This post is sponsored by Cacique Intimates and includes tracking links. For more information about tracking links and how to opt out, please visit All About Do Not Track and Cacique Intimates’ Privacy Policy prior to clicking any links found in this post.

Last week, I shared My Carry on Luggage Must Haves when I'm traveling, this week, I'm sharing how I ensure I'm comfortable when I'm traveling.

Let's face it, traveling can be stressful. I think most of the travel stress we encounter is because we are not well-rested or we are ill-prepared. If you get enough rest and prepare enough, your travels, barring any unforeseen events out of your control, should be stress-free.

One of the most important things for me to feel comfortable is wearing the right bra! I'm excited to be working with Cacique to share with you my favorite bras from their line of intimates.

They are super comfortable and they are super cute! I love how comfortable they are and I only have to pack one bra if I need to pack light for a trip!

When planning for a trip, I make sure I pack the right clothes for the weather along with my essentials

• a comfortable bra like the one pictured here (isn't it so pretty with the island fruit and the lace on the back?)
• my CPAP (because I have sleep apnea)
• comfortable shoes
• rain jacket (if there's a chance it's going to rain)
• charging cables
• travel camera

When I talk about being comfortable, I don't mean staying in your comfort zone. Traveling is all about seeing new things, doing new things and meeting new people.

When I talk about comfort when traveling, I mean not tugging on your bra all the time (you know what I mean!), being comfortable on the plane with a jacket because it's often so cold and staying well-hydrated (which is why I always carry a water bottle).

By the way, since I started wearing this bra, I'm no longer tugging on my bra to pull it down or pulling straps up, no more need to!

Do you know what I appreciate about the Cacique brand? From its brand ethos rooted in self-love to its inclusive imagery. As a woman of color, this is very important to me. I'm really excited about this brand! I love love that there are so many shades in their nude collection. Because nude is not the same shade to every woman!

I purchased the cafe mocha shade for myself in this style.

I'm so excited to get to work with Cacique because this year they expanded their sizing to now include band sizes 32 to 50, cup sizes A to K and they have expanded sizes in sleep and loungewear too! In the past their main focus was plus sizing, so the expanded sizing which makes me so excited! They also have expanded sizing for swimwear now, which I can't wait to try out!

Psst! From now through July 14, Cacique Intimates is holding their semi-annual sale! Select bras are Buy 1, Get 1 Free and all other bras are Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off. So hustle over to the site to shop before the sale is over!

For me, traveling is all about seeing new things as well as enjoying wonderful new food. I love taking pictures of food and sharing it with you when I travel!

More packing tips to ensure you're comfortable:

• Pack the essentials, leave home what you can live without or buy at a convenience store
• Be sure to pack something to read or work on for when you're waiting in line, etc.
• Use packing cubes for efficient packing (it helps for when you have arrived too, to easily find things)
• Be sure to pack your medications in your carry on (in case your checked bag gets lost!)
• Bring a jacket that has pockets. Wear it or bring it along. Planes are always cold and you can put your phone and headphones in your pockets. (And don’t forget headphones!)
• Just breathe and enjoy the journey to getting to your destination

I love love traveling. When I was a little girl, my parents would send me across the country from Florida to California to visit my grandparents for entire summers. I would travel with one of my sisters and yes, we were unaccompanied minors. We would often have to sit on the plane while the plane was being cleaned.

I loved watching the behind the scenes on the plane. I loved interacting with the flight attendants. I think that's why I enjoy flying so much as an adult because I did it at young age.

But I do know that delays and security checks can be stressful. We just need to breathe and not let the stress overwhelm us and prepare with that comfortable bra and reading material so we don't get bored while we are waiting! Because as we all know, traveling requires a lot of patience!

One more thing, I mentioned it before but I don’t want you to forget that from now through July 14, Cacique Intimates is holding their semi-annual sale! Select bras are Buy 1, Get 1 Free and all other bras are Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off. Check it out before time runs out!

Photos of Julie by Laur Fernandez. Photo of nude bras courtesy of Cacique.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Cacique Intimates and includes tracking links. For more information about tracking links and how to opt out, please visit All About Do Not Track and Cacique Intimates’ Privacy Policy prior to clicking any links found in this post.

The post How to Make Sure You Stay Comfortable While Traveling appeared first on DualFood.

This post is sponsored by Land O’Lakes.

