Love Thy Kitchen

Baked Rigatoni

2012-02-11T00:37:00.000-06:00

When I was in college, this was a consistent request from friends. It's the best comfort food and makes great leftovers. :)

You'll need:

1 (1 lb.) package rigatoni
1 lb. lean ground beef

1 jar spaghetti sauce (I used Newman's Own Fire Roasted Tomato & Garlic)

1/2 a medium onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. Italian season
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil (or a few leaves of the fresh stuff)
1/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste
8 oz. container sour cream
8 oz. ricotta cheese
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Dice your half onion.

Saute for about 10 minutes on medium heat.

Add diced garlic and saute for another couple minutes before adding your ground beef. Brown the meat, breaking it up into tiny pieces.

Add the whole jar of spaghetti sauce.

Add some fresh basil if you have some on hand. Otherwise, the dried stuff will do the trick. Add Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Let the sauce simmer on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.

While that's simmering, start cooking your pasta.

This is also a good time to mix the sour cream and ricotta in a small bowl.

Cook the pasta according the package instructions and drain.

Return pasta to its original pot and add the meat sauce. Stir that up!

Add half of the pasta mixture to a 9x11 glass dish that's been sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.

Top with the sour cream/ricotta mixture.

Layer that with the rest of the pasta/meat mixture.

Top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Invite friends over to share, and serve while hot!

Enjoy!

Super Bowl recipes

2012-02-05T17:07:00.000-06:00

I love watching football, but if Baylor isn't playing, I tend to care more about the food than the game. Here are some quick and crowd-friendly recipes for your Super Bowl party!

Jalapeño Poppers

Nutella Rice Krispy Treats

Nutella Puppy Chow

Pizza Scrolls

Chicken Nachos

Love football and love football-friendly snacks! Enjoy!

Nutella Puppy Chow

2012-01-28T12:36:00.000-06:00

Here's an easy crowd-pleaser! Just make sure you have lots of people around when you conjure this up because it makes way too much for one person to handle.

You'll need:

1/4 cup butter

1 cup Nutella

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

9 cups Chex (I used Rice Chex.)

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Melt together the butter, Nutella, and peanut butter in a medium-sized saucepan on medium-low heat until smooth and creamy.

Pour half the cereal into a bowl, top with the hot nutella mixture, and then add the rest of the cereal.

Stir together gently.

Pour the mixture into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag filled with the powdered sugar, and shake!

Enjoy!

Gingerbread Cupcakes w/ Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-12-17T15:30:00.000-06:00

These are fun for Christmas parties - bite-sized and delicious! I got this recipe from another food blog that I follow. Check out the original recipe HERE.

You'll need:

For the cupcakes:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)

1/2 cup molasses

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

3/4 cup water

For the frosting:

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. milk

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together sugar and softened butter.

Add molasses.

Beat in eggs one at a time.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice.

Stir in water. The mixture will look a little like dough.

Gradually blend the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, one cup at a time, until all the clumps are gone.

Line cupcake pan with paper liners, and fill 2/3 full with batter. I used a mini-cupcake pan for this batch, and baked them about 12-14 minutes. If you make regular-sized cupcakes, bake for 16-18 minutes.

Now time for frosting!

Blend together the cream cheese, butter, lemon zest, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. When you're done adding the sugar, blend in the couple teaspoons of milk.

Be sure to cool the cupcakes completely before frosting. Piping frosting makes me happy...

So do sprinkles...

Enjoy!

Christmas Pretzel Candy

2011-12-15T17:05:00.001-06:00

These are so easy to make! And the sweet/salty pairing is delicious!

You'll need:

Hugs Hershey Kisses (and/or Rolos)

Pretzel Snaps (I call these waffle pretzels.)

Red/Green M&Ms

Center each Kiss on a pretzel.

Bake on 200 degrees for 3-4 minutes. Remove from oven, and gently press an M&M in the center of each Kiss.

Let these cool for a few minutes and then carefully place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened. Both the Rolos and Hugs were delicious!

Sending you lots of love and Christmas spirit from my kitchen! :)

Sweet Potato Casserole

2011-12-14T22:00:00.000-06:00

My roommate got this recipe from a friend and made it for a dinner party last week. It was so delicious, I knew I had to add it to the menu for my family's Thanksgiving dinner a few weeks ago, with a few minor tweaks. It was a hit!! Pretty sure we'll be seeing it again this Christmas!

You'll need:

Casserole
4 cups sweet potato
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 cup milk

Topping
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Wash potatoes and wrap in foil. Bake the potatoes at 300 degrees for about 2 hours or until a knife easily slides through them. The cooking time will depend on how big the potatoes are.

Unwrap potatoes and slice in half when done. Let them hang out about 10 minutes or until they're cool enough to handle

Scoop out the potato filling, and whisk along with all casserole ingredients until blended and creamy.

Transfer the mixture into a glass dish that's been sprayed with cooking spray.

Combine brown sugar and flour with butter.

Use a fork to cut up the butter.

Add chopped walnuts.

Sprinkle topping evenly over the top of the casserole. Bake this for 20-25 minutes on 350 degrees.

Crispy, crunchy top. Sweet, creamy center. Yum!

Enjoy!

Nutella Hot Chocolate

2011-11-25T01:07:00.000-06:00

With all of my Nutella recipes, I'm sure I look a little obsessed at this point, but these recipes keep finding me! I adapted this from a recipe a friend sent me on Pinterest!

I made this for my brothers on Thanksgiving night when they wanted a sweet, post-pie treat. I snuck a sip, and trust me, this stuff is gooood.

You'll need:

2 cups milk

4 Tbsp. Nutella

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. cocoa powder (optional)

*Makes 2 servings

Optional Toppings:

Whipped Cream

Marshmallows

Cinnamon

Combine milk, Nutella, cinnamon, and vanilla in small pot or saucepan on medium heat. (For a richer, more chocolaty taste, add cocoa powder, too. I was out, so I skipped it this time.) Just whisk gently until all the Nutella has melted.

Turn heat down to medium-low, and let the mixture get hot - about 3 minutes or until it's at your desired temperature.

My brothers like to put their marshmallows in first...

I added a dollop of whipped cream to each mug. (Mix 1/2 cup heavy cream with 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar using an electric mixer until soft peaks form.. you'll have some leftover... Or just use Cool Whip!).

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Chocolate Sheet Cake - Happy Birthday, Blog!

2011-10-31T23:16:00.001-05:00

Today marks exactly ONE YEAR of food blogging! Has it really been that long?! I started this blog to share recipes with a few friends, and now 60 recipes and a few thousand page views later, here we are! I felt the need to celebrate (with food obviously), so I want to share this delicious sheet cake with you! But first, let's do a quick recap of some of my (and your) favorite recipes of the last year - just for fun. :)

Nutella Swirl Cupcakes - It's no surprise that this post has gotten more hits than any others on LTK! I even TRIED to give it some competition with other Nutella recipes (Nutella Rice Krispy Treats, Peanut Butter Nutella Brownies, Nutella French Toast) but you guys kept going back to these cupcakes.

Balsamic Chicken & Tortellini Salad - This was your second-favorite dish! The first time I made this was for a baby shower, and it was so fresh and flavorful that I kept making it over and over again. It's even better on Day 2 after it's had time to sit in the refrigerator and marinate. YUM!!

Blackberry Shortbread Bars - These yummy bars haven't gotten as many hits as they deserve, but this is one of my favorites recipes, so I couldn't resist giving these little guys a spotlight. They will change your life!!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins - I JUST made these a couple weeks ago, but I have a feeling they'll be popping up in my kitchen several more times this season. They're moist and delicious, and the sweet swirl of cream cheese frosting on top doesn't hurt.

Okay, enough of that - on to this gorgeous sheet cake! This recipe comes straight from Pioneer Woman's blog. Check it out HERE!

You'll need:

Cake
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 heaping Tbsp. Cocoa
2 sticks butter
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
Bakers Joy for spraying pan

Frosting
1 3/4 stick butter
4 heaping Tbsp cocoa
6 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 pound (minus 1/2 cup) powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Start by whisking together flour, sugar, and salt. Set aside.

Melt 2 sticks of butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat.

While that's breaking down, whisk together buttermilk, beaten eggs, vanilla, and baking soda.

Once the butter is melted, sift in cocoa while whisking gradually.

Add boiling water.

Now pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients you set aside. Careful, it's hot!

Stir that a little so that the ingredients begin binding together.

Add in the buttermilk mixture.

Whisk until fully incorporated, and pour the batter into a pan sprayed with Baker's Joy (a mixture of flour and olive oil.) My sheet cake pan is 12x17 inches and about 1 inch deep. If you use anything smaller and deeper, you may have to adjust the baking time.

Use a rubber spatula to even out the batter.

Bake this at 350 degrees for just 20 minutes. While that's in the oven, it's time to make the frosting!

This is going to start similar to the cake. Melt butter and sift in cocoa powder, stirring together gradually.

Stir in milk and vanilla.

Remove from heat, and gently stir in the powdered sugar about a cup at a time.

This is what happens when you're not gentle... oops... too excited.

Keep whisking until smooth and creamy.

Now finely chop and add the pecans.

Stir those into the frosting.

Pour the icing over the cake.

