One Bowl Apple Almond Muffins

Someday, we think, Maile will become a renowned chef. That, or a veterinarian with an affinity for baking and cooking. In the meantime, our sweet girl is my number one idea machine and critic.

This afternoon, as I heaped a leftover black bean enchilada onto a plate for us to share, she tilted her head ... "Mama?" "Yes." "These 'chiladas are too spicy for Maile; can I have something different?" From the child who will eat Sriracha (we like spice around here). 

When it comes to breakfast, Maile is a creature of habit: scrambled eggs, steel cut oats, from-scratch biscuits and gravy. One morning last week though, she asked for muffins. "Sure!" I said, reaching for a mixing bowl. "After eggs," she clarified. Of course.

She really wanted to use apples in our recipe, and these One Bowl Apple Almond Muffins were the result. This recipe is paleo friendly, and easy to make vegan, too. For muffins, they are quite nutritious and not too sweet; Maile ate two straight out of the oven!

You can find the recipe here. Enjoy, friends.

Can't Stop, Won't Stop: Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies

My friend Shea is one of the best bakers around. In fact, I'm pretty sure she and my younger sister Emily should have a bake-off. (I'll work on that.) I'd been begging Shea to make me some of these cookies after she posted a teaser photo on Instagram awhile back, and when we announced our exciting news, she did just that. And because I have no shame, I ate three in a row in the parking lot of the zoo. True story.

These lemony goodies have just enough crunch on the outside, and are perfectly chewy on the inside. Basically, the perfect cookie. And Shea has agreed to share this recipe with y'all, too. Hallelujah, and enjoy!

You'll Need

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp corn starch
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• dash of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 stick = 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (Shea used a lemon from her Meyer lemon tree!)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• zest of one lemon
• 1 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Step by Step

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Combine in a small bowl: flours, corn starch, baking soda, salt, cinnamon. 
3. In a large bowl, or using a stand mixer, beat butter, oil, and sugars until creamy.
4. Beat in egg, then lemon juice and vanilla.
5. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and combine.
6. Gently stir in chips and zest. 
7. Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
8. Scoop dough out in small, evenly shaped balls, flattening the top slightly, and place onto a nonstick cookie sheet.
9. Bake for 7-11 minutes, or until golden brown.

xo

Summer Salad

I had so much fun putting together this salad. {And yes, I realize how strange that sounds!} It's a grilled balsamic chicken salad, with organic spring mix, mini cucumbers, cherub tomatoes, and the perfect kick. I'm telling you, it's ah-may-zing. Several readers asked for the recipe, on Instagram, and now you can hop on over to Shrinking Kitchen for the full recipe. Enjoy!

Food for Fathers: Pork Chop Medallions, from Shea, of Sheady Goods

What you need:

2 Tbsp butter divided
2 Tbsp olive oil divided
2 C chopped leeks or 1 large white onion chopped
1 C low fat chicken broth
1/2 C dry white wine
2-6 garlic cloves pressed ( depending on how much you love garlic)
1/2 C sour cream
3 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives (dry is fine as well)
1 Tbsp tarragon fresh (1 tsp, if dry)
1 Tbsp dried parsley

6-8 small, thinly cut pork chops (*depending on how many you're feeding)

What to do:

Sauce:

In large skillet melt 1 Tbsp butter and olive oil over med/high heat. Add onion, stir, 'til it begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, wine, and garlic; let boil 5 minutes. Whisk in mustard and sour cream; cook 1 minute. Set sauce aside in another bowl and clean out out skillet to use for pork chops.  

   

Pork:

In the same skillet, melt another 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Sprinkle both sides of pork with salt and pepper (and a little garlic powder, if you're a garlic lover). Sauté til browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes each side, depending on thickness. You can work in batches and test the first pork chop by cutting in the middle and making sure it is no longer pink. Transfer pork to a platter when cooked; do not worry about keeping it warm, we are going to add it back to the sauce in a minute.

In the skillet just used, blot with a paper towel some of the oil residue, but do not fully clean it out. Add the sauce we set aside back to the skillet for 3 minutes. Stir in chives, tarragon, parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Now put pork back in and gently stir so that sauce covers pork pieces. Let sit in the sauce to warm 1-3 minutes. Serve over rice of your choice or mashed potatoes.

