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.

Sweet Potato Souffle

I think this one would be filed in my "Less College, More Grown-Up" pinterest board, but it is the holiday season, and it is definitely one of my absolute favorites around this time of year.  My mom makes it for all of our Christmas parties and holiday meals--I look forward to it all year long.  Honestly, it tastes more like a dessert than a main dish. Soooo goooddddd!

Sweet Potato Souffle
Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• Dash of Salt

Topping:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

To cook the sweet potatoes, wrap in tinfoil and bake at 500° for about an hour or until soft.

Combine potatoes, sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk, 1/4 cup butter and salt.  Beat at medium speed with mixer until smooth.  Spoon into a greased 2 quart casserole dish.

Combine brown sugar, flour, 1/4 cup butter, and pecans.  Sprinkle over top of potatoes.

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes

Tuscan Vegetable Soup

After a regrettably long absence from posting, I'm finally going to have some time to get back into it over the next few months. I guess technically I'm not a "College Girl" after graduating on saturday, but hopefully I'll be going to grad school in the fall, so I'm holding onto the dream.

I'm not a huge soup person, but my mom loves it.  She found this recipe in the sunday paper last year and apparently makes it all the time.  Now that I'm back for a few months, she asked for some help making it, and I thought I would share for those of you who enjoy something warm in these cold months.  According to the rest of my family it is really good.  According to the article accompanying the recipe it is only 150 calories per serving, and it is jam packed with veggies, beans, and tons of good things for you.  It is also easy to make, so if you like soup you should definitely give this one a try.

Tuscan Vegetable Soup
Recipe by Ellie Krieger (CookSmart, USA Weekend)

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 can (15.5 oz.) Cannellini or other small white beans (preferably low sodium), drained and rinsed
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1/2 Large Onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 Medium Carrot, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 Stalks Celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 Small Zucchini, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp)
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh sage (or 1/2 tsp dried)
• 1/2 tsp. salt (or more to taste)
• 1/4 tsp. pepper (or more to taste)
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 2 cups, lightly packed chopped baby spinach leaves
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

In a small bowl, mash half of the beans completely with a masher or the back of a spoon.  I used a small whisk. Then set them aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.  About 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves.  Cook until the spinach is wilted (about 3 more minutes).

Serve topped with Parmesan if desired

5 Freezer Essentials

Living on my own, without too much time to spend preparing meals all day, I have found that it is imperative to stock my kitchen with things that can be whipped together at a moments notice.  After a long day of classes, practice, homework, whatever it is, when I get home late I usually just want to eat something and then relax.  Standing over the stove is the last thing on my list of things I want to do.  Keeping these five items stocked in my freezer makes life a million times easier, and the adjustability of the portion sizes is also great for when friends decide to visit last minute.

1. Chicken
I buy chicken breasts from the grocery store, but before I freeze them I cut off the extra fat and use a meat mallet to pound them out a little thinner.  Depending on the size, I usually cut them in half, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap and zip them up in a larger freezer bag.  Wrapping them individually makes it a lot easier to control portion sizes, and pounding them beforehand makes them easier to cook. Spoonful has a great post about different things to do with boneless chicken breast, and there are some really tasty recipes in my Recipe Book (shameless plug?), so you should definitely check those out.

2. Meatballs
I always like to keep a bag of meatballs in my freezer.  They make for a great addition to pasta dishes, but they can also be a great quick meal after a long day.  Sometimes I will get home after a long day, throw a handful into a bowl in the microwave with some sauce (pasta, barbecue, buffalo--whatever I feel like) and cook them up.  I usually add some cheese and boom... Instant meal :)

Other similar options: Chicken Nuggets, Perogies, or a Frozen Pizza

3. Edamame
Alexa introduced me to this bag at Sam's Club.  This bag of individual, microwavable portions of edamame soy beans (we call them Edamoms) is great for a snack for 2-3 people in less than five minutes.  I made a package for myself one time and couldn't finish them, but we usually split a bag when we hang out and the portions are perfect (and healthy!).  They even come with individual bags of sea salt to pour on top.

4.  Frozen Fruit
I make a lot of protein shakes after workouts, well... at least I try to.  I have found that it is great to have a bag of frozen fruit available.  Not only does it add to the nutrient density of the shake, but it saves fruit from rotting in the fridge (I have found that chopping fruit that I wont have time to use and freezing it before it goes bad is a good way to prevent the second, but buying pre-frozen bags is a bit of a time saver).

5. Dark chocolate with Sea Salt
Ok, so this might not be a meal essential, but my teammates have gotten me hooked on keeping a bar of dark chocolate in the freezer. A square of dark chocolate after a meal is a great "healthier" guilty pleasure (or a good pick-me-up after a long day).  You work hard, you deserve a treat :)

Leave a comment! :) What are your freezer essentials?