Spread evenly with rubber spatula.

Yum...

Eat up, and share. This makes a lot of cake!

Sending you a whole year's worth of love from my kitchen! Hoping I can stay committed through Year 2. :)

Wrapped & Stuffed Chicken

2011-10-29T23:59:00.000-05:00

I rarely eat bacon, but I had a few slices leftover from wrapping jalepenos for THIS RECIPE, so I thought I might as well wrap some chicken, too. I also had some fresh herbs and cheese in the fridge, and voila... Wrapped and stuffed chicken!

You'll need:

2 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast

4 bacon slices (2 strips per chicken breast)

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Fresh herbs to taste (I used basil and oregano.)

Salt & Pepper to taste

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 tsp. olive oil (for drizzling)

*Makes 2 servings!

First, clean your chicken breasts by trimming off the fat and giving them a good rinse. Pat dry, and lay on your cutting board.

As far as I know, there are two ways to stuff a chicken breast. You can either grab a sharp knife and cut a horizontal slit through the chicken - not all the way, just enough so you have room to cram in the stuffing. Or, you can do it this way...

Place a chicken breast between parchment paper

Smack it with a hard, smooth surface. If you're fancy and have a meat mallet, use that. I used a can of tomato soup. :)

I flattened my chicken to about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Try to get both pieces to about the same thickness.

Season both sides of the flattened chicken breast with salt and pepper.

This basil and oregano came from my mom's garden. (Thanks, Mom!)

Just sprinkle the herbs onto one half of the chicken.

And pile the shredded cheese on top of that.

Fold the chicken in half so that the herbs and cheese are enclosed.

Wrap with bacon, securing everything with a toothpick or two.

Place in a pan, and drizzle with olive oil. I like to pour some chicken broth or dry, white wine (like Chardonnay) in the dish to keep everything juicy.

Bake for 25-30 minutes on 350 degrees or until the center of the chicken is no longer pink. The bacon will be crispy on top, but the chicken is perfectly moist underneath.

Okay, I'll let you check out the inside!

All the cheese comes oozing out when you slice open the chicken breast. Delish! Soon I'll post the recipe for those creamy mashed potatoes in the picture above. Yum!!

Halloween Trail Mix

2011-10-25T22:56:00.000-05:00

My wonderful roommate, Mary Alice, made this festive little mix today, so this her "cooking" debut on my blog! She was pretty excited when I told her she'd be getting credit for this post. :) Mary Alice's mom always whips this up around this time of year, so MA recreated it for us, and let me tell you - it's addicting. Sweet, salty, chewy, and crunchy - all mixed into one snack.

You'll need:
Peanuts (salted)
Candy Corn
M&Ms (If you can find orange and black M&Ms, use those!)
Marshmallows

There are no rules here... Just make up your own proportions and combine together!

Sending you love from my kitchen - just in time for Halloween!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-10-22T20:48:00.001-05:00

A cold front came in last week, and it actually feels like fall outside now. And these little muffins taste like fall! My first pumpkin recipe of the season - I'm sure there will be more to come! Recipe is courtesy of The Pioneer Woman - amazing. Check it out HERE.

You'll need:

Muffins

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1.5 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

4 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces and put in freezer for 30 minutes

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

Topping

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Frosting

1/4 cup butter, softened

4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 an 8 oz. block)

1/2 pound powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Sift all the dry muffin ingredients - flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.

Take out the butter that you cut up and froze.

Add it to the flour mixture, and use a pastry blender (or two knives) to break down the butter.

The butter will still be visible but combined well within the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla

Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients.

Fold together until JUST combined. Some of the dry ingredients should still be visible.

Now make the topping by combining the cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg.

Divide the batter among 12 muffin cups (that were just greased with Baker's Joy - mixture of flour and oil) and sprinkle with topping. I still had about half my topping leftover, so next time I'll cut those ingredients in half before combining.

Bake for 25 minutes on 400 degrees. Don't mind by worn cupcake pan - it's been through a lot.

Let the muffins cool at least 10 minutes before transferring.

When they've cooled completely, you can start the frosting. First blend together the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Then add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, blending after each addition.

I transferred my icing to a 12-inch disposable decorating bag and used a star tip to swirl it on. Does adding frosting turn a muffin into a cupcake? Oh well...

If you're feeling extra crafty (a rare feeling for me), sprinkle on more cinnamon. I put 1/2 tsp of cinnamon in a sifter and gently tapped it to get the "dusted" look.

Enjoy!

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

2011-10-20T22:49:00.000-05:00

What's the next best thing to going to a Baylor football game? Going to a Baylor football watch party with yummy football snacks!! Here's my new favorite game day appetizer. These little guys encompass all that is wonderful about football season... bacon, cheese, spiciness... and don't forget the ranch for dipping!

You'll need:

6 large jalapeños

6 oz. cream cheese (about 3/4 of an 8 oz. block)

12 slices of bacon

Olive oil cooking spray

Ranch, for dipping

Wash the peppers, and start preparing them by cutting off the stems and slicing them lengthwise.

Scrape out the seeds, veins, and all that junk.

Cut each half in half again so that each jalapeño creates 4 mini boats.

Continue until you have 24 lovely little poppers.

Slice the cream cheese into tiny rectangles that will fit the jalapeño quarters.

Cut the 12 slices of bacon in half, and wrap each half-slice around a mini-popper.

Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray, and line with poppers.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes and transfer to serving dish.

Let them cool a bit before diving in.

Crsipy bacon, spicy jalapeño, and creamy cheese... almost ready for football!

Bacon-flavored ranch for dipping. Okay, now I'm ready.

Enjoy and Sic 'Em.

Strawberry Salad with Saffron Chicken + Citrus Mint Dressing

2011-10-16T11:23:00.000-05:00

After all those Nutella recipes, I think we need a healthy one.

You'll need:

Salad:

Spring mix
Alfalfa sprouts
Cucumber slices
Strawberries
Goat cheese crumbles (or feta if that's your thing)
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Shredded chicken - I used rotisserie chicken.
PINCH of saffron
Salt & Pepper to taste

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. dried mint
*Makes 2 servings... I've made this dressing before for THIS AMAZING SALAD.

Here's my secret to quick, no-fuss chicken. When I go grocery shopping - usually on Sunday - I buy an already-cooked rotisserie chicken. Then I tear it apart, shred all the meat, and store it in a tupperware container in the fridge. It's good for the rest of the week for sandwiches, salads, chicken nachos, casseroles, just about anything! One day I'll make my own rotisserie chicken, and it'll be more delicious. But not today.

Drizzle the olive oil in a small sauté pan on medium-low heat.

Add chicken, and sprinkle with pinch of saffron. Toss well to coat the chicken in the saffron. If you're not using pre-seasoned rotisserie chicken like me, add some salt and pepper, too. (If you want the chicken to be really moist, add a few tablespoons of a dry white wine or chicken broth.) Sauté for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is hot and begins to turn a golden color.

While that's sautéing, start building your salad... spring mix, sprouts, cucumbers, strawberries, goat cheese, salt & pepper, and really anything else you're in the mood for. I like to prepare my salad in a big bowl so there's plenty of room for tossing.

For the dressing, juice the lemons, using a strainer to catch the seeds.

Add dried mint. (Sometimes I'll add salt & pepper to the dressing, but this time I added that to my salad instead.)

Whisk in 2 Tbsp. olive oil.

Pour over the salad, toss, and plate!

Top with chicken.

I like to add a little more cheese right before serving.

Enjoy!

Nutella French Toast

2011-10-03T23:50:00.001-05:00

Continuing with the Nutella recipes! Are you obsessed yet?

You'll need:

1 Tbsp. butter
2 slices bread
2 Tbsp. Nutella
1 egg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. honey
1/4 cup milk
1/8 tsp. vanilla
*French toast batter makes enough for 2 servings!

Melt the butter in a small sauté pan on medium heat.

While the butter is melting, spread a thick layer of Nutella on a slice of bread.

Mix the rest of the ingredients (egg, cinnamon, honey, milk, and vanilla) with a fork until well combined.

Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl because that honey is sticky.

Dip each side of the bread in the bowl only for about 3 seconds. You don't want it to get too soggy.

Place in the hot pan, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Keep an eye on it, and when it's a pretty golden brown (like this), flip it!

Once both sides are cooked to your liking, break out the good stuff...

But don't add too much, just a drizzle... Remember, you already added honey to the french toast batter. I couldn't resist adding some dollops of Nutella on the side. And the raspberries are just to make me feel healthier.

Dig in!

And clean your plate.

Yum!!

Peanut Butter-Nutella Brownies

2011-09-24T21:27:00.000-05:00

More Nutella, this time paired with delicious, creamy peanut butter. These aren't your ordinary cake-like, box-mix brownies. These are gooey, fudgey, melt-in-your-mouth, gotta-have-milk brownies, and I'm so excited to share! I swiped this recipe from the official Noble Pig food blog. Just discovered it, and I'm in love. Check it out.

I was out of PB, so my roommate let me use her Reduced-Fat PB. (Does that mean I can call these Reduce-Fat Brownies? Sure, that's logical.)

You'll need:

Brownies
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup Nutella
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Topping
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
Peanut butter chips
Mini chocolate chips

Start by melting two sticks of butter in a large sauté pan on medium-low heat.

