croque monsieur crostini

YOU GUYS. This is a big day on the blog because 1) this is one of my new all-time favorite recipes ever ever, and 2) y'all have a chance to win one of those beautiful boards in the photo above!

First, these little crostini. I absolutely loooove a croque monsieur, but hardly ever make them/order them unless it's like, serious indulge time. But a little bite-size version? Yes, all the time! These are creamy and salty and just perfect. If you're making ham for Christmas, use the leftovers to make these little guys! Or basically if you're ever serving people and want to make them swoon, just make these.

Now let's talk about that gorgeous board above! This beauty came from the guys over at CuttingBoard.com. I love this company and everything they stand for! They only sell items that they personally have seen and handled, and all of their products are certified sustainable, renewed, or reclaimed. Many of their products are handmade by independent artists (big yay for this!). They donate a portion of their profits to environmental causes. Really, how awesome are they?!

To further prove their awesomeness, they are giving away a board to 3 lucky people! One of you will win a gorgeous 18 x 12 Maple Cutting Board with Grips from John Boos and two of you will win a beautiful 16 x 12 Proteak Edge Grain! Simply enter using the Rafflecopter below. :)

Croque Monsieur Crostini
makes about 20 crostini

you'll need:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup hot whole milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere, plus more for topping
1 baguette, sliced
Dijon mustard
6-8 oz. black forest ham


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Add the four and stir for 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Remove from heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and 1/2 cup Gruyere and set aside.

To toast the bread, place the slices on a large baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes.

Top each slice of baguette with mustard and top with a bit of ham to each. Next, spoon on a bit of the cheese sauce, then sprinkle with Gruyere. Bake for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Top with a grind of black pepper, and serve hot.

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See what some of my foodie friends made with their boards:  Souffle Bombay
Bakes In Slippers
The Vintage Mom
Little Kitchie
The Redhead Baker
The Suburban Soapbox
Courtney's Sweets
Yours And Mine Are Ours
Mindful Mamma
A Simple Pantry

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maple bacon cornbread muffins

I seriously cannot believe that Thanksgiving is THIS WEEK. Weren't we just in summer? All of 2014 has flown by, but this fall feels like a blur! Still, I am really excited for Thanksgiving - it's my favorite holiday, and I'm determined to savor it even though Christmas is edging in and Amazon is already offering Black Friday sales(?!?!).

What's your carb situation at Thanksgiving? I'm all about fluffy dinner rolls, but two carbs are better than one, so this year I tried out these cornbread muffins from my girl Erika. No surprise coming from her, but these. are. amazing. A little sweet, a little smoky, and tender as can be. Cornbread perfection!

Happy Thanksgiving y'all! xo

Maple Bacon Cornbread Muffins (just barely adapted from Southern Souffle)

yields 12 muffins

you'll need:

1 cup yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup AP flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

dash of cayenne pepper

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup bacon, cooked and chopped

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a muffin tin and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne. In another medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, yogurt, and oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Fold in the bacon and maple syrup.

Use a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop batter into the muffin tins, filling to about 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in tin for a few minutes. Best served warm!

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ginger pumpkin bread with walnuts

Hi, hi! I promise I'm still alive over here. The fall has continued to be busy, and I'm not in the kitchen or in this space nearly as often as I'd like to be. But I have managed to squeeze in some fall baking! 

While I'm not one to go pumpkin crazy, nothing quite makes the house smell like fall like fresh pumpkin bread in the oven. I whipped up this ginger-spiked loaf this weekend, and it was lovely. Not too sweet, a little spicy, just so right.

Note: this recipe makes 2 loaves of pumpkin bread... nothing wrong with that!

Ginger Pumpkin Bread with Walnuts (adapted from Martha Stewart)

yields 2 loaves

you'll need:

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree

3 large eggs

2/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour two 9x5 loaf pans and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugars, pumpkin, butter, and eggs. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.

Divide the batter between the two loaf pans. Top with walnuts. Bake 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully invert to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm!

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manchego popovers with truffle salt

There's something so fun about popovers, isn't there? I love the popovers with strawberry butter from Neiman Marcus' Zodiac Room, and the gruyere and black pepper ones from Foreign and Domestic in Austin are out of this world. But making popovers at home is also super easy!