 

Note: I add about 1/4 more of the white wine, broth, sour cream, and mustard if making for more than 3-4 people or if making more than 6-8 pork chops. Everything else I keep the same. If looking for a mashed potato recipe, please see Momma's Mash Potatoes on my blog, Sheady Goods. I also serve with a side salad first!

Happy Father's Day Weekend, friends!

Food for Fathers: Chubby Hubby Cookies, from The Newfangled Housewife

Hello Standpipe & Sprinkles! My name is Emily and I blog over at The Newfangled Housewife. And, in case you didn't know, I'm Katie's little sister. I was so excited when she asked me to do a post for Food for Fathers. I thought this cookie recipe was PERFECT to reveal on here. After all, they are called "Chubby Hubby Cookies"! The inspiration for these cookies? If you're a Ben & Jerry's fan I hope I don't have to explain myself. Chubby Hubby is probably the best ice cream there is. It also happens to be mine and Katie's favorite. These cookies, if I may say so, definitely do the ice cream justice. And they happen to be my hubby's new favorite! 

Ingredients: 

- 1/2 C butter (softened) 

- 1/2 C brown sugar (light, unpacked) 

- 1/2 C sugar 

- 2 eggs 

- 2 tsp vanilla extract 

- 1 package of instant vanilla pudding (see picture below) 

- 1 1/4 C all purpose flour (I used unbleached) 

- 1 tsp baking soda 

- 1/2 tsp salt 

- 2 tbsp milk *optional* 

- 1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips 

- 1/2 C peanut butter chips 

- Chocolate Covered Pretzels 

Directions: 

- Preheat your oven to 350 and prepare a cookie sheet however you please (cooking spray or parchment paper work best). 

- Using an upright or handheld mixer, blend your butter and sugars. Next add your eggs, vanilla, and pudding mix.

- In portions, add your dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt). *Note: If you pre-mix your dry ingredients they will be more evenly distributed through the mix, but I tend to be lazy and always skip this step!* 

- If your mix is really clumping to your mixer, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk. 

- Mix in your chocolate and peanut butter chips. 

- Using a cookie scooper (or spoon if you don't have one), scoop up about 1 tablespoon of dough. Push a chocolate covered pretzel into it, and then cover with more dough. Check out the pictures!

You don't have to do it this way. You can just use your fingers, but I promise you that gets VERY messy. Another way to do it is to put the dough on the cookie sheet and just push the pretzel into the top, but that also defeats the purpose of the pretzel being a surprise in the middle! 

- Place cookies on your prepared sheet and bake for 9 to 12 minutes.

Guess what? The pretzels stay fresh and crisp and don't get soggy! The dough also works well without the pretzels in the middle. I made a batch this way for my toddler's playdate, since I wasn't sure the young ones could handle the crunchy middle.

For more recipes, check out my In The Kitchen section on my blog or follow my Pinterest account! Thanks for having me, big sis!

Sometimes I Eat Nutella Cookies for Dinner

I'm a cook. I love to cook. When Tim is home, I take great pride in planning our meals, and not hearing a single word in between bites of the meals I prepare. Buuuuuut, when he's on hitch, it's really hard to motivate myself to actually cook something beyond quesadillas and egg salad sandwiches. 

And let's not forget the baked goods.

So, sometimes, recipes like this one happen for dinner. And now you're going to want to eat cookies for dinner tonight. For sure. If you read through the easiest cookie recipe ever, and don't want cookies for dinner, there's something wrong with you. Period. ;)

Ready, junk food junkies? Here we go.

Nutella Cookies

• 1 cup Nutella
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the nutella, flour, and egg.

Using a wooden spoon, mix until dough comes together, and no flour lumps remain.

Fold in chocolate chips, until they're well-distributed throughout the dough.

Use a rounded tablespoon to shape the cookie dough into balls.

Bake for about 10 minutes. Cookies will look slightly soft. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack. Let cool until set, another 5 minutes.

Cookies are best enjoyed while still warm and melty, but also store well. Enjoy!

Cashew Chicken Recipe

I modified this recipe from one in one of my favorite cookbooks, Cook Yourself Thin Faster, on a night that I didn't have dinner planned, but didn't have funds in the budget to order out. We were craving Chinese, so I scrounged through the fridge, flipped through a couple of cookbooks, and decided on this. Maile absolutely loves Chinese food, and she even asked for seconds. We have an electric wok, but a large saute pan would work just as well.

