Category Archives: Holiday

Kale & Sweet Potato Pasta w/ Two Cheeses

I have a special tale for you today, my little cookies, one of marvel and splendor. They say there is a fantastical world where healthy and indulgent come together as one; a place where foods bountiful in nutrition simultaneously provide comfort and pleasure. Every bite boasts an utterly sinful amount of deliciousness, while also giving your body the nutrients that it needs. Imagine a plate of cheese fries filled with all your daily vitamins, or a pepperoni pizza that keeps you free of illness. Delicious and nutritious can at last be together in this wondrous world of food.

It all sounds too good to be true. But this is not myth, my little cookies. This is real.

Well, okay, so maybe not the part about the vitamin-filled french fries or the immunity-boosting pizza, but I would not kid you about being able to have food that is packed with nutrients, but is first and foremost downright delicious. This wasn’t something I really intended when I created this dish. My first concern was making something tasty and comforting. It happens to be pure luck that this Kale & Sweet Potato Pasta with Two Cheeses is both indulgent and nutritious.

Continue reading →

Creamy Tomato Soup

There was a time years ago when people found comfort in a can of Campbell’s Tomato Soup. It was all they knew: a creamy, warm meal that flowed smoothly down their throats, and straight to their hearts. Often, the soup was rounded out with the addition of a grilled cheese sandwich. A simple comfort yes, but it was cheap and it was good.

Little did those people know, they were missing out big time.

The real appeal of canned soup is its convenience; it’s quick, easy, and tasty. All you’ve got to do is pop open a lid and heat it up. But did you know how incredibly easy homemade Creamy Tomato Soup is? All you need is a handful of ingredients to create fresh, flavorful soup in next to no time. You can have this meal on the table in ten minutes, or you can cook it then let it sit over low-heat and eat when you’re ready. It’s a perfect weeknight dinner because it takes so little effort. You practically just pile the ingredients into a pot and call it a day. Let’s be honest; after a long, hard day, you need something hearty and replenishing that won’t diminish whatever small bit of energy you have left to make.

Continue reading →

Peanut Butter Candy Cakes

Smooth, melt-in-your-mouth Chocolate and creamy, salty Peanut Butter have one of the strongest long-term relationships of any food couple, despite the fact they’re so often in the spotlight. Their impeccable way of complimenting one another with their salty and sweet qualities defined them a match made in heaven from the get-go. They bring out the best in one another. True, there have been cases of exploitation: cramming PB & Chocolate into every possible food item in existence from cookies to casseroles (some obviously better than others). But despite the odds being against them, PB & Chocolate have stayed strong, inseparable even. We just can’t get enough of their perfect pairing. So long as Chocolate and Peanut Butter have the support of us adoring fans, they shall continue to dominate the foodie world as a culinary power couple.

Perhaps the most well-known work done by Peanut Butter and Chocolate is the coveted Peanut Butter Cup. A simple but classic candy, the peanut butter cup consists of a sweet chocolate shell filled with salty peanut butter. It’s easily one of the most beloved candies in America. The most famous company for producing said peanut butter cup is Reese’s, without question. However, many other companies and corporations have latched on to this too-good-to-be-true treat and began producing their own peanut butter-chocolate candies. Nowadays, people even make homemade versions. I myself have a recipe for Homemade Peanut Butter Cups, in both milk & white chocolate, that’s out of this world. It blows the store-bought versions out of the water.

Even when a creation as perfect as a peanut butter cup comes along, there is always temptation to make it even better. I wasn’t sure there was a way until the thought struck me to add a little something special to the filling: cake.

This inspiration stemmed from my love for Tastykake’s Peanut Butter Kandy Kakes as a child. These were little yellow snack cakes with a thin layer of peanut butter filling and a chocolatey coating. They were my favorite snack cake growing up, a perfect combo of flavors. However, it was always lacking in the peanut butter department, and the cake was rather dry.

