The Perfect Cookies + The Famous Banana Bread [recipes]
One of my favorite things about Fall is settling into the therapeutic routine of baking. I’ve always loved the art of perfecting the chocolate chip cookie or the challenge of trying an ambitious, new recipe. Though, while I bake year-round, it never feels quite right until the brisk air seeps breezily through the open windows or the pumpkin vanilla candle burns to wick’s end.
That’s when baking feels like home.
With a quieter pace the last few weeks, I found two new recipes to try – one for a very special occasion and one to add a little bit of special to a typical week.
B R O W N E D B U T T E R + T O F F E E C O O K I E S
Very special occasion: Fred’s 75th birthday. I think the entire family would tell you these were a hit. And we continued to eat on them all week. Also, special shoutout to Candace for finding and sharing the recipe. To me, these will always be “Candace cookies.”
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 chocolate toffee bars, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
1½ cups dark chocolate melting wafers
Sea salt
Directions:
- Cook butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, then browns, 5–8 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, whisk flour, baking soda, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.
- Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to browned butter. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until mixture lightens and begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Reduce mixer speed to low; add dry ingredients and beat just to combine. Mix in toffee pieces and chocolate wafers with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Let dough sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate. Dough will look very loose at first, but will thicken as it sits.
- Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°. Form ping-pong sized balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 3″ apart. Do not flatten; cookies will spread as they bake. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake cookies until edges are golden brown and firm but centers are still soft, 9–11 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and a fresh parchment-lined baking sheet to make 10 more cookies.
- Sprinkle more sea salt on top right out of the oven!
C H R I S S Y T E I G E N ( + T W I T T E R ‘ S ) B A N A N A B R E A D
If you don’t know the story behind this banana bread, google it. It’s hilarious. Or buy her cookbook – I promise you it’s worth every penny. I’ve made 4 recipes so far and all have been phenomenal, this one no exception. A little chocolate chip banana bread for no reason, but to break the monotony of the week.
Ingredients:
2 cups mashed very ripe bananas*
4 eggs
2⁄3 cup canola oil, plus a little more to grease the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little more for dusting the pan
2 cups sugar
1 (3.5-ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 (3.5-ounce) bar dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
Salted butter, for serving
*Get six brown bananas. Not four. Not five. Six. You will think you only need five because it looks like enough, but it will not be enough. You will get five, you will mash them, you will be about half an inch short and that makes a difference and you cannot get around it. Trust me.
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, eggs, and oil. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine well BUT GENTLY. I swear this came out differently when I used an aggressive electric mixer. Fold in the coconut and chocolate chunks.
- Grease and flour a Bundt pan (that means wipe a little grease all over the inside of the pan, dust it with flour, and tip it upside down to shake out any extra flour). Pour the batter into the pan. (This can also make two 8 × 4-inch loaves, but it’s so much more moist in one Bundt pan!)
- Bake until the cake springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. (Test it with a toothpick at around 50 minutes.) Let it cool slightly in the pan, then use a butter knife to gently release the cake from the sides of the pan and around the inner circle, then flip it onto a plate.
- Let it cool and cut it into slices. Rewarm them and serve them with salty butter!!
What’s your favorite Fall baking recipe?
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars, Bourbon Apple Cake
it’s fall y’all. [my favorite cozy recipes]
K + TC – this post is dedicated to you,
my favorite couple who tries all my recipes!
Okay it’s fall, ya’ll. Officially fall in the books, and officially fall in the weather. Isn’t it crazy how that happens? 90+ degrees one day, then 57 on the first day of fall?! Someone up there knew us Arkansans were ready for some PSL weather. And yes, I did have my first PSL on that glorious fall morning.
This week I’m preparing for my 3rd Annual Fall Party next weekend. It’s been one of my favorite things to look forward to the last 3 years, and I’ve heard similar sentiment from friends. How could you not love a party celebrating the arrival of a new season with chunky sweaters, wine, cheese and all things pumpkin???
One of the best things about fall weather is FOOD. I have several recipes that only make their resurgence when the air turns crisp again. I’ve shared a few on the blog before, but here’s a roundup:
Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup – this is one of my all-time favorite recipes, and can’t wait to make it soon
Pumpkin Fettuccine
Bourbon Apple Cake
One-Pan Enchilada Pasta
Now, a new one to share – one of the staples in the Alderman household this time of year – CHILI.
Everyone has their own chili recipe, which I love, because there are so many ways you can change it to fit your tastes. This one I’ve honed over the years and it’s perfect for us. I made my first batch Friday night and already thinking about making it again.
M I L L E ‘ S C H I L I
Ingredients
1.25 lb ground turkey
2 cans beans – I prefer black beans + light red kidney beans
2 8oz. cans tomato sauce
15 oz. can stewed tomatoes
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 4 oz. cans diced green chilies
2 tbs. chili powder
2 tbs. cumin
dash of cinnamon!
Directions
Cook the ground turkey.
Drain and rinse the beans.
Combine all ingredients in crockpot on low for 6 hours.
Our preference: Serve with sharp cheddar cheese and jalapeños!
Let me know what your favorite fall recipes are, and if you try any of mine!
xo xo
Sheet Pan Shrimp + Veggies with Rice {recipe}
Y’all know I love a good, easy recipe that’s at least semi-healthy. This one checks all the boxes. I saved it from Southern Living last year, and finally tested it out a few weeks ago. It was so delicious I made it again the next week.
Let me also add, I ate the leftovers for lunch the next day with some creamy jalapeño dip we had left over from Chuy’s …. Oh my gosh, LIFE CHANGING! I mean that dip is life changing in and of itself, but drizzled on top of this recipe. Wow. Obviously not as healthy as the original, but c’est la vie.
Safe to say, this one is going in the rotation. Hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think!
S H E E T P A N S H R I M P + V E G G I E S
Ingredients
6 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. minced garlic
3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
3 ½ tsp. fresh thyme leaves, divided
1 lb. raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pt. grape tomatoes
2 medium zucchinis, cut diagonally into ½-inch slices
2 medium yellow squash, cut diagonally into ½-inch slices
1 lemon, cut into quarters
2 pouches microwaveable basmati rice
S&P to taste
Directions
- Preheat broiler to high.
