Girl Scout Cookie Inspiration: Samoa Ice Cream Terrine

I have love for all Girl Scout cookies, but Samoas hold a special place in my heart thanks to the tasty trifecta of chocolate, caramel and coconut. I tried to recreate the magic in a terrine version with three pints of gelato. It's all the flavor of the beloved cookie in frozen form.

Samoa Ice Cream Terrine

1 pint of coconut gelato
1 pint of caramel gelato
1 pint of dark chocolate gelato
1 cup toasted coconut
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate

Line the inside of a loaf pan with plastic wrap, letting a few extra inches hang out over the edges. I found taping the excess plastic wrap to the outside of the pan helped the first layer go in smoother. Let the pint of your first layer of ice cream or gelato (coconut), soften for about 20 minutes, so it’s spreadable. Using a rubber spatula, spread the whole pint in a flat layer over the bottom of the pan. Place loaf pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.

While that layer freezes, remove your second pint (caramel) from the freezer, so it can soften. Once the first layer is firm, spread the second pint of ice cream over it and return the loaf pan to the freezer. Repeat the process with your third layer (chocolate). Once you’re finished, cover the top layer with plastic wrap. Let the finished terrine freeze for at least 6 hours. Once it's ready, unfold the plastic wrap and invert the pan onto a serving plate. With a little wiggling, the terrine should slip out. Remove plastic wrap and garnish with toasted coconut. Melt chocolate and drizzle or pipe over terrine. Slice with a serrated knife and serve immediately.

Chocolate-Dipped Pistachio Shortbread

I wanted to bake something green for Saint Patrick's Day, so I turned to the always trusty pistachio. This dough comes together so quickly, and the shortbread is buttery and crumbly with happy flecks of green sprinkled throughout. The cookies are delicious as is, but I decided to step things up because you know, Erin go Bragh and all of that, so I dipped the shortbread in melted chocolate and sprinkled with additional pistachios. Enjoy them with Irish breakfast tea and have a Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Pistachio Shortbread
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup natural unsalted pistachios, lightly toasted, chopped
1 large egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter, pistachios, egg yolk, and vanilla. Pulse until moist ball forms. Transfer dough to work surface. Divide dough in half. Form each dough half into 8 x 1 1/4-inch log (if dough is too soft, chill until firm, about 30 minutes). Wrap logs in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours. Can be made 5 days ahead; keep chilled. Preheat oven to 325°F. Slice logs into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, rolling log after every few slices to retain round shape. Place rounds on ungreased baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake shortbread until barely golden, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool shortbread on baking sheets.

Optional: Melt 3 ounces bittersweet and 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, stir and dip cooled cookies halfway into chocolate. Finely chop 1/4 cup of pistachios and sprinkle over cookies. Let set for about an hour until chocolate hardens.

Thin Mint Chocolate Bark

I love chocolate bars, and I love Girl Scout cookies, so I thought why not combine them? If you can manage to set aside some Thin Mints before devouring a whole sleeve of them, I'd say it's for a worthwhile cause.

Thin Mint Chocolate Bark

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
8-10 Thin Mint cookies

Melt both chocolates in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave in 30-second increments. Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a ruler and a pencil, draw a 9 by 10-inch rectangle on the paper. Turn the paper facedown on the baking sheet. Pour the melted chocolate over the paper and spread to form a rectangle, using the outline. Crumble thin mint cookies over the melted chocolate and gently press the larger pieces into the chocolate. Set aside for 2 hours until firm. Break the bark into pieces and serve at room temperature.

Cocoa-Coated Popcorn

I've never been much for making plans on Valentine's Day. I feel the same way about New Year's Eve. There's something about those holidays that involve the expectation/pressure of going out when I'd prefer a cozy meal at home over a crowded restaurant or bar. I'm thinking we'll stay in, watch a movie, and I'll shake up a batch of this cocoa-dusted popcorn. It reminds me of the Cinerama, our favorite movie theater in Seattle, where they serve a similar chocolate popcorn that smells just like brownies baking. So Valentine's Day isn't all bad. It does give me a reasonable excuse to eat chocolate.

