Chocolate Balsamic Coconut Macaroons

Today we have coconut macaroons on the blog, because who doesn't love macaroons, right?  I happen to be a really big fan of these chewy little bites, and I love them even more when they're studded with tiny chocolate chips and a touch of balsamic.  As good as that sounds, that's actually not the true reason why I made macaroons this past weekend.  The true reason I made them, is because they're gluten-free.

Now, I don't have an intolerance to gluten (thankfully), but more and more people are developing an intolerance as time goes on.  My mom seems to be one of them.  Due to other various health issues (not Celiac's), my mom has chosen to eliminate gluten (and possibly dairy) from her diet, and it's made a world of difference.  Simply eliminating foods with gluten has done wonders for my mom in just a few days, and she says she's feeling so much better now that she's avoiding bread and pasta.  Unfortunately, it also means she will have to avoid almost everything that I bake for this little blog.

Coconut Sheet Cake

Over the weekend, I had a sudden desire for something fluffy and light and pretty.  I think it may have had something to do with my craving for an intense chocolate ice cream, a craving that I finally managed to satisfy more than I thought possible.  I knew that the answer to my fluffy dilemma could be easily resolved with cake, the only other thing that can even come close to matching my infatuation with ice cream.  

And when I say cake, you should know that I mean cakes of the simple kind, the kind that I can whip up, bake, and be eating as soon as it's cooled down.  I mean, I love assembling and attempting to beautifully frost a giant layer cake as much as the next person, but I'm typically much too impatient for that kind of behavior.  I like immediate rewards when it comes to baking, which is why I love a good, simple cake.  Easy yogurt cakes, bundt cakes, loaf cakes, snack cakes, cakes with just a sprinkling of powdered sugar- those are the cakes I crave.  So this past weekend, I figured it was high time to make another simple, easy cake.  As for flavor, I decided to borrow elements from a not-simple-layer-layer cake that I've been meaning to make for a long time but always end up choosing to make something a little less involved.  

Coconut. 

Trail Mix Cookies

How many of you guys are going camping this summer? Or hiking?  Or both? Or going out and exploring nature for hours and hours?  If you have these kinds of plans, you'll need to refuel at some point, and I have the perfect camping/hiking/nature-exploring snack for you.  These trail mix cookies are IT.  They're the perfect portable and cute little snack that you can munch on while doing all kinds of nature-type things, I think.  I'm not a camping kind of gal, but if I did go camping, or hiking, or nature exploring, these are the cookies I would bring. However, since that type of activity is not happening any time soon, I will settle for making a batch of these cookies and eating them while sitting on a blanket in my backyard, or maybe, if I want to get really crazy, while sitting on a blanket in the park.  Eating homemade cookies in the grass in the middle of the suburbs is my way of bonding with nature, and that's ok.

While I may not be the first to sign up for a hiking trip, I have eaten my fair share of trail mix and granola, and I think it's an understatement to say that I like both.  I mean, I haven't met anyone who doesn't like trail mix, because what's not to like about it?  There's M&M's, and nuts, and dried fruit, and all kinds of delicious things mixed up inside a single package.  Trail mix is something I can easily pick at without realizing how much I've actually eaten, so it's a dangerous snack.  Before I even realize it, the whole bag is gone, and I'm left alone, with a stomach ache, and without any trail mix.  In some instances, I'll only like a handful of the things mixed into the trail mix, so I'll pick at what I like and leave what I don't like behind.  Trail mix is just too addicting. 

Toasted Coconut Shortbread Hearts

It's finally Wednesday, meaning that we're almost at the weekend!  Finally!  My weekend plans include tuning in for the season premiere of Orange is the New Black on Friday (!!!) and heading over to Governor's Ball on Saturday for a day full of awesome music and awesome food.  I only got into watching Orange a few weeks ago, and as soon as I finished the first episode, my TV-binge watching spree began.  Thankfully, my GRE was already over with, so I had nothing holding me back from watching the show in its entirety.  I'm so excited to see what happens on Friday!  Perhaps more exciting is Gov Ball on Saturday- the line up on Saturday has a few of my favorite bands, but what I'm secretly extra excited for are the food trucks that will be there as well (it's the foodie in me...).  Some of my favorite trucks will be there, like Cool Haus and Korilla Barbecue, and some of my favorite restaurants and quick bite places will also be there (hellooo Pommes Frites!).  There's something about food trucks that I just love- they're casual, inventive and creative, and pretty much always will guarantee a delicious meal.  

While I love simple and casual fare, I also love when things look and taste refined and delicate.  Sometimes I want an overload of flavors in whatever I'm eating, and I want it to be the kind of meal where I will end up questioning myself for having it.  Other times, I need something simple, straightforward and delicious.  These Toasted Coconut Shortbread Hearts are just one small example of something straightforward, uncomplicated, and truly delicious (best segue ever, right?).

