One-Bowl Brownies from Scratch

If you've learned anything from my baking adventures around here, it's that I truly believe that everything is better when made from scratch. This mantra applies to cookies, cakes, pie crust, muffins, and - you guessed it - even brownies. Don't get me wrong - there are some really good boxed mixes out there these days, and it's super simple to doctor a boxed mix to get great results. However, with just a smidge more time and patience, you can almost always make something from scratch and have it taste better and get the added benefit of knowing exactly what ingredients went into your creation. I like that.

In the spirit of honesty, I will admit to you that I usually have a boxed brownie mix or two stashed in my pantry - there are just occasions when you need to be able to have something in the oven in two minutes flat! (If you're wondering, Ghirardelli brownie mix is the. best. ever. so don't buy anything else!) Mixes are fine. But for the times when you don't need to use a mix, I have found a fantastic recipe for homemade brownies, which I'm super excited to pass along today!

These brownies are awesome because they only require one bowl, and everything just kind of gets dumped together. This is a "can't really mess it up" recipe, which I like, especially on a weeknight when I want something delicious but not overly complicated. You do the wet stuff first, then add the dry stuff right in on top, mix it all together, and bake it. Almost like a boxed mix! I did everything with a whisk and a spatula, too - no need to bring out the big Kitchen Aid or electric hand mixer. We are keeping the kitchen clean today! Who doesn't love that?

One-Bowl Brownies from Scratch
original recipe from Food Network

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sugar 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled 
• Tip: drop in a sauce pan over super low heat and stir occasionally until fully melted, then remove from heat until ready to mix batter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• One 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips

Directions 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. 
2. Stir together the sugar, melted butter, vanilla and eggs in a medium bowl. 
3. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder all at once and stir until just combined. 
4. Stir in half of the semisweet chocolate chips and spread the mixture in the prepared pan. 
5. Bake until the brownies begin to pull away from the edge of the pan and set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. 
6. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with remaining semisweet chocolate chips and let stand until the chips are melted, about 5 minutes. Spread the melted chips evenly over the top of the brownies with a spatula. Let the chocolate cool for about 10 minutes, then lift the brownies out of the pan with the foil and cool completely on a rack.

The batter for these brownies calls for three eggs, which makes these a lighter, fluffier brownie - almost like a chocolate cake before you cut them up, but once they've had some time to settle and cool, they do get a little denser and fudgier. The cocoa powder gives them a rich chocolate flavor, without being overwhelmingly sweet.

Spreading the remaining chocolate chips over the brownies, sort of like a ganache, gives a really luscious texture to the brownies - when you cut them, it gets crackly and awesome. Yum! (The picture above is before I spread the chocolate chips out - I was tempted just to leave them dotting the top, which would have been fine. I used a thin spatula to evenly spread them into a nice, chocolaty layer in the end.)

Cheesy Corn Dip (new recipe!)

Over the weekend, we attended a very sweet baby shower honoring my sister-in-law and my soon-to-be niece, who is going to make her arrival in April! So excited for the first grandbaby in the family. She will be here before we know it!

The shower was potluck-style, and everyone was asked to bring a dish with a yellow component, as the everything for the shower was color-coordinated. I struggled a bit with picking a dish, because I really didn't want to bring a dessert with yellow frosting or vanilla pudding - I was afraid everyone would do that! After much Pintrest browsing, I settled on a warm corn dip to serve with chips.

There were lots of variations of this on Pintrest, so I'm not entirely sure who to give credit to... sorry about that. The good news is, that means this recipe is easy to adapt with whatever you have on hand! Win.

I forgot to take any pictures of the dip, so instead I'll share the one cute one that we did manage:

Those are some mighty excited parents-to-be, and equally excited aunt-and-uncle-to-be!

Cheesy Corn Dip

Ingredients

• One package reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• One cup light sour cream
• One 8-ounce block of Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
• 2 15-ounce cans of sweet yellow corn
• 2 jalapenos, finely diced
• 3-4 green onions, finely chopped (I use my kitchen shears to make it quick!)
• 1/2 T chili powder
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• Couple dashes of hot sauce
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Drain canned corn and lightly dry with a paper towel (you don't want to add extra moisture to this).
3. In a mixing bowl, combined cream cheese and sour cream (I used my hand mixer to make it quick, but you could do it with a wooden spoon or whisk if you need to).
4. Add remaining ingredients to mixing bowl and combine thoroughly, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Make sure seasonings are incorporated throughout.
5. Pour mixture into a small baking dish (I used a 2.5-quart CorningWare dish) and bake for 20 minutes, until warmed through and melty.
6. Serve with tortilla chips, corn chips, or crackers. I thought "scoops" chips were perfect, but any of those would work!

Serving tip: since I knew the dip would be sitting out on the counter at the party for a while, I transferred it to my small crockpot after baking and plugged it in when we arrived. That way, it stayed warm and gooey the whole time, rather than starting to congeal and getting weird. It worked great! If I'd had time, I'm sure I could have just mixed everything together and then put it in the crockpot all morning to melt, but I didn't have that option.

