Food Archives - Page 17 of 30 - A Blonde's Moment

creepy cocktail: the dark & spooky

October 13, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Tuesday, everyone! So sorry that I didn’t have a new post for you yesterday. As I mentioned in Thursday’s post, we spent the weekend celebrating my cousin’s wedding out of town. The plan was to photograph what I wore to the rehearsal dinner on Friday and the wedding outfit from Saturday, but it was such a cluster and a rush, we ran out of time!

Last Tuesday, I shared with you a simple Halloween treat that was perfect for all ages. Today, I am continuing the Halloween preparations and talking about a creepy cocktail! My husband is not only the wine connoisseur, but also the mixologist in the family. He has been experimenting with different cocktails as of late, so I enlisted him to help create a creepy cocktail that is perfect for a Halloween celebration.

The Dark & Spooky is a play on the Dark & Stormy — a simple, yet delicious cocktail with only three ingredients: fresh lime juice, ginger beer and rum. It’s easy to create a spooky effect by pouring the dark rum {a lighter rum is used in the traditional Dark & Stormy} over a spoon into the glass.

Dark & Spooky

{what you will need}

Juice from 1 lime

6 ounces ginger beer

1 1/2 ounces dark rum

Ice

{directions}

{1} Squeeze the juice from 1 lime directly into a glass filled with ice.

{2} Add the ginger beer into the glass.

{3} Pour the rum over a spoon into the glass which will allow the rum to be suspended on top of the ginger beer and lime juice mixture creating the creepiest of contrasts!

Thanks so much for dropping by and have a wonderful Tuesday!

witches’ hat cookies

October 6, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

It’s officially October, so it’s time to start thinking about Halloween! I know we are still a few weeks away, but these are so cute, I wanted to share them with you now. But don’t worry, there will be a few more Halloween ideas as we get closer to the holiday too 🙂

It’s hard to believe it’s almost that time, but it’s better to think of Halloween than Christmas. Has anyone else noticed Christmas items popping up in stores?! When I ran to the grocery store to get the ingredients for these cookies, I saw an ENTIRE Christmas cookie section. Unreal. It’s just the beginning of October!!

Anyways, I saw these cute cookies while searching for Halloween cooking inspiration and I just had to make them. With only a few ingredients, this is a fun and easy treat that can be done at any age. The only problem with this recipe is that if you are anything like me, you won’t be able to stop eating the Hershey Kisses once the cookies are complete. What are you suppose to do though, you have almost an entire bag of Kisses?! They should really make half bags for smaller recipes like these 🙂

Witches’ Hat Cookies

{what you will need}

1 package Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix

{plus ingredients on the back of the package}

Ready to use icing tubes {I used purple and orange}

15 Hershey Kisses

{directions}

Prepare cookies according to package instructions. Allow the cookies to cool for a minute or two on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a cooking rack. Be sure the cookies are completely cool before adding the frosting. Make a round circle of frosting in the center of the cookie and top with a Hershey Kiss. Makes about 15 cookies.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

cinnamon apple banana bread

September 29, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

There was a fall chill in the air this past weekend and it made me so excited for the cooler temperatures to arrive. I get so excited each week when it’s time to make the grocery store list — I love looking through fall recipes I made last year and remaking and reworking some of my favorites.

Most of the time, I have my posts planned out ahead of time, but this recipe actually came on a whim on Sunday and it was just too good to not share with you! I’ve made this banana bread recipe before — it starts with a cake mix and a couple ingredients and 50 minutes later, you have a mouth-watering banana bread. But since I’ve had fall on my mind lately {and my bananas were about to go bad!} I incorporated two seasonal flavors to this bread that made for a delicious fall treat: cinnamon and apples. I cannot even begin to describe how amazing our house smelled when this came out of the oven!!

For those of you who have been following along for awhile now, you know I love cooking and coming up with recipes, but sometimes it’s not realistic to make a “from scratch” banana bread with our busy lives. Substituting the cake mix in for the sugar, flour, etc. is a great time saver 🙂

Cinnamon Apple Banana Bread

{what you will need}

1 yellow cake mix

2 Gala apples, diced

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 bananas, mashed

3 eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cooking spray

Flour, for dusting

Butter, for serving if desired

{directions}

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Dice the apples into small pieces and place in small bowl. Take about 1/3 cup of the cake mix and pour over the apples {just enough to coat the apples so they don’t sink to the bottom of the bread}. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the cake mix, mashed bananas, vegetable oil, eggs and cinnamon; stir to combine. Fold in the diced apples until completely incorporated. Spray a 9×5 pan with cooking spray and dust the pan with flour. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 50-55 minutes until the bread is set and golden brown {my bread took about 55 minutes}. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to cooling rack. Serve with butter, if desired.

