Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is my go-to cookie, the one I'd rather make over any other.  I've had this recipe for years, and can't remember where it originally came from.  I do remember the first time I had cookies baked on a pizza stone...my cookie life was never the same again.  Baking cookies on a pizza stone (without over baking them!) gives them a texture like you wouldn't believe.

These cookies are the ultimate dark chocolate cookie.  I use a good quality baking cocoa from Penzeys Spice and plenty of Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips.

The dough often doesn't make it this far, but sometimes I will manage to freeze some of the cookie dough once it is shaped into balls.  The dough freezes well and it's great to have some ready to be thrown straight in the oven in a cookie emergency.  The cookies themselves also freeze well, although again, they rarely stick around that long.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup softened butter
¾ cup sugar
⅔ cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
Cut some parchment paper to fit your pizza stone and place the parchment paper on a wooden cutting board.

Preheat oven (and pizza stone) to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla in another bowl until creamy (5-6 minutes).

Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Gradually beat flour mixture into the butter mixture.

Stir in chocolate chips.  

Drop cookie dough on parchment paper.

Slide parchment paper from the cutting board onto the pizza stone that has preheated in the oven.  

Bake cookies for 8 ½ to 10 minutes, until centers are set.

When the cookies are done baking, slide the parchment paper from the pizza stone back to the cutting board and let the cookies rest for a couple of minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Fresh Salsa

Welcome to homegrown tomato salsa season! 

In the past I've had trouble with the consistency of my fresh salsa.  Always too watery.  And the taste was never quite right. 

But how could I go wrong with America's Test Kitchen's recipe for fresh salsa? 

As always, the salsa needed to sit for a few hours for the flavors to settle, but then it was the perfect blend of freshness.  It was great for Friday night chips and salsa...then the next morning I added it to some scrambled eggs at breakfast. Best scrambled eggs ever.

To solve the watery problem, I used a couple of different strategies and was happy with the end result.  The addition of the lime juice at the end did add more liquid after all my hard work to get the liquid out, but I was able to live with it.  

Fresh Salsa

From Delectable Edibles, originally America's Test Kitchen

1 ½ lbs firm ripe tomatoes, diced (about 3 cups or 6 small-medium tomatoes)

1 large jalapeno chili, seeds and ribs removed

½ cup red onion, coursely chopped

1 small clove garlic (or 1/4 tsp minced garlic)

¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves

½ tsp salt

pinch ground pepper

1 TB lime juice (about 1 lime)

1 tsp white sugar

1. Slice the tomatoes, place on a double layer of paper towels, lightly salt and let sit for 30 minutes.

2. Press tops of tomatoes with another double layer of paper towels to remove more liquid.  

3. Add the tomatoes to a food processor with jalapeno, onion, garlic and cilantro.  Pulse to desired consistency.  

4. If desired: Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and line the sieve with a paper towel.  Drain the salsa through the paper towel lined sieve lined with a paper towel to extract additional liquid.

5. Stir in salt, pepper, sugar and lime juice.

6. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend. 

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Basil Pesto

August has been good to me.  Despite the long, hot, dry Indiana summer, my garden is producing beautiful tomatoes and basil.  I've spent the last three summers gardening with little to show for it.  Then I learned how to compost.  And what a difference it made!

I don't need to tell you that there's nothing better than homegrown tomatoes with a little salt.  A close second - homegrown tomatoes smeared with a dab of fresh basil pesto.  Pesto is so easy to make and smells like garden heaven. 

Put it on anything: pasta, potatoes, baguette, grilled chicken or fish. 

Spread some in a grilled cheese sandwich, or use it in place of tomato sauce on pizza. 

Thin it out with extra olive oil and use it as a salad dressing.

Add it to hummus.

The sky's the limit.

 Pesto it up.

