Chocolate Peppermint Cake Roll

 

I have said this in previous years but I'll say it again - Christmas cookies are great, but sometimes you just need a cake. It's true. And this is quite the cake. A light chocolate sponge (don't I sound like the Great British Baking Show?) filled with creamy peppermint filling and topped with rich chocolate ganache. It's AH-MAZING.

Cake rolls are not difficult necessarily, but they have a lot of steps and take longer than a regular cake, because of the time needed to cool between the steps. If you're willing to invest the time, you will be rewarded with a beautiful and delicious dessert!

I don't have a lot of step by step pictures, but if you follow the recipe carefully, you will do great. Start by making the cake. After it is baked, remove it from the oven, lift it out of the pan, and then carefully (it's hot) roll it up with the parchment paper. 

Let it cool completely, and while it cools you can make the filling. Once the cake is cool, unroll it and spread the peppermint filling over the cake. 

Now roll it up again, but without the paper this time. It's ok if it's not perfect or if there are a few cracks - that's what the ganache is for! Refrigerate the cake for a while to allow for more cooling. While it cools, make the ganache. Move the cake to the serving platter,

then carefully pour the ganache over the top to completely cover it. You can garnish with more candies if you want to!

Return the cake to the fridge for another half hour or so, then it's ready to serve! It's so pretty with the peppermint swirl inside.

I hope you'll try this! It's a very impressive dessert.

Chocolate Peppermint Cake Roll

Cake:
1/3 cup cocoa powder 
4 eggs (separated into yolks and whites)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup sugar (two different steps, not a typo!)
1/4 tsp, baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla 
1/3 cup water

Filling:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar 
20 starlight mint candies, finely crushed
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

Ganache:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Grease a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan, then line it with parchment paper. Grease and flour the paper to ensure the cake doesn’t stick during baking.

For the cake, in a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.

In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and vanilla on medium speed for 3 minutes. Gradually add the 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating for another 2 minutes.

In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add this dry mixture to the egg yolk mixture alternately with water, beating on low speed just until the batter is smooth.

Gradually fold the chocolate mixture into the beaten egg whites until well blended.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake at 375 for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for one minute.

Lift the parchment paper and the hot cake out of the pan and transfer it to a flat, heat-safe surface. Immediately roll the cake up starting from one of the short ends, keeping the parchment paper inside.

Allow the rolled-up cake to cool completely on a wire rack, then transfer it to the fridge for an additional 30-minute cool.

While the cake cools, make the filling. Mix cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and peppermint extract together with an electric mixer until fluffy and smooth. Reserve a few of the crushed candies for garnish, then stir in the remaining crushed candies. 

Once the cake has cooled completely, carefully unroll it. Spread the filling evenly over the surface of the cake. Then, roll up the cake again, this time without the parchment paper. Use a butter knife if needed to help release it.

Cover the cake roll with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour

Now, for the ganache: in a saucepan, heat the heavy cream until hot. Pour it over chopped chocolate and stir continuously until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Allow the ganache to cool for several minutes so it thickens slightly.

Gently spoon or pour the cooled chocolate ganache over the top of the peppermint roll. Sprinkle some crushed candies over the top. Refrigerate the finished cake roll for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Before serving, ensure the cake has chilled well so the ganache is set. Store any leftovers in the fridge, covered, for up to three days.

Eggnog Snickerdoodle Thumbprints

Each year, I try to make one new thumbprint cookie, and this year's is especially good: a snickerdoodle cookie base (you had me at snickerdoodle) with an eggnog ganache! Whoa, Nellie. These are so delicious, so impressive, and so beautiful on the plate. 

Even though thumbprints look fancy, they're not very difficult. You'll just have to watch to make sure the indentation "sticks" and possible give it a re-do before you pour in the eggnog filling.

You'll want plenty of room  in each cookie for that delicious eggnog ganache! 

There are so many varieties of Christmas cookies to choose from, and each family has their favorites, so I know it can be difficult to squeeze in a new recipe - but if you're game to expand your repertoire, these eggnog snickerdoodle thumbprints will not disappoint!

Happy baking!

Eggnog Snickerdoodle Thumbprints

Cookie base:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour (245 grams)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

For rolling dough balls:

1/3 cup sugar mixed with 2 Tbsp. cinnamon

Eggnog filling:

4 ounces white chocolate, chopped

2 Tbsp. eggnog

1 Tbsp. rum or rum extract (optional)

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

For the cookies, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until creamy and combined, scraping the bowl as necessary. 

