Ashley, Author at Kitchen Meets Girl

Wake Up Wednesdays

July 29, 2014 By Ashley | 4 Comments

Welcome to Wake Up Wednesdays Week 47!

I can’t believe we’re heading into the final stretch of summer. Seriously, where has the time gone? I’m on vacation this week with my family, eating a ton – because calories don’t count on vacation, right? You know another time calories don’t count? When you make a recipe from the Wake Up Wednesdays link party.

Have you done anything fun this summer? Be sure to let us know in the comments.

We love featuring you, so make sure you follow along!

And don’t forget to follow our Wake Up Wednesdays Pinterest Board!

I’m a sucker for any recipe with “Mexican” in the title. And when you add in “creamy” and “pasta,” it’s pretty much a winner in my book. This pasta bake from A Dash of Sanity needs to happen in my kitchen asap.

Speaking of must make recipes, check out this Neapolitan Brownie Ice Cream Cake from Inside BruCrew Life. Hubba-hubba.

Need an elegant treat for end of summer entertaining? Then you should definitely try these No-Bake Blackberry Bars from Roxana’s Home Baking.

Anyone else love poke cakes as much as I do? Check out this Honey Lemon Poke Cake with Ricotta Frosting from I Should be Mopping the Floor.

Have zucchini from your garden or your local farmer’s market? Try this Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Glaze from Carmel Moments!

If you were featured, be sure to let everyone know!

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Now it’s time to kick off this week’s party!

link party info

XO, Ashley

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Coconut Mocha Iced Coffee

July 25, 2014 By Ashley | Leave a Comment

With just the touch of a button, you can have a coffee-house style Coconut Mocha Iced Coffee in just under two minutes. Nespresso’s new VertuoLine makes brewing coffee a breeze!

One thing my friends and family know about me: I’m a coffee drinker. Not because it’s a cool or hip thing, but out of necessity. Have you seen these shirts on etsy? I’m pretty sure they’re talking about me.

Image credit: FitNFabApparel

And I’m not usually one for fancy, over-sugared coffee drinks. I’m not sure if this dates back to my all-nighters during graduate school, frantically trying to shove as much 800-level finance and economics into my brain – but I prefer my coffee black. And strong.

But earlier this summer I visited a girlfriend in Seattle – home of coffee’s largest retailer. I’ve read that there are 35 coffee shops per 100,000 residents and that Seattleites spend an average of $36 a month (!) on coffee. So obviously, we drank a lot of coffee during my visit – iced coffees, specifically.

And I kinda-sorta fell in love with them.

So when Nespresso offered to send me their new VertuoLine coffee maker, I was pretty much head-over heels thrilled.

With just a touch of a button, you can have an 8-ounce cup of coffee in just under 2 minutes or a 1.35-ounce espresso in under a minute. When you’re a coffee addict like I am, that quick brew time is everything.

After determining that I do, in fact, love iced coffees, finding a way to make them at home was a necessity. Sorry, but I just can’t see paying upwards of $4.00 a pop at my local coffee-shops. And like I said – I like my coffee strong. So I brewed mine with coffee ice cubes to keep them from getting watered down. Another benefit of making them at home.

One of the coolest things about Nespresso’s new VertuoLine is that each cup of coffee brews with a rich, generous foam called “crema” – it’s naturally formed during the brewing process and is pretty much the bomb.

Just insert a capsule and press the button – that’s it!

And with the crema, you don’t even need to add whipped topping like I did – but if you’re going to splurge, you might as well go whole-hog.

Nespresso offers eight different flavors of coffee, including a decaf and half-caf, as well as two flavored blends: vanilla and hazelnut (yum). You can also choose from four different espresso blends, which range from a high-intensity blend to a decaf.

I used an espresso to make this Coconut Mocha Iced Coffee to ensure that the strong coffee flavor really came through. It was definitely a winner, and so easy to make!

Tell me: do you drink iced coffees? What’s your favorite kind?

Connect with Nespresso:

web | facebook | twitter | pinterest

Nepresso provided some product for review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Coconut Mocha Iced Coffee

Ingredients

1 capsule VertuoLine Altisso espresso (or 1.35 ounces of your favorite espresso or strong coffee)
3 ounces coconut water
2 ounces coconut milk
2 teaspoons chocolate syrup
1 cup ice
whipped cream and chocolate syrup, for serving

Instructions

Combine coconut water, coconut milk, and chocolate syrup into a large cocktail shaker. Stir to combine and dissolve the chocolate syrup. Add ice cubes (I froze leftover coffee into cubes) and shake to chill. Pour into a large glass
Brew 1 capsule of VertuoLine Altissio espresso over the chocolate-coconut mixture.
Top with whipped cream and additional chocolate syrup, if desired.

