Sourdough (Whole Wheat) English Muffins

Source: adapted from King Arthur Flour, with some baking tips from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients: 

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 cups (454 g) warm water (I left the gram amounts on the things that I actually weigh instead of measure in a cup)

1 Tablespoon yeast

1 cup (227 g) sourdough starter

1/2 cup dry milk

1 Tablespoon table salt

2-3 cups (up to ~450 g) whole wheat flour

4 Tablespoons butter, softened

~3 cups all purpose flour

yellow cornmeal, for coating

Directions:

Combine the dough ingredients (sugar through whole wheat flour) in a large bowl and mix well. Add softened butter and some all purpose flour and mix well. On a floured surface, knead the dough (add more flour as needed) until smooth and elastic (it won't be particularly sticky).

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise for about 1 1/2 hours, until noticeably puffy. For best sourdough flavor, immediately place bowl in fridge (without rising first) and allow to chill for up to 24 hours (I usually make the dough midday or afternoon and take it out in the morning, so not quite a full 24 hours).

Gently deflate the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly cover with a towel and let it rest for a 10-20 minutes. Roll the dough to a large circle around 3/8" thick. Cut in rounds with a drinking glass. Glob the leftover bits into another ball and re-roll and cut until it's all used up. (I usually get 20-22 muffins from a batch.)

Place the rounds, evenly spaced, on cornmeal coated sheet pans. Sprinkle the tops of the rounds with more cornmeal. Gently cover with a dish towel and let rise for 45-60 minutes or up to 2 hours (if the dough has been refrigerated) until light and puffy.

Transfer as many as will fit without crowding onto an electric skillet preheated to 300 degrees F (I can get 6-8 per batch) and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the partially baked muffins to a cornmeal lined cookie sheet (I use the same one they had risen on) and finish baking for 5-10 more minutes in a 350 degree F oven, until internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F. Continue cooking and baking the rest of the muffins similarly. Let muffins cool on a rack, and then enjoy or slice and freeze for breakfast sandwiches of the future.

Notes:

I love English muffins, and have tried to make them a few times, but it wasn't until I landed on this recipe (with a sourdough starter I created during the pandemic like everyone else in the world!) and baking method combo. Now I make them every few months, keeping a stash in the freezer for whenever an egg mcmuffin hankering strikes. My friend's husband once said they taste more like English muffins than English muffins do. Ha! I'll take that as a compliment. They are delicious.

Shrimp Tacos

Source: adapted from Natasha's Kitchen (I have no idea how I stumbled on this in the first place, but it is a go-to in our house, so I'm so glad I did!)

Ingredients: 

For the shrimp:

1 pound raw shrimp (peeled, deveined and tail off) (I always get the extra small because there are more in a bag and it feels like everyone gets more for their tacos)

1 garlic clove, pressed or minced

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 Tablespoon olive oil

For the sauce:

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayo

1 lime, juiced

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon sriracha sauce (I usually use maybe 1/4-1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce because I don't usually have sriracha)

For the tacos:

8-12 tortillas, heated (we love small corn tortillas warmed up on the griddle for these)

cabbage, shredded (green or purple, whatever you like)

avocado, sliced

cotija cheese, crumbled

cilantro, chopped

lime, wedged

onion, diced (red or green, either is lovely)

Directions: 

First, thaw your shrimp if they're frozen. You can do this overnight in the fridge or in a colander under cool running water. Add seasonings, oil and shrimp to a medium bowl and toss to combine.

Next make your sauce: whisk everything together. Bam. Easy. You can put it in a squeeze bottle if you have one and you want to, but it's just as yummy coming out of a re-used sour cream container with a spoon.

Prep your tortillas and toppings by heating, shredding, slicing, crumbling, chopping, wedging and dicing as needed and desired.

Cook your shrimp in a singled layer in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, 1-2 minutes per side, until just cooked through (they'll turn pink when they're ready).

Assemble your tacos by placing a few shrimp and a good drizzle of sauce and whatever toppings you like (I like ALLLL the toppings!) and chow down!

Notes: 

This is one of those recipes that is seriously so easy, but seriously SO good! And it's pretty quick once you have all the prepping done. We make them at least monthly, especially in the spring and summer, and they even worked pretty well as a meal for the family, cooked on a cabin stove at Red Canyon a couple summers ago with the Blanchards. (Scale ingredients as needed.)

