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Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Recipes

Monday
Mar / 16 / 2015
Comments 10

These Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, decorated with green sprinkles, are easy to make, look fabulous, and taste delicious! What’s not to love.

Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies:

I’m pretty sure my brain was still on vacation this past weekend. For some reason (I blame the festive pictures flooding social media.), I thought St. Patrick’s Day was Saturday. Strangely, it didn’t occur to me until this morning to check a calendar. That’s when I realized that tomorrow is March 17 – the day it’s celebrated every year. Sometimes I just need an embarrassing “duh moment” to get back to reality.

Anyway, Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Today we are making these Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies.

Even though I don’t make a big deal about this holiday, each year I like to make something that fits the green / Irish theme. Last year I shared some delicious Guinness Floats, this year it’s shortbread cookies. But not just any shortbread. These are Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, with sprinkles!

I wanted to make these a few weeks ago, but I couldn’t find the right shortbread cookie cutter (here’s where I finally find this perfect one) or the lime green sprinkles that I wanted around here. I ended up ordering them online, and they arrived last week while I was away.

However, these cookies turned out well and aren’t over holiday-themed so you can certainly make them anytime you’d like.

This shortbread recipe comes from Ina Garten. I saw it years ago on Barefoot Contessa and have wanted to make it ever since. That’s part of Ina’s appeal: she makes everything look so easy and delicious. Since I love an Andes mint after dinner, I thought it would be fun to switch the recipe up a little bit. Sweet silky chocolate combined with the freshness of mint is just so right. Spread this on shortbread and add some sprinkles and you really can’t go wrong.

Don’t worry, however, if mint chocolate isn’t your jam. Feel free to coat these cookies in whatever you’d like or you can leave them plain. They are just as good. Let’s get baking!

How to Make Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies:

In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Set aside. For your convenience, there is a full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card below.

In the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and one cup of sugar until just combined. Add vanilla and combine. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix on low until the dough starts to come together. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll out the chilled dough to 1/2-inch thick and cut with a finger-shaped cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool completely.

Next, melt the Andes mint candy pieces in the microwave for 30 second intervals or use a double boiler.

Line your counter with wax or parchment paper. Dip 1/3 of each cookie into the melted mint chocolate. Shake off any excess chocolate and set on the wax paper to cool. Before the chocolate sets, add sprinkles.

And that’s it! Your cookies are ready to be enjoyed!

Looking for more delicious shortbread cookie recipes? Try these:

If you are so inclined, whip up a batch of these Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies for St. Patrick’s Day. If you already have something else planned, any ol’ day will work just fine. Enjoy!

Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies:

Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate, cookie, mint chocolate, shortbread

Servings:

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Chilling Time 30 mins

Total Time 1 hr 15 mins

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These Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are easy to make, look fabulous, and tasty delicious!

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter softened - softened
1 cup sugar - plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 ounces (1 bag) Andes mint candy pieces
Green sprinkles - optional

Instructions

In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Set aside
In the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and one cup of sugar until just combined. Add vanilla and combine. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix on low until the dough starts to come together. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Roll out the chilled dough to 1/2-inch thick and cut with a finger-shaped cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool completely.
Next, melt the Andes mint candy pieces in the microwave for 30 second intervals or use a double boiler.
Line your counter with wax or parchment paper. Dip 1/3 of each cookie into the melted mint chocolate. Shake off any excess chocolate and set on the wax paper to cool. Before the chocolate sets, add sprinkles.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 175kcal • Carbohydrates: 19g • Protein: 2g • Fat: 10g • Saturated Fat: 7g • Trans Fat: 1g • Cholesterol: 20mg • Sodium: 88mg • Potassium: 16mg • Fiber: 1g • Sugar: 10g • Vitamin A: 236IU • Calcium: 5mg • Iron: 1mg

Made it? Share it!Tag @inspiredbycharm on Instagram and use the tag #myIBC so we can see what you're cooking in the kitchen!

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DIY Travel Photo Collage

DIY

Friday
Mar / 13 / 2015
Comments 23

DIY Travel Photo Collage | Inspired by Charm

I’ve been extremely fortunate these past couple years in that work and life have taken me on some travel adventures. As much as I love being home, traveling has become one of my hobbies. Travel brings me so much joy and countless memories.

One of my favorite recent trips was the Carnival cruise I took with my mom. Not only was it wonderful to spend a week on the sea with her, but she really deserved it. In addition to her job, she takes care of my elderly grandparents who now require 24-hour care. Giving her a week of Caribbean sunshine, delicious food, total relaxation, and endless entertainment was something I was so honored to be able to do. Cruising is such an easy way to do that and more. Everything you want in a vacation is at your fingertips.

