M&M cookies are my all-time favorite type of cookie! While I really love just about any kind of cookie, for as long as I can remember I have been especially fond of M&M. I love using the seasonal M&M colors to turn this classic cookie into a festive dessert. I especially love the Christmas and the Valentine’s Day M&M colors, but Halloween, Fourth of July, and Easter have some great seasonal M&Ms as well. After perfecting my Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, I started experimenting with the addition of M&Ms. There were many iterations of M&M cookies, but I found that when I use a 1-inch cookie scoop, 6 M&Ms placed in a flower pattern is the perfect ratio. This way you have a bite of M&M with every bite of the cookie. My Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe has proven to be a great base for many variations of cookies and it works particularly well for M&M.  Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print the M&M Cookies recipe.

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups flour

1 bag of Regular M&M’s

Cream the butter with sugar until fluffy.

Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.

Combine and sift all dry ingredients, then beat into the butter mixture.

Use a cookie scoop to place dough on a cookie sheet about an inch apart.

Place 6 M&M’s on each cookie in a flower shape.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. I use a convection oven, and they are done in 8 minutes.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Looking for more cookie recipes? Check out my posts here:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter Heart Cookies 

During our trip to Chicago, we ate dinner at Fig & Olive and I had the best scallop risotto with mushrooms and truffle. It was so good, that not only did I completely scrape the plate, but I order the same dish at Fig & Olive when visiting New York. After realizing how much effort goes into making delicious risotto, this dish has been reserved for special occasions or our next trip. If you do not enjoy cooking or spending time in the kitchen, this scallop risotto recipe is not for you. Seriously, you have to stir the risotto for about 30 minutes and it is a tedious process. Carnaroli rice is a little bit more difficult to find but works way better than sushi rice when making risotto. I usually find carnaroli and good scallops at Central Market or Whole Foods. If you do not like mushrooms or truffles, you can use the risotto recipe as a base and add vegetables and flavors of your liking. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Scallop Risotto recipe.

1 tablespoon salt

6 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

2 cups carnaroli or Japanese sushi rice

1 cup dry white wine

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmesan

1 tablespoon truffle oil

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pound sea scallops

Combine 1 tablespoon of salt and 10 cups of water in a medium pot, and bring to a simmer. Heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven and cook shallot until translucent and soften. Add 1/2 cup of water, stirring often, until water evaporates and shallot is completely tender. Add rice and stir well to coat with oil. Stir constantly until grains of rice are translucent around the edges, about 5 minutes, and they make a clattering sound when they hit the pot. (Coating the grains with oil helps the rice cook evenly so the outside does not become mushy before the center is tender.) Add wine, and bring to a simmer stirring occasionally until wine is evaporated. 

Reduce heat to medium and add hot salted water for the second pot in 1 cup increments. Stir constantly and allow water to absorb fully before adding more. Cook until rice is al dente and surrounded by a creamy suspension, about 30 minutes. Remove pot from heat, add 5 tablespoons of butter, Parmesan cheese, truffle oil, and ground pepper, and stir until melted. 

  Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet on medium. Add chopped mushrooms and garlic, and cook, until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Pour mushrooms over risotto and using the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until just beginning to smoke. Season scallops generously with salt and pepper. Cook scallops on one side until a golden-brown crust forms on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and turn scallops over. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes. Plate scallops with risotto and serves warm. 

I have always loved trying new recipes and baking for others but rarely thought about food allergies. In college one of my good friends, who has coeliac disease, challenged me to try some gluten-free recipes so she could enjoy my treats as well. Most of the recipes I tried were just plain gross or had a funky texture. After many trials and adaptions, I found a recipe for gluten-free brownies that you would suspect of being flourless. Now, especially when hosting for the holidays, I always offer a gluten-free option for guests and these gluten-free brownies are a favorite. It was really weird to write a recipe that didn’t list flour as one of the first ingredients, but I have found corn starch to work really well as a substitute. Be sure to check out some of my other recipes for the holidays! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Gluten-Free Brownie Recipe 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 cup chopped pecans

Last week I shared my Pumpkin Pie recipe for Thanksgiving and decided to share Monna’s Pecan Pie recipe as well! I shared this recipe a few years ago in one of my Mondays with Monna posts with her crust recipe. I love pecan pie of any kind, but this version is one of my favorites, especially topped with vanilla ice cream. I have also used this filling in smaller cups with puff pastry for a lighter dessert. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Pecan Pie Recipe 

Pie Crust

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (cut into smaller pieces)

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons ice water

In a food processor combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs. Add the ice water a little at a time and pulse until the dough begins to form. Transfer the dough to a work surface and shape it into a 9-inch pie plate. Pre-bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes when the recipe calls for it.

Pecan Pie Filling 

3/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup dark Karo

2 eggs

1/2 cup Pet evaporated milk (another brand is fine too)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup pecan pieces (or halves)

Mix sugar, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir in Karo syrup, and beat in eggs one at a time. Add evaporated milk, vanilla, and pecans, mixing well before pouring into pie crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Tip from Monna: top off the pie with warm maple syrup and Blue Bell vanilla ice cream.

Thanksgiving is only two weeks away, and I am still wondering what happened to the month of October! My grandmother (Monna) bakes the best pies for Thanksgiving, as proven in my Monday with Monna post. I realize not everyone is lucky enough to have Monna bake their pies, which is why I am sharing a simple and favorite pumpkin pie recipe. I recommend making the pie crust a day or two in advance (keep the dough in the fridge) or a store-bought crust works well with this filling too (excuse my messy crust edge in photos). I love the blend of spices in this pumpkin pie filling and that most ingredients, minus the pumpkin, can already be found in the pantry. This pie is best served with chantilly cream (recipe here) and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I hope everyone enjoys time with loved ones and this pumpkin pie over the holiday! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Pumpkin Pie Recipe 

Pie Crust

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (cut into smaller pieces)

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons ice water

In a food processor combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs. Add the ice water a little at a time and pulse until the dough begins to form. Transfer the dough to a work surface and shape it into a 9-inch pie plate. Pre-bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes when the recipe calls for it.

Pumpkin Pie Filling 

15 oz can pumpkin puree

3 large eggs

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pre-bake pie crust (400 degrees for 20 mins, covered in foil). In a large bowl combine pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, and evaporated milk. Slowly mix in melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until the mixture is smooth. Pour filling into pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. The center should slightly jiggle when the pan is given a gentle shake. Let cool and garnish with whipped cream.

Add meat, onion, mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes to the slow cooker. Add wine, tomato patsy, and beef broth. Season with garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Combine ingredients well and cover slow cooker with lid. Cook on low heat for 5 hours or on high heat for 3 hours.