olive cheese bread

This. You really need this in your life.

It's one of those things you make to go alongside a meal, only to abandon the main dish for seconds and thirds of the sides. This makes a killer appetizer - would be great to make for the game this weekend! Trust me - this will make your guests swoon.

Olive Cheese Bread (adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

serves 6

you'll need:

1/2 ciabatta loaf, sliced lengthwise

6 oz. olives, roughly chopped (I used a mixture of kalamata olives, but use whatever you like or have handy!)

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1/2 stick of butter, room temperature

1/4 cup nonfat greek yogurt

6 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients (except bread) together until thoroughly combined.

Spread the mixture onto the ciabatta. It's going to seem like too much, but it'll all melt right into the bread and make it ridiculously good.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and browning.

And that's it! Don't hesitate to make this one.

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chicken and avocado enchiladas

What are your favorite things to cook?

I love making biscuits. Sometimes I call them scones.

Anything that needs yeast is fun because you get to see the dough double in size. It's ALIVE.

Risotto is good because it gets you out of doing anything else around the house. You can't take your eye off of it, so sorry but someone else is going to have to fold the laundry! Would if I could!

Also, as you might have suspected, enchiladas. Rolling them up into cute little cigars is part of the reason, but most of all because if you cook enchiladas, you get to EAT enchiladas. And that's always a beautiful thing.

You might be looking at this photo and wondering where the avocado is. Well, my darlings, it's baked inside! Warm avocado inside your enchiladas will rock your world. It can't not.

Chicken and Avocado Enchiladas
makes 6 enchiladas

you'll need:
1 lb. cooked chicken breasts, shredded
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 chopped serrano pepper
1 can red enchilada sauce (I use this one)
6 corn tortillas (or whatever kind you like)
1 large avocado, sliced
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Combine chicken, onion, pepper, and 1/2 cup enchilada sauce in a bowl. Heat tortillas between damp paper towels in the microwave for about 30 seconds (this helps to soften them so they don't break as you're rolling).

Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. To assemble each enchilada, spoon a bit of the chicken mixture into a tortilla, top with a slice or two of avocado, and roll. Place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat until all the enchiladas are made. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top, then sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cheese is bubbly. Allow to sit for a couple minutes before serving, and enjoy!

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garlic parmesan soft pretzels

Sometimes you see recipes that you just have to make immediately, no matter what you've been planning, or how much it doesn't fit as an app or side for whatever you're currently cooking for dinner.

This was one of those recipes.

When the ever-inventive and genius Averie of Averie Cooks posted this recipe, it was all I could think about. Despite the fact that I was in the middle of making a loaf of bread, I figured that, since the whole process was supposed to take one hour from start to finish, I could put these together in the time I was waiting for the other bread to rise. And I was right, and so very thankful that I had done so, because OMG these are SO good and it's insane how quickly they all come together. My pretzel-twisting skills clearly need some perfecting, but there will be time to work on that. Because now that I have found these, I am going to make them at every appropriate opportunity.

Make these with a friend, your husband, or your kids! They're super fun and you can get as creative as you want with toppings. I loved this garlic parmesan version because I put garlic and parmesan on pretty much everything possible, but you could do simple butter and sea salt, cinnamon sugar, honey butter - the possibilities are endless! Alright, I'll stop talking now and let you get started...

Garlic Parmesan Soft Pretzels (pretzels from Averie Cooks)
makes 6 pretzels

for the pretzels, you'll need:
2.5 cups bread flour (AP may be substituted)
2 1/4 teaspoons (one standard packet) instant dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water (check your yeast packet for the recommended water temp.)
1/8 cup butter, melted

for the garlic parmesan butter, you'll need:
3 tablespoons butter, melted
5-6 garlic cloves, finely minced
handful of Italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

In a large bowl, add flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix for a few seconds to combine. Pour the warm water over the top. Stir the mixture for about 1 minute, or until completely combined.

