Chocolate Stout Blackberry Brownies

With ooey, gooey chocolate & ribbons of sweet blackberries, these decadent & rich Chocolate Stout Blackberry Brownies are a chocolate lover's dream...

If there is one summertime flavor combo that I feel is overlooked all too often, it is most definitely the combination of juicy blackberries with rich dark chocolate. But let me tell you all this- it is a flavor combo that you need to make happen asap. Like this week if possible. Or even today. I mean, why wait for this deliciousness? ;) And luckily for you all, I have just the recipe to accomplish this- these ooey, gooey Chocolate Stout Blackberry Brownies!

I have taken this incredible combination of flavors just one step further by throwing a good chocolate stout beer into the mix as well. But no worries if you don't happen to be a beer fan. The beer flavor mostly bakes out leaving these decadent brownies with an extra level of richness.

Blackberry Coconut Custard Cobbler

Juicy, sweet blackberries are baked into a creamy coconut custard filling in this Blackberry Coconut Custard Cobbler...

The taste of blackberries will always evoke summertime memories of my childhood.  Every summer, decked out in long sleeves and jeans, we would venture to these secret blackberry patch spots that my grandparents always seemed to know of.  After being briefed (yet again...) to watch out for thorns, snakes, and yellow jackets, we would all set out with buckets in hand to fill them with fresh, juicy wild blackberries.  Of course, several of the largest, sweetest berries would never make it in the bucket. ;)

We would bring the bounty home to be washed and then divvied out among the various families in attendance.  I couldn't wait for my mom start rolling out the dough for one of her homemade blackberry pies.  My mom had a talent with homemade pie crust.  They were always perfectly crimped and latticed.  

We would all eagerly wait for the pie to bake and then cool enough so that she could slice into it and serve it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Not that it really needed the ice cream, if you ask me.

Blackberry Lemonade Green Smoothie

Juicy blackberries & freshly squeezed lemon come together perfectly in this creamy, delicious, & good-for-you Blackberry Lemonade Green Smoothie...

Post updated 3/21/18- This tart & sweet Blackberry Lemonade Green Smoothie deserved some updated photos. I did leave one of the originals down below just so you all can see for yourself why this recipe so desperately needed a little face lift. ;)

In case you all are curious, I am still on my green smoothie kick.  It did not end with my Green Smoothie Week.

Although I do have to admit that I am not having one every afternoon like I used to. 

But they are still my absolute favorite way to sneak in some extra leafy greens for myself and for baby girl.  Seriously you all- she sucks them down like they are the best thing ever.

Like she would have a green smoothie over an Oreo almost any afternoon.

I will take that any day. ;)

Blackberry Lemon Almond-Oat Bars

These Blackberry Lemon Almond-Oat Bars are just like your favorite blackberry crisp but in a deliciously plate-free/fork-free form...

**Updated with new photos 8/1/16.

I am coming at you all today with another delicious dessert recipe perfect for Mother's Day weekend.  These Blackberry Lemon Almond-Oat Bars are sweet with a hint of tart lemon. They are just like your favorite blackberry crisp but in a deliciously plate-free/fork-free form.

Blackberry season always evokes for me memories of my childhood picking wild blackberries with my mother and grandmother.  We would dress in long sleeves and pants (even in the heat of summer) and drive out to a spot that my grandmother had been told of. Then we would spend hours picking the sweet, juicy blackberries off the bushes into our buckets.

Okay, so not all of them actually made it into my bucket.... and my purple hued teeth and tongue may have given me away at times. ;)

But I have fond memories of foraging for the perfectly sweet ripe blackberries growing along the hillsides and thickets of my wild and wonderful West Virginia.

Those berry picking trips would result in pints of homemade blackberry jam from my grandmother and my mother's homemade blackberry pies which we all clamored for.   

Creamy Summer Fruit Pizzas

Topped with creamy ricotta & mascarpone cheeses, juicy peaches, & sweet blackberries, these sweet & savory personal sized pizzas are perfect for summertime...

This delicious recipe was created in partnership with the ADA Mideast. As always, all thoughts & opinions expressed below are 100% my own.

"Summer, summer, summertime... Time to sit back and unwind." Okay, I know, I know. It isn't quite officially summertime yet. We are still 19 days away from that. 

