Gochujang, a trending food, was the most recent ingredient that we wanted to experiment with in our test kitchen. We thought a great recipe to make with the Korean chile paste was Kimchi Fries – kind of like the spicy, funky sister to chili fries.

For our take, we made a spicy gochujang mayo and drizzled it on French fries. We also added fresh green onions and kimchi for a tangy twist.

Korean red chile pepper paste comes in several different varieties, so we decided to do a little taste test with the options we found at our local Asian market and grocery stores.

From left to right: A super spicy gochujang paste, a medium spicy version, and a super sweet gochujang sauce.

The three varieties we tested out ranged from super spicy to super sweet. The super sweet version was labeled as gochujang sauce, rather than paste and it had a pourable consistency. We picked the milder version of the paste to go with our kimchi fries because the super spicy version was, well, super spicy! (Consider yourself warned.) Check out our recipe for Kimchi Fries below.

Kimchi Fries with Gochujang Mayo

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) bag frozen French fries (we used Cascadian Farm crinkle cut fries)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon gochujang Korean chile paste
1/2 cup kimchi, well drained and finely chopped
2 green onions, sliced

Directions

Bake the French fries according to package directions. (If you prefer really crispy fries, bake for a few extra minutes.)

While the fries are baking, make the gochujang sauce by stirring together the mayonnaise and gochujang chile paste. Once the fries are hot and crispy, they’re ready to load with toppings. Place the fries in individual serving containers and top with a drizzle of gochujang mayo, a spoonful of kimchi and a sprinkling of green onions. Grab a fork and dig in.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and this year I’m hosting my mom for the weekend. Since we prefer eating at home on major holidays to avoid the crowds, I’ll be the one doing the cooking. I wanted to create a dessert that would be easy to put together in advance and impress my mom all at once. Ice box cake to the rescue!

Ice box cakes really aren’t cakes at all but are made by layering crisp cookies (like purchased shortbread) with sweetened whipped cream. After sitting together in the refrigerator the cookies soften, giving them a cake-like texture. And since warmer weather is upon us, these cakes are a great way to avoid turning on the oven.

The flavor of this Almond Espresso Ice Box Cake was developed with my mom in mind. Our family’s Dutch heritage instilled a love of all almond flavored desserts, especially those made with almond paste. And what goes better with an almond pastry than a cup of strong black coffee?

Almond Espresso Ice Box Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup almond paste
3 cups whipping cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup sugar
60 small square shortbread cookies (I used Lorna Doone shortbread cookies)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

With an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, blend together the almond paste and 1/2 cup of the whipping cream until well combined. Reserve.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 1 1/2 cups of the remaining whipping cream, the almond extract and the 1/4 cup sugar. Beat with a whisk attachment on high until stiff peaks form. Fold in the reserved almond paste mixture.

Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap.

Spread 1/2 cup of the whipped cream mixture in an even layer in the bottom of the pan.

Line the edge of the pan with shortbread cookies.

Spread a layer of the cream on each of the remaining cookies and layer them in five rows in pan.

Use remaining cream to top and completely cover cookies.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

Invert cake onto serving platter. Remove plastic wrap.

Combine remaining 1 cup whipping cream, powdered sugar, espresso powder and vanilla in bowl of an electric mixer. Beat with whisk attachment on high until stiff peaks form. Frost cake with espresso cream. (I decorated the cake using a pastry bag with a large star tip.) Top with toasted almonds.

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes | Servings: 8

Memorial Day weekend always seems like the unofficial kick-off to summer. It’s also the time when grilling season gets into full swing. During the summer months we always have the refrigerator stocked with homemade barbecue sauce to serve on top of grilled chicken, ribs, or chops.

Making barbecue sauce at home is incredibly easy. For the three recipes below, inspired by American, Asian and Mexican flavors, we started with a ketchup and brown sugar base. Then, we layered on the flavor with vinegar, citrus, liquid smoke, hot sauces and smoked chiles. This weekend, make one sauce or even all three and let your guests decide what flavor suits them best.

Recipes:

• Sweet and Smoky Barbecue Sauce
• Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
• Sriracha Ginger Barbecue Sauce
• Grilled Barbecue Chicken Breasts

Sweet and Smoky Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Directions

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Stir until well combined. Makes about 2 cups barbecue sauce.

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 5 minutes

Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 finely chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Garnish: Chopped cilantro, if desired

Directions

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Stir until well combined.
Makes about 2 cups barbecue sauce.

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 5 minutes

Sriracha Ginger Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Sriracha sauce
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Garnishes: Sesame seeds and chopped green onions, if desired

Directions

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Stir until well combined.
Makes about 2 cups barbecue sauce.

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 5 minutes

Grilled Barbecue Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

Sweet and Smoky Barbecue Sauce, Chipotle Barbecue Sauce or Sriracha Ginger Barbecue Sauce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon oil

Directions

Heat gas or charcoal grill. Place 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce in a bowl for brushing chicken while grilling. Reserve the remaining barbecue sauce for serving alongside the chicken.

Brush oil onto both sides of each chicken breast. Place chicken on the grill over medium heat. Cover your grill; cook 5 minutes. Flip chicken breasts. Cook 5 to 7 minutes longer or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F). Brush both sides of the chicken breasts with the barbecue sauce during the last few minutes of grilling. Serve with reserved barbecue sauce.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4

The barbecue chicken pairs deliciously well with a Grilled Vegetable Farro Salad and a Spiked Raspberry Lemonade.

