Berry Frozen Yogurt Cake

Happy Sunday!  It's that time of year where the days still feel as hot as the summer months, but it gets busier and busier with school, work, and family.  The last thing I want to do is get stuck in a hot kitchen baking a cake for dessert, so I came up with this deliciously easy Berry Frozen Yogurt Cake!

In about five minutes, with no special equipment or fancy techniques, you can throw this dessert in the freezer lickety-split.  However, the final product looks like it took a lot of time and effort, even though it is super easy.  :)  The cake is easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but so pretty that you could serve it to party guests.

It is light and refreshing, like an ice cream cake, but made with tangy frozen yogurt instead!  So it is sweet, but not too sweet, especially with the addition of tart raspberries.  The blueberries are my personal favorite, but you could add blackberries or boysenberries instead.  Add to that a crust made with crushed ice cream cones, and you have a pretty dessert that is both colorful and delicious.

The bonus is that these are ingredients you can keep on hand all year round in the freezer and pantry.  Yes, only 5 simple ingredients, and you have a lovely dessert!  Just two flavors of my favorite protein-packed yogurt, ProYo, two kinds of berries, ice cream cones, and that's it!  By the way, you could use fresh berries, but I used frozen ones since I already had them on hand.

Basically, this is a dessert that requires no prep, a handful of ingredients, looks gorgeous, and can be made from ingredients available in your freezer or pantry year-round.  You're welcome!  :)

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of ProYo.  All opinions are mine alone.

Berry Frozen Yogurt Cake
A Vintage Zest original recipe

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Roasted Tomato & Pesto Toast

Today's second recipe is a hearty toast with roasted tomatoes and pesto that I make for a quick lunch or snack.  From start to finish, it takes less than 10 minutes, and you have something warm, satisfying, and fresh.  Actually, I think it looks pretty gourmet if you ask me, so you can even make it for a party appetizer as well!

Also, you may have come over from my California Fresh Avocado Toast recipe that I eat for breakfast.  Basically, every meal can be made on toast, don't you think?  ;)

Once again, I used one of my favorite San Luis Sourdough® Bread varieties because it is perfect to top with all the different ingredients and still hold up!  Their Sourdough Cracked Wheat Sliced Bread has the perfect flavor to go with all the pesto, tomatoes, and delicious seasonings!

Now are we ready for the recipe?  Scroll down for more!

Roasted Tomato & Pesto Toast
A Vintage Zest original recipe

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California Fresh Avocado Toast

I love being in California where so many food trends get their start before making a splash on the rest of the world!  Just to name a few, there are the gourmet food trucks, juicing, and (my current favorite) avocado toast.  :)  Today for you, I decided to put together one of my fave easy, fresh, and tasty dishes.  It is totally a copycat from a popular local deli here, so now all of you out there can enjoy it!

This California Fresh Avocado Toast is super simple and delicious for either breakfast or snack, and I think it is pretty gorgeous if you ask me!  It's so simple, it takes about 15 seconds with TV magic...  See the video here or below!  :)

Speaking of California, I used one of theSan Luis Sourdough® Bread varieties because they have been a California favorite since 1983.  Totally delish!  In particular, I used the Sourdough Cracked Wheat Sliced Bread to build my creation on, because it is hearty and the texture is absolutely perfect to withstand all the avocado-y goodness.

Are you ready to get the recipe?  Let's go!

California Fresh Avocado Toast
A Vintage Zest original recipe

Ingredients

• 2 slices of San Luis Sourdough Cracked Wheat Sliced Bread
• 1 avocado
• 5 - 6 grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 2 Tbsp. crumbled goat cheese
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbsp. Watercress or arugula
• Drizzle, balsamic vinegar

Directions

1.  Toast bread to desired toastiness!

2.  Top each slice with an avocado half and smash with a fork.

3.  Top with grape tomatoes, then goat cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and a few leaves of watercress.

4.  Finish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

And that's it!  Like I said, it is really simple and the results are beautiful!  I even whipped up a second toast more hearty toast with roasted tomatoes and pesto at the same time (get that recipe here), and the whole thing took me less than 10 minutes.

In fact, take a look at how quick everything comes together with this mini video I put together.  :)  Easy peasy, right?

Just remember to pick up the Sourdough Cracked Wheat Sliced Bread for that authentic sourdough flavor, and crisp, bubbly crust.  I love the Sheepherder's Bread as well, which is much softer and absolutely delicious for so many other recipes!  Recently, a number of San Luis Sourdough Bread varieties were officially Non-GMO Project Verified*, so you know that you are getting the best quality product out there.  :)

I absolutely love this recipe and I hope you do too.  Let me know what you think!

