Roasted Strawberry Muffins with Lemon-Vanilla Bean Butter

I made a resolution to myself this spring that I would cook and bake with the fresh berries that are available this time of year.  I have a habit of just serving them on the side with breakfast or as a snack in the afternoon.  I don't cook and bake with them nearly enough.  One of the reasons for that is that while I love strawberries, they don't always translate well into muffins/cakes/etc. because they release so much liquid and become gummy.  Annie solved that problem by roasting the strawberries, which I've never done, before mixing them into a muffin batter.  Genius!!  That trick make flavorful, strawberry-laden muffins that weren't gummy in the least.

I made a quick lemon-vanilla bean "butter" (think apple butter but with lemon) to top the muffins and it really brought them to a whole new level.  The lemon butter is tart yet sweet and the vanilla bean flecks are so pretty.  (You can substitute vanilla extract for the vanilla bean.)  I had a hard time not eating it with a spoon.  :)

Roasted Strawberry Muffins with Lemon-Vanilla Bean Butter
Printable Version

1 lb. strawberries, rinsed, hulled and quartered
1 cup granulated sugar, plus a pinch for roasting
Buttermilk or milk, if needed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ cup Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚ F and line a baking sheet with foil. Spread the prepared strawberries out onto the baking sheet and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar. Toss gently to coat and then roast, stirring the strawberries twice, until the berries have become tender and released most of their juices, 20-22 minutes.
2. Place fine mesh strainer over a bowl or liquid measuring cup and drain the roasted strawberries, reserving the excess juice. (You will have about 4 tablespoons or ¼ cup of juice.) Add just enough buttermilk to the strawberry juice to make 6 tablespoons of liquid.
3. Lower the oven temperature to 350˚ F and line muffin pans with paper liners; set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flours, baking powder and salt. Whisk to blend and set aside.
5. In a large bowl, combine the reserved strawberry juice/milk, Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and then whisk in the cooled butter.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. Gently fold in the strawberries until no large dry streaks remain.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin liners. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

Lemon-Vanilla Bean Butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
zest of ½ lemon
juice of ½ lemon
½ cup water
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 vanilla bean, split down the center

1. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, and water. Once mixture begins to bubble and thicken, cook for two minutes more, stirring often.
2. Remove from the heat and add in butter and vanilla bean seeds (discard pod).

muffins barely adapted from Annie's Eats, lemon-vanilla bean butter adapted from all recipes

Herbed Risotto with Caramelized Onions, Peas, and Chicken

I really don't have a whole lot to say about this dish apart from letting you know how fantastic it was.  Creamy risotto, sweet peas, buttery and delicious caramelized onions, chicken thrown in for good measure - it was a truly delicious.

This is a risotto that doesn't have to be stirred nearly constantly, which is so nice.   It still delivers that same texture profile that you would expect from a more traditional risotto, though.  I caramelized the onions earlier in the day (on Annie's recommendation) so that dinner came together a little faster.  I also cooked and shredded the chicken while the onions were caramelizing.  By breaking the steps down, it all came together pretty quickly in the end.  It may be ideal to make this entire dish right at dinnertime on a weeknight meal, but with a little planning, you can definitely have this on your table after a busy workday!  

Herbed Risotto with Caramelized Onions, Peas, and Chicken
Printable Version

1½ tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
Pinch of sugar
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 lb. skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
¾ tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
juice from ½ lemon
1 cup frozen peas, thawed and patted dry
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
2 tbsp. minced fresh chives
Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt, to taste

