Grilled Cheese + Fried Egg

Some days, you crave a salad (I've never had one of these days, but I hear that they do, in fact, exist).
While other days, you crave a three-cheese monstrosity with a baby chicken on top.
...Today fell in the latter camp

Mozzarella, colby jack and cheddar cheeses with a fried egg on top.

Top it with a drizzle of hot sauce and you don't need salad dressing. I created a .gif so you can admire the full glory of the fried egg being cut. I really wish I could add background audio of angels singing so you could get the full effect. 

This is probably the easiest recipe I'll ever post, but here goes:

1. Make a grilled cheese with the cheese(s) of your choice. I used mozzarella, cheddar and colby jack (also known as the holy trinity)
2. Fry an egg 
3. Place a bed of spinach on your plate and top with grilled cheese
4. Finish your sandwich with the fried egg, a sprinkle of paprika and hot sauce (if desired)
5. Try not to shove the entire thing in your mouth. I dare you.

Crock Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

I love hosting girls' nights in. I'm lucky to have friends with (mostly) adventurous palates, so I decided to make chicken tikka masala over the weekend. I adapted it from this recipe, but changed out a few things to put my own spin on it. This is a great dish for making ahead and sharing with friends. And the toppings make it easy to customize for spice-phobes (hello, Greek yogurt).

Thanks for being my guinea pig, Holly!

Crock Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 package of pre-diced purple onions

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh, grated ginger

2 Tbsp tomato paste

3 Tbsp garam masala

2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp kosher salt

28 oz can diced tomatoes (slightly drained)

1 cup coconut milk

4 Tbsp butter

For serving:

Fresh basil, julienned

2 cups basmati rice

Plain Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Saute onions, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, garam masala, salt and cayenne pepper until translucent and fragrant.
2. Add tomatoes, chicken pieces and butter along with onion and spice mixture to your crockpot. 
3. Simmer on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours (I prefer low and slow, I find it makes the chicken more tender -- but it turns out great either way).
4. Add in the coconut milk 15-20 minutes before serving.
5. Serve over rice with basil and yogurt -- and enjoy! (the yogurt reduces some of the spicy kick).

Salted Caramel Apple Muffins

I am a sucker for anything covered in salted caramel. Forget pumpkin spiced lattes; you haven't lived until you've tried the salted caramel apple cider from Starbucks. There's something about it that just screams fall. The baristas were starting to judge my cider habit, so I decided to satisfy my craving elsewhere with these salted caramel apple muffins. 

I adapted my recipe from this one but instead of the crumble on top, I added caramel sauce and sea salt flakes. The result? A muffin that's light enough for breakfast, but sweet enough to pass for dessert. Enjoy!

Minty Sun Tea

When I replanted my herbs into this huge trough, my mint took on a life of its own (see photographic evidence above). As an attempt to trim some of it back, I decided to make sun tea. Years ago, my grandmother teaching me how to make sun tea -- and it has reminded me of summertime ever since. There's little prep work involved, but somehow the process seems a bit more special than ordinary, pre-made iced tea. Also, the combo I chose today (green tea + loads of mint) was super refreshing after a long day in the sun. 

Instructions:

1. Fill a large, sealable container with water, 4-5 tea bags of your choice (black and green teas work best), and a handful of mint leaves.

2. Let  it sit in direct sunlight for 6-8 hours.

3. Top with ice and garnishes of your choice. Enjoy!

Note: You may want to sweeten the tea with agave or simple syrup. 

This brew is perfect for front porch sippin'

Fried Squash Blossoms

Before the days of Pinterest, Food Network and The Cooking Channel were my go-to spots for recipes. I don't get to binge watch it as much as I'd like to (still love you, Ina!), but I recently got to catch an episode of "Extra Virgin" on The Cooking Channel. The show focuses on Tuscan recipes and this particular episode involved making ricotta-stuffed squash blossoms.

First of all, what the eff is a squash blossom? Before this weekend's revelation/intervention, I'd never even seen or heard of one, and I pride myself on being a foodie (#embarrassing).

The show's recipe looked delicious, but it definitely seemed like they were frying daffodils. Curious to experiment, I began my crusade for squash blossoms. I found some at the farmer's market (!!!) and adapted mine from this recipe. The only difference being that I added garlic and fresh herbs to my ricotta. 

The verdict? The blossoms did not taste like daffodils (although I can't say I've ever eaten a daffodil). The bottom tasted like squash and the petals crisped up nicely around the gooey, herbed cheese. The recipe was much less intimidating than I initially anticipated and it looked gorgeous as a side dish. I would definitely encourage you to try this recipe while these weird looking babies are still in season! 

