What We've Been Eating Lately

I don't know about you, but I love seeing what other people are eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That's probably why I love Instagram so much, an endless stream of good eats and inspiration. I get stuck in food ruts all the time. We're currently in one right now with breakfast. Miss A is refusing to eat eggs, oatmeal (not like she ever did before), and yogurt. She'll only eat toast or waffles right now. And blueberries by the carton. Anyway, I thought I'd share some of our recent eats with you in case you're looking for something new to eat!

Breakfast- toast, peanut butter, and banana is still one of my go-to's. I also like to add a drizzle of honey or agave with granola.

Lunch- lettuce wraps! A few weeks ago I was on a huge lettuce wrap kick and was stuffing them with roasted turkey, dried cranberries, sliced carrots, and mozzarella cheese. On the side I'd have a chopped cucumber, tomato, and feta salad, lightly tossed in olive oil and lemon juice. 

Dinner- This is one of my favorite dinners we had recently. Sweet and sour chicken over fried brown rice, mixed with chopped carrots, frozen peas, corn, scrambled egg, and diced red pepper. I sauteed all the veggies first in some sesame seed oil, added cold day old rice, an egg, and scrambled it all up. Then I dosed it with soy sauce and topped the whole thing with diced green onions. It was delicious! 

Another favorite is Alaskan Baked Salmon with lemon risotto and sauteed zucchini. This is how I usually make salmon. It's super easy and fast to put together. The oven does all the work for you and I love the crunchy topping. 

Not the best picture, but these potato nachos were a lot of fun to make and a new thing for us to try. I sliced up idaho potatoes very thin, tossed them in some olive oil, salt and pepper and placed them on a wire rack on to of a baking sheet. Then I added cheddar cheese, black beans, tomatoes, and green onions. 

Hope you find something new to try!

Inside-Out Burrito

If you follow me on Instagram, then you've seen me share this a million times. I've had many questions as to what it is and how I make it, so today, I'm going to tell you all about it! I struggle with what to call this. I toyed with "burrito on a plate" or "burrito bowls" (I love to serve this in large bowls) and "inside-out burrito". I thought that was a good fit, hence the title of my post. Whatever you want to call it, this is one my favorite meals. I'm obsessed with it. I'll make it for lunch or dinner, at least once a week! It's my fall back to those nights I don't want to make anything on my menu or don't have much left in the house at the end of the week.

The great thing about this is there isn't really a recipe for it, and you can customize it however you like it. Don't like red onions? Leave them out. A regular onion works just fine. Want it to be spicy? Add some jalapeno peppers, crank up the cumin, or add some red pepper flakes to the mix. You can even leave out the chicken and just have the beans, which I do ALL the time, for a meatless meal. Really, anything goes!

This particular night, I had a red onion, lettuce, black beans, cheddar cheese, and chopped chicken. You could also use:

Red/Green Peppers

Jalapeno Peppers

Yellow Onions

Tomatoes

Corn

Spinach

Shrimp

Here's how I make it:

Step 1. Start the rice first (we only eat brown rice in our house, but it would certainly be delicious with white rice).

Step 2. Season the chicken with cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. I spray a skillet with cooking spray and cook the chicken for five-seven minutes, on both sides. Once it's cool enough to handle I chop it up.

Step 3. Layer the rice in a bowl or on a plate, then add the chicken, and whatever veggies you're using. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Add a dollop of sour cream and salsa. Serve and enjoy!

Sweet & Sour Chicken

We don't order take-out very often. If we do it's because I'm sick, or had a really bad day and can't muster up the energy to cook. Typically we order Chinese food if we want take-out and my favorite things to order are monogolian beef, sesame chicken, and sweet and sour chicken.

I've tried making monogolian beef at home a long time ago. It failed miserably! I do make fried rice at home (I didn't this time around) but that still needs work too. I came across this recipe for sweet and sour chicken on Mel's Kitchen Cafe and was amazed at how many people love it. I kind of feel like the last blogger on Earth to make it!

This did not disappoint! It was true to and I'd even say better than most take-out places that I've ever had. I loooooved it. When my husband got home I gave him all that was left after the mini me and I attacked it (which was still a lot, this makes plenty of leftovers) and he devoured it. Needless to say, this will definitely be added to our dinner rotation. Don't you love it when that happens- a recipe that is a true winner.