While that's slowly breaking down, sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

Whisk sugar and vanilla into the melted butter.

Add in eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each one.

Add dry ingredients and whisk together.

Whisk, whisk, whisk!

Then, melt the peanut butter and Nutella in the microwave (in a microwave-safe bowl) for about 30 seconds on High.

The mixture will be runny, but still use a rubber spatula to get all of it into the batter.

Keep whisking!

Spray a 9x13 inch glass pan with Baker's Joy (a mixture of flour and oil - best invention ever), and pour in the batter!

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

For the icing, mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 Tbsp. milk with a fork.

When the brownies are cool, drizzle on the icing.

Or if you're impatient like me and can't wait for the brownies to cool, just know the icing will melt and not look as pretty. I'm okay with that.

Sprinkle on the peanut butter and chocolate chips.

Mmm happiness.

Sending you lots of Nutella/love from my kitchen. Enjoy!

Pasta in Creamy Wine Sauce

2011-09-21T20:59:00.000-05:00

This is another one of those pasta recipes that I improvised and somehow it turned out great!! Try it out!

You'll need:
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 onion, coarsely sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely sliced
1/8 cup pine nuts
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup sliced black olives
2 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese (plus a little more for topping)
1/4 cup dry white wine (like Chardonnay)
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/3 pound pasta - I used medium shells.
*Serves 2 - Feel free to double or triple the proportions. :)

Sauté onion, pepper, and pine nuts in olive oil in a medium pan for about 5 minutes on medium heat.

Chop up and add some olives, and sauté for another 5 minutes or so.

Drizzle on more olive oil as necessary.

When the veggies are tender and cooked the way you want them, set the pan aside (off the heat) while you make the sauce. I like to buy these mini bottles of Chardonnary because they're great for cooking. Just use what you want and store the rest in the fridge!

Start melting 2 Tbsp. butter on medium-low heat.

Whisk in wine and half-and-half.

Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes as the butter melts and alcohol evaporates out, stirring occasionally.

Add your cooked pasta to the veggie mixture.

Pour on sauce, and toss. Top with more parmesan, obviously.

Enjoy!

Nutella Rice Krispy Treats

2011-09-14T22:47:00.000-05:00

That's right... two Nutella recipes in a row! Can you handle it?!

You'll need:

1/2 stick (4 Tbsp.) butter

1 pkg. (10.5 oz) mini marshmallows

1 jar (13 oz) Nutella

1 pkg. (9 oz) Rice Krispies cereal

Melt butter on medium-low heat in a large saucepan.

Add marshmallows and fold together.

When marshmallows and butter are melted together, remove from heat and fold in Nutella!

Stir until all melted together.

Fold in cereal.

Once combined, press the mixture into a 9x13 glass dish that has been sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.

Cool and cut into squares.

Eat up!!

Nutella Croissants

2011-09-10T15:04:00.001-05:00

Recently I wandered over to the "Stats" tab on my blog and took a look at which posts have the most hits. The two most popular are the Nutella Swirl Cupcakes and Oatmeal Nutella & Walnut Cookies. I guess my readers - whoever they are - really like Nutella. And I'm here to make you happy. So I have a few Nutella recipes that I've been playing around with - here's the first. Could not be easier!

You'll need:
1 can "Big & Flaky" Pillsbury crescent dough (12 oz.)
8 Tbsp. Nutella
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

One day I will experiment with making my own croissant dough. But not today. Not when Pillsbury makes a can version that's SO easy and delicious.

Just unroll the dough and place a dollop of Nutella on the wider end of the triangle of dough.

Roll up the triangle, and gently press together the dough on the sides where the Nutella is peeking out. This will keep it from seeping out while baking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Mmmm... I might have eaten three of these for breakfast - don't judge.

Fettucini Lasagna

2011-09-06T02:13:00.000-05:00

When I made this I was craving lasagna (which happens way too often) but didn't want to mess with the hassle of building and baking. This is a great weeknight meal - it's quick and works well as leftovers throughout the week.

You'll need:
1 lb. pasta (I used fettucini, but I may try shells next time - use what you want!)
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1/4 sweet onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 bell pepper, chopped (optional)
3-4 mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I used Bertoli Marinara with Burgundy Wine.)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste
8 oz. package mozzarella, grated
1/3 cup parmesan, grated (I actually used some Pamigiano Reggiano that I had in my fridge.)
1/2 cup sour cream

Prepare onion and garlic (and pepper and mushrooms if using), and add to 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat.

Sautee for 6-8 minutes or until tender. Then push the veggies to the side of the pan to make room for the ground beef, and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. I'm kind of picky about raw meat and don't like it touching other food until it's cooked. I'm sure it really doesn't matter in the end, but that's just personal preference. If I was less lazy, I would use a different pan, but this will work.

Add the ground beef, chopping as it browns.

Almost there...

Once it has just browned, turn your heat down to medium-low. Mix everything together, and add turmeric. I know it's a random spice to throw in, but that's what my mom always does... so that's what I do.

Add spaghetti sauce.

Add Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Let it simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, tasting along the way and adjusting spices if necessary.

While that's simmering, cook your fettucini according to the package directions, and prepare your sour cream and cheeses.

Drain pasta when al dente, and fold into sauce.

Add sour cream and cheeses and stir gently. Don't be afraid of the sour cream - you can't taste it at all, but it really holds everything together.

Taste just like lasagna in half the time! Enjoy!

Grilled Pear & Turkey Pesto Sandwich

2011-09-03T14:36:00.000-05:00

This was so good!!

You'll need:

2 piece of bread

Turkey, deli-sliced

Goat cheese

1 tsp. pesto

Pear, thinly sliced pieces

Grill your sliced pears, 1-2 minutes on each side - I just used a panini press. (First coat it with olive oil spray so the pears will get a nice flavor... and they'll look prettier.)

While those are grilling, spread the pesto on one slice of bread, and top with turkey and goat cheese. I'm a huge fan of goat cheese, so if it looks like I went a little overboard with it, I did.

Top with grilled pear slices.

Then, I threw the sandwich into the hot panini press, and grilled for a minute or so on each side. Just keep an eye on it until it's toasted the way you like it!

Enjoy!

Cream Cheese & Cucumber Toast

2011-09-01T22:54:00.000-05:00

This is so simple, I can hardly call it a recipe. But I doubt many of you have tried this combination, so I wanted to share!

You'll need:
Wheat bread, toasted
Cream Cheese
Cucumber, thinly sliced
Salt & Pepper to taste

Just spread cream cheese on some toast.

Top with cucumber slices, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

That's it! Enjoy!

Indoor S'mores

2011-08-29T21:52:00.000-05:00

Here's a really quick and easy dessert that's great for a big crowd!

You'll need:
3 Tbsp. butter
1 package chocolate chips
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups mini marshmallows
1 box Golden Grahams cereal

Melt together butter, chocolate chips, and corn syrup in a large sauce pan over medium heat, stirring often so it doesn't burn.

Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Empty the box of cereal into a large bowl, and drizzle the chocolate mixture on top.

Add marshmallows (one cup at a time), and fold together gently with a rubber spoon.

It's going to be a hot mess, but that's okay!

Generously grease a 9x13 dish, and pour the mixture into the pan. Press down gently with the back of your rubber spoon to flatten it out.

Let the mixture cool at least an hour, and then cut into squares and serve. Even when stored in the refrigerator, this dessert only last a couple days before it starts to go stale, so eat up!

Cheesy Crash Potatoes

2011-08-28T15:34:00.000-05:00

This is another twist on a Pioneer Woman recipe. Get creative and customize your crash potatoes the way you like them. This time I used seasoning from a potato topping packet and mild cheddar cheese, but I think my favorite was with just salt, pepper, goat cheese, and rosemary.

You'll need:

Red Potatoes

Butter, melted - 1/2 Tbsp. for each potato

Cheese, shredded

"Potato Topping" seasoning - a pinch on each potato

Olive oil for drizzling

This is one of my favorite toppings for potatoes. It's got salt, pepper, bacon bits, some dried herbs, and other tasty stuff. If you don't want to buy the topping packet, just make up your own.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, and cook potatoes until a fork slides right through them.

While the potatoes are cooking, shred up some cheese.

Then, drizzle the pan with some olive oil.

Place potatoes on top. (I was multi-tasking by cooking some asparagus on the same tray.)

Using a potato masher, smash each potato.

I probably should have used a bigger pan... Oh well, they'll still taste good.

Drizzle on some melted butter, and sprinkle with potato topping.

Add the cheese. Don't be shy.

Bake on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Delish.

Monkey Bread Muffins

2011-08-20T15:41:00.000-05:00

This is a slightly healthier version of Monkey Bread because it's made with wheat biscuit dough, but who are we kidding... this will not do anything kind to your figure. But just get over that, and make these anyway. All credit goes to Multiply Delicious for creating this recipe! (And her photos are way better!)

You'll need:

For the muffins:
1 can Pillsbury Golden Wheat, Reduced-Fat biscuits
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. butter

For the icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. milk

Stir together the sugar and cinnamon.

Melt the butter.

Slice each biscuit into quarters.

And roll each quarter into a small ball.