Remove bowl from mixer and knead dough (I just keep it in the bowl, but you could turn it out onto a floured work surface if you want) for about 5 minutes.

After you've kneaded the dough, remove it from the bowl and spray the bowl with cooking spray. Return dough to the bowl. Cover with plasticwrap and place it in a warm place to rise for at least 30 minutes. (The longer it rises, the fluffier your pretzels will be. But 30 minutes is just fine!)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Once dough has risen, punch it down and place it on a floured work surface. Using a sharp knife, divide dough into six equal pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a long rope (mine were about 15 inches long). To make a pretzel shape, grab the ends like you're making a heart. Twist like a twist-tie and lay ends on their opposite side. Or just shape them however you want! Transfer pretzels to prepared baking sheets, three per tray.

Melt 1/8 cup butter in the microwave and brush onto the pretzels. Bake for about 10 minutes. While pretzels are baking, make the garlic butter by mixing together all ingredients except Parmesan. When pretzels have baked for 10 minutes, turn broiler on and let broil for about 90 seconds in order to get those golden brown tops. Remove from oven and brush pretzels with the garlic butter. Sprinkle Parmesan on top and serve immediately.

See! So quick and easy with the best reward ever. Enjoy!

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turkey bacon and blue cheese scones

These were a triumph.

I'm mildly obsessed with savory scones (evidence: here and here), so I'm always trying to come up with something new. I whipped these up on a lazy Saturday morning with random ingredients I needed to use up in my fridge, not quite sure how they would turn out. But then Miles declared these, "The best scones you've ever made." WIN.

Make these as soon as possible. Your loved ones will rejoice.

Turkey Bacon and Blue Cheese Scones
makes 10 scones

here's what you'll need!
3 cups flour
1 tblspn. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper (the black pepper really MAKES these, so don't skimp)
couple dashes of cayenne
1 stick (1/2 cup) chilled unsalted butter (use a butter knife to cut into small pats cubes. I keep mine in the freezer while I'm gathering all the ingredients so that it stays COLD.)
1 cup blue cheese, crumbled
4 green onions, thinly sliced
10 slices of turkey bacon
1.5 cups whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten (to create an egg wash)

Preheat oven to 400. Place bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet. When oven is ready, cook bacon 15 minutes. When finished, remove from oven and allow to cool. Cut into small (1 inch or smaller) pieces.

Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a mixing bowl. Add butter and, using your hands, forks, or a mixer, combine until you have a coarse, crumbly texture. Add blue cheese and stir. Add the green onions, milk, and turkey bacon and stir until just combined (do not overmix).

Use an ice cream scoop or your hands to roll the dough into about 10 balls (wet hands with water to prevent dough from sticking to you!). Place balls about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil and press down to a cylinder about 1/2 inch thick.

Brush each scone with the beaten egg and bake for about 20 minutes, or until scones are golden brown on top. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before enjoying.

These smelled so good baking in our oven that I wanted to cry. Then I tasted one and wanted to cry again. I promise, promise, y'all will love these!

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overnight buckwheat pecan pancakes

I'm not sure there's anything more comforting than a big stack of pancakes in the morning. Most people have a preference on their pancakes - thin, thick, cakey, fluffy... but I don't discriminate. I love the lightness of ricotta pancakes, the warmth of gingerbread pancakes, the sweet treat of chocolate chip pancakes... love, love, love them all.

These pancakes are a new favorite. Using buckwheat flour gives them such a hearty flavor, and the crunch of pecans is just right. These are filling, feel-good pancakes that guarantee a perfect start to a lazy weekend morning - whip them up the night before, and in the morning you're only minutes away from a lovely breakfast.

