Happen Bakers: Jordan Pavia

New year, new Happen Bakers time!  In case you're unfamiliar with this series, check out what I just linked, and you'll see the other young ladies I've featured so far, all of whom share a passion for baking and a desire to use their talents in a positive way.  It's been such a pleasure for me to get to know these girls via their emails, recipes and photos... and the latest Happen Baker is no exception.

Meet Jordan... an almost 24 year-old nursing student living in the DC area.  She grew up in New York and majored in Exercise Science and Nutrition at George Washington University.  Cooking and baking has always been a love of hers, but as soon as she had her own kitchen and space to create, that passion grew and inspired her to start this beautiful Instagram account (follow, follow!).  With a focus on plant-based foods, her dishes are fresh and vibrant, and she strives to make her healthy sweets as delicious as they can be (just wait until you see the recipe below).

What I love most about Jordan is her outlook on baking, and how that translates to a positive frame of mind.  She finds every dessert "worth celebrating" and loves how even the simplest treat can brighten someone's day.  If we all transferred that thought process to kind acts, what a world this would be!  The icing on the cake?  She's pursuing her dream as a Labor and Delivery nurse, and that fact almost makes me want to have another baby (but I'd have to give birth in DC so she could be there).  That profession is a pretty selfless one...and Jordan sure does fit the profile.

Keep reading below to learn more about her, and for her delicious Almond Joy Macaroon recipe!        

When did you start baking?

Ever since I was little, I remember my mom whipping up a batch of ooey, gooey chocolatey brownies for every event we celebrated - holidays, birthday parties, getting our braces off.  Even though they were derived from a box of brownie mix rather than from scratch, she added a special ingredient (marshmallows! plus lots of love, of course) that turned those squares of goodness from simple to scrumptious and memorable for any crowd.  It showed me early on that making something sweet and delicious did not have to be difficult, and I was inspired to make every dessert worth celebrating.  I began baking independently in high school for teachers and friends, then in college and nursing school while experimenting with recipes for my Instagram, @littleveggielady.

How did you learn?

While many of my friends were watching their favorite shows on the Disney Channel, I was tuning into the Food Network!  Since I was young, I have been fascinated by cooking shows and reading cooking blogs to more fully understand how things are made, what flavors work well together, how to make it all look pretty.  If you lose me in a book store, chances are you will find me in the cookbook section!  

What do you love most about it?

Most of my baking has been done while away from home in NY for friends in college or nursing school.  What I love most about baking is the idea that my kitchen is always there - no matter how unfortunate the day might have been, how stressed out I am feeling, or how much I need an activity to take my mind off of something.  And that no matter what went wrong that day or how uncertain I am about something, following the steps of a recipe - mixing flour with sugar and oil - will lead to something delicious.  Some of my best creations have been after my worst days!  

  

What's the most challenging thing you've attempted?

I have recently chosen to consume more plant-based dairy products in my diet, and a lot of my friends have gluten and lactose sensitivities.  This has inspired me to bake with different flours (almond, coconut, oat) and replacements for milk and eggs in order to make sure the special people in my life could try the recipes.  Taking this into account while also making sure everything I was baking was still delicious for all has been a challenge and something I am continuing to focus on in my kitchen.  

What's your dream dessert?

My favorite dessert has always been a big, fat chocolate chip cookie.  And if it turned into bookends for a creamy scoop of ice cream - even dreamier!  

Name 3 celebrities you'd love to bake with...

I would choose Giada de Laurentiis, Martha Stewart, and Kate Middleton (not sure if Kate bakes, but if she took care of the tea, I would bring the treats!).  

Most epic kitchen fail?

Boy, I have had many burnt cookies and cakes that have fallen flat in my short baking career.  This spring, I was making homemade whipped cream to pair with strawberries for the last hospital clinical day of nursing school.  I was using a Kitchenaid mixer for the first time ever (the most beautiful kitchen gadget, in my opinion), and I think I was so excited I got distracted...the next thing I know my whipped cream had whipped to butter!  Oops!

Any favorite songs you listen to in the kitchen?

Embarrassingly enough, I tend not to listen to music; instead, I talk to myself and pretend I am filming my own cooking show by narrating the steps of each recipe I am experimenting with.  However, I would probably choose songs from my favorite artists (Zac Brown Band, Taylor Swift) to make time spent in my "happy place" a little happier.  

Favorite food site or YouTube channel?

