Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 349

Friendsgiving 2017: Easiest Slow Cooker Stuffing.

This is how you make the easiest Thanksgiving side dish in the universe.

It’s no where near the prettiest stuffing, but oh my WORD. I loved it so much. Freaking slow cooker stuffing?!

And let’s just say that I’m kind of particular about stuffing. First off, it’s my all-time favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. Easily. And that is probably because we rarely (if ever) have it outside of the Thanksgiving meal. We never do!

My favorite way to eat stuffing is after it’s, well… stuffed… in the bird. I know this freaks a ton of people out but oh my gosh, it is just so, so flavorful. I adore it. I will always reach for that bowl first.

The only exception that I make is that when there is a big separate pan of stuffing (dressing?), and it has the crispy edges?

AH.

I try to steal them all for myself because they are so delicious. This texture freak loves that crunch, even if it’s already been drenched in gravy.

Which reminds me! Are you a gravy-all-over-the-plate kind of person? Or do you put it exclusively on mashed potatoes?

I unapologetically blanket my entire plate in that good stuff and live it up. I mean, I even LIKE when my canned cranberry sauce accidentally on purpose touches the gravy.

How grossed out are you right now?

Hmmm.

Also important to note: while I am of the camp that #celeryruinseverything, I will eat stuffing with celery in it! I didn’t add it here and used mushrooms instead, but if you’re into the celery, go for it.

But back to our stuffing. While this isn’t IN the bird, it stays super moist (no, there is no other word to use unless you’re okay with “wet stuffing”) and flavorful in the slow cooker AND the rounded edges get a bit of that crisp!

I can’t believe it but this year for Thanksgiving, I’m actually going to utilize my slow cooker for something. As much as I loved this stuffing, I might be using it for mashed potatoes because I still want to put stuffing in the bird. With this method, I find it’s best for a Friendsgiving meal, a meal where you are actually transporting the stuffing to the holiday gathering, or a non-holiday meal!

Heck, why can’t we just be eating stuffing like once a month for dinner? Should probably start making that happen.

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Slow Cooker Stuffing

Yield: serves 4 to 6

Total Time: 6 hours

Ingredients:

16 ounces toasted bread cubes
8 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large sweet onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
16 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped freshly thyme
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper



Directions:

Note: I have a slow cooker that you can saute and sear in (it’s amazing!) so I can make this all in the slow cooker. If yours does not do that, you’ll have to use the pot to start the recipe, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Still no big deal!

Begin by making sure your bread cubes are toasted! I like them being toasted over being stale. If you’re using fresh bread, cut it into cubes and heat your oven to 250 degrees F. Place the bread on the baking sheet (or two) and toast it until slightly golden and crunchy, about 1 hour.

In a large pot (or your slow cooker, if it has the saute option), melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions start to soften. Add in the mushrooms and stir. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, as both the onions and mushrooms continue to soften and get juicy.

Stir in the sage, rosemary and thyme. Toss in the bread crumbs and stir the mixture together. Remove the pot from the heat (or turn your slow cooker onto the low setting – if you’re using the slow cooker the whole time, wait a few extra minutes for it to cool down.).

In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the chicken stock and the eggs. Whisk in the salt and the pepper. Pour it over the bread cube mixture while stirring to toss and coat. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Before serving, taste and season additionally if needed.

Serve your stuffing with lots of gravy!

All images and text ©How Sweet Eats.







Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page.

I appreciate you so much!

Ohhh and if you need an idea for leftovers… you can totally make these or mashed potatoes into WAFFLES. Yep yep yep.

The post Friendsgiving 2017: Easiest Slow Cooker Stuffing. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

2017 Holiday Gift Guide: For Him.

Back with all of my favorite picks for guys in 2017! With a lot of help and suggestions from Eddie, these are a lot of the things that we both love! And for more ideas, check out last year’s gift guide for him!

HowSweetEats 2017 Holiday Gift Guide for Him:

Jack Black Turbo Wash. We have a huge one of these in our shower and I’ll even use it occasionally. Love that it has a pump but also love what it does, how it smells and how relaxing it is. This size lasts FOREVER.

Adidas Ultra Boost Sneakers. These are the men’s version of my FAVORITE shoes ever. If you check my monthly favorites, then you know that I’ve raved about these all year. They are by far the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn. I adore them.

HyperIce Vyper Foam Roller. This is the mac daddy of foam rollers! Apparently gone are the days when you could grab an $8 one at Target… ha. But Eddie uses ours pretty often after runs so this seems like it would be worth it.

