pepper jack shrimp and grits

My husband Miles has a deep, deep love for New Orleans. So much so, that we've been there twice in our one year of marriage, and are headed there again with some friends in just a few weeks. It's only a quick one hour flight from Dallas, which makes it a perfect weekend getaway for us. There are so many things to love about New Orleans (and Miles could tell you all about all of those things), but what I really love about our visits there is the food. Beignets, po'boys, muffalettas... and of course, one of my personal favorites, shrimp and grits.

Shrimp and grits at home is surprisingly quick and easy -- and, most importantly, delicious. This particular version is absolutely divine, with a spicy kick from the pepper jack cheese grits and the spicy sausage. The recipe below serves two hungry people, and I would highly suggest that this be your next date night meal. Your date will adore you for it.

What about you - what city do you deeply love? If you've been to New Orleans, any restaurant recommendations for our upcoming trip? I'd love to hear!

Pepperjack Shrimp and Grits
serves 2

you'll need:
1/2 cup stone ground grits (or polenta)
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 lb. hot Italian sausage
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons chopped chives, plus more for garnish

Cook grits according to the package directions. Once grits have finished cooking, remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage to skillet (remove from casing if it's in one) and cook until completely done. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Add lemon juice, wine and chives and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes.

To serve, spoon grits into a bowl, top with shrimp and sausage mixture, garnish with chives, and devour.

Pin It

easy one bowl peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

You probably make some version of these cookies already. But, just in case you don't, let's talk about them now, shall we?

This is a great recipe for baking with kids (or messy adults) because there's no flour in them... and therefore there's no flour all over the kitchen. They come together with just a bowl and a spoon in about a minute, and bake up in 10 minutes. I mean come on. It's time to make cookies!

Easy One Bowl Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (from Emeril Lagasse)
yields 2 dozen cookies

you'll need:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I use semisweet)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or foil and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir with a spoon until completely smooth.

Using your hands, roll dough into small balls (about 1 tablespoon of dough for each). Place on baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Use a fork to lightly press down dough into a crosshatch pattern (Don't flatten cookies, just press them down a tiny bit so that the cookies stay nice and puffy).

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden.

See how insanely easy that was?!

Pin It

crockpot honey mustard brisket

I gave you potatoes on Monday. Now it's time for some serious meat. Meat and potatoes! Your next dinner for your man is done. You're welcome :)

It doesn't get easier than this. Of course, your beloved slow cooker will do 99.9% of the work for you. I seared my meat in the morning and slow cooked it all day while I was at school. When I came home, OMG my house smelled insane. I had major guilt for making Buddy suffer through smelling delicious meat all day long, so he may or may not have gotten some of this in his bowl that night.

Oh! And this honey mustard dressing! I used this recipe from Heather's Dish and I am madly in love with it. You can totally use a bottled honey mustard salad dressing for this, but I promise that this one is about 1 minute more work and about a billion times more delicious.

Crockpot Honey Mustard Brisket
serves 4-6

you'll need:
1 2-3 pound brisket
canola oil
salt and pepper
2 cups beef broth
3 tablespoons Worchestire
1 1/2 cups honey mustard dressing (homemade or store-bought)

Heat a couple tablespoons of canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While skillet is heating, generously rub brisket with salt and pepper on both sides. Lay brisket in skillet fat side down and sear 4-5 minutes. Flip brisket (so now the fat side is up) and sear 4-5 more minutes. Transfer to your slow cooker without flipping the meat (you still want the fat side up!). Pour in beef broth and Worchestire. Pour honey mustard dressing all over the top of the meat. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Remove brisket from slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board or large plate. Cover tightly with foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes. After meat has rested, remove foil and slice brisket.

You can serve the meat on its own with a couple sides like I did, but it would also be fabulous in tacos or as a sandwich!

Pin It

crispy smashed potatoes

Welcome to my new favorite way to eat potatoes.

We made these for the first time for Easter dinner, when we were trying to decide what kind of potatoes we wanted to make... mashed, roasted, scalloped? I'd seen these on The Pioneer Woman forever ago, and had always wanted to try them, so it was decided.