Peaches & Cream

I walked into the grocery store last night with the full intent of only buying meat for dinner. But that plan was foiled as soon as I walked past the produce section and smelled the aroma of peaches. I don't know what it was about that intoxicating and sticky-sweet smell, but I had to turn around and buy a few. Since we were already planning on grilling out, I decided to throw the peaches on for (an experimental) dessert.

The result? Amazing. The peaches soften just enough for the grill to bring out their delicate, syrupy flavor. 

Caleb wanted his peaches sans fixings, but I couldn't resist a little drizzle of agave for decoration.

I dressed mine up with agave, cinnamon and scoop of coconut gelato.

Recipe:

• 2 medium, ripe peaches (I used Chilton County peaches)
• 4 Tbsp. melted butter
• Cinnamon
• Agave syrup
• Coconut gelato

Directions:

• Half the peaches and remove the pits. Scoop out any remaining fibers
• Brush each peach with 2 Tbsp. of the melted butter on both sides
• Place pit-side down on medium-high grill for 2-3 minutes. Flip over and grill for another 2-3 minutes
• Top with a drizzle of agave, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a scoop of your favorite ice cream (I used coconut gelato and it was delicious)

A Steakhouse Supper

I know it sounds silly, but steak holds a special place in my heart. My family always had a hectic schedule and Sunday nights were the only time we could all really sit down and enjoy a meal together. Most of the time, that meal included a grilled steak. I don't know if it's because of the association with family memories or the delicious taste, but I've started to incorporate steak into my weekly repertoire. I try not to eat a ton of red meat, but Sunday nights have become my weekly indulgence. Plus, my man loves it. 

So, whether you want to grill a luxe meal for yourself or impress that special someone, here are my tips on how to make the best steakhouse meal, ever.

First, pick the best cut of meat you can afford. Everyone has different preferences, so I'm not going to tell you to pick filet mignon or skirt steak. Personally, I like a really juicy, flavorful steak, so I lean towards rib eyes. Rib eyes are well-marbled, meaning they have white fatty lines throughout. This ensures a ton of flavor, as well as a tender cut. If you like leaner cuts, go for something with less marbling. The best advice I can give you is to talk to your butcher. They will be able to point you in the right direction while working with your budget. Inspect the meat for any discoloration or funky smells. It should be fresh, odorless, and a purply-red color like the steaks above. 

Next, season your steak. I either marinate it overnight, or, if I'm in a pinch, coat it in a dry rub. You can marinate your steaks in Italian dressing, soy sauce and ginger, or angel tears. It's really whatever you're in the mood for, but I definitely encourage you to experiment with different flavors. Want an easy rub? Crush up ginger cookies and coffee and coat your steaks. Sounds weird, but it's delicious. Personally, I love "Outback-style" steaks, so I usually opt for a rub. The steaks above were coated in Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika. It was a mouth party.

I like my steaks cooked around medium, so with steaks this thick (~1.5 inches), I grilled them for about 6-7 minutes on each side. Again, cooking time is your preference. If you're not sure, ask your butcher. It's not a dumb question and oftentimes, cooking instructions come on the paper packaging.

Next, let's talk about accompaniments. Steak is pretty heavy, so I like to roast some veggies or serve it with a light salad. I just happened to have these veggies in my fridge, so I tossed them in 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, a little salt and pepper, and roasted them at 400 deg. for 15-20 minutes. For a flavor boost, try tossing some fresh herbs in at the end. 

Voila! The final product. Just looking at it makes me eager for next Sunday's steak. 

What's your favorite Sunday meal?

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

St. Patrick’s Day has always been a big deal in my family. When I was a little girl, my mom would wake me up singing her various renditions of  “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”, “Danny Boy” and “Pretty Irish Girl” from Darby O’Gill and the Little People (a movie we religiously watched EVERY YEAR. Don’t get me started on the so-bad-it’s-good CGI from 1959).

She would put tiny green leprechaun footprints all over the house, which, I naturally bragged to my friends about. They were bitter, but it wasn’t my fault that the leprechauns loved me enough to leave chocolate coins and evidence of their mischief.

All during the school day, I looked forward to my mom coming in and telling folklore of the Coach de Bauer and banshees. My classmates probably went home terrified and cried to their parents, but it was all part of the holiday for me. Corned beef, cabbage and potatoes were de rigueur. Bonus points if soda bread was involved.

To me, St. Patrick’s Day is more than a chance to wear green and brag about my heritage. For me, it’s about family. Since I can’t be home with mine this year, I plan on carrying the tradition over to my second family- my friends.