Shinola Runwell Watch. Last year I also put a Shinola watch in my gift guide, per Eddie’s recommendation and I had to consult him again because he pretty much collects watches and is obsessed. One of his favorite brands is still Shinola, but I picked this one specifically because I love the rose gold!

KitchenAid Cold Brew Maker. In my opinion KitchenAid can do no wrong when it comes to appliances big and small. Even though Eddie doesn’t like coffee, if you have someone who does, I think this is the one to get. It’s SO sharp. It’s the best looking one I’ve seen and I love how it can fit in the fridge.

Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille. This is a bit higher end than the other colognes I’ve had in gift guides past, but that’s because there are only two scents that I adore on Eddie: Burberry Touch and Viktor and Rolf Spicebomb. I love them both so much. This Tom Ford one is completely different – so smoky and woodsy and wintery (I actually have a body spray of it because it’s unisex) and the only other thing I’d want to smell on him. It’s definitely a splurge.

Beats Pill Speaker. I KNOW. This has been in my gift guides for three or four straight years but it remains our favorite portable speaker. We both have one, they last forever and we take them everywhere. Eddie uses them outside constantly when he grills or does yard work. I use mine constantly in the kitchen. Obsessed!

Kiehl’s Body Scrub Soap. This is one of the things I put in Eddie’s stocking last year and he loovvvved it. I always get him a few higher end skin care items and this soap was a huge hit.

Raden Charging Wheeled Carry On. We are obsessed with any spinning luggage to begin with, but this one that has the USB ports for charging?! NEED.

Sugarfina Bourbon Bears. I’m a sugarfina freak and love buying a few boxes of these at the holidays. These bourbon bears that are covered in chocolate?! Definitely getting them and wrapping them up!

Desktop golf. Eddie doesn’t love golf but my brother does, and I think this is such a fun, quirky gift. Definitely something you wouldn’t buy yourself.

Scratch Map. This is the first year I have seen this concept and I absolutely love it! You can scratch off the places that you travel too, which I think is so super fun.

Hydroflask Water Bottle. We are all about the sport cap top in this house. We drink out of them 24/7. And I’ve never found one of the stainless water bottles with a sport cap top, so we are alllll over this.

Artifact Uprising Brass Easel and Calendar. This has been an item I’ve gift someone nearly every single year since Artifact began. I love this for Eddie, because it allows him to have a bunch more pictures up at work than he normally would since they are on the calendar.

Case Logic Laptop and Camera Backpack. This is the backpack we travel with every single trip and we’ve done so for years now. It can easily hold a DSLR and multiple lenses, a large laptop and maybe even a smaller one, a kindle, iPad, etc and all of the charging equipment. We can attach a tripod to it too. It keeps everything safe and protected. Plus, with kids, using a backpack is a MUST for us so we’re hands free.

Canada Goose Down Gloves. I always like to get Eddie a pair of super nice, warm gloves every few years. He inevitably ends up losing others since we live in such cold weather and they are something he’d never buy himself. Going for these ones this year!

Ugg Chukka Sneakers. Absolutely in love with these for the whole sneaker feel. I think they are so super cool. Hoping I can convince Eddie of the same.

Meat by Pat LaFrieda. Since this is pretty much Eddie’s dream cookbook, it had to be included.

DJI Mavic Pro Drone. This is a repeat favorite because it’s something that we use constantly. We take it on every trip (have even flown with it) and Eddie adores it. I don’t even use the photos so much for blogging – we get a lot of cool photos of us as a family or of scenery- it’s just so cool! Aside from his iPhone, he uses this more than any other camera we have.

[This is not a sponsored post and any of the above items that we own were purchased by us! There are a few general affiliate links above. Thank you for reading! xo]

The post 2017 Holiday Gift Guide: For Him. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Tuesday Things.

1. I’m a huge fan of all things peppermint but my faaaavorite drink during the holiday season is an iced eggnog latte. I even like them hot! Needless to say, I’ve been living on them for the last week.

2. Yes I’m all about neon and glitter and unicorn everything but I just cannot get into this whole glitter latte thing! Drinking glitter? Eeeeek.

3. This gingerbread cake is so freaking pretty. Wowza.

4. How do we feel about stirrup pants returning? I’m kind of into it if it’s a workout situation but that’s about it.

5. Are you in full blown Christmas movie mode yet? I’m about to get started annnnd here’s a list of my favorites.

6. TV things! This Is Us is absolutely killing me in this overly emotional state that I’m in. AHHH. I thought the Grey’s episode was ridiculous (wasn’t into that at ALL) but I am sort of into the Scandal situation even though I get confused. At this point I’m basically 100% lost on How to Get Away with Murder. Oh and can’t even watch The Walking Dead right now. It will probably be months before I can again.