Quick & easy hummus at home

When I was little, I insisted that I didn't like hummus. I'm not sure why - maybe I had a bad batch or something? I rediscovered it a few years ago (when it exploded in the culinary world again!) and have loved it ever since. It's healthy, delicious, and good on just about anything. What's not to like?

Hummus is one of those things that always makes me cringe when I reach for it in the store - the little voice in my head is always screaming "you could make that, so much faster and cheaper!" Le sigh. It is true, though. Look: quick and easy hummus at home, faster than you can jump in the car and head to the store to buy it. Trust!

  Homemade Hummus Lightly adapted from Alton Brown Ingredients 

• 115-ounce can chickpeas, drained 
• 1 clove garlic, minced, or 1 tablespoon pre-minced
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 3 tablespoons tahini, stirred well 
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
Add all ingredients to food processor (or blender, in a pinch) and pulse to combine until desired consistency is reached. Start with 1/8 cup of olive oil, and add a little more as necessary to bring together and smooth out.

Hummus is a wonderful vehicle for all sorts of flavors: you could add more garlic to the recipe above to make garlicky hummus, or add cumin for a different flavor. For the hummus pictured above, I added a frozen chipotle pepper in adobo (I always freeze whatever is left after I open a can) and made a spicy chipotle hummus. Other ideas: fresh basil, chili powder, roasted garlic, kalamata olives, 1/2 a fresh jalapeno - whatever you see in the store can be reproduced at home!

Birthday Cake Cookies

I love cupcakes as much as the next person, but sometimes, they can be too much - they are hard to transport, there is frosting everywhere, they get smooshed... sometimes, cupcakes are not the answer.

A co-worker was celebrating a birthday recently, and I wanted to bring in a treat - cookies seemed like the answer, but I wanted them to be special! I found the answer laying in my pantry (and no, it wasn't Toby, although that is where he likes to hide these days...).

I used the standard Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe as the base, but then swapped the chocolate chips for white chocolate chips and sprinkles. The recipe for the cookie batter is a classic, and you really can't go wrong when you start with it. These cookies turned out fantastically, and my co-worker loved them. Perfect for birthdays (or any day that needs a cookie)!

Birthday Cake Cookies
makes appx 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup rainbow sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. 
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. 
3. In a larger bowl, combine butter, sugars, and vanilla, and beat until creamy (a few minutes, at least).
4. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. 
5. Slowly add in flour mixture (I usually divide into three parts) and stir well after each portion. 
6. Stir in morsels and sprinkles. 
7. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. 
8. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. 
9. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Dijon Antipasto Pasta Salad

Our 4th of July weekend was perfect. Truly, it was! It was comprised of all my favorite things: friends, pool time, food, family, America, not working, Bloody Marys... shall I go on? It was such an epic weekend that it was the type that I probably needed another full weekend to recover - but, sadly, it was back to work for us yesterday. Womp, womp.

Nevertheless, I am still riding high on the fun and excitement that is had when our big group of college friends gets together and acts like we're 21 again. Sadly to say, our livers can't quite keep up the way they used to... but dangit if we don't try at least once a year! The fun started Thursday night when friends started arriving at our house, and didn't stop 'til Sunday afternoon when the last person walked out the door. We spent the actual 4th at my in-laws', playing cornhole and pool basketball and eating until we were all about to explode. There were some fireworks and some drinking games, and a fantastic time was had by all. So much so, in fact, that I only took two pictures the entire day!

Sure signs of an awesome holiday. A big plate full of my favorites, and an intense game of cornhole. Right?

Seeing as how I'm trying to keep the holiday spirit going, I thought I'd share a recipe that I've been meaning to post for ages. My mother-in-law makes the most delicious pasta salad for most family get-togethers, and I always look forward to eating it when we have a party!

I got her to share the recipe with me, and I whipped up a huge batch for the feast on Friday. It is really easy to make - mostly just chopping up ingredients and then mixing them together with the dressing. It is not a creamy pasta salad (which is something I generally don't enjoy), but instead features fresh veggies, salami, and sharp cheddar cheese, tossed together with a homemade Dijon vinaigrette. It is also, in my opinion, a proper proportion of pasta-to-everything-else: it's lots of other ingredients with a little pasta mixed in, so almost every bite features all the good stuff! This pasta salad is always a hit with the crowd, and I hope you'll enjoy it just as much as our family does!

Dijon Antipasto Pasta Salad
family recipe


Ingredients

Salad

• 8 oz uncooked rotini
• 2 cups broccoli, cut into very small pieces
• 4 oz cheddar cheese cubed (1 cup)
• 5 oz salami cut into strips (1 cup)
• 1⁄2 cup drained pepperoncini peppers, cut into small pieces
• 1⁄2 cup ripe olives 8 cherry tomatoes, halved

Dressing

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 to 2 tsp sugar
• 1⁄2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1⁄4 tsp salt

Directions

Cook rotini to desired doneness as directed on package, adding broccoli during last 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain; rinse with cold water to cool. In large bowl, combine cooked pasta, broccoli, and all remaining ingredients. In small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; blend well. Add to salad; toss to coat. Refrigerate before serving - best if made the night before and served cold.

Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Hi there. It's Tuesday, which is normally fine, but this is Tuesday-before-a-holiday-weekend, and doesn't that make every day this week feel like the longest day ever? Especially Tuesday. This day feels like it may drag on for weeks!

To combat the extra-long-day feeling, I made some treats. Treats make everything better! Right? If you eat one, the day is sure to go by just a smidge faster.... I think.

This is a cupcake with fruit in it, so it's practically health food. The cake is a banana bread of sorts, but a little sweeter, and there's a secret ingredient in there that adds moisture and a little zip. Then it's piled high with a lucious cream cheese frosting, which is I something that I, personally, could just eat a vat full of. Cream cheese frosting is what my dreams are made of.. And the cinnamon in this batch just makes it that much better.

Enjoy!

Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
lightly adapted from here and here
Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 stick butter, softened 
• 1/2 cup white sugar 
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 2 large eggs 
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed

Frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350*. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), combine butter and granulated sugar and beat until fluffy. Add yogurt and vanilla. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add dry mixture to wet mixture until thoroughly combined. Slowly mix in bananas and stir just until fully incorporated. Don't over-mix!

Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner three-quarters of the way full. Bake in the oven until the tops turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven to a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting. 

While the cupcakes cool, make your frosting. In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), combine cream cheese and butter until thoroughly mixed. Add vanilla, salt, and cinnamon and mix until fully incorporated. Mix in powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until frosting meets desire consistency. Once cupcake are cool, frost in whatever manner you choose. 

Spinach, Black Bean, & Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Have I mentioned yet that I could eat Mexican food every single day and not get sick of it? It is, by far, my favorite type of food, and it's a flavor profile that I regularly turn to when cooking at home. There are about a million versions of enchiladas and enchilada casserole out there. As much as I love actual enchiladas, sometimes I just need the ease and convenience of throwing together a casserole instead of rolling them individually. This casserole takes the ease-factor to a whole new level, because you don't even have to spend time layering ingredients - just combine everything in a huge mixing bowl and pour it into the pan! I'll be eating this for dinner most of this week, and I could probably just eat the pan in one sitting. It is addicting!

Spinach, Black Bean, & Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Lightly adapted from Iowa Girl Eats
Serves 6-8

Ingredients 

• 2 chicken breasts, diced 
• 1 tsp EVOO 
• Cumin
• Chili powder
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 bag of baby spinach 
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 10-oz can green enchilada sauce 
• 10 oz salsa (I use Pace - chunky mild)
• 10 oz plain Greek yogurt 
• 1 cup shredded cheese 
• 10 corn tortillas 

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350. 
2. Heat EVOO in sauté pan over medium heat. Add chicken and season with salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder, then cook through (about 7-8 minutes, depending on size of pieces). 
3. Place spinach in sauté pan with lid and a few tablespoons of water, then cook, covered, until wilted down. 
4. Remove chicken and spinach to a small bowl to cool while mixing other ingredients. 
5. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce, salsa, and Greek yogurt until thoroughly combined (measurements for these ingredients are not exact: I added the enchilada sauce, then used the empty can as my measuring cup for the salsa and the yogurt. It’s about a cup of each ingredient). 
6. Cut or tear tortillas into bite-sized pieces (I stacked mine in a pile then cut into 8 wedges). 
7. Add tortillas to sauce mixture and stir to coat all the pieces. Make sure to pull apart tortillas so you don’t end up with a big chunk glued together. 
8. Add chicken, spinach, and black beans to tortilla-sauce mixture and stir to combine. 
9. Pour contents of mixing bowl into a greased 13x9 pan and top with shredded cheese (I had a piece of a block of sharp cheddar leftover and a piece of a block of Monterey jack leftover – shredded and combined. Use what you have: Colby jack or a Mexican blend would work well, too. I recommend shredding your own, since it melts the best that way). 
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown around the edges. 
11. Remove from oven and let stand for ~10 minutes before serving.

"Pro" tips

• Top with Greek yogurt and hot sauce before eating – I’ve been using this Chipotle Cholula and loving it! 
• Use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt, if desired
• Use frozen spinach instead of fresh: just thaw and drain really well before adding it to the mix
• Use red enchilada sauce instead of green, if desired

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Hi there! First of all, I'd like to say a big hello & welcome to anyone stopping by for the first time today - I know I've got some new viewers popping by from the Ocean Spray Facebook & Twitter pages. I'm so excited that Ocean Spray chose to share my recipe for Oatmeal Applesauce Craisin Muffins, and I hope you'll make these quick treats and enjoy them as much as I did. Thanks for coming by! Hope you'll stick around :)

Second, I have a new recipe to share today! It's been a while since I had a good, solid dinner to share, and I must admit - I'm pretty excited about this one! It's an easy weeknight meal that makes great leftovers... what more could you need?

