November 2017 – Luv Cooks

Salted Caramel Apple Almond Bars & My Fave Cookie Swap Recipes

LOVES!!

Ahhh, it’s finally that time of the year. Time for warm snuggles while watching holiday movies, white snow, knit hats and most importantly…HOLIDAY BAKING.

That’s why during the month of December we are ALL about some holiday baking recipes. From gluten free coconut flour bread (the most delicious I’ve ever had) to some FAB holiday appetizer inspiration, get ready for a month full of holiday surprises!

I also want to give y’all the chance to subscribe to the Luv Cooks YouTube channel. This is the BEST source for all of the fun holiday tips and tricks, plus pumpkin spice reviews, what to do with leftovers- lots of foodie life hacks!

And since we’ve also been highlighting parties and party tips on YouTube I thought I’d share my three favorite recipes to bring to a cookie swap party. These recipes are awesome because you can make them up to days in advance, the steps are simple, and they allow for easy customization to your personality in the kitchen.

Salted Caramel Apple Almond Bars: I love this recipe for so many reasons! It’s healthy (full of great fats from the coconut chips and chia seeds), gluten-free, doesn’t require and oven, and gets topped with drizzled caramel and chunky salt. Need we say more?!

Dark Chocolate Christmas Sugar Cookies: This recipe makes sooo many tasty cookies! I love to make this one in a myriad of ways. You can substitute whole wheat pastry flour for all purpose flour, sprinkle the cookies with cayenne before baking for a spicy flair, or dunk them in a simple glaze (1 cup powdered sugar + 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons almond milk) and top with more chocolate. Gorgeous!

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies: The ingredient that makes these cookies extra special is browning the butter. It’s not a hard step, and takes the flavor notch up a TON! Plus, these cookies taste better if you let the dough sit in the fridge for 24 hours. And the smell of these baking- heavenly!!

And of course, we can’t leave out the pups!! Here is a link to the almond butter dog treats I made!

To top it all off, a cookie swap party is simple. Simply bake enough cookies for everyone at the party to share, along with a printed copy of the recipe. You can even allow each guest to share why they chose their cookie recipe. Then, here’s the fun part- provide pretty bags, ribbon, candy canes, etc. and allow each guest to package their favorite cookies to go. I’ve even been to some parties where you vote on your favorite cookie, and the winner gets a prize!

The cookie swap party is one of my favorite holiday celebration ideas. One- well, you get to eat all the cookies your heart desires- but two, because you get to know your friends even better, and maybe even connect with someone you don’t know. Someone’s favorite cookie recipe says a lot about them: where they are from, what flavors they like, why this cookie in particular is so special. I love getting to know the heart of someone through food!

Happy holiday baking!! XOXO- Callie

How to be an AWESOME Holiday Dinner Guest

It’s that time. YES today is Thanksgiving Day and I hope you are having an absolutely incredible day!

It’s also about that time to start thinking about all of those holiday parties coming up. One of my FAVORITE things to plan when it comes to holiday parties, is, confession, not only the food to bring but also how to bless the host or hostess of the party.

I mean, how amazing is it that all we have to do is throw on our party dress and enjoy the hard work and cooking of another fabulous person?

I think it’s pretty amazing, and I think I have some great ideas on ways you can UP your party guest love even more.

And for the bulleted version:

5 Ways to be an AWESOME Holiday Guest

Consider your host or hostess and bring them a gift. Ideas: a potted plant; fresh flowers in their favorite color; a bottle of their favorite wine, or fresh coffee beans.
Bring a good appetizer. Meaning: something that doesn’t require oven time! When you are cooking a holiday meal, the host or hostess has to protect their oven or stovetop because that is where a lot of the cooking magic is happening. A great recipe for this: the Thai zucchini noodle salad above.
Love people over politics! Avoid hot topics, and stick to things that are positive and uplifting to the people around you.

4. Offer to clean up. It’s such a kind gesture offer to give back to your host or hostess and offer to help with the dishes!

5. Send a thank you note. There is nothing better as a host or hostess of a party than receiving a sweet note in the mail affirming all that you did to make the party happen! To me, this is one of the most thoughtful things we can do to love on each other.

