Cinnamon bun casserole

This cinnamon bun casserole was among many of the dishes that Tim and I cooked for my family Saturday morning.  This one seemed to be the fan favorite!

Ingredients:

• Baking spray for your 11x7 pan
• 2 cans of cinnamon rolls with icing
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• Maple syrup (if you want, it's delicious without it)

Directions:

• Heat your oven to 375 degrees and spray your pan
• Open both cans of rolls and begin pulling the rolls apart to make smaller pieces, place in dish
• In a bowl, mix together eggs, cream, cinnamon and vanilla
• Gently pour this mixture over the pieces so that they are almost covered
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  I took mine out just at the 20 because I found that it cooked very quick, so keep an eye on them so that they do not burn
• Heat the icing in a microwavable bowl for 20 seconds and pour over casserole when you are ready to serve!

Enjoy! 

Happy Easter!

We hope everyone has a very blessed Easter!  Tim and I are with our respective families today but yesterday we cooked brunch for my family (recipe's to follow) and we went to Easter Vigil and had dessert with his!  During mass I got so excited watching the people receive full communion. I can't wait for next Sunday!

Enjoy your day's :)

-Ashley&Tim

Tie-dye Easter eggs!

Growing up I always thought people made their Easter eggs the way my family did.  As I got older, to my surprise, that wasn't the case.  I believe this tradition began with my grandfather along with a few other Easter favorites.  This year we had Tim and Steff (Ryan's girlfriend) over to do eggs and we had a blast.  We always compete to see who has the best egg and this year Ryan won without a doubt (his egg is the last picture.)  

If anyone is looking to change up how they do their Easter eggs, I've listed directions below!

Enjoy and Happy Easter!  I am off to cook Easter Eve brunch!

Directions:

• Purchase Paas Easter Egg Kit and follow the directions for vibrant colors on the back of the package
• Add a tablespoon of oil or more if you feel it is needed
• In between colors, wipe off with a paper towel!

So easy!

Delicious Blueberry Muffins

Is anyone planning on cooking brunch for Easter?  Whether you are or aren't this easy-to-make muffins can be changed to your liking (chocolate, strawberries, bananas, etc...) What I've created is an simple muffin base that can change depending on the day you want to eat them!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 milk (I always add a splash more but you really have to eye this one.  Don't let them get to watery, but don't let them be too dry)
• 1/2 tsp  vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups chopped blueberries (or something else if you'd prefer that)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray muffin pan to set aside.  You can either cook these in cupcake holders or without, it doesn't matter
• Mix butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl.  Add in egg and beat.
• Add flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl and mix.  Add in your milk and then vanilla.
• Gently stir in your choice of fruit (or chocolate)
• Sprinkle some sugar on top!
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean!

Enjoy!

Welcome Spring!

While most people are complaining that the first day of spring didn't bring warmer weather (it generally doesn't) I am excited nonetheless.  Just the idea of spring officially being here has me so excited. While I don't think I can pick a favorite season, I do enjoy being able to be outside comfortably, rather than freezing my ass off.

A couple of weeks ago I did a post on spring fashion and I thought today, in honor of the first day of spring, that it might be a nice time to revisit that and tell you all what my spring wishlist is!

1. I don't think I've ever owned a pair of cute wedges before and I would really like to buy a pair these season!  The ones above are from Target!  So cheap, so cute.
2. As much as I love a pretty spring dress, sometimes a skirt works just as best.  While Spring is generally about color I think a nice neutral from Old Navy would work just as well.
3. I have pretty sensitive skin, but I love a good face mask.  I am looking to add this one from Bath and Body Works to the collection.
4. I have owned this perfume from the Body Shop before and everyone loves it!  It's so light and beautiful, I can't wait to buy it again.
5. Lastly, a good trench coat.  We're back to Target for that!

So I think I'll stay indoors

It's gross today in the city.  After the snow/ice last night and what has turned into a misty rain, New York is just wet.  Slush is everywhere you walk, everyone is fighting for space on the sidewalk with their umbrellas (I refer to this as umbrella wars) and you have to stand far from the street in fear of being splashed by a car.  It's one of those days that I'd rather be home in the comfort of my bed than at work, but atleast I don't have to go outside today.  Atleast not until it is time to leave.   I find it so hard to believe that spring starts tomorrow and we are still having the cold temperatures that we are experiencing.  To raise my spirits I decided to paint my nails with one of the new shades off of Essie's spring line.  It is the best damn blue I have ever bought.  So bright and so fun!  It's absolutley raising my spirits on this crappy day.

