Blueberry muffins with streusel topping

What is more wonderful than blueberry muffins? Blueberry muffins with cinnamon streusel on top. Omg. For these chili fall days, there is nothing that makes you feel more loved and warm than a batch of sweet muffins. Make some for your muffin ;)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries (i only had frozen)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon


1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

2.Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

3.To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

4.Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Serve with a big smile and a warm heart
Enjoy!
gigi

Jam filled kisses :)

I just love being fancy shmancy sometimes. I wear high heels pretty much every day. I wear super nifty suits to work on occasion and i love mascara. These cookies are the fake eyelashes of cookies. They are so super fancy, but don't require a lot of ingredients, but do require a lot of time. They are however, worth every single second. Both the eyelashes and these cookies :) Like fake eyelashes, these beautiful dolls are sure to get you some attention! The shapes remind me of puckering lips and kisses! aww! So, i guess we are still on the love theme! yayy!! Make these!!!
Jam filled crescents
(adapted from Food TV Magazine - Melissa D'Arabian)
Ingredients:

2 sticks of butter - softened
8 oz cream cheese
2 cups of flour
apricot jam
raspberry jam
(any flavor you want jam...i used apricot, cherry and sugar free raspberry)

Directions:

1.  Beat the butter and cream cheese together until creamy.
2.  Slowly add the flour - do not over mix!
3. divide the mixture into 2 balls and form them into discs.
4. wrap them in saran wrap and put them in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or until you are ready.

 Preheat your oven to 375

5. Flour a rolling surface very very well - this dough is very sticky and will stick to any surface if you don't use enough flour.

6.  Roll out 1 of the discs to about 1/8 inch thickness (i totally used a ruler...but it was pink!)

7. Cut out rounds with a 3 inch cookie cutter

8. Fill each round with about a 1/2 tsp of jam

9. lightly brush water on the edge of each round and fold each over to form a crescent

10. take a fork and make indention's so they look pretty.
11. Bake for 22 minutes and allow to cool completely (even over night)

12. When you are ready to serve them, roll them in powdered sugar.

 This is going to be a huge huge huge mess. But worth it!!!

  



When you are baking them, you'll hear some of the jam leaking out and sizzling, but don't worry! They will be perfect.

 Yum!!! Enjoy!!!
Smooches,
gigi



Apple Crisp

'Tis the for apple crisp. Warm, cinnamon-y, deliciousness, topped with vanilla ice-cream that melts and is like gooey lava love. Yeah. I love this season. This was super easy and delish. Just imagine the cool crisp fall air, the leaves falling and having a bowl of this warm goodness, whilst wearing your favorite fluffy socks. Heaven. I know.


Ingredients
Filling:
5 to 6 medium-size apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices. (About 7.5 cups)
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1.5 tsp cinnamon

Topping:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, well-softened
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
1/3 cup quick oats

Preheat the oven to 350. Generously grease an 8×8 baking pan with butter.

Place a layer of apple slices in the bottom of the pan and dust with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Continue layering apples and dusting with cinnamon/sugar until done. Toss the apple mixture until evenly coated in cinnamon sugar. The apples should be just about to the top of the pan (they will cook down).

Cut up a bunch of apples, like so:

Then make your topping,

For the topping, place the flour, brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon and oats in a large bowl and stir well with a wooden spoon. Work the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until evenly distributed. Take one full handful of the topping and toss it into the sugared apple mixture. Spread the rest of the topping evenly over the apples. (I usually end up with a dough-like topping that I just lay on top of the apples).


Bake the crisp in the dish on a baking sheet on the center oven rack until the topping is crunchy and the apples are bubbling, 55-60 minutes.
And then....mmmm

Whatever you do, DO NOT FORGET ICE CREAM. That would be illegal. It would just be wrong.
Enjoy fall everyone :)
smooches, gigi

Love biscuits.

I'm keeping this love theme going, because its super duper.  Love Biscuits. You read that right.

I have never made rolled out biscuits. I always make drop biscuits. I don't really know why. I'm kind of a wuss when it comes to dough. So weird, but whateves. I was in a mood to bake this week and i thought I'd just keep adding to things I've never made. I'm hard core like that. I'm so hard core that i used a heart shaped biscuit cutter :) hehehehe awwwww!!!!

How adorable are they??? And you get to eat them. Eat your heart out!!!!!! OMG! I totally just made that up right now!!! wowwwwwww! The talent...

Anyway, make these, keep that love theme going and make these and slather them with butter and jam :) then looooooove!!!

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
2/3 cup milk

Directions:
1. In small bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. in a separate bowl beat the egg with the milk and stir it into the dry ingredients just until moistened.
3. Turn onto a well floured surface ad knead about 20 times.
4. Roll to a 3/4 inch thickness and cut out hearts :) with a heart biscuit shaped cutter.
5. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet
6. Bake at 450 F for about 8-10 minutes until they are just golden on the top.
7. Serve them warm and with love...