So there you have it my lovelies! Happy holiday party planning this week:)

Maple Syrup and Whiskey Sweet Potatoes with Hazelnuts

Thanksgiving is almost here!! YAYY!!

Like I posted Monday, I know how stressful and intimidating it can be to plan an ENTIRE Thanksgiving meal. So, if you are like lots of people I know, bringing a side dish to a meal is a perfect way to bless a host or hostess. Or, use it to lighten your own cooking load a bit!

Today we’re featuring an easier version of your typical sweet potato side. In fact, this is one of the tastiest sweet potato dishes I’ve ever developed, and I CAN’T WAIT to share it with you!

I know you are busy, so without further ado- grab that high quality maple syrup, a small bottle of honey whiskey, and get going! You can even go ahead and dice the sweet potatoes, and soak the cranberries, in advance for Thursday.

LOVE Y’ALL!

Honey Whiskey Sweet Potatoes with Dried Cranberries
Whiskey is a perfect complement to any holiday gathering, and combining honey whiskey with roasted sweet potatoes, dark brown sugar, and dried cranberries highlights the depth a tart cranberry can bring to a side dish. Be warned–these potatoes are addictive, so if you want to have leftovers the next day, make two batches! You can also find the full recipe on Birmingham magazine’s page!

Yield: 6 servings

What You Will Need:

2.25 pounds sweet potatoes, cut into large wedges (about three large)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1.25 ounces honey whiskey (like Jack Daniel’s Original Recipe Tennessee Honey)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries, soaked in hot water for five minutes and drained

What You Will Do:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil. Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray.
Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil and salt in a large bowl. Spread onto baking sheet.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, brown sugar, honey whiskey, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then cook, whisking constantly, until thickened (about 4-5 minutes). Remove from heat to cool a bit.
Once syrup is made, bake potatoes for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and lightly stir, then put potatoes back in to roast for 12 more minutes.
Remove from oven again, and pour whiskey syrup, cranberries, and hazelnuts onto potatoes. Toss gently with a rubber spatula.
Return to oven to bake potatoes for 8 more minutes.
After removing from oven, toss gently with a spatula with any remaining syrup to combine. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve.

Tips:

Using heavy duty (not regular) aluminum foil for this recipe helps prevent the whiskey syrup from sticking to the pan.
If you want more of a salty and sweet combo, try sprinkling the finished sweet potatoes with kosher salt.
Soaking dried cranberries in hot water softens their texture in roasted dishes like this. If you like a firmer cranberry, feel free to leave them unsoaked.
Honey whiskey adds an extra holiday sweetness to this dish. If you prefer a less sweet flavor, you could substitute bourbon instead.
Watch the syrup carefully (and whisk it constantly) as it boils. This keeps all of the sugars from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Dry Brined and Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry Pan Sauce

Lovelies!!

It’s the big week of Thanksgiving and at Luv Cooks I am ABUZZ with all the fun cooking that is about to go down around me. From turkeys to taters to desserts with my mother-in-law, oh my gracious how FUNN!

BUT I also realize that it can also be super stressful and intimidating to even begin thinking about cooking a huge meal like Thanksgiving. So, I’ve landed on sending you guys easier versions of the typical whole shebang– and we will start with this roasted turkey breast.

The beautiful thing about roasting a turkey BREAST as opposed to a whole bird is that the cooking time is shorter, the process is easier, the cost is less, and all you have to do is set aside some time ahead to salt and dry-brine the bird ahead of time.

And what I also love about this recipe is that you use the pan drippings from the turkey in the cranberry pan sauce, tying all of the flavors together. If your local supermarket doesn’t have whole cranberries, they should be in the frozen fruit department!

So go ahead and buy that turkey breast, keep it in the fridge, and on Wednesday salt/sugar it up! And make sure you don’t cover the turkey after you salt it (also called dry-brining); it needs to breathe in the fridge to get that crispy skin!

Roasted Turkey Breast with Thyme and Cranberry Pan Sauce
Dry-brining this turkey breast overnight is an extra step, but getting beautifully-crisp skin and tender breast meat is well worth the effort! Using the meat drippings in the pan sauce along with whole cranberries creates even more bright flavor for a Thanksgiving mainstay. You can also see this full recipe in Bham mag!

