At Home: S'mores Cookies

When the pandemic hit and it was clear that we'd be spending more time at home, we took our refunds from canceled trips and invested it in renovating our backyard space.  We got new patio furniture with a pergola and a gas fire pit.  It's been a nice spot to work from home during the week and to lay out and read on the weekends.  One night, we went outside and made s'mores over the fire pit - you know the classic treat made by roasting marshmallows over a campfire, and then smooshing the melted marshmallow between chocolate and graham crackers, to make a gooey sweet sandwich that you just want "some more" of.  Well, now that the summer heat wave has arrived in DC, it feels too swampy outside and I still had s'mores ingredients leftover that I found would be great to make into a cookie.  Follow this recipe for S'mores Cookies here on What Micky Eats...At Home.

At Home: Mini Peach Pies

Summer is here! We picked up these gorgeous local peaches from the market the other day, and I wanted to feature them in our holiday weekend dessert.  Typically, I'd make a cobbler, but Keith requested pie instead.  I thought a mini version would be cuter and easier to store, so check out these Mini Peach Pies on What Micky Eats...At Home. The peaches were so juicy and sweet, that I used less sugar in my recipe.

At Home: Chocolate Almond Sugar Cookies

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This next installment of What Micky Eats...At Home features my use of a new embossed rolling pin that I received from Jessica of Embossed Co. to add some flare to my baking creations. Being a HuMom to my sweet Babka, she sent me the "Paw Prints" design, which I found to be super cute!  With Halloween coming up, I thought I'd emphasize the paw prints design by making a cat-shaped cookie, and use cocoa powder mixed into my flour for a darker color. To punch up the bitter sweetness of the cocoa powder, I combined it with almond extract to create these Chocolate Almond Sugar Cookies.

Danielle's Desserts

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Danielle's Desserts is the only establishment in the DMV that specializes in rich "home-baked" American Southern-style Desserts. Their goal is to transport customers to a time when all desserts were made from scratch and from the finest ingredients.  With a location in Tyson's Corner since 2010, Danielle Poux just opened her second location in Dupont Circle and asked us to stop by.

Truffle Shots

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Truffle Shots are a mother-daughter invented, patent-pending chocolate truffle (with a twist) that was just voted Favorite Chocolate Truffle at The Big Chocolate Show in New York City. Truffle Shots are unconventional and made by replacing the chocolate shell of a traditional chocolate truffle with a sealed shot glass. In other words, there is ganache, and other yummy truffle fillings, in a shot glass served with a spoon. These are not a liquid (or alcoholic).  This way of serving focuses on the essence of a chocolate truffle’s silky smooth ganache filling, without the added texture and flavor of a shell or coating.

At Home: Vanilla Chocolate Chip Almond Biscotti

For this year's 5th Annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, I decided to make Vanilla Chocolate Chip Almond Biscotti as a gift from What Micky Eats...At Home.  Biscotti is Italian for "twice baked" and is a favorite snack of both my Aunt Debbie and my Mother-in-Law, Bernice.  These cookies are great with coffee and tea in the morning, or as an after dinner dessert, and I had plenty left over to keep for myself as snacks for work.  The recipe makes a large batch, so it was perfect for a holiday cookie exchange such as this one!

Dips Ice Cream

Dips Ice Cream on Gulf Drive on Anna Maria Island, FL is the perfect spot for ice cream and candy. Dips serves 32 flavors of ice cream, as well as 2 flavors of soft serve, Italian ice, and an amazing selection of candy. This family ice cream shop has been voted #1 ice cream by the Anna Maria Island Sun time and time again.

Ladurée

Parisian tea rooms' history is intimately tied to the history of the Ladurée family. It all began in 1862, when Louis Ernest Ladurée, a miller from the southwest of France, founded a bakery in Paris at 16 rue Royale. Half-way between a Parisian café and a cake shop, Ladurée Fabricant de Douceurs is the temple of gastronomy and pastry innovation where each creation moment is of high intensity.  While in New York, I knew I wanted to visit Ladurée.

At Home: Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookie Bars

For my next recipe on What Micky Eats...At Home, I was inspired to make these Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookie Bars after reading Averie's post on cleaning out her pantry to make M&Ms and Oreos Cookie Bars.  She has made several iterations and basically they need any kind of left over candy or cookie bits you have sitting in your pantry.  They are a great way to use up those loose odds and ends.  I had some left over pretzels and figured they would give an extra crunch factor to my cookie bars.

At Home: Cheese Babka

Babka is a spongy, brioche-like yeast cake made mainly in Eastern Europe. It is traditionally baked for Easter Sunday in Poland. Traditionally, babka is made from a doubled and twisted length of yeast dough and is typically baked in a high loaf pan topped with streusel.  Common fillings are a semi-sweet farmer's cheese or chocolate.  Sometimes it is studded with raisins or other dried fruit.  Keith's grandmother has made babka from scratch many times and he remembers her beating the yeasty dough over and over again to get it to rise nicely.  Next on What Micky Eats...At Home, I make a Cheese Babka that is my sweet Polish-inspired yeast bread with swirls of cheese and a crunchy streusel topping.  There is about 4 hours of prep time, so be prepared for this more difficult baking adventure.

