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Archives for May 2019

Triple Berry & Ancho Chile Sangria

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I’m going to be a bad influence and highly encourage you to do some day-drinking this weekend! Jeff and I have made several batches of this Triple Berry & Ancho Chile Sangria throughout the month of May. Let’s just say it has quickly become a favorite happy hour beverage around our house!

red wine being poured into a carafe that is filled with berries a small glass of cinnamon sticks sits on the far left by a bar spoon and fresh berries scattered around

This sangria recipe is super simple to throw together! It literally takes five minutes. That my friend is a win for all of us. I have a feeling this beverage will become a fast favorite for you as well. It’s the perfect pitcher cocktail that you can mix up in the morning and put in the fridge to chill for several hours. The flavors will be perfectly blended by happy hour. Spend your hours outside doing something fun this weekend, not standing in the kitchen!

red sangria being poured from a carafe into three glasses a white linen towel lays in the background strawberries blueberries and blackberries are scattered around the glasses on a marble counter

If you are saying to yourself “Ancho Chile? In Sangria? With Fruit?” Have no fear, I wouldn’t steer you wrong! Think of how yummy mango salsa is with its sweet and spicy notes. I kept walking past a bottle of Ancho Chile Liqueur in my local liquor store and was intrigued by it. A few weeks ago I bought a bottle and I’m so glad I did! We have been using it like crazy! It isn’t spicy hot, it adds a lovely warmth and body to all the cocktails we’ve been making with it. This is the brand of Ancho Chile Liqueur I used. If you know of another brand let me know in the comments, I’m curious to try new things!

three glasses filled with red sangria one glass is held by a female wearing purple nail polish with strawberries blueberries and blackberries scattered around a marble counter

Don’t skip adding the cinnamon stick to this Sangria. It adds a subtle spice that pairs beautifully with the sweet berries and the warmth of the Ancho Chile Liqueur.

Does this Sangria have any side effects?

A word of warning: If you enjoy eating the marinated fruit out of a pitcher of sangria the strawberries soak up the alcohol. Jeff kept eating them and exclaimed, “I love the fooht!” I’ll decipher that: I love the fruit! Yeah, we kind of had to remove the pitcher from the table at that point. Consider yourself warned! The “fooht” will get you! If you would like something to serve with this sangria, so you aren’t just eating “fooht,” I strongly recommended mixing up a batch of our Homemade Onion Dip. If you make both recipes, you’ve spent a total of ten minutes in the kitchen! Don’t you love that?

If you make this recipe and post it on Instagram, be sure to tag me in your photo. I’d love to see it! If you would like to receive our recipes via our newsletter, you can subscribe at the bottom of the page! Have a sunshine & sangria-filled weekend!

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red wine being poured into a carafe that is filled with berries a small glass of cinnamon sticks sits on the far left by a bar spoon and fresh berries scattered around

Triple Berry & Ancho Chile Sangria

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Heidi Clark
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 6 hours
  • Yield: 4 glasses 1x
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Description

This lively Triple Berry & Ancho Chile Sangria is like no other!  It’s fruity with a bit of warmth from the Ancho Chile Liqueur and just a hint of spice from a cinnamon stick.  Plus, we added three types of berries.  Our idea of the perfect way to fulfill a daily fruit serving!  

Scale

Ingredients

750 ml bottle dry red wine (I used Grenache)

1/3 cup Ancho Chile Liqueur

Four slices of orange quartered ( I used a Cara Cara orange)

1 cup sliced strawberries

1/2 cup blackberries

1/4 cup blueberries

One cinnamon stick (about 3″)

Club soda, for topping glasses

Instructions

Place quartered orange slices, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries in a large glass pitcher. Place the cinnamon stick on top.  Pour Ancho Chile Liqueur and red wine on top of the fruit.  Using a bar spoon, or a long-handled stirring utensil combine the ingredients.  Chill in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours.  When ready to serve, give the sangria a quick stir and divide among four glasses and top each with a splash of club soda, if desired.  Toast with your friends and enjoy!

Notes

You can use any dry red wine that you like. We chose Grenache because it tends to be a bit fruitier.  It has the perfect flavor profile for this sangria! No need to splurge on an expensive bottle of wine. Around the $10 price range will get you an excellent wine for this recipe!

