Here I am with another Valentine’s Day treat using homemade marshmallows. I’m just a teensy bit obsessed with the chewy white fluff, if you haven’t figured that out by now!

While I was cutting out the hearts used in the Homemade Marshmallow Conversation Hearts, a memory hit me. It was the image of our oldest daughter at the State Fair, eating chocolate dipped marshmallows on a stick. It’s an annual tradition for her that started many years ago, compliments of a confectionary that caught her eye, located under the Grandstand. Our trip to the fair each year is not complete until we see Hatti’s smile happily laced with chocolate.

These Chocolate Dipped Valentine Marshmallow Pops are just the sweetest treat. They are so fun to gift, wrapped in a small clear bag and tied with a pretty ribbon. And they would make great party favors, too. I think they even take a few years off a person when you bite into them. At least that’s what it felt like for me. There’s just something about eating candy on a stick that makes you feel like a kid again.

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Chocolate Dipped Valentine Marshmallow Pops

Yield: about 30 chocolate dipped marshmallow pops (2 marshmallow hearts per pop)

Ingredients

for the marshmallow hearts:
• powdered sugar, for coating pan
• 2/3 c. water, divided
• 3 (1/4 oz.) envelopes unflavored gelatin (found by the Jell-O at the grocery store)
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1 c. light corn syrup
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
for the chocolate dip:
• 16 oz. (about 2-1/2 c.) good quality semisweet chocolate chips, finely chopped (I really like Guittard.)
• 1 T. shortening
• (or just use your favorite chocolate bark)

Preparation

for the marshmallow hearts:

Lightly spray the inside of a 9'' x 13'' pan with cooking spray. Generously coat with powdered sugar and set aside.

Pour 1/3 cup of the water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and stir briefly to incorporate. Let stand for about 10 minutes, or until the gelatin has softened.

In a saucepan, off the heat, combine the remaining 1/3 cup of water and the granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Place the pan over medium-high heat. Clip a candy thermometer on the inside of the pan, making sure it doesn’t touch the bottom. Cook the mixture without stirring until it reaches 240°. Brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush, dipped in water, to gently wipe away any sugar crystals.

With your mixer on low speed, very carefully add the hot syrup to the softened gelatin. Add the vanilla and increase the speed to medium-high. The mixture will start out clear, but quickly turns very white. Beat for about 8 minutes, or until the marshmallow gets very thick and sticky, and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, in string-like pieces. This will really give your mixer a workout.

Spread the mixture into the prepared pan using a lightly oiled spatula. With wet hands, press the batter evenly into the corners of the pan. Just keep rewetting your hands to help with the stickiness. Set aside for at least 1 hour, or until the mixture is firm and cool.

Run a wet knife around the edge of the cooled pan to loosen the marshmallow. Remove the marshmallow from the pan, onto a sheet of parchment paper.

Dip your small heart-shaped cookie cutter (mine measures 1-3/8" wide by 1-3/8" tall) into a shallow bowl of water and then cut the slab of marshmallow into heart shapes. This is a sticky job, but just have patience. It’s worth it! It helps to dip the heart cutter into the water in between cuts. Repeat this process until the whole slab of marshmallow is cut.

for the chocolate dip:

In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt about 14 ounces of the chocolate in 30 second increments, stirring after each increment. Be very careful to not get the chocolate too hot. When the chocolate is almost all melted, stir by hand until it is completely smooth. Then add the remaining 2 ounces of chopped chocolate and stir again until completely smooth. This will help to cool down the chocolate. Stir in the shortening until completely incorporated. This will help to thin out the chocolate a bit. Pour chocolate into medium size glass for dipping the pops into.

to assemble the marshmallow pops:

Stack 2 marshmallow hearts on top of each other and press a 6" treat pop stick down through the center, stopping just before you go all the way through the other side. Repeat with remaining marshmallow hearts until all your pops are assembled.

Dip each marshmallow pop down into the chocolate, leaving just a bit of the white marshmallow showing at the end with the stick. Lift up and gently tap excess chocolate off. Press top of heart into sprinkles of your choice, or just sprinkle the whole coating of chocolate.

Set the chocolate dipped marshmallow pops upright in a glass and allow to completely set. If you're in a hurry, pop them into the refrigerator for a bit to speed up the process.

If you want to give these as gifts, place a pop in a small cellophane treat bag and tie with a ribbon. Talk about a fun gift!!

Source

Marshmallow recipe adapted from jam it, pickle it, cure it by Karen Solomon (one of my favorite books!)