- Stir together olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and 3 tsp. of thyme in a small bowl.
- Place shrimp, tomatoes and zucchini/squash mixture in three separate bowls. Toss each with one-third of oil mixture.
- Heat a rimmed baking sheet in the oven 2 minutes. Add zucchini, squash and lemons (flesh side up) to hot baking sheet, and bake until squash begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and bake until tomatoes begin to burst, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in shrimp; bake until shrimp are cooked through and zucchini/squash is tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Squeeze juice from roasted lemons over veggies. Stir to combine.
- Cook rice according to package directions. Divide rice, shrimp and veggies evenly. Top with remaining thyme.
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Minestrone Soup (GF, Crockpot), Pork Chops with Black Bean Succotash
Minestrone Soup – Gluten Free, Crock Pot {recipe}
Not only do I have a new recipe to share today, I also have a new cookbook that will change your life. Okay, that might be a little melodramatic, but for real, it’s amazing.
Against All Grain by Danielle Walker
It’s not just another paleo cookbook. A dear friend recommended it to me, touting 8 full weeks of meal plans (all gluten-free, dairy-free) complete with recipes + shopping lists, and it efficiently utilizes all the ingredients for several of the meals throughout the week, so minimal food waste. It’s all very simple, but very appealing. At the time I learned about the cookbook, we were 6 weeks out from our Mexico vaca, so I ordered the book to use as a guide to help us eat healthier before the trip.
We’re now 3 weeks in and loving it. Most of the recipes are pretty easy, and all have been delicious. We’ve been mixing and matching the meals a bit depending on our schedules for the week and our likes/dislikes, but if you wanted an exact meal plan for every day of the week with an exact list to take to the grocery store, this book is for you.
Every meal we’ve made has been delicious, but this Minestrone Soup has been one of our favorites. It was so good on a cold, rainy day this week and we’ve been eating on it for a few days now! You could kick up the cayenne pepper a bit for a little more kick, but this has such good flavor as is.
M I N E S T R O N E S O U P
Ingredients
2lb ground beef, turkey or chicken (we used beef this time, but will try turkey or chicken next!)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 cups shredded carrots
32oz chicken stock
15oz tomato sauce
10oz diced tomatoes with green chilies
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon parsley
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 lb yellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
S&P to taste
Directions
- Brown the meat in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until cooked through. use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a slow cooker insert, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots to the pan and sauce over medium heat for 8 minutes, until the vegetables are slightly tender. Drain and add the vegetables to the slow cooker.
- Add the remaining ingredients, except the squash and basil. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours.
- Add the squash and basil during the last 30 minutes if cooking on high or 1 hour if cooking on low.
- Adjust the seasoning if necessary, and serve with a garnish of fresh basil.
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Crustless Quiche + Homemade Salad Dressing, Pork Chops with Black Bean Succotash
Crustless Quiche + Homemade Salad Dressing {recipe}
I’ve been trying very hard not to write the cliche post about New Year’s Resolutions and eating healthier, yada yada yada. So I won’t. Instead, I’ll just give you two really great recipes that COULD help with such a resolution IF you had one.
I’ve shared previously about how meal planning can change your life, and I truly stand by that statement today. When I meal plan for the week, everything just seems so much easier and healthier and less stressful. Yes, it is definitely harder on the front-end and does take time, but it is worth it. Trust me.
One of my key tips is using Walmart Grocery Pickup – you place your order online, you drive to the store and they load it into your car for you. In this ridiculous weather we’ve been having, I don’t know how it gets much better than that. You know you want to try it, so take the first step – use this link to sign up for your first order and get $10 off. You’re welcome.
After engorging ourselves in December, we’ve gone back to the everyday mason jar salads for lunch, and are really a hit. I’ve even started making my own salad dressing. It is divine and so much better than that store-made stuff. I’ve made a few varieties, but this one has been our favorite.
A P P L E C I D E R V I N E G A R D R E S S I N G
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/2c olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced garlic
sea salt + freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Add all ingredients to a mason jar and shake to combine! It’s as simple as that.
The next easy, life-changing recipe I want to share is crustless quiche. I first learned about it from my Mom early last year, and it is now a staple in our house. If we’re being good, we make some every Sunday for the week ahead.
To be honest, I’ve never been much of a breakfast person, but since I’ve started eating this in the morning I’ve noticed I’m not starving at lunch (which makes eating a salad easier) and I have more energy. The best thing about this recipe is you can change it up with whatever you want or have left over in your fridge. Here’s how we’ve been doing it lately –
A L D E R M A N S ‘ F A V O R I T E C R U S T L E S S Q U I C H E 
1 lb hot sausage
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3/4c sliced cherry tomatoes
3/4c spinach
8 eggs
splash of milk
sea salt + freshly ground black pepper, to taste
directions:
- Turn oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the sausage, adding garlic when its almost/basically done.
- Whisk eggs with milk and S&P.
- Spray pan – we use 9.5″ circular glass pan.
- Spread sausage, spinach + tomatoes, then cover with egg mixture.
- Bake for approx. 30 minutes, until set.
I then pre-cut slices of quiche, cover with foil and pop in the refrigerator. In the mornings, we take a piece, microwave it for about 35 seconds and top with some salsa verde. Yum!
xo xo
You might also enjoy: 9 easy recipes you’ll want to make for dinner again and again
Pork Chops with Black Bean Succotash {recipe}
What a relaxing, rainy Sunday it’s been. You know the ones – where you wake up unhindered by an alarm and only the smell of freshly ground coffee can entice you out of bed, where you can leisurely cross things off your to-do list while sneaking in an episode or two of your current binge ((Ozark)), where you can drink a glass of wine at 4pm on the porch listening to the tender rainfall and contemplate the week ahead.
I love these days, and especially when these days are 65 degrees in August.in the South. literally unheard of.
These types of days call for a delicious home-cooked meal and a good bottle of red. Like the recipe below, which I found in a magazine and made early this week.
“Oh my gosh. This is amazing.”
Yessss! And it was easy, and it’s healthy. Winner winner, pork dinner.
