Buttery Pull Apart Bundt Bread

Source:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:

•  1 cup warm water
•  1/4 cup granulated sugar
•  1 tablespoon instant yeast (see note for active dry yeast)
•  1 large egg
•  1 tablespoon oil
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (see note for whole wheat)
•  8 tablespoons butter, melted (I use salted)

Instructions:

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (you can make this by hand, too) add the warm water, sugar, yeast, egg, oil, salt, and 2 cups of flour.
2. Mix until combined - it's ok if it is a little lumpy. With the mixer running, continue to gradually add flour until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and forms a ball that is soft but not overly sticky. Knead for 2-3 minutes. Cover the top of the bowl, and let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes. It should puff slightly.
3. Pour half (4 tablespoons) of the melted butter evenly in the bottom of a bundt pan (if you don't have a bundt pan, you can use loaf pans).
4. On a lightly floured or greased countertop, press or roll the dough into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle, about 12X10 inches. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 24 semi-equal squares.
5. Grab one square at a time, dip the bottom of the square in the butter in the pan and layer the squares against each other (kind of like a trail of dominoes that has fallen over on each other). See pictures in the post for a visual. All 24 squares should fit in a layer around the bottom of the pan. Lift and rearrange the squares, if needed, to fit them all in.
6. Cover the bundt pan and let the dough rise until noticeably puffy, 45-60 minutes. After the dough has risen, pour the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over and around the top of the bread.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
8. Bake the bread for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top and baked through. Remove the pan from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a plate or platter (lay the plate upside down over the bundt pan and holding onto both the plate and pan at the same time, flip it over so the bread falls out onto the plate).
9. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:

• Yeast: to substitute active dry yeast, use increase the amount to 1 1/4 tablespoons and dissolve the yeast in 3-4 tablespoons water, letting it rest until the mixture is bubbly and foamy. Use in the recipe as directed.
• Flour: I've successfully made this bread with half whole wheat flour/half all-purpose flour. I haven't tried it with bread flour (should work great) or 100% whole wheat flour.

Comments:  

This bread is ridiculous.  And easy.  And addictive.  I don't even know what else to say.  (Well, besides mentioning that it's baked in butter.)  We have easily made it 10+ times since Mel posted it in September.  I've made more homemade bread the last month than I have the rest of my life combined.  

Sheet Pan Fajitas

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1.5 – 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and sliced
1 large onion, sliced
2 large bell peppers (or 3 small/med ones), sliced
3–4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
handful of cilantro
1 lime
optional for serving: sour cream, guacamole/avocado, tortillas, rice and beans, etc

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Have a large sheet pan ready (cover with foil or parchment for easy clean-up).

In a small bowl mix salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano and garlic powder.  Place sliced chicken, onions, and peppers in an extra large mixing bowl.  Drizzle on oil and seasonings. Toss to coat.

Spread chicken and pepper mixture out evenly on baking sheet and place in oven.  Bake for 20-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.  If desired, place under broiler for a quick minute to brown.

Remove from oven and if desired, sprinkle cilantro over everything and give it a big squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Serve with tortillas and traditional fixings, or over a bed of salad or veggies or rice and beans, etc.

Notes:
I made these the week they were posted back in January and have not made another fajita recipe since (even our beloved and much-made fajitas that I posted here many many moons ago).  I doubled the recipe to feed all the Blanchards in North Carolina this summer, and in that case, we ended up cooking it all in a couple of giant frying pans on the stove.  It worked fine that way, too, but I just love the hands off ease of the sheet pan meal.  This one is so flavorful, so easy and so quick I don't think you'll ever need another fajita recipe again!