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http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2012/02/03/chocolate-dipped-valentine-marshmallow-pops/

I’m linking up with the following:

• Cheryl at TidyMom for I’m Lovin’ It (Dry Skin Remedy)
• Allison at Alli ‘n Son for Sweet Tooth Friday (Dark Chocolate Champagne Cupcakes)
• Lindy at Itsy Bitsy Paper for I Heart Valentines Linky Party

©2012 a farmgirl's dabbles. All Rights Reserved.

I think banana muffins are about the most perfect way to get my day started off on the right foot. Extra moist and sweetly scented with cinnamon, they know deep down how to get me going. I like to bake extra muffins to store in the freezer, just the lovliest pick-me-up on a morning when I’m needing some sweet and tender motivation.

These are My Favorite Banana Muffins. We usually eat them simple and unadorned, or with a variety of mix-ins from the pantry. But for a special Valentine’s Day breakfast this year, I’ve added Cream Cheese Kisses. Yes, I know the cream cheese frosting takes away from the healthier goal of the most important meal of the day, but this is Valentine’s Day we’re talking about. And I never pass up a reason to celebrate!

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My Favorite Banana Muffins {with Cream Cheese Kisses}

Yield: 12 regular size muffins

Ingredients

for the banana muffins:
• 1/3 c. butter
• 1-1/2 c. mashed banana (about 3 large bananas)
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1-1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
for the cream cheese kisses:
• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 c. powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 T. sugar

Preparation

for the muffins:

Preheat oven to 375°. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.

Melt the butter and let it sit to cool while you measure the rest of the ingredients.

In a large bowl, mash bananas thoroughly. Add sugar and egg. Stir to combine.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add these dry ingredients and the melted butter to the banana mixture and mix lightly. Divide batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until nicely golden at the edges and just set in the center. Let muffins rest in pan for a minute, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

for the cream cheese kisses:

Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat just to combine. Add sifted powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Place mixture in a piping bag fitted with a large plain round tip (I used Ateco #808). Pipe cream cheese "kisses" onto the top of each muffin. In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon and sugar, then sprinkle onto the top of each kiss.

Source

a farmgirl's dabbles

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http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2012/02/01/my-favorite-banana-muffins-with-cream-cheese-kisses/

©2012 a farmgirl's dabbles. All Rights Reserved.

Our kitchen comes alive when homemade marshmallows are mentioned. We’re talking singing and dancing and smiles so wide they threaten to swallow us whole. (Well, from us girls, that is!)

Where I was once intimidated by the whole process, making marshmallows at home is nothing short of pure joy for me now. It is super easy. Super fun. And the delicious chewy sweetness is better than any you could bring home from the store. We make them plain and simple, cut like bunnies and dipped in chocolate, and now…these fun and fabulous Marshmallow Conversation Hearts!

It was fun to read up on the history of Sweethearts Conversation Hearts, and how the sayings have changed over the past century. Such an icon of Valentine’s Day, over 8 billion of these little candies are created annually. Production starts just after Valentine’s Day each year and runs to mid-January of the following year. Then they completely sell out in just 6 short weeks…that’s about 100,000 pounds of little colored hearts every day! 

Even if you don’t want to take the time to produce a batch of your very own marshmallow conversation hearts, I would love to encourage you to at least give homemade marshmallows a shot. Just take a look at my first plain and simple marshmallow post from one year ago. And if you want to indulge a bit more in this Valentine’s season, you could take it one step further with a heart-shaped cookie cutter, creating a feast of marshmallow hearts. They’re pretty darn cute floating in a mug of hot chocolate. I’m certain your friends and family would say, “U ROCK“.

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Homemade Marshmallow Conversation Hearts

Ingredients

for the marshmallows:
• powdered sugar, for coating pan
• 2/3 c. water, divided
• 3 (1/4 oz.) envelopes unflavored gelatin (found by the Jell-O at the grocery store)
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1 c. light corn syrup
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
for the candy coating:
• 2 12-oz. bags white Wilton candy melts
• candy coloring - I used Wilton yellow, red, and blue candy (not icing) coloring
for the glaze icing for the letters:
• Please visit my very talented friend - Amanda from i am baker - for her glaze icing recipe and tutorial. She’s just so great at using this stuff, and really is your best teacher. Just read my notes specific to this Marshmallow Conversation Hearts recipe in the Preparation section below.
• Wilton "no taste" red icing color (Don't use liquid food coloring.)

