Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies

I'm always looking for new cookie recipes to mix up from the ones we typically make. I can usually tell just by looking at the recipe if we're going to like it or not. I've been wanting to make this one for days and I'm so glad I took the time today because they may just be my new favorite Christmas cookie ever.






Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies
Cookie
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 egg
3/4 cup softened salted butter
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (can use vanilla extract, if you know me I love me my vanilla bean paste)
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour
Filling
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (again can use vanilla extract)
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Combine brown sugar, egg, vanilla bean paste, and butter. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Add flour and baking powder, beat at low speed until well mixed. Mine was crumbly, but comes together just fine while rolling.

Roll dough into balls. Place on cookie sheet with parchment paper. Make an indentation in each cookie with your thumb, make sure to make a deep enough imprint to hold the filling.

Combine the filling ingredients in a bowl, fill each cookie with 1 tsp (or less depending on smaller cookies, I like smaller cookies) of filling. Bake 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned, cool 1 minute on cookie sheet then move to a cooling rack.

Eat. Enjoy. Repeat.

Chicken Madeira

I'd never heard of or tasted Chicken Madeira until last night, and I can tell you we will definitely be having it again, and soon. The sauce is amazing and can be served over rice, mashed potatoes or pasta. We chose to pair our dinner with Pappardelle and green beans.

Chicken Madeira
1 lb chicken breasts/thighs
5 Tb olive oil
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
salt and pepper

Sauce
2 Tb olive oil
8 oz fresh white mushrooms, sliced (I used crimini)
3 cups Madeira wine (almost a full bottle)
4 cloves minced garlic
2 cups bone broth
2 Tb cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tb bone broth
1 Tb salted butter

Sprinkle chicken breasts/thighs with salt and pepper
In large skillet heat 3 Tb olive oil add chicken
Cook 5-6 minutes per side, until nicely browned on both sides and no longer pink in the middle
Transfer to a baking pan, and place in oven at 250 to keep warm
In same skillet add additional 2 Tb olive oil (do not rinse skillet)
Once oil is hot add mushrooms and stir 1-2 minutes
Add the remaining sauce ingredients, stir and bring to boil
Simmer 20 minutes or until sauce is reduced by one fourth of it's original volume
Finished sauce will be dark brown and thickened.
Sprinkle cheese evenly over chicken and broil 3-4 minutes until cheese is browned and melted
Place chicken on a dinner plate and generously add sauce.

Enjoy!

Pork Belly Udon

We regularly cook pork belly fried rice, but wanted to mix things up and use our pork belly in a different way. I didn't make it to the grocery store yesterday like I typically do on Saturday so we needed to make do with what we had left in the fridge. And trust me by grocery shopping day the fridge is sparse. We had a package of pork belly, which I buy from Trader Joes and we love. We had some carrots, celery, green onions and cilantro. I knew we had a package of chow mein noodles, and at first we thought of just doing a stir fry with the noodles. But a broth sounded really good, having never made an udon broth before we started with some bone broth, ginger, garlic etc...well our first round of broth was a major failure. So as dinner time approached and the kids getting more and more hungry I whipped up a new batch of broth, it came together in less than 5 minutes and was beautiful. The flavor was fantastic, down to the last drop.



Pork Belly Udon
3 1/2 cups bone broth
2 cups water
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp sliced ginger
2 tbsp sliced garlic
Carrots
Green onions
celery
cilantro
Pork belly
chow mein noodles

Mix bone broth, water, soy sauce, ginger and garlic.
Let boil for 10 minute
5 minutes before you're ready to eat add carrots, celery, and a little green onion (cook until desired doneness)
In another pot cook your chow mein noodles per packaging instructions
Sear pork belly on all sides until crispy
Put noodles in bottom of serving bowl
Pour broth and vegetables over top
Put seared pork belly on top
Add fresh cilantro and green onion per taste
Serve with siracha or squeeze of lime

***This would be really good with bok choy, mushrooms, pea shoots, bamboo, snow peas...it's a very versatile broth so the vegetable options are endless. You could also swap out pork belly for tofu, steak, shrimp or chicken.

Crockpot Chalupas

I'm always looking for new crockpot recipes. I try to use my crockpot 2-3 times a week and love mixing up recipes to have a variation to our weekly menu. This week I found a Chalupa recipe that sounded pretty darn good, I knew it would need some tweaking to be the right taste but the base of the recipe was good. So I made some tweaks, I adjusted some flavors and the final product was exactly what I had hoped.

