baked buttermilk beignets

What are your plans for the long weekend ahead? We're headed to New Orleans tomorrow(!), and I can't wait. Is it any surprise that I'm all about the food when I travel? And New Orleans is where. it's. at.

You can't talk about New Orleans food without talking about beignets. I've always wanted to make them at home, but my intense fear of an enormous pot of hot oil always kept me from frying them up. So when I saw this recipe for oven-baked beignets, I was thrilled. And they are delicious.

Like regular beignets, it is a must to eat these warm. They reheat okay, but, like most things, nothing is quite like straight from the oven. Your house smells SO GOOD while these are baking, that eating them immediately will be no problem whatsoever. So gather some hungry people, and let's make beignets!

Baked Buttermilk Beignets (from Good Housekeeping)
makes about 15-18 beignets, depending on how you cut them

you'll need:
1/4 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups AP flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup cold buttermilk
1 large egg
1/4 cup powdered sugar, for dusting

In a small bowl, combine water, yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let stand until foamy and active, 5-10 minutes.

In a large bowl, stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining sugar. With a pastry cutter or your hands, cut in the butter into the mixture until the crumbs resemble small peas.

To the foamy yeast mixture, add buttermilk and egg and lightly beat with a fork. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the yeast/buttermilk/egg mixture. Stir until just completely combined (do not overmix). Knead the dough by hand in the bowl until the dough is smooth and silky. Remove the dough and spray the bowl with cooking spray (no need to clean the bowl). Return dough to bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

After dough has rested, roll it out into a large rectangle or square on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 5 long strips and then cut those strips into squared. Transfer dough squares to parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spray the tops with cooking spray, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake beignets for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden. Immediately dust with powdered sugar, and enjoy warm!

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fiesta quinoa bowl

Life right now... it's a little insane.

As a teacher, May is always the craziest month. It's full of programs, field trips, final tests and, of course, the anticipation of summer ahead.

It's easy, no fuss dishes like this one that help me out in May. This Mexican-inspired vegan dish is simple and delicious, and perfect for healthy lunches all week long.

Here's to feel-good food and powering through!

Fiesta Quinoa Bowl
serves 4

you'll need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 chopped small onion
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 seeded and chopped jalapeno
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
dash of cayenne
1 (15 oz.) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
for serving: lime wedges, cilantro, sliced jalapenos (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and spices. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until onions and peppers are softening. Add black beans, corn, quinoa, and vegetable broth and turn the heat up to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat to simmer. Cook uncovered until the broth is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked, about 20 minutes. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lime wedges, cilantro, and sliced jalapenos, and enjoy!

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gwyneth paltrow's teriyaki chicken

Here's the teriyaki chicken I served with the best brussels sprouts, which kind of made this the best meal.

Looking at the title of this post, you probably either got really excited or did an epic eye roll. I know Gwyneth has a lot of haters. But I'm just not one. This blondie has brought me some awesome meals lately from her new cookbook, It's All Good, which focuses on clean eating and is completely gluten-free. I've tried 4 or 5 recipes from it since my sweet friend Megan gave it to me for my birthday, and every single one has been totally delicious AND totally good for us. Only love for Gwynnie over here.

This is definitely going to be in regular rotation in our home. It is so flavorful (the teriyaki sauce is to die for) and also so simple. You'd never guess in one million years that this fits into an elimination diet, is considered a detox meal, and is super low-fat, because this is the best teriyaki chicken EVER. That's what you call a win-win.

Gwyneth Paltrow's Teriyaki Chicken, slightly adapted from It's All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great
serves 4

for the sauce, you'll need:
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup raw honey
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon barley miso
1 teaspoon mirin
1 tablespoon water

for the chicken, you'll need:
olive oil
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
3 thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
A handful of roughly chopped cilantro, for garnish

Combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, ginger and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 10 minus. Stir in the miso, mirin and water. Take off heat and allow to cool a bit.

Marinate the chicken in half of the sauce for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. Reserve the remaining sauce for serving.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until chicken is completely cooked through.

To serve, drizzle remaining sauce over chicken and sprinkle with scallions and cilantro. Enjoy!

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momofuku's thai roasted brussels sprouts

I figured after all that pizza last week, it was time to get our veggies in. And oh, what a wonderful way to get them in.