If storing the sangria for longer than 8 hours, you may want to use a pair of tongs and remove the cinnamon stick.  I find the cinnamon flavor to be a bit overwhelming if left in the pitcher too long. If you don’t mind a more pronounced cinnamon flavor then no worries, leave it in!

You can find the Ancho Chile Liqueur at well-stocked liquor agencies.

  • Category: Cocktail
  • Method: Stirred
  • Cuisine: Spanish

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 glass

Keywords: Berry-Ancho-Chile-Sangria

Please note: I was not compensated for promoting the Ancho Chile Liqueur I used in this recipe. It was paid for with my own money. When I find something I love I want to share it!

Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake

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round blueberry coffee cake drizzled with lemon glaze on a round vintage metal cake stand with two vintage forks to the side a dish of overflowing blueberries in the background and also a stack of white round plates with a vintage fork laying across the top plate

Hello Friends! How are you? Did you have a great Memorial Day weekend? I finally got my garden planted in spite of all the rain we’ve been having! Very happy about that! Something else that makes me happy is this Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake! It’s a creamy lemon zest cake batter filled with juicy blueberries and topped with a rich and buttery streusel. We didn’t stop there! I’m a sucker for any glaze/frosting so I couldn’t help myself from drizzling a thick, not too tart, not too sweet lemon glaze on this baby!

round blueberry coffee cake drizzled with lemon glaze on a round vintage metal cake stand with two vintage forks to the side a dish of overflowing blueberries in the background and also a stack of white round plates with a vintage fork laying across the top plate

I could eat the glaze with a spoon. It’s not too sweet, and it’s not too tart. Perfection! She’s a beautiful coffee cake even if you like a treat without the drizzle of glaze. I won’t judge!

Tips for making the best Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake you’ve ever had

  • Measure the sour cream and leave it at room temperature for at least an hour before making the cake batter. This step helps the sour cream blend into the mixture and creates a light cake.
  • Put the eggs in a bowl and cover with hot (not scalding) tap water to bring them to room temperature. Doing this helps the eggs blend into the batter evenly.
  • Make the streusel and refrigerate it while you measure and mix the cake batter. That way, it will be chilled enough to form clumps that can be broken up and sprinkled over the cake batter.
  • I used a 9″ x 2″ round Wilton cake pan for baking the cake. ( I do not receive any compensation if you purchase the pan through the link provided. I like their pans, for what it’s worth.)
  • Be sure to whisk the lemon zest and granulated sugar well. About a minute of whisking does the trick. You’ll see the sugar take on a slight yellow hue. The oil from the lemon zest infuses the sugar with a lively lemon essence from the whisking. Don’t skip this step!
  • If you don’t like almond extract, you can substitute it with 1/2 teaspoon of additional vanilla extract, instead.
  • You can certainly make the cake batter with a handheld or stand mixer. I was just feeling lazy and didn’t want to drag mine out. Just remember to gently hand stir the blueberries into the batter or they may break up and create a completely blue batter!
overhead view of a round blueberry lemon coffee cake with two slices taken from it. Coffee cake sits on a round vintage metal cake stand. Two round white plates each with a fork sit at the foot of the cake. A dish of blueberries sits in the background

This coffee cake is ideal for your weekend brunch menu or even for dessert! I hope you make it and love it as much as Jeff & I. If you are looking for another dessert idea try our Chocolate Chip & Toasted Oatmeal Cookies! That’s it for today. Can’t wait to visit with you again soon! Would love to hear from you! Leave a comment below and tell me what your favorite coffee cake is!

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round blueberry coffee cake drizzled with lemon glaze on a round vintage metal cake stand with two vintage forks to the side a dish of overflowing blueberries in the background and also a stack of white round plates with a vintage fork laying across the top plate

Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Heidi Clark
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 10 slices 1x
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Description

If you are crazy about blueberries, you are going to love this Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake!  The cake is full of juicy blueberries and lemon zest for a zing of citrus flavor.  We didn’t stop there!  A buttery streusel tops this beauty and then it’s drizzled with a sweet and slightly tart lemon glaze.  This treat is sure to become a favorite for your weekend brunch or even as an everyday dessert!