Most of the accounts I follow on social media are food bloggers or food content related, however my favorite is tuning into the Today Show each morning and watching my favorite cooks and bakers (like Siri!) before starting my day.  My dream is to be in that kitchen one day!  

When you're not baking, you are...

Teaching or practicing yoga (to balance out all my baking), exploring the evolving food scene in Washington DC, or living out my dream of delivering babies as a Labor and Delivery nurse.  

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

One of my resolutions for 2019 is to live in the moment and stay present, however I am naturally a dreamer and a planner in every aspect of my life.  If I could see myself in 10 years, I would picture a happy, healthy girl who has spent the decade learning, traveling, and surrounding myself with loving people and good food - the perfect recipe for the best kind of life!  

Almond Joy Macaroons by Jordan Pavia

Printable Recipe

Macaroons: 

1 1/2 cups almond or coconut flour

3 cups shredded, unsweetened coconut flakes

1/2 cup slivered, unsalted almonds

1/2 teaspoon salt (I like Himalayan pink salt)

3/4 cup maple syrup

4 egg whites (or 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp of liquid egg whites)

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Coating:

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all macaroon ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Using a small ice cream scooper (or your own two hands!), scoop batter and form balls to place onto a cookie sheet.  

Bake about 10-12 minutes or until edges are a crispy, golden brown.  Set aside to cool.

When macaroons are almost fully cooled, prepare the chocolate sauce: melt coconut oil first in the microwave, then place chocolate chips in same bowl.  Temper the chocolate (or melt in the microwave in 30 second increments) until smooth and creamy.  

Once completely cooled, dip bottom of macaroons in chocolate sauce and drizzle remaining sauce over the tops.  Let them set at room temperature for at least 10 minutes or place in the fridge to allow chocolate to harden.  Enjoy!  

Thank you, Jordan, for brightening our day!    

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

There's something about the countdown to Christmas that makes me want to bake something every single day.  I literally have pounds of butter in my fridge and 12 different kinds of chocolate chips in my pantry to fuel this desire, but life keeps getting in the way which is super annoying.  If I could, I would cancel all plans and permanently affix holiday pajamas to my body and eat butter.  I mean, bake with butter, and then eat what I bake.  Alas, I have to be a mom and a wife and buy presents and work and attend parties and concerts and exercise so I can eat said amounts of copious butter.  

This is why I appreciate SIMPLE recipes!  These Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies are very simple, and ridiculously delicious.  That's probably because the recipe comes from my friend and Pastry Chef, Chelsea Kravitz.  It's good to have friends who are Pastry Chefs, by the way.  She works at a local restaurant, Schout Bay, which is a 'must' on its own if you're on Long Island... and if you ever do go, her desserts are a MUST must.  Also, check out her website The Bakery Lady and again, if you're local, she makes the most divine baked goods to order.  That's right, I said 'divine' because I'm proper and what not.  If you're not a Long Islander, just drool along with her Instagram posts.  Aaaaaand, make these amazing cookies!  Recipe below...

The Bakery Lady's Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

Makes 2 1/2 dozen

Printable Recipe

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup molasses

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 tbsp fresh grated ginger

1 tsp salt

Raw sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Whisk together flour and baking soda, set aside.  Mix melted butter, both sugars and molasses.  Add egg and beat 1-2 minutes.  Add spices, salt and fresh ginger.  Fold flour mixture into wet, just to combine.   

Place raw sugar in a shallow bowl.  Scoop tablespoon sized gobs of cookie dough and roll into balls.  If the dough is sticky, throw it in the fridge for a half hour.  Roll the balls in sugar and place on lined baking sheets 2" apart.  

Bake, rotating halfway through, for 7-10 minutes.  They should be puffed and a little cracked on top, slightly set around edges.  With the back of a ladle or spoon, press gently into the top of each baked cookie fresh out of the oven to encourage a chewy center.      

Pattie's Snowballs

Is there anything better than a handwritten recipe, all worn and smudged with buttery fingerprints?  When I posted my late mother-in-law's recipe on Instagram, so many of you wrote that the writing looked identical to one of your own loved ones.  Why is that?!  It seems there was something so universally elegant about the cursive back in the day... it just seemed to dance on the page.  I don't think I could replicate it if I tried!  Also, how do you write a cursive 'Z'?  I have no clue. 

During the holidays, I always look forward to pulling out these passed-down recipes because, after all, traditions are what makes everything so merry!  And I try to cling to the 'merry' as much as possible, because, you know... there's also the S T R E S S.  But for that, there are cookies!  Am I talking in circles?  You know what I'm saying.