Basil Pesto
From Simply Recipes

1/3 cup walnuts (or pine nuts)
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 tsp minced garlic (2-3 cloves)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


1. Pulse walnuts in a food processor until roughly chopped.

2. Add basil and garlic, pulse 5 times.

3. Turn on the food processor and slowly add the olive oil. 

4. Add the cheese and pulse a few times. 

5. Stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

6.  Refrigerate and enjoy!

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Tilapia with Coconut Curry Sauce and Coconut Jasmine Rice

Another attempt in my quest to like fish.

A definite win!  The sauce and the rice were so delicious, I didn't even mind the fish.

The coconut curry sauce is to die for.  I used sweet curry powder rather than hot curry powder, making it not too spicy.  The curry paste came through with a great, strong flavor.

I think chicken would work just as well as fish if you'd rather.  I broiled the tilapia this time around, but I think the tilapia could just as easily be grilled for this dish.

The rice.  Oh the rice.  It was plump and sweet and perfectly textured.  I strayed from my usual brown rice and tried some jasmine rice with the coconut milk, and it was a fabulous pairing with the curry sauce.

Tilapia with Coconut Curry Sauce
From Cooking Light 

1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger (or 1 tsp ground ginger in a pinch)
1/2 tsp minced garlic cloves
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 tsp curry powder (I used sweet)
2 tsp red curry paste 
1/2 tsp ground cumin 
4 tsp soy sauce 
1 TB brown sugar 
1/4 tsp salt
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk 
2 TB chopped fresh cilantro 

4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Toasted sesame oil
Salt and pepper


3 cups coconut jasmine rice (recipe below)
Lime wedges

Preheat broiler or grill.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Add ginger and garlic to the skillet and cook 1 minute.

Add pepper and onions and cook 2-3 minutes.

Add in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin and cook 1 minute.

Add soy sauce, sugar, salt, and coconut milk.  Bring sauce to a simmer, but do not boil.

Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

Brush fish with sesame oil and season with salt and pepper and place on baking sheet.   

Broil 7-10 minutes until fish flakes easily.

Squeeze lime wedges over fish and serve with rice and curry sauce.


Coconut Jasmine Rice
 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups jasmine rice


Add coconut milk, water and rice to rice cooker and cook until done.  


Serve hot with fish and curry sauce.

Click to print recipe

Peanut Butter Balls

Best snack ever.

Thanks, once again, to Alida's Kitchen.

The girls adore them (although someone under the age of 3 has a tendency to pick out the chocolate and discard the rest). 

I love them.

They can be vegan (swap out the 1 TB honey for another TB of pure maple syrup).

They take a lot of peanut butter, but are totally worth it.

Peanut Butter Balls
From Alida's Kitchen

1 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1 TB honey
1 TB pure maple syrup
1 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons wheat germ
2 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

 Heat peanut butter, honey, syrup in the microwave until easily mixed, about 15 seconds.  Stir until blended.

In a separate bowl, mix oats, wheat germ and coconut.

Add peanut butter mixture to oat mixture and stir until incorporated.

Add in chocolate chips.

Using a cookie scoop, create 1" balls.

Refrigerate.

Click to print

Best Red Sauce

I love this sauce. It's a quick sauce to get started, and the simmer time is hands off. It freezes well, so if you have a big pot you can double the recipe (I use a 5 quart pot) and have a nice store of sauce in the freezer.

I use it for everything: pizza, calzone, lasagne, ravioli, spaghetti. If you like your lasagne saucy (which I do), a single batch is the perfect amount for a 9x13 pan.

There has been much discussion on the danger of canned tomatoes. Some canned foods contain BPA in the lining of the can and acidic foods (such as tomatoes) can cause the BPA to leach into the food. Amazon sells boxed and jarred tomatoes, and Muir Glenn tomato products have been transitioned to non-BPA cans. Which is good news as Muir Glenn tomatoes won the taste test at America's Test Kitchen!

Best Red Sauce
I don't recall the original source for this sauce, but I believe it was originally a sauce for a lasagne from All Recipes.

