Peanut Butter Candy

Sweet treat time! This peanut butter deliciousness is the perfect treat to share at work or with friends and family during the Holiday season. Super easy to make AND makes a ton!

Ingredients:

1 cup Captain Crunch peanut butter cereal
1 cup Rice Krispies
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 12oz bag Nestle Toll House white chocolate chips

In large bowl, combine cereal, peanuts and marshmallows.
In microwave safe bowl combine chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave 2 minutes in 30 second increments. Stir peanut butter and chips every 30 seconds.

Pour peanut butter chocolate mixture over dry ingredients and stir to coat. Dollop teaspoon size servings on wax paper and allow to set, 30 min to and hour.
Makes 70-80 candies.

Keep in airtight container!

Spinach, Goat Cheese, and Pear salad

This time of year we tend to forget to give our bodies the nutrients it needs, I therefore decided to make a spinach salad for my lunches this week. 
The following recipe will be a lunch portion, but is pretty easy to make for dinner, large crowd, etc. I will also be brand specific on certain things as I am not sure how substitutions for them would work. IF, you make this, and change and ingredient or substitute  something, please let me know what you did! 


Ingredients: 

• heaping handful of fresh baby spinach
• about 1 Tbs cranberry orange goat cheese: found at Whole Foods
• 1/8 small red onion: diced
• 1/4  Bosc pear: sliced or diced
• 1/2 Tbs Whole Foods German mustard
• 1-2 Tbs Garlic Expressions salad dressing (I buy at Fresh Market, but sometimes you can find it at Publix)
• a palm full of crushed raw walnuts

In plastic container(lunch size) add spinach, goat cheese, onion, pear, and walnuts. In separate small Glad container, combine mustard and salad dressing. 

Once you are ready to eat: dress your salad in it's own container and shake to coat. Lunch is served! 

I finish my lunch with a clementine for dessert. 

A nice healthy winter meal! 

Em's Tips/Tricks: 

• Prep everything and store in your fridge. This makes making a lunch during the work week so easy. 
• Store your washed spinach in an air tight container. 
• Pre-dice your onion and store in ziploc bag or plastic container. 
• I don't recommend pre slicing your pear as it will brown on you and the goat cheese is easy to crumble over your salad when you are building it in the lunch container. 
• Can't find the cranberry orange goat cheese? Substitute regular goat cheese, Craisins, and a splash of orange juice. 
• No Bosc pear? Ask your grocer for a good sub....you simply want a pear with a bite to it. 
• Sub spicy mustard for German. 

Turn this salad into an entree and serve with pork, steak, grilled chicken, or salmon. 

Novice chefs want to know how to make a bigger salad? 

• 1 bag baby spinach
• 1/2 cranberry orange goat cheese log
• 1/2 to 1 whole Bosc pear
• 2-3 Tbs mustard
• 1/4 cup salad dressing(or more if you like your salad more dressed)
• 1/2 cup crushed walnuts

Picture to come today once I make lunch! :) 

Cranberry Pineapple Cake

A follow up to the apple dump cake. This version would be another great option for a holiday dessert, either Thanksgiving or Christmas. Cloves make me think of the holidays and cooking the cranberries alone will make your house smell divine.  

Ingredients: 

1 cup fresh cranberries(or half a bag)

1 tsp cloves

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 can crushed pineapple

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick unsalted butter(cut into thin slices)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9 pan.

In small saucepan combine cranberries, water, sugar and cloves. Cook on medium low heat until cranberries burst open. (5-10 minutes)

In bottom of 13x9 pour cranberries and pineapple. Sprinkle DRY cake mix over top. Disperse pats of butter over dry cake mix. 

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until top is golden brown. 

