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Roasted Tomato & Garlic White Pizza

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Few things in this world give me as much joy as a good slice of pizza. You’d have to rub your feet on it for me to not enjoy pizza. Considering I’ve made it through 5+ years of crappy CNY pizza and haven’t imploded from withdrawal, I’d say that’s good proof right there that even bad pizza is good. But my God, when I can get a really, really good slice, the kind with the right amount of sauce and cheese and my preferred crust-to-topping ratio, well that’s the closest I’ve come to heaven on Earth.

Ever since I discovered an easy, fantastic homemade pizza crust, I’ve essentially received a passport to a world of infinite pizzatastic possibilities. No toppings are off-limits, and ain’t nobody going to tell me how I can or can’t slice it.00000407

If I want white pizza, I can make it. And I can top it with juicy, fresh roasted cherry tomatoes and sweet garlic. I can hit it with three kinds of cheese since one ain’t enough for this cheese-worshiping Smart Cookie. Then, with a good bake in the oven to turn this baby hot, melty, and golden brown, we’ve got ourselves Roasted Tomato and Garlic White Pizza, aka flavor-packed, cheese-overloaded paradise in a slice.

With a thin and crisp crust, creamy ricotta, caramelized garlic and tomatoes, and goo-rific mozzarella and parmesan, this is one killer pizza you don’t want to pass up. Your local pizza joint will never churn out such a beautiful pie as this: dressed up in thick layers of cheese, dotted with pretty red roasted tomatoes, and freckled with fresh thyme. It’s heaven you can hold in your hand and take a bite right out of. Forget your bad day or your self-loathing from post-holiday weight-gain; grab a slice and let your troubles melt just like that mozzarella cheese.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. Store-bought dough is okay, but I urge you to try this recipe. I was afraid of making homemade dough until I tried it. I couldn’t believe how little time and effort it required, but it was so much better than anything else I’ve had!
  2. Roasting the tomatoes and garlic bring out their natural juices and flavors, making them sweet and robust like you’ve never experienced before.
  3. The better quality cheese you use, the better your pizza will be.
  4. Pizza stones are beneficial, but not required.
  5. Craving more pizza with this easy crust recipe? Try my Lil Pizza Bites and White Cheddar Broccoli Pizza.

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Roasted Tomato & Garlic White Pizza
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Ingredients:

For the crust
adapted from Williams-Sonoma

  • 1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 3/4 cup warm water (about 105°F)
  • 1 cup cake flour
  • 1 cup + 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Toppings

  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 4 whole cloves of fresh garlic
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 2 1/2 cups good-quality shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp. fresh chopped thyme

Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the yeast, sugar and warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade, combine the cake flour, all-purpose flour and salt and pulse 3 or 4 times.
  3. Whisk 1 tbsp. of the olive oil into the yeast mixture. With the motor running, slowly add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding more. Pulse the machine 10 to 15 times to knead the dough. The dough should clean the insides of the bowl but will be slightly sticky.
  4. Coat the inside of a large bowl with the remaining 1 tbsp. oil. Dust your hands with flour and remove the dough from the food processor. Form the dough into a ball and place in the bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  5. While the dough rises, roast the tomatoes and garlic. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread tomato halves out in an even layer and place garlic cloves in the center of the pan. Drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and bursting, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
  6. Finely chop cooled garlic. Set aside.
  7. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Roll the dough out on a floured surface however thin you’d like it. Sprinkle a pizza pan or preheated pizza stone with cornmeal. Lay the crust on top and parbake for 7 minutes, or until puffed and set but not yet browned.
  8. In a medium bowl, combined ricotta and chopped roasted garlic. Spread over crust in an even layer. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan, then evenly distribute the tomatoes over top. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh thyme. Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Slice and enjoy.00000391

Pumpkin Cornbread + Honey Butter

Every Thanksgiving, I say I’m going to make cornbread. And every Thanksgiving, I wind up not making cornbread.

