easy Archives - Chez CateyLou

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with a Golden Oreo Crust

September 9, 2015 by Cate 22 Comments

Smooth and creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling is poured over a Golden Oreo crust – these Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are an easy way to get your pumpkin cheesecake fix!

Well, it is time. I tried to wait, but I just couldn’t. It is futile to try to resist it. And what is “it” you ask? PUMPKIN!!! I’m actually kind of mad at myself…I try not to bake with pumpkin until it is fall, and just because the calendar says September and school has started does not mean it is fall yet – there are still 12 more days of summer left!! And with the temperatures in NYC right now, it feels like early August! But I just couldn’t help myself. Pumpkin has overtaken the blogging world, and after looking at pumpkin recipe after pumpkin recipe, I just HAD to make something for myself. After all, pumpkin is one of my absolute favorite things to bake with – I devoted a whole week to pumpkin deliciousness last year! So, for my first recipe of the season I bring you Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with a Golden Oreo Crust – a pretty great way to kick off pumpkin season!
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Ricotta Tomato Toast

August 14, 2015 by Cate 14 Comments

Ricotta Tomato Toast is a simple but delicious appetizer that is absolutely perfect for summer entertaining!

One of my favorite parts of traveling is the inspiration that it gives me in the kitchen once I’m back home. I love recreating dishes that we tried on our trips, or putting my own unique spin on things. Our recent trip to Italy inspired this delicious Ricotta Tomato Toast. We had an amazing bruschetta in Portofino and I couldn’t wait to make my own version. A tomato toast is the perfect summer party appetizer. I think summer appetizers should be easy to prepare – but still beautiful and delicious. This ricotta tomato toast checks all the boxes. And it pairs perfectly with a wine from The Seeker – because you can’t have summer entertaining without a nice glass of wine!

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Stuffed Mushrooms {Gluten Free} & a GIVEAWAY

May 29, 2015 by Cate 11 Comments

Roasted mushrooms are stuffed with a delicious savory filling and baked until golden brown and crunchy. Bonus: these stuffed mushrooms are entirely gluten free!

Stuffed Mushrooms are such a classic party food. They are the perfect passed appetizer – they look pretty on a platter, can be eaten in one bite, and are absolutely delicious! So I thought why wait for a party to make stuffed mushrooms? Why not just make a platter of them for TheBetterHalf and myself? And that’s exactly what I did tonight!

TGIF! After our delicious birthday dinner last night, TheBetterHalf and I are just chilling at home tonight and giving our stomachs (and our wallet) a break! But I still wanted to whip up something delicious and special for us to enjoy and these stuffed mushrooms were the perfect thing. Bonus – they are SO easy to prepare! Plus, they are gluten free thanks to cracker crumbs made from Breton gluten free crackers!

And I want to give you 12 boxes of Breton Gluten Free Crackers so that you can try this recipe yourself! Scroll to the bottom of the post and enter to win!
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Cake Batter Puppy Chow

May 20, 2015 by Cate 12 Comments

Classic Puppy Chow gets an upgrade with the flavor of cake batter and tons of sprinkles! This Cake Batter Puppy Chow is sweet, crunchy and totally addicting!

Puppy Chow, aka Muddy Buddies…have you heard of it? I remember the first time I tried it, back in high school. I thought the name was SO weird – but the taste was far from weird! The classic version is made with peanut butter and chocolate mixed into chex cereal and topped with powdered sugar, and everyone in my school was obsessed with it. Little bags of puppy chow were the first thing to disappear from the bake sale tables! We had a lot of bake sales in high school. I can only imagine how excited everyone would have been if someone brought in this Cake Batter Puppy Chow!

The recipe comes from my friend Lynn at Fresh April Flours! Today I am helping her celebrate the release of her cookbook! She wrote a cookbook of over 20 puppy chow recipes, and this is one of the featured recipes.
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Kale Pesto Ricotta Crostini

May 12, 2015 by Cate 9 Comments

Kale pesto, made with fresh mint and toasted walnuts, and ricotta are the perfect topping for crostini – it makes a quick, easy, and delicious appetizer!

Now that spring is here and there is actually daylight after work, we love spending time on the rooftop of our building. There is something so relaxing about looking out over the hustle and bustle of the city, but being so far above it. And of course a nice glass of wine helps with the relaxation and enjoyment! Nothing beats enjoying a crisp glass of white wine on a warm evening looking out over NYC, especially when that wine is a Spanish one from Ribera y Rueda.

Having a delicious appetizer to enjoy with the wine is a necessity. I love easy appetizer recipes that taste amazing and look pretty – to me that is the best way to entertain! These Crostini topped with Kale Pesto and Ricotta fit the bill – they are delicious and are so simple to prepare.
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