Cannoli Dip

    I am sad to say that a couple of weeks ago the world lost a beautiful person. I remember Ms. Andrea growing up and her children are good friends of mine. She was always such an encouraging woman with a passion for her children and an adventurous spirit. I think the thing that I will remember the most about her was her positive outlook on things. We will all be missing her smile, hugs, and kind words.  I was glad to help get together some refreshments with her family and friends last week. We had a lovely visit where we all remembered her. This Cannoli Dip recipe was everything I'd hope it would be. A rich and decadent dessert, perfect for a crowd and perfect for summertime!

Cannoli Dip

Ingredients:
- 1 (15 ounce) package of ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)
- 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
- 1 and 3/4 cup of confectioners sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 cup of mini chocolate chips, divided
- waffle cones to serve
    With an electric mixer, cream together the ricotta, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Once completely combined, fold in 3/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips. Sprinkle the remaining chips on top and serve with waffle cone pieces or cookies.

Strawberry Basil Scones

    I had some super ripe strawberries that were fading fast and just had to be used today. I found an awesome scone recipe and I added my own little twist. They are pretty easy to make but things could definitely get a little messy. There is a nice hint of basil that pairs really nicely with the strawberries. In less than an hour, you could have these decadent scones ready for afternoon tea.

Strawberry Basil Scones

Ingredients:
- 2 and 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons of sugar, plus 1 teaspoon for strawberries and for garnish
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- 1/4 tablespoon of salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) of cold butter, cut into smaller pieces
- 1 and 1/4 cup of chopped fresh strawberries
- 1 tablespoon of fresh minced basil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla, plus a few drops for glaze
- 1/2 cup of half and half or heavy cream, plus some for brushing and glaze
- 1 cup of confectioners sugar
    Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop strawberries, toss in 1 teaspoon of sugar, and set aside. Prepare a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or fork. I used my hands until mixture resembled course crumbles. Gently toss in the strawberries and basil. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, half and half, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Make a small indention in the middle of the flour mixture and then pour the egg mixture into it. Stir until just combined. It will seem like the dough is very wet. Generously sprinkle flour onto a clean surface and turn out dough. Flour your hands and sprinkle flour on top of the dough. Pull the dough together, shape, and cut into desired rectangle sizes. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Brush each scone with half and half and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes. Bake time will vary by how large you make them,  they are ready when they are just golden. While baking, in a small bowl whisk together confectioners sugar, 1 tablespoon of half and half, and a few drops of vanilla extract. Once scones have cooled, drizzle with glaze.

My dough, shaped and ready to be cut into scones!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

    This muffin recipe comes out so moist and delicious! I brought a batch of them to youth group a few weeks ago and they were great for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. So, whether you're serving them at brunch, grabbing one on the go for breakfast, or having a decadent desert, you will not be disappointed.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

- 1/2 ( 1 stick) of butter, softened

- 1 cup of sugar

- 2 eggs

- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

- 3 tablespoons of sour cream

- 3 medium sized ripe bananas, mashed

- 2 cups of flour

- 1 teaspoon of baking soda

- 1 cup of chocolate chips. divided

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 muffin baking pan with paper liners and set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and banana. Then, add in the flour and baking soda. Fold in 3/4 cup of chocolate chips. Use a large cookie scoop to fill muffin pan with mixture, fill each muffin paper up to the top. Use the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips to top each muffin and bake for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.

Homemade Chicken Bryan

    Two words: goat cheese. I'm a Carrabba's girl all the way. I enjoy my job and I love the food! This is Getting Bridgie With It's twist on my fave, Chicken Bryan! What is chicken bryan you ask? Well, it's grilled chicken topped with creamy goat cheese, basil, tomatoes, and lemon butter. You really can't go wrong! I just love how the tang of the cheese meshes with the fresh basil and lemon butter! The possibilities are endless people! I've tried it over grilled pork chops and steak, I love it all. I bet that lemon butter sauce would be pretty great over some grilled fish too!

Homemade Chicken Bryan

Ingredients:

- 2 pounds of chicken breast (I used tenders)

- salt and pepper to taste

- 3/4 cup butter, divided (1 and 1/2 sticks)

- 1/4 cup of minced onion

- 1 heaping teaspoon of minced garlic

- 1/2 cup of diced tomato

- the juice of one lemon

- 1 small bunch of fresh basil (about 1 heaping tablespoon when chopped)

- 1 (4 ounce) package of plain goat cheese

    Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until cooked throughout. Before or while the chicken is cooking, prepare the topping. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté the onion for about 4 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the diced tomato, cook for another minute or two, and then add the lemon juice and basil. Cut the rest of the butter into small pieces and add to the saucepan. Heat until the butter has mostly melted. Take the pan off of the heat and stir until all of the butter has melted. Do not over heat the butter. You want to barely melt the butter, not cook it. If you overheat the butter, it will separate. Top the cooked chicken with pieces of the goat cheese. Then, top the goat cheese chicken with the sauce and enjoy!