Have a great Tuesday and thanks for stopping by!

mushroom ravioli with marsala sauce & greens

September 22, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Tuesday! I’ve been all about the quick weeknight meals lately. Don’t get me wrong, I always love quick dinners, but with our hectic schedule last week, it was definitely needed! {In case you missed yesterday’s post about that, you can read it here} And although our crazy week is over, yesterday was a recovery day and I had no desire to be in the kitchen making a complicated dinner after work!

I find that quick dinners are easier in the summertime — you can easily throw something on the grill or mix a salad together, but in the fall, it becomes more challenging. And with fall weather just around the corner, it’s time to start planning some quick meals. Yesterday in DC, it was cold! It actually didn’t make it out of the 60s which is pretty chilly for us for this time of the year. Naturally, when it’s cold, I always start craving comfort food. And what says comfort food more than pasta?!

For those of you who have been following along for awhile now, you may know about my obsession with Wegmans. Each season, Wegmans mails a magazine with the latest products, recipes and in-store events. I probably get way too excited for mail day! We just received our fall guide last week and while browsing, I saw these mushroom ravioli. The recipe that Wegmans provided was centered around a quick meal as well, but they used a store-bought sauce. I’m all for shortcuts, but I wanted to make my own sauce for a fresher, more healthy alternative. If you did decided to purchase the store-bought sauce, I definitely think this could be considered a 10 minute meal! {As a side note, I also bought the Eggplant Parmesan Ravioli. We had the ravioli with just a little olive oil and Parmesan cheese the other night and it was AMAZING!}

For those of you who do not have a Wegmans close by or cannot find the mushroom ravioli, you could easily substitute it for cheese or spinach ravioli. This quick and delicious pasta will be a go-to meal for the cooler months and it definitely satisfied the craving for a quick comfort food!

Mushroom Ravioli with Marsala Sauce & Greens

{what you will need: Marsala Sauce}

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

8 ounces mushrooms {I used baby bella}

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup Marsala wine

1 1/2 cup beef broth {I used low sodium}

Salt and pepper, to taste

{what you will need: ravioli}

2 {9 ounce} packages mushroom ravioli

{I used this but could easily substitute cheese ravioli}

5 ounces greens {kale, chard & spinach}

1 1/2 cups Marsala Sauce

Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Pepper, to taste

{directions}

Begin by preparing the Marsala Sauce. In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms. Saute until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Add the Marsala wine to deglaze the pan. Stir in the beef stock and allow to cook until the mixture becomes thick. Season with salt and pepper, if needed, and turn the temperature down to low. About 3 minutes before you are ready to serve, add the greens to the sauce and stir to combine {you want the greens to be just wilted}. Cook the ravioli according to package directions. Top the cooked ravioli with the Marsala and greens sauce and garnish with Parmesan cheese and black pepper, if desired.

Happy comfort food cooking and thanks for stopping by!

a quick weeknight meal: BBQ chicken salad

September 15, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Has anyone else been super busy lately? Do you find it difficult coming up with new {and most importantly!} quick meals for the weeknights? If you are anything like me, life is so busy! To say this week is hectic is an understatement. With an event going on with my work during the week and co-chairing a charity tennis tournament this coming weekend, it’s going to be a stressful few days! So, please forgive me if I am a little MIA this week!

As much as I love to cook, making complicated meals on weeknights isn’t always that practical. And I am really not a huge fan of takeout, so I am constantly trying to come up with new quick and healthy meals. Salads are a simple and healthy dish that are easy to mix up with different ingredients. But, I have to share with you my latest trick to keep meals quick on the week nights. It’s two words: rotisserie chicken. This is a HUGE time saver for weeknight meals.

While at the grocery store on Saturday, I will buy a store-bought rotisserie chicken, take all the meat off {I discard the skin/my husband eats it!} and place it in a freezer bag and stick it into the freezer. The morning of my planned chicken dinner, I take it out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. As soon as I get home from work, I take the chicken out a allow it to reach room temperature. You are now free to make any chicken dish you like! This is especially helpful for me because I really dislike chicken…especially raw chicken. I can tolerate every now and then, but it has to be covered in a sauce. I know, totally strange 😉

If you are looking for a delicious and quick weeknight meal, give this BBQ Chicken Salad a try — and try the rotisserie chicken too, it’s such a time saver!

BBQ Chicken Salad

{what you will need}

1 bag Romaine lettuce {I used half a bag of Romaine & half a bag of Arugula}

1 rotisserie chicken {chopped into bite sized pieces}

1/4 cup barbecue sauce {just enough to coat the chicken}

1/2 small red onion, chopped

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese {I used low fat}

Garnish: ranch dressing, tortilla strips

{directions}

Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces and transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Add the barbecue sauce and stir to completely coat the chicken. In a large bowl, add the lettuce, red onion, shredded cheddar cheese, tortilla strips and any other ingredients you like. Top the salad with the chicken and ranch dressing, if desired. Mix and serve.