7. Pretty sure my “i” on my iPhone has been updated and fixed, but whyyyy did that situation take so long? Like how on earth can they have these phones that do all the things and then have one weird bug with probably the most used letter? What the what.

8. Speaking of phone things, I’m really not feeling all the new insta story filters. They are way too dark/bright/weirdly colored, right?

9. I’m having a majorly difficult time with the time change, probably because I gave birth on that day and then I was awake that entire night! It’s still a complete shock to me that it’s getting dark outside at 4PM.

10. P.S. we’re hosting an amazing holiday giveaway over on Sweet Peas Meals this week! I want to eat it alllll.

The post Tuesday Things. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

2017 Holiday Gift Guide: For Her.

I’m back with another gift guide, this time – my favorite one! All the gifts and things I’ve been loving in 2017. For a list of my gift guide for HER last year, click here! Everything on that list is still applicable today… in fact, I had such a hard time narrowing down my absolute favorites.

HowSweetEats 2017 Holiday Gift Guide for Her:

kikki.k Create Your Life Plan book. If you’re a stationary freak like I am and love to physically write things down – AND love all sorts of self improvement books and what not, this is the best gift ever. I love goal-oriented books like this that you can look back on.

Mattie Plaid Scarf. This was one of my first scarf purchases of the the season and I’m in LOVE with it. It’s huge and so, so soft. And look at the colors! Eeep!

Nest Birchwood Pine candle. This is my all-time favorite candle scent for the end of the year. October through January-ish (and sometimes longer), this is the scent that is burning in our house. Everyone asks about it and it smells heavenly.

bkr Water Bottle. One of my favorite water bottles that I refill through the day. It’s glass, but it’s manageable and one I take everywhere.

2018 Rifle Paper Calendar. This is the calendar I use every year for my loose editorial calendar and it’s so super pretty!

Longchamp Large Le Pliage Tote. This is by far the best (unstructured) tote I have ever had. You can fit EVERYTHING in it. I also don’t worry about it getting super dirty because it’s fairly easy to clean. And it has a zipper! Definitely think this is such a practical gift that will be used forever.

Deco Wrist Cuff. These are my favorite kind of bracelets – cuffs that stay close to the wrist and don’t really bang around. Absolutely in LOVE with this one. I have a Kendra Scott one from last year that is super similar too. The colors are so pretty!

Bauble Bar Pom Earrings. Bauble Bar always makes some of my favorite earrings and I can’t get enough of these. I want them in both colors!

Ted Baker Ballpoint Pens. I love all things Ted Baker and stationary/paper/pens, so I just about died when I saw these. I think they are the best gift ever because they aren’t something I’d splurge on myself, but are something I’d be SO excited to get!

Barefoot Dreams Blanket. This is the softest, most wonderful blanket on earth. I’m currently sitting under one as I type this and Eddie and I pretty much fight over the one in our living room. They only get better with time.

Canon G7x Mark II camera. This is my camera of choice at the moment! Of course, my Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR is the best camera I’ve ever used, but it’s huge and hard to lug around all the time. If you’re looking for a DSLR, that’s definitely the one to choose, but in the meantime, this is the camera I bought earlier this summer for travel, any sorts of vlog style videos and one to have in my purse. The quality is excellent.

Velvet Slippers. These are a target find that my cousin and I are flipping out over. Guys! These are more comfortable than my Ugg slippers. They are so soft and fluffy inside but still have a hard sole on the bottom if you need to run to grab the mail, take the dog out, etc. Plus, they are the PRETTIEST color. I’d call it a lilac of sorts? Definitely not blush, but also not purple. Love them so much.

Barefoot Dreams Circle Cardigan. I have talked this cardigan into the ground because it’s SO good. It’s basically a robe that looks a little nicer than an actual robe. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the cardigan versions, but I chose this one because it has pockets. Which can be key!

LuMee Phone Case. I’m not a huge selfie person, but I actually bought this case so I could take selfies with my kids, ha. And as a family. This case is lit and provides better lighting for a selfie, so if you know someone who takes a bunch, this is the best. Also, I love the actual phone case in general and I tend to have trouble finding ones I love.

Polaroid Zip Printer. Ever since Max was born I have been more adamant about printing photos and not just having them stored on my phone or a memory card. I love these zip printers because they are also stickers, so I’ll stick the photos in my planners or even print some pictures for Max to use as stickers. He loves it too!

Striped Lucite Clutch. I always love to include a super fun bag in my gift guides because I gravitate towards something that I wouldn’t purchase for myself. This is SO fun. And colorful. And I am absolutely dying over it. I feel like it’s the 2017 version of something Jem and the Rockers might have.