I’m not sure exactly what gets in the way, but up until now, I never got around to turning my cornbread dreams into reality. This year, I was determined to break that cycle, and I set out on the hunt for a perfect cornbread recipe. It’s hard picking a recipe for something you’ve never made yourself before; you’ve yet to see what works and what doesn’t, what you like and what you don’t. I wasn’t sure how I’d ever choose, that is, until the perfect recipe basically waltzed right up to me and slapped me in the face with a skillet.

This Pumpkin Cornbread found me while I was doing my daily reading on Serious Eats. I figured I’d never find a better cornbread recipe than one that included my beloved pumpkin. After all, the days of pumpkin season are dwindling. I jumped at the chance to squeeze in one more squash recipe while I still could.

This cornbread was one of the simplest recipes I’ve ever thrown together. The result was a plump, moist cornbread with the most gorgeous orange hue that looked perfectly festive on the dinner table. The pumpkin flavor is not prominent; in fact, I’d say it adds a hint of fall flavor more than actual pronounced pumpkiness. It also makes the cornbread tender, unlike some cornbread that’s like corn-flavored sawdust.

The perfect compliment to the subtly sweet Pumpkin Cornbread is some simple Honey Butter. Literally all you need is honey and butter, and BAM; you’ve got a sweet and delicious spread to slather your cornbread in. What a perfect combination!

If you’re also a homemade cornbread virgin, this is a great recipe to start with. It’s so simple, but it’ pretty presentation will impress all your dinner guests. Or your cats. Or whoever you eat with.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. I found the original recipe was lacking in that signature cornbread sweetness, so I added a touch of honey to fix that.
  2. You don’t have to bake this in a skillet; do it in a cake pan, or whatever baking dish you have on hand.
  3. This cornbread is great toasted up in the morning with coffee.
  4. Serve this warm straight from the oven or let it cool.

Pumpkin Cornbread
Adapted from Serious Eats

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cups corn meal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tbsp. honey
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • Honey butter, for serving (recipe follows)

Directions:

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together corn meal, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, honey, pumpkin, and milk until combined. Stir in dry ingredients.
  4. Place butter in skillet and place in the preheated oven for 2 minutes, or until butter is melted. Take skillet out of oven and pour in batter, smoothing top. Bake until top is golden and cracked and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool before cutting.

Honey Butter
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
  • 3 tbsp. honey

Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, stir together butter and honey until well-combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat. Let soften again before serving.

Healthy Cookie: Butternut Squash Sage Pancakes w/ Mozzarella

In the aftermath of the diet-destroyer that is Thanksgiving, I think we’re all in need of a healthy fall meal with the delicious flavors we love from Thanksgiving, but without all the calories. After you eat such enormous quantities of rich, indulgent food, it makes it even harder to get back on track. In order to do so, you need something really good, like these Butternut Squash Sage Pancakes with Mozzarella cheese.

The pancakes are tender yet golden and crisp around the edges. They’re packed with sweet butternut squash and savory fresh sage for a wonderful pairing of fall flavors. Top off the delectable pancakes with gooey mozzarella cheese and sweet, juicy cherry tomatoes, and you’ve got yourself a delicious, satisfying meal to quell your cravings and give you the nutrients you need.

What makes these pancakes light? There’s no flour or butter; the p-cakes rely on low-calorie, high-protein Egg Beaters to bind them together. Plus, we use light mozzarella cheese instead of full-fat. These little changes still give you BIG flavor, but one whole cheese-covered pancake clocks in at under 200 calories. Score!

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. I use light mozzarella cheese sticks because the fat-free shredded mozzarella tastes like feet. These sticks give you less fat and calories than full-fat mozzarella while still retaining flavor. It’s a great compromise.
  2. Fresh sage is essential in this recipe.
  3. Grating squash is a pain, I won’t lie. But it’s well worth it in this recipe!
  4. Also top with spinach, kale, or anything else your heart desires.
  5. Easily double or triple this recipe to feed more mouths.