These Snowballs were my mother-in-law's favorite.  She would make batch after batch and freeze them - enough to last long after the new year.  Baking these sugary, buttery treats reminds us that she's always with us...  

Speaking of moms, I had the opportunity to be a guest on the Mom Enough podcast recently, so please check it out here!  Marti, her daughter Erin and I chatted about picky eaters, healthy meals, holiday traditions and how all of us moms have to sneak away to eat a dessert from time to time.  It's a really fun show led by some brilliant women who keep it real.  My kind of people :)  

Pattie's Snowballs

Makes 2 dozen

Printable Recipe

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp (1 stick)

3 Tbsp powdered sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Cream butter until light and fluffy.  Add sugar and blend well.  Add flour, then vanilla and fold in nuts.  (Mixture will be crumbly but will come together with your hands.)  Roll into small balls (about golf-ball sized) and place on greased baking sheet (I simply line mine with parchment paper).  Bake for 20-30 minutes (I do 20).  Roll in powdered sugar while warm, and then once more when they cool off.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

It's hot.  Everywhere.  The weather map of the United States looks like an Oompa Loompa.  No one wants to spend time in their kitchen baking over a hot oven in this heat.  Not even Oompa Loompas, and they like sweets!  However...

This chocolate pie is so good that it's worth it.

Sorry.  Put on a flowy moo moo, drink a lot of water and quickly bake this giant, warm, gooey cookie pie, best served with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream.  It's crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, really easy to make and the perfect treat to serve a bunch of Oompa Loompas.  I can't stop with them... guess I should go watch the movie (surrounded by air conditioning).  

Recipe here.  

Chewy Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies

I have about a billion holiday cookies in my house.  Want to come over?  Oh, I should warn you, all three of my kids and my visiting mother have the stomach bug.  So, are you on your way??!

*long awkward silence*

No seriously, the past few days have not been fun.  However, as always, it could be worse.  I insist on keeping a positive attitude because after all, it's the holidays, and after a pretty tough year, I'm trying to focus on my family being (overall) healthy, happy and together.  

Here is one more sweet treat for you, in case you still are in the baking mood.  Chewy ginger cookies with lots of melty chocolate chips.  Yummy yummy yum!  I hope you enjoy, and I hope you have a Merry Christmas, a Happy Holiday and a Joyous New Year!  xo

Recipe HERE.

Chocolate and Caramel Chip Cookies

The other day I found these chocolate baking discs at Whole Foods and I did a cartwheel!  Just kidding, I've never in my life been able to do a cartwheel.  I legit feel jealous of four-year-olds that are able to hurl their bodies around in airborne circles.  I don't get it?!  Even as a limber kid (I was never limber), my body was like "if you try this, you will die."  It's fine, really, I just stuck to beautiful somersaults (except I couldn't do those either). 

What was I talking about again?  Oh yes!  Chocolate!  I've seen the bittersweet dark chocolate discs before, but the bottom ones in the picture are called "dulcey" and they are creamy, toasty, caramely discs of cocoa goodness.  I highly suggest you go to Whole Foods to see if you can find them, or click on that link above and have a heart attack over how expensive chocolate can be (don't worry - they were $11 at WF - maybe a Mother's Day gift??).  Then I suggest you chop them up and throw them in your favorite salted chocolate chip cookie recipe...

(Like these.)

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies

After posting these Lobster Toasts the other day, someone wrote on my Instagram that they could be named Manchester By The Sea Lobster Toasts.  Get it?  Oscars?  You get it!  THEN, I flashed these bad boy cookies in an Insta story and someone wrote...wait for it...that they could be Nutella-la Land Chocolate Chip Cookies.  BOOM.  Man, I wish I could take credit for that.  I also wish I could take credit for these cookies, but I can't.  You can find the recipe HERE.  However, I can take credit for making them, right?!  And you can too!  If your children think Nutella is a food group like mine do, then you should most definitely make these.  Because then you can take credit for being a superhero.

Doubletree Cookie Recipe

I am sitting here, swimming in holiday cards, literally drowning.  I started yesterday and was actually enjoying myself!  The girls were napping, my son was at the neighbor's, we had a fire going, football on the TV, Christmas music in the background... I was drinking beer.  It was all very enjoyable.  Now, however, I've been at it for hours while my daughter is coloring all over herself (I swear she started on paper) and HOW AM I ONLY THROUGH THE J'S??  Also - and I'm warning you this is disgusting (I am disgusting) - I was eating an arugula salad as I worked and then realized that a piece of lettuce ended up on an envelope after I licked it.  Ummm... now I'm wondering how many cards that I've already licked are going to come with leafy vegetables FROM MY MOUTH.  