Scale

Ingredients

For the Streusel:

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

For the Cake:

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup granulated sugar

zest of 2 lemons

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract, or more vanilla extract, if desired

1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup fresh blueberries, divided

1 tsp all-purpose flour, for coating the blueberries

For the Glaze:

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°. 

Make the streusel first so that it will be cold and you can crumble it over the cake batter before baking.  In a medium-size bowl, combine all the streusel ingredients using a fork.  The streusel will be quite thick and paste-like.  It’s supposed to look that way at this point — place bowl of streusel in the fridge to chill.

Grease and flour a 9-inch x 2-inch round metal cake pan.

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl and stir well with a whisk. Set aside. Combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a bowl using a whisk. Add the 6 Tbsp melted butter and stir for about a minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until they are thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.  Add the sour cream and extracts and stir well.  

Pour the combined wet ingredients into the bowl containing the dry ingredients and stir with the whisk until combined. There will be a few small lumps in the batter.  Toss 1/2 cup of the blueberries with 1 tsp all-purpose flour and stir into the mixture until evenly distributed.  

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.  Using an offset spatula, smooth the top so that the batter is in an even layer.  Take the remaining 1/4 cup of blueberries and dot the mixture with them.

Remove the streusel from the refrigerator.  Use a fork to break it up into small clumps and then use your fingertips to break it up even more. ( We don’t want huge lumps of streusel on the cake, or they will sink, and the cake won’t bake evenly.)Sprinkle the streusel over the batter in an even layer.

Place cake in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. My cake baked for 42 minutes.  To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. Pull the toothpick out. If the toothpick is clean with just a few crumbs clinging to it, the cake is ready to be removed from the oven.  Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack.  Let cake cool completely in the pan before removing and drizzling with the glaze.  To assist in the removal of the cake from the pan, you may need to run a flat-edged knife around the edge of the cake where it meets the pan.

To prepare the Glaze:

Combine all the glaze ingredients and whisk together until smooth.  Drizzle glaze over the cooled coffee cake.  Enjoy!

Notes

Stirring the granulated sugar and lemon zest with a whisk releases lemon oil from the zest and infuses the sugar with lovely lemon essence.  I mix with the whisk for about 30 seconds.

I like my glaze a little on the thick side if you prefer a thinner consistency you can add another 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice. Keep in mind this will create a bit of a tart flavor and won’t be quite as sweet.

If you’d like to garnish the coffee cake with toasted sliced almonds, place them on a cookie sheet and bake at 325° for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown.

  • Category: coffee cake, breakfast
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: american

Keywords: Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake

The Best Homemade Onion Dip

by 2 Comments

round tray with a bowl of onion dip topped with minced chives surrounded by pretzels and potato chips with a vintage spoon off to the side and a vase os chives in the background

Happy Weekend, friends! Can’t believe Memorial Day weekend is here already! What are your plans? What are you grilling/cooking? Seriously, I plan on spending as much time outdoors this weekend as I can. It seems all it has done is rain here in Cleveland. This Homemade Onion Dip is guaranteed to get us out of the kitchen quickly so we can lounge by the pool (or run through the garden hose, in my case). If you are having a last minute get together this dip is going to become your favorite back pocket recipe. I bet you even have the ingredients on hand already!

Aqua mixing bowl with dip ingredients with a whisk dipped into it

Do I have to cook onions for this?

Nope! This is going to be seriously simple. Go to your spice cabinet. Do you have dried onion flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika? Now, if you have sour cream, mayo, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (preferably, Cholula!) and soy sauce, you are in business!

Awesome, right? And you didn’t have to make a trip to the grocery store! Winner, Winner, Chipper, Dipper! Ha! Kind of like Winner, Winner, Chicken, Dinner but better! Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Ok. Moving on!

What can I serve this Homemade Onion Dip with?

The possibilities are many! Some of our favorites are:

  • Funyuns. Remember those? I mean if we are going to have onion breath we may as well do it up!
  • Cheese cubes- cheese cubes? Yup, Jeff has been known to do this. Could be why he is seeing a cardiologist.
  • Pita Chips
  • Sourdough pretzels
  • Tortilla Chips-preferably thick style!
  • Baked/Grilled Potatoes
  • Veggies! My favorite veggies to dip in this are broccoli and red peppers! Never green peppers, though. Blech. Not a fan of the green ones.
  • Cheeseburgers- This is so good on a burger dripping with melted cheddar! Ooh, la la!
  • Crunchy potato chips, you know the ones that are sturdy, ridged and salty!
round tray with a bowl of onion dip topped with minced chives surrounded by pretzels and potato chips with a vintage spoon off to the side and a vase os chives in the background

Anything else you care to share?