 

Butternut Squash Sage Pancake with Mozzarella
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups grated butternut squash
  • 1/3 cup Egg Beaters or 1 egg
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper
  • 2 tsp. chopped fresh sage
  • 2 light mozzarella cheese sticks like Sargento (about 5o calories each)
  • 1 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
  • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together grated squash, Egg Beaters, salt, pepper, and sage until well-combined. Divide in half and flatten out to 1/4-inch thick pancakes on baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until they start to turn golden on the edges.
  3. Meanwhile, pull the cheese stick into strings then roughly chop. Sprinkle over the cooked pancakes and top with parmesan and tomatoes. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with more fresh sage if you’d like and enjoy.

Lil’ Pizza Bites

I never willingly ate anything nutritious as a child, so Bagel Bites were a main food group in my diet. Please tell me I’m not the only one who grew up infatuated with them, and would still happily down an entire package if given the choice today.

Bagel Bites may not have been the finest quality food, but they were one of the most delicious things that could come out of my microwave. To kids and adults alike, there’s an appeal in making food bite-sized. Somehow, it’s even better that way. So, when I had a get-together a few weeks ago, I decided to forgo serving full-sized pizza, and instead made a bunch of mini cute and delicious Pizza Bites.

If you thought Bagel Bites were good, then wait until you taste these. My Pizza Bites are amazing and addicting. A dozen will disappear down your gullet before you have time to think. The homemade dough, although crazy easy to make, yields a tender, tasty, and crisp crust, the perfect vessel for zesty marinara and a generous blanket of melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese. A sprinkling of fresh oregano finishes the pizza bites off with a punch of extra flavor. These are so darn good, not only will you eat an inhuman amount, but they’ll put those frozen pizzas to shame.

These golden brown beauties are super cheesy, super addicting, and super good, perfect for a party, movie night, or super easy dinner!

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. If you’re set on one big pizza, this recipe is still great. It yields a traditional cheesy thin crust pizza.
  2. Add any toppings you like.
  3. This dough is good if you’re in a pinch for time because it only has to rise for 90 minutes, as opposed to some recipes that must rise overnight.
  4. You can use homemade sauce or jarred sauce, but if you use jarred, PLEASE buy good-quality stuff. It makes a huge difference.
  5. You must use fresh oregano. Dried tastes like feet, and the fresh stuff gives it that straight from the pizzeria taste.

Pizza Bites

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Yield: about 1 dozen bites

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 3/4 cup warm water (about 105°F)
  • 1 cup cake flour
  • 1 cup + 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups marinara sauce, homemade or good-quality jarred
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp. fresh chopped oregano

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the yeast, sugar and warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade, combine the cake flour, all-purpose flour and salt and pulse 3 or 4 times.
  3. Whisk 1 tbsp. of the olive oil into the yeast mixture. With the motor running, slowly add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding more. Pulse the machine 10 to 15 times to knead the dough. The dough should clean the insides of the bowl but will be slightly sticky.
  4. Coat the inside of a large bowl with the remaining 1 tbsp. oil. Dust your hands with flour and remove the dough from the food processor. Form the dough into a ball and place in the bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Roll the dough out on a floured surface however thin you’d like it. Use a small round biscuit cutter, cookie cutter, or the rim of a glass to cut out little mini crusts. Sprinkle a pizza pan or preheated pizza with cornmeal an lay about 6-8 crusts on. Par-bake for 7 minutes, or until set but not yet browned. While they par-bake, combine the cheeses in a bowl. Top each par-baked crust with a scant tablespoon of sauce, a generous handful of cheeses, and sprinkle of oregano. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown around the edge. Remove from pan and serve. Repeat with remaining crusts.

White Cheddar & Broccoli Pizza

When I lived in Pennsylvania, there was a little pizza place called Cosmos in the mall I shopped at. Every time I went to the mall, and my tummy started grumbling, I’d go to Cosmo’s. They laid out a selection of tantalizing pizza flavors behind a cruel glass wall that separated you from the endless pizza buffet. You picked your flavor of choice, and they popped it in the oven to make it nice and hot. The slices were always big and foldable, so one was enough to make for a perfectly portioned lunch.