Mini Coconut Macaroon Tartlets

Happy Spring everyone!  The season that seemed like it was never going to arrive finally has, and it was about time.  At least, I think it has.  It might be spring on paper, technically speaking, yet I'm still wearing a coat and scarf every time I go outside, and there's supposedly snow coming today at some point.  While the weather seems to have missed the memo about the change of season, I definitely haven't.  I'm fully ready to embrace spring!  I love spring, as I'm sure most people who don't like the winter do.  It's such a refreshing change from cold dreary days.  Now that it's spring, I'm getting excited about churning out lovely spring recipes that are simple, refreshing, fluffy, light, cute, pink, tart, lemony, berry-filled, etc, etc.

For my first spring celebratory recipe, I've made a super simple dessert featuring coconut, lemon, and blackberry. This perfectly spring-inspired flavor profile all comes together in these super adorable Mini Coconut Macaroon Tartlets.  Aren't they cute?!  I took a basic coconut macaroon recipe, which happens to be one of my favorite coconut treats, and used it to create little tartlet shells, which I then filled with lemon curd and topped with a fresh blackberry.  They're simple and infinitely adaptable, which makes them a great idea for springtime get-togethers. This recipe is being featured today on the Make and Takes blog, so head on over there for the full recipe and more photos!

Chocolate Coconut Almond Revel Bars & a Hershey's Spreadable Chocolate GIVEAWAY!

Oh jeez, we're barely into 2014, we just finished baking up a storm of holiday cookies only a few weeks ago, and here I am bringing you MORE cookies?  I know, I can barely believe it myself.  As soon as Christmas ended I promised myself that I would take a long detox from cookie baking for a while, as I was seriously all cookied-out. I don't really know how many dozens of cookies I made, but just trust me when I say that it was a lot.  Because of that, I'm just as surprised as you are that I'm already posting a brand new bar cookie recipe.  At least this new cookie addition to the blog is a really, really, really good one.  Here's a quick summary of the ingredients: coconut + oats + HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE ALMOND SPREAD.

Yeah baby.

Now that we're in part three of my Hershey's Chocolate Spreads exploration, you may have picked up on the fact that out of the three flavors, the Chocolate-Almond spread is my favorite.  I won't go into all the reasons why in this post (just go here and here if you need your memory refreshed!), because there are other more important things to discuss, like these Chocolate Coconut Almond Revel Bars.  I loved snacking on all the spreads and using them as dips, but when the time came to actually incorporate the spreads in a real recipe, I was a bit lost. Lost in a good way, I mean.  I just had too many ideas and narrowing them down to one really great idea seemed impossible.  I was torn between swirling the spreads into waffles and ice cream, or creating an intense chocolate Bundt cake with a molten chocolate center, among others.  All that changed once I stumbled upon a confection known as a "revel bar."  I'd never heard of a revel bar until a few days ago, but I instantly knew they would be a bar cookie that I would love.  A revel bar is basically oatmeal cookie dough sandwiching a middle layer of chocolatey fudge.  Sounds too good to be true, right?  As soon as I discovered revel bars, the foodie gears in my brain started turning and I just knew this was what I had to make. 

Coconut-Lime Cake

What a strange summer this has been.  Not so much in terms of things that have happened, but more in terms of how weird the weather has been this summer, in New York, at least.  I remember doing my usual weather complaining in a post way back in June, where I said that I couldn't believe I had worn a leather jacket and boots to work for a couple of days in June.  Then, out of nowhere, there was a ridiculous heat wave that passed through, and once again, I complained that I was constantly feeling nasty after being outside for a mere five minutes.  And now, we're back to that strange June weather, where it's only about 75 degrees, humid, muggy, and kind of dreary.  Seriously, what is this?  I feel like this has been a relatively blah summer, weather-wise.  There's been too many days with gray skies, too many days where I've had to wear a jacket to work, and too many summer rain showers.  This, and the fact that summer is essentially almost over, is making me feel sad.  Just plain sad. 

I feel like I didn't do enough "summer things" to counteract the less than perfect summer weather.  Can you believe it's the middle of August and I haven't been to the beach yet?  Neither can I.  I'm still as white as always (ugh).  Can you believe that I haven't had an authentic grilled s'more yet?  My frozen s'mores ice cream sandwiches were pretty darn good, but I still want to experience the satisfaction of blowing out a flame-engulfed marshmallow.  Can you believe that I have yet to picnic outside, or enjoy a freshly made lobster roll?  Can you believe that the one thing that assures me that summer has actually happened, despite how it's been a little lackluster, is the fact that I manage to get attacked by mosquitoes every time I step outside of my house?  Can you believe it's currently 65 degrees today in NYC, in the middle of August? Ugh.

Homemade Samoas

Let's start this post off by me saying that I was never a Girl Scout when I was little, and I could probably count my experiences with actual, real-life Girl Scout cookies on one hand. Yep.  I'm a deprived human being, I know. I think Thin Mints and Samoas are the only Girl Scout cookies I've ever tried, but from what I've gathered, they're also the most popular, so I guess what counts is that I can vouch for the two most popular cookies. They are deeeeliiiciouss.  

