Buttermilk Biscuits

I'm not sure what the weather is doing where you are, but it's 77 degrees outside right now! This weather is making it challenging to both dress and cook. The good news is that biscuits go with any dinner, at least down here in the South they sure do. These biscuits are straightforward and delicious and would be perfect with whatever you're having for dinner tonight.

Buttermilk Biscuits
3 cups flour
3 Tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces or grated
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Be careful not to overwork - you really want to see those bits of butter scattered throughout the dough. Add the buttermilk and stir just until moistened.

For each biscuit, scoop out about 1/3 cup of the dough and drop it onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the biscuits about 2 inches apart. Bake until the biscuit are golden brown on top and a tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Makes 12 biscuits.

source: recipe from Kitchen Confidence

What I'm Cooking This Winter

Do you switch up your dinner menus based on the season? I do, and I love it because I can anticipate making and eating certain recipes for each season! In the fall and winter I, like most people, like a heartier dinner, lots of soups, and cozy meals for these long and dark evenings. I thought it might help some of you with your meal planning if I shared my go-to winter meals. Below are the recipes that I love and make over and over again. I've included 20 recipes with links, which should be more than enough for a whole month of dinners, since each recipe makes plenty of leftovers! 

Stuffed Pepper Soup
Crockpot Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Roasted Sausage + Veggie Casserole
Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Pasta Fagioli Soup
Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Chicken
Sausage & Tortellini Soup
Braised French Onion Chicken with Gruyère
Spinach Tomato Orzo Soup
Chicken Italiano 
Cheeseburger Soup
Italian Chicken Soup
Chicken Tomato Pasta Bake
Chipotle Pork Tenderloin with Apple Chutney
Black Bean Chili
Chicken Squares
Oven Baked Spicy Chicken Tacos
Easy Chili
Chicken & Poblano Stew
Stuffed Peppers

(images above are mine, except for 2, 4, 6)

Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Crisp Cinnamon Topping

In case you're not stuffing your face with enough sweet treats today, here's a delicious banana bread recipe! This is probably in my top 2 favorite banana breads. The cream cheese makes the bread SO moist and the topping makes this bread almost like a dessert. I also love that it makes two loaves, as most of my banana bread recipes only make one. I love baking quick breads that make two loaves so that I can stash one in the freezer! 

Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Crisp Cinnamon Topping
for the topping
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans (I've also used pecan chips if I have them)
1 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

for the bread
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 4 medium size)
1 cup chopped toasted pecans (optional - I've made both with and without)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

To prepare topping, stir together brown sugar, pecans, flour, melted butter, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

To prepare bread, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 (8x4 inch) loaf pans.

Beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar. Beat for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow yolk disappears after each addition.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add to butter mixture in thirds, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla.

Spoon batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over batter and pat into batter to adhere.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Cool bread in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool at least 30 minutes on wire racks before cutting with a serrated knife.

source: recipe from The Southern Living Community Cookbook: Celebrating Food and Fellowship in the American South

Chicken and Poblano Stew

Today I have an incredibly easy but delicious meal for you: this chicken and poblano stew. The hardest part is roasting the poblano and chopping it up, and even that is easy. I keep cooked, shredded chicken on hand in the freezer, so after chopping the pepper and onion this was literally a dump-it-in-and-stir dinner. It is SO flavorful and tastes just as good for leftovers.

Chicken and Poblano Stew
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 poblano pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
16 oz store-bought salsa verde (I used Garlic & Lime)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
toppings: chopped red onion, lime wedges, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, cilantro, avocado

Roast the poblano over a flame until charred all over. (Alternatively, quarter the pepper, place the pieces skin side up on a baking sheet, and broil on the top rack until the skin has blistered and charred, 8-10 minutes.) Transfer the pepper (or the pepper quarters) to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the poblano, discarding the stem and seeds if still whole. Chop the flesh.

In a large Dutch oven or saucepan set over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and roasted poblano and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the coriander and cumin and cook until slightly darkened and fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add the salsa verde and cook until it just comes to a boil, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the shredded chicken and cook until heated through.

Serve over cooked rice with toppings of choice. Serves 4.

source: recipe slightly adapted from Kitchen Confidence

Honey Oatmeal Bread

One of my favorite things about fall is spending extra time in the kitchen baking breads and sweet treats while a soup or chili simmers on the stove. My mother-in-law has made this bread a couple of times when I've been at their house, and each time I can't stop eating it. It's safe to say that this recipe is my favorite homemade bread. I made a batch a couple of weeks ago and was so pleased with how it turned out. We might have finished both loaves in five days...