P O R K C H O P S W/ B L A C K B E A N S U C C O T A S H
Ingredients:
1 tsp. chile powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 pork chops (we used butterfly, but the recipe called for bone-in)
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, sliced
2 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
S&P to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine chile powder, cumin and salt; rub all over pork.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning once, until deeply browned, about 4-5 minutes per side.
3. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and roast until 140 degrees, approx 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, wipe out skillet and return to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add bell pepper and onion; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes.
5. Add corn and beans. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
6. Stir in chopped cilantro, lime juice and S&P. (I also added a little more chile powder to the succotash!)
7. Serve with pork and lime wedges and top with more cilantro!
Enjoy!
xo xo
PS – I just got a cast-iron skillet and am LOVING it. Send me any of your favorite cast-iron recipes!
You might also enjoy: Slow Cooker Cuban Sandwiches and Butter Chicken + Sloppy Joe Stuffed Peppers
Gravy-Stuffed Biscuits {recipe}
I can’t say I’ve ever made biscuits and gravy. I love them and they make me think of my Dad and my Husband, but I’ve never made them.
A few weeks ago, Husband tagged me in a Tasty video on Facebook – Gravy-Stuffed Biscuits. They looked DIVINE and we vowed to make them together one weekend.
Well, we stuck to our vow and we are very impressed with ourselves because they were absolutely amazing. They’re so easy, and put a unique twist on the classic breakfast recipe. Next time we have to take a dish to a brunch or have people stay the night with us, these will be first on our list to make.
I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!
G R A V Y – S T U F F E D B I S C U I T S
Ingredients:
- 14 oz. ground italian sausage
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1½ cups milk
- 8 biscuits – we used fluffy, buttery biscuits!
- S+P and other seasoning options: italian seasoning, basil, thyme, sage
Directions:
1. Cook the sausage over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and stir until the flour has absorbed all of the sausage fat and is lightly coating the sausage pieces.
3. Add the milk in several increments while whisking.
4. Season with S+P and anything else you may have – we used some italian seasoning.
5. Cook the gravy for 5-10 minutes, frequently stirring until the gravy thickens. Let cool.
6. Fill a well-greased ice-cube tray with the gravy OR if you’re like us and don’t have an ice-cube tray, you can use liners in a cupcake pan.
7. Freeze for 30-40 minutes.
8. Pre-heat the oven to 350.
9. Flatten out the biscuits, and place a cube of gravy into each of the biscuits.
10. Fold the sides of the biscuit dough around the gravy cube pinching the dough together at the top. Roll the biscuit balls to smooth them out.
11. Place the biscuits on a parchment lined ½ cookie sheet making sure the dough seams are on the bottom.
12. Bake for 20-30 minutes.
If you have leftover gravy, re-heat it and add on top! It would also be good to make gravy without sausage just for dipping.
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Slow Cooker Cuban Sandwiches, Two New Easy Weeknight Meals: Butter Chicken + Sloppy Joe Stuffed Peppers
Slow-Cooker Cuban Sandwiches {recipe}
I thought I didn’t like Cuban sandwiches. I had no reason not to, and had never tried them, but I just didn’t like them.
Then we watched the movie Chef. If you like food trucks and indie movies, add this to your list immediately because the movie was incredible, and guess what – it made me really want to eat a Cuban sandwich.
We’ve found a place locally that serves amazing Cubans – Pinnacle Bar and Grill in Rogers. But then I saw this recipe for Slow-Cooker Cuban Sandwiches in a magazine and had to try it.
It wasn’t quite the same, but it was so easy and made a ton of food. This would be great to make for a football watch party or a family gathering. You make the pork in the crockpot (which is so tender and delicious!!) then anyone can add whatever toppings they want. Of course I would recommend you stick with the traditional Cuban of ham, swiss, pickles and dijon mustard.
Weekend plans complete: Make slow-cooker cuban sandwiches and watch Chef.
Enjoy!
S L O W – C O O K E R C U B A N S A N D W I C H E S
Ingredients
- 2lb boneless pork shoulder roast
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 6-in. sub rolls (we used King’s Hawaiian subs, but would also be great on a real sub)
- 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
- 3 oz. thinly sliced deli ham
- 3 oz. thinly sliced Swiss cheese
- Dill pickle chips
Directions
- Rub the pork with the garlic and salt and place in slow-cooker. Add the chicken stock. Cover and cook on low until the pork is very tender, 7 to 8 hours.
- Pull pork into 1- to 2-inch pieces; toss with the lime juice. Return to slow cooker to keep warm.
- Preheat broiler with the oven rack 6 inches from heat. Split the rolls. Spread the mustard on the bottom halves and top evenly with the pork, ham, and swiss cheese.
- Broil until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with the pickles and sandwich with the tops of the rolls.
See more of my favorite recipes here.
xo xo
Two New Easy Weeknight Meals: Butter Chicken + Sloppy Joe Stuffed Peppers
Any time I can find a new recipe that fits weeknight rotation criteria (namely, easy and semi-healthy), I consider it a win. In the last few weeks, I found TWO really delicious and easy dishes that Husband and I both love, so of course, I had to share.
I N D I A N B U T T E R C H I C K E N [C R O C K P O T M E A L]
I love our crockpot year-round, but in the Fall I’m itching to use it even more. Sometimes I wish I had two crockpots so I could use one the next night without having to clean the one from the night before … but that would just promote bad behavior, so I resist and clean and stick to one crockpot meal a week.
I was searching for new chicken crockpot recipes and happened upon this one. It’s very different than something we would typically do, but I’m so glad we tried it because it’s amazing. If you like Indian flavors and spices, you need to try this – simply mix the sauce on the stovetop, pour it over the chicken and heat on low for 6 hours.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tsp coconut oil (we’ve had this in our pantry for forever, but haven’t used until now!)
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cardamom
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 (14oz) can coconut milk
- 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
- juice of 1 lime
- ¼c Cilantro, or to taste
Directions:
- In a medium saute pan, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent and fairly tender. Add garlic, spices, and salt. Cook 1 minute longer, till all the spices are fragrant and amazing. Stir in coconut milk and tomato paste and stir until well combined.
- Add chicken to the slow cooker. Pour sauce over everything.
- Cook on high heat for 3-4 hours or on low heat for 6-8 hours.