Kitchen Tip: Dicing Onions

I love onions.  I was never really a big vegetable person as a kid (as in anything vegetable related was an absolute no-go), but growing up has significantly expanded my once-extremely-picky palette and now, almost anything with onions and bell peppers is an immediate Yes, Please.

Unfortunately, dicing onions can be a real hassle, especially if your eyes tear up as much as mine do (Did you know that they reason we cry cutting onions is because they chemicals they release creates sulfuric acid in our eyeballs?? Umm ouch.).  Luckily, my mom showed me this little trick that really helps.

First, I try to keep at least one onion in the fridge.  They can obviously be stored at room temperature, but it seems to minimize the crying response when they are being cut when they are cold.

Second, instead of cutting rings and trying to line them up to dice them, slice off one stem (is that what they are?)

Third, carefully cut the onion (almost) all the way in vertical lines.

Wow... that was probably the worst way to describe that process possible... Check out this photo for a (hopefully) more understandable, visual representation of what I mean.

Third, cut horizontally to dice.

As you should be when cutting anything in the kitchen, be very careful.  The structure of the onion will be compromised and may slide.  It may also help to cut off one edge so there is a flat surface to place on the counter.

Nutella Banana Bread Swirl Muffins

Yes you did read that correctly... this is a recipe for Nutella Banana Swirl Muffins...

Also known as Heaven in a Muffin Cup.

The other day was Felix's birthday, so I asked him what I could make him to celebrate. I was already planning on making banana bread for a team potluck the next day, so I asked if he wanted banana bread muffins.  He got really excited and started talking about how I should put Nutella in them.....

Now, I have a secret banana bread recipe that is amazing and I have thought about posting every time I make it, but I haven't been able to get myself to do it.  This particular recipe does not say anything about Nutella additions, so I hit the Pinterest boards.

I found this incredible, amazing, mouth-watering recipe.  Felix couldn't find the words to describe how much he like them (he also thought he could get them to last for two weeks despite the fact that he was eating like 5 at a time).  I also learned I could probably just try adding Nutella swirls to my banana bread recipe..... Next time. :)

Nutella Banana Bread Swirl Muffins
Recipe from The Novice Chef

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose Flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 medium over-ripe bananas, mashed (I only had 3 large ones left after making banana bread, but they still turned out pretty delicious)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil... technically it is a vegetable?)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Nutella

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare muffin pan with liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together bananas, sugar, and brown sugar.  Beat in the egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.  Slowly whisk in the dry ingredients until their are no lumps (mixture will be thick, be sure not to over mix). 

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.  Top each muffin with about 1 tsp Nutella and use a toothpick to swirl it into the batter.

Bake muffins 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

The original recipe said this yields 18 muffins, I stretched it to two dozen because I was worried I was filling more than 3/4 full and they were going to overflow (and also, it made them last longer... yumm)

Quick and Easy Scones

So I have a couple food obsessions:

• Onions and Bell Peppers (could pretty much eat them in anything)
• Chai Lattes (I am trying to start liking coffee because I am getting old and it seems like something I should do--and Alexa is pressuring me--but I am in LOVE with Chai)
• Croissants (soft, buttery flaky ones... like the ones from Sam's Club that Lex wouldn't split with me today)
• Mozzarella sticks (pretty much anything with melted cheese if I'm being honest)
• Scones (The dining hall at my school makes the most incredible, mouth-watering scones... I think I could sustain myself eating them exclusively for the rest of my life)

I mean, in order to have a blog about food, I feel like you have to love eating... but there are a few things that I just cannot turn down, and these are some of them.

So now that I've whet your appetite (gotcha), I have another little story to tell.  This is my last semester in undergrad, so I am trying not to buy extra odds and ends for my apartment.  Unfortunately this does not apply to Alexa, who just started her Masters here (jeez I am talking about her a lot today... I hang out with her way too much apparently).  Anyways, she has been decorating her new apartment for the past month or so, so we have made a couple trips to the local thrift store.  

Now... I am a sucker for thrift stores.  Maybe it is because of my obsession with Pinterest, but I go into a thrift store and think, "Oh ya.. I can totally make something cool out of this broken chair."

Unfortunately, I have essentially ZERO creative talent.... so really I just walk around whimsically looking at junk I want but have no use for.

Not that THAT stops me.

On one particular excursion, I found a cookbook for like a dollar entitled "Microwaving for 1 or 2."  Considering the fact that I do usually cook for myself I thought it would be a good buy.  Flipping through I found some interesting ideas.  I might try them out and see how they go, but there was one I HAD to try.

Scones.

They didn't turn out quite how I was expecting (Realistically.... my expectations were probably a little high... I don't think the dining hall bakes their scones in a microwave), but with jam on top they were actually a great snack. 