Overnight Buckwheat Pecan Pancakes (adapted from Food Loves Writing)
makes about 15 generous pancakes

you'll need:
1.5 cups buckwheat flour
1/8 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 nonfat Greek yogurt
1 cup skim milk, plus more as needed
about 1 cup chopped pecans

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter with eggs, vanilla, yogurt and milk. Add wet ingredients to dry. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, take the batter out of the fridge. Stir well and add milk to thin it out to the consistency you want. Heat a bit of butter in a large skillet. When skillet is hot, ladle batter into pan. Sprinkle pecans on batter. When bubbles form on the top, flip the pancakes to cook on the other side.

Serve with butter and good maple syrup. Happy Friday, y'all!

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chocolate chip cobbler

Most cobblers involve fruit. But I don't always work that way.

There are as many ways to make cobbler as there are people in the world, but when I came across The Pioneer Woman's, I was convinced. This dessert takes less than 5 minutes to prep, has a short ingredient list, and is completely foolproof... even for me, who when it comes to baking has many times been fool enough to destroy supposedly "foolproof" recipes. I blame it on my oven. It can't defend itself.

You can bake this in a bigger dish and spoon it out, but everything is so much cuter in individual ramekins. So that's what I did. :)

Chocolate Chip Cobbler (adapted from The Pioneer Woman's blackberry cobbler recipe)
serves 4

you'll need:
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips
whipped cream or ice cream and chocolate syrup, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 3-quart baking dish, or ramekins, with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup sugar with flour and milk. Whisk in the melted butter.

{our batter into a baking dish, or divide evenly into individual ramekins. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over batter. Next, sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over chocolate chips and batter. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 1 hour. When 10 minutes of cooking time remains, sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the top.

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream and chocolate sauce... or just enjoy on its own! This is like a big ole fluffy warm chocolate chip cookie. YUM.

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spicy crockpot cheeseburgers

This oddball recipe is a total winner. Pinky swear.

I guess these really are more like sloppy joes than cheeseburgers, but I've always had an averse reaction to the name "sloppy joes." It conjures up hazy and negative memories of elementary school cafeterias. "Sloppy" is just not a cute word.

So I'm calling these cheeseburgers. And telling you that you need these in your life as soon as possible.

Spicy Crockpot Cheeseburgers (adapted from How Sweet Eats)
serves 4

you'll need:
1 lb. ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
couple dashes of cayenne (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon mustard
a few dashes of hot sauce (I used Frank's)
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into cubes, plus more for topping
4 hamburger buns, buttered and toasted

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic, beef, salt, pepper, and cayenne and cook until meat is crumbly and browned, about 4-5 minutes. Add beef to slow cooker and add milk, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, and cheese, stirring well so that everything is combined. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so.

Serve on buttered, toasted buns with more cheese (always) and whatever additional toppings you like. Enjoy!

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classic chicken and rice soup

hello hello, dear friends! after a week away from this little space due to an evil virus that truly took on a life of its own, i'm thrilled to be back with you all in the land of the living.

after a week of being down for the count, this seemed like an appropriate dish to share. there's just something about brothy chicken soup when you're sick, isn't there? while i almost always try to put a twist on classic recipes, sometimes it's nice to really stick to the basics - like this simple but lovely chicken and rice soup. all you need is a green salad and toasty bread, and you've got the most comforting, homey meal.

classic chicken and rice soup
serves 4

1 lb. chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped

1 quart chicken stock

1 cup long-grain white rice

1 bay leaf

preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

place the chicken breasts skin side up on a lined sheet pan. rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. roast in oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. when chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and shred meat. set aside.

in a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. add carrots, celery, and onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes. add chicken stock, rice, and bay leaf. bring to a boil. turn heat down to medium and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

add shredded chicken and check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. enjoy!

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turkey bacon asparagus bundles with balsamic syrup

Here's a little spin on a classic side dish that we just loved. The true star here is the balsamic syrup drizzled on top... I'm a bit obsessed with it. I've made it to drizzle over ciabatta, on steaks, even on strawberries for dessert, but this... this combo was a winner.