Happy toasting!

*What does it mean to be Non-GMO Project Verified? 

The Non-GMO Project offers North America’s only independent verification for products made according to rigorous best practices for GMO avoidance. For more information, visit  the Non-GMO Project website: http://www.nongmoproject.org/

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by San Luis Sourdough. All opinions are mine alone.

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Spicy Chipotle Chicken Sliders

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VivaLaMorena #CollectiveBias

As you may have noticed, it's been pretty quiet around here because... I am moving to Wordpress!  Behind the scenes, I have been doing the usual cooking, crafting, traveling, and eating, plus lots of updating, rewriting, photo editing, and everything else to get the blog over there ASAP.

What that means is that I am super short on time when it comes to just about everything.  So when my mom asked me to whip up a recipe that my dad could use for his game day crowd, I had to think of something that was quick, easy, and still delicious.  Introducing my Spicy Chipotle Chicken Sliders!

First of all, let me tell you have easy these are to make.  There are seven ingredients total, most of which you can keep on hand in case of a last minute shindig.  There is no measuring whatsoever, so you basically can't "mess up" the recipe, and there's less clean-up with zero dirty spoons and cups!

Not to mention that this takes all of maybe 10 minutes to make, 30 if you do it "from scratch."  Like I said, easy peasy!

You might be thinking that if there are only a few ingredients, it is lacking flavor.  Not at all!  I use one of my favorite secret ingredients, La Morena's Chipotle Sauce, to pump up the volume, and it tastes as if I have been slow cooking the chicken for forever.  Add a few other ingredients and the sliders are ready for the partay!

P.S. - If you want to make these with beef or pork, it would be just as delicious.  Also, if you prefer to make these full sized sandwiches, that would be great too!

By the way, how did the crowd like it?  Well, we were practically feeding an army... my dad's soccer team!  Yes, he still plays on a team with a bunch of other "men of a certain age" who are sports fanatics.  When they got to my parent's house, they were hungry and ready for the football games on TV, so we had an antsy crowd on our hands.

I made sure to make my recipe extra spicy with the addition of some La Morena Sliced Jalapeños for my Latino tíos (uncles) on the team.  Otherwise, I know they would be asking for more sabor (flavor)!

But everyone loved the sliders so it was mission accomplished!  I'm sure your football party guests will be happy to eat these too.  :)

Before we get to the recipe, here are a couple of tips to make this super quick.  You can keep most of the ingredients on hand in the pantry, so I always make sure to buy double when I'm at Northgate Market.

To make it even simpler, you can buy a precooked chicken for super easy shredding which will shave off even more time.  Smart!

Spicy Chipotle Chicken Sliders
A Vintage Zest original recipe

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Easy Grilled Broccolini Recipe

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NestleHoliday #CollectiveBias 

It's December, so you know what that means: the holiday rush is on!  Since it's my first recipe this month, you are probably expecting an elaborate holiday dish... but truth be told, when things are so hectic, I hardly have time to cook!  That's why today, I'm sharing one of my favorite quick and easy recipes that I frequently use as an appetizer or side dish (my Easy Grilled Broccolini), along with one of my tried-and-true shortcuts.

I love how the broccolini is so flavorful and spicy, along with the nutty shavings of Pecorino Romano on top.  It also looks so green and gorgeous, don't you think?  There's also zero chopping involved and just a couple of ingredients needed to whip this up.  I think you'll be making this dish, even when you do have extra time to spare because it's just that delicious!

First of all, let me know if you can relate to any of these situations.  Work hours are even longer these days due to the upcoming holidays, so when I get home, I want to eat something super quick to prepare.  It's dark out so early, that I just can't wait to get right home after a long day and stay inside (so no eating out or grocery shopping).  Family and friends pop over during the week and expect to catch up over a little dinner, sometimes unexpectedly!

Well, I found the perfect solution to all of those holiday predicaments: pizza and broccoli!  Actually, it's not just ANY pizza and broccoli, it's kicked up a notch: the CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN® Crispy Thin Crust Oven Ready Pizza, Sicilian variety and my Easy Grilled Broccolini!  See, it sounds SO much better and grown-up, right?

Why do I rely on this delicious combo?  It takes about 20 minutes from start to finish, including clean-up time, and it's so flavorful and fancy that no one will know how easy it was to get everything cooked up.

