Brown Sugar and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

Ahhhhh!!  This has become one of my favorite things to cook over the last few months.  I never used to cook much with pork, except pulled pork, and I was looking for something different and easy.  Well, this was a sure winner.  Super quick and easy and I always had everything on hand.

I actually started making these with pork chops instead of a tenderloin, which I equally love and makes for an even quicker meal. But, either way, this is staying in the dinner rotation for a while.  Hope my fam doesn't get sick of it!


Brown Sugar and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
1 pork tenderloin, about 2 lbs.
olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1-2 tsp. dried rosemary
salt
pepper


Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Salt and pepper the tenderloin and add it to the pan; brown on all sides.  Remove to a plate and add butter, brown sugar and rosemary.  Once butter is melted, stir to combine and add the tenderloin back in.  Spoon the sauce over the meat and put it in the oven for about 8 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.  You can also take it out half way and continue spooning the sauce on top.

Once cooked, remove from oven and allow to rest.  Serve warm.

Roasted Sweet Potato Fries and Guacamole

Some of you know that for the past 30 days I have been doing the Whole30 diet.  I have LOVED it and will definitely be doing it in the near future. (But I gotta celebrate my birthday first!!)  You see, this girl has a really hard time with her sugar habit!  It's hard to break.  During the 30 days you don't consume added sugars of any kind, no sweets, treats or even "healthy" treats. (And there's other stuff too.)

While some may think it's super restrictive, which it kind of is, that totally works for me.  You see I just finished reading Gretchen Rubin's, Better Than Before, which is mainly about habits.  There are basically two kinds of people when it comes to habits; moderators- those who are good with having just a little, which keeps them from going overboard, and abstainers-those who, if they have just a little, it will push them overboard, leading them to overindulge.

I am an abstainer, that is why this works for me.  I also know it's not forever.  It's meant to be a reset diet, to help target food sensitivities, heal the gut and break free from a bad relationship with food.  Although I am done with my first round, I'll definitely be back for more.  I don't think my body is done yet, but I do need to take a break for a while.  Hopefully in the meantime I can keep up most of the habits, while still being flexible.

So, are you wondering what the heck this has to do with sweet potatoes and guac?  Well this is probably one of my most favorite things I made during Whole30.  The fact that fat was not the enemy and I could eat LOTS of avocado totally made me happy! This guac is out of this world.  And, what's not to like about sweet potatoes?  Granted, they're not crispy like regular fries.  In fact they're kind of floppy and I actually ate them with a fork.  But that may be because I can't cut fries worth a darn, HA! So, Whole30-ers or not, there's nothing not to love about this combo.



Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Guacamole
for the sweet potatoes:
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into wedges
olive oil
salt
smoked paprika

for the guacamole:
3 good-sized avocados, halved, pitted and peel removed
1 lime
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 Tbsp. Restaurant Style Salsa  (or your favorite, fresh is best!)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
*1 Tbsp. jalapeño, minced (In you choose a different salsa and need a little more kick.)


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with silicone baking mat, if desired. In a mixing bowl, toss sweet potato wedges with a couple drizzles of olive oil, a few dashes each of salt and smoked paprika, until well-coated.

Lay out evenly on baking sheet and bake about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. About halfway through, take them out, loosen them with a spatula and give them a little shake.

While the sweet potatoes are baking, mash the avocados and place them in a serving bowl.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Once sweet potatoes are cooked, allow to cool slightly.  Serve warm with guacamole.



SOURCE: Slightly adapted from No Crumbs Left

Greek Pot Roast

So, how many of you have an instant pot and love it?  I've been dying to get one since Christmas and we finally did last week!  Thank you Amazon prime for 2-day delivery!  We've used it about 4 or 5 times since then and just love it.  I seriously can't believe how fast it cooks things.  Like, if you cut a roast into pieces....10 minutes.  10 minutes!!!  Gone were the days of oops, forgot to turn on the oven or crockpot 6 hours ago, I guess we're having cereal for dinner....again, ha!

Anyway, I'm so happy with how this roast turned out.  Greek food and flavors are some of my most favorite to prepare and eat.  While the meat doesn't taste quite like your typical gyro meat with ground lamb, it's still very tender and well-seasoned.

You can serve the meat with some veggies over rice or potatoes but I love to serve it gyro-style. Use either some flatbreads or pitas, spread the meat down the middle and add toppings, such as tzatziki sauce, cucumbers, tomatoes, extra onions, feta cheese or kalamata olives.


