
Tis the season for nog!

In an organized rush to get everything on our to-do list crossed off before we make the trek to Philly, I’ve packed most of my beloved dishes, small appliances, pots and pans, silverware and other kitchen necessities. Already I’ve filled up about 6 large boxes aaaannnd there are probably at least 3 more to go (yes, I may have a bit of an obsession). We’re also trying to quickly plow through our remaining produce and pantry staples leaving me with a fun challenge come dinnertime each night. I’m actually kinda diggin’ it.
I’ve yet to pack my favorite brownie baking pan (because lots of brownies are an absolute must for road-tripping), and we had an excess of fresh cherries just begging to be used. And for some reason I have a ridiculous amount of chocolate chips to try and use up in 10 days time… poor me, right? ;)
So, today I decided I should bake some chocolate chip cherry brownies. These guys are easy to make and pretty darned good for you — at least compared to most other things I bake! And they have chocolate! And cherries!
Yay for brownies!
Chocolate Chip Cherry Brownies
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 °F. Lightly grease a glass 8 x 8 inch baking pan.
Combine pitted dates and non-dairy milk into food processor and puree until very smooth.
Over double boiler, melt 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Pour the melted chocolate into the date mixture and blend again until super smooth. Transfer to large mixing bowl and stir in vanilla extract and salt.
Add in brown rice flour and potato starch and mix until well combined. The batter will be very very very thick. Fold in cherries and remaining chocolate chips. I used clean hands to more or less knead the mix-ins into the batter.
Press batter into pan and spread as best you can to make a uniform surface on top. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Cool completely and cut into small squares.
Eat!
I woke up this morning determined to create something wonderful with this little acorn squash that had been rolling around on my counter-top for the past few days.
After mixing up all of the ingredients, I had no idea that I had just created my new favorite Autumn treat. I’m serious! This dessert tastes remarkably like a chocolate pumpkin pie, or a pot de créme, or simply what it is: an awesome baked custard (no eggs or cream needed). And it’s so easy to make!
Creamy, rich, and chocolatey, I dare you to eat just one bite.

I tend to make all of my fruit pies the exact same way… and I am always stuffing my face very happy with the results. This raspberry pie is no exception. Once I cut the first slice, it barely lasted 30 minutes.
Mmmm pie.

Over the weekend, the family and I stocked up on plenty-o-cherries. While I was excited about eating them as is- savoring each sweet and juicy bite- my son had another plan for them: cherry pie.
He must have asked me to make cherry pie at least ten times this past weekend.
Truthfully, the thought of rolling out a pie crust in 90 degree weather seemed less than appealing…but I didn’t want to disappoint my little man. So, I compromised with some tiny cherry tarts. Similar to the requested pie, with a little less fuss. These tarts can be made quickly, with relatively little effort. Pitting the cherries is the hardest part.
They are super cute too. Kinda like cookies and pie and muffins- all in one!

This is a super easy (and delicious) recipe that is guaranteed to please. The cake is yummy with or without the frosting.
But, the frosting is yummy with or without the cake, so it’s best to just combine the two. ♥

One of my favorite flavor combinations ever is peanut butter and jelly. Since gluten is off limits for me, it is difficult to satiate my craving with a simple sandwich. So, I have resorted to eating pb&j straight from a giant spoon every now and again.
Okay, I do it a lot.
The inspiration for this parfait is obvious. Getting my peanut butter and jelly fix this way assures no odd looks from my husband, and it’s a bit less barbaric. Perhaps even fancy.

Okay, when I say this cake is super sticky… I mean it is super friggin’ sticky. See how the cake kinda dips in the center? I’m not exactly certain why this happened. :|
My guess is: incredibly moist (and heavy) cake with crispier ( therefore lighter) edges = cake that sinks in the middle. But the taste and texture totally trump any weird looks this thing may get.
I still have a lot of gluten free cake making in my future, but at least now I can say I have mastered a flavorful, wet, gluten free cake that will stick to the bottom of your plate. Good start.
The clementine filling/topping adds an extra layer of super sticky that I find over the top perfect for this cake.