordered this and generously shared! It was so tasty and delicious!

APRICOT GLAZED HAM & BRIE with mustard caper sauce- My mother ordered this sandwich. We couldn't taste any apricot but it was a good ham sandwich. 

Grilled Cheese- My sister ordered this it was a wonderful grilled cheese. The bread was definitely loaded with butter which made it that much better ;) 

Flour-less Chocolate Cake Roll- This was tasty not my favorite but I definitely enjoyed it! 

The rest of the photographs are taken at home! Hence, the better quality :) 

Sour Cream Coffee Cake- Very nice, not out of this world though. 

The Lemon Bar was very tasty and lemony :) 

I did not try this slice of cake but my Nan did and she enjoyed it and unfortunately we can't remember the name! But look how pretty it is! 

I absolutely LOVED this strawberry cake! The cake was moist and delicious and so was the frosting it was perfect! And I will definitely order it again!! 

Roasting Garlic

Garlic is a wonderful! What can I say I love it! Add it to some pasta, some bread throw in some cheese and I am in heaven!!! And it is supposed to be good for you too :) Whenever I see a recipe call for some garlic I usually end up doubling or tripling the amount. For some reason my body likes a LOT of garlic more than the average person! :) But I don't mind! 

Roasting Garlic is easy and you can get multiple uses out of it. Here I made a garlic olive oil, garlic butter and a garlic spread. 

Ingredients: 

Garlic Head

1/4 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil per Garlic Head

Directions: 

1. PreHeat oven to 350F and use a small baking pan ex. 8X8, 9X9, Pie Dish...etc. 

2. Take each head of garlic and chop about 1/4 of an inch off the top. *Some cloves might fall off and that is fine- if the individual pieces fall out I prefer to peel the skin off before I  bake it. 

3. No need to peel the skin off the whole head of garlic.

4. Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil all over the garlic * You can use more olive oil if you are using the olive oil for another dish ex. Pasta.

5. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 40-50 minutes.

6. When you take the pan out of the oven be careful as the Olive Oil could burn you! Let it sit for a few minutes. The garlic should ooze out of the skin. 

7. Use it just as it is a spread, or mix in with some butter, throw the garlic into some pasta, on some pizza, sandwiches..the options are endless!! :) 

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate.. one of the loves of my life. Meet a triple chocolate cupcake that is CHOCOLICIOUS! :) 


I ate the batter left over from the brownie batter. As I poured out the chocolate chips I "accidentally" missed the bowl, so I ate those that fell out. I licked the bowl from the cupcake batter. I ate the tops of two cupcakes as soon as they came out of the oven. Five minutes later I took care of the rest of those two cupcakes. I tasted the frosting about 5 different times, licked that bowl and ate the leftover frosting. I have a PROBLEM! 


Anyways all 3 parts are delicious on their own but together they are just scrumptious!! 


*I did these cupcakes over two days but you could do the brownie batter in the early morning and do the cupcakes in 8 hours or so*


Ingredients: 


Brownie Batter: 
1/4 Cup Melted Butter 
1/3 Cup Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk 
1/3 Cup Milk 
1 Box of Devils Food Cake Mix 


Cake: 
1 Box Deviled Food Cake Mix 
1 Cup Sour Cream 
1 Cup Vegetable Oil 
4 Eggs Beaten 
1/2 Cup Milk 
2 Cups Mini Chocolate Chips


Frosting: 
4 Sticks Melted Butter
6 oz Powdered Sugar
1 Cup Cocoa Powder
Pinch of Salt 
1 1/4 Cup Light Corn Syrup 
2 Tsp Pure Vanilla 
12 oz Milk Chocolate Chips 


Directions: 


Brownie Batter: 

1. In a medium sized mixing bowl combine all ingredients until well mixed. 
2. On a parchment lined baking sheet scoop 1 tbsp sized balls of dough. 
3. Cover and put in freezer overnight or at least 8 hrs.  

Cupcakes: 

1. Preheat oven to 325F and grease and line cupcake/muffin pan.
2. In bowl of an electric mixer combine cake mix, sour cream, oil, eggs and milk. Once well combined scrape down bowl and stir in chocolate chips. 
3. Fill cupcake pan evenly 2/3rds full then place one ball of brownie batter in each cupcake. 
4. Bake for 22-25 minutes. Cool completely. 