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/coconut-mocha-iced-coffee/

XO, Ashley

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Filed Under: Beverages

Blueberry Coconut Popsicles

July 24, 2014 By Ashley |

It’s summertime, and that means cooling off with icy treats! With a blend of Greek yogurt, Silk Almond-Coconut Blend, and roasted berries, these Blueberry Coconut Popsicles are a guilt-free treat the whole family can enjoy!

This summer I’ve been eating a lot of popsicles – specifically, a Blueberry Greek Yogurt Popsicle. And while they are awesome, the high-priced boxes are about to send me to the poor house. So, I’ve been on a mission to create a copycat version that won’t break my pocketbook – or the calorie bank.

I’ve been using Silk’s new Almond-Coconut Blend all summer long. I can add it to my oatmeal and smoothies with absolutely no guilt. The unsweetened blend has only 35 calories per cup! On top of that, it’s the perfect balance of almond and coconut flavors with no added sugar and it has 50 percent more calcium than dairy milk.

Score.

One of my favorite things about the popsicles I’ve been eating this summer is the swirled blueberries throughout. I wanted the same effect in my popsicles, so I roasted ‘em first. I simply dumped a pint of berries onto my baking sheet, drizzled them with honey, and put them in the oven until the berries burst and the juices started to run out.

While my berries were cooling, I mixed together some Silk Almond-Coconut Blend, Greek Yogurt (I used a honey-vanilla blend, but plain vanilla would work just fine), and a bit more honey to taste. Then I carefully swirled the blueberries and their juices throughout, poured the mixture into my molds, and froze them for four hours.

I used my Norpro Ice Pop Maker - but whatever you have on hand will work.

We devoured these Blueberry Coconut Popsicles in no time flat – and I didn’t feel guilty about allowing Doodle to eat them as a sweet treat!

Connect with Silk:

web | facebook | twitter | pinterest

Blueberry Coconut Popsicles

makes 8

Blueberry Coconut Popsicles

Ingredients

1 pint blueberries, rinsed and picked through
1 teaspoon sugar, optional
1 - 2 tablespoons honey
2 cups vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup Silk Almond-Coconut Milk
2 tablespoons honey, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, gently toss berries with honey and sugar. Pour the berries onto your prepared baking sheet and roast for approximately 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Allow berries to cool before adding to the popsicle mixture.
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups vanilla Greek yogurt, 1 cup Silk Almond-Coconut blend, and honey to taste. I like my popsicles sweet, so I added in 2 tablespoons honey. You may choose more or less based on your preference.
Once your berries are cool, gently add them and their juices to the yogurt mixture. Use a large spatula to fold together.
Transfer the mixture into your popsicle molds and freeze for at least 4 hours. To remove from the molds, run warm water on the outside of the molds for 15 to 20 seconds, or until the popsicles can be easily removed.

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/blueberry-coconut-popsicles/

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

XO, Ashley

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Filed Under: Desserts, Sweet Stuff

Wake Up Wednesdays

July 22, 2014 By Ashley | 7 Comments

Welcome to Wake Up Wednesdays Week 46!

You guys! We are almost at the end of July!! Can you believe it? I am loving all the summery ideas you all have been posting, and I can’t wait to see what you link up this week! We love featuring you, so make sure you follow along!

And don’t forget to follow our Wake Up Wednesdays Pinterest Board!

You’ll have to forgive me, but with it being S’mores Week at all, I have S’mores on the brain! So all our features this week are amazing and delicious S’mores inspired recipes!

No Bake S’mores Raspberry Cheesecake from Lazy Mom’s

S’mores Brownies from Mommy on Demand

Nutella S’more Pudding Cups from I Love My Disorganized Life for Miss Information

S’moreo Ice Cream Sandwiches from This Silly Girl’s Life

If you were featured, be sure to let the world know!

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Now it’s time to kick off this week’s party!

XO, Ashley

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Filed Under: Wake Up Wednesdays

Savory Garlic and Cheddar Chicken Panini

July 21, 2014 By Ashley |

Meet our new favorite weeknight sandwich: this Savory Garlic and Cheddar Chicken Panini. It’s ready in just minutes, and uses some of my favorite Mezzetta products!

I don’t know about you, but our summer has been crazy.

We’ve spent practically no time at home, and cooking has been waaaaay down on my list of priorities. Sort of a weird thing for a food blogger, but even a person who lives for eating gets tired of cooking every now and then.

Also, with nearly no time between work and baseball games, swimming lessons, karate classes…well, there’s just not much time for gourmet food preparation around here. Quick sandwiches have sort of been our staple dinner lately.