Bibimbap aka Korean Beef Bowls

Source: Adapted from my friend Alli at Longbourn Farm

Ingredients: 

1/2 lb ground beef

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 cup beef broth (or 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon beef bullion) 

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 pinch (or shake) red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons cornstarch 

2 teaspoons cold water

Serve with:

hot cooked rice

sliced green onions

shredded carrots

cooked spinach

"egg pancake" (just shake up a few eggs and pour a bit into a small frying pan and cook it like a pancake then slice it up into strips)

diced cucumbers (my family is not the hugest fan of these so we haven't used them lately)

sesame seeds or everything seasoning

Directions: 

Brown the beef, onion and garlic in a small saucepan. Drain the grease. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, mix the sauce ingredients (sesame oil, broth, soy sauce, sugar, vinegars, ginger and red pepper flakes). Add sauce to meat mixture and bring to a simmer. Mix the cornstarch with the water in a small dish and then add to the sauce. Simmer until slightly thickened. Serve over hot cooked rice with toppings of your choice (you could think of it like a "Korean haystack"). (Don't forget to "mix it! Mix like crazy [. . .] for your bee-bim bop!")

Notes: 

I'm back again with another Asian bowl dish (not noodles this time, but rice). We first were introduced to Bibimbap way back in 2015 (I believe) in the children's picture book Bee-bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park. Then, in 2019, I saw a recipe in the Friend Magazine and on my friend's blog around the same time. I figured it was time to give it a try. I used Alli's beef and sauce recipe and lots of the toppings from the Friend and the picture book. And everyone loved it! We have been making it ever since. I'm not saying it's authentic, but it's close enough for us. ;) What you see above is how I've tweaked it over the years. The jotted notes on a scratch paper in my recipe binder are getting hard to read, so it's about stinkin' time it made it to the ol' blog.

TikTok Ramen

Source: Adapted from Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

5 packages ramen (discard the seasoning packet) (I just discovered you can buy a big bag of just the noodles at our local Ocean Mart, which is brilliant!)

3 1/2 Tablespoons butter

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 rounded Tablespoons brown sugar

5 Tablespoons soy sauce

5 Tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

2 green onions, sliced

6 eggs

Everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the ramen noodles for 2-3 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.

Whisk together the ginger, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and chili sauce and set aside.

While the water is boiling and the noodles are cooking, melt the butter in a tiny saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is bubbly, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the the soy sauce mixture. Cook until bubbly (about 1 minute). 

Add to the noodles and stir to coat completely. Add green onions.

In a large skillet or frying pan (or you could even just push the noodles to the side of the big pot and do it in there if you don't want to dirty another pan), fry or scramble the eggs the way you like them.

Divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Top with egg(s). Sprinkle with Everything seasoning or sesame seeds.

Notes:

This is the other Asian-inspired noodle recipe we love and make often (and my notes on a card in my binder are unreadable, thus my finally posting it here for posterity). No, I have no idea why it's called TikTok Ramen (I've never been on TikTok), but I do know it's easy, quick and delicious! It's definitely one that the kids request whenever I ask for ideas for the dinner plan. I have tweaked it above from the original recipe to make the amount that we like and will eat. (Sometimes we have a bit left over, but usually this is juuust right for the four of us - two kids, two adults.) But you can adapt it as you see fit!

Thai Peanut Noodles

Source: Adapted from Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup peanut butter (can use either creamy or crunchy)

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (I tend to go higher with Lee Kum Kee brand, and lower with Huy Fong brand)

1 1/2 Tablespoon honey

1/3 cup soy sauce (maybe a splash more if needed)

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

16 oz linguine rice noodles

2-3 green onions, chopped

1/2 lime, wedged

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions.

As the noodles are cooking, chop garlic, green onions, cilantro and peanuts and set aside.

To prepare the sauce, in a saucepan mix broth, peanut butter, chili garlic sauce, honey, ginger and minced garlic. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until the peanut butter melts and the ingredients are combined. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes, until slightly thickened. The sauce will thicken as it stands.

When the noodles are cooked, drain and return to the pot. Add sauce, green onions, cilantro and peanuts and gently toss with tongs to coat noodles and distribute toppings.

Serve with lime wedges. If it sits for a bit before serving and gets too thick, just add a splash of broth or hot water to loosen it up. (Also helpful when reheating the leftovers.)

Notes:

This has been a go-to recipe for our family for years. Sam even requested it for a birthday dinner with grandparents back in the day (I think back then we served it with cooked cubed chicken, but normally we keep it meatless, which I like to have in the dinner rotation). I've tweaked ingredients and amounts according to what I like, and I have those jotted down on a splashed and running scratch paper in my recipe binder. Today I decided it was high time to get it posted on the ol' blog so I can remember my version and someone else can make it, too. Wow, it's been a while, but I think I'll be back soon with another asian noodle recipe that is in the same state of hard-to-read-ness in my file as this. Stay tuned!

