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# Mayhem in the Kitchen!

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## Posts

- [Coconut Cream Pie](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/coconut-cream-pie/) - I gotta be honest with y'all - custard pies scare the heck outta me. There are a zillion ways to mess them up, and no way to know for sure whether you're succeeded until someone cuts into them. This recipe from Martha Stewart gave me confidence - she lays out the steps as only Martha
- [Pumpkin Cheesecake Crisp Bars](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-crisp-bars/) - Together as a Family blog says it best - these pumpkin bars are a must-make. I made them in the summertime (yes, outside of pumpkin season!) and loved them then, but I'm sure you'd enjoy them just as much as an autumnal treat! Pumkin Cheesecake Crisp Bars Crumble1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour1/2 cup light brown
- [Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/blueberry-buckle-coffee-cake/) - It has been a minute since I've made a coffee cake. We just haven't been in brunch mode lately. But, you know I hate wasting food, and when on a Sunday morning I opened the fridge to some blueberries on the brink, I knew I had to act. This recipe comes out of my consistently
- [Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/double-chocolate-oatmeal-cookies/) - We found ourselves with a sweet tooth the other night and rather than make yet another batch of traditional chocolate chip cookies, I decided to mix it up with these double chocolate oatmeal cookies. I'd never had a chocolate oatmeal cookie before, and I'm now a believer! Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies 12 oz semisweet chocolate
- [Oatmeal Fudge Bars](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/oatmeal-fudge-bars/) - We're going through a reorg at work, and my fellow managers decided to hold department open houses to introduce our teams to one another. .... but what would a gathering be without treats?! Unfortunately, I didn't think ahead, and failed to pick up supplies while grocery shopping over the weekend. So, refusing to go to
- [Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chocolate Chip Cookie #14)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/bakery-style-chocolate-chip-cookies-chocolate-chip-cookie-14/) - I didn't plan to blog about these chocolate chip cookies because, well, I wasn't expecting much. I didn't even bother to take decent photos... but here we are! These cookies are lovely - they have a caramely, almost butterscotchy flavor, crisp edges, and tender center. They were a total hit at work, and took under
- [Pumpkin Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/pumpkin-cookies/) - Ever since my dad gave me the The Great Minnesota Cookie Book for Christmas years ago, I've wanted an excuse to bake these pumpkin cookies from Amy and Judy Karlen. I bookmarked the page my first time through the book, but thought that Christmas was not the time for pumpkin cookies. And, every year since,
- [Fresh Pumpkin Pie with Ginger Snap Crust](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/fresh-pumpkin-pie-with-ginger-snap-crust/) - A few weeks ago my three year old nephew was telling me how much he loves the itty bitty pie pumpkin he got at the pumpkin patch, and I (not thinking about just how deep his attachment might run) suggested we turn it into a pie. Surprisingly, he was very enthusiastic about this idea, so
- [Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Icing](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/pumpkin-cupcakes-with-cinnamon-brown-sugar-icing/) - You guys. It's the second most wonderful time of the year! PUMPKIN SPICE SEASON Last year I bought the Costco pack of organic pumpkin puree, and based on how September has gone thus far, I'm going to need to stock up again this year. I know a lot of folks think this whole pumpkin spice
- [Quick Pumpkin Muffins in a Pinch (Vegan)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/quick-pumpkin-muffins-in-a-pinch-vegan/) - Our most recent company breakfast was on Halloween this year. When the signup sheet went out, I put down that I would bring "something high carb", with the assumption that I would come up with something awesome in the two weeks between then and the event. Fast forward two weeks and I've just finished a
- [90th Birthday Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/90th-birthday-cake/) - This afternoon we had the joyous privilege of celebrating my grandmother's 90th birthday! We gathered at her house for lunch and, of course, cake. ;-) I was lucky enough to bake for the occasion - I made an old fashioned yellow cake with almond icing, and, for one layer, an orange marmalade filling. Inspired by
- [Easy Vegetarian Chili and Cornbread](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/easy-vegetarian-chili-and-cornbread/) - Yes. Yet another chili recipe. I know. I can't help it! These Minnesota winters make me do it! :) I've shared a couple of other recipes with you in the past, and those ones are still awesome, but I decided that it'd be fun to try something new. I did a few searches through my
- [Spinach and Fruit Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette (accidentally vegan)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/spinach-and-fruit-salad-with-balsamic-vinaigrette-accidentally-vegan/) - You guys, have you seen that huge glowing orb in the sky?!? I forget what it's called, but it's, like, warm, and bright? It's the weirdest thing, we saw it last week while we were on vacation, too. It's like it's following us... Oh right, the SUN! It had been so long since I'd encountered
- [Almond Poppy Seed Muffins](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/almond-poppy-seed-muffins/) - How are you holding up through the pandemic? My husband and I are both only partially vaccinated, so this year's Easter celebration was held outdoors. We lucked out with perfect weather (80 in March is huge news in Minnesota!) but rather than attempt to keep hot food hot and cold food cold, we prepared a
- [Fudge Brownies with Whiskey Frosting](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/fudge-brownies-with-whiskey-frosting/) - One of my coworkers is known for his love for whiskey, so when his birthday rolled around and he didn't have any specific requests, I had to get a little creative. Eventually, I honed in on the concept - fudge brownies, iced with a little kick from whiskey! Fudge Brownies with Whiskey Frosting Brownies1 cup
- [Dinosaur Jungle Island Birthday Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/dinosaur-jungle-island-birthday-cake/) - My niece is suddenly so grown up! Gone are the cutesy birthday parties. Instead, birthday girl requested a dinosaur party!Rawr! To create this cake, I baked two 9" round chocolate cakes and two oval cakes, using the One Bowl recipe I love so much. I coated both in chocolate frosting, stacked them, and added pirouette
- [Pikachu Birthday Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/pikachu-birthday-cake/) - I couldn't be more excited about my nephew's choice in birthday theme this year - Pokemon, and a pikachu cake!As is tradition, my SIL and I made this together, and it was SO fun. To create pikachu, we baked 2 round cakes, one for pikachu's head, and then we cut the other into his ears.
- [Idle Miner Tycoon Birthday Cake + Nailed It Party](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/idle-miner-tycoon-birthday-cake-nailed-it-party/) - This year for my nephew's birthday, he requested a really cool mashup - Idle Miner + Nailed It! Not ones to run from challenge, my MIL, SIL, and I created an epic party that was the perfect combination of both. It probably comes as no surprise that we were on our own for this one
- [Minecraft Wither Birthday Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/minecraft-wither-birthday-cake/) - As is tradition, I had the exciting task of making a birthday cake for my wonderful nephew. This year was a little different in that we aren't gathering for a party due to the pandemic, and I was unable to get together with my SIL to create it. Thankfully, mother nature cooperated, and we were
- [Fruit Pizza](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/fruit-pizza/) - When a coworker requested fruit pizza for her birthday, it hit me that I had never made one! Sally's Baking Addiction, to the rescue! This fruit pizza is basically everything wonderful, rolled into one - fresh fruit, a soft sugar cookie, and delicious cream cheese frosting. You can't go wrong! Fruit Pizza Cookie Crust1/2 cup
- [Glittery Chocolate Retirement Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/glittery-chocolate-retirement-cake/) - My mum recently retired, and to mark the occasion we set up a surprise celebration for immediately after her final shift. Not wanting to play into any of the traditional tacky retirement cake themes (fishing boats, knitting needles, sunsets, the list goes on) I decided that the best theme would simply be pure glee, and
- [Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/cranberry-oatmeal-cookies/) - It's pretty unusual for my husband to make a request for a specific baked good, so when he does, I do my best to deliver. That was the case with these Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies - he asked, and I wanted to make it happen! A quick search for recipes online didn't come up with much,
- [Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/chewy-chocolate-chocolate-chip-cookies/) - Hey all you cool cats and kittens! I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy during this extraordinary time. My husband and I haven't been feeling great and miss our friends and families terribly, but we're lucky enough to both be able to work from home (for now) so we're doing OK
- [Copycat Recipe: Maxwell's Beach Cafe - Italian Nachos](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/copycat-recipe-maxwells-beach-cafe-italian-nachos/) - A couple of weekends ago I traveled down to the Iowa Great Lakes for some family time and much needed R&R. My husband's family spent their summers at Lake Okoboji growing up, and thought it would be fun to get the entire family together to relive those fond memories. We spent most of the weekend
- [Paw Patrol Birthday Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/paw-patrol-birthday-cake/) - This cake was so much fun! Every year, I bake a cake for my nephew's birthday. He's turning five this year, so he's actually having two parties - one for family, and one for his friends. Usually my sister-in-law and I will tackle baking the cake together, but since we needed to cakes, I handled
- [Easter Bunny Cake { keto, gluten free }](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/easter-cake/) - This year for Easter my mum jokingly told me I should bring a bunny cake, which is the dessert my brother and I often made for Easter as kids. Little did she know, I was going to take her up on that suggestion. 😂 This cake was as much fun to make as I remembered,
- [Cowboy Stew Slower Cooker Beans {accidentally vegan}](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/cowboy-stew-slower-cooker-beans-accidentally-vegan/) - Today I'm sharing my recipe for Cowboy Stew, sometimes called Calico Beans or Cowboy Casserole. My extended family makes the Cowboy Stew from the church cookbook for most holiday gatherings, but since that one contains bacon and beef I've gradually created my own vegan adaptation that has taken on an identity of its own. These
- [Pink and Blue Gender Reveal Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/pink-and-blue-gender-reveal-cake/) - A few weeks ago I was discussing a friend's 18 week ultrasound. She didn't want a big gender reveal party, but since this was the first time she and her husband had decided to find out their child's gender before birth, she still wanted to do something more special than just having the technician tell
- [Fudge Brownies with Cake Batter Frosting AKA ColdStone Birthday Cake Remix Brownies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/fudge-brownies-with-cake-batter-frosting-aka-coldstone-birthday-cake-remix-brownies/) - I've mentioned before that work birthday treats are getting crazier and crazier. If it is pinned on Pinterest AND over the top, chances are it's making its way to my office sooner rather than later. For my birthday last week, my coworkers surprised me with a lovely spread of veggies and hummus (they SO know
- [Super Moist Chocolate Bundt Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/super-moist-chocolate-bundt-cake/) - Last week we were celebrating a birthday at the office, and she requested "Chocolate and simple". When I think simple, despite my absolutely terrible luck with them, I immediately gravitate toward Bundt cakes - no decorating to worry about, bake the cake and you're basically done! In short, this cake is absolutely fabulous. I went
- [Hedgehog Cupcakes - Chocolate Gluten Free Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/hedgehog-cupcakes-chocolate-gluten-free-cupcakes/) - Our niece turned three this month, and my sister-in-law and I continued with our wonderful tradition of making homemade birthday cakes for the kiddos. This year, the birthday ninja-princess chose a party theme of 'baby animals', and honed in on hedgehog cupcakes for dessert! Of all the different cakes we've made over the years, these
- [Pistachio Cardamom Cookies { vegan }](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/pistachio-cardamom-cookies-vegan/) - Last night we had our neighbors over for dinner. After a full spread of vegan Indian food, we topped off the evening with a cup of tea and these delightful cookies. We went slightly overboard on the menu for four people - samosas, roti, three. different. chutneys!, palak tofu, dal, chai, AND these cookies -
- [🍋 Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake 🍋](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/🍋-lemon-poppy-seed-bundt-cake-🍋/) - One of my coworkers loves lemony treats, so every year for his birthday I'm tasked with whipping up a lemon flavored treat. Last year it was lemon poppy seed pound cake, the year prior lemon cookies, and the year before that, lemon poppy seed muffins. This year, he had a very specific request, complete with
- [Crockpot Lava Cake (without cake mix!)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/crockpot-lava-cake-without-cake-mix/) - When one of my coworkers sent me to her Pinterest board for birthday treat inspiration, she mentioned that I'd quickly notice a theme - "chocolate, peanut butter, and goo" - I laughed and assumed she was joking, but after looking through her pins, I found inspiration for a birthday treat that would tick all of
- [Vegetarian Stroganoff](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/vegetarian-stroganoff/) - Where has the summer gone? We're working on an exterior home renovation, and I swear that the last time I thought about something other than lead paint was April! We've been so busy with our projects that everything else has taken a back seat, cooking included. Thankfully, with a little help from the freezer section,
- [Fancy Naked Truffle Cake with Raspberry Icing](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/fancy-naked-truffle-cake-with-raspberry-icing/) - As I've mentioned about a million times, I do my best to bake something special for all of the birthdays at my office. This month, we had a particularly special birthday - the [total foodie] co-owner's 50th - and I really wanted to try to hit one out of the park for her big day!
