Gooey Cinnamon Biscuits

I have been wanting to try this recipe for a while.  It took some time to remember to find cinnamon chips, and to stock the fridge with heavy cream, but I finally got all the right pieces together to make them for breakfast the other day.  The original recipe says to make 4 biscuits--after trying it myself, I would recommend making 6, especially if you plan to eat them warm (they are very rich), but we found that they are even better after being refrigerated when we got back from a day out snowmobiling.

I say "we", I should say "my boyfriend", who went out, bought ingredients for a second batch, and made me make them so he could have them for breakfast during his work week in San Francisco (most of which he ate on his way to work monday morning).

According to him, they "taste like cold cinnamon rolls, but are still soft like fresh ones."

Personally, I was a little worried about the fact that my cinnamon chips didn't get all melty--in fact they started to burn by the end--but Taylor thought that the little bit of crunchiness added to the experience, and they didn't taste burnt at all.... Maybe it was my choice in cinnamon chips (I just used hershey chips, I found them near the chocolate chips in the baking isle), but let me know what you experience in the comment section.

Gooey Cinnamon Biscuits
Recipe adapted from theKitchn

Ingredients:
2 cups all- purpose flour
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups heavy cream***, divided
1/2 cup cinnamon chips
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla

***Note: (via original recipe) "If you want to use anything other than heavy cream in this recipe, please know that you will not get optimal results.  All the fat in this recipe comes from the cream (instead of butter), so if you use low-fat milk, or any other kind of dairy, the whole recipe would need to be tweaked.  If you do not want to use cream, I would recommend making another biscuit recipe that you are familiar with and just adding cinnamon chips as directed"

Directions:
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking pan, or line with one sheet of parchment paper, hanging over the sides (I usually cut angled slits in the parchment paper at the corners of the pan to help it lie flat).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, breaking up any clumps in the brown sugar.  Pour 1 1/4-1 1/2 of the cream (just enough to make a wet, sticky dough) into the dry ingredients and mix quickly, just until combined.  Dump the dough out on a floured countertop and pat into a long, thick rectangle.  Though dough will be firm, yet wet and sticky.

Slice the rectangle into 12 equally-sized squares/rectangles. Lay half the squares in the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of cinnamon chips over each square. Cover the cinnamon chips with a second square of biscuit and lightly press the edges to seal.  Top the biscuits with the remaining chips.

Bake 30-40 minutes, or until the biscuits are barely golden on the outside and just cooked through.  Remove from oven and use a knife to spread the hot cinnamon chips on top of the biscuits.

Whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup cream, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla.  Lightly drizzle the biscuits with this glaze.

Serve hot, OR refrigerate and serve cold (could be a good breakfast to make the night before so it is ready in the morning)

Creamy White Garlic Pasta

Now that I live at home again, my parents do this thing where they find something they like and they want it every time I cook for them.....

We've had the Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry I posted in January on a weekly basis.

With that in mind--and acknowledging the fact that I have been coaching more and doing my grad school interviews--I haven't had the time to try many new recipes, BUT I found this one.  I tried it last month when I had to whip something up to impress the new boyfriend.  It was really easy, and cooking the noodles in the garlic and broth added a lot of flavor.  A friend from college once told me, after his time in Italy, that over there they season the water before they cook pasta.  After making this, I can totally understand why.

As far as reviews:  the boyfriend said that even though he wasn't USUALLY a huge white sauce fan, he really liked this.  He might have been trying to impress me right back, but I really liked it.  It is super creamy and delicious, and writing this post is making me want to put a pot on the stove right now to make it again.  Actually... I just might!

Creamy Garlic Pasta
Recipe via The Cheese Pusher

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
In a pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high.  Add the garlic, stir, and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes.  Mix in the butter until melted.  Add the salt, pepper, and chicken stock.  Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil.

When boiling, add pasta and cook according to package directions.  Reduce heat to medium and mix in the parmesan cheese until completely melted.  Remove from heat and stir in cream and parsley.  Serve immediately.

Super Bowl XLVIII Dip-Off Winner

Though my third-annual Super Bowl Dip-Off changed locations this year, I would say that it was pretty successful.  Thank you to all the friends and family who participated!  Especially my parents, who are incapable of taking a challenge lightly (no wonder where I get my competitiveness from), and made three dishes each.

I mean, it is sort of cheating making so many..... but I think everyone agreed my mom's Easy Feta Dip was definitely the winner, so I guess we can overlook the multiple submissions.

Super Easy Feta Dip

Recipe from: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Ingredients:

• About 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 3-5 green onions, thinly sliced
• 8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• 2-3 tsp Cavendar's Greek Seasoning
• Fresh baguette, thinly sliced

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, tomatoes, green onions, feta, and Greek seasoning.  Stir to combine.