Preparation

Lightly spray the inside of an 9'' x 13'' pan with cooking spray. Generously coat with powdered sugar and set aside.

Pour 1/3 cup of the water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and stir briefly to incorporate. Let stand for about 10 minutes, or until the gelatin has softened.

In a saucepan, off the heat, combine the remaining 1/3 cup of water and the granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Place the pan over medium-high heat. Clip a candy thermometer on the inside of the pan, making sure it doesn’t touch the bottom. Cook the mixture without stirring until it reaches 240°. Brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush, dipped in water, to gently wipe away any sugar crystals.

With your mixer on low speed, very carefully add the hot syrup to the softened gelatin. Add the vanilla and increase the speed to medium-high. The mixture will start out clear, but quickly turns very white. Beat for about 8 minutes, or until the marshmallow gets very thick and sticky, and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, in string-like pieces. This will really give your mixer a workout.

Spread the mixture into the prepared pan using a lightly oiled spatula. With wet hands, press the batter evenly into the corners of the pan. Just keep rewetting your hands to help with the stickiness. Set aside for at least 1 hour, or until the mixture is firm and cool.

Run a wet knife around the edge of the cooled pan to loosen the marshmallow. Remove the marshmallow from the pan, onto a sheet of parchment paper.

Dip your small heart-shaped cookie cutter (mine measures 1-3/8" wide by 1-3/8" tall) into a shallow bowl of water and then cut the slab of marshmallow into heart shapes. This is a sticky job, but just have patience. It’s worth it! It helps to dip the heart cutter into the water in between cuts. Repeat this process until the whole slab of marshmallow is cut.

for the candy coating:

Divide the candy melts between 3 glasses. In the microwave, carefully melt the candy melts, taking special care to not let them scorch. It's best to get the candy melts partially melted and then just stir them until they are completely melted. Then color each separate glass to your liking.

Drop a marshmallow heart into the colored melted candy and dunk with a fork to completely coat. Pick the marshmallow up with the fork, allowing excess candy coating to drip off while lightly tapping the fork to coax more of the excess off. Then slide the fork out of the glass, scraping the underside of the tongs along the rim of the glass. This will scrape off any remaining excess candy coating, so you don’t have a pool of it form around your heart as it cools.

Set the candy coated heart on parchment paper to cool and completely set up on your kitchen counter. After they are dry to the touch, they are ready to decorate.

for the glaze icing for the letters:

Again, here's the link to Amanda's recipe and tutorial for her glaze icing. I only have a couple things to add, how I did things a little differently for these hearts...

Use only a 1/2 tablespoon of milk, as little as possible. You want the glaze icing to be stiff, so the letters won't spread too much. And do not add any lemon or other flavoring to the glaze icing. Color with the red icing color to your liking and then pipe on the letters with a tiny round Wilton #1 tip. I will admit that the lettering was a little tedious, and that I did have a bit of an issue with the glaze icing still wanting to spread, but I really like its finished glossy look. If you're not up for working with this for the lettering, you might wish to consider a stiffer frosting.

Source

Marshmallow recipe adapted from jam it, pickle it, cure it by Karen Solomon (I love, love, LOVE this book!). Glaze icing from i am baker. Marshmallow Conversation Hearts concept from a farmgirl's dabbles.

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http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2012/01/27/homemade-marshmallow-conversation-hearts/

 I’m linking up with the following:

• Cheryl at TidyMom for I’m Lovin’ It (The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe) I need to try this out! 
• Allison at Alli ‘n Son for Sweet Tooth Friday (Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling & Whipped Buttercream)

©2012 a farmgirl's dabbles. All Rights Reserved.

The wonderful thing about pizza?

Well, it’s hard for me to choose just one thing, really. But to answer that question in a very general sort of way, I love it for its versatility.

As much as I preach about traditions, I’m also not one to be tied down to the same ol’ thing time after time. Some days I’m in the mood for this…some days I’m in the mood for that. And pizza’s offerings are never ending.

This Ooey Gooey Pizza Dip is just that. A spectacular tasty spread of whatever you have a hankering for. I’ve been playing around with this dip for years, but this is the recipe in its most common form around here. Feel free to substitute your own favorite pizza toppings and make it a Special Order!