Given that I have little first-hand experience with eating Girl Scout cookies, it's pretty obvious that I also have little experience with the actual selling of the cookies too.  This is actually just fine, because if there was one thing I HATED having to do when I was little/in high school was go around selling things for fundraisers.  I was a shy and awkward kid, and I transitioned into an equally shy and awkward teenager, so going up to people, even if I knew them, to ask if they wanted to buy whatever I was selling seemed like some sort of really cruel punishment.  Funny story time- the symphonic band I was in in high school always had one thing or another to fundraise for (the two biggest fundraisers we held were for a commission by a Juliard-trained composer and for a performance we were playing in at Carnegie Hall...big stuff!), and the method of choice for raising money was selling chocolate bars.  This was a terrible thing for me, because not only was I a shy and awkward teen at the time, but I was (and obviously still am) a major chocolate fiend.  Guess who ended up buying most of the chocolate bars I was in charge of selling?  If you guessed me, you are correct! But anyway, I digress.  Back to TOTALLY DIY, HOMEMADE SAMOAS.

This is exciting stuff, so get ready.

Piña Colada Milkshake

The weather is finally starting to cool down, and it feels like fall is just around the corner (it technically already is, but now it actually feels like it).  With only a week left until the change of season becomes completely official, I've gotta say that I'm super excited.  Fall is without a doubt my favorite season, and fall in New York is just amazing.  Gotta love the changing colors of all the leaves!  

That's not to say that I don't love summer too, or any of the other seasons.  Fall just happens to be the best one I think.  However, with only a week of summer left, I figured it was necessary to make one last summer-related post, and a milkshake was definitely the way to go.  Now that my schedule is a little busier since classes are picking up, milkshakes are the perfect way to enjoy something special without having to invest a lot of time into making it.  Not to mention that I just love milkshakes in general, so really, I think any time is perfect for a milkshake!

White Chocolate Super Chunk Cookies

Finally, it's Friday, and I have successfully completed my first full week of work at my new internship.  I've been much busier this week, in comparison to the past couple of weeks, as I've had to stick to a new schedule of waking up early for my hour and a half commute to work, working from 9-5, commuting back, and working out at night.  It's been kind of nice actually; I feel like I've been much more productive and I've been able to stick to a really consistent exercise plan, which has been really great.  As fantastic as having a really structured day is, I'm definitely excited that it's the weekend!

I can't wait to get to sleep in a little tomorrow, but come on, let's be serious.  I still have a lot of things to this weekend. Waking up at 9 am may not seem very late, but it's definitely a lot better than 6:30 am at least! There are just too many things that need to be done this weekend; after allI, I do have a blog to fill with sweet treats! Until that happens though...

Cranberry Almond Coconut Macaroons

I'm not Jewish, but I've always looked forward to Passover.  That may sound like a weird sentence, but it's true, and it totally makes sense.  I'm being serious.  Passover always meant that the bakery department in my supermarket would begin to get shipments of all sort of varieties of coconut macaroons.  Some were plain, some had chocolate, some had nuts, and others were covered in chocolate. They were all delicious.  I don't know why, but there's just something about coconut macaroons that I just find delicious.  So whenever Passover came around, I knew that coconut macaroons would soon follow...and so would my purchases of these tiny, yummy cookies.   

Mango "Colada" Muffins

We were pretty lucky this season. At least in New York, towards the tristate area, since that is the only area of the country that I can speak of with any sort of authority and credibility.  We had quite a lovely winter.  I'm serious.  The weather was surprisingly warm (I mean, "warm"), and snowfall?  Non-existant. Maybe this global warming thing isn't so bad...okok, I'm kidding. Let's not get into the whole global warming things right now.  It's too political and to be frank, I am not the least bit interested in discussing politics at 9 am on a Friday morning...or most of the time for that matter, to be perfectly honest.  I just hate having to trudge around the Columbia campus and New York City for the most part when the ground is covered in a nasty, gray blanket of "wintery-mix"...you know, that blend of sleet and snow and rain that just ends up getting super dirty on the ground...ew.  Just ew.  HOWEVER...we didn't have any of that at all this winter! Save for that really random snowfall we got on Halloween weekend, New York City was completely devoid from winter snow.  That's my kind of winter!

Manco "Colada" muffins.  I put "colada" in quotes because there's no alcohol in these muffins, which only makes sense I think.  Booze is totally alright in cupcakes, but in muffins?  Nah, that just sounds kinda strange to me I think.  But anyway.  I actually made these muffins a couple of weeks ago, while I was still at home during winter break, obviously in denial that it was actually still "winter," and I wanted to make something that reminded me of spring or even better, of summer!  Sounds like a totally legit reason to bake up some mango "colada" muffins in the middle of January right?  There was also the fact that my mom came home one day with a giant cardboard box containing something like...ten mangos.  

"Surprise! Here you go, make something with mangos!" 

"Uhhh, sure mom, ok!"