Reeses Smores Cookies

Pretty recently, I made Smores cookies. Well those were quite the hit! My cousin basically scarfed a whole plate down in a matter of minutes, that's how good they are. Well I owed my other cousin some baked goods because he did me a favor. He specifically requested something peanut buttery and I had a glorious idea: Reeses smores cookies!

Well, my great idea turned out to be a great cookie! I just love this cookie; there's something about the graham crackers in the batter and the marshmallows that create this deliciously, perfectly chewy cookie. And this version, with the addition of peanut butter chips and Reeses cups was amazing! If you love peanut butter, this is for you! Such a delicious cookie!

Reeses Smores Cookies

Yields: about 3 - 4 dozen

Original recipe can be found here.

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup/ 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup peanut butter chips

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

8 Reeses cups, cut into pieces

In a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars and mix until fluffy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, graham crackers, salt and baking soda and mix well. Stir in the peanut butter chips then cover and refrigerate the dough for about one hour. Preheat oven to 375 F. Take a tablespoon of the dough, roll into a ball, and drop onto a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of dough, leaving about 2 inches between each to allow it to spread. Bake for 6 minutes, then remove from the oven. Push a 3 - 5 marshmallows and a few pieces of the chopped Reese's bar into each cookie. Return to oven and bake for another 2 - 3 minutes until golden brown and the marshmallows are a bit toasted. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

Baked Oatmeal

I love oatmeal! It's especially great for breakfast now that I'm back at school. It's funny because when I'm at school I seem to get extra hungry than normal - I guess it's because all of that hard brain usage. That's why it's really important for me to have a good, nutritious breakfast that fills me up and tastes delicious.

I love baking oatmeal because I can just bake large batches at a time and re-heat it for school during the week. I know this isn't the optimal way to eat it but it really helps when I'm in a pinch for time. If you're not, share this warm, yummy oatmeal with your whole family! I love finding new ways to eat oatmeal, otherwise it can get quite boring. My favorites? Fresh fruit always keeps things interesting! Bruleed? Even more interesting! You can add so many things, it's so fun! Nuts, granola, yogurt, chocolate, spices, honey or anything your heart desires - so have fun with it!

Baked Oatmeal

Yields: about 6 - 8 servings

Slightly modified from original recipe, which can be found here.

2 1/2 cups regular rolled oats

1/2 cup steel cut oats

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup packed brown sugar (or more to your taste)

2 cups milk

2/3 cup applesauce

1/4 cup cooking oil (I used coconut oil)

2 cups fresh fruit, of your choice (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease a baking dish, set aside. In a large bowl combine the oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar. In another bowl, combine the milk, applesauce and oil. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix to combine. Place mixture into a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently stir the mixture, then fold in the fruit, if desired. Bake for another 20 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Serve warm and top with yogurt, cream, granola, more fruit or whatever you'd like!

Tailored Tuesdays

Mmm perfect for a not-too chilly day!

1. Splendid "V-neck merino blend cardigan"

2. Juicy Couture "Ikat obe silk dress"

3. Lee Angel "Gold plated chain necklace"

4. Marc by Marc Jacobs "Sasha leather shoulder bag"

5. Burberry "Tumbled leather brogues"

all images can be found atnet-a-porter.com

Pogo - Upular

I don't know if you've ever heard of Pogo before, but you ought to!

A while ago I discovered his work, Alice, which was made almost completely from audio clips from the movie, Alice in Wonderland. I was completely enchanted. It's both mystical and intriguing. But his work has continued to put a smile to my face! He most often makes his electronic music from classic kids movies like Mary Poppins and Harry Potter. Anyways, I've had fun listening to all of his works and I hope you guys enjoy them too! The song above is my newest obsession and completely adorable!

Here are some of his works:

1. Pogo - Digitalism

2. Pogo - Alice (Alice in Wonderland)

3. Pogo - Alohomora (Harry Potter)

4. Pogo - Expialidocious (Mary Poppins)

5. Pogo - Scrumdiddlyumptious (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory)

For more information on him, go here and here.

Velvety Apple Sauce

I don't know why but I suddenly had this urge to make apple sauce. I've never done it before but it seemed easy enough. So here it is! I kind of improvised but ultimately, in the end, I wound up with a deliciously velvety, cinnamon-y apple sauce.

I've been craving oatmeal lately so I thought apple sauce would be the perfect addition to my morning oatmeal; adding a hint of sweetness without having to add loads of sugar! It was delicious! Don't worry, a delicious baked oatmeal recipe will be up soon :)

Mmmm or enjoy by the spoonful (see those pretty vanilla bean specks?)