- [Martha Stewart's Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chocolate Chip Cookie #12)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/cakey-chocolate-chip-cookies-chocolate-chip-cookie-12/) - We recently had new neighbors move in, and of course, I'm back on the chocolate chip cookie train! This time, I decided to try Martha Stewart's Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe from her Cookies cookbook. I'm definitely not a crunchy cookie person - give me a chewy or cakey cookie any day - so these
- [Cheesecake with Berry Compote](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/cheesecake-with-berry-compote/) - Spring is the busy birthday season at my office, and I kicked things off today with a beautiful cheesecake topped with berry compote. This was for a coworker who was fresh off the Whole 30 and quipped "I just want a regular cheesecake with some berries. Nothing too sweet. No caramel or chocolate or any
- [Winnie the Pooh Birthday Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/winnie-the-pooh-birthday-cake/) - Just like in years past, my sister in-law and I came together to lovingly create a birthday cake for my niece. This time around, we made this super cute Winnie the Pooh bear cake and Honey Bee Cupcakes! This cake was a little less involved than some of the cakes we've attempted, but I still
- [Honey Bee Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/honey-bee-cupcakes/) - Are these not the cutest cupcakes ever? When my sister in law said that she wanted to do a Winnie the Pooh theme for my niece's birthday, I knew honey bees had to be a part of it, but since we were already decorating a cake, we went a little simpler with the cupcakes... Thankfully
- [Pumpkin Muffins (Low Carb, Dairy Free, Gluten Free) + Halloween Baby Shower Printables](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/pumpkin-muffins-low-carb-dairy-free-gluten-free-halloween-baby-shower-printables/) - Over the weekend we had the pleasure of throwing a surprise Halloween themed baby shower brunch for some dear friends of ours. We mostly stuck to standard breakfast fare, but because the new mom has some pretty specific dietary restrictions, we made sure the menu featured plenty of things she could enjoy, including these muffins.
- [Quick and Easy Tofu Coconut Curry](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/quick-and-easy-tofu-coconut-curry/) - Omigosh you guys, the summer has FLOWN by! I feel like I blinked and suddenly my Facebook feed is nothing but tiny kids carrying giant backpacks! I haven't been online much because we've taken on a huge project - painting and scraping the exterior of our house! I'm not sure what we were thinking on
- [Steampunk Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/steampunk-cupcakes/) - When my husband's aunts asked me to make cupcakes for my husband's cousin's bridal shower, I immediately agreed to it - I'm never one to turn down an opportunity to bake, and I'm certainly not going to turn down an opportunity for extravagant cake decorating! I will admit, however, that once I found out that
- [Extra-Dark Chocolate Low Carb Cupcakes (Gluten Free)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/dark-chocolate-low-carb-cupcakes/) - When we were celebrating my nephew's birthday this spring, I didn't want to leave my in-laws out of the dessert fun, and surprised them with a small batch of low carb cupcakes for a rare sweet escape! These are extra dark chocolatey and I'm a dark chocolate lover, so although I am not paying attention
- [Birthday Cake Blondies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/birthday-cake-blondies/) - Earlier this summer, we attended a celebration of life party for my Great Uncle. He was arguably one of the coolest old dudes on the planet...well, by nerd standards, anyway. He was a former computer programmer, genealogy enthusiast, and singularity evangelist. In other words, me if I were a 78 year old man. :) As
- [Oreo Peanut Butter Cup Pie](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/oreo-peanut-butter-cup-pie/) - Awhile back I needed to make a dessert for an office birthday. Most of the time I have free-rein on those, but this time I had a few constraints - the birthday boy isn't a big fan of cake, I was short on time, and I wanted something absolutely decadent. After spin through Pinterest I
- [Floral Buttercream Birthday Cake with Chocolate and Whiskey Tiers](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/floral-buttercream-birthday-cake-with-chocolate-and-whiskey-cakes/) - Omigosh you guys, it has been a whirlwind month! Over Memorial Day weekend we headed for Des Moines to throw my husband's grandmother a surprise birthday party (and his cousin a Bridal Shower.) No birthday is complete without cake, but everyone was worried about spoiling the surprise, so we made the cake in Minneapolis, loaded
- [Keto Strawberry Cheesecake (Gluten free)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/keto-strawberry-cheesecake-gluten-free/) - These days, both my parents and my in-laws are cutting their carb intake. While I know it's best for their health, at first this seriously bummed me out because they are some of my best taste testers! Luckily, I've realized that this is actually a great opportunity to continue experimenting with low carb baking. For
- [Spicy Stir-Fried Tofu with Coconut Rice](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/spicy-stir-fried-tofu-with-coconut-rice/) - As I've mentioned, we've been picking up lots of cookbooks at thrift stores lately. One of our recent finds was Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison, and after a half-dozen recipes, it is quickly becoming one of our go-to cookbooks! This recipe was one of the first we tried, and we've already made it
- [Extra Almond-y Almond Cheesecake Bars](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/extra-almond-y-almond-cheesecake-bars/) - If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you probably know that I am *obsessed* with almond flavoring (Seriously, it makes anything better! Just go ahead and double whatever the recipe calls for, I dare you!) my husband loves cheesecake, and Mayhem, well, Mayhem is an equal-opportunity food enthusiast. Put those together, and you have
- [Cardamom Citrus Salad](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/cardamom-citrus-salad/) - A few weeks ago my husband's aunt and uncle were hosting a casual family dinner while my husband's grandmother was in town to visit. They had all of the bases covered from salad, to sides, to beverages, to dessert, but we simply couldn't arrive empty handed! Part of it might be that my husband and
- [Peanut-Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/peanut-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-cookies/) - You know, every so often, I just have one of those days that is so cruddy that my only real hope is devouring a really good cookie. I had one of those a few weeks ago, and thankfully, my girl Martha Stewart came to my rescue. When I had my "cookies. now." day, I first
- [Disappearing Vidalia Onion Dip](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/disappearing-vidalia-onion-dip/) - Is it possible to get fired from your own blog? Because, well, I don't have any excuses for this, so I'm just going to put it out there: we brought this dip to a neighborhood party, and it was an epic hit. So much so that the only photographic evidence I have of its existence
- [Chewy Brownie Cookies (accidentally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/chewy-brownie-cookies-accidentally-gluten-free-dairy-free/) - When we were invited over to our friends' place for dinner the other night, I was honestly going to bring that awesome salad and call it a day, but when I found out there wasn't any dessert, I was forced to act. ^_^ One of our friends doesn't eat gluten or dairy, so a lot
- [Boston Cream Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/boston-cream-cupcakes/) - Omigosh you guys, it feels like it has been an eternity since I've made cupcakes. In reality it has only been like two months, but, let's be honest - that's two months too long! I baked these for an office birthday when I felt the urge to do something a little different. Chocolate cupcakes are
- [Peanut Butter and Chocolate Overload Brownie Cake (Katherine Sabbath inspired)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/peanut-butter-and-chocolate-overload-brownie-cake-katherine-sabbath-inspired/) - I am SO excited to share this cake with you guys! Like everyone else in the food world, I am positively inspired by Katherine Sabbath and her incredible creations. If you've been living under a rock, Katherine Sabbath is an amazing cake artist who has been featured in magazines far and wide. She has a
- [Holiday Kiss Pretzel Treats](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/holiday-kiss-pretzel-treats/) - OK, it's the Christmas rush. Are you ready for a treat that is tasty, cute, AND will keep the kids entertained for awhile? These certainly aren't rocket science, but they're super cute, and the saltiness of the pretzels with the sweetness of the candies really hits the spot. I made these as a supplement to
- [Homemade Waffle Toppings: Brandy Apple Compote, Coconut Whipped Cream, Sugared Strawberries, and Blueberry Compote](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/homemade-waffle-toppings-brandy-apple-compote-coconut-whipped-cream-sugared-strawberries-and-blueberry-compote/) - Some friends recently got married, and one of the things they registered for was a waffle iron. When my husband heard this, he expressed his envy to them, because he has always wanted one, but I just can't justify adding another unitasker to our collection (yes, I'm familiar with Will it Waffle? :)) When our
- [Baked Macaroni and Cheese](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/baked-macaroni-and-cheese/) - It's a cold one here in Minneapolis, which makes it the perfect time for comfort food!! I'm a huge fan of macaroni and cheese, but as much as I hate to admit it, to me the ideal texture is closer to Velveeta Shells and Cheese than the typical dried-out baked version. I'm firmly a stovetop
- [Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/vegan-chocolate-cupcakes-with-chocolate-frosting/) - You'd be hard pressed to find a bad chocolate cupcake. Well, unless of course you're talking about vegan cupcakes. Even those styrofoam Hostess ones are somewhat palatable, but vegan cupcakes taste like sawdust! ;) .... just kidding, of course! I made these for a neighborhood dessert potluck, and was faced with a dilemma - they're
- [Caprese Skewers in a pinch](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/caprese-skewers-in-a-pinch/) - If you're anything like me, mid-December is ridiculously over-the-top crazy hectic! Between parties, gift giving, shopping, cooking, and decorating, it feels like there's seldom a single moment to spare. Last weekend it was another double party weekend for my husband and me - Friday was my office holiday party, and on Saturday our neighborhood threw
- [Sun-Dried Tomato and Rosemary Palmiers](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/sun-dried-tomato-and-rosemary-palmiers/) - The New Year is almost here, so I wanted to make sure I shared an *amazing* appetizer recipe that would be perfect for your New Year's Eve celebration! We have made this recipe four times already this year - once for our Friends Thanksgiving, once for a Vikings game, and again for Christmas Eve and
- [Rum Cake (Tortuga Copycat)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/rum-cake-tortuga-copycat/) - A couple of years ago my husband, his parents, and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas. At one the ports, my in-laws came back with a Tortuga Rum Cake. I'd never had one before, but they promised me I was in for a treat. A few weeks later I got to sample it,
- [Chocolate Amaretto Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/chocolate-amaretto-cookies/) - Oh my goodness you guys, it has been weeks! I have a pretty good excuse, though - we just got back from an amazing trip to Italy!! We had a fantastic time visiting Rome, Milan, Venice, and Florence. We saw awe-inspiring sights, enjoyed incredible food, and met some lovely people....but more on that later, let's
