Sally McKenney's Blog, page 173

S’mores Nutella Crepes.

This is the simple recipe I use when I’m in the mood for some buttery, delicate crepes. The batter is so easy and prepared in a blender (yes, a blender!) and they’re absolutely amazing stuffed with Nutella and everything you love about s’mores!

Do you like crepes? Or, as my friend calls them, “creepies.”

(I have strange friends.)

I love these things! They’re a thin-style, delicate little pancake of sorts popular in France. I don’t know why I’m explaining them to you, because surely you’ve already tried them. And hopefully with a huge smear of Nutella. Yes?

I perfected a basic crepe recipe a couple years ago. Lots of toying around, but I couldn’t be happier with the result. When I feel like something special, I have them on Sunday mornings when I wake up late (and by late I mean 7am because I don’t know how to sleep in) and stuff them with sliced fresh fruit and a little strawberry greek yogurt. Kevin likes them plain. (???) I don’t understand.

This basic crepe recipe is theeee BEST. It’s easy, it’s quick, there are no strange ingredients. In fact, you may have everything in your kitchen right now. I love recipes that don’t require me to go to the grocery store for the 9th time that week. The best part? These crepes will be on the table in only 30 minutes.

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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S’mores Cinnamon Rolls.

Soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls made from an easy homemade dough. Stuffed with gooey cinnamon, chocolate, and graham cracker crumbs and then topped with a sweet marshmallow frosting. S’mores have never tasted so good.

Happy S’MORES week!! All caps because it’s a big deal.

I have three new s’mores-y recipes for you this week to celebrate national s’mores day on Sunday. This is no joke, I take this holiday very seriously.

And we’re starting this festive celebration with breakfast. The idea for these gooey s’mores cinnamon rolls came to me on a 6 mile run last week. For anyone wondering what I think about when I exercise… it’s food. What I’ll eat after the run, what I’ll make for dinner, which peanut butter baked good I’ll stuff in my mouth when I get home, margaritas, cookies, you get the idea.

I ran through the thick humidity with visions of gooey marshmallow frosting, thoughts of chocolate chips mixed with graham cracker crumbs and sweet cinnamon swirls, soft puffy dough made from scratch, and more. I made them after my run (though I did shower first) and we had s’mores cinnamon rolls for our 2nd dinner. Yes, 2nd.

If you love s’mores, you have got to try these. In fact, even if you don’t love s’mores (do those people even exist?), you’ll still love these.

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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Classic Peanut Butter Cookies.

These classic peanut butter cookies are always a hit. Easy to make, easier to eat! They’re absolutely our favorite.

Peanut butter lovers rejoice! This cookie is for you.

I’ve been feeling a little nostalgic in the kitchen lately. Making recipes that remind me of home, my childhood, just being a fun kid. This recipe follows that trend. I can’t remember a holiday without classic peanut butter cookies.

A plate fulla peanut buttery goodness.

I made a huge batch of these classic cookies for this weekend. It was my bachelorette party! About 15 friends, sisters, and future sisters-in-law came over before we went out to dinner and bar hopped and danced all night. The BEST time I’ve had in a long time. After moving and during all this wedding stress, it was much needed.

(The bachelorette and the plate of cookies, of course.)

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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Photo A Day, July.

Welcome back to my Photo A Day posts. Wasn’t it just the 4th of July? How is today the first day of August? Oh, not that I’m complaining because umm…. now I can officially say “we’re getting married NEXT month!!” Pardon my excitement.

Let me sum up July for you. Forgive me if this list makes no sense because I don’t think I’ve slept since June 30th.

Ran/power walked 98 miles. Ugh, so close to my 100. I’ll do at least 102 in August!
Moved to Philly
Roadtrip to Cleveland to see my best
Wedding invites mailed √
Hair & makeup trial √
Losing my mind √

My bachelorette party is tomorrow! 15 of us, taking over Philly. They’re all arriving today and tomorrow and I’m ready to parrrrrrrty.

Continue reading:Photo A Day, July.

© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad.

This simple pasta salad has the works! Bacon, crisp peppers, broccoli, feta cheese, grilled chicken, and tomatoes covered in a creamy buttermilk greek yogurt dressing. Easy, quick, and makes great leftovers.

Hello hello! Welcome to my favorite “I don’t feel like actually cooking anything, so I’ll just put all leftovers into a bowl with pasta and broccoli” dinner.

Truth is, Kevin and I make this pasta salad on the regular in the summertime. Pasta + chicken + bacon + cheese + easy. There’s no way NOT to love it. And it all comes together with a tangy dressing that is impossible to pass up.

I don’t even really like pasta (I know, so weird), but I love this pasta salad. Maybe because there is more “stuff” in the salad than pasta. It is soooo good.

Since it’s a little heavier and we are both watching what we eat before the wedding (besides dessert CLEARLY), I always serve this pasta salad with extra veggies on the side and then I mix it all together on the plate to make it look like it’s a bigger serving of pasta salad but it’s really just more vegetables. Did you even understand that run-on sentence?