1. In a large skillet set over medium-low heat, add 1½ teaspoons of the olive oil. Once hot, add onion and sugar, stirring to coat. Allow to cook until deeply browned, stirring often, 45 minutes-1 hour. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the chicken broth and water. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to keep warm.
3. Return the pan that contained the onions to the stovetop and set over medium-high heat. Add remaining olive oil to the pan and season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the hot pan and cook through, turning once, about 7 minutes per side (depending on size of chicken breasts). Remove to a plate and tent with foil.
4. Set a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat and add the butter. Allow butter to melt and then add garlic, cooking only until fragrant while stirring often, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat. Allow rice to toast and turn translucent around the edges, stirring often, for 3 minutes. 6. Add the wine to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, 2-3 minutes. Stir 5 cups of warm broth mixture into the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and simmer. Allow to cook until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is al dente, 16-19 minutes. Stir twice during cooking.
6. Add ¾ cup of the hot broth mixture to the cooked risotto and stir gently and constantly until the risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Add in the Parmesan and lemon juice and then remove the pot from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
7. While the risotto sits, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the caramelized onions, chicken, and peas into the risotto along with the parsley and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If needed, add up to ½ cup of the remaining broth mixture to add moisture and loosen the texture. Serve immediately.

originally from Cook's Illustrated May/June 2010, slightly adapted from Annie's Eats

DIY: Homemade Cheese Crackers

Cheez-Its have been a longtime favorite snack of mine.  They're easy to grab, salty, and crunchy - 3 of my favorite things about a snack.  As usual, though, I decided to try my hand at making them myself.  And wouldn't you know it?  These taste about a million times better than the boxed version!!  Shocking, I know.

I've made a couple of different recipes for cheese crackers and this one is my favorite.  It comes together super quickly in the food processor, chills in the fridge, rolls out easily, cuts nicely and bakes up perfectly every time.  Jack could not get enough of these and James definitely had his fair share, too.  They are just as addictive as their store-bought counter part but made with ingredients that you most likely already have on hand!

I have to give credit to a friend from high school who posted this recipe on Facebook.  Thanks Amanda!!

DIY: Homemade Cheese Crackers
Printable Version

6 oz. (1½ cups grated) good-quality sharp cheddar cheese
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine all of the ingredients. Turn the food processor on and allow to run for 1-2 minutes, until a cohesive ball of dough has formed.
2. Remove dough from food processor bowl and break into two pieces. Form each piece into a disc and wrap each of them in plastic wrap. Place wrapped discs into the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. While the dough is chilling, preheat oven to 350° F.
4. Once the dough has chilled, remove one disc from the plastic wrap and place it between two pieces of parchment paper. Roll the dough into a rough rectangle, about ⅛-inch thick. (If dough is too firm to roll, let stand for about 5 minutes to soften just slightly.)
5. Using a pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or sharp knife, cut the dough into a grid of 1-inch squares. Use a toothpick to poke a hole into the center of each square. Carefully transfer to a baking sheet and place into the refrigerator to chill for 10 additional minutes.
6. Once chilled, sprinkle with additional coarse salt, if desired. Space crackers about ½ inch apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 11-14 minutes, until crackers are beginning to turn golden brown. (Watch carefully after the 11 minute mark.) Set baking sheet on a wire rack to cool completely. Continue with second disc of dough. Store crackers in an airtight container.

as seen on Fearless Homemaker, originally from The Lee Bros., also adapted from in katrina's kitchen, cooking ala mel, and smitten kitchen

Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes with Buttermilk-Caramel Syrup

To say that I've made a lot of pancakes is an understatement.  While we do go through times where we don't eat them for months, we also go through times where we eat them every weekend and Jack eats the leftovers for days.  Perhaps not the healthiest of breakfasts buuuuut they are pretty tasty.

I used to make them from a mix but they always seemed to heavy and really seemed to sit like cement in my stomach.  I then started making them from scratch but I had a hard time finding a recipe that produced the same results over and over.  Sometimes they were flat or far too dense, or chewy or any other unappealing word you can think of.

But finally, I have found our favorite recipe.  It just works every single time.  The one caveat I have is that I always use buttermilk and not milk mixed with vinegar or lemon juice.  I know a lot of people use this method but it doesn't always work for me so real buttermilk it is.