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Ooey Gooey Pizza Dip

Yield: about 6 cups of dip

Ingredients

• 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 c. shredded medium cheddar cheese
• 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
• 1 c. mayonnaise (I don't recommend substituting for reduced-fat or fat-free mayo...it's just not the right consistency.)
• 1 c. roughly chopped turkey pepperoni (I think regular pepperoni makes this too greasy!)
• 1/2 c. small diced onion
• 1/2 c. small diced green pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small can (6.5 oz.) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
• 3/4 c. roughly chopped black olives
• 1/4 c. roughly chopped green olives
• 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus a bit more cracked across the finished dip

Preparation

Note: This recipe is highly versatile, so feel free to mix it up with your favorite pizza ingredients. I would suggest leaving the first 4 ingredients as the base to the dip. Then just have fun with the rest!

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, mixing well to incorporate. Spread into a baking dish - either a large rectangle up to a 9" x 13" size, or a large pie plate. Crack a bit more black pepper over the surface and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are bubbly and the top is golden brown. Sometimes I also place it under the broiler for a minute or two to get the top extra golden pretty. Serve with sturdy crackers or sliced & toasted baguettes.

Source

a farmgirl's dabbles

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http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2012/01/25/ooey-gooey-pizza-dip/

I’m linking up with the following:

• Robyn at Add a Pinch for Mingle Monday (Pinterest Rule of Thirds)
• Sheila at Eat 2 Gather for Meals 4 Sharing Fridays (Super Bowl Party)

©2012 a farmgirl's dabbles. All Rights Reserved.

I cannot even begin to express how much I love these decadent beauties. After my first half dozen bites, with each one followed by an eye roll or a long moan or some other verbal phrase of affirmation, I heard our oldest say…”Yes, Mom, we get it. You like the brownies.”

I then proceeded to eat the rest of my Fudgy Brownie Heart with Fresh Raspberry Buttercream in delicious silence. But it surely wasn’t easy.

Fudgy brownies are truly my biggest craving when it comes to sweets. And when you throw in some berries…well, I’m a goner. Which brings me to the fresh raspberry buttercream. It’s completely insane. I’ve never tasted a frosting so bright and tangy, so full of real raspberry flavor. And the vibrant pink color is compliments of the beautiful red raspberry alone. No artificial color was added.

If you’re looking for a fun and super flavorful dessert for Valentine’s Day, give these a try. They’re visually impressive, yet comforting like only a brownie knows how to be. I’m in love. {eye roll…”mmmmmm”…”ohhhh my”}

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Fudgy Brownie Hearts with Fresh Raspberry Buttercream

Yield: about 6 large (3 in. wide) or 20 small (1-1/2 in. wide) brownie heart sandwiches

Ingredients

for the brownies:
• nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, diced
• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1-1/2 c. sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp. instant espresso powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 c. flour
• powdered sugar, to sprinkle on the finished brownie hearts
for the fresh raspberry buttercream:
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 12 oz. raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3-1/2 c. powdered sugar
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1 to 2 T. milk, if needed to thin out the frosting

Preparation

for the brownies:

Preheat oven to 325°.

Fold a long piece of heavy foil into a 13" wide strip and fit it inside a 9" x 13" metal baking pan, leaving foil overhang on the 2 long sides. Spray the foil with nonstick spray.

Stir the butter and chocolate in a large heavy saucepan over very low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar, and then the eggs, 1 at a time. Whisk in espresso powder, vanilla, and salt. Then sift the flour over the chocolate mixture and stir to blend well. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake brownies until slightly puffed and dry-looking and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter attached, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on rack.

Now prepare the fresh raspberry buttercream:

Cook the raspberries in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until the raspberries are broken down into a sauce. Pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds, and then pour the raspberry sauce back in the pot. Simmer until the sauce reduces to a 1/4 cup. It will be a very rich red and concentrated sauce. Set aside to cool. With a mixer, cream the butter with a paddle attachment on medium high speed about 2 minutes, until lightened in color and a bit fluffy. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, the 1/4 cup of cooled raspberry sauce, lemon juice, and salt. Mix until smooth. Add another 1-1/2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. If you want the frosting less stiff, add some milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. I did not add any milk to mine, and thought it was perfect for piping. Fit a pastry bag with a medium-large round tip (I used a Wilton #12) and fill with fresh raspberry buttercream.

Run a knife around the inside edge of the brownie pan. Use the overhanging foil as an aid and gently lift the brownies from the pan. The pan I used produces a brownie that is 1/2" thick. Be sure your cookie cutter is taller than 1/2". Press heart-shaped cookie cutters (the cookie cutters used in my photos measure 3" wide and 1-1/2" wide) firmly into the cooled brownie. Use a thin metal spatula to lift the cookie cutter filled with brownie from the foil. Gently press the brownie out of the cookie cutter. Repeat the cutting process until your brownie looks like a big piece of swiss cheese. (And I hope you're eating up some of those brownie scraps!)