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
serves 6

Ingredients 

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
• 1 bottle buffalo wing sauce (I use Frank's)
• 2 T Ranch dressing powder 
• 4 oz light cream cheese 
• 1/2 box multigrain pasta (I use Barilla rotini) 
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 
• Green onions to garnish 

Directions 

1. Put chicken in crockpot and cover with bottle of buffalo sauce and Ranch powder. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, then shred with two forks. (Tip: you could easily use poached chicken or a rotisserie chicken, shredded and mixed with the buffalo sauce. I use the crockpot so that I come home to the chicken already cooked - plus I like that it sits in the sauce all day and really gets the flavor. Any method of acquiring the chicken and combining with the sauce will do, though!) 
2. Preheat oven to 350. 
3. Add cream cheese to shredded chicken and stir to melt and thoroughly combine. If it’s a little dry, add some chicken broth or water to get it good and creamy (sometimes my chicken gets dry if I have to leave it in the crockpot longer than usual – it’ll be fine either way!) 
4. Cook pasta according to package directions, minus a minute or two so that it’s al dente. Drain and put back in pot. 
5. Mix pasta and chicken / buffalo sauce / cream cheese mixture together in pasta pot. 
6. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, and pour noodle mixture into baking dish. 
7. Top with shredded cheddar and panko. 
8. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake additional 10-15 minutes until the top is crispy and golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. 
9. Serve topped with green onions and a drizzle of Ranch dressing, if desired. 

This is a versatile dish - like I mentioned, you could cook the chicken right before you make the casserole, or use leftover chicken diced and tossed with buffalo sauce. I also think this would be delicious with a little bleu cheese mixed in, but my husband doesn't like it, so we skip that. It's great served along side a vegetable (please note that random little piece of broccoli in my picture...) or with a salad. It comes together in no time, and then you can do something else while it bakes (I cleaned the kitchen and swept the floor... gotta love multitasking). Hope you enjoy this as much as we have!

Oatmeal Applesauce Craisin Muffins

I took advantage of one of our recent snow days to do some baking - it had been far too long since I'd pulled out my trusty KitchenAid mixer and went to town with flour, butter, and sugar. I had a hankering to do something with oats, and once my brain went to muffins, there was no turning back. Muffins are not generally one of my go-tos when baking; I'm a cookie girl all the way. For some reason, though, I needed muffins immediately.

So, a few minutes of Googling later, I came up with what I thought would be a pretty good recipe - based off one I found, with a few tweaks, to create a muffin that is sweet but not too sweet and packs a good nutritional punch. Whole-wheat flour, oats, applesauce, and a little brown sugar are the key players in these little babies, which are quick and easy. I'd be willing to bet that they freeze well, too, though they didn't last long enough for me to find out. Especially good after being zapped in the microwave for a few seconds, with a little dab of butter in the middle... yum!

Oatmeal Applesauce Craisin Muffins
Lightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled or old-fashioned oats 
• 1 cup applesauce 
• ½ cup skim milk 
• 1 large egg 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted 
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar 
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• ½ teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• ¼ teaspoon salt 
• ½ cup Craisins, chopped 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with liners or grease the cups. 
2. In a medium bowl, mix together oats, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, butter, and brown sugar. Set aside. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. 
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the applesauce mixture. 
5. Toss Craisins in a spoonful of flour so that they don’t sink to the bottoms of the muffins, then add Craisins to mixture. 
6. Stir until just combined (don’t over-mix or the muffins will be dense and dry). 
7.  Distribute batter evenly among muffin cups. 
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don’t over-bake or the muffins will be dry! 
9. Remove muffins to a rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Easy Weeknight Guacamole

I mentioned in yesterday's WIAW post that we had chicken burgers topped with guacamole for dinner. First of all, if you haven't tried that combination, you should (guac on burgers, in general). Second, it was way less complicated to put together than it sounds. I think guacamole is one of those things that some people find intimidating because it seems like it has a lot of requirements and steps. Luckily, I am here to tell you that it ain't true.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good fancy guac as much as the next person. Fancy guac is awesome. I'm talking diced red onion, juicy tomatoes, fresh-squeezed lime juice, chopped jalapeño - the works. Sometimes we even add roasted corn (throw corn on grill, cook, cut off cob, add to guac...eat and be in heaven). But on week nights (and winter nights), that probably just isn't happening. I am not making fancy guac on a random Tuesday night. But that doesn't mean I'm not making SOME guac on a random Tuesday night! Enter: easy weeknight guacamole. You, too, can make your guac and eat it, too, any ol' night of the week. Just use my simple shortcuts!

Easy Weeknight Guacamole

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado
• Salsa
• Lime juice (bottled or fresh)
• Garlic powder
• Cumin
• Hot sauce
• Salt

Directions

1. Scoop avocado out of shell into small bowl. If your avocado is too ripe, do a little surgery and remove the yucky parts. It's just going to get beaten into guacamole, though, so it doesn't have to be beautiful.
2. Add 1/4 - 1/3 cup of your favorite salsa to the bowl. It can be hot, mild, medium, salsa verde, store-brand... whatever you have on hand and enjoy.
3. Add a splash of lime juice (a tablespoon-ish), two dashes of hot sauce (again, use your favorite - we are currently loving Chipotle Cholula), and a sprinkle of garlic powder and cumin.
4. Use a fork to mash the avocado and combine all the ingredients, then salt to taste.

See? Could. Not. Be. Easier. The salsa and the hot sauce are my secret ingredients: use what you have on hand and enjoy the flavors of to make a guacamole that just can't go wrong! This comes together in minutes, and works perfectly as a dip, or to top your favorite burgers. Enjoy!