1 TB extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 tsp minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
1/2 cup water
2 TB sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil (or 3 tsp fresh basil)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 TB salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 TB dried parsley

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat.

Saute onion and garlic until the onions are soft and golden.

Stir in remaining ingredients.

Simmer uncovered for 30-45 minutes.

Serve with pasta, or use as a sauce for pizza or calzone, adding meat or veggies to the sauce as desired.

Click to print recipe

Ravioli with Roasted Zucchini and Mushrooms

One of my new favorite food blogs is Alida's Kitchen. On Valentine's Day, she posted WHOLE WHEAT CHOCOLATE PANCAKES. And yes, that deserved all caps. The girls and I had them for brunch and they were the highlight of the day.

I've spent a significant amount of time browsing her site since then. I love it. It's so bright and cheery and I've bookmarked so many recipes.

Her roasted zucchini ravioli caught my attention right away. I love both roasted veggies and ravioli, what a great combination. I also realized my girls have never had ravioli. How had I gone so wrong as a parent?

I had to add mushrooms to the roasting pan, and they were a delicious addition.

The ravioli is great with just the roasted zucchini and mushrooms. However, there are some people in this house who require sauce. If you are a sauce person as well, come back tomorrow for a post on my best red sauce.

Ravioli with Roasted Zucchini and Mushrooms
Adapted from Alida's Kitchen

4 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
3 TB grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 pound cheese or spinach ravioli

Top with:
1 TB grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix olive oil and crushed red pepper.

Add zucchini, mushrooms, garlic and 3 tablespoons cheese to oil mixture and toss until thoroughly coated.

Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and spread zucchini and mushrooms in a single layer.

Bake for about 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and golden brown.

While the veggies are roasting, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook ravioli as directed on the package (usually 3-5 minutes).

Drain ravioli and toss with roasted zucchini and mushrooms.

Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Ravioli may be served with or without sauce.

Click to print recipe

Linked at Amee's Savory Dish Fit and Fabulous Fridays

S'mores Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love cookies, and chocolate chip cookies are the clear favorite. I first noticed this 'stuffed cookie' trend last fall and bookmarked a few recipes. But I just got around to trying my first stuffed cookie this week. It was a tough decision...should I go with Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies or s'mores stuffed?

I went with the s'mores stuffed. Half way through the process I thought there was no way this would work. I was convinced the cookies would be a mess. But happily I was completely wrong. The cookie held together very well, while baking and while being eaten. The s'more melted down just enough during baking. The marshmallow in the middle was a delicious gooey bite, and the graham crackers offered a nice little crunch.

I made a few changes to the original recipe. I wanted a smaller cookie (though these were still plenty big) so I broke the graham crackers into quarters, then broke each quarter in half. And then I used chocolate chips in the s'mores rather than Hershey bar pieces since I am opposed to all things milk chocolate.

Overall they are fun to make and a unique cookie. Don't wait to give these a try!

S'mores Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
From Apron Appeal, originally from Picky Palate

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 TB vanilla
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
Graham crackers, broken into 1/8
1/4 cup (approximately) bittersweet chocolate chips
9 large marshmallows, cut in half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-6 minutes.

Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined.

Stir together flour, salt and baking soda in a separate bowl.

With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until the flour is incorporated.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Place cookie dough in the refrigerator while you assemble the s'mores stacks.

To make the s'mores stack: graham cracker square, half marshmallow, three chocolate chips, another graham cracker square.

To assemble the stuffed cookies: *Note: This can be a messy step, so flour your hands slightly with each cookie you assemble.* Flatten one scoop of cookie dough and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Place a s'mores stack on top (the edges of your flattened cookie dough should extend past the s'mores stack). Flatten another scoop of cookie dough (a little larger than the first) and place on top of the s'mores stack (excess cookie dough should hand off the s'mores stack). Pinch the edges of the flattened cookie dough together to surround the s'mores stack with cookie dough.

Once the baking sheet has 6 large cookie dough balls, bake for 14-16 minutes. The edges of the cookie should just be golden.

Cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Yield: 17 cookies

Click to print recipe

Grilled Honey Chipotle Chicken

Can I hear it for March weather that feels more like June?!

Not only did we fire up the grill last week for the first grill of the season...we ate outside. And we were not cold. It was an Indiana miracle!

I pulled out a recipe I haven't made in ages. And I don't know how this fell through the cracks. This is grilled chicken I could eat once a week. At least.

If you are cooking for young kids, beware of the spice factor. I threw an extra chicken thigh on the grill that was just salt and peppered for my girls. More spicy grilled chicken for me.

Grilled Honey Chipotle Chicken
From Annie's Eats

For the glaze:
1/4 cup honey
1 TB pureed canned chipotles in adobo sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil

For the rub:
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1-2 tsp vegetable oil
Sesame seeds
Chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the grill (or a cast iron skillet to cook on stove top) to medium-high.

In a small bowl, whisk the honey, chipotle puree, mustard, chili powder, salt, and 1½ teaspoons oil. Divide the sauce in half. Use half to glaze chicken as it cooks and reserve the other half to drizzle over completely cooked chicken.

In a separate bowl, stir together chili powder, cumin and paprika, dash of salt and a few grinds of pepper.

Drizzle both sides of chicken thighs with vegetable oil. Sprinkle chicken with the paprika mixture.

Place the chicken on the heated grill and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Turn the chicken and brush the cooked side of the chicken with the honey-chipotle sauce.

Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, turn the chicken again and brush the second side with the glaze.

Cook for 1 minute, turn chicken again and cook for 1 minute more.

Remove from the grill and drizzle with the reserved honey-chipotle sauce.

Sprinkle the chicken with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

Click to print recipe

Linked at Fit and Fabulous Fridays and Weekend Potluck

Skillet Parmesan Croutons

This post is long over due.

When I started this blog, one of my early posts was for slow roasted tomato soup. It's my favorite soup, my winter comfort food.

As delicious as the soup is, it requires skillet parmesan croutons to make it complete. The flavor and texture of the croutons is the ultimate complement to the soup. And the croutons are even easier to make than the soup.

But wait, they're multi-purpose! Since winter is coming to a close and I'm learning to like salads, I've started adding the croutons to my salad. The croutons gives the salad a nice flavorful crunch, and makes me like salad a bit more.

I usually use the end of a homemade loaf of whole wheat bread for the croutons. A day-old baguette works well too.

Give these a try with your next batch of soup or salad. They are so much tastier than store-bought!

Parmesan Croutons
From In Jennie's Kitchen

2 cups day-old bread, cut into 1/4" chunks
1/2 tsp dried parsley
2 TB grated Parmesan cheese
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tsp olive oil

Mix parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper and olive oil.

Toss bread cubes in oil mixture until cubes are well coated.

Add bread cubes to a hot cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Cook bread cubes, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes.

Serve with tomato soup or salad.

Click to print recipe

Homemade Yogurt

My list of things I don't like about (store bought) yogurt:
Plain yogurt is too tart.
Flavored yogurt has too much sugar and other additives.
I don't like chunks of fruit in my yogurt. (Except for bananas.)

BUT THEN...

Last summer I made a new friend who told me she makes yogurt in her slow cooker. And the only ingredients needed: milk and a yogurt starter. It was too simple not to try.

It was so easy. And the yogurt was so good. It had just the right creamy consistency, just the right tartness (or non-tartness). I especially love to time it so it will sit overnight and then I eat the yogurt slightly warm right out of the slow cooker.

The yogurt takes about 14 hours to make, but requires hardly any hands on time. The only problem is tying up my slow cooker for that long!

Once the yogurt is done, you have 8 cups of plain yogurt, and the possibilities are endless.

To sweeten it, you can add a little pure maple syrup. My kids will drink it through a straw for a quick breakfast.

Add a little more maple syrup and you've got maple yogurt syrup.