I'd love to know what you think of this recipe, too!

Cashew Chicken

• 3/4 pound chicken breast tenders, halved
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• Pinch of brown sugar
• Cooking spray
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 (10-ounce) bag baby carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 cups cooked brown rice, for serving
• 1/4 cup roasted cashew nuts, roughly chopped

Place the chicken in a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and toss until thoroughly combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup chicken broth, the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, the cornstarch, sesame oil, crushed red pepper, and brown sugar; set aside.

Oil a wok, and heat on high until hot. Reduce heat, add the chicken and quickly stir-fry until no longer pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add the garlic to the wok and cook until slightly softened and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the carrots and remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth and cook, stirring, until the carrots are slightly tender but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture and return the chicken to the wok to reheat gently and thicken the sauce.

Toss to combine thoroughly and serve immediately with rice, garnished with the chopped cashews.

Enjoy!

Shrinking Kitchen!

I am so excited to be the newest member of the Shrinking Kitchen team! And of course, I started with a dessert recipe! ;) The brownies, which I call Cakey Carob Brownies, are my first feature for the site. Shrinking Kitchen features a few lovely ladies who are passionate about healthy living for families, and encouraging each other as women. You can browse recipes here. Thanks for including me, Shrinking Kitchen!

PS - Thank you to all of you for being so patient and understanding of me on my blogging journey! You may notice that I'm much less active when Tim is home. Thanks to you, I don't feel like I have to worry too much about this. I can't feel good about this space, or in the friendships formed online, if I'm not giving them my full attention. I never want to give y'all anything but my utmost, so I appreciate your support as I give my family my all during Tim's days off. Love you!

Hearty Sandwich Bread Recipe

For those who've been asking for healthy eating and budgeting tips, and recipes -- here we go! I can't say that I ever thought food would become a part of this blog, but as a new member of the Shrinking Kitchen writing team, I'm realizing that I've long had a passion for beautiful, whole food. Some positive, encouraging feedback from y'all was just the push I needed to share here.

Making your own bread can save you a bundle of money, and I think this homemade loaf is the perfect place to start. A conventional, white bread that will replace your store-bought sandwich stuff. There are a few steps, but it's truly simple to make -- not to mention quite therapeutic, in my humble opinion!

Maile and I like to share a buttered slice, fresh out of the oven, and it. is. marvelous.

Traditional White Loaf (2 lb)

• 1 1/2 cups warm 2% milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons raw sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Add all the ingredients, in order, to your bread maker pan. Before adding the yeast, make a well in the center. You want to make sure the salt won't touch the yeast. Salt = yeast killer. 

Toddler fingerprint on your camera lens optional.

Select the Dough cycle, and press Start.

Our bread maker's dough cycle is an hour and a half, so I used that time to load the dishwasher, fold some laundry, and put Maile down for her afternoon nap. 

Once your dough is finished, remove it from the bread maker.

Lightly flour a counter, and knead the dough for 1 minute. 

Dust a bit of flour on top of the loaf, and place it in a 9-inch, buttered loaf pan. (If you want your loaf to be more even than mine, you can shape it into a pretty oval.) 

In my experience, butter works better for greasing than cooking spray; cooking spray typically gives you a super crispy crust ... sometimes with a funky taste to it, depending on the spray. Ick.

Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place. I use our toaster, because it's directly below a window. 

Backlit darkness brought to you by the blizzard raging outside.

Let the dough rise for 45 minutes to an hour. It should about double in size.

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Remove the plastic wrap from your loaf, and bake for 35 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing and slicing.

Then, wait for photobombing wee hands to start snatching the good stuff.

Because homemade bread is preservative-free, it doesn't stay soft as long as store-bought bread. I slice it, as needed, store it tightly plastic-wrapped on a shady, dry area of our counter, and watch it disappear. Maile loves a small slice with her morning eggs, oatmeal, sausage, cereal ... Tim architects gargantuan sandwich skyscrapers with the stuff. And it makes de-licious French toast. But that's for another post ...

Enjoy!

PS - Enter our current giveaway, from Jordan Diane Art, here!