- Shred or dice chicken into the sauce, squeeze in lime juice, top with cilantro, and serve with your favorite vegetable or rice – we’ve been using quinoa!
S L O P P Y J O E S T U F F E D P E P P E R S
Fun fact about me – any time I’m staying in a hotel room, the TV will be on going back and forth between HGTV and Food Network. Since we cut cable, those are the two channels I miss dearly, so when I’m traveling (for work or vacation) I get so excited I’ll be able to watch from my cozy hotel bed.
Last weekend we went to Hermann, Missouri for a little weekend getaway. It was time for me and Husband to reconnect, to drink wine and of course, relax. Sunday morning we woke up earlier than usual, so we turned on the fireplace, made some coffee and watched Ayesha’s Homemade on Food Network. I loved the show and loved all the dishes she made, but this one stood out and I vowed to make it. Well, I made it this week and it was a hit. It will be going in the weeknight rotation for sure.
Ingredients:
- 3 large red, yellow or orange bell peppers
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 cup grated Cheddar
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Halve the peppers through the stems; remove the stems, seeds and membranes. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, toss the peppers with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then arrange the peppers cut-sides up. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, and garlic and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Season with the cumin, smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper; stir to combine. Add the tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, vinegar and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Spoon the filling into the pepper halves and sprinkle with the Cheddar. Pour 1/4 cup water into the bottom of the baking dish and tent with foil (so the foil is not touching the cheese). Bake until the peppers begin to soften, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until peppers are very tender and the filling is browned and bubbly, another 15 to 20 minutes.
xo xo
You might also enjoy: 9 Easy Recipes You’ll Want to Make For Dinner Again and Again, Pumpkin Fettuccine
Pumpkin Fettuccine {recipe}
Y’all know I love pumpkin. Over the years I’ve shared recipes for Pumpkin Butter Cake, Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and my favorite – Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies.
Well, here’s a new one for ya – Pumpkin Fettuccine. To be honest, I can’t even remember where I found the recipe, but it looked easy, delicious and a unique way to use pumpkin!
I was skeptical to tell Husband what I was making. I thought he would turn up his nose and look at me like I was crazy. But he surprised me and was open to it.
Guys, let me be the first to tell you … it.was.amazing. Seriously. Amazing. It was so so easy and had just a subtle pumpkin flavor.
Even if you aren’t a pumpkin lover like me, but are a fettuccine alfredo lover, then take a risk and add some pumpkin. It is fall, y’all.
P U M P K I N F E T T U C C I N E
{you cook. I’ll drink. or in this case, I’ll do both.}
{best served with sister schubert’s rolls!}
Ingredients:
1 box of fettuccine
2 tablespoons butter
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin)
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Cook the fettuccine according to package directions.
2. Heat the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic; saute until soft and fragrant. Add the pumpkin and heavy whipping cream. Simmer until slightly thickened. Add the cheese and stir to combine.
3. Toss the pasta in the sauce. Top with additional parmesan and season to taste with S&P.
xo xo
9 Easy Recipes You’ll Want to Make For Dinner Again and Again
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. Meal planning and cooking every single week is the worst.
I used to dread dinner every night because I hadn’t planned ahead and didn’t know what we were going to eat until about 30 minutes before, which usually equated to eating out or eating unhealthy meals.
Then, I got my act together. I started forcing myself to meal plan for the week ahead on Sunday afternoons. I plan, place my order on Walmart Grocery, then pick up! I don’t even have to get out of my car (which is even better for those often lazy Sundays).
I shared some other meal planning tips here, but in this post I want to share some super simple and delicious recipes to add to your weekly meal repertoire. Who doesn’t love easy, mostly healthy, delicious recipes? And there is absolutely nothing wrong with re-using the same recipes again and again and again. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
E A S Y R E C I P E S
White Chicken Chili – Thanks to my coworker for sharing this one! We tried it this weekend and it was so delicious and easy. I think the surprise ingredient that took it to the next level was the Cream of Chicken Soup. We topped with jalapenos and shredded cheese.
On a similar note, there’s always my classic chili or a good taco soup. These are perfect for Fall and serve a group of people for an easy meal together.
Southwestern Stuffed Peppers – This is great with black beans and rice, but can also be paleo if you cut those two ingredients and cheese out of the recipe. As you’ll see in the recipe, I used to cut the peppers in half long ways, but now I just cut the top off and stuff it all in. We eat it with lots of delicious salsa and avocado.
Crockpot Chicken Verde – We do this one a LOT because it’s so simple and versatile. Are you ready for the recipe? Put chicken in a crockpot and top with salsa verde. We prefer World Table Roasted Salsa Verde from Walmart. And that’s it! That’s all you do! Put it on low over lunch and it will be ready by dinner. This is great over rice, with veggies or in tacos.
Make-Your-Own Quinoa Bowl – Lately I’ve been on a quinoa kick. Cook your quinoa on the stove or in the rice cooker, then add whatever you want. I literally pull all options out of the refrigerator and Husband and I fix how we like. He tends to go towards mexican-style – beans, chicken, salsa, cheese. I tend towards mediterranean – banana peppers, kalmata olives, tomatoes, arugula and a delicious greek tzaziki dip I found at Walmart. What’s great is this is also perfect to pile into a mason jar and take to work for lunch.
One-Pan Balsamic Chicken – This one is super healthy and pretty much paleo – chicken, asparagus and tomatoes. You could mix the sauce up a little bit if you prefer more sweet or more spicy, but overall very easy (one-pan!) and delicious. We make this every other week.
Greek Pork Chops with Squash and Potatoes – This one is our new favorite! I found it in Southern Living, and every time I make it Husband comments how good it is. Again, one-pan! Sometimes we use potatoes, sometimes we just stick to squash and zucchini.
Pepperoni Rolls – Okay this one is totally unhealthy and we do not make it often, but it is so so good. This would be a great alternative to ordering pizza one night or is perfect as a heavier appetizer for a party. We put jalapenos in ours and serve with warm marinara as dipping sauce.
What is your easy go-to recipe?
xo xo
Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars {recipe}
Let me just start off by saying – these peanut butter cup cheesecake bars will rock your world. Seriously. I made them for a family gathering 3 weeks ago and everyone is still talking about them. Then I made them again last week for another event.
