Butternut Squash Ravioli with Herb Browned Butter

I love butternut squash and I love ravioli.
So when I saw Butternut Squash Ravioli at Trader Joe's recently,
I just had to buy it to try it out.
And guys - it's really yummy!

Not only is it tasty, it's super easy to make too!
I just threw together a simple herb browned butter sauce,
but even just a little butter would be delicious too.
Let me show you how I made mine.


The Goods:
Butternut Squash Ravioli
Butter
Garlic
Thyme
Parsley
Parmesan Cheese

Melt half a stick of butter in a skillet.

Once melted, turn down the heat slightly,

then add your garlic and thyme.

While the butter is browning, throw in your pasta to cook.

Cook according to package directions.

Keep an eye on your butter, stirring it every so often.

When it starts to brown and you smell a nutty flavor, you know it's done.

Add your cooked, drained pasta to the skillet 

and toss to coat it in the browned butter sauce. 

Plate your pasta, add fresh minced parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Dig in and ENJOY!!!

Reduced Guilt Key Lime Pie

Five years ago, I dedicated an entire month to pies on my blog.
I made so many pies that month it's amazing I didn't gain tons of weight.
Please remember that all posts are from 2011, but here are five of my favorites:
Lemon Meringue Pie
Mini Pumpkin Pies
Dutch Apple Pie
Chocolate Cherry Pie
Turkey Pot Pie

With all the pies I made, it's amazing I never made a Key Lime Pie.
I changed that recently though and made one,
but decided to try to make it just a tad healthier!

The Goods:

Graham Crackers

Brown Sugar

Salt

White Chocolate Chips

Butter

Reduced Fat Greek Yogurt

Key Limes

Eggs

Fat-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk

Whipped Cream

Crush your graham crackers in a gallon bag using a rolling pin.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup graham cracker crumbs,

1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1 ounce chopped white chocolate.

Add 2 tablespoons melted butter and toss until evenly moistened.

Press crumb mixture into greased pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

While crust is cooling, in another medium bowl combine 1/2 greek yogurt, 

1/2 cup fresh key lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon key lime zest, 

3 large egg yolks and (1) 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk.

Pour mixture into crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes.

Cool pie completely on wire rack. 

Chill at least 2 hours before cutting. 

And of course, serve with whipped cream!

Reduced Guilt Key Lime Pie

Adapted from Cooking Light

For the Crust:

1 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1/8 Teaspoon Salt

1 Ounce White Chocolate Chips

2 Tablespoons Butter

For the Filling:

1/2 Cup Reduced Fat Greek Yogurt

1/2 Cyo Key Limes

3 Large Egg Yolks

1 (14 Ounce) Fat-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk

1. Crush your graham crackers in a gallon bag using a rolling pin.
2. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1 ounce chopped white chocolate. Add 2 tablespoons melted butter and toss until evenly moistened.
3. Press crumb mixture into greased pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.
4. While crust is cooling, in another medium bowl combine 1/2 greek yogurt, 1/2 cup fresh key lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon key lime zest, 3 large egg yolks and (1) 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk.
5. Pour mixture into crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes. Cool pie completely on wire rack. Chill at least 2 hours before cutting. 

Butter Chicken

I love eating Indian food - going out for it or getting it to go.

Heck - even the frozen Indian food from Trader Joe's is tasty.

So when I saw this Buzzfeed and how simple it looked,

I knew I needed to try to make it myself!

And that is exactly what I did and I'm here to show you.

Sorry - no "The Goods" picture this time

 because I decided to blog about this at the last minute.

Marinate 2 pounds of bite sized pieces of chicken breasts in 

1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, salt and pepper to your liking.

Let sit at least 15 minutes.

Melt two tablespoons of butter in saute pan and brown chicken.

Remove chicken and set aside.

Melt two more tablespoons of butter over medium heat,

then saute 1 1/2 cups diced onions, 3 cloves minced garlic,

3 teaspoons garam masala, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger,

1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon cayenne,

3 inch cinnamon stick, pinch salt and pepper.

Cook until fragrant - about 8 minutes.

Add (1) 14 ounce can of tomato sauce and simmer.

Add one cup cream...

And one cup water.

Bring back to a simmer

Return the chicken to the pan and simmer covered for 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir in 2 more tablespoons butter and adjust salt and pepper to your liking.

Garnish with cilantro.

And finally serve over a bed of rice.

1. Marinate 2 pounds of bite sized pieces of chicken breasts in 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, salt and pepper to your liking. Let sit at least 15 minutes.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in saute pan and brown chicken. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Melt 2 more tablespoons of butter over medium heat, then saute 1 1/2 cups diced onions, 3 cloves minced garlic, 3 teaspoons garam masala, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon cayenne, 3 inch cinnamon stick, pinch salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant - about 8 minutes.
4. Add (1) 14 ounce can of tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.
5. Add one cup cream and one cup milk, then return to a simmer.
6. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer covered for 10 to 15 minutes.\
7. Stir in 2 more tablespoons butter and adjust salt and pepper to your liking.
8. Garnish with cilantro and serve over a bed of rice. 