Cocoa-Coated Popcorn
Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Kosher salt

In a large saucepan, stir together the oil and popcorn kernels. Cover and pop kernels over medium heat. In a bowl, combine the cocoa powder, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over warm popcorn; gently mix to coat. Add salt to taste.

Valentine's Day Dessert: Passion Fruit Soufflés with Raspberry Sauce

If you're looking for an alternative to chocolate for a Valentine's Day dessert, these passion fruit soufflés are about as different as you can get -- and they allow for all sorts of romantic puns. They're light, subtly tropical and the most gorgeous shade of pale yellow. If you want to add more flavor and the requisite Valentine's color, raspberry sauce does the trick.

Passion Fruit Soufflé
Recipe adapted from Daniel Boulud and Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy

4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup passion fruit purée
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for coating ramekins
1 tablespoon butter for greasing ramekins
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 375°F. Generously butter the inside and rims of four 6-ounce ramekins. Dust the insides and rims with sugar, making sure that they are thoroughly coated. Tap out the excess sugar and place the dishes on a baking sheet. Whisk together egg yolks and passion fruit purée in a large bowl until well blended. Set aside. Put the egg whites in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-low speed just until foamy. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the sugar, beating until the whites form glossy medium-stiff peaks. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture in three additions until well incorporated but not overmixed. Spoon the mixture into the ramekins up to their rims. Run your finger along the outside edge of the dishes to remove any excess butter and sugar. Bake the soufflés for 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and drizzle with raspberry sauce. Serve immediately. Makes 4.

Raspberry Sauce
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

1/2 pint raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Combine raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan set over low heat. Cook until berries release their juices and just start to break down, about 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, press berries through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids. Return strained juice to saucepan, stir in cornstarch and cook until mixture comes to a boil. Let cool. Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Pimento Cheese Spread

What I love about pimento cheese is that it somehow manages to fit the menu at both a Super Bowl party and your grandmother's DAR luncheon. I'll keep myself busy snacking on this, while Jonah cheers on his precious Seahawks this Sunday. Thank goodness for the food that goes along with football.

Pimento Cheese Spread

2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 black pepper
4 ounces of diced pimentos, drained

Place the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper and pimentos into the large bowl of a mixer. Beat at medium speed until combined. Serve with bread or buttery crackers.

Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate

It's 70 degrees in Austin, but I'm thinking of my Northeast pals getting pummeled with snow, so I decided to heat up a pot of hot chocolate as a sign of solidarity. This coconut milk-based recipe is creamy and decadent, and I love adding a dash of spice with cinnamon. If you've got a second can of coconut milk handy, you can top off each mug with coconut whipped cream.

Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate

1 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1 ounce finely chopped chocolate (I like bittersweet)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat the coconut milk in a saucepan until hot but not boiling. Add the chocolate and stir until completely melted. Add cinnamon and vanilla extract and stir. Serves two.

Seasonal Sweet: Clementine Sorbet

I love clementines as a midday or late night snack, but I decided to put a crate of them to use in a slightly more involved manner. Enter clementine sorbet. If there's such a thing as a happy flavor, this is it. It's cold, creamy, citrusy deliciousness, and the color is pure sunshine, just what I need to counteract those wintertime blues.

Clementine Sorbet
Recipe adapted slightly from Serious Eats

20 chilled clementines, peeled and broken into segments
2/3 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Chill whole clementines in refrigerator. Peel then purée clementine segments in a blender or food processor. Pour purée through a fine mesh strainer, pressing down on solids with a spoon, into a large measuring cup until you have 4 cups of strained juice. Rinse blender and combine strained clementine juice with honey and salt on high speed for about 30 seconds. Poor mixture into ice maker and churn for 25 minutes or according to manufacturer's instructions. Serve immediately or transfer to a container and chill in freezer for at least 4 hours for a firmer texture.

Holiday Treat: White Chocolate Popcorn

This is just the sort of snack that's great for a holiday party or to package and share as a homemade gift. I love the crunch of the popcorn and almonds coated in the creamy white chocolate. Leave it plain for an elegant look or throw in some red, white and green sprinkles for a more festive treat.

