Pasta with Brown Butter Alfredo Sauce

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend. Mine was relaxing- I spent part of Saturday doing a little shopping at the mall and then spent some time in the kitchen. Since I will be heading down to the Cape later this week for the Fourth of July, I wanted to get some cooking and baking out of the way this weekend. Out of everything I made, this pasta dish is one of the dishes I am most excited to share. 

This pasta dish falls into the category of "brown butter makes everything just a little bit better". I know I probably sound like a broken record saying that, but it really is true. Just search around the recipe archives on my blog and you will find a number of recipes that prove the point. But getting back to this pasta dish- it is simply amazing. You can see the small specks of brown butter on each piece of pasta and it sure it tasty. Fettuccini Alfredo is generally my go-to meal at Italian restaurants and I don't ever think I could get sick of it. But this Pasta with Brown Butter Alfredo Sauce is a fun twist on the traditional dish and will certainly find a spot in my dinner rotation.

Pasta with Brown Butter Alfredo Sauce

Recipe from Lauren's Latest

1 lb. pasta (I used gemelli) 

1/2 cup salted butter

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter until it turns brown in color. Immediately turn the heat to low and add the heavy cream. Stir the mixture until combined. Add the parmesan cheese and continue stirring the mixture until completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Drain the pasta and pour into the skillet of sauce. Toss to coat and serve immediately. 

Lucky Charms Cupcakes

The idea to make these cupcakes has been in my head for a long time. Once I get an idea, I can't stop thinking about it. So this past weekend I finally got into the kitchen and made Lucky Charms Cupcakes. Although I never really liked Lucky Charms growing up, I knew I could transform them into a cute and tasty cupcake. For the frosting, it was a no-brainer. I had to go with a marshmallow frosting.  I went back and forth on the cupcake base and ultimately settled on a funfetti cake. Funfetti is one of my all-time favorite flavors and I thought its colorful appearance went well with the theme. The funfetti cupcakes themselves are perfectly light and airy with the addition of six egg whites in the batter. I know that I will make this recipe over and over again- I think it would also be really good with vanilla or strawberry buttercream. Finally I topped the cupcakes with Lucky Charms. Just one note- the Lucky Charms were a little soggy and started to melt the next day. If you plan to make these cupcakes in advance, I suggest waiting to add the Lucky Charms until just before serving them.

I think these cupcakes would be especially good for a child's birthday party. But whatever the occasion, these cupcakes are magically delicious!

Lucky Charms Cupcakes

Cupcakes from Annie's Eats,  Frosting from Martha Stewart
Yield: 24 Cupcakes

1 cup whole milk, divided

6 large egg whites

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

2 3/4 cups cake flour 

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup multi-colored sprinkles

Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

7 1/2 oz marshmallow fluff

2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin pans with paper liners and set aside. 

In a liquid measuring cup, combined 1/4 cup of the whole milk, egg whites, vanilla extract and almond extract. Whisk until combined. 

In a stand mixer, combine the cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds. Add the butter and continue to mix on low speed until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the remaining 3/4 cup whole milk. Increase the speed of the mixer and beat for an additional 1-2 minutes. With the mixer now on low speed, add the egg white mixture in three addition, mixing for at least 20 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the sprinkles and gently mix with a rubber spatula.

Divide the batter between the prepared muffin tins. Bake for approximately 18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a stand mixer, beat the butter until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar. Gradually increase the speed and mix until fully incorporated. Add the marshmallow fluff and vanilla extract. Beat until light and fluffy, another 1-2 minutes. 

Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes. Garnish with Lucky Charms.

Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Last week I made another batch of Homemade Almond Butter. As much as I love eating it on bread or even straight out of the jar, I also love incorporating almond butter into other recipes. Last time I made this Brown Butter Almond Pesto, which I still love, love, love. It is one of the best pesto recipes I have ever made. This time I decided to make almond butter cookies. I love peanut butter cookies so I just knew I would also love almond butter cookies.

After thinking about these cookies for a long time, I decided to add chocolate chunks and lots of them. I kept thinking about the chocolate covered almonds from Trader Joes. Has anyone else tried them? They are so addicting, I could literally eat the entire container in one sitting. The consensus on these cookies? Equally as addicting.

Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Recipe adapted from Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup almond butter
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 2/3 cups chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the almond butter, egg and vanilla. Mix until fully combined after each addition. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.

Turn off the mixer and add the chocolate chunks. Mix with a rubber spatula until combined.

Scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Green Smoothie

I think I am one of the very last people to jump on the green smoothie bandwagon. Am I right? Like many others, I was probably a little hesitant about trying a drink with spinach in it. I thought spinach was made for salads, like this one, and not for smoothies. But I was definitely wrong. This smoothie tastes just like a tropical fruit smoothie and nothing at all like spinach. Perfect for getting picky eaters to incorporate more vegetables into their diets. Although it didn't really work on my boyfriend or the little girl who gave it a thumbs down when she found out that there was spinach in my "cool" green smoothie. 

Although the recipe below details out exactly what went into my smoothie as pictured above, it can easily be adapted based on your own preferences and what you currently have in the refrigerator. When it comes to making smoothies, it is hard to go wrong. I also love adding almond milk and even almond butter to my smoothies for a little something different. What are your favorite ingredients to put in smoothies?

Green Smoothie

2 cups spinach

1 banana, frozen and cut into chunks

5 strawberries

1/3 cup honey flavored greek yogurt

1 cup ice

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth and creamy. Pour into glasses and serve. 

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Looking at my most recent blog posts, I noticed that I post a lot of cookie, brownie and cupcake recipes. And with good reason. I love to bake, not to mention eat, all of those things. Despite the crazy amount of baked goods that come out of my kitchen, I actually do try to eat healthy and maintain a good balance in my diet. For instance, I love, and often even crave, a good salad. And this Strawberry Spinach Salad is what I call a good salad. 

At my old job, we often grabbed lunch from this restaurant that had the most amazing strawberry goat cheese salad on the menu. I immediately fell in love and never ordered anything else. It  really was that good. After making this salad at home, I am so excited to have found a recipe that tastes just like the one I always used to order. And now that summer is here and fresh berries are in season, there is really no excuse not to make this salad more often. Leave out the goat cheese if you are not a fan, but for me, it is not optional. 

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats

Dressing:

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp white wine

1 tbsp granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

Salad:

Baby spinach leaves, rinsed and dried

Sliced almonds

Fresh strawberries, sliced

Crumbled goat cheese

In a blender or food processor, combine the strawberries, apple cider vinegar, white winer, sugar and salt. Pulse until the mixture is smooth and combined. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerator until ready to use. 

Portion spinach onto salad plates. Top with sliced almonds, crumbled goat cheese and sliced strawberries. Drizzle with the strawberry dressing. 

Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies

This past weekend was Father's Day which meant that I couldn't show up at my house without a batch of cookies. My dad loves cookies. Like father, like daughter. Before heading home, I made these Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies. Coconut oil is a really trendy ingredient right now so I was especially eager to try it out. Prior to this weekend, I had only ever used coconut oil in my hair and as a skin moisturizer. I love the smell- it always makes me feel like I am in the tropics. In addition to the benefits to your hair and skin, coconut oil also adds great flavor to baked goods. I am not always the biggest coconut fan, but I loved these cookies.

My boyfriend is also not much of a coconut fan. In order to get him to eat the cookies, I didn't tell him that they had coconut oil in them. I only mentioned that there might be a secret ingredient. Turns out my boyfriend loved them too. The coconut flavor is present, yet not overwhelming. Perfect for both the coconut lovers and the coconut haters. 

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe adapted from How Sweet Eats

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp coconut extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

In a stand mixer, beat together the coconut oil and sugar for 1-2 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract and coconut. Mix until light and creamy. With the mixer on slow speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the bowl. Mix until just combined. Stop the mixer and gently fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.

Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets (my cookie dough balls were approximately 1 1/2 inches). Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Cherry Almond Vanilla Cupcakes

The combination of Father's Day and my cousin Erin's Confirmation created the perfect excuse to make cupcakes this past weekend. Not that I won't bake cupcakes any other day, but I can never pass up the opportunity to bake them for a party. Especially when there will be a bunch of kids at the party, cupcakes are guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. I made two different cupcakes for the party- these Cherry Almond Vanilla cupcakes and another recipes I am excited to share later this week. 

I came across this recipe in a special edition magazine released by Better Homes and Garden a few months ago and immediately put it on my must-bake list. Aren't they so cute? They might be the cutest cupcakes I have ever made. I love that the cherries make both the cupcake batter and the frosting a pretty pink color. There is also no shortage of cherry flavor. There is even a hidden cherry baked in to the middle of each cupcake- so fun! My family loved the Cherry Almond Vanilla Cupcakes and I am sure yours will too. 

Cherry Almond Vanilla Cupcakes

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Garden 
Yield: 24 Cupcakes

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 large egg whites

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

12 maraschino cherries, halved

Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp maraschino cherry juice

1/2 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking powder. Set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and maraschino cherry juice. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat the butter until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract. Beat until combined. Add the egg whites one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Alternatively add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture. Beat until just combined.