And ohhhh my goodness. They were out of this world amazing! And so quick and easy! I also love how versatile they are. The ones pictured are simple, with just olive oil, salt, pepper and parsley, but I've made them since with a little parmesan and rosemary. I see jalapeños and cheddar in my future. Maybe with lemon zest and basil in the summer. All trashed up with cheese, bacon and chives? Yup, it's all happening.

Bottom line - if you haven't tried these, please do so as soon as possible. They are crispy and ADDICTIVE. You'll love 'em!

Crispy Smashed Potatoes (from The Pioneer Woman)
serves 6

you'll need:
12 new potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
salt and pepper to taste
chopped Italian parsley (or other herb of choice) to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once water is boiling, salt well. Add potatoes to the water and cook until fork tender. Ours took about 20 minutes, but check them at 15; time will vary depending on the size of your potatoes.

On a sheet pan, drizzle olive oil. Place potatoes on the sheet, leaving at least a couple of inches between each potato. With a potato masher, gentle press down on each potato until it mashes. Rotate 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato with more olive oil.

Generously season potatoes with salt and pepper. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown on top. Now try not to eat them all before they reach the dinner table.

Pin It

my 5-day roots juice cleanse

Some of you know that I finished my first juice cleanse last week! I've gotten a lot of questions about my experience, so I thought I'd share it with y'all!

After reading all about juice cleansing for weeks, I finally decided to give it a try. I convinced my friend Ana to join the madness with me, and after choosing a beginner's cleanse from local Roots Juices, we placed our orders and braced ourselves.

Going in, I really had no idea what to expect. I don't juice at home. I'd never done any kind of cleanse or "pre-cleanse" before. I'm a generally healthy eater, but I knew this would be a completely different experience. Would I be hungry (or hangry... same thing for me, really) all the time? How would my body react? Will I have any energy?

I decided to choose Roots for my cleanse for a few reasons. I've read a lot about how to juice cleanse at home, but it wasn't a realistic option for me since I'm at school all day long. I needed something more convenient. Also, being new to cleansing, I really wanted some guidance. Roots is local to me, so I knew the juices would be super fresh. And with free delivery, and seriously the BEST customer service ever (they are so easy to get in touch with, and answered a million questions I had!), it was a no-brainer.

For the few days leading up to the juices, I cut out caffeine, alcohol, meat, dairy, and gluten. I also drank TONS of water. Although there's different information out there about how to eat before a juice cleanse, I will say that, for me, this was very helpful. It eased my body into it, and I think it also mentally prepared me.

The first 2 days drinking the juices were actually SO much easier than I thought they would be! I wasn't hungry at all and actually felt really full from all the liquid I was drinking! I had tons of energy and was sleeping so much better than I normally do (some of you know I'm a pretty terrible sleeper). I liked all of the juices a lot (the Health Nut Almond Milk is seriously like a vanilla milkshake) except for one called Restore (a beet/ginger blend). That one was tough for me, even though I love beets! However, it's totally personal preference, because my husband tried it and LOVED it.

Day 3 was the hardest for me; I woke up with a monster headache and felt dizzy. However, I was expecting this! One of the Roots employees had told me that the third day is when toxins are really starting to leave your body, and that a headache, nausea or dizziness are normal. Your body is releasing all of its junk, so you're going to feel that. The good news, though, is that that means the cleanse is working! By the end of Day 3 I felt fine, and during Day 4 and 5 I felt great again (minus an unwelcome pimple on my forehead... again, it's the detox...wah wah wah).

By the end of Day 5, I was full of energy and just felt healthy. I went back to a vegan, gluten free diet for the three days following the juices, and gradually introduced "regular" food back into my diet. I haven't had meat yet, but that hasn't really been intentional; it's just how I've been eating. This post-cleanse is super important so that your digestive system can slowly "wake up." In other words, don't celebrate the end of your cleanse with a cheeseburger. :)

So would I do it again? Absolutely! I would love to try to do one of their 1-day cleanses regularly, maybe monthly. I haven't quite figured out a plan yet, but I do know that I'm hooked and will definitely be returning!