Looking for a new take on summer salads? Try our recipe for warm grilled vegetables served over farro with a lemon cilantro dressing.

The colorful vegetarian dish is perfect for a Memorial Day get together or any backyard barbecue. It is also a great accompaniment to yesterday’s Grilled Chicken with DIY Barbecue Sauce.

Grilled Vegetable Farro Salad

Ingredients

Salad
2 cups uncooked farro
4 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges
3 bell peppers (red, orange or yellow), cut into large chunks
1/2 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
1 package (8 ounces) baby Portobello mushrooms
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing and Topping
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Directions

Rinse farro with cold water; drain. In 3-quart saucepan, mix 4 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add farro; heat to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Drain, if necessary, and set aside.

Heat coals or gas grill. Brush onion, peppers, asparagus, mushrooms and tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place onion, peppers and asparagus directly on grill rack. Cover grill; cook over medium heat 9 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add mushrooms during last 6 minutes and tomatoes during last 4 minutes of grilling.

Cut grilled veggies into bite-size pieces.

Next, make the dressing. In small bowl, mix remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, lemon peel, salt and the pepper. Stir in cilantro.

To serve, toss farro with 3 tablespoons of the dressing.

Spoon farro onto serving platter; top with grilled vegetables. Drizzle remaining dressing over salad. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese.

Prep Time: 30 Minutes | Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes | Servings: 8

Related: Grilled Chicken with DIY Barbecue Sauce

We love the idea of surprises in cakes, especially cakes that talk back like this typography cake. With Father’s Day coming up, what better way to show your appreciation by baking DAD a treat with a message?

This cake is a major baking project. You’re going to need a good chunk of time to make it, but it looks pretty awesome and we think it’s worth the effort. You can create your own message too so it doesn’t have to be a cake just for Father’s Day. Want to know how to create your own personalized message cake? Let’s get down to business and do some serious cake talk.

First, make your message with cookie dough. Roll out the dough onto a floured surface. Using letter cookie cutters, create the message you want.

One really tricky thing about letter cookie cutters is that there are small and tough corners that the dough can get stuck in. Our tip? Use a chopstick or the flat end of a skewer to help get the cookie dough out of the letter cookie cutters.

Once you’ve baked the cookies, lay out the message that you want to share. Make sure you have enough cookies for the pan because they need to be set tightly in front of each other lengthwise in the pan.

Now it’s time to bake the message into the cake. Prep two 8×4-inch loaf pans by lining with parchment paper and greasing with shortening. One loaf pan will be for the top of your message (“DAD” in our example) and one for the bottom layer (we used a heart!).

Spread 1/2 cup cake batter in the bottom of each pan. Place the cookie letters in the middle of pan so they are standing up in the batter. Continue to place letters in bottom of pan lining them up lengthwise down the pan until you can’t fit anymore cookies in the rows; this will help hold the cookies upright.

Carefully pour one cup of the remaining cake batter on top of the cookie letters in each pan being careful to not tip them over.

Bake the cakes 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Once the cake layers are cooled and chilled, it’s time frost the cake. Before frosting, be sure to mark the serving platter to identify the front end of the cake so you know which end to cut slices from. That way, when you cut the cake the message won’t read backwards!

Here’s the frosted cake topped with shaved chocolate.

Ta-Da!

Message Cake

Ingredients

Cookies

1 pouch Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg

Cake

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist yellow cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
2 cups of your favorite chocolate frosting
Shaved chocolate for garnish

Directions

To make the message:
Heat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, stir together cookie mix and baking cocoa until well combined. Add in butter and egg and mix until dough forms.

Roll dough on floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 3/4- to 1-inch letter cookie cutters and place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. (Use a chopstick or the flat end of a skewer to help get the cookie dough out of the letter cookie cutters.) Cut out about 30 of each character in your message. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet. Cool completely.

To bake the message into the cake:
Meanwhile, generously grease bottom and sides of two 8×4-inch loaf pans with shortening. Place a rectangle of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, grease paper with shortening.

Make cake batter as directed on package. Spread 1/2 cup batter in bottom of each pan. Place cookie letters in middle of pan standing up in the batter. Continue to place letters in bottom of pan lining them up lengthwise down the pan until you can’t fit anymore cookies in the rows; this will help hold the cookies upright. Carefully pour 1 cup of the remaining cake batter on top of the cookie letters in each pan being careful to not tip them over. Mark the pan to identify the front of the cake layer. (*Leftover cake batter can be used to make cupcakes.)

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake loaf pans 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cakes 10 minutes in pan. Run a thin metal spatula or knife around the edges of the loaf pans. Turn out onto cooling rack, remove parchment paper and cool completely, about 1 hour.

To decorate the cake:
Place cooled cakes in the freezer for 15 minutes to set the crumbs. Place one cake layer on serving platter, mark the platter to identify the front end of the cake once frosted. Spread about 1/4 cup frosting over top of cake, place remaining cake layer on frosting. Add a crumb coat by spreading a thin layer of frosting over cake to seal in crumbs. Freeze an additional 15 minutes.

