Day 28 with Nutella

Here is a good idea that came to me from my friend Kristi.  She is very creative in her use of  Nutella as a fondue.  She says that all you need to do is heat Nutella over low heat in a saucepan. Add small amounts of condensed milk until you are happy with the consistency (thin, but not too thin). Stir constantly to avoid scorching. Serve immediately to the hungry troops along with items to dip in the delicious concoction (pretzel sticks, pineapple chunks, banana and apple slices, etc.).  Great idea!

You can also check out the link below for another Nutella Fondue recipe pictured here. 

http://www.partybluprintsblog.com/?s=nutella+fondue

Day 27 with Nutella

Today I tried Nutella on a dried apricot.  A tiny dried apricot with a dab of Nutella made for the perfect petit little snack.  I am thinking that Nutella would be good on other dried fruit, but more about that later! 

Day 26 with Nutella

Nutella Frosting – Cupcakes

I just love cupcakes…I love the name, cupcakes. It makes me happy when I think of cupcakes. I was wondering if I could make a yummy frosting out of Nutella for cupcakes. It was easy!
I made the cupcakes from a store bought cake mix. I used yellow cake mix, but I think you could use chocolate or white cake mix…whatever your heart desires. For the frosting I mixed half white frosting to half Nutella ( make as much as you need just do half frosting to half Nutella). These turned out really well. Kids of all ages love these!

Day 26 with Nutella

I always wanted to use Nutella in Brownies. It just seems like a good combo. I also love chocolate cheesecake. Two of my favorite things mixed together, chocolate and cheesecake! After my experience with the Nutella Blondies, I decided I had better get back to my “easy peasy” roots. I am not a Martha Stewart kind of gal, so doing things from scratch is not my forte. So, the inspiration is Chocolate Cheesecake and the result was Nutella Cheesecake Brownies, using a store bought box of brownie mix. I hope you enjoy!

Nutella Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients You Will Need:

1 package store-bought brownie mix

1 package cream cheese

⅓ cup white sugar

1 egg

Tsp Vanilla

1 cup Nutella

Prepare the store-bought brownies first according to the package directions. Then, take a baking pan (13 x 9) and grease it with butter, and pour in the brownie layer. In a separate bowl, combine your cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla extract, and blend with a mixer. With a spoon, spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie mixture in the pan.

Microwave the Nutella in a glass bowl for about 20 secs. It should be pourable. Pour the Nutella on top of the cream cheese mixture in rows or glob drops. Next use a chopstick to swirl the Nutella into the cream cheese and brownie batter. Don’t overdo it. You want it to be marbled.

Then bake your yummy cheesecake brownies for 35 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Day 25 with Nutella

Do blondes have more fun?  Nutella had to find out!  I took a Blondie Brownie recipe and modified it to make Nutella Blondies.    I must say that these Nutella Blondies  made for a party in my mouth!  Woo Hoo!  Talk about fantastic....if you like super gooey, rich and delicious, then this is the recipe for you...check it out!

Nutella Blondies


Ingredients You Will Need:


1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
1 ¾ cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 Cup Nutella


Heat oven to 350 degrees. Using two tablespoons of butter, grease brownie pan (pan should be 13” by 9”), reserving the other six tablespoons of butter for brownie batter.


Mix brown sugar, vanilla, butter and eggs until creamy. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Using a mixer blend all of the ingredients into a batter. Pour batter into brownie pan, scraping sides of bowl with a rubber spatula to get all of the batter.


Microwave the Nutella in a glass bowl for about 20 secs. It should be pourable. Pour the Nutella on top of the batter and spread around. Next use a chopstick to swirl the Nutella into the batter. Don’t overdo it. You want it to be marbled.


Bake for 30 minutes. Keep an eye on the blondies for the last few minutes of baking.  You want them to be golden brown and slightly firm, the batter should not giggle when you shake the pan.