Step 1 of being prepared is to head to Walmart and get a CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN® Crispy Thin Crust Oven Ready Pizza, Sicilian or two.  It'll last in the freezer until you need it, so keep at least one on hand for emergencies!  While you're there, pick up the broccolini ingredients below!  Another reason this is a great dish is that you can buy the ingredients even a week beforehand, and they'll keep.  There's nothing worse than having your vegetables go bad before you have a chance to cook them!

Step 2 is to follow the easy directions on the back of the package.  While your pizza cooks for 16 - 17 minutes, that's when you get to make the recipe.  Let's get to it!

Easy Grilled Broccolini
A Vintage Zest original recipe

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Mason Jar M&M'S® Chocolate Oatmeal Pies

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MemoriesInTheBaking #CollectiveBias 

Happy Monday!  I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving weekend, and now that it's all done... it's time to cook more!  Just kidding.  :)

Honestly though, between my friends, my family, and my man's friends & family, we have so many holiday celebrations this month.  Since I am the resident baker, I came up with the recipe for these delicious M&M'S® Chocolate Oatmeal Pies baked in Mason jars, just in time for the holidays!

First of all, if you have ever had an oatmeal pie, this is a chocolatey delicious twist on the traditional variety.  If you have never tried one, well let me take a minute to describe it to you.  There is no top crust to the pie, but the mix of oatmeal and coconut turns crunchy and golden delicious.  It is almost like biting into a chewy macaroon!

Inside, the M&M'S®, maple syrup, and coconut swirl together and you feel like you are eating a rich caramel or dulce de leche, with a hint of chocolate.  Basically, it is one of those desserts that have people rolling their eyes in the back of their heads with the first bite.  :)

Not only is it delicious, it is ridiculously quick and simple.  You don't have to be a professional baker to make it, at all!  This is one of those recipes that is so kid-friendly, even my eleven-year-old niece can whip this up on her own.  This year, I might have her "teach" the five-year-old how to bake it.  I'm imagining the tiny aprons right now... :D

To reiterate, this recipe super simple: it requires one bowl, no fancy equipment, and it takes only a matter of minutes to prep before throwing it in the oven.  Also, I make it even quicker by using a store-bought crust, because the hero here is the filling.  I think I could line the pie tin with sardines and people would still eat it!

Okay, so I have covered the fact that this is delicious (check) and you can see that it is gorgeous (check).  Not so convinced that it is as easy as I say?  I have step-by-step recipe photos below!

Lastly, I would say that the hardest part of the recipe is buying the ingredients (as I sometimes do), but this time at my local Target, it was super simple!  They even had special baking center display that stocked just about all of my holiday baking ingredients.  So after your one-stop-shopping trip at Target, you'll be ready to whip this up in no time!

Make sure to buy the Quaker® Oats, old fashioned variety, because it stands up much better to the long baking time.  Lastly, the M&M'S® Holiday Baking Minis make this just a bit more festive with the red and green, don't you think?  I found mine in the seasonal aisle along with the food gifts and candy canes.

To the recipe!

Mason Jar M&M'S Chocolate Oatmeal Pies
Inspired by this recipe
Makes nine 4-oz. pies

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Yogurt Panna Cotta (dairy-free)

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SilkDairyFree #CollectiveBias

Every holiday season, I get busy with holiday parties making dessert after dessert spending a TON of time measuring, baking, and hovering around my oven.  Well, this time I decided to try a different recipe that would save me a lot of time and would result in an unexpectedly light treat: Yogurt Panna Cotta!  Just a few minutes of prep and you get this gorgeously smooth and creamy dessert.  It tastes rich and indulgent, but it does not leave you feeling heavy.  Absolutely delicious!

I went one step further and made it dairy-free because I have a few family members that do not handle lactose well.  That means that absolutely everyone can enjoy this dessert by using Silk Dairy-Free Yogurt!  My panna cotta recipe is also gluten-free, egg-free, low in sugar, and (with a couple of simple swaps) can be vegan.  Like I said, this recipe can satisfy nearly everyone, even with a special diet.  With my huge family, that is a feat in itself!

You would think it would be difficult to find a dairy-free yogurt, right?  WRONG!  At my local Walmart, it was literally right underneath the yogurt sign in the display.  Ha!  It cannot get any easier than that!

Also, before we get into the recipe, I made two versions of the recipe with the Vanilla and the Peach & Mango flavors.  At first, I was a bit hesitant to use one of the flavored varieties, because it has bits of real fruit in it and I didn't want the dessert to be anything less than silky and smooth.  Actually, I loved it!  My favorite flavor for an everyday breakfast or dessert is black cherry, so next time I am definitely making a Black Cherry Panna Cotta.  It even sounds fabulous!

