In the Kitchen: Parmesan Bread Knots

This past weekend we had a party with some of the folks from my husband's job. I've been collecting pins of appetizers and party food on Pinterest for months (follow me on Pinterest!) so I was positive we'd have the best spread around.  But of course I procrastinated and didn't plan out the menu or do the shopping until the day of the party. Oops!  Needless to say, I was freaking out that I wasn't going to have time to make all the food AND finish all the last minute projects we had going on around the house. Oops again.  Apparently I like to overbook myself whenever it's time for an event.  I work better in chaos.

Anyways, I was browsing my "Soiree" pin board when I found this awesomely fast, cheap, and YUMMY recipe for parmesan bread knots over on the Real Mom Kitchen blog. Laura adapted the recipe from one in an issue of Simple and Delicious. It was THE easiest appetizer I've ever made but it looked like I spent forever on it.  Of course I forgot to take a picture but for once, mine came out looking just like the ones in the original picture! On top of that, I didn't use exact measurements. I went all Julia Childs and just eyeballed all the seasonings...that shows you how easy this really is! You most likely have all the ingredients already in your kitchen and anything you don't have can be bought for like $3.

My one tip would to be add extra seasonings for even more flavor (I added extra parmesan to the second batch).  Though I liked the knots with the seasoning on top, one of the commentors on the original post mentioned that they brushed the seasonings on the dough before tying and baking it so that the flavor would be spread throughout. Definitely something to try next time.

So without further ado, I give you...

Parmesan Bread Knots

Picture via Laura, Real Mom Kitchen

*Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen. Notes in red are my own comments/edits

• 1 tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits ( I used cheap ones from Aldi and they were delicious!)
• 1/4 cup canola oil (don't use vegetable oil. they'll turn out too greasy)
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (I added extra)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Roll each biscuit into a 12in rope and tie into a knot, tucking the ends under. Place 2in apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. 
3. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Brush the mixture over the knots while they're still warm. 

By the way, if you're looking for a delicious artichoke and spinach dip, I made this one from Joyful Abode and it was delicious! She doesn't say how much garlic salt to use and I accidentally put too much but everyone said they liked it and the bowl was completely empty when the night was over so I guess it was good afterall!






Happy cooking :)

In the Kitchen: S'mores in a Jar

It's Monday and it's raining.  Blah!  But don't fret, I have a way to cheer things up.

S'mores in a jar.

Yes, in a jar.  After seeing pictures of the yummy desert on Pinterest, I had to check it out.  Jessica, creator of said s'mores delight, is the blogger behind How Sweet It Is and quite possibly the most amazing person on earth.  Her blog is full of UNBELIEVEALE treats like cookie dough dip (why didn't someone think of this sooner!?), cinnamon rolls stuffed with cookie dough, and cake batter cinnamon rolls.  Of course there are tons of other things on her blog that have nothing to do with cinnamon rolls and cookie dough, but I chose to ignore them!

Anyways, back to the s'mores.  S'mores in a jar are super easy to make.  It's graham crack crust with chocolate cake and marshmallows!  Jessica makes her cake batter from scratch but I'm all about doing things the lazy way so I used a box of Duncan Hines.  My modified version is below.  For the official recipe, head over to How Sweet It Is.

S’mores in a Jar (my lazy version, adapted from How Sweet It Is' S'mores Cake in a Jar recipe)
makes (4) 1-pint mason jar servings

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about one sleeve of crackers)
• 1/2 stick butter
• sprinkle of salt
• chocolate cake mix (I used chocolate fudge mix)
• 1 bag large marshmallows

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt butter and add in graham crumbs and salt. Mix until moist. Spray 4 mason jars with non-stick spray and press graham crust into jars, dividing equally until crumbs are gone. They don’t need to look perfect. I used a small juice glass to press the crumbs firmly into the bottom of the jars.

3. Make cake mix and pour about 1/2 cup into each jar, making sure you don't fill them over half full, otherwise you'll have no room for marshmallows once the cake rises.  You'll have batter left over so either make more s'mores or turn them into something else yummy like cupcakes!

4. Put the jars in a cake pan with 1 1/2 cups of water at the bottom to keep the jars from shattering. Bake for about 30 minutes.

5. Take the jars out of the oven and add marshmallows on top. We used mini marshmallows because we already had them in the fridge. It's all up to you.   Just remember, the jars are HOT! Turn on your oven broiler and put the jars back in the oven for about 1 or 2 minutes. Make sure to watch super carefully...the marshmallows will melt fast! Heat until the marshmallows are nice and golden.

6. Stuff your face :)

They can get kind of messy so we used long sundae spoons to eat ours! May I tell you, these are DELICIOUS!! I'm positive they serve smores in a jar in heaven. I'm also positive I gained about 10lbs after eating one! The next time we make them, I'm adding strawberries under the marshmallows. I think the fruit will be the perfect addition. My husband wants an extra layer of graham crackers and maybe some peanut butter. The possibilites are endless!