White Chocolate Popcorn

16 cups popped popcorn
1 cup whole almonds
12 oz. white chocolate
red, white and green nonpareils (optional)

Make popcorn using your preferred method. Melt white chocolate in a large bowl in microwave in 30 second increments until smooth. Add popcorn and almonds to white chocolate and fold gently coating the popcorn and almonds. Spread mixture out onto parchment or wax paper. Top with nonpareils if you like. Allow to set for 2 hours.

Apple Cider Granita

A frozen dessert isn't something I'd normally serve this time of year, but when I happened upon this apple cider granita recipe, my curiosity won out. The pairing of cozy fall flavors with something cold and refreshing is surprising and delicious and lets you enjoy apple cider in a whole new way. It'd be a great addition to your dessert table if you're celebrating Thanksgiving in 70-degree weather, or it would make a perfect Turkey Day palate cleanser.

Apple Cider Granita
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit

4 cups apple cider
1/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
8 whole allspice
3 cinnamon sticks

Stir ingredients in saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, cover and let steep 1 hour. Strain mixture into 8-inch square baking pan. Freeze until edges begin to set, about 2 hours. Whisk and freeze again until mixture is slushy, about 3 hours. Whisk again to blend well. Freeze without stirring until granita is frozen solid, 4 hours or overnight. Using a fork, scrape granita until entire mixture is mass of crystals. Cover and freeze until ready to serve. Scoop granita into 6 chilled glasses.

Pumpkin Biscotti with Maple Glaze

I've made pumpkin pies, muffins, parfait, bread, icebox cake and cookies, so while pondering other pumpkin possibilities, I decided pumpkin biscotti were worth an attempt. I topped them with a maple glaze for an added dose of fall and loved the results. I'm already thinking about these, a cup of autumn spice coffee, cozy socks and the Macy's parade on Thanksgiving morning.

Pumpkin Biscotti with Maple Glaze
Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes

2 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup of pumpkin purée
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and spices into a large bowl with sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée and vanilla extract. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Give it a stir to generally incorporate the ingredients. The dough will be crumbly.

Flour your hands and a clean kitchen surface and lightly knead the dough. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form the dough into a large log, roughly about 15-20 inches by 6-7 inches. The loaf should be relatively flat, only about 1/2 inch high. Bake for 40 minutes at 350°F, rotating pan once halfway through baking, until the center is firm to the touch.

Let biscotti cool for 15 minutes and then using a serrated knife cut into 1-inch wide pieces. Turn the oven to 300°F and bake for an additional 40 minutes, flipping biscotti over halfway through baking. Cool completely. Makes about 15 biscotti.

Maple Glaze
1/2 cup confectioner's' sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon milk

Whisk sugar, syrup and milk together until you reach a pourable consistency. Drizzle over biscotti and let set before serving.

Autumn Spice Coffee

Recently, I've been incorporating a little fall flavor in my morning cup of coffee. I add 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg per cup to the coffee grounds before I brew a pot. I skip the sugar (and don't even miss it), add cream and top with a little more nutmeg. It's like a mug full of coziness.

Applesauce Mini Muffins

My desire to nest, waiting on the baby to make his debut and fall baking season all coincided nicely and resulted in this batch of applesauce muffins. Pumpkin is usually my go-to ingredient this time of year, but I decided to get all crazy and go with apples instead. This recipe is simple and quick, and it's one of those that doubles as breakfast and dessert. You can forgo the cream cheese glaze if you like, but what fun is that?

Applesauce Mini Muffins with Cream Cheese Glaze
Recipes adapted from Taste of Home and Recipe Girl

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups applesauce
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup chopped pecans, optional

In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in applesauce. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and spices, and stir into creamed mixture. Fold in nuts. Fill greased or paper-lined mini muffin pan three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Makes about 60 mini muffins.

Cream Cheese Glaze
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Whisk together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Whisk in milk and vanilla. Whisk in powdered sugar. Add more milk, as needed, to create a thick but pourable consistency. Dip the tops of the muffins in the frosting and serve.