For the final layer of frosting spread remaining frosting over cake; smooth with offset spatula. Top with shaved chocolate.

To serve, cut cake into slices starting at front end as identified by mark on platter to reveal the message.

Prep Time: All Day | Servings: 12

*Leftover cake batter can be baked into a few cupcakes. Follow package directions to fill paper liners about 2/3 full and bake. Frost with additional frosting and top with shaved chocolate.

When it comes to food on Father’s Day, people often think about beer and bacon. Well, those things don’t make me think about my dad. Noodle soups do because of my dad’s obsession with them and his upbringing in Taiwan where Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup is the national dish. You see, my dad is a bit of a, uh, connoisseur when it comes to noodle soups because he likes making them. When we were younger, my siblings and I would be guinea pigs for his late-night noodle soup experiments because of his quest to make The Best Noodle Soup Ever (I’ll talk about his goulash phase another time).  Inspired by my dad and my heritage, I wanted to create a no-fuss version of the Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup.

Traditionally, Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup is pretty labor intensive: there are various sachets of herbs to put together and the cooking process itself can take days. This version only requires a couple ingredients in a slow cooker.

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless beef shank, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 cups water
2 cups beef broth (we used Progresso)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup cooking rice wine
1/4 cup tomato paste (we used Muir Glen)
1 piece (1 1/2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
2 tablespoons spicy bean paste
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons five spice powder
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 pound Chinese broccoli
1 package (11.2 ounces) dried Taiwanese wheat noodles (we used Wu-Mu)

Directions

In a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, combine beef, water, broth, soy sauce, rice wine, tomato paste, ginger, spicy bean paste, sugar, five spice powder and half of the sliced green onions.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting for 8 to 9 hours (or on High setting for 4 to 5 hours).

Separate thin Chinese broccoli stems from large stalk; discard large stalks. Cut small stems, florets and leaves into 2-inch pieces.

Stir chopped Chinese broccoli into beef mixture in slow cooker. Cover; cook about 10 minutes longer or until broccoli is crisp tender.

Meanwhile, cook and drain noodles as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain.

Divide noodles among bowls; ladle soup mixture over the noodles. Top with remaining sliced green onions.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Total Time: 8 Hours 15 Minutes | Servings: 8

Tip: For more traditional flavor, use a tablespoon of Chinese rock sugar or yellow sugar instead of granulated sugar and let it slowly dissolve by itself in the slow cooker. Chinese rock sugar is typically found in Asian grocery stores and it is not as sweet as granulated sugar. It has a yellowish tint to it, which is why it is also sometimes called yellow sugar. It is normally used to balance spicy and savory dishes for flavor.

My friends and family will be the first to tell you that I have a major sweet tooth. Cookies, ice cream, chocolate, I love it all!

My love for sweets started early. When I was little, I remember eating countless warm brownie sundaes topped with vanilla ice cream with my dad. My mom, on the other hand, is a huge cookie lover and was always in the kitchen baking chocolate chip cookies.

Combining two classics like brownies and cookie dough is a recipe for dessert nirvana. These Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed Brownie Pops are salty, sweet and chewy all at once. Creamy cookie dough filling is sandwiched between two rich, chewy brownies before getting dipped in chocolate. Make these bites festive by topping them with colorful candy sprinkles or tying a ribbon around each of the paper lollipop sticks.

How do you get the perfect cube shape? It’s important to cut the brownies into 30 equally sized squares because they will be sandwiched together.

For each brownie stack, spread about a tablespoon of cookie dough filling on a brownie…

…and then place another brownie on top and sandwich it together!

Turn into pops by inserting paper lollipop sticks through each of the brownie stacks, making sure the sticks go into all the layers. Place the pops on a baking sheet and freeze them for 20 minutes or until filling and brownies are firm.

Dip the brownie pops into melted chocolate…

…and immediately top with sprinkles before the chocolate sets.

Freeze them for 15 minutes or until the chocolate is set.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed Brownie Pops

Ingredients

Brownies
1 box Betty Crocker Chocolate Chunk Brownies
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 egg

Filling
1 recipe Cookie Dough Filling (see below)

Chocolate Coating and Decorations
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Desired toppings, such as candy sprinkles or chopped pecans

Directions

Heat oven to 350F. Line 13×9-inch baking pan with foil.

Combine brownies, oil, water and egg; stir until combined. Spread mixture into lined baking pan. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from the edge comes out almost clean. Cool 5 minutes on wire rack. Transfer to freezer; freeze 15 minutes or until brownies are cooled completely and firm. Remove from pan; peel away foil.

Cut brownies into 30 squares. Place about a tablespoon of the cookie dough filling on 15 of the brownie squares. Top with remaining brownie squares to form stacks.

Insert a paper lollipop stick through each of the brownie stacks. (The stick should go into all layers but not completely through the bottom brownie, securing the brownie stack.) Place on baking sheet and freeze 20 minutes or until filling and brownies are firm.

In medium microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and oil. Microwave uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until melted and smooth.

Dip brownie stacks in melted chocolate mixture. Use a spatula or butter knife to evenly spread chocolate on brownie pops as necessary, scraping off any excess chocolate. Place dipped brownie pops on waxed paper lined baking sheet. Immediately top with desired toppings, such as candy sprinkles or chopped pecans.