Shrimp and Veggie Coconut Curry

Source: adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:

for the shrimp marinade:

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (I usually just do a pinch)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined (sometimes I do half chicken and half shrimp if I don't have quite enough shrimp or I want more meat - I don't marinate the chicken when I do that, I just dice it, season it with salt, pepper and ginger powder, and saute it in some olive oil before everything else, then set aside till the sauce is ready)

for the sauce:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 medium red or yellow onion, finely chopped

Veggies of your choice to fill your pot (I use my 8 quart soup pot when I make this, and I just eyeball it to make up for the meat if I'm leaving it out, and even if I'm leaving it in, I like to have lots of veggies) some delicious ideas:

    chopped cauliflower

    diced potatoes

    sliced carrots

    chopped zucchini

    peeled and chopped eggplant

    diced sweet potatoes

    diced bell pepper

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced

2 teaspoons ground coriander

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced or stewed tomatoes, undrained (I use Italian style and it's yummy)

1 can coconut milk, light or regular

1 cup - 1 can chicken broth, to cover veggies (if they aren't covered by the coconut milk alone)

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Hot cooked rice for serving, if desired

Directions:

For the simple shrimp marinade, toss the shrimp with the salt, pepper, cayenne and lemon juice in a resealable large bag or in a bowl. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until rippling and hot. (If using chicken instead of/in addition to shrimp, saute the diced chicken breast and then remove to a bowl, leaving as much oil and juice in the pot as possible). Add the onion and whatever other veggies your heart desires and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the pepper, ginger, salt, garlic, coriander, turmeric and curry powder. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture is very fragrant and the onion is soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the undrained tomatoes to the pot and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, for about 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and broth (if needed to cover the veggies), stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer covered till the veggies are soft. Add the shrimp and any accumulated juices from the marinade (and/or if you're using chicken in addition/instead, add it now).

Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the shrimp are curled, lightly pink and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the cilantro (I forgot the cilantro last time! and I usually just serve it as a garnish). Serve over hot, cooked rice, if desired. (And don't forget the naan - it's the main reason I make curry in the first place!)

Notes:

Wow! It's been a long time since I've posted a recipe on the ol' Bistro! But when I made this curry for Sunday dinner and both my mom and Gregg's mom asked for the recipe, I knew it was time to get it up for posterity. I started with Mel's recipe, but if you click on her link you'll see that I have made this one my own by throwing all the veggies I can think of into the pot. I love the variety. But if you don't, you can leave them out. If you do add lots of veggies, and thus add more broth, then you'll end up with a TON of curry and you'll probably be eating it every single day for lunch for a week. Which is not a bad thing, but if you hate that idea, then maybe somehow only do half. (Good luck!) Enjoy! It's delicious!

Elsässer Hackfleisch

233 / 5000

Translation results40 g bacon

A family favorite for as long as I can remember. The first thing I cook when the weather gets colder and something my mom makes whenever I come home from long travels. 

40g bacon
20g butter
400g ground beef
2 onions 
1 glass of red wine 
3 tablespoons of tomato paste 
Salt, pepper 
1 pinch of grated thyme 
300 g sauerkraut (Hengstenberg Mildessa is nice)
30 g grated parmesan cheese 
20 g butter/sour cream 
Sides: Salt potatoes with melted butter

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400F.

2. Dice the bacon and onions. Heat the bacon in a large pan. Add the butter. Then mix in the ground beef and onions while stirring. Roast for 10 minutes. 

3. Deglaze with red wine. Stir in tomato paste—season with salt, pepper, and thyme.

4. Grease the baking dish well. Pour in half of the beef mixture. Spread the sauerkraut on top.

Spread the remaining beef mixture, grated cheese and, the butter / sour cream in flakes on top.

5. Place in the preheated oven on the middle rack and bake for 45 minutes.

Caramel Brownies

Source:  My friend, Gina Dansie

Ingredients:

• 1 box German chocolate cake mix
• 2 bags (11 oz each) caramels, unwrapped
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk, divided in half
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease and flour a 9-13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together cake mix and 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk. Add melted butter and mix together. Mixture will be thick.
3. Divide dough in half and press one half into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until just slightly set, about 7-8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, melt the caramels and remaining evaporated milk in the microwave. Stir occasionally, until caramels have melted and mixture is totally smooth. 
5. Sprinkle the first brownie layer with chocolate chips, then pour the caramel mixture over it, making sure it’s evenly spread out. 
6. Piece remaining brownie dough on top of the caramel layer. Bake for 15-18 minutes, then let brownies come to room temperature. Cover and chill in refrigerator for several hours to set caramel layer.

Comments:  

These brownies are ridiculously good.  I texted my friend Gina so many times to text me the recipe, then I kept forgetting to write it down.  So, it is now saved here for your and my brownie baking pleasure!

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.