Despite the array of choices at Cosmos, I always got the white broccoli pizza. It was a classic: thin, foldable crust topped with ricotta, mozzarella, and broccoli. Such a simple slice, and yet so good. I could never resist.

Nowadays, I’d have a better chance of finding Big Foot here in CNY than a slice of white pizza that’s comparable to Cosmo’s. But the way I see it, if you can’t get what you want from a restaurant or store, then you’re better off making it yourself. So, as a homage to Cosmo’s and the many tasty slices of white broccoli pizza they served me, I present my White Cheddar and Broccoli Pizza.

This pizza takes the classic qualities I know and love from that slice at Cosmo’s and freshens them up a bit by subbing white cheddar for mozzarella. Then I garlic-ified a creamy ricotta spread, because garlic makes everything better. The gooey-good white cheddar cheese is a perfect partner for the fresh broccoli. These flavors were meant to be; why not unite them on a pizza that reinvents a classic?

If you want to use a store-bought crust, that’s a-okay with me. But if you want the world’s simplest homemade pizza crust, then check it out here.

Well what are you doing, ya fool? Go make some flippin’ pizza!

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. You can lighten this up by using fat-free ricotta and/or putting it on a whole wheat crust.
  2. Fresh broccoli is key. Frozen won’t have the same texture or flavor.
  3. Similarly, you must use fresh herbs. Otherwise, it ain’t even worth it.
  4. Baking the crust first without any toppings ensures it will cook all the way through without having to worry about the toppings cooking first.
  5. Use good parmesan cheese, not those bottom-of-the-feet shavings in the green jar.

White Cheddar and Broccoli Pizza
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch pizza dough, store-bought or homemade
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups cooked fresh broccoli florets
  • 2 1/2 cups white cheddar cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Allow a pizza stone to heat for 15-20 minutes, or if you don’t have a pizza stone, have a pizza pan at the ready.
  2. Roll/stretch the pizza crust out as thin as you’d like and lay it out on the pizza stone/pan and brush with olive oil. Let bake for 7-10 minutes, or until set and puffed, but not yet browned.
  3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and parmesan. Spread out in an even layer on parbaked crust. Sprinkle white cheddar and broccoli over top. Bake for another 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly and crust starts to brown around the edges. Let sit for 2 minutes then slice and serve.

Halloween Monster Cake Balls

You know how Goldfish are “the snack that smiles back?” Well, this is the snack that stares back.

These ghoulish little Halloween Monster Cake Balls are 50% cute,50% creepy, and 100% scrumptious. Their eerie eyes peer up at you, almost begging not to be eaten, but you’ll find it impossible to resist the sweet Halloween-colored cake & frosting filling. Not only do these cake balls allow for the perfect cake-to-frosting ratio, but you also get two flavors in one.

You see, this is like cake ball inception. The center is an orange-colored vanilla cake/vanilla frosting cake ball, and it’s surrounded by a dark chocolate cake/chocolate frosting cake ball. The festive color combo is perfect for Halloween, making these treats both “whimsical and delicious,” as one of my co-workers described.

I must warn you though, these cake balls have a sinister side. Their snackable size makes it incredibly easy to pop a dozen into your mouth without thinking twice. It’s like they put you in some sort of frosting-induced trance. Is it black magic? Perhaps.

Whether you’ve got a Halloween party coming up, or you just want a sweet treat to satisfy the screaming banshee that is your growling stomach, these easy cake balls are sure to make you show off your vampire fangs in a ghoulish grin. They’re sweet, snackable, and they harness the intensity of a whole cake in one little ball.

Happy Halloween, little Smart Cookie fiends!

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. If you’re looking to simplify, you could do a strictly chocolate filling. You’ll still have the orange contrast with the glaze.
  2. Find the candy eye balls at your local craft store.
  3. Here’s my rule, if you don’t want to go all homemade, then at least do either the cake or frosting from scratch. I used store-bought frosting and homemade cake.
  4. You could also use chocolates sprinkles as decor instead of the eyes. Just make sure you add any decorations before the glaze sets, or it won’t stick.
  5. A white chocolate coating instead of the glaze would be tasty too.