Naturally, my homemade Peanut Butter Candy Cakes are worlds better than anything a brand-name corporation could dish out. A thick layer of moist vanilla cake and gobs of creamy peanut butter filling are stuffed into a thick milk chocolate shell, creating something similar to those good ol’ Kandy Kakes, if said Kandy Kakes were on steroids. These cup-shaped candies are bursting at the seams with cake and peanut butter, to the point that the chocolate can barely contain it. Luckily, this is a thick and sturdy chocolate exterior we’re talking about, not some wimpy chocolate film. As a finishing touch, pretty rainbow sprinkles allude to the fact that these are not just regular peanut butter cups; there’s something special inside.

My little cookies, the only thing better than chocolate and peanut butter is chocolate, peanut butter, and cake. These cakes are cute, handheld, and convenient, but it’s quite easy to eat three in one sitting. The trio is so sinfully delicious, the kind of treat where one bite causes you to close your eyes and drift away into euphoria. The only thing that can bring you back to reality is the inevitable empty wrapper at the end, which will just as inevitably move you to grab another candy cake.

Continue reading →

No-Bake Twice-Baked Potato Mash

Confused? Don’t be. This is exactly what it sounds like: a bowl of fluffy mashed potatoes, plus all of the fixings of a twice-baked potato, only there’s no twice-baking involved. You see, on special occasions, my mother makes classic twice-baked potatoes. They’re delicious, a family favorite, and a special treat. She was planning on making them for Christmas dinner, but there was one problem: no oven space. We had so much crammed into that microscopic oven that it would’ve been impossible to bake the potatoes. As stress started to mount, I suggested an alternative: No-Bake Twice-Baked Potato Mash.

These are essentially twice-baked potatoes without all the work. They’re mashed with milk and butter until creamy, then stuffed with sharp cheddar cheese, garlic, and fresh chives, just as your classic twice-baked potato would be. The skins are left on, since twice-baked potatoes are always served in their natural shells. You get your fluffy, flavorful filling, your earthy skins, your melty cheese, and your overall comfort. What you don’t get is a headache or hours spent in the kitchen. These are basically deconstructed twice-baked potatoes, everything you love without all the effort.

If twice-baked potatoes you desire, but cooking them makes you tire, then this potato mash is the solution you seek. They’re fluffy, decadent, cheesy, and delicious; a perfect way to impress your dinner guests without breaking a sweat.

Continue reading →

How-To: Igloo Penguin Cake

Winter has finally fallen upon my home in CNY. I’m quite used to harsh winters here, but this year, it has taken Old-Man Winter a bit longer than usual to bestow his frozen wrath upon us. Well, the snow has finally hit us and the cold has settled in. At last, it feels like winter. Weather like this always brings to mind thoughts of frozen tundras, igloos, Antarctica, and the penguins who live in Antarctica. I decided I needed to recreate this wintery fantasy in an edible form, and so this Igloo Penguin Cake was born.

I love cake. I love penguins. Is there anything better than having them both in one place? This cake is absolutely adorable, almost too cute to eat. I say “almost” because the cake itself is too good to not eat. I could’ve used a boxed mix to make life a bit easier, but I am a scratch-baker, so I went for homemade. This Best Yellow Cake recipe is absolutely perfect. I never intended on stumbling upon the ideal yellow cake when I set out to build this igloo; I was merely looking for a base to build upon. However, what I found was an incredibly moist, fluffy, and delicious cake. The texture is perfect; the flavor is ideal. I will never bake another vanilla cake again.

Naturally, I employed my favorite Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream to cover this edible igloo. It’s smooth, easily spreadable, and undeniably delicious. I think it is truly the best frosting I’ve ever tried. So, between the delicious cake and the luscious buttercream, this winter wonderland confection is not only impressive to look at; it is heaven to eat as well.

This little Igloo Cake is the epitome of winter. It depicts an enchanted snow-covered scene on a chilly winter’s day, but the cute little penguins don’t seem to mind the cold at all. Although time-consuming to make, it’s not actually as difficult as it seems. The results are well-worth the time you put into this sweet, whimsical igloo.

Continue reading →

Happy 2012!