But it certainly feels like summertime around here already. Temperatures have been in the balmy 80's most of this week, and my oldest's summer break from school started this past weekend. So for all intents and purposes, let's just say that summer has indeed arrived, k? ;)

Aside from the warmer weather and evenings around the fire pit, I most look forward to summertime for the flavors of the season. 

Sweet, juicy fruits and berries come into season. My basil plant overflows with bright green, fragrant leaves. And my mind starts spinning with delicious recipe ideas inspired by the sweet, fresh flavors of summer. 

These Creamy Summer Fruit Pizzas are the very embodiment of my love for perfectly ripe summer peaches and juicy blackberries. When they are paired with creamy ricotta & rich mascarpone cheeses and a little fresh basil, the end result is delicious, no fuss pizzas perfect for summertime...

Blackberries & Cream Biscuits

Sweet summer berries are the star of the show in these simple & easy to make Blackberries & Cream Biscuits...

My youngest just may have started the first grade last week. And my oldest may have moved into his dorm room this past weekend to start his sophomore year of college, but I am not throwing in the towel on summer just quite yet, folks. I mean, technically it is still summer until September 22nd- am I right? ;)

I am sure you all have already seen the pumpkin recipes starting to creep in all over Facebook lately. And while I am probably the biggest fan of fall that you will ever meet, I am not quite ready for all the pumpkin things just yet. I most definitely will be, but not in mid AUGUST, you all. 

So, let's enjoy summertime just a little bit longer with these easy to make Blackberries & Cream Biscuits, shall we?

Super Berries Green Smoothie

This vitamin-packed Super Berries Green Smoothie is definitive proof that not all green smoothies necessarily have to be green...

Post updated 2/2/18- This vitamin-packed Super Berries Green Smoothie deserved some updated photos. I did leave one of the originals down below just so you all can see for yourself why this recipe so desperately needed a little face lift. ;)

My Super Berries Green Smoothie is definitive proof that not all green smoothies necessarily have to be green. I know that I have had more than one reader or follower tell me that they just can't get past the green color of green smoothies to enjoy them. Let me introduce this tasty solution to you all then! :)

It is a well noted fact in the medical and health community that berries of all kinds are super foods- rich in antioxidants and fiber, packed with Vitamin C, and they are also considered a "juicy food" meaning they contain mostly water, are filling, and are awesome for helping with weight loss. (If you want to read a little more on the health benefits of berries, Joy Bauer breaks it down by individual berry in her Health Benefits of Berries article.)

Cake Mix Strawberry Shortcakes

These easy-to-make Strawberry Shortcakes start with one of my favorite time-saving baking hacks- a boxed cake mix!

While I tend to make most of my recipes from scratch, I have also posted my fair share of recipes using one of my absolute favorite baking hacks- a simple boxed cake mix. I know that some people might consider using a boxed cake mix as "cheating", but I personally just find it to be a convenient shortcut that comes in handy if you are short on time or happen to not be the best at baking. 

For the most part, a boxed cake mix takes the guesswork out of making sure you have the right amount of flour, baking soda or baking powder (or both), salt, etc. And bonus? Cake mixes come in so many different varieties and flavors that they can easily be adapted to just about any recipe you would like to make!

I have used boxed cake mixes in everything from actual cakes (see my secret for making a boxed cake mix taste better than the bakery HERE) to pancakes and even cookies and muffins.

But today's recipe was my first time making a shortcake from a cake mix...

Pinspiration in the Kitchen- Rustic Strawberry Cake

Yes, this is the second strawberry studded recipe in my Pinspiration in the Kitchen series.  Yes, I just may LOVE summer strawberries.  (And I love even more how much cheaper they are once May and June has come along. ;) )

My newest pinspired recipe comes from the amazing kitchen of Martha Stewart.  When I read the ingredients and the directions for her Rustic Strawberry Cake, I seriously asked myself, "Is that it??".  I literally only had to buy the strawberries to make this.  Everything else I already had on hand in my pantry.  Click here for the recipe.