Freeze 15 minutes or until chocolate is set. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Prep: 40 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes | Servings: 15

Cookie Dough Filling

Ingredients

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

In mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and peanut butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the brown sugar, vanilla and salt until well combined. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Prep: 10 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes | Makes: 1 1/4 cups

Storage Tip: Store brownie pops, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The brownie pops are best when served within a day or two of making. They can also be stored in an airtight container in the freezer. Thaw 15 minutes before serving.

Leftover Tip: Leftover Cookie Dough Filling makes a great dip for graham crackers or apple slices!

Here are a few other brownie and cookie recipes from around the web that I’m dying to try!

• Saltine Cracker Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich from Food 52
• Big, Chewy, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Cookies from Keep It Sweet Desserts
• Brownies and Cream Sandwich Cookies from Hummingbird High

We had so much fun with our Message Cake that we couldn’t resist whipping up these surprise inside cupcakes. What’s the surprise? Cut open the red velvet cupcake and you’ll find a star inside.

What’s really sweet is that the star is made out of sugar cookies!

Star Surprise Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cookies
1 pouch Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 egg

Cake
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist red velvet cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

Frosting
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
1 cup butter, softened
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
3 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Make the cookie stars:

Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, 1/3 cup butter, flour and egg until soft dough forms.

On floured surface, roll dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out 92 cookies with a 1 to 1 1/4-inch star cookie cutter. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts 1 inch apart.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Bake the surprise inside cupcakes:

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Make cake batter as directed on package. Place paper liners in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Fill one paper liner with batter to 3/4 full (this cupcake will be crumbled and used as a garnish later). Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the cake batter into the bottom of the remaining 23 paper liners.

Place a row of 3 cookie stars in middle of liners standing up in the batter. Mark the paper liner to identify the front of the cupcake. (We like to make a small cut in the paper liner to mark the front.)

Carefully spoon two heaping tablespoons of the remaining cake batter on top of the cookie stars being careful to not tip them over.

Bake cupcakes 22 to 27 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan, remove to cooling rack, cool completely.

Decorate the cupcakes:

For frosting, in large bowl, beat marshmallow creme, 1 cup butter and 1 tablespoon of the milk with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Beat in powdered sugar. Add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed until fluffy and spreadable.

Pipe or spread frosting on the 23 cupcakes that have the cookies inside.

Use the mark you made on the paper liners to find the front of the cupcakes. Place remaining cookie stars on top of cupcakes with the front of the cookies facing the front of the cupcakes. That way people will know which direction to cut (or bite) into the cupcake to see the star.

Make cake crumbs by crumbling the remaining cupcake (the one that does not have cookies inside) into a small bowl. Sprinkle cake crumbs over cupcakes.

Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes | Total Time: 2 hour 10 minutes | Makes: 23 cupcakes

Surprise!

Ever since I completed my breakfast challenge, I’ve been craving savory breakfasts. My rotation now includes scrambled eggs, green smoothies and breakfast sandwiches, but lately I’ve got my sights set on all of the savory waffles I’ve been seeing around the web. They’re hearty, flavorful and could easily transition from breakfast to brunch to dinner with the addition of bacon, fried eggs and cheese.

This waffle tastes like summertime. It’s packed with basil, bacon and cheddar cheese and topped with a fresh and easy tomato jam. With all the basil and tomatoes I’ve got growing in my garden, I think these waffles may become a part of my regular recipe rotation this summer.

Loaded Bacon, Cheddar and Basil Waffles with Tomato Jam

Save time by prepping the tomato jam first and preparing the waffles while the tomato jam cooks!

Ingredients

2 cups Original Bisquick mix
1 1/3 cups milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 strips of bacon, crisp cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Toppings
1 recipe Tomato Jam (see below)
Additional fresh basil, if desired
Fried eggs, if desired

Directions

Heat waffle iron; spray lightly with cooking spray.

Stir together Bisquick, milk, egg and olive oil until combined; fold in the bacon, cheese and basil.

Pour some of the batter in the center of the hot waffle iron; I used 1/2 cup batter per waffle, but the amount of batter will vary by maker. Close lid of waffle iron.

Bake about 3 to 4 minutes or until steaming stops and waffle is deep golden brown. Carefully remove waffle.Repeat with remaining batter. Top each serving with some of the Tomato Jam. If desired, top with additional fresh basil and a fried egg.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes | Servings: 6

Tomato Jam

Ingredients

6 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
1 to 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients together in large skillet. Bring to a boil; reduce to simmer. Simmer, uncovered, about 30 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring occasionally.

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes  | Makes: 1 cup

There are a lot of foods that go well with summer. Brownies, root beer floats, strawberry shortcake and hot dogs come to mind. But few foods can rival a juicy burger straight off the grill. Am I right?

To get the desired juiciness, use meat that is 80% lean. You might be tempted to buy something a little leaner. Resist the temptation and embrace the extra fat since that’s where the flavor comes from. You know what else gives burgers a lot of flavor? Bacon! Crumble a few strips into your meat along with a little Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and you’ve got the makings of an amazing burger.

When it comes to the toppings, the sky’s the limit. We were inspired by another popular summer sandwich, the BLT, when we topped our burgers with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and more bacon. Oh, and we also added a little avocado since avocado makes everything a little better.