With the pastry bag filled with fresh raspberry buttercream, pipe a line of frosting around the inside edge of one of the brownie hearts. Then fill in the inside of the line with frosting, too. Top with another brownie heart, very gently pressing down to make a sandwich. Repeat until all your brownie hearts are completed. To finish off, sprinkle the brownie hearts with powdered sugar. I like to fill a small hand sieve with powdered sugar and gently tap the side of the sieve to let the powdered sugar rain down.

Source

Brownies recipe was heavily adapted from one of my very favorite brownies, a recipe originally from Bon Appetit magazine, July 2009.

Fresh Raspberry Buttercream recipe very slightly adapted from Making Life Delicious.

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http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2012/01/20/fudgy-brownie-hearts-with-fresh-raspberry-buttercream/

I’m linking up with the following:

• Cheryl at TidyMom for I’m Lovin’ It (FREE Labels Branding Kit From Cathe Holden!)
• Robyn at Add a Pinch for Mingle Monday (You)
• Allison from Alli ‘n Son for Sweet Tooth Friday (Raspberry Cheesecake Cookie Cups)

©2012 a farmgirl's dabbles. All Rights Reserved.

Quinoa.

Have you tried it?

I’ve eaten it here and there, at potlucks and other gatherings, and was never really taken with it. But I knew it had potential. I just needed to find a recipe that intrigued me, that had bigger flavor.

Then my eyes rested upon this beautiful photo of a quinoa salad in the November issue of Bon Appetit. I knew my time had come. This recipe was to be my springboard into the Land of Quinoa.

People usually think of quinoa as a grain, but it is actually a seed from a plant related to beets and spinach. This ancient seed is native to South America and was once called ”the gold of the Incas”, as it provided their warriors with protein-induced stamina.

Quinoa is not only nutritious, but as I’ve recently discovered, also very delicious. I’ve come to think of it as a lighter, fluffier, more delicate version of the wild rice nuttiness that I dearly love.

This recipe calls for red quinoa and black rice, which I couldn’t find at my local grocery store. If you have trouble finding it, too, you could easily substitute the red quinoa for the more available yellow, and the black rice for another short-grain rice. But I was determined to make the recipe as that beautiful Bon Appetit photo depicted. So when I was near Whole Foods a couple weeks ago, I stopped in to scoop up some red quinoa and black rice from their bulk bins. I even bagged up some extra, as I was certain this salad was going to be a good one.

And it was!

I absolutely fell in love with quinoa, all nestled in with the warmness of cumin seeds and the creaminess of avocado. With a squeeze of bright and tangy lemon, this Quinoa & Black Rice Salad with Cumin & Avocado is a dish I have found myself craving ever since I finished it off. And the rest of the family liked it, too. Even our youngest daughter, who finds wild rice just too much to chew, gobbled this fabulous quinoa salad up. If you haven’t yet tried quinoa, I highly recommend starting right here!

Do you have a favorite quinoa recipe?
I’m looking forward to eating alot more of it
and would love for you to share with me.
Thanks!!

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Quinoa & Black Rice Salad with Cumin & Avocado

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. short-grain black rice (or substitute another color of short-grain rice)
• 1 c. red quinoa, rinsed well (or substitue another color of quinoa)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 4 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 3 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 T. 1" pieces chives
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced into wedges
• 1 lemon, sliced into wedges

Preparation

Note: black rice and red quinoa are available at better supermarkets and at natural foods and specialty foods stores. I found mine at Whole Foods.

Bring rice and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, combine the quinoa, bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the quinoa and let it sit in the hot saucepan, covered, for 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Fluff quinoa with a fork.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add this to quinoa. Then add the rice to the quinoa mixture and stir well. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, fresh lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve salad with avocado and lemon wedges.

Source

Slightly adapted from Bon Appetit magazine, November 2011

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http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2012/01/18/quinoa-black-rice-salad-with-cumin/

©2012 a farmgirl's dabbles. All Rights Reserved.

Well, hello there.

Welcome to the new online home of a farmgirl’s dabbles!

I’m so dang happy to be settling in,
thoroughly enjoying the fresh space that Lauren at Restored 316 has prepared for me.
We’re still working out some kinks in the site, but I couldn’t be more smiley right now.