Another year has brushed passed me just as quickly as a stranger on a busy street. It’s been a whirlwind of a year, with both good and bad memories now in the bank. The very best thing to happen to me in 2011 was the birth of Smart Cookie. I believe my life has truly changed as a result. I’ve been able to take my devoted passion for food and channel it into something that I can share with the world. I can only hope that 2012 will allow me to continue my mission in bigger, tastier ways. I would love for Smart Cookie to continue to grow while I grow as both a chef and a writer. Food and I are bound together in a life-long journey. Hopefully, it will lead to a career that will allow me to share my love for food with the world on an even grander scale than I do now. Regardless of what 2012 brings, I will continue to bring you daily deliciousness. I hope you’ll follow Smart Cookie into the new year & the years to come!

So with that, let us ring in the new year right with my 12 absolute favorite recipes of the year.

Continue reading →

Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies: Perfection

Depending on how long you’ve been following Smart Cookie, you might be asking yourself, “Wasn’t Smart Cookie’s first post on Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies?” Allow me to clear up the confusion: Yes. Yes it was. This is the exact same recipe from my very first post.

So why is it making an encore appearance? There are two reasons. First of all, that was my first ever post on Smart Cookie. I had no followers, no fans, no little cookies. I believe this recipe did not get the exposure it deserves. And that brings us to my second reason for reposting it.

These chocolate chip cookies are what I consider to be perfect. Now, I know there are approximately 4.4 million chocolate chip recipes out there, at least 25 percent of which that claim to be “the best.” (Those are not legitimate statistics at all). I am also aware that everyone has a different ideal when it comes to chocolate chip cookies. Some people like them thin; others like them thick. Some people like them chewy; others like them crisp. Some enjoy deep, dark chocolate chips; some enjoy sweet milk chocolate. Therefore, I won’t pretend that these are the world’s idea of the best, most perfect cookies; those do not exist. There cannot be a perfect chocolate chip cookie when there is no universal definition of perfection. However, these cookies are my absolute favorite, everything I’ve ever wanted in a chocolate chipper, and I’m pretty positive you’ll feel the same. So far, everyone who tried them has agreed. So that’s something, right?

Continue reading →

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Ring

Very rarely is it acceptable to rip, tear, and/or obliterate your food. People expect you to use utensils (and your manners). You must be neat and civilized.

I scoff at such social norms. Why, you ask? Because there’s always a loophole. Take this Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Ring, for example. It laughs in the face of proper eating habits. You can use your hands to rip off little pieces or hearty hunks and chow down. No one will judge you for it. It is finger food at its finest. No utensils required.

Continue reading →

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

I’ve had a lot of spinach artichoke dips in my day. In fact, I’d say I’m a Spinach Artichoke Connoisseur of sorts (it’s a legit title). This classic creamy dip is my go-to appetizer of choice at just about any restaurant. It’s always a bit of a gamble to order though; you never know what you’re going to get.

I’ve had spinach artichoke dip that’s killer and spinach artichoke dip that nearly killed me. Mostly, I’ve had dip that’s average. Generally speaking, it’s hard to make a bad spinach artichoke dip (notice I say “hard;” not “impossible”). I mean, it’s spinach and cheese in a creamy dip. It’s difficult for such a combo to become an epic fail.

But that’s not enough for me. Mediocre doesn’t cut it in my book; I want a spinach artichoke dip that’s supremely delicious, the kind of creamy perfection that would be served at a party in heaven. (Do they party in heaven?)

Enter this incredible Spinach-Aritchoke Dip.

Continue reading →

Eggnog Custard Pie w/ White Chocolate-Eggnog Sauce

Chances are, there’s a lonely carton of leftover eggnog sitting dormant in your fridge right this very moment. It’s post-Christmas, and you’re asking yourself, “What the heck am I gonna do with that?”

Fear not, my little cookies, for I’ve got an incredibly delicious way to make use of your residual ‘nog: Eggnog Custard Pie with White Chocolate-Eggnog Sauce. Not only is it scrumptious, but it’s also a sweet way to ring in the New Year. This pie boasts a smooth and creamy custard filling, lightly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and subtle eggnog flavor. Cradled in a Nilla Wafer crust, the whole pie is drenched in a luscious eggnog-white chocolate sauce for additional sweet indulgence.

This pie is light and delicious, an ideal treat for finishing off this Christmas’ carton of creamy eggnog. It requires very few ingredients and even less effort. For an easy dessert with impressive results, you simply must make this Eggnog Custard Pie.

Continue reading →