As you know, I took lots of photos on our cruise. Because everything is digital these days, I find that many of my travel pictures get uploaded to my computer and then are long forgotten. I wanted a fun way to remember the time on that grand ship, so I came up with two alternatives for creating a DIY Travel Photo Collage that I’d like to share with you today.

Let’s get started!

This first collage is made in a shadow box frame. Along with some mini clothespins and a touch of gold (of course!), it’s a quick and colorful way to show a series of photos, and it can be easily changed or updated.

Here’s what you will need:
shadow box frame
coordinating paper
mini clothespins
photos
glue (hot glue or E6000)
double sided tape
scissors
ruler
pencil

Begin by gathering your supplies. Most of these items can be found at your local craft store or online.

Cut a piece of paper to fit the size of your frame. Any color or patterned paper will work. I’m using this gold wood grain paper which is actually leftover wrapping paper from the holidays. With a pencil, just trace the backing of the frame onto the paper and then cut it out.

If your paper is flimsy like mine, you’ll want to use some double sided tape to adhere it to the backing of your frame, the piece of paper typically included in the frame, or a thicker piece of card stock.

Then, tuck your photos into your mini clothes pins and arrange them on the paper to get an idea of the layout you’d like. Since my paper was highly patterned, I used a theme of blue and green for both my pictures and my clothespins.

Next, measure exactly where the clothespins will attach to the paper. Since my frame was 12 x 12″, I started in the center with my first clothespin and set one on each side three inches away. I repeated the same measurements with the second row.

To attach the clothespins, I applied a very small amount of hot glue to each clothespin and then placed it where I wanted it on the paper. (E6000 would work here as well; just be sure to give it time to dry.)

Once all the clothespins are in place, tuck in your pictures and assemble the frame.

Tada!

I thought this particular collage turned out great. All of these photos trigger such great memories of the time I got to spend with my mom. There were beautiful sunsets and sunrises we could watch off the balcony of our stateroom, we were able to enjoy fun and relaxing days when we ported, and the gorgeous palm trees always remind me the ocean is nearby. As you can imagine, just by varying the paper, clothespins, and photos, you can create something that is truly customized to your space.

This collage also perfectly captures the memories of our cruise. While I took a few photos of this collage on my mantel, it will ultimately reside on my hallway gallery wall where I can see it every day.

Okay, ready for collage number two?

This one is a bit more of a traditional collage-style, but with a modern twist. A cut out chevron / arrow pattern reveals a collection of pictures in the negative space. The finished piece has a more modern feel, but is still bursting with memories. Let me show you how to make it.

Here’s what you will need:
8 x 10″ photo frame
cardstock
chevron printable (free PDF download here)
photos
double-sided tape (or rubber cement)
scissors
x-acto knife
ruler

If you want to make this exact collage, I’ve provided a free PDF printable here. However, you’re welcome to create your own in any shape or pattern you like. Begin by printing off your pattern on a piece of card stock.

Carefully cut out the design using an x-acto knife. Do this on a self-healing mat, scrap piece of wood, or another surface you don’t mind damaging.

Then, on a second piece of card stock, start arranging your photos in the areas that will show through in your design. I used a couple different sized photos. I also removed any white borders around my photos so the photos would blend almost seamlessly together.

Once you are happy with the placement of your photos, attached them to the sheet of uncut card stock with double sided tape or rubber cement. (Rubber cement is better than standard white glue because it won’t cause your photos to curl or bubble.) With all of the photos secured, attached the cut out card stock to the top with double sided tape or cement.

Place the finished piece in your frame, and your project is complete.

This piece lets you display multiple photos in a really fun pattern. From a distance, it looks like a piece of modern art, but upon closer inspection, it’s a travel keepsake and memory inducer. The best of both worlds. Now, all I have to do is open my eyes and I’m transported back to the Carnival cruise with my mom.

I hope you enjoyed both of these tutorials. If you’re anything like me, now is the time to get those travel pictures off your computers and onto your walls. No more excuses. I can’t wait to see what you create.

This post was created for Away We Go with Carnival, the destination for getting in the getaway state of mind. Head on over.

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Mini Skillet Berry Cobblers

Recipes

Wednesday
Mar / 11 / 2015
Comments 11

Mini Skillet Berry Cobblers | Inspired by Charm

I managed to sneak away from the never-ending PA winter and transplant myself in sunny California this week. Hence, the lack of posts the past couple of days. More on my trip to CA soon.

However, I did manage to squeeze in a few fun things before I packed my bags and rushed out of town. One of the things I did was to make these delectable Mini Skillet Berry Cobblers. Yes, I’m loving A Year of the Skillet so much that I decided to expand my skillet collection with these adorable mini skillets. I’ve seen them used in a few recipes and thought they would be wonderful when entertaining small groups.

Whether the dish is sweet or savory, these minis are perfect for serving up individual portions.