Dip each ball in the melted butter and then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 3 coated balls in each cup of you muffin pan. (Make sure you spray your pan with a non-stick spray beforehand.)

Bake for 12-15 minutes. While that's in the oven, make your icing by adding the milk (1 teaspoon at a time) to the powdered sugar, whisking with a fork.

When the muffins are done, let them cool for about 10 minutes, remove onto a piece of foil, and drizzle with icing.

This will make 11 (and a half) muffins. Enjoy!

Egg-in-a-Heart

2011-08-13T14:09:00.000-05:00

This was my dinner a few weeks ago when I was in serious need of a trip to the grocery store. All I had in my fridge was bread, some blueberries, and this one lonely egg.

The final product was A. Maz. Ing.

I set out to make the traditional Egg-in-a-Hole. (I really hate that name, but it is what it is...) While searching for a circle in my container of cookie cutters, I found a heart first. Fun twist.

You'll need:
1 egg
1 slice of toast bread
1 Tablespoon Butter
Salt & Pepper to taste

Use any shape cookie cutter you want!

Melt the tablespoon of butter on medium-low heat.

When the butter is all the way melted, place down the slice of bread and crack an egg in the center.

Don't move the bread for about a minute while the egg firms up.

Cook on each side as long as you want, depending on how well done you like your egg. I wasn't in the mood for a runny egg, so I gave it a few minutes on each side.

Throw in the toast cutout, too.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Sending you (heart-shaped) love from my kitchen.

Berry Yogurt Parfait

2011-08-09T21:39:00.000-05:00

This is my go-to breakfast when I'm running late. Quick, healthy, and sooooo delicious.

You'll need:
1 cup non-fat plain yogurt
1 Tbsp. strawberry jam
1/4 cup granola
Handful of blueberries

For yogurt, I use All-Natural Brown Cow, and for the granola, I use Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin FlaxPlus. I also use homemade strawberry jam that I canned a while ago using this recipe by Pioneer Woman.

Just throw all the ingredients in a bowl, and stir. It would be a lot prettier (and more like a parfait) if you layer the ingredients in a clear glass... but who has the time for that?

Sending you love from my kitchen!

Pear & Pecan Spinach Salad w/ Salmon + Citrus Mint dressing

2011-07-13T07:53:00.000-05:00

Best salad I've ever had. By far. And it's quick and easy!

For the salad:
Salmon (seasoned with a bit of Salt & Pepper, Saffron - just a pinch, and Olive Oil - a light drizzle)
Pecans, chopped
Goat cheese, crumbled
Pear, thinly sliced
Spinach

For the dressing*:
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Pinch of crushed, dried mint
Salt & Pepper to taste (Just a pinch of these, too)
*Makes 2 servings

I found this amaaaazing Wild Alaskan Salmon at HEB. The quality of your salmon really can make or break a dish. The key words you're looking for when purchasing are "fresh" and "wild." If it fits both categories, it's definitely worth splurging a little. (I've settled for "frozen" and/or "farm-raised" salmon before... never again.)

My filet came in a long strip, so I sliced it, rinsed it, and placed it on pan greased with olive oil.

You can marinate your salmon in the refrigerator if you plan ahead, but I rarely do that. I sprinkled it lightly with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and saffron. Be very, very stingy with the spices. There's so much flavor in the salmon, and you don't want to mask that. Then, give it a quick drizzle with olive oil and gently rub in the seasoning with your fingers.

Bake that in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 min per inch of salmon. (Measure the thickest piece, and use that to set your cooking time.) Mine took about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the pear. I only sliced about 1/4 of the pear and snacked on the rest!

Chop the pecans.

And prepare your bed of spinach.

When the salmon is flaky and no longer translucent, it's done! The tiny bit of saffron goes a long way and smells so good!

Begin assembling...

Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients with a fork and drizzle over the salad.

Mmm dinner.

Sending you love from my kitchen.

Mushroom Fettuccine Alfredo

2011-07-12T00:12:00.000-05:00

I've been M.I.A for a while, which is a really good way for a blogger to lose followers... but I'm hoping you'll try this pasta and forgive me! I adapted this recipe from The Pioneer Woman's blog, so you know it's good! Check out her site for some really great step-by-step photos of this pasta.

You'll need:

8-10 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. fettuccine
1 stick butter
1 cup heavy cream
About 1 cup chicken broth
2 cups Parmesan, grated
Dash of Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
1/8 tsp. dried basil

Sauté mushrooms about 8 minutes on medium heat until tender. Sometimes I'll just cook them with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, but you can also use about 1/4 cup dry white wine (shhh...) to give the mushrooms lots of flavor. Just be sure to sauté until all the liquid is gone so the alcohol evaporates out of there. :)

While those are wrapping up, begin cooking the fettuccine until al dente. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan on medium-low heat.

Once the butter is melted, whisk in the cream!

Add salt and pepper.

To create the pasta, add 1 cup of Parmesan to a large serving dish/bowl. Pour the warm cream mixture over the cheese. Resist the temptation to stir... and add the drained pasta to the top of the mixture. Now, add the rest of the cheese and stir it all together with tongs or a pasta server. The pasta will probably be a little goopy and sticky, so gradually add the chicken broth until the pasta reaches a creamy consistency that makes you happy. You may not need to entire cup of broth. (Pioneer Woman uses a cup of pasta-water reserved before draining the pot of fettuccine, so you could do that to make this a vegetarian dish. I prefer the flavor of the chicken broth!)

Kinda messy, but so delicious. Throw in the dried basil, and please, use fresh if you have some. I was out!

I served the mushrooms separately because I had a crowd over, and not everyone is a fan of mushrooms. Crazy, I know. But you could mix them in before serving as well. Or add other vegetables, chicken, or shrimp. The fettuccine alfredo is a great base for whatever meat/veggie you're craving.

Sending you (better late than never) love from my kitchen!

Very Berry Muffins

2011-05-24T23:11:00.000-05:00

These little guys remind me of the Very Berry Coffee Cake from Starbucks... except I think my muffins are better. :) I adapted this recipe from THIS post on The Pioneer Woman's blog. Go make these. Now. You'll be so very happy.

You'll need:
3 cups minus 2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten with a fork
1 cup plain, nonfat yogurt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
Cooking spray (I used olive oil spray.)
Brown sugar for sprinkling on top of muffins

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set this aside for later.

Whisk together sugar, oil, beaten egg, yogurt, and vanilla.

Add the sifted dry ingredients to the yogurt mixture. Stir it only 10-15 times... you don't want the flour to completely disappear. (The flour and the liquid will cause gluten to develop that will hold the muffins together, but if you overstir, too much gluten will develop and the muffins will be tough and heavy.)

Wash berries and pat dry.

Gently fold in berries, only 4-5 folds.

You should still see small traces of flour throughout the batter.

Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray and fill each cup almost to the top with batter. Sprinkle with brown sugar, about 1/2 to 1 tsp on each.

Bake for about 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.

Sending you love from my kitchen.

Pesto & Mushroom Chicken Sandwich

2011-05-21T22:45:00.000-05:00

When I was making this sandwich yesterday, one of my roommates walked by our kitchen and asked what I was making. When I replied, "Just a sandwich," she laughed, claiming that I never make normal sandwiches, only "gourmet sandwiches." Well, that's not entirely true... I enjoy a traditional PB&J every now and then. But when my fridge is full and I have time on my hands, I try to channel my inner-Panera and be creative. Most of these creations are pretty tasty, but every once and a while I stumble upon a fabulous combination of ingredients, and I just have to blog the result.

You'll need:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms
1/4 cup shredded chicken (I used leftover dark meat from a rotisserie chicken.)
Splash of chicken broth (about 2 Tbsp)
Pinch of crushed saffron
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 oz. mozzarella, shredded
1 tablespoon pesto (I used Giada's basil pesto)
1/2 Roma tomato, thinly sliced
2 slices of bread, toasted (I used Nature's Own Multigrain)

Heat olive oil and mushrooms in a small sauté pan on medium heat.

Once the mushrooms start to become tender, add the chicken and a splash of chicken broth to keep the mixture moist.

Once the broth begins to evaporate, turn the heat down to low. Then, add the pinch of saffron (not more than a pinch!) and a bit of salt and pepper. Form the mixture into a sandwich-sized rectangle...

...and sprinkle on the cheese!

While that's melting, slice your tomatoes and spread pesto on once slice of toasted bread.

Using a spatula, move the cheesy chicken and mushroom mixture to the second slice of bread.

Add tomatoes...

...and you're ready to eat! See that didn't take so long, and it's way better than PB&J. :)

Sending you love (gourmet-style) from my kitchen.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

2011-05-19T12:59:00.000-05:00

This is one of my new favorite recipes, and I can't wait to experiment with it. My favorite little four-year-old suggested substituting strawberries and blueberries for the bananas, and I think she may be on to something. For now, let me tell you about this yummy bread! I love the bananas and chocolate pairing, and the oats mixed in adds a bit of nutrition amidst the sweet, chocolaty goodness. And it's unbelievably easy. This is another recipe from Multiply Delicious - find her version HERE.

You'll need:
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup oats
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about 2 large)
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Add the flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and whisk together.

Add oats and stir until just combined.

Measure the buttermilk...

Mash the bananas...

Whisk the eggs with a fork...

