Jullie: Interview, Recipe & Giveaway with Author Megan Erickson!

Aside from cooking, another passion of mine is reading. And a genre I've come to love love love this year is New Adult! My younger cousin Samantha (and frequent adventure partner of mine!) started it all when she let me borrow a few of her books, and I've been hooked ever since! These books focus on college-aged characters, who learn life and love lessons while in that 18-25 age range. There are so many New Adult authors who capture the candid humor, sex appeal, and raw emotion from that stage, and they tell their stories with amazingly refreshing voices.

Megan Erickson happens to be one of my favorites, and her Bowler University novels were some of my top New Adult reads in 2014! With the third and final novel in the series releasing in just two weeks, I'm so excited to spotlight the most recent installment, Make It Right. Today's post has an exclusive interview with the author, a recipe inspired by a character from the book, AND a giveaway for a signed paperback copy of Make It Right!

Jullie & Chelsea: Friendsgiving Dessert...The CrumbleCrisp

Chelsea: How is it that we just wrote a post about Halloween-inspired cocktails, and here we are, just a couple of days away from Thanksgiving?! Initially, we planned on doing something with all of the leftover Halloween candy we had, but inspired by the rapidly approaching Thanksgiving holiday, instead ended up making this Pear Crumble...Crisp?...Crumble Crisp.

Jullie Anne: Yes! It was Chelsea's idea to make a Fall fruit crumble, and as soon as she requested it, I was on board. This is actually a perfect low-key recipe to add to your holiday dessert rotation. If you don't feel like fussing around with a pie crust or cake batter, or cranking out a ton of cookies...this is for you! It's not too sweet, letting the fruit really shine, and it just screams holidays and comfort!

Raspberry Pistachio & Dark Chocolate Cream Puffs

February has been a busy, busy month. A list of all the events that have gone by so far: a company party, my parents' wedding anniversary, Jon's class Valentine's Day party (Jon's birthday is next week too!), my mom's birthday, and now...my birthday. How old am I turning, you ask? Mmm...let's just say, mid-twenties. ;)

Over the last few years, I've found that I'm not particularly crazy about big birthday cakes anymore. I had a fruit tart last year, chocolate souffles the year before that, and a pie the year before that. So I've decided to continue this No-Birthday-Cake tradition...with cream puffs!

If I had to come up with my dream dessert, it would have...fruit (duh), chocolate, something creamy, and something baked. Basically, these Raspberry Pistachio & Dark Chocolate Cream Puffs are pretty close to my idea of perfection! I also love that they're easy to make and it's easy to make A LOT of them. Because who wants to get stuck with complicated and time-consuming on their birthday...

Three Cheese Ziti with White Cheddar, Gruyere, & German Butterkase

There are probably millions of different mac 'n' cheese recipes in the world. Seriously. Cheese & pasta is one of those glorious combinations that you can switch up in so many different ways, creating delicious version after delicious version. So, today isn't about having The Perfect Recipe. It's about experimenting. Don't close the playbook on mac 'n' cheese just yet and call it game-over.

I recently came across a German cheese, called Butterkase, and knew instantly that I wanted to melt it into a rich, creamy sauce for some pasta. Butterkase is a semi-soft, cow's milk cheese, so it's smooth, creamy, and mild. (As my sister so eloquently put it, "Not too funky.") This cheese turned out to be a perfect addition to baked ziti!

Cranberry Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I think of Christmas, I think of cookies...gingerbread, decorated sugar, ones to serve Santa Claus on Christmas Eve...'Tis the season for cookies! (Jon's kindergarten class just had their Christmas party, and you know what there was plenty of???)

This recipe is a fun, simple "holiday dress-up" for my favorite cookie of all-time. Warm, always-comforting chocolate chips are festively paired with red, tart cranberries and rich, crunchy pecans! Not only is this an easy dough to whip up, the recipe makes a lot of petite-sized cookies. They're perfect for swap/exchange parties this weekend, nibbling on with tea or hot cocoa, and (of course) sharing with the kids!

Spanish Rolls

A few weeks ago, I tried a recipe for Spanish Rolls that I found on Catherine Toth's blog, The Cat Dish. This buttery soft bread is a staple at Filipino bakeries, and I've been working on getting the recipe just right for the holidays! When I was younger, a box of Spanish Rolls usually accompanied special occasions...whether it was served at a family party, a gift from an auntie, or from a stop at our favorite bakery in the Bay Area. We've always bought them already made, but this recipe showed me how easy it is to make my own version at home! (Especially when I get a super-craving...) The yeast-raised dough is filled with butter and sugar, so the aroma that fills your kitchen is almost enough to get you addicted. Once you take a bite of the pillowy soft rolls, though, you are definitely devouring a dozen...in one sitting.

