Summer Ricotta Galette

Happy 4th of July! We are kicking off this holiday with a refreshing dessert that has lemon zest in the dough! We are heading to a BBQ and I decided to make this recipe with a combination of blueberries and strawberries inside to get the full 'red, white, & blue' experience this holiday. This dessert smells so good and I just know it will taste amazing too. Enjoy your long weekend!

Ingredients

Dough:
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- zest of half a lemon
- 8 tbsp. butter, cold and cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup ricotta
- 3 tbsp. water

Filling:
- 2 cups of fruit, I used 1 cup of blueberries and 1 cup of strawberries (sliced)
- 4 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- pinch of salt
- juice of half a lemon

Glaze:
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp. water

1. To make the dough, mix your flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest together.
2. Put your butter pieces in the bowl and mix together with your hands until tiny balls of dough form.
3. In a small bowl, whisk your ricotta and water together. Add it to your flour mixture and mix in your Kitchenaid mixer until a ball of dough forms.
4. Place your dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least at hour to chill.
5. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
6. Roll out your dough on parchment paper.
7. Prepare your fruit, sugar, cornstarch, salt and lemon juice together in a bowl.
8. Put in the center of your dough and fold the edges over, with some of the fruit showing.
9. Brush your glaze on the dough and sprinkle some sugar on top of it.
10. Bake for 30 minutes.

 Fruit filling

 Dough with fruit filling and glaze

Baked ricotta galette

Enjoy!

Brittney

Happy Camper Baby Shower

This past weekend we celebrated my sweet cousin and her soon to be baby boy! My Aunt Krista hosted a Happy Camper Baby Shower complete with Airstream cookies inspired by a vintage Airstream cookie jar she found - and gave away as a prize! Guests enjoyed camping food such as pigs in blankets, macaroni and cheese, fruit salad, deviled eggs and a trail mix yogurt bar. Desserts included s'mores on a stick and a delicious white cake and lemon buttercream 'naked' cake. I hope you are inspired by this sweet affair when you plan your own Adventure get-together!

 The Invitation #happycampers

Airstream Cookie jar and cookies

Airstream Cookie Jar

Happy Camper!

The Dessert Table

Camp Dunnam

S'mores Pops

Pinecones, tree and lantern centerpiece on the food table

Enjoy!

Brittney

Crispy Coconut Chicken Tenders

Looking for a new way to change up those same ole' chicken tender recipe that you've been using - or just defrosting?! This recipe is amazing and fresh and nicely crisp! My kids loved them and preferred ketchup for this fancy orange sauce that I made to go with it. But this would be a great adult appetizer to make as well! Hope you try it out!

Crispy Coconut Chicken Tenders

- 1.5 lbs chicken tenders
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sweetened coconut shredded, pulsed in a blender/food processor to make smaller
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, or vegetable oil

1. Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl mix your bread crumbs and pulsed coconut.
3. In another bowl, whisk your eggs together.
4. In a medium bowl, mix your salt, pepper and flour together.
5. Heat a pan over medium heat and place your oil in it.
6. Take your raw chicken tender and dip it in the eggs, then the flour and then the bowl with the bread crumb mixture. Place chicken in the pan and fry for about 3-4 min on each side. Repeat for each chicken tender.
7. Place fried chicken on the baking sheet and place in the oven to finish cooking for 6-10 min.

Spicy Honey Orange Sauce

- 1/2 cup orange preserves
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- salt, to taste
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Enjoy!
Brittney

How I Avocado Toast!

Avocados and eggs are so delicious when paired together! I visited my sister this past April in Savannah, GA and was introduced to Avocado Toast at a local brunch place. I loved it so much that I decided to make my own at home! Using my toaster oven, I toasted my artisan bread, mashed half of an avocado and placed it on top of my toast, sprinkled some salt and pepper and fried up an egg to place on top! You can even add some sliced tomato or sprinkle some cheese on it too! I think making avocado toast is fun and you can be even more creative with what you place on top as you wish. Yum!