Frying pan style - you do what ya gotta
do when cooking in a stranger's kitchen.
;)

Massaman Curry

Source:  Life Made Simple

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil, coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices
• 2 cans (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• 1 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tbsp. smooth peanut butter
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. red curry paste
• 1 4-ounce can massaman curry (4 ounces = 1/2 cup)
• 1 lb. chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c. chopped roasted peanuts

Directions:

1. In a large skillet or dutch oven set over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, saute the onion until tender. Add the carrots and potatoes, cook for 5 minutes.
2. Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth, bring mixture to a simmer. Add peanut butter, brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce and curry pastes, mix to combine. Let the potatoes and carrots simmer for 10 minutes, then add the sliced chicken. Continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is fully cooked.
3. Remove from the heat, serve over freshly cooked white or brown rice. Garnish with additional peanuts, sliced lime and Thai basil, if desired.

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Source:  Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 15-ounce cans chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2–3 shakes Tabasco (or similar hot sauce), Optional
• kosher salt, to taste
• 4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese (low fat is fine)
• 1 7-oz can mild green chiles
• 14–16 ounces cooked, shredded chicken (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 4 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, divided
• 8–10 medium flour or corn tortillas

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Wen butter is melted and bubbly, add flour and stir to combine. Continue cooking, whisking continuously until mixture is light golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. SLOWLY add chicken broth, whisking constantly, until smooth.*note, if this part ends up a disaster and your sauce looks lumpy and clumpy- it’s not ruined! Just pop the entire sauce in a blender to smooth it out, then back in your pan and continue.
3. Whisk in garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, coriander, chili powder, and pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer and stir until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream and hot sauce. Add salt to taste and set aside.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, soften cream cheese in microwave until it’s easily stirred. Add green chilis and 1/2 cup of reserved sauce. Stir to combine and add chicken and 2 cups cheese.
5. Tip: If needed, to make the tortillas easier to roll, place between damp paper towels and microwave until warm (20-30 seconds).
6. Pour about 1 cup sauce into the bottom of prepared pan and spread out evenly. Place about 1/3-1/2 cup chicken mixture on each tortilla and roll tightly. Place tortillas snugly in pan. Pour remaining sauce on top and top with remaining 2 cups cheese. Bake 30-35 minutes, until hot and bubbly throughout and cheese is melted.

Blueberry Muffins

Source: modified from Mel's Kitchen Cafe's "Best Blueberry Muffins"

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I've subbed up to 1 cup with white whole wheat flour and they're lovely and soft and perfect)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (the original recipe called for 1/4 cup melted butter, but I've subbed it for applesauce and haven't even missed the butter!)
1/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
1 cup buttermilk (I never have buttermilk on hand and used to always use the 1 cup milk + 1 TB lemon juice, which works great.  But lately I've started using 3/4 cup plain yogurt + 1/4 cup milk and I love that way, too!)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a standard or mini muffin tin(s) with nonstick cooking spray.  (This recipe will make 12-16 standard muffins or ~48 mini muffins.) Rinse berries under cold water and spread on a double layer of paper towels to dry well.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Toss the berries that have dried on the paper towels in with the flour mixture. Whisk sugar and eggs together in a medium bowl until thick, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in the applesauce (or butter, if you go that route) and oil until combined. Whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg mixture into flour mixture until just moistened. The batter will be lumpy with a few dry spots of flour – don’t overmix. This is the key to moist and tender muffins.

Using a cookie scoop or spoon, fill the muffin cups until they are about 3/4 full.  Bake until the top of the muffins are golden and just firm, 17-18 minutes, for standard muffins, 11-14 minutes for mini muffins. Cool muffins in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.

Notes:
I tasted these little beauties once upon a time when Laurel had made them for something. (What/when was that?  I don't really remember, but it was at Paul and Kim's house in SoJo - maybe after they left on their mission and Laurel and Bret hadn't yet moved to CT?)  ANYWAY, they were darn delicious, so I asked her for the recipe and she said it was Mel's (of course) but that she didn't do any of the fancy lemon sugar or blueberry syrup steps.  Brilliant!  I tweaked them a bit more to my taste (didn't need nearly as much sugar, added wheat flour, subbed applesauce for butter, etc) and they are my go-to blueberry muffin recipe these days.