Serve with thinly sliced baguette.

Optional: Brush baguette slices with olive oil, lay out on a cookie sheet and broil until lightly brown.

Kitchen Tip: Shredding Chicken

When I was a kid, my mom would make huge batches of enchiladas so we would have some in the freezer.  She would boil a huge pot of chicken and then we would all sit around a big bowl shredding it for hours. Well... at least it felt like hours... I wish we had known about this little trick back then.

I made some BBQ Chicken Dip for the Super Bowl Dip-off, and after cooking the chicken, I just threw it into the mixer with the pastry attachment on low and in about a minute had perfectly shredded chicken.

Edible Cookie Dough Icing for Brownies

The annual Super Bowl Dip-Off was a success--though my parents might have taken the challenge a little too literally... They each made three dishes each, and in usual Phillips' style we had WAYY too much food.  But I guess that is the point of the Super Bowl. ;)

Though there were a lot of dip submissions, I am selfishly going to post what I think was the best item of the day (even though it wasn't a dip)...

I've been seeing this on Pinterest, and I guess I should have tried to make the brownies from scratch to really complete the recipe, but I cheated and used a box of brownie mix.  If you want to be adventurous, the entire recipe (including brownies) was posted by Your Cup of Cake, a super cute blog with wayy better pictures than mine.

Anyways, here is the recipe for the cookie dough icing.  It is eggless, so it is edible, and though I am usually not a fan of eggless cookie dough, this recipe tastes pretty close to the real thing.  I even got a call from my friend's fiancé, when she took some home to him, asking for the recipe.  Definitely expect some rave reviews if you make this.

Cookie Dough Icing (for Brownies)
Adapted from: Your Cup of Cake

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, unsalted, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp milk or cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips (about one bag)

Directions:
Cook brownie, and cool completely.

Beat butter, brown sugar, and sugar together until smooth, about two minutes.  Add milk, vanilla, and flour and mix until just combined.  Stir in 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips.

After brownie is cool, spread cookie dough over the top, then spring with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips.  Drizzle with chocolate sauce and refrigerate 1-2 hours for easy cutting.

Serve with ice cream or a big cold glass of milk.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

For some reason, cooking steak scares me.  Well.... I'm not sure "scares" is the right word... but chicken is my go-to, and beef just seems a little too grown up for me.

I have no idea why.  It doesn't make sense.  I've helped my mom make steaks for the family a million times, and I love beef, but for some reason I just usually gravitate towards poultry recipes.

BUT, last night I stepped outside the box.  Well... I actually used a chicken stir fry recipe from My Fridge Food, but I adjusted it to use the tri-tip my mom had defrosted by switching the cup of chicken broth for beef broth.

Side note: that Fridge Food website is actually a really cool resource.  You check off the things you have in your pantry and it finds recipes that incorporate the things you already have.  Really good for those times you don't want to take a trip to the grocery store, or you want to find new ways to use the ingredients you already have.

As far as reviews, the roommates (my parents) absolutely loved it.  My dad couldn't stop eating.  Luckily it is pretty low cal (the original recipe, with chicken, said it was 250 calories per serving--not sure how substituting beef changes that).  The only thing he wanted was more broccoli, he couldn't stop talking about how much he loved the flavor.  We served it with white rice and he was scraping the pan to get every last bit of sauce to mix with his rice.  I would also recommend tenderizing the beef beforehand.  Overall, I was absolutely pleased with this meal.  It took about 15 minutes, it was super easy, and it was delicious... the only problem was my parents said they aren't going to ever let me move out now.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Serves 4
Cook Time: about 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. beef, cut into 1-inch cubes (I used tri-tip)
• 2 tsps finely chopped ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup beef broth (I used beef bullion cubes according to directions on the label)
• 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 tsp sugar 
• Broccoli florets, as desired (recipe called for 2 cups, but I would definitely recommend using more)
• 2 tsp cornstarch

Directions:
Spray a 12-in nonstick skillet with cooking spray (or use a seasoned Wok).  Heat over medium-high heat and add beef, garlic, and ginger.  Sauté 2-3 minutes.

Add 3/4 cup broth, soy sauce, and sugar.  Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring twice.

Add broccoli.  Cover and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked and broccoli are crisp-tender.

Mix cornstarch with remaining 1/4 cup broth; stir into skillet.  Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened.