White Bean Chicken Chili

A few snow days ago, my sister posted a picture to Instagram that totally made my taste buds jealous. She was using her day off to make a big pot of white bean chicken chili. I knew I had to recreate it as soon as possible!

My sister and I generally cook chili the same way: throw a lot of things in a pot, and keep adding things until it tastes right. Sometimes the method turns out better than others, obviously, but it almost never goes completely wrong. I knew I could use her picture of her ingredients to make a batch of my own that would be just as delicious.

This past Friday was cold and rainy - typical January weather around here. The Caps were playing that night, my cold was still hanging around, and curling up in front of the TV to watch hockey with a big bowl of chili sounded perfect to me. I had just about all the ingredients I needed to make Nat's non-recipe recipe, so, after a quick trip to the store, I was ready to go. This chili came together in next to no time (maybe 20 minutes!), and then simmered away for a few hours, making the house smell amazing! It was so hearty and delicious that I knew I had to share it here.

Keep in mind, these measurements are generally estimates - chili is very forgiving as far as ingredients go. If you have more specific questions about what I include, feel free to email me. I'll help as much as I can!

White Bean Chicken Chili
makes ~6 servings

Ingredients

• 2-3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces 
• 1 onion, diced 
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 can diced green chiles 
• 2 cans diced tomatoes 
• 1 can corn, drained 
• 2 cans great northern beans, drained 
• 2/3 box chicken broth (may need a little more or less) 
• 1/2 cup spicy v8
• Juice from 1 lime 
• Chili powder 
• Cumin 
• Salt 
• Pepper 

Directions

1. In a soup pot, season chicken with salt and pepper, then sauté chicken, onions, and garlic in a little bit of olive oil over medium heat until chicken is almost fully cooked (or fully, if you want to be safe). 
2. Add chiles, corn, diced tomatoes, and beans, and stir to combine. 
3. Add enough chicken broth to just about cover all ingredients, then add V8 and lime juice. 
4. Add chili powder and cumin to taste – start with a few tablespoons of chili powder and a teaspoon of cumin, and add more to taste, if needed. 
5. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. 
6. Serve with crushed tortilla chips, Greek yogurt or sour cream, and shredded cheddar!

Whole-Grain Honey Mustard Glazed Pork Tenderloin

One of the great things about C & I both being able to cook is that either of us can say, "Hey, I have this idea..." and pass it along to the other, and we make it work. A great example of this happened a few weeks ago. We had thawed a pork tenderloin one day, and I told C about an idea I was having to use the whole-grain Dijon mustard we had and create some sort of crust. I wasn't exactly sure what would go in it, but it seemed like it would work. With that, I went off to the gym and left him to his own devices.

Wouldn't ya know, when I got home a while later, what was presented to me was a dang restaurant-worthy meal. That husband of mine knocked it out of the park! It was exactly like I had imagined it. Moist and super flavorful from the combo of the mustard and other ingredients, it was a great variation on our normal preparations. Pork tenderloin is super easy to cook, and can be marinated or glazed in a huge variety of things, so we really like using it as an alternate protein from chicken. I can't wait to make this again!

Sorry - this is the best picture I got! Trust me on it's deliciousness.

Whole-Grain Honey Mustard Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper
• 1 package pork tenderloin - ours usually comes with two pieces of meat in a pack

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350*. 
2. Mix all ingredients but pork (obvi) to create a sauce. 
3. Spray a 13x9" baking dish with cooking spray, then place tenderloin in center of dish. If there are two pieces of meat, leave a little bit of space between them. 
4. Pour sauce over pork and coat evenly, turning over to ensure both sides are covered. Try to get lots of the mustard grains on the pork (might want to use a spoon to help). 
5. Bake until meat thermometer reads 165* (appx 45 minutes).

We served ours along-side some cous cous and steamed broccoli, and we had plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day. Definitely a successful meal.

I will admit, pork tenderloin seemed scary to me the first time I cooked it, but I promise, it's not! It's a great cut of meat, is not too expensive, and is very versatile to a variety of flavors and side dishes. I could probably think of 10 other ways to make it... let me know if you'd like another recipe!

BY THE WAY... make sure you come back by here tomorrow! Not only is it my birthday, but I've got a surprise to share :) See ya then!

Guest Post: Meet Maddie!

Hi guys! I am Maddie and you can usually find me blogging in two separate places. First up is Tinge of Whimsy, where I normally ramble on about our travels and sometimes delve into more serious discussions like infertility. and other days you can find me whipping up yummy treats at my other blog, The ThankFull Tummy.

Lindsay and I found each other last year and she only recently discovered that I fall into the category of a Hoo and not that other Hokie school;) and how sweet of her, she still let me take over for the day!

Growing up, we would always have a cake to wish Jesus a Happy Birthday on Christmas and my mom would always make a watergate cake. One of my absolute favorites and since I am a lover of whoopie pies and often times love to create new versions...last year I decided to try my hand at a watergate whoopie.