White Bean Chicken Chili (Soup)

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Extra virgin Olive Oil (or non-stick spray)
1 pound boneless chicken, cubed (about 3-4 boneless, skinless breasts) (I usually don't use this much - one or two (if I'm feeling really chickeny) is plenty)
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans Great Northern Beans
1 3.5 oz can green chilies
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon coriander (I know it's not common in a lot of spice cabinets, but I bought some just for this recipe and I'm very happy with it)
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh cracked pepper (or just regular ground pepper from your shaker, no need to be fancy)
1 lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
32 ounces chicken broth
additional toppings: tortilla chips, jack cheese, diced green onions, lime wedges, more cilantro, sour cream, avocado

Directions:
In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes- just until it starts to become translucent. While onions are cooking, drain beans and rinse with cold water and set aside.

Sprinkle chopped chicken with a little salt and pepper and add to pot. Add garlic as well. Cook until there’s no more visible pink on the chicken, probably 3-4 minutes. Then add green chills – along with all of the juices in the can.

Add beans, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and then add chicken broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the juice from one lime and the 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into bowls and top with toppings.

Makes about 8 cups of soup.

Optional: It's called a chili, but it’s really a soup consistency. If you want it thicker, just reduce the amount of broth. Or, alternatively, take an additional can of beans (drained and rinsed) and place them in a blender. Ladle in a cup or 2 of the finished broth (avoid the chicken pieces, etc,) and puree until smooth. Add this mixture to the soup. (I've never tried this with this soup because I like the brothiness of it, but it's a great idea if you're looking for something more chili-like.)

Also: I once tried this in the crockpot, literally "throwing everything in" (minus the lime juice and cilantro - I added that at the end) and starting with a frozen chicken breast.  It worked great!  I just cooked it on high for maybe 3 hours (ish?) and then dropped it to low till dinnertime (maybe 3ish hours more?).  I think I like the texture of the chicken and onions and such better when it's on the stovetop, but it's definitely doable in the crockpot if that fits your schedule better.

Notes:
This is one of my favorite southwest-y flavored soups and I make it over and over and over throughout soup-eating months.  And don't skimp on the toppings!  (Haha - maybe that's the reason I love taco/tortilla/chili type soups so much?)

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Source: my aunt, Nikie

Ingredients:
2 cups flour (I upped this to almost 3 cups when I made them most recently - it might have been a bit too much, because they're pretty cakey, but I think more flour helps them not spread too much, so if you want to add more than 2, you can definitely do that)
1 1/3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats (I like to use half and half)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt (I upped this to 3/4 teaspoon because I felt like it needed a bit more)
1 cup butter (I sometimes use half shortening, which also makes the spreading minimized)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup solid pack pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I usually just use one)
3/4 cup nuts, optional (we like walnuts and pecans)

Directions:
Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.  Beat butter and sugars until creamy.  Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla until well mixed.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.  Optional: chill dough for 30 minutes before baking (this helps the cookies "stand up" better (but a bit of extra flour does, too, I've found).  Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes or until cookies are firm and lightly browned.

They're fluffy and soft and full of the good stuff!

Notes: I love the traditional, fluffy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies when it's fall (and anytime . . . like March, maybe?).  But I also love to switch things up a bit, and this recipe is perfect for that.  There is a little more texture with the oats and nuts to make things interesting.  But there's still the yummy pumpkin and chocolate combo that is so delicious.  Even if "pumpkin season" is long past, give these a try!

Don't let that face fool you - he gobbled it right up!

And she wasn't too busy reading to enjoy her
cookie, too.

Spaghetti Sauce

Source: My momma

Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground beef
1 large onion, diced
3 15 oz cans Italian style stewed tomatoes
1 heaping Tablespoon flour
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1-2 teaspoons basil
1-2 teaspoons oregano
1-2 teaspoons chili powder (I never measure the spices - I just kind of eyeball and shake)

Directions:
In a large saucepan, Brown the ground beef and onion.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add one can tomatoes, undrained.  Stir flour in corner until pasty (this is to avoid lumps).  Blend remaining two cans tomatoes until smooth.  Add blended tomato "juice" and tomato sauce to pot.  Season with basil, oregano and chili powder.  Simmer for a while.  Serve over hot spaghetti noodles, with plenty of cheese on top.