I told him to give a thumbs up
if he liked it.... I think he is a fan

Crumble-Topped Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

For some reason I really felt like baking this weekend.  I was looking up recipes all week, and I was excited to try some of them out, but then I ended up making a last minute decision to take a little road trip to the Bay Area to help a friend house sit.  I make enough of a mess in my own kitchen, I did not want to dirty a complete stranger's house with my attempt at a culinary masterpiece.

But when I got home on sunday night, I decided to make something to bring into work to help brighten up the monotony of a monday morning.  I went with this coffee cake because it sounded fantastic, and I'd wanted to make it last week when I found out I had no flour.  Definitely a good choice.  It got rave reviews at work, and my parents loved it (they helped themselves to big servings as soon as it came out of the oven).

Crumble-Topped Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze
Recipe from: Damn Delicious

Serves 12 (generously)

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup Greek Yogurt 

For the Crumb Topping:

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the Brown Sugar Glaze:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray.

Prepare crumble topping by combining sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.  Whisk in melted butter.  Add flour and stir with a rubber spatula, just until moist. Spread out mixture on a large piece of parchment paper to dry until ready to use (I kind of dumped it out and left it in a big lump.  I would definitely recommend breaking it up better so it dries a little more.  It worked out, just required a little more work crumbling at the end, I just think it could have been easier).

In a large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium-high with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined.  Beat in vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low speed, add greek yogurt and dry ingredients alternately in 3 parts.  Begin and end with the dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.  Crumble topping over batter, using fingertips to gently press the crumbs into the batter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

To make glaze, combine brown sugar, vanilla, and water.  Whisk together until smooth.  When the cake is done, let cool for 10 minutes, and drizzle glaze evenly over the top.  Serve warm.

Honey Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are awesome. I love them. I was never much of a vegetable eating person, but I'm starting to find veggie recipes that are totally changing my opinion.  Like sautéed zucchini.  Not only are sweet potatoes one of the healthiest foods (according to the The George Mateljan Foundation), with tons of protein and vitamins, but they also can taste like candy :)

I posted my mom's recipe for sweet potato soufflé a few weeks ago, which is absolutely delicious........ But it's also packed with a lot of sugars and butter and other less than healthy ingredients... This recipe is a healthier option, its just as tasty, and it is even quicker and easier to prepare.

Honey Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Adapted from: Buns in my Oven

Serves Four

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: like 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil and spray lightly with cooking spray (definitely helps with clean-up).

In a large bowl, combine the honey, olive oil, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Add the sweet potatoes and toss to coat.

Spread the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Microwave Pizookie

I had my tonsils removed the day after Christmas, so food hasn't been too appealing to me the past two weeks....... Well..... Not that it hasn't been appealing, I just couldn't eat anything so I didn't want to be around it.

Thankfully, I'm finally almost over the pain, so the urge to bake is finally returning. I am loving being home, and being able to use my parents' giant kitchen, even though I'm missing the company of my constant companion, Alexa. Last night, while watching the (awesome/exciting/intense) BCS championship game last night (by myself because I have no friends), I decided to indulge myself with a delectable treat.

So I scoured my Pinterest boards.... And I'm going to apologize in advance.... This recipe is pretty darn fantastic.

If you've ever been to a place like BJ's, you know the Pizookie is the king of all desserts. Last night I realized, the only thing better than a melty, chocolate-y, warm, fresh from the oven cookie topped with ice cream and chocolate sauce, is a melty, chocolate-y, warm, fresh from the oven cookie topped with ice cream and chocolate sauce that is microwaveable, only takes like five minutes from start to finish, and you can enjoy in your sweats, curled up on the couch in front of the fireplace.

I had to tweak the recipe I found from Remodelaholic a little bit...... Mostly because I found out halfway through mixing everything that I didn't have any flour (....not an important component or anything)... So I made a straight trade for Bisquick and reduce the called for 1/4 tsp baking soda to just a pinch.... And the original recipe called for "shortening".... Which I substituted straight up for butter.

Microwave Pizookie
Adapted from: Remodelaholic

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp butter (softened)
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• A shake of salt
• A pinch of baking soda
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp Bisquick (or flour + 1/4 tsp baking soda)
• 3 (+/-) Tbsp chocolate chips

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix sugars and butter thoroughly. Add egg yolk and vanilla and combine. Add salt, baking soda, and Bisquick and combine. Add the chocolate chips and split between two medium-sized microwaveable ceramic ramekins or cereal bowls. Microwave for 1 minute (don't overdo this part-it won't look done, but don't add more time). Broil for two minutes to brown the crust (the author of the original recipe said she used a toaster oven).

Serve with a BIG scoop of ice cream and some chocolate and caramel sauce.  Sigh one of those big delicious sighs of complete satisfaction.