Day 24 with Nutella

I have a dear friend who loves to bake! I mean she really loves to bake! She bakes almost every night and she comes up with the most beautiful creations. So last week I gave her a jar of Nutella and asked her to come up with some ideas…I mean I do have a long way to go (341 days to be exact), so I probably will need some help. Here is her creation:

Nutella Carmel Cake

CAKE

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1⁄3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter at room temperature

11⁄3 cups sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons hot water

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk



GLAZE
1 cup of Nutella

FILLING
Carmel Topping ( like Smucker's ice cream topping)



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour two 9” cake pans. Line bottom with parchment paper, set aside.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add hot water to the coffee powder (in a little cup or bowl), mix and add to butter mixture. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Slowly add in dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk. Divide batter between the two pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center. Watch carefully; over baking will make the cake dry.

Let the cake cool. Put one layer on a plate and spoon caramel topping. Then add the second layer. Put Nutella on the top layer. You will need to heat the Nutella up just a bit so it’s easy to spread (20 seconds in the microwave) you can then do a spider design like in the picture. It is super duper easy. Just pipe a spiral of caramel topping from the center to the edges and drag a toothpick out from the center at six points. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts around the edges and you have a yummy cake that’s gorgeous!

Day 23 with Nutella

Nutella Scones: I don’t know about you, but I love scones! All kinds of scones. My favorite was a cinnamon sugar scone until now. I just made Nutella scones and they are incredible! And of course, very easy.

What you need:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ cup sugar

½ cup of salted butter or 1 stick (room temp)

¾ cup heavy cream

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Mix the first 4 ingredients together using a whisk to make sure that everything is blended well. Take your room temp butter and put it in the dry ingredients and start blending with your hands. You want the butter and the dry ingredients to become as one….it will resemble pebble like sand. Add the cream and work it into dough with a fork. Once it starts holding together, get your hands in there and ball it up. Take your dough, portion off a small section (size – between a golf ball and a racquet ball). Roll into a ball and then flatten. Take a tablespoon of Nutella and spread it on the top of the scone. Use a spoon to make a swirly design. Bake for about 15-20 mins until golden brown. Makes approximately 12 scones.

Day 22 with Nutella

How about Nutella cupcakes? Sure thing! You could do it the hard way and make them from scratch, but why when Duncan Hines makes Super Moist Yellow Cake mix! I like this particular kind because they call for a stick of butter instead of oil….can you go wrong with a stick of butter? I don’t think sooo! Anyway, make the batter according to the package directions. Use a cupcake tin and cupcake liners. Fill the liners half way and then add a liberal tsp of Nutella. Then add more batter on top…fill the liner to about 2/3 full. Take a chop stick of toothpick and swirl the batter and Nutella around a few time to get a marbling affect. Bake according to package directions and voila! Nutella Cupcakes! This a winner. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Day 21 with Nutella

Tea anyone? Nutella on top of shortbread cookies is not only delicious, but it looks cool, too. A quick way to dress up your shortbread cookies…just cut the corner off of a sturdy Ziploc freezer bag and place a piping tip through the corner….put about 2 tablespoons of Nutella in the bag, near the tip and then pipe the Nutella on top of the cookies. Looks good and tastes good!

Day 20 with Nutella

Nutella with a New York style soft pretzel....oh yeah!  This pretzel had a bit of salt on it, so it was like my potato chip, Barry White experience...read earlier blog posts to find out what I am talking about.  Anyway, highly recommend this combo.  I am 20 days into this experience and I am starting to think that Nutella makes everything taste better!

Day19 with Nutella

Happy Strawberries!
Today, I tried Nutella with strawberries. It was awesome. I think most people like chocolate covered strawberries and this is even better. I took a liberal teaspoon of Nutella and placed it on top of the strawberries. My friend Diane said that she heats the Nutella slightly and then dips the strawberry in the Nutella for a pretty presentation of chocolate covered strawberries…I like that idea. Bottom line; the combo is super delish! Enjoy

Day 18 with Nutella

Sometimes the simplest things are the best. I had toast this morning with cream cheese and Nutella. Sounds a bit strange, but the combo was actually quite good! It was a lovely breakfast…simple, yet profoundly delish!

