Grilled Salmon with Tomato-Peach Salsa
from Cooking Light July 2011


Ingredients:
-1 cup chopped peeled peach
-3/4 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
-1/4 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
-3 tbsp small fresh mint leaves
-3 tbsp small fresh basil leaves
-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
-1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
-1 tbsp honey
-1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
-1 tsp kosher salt, divided
-4 (6 oz) wild Alaskan king salmon fillets
-1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat grill to high heat.
2. Combine the first 9 ingredients in a bowl. Sprinkle mixture with 1/4 tsp salt and toss gently. Sprinkle fillets evenly with remaining 3/4 tsp salt and black pepper. Place fillets on a grill rack coated with cooking spray and grill for 10 minutes (or desired degree of doneness), turning after 5 minutes. Serve topped with salsa.

This content was originally posted on Honest Cooking in my featured column "Cooking the Magazines".

Two years ago today, I created my first post on The Sweets Life. My, my how times have changed! I reflected on some of those changes in my one-year blogiversary post and can continue to echo those same sentiments. My confidence, enjoyment of, and creativity in the kitchen have all increased. I have more people finding my website on a daily basis. I started a recipe index, as I mentioned wanting to do last year. I also unveiled a new blog design and created a Facebook page. It's been a good year for The Sweets Life, and I suspect this next one will be full of more good eats.

Thank YOU to all of my readers, for joining me on this journey. Thanks to those of you who faithfully read on a daily basis, to those of you that subscribe to The Sweets Life in Google Reader, to those of you that leave comments on my blog or Facebook page when you try a recipe, to those of you that share your favorite recipes with me, and to those of you who willingly taste test whatever crazy recipe I throw at you! I appreciate each and every one of you! Blogging is a fun outlet for me, but it is all the more rewarding when I get the chance to interact with readers, whether its helping you plan your dinner parties, envying food on your blogs, or just making good food to share with you via The Sweets Life!

It is so very appropriate that I share this Martha Stewart recipe for No-Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars. Not because I've become a Martha Stewart-like extraordinaire in the past two years, quite the opposite actually! When making these bars, I learned that you cannot melt peanut butter in the microwave. I was also reminded that I am still incapable of melting chocolate without burning it....which is why my bars are topped with simply a peanut butter drizzle instead of a peanut butter AND milk chocolate drizzle. So yes, this is an appropriate recipe to share today...because no matter how many recipes I post, how many readers I gain, and how much time I spend in the kitchen, I will still be humbled, still be learning, and still be sharing those stories with all of you!

And in true Sweets Life fashion, I discovered that these bars make for a really good breakfast ;)

One Year Ago: Peanut Butter Cookies & My One Year Blogiversary
Two Years Ago: Homemade Blizzards and Marshmallow Brownies
**Read below the recipe for another fun take on my two years of blogging!


No-Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
slightly adapted from Martha Stewart Living, August 2008

Ingredients:
-cooking spray
-1 box Chocolate Teddy Grahams, finely ground (I did this in my food processor)
-1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
-1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
-1/4 tsp coarse salt
-5 oz. (1 stick plus 2 tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
-1 cup chunky peanut butter
-3/4 cup plus 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
-10 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted
-1.5 oz milk chocolate, melted

Directions:
1. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with foil so that there is a slight overhang and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine wafers, oats, sugar, and salt. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add chunky peanut butter and 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, whisking until well combined. Add peanut butter mixture to wafer mixture and stir to combine.
3. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and use a spatula to firmly press into an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Melt semisweet chocolate in the microwave or over a stovetop and pour over chilled bars, using a knife or spatula to evenly smooth across the bars. Refrigerate until hardened, at least 15 minutes.
5. Heat 3 tbsp peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat until runny. Drizzle over the chilled chocolate layer. Melt milk chocolate and drizzle atop the peanut butter. Return to the fridge for 15 more minutes.
6. Using the foil overhang, remove bars from the pan. Cut into squares before serving.
*Bars can be refrigerated up to 1 week or frozen up to 1 month.

