glorious cheddar & jalapeno muffins

Happy Labor Day, y'all! Just popping in here briefly today to share this muffins, which would be a perfect last-minute addition to your weekend cookout. They're spicy, super cheesy, come together in no time at all... and seriously delicious!

Hope everyone is enjoying a great holiday!

Glorious Cheddar & Jalapeno Muffins (slightly adapted from Joy the Baker)
yields 12 muffins

you'll need:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup skim milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
12 pickled jalapeno round for topping
sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir. Just before the mixture is totally combined, add the cheese. Stir until everything is evenly moistened and distributed.

Divide the batter between the prepared muffin tins. Top each with a jalapeno round and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for just a few minutes; these are best served fresh and warm!

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black bean and corn enchilada stack

Happy Monday, y'all! I'm home again today from school (not complaining) because of this crazy, icy weather we've been having. I know that those of you who live up north are probably laughing at us right now, but just remember that here in Texas we get over 50 days of 100+ degree weather every year... so we get a pass when the cold finally hits. :)

As promised, here's another fast, easy supper for you guys. This one is a total no-brainer that I just made up on the fly as I was trying to use up what's left in our pantry and fridge. I knew I'd like it because I love all the ingredients, but it turned out even better than I expected! We absolutely loved this, and it made great leftovers for dinner the next day as well. During this hectic season, doesn't a delicious, no-brainer dinner sound just right?

Black Bean and Corn Enchilada Stack
4-6 servings

you'll need:
2 (15 oz.) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can of red enchilada sauce
1 cup frozen corn
4 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of cayenne pepper
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
12 corn tortillas
sliced green onions, for garnish

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

In a large bowl, combine black beans, 1 cup enchilada sauce, corn, jalapenos, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and 1/2 cup cheese.

Pour a bit of enchilada sauce into the bottom of your baking dish, swirling to coat. Place a layer of 4 corn tortillas on top. Add 1/2 of the black bean and corn mixture on top. Repeat. Add a final layer of tortillas, then top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Allow to stand for about 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onions if desired.

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easy vegan posole

The weather is finally starting to feel like fall here in Dallas, so let's make some soup!

My favorite soup is, hands down, posole. It's spicy, comforting, and oh so delicious. It traditionally includes pork, but when I saw this fabulous vegan version, I knew I had to give it a try. And not only was it easy peasy to make, it was also insanely flavorful and great!

This reheats like a dream, so it was perfect for us to enjoy for dinner and then take for lunch the next day. Definitely give this one a try!

Easy Vegan Posole (adapted from It's All Good)
serves 4

you'll need:
6 tomatillos, roughly chopped (papery layers and stems discarded)
1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and roughly chopped (or leave some seeds in for more heat)
olive oil
kosher salt
4 cups vegetable stock
3 sprigs cilantro
1 (28 oz.) can hominy, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, diced, for garnish
1 lime, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Toss the tomatillos, onions, and jalapenos in olive oil and a bit of salt on a sheet pan or large baking dish. Roast in the oven until they're just beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender along with 1 cup of stock and puree until completely smooth (be careful when blending hot ingredients!). Transfer the mixture to a large pot with the remaining stock, cilantro, and hominy. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt as necessary.

Remove the cilantro sprigs. Divide soup into bowls and garnish with avocado and lime juice. Enjoy!!

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caramelized chicken with jalapeno yogurt

Want to know how to brighten up your Monday?

Make this dinner tonight!

This chicken is wonderfully simple, but still super flavorful. Light, but oh so comforting. The heat from the jalapenos is the perfect wake-up call to your taste buds, in the creamiest yogurt sauce that I want to put on everything from now on. (P.S. Making this recipe as written will give you some extra sauce. You're welcome.)

This worked perfectly over some wild rice, but you could also serve it on its own along with some vegetables, over lightly buttered egg noodles, or even on some good crusty bread for an open-faced sandwich. In fact, I think I'm going to try all of the above, because this was just that good!

Caramelized Chicken with Jalapeno Yogurt (adapted from How Sweet It Is)
serves 2

you'll need:
2 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (or 1 large chicken breast cut in half lengthwise)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon flour (any kind is fine, I used whole wheat)
1/4 cup skim milk
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat chicken completely dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the skillet and cook for 8 minutes per side. If needed, use the remaining canola oil when flipping the chicken.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add butter. Once butter is melted and begins to sizzle, add in the jalapenos and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk in flour and stir continuously for 1-2 minutes, until flour is cooked. Reduce heat to medium-low and add milk and yogurt. Continue to stir continuously until the mixture thickens (5-7 minutes). Once the sauce has reached the desired thickness, take off the heat and stir in Parmesan. (Sauce may thicken while it sits; add more milk if necessary to thin out.) Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

Top chicken with jalapeno yogurt sauce and serve over rice, or whatever else you like! Enjoy!

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