BLT Bacon Burgers

Ingredients

Burger
2 pounds 80% lean ground beef
6 strips bacon, crisp cooked and crumbled
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Toppings
6 bakery style hamburger buns
1/2 cup mayonnaise
6 lettuce leaves
6 to 12 strips crisp cooked bacon
1 medium ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 to 2 medium tomatoes, sliced

Directions

In medium bowl, gently work crumbled bacon, Worcestershire sauce, salt and ground black pepper into beef. Form beef mixture into 6 large patties about 1/2 inch thick. Place an indentation into the center of each burger with your thumb to prevent burgers from taking on a domed appearance while cooking.

Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat.

Spray burgers with cooking spray or lightly brush with oil. Place burgers on grill rack; grill over medium high heat 5 minutes. Flip; cook about 5 minutes more or until center of patties read 160°F.

Spread some of the mayonnaise onto the bottom of each of the buns. Top with lettuce, bacon and burgers. Finish with avocado, tomato slices and bun tops.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 6 burgers

Here are other great burgers from around the web:

• Blue Cheese and Balsamic Burger from My Life as a Mrs.
• Indian Spiced Chicken Burgers from Eat Live Run
• Smoky Beet Burgers from Sprouted Kitchen

We’re big fans of homemade ice cream. (Who isn’t?) The best part of making your own ice cream is playing around with different flavors and textures. That’s just what we did when we visited Izzy’s Ice Cream and created our own flavor: ginger ice cream swirled with graham cracker crumble and pecans. We liked it so much we created a recipe inspired by our experience.

Our Double Ginger Ice Cream is studded with crystallized ginger and spiked with ginger liqueur. Besides adding depth of flavor, the ginger liqueur helps keep the ice cream from freezing too hard.

We toasted both the pecans and the graham cracker crumbs to intensify their flavor. They add a nice contrast when layered with the rich and creamy ice cream base.

Double Ginger Ice Cream

Ice Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 egg yolks
1/4 cup ginger liqueur (we used Domaine de Canton)
1/4 cup very finely chopped crystallized ginger

Graham Cracker Crumble and Pecans

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup toasted pecan halves

Directions

In a 2-quart saucepan, stir 1 cup whipping cream, the milk, sugar and salt until well mixed. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture just comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Immediately remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until well blended. With whisk, gradually stir hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats a spoon. Now you have a custard base.

Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl; set a fine-mesh strainer over the bowl. Pour the custard base through the strainer and stir into the cream until blended. Refrigerate ice cream base uncovered for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until cold. At this point, the mixture can be covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours before freezing the ice cream, if desired.

Meanwhile, make graham cracker crumble. In an 8-inch square glass baking dish, mix graham cracker crumbs and butter; press firmly in bottom of dish. Bake in a 350°F oven 6 to 8 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Cool completely; crumble with a fork.

When ready to freeze ice cream, stir ginger liqueur into ice cream base. Pour into 2-quart automatic ice cream freezer container. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions, adding crystallized ginger when mixture begins to firm up.

Spoon 1/3 of ice cream into a chilled 2-quart freezer container or bowl; sprinkle with half of the graham crumble and pecans. Top with another 1/3 of the ice cream, then remaining crumble and pecans. Spoon remaining ice cream over top. Cover; freeze until firm. The flavor and texture are best if you let the ice cream ‘ripen’ by freezing at least overnight.

Prep Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 12 hours | Servings: 10-1/2 Cups

More cool ice cream recipes from around the web:

• Caramelized White Chocolate Ice Cream from David Lebovitz
• Black Coffee Ice Cream by Jeni Britton Bauer via Leite’s Culinaria
• Cherry Bourbon Ice Cream from Joy the Baker

Summer may be almost over, but there’s still time to make sangria! With fruit like peaches at their flavor peak, it’s the perfect time to stir together a pitcher.

We love making sangria because there are so many options for playing around with flavor. The trend of infusing seasonal fruits, herbs and even greens into the drink are really inspiring. Plus, it’s a do-ahead cocktail that makes enough to share with friends. No wonder it’s the drink of summer.

For our recipe, we included some of the things we love most about the season. Pink wine. Fresh raspberries. Juicy peaches. It’s our Goodbye Summer Sangria.

Here’s how to make our sangria:

Raspberry Peach Rose Sangria

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups peeled fresh peach slices
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 ounces orange liqueur or brandy (we used Cointreau)
1 bottle (750 ml) rose wine, chilled (we used Malbec rose)
1 to 2 ounces simple syrup
Orange or lemon slices, optional
Chilled sparkling water, optional

Directions

Combine peaches and raspberries in a large pitcher.

Add orange juice, orange liqueur and wine; stir.

Taste and add simple syrup to sweeten. (The amount of simple syrup needed will depend on the flavor of the wine you use and personal preference for sweetness.)

Cover and chill sangria for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to blend. Serve sangria in glasses filled with plenty of ice. If desired, add a few orange or lemon slices and a splash of sparkling water.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Total Time: 2 Hours 15 Minutes | Servings: 6

Tip: Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water heated to make a syrup.