Avocado Toast

- 1/2 avocado, mashed
- salt and pepper
- fried egg
- cheese
- slice of artisan bread, toasted
- sliced tomato

Enjoy!
Brittney

Caprese Chicken Salad with Homemade Balsamic Vinegarette

Summer is in the air here in Philly! Caprese Chicken Salad with a delicious dressing! My kids loved the simpleness of this chicken with the dressing to use as a dipping sauce. They even loved the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese pearls, and sliced avocado as well. Enjoy this simple salad outside during these Summer days with big slices of watermelon!

Balsamic Vinegarette

- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice

Salad Ingreidents

- mixed greens
- grilled/baked chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup mozzarella balls/pearls
- 1 avocado sliced

1. Mix your balsamic vinegarette salad dressing and store in an air tight container. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
2. On a plate, place your mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, avocado and sliced grilled chicken on top.
3. Drizzle salad dressing on top.

 Balsamic Vinegar Dressing 

Caprese Chicken Salad

Enjoy!
Brittney

Anniversary Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Frosting

I've been married to my love for 6 years! So I made a homemade chocolate cake with buttercream frosting and it was oh so good... I have been seeing a lot of 'deconstructed' cakes on my Pinterest feed so I thought I'd try my hand at making one. It was very easy, and I think it helped that the frosting was pretty thick. I used an icing spatula, which allowed me to get the frosting smooth (like at a bakery) then once the spaces between the cake layers were filled, I just scraped some of the frosting away to expose the cake underneath - alas, you have a deconstructed cake! I melted some chocolate chips and dipped some strawberries for the top of the cake and ordered a gold glitter "Love" cake topper off Etsy to complete my Anniversary cake. And let me tell you... the leftovers are still just as good to eat the next day!

Chocolate Cake

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 2 cups sugar

- 3/4 cup cocoa powder

- 2 tsp. baking powder

- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

- 1 tsp. salt

- 1 tsp. espresso powder, I used finely ground coffee

- 1 cup milk

- 1/2 cup vegetable oil

- 2 eggs

- 2 tsp. vanilla

- 1 cup boiling water

1. Mix your dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, espresso powder, together in your Kitchenaid Mixer.

2. Slowly add your milk, vegetable oil, 2 eggs (one at a time) and vanilla to your dry ingredients. 

3. Slowly add your boiling water and beat batter on medium for 1 minute. This will thin your batter.

4. Line the bottom of your cake pans with parchment paper and grease them. Divide your cake into thirds or halves in your cake pans, I made 3 layers. 

5. Bake cake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

6. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature

- 5 cups powdered sugar

- 2 tsp. vanilla

- 1/4 cup milk

1. Beat your butter with whisk attachment in Kitchenaid Mixer until fluffy.

2. Slowly add your powdered sugar. The mixture will get very crumbly.

3. Add your vanilla and milk and mix until desired consistency. 

 Deconstructed Cake

I love you as much as chocolate cake... <3

Enjoy!

Brittney

Garlic Parmesan Wings

I bought some baby chicken drumsticks to make with this recipe and it turned out so well! I plan to make it with wings for our next party. The key was using the broiler at the end to get the chicken crispy without frying. I dipped mine in ranch dressing but I don't think you need to dip them into anything. Kid-friendly!

Garlic Parmesan Wings

- 2 dozen chicken wings
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp. garlic
- 2 tbsp. chopped parsley
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
2. Season your wings/drumsticks with salt and pepper and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
3. In a saucepan heat your butter and olive oil until butter has melts. Whisk in parsley, garlic and salt. Heat on low.
4. Turn broiler on after you take wings out of the oven and drain the excess liquids. Broil wings for 10 minutes. Flip wings over and broil for 10 more minutes.
5. Place wings in a bowl and pour sauce on top. Add parmesan cheese and toss wings to coat.

 Garlic parmesan sauce

Garlic and Parmesan Wings/Drumsticks

Enjoy!

Brittney