Halloween Monster Cake Balls
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Ingredients:

  • 1 8×8 chocolate cake, from a box or homemade
  • 1 8×8 vanilla cake dyed orange,* from a box or homemade
  • 1 – 1 3/4 cups chocolate frosting, store-bought or homemade
  • 1 – 1 3/4 cups vanilla frosting, store-bought or homemade
  • candy eyes

For the glaze

  • 8 cups powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 4 tsp. vanilla extract
  • orange food dye

*To dye cake, add orange food dye (or red + yellow) to cake batter before baking.

Directions:

  1. Crumble the vanilla cake into a mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of the vanilla frosting and mix until well-combined. See if you can form a ball with the mixture. If it’s still too dry, add the rest of the vanilla frosting. How much you add will depend on how dry the cake you make is.
  2. Form the cake mixture into tiny balls, about 3/4 teaspoon in size. Place on a sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper.
  3. Crumble the chocolate cake into a mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of the chocolate frosting and mix until well-combined. See if you can form a ball with the mixture. If it’s still too dry, add the rest of the chocolate frosting.’
  4. Grab about 1 tbsp. of the chocolate mixture and flatten out. Place one of the mini orange cake balls in the center and fold up the chocolate cake around it so that the orange is completely covered. When all your cake balls are formed, place them on a tray lined with wax paper and refrigerate until firm, about 30 min to 1 hour.
  5. Make the glaze: whisk together all ingredients in a bowl until homogenous and smooth, adding more or less dye to achieve your desired vibrancy. If it’s too thick add more milk 1 tbsp. at a time. If it’s too thin, add more sugar, 1/4 cup at a time.
  6. Dip the chilled cake balls into the glaze so that they’re completely covered then let set on tray in the fridge. I recommend doing a double coat. Place two candy eyes on the top of each cake ball BEFORE glaze has set.
  7. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Jack Skellington Brownie-Cookie Pie + How-to Video

I remember watching The Nightmare Before Christmas as a kid and falling in love with it. But much to my childish chagrin, I lost my VHS tape (remember those things?), and my small world collapsed, or so it seemed. Then came the time when DVD’s came into existence, and I received TNBC on DVD for my birthday. Jack Skellington, Sally, Zero, and the rest of the Halloweentown crew were back in my life once more. And from there, my love only grew.

Still to this day, TNBC holds a special spot in my heart. Quirky, classic, and just a little bit too creepy for its targeted age group, it’s one of those original and lovable gems, not unlike the rest of Tim Burton’s films. The stop motion animation, which Burton excels in, makes the whole film enchanting. There was nothing I wanted more as a child, or now as an adult, than to visit Halloweentown and pow around with its residents.

Even if you haven’t seen TNBC, you’re probably familiar with the movie’s main character Jack Skellington. As the people of Halloweentown say, “Our man Jack is king of the pumpkin patch!” He’s also the star of my latest edible artwork: Jack Skellington Brownie-Cookie Pie. I started with something already amazing on its own: a big, fat, fudgy brownie-cookie loaded with chunks of chocolate and slathered in fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting. Then, I added a few simple decorations to create Jack’s iconic grinning skeleton face.

You don’t need advanced decorating skills to churn this cookie pie out. Just about anyone can do it, and you’ll be sure to impress all the guests at any ghoulish Halloween get-together. Plus, the cookie pie itself is to die for. Crisp on the outside like a cookie, but fudgy on the inside like a brownie, it’s perfection!

Join me for my festive Halloween-themed video below to answer a few Nightmare Before Christmas trivia questions and see how easy this treat is to make.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. You will have some extra cookie dough. This is hardly a problem. As you’ll read in the recipe, you can just bake them up as individual cookies to keep to yourself.
  2. I recommend a mix of milk and semisweet or milk and dark chocolate because all one way or the other is too much. The contrast of the sweet and the bitter is delicious.
  3. Do not overbake! I have been guilty of this, and your cookie pie turns to a brick. You’re better off pulling it before you think it’s actually done.
  4. You can use any kind of cookie dough for this. Or, use the same decorations on a round cake.