Honey Oatmeal Bread

2 cups boiling water

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup honey

2 Tbsp butter

2 tsp salt

2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F)

4-5 cups bread flour

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp rolled oats

In a large mixing bowl, combine boiling water, oats, 1/2 cup honey, butter, and salt. Let stand for 1 hour.

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Pour the yeast mixture into the oat mixture. Add 2 cups of flour; mix well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition, until dough has pulled together and isn't too sticky (I needed the full 5 cups). Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 20 minutes (or you can leave it in the bowl and knead with the dough hook attachment of your stand mixer). Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves into two lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Cover the loves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove loaves from pans, brush tops of loaves with honey and sprinkle with oats.

source: recipe adapted from all recipes

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake with Pumpkin Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Last week I hosted a girls' night at my house, and I used it as an excuse to make this pumpkin cake. The cake in itself was delicious, and it really could pass as a coffee cake or even pumpkin bread (and I'm not just saying that because I may have eaten a piece for breakfast). The cream cheese frosting with a hint of pumpkin and cinnamon is what takes this cake to the next level. It is such a good combination and the perfect treat for fall. 

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake with Pumpkin Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

for the cake:

1 15 oz can pure pumpkin, divided

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs at room temperature

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup whole milk

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

for the frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp butter, softened

2 Tbsp pumpkin puree from above canned pumpkin

1-2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray all surfaces of a 12-cup nonstick bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour, or grease and flour the inside of your pan. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugars together with mixer until fluffy. Remove 2 Tbsp pumpkin from the can and set aside for frosting. Add remaining pumpkin to the butter and sugar mixture, beating until combined. Add eggs, one at at time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each egg.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternating with milk in between each third. Beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips just until combined then spoon batter into prepared pan. Tap pan on counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles. 

Bake until a wood pick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean, 75-90 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, and pumpkin together until smooth. Add milk and cinnamon and gradually beat in powdered sugar, adding additional milk if necessary, to reach desired consistency. Frost cooled cake as desired.

source: recipe barely adapted from carlsbad cravings

On Stocking the Freezer with Meals

This past spring I decided to stock my freezer full of easy dinners I could pull out and serve. I was hoping that I would be getting pregnant soon and fully anticipating I would have another rough first trimester, making cooking dinner a huge struggle. I researched some meals that would freeze well, but what I mostly found were crockpot "dump" meals. Those aren't always my favorite, because they're either too creamy or just don't have enough of an interesting flavor. Below are links of the recipes I ended up making, if you're interested in stocking up your freezer! We started eating these in June, and I have just a few left. We obviously don't eat them every night, but it's been such a great filler for the days that I've been too tired or too sick to cook! It would be handy to stock your freezer with these if you're pregnant, will be having a newborn soon, have a busy work schedule, or even just for a stress-free dinner!

• Chicken Spaghetti - I made two pans of this and each pan lasted for several meals for the three of us!
• Quiche - I made three, which I served with a tossed salad for dinner or had for easy breakfasts or lunches. 
• Calzones (I used this technique with this filling) - I ended up making 8 calzones, and we found that 1 calzone for each of us was plenty. I wrapped them individually in aluminum foil. When it was time to eat them, I thawed a couple in the fridge for a few hours before baking them in the oven still wrapped in foil. 
• Chipotle Lime Chicken - I made one recipe of this, which fills two freezer bags, and each bag is enough for a meal plus plenty of leftovers. This crockpot meal is a tried and true favorite of mine!
• Chicken Squares - I made a double recipe, which is 8 chicken squares. I baked them completely and let them cool before wrapping them individually in foil. To serve, I baked them on a baking sheet still wrapped in foil until they were hot through. 
• Meatballs in tomato sauce - The recipe I ended up using wasn't my favorite so I'm not linking it here, but it made a ton and has served a good number of meals. Make your favorite recipe and then divide it up into containers. Thaw in fridge overnight and heat on stove before serving.
• Sloppy Joes - I made one batch of this recipe and then divided it up in several containers. I let it thaw in the fridge overnight then reheated it on the stove before serving.
• Lasagna - I made my mother-in-law's recipe and divided it into two 8x8 pans rather than one large pan. I assembled both lasagnas but didn't bake them. When I was ready to serve them, I let it thaw in the fridge/counter, then baked it covered with foil until it was hot through and bubbling. 