And melt the butter...

Stir together buttermilk, bananas, eggs, and butter and until just combined, and add to the flour mixture. Whisk together.

Now for the best part...

Add the chocolate chips...

And stir until evenly distributed.

My batch made a loaf of bread plus 11 muffins. The muffins need about 25 minutes in the oven, and the loaf will take about 45 minutes.

Muffins are a good way to make a dessert look like breakfast. :)

I just love this... I think I'll go get another piece right now.

Sending you love from my kitchen.

Almond Basil Asparagus

2011-05-19T01:26:00.000-05:00

This is a quick and simple dish that I make very, very often. It goes well as a side with almost anything!

You'll need:
20-25 stalks of asparagus
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. sliced almonds (or as many as desired)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

After you rinse and pat-dry the asparagus, throw all the ingredients into a large bowl. Use a rubber spatula or tongs to combine everything, making sure the asparagus are evenly coated in olive oil and basil.

Spread out on a baking sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Love this! Sending you love from kitchen.

Balsamic Chicken & Tortellini Salad

2011-05-15T00:04:00.000-05:00

This recipe is another steal from Multiply Delicious. All I changed were the proportions of the ingredients because, to be honest, I really despise exact measurements. With the spinach, for example, I'd so much rather just grab a gigantic fistful of it and let that be my form of measurement... That's acceptable, right?

This pasta is phenomenal. I made it once for a baby shower to go with a few other appetizers, and I recently made it as a main dish for an Italian-themed potluck dinner. It's served cold, and the dressing keeps the dish light and healthy without compromising the flavor. Feel free to play around with the proportions yourself!

You'll need:
2 lbs. tortellini
3 cups shredded chicken
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup basil, chopped
2 fistfuls spinach
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste

First, cook the tortellini. Drain and set aside.

Shred chicken, cut tomatoes, dice pepper, and chop basil.

Whisk together the balsamic and mustard with a fork.

Throw all the ingredients into a bowl and drizzle the dressing over the top.

Add a bit of salt and pepper.

Add your fistfuls of spinach.

Toss together!

I like to refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving. Enjoy!

Sending you love from my kitchen.

White Bean Chicken Chili

2011-04-25T00:05:00.000-05:00

Who says chili is just a winter meal? It's almost summer, and I'm still obsessed with this dish!

I've made this chili several times and have been experimenting a bit with the proportions of the ingredients. It has come out pretty good each time, but I'm finally thrilled with the result! I got the recipe from Multiply Delicious, an amazing food blog you should check out! Here's my version:

You'll need:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped finely
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 - 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 - 10 oz. cans Rotel tomato and green chiles diced (mild)
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
Juice of one lime
1/4 cup fresh cilnatro, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a blender or food processor, combine 1/2 cup of the beans and one can of Rotel until smooth - just takes a few seconds! Set that aside. I know this doesn't look appetizing, but it'll all come together in the end.

Drizzle some olive oil in your pot, and turn the stove on medium heat. Add your chopped onions, and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the bell peppers and sauté for another 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic, and after about 30 seconds, add the chili powder and cumin. Give the mixture a quick stir and add the broth.

Then, add the pureed bean mixture, along with the remaining beans and other can of Rotel.

Stir together and turn the stove to medium-high heat. Once the mixture come to a boil, turn the heat down to low and add your chicken.

Stir together, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Chop your cilantro.

Stir it into your chili along with your lime, salt, and pepper.

Meanwhile, slice up some avocado to top each individual serving of chili.

This tastes so good!!

I also made some honey cornbread muffins, and I'm convinced I've discovered one of the best recipes for cornbread ever! It's pretty straightforward (like most things I make), and I didn't change anything about it, so I won't go through each step... but CLICK HERE for the recipe.

Sending you love from my kitchen!

No-Bake Cookies

2011-04-16T16:18:00.000-05:00

I've completely been neglecting this blog for the past month, but for a good reason... I'm about to graduate!! So as I wrap up my final papers and presentations and try to keep up with work, this blog has temporarily sunk pretty low on my list of priorities. But here are some quick and delicious cookies that will hopefully keep you happy until I walk across that stage and can start cooking and baking more!

You'll need:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Start by pouring the first four ingredients into a large saucepan on medium heat, stirring occasionally as everything starts to melt together.

Once those ingredients are combined, let the mixture simmer for one minute. Then, remove from heat and add the peanut butter and oatmeal, stirring until the peanut butter is melted and oatmeal is well-distributed through the mixture. (Sorry for the lack of pictures here!)

Drop large spoonfuls of the mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. And it doesn't matter how close together the cookies are because you're not baking them so they won't expand!

Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until firm enough to pick up with your hand.

Sending you (belated) love from my kitchen. Enjoy!

Portobello Veggie Sandwich

2011-03-06T11:38:00.000-06:00

If you've spent any time reading this blog, you might have picked up on my obsession with mushrooms. I put them in just about any dish I can, and usually it works brilliantly... except one time I went too far and put them in chili... but that's another story. In this dish, the mushroom is the main event, and it's a beautiful thing. This recipe was inspired by a sandwich from Gratziano's, an Italian restaurant in Waco, but it was my great friend Anna who encouraged me to recreate it. A couple of weeks ago, as we're both devouring these amazing sandwiches and talking about how delicious they are, Anna says, "You could totally make this." Well, here's my version, Anna - this one's for you!

You'll need:

1 portobello mushroom

2 tsp. French vinaigrette

Salt and Pepper

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped

4 sun-dried tomatoes

Provolone cheese, one slice

1/2 Tbsp. butter

French bread

Handful of spinach

Ranch, optional

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees - this is just to toast your bread later.

At Gratziano's, the mushroom was marinated in balsamic, but I used French vinaigrette for mine. Also, the pros say to clean mushrooms by wiping them with a damp paper towel, but look how dirty this big guy is! I couldn't resist scrubbing it under running water.

Pop out the stem, and make sure your portobello is nice and clean. Then, spread about a teaspoon of vinaigrette on each side and sprinkle with salt and pepper. If you have time, let this hang out in the fridge and marinate for a few hours. I'm impatient, so my mushroom went straight to the sauté pan.

Sauté your mushroom with olive oil on medium heat until it's soft and tender - about 8 minutes on each side.

I waited until it was time to flip my mushroom before adding the the bell pepper and sun dried tomatoes to my sauté pan because those will brown much quicker. You can add a splash of olive oil if your pan starts to get dry. Once those start to soften, top the portobello with cheese.

While the cheese is melting, drop little bits of butter on your bread and toast it in the oven for a few minutes... careful not to burn!

Now it's time to assemble your sandwich!

This also reminds me of the life-changing Veggie Sandwich at Elite Grill in Waco, except their version is dripping in butter so the nutritional value of the veggies sort of goes out the window. Using olive oil to cook the veggies helps a little with that issue. You can spread some ranch on the sandwich or have some on the side for dipping... because you'll definitely need a knife and fork to eat this bad boy.

Sending you love (with plenty of mushrooms) from my kitchen.

Breakfast Cups

2011-03-03T22:57:00.000-06:00

Here's my spin on THIS recipe by Multiply Delicious. I'm not exactly a morning person, but it sure does help to have these to start the day.

You'll need:
1 can (8 oz.) crescent rounds
1/2 cup sliced turkey sausage
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1/3 cup medium cheddar cheese, shredded
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
Salt and Pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Slice and sauté the sausage until it starts to brown just lightly.

While that's cooking, flatten each crescent round with the palm of your hand until it's large enough to cover the sides of each cup when you fit it into the muffin pan.

Crack your eggs and egg whites into a small bowl.

Whisk together with salt, pepper, basil, and parsley.

Fill the crescent rounds with the browned sausage, and divide the egg mixture among the cups. Be careful not to overfill these bad boys.

Shred the cheese, and top each cup.

Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Sending you love (bright and early) from my kitchen.

Chicken & Black Bean Nachos

2011-03-02T23:06:00.000-06:00

February was a slow month for updating my food blog. With mid-terms, work, and fun weekend guests, I just haven't had any spare time. March will (hopefully) be different! I have a lot of recipes and pictures saved, so get ready!

Here are a few things that have happened while I've been neglecting this blog:

I catered appetizers for a baby shower last Sunday! This was my first "catering gig," and it was so much fun cooking for 40 people! Unfortunately, I was scrambling to get everything done in time and forgot to take pictures, but I made asparagus wrapped in prosciutto; phyllo shells filled with brie and raspberry or apricot jam; and balsamic chicken and tortellini pasta salad. I heard afterward that the food was a hit - thank goodness!
I got asked to recreate this red velvet cake with a layer of cheesecake in the middle. And it was awesoooome. Here's what mine looked like:

My blog surpassed 1,000 hits! (1,043 as of today!) How exciting is this?!? Obviously it's not a thousand different people, but I'm still pretty ecstatic. :)
I also survived mid-terms, and my cohort has started the countdown to graduation... about 72 days, and even less until we're done with class!

Okay, let me tell you about this easy and quick dish! (I borrowed this idea from Two Peas and Their Pod, so credit goes to those pros.) I'm not giving you any exact measurements because it's more fun to add ingredients as you see fit.