- [Peppermint Mocha French Silk Pie](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/peppermint-mocha-french-silk-pie/) - Are you ready for Christmas? Less than two days to go! I'm not sure whether I'm super excited or super stressed, but for the purposes of happy blogging, we're going to go with super excited. I made this French Silk Pie for a holiday party a few days ago, and although I'm crazy busy, I
- [Big Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (#11)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/big-soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies-11/) - As I mentioned yesterday, we've had 6 new families move into the neighborhood recently. Since I had put off getting welcome baskets out to them, I had to kick it into high gear and get some cookies baked while the weather was still cool enough to use the oven! The first batch of cookies made
- [Vegetarian Mexican Salad (or Cowboy Caviar Dip)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/vegetarian-mexican-salad-or-cowboy-caviar-dip/) - I've mentioned before that we moved into a new house last summer. Overall, I love everything inch of the new place - the location, the size, the interior, the exterior. I do, however, have one major complaint, and that is the lack of a sunny spot for a proper vegetable garden!Over the years I've grown
- [Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/pumpkin-spice-cupcakes-with-salted-caramel-frosting/) - So, you may remember that last year I crowned my Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Frosting, like, the queens of fall. The end-all be-all of autumn related cupcakes. The autumnest of the autumn. The epitome of fall in a paper wrapper. Well, as it turns out, I was wrong. I know. How
- [Giant Cupcake Smash Cake and First Birthday Party](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/giant-cupcake-smash-cake-and-first-birthday-party/) - If you follow me on Instagram you may have noticed that my beautiful niece (aka my birthday buddy) just turned one! My sister-in-law and I continued our tradition and baked a cake together to mark the occasion. We waffled on the theme a little. At first we wanted to do strawberries in honor of the
- [Brown Butter Fudge](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/brown-butter-fudge/) - Every year at Christmastime, my dad makes incredible fudge. It is SO good. Like, "sure I just ate a half dozen cookies AND a full 3 course meal, but there's always room for fudge!" good. It has become his specialty, to the extent that at holiday time and work potlucks, it is a given that
- [Betty Crocker's Chocolate Chip Cookies (#10)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/betty-crockers-chocolate-chip-cookies-10/) - We've had SIX new families move into our neighborhood in the last month or so. This may be a record! Normally I'd try to get welcome baskets out to them in a timely manner (is it really a great welcome if it comes 3 months after they move in?), but the weather was hot, sticky,
- [Amish Drop Sugar Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/amish-drop-sugar-cookies/) - Last weekend my husband had the guests of his best friend's bachelor party meet at our house before heading out for the evening. Happy hostess that I am, I just had to make them something to nosh on! I had plans to do something elaborate, but once we were 2 hours away from party time,
- [Extra-Large Double Chocolate Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/extra-large-double-chocolate-cookies/) - I'm not sure what has changed at our company in the last few years, but apparently double birthdays are a regular thing now! This time I made two types of large and chewy cookies based on the requests of "something chocolatey" and "something lemony" For the "something chocolatey" I made these HUGE Double Chocolate Cookies.
- [Soft Extra-Large Lemon Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/soft-extra-large-lemon-cookies/) - As part of a double birthday at the office, I made two types of cookies based on the requests of "something lemony" and "something chocolatey" - these lovely lemon (like that alliteration? Me too.) cookies were the something lemony, and they were a huge huge HUGE hit! Until now, the only lemon cookies I had
- [Devil's Food Cake with Amaretto Frosting](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/devils-food-cake-with-amaretto-frosting/) - One of my husband's close friends is part of a technology start-up, so he's constantly traveling for work. As you might imagine, that means that staying in touch can sometimes get tough. Oh, AND his Instagram never fails to be full of infuriatingly exotic locales, so I'm always wayyy too envious of him. ;) On
- [Chocolate Cake Roll](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/chocolate-cake-roll/) - When I made my first cake roll for Easter, I failed to get it rolled as tightly as I would've liked. I had extra pattern batter left over, so I figured I might as well try again. For the second cake, I made a chocolate sponge cake, applied a more elaborate decoration (again inspired by
- [Superhero Birthday Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/superhero-birthday-cake/) - My sister-in-law and I have a tradition of baking cakes for my nephew's birthday. This year, life took over and she had to sit this one out. She suggested we could just buy a cake, but I couldn't let that happen! Initially my nephew requested a chocolate cake with lemon and strawberry and I said
- [Alton Brown's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chocolate Chip Cookie #9)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/alton-brownss-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies-chocolate-chip-cookie-9/) - Hey, it's me, Leesha, your favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Specialist, back again with a batch of, you guessed it, Chocolate Chip Cookies! But not just any Chocolate Chip Cookies - these are super chewy, almost like those guilty-pleasure store-bought ones. Once again, the occasion for these was delivering a welcome basket to new neighbors. This
- [Pink Polka-Dotted Cake Roll with Lemon Filling](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/pink-polka-dotted-cake-roll-with-lemon-filling/) - For Easter this year I decided that I would bring two cakes, one for my nephew's birthday, and one for Easter. After considering a few bunny and carrot themed designs, I ultimately went with egg inspired designs that reminded me of elaborately decorated Easter eggs. Truth be told, I wasn't super happy with this cake
- [Broiled Grapefruit](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/broiled-grapefruit/) - Ohhh how I love grapefruit! For a good six months of the year, eating one is my first order of business when I get to the office. Personally, I peel them like an orange, but I think when most people think about how to serve grapefruit, they tend to go the traditional route - cut
- [Chipotle Guacamole](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/chipotle-guacamole/) - OMG you guys, have you heard the amazing news?! Chipotle released their famous guacamole recipe! This is a huge day for guac lovers (which I'm pretty sure is everyone) everywhere. What a sweet Cinco de Mayo gift from our friends at Chipotle! After looking at their recipe, I can honestly say that my go-to recipe
- [The Trifle formerly known as Black Forest Bundt Cake (How to salvage a broken cake!)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/the-trifle-formerly-known-as-black-forest-bundt-cake-how-to-salvage-a-broken-cake/) - Earlier this week a coworker requested cronuts for his birthday, and while I really wanted to oblige, there simply weren't enough hours left in the day to get it done. Oh, also, my husband has been asking me to make him croissants for months, so making cronuts for someone else probably wouldn't have gone over
- [Apricot Goat Cheese Spread](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/apricot-goat-cheese-spread/) - Is anyone else as obsessed as I am with the fancy goat cheese spreads at Whole Foods? They are soooo stinkin' delicious! I love that you get sweet, salty, and spicy all in one bite. My only complaint is that they have a hefty price tag to match. This afternoon I came across a great
- [Tropical Banana Bread](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tropical-banana-bread/) - We've gotten much better at purchasing just the right amount of produce for the week (even when it's Costco sized), but somehow I once again found myself with a couple of overripe bananas, and once again, my husband barred me from freezing them for later. I don't know what he has against having an entire
- [Sprinkle Covered Birthday Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/sprinkle-covered-birthday-cake/) - My nephew's 4th birthday fell on Easter this year, and even though we're throwing a party for him in a couple of weeks (Superhero themed! Cannot wait!) I decided that the kid only turns four once and shouldn't miss out on birthday cake, regardless of how generous the Easter Bunny was. :) (and gosh, was
- [Scotch and Whiskey Truffles](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/scotch-and-whiskey-truffles/) - A few weeks ago I asked one of my coworkers what he would like for a birthday treat, and he (after a particularly tough work week) insisted that the only thing that would make him happy was a bottle of Jack Daniel's. We have a pretty laid-back office, but something felt questionable about dropping a
- [Salted Chocolate Dipped Grapefruit and Mandarin Oranges](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/salted-chocolate-dipped-grapefruit-and-mandarin-oranges/) - One thing I didn't mention about our vacation is how well we ate. Holy moly, did we eat. While in Las Vegas we hit up two of our favorite buffets - Spice Market Buffet at Planet Hollywood, and Carnival World Buffet at Rio, (our other favorite is The Buffet at Wynn) plus we tried Le
- [Blueberry Cheese Danish](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/blueberry-cheese-danish/) - If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed a post about the fantastic pastry I made for brunch a couple of weekends back. At some point on a Friday I decided I wanted to host friends for brunch on that coming Sunday, and shortly after issuing the invitation our list grew to a
- [Breakfast Enchiladas](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/breakfast-enchiladas/) - While trying to figure out what kind of brunch masterpiece I was going to impress everyone with, I decided that I should probably serve some real food, too. Since I was going to have my hands full with setup and baking, I went in search of a nice breakfast casserole that could be prepped ahead
- [Vegetarian Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/cheesy-hashbrown-casserole/) - After my grandpa passed away we stopped doing a big extended family Thanksgiving, so my mum started doing a smaller scale dinner with just our nuclear family. This meant an abbreviated menu, but one of the items that made the cut was this cheesy hash brown casserole. Originally this recipe wasn't vegetarian, but it only
- [Big Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chocolate Chip Cookie #8)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/big-chocolate-chip-cookies-chocolate-chip-cookie-8/) - Last week I had two office birthdays to bake for, so after going all out with Chai Tea Latte Cupcakes, I decided to go a little more low key for the second birthday and made another batch of chocolate chip cookies. Thankfully, most of the cookies I've been making lately have been for neighbors, so
- [Chai Tea Latte Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/chai-tea-latte-cupcakes/) - We had another office birthday last week, and I had a strong urge to bake cupcakes, as I hadn't really made any since Halloween! (What is this world coming to?) I didn't have any specific requests from the birthday girl, so I figured I'd hit Pinterest and look for inspiration. Just a few scrolls in
- [Better Homes and Gardens Chocolate Chip Cookie (Chocolate Chip Cookie #7)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/better-homes-and-gardens-chocolate-chip-cookie-chocolate-chip-cookie-7/) - I know what you're thinking. Doesn't this woman ever get sick of chocolate chip cookies?? Well, no, I don't. :) But here's the thing - my neighborhood does old-fashioned welcome baskets for our new neighbors, complete with freshly baked cookies. I'm the head of the welcoming committee, so guess who always ends up making the