This cake came together incredibly easily.  I think it maybe took me 15 minutes to whip up the cake batter, cut the strawberries, and put it all into the pan.  (I used a cake pan instead of a pie plate.  I still haven't found my pie pans in the unpacking of the house. ;) )  The cake was a HUGE hit with my family.  My son even had 2 pieces after dinner the other evening!  I served it topped with whipped topping.  The great thing about this cake is that it would also be delicious made with raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries (or how about a combination of berries?).  This is going to become a staple in our house all throughout berry season. ;)

To go directly to this pin for repinning, click here: http://pinterest.com/pin/203295370649720080/

Green Smoothie Week {Win a Smoothie Blender For You & One For a Friend!}

If you happen to follow me on Instagram, you have to be well aware by now of my obsession with concocting and making new green smoothie recipes.  I am pretty sure I post at least two photos of tasty frozen smoothies on there every week.  And I have had several requests for the recipes.  ;)

Well, guess what??  I am going to share them all with my readers this week during my Green Smoothie Week on the blog!  And not only will I be sharing FIVE new green smoothie recipes with you, but myself and a few of my blogger friends are giving you all the chance to win two of my favorite blender for smoothies- one for you and one to give to a friend! :) I really do love this blender! The blender cups are the perfect smoothie portion so you can just unscrew the cap off, pop a straw in, and enjoy.  And it is a powerful blender- no worries about little pieces of spinach or kale showing up in your green smoothies. 

Charcuterie Made Easy with Platterful

 Platterful takes the guesswork out of creating the perfect charcuterie board, thus saving you so much time and effort. From the artisan meats to the unique cheeses to the accompaniments, their charcuterie kits are thoughtfully paired and curated.

This post was created in partnership with Platterful. As always, all opinions & thoughts expressed below are 100% my own.

Over the past few years or so, putting together tasty and somewhat epic charcuterie boards has kind of been my thing. Whether to provide a little light snacking before a holiday dinner or for family game night, a wine night-in with the girls, or even for dinner itself (aka, what the members of my family like to refer to as a "snacky" dinner), charcuterie probably happens at least once a month in my house.

I really do enjoy building the perfect meat & cheese board, but if I am being perfectly honest the shopping for each board can get expensive at times and somewhat time-consuming. I roam the cheese section at my store looking for new ones to try or for the perfect cheese to pair with a particular cured meat or jarred spread. 

For those of us short on time (or patience), we may just grab whatever at the cheese counter. And as a result, we may often end up with boards that may be tasty, but are probably not paired very well. 

Co-Hosting the Fabulous Mom's Test Meal Monday Party Election Style!

It's that time again y'all.  We've made it to another Monday.  I'm so glad y'all are back joining me for another week of Mom's Test Meal Mondays!!

Since tomorrow is Election Day, we are going to celebrate America this week!  With everything this country & the Northeast has been through this past week, I think taking a few minutes to remember what we love most about this great land is a pretty good thing!  So lets bring out our favorite red, white & blue dishes and have us a party!!

My friend & co-host Carrie from Frugal Foodie Mama has brought an amazing dessert that I know y'all are going to love!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello all! I am Carrie and I blog over at Frugal Foodie Mama about my life as a stay-at-home mom to a baby and a teenager, my family's journey to become a little more eco-responsible everyday, and how I still manage to stay a foodie on our one income budget.  Please stop on over and say hi! 

Blog~Facebook~Twitter~Pinterest

Tomorrow is a big day in this country.  Remember to get out there and vote because the only wasted vote is the vote that is never cast, my friends.  

In honor of the upcoming Election Day, I am sharing my recipe with you all for my Red, White, & Berry Cupcakes.  Now you could make this real fun and make half the batch with red raspberries and half the batch with blueberries, or you could just leave them bipartisan.  ;)

So what will you need to make these?

1 box of white cake mix

1 cup of raspberries

1 cup of blueberries (or blackberries)

2-3 tbsp of sugar

Your favorite white frosting recipe (or you can make it even easier & used canned frosting)

Mix the cake mix according to the directions on the box.  I reduced the water by 1/4 cup since I knew the berries would be adding moisture to the batter.  

Next, mix your berries together in a small bowl with 2-3 tbsp of sugar.  You can use either fresh or frozen berries.  I actually used frozen raspberries and fresh blueberries since it is what I had on hand. 