You'll need:

Tortilla chips

Chicken, cooked and shredded

Diced green chiles

Black beans from a can, drained and rinsed

Cheese, shredded (I used medium cheddar and monterey jack)

Guacamole ( I made my own, but you can use store-bought.)

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

I seasoned my chicken with garlic salt, black pepper, and just a pinch of saffron... my mom's typical seasoning for poultry. I haven't seen anyone else do it, but man, it works.

Sauté in olive oil (about 7 minutes on each side depending on thickness of chicken) until cooked all the way through. Mmmm just wait until you smell this...

In the meantime, shred the cheeses, rinse the black beans, and pop open your can of chiles.

When the chicken is done cooking, shred it with a fork.

Now, all there's left to do is pile on the toppings and bake. I used a small glass dish to cook my nachos, but you could also use a baking sheet.

First pile on some cheese and black beans.

Then, add the chicken, chiles, and more cheese. :)

Pop it in the oven for 5 minutes... that's right, just 5 minutes will do the trick!

Top with guac, and devour. So delicious!

Sending you love from my kitchen.

Chocolate Pecan Toffee Bars

2011-02-17T01:01:00.000-06:00

These are gooey and messy and so delicious!

You'll need:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and greasing a 9x11 glass baking dish.

Throw the first four ingredients into a mixing bowl, and blend until creamy.

Then, mix in the flour 1/2 cup at a time. I used white whole wheat flour to try and add a smidgen of nutrition to this dish, but you could use all-purpose flour if that's all you have - no big deal.

After you add the flour, the mixture might be a little crumbly, but it should still be pretty moist.

Pour the mixture in your greased glass dish, and use a rubber spatula to press it firmly to form an even layer.

Bake for 20-22 minutes. While that's in the oven, chop your pecans.

As soon as you take the bars out of the oven, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the hot surface. Give it about 30 seconds to melt and then use a spoon or rubber spatula to smooth out the chocolate into a thin layer.

Sprinkle on the pecans.

Now who can resist this?

Let cool, and cut into bars!

Sending you (gooey) love from my kitchen.

Bison Fettuccini

2011-02-16T00:51:00.000-06:00

Woahh, it's been a while since I've posted! Don't worry, I've still been cooking everyday - life has just been too crazy to upload pictures and write out recipes. But I have some fun stuff saved up for you, starting with this interesting dish...

My 11-year-old brother came to stay with me last weekend, and I wanted to make something extra-special for him. This kid is used to experiencing phenomenal cooking on a daily basis (because he lives with my mom), so I knew he wouldn't impress easily. We went to the grocery store on Saturday afternoon, and as we're walking through the store, we have this conversation...

What do you want for dinner?
I don't know... what can you make?
Tell me what you want, and I'll tell you if I can make it.
Pasta?
Sure, what else?
Steak?
Mixed together?
Yeahhhh (with a big smile)

Sounded easy enough. But then we head toward the meat section, and I see him eyeing the raw meat through the glass. Next thing I know, he's convinced me to purchase a pound of bison sirloin steak. On the ride home I start to get nervous. I've never cooked bison and only eaten it once before. Or was that buffalo? Is there even a difference? The nice, old man behind the meat counter had given me some tips for how to cook my bison, but as soon as I got home I started researching. (Google-ing food is my idea of fun, so just go with it.) Did you know that there's a National Bison Association? Well, their website WOWed me... I learned that bison has one-third less fat than chicken, and it pretty much outshines any other kind of meat when it comes to having more iron, less cholesterol, fewer calories, etc. Most importantly, I learned from their Bison Cooking 101 page that it cooks much quicker than beef, so I should cook it slowly on low heat.

Once I was properly educated, we got started! My little bro was excited to take pictures while I cooked, so there's a lot for this post.

You'll need:
3/4 pound fettuccini
1 pound bison sirloin steak
3 Tablespoons of olive oil, divided
2 Tablespoons Original Allegro Marinade
1/4 cup chopped onion, finely chopped (more if desired)
3 baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced (more if desired)
1 large clove of garlic, minced
16 oz. tomato sauce (2 small cans)

3 oz. tomato paste (1/2 small can)

1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

We wanted a simple spaghetti sauce that wouldn't overpower the bison, so we steered away from alfredo and went with a homemade tomato-based sauce with fresh herbs. It ended up being the perfect choice with the bison, but if you absolutely have to, you could go with a store-bought jar to save time.

Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to a sauté pan and turn to medium-low heat.

Chop and add onion. I wanted to add 1/4 cup more, but Brother said, "That's enough!" So I stopped chopping.

I begged Brother to let me put mushrooms in. (Have you noticed that I use baby bella mushrooms in just about any dish I can?) I convinced him that they were crucial to the integrity of the sauce. That was kind of a lie, but that's how much I love mushrooms - enough to sin. ;)

Mince the garlic next, and add to the sauté pan.

Once the onions and mushrooms are tender, add tomato sauce and paste, and stir.

Add basil and parsley.

Add oregano, salt, and pepper.

Give the sauce a stir, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Don't forget to sample the sauce at some point to make sure it's seasoned the way you like it. I tend to under-salt it at first and have to add a bit more.

Meanwhile, put a large pot of water on high heat to come to a boil for your fettuccini.

Now, let's tackle this bison! First, drizzle another tablespoon of olive oil in a small sauté pan and turn on your burner - remember, low heat!

I poured a tablespoon of Allegro on each side and just massaged it into the meat. I also sprinkled on salt and freshly ground pepper. I wish I would have had time to marinate it a few hours earlier, but it was still tasty. :)

Cut into strips...

And then into small chunks. These should be bite-size.

Spread these in your small pan.

Turn the meat as it starts to brown - don't overcook!

Using a slotted spoon or spatula, move the bison to your pasta sauce and stir together.

In the meantime, you should have added your fettuccine to the boiling pot of water. Cook it according to the package directions.

I always have to set a timer for the pasta because I usually have several burners going at once, and I get distracted.

Okay, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot, but this time with the last tablespoon of olive oil and on low heat.

Add the butter.

Add the Italian seasoning and stir gently, so that the butter melts and seasoning spreads throughout.

You're ready to eat!

I served this dish with some cheesy bread (provolone melted on french bread) and asparagus on the side.

Needless to say, it was delicious!

I think my next experiment will be Bison Chili in my slow cooker!

Sending you love (and bison) from my kitchen.

Sweet Baked Salmon

2011-02-07T00:30:00.000-06:00

Not everyone is crazy about fish, but I'm a pretty big fan... plus it's SO good for you, especially salmon. I grew up with my mom preaching the health benefits of salmon, and it just takes a quick Google search to find that she's absolutely right. It's high in Vitamin D and protein, but the real stars are the Omega-3 fatty acids. They do wonders for our bodies, helping to prevent heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and even depression. One thing you must do though - buy wild salmon, not farm-raised. They put dye in the farm-raised salmon to trick you into thinking it has just as much flavor (but it doesn't), and there's also less Omega-3 oil, so you're not getting the most that this fish has to offer.

Okay, nutrition lesson over. Let's get to this sweet salmon! I usually eat salmon seasoned with just salt, pepper, and few herbs, but that's boring and I needed a change. There are variations of this recipe on the Internet, but I'm pretty much in love with my version. The sweetness of the honey and crunch of the pecans goes perfectly with the soft, flaky salmon. Plus, this recipe is simple and quick!

You'll need:
Salmon (I used two 4-oz. pieces, but you could use up to 4 pieces.)
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
Dash of Salt and Pepper
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and spray a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with cooking spray.

Defrost your salmon if necessary, and make sure it's clean. You can remove the skin if you want, but I like to keep it on... just be sure no scales sneak past you.

In a small bowl, stir together mustard, honey, butter, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.

Chop the pecans.

And combine them with the breadcrumbs in another small bowl.

Brush or spread about a teaspoon of the honey mixture onto each piece of salmon, and top with the breadcrumb mixture. Feel free to add more breadcrumbs or pecans to your mixture as needed. Don't worry too much about proportions - just follow your stomach.

Place on the baking sheet, and bake for 12-14 minutes.

Serve with your favorite veggie and garlic bread.

Delicious...

Sending you love (and Omega-3s) from my kitchen.

Girl Scout Cookie Cheesecake

2011-02-04T22:49:00.000-06:00

It's one of my favorite times of the year... Girl Scout Cookies are for sale! Naturally, I bought a few boxes, but this year I wanted to try something different - this cheesecake! I had this crazy idea to use Shout Outs (a caramel flavored cookie) for the crust, and pieces of Caramel deLites (also known as Samoas and my favorite GSC) inside the filling and on top. I was kind of nervous about how it would turn out, but I got rave reviews!

You'll need:

Crust:
1 box Shout Outs (about 2 cups when crushed)
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick regular (salted) butter, melted
Filling:
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
8 Caramel deLite cookies, broken into fourths
Topping:
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 Caramel deLite cookies, broken into fourths

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Set all of the refrigerated ingredients for your filling on the counter - the cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream. It's best that these ingredients are close to room temperature when you blend them.

Using a blender or food processor, crush the Shout Outs into crumbs.

Add the sugar and melted butter.

Fold together until the mixture is evenly coated with the butter, and pour into a lightly greased springform pan. (I forgot to grease my pan, and the crust was a little difficult to remove.)