Fuzzy Reindeer Plush Socks. Um, I am obsessed with these. I have a weirdo nostalgic thing with super soft socks at Christmas because my grandma would always get me a pair. These are SO fun. And so so so soft. Yes, I already bought multiple pairs. Ha.

Vitruvi Oil Diffuser. As much as I love diffusing essential oils, I think so many of the diffusers are just plain… ugly. Ugh. This is one that I bought back in July and I actually love having it out! It’s just so pretty and almost like a piece of decor.

Cashmere Mittens/Gloves. This style of glove is the only one I can even fathom wearing at the moment with having kids. I love that it’s a mitten style but that you can still quickly pull the mitten part back for use of your fingers. Plus, super soft and pretty!

[This is not a sponsored post and any of the above items that I own were purchased by me! There are a few general affiliate links above. Thank you for reading! xo]

The post 2017 Holiday Gift Guide: For Her. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Friendsgiving 2017: Hot Honey Caramel Sweet Potatoes.

These sweet potatoes! Oh my gosh. Flavor city.

Sweet potatoes and I have had a tumultuous relationship in 2017. We were on a sweet potato kick in January and then I got flu, which made me want to eat NO sweet potatoes ever again. Shortly after that is when I got pregnant and sweet potatoes were very high up there on the can-not-consume-without-dying list. Not only did they just not sound good, they sounded horrific!

Whomp.

It took months and months before I would eat a sweet potato again – before I’d even be remotely interested in one.

But this recipe… ahhh. It sold me easily.

Back at the end of the summer I got on a big hot honey kick. I first drizzled it over pineapple wedges (um, with cheese! Yes!) and had some leftover so we started using it on all the things. I tend to shy away from spicy foods because I have a wimpy palette, but something about the heat combined with sweet? I’m all over it. As long as it’s not toooo much heat.

Or two much sweet.

These sweet potatoes get super caramely in the oven. They are totally NOT a traditional Thanksgiving recipe, in fact I’ve made them just for dinner a billion times since late summer. But if you want to try something different for Friendsgiving or just want to spice up (uh, literally?) your sweet potato dinner game, these are where it’s AT.

One of the downsides is that they really do need to be made and served immediately. Or relatively quickly. You know how roasted sweet potatoes can turn to mush as leftovers? I mean, you might still eat them and deal with it, but they are fairly mushy?

Yeah. Trying to avoid that at all costs.

But the truth is that it’s not that difficult, because the second these come out of the oven, you’ll want to devour them!

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Did you make this recipe? Leave a review »







Hot Honey Caramel Sweet Potatoes

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced (keep the seeds in!)



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the sweet potatoes in a baking dish or on a baking sheet in a single layer. I like to chop my sweet potatoes a bit larger here – like 1 1/2 to 2 inch chunks. If you chop yours smaller, make sure to roast for a shorter period of time.

Drizzle the potatoes with the melted butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper and sprinkle on the brown sugar. Toss and stir so all of the pieces are coated. Roasted the potatoes for 20 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and gently flip the potatoes, roasting again for 20 minutes. The potatoes should be tender, caramely and charred in some places.

Heat the honey and the jalapeños in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Let the honey come to a light simmer then turn off the honey. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Strain the honey through a fine mesh sieve to remove the peppers and the seeds.

When the sweet potatoes are golden and caramely and delicious, remove them from the oven and drizzle them with the honey to serve. Serve immediately!

All images and text ©How Sweet Eats.







Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page.

I appreciate you so much!

Can’t you just SEE the flavor?!

The post Friendsgiving 2017: Hot Honey Caramel Sweet Potatoes. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Hot Honey Caramel Sweet Potatoes.

These sweet potatoes! Oh my gosh. Flavor city.

Sweet potatoes and I have had a tumultuous relationship in 2017. We were on a sweet potato kick in January and then I got flu, which made me want to eat NO sweet potatoes ever again. Shortly after that is when I got pregnant and sweet potatoes were very high up there on the can-not-consume-without-dying list. Not only did they just not sound good, they sounded horrific!

Whomp.

It took months and months before I would eat a sweet potato again – before I’d even be remotely interested in one.

But this recipe… ahhh. It sold me easily.

Back at the end of the summer I got on a big hot honey kick. I first drizzled it over pineapple wedges (um, with cheese! Yes!) and had some leftover so we started using it on all the things. I tend to shy away from spicy foods because I have a wimpy palette, but something about the heat combined with sweet? I’m all over it. As long as it’s not toooo much heat.

Or two much sweet.