Hope you find this helpful if you're looking to stock up your freezer and want to avoid a ton of crockpot meals! These meals have been a huge help to me! Now that we're getting into fall and soup weather, I plan on stocking up on a bunch of soups and chilis! Do you have any tried and true recipes that freeze well?

Slow-cooker Moroccan-spiced Chicken with Couscous

It's been a minute since I've posted a recipe, mostly because I've been very sick with this pregnancy and cooking has been kept to a minimum! Thankfully I am doing a lot better and the nausea is more manageable now. I'm back in the kitchen and enjoying having a little more energy! I made this recipe right before getting pregnant, and we loved it! I love using my crockpot for really easy dinners, but so many crockpot recipes are really creamy/thick/not healthy. This recipe packs so much flavor and is actually healthy!

Slow-cooker Moroccan-spiced Chicken with Couscous
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp cinnamon
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (I used breasts)
1 (14.5) ounce can diced tomatoes, mostly drained
1 pound large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup couscous

Mix the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add the chicken and toss to coat in the spice mixture. Add the tomatoes and carrots.

Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender. Shred the meat and return it to the liquid with the vegetables.

Ten minutes before serving, prepare the couscous according to the package directions.

Serve the chicken and vegetables over the couscous.

source: recipe barely adapted from Real Simple, December 2015

Blueberry & Mint Lemonade

In the summertime one of my favorite treats is homemade lemonade. I love making variations with different fruits and herbs. Most recently I whipped up this blueberry & mint lemonade. It is so refreshing, and I loved the subtle aftertaste of the mint. This weekend we're supposed to get temps up to 99 degrees, so you'd better believe you can find me with a glass of this in my hand. Happy weekend!

Blueberry & Mint Lemonade

2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen will also work)

1 cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice

1 cup granulated sugar

4-5 cups filtered water

In a blender add blueberries, mint, lemon juice, and granulated sugar. Blend until smooth and deep purple. The mixture will look a bit like a smoothie.

Pour mixture into a fine mesh strainer placed over a medium bowl. Use a spatula to press the liquid through the strainer leaving the blueberry pulp and fresh mint in the strainer. Discard the pulp. Pour the blueberry, mint, lemon juice into a pitcher and add water. Taste and add more water or sugar according to your taste. Serve chilled. Makes 2 quarts.

source: recipe from joy the baker

How to make strawberry jam

Making homemade strawberry jam is a little spring tradition I've had going for the past six years. We absolutely love it, and I usually make a lot because I don't like the taste of store-bought jam anymore (even when I was hugely pregnant last year I managed to crank out 5 batches!). Homemade jam is one of those things that sounds hard/annoying/intimidating, but this recipe is not! No sterilizing of jars is required! With the right tools and a good system, it is really easy (though a bit time consuming). I use my sister Lauren's recipe (also the recipe inside of the Sure-Jell package), which is below along with my tips.

Strawberry Jam
2 pints strawberries (we get ours from the local berry patch)
4 cups sugar
1 box Sure-Jell fruit pectin (near the jello + pudding in the grocery store)
3/4 cup water

Rinse and hull the strawberries. I use this strawberry huller which is a huge time-saver! Place hulled strawberries in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher. It's best to use a potato masher instead of a food processor, because you don't want the fruit to be puréed.

Measure exactly 2 cups of the crushed strawberries and put into a large bowl. Add exactly 4 cups of sugar. Stir to combine and let it sit for 10 minutes.

While the berries and sugar are sitting, add 3/4 cup of water to a small saucepan. Add in the bag of fruit pectin and stir to combine. Cook on high heat, stirring constantly, until it boils. Once it boils, stir and cook for 1 more minute. Remove it from the heat and add it to the fruit mixture. Stir together for about 3 minutes, until all of the sugar dissolves.

Divide the mixture into clean jars (no need to sterilize!). These Ball mason jars are the ones that I always use. They are pint-sized, freezer safe, and wide mouth, which helps keep things a little less messy. I highly recommend getting a canning funnel as well! You do not want this sticky jam mixture getting all over your jars or your countertops. Pour the mixture into the jars, leaving about 1/2 inch at the top so it can expand in the freezer. Tightly screw the lids onto the jars and let them sit on the counter for 24 hours. Store jam in freezer for up to a year. Thaw jam in fridge when you're ready to eat it. This recipe will fill 3 pint-sized jars.