Do you guys like cookies as much as me? I certainly hope so! Today, I'm sharing about Land O'Lakes tagline ADD A LITTLE GOOD. I love working with Land O'Lakes and they challenged me to add some kindness in the world.

To just do something that will make someone's day brighter, adding that little something that will in turn make your own day brighter.

My favorite things to give to friends and family, to bring over for potlucks and just to share are cookies. I mail cookies all the time to friends who live far away. To make it even easier, I usually have cookie dough in the freezer, it's so easy to make and prep cookie dough ahead of time, here's How to Freeze Cookie Dough!

Following in the spirit, here are some reasons why I have sent cookies to friends:

• a friend and her daughter, after her daughter broke her leg
• a friend who just had a baby
• a friend who had just moved and I was missing her
• to thank a friend
• just because

Just because…

You don't have to have a special occasion to share cookies with someone you love or even with a complete stranger.

You can deliver cookies to a friend in need or drop them by your doctor's/veterinarian's office or at your local fire station.

By giving a cookie, you can make a big difference. Make someone smile and make them feel good.

When shipping cookies, I love to wrap them individually in plastic wrap so they remain fresh longer during shipping.

I use a food safe treat or cookie box, like these ones. Fill it with stuffing and add the cookies.

Seal the boxes with twine. And write a little card telling them why you're sending them cookies.

My absolute favorite cookie to ship to friends this Easy DoubleTree Cookie Recipe!

And surround the box with packing peanuts so they arrive safely.

Fill the top all the way!

Hand delivering cookies, I love these little bakery bags and these treat bags.

And kitchen twine…I have them in all sorts of colors!

And I just had to make little tags…I will be using these on my cookie treats I give and send out to friends from now on! Aren't they cute?

Just click on the graphic above to download them, print them and cut out to use for giving out your own cookie treats! (Please don't redistribute or link to the PDF directly. If you're sharing these, please link directly to this post. Thanks!)

And here are a bunch of cookie recipes you should try out for giving and shipping to friends and family!

Easy DoubleTree Cookie Recipe
Easy Nutella Cream Cheese Crinkle Cookies Recipe
Easy Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Sea Salt Recipe
Toffee Cookies
Blondies with Salted Pistachios & Lemon
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies with Sea Salt
Butter Swirl Shortbread Cookies
Oreo Pudding Cookies
Stone Cold Fox Cookies
Easy Cut Out Sugar Cookies
The Best Sugar Cookies
Chewiest Molasses Cookies
Sea Salt Nutella Thumbprint Cookies
Leftover Cookies
Salted Peanut Butter Shortbread
Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Brownie Bark
PB Goo-Goo Cluster Cookies
Salted Caramel Cashew Cookies
Sparkly Cookie Pops
Potato Chip Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brown Butter Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Pretzel Chip Cookies
Everything Cookies
Flourless Chocolate Cookies
Sweet and Savory Orange Cumin Shortbread Cookies
Hazelnut Thin Crisp Cookies
Sparkling Butter Toffee Cookies
Almond Cantuccini
Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

Disclosure: DualFood has partnered with Land O’Lakes for an exclusive endorsement of Land O Lakes® Butter. This blog post is sponsored by Land O’Lakes. There are affiliate links in this post.

The post Easy Give a Cookie... Recipe appeared first on DualFood.

This post is sponsored by Land O'Lakes.

Oh hand pies…delicious little pies. Little pies that you can eat with your hands as a dessert or snack. Little pies that you can take them when you travel or have them on the go. I have made a bunch in the past and have made plenty of pie crusts…but I think this recipe and using the technique of rolling the pie dough in between two pieces of parchment paper with a little bit of flour sprinkled in is the WAY to go!

I'm excited to be partnering with Land O'Lakes yet again to share with you, recipes using their butter! And these hand pies…wowza! Strawberry and chocolate hazelnut spread go together soooo well! I had this little blueberry hand pie with a glaze on top a few months ago that I couldn't stop thinking about.

An all butter crust is necessary…it makes the pie crust so flakey and tender. I remember chatting with the owner of a local pie bakery a while back and she said I ONLY use butter in my pie crusts!

Now, let's start. I'm sharing a ton of step by step photos which I hope you'll find helpful!

First, the butter, I only use Land O Lakes® Butter and I love their half sticks! So easy and convenient when you only need half of a stick of butter! This recipe uses three half sticks.