More refreshing sangria recipes from around the web:

• Sparkling Strawberry Rose Sangria from Brooklyn Supper
• Strawberry Rosemary Sangria from A Cozy Kitchen

Lately, I’ve got pizza on my mind all the time, and it seems like I’m not the only one. Pizza has seen an explosion in popularity with new pizza restaurants popping up in cities across the country. And since pizza style can vary greatly from restaurant to restaurant, I don’t think my taste buds will ever get bored.

You’ve probably seen a host of Neapolitan-style pizza restaurants surface in the last handful of years, with their chewy, thin crust and fresh, traditional toppings. In addition to pizzas done in the classic Italian style, there are plenty of chefs who are getting a little crazy with how they top their pies. Pretty much anything goes these days, from crab rangoon pizza to Korean barbecue.

When we go out to dinner I always have a terrible time deciding what type of cuisine I’m in the mood to eat. Thankfully, with pizzas like this Banh Mi Pizza, it’s not necessary to decide between Italian and Vietnamese, just have them both in one!

A spicy Sriracha and red curry mayo serves in place of traditional marinara. Thai red curry paste isn’t exactly authentic to a true banh mi sandwich, but I can’t get enough of this spicy, salty condiment and it adds a ton of flavor to the pizza. When topped with sweet glazed strips of pork, mozzarella cheese and a fresh pickled slaw you have the recipe for out-of-this-world pizza.

Banh Mi Pizza

Ingredients

Pickled Slaw
1 cup julienne-cut carrots
1 cup julienne-cut daikon radish
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Pork and Glaze
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lb thinly sliced pork cutlets, cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Pizza
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
1 can Pillsbury refrigerated thin pizza crust
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Garnish
Sliced jalapenos and snipped fresh cilantro, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 400F.

In medium bowl, mix Pickled Slaw ingredients; set aside.

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt; cook pork in oil until well caramelized and cooked through. Stir together 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, 2 tablespoons honey and 1 teaspoon vinegar. Drizzle over pork in skillet, stirring occasionally, until glaze is absorbed and caramelized on pork. Remove from heat.

In small bowl, blend together the mayonnaise, curry paste and 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce until smooth.

Unroll pizza dough onto large baking sheet. Press into 15×10-inch rectangle. Bake 5 minutes or until crust is light golden brown.

Spread mayo mixture onto crust, leaving 1/2 inch border around edge. Top with half the cheese, the pork and the rest of the cheese.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes more or until cheese is melted and crust is deep golden brown.

Using a slotted spoon, top hot pizza with the pickled slaw mixture. Garnish with jalapenos and cilantro, if desired.

Prep: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 6 to 8

Other Pizza Recipes from Around the Web:

• Blueberry Pizza with Whipped Ricotta and Caramelized Shallots from How Sweet It Is
• Spinach Ranch Pizza from Naturally Ella
• Pumpkin Deep Dish Pizza from Never Homemaker

My parents used to take us apple picking every fall, right around this time of the month. It was one of the local family trips that I would look forward to every year. Sometimes we would bring home a couple of buckets to make a bunch of apple chips. Most of the time, my sister and I would just snack on apple slices after school and dunk them into a bowl of creamy caramel sauce or plum powder. If we had enough apples left over, my mom would make a hot apple drink with apple chunks and a bunch of aromatic spices. But you know what? My most favorite apple recipe to make is apple pie. They’re even better when they’re hand pies because you don’t have to fight for the bigger piece!

Even though apples, and apple hand pies are delicious, we thought it would be interesting to add a twist to it: Chinese five spice. Yep! It adds a nice spicy warmth. And here’s the bonus for the typography and lettering obsessed people out there like me: these pies have pop-out messages.

We suggest sticking to one to three letter words on the hand pies because it would get really crowded!

Five Spice Hand Pies

Ingredients

1 box Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup finely chopped, peeled baking apples (we used Granny Smith)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
1 tablespoon water
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon water

Directions

Bring the refrigerated pie crust to room temperature. Let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Heat 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add butter and heat until melted. Add the apples and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sugar, five spice powder and water. Stir constantly until the apples are crisp tender and a sauce forms in the pan, about two minutes. Put the apple filling in a small bowl and set aside until it cools to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Using 3 inch round cutter, cut 10 rounds from each crust, for a total of 20 rounds. Discard the leftover scraps of dough. Place 10 pie crust rounds on work surface or cookie sheet. Spoon about two teaspoons of the cooled filling in the center of the pie crust rounds.

Cut out the desired letter or 2 to 3 letter word with a small letter cookie cutter on the remaining crust rounds.

Place the rounds on top of the filling on each.

Use a fork to seal the two pie crust pieces together. Place the cut-out letters on top, lowering it slightly so the filling looks like a shadow.

Make an egg wash to give your hand pies a shiny sheen by mixing together the beaten egg and one teaspoon of water. Brush the egg wash all over the tops of each of the hand pies. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Prep Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | Servings: 10

P.S. They’re really good when dipped in a caramel sauce or even vanilla yogurt!

Here are some awesome hand pie ideas to check out:

• White Peach, Rose, and Basil Hand Pies from Local Milk
• Cheddar Apple Hand Pies from Desserts for Breakfast
• Mapled Apple Hand Pies In a Brown Butter and Smoked Almond Crust from A Stack of Dishes
• Pear, Sage, and Toasted Vanilla Hand Pies from Tartlet Sweets

Working in a test kitchen means we are always trying to put flavorful twists on familiar recipes. Lately we’ve been brainstorming new and interesting ways to dress up classic cookies. Using quinoa in cookies is nothing new, but we thought it could be done a little differently.