Source: Mel's Kitchen

For the Chicken
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite-size pieces
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

For the Sauce
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. While the oil is heating, cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Season the pieces with salt and pepper. Place the cornstarch in a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Add

the chicken to the bag and seal, tossing to coat the chicken. Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl. Dip the chicken pieces in the egg and place them carefully in a single layer in the hot skillet (it's best to do this with tongs). Cook for 1-2 minutes and then flip each piece over to cook the other side until nicely golden but not all the way cooked through. Do this in batches until all the chicken is golden, transferring to the baking dish, making sure the chicken is in a single layer. 

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and pour it over the chicken in the baking dish. Bake for one hour, turning the chicken pieces over at least once, so they're all coated in the sauce. Serve over hot, steamed rice.

Crushed Oreo Vanilla Pudding Parfait

Sometimes you just want something simple. And tasty. Very tasty.

Something that isn't going to take 30 minutes to make and doesn't require you to turn on the oven. Something that's easy to whip up on a weeknight so your husband can say, "Wow, how'd you find the time to make that?" I made these Oreo parfaits one night while I was simultaneously cooking dinner, with Miss A on the floor, with no husband in sight. That doesn't happen very often around these parts. Making dinner is hard enough on it's own!  

I had some heavy cream in the fridge that was getting ready to expire. I also had a giant box of Oreo's that the hubby and I couldn't pass up on our last visit to Costco. And I had a box of vanilla pudding! Winning. Miss A was able to "help" me by smashing up the Oreo's. I put them in a ziploc bag and had her whack away at them with a wooden spoon. This kept her entertained for quite a while. I was able to make the pudding and whip up the heavy cream from start to finish and then layered them in these tall glasses.

Serves: 2
1 box of vanilla pudding
2 cups cold milk
6 Oreo's
3/4 cup of heavy cream

First, crush cookies in a ziploc bag. Grab a bowl and prepare the pudding according to package directions. In another bowl beat the heavy cream on low, gradually increase to medium, and lastly high. Beat until it begins to thicken, about five minutes, until your desired consistency.  To layer the parfaits, start with the pudding, cookie crumbs, and whipped cream. For the next layer, pour cookie crumbs, pudding, and then whipped cream. Garnish with a cookie if desired.

Garlic Roast Chicken

Don't you love it when something turns out so right?

I've been doing a lot of cooking lately. I don't know what's got into me and how I've been able to manage it with Miss A running amok and all. Actually, dare I say, she's been pretty good these days. If Daddy isn't home when it's time to start cooking dinner, I let her watch a little TV (after about 10 minutes, she's cruising on the sofa). It's the only way I can get started and I watch her from the sink as I chop and peel vegetables.  When she starts losing interest I scoop her up and put her in her highchair with some books and a sippy cup. This doesn't lasts long either So the next thing to try is measuring cups and bowls! She also likes to play with the kitchen towels and will pull them down to play peek-a-boo. Whatever works, right? Dinner has to somehow make its way to the table!

So, with that said, I was really happy at how easy this was to put together. I butterflied the chicken breasts, arranged them on a baking sheet with olive oil, salt, pepper, a few crushed garlic cloves, rosemary, and lemon zest. This was a great compromise for cooking a whole chicken. Instead of having it cook for an hour and a half, this was done in 20 minutes! The end result was moist and tasty. The juices rest in the oven for about five minutes with the oven shut off, a great way to add even more flavor. I paired this with garlic rice pilaf and a cesar salad. I bet it would also go great with roasted asparagus and mashed potatoes!

Source: adapted from Classic Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals Cookbook
Servings: 4

2 large boneless chicken breasts, butterflied
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon rosemary
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juice and zest
1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Butterfly each chicken breast so that you have four thin pieces. Arrange chicken in a 13x9 baking dish and salt and pepper both sides. Add the crushed garlic cloves, rosemary, olive oil, and lemon zest. Toss and coat with the ingredients and roast in the oven fro 20 minutes. Add the chicken broth or wine and lemon juice to the pan and combine with the juices. Turn the oven off and allow to stand in the warm oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, serve the chicken with the pan juices.