Yogurt Panna Cotta
A Vintage Zest original recipe

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Flaming Sweet Pepper Poppers

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VivaLaMorena #CollectiveBias 

Happy Thanksgiving week!  I've noticed that this busy holiday season, there is at least one party every week and I have so many more coming up!  Since everyone knows I cook and bake, I have to bring a homemade dish.  Since I want to mix it up (and I don't always have the time to bake), I have a few quick and easy party-ready appetizers in my recipe arsenal.  These Flaming Sweet Pepper Poppers are my newest delicious obsession because they are colorful, spicy, sweet, creamy, easy to make, and such a crowd pleaser!

These pepper poppers are actually a twist on a dish that my man already makes, but bumped up a notch!  Since I am such a spice fanatic, I decided to add some La Morena jalapeños and adobo sauce.  Oh. Em Gee.  They are so fantastic that we actually decided that these are even better than the original recipe!

Since I wanted to make these with quality peppers, I headed to my local Cardenas market, where they have almost an entire aisle of chilis.  Seriously!  Then, I spotted the easy to find La Morena labels,  because they have such a huge selection of peppers.

Just a few more ingredients and you'll have everything you need to prep these pretty party-ready pepper poppers.  Say that five times fast!

Flaming Sweet Pepper Poppers
A Vintage Zest original recipe

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DIY Gift Idea: Raspberry Vanilla Honey

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HoneyForHolidays #CollectiveBias

This year, I will be sharing a ton of ideas on what to give your friends and loved ones this holiday season.  Since I am a DIY-kind-of-girl, I am especially excited to both give and receive gifts that are lovingly made by hand.  If you think that making gifts from scratch has to be difficult and time-consuming, then I've found the perfect thing to try making yourself: Raspberry Vanilla Honey!

It is a simple recipe that requires three ingredients, just a few pieces of equipment, and practically no time at all.  I was inspired by the gorgeous Don Victor Honey, which has a beautiful golden color and comes with my absolute favorite way to enjoy honey... in the honeycomb!  The final gift is a lovely reddish color and I chose to include a few raspberries and a portion of a vanilla pod, just so the recipient sees what the honey is infused with before diving in.  Yum!

I found my jar of honey in the Hispanic Foods aisle of my local Walmart, and it is super eye-catching on display!  I noticed that there are no labels on the jar, so you can see the delicious honeycomb.  I challenge you NOT to drool right there in the store... :)

Now, let's get to the recipe!


Raspberry Vanilla Honey
A Vintage Zest original recipe

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Easy Sweet Potato Pie (without a crust!)

One of my favorite holidays is coming up... Thanksgiving!  You all know about my sweet tooth by now and that I used to live in Nashville, so there's only one dessert I make every year and that's the traditional Southern Sweet Potato Pie!  You might be thinking, "don't you already make a fantastic sweet potato casserole?"  Yes, I do!

There's quite a few differences between the two, so I end up making both for my family.  First of all, the casserole is much sweeter with all the brown sugar and marshmallow topping.  It's a bit healthier for sure!  Also, I tend to make the souffle just a bit chunkier while the pie is silkier in texture.

Now here's something that might turn you off: the pie has no crust.  Wait, wait, hear me out!  At the end of a Thanksgiving meal, my family always wants something sweet but not super heavy.  It's my way of making sure we don't completely overdo it by making up this delicious, lightened-up version! Of course, you can make the same easy filling and pour into pie crusts as well.  It's great either way!

Let's get to the recipe!  (P.S. - For more Thanksgiving recipes, check out my menu & tips post!)

Sweet Potato Pie (without a crust!)
slightly adapted from SparkPeople

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"Fa-Cheat-as" - Easy Grilled Chicken Fajitas!

This post is sponsored by Foster Farms®, the opinions expressed are my own.

This summer, I have so many plans back to back!  It can get crazy bouncing from place to place, but I am still making it a point to cook at home and eat healthy to both keep up my energy and make sure I fit into my maid of honor dress!  Since I'm constantly on the go, I have a few quick recipes that take about 10 minutes to prep, are still delicious and are sure to satisfy everyone at home.

Today, I'm sharing with you my "Fa-Cheat-as," which I cheekily named because they are so easy to make, it's almost like cheating.  :)

To make sure I have a quick and easy source of protein, I keep Foster Farms Refrigerated Grilled Chicken Strips on hand because they are so versatile and perfect for a quick meal!  They are basically ready to eat right out of the package, but I love to dress up what would normally be a quick vegetarian meal and add it right in!  Seriously, you don't have to wait for defrosting or for the grill to heat.  SUPER easy!

