Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I am a sucker for anything baked--especially cake. This stuff is really good. I got a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook in high school and have made it ever since. Definitely a favorite. I love it every time I make it.

1 cup margarine or butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 8-ounce carton of sour cream
1/2 t. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda

Topping:
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional, I like walnuts or pecans)
3 T brown sugar
2 T sugar
2 t. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350. grease a 9x13 pan; set aside.

2. Cream together the butter and the 2 cups of sugar with a mixer on medium. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Beat one more minute.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and soda. Add the flour mixture to the sour cream mixture. Beat with the mixer on low for 2-3 minutes or until combined.

4. To make topping: in another small bowl stir together nuts, brown sugar and granulated sugar and cinnamon.

5. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the topping over the batter in the pan. Spoon the remaining better into the pan, spreading it slightly over the first layer of topping. Sprinkle the remaining toping over all.

6. Bake the coffee cake in the over about 35 min or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly before eating.

Chicago style hot dogs (or brats)

This is my new favorite way to eat a hotdog or bratwurst.  It's so yummy.

Recipe here.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 sweet onion (such as Vidalia), thinly sliced
1 Kirby cucumber, cut into thin strips
1 tomato, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup celery leaves
2 tablespoons chopped sport pepper or peperoncini
4 pickle spears

In a medium bowl, whisk together grainy mustard and white-wine vinegar; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Add sweet onion, cucumber, tomato, celery leaves, and sport pepper; toss to combine.

Serve on hotdog or brats with a pickle spear.

crostini

I had this at an Italian restaurant here the other weekend and made it at home for dinner.

1. Slice baguette or french bread, spread butter on each slice, and broil in oven til golden brown.
2. Take a fresh garlic clove (nettie, you could skip this. and the restaurant had roasted garlic on it, but i ain't got time for that) and rub or scrape on crusty/toasty bread. This will give a light garlic flavor ... not too overpowering.
3. Spread a layer of goat cheese on bread.
4. Top with roasted red peppers and fresh basil.

Balsamic Reduction

This is a lame post, but I loved it.

I've been so into goat cheese lately. Especially beets and goat cheese. If beets are on the menu at a restaurant, I ALWAYS order them. Anyway, as I was eating my daily dose of B&GC (we'll call it) the other day, I was thinking a balsamic vinaigrette would be yummy on it. But I didn't want to make a dressing. So then I thought of making a syrupy reduction --- it's way easier than boiling on the stove.

1.Put however much vinegar you want in to a mug (about 1/2 cup) with a couple pinches of sugar.
2. Heat/boil in microwave until it begins to thicken, just a few minutes. Then let cool (it will thicken as it cools).
3.Smother this yummy goodness all over everything, especially beets!

Thai Crunch Salad

We had this for dinner last night. It was really good. Nice and light for summer. If I were to do it again, I would make all the components beforehand so it was ready to go during dinner time. I think you can make most of it early. Or, you can do like I did and just cook the chicken while you're prepping the veg.

My kids ate the peanuts, chicken, and edamame (magic beans at our house). I served it with dinner rolls and cantaloupe to fill them up.

Chopped Thai Crunch Salad with Sweet and Spicy Dressing

YIELD: SERVES 4-6

The salad ingredients are very adaptable. We've made this before and omitted the red cabbage entirely, adding a bit more napa cabbage - you can definitely play around with all of the fresh salad ingredients. 

INGREDIENTS

Chicken:
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (from about 1 lime)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 
  
Vinaigrette:
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 4 tablespoons sweet Thai chili sauce (I didn't have this so I just added a dash of Siracha)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Salt and pepper (pinch of each)
• 
  
Peanut Dressing:
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Thai sweet chili sauce (I didn't have this so I just added a dash of Siracha)
• 2 tablespoons very hot water, plus more as needed
• 
  
Salad:
• 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 cups chopped napa cabbage
• 1 cup chopped red cabbage (I just used more garden cabbage instead)
• 1 cup diced cucumber, peeled or not
• 1 cup edamame
• 1 cup small diced carrots
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 4 green onions, white and green parts finely chopped
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• Peanuts for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. For the chicken, whisk together the oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a ziploc bag or shallow dish and cover with the marinade. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours (the longer it marinates, the better the flavor). Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill 6-7 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and let cool. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
2. For the vinaigrette, combine all the ingredients in a liquid measure or small mason jar and whisk (or shake) until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use. The dressing can be made up to a week in advance.
3. For the peanut dressing, whisk together (or again, shake in a mason jar), all the ingredients until well combined. Add additional hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dressing is smooth and thin enough to drizzle. 
4. In a large bowl, toss together all of the salad ingredients with the cooled and chopped chicken. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and toss until the ingredients are coated with the dressing. 
5. Serve the salad with the peanut dressing on the side to drizzle on top. We topped it with roasted peanuts and more Siracha.