Refer to my apple dump cake for tips on how to make less servings. :)

Apple Spice "Dump" Cake

So first off, I am not a fan of the title "dump" cake, but the concept is genius. The idea is that you "dump" all ingredients into the pan with no bowl or stirring required. This dessert couldn't be simpler and I am sharing with you just in time for the holidays! You can wow your family, friends, co-workers, whomever!
The recipe I am sharing with you is enough for 2 servings, keeping true to my website title, but you can easily make the entire 8 serving recipe. (see bottom of post for how to make the bigger serving)

Ingredients:

3 apples; peeled and sliced( I used Pink Ladies)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 cup water
1 box Duncan Hines Spice cake mix
4 tbs butter sliced into 8 thin slices
cooking spray
small casserole dish(I have a dish that is about 4x7)

• each box of cake mix contains exactly 4 cups dry mix which easily allows you to make smaller servings and save the rest for later

Heat oven to 350. Coat casserole with cooking spray.
In small saucepan combine apples, spices, and water. Cook on medium low heat covered, until apples are fork tender.
Pour apples into buttered dish. Top with 1 cup of dry spice cake mix. Place 8 pats of butter over top the DRY cake mix.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until top appears golden brown.
Serve warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
Happy Thanksgiving ya'll!

Okay for all of you out there that now want to make this for your entire family for Turkey Day, here is the 8 serving recipe.

6-8 apples; peeled and sliced
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1/2-1 cup water
1 box Spice Cake Mix
1 stick of butter cut into thin slices

Same as above, except use a 13x9 pan!
Easy peasy! :)

Beef Tostadas

As promised, here is my final meal using the SAME chuck roast we started with over a week ago.
Remember, we have now had chili, roast, stroganoff and now tostadas. That is 4 different meals using one chuck roast!
You're. Welcome. :)


Beef Tostadas

Ingredients:

remaining chuck roast(1/2-1cup)
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chili powder
2 hefty tbs refried beans
2,  8 in tortillas(flour or corn)
About 1/2 cup monterray jack cheese(divided)
sour cream
lettuce: chopped

Preheat oven to 350.
Reheat chopped beef in small skillet. Season with pinch of cumin and chili powder.
Heat refried beans in microwave. In small skillet toast tortillas on both sides over medium heat in a smidge of EVOO.
Evenly distribute beans on each tortilla coating it like sauce on a pizza. Top with beef and cheese.
Place in over and bake about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Remove, cut into "pizza" pieces and sprinkle with chopped lettuce and a dollop of sour cream!
Yum-o and easy!

Chuck Roast Stroganoff

If you haven't noticed, this is yet ANOTHER meal using the same chuck roast we used both in the chili and on its own!
This meal is probably one of my all time favorite meals and it's a leftover meal.
Serve with a fresh green veggie( I enjoy broccoli or green beans) and over egg noodles or rice.

"Leftover" Chuck Roast Stroganoff

Ingredients:

8oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup leftover roast chopped
1/2 cup leftover beef broth (this is the yummy beef juices I told you to save from the roast)
1/2 cup sour cream

Heat 2-3 Tbs EVOO in large skillet to medium heat. Add mushrooms and allow to brown 5-10 minutes. (Do Not Add Salt!)
Once mushrooms have cooked down some, add chopped beef and heat through maybe 5 minutes.
Pour in beef broth and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. (your liquid should cook down a little)
Finally stir in sour cream. Done!
Believe it or not: 4 servings!

To me, this is comfort food at it's best. :)

I am still pondering what to do with the remaining beef I have leftover, so stay tuned!

Crock Pot Chuck Roast

As promised, here is my super easy recipe for a beef crock pot roast using the same roast I used in the chili. The roast in total was about 2.75 lb and I used 3/4lb for the chili and the remaining 2lb went in the crock pot. 
This meal is proof that you can eat on a budget AND not get bored with meals. From this one roast I will have chili, roast, and beef stroganoff. I might even be able to make beef fried rice! That's 4 meals from 1 roast! 

Crock Pot Chuck Roast

Ingredients: 

2lb chuck roast
1 box beef broth
1 medium/large onion sliced
2-3 garlic cloves smashed
salt/pepper 
EVOO

Heat 2-3tbs EVOO in large skillet to medium/high heat. Thoroughly season roast with salt and pepper. Sear roast in skillet on all sides. 

• Searing is super important: it seals in all the juices in the roast and provides a lot of yummy flavor! 