I had planned to share this recipe for Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies with you before Christmas, as they are a staple of our holiday sweets platter. But then the new blog design came into play. And that design included cherries. So I’ve been holding onto this, a recipe for one of my favorite cookies, in anticipation of this day. You should also know that these make a beautiful Valentine’s Day treat…and that’s right around the corner, folks!

Tessa rolled the dough, pressed in her thumbprint, & added the cherries.

This recipe is great for getting kids involved in the kitchen. Our girls love to roll the soft chocolate dough into little balls, stamp them with their thumbprints, and then fill the indentations with maraschino cherries. I do believe that part of their desire to be involved is being allowed to snitch cherries during the process. But, hey, that’s our rule around here. If you help, you get to taste test!

These Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies are super moist and tender, with an extremely thin outer crust. The cherries are topped with a fudgy frosting that gets baked right on the cookies, making them chewy and utterly irresistible. I hope you find them irrestible, too!

And now, to further the celebration of my new online home,
and to THANK YOU for visiting a farmgirl’s dabbles…

I’m giving away a $50 Amazon gift card!

*****This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Shane R. Thank you to EVERYONE who entered!

To enter to win:

• Simply leave a comment telling me about something new you plan to try in 2012. That something new can be absolutely anything…a paint color you’ve been dying to try on your walls, a new book that’s been begging you to open it, or a hobby you’d like to take up. Me? I’m going to learn how to wield a kitchen torch!

And for extra entries:

• Join a farmgirl’s dabbles on facebook. Leave a comment letting me know.
• Follow a farmgirl’s dabbles on twitter. Leave a comment letting me know.
• Share this giveaway on facebook and/or twitter and let me know with a separate comment for each way you shared.
  Sample tweet: @farmgirlsdabble has a new home & a $50 Amazon #giveaway! Check it out here: http://wp.me/pTM9A-1nM
• Subscribe by RSS feed or email. Leave a comment letting me know.

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Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Yield: 48 cookies

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 large egg
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 48 undrained maraschino cherries (about one 10-oz. jar)
• 6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Whisk together flour and cocoa in a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for about 30 seconds, or until softened. Add sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat until well combined. Add egg and vanilla. Beat well. Gradually beat in the flour mixture.

Shape dough into 1" balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Press down in the center of each ball with your thumb to create an indentation. Drain maraschino cherries and reserve the juice. Place a cherry in the center of each cookie's indentation.

In a small saucepan combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of reserved cherry juice. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover the cherry fully. If the frosting is too thick, just add a little more of the reserved cherry juice to thin it out.

Bake about 10 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Source

adapted very slightly from Better Homes & Gardens magazine

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1.4

http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2012/01/11/chocolate-covered-cherry-cookies-new-home-giveaway/

I’m linking up with the following:

• Cheryl at TidyMom for I’m Lovin’ It (Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day)
• Allison at Alli ‘n Son for Sweet Tooth Friday (Orange Triple Berry Muffins)
• Robyn at Add a Pinch for Mingle Monday (Gratitude)

©2012 a farmgirl's dabbles. All Rights Reserved.

Mushrooms. I could seriously eat them every single day of the week. Their earthiness is something I find hard to resist, whether grilled, sauteed, or in this case, stuffed.

I remember making stuffed mushrooms as a kid, with a recipe of Mom’s that involved lots of gooey mozzarella cheese. It was a favorite appetizer that our family made for special occasions, and there were never any leftovers.

This recipe for Mushrooms Stuffed with Bacon, Blue Cheese, & Dried Cherry is a little more involved than the one from my childhood, but incredibly worth the extra time and effort. The meaty bites are packed with flavor. Lots of yummy flavor. I love how the salty bacon and blue cheese is offset by little pops of sweet dried cherry. It’s a fabulous coming together of tastes and textures. My “blue cheese is gross” oldest daughter even downed a few. There really is no resisting.

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And I have a GIVEAWAY to share with you from Ile de France!

That’s right…cheese! 

Ile de France sent me some of their beautiful Roquefort over the holidays. And I have proceeded to enjoy it sprinkled on green salads, on crackers with a drizzle of honey, and as a major component in the awesome Mushrooms Stuffed with Bacon, Blue Cheese, & Dried Cherry. Creamy and robust, this cheese is both versatile and delicious!

And now, Ile de France is going to share some of their deliciousness with you. Together, we are giving away FIVE baskets of cheese! Each basket will include brie cheese, goat cheese, and Roquefort.