Slow-Cooker Asian-Style Beef

I absolutely love my crock pot. I tell everyone I know to get one if they don't have one. Are you too busy or too exhausted to cook some nights? Looking for meals after having a baby? Not that good in the kitchen? Do you feel like you're out of ideas on what to make for dinner? Then, my friends, you need to invest in a crock pot!

I mean, look at what comes out of it! Tender, juicy meat. Every single time. I've made pulled pork, orange chicken, beef dip sandwiches, ribs...the list goes on and on. Next I've gotta try dessert. Didn't know you could make dessert in a crock pot? You certainly can! I'll share something with you soon!

So what we have here is some boneless beef chuck. Red peppers, teriyaki sauce, garlic, green onions and red pepper flakes are all you need to get started. I always cook whatever is in my crock pot on low. Everything seems to come out much better that way. After the 6 hours are up, you'll pour some toasted sesame dressing and cornstarch into the base to make a sauce. I paired mine with white rice and steamed peas. It was a winner in our house, even Miss A asked for seconds!

Source: Kraft
Servings: 4

4 green onions, chopped

2 tbsp oil

2 lbs boneless beef chuck or blade roast trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 red bell peppers, sliced into strips

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

2 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 cup Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing (I used Kraft's)

2 cups frozen peas

1/2 cup cashews 

 

Chop onions and separate the white and green. Mince the garlic and slice the red peppers. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the meat, cooking for 5 min- you just want to brown it for some flavor before you add it to the crockpot. Stir occasionally, making sure to get all sides. Add minced garlic at the last minute, stirring until fragrant. Stir in teriyaki sauce, bell peppers, crushed red pepper and white onion slices. Stir everything together and pour into the crock pot. 

Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. If you're going to make rice, start the rice with 30 minutes left of cooking. Steam your peas and add to the rice.
 
Mix the cornstarch and toasted sesame dressing in a bowl until blended. Add to the crock pot along with the cashews and stir. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Top with green onion slices.  

Link up at Kitchenspiration

5 Back-to-School Weeknight Meals

It's back-to-school time and as a former teacher, I know how busy the first week is. Getting back into a routine after a lazy summer is not always an easy thing to do! I picked out a few of my favorite quick and easy meals for you to get back into the swing of things. 

1. Black Bean and Goat Cheese Quesadillas 

So simple. It really doesn't get any easier than this. Black beans, goat cheese, jalapeno peppers, and a red onion are all you need for these quesadillas. They would make for a great lunch too! 

2. Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese

I can assure you that this is definitely kid tested and kid approved. My daughter eats this up whenever I make it, which is great, since her tastes are constantly changing and evolving! She loves picking up the mini cheeseburgers and has tons of fun picking up pieces of pasta. All ages would love this and it makes for great leftovers!

3. Crispy Parmesan Sage Pork Chops

Another favorite in our house. Start them off on the stove and then transfer them to the oven to continue cooking. These pork chops have a crispy coating and I love the hint of sage and lemon. I've served them along side baked potatoes, green beans, and broccoli.

4. Crockpot Salsa Chicken

This has got to be my favorite crock pot recipe, hands down. I make it at least three times a month and it never fails to disappoint. You can get crazy and add all kinds of veggies on top- peppers, tomatoes, diced red onion, and black beans. 

5. Creamy Baked Ziti

I love baked ziti and this is my go-to recipe. I like to change it up often and use ground pork, Italian sausage, or ground beef. I also get crazy sometimes and make my own tomato sauce where I can hide veggies like zucchini and spinach. Serve along side a green side or garlic bread. Delicious!

S'more Chocolate Bars

Yesterday we had one last hoorah before our baby decides to make her debut. We celebrated the 4th in style grilling out back in our patio with good friends and good food.

On the menu: mustard and herb marinated chicken, grilled steak, roasted potato wedges with red ranch dressing, slices of Italian bread with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, garden salad, corn on the cob, S'more chocolate bars, and lemon blueberry muffins.   

I prepped all the food in the morning, starting with slices of Italian bread, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. I also made the S'more chocolate bars and did a little sampling. Delicioso! 

I also got a little crafty. I took out my Cricut and made some stars. I found an old blue ribbon, glued the stars on, and hung it on our door. It came out great, if I do say so myself. I was very proud.

We arranged all the food out back and grilled chicken, steak, and corn. Later on in the evening we cheered watching a "show" of fireworks, hosted by the hubby.