Peanut Butter cups + peanut butter and chocolate chips + cream cheese. I mean, come onnnn!
They are super rich, which is something I don’t say often, so beware, but they are seriously amazing. They’re also super easy to whip up quickly, and are very hard to mess up.
Try ’em out, let me know what you think, and bring me one of your leftovers.
P E A N U T B U T T E R C U P C H E E S E C A K E B A R S
{How ooey, gooey delicious does that look?!}
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
5 tbsp butter, melted
5 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
8 standard size Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, each chopped into four pieces
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar to prepare the cake mixture. Add in melted butter and stir to combine. Add in one of the eggs and stir to combine well. Press mixture into an 8×8 sized baking pan and set aside.
3. Place the chopped peanut butter cups into the pan on top of the cake mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cups peanut butter chips.
4. In a separate bowl mix together softened cream cheese, egg, vanilla and powdered sugar. Stir until well combined then pour mixture over the top of your cake mixture and chocolates. Spread gently with a spatula to cover. Sprinkle top of cream cheese layer with remaining chocolate and peanut butter chips.
5. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. The middle of mine always looks like it’s not totally done cooking, but the edges are golden, so I take it out of the oven and let it continue cooking on the stove for a bit, and it’s perfect. Enjoy!
xo xo
See more of my recipes here.
Homemade Alfredo Sauce {Recipe} + How Index Cards Will Make Your Life Easier
Often I get in moods to bake. Sometimes I get in moods to cook. Rarely I get in moods to meal plan.
This weekend I did all three, and I’m so glad I did. Mostly the last one. Keep reading and you’ll see why.
B A K E – Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
I’d already spent a full day in my pajamas – watching TV, cleaning the house, reading magazines, organizing my closet, watching more TV – and by 5pm I was done. I needed to get out of the house or do something. (It was 40 degrees and raining, so I chose the latter.)
Pumpkin bread is one of my favorite things and I typically make it every fall. I posted a recipe here last year. This year I tried a new recipe and added mini chocolate chips. Turned out fine, not great, but it kept my idle hands busy, and now I have a loaf to share with some friends later this week.
C O O K – Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Next up was dinner. Of course we had no food, and of course I didn’t want to go to the grocery store. (Reminder: it was 40 degrees and raining!!) I decided to raid the pantry and refrigerator and force something to work. I found half a box of pasta and chicken in the freezer … but no sauce.
Then it hit me. How do you make alfredo sauce? It can’t be that hard, right? Or have that many ingredients, right? Y’all. I’m never buying jar alfredo sauce AGAIN. Okay, I never bought it in the first place, because I’m not really an alfredo fan, but seriously, now I am. It was SO easy, and SO delicious.
Ingredients:
1/2 c butter
8 oz. cream cheese (which we happened to have leftover from our bagel bar)
2 c milk
2 teaspoons garlic powder
6 oz grated parmesan cheese
black ground pepper
dash of nutmeg
Directions:
- Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve.
M E A L P L A N
Meal planning for the week is the worst. Can I get an amen?? It just seems so difficult to decide what to eat for dinner every single night. And cook it. And clean it up. And do it all over again the next week.
Well, husband had a great idea. Write down all of our recipes on index cards, then each Sunday choose from the stack for the week, add all ingredients to Walmart Pickup-Grocery (seriously, life changing) and that’s it!
I spent several hours Sunday going through recipes on my blog, on Pinterest and cookbooks. I wrote the name and ingredients on one side, and the location of the recipe on the back. Maybe someday I’ll write the full recipe on there, but this was a good start. I also added asterisks to the top right of foods that are whole 30 approved.
You could even take this one step further and pin it somewhere in the kitchen so the whole family can see what’s for dinner for the week.
I love this idea, and I think it will make meal planning so much easier, and the great thing is, I can keep adding to my index cards when I find more recipes I enjoy!
Do you have tips for meal planning? Or a favorite recipe you want to share, so I can add it to a card?
xo xo
Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup {recipe}
I’m currently dealing with a split personality.
I’m obsessing over Fall – the gorgeous weather, the vibrant leaves (see below, oooh ahhhh), the pumpkin spice lattes everything, the boots, the scarves, I could go on and on.
But I’m also SO ready for the holiday season – the merry music, the red Starbucks cups, the festive parties. (I might have already decorated our house this weekend, and I have no shame about it.)
However, I’m still holding on to a piece of the current season, and with the dip in temperatures this weekend, I turned to a new recipe that is so perfectly Fall. Enter Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup.
I’ve never been a big soup fan because they just aren’t hearty enough, but this one is quite the opposite and has just as much flavor.
Seriously though, I didn’t even get a good picture, but I just had to share because it is so damn good and so damn easy. Enjoy!
I T A L I A N S A U S A G E T O R T E L L I N I S O U P
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 lb Italian Sausage – we used sweet sausage and it was perfect
- 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 medium sized onion)
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1-32. oz. box of vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil (I used basil powder since I couldn’t find fresh in my store)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 package tortellini
- 1 cup packed fresh spinach
- Topping: Shredded parmesan – the real, good stuff!
Directions
- Heat a large, heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Heat vegetable oil and add diced onion. Saute until onions are soft.
- Crumble Italian Sausage and garlic with the onion. Cook until sausage is no longer pink.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Let soup simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Add tortellini and spinach and simmer for about ten minutes, until pasta is tender.
- Serve with shredded Parmesan.
xo xo
You might also enjoy: One-Pan Balsamic Chicken Recipe, One Pot Chicken Lo Mein
Life After Whole30
I officially finished Whole30, and it changed my life.
Okay, that may be a little dramatic, but really, it changed a lot. I’ve been writing weekly updates about Whole30, and you can see how my thinking has changed over just 3 weeks.
At this point, I honestly feel like I could be an infomercial for clean eating – it makes you feel so much better, your cravings will decrease, you’ll lose weight, you’ll have more energy, yada, yada, yada.