Place roast in crock pot and cover with onion, garlic, and beef broth. You want the roast completely covered in liquid, so you can add water(after box of broth) if needed. 
Cook on desired amount of time. I let mine cook on the 10 hour setting. Come hour 8, your meat will be pull apart tender. 
Serve with rice and a green veggie. 
4 servings if you just want roast OR
1 roast serving, 1-2 stroganoff servings, 1-2 fried rice servings. Hot damn that's awesome! :) 

• Roasted broccoli: Toss fresh broccoli with EVOO and season with salt. Roast in oven on foil lined cookie sheet at 400 degrees about 10 minutes. 
• Jasmine Rice: Boil 2 cups water add 1-2tsp salt. Add 1 cup rice to boiling water. Cover with lid, reduce heat to low and cook for 30 min. Don't check it! Leave the lid on the entire 30 minutes. 

Forgot to take a finished product pic! Oops! 

• Save your leftover roast AND it's yummy juice. You will use both for your stroganoff the next night. 
• Shopping ahead, you will need sour cream and mushrooms to finish off your stroganoff. 
• Save your leftover rice and you are one step ahead in making fried rice! 
• If you choose to make the fried rice, you will need an egg and any veggies you like!

Stay tuned for stroganoff and fried rice posts! :) 

Em's Chipotle Beef Chili

Weather finally got a smidge cooler this weekend which inspired me to play around with a chili recipe. This recipe was inspired by one I saw made on tv that had turkey as the protein. Being a lover of a good roast I decided to incorporate a beef roast into my chili. 
Keep in mind this recipe steers away from "mini meals" and makes a good amount of chili BUT there is so much plan ahead in this recipe it is insane. Below I will make a few notes/tips that go alongside this recipe. 

• Buy a 2-3 lb chuck roast: use part for this recipe, freeze the rest for a delicious pot roast  and stroganoff
• See stroganoff recipe in older post
• Stay tuned for crock pot roast recipe(an all time favorite!)
• Buy 1 lb ground beef: freeze 2/3 for a hamburger, taco meat, or protein for another soup
• Buy ziploc twist and seal round storage containers: these provide a perfect way to save/freeze leftover chili. One container is a perfect serving size- A GREAT go-to lunch or dinner any day of the week! 
• Use a crock pot! If making for a work night, prep all of it the night before, place crock pot pot in fridge, then simply turn on in the morning. Get home to a yum-o chili ready to eat! 
• Food process all of your chipotle in adobo at one time. Freeze leftovers and you have chipotle puree anytime you need it! 

Ingredients: 

• 3 cans of beans(I used black, chili, and kidney)
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes(I used one with chipotle and one with garlic/onion- I don't recommend an italian spiced tomato for this recipe)
• 1 can chipotle and adobo(this is fire roasted jalepeno peppers- you can find them on the Hispanic food isle)
• 3/4-1lb chuck roast cut into bite size pieces
• 1 bottle beer of your choice.....remember you should like how it tastes as it only concentrates when cooking! 
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1/3 lb ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic
• cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips for serving

Heat large skillet to medium heat. Add 2-3 tbs EVOO. Season chuck roast with salt and pepper then sear in skillet on both sides. 

Add 2-3 peppers(or 2-3Tbs puree) to pan while meat sears. Deglaze pan with 1/2 bottle beer. Remove meat and place in crock pot. In same skillet cook ground beef. Add onion and garlic to pan as meat cooks. Place beef, onions and garlic in crock pot. Top with beans and tomatoes and remaining beer.  Cook in crock pot for however long you need.(I cooked mine for 10 hours.)

• Keep an eye on the amount of liquid in your chili. If it appears to be getting too think, add a little water. 
• The amount of chipotle you add will determine the heat/spice of the chili. I added 3 and my chili had a good "kick" to it. 
• I used whole peppers and whole garlic cloves then pulled them out of the finished product in the end. If you desire you can puree your peppers and dice your garlic. 

Serve topped with cheese and sour cream!  

Makes 4 hearty servings.

Pumpkin Truffles!!