Day 17 with Nutella

Nutella Nirvana.... the name of the dessert served at a function I attended this evening.  I ate one and thought it was pretty good.  I think you could recreate it pretty easily.  Take a pound cake or other yellow cake and cut it in half lengthwise. Frost the top and middle with a milk chocolate frosting and then use a cake piping tool to decorate using Nutella.  You can zig zag like they do in the picture or you can create your own design.

Day 16 with Nutella

One of my favorite treats is a Pain Au Chocolate.  It's like a croissant filled with a semi sweet chocolate.  It is wonderful.  Here is an easy Nutella recipe that gets you close to a Pain Au Chocolate without having to go to Paris or a good bakery.

Nutella Croissants

Roll out a tube of Pillsbury of crescent dough. Separate each of the triangles and lay them flat. Put a tsp of Nutella near the wide side and roll it up as you normally would. Pinch the ends closed. Use a  pastry brush, to brush lightly with a melted butter.

Place the crescent rolls on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes or until the croissants are golden brown. Remove from the oven, and let cool slightly. The Nutella will be extremely hot inside the roll, so unless you want a molten lava experience in your mouth, wait a few minutes. 

If you want to try to make a Pan Au Chocolate, here is a good site to check out..just use Nutella!
http://dinnerwithjulie.com/2010/02/06/pain-au-chocolat/

Day 15 with Nutella

I like easy recipes...I mean super simple. I am reluctant to knead dough, let it rise...make reduction sauces, render anything, or macerate....if you love to cook you'll know what I am talking about. Everyone else, it means "high maintenance." Anyway, I modified a recipe and made it into a Nutella Tart recipe and it is delish! Best part, it is super easy! Give it a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Nutella Tart

Crust:

• 3 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs

• 1 ½ sticks butter, melted

Filling:

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

• 1 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1 1/2 cup Nutella

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Make the crust. Put the graham cracker crumbs in a bowl. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and stir with the spatula until all the crumbs are evenly moistened. Smash any lumps that form.

Scrape the mixture into the 9” or 10” round tart pan. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides. Set the tart pan on a cookie sheet in case the butter melts out.



Bake the crust. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until it is lightly browned. It will harden as it cools.

Make the filling. Place the chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Fill your sink with about 2-3 inches of hot water and set your bowl with the choc chips in the water. The hot water will heat the bowl and begin to melt the chips.

Pour the cream into the small saucepan, place over medium heat, and heat just until it begins to simmer. Turn off the heat. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate. Start to gently whisk it until it’s blended and smooth. Whisk in the Nutella until smooth.

Pour the filling into the tart shell, scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until firm.

Unmold the tart. Carefully push the bottom of the tart pan up through the sides. Leave the tart on the bottom of the pan.

YUMMM.....................

Day 14 with Nutella

Nutella pizza roll. Oh yes! Super easy and delish. The “easy” is my favorite part. Here is what you need: 1 container Pillsbury pizza dough, preferably square shape (found in the refrigerator section), Jar of Nutella, and some butter.

Roll out your dough on to a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 425 for about 8-10mins. You want it slightly cooked but still pliable. Once it gets to that point, take it out of the oven and spread Nutella across the entire dough surface, liberally, of course! Then roll up the dough like you are rolling up a sleeping bag. Coat the outside of the roll with some more butter and stick it back in the oven for about 15 mins. It should be slightly brown and crispy on the outside. Once it has completely cooled you can slice it and it makes these neat spirals. Very yummy.

Day 13 with Nutella

Nutella Ooo La La Latte! Adding a tablespoon of Nutella to your morning coffee makes it taste fantastic. You will want exchange your Starbucks Mocha habit for this tasty treat. All it takes is a tablespoon of Nutella swirled in your regular cup of coffee….mmmm!

