Easter Ricotta Cake

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


I don't like to bring up politics on the blog here, but is anyone else scratching their heads over President Trump's optimism that we'll be out of quarantine by Easter? I, for one, will not be doing our normal Easter routine of visiting extended family this year. I'll still be tucked away safely behind the walls of my home, enjoying the company of my immediate family. But, that doesn't mean that I have to skip out on sending a tasty treat to my in-laws to let them know that I'm thinking of them during these difficult times. A little drive-by care package because sweets always lift the spirits, right? I had this Easter Ricotta Cake (a Golden Blossom Honey recipe) saved to try last year, but couldn't find the Stella D'Oro cookies in any of my supermarkets. Little did I know, they had been discontinued. But fear not! You can easily find a copy cat recipe on Google or Pinterest for cream puffs that make a great substitute. 

First, I want to say that I am not encouraging any of you to head to the grocery store to purchase any ingredients that you do not already have on hand for this recipe. As one who is immunocompromised, I fully support everyone staying home to flatten the curve. This recipe will still be here when we get through this mess, and if that happens to be after Easter (which I truly think it will), it will also make for an amazing summer dessert.

This is made quite similar to a cheesecake, but by using ricotta, you get a slightly different texture than you would if you used cream cheese. There's a combination of warm and sweet flavors in this cake that are so inviting, almost reminding me of a fruit filled snickerdoodle. To make the sauce, I just simmered a package of frozen strawberries with the tablespoon of honey until most of the liquid evaporated and it reached a jelly-like consistency. But, if you like a thinner glaze, that's okay, too! Just remove the pan from the heat once the sauce is to your liking.

Ingredients

10 Stella D'Oro Anginetti cookies (available in most supermarkets) *Again, these are discontinued, but you can easily replace this with homemade cream puffs*
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup slivered almond
1/2 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1 egg plus 2 yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Garnish:
1 pint blueberries, coated with
1 Tablespoon GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

Sauce:
2 pints fresh strawberries or 1 package frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed
1 Tablespoon GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

Have you had to change your Easter plans because of the virus this year?

 
 

Thai Chicken Wrap

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


One good thing about this quarantine is Allison has been more than willing to help around the house. Tired of doing puzzles or Face timing her friends, she has been eager to get in the kitchen to make our lunches and dinners. She and I were going to tuck in for an afternoon of Netflix after her online school work was done, but first she wanted to make sure we had lunch prepped. Wraps are always a good and healthy idea, so while I was finishing up some housework, she tossed together these Thai Chicken Wraps from Golden Blossom Honey to munch on during our movie marathon. 

Use leftover rotisserie chicken to have these wraps on the table in no time. Seitan and Tempeh are great substitutes for the chicken if you want to make these vegetarian, or leave the chicken out altogether and just add in more of the broccoli slaw in its place. If you have a messy eater like my husband, leave them rolled burrito style without slicing diagonally. If you're stuck in the house like most of the world right now, this is a great recipe to encourage the kids to get into the kitchen to start learning a new skill. It doesn't require any cooking, and the only help they'll need is with slicing the veggies and wraps. 

Ingredients

2 cups sliced cooked chicken (use a ready cooked rotisserie chicken to save time)
4 (10-inch) spinach tortilla wraps

Salad:
1 (12-ounce) package Broccoli Cole Slaw, found in produce section
4 scallions, sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 cup chow mien noodles

Dressing:
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM RAW HONEY
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

What activities have your kids been doing to stay busy during the quarantine?

 

What We Ate In Ireland

With today being St. Patrick's Day and all, there's no better time to share the amazing grub we chowed down on in Ireland. Our first taste of Irish cuisine was in Dublin in the Temple Bar district. We walked the entire area reading the menus that were posted outside of each restaurant and ultimately settled on The Norseman Pub, where we all got different versions of their pies. I got the Sweet Potato and Feta, Jason got the Beef and Guinness, and the girls both ordered the Chicken and Leek Pie.