If you have any questions about juice cleansing, you can request a more detailed "How to Cleanse" PDF from Roots here or visit them on Facebook.

Or, feel free to ask questions in the comments or email me if you have a question about my experience. I am no expert, but I would love to tell you whatever you need to know about my experience! I had one million questions before I began my cleanse, so I would LOVE to share anything with y'all.

If you have been thinking about doing a juice cleanse, I would definitely recommend giving it a try!

Disclaimer: Roots helped me with this post by providing their company photographs, but I was not compensated to write anything favorable, and all opinions are one billion percent my own!

Pin It

sweet & spicy bbq grilled cheese + 10 grilled cheeses i'm dying to try

Did you know that April is National Grilled Cheese Month? Yes, it's a thing. And now that you know, let's have a grilled cheese party!

You can really throw anything in between two slices of bread with some cheese and call it a grilled cheese. Some of my favorites? This potato-leek-mozzarella version is a total winner. Here are 10 others I am dying to try:

Grilled Mascarpone and Roasted Jalapeño Pistachio Pesto Cheese Sandwich from Bev Cooks. Oh. my. goodness.

Grilled Hatch Chile Pimento Cheese Sandwiches from Confections of a Foodie Bride. Counting down the days until hatch season for this one.

Cobb Grilled Cheese from Foodie Crush. So much beauty!

Mexi Grilled Cheese with Avocado, Pepper Jack and Refried Beans from Feed Me Phoebe. This has my name written ALL over it.

Bacon Guacamole Grilled Cheese from Closet Cooking, who, by the way, just released an eCookbook devoted to grilled cheese!

Comte and Pepper Grilled Cheese from A Cozy Kitchen. Because Comte.

Grilled Cheese with Apricot Jam and Arugula from Love and Olive Oil. Sounds like heaven.

Bacon, Egg and Hash Brown Grilled Cheese from Brown Eyed Baker. Breakfast for dinner is always a good choice.

Mini Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches from Averie Cooks. Cute food always tastes better.

Pickles and Brie Grilled Cheese from Joy the Baker. Because it sounds just weird enough to be insanely delicious.

And, chances are, if you are anywhere near Pinterest, you've seen this Sweet & Spicy Caramelized Onion BBQ Grilled Cheese from Ring Finger Tan Line. I tried it. I loved it. I've made it at least three times since. Hop on over there for the recipe!

What are your favorite grilled cheese creations?! Any you are dying to try? I'd love to hear - feel free to post links to recipes in the comments!

Pin It

creamy corn and bacon pasta

This is my desert island meal.

It's no secret that I am a bit of a pasta freak.  I love it just about every way you can make it.

But, for me, it just doesn't get much better than this. It's creamy and decadent, but still so fresh with delicious corn and lovely basil. I'm telling you, for a spring or summer dinner everyone will go crazy over, this is where it's AT.

Creamy Corn and Bacon Pasta (adapted from Bourbonnatrix Cooks)
serves 4-6

you'll need:
1 lb. fettucine (I always use this fabulous one for this dish because I like the peppery kick)
4 slices bacon, cut into strips
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 ears of corn, kernels removed (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Parmesan, plus more for serving
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt boiling water generously, then add pasta and cook according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, set a large skillet over medium high heat and cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spatula and set aside on paper towels to drain.

Add onion and corn to the same skillet and cook about 5 minutes, until just tender. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from heat. Spoon half of the corn-onion-garlic mixture into a blender or food processor and add the heavy cream, Parmesan and salt. Pulse until smooth. Return the creamy corn mixture to the pan and mix with the whole kernels.

When pasta is al dente, remove 1 cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta in a colander and add to the skillet with the corn. Add bacon and pepper and toss the pasta with the corn until evenly coated, adding pasta water if necessary to thin out the sauce. Once everything is perfectly nice and creamy, sprinkle basil leaves on top.

Divide into bowls and serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan and more freshly ground black pepper. Now bring me an enormous bowl.

