Meghan Y., Author at Cake 'n Knife

Spicy Italian Stuffed Peppers

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON February 20, 2020 // 1 Comment

Spicy Italian Stuffed Peppers are a fresh twist on a family favorite! Sweet bell peppers are stuffed with a hearty mixture of ground beef, marinara sauce, Italian herbs, cheese, and veggies. Each stuffed pepper is a dinner unto itself, but without the carbs that you typically see in stuffed peppers!

Stuffed peppers are one of my favorite dinners, especially when I want something filling that isn’t unhealthy.

As we get to the end of winter, I am in desperate need of lightened up recipes that fill me up without totally ruining the balance I am trying to achieve.

Anyone else out there feeling that way?

[Read more…]

Korean Spicy Chicken Rice Bowls For Two

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON February 13, 2020 // 1 Comment

Korean Spicy Chicken Rice Bowls are the global healthy meal that is made for two people! Make them for lunch or dinner, either way you’ll be guaranteed for a spicy flavor that you won’t be able to resist.

There just aren’t enough meals with global flavors designed for two people in the world, am I right?

Lately, I’ve been feeling so bored with our normal dinner routine. We’ve gotten into a bit of a rut and I am continually cooking the same recipe week after week.

Funny enough, the Man would be totally fine with this, but for me, I NEED VARIETY. I mean, I love food after all. Food is what I think about all day so I can’t just eat the same thing all the time.

[Read more…]

Miso Marinated Steak Salad with Avocado

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON February 11, 2020 // Leave a Comment

Miso Marinated Steak Salad is a balanced blend of Asian flavors with steak, fresh greens, and vegetables. From the marinade to the dressing, all the elements make every bite pop!

Being balanced in my diet is a challenge daily. There are the things that I want to make, but I also need to be mindful of the food I am putting in my body.

For me, diets are all about balance. I am not going to cut out carbs, I am not going to slash calories in half, and I am not going to live off of only healthy recipes for the rest of my life.

That’s precisely why I made this salad. It’s got the meat yumminess but a bunch of greens and vegetables as well to balance it all out.

[Read more…]

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON February 7, 2020 // 1 Comment

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies will prove to you that fruit is meant to be combined with chocolate, ALWAYS. They are gooey, extra chocolatey, and chewy so they definitely need to make an appearance on your Valentine’s (or Galentine’s!) Day table.

Bite out of a chocolate strawberry brownie photo

Making chocolate covered strawberries is kind of a pain in the butt. I mean, I love them, don’t get me wrong.

But, I don’t love the effort required. You have to melt the chocolate and hope you do it correctly so it doesn’t seize. The berries need to be carefully dipped so that they don’t look all sloppy.

I would so much rather BAKE. Baking is definitely one of my favorite things to do, especially when I am baking for other people. There’s no more joy in the world than the smile that comes immediately after taking the first bite of something warm, gooey, and chocolate right out of the oven.

Overhead photo of chocolate strawberry brownies

So instead of slaving over making the perfect chocolate covered strawberry, I made chocolate covered strawberry brownies.

Ok, so I know that brownies with fruit might sound weird to some of you. BUT IT IS GENIUS.

The burst of tart and tangy fruit along with rich dark chocolate is pure magic. Plus, these brownies are the PERFECT ones. They are gooey and chewy. There’s tons of chocolate packed in there. They are fudgy instead of cake-like. The strawberry flavor comes through in every single bite.

JUST SO FREAKING GOOD.

I definitely inhaled three of them once they were cool enough to eat and I don’t care who knows it. It was totally worth it. Consider serving them with any of my Valentine’s Day menu ideas! Made with simple ingredients, you are going to want to serve these brownies for all of your celebrations, whether it’s Mother’s Day, Easter, Valentine’s Day, birthday parties, baby showers, bridal showers, and more.

If you love brownies and want something new to try, check out these chewy brownie mix cookies!

This Recipe’s Must-Haves

To make the batter, you will only need the largest of the mixing bowls you have and a wooden spoon.

Be sure to have your chef’s knife and cutting board ready to chop up the chocolate and fresh strawberries.

I love to bake up these brownies in this 9-inch baking pan.

Other yummy brownie recipes: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Avocado Brownie Bites | Espresso Brownie Cups | Whiskey Skillet Brownie | Sizzling Brownie

Here’s How To Make Strawberry Brownies

Make Batter

The batter comes together with just one large bowl and a wooden spoon! Talk about less to have to clean, am I right? You don’t need to bother with a stand mixer or hand mixer at all. Stir in everything as it says in the ingredients list to make sure they turn out perfectly.

My biggest recommendation is to make sure that you have all your ingredients measured and ready to go BEFORE you start putting it all together. You should be able to measure everything then make the batter while the oven preheats!

Top with Strawberries

Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan. Scrape the large mixing bowl out to get all of the batter! After you pour the batter into the 9-inch square baking pan, spread it out into an even layer. Then top it with chopped strawberries (you could also use thick strawberry slices instead!), lightly pressing them down into the batter to make sure they stick in there.