For vanilla yogurt, add a little honey or powdered sugar and vanilla extract.

For fruity yogurt, slightly warm some jam (no sugar added) and stir it into the yogurt, and/or add fresh fruit.

Layer granola and yogurt in a cup, drizzle with a little chocolate and enjoy a decadent yogurt parfait.
Use it as a substitute for mayo in salad dressing.

Use it in dishes such as granola pancakes or chicken tikka masala

For a thick, Greek-style yogurt, line a fine mesh sieve with a paper towel and set the sieve over a small bowl. Add the desired amount of yogurt to the sieve and allow it to drain for 1-2 hours.

So even if you think you don't like yogurt...try it, you'll like it!

Homemade Yogurt

7 1/2 cups of milk (I use half whole milk and half skim milk, but any combination of whole, 1%, 2% or skim will work)
1/2 cup plain yogurt*

Pour milk into a slow cooker and put the lid on.

Set the slow cooker to low for 2 1/2 hours.

After 2 1/2 hours, turn the slow cooker off and allow to sit (lid on) for 3 hours.

After 3 hours, stir in 1/2 cup yogurt with a wooden spoon. Replace the lid and wrap the slow cooker in two heavy towels.

Allow to sit for 8-12 hours. The longer it sits, the thicker and more tart the yogurt becomes. Eight hours is the perfect amount of time for my taste.

Refrigerate and enjoy!

*I use Trader's Point Creamery whole plain yogurt as my starter. Once you've made a batch of homemade yogurt, you can use it as a starter, but I've found that the flavor isn't quite as good if I use homemade starter more than once.

Click to print recipe

Linked at Fit and Fabulous Fridays

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream Sundaes

I generally don't go to all the trouble of adding things to my ice cream. I'm happy enough with a high quality plain chocolate ice cream, melted just a tad so that it's soft and slightly runny.

Last month we hosted a dinner party, and I wanted an ice cream dessert that was a little more involved. Dulce de leche ice cream sundaes seemed to be the perfect dessert to go with the chicken enchiladas. I happened to be more on the ball that usual and between my husband and I, we made our own dulce de leche and our own dulce de leche ice cream the day before the party. The chocolate sauce was extremely simple and turned out nice and rich, just like I like it. The toasted coconut smelled like heaven. Once it all came together, the combination of flavors and textures were exactly what I was looking for.

Start with making your own dulce de leche by boiling cans of sweetened condensed milk. Food Mayhem has great instructions and will alleviate any fears you may have about boiling unopened cans. I boiled two cans and had enough dulce de leche for the ice cream with plenty left over for extra drizzling.

You can buy dulce de leche ice cream (Haagen Daaz is my favorite, readily available brand), or if you have an ice cream freezer, it's not tough to make your own ice cream with this recipe from The Ravenous Couple.

The rest is simple, put it all together and you've got an impressive dessert!

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream Sundaes
Adapted from Martha Stewart

dulce de leche ice cream
dulce de leche
unsalted peanuts
1 cup sweetened coconut

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (or 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped)
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

For the toasted coconut:
Spread the coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Stir the coconut every 3 minutes or so, until the coconut is golden brown.

For the chocolate sauce:
Place the chocolate, cinnamon and salt in a small, heatproof bowl.

Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.

Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand for about 3 minutes.

Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

The sauce will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or over a double boiler.

Put it all together:
Scoop the dulce de leche ice cream into small dishes. Top with additional dulce de leche, chocolate cinnamon sauce, toasted coconut, and peanuts.

Click to print recipe

Slow Cooker Spicy Roast

There are Sundays when I love nothing more than to spend half the day in the kitchen, preparing a labor intensive Sunday dinner. My girls play with Daddy, and I enjoy uninterrupted cooking time.

But there are always slow cooker Sundays. Today the weather was unseasonably beautiful for early March in Indianapolis, so we spent a good part of the morning flying kites. I was glad I had planned on a throw-it-in-the-slow-cooker-and-walk-away roast.