Microwave Scones

Recipe from: Microwaving for 1 or 2 by Susan Brown Draudt

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 1/2 sugar
• 1 Tbsp butter or margarine 
• 3 Tbsp dried currants or raisins (I left this part out)
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and 2 teaspoon sugar.  Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter or margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  

Mix in currants or raisins, milk, vanilla, and egg.  When dough is smooth, kneed 4-6 times.  Shape in a 5-inch circle.

Place on a flat microwave-safe plate.  Cut into 6 wedges.  In a small dish, mix together remaining sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle mixture on top of scones.

Microwave on 70% (Medium-high) 1-2 minutes, or just until dry.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Serve with Strawberry Jam (and whipped cream)

Bloomin' Onion Bread

Fair warning... This is not one of my "healthier" posts.....

*****(Coaches... If you read this, I swear I made it over the summer)****

It is freaking phenomenal though.... So there's that.

I made it as an appetizer for my last night BBQ with my friends at home. Despite the fact that I was also filling myself up on chips and bruschetta, and I knew how (not) good it was for me, I couldn't help from eating half of the loaf by myself... The mass of melty cheesy goodness was too good to resist and everyone there echoed my sentiment... It did not last too long once it was set out.  Just thinking about it is making my mouth water.


Bloomin’ Onion Bread
Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Ingredients:

• 1 unsliced loaf sourdough bread
• 12-16 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup finely diced green onion
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds (Ya.. I didn't do this part.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

The original recipe suggested cutting the bread both lengthwise and widthwise (without cutting through the bottom crust) first, but as I was making it I thought perhaps it would be easier to cut it one way first, slip in the cheese slices, and then cut the other way. I thought of it too late to try, but if you do it, let me know how it goes.

Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Insert cheese slices between cuts. Combine butter, onion, and poppy seeds. Drizzle over bread. Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Unwrap the bread and bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Zucchini Mania

So you know how I mentioned that my friend Alexa has a neighbor with an awesome garden? Well I went over for a visit today, and we decided we needed to do a little something-something with her zucchini surplus.

Conveniently, she had just found an excellent Healthy Zucchini Muffin recipe on Pinterest.  I almost messed it up by just reading down the ingredients list instead of following the directions... luckily caught myself before things got too out of hand (I re-ordered the ingredients for you in this edition, but make sure you still follow the directions).

I was always a really picky eater growing up, and never would have tried zucchini anything, but college has really expanded my palate. Good thing, cause these muffins were the BOMB. Even after stuffing my face with Olive Garden it was hard to limit myself to just one... and even though we used oil instead of applesauce, they aren't THAT bad for you.

......At least that's what I keep telling myself. ;)

Healthy Zucchini Muffins
Recipe from Julie's Eats and Treats

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 c. grated zucchini
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 c. applesauce, unsweetened (We used Canola Oil)
• Cinnamon and sugar for topping (optional) 

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside. In a different bowl, combine grated zucchini, eggs, vanilla and applesauce (or oil... applesauce is healthier, we just didn't have any). Stir well to combine the wet ingredients. 

Gently stir wet ingredients into flour mixture until just combined. The original recipe warned, "Be careful not to overwork this - it will lead to dense muffins and no one wants those!" (That means all the little bumps do not need to be mixed in Alexa).

Fill lined or greased muffins tins about 3/4 full. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on for topping. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown.

S'mores Puppy Chow

Puppy Chow... Muddy Buddies... Whatever you want to call them, they are delicious.

Made it through my final preseason of college volleyball... I know it is only the first week of the season but I feel accomplished after sitting out for two years for ACL reconstructions.  Every year during preseason we go on a retreat (every other year it is a trip, but this year it was a one-night stay at a camp about an hour from campus). On the retreat, we get teamed up into meal groups and have a little friendly competition making the different meals for everyone. It was actually during last year's competition that I kind of conceptualized the idea for this blog (My group made this awesome lemon garlic-roasted chicken with green beans that I have been meaning to post for a while... Promise I'll get to it). This is my fifth preseason (man, I'm getting old), and it has pretty much always ended up that I've been placed in the dinner group (usually for dessert my group would make fruit pizza--another recipe I should definitely post--which got interesting on our trip to Puerto Rico when our oven wasn't working). This year, I got breakfast. We made The Incredibly Easy Breakfast Bake, which I thought would be good to make the night before, cover, and then just have to heat up in the morning. Unfortunately, our epic game of capture the flag went late, so we just had to get up earlier to throw it all together.