Several weeks ago, Ashley tagged me in the 7 links game, which is essentially a way for bloggers to reflect on and share some of their previous posts. Though most blogs doing this aren't recipe blogs, I wanted to participate, 1. because I thought it would be a fun way to look at the past two years and 2. because I really love Ashley, who I had the pleasure of meeting at the Foodbuzz Festival last year and who is one of the most genuine, kind people I think I know! Then, a bit later, Tina (another friend I had the chance to meet at Foodbuzz, not to mention talented blogger...I'm always drooling over her seafood recipes and her husband's cocktails!) tagged me to play the game as well. So, without further ado, my 7 links...


1) My Most Beautiful Post
When it comes to savory foods, I think these Grilled Pork Chops with Nectarine Salsa were pretty visually appealing...and they had the flavor to match the look! But of course, I also have to include a dessert in here and that has to be a tie between Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars and my favorite Raspberry Amaretto Trifle!

2) My Most Popular Post
Thanks to some serious attention on StumbleUpon, my Cinnamon Rolls are actually the recipe with the post hits over the past two years. I was surprised to realize this, but I guess I shouldn't be...these are pretty dang amazing!


3) My Most Controversial Post
Although this post wasn't controversial in the blog world, my Latin Nacho Bowls caused quite a bit of controversy between Ryan and me. Check out the post for the story!


4) My Most Helpful Post
I don't really do many 'how to' posts on here, but I did take several pictures when I made the Whole Grain Challah with Cranberries, which I suppose could be helpful if you're a bread-baking newbie, like I was when I made it!


5) A Post Whose Success Surprised Me
Although Taco Pasta Salad isn't necessarily anything fancy or special, I've had several people make this and email me or tell me how much they loved it! Along the same lines, I've received positive feedback from a lot of people who have made Buffalo Chicken Chili.


6) A Post I Didn't Think Got the Attention it Deserved
The photo isn't great (note to self: update!) but the Panzanella Caprese salad is one I've returned to again and again. It's the perfect summer salad! However, I have a lot more readers now than when it was originally posted and it definitely deserves a shoutout!


7) The Post I'm Most Proud Of
This is tough, because to be honest, I'm just pretty proud of this blog in general. I don't mean to come off as conceited, because as I explained above, I'm still incredibly humbled in my kitchen and when I see so many other food blogs that are on a completely different level than mine. That being said, I never would have anticipated being where I am now and with the sheer insanity that is my life right now, I'm proud that I'm still able to devote as much time to making new recipes, photographing them, and drafting blog posts! But, to be fair, I'll answer the question and choose a post at random...the Curried Sweet Potato Chickpea Burgers are special because this was a completely original recipe that not only ended up being successful for me, but enjoyed by others who also tried it!

And there you have it...7 (and a few more, oops!) links!

One week ago, we celebrated my birthday. I then jumped on a plane to Canada and here we are one week later, celebrating Ryan's birthday! You may remember the amazing celebration we had in Chicago last year. Though Columbia Crest & Foodbuzz aren't sponsoring any meals this time around, we've returned to Chicago with friends Mike and Maggie once again.
By the time you're reading this, most of our weekend has passed... On this year's agenda? An architectural tour of the city by boat, shopping (in particular checking out the Mad Men collection at Banana Republic...and having to tear the birthday boy away!), dinner at Girl and the Goat (insert squeal!), and a "meeting" (aka cocktail party) with our RAGNAR DC team to prep for our upcoming relay.
A busy weekend, for sure, but worth it...and all in celebration of my dear husband Ryan. At twenty-five, Ryan is more confident, more hardworking, and more dependable than most men his age. Aside from his boyish good looks, people, particularly at work, are always shocked to find out how young he is.

I couldn't ask for a better or more supportive husband and he deserves far more than a mere shout out on the blog! Ryan, you are my favoritest ever. I cannot imagine a life without you and I thank God every day for blessing me with someone far better than what I deserve. I love you more than I can ever show or say!

