Baked Banana Bread Pudding (Skinny)

Today, I had to take a round of SAT Subject tests.  While it’s not the ideal way to start off the weekend, it is an excuse to eat an extraordinarily delicious breakfast!  So, I combined some of my favorite things–banana and french toast–for this AH-MAZING baked banana bread pudding.

Chocolate Ganache Stout Cake

Surprise!…Here’s a full-sugar, chocolate-coated dessert to enjoy: an incredibly tall and delicious Chocolate Ganache Stout Cake! I recently started incorporating liquor in some of my desserts, like in a Butter Rum Cake (recipe coming soon!) and this very tasty chocolate cake. (Don’t worry–the alcohol cooks off.) Using stout in this cake adds a richer, deeper dimension to the chocolate without making it seem too heavy.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies (Using Coconut Oil)

When I start a new school year, I like to begin with a clean slate: an organized room, a new planner, and healthy lunches. So, sorry for those of you craving chocolate ganache and Nutella buttercream frosting, but my attempt at a healthy streak continues!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

Introducing my next “healthy” recipe adventure: a delicious chocolate chip zucchini cake, courtesy of my absolute favorite chef in the world, Paula Deen! While this recipe may not exactly be up to paleo diet standards, at least it features multiple cups of a green vegetable–pretty healthy for a traditional Paula dish. This cake reminds me of a banana bread coffee cake hybrid, a combination of my two favorites desserts! 

Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hi, my name is Carissa and I’m an Oreo addict. I mean, what would be the point of frozen yogurt if you couldn’t drown swirls of vanilla bean froyo in crushed Oreos?! These cookie’s facts really are fun because I love looking at each country’s own special Oreo flavors like China’s Green Tea Oreos, Argentina’s Oreo Alfajors, and Mexico’s Oreo Trio Chocolates. I honestly don’t know what makes an Oreo so delicious, but to make me stray away from my strict acceptance of only soft and chewy cookies, an Oreo must be something special! 

Almond Joy Baked Oatmeal

It seems like it’s been a while since I’ve posted because I just got back from a summer program at Yale!  Now that I’m back home and ready to celebrate the final month of summer, you can expect a bunch of dessert recipes coming your way this upcoming August! Most of my stay in New Haven was characterized by innumerable frozen yogurt runs to escape sweltering heat, humidity, and  non air-conditioned dorm rooms, but now I can also say that I definitely understand the “Freshman 15”…huge buffets for every meal make cookies, pasta, and vanilla almond granola just an extra scoop away. But now that I’m back (with some added pre-college padding) you might be noticing some more healthy dessert and breakfast recipe postings, but don’t worry, I won’t hold back on my usual indulgent, Paula Deen style recipes!

Brownie Skillet Cake (Penn Appetit!)

I’m so excited to post this recipe not only because its incredibly delicious but also because it’s featured on University of Pennsylvania’s online food magazine, Penn Appetit! You can see my post on their site, or view the recipe below. Enjoy!!

Chocolate Cupcakes (Cake Mix Doctor)

Congratulations to my younger sister on graduating middle school today!! In honor of her massive love of chocolate (even greater than mine!) I made these classic chocolate cupcakes. I hate to admit this, but here’s a secret: I baked these cupcakes using a cake mix! One of my favorite dessert bloggers Your Cup of Cake, who I love most for her beautiful cupcake decorations, also uses “doctored” mixes and claims that the mix is just the dry ingredients for the recipe, so I don’t feel that bad for using one myself.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies

I have a bit of an obsession when it comes to bananas..and once they start to turn banana-bread-ready brown, I absolutely cannot stop myself from using them in a baked good. My usual go-to recipe is Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, but even my friends have become a little tired of my usual fix! So, as an alternative I decided to search for a banana cookie recipe (which is surprisingly hard to find), and after pages of Foodgawker research, I eventually came across these delicious looking chocolate chip banana oatmeal cookies.

Chocolate Chip Waffles

I’m free!!!!…from AP tests that is! While AP season consisted of two weeks studying in my bedroom (aka prison) and having sore fingers from an intense amount of frantic writing, at least I was able to enjoy some quiet mornings of good breakfasts…And if you follow my writing, you should know that I’m crazy for breakfast! After all, what ‘s better study fuel than these waffles with a heavy dose of chocolate?!