Use your fingers to press the crust to the bottom of the pan, and form an even layer.

Pop the crust into the oven for about 8 minutes. The smell is going to knock your socks off.

Meanwhile, blend the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. (If the cream cheese is still cold, soften it in a microwave dish in the microwave on low heat for 30-45 seconds.)

Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well in between each addition.

Add the sour cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and orange zest, and blend until just combined.

Break up the Caramel deLites, and scatter over the filling.

Use a spoon to gently push down the cookies into the filling. Don't push them down all the way to the bottom - just until they're covered with the filling.

Bake for about 50 minutes on 350 degrees.

When I took the cheesecake out of the oven, the middle had sunk slightly lower than the edges, which left the perfect amount of space for the whipped cream topping. But before making the topping, let the cake cool on the counter for about an hour and then refrigerate overnight or at least 3-4 hours.

In a medium-sized bowl, pour in the heavy cream, and add the powdered sugar. Blend until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla at the end, and blend until just combined. When I was a little kid, my mom would always let my brother and I sample the whipped cream before she spread it on the cake... of course it was always perfect, but regardless, I still feel like a whipped cream expert. :)

Spread the whipped cream topping over the chilled cheesecake.

Break up the remaining cookies, and scatter over the top.

I also drizzled on some caramel syrup but forgot to take a picture of that... but it looked amazing, trust me. Hope you enjoy!

Sending you love (in a springform pan) from my kitchen.

Nutella Swirl Cupcakes

2011-01-28T20:36:00.000-06:00

Brace yourself. Because these cupcakes are dangerous. They have the shortest lifespan out of anything I've ever baked, and it's no surprise with the dollop of Nutella swirled into these moist cupcakes. People tend to eat one after another... after another. I've got to give credit to The Little Kitchen That Could yet again for this wonderful recipe. You absolutely must visit her blog - it's pretty wonderful.

You'll need:

1 box yellow cake mix

2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup olive oil

24 teaspoons Nutella

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Throw all the ingredients (except Nutella) into a bowl and combine with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until well-blended. I love no-fuss recipes like this... quick and painless.

Spread the mix among 24 cupcake liners that have been very lightly greased with olive oil cooking spray. Each one should be 2/3 full with batter.

Place a teaspoon of Nutella in the middle of each cup.

Fold a bit of the batter over the Nutella, and use a fork to swirl, sort of like trying to spin spaghetti around your fork. It's okay if it's not perfect. Sometimes a big glob of Nutella is even better that swirled Nutella.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. I like them warm, but they're also great at room temperature.

Sending you swirls of love from my kitchen.

Blackberry Shortbread Bars

2011-01-24T01:43:00.000-06:00

It's been a couple weeks since I've posted a recipe for something sweet, and these pretty bars are so delicious that I just have to share them with you. I got the recipe from another one of my favorite bloggers: The Little Kitchen That Could. (Click HERE to see her post.)

Let's be honest - part of the reason why this dessert is so amazing is because it's loaded with butter and sugar... which is why these little bars are going straight to the office tomorrow morning. I don't think my waistline would survive if they stayed in my kitchen, tempting me all week.

You'll need:
Crust:
3 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
Filling:
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz. container of sour cream
1/2 cup flour
16 oz. bag of frozen blackberries

About an hour before you plan on making these, set the bag of frozen blackberries in the sink to thaw.

Then, about 30 minutes before you start baking, prepare your butter by cutting it into 1/2-inch cubes and placing it on a plate in the freezer. The butter needs to be very chilled for this recipe so that the crust gets nice and crumbly.

When the blackberries are no longer frozen, rinse them and let them hang out in a strainer or colander for a few minutes so that all the juices drip out.

When you're ready to start baking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and prepare a 9x13-inch glass dish by spraying it with cooking spray.

Mix the flour, sugar, and salt with a whisk for about 30 seconds until all the ingredients are combined.

Pastry Blender

Add the cubes of chilled butter. To mix in the butter, The Little Kitchen That Could used a food processor for about 30 seconds, but I used a pastry blender (also called a dough blender or pastry cutter).

It takes longer (about 8 minutes of blending by hand), but you'll definitely burn a few calories working the butter into the flour mixture. Blend until the mixture is crumbly, and then set aside about 2 cups to use later for the topping.

Every once in while, use a knife to scrape out the butter that may get stuck in the pastry blender.

Set aside for the topping...

Spread the remaining mixture in the 9x13 dish, and firmly press the crust to the bottom so that it forms an even layer. Bake this bottom layer for about 20 minutes or until the crust just barely starts to turn a golden color.

While you're waiting for the crust to cool for about 10 minutes, make the filling by blending the eggs, sugar, sour cream, and flour with an electric mixer on low speed for about a minute.

Gently fold in the thawed blackberries with a rubber spatula until the mixture turns a lavender color.

Next, spread the filling over the crust.

Sprinkle on the crust you set aside earlier. (This top layer will be much thinner than the bottom.)

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the top is golden brown. (Side note - These little guys are funny when they're baking. After about 40 minutes, a couple of air bubbles began forming underneath the crust and looked dangerously close to exploding. So, I just took a butter knife and poked a few holes all the way through the bottom layer of crust to deflate the bubbles. BUT they just re-inflated 5 minutes later. Not quite sure what the experts would do in this situation, but I just kept a close eye on them and ended up stabbing them once more before the hour of baking was up.)

Let the bars cool to room temperature before cutting.

They're great for dessert, but also pretty phenomenal in the morning with a cup of coffee. :)

Enjoy! Sending you love from my kitchen.

Pizza Scrolls

2011-01-22T21:43:00.000-06:00

I'm a huge pizza lover - especially when it's homemade because you can customize it exactly the way you want it. Try experimenting with different ingredients. You could use pesto instead of pizza sauce; chicken instead of pepperoni; load with veggies; or experiment with different types of cheese. I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite food bloggers - Multiply Delicious. Click HERE for her version.

You'll need:
I can Pillsbury refrigerated thin pizza crust (11 oz.)
Pepperoni, about 20 slices
1/4 cup pizza sauce
1/2 lb. mozzarella, shredded
2 tsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive oil cooking spray

*Scroll to the bottom of this post for a vegetarian option!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Unroll the pizza dough onto a cookie sheet or cutting board. I sprinkled a little flour on my cookie sheet to make the dough easier to handle. Spread the pizza sauce all over the crust, and layer with pepperoni, mozzarella (reserving 1/2 cup for later), basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Then, starting on the side that's shortest in length, roll the pizza tightly. Using a serrated knife, cut the scrolls into slices about 2 inches thick.

Place the scrolls in a cupcake pan that was greased lightly with the olive oil spray.

Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top of the scrolls.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Serve with ranch or more pizza sauce. These would also make great appetizers if you're expecting a crowd. Enjoy!

Three-Cheese Veggie Pizza Scrolls

These scrolls have been such a huge hit that I wanted to post pictures from my second batch. I prepared them basically the same way, except this time I used sliced red bell peppers, cremini mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, and a dash of salt and pepper.

Then, I sprinkled on shredded cheddar and Fontina. If you've never used Fontina, you've got to try it. It's soft, buttery, and sweet, so it's great to melt on sandwiches, in pasta, and of course, on pizza.

When I rolled the pizza and cut the scrolls, they were too large to squeeze into a muffin pan, so I just laid them on a greased cookie sheet, and sprinkled on shredded mozzarella.

Bake for about 10 minutes, and enjoy!

Sending you love (all scrolled up) from my kitchen.

Baby Bella Scrambled Egg Sandwich

2011-01-22T00:09:00.000-06:00

It's very rare that I rave about something I've made, but allow me to gloat just temporarily for creating this amazing sandwich! It's not complicated, but it's the combination of ingredients that makes it phenomenal. The feta gives just the right amount of tang, while the spinach gives a bit of crispiness, and the baby bella mushrooms will make you forget that there's no meat in this sandwich. Combined with some pear slices and a giant cup of coffee - perfect start to the day! Let's just say I'll be making this again very soon... like tomorrow.

You'll need:
2 tsp. olive oil
2 baby bella mushrooms
2 eggs
dash of dried parsley
dash of dried basil
dash of garlic sea salt
dash of black pepper
handful of spinach
bread (I used french bread.)

Wash and slice mushrooms.

Put in a pan with olive oil on medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, crack eggs into a bowl with salt, pepper, basil, and parsley.

Whisk the mixture, and when the mushrooms start to brown like this...

... turn the heat down to low and add the egg mixture to the mushrooms. Fold together as the eggs cook.

The eggs will cook fast. When almost at your desired consistency, form in the shape of your bread, and top with the feta.

Using a spatula, transfer the egg mixture to your bread, and stuff the sandwich with spinach.

Sending you love (and a healthy breakfast) from my kitchen.

Poppyseed Chicken Casserole

2011-01-14T00:52:00.000-06:00

I got a few requests for this recipe after making it for the girls one night and then again for a cohort game night, so here it is!

You'll need:
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom
1 can cream of chicken
1 small container (8 oz.) sour cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 sleeves of Ritz crackers
1/2 stick of butter, melted
1-2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Cooking spray

Boil chicken just until it's no longer pink in the center - careful not to overcook. Drain and let cool for about 10 minutes before shredding into bite-size pieces.