Told you, so gross.

Guess what's not gross??  These cookies!!!  It's cookie season!  You can and should eat a new cookie every day, in fact.  It's a holiday rule that I made up just now.  I saw these as I was perusing the internet and while they may look like just another chocolate chip cookie, they might be one of the best I've ever had!  It's a copycat recipe for a cookie that the Doubletree hotels serve, which I wasn't familiar with, but now I want to rush there to see if they are in fact this good.  Two things I found interesting about this cookie: the addition of lemon juice and cinnamon (a tiny amount of both), and pulsing the oatmeal in a food processor until it's super fine.  I guess that's actually three things, but leave me alone.  For whatever reasons, I have a feeling that's why they are wonderful!  Make them!  

You can find the recipe HERE.

Update: I'm at the K's.

Girl Scout Cookies on TODAY

If you are like us, you bought way too many Girl Scout Cookies.  Then you realized how many you had, and started handing them out to family, friends and complete strangers.  Of course, after finishing the boxes you DID keep, you felt very sad.  But I have a solution!  Make homemade versions of my personal favorites - Tagalongs and Samoas - at home!  I was on the Today Show this morning demonstrating my recipes.  If you missed it, you can view them and the segment here.

Photos by the lovely Samantha Okazaki

Chocolate Chip Cookie Stuffed Brownies

These are just stupid.  In a good way!  But they're stupid.  I mean, is it really necessary to make brownie batter and then decide to stuff a layer of chocolate chip cookie dough in between the dark chocolate goo?  No, it is not necessary, it is stupid.  And brilliant!  Stupid brilliant.  Do I sound like Ricky Gervais hosting the Golden Globes yet?  Right then.  Bloody hell, what a dumb treat.

Ok, let's push my attempt at dry, British humor aside and discuss how good these really are.  Incredibly rich, difficult to eat more than a few bites, but delicious!  And very simple to make.  Just throw together your favorite brownie (boxed or homemade, mine were Ghiradelli), then your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe (I used this one), and layer away.  I went brownie batter, cookie dough, brownie batter, but the creative possibilities are endless!  Bake as directed on the brownie box (although you might need to add 5 more minutes) and enjoy your stupid, dumb treats.  

Brown Butter Peanut Butter Blossoms

Good Morning!  What did you do this weekend?  I was flying solo so I gave my kids 11 baths (to kill time... they've never been so clean) and we made Christmas cookies!  I can't wait to share them with you this week.  What are your favorites to make?  I love to stick to my usuals as well as try out new recipes.  Believe it or not, I don't make these classic Peanut Butter Blossoms every year but I knew my kids would love to unwrap (and eat) the kisses (also killed a lot of time).  I followed this recipe with one variation: I browned the butter on the stove and let it cool in the fridge for a bit before mixing it in with everything.  If you're wondering why I did that, well, I happen to think browning butter makes everything better.  Especially when there's peanut butter involved!

So tell me... what else should I make this year?    

"Brookies"

This cookie is bananas.  Half chocolate chip, half brownie cookie.  Now that I know how easy it is to make two different doughs and roll them together into one perfect cookie, I think the possibilities are endless, don't you?  WHAT UP, CHRISTMAS COOKIES?!  I'M TALKING TO YOU, BOO.  Sorry I don't know what that was.  I used this recipe but I cut the chocolate chip cookie dough in half.  I've written the word "cookie" way too many times in this post.  Cookie.  

Pumpkin Gingersnaps

Pumpkin is everywhere right now (I mean, check this out), and we're suckers for it.  I'm surprised we all don't run out to buy pumpkin flavored toothpaste!  (Don't steal that idea, it's mine.)  I gave you some pumpkin ideas last week, and now here's another: Pumpkin Gingersnaps (click there for recipe).  These are delicious... soft and chewy, and rich with all the flavors of the season... cinnamon, spice and pumpkin of course!  Pumpkin.  Pumpkin.  If you say that word a lot it starts to sound really weird.  Also who puts a 'p' and a 'k' right next to each other??  Pumpkin lovers do.  

Cookie Stacking and Other Things...

Hello Internet People.  I'm sorry I've been a little absent, but this has been a busy and emotional week.  Therefore, I present to you this scatterbrained post of odds and ends...