**** This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Stephanie, Terry, Amanda, Merry, & Sylvie, who have each claimed their cheese basket. Thank you to EVERYONE who entered this giveaway!

To enter to win one of five cheese baskets:

• Simply leave a comment, sharing your favorite kind of cheese and your favorite way to eat it.

And for extra entries:

• Join a farmgirl’s dabbles on facebook. Leave a comment letting me know.
• Follow a farmgirl’s dabbles on twitter. Leave a comment letting me know.
• Share this giveaway on facebook and/or twitter and let me know with a separate comment for each way you shared.
  Sample tweet: I entered to WIN 1 of 5 cheese baskets from @IDFCheese! #Giveaway at @farmgirlsdabble: http://wp.me/pTM9A-1qQ

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Print

Mushrooms Stuffed with Bacon, Blue Cheese, & Dried Cherry

Yield: 24 to 26 stuffed mushrooms

Ingredients

• 24 to 26 medium to large sized baby portabello mushrooms (about 1-1/2" to 2" in diameter)
• 4 slices bacon
• 1/4 c. small diced shallot
• 4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1/3 c. small diced dried cherries (I love the ones from Trader Joe’s!)
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 2 T. dried bread crumbs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Pop the stems off the mushrooms, then finely dice the stems. Set aside both the stems and the caps.

In a skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Add the diced mushroom stems and shallots to the same skillet with the bacon drippings, and give a stir every now and then. Once the shallots and mushrooms have softened (turn the heat down if they are browning too much), about 10 minutes or so, remove them to another paper towel-lined plate to cool.

In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese and blue cheese. Stir in the thyme, cherries, black pepper, and the cooled bacon, mushroom stems, and shallots. Using a teaspoon, fill the mushroom caps with a mound of the cheesy stuffing. Place in a baking dish and sprinkle with a bit of bread crumbs. Pop them into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until softened and nicely browned. They are best eaten warm, so just let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Source

a farmgirl's dabbles

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1.4

http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2012/01/05/mushrooms-stuffed-with-bacon-blue-cherry-giveaway/

I’m linking up with the following this week:

• Cheryl at TidyMom for I’m Lovin’ It (Cupcake Liner Storage)
• Robyn at Add a Pinch for Mingle Monday (Shoot for the Moon)
• Rachel at A Southern Fairytale for Mouthwatering Monday (Caramel Pecan Biscuit Bake)

©2012 a farmgirl's dabbles. All Rights Reserved.

If you have yet to find your own go-to egg bake with the added convenience of being prepared the night before…look no further. This savory Overnight Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Egg Bake has heard your plea!

I’ve always liked egg bakes, but whenever I was served one, it was still just a mediocre experience that never qualified for asking for the recipe. And then a friend at work brought one into the office many years ago for a holiday brunch potluck. That egg bake turned out to be a very different story for my taste buds. I needed the recipe!

This Overnight Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Egg Bake is perfectly textured throughout – eggy and firm, with a homemade crouton top that bakes up buttery crisp. The prosciutto is lovely for a special occasion, but some good diced ham is a less expensive and very fine substitute. And the cheese…how I love the cheese in this recipe! A combo of provolone (which I doubled the quantity of, for extra melty chewy goodness) and salty goat cheese hold this dish together beautifully. Our oldest daughter, who only likes eggs when they are incorporated in baked goods, even asks for a second helping when this is on the table. That’s really the biggest testimony I have for the goodness of this dish.

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And, YAY!

I have a GIVEAWAY to share with you from Land O’Lakes Eggs!

We go through lots of eggs around here. They are an essential and extremely versatile ingredient – found in our kitchen’s sweet baked goods, hard-boiled for sandwiches and salads, and starring in the Overnight Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Egg Bake and the Eggs Benedict with BBQ Hollandaise.

Eggs are my quick and easy answer to a tasty and satisfying meal any time of the day, providing good solid protein energy that keeps my body moving. So, of course, I was on-board when Land O’Lakes Eggs asked me to sample their cackle berries. That’s what my dad calls them, anyway. 

(photo credit: Land O’Lakes)

Land O’Lakes is a member-owned agricultural cooperative, based right here in Minnesota. Founded in 1921, Land O’Lakes Eggs has been delivering quality dairy foods that families can trust. And they are offering a most generous giveaway here on a farmgirl‘s dabbles!

(photo credit: Land O’Lakes Eggs)

This giveaway package, valued at more than $150, includes:

• one All-Clad Omelet Skillet
• one $50 VISA gift card (a great way to pick up what didn’t appear under your Christmas tree!)
• one full-value coupon for any variety of Land O’Lakes Eggs

To enter to win this giveaway package: 

•  Simply leave a comment, sharing your favorite way to eat eggs!