Happy Fall Ya'll! 
The past few months have been a whirlwind, hence the lack of posts. I have changed jobs AND moved into an apartment in Savannah. I am an official Savannah resident. :) This weeks was my first real weekend "home" and I was able to play in the kitchen again. 
Last year I did some experimenting on making a pumpkin truffle and while I had many fans, I wasn't quite satisfied. Today I think I perfected it, I mean it is candy store quality. This would be a great party treat, gift, or alternative Thanksgiving dessert. 


Perfect Pumpkin Truffles 

Ingredients:

3 Tbs pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice- divided(I like to make my own- cinnamon, all spice, and ginger)

1 tsp vanilla

1 bag Ghirardelli white chocolate chips

2 graham crackers crushed OR crushed ginger snap cookies!

1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 200 degrees(I use my toaster oven). Place graham cracker crumbs on cookie sheet and toss with 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Bake 5-10 minutes or until "toasted". In small bowl combine pumpkin puree, vanilla, and 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice. 

In microwave safe bowl, microwave white chocolate chips in 30 sec increments, stirring every 30 sec until melted. (takes about 2 minutes total)

This step is KEY or else chips won't melt properly. Stir in pumpkin mixture and graham cracker crumbs. 

Place in refrigerator until firm to touch. 

Remove from fridge and roll into tablespoon size balls. Place truffles on cookie sheet and return to fridge. 

While truffles are in fridge, work on your coating. 

In microwave safe bowl combine semi sweet and bittersweet chocolate. Microwave in 30 sec increments until melted. 

Remove truffles from fridge and roll one by one in chocolate. 

Place back on cookie sheet and sprinkle with remaining graham cracker crumbs. 

Return to fridge for chocolate to harden. 

Makes 28-30 truffles. 

Super Simple "Caprese" pasta

Quick and easy go to meal for a busy week night! You can make this meal in under 30 minutes start to finish! :)


Ingredients: 

handful of grape tomatoes sliced in half
3-4 Tbs basil pesto(I used store bought, feel free to make your own)
FRESH mozzarella diced(Yes, fresh makes a difference)
1/4 box vermicelli pasta
salt
EVOO


Fill medium sized pot half way with water and bring to a boil. Salt water!! Add pasta and cook to al dente. 
Drain pasta. 
In same pot, add EVOO over medium heat. Saute tomatoes 2-3 minutes. Add pasta and basil pesto. Stir to combine. 
Remove from heat and toss in diced mozzarella. 
Serve! 

Come on, how EASY is that?! 

Roasted Vegetable Israeli Cous Cous

Hey friends! Long time no blog! 
Since my last post, I have worked in Maine(had good ol' camp food all summer) and moved to Savannah! Wooo!! I haven't made anything extravagant yet, but I have made a few quick and delicious meals my first work week. :) While I don't enjoy the texture of regular cous cous, I love israeli cous cous. It is much larger and more of a texture like pasta. Make sure you look at this recipe as a guide, feel free to roast whatever veggies you like/are in season. 

Ingredients: 

(veggies of your choice, the following are what I used)

1/2 regular eggplant or 1 japanese eggplant, rough chop
2-3 small sweet peppers(Publix sells a bag of red, yellow, and orange peppers that are yummy)
1 ear of corn, corn removed
1 zucchini, rough chop
handful of grape tomatoes
1 log goat cheese of your choice(feta would be good too, or you could omit cheese)
EVOO
4 Tbs cumin
salt/pepper
1 box Near East israeli cous cous


Preheat oven to 425. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Pour yourself a glass of wine. :) 
Follow box directions to prepare cous cous. I added 2 Tbs cumin to water when boiling. 
In bowl toss all veggies with EVOO to coat, along with cumin, salt and pepper. Place on aluminum foil lined baking sheet. 
Bake 20-30 minutes or until appear roasted. 
Cut goat cheese into small chunks. (I used Publix garlic and herb goat cheese)
In large bowl toss veggies with cous cous and goat cheese. 
Enjoy! 

Just as good reheated for leftovers. I think it would be great with any protein too! Grilled chicken, steak, salmon, white fish, pork, etc.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Another quick and easy pasta salad. Not being a big sandwich fan, I tend to turn to pasta salads for an easy go-to lunch during the week!


Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole wheat orzo
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans
handful fresh baby spinach
1/4 crumbled feta cheese
2-3 tbs balsamic vinegar
2-3 tbs evoo


Cook orzo according to package directions. Cool completely. Drain and rinse garbanzo beans. 
In plastic container combine all ingredients. Seal with lid and shake! Refrigerate. You may find you want to add salt, vinegar, evoo after it has sat overnight. 
So stinkin easy and so delish!

Servings: About 4-5 lunch servings

Prosciutto wrapped Pesto Chicken Sliders

Long time no talk blog followers! Spring is in the air and with warmer weather comes lighter dishes. I've been out of town a bit so I haven't been playing much in the kitchen. We all know that I love a good burger, but trying to eat healthier and burgers doesn't quite go in the same sentence. So here is my yummy healthy slider! It is quite tasty and you don't even need a bun!


Ingredients: 

1 lb ground chicken
4 tbs pesto(feel free to make your own, but I took the stores help!)
1 medium onion sliced
4 thin slices prosciutto
4 slices gruyere
2 tbs butter
2 tbs EVOO
small skillet

Heat butter and EVOO in small skillet to medium heat. Add thinly sliced onions.(salt and pepper to taste) Reduce head to medium low and cook 30-45 minutes, until onions are caramelized. 

While onions are cooking go ahead and prep your sliders. 

In a bowl combine ground chicken and basil pesto. Separate into 4 equal patties. Wrap each patty in slice of prosciutto. 

• I consider 2 sliders a serving, so I took the other two and froze them. Ready to go dinner on a busy night! 

Once onions are caramelized, remove from pan and set aside. 

In the same pan, increase heat to medium (there should be some oil/butter left) and add chicken sliders. Cook for about 5 minutes and flip. Continue to cook for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, top with caramelized onions and gruyere. Cover pan and allow cheese to melt for about a minute. 

Servings: 2 (keeping in mind 2 sliders went in the freezer)

Serve with a fresh green salad! 

Spring Green Risotto

The next couple of recipes are not for 2 or 3, but for a ton of people. I sometimes enjoy making larger portions and freezing a lot of it. That way on a work night when you don't feel like cooking, you know you have something delicious waiting for you! This recipe is from Bon Appetite, but in true Emily fashion I tweaked it and made it my own. You too can change up the ingredients. That is the beauty of risotto, it's a blank slate for any ingredients you like! 

Spring Green Risotto

2 cups arborio rice
8oz baby bella mushrooms-sliced/chopped
2 cups shelled edamame(I used frozen)
1 leek(CLEANED and chopped)
4 cloves garlic diced
1 bunch spinach or 1/2 bag baby spinach
2-3 slices bacon chopped
2 Tbs creme freiche (sour cream can be substituted)
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
4-5 cups chicken stock
1 cup white wine
1 egg
white vinegar
kosher salt
EVOO
1-2 tbs butter

Heat EVOO and butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms(do not salt!) and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add edamame and cook another 5 minutes. Remove veggies from skillet and set aside. In same skillet cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside. Keep bacon fat(tee hee, you health nuts can remove it and add EVOO if you wish). To pan add leeks and garlic. Cook, stirring often until leeks are softened. Add rice and cook 2-3 minutes. Add wine and cook until wine has evaporated. Add 1 cup of stock stirring often until broth is absorbed. Continue to add broth 1 cup at a time, allowing it to be absorbed each time, until rice is tender and risotto appears creamy. (for me it usually takes about 30 minutes) Add spinach, creme fraiche, cheese, edamame, and mushrooms. Stir until spinach is wilted and cheese is melted. Add salt to taste.

Now to take this recipe over the top, add a poached egg and crumbled bacon on top. 

Poached Egg
(I made mine while cooking risotto....super easy, a lot easier then I thought it would be!)

1 tbs white vinegar
salt
egg

In small saucepan bring water, vinegar and salt to a simmer. Crack egg into small bowl and slowly slide into simmering water. Cook about 3 minutes(runny yolk). Use a slotted spoon to remove from pan. 

Place poached egg and cooked bacon on top of risotto! 

Happy Spring Ya'll!