Moving along.

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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10 Tips for Growing Your Food Blog.

 

It’s been a while since I wrote a post on the subject of blogging, so I’m taking the opportunity of me-having-no-sunny-days-to-photograph-a-new-recipe-for-you to crack an egg of knowledge about growing a food blog.

For the record, I do not consider myself a blogging expert. God no. Not by any means! In fact, I learn something new everyday and there are still a billion things I don’t understand. I simply want to share a few things I’ve learned that have helped me gain and maintain readership.

Anyway. You have a food blog, you’re enjoying it, but you’ve reached a plateau. You aren’t seeing those numbers increase as you hoped. Today I’m sharing tips to engage your readers, keep them coming back, getting exposure, writing the best possible content, and how to turn your food blog into a fun, inviting community.

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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Strawberries ‘n Cream Crumb Cake.

Buttery and moist crumb cake filled with cream cheese and juicy strawberries. To put it over the top, I go heavy on the crumb topping and finish it off with a sweet vanilla glaze. 

There’s no sweeter way to start this summer week! I am head over heels with this show-stopping crumb cake, as you can probably tell by all the photos I’m sharing today. I was sucked into this photo shoot and could not stop snapping (and tasting) this beauty.

Speaking of photo shoots, this cake joined me in a magazine photo shoot last week. Do you read Where Women Cook? It’s a popular quarterly magazine sold in Costco and other large wholesale stores. I’m going to be featured in it this fall! They photographed and interviewed me in my new house last week.

I know you’re curious… and yes, Jude got in a few shots.

Being photographed for a magazine was a little strange. In a good way! I’m usually fine in front of a camera (not shy at all) but the photographer told me I raise my shoulders when I pose, which isn’t flattering for any woman – of any size. I had no idea I did that?! A great tip I learned from her: drop your shoulders down! It lengthens your neck and makes you look taller and more confident. Good to know before our wedding pics.

For the photo shoot, I made this lip-smackin’ cake, along with my famous cake batter chocolate chip cookies. The magazine asked me to bake recipes that describe my blog and baking style. Clearly, sprinkles and streusel and pink and glaze represent SBA.

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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Dessert Nachos.

Dessert nachos good enough you’ll want to eat them any time of day. Complete with homemade cinnamon sugar chips, whipped cream, homemade chocolate sauce, and fresh berries.

Question for you.

What’s a better way to kick off the weekend than with a plate full of cheesy, salty, greasy nachos piled high with all your favorite fixings?

A plate full of cinnamon-sweet, chocolate drenched dessert nachos of course.

I have my bachelorette party next weekend. It’s more low key than others I’ve been to (again, I’m 80 years old). All my gals are coming over and then we’re going out to dinner and then for drinks in Philly. I’m trying to think up an appetizer/cocktail menu for before dinner. Any suggestions?

These dessert nachos were one of my initial thoughts. Dessert before dinner is the best way to start a fun night out, right? NEVERMIND. Of course it is. I’m so excited!

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

These soft & chewy oatmeal raisin cookies are just like how grandma used to make them. Nothing fancy or complicated, just pure homemade goodness.

There are two types of people in this world. Raisin haters and raisin likers. I don’t know if anyone actually *loves* raisins except for me? I’m 80 years old.

I’m going to be real honest here. Besides apple pie, oatmeal raisin cookies may just be my favorite dessert. Their chewy texture, plump raisins, soft centers, buttery and cinnamon flavors all make my heart sing. They’re my ultimate weakness any day of the year.

Sorry, raisin haters. I’m not hiding my love anymore!!

I have oodles of oatmeal cookie recipes on my website. Have you tried these loaded oatmeal cookies yet? Or my oatmeal creme pies? Or these lip-smackin’ milky way beauties? Chances are you have and you love all three. I combined the recipes to make the best version of an old-fashioned favorite.

Moist and tender centers, slight crisp on the edges, sweetened with brown sugar (of course), studded with raisins for sweetness, and spiced with cinnamon and cloves for depth of flavor. Today’s oatmeal raisin cookies undoubtedly the best I’ve ever had.

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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My Favorite Blueberry Scones.

Tons of juicy blueberries put these homemade scones over the top! They’re super moist and tender in every bite. Better than a bakery, trust me.

Today is my ode to all things blueberry. All the blueberry things in the world.

Blueberry cupcakes, blueberry cake, sweet rolls, cheesecake, cheesecake again, danish, muffins, more muffins, even more muffins, pie, and pizza. Yup, pizza. Blueberries are, without a doubt, one of my favorite fruits to bake with. And drink with.

So, uh, you like ‘em too… right?

I’ve been thinking of nothing but blueberry scones since the day I made my strawberry version. I’m a little nerd and a huge scone lover. This is all recent though! Not the nerd thing, the scone thing. I despised scones for years. Too dry, too bland, no thank you. That was up until a few months ago when I visited the Panera bread test kitchen and helped bake moist, tender scones with them. A dream day, for sure.

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© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012

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