Bake

Bake the brownies until they are cooked through, about 35 to 40 minutes! After they are done, let them cool slightly before topping with shaved chocolate. This gives the brownies a little extra chocolate boost and OMG it’s SO GOOD.

Need inspiration for a sweet ending to a meal? Check out my dessert recipes page for some tasty ideas.

How should I store strawberry brownies?

Because of their texture and the fresh fruit, I like to store these in the refrigerator. They last up to 5 days in a storage container.

Pro tip: to make them all warm and gooey again, add them to the microwave for about 30 seconds. YUM.

Make It Your Own

I like to chop my berries into quarter sized chunks but you can chop them smaller if you like.
You can even use raspberries or blackberries instead of strawberries if you prefer!
Don’t like dark chocolate? You can totally use milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate for this recipe as well!
Top them with powdered sugar for an elegant finish.
Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make a strawberry brownie sundae.

If you are looking for another brownie recipe, these gooey and fudgy biscoff brownies are another favorite of ours!

how to store

Store. Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days.

Finally, if you make this strawberry brownies recipe, please be sure to give this recipe a star recipe rating on the recipe card and/or leave a comment! I love to hear when you all make recipes, and I do take the time to respond to every single comment.

Feel free to drop questions below too, if you have them!

Oh and be sure to tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you make the recipe! I love being able to see these recipes come to life in your homes – it’s my favorite thing to look through those photos. It really means the world to me!

Want to know when I come out with a new recipe or the latest news? Sign up for my newsletter!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies

Gooey, decadent chocolate brownies are topped with chunks of strawberries for a fruity twist on a chocolate covered strawberry.

4.4 from 23 votes

Print Pin

equipment

ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
7 oz dark chocolate chopped
5-7 strawberries sliced up
Garnish: Shaved dark chocolate

instructions

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Spray with nonstick spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together melted butter and sugar until combined.
Stir in eggs, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, and instant espresso powder.
Add cocoa powder and flour, stirring until combined and there are no lumps.
Fold in chopped chocolate.
Add batter to the prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer. It helps to spray a spatula with nonstick spray so the batter doesn’t stick and spreads easier! Top with chopped strawberries, slightly pressing them into the batter.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs.
Cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing from the pan. Sprinkle with shaved dark chocolate, if desired, before cutting.

Cuisine: Valentine’s Day

Category: Brownies

Creamy Sausage Kale Rigatoni Pasta

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON February 6, 2020 // Leave a Comment

Creamy Sausage Kale Rigatoni Pasta is the easy dinner inspiration you’ve been looking for this week. It can be made for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner in, or a weeknight treat with the greens to make you feel a little healthier about eating pasta!

Sausage Kale Rigatoni pasta in a bowl photo

Nothing says comfort to the Man more than pasta. His go-to when he is feeling crummy is always either macaroni and cheese or spaghetti and pasta sauce.

For some reason, spaghetti and pasta sauce reminds me wayyyy too much of cheap college days where that was one of three recipes I knew how to make.

I remember making it over and over again, inhaling the carbs in a dinky kitchen and really hating that I had to clean a whole TWO DISHES as a result of making my own food.

Oh how little I knew back then…

[Read more…]

Raspberry Chocolate Croissant French Toast Bake

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON February 4, 2020 // 8 Comments

This Raspberry Chocolate Croissant French Toast Bake is how I bring a little bit of Parisian pastry into my weekly breakfast routine. Using croissants makes for a flakier French toast casserole, and the pops of fruit and chocolate send it over the top! You can make it the same day or let it chill overnight, then bake tomorrow morning.

Overhead picture of raspberry chocolate croissant French toast bake

Want to really treat the family to a killer weekend brunch for Valentine’s Day? Or maybe you just want to make a tasty casserole to eat all weekend long with your special someone?

This raspberry chocolate croissant French toast bake is eve-ry-THANG.

It’s got tasty fruity berries. There’s a hit of dark chocolate goodness. The flaky pastry is to die for.

Oh and did I mention it all comes together in just 10 minutes?

[Read more…]

Mezcal Paloma Punch

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON January 30, 2020 // 2 Comments

Mezcal Paloma Punch is the big batch version of the cocktail, made with smoky mezcal. This punch has it all – it’s smoky and tart with just a touch of sweetness and bubbles. It’ll get the party started!

Tequila and I have a tumultuous history. We might have gotten along at one point, but after one particular trip to Mexico and a conga line of tequila shots… Well, we are no longer besties.

The mere smell of tequila can send me over the edge. Of course I will still drink margaritas if the tequila isn’t too strong… But it’s not my drink of choice and I tend to shy away.

Mezcal on the other hand. This is a spirit that I have gotten to know more and more over the past few years, primarily because of the Man’s encouragement. [Read more…]

Dry Rub Wings with BBQ Blue Cheese Sauce

POSTED BY Meghan Y. ON January 28, 2020 // Leave a Comment

Dry Rub Wings are the EASIEST way to make wings. All you need is a slammin’ seasoning to infuse your grilled chicken wings with a ton of flavor! You can serve them straight up or pair them with a tangy BBQ blue cheese dipping sauce.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Head Country Bar-B-Q. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Cake ’n Knife.