Add flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Mix until a thick dough forms.

Scoop dough into 1-tablespoon sized balls (if you want to make yours all identical like on the Great British Baking Show, you'll want 15 grams. ha!) Roll balls in cinnamon sugar and place on a parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet. Press down the centers with a 1/2 tsp. measuring spoon or your thumb. 

Bake at 350 for 7 minutes. If the indentation has filled in, just give the cookie a gentle press while its warm. 

For the filling, combine the white chocolate, egg nog, and rum in a bowl. Microwave at 15 second intervals until chocolate is melted, stirring between each. The filling will be runny, but will firm up as it cools.

Fill each cookie with about 1/2 tsp. filling and top with freshly grated nutmeg. Let cool and set at room temperature, or refrigerate if you're in more of a hurry!

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin

In my mind, this is the quintessential fall dinner. However, it's so good that I make it almost year round. Pork tenderloin, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts. It just screams autumn! This would also be really great with the maple roasted brussels and carrots that I posted last week.

I love cooking pork tenderloin because 1) it's absolutely delicious, 2) there are so many different ways to change up the marinades/coatings, 3) it's really difficult to wreck it. It's such a forgiving piece of meat that it is usually just fine even if you over cook it. But don't. Just get a meat thermometer and cook it to 145. I'm just saying, it is forgiving. But still aim to not need to take advantage of that, ha!

This preparation is so easy - simply combine the herbs (all dried, so handy!), garlic, and olive oil. Coat the tenderloins with mustard, then pat on the herb mixture. (This recipe makes two tenderloins. I often halve it if it's just my hubs and me. That's why you only see one on this rack!) 

Roast in the oven until the internal temperature is 145. Then let the meat sit for 5 minutes to absorb the juices. Sometimes, 5 minutes is not enough as you see here! :)

This pork is so tender and juicy and so flavorful with the mustard and herbs. I hope it becomes a regular in your fall meal rotation!

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin

• 2 pork tenderloins, about 1-1½ pounds each
• ▢4 Tbsp. minced garlic
• ▢2 Tbsp. olive oil
• ▢1 tsp. thyme
• ▢1 tsp. rosemary
• ▢1 tsp. sage
• ▢½ tsp. salt
• ▢½ tsp. black pepper
• ▢4 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 
  
• Mix the garlic, olive oil, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• 
  
• Coat a wire rack with cooking spray, and add the meat.
• 
  
• Use paper towels to pat the meat dry, and coat both tenderloins with the mustard using a pastry brush.
• 
  
• Then, add the herb mixture to the top of the tenderloin and pat it in to ensure it sticks.
• 
  
• Place the rack on a foil-lined baking sheet.
• 
  
• Roast the tenderloins at 425 for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers an internal temperature of 145°F. 
• 
  
• Let the meat rest for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Serves 6-8.
• 
  

Maple Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts

Although the temps here still feel like early summer this week, the leaves are starting to change, fall sports are in full swing, and it seems like time to at least be thinking about more fall themed menus. If you love vegetables, you will love this easy and tasty dish - it just elevates the regular roasting for a tasty different take. I also liked the combo of these two vegetables, and I admit I wouldn't have thought of putting them together on my own. 

This is so easy to put together - you could even do it on a weeknight to go along with roasted or grilled chicken, beef or pork - but it is nice enough to also serve to company. Simply trim and cut your veggies (I used baby carrots so I just halved them!) and then toss with butter and maple syrup. Lay them out on a sheet pan, season, and roast away!

You may even get your pickiest eaters to try these... Happy fall!

If you need more brussels sprouts inspiration, here are a few other of my favorites:

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apples

Brussels Sprouts with Garlic Butter and Almonds

Carmelized Brussels Sprouts in Garlic Butter
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Bleu Cheese

Maple Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts

1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 Tbsp. maple syrup

Add vegetables to a large bowl and toss with butter and syrup. Spread out on a sheet pan and season with salt and pepper.

Roast at 425 for 25-30 minutes, tossing after 10 minutes, then after 20, and then every 5 minutes thereafter until the vegetables are starting to carmelize and are tender. 

Sprinkle with parlsey and thyme before serving. Serve warm. Serves 6.