Stir together sour cream, cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, and chicken broth. It won't look very appealing, and the consistency will be a little like Jello, but it's going to taste delicious soon...

Add the shredded chicken, stirring until all the chicken is coated.

In a 9x11 glass baking dish (sprayed lightly with cooking spray), crush 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers as a bottom layer for your casserole. I crush the crackers just by holding 4-5 in my hand and squeezing - Ritz crackers are soft, so this way is quick and effective.

Gently spoon the chicken mixture on the crackers, and smooth it out so that it's level.

Crush the other sleeve of crackers to make a top layer.

Drizzle the butter over the casserole. Also, sprinkle the poppy seeds over it evenly.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

There you go - easy and delicious... and it makes great leftovers, too!

Sending you love from my kitchen.

Vegetarian Lasagna

2011-01-09T02:54:00.000-06:00

I've already posted the recipe for my Mom's Lasagna, but honestly, I might like this vegetarian version even better! My lovely roommate is a pescatarian, so I wanted to transform my traditional lasagna into something Leah-friendly. The ingredients list is a little long, but it's worth it - I promise.

You'll need:
4 zucchini
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 onion, chopped
6-8 mushrooms, sliced (I used cremini.)
1/2 red bell pepper, cut in bite-size pieces
1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut in bite-size pieces
2 cloves garlic
8 Roma tomatoes
2 8-oz. cans of tomato sauce
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 lb. mozzarella, grated
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
3 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 lb. uncooked lasagna
Salt and Pepper
Olive oil cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Wash the zucchini.

And slice it thinly length-wise.

Spray a baking sheet with a generous amount of cooking spray, lay out zucchini, and sprinkle on some salt and pepper.

Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

While the zucchini are in the oven, start your sauce. Sauté the onion in olive oil on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and peppers, and sauté for another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water on high heat, and gently drop in tomatoes. Boil for 2-3 minutes or until the tomatoes starts to split.

Drop the tomatoes in ice cold water. This will help the skins slide right off.

Gently peel off the tomato skins.

Cut the tomatoes into fourths. Add the garlic to your veggie mixture and sauté for about a minute before adding tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.

Add salt, pepper, basil, and oregano.

Sauté for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil the lasagna noodles according to package directions, and grate the mozzarella.

Gently fold the noodles into the sauce.

Layer the noodles with cheese, adding the zucchini between every other layer.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Sending you (including all vegetarians) love from my kitchen.

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

2011-01-08T03:04:00.000-06:00

Another delicious find from Multiply Delicious' food blog - find the original recipe HERE.

You'll need:

1 stick of butter, softened

3 oz. cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 cup Oreo crumbs

1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and prepare your baking pan by lining it with parchment paper.

Blend butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix again. Add the flour gradually, mixing until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Stir in the mini chocolate chips.

Crush Oreo cookies in a blender or food processor. Scoop balls of dough and roll in the Oreo crumbs, covering completely.

Then, place on the baking sheet.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, and let cool for a few minutes before removing from the tray.

Melt the white chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave, and drizzle on the cookies once they reach room temperature.

Hope you enjoy them!

Sending you love from my kitchen.

Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders & Sweet Potato Fries

2011-01-06T02:12:00.000-06:00

Recently I've been a little obsessed with reading other food blogs... to the point where I'm staying up way too late reading recipe after recipe. Apparently, there's this whole Food Blog World (with conferences and everything!) that I had no idea even existed. So, over the next few posts, I'll probably be featuring a few of my favorite recipes from this community of professional food bloggers (who make my own blog look a little silly). Here are a few blogs that I'm especially hooked on:

Multiply Delicious: http://www.multiplydelicious.com/thefood/
Two Peas and their Pod: http://twopeasandtheirpod.com/
For the Love of Cooking: http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/
Pinch My Salt: http://pinchmysalt.com/
The Little Kitchen That Could: http://thelittlekitchenthatcould.blogspot.com/
Baking Bites: http://bakingbites.com/
Whole Eats & Whole Treats: http://zoedawn.wordpress.com/

Back to the food... I didn't make any major changes, so full credit goes to these pros: Multiply Delicious and Two Peas in their Pod. Click HERE to see the original recipe for the Chicken Tenders and HERE for the Sweet Potato Fries. I think it's a relatively healthy dish for being chicken tenders and fries.

Chicken Tenders

You'll need:
10-12 Chicken Tenders (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts because that's what I had and just cut them into smaller pieces. They ended up being all different shapes and sizes but still delicious.)
1 1/2 cups Newman's Own Light Honey Mustard Dressing
2 cups Honey Toasted Cereal (I used Fiber One Honey Clusters)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Break up the cereal in a food processor or blender until finely ground, and pour into a shallow bowl. Pour the dressing in a bowl as well. Once you clean the chicken tenders, just dip them in the dressing and dredge in the crushed cereal.

Then, I put them in a glass dish on a sheet of parchment paper (because the stuff is magical and prevents anything from sticking).

Bake for 20-25 minutes (depending on how big your pieces are), turning halfway through.

Sweet Potato Fries

You'll need:
2 Sweet Potatoes
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Fresh Rosemary

Peel and cut potatoes into strips. Try to make them about the same size so they'll cook evenly.

Throw potato strips into a bowl and add olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary.

Toss until all the fries are coated with olive oil and seasoning. Spread on a baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes, turning halfway through.

Sending you love from my kitchen (and the greater food blog world). Enjoy!

Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

2011-01-04T20:56:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year everyone! I thought I'd start the new year off with something healthy for all those with "get in shape" resolutions. :)

I made this salad for a lunch with some friends and served it on the side of homemade chicken strips and sweet potato fries... those recipes are coming soon! I was originally wanting to a make a strawberry salad and dressing, but strawberries this time of year are not very pretty. Raspberries turned out to be the perfect choice. I love how everything is fresh and colorful. Enjoy!

For the salad, you'll need:
Spinach
Sliced almonds
Fontina cheese, cut in small rectangles
Raspberries
Raspberry Vinaigrette (See recipe below)
*Don't worry about proportions too much, just put however much feels right. :)

Fill a bowl with spinach and pile on the fresh raspberries, Fontina, and almonds.

Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

I'm really proud of this because I made it up on the spot. Luckily I wrote down the ingredients because I'm making this again for sure!

You'll need:

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Juice of 1 lime

A few basil leaves

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon sugar

4 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until you get a vinaigrette consistency. My recipe made about a cup of dressing.

Sending you love (and a wonderful 2011) from my kitchen.

Mandarin Orange Cake with Pineapple Vanilla Frosting

2010-12-26T16:17:00.000-06:00

While I'm home for Christmas break, I haven't done a whole lot of cooking... hence the lack of posts recently. I've been my mom's daily assistant in her kitchen, but today I finally got to make one of my own recipes. (Well, I actually got this recipe from a lady in my office, Debbie, who I consistently swap recipes with... but you know how when you make a dish more times than you can count, you start to feel like you created it? That's how I feel about this cake.) We had some family friends come over for lunch today, and Mom prepared a feast, so I supplemented this cake. It's really more of a summer dessert because it's light, fruity, and is served chilled, but everyone seemed to enjoy it anyway!

Even if you're not the most confidant baker, this is going to be a breeze. The ingredients list is short, the preparation is low-stress, and then there's the fun of frosting the cake. There are very few things I love more than frosting a cake. :)

You'll need:

Frosting ingredients

Cake:

1 box (18.25 oz.) yellow cake mix

1 can (15 oz.) mandarin oranges in light syrup
3 eggs
3/4 cup olive oil
Frosting:
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple in juice (not in the syrup)
1 box (3.4 oz.) instant vanilla pudding
1 carton (8 oz.) Cool Whip

Before you get started, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9-inch round pans. I use olive oil cooking spray, and be sure not to miss any spots. We want the cake to just slip out of the pan after it's baked.

To make the cake, mix the cake mix, oranges, eggs, and oil all at once. (This includes the syrup from the mandarin oranges can.)

Beat with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes or until all ingredients are blended together well. You may still see little bits of the oranges, and that's fine - just as long as there aren't any big chunks.

Divide the batter evenly into your two pans and bake for about 25 minutes.

Let the cakes cool to room temperature, and then pop them in the refrigerator for at least a couple hours.

The frosting is just as easy! With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix the vanilla pudding and pineapple, as well as all the juice from its can, until all the powder has dissolved into the pineapple juice. Now add in the cool whip a spoonful at a time, stirring until well blended. It's best to let the bowl of frosting sit in the fridge for about an hour to thicken up so it doesn't slide down the cake as you're frosting.

Once the cake and frosting are both cold, you're ready to start frosting.

Frost the bottom layer of cake, and then add the the top layer and frost all over, smoothing around the sides. I wish I had gotten more pictures of the frosting process, but I was in a hurry... here's the finished product! It's a little sloppy because I was rushing, and I also meant to top it with some sliced strawberries, but I completely forgot! You can do better when you make it. :)

I took a few bites before I remembered to snap a picture. So delicious!

My mom loved this because it's light and doesn't leave you feeling stuffed or on a sugar-high, and my brother, who normally hates icing and scrapes it off his cakes, ate every bit of his slice. If you decide to make this, let me know what you think!

Sending you love from my kitchen.