It's slow in the office today, so there's that.  In other news, I'm still struggling with my weight loss.  I have been feeling extra self concious these days but I promise you all I have been sticking to the diet.  It's just rough and it doesn't help when you are dressing for awful weather.  There's nothing about myself right now that makes me feel pretty. 

Also, as a side note.  Thank you to all of you who are reading.  It makes this blog so enjoyable for me!!

The easiest buffalo chicken dip you'll ever make

When Tim and I started dating I remember asking him what his favorite foods were, just so I'd know and I'll never forget what he said.  Tim's favorite foods are buffalo chicken wings and cinnamon buns.  I thought it was the funniest thing but I never forgot it.  Over the last year I have made him countless dishes but he and I had always talked about finding the perfect buffalo chicken dip to make as a snack. We like to cook together but we also like when it's easy to do so we looked and looked and finally found something worth making!  We got the base of the recipe from my Aunt Rachel and have since just modified it for ourselves since we have made it a million times!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz of low fat cream cheese, soft
• 1/2 cup of blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing (I use low fat or fat free as well)
• 2 cans of canned chicken, drained
• 2 oz of cheese (any kind, I use mozzarella, part skim)
• 1/2-1 cup of hot sauce (start with a half and do this to taste)

You can always play around with how much of each ingredient you put into the dish.  Every dip we make tastes different.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a medium sized dish that can be heated in the oven, add the cream cheese and stir until smooth
• Mix in dressing, hot sauce and cheese
• Mix in the canned chicken
• Top with extra cheese
• Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling

iPhone update!

A bunch of pictures in one place from one iPhone!

On the search for the best cup of coffee

When Tim and I started dating we both realized we had an intense love for a cup of coffee.  I preferred a latte (decaf nowadays) while he preferred a coffee, generally with two creamers and 3 Splenda (depending on where it's from).  While coffee has grown on me in the past year (I like it just like Tim's, probably because I always drink half his cup of coffee anyway) I still am a latte lover on the search for the best one.

Whenever Tim and I are anywhere together we grab coffee, finding our favorite spots and our not so favorite spots.  We try every coffee shop we can find, even if it's a hole-in-the-wall sort of place.  This has become a past time of sorts.

So far our favorite's include:

1.  Comfort Zone Cafe in Hamburg, NY
This is our favorite place ever. We found it while we were visiting family. We were desperate to get some alone time and my grandparents sent us here for what was the best damn iced caramel latte I have ever freaking had. 
 
2.  Time to Eat Diner in Somerville, NJ
If you just want a cup of coffee to do with as you please, head here.  I know it isn't hard to mess up brewed coffee but some places still manage to do it.  Time to Eat gets it right every time.  It just tastes better then normal.  

 
3.  Panera Bread
I remain convinced that Panera Bread makes a better caramel latte then it's Starbucks/Dunkin counterparts.  It's great. Go get one. 
 
4.  Starbucks
I'll always be a sucker for Starbucks.  Grande, skinny, decaf, soy, caramel macchiato please :)

5.  Tim Hortons, upstate NY/Canada region (or Penn Station ;p)
Tim Hortons in wonderful.  SO much better than a Dunkin'

6.  7 Eleven
If you want to make your own coffee, 7 Eleven has a huge variety of creamers and coffee options. Tim and I head here all the time. 

7.  Dunkin Donuts
Meh.  I get this only if I have too...

 

I know it's not coffee, but how cute?!  I did this for Tim once when he had a bad day.

Growing up

I spent the majority of my life wishing I was a grownup.  My mom has always said that I could have lived on my own from a very young age.  I've always been independent.  When I had a problem, I solved it.  No need to involve mom or dad.

This past year, my junior year of college, my family and I have started spending a lot of time discussing the future. Where will I live after school, what career will I have, how will we pay loans, etc... The closer it gets to my senior year the more I start to freak out.  Growing up is terrifying.

It still excites me, don't get me wrong.  I have so much to look forward too these next 2-3 years (transition time).  Tim and I hope to be married before 2016 which means everything to me.  It excites me.  I could have married him yesterday.  I feel like when you are in a committed relationship, getting older is harder on so many different levels.  For example, the subject of holiday's. 

Tim and I don't plan to really split holiday's until we are engaged, but after spending Thanksgiving and Christmas apart, we realized how much it sucked.  We missed each other horribly. So we set out to devise a plan for this Easter. 