Cut the butter into slices and then cut them into small cubes. Put the butter into a bowl and put back in the refrigerator. The key is that the butter and dough should be cold. Remember that! I'm going to be repeating that.

I cut up the strawberries in half and then into slices and then freeze them. Don't skip this step…I find that when I'm baking with strawberries, they need to be frozen.

We're using ice cold water. I just add some ice cubes to a measuring cup and fill up with water. At a minimum, you're going to use 1/4 cup of water but maybe a tablespoon or more.

Add the flour, sugar and salt to a bowl and mix together.

I use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour, or you can use two forks.

Once your dough starts looking scraggly like this, you're good to go.

Start adding in water and you'll notice your flour mixture get even chunkier.

Take some of the flour mixture into your hands…

and if you're able to squish it into a ball and it holds together to form a dough, you have enough water. (If not, add more water and keep mixing.)

Split it in half and then use your hands to form two balls.

Flatten it out.

And then wrap with plastic wrap and then refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. (You can even refrigerate it overnight.)

Take two pieces of parchment paper and add a little bit of flour to both sheets.

I want the dough to stay as cold as possible so I roll out the pie crust on my marble pastry board.

Place the dough in between the two sheets and roll with a rolling pin.

I used a ruler and a pizza cutter the first time I made this recipe. I then found a set of rectangular cutters online and found it's much easier…but either way works!

Cut out as many pieces with your first piece of dough and carefully place them on a baking sheet covered with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.

Now put the baking sheet with the cut out pieces of pie crust in the refrigerator. This helps the dough from spreading a bunch…so make sure the dough stays cold.

Roll the other piece of dough and put the rest of the pieces on a piece of parchment paper and put them in the fridge. Can you see that I just stacked it on top of the other ones?

Now take your baking sheet with the bottoms of the hand pies out, leave the other sheet of pie crusts in the fridge.

Spread the chocolate hazelnut spread on the pie crusts, leaving a border.

Add the frozen strawberry slices and then brush the egg wash on the edges.

I put the pie crust tops on and then pinch down with your fingers to seal the pies. Then, use the ends of your fork tines to make indentations all the way down to further seal your pies.

I also poke the tops with my fork.

While the pies are baking, make your glaze. It takes only a minute to make.

Let the pies cool. If you don't them cool all the way, the glaze will be a little translucent. If that doesn't matter to you, allow them to cool at least 5 to 10 minutes before spreading the glaze.

You can add sprinkles or sanding sugar.

I realized while I was making these they kind of resemble a certain breakfast pastry you might have enjoyed as a kid but I beg to differ, this all butter flakey pie crust and the fresh strawberries and chocolate put them on a different level!

I couldn't stop eating these the first time I made them so when I made them again to test the recipe, I knew I had to share them with friends OR I would eat them all again! You'll totally enjoy these if you make them!

Strawberry Chocolate Hand Pies

Strawberry Chocolate Hand Pies

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Resting Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6 hand pies

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• 3 Half Sticks 3/4 cup Land O Lakes® Unsalted Butter, cut into pieces and refrigerated for at least 15 minutes
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 to 6 Tablespoons ice water

Pie Filling

• 1/3 cup chocolate hazelnut spread such as Nutella®
• 2/3 cup chopped and sliced thin fresh strawberries and then frozen about 12 to 15 strawberries
• 1 large egg beaten

Glaze Topping

• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• sprinkles or sanding sugar optional