Crockpot Chalupas
2 lb pork loin
1 tbsp cumin
1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp Oregano
1/2 cup salsa verde
1 can pinto beans
1/2 diced onion

Mix cumin, garlic, oregano, salsa verde & diced onion
Place pork loin & pinto beans in crockpot
Pour spice mix over meat & beans
Cook on low for 6-8 hours
Serve with Tortillas, sour cream, cilantro, guacamole, lettuce, green onions, tomatoes...
Enjoy!!!

The most perfect chocolate chip cookie

I have been on the quest to find the recipe for the most perfect chocolate chip cookie. Yesterday's recipe was a failure, I ate a few, but they made me want to cry because I had so much hope. I knew what I wanted. I wanted soft, I wanted chewy, I wanted delicious, and I found it. I knew immediately when the dough came together that I was going to be all that I dreamed of, and I was right. I am not the type to eat more than one or two cookies, but I literally could sit down and eat every single one of these cookies they are so scrumptious. So soft, and chewy and just downright amazing. So now I'll share the recipe with you, so that you no longer have to search for the most perfect chocolate chip cookie. My cookies have to have walnuts so...feel free to leave them out but they're really not the same without.

Chocolate Chip Cookie
2 cups + 2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 stick salted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts 

Mix flour, baking soda and cornstarch, set aside.
Beat together cooled butter and sugars with an hand mixer, about a minute.
Add eggs and vanilla, beat until just combined
Slowly add dry ingredients, and mix until the dough is homogeneous

Mix in chocolate chips and chopped walnuts
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes
Preheat oven to 325
Scoop cookies and roll into a ball, I used my 2 tbsp cookie scoop as I like smaller cookies
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown (the center will look underdone, you want that, they continue cooking on cookie sheet)
Allow cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheet.
Transfer to cooling racks
Try not to eat every last cookie in one sitting

Enjoy!!!

Caprese Pasta Salad

Since I posted the recipe the other day of the Caesar Pasta Salad I thought I'd share another one of my family favorites. I created this a few years back and it's one of our favorites to take for picnics in the park. It's simple and makes great leftovers as well. For the freshest leftovers leave the cherry tomatoes whole as if their cut they don't stay as crisp. If you plan to not have leftovers it's nice to have the tomatoes sliced in half.





Caprese Pasta Salad
1 lb penne, cooked
1 lb chicken, cooked and chopped
3 cups cherry tomatoes (whole or chopped)
1 cup fresh basil chopped
1 cup chopped fresh mozzarella (in water, you can also use the little bocconcini, sliced in half)
1 bottle your favorite Italian Dressing
Mix all together.
Refrigerate
Enjoy

Watermelon Cucumber Cocktail

I use this blog to not only share my favorite recipes, but also as my own "recipe book." I'm able to find recipes my family loved and make them again, it's also a great way for me to menu plan. In this case, I'm posting this recipe not only because I had numerous requests but also next year at this time when my favorite juice comes out I'll know exactly where to find the recipe for probably my all time favorite cocktail. Tell me this doesn't look amazing....because it is! And for this recipe I have to give my husband credit for the creation of this, I told him what I wanted and he executed it perfectly. We make the best team!

Watermelon Cucumber Cocktail
4.5 oz Watermelon Cucumber juice (from Trader Joes)
1 oz Triple Sec
2 oz Vodka
squeeze of fresh lime
shake in cocktail shaker
Enjoy!
Repeat!

Caesar Pasta Salad

I know it's technically Spring, but I can't help but start craving Summer food.  I seem to do this every year, I start thinking about concerts in the park and late nights at the Zoo. About summer nights spent grilling and watching movies in our front yard. I love a good pasta salad, I love that it not only travels well for events, it's versatile and it makes great leftovers (of course that's if you don't eat it all).
One of my favorite parts of this recipe is it is the perfect combination of pasta salad and a green salad. We made this last night and I pictured eating it for lunches this weekend, but sadly we ate every last bite.


Caesar Pasta Salad
1 lb cooked chicken, chopped
1 lb penne pasta cooked
2 hearts of romaine, chopped
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 bottle of your favorite Caesar dressing (I love the TJ's brand)

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate.
Enjoy!

Coconut Flax Scones

What I love most about this scone recipe is how versatile it is. I've used this same scone recipe, and probably have created over 100 different variations. I use what I have in the house and every time the scones turn out so good. Yesterday's addition of coconut and flax made one of our all time favorite. The great thing about this is you can personalize it for what your favorite flour, milk and flavors. The recipe is so basic you just change up for what sounds good to you at that time. Frozen raspberries, frozen blueberries, chocolate chips, coconut, flax seed....anything you can imagine. Next time I make this one I'm going to use canned coconut milk as my liquid, I know it will bring these even more amazing.