- [Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/) - Once again I'm here making chocolate chip cookies for the neighbors, and I knew I needed to share the joy with you guys! These cookies were the last ditch effort in a line of cookie related fiascos - first I was steered wrong by several internet recipes that could not possibly have been tested. Then,
- [Broccamole (Mexican-style Broccoli Dip)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/broccamole-mexican-broccoli-dip/) - Now that the holidays are over, just about everyone I know is making a pledge to eat better, lose weight, or simply be smarter about their food choices. I'm not really one for resolutions, as I think that improvement can (and should) come at any time of year. However, when even Sally's Baking Addiction is
- [Chocolate Turtle Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/chocolate-turtle-cake/) - My husband's birthday was last week, and as I've mentioned before, he's not much of a cake guy. I'd put him firmly on Team Pie or Team Cheesecake. This year though, he surprised me by repeatedly asking me what kind of cake I was going to make for his birthday, and each time I would
- [Valentine's Day French Silk Pie](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/valentines-day-french-silk-pie/) - Is there an official food of Valentine's Day? If not, I'm declaring it chocolate. I won't get into the nitty gritty and specify which type of chocolate, or what should be done with it, but I'm positive chocolate IS where it's at. My chocolate dish of choice this year? French silk pie. I think my
- [Floral Cross Baptism Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/floral-cross-baptism-cake/) - A couple of weekends ago, prior to all of this Christmas madness got rolling, we celebrated my adorable niece's baptism! My SIL asked me to bake a cake, just like I did for my nephew a few years back, and I was SO excited to make a kids cake again. :) I arrived early to
- [Cookie Dough Twix](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/cookie-dough-twix/) - Happy New Year! I am going to apologize for this recipe in advance. This is really not how a "slow food" blog should start the year, but I just couldn't help it! New Year Dieters, perhaps consider these healthy banana bite cookies or chia pudding, or heck, even my delicious roasted brussels sprouts instead! ;)
- [Cookie Butter (from any cookie!)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/cookie-butter-from-any-cookie/) - I've never been one to hop on the decadent spreads bandwagon. For me, there's something that feels wrong about the idea of spreadable cookies - pureed carbs mixed with fat and carbs, spread on more carbs? As some Minnesotans might say, uff da!! Even Nutella seems just a little too naughty. Natural peanut butter or
- [Famous Minnesota Grape Salad](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/famous-minnesota-grape-salad/) - You may remember that a few weeks ago, the internet was abuzz over a New York Times piece called The United States of Thanksgiving that assigned a Thanksgiving staple dish to each state in the Union. The author said that they "scoured the nation for recipes that evoke each of the 50 states", so most
- [Quick and Easy Cranberry Sauce](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/quick-and-easy-cranberry-sauce/) - Every year, I put home made jellied cranberry sauce into an elaborate mold for our friends thanksgiving, and every year, it never sets up as well as I would like. I've tried apples, pectin, and vegan gelatin, and each time, my mold disintegrates into a shapeless blob on the tray. Sure, it is always flavorful
- [Spiced Rum Pecans](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/spiced-rum-pecans/) - First of all, Merry Christmas and Hanukkah Sameach!! I hope you have a fabulous holiday!! Things are crazy right now with last minute preparations, but I thought I'd check in with you guys for just a second to toss out a tip for those of you who are scrambling as much as I am. :)
- [Candy Corn Halloween Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/vegan-candy-corn-halloween-cupcakes/) - Searching for a cute last-minute treat to take to a Halloween party tonight? Look no further! Unless you're picking up something pre-made from the grocery store, I promise that it can't get much easier than these festive Candy Corn Cupcakes. We're headed out to a party tonight, so I made these last night as a
- [Halloween Graveyard Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/halloween-graveyard-cupcakes/) - We're headed out to a Halloween Party tonight and were told to bring whatever we'd like. Of course, I immediately gravitated toward cupcakes because they're the perfect party treat in so many ways - single serving, easily themed, universally loved, friggin adorable...... I scoured the web for ideas last week, and this idea for graveyard
- [Broccoli-Cheese Soup](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/broccoli-cheese-soup/) - Have I waited long enough between posts expressing my love for all things cruciferous? No? Well, I'll apologize in advance, because I'm ready to talk broccoli again! We often buy the gigantic 3lb bag of broccoli florets from Costco, and then munch on it for two weeks or so while using it in various ways
- [Easy Pressure-Cooker Vegan Black Bean Chili](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/easy-pressure-cooker-vegan-black-bean-chili/) - OK you guys, I have good news, and I have bad news. First the good news - Normalcy has returned! We have an offer on our old house AND we've been able to cook!! Plus, now that we won't be so financially strapped soon, I've been shopping for a new range! One with a window
- [Basic Corn Bread](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/basic-corn-bread/) - OK, is it just me, or is a good chili just not complete without a good cornbread at its side?? The other night our pressure cooker chili was just about done when we realized we had neglected to make corn bread. Sure, the chili was hearty enough to be a meal in itself, but what
- [Cinnamon-Banana Oatmeal Bites](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/cinnamon-banana-oatmeal-bites/) - After several weeks of successfully finishing off our organic bananas, we were again faced with a dilemma - freeze, compost, or experiment? Given my husband's request that I not expand upon my store of frozen overripe bananas and our aversion to food waste, I figured I basically had no choice but to experiment! After the
- [Homemade Carvel Cookie Puss](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/homemade-carvel-cookie-puss/) - If you've been following Mayhem in the Kitchen! for awhile, you might remember that my mum and brother have the same birthday. As a result, every year I find myself trying to bake two extravagant cakes to make sure that neither one of them ends up with Christmas-Birthday syndrome. Like last year, my brother requested
- [Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Birthday Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/cheesecake-filled-chocolate-birthday-cake/) - My mum and brother share a birthday, but every year I make two cakes for the occasion to acknowledge that it really IS two separate occasions. My brother requested ice cream cake again this year, so a little like last year, I decided to bake a regular cake-cake for my mum, but with a bit
- [Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/chocolate-chocolate-chip-cookies/) - My neighborhood is home to a fabulous nonprofit called The Cookie Cart. It was started back in the 80s by a nun as a way to engage teens in our neighborhood. She'd bake cookies with the kids, help them with their schoolwork, and get to know them, while hopefully keeping them out of trouble. These
- [Chocolate-Banana Oatmeal Bites](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/chocolate-banana-oatmeal-bites/) - A few weeks ago I came downstairs and discovered that my bananas had moved from nicely ripened with brown specks to, um, black. Having wasted more than a couple bananas in my day, I knew I needed to act quickly if I wanted to put them to good use. My initial reaction was to just
- [Banana Crunch Bread](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/banana-crunch-bread/) - I don't know about you, but when summer rolls around, we go a little produce crazy and end up at the local farmer's market each and every weekend. Right now our countertops are stacked with a beautiful array of local fruits and vegetables. Sometimes this makes it hard to keep up on our old grocery
- [Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/blueberry-cream-cheese-coffee-cake/) - Every year at my work we do a company breakfast and pajama party. We've had it catered in the past (though I've been known to bring something anyway - any excuse to bake!) so this year was the first time we've officially gone potluck style. I love baking for breakfast, and if you've visited before,
- [Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/mini-chocolate-chip-cookies/) - On my mum's side of the family, it has recently become a tradition to celebrate Christmas together in early January. Everyone is so busy with their nuclear families on the actual holiday, and as an extended family, our primary reason for getting together is reconnecting with one another, so the date can be a little
- [#SoMe2 Link Party](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/some2-link-party/) - I'm thrilled to announce that I'm the blogger of the week on the #SoMe2 Social Media Tuesday Link Party! If you blog and want to grow your social media following, or perhaps just network with other bloggers, this link party is a must-join! For you non-bloggers, it's also a fun way to find new
- [Perfect Roasted Broccoli](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/perfect-roasted-broccoli/) - I can say without hesitation that my favorite food is broccoli - I'll sit down with a bowl of raw or steamed broccoli for any meal of the week. While I understand that this veggie love certainly isn't common, I do think that in roasted form, broccoli has the potential to be universally loved. Picky
- [30th Birthday Best-Of: 30 Baby Girl Cakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/30th-birthday-best-of-30-baby-girl-cakes/) - In honor of my new birthday buddy, our sweet little niece who was born yesterday, here's a bonus 30th Birthday Best-Of : 30 pink cakes, perfect for pink-a-holics, a baby shower, first birthday, or, in this case, welcoming a brand new baby girl! Pink Lemon Poppy seed cake from Aventuress Strawberry Layer Cake with
- [Quick Cricut Birthday Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/quick-cricut-birthday-cake/) - I was tasked with baking a birthday cake for a colleague at work, and I needed something that was quick enough to make on a weeknight, but still festive and special. Technique I decided to use my Cricut Cake as it had sat idle for too long, but I didn't want to cover an entire
- [Foolproof Roasted Brussels Sprouts](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/foolproof-roasted-brussels-sprouts/) - Ok, I promise this is my last roasted vegetable post for awhile, but I just had to get this recipe out there for you guys! For awhile I was on a huge Roasted Broccoli kick, and was eating that a couple times a week, but lately Brussels sprouts (or "alien heads" as we called them
- [Kirkland Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/old-fashioned-chocolate-chip-cookies/) - Do you guys love Costco as much as I do? I was already on board when I learned about their employment practices, and then when they announced their sustainability practices I was 100% sold. Lately though, as they expand their vegan, organic, and fair trade selection, our love affair has gotten way more serious. My
- [100 Calorie Vegan Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies for Two](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/vegan-whole-wheat-chocolate-chip-cookies-for-two/) - As much as I bake, I really don't get to eat as many sweets as one might think - I make small batches, and look for occasions to bake for others whenever possible. Usually this means I don't have any baked goods in the house when my husband or I want them most, and honestly,