We usually just eat our pancakes with maple syrup but I have to share this buttermilk-caramel syrup with you.  I first made it when we had company visiting and I wanted to make something special to go with waffles.  Every since then, I look for reasons to make it. It's sweet and sticky, great on pancakes and waffles and takes just a few minutes to cook while your pancakes or waffles are cooking.  Sometimes I make a big breakfast just so that I can have the syrup!!

Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes with Buttermilk-Caramel Syrup
Printable Version

For the pancakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1½ cups buttermilk (plus up to 2 tbsp. more for thinning)
½ tsp. vanilla extract
4 tbsp. (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for griddle or pan

1. Heat an electric griddle to 300° F or heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Preheat oven to 200° F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and cooled butter. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and gently stir together, until there are no large flour streaks but it is still lumpy. Do not overmix. (Mixture will be very thick. You can add a little more buttermilk to make it workable. Start with a teaspoonful and mix gently, creating desired consistency.)
4. Butter the griddle or pan and drop ¼ cup size rounds onto hot surface. Cook until edges begin to dry and bubbles form on the uncooked surface, 3-5 minutes (watch carefully). Flip pancakes with a spatula and cook until golden brown and cooked through, another 2-4 minutes, watching carefully. Remove cooked pancakes to a cookie sheet and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve. Continue with the remaining batter.

For the Buttermilk-Caramel Syrup:
1½ cups buttermilk
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, loosely packed
¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

1. Add buttermilk, both sugars, and butter to a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. Once boiling, remove from heat and whisk in the baking soda, vanilla, and salt. (Mixture will bubble.) Serve warm.

pancakes slightly adapted from all recipes, buttermilk-caramel syrup slightly adapted from Creations by Kara

Coconut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Skillet Cookie

Oh skillet cookie, you have evaded me until now.

I have no idea why I hadn't made a skillet cookie up until this point.  It's basically the same thing as making blondies except that you bake it in a cast iron skillet which just adds to the charm.  I definitely do not use my  skillet enough (How is the world are you supposed to properly clean and season that thing?!) so this was a perfect opportunity to break it out.

Basically you just mix up your cookie dough as normal then press it into a greased skillet or baking dish and then bake them up they are mostly set.  I don't mind scooping cookie dough and changing out cookie sheets, but it was nice to be completely done after the 30 minute baking time!!

Coconut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Skillet Cookie
Printable Version

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut, toasted or untoasted (your preference)
2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark chocolate)

1. Preheat the oven to 375º F and grease a 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillet (or a 9x9" glass baking dish); set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and beat again for 30 seconds. Add in the eggs, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until almost combined.
4. Stir in rolled oat and coconut and mix until no flour streaks remain. Stir in chocolate chips making sure that everything is well combined.
5. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs attached. Cool before slicing.

adapted from Sweet Anna's

Blackberry Pie/Cobbler Bars

James loves blackberry cobbler.  He claims it as one of his favorite desserts (but I really think all desserts are his favorite) but I rarely make anything with blackberries.  Of all the berries that are out there, they just aren't my favorite.  I do, however, have fond memories of eating them straight from the plant at our local Little League field.  There was an area that was still sort of wooded and overgrown and while my brothers all played baseball, I was in that little woodsy area eating blackberries.  Or at least I think they were blackberries. ;)

These bars, though, are really great and they highlight the berries so nicely.  I really found them to be less pie-like and much more cobbler-like but still delicious.

This makes a large batch (9x13-inch pan) and I'm sure it could be easily halved into a square pan. You can also use fresh or frozen berries, whichever you happen to have or are able to get.