Instead of using the quinoa in the dough itself, these buttery shortbread cookies are dipped in dark chocolate and finished with a sprinkling of crispy quinoa which has been roasted in the oven. The result is deliciously crunchy quinoa that adds flavor, texture and fun visual appeal to a classic cookie.

Crispy Quinoa Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (we used Gold Medal)
1 bag (12 oz) dark chocolate baking chips
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
1 recipe Crispy Quinoa (below)
2 tablespoons finely shredded orange peel

Directions

Heat oven to 350F.

In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until fluffy. On low speed, beat in flour until crumbly. Spread out plastic wrap on counter. Turn dough onto plastic wrap and use your hands to shape and press the dough into a disc. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Unwrap dough. Lightly dust work surface with flour. Roll dough into 1/2-inch thickness. Use 2 1/2 inch round biscuit cutter to cut cookies from dough, rolling and re-rolling as necessary to use up dough. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until cookies are light golden brown around edges. Cool on wire rack.

In small microwaveable bowl, combine chocolate and oil. Microwave 30 seconds, stir; continue to microwave in 15 second intervals until chocolate is melted and smooth.

Dip cookies in melted chocolate to cover half of each cookie. Place on parchment paper. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds, crispy quinoa and orange peel.

Crispy Quinoa

1/3 cup cooked white quinoa
1 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. Toss quinoa with oil to coat. Spread into an even layer on rimmed baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once during baking, or until quinoa is lightly browned and crispy. Cool on baking sheet.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes | Makes: 22 cookies

Recipe Note: These cookies are best eaten the day they are made to maintain the crispiness of the quinoa. Save time by baking the cookies in advance, then dip them in chocolate and decorate the day you plan to serve.

Other quinoa cookie recipes we’re loving from around the web:

• Quinoa Cookies with Coconut and Chocolate Chunks from Food 52
• Quinoa Cookies from Two Peas and Their Pod
• Gluten-Free Quinoa Cookies from Gluten-Free Girl

By now it’s a bit of a cliché, but we’re as crazy for pumpkin spice lattes as the next person. Since going to the coffee shop to get our fix every day gets a little pricey, we scoured the internet for a version we could make ourselves.

After testing a lot of recipes we discovered this awesome recipe from Brenda who blogs at A Farmgirl’s Dabbles.Unlike some of the other recipes we tried that were syrup-based, this recipe is milk-based, which results in a super creamy latte that’s perfectly sweet.

We couldn’t help but think this mixture would have many other uses beyond the traditional latte, and we were right! We put it to work in a variety of breakfast items, including a yogurt parfait, oatmeal and pancakes with great success. Hop on over to Brenda’s site for the base recipe, then give some of the recipes below a try.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Pumpkin Pancakes

Yogurt Parfait

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Ingredients

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup water
1 cup Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix
Chopped pecans, milk, brown sugar and/or maple syrup, if desired

Directions

In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine oats, water and Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix. Bring to boiling; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes or until oats are cooked through and mixture is thickened. Spoon oatmeal into two bowls. Serve with chopped pecans, milk, brown sugar and/or maple syrup, if desired.

Makes: 2 servings

Easy Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients

2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
Maple syrup and butter, if desired

Directions

Stir together Bisquick, Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix, milk and eggs until blended.
Pour by 1/4 cupfuls onto hot greased griddle.
Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden. Serve with maple syrup and/or butter, if desired.

Makes: 14 pancakes

Pumpkin Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients

1 container (6 oz) plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
2 to 3 tablespoons Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix
1/4 cup granola
2 tablespoons pepitas

Directions

Spoon yogurt into bowl. Top with the Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix, granola and pepitas.

Makes: 1 serving

It’s that time of year again: the season of holiday parties and family gatherings. Even though we love classic party snacks, sometimes you need to jazz things up a bit. Inspired by Asian flavors, we spiced up traditional Chex mix with pumpkin, Thai red curry paste and coconut. It’s so tasty that even Annie, who really despises coconut, gobbled it all up.

Thai Pumpkin Chex Mix

Ingredients

8 cups corn chex cereal
1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews
1 cup unsweetened large coconut flakes
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons pure pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons melted virgin coconut oil
4 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
4 cups popped popcorn

Directions

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line two large rimmed baking pans (15- x 10-inch) with parchment paper.

Place cereal, cashews, coconut, pumpkin pie seasoning, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl; stir to mix.

In 2 cup liquid measuring cup whisk maple syrup, pumpkin puree, coconut oil and red curry paste until well mixed.

Add pumpkin mixture to cereal mixture; stir well to combine. Spread in prepared baking pans. Bake 40 minutes, rotating pans and stirring after 20 minutes. Stir 2 cups of popcorn into each of the pans of snack mix. Bake an additional 5 minutes.

Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. (Mixture will become more crisp once cooled.) Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes | Makes: about 8 cups

Want it hotter? Add another teaspoon of red curry paste!