Pin It

roasted brussels sprouts with creamy mustard vinaigrette

Happy Friday, y'all! First, for the giveaway winner! Congrats Shanna on winning the copy of Vegetable Literacy! I know you'll cook some incredible meals from it. :) Just shoot me an email at mariebmatter@gmail.com and I'll get your prize to you!

Thanks to those who entered! I loved reading about your favorite vegetarian dishes!

Speaking of Vegetable Literacy, here's another fabulous recipe from Ms. Madison. Brussels sprouts are one of my absolute favorite veggies, and this vinaigrette really puts them over the top. This is, hands down, my new favorite way to make brussels sprouts. Yummy, yummy, yummy.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette (adapted from Vegetable Literacy)
serves 4

you'll need:
1 lb. Brussels sprouts
2 shallots, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped into a paste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 shallot, finely diced
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Halve the Brussels sprouts lengthwise, or quarter them if they are large. Spread the brussels sprouts and shallots in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil (it's okay if they're not in a single layer). Season with salt and pepper.

Roast 20-25 minutes, tossing half way through. Sprouts should be tender but not mushy, with brown edges.

While the sprouts are roasting, make the vinaigrette: In a bowl, mix garlic, mustard, vinegar and shallot. Let stand for 10 minutes. Whisk in the oil and yogurt until it's completely smooth. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.

Pile the roasted sprouts into a bowl and toss with several tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Now devour.

Pin It

potato frittata with bacon and feta

For me, looking through The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook is like looking through the new Anthropologie catalog. I want it all.

Every dish I've made from this cookbook has been absolute perfection. And this frittata, which we had for breakfast-for-dinner last week, is no exception. The potatoes get super crispy on the bottom, creating the best crust. The bacon, eggs and scallions work awesomely together, as they always do. But the feta brings this into seriously good eats territory.

Potato. Bacon. Feta. Sign. Me. UP.

Potato Frittata with Bacon and Feta (from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook)
makes 1 frittata in a 9-inch cast iron skillet

you'll need:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 3/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for potatoes
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound bacon (I used turkey bacon... you make the call here.)
3-4 scallions, thinly sliced
2/3 cup crumbled feta
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk (I used coconut milk)

First, cook the potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a roasting pan or baking tray with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Peel potatoes, and cut them into 1/4 inch slices, and then halve them into half-circle shapes. Pile them into the oiled pan, making an even layer, and generously season them with salt and pepper. It's okay if the potatoes overlap. Roast 30 minutes, tossing halfway through. Let cool slightly.

Cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet until crisp. Scoop out and drain on paper towels, leaving bacon grease in the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat it over medium heat. Swirl oil around and up the sides, making sure that it is fully coated.

Arrange roasted potatoes in your skillet. Scatter bacon, scallions and feta over potatoes. Whisk eggs with milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper in a bowl, then pour over potatoes. Cover skillet with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until puffed at edges and set at center.

Cut into 6-8 wedges and serve right from the skillet. Enjoy, enjoy!

Pin It

red curry chicken

Miles and I have been on a major Thai kick lately.

As in, takeout.

Such a delicious habit. Not so much a healthy one.

So, when I saw this lovely recipe for red curry, I knew I had to give it a try. And it was just seriously great. So hearty, so healthy! Our local place doesn't put sweet potatoes in their curry, and now that I've had this I just wonder why?! Sweet potatoes + curry = perfect.

This comes together quickly once all these beautiful veggies are chopped.

No excuse for takeout tonight. Homemade Thai FTW!

Red Curry Chicken (adapted from Eat Live Run)
serves 4

you'll need:
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 tablespoons red curry paste
1 teaspoon ginger powder
3 cups coconut milk
1 cup water
2 baby bok choy, chopped
1 cup chopped sugar snap peas
1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced into 1/4" thick pieces
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2 teaspoons fish sauce
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon salt
cooked brown rice, for serving (optional)

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the chicken and sear for 1-2 minutes per side (chicken won't be cooked all the way through). Stir in the curry paste and ginger and cook for 2 more minutes.