These are, hands down, the most addicting veggies I've ever had. The flavor is absolutely incredible. Be warned: although this recipe claims to serve 2-4 you may want to go ahead and make a double batch. You'll just have to trust me on this; you'll want leftovers, and it's one of those sides that is so outstanding that you might want to just plan on it being your main course. When brussels sprouts are this good, no one will complain.

Momofuku's Thai Roasted Brussels Sprouts (from Momofuku via Joy Cho's version on Cup of Jo)
serves 2-4 as a side dish

you'll need:
1 lb. brussels sprouts
olive oil
10 cloves of garlic, chopped

for the dressing:
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons mint, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 fresh red Thai chile, thinly sliced (include the seeds)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Cut brussels sprouts in half and place onto a baking sheet along with chopped garlic. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over and toss to lightly coat. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until some leaves are turning dark brown.

While brussels sprouts are roasting, make the dressing by combining all of the dressing ingredients, whisking together until sugar is completely dissolved. When brussels sprouts are done roasting and still warm, lightly toss them in a bowl with the dressing (you won't use all of it, so save it for your next batch!).

I served ours alongside teriyaki chicken (recipe coming later this week), but like I said, this could be a meal on its own. You've got to give these a try!

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spicy garlic bread pizza

Let's end pizza week with a bang, shall we?

I have a seriously deep love for old school garlic bread. It's buttery, garlicky, Parmesan-y... all things I adore. If you love it even half as much as I do, you have to try this pizza dough. It's a giant retro garlic bread made into a pizza, and with a teensy spicy kick from red pepper flakes. Oh dear.

This recipe's all about the dough, and you can top it any which was you like, but I'd probably stick to more classic toppings because the crust flavor is more intense. (Some might not consider jalapenos a classic topping, but have you met my husband?) Go old school on this one - tomato puree, whole-milk mozz, simple toppings. Then again, this crust is so fantastic you might just wanna bake it off and eat it all on its own. That's perfectly acceptable, too.

Spicy Garlic Bread Pizza (adapted from Baked by Rachel)
makes 1 pizza

you'll need:
1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2-3 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it... you know which way we leaned)
1 teaspoon dried basil
olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, very finely minced
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated
tomato puree (I use Pomi)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (preferably whole-milk!)
whatever other toppings you like! (I added hot Italian sausage and pickled jalapenos)

In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes, or until bubbly and active.

Meanwhile, in a large clean bowl, mix together 2 1/2 cup flour, salt, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and basil. Add yeast mixture to the bowl and stir until it comes together. Knead until a smooth dough forms, adding additional flour if needed. Remove the dough and drizzle a bit of olive oil into the bowl, turning to coat. Place dough back in the bowl and flip until it's lightly coated in oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl, melt butter with minced garlic.

Lightly grease a baking sheet or pizza stone, and press out dough to desired size and shape. Brush the entire dough lightly with the butter/garlic mixture. Bake for 5 minutes.

Remove from oven and add your toppings. Brush outside crust again with butter/garlic mixture and sprinkle it with Parmesan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the crust is lightly golden. If you like (and I do), broil for 1-3 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before slicing, serving, and high-fiving because this pizza is awesome.

Hope y'all have a happy weekend! xoxo

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no-knead whole wheat pizza with bacon and corn

Here we go, y'all! Another pizza for your face. And this one's a winner.

Remember this pasta and how I love, love, love it? And the no-knead pizza dough from Monday that I adore? You know I had to put these two ideas together. Ohhhhh man.

I swapped out the flour to make a whole wheat version, but it's still the easiest dough ever. Comes together in a flash... and then you wait... but this time, only 2 hours!!!

So delicious, and hands down the best wheat pizza dough I've ever had.

We top the dough with a simple tomato puree, mozzarella, corn, and bacon. We bake it. We sprinkle it with shaved Parmesan and fresh basil. Are you trackin' with me? Best. meal. ever.

No-Knead Whole Wheat Pizza with Bacon and Corn (dough from Joy the Baker)
makes 2 10-12 inch pizzas

you'll need:
2 3/4 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cup warm water

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Stir in water with a spoon until it's incorporated (you might have to use your hands to bring it together, but no need to knead!).

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free place to rise for 2 hours.