But with sandwiches like this Savory Garlic and Cheddar Chicken Panini, I’m totally okay with a fancied-up grilled cheese for dinner.

Now, I call this sandwich a panini, but we don’t own a panini press…I used my George Foreman grill to make these, but you could just as easily use a griddle or a pan on the stove. You just need something to melt all of this cheesy, garlicky goodness together!

And with a few easy to use Mezzetta products, these sandwiches came together in no time. The kind folks at Mezzetta sent me a few jars of their products to make our sandwich-making easy. You can find any of these products in your local grocery store in the condiment aisle.

I decided to start with chicken and cheddar cheese, simply because that’s what Doodle usually requests on his sandwiches. But when I saw Mezzetta’s Savory Garlic Everything Spread, I knew that’s just what these sandwiches needed for a little extra pizzazz. Added with some Mezzetta sun-ripened dried tomatoes and fresh spinach, these quick and easy sandwiches were a hit at my dinner table!

I had fun creating this easy and tasty family-friendly sandwich, and you should try creating one of your own as well. Because Mezzetta is hosting a “Make That Sandwich” contest – and the prize is $25,000! So grab your favorite Mezzetta products and get busy in the kitchen! Make sure to include at least two different Mezzetta products in your recipe – you can get all of the contest details here.

Savory Garlic and Cheddar Chicken Panini

Ingredients

4 slices thick sourdough or french bread
2 tablespoons Mezzetta Savory Garlic Everything Spread
3 tablespoons Mezzetta Julienne Cut Sun-Ripened Tomatoes
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded chicken, cooked
1 cup fresh spinach leaves

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine shredded cheddar cheese and the Mezzetta Savory Garlic Everything Spread and Julienne Cut Sun-Ripened Tomatoes. Spread the mixture on 2 slices of the bread.
Assemble 2 sandwiches, spread side in, topping with chicken and spinach leave. Toast sandwiches in a panini press or indoor grill.

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/savory-garlic-cheddar-chicken-panini/

XO, Ashley

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Mezzetta. The opinions and text are all mine.

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Filed Under: Dinner, Meat and Chicken, Sides, Apps and Snacks

Wake Up Wednesdays

July 15, 2014 By Ashley | 1 Comment

Wow – 45 weeks of Wake Up Wednesdays! What are you showing off this week?

Since the last time Meghan wrote a post, A LOT has changed. She bought her first home in Chicago and her life has been consumed with unpacking and DIY projects…. ok, fine. She’s not doing much DIY but our handyman has been given many of my blogging buddies tutorials of things I want done. MANY of these wants are coming from YOU. Thank you guys so much for coming back each week and inspiring your hosts. Be sure to keep up with us on social media since we love sharing your work!

And don’t forget to follow our Wake Up Wednesdays Pinterest Board!

Now on to the features! I wish I had opportunity to highlight more than just 6 bloggers. There were so many awesome posts!

I’ve been obsessed with butterscotch ever since having butterscotch blondies at a 4th of July party. These Butterscotch Scones will be all mine very soon.

Is there anything more refreshing than Key Lime Pie? How about Individual Frozen Key Lime Pies??! Sign me up!

I’ll be picking up a rotisserie chicken and making this Buffalo & Blue Cheese Chicken Salad ASAP. Looks soooooo good!!!

I thought French toast was good as is…. and then I saw this Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast from Mom on Time Out. You go, girl!

Wine Smoothie??! I love a fun grown up beverage!

Creating a meal plan around what produce is in season is an awesome idea. What a great way to eat healthier (and local!!) all year round.

If you were featured, be sure to let the world know!

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Now it’s time to kick off this week’s party!

XO, Ashley

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Filed Under: Wake Up Wednesdays

Wake Up Wednesdays

July 8, 2014 By Ashley | 7 Comments

Welcome back to Wake Up Wednesdays – the day when you get to take over our blogs!

I hope everyone had a great long weekend! We definitely did here, and we’re certainly in the throes of (hot hot hot) summer. For me, that means little indoor cooking, and lots of meals around the grill and/or no bake everything!

We are sharing your stuff like CRAZY on all of our social media and pinning to our Wake Up Wednesdays Pinterest Board, so make sure you are following along.

So let’s get on to the features!

After a weekend of indulging, I need to get back on the healthy eating train. These Healthy Grilled Lemon Pepper Pork Chops from Tone and Tighten sound fabulous – and easy!