Yield: 4 hearty portions or 6 light portions

What You Will Need:

1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
Around 2.2 pound bone-in turkey breast half, patted dry
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely-chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup whole, frozen cranberries
1/2 cup white wine
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, depending on preference
Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

What You Will Do:

Combine 1 teaspoon salt and brown sugar in a small bowl.
Run your fingers under turkey skin to loosen it from breast meat.
Rub salt and sugar mixture under turkey breast skin.
Place turkey on wire baking rack over 9-by-13-inch glass casserole dish and put in fridge overnight. Do not cover turkey.
Remove turkey from fridge; preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Rub turkey with 1 tablespoon olive oil and lightly salt with remaining 4 teaspoon salt.
Put turkey in oven on rack over casserole dish.
Bake turkey for 35-40 minutes, or until meat registers 165 degrees. Check temperature at 30 minutes; if top is becoming too brown, cover with aluminum foil.
Remove turkey from oven; tent with foil to rest while you prepare the pan sauce.
Working carefully, gently pour 2 tablespoons meat/oil juices from baking dish into saute pan. Bring heat to medium, and add onion, carrot, and cranberries. Saute until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5-6 minutes.
Once berries begin to burst and onion is softened, add cup white wine. Scrape up meaty bits that may have developed in the pan; add thyme leaves and stir until much of the wine evaporates, about 1 minute.
Remove sauce from heat; whisk in salted butter and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve with turkey.

Tips:

A 1-cup serving of whole cranberries contains only 50 calories, 4 grams of sugar, and almost 5 grams of fiber.
Dry-brining the turkey helps to season the bird more deeply and create a crispier skin. The turkey can be brined for up to 24 hours, so it’s a great step to do ahead of time.
When seasoning the turkey after dry-brining, go lighter on salting the skin since the bird has been pre-salted. Also, make sure you leave room for the turkey breast to “breathe” in the fridge; covering it with foil or plastic wrap inhibits this process.
Oiling the skin of the turkey breast keeps it moist and creates a more even, beautiful browning effect, perfect for the grand presentation moment at the table!

Five Thanksgiving Foods to MAKE AHEAD (like, this weekend!)

It’s Friday and Thanksgiving is THURSDAY!

This means that it’s time to start prepping how you can LOVE ON some folks next week.

I’ve researched, I’ve listed, and I believe I have compiled (and explained- check out my FULL You Tube video below!) FIVE dishes YOU can make ahead of time to ORGANIZE your week so it’s fun and fabulous and focused around those beautiful friends at your table (and you aren’t having a come-apart at the workload).

The easiest way for me to organize things (and maintain my sanity) is to list it out. HUGE shout out to these articles by Williams Sonoma, The Kitchn, and Ree Drummond for being AMAZING resources for this list.

Here are my TOP FIVE THANKSGIVING FOODS TO MAKE AHEAD:

Pie crust! Go ahead and make that homemade pie crust! All you have to do is put it together by hand, fork, or the food processor; form it into a disc, wrap it with freezer wrap or aluminum foil, and freeze it. OR you can form the dough into your pie pan, wrap it tight in aluminum foil, and freeze it. OR you can make your pie ahead of time (dough + filling) and freeze it as a whole shebang! Then defrost the pie for a few ours and put it in the oven to bake.

(Click here for the ultimate pie crust from Abby Jone’s rosemary pear and bourbon caramel pie)

**Bonus points for making it today, you have earned a MVP trophy already.

2. Mashed Potatoes! Did y’all know that the fat in dairy actually protects your favorite mashed potatoes in the freezer? So use ALL the cream and butter you normally would to make sure your potatoes freeze well. In fact, if you only use broth, they probably won’t last. So, make your favorite recipe, let them cool, then put them in a freezer safe bag, smoothed out and laid flat. This article by The Kitchn does an amazing job explaining the process!!