Blackberry Pie/Cobbler Bars
Printable Version

For the crust and topping:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups granulated sugar
¼ tsp. salt
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled

For the filling:
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. salt
zest of ½ lemon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
~30 oz. blackberries, fresh or frozen (washed and patted dry, if fresh and thawed and well drained, if frozen)

1. To make the crust and topping, preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
2. To make the topping: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse several times to combine. Add the chilled butter to the flour mixture and pulse to evenly distribute then process entire mixture until well mixed but still crumbly, 30-60 seconds longer. Set aside 1½ cups of the mixture to be used for the topping. Press remaining mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.
3. To make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until well combined then add in the sugar, sour cream or Greek yogurt, flour salt, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk thoroughly but gently to combine. Carefully fold in the berries with a spatula and then spread mixture over cooled crust. Top with remaining flour mixture and bake until set, 45-55 minutes.
4. Cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars or serving as a cobbler.

originally from Rebecca Rather, The Pastry Queen, slightly adapted from Pink Parsley

Elly's World Famous Black Beans

These black beans are definitely worthy of the title as "world famous".  You can see why they are deemed that in this post on Elly's blog.

I've made lots and lots of versions of black beans as a side dish because what else do you serve with tacos/enchiladas/taquitos/etc.?  This version, though, is far and away the best I've ever made.  James loves them, Jack devours them, and I feel good about serving them as a side to our meals.

They come together quickly and can even simmer for a little while as the rest of your meal finishes cooking.  You can adapt them to be spicy or sweet, smooth or sort of chunky (our preference).  However you serve them, I'm sure they'll be delicious.

Elly's World Famous Black Beans
Printable Version

2 tsp. vegetable or canola oil
¼ medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. tomato paste
½ tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
¾ tsp. oregano
2 (15 oz.) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 – 1 ⅓ cup chicken or vegetable stock
Juice of ½ lime
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro, plus more to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Add oil to a medium skillet over medium heat and add onion. Cook until softened, 5-6 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add in tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Stir to combine and cook for another 30 seconds.
3. Stir beans into the mixture and mash about half of them (or desired amount) with a potato masher. Stir in 1 cup of stock and combine well. Bring to a gentle boil and then reduce heat and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes, until most of the stock is absorbed. Add more stock if necessary. 4. Stir in lime juice and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

adapted from Elly says Opa!

DIY: Homemade Chocolate Sauce

It's no secret that I like to make things from scratch.  I like the challenge and I love knowing exactly what's in the things that we are eating.  I make pizza sauce, bagels, Oreo cookies (faux-reos), hamburger buns, chicken nuggets...all from scratch on a regular basis.

I'm not sure why it took me so long to share this really simple chocolate sauce with you.  (Okay, so maybe I burned the first batch and was discouraged.)  It's just cocoa powder, sugar, water, salt, and vanilla.  Nothing else!  It takes just minutes to put together and it's truly delicious.

To this day, my favorite way to enjoy chocolate sauce is over plain old vanilla ice cream.  I like when the ice cream melts down a little bit and I can stir everything together in my bowl and basically make a chocolate milkshake.  Yum.

While it's great on ice cream, it's perfect for chocolate milk, too.  Or brownie sundaes.  Or drizzled over strawberries.

Homemade Chocolate Sauce
Printable Version

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup water
¼ tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder until well combined and fairly smooth. 2. Set the pan over medium-high heat and add the water and salt. Bring to a boil, whisking often. Once the mixture has reached a boil, turn the heat to low and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.
3. Once the mixture has thickened, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Allow to cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator. Turn the heat to medium-high and stir in the water and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Once it has reached a boil, reduce heat to low and continue to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the mixture to thicken. Once the mixture has thickened remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Store in the refrigerator.

originally from 52 Kitchen Adventures, as seen on Sunny Side Up and Annie's Eats

Broccoli Pesto Pasta

I was definitely intrigued the first time that I saw this recipe.  Using broccoli as the sauce for a pasta instead of just in the pasta or on the side seemed pretty smart.  I was definitely skeptical, though.  I just wasn't sure how it would translate or if it would be too...broccoli-ish.  Once I started seeing it on multiple blogs, though, I knew that I had to give it a try.