These sweet potatoes get super caramely in the oven. They are totally NOT a traditional Thanksgiving recipe, in fact I’ve made them just for dinner a billion times since late summer. But if you want to try something different for Friendsgiving or just want to spice up (uh, literally?) your sweet potato dinner game, these are where it’s AT.

One of the downsides is that they really do need to be made and served immediately. Or relatively quickly. You know how roasted sweet potatoes can turn to mush as leftovers? I mean, you might still eat them and deal with it, but they are fairly mushy?

Yeah. Trying to avoid that at all costs.

But the truth is that it’s not that difficult, because the second these come out of the oven, you’ll want to devour them!

Print Recipe





Did you make this recipe? Leave a review »







Hot Honey Caramel Sweet Potatoes

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced (keep the seeds in!)



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the sweet potatoes in a baking dish or on a baking sheet in a single layer. I like to chop my sweet potatoes a bit larger here – like 1 1/2 to 2 inch chunks. If you chop yours smaller, make sure to roast for a shorter period of time.

Drizzle the potatoes with the melted butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper and sprinkle on the brown sugar. Toss and stir so all of the pieces are coated. Roasted the potatoes for 20 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and gently flip the potatoes, roasting again for 20 minutes. The potatoes should be tender, caramely and charred in some places.

Heat the honey and the jalapeños in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Let the honey come to a light simmer then turn off the honey. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Strain the honey through a fine mesh sieve to remove the peppers and the seeds.

When the sweet potatoes are golden and caramely and delicious, remove them from the oven and drizzle them with the honey to serve. Serve immediately!

All images and text ©How Sweet Eats.







Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page.

I appreciate you so much!

Can’t you just SEE the flavor?!

The post Hot Honey Caramel Sweet Potatoes. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

2017 Holiday Gift Guide: Favorite Kitchen Items!

Hello 2017 gift guides! This is my favorite time of year to share the things I love. Over the next two weeks I’m going to be sharing a ton of gift guides as Black Friday rolls around. This kitchen gift guide is loaded with SO many of my favorite kitchen items – a lot that I’m sure you’ve heard me talk about since I adore them so much. I might sound like a broken record, but these are the things that I use on a daily basis and recommend!

And P.S. you can find last year’s gift guides right here.

HowSweetEats 2017 Kitchen Gift Guide:

Marble Pastry Slab. I’ve had two of these slabs for years and while I mainly use them for photography (they are quite instagrammable!), I find that they look awesome on a kitchen counter and if you bake a lot, are perfect for that. They are heavy, but I love having one on my counter at all times.

Spiralizer. I think this is one thing that everyone should have in their kitchen in 2017/2018! I don’t even think that zoodles and vegetable noodles are a trend, just think they are just a part of life now and we will always consume them. And I also love to use this for apple slaw and things like that. If you only have room for one more appliance in your kitchen, this should high on the list.

KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment. While I only make ice cream a few times per year (well, maybe like ten times per year), I find that this attachment is the best thing ever because it barely takes up any room. Yes, you need a stand mixer to use it, but all it requires is this bowl and a few small pieces to attach. There is no huge second appliance just to make ice cream and I love that.

Meyer Lemon Tree. Um, how amazing of a gift would this be?! It’s the one thing on this list that I don’t have, but I’m putting it on my wish list! This is such a cool and unexpected gift if you’re a kitchen and food freak.

French Rolling Pin. A French rolling pin is the only rolling pin I’ll use! I don’t do a ton of baking that requires it, but we make pizza once a week and these are my favorite. I hate rolling pins with handles because I find that the handles always come loose.

Metallic Copper KitchenAid Mixer. A stand mixer is a given for a great gift, but the copper one is just stunning. So, so gorgeous. Even if you don’t like clutter on your countertops, this can always stay because it’s so pretty. I mean, it’s basically rose gold.

MacKenzie-Childs Casserole Cooker. I adore ALL of my MacKenzie-Childs cookware (and everyone always asks about it!) but tend to use it more on special occasions so I don’t beat it up with everyday use. Love these pieces so much because they can easily sit out in the kitchen and basically be a piece of decor! SO gorgeous.

Cuisinart Multi-Cook Slow Cooker. Another one of my most talked about and used products here on the site. It is the BEST slow cooker ever. This slow cooker can SEAR your meat for you! It has a sauté/brown setting and is completely awesome. This appliance right here is exactly why I don’t have an Instant Pot. Of course, it doesn’t do the same thing as an Instant Pot, but it’s so versatile and I use it constantly that I’d rather have this over that.

Fancy Kitchen Hand Soap. This is always a fun gift to give because it’s something that most people don’t splurge on. At least, I don’t splurge on it. I love this version with the copper holder and think it looks so pretty sitting near the sink.