Almond Macaroons with Chocolate Ganache

A few weeks ago I was in Boston and my friend's mom made almond macaroons with a chocolate ganache for a dinner party. Not having had a macaroon before, I didn't know what to expect. Well what I had was by far my most favorite cookie yet. This macaroon was the perfect combination of crunchy and chewy. It was more of a cookie sandwich: 2 macaroons with chocolate ganache in-between. I am pretty sure I could have eaten all 20+ that she made.......good thing I wasn't left alone. :)
Anyways, I of course had to come home and figure out how to make them myself, and how to make fewer. After a few tries, success! Did I mention I made dairy free ganache?? Yes ma'am! 

Almond Macaroon Sandwiches with Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients: 

• 1/2cup +2tbs blanched almonds(see below if you would like to know how to blanch almonds)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 egg whites
• pinch sea salt

Chef's Note: Almost all recipes call for almond extract. (I don't enjoy the taste, but if you do, add 3/4 tsp)

Almond Macaroons:

Preheat oven to 350 and line cookie sheet with silpat or parchment paper. 
In food processor, pulse almonds and sugar into fine powder. In separate bowl, whip egg whites and salt until they form a soft peak. Slowly fold the almond "flour" in with the egg whites. Continue to fold until all is combined. Your batter will be thick and sticky. Allow batter to sit for 15-20 minutes. Using a teaspoon, drop walnut sized batter on pan....leaving space between each. The cookie will spread. I only made 6 at a time if that gives you an idea. Bake @350 for 16 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. 

Chocolate Ganache:

Ingredients:

• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup coconut milk(use cream if you prefer)

In small sauce pan, heat milk over medium heat. You want bubbles to form but you don't want it to boil. Place chocolate chips in heat proof bowl and pour heated milk over top. Stir until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool at least 1 hour in fridge.(until ganache is thick and spreadable)

Once cookies have cooled and ganache is set, spread about 1tbs of ganache on flat side of one cookie. Top with second cookie. You can store the cookies for up to 3 days in air tight container. 
Makes 10 cookie sandwiches! 

Blanched Almonds:

Place almonds in heat proof bowl or pyrex. Bring 1-2 cups of water to a boil. Pour boiling water over almonds...enough to cover almonds. Let sit for 1-2 minutes. Drain almonds and rinse with cold water. This is cool: the almonds will pop out of their skins! Remove skins from all almonds and you now have yourself blanched almonds! Ta-da!

Em's Decadent Burger

So any of you out there that know me, you know that I LOVE a good burger. I tend to always order one when eating out, because making a burger for 1 person at home isn't the easiest. Last night I managed to make 1 burger!(thanks to Whole Foods for making this possible) My inspiration for this burger was Michael Symon, esteemed Iron Chef and winner of SOBE burger competition. Not to brag, but my take on his burger was divine. I didn't even need a side dish, but you could easily pair it with my homemade fries.
Chef's Note:
If you are a novice cook: this should not be your first attempt at cooking. Stick with my easy stir fry. :) 

Ingredients: 

• 5-6 oz ground beef(I used 85/15, you want some fat in your meat when making a burger)
• 2 small onions
• 1 tbs butter
• gruyere and horseradish bechamel(see below for recipe)
• 1 tbs flour
• 1 tbs corn starch
• EVOO
• 1 kaiser or potato roll(Whole Foods actually allows you to purchase 1 bun.....THANK YOU!)
• 2 slices of bacon-cooked

Bechamel Ingredients:

• 1 tbs butter
• 1 tbs flour
• 1/2 cup milk(I used coconut milk, but use whatever you want)
• 1/4 cup grated gruyere
• 1 tsp freshly grated horseradish(first time using this and wow was it amazing) 

Order In Which I Made Everything:

• caramelized onions
• bacon
• béchamel
• burger/fried onions
• toasted bun

Caramelized Onions:

In small skillet, melt 1 tbs butter and 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 small onion thinly sliced. Reduce heat to medium/low and cook onion for 20-30 minutes until caramel in color. Once cooked, turn off heat and remove from pan. Set aside.

Bacon:

In same small skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove to paper towel to drain.