Pumpkin Apple Muffins (Bishop's Pumpkin Farm!)

The food blog universe has been cranking out Fall recipes for awhile now. But me? I've been holding it off. Full. On. Denial. (Seriously, when the first chilly day came that I had to put on some pants and a hoodie, I almost cried.) In a desperate effort to extend Summer, I circled a particular date on my calendar and put off any Autumn-inspired cooking until then.

October 3rd. Jon's field trip to Bishop's Pumpkin Farm!

At that point, it would be too hard to ignore the season. We'd be surrounded by bright orange pumpkins, scarecrows, and corn mazes. Things like freshly pressed apple cider and deliciously spiced goods would be out for sale. I figured, alright, this would be quite the ceremonious way to say goodbye to my favorite season and say hello to the baking season. My first Fall baked good is inspired by this fun (and a bit chaotic) field trip!

Mango Monday: Mango Chiffon Cake

It has returned! Mango Monday has returned! My weekly mango posts disappeared for a while when I went on vacation, but I promise that it's back and here to stay.

I mentioned on the last Mango Monday that I had been testing out different cake and frosting recipes, in preparation for a wedding party. During my search, I came across this Mango Chiffon Cake! It used pureed manila mangoes (my fave!) to flavor a light and airy chiffon cake. Ultimately, I used a different one for the wedding, but I still wanted to try it out, if only just to have it in my dessert rotation. It's a simple cake that's perfect for brunch, with coffee or tea, or if you're having some friends over for lunch, a not-too-heavy way to end a mid-day meal.

Peach & Koloa Rum Pies

It's hard to believe that Summer is winding down already. (After all, with the kind of heat we get here in California, the feel of summertime can extend all the way to October...) Yet, here we are halfway through August. Vacation is over, Jon is enjoying kindergarten, and Labor Day is right around the corner. Appropriate to blast Lana Del Ray's "Summertime Sadness" everywhere I go? I think so...

But before I completely give in to the blues, I'll be damned if I don't sneak in a few more fruit recipes! The days of the locally grown, picked-daily stuff are numbered, so I'll be trekking out to my neighborhood farmers markets and the fruit stands down the road while I still can. Today also happens to be National Rum Day, bringing some extra oomph to the phrase T.G.I.F! These Peach & Koloa Rum Pies are a tasty treat to keep the feel-good Summer going and a way to enjoy what's left of the season's bounty. Ripe peaches and tropical rum make a juicy filling inside a flaky buttermilk pie crust.

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Banana Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip. Buttermilk. Banana. Cupcakes.

Want a rich, homemade cupcake? Mom's banana bread? How about your grandmother's chocolate chip cookies, in case you're craving the whole From-My-Childhood Package? These are some good old-fashioned comfort cupcakes, with classic flavors rolled into one yummy dessert. And as if there wasn't enough nostalgia in each bite already, thick cream cheese frosting is spread right on top for a more rustic look.

I came up with these cupcakes with my nephew Jon, who actually doesn't like bananas. (He cringes if he so much as smells them near him.) Desserts are a great way to lightly veil "unappetizing" fruits and vegetables, like carrot and even zucchini! By involving Jon in the actual baking, it only heightened the appeal (and the anticipation!)

Mango Monday: Mango Lemon Bars

Before a family get-together, there are many phone calls made between the aunties and the cousins, all about who is supposed to bring what. Oh, glorious potluck planning. We exchange requests (my cousin Stacey makes some amazing dips), and we all come up with a million different things to fill up the buffet table...and the dessert table. This is where my contribution usually lands. Just last week, I made Carrot Cupcakes for my godson Noah's birthday party!

For this weekend, though, my dessert would need to be able to survive a 2-hour drive on a hot, Summer afternoon. Anything frozen or topped with delicate buttercream were pretty much out of the question. (Easy transportation, please.) Ultimately, bars popped into my head as the perfect, tasty solution! They're easy to make, easy to transport, and easy to serve as a party food!

Mango Lemon Bars are a tropical twist on the classic recipe. The shortbread crust is freckled with lemon zest and vanilla bean, and the creamy filling is made with fresh mango puree and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Together, they make a sweet-tooth-satisfying and mouth-puckering dessert!