CeraStone Nonstick Skillets. These are the skillets I use not only in many food photos, but in everyday life too. We love them. You guys always ask about white skillets and if I’m not using my cast iron skillet or dutch oven, I’m using one of these.

KitchenAid Proline Series Blender. I have talked my love of this blender into the ground. It is the BEST and in my opinion, better than Vitamix and Blendtec. I love that it also comes in white. It blends everything like a dream.

Baking Steel. So I JUST got my first baking steel (after exclusively using a pizza stone for years) and I am absolutely obsessed. If you are someone who likes crispy (and even thin) crusts on your pizza, this is incredible.

Fish Spatula. This is probably my most-used spatula in the kitchen. It’s not just for fish – I use it for everything else, always. I need to buy a few because mine is always in use.

Le Creuset Dutch Oven. This is by far one of my most used kitchen items. In fact, I just keep it on my stovetop because I use it almost every single day. It is a kitchen investment piece but will last FOREVER. I use it for soups, roasts, casseroles – everything! And I completely love the matte line – they are so pretty.

Nespresso Creatista Espresso Maker. I have two different Nespresso makers (a vertuoline and a KitchenAid Nespresso) and totally love both of them. This one has caught my eye because it specializes in making latte art at HOME! Again, hello instagram. I added this to the list because I don’t think it’s something you’d necessarily buy yourself, but it would make an awesome gift. It only does espresso though, so keep that in mind.

Gold Flatware. I constantly get asked about my gold flatware and while I have a few different pieces from different places, West Elm’s version is my favorite because it’s fairly matte. LOVE this! I bought an entire set last year before I hosted Thanksgiving. If you know someone who loves to entertain, this is a fun gift. You can also just buy some serving pieces and not get one or two sets of flatware, which might be weird if someone doesn’t photograph food. Ha.

Gilded Rim Glasses. My all-time favorite wine and cocktail glasses. These are so super gorgeous and a show stopper on a table. While they are extremely fragile and I always hand wash mine, they are totally worth it because of how pretty they are.

Williams Sonoma GoldTouch Sheet Pans. My favorite baking sheets in the universe, right here. Not only are they pretty, they bake everything evenly!

[This is not a sponsored post and any of the above items that I own were purchased by me! There are a few general affiliate links above. Thank you for reading! xo]

The post 2017 Holiday Gift Guide: Favorite Kitchen Items! appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Friendsgiving 2017: Black Bottomed No-Bake Pumpkin Pie with Marshmallow.

[This post is sponsored by Rodelle! Thank you so much to my favorite vanilla brand ever for sponsoring this delicious recipe!]

I have the best of both worlds for us today.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN PIE.

I am almost certain this was made for me and me alone, because while I won’t turn down a bite of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, I… also sort of always maybe definitely want a bite of chocolate dessert.

Like I usually take a chocolate dessert to Thanksgiving, wherever it is, purely for selfish purposes and for those like me who would like a bite of chocolate after Thanksgiving dinner.

Or let’s be real: the day after Thanksgiving breakfast.

Because after Thanksgiving dinner I can barely move and dessert is often the last thing I can think about. Until midnight when I’m in bed and think I’d sort of like a bite of pie.

This post is sponsored by Rodelle, which is my all-time favorite brand of vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, vanilla beans and cocoa powder. Their ingredients are PERFECTION! Their vanilla is extra vanilla-y and I always have a ton on hand.

In this case, I used the vanilla bean paste in the pumpkin layer since I’m a vanilla bean freak. Those little bean specks? So perfect! If you don’t have the paste on hand, you can use vanilla extract for the same flavor.

So this pie!

It has a graham crust because you know how incapable I am when it comes to pie crust. Plus, I like the taste of graham crust more. The base is a chocolate fudgy ganache followed by a no-bake pumpkin custard type of later. It’s seriously delicious!

What takes it over the top is a homemade marshmallow piled high and then a sprinkle of chocolate shavings. It is rich and fantastic and perfect for when you just can’t choose what the heck dessert you want after dinner.

And while I’ve gone way overboard with pumpkin this season, when chocolate is involved, it doesn’t even matter.

And um, the most important part: it’s NO BAKE!! Yes yes yes, my favorite kind of pie or dessert.

It basically means it is fail proof. You do cook the pumpkin layer on the stovetop to help it thicken up, but that’s it. You can (and should!) make it ahead of time, but wait to top it with the marshmallow until you’re close to serving time.

It’s piled high with dreams!

