Sally McKenney's Blog, page 167

Photo A Day, November.

Photo A Day is coming to you a little early because I have a fabulous cookie celebration planned for next week.

Ahhh, November. The month of leaves, outdoor adventures, pants that may leave you blinded, cookies, Jude, and meeting YOU! I can’t believe December is right around the corner, meaning the year of 2014 is coming to an end. As I looked back on the year this past Thursday sitting with my husband in front of the turkey, the stuffing, the casseroles, and my Quinn family, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude. Does that sound sorta corny? But seriously. This year has certainly been a ride.

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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4 Favorite Cookbooks Giveaway. (plus an autographed copy of mine!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I want to take the time to thank each and every one of you who has made my blog apart of your year. Who has baked birthday cupcakes for birthdays, wedding cupcakes for weddings, pumpkin pies, pumpkin bars, pumpkin cheesecakes, casseroles, pot pies, apple pie, apple cakes, etc. for today’s special meal with your loved ones.

Thank you for including me in your kitchen.

Continue reading:4 Favorite Cookbooks Giveaway. (plus an autographed copy of mine!)

© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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Crispy Hash Breakfast Skillet.

Super simple one pan breakfast prepared in a skillet. This gluten free brunch dish starts with super crispy shredded hash browns, peppers, some bacon, and is finished off with eggs and melty cheese.

I take my shredded hash browns very seriously. Preferably made from scratch and not from shredded potatoes out of a bag from the freezer aisle. Extremely crispy on the outside, pillowy soft in the center. Golden brown and always with ketchup on the side.

You might say I’m a hash brown snob. And you’re completely right.

I’ve learned a few tricks over my shredded hash brown perfecting years, and if you want the CRISP of the crispiest hash browns ever with today’s breakfast skillet recipe, listen up:

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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Peppermint Bark.

Incredibly simple white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate layered bark flavored with peppermint and crushed candy canes. 

I know, I know. It’s not even Thanksgiving yet. But with only 5 days left until the foodie holiday of the year, it’s absolutely time to share this peppermint bark recipe with you.

Back in high school, thanksgiving breaks were time for swim team potlucks. I swam all four years (I do NOT miss the early practices) and I loved being apart of the team. One night during the long thanksgiving break, we’d all get together for a potluck and bring some kind of dish. Someone from the team always, and I mean ALWAYS brought a tin of peppermint bark. I’d have a few pieces before grabbing my dinner. I’ve had a major crush on peppermint bark for years and it’s about time I make it at home.

Sooo just in case you’re looking to make something peppermint-y next weekend…

I feel sort of silly sharing this recipe with you. It’s hardly a recipe at all.

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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Creamy Green Bean Casserole from Scratch.

Creamy, comforting green bean casserole made completely from scratch. This undeniably rich side dish will put that thanksgiving turkey to shame!

A few of Kevin’s favorite things:

Jude
Coors Light
Reese’s peanut butter cups (uh, he’s the brains behind this operation)
Building stuff
Fixing stuff
The Raven’s
Snow
Green bean casserole

When I told Kevin I was making green bean casserole to post on my blog, the look on his face was priceless. It was as if he’d won the lottery. A lottery of peanut butter cups and coors light. On a snowy day. After a Raven’s win.

What made this great news even better news was that I had to make this green bean casserole twice last week to test and tweak the recipe based on what we liked/didn’t like. Best week ever.

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies.

These incredibly soft and buttery, salty and sweet white chocolate cranberry pistachio cookies will be your new favorite. There is so much texture in every bite of these holiday cookies!

These cookies are a texture lover’s paradise. Between the soft dough, crunchy pistachios, and chewy dried cranberries– I could eat these salty sweet cookies for the rest of my life and be content. Really. There is something different in each bite!

Truth is, I’ve been making these cookies for the past 2 years. I simply take my white chocolate cranberry cookies and add pistachios. The salty pistachios turn that incredible cookie into an extraordinary cookie. I just had to share the recipe with you this year.

Irresistible cookie tower. ↓ ↓

The base of this cookie recipe is my ultra soft, ultra loved-by-everyone THE chocolate chip cookie. It’s a classic cookie recipe, creaming butter and sugars together to get that luxuriously creamy cookie dough. Besides all the glorious chunks of add-ins, butter is the star of the show in this recipe. Which brings me to another edition of:

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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Salted Dark Chocolate Almond Toffee.