Happy weeknight cooking and thanks for stopping by!

pumpkin spice muffins

September 10, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

There is no question I am in total fall mode {I’ve only mentioned it about a hundred times, right?!} But my love for fall goes beyond my wardrobe. I love anything and everything pumpkin. It’s as if the first day of September brings all these fall feelings, and cravings of pumpkin spice lattes. Last year, I shared a simple pumpkin muffin with a vanilla glaze. The muffin recipe only has three ingredients and makes for the perfect sweet treat. As much as I love this version, I have been making it for a few years now and I wanted to {literally} spice the recipe up! I substituted the vanilla cake mix for a spice cake mix, which only enhanced the flavors of the season. You can easily add the vanilla glaze or even a cream cheese frosting to this spiced version, but I personally like them plain. So if you are looking for a quick and easy pumpkin recipe, give this one a try. They are so delicious, I could literally eat an entire pan!
P.S. For those of you who follow me on Snapchat {rach.mccarthy7} I only ate one of the muffins last night — and one this morning 🙂

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

{what you will need}

1 15 ounce can pumpkin

1 spice cake mix {I used Duncan Hines}

A few tablespoons milk {I used about 2 tablespoons almond milk}

{directions}

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the cupcake wrappers in a cupcake pan. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and the can of pumpkin. Stir very well {it will be thick}. Add a few tablespoons of milk to help with the consistency. Fill each cupcake wrapper about 3/4 full. Take the back of a spoon to round the tops of each muffin {the batter does not settle much during baking}. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the tops of the muffins begin to brown. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to cooling rack to cool completely. Makes 12 muffins.

{optional glaze}

1 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

{glaze directions}

Pour the milk into the confectioners’ sugar and mix well. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Once the muffins have completely cooled, spoon the icing over each muffin covering all sides.

Thanks for stopping by and happy fall baking!

the perfect cup of coffee

September 1, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Pour Over Kettle & Dripper | French Press | Coffee Machine | Ceremony Coffee Roasters

My morning is not complete without coffee. Actually, I don’t think I can function without coffee! And although I will not be picky when I’m in need of caffeine, there is nothing wrong with craving the perfect cup of coffee.

When it comes to making that perfect cup, there are typically three methods we chose from in our house: the coffee maker, pour over and French press. The coffee maker is almost always saved for weekdays since it’s the quickest way to get coffee in your bloodstream, while pour over and French press are saved for the weekends.

Although the pour over and French press method are the much fancier options, you can still make a great cup of coffee with a coffee maker. I think the most important step is filtered water. I’m sure my husband is laughing while reading this because I never believed him! But after tasting the non-filtered and filtered versions, you can definitely taste the difference. We use two scoops of ground coffee for 10 cups water when using the coffee machine — we like really strong coffee!

For the two fancier methods, one of the two is a much more recent obsession. French press coffee seemed like “the thing” in the boutique coffee world for the past few years. And while I do love it, a more recent obsession takes the cake when it comes to making the perfect cup of coffee. Pour over coffee has become a new trend in coffeehouses around the country and we first discovered this trend at our favorite coffee shop in Annapolis, Maryland: Ceremony Coffee Roasters. If you live or ever visit the area and love coffee, this is a must-see. And although we don’t get to Annapolis all that often, our local Whole Foods store carries a few of the blends which just feeds our addiction even more. {P.S. One of my first blog posts ever I talked about Ceremony Coffee. You can see that post here!}

With both the pour over method and French press, the boiling water is poured over the coffee grounds and either filtered through to the carafe or pressed out. For the pour over method, you are technically suppose to use a kitchen scale to weigh the coffee grounds. We just improvise 🙂

I have included detailed directions below for both methods.

Mug: Anthropologie, Holiday 2014 {black & white version here}

French Press Coffee

{what you will need: ingredients}

1/2 cup coffee grounds

4 cups cold water

{what you will need: equipment}

French press

Stovetop kettle

Long spoon

{directions}

Pour the coffee grounds into the French press. Measure the 4 cups of water a place in stovetop kettle. Heat the water to boiling and remove from the heat, allowing the boiling water to rest for at least 30 seconds. Add the water to the French press and stir the mixture vigorously. Allow the coffee to steep for about 4 minutes. Press the plunger all the way to the bottom. Serve and enjoy the coffee immediately.