The hardest part of this roast is mixing together several spices. I've cut down on even that step by making several batches of the dry rub at a time and storing each 'serving' in a small re-sealable snack bag.

The paprika, chili powder and cayenne make this a tad on the spicy side, but not overly so. My kids will eat it without complaint, and they're generally not spicy eaters.

Slow Cooker Spicy Roast

Mix the following spices:
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp each: fresh ground pepper, chili powder, seasoned salt, onion powder, kosher salt
1/4 tsp each: cayenne, garlic powder

Rub the dry rub over the surface of a 2 or 3 lb. roast.

Add to the slow coker:
1 1/2 cups water
3 beef bouillon cubes (or 3 tsp beef base)
1/4 cup grated onion
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt
roast with dry rub

Cook on high for about 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours.

Serve with veggies (I usually go for mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus) and the juice from the slow cooker.

Click to print recipe

Blueberry and Cream Cheese Muffins

Muffins are a favorite snack and breakfast food around here. Blueberry muffins are a high on the list, and I was looking forward to trying a muffin with a little extra something.

I started with a recipe for peach muffins with cream cheese. As delicious as that sounds, the blueberry/cream cheese combination was fantastic. The crumb was still light. The cream cheese filling and slightly crunchy topping offered a nice texture contrast.

I haven't been fond of the 100% whole wheat blueberry muffins that I've tried, but with the cream cheese filling and cinnamon sugar topping, I was able to get away with about 75% wheat flour.

Additional advice: make a double batch. These disappeared in no time.


Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins
Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Cinnamon sugar (for topping)

For the cream cheese filling:

6 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 TB sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin tin or line a muffin tin with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.

In a separate medium bowl mix butter, egg, milk, and vanilla together.

Add the wet ingredients into flour mixture. Stir gently just until combined and don't over mix.

Carefully fold in the blueberries.

In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, lemon zest, sugar, and cinnamon until smooth.

Fill each muffin cup half way with batter. Add a small spoonful of the cream cheese filling (about 2 teaspoons) to each muffin cup, then add batter to cover the cream cheese filling.

Sprinkle each muffin with cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 14-17 minutes. The muffins should just start to brown and toothpick will come out clean.

Cool on a rack and enjoy!

Yield: About 10 muffins

Click to print recipe

100% Whole Wheat Ritz Crackers

I've ventured into the world of making my own crackers before with Alton Brown's seeded crackers. They are my kind of cracker, with a big crunch and big sesame flavor.

This time I wanted to try a cracker that would be more kid friendly. And there is nothing Kitty likes better than when we visit friends who will feed her Ritz crackers. I was pleased to find a Ritz cracker recipe from Cupcake Project that looked quick and relatively easy.

For my crackers, I swapped out all the all-purpose flour for white wheat flour. The crackers still had a great flavor and texture, even with the use of 100% whole wheat. But then I'm used to whole wheat and like the wheaty-flavor. If you're not used to that yet, you may want to start with 50% whole wheat and work up to it.

I also used aluminum-free baking powder. Alton Brown says you are likely to get a metallic taste to your crackers if you use regular baking powder (and who wants that?). Aluminum free baking powder is easy to find in any grocery store in the baking aisle (it's not much more expensive) or I've listed a substitution below the instructions.

Since I still had my tiny heart cookie cutter out from Valentines, I used that to cut out the crackers. So they were mini-Ritz, and darn cute. And I found this dough much easier to roll and cut than the seeded crackers.

I was worried that brushing them with the salty butter at the end would make them too greasy, but that was not the case. If anything I think it could have used a bit more salt.

The kid verdict was positive: both girls gobbled up the crackers as if they were store-bought. I was also pleased with the results. A tasty, 100% whole wheat cracker without the preservatives of store-bought, using basic ingredients, and quick and easy to make.