Well, if you looking for a sweet treat to take to a party, try my Chocolate Chip & Toasted Oatmeal cookies recipe! I hope everybody enjoys the long weekend. Be safe. Eat well. Laugh A lot!

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The Best Homemade Onion Dip

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Heidi Clark
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
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Description

This no-cook homemade onion dip contains ingredients you probably have on hand!  Perfect for a last minute gathering!  Fantastic with crunchy potato chips or with those veggies we are all trying to sneak into our diet!  Jeff & I even put this on cheeseburgers!  It’s fantastic!

Scale

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon hot sauce ( i prefer Cholula, but use your favorite!)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 Tbsp + 2 tsp dried onion flakes

1/2 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

minced fresh chives or thinly sliced scallions, for garnish (opt.)

Instructions

This recipe is super-duper easy!  In a medium-size bowl,  combine all of the ingredients (except the chives) using a whisk or a rubber spatula. Cover the bowl. Chill the dip in the fridge for an hour or more. Garnish with the minced chives or scallions, if desired.  Open a bag of chips, make a margarita, and now it’s your turn to chill for an hour or more!

Notes

I tested this recipe using Cholula hot sauce but if you have a favorite use it!

I hope I never participate in a spelling bee and Worcestershire(sauce) is the word I am given.  I can barely say the word let alone spell it!  Thank God for spell-check!

  • Category: dips and spreads
  • Method: no-cook
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: onion, dip

Chocolate Chip & Toasted Oatmeal Cookies

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chocolate chip cookies on a round white plate with a round white dish of chocolate chips on far right

Hello! I’m Heidi! Your new friend in the food blogging world. I’m so excited to be here, as well as a little nervous! That’s natural. Right?! Well, the best way to become friends with someone is to make a sweet treat and share it with them. So, I offer you these amazing, buttery, soft, chewy, chocolate chip nuggets of love. Aka Chocolate Chip & Toasted Oatmeal Cookies! Yup, we’re gonna be friends for life! If you like granola, you are going to LOVE the toasted oats in these cookies. Plus, these cookies have a secret ingredient. Ready for it? It’s sour cream! Sour cream? Oh, yes, my friends! Don’t be afraid. The sour cream adds richness and helps create a sturdy cookie that is optimal for storing and freezing. I’ve sneaked a few straight from the freezer, and they were delish! These will also make fantastic mini ice cream sandwiches this summer! Let’s fire up the oven, tie on an apron, and have some fun in the kitchen!

Four Chocolate Chip Cookie on a marble counter with a round white dish of chocolate chips, white linen napkin and lilacs

What do I need to do first?

  • Read the recipe entirely and make sure you have all of the ingredients on hand.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°
  • Measure the sour cream and set it aside so that it comes to room temperature; this ensures that it will mix evenly into the dough.
  • Make sure your butter is at room temperature. Take the butter out of the refrigerator the night before. If you’re having an “I’m going to die if I don’t have a Chocolate Chip & Toasted Oatmeal cookie right now” moment and your butter is cold, I have a tip for you! You can lay a sheet of wax paper on the counter and place a box grater on top and grate the cold butter. Pick up the wax paper and dump the grated butter into a large mixing bowl. Voila! It will be at room temperature by the time you are ready to start making the dough.
  • Toast the oats! Don’t skip this step. Once the oven reaches 350° line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread the oats in a thin layer. Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the oats are golden brown and have a nutty fragrance. When the oats are toasted, remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you measure the remaining ingredients.
  • Place the two eggs in a bowl and fill the bowl with just enough hot (not scalding) water to cover the eggs.This will bring the eggs to room temperature which helps them incorporate into the dough. Set aside.
Five chocolate chip cookies stacked on a round white plate

Anything Else I Should Know About the Chocolate Chip and Toasted Oatmeal Cookies?

I have just a few more tips for you!