_____________________________________________________________________

 Now, what can I say about these S'more bars? They were a hit! Gooey, chocolatey, with a yummy brownie layer, I knew I was going to make them for the 4th as soon as I saw them in one of my cookbooks. As our friends arrived they started to eat them, before we even had anything set out on the grill!

Source: adapted from Celebrating Cookies Book 2 
Servings: about 4 dozen bars

1 box of brownie mix
vegetable oil
water
egg
14 graham cracker sheets, crumbled
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, combine the brownie mix and the oil, water, and egg (follow directions according to your mix for measurements). Stir until well combined. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Crumble the graham cracker sheets over the mix, giving it a shake before it goes into the oven to evenly spread out the crumbs. Bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, take out the brownies and top with the chocolate chips and marshmallows. Place back into the oven and bake for 10 more minutes or until marshmallows begin to brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

When the bars have cooled,  oil a knife and cut into bars.

Snickerdoodles with Biscoff "Frosting"

A few weeks ago, the hubby and I became obsessed with these cookies.

On their own, these snickerdoodles are great. Lots of cinnamony and sugary goodness. But with biscoff added to the mix...these cookies are dangerous. I bet you can't just eat one. 

I took a shortcut and instead of making a filling to sandwich between two cookies (like in the original recipe), I decided to "frost" them with biscoff spread. Best.decision.ever. We were eating these cookies like they were going out of style! I froze several bags of dough balls in one morning to take out once baby arrives- for our sanity, for when family and friends drop by. 

  
Our obsession decreased, gradually, and we moved on to chocolate chunk cookies...which are, I have to say, some of the best cookies I've ever made! I gotta make more though, we ate them all before pictures could be taken. ;) Stay tuned!

Source: Two Peas and Their Pod

 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Put butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in flour mixture.

3. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into balls, I used a heaping teaspoon of dough. Roll balls in cinnamon and sugar. Place cookie dough balls on prepared baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges are golden. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Summer Garden Pasta

The summer months should be spent relaxing, reading, hanging by the pool, and taking long walks with an ice cream cone in hand. They shouldn't be about fancy dishes or long hours spent in the kitchen. Although, I will admit, I did roast a chicken the other day when it was 90 degrees out..what can I say, I suddenly have a lot of time on my hands (ie, school's out, I'm waiting for this baby to pop out, gotta keep myself busy somehow). 

Really though, I do find myself looking for easier meals to make in the summer: salads, quick pastas, new marinades for things to throw on the grill. I watched Ina Garten make this easy pasta dish one afternoon when I had no dinner plan in mind. I ran into the kitchen and gleefully cheered aloud that I had all necessary ingredients on hand. I added chicken to it as I need heavy amounts of protein lately (baby is HUNGRY) but it really isn't necessary. The flavors come together so well and if I could have a glass of wine, I totally would have with this!

Source: Foodnetwork

4 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
Good olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
18 large basil leaves, julienned, plus extra for serving
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried angel hair pasta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Combine the cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, basil leaves, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature for about 4 hours.

Just before you're ready to serve, bring a large pot of water with a splash of olive oil and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil and add the pasta. Cook al dente according to the directions on the package (be careful - it only takes 2 to 3 minutes!). Drain the pasta well and add to the bowl with the cherry tomatoes. Add the cheese and some extra fresh basil leaves and toss well. Serve in big bowls with extra cheese on each serving.

Roasted Mini Apple "Pies"

Talk about cuteness overload.

I'm in love with these mini apple "pies."

This is one of the easiest, simplest, and quickest desserts I've ever made. I recently watched several hours of the Food Network. I was a complete couch potato (pregnancy allows for that though, right?) and jotted down a ton of new things I want to try before baby decides to make her arrival. In possibly 6 more weeks, yikes! These mini apple pies are one of the many I wrote down. I also happened to have everything in the fridge at that very moment, therefore, this is the first thing that I'm sharing with you. Another perk for this recipe- you might not need to make a special trip to the store!

I'm sure you could jazz it up and make some sort of caramel sauce to go with it. Which would be divine, mmmm. If you do that, tell me how it goes! But the simplicity of this can't be beat. Roll out your store-bought pie crust, slice some apples and toss them in cinnamon and sugar. Make your own whipped cream or dollop some out of a tub of Cool Whip. Dessert is ready under 15 minutes. 

