Recipe – Will Bake for Shoes

Ghirardelli Valentine’s Day Strawberry and Chocolate Bark Recipe

Posted on February 14, 2017October 11, 2017by Brandy Saldana

Happy Valentine’s Day!
In honor of the holiday, I decided to share this easy chocolate bark recipe that you can make for your loved ones in less than an hour!

I received the new Ghirardelli Strawberries and Chocolate squares and was inspired by them to make my own bark. The neat thing about chocolate bark is you can add whatever you like, and in this case, I focused on adding Valentine’s Day themed sprinkles. I also chopped up some of the squares I received to add texture to the bark.

I used fresh strawberries to play on strawberries dipped in chocolate, but I’d recommend using freeze dried strawberries so that the bark lasts longer. I also used both dark chocolate and white chocolate and love how the pinks and reds pop on the white chocolate bark.

Ghirardelli Valentine’s Day Strawberry and Chocolate Bark Recipe
Ingredients:Ghirardelli Strawberries and Chocolate SquaresGhirardelli White Chocolate ChipsGhirardelli Dark Chocolate ChipsStrawberries (Fresh or freeze-dried)Valentine’s Day Heart Shaped SprinklesDirections:
Heat chocolate up in a microwave safe bowl. I used 3/4 cup dark chocolate and 1/4 cup white chocolate.Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Pour most of the melted chocolate on the parchment paper after it has cooled a bit to keep it from spreading too far/thin. Spread using an offset spatula. Add toppings to chocolate. Pour leftover chocolate over to help items set. Add more toppings.Place chocolate bark in the fridge and let it set for an hour.Remove from fridge and cut chocolate into pieces.

Give this homemade chocolate dessert to your sweetheart or the sweet people in your life. Enjoy and I hope you have a sweet day!

DIY Holiday Cookie Gift Jars with NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE Cookie Recipe

Posted on December 7, 2015by Brandy Saldana

While browsing through Pinterest for baked good gift ideas, I have noticed a lot of the cookies in mason jars have layered dry ingredients that include baking instructions. While these type of mason jars look pretty, the last thing anyone wants is another task during the holidays. So instead of giving your friends or loved ones a mason jar filled with cookie mix, why not take the extra step and bake cookies for them? I used NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE products to create the two types of holiday cookies inside of my mason jar gift containers. These would make a great gift for a loved one and I am excited to share how I made these!

The two cookies in my mason jars included Dark Chocolate Peppermint and Holiday Chocolate Chip. The Dark Chocolate Peppermint cookies are in a precut refrigerated cookie dough and a dozen are ready in less than 30 minutes.

I broke out the squares and placed them on the baking sheet after preheating the oven to 350 degrees. I rolled them after spacing the 12 cookies so they wouldn’t have a square shape after baking.

I took out the cookies and placed a second tray right after for the same amount of time. I removed the first batch from their baking sheet and placed on a wire rack to cool. The came out pretty thin, but I love how the peppermint chunks looked. When I tried them, they were fudgy and I loved the mix of peppermint chunks and semi-sweet morsels. They were all the perfect size to fit inside the mason jars (if you are using mason jars, look for ones with a wide opening.)

I liked that the Dark Chocolate Peppermint cookies were really easy to make, but I wanted to bake some of my own chocolate chip cookies using the NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE Holidays Morsels. I took the recipe from the back of the Holiday Morsels bag, but substituted the nuts with 1 cup of NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE Bittersweet Morsels. This felt like the best way to remix a classic for the holidays. I will admit that I have never baked cookies for my blog because the last time I attempted to bake cookies, it resulted in crispy, burnt mess. I was a little nervous attempting this recipe, but I think I have learned the trick to making soft, chewy cookies. If you learn anything from this post it is that butter should be at room temperature before creamed with sugar to result in soft, cookies.

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NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookiesby Nestle December-6-2015Ingredients2 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour1 Tsp. Baking Soda1 Tsp. Salt1 Cup (2 Sticks) Butter, softened3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar3/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract2 Large Eggs1 2/3 Cups (10 oz bag) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE Holiday Morsels1 Cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE Bittersweet MorselsInstructionsPreheat oven to 375 F.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup of each of the morsels. Drop dough with a rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Top dollops with remaining morsels.Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes and move to wire racks to cool completely. DetailsPrep time: 15 mins Cook time: 13 mins Total time: 28 mins Yield: 4 1/2 Dozen Cookies