 This is also where Mariah had her first "legal" drink. I'll say, she was not a fan of Guinness LOL!

We had breakfast at The Queen of Tarts, a lovely little cafe right around the corner of our Airbnb, also located in the Temple Bar area.

There were so many delicious options to choose from here! Jason ordered the Hearty Irish Breakfast:

Mariah opted for the layered fruit and yogurt parfait:

Allison grabbed a cinnamon roll while I had the Queen's Delight Scone:

There were so many other amazing baked goods and pastries to choose from, so if you just need a grab and go option, pop on inside to check out the tempting treats!

Here in the U.S. we are kind of spoiled with all of the late night dining options, so there were a few days that we really had to hunt down food when we forgot to grab something during normal dinner hours. One night we had stayed until sundown at the Cliffs of Moher, and by the time we left most eateries were closed. We lucked out and came across The Rathbaun Hotel.

If you are ever in County Clare, Ireland, please do yourself a favor and eat at the Rathbaun Hotel. It's run by the most charming Irish family who made it a point to stop and make conversation with us during our meal.

The raspberry jam is house made and I was delighted to find that they do bottle and sell it. I made sure to grab some on my way out, and I have to say it was my favorite souvenir from our entire European vacation. I don't remember who ordered what, but everything was incredible! We ordered the Traditional Irish Stew, Rathbaun Vegetable Soup, and Smoked Salmon. And, while it wasn't on the menu, Allison was really wanting noodles, but they were able to accomodate her request with a pasta and cheese plate.

I always pictured Ireland as being filled with restaurants and pubs that all offered live Irish music, but we only came across that at the Rathbaun Hotel. I would have been so disappointed if we had missed out on experiencing it during our road trip through the country, so I was really delighted we stumbled upon this lovely hotel and eatery as we did.

Of course, there were many other delicious eats in Ireland, but these were my favorite. We also had lunch at the English Market, but I'll save that experience for my next post :)

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow me on Instagram for more travel related content!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Carmelized Onion and Red Bell Pepper Pizza for Pie Day!

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


Pie. I love it! I'll take it over cake any day of the week. With tomorrow being Pie Day and all, I thought that I would share a pie recipe for today's Golden Blossom Honey post. Since I just shared one for Valentine's Day, I figured it was too soon to toss another your way. Instead, I want you all to check out my second favorite kind of pie... Pizza Pie! If you want a super quick and easy pizza to toss together for the day, grab this Caramelized Onion and Red Bell Pepper Pizza for 3.14.

Don't let the lack of sauce fool you. This pizza is packed full of flavor! What intrigued me about this recipe was the use of goat cheese and pine nuts, two things I have never had on my pizza before. I'm usually a mozzarella girl, but I am totally digging the punch the goat cheese adds to the overall flavor and the pine nuts pull it all together with an extra hit of earthy goodness. 

Pizza is a fabulous way to get your geek on and celebrate pie day, but be a little extra and check out the other pies that Golden Blossom Honey has on their recipe page for dessert. Who says you have to stop with just 1 pie tomorrow? The more the merrier, right!?

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1 (1 pound) Boboli baked pizza crust (usually found in bread aisle)
4 ounces soft goat cheese
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

What are your favorite pizza toppings?

A Day in Dublin

Everything that we read about Ireland said that to really experience the country, you must get out of Dublin. With that in mind, we only planned a day and a half in the city (1 full day upon arrival, then another 1/2 day at the end of our road trip). Like it is in most major cities, parking can get expensive in Dublin. Since we didn't want to waste money, we decided to park the car in an overnight garage and see what we could experience on foot during our time there. We booked an Airbnb in the Temple Bar area, so getting to most of the major sites in Dublin wasn't too much of a challenge since a lot of things I wanted to see were already close by.

My first stop was the famous Temple Bar. I didn't go in, but I did have a wonderful time checking out the iconic red bar that I've admired for years while watching the live streaming of St. Patrick's Day celebrations held out front.