Mama-to-Be Mocktail: Purple Fizz

While we were in Napa on our babymoon, I had to forgo the cabernet sauvignon, but I did get to enjoy some delicious grapes right off the vine. Ever since, I've been craving that same juicy flavor, so I decided to come up with this fruity, fizzy mocktail.

Purple Fizz
4 oz. sparkling red grape juice
4 oz. cranberry juice
4 oz. ginger ale
Frozen grapes for garnish

Combine chilled grape juice, cranberry juice and ginger ale and add a few frozen grapes as garnish and to keep the drink cold.

Feeling Fresca

An agua fresca is a water-based drink infused with fruit, seeds, herbs or flowers. There are so many flavor possibilities, but I went with a combination of pineapple and mint. It's light and refreshing and perfect for sweltering summer days.

Pineapple Mint Agua Fresca

2 1/2 cups pineapple, cubed
2 cups water, divided
2 tablespoons agave or honey, or more if you prefer it sweeter
1 tablespoon lime juice
6-8 mint leaves

Puree pineapple, 1 cup water, agave, lime juice and mint leaves in a blender until smooth. Pour into bowl or container and mix in remaining cup of water. Chill until cold for about 2 hours, then strain mixture into pitcher using a sieve, pressing on solids in strainer. Fill glasses with ice and pour the agua fresca over. Garnish with mint. Serves 2.

Weeknight Treat: Blueberries with Custard Sauce

I spotted this recipe for blueberries with custard sauce on Pinterest and had to make it that very night because it looked that good. #blamethebaby Luckily, it's basic and quick and I had all the ingredients on hand, which constitutes a perfect weeknight treat. There's something about this custard sauce that's so craveable, like vanilla pudding before it's set. You can eat it warm or cold, and it's the perfect complement to fresh blueberries.

Mama-to-Be Smoothie

I've been drinking lots of smoothies lately to beat the heat and squeeze more servings of fruits and vegetables into my day. This one is my latest favorite, full of protein and potassium and beneficial foods for baby and mama. Of course, you don't have to be pregnant to enjoy it.

Banana, Almond and Spinach Smoothie

1 frozen banana

3 pitted dates

1 cup of milk or almond milk

1 tablespoon of almond butter

1 cup of spinach

Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Coffee Toffee Brownies

I've been craving brownies for weeks now or as I like to say/blame, "The baby was craving brownies." I'm always looking for a new spin on my favorite sweet so when I found this dense, fudgy recipe that combined caramelly toffee bits and a touch of coffee I knew it'd be a winner.

Fudgy Mocha-Toffee Brownies
Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/4 cup toffee chips

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Combine coffee granules and 1/4 cup hot water, stirring until the coffee granules dissolve. Combine butter and semisweet chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 25-second increments until butter melts; stir until chocolate is smooth. Combine flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine coffee mixture, butter mixture, vanilla extract and eggs in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add coffee mixture to flour mixture; stir until just combined. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Batter will be thick. Sprinkle evenly with toffee chips. Bake at 350° for about 22 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Fresh Strawberry Sauce

When it comes to ice cream toppings, I'm typically a caramel sauce kind of girl, but this strawberry sauce is tart and fresh and brings all kinds of deliciousness to a bowlful of vanilla. It's really more of a strawberry puree. I like to blend it completely and then add a few extra sliced strawberries. I think it would work wonders on waffles, cheesecake or anything else you see fit.

Fresh Strawberry Sauce

Adapted from All Recipes

2 cups of strawberries, quartered

2 tablespoons sugar (or more if you prefer it sweeter)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Remove stems from strawberries and quarter or roughly chop. Combine strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Juice will begin to form after a few minutes. Mash berries with a wooden spoon to produce syrup. Cook until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. In a blender, puree strawberry mixture until smooth, then store in refrigerator. Should make 1 cup of strawberry topping.

Warm Peaches and Cream

Peaches are so delicious on their own that they really don't need any help, but since a little butter, sugar and vanilla never hurt anything, these warm peaches make for a nice variation.

Warm Peaches
2 peaches, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Add brown sugar and stir until melted. Turn off heat and stir in vanilla and sliced peaches. While still warm, serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Serves 2.