Source: Foodnetwork

1 (9-inch) refrigerated rolled pie crust
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
cookie cutter or glass

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper sprayed with vegetable cooking spray.

Unroll the pie crust out on a work surface. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 8 disks of pastry. Arrange the pastry disks on the prepared baking sheet. Using the tines of a fork, prick the pastry all over. Bake until brown and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely, about 10 minutes.

Slice the bottom of the apples to create an even surface for cutting. Slice each apple into 6 (1/2-inch) slices.
Cut each apple slice in half and remove any seeds or pieces of core. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Add the apple slices and toss until coated. Shake off any excess mixture. Arrange the apple slices on the same baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until dark brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream until thick, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until the cream is very thick.

To assemble the pies: Place the pastry disks on a work surface. Divide the cooked apple slices among 4 of the disks. Dollop about 2 tablespoons of the cream on top of the apples and cover with the remaining disks. Serve immediately.

Bacon Mushroom Honey Dijon Chicken

Bacon and I have recently become BFF's.

BLT's are a huge pregnancy craving of mine. So much so that I ran home during my break one day to make a one and ate it back at work for lunch. I'm throwing bacon into salads, or rather, huge cobb salads that I'm also having a fling with. Bacon is in pasta. Bacon is in any wrap or sandwich I make. I heart bacon!

What I'm sharing with you today is by far my favorite thing that I've made with bacon. It tastes like something you'd get at a steakhouse, all smothered with cheese, mushrooms, bacon...with a slight hint of bbq sauce (even though no bbq sauce is used in this recipe). I'm obsessed with it and could eat it regularly if I allowed myself. It's quick enough to have on a weeknight, as long as you've marinated your chicken that morning or the night before. Make this, you won't be disappointed! As it cooks you can slice your mushrooms and fry up your bacon. I did make one change- my chicken was fully cooked before I topped it with everything. I let it hang out in the covered skillet so that the cheese could melt, heat on low.

Source: Mommy I'm Hungry
Serving:  2-4

1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
4-1/2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Dash paprika
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
8 bacon strips, cut and cooked
2 tbls sliced green onions

In a small bowl, combine the mustard, honey, 1-1/2 teaspoons oil and lemon juice. Pour into a large resealable plastic bag; add the chicken. Seal the bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 2 hours.

Drain and discard marinade from chicken. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown chicken in remaining oil on all sides. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. Remove and set aside.

In the same skillet, saute mushrooms with cooked bacon until tender. Remove to set aside. Add chicken breasts to skillet, top with mushroom and bacon then cheeses and green onions.
Cook over low heat, covered for 15-20 minutes until juices run clear.

Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce

Are you still looking for something special to make for your sweetie on Valentine's Day?

If you answered yes, you've come to the right place! Or if you already have tomorrow tonight all figured out and won't be cooking and will be going out to eat or have something already marinating in the fridge, good for you! I'd suggest filing this under "romantic dinners for two," for an ordinary night, or special weekend treat.

Days like Valentine's Day or anniversaries or other special occasions can be stressful. You want the night to be perfect. You want to serve something memorable, something spectacular, something delicious. What would make it even better is if that something spectacular and something delicious didn't take all day to make or didn't have 134532 steps.

Well, that's what's so great about this salmon here. Two steps. TWO steps. (I'm not counting chopping the garlic, squeezing the lime, that's baby stuff folks). Grill or broil your salmon however you like. Blend all the ingredients for the butter sauce. And you're done.

DONE!

And it is pretty spectacular.

Source: Epicurious
Serves: 4-6

2 fillets of salmon
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Salt and pepper salmon fillets. Grill or broil. While salmon is cooking, start butter sauce. Purée garlic with lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth. With motor running, add melted butter and blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds.

Note: This butter can easily serve 4-6 people. I froze the rest.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Every now and then I get in the mood to bake a cake. Slathered in frosting, layer by layer, covered in sprinkles. Instead of making a huge cake that would taunt me and wink at me from across the room, I made a smaller, "healthier" version of a cake by using bananas and my 8 x 8 pan. But I didn't skip out on the frosting.