Instructions

• Cut the butter into small cubes and refrigerate. You want the butter to be really cold. Cut up strawberries and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze the strawberries for at least 30 minutes.
• Prep a baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
• Mix flour, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Add butter and using a pastry blender or a fork, cut butter into the flour, until they pieces of butter in the flour, about the size of a pea.
• Add ice cold water (just the water, no ice), a tablespoon at a time (about 4 to 5 tablespoons), mixing with a rubber spatula. Mix until dough starts to form (take some dough into your hands to , after adding a few tablespoons, you’ll need to use your fingers. Add more water if the dough is too dry.
• Take the dough and form two balls and flatten each one into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Take one piece of dough out of the fridge at a time and place between two pieces of parchment paper (that you have lightly floured) and place on a smooth surface, preferably a marble slab or counter top. Roll the dough out into a rectangular shape, being sure that the dough is thin, about 1/16”.
• Cut out 4-inch by 3-inch rectangles (or use a rectangular cutter, I used one that’s 4.5-inches by 3-inches), use a ruler and a pizza or pastry cutter to ensure an even cut.
• Carefully place six of these pie crusts on the baking sheet you prepped earlier about 1 inch apart. (Place in the refrigerator as you cut them out so they can remain chilled before baking. This is key to keep the hand pies from spreading a ton when baking.)
• Do the same with the other piece of dough, for the tops of the pies. (You might need to preroll the leftover pie dough to make enough pieces of pie crust.) Place the other six pieces of pie crust on a piece of parchment paper and put them in the fridge as well.
• Mix egg with 1 tablespoon of cold water.
• Spread 1 to 2 teaspoons Nutella to each of the six pieces of pie crust on the baking sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch border, then place 6 to 7 frozen strawberry slices (or whatever fits) and sprinkle sugar on top. Brush the edges of each piece of pie crust on all four sides with the egg wash.
• Add another piece of cut out pie crust on top and use the tines of a fork to seal it together (pushing down all the way through both pieces of pie crust). Using the ends of the fork tines, stab through the tops of the pie crust 3 to 4 times.
• Repeat until all of the pie crust is exhausted. Brush the tops of the hand pies with the egg wash.
• Bake the hand pies for 22 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and place the silicon baking mat or parchment paper on a cooling rack.
• While the pies are baking, whisk the powdered sugar with the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Whisk together until you get a well mixed glaze.
• Once pies have cooled for at least 5 to 10 minutes, pour or drizzle the glaze on top. Serve immediately or place in a tightly sealed container for 3 to 4 days.

Disclosure: DualFood has partnered with Land O’Lakes for an exclusive endorsement of Land O Lakes® Butter. This blog post is sponsored by Land O’Lakes.

The post Strawberry Chocolate Hand Pies appeared first on DualFood.

Just a reminder: I want to hear from you! The first annual 2015 Reader Survey is up right now and it only takes a few minutes to fill out…thank you so much in advance!

It's time for a different kind of s'more for you all…and PS this was my first time (and not my last) making pumpkin butter!

I'm excited to work with Campfire® Marshmallows again, last year I made these Easy Chocolate Pumpkin S'mores Cupcakes Recipe, which were a hit with my local friends, by the way! And onto more s'mores

I had to share another photo…give you a close up! I used my culinary torch to toast the marshmallows…some people would say my marshmallows are burnt but I disagree. They are warm, gooey, toasty goodness…I love marshmallows!

You can totally toast them in the oven (broil them at 550 degrees) for minute, being very careful because they toast very quickly!

I also love to put them on skewer sticks and toast them over our fire pit. Last December, we had a holiday get together and had s'mores and toasted the marshmallows over the fire pit…they are perfect for every season…year round!

Make or buy your pumpkin butter for these s'mores.

Bring the mixture to boil and keep mixing.

And after 35 minutes, the mixture is reduced and you have a wonderful pumpkin butter.

Chocolate and pumpkin and marshmallows go PERFECTLY together! And honestly, you have this whenever you want…you don't have to wait until fall time. I love that Campfire® Marshmallows make everything…every event or just every day life FUN!

You know you want to make these!

For more roasting tips, be sure to visit the Campfire® Marshmallows website. And make sure you follow them on instagram!

Print

Pumpkin Butter S'mores Recipe

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Pumpkin Butter

• one 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

S'mores

• Graham crackers
• Campfire® Marshmallows toasted
• milk chocolate

Instructions

Pumpkin Butter

• Add pumpkin puree, apple juice, pumpkin pie spice seasoning and sugar to a medium sized pot. Mix well and bring to a boil. After it comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes. Make sure to stir frequently. Once it’s reduced, allow the pumpkin butter to cool for at least 15 minutes.
• Place in glass (with airtight lids) containers and refrigerate until serving.

Assembly

• Prep the graham crackers, you'll need two graham cracker squares per s'more. Spread pumpkin butter on one side of one of the crackers. Add chocolate and at least 3 toasted Campfire® Marshmallows. You can toast them in the oven using your broiler, on skewer sticks over your stove or using a culinary torch (like I did).

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Campfire® Marshmallows, all opinions are my own and I only work with brands that I love. There’s an affiliate link in this post.

The post Pumpkin Butter S'mores appeared first on DualFood.

I'm excited to share with you another recipe with my work with Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Almondmilk! I have been working on the ultimate chocolate chip banana bread recipe made with almondmilk and I was so excited when I got it right!

