Peach Crumb Bars

Peaches are one of those fruits that just scream summer. The smell alone is something rather intoxicating, reminiscent of picnics, playgrounds and ocean side daytrips. This recipe captures the magic of the peach and combines it with nutmeg and cinnamon, creating a spicy peach pie-like filling. The buttery crust is more on the crumbly side, which makes it a delightful substitute for coffee cake and, let’s face it, a really good excuse to eat dessert for breakfast (although not having an excuse has never actually stopped me from eating dessert for breakfast.) These bars are also perfect for potlucks or picnics, so feel free to spread the summery goodness with your friends and family.

Margarita Cupcake Bites

Oh, summertime. Once the weather begins to heat up and the sun retreats from hibernation, I am all about soaking up every ounce of the season, from picnics to beach days. The bright (and slightly boozy) flavor of these margarita cupcakes is sure to be a hit at any summer BBQ or potluck, and the mini size is just enough for a treat which is satisfying but not too heavy.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

This is the first recipe I’ve tried off of the massive time-sucking (yet delightful) Pinterest (for serious, why is it so amazing?) Anyway, I found this cake to be an absolute delight. The edges are crispy, the inside is soft, and it works equally well as a dessert or breakfast.  I chose to leave off the glaze as I felt the cake had enough sugar in it without adding the sweet topping. I was happy with the results, although I will include the glaze for anyone who wants all the elements of a traditional cinnamon roll. I also decided to bake it in my heart-shaped pan for no other reason than I like my heart-shaped pan, although it did make the cake thicker and thus alter the cooking time. I would in the future use the pan size listed (and thus will include the original cooking time), but a smashing success overall. Enjoy!

My New Addiction

Everyone by now should know how much I love butter and sugar (and if you don’t you clearly have not been reading this blog), so you might be surprised to learn that my new addiction is…gasp!... healthy. Although I try to maintain a good balance between healthy food and decedent deliciousness, I have sometimes justified tipping the balance to the later by sighting that Paula Deen is still alive and well. Paula may be alive, but unfortunately, not so well. With my favorite Southern lady’s announcement of her Type II Diabetes I decided to take a good look at my diet and see where I could incorporate more nutrient-dense foods. This won’t be the end of Bombshell Baking and all the delicious fatty sugary wonders that brought me to the kitchen in the first place, but I thought I’d share one of my new favorite things: fruit and veggie smoothies.

These smoothies are kind of amazing. It helps me get more fruits and veggies into my diet, and I can tell how much better my body feels after I drink one. At first they tasted a little weird, but now I find them delicious. I’ve gotten to a point where if I don’t have one, I miss it. It’s like getting your body used to exercise then taking a day off. I definitely have noticed a difference since I started making these, and it makes me think that maybe eating healthy isn’t so bad. So, thanks Paula.

Basic Green Smoothie

What you need…

• ½ frozen banana
• Handful of baby spinach
• 2-3 ripe strawberries
• ½ cup orange juice

What to do…

• Slice frozen banana and strawberries to pieces manageable for your blender
• Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth

I have also been playing around with adding in other fruits and veggies into the smoothies to get a variety of nutrients (drink the rainbow, if you will), including: blueberries, blackberries, mango, kiwi and kale. I recommend playing around with this recipe to find what you (and your body) like best. 

Rainbow version: strawberries, banana, orange juice, spinach, kale, blueberries and blackberries

Thanksgiving Dessert Spread

(I know this is a bit late but better late than never).

For the first time this year, I was in charge of part of my family’s Thanksgiving feast- dessert, of course. My mom is a big fan of traditional pumpkin pie, so I figured I would try out Paula Deen’s take on this classic dessert. Unlike Paula’s version, I  made a homemade pie crust, since I think homemade crust tastes better. In addition, I had mini pumpkin spice cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting and molasses spice cookies. The dessert spread went over rather well, and I’m pretty sure I’m now in charge of the task for life.

Classic Pumpkin Pie (modified from Paula Deen)

What you need…

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
• 1 piece pie dough (homemade or store bought. I used this recipe, which I’ve used before)
• Whipped cream, for topping

What to do…

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place pie crust in bottom of a pie plate and bake in oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until crust begins to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Pie!