It is brown butter frosting, after all. The magic of brown butter. I love watching the butter melt and allowing it to become a warm amber color. It's so easy to make and once it's done you'll be surprised at how moist this cake is. It holds up well too, hanging out in an air tight container for more than a week.

Source: Lauren's Latest
Servings: 12


Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup plain applesauce, unsweetened (I used yogurt)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large bananas, mashed

Frosting
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 8×8 square dish with non stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, excluding the sugar. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a different bowl, whip sugar, oil and applesauce together. Stir in eggs, vanilla and mashed banana. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Pour into prepared dish and bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Cool completely.

To make the frosting, place butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Just after the butter melts, start swirling the pan in small circles. After about 30 seconds or so, the butter should start foaming and will turn an amber color and smell nutty. Once this happens, remove from heat immediately and pour into a different container. Cool to room temperature.

Once butter has cooled, whip together with vanilla, powdered sugar and cream until smooth and creamy. Spread over cooled cake and top with chopped walnuts, if desired. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Mac n' Cheese Soup

I've had this recipe dog-eared for months. The photograph in the magazine, Cuisine at Home, is a cheese-lovers, i.e me, dream. Filled to the rim with noddles in a cheddar bath and topped with crumbled bleu cheese (I can't have any bleu cheese right now, so sad). I die. If only I could make my bowl of soup look that good.

It's good enough though, right? I love that it has some crunch to it with bites of celery (also making it "healthy") and that it is super easy to make. Have it for lunch or dinner. With a grilled cheese on the side? Or would that be too much?

I'd love to experiment with different kinds of cheeses in the near future. The recipe calls for sharp cheddar, which is perfect, and fitting. How fun would it be to mix it up though and use different flavors? Let me know what you come up with.

Source: Cuisine at Home
Servings: 7 cups

1 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced celery
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (I used regular pepper)
2 cups whole milk
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese (optional)
2 tbsp. minced fresh chives

Cook macaroni in large pot of salted water according to package direction; drain and set aside.

Sweat onion and celery in butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour to coat and cook 1 minute. Deglaze with wine and simmer until nearly evaporated. Stir in broth, mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne. Simmer until slightly thickened, 5 minutes, then whisk and warm through. Do not let boil or base may become grainy.

Add cheddar, 1 cup at a time, allowing it to melt completely before adding the next cup. Stir in macaroni, lemon juice, and salt; remove from heat.

Combine bleu cheese and chives in a small bowl. Garnish each serving with bleu cheese mixture. 

What soups are you loving lately?

Whole Wheat Grilled Chicken Wrap with Bacon

I don't know about you, but sometimes figuring out what to have for lunch can be a daunting task. Around these parts we have sandwiches, salads, or leftovers. Lately I've been making lots of salads to reach my veggie quota, but I've also turned to whole wheat pita bread.

It's really hard to photograph a wrap. How do the great food bloggers do it?

I constantly have lettuce, chicken, and cheese in the house. Those are essentials in my kitchen. Without them I'd be lost, especially without cheese. This week I had bacon in the produce drawer too, a rare commodity. As much as I love bacon, I try not to buy it too often or I'll put it into everything we eat. Which is exactly what I did this week. Oops.

What I love about wraps is how customizable they are. You can change them up so often it's hard to get bored of them. In this wrap I've got grilled chicken strips, bacon, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and honey mustard dressing. This isn't really a recipe, more of an idea of something new to have for lunch, in cause you've been struggling. I'm thinking of trying shrimp next!

Grilled Chicken Pita

Whole wheat pita bread
2 slices of bacon, cooked
Grilled chicken strips, cooked (I buy a bag of them at Costco already prepared)
Head of romaine lettuce
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
Shredded mozzarella cheese

Honey Mustard Dressing

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey mustard
Squeeze of lemon juice

Heat up pita bread in the microwave for 20 seconds. Fry bacon in a skillet and drain. Using the same skillet reheat grilled chicken strips, flipping over when starting to turn brown. Layer lettuce, bacon, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and chicken. To make dressing, combine olive oil, honey mustard, and lemon juice in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour over wrap contents and enjoy!

What do you like to have for lunch?