Sometimes, when I have an idea, it works on the first or second try. Sometimes it takes 4 tries or even 7 tries. You should see me dancing around the kitchen when a plan finally comes together (okay maybe you don't want to see me dance haha!). Ever since I started working with Almond Breeze, I wanted to start baking with almondmilk. I knew it could be done!

This banana bread recipe is super moist and is packed with flavor. I used the Almond Breeze Almondmilk Vanilla and I love the flavor it gives to the banana bread…and by the way, it's my favorite Almond Breeze flavor to have with my cereal in the mornings.

Now that I have this recipe under my belt, I can't wait to try more baking & cooking with Almond Breeze Almondmilk…including trying my Easy Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Recipe, these Easy Nutella Milkshake Recipe and my Easy French Toast Sticks with Maple Butter Dipping Sauce Recipe!

First things, first put that butter on the counter so it can soften.

Then, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Then take 3 tablespoons of the flour mixture and mix with the chocolate chips. I learned this a couple of years ago…this is how you keep the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom when you pour it into the batter.

Then, peel the bananas.

I know, I know, banana bread purists will complain that these are not ripe enough (but I agree to a certain extent). Your bananas should be black but guess what? This recipe works even with the ripe bananas above. Yay!

Peel and then mash the bananas. I find that mashing with a potato masher works best!

For this recipe, I use a mix of granulated and light brown sugar. I used an electric hand mixer to cream the butter with the sugars.

After mixing in the egg, this is what the batter looks like.

After adding the vanilla extract,Almond Breeze Almondmilk Vanilla and grape seed oil and mixing it together, this is what the batter looks like. It starts to look curdled. But don't worry.

Add the mashed bananas and mix with a rubber spatula. I find that I like the bread better when I mix in the bananas with a spatula vs. using the hand mixer.

Add the flour mixture in two batches and fold in with the spatula.

Now add, the chocolate chips (that were mixed in with some of the flour).

There's your batter!

Pour into your prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees F.

And there you have a wonderfully moist, chocolatey banana bread…that you'll thank me for!

Share it with your friends or keep it all for yourself, I won't judge.

Print

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1 9x5 loaf

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3 medium overripe bananas peeled and mashed
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Almond Breeze Almondmilk Vanilla
• 1 teaspoon grape seed oil

Instructions

• Place butter on the counter to soften. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
• Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix ingredients together with a rubber spatula to combine and set aside.
• Take 3 tablespoons of the flour mixture and add to a small mixing bowl. Add chocolate chips to that small bowl and combine. (This will ensure the chocolate chips don’t sink to the bottom of the bread). Set aside.
• Mash the bananas with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon in another separate bowl.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric hand mixer. Beat for about 60 to 90 seconds. Add eggs and mix thoroughly. Add vanilla extract, the almondmilk and grapeseed oil to the butter and sugar and mix until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
• Add bananas and mix with a rubber spatula. In two batches, using the rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture until combined, don’t over mix. Then, fold in the chocolate chips (that have been combined with the flour mixture).
• Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place loaf pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes.
• Slide cooling rack on top of the loaf pan and flip over. Allow the bread to cool upright on the cooling rack, at least 30 minutes to an hour before slicing. Store leftovers in a sealed container.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Almondmilk. I only work with brands that I love and always share with you my own and honest opinions.
 

The post Easy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe appeared first on DualFood.

Hi friends…it's been a little quiet in this space. If you follow me on instagram, you know I have been traveling a lot. But I realized something over the last couple of weeks and even more so the last few days…that I haven't been feeling well for a long time. And things got so busy and I was feeling blah so I hadn't been posting as much. I honestly didn't think anyone would really notice. It's summertime, there's a lot going on. I'm thankful for dear friends who texted me asking if I was ok.

At first I said yes, I'm doing fine, but I really wasn't. I have had this lingering cough literally since February. I went to the doctor in March and he told me to try a new maintenance inhaler for my asthma and it might have worked for a little bit. But this cough would not go away. A few weeks ago, it actually got worse and it was making me feel worse. I couldn't have a conversation without coughing every few words and when I would take a deep breath, I would end up in a coughing fit. The weird thing is, I never had a cold or bronchitis this year. This cough seemingly came from nowhere.