Turkey Bacon Asparagus Bundles with Balsamic Syrup
serves 4

for the bundles, you'll need:
1 bunch asparagus, about 20-25 spears, stems removed
4 slices turkey bacon
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

for the balsamic syrup, you'll need:
1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with cooking spray.

Bunch together 5-7 asparagus spears and wrap one piece of turkey bacon around each one. Place on wire rack, seam side down. Repeat with remaining asparagus and turkey bacon. Brush olive oil on each bundle (or simply drizzle on top). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until bacon is cooked and crispy.

While the bundles are roasting, heat balsamic syrup and sugar or medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until syrup is thickened and reduced.

Drizzle balsamic syrup onto bundles and serve warm. Enjoy, dears!

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chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

There are some recipes I see about a million times - each time thinking, "I've got to make that!" - before I actually get around to making it.

This is one of those gems.

I've seen a lot of recipes for this dish, but none more than my beloved Ina Garten's version. If it's one of her go-to dishes, I'm sold. Where she leads, I will follow.

The name of this dish is hilarious, because, even for a garlic lover like me, it really doesn't sound appealing. It conjures up scary thoughts of massive, rock hard garlic cloves overpowering the poor, innocent chicken. BUT that couldn't be further from the truth! The garlic cooks long and slow, and becomes sweet, tender, and incredibly mild.

But you don't have to trust me -- just trust Ina.

Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves (adapted from Ina Garten)
serves 4

you'll need:
40 cloves of garlic (I used the pre-peeled cloves from my grocery store. Please, resist the urge to be virtuous, and do the same. If you're determined, however, this is about 3 whole heads.)
8 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
salt & pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons milk (I used 2%)

Liberally season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, brown the chicken skin side down first, about 3-5 minutes per side. When browned, transfer chicken to a plate and set aside, then continue with the rest of the chicken. Remove the last chicken from the pot to the plate, then add all of the garlic cloves. Lower heat to medium. Stirring often, brown garlic for about 3-5 minutes. Add the wine wine and, scraping all the brown bits at the bottom of the pot, bring back to a boil. Return the chicken to the pot and sprinkle with thyme. Turn heat to the lowest setting, cover, and let simmer for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is completely cooked through.

Remove chicken from the pot and transfer to a plate. Cover with foil to allow chicken to rest and keep warm. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the sauce from the pot into a mixing bowl. Whisk with flour, then return to the pot. Add milk and boil for 3 minutes. Check the sauce for seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary.

To serve, pour sauce and garlic over chicken and serve hot. Enjoy!!!

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croissants - let's do this.

you know how i get on here every day and tell you that what i made was "so easy!" and "comes together in no time!"?

this is not one of those days.

but stay with me. because there are IN-sane croissants at the end of this emotional roller coaster.

disclaimer: this whole process takes, like, 10-12 hours. HAHAHA. i know. but since most of that is down time, you can totally do this. just plan ahead(!) so you don't end up waking your husband up in the wee hours of the night/morning and making him sleep-eat a croissant like a crazy person.

not that i would know anything about that.

croissants (from how sweet eats, who adapted recipes from epicurious and cooks.com)
makes about 20 croissants

you'll need:
1 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed in microwave on high for 1 minute
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (plus TONS more for all the kneading, rolling, and folding. seriously, flour is going to be EVERYWHERE.)
1 tablespoon salt
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) cold, unsalted butter
1 egg
lots of plastic wrap
a tape measure or ruler (i wish i were kidding)

1. to make dough, mix together milk, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and let stand for 10 minutes, until foamy. add 3 3/4 cups flour and the salt, and mix on low until dough just comes together. knead dough by hand on a floured work surface for 5-7 minutes, or until the dough is silky and not sticky (you may need to add a bit more flour if it's too sticky.) form dough into a 1 1/2 inch thick rectangle, wrap with plastic wrap, and let chill for one hour.