I’ve been slowly adding in some more foods, and a few strange things have happened since I’ve finished Whole30 –
Some foods haven’t tasted as good. I had my first cappuccino and it wasn’t as amaaazing as I thought it would be. As I was drinking it, I honestly missed my black coffee. Granted, husband and I have become a coffee snob – only drinking high quality, locally roasted coffee with an aeropress, but I was still surprised. But, I will, of course, have to drink a PSL when Fall decides to show.
I haven’t missed some foods. Like, bread or beans or rice or pasta. Some bread, yes, like Sister Schubert’s rolls, but a basic sandwich? Never again. I’d much rather eat a good salad for lunch. I looove me some mexican food, but I could easily skip the beans and rice and just eat tacos (all day, every day). And of course I will eat some really good pasta, but it just seems so heavy thinking about it, which leads me to …
I’m not eating as much because I know when I’m full. I’m not eating just to eat anymore. I’ve learned more about my body and what I need. We had pizza last night for the first time, but instead of over-indulging because it’s so delicious, I ate some salad with my pizza and was happily full.
Some things I HAVE missed though … wine, pizza, desserts, cheese … and I will eat and drink those things to my heart’s content.
Overall, I am so glad I did Whole30, and could definitely see myself doing it again if I ever strayed too far away from my current habits of mostly clean eating. I plan on continuing to share good, clean recipes on this blog and would love to hear any tips or recipes from you as well!
xo xo
Whole30: Week 2 Recap + One-Pan Balsamic Chicken Recipe
Confession: I ate Cool Ranch Doritos last night. And they were soooo good. And they were soooo not Whole30 compliant.
Okay, I feel so much better with that off my chest now! I’m halfway through the program and that was the first non-compliant thing I’ve had (excluding alcohol, which I’m giving myself a cheat day for 1 day/week) and I felt so guilty!
Honestly, the second week was harder than the first. I started craving things more, like sweets and a really good cappuccino. Oh what I wouldn’t do for a macaroon (or 5) and a skinny cap! And cooking every single night is really hard and time-consuming and draining, and sometimes all I want is just to order a pizza.
However, I can feel a huge difference in my body. I’m on track with my weight goal, I have more energy and just overall feel better.
We are also getting into a good rhythm with the food. My latest favorite thing to eat for breakfast is canadian bacon with some fig on top – yum! Lunches have still been salads. And for dinner we’ve been trying some new recipes for dinner (thank you, Pinterest). I’ve been specifically looking for things other than chicken to eat, which can get so boring so fast. Unfortunately we don’t eat seafood, so I think it makes it a little harder for us, but last week we cooked some delicious steaks and made bun-less bacon burgers and tonight I have some pork chops in the crockpot that already smell amaaazing! (I’ll share that recipe in next week’s recap)
This week I want to share this amazing one-pan chicken dish. It was seriously so easy and so good that I’ll probably make it once a week from now on. It says it yields 3-4 servings, so I was hoping we would have some leftover for lunches, but nope. We ate it all up!
O N E – P A N B A L S A M I C C H I C K E N
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp Italian salad dressing (I recommend using Kraft light Italian it’s the perfect consistency for this and it’s what I used)
- 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp honey (okay, so this is not Whole30 compliant, but I think it will be okay!)
- 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste – be careful, this can make your dish really spicy really fast)
- 1 1/4 lbs chicken breast tenderloins
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed of tough ends, chopped into 2-inch pieces (look for thinner stalks. Green beans are another good option)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
Directions
- In a mixing bowl whisk together salad dressing, balsamic vinegar, honey and red pepper flakes, set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then place chicken evenly in skillet. Cook about 6 – 7 minutes, rotating once halfway through cooking, until chicken has cooked through (meanwhile, chop asparagus and tomatoes). Add half the dressing mixture to skillet and rotate chicken to evenly coat. Transfer chicken to a large plate or a serving platter while leaving sauce in skillet. Add asparagus to skillet, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer veggies to plate or platter with chicken.
- Add remaining dressing mixture to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes to chicken and asparagus and drizzle dressing mixture in pan over top (or return chicken and veggies to pan and toss to coat).
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Whole30: Week 1 Recap, One-Pot Chicken Lo Mein Recipe
Whole30: Week 1 Recap
Whole30: a month-long clean eating program similar to Paleo diet (low carb, high protein), stripping away hormone-unbalancing, gut-disrupting, inflammatory food groups, considered to be grains, sugar, dairy, alcohol, and legumes.
Last night I was tempted by Mellow Mushroom Pizza and two different kinds of homemade cake, and I did not give in! I’ll take a pat on the back now, please.
That being said, this has definitely been the easiest diet I’ve ever done. I’m 7 days in and can honestly say I haven’t been hungry once. I’m eating enough to satisfy my body, but not overindulging which is so easy to do with unhealthy foods. It’s a lot easier to not indulge when your only options to eat are meat, veggies and fruit. They taste great, but I’m not going to eat 3 bowls of salad.
Let me back up for a second – why am I doing this? Husband and I have been talking a lot lately about doing some sort of healthy eating re-start. We are only 2 months out from our European vacation, and I wanted to lose some weight and eat better, so that I can indulge on the trip and feel less guilty about it!
Mom gave me the book It Starts With Food and it was fascinating. After the first chapter I was convinced this is what we needed to do instead of some ridiculous juice cleanse. The program touts higher energy, better sleep, reduction of cravings and even helping with some chronic issues, which for me is headaches, and you’re eating REAL FOOD.
My thoughts so far …
PROS:
– Since it’s super strict, you know what you can and can’t eat. There’s no guessing, which makes it easier.
– The food is delicious! There are some amazing recipes on Pinterest.
– I can honestly say I’m already starting to feel better, and eating healthier makes me want to exercise more, which gives me more energy.
– It’s harder to eat out, so we’re saving money by staying in.
CONS:
– You have to plan, and cook a LOT, so it’s very time-consuming.
– You don’t get any cheat days. It’s only 30 days so you shouldn’t need to cheat. (I AM allowing myself alcohol once/week, but no cheating on the food – see first sentence about what I didn’t eat last night!!)
– Did I mention you have to really plan? And cook every night?