...and for those of you who aren't here to listen to me go all gaga over my husband, I do have a recipe for you today! These snickerdoodle scones don't need much introduction. If you are against snickerdoodles for breakfast, this is the next best thing! With cinnamon and sugar in both the batter and coating the outside of the scone, you'll get your fix. Eat them shortly after baking; I always find that scones are best the day (or within a few hours!) that they're made!
One Year Ago: Chicken, Mushroom, Asparagus Bread Pudding

Snickerdoodle Scones
slightly adapted from here

Ingredients:
-1 cup all-purpose flour
-1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-2 tsp ground cinnamon
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp kosher salt
-1/8 tsp cream of tartar
-1/2 cup unsalted butter
-1 large egg
-1/2 cup sour cream (I used low-fat)
-1/2 tsp baking soda
For the topping-
-1 tbsp granulated sugar
-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix sour cream and baking soda together in a small bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a food processor, place sugar, cinnamon, flour, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar. Pulse a few times to combine.
3. Cut in butter, pulsing in your food processor, until butter is broken into small chunks throughout. (These steps could also be done by hand)
4. Beat the egg into the sour cream mixture and pour into the flour mixture. Mix by hand, just until moistened. Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet and pat into a large disk.
5. Cut disk into 8 wedges and separate slightly. (My disk was hard to form, next time I might just drop chunks of dough on the sheet) Mix cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the scones.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

One Year Ago: Salsa Verde Bake (LOVE this meal!)


Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
as seen on Brown-Eyed Baker, adapted from Bake at 350

Ingredients:
for the crust-
-1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 8 whole graham crackers)
-5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

for the cookie dough-
-5 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
-1/3 cup light brown sugar
-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
-3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

for the cheesecake filling-
-10 oz. cream cheese (can use 1/3 less fat), at room temperature
-1/4 cup granulated sugar
-1 egg
-1 tsp vanilla extract

for the chocolate drizzle-
-1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
-1 tsp vegetable shortening

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan, line with parchment paper, and butter the parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Stir together the graham cracker crumbs with melted butter until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
3. To make the cookie dough, stir together the butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in flour, then the vanilla and chocolate chips. Refrigerate until firm (30 minutes), before rolling dough into teaspoon-sized balls. Place balls on a plate and refrigerate while preparing cheesecake filling.
4. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, scraping the bowl if needed. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until combined.
5. Remove the cookie dough balls from the fridge and toss with 1 tsp of flour. Drop into the cheesecake filling and mix together carefully. Pour the filling into the cooled crust, spreading evenly over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, until cheesecake filling is set and no longer jiggly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
6. Remove the bars from the pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into squares. Melt chocolate chips with shortening in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over the bars and allow to set for about 20 minutes. Store leftover cheesecake bars in the frige.

Harvest Restaurant is almost a little-known secret in St. Louis. Obviously it has received enough attention to make it on STL Mag's Top 40 Restaurant List, but I'm willing to bet people drive by it every day without even noticing its presence. It's on a busy corner, but from the outside it looks like nothing more than a mediocre restaurant. Despite its lack of curbside appeal, Harvest is actually one of the finest restaurants in our city...certainly one that may have been forgotten with the arrival of some new kids on the block (Farmhaus, Salt, etc.), but definitely not one to be overlooked!

Months ago I had signed up for Harvest's newsletter list so when I received the email for a free entree in my birthday month, our decision for this month's Best of 2011 restaurant was easy! Sadly, we only had a free few nights the entire month during which to squeeze this in, but we stopped in embarrassingly early on a Thursday evening (I think we beat the old people! ;)) before Ryan jetted off to the Cardinals game.

The restaurant itself is rather dark and the decor might be a little outdated, but we were there for the food! Our server was pleasant, answering our questions about the menu and offering up suggestions when asked. We ordered and then dug into the warm bread brought to our table. Harvest automatically gets two thumbs up for providing more than just the standard olive oil or butter--our bread arrived with a vegan black bean spread as well as some sort of dill herbed butter. Both tasted like they were freshly made and I'm pretty sure I would have asked for another dish of the bean spread had we not had an appetizer coming!

The baked olives we ordered arrived with lavash, a thin cracker, as well as baba ganoush (a pureed eggplant spread) and a red pepper emulsion. The olives themselves were interesting, warm and wrinkly. I can see people being weirded out by the texture, but any olive is a good olive to me! My favorite part of the plate was the baba ganoush, something I've been meaning to make at home for ages.