Greek-Style Pot Roast (Instant Pot/Slow Cooker)
2-3 lb. boneless chuck roast
olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1 Tbsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried dill
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/2-1 cup beef broth

Trim any excess fat off the roast and cut into 1-inch thick slices.  Mix seasonings together in a small bowl. Add meat to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil then add seasonings and toss to coat.

If using the Instant Pot/pressure cooker, turn on sauté mode.  Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom and add the onions.  Sauté 4-5 minutes until tender, stirring frequently.  Add garlic another 30 seconds, careful not to burn it.  Add the meat and sun-dried tomatoes and pour in the broth.  Give it a little stir then pop the lid on.

Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes then release steam and open the lid.  Remove meat to a plate or cutting board.  Slice or shred the meat and put it in a serving dish. Strain the onions and tomatoes from the liquid and add them back to the meat.  Add additional broth back to the meat as well, taste for seasoning and adjust, if necessary.


*To cook in a slow cooker, trim fat off roast and leave it whole.  Place in slow cooker, rub with seasonings then add the onions, garlic, tomatoes and broth.  Cook on low 6-8 hours or until comes apart easily.



SOURCE: Our Best Bites

Gnocchi Pomodoro

Twice I have made this and twice we've ooohhhhd and aaaahhhd over it so I thought it was time to throw it up here.  The funny thing about gnocchi is it was probably my least favorite food while living in Uruguay as an LDS missionary. When I came home, I was glad to never eat it again. So when I told my husband, the first time I made this, what we were eating, he responded that gnocchi was the least likely thing he thought I'd ever make!

Well, thanks to Pinterest and all the other lovely food bloggers I kept seeing these amazing pictures and recipes for gnocchi. I figured it was time to try it again.  I'm so happy this was the first thing I made. The sauce is pretty much everything because the gnocchi doesn't have much flavor, and it's so incredibly flavorful while being super simple at the same time. Although the gnocchi itself doesn't have much flavor, it lends great texture; it's soft and smooth, almost like biting into a marshmallow. The cheese melted over the top, with those little bits of crispy brown parts just puts it over the top!


Gnocchi Pomodoro
for the sauce:
2-3 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 large tomatoes, preferably garden ripened, roughly chopped
Pinch of sugar
Generous handful of fresh basil, chiffonde
Salt and pepper, to taste

8oz. Package gnocchi
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add shallot and cook 2-3 minutes, then garlic for another minute. Add tomatoes and half the basil and reduce to a simmer. Depending on how juicy your tomatoes are, simmer 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mash the tomatoes as you stir, either by using a potato masher the back of a spatula.  Add a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper and check for seasoning. Add salt as necessary. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining basil.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil gnocchi as directed. Drain and add to the pan of sauce.  Stir to coat then top with mozzarella. Place under the broiler until it starts to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven, serve immediately.



SOURCE: Sauce adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Mile High Biscuits

If you've followed my blog for a while you know about my love for all things scones.  Cream scones, to be exact.  I had never made them until a few years ago, now it's about my most favorite thing to bake on a weekend.  They are delish, they are to DIE for.

So, it's probably no surprise to find out I love biscuits as well.  They are very similar and the method is pretty much the same.  Mile high biscuits are wonderful!!  They aren't quite a mile high, but they're nice and tall with lots of buttery delicious layers, a little crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.  They're great at breakfast smothered in sausage gravy or as an egg sandwich.  They're even great at dinner!  But, I think my most favorite way to eat them is with some homemade raspberry jam.

A couple things to remember when working with biscuit dough.
*Embrace the crumbs- Your dough will be a little dry, as it should.  It's not going to be soft and elastic like bread dough, it'll be more craggy-looking.
*Less is best- Remember not to over work your dough or it will become too chewy.
*When using a biscuit cutter, don't twist it to get the dough out, it will seal off the edges, making it harder for the dough to rise "mile-high." Make sure the cutter is floured and you'll be able to lightly tap the dough out.


Mile-High Buttermilk Biscuits
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut in to chunks
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 egg
1 cup cold buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a food processor, fitted with a blade attachment, add all ingredients but the egg and buttermilk.  Pulse until it looks like a coarse meal.  Alternately, you can use a pastry blender or two knives to cut in the butter and shortening.  If you use your fingers, work QUICKLY as to not melt the butter.