Before I left for New York, I went to my allergy doctor once again and this time, he threw more at the cough. Different meds, a nebulizer treatment and even antibiotics. And it started to get a lot better. Thank goodness for that. And last week, I went to a new primary care doctor and she's amazing. Seriously, I felt much better after leaving…she talked to me for a long time and answered a lot of my questions. I learned that my allergies, my asthma, Easy Pepper Chicken with Cashews Stir Fry Recipe and now I know that I have acid reflux are all related. And this cough has been affecting my breathing…even though I thought it wasn't.

Today, I am feeling so much better…better than I have in a long time. You don't realize how much you are coping with something until you start to feel better. Isn't that interesting? And honestly, my usually positive outlook and productivity was being affected. Not feeling well affects a lot of things.

When I was a kid, I was sick a lot and I was on a lot of medicine…constantly. I don't want to be on tons of medicine now and as an adult, I'll be the first to admit that I wait too long to go to the doctor…for fear that it's nothing and for fear that I'm being too dramatic. I have to work on taking care of myself and not wait to go to the doctor until it's so bad that I'm literally miserable.

Okay, enough about my stupid cough. How about these shortbread bars? It all started when I went to Oklahoma and the Land O'Lakes team shared with us a new butter…their new European-style butter.

I fell in love with their butter…and these gooey shortbread bars they shared with us. I actually made them not too long after I came home. But I couldn't help changing them a little bit and adding sprinkles!!! Making them funfetti!

They are really really easy to make. They were the first thing I made in my new Raspberry Ice Stand Mixer that I named Betsy.

The crust is a shortbread crust…it's heavenly because it involves a whole stick of butter.

Smooth it out evenly and then bake for 15 minutes.

While that's baking, make the funfetti topping. Whenever I'm dealing with honey or corn syrup, I always spray my measuring spoon or cup with nonstick baking spray…so it doesn't stick!

Make the topping which goes on top of the baked shortbread crust.

Add sprinkles! Isn't that pretty?

I'm in love with this mixer and the new ceramic bowl! (This bowl is being released by KitchenAid this fall.)

All ready to go into the oven.

Photographed on Cambridge Rose & Talavera Collection plates with by Q Squared.

PS I'm obsessed with these plates…they are perfect for entertaining and every day and are super easy to clean!

Make these shortbread bars, I know you'll love them!

My grandmother loved them!

I made these funfetti gooey butter shortbread bars for my grandma's 91st birthday . She's actually curtis' grandma but she has always treated me like her own. One of the sweetest ladies you'll ever meet. and I'm sharing this recipe next week. Happy 4th, y'all! #thelittlekitchenrecipes #fb @noondaycollection @tieks @landolakesktchn

A photo posted by Julie Deily (@thelittlekitchn) on Jul 3, 2015 at 1:00pm PDT

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Funfetti Gooey Butter Shortbread Bars Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Resting Time 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Crust

• 1/2 cup 1 stick Land O Lakes® European Style Salted Butter, softened
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Funfetti Topping

• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup 1 stick Land O Lakes® European Style Salted Butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 5 Tablespoons rainbow sprinkles plus more for the top before baking

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil. Spray the foil with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

Crust

• Add 1 stick of salted butter and 1/3 cup powdered sugar to the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat until the powdered sugar is no longer visible, about one minute. Add flour and mix until just combined.
• Pour dough into prepared pan. Press dough evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on a baking rack.

Funfetti Topping

• Add corn syrup, water and vanilla extract to a small mixing bowl. Mix well with a spoon and set aside.
• Add 1 stick of salted butter, sugar and salt into same electric stand mixer bowl. Using a paddle attachment, beat at medium speed until well mixed. Add 2 eggs and beat until well mixed. Add half of flour and half of the corn syrup mixture, beating to combine thoroughly. Repeat with the remaining flour and corn syrup.
• Add sprinkles and slowly combine with rubber spatula. Pour funfetti topping over shortbread crust. Using the rubber spatula, spread it evenly over the crust. Optionally, add 1 or 2 more tablespoons of sprinkles over the topping and use the spatula to press them into the topping.
• Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Place pan on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes. Then, carefully remove the bars using the flaps of overlapping foil and allow bars to completely cool on baking rack. (To get the cleanest cut bars, allow them to completely cool at least a few hours or even overnight.)

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Q Squared. I did receive a KitchenAid stand mixer recently for the purpose of review. I only share with you my honest opinions and brands that I love. There are affiliate links in this post.

The post Easy Funfetti Gooey Butter Shortbread Bars Recipe appeared first on DualFood.