After dough has doubled in size, punch it down and dump it onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough in half. (*If you're making the dough ahead, wrap it in plastic wrap, place in a ziplock bag, and put in the freezer. When you're ready to use it, defrost the dough in the fridge overnight and allow to come to room temperature before using.)

And that's it! Here how I topped and baked mine:

Bacon and Corn Pizza

you'll need:
3/4 cup tomato puree (I use Pomi)
4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
olive oil, for brushing
torn fresh basil leaves and shaved Parmesan, for garnish

Place a pizza stone in your oven, and preheat the oven to its highest temperature (mine is 550 degrees F). Allow to heat for at least 30 minutes.

On two pieces of lightly floured parchment paper, press out each pizza dough ball to 10-12 inches in diameter (one pizza on each piece of paper). Evenly spoon the tomato puree over each crust, then top with bacon, corn, and cheese. Brush the crust lightly with olive oil (I used a garlic-infused olive oil... it was divine).

Carefully(!) remove the preheated pizza stone from the oven and slide one of the pizzas on parchment paper onto it. Return to oven and bake for 7-12 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly. Repeat with other pizza.

When pizza is done, remove from the oven and sprinkle with shaved Parmesan and torn basil leaves. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing and dominating.

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creamy bbq chicken pizza + jim lahey's no-knead pizza dough

I think, this week, let's talk about pizza! Yes?

I've been on a pizza-making kick lately, and can't wait to tell you guys about it. I've been obsessed with finding the perfect pizza dough recipe for a while now (I have seriously never used the same recipe twice), and the three I'm going to share with y'all this week are all to die for. Crispy, chewy, air-bubbly... just perfect.

Let's start out with this one. I think I was the last person on Earth to try this recipe, but don't be like me! This is as simple as it gets (no knead!), and it's the best pizza dough I've ever made. It's incredible!!!

Although you can (and should) top this pizza with anything and everything, I decided to try out Bev's Creamy BBQ Chicken Pizza because... well, do I really need to explain?!

Real talk: this pizza dough will change your life.

Jim Lahey's No-Knead Pizza Dough (adapted from Girl Versus Dough and Handle the Heat)
makes four 10 to 12-inch pizzas

A quick word about what sounds like the longest rising time ever: the recipe calls for at least an 18 hour rise time, but I'm a terrible planner and very impatient when it comes to pizza. I made my dough in the morning and let it rise all day, about 12 hours, and it turned out perfectly. This dough is forgiving and compassionate to my scatterbrained ways. That being said, the longer you let it rise, the more developed the flavor will be.

you'll need:
3 3/4 cups AP flour
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, yeast and salt. Add water gradually and stir with a spoon until combined and a dough forms (you may have to use your hands to bring it all together... but you don't need to knead!). With floured hands, bring to dough together in a ball. Transfer the dough to a clean, large bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Set dough in a draft-free place until dough is doubled (or more than doubled) in size, 12-18 hours.

When dough has risen, punch it down and transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Take one portion of the dough and gather 4 corners to the center to create 4 folds. Turn seam side down and form into a ball. Repeat with remaining portions of dough. Allow to rest, uncovered, for an hour. When dough is fully rested, it's ready to shape and top as you like! See below for what I did...

*If you'd like to make this dough ahead of time, that's great! Dough will stay good for 3 days in the refrigerator, well-wrapped in plastic wrap. When you're ready to use it, allow it to come to room temperature for 2-3 hours before using. Dough will also keep in the freezer for 1 month. Defrost the dough overnight in the fridge, then allow to sit at room temperature as you would with the refrigerated dough before shaping.

Creamy BBQ Chicken Pizza (toppings adapted from Bev Cooks)
makes 2 12-inch pizzas

you'll need:
1 lb. cooked chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces (I used rotisserie chicken)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup BBQ sauce, plus 2 tablespoons
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup pickled jalapenos
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons chopped green onions, for garnish

Place a pizza stone in your oven, and preheat the oven to its highest temperature (mine is 550 degrees F). Allow to heat for at least 30 minutes.

Toss chicken with 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix heavy cream and BBQ sauce together until completely combined and smooth.

On two pieces of lightly floured parchment paper, press out each pizza dough ball to 10-12 inches in diameter (one pizza on each piece of paper). Evenly spoon the creamy BBQ sauce over each crust, then top with chicken, red onions, jalapenos and cheese.