The batter takes all of about 3 minutes to put together, they go in the oven, and in 40 minutes you have giant, gorgeous carb-y goodness. I made these with yummy Manchego cheese, smoked paprika, and a little bit of truffle salt from The Spice House on top. Ridiculous, decadent, delicious. Just what you need for Wednesday!

Manchego Popovers with Truffle Salt
yields 6 popovers

you'll need:
2 cups whole milk
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cups AP flour
Manchego cheese, cut into 6 1/2" cubes, plus more shredded for topping
truffle salt, for topping

Preheat the oven to 375 F and place a popover pan on top of a baking sheet in to pre-heat. Meanwhile, pour the milk into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave until very hot, but not boiling, about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, and paprika. Slowly whisk in the milk. Add the flour and whisk until the batter is fully combined (little lumps are okay).

Remove the pan and baking sheet from the oven and coat with cooking spray. Pour the batter to the top of each of the popover cups (pouring it high will ensure a big beautiful popover). Place a cube of cheese on top of the batter in each cup and sprinkle with truffle salt.

Bake for 40 minutes. Do not open the oven to peek!

Carefully remove the pans and sprinkle each popover with the extra grated cheese. Allow to cool for just a minute or two, then enjoy!

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kalamata olive challah

Now that my summer has almost officially begun, it's time to start thinking about my summer bucket list. I've got a few things planned already - a cooking class with my mama, attempting to learn how to keep all of our plants alive in the Texas heat, organizing for our summer vacation. But, obviously, a huge part of my to-do list involved cooking and baking. Specifically baking -- I want to tackle some things I've never gotten tried before. First up on the list was challah, and I simply couldn't wait for summer to officially begin to go for it!

I used the dough recipe and braiding technique from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. I have to say, this was SO much easier than I had anticipated! The dough is super rich and forgiving, and the braiding is really only two simple steps. Where Deb went with a sweet challah with a delicious fig-orange spread, I decided to veer off into the savory (duh) with kalamata olives, lemon juice, and parmesan. Good call, I must say. I love the sweetness of the dough against the salty olives. Phenomenal!

Challah... let's do this!

Kalamata Olive Challah (dough recipe from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook)
yields 1 (big) loaf

for the dough, you'll need:
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon honey
2/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for the bowl
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 cups all-purpose flour

for the filling, you'll need:
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup grated parmesan
juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

also: 1 beaten egg, for wash

In a large bowl, combine the yeast, 1 teaspoon of honey, and water. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, or until foamy and active. Whisk in the remaining honey, olive oil, and eggs. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add to the bowl with the yeast mixture and mix until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer to an olive-oil-coated bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 1 hour.

Make the filling by pulsing all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender. The texture should be like a coarse tapenade. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

After the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured counter and divide in half. Take one half and roll it out into a large, thin rectangle (or whatever... the shape doesn't really matter!). Spread half of the olive mixture evenly over the dough, leaving at least an inch border. Roll the dough into a long, tight log. Gently stretch the log to about 3 feet long. Divide in half and set aside. Repeat these steps with the other half of the dough. Now you have 4 ropes, each about 18 inches long. Yes? Yes! Let's start braiding.

Arrange two ropes in each direction, perpendicular to each other. Weave them so that one side is over and the other is under where they meet. Take the four legs that come from underneath the center and move them over the leg to the right. Now take the legs that were on the right and jump each over the leg before, this time to the left. Tuck the corners and ends of the ropes under the dough to form a round.

Transfer the dough to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Brush with the beaten egg. Allow to rise for 1 more hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the dough again with the beaten egg. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown and gorgeous! Cool on a rack before serving.

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queso fresco, bacon & black pepper biscuits

We're back in familiar territory.

The best things that come out of my kitchen are often happy accidents. I have some spinach and provolone hanging out in the fridge that need to be used up? We'll make bread. Some leftover berries and half a tub of ricotta? Sounds like cake to me.

That's how these biscuits came about. Some leftover bacon from making this pizza. Some queso fresco I had used to top a batch of chilaquiles. These were the makings of the lightest, fluffiest, most flavorful biscuits ever.