Also, if math isn't your thing, there are 8 pints in a gallon. So, if you pick a gallon of strawberries at the berry patch, you can make 4 batches of the above recipe, which will fill 12 of these Ball mason jars (which is one pack).

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Pound cake is one of those desserts that's often overlooked, but I don't think it should be. It's a cinch to throw together and the ingredients are basic, but when a pound cake is done right, it's absolutely delicious. This is my go-to pound cake recipe. It turns out every time, and we absolutely love it. It's great on its own but this time of year we also like to top it with fresh strawberries.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake
1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.

Beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating 5-7 minutes or until mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating only until yellow yolk disappears after each addition. Quickly beat in vanilla.

Whisk together flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add to butter mixture in thirds, beating at low speed only until blended after each addition. Pour batter into pan. Gently tap pan on counter to remove air bubbles.

Fill a 2-cup ovenproof measuring cup or small baking pan with water, and place it in the oven on the rack below the tube pan.

Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.

source: recipe from The Southern Living Community Cookbook

Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups

It's Monday, and we're back to the daily grind. Let's make cookies, shall we? These peanut butter cookies are loaded with even more peanut butter in the form of chopped up peanut butter cups. In this household we go through peanut butter (and peanut butter m&ms, peanut butter cups, etc.) like nobody's business, so these cookies were right up our alley. Have a great week!

Peanut Butter Cookies 

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

2/3 cup peanut butter

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

12 oz bag Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a mixer, cream butter and sugars until fluffy, about two minutes. Mix in peanut butter, egg, and vanilla until combined. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture and mix on low until combined.

Stir in chopped peanut butter cups. Use a cookie scoop to place dough on baking sheet a couple of inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove, cool, and enjoy. 

source: recipe barely adapted from bakerella

Greek Pasta Salad

One of my favorite things about the arrival of spring and warmer temperatures is the change in our dinner menu (and eating it outside!). I love having simple, summer-y dinners: think grilled chicken, pasta salads, fresh fruit, etc. I made this pasta salad for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and we loved it. It's a cinch to throw together and tastes so, so fresh. 

Greek Pasta Salad

12 oz veggie rotini or other spiral pasta

3 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped

1 small cucumber, seeded and chopped

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced 

4 oz crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp water

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp minced fresh oregano or 1 Tbsp dried oregano 

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water and drain well.

In a large bowl, combine pasta and vegetables. In a small bowl, whisk oil, lemon juice, vinegar, water, garlic, salt and pepper until blended. Stir in oregano. Add vinaigrette and feta to pasta mixture; toss to combine. Refrigerate, covered, until serving.

source: recipe barely adapted from Taste of Home, April/May 2015

Cinderella Cheesecake

One of my favorite parts of having weekend houseguests is planning the menu and making delicious food. We hosted Caleb's parents this past weekend, and as I was figuring out what all I was going to make ahead of time, I was stumped on the dessert. I was browsing through recipes and asked Caleb if he had any ideas. At the exact moment I was reading a cheesecake recipe, he suggested cheesecake; so cheesecake it was! All peanut butter + chocolate lovers rejoice (um hello isn't that everyone?!): this Cinderella cheesecake is a peanut butter cheesecake inside of a brownie crust. Like most cheesecakes, making this recipe is a bit of a time commitment. As long as you plan accordingly and follow the recipe, the end result is definitely worth the time and effort.

Cinderella Cheesecake

for the brownie crust

3 (1 oz) unsweetened chocolate baking squares

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup flour

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 (1 oz) bittersweet chocolate baking square, finely chopped

for the cheesecake filling

12 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/3 cups creamy peanut butter

for the topping

3/4 cup sour cream

2 tsp granulated sugar

To prepare crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Microwave 3 baking squares and butter in a small microwave-safe bowl at medium (50% power) 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring at 30-second intervals.

Stir together flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Beat eggs and brown sugar in a separate large bowl at medium-high speed with an electric mixer 3-4 minutes or until batter forms thin ribbons when beaters are lifted. Add vanilla, bittersweet chocolate, and melted chocolate mixture. Beat only until blended. Stir in flour mixture just until combined. Spread 1 cup crust mixture on bottom of prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees on center oven rack 13-15 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes; freeze 15 minutes. Remove from freezer; spread remaining batter up sides of pan to 1/4 inch from top, sealing batter to bottom crust.

