Today is World Nutella Day... did you know that? If not you are missing out. There is nothing better then Nutella. It's good on everything and anything. But my favorite way to eat it is with pretzels num! Thank you Ms Adventures in Italy, and Bleeding Espresso for hosting this event.

Although I missed a year, in 2008 I made Butternut Squash Ravioli with Nutella Sauce, 2009 I made Nutella Ice Cream, 2010 I made Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies. This year my first idea was a nutella swirl bread, but I wasn't set in it. I then asked my Mom and her first idea before even hearing mine was Nutella swirl bread... I knew I had to. So I went with it. I just a basic cinnamon raisin swirl bread base and put the delicious nutella and some spice in between. This is great to eat hot, toasted or even with french toast. Oh yes I went there.

Nutella Swirl Bread (Adapted From: Dorie Greenspan Baking From My Home To Yours)

• 1 pack active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus a pinch
• 1-1/4 cups just warm to the touch whole milk
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3-3/4 to 4 cups flour

For the Swirl:

• 1/2 cup nutella
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Put the yeast in a small bowl, toss in the pinch of sugar, and stir in 1/4 cup of the warm milk. Let rest for 3 minutes, then stir–the yeast may not have dissolved completely and it may not have bubbled, but it should be soft. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the remaining 1 cup milk, the butter and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and mix on low speed for a minute or two. Add the salt, egg and vanilla, as well as the zest and the nutmeg, if you’re using them, and mix for a minute. In all likelihood, the mixture will look unpleasantly curdly (it will look even worse when you add the yeast).

Add the yeast mixture and beat on medium-low speed for 1 minute more. Turn the mixer off and add 2-3/4 cups of the flour. Mix on low speed just until you work the flour into the liquids–you’ll have a sticky mix.  Add another 1 cup flour, increase the mixer speed to medium, and beat the dough for a couple of minutes. If the dough does not come together and almost clean the sides of the bowl, add up to 1/4 cup more flour (I did), 1 tablespoon at a time. Keep the mixer speed at a medium and knead the dough for about 3 minutes, or until it is smooth and has a lovely buttery sheen. The dough will be very soft, much too soft to knead by hand. Butter a large bowl, turn the dough into the bowl and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Put the bowl in a warm place and let the dough rise until it is doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours. Scrape the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap, wrap it and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm enough to be rolled easily. (At this point, you can instead refrigerate the dough overnight if that is more convenient.)

Butter a 9-x-5 inch loaf pan. Put the dough on a large work surface lightly dusted with flour, lightly dust the top of the dough and roll the dough into a rectangle about 12 x 18 inches. Gently smear nutella over the surface of the dough–this is most easily done with your fingers. Sprinkle the nutella on top. Starting from a short side of the dough, roll the dough up jelly-roll fashion, making sure to roll the dough snugly. Fit the dough into the buttered pan, seam side down, and tuck the ends under the loaf. Cover the pan loosely with wax paper and set in a warm place; let the dough rise until it comes just a little above the edge of the pan, about 45 minutes.

When the dough has almost fully risen, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and brush the top of the loaf with the butter. Put the pan on the baking sheet and bake the bread for about 20 minutes. Cover loosely with a foil tent and bake for another 25 minutes or so, until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when the bottom of the pan is tapped. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then unmold. Invert the bread and cool to room temperature right up on the rack.

I saw this on pinterest, I repinned without checking and then went to make it and had trouble finding the recipe ;( I never did find the original source of this recipe, if it’s your please let me know and I will gladly credit you. I guessed based upon the different pins and was happy with the outcome.

We served this with pasta a little of the butter lemon sauce and parmesan and it was excellent.

Baked Shrimp (Found On: Pinterest)

• 1lb uncooked raw shrimp, tails off
• 2 lemons, cut into slices
• 1/2 stick butter melted
• Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350,

Line baking pan with foil.

Place lemon slices on bottom of pan and drizzle with melted butter. Season shrimp in a bowl and lay on top of butter and lemon.

Bake in oven for 10-15 minute.

I have wanted an Ebelskiever pan for a long long time and I finally got one for Christmas as well as a cookbook with all Ebelskiever recipes. I was excited to try it and wanted to start with a savory recipe. How can you go wrong with cheese? I served these with pasta and we had them more like little garlic breads. They were fun to get that big bite of cheese.

Two-cheese Puffs (From: Ebelskievers)

• 1 cup cake flour
• 3/4 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2 large eggs, seperated
• 1 cup milk
• 3 T. butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/2 c. grated parmesan
• 2 1/2 T. fresh basil
• 3 1/2 T. diced fresh mozzarella
• 1 c. marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 200. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the milk and 2 T. of melted butter. Add the yolk mixture to the flour mixture and, using a wooden spoon, stir until well blended. The batter will be lumpy.

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Fold about one-third of egg whites into batter to lighten it, then fold in the rest with 1/4 cup of Parmesan and the basil just until no white streaks remain.