Notes:
Oh yum!  This is one of my favorite homey comfort foods ever.  It was my favorite growing up (according to my Dr. Suess's Book About Me entry (seen below)) and I am thrilled to find out that I can make it taste like my mom's, even when I don't use her home-bottled tomatoes and tomato juice.  We always ate it with green beans growing up (which was not my fave, also seen below), but the garlic bread (I should definitely post that recipe, huh?) certainly made up for those.  This freezes great, too.  If you have so many leftovers you don't know what to do.

Cranberry Cookies

Source: based on a recipe found here, pinned on Pinterest oh-so long ago and finally made and tweaked and loved this month

Ingredients:
11 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar (I reduced this to 2/3 cup)
1 cup packed brown sugar (I reduced this to 2/3 cup, too)
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I didn't need that last 1/4 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups halved fresh cranberries (I used 2 cups frozen and chopped)
1 cup finely chopped walnuts (I bet it would be great with pecans, if you like those better)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (my addition, but a very good one, I think)

Directions:
Heat the oven at 350°F. Line a couple of cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg and milk. Stir to combine. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula.

Combine the flour with the baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts and white chocolate chips.

With a medium size cookie scoop (mine is ~1 1/2 TB), drop cookie dough on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Notes:
I had this pinned a million years ago but had never actually tried it till last week.  They were an immediate hit!  Callie's review was: "I love them! They're sugary . . . sweet . . . delicious . . . they're pinktastic!"  Sam's review was: "Mom, I DO like cranberries!"  Gregg's review was: "Whoa.  These are GOOD!"  And my review could be summed up as: "omnomnomnomnom."  They freeze great, and every time we took another handful out of the freezer to refill the cookie jug on the counter, we repeated our exclamations of love.

I know I said I wasn't going to make something once and post it here immediately; I wanted to wait to see if a recipe withstood the test of time.  But I just can't stop thinking about these.  So I made them again today.  And they definitely deserve a place in your life and on this blog.  Make them for your Valentine!  They're perfectly pink and festive.  And delicious.

Roasted Veggie and Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner

Source: Our Best Bites (are you noticing a theme here? if it's not from Mel, it's from OBB!)

We ate it before I could take a good "final" pic!  (If that's not
a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is!)

Ingredients:
1 12-14 ounce package smoked sausage, cut into 2″ slices (I like to use turkey smoked sausage to cut the calories and fat just a bit)
1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved
1 pound sweet potato, cut into 3/4″ chunks (the smaller the better so they cook quicker)
1/4 cup extra virgin lemon olive oil (or 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + zest of 1 lemon) (I always do the oil + zest, but I never have lemons, so I use limes instead)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dry parsley)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pomegranate arils (really fun and different and delicious, but not necessary if you don't have them)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the sausage, sprouts, and sweet potato on the baking sheet and set aside.

Whisk together the olive oil (and lemon (or lime - seriously, give it a try) zest, if using), garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper and drizzle over the sausage/sprouts/sweet potato mixture. Toss to combine. Place the sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then use a spatula to flip the sausage mixture and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and, if desired, season with additional salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Ready to toss with oil and spices.

Just needs pomegranate arils! (Or not!)
(Also, you can see I scrapped the foil - I don't have patience
for the stuff when I'm tossing and flipping and ripping it to shreds.)

Notes:
I first made this in 2016, shortly after it was posted by OBB, and it instantly became a family favorite.  And I became an instant fan of sheet pan dinners and sought out and pinned about a million the next day - but I always come back to this one over and over and over.  It's just so GOOD.  We love it with the pomegranate arils for a little pop of color and sweetness, but I don't always have them or use them.  Also, the veggies and sausage are totally customizable - get creative!  You could use regular red/gold potatoes, zucchini, green beans, peppers, onions, even grape tomatoes!  Same goes for the sausage - I just buy the cheapest smoked turkey sausage I can find at the store, but there are all kinds of flavors and brands available these days, so use what you like!