Rainbow Sprinkle Butter Cookies

If you remember my Birthday Cake Donuts post,
you'll know that I LOVE rainbow sprinkles.

And since this is birthday MONTH,
I thought it was only fitting
to do another rainbow sprinkle recipe!!!

So today, I share with you some oh so yummy
BUTTER RAINBOW SPRINKLE COOKIES!!!

 

The Goods:

All Purpose Flour

Sugar

Butter

Salt

Egg

Vanilla Extract

Rainbow Sprinkles

 

In a larger bowl, cream the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla.

 

Add the egg yolk and mix until incorporated.

 

Add the flour and mix until dough forms.

 

Shape into a long tube and cover in plastic wrap.

Keep in the fridge for at least 2 hours, if not longer.

You can even freeze, covered more securely, for a few months.

 

Let dough soften slightly, then slice thinly with a sharp knife.

 

Add rainbow sprinkles and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

 

Let cool (if possible) and then dig in!!! 

These may not look like they're anything special,

but man on man they sure taste amazing.

They're buttery and just melt in your mouth!!! 

But wait...

I only used and baked half the dough.

And saved the other half in the freezer,

then made those for a small NYE get together.

But this time COVERED the cookies in rainbow sprinkles!!!

They tasted the same, but I loved this look so much more!

Rainbow Sprinkle Butter Cookies

Adapted from food.com

8 Ounces Butter

3/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Egg Yolk
2 Cups All Purpose Flour

1. In a larger bowl, cream the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla. 
2. Add the egg yolk and mix until incorporated.
3. Add the flour and mix until dough forms.
4. Shape into a long tube and cover in plastic wrap.
5. Keep in the fridge for at least 2 hours, if not longer. You can even freeze, covered more securely, for a few months.
6. Let dough soften slightly, then slice thinly with a sharp knife.
7. Add rainbow sprinkles, then bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
   

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

CONFESSION: I don't love the quality of these pictures.

They were taken quite awhile ago on an older camera, 

but I'd been saving this post until Fall because hello - pumpkin!

Even though the pictures below aren't the best,

 these Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are AMAZING.

Please don't let the pictures fool you.

When looking at Pumpkin Whoopie Pie recipes, 

I realized I didn't love everything about a single one,

so I combined two different ones to make something I did love.

For the cake part, I used Mix and Match Mama's recipe,

but I'm not the biggest fan of canned frosting,

so I used the cream part from Momfessional's recipe!

Let me show you how they're made.

The Goods:

Yellow Cake Mix

Vegetable Oil

Eggs

Pumpkin Puree

Cream Cheese

Butter

Vanilla

Powdered Sugar

Cinnamon

Combine cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs and pumpkin puree with mixer.

Mix until ingredients are well combined.

Transfer mixture to large zipper bag.

Cut off the tip of the zipper bag and start piping mixture.

Make small circles on parchment lined baking sheet, leaving room to expand.

Bake for about 10 minutes, then cool on pans for a few more minutes.

Remove to wire racks and finishing cooling completely.

You'll notice about half of mine turned out near perfect,

where the other half sadly just weren't as pretty.

While they're cooling, it's time to make the frosting!

Cream together the butter and cream cheese.

Then add the powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon

and mix until everything is combined. 

Grab another large zipper bag and transfer frosting to that.

Then cut off the tip and pipe onto half of the baked cakes.

Lastly, add the other side of the whoopie pie and you're ready to go.

Now dig in and enjoy these yummy pumpkin treats!!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Cakes from Mix and Match Mama

Frosting from Momfessionals 

For the Cakes:

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

2 Eggs

1 Cup Pumpkin Puree

For the Frosting:

16 Ounces Powdered Sugar

1 Stick Unsalted Butter

1 Block Cream Cheese

Splash of Vanilla

Few Dashes Cinnamon

1. Combine cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs and pumpkin puree with mixer. Mix until ingredients are well combined.
2. Transfer mixture to large zipper bag. 
3. Cut off the tip of the zipper bag and start piping mixture. Make small circles on parchment lined baking sheet, leaving room to expand.
4. Bake for about 10 minutes, then cool on pans for a few more minutes.
5. Remove to wire racks and finishing cooling completely.
6. Cream together the butter and cream cheese. Then add the powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and mix until everything is combined. 
7. Transfer frosting to another large zipper bag.
8. Cut off the tip and pipe onto half of the baked cakes.
9. Lastly, add a second cake on top to finish assembling the whoopie pies.