Here are some other Chex recipes to check out:

• Fresh Herb Chex Mix from Fox in the Pine
• Bacon Chex Mix from Serious Eats

With the holidays right around the corner, you can never have enough quick and easy appetizer recipes in your back pocket. Individual Apple and Gruyere Cheese Tarts, made with refrigerated pie crust, are perfect for parties or served alongside a glass of wine for a last minute get-together. What we love most about these appetizer bites (in addition to being incredibly easy) is the flavor combination. Apples, shallots and gruyere cheese form the base of these miniature pies; finishing them with a mixture of pistachios, dried cranberries and fresh thyme adds an extra layer of sweet and savory flavor.

Apple and Gruyere Cheese Tarts

Ingredients

1 box refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box (we used Pillsbury)
1 large red apple, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
4 ounces gruyere cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 tablespoons butter
2 medium shallots, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
3 tablespoons chopped pistachio nuts
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped sweetened dried cranberries
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F.

Remove pie crusts from pouches; place flat on work surface. With rolling pin, roll each crust into 12-inch round. With 3 1/2-inch round cutter, cut 20 rounds from crusts, rerolling scraps as necessary. Press each round into ungreased standard muffin cup.

In medium bowl, stir together apples and cheese; set aside.

In 8-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots; cook 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Remove from heat; stir into apple and cheese mixture.

Spoon a heaping tablespoon apple-shallot mixture into each crust-lined muffin cup.

Bake 24 to 27 minutes, or until crust is browned and cheese is melted. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove tarts from muffin cups to serving platter.

In medium bowl, stir together nuts, cranberries and thyme. Spoon scant teaspoon nut mixture over each tart. If desired, garnish each tart with small sprig of thyme. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Prep Time 15 minutes | Total Time 55 minutes | Servings: 20

Try making these little tarts with pears instead of apples!

Here are some delicious savory tartlet ideas:

• Heirloom Tartlets with a Parmesan Crust from Flourishing Foodie
• Edamame, Oyster Mushroom, and Caramelized Onion Tartlets from Wholly Vegan
• Mushroom Tartlets with Garlic Herb Cheese from Annie’s Eats
• Rice Tartlets with Smoked Scamorza and Pancetta from Juls’ Kitchen

There are so many ways to make candied pecans and nuts. This year I thought hey, I’m gonna make candied pecans even more festive! Adding a touch of pumpkin pie spice to the maple-glazed nuts did the trick.

These candied pecans are also awesome because they’re easy to make, are great for snacking, make delicious gifts (which I plan on doing thanks to all the holiday themed treat boxes I ordered online) and look impressive as a garnish.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Pecans

Ingredients

2 cups whole pecans
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Heat oven to 300°F. Line shallow baking pan with parchment paper. In medium bowl, stir together pecans, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Spread in single layer in baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes; stir. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more or until toasted, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool completely.

Prep Time: 5 Minutes | Total Time: 45 Minutes | Makes: 2 Cups

Do you know what we did with our batch of pumpkin pie spice pecans? Stay tuned but until then, here’s a sneak peek:

Here are more candied nut recipes to check out:

• Rosemary and Thyme Candied Pecans from Seven Spoons
• Badam Sookhteh from Tumeric and Saffron
• Candied Maple Glazed Walnuts from Sweet Remedy
• Candied Peanuts with Furikake and Togarashi from Chef Johanna Ware, via PureWow

It’s that time of the year again. Some of us are baking treats for football gatherings and holiday parties. Whew! Talk about busy. I’ve combined the flavors of the holidays and the beloved beers we drink during football season into one winning dessert: a pumpkin beer cake with candied pecans. Yeah, you read that correctly! Beer in cake! So why would we want to put beer in cake when beer is already so delicious on its own? The brown ale beer in this cake enhances the flavor of the pumpkin and the spices. If pumpkin ale beer is in season, go for it! It’s just as flavorful as the brown ale.

Pumpkin Ale Layer Cake

Ingredients

Cake
1 box yellow cake mix (we used Betty Crocker)
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 cup brown ale or pumpkin ale beer
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons brown ale or pumpkin ale beer
4 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms only of three 8-inch round cake pans with shortening. Line bottom of each pan with cooking parchment paper. Grease parchment paper with shortening.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, 1 cup beer, oil, eggs and pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour about 1 2/3 cups batter into each pan.

Bake 19 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans; remove parchment paper from bottoms of cakes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and salt with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat in 3 tablespoons beer. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, beat in more beer, a few drops at a time.
Place 1 cake layer, top side down, on serving plate.

Spread with about 3/4 cup frosting. Top with second cake layer, top side up; spread with 3/4 cup frosting.

Top with remaining cake layer, top side up. Frost top of cake with remaining frosting.

If desired, garnish with candied pecans (Tip: Use our pumpkin pie spiced candied pecans!) and sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Prep Time: 25 Minutes | Total Time : 1 Hour 45 Minutes | 12 servings

Here are some hearty beer dessert ideas to check out!

• Farmhouse Ale Beignets from He Cooks She Cooks
• Pumpkin Beer Butterscotch Mousse Puffs from Evil Shenanigans
• Pretzel Crusted Chocolate Beer Cheesecake from The Beeroness
• Chocolate Covered Beer Marshmallows from How Sweet Eats