I did listen in on a tour group, and the guide said that Temple Bar district is what the locals call a "tourist trap." You won't find any true Irish folk in the area except for the people who work there, so I understand now why they say get out of Dublin to really experience the country and culture.

After we left Temple Bar, we came upon Christ Church Cathedral. You do have to buy tickets to tour, which run a little under $10 USD for a full day pass. We didn't go in, but we did walk the perimeter to marvel at its beauty. I was a little sad to see that there was some graffiti and even feces on some of the doors, which happened to be the filthiest thing we saw during our Ireland travels.

We made our way across the bridge to check out the smaller shops before heading over to Grafton Street for the more pricey, name brand shops.

The family got hit with a nasty head cold, and since I was the only one who didn't get sick, I thought I'd venture out at 5am by myself to soak in more of the city while everyone else caught some much needed sleep before starting our road trip. Jason wasn't thrilled with the idea and brought his sick butt along, but later admitted that had he realized how safe the area was, he wouldn't have felt uneasy about letting me go off on my own for a few hours. That morning, I walked over to St. Patrick's Cathedral. It wasn't open to the public yet, but again, I was able to walk the perimeter to admire the gorgeous architecture and landscaping.

Marsh's Library, the first public library in Ireland, is located right around the corner. I would have loved to have toured it, but it was also closed since it was so early when I set out exploring.

And Jason's favorite, stopping by the Guinness Brewery. I mean, what's a trip to Ireland without indulging in a Guinness!?

One thing I really wanted to do but didn't get the chance was explore the Trinity College Library, but when we go back, it will be the first stop on my itinerary. Some of our best eats were in Dublin, so be sure to stop back next Monday and I'll spill the tea on my favorites. Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram for more travel related content!

What touristy stop would you like to make in Dublin?

Cinnamon Poppy Coffee Cake Fit For A Bakery

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


Back in January we found out that one of our neighborhood bakeries was up for sale. I made an off-the-wall remark to Jason that we should buy it, seeing how it is a beloved community staple. Maybe it was because I had mentioned not too long before that I needed a change in my life, a new project to focus on that led us to start researching that night if it was even a possibility. You all know that I am food driven, dabbling with it on the blog for the past 10 years. My niece is a cake decorator, my brother-in-law a baker, and my best friend is pursuing a culinary degree, so really with those connections, why couldn't we? The next thing I knew, we had the financing approved and an offer submitted. Long story made short, there was a lot of touring, researching, meetings and planning. And, for a bit, we thought the bakery was ours. Unfortunately, we ended up retracting our offer last week because the sellers were being difficult and we would have lost quite a bit of money right off the top had we gone through with the sale. While I wanted to be sad about a short-lived dream, I couldn't bring myself to shed tears over the loss. We learned a lot, about business and ourselves, that made the stress of the past 2 months worth it. While I won't be owning that neighborhood bakery, it did open up some doors and got the conversation started  to go halves on a start-up down the line once my bestie finishes her degree. We've since been approached about buying a local pizzeria, but honestly, baked goods is where my heart is at. If and when I do open my own storefront, it's going to have the tastiest baked goods and tea in the area and you will all be invited to swing by for a visit. I can see a display case filled with cakes, similar to this Cinnamon Poppy Coffee Cake (a Golden Blossom Honey recipe), beckoning my customers for a bite.

Sometimes accidents happen in baking, which this recipe proved to me. Y'all, make sure you grease your pan extra good before pouring in the batter. Some of the top portion of my cake ended up sticking to the pan, leaving some tears and holes that needed filled in. Luckily, I had some confectioner's sugar on hand, which I dusted over the top so the mistake wasn't noticeable. If this were to happen to you too, just pour some homemade glaze, sliced almonds, or berries over the goof and nobody will ever notice you botched it. Easter is right around the corner and this Cinnamon Poppy Coffee Cake would make a great addition to your brunch menu. Or, save it for May to share with mom over tea.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
4 large eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
3 Tablespoons poppy seeds

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

If you could own your own dream business, what would it be?