Mix the berries into the cake batter and then using a small measuring cup, fill your cupcake liners in a muffin tin about 2/3 full each with batter.  Bake according to the directions on the box for cupcakes.

Once baked, let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.  Whip up your favorite vanilla or buttercream frosting (just make sure it is white!). I figured that since I used the cake mix shortcut for the cupcakes that I would at least make a frosting from scratch. ;)  I used a cupcake frosting recipe from the blog, Natasha's Kitchen.  Click here for the recipe.  I divided the frosting into 3 bowls, using food coloring to dye one bowl blue, one red, and left the third one white.  

I admit it- I don't use fancy pastry bags for my icing.  I use a plain old gallon sized food storage bag with a bottom corner snipped off and then just slip my icing tip into the snipped off corner.  I literally just spooned each color icing into the bag side by side, but if you would like to the colors to stay more separate you could put each color into quart sized storage bags with snipped corners, and then set those bags down inside the larger gallon sized bag.  I kind of like the tie-dyed effect I got by just letting the colors mix and mingle. ;)

Just frost your cupcakes and then decorate however you see fit (Or not all, if you prefer. The frosting is pretty enough!).  You may have a hard time finding the star shaped marshmallows this time of year.  I originally first made these cupcakes for the 4th of July.  But I am sure it would not be too difficult to find some American flag toothpicks to adorn them.  ;)

Red, White, & Berry Cupcakes!

Happy Election Day 2012!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So now let's party!

Remember this week's theme is Patriotic Recipes.

The party is open to any and all of your favorite recipes, but only recipes that fit the theme will be featured at the end of the week. :)

Just the reminders:

• Myself & Carrie would love to have you as new friends!! Please take a minute to follow us both via GFC, Twitter, FB, or any other social media you prefer
• You are welcome to link up any recipe you like but only recipes that are consistent with the week's theme will be featured at the end of the week.
• Please feel free to grab the button in the sidebar or add a direct link back to the week's party that you are linking up to
• And finally, go make some new friends ~ spend a few minutes checking out some other recipes that you might want to try out yourself & comment! Everyone loves comments!!
• Please note that by linking up you are giving permission to use the photos along with a link back to your post in the Mom's Test Meal Mondays Features post & on Mom's Test Kitchen's Social Media Networks

And remember, if anyone is interested in being a co-host for Mom's Test Meal Mondays, please email me at momstestkitchen (at) yahoo (dot) com! I'd love to have you!

Tweet

PB&J Green Smoothie

Enjoy all the deliciousness of a peanut butter & jelly sandwich in this creamy & healthy PB&J Green Smoothie...

Post updated 1/23/18- This creamy PB&J Green Smoothie deserved some updated photos. I did leave one of the originals down below just so you all can see for yourself why this recipe so desperately needed a little face lift. ;)

This PB&J Green Smoothie is another one that will probably go down well with the kiddos.  

Who I am kidding?  It goes down pretty well with the grown-ups too. ;)

I use natural creamy peanut butter in mine and usually strawberries since strawberry jam is my spread of choice for my PB&J's, but I have been known to throw some blackberries in there instead.

Red, Light, & Berry Dessert Dip

With just 4 simple ingredients, you can make this light & fruity three-layered dessert dip in minutes. And it just happens to have a natural color palette of red, white, & blue- perfect for the Fourth of July...

Need a last minute sweet treat for a Fourth of July barbecue or get-together this weekend?

I know it is tempting to just run into the bakery of your local grocery store and pick up some ready made red, white, and blue cupcakes or cookies, but just hold up for a sec. ;)

Because I have a super easy & quick dessert dip for you that you can literally whip in under 15 minutes.

Yes, folks. Fifteen minutes. But probably less.

And bonus? It is low fat and low calorie! No need to wreck the healthy eating and sweating you have been doing at the gym for swimsuit season in just one weekend. :)

Fresh berries, nonfat vanilla yogurt, and light whipped topping combine to make this super simple layered dessert dip....

Red, White, & Berry Cupcakes

Just in time for any Independence festivities you may have planned for this weekend (and if you are quick, even this evening!)- Red, White, & Berry Cupcakes!  These cupcakes are super easy and come together quickly. Well, mainly because I cheated and used a boxed cake mix.  ;)
So what will you need to make these?