And for extra entries:

• Join a farmgirl‘s dabbles on facebook. Leave a comment letting me know.
• Follow a farmgirl‘s dabbles on twitter. Leave a comment letting me know.
• Share this giveaway on facebook and/or twitter and let me know with a separate comment for each way you shared.
  Sample tweet: Win a $50 VISA card & @AllClad omelet skillet from @LandOLakesKtchn! Eggstraordinary #Giveaway at @farmgirlsdabble: http://wp.me/pTM9A-1pj 

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Overnight Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Egg Bake
(print recipe)

INGREDIENTS

14 to 18 slices English muffin bread
6 oz. prosciutto, thinly sliced and torn into bite size pieces (or use some good ham, small diced)
8 oz. crumbled goat cheese
8 oz. shredded provolone cheese
1/4 c. chopped green onions
6 T. thinly sliced fresh basil
5 large eggs
2 c. whole milk
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt (you may want to use less, depending on the saltiness of your prosciutto/ham and goat cheese)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
3 T. unsalted butter, melted

PREPARATION

Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Then line the bottom of the dish with 1 layer of bread, cutting some of the slices to fit if necessary. Arrange half the prosciutto evenly over the bread, and then half the goat cheese and half the provolone. Sprinkle with half of the green onions and basil. Top with a second layer of bread slices. Layer on the remaining prosciutto, goat cheese, provolone, green onions, and basil. Cut enough of the remaining bread slices into 1/4″ cubes to equal 2 cups of bread cubes. Sprinkle these over the top.

Whisk eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour egg mixture evenly over the egg bake, letting it soak in. Drizzle melted butter evenly over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, preheat oven to 350°. Uncover the egg bake and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake until the center is set, about 55 to 60 minutes. If you want to crisp up the top even more, set it under the broiler for a minute or two, until golden. Cut into large squares and serve.

Yield: 6 to 12 servings

Source: from the recipe box of Meghan Cornell, adapted from Bon Appetit ”Entertaining Made Easy”, December 2003

I’m linking up with the following:

Cheryl at TidyMom for I’m Lovin’ It (Pringles Nutty Bark) Oh my!! 

©2012 a farmgirl's dabbles. All Rights Reserved.

The world can never have too many good scones, that’s what I believe. You can bet that when I find a little local shop that bakes ‘em up right, I’ll be back. And when I find a recipe I like, I’ll be saving it to make me some more!

I was just a little hesitant to try this new scone recipe. And my wavering was all because of one ingredient.

Molasses.

It’s not that I don’t like molasses. But I can only take it in small doses. And those doses need to be sweet ones.

So while I dawdled and tried to find other sweet things to bake, I simply couldn’t get the scones with molasses off my mind. I just really needed to try them so I’d know for sure.

I gave the recipe’s sugar quantity a little boost right away and added some sweet and tart cranberries, perfect for the holidays. The gingery goodness comes together beautifully and fills the house with its spicy tantalizing scent. Moist and tender, with a thin crisp exterior, these Gingerbread and Cranberry Scones have just the right dose of molasses. They’re guaranteed to make your holiday breakfast table a merrier one.

Gingerbread and Cranberry Scones
(print recipe)

INGREDIENTS

1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. cold butter, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1 T. finely chopped candied ginger
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. whipping cream
1/4 c. mild molasses
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. water
coarse sugar, for sprinkling on top

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 375°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, ground ginger, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cranberries and candied ginger. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

In a small bowl, stir together the egg, whipping cream and molasses. Add this mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir until ingredients are combined.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough about 10 times, or until nearly smooth.

Divide dough in half and lightly pat each half into a 5″ to 6″ circle, about 3/4″ thick. Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Place wedges about 2″ apart on parchment lined baking sheets. In a small bowl, combine egg white and water. Brush tops of scones with egg white mixture and sprinkle with coarse sugar to your liking.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a crack in top of scones comes out clean. I recommend letting them cool a few minutes and serving them warm and fresh.

Yield: 12 scones

Source: adapted from Midwest Living magazine, December 2008

I’m linking up with the following this week:

Cheryl at TidyMom for I’m Lovin’ It (Russian Tea Cakes)
Allison at Alli ‘n Son for Sweet Tooth Friday (Peppermint Molasses Cookies)

©2012 a farmgirl's dabbles. All Rights Reserved.