In a large mixing bowl add the egg and buttermilk and whisk.  Add the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until mostly combined.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand just until dough comes together; about 10 seconds.

Pat dough out into a large round, about 1-1/2 inches thick.  Using the biscuit cutter of your choice, cut as many biscuits as you can. Barely press scraps together and cut the rest of the biscuits out.  Place biscuits on a cookie sheet and bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Biscuits are best the first day but can be stored 2-3 days in a vented container. They will get soft over time, so if you're eating them on the second or third day, slice them in half and throw them under the broiler for a minute or two on each side to crisp them up a bit again.



SOURCE: Slightly adapted from Something Swanky

Overnight Yeasted Waffles

Up until about 2 years ago, I had almost never made waffles my entire life.  Sure, I grew up with a mom that made them often and I enjoyed them. But I always considered myself a pancake connoisseur.  I've made LOADS of pancakes I can make just about any kind with my eyes closed, no recipe needed. Waffles, to me, were just not on my radar because there were those little extra steps of separating the eggs, whipping the whites and folding them in the batter. Just not my thing (ok there could be a time and place for it-but not for breakfast).

Then it happened.  I found LOVE.  Waffle Love that is.  About two summers ago the Waffle Love food truck started showing up around the corner from where I live and I just HAD to try.  I mean I can make a mean breakfast so if they can sell this thing from a truck, it MUST be good.  And it was.  And I died with my first bite.

You see these aren't your typical buttermilk, whip 'em up in the morning waffles.  These waffles have yeast and the batter sits out overnight for the flavor to develop (kind of like you would a sourdough starter).  And when you cook them in the waffle maker, oohhhhh the smell that fills your house.  I just died again.

These have become a tradition we do twice a year, in the spring and in the fall.  We enjoy these waffles with Nutella, Biscoff cookie butter, whipped cream and fresh fruit-usually berries. Once you try these you will NEVER (maybe almost never) go back again.


Overnight Yeasted Waffles

the night before:
1/2 cup warm water
1 Tbsp.  active-dry yeast
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups whole milk
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp.  sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour 

the next day:
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. baking soda 

Combine the yeast and the water in a large mixing bowl and let stand for a few minutes. Stir to make sure the yeast dissolves into the water. Melt the butter over low heat. Combine the butter with the milk, salt, and sugar (if using). Test with your finger to make sure the mixture has cooled to lukewarm, then stir it into the dissolved yeast mixture. Add the flour and stir until a thick, shaggy dough is formed and there is no more visible flour.

Cover the bowl with either plastic wrap or a loose fitting lid and let it sit on the counter overnight. The batter will double in bulk as it rises.

The next morning, beat the eggs  and baking soda  into the batter until completely combined.
 
Make the waffles according to your waffle maker's instructions, cooking until the waffles are golden-brown. Cooking time will vary with your waffle maker, but it is typically 4 to 6 minutes.

Waffles are best if served immediately, but re-heat well in the toaster. Leftovers can be kept refrigerated for up to a week. Leftover waffles can also be frozen for up to 3 months and toasted straight out of the freezer.


SOURCE:  The Kitchn

Cauliflower Dirty Rice with Andouille Sausage

After all the kitchen failures I've had, it's nice to have something work out once in a while.  I didn't even know I was going to make this, let alone blog about it.  But it was SO good, I couldn't NOT post it.

This was my first attempt at cauliflower rice (as far as I can remember, lol!) and I have to say I'm a huge fan.  I love that it's just like rice in that it'll take on the flavor of whatever you cook it with; so it's very versatile.  I also love that after eating a big bowl of it I don't feel like I just ate a brick because it's all VEG! That's a big score in my book.

We love jambalaya in our house so this was right up our alley.  The flavors are spot on, just enough spice to give it a good kick but not too much you can't taste anything else. I used Aidells Organic Cajun Style Andouille Smoked Chicken Sausage, which is nitrate free and has no added hormones. But feel free to use any kind of Cajun style sausage you can find. I served the cauliflower rice with Cajun seasoned tilapia and steamed asparagus.  It was perfect!