Pour in the coconut milk and water, then add the bok choy, bell pepper, sugar snap peas and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer. Stir in fish sauce, salt, lime juice and sugar. Continue simmering over low heat until veggies are soft (about 10-15 minutes).

And that's it! Serve over brown rice, if you like. Enjoy!

Pin It

honey almond banana bread

Happy Friday, y'all! It's been cold and rainy here in Dallas this week, and I have to say that I. am. over. it. But! We're supposed to be seeing some warmer weather today and hopefully through the rest of the weekend. I'm praying that's the case and that SPRING is finally going to really be here!

Whether you're still stuck in the cold or enjoying warm weather, there are fewer treats more comforting and satisfying than banana bread. It's as great to enjoy snuggled up under a blanket as it is packed in a picnic!

There are so many versions of banana bread out there (how good does this strawberry banana bread look?! or these darling banana yogurt muffins?), but this one is definitely one of my favorites. The coconut oil makes it so very moist, the honey gives a subtle sweetness, and I love the crunch of the almonds on top. It's just pure goodness.

Wishing you warm weather and banana bread this weekend!

Honey Almond Banana Bread

makes 1 9x5 inch loaf

you'll need:

3 large ripe (or over-ripe) bananas

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 cups AP flour

1/4 cup almonds, roughly chopped

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, mash bananas with a potato masher or back of a spoon until smooth but with some small lumps remaining. Whisk in egg, oil, brown sugar, honey and vanilla. Add baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir until mixed in. Add flour and stir until just combined (do not overmix!)

Pour batter into loaf pan and sprinkle chopped almonds on top. Bake 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then invert on a rack to cool completely.

Pin It

spinach fettucine with baked feta, peas and breadcrumbs + Vegetable Literacy giveaway!

Time for another cookbook giveaway! I'm so excited to share this one with y'all. Deborah Madison's new Vegetable Literacy is a total triumph. In it, you'll not only find fabulous recipes for any and every kind of vegetable you can imagine, but she also explains the relationship between vegetables and how that knowledge can lead to perfectly paired flavors in cooking. I have learned SO much already!

Aside from all of the amazing information, there are of course tons of awesome recipes (over 300!). Some I'm looking forward to trying include:

Griddled Artichokes with Tarragon Mayonnaise
Braised Endive with Gorgonzola
Smoky Kale and Potato Cakes
Fragrant Onion Tart
Carrot Almond Cake with Ricotta Cream

I mean seriously, how good do those recipes sound?!

The recipe below is so simple and lovely. In the book, Madison uses ricotta rather than feta, but 1. I had a giant block of feta that needed to be used (that's what happens when you can't stop cooking from the Jerusalem cookbook) and 2. husband is not a huge fan of ricotta. Feta worked beautifully and gave it an excellent tang, but I imagine that ricotta is absolutely divine.

***Now for the giveaway details! I'm thrilled to have an extra copy of Vegetable Literacy to give away to one reader! To enter, simply leave a comment below telling me your favorite vegetarian dish - could be a side, a main course, a salad, an appetizer - whatever! (Feel free to link to recipes if it's something you found or have online.) I'll choose a winner at random next Friday (April 12). Good luck!

Spinach Fettucine with Baked Feta, Peas and Breadcrumbs (adapted from Vegetable Literacy)
serves 2

you'll need:
olive oil
1 cup feta cheese
3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1/2 lb. spinach fettucine (or pasta of your choice)
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup onion, finely diced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
1 cup peas
1/2 cup water
grated zest of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a small baking dish with olive oil and swirl to coat. Pack the feta into the dish, drizzle a little olive oil over the surface, and bake 20 minutes, or until the cheese has begun to set and brown on top. Remove from oven and sprinkle bread crumbs over the cheese. Return to oven for 10 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are browned and crisp. Set aside to cool while you make the rest of the dish.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and rosemary and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the peas, water, and lemon zest. Simmer until the peas are bright green and tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, toss the pea mixture and the pasta together. Divide the feta between 2 plates. Spoon pasta and peas over the top and sprinkle with grated Parmesan and pine nuts to finish. Enjoy!

Pin It