- [Birthday Cake Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/birthday-cake-chocolate-chip-cookies/) - Over the weekend I was short on time, but needed to put together some treats for a neighborhood welcome basket. As these were new neighbors and I wasn't yet sure of their preferences, I racked my brain for something that is quick and universally appealing, but also special. After thinking on it for an afternoon,
- [Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/) - Some of our favorite neighbors (the chia pudding folks! :( ) moved out to the 'burbs awhile back. We were super sad to lose them as neighbors, but were excited to hear that their house next door sold quickly. The new owners' previous home was just a few blocks away, so they're moving in gradually,
- [Vegan Wedding Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/vegan-wedding-cupcakes/) - This is a historic weekend for Minneapolis - Thursday, August 1st was the first day same sex marriage was legal in our state (and in commemoration, starting at midnight, our Mayor performed 46 wedding ceremonies in 6 hours!) It's amazing to me that just two years ago, we were fighting tooth and nail to be
- [Vegan Conversation Hearts](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/vegan-conversation-hearts/) - I've been a vegetarian since I was in middle school, and people always ask me if I ever crave meat. I can honestly say that I never have, but you know what I DO crave on a regular basis? Sweet glorious gelatin in all its forms. Gummy candies (peach rings especially, though Sour Patch Peaches
- [Raw Cherry Chia Jam](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/raw-cherry-chia-jam/) - Every fall I start making great big batches of soup to freeze into individual portions for wonderful winter work lunches or a quick dinners, and every fall, I need to clear out the deep freezer to make room! This year, at the bottom of the freezer I found an unopened bag of cherries, and I
- [Floral Pink Baptism Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/floral-pink-baptism-cupcakes/) - The cupcake version of my niece's baptism cake are basically the cake in easy mode - they're just as cute, with the same little flowers, but by skipping the torting and filling of a full cake, you can shave hours off of your assembly time. Much like the cake, these are some of the easiest
- [Peanut Butter Cup Bars](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/peanut-butter-cup-bars/) - I live in a very closely knit community, and in the summertime, that translates to neighborhood potlucks at least once a month. People still talk about the hamburger cupcakes I brought to my first potluck in 2008, so last night I spent about an hour going back and forth about what to bring this time
- [Double Birthday pt 1 | One-Bowl Chocolate Cake with Almond Buttercream](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/double-birthday-pt-1-one-bowl-chocolate-cake/) - The end of September marks a very busy time in my kitchen - not only is it my mum's birthday, but she shares the very same day with my brother! When we were kids, most of the time my brother's birthday overshadowed my mum's. If he wasn't having a party with his friends, he at
- [Easy Egg Nog Bundt Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/easy-egg-nog-bundt-cake/) - Last year I was ill for the entire week leading up to the Christmas celebration for my mum's family, and while I was definitely feeling better by the time the party rolled around, I was simply too behind on everything else (the driveway needed shoveling, the hamper was overflowing, Mayhem had a strange smell about
- [Whiskey Caramel Truffle Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/whiskey-caramel-truffle-cake/) - When it comes to baking for occasions, birthdays are my favorite. I love trying to think of a dessert that really suits the person. This time around, I was baking for a wonderful friend of mine. She's not too picky, but I knew that she isn't a fan of the copious amounts of frosting I
- [Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/red-velvet-cupcakes-with-cream-cheese-frosting/) - OK, Confession time: I had never tasted red velvet cake until everyone went red velvet crazy in 2009. In fact, several years prior, I made a red velvet cake at the request of a colleague without even knowing what it was supposed to taste like, and just assumed it was basically chocolate cake with copious
- [Fudge Brownies with Cookie Dough Frosting](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/fudge-brownies-with-cookie-dough-frosting/) - Yesterday we had a double birthday celebration at my office, and my coworker was bringing in bacon chocolate rice krispie bars, so I knew I had a lot to compete with. Initially my plan was to go with a classic chocolate cake, which led to fudge brownies, which led to fudge brownie cupcakes, and if
- [Low Carb Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/low-carb-vanilla-cupcakes/) - Last week I was invited to a surprise party for a very close friend. His girlfriend wasn't able to bake for the occasion without blowing her cover, so I volunteered to make my first foray into keto-friendly (low carb, LCHF) baking. Prior to making these cupcakes I did some extensive research on flour replacements and
- [Bird's Nest Easter Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/birds-nest-easter-cupcakes/) - OK, I'll share what I'm cooking up for Easter this year shortly, but I know some of you are still planning for Sunday, so I thought I'd share one of my creations from Easter 2011 to help get those creative juices flowing! I love these because they're super easy.... and because they give me a
- [Speckled Egg Easter Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/speckled-egg-easter-cupcakes/) - Happy Easter, everyone! I hope you are having a fabulous holiday - here in Minneapolis we've been greeted with sunlight(!!) and 65 degrees, which is a wonderful treat! This lovely weather combined with great food, time with family, and the fun egg hunt MIL did for our nephew is making for a really memorable and
- [Teddy Bear Baptism Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/teddy-bear-baptism-cake/) - My sister-in-law asked me to create a baptism cake for my nephew, and I was absolutely thrilled at the prospect. After going through a few more feminine ideas, I created a cute cake that could just as easily be a baby shower cake, but made it fit for the occasion with a banner and small
- [Stained Glass Cross Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/stained-glass-cross-cake/) - I made this cross cake for my brother-in-law's Catholic RCIA celebration. Most baptismal or first communion cakes are intended for children, and those that are not tend to be feminine, so my goal was to create a somewhat masculine cake with a religious motif. Technique Create a paper template the size of the outline for
- [National Cookie Day 2014](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/national-cookie-day-2014/) - Today is National Cookie Day! I'm usually not one for these types of days of recognition, but I'll make an exception for cookies! ^_^ Since it's also Throwback Thursday, let's throw back to the many, MANY cookie recipes I've shared with you. :) [cgview tags=Cookies lightbox=0]
- [Vegetarian Chili and Cornbread Dumplings](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/vegetarian-chilli-with-cornbread-dumplings/) - Ooooooof has it ever been chilly here in Minneapolis. We've had below zero temperatures every day for a week, not to mention a good six inches of snow! Mayhem has also been terribly upset (exhibit A, exhibit B) and has been taking every opportunity to let us know that he wasn't prepared for this. Usually
- [Mini Toffee-Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/mini-toffee-pecan-chocolate-chip-cookies/) - The other night I wanted something nice to set out for some last-minute visitors, but I was short on time, so I went with my tried and true method for making anything more awesome: make it tiny! I actually put my husband in charge of selecting a recipe from Foodgawkeer while I picked up around
- [30th Birthday Best-Of: 30 Birthday Cake Flavored Treats](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/30th-birthday-best-of-30-birthday-cake-flavored-treats/) - Guess what you guys? Today is a BIG DAY for three reasons: I've finally hit the big 3-0. That's right, today is my THIRTIETH birthday. Rumor has it I'm a real adult now or something? I'm really hoping that doesn't mean I have to cut down on the sprinkles or start buying sensible shoes, but
- [Zucchini-Cucumber Salad](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/zucchini-cucumber-salad/) - First things first: I'm back, I've missed you all terribly, and I can't wait to get back to cooking! Secondly, why didn't anyone remind me how much work it is to move house? Seriously. We've been working nonstop to settle into the new house while simultaneously getting the old house ready to sell, and it
- [Bulgur Salatasi](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/bulgur-salatasi/) - Anyone else love salads as much as I do? I swear I could eat a green salad 7 days a week, and when we aren't on a Fresh20 day, that's usually what I'm lobbying for! My omnivore partner is a pretty good sport about it, but he needs a little variety in his life, so
- [Tabouli Salad Wraps](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tabouli-salad-wraps/) - I absolutely love Mediterranean food, so the other night when I came in from the garden with a bunch of parsley, a big bowl of cherry tomatoes, and no plan for dinner except that vegan felt right, I knew exactly what needed to happen. Tabouli salad makes a great item to have around for lunchtime
- [Jalapeño Egg Salad](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/jalapeno-egg-salad/) - Since subscribing to The Fresh 20 meal planning service last summer, I've made a point of trying to embrace the idea of expanding my culinary palate. As a result, some recipes I never would have touched again on my own have become a base with which to experiment. A few weeks ago, our menu included
- [Avocado-Strawberry-Quinoa Salad](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/avocado-strawberry-quinoa-salad/) - My goal for Mother's Day dinner was to create a menu that was healthy, nutrient-dense, and suuuuuuper flavorful. We'd already decided on grilled marinated chicken (faux chicken for me) as the protein, and a chia pudding for the dessert, but needed something to round out the meal. My original plan was to serve a small
- [Quick and Easy Gluten Free Peach Crisp](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/quick-and-easy-gluten-free-peach-crisp/) - Similar to Mother's Day, my husband and I were lucky enough to spend Father's day morning at my folks' place for breakfast, and the evening at his folks' place for dinner. Plans for a Glam Doll Donut breakfast for my dad were thwarted by a line that went around the block AND torrential rains, but
- [Brownie and Peanut Butter Covered Oreo Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/brownie-and-peanut-butter-covered-oreo-cupcakes/) - Birthdays at my office have taken a turn for the ... extreme. It seems every week there's a new treat vying for the title of "richest, "most over the top", "most decadent", "most likely to give that one guy double-diabetes", so when I saw these on Pinterest, I didn't really have any choice in the
- [Classic Peanut Butter Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/classic-peanut-butter-cookies/) - I've briefly mentioned before that we've been working on a ton of home renovations, but what's new as of last week is that we're moving! (Surprise!!) So, items to add to our already overflowing list of house projects: packing, moving, getting ready to list, and selling! More about that in a second. I'm not one
- [Mickey Mouse Birthday Party](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/mickey-mouse-birthday-party/) - This weekend we celebrated our nephew's 3rd birthday! I love this sort of thing, and was lucky enough to assist my sister-in-law and mother-in-law with the setup! A few weeks before the big day the birthday boy made a couple of basic requests - Mickey Mouse theme, lemon cake with sky blue frosting. Making his
- [Lemon-Strawberry Coffee Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/lemon-strawberry-coffee-cake/) - I hope all of the mamas out there had a fabulous Mother's Day! My husband and I were lucky enough to visit with my family in the morning, and his in the evening for a full day of mom-ness. For my mum, we did a light breakfast of coffee and coffee cake, and for his