To prepare filling, beat cream cheese and brown sugar at medium speed with a heavy duty electric stand mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating only until yellow yolk disappears after each addition. Beat in sour cream only until blended. Beat in peanut butter until blended.

Pour filling into prepared crust. (Mixture will not completely fill crust.) Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until center is almost set. A 2-inch circle in center of filling should jiggle slightly when pan is shaken gently. Meanwhile, prepare topping. Stir together sour cream an sugar in a small bowl until smooth.

Remove cheesecake from oven. Spread topping over center of cheesecake, leaving a 2-inch border around edge. Bake for 1 minute more.

Remove from oven; gently run a knife around edge of cheesecake to loose. Cool completely on wire rack. Cover and chill 8-12 hours. Remove sides of pan. Top with chocolate curls, if desired.

source: recipe from The Southern Living Community Cookbook

Brown Sugar-Brined Chicken

Have you ever brined chicken or turkey? I never had until I came across this recipe last summer. It makes the most delicious and moist chicken, and I love having a bunch of grilled chicken on hand to make a variety of dinners. I brined this chicken a couple of weeks ago, and then Caleb grilled it all for me. On the first night we had just the grilled chicken breasts with roasted broccoli and baked sweet potatoes. Then I made this Greek yogurt chicken salad for another meal, and we also used some of the chicken for grilled chicken fajitas. It makes meal planning really easy! This recipe is going to be on a pretty regular rotation throughout the spring and summer since the possibilities are endless!

Brown Sugar-Brined Chicken
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp dried crushed red pepper
4 (4-inch) rosemary sprigs
4 garlic cloves, crushed
8-12 skinned and boned chicken breasts

Stir together first 6 ingredients and 2 quarts of water in a large stockpot. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat and cool 1 hour. Place chicken breasts in brine; cover and chill 1-2 hours.

Heat grill to 350 - 400 degrees (medium-high) heat. Drain chicken, discarding brine. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, and sprinkle with desired amount of black pepper. Grill chicken, covered with grill lid, 5-7 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from grill. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

source: recipe from Southern Living, June 2015

Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Every now and then I get a very real craving for cake. I usually steer this craving toward cupcakes, since there's no need to make an entire cake for two people. Earlier this year I made classic yellow cupcakes with a rich chocolate frosting: that combo was my go-to birthday cake request for about 5 years in a row when I was a kid, so I know I just can't go wrong with it. I actually even halved both of the below recipes, which made for a more manageable number of cupcakes for two people to consume. Both recipes were delicious classics that everyone needs in their cupcake repertoire. 

Classic Yellow Cupcakes

3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 cups sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 eggs plus 4 egg yolks, at room temperature

1 cup sour cream

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar and butter. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Blend in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed. In a small bowl or measuring cup, blend together the sour cream and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners. Bake until the cupcakes are just set and pale golden, about 20-22 minutes. Let cool in the pan about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, frost as desired.

Chocolate Frosting

9.5 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

4 Tbsp unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

pinch of salt

2/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp sour cream

To make the frosting, melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Set aside to cool until just barely warm. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Beat in the melted and cooled chocolate and then the sour cream. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Frost cupcakes immediately before the chocolate hardens and the frosting sets.

source: cupcake recipe from annie's eats, adapted from Baking Illustrated; frosting recipe from annie's eats, slightly adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Rosemary Focaccia

There is something so satisfying to me about making homemade bread. I think it's a combination of feeling a great sense of accomplishment when I successfully use yeast and also loving the way it makes my house smell so cozy. I made this rosemary focaccia bread a couple of weekends ago, and we loved it. It was very easy to make but it adds so much to a meal! 

Rosemary Focaccia

1 2/3 cups warm water (105-115 degrees F)

1 (1/4-ounce) package (2 1/2 tsp) active dry yeast

pinch of sugar

5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading

1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp coarse sea salt

Stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar in mixer bowl until yeast is dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)

Add flour, 1/4 cup oil, and regular salt and beat with paddle attachment at medium speed until a dough forms. Switch to dough hook and knead dough at high speed until soft, smooth, and sticky, 3-4 minutes. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in 1-2 Tbsp more flour. Knead dough for 1 minute longer (it will be slightly sticky), then transfer to a lightly oiled large bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Generously oil a 15-by-10-by-1-inch baking sheet and press dough evenly into pan. Cover completely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Stir together rosemary and remaining 3 Tbsp oil in a small bowl or cup. Make shallow indentations all over top of dough with your fingertips, then brush with rosemary oil, letting it pool in indentations. Sprinkle sea salt evenly over focaccia.