Spoon batter into the prepared muffin tins. Press a cherry half into each tin. Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.

While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a stand mixer, beat the butter until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add one cup of the powdered sugar. Beat until combined. Add the maraschino cherry juice and the almond extract. Finally add the remaining powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Beat until light and creamy. Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes and top with cherries if desired. 

Peanut Butter Cup Truffle Brownies

My love of chocolate and peanut butter strikes again, this time in the form of brownies. Rich and decadent brownies with mini peanut butter cups folded into the batter, to be exact. I don't know about you, but I could never get sick of the chocolate and peanut butter combination. Especially when we are talking about something as good as these brownies.

Dan declared these peanut butter cup truffle brownies one of his favorite things to ever come out of my kitchen. So there you have it- I am not the only one to sing praises about these brownies. I have made many different brownie recipes over the years, but these are now the current favorites. Of course I am always trying to improve and find the best recipes out there, but for now this one is way up there.

Peanut Butter Cup Truffle Brownies
Recipe from Bake! by Nick Malgieri

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
10 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups mini peanut butter cups

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9 inch  baking pan with aluminum foul and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Add the butter to a medium sized saucepan set above medium heat. Melt the butter and continue to cook until the butter begins to sizzle. Add the chocolate to the pan. Gently shake until the chocolate is submerged in the butter. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combined the brown sugar, flour and salt. Mix until just combined. Add two eggs. Beat until incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the remaining two eggs. Beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla.

Stir the butter and chocolate mixture until smooth. Add to the bowl of the stand mixer and combine with a rubber spatula. Gently fold in the peanut butter cups.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow the brownies to cool completely on a wire rack. You might want to stick the brownies into the freezer before cutting in order to make the process a little easier. 

Homemade Parmesan Crackers

Given that I am a big-time snacker, I love all of the classic snacks- Cheez-Its, Wheat Thins, Gold Fish, Ritz Crackers. The list goes on and on. I have always loved crackers of all kinds. Naturally I was excited to try my hand at making homemade crackers. After a little research, I settled on this recipe for Parmesan Crackers to make and I could not have been happier with the results. First of all, these crackers are incredibly easy to make. From start of finish, they only took about 1/2 hour to come together. 

I loved the parmesan flavor of these crackers. However, I think that you could easily substitute other ingredients in order to meet your needs. When I make them again, I think I will experiment with other spices and herbs to give them even more flavor. I also love crackers with freshly ground pepper and think that would be a great addition to these crackers. Oh how I love experimenting in the kitchen!

Homemade Parmesan Crackers

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

Coarse salt for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Combine the flour, salt, cheese and butter in a food processor. Pulse until combined. Add the heavy cream. Let the food processor run until a dough forms.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to be about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out individual crackers using a pastry wheel (my crackers were approximately 1 1/2 inch squares). Place crackers on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned in color. Allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins

Temperatures reached 90 degrees over the weekend. While it was certainly hot outside, it was a nice change from the 40 degree weather we had over Memorial Day weekend. It is crazy how temperatures can change that much in just one week. I am looking forward to more nice weather over the upcoming months. The warmer weather also means that blueberries are almost in season. As I walk through the Farmer's Market each week, I always check for blueberries, knowing that it is still a little too early. While they haven't had any yet, I know that they are sure to make an appearance in the near future.

I have a lot of go-to blueberry muffin recipes. Blueberry muffins are my favorite muffins so I feel like I can never have enough good recipes. These Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins are one of my recent favorites. Brown butter makes everything better, right? I am also a big fan of a streusel topping on my muffin and this one does not disappoint.

Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins

Recipe from the Joy the Baker Cookbook by Joy Wilson

Yield: 12 Muffins

Muffins:

7 tbsp unsalted butter, cold

1/3 cup milk

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

2 cups fresh blueberries

Streusel Topping:

3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 tbsp granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.

Melt butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Continue to cook until butter bubbles and becomes a medium brown color. Be careful not to burn the butter. Remove from heat. Pour the butter into a small bowl. 

In another bowl, combined the milk, egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Add the brown butter and whisk again. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir gently to combine. Fold in the blueberries but be careful not to overmix.  Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. 

To make the streusel topping, combine all the ingredients in a small bow. With clean hands, combine the ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the prepared muffins. 

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden in color. An inserted toothpick should come out clean. Let the muffins cool for about 15 minutes before serving.