100% Whole Wheat Ritz Crackers
Adapted from Cupcake Project

2 cups white wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder, aluminum-free*
1 TB sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6 TB cold unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
2 TB vegetable oil
2/3 cup water (or a little less)

Butter topping:
3 TB unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Pulse the flour, baking powder, sugar, and 1/2 tsp of salt in a food processor.

Add cold butter and pulse a few times.

Add vegetable oil and pulse.

With the food processor running, slowly pour in the water. Stop adding water as the dough comes together to form a ball.

Split the dough in half and roll out the first half thin, about an 1/8" thick (or use a pasta roller if you have one handy).

Cut out the dough with a cookie cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Poke a few holes in each cracker so the cracker will bake properly. (I used a wooden skewer, a fork would work too).

Roll out remaining dough and continue to cut out crackers and poke with holes.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. The crackers should just be golden brown.

While the crackers are baking, mix the melted butter and salt for the topping.

Brush the crackers with the melted butter and salt as soon as they come out of the oven.

Cool the crackers on the pan and enjoy!

Yield: About 200 mini crackers.

*If you don't have aluminum free baking powder, use this substitution: 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar + 1/4 tsp cornstarch = 1 tsp aluminum free baking powder*

Click to print

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

One Sunday morning we all woke up grumpy, and it was a dreary day besides. By 10 am I had sent everyone back to bed, including me. Then we started the day over with some lemon poppy seed muffins. I loved the bright lemon flavor, and the day definitely improved from there.

I included the instructions for the glaze, but they are fine without it too. And of course I used 1/2 wheat flour, 1/2 white, and decreased the sugar. Still delicious!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Adapted from Annie's Eats

For the muffins:
1 cup white wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 TB poppy seeds
1¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
Zest of 1 lemon
2 TB fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plain yogurt

Combine the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.

Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low speed, mix in half the dry ingredients, then the yogurt, then the remainder of the dry ingredients, beating each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter into muffin tins.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes for mini muffins, 16-18 minutes for regular muffins. (test muffins for doneness with a toothpick). Let them cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack.

For the glaze:
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 TB fresh lemon juice

Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over each muffin while they are still warm.

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Garlic Chicken Salad

It's time. It's time for me to learn to like salads.

I started with a Carver's Salad from Apron Appeal. The honey cider dressing was delicious, and the fruit and nuts added to the salad made it even more appealing.

Then I struck out on my own. I cooked up some of my favorite garlic butter chicken and added it to romaine and tomatoes, and topped it off with the honey cider dressing. Not only did it make a beautiful salad, it was a salad I really loved.

So I have two delicious recipes I have to share with you today. Let's start with the garlic butter. This stuff is addictive AND multipurpose. I first made it to spread on artisan bread to go with some soup. The next day I drizzled it over cooked pasta. I used to to saute some zucchini, mushrooms and shrimp. And finally I had the presence of mind to slather it on some chicken breasts and cook it in a cast iron skillet. Chicken doesn't get any better! In this case, the garlic chicken adds just the right touch to the fresh veggies and cider dressing.

Garlic Butter
Adapted from AllRecipes

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 TB grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth.

To make the garlic butter chicken:
Slather one side of uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs with garlic butter.

Place buttered side down in hot cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and butter the other side of the chicken.

Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, until it's cooked through.

Let it rest for a few minutes, then chop into bite size pieces to add to a salad.

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Now for the dressing. It's the perfect in between dressing - it's not a vinaigrette, but it's also not a heavy all-mayo dressing.

Honey Cider Dressing
From Apron Appeal

3 TB cider vinegar
3 TB honey
6 TB mayonnaise (or lighten it up a bit and use 3 TB mayo and 3 TB plain yogurt)
1 TB Dijon mustard
1 1/2 TB finely minced onion
1 1/2 TB chopped fresh parsley
3/4 cup oil (I used light olive oil)

In a small saucepan, combine the cider vinegar and honey and heat until the honey has dissolved.

In a separate bowl, whisk the mayo (and yogurt if using) and mustard until smooth.

Add the onion and parsley to the mayo mix, then stir in the honey mixture.