What I’ve been eating so far …
Breakfast: I’ve been eating fruit and almond butter, Husband’s been eating eggs and sometimes canadian bacon, and we’re drinking (black) coffee. There’s no way I could give that up. Saturday we tried a new recipe with this Breakfast Pizza Quiche I found on Pinterest. The site claimed it would take away your pizza cravings – HA, not exactly, but it was pretty good. We’ll definitely make it again with a few ingredient changes.
Lunch: I pretty much eat salad every day, which gets kind of boring, but it’s not bad. My mason jar salads make it a little more fun.
Dinner: Dinner is the hardest since by the end of the day the last thing I want to do is to cook. We’re still building up our easy Whole30 compliant recipe collection. My favorite thing we made this week was these lettuce wraps with ground turkey, spices, and salsa. Also, huge shoutout to our friends the Hotarys who had us over for dinner and made an amazing Whole30 meal!
Well onward we go into the second week! Keep us in your thoughts, share your recipes and pleeease don’t offer me any chocolate.
xo xo
Blackberries for Days [Photos + Recipes]
[my bounty]
[skinny blackberry margaritas via – TIP: more tequila needed]
[blackberry & raspberry oatmeal crumble bars via]
[pioneer woman’s blackberry cobbler via]
[M’s blackberry cabernet sorbet via]
[E’s blackberry mojitos via]One-Pot Chicken Lo Mein {recipe}
I’ve stated before how much I love Buzzfeed. And when I saw an article “21 Fresh Ideas for Chicken Dinners” and all one-pot meals by the way (winning!), I decided it was going to be the week of chicken.
I bought two bags of frozen chicken breasts and ingredients for 3 chicken meals for the upcoming week. The first was for Honey Mustard Rosemary Chicken. I thought it was good not great, husband thought it was delicious. When he’s happy, I’m happy, and it was very easy, so I consider that a win.
The following night we made chicken lo mein, and THAT I loved. I have a few learnings for next time (add cilantro and limes – duh!) because I will definitely be making it again. After chopping the veggies and cutting up the chicken, it was so easy! You literally just throw it all into a big pot and let it simmer together.
O N E – P O T C H I C K E N L O M E I N
Ingredients
½ lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small chunks
1 – 13.25 to 16 oz. box of linguini or fettuccini pasta, broken in half
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut in thin 3 inch long strips
1 medium red bell pepper, cut in thin 3 inch long strips
1 bunch green onions, white part sliced and green part cut in 3 inch long strips
¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
For garnish: lime wedges, cilantro + more soy sauce
Directions
- Add the chicken, then the pasta, then the remaining ingredients to a large stockpot and cover. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Cook covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until most of the liquid is gone and the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the lid and let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tonight we’re making our last chicken meal of the week – Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta. I’m drooling now just thinking about it! Hopefully we’ve saved the best for last, and I’ll share the recipe with you soon!
xo xo
[Get more of my recipes here]
Make-Ahead Meals: Breakfast Burritos + Mason Jar Salads
Typical New Year’s Resolution: Go on a diet. Lose Weight.
My New Year’s Resolution: Be more conscious of what goes in my body. (And hopefully losing weight will happen more naturally)
I’ve started making small changes in my diet. The biggest one being no more diet cokes every day. I’m not saying no more diet cokes forever, because I think having one every now and then is fine (like with mexican food – yummm) but definitely not one every day. I’ve only had 2 in the last month and I’m feeling just fine. Granted, I am drinking more coffee now because I still haven’t crossed that no caffeine hurdle BUT I’ve started drinking black coffee – no milk, no sugar, just black. Without those coke chemicals like aspartame, I already feel better about what I’m putting in my body – water and coffee.
The food is harder. Figuring out what to eat 3 times a day is hard enough, but then trying to make it healthy?? Ugh. I honestly have no clue what I’m going to do when I have kids. Feeding two is enough.
Lately though I’ve been inspired to eat healthier (and easier) with make-ahead meals.
B R E A K F A S T : E G G, S A U S A G E + P O T A T O B U R R I T O S
I have been vowing for months to make these make-ahead breakfast burritos via momadvice.com. Husband and I are not good at eating a solid breakfast. I typically just grab a Kind bar and maybe some fruit, maaaybe, if I eat anything at all. He sometimes eats yogurt. Then by lunch I’m so hungry I’m ready to eat anything and everything in my path. Not a good start to the day.
I needed something quick to grab, filling and fairly healthy. I’m not an egg eater at all (hard boiled eggs make me want to vomit), but when mixed with a bunch of different flavors (specifically mexican flavors, like huevos rancheros) I like them enough. I know they’re a good source of protein so I found this recipe great for breakfast. We’ve already gone through two rounds of these in just a few weeks. They’ve become our staple breakfast or sometimes lunch, and they are delicious. You can also change them up however you like!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- salt & pepper
- 1 lb Italian Turkey Sausage — if you haven’t tried this, it’s what totally makes the recipe!
- 9 eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- jalapenos
- ½ pound shredded cheese of your choice
- 18 tortillas, soft-taco size (8-inch)
- To roast potatoes, preheat your oven to 475 degrees. Drizzle diced potatoes with oil and season with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Toss the potatoes together to evenly coat in oil and seasonings, and spread out into a single layer on the parchment. Roast until browned on the bottom and tender, about 20-25 minutes.
- Brown your sausage. Once it is cooked through, set aside in a large bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the cream (or milk substitute) and pour into the sausage skillet. Cook over medium heat until just set, stirring as needed. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine, and transfer to the bowl with sausage.
- Make an assembly line – tortilla, cheese, followed by a small handful of potatoes and a scoop of the egg/sausage mixture. Roll the tortilla up.
- For freezing, place burritos on a wax- or parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer until firm, at least an hour. Transfer to large freezer bags and keep frozen for up to one month.
- For reheating, place a frozen burrito in microwave for 35 seconds on each side.
L U N C H : M A S O N J A R S A L A D S
I had been seeing this trend for a while now and thought it looked amazing, but it wasn’t until a friend posted on Instagram pictures of her salads for the week that I decided I had to try it. It is SO simple and so customizable. There are literally thousands of ideas for different salads on Pinterest. I decided to make mine with no meat, but you could easily add in canned chicken if you wanted.
What’s so great about the salads is that the dressing is in the mason jar. You don’t have to have a separate container for dressing. You just grab the jar and go.