Happy hearts my friends!
love, gigi!!!

Chicken and dumplings are my new bff's.

So! I had soooo much chicken left over from the ginormous chicken i made in the last post and decided to make chicken and dumplings. Why? Well, first, because i've never had them before (i know, right?!), second, because i heard it was mucho delish, and third because it is getting chilly in Detroit. Ok. fine. I'm totally lying. I made them because my Marko loves chicken and dumplings :) so i thought I'd make something i could brag about forever!! Bwhahahahaha! 
However, all bragging aside...it was soooo amazing. Like, beyond amazing. Like if amazing was earth, this meal is mars (go with it). It was super creamy, spicy, hearty and warrrm. Did I mention super duper easy? It is. Make this. Now. And!!! As a total bonus, this is my gift to all my single peeps! Because, if you don't have a significant other, and you want one - feed them this. Trust me. They will be smitten foreves. It's like a love spell. Truth.

Chicken and Dumplings
re do!

8 cups chicken broth (1 box plus 2 cans) or 2 boxes
1 lb. left over chicken – shredded
1 c. sliced carrots
1 onion, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 bay leaf
1 handful of chopped fresh parsley (or 1 Tbsp. dried parsley)
1/2 tsp. basil
salt and pepper (lots of pepper) to taste
2 14-oz. cans evaporated milk (fat free is fine)
Dumplings: the recipe below

Directions:
In a large pot, heat some olive oil over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Saute for a few minutes until translucent. To this add about 3-4 soup spoons of flour to make a roux, which will make your soup thick. Let this cook for a few minutes to get rid of the the raw flour flavor. Next,  and then add chicken broth, carrots, chicken, bay leaf, and basil. Bring to a boil. Cover cook for about 10 minutes and add chopped parsley. Add evaporated milk.

Add the dumplings: 
Dumplings:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

Combine the flour, baking powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and milk in a medium bowl. Stir well until smooth, then let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to about a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch squares and drop each square into the simmering stock. Use all of the dough.

The dumplings will first swell and then slowly shrink as they partially dissolve to thicken the stock into a white gravy. Simmer for 30-40 minutes until thick. Stir often.


This is great right away, but honestly, the leftovers are even better. I don't know why, but once the flavors have a chance to marry, its like angels singing. For realz.
Now go get yourself some lovin!!!
smooches!
gigi

Whole-y chicken!! hehehe

So, my posse and i went to Eastern Market a couple weeks ago and scored some amazing veggies for super duper cheap. For those of you who dont know what Eastern Market is, it is only the best farmers market on the planet. Truth. Anywhoo, i decided once we got home, i'd try my hand at making a chicken with vegetables. Do you think this is lame? whatevevs. I've never done it before. Everyone has a first time.
SO! moving on....i bought this really super rub spice thingy:

So, i rubbed this rubz guy all over a big chicken, along with some olive oil that i got from the grocery store and added some fingerlings and green beans.  I baked it at 375 for about 1.5 hours and came out with this:

Hey daddy...how you doin??? He was doin dammmmmmn fine. Make this. Its so easy and so good.

Ingredients:
1. awesome huge chicken
2. a pound of fingerling potatoes
3. a bunch of green beans
4. a packet of flavored rub
olive oil

Wash your chicken really well and rub it with olive oil.  Sprinkle it very liberally with spice mixture and massage it in. Stick it in a pan and add potatoes that have been sprinkled with spice as well and add the green beans.
Cover it with tin foil and bake at 375 for about 1.5 hours or until the thermometer measures 180 degrees in the thigh.

Enjoy!! Smooches!
gigi!

Quadruple chocolate chunk and macadamia nut brownie cookies.

Yes, the title is correct. It contains the word quadruple.  I love cookies. I could only eat cookies for the rest of my life and be totally ok with that.  I like taking cookies to my friends houses because it makes me feel super cool. These cookies are quadruple chocolate goodness. I'm fairly certain that these cookies will cure every ailment. Each and every bite contains a chocolatey nutty mouthful of love. I mean, they are like, beyond delooosh.  Make these. Do it.

You will need:
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup Butter flavored crisco
1 TBS water
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1.5 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chocolate chunks or chips - I used a combination of both!
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts

1. Heat oven to 375

2. Place brown sugar, shortening, water and vanilla in large bowl and beat until well blended.
3. Add eggs and beat well.
4. whisk flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda in a separate bowl
5. Add flour mixture to shortening mixture and beat at low speed just until blended.
6. Add in chocolate chips and macadamia nuts and mix by hand just until they are mixed in. Do not over mix!
7. Drop by heaping spoonfulls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Bake one sheet at a time for 7-9 minutes.

Let cookies cool completely and jump around clapping your hands because you are the coolest person ever.
:-) smooches
gigi

Party Spirals

Guess who finally got invited to a party??? MEEEEEEE!! ha! See! I told you i would! Lucky for moi, i am still in the party food blogging spirit? Wanna know what i brought? Puffed pastry spirals stuffed with Parmesan, turkey and cayan pepper. mmmm mmmm mmmm!