Grilled Chicken and Veggie Skewers

We had these last night and I loved them.  Fast sunday dinner always tastes soooo good.

I did all the tomatoes on one skewer and all the zucchini on one skewer and all the mushrooms on one skewer...and so forth, so that it would cook evenly.  Plus I don't love to mix my chicken with veggies on skewers.

Grilled Chicken and Veggie Skewers
Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into small, bite-sized pieces

1 each yellow and green zucchini squash, cut in half (if large) and sliced

8 oz. small whole mushrooms, stems removed

1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper (or combo of 2 or more), chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 small red onion, carefully cut into bite-sized chunks (try to keep as much of the pieces in tact as possible, but don’t stress it if they start to fall apart)

Sweet cherry tomatoes

1 recipe of Zesty Italian Dressing (below) or 1 bottle of Berenstein’s Italian Dressing

Prepare Zesty Italian Dressing:

1/4 c. white vinegar

1/4 c. lemon juice

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. seasoning salt

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (this really doesn’t add much heat; it’s better with it!)

1/4 tsp. black pepper

4 cloves garlic

1 c. canola oil

1/3 c. Parmesan cheese (either fresh or from a can)

3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning (add more if needed)

In a blender, combine vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, mustard, salt, seasoning salt, black pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Blend. While blender is running, slowly add oil in a steady stream. Turn off blender and add Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Pulse blender 2-3 times to combine herbs and cheese. Remove 1/2 c. of dressing for basting during grilling and set aside.

Place cut-up chicken in a shallow dish and pour a little less than half of the remaining dressing over the chicken. Place in refrigerator for 2-3 hours or until ready to use.

Place chopped veggies in a dish (a 9×13 pan works great) and pour remaining dressing (except for reserved 1/2 c.) over the veggies. Toss gently to combine. Set aside.

If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for about 30 minutes.

When chicken is done marinating, skewer veggies and chicken (you’ll have far more veggies than chicken, so keep that in mind when assembling your skewers; I use about 3 pieces of chicken per skewer, but as many vegetables as I can get on there).

Preheat grill and then cook skewers for about 10-12 minutes over medium heat until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender-crisp, turning at least once.

Sweet and Spicy Pork and Pineapple Tacos

Another super easy recipe.  These weren't Jeff's favorite, but I really loved them.  First for the flavor, but second for how easy they are to prepare.

I made them on an afternoon we had soccer and swim and would be out of the house almost the entire afternoon.  I prepped the meat and spices and pineapple, so when we got home I just had to cook them.  It was really quick and easy.  The pork is really killer in this recipe, it's so tender.   I didn't add any toppings to them and I think they were perfect.  I considered pico, but I think the tomato would be weird with the pineapple.

• Ingredients:
• 2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (more to taste, if wanted)
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2-3 cups diced pineapple (see note above)
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Corn or flour tortillas for serving

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the pork pieces and add them to the hot skillet, browning on each side until golden (the pork doesn't need to cook all the way through in this step, just get a nice color on all the pieces). 
2. Stir in the garlic, cumin, chili powder and cayenne and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the juice and pineapple and simmer the mixture until the pork is cooked through, 7-9 minutes. 
3. Stir in the cilantro. Serve with corn or flour tortillas.

Grilled HOney Mustard Rosemary Chicken

This was delicious.  Perfect for grilling and memorial day and summer.

Perfect for sunday.  I marinade it while we are at church, serve with a green salad and roasted veggies.  Makes for an easy after Sunday dinner, especially if you are on top of things and prepare veggies and set the timer on your oven to start before you get home.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped (my neighbor has a rosemary plant, so I just sneak over and snip some sprigs, but it would probably be good with dried.)
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• Lemon wedges for serving

Directions:

1. Whisk together the olive oil, mustard, honey, garlic, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Place the chicken in a gallon-size ziploc bag and pour in the marinade. The mixture will be pretty thick; that's ok. Press out excess air, seal the bag and then gently mash the bag with your hands until the marinade mixture evenly coats the chicken. 
2. Refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours. 
3. Preheat an outdoor grill to about 350 degrees and cook the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. 
4. Drizzle fresh lemon juice over the chicken and serve (or serve the lemon wedges alongside).  (I forgot to do this and we still liked it.)

Best Peanut Butter Cookies Ever

I don't love PB cookies. I love these. Rob says they are the best Peanut Butter cookies he's ever had. Loved them. I followed the weight measurements with a digital scale and they were perfect.

From Mel.