Chicken with Tomato-Herb Pan Sauce

I've been eating a lot of tomatoes lately. I'm not a huge tomato person, I like them in salads, sandwiches but I could eat brushetta all day long. But for some reason I've noticed myself buying batches of tomatoes at the store. It's not because of a pregnancy craving either; I'm not dying to stuff them in my face.

But somehow they are making their way into my cart.

My favorite tomatoes are cherry tomatoes. I like to halve them and throw them into a salad or mix into pasta. I also like to make small caprese salads with them, drizzled in lots and lots of olive oil. This was a perfect way to use up what I had left of my tomatoes last week.

It's a super easy meal, so easy I categorized it as a "weeknight meal." You can get this on the table in 15-20 minutes. I loved the homemade butter spread in the recipe, however, next time I think I'll double it. The sauce could have used a bit more!
 
Source: Bon Appetit
Serves: 2

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped marjoram or oregano (I had oregano)
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups mixed cherry tomatoes (My store didn't have mixed)
Flat-leaf parsley

Mash butter, garlic, marjoram (or oregano), and paprika in a small bowl to blend. Season butter with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet, cover, and cook until no longer pink in center, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. Tent chicken with foil to keep warm.

Increase heat to high. Add tomatoes to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to char and burst, about 5 minutes. Add remaining marjoram butter to skillet. Crush tomatoes slightly to release juices; stir 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon tomato sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Buttery Dinner Rolls

These are the best rolls ever.

I'm on a roll (haha, no pun intended) finding easy recipes lately. Spanish chicken? I could do that in my sleep! Egg and Bacon Salad for lunch? Um, yes please. A reason to use my crockpot? Who you kidding.

Today I hope to break bread with you. I promise the whole process (not counting oven time) takes 30 minutes. Less if you have a helper- come here, husband! Or if you've got kids, they can definitely help with this too. It's fun, it's relaxing, it's an activity for the whole family. Grandma visiting? They like bread too, no? Get everybody in the kitchen!

What I love most about making bread is watching the dough rise. With these rolls, you don't need to get the dough to rise. Instead, you'll get to see what happens to yeast after it sits in a bowl of warm water and honey. I've made these rolls 3 times already and I'm still amazed. Easily entertained.

After the yeast has gotten all foamy and bubbly, you'll make the dough. If you have a stand mixer this is easy. If not, that's okay, your hands will work just fine. Once the dough has been kneaded, you'll cut out strips and roll them into little balls. Easy peasy!

Source: Sprinkles of Parsley
Servings: 20 rolls

2 cups very warm water
1 packet yeast
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 1/2 cups flour (I used half whole wheat, half white)
melted butter (about 1/2 stick)

Begin with preheating your oven to 350 degrees.  Then in a mixing bowl, combine your water, yeast, and honey.  Gently stir until your honey dissolves.  Place the bowl on your stove top and cover with a dry towel.  Make sure your oven is preheated to 350 degrees because when working with dough, you have to create a warm environment to activate the yeast so that it properly rises.  Let your bowl sit untouched for 15 minutes.  

After 15 minutes, your mixture should appear slightly foamy.   Add your salt and baking powder and stir until incorporated.  Then transfer your liquid mixture to an electric mixer if you have one.  Otherwise do this next step by hand.  With the paddle attachment, mix on low speed, gradually adding a 1/2 cup of flour at a time until you've reached 4 1/2 cups.  Mix on low until the flour is incorporated.  Then switch your paddle attachment with the dough hook attachment and mix on high speed for 2-3 minutes.  The dough hook does the kneading for you.  Don't be alarmed when your dough slashes around violently- that's normal! All in the act of kneading.  If you don't have a mixer, transfer your dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 2-3 minutes.  

Once your dough has finished kneading, transfer to a lightly floured surface and sprinkle with flour.  Shape your ball of dough into a rectangle and cut into 4 even strips.  Then cut and shape into 20 balls of dough.   Cut an x into each ball. 

Grease a 9x13 pan with butter and place your balls of dough evenly into the pan.  Brush with melted butter. Then place your buns into the preheated oven (should still be preheated to 350 degrees).  Immediately after your close the oven door, increase the temperature to 400 degrees and bake for 17-19 minutes or until golden brown.  

Break apart your dinner rolls and serve warm. 

Steph's Virtual Bridal Shower: Chicken Cordon Bleu

Today's post is a special one.