Cauliflower Dirty Rice with Andouille Sausage
1 head cauliflower, thick core removed and chopped into florets 
1/2 onion, diced 
olive oil 
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced 
1 pound smoked andouille sausage, sliced 
1 tsp. salt 
1 tsp. ground black pepper 
1/4 tsp.  cayenne pepper
1/2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. dried thyme 
1 Tbsp. dried oregano 
1/2-1 cup chicken or vegetable broth 
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped


Place cauliflower florets in a food processor with a chopping blade and pulse until finely chopped.  If necessary, chop in batches. Prepare the rest of the veggies because cooking will go quickly.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and sauté until soft and translucent; 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and peppers and sauté another 3-4 minutes, then add sausage and cook until browned.  Add the cauliflower, spices and seasonings and chicken broth and simmer until veggies are tender but not mushy; about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.  Serve warm and garnish with fresh parsley.

SOURCE: Slightly adapted from Always Order Dessert
 

Skinny Broccoli Soup with Sourdough Croutons

This winter has been the longest, snowiest and coldest winter we've had in a LONG time! I walk around my house with layers of clothes and still freezing.  I am really looking forward to spring and wearing less clothes! In the mean time, I've been making lots of soup to keep me warm.

My middle daughter started asking me to make broccoli soup a few weeks ago. It kind of caught me off guard because I don't remember her ever actually eating or wanting broccoli soup.  I don't know where she got the idea that she liked it.  Buuuuut I was gonna take FULL advantage of that.  You know when kids even think they might like something, it's so much easier to get them to eat it! 

I actually made two attempts at broccoli soup.  The first one, a pretty simple and classic recipe, bombed!  My kids wouldn't touch it.  So I decided to tempt fate and try again.  Inspired by this Zucchini Spinach and Basil Soup, I tried again and scored!!  They were brave enough to try it again and liked it. And as a bonus, this one is much much healthier.


Skinny Broccoli with Sourdough Croutons
olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups zucchini, choped
3 cups broccoli, chopped
2-3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1-2 cups cashew milk (in the carton)
salt and pepper, to taste
 parmesan or cheddar cheese for topping, optional

for the croutons:
1 sourdough loaf or boule
butter

In a large pot heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and saute about 7-8 minutes, until soft and translucent.  Add garlic for another 60 seconds then add zucchini broccoli and saute another couple of minutes.  Add broth and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 8-10 minutes; until veggies are very tender.  Remove from heat and add spinach.  Stir to wilt.  Use an immersion blender to puree soup, or working in batches, puree in blender.  Add milk and more broth, if desired.  Add salt and pepper, taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.   Top with cheese, if desired, and sourdough croutons.

To make croutons, cut about half of the sourdough loaf or boule into 1-inch cubes.  Melt 1-2 Tbsp. butter in a large frying pan, add croutons and toss to coat.  Season with a few dashes of salt and cracks of black pepper.  Saute on medium high heat until they start to turn a light golden brown.

Lemon Cream

So, I was shopping at Costco the other day and this bag of Meyer lemons caught my eye.  I've never tried them before although I've been hearing about them for years.  Since they were pretty cheap I grabbed a bag and figured I decide later what to do with them.  I got a lot of great suggestions from friends, some of which I'll be trying soon,  but I also searched the interwebs high and low for something to make that was worthy of my time. Let me tell you friends this lemon cream is it!

WOWWY!!  No I know that not every loves lemon perhaps as much as I do, but wow, this is just the best.  It's not too sweet and has a lovely lemon flavor and luscious creamy texture.  You'll seriously want to put it on everything.  Try it on pancakes, waffles, crepes, on fruit, over ice cream, the sky is the limit!  It only takes about 10 minutes to whip up, so definitely worthy of my time.


Lemon Cream
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (I used Meyer lemons)
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a heat proof mixing bowl whisk together sugar, eggs, lemon juice and zest.  Make a double boiler by setting the bowl on top of a medium saucepan with a few inches of water in the bottom.  Heat over medium high heat.  Cook mixture, whisking often, until it starts to thicken and become pudding-like; about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted.  Set in an ice bath until cooled then stir in the heavy cream.

Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.



SOURCE: The Grant Life

Skinny Zuppa Toscana

I know that really the "official" start of winter was only like a month ago but seriously, this winter is already dr...a....g..g....i...n...g!  It's been the coldest and snowiest we've had in Utah for a LONG time. Needless to say, I'm always looking for something to warm me up.  I walk around the house in warm fluffy socks, slippers and a jacket and always drinking some warm tea.  I'm also always looking for warm comfort food to get me through the nights.

