Lazy Weekend Treats

It’s getting close to the weekend and we are plan-free for this one.  That means I can spend some time in the kitchen trying out some new recipes along with some tried and true favorites.  I’m thinking of a full meal menu plus some sweet treats to tide us over.  My best bet is a nice Saturday dinner, so that’s what I’ll plan for.

First up on my to-make list is a Butternut Squash Soup recipe from Ina Garten.  It’s in her Back to Basics cookbook.  I’ve made it numerous times, it’s super simple, and always a winner.  The most time consuming part for me is peeling the squash.  I am not a fan of curry so I omit it, but I don’t feel like the soup is lacking in flavor without it.  My plan with the soup is to let it be a starter for our Saturday dinner and the leftovers can be had for lunch on Sunday.

Next up, I am going to make a Chocolate Crescent Roll.  I’ve seen different versions of this all over Pinterest.  I’m going to use the canned crescent roll dough and dark chocolate bars for mine.  I may even add some peanut butter to a couple, just because.  Quick and easy!

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I also plan on making a dessert, or two. There are so many options to pick from and I’m on the fence about a few.  Do I want cake or cookies?  New recipe or tried and true recipe?  I’ve been trying a lot of new ones lately which I think is good.  I have quite a few cookies and bars that are still untested in my Fine Cooking Cookies magazine as well as some sweet treats in my Barefoot Contessa cookbooks.

I have yet to make her Outrageous Brownie recipe, which is the one that she sold in the Barefoot Contessa store.  I am a huge fan of brownies, so I’m thinking this one is at the top of the list.  I should probably make those Friday night as the recipe makes a lot.

I’ll leave my last choice as a TBD.  I like to leave a little leeway in my baking plans for the weekend.  I never know when the mood will strike to make donuts or something, like it did last weekend.  They were excellent by the way.  Pumpkin donut holes rolled in a cinnamon sugar mix are easy and delicious.  Don’t miss out if you have a chance to make them.

Alright, what are your baking plans for this weekend?  Is anyone trying something new or even just looking forward to some baking time?  Let’s hear it.

 

A Sweet Valentine’s Day

It’s February 14th and that means it’s time for some sweet treats!  Actually it’s always time for sweet treats, but today we’ll focus on the pink ones.  I have a few ideas for a little special treat for tonight.  Let’s jump right in.

First up the Cherry Chocolate Chip Cheeseball.  I made this one last weekend so I know it’s a winner.  It’s super easy too.  I do want to call out that mine did not set up like the picture.  I mixed it as directed and let it set overnight in the fridge, but it was still very soft the next day.  I ended up sprinkling the mini chocolate chips on the top of the mix rather than trying to shape it into a ball.

Regardless it is delicious.  I served it with graham crackers, but I think vanilla wafers or chocolate graham crackers would also be good choices.  It’s sweetly addictive; consider yourself warned.

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Next up are Cherry Krispie Treats with Dark Chocolate.  These look so good.  They’re a traditional Krispie treat with cherry gelatin added for flavor and color.  Plus, they have a dark chocolate coating.  I am a fan of the improvised Krispie treat so I think this would be another quick and easy sweet treat to have as a go-to item.

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As a third option let’s consider Strawberry Chocolate Chip cupcakes.  I wish I had a picture to share with you, so maybe these are what I’ll make so I can have a photo.  Regardless, these would be pretty simple to make.  I’ve had the cake variation for my birthday many times.  You’ll need a strawberry cake mix (boxed or homemade, it’s up to you), mini chocolate chips, and chocolate frosting.  I suggest going with my homemade chocolate frosting that I shared here.  You can make it as thick as you want based on how much cocoa you add.

The big thing to remember here is to go with the mini chocolate chips.  They won’t sink to the bottom of your cupcake as easily as the regular size chips.  The regular size seems to sink regardless of whether you add a little flour to them first.

So, hopefully after this you’re feeling inspired to whip up a little sweet treat today.  Regardless if it’s just for you or you’re sharing with others, a sweet treat is always needed.