I took a cue from Annie and used Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream and I think it added a nice tang to the dish.  I under cooked my broccoli a little the first time I made this so make sure yours is at least fork tender, if not a little more done than that.

Broccoli Pesto Pasta
Printable Version

1 lb. broccoli
1 lb. pasta
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Up to ½ cup Greek yogurt or heavy cream
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. While waiting for the water to boil, chop the broccoli crowns into florets. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the tough outer skins of the broccoli stems and chop them into ¼-½-inch discs.
3. When the water begins to boil, add the broccoli to the water and cook until fork-tender, about 3-5 minutes, checking after the first 3 minutes for doneness. Remove the broccoli to a bowl with a fine mesh strainer or a skimmer, leaving the water in the pot.
4. Return water at a boil and add the pasta to the pot. Cook according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups of the pasta water and then drain the pasta well. Set aside.
5. Return the pot to the heat and add the butter and olive oil to the pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, 30 seconds-1 minutes.
6. Return the cooked broccoli to the pan and cook 1-2 minutes to heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7.  Transfer the broccoli mixture to a food processor or blender. Pulse until the mixture is fairly smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add in the Greek yogurt or cream and process until smooth. Add the reserved pasta water in small amounts until the sauce is smooth and creamy (add carefully and slowly to not create a watery sauce). Season to taste.
8. Toss the pasta with the sauce and the grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with additional grated Parmesan.

barely adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from Smitten Kitchen

Jalapeno Popper Dip

We have a great group of friends that we love to get together with as often as possible.  Everyone has kids around the same age so they get to see each other and act all kinds of crazy.  The adults eat, drink adult beverages, talk, and eat some more.  While we also love to go out for kid-free dinners together, having everyone together with their families is my favorite.  Everyone pitches in and brings some kind of appetizer, dessert, side dish, etc.  Most recently I brought this jalapeno popper dip (it's really more of a spread).

It's creamy and tangy from the cream cheese with a little kick from the jalapenos.  The bread crumb topping gives it a little body and helps to cut through the decadence a little bit.  This is something that is great all year round, for nearly any occasion.  I'm sure I'll be making this again and again.

Jalapeno Popper Dip
Printable Version

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup Greek yogurt
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies
2 jalapenos, seeds and ribbed removed, finely diced
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
½ cup panko style bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Monterey Jack cheese, green chilies, and jalapenos. Stir well to combine.
3. Spread mixture into a 9-inch ungreased baking dish (any shape will work). In a small bowl combine Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the jalapeno mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbling. Serve with chips, crackers, or sliced vegetables.

original adapted from allrecipes, this version came from a Pinterest search which took me to keyingredient.comhttp://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/187769886/jalapeno-popper-spread-recipe/

Goat Cheese and Asparagus Pasta

I picked up a bunch of asparagus at the grocery store recently with no idea about what I was going to do with it.  I like asparagus but James isn't a huge fan of it so when I was in search of a lunch dish that wasn't a sandwich, I turned to pasta.  Not exactly a light lunch but I knew we were having a light dinner so it balances out, right? ;)

The combination of the creamy and tangy goat cheese with the still crunchy asparagus was perfection.  Adding lemon juice and zest along with tomatoes and parsley made for a really awesome lunch that came together in the time it took to cook the pasta.  Reserving a little pasta water to add to the goat cheese made for an easy sauce, too.