Since I will never be able to replicate my mom’s corned beef and cabbage, I decided to think out of the box and making two treats- one sweet, one savory The common ingredient?

GUINNESS.  

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes:

1 box chocolate cake mix

3 eggs

1/3 c oil

½ bottle Guinness

Chocolate frosting (you can also use vanilla or cream cheese frosting dyed green)

Mix first 4 ingredients together in a bowl. Drop spoonfuls into a lined cupcake tin. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. When cooled, pipe with chocolate frosting and top with sprinkles and Guinness bottle caps.

Guinness Cheddar Biscuits:

What you’ll need:

Instant soda bread mix. A friend brought mine from Ireland, but you can use any instant bread mix.

1 c water

1 bottle Guinness

2 c cheddar cheese

4 tbsp melted butter

Whisk all ingredients together. Pour into muffin liners and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Comfort Food

When I was in Key West last weekend, I found this amazing little spice shop. I love trying new things in the kitchen, and have been hankering to experiment with black truffles. It's a shame that you can only purchase them for the steep price of half of your soul and your firstborn at most stores. When I found this little packet of black truffle sea salt at the Spice & Tea Exchange of Key West for a portion of its normal price, I snatched it up. The next night, I decided to make Gruyere and black truffle sea salt mashed potatoes. And yes, they were exactly as fancy and delicious as they sound.

Recipe:

• Cut up and boil 1.5 lbs of Yukon potatoes for 15-20 minutes
• Drain and pat dry
• Add 3 tbsp butter, 1/4 c heavy cream, 1 tbsp garlic paste (or ~3 cloves), 1 small container of Greek yogurt, and 1/2 c of shredded Gruyere cheese
• Cream all ingredients together with a hand mixer until you achieve the desired texture
• Garnish with a generous pinch of black truffle sea salt, mix, and enjoy.

The Perfect Cheese Plate

I love cheese and I will find an excuse to eat it with any meal. Recently, I had a girl's night with a friend and we decided to up the ante and make a cheese plate because we're ~*Cla$$y*~. Despite looking fussy and complicated, cheese plates are super easy to make and great for when you don't feel like spending hours in the kitchen. We actually got all of our supplies from Target for under $20. 

So, to assemble your cheese plate you'll need a few things. Obviously, the first is cheese. If you want to be fancy, most people will tell you to have a soft, semisoft, and a hard cheese on your plate. Others will tell you to have a cow's milk, sheep's milk, and goat's milk cheese. I say, do whatever you want. I'm all about easy entertaining, and honestly, unless you're entertaining Rachel Ray, no one will know the difference. However, for reference, I've listed my favorite cheeses, as well as other components, below. If you want a more detailed chart, this one from Cupcakes & Cashmere is great. 

Once you've gathered your cheeses, I suggest adding some height and color. If your plate is all one level or hue, it's not going to be appealing to the eye. Cheese plates are all about appealing to every sense: smell, sight, taste, etc. 

I like to add vessels such as crackers or crusty bread, as well as a cured turkey or Proscuitto for some savoriness. Next, add your sweet stuff like strawberries and grapes. Lastly, incorporate texture. For our cheese plate, we added dried apricots and dark chocolate for some crunch. Other options are olives, nuts, or pickles. These plates are so easily customized and great for any occasion, have fun with them! 

Healthy Portobello Pizza

My boyfriend is a thin guy by nature. You know the ones who are blessed with a metabolism that could outrun a cheetah? Yeah, he's one of those (Insert passive-aggressive comment here). Recently, he's making an effort to "bulk up", which has been a challenge for us, because frankly, I'm trying to do the opposite.

Needless to say, pizza is one of his staple meals. I can't express to you how hard it is to look at my plate of steamed veggies and salmon when the smell of pepperoni deliciousness wafts my way. The other night he was having pizza, so I improvised and made my own. Yes, you can have your pizza and eat it too. Except your "pizza" is lean, green and carb-free. Score!

Healthy Portobello Pizza Recipe:

Ingredients:

(wash everything first)

-1 large portobello

-diced red, green and yellow pepper

-a handful of kale

-olive oil

-sea salt and pepper

-1 clove of garlic

-1/4 c parmesan

(You could easily add some pre-cooked chicken for protein)

Directions:

-remove stem and scrape out cap of mushroom (note: the insides are perfectly harmless, but something about the gills freaks me out)

-place kale inside of mushroom cap

-sprinkle chopped peppers and garlic

-drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper

Bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes

Sprinkle top with parmesan and continue baking for another 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Tone it Up Thursday

Lately, I've been trying to "eat clean" as much as I can, but that doesn't mean that my cravings don't still kick in. Today's {ridiculously random} craving was for the french fries and olive tapenade from Nordstrom cafė.