Pour the mix into a small mason jar or condiment bottle. Add the oil, put the lid on tightly and shake until oil is emulsified.

Store in the refrigerator. It's best if it sits for a few hours before serving.

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The big day is almost here...

As Colts fans, we've had a disappointing football season. Every weekend, Boo would ask, "Is Payton Manning's neck better yet?" Followed by a resigned, "Well, I guess we won't win until his neck is better."

But Indianapolis is hosting the football game of all football games this year, so we had that to look forward to. I grew up in California and was so excited at the prospect of the 49er's coming to town. Their loss in the final playoff game was a big disappointment, but at least they lost to the Giants. If the Niners can't come, I'll take Eli Manning.
My husband and I took the girls downtown to see the Superbowl Village a few days ago. It was a mostly local crowd, and a lot of fun.

Now it's time to think about the food. Because that's just as important as the game!

Here are a few of my favorite game foods:

Queso Blanco from Annie's Eats

Deluxe BBQ Chicken Pizza from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ham and Cheese Sliders from Apron Appeal

Baked Onion Rings from Baking Bad

Baked Brie from Annie's Eats

Enjoy the game!

Applesauce Muffins

The girls love to bake with me. Cookies are obviously the first choice, but muffins come in a close second. We were out of ingredients for our first choices: blueberry and peaches and cream. So the applesauce muffins were a reluctant third choice.

But they were a smash hit. Kitty exclaimed throughout the day, "I WUF applesauce muffins!"

I was planning on swapping out all the white flour for wheat flour, but then thought why not throw some oats in too? I generally prefer the oat flour to keeping the oats in whole, and it's so easy to make. I just throw the oats in my blender and turn it on high and in 30 seconds or less I've got oat flour. I think the half wheat/half oat flour combination was perfect.

Even using unsweetened applesauce, these were plenty sweet, so don't hesitate to decrease the sugar if you are so inclined.

Applesauce Muffins
Adapted from Taste of Home

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 cups white wheat flour
2 cups regular oats, blended to flour*
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves

*Place oats in a blender and blend on high until oats become flour.

Cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl.

Mix in eggs and vanilla.

Stir in applesauce.

In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients.

Stir flour mixture into butter/sugar mixture just until blended.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake muffins in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool and enjoy!

Yield: About 2 1/2 dozen

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Whole Wheat Naan

Really good Indian food needs some really good naan to go along with it.

This is another fabulous recipe from Eat, Live, Run. I changed it just a bit to make it 100% whole wheat. As always, adjust the wheat/white flour combination to suit your taste. You can omit the vital wheat gluten if you don't use all wheat flour.

I also used my own garlic butter since I already had some in the fridge, but her roasted garlic butter sounds fantastic.

Whole Wheat Naan
Adapted from Eat, Live, Run

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tsp yeast
3 to 3 1/2 cups white wheat flour
1 TB vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

Combine the yeast, water and sugar and stir gently. Set aside for about five minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (using a dough hook), combine the water/yeast mixture plus 1 1/2 cups of the flour.

Mix on low speed for about three minutes.

Add the vital wheat gluten, another 1 1/2 cups flour and the salt and increase the speed to high. If the dough is pulling away from the side of the bowl, you're good. If not, add a TB of flour at a time until the dough forms a cohesive ball.

Mix on high for about six minutes. When you're done, the dough should be elasticy.

Remove the dough place in a lightly oiled bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about two hours. It should double in size.

After rising, turn the dough onto a floured counter-top and divide into four equal sections.

Flatten each section down into a rectangular shape. If it resists shaping, let it rest for a couple minutes, then try again.

Sprinkle each rectangle with water and prick your fingers in each for naan “dimples”.

Place on a lined baking sheet and bake at 475 for ten minutes.

Let cool, hen brush each naan with garlic butter. Broil for four minutes.

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Garlic Butter

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 TB grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp smoked paprika

Combine all ingredients and stir until smooth.

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