Jack Skellington Brownie-Cookie Pie

Ingredients:

For the brownie-cookie
Cookie dough recipe adapted from food.com

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 (1 oz.) unsweetened chocolate squares, melted & cooled to room temperature
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the vanilla buttercream & decoration
Buttercream by The Smart Cookie Cook

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tbsp. heavy cream
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp. almond extract
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • black frosting/writing gel

Directions:

  1. Combine sugar, oil, and melted chocolate in a large mixing bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Mix in eggs and vanilla on low speed.
  2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add about 1/3  of dry mixture at a time to chocolate mixture, mixing on low speed until incorporated after each addition. Cover and let chill at least 2 hours.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Reserve about 1/3 of the dough, placing the rest in an ungreased 8×8 pie dish. Flatten out into a thick disk; do not shape to the pan. Cover the edges of the pan with foil so they don’t burn. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until puffed and set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do not overbake. Let cool completely on wire rack.
  4. While the pie cools, make the frosting. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in the sugar, 1 cup at a time, scraping down the sides between each addition. Once butter is well-incorporated, beat in cream, vanilla, almond, and salt for 1 minute, or until light and fluffy. Spread out in an even layer on top of cooled pie.
  5. Use the black frosting to draw two large circular black eyes at the top of the pie. Draw two oval-shaped nostrils centered just below the eyes. Draw a long grin towards the bottom of the pie, then draw stitches through the mouth. Viola! It’s Jack!
  6. Do with the remaining dough as you like. You can bake it up into normal-sized cookies at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, or freeze it for later use.

Pumpkin Alfredo Tortellini

Dinners as a kid were simple. I didn’t spend the entire day pondering what I was going to make, nor did I have to cook it. I merely sauntered into the kitchen, settled down at the table, and Mother Cookie laid out a hot meal made with love. There was no decision-making to be done, no arguing over what would be served; whatever my mom made, we ate.

I have to confess, I wasn’t any less of an obnoxiously picky eater as a child than I am now, so I wasn’t always thrilled with what was put in front of me (my distaste for meat had already begun as a kid). Looking back, I was just damn lucky to have a home-cooked meal on the table every single night, a blessing that was as reliable for me as the sun rising in the morning. Not many people can say the same about their childhood. If I could tell my younger-self one thing, it’d be: Shut up and eat what your mother made. Not everyone gets a homecooked dinner, or dinner at all for that matter. Plus, in 10 years or so, you’ll have to watch what you put in your mouth and work out every day. Enjoy your metabolism, lil’ me.

One of Mother Cookie’s meals that I’d never complain about was her fettuccine Alfredo. It was a simple meal, good old fettucine doused in a 3-ingredient parmesan sauce. To me, it was the most delicious thing on the planet. On rare occasions, if weren’t having an actual sit-down dinner, I’d bashfully request she make a special serving of her Alfredo just for me. And when she said yes, I’d be as gleeful as a kid on Christmas morning. I believe that has a lot to do with why I still to this day love fettuccine Alfredo. It will always hold a spot in my top five favorite foods.

As I’ve found my own way in the kitchen, I’ve played around with original Fettuccine Alfredo recipes, learning from that 3-ingredient recipe my mother made. I’ve made Classic Fettuccine Alfredo, Roasted Garlic Fettucine Alfredo, and even a Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo. I’m always welcome to a new way to enjoy one of my favorite dishes. And when I came across a recipe for Pumpkin Alfredo Tortellini in Food Network Magazine, I lost my marbles, yelped with excitement, then kicked myself for not thinking of it first.