Mango Monday: Green Mango & Papaya Salsa with Baked Taro Chips

As I type this, the temperature outside reads 104 degrees. It will still be in the 90's later on tonight. And the forecast for the rest of the week? Same.

Lounging in the pool, having an ice cold drink, and munching on some chips & salsa all sound like great ways to beat the heat, don't they? So here's a tropical twist on the classic chips & salsa combo!

Tart green mango, sweet Hawaiian papaya, and green heirloom tomato come together in a salsa that will have you wishing you were on an island somewhere. (Preferably on a beach with a gorgeous ocean view...) And to scoop all of that deliciousness up? Baked taro chips! This Hawaiian staple is sliced thinly and baked to a golden-brown crisp.

Cherry Berry Beer Bread

Last week, the lovely Jaymee Sire posted a recipe for Oatmeal Cherry Chocolate Banana Bread. There are only a few foods that make me instantly buckle and go weak in the knees, and one of them is freshly baked bread. Especially banana bread. My mom used to bake it all the time when I was younger. (Plus, we're all aware of my love for bananas by now, right?)

I rummaged through my kitchen to collect the ingredients for this latest E is for Eat creation, but I was saddened to realize...I was out of oatmeal and chocolate chips, and Jacquelyn ate the last of the bananas. Another time, O.C.C.B.B., another time. But now I couldn't let go of this craving for freshly baked bread. So you know what I did find?

Cherries, berries, and beer.

I thought back to my recipe for Pumpkinhead Bread. It's one of the easiest breads to make, and as long as you've got a bottle of beer, you're good to go. This recipe gets a Summer makeover with the addition of Blackberry Tart Ale, fresh berries, and sweet red cherries!

Blueberry Macadamia Muffins

My calendar says that summer technically arrives on June 21st, but these heat waves and the strawberry stands up & down the road are telling me otherwise. It's warm enough to jump into a perfectly cold pool with reckless abandon, and for my life to be semi-overtaken by fruity, umbrella-worthy refreshments. It is summer.

And it's berry season.

I've been longing to venture out to the farmers markets and see the rows and rows of freshly-picked fruit all lined up in their little baskets. I became determined to make blueberry muffins as a simple, easy way of appeasing yet another one of my super-cravings.

Muffins also remind me of waking up at dawn before long road trips and sunrise hikes, a grab-and-go breakfast from Starbucks or (yes...) 7-Eleven. Muffins are the kind of thing that makes a 6 1/2 hour drive to Disneyland with two rambunctious boys...in a packed minivan...manageable. They make you feel like a multi-tasking queen, while you have a muffin in one hand and the steering wheel/map/stereo dial in the other...or yelling at your malfunctioning GPS with a mouthful of muffin, if you're that kind of road rager. Like me. (Please, eat and drive responsibly.) So, for all of you summer-road trip-hike-berry lovers out there, how about we skip the stop at Starbucks, go straight to putting on your ultimate cruising-down-the-highway playlist, and bake some Blueberry Macadamia Muffins? Bursts of sweet and tart blueberry, crunch from toasted macadamia nuts, and rich vanilla bean in every bite!

Chocolate Chip Cookie & Ice Cream Cake (Happy Birthday, Jacquelyn!)

While everyone was busy getting ready for their Memorial Day barbeques and graduation parties, I was busy also figuring out what kind of birthday cake to make. Jacquelyn celebrated her 3rd birthday on the 24th! This little lady has already appeared a few times on the blog...getting ice cream-wasted at Disneyland, proving her status as a farmers market veteran, and even serving as the inspiration for my Strawberry-Kiwi Shortcakes...I thought that it was only right that she had something special to dig into for her big day!

Last year, her Lemon-Raspberry Cake was inspired by the beautiful, pink hydrangeas starting to bloom in the garden. (SO HANDY, those Buster Posey cups are...) I was definitely motivated to top last year's creation, so there were two things taken into consideration: Jacquelyn's love for ice cream and Jacquelyn's love for chocolate. My sister was the one who suggested that I make an ice cream cake. The only thing was...I'd never made an ice cream cake before. But I'm never one to shy away from a challenge or experiment!

Guava Coconut Crumble Bars

A couple of months ago, I came across a recipe for Guava Bars on Serious Eats. Since then, I've been waiting for a chance to finally bake up a batch. That time has come at last.

Mother's Day weekend is here, and with it, it brings...bouquets of tulips, peonies, and snapdragons (or just orchids, if you're my mom)...relaxing brunches with a mimosa or two (or four)...and overwhelming feelings of love and joy that could only be expressed through a Hallmark card. (Okay, I'm kidding about that last part.)