Many of you have been curious about the infamous "cookie stacking" Instagram post (infamous, really Siri?).  The origin of this layered dough can be found in this recipe for Peanut Butter Honey Cookies.  I was instantly intrigued to see if by stacking two blobs of dough on top of each other, the result would be a cookie that spread less, as suggested.  Well, perhaps I did something wrong, but my cookies just ended up looking like butts, so... delicious recipe, however.  Honey?  Peanut Butter?  Yes.

Last Thursday I was all set to appear on the Today Show, and you may have caught a glimpse of me even, however, breaking news about the Pope's whereabouts interrupted my segment.  Of course, I didn't mind in the slightest, and it was actually very exciting to witness... yet another reminder of how surreal it is to be a small part of a news institution like Today.  If you're interested in the recipes I was planning on preparing, you may click here: Buffalo Chicken Dip and Ultimate Queso Dip. 

Last night, I was very honored to be a part of the launch of Keurig Kold, a revolutionary new drinkmaker that brews perfectly chilled beverages like Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and so, SO much more.  It is available for purchase today on their website... check it out!

And finally, I wanted to repost this recipe in honor of a great woman, Lucy.  If you've been following my blog for awhile then you probably know this sandwich, but to have known the woman behind it was something else.  The heavens above gained a beautiful soul.  Team Lucy forever!

And ANOTHER Chocolate Chip Cookie

BREAKING NEWS!!!

I baked another chocolate chip cookie.

You've heard me go on and on about chocolate chip cookies on this blog... about how many recipes I've tried and will continue to try if the slightest variation in technique or ingredients exist.  You could be like, O-M-G Siri, you've got to try this new cookie... the secret is after you cream the butter and sugar together you take off your clothes and dance naked around your kitchen... no for real, it makes the cookies SO MUCH BETTER.  And I would test that out, oh yes, I would.     

So when I came across this recipe which has one very small and unusual step, I decided to experiment.  What is that step?  Browning butter - which I've done plenty of times, not unusual - and whisking in an ice cube at the very end.  Wha?!?  An ice cube??  Had to try it!!  You also add the brown sugar at a separate time than the granulated sugar... HOW DIFFERENT!  Do you see why I had to bake a batch?  The results were delicious.  I don't know if the ice cube did anything other than immediately cool down the butter, but the nutty, toffy-like flavor that browning butter offers was very strong.  They also tasted less sugary than a lot of cookies I've tried, which I kind of enjoyed.

Ok, off to dance naked around my kitchen.

More about cookies here and here.

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

Hello there!  Remember how last week I said I'd be traveling for a bit, but I'd check in and blog once in awhile?  Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.  That was before my almost-one-year-old decided to wake up at 4am every morning.  She'd be like, what, woman??!  My body is telling me it's 7am, so wake up, and make yourself that hot smelly drink with all of the fatty cream, and play with me!!  And so my days started in the wee hours of the morning, and by early afternoon my brain felt like mush.  Hence, no blogging.  However, that didn't stop me from making cookie dough.  Because when you're out of town for a week and your brain is mush, you need to buy basic groceries like bread and milk and brown sugar and chocolate chips.  I'm not normal.

One morning last week, at like 5:17am, I decided to make cookies.  Did I want to make a large batch?  No.  Did I want to make a small batch?  Not really.  Instead, I wanted to make one GIANT treat, for me to eat for breakfast (mushy brains are dangerous).  But for reals, what's more fun than a huge cookie... shared amongst friends or eaten alone in the dark before the sun comes up.

    

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

Printable Recipe

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup of chocolate chips, or desired amount

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  With a mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars in a medium sized bowl until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla and the egg, and mix until combined.  Add the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and flatten into a circle (should be about 1-inch thick).  Place cookie sheet in the fridge for about 30 minutes, and then bake for 15-20, until cookie has browned slightly.       

Homemade Treats for Dad

I always find Father's Day hard to shop for.  Most of the cool, techy toys I know Carson would LOVE are like, stupid expensive (I'm talking to you, drones).  I've found homemade gifts are the most meaningful, whether that's a customized beer bottle label from this site, or a baked treat from MY site!  Here are some ideas!  Exclamation points!  (Or is it marks?)

Corn on the Cob Cupcakes

Golf Cupcakes

Brown Butter Banana BBQ Cake

Transformers Red Velvet Cake

Southern Caramel Cake

Mini Cherry Pies

S'Mores Cookies