Our entrees followed shortly thereafter, and despite the awful pictures (dim lighting will do that to you!), we were both impressed with our dishes. I ordered one of the two items off of their spa menu, which boasts a few entrees and salads that aren't made with butter or cream. Though we don't eat out often enough for me to worry about ingesting a little extra butter in a restaurant meal, I was impressed that Harvest even offered such an option!

My salmon was perfectly cooked, but I did question the pairing of the dish. Served atop zucchini noodles with arugula, it was also topped with a tsaziki relish. This all worked, but I wasn't crazy about the tomato broth it was sitting in. I suppose that was their solution for avoiding butter and cream! It wasn't a bad combination--just not what I was expecting. Regardless, I can't get enough of salmon lately and I really enjoyed my meal, nearly cleaning my plate.

Ryan's duck, however, was the true winner of the evening. Duck is not something I would normally pay attention to on a menu, but after trying his, I might have to reconsider! I snagged a few bites of his, as well as the mushroom and bean ragout his was served with. The fresh flavor of his dish--from the basil drizzle to the parmesan cracker, is what really stood out.

Though I've heard good things about the bread pudding at Harvest, the clock was ticking and Ryan will always choose a first pitch over dessert (me, on the other hand, is quite a different story!). We could definitely see why this restaurant made STL Mag's list and are glad we opted to try it for our Best of 2011 challenge!

Looking for other STL restaurant reviews? Check them out here!
One Year Ago: Banana Caramel Cake

Strawberry Basil Pesto Pasta Salad
adapted from Daily Garnish

Ingredients:
for the basil-
-1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
-1/4 cup sliced almonds
-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
-1 tbsp lemon juice
-10 medium strawberries
-salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

for the pasta salad-
-1 package whole wheat pasta (I used rotini)
-2 cups sliced strawberries
-1 medium zucchini, diced
-1 cup fresh basil leaves, whole
-2 cups spinach leaves, whole
-1/2 cup sliced almonds
-1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
-salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
-1 cup strawberry basil pesto sauce
-balsamic vinegar, to taste

Directions:
1. In the bowl of a food processor, add basil leaves, olive oil, almonds, and lemon juice, pulsing until well combined. Add strawberries and pulse until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain, allow to cool slightly, and place in a large bowl.
3. Add strawberries, zucchini, basil, spinach, almonds, and chickpeas. Toss with strawberry pesto. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If desired, drizzle pasta salad with balsamic vinegar before serving.

These aren't anything complicated. With five ingredients, they take only a few minutes to put together. In fact, these were probably the least time-intensive food at my Cheesecake Extravaganza. Yet, I had more than a few people come up and proclaim their love for the finger food.

You don't have to throw a cheesecake party to serve these....I imagine they'd be welcomed just about anytime! Another great party food, these can be made ahead of time. I did all the steps, even the sprinkling of graham cracker crumbs, twenty-four hours ahead of time and they suffered no ill consequences. Just be sure to wrap them well (I covered my plate with plastic wrap).

Next time, I'll make more... this was the first food to go at the Cheesecake Extravaganza, and with good reason!


One Year Ago: Brownie Roll Out Cookies

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
from Nutmeg Nanny
Print this post
Ingredients:
-1 lb large strawberries
-8 oz. cream cheese, softened (can use 1/3 less fat)
-3-4 tbsp powdered sugar (4 tbsp for a sweeter filling)
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-graham cracker crumbs

Directions:
1. Rinse strawberries and cut around the top of the strawberry. Remove the top and clean out with a paring knife, if necessary (some may already be hollow inside). Prep all strawberries and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add cream cheese mix to a piping bag or ziploc with the corner snipped off. Fill strawberries with cheesecake mixture. Once strawberries are filled, dip the top in graham cracker crumbs. If not serving immediately, refrigerate until serving.

I went searching for a basil hummus recipe because I was once again looking for a new way to use up our abundance of basil (seriously...STL friends, let me know if you want some!). Though I've made hummus from scratch a few times before (Black Bean, Edamame, and Garlic & Sun-dried Tomato varieties), we still tend to purchase it more than make it. After whipping up this lemon basil hummus though, I might be making it more often!