Breakfast in bed and Sunday brunches are popular ways to pamper Mom, and these Guava Coconut Crumble Bars could be a perfect addition to any of them!

Strawberry Kiwi Shortcakes with Vanilla Mascarpone

My love for fresh fruits has been well-documented on this blog. Give me a bowl of sliced mangoes, put some apple bananas in front of me, or better yet, treat me to a shopping spree at a farm stand....I do little happy flails. Fresh fruits just make me happy. (Fact: For my birthday this year, I had a fruit tart instead of a cake.)

There were just 3 kiwis leftover after making margaritas, and I knew that I wanted to make a dessert with them. I also had ultra-ripe strawberries sitting in my refrigerator...They needed some love, ASAP. Little Jacquelyn loves strawberries, and she absolutely devours them whenever I sprinkle on a little sugar. (She even licks the syrup left in the bowl. But, then again, who doesnt?!?) This gave me the idea to bring the two fruits together and pile them up on a sweet, buttery shortcake. These Strawberry Kiwi Shortcakes also get big dollops of vanilla & brown sugar infused mascarpone...all approved by a special little girl!

Cooking with Mom: Leche Flan

My first and only "Cooking with Mom" recipe was last year, for Goat Caldereta. I can't believe it's taken me this long to do another one, but my mom and I were talking a few days ago about how the blog was doing, and she agreed to do a recipe with me again. This is one of those dishes that will always be close to my heart, and I hope you all try it.

Leche Flan is a quintessential Filipino dessert. It's another example of the influence that Spain had on Filipino cuisine. When Mom & The Aunties are cooking up batches, you know it can mean only one thing...fiesta time. The dessert spread at any Filipino party is incomplete unless there is some homemade Leche Flan. 

It's a custard made of milk, eggs, and vanilla, covered in a rich caramel syrup. When I was a little girl and just starting to like cooking/baking, my mom taught me how to make Leche Flan. She thought it would be easy enough for me to handle, yet complex enough for me to feel like I was really accomplishing something.

"This was one of Nanay's specialties," she told me.

"Nanay" is the Tagalog word for "Mom", and it's what we've always called my late grandmother. The first time we made it together, I remember feeling extra special to have this recipe handed down to me. Although the recipe itself is simple, Leche Flan is rich, creamy, and you just feel like you're eating something extravagant.

Hummingbird Cheesecakes

I bought apple bananas a week ago, and the few that I have leftover are now super ripe and starting to brown. While looking up cake and bread recipes to remedy my banana-surplus situation, I found out about Hummingbird Cake. I must confess: I had never even heard of this cake before, let alone tried it.


Hummingbird Cake apparently originated in the Caribbean, but flourished in the South. (A recipe in a 1978 issue of Southern Living Magazine gets most of the credit.) Pineapple, bananas, spices, and pecans are all packed into this tasty cake, which then gets covered in cream cheese frosting...similar to its layer-cake cousins Red Velvet and Carrot, but with a bit of a tropical flare! 

Now, when I hear the word "hummingbird", I immediately think of tiny, brightly colored birds gracefully flying from flower to flower and feeding on the blossoms' sweet nectar...Ahh, happy thoughts...So, when I first read the words "hummingbird cake", I had grand visions of a garden tea party and dainty finger foods. Seriously. This dessert just screamed at me, "SPRINGTIME!" With all of the Easter family gatherings coming up, it made perfect sense to fit it right into the dessert rotation. Here's how to make my twist on Hummingbird Cake: miniature Hummingbird Cheesecakes!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Italian Meringue Buttercream

I've been on a desserts streak lately, and my sweet tooth has been out of control. Pies, chocolate bars, ice cream, macarons...And I already made cupcakes earlier this week...

It was raining yesterday, complete with blah-gray skies, and I had an open schedule with free time to do a whole lotta nothing. But you know what fixes rainy-blah-days like this? Baking.

To really make a day out of it, I also decided to clean out my pantry. I figured it was time for me to clean out what was lurking in baskets and tupperwares...half-full bags of chocolate chips, past-their-prime canisters of baking powder and cornstarch, barely used 2-lb bags of powdered sugar...I guess I've been buying some, using a little, stashing it away, and forgetting about it. Then, I'd buy a new bag. And, apparently, this happens a lot...

So, in order to reduce my pantry clutter, to cure my ugly-weather blues, and to sooth my aching sweet tooth, I baked my favorite Chocolate Cupcakes and whipped up Italian Meringue Buttercream in two flavors, peanut butter and Mexican chocolate!