This past Sunday Tim and I sat down and discussed Easter, and the holiday's to come both before we are married and after.  Towards the end of the conversation I just started to cry.  It felt so sad at the idea of not seeing my family on a holiday, but it is part of growing up.  It is part of being in a relationship.

Talking to my mom was hard.  She is currently suffering premature empty nest syndrome with my brother planning to go very far for college and I think reality is setting in.  Regardless, we didn't speak for two days and I quickly realized that growing up is tougher than I thought.  It's not just about jobs and money and places to live. It's about significant change. 

I welcome it with open arms because it means my life with Tim is starting, but it stings a bit. 

Cinnamon toast crunch cupcakes and the battle that ensued

It's no secret that I love to bake but sometimes I just shouldn't do it.  For example, last night I decided really late that I wanted to make Cinnamon Toast Crunch cupcakes!  I was baking them loosely off of a recipe but was also altering it based on my own experience and I was exhausted.  Well the first issue of the night was that I didn't have eggs.  That morning Tim and I used them to make the perfect sunny side up eggs (I'll post that recipe..so easy!) and I totally forgot to get more.  So I call my neighbor and solve my egg issue except for the fact that I bring them into my room and sit them in a basket until I need them.  We will return to the eggs momentarily.

So I start my batter and everything is going just fine, changing the recipe having a grand ol' time and I put in my baking powder.  Seemingly, all is well.  I return to my room to get the eggs and as I go to turn around one slid out of my hand, smacked the doorknob and cracked on my grey carpet.  Great.  I can't get the stain out by the way.

I put the cupcakes in the oven after scrubbing endlessly in hopes of getting the egg stain out of my rug and wait.  I generally am the type to check the oven a million times to see what the cupcake looks like but instead I just went about my business.

When the timer went off I was so excited because the kitchen smelt delish.  Well...to my surprise....I open the oven to find cupcake batter EVERYWHERE.  I exploded the cupcakes.

In utter shock I decided to reread my recipe and go over what I had done and realized that because I was tired and changing the recipe without paying attention...instead of putting 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder, I put 3/4 cup.  How on earth did that not register as odd?!  Who knows...but it was a mess!

This morning I woke up and tried again and with the right amount of baking powder they turned out great.  Recipe below!  Enjoy!

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• salt
• 1/2 milk (whole or skim, I use skim)
• 1/2 stick butter
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup +2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

The frosting is a simple butter cream frosting which you can find a recipe online for. I simply added some Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and cinnamon to the recipe.

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake pan to set aside
• In large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt
• In a small sauce pan on the stove, melt butter with the milk and set aside
• Using your electric mixer, mix in eggs, sugar and vanilla extract with the flour mixture you set aside earlier.  
• Once that is incorporated, add in the milk and butter and mix until all together
• Fill cupcake tins 3/4 of the way and bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean!

So easy!

A little bit of Italy right in New York City

Recently, I have taken up an obsession with Italy.  I don't know if it has something to do with a series of blog posts I recently read from my favorite blogger or if the travel bug that bit me in high school after my trip to Spain has shown back up and bit me again.  Regardless of the reason, I have become all sorts of obsessed with the beautiful country that is Italy.

The sad news is that I do not have the funds to send myself to Italy and lets face it...I would never go alone.  Tim and I will probably have kids by the time this trip is feasible...but hopefully not.  He isn't as infatuated as I am with the idea of Italy, but I don't think he'd oppose the trip if we could afford it.  So because I know that trip isn't at the tip of our fingers just yet I have been trying to find ways to bring Italy to us.

What I found was Eataly in NYC...which is probably my most favorite find since Tim. ;)

Last Thursday my mom, Tim and I were in the city to see a taping of The Chew (blog post on that to follow) and after watching people cook for an hour...we were starving.  I had found Eataly online not too long ago and have been dying to go since.  Tim and my mom were champs and let me drag them across town to 5th Ave. to experience this phenomenal food market/restaurant.

Basically Eataly is a food lovers dream.  It has everything you could need, equipped with a fully stocked market and nine different restaurants.

That day we ate at La Pizza & La Pasta and I had the best damn pasta I had ever eaten.

Ravioli filled with ricotta cheese, butternut squash and amaretto cookie. It was in a brown butter sauce.  UGH to DIE for.  

Seriously, if you are ever in the city and are near 5th ave...hell even if you aren't...GO THERE.