A fellow blogger is getting married!! Today is her Virtual Bridal Shower. If you don't know Steph from Steph's Bite by Bite, you should. Her blog is one of the first I started to read before I decided to create a blog of my own. She's funny, cute, quirky, beautiful, and honest. I can always count on her to share a new and creative recipe that I'll immediately want to make myself. 

I was contacted by Kita to participate in Steph's Virtual Bridal Shower. To say I was so excited is an understatement- I love weddings! And bridal showers? I loved mine so much, from the food, decor, generous gifts, and amazing family and friends. Throughout this post I thought I'd share some pictures from my own shower.

I feel very honored to be a part of Steph's celebration. I decided to take the theme, Date Night, to heart. Last Saturday the hubby was home and I said, "Hey, go put on something nice and come cook with me in the kitchen."

"I have to cook?" hubby exclaimed.

"If you call putting a salad together and buttering some dinner rolls cooking, yes." 

Giving him any other task would be too stressful. At least he was a good sport!

I handled the main dish while we chatted about how annoying it is to shred romaine leaves. Once the chicken was in the oven, the rest was a piece of cake. He lit the candles so we could eat by candlelight. Our wedding china was pulled out. I set the table with our formal dinnerware. Soft music played in the background. Date night at home.

Our menu consisted of chicken cordon bleu, roasted broccoli, a side cesar salad, buttery dinner rolls, and apple crumble for dessert. It was the perfect evening. I encourage you to do the same. But dress up! It's so much more fun.

Source: slightly adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything
Servings: 4

For the Cordon Bleu:
2 large, thick boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise (to make two thinner chicken breast cutlets)
4 slices good quality deli ham
1 cup panko
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 slices Swiss cheese

For the Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and melted butter. Set aside.

Lay the cut chicken breasts in a single layer in the 9X13-inch dish. Layer each chicken breast with a slice of ham and top with a slice of Swiss cheese, layering across the chicken breast to make sure the entire chicken breast is covered with ham and cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the chicken.

Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through completely, the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden.

When the chicken is almost done, in a medium saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, whisking constantly. Cook the flour/butter mixture for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking quickly. Stir in the chicken bouillon granules and salt. Whisk mixture constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes.

Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm until the chicken is finished baking. If your sauce is too thick, whisk in some more milk. If it's too thin, simmer longer.

Serve each chicken cordon bleu portion with warm sauce. 

Congratulations once again Steph! I hope you enjoy your Virtual Bridal Shower and have a gorgeous wedding!!

Spanish Chicken with Potatoes and Chorizo

The simplicity of this can't be beat.

Go get one of your best oven-safe porcelain baking dishes (so that you can transfer from the oven to the table), make a side salad (if you wish) and maybe some dinner rolls. Throw on a 1950's housewife dress, dust the furniture, and make a cocktail for your hubby before he gets home.

Not that I did any of that.

No, really. I didn't. I may be a good wife, but I'm not that good. It might be fun though?

Anyway.

Here's what I did do and what I'm getting at: this is so incredibly easy that I might make this once a week. I went to Trader Joe's and bought a chicken already cut up for me, i.e. the lazy route. I scrubbed some baby potatoes, sliced my chorizo, chopped an onion, zested an orange, and gathered up my spices: oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour some olive oil in that pretty baking dish and arrange your chicken pieces. Nestle the potatoes and slices of chorizo wherever you wish and sprinkle the onion, orange zest, and seasonings over everything. Slide that into the oven. Dance. Sing. Shower. Run 3 miles. Pat yourself on the back because dinner is done!

Source: adapted from Life is Great
Servings: 4

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 assorted pieces of chicken (breasts, legs, or thighs)
2 chorizos, sliced
5 baby potatoes, halved
1 shallot, sliced
2 teaspoons oregano
1 orange, zested
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425. Put the oil in the bottom of a roasting pan. Rub the skin of the chicken in the oil, season with salt accordingly, then turn them skin-side up. Nestle the chorizo sausages and the new potatoes. 

Sprinkle the onion and the oregano over, then grate the orange zest over the entire pan. Cook for 30 minutes, then baste the contents with the orange-colored juices. Continue cooking for about 30 minutes or till chicken is done. Note: Mine was done in 50 minutes, check regularly. 

Would you share some of your best one-pan/one-pot dishes?