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Chicken

This recipe came to being because I had a bunch of things in the fridge (including the odds and ends of a rotisserie chicken that NEEDED to be used up!) that I was just sure would go together - and I was right. I love it when that happens. I bought a big jar of roasted red peppers, so I've been throwing them in various dishes, but in this dish, the roasted red peppers are the stars of the show.

This dinner comes together super quickly - while the pasta boils, you make a quick and easy sauce. Start by sauteing the garlic, then adding the blended roasted red peppers. Make it creamy with a little cream cheese and half and half, then add spinach and chicken! Season to your liking.

Finally toss in the cook pasta, and voila, dinner is ready faster than you can say Door Dash. Seriously. (It's become my mission to show people that you can use simple ingredients to cook a healthy meal quickly and easily, so that you don't have to rely on take out and frozen pizza. It's so much better for your health and your pocketbook, and your family will thank you, I promise.)

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Chicken

12 oz. medium sized pasta shapes (penne, rotini, or rigatoni)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup roasted red peppers 
4 cups packed fresh spinach 
3 oz. cream cheese 
1/2 cup half and half 
2 cups cooked chicken (shredded or chopped)
1/2 cup feta crumbles
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan 

Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water before draining.

For the sauce, in a large skillet over medium heat, sauté garlic in olive oil until fragrant.

Blend the roasted red peppers until mostly smooth, then add them to the garlic. Stir in the cream cheese until melted.

Pour in the half and half and stir until smooth and creamy.

Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of chili flakes if you like heat.

Stir in the fresh spinach and cook until wilted. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a splash of reserved pasta water.

Toss in the cooked pasta and mix well. Stir in the shredded Parmesan.

Serve, topping each serving with crumbled feta.
 

Korean-inspired Gochujang Pork Tenderloin

I love cooking with pork tenderloin and I also really like Asian flavors. So when I asked ChatGPT for a little menu inspiration, I was excited to get this recipe!

This pork benefits from a lengthy marinade (at least 8 hours) so be sure to plan ahead. Start by slicing the pork thinly - it's easiest to do this if it's slightly frozen. 

Next prepare the marinade by mixing together the gochujang sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, giner, and grated apple or pear (turns out this is the key - I found this in a lot of other Korean recipes online!). Pour it over the meat.

You can marinate the meat (in the fridge!) for 8-24 hours. When you're ready to cook, it's so easy and fast! Simply sear on medium-high heat until the meat is carmelized and cooked through. (145 degrees is perfect for pork but these are small pieces so realistically it just takes about 2 minutes per side!)

You can serve this over rice, or in lettuce wraps. I garnished it with green onions and sesame seeds, and served it with snap peas and pickled cucumber. Delicious!

Korean-inspired Gochujang Pork Tenderloin

1 pork tenderloin, thinly sliced (1- 1 1/2 pounds)

2 Tbsp gochujang sauce

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp honey

1/2 apple or pear, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp grated ginger

Sesame seeds, green onion to garnish

Mix the gochujang sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, and grated apple. Toss with pork slices. Marinate in the refrigerator 8-24 hours.

Sear on medium-high heat until caramelized and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.

Serve with rice or lettuce for wraps.

General Tso's Chicken {using ground chicken}

Although I do it a lot, I'm not the hugest fan of cutting up raw chicken. So when I saw a recipe that used ground chicken for a famous Chinese dish, General Tso's, I knew I wanted to try it. 

This is a great way to get all that flavor PLUS all the ease of using ground meat instead of cutting up and then having to saute chicken breasts. It was so quick!! In fact, you better get your rice cooking before you start cooking the chicken, or you'll be wildly out of sync. 

Get your rice cooking, cook the meat, then after you add the sauce, let that simmer away while you steam some green veggies. Faster than take out and way better for you. Weeknight dinner is solved!

General Tso's Chicken 

1 pound ground chicken

1 Tbsp. sesame oil

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

3 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

In a skillet over medium heat, heat the sesame oil until hot. Add the ground chicken and garlic, and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook and stir until the meat is completely cooked through. If there is some fat or water accumulated in the pan, soak it up with a paper towel or drain it out.

In a measuring cup or bowl, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, chicken broth, hoisin, brown sugar, garlic and onion powders, and cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add to the meat and simmer until the sauce is thickened. Serve over rice and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.