  • When spooning the flour into your measuring cup don’t scoop a heap of flour into it. Doing this will result in the flour compacting in the cup and will result in a dry and floury tasting cookie. You want to lightly spoon small amounts of flour into the measuring cup and level it off using a straight-edged knife or the edge of an offset spatula.
  • The recipe calls for packed brown sugar. To do this you want to fill the measuring cup with brown sugar and use the palm of your hand to push it tightly into the cup. If you need to, add more until the cup is basically overflowing with sugar and level it off with a straight-edged utensil.
  • Bake the cookies one sheet at a time. I know this step makes this recipe a bit more time consuming but it really does ensure the cookies are evenly baked. Also, set a timer and rotate the cookie sheet halfway through the bake time. Meaning, turn the cookie sheet so that the front of the sheet is now facing the back of the oven.
one chocolate chip cookie with a bite out of it

Whew! I know that was a lot of information, but I want to give you as much info as I can so that these chocolate chip & toasted oatmeal cookies become your new favorite! My husband, Jeff, loves these cookies and insists on helping himself to one for each hand multiple times a day! I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we do! I would love it if you would leave a comment and tell me what your all-time favorite cookie is. If you have any questions about the recipe, you can post it in the comments or email me at yumsandkisses@gmail.com. If you would like to receive my posts via email, be sure to sign up via the subscribe box at the bottom of the page!

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chocolate chip cookies on a round white plate with a round white dish of chocolate chips on far right

Chocolate Chip & Toasted Oatmeal Cookies

  • Author: Heidi Clark
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 16 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 Hour, 10 minutes
  • Yield: 36 cookies 1x
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Description

A rich, chewy, and soft chocolate chip cookie made with toasted oatmeal!  Perfect for snacking or even breakfast!  I won’t judge!!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (or 1/2 teaspoon more of vanilla extract, instead)
  • 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 and 3/4 cups regular rolled oats, toasted
  • 1 and 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°
  • Line 4 cookie sheets with parchment paper
  • Spread the rolled oats in a thin layer on one of the lined cookie trays and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
  • Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a medium-size bowl.  Whisk until combined. Set aside.
  • Place the room temperature butter into a large mixing bowl along with the sugars and mix on medium speed until it is light in color and creamy. This step takes about 3-4 minutes.  Scrape down the bowl.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix about 30 seconds or until fully incorporated.  
  • Add the sour cream and extracts.  Mix until fully incorporated and scrape the bowl once more.
  • Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until the flour just becomes incorporated.  Don’t overmix the dough or the cookies will be tough.  
  • Add the toasted oats and chocolate chips and mix until combined into the dough. I used a stand mixer for this recipe; if you are using a hand-held mixer, you will want to stir the chocolate chips and oats into the dough using a wooden spoon.  My hand mixer isn’t strong enough to sufficiently mix the chips and oats into the mixture.
  • Scoop the dough using a 1 and 1/2 Tablespoon scoop. Scoop 12 cookies per sheet. Bake one sheet of cookies at a time
  • Bake cookies 14-16 minutes (mine baked for 15 1/2 minutes but depending on your oven your cookies may bake for more or less time.
  • Remove baked cookies from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.  After the cookies have cooled for 10 minutes, remove from the cookie sheet and place on the wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • If you scoop the cookies larger or smaller than the 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons keep in mind, this will affect your bake time. Smaller cookies=less bake time. Larger cookies= more bake time.
  • Did you forget to pull the butter out of the fridge but you still need a cookie now?  Place a sheet of waxed paper on the counter and place a box grater on top.  Grate the cold butter and dump it into the mixing bowl while you prepare the remaining ingredients. It will be soft by the time you are ready to mix the dough!
  • If you don’t like almond extract feel free to substitute it with additional vanilla extract.
  • If you prefer milk chocolate chips, they work just as well!
  • Need to bring your eggs to room temperature quickly?  Place them in a bowl and fill with hot (not scalding) water.  Set aside while measuring remaining ingredients.
  • Category: cookies
  • Method: baked
  • Cuisine: american

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 93
  • Sugar: 6.4 grams
  • Sodium: 24.6 mg
  • Fat: 3.7 grams
  • Saturated Fat: 2.2 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 13.2 grams
  • Fiber: 0.6 grams
  • Protein: 1.5 grams
  • Cholesterol: 19 mg

Keywords: chocolatechip,oatmeal,cookies