- [Mother's Day Dinner Menu](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/mothers-day-dinner-menu-2014/) - My mother-in-law has been working hard to get into better shape for a big trip to Europe next summer, so when my husband said he'd cook dinner for Mother's Day, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to showcase a few super-foods for my in-laws! We lucked out with a beautiful spring day, so my
- [Carrot Muffin Top Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/carrot-muffin-top-cookies/) - My quest to use those carrots continues. I've made plenty of savory dishes so far, but I really wanted to make something sweet that wasn't your typical carrot cake, and these cookies adapted from Love and Lemons fit the bill! I've been eating these for breakfast this week, and they're great - a little bit
- [Creamy Coconut Chia Pudding with Bananas](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/creamy-coconut-chia-pudding-with-bananas/) - When putting together the menu for Mother's Day, I wanted something yummy, but also super healthy and nutrient rich. I was about to dig out my cookbooks when I remembered this little gem of a recipe that my favorite neighbors shared with me awhile back. When my neighbors served this at a potluck last year
- [Salty Olive Cheese Ball](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/olive-cheese-ball/) - The weekends have been a bit of a blur lately, so when we were tasked with bringing an appetizer to a potluck, we needed something that didn't take a lot of prep work. I paged through my cookbooks for options, but nothing was popping out at me. Eventually, I turned to scouring the web and
- [Vanilla Granola with Quinoa and Chia Seeds](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/vanilla-granola-with-quinoa-and-chia-seeds/) - Every morning, my husband and I wake up a little early to chat over coffee and breakfast before heading off to work (... though since this weekend it has mostly been leftover Easter candy for breakfast. Chocolate and coffee are just meant to be consumed together.) A few mornings ago we were working on finishing
- [Lemon Poppyseed Muffins](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/lemon-poppyseed-muffins/) - Every year one of my colleagues asks for a lemon poppy-seed dessert for his birthday. I've made everything from a classic pound cake to lemon poppy-seed cookies, and nothing has been quite right. Sometimes it's the texture, other times they're too dry, other times they're simply not lemon-tastic enough. This year I think I've finally
- [Double Chocolate Muffins](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/double-chocolate-muffins/) - At work this week we had another double birthday. To prevent total treat overload we split the celebration out into two days of muffins - Lemon Poppy-Seed one day, and Double Chocolate Chunk the next! I'm not going to beat around the bush - these are amazing. Dense like a muffin. Chocolatey like a cupcake.
- [Ginger Pear Blueberry Crisp](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/ginger-pear-blueberry-crisp/) - Remember that fridge and freezer cleanout I was talking about? Turns out there were even more mediocre pears left (I guess that's the downside of Costco, when it's bad, it's really bad) so I was thinking I'd try to repeat the success of that lower sugar pear crisp, but then I found a pint of
- [No-cake Birthday: Mini Pies - Apple and Rhubarb-Raspberry](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/mini-pies-apple-and-rhubarb-raspberry/) - My husband's birthday was last week, and while he's always up for cake, his real idea of a treat is a nice fruit pie. The day of his birthday, I procrastinated a little and planned on heading to the grocery store right after work, but mother nature had other plans and dumped us with 6
- [Mini Double Chocolate Muffins](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/mini-double-chocolate-muffins/) - February is a busy birthday month in my office, so while most of the time we celebrate with cake or cupcakes, February gets a little more variety. Last week I made an assortment of scones, and this week it's double chocolate mini muffins! Chocolate muffins are a great birthday treat for an office - they
- [Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/roasted-buffalo-cauliflower/) - You guys know me and roasted veggies, it's an obsession at this point. One dish that has been coming up a lot on social media recently has been Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower, but my husband doesn't care for buffalo sauce. Last week he was out for the evening and I had some cauliflower handy, so I
- [Spicy Roasted Chickpeas](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/spicy-roasted-chickpeas/) - A few weeks ago we picked up a pressure cooker, and since then, life has changed! OK, that's probably a little dramatic, but our life, as it relates to beans, has definitely changed. We've always used a lot of beans in our cooking, but prior to last week we were buying a lot of canned
- [Flourless Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/flourless-oatmeal-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/) - Last night, I thought I had my entire Saturday morning planned out: wake up around 6, have a cup of coffee, make scones using my favorite recipe, devour scones while having another cup of coffee, head for the farmer's market, share the recipe for those fabulous scones before noon. Instead, we woke up around 10,
- [Zucchini Bread](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/zucchini-bread/) - Well, it's that time of the year again - we're most of the way through summer and it's zucchini mania. I honestly have a refrigerator full of the stuff. I hadn't even realized there were so many out in my garden until our neighbor pointed out a particularly huge one that she said was perhaps
- [Chocolate Cherry Fudge Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/chocolate-cherry-fudge-cookies/) - Last night we were cleaning out our refrigerator in preparation for veering off of our regular meal plan for the long holiday weekend, when I came across a handful of organic cherries. They were still perfectly good, but didn't look quite as plump as they once did, so I figured they'd be a good candidate
- [Bakery Style BIG Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/bakery-style-big-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/) - Tomorrow we're celebrating another colleague's birthday at work, and he's not much into sweets. Since it's a Friday, I'd toyed with the idea of just bringing in a bottle of gin, or perhaps a nice liqueur, but what's a birthday without treats? Instead of going crazy with cake, I opted for some simple crowd-pleasing cookies,
- [Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/flourless-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/) - It was one of those nights again - we had a relatively light dinner, and were all cuddled up on the couch watching Downton when the sweets craving hit us. Of course there wasn't any junk in the house, and while fruit is my usual go-to sugar source, we both agreed we needed something a
- [Moscato Zabaglione with Strawberries](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/moscato-zabaglione-with-strawberries/) - At our dinner party last week, we made three courses of the meal with the help of our guests, then, just before the dessert course started, my husband and I prepared this wonderful pudding. Initially I was a little intimidated by this dish, and I almost made a cake instead, but I'm so glad
- [Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/apple-cinnamon-coffee-cake/) - My mum invited the whole family over for brunch last weekend, and even though she said I shouldn't bring anything, and even though we've been super busy with home renovations, I still couldn't take no for an answer. Everyone really likes the coffee cakes I perfected during the Quest for Brunch Excellence, but when I
- [Homemade Salad Toppings - Croutons and Vegan Bacon Bits ](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/homemade-salad-toppings-croutons-and-vegan-bacon-bits/) - Spring has sprung! (Well, here in Minneapolis we woke up to more snow, but the calendar says it's spring! Work with me here.) Birds are chirping! Farmer's market season is soon upon us! This time of year I find myself looking forward to the beautiful local produce, wonderful salads, and vegetable-centered meals that come with
- [Roasted Cauliflower and Sauteed Green Beans](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/roasted-cauliflower-and-sauteed-green-beans/) - Guess what I had for dinner last night? Yep. You know it! Roasted veggies. I'm not going to say I'm addicted to roasted vegetables, but I might be addicted to roasted vegetables. Then again, I could eat my weight in sauteed vegetables too. And, the same applies to raw broccoli and hummus, my favorite snack
- [Roasted Red Cabbage](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/roasted-red-cabbage/) - Sometimes, all I want for dinner is a big plate of vegetables. Usually it's broccoli or brussels sprouts, but tonight the only vegetable that wasn't spoken for was a wilted head of red cabbage, so I had to make do. These are fabulous, even when made with the wilty cabbage from the back of the
- [Double Fudge Brownie Bites](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/double-fudge-brownie-bites/) - Last night was the absolute perfect time to create an ultra chocolatey dessert - my work colleague requested "something chocolate" for her birthday treat, meanwhile, the Vikings were absolutely decimated by their biggest rival, the Green Bay Packers, so I was in a mood to eat my feelings. A few years back there was a
- [Quick Cranberry-Orange Scones](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/quick-cranberry-orange-scones/) - During The Quest for Brunch Excellence, I deemed developing a great scone recipe something of utmost importance. I went through 3 or 4 techniques, and after trying to serve fresh scones for my guests, it became clear that a key feature of any scone recipe is simply how quickly they come together. This research paid
- [Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/cranberry-almond-coffee-cake/) - It dawned on me that once I mentioned my Quest for Brunch Excellence, that I should probably make good on sharing some of those wonderful recipes. This morning we had friends coming over for a little vacation planning, which I thought was a perfect excuse for breakfast coffee cake! As I've mentioned before, my favorite
- [Cinnamon-Nutmeg Coffee Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/cinnamon-nutmeg-coffee-cake/) - I have mixed feelings about Daylight Savings Time. On one hand, I really love the long summer nights - there's something so freeing about having 3 or 4 hours of daylight after work. On the other hand, twice a year I am left feeling like a zombie for a couple weeks while my sleep schedule
- [Pear Crisp](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/pear-crisp/) - Last weekend we stocked up on pears for something a little different to spice up our lunches and late night snacks. Sadly, they looked much better than they tasted. Not wanting to let them go to waste, I whipped up a nice lower-sugar fresh pear crisp. Dessert in our house is a complicated topic -
- [January Dinner Party Menu: Italian](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/january-dinner-party-menu-italian/) - Last week we invited four friends over for a casual dinner party with a small twist - instead of my husband and me doing all the cooking, we bought the ingredients, then invited everyone over a little early to prepare the meal together. Our theme was Italian cuisine, and we went with four courses: Appetizer
- [Peanut Butter Cup Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/peanut-butter-cup-cookies/) - Yesterday I needed make something for the Super Bowl party I was attending, but it seemed that all of the major football food groups were already covered - tortilla chips, salsa, guacamole, taco dip, potato chips, ranch dip, onion dip, two kinds of pizza, mini tater tots, little smokies, chicken wings.... Thankfully, there happened to