Queso Fresco, Bacon & Black Pepper Biscuits

yields 8-10 biscuits

you'll need:

2 cups self-rising flour

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for topping

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces

1 cup cold buttermilk

1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled (mine had chopped jalapenos in it; if you like, add 1 seeded, diced jalapeno for flavor and spice!)

6 pieces of cooked bacon, chopped

1 egg, beaten, for wash

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Whisk flour and pepper together in a bowl. Add the butter pieces and work into the mixture with a pastry cutter or your hands until it's crumbly. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Fold in the cheese and bacon.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, pat the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Use a floured biscuit cutter to cut the biscuits, gathering the scraps as needed. Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with beaten egg, then top with black pepper.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until turning golden brown on top. Brush melted butter on top of each biscuits immediately out of the oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving warm and falling in love.

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pesto cornbread with garlic scallion butter

I am so excited to share this bread with y'all, not only because it is absolutely delicious, but also because it comes from my friend Stephanie's brand new eCookbook, Quick Bread Love!

If you don't already know Stephanie and the wonders she does with all things carb-y, it's time you did. I love her amazing recipes (from pizza to biscuits to stuffed pretzels, WHAT), but I also admire her warmth and personality that shine through her writing. Her eCookbook was released on Monday, and let me tell y'all, it's a GEM. Recipes like Key Lime Coconut Bread, No-Yeast Cinnamon Rolls, Pepperoni Pizza Muffins, Salted Dark Chocolate Pear Scones... are you drooling yet?!

As you can imagine, I had a hard time choosing which recipe to try first. But since I had everything on hand for this cornbread, and it's spring so I'm eating pesto like it's my job, this won me over. And it was heavenly! The garlic scallion butter (a recipe from the bonus mini eCookbook) sends it over the top.

Congrats on a wonderful book, Stephanie!

Pesto Cornbread with Garlic Scallion Butter (from Quick Bread Love)
yields one 8x4-inch loaf + 1/2 cup butter

you'll need:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pesto
1 egg
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan and set aside.

Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the milk, oil, pesto and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack.

To make the butter, mix together softened butter, scallions, and garlic.

Spread the garlic butter on a piece of warm cornbread. Heavenly!

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spinach provolone beer bread

This bread, y'all. It is such good stuff! I know I've talked about how much I love the quick, easy process of making beer bread... but I mean, the fact that I can be eating a warm slice of incredible bread within an hour is just too great.

Boozy, cheesy bread + spinach = health food. MATH.

Spinach Provolone Beer Bread
yields 1 loaf

you'll need:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (12 oz.) can of beer
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped baby spinach
4 tablespoons melted butter
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x5-inch bread pan and set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the provolone and spinach. Add the beer and stir until just combined.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Pour the melted butter over the top. Bake for 45 minutes.

Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool.

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ham & cheddar pull-apart bread

Oh, y'all. This bread is a thing to behold. I spotted this recipe a few weeks ago on Erika's blog. You know Erika. She made you some pulled pork a while back. 

I was actually in the mood to make some biscuits, which explains why I was perusing this lady's recipe archives. But when I stumbled upon this recipe for savory, cheesy pull-apart bread, it was just begging to be made.

Oh man. This stuff is so good. Like, you'll want people around right when it comes out of the oven so you don't eat the whole thing yourself good. It's tangy, smoky, and just a little bit spicy. It's perfection.

The pull-aparty goodness of this is best when the bread is fresh and warm, but the flavor is maybe even better the next day, when a thick, toasty slice of this will make you feel like all is right in the world.

Ham & Cheddar Pull-Apart Bread (from Southern Souffle)
yields one 9x5 loaf

you'll need:
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3 1/2 all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped ham

Whisk together the yeast and water in a large bowl. Allow to sit 5-10 minutes, until the yeast is active and foamy. Add olive oil, salt, sugar, and flour, and stir with a wooden spoon. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough until elastic. Transfer to a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm place to rise for one hour.

Just before the dough is done, make the filling: mix the melted butter, mustard, Worcestershire, hot sauce, paprika, and black pepper in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the cheddar and ham.

Grease a 9x5 loaf pan with butter. On a floured surface, roll dough out to a 12x20 inch rectangle. Brush the mustard mixture evenly over the entire surface of the dough. Slice the dough vertically into 5 strips.