Today, I’m keeping it sweet and doing my best to channel summer with these berry cobblers. Packed with fresh, juicy berries, the classic flavors of this dish are complemented with a hint of citrus: orange juice in the berries and orange zest in the dough.

I’ve made quite a few cobblers in my day, and I was really pleased with the way this particular dough turned out. It’s crisp on the outside and light and flaky on the inside. That’s my kind of cobbler.

While you could certainly go with any combination of berries, I opted for the four traditional ones: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.

Topped with ice cream, a few more berries, and a sprig of mint, you’re going to love this dessert.

Mini Skillet Berry Cobblers

(Makes 6 mini skillets)

Here's what you will need:
5 cups mixed berries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons orange juice, freshly squeezed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup buttermilk
Vanilla ice cream, fresh mint, and fresh berries for garnish

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.

Then, in a medium-size bowl, gently toss together the mixed berries, sugar, melted butter, and orange juice. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, orange zest, baking powder, and salt until combined. Then, cut in the cubed butter with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Add the buttermilk, stirring until the ingredients are moistened. On a lightly floured surface, turn out the dough and knead until just combined (about 4 - 6 times). Pat the dough into a 1-inch thick, 6 x 4 inch rectangle. Cut into 6 squares, then cut the squares diagonally in half to form 12 triangles.

Lightly grease your skillets and arrange them on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Divide the berry mixture among the skillets. Place 2 dough triangles over the berry mixture in each of the skillets.

Bake at for 22 - 26 minutes or until the fruit bubbles and the crust is golden. Cool for about 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with ice cream, extra berries, and sprig of mint.

Wouldn’t these be fun for an informal dinner with a few friends? I think so! Plus, they just might tide us over as we wait for summer.

Enjoy!

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Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad

Recipes

Thursday
Mar / 5 / 2015
Comments 16

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad | Inspired by Charm

I know that this is A Year of the Skillet, but sometimes I wish I’d declared it A Year of Pasta Salads. Maybe next year – because I really do love pasta salad. Actually, I love pasta however it’s served.

People often ask “What is your favorite food?” or “If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?” Well, I’m announcing that mine would be pasta, under the condition that I could fix and mix it in whatever way I wanted. Although some folks might not agree, in my opinion, pasta is a blank canvas – the perfect backdrop for the ingredients it’s paired with.

I want to explore and taste all the pastabilities!

Today I’m dreaming of summer picnics with burgers hot off the grill, succulent corn on the cob, and a bowl of colorful pasta salad. This Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad is a delicious twist on the classic recipe. I’m not sure it’s accurate to say this, but this version may be a tiny bit healthier than the traditional variety. This one is loaded with vegetables rather than gratuitous amounts of cheese and pepperoni.

I particularly enjoy this recipe because of the roasted vegetables. Roasting veggies in the oven is one of the easiest and most flavorful ways to cook them. Combine the pasta and roasted vegetables with a splash of pesto sauce, and you have a combination that’s hard to beat.

Also, unlike traditional pasta salad, this salad is served right away, at room temperature. You can chill the salad if you’d like, and to me, it is just as good.

Okay enough talking, let’s get cooking.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad

Here's what you will need:

1 1/2 cups zucchini (1 medium), chopped
1 1/2 cup yellow squash (1 medium), chopped
1 cup red onion (1 large), chopped
3/4 cup green pepper (1 medium), chopped
3/4 cup red bell pepper (1 medium), chopped
1 small eggplant, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces whole wheat penne
1 cup pesto sauce (homemade or store-bought)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil, julienned for garnish

Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F. In a roasting or sheet pan combine zucchini, yellow squash, onion, peppers, and eggplant. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir a couple times throughout the roasting process.

Transfer the roasted veggies to a very large bowl.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, rinse, and cool slightly. Add the pasta to the roasted vegetables and gently mix together.

Next, add the pesto and stir gently to coat the pasta and veggies. Finally, mix in the cherry tomatoes and season the salad to taste with additional salt at pepper. Garnish with fresh julienned basil.

Now it’s your turn. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

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A New Look for IBC

Life

Wednesday
Mar / 4 / 2015
Comments 69

This is such an exciting day, my friends. As you may have already noticed, Inspired by Charm is looking a little different. I am thrilled to share this all-new site design with you today!

Because technology and the Internet and the way we use them are constantly changing, it’s important for me to stay up-to-date. With the continued growth of IBC, I’ve taken note of what you search for most, ways to stay connected with you, and how you experience the blog overall. So late last year, I began working with Mike Trobiano, Owner and Creative Director of the Tampa-based design firm Dash Creative Group, on the redevelopment of the IBC website and brand image. I seriously couldn’t have done this without Mike and his team. He took my vision and turned it into a design that is intuitive, clean, and beautiful.