Once the cookies have cooled down, they are ready to be placed inside the mason jars! I found these Spritz mason jars in the holiday section at Target on sale for $2.40 each. They came with the red ribbon and I had holiday ornaments ready to place on them. These came with gift tags on the lids, but one can easily be tied around the jar. I mixed a few of the different cookies together in some and kept them all the same in the rest. These make a great, inexpensive gift for the holidays and can easily be customized with decorations or items you have on hand. Add a twig from a pine tree, mistletoe, or a fake poinsettia flower to decorate the jar. You can always use boxes or Tupperware as your container, but I love that mason jars are budget-friendly and can be used as a glass cup with milk for the cookies.
Baking for the holidays is easier with NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE and I hope this gives you inspiration to bake for someone special this holiday season. For more baking inspiration, check out their Pinterest page here. To save on your baking, enjoy these coupons for NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE products. These coupons are limited and only available while supplies last!
Save $0.50 when you buy one (1) Nestlé® Toll House® Refrigerated Cookie DoughSave $0.50 when you buy one (1) Nestlé® Toll House® Frozen Cookie DoughSave $0.50 when you buy one (1) Nestlé® Toll House® Morsels
To make it easier to bake, I’ll be hosting a giveaway on Instagram, so make sure to follow me @willbakeforshoes for a chance to enter and win!
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Ghirardelli Chocolate Pumpkin Pecan Brownie Recipe

Posted on December 2, 2015by Brandy Saldana

I love any excuse to bring delicious treats to the office and was stoked when Ghirardelli asked me to try out a recipe from their website using some of their products. I always bake cupcakes for work and felt it was time to branch out and bake something really different. Brownies are classic, but not really interesting to me, until I found this recipe. The pumpkin puree provides a unexpected twist on a classic brownie recipe and kicks up the look of this dessert with the swirl of pumpkin and chopped pecans. I fully consider these to be ridiculously photogenic brownies and I should have expected nothing less by using Ghirardelli.

I baked these in a 9×9 metal pan and used parchment paper to line the pan. This was my first time baking with parchment paper and I loved that nothing sticked to the pan in the end (and made clean-up a breeze!) These brownies are really decadent and I seriously recommend making these for an upcoming holiday party or get-together (your office buddies and friends will thank you.) They are pretty easy to make and look amazing when they are done in about an hour. Check out the ingredients below and see what I changed for my batch.

Ingredients – Makes 16 Servings:

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Ghirardelli Chocolate Pumpkin Pecan Brownie Recipeby Gemma Stafford December-1-2015Ingredients1 Cup Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips3/4 Cup Unsalted butter3/4 Cup Plain Flour1/4 Cup Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa Powder1/2 Tsp. Baking powder3 Large Eggs1/2 Cup White Sugar1/2 Cup Soft Brown Sugar3/4 Cup Pumpkin Puree1 Egg1/4 Cup Brown Sugar1/4 Cup Heavy Cream1/4 Tsp. Pumpkin Spice MixA pinch of SaltInstructionsFor the Brownies:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium sized pan, heat the butter and sugar until just hot.
3. Remove from heat then add ½ cup of the chocolate chips and stir until it has all melted.
4. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then beat your eggs into the mixture in the pan one at a
time
5. Add the flour and cocoa and beat well together.
6. Stir in the rest of the chocolate chips and ½ of the pecans (I omitted the pecans in my brownie mix and saved them all for toppings). Pour the brownie mix into
your lined baking tray.For the Pumpkin Mixture:
1. Beat all the mixture ingredients together well in a bowl using a hand whisk or wooden
spoon, then pour over the top of the brownies. Spoon the pumpkin mix on top in large dollops and roughly swirl / fold the pumpkin into the
brownie mix.
2. Roughly chop the remaining pecans and sprinkle on top. ( I bought chopped pecans, but chopped them down even more.)
3. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes. It will be ready when a crust has formed on the top.
4. Leave to cool, then transfer to a wire rack, cut into cubes and enjoy.
DetailsPrep time: 15 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 55 mins Yield: 16 Servings

For a video tutorial on how to make these brownies, you can find it on Ghirardelli’s website here.
In case you need another reason to bake these brownies, or any other treat, Saturday December 5th is Ghirardelli Baking Day. This has been officially declared a National Holiday in San Francisco by Mayor Ed Lee and you are invited to bake the day away and participate for a chance to win some sweet prizes (like a KitchenAid Mixer or Ghirardelli baking products) by using #sweetestsecret on your social posts. Details and conditions can be found on the Facebook Event page. The day will be full of holiday recipes centered around the sweet not-so-secret ingredients of Ghirardelli chocolate as well as Tips and Tricks from Baking Experts Caroline Artiss and Gemma Stafford. (Gemma Stafford is the creator of this brownie recipe!)
Baking in silence is no fun and I always listen to music when I am baking or decorating in my kitchen. Ghirardelli must have known this and has a Spotify playlist to get you in the mood to bake for the holidays. I’ll be participating on Saturday and hope you’ll find some inspiration to bake too.
Enjoy the brownies and stay tuned for more baking posts this month!

This post was sponsored by Ghirardelli. All opinions expressed are my own.