2. once dough has chilled, set butter sticks next to each other with their sides touching. this is a semi-horrifying/awesome moment, because this is when you realize that THREE sticks of butter are going into your croissants. haha. ok, moving on. pound the butter with a rolling pin to soften it a bit. set the butter between two sheets of plastic wrap. using the rolling pin, continue to press down with the rolling pin and your hands until butter is formed into one 8 x 5 inch rectangle. wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator.

3. now it's time to go back to the dough. remove dough from the plastic wrap to a floured work surface. using your hands, stretch the dough (especially the corners) to a 16 x 10 inch rectangle. place the dough with the short end facing you. now get the enormous butter slab out of the refrigerator and set in the middle of the dough rectangle. fold the dough like a letter: top half down, bottom half up. now turn the dough to, again, make the short end facing you. roll dough out to a 15 x 10 inch rectangle. again, fold the dough like a letter: top half down, bottom half up. this will form a 10 x 5 inch rectangle (roughly). wrap in plastic wrap and chill for one hour.

4. repeat step 3 THREE more times, for a total of FOUR folds. after the fourth and final fold, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 6-12 hours, no longer.

5. preheat oven to 450 degrees F. roll dough out to a long and skinny rectangle, about 20 x 32 inches (or break the dough in half and roll into 2 long, skinny rectangles.) use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut dough into triangles. in each triangle, cut a small, vertical slit into the straight edge so that you can tuck the point into it when you roll up the croissant. using both hands, roll dough into croissant shapes and place on a lined baking sheet, 2-3 inches apart. cover with a towel and set in a warm place for 1-2 hours to rise a bit more.

6. after this final rise (YAY!), beat 1 egg slightly with a fork. brush the tops of each croissant with the beaten egg and bake for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown. let cool before removing from baking sheet.

YOU DID IT! now indulge as much as you darn well please... Lord knows, you deserve it.

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chorizo and jalapeño pizza + my favorite pizza sauce ever

when miles and i were in santa fe a couple weeks ago, we ate a pizza with a rich, spicy sauce and chorizo so good i wanted to cry. so for an at-home date night the other night, i was determined to recreate this insanity as best i could. and, we were pretty happy with the result!

the key to this pizza is two-fold:

1. use really good chorizo. i got ours from whole foods. and after tasting the perfection that is chorizo on pizza, i really can't imagine going back to regular sausage on our pizza. this was THAT GOOD.

2. the sauce. i tried my best to mimic the sauce we had in santa fe, which was super rich, very slightly sweet, and good and spicy. i've been known to just use a jar of marinara for pizza sauce, but i promise this is barely more work than opening a jar, and it was SO much better.

my favorite pizza sauce ever
perfect amount for 1 pizza (next time i'll double the recipe and keep the leftovers in the fridge for last minute pizza needs!)

you'll need:
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
5 oz. warm water (i stuck mine in the microwave for 60 seconds)
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoons honey
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
salt to taste (you need a good amount to balance the sweetness of the honey)

in a small bowl, combine all ingredients, mixing very well. cover and keep in refrigerator at least 30 minutes before using, so that flavors can develop. taste for seasoning before spreading on pizza, adding salt and red pepper flakes as necessary.

chorizo and jalapeno pizza
serves 2-3

you'll need:
1 pizza dough (i used this recipe)
prepared pizza sauce (recipe above)
1/2 lb. chorizo
1 large jalapeno, thinly sliced
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil

preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

in a large skillet, cook chorizo until crumbly and completely done. set aside on paper towels to drain.

roll out pizza dough on a pizza stone or cookie sheet until it's at your desired thickness (i like a very thin, crispy crust!). spread pizza sauce evenly over dough, then top with slices of mozzarella. next, add jalapeno slices and chorizo. brush edges of pizza crust with olive oil. bake for 12-15 minutes, until crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly. allow to sit for a couple minutes to cool slightly before cutting into slices and serving.

enjoy our new favorite pizza!!!