3. Homemade ROLLLS!! Being honest, normally if I was having people over I would not be serving homemade rolls. BUT for Thanksgiving, I love these small homemade touches to a meal that make people feel like it’s a grand event. To me, homemade rolls qualify! All you need to do is make your roll dough, let it rise, form it into rolls, then place them on a baking sheet and pop them directly into the freezer. They should last a month! Love these Soft and Tender Dinner Rolls!

4. Cranberry Sauce! The beautiful thing about cranberry sauce is that you it tastes even better and I believe may get more jiggly over time. So either go ahead and keep it in the fridge (covered) for a few days, OR put it in the freezer and give it a day to dethaw.

This amazing casserole by Light in the Loft House looks incredible!

5. Green Bean Casserole! You can go ahead and make the base of your casserole, then pour it into your baking pan and put it in the fridge, covered with foil. You can keep it in the fridge for three days. Wait to top it with crispy onions until you are ready to bake! I dig this The Best Green Bean Casserole by Light in the Loft House!

Happy weekend prepping lovelies!-C

Chocolate Pumpkin Waffles with Heath Bar

PUMPKIN WAFFLES!!!

Thanksgiving is officially upon us (as in NINE days away) so I thought it would be super cool to post some creative recipes that put a fun spin on the traditional pumpkin and sweet potato sides we are all used to.

Let’s start with this coconut sweet potato soup with chickpeas. To this day, this is still one of my worst food styling stories EVER, but the recipe itself is super delicious (just try not to spill it all on your neighbor’s front door.)

Then there are these waffles. Oh. My. GRACIOUS! They would be AWESOME for a pre-Thanksgiving breakfast, next day treat, or just all around holiday winner.

I’d also like to give a HUGE shout-out to the wonderful Stephanie Mullins for these incredible photos. She is oh-so-talented and I loved spending my morning with her, watching her work.

Without further ado-

Chocolate Sweet Potato Waffles with Heath Bar*

These waffles come together easily, and feature the fiber and satisfying nature of whole wheat flour and pumpkin puree. Serve with additional maple syrup and heath bar for topping for a super holiday treat.

What You Will Need:

2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark chocolate almond milk
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15 ounce can) can pumpkin purée
2 tablespoons heath bar, plus more for topping (or chocolate bar crumbles of choice)

What You Will Do:

Preheat a waffle iron to the medium high heat setting.
Whisk together flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk together almond milk, coconut oil, vanilla, maple syrup, eggs, and pumpkin puree until smooth and combined.
Pour wet mixture into dry and stir gently, just until combined. Stir in health bar.
Pour batter by 1/4 to 1/3 cup spoonfuls into waffle iron. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until waffles are browned and cooked through.
Serve with additional Heath bar for topping and drizzle with maple syrup. Happy Thanksgiving!

*Also, y’all, this is so embarrassing. I know that I got this recipe inspiration online but I can’t remember WHERE!! If this looks similar to your recipe for chocolate sweet potato waffles, please email me! Love y’al!

Salted Caramel Apple Almond Bars + Almond Pesto

It’s literally NOVEMBER 10.

November 10?! How did time FLY past this year? So quickly, so steadily. And here we are, marching towards Thanksgiving.

Since I know all of you most likely have food on the brain, these next couple weeks we will be highlighting recipes- and ingredients- that I think would be a FAB fit for your Thanksgiving table.

This week, we are all about some almonds! Almonds are not only full of healthy fats, protein, and magnesium, they are a super tasty way to add both a sweet and savory element to your Thanksgiving meal planning.

On the sweet side, these salted caramel almond bars are perfect for a pre-meal snack, or post-Thanksgiving dessert. They are perfect for everyone from your little one to your oldest guest in attendance. And, you can even crumble them up and use them atop roasted apples or creamy ice cream.

And for your savory needs, this sun dried tomato almond pesto was SO addictive that both Jake and I could not. stop. eating. it. And not only does it work for spaghetti squash, it’s a perfect add-in for a pasta salad or used as a sauce for a leftover turkey pizza.

So, my lovelies. Here’s to a month full of JOY, celebration, and all the fun and fabulous recipes that will make your holiday table special. And as always, we are so grateful to partner with Birmingham magazine on these recipes.

Happy Friday!