This literally takes all of five minutes to make and I loved how fresh it tasted, I'm guessing due to the large amounts of basil. I added twice as much as the original recipe (my version below) as well as extra lemon juice because Ryan thought it was too bland at first. With the additions and some time to sit in the fridge, the end product was much better than I'd anticipated. It's perfectly creamy despite the minimal oil (reserve extra chickpea liquid from the can so you can add enough to get to your desired texture) and was great as a sandwich spread, dip for vegetables and crackers, or smeared on a hunk of bread, as you see in the picture above :)

Between this hummus and the Strawberry Basil sorbet, I suppose I know what to do each time my herb gets out of control!

By the way, thank you for all of the birthday wishes yesterday! I've had a lot of fun birthday celebrations in years past but none that can even compare to the amazing weekend I had. I think it's safe to say my twenty-fifth birthday will go down in history, at least my history ;) I was anticipating a fun weekend full of cocktails with friends, an 80s themed birthday party for Ryan and I, thrown by my sister, and a crazy bike race...what I wasn't expecting was the rest of my family (+ best friend from high school) to surprise me and show up at the party. I'm seriously still reeling in shock and happiness because if I had one wish for my birthday this year, that was it. Well done, family. You guys are the best. And since that apparently wasn't enough surprise for one weekend, Ryan then gifted me with tickets for us to head out east to Connecticut this October to visit my friend Paige. Tears were shed, I did NOT see that one coming!

So as you can see, amazing birthday weekend with my most wonderful friends and family. I am blessed, no doubt about that! Thanks for listening to me gush a bit...now it's back to the real world as I headed out to Canada on a jet plane at 6:00 this morning for work. Regular recipes to continue this week, I just might be a little delayed to responding to any comments or emails!


Lemon Basil Hummus
adapted from Pepperidge Farm

Ingredients:
-1 can chickpeas
-1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
-1 clove garlic, peeled
-juice from 1 lemon
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1/4 tsp ground black pepper
-1 tsp soy sauce

Directions:
1. Drain the chickpeas, reserving 1/4 cup liquid. Rinse the chickpeas with cold water and drain in a colander.
2. Add chickpeas, 1-2 tbsp reserved liquid, basil, garlic, lemon juice, oil, black pepper, and soy sauce to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth and creamy, adding additional reserved liquid if needed.

S'mores Cheesecake Bars
As seen on Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
for the crust-
-1 cup graham cracker crumbs
-1 tbsp sugar
-4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

for the cheesecake-
-4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
-8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature (I used 1/3 less fat)
-1/4 cup sour cream
-1/2 cup marshmallow cream
-2 tsp cocoa powder
-3/4 tsp vanilla extract
-2 large eggs

for the topping-
-1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
-chocolate chips or candy melts (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 inch pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Stir until wet and press in an even layer into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 325F.
2. To make the filling, melt the 4 oz. of chocolate in either the microwave or using a double boiler. Once melted, stir until smooth and set aside to cool slightly. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, sour cream, and marshmallow cream on medium-high until well combined (1-2 minutes).
3. Add cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and eggs, beating to incorporate. Stir in melted chocolate until well blended. Pour the filling over the crust and use a spatula to spread evenly. Bake for 30 minutes, until teh center is just set (does not jiggle when gently shaken).
4. Remove from oven and top with the marshmallows. Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes, until marshmallows begin to puff and melt. Turn oven to broil and watch carefully, removing when marshmallows are just browned (could also remove and use a kitchen torch). Once bars have cooled to room temperature, drizzle with melted chocolate or candy melts. Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Balls
adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod

Ingredients:
-2/3 cup honey
-1/2 cup chocolate peanut butter
-4 tbsp unsalted butter
-2 cups crisp rice cereal
-2 cups old-fashioned oats
-1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Place honey, peanut butter, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until melted (1-2 minutes) and remove from heat. Stir in cereal and oats.
2. Let the mixture cool for about two minutes before stirring in the chocolate chips.
3. Drop tablespoons of the mixture into mini paper cupcake liners. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until set (~15 minutes). Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.