Brush the wells of the ebelskiver pan with some of the butter and place over medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble, working quickly sprinkle a heaping 1/2 t. of parmesan into each well. Add 1 T batter into each well, then carefully add 1/2 t. mozzarella to the center. Top each with another 1 T of batter.

Cook until the bottoms of the pancakes are lightly browned and crisp 3-5 minutes. Use a skewer to turn and cook until lightly browned on the second side about 3 mintes longer.

Transfer the finished pancakes to a platter and keep warm in the oven while you repeat to make 2 more batches. Serve of marinara.

Mushrooms are one of our favorite things. I love adding them to things. So when I saw this recipe with mushrooms, garlic and chicken what could possible make it bad. I wasn’t steered wrong.

The chicken cooked up quick and the mushroom sauce was excellent. Even my daughter ate the chicken.

Chicken and Mushrooms in a Garlic White Wine Sauce (From: Skinny Taste)

• 8 chicken tenderloins, 16 oz total
• 2 tsp butter
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour* (use rice flour if gluten free)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/3 cup fat free chicken broth
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 200°. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat; when hot add 1 tsp butter and 1 tsp olive oil. Add chicken to the skillet and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken is no longer pink. Set aside in a warm oven.

Add additional oil and butter to the skillet, then garlic and cook a few seconds; add mushrooms, salt and pepper stirring occasionally until golden, about 5 minutes.

Add wine, chicken broth, parsley; stir the pan with a wooden spoon breaking up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook a few more minutes or until the liquid reduces by half. Top the chicken with the mushroom sauce and serve.

I am not a big fan of Chinese, but it’s my husband favorite. This pregnancy though it has been my on-going craving. Sadly the options in the town we live in are buffet from a place I got food position from in HS or a place that has horrible good… neither good options.

After making this last night and us both loving it we decided to just make it at home from now on. After the wonderful Orange Chicken, Sesame Chicken and this it blows any Chinese around us out of the water.

This was delicious. I loved the flavor of both the broccoli and steak, it also came together quickly which is a big must in my book for a weeknight dinner.

Beef and Broccoli (From: What’s Cookin, Chicago?)

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce (regular or low sodium)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb boneless round steak, cut into thin strips

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
salt & pepper to taste

When the liquid has reduced almost completely, season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and serve over steamed rice or noodles.

Monday: BBQ Ribs, Baked Potatoes, and Broccoli
Tuesday: Bourbon Chicken with Rice
Wednesday: Pork and Cheese Quesadillas with corn cake
Thursday: Broccoli Cheese Soup
Friday: Take-out Pizza

The theme for What’s Baking this month was a snow day treat. When I found out I was excited but as January approached we had no snow, how can you get in the snow day spirit without snow. To this day we still don’t have much snow in MN. Its been a weird winter thats for sure.

Snow day was a foreign concept to me after finishing school. But now that I am a SAHM that option is available ALOT more and it is wonderful. We actually had one last week because it was bitter cold. How do you entertain a 2 year old for a day stuck in the house. We normally make a fun breakfast, play play-doh and then bake something. I always pick something she can help with. These were no exception. She added most of the ingredients, and operated the mixer. I used the cookie scooper and she piled them on top of each other on the pan… Someday I am thinking of baking them that way.

These are delicious cookies, they remind me of a sugar cookie but better. I really like these and will be making them again.

Brown Sugar Cookies (From: Crisco)

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed browned sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Beat together shortening, butter, brown sugar. Then add egg and vanilla beat until mixed together. Add flour, baking soda and salt.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls or use small cookie scoop. Place 2-inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to cooling rack after 1 minute.

I actually love Pioneer Women, I know some have a strong dislike others love her. I love her recipes and her personality… I don’t love her blog because of all the pictures. It just slows down my reader too much to scroll through that many pictures. But I do DVR her show. And this was recently on. It sounded good but a little spicy for us. So I adapted it to fit out tastes. It was PERFECT. We only ate about half the roast this way, the other half I’ll be using to make pork quesadillas.

This is NOT spicy at all, we don’t like spicy so I paired it down a ton, it did have a little bit here and there, but nothing I would describe as spicy.

These really should be named crack pretzels. I knew I HAD to make these for the scentsy party I hosted, this way I could pawn the goodness off on others. I however was not prepared on just HOW could these would be. You couldn’t eat just one. Who doesn’t love caramel and chocolate. Oh yea the one attendee who doesn’t like white chocolate, you could easily fix that by using chocolate in it’s place.

These really are delicious and simple to whip up. Just make sure you have others to help feed the addiction so you don’t end up eating all of them yourself.

I hosted a scentsy party over the weekend and wanted to have a few light appetizer type things for people to eat. For some reason I could not get little wraps or pinwheels out of my mind. But did wanted the traditional mexican ones that I have had before. This was the first recipe to pop up via all recipes so I adapted it to what I wanted. These were very good.

You could use any kind of meat and cheeses you like as well as any kind of spice you like. I served this with tequilaberry salad as well as some pretzels I’ll be posting later this week.