Watergate Whoopies

Ingredients 

• 1 box white cake mix 
• 1/3 cup veggie oil 
• 2 eggs 
• 1/4 cup sprite 
• 3 packets pistachio pudding 
• 1 cup whipping cream 
• 4-6 oz cream cheese softened 
• (see notes below if you want cool whip version instead) 
• green sugar crystals (optional) 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Combine cake mix, oil, eggs, 2 pudding packets & water in bowl.(should be thick, but if any dry cake mix left, add a tsp more of sprite).
3. Drop by tablespoon onto lined cookie sheet (leave about an inch between each cookie) or pour green sugar onto a plate, form the dough into tbsp size balls and roll it in the green sugar. 
4. Bake 8-9 minutes.
5. Cool on pan 5 minutes, move to cookie rack until completely cooled. 
6. Beat softened cream cheese on low for a min or until fluffy, add dry pudding packet & two tbsp of whipping cream, beat on low till pudding is fully incorporated into cream cheese and add remaining whipping cream, turn speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. 
7. Let set in fridge for at least an hour before frosting. 

Thanks for having me over today, Lindsay! I hope you guys are enjoying your holidays!

Guest Post: Meet Lindsey!

I'm so excited for this week, and it's not (all) because of Christmas! I have several guest posts for you this week, and I get to introduce you to some awesome bloggers! Hope you will take the time to read their posts and check out their blogs - they are some great ladies!

First up is Lindsey from the Crafty Practitioner. She has a yummy recipe to share with you, and we did something fun: a Q&A! I came up with a few insightful (ha) questions, and Lindsey indulged me with the answers. Enjoy getting to know her!

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Q&A with Lindsey

1. When and why did you start blogging? 

I actually started blogging quite a long time ago, I think it was in the fall of 2009. It was on a different blog from my current one called "Waiting on our Miracle". This blog was centered around my journey with infertility. My husband and I were going through treatments trying to get pregnant and I used my blog as a place that I could share my feelings and discuss what we were going through. We didn't share what we were going through with much of anyone in our "real life" so I needed a place to vent. I eventually progressed on to a new blog that I named "Worth the Wait" which focused on my pregnancy and the first six months of my son's life. I felt like both of these blogs were very focused on specific topics and I really wanted a lifestyle blog where I could talk about all the things going on in my life as well as fashion, beauty, and other things and that is when I created The Crafty Practitioner!

2. What do you think makes your blog unique from others? 

I try to incorporate many different things into my blog including recipes, DIY projects, crafts, link ups, fashion, giveaways, and person writing pieces.

3. What are three blogs you read that you would recommend to others? 

Life As Always - sarahandstewart.blogspot.com
You Gotta Have Hart - ugottahavehart.blogspot.com
Flying on a Rainbow - flyingonarainbow.blogspot.com

4. What is an "ice breaker" fact about yourself that most people wouldn't know? 

I thrive on to-do lists. I cannot function without them.

5. Do you have a favorite holiday tradition? What is it? 

My favorite holiday tradition now that I am married is the Christmas hustle and bustle and Justin's grandmother's house. There is so much family and it is awesome. I grew up with just my parents and myself for holidays most of the time so it was always more quiet. Justin's Gram makes handmade ravioli and homemade sauce and the holidays are just full of tradition up at her house!

And now for a yummy recipe!

Crafty Practitioner's Cornbread Casserole

 Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes

Servings 8-12 (depending on size)

Ingredients:

• 19 oz. Creamed Corn (Canned)
• 19 oz. Canned Whole Kernel Corn
• 3/4 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
• 1 Cup Sour Cream
• 2 Eggs (Beaten)
• 1/4 Cup Melted Butter
• 1 Cup Flour
• 1/3 Cup Sugar
• 3 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Salt
• Pepper to taste
• Butter or Pam for Casserole Dish

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter a 9 inch casserole dish.
3. Mix cornmeal and sour cream together and set that mixture aside.
4. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper together.
5. Add melted butter, eggs, creamed corn, kernel corn into dry mixture.
6. Add cornmeal mixture in.
7. Pour into buttered casserole dish.
8. Base for 60-70 minutes.

New winter side dishes

For our Thanksgiving menu, I planned on mostly tried-and-true dishes: mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, the usuals. However, I added in two test vegetable side-dish recipes that I found that looked like the perfect Thanksgiving experiments: few ingredients, relatively simple directions, and could be made while so many other things were going on in the kitchen.

I am pleased to say that both recipes were big hits with everyone at our table, and I'm excited to share them with you today. Both are, like I mentioned, pretty easy to make, and both will be good all winter long (not just at Thanksgiving!). I can't wait to make each of these again!

Roasted Root Vegetables
lightly adapted from Weight Watchers magazine (Nov / Dec 2013 issue)
Serves 8-10

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp whole-grain Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 lbs parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425*. Line large baking sheet with heavy-duty nonstick foil.
2. Whisk together maple syrup, oil, mustard, vinegar, and thyme in large bowl. Add carrots and parsnips and toss to coat.
3. Spread vegetables onto baking sheet and roast until vegetables are tender (about 40 minutes), tossing halfway through cooking time.