- [Homemade Cheez Crackers](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/homemade-cheez-crackers/) - I spend many of my weekends working a part-time job at a public library. A few weekends ago, I was chatting with one of my colleagues about food, specifically unprocessed food, and she suggested I check out The Homemade Pantry by Alana Chernila. The cover features homemade pop-tarts, so, basically, I was sold the minute
- [Family Christmas Cookie 5: Grandma Ruth's Apple Fruit Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/fruit-cake/) - Each year, my husband's family anxiously awaits the arrival of grandma Ruth's apple fruit cake, which is another favorite from the family cookbook. I love this fruitcake for three reasons - most importantly, it reminds me of my favorite grandmother-in-law, secondly, it has a lovely sweet flavor without the bitter bite of citrus rind that
- [Family Christmas Cookie 4: Spritz Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/spritz/) - I think just about every family has a spritz cookie recipe that only comes out around Christmas time. Ours originated from my mum's church cookbook, and features a light cookie with hints of both vanilla and almond. My grandma used to make these with the wreath shape in her cookie press, tint the dough green,
- [Family Christmas Cookie 12: Cherry Hideaways](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/cherry-hideaways/) - I've saved the best for last! These are an all-time favorite of mine, and a recipe that my grandma made every year for Christmas. They look like they're plain bark covered cookies, but inside there's a surprise - maraschino cherries! This post is day 12 in the series Mayhem’s 12 Days of Christmas Cookies!
- [Family Christmas Cookie 11: Peanut Butter Kisses](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/peanut-butter-kisses/) - I'm closing out Mayhem's 12 days of Christmas Cookies with two cookies that are my all time favorites. Both are recipes my grandma made every Christmas, and while they're a bit more modern (1950s) than many of the other recipes I've shared, they're definite crowd pleasers. The first are Peanut Butter Kisses - chewy peanut
- [Family Christmas Cookie 10: Snowball Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/snowball-cookies/) - Of all the cookies my grandma made for Christmas, these are one of the most memorable to me. I think it's because they're just so pretty! The bright white frosting combined with the coconut makes for such a delicate, lovely looking cookie, and provides a nice contrast on a cookie tray when placed next to
- [Family Christmas Cookie 8: Gingerbread Boys](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/gingerbread-boys/) - One of the really fun parts of compiling this recipe list was comparing and contrasting my family recipes with my husband's family recipes. In most cases, there's a wide contrast between the two families - most of my grandma's cookies were more elaborate and from newer recipes, while my husband's family cookbook is heavily
- [Family Christmas Cookie 9: Sugar Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/sugar-cookies/) - No Christmas cookie plate would be complete without sugar cookies! Much like the gingerbread cookies I shared earlier, this same recipe came from several sources, and I eventually tracked it down to my old 1963 copy of The Cooky Book. This isn't my favorite recipe for decorating or using precise cutters, but it tastes
- [Family Christmas Cookie 7: Angel Pillows](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/angel-pillows/) - Angel Pillows are a favorite from my mum's side of the family. I made them with strawberry preserves, but my grandma always made these with apricot or peach. I believe the recipe must have come out of a magazine or advertisement, as the tattered copy I was given mentioned a few brands by name, but
- [Family Christmas Cookie 6: Pfeffernüsse Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/pfeffernusse/) - This recipe is another of my father-in-law's additions to the second edition of my mother-in-law's family cookbook. They always say men marry their mother, but MINE often remarks that he actually married his father. One reason for that is our shared love for anise, and, in turn, these German Pfeffernusse ("peppernut") cookies. Unlike the other
- [Family Christmas Cookie 2: Snickerdoodles](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/snickerdoodles/) - Snickerdoodles were a recipe in the first edition of my husband's family cookbook, and a favorite at many of my own family gatherings. These were some of the first I cookies I baked and distributed at PAX as a member of the Cookie Brigade, and not only did they sell out faster than my monster
- [Family Christmas Cookie 1: Gingersnaps](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/gingersnaps/) - These classic Gingersnaps are made from a recipe passed down by my husband's Grandma Lorraine. While I wasn't lucky enough to meet Lorraine, these hold a special place in my heart as one of the family recipes we shared on our wedding dessert buffet. This post is day 1 in the series Mayhem's 12 Days
- [Family Christmas Cookie 3: Russian Tea Cakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/family-christmas-cookie-3-russian-tea-cakes/) - Like yesterday's Snickerdoodles, Russian Tea Cakes were in the first edition of my husband's family cookbook, and were a staple at my mum's family Christmas gatherings. My favorite thing about these is that they're not too sweet, making them a great alternative to biscotti with a nice cup of coffee on Christmas morning. This post
- [Drop Sugar Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/drop-sugar-cookies/) - I hope all of my American readers had a fabulous Thanksgiving - I know I sure did! Most of the time we need to juggle holidays between my side of the family and my husband's side, but this year we were fortunate enough to celebrate twice, once on Thursday with my family, and once on
- [Double Birthday pt 2 | Ice Cream Birthday Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/double-birthday-pt-2-ice-cream-birthday-cake/) - If you're looking for a cake that's truly opposite to my mum's 100% from scratch traditional birthday cake, my brother's ice cream birthday cake might be just the ticket. As I mentioned before, my brother and mum share the same birthday, and I always make an effort to celebrate them as two distinct occasions, even

## Pages

- [About](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/about/) - Welcome to Mayhem in the Kitchen! I started this blog to showcase my love for all things food related. Most of my posts fall into one of two categories - super healthy every day food, and entirely terrible for you special occasion food. Each post features a recipe I've tried myself and have had some
- [Privacy](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/privacy/) - This Privacy Policy governs the manner in which Mayhem in the Kitchen! collects, uses, maintains and discloses information collected from users (each, a "User") of the https://mayheminthekitchen.com website ("Site"). This privacy policy applies to the Site and all products and services offered by Mayhem in the Kitchen!. Personal identification information We may collect personal identification
- [Contact](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/contact/) - General questions Feel free to email me at leesha -at- mayheminthekitchen.com Recipe questions Please leave all recipe questions as a comment on the recipe you have a question about Press requests, media inquiries, recipe reprinting requests, sponsorships, giveaways, promotions or partnerships Leave a comment on the relevant post, or email me at press -at- mayheminthekitchen.com

## Recipes

- [Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/bakery-style-chocolate-chip-cookies/)
- [Italian Nachos inspired by Maxwell's Beach Cafe of Spirit Lake, Iowa](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/italian-nachos-inspired-by-maxwells-beach-cafe-of-spirit-lake-iowa/)
- [Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/449/) - Recipe adapted from Kirkland Signature Chocolate Chips
- [ Cinnamon-Banana Oatmeal Bites](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/cinnamon-banana-oatmeal-bites/)
- [Zucchini-Cucumber Vinegar Salad](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/zucchini-cucumber-vinegar-salad-2/)
- [Quick Peach Crisp](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/quick-peach-crisp-3/)
- [Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/)
- [Brownie and Peanut Butter Covered Oreo Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/brownie-and-peanut-butter-covered-oreo-cupcakes/)
- [Classic Peanut Butter Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/classic-peanut-butter-cookies-2/)
- [One Bowl Golden Yellow Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/one-bowl-golden-yellow-cake/)
- [Carrot Muffin Top Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/carrot-muffin-top-cookies/)
- [Balsamic Chicken Marinade](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/balsamic-chicken-marinade/)
- [Strawberry Avocado Quinoa Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/strawberry-avocado-quinoa-spinach-salad-with-balsamic-vinaigrette/)
- [Creamy Coconut Chia Pudding with Bananas](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/creamy-coconut-chia-pudding-with-bananas/)
- [Lemon-Strawberry Coffee Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/lemon-strawberry-coffee-cake/)
- [Double Fudge Brownie Bites](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/double-fudge-brownie-bites/) - Brownie batter recipe adapted from Food.com
- [Salty Olive Cheese Ball](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/olive-cheese-ball/)
- [Lemon Poppy-seed Muffins](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/lemon-poppy-seed-muffins/)
- [Speckled Egg Easter Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/speckled-egg-easter-cupcakes/)
- [Vanilla Granola with Quinoa and Chia Seeds](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/vanilla-granola-with-quinoa-and-chia-seeds/)
- [Basic Buttercream Icing](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/basic-buttercream-icing/)
- [Double Chocolate Muffins](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/1926/)
- [Bird's Nest Easter Cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/birds-nest-easter-cupcakes/)
- [Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/apple-coffee-cake/)
- [Mini Toffee-Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/mini-toffee-pecan-chocolate-chip-cookies/)
- [Homemade Garlic-Onion Croutons](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/homemade-garlic-onion-croutons/)
- [Vegan Bacon Bits](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/vegan-bacon-bits/)
- [One-Bowl Chocolate Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/one-bowl-chocolate-cake/)
- [Ben and Jerry's Half Baked Cupcakes (Fudge Brownies with Cookie Dough Frosting)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/ben-and-jerrys-half-baked-cupcakes-fudge-brownies-with-cookie-dough-frosting/)
- [Vegan Homemade Conversation Hearts](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/1399/)
- [Low Carb Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/low-carb-vanilla-cupcakes-with-cream-cheese-frosting/)
- [Foolproof Roasted Brussels Sprouts](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/foolproof-roasted-brussels-sprouts/)
- [Spicy Roasted Chickpeas](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/spicy-roasted-chickpeas/)
- [Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/roasted-buffalo-cauliflower/)
- [Perfect Roasted Broccoli](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/perfect-roasted-broccoli/)
- [Birthday Cake Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/birthday-cake-chocolate-chip-cookies/)
- [Roasted Cauliflower](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/roasted-cauliflower/)
- [Roasted Red Cabbage](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/roasted-red-cabbage/)
- [Double-Chocolate Muffins](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/double-chocolate-muffins/)
- [Cranberry-Orange Scones](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/cranberry-orange-scones/)
- [Whiskey Caramel Truffle Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/whiskey-caramel-truffle-cake/)
- [Peanut Butter Cup Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/peanut-butter-cup-cookies/)