Frosting: 

1. Microwave chocolate chips in 30 second increments. After each 30 seconds mix chips well. Let cool for 10 minutes. 
2. Combine melted butter powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt in bowl of an electric mixer. Do not over mix, mix until just combined. 
3. Add corn syrup and pure vanilla. 
4. Stir in melted chocolate. 
5. Pipe/Spread/Frost the cupcakes :) 

Recipe adapted from: Kevin&Amanda

Shoes OMG Shoes

I am a big believer in the saying "If the shoe fits buy it in every color", especially for comfy high heels! 

Over the past few years my love of shoes has grown... although my closet has not :( I constantly find my self justifying another pair of black boots "Well, I don't have black suede boots with a wedge" Although I already have black leather boots with a wedge, flat black suede boots, and suede black boots with a heel. Now apply that philosophy to every color, type and different sized heel to all shoes. 

The other day I saw a pair of shoes that were screaming my name! I didn't have any shoes in this color and they had a nice thick heel and were only $30! 

I am so excited to wear them for spring and summer! What a gorgeous color! :) 

Cookies & Cream Chocolate Bars

Growing up I have fond memories of spending time next door at my childhood best friend's house eating lots and lots of cookies and cream ice cream. After dinner her dad would always serve up a bowl of cookies and cream ice cream. It was so creamy and delicious. I'm tempted to go buy some right now! Needless to say cookies and cream has always been a favorite in my book ;)


I absolutely love Jenny's recipes from Picky-Palate. She is so creative and the recipes are always so easy its AMAZZZING! Go check her site out if you haven't already. Anyways, the other day I came across this new recipe from her site, Double Cookies & Cream Kisses Cookie Bars. I just about drooled on to my computer as I looked at the pictures. It was then I decided I must drive to Target to find Cookies & Cream Hershey Kisses. Unfortunately the first Target I went to did not have any but the second Target did! YAY! This recipe is easy and scrumptious! 


Try not to eat the whole pan in one sitting! It lasted me a whole half of a day ;) 


Ingredients: 


1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Softened 
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Large Egg
1 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract 
1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda 
1/2 Teaspoon Salt 
1 Cup Mini Chocolate chips 
15 Crushed Oreo's 
25 Cookies & Cream Hershey's Kisses 


Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a 8X8 baking pan with foil and grease. 
2. In bowl of an electric mixer cream together the butter and granulated and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla. 
3. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until fully combined. Stir in crushed Oreo's and chocolate chips. 
4. Press just under half of the dough into prepared pan then line the kisses evenly across pan. Finish by topping with the rest of dough pressed evenly on. 
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.

Do you like the "health" Spinach Pizza I had after I scarfed down half of the pan of these babies? :) 

Recipe Source: Picky-Palate

Gooey White Chocolote Marshmallow Bars

A while back I was once again browsing one of my favorite websites Picky-Palate and saw this delicious recipe and instantly added it to my must bake list. Well that list is ever growing every day... ridiculously long. I was looking over the list/or stack of paper/or Pinterest board of my to do list of baking and rediscovered these. 


Today was the day! 


As soon as I tasted these I wondered WHY?!?!! Why had I not made these the day of?? They are delish! Chewy, white chocolate marshmallowy goodness. 
Ingredients: 


1 Box of Yellow Cake Mix 
1 Large Egg 
1 Stick of unsalted butter
4 1/2 Full Honey Graham Crackers 
1 Bag of White Chocolate Chips (11.5oz)
2 Cups of Mini Marshmallows 
1/2 Can of Condensed Milk 


Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 8X8 pan. 
2. In a medium sized bowl mix together the yellow cake mix, large egg and butter until combined. 
3. Press half of the dough in prepared pan. 
4. Layer graham crackers on top of dough followed by white chocolate chips then marshmallows. 
5. Press the rest of the dough on top and drizzle with condensed milk. 
6. Bake for 28-30 minutes. Let cool in pan otherwise you will end up with a gooey mess ;) 

recipe source: Picky-Palate