Make Your Own Dog Treats

Surprise your furry friend with some yummy treats! Maybe you'll get a kiss or two in return :)

Ingredients:

2 cups 100% organic whole wheat flour

2 (4oz) jars of pureed baby food - beef, blueberry, sweet potato, or chicken

*Make sure there are no onions/onion powder in it AND avoid any with artificial preservatives 

(should be easy, most are just pureed veggies and water)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350°.
2) Mix everything together to form a stiff dough. (add extra flour or water as needed)
3) On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about a 1/4 inch thick.
4) Use cookie cutters to cut into desired shape.
5) Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, place treats about 1/2 inch apart.
6) Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.
7) Allow to cool completely before storing in a paper bag.
(storing in an air-tight container will make them soft, but they're still edible)

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Spinach Artichoke Bites

What's on the menu today? Spinach Artichoke Bites!
These are super easy to make and are quite delicious :)

Step-by-Step: 

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz.) package softened cream cheese
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 tubes of crescent roll dough
shredded mozzarella

Directions:

1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. 
2) Lightly spray mini muffin tins with baking spray.

3) Combine the first six ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well. 

(Once you’ve combined the dip, set aside)

4) Roll your crescent roll dough out onto a large cutting board/work surface.
5) Working with half of the dough at time (4 triangles), pinch all of the creases together so that you’re left with one big piece of dough.
6) Using a pizza slicer or a knife, cut the dough into 12 roughly even squares.
7) Press each of the dough squares into a mini muffin tin.
8) Using a teaspoon, fill each cup with the spinach artichoke mixture.
9) Sprinkle each one with a little shredded mozzarella.
10) Pop those babies in the oven for 12 minutes

Enjoy!

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Banana Bread Muffins

Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
2 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
8 very ripe bananas, coarsely mashed (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/3 cupcs walnuts chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350F
2) In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
3) Beat the eggs and sugar in a mixer at medium-high speed until very thick and yellow
lemon coloured. (about 5 minutes)
4) Reduce speed to low and slowly add the oil.
5) Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt and vanilla.
6) Gently fold in the flour mixture and stir in the nuts.
7) For large muffins, bake for 18 minutes. For small muffins, bake for 12 minutes.
8) Cool for 10 minutes before removing

Variation:
Instead of walnuts, use 1 cup of miniature chocolate chips

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Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Yes Yes Yes! Craving something delicious? Got guests coming over? This sweet treat is super easy to make and only takes a few minutes. You may even want to drizzle some chocolate on top...mmm! Try it out and let me know how it goes :) See more recipes here.

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

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

Want to be featured on techlovedesign? Send your recipes (with fabulous pictures) to hello@techlovedesign.com. 

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Nutella French Toast with Strawberries

Surprise someone you love with this deliciously good Nutella French Toast with Strawberries.

Nutella French Toast with Strawberries

Ingredients: 

1 cup sliced strawberries

2 teaspoons sugar

Juice of half a lemon

4 slices of bread (Challah bread is amazing)

About 1/2 cup Nutella

1 large egg

3/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

butter (for the pan)

Powdered sugar for serving

Directions:

1) Combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Toss to coat and set aside to macerate at room temperature.

2) Spread desired amount of Nutella over 2 slices of bread. Top each with the remaining bread. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.

3) In a shallow dish or pie plate, whisk together the egg and milk. Whisk in the melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the heated skillet and swirl to coat.

4) Dip each sandwich into the egg mixture, soaking for 30 to 40 seconds per side. Add the slices to the pan in a single layer, taking care not to crowd the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until light golden brown. Flip and continue cooking an additional 1-2 minutes. Add more butter as needed.

5) Transfer to a plate, dust with powdered sugar, then top with strawberries. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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Got any great recipes? Submit them to hello@techlovedesign.com or in the comments below! 

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Smoothie Time

It's getting warmer out which means it's almost... SMOOTHIE TIME! I love drinking a fresh fruity drink when it's hot out- Mango Magic from Jugo Juice to be specific. If you want to make your own smoothie, who better to trust than Martha Stewart? If you're craving a yummy drink, try making one of these by tossing the following ingredients into a blender:

1) Mango and Yogurt: 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 1/2 cups low-fat plain yogurt, 2 1/2 cups frozen mango chunks, 1 tablespoon honey, Juice from half lime.
2) Hearty Fruit and Oat: 1 cup quartered strawberries, 1 sliced banana, 1/4 cup raw almonds, 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats, 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt, 1 teaspoon maple syrup.
3) Topical Blueberry: 2 teaspoons sugar, 2 cup chopped pineapple, 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, 1 orange (seeded and cut into quarters), 1/2-3/4 cup water.
4) Green Ginger-Peach: 2 handfuls baby spinach, 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger, 2 cups frozen slices peaches, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 1/4 cups water.  

           
*Nutty Idea: Top it with 1/4 cup chopped nuts, such as almonds or walnuts, for a more filling meal.

On a side note, how creative are these smoothie shots? LOVE!