Update 3/6/2019: I made it with sweet potatoes and sausage,
like usual, but subbed asparagus for the sprouts and added
some onion and cauliflower - so yummy!  So versatile!

Pepperoncini Beef (or Pork) Sandwiches

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1/2+ teaspoon kosher salt
1/2+ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of olive or cooking oil
3 lb. beef roast, trimmed of excess fat (OR, and I might even like this better: ~3 lbs boneless pork ribs)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 16-oz. jar sliced pepperoncinis, undrained  (these come in various heat levels - apparently the jar that looks exactly like this but is labeled "mild pepper rings" are the ones I need to look for next time for Callie's zero heat tolerance level)
Optional: 1 small packet dry Italian dressing
Crusty sandwich rolls (my fave are ciabatta rolls)
Sliced provolone cheese
Mayo

Directions:
Heat oil in a pot or high-sided skillet over high heat. While the oil is heating, combine the salt and pepper and rub it into the meat. Add more if necessary. When the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides so the outsides of it is browned and a little crispy.  (Or you can just skip the searing part like I do - especially when I have frozen pork ribs - I just toss them in the bottom of the crock pot and sprinkle the salt and pepper on top.)

Transfer the roast to a slow cooker and add the minced garlic and the entire jar of pepperoncinis and dressing mix if using. If possible, cook on high until the liquid comes to a boil and then turn it to low and cook until the roast shreds easily with a fork, for a total cooking time of about 6-8 hours. If not possible, cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the beef is fork tender.


For sandwiches, slice the rolls and spread lightly with mayonnaise and then top with the shredded beef. Add a slice of provolone cheese and then place open face under the broiler for 1-3 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.  Place the top of the bun on the melted cheesy/meat side.  Serve immediately. Makes 12 large sandwiches.  Leftovers freeze wonderfully and are especially good in Creamy Baked Taquitos, or on salads, nachos, burritos, etc.

Notes:
I made this first for my birthday dinner a few years ago and have made it occasionally since (when my mom has generously gifted me a frozen beef roast, usually - this is my favorite way to make roast beef).  But recently I when I was craving it and all I had in my freezer was pork ribs, I decided to try it that way (the idea was sparked by a commenter in the original post, so thank you to that anonymous person!).  I made the sandwiches the same way as described and was licking my lips the whole meal.  And the few meals that followed.  And then I mixed the leftovers into our favorite taquito recipe instead of shredded chicken and about died all over again.  Seriously.  Fave status, for sure.

Creamy Garlic Alfredo Sauce {aka "White Sauce" at our house}

Source: the one and only Mel

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into 6 pieces (you can use regular or low fat)
1 cup milk (anything from 1% to whole works great)
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup) (I only ever have that "fake" powdery stuff in the green can, so I use about 1/2 cup of that, and then set the rest on the table for people to add more as garnish if they want)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste, if needed
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (my own addition)

Directions:
In a medium pot or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, taking care not to let the garlic burn.

Add the cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. It will look curdled at first, but with constant whisking for 2-3 minutes, it should come together to form a smooth, creamy paste.

Add the milk gradually, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking quickly and constantly until each addition is incorporated fully into the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, pepper, salt and nutmeg. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is the desired consistency.

Cook for 2-3 minutes for a thicker sauce or remove right after the cheese is melted for a thinner sauce. Serve immediately over hot, cooked noodles.

Notes:
One of Cal and Sam's favorite meals of all time is "White Sauce with Noodles". (Grandma B. gave Sam a box of dinosaur shaped noodles in his Christmas stocking and this how he requested we eat them).  We make it at least monthly and for some reason we always have steamed broccoli on the side.  (I tell you what, this sauce spooned over the cooked broccoli is mighty fine, too!)  If we happen to have leftovers (which isn't super common), I like to use it on pizza with chicken and tomatoes and mushrooms and cheese.