 It's been a while since I've had Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana. In fact I don't know if I've ever eaten it at the restaurant, my husband and I swore it off years ago.  I enjoy the soup but the original is not so calorie friendly, with all the potatoes, pork sausage and heavy cream.  I was so happy to find a recipe that is not only much more healthy but exploding with flavor.  This soup doesn't miss a beat and satisfies every warm comfort food craving I had. 

Skinny Zuppa Toscana
1 lb. Italian chicken sausage
1/2 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped in to bite-sized pieces
3 small russet potatoes, peeled and small-diced
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups cashew milk
4 cups fresh kale, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Remove sausage from casings and add to frying pan along with onions. Cook until sausage is no longer raw and both sausage and onions are light golden brown.  Toss in the garlic the last 60 seconds.  Remove from pan and set aside. 

Bring chicken stock to a boil in a stock pot, then add cauliflower and potatoes.  Cook until tender; about 5-8 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove half of the cauliflower and potatoes and puree in a blender with a little stock.  Return to pot. 

Add turkey, onions and garlic back to the pot as well the kale, parmesan, milk and red pepper flakes.  Heat through, until the cheese is melted, making sure not to boil.  Taste for seasoning then add salt and pepper, to taste.  Serve immediately.


SOURCE: Adapted from With Salt & Wit

Perfect Pot Roast

 Nothing says Sunday dinner like pot roast! We don't eat much red meat, and roast maybe once or twice a year.  But boy do I love it!  And my girls are actually old enough that they are beginning to enjoy it as well. I hadn't had much experience with cooking roast, except in college when I threw it in a crock pot with a can of cream of mushroom soup.  Good, but I don't like using canned soups anymore.  Luckily many years ago Pioneer Woman came into my life.  If anyone knows how to cook beef it's her.  So when I first saw her recipe for pot roast I knew it would be good.  And she's right, it is perfect!!  I absolutely love it this way and don't think I'll change.

Perfect Pot Roast
1 whole chuck roast, 4-5 lbs.
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 onions, quartered
6-8 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch slices then halved or quartered
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup red wine (or extra beef broth)
2 cups beef broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried rosemary

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.  When hot but not smoking, add the onions, browning on each side.  Remove to a platter then do the same with the carrots.

Generously salt and pepper the roast.  Add another drizzle of olive oil to the pot, if necessary, then add the roast.  Sear on all sides, about a minute on each, until it's browned all over. Remove to a plate.  Deglaze the pan with about a cup of red wine (or red wine vinegar or beef broth), scraping bits off the bottom with a whisk.  Place roast back in the pan, arranging the onions around it.  (You can add carrots now but I usually add them the last hour.)  Add enough broth to cover the meat about half way.  Add rosemary and thyme.  Cover with lid and roast in the oven 3-4 hours, until fork tender and falling apart. This would be delicious served with mashed potatoes.  Use the juices from the roast to make gravy to go with the potatoes.

SOURCE: Pioneer Woman

Summer Egg Scramble

I know it's nearing the end of the summer but we have been enjoying this yummy breakfast for a couple months now so I wanted to share.  My friend made me something similar when the girls and I had a sleepover with her and her kids and I haven't been able to stop making it since.  Even my three-year-old loves it and asks me to make it for her frequently.  She even loves to run outside and pick some fresh basil and tomatoes for it. 

I love quick and easy breakfasts that are also healthy and fresh.  This egg scramble is easily customizable to suit your own tastes, what you have in your fridge or even your garden! Enjoy.


Summer Egg Scramble
serves 2

olive oil
4 slices Canadian bacon, cut into 1/2-inch squares
1-2 cloves garlic
4 large eggs
small handful of cherry or grape tomatoes, diced (or about 1/3-1/2 cup diced tomato)
3-4 large basil leaves, chopped
2-4 Tbsp. fresh mozzarella shredded or small-diced (try smoked mozzarella too!)

Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk.  Set aside.  Heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium high heat in a frying pan, saute the ham until it just starts to brown.  Add the garlic for another 30 seconds.  Add eggs and tomatoes scramble about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat while they are sill a little glossy and toss in the basil and cheese.  Stir just to combine and allow to sit for a minute or so, so the cheese can melt.  Slide onto two plates and garnish with extra basil and tomatoes, if desired.

Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal

School is right around the corner, in fact just one week away for us!  We are on A Track this year, meaning I need to get my kids up, ready and fed before 8am!!  Wow, considering they've been staying up until 10pm, waking up at 9am and not eating breakfast until 10am sometimes, this is going to be quite an undertaking.  I don't do cold cereal, mostly hot breakfasts and sometimes they take longer than 5 minutes. I'm going to have to make sure I plan ahead, which is why I LOVE baked oatmeal.

My girls and I enjoy oatmeal in it's many forms, but baked is our favorite.  It's so versatile too.  Sometimes I like to add berries or mashed bananas to change up the flavor, or even throw some chocolate chips on top while it's warm.  Adding peanut butter this time was genius though!!  To say we loved it is an understatement.  I baked this ahead in a big pan (doubling works wonders and keeps well too) and we ate it two days in a row.  Talk about a time saver!  This will definitely be a keeper  and something I can make ahead and pull out quickly on those early school mornings.


Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal
1 egg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease an 8 or 9 inch baking pan.

In a mixing bowl combine egg, brown sugar, applesauce and peanut butter and whisk until peanut butter is well incorporated and there are not lumps.  Add in vanilla, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and milk and whisk to combine.  Stir in the oats then pour into prepared baking pan.  Bake in preheated oven 35 minutes or until lightly golden on top.  Serve warm with a splash of milk, fresh fruit, nuts or even a few chocolate chips.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

Jambalaya

I had no idea what Jambalaya was until my parents moved to Georgia when I went to college.  It's a southern dish that's typically a mash-up of rice, meat (chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp), veggies, spices and chicken stock.  It's kind of like a Spanish paella, only southern-style.

While living in Georgia my mom got this recipe from a friend for Quick Chicken Jambalaya.  It was my first and pretty much only experience with jambalaya and we made it and loved it for years.  It's super easy and yummy and not too spicy.  After getting into cooking more and wanting to branch out I started looking for jambalaya recipes that were a little more authentic.  My sister pointed me in the direction of this recipe and we have really loved it.  It's so full of flavor and just the right level of heat for my taste (although may be a little spicy for the kiddos). It's also great because once everything is chopped and ready to go, you can throw it together in a jiffy!

Jambalaya
olive oil
1 rib of celery, small-diced
1/2 onion, small-diced
1/2 orange pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 lb. andouille sausage, sliced
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup uncooked rice
1 Tbsp. Creole or Cajun seasoning (Zeus or Tony Cachere's are good or a homemade blend)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (I omitted this and just added an extra chicken breast)

garnishes: chopped green onion, parsley or cilantro


Heat a drizzle of oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add celery, onion and peppers and sauté about 4 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté another minute.  Add another drizzle of olive oil, of necessary, and add chicken to the pan.  Sauté a couple minutes until about half-cooked.  Add the sausage, tomatoes, rice, stock, Creole seasoning, bay leaf, thyme and cayenne.  Stir together and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until rice is cooked.

Once rice is tender stir in the shrimp to combine. Continue to simmer until shrimp is fully cooked.  Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf and check for seasoning.  Add more Creole seasoning, salt and pepper, as desired.

Serve warm with choice of garnish.


**Note: I halved the original recipe because I didn't think my kids would eat it and I didn't want to have tons of leftovers. To make original recipe, double everything except the chicken stock and tomatoes.  Still use 1 can of tomatoes and use 3 cups chicken stock.


SOURCE: Gimme Some Oven

Jalapeño Popper Pizza

Confession: I don't think I've ever even had a jalapeño popper!  I don't even know what they really taste like but I could not stop thinking about the idea of this pizza.  So mouth-watering, I had to make it.  Like over and over.  My husband's response to what kind of pizza we were having the other night when I made this was, "oh, that one again."  Yeah, that one again.  Don't get me wrong, he loved it too. The first two times I made it there was no chance of getting a picture so I had to make it again to make sure I got it just right and had a quick couple of seconds to snap some pics.

This pizza definitely isn't the hottest thing I've tasted, but just enough heat and smoke for my taste.  I used half pepper jack cheese and half smoked cheddar cheese (my fave).  Smoked cheddar (not the processed smoked cheese "product", but real cheese) might be hard to find in some areas, so using all pepper jack or using mozzarella or sharp cheddar would be a good substitute. Sometimes I like to add grilled chicken but it can get heavy. In that case, I would use parchment to roll the dough on and just slide that onto the pizza stone. I also brush the edges of the dough with some of the bacon fat and that's TOTALLY optional, but not really....just do it. 