Spread 1/4 of the ham mixture over one strip, then top with the next strip. Repeat this process with the remaining strips. (The last strip will not be topped with the ham mixture.)

Use a sharp knife to cut the bread into 8 segments. Stack each segment in the loaf pan (see above for how it should look in the pan). Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

Once bread has had its second rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until beginning to brown on top. Enjoy, and try to share with others. Or don't. That's okay too.

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whole wheat parmesan herb beer bread

I love making beer bread. It couldn't be easier or faster to make, all comes together in one bowl, and there's no kneading involved.

I also love eating beer bread. It's got a rich, hearty flavor, a great texture, and it gives me the yummiest snack until it's all gobbled up. This one, with sharp Parmesan and earthy herbs, is absolutely fantastic. And since it's made with whole wheat flour, you can totally count this as part of your January diet. That's how it works, right?

Whole Wheat Parmesan Herb Beer Bread (adapted from Girl Versus Dough)
yields one 9x5-inch loaf

you'll need:
3 cups white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 (12 oz.) can of beer (I used a Pilsner)
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh chopped sage
4 tablespoons butter, melted (I used Land O Lakes Butter with Olive Oil and Sea Salt for extra flavor)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the beer and stir until just combined. Fold in the Parmesan and herbs.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Pour the melted butter over the top of the batter. Bake for 45 minutes.

Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

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peppery greek yogurt cheddar biscuits

Almost Thanksgiving, you guys! But can I plead with you to still take a look at these biscuits and at least think about adding them to your menu?! Let me present my case:

• They're made with nonfat Greek yogurt (no butter!), so you can totally justify them as a healthy option at the Thanksgiving table. More room for pie.
• They're only SIX ingredients, including salt & pepper! Easy recipes on Thanksgiving are lifesavers.
• They are out of this world delicious. Fluffy, cheesy, peppery, tangy, A-MAZING. These belong with you.

So have I convinced you yet? Here's the recipe, if so...

Peppery Greek Yogurt Cheddar Biscuits

yields 8-10 biscuits

you'll need:

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/4 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt

3/4 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

1 egg, beaten, for brushing

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Mix flour, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Create a well in the center and add the yogurt. Stir until just incorporated. Add cheese and stir briefly.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat dough to about 1-inch thick. Cut biscuits using a floured biscuit cutter or knife. Combine dough scraps and roll out again to make remaining biscuits.

Place on baking sheet and brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the tops are light golden brown. Serve warm!

Enjoy, sweet friends, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving! xo

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rosemary garlic parmesan swirls

In my kitchen, there's probably nothing I love more than baking bread. I love kneading the dough by hand (it's my brand of therapy). Of course, the smell of baking bread is one of the most heavenly things on earth. Yeast breads take time, but with a garlicky, cheesy, swirly reward at the end, it's more than worth the wait.

I wish I could send each and every one of you a freshly baked pan of these rolls. They have to be one of my favorite things I've ever baked, if not the absolute favorite(!). Y'all know I'd almost always take savory over sweet, so these are the perfect decadent treat for me. They have a richness from melted butter (both in the dough and brushed on top), but still such a light, airy texture. With fragrant rosemary, salty parm, and sweet garlic, these have all the keys to my heart. I've fallen in love.

Rosemary Garlic Parmesan Swirls
makes 10 rolls

you'll need:
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 cup warm water
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to room temperature, plus 1 tablespoon for brushing
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cups shredded Parmesan
2 teaspoons minced rosemary

Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the yeast and water together until the yeast dissolves, then pour it into the flour mixture. Add the melted butter. Mix together with a wooden spoon until a shaggy ball can be formed.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes, until dough is smooth.

Spray a large, clean bowl with nonstick spray. Place dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to rest and rise for 2 hours.

Place the dough on a well-floured surface and roll into a large, thin rectangle. Mix filling ingredients, and spread over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Roll tightly from one short end to the other into a log. With a knife, carefully cut the log into 1-inch rolls.

Spray a 10-inch round pan with nonstick spray. Arrange the rolls in the pan, leaving a bit of space between them. Brush the tops with additional melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for another 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops begin to brown. Serve immediately, trying not to eat them all before they hit the table.

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