Cookbook Review: Kitchen Confidence

As much as I enjoy trying recipes from blogs & pinterest, there's just something about holding a cookbook in your hands and flipping through the pages. Most recently I've been cooking from Kelsey Nixon's Kitchen Confidence. This cookbook is filled with 100 recipes that are practical, everyday recipes that I would actually want to make--think cinnamon rolls, banana bread, pot roast, chicken salad, chili, mac & cheese, brownies, birthday cake, etc. But while they are delicious recipes that frequently come out of every cook's kitchen, I really like Kelsey's spin on some of the classics: she puts an Asian spin on traditional chicken noodle soup, roast chicken is jazzed up with Moroccan spices, twice baked potatoes are made with bacon and bleu cheese. This cookbook is a great blend of everyday recipes and also a modern twist on these traditional recipes. I've made several recipes from this cookbook and look forward to trying more. Below are links to three of the recipes from her cookbook that I've previously shared here on the blog. 

Green Smoothie

Blueberry Muffins

Greek Shrimp & Orzo Salad

Disclosure: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Blueberry Muffins

One thing that continues to amaze me is how many recipes there are for banana bread and blueberry muffins. It might be because they are two of the easiest breakfast treats to whip up, as evidenced by the number of blueberry muffin and banana bread recipes I've shared here on the blog. You'd think by now I would move on to another type of delicious breakfast item, but I just can't help it: I see another recipe that sounds good and looks easy, and I just have to try it out.

Blueberry Muffins
3 cups + 1 Tbsp flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1/2 pint blueberries (heaping 1 cup)*

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups of the flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugar, sour cream, melted butter, buttermilk, and eggs.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined; do not overmix. Toss the blueberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour, shake off the excess, and fold them into the batter. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake until a cake tested inserted into a muffin comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool slightly in the pan before transferring to a wire rack; serve warm. Muffins will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

*If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw before using.

source: recipe from Kitchen Confidence

Greek Shrimp & Orzo Salad

Pasta salads are one of my favorite things to eat in the summertime. I especially love this Greek orzo salad, so when I found the below recipe for essentially the same salad with shrimp added in, I knew I would love it. It was really easy to throw together and didn't even require turning the oven on--two of my requirements for a perfect summer dinner.

Greek Shrimp & Orzo Salad
8 oz orzo pasta
1 (10 oz) container grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped
4 oz crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook according to the package directions. Drain and let cool.

In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled orzo, tomatoes, cucumber, feta, and 1/4 cup of the oil. Grate the lemon zest into the bowl. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and pour it into the bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp oil. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Put the shrimp into the skillet and cook, stirring, until they are jut cooking through and pink, 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Mix the shrimp into the salad and season to taste with salt and pepper once more before serving. Salad will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Serves 6.

source: recipe slightly adapted from Kitchen Confidence

Green Smoothie

My go-to green smoothie (read: the only green smoothie I've ever liked) is truly delicious, but sometimes I end up putting a little too much vanilla yogurt and peanut butter in it that it seems to be a little fattening. Over the weekend I decided to branch out and try another green smoothie , sans peanut butter and yogurt. Surprisingly, I loved it! It tastes so fresh with all of the different fruits in it, and I especially love the pineapple and frozen grapes. Caleb even thought it tasted good, as long as he didn't have to look at it while he tasted it:) If you're looking for a quick, tasty breakfast, try this smoothie out! Have a great weekend!

Green Smoothie
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup green grapes, frozen
1 cup cubed fresh pineapple
1 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
1/2 Granny Smith apple, cut into chunks
1/2 banana
1 cup crushed ice

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Makes 1 large serving or 2 small servings.

source: recipe slightly adapted from Kitchen Confidence