This picture is one cookie sheet full.  I ended up with 3 cookies sheets full. Just enough for a party!

You will need:
1 box of puffed pastry
1 egg
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
2 tsp cayan pepper.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Beat egg and water until blended, set aside. Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into 14x10“ rectangle;cut in half lengthwise. Brush pastry with some of the egg mixture. Sprinkle 3 tbsp. of the cheese and pepper evenly over one of the pastry pieces, cover with turkey slices. Roll up tightly to form a 14” log. Starting at one of the long sides, cut crosswise into 24 slice. Place cut side down on parchment covered baking sheet. Brush with remaining egg mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 12-14 minutes
Enjoy!!!
Smooches - Gigi

Baked spinach and artichoke dip.

Yup. I'm still in party mode. Why the heck not? I had some of my fav friends over last weekend and this dip was a hit! It is courtesy of Paula Deen, so how could it not be awesome? It is super fancy. super. fancy.  Make this. Trust me. You will be the best party thrower everrrrrrrr! And in case you are wondering, this is still considered a baked good as it comes out of the oven ;-)

Ingredients


1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach

2 (13 3/4-ounce) cans artichoke hearts

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 cup grated pepper jack cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Thaw the spinach in a microwave oven on high for 5 minutes and squeeze dry. Drain the artichoke hearts and chop them up.

Combine all the ingredients except the jack cheese in a large bowl. Stir well. Scrape into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the jack cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with bagel chips.
Enjoy!
Smooches - gigi

Fresh Strawberry Cake!

I'm still on a party theme. I like to bake stuff and feed it to people. Don't judge me.  In fact, call me when you are hungry for something sweet and then come over. And bring wine :)

Speaking of sweets,  I love this cake. It travels really well and makes people smile. I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart (LOVE) except i tweaked it a bit. See, i love desserts and sweets. No lie. I LOVE DESSERTS AND SWEETS. But! Most recipes call for waaaaaaaay too much sugar. I don't really get down like that. Here is a gigi tip: when using fresh berries or fruit in a recipe, feel free to cut the sugar at least in half. Do this. There is no need to send people into sugar shock. This cake was perfectly moist and sweet and light with just a touch of sugar. Oh and look how pretttttttty it is!!!

go and get:

6 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for cake pan

1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar (Martha's recipe called for 1 1/2 cups!!! whaaaaaaaaat)

1 tablespoon sugar, for berries

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch cake pan. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.

Put butter and 1/2 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla. (i just use a hand mixer)

Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered cake pan. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over berries.

Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges. Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days.

Greek Orzo Salad

I love parties. I've never made a secret of this love of mine. I love going to parties that have food. I love to bring food to parties. I troll blogs looking for perfect party recipes. Do you? If you do, you are i luck today my friends. This is the PERFECT party recipe. Easy to make, easy to pack up, travels well and is friggin PHENOM! Make this. Trust me. Then have a party and invite me :)

Greek Orzo Salad

1 pound orzo (1 of those little bags about the size of your hand)
2 cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 container pitted kalamata olives
1 jar marinated artichokes
1 bottle of Greek dressing.
Juice of 1 lemon

Feel free to tweak the ingredients here. If you don't have fresh tomatoes, use sun dried. If you want to make your own greek dressing, please do (i just don't know how to. yet...)

Boil pasta for 10 minutes until tender. Let it cool off a bit. Then simply toss everything together. Its too easy, i know. But it is so so soooooo good. Please make this and tell me how much you loved it :)
Smooches! - gigi

7 layer bars a.k.a Holy Awesome Bars

My aunt's sister in law (i know), used to make these all the time. I LOVE them. They are sweet and pretty and delicious. When i asked her for the recipe, she simply whipped out a piece of paper and 20 seconds later she had it written down and in my hands. It is THAT easy. The best part is that when you get invited to a party without ample warning to run to the store, i am positive that you will have these ingrediants at home. They are a party saver!!!!!
(sorry about the lame pics, cybelle was "busy"....)

You will need:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick of butter - melted
1 bag of chocolate chips (you can use any flavor you like, or even mix it up!)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 to 1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 to 1 cup of shreddedcoconut

Directions:
1. Combine the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs so that that they are nice and moist. Pat the mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish
2. On top of the graham crackers crust layer the chocolate chips, nuts and coconut
3. Top the entire mixture with the sweetened condensed milk.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or unitl the top is lightly brown at 350 degrees.
Let it cool for at least 1 hour before attempting to cut it up otherwise it will fall apart and they will look stupid and you will be cookie-less. Thumbs down.

Now go find yourself a party and share these! Enjoy!!!
Smooches! gigi
Below here is a picture of lola's behind, she was hiding. Why did i take this picture and post it here? Because she's so darn cute!!!!!!!