Béchamel:

In small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tbs butter. Add flour and whisk together. Add milk and continue to whisk until thick sauce forms. Last stir in cheese and horseradish. I also added some pepper.....your call! Keep on low/simmer until ready to use. 

In small skillet(I used the same one for caramelized onions, bacon and fried onions) heat about 1/4 cup EVOO over medium heat. Thinly slice 2nd small onion and toss in 1tbs flour and 1tbs corn starch. "Fry" onion in EVOO on one side for 2-3 minutes then flip cooking another 2-3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towel. You are more then welcome to properly fry onion rings, but I made more of an onion "cake" and it turned out and tasted just fine. 

In another skillet heat 1-2 tbs EVOO over medium heat. Form beef into patty(want it the size of your bun) then liberally salt both sides. I added nothing to the beef, just salted the outside. Cook burger in skillet for 2-3 minutes each side. This will give you a perfect medium rare burger. 

• If I had my grill, I obviously would cook my burger outside. If you have a grill.....USE IT!! :) 

Putting your burger together. On bottom of bun, put a little béchamel then slices of bacon and fried onion. Next comes your burger topped with caramelized onions, béchamel and top of bun. 

Guys I cannot tell you how decadent this burger is.....you don't need any sides for this and as I type I already have another idea in mind........ 

Filet Mignon topped with caramelized onions served with gruyere horseradish mashed potatoes.(for you non loving burger ppl out there)

Hope someone out there will try this! It is worth every step...I promise! Please forgive my pictures, iPhone pics do not do this meal justice. 

Breakfast Smoothie

I recently discovered my love of a smoothie. They are a quick, easy, nutritious on the go breakfast. Over the past year I would make them with greek yogurt and fruit. Well, the past couple of months I have gone semi dairy free. I have switched to coconut milk and creamer for my coffee. No worries, this girl still eats as much REAL cheese as she pleases. :) Anyways, switching out greek yogurt for coconut milk was fine, only it left me feeling hungry within an hour of having my smoothie.(no protein in coconut milk) 
Problem solved! Protein powder. Ingenius invention and one breakfast smoothie can tide me over for 4-5 hours. Did I mention it is easy?


Em's Breakfast Smoothie:

Ingredients:(makes one smoothie)

• 1/2 cup frozen berries(I rotate between mixed berries and just strawberries)
• 1 frozen banana- take ripe bananas, peel, and place in a freezer bag. Freezing all fruit prevents you from needing ice. 
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder(I use Whole Foods brand, but use whatever brand you find in your store)

In blender place milk, powder, berries, and banana. Blend until smooth. Done! 

Forgot to take a picture, but will post as soon as I take one. 

Taking leftovers over the top!

This "recipe" is a leftover meal from my italian sausage and pasta dish. The past month I have been trying to successfully make an over easy egg.(my new favorite way to eat an egg. There is something creamy and delicious about a runny yolk). Anyways, probably close to a dozen eggs have been harmed in the quest to make the perfect egg. I googled my heart out for tips and tricks and tonight I finally mastered! Here is how I made an over easy egg:

Ingredients:
1 egg
salt/pepper
butter or oil, your call(used less then a tbs of butter)
small skillet

I cracked my egg into a small bowl first, to ensure no broken yolk. Sprinkled the egg with s&p. Heated my skillet over medium/low heat. You don't want your pan too hot. Melt your butter coating entire skillet. Slowly pour egg into pan, making sure to off center the egg. Allow to cook 2-3 min or until the white has set. With thin spatula, carefully scoop egg and flip....CAREFUL not to break yolk. No rush, go slow. Once flipped, cook another minute. No more. Now, are you ready to find out what I did with my first over easy egg?!

Reheat your amazing italian sausage pasta dish from last night. Place your egg on top and a sprinkle of parmesan. Oh my goodness guys. This makes ordinary leftovers OVER THE TOP. So good, you have to try it yourself to find out. Cannot tell you how good it is. The yolk breaks over the pasta creating a creamy sauce. It is decadent. Try it. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Italian Sausage and Kale Pasta

Next kale recipe will be an entree. Once again, I saw a recipe today and made it my own. Bad habit. This recipe is super fast, easy, and 5 ingredients(i don't count olive oil and garlic). How about that?! I will tell you exactly what I did tonight so that you can benefit 100%. 

