Peanut Butter Mousse

If you're like me, you crave dessert... ALL THE TIME. And let's face it, most of us just don't have the time to put together a 2 hour dessert, no matter how delicious it is. That's why I'm always looking for something easy that I can whip up when the cravings hit. My go to flavor is chocolate, and everybody knows that chocolate and peanut butter make a great pair. This peanut butter mouse with chocolate curls is super easy to make and knocks those cravings out right on the spot.

Peanut Butter Mousse Recipe, Makes about 1 cup
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used homemade!)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cocoa powder
1 chocolate bar

To make this delectable dessert, whip the cream and peanut butter together until it stiffens and peaks form. Gently fold in the sugar, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder. Cover and chill for about 10 minutes.

To make the chocolate curls, slide a vegetable peeler up the candy bar.

Remove the mousse from the fridge and layer with chocolate curls.

Tips and Tricks
-I used homemade peanut butter, so that I knew exactly what went into the recipe. Here's a great recipe: Homemade Peanut Butter
-If you're having trouble making the chocolate curls, try softening the chocolate for a few seconds in the microwave.

Shhhh, I think I hear this peanut butter mousse calling my name. Is it calling to you, too? Go ahead and let your tastebuds drag you into the kitchen. Whip some up and put it on a plate, or in a glass, or on a spoon...

Don't be a Chicken

I'll be heading back to school in a couple of weeks, so I've been searching for healthy, delicious lunches that I can bring from home. Let's be honest here, the smell of chicken nuggets always calls to me whenever I pass a cafeteria. So what better way to curb my cravings and stay healthy (and within my budget) than by baking some homemade chicken nuggets?

Baked Chicken Nuggets, Makes About 12 Nuggets
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb)
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 tbsp dried parsley
salt, garlic, and pepper to taste

In order to make these chicken nuggets, you'll have to set up a station of sorts. Place the vegetable oil in one bowl. Mix the panko, plain bread crumbs, and parsley in another bowl. Get out some baking sheets and grease with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Line everything up in this order: bowl of vegetable oil, bowl of bread crumbs, and baking sheets. Now, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Season your chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. Then, cut the chicken breasts into 1 to 2 inch chunks. Dredge the chicken first in oil, then in the bread crumb mixture. Make sure to coat each piece of chicken completely in oil, and then press the bread crumbs on with your fingers. Line on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the oven. Then, flip the chicken over and bake for 4 to 5 more minutes or cooked through. Serve with dipping sauce.

If you're thinking this recipe is a little too involved, don't chicken out! These healthy chicken nuggets were simple and took me all of 10 minutes to prepare. These crunchy, mouth-watering little bites would be a great addition to kids lunches or serve great as an afternoon snack. So go ahead, bake up a batch of these chicken nuggets and put them on a plate!

Serve Me Ceviche!

When the simmering heat of summer hits, it's tough to stomach anything warm. This chilled shrimp ceviche has a spicy kick and serves as the perfect summer appetizer or snack. Ceviche is super simple to make and requires no cooking! Don't worry though, the acidity of the lemons and limes "cooks" the shrimp so it's safe to eat.

Shrimp Ceviche Recipe, Makes 3 to 4 Cups
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup cucumbers, chopped
1/2 serrano pepper, chopped
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
8 large limes
5 large lemons
salt and pepper

First, make sure all of your vegetables are chopped and combine them in a large bowl. Take your shrimp and cut them roughly into 1/2 inch pieces. Add them to the bowl. Squeeze the juice of the lemons and limes into the bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix everything together, cover, and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, tostadas, sweet potatoes, or corn.


Tips and Suggestions:
-For a milder heat, use jalapeño peppers instead of serrano peppers.

This shrimp ceviche is a sure-fire way to beat the summer heat, so go ahead, put it on a plate!

Fruit Tart Minis

Many of my close friends know that I'm completely addicted to MasterChef. Somehow I missed the first couple of episodes this year, so I've been obsessively stalking Hulu each week to catch up as soon as new episodes are released. The recipe for these fruit tarts was inspired by one of the challenges on MasterChef, and I'm really excited to share my version of a French classic with you!


Fruit Tart Minis Recipe, Makes About 18
Crust:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
1 egg, whisked

Pastry Cream:
1 egg
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup milk (I used skim)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 tbsp butter
1/3 tsp vanilla extract

Also needed:
rolling pin
mini muffin pan


To make the crust, sift together the flour, sugar, and salt. Section the cold butter into roughly 1/2 inch chunks. Add half the butter to the flour mixture and mix. When the butter is incorporated, add the other half. Mix until crumbly. Add the whisked egg to the mixture, and stir until the dough comes together. You'll be rolling the dough, so you want to make sure that it is not too dry and will stick together. You may add a few tablespoons of cold water to achieve the right consistency. Cover the dough completely in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To make the pastry cream, whisk together the egg, sugar, and cornstarch. In a separate pot, add the milk, heavy cream, butter, and vanilla. Heat over medium-high heat while stirring until the mixture begins to boil. Add the egg mixture and continue boiling and stirring for 1 minute. Take the pot off the heat and continue stirring for 1 more minute. When the mixture cools down a little, pour it through a sifter into a bowl to remove lumps. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the pastry cream and refrigerate until cool.

To assemble the fruit tart minis, first preheat the oven to 375 degrees farenheit. Turn your mini muffin pan face down and coat with cooking spray. (You will be using the bottom of the mini muffin cups to shape the crusts for your mini fruit tarts.) Roll out the cold dough to between 1/4 and 1/8 of an inch thick. Make cuts in the dough with a cookie cutter and place one cut on each mini muffin cup. Press down gently to shape the dough around the cup. Poke holes in the dough with a fork so that the air can escape during baking. Bake your mini muffin crusts in the oven for about 5 to 7 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove the cups from the muffin pan and flip over. (Each cup should have a small dip in the center for the pastry cream filling.) Fill each crust with a dollop of chilled pastry cream and top with desired fruit.

Tips and Suggestions:
-I used strawberries and blueberries to top my fruit tart minis because they are in season. Feel free to use pineapples, mangos, peaches, blackberries, raspberries...
-I used skim milk to cut down on calories (and it's also what I had in my fridge). For a creamier texture and richer taste, use 2% or whole milk.
-Have fruit tart minis at a party. Make the shells and pastry cream ahead of time, and set out cut fruit for guests to assemble their own.

Aren't these fruit tart minis just too classy and adorable? Don't you just almost NOT want to eat them? Nah, there's always more where that came from, so go ahead, put it on a plate and enjoy!