The ingredients that I chose for my Fa-Cheat-as are ones that I almost always have on hand, which makes the easiest dish ever.  I didn't even need to hit the grocery store, so this dish really did take me only 10 minutes to make.  I think it took longer for me to write this post up!  So without further ado, my easy grilled chicken fajitas... "Fa-Cheat-as!"

Fa-Cheat-as
A Vintage Zest original

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Sausage & Veggie Deep Dish "Pizza Pies"

 I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Influence Central for P.A.N. Cornmeal. I received product samples as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

As you know by now, I definitely consider myself a food explorer!  I totally love trying new foods all around the world when I travel, and then recreating them when I get back home.  The month before I began Vintage Zest, I was in South America where I have traveled a few times.  Right now, I'm working on my perfect arepa recipe, but today I am sharing one of my absolute favorite recipes that I make from time to time, using the same base ingredient: cornmeal!  Cornmeal is such a versatile ingredient that I use it as the base of my deep dish "pizza pies!"  There are several types of cornmeal, but I used the 100% white corn meal from P.A.N. Cornmeal, the number one brand in South America.  It looks almost identical to a regular crust from far away, which is a fun surprise for guests when they cut into it!

I love making this dish because unlike making a traditional pizza crust, the cornmeal version is quick and easy, plus it is gluten-free!  Also, you can customize the toppings to accommodate any dietary restrictions.  That means it is wonderful for a party... plus you could even make mini versions!  You'll just have to adjust the cook time depending on how small you make them because they'll bake up MUCH quicker!

After I made the three versions below, I asked which was the favorite of the bunch.  The feedback was that each one was good... so they couldn't pick!  Initially, I was worried because I had a pizza purist in the taste-testing bunch, but it passed the test.  This is not a direct substitution for a traditional deep dish crust, but everyone always thinks it's really delicious.  Whew!  In all honesty, I couldn't decide if I should call these cornmeal tarts, deep dish "pizzas," or something else instead, but I just know this dish is a crowd pleaser.  :)

Now, let's get to the recipe!

Sausage & Veggie Deep Dish "Pizza Pies"
A Vintage Zest original

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DIY Painted Photo Backdrops

If you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen a sneak peek of the project I am sharing with you today.  It has taken a couple of months, but I wanted to show you exactly how I have been using them for both Vintage Zest and The Episodic Eater!

I made these boards at my first ever food blogger event, which was kismet, because these were on my "To Craft" list for the longest time!  I don't always have the best light to take photos in the kitchen, so sometimes I have to run around the house.  I might end up in the living room and sometimes I have to open the front door and take pictures on the floor!

With the photo backdrops you don't end up seeing an unappetizing couch or flooring under my dishes, so they come in handy!  These were super easy to make, even to this painting newbie.  I chose some crazy colors, but they are customizable to your needs.  Check it out!

DIY Painted Photo Backdrops

What You Will Need

1. Plywood
2. Paint samples (purchasing small samples is more cost-effective)
3. Paint brushes and/or paint roller set
4. Drop cloth
5. Optional: Rubber gloves
6. Time!

Source & Source

Directions

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Chicken & Veggie Coconut Curry

This post is sponsored by Foster Farms®, the opinions expressed are my own.

I cannot believe it is already June, which means summer is right around the corner!  I have another beautiful, healthy, easy, and delicious recipe for you today, which takes minutes to prepare and will be a fresh addition to your summer menu.

As you know, I enjoy cooking simple and healthy dishes and this Chicken & Veggie Coconut Curry is one of my favorites!  The colors are vibrant, the curry is slightly sweet and spicy, and the ingredients are fresh.  Perfect for summer!

Although I usually talk about how I love cooking healthy recipes, sometimes I skip the actual ingredients themselves.  In this curry recipe, I used the new Simply Raised fresh chicken from Foster Farms®, which is already in stores throughout California, Oregon, and Washington.  Along with the Fresh & Natural and Organic lines, the chickens are American Humane Certified, 100% natural, and locally grown.  Simply Raised also means no antibiotics are ever used and the chickens are given 100% vegetarian feed.

Before I get to the recipe, I wanted to mention that these ingredients are readily available, so you do not have to worry about finding an obscure ingredient at a specialty store.  Also, no special equipment is needed at all.  Try it once and you'll see how easy it is!

You'll thank me later once you taste how wonderful the chicken is, how succulent the vegetables are, and how aromatic the entire dish is.  Enjoy!

Chicken & Veggie Coconut Curry
Adapted from Real Simple

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