Scones
2 cups flour (I love using cake flour, but you can use AP, coconut, almond, whatever your favorite type of flour is)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp coconut oil (or butter)
1/2 cup milk of any sort coconut milk, almond, soy, half and half...(may need a little more, for right consistency)
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup flax seed

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda
Cut in coconut oil (or butter), until crumbly
Add vanilla bean paste, shredded coconut and flax (or whatever additions you've chosen)
Now add 1/2 cup milk, you may need to add a little extra.
Cook in round greased pan @ 425 for 15 minutes

Spring Salad

I created this salad while I was pregnant and couldn't get enough pepperoncini's.  I wanted something fresh and easy, with things that I typically always have in my fridge. After making it the first time I knew it was a keeper and I couldn't get enough. There were times that I would eat this everyday for lunch. I mixed one up the other day having not had it in a while and posted the picture of my salad to Facebook and got people immediately requesting the recipe. I figured I should share it with my fans here as well! It's an easy recipe seeing that you just chop up the ingredients throw them in a bowl and eat.


Summer Salad
Fennel
Tomatoes
Salami
pepperoncinis
hard boiled egg
avocado
feta
a drizzle of balsamic
green onions

Chicken Flautas

I'm always looking for new recipes to throw into our menu planning, something that I can alter to go in crockpot is a bonus, but not a must. I found a recipe that I could do just that.
These turned out so good and it was quick and easy too.
I started by cooking the meat in the crockpot all day so when it was time for dinner all I had to do was prep and throw everything in the oven. Took me all of 10 minutes to prep and getting everything in the oven and ready to eat 15 minutes after that, perfect for those nights where you need something quick before the kids start to meltdown.





Chicken Flautas
1 lb chicken
1 jar favorite salsa (I love the Salsa Verde from Trader Joes)
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheese
7 flour tortillas
To garnish:
Guacamole
Sour cream
Green onions
Cilantro
Salsa

Place chicken, frozen corn & jar of salsa in crockpot
Cook on low 6-8 hours
Remove mixture from crockpot, add sour cream and 1/4 cup shredded cheese, stir
Butter the bottom of a 9X13 pan
Warm tortillas for 30 seconds in microwave to help make them easier to roll
Place tortilla in bottom of pan, fill with a few tablespoons of filling and roll
Do so for all other tortillas
Brush the top of the flautas with melted butter
Cook in 400degree oven for 13 minutes
Take out of oven, sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese
Put back in oven for 2 minutes

Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, green onions and cilantro.
Enjoy

Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls

I was looking to branch out, try a few new recipes, mix things up a bit. I can usually read a recipe and know pretty quickly a) if my family would like it and b) how to change it up a bit, if needed. I came across a recipe for Cabbage rolls, honestly never in my life had I had one before, but the ingredients definitely sounded like something that we would like. However I did dread the idea of "rolling the filling into the cabbage." So...I thought on it and realized I could get all the same great flavors out of recipe without having to roll each cabbage leaf individually. So last night we tested my recipe and I will tell you it was fantastic. So good that I don't even have a picture to share, before I knew it we'd eaten the whole batch. So instead I'll share the recipe with you and urge you to try it.

Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls
1 lb ground beef
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lg onion chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium head of green cabbage, chopped
1 lg can of diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup bone broth (or chicken stock if you don't have bone broth)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

In large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat, add ground beef & onion
Stir ground beef until browned
Add garlic and cook for another minute
Add chopped cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, bone broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper
Bring to boil.
Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes until cabbage is tender

We served over rice. It was delicious.

My go to meatloaf

Growing up we never had meatloaf, my brother hated it so my mom stopped making it. I think my brother hated it because my mom didn't have my recipe.  I'm not even sure how I really stumbled upon making meatloaf, especially since I didn't have it growing up more than a handful of times. I think the recipe came to me one time I was making meatballs for our favorite crockpot wedding soup recipe. I thought I'd try it and it was a hit, so now I'll share it with you.


My go to Meatloaf
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup bread crumbs
4 green onions, sliced
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt & pepper

Topping
4 tbsp brown sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup yellow mustard

Mix all meatloaf ingredients together
Place in greased loaf pan
Mix topping ingredients and evenly spread on top of meatloaf
Cook @ 350 degrees for 1 hour
Enjoy!!!