Velvety Apple Sauce

Yields: about 6 - 8 servings

8 apples, peeled, cored and cubed (I used golden delicious)

1/4 cup water

1 - 2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tbsn. brown sugar (more or less, to your liking)

1/2 vanilla bean, scraped

In a large saucepan, combine the apples, water, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla (seeds and pods). Mix everything together then heat oven medium-high heat for about 15 minutes or until the apples are cooked through and soft. Let the mixture cool for 5 - 10 minutes then transfer the mixture into a food processor (making sure to remove the vanilla bean pods). Pulse until everything is well processed and the apple sauce is smooth. Enjoy warm or cold!

Arabic Tea

I am a very big tea drinker. And by very big I mean drink-every-morning, drink-to-enjoy, drink-hot-or-cold, drink-with-a-smile-on-her-face tea drinker. I love tea. I love trying new kinds of tea. When I went to San Francisco, I had the opportunity to try Arabic tea at this place calledKan Zaman. It was ahhhhhmazing! Like nothing I'd ever tried before and so beautiful to look at because of the mint leaves floating about.

After much googling, my friend found how to recreate it at home, and now I'm showing you guys! This isn't traditional, traditional Arabic tea but this is a way to recreate the flavors at home even if you can't find the real deal. It's delicious and if you love tea, please try this recipe!

Arabic Tea

Yields: 2 servings

3 cups water

2 Lipton 'Yellow Label' tea bags

10 - 15 mint leaves or sage (I haven't tried this version yet)

Sugar, to your liking (I use 1 tsp. per serving)

In a large measuring cup, add the mint leaves and tea bags. Boil the water and pour over the tea bags and mint leaves. Let steep for 5 minutes. Add sugar to your liking and enjoy!

Tailored Tuesdays

I just love navy and kelly green together! They are like a match made in textile heaven. Sorry about the tardiness again... being off of school has really put my internal clock at a loop. And of course, my beloved Tory Burch Reva flats; one day you will be mine.

1. Smythe "Linen boyfriend fit blazer"

2. Oscar de la Renta "Cotton blend ruffle blazer"

3. Jason Wu "Silk side pleat skirt"

4. Miu Miu "Matelasse shiny leather bag"

5. Tory Burch "Reva python effect flats"

all images can be found at net-a-porter.com

Thai Nakorn {Garden Grove, CA}

You would not believe how long I'd been anticipating my first visit to Thai Nakorn.

1. I love Thai food

2. I heard Thai Nakorn was the best Thai in Orange County

3. I've never tried it

So with that in mind, I'm sure you can guess that my expectations were quite high, which is not exactly a good thing. Especially when it comes to food... oh, and movies too.

Though I wasn't particularly blown away by Thai Nakorn, I left feeling pretty satisfied in my choice to eat there this afternoon. The Tom Kha Ga, or coconut chicken soup, was fantastic. I especially loved it because it was so tart!

The basil chicken was tender and exactly as it should be, delicious. Another favorite was the Pad Sew Ew, which was done superbly. The only complaint would be the beef salad, which I've had MUCH better at other Thai places. But you win some, you lose some; such is life.

Yelp

Website

Joe's Italian Ice {Anaheim, CA}

Joe's has to be one of my all-time, favorite places to get a icy cold treat in Orange County.
They feature the best soft serve I've ever had. It's incredibly thick and creamy and is PERFECT when paired with their Italian ice in their "Joelatte's" - a trifle or sorts with layers of thick soft serve and your choice of Italian ices.

I always, always, always get the mango Italian ice because I love mango, and theirs is excellent. But since they let you mix, I usually go out on a limb and try a new flavor, as they rotate in new flavors regularly. What's great too is that they give you as many samples as you want so you can try the flavors and pick your most favorite!

I think I'll be a die-hard Joe's fan forever!

Yelp

Website

Bruschetta

I had a picnic the other day and I was having such a struggle thinking of foods to bring that were portable, delicious, and easily transportable. I came up with a few ideas and this was one of them. As a child, I hated a lot of things: garlic, onions, tomatoes, bean sprouts, carrots, etc. Now that I'm grown, I've also grown to love many of these things. Oh what age brings!

Anyways, tomatoes are now one of my loves! Juicy, sweet and tangy; in other words a perfect vegetable. The best way to enjoy them? Simply. My favorite kind of bruschetta is one that is simple and highlights the tomato. This is one of those and it's absolutely perfect. Make this immediately and fall in love with tomatoes. I'm head over heels for them!
Simple & Delicious Bruschetta

Yields: 4 - 6 servings

Printable Recipe

2 packages of cherry tomatoes, sliced

1 bunch of basil leaves, chiffonaded

2 tbsn. olive oil

1 - 2 large cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

Mix everything together, adding more salt and pepper to taste. You can eat it right away, but I prefer to let everything sit and marinade in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Serve on top of crispy crostini or toasted, sliced baguettes. Enjoy!