Jalapeño Popper Pizza

Perfect Pizza Crust 

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced

a few thin slices of red onion

Prepare pizza dough as directed.  While dough is rising, cook bacon and set aside, reserving a couple tablespoons of the bacon grease.  Prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 degrees. Stretch out pizza dough onto pizza peel dusted with flour or cornmeal. Brush bacon grease around the outer edges. Using either your fingers or a spatula, spread softened cream cheese over the dough, leaving about a 1-inch border where you brushed the bacon grease. Layer both cheeses, crumbled bacon, red onion and jalapeños.  Slide pizza onto baking stone and bake 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden and cheese  is bubbly. 

 

Smoky Black Bean Chili

I know it's summer time and hot, hot, hot! But my oldest daughter has fallen in love with chili since eating it at a friend's house recently.  I don't know about you, but I'm so over the dinner time struggle!!  I know I still have to deal with it for years to come, but hey, if I can find a few more healthy things my kids like that I can add in to the dinner rotation, I'm all over it.  My middle daughter already LOVES this black bean soup, as well as taco soup, so I didn't think it would be hard to get her to try this delicious chili!  Plus, you can totally eat it with chips.  That always gets their attention, haha! To my surprise both girls told me they didn't like the chili, they LOVED it!  I was so happy, I literally jumped up and down with them.  Dinner time was happy time that night.

This chili, like most soups, is open to a little interpretation.  I didn't add a ton of heat because I knew my three littles would be eating most of it.  I wanted to add a couple chipotles in adobo during cooking but I knew it would be too spicy, but feel free to do so.  Instead, I decided to just use the chipotle tabasco sauce on the side instead; my husband loves that stuff anyway and puts it on everything.  Whatever you do, don't leave out the smoked paprika, ginger ale and cocoa powder!! They lend such a unique element to the dish, I think that's why I loved it so much.

This chili would be lovely served with some cornbread, fresh tortillas or even hot cooked rice.


Smoky Black Bean Chili
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 red pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 cups ginger ale
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can RoTel
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes

garnishes:
sour cream
shredded cheese (cheddar, monterey jack, mozzarella or my personal favorite smoked cheddar)
cilantro
diced avocado
chipotle tabasco sauce
tortilla chips

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add onion and ground beef and cook until onions are translucent and beef is browned.  Drain off all but a tablespoon or two of the fat.  Add chopped red pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, oregano, smoked paprika, and brown sugar.  Sauté 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Add ginger ale, tomato sauce, black beans, RoTel and tomatoes to the Dutch oven.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook about 15-20 minutes.

Serve warm, with desired garnishes.

Nutella Stuffed Croissant French Toast

It is a rare occasion that I make something like this for breakfast.  I almost can't stand to serve my kids something that's over the top sweet that early in the morning.  However, I think I can get away with this french toast because croissants aren't really sweet at all, and neither is the whipped cream (unless you buy it premade at the store), and I just serve it with fresh berries. So I'm totally good right!! 

I almost never buy croissants because they're kind of expensive.  But I love to shop the reduced bakery rack at a couple of my favorite grocery stores. Occasionally there will be a package or two of these babies, so I just grab them and throw them in the freezer for when I'm ready to use them. Day old bread is perfect for french toast since it's a little dry it'll soak up the egg mixture a little better.

This french toast is easier than it looks and SOOOO worth it!! It just takes a few minutes to pull everything together and you'll be on a roll flipping these babies on the griddle in no time.


Nutella Stuffed Croissant French Toast
1 package of croissants (either 5-6 large ones or about 12 small ones)
Nutella
2 large eggs
2-3 Tbsp. whole milk, heavy cream or half and half
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. sugar

garnish:
whipped cream (homemade or store bought)
fresh berries

Preheat pancake griddle to about 300 degrees F.  Alternately you can cook these in a large frying pan, heated to medium-low. Add a little butter to the pan when you're ready to cook the croissants.

In a small shallow dish whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.

Slice each of the croissants in half and spread on nutella as desired.  Place the croissants in the egg mixture and let them hang out to soak it up.  Flip them to soak on the other side.

Place croissants on the griddle and let cook about 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown.  Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes.