This is my two favorite things ever in one meal: Alfredo plus pumpkin! Are you as ecstatic as I am? Please say you are. This is arecipe for heaven. They must have the angel-chefs in the sky writing for Food Network. Now, I did had to make some alterations. The original sauce didn’t yield enough sauce, wasn’t very pumpkiny, and barely had any cheese. Don’t worry; I fixed all of that!

This sauce is good enough to eat like soup. It has the absolute perfect not-too-thick, not-too-thin consistency. It’s like liquid velvet. You get the familiar cheesy tanginess of a classic Alfredo, plus that flavorful pumpkin boost which makes it taste just like fall. Shallots add an extra little kick of flavor, and tender cheese-filled tortellini make for an indulgent and filling meal.

This is definitely going on top of my favorite fall foods list. If you love pumpkin, alfredo, or both, then you need this Pumpkin Alfredo Tortellini in your life asap!

I served this meal to Mother Cookie. It’s the least I can do after all the bowls of fettuccine Alfredo she made me.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. Got kids who don’t like pumpkin? They may change their minds after trying this cheesy and rich pasta dish!
  2. You don’t have to use tortellini; any pasta will do.
  3. If you really want to get fancy, try homemade tortellini.
  4. Garnish with fresh sage for an extra kiss of fall flavor.
  5. Whole-grain/whole-wheat pasta is always the way to go.

Pumpkin Alfredo Tortellini
Inspired by Food Network Magazine

Ingredients:

  • 2 10-oz. packaged cheese tortellini
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
  • 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • chopped fresh sage, for garnish

Directions:

  1. In a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat, cook the tortellini according to package directions. They should be al dente, meaning they still have just a bit of bite. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin and saute for one minute. Whisk in the heavy cream and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Whisk in the cheese and pepper, continuing to whisk until completely melted. Remove from heat. Plate tortellini and pour sauce over top. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Walnut Biscoff Bark

I had to get it out of the house.

That jar of Speculoos (also known as Biscoff spread) sat in my pantry and taunted me every time I opened the door. I’m not proud of the number of times I caved, grabbed a spoon, and went in for the kill. That smooth stuff is just so good, I can eat it like ice cream. There was not enough willpower within me to prevent me from indulging, and consequently hating myself later.

Biscoff, you’re a bad influence.

So I had to get rid of. Don’t you see? That Biscoff was ruining my life. It had it coming! When I could no longer take the daily torment, I pulled together a quick and easy recipe that would rid my cabinet of the Biscoff for good: Chocolate Walnut Biscoff Bark.

In case you’ve never tried it, Biscoff (also known as Speculoos; they’re the same thing) is a rich spread with a texture identical to peanut butter. But instead of being made with peanuts, it’s made with the popular European Biscoff cookie. The flavor is a cross between gingersnaps and cinnamon graham crackers. It’s one of those things you have to experience to understand. But once you do, you’ll fall in love.

I took that rich and addictive Biscoff, made a creamy filling out of it, and sandwiched it between two thick layers of milk chocolate. Then, I adorned this sweet sandwich with crisp and salty walnuts. Talk about creamy, crunchy bliss. It’s so easy to make, but so good, sure to disappear in the blink of an eye.

Looks like my plan to be rid of that evil little jar of Biscoff went off without a hitch. Now how to stop myself from eating this bark?

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. Make this same exact recipe with peanut butter instead of this Biscoff (and you’ll probably want to leave off the walnuts).
  2. You could use white or dark chocolate instead of milk. Just be warned, you have to use good white chocolate because white chocolate is very fickle when it comes to melting.
  3. This makes a great gift, especially with the holiday season fast approaching.