- [Mini Pies: Apple and Rhubarb-Raspberry](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/mini-pies-apple-and-rhubarb-raspberry/)
- [Moscato Zabaglione with Strawberries](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/moscato-zabaglione-with-strawberries/)
- [Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/mini-chocolate-chip-cookies/)
- [Tabouli Salad (tabouleh tabbouleh tabbouli)](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/397/)
- [Bulgur Salatasi](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/bulgur-salatasi/)
- [Cherry Holiday Hideaways](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/cherry-holiday-hideaways/)
- [Angel Pillows](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/angel-pillows/)
- [Sugar Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/sugar-cookies/)
- [Gingerbread Boys](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/gingerbread-boys/)
- [Snowball Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/family-christmas-cookie-10-snowball-cookies/)
- [Peanut Butter Kisses](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/peanut-butter-kisses/)
- [Banana Crunch Bread](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/banana-crunch-bread/)
- [Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/red-velvet-cupcakes-with-cream-cheese-frosting/)
- [Homemade Cheez Crackers](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/homemade-cheez-crackers/) - Adapted from the recipe published online, and in Alana's book The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making
- [Flourless Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/221/) - Adapted from Monique's recipe at Ambitious Kitchen.
- [Peanut Butter Cup Bars](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/reeses-peanut-butter-cup-bars/)
- [Vegan Sugar Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/vegan-sugar-cookies/)
- [Buttercream Icing](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/buttercream-icing/)
- [Zucchini Bread](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/zucchini-bread/)
- [Pear Crisp](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/pear-crisp/)
- [Chocolate Cherry Fudge Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/chewy-chocolate-cherry-cookies/)
- [Vegan Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies for Two](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/chocolate-chip-cookies-for-two/)
- [Jalapeño Egg Salad](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/jalapeno-egg-salad/)
- [Raw Cherry Chia Jam](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/raw-cherry-chia-jam/)
- [Ginger Pear Blueberry Crisp](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/ginger-pear-blueberry-crisp/)
- [Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/flourless-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/)
- [Sauteed Green Beans](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/sauteed-green-beans/) - Adapted from The Fresh 20 Meal Planning Service
- [Ice Cream Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/ice-cream-cake/)
- [Cinnamon-Nutmeg Coffee Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/cinnamon-nutmeg-coffee-cake/)
- [Bakery Style Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/bakery-style-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/)
- [Almond Cranberry Coffee Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/almond-cranberry-coffee-cake/)
- [Drop Sugar Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/drop-sugar-cookies/)
- [Winter family Russian Teacakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/winter-family-russian-teacakes/)
- [Spritz Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/spritz-cookies/)
- [Grandma Ruth's Apple Fruit Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/grandma-ruths-apple-fruit-cake/)
- [Vegetarian Chilli with Cornbread Dumplings](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/vegetarian-chilli-with-dumplings/)
- [Easy Egg Nog Cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/easy-egg-nog-cake/)
- [Pfeffernüsse Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/pfeffernusse-cookies/)
- [Grandma Lorraine's Gingersnaps](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/grandma-lorraines-gingersnaps/)
- [Winter family Snickerdoodles](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/recipe/winter-family-snickerdoodles/)

## Categories

- [Appetizers](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/recipes/appetizers-2/)
- [Featured](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/featured/)
- [Desserts](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/recipes/desserts/)
- [Snack Foods](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/recipes/snack-foods/)
- [Recipes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/recipes/)
- [Side Dishes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/recipes/side-dishes/)
- [Main Course](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/recipes/main-course/)
- [Mayhem's 12 Days of Christmas Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/mayhems-12-days-of-christmas-cookies/) - It seems like everyone in food bloggerville is making super cute, modern, elaborately decorated, sprinkles-heavy cookies this year, and while I love those (and no doubt will be making a ton of them myself) I thought it’d be fun to share some really timeless recipes that are special to me and my family. Many of these come right out of my mother in-law’s family cookbook called “For Love of Our Family” which was recently rereleased with new recipes added, so now not only does it include my mother in-law’s family recipes, but it also has a few passed down from my father in-law’s and brother in-law’s families! Others are staple cookies from our family Christmas celebration, favorites from my mum’s church cookbook (which we’ve basically adopted as our family cookbook) or recipes that were carefully written down on recipe cards by my grandma.
- [Celebrations](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/celebrations/)
- [Cake Decorating Ideas](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/celebrations/cake-decorating-ideas/)
- [Link Party](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/link-party/)
- [Round-Up](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/round-up/)
- [Cupcake Decorating Ideas](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/celebrations/cupcake-decorating-ideas/)
- [Top Recipes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/category/top-recipes/)

## Tags

- [vegetarian](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/vegetarian/)
- [copycat](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/copycat/)
- [yolo](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/yolo/)
- [nachos](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/nachos/)
- [gameday](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/gameday/)
- [organic junk food](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/organic-junk-food/)
- [quick bread](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/quick-bread/)
- [overripe bananas](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/overripe-bananas/)
- [church cookbook](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/church-cookbook/)
- [brunch](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/brunch/)
- [cupcakes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/cupcakes/)
- [red velvet](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/red-velvet/)
- [cream cheese frosting](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/cream-cheese-frosting/)
- [pipeable icing](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/pipeable-icing/)
- [family recipes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/family-recipes/)
- [crackers](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/crackers/)
- [home made not store bought](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/home-made-not-store-bought/)
- [whole wheat](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/whole-wheat/)
- [rule 45](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/rule-45/)
- [cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/cookies/)
- [flourless](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/flourless/)
- [gluten free](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/gluten-free/)
- [potluck favorites](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/potluck-favorites/)
- [pinterest finds](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/pinterest-finds/)
- [brownies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/brownies/)
- [wedding](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/wedding/)
- [vegan](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/vegan/)
- [marriage equality](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/marriage-equality/)
- [side dishes](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/side-dishes-2/)
- [vegetable centered](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/vegetable-centered/)
- [whole grain](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/whole-grain/)
- [back of the box](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/back-of-the-box/)
- [weeknight meals](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/weeknight-meals/)
- [slow food](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/slow-food/)
- [coffee cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/coffee-cake/)
- [christmas](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/christmas-2/)
- [winter family cookbook](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/winter-family-cookbook/)
- [cake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/cake/)
- [dinner party](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/dinner-party/)
- [pie](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/pie/)
- [soup](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/soup-2/)
- [candy](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/candy/)
- [valentine's day](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/valentines-day-2/)
- [Quest for Brunch Excellence](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/quest-for-brunch-excellence/)
- [muffins](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/muffins/)
- [bite-sized](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/bite-sized/)
- [low carb](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/low-carb/)
- [keto](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/keto/)
- [holiday](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/holiday/)
- [roasted](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/roasted/)
- [paleo](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/paleo/)
- [salads](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/salads/)
- [mini](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/mini/)
- [birthday](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/birthday/)
- [breakfast](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/breakfast-2/)
- [Mother's Day](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/mothers-day/)
- [halloween](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/halloween-2/)
- [thanksgiving](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/thanksgiving-2/)
- [autumn](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/autumn/)
- [ice cream](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/ice-cream/)
- [gifts](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/gifts/)
- [cup](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/cup/)
- [bars](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/bars/)
- [spreads](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/spreads/)
- [Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/chocolate-chip-cookies/)
- [fondant](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/fondant/)
- [snacks](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/snacks/)
- [fruit](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/fruit/)
- [Easter](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/easter/)
- [pumpkin](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/pumpkin/)
- [cheesecake](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/cheesecake/)
- [almond extract](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/almond-extract/)
- [featured](https://www.mayheminthekitchen.com/tag/featured/)