Bake focaccia until golden, 20-25 minutes. Immediately invert a rack over pan and invert focaccia onto rack, then turn right side up. Serve warm or at room temperature.

source: recipe from The Gourmet Cookbook

Quiche Florentine

One of my easy go-to dinners is quiche and salad. It's easy and filling, and the varieties are endless. I made this Quiche Florentine last week, and we loved it. Since quiche may be one of the easiest dinners to make, by all means make your pie crust from scratch! It makes all the difference in the world. This recipe is the one I use every time, and it's never failed me. If you have extra pie crust dough after trimming the edges for the quiche, use it in a mini tart pan for an extra breakfast or lunch (as I did above).

Quiche Florentine

1 9-inch pie crust (I use this recipe), chilled

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 large leeks (white and light green parts only), chopped

1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

4 eggs

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/4 pound Swiss cheese, shredded (1 cup)

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

On a floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch round that's about 1/4 inch thick. Roll the dough up on a rolling pin and gently unroll it into a 9-inch pie pan. Gently press the dough into the pan and trim the overhang to 1/2 inch. Crimp the edges, and, using a fork, poke holes in the bottom of the crust. Put a piece of parchment paper in the crust and fill it with dried beans or pie weights. Put the pie pan on a large baking sheet and bake until the crust begins to brown around the edges, about 25 minutes. Remove the parchment and dried beans and set the crust aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and sauté until they soften and begin to caramelize, 8-10 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, and cayenne.

Scatter the leek and spinach mixture evenly over the bottom of the cooled crust. Top with the Swiss cheese and tomatoes, then pour the milk mixture over the top.

Bake until the center is set and the crust is golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Quiche will keep wrapped in fridge for 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months). Serves 8.

source: recipe slightly adapted from Kitchen Confidence

S'mores Rice Krispies Treats

Rice Krispies treats are one of those things that I love to eat but never think about making. Several weeks ago I saw the packaged variety in the store, and I suddenly needed Rice Krispies Treats (#notpregnant). I landed on making this s'mores version for our church small group this week, and they are so delicious. They really do taste like s'mores, and we can't stop eating them. Have a great weekend!

S'mores Rice Krispies Treats
3 cups rice cereal
4 graham crackers, crumbled into bite-sized pieces (not crushed)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
4 Tbsp butter
1 (10.5 0z) bag of mini marshmallows

Spray a 8x8 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the rice cereal, graham cracker pieces, and chocolate chips. Set aside. Reserve a few marshmallows from the bag (about 1/8 cup or so) and set those aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the remaining marshmallows to the saucepan and stir with the butter until smooth.

Pour the marshmallow butter mixture into the rice cereal mixture and combine with a spatula. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press into an even layer (use a spatula that's been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray to keep it clean). Sprinkle the reserved marshmallows on top.

Chill for 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Makes 12.

source: recipe slightly adapted from cupcakes and cashmere

Browned Butter Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm not one to swear off cookies and ice cream as part of a New Year's resolution. Cookies are always welcome in our house; we just try to eat them in moderation. I tried a new recipe over the weekend, and they did not disappoint. These are a hearty cookie with both oats and peanut butter, and they're perfectly soft and chewy. I really liked that this recipe only makes about 18 cookies, because moderation and such. I will definitely be making these again!

Browned Butter Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

10 Tbsp salted butter

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used a mixture of semi-sweet and dark chocolate) 

Brown butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour and scrape browned butter and bits into the bowl of an electric stand mixer and allow to rest 30-35 minutes until cool. (If you've never browned butter before, here's a helpful tutorial.) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in oats. Set mixture aside.

Add both sugars to the cooled butter in the bowl of the electric stand mixer, and, using a paddle attachment, whip mixture on medium speed 3-4 minutes, frequently scraping down sides of bowl. Blend in peanut butter. Add in egg and vanilla and mix until blended. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop dough out and shape into balls, about 3 Tbsp each. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Allow to cool several minutes on baking sheet before transferring to parchment paper-lined countertop to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 18 cookies.

source: cooking classy