In the interest of full disclosure, I didn't roast my vegetables in the oven - it was Thanksgiving, and the oven was full! Instead, we got out the electric skillet, cranked the heat as high as it would go (400*, I think), and then cooked the vegetables uncovered for about 30 minutes and covered for 10 more. We didn't want them covered the whole time, in order to avoid steaming instead of roasting, but covering them for the last few minutes ensured they were soft. Either cooking method works, and next time I will definitely roast these in the oven!

Lemony Brussels Sprouts
lightly adapted from Weight Watchers magazine (Nov / Dec 2013 issue)
Serves 8-10

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup fat-free sour cream
• zest from one small lemon
• juice from one small lemon
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Bring large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add Brussels sprouts and cook until crisp-tender (about 4-6 minutes). Drain and transfer to large bowl of ice water to cool and stop cooking process. Using slotted spoon, transfer Brussels sprouts to paper towels and drain well.
2. In a small bowl, stir together bread crumbs and Parmesan. In another small bowl, whisk together sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder, and salt.
3. Pre-heat large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add Brussels sprouts and water and bring to simmer, then cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, until Brussels sprouts are hot. Uncover and cook until water is evaporated (about 1 more minute). Sprinkle evenly with cayenne and stir to mix well (no one wants a mouthful of Cayenne pepper!).
4. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream mixture; coat Brussels sprouts evenly.
5. Top with breadcrumb mixture and serve.

I was nervous about this combination of sour cream & lemon juice with the Brussels sprouts, but it actually turned out to compliment the tiny cabbages wonderfully! The cayenne pepper adds a little something extra, and it makes for a side dish that is truly delicious. Even the non-Brussels-sprouts-eaters around our Thanksgiving table enjoyed this one - or at least they claimed to! :) 

Special thanks to my brother-in-law for taking the pictures above - he was a wonderful photo-document-er of our first Thanksgiving!

Lightened Up Turkey Noodle Casserole

When one cooks a 23lb turkey for Thanksgiving, one inevitably has leftover turkey. The first few days of "repeat Thanksgiving" meals are fine, but after a few trips around the block, you're probably looking for something different to do with your turkey. The recipe I'm sharing today is exactly what you need!

Turkey noodle casserole is a spin on tuna noodle casserole - the same basic premise, but changing up the protein. It's a perfect dish to use up your dark meat (I just can't eat a turkey sandwich with dark meat, but toss it in cheese sauce and I'm good to go!) and change up the flavors of your leftover turkey.

When searching for a recipe to base my dish off of, I had one key criterion: no mushroom soup. A lot of casseroles are made with a "cream of" soup for the base, and most recipes for turkey noodle casserole include the addition of several cans of cream of mushroom (to replicate the flavor of traditional green bean casserole, I think). When you have a mushroom-hating husband, that's not really such a good thing (if I want him to eat it, anyway). So the search was on: find a recipe that looked yummy, but didn't call for fungus.

Luckily, I found something pretty much perfect! The base for this recipe is a homemade cheese sauce, which seems daunting, but really isn't. As long as you go slowly and cook carefully, you, too, can make a simple, delicious cheese sauce, and then pour it into this delicious dish. It would also make an excellent macaroni and cheese, but that is another recipe for another day.

I took a few steps to lighten up the recipe, which seemed necessary after stuffing ourselves silly with Thanksgiving foods for the previous few days. Changes include decreasing the amount of noodles (doesn't really make a difference!), increasing the amount of veggies, and swapping sour cream for Greek yogurt (my favorite substitute!). I used skim milk to make the sauce, and it turned out just perfectly - no need for added fat by using something else. I also threw in the fresh herbs that I had leftover from Thanksgiving, and they were such a great addition. They brightened up the flavors of the dish so beautifully. If you don't have fresh, I'd still add some dried, but know that you can make it without, if need be. It's versatile!

I really do hope you find an opportunity to try the recipe (maybe use rotisserie chicken if you don't have turkey on hand?), because it was so. dang. delicious. I wanted to eat the whole pan... but refrained, and settled for having it for lunch a couple times this week.

I deem this one a success: Lindsay lightened, husband approved. Can't beat it!

Just look at that melty, cheesy goodness!

Turkey Noodle Casserole
Lightly adapted from here
Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients

• 6 ounces dried egg noodles 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion (about 1 small onion) 
• 1 cup chopped carrots 
• 1 cup chopped celery 
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 1 ½ cups skim milk 
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• ½ Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped 
• ½ Tablespoon fresh sage, chopped 
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, divided 
• 2 cups cooked, chopped turkey 
• ½ cup Greek yogurt 
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs 
• salt and pepper 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until al dente (about 7 minutes). Drain and return to pot. 
3. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until tender and softened (about 10 minutes). Add garlic and cook for another minute. 
4. Add flour and stir until absorbed and the "raw" tasted cooked out (about 1 - 2 minutes). Vegetables will look clumpy and kind of gummy – this is ok! Turn down heat just a little. While whisking mixture constantly, slowly pour in milk and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened (about 3 minutes). 
5. Add 1 ¼ cups (roughly) shredded cheese and stir until melted. Sauce should not boil, just cook until thick and creamy. 
6. Add the cayenne, thyme, and sage, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. 
7. Mix turkey and Greek yogurt into cheese sauce, then add that mixture to noodles. Stir until well-combined and everything is coated evenly. 
8. Grease 9”x13” baking dish. Pour noodle mixture into baking dish and distribute evenly. top with remaining cheddar cheese (one layer) and panko breadcrumbs (separate layer). 
9. Bake until casserole is warm and cheese is bubbling (about 30 minutes). 