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mexican camp bread

hellooooooo, super easy and yummy bread. you are my new best friend.

this would be great alongside eggs and bacon, a hearty stew, on even on its own for a special snack. it's likely you have everything you need to make this sitting right there in your pantry, so go ahead. you'll be so glad you did...

mexican camp bread (adapted from the pastry queen christmas cookbook)

makes 6 flat breads

you'll need:

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

6 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 tablespoons butter

in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. use your hands or a pastry cutter to incorporate the shortening into the flour mixture until it's crumbly. add the buttermilk and stir until just combined (do not overmix).

divide the dough into 6 equal portions and place on a lightly floured work surface. roll each portion into a quarter-inch thick disk about 6-inches in diameter.

melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. add disks (i could fit 3 at a time in my skillet... you can do more or less depending on the size of yours) and fry for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. repeat for the rest of the dough and serve immediately.

that's it! lots of fun to make, and oh so much fun to eat.

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salted browned butter cookies

a friend of mine always answers the question, "what's your favorite cookie?" with, "chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips."

huh?

i always thought this was crazy (WHY would you leave out the chocolate), until i made them for him once, and realized that this was, in fact, genius.

the cookie dough of a chocolate chip cookie is so good and perfectly buttery on its own, it really should be another cookie in its own right. but what to call these? "chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips" just doesn't have a ring to it.

well, for now, let's make these even better with browned butter and sea salt, and they shall be known as: salted browned butter cookies. amen.

salted browned butter cookies
makes about 24 cookies

you'll need:
8 tablespoons butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
about 1 tablespoon sea salt

preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until butter has browned. remove from heat and allow to cool a bit.

in a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. in the bowl of a stand mixer, mix cooled butter and sugars until well-combined. add the eggs and vanilla and mix. with the mixture running on low, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.

using 2 spoons, drop cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. sprinkle a tiny bit of sea salt on top of each cookie. bake for 12 minutes, and enjoy!

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crockpot green curry chicken

i've told y'all how much we love thai food in our home. we just can't get enough! the problem is, a lot of thai recipes have, like, one million ingredients (most of which i just don't usually have around/can't find anywhere).

so, i was thrilled to come across a jar of green curry sauce at trader joe's a couple weeks ago. and since then, i've realized, this stuff is all over! i've seen it in several different grocery stores in the asian foods section over the past couple of weeks. why didn't i know about this before? here's what mine looked like:

so, this is an embarrassingly easy "recipe." but we loved this dinner, and will be repeating it very often, so i wanted to share it with y'all. easiest thai food ever!

crockpot green curry chicken
serves 4

you'll need:
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 (12 oz.) jar green curry sauce
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped

place all ingredients except green onions in your crockpot. mix well so chicken is completely coated and everything is combined. cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.

serve in bowls, spooning in as much sauce as desired. garnish with green onions. i served ours over leftover jasmine rice, but it would be just fine on it's own! enjoy!

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texas cowboy stew

happy friday!

it's been a cooooold couple of weeks round these parts. and this is all i feel like eating. under an enormous blanket.

texas cowboy stew (adapted from pastry queen parties)
serves 4-6

2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into bite-size cubes
1 (12 oz.) can cola soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cajun seasoning (i use slap ya mama - hot)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup silver tequila
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef stock
1 yukon gold potato peeled and cubed
3 carrots, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

place the beef in a large bowl and cover with cola. cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but no more than 8.

in a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and cajun seasoning. drain the meal and roll the pieces in the seasoned flour to coat. heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. brow the beef on all sides, working in batches if you need to so it doesn't crowd the meat. transfer the browned meat to a large bowl and set side.

in the same skillet, sauté the onion over medium heat for about 3 minutes. stir in the garlic and sauté 1 minute. pour in the tequila, stirring up the browned bits that stick to the bottom of the pan. stir in the beef, wine, stock, potatoes, carrots, and oregano. bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.