Day 12 with Nutella

Banana Bread Nutella Panini! Oh my gosh is this good….if you don’t have a Panini maker, get one! You can use the Panini maker for more than just Panini. I use mine to sear/cook meat and it works great…super juicy and tender. Better than the grill ( shhh don’t tell the hubby) and way better than the oven. Okay, sorry, I got sidetracked! Back to the task at hand…there are a couple of ways to do this…you can wait for your bananas to spoil and make your own banana bread, which I have been known to do, or you can buy a loaf at the bakery and claim it as your own.

However you happen to get your loaf, cut a couple of slices about 1 inch thick. Spread Nutella on the bread and make a sandwich. Put butter on the outside of the sandwich and then place it on your Panini maker which should be preheated to about 375 degrees. Lower the lid and listen for the sizzle! Tip: if you have the time after you have assembled the sandwich place it in the refrigerator for 30 mins before the placing on the hot Panini maker…the Nutella will harden up and be able to withstand the heat….especially if you like to spread it on liberally!

Day 11 with Nutella

This one is coming from  Kristi in Dallas…she says her family loves making S’mores with Nutella. Take a graham cracker a break it in two. Spread Nutella on one side, liberally of course. Take the other side and put marshmallows on it and broil it in the oven (or toaster oven, if you are only doing one or two). Once the Marshmallows get golden brown you put the two sides together like a sandwich and you have a super quick & easy S’more, without the campfire.

Day 10 with Nutella

Woo Hoo! Day 10. I am in double digits! I was inspired by a treat I had in San Francisco about two years ago. It was called a Bombolini. Basically it was a whole sugar donut filled with Nutella. It was mind blowing! I was really impressed with how good it was. I was never able to find it again….not being able to find it gave me the desire to see if I could recreate this amazing indulgence. I took a basic glazed dount cut it half, like you would a bagel and then spread Nutella on, liberally of course. It was pretty amazing. I took a bite before I realized you might want to see what it looks like. Please excuse the teeth marks!

If want to make the real thing check this recipe out on foodbuzz.com. It’s a little “high maintenance” for me, but you Martha Stewart types out there might be willing to give it a try!



http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/1644574-bombolini-alla-nutella-nutella-filled-doughnuts-

Day 9 with Nutella

This one is a bit off the wall...Nutella is used on crepes quite a bit in Europe. I thought about giving it a Texas Twirl! I melted one pat of butter in a large pan and sautéed a tortilla until it was golden brown on each side but still pliable. I then spread Nutella on it, say it with me… Liberally of course! I folded it up into a sort of triangle...kind of like the way they fold the crepes in Europe, but not as fancy! The taste was really delish! You get the sweet goodness of the Nutella and a bit of Salty from the butter......very nice.

Day 8 with Nutella

Day 8 and it's going great!  I found a few more sites that have awesome recipes, so hopefully, I won't run out of ways to use Nutella. 

Do you remember the old commercial where a person is walking along and they are holding a chocolate bar and then another person is holding a jar of pbut butter...and they bump into each other?  I loved that ad when I was a kid and I love Choc & Pnut butter together.  So that is my inspiration for today!  I made some pnut butter cookies and spread Nutella ( liberally, of course...is there any other way?) on one and used another cookie to make a sandwich.  I need a name for this creation...I welcome your suggestions.....anyone out there?  Here is a tempting picture for you to drool over...they are worth every calorie! Yum

BTW - Nutella has a sweepstakes to give away a case of Nutella...all you have to do is go on the site and fill out a bit of info.  Easy Peasy.  http://www.nutellausa.com/giveaway2.htm  Check it out.

Day 7 with Nutella

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How can you make a Monday fantastic?   Get yourself a bag of Lay's Potato Chips, a jar of Nutella and a spoon......can you hear the Barry White music playing?  Oh, Yeaya.....  you get the picture.  

To make the magic happen, you just need to spread a bit of Nutella on a plain Lay's potato chip, open mouth and insert the salty, sweet goodness.  Enjoy!