Cocktails

Cat Cora Meet & Greet and Pomegranate Martini Cocktail Recipe

Posted on October 11, 2015by Brandy Saldana

As I mentioned in a blog post last week, I attended a Q&A with Chef Cat Cora at Macy’s in Union Square hosted by the Macy’s Culinary Council. I had seen Chef Cat Cora compete in an episode of Iron Chef, and it felt exciting to meet the first female Iron Chef winner and to hear more about her memoir.

Details of her book were discussed, and one vivid description was of her first kiss where she described herself as a human sparkler. What struck me most from the Q&A with Cat Cora was the underlying message of her book “If I can do it, despite all the adversity, you can do it too.” Chef Cat Cora is a positive female role model and is an example of what hard work, dedication and perseverance looks like. Her book sounds fascinating and this was a great way to be introduced to it.

During the event, we were given some bites and recipe cards of the items courtesy of Chef Cat Cora. I had a Greek Cinnamon Stewed Chicken (which was amazing and seasoned really well) and a non-alcoholic Pomegranate Martini. I’ve decided to share the recipe with you since their blood red color may be perfect for a Halloween party and can easily incorporate 1 part of Vodka.

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Pomegranate Martini Recipe (Non-Alcoholic)by Cat Cora October-10-2015Ingredients5 oz. Pomegranate Juice5 oz. Pineapple Juice1 Tsp. Fresh Lime Juice2 Lime Slices for Granish1/2 Cup IceInstructionsIn a martini shaker, combine all ingredients. Shake well and strain into chilled martini glass rimmed with sugar. Garnish each glass with lime wedge.DetailsPrep time: 10 mins Cook time: Total time: 10 mins Yield: 2 servings

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Cocktails

SKYY Barcraft Watermelon Fresca Cocktail Recipe

Posted on September 27, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Do you ever struggle coming up with your own cocktail recipe? Well, I am here to show you just how easy it is to make your own drink thanks to SKYY Barcraft. I experienced SKYY Barcraft at a party a couple of months ago, and ever since then I loved their taste and how easy it is to mix it with your favorite carbonated drink. The best part is that its simplicity allows you to focus on garnishing and putting a creative spin on your drink.

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SKYY Barcraft Watermelon Fresca Cocktail Recipeby Brandy Saldana September-27-2015Ingredients1 1/2 Oz. SKYY Barcraft Watermelon Fresca2 Oz. Part Izze Sparkling Blackberry Frozen Berries (Strawberry, Blackberry, Blueberry)InstructionsAdd one part SKYY Barcraft to two parts Izze Sparkling juice over frozen berries.DetailsPrep time: 10 mins Cook time: Total time: 10 mins Yield: 2 Servings
To make your own drink using SKYY Barcraft, all you have to do is add one part SKYY Barcraft to two parts club soda over ice. For the Watermelon Fresca bottle, I opted to use Frozen Berries as my ice and 2 parts of Izze Sparkling Blackberry as my “club soda”. The mixture of Watermelon and Blackberry reminds me of an Agua Fresca and is sweet and refreshing. I utilized the frozen berries as ice and garnish, but they make a great garnish on a cocktail umbrella or toothpick if you opted to you use ice instead.
I plan on sharing another recipe using the White Sangria in an upcoming post. I recently have been really into glassware and thrifted the goblets I used in this post. Aren’t they amazing? Glassware is an important part of the presentation and having cute straws doesn’t hurt.
Let me know what you think of this cocktail recipe and if you have tried SKYY Barcraft Watermelon Fresca!

Cocktails

Blade and Bow Bourbon Whiskey Cocktail Recipes

Posted on August 13, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Before our dinner at the Dirty Habit, there was a fun cocktail hour with 4 specialty drinks featuring the Blade & Bow Bourbon Whiskey. I am happy to be able to share the recipes for the two drinks I tried that night a Manhattan and a Presbyterian. These recipes were made by Sarah at the Dirty Habit. Let me know what you think and, of course, enjoy!

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Blade & Bow Manhattanby Dirty Habit December-8-2015Ingredients1 1/2 Oz. Blade & Bow Bourbon Whiskey.25 Oz. Cherry Heering.25 Oz. Sweet Vermouth2 Dashes of Angostura BittersInstructionsStir. Strain. Garnish with a cherry.DetailsPrep time: 4 mins Cook time: Total time: 4 mins Yield: 1 Serving

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Blade & Bow Presbyterianby Dirty Habit December-8-2015Ingredients1 1/2 Oz. Blade & Bow Bourbon Whiskey.25 Oz. Lemon JuiceTop with Ginger AleInstructionsBuild in a Collins glass over ice. Top with ginger ale. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
DetailsPrep time: 4 mins Cook time: Total time: 4 mins Yield: 1 Serving