Seriously, how good does that look? But alas, if I want to have the body of a Jennifer hybrid (Lawrence/Lopez), I need not be eating french fries. So, I decided to make a "lean, clean and green" version with kale chips and creamy olive tapenade. It totally satisfied my craving without compromising my waistline.

Tapenade Recipe (this makes ~10 servings):

Pulse together in blender:

-1/4 c olive oil

-20 kalamata olives (pits removed)

-1 lemon

-2 cloves garlic

-feta cheese crumbles (optional)

-1 small container of plan, low-fat greek yogurt

Kale chips:

1. Wash and pat dry a bunch of kale

2. Spread on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil

3. sprinkle a pinch of sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne

4. Roast at 400 F for 10-15 mins or until edges begin to brown

A Simple Date Night Recipe

For those of you who know me, you know that I love to experiment in the kitchen. I've resolved to the fact that I will never be a baker. Flat pavlovas, burnt cookies, and raw beignets have made my friends run the other way (that's how I know they're keepers). There is no pastry dough safe around me. To make up for those culinary catastrophes and save face a bit, I cook savory dishes. Hence, why I'm a little bit Martha Stewart. 

This dish has become a staple for date nights with my boyfriend or a luxe solo dinner (with a large glass of wine). It's so easy to make, but looks a lot more impressive than it actually is. Sometimes I'll switch it up and toss some fresh herbs or cream in to make it a little more indulgent.

Pan-seared shrimp and scallop pasta (with a side of alliteration):

What you'll need:

-angel hair or your other favorite pasta

-seafood (I used shrimp & scallops)

-veggies of choice (I used onions)

-1/4 c white wine (I used pinot grigio)

-1 lemon

-olive oil

-salt & pepper

-2 garlic cloves

Prep: 

-dice veggies and mince garlic

-cut/de-vein/remove tails from seafood (I like to cut my scallops in half)

-Start salted boiling water for pasta

1. While the water is boiling for your pasta, drizzle ~2 tbsp. olive oil into a frying pan and begin cooking chopped onions on medium-high heat until translucent. Mushrooms are also delicious in this recipe, but I was out. Sad day. 

2. Start cooking your pasta in the boiling water (pretty self-explanatory)

3. Place seafood in frying pan and add spices (salt, pepper, garlic). You can be generous, because the pasta will soak a lot of the taste up. Pour 1/4 c of the white wine and squeeze half of a lemon. 

4. Continue cooking seafood for ~3 minutes, flipping half way through. Overcooked scallops can get a bit rubbery, so use your judgement if they look done.

5. Drain pasta when done cooking, place in frying pan with seafood. Give a good toss, drizzle with a bit more olive oil and the other lemon half. Garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Cloudy with a Chance of Chocolate

You know those rainy days when all you want to do is stay inside and bake? I love those days.

But sometimes, you get conflicted and can't decide if you want something salty or sweet. A few days ago, I had that dilemma, so I turned to one of my age-old favorites...dark chocolate and bacon cookies.

I know that the combo sounds a little crazy, but I promise you, it's delicious. The texture is super soft with occasional crunchiness of the maple-glazed bacon. Oh, and how can you hate pieces of warm, melty dark chocolate in every bite?

Check out the recipe here, you can thank me later.

S'MORE ME.

Call me five, but I was so excited when I got a s'more maker for Christmas...but I was even more excited putting it to use. Last night, I hosted a party with a few friends to take advantage of the chilly weather and catch up over America's my favorite dessert.

I laid out some white butcher's paper and wrote/doodled/went to town with some magic markers (again, I'm five). Despite my detailed step-by-step instructions, I learned that everyone makes s'mores their own way. It's a creative process, you see. Some like their marshmallows white (Lance) , and some like them flaming and black (COUGH, STEPHANIE). I tend to fall somewhere in the middle. Despite our different marshmallow preferences, fun was had by all.

Simple Seafood Pasta

I was craving fresh seafood, so I made pasta out of these beautiful scallops and shrimp I found at the supermarket. They packed a ton of flavor on their own, so I just seasoned them with some Mrs. Dash original salt-free seasoning and a pinch of salt. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but I like to control how much salt goes into my food. I seared the scallops and shrimp with a little butter until they were perfectly cooked, and started making my sauce out of cream, garlic, lemon and a little butter. I tossed it right into the hot pasta, and voila, instant mouth party.