Chocolate Walnut Biscoff Bark
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Ingredients:

  • 5 4.4-oz. milk chocolate bars (I used Hershey’s), chopped
  • 1 cup Biscoff/Speculoos Spread
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp. butter, softened
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

  1. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate on high for 30 second intervals, stirring in between so it doesn’t burn. As long as you mix well, it should only take about 3 intervals.
  2. Line an 8×8 dish with parchment paper, waxed paper, or foil so that it hangs over the edges. Pour half of the chocolate into the bottom of the dish and spread out in an even layer. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, make the filling. Combine the Biscoff, powdered sugar, butter, and salt in a medium mixing bowl until homogenous. Once first chocolate layer is set, gently spread the Biscoff filling out on top in an even layer. Pour the remaining chocolate over top and spread out smoothly. Sprinkle with nuts then cover and refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
  4. Once completely set, use the overhang of parchment paper to lift out the bark like a hammock. Slice and enjoy. Store in a cool place, preferably the fridge.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Frosting

Look familiar? I posted these Soft Pumpkin Cookies last year around this time. Their reincarnation today is due to how absolutely amazing they are. I didn’t have near as many followers when I first posted them, plus my photography skills were even worse than they are now. I figured it was necessary to give them a rebirth, a new chance for you all to experience one of my all-time favorite recipes.

You guys know that I live for the Fall food season, especially pumpkin. Out of my plethora of pumpkin recipes, I think this is the one I love most. It’s also my favorite cookie recipe. When fall rolls in on its chilly breeze, I most look forward to getting to make these Soft Pumpkin Cookies again. They taste like fall, if you could take all the colorful leaves shed by trees, the smell of sweet spices wafting from a warm oven, and the luminosity of a crackling fire and bake it into one treat. This is my fall.

There are many reasons to love these cookies. For one, they are down right delectable. They’ve got just the right amount of sweetness & pumpkin flavor, which is complimented by the warm fall spices spotted throughout. Secondly, GOOD LORD, these are so soft and moist! They’re almost verging on cake, but they still stay in that substantial cookie territory, much like a whoopie pie. They melt away in your mouth effortlessly.

As my co-worker said, “They make me wanna take small bites…You just want to savor it.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. I brought these cookies to school when I was still just a senior in high school, and no one could get enough. I brought them to the Clinton Farmer’s Market, and they disappeared in no time, leaving euphoric expressions on the faces of those who ate them. And just recently, I brought them to work. It was yet another hit.

And now, I’m sharing them with you so you can fall in love too. It just doesn’t get any better than these Soft Pumpkin Cookies…except maybe when you top them with a lusciously creamy and sweet Brown Sugar Frosting. Now that is the icing on the cake…or cookie in this case!

Best part? They’re plain old easy and simple. No complications here; just a basic recipe with amazing results. Oh sweet simplicity, you make my fall delicious.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, you don’t have to frost these guys. They’re great on their own.
  2. You have a lot of options for toppings. This Brown Sugar Frosting is my favorite, very complimentary of the cookies. But I also love a simple Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream, or if you’re looking to spice things up, try this Butterscotch Buttercream. You can even make a Brown Sugar Glaze by using just the brown sugar, 3 tbsp. of butter, the milk, and 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar. It sets up great!
  3. Don’t overbake. You don’t want these browned, just set.
  4. Want to really shake things up? Stuff these cookies with Candy Corn Golden Oreos! Get the recipe here.
  5. These cookies freeze great in an airtight container.
  6. You have to chill the dough, or these will be flat as a pancake.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Frosting

Yield: about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookies
Cookies adapted from Food.com

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. allspice
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Brown Sugar Frosting
Frosting by The Smart Cookie Cook

  •  1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 5 – 6 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream butter and the sugars together until light and fluffy.
  3. Blend in pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour mixture on low-speed a little bit at a time. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before continuing.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until puffed and set.
  5. Let cool on trays for 2 minutes then transfer to wire racks. Let cool completely.
  6. Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tbsp. of the butter, the brown sugar, and the milk. Whisk frequently and break up the sugar. Bring to a boil and let cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat immediately and whisk in vanilla and salt. Let cool to room temperature.
  7. Put the remaining butter in a large mixing bowl and cream on medium speed for 1 minute. Pour in the brown sugar mixture and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Beat on medium speed with a hand mixer until well-mixed. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and beat in the rest of the sugar, 1 cup at a time. If you want the icing thicker, add the full 6 cups.
  8. Frost the cooled cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.