His company specializes in brand development, web design, visual merchandising, and the overall customer experience – bridging the gap between design and functionality.

I knew I wanted the aesthetic to feel personal yet clean and simple, so when we began considering ideas for the new direction, I worked with Mike on developing the blog into a cohesive brand. To help achieve this, we chose a fresh color palette with lots of white, pops of mint, and – of course – gold! By removing the background patterns and vibrant colors, the photography and content become the star of the site and allowed my personal style to come through.

This new uncluttered look keeps the site evolving every day since the photography and content make up most of the site’s visuals. As the seasons change, so will the content and look of the site. It’s a constantly changing experience that I hope will keep the reader (that’s you) coming back each day.

With all of that in mind, I decided that the IBC logo also needed an update. Mike hand lettered the logo and chose a similar typeface to repeat throughout the blog. Naturally, the final, official logo was done in gold. Big surprise, right?

In addition to the logo and updated look and functionality, let me point out a few of my favorite new features.

Updated Homepage:

The main page of IBC received the biggest overhaul. A decluttered design allows you to access all of the newest posts or dive deeper into the site by choosing a specific category. The homepage also integrates new social media features so you can easily see what I’m Instagramming and pinning. Each of those images are also linked to the source, so you can click any one for more information.

Responsive Design:

This is probably one of my favorite features. Our research showed that over 60% of IBC readers are visiting the site on their phones or tablets. Once, I knew this, it was so important to me to incorporate a responsive site design. Basically, with the introduction of the responsive design, mobile users can now experience IBC anywhere without sacrificing its quality or new features. Images, features, and text will automatically resize to make viewing the site easy and enjoyable.

Take a look at the site on mobile. Details like accessing the menu bar are now at the touch of your finger without having to zoom in and out to make sure you’re clicking the right word.

Organized Archives:

I’ll be the first to admit that finding past posts on IBC was a bit challenging. Not any more. Mike and his team at Dash Creative Group adjusted the site to create more direct access to primary categories (recipes, interiors, DIY, entertaining, and life) and secondary filters which makes the site much more intuitive to both new and returning readers. Recipes can be filtered by type, interiors can be viewed by specific rooms, and so on. Pretty great, right?

In addition to all of that, there are a lot of other fun new features. So grab a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine) and poke around the site for a while. You’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like.

As always, I would love your feedback about the new design. Feel free to note in the comments what you love, what could be better, or weird issues you’re encountering. Your patience is appreciated as we fix any bugs that may arise and continue to fine tune the site.

Another huge thanks to Mike and Dash Creative Group. Do show him some love for putting up with my insane and microscopic requests over the past few months. He was such a trooper and true professional. You can visit the Dash site here or follow along with their creative work via Facebook and Instagram.

Thanks to each of you for your continued support. I sincerely hope you love the new look of Inspired by Charm!

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White Chicken Chili Recipe

Recipes

Tuesday
Mar / 3 / 2015
Comments 18

This White Chicken Chili recipe is easily one of my favorite things to make when the weather gets cold. It’s simple to make in a slow cooker and so delicious!

Yes, my friends. Today we are making this White Chicken Chill recipe. You should get excited because it is so tasty!

I don’t like soup; I’ve never liked it. I literally roll my eyes at chicken noodle soup. (It probably rolls its eyes right back at me.) There’s only one exception to this aversion – cream soup, the kind made with heavy cream that coats your tongue in silky deliciousness. Think corn chowder, lobster bisque, etc. I also love chili.

This White Chicken Chili recipe is from Seven Mountains Wine Cellar just outside State College, PA. This is one of my favorite local wineries, so I had a feeling I would love the chili.

How to Make White Chicken Chili:

Made with chicken, beans, sweet corn, cheese for creaminess, and, of course, wine – I really dug this chili.

In fact, I liked the stuff so much that I decided to serve it as the main course for my mom’s birthday party last month. Along with a traditional red chili, this was the star of the show. Multiple people asked for the recipe. Thankfully, I have a space on the Internet to share it with everyone.

Also, (I feel like I say this for every recipe.), this is so simple to make. Once the chicken, onion, and garlic are sautéed in a pan (or in your slow cooker if you have one that allows you to do such things), the rest of the chili comes together in the slow cooker. Set it and forget it.

If you liked this White Chicken Chili recipe, you’ll also love:

If you’re looking for an easy and delicious meal to warm you up, you must give this White Chicken Chili recipe a try. I’m certain you’re going to love it!

Let’s get into it.

Definitely give this soup a try. I hope you love it as much as I do.

White Chicken Chili Recipe:

White Chicken Chili

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

Prep Time 10 mins

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This White Chicken Chili recipe is easily one of my favorite things to make when the weather gets cold. It's simple to make in a slow cooker, feeds a crowd, and is so delicious!

Pin It!