Grilled corn on the cob is a favorite at my house. This Chili Lime Corn on the Cob from Simply Suzanne’s At Home is the perfect summer side dish:

And I could definitely eat a HUGE bowl of this Pineapple Cucumber Salad from Mom on Timeout:

How about these Chocolate Covered Strawberry Icebox Bars from This Silly Girl’s Life:

As a coffe-a-holic, I’m in love with this Frozen Caramel Macchiato from Roxana’s Home Baking:

I’m in love with these simple and classic monogram letters from Designs By Miss Mandee. Just download, print and frame, and you’ll have some great new home decor!

If you were featured, don’t forget a button

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XO, Ashley

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Wake Up Wednesdays

July 1, 2014 By Ashley | 6 Comments

Happy July Everyone!

And welcome to another WUW where you are the star.

We are sharing your stuff like CRAZY on all
of our social media and pinning to our Wake Up Wednesdays Pinterest Board, so
make sure you are following along.

Let’s see those features

With the
4th of July just days away, this week I am all about the Red White and Blue

Blahnik Baker had me at mascarpone

These shortbread sparklers from Shaken Together look
perfect for our annual neighborhood 4th of July party

No party is complete without adorable favors, and I
love the simplicity of these by Design by Miss Mandee

Red Velvet Trifle, yes please Casual Craftlete

This festive Kool-Aid popcorn by Simply Designing is a HUGE hit
with my kiddos

How about triple berry fruit dip from Tastes of Lizzy T, SO
good

every great party has to have a great dip if you ask
me

If you were featured, don’t forget a button

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now…let’s get this party started

XO, Ashley

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Soft-Baked M&M Cookies

June 26, 2014 By Ashley | 4 Comments

These Soft-Baked M&M Cookies are super soft and chewy, and taste just like the ones you get from the bakery!

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to see my favorite singer in concert: James Taylor (yep, apparently I’m 60 years old). This was my sixth JT concert ever and my second in just over three weeks. I told my good friend and concert buddy that my grandest wish was to follow JT around on his concert tour for the rest of the summer.

But since that’s not going to happen, I got the next best thing: to take Doodle to his first concert and introduce him to some live JT. Not only that, but we ended up with box seats, complete with a wait staff serving us concert-themed beverages while we jammed along to pretty much the best music evah.

You can imagine the crowd in Wichita, Kansas going a little crazy during a live version of Wichita Lineman. And even if you’re not a JT fan, Arnold McCuller’s feature on Shower the People will blow you away.

Anyway, I made these cookies as a thank-you to my husband’s boss, who was kind enough to pass along the box seats when he found out that I might be the craziest, most die-hard JT fan alive.

You know these have to be good when my husband, a non-dessert eater, scarfs one down in less than five seconds.

As soon as I photographed these bad boys, they were boxed up and ready to send off with the Tall Boy to work. Thank goodness his coworker like sweet treats, or I’d be in some real trouble. My co-workers usually get the shaft on my baked goodies, since I typically do most baking on the weekend, and I work from home Mondays through Wednesdays. So…if I don’t send them out the door on Monday mornings, guess what I’m doing on my lunch breaks?

Yep, sneaking cookies.

Soft-Baked M&M Cookies

24 cookies

Soft-Baked M&M Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups M&Ms (I used mini, but any flavor or size will do)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream together both sugars, the shortening , eggs, and vanilla. Add the flour, baking soda, salt and cornstarch to the butter mixture and blend well. Add in 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the M&M's.
Chill dough for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Press a few more M&Ms onto the tops of the cookies, if desired.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/soft-baked-mm-cookies/

From AllRecipes

XO, Ashley

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Filed Under: Cakes and Cupcakes, Desserts

Wake Up Wednesdays

June 24, 2014 By Ashley | 8 Comments

Welcome to Wake Up Wednesdays!

Welcome to Wake Up Wednesdays! I’m so glad you are here! You guys bring us so much amazingness every week, it is always so difficult to pick the features. And this week was no exception! There were so many amazing and wonderful things for summer! I can’t wait to see what you guys link up this week.

We are sharing your stuff of social media and pinning to our Wake Up Wednesdays Pinterest Board, so make sure you are following along.

Now, on to the features!

Does anything say summer more than Strawberry Shortcake? Even better when it’s in the form of a cake roll!

These Grilled Pineapple and Watermelon Fruit Kabobs seems like SUCH a perfect summer dessert. So fun!

I’m pretty sure that this Strawberry Brownie Cheesecake came from my dreams

Two words: Snickerdoodle Cookies. Want. (Okay, that was three words)

Isn’t this Peach Shortcake gorgeous??

I love these adorable Folded Patriotic Paper Medallions, so perfect for The Fourth!

If you were featured, don’t forget to grab a button!

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