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Black Bottomed Pumpkin Pie with Marshmallow

Yield: makes one 9-inch pie, serves 8

Total Time: 6 hours

Ingredients:

crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
8 tablespoons butter, melted

chocolate layer

8 ounces dark chocolate (I like 70% and up), chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream

pumpkin layer

1 (1/4 ounce) packet unflavored gelatin
1 teaspoon cinnmon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon Rodelle vanilla bean paste
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

marshmallow frosting

4 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon Rodelle vanilla extract
chopped chocolate, for topping



Directions:

crust

In a bowl, whisk together the graham crumbs and sugar. Pour in the melted butter and mix until all the crumbs are moistened and the texture is sort of like wet said. Press the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan, letting it come up the sides a bit. Refrigerate while you make the chocolate layer.

chocolate layer

Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat, just until it is simmering along the edges. Pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute, then stir it together until it creates a thick, smooth chocolate ganache.

Remove the crust from the fridge and pour the ganache in the crust, spreading it evenly over the bottom. Refrigerate while you make the pumpkin layer.

pumpkin layer

In the bottom of a saucepan, whisk together the gelatin, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk and the eggs. Heat the pot over low heat, whisking and stirring the entire time, for about 8 to 10 minutes until it has thickened. You don’t want any gelatin lumps, so make sure to stir. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste and the pumpkin until creamy and smooth. Let the mixture cool slightly.

Pour the mixture overtop of the chocolate ganache in the graham crust. Return the pan to the fridge and refrigerate for at least 4 to 6 hours, or even overnight.

Before serving, top with the marshmallow and chopped chocolate.

marshmallow frosting

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a heat-proof bowl, preferably the bowl of your electric stand mixer. Place over top of a double-boiler that contains simmering water, and whisk constantly for 3-4 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are slightly warm. Immediately remove the bowl and place it on your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beating slow at first and gradually increasing the speed to high. Beat for 6-7 minutes until glossy and thick, then beat in vanilla extract for another minute until combined.

Pile the frosting on top of the pie before serving (an hour or two ahead of time is okay). Top with chopped chocolate.

All images and text ©How Sweet Eats.







Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page.

I appreciate you so much!

And that perfect bite thought? Oh my gosh.

The post Friendsgiving 2017: Black Bottomed No-Bake Pumpkin Pie with Marshmallow. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Black Bottomed No-Bake Pumpkin Pie with Marshmallow.

[This post is sponsored by Rodelle! Thank you so much to my favorite vanilla brand ever for sponsoring this delicious recipe!]

I have the best of both worlds for us today.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN PIE.

I am almost certain this was made for me and me alone, because while I won’t turn down a bite of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, I… also sort of always maybe definitely want a bite of chocolate dessert.

Like I usually take a chocolate dessert to Thanksgiving, wherever it is, purely for selfish purposes and for those like me who would like a bite of chocolate after Thanksgiving dinner.

Or let’s be real: the day after Thanksgiving breakfast.

Because after Thanksgiving dinner I can barely move and dessert is often the last thing I can think about. Until midnight when I’m in bed and think I’d sort of like a bite of pie.

This post is sponsored by Rodelle, which is my all-time favorite brand of vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, vanilla beans and cocoa powder. Their ingredients are PERFECTION! Their vanilla is extra vanilla-y and I always have a ton on hand.

In this case, I used the vanilla bean paste in the pumpkin layer since I’m a vanilla bean freak. Those little bean specks? So perfect! If you don’t have the paste on hand, you can use vanilla extract for the same flavor.

So this pie!

It has a graham crust because you know how incapable I am when it comes to pie crust. Plus, I like the taste of graham crust more. The base is a chocolate fudgy ganache followed by a no-bake pumpkin custard type of later. It’s seriously delicious!

What takes it over the top is a homemade marshmallow piled high and then a sprinkle of chocolate shavings. It is rich and fantastic and perfect for when you just can’t choose what the heck dessert you want after dinner.

And while I’ve gone way overboard with pumpkin this season, when chocolate is involved, it doesn’t even matter.

And um, the most important part: it’s NO BAKE!! Yes yes yes, my favorite kind of pie or dessert.

It basically means it is fail proof. You do cook the pumpkin layer on the stovetop to help it thicken up, but that’s it. You can (and should!) make it ahead of time, but wait to top it with the marshmallow until you’re close to serving time.

It’s piled high with dreams!