At Home: Cherries Jubilee

Cherries Jubilee is a dessert dish made with cherries and liqueur (typically Kirschwasser), which is subsequently flambéed, and commonly served as a sauce over vanilla ice cream. According to Wikipedia, "the recipe is generally credited to Auguste Escoffier, who prepared the dish for one of Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebrations, though it is unclear whether it was for the Golden Jubilee of 1887 or the Diamond Jubilee in 1897."  We had some left over cherries and I decided to put my own twist and use an orange flavored liquor instead of cherry liquor or brandy to accent the sweet cherries.  Check out this flaming dessert on What Micky Eats...At Home.

At Home: Athena Melon Popsicles

June through August in Washington, DC is unbearably hot.  And I'm not talking just high in temperatures, but gross-sticky-I'm-melting-in-this-swamp-get-me-in-some-AC-stat kind of weather.  It is also the peak season for cantaloupe.  Keith and I have been enjoying juicy Athena Melons all summer long.  I usually simply chop them up and eat chilled as a snack, but this time I wanted to try out my new popsicle molds and decided to make Athena Melon Popsicles as a cool summer treat At Home.

At Home: Brownie Cookies

On this lazy Saturday, my sweet tooth was screaming at me.  I was really craving brownies, but Keith wanted cookies.  I looked around the cupboard to see what we had on hand.  Luckily I had both baking chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips plus walnuts.  Just the items needed for brownies.  For my next installment of What Micky Eats...At Home, I made a fun combination - Brownie Cookies.  These cookies have great chocolate flavor, chewy edges, and a slightly fudgy center.  Makes 20 - 30 cookies.

Quaker® Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

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Living and working in a Metropolitan city, I commute via public transportation about 99% of the time.  I have my daily schedule timed out to the minute, in order to catch my morning train into work and also catch the one home at the end of the day.  My busy schedule often leaves me craving snacks and pick-me-ups to keep me going throughout the day.

Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop

Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop located in the Greenpoint area of Brooklyn, NY offers bagels, donuts and breakfast sandwiches.  Noted as making the favorite donuts to many locals and celebrities alike, Peter Pan Donuts are sought after by many.  Closest Subway is G to Nassau Ave.

Fortunato Brothers

In October of 1976, the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn inherited a great gift, when three brothers from Italy decided to open a bakery shop that would sell authentic Italian pastries. Thirty-seven years later, Fortunato Brothers has become a neighborhood landmark, celebrated for it fine pastry, cookies, cappuccino, cakes, and gelato. Although Williamsburg has changed over the years, customers can count on Fortunato’s to be the same in quality, style and service. With the same original recipes passed down to the next generation, Fortunato Brothers remains committed to serving the neighborhood and community with its fine products for many years to come.

At Home: Monkey Munch

Next on what Micky Eats...At Home, I make Monkey Munch (aka Puppy Chow or Muddy Buddies) to satisfy my sweet tooth.  This chocolate-based confectionery treat is most popular in the Northern Midwest, and I have never had it before yet saw a few recipes on Pinterest and thought I'd give it a try.  To give my version a different spin, I used Nutella instead of peanut butter, as well as Quaker Oatmeal Squares instead of Chex Mix cereal.

Euphemia Haye

Chef owned and operated since 1980, Euphemia Haye Restaurant, is locally thought of as the best restaurant in Sarasota. Located inside a historic, wooden cottage, Euphemia Haye is hidden amongst a scenic “jungle” of tropical greenery where palm trees are studded in twinkly lights and birds of paradise are blooming. Located in the convenient location of Longboat Key, Euphemia Haye is a pleasant and scenic short drive from Bradenton, Anna Maria Island, Sarasota and St. Armand's Circle. If you are visiting Anna Maria Island, this is the most exquisite and intimate dining you will find.

Fluffy Thoughts Cakes at Nationals Park

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Opening in Nationals Park this May is the dessert slinging Fluffy Thoughts Cake.  The 18 square foot kiosk will open in the right field corner of the ballpark. A rotating list of four jumbo cupcakes will be available at the kiosk with three set flavors including: Fluffetty cake with vanilla buttercream and sprinkles, Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream, Red Velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, as well as one rotating cupcake which will change weekly but will include such favorites as S'mores, Samoa, Cookies 'n' Cream, and Apple Bacon.

At Home: Samoas

Samoas have always been my favorite Girl Scout cookie (although I do also enjoy Tagalongs and Thin Mints).  The Girl Scout bakeries describe Samoas as "vanilla cookies dipped in caramel, topped with coconut and drizzled with chocolate."  Even Keith, who is not a huge coconut fan, is very fond of Samoas and recently asked that I make some for my next installment of What Micky Eats... At Home.  I found a great shortcut recipe that still delivers all the great Samoas flavor without some of the more tedious parts of cooking making.  These bars are made in three steps.