 Credit: Matha Stewart, Jonathan Lovekin and Oh The Lovely Things 

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Warm Chocolate Pudding Cakes with Caramel Sauce

Is your mouth watering yet? I came across this delicious dessert on Martha Stewart and had to share it with you! These rich chocolate cakes have a soft center that partners perfectly with a caramel topping...mmm... Here's how to make it:

Chocolate Pudding Cakes
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed, plus more, room temperature, for ramekins
1/3 cup sugar, plus more for ramekins
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and levelled)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Caramel Sauce, for serving
Whipped cream, for serving

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter four 6-ounce ramekins, then coat lightly with sugar, tapping out excess. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and chocolate. Microwave until melted, about 1 minute; stir until smooth. (Or melt mixture in a heatproof bowl set over, not in, a pan of simmering water.)

2) In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, yolks, flour, and salt; add chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Fill each ramekin three-quarters full with batter; place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate 15 minutes.

3) Bake until center of a cake is soft but not wet when pressed, 27 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Serve cakes warm, topped with caramel and whipped cream.

Caramel Sauce
Ingredients: 1 cup sugar

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:
1) In a medium saucepan, heat sugar over medium-high until melted and brown at edges, 3 minutes. Witha heat-resistant spatula, pull melted sugar toward center until all sugar is melted and caramel is deep amber in color, 3 minutes more.

2) Immediately whisk in butter, coarse salt, and pure vanilla extract (take care as mixture is extremely hot and will bubble).

3) Whisk in heavy cream.

4) Pour into a heatproof container and let cool. 

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Baked S'mores

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The Ultimate Penne Dish

How GOOD does this look? I can't resist a delicious pasta dish so as soon as I came across this picture, I had to find the recipe. Turns out, it originated from Jennie June's American Cookery Book from 1870! Thanks to Kitchen Historic, it's been modernized. Try it out and let me know how it goes.
Bonne Appetite!

Ingredients: 
10 ounces MACARONI

2 cups MILK

4 tablespoons FLOUR

4 tablespoons BUTTER

2/3 cup CREAM

1 teaspoon MUSTARD POWDER

1 teaspoon SALT

1 teaspoon PEPPER

CAYENNE, to taste

8 ounces OLD CHEDDAR, grated

Directions:

1. Set a large pot of water to boil and cook the macaroni until tender. Strain the water and return the macaroni to the pot.

2. While the macaroni is cooking, mix the milk, flour, and butter in a medium saucepan. Stir until combined and butter has melted.

3. To the sauce, add the cream, mustard, salt, pepper, cayenne, and cheese. Mix together and simmer for ~5 minutes or until thickened.

4. Add finished sauce to macaroni and stir, cooking until evenly heated.

Do you have any other great recipes? Let me know in the comments below or on twitter @techlovedesign.

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The BEST Carrot Cake

Want to make the most delicious Carrot Cake ever? What about with some Cream Cheese icing? YUM! I found this recipe on Pinterest and had to share with you. Here's how to make it: 

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups All Purpose Flour

1 1/2 cups Sugar

1/4 cup Brown Sugar (dark or light)

1 1/2 t Baking Soda

1 t Baking Powder

1 t Salt

4 t Cinnamon

1/4 t Nutmeg

1/8 t Ground Cloves

1/4 t Ground Ginger

2 cups Finely Grated Peeled Carrot, packed

1 cup Coconut Flakes, sweetened

1 cup Raisins (Optional)

1 can 8 oz Crushed Pineapple, drained (reserve 1 T of drained Pineapple juice)

1 1/2 cup Walnuts or Pecans, chopped small pieces

1 cup Vegetable Oil

2 t Vanilla Extract

1 T Finely Grated Fresh Orange Zest

3 Eggs, extra large

Pam (non stick cooking spray)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Prepare two 9 inch cake pans by spraying with Vegetable non-stick spray (like Pam Spray) and line with a parchment paper round on the bottom then spray the top of the parchment.  Or spray a 9 X 13 baking pan with Vegetable non stick spray (like Pam Spray) or use 20 jumbo Cupcake liners in a Muffin tin without using Pam spray.

3) In a large bowl whisk well:  Flour, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt, all Spices.

4) Peel then Grate approx 5-6 medium Carrots to yield 2 cups packed.  Grate Carrots finely to no more than 1/4 inch pieces.  Or process in a food processor until finely grated but not mush.  It is important that you peel the Carrots before grating.  You do not want the tough skins in your cake.

5) In a medium bowl or KitchenAid bowl add Carrots, Grated Fresh Orange Peel, Drained Pineapple, Raisins (optional), Coconut Flakes, Walnuts or Pecans and mix well with a big spoon.

6) To this mixture add the Vegetable Oil, Vanilla Extract and Eggs one at a time mixing in well then add 1 T of the reserved Pineapple juice and mix well.  Scrape down bowl often.

7) Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid for  about 1 minute until well mixed.  Do not over mix.

8) Pour divided into prepared (as above) 9 inch cake pans, or 9 X 13 pan, or approximately 20 Cupcake liners filled 3/4 full or a 9 X 13 baking sheet sprayed with Pam but no parchment paper needed. 

9) Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 mins for Cupcakes,  35-40 minutes for 9 inch layer cakes and 45-50 mins for 9 X 13 in the center of the oven.  Half way through cooking rotate the pans for even cooking.  A toothpick will come out clean when done.  All ovens vary in timing so check at lowest time first and if not done put back in oven and recheck in 2- 3 minutes.

10) Allow to cool completely in pan for 1-2 hrs. before removing to ice with Cream Cheese Icing.  Recipe below.  Place 1/4 of icing between the two layers and when placing the top cake layer on, put the flat side of the cake (the bottom when it was in the cake pan) facing up for a flat top which makes a more attractive cake and easier to ice.

*This cake is super moist & fragile so handle with care when removing from pans and icing. If it breaks, the icing will hide any imperfections. 

Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients

2 sticks Butter, unsalted, softened

16 oz. Cream Cheese, softened (2 bars)

3 c Powdered Sugar

4 t Vanilla Extract

1/4 t Almond Extract

1 small pinch Salt (very small pinch)

Directions

1) Allow Butter and Cream Cheese to sit out until at room temperature and softened.

2) In a large bowl, place the softened Butter.

3) Cream the Butter with a hand mixer for 2 minutes. Then add the Cream Cheese and cream for 2 minutes or so more until well mixed.

4) 1 cup at a time, add the Powdered Sugar and blend well.

5) Add Salt, Vanilla and Almond Extracts and mix well.  Taste and add more Powdered Sugar to be more sweet or more Cream Cheese to suit your taste.

6) Keep Cream Cheese Icing at room temperature for the best consistency to ice Cakes.

7) Refrigerate unused icing. To use again, bring to room temperature then mix with a hand mixer for about 1 minute before using.

8) OPTION: For those that like a very strong Cream Cheese taste add another 4 oz. of Cream Cheese for a more intense flavour.

Try it out and let me know how it goes in the comments below or on twitter @techlovedesign. Feel free to share other great recipes with me, I love food!

source: Cooking The Amazing

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Delicious (step-by-step) Pad Thai with Tofu

As we entered 2013, I promised myself I would cook more often. I've always been a huge fan of pad thai so I knew this was something I wanted to try. Finding the perfect recipe was super important... I didn't want it to be too hard, but enough that I felt a sense of accomplishment. This recipe originated from Epicurious but I altered it a little so it's easier for beginners. It does take a bit of time but it's quite easy and the end results are SO WORTH IT! Trust me. I took pictures along the way so you wouldnt't get lost, promise. Enjoy!

Introducing: Pad Thai with Tofu [4-6 servings - 1 hour]

• Ingredients:
   12 ounces dried flat rice noodles (1/4 inch wide; sometimes called pad Thai or banh pho)
• 3 tablespoons tamarind (OR lemon/lime juice mixed with a touch of brown sugar)
• 1 cup boiling-hot water
• 1/2 cup light soy sauce
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha (Southeast Asian chile sauce- ONLY if you want it to be spicy)
• 1 bunch scallions
• 4 large shallots
• 1 (14- to 16-ounce) package firm tofu
• 1 1/2 cups peanut or vegetable oil
• 6 large eggs
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 cups bean sprouts (1/4 pound)
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
  
  Instructions:
  
  1) Soak noodles in a large bowl of warm water until softened (25 to 30 minutes). Drain well in a colander & cover with a dampened paper towel. 
  2) Meanwhile, make sauce by soaking tamarind pulp in boiling-hot water in a small bowl, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Force mixture through a sieve into a bowl, discarding seeds and fibers. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, and Sriracha, stirring until sugar has dissolved. (If you're using lemon juice, mix with soy sauce, brown sugar & Sriracha)
  3) Cut scallions into 2-inch pieces. Halve pale green and white parts lengthwise. Cut shallots crosswise into very thin slices with slicer.
  
  4) Heat oil in wok over medium heat, then fry shallots. (stir frequently until golden-brown, 8 to 12 minutes) Shallots will crisp as they cool.)
  5) Rinse tofu, then cut into 1-inch cubes and pat very dry.
  6) Heat oil over high heat and fry tofu until golden. (turn occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes) Transfer tofu to paper towels using a slotted spoon. Pour off frying oil and reserve.
  7) Lightly beat eggs with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok over high until it shimmers. Add eggs to wok stirring gently with a spatula until cooked through. Break into chunks with spatula and transfer to a plate. (You're basically making scramble eggs!)
  

  

  
  8) Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly. Pour in 6 tablespoons of oil, then swirl to coat side of wok.
  9) Stir-fry scallions and garlic (1 minute)
  

  10) Add noodles and stir-fry over medium heat (use 2 spatulas if necessary, 3 minutes.)

  
  

  11) Add tofu, bean sprouts, and 1 1/2 cups sauce and simmer, turning noodles over to absorb sauce evenly, until noodles are tender. (2 minute)

  
  

  12) Stir in additional sauce if desired, then stir in eggs and transfer to a large shallow serving dish.

  13) Sprinkle pad thai with peanuts and fried shallots and serve with lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, and Sriracha.
  

  

  
  That's it! You now have a delicious pad thai with tofu. nom nom nom.
  

  

  

  
  

  
  

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