Print Recipe





Did you make this recipe? Leave a review »







Black Bottomed Pumpkin Pie with Marshmallow

Yield: makes one 9-inch pie, serves 8

Total Time: 6 hours

Ingredients:

crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
8 tablespoons butter, melted

chocolate layer

8 ounces dark chocolate (I like 70% and up), chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream

pumpkin layer

1 (1/4 ounce) packet unflavored gelatin
1 teaspoon cinnmon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon Rodelle vanilla bean paste
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

marshmallow frosting

4 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon Rodelle vanilla extract
chopped chocolate, for topping



Directions:

crust

In a bowl, whisk together the graham crumbs and sugar. Pour in the melted butter and mix until all the crumbs are moistened and the texture is sort of like wet said. Press the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan, letting it come up the sides a bit. Refrigerate while you make the chocolate layer.

chocolate layer

Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat, just until it is simmering along the edges. Pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute, then stir it together until it creates a thick, smooth chocolate ganache.

Remove the crust from the fridge and pour the ganache in the crust, spreading it evenly over the bottom. Refrigerate while you make the pumpkin layer.

pumpkin layer

In the bottom of a saucepan, whisk together the gelatin, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk and the eggs. Heat the pot over low heat, whisking and stirring the entire time, for about 8 to 10 minutes until it has thickened. You don’t want any gelatin lumps, so make sure to stir. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste and the pumpkin until creamy and smooth. Let the mixture cool slightly.

Pour the mixture overtop of the chocolate ganache in the graham crust. Return the pan to the fridge and refrigerate for at least 4 to 6 hours, or even overnight.

Before serving, top with the marshmallow and chopped chocolate.

marshmallow frosting

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a heat-proof bowl, preferably the bowl of your electric stand mixer. Place over top of a double-boiler that contains simmering water, and whisk constantly for 3-4 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are slightly warm. Immediately remove the bowl and place it on your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beating slow at first and gradually increasing the speed to high. Beat for 6-7 minutes until glossy and thick, then beat in vanilla extract for another minute until combined.

Pile the frosting on top of the pie before serving (an hour or two ahead of time is okay). Top with chopped chocolate.

All images and text ©How Sweet Eats.







Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page.

I appreciate you so much!

And that perfect bite thought? Oh my gosh.

The post Black Bottomed No-Bake Pumpkin Pie with Marshmallow. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Friendsgiving 2017: Pumpkin Skillet Cobbler.

I’m here to tell you that we need to make pumpkin cobbler a THING.

For some of you, it might already be a thing. I didn’t even know it was a thing until I decided I wanted to make it a thing and then it ended up already being a thing. And now it’s one of my things!

It’s okay, you can punch me now.

This is how this baby is made! Odd, right? I had to show you a pic so you actually believed me when you read the instructions down below. Because it TASTES LIKE HEAVEN.

My initial thought with this recipe is that it would be like the chocolate skillet cobbler, but with pumpkin! It sounded SO delicious to me. And while it is a similar concept to that, it’s also almost like one of those old-school dump cakes where you pour the cake mix over top!

What an unfortunate name though, right? Whomp whomp.

Here’s the thing: the texture probably isn’t for everyone. It is like a cobbler-y cake but there isn’t very much crunch. It’s warm and soft and wonderful though. And topped with ice cream? OH MY GOSH.

I want to eat it alllllll.

The base is a pumpkin custard-like base and then I made my own “cake mix” (dry ingredients only!) and sprinkled them over top. It’s such a cool dessert and definitely one you can make ahead of time, but in doing that, I’d be sure to reheat it so you get the melty ice cream factor.

And while we’re on the subject of ice cream, I really think this chai ice cream would be ideal with it. SO so so fantastic.

Oh and a little chopped dark chocolate! For the chocolate factor. Like who isn’t into the chocolate factor?

I have ONE more pumpkin-like dessert for you coming this weekend and it DOES involve chocolate, so of course you can take your pick. Sometimes I’m into chocolate and pumpkin and sometimes I just want one or the other. Or all the time I want both. Always.

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Pumpkin Skillet Cobbler

Yield: serves 4 to 6

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
vanilla or cinnamon ice cream, for serving
chopped chocolate for topping



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Have a 10-inch oven-safe skillet ready.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin puree, milk, pie spice, salt and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour the mixture in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. This is your homemade “cake mix” topping! Sprinkle it evenly over the pumpkin mixture. Drizzle the melted butter over top.

Bake the cobbler for 55 to 60 minutes, until the topping is slightly golden and set. Remove the skillet and let it sit and cool for at least 30 minutes – this dessert needs 30 minutes to “set”! Otherwise, it will be somewhat gooey inside.

Serve with ice cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon or pie spice and chopped chocolate.

Note: the texture of this cobbler is much like this chocolate cobbler and NOT fruit cobbler. It’s almost like a gooey pumpkin brownie or cake with a semi-crunchy cake topping.

[adapted from allrecipes]

All images and text ©How Sweet Eats.







Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page.

I appreciate you so much!

That dreamy bowl!

The post Friendsgiving 2017: Pumpkin Skillet Cobbler. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.