Naan {My Favorite Version}

Source: adapted from Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites (thanks, Heather W., for sharing your extra copy!), p 76

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (105-110 degrees F)
1/8 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (the recipe says rapid rise, but I always use active dry and it works fine, so use what you have)
~3 cups flour (I like to do about 1 cup whole wheat + 2 cups all purpose, but all all-purpose is fine - also, the original recipe says 3 1/2 - 4 cups, so you may need more than the three I need, and that's probably okay)
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg, room temp, lightly beaten
1/4 cup plain yogurt or milk
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:
1. Place warm water in a bowl and add sugar.  Stir gently and sprinkle in yeast. Let stand 10 minutes or until bubbly.

2. While yeast is proofing, add 2.5 cups flour and the salt to a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or a large mixing bowl if you do not have a stand mixer).  Add proofed yeast mixture, egg, and yogurt or milk.  Mix until it forms a very soft dough; add additional flour (I add about 1/2 cup while I'm kneading) if needed but keep dough very soft and sticky to the touch.  Knead with dough hook for 5 minutes (or by hand if not using a stand mixer).

3. Place in a lightly oiled bowl (I never oil my bowl for bread rising and it's always fine) in a warm location and cover with a light towel.  Let rise until nearly double in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.  (Another option, if you want to try it, is to make the dough to this point early in the day and then let it rise slowly all day in the fridge, covered tightly with a lid or saran wrap.)  Punch down dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Form into a mound and divide into 12-14 equal sized portions (just do your best!).  Place portions on a baking sheet (or just on your kneading mat/counter) and let rise again about 30 minutes until double in size.  While dough is rising, preheat grill, panini press, or skillet (I use an electric skillet that lives on our counter and let me tell you, this has been a life changer in my naan making).

4. Place butter in a small bowl and add garlic.

5. When dough has risen and the pan is hot, lightly brush the pan with garlic butter.  Roll out each portion of dough slightly thicker than a tortilla, about 1/8 inch.  Place dough on hot pan and grill 1-3 minutes until small bubbles form on top.  Brush top side with garlic butter and flip.  Cook an additional 1-3 minutes until golden brown on each side.  Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm while making the remaining flatbread.  Serve as a side dish with hummus or the remaining garlic butter, or use as wraps or for dipping in curry.  Leftovers freeze great, and also make really yummy personal pizzas (just add your favorite sauce and toppings and pop in the oven for a few minutes to warm/melt everything).

Notes: 
One of the only reasons I make curry is so I can make naan to dip in it.  (haha - #ilovecarbs)  I used to make a recipe that said to cook it in the oven and it was just such a hassle (and resulted in one of my pizza stones cracking in half years ago due to the high temps and spritzing water involved).  Once my sister Heather told me she liked the skillet method and recipe in the OBB cookbook, I knew I had to try it, and I've never looked back!  I also love that I can make the dough ahead of time (usually before church) and let it rise all day in the fridge so I can just get it started about a half hour before I'm ready to eat and I have hot, fluffy/chewy naan ready to feast upon in almost no time.

Best Ever Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Source: Our Best Bites (with my own tweaks in italics, of course)

(my first ever batch of these beauties - and then I was hooked!)

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup dark brown sugar (I only ever have light brown)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (do it!  I promise it's magical!)
2 cups all-purpose flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife (very high altitudes may want to try adding 2 additional tablespoons of flour)
1 cup quick-cooking oats (or regular, or a combo of the two)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 3/4 teaspoon table salt) (also, trust the recipe - magic!)
3 cups (or 18 ounces) chocolate chips (I usually like a higher cookie-to-chocolate ratio, so I do less, but feel free to go crazy with the chocolate!)
any other add ins you might fancy (I LOVE all the things!) - some great combos: dark chocolate chips + pecans (+ m&ms pushed into the top), semi-sweet chocolate chips + raisins, dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips + craisins + coconut

Watch out - the dough is incredible!

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 (I up mine to 350 for my smaller cookies). If desired, line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Beat the softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl (I almost never do a separate bowl for dry ingredients - I'm a rebel, I know!), combine the dry ingredients (except the chocolate chips). Add to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and mix until combined. Add the chocolate chips and mix until just combined.

Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop (this is huge and makes giant cookies, a la Old Grist Mill (a bakery shop in Logan), which was the idea behind the original post on OBB, but I never make them that big; instead I use my medium (I guess?) #40 (1 1/2 TB) cookie scoop for normal sized cookies), drop the dough by the scoopful onto the prepared baking sheets. You should be able to get about 6 (or 12) cookies per sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes (~10-11 for the smaller ones) or until they begin to turn light brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely (or don’t…no shame…) Makes 18 giant cookies (or ~3 dozen normals).

Notes:
I made these cookies for the first time in February 2016 and since then they have become my all-time favorite cookie recipe that doesn't come from someone I'm related to (ha!  how's that for commitment?).  They were touted as Old Grist Mill copycats, but I don't really think mine are that similar.  They are amazing, though.  Maybe it's the extra vanilla?  Maybe it's the extra salt?  That's all that is really different from my usual cookie recipe I grew up with (well, besides all butter, and we know butter is delicious). Whatever it is, they're spectacular!  I make them regularly these days, and whipped up a batch just yesterday with raisins.  SO DANG GOOD!  Also, they freeze great and are just like fresh when thawed (if you can wait a minute or two for that to happen!).

Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing {Like Cafe Rio}

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1-ounce package ranch dressing mix (ignore directions on package)
1 cup mayonnaise (light is fine)
1/2 cup buttermilk (plus more if necessary to thin out the dressing) (I just use regular milk and it works just fine)
1-2 limes (enough for 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup green salsa (I use La Victoria brand)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Hot sauce, to taste (I like Cholula)

Directions:
Place buttermilk (milk), mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and ranch mix in a blender. Add the garlic and green salsa and blend until smooth. Add the cilantro and pulse until the cilantro is well combined. Add hot sauce to taste. Chill for several hours before serving (if possible.)

Notes:
I've made a few knock off versions of the Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Dressing, but once I found this one, I have never looked back.  It's definitely my favorite.  Super easy.  Super delicious.  We call it green sauce and whenever I made the Cafe Rio pork salad/tacos/burritos spread (I LOVE Heather's version with a little more spice than sweet - it's almost better than the real thing, I think!) I always include this sauce to go with it.  But even more often, I make it as a dipping sauce for our favorite creamy chicken taquitos.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese (can use low-fat) (I always up this to 4 oz (half a brick) just because)
1/4 cup green salsa (I always use La Victoria brand, medium heat)
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (these are also really delicious with leftover pepperoncini pork or cafe rio pork too)
1 cup grated pepperjack or monterey jack cheese
20 small flour (or corn, but I like flour best) tortillas (look for "fajita size")
kosher salt
cooking spray or olive oil

Directions:
For the filling:
Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well. (You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.)

For the taquitos:
Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

If using corn tortillas, work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave, wrapped in damp paper towels until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If using flour tortillas straight from the fridge, it helps to warm them in the microwave so they’re easier to roll.

Place 2 Tablespoons (don't overfill or it will all ooze out and it might do that anyway) of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1 inch from the edges.

Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another. Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Dip in sour cream, salsa, or our favorite: Creamy Lime Cilantro Ranch (we call it "green sauce" and it is THE BEST!).

For the freezer:
Prepare the taquitos through rolling them out and placing them on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a large freezer bag. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 and place the taquitos on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Notes:
I'm trying to get back to posting here on the ol' recipe blog.  (I feel like I've said this before, and I probably will say it again. New Year's Resolutions and all that.)  BUT, I definitely want to share some of my all-time favorites that I've been making the past couple of years.  I won't post every single new thing I make like I used to.  But I absolutely want to get the ones that we come back to over and over again shared here.  And these taquitos definitely fit in that category.  They are AMAZING and a big-time favorite at our house.  And they're easy!  The hardest/longest part is rolling them up, but that isn't even that hard/long.  So don't delay!  Give them a try!