Oh boy people, we are in the final leg of the football season… Can you believe it?

Now, I have to be honest, I don’t really have any strong feelings towards either team that is in the big game this coming Sunday. All I can say is that I am happy to have placed third in my fantasy league! HA.

So I suppose this year, the whole watch party thing will be more of me watching the commercials than getting hyped about the game itself.

This doesn’t mean that I can’t have some seriously tasty food though, you know?

I mean, to me, that’s what makes any watch party a surefire W-I-N. You gotta have the snacks and more snacks, cocktails and even more snacks to make it worthy of the biggest game of the year.

This year, you have to make these wings. I mean, you really HAVE TO.

Dry rub chicken wing being dipped in sauce

The Man and I love all kinds of wings. We are pretty obsessed and we can destroy platefuls of them if you give us a chance. Lately, I’ve been really into dry rub chicken wings. The saucy ones are great and all, but there’s something about the char you get on the dry rub wings that comes through with an extra punch of flavor.

The real flavor bomb is the seasoning I used, which just so happens to be Head Country Bar-B-Q’s seasoning. If you didn’t know that Head Country had seasonings, well now you do and OMG they are going to become such a staple in your spice rack. I LOVE the High Plains Heat because it’s totally spicy, but there’s also their original championship seasoning and a sweet and spicy too. You can use any one of these three in this recipe.

This prevents you from having to measure out a variety of seasonings like salt, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, brown sugar, black pepper, oregano, cumin, etc. Head Country has you covered with their amazing and balanced spice blend!

You can also use any one of the Head Country Bar-B-Q sauces for the BBQ blue cheese dipping sauce! This time I used apple habanero for some sweet spice to complement the wings. It’s tangy from the blue cheese, and kinda cools off the heat of the spice on the wings. However, all the sauces work fantastically, whether you want smokiness from hickory smoke or just straight up BBQ flavor from their original sauce.

You could also use store bought ranch dressing, buffalo sauce, or blue cheese dressing if you prefer. These wings go with your favorite dipping sauce, no matter what the flavor is.

This is honestly the best way to use up some leftover BBQ sauce that you might have lingering in your fridge!

Overhead photo of wings on a platter with Head Country Bar-B-Q

This Recipe’s Must-Haves

You will definitely need to pick up some Head Country Bar-B-Q sauce and seasoning to make these dry rub wings with the sauce!

If you aren’t new to the blog, you know I am a big fan of Traeger for all my grilling/smoking needs. These wings are grilled and, as you can see in the video below, I used this Traeger grill. For the pellets, I used Traeger grill signature pellets and I highly recommend grabbing a pair of Traeger grill tongs to flip the wings as they cook.

Other yummy wings recipes: Grilled Honey Sriracha Wings | Korean BBQ Chicken Wings | Grilled Cajun Wings | Beer Marinated Chicken Wings

Dipping photo of a chicken wing in sauce

Here’s How To Make Dry Rub Wings

Coat & Rest Wings

Pat the wings dry with a paper towel. Dry rub wings are so simple, because all you have to do is coat the wings with a seasoning and a little baking powder. Why baking powder? It actually helps the skin on the chicken wings dry out so that it’ll crisp up on the grill. That’s why you let the wings rest in the fridge for 8 hours before you throw them on the grill.

Make sure to place a baking rack inside a baking sheet to put the chicken wings on top of as this is the easiest way to get them dried out.

It’s science and it’s awesome. You’ll never worry about not getting crispy skin again!

Grill Wings

Make sure that your grill is nice and HOT before you add those wings! They don’t take too long to grill, just about 30 minutes, and you only have to worry about turning them once halfway through.

Make Blue Cheese Dip

For the sauce? Two ingredients. BOOM. Stir ’em up and you are DONE. You can serve them up with celery sticks and carrots sticks for the classic wing plate if you want too!

Need inspiration for the big game? Check out my Snacks page for some tasty ideas.

Can I bake the wings instead?

Yes you can! If you choose to bake, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a rack inside. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 400˚F, until they are register 165˚F on a meat thermometer when inserted into the thickest part.

A Couple Helpful Tips

• If you are using frozen wings, make sure they are completely thawed before you start the recipe.

• Preheat your grill for about 15 minutes before you start grilling! This allows for your wings to cook evenly and also gives you that natural caramelization on the outside.

• Make sure you have a meat thermometer handy!

Finally, if you make this dry rub chicken wing recipe, please be sure to give this recipe a star recipe rating on the recipe card and/or leave a comment! I love to hear when you all make recipes, and I do take the time to respond to every single comment.

Feel free to drop questions below too, if you have them!

Want to know when I come out with a new recipe or the latest news? Sign up for my newsletter!

Side photo of dry rub wings on a platter