1 box of white cake mix
1 cup of raspberries
1 cup of blueberries (or blackberries)
2-3 tbsp of sugar
Your favorite white frosting recipe (or you can make it even easier & used canned frosting)

Mix the cake mix according to the directions on the box.  I reduced the water by 1/4 cup since I knew the berries would be adding moisture to the batter.  
Next, mix your berries together in a small bowl with 2-3 tbsp of sugar.  You can use either fresh or frozen berries.  I actually used frozen raspberries and fresh blueberries since it is what I had on hand. 

Mix the berries into the cake batter and then using a small measuring cup, fill your cupcake liners in a muffin tin about 2/3 full each with batter.  Bake according to the directions on the box for cupcakes.

Once baked, let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.  Whip up your favorite vanilla or buttercream frosting (just make sure it is white!). I figured that since I used the cake mix shortcut for the cupcakes that I would at least make a frosting from scratch. ;)  I used a cupcake frosting recipe from the blog, Natasha's Kitchen.  Click here for the recipe.  I divided the frosting into 3 bowls, using food coloring to dye one bowl blue, one red, and left the third one white.  

I admit it- I don't use fancy pastry bags for my icing.  I use a plain old gallon sized food storage bag with a bottom corner snipped off and then just slip my icing tip into the snipped off corner.  I literally just spooned each color icing into the bag side by side, but if you would like to the colors to stay more separate you could put each color into quart sized storage bags with snipped corners, and then set those bags down inside the larger gallon sized bag.  I kind of like the tie-dyed effect I got by just letting the colors mix and mingle. ;)

Just frost your cupcakes and then decorate however you see fit (Or not all, if you prefer. The frosting is pretty enough!).  I used some red, white, & blue star-shaped marshmallows and some red and white pinwheel party picks I found in the dollar section at Target.  

Red, White, & Berry Cupcakes!

Happy 4th of July!

Small Batch Blueberry Muffins

 These Small Batch Blueberry Muffins are perfect to bake up when you don't need an entire dozen of muffins in the house. They are nice & moist thanks to the addition of creamy Greek yogurt and are bursting with fresh blueberry flavor...

This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them helps support this website.

So I know that summer is on the exit and that the fall season is just about to arrive, but I had to sneak in just one last summer-inspired recipe this year before we dive head first into all things pumpkin spice and apple. ;) 

One thing that we have not been in short supply of this past summer was local blueberries at our weekly farmers market. And one of my absolute favorite things to make with fresh blueberries is homemade blueberry muffins.

The problem is that most recipes I have come across online make a dozen or more muffins. But since it is now just my daughter and I at home together most weeks, we can rarely get through an entire dozen of muffins between the two of us before they go stale no matter how amazingly delicious they may be. Cue my mission to come up with the perfect small batch blueberry muffin recipe!

Double Berry Tea Smoothie

This Double Berry Tea Smoothie combines your favorite berry flavored tea & frozen berries to make a delicious low calorie frosty treat...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Equal®. As always, the opinions and text expressed below are 100% my own.

The weather has really started to warm up around here, and it seems like I am suddenly realizing that the season of shorts, cute summer dresses, and swimsuits is right around the corner. (Please tell me I am not the only one who is panicking just a little over this. ;) ) 

We literally went from one weekend of temperatures in the 30's with 2 inches of snow on the ground to the next weekend being sunny with temps hitting over 70 degrees! 





So now that I am realizing that soon I won't be able to hide the extra "padding" I have acquired over winter inside my big comfy sweaters anymore, I have been making a few changes to my diet and to my exercise routine. And yes, I end up doing pretty much this exact same thing every. single. spring.





One change that I am making right now is cutting back on calories by making little swaps here and there. A glass of iced water with a squeeze of lemon instead of pop. A piece of fruit instead of a cookie. And swapping my usual sugar in my morning coffee, evening tea, and smoothies with 0-calorie Equal® packets. 





One of my favorite ways to get in my servings of fruit a day and stay cool as the temperatures start to get warmer is with a refreshing, frosty smoothie. This Double Berry Tea Smoothie combines your favorite berry flavored tea & frozen berries to make a delicious low calorie frosty treat...