Salted Caramel Almond Bars
These no-bake, easy-to-assemble oat bars are packed with healthy ingredients, and the addition of salted caramel sauce adds a buttery, sweet richness just decadent enough for even the pickiest eater. A surprise hint of cardamom will leave your friends and family guessing the secret ingredient–and wanting another bar!
Yield: 9 bars

What You Will Need:

1 cup dried apple chips, chopped
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup store-bought salted caramel sauce
2/3 cup old fashioned oats
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 cup toasted coconut chips, caramel sea salt flavor
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/4 cup roasted, salted, seeded sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried cranberries
Flaky sea salt, for topping

What You Will Do:

Grease an 8-by-8-inch baking dish and spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray.
Use greased rubber spatula to stir all ingredients (except sea salt) together in large bowl. Once the mixture comes together, is easy to stir, and all ingredients are fully covered in caramel, it’s ready to spread. Top with flaky sea salt.
Spread oat mix into greased dish. Spray hands with cooking spray and press mixture into pan until even. Cover and put in fridge for at least 1 hour to set.
Cut into nine bars using a sharp-tipped knife and enjoy. Drizzle with even more caramel sauce and sea salt if you are feeling adventurous!

Sun-dried Tomato Almond Pesto with Spaghetti Squash and Goat Cheese

This pesto highlights the robust flavor of almonds by pairing them with zesty sun-dried tomatoes and creamy goat cheese. Combining the pesto with spaghetti squash creates a low-carb, filling option for vegetarians and carnivores alike. Pair the pasta with a green salad, and call it a meal!

Yield: 4 servings

What You Will Need:

1 large spaghetti squash, halved and seeds removed with a spoon
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
5.5 ounces julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and oil reserved
1/4 cup roasted and unsalted almonds, chopped
3 cloves garlic, skins removed and crushed
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
2 ounces goat cheese
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon reserved oil from tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
2 ounces herbed goat cheese, for topping
Fresh parsley, for topping

What You Will Do:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
Drizzle spaghetti squash with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Place cut side down on baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 45 minutes; let squash cool for at least 10 minutes.
While the spaghetti squash is roasting, assemble pesto. Put tomatoes, almonds, garlic, basil, regular goat cheese, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and reserved oil from tomatoes into the bowl of a food processor.
Chop in processor until almonds are blended to a fine grind and mixture comes together into a thick paste.
When spaghetti squash is done, shred into strips with a fork. Transfer “noodles” to a large bowl.
Stir in fresh pesto and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Put mixture back into spaghetti squash shells.
Turn oven to high broil.
Top squash with 2 ounces herbed goat cheese. Broil for 3-4 minutes, or until cheese turns a bit golden on the edges. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

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Pumpkin Spice Oreos, Cold Brew, and Hershey Kisses Taste Test

YOU GUYS!!!

I had a BLAST filming this week’s Pumpkin Spice taste-testing videos with Amanda Polick from Babe Cave Studios.

Amanda is an all-around BABE with the coolest podcast, and also a super talented foodie who has worked in food media and has a tenderness in her heart towards all things cold brew. So I knew she would be the PERFECT person to try out all the crazy pumpkin spice things with me.

I’m not going to give too many tasty details (you can check out all of our videos on YouTube below) but I WILL tell you that we got into a pretty clear ranking system of these treats. DRUMROLLLL…..

Amanda and I’s Favorite Pumpkin Spice Snacks (from greatest to, umm, worst)

Califia Farms Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew

Archer Farms Pumpkin Spice Snack Bites

Kraft Jet Puffed Pumpkin Spice Mallows

And then, things got-let’s say, less great.

Nabisco Pumpkin Spice Oreos

Archer Farms Pumpkin Spice Pretzels

And, the WORST.

Hershey Kisses Pumpkin Spice

So my amazing Luv Cooks friends! There you have it- and you can check out all of our latest videos always on our YouTube channel here. If you haven’t subscribed yet, I’d love for you to!

Also, to find ALL things Amanda related (and for a weekly hit of fantastic encouragement and motivation) just check out her on Instagram here, on Sound Cloud/itunes here, and her website here.

Love y’all so much and happy second week of November! Let the countdown to Thanksgiving begin!