Serve warm with whipped cream and fresh berries.

Mexican Cabbage Slaw with Jalapeño Dressing

So, I really enjoy celebrating different holidays with food.  Heck, I enjoy celebrating anything with food!  And when I get my act together, I can actually make something and blog about it.

I love Mexican style food and I really LOVE salad.  My biggest beef when making a Mexican meal though is that I never had a good salad to go with it.  I would sometimes make a simple cabbage slaw like the one in this post, but for Cinco de Mayo this year, I wanted something a little more. So I started with my basic slaw and threw in some extra stuff, made a simple spicy dressing and it hit the spot for me.

Cabbage salads are one of my favorites, not only because of the flavor but because they have a lot to offer nutritionally as well.  If you love salad as much as I do, you need to try this one!

Mexican Cabbage Slaw with Jalapeño Dressing
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
1/4 head purple cabbage, shredded
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
5-6 radishes, thinly sliced
1 can black black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
diced avocado, for topping

Jalepeño Dressing:
1 jalapeño, finely diced
1 shallot, finely diced
juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Prepare all vegetables and toss together in a large salad bowl.  In a small glass jar with a tight fitting lid, add all dressing ingredients.  Shake well to combine.

To serve, toss individual salads with dressing, as desired, and top with fresh chopped avocado.  


SOURCE: Dressing from Bakers Royale

Buttermilk Banana Bread

Growing up I learned to cook from my mom, mostly desserts, on Sunday afternoons.  As I grew older I branched out.  Once I got on my own, I still loved to make brownies and cookies but banana bread became an absolute favorite of mine!  Still dessert-y I guess if you add all that sugar.

Many years ago I found this recipe that I have stood by and loved. Then I fell upon this recipe a while back looking for ways to use my my extra buttermilk.  Not that we ever have much leftover due to all the pancakes and waffles we consume in this house...but sometimes.  And WOW, that one little extra ingredient makes good banana bread amazingly delicious banana bread. I have cut back the sugar and added in whole wheat flour to make it a bit healthier and it's still super moist and absolutely delicious!

We all go bananas for this bread.


Buttermilk Banana Bread
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed banana
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. baking soda


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.
 
In a mixing bowl, whisk together butter, sugar and bananas.  Add eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and whisk together.  Add in dry ingredients and stir batter until moistened and just combined.

Pour batter into greased loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick  inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and cool completely.


SOURCE: Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Steak and Blue Cheese Salad

You guyyyyyyys! I can't stop eating this salad. It is my new absolute favorite.  And because it only has like 5 ingredients, besides the dressing, you can blink twice and it's basically done.  Ok, maybe a few more times than that.  But, seriously, like 5 minutes tops.

When it comes to ANYTHING beef, I always turn to Pioneer Woman first, because her hubby is a cattle rancher and they like live and breathe beef. If you've never tried her Perfect Pot Roast, I strongly urge you to.  It is heaven on a plate; best roast I have ever had. Ever!

So, after you get everything prepped, throw the dressing together. It's a little tangy, a little sweet, a little gingery and goes perfectly with beef. You will use some to marinate the meat and the rest you'll just want to slurp up eat it on salad practically every day 'till it's gone. 


Steak and Blue Cheese Salad
2 steaks (Ree suggests rib-eye or strip steaks, I just get whatever looks good)

for the dressing/marinade:
3/4 cup light olive oil
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. lime juice (about 1 lime)
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper

for the salad:
lettuce mix (whatever floats your boat, I like romaine and arugula or just arugula)
cherry tomatoes, halved
thinly sliced red onion
about 4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (or more if you want leftovers)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine all the dressing ingredients together in a mason jar. Twist on the lid and shake vigorously.  Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Place steak in a zip-loc bag and add about 1/3-1/2 of the marinade.  Seal and marinate in refrigerator for about 2 hours.

When you're ready, preheat grill and cook steak over medium-high heat about 2-4 minutes per side, depending on how pink you want it.  Remove from heat and let it rest 5 minutes.  Thinly slice steak across the grain.

To assemble salads, place a large handful (or more) of lettuce mix on each plate.  Top with a good handful of tomatoes, sliced onion and a couple tablespoons each of blue cheese and pecans.  Lay the sliced steak on top of everything and add dressing as desired.



SOURCE: Slightly adapted from Pioneer Woman