Busy Brunette Bakerista

Back when we lived in Kirkland, Washington, just outside Seattle, I had just given birth to my twins and I was living on only four hours sleep, sandwiches, and lots of late-night television. We had a wonderful support group of "Moms of Multiples" who provided home-cooked meals to us new moms of twins.  I had a crazy night of no sleep and was looking to heat a frozen pizza when a wonderful mother of four (two of whom were twins) brought over this delicious, sweet and sour chicken dinner for my husband and me. I literally cried and thanked her so much. Her name was Madonna, I’m totally serious, and the most loving woman I had met. Later, every time one of my friends or co-workers had a baby, I would make this dish and bring it over. This recipe can be doubled easily for a bigger crowd and is very easy to make. Madonna’s Hawaiian Chicken 4 chicken breasts or 6 chicken thighs 1 medium sweet onion, chopped 3 T. butter 1 (14oz.) bottle of ketc

My son loves cheesecake in just about any type of dessert. So when I accidentally defrosted a frozen cheesecake by microwaving it for too long, I ended up with a lot of “cheesecake dough” and this recipe was born! I wrapped the soften cake around a sliced strawberry, rolled it in mini chocolate chips, and voila! Oh and by the way… this is a totally messy recipe so I warned you. Chilled Cheesecake Berry Balls ·           1 frozen cheesecake ·             1 carton of strawberries ·             1 ½ to 2 cups mini semi-sweet  chocolate chips Slice up strawberries into small chunks, about four pieces per berry. Set aside. Defrost your store-bought cheesecake according to instructions on the box so you can work with the cake with your hands.  Scoop out a small ball of cake using a cookie dough scoop or mini ice cream scoop. Place a piece of berry in the middle and cover with more cheesecake. Using your hands, carefully roll or pat dough into

“What would Carol Brady do?” Yes, grocery stores still have butchers – the people in white lab coats, little white hats, and long red aprons. If you saw the movie Patch Adams  you’d know that they bear a strong resemblance to actual doctors. Anyway, your butcher can be your best friend at the grocery store. If you need a particular cut of meat, ask the butcher first. Usually the meat in the “meat case” is a little cheaper since it’s not packaged already, and it’s also fresh.  Check what’s on sale and look for specially prepared meats for dinner. So when you need meat for a recipe ask yourself, “What would  Carol Brady   Do?” Well, she’d send Alice the housekeeper, to see Sam the butcher and get more meat for her six children and quirky husband. I mean, how did she cook in that tiny kitchen when the front living room was so huge?  If Mr. Brady truly was an architect, he’d have  Extreme Makeover: Home Edition  come to the house and finally give those kids one more bathroo

My daughter loves the combination of chocolate and butterscotch so thus the name…choc-erscotch! This fudge comes out very gooey so make sure you chill it long enough in the fridge. You can also substitute the chips with peanut butter chips...yummy. Chocerscotch Fudge ·               2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips ·               1 can of sweetened condensed milk ·               1 t. vanilla extract ·              dash of salt ·              1 cup of butterscotch chips (or peanut butter chips) Place chocolate chips in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until chips are melted, stirring about every 30 seconds. Pour in condensed milk and add vanilla, salt, and butterscotch chips. Stir until mixed well.  Pour into a 8” x 8” x 2” baking pan lined with parchment paper. Chill in refrigerator for at least two hours.  Lift out of pan and place on cutting board. Slice with a knife and cut into small squares. Eat and enjoy

I use this recipe probably every week , and that’s no joke! I've shared them with my kids' teachers, coaches, office co-workers, friends, neighbors, etc. You can buy mixes on sale for as little as 99¢ a box. The secret is…chocolate milk! Easy Breezy Chocolate Brownies (shhh...from a Mix) Following the recipe on the brownie mix package with these alterations: Replace the water measurement with chocolate milk . If you don’t have chocolate milk, you can use a powder mix or syrup and add it to whole milk (see my photo above). After you spread the mixture into the pan, top off with semi-sweet chocolate chips (or you can get real crazy and use peanut butter or butterscotch chips). The slight changes will make the biggest difference and they will taste like they were made totally from scratch! (www.busybrunettebakerista.com)