garnish as desired (i used cilantro for a little tex-mex touch), serve, and gobble it up.

have a great weekend! x

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creamy baked artichokes

before you dismiss this recipe because of your new years diet, hear me out...

the "creamy" in this dish is nonfat greek yogurt.

now can we talk?

because i loved this! it was tangy and yummy and satisfying in every way. i could eat this as a main dish. and the other great thing - this is so, so simple. complicated side dishes stress me out and i always wonder who in the world has time for them. you too? here's a solution...

creamy baked artichokes
serves 2 as a side dish - easily doubled, tripled, whatever you need!

you'll need:
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup nonfat greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper, plus extra for sprinkling
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon chopped italian parsley, for garnish (optional)

preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

in a bowl, mix together artichoke hearts, greek yogurt, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. divide into 2 ramekins (or into a baking dish if multiplying recipe). sprinkle 1 tablespoon of parmesan and panko over each serving.

bake for 15-20 minutes, or until top starts to slightly brown. garnish with freshly ground pepper and chopped parsley.

hope y'all enjoy this! this will be my new go-to side dish. done. and now gone are the days of panic when someone asks, "can you bring a side dish?" hooray!

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lightened up neiman marcus tortilla soup

one of my favorite places to eat in dallas is the mermaid bar in neiman marcus. it's chic (duh), and i can play at the makeup counters on my way out, but most importantly - they make this soup. if you've been, you know this isn't normal brothy tortilla soup. it's ultra-thick (like the texture of a chowder) because it's thickened with corn tortillas!

this is a much lighter version of their fabulous soup; it is the new year, after all. :) i thought i'd miss some of the richness (they use heavy cream and nacho cheese sauce to make it even thicker), but this is still so hearty and tasty, you won't bat an eye. so that's a win!

lightened up neiman marcus tortilla soup (adapted from neiman marcus cookbook)
serves 4

you'll need:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
dash of cayenne
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
5 corn tortillas, torn into small pieces
1/2 cup skim milk (optional - leave out for vegan. the milk adds a little creaminess, but it's not necessary !)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)

heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. add the onion and bell pepper and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. stir in the garlic cloves, cumin, salt, chile powder, oregano, and cayenne and sauté for about 2 more minutes. add the tomatoes and chicken broth and water and bring to a boil. turn down the heat to low and add the torn tortilla pieces.

let the soup simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. add the milk, is using, and simmer for 15 more minutes. check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

ladle into soup bowls and garnish with cilantro, or whatever you like. now get onto neiman marcus online and buy a lipgloss or two. it's part of the experience, after all.

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spicy black eyed pea fritters

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

i hope y'all had a great night last night ringing in 2013! i can't believe how quickly 2012 came and went. a lot happened - miles and i got married(!), i finally made a bundt cake without destroying the cake and my self-esteem, and i started this little blog! i'm so excited to see what 2013 has in store...

it's a southern tradition to have black eyed peas on new years day. why? well, like most superstitions, there are a million answers to that. but my reason - they taste good! and fried up with jalapeños and cheese? well, you know me. :)

spicy black eyed pea fritters
makes about 6 fritters

you'll need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
1 can black eyed peas, drained, rinsed, and mashed with a fork
1 jalapeño, diced
1/3 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

in the bottom of a large mixing bowl, lightly beat your egg with a fork. add black eyed peas, jalapeño, cheese, salt, pepper, and flour and stir until well-mixed.

with a large spoon, scoop mixture and drop into the hot skillet (i fit 3 at a time into my skillet). flatten the mounds slightly with the spoon and cook 2-3 minutes. flip fritters and cook another 1-2 minutes. transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil and cook the rest of the fritters the same way.

serve these with a dollop of greek yogurt or sour cream on top, and enjoy!

wishing you all lots of love, fun, and yummy-ness for the coming year. here's to 2013!

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