The Best Peanut Butter Cookies

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN COOKIES

I haven't tested the recipe using natural peanut butter - I've only used traditional creamy peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy). The trick to this recipe is instead of pressing the cookies flat before baking, give them a light press after they are done baking. It makes all the difference in the world for soft, dense peanut butter cookies.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks, 16 tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 cups creamy peanut butter (see note)
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (10 1/2 ounces)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 
4. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix until combined. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until creamy. 
5. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. 
6. Scoop the dough and roll into 1- or 2-inch balls. Place on parchment- or silpat-lined (or lightly greased) large, rimmed baking sheets, placing them a couple inches apart.
7. Bake for 10-11 minutes until puffed. Don't overbake.
8. Remove from the oven and immediately press each cookie to flatten slightly with the bottom of a flat drinking glass. Don't flatten the cookies to smithereens, just press the puffed part down until the cookies are an even thickness. 
9. Scoop onto a cooling rack to cool completely. These cookies freeze great (and actually taste amazing straight from the freezer).

Mom's Bread

Before I accidently delete this picture again...

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette Grilled Fish Tacos

Fish Tacos.  I love them.  If they are on a menu at a Mexican Restaurant, I always get them, these are pretty darn good, and probably my favorite homemade to date.

Recipe found here.

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette:  (This is a Cafe Rio Copy cat (not the creamy dressing))
1/4 c. fresh lime juice (about 2-3 juicy limes)
1/4 c. white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic (I used one clove and didn't blend it.  I just cut it into fourths and added it to the dressing, so you get a really mild garlic flavor.  I really don't like strong raw garlic flavor)
1/2 tsp. Kosher or sea salt
2 tsp. sugar
1 c. canola oil
1/2 c. roughly chopped cilantro, stems removed

In the jar of your blender, combine lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, and sugar. Blend until ingredients are completely combined. With the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream. Add cilantro and blend until the cilantro has broken down but still maintains some of its texture. Serve with greens, on any type of Mexican salad, or use as a marinade.

For the tacos, I marinated 4 Tilapia Filets for 20minutes in the vinaigrette.  Grilled (on a piece of tin foil so it wouldn't fall through the grates when flipped)  for about 5 minutes.  

Shred cabbage (purple or green) and toss with more of the marinade.  Fish tacos are incomplete without cabbage.  Serve on Corn tortilla.

Additional toppings you might like:

pico de gallo (whatever you like)
avocado
mango
cotija cheese

Skillet Taco Pasta Shells {30-Minute Meal}

I kind of loved this. It's not fancy, but I made it because I had all the ingredients in my house already and I was in a comfort food kind of mood. It made for a super quick lunch. And it kind of reminded me of a delicious, non-processed version of Hamburger helper. I think kids would love it. From Mel.

Skillet Taco Pasta Shells

YIELD: SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground turkey or beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder or 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used a pint I bottled, and they were so good)
• 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup salsa verde (green salsa or green enchilada sauce) A dusty can from my pantry...
• 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained I used black beans instead
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 1/2 cups medium pasta shells (like these) I did a bit less here. Probably 2 1/4 because I like more sauce
• 1 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Fresh cilantro for sprinkling
• Sour cream, olives and salsa for serving (optional)
• I heated up some frozen corn and threw it in at the end instead of having it on the side. I liked it.

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the ground turkey or beef, salt, pepper, onion (or onion powder), and garlic (or garlic powder), stirring every once in a while to break the meat into small pieces. Once the meat is cooked through, drain any excess grease and scrape the meat mixture to a paper towel-lined plate. 
2. To the skillet add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa verde, pinto beans, chili powder, oregano, pasta shells, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. 
3. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring often to make sure the pasta isn't sticking, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 15-20 minutes. 
4. Stir in the cooked ground meat and top with the shredded cheese. Cover the skillet for 1-2 minutes to let the cheese melt. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. The pasta will thicken as it rests. 
5. Serve with sour cream, olives, and salsa, if desired.

Applesauce Oat Muffins

From Mel's. I made these and they were a great, simple muffin. The girls devoured them. They weren't too sweet, but I still might try going down to 1/4 cup of sugar next time. I don't like things very sweet.

Healthy Applesauce Oat Muffins

YIELD: MAKES 12 MUFFINS

I always double this recipe because they freeze so well!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup rolled/old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce 
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
• 1/3 cup sugar 
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease the muffin cups. Set aside..
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the oatmeal, applesauce, milk, egg, vanilla, butter and sugar. Set aside. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt (and cranberries or raisins if using). Make a well in the center and pour in the applesauce mixture. Stir until just combined (don't overmix or the muffins will be dense and dry). The muffin batter texture might be a bit different (wetter?) than other muffin batters but no fear, carry on!
4. Distribute the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake or the muffins will be dry.
5. Remove the muffins to a rack to cool completely. Once cool, I place 6-9 muffins in a large freezer ziploc bag, suck all the air out (oh yes I do) and seal the bag, then freeze, pulling them out one by one to stick in my kids lunches or warm slightly for a snack.

Recipe Source: adapted very, very slightly from my friend, Katie K. (added a pinch of salt)