Tips for layering:
Start with the dressing of your choice.
Add the hard veggies that you don’t mine getting soaked, like tomatoes, peppers, carrots.
Add the second layer of veggies or protein, like beans, cucumbers, artichokes, olives.
Add the meat here if you want.
Add the cheese, I like feta or a little gorgonzola.
Add the lettuce, my preference is spring mix.
Voila!
I keep a bowl and fork at my desk at work, so then all I have to do is pour it out, mix it up a little and it’s a great lunch full of veggies!
What are your favorite make-ahead meals?
xo xo
Pumpkin Butter Cake {recipe}
There is so much butter and powdered sugar in this recipe it’s scandalous.
Seriously, scandal in the Alderman household!
But who doesn’t need a little scandal now and then, especially if it’s as harmless (and delicious!) as this Pumpkin Butter Cake? As I was searching for a sweet treat to serve to our community group this week, this recipe via Pinterest made me salivate. It’s simple and has two of my favorite things in the title.
Even though I’ve already started decorating for Christmas (so early, I know!) and it’s already winter weather outside, I thought I’d retain a little bit of Fall with this perfect seasonal recipe.
P U M P K I N B U T T E R C A K E
Ingredients
For the crust:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2c melted butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
For the filling:
15oz can pumpkin
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2c melted butter
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
16oz (1lb box) powdered sugar
Directions
Mix crust ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray and press crust into the bottom evenly. Beat pumpkin, cream cheese, melted butter, and eggs until creamy. Add vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Gradually add powdered sugar, beat well. Spread filling over crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes (center will still be slightly jiggly).
Serve with whipped cream and sprinkles or vanilla ice cream.
Enjoy! xo xo
You might also enjoy: Bourbon Apple Cake, Pumpkin Bread
Bourbon Apple Cake {recipe}
Fact about me: I’m obsessed with magazines. I used to subscribe to 10+, but I’ve been simplifying lately and have gotten down to a way more convenient 8.
One magazine I will never stop subscribing to is Real Simple. Funny thing is, if you’d asked me in college if I read Real Simple, I would have looked at you like you were crazy because it’s an “adult magazine.” Who wants to learn more about organizing, cleaning, 5 chicken recipes for the week or issues like what to wear to a winter day wedding? That’s so boring and old. Hand me a People, please.
Well, guess what, priorities change and now it’s my absolute favorite magazine. It’s one of the few magazines I read cover to cover (another is GQ – a terrific magazine) and savor every little article, thought or recipe.
Last summer, I tried a recipe from the cover of the July issue – Linguine with Summer Vegetables + Goat Cheese and it turned out amaaazing. It’s one of my post re-pinned posts from my blog. Today, I tried the Bourbon Apple Cake from the September issue and oh.my.gosh.
All I can say is, thank you adulthood for turning me on to this magazine.
B O U R B O N A P P L E C A K E
Ingredients
fall recipes: pumpkin bread + chili
This weekend weather has been wonderful. Friday evening was grey, drizzly and cold (seriously, COLD). Saturday was nice and chilly. Today is sunny, blue skies and perfect. Unfortunately husband woke up very sick this morning and my allergies have taken hold of my head, but I’m trying to enjoy the beautiful weather as best as I can.
With this weather, two of my favorite foods are now officially in season – pumpkin bread and chili. Of course you can eat both year-round, but it’s just not nearly the same as filling the house with the aroma of pumpkin bread in the oven or eating a big bowl of hot chili when it’s cool and crisp outside.
I’ve been dying to make some pumpkin bread and chili lately and decided today was the day. Sundays are the best baking days.
You can find my famous chili recipe here. I’ll be putting ours in the crockpot soon so it will be just right for tonight.
Below is a pumpkin bread recipe I found on Pinterest from Love Grows Wild. It’s exactly as she promises – moist, sweet and bakes up beautifully.
P U M P K I N B R E A D
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan with cooking spray and line bottom of pan with wax paper. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat for 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then beat in the pumpkin puree. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the almond milk. Mix the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture in 3 additions on low speed, alternating with the almond milk mixture.
- Spread the batter into an even layer in the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the plan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Pumpkin Cheesecake, PB&J Bars
Mamma Migas! {recipe}
Some days, I just want to cook. Usually those days are on the weekend and not during the busy work week. After a relaxing weekend {hanging with friends, watching The Good Wife, getting a mani/pedi} I was ready to spend some time in the kitchen. We typically rise early on Sundays to make the coffee for first service at our church, so by the time we get home we’re starving. After perusing The Pioneer Woman breakfast recipes, I landed on migas.
I am not an egg eater, but will eat it if it’s mixed in with a bunch of good stuff, like fresh peppers, tomatoes, onion and cilantro, so I thought this would be a safe bet.
After making the recipe, husband and I decided to add two things for next time – ground turkey and black beans. Then it will be perfectly delicioso!
Migas via The Pioneer Woman
Servings: 2-3
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes, Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 whole Corn Tortillas
- 1 whole Jalapeno, Finely Diced
- 3 whole Plum Tomatoes, Roughly Chopped
- 1/2 Green Pepper, Roughly Chopped
- 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, Roughly Chopped
- 1/2 Medium Onion, Chopped
- 6 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Cheese, Grated (we used Colby Jack, but she called for Cotilla, which would be delicious)
- 1/3 cup Cilantro, Chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1/8 cup Half-and-half
Preparation Instructions
In a bowl, whisk together eggs and half & half. Salt and pepper eggs, then set aside.
In a small skillet over medium heat, heat oil and fry each corn tortilla just until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Chop tortillas and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the olive oil with the butter. Add onions and bell peppers and cook until starting to turn brown/black, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add in diced jalapenos and stir to combine. Add tomatoes to the skillet and stir around, then add tortilla pieces, stirring gently to combine.
Reduce heat to low.
When the heat has decreased, pour egg mixture into skillet. Stir gently to cook with the peppers, folding mixture very gently as it cooks. Add in grated cheese and chopped cilantro, and stir to combine.
Happy brunching! xo xo
You might also enjoy: One-Pan Enchilada Pasta, Tomato, Avocado + Feta Salsa
m.davis xoxo 