We also had to make a snack for around the campfire following said Capture the Flag game. We considered S'mores--I mean we were around a campfire, what else would you snack on? But then Courtney (the genius behind the Pizza Crescents and reigning Superbowl Cook-Off Champion) found this little gem on pinterest. A whole slew of Puppy Chow recipes including.... dun dun dun... S'mores! It was so so so good (It was hard to take a picture because the girls in our group couldn't help themselves from snacking on it while we made it). It was great because we made it before,  portioned it out into baggies, and then passed the bags out around the campfire.

Special thanks of course to my amazing group: Courtney, Jordan, Anjali, and Kate

I wish I had gotten a photo of Adam, one of our assistant coaches, roasting the mini marshmallows over the fire and stacking them between golden grahams.

S'mores Puppy Chow
Recipe from Your Cup of Cake

Ingredients:

• 6 cups rice Chex cereal
• 1 cup milk chocolate melts or chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup brownie mix (from the box--or a combination of powdered sugar and cocoa powder)
• 3 cups Golden Grahams
• 3 cups mini marshmallows

Directions:

Measure out Chex cereal into a large bowl and set aside.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate, peanut butter, and vanilla extract, stirring occasionally, until smooth.

Pour over cereal and fold until covered. Dump into a large plastic bag, pour brownie mix over cereal and shake until coated (Note: we didn't have a big bowl, so we threw everything into the bag a step early, shaking and kneading it until covered with chocolate and then adding the brownie mix).

Pour onto a cookie sheet and let cool (not sure how long we actually did this... the kitchen we were in was a MILLION degrees so I think we just kept cookin' along).

Dump into a large bowl and add the golden grahams and marshmallows. Mix everything together and viola! Perfection :D

The original recipe also suggested some variations, including substituting 1 cup crushed graham crackers/golden grahams for the brownie mix (I personally don't know why you would do that.. the brownie mix was the best part)... you could also coat the marshmallows in melted chocolate.

Anjali, one of our freshmen,
 shaking things up

Sautéed Zucchini

Maybe this is a sign of maturity... Or maybe just of getting older (and poorer)... But instead of meeting friends out for dinner at a restaurant, I've been really into meeting at someone's house, everyone bringing a part of the meal, and cooking together.  Not only is it a great way to hang out and make a healthy meal, it's also an awesome excuse to pick their minds on different recipes and try new things (without the risk of not liking something but still having to fork over the cash when the check comes).  Going into my final preseason, I've really been trying to find nutritious food options.   Unfortunately, when it comes to veggies, I've always been extremely picky (you may have noticed my main choices in vegetable related recipes are usually onions and bell peppers).  

Meet Alexa

My best friend Alexa just moved into a new apartment and one of her neighbors has a massive garden.  She lucked out because he puts out a bucket every day with the extra fresh veggies that are overflowing his plot for the neighbors to take their pick of.  I wish I had taken a picture of the GIANT zucchini she cut up today, but I was distracted by the sheer size of it-it was like twice the size of my head.  Anyways, we felt like a blast from the past so we heated up a bag of frozen chicken nuggets, but we added some grown up touches.  A microwave bag of edamame, a can of corn, and this awesome zucchini.

Sautéed Zucchini
Ingredients:

• Zucchini (Sliced and Quartered)
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Seasoning Salt
• Garlic Powder 

Directions:

According to Alexa, this is a recipe where you really have to "channel your inner Italian and just do what you feel"

Pour some olive oil into a sauté pan (about a tablespoon, enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan) and place over medium heat (or high, depending on how quickly you want it to cook).

Toss in the zucchini and sprinkle on the seasonings (feel free to experiment and change things up based on your personal taste).  Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini starts becoming translucent.  Timing varies based on heat and  "Done" is based on personal preference, but I prefer overcooked to undercooked when it comes to stuff like this.

Side Note:

Sorry this isn't one of my more measurement-accurate recipes, but it is a great thing to try to experiment with as a new side dish. Super easy and tasty. It is also idea to add some yellow squash or other vegetables for a delicious and nutritious side dish. 

Snickerdoodle Bars

This is a new family favorite. My mom has me making it for bunko parties and dinner parties, I even made it one night just to bring into work and surprise everyone because it was so easy.

My sister calls this "Cookie Crack" and after a few bites you will probably agree... It is so good and super easy, even though it looks (and tastes) gourmet.

I actually have a mixer while I'm here at home, but whisking quickly can be substituted for beating on high speed. ;)

The original recipe can be found at Jasey's Crazy Daisy.


Snickerdoodle Bars

Ingredients
2 1/3 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cinnamon Filling
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or grease the bottom only of a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Beat butter on high speed until creamy. Beat in sugars. Gradually beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with Cinnamon Filling evenly over batter. Dollop teaspoons of remaining batter evenly over Cinnamon Filling. Gaps are okay, they let the filling peek through leaving a fun marbled look.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In a small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over bars. Cut and enjoy!