I just want to live inside that pan for like... 20 minutes.

Back to Basics: Banana Bread

I've mentioned before that, while I enjoy experimenting with recipes, there are times when it really pays off to just stick with the basics. Some of the best recipes I have are ones that are tried-and-true favorites. It's always a nice feeling to get out a cookbook, follow a recipe, and end up with a successful product. It's comfort cooking!

The first thing I baked when we moved into our new house was one of the classics: banana bread! I got out my trusty red Betty Crocker cookbook, and turned to a familiar page. It was something I had all the ingredients for already, and it was a great opportunity to pull out my beloved Kitchen-Aid. The house didn't quite feel like it was ours yet, but baking made me feel a little more at home. Funny how that works, isn't it?

This is an easy recipe, quick to pull together and pretty quick to bake. It's a great one to keep on hand. Plus, Betty Crocker tells me this recipe is low-fat. Perfect! I made two slight modifications to the recipe: I subbed Greek yogurt for the buttermilk (always have Greek yogurt on hand, never have buttermilk... made no difference in the bread) and I added chocolate chips! (Because why not??)

Classic Banana Bread
slightly adapted from the Betty Crocker cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 medium)
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350*. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans with shortening.
2. Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Stir in bananas (I used one fresh and two frozen that I microwaved til mushy), Greek yogurt, and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt until just moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly between pans.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Bake loaves for 60 - 75 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire racks.
   
   
   

Betty Crocker tells you to pull the loaves out of the pans after that and let them cool all the way... clearly I don't follow that direction. Just slice and enjoy! Ideally, warm with a glass of cold milk... that's my preference, anyway. :)

Our 23rd attempt: Freak'n Hot Chili

A few weekends ago, we held the annual chili cook-off on the street I grew up on. This year's was the 23rd in a row! When we first moved to the street in 1992, my parents got together with some neighbors and planned a chili cook-off for October... it was a smashing success, and it's been going on every October since then! It's such a fantastic tradition, with the whole thing being more like a block party with a chili cook-off mixed in. I've been helping or cooking chili since I was five years old, and have rarely missed a year at this event (except in college, when there was no way I could get home). I always look forward to it.

Awards from years' past

Basket o' chiles

Michelle and her husband stopped by!

Mama & me

The neighbors all get together, rain or shine, and anyone who wants to can cook chili. There are specific rules (everything must be prepped on-site, no crock pots, cooking starts at 1 PM and judging is at 4 PM... plus more!) and there are awards and prizes for not just the chili, but decorations, themes, and names, too. A lot of chili is eaten, a lot of beer is drank, and a lot of fun is had.

My mom and I cooked together this year, and, although we didn't win, I do think our chili was one of the best (but I'm a little biased...)! We make a pretty good team, even when we're cooking on camp stoves on a gloomy, damp day.

I'm including the recipe we used below. This is one that was originally taken from a cookbook (I think, though I couldn't tell you which one), and has been modified a lot over the years, so it's basically an original. My sister made this awesome sign with our chili name on it, and I think that pretty much says it all...

Freak'n Hot Chili

This chili is HOT! Really. Personally, I like it that way, and really enjoyed this batch. Remember, chili is easy to personalize - if you prefer yours less hot, cut the number of peppers in half. If you like it hotter still, add a few more! The base of this chili is a good one, though, so do what you need to with the peppers.

Ingredients

• ½ lb bacon 
• 1 lb ground round 
• 1 lb ground pork 
• 2 green bell peppers 
• 2 small yellow onions 
• 5 jalapenos, seeded and chopped 
• 3 habaneros, seeded and chopped 
• 4 Anaheim chiles, seeded and chopped 
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 3 T cumin 
• 1 T red pepper flakes 
• 4 T chipotle powder 
• 4 T dark chili powder 
• 4 bouillon cubes 
• 2 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes 
• 2 16-oz cans diced tomatoes 
• 1 small can tomato paste 
• 2 cans chili beans 
• 2 cans kidney beans 
• 1 beer 
• Optional garnishes: sour cream (or Greek yogurt, like I do!), shredded cheddar, crushed tortilla chips, green onion, white onion, etc.

Directions

1. Place bacon in large soup pot. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain excess grease, leaving enough to coat bottom of pot. Remove bacon, drain on paper towels, and chop. (Alternately, could chop before cooking, like I do.)
2. Brown beef and pork in pot with bacon grease over medium high heat. When meat is browned, stir in bell pepper, onion, jalapeno peppers, habanero peppers, Anaheim peppers, garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes, chili powder, bouillon, tomatoes, tomato paste, and beer.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans and bacon and continue simmering for another 30 minutes. Serve in bowls with garnish of choice.

I'd love to know if you use our recipe, and if you like it! Any and all feedback is welcome. We love chili in our family and make it all the time, using all different recipes (or non-recipes, at times). What's your favorite way to make it?