This homemade salted dark chocolate almond toffee is completely over the top in the best way possible. Covered in rich salted dark chocolate, each sweet buttery bite is filled with crunchy toasted almonds. 

Toffee. I’m all about it right now. I went on a major toffee kick for a few weeks, making batch after batch after batch. It was a little personal challenge I made for myself: master the art that is stovetop toffee making.

I wrote a lengthy, super detailed post that maybe no one read all the way through because it is snoring-boring long about making toffee. I filled the post with step-by-step photos, troubleshooting tips, and a kick-a$$ (are there children reading?) cinnamon almond toffee recipe. Today, I’m sharing a little spin on that toffee flavor.

It’s all about salted dark chocolate now!

This salted dark chocolate almond toffee is completely worth every single second making it from scratch. It’s the kind of toffee that won’t break your teeth; rather, it’s on the crispy-tender side. Completely melting in your mouth as you chew. Not something you get with all toffee recipes. And that is why I call this one my favorite.

The dark chocolate and toasty almonds are an obvious addition to my butter toffee. I remember eating toffee exactly like this during the holidays when I was growing up, easily demolishing the entire batch over the course of a couple days. And as the weather starts to get cold, I crave salty sweet candy exactly like it. After one taste, you’ll begin to crave this ridiculous-in-the-best-way toffee too.

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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Saturday Seven, 9.

Mornin’! Welcome back to my Saturday Seven series. It’s been awhile since I did one of these. I’ve been traveling the past few Saturdays– last week at a book signing in Maryland and the week before at the lake. Picture perfection.

I spent last weekend at Hyatt Chesapeake. It’s just as beautiful as it is in the pictures. I’m absolutely not being paid to say this, the hyatt chesapeake is THE spot for cozy weekends away. Fire pits, gorgeous landscape, rocking chairs, blankets, good food, and red wine. Kevin and I plan to go back in a few months. While there, I did a short demo for making my s’mores fudge (cookbook recipe) and signed books. So nice to meet some of you!

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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Gluten Free Apple Crisp.

Here’s a recipe for warm, gooey, brown sugar oat topped flourless apple crisp. This gluten free dessert exceeded my expectations; it’s AMAZING. And simple.

Philadelphia readers: I will be signing cookbooks at Fante’s Kitchen Shop tomorrow, Saturday November 15th 11am-1pm. I would love to meet you! Bring your copy (there will be some sold there) and come say hi, shop, and eat. I’ll have treats. Thank you so much for your support!

I’ve built up a ton of self control around desserts. I’ve had to with this type of job. Otherwise I’d be the size of a blimp with a mouthful of cavities waddling around the kitchen. I can make a batch of cookies and bring them all but one to a friend. Savoring just that one cookie. I think this is a gift? My mom’s the same way.

Note: I am absolutely not like this when it comes to honey wheat pretzels, buffalo chicken dip, CHEESE, guacamole, and sweet potato fries.

However, things took a major turn when I tasted this gluten free apple crisp recipe. After the first bite of this cinnamon apple gooey goodness, all my self control flew out the window. One taste turned into 3 tastes, which turned into a small bowl, then a big bowl. I actually had to tell myself, out loud, to stop. By the way, this nonsense and talking to myself happened at 9:30 in the morning after I ate breakfast.

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie.

This double crust chicken pot pie is perfect when you’re looking for comfort food and don’t have all the time and energy in the world to whip it up! 

Being my own boss is both a blessing and a curse.

I don’t have a typical 9-5. I’m able to go on a walk with my dog at 2pm, work in my slippers with an atrocious looking ponytail on top of my head (and wear my glasses… I’ll spare you a photo), and avoid long lines by running errands in the middle of day.

But. It’s not all fairytales, sprinkles, smiles, and sunshine. I work 24/7. I can’t remember a day in the past 3 years that I have not logged into my blog, brainstormed a recipe, tweaked a recipe, responded to a comment, wrote an email, scheduled a post, shared on social media, cookbook-ed, or photographed. Oftentimes it’s impossible to pull myself completely away and just… live! I’m becoming boring.

So. I decided to make a rule for myself. 1 night a week. No work, no cell phones, no computers, no iPads, no i-whatevers. Real conversation, real moments, and 100% attention to my little family. And let me tell you, it feels awesome.

Continue reading:Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie.

© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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