Sausage and Kale pasta:

• 1 cup dry short cut pasta(I used penne, but would recommend a seashell or something smaller)
• 1 bunch of kale(I used curly): devained, washed, and chopped
• sweet italian sausage(I bought a package with 5 links)
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• red pepper flake
• EVOO
• parmesan cheese

Bring pot of water to a boil, add a generous amount of salt and pasta. Cook according to package directions. Drain, reserving your pasta water.

In large skillet brown ALL 5 sausage links with garlic cloves and a tsp or so of red pepper flake.(how much red pepper you add depends on how much heat you like in a dish, I like a lot of heat. Even if you don't like spice, I highly recommend you add a little pepper flake. The flavor is necessary with the kale) I did not dice my garlic, just smashed whole cloves with my knife. Once brown, put all sausage and garlic in food processor and pulse until finely ground. If you don't have a food processor you can also use a potato smasher to make your sausage fine. Place ground sausage back in skillet and continue to cook. Here is my fun trick: scoop out about 1 cup of your cooked sausage. I put mine in a freezer ziploc bag and put it in the freezer. This is a great go to for a spaghetti sauce or pizza topping! To the remaining sausage in the skillet, add about 2 tbs EVOO to pan along with chopped kale. Stir to combine over medium heat until kale has wilted. Add cooked pasta and parmesan cheese. ( I did not tell you how much cheese because that is 100% up to you) Toss all together and serve! Feel free to top with more yummy cheese! 

Once again, if you have any questions just ask! 

Kale Salad

Oh my goodness it has been far too long! For those of you that don't know, I made a big move from Georgia to Jersey back in November. Big change. It has given me a new appreciation for hospitality, kindness, warm weather, and smiles. No matter what, I will forever be a southern girl. I obviously have still been cooking, just been quite the slacker in posting. So, here are 2 new recipes to start off 2013. I will post one here, and another in a new post. 
Both recipes tonight involve the ever popular "superfood" kale. For the past year I've been attempting to like this veggie that is supposed to be so good for you. On my own I failed. Well a couple of weeks ago, I went to a potluck with a friend and one of the girls brought kale salad. First thought, great, I am with a bunch of health nuts. If you know me, you know that while I eat well, I also like good food. And kale and good food have never been in the same sentence. Being a trouper, as my parents raised me to be, I fixed myself a plate. We;; turns out, it was: DELISH! Not the quickest salad to put together, but so worth it if you ask me. The best part for me is that you are making it from scratch, therefore you can control the ingredients and change them up however you like. Keeping with my blog's theme, this recipe will make 2 good servings. Leftover salad you think, yuck. Bonus of kale: it holds up til the next day, even with dressing on it! So I hope you try this and I also hope you love it as much as I do! 

Kale Salad:

• 1 bunch kale(I used curly kale)
• 1/2 orange
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 small shallot finely diced
• 1/2 apple diced(I used a pink lady....I would use something tart and crunchy)
• 1-2 tbs honey or agave nectar
• splash of balsamic vinegar
• about 1/4 cup EVOO
• pepper to taste
• salt( I prefer kosher salt or fine sea salt)
• 2-3 tbs toasted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup feta
• 1/4 cup craisins

In small bowl combine juice of orange and lemon, honey,diced shallot,  olive oil, balsamic, and pepper. Whisk together to form dressing.

WASH(kale is dirty!) and devain kale. Devaining means cutting out the stem from top to bottom. Chop kale into bite sized pieces. In large bowl place kale with generous pinch of salt. Using your hands, massage the kale. Yes, I said massage. You will quickly notice the kale start to change color and almost look sautéed. Continue to massage kale for about 5 minutes. Add diced apple, sunflower seeds, craisins, and feta. Toss all with salad dressing. Great by itself or served as a side. 

Guys, this is so so good. Please try it. Especially you fellow "on the fence" kale lovers out there. This will make you hop the fence! ;)

Feel free to ask any questions!