Carefully(!) remove the preheated pizza stone from the oven and slide one of the pizzas on parchment paper onto it. Return to oven and bake for 7-12 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly. Repeat with other pizza.

Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with green onions, and rejoice!

*Coming later this week: no-knead whole wheat pizza dough, and spicy garlic bread pizza dough. Yipeeeeee!!!

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cinco de mayo recipes!

Sunday is Cinco de Mayo! Are you ready? I'll take any excuse to indulge in excessive amounts of guacamole. Here are some ideas for a whole day of feasting on Cinco de Mayo!

Buenos Dias!

Green Chile Cheddar Drop Biscuits

Mexican Breakfast Pizza

Chipotle Pepper Jack Scones

Green Chile Quiche

Snacks and Appetizers

Mexican Camp Bread

Chorizo and Peppers Quesadillas

Baked Jalapeno Poppers

Meal Ideas!

Mexican Pasta Bake

Lightened Up Neiman Marcus Tortilla Soup
Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken Tacos

Chorizo and Jalapeno Pizza

Baked BBQ Ranch Turkey Tacos

Chicken and Avocado Enchiladas

Slow Cooker Enchilada Soup

Green Chile Brisket Enchiladas
Baked Turkey Taquitos

Something Sweet!

Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies

What about you? Are you cooking up anything for Cinco de Mayo?

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salted oatmeal chocolate chip cookies {the leftovers club}

I'm so excited about today's post, not only to tell you about these cookies, but to share so many great recipes with you from The Leftovers Club. Jen of Savory Simple started this club a couple months ago, where food bloggers are paired up, swap their "leftovers," and then post about their creations! This was my first month participating, and it was so fun! I was paired with sweet Colleen from Souffle Bombay, who sent me the most addictive Sweet & Spicy Pecans... be sure to pop over there for that recipe! (Plus about a million other delicious-looking dishes... her Crispy Avocado, Bacon and Tomato Salad is totally happening in our home.)

I sent Colleen these salted oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, which have become my new obsession. The Greek yogurt makes them super light and unbelievably moist. They're super thin and kind of lacy, which I personally adore. And the kick of sea salt sprinkled on top... if you know me at all, you know how I feel about that. Love, love, love.

Salted Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
yields 2 dozen cookies

you'll need:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup bread flour (AP will also work)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used unsweetened)
coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, yogurt and sugars on medium speed until completely smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until mixed well. Stir in the oats.

Add the baking soda, salt and flour and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Dough will be very thin... but it's supposed to be!

Drop the dough by tablespoon onto the prepared cookie sheets - err on the smaller side because these will spread significantly. Top each cookie with one or two sea salt flakes. Bake 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Allow to cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to cool on a rack... or to stuff into your mouth.

Check out what everyone made for The Leftovers Club this month!

Savory Simple - Quinoa Energy Bars
Meadows Cooks - Intensely Chocolate Sables with Raspberry Cream
The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen - Cashew Butter and Blackerry Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Dining with Dani - Pancakes and Bacon Cookies
Juanita's Cocina - Butterscotch Browned Butter Blondies
Damn Delicious - Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondies
Eats Well With Others - Salted Caramel Shortbread
Farmgirl Gourmet - Sea Salted Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Frugal Foodie Mama - Cookie Butter Pecan Bars
Let's Give Peas a Chance - Chocolate Stout Brownies
Budget Gourmet Mom - Crisp Oatmeal Cookie Sandwiches
A Zesty Bite - Dulce de Leche Sugar Cookies
Sugar Dish Me - Strawberry Lemonade Loaf
Roxana's Home Baking  - Chocolate chip bars
Little Kitchie - Salted Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pineapple and Coconut - Pineapple Whoopie Pies with Coconut Cream Filling
O'Boy! Organic - Rhubarb Cake
MarocMama - Caramel Vanilla Bean Krispie Treats
Omeletta - Brown Sugar Meringues
Eat Bake Drink Cook - Everything Cookies
Healthy. Delicious. - Carrot Cake Granola
Souffle Bombay - Sweet & Spicy Pecans
The Spiced Life - Garam Masala Caramel Corn
Kelly Bakes - Raspberry Cream Marshmallows
Bakeaholic Mama - Chocolate Cookie Dough Macarons
Whey Beyond the Naked Truth - Chia Seed Protein Bites

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