Pour Over Coffee

{what you will need: ingredients}

1/4 cup coffee grounds

1 cup water

{what you will need: equipment}

Coffee filter

Dripper

Pour over kettle

Stovetop kettle

Fold the seams of the filter and place in the dripper. Place the dripper on the carafe or cup. Heat the water to boiling in the stovetop kettle. Add the coffee grounds to the filter and begin pouring the boiling water over the grounds, just enough to soak the grounds. Allow the coffee to filter before adding more water. Continue pouring the water over the grounds until you have used all the water. This process should take about 3-4 minutes. Serve and enjoy immediately.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Tuesday!

angel hair caprese

August 25, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Tuesday! Today I am sharing a dish I made just last night for dinner — it was simple, quick and oh so delicious! Lately, I have been having a difficult time coming up with dinner ideas. It’s such a difficult time of year, it’s still warm but I’m bored with “summer food” and it’s too hot for “fall food” — I guess it’s similar to finding clothes for this time of the year! As a side note, I am making a fall-ish pizza for dinner on Friday night, so I will keep you posted on how that goes!

For the last few months, Monday night has been designated as quick pasta night. Not only do Mondays call for quick dinners, but I’m embarrassed to say it also makes for a quick and easy clean up to get ready for the Bachelorette/Bachelor/Bachelor in Paradise. I get SO annoyed with the contestants on the show, but it’s addicting. I hate that they keep bringing people back from past seasons to keep you hooked. And, frankly, it’s so bad that it’s actually funny. Can anyone else relate?!

Anyways, no matter what your reason is for needing a quick dinner, this is a must try! It’s light enough for the summer months but by adding the balsamic glaze, it gives a different spin on one of my favorite food combinations ever!

Angel Hair Caprese

{what you will need}

1 pound angel hair pasta

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch basil, torn or chopped

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Balsamic glaze for drizzling

Salt and pepper, to taste

{directions}

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the cherry tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook for an additional 2 minutes, just until heated through. Remove oil and tomato mixture from the heat and toss with the cooked pasta. Mix in the basil and Parmesan cheese and stir until completely incorporated. Transfer to a serving dish or bowl and drizzle with desired amount of balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.

Thanks for stopping by and happy cooking!

lemon artichoke risotto

August 11, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

When it comes to a favorite Saturday night dinner, I think risotto takes the cake. I love experimenting with different kinds of risotto and incorporating different ingredients depending on what vegetables are in season. Risotto might not seem like the ideal dinner for the middle of August, but the combination of lemon and artichokes create the perfect light, refreshing and summery dish. I used frozen artichokes that I thawed because I didn’t have time to clean and cook fresh artichokes, but fresh could easily be substituted!

Lemon Artichoke Risotto

{what you will need}

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups arborio rice

32 ounces chicken stock {I used reduced sodium}

8 ounces frozen artichokes, thawed & chopped

1 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

{instructions}

Place chicken stock in a medium pan and keep the heat on low to warm the stock. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and cook the shallots and garlic until just golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat, incorporating completely. Pour about 1/2 cup of warm chicken stock into the rice mixture and stir until completely absorbed. Continue to stir and add the stock 1/2 cup at a time, just until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this process until the rice is fully cooked, about 20 minutes. {I used just about all of my chicken stock and tasted the rice at this point to check it’s “doneness”} Add the chopped artichokes and lemon juice and stir to combine. Allow the artichokes to heat for about 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Happy cooking and thanks for stopping by!

s’more rice krispies

July 28, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

There is something about summer and s’mores. They just go together, don’t they?! Unfortunately, the summer heat is out of control here in DC and roasting marshmallows around a fire doesn’t seem like the best idea. So until fall arrives, these delicious and addicting treats will have to do. This is pretty much a win-win situation — not only are they sweet and oh so decadent, but can be enjoyed in the comfort of air conditioning!

To mimic the taste of graham crackers, I decided to use equal parts of Golden Graham cereal and Rice Krispies — I didn’t want to take away from the normal characteristics of a rice krispy treat too much. And since marshmallows are a major ingredient in s’mores, I added a few on top too 🙂

S’more Rice Krispies

{what you will need}

2 cups Golden Grahams

2 cups Rice Krispies

1 stick of unsalted butter

10 ounce bag of mini marshmallows + an additional 1/2 cup for top

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips + an additional 1/2 cup for top {I used the mini chips!}

Non-stick cooking spray

{recipe}

Spray a 9×9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the 10 ounce bag of marshmallows and stir to completely combine until smooth and creamy. Turn the heat off and add the cereal and 1 cup of the chocolate chips; combine completely. Pour the mixture into a prepared baking pan and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the additional chocolate chips and gently press the additional mini marshmallows into the treats. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to allow the treats to harden. Slice into bars, serve and enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by and happy cooking!