Goat Cheese and Asparagus Pasta
Printable Version

½ lb. pasta shapes
½ lb. asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1½-inch pieces
zest and juice from ½  lemon
¼ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 oz. goat cheese
2 tbsp. parsley, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta to package directions. During the final 3 minutes of cooking, add in asparagus. Reserve about ½ cup hot pasta water.
2. Drain pasta and asparagus and run under cool water for about 10 seconds, just enough to stop the cooking.
3. Return pasta to the pot and place back on stove top. Add in zest and lemon juice, tomatoes, goat cheese, and parsley. Stir to combine, adding pasta water as needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat gently if necessary before serving.

adapted from Bon Apetit

Black Bean Salsa Chili

I had love at first bite with this chili.  I was kind of expecting it based on the smell that was coming from the kitchen but I didn't expect it to be that good.  Smoky, a little spicy, smooth black beans, crunchy corn, and just the slightest hint of sweet made for a meal that was just delicious.  James took his first bite, looked me, and said, "mmhmmm" with a nod of his head.  That's really the best compliment from him. ;)

This comes together really quickly and is great for a weeknight.  Of course, like most soups, this is even better the next day.

Black Bean Salsa Chili
Printable Version

2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed; divided
 ⅔ cup water
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 bell peppers, diced (any color)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups prepared salsa
3 tbsp. tomato paste
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup corn, frozen or canned (drained if using canned)

Garnish:
avocado
Greek yogurt
limes
cheddar cheese
cilantro

1. In the bowl of a food processor (or using an immersion blender), combine 1½ cups of the black beans, water, and sugar. Process the mixture until smooth.
2. Transfer the bean puree to another bowl and stir in the remaining beans; set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and bell peppers. Cook until vegetables are mostly softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add in chili powder, cumin, paprika and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Add the bean mixture, salsa, tomato paste, and vegetable broth to the vegetables, stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in corn and heat briefly. Serve with desired garnishes

adapted from The Curvy Carrot, originally from Cooking Light

Citrus and Mint Infused Water

This is much less a recipe than it is just an idea.  While at my mother-in-law's house recently she offered me some water that she had in her refrigerator that was infused with different fruit.  It was so delicious and refreshing.  I'm actually not one to order water with lemon while at a restaurant, but the combination of different citrus and fruit flavors definitely won me over.  As soon as we got home, I put my own batch into the fridge.

I used lemon, lime, orange, and mint in this version.  The great part is that you can use nearly any type of fruit that you have around, I plan to try cucumber next.  For me, this is just a great way to add flavor to the water that I know I should be drinking.  Let's face it, it's not always easy to throw back 8 glasses of water every day.

I don't usually garnish my glass, I just added that for looks. :)  Sometimes adding the garnish makes the flavor a little overwhelming so I just pour straight from the picture.

I plan to make this all through the spring and summer.  Surely it will be refreshing when the really hot weather hits us here in the south.

Citrus and Mint Infused Water

2-3 lemon slices
2-3 lime slices
2-3 orange slices
small handful fresh mint leaves

1.  In a large picture, drop in the lemon, lime, and orange slices.  Add in the mint leaves and cover with water.  Drink immediately or allow to steep.  Store covered in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Cream Pie for Pi Day

I have had a whole bunch kitchen failures lately, like outright bombs.  Dry cakes, cookies falling apart, chewy chicken - it's been an interesting month! ;)  Pies have always, always been my nemesis in the kitchen.  I've made a few that have been very good but most of them never make it to the blog because they don't turn out, are soggy, the crust is awful...the list could go on (and on).

But this one.  This one was not a failure.  I had a few moments where I was sure the whole thing was going to flop (like when I forgot to strain the filling) but thanks to the good people at Cook's Illustrated and The New Best Recipe, it turned out delicious and perfect.  The Oreo crust is crunchy and chocolate-y, the filling is smooth and rich, and of course, homemade whipped cream is always great.  I knew when I saw this on Tide & Thyme awhile back that I would definitely being giving this pie a shot.

Not only did I make a pretty good pie (woo!), I also made this pie for Pi Day (a tribute to the date 3/14 or 3.14), something else that has always evaded me or rather, I forgot every single year that I've been blogging. :)  I did not love math while I was in school, not until I took a course teaching me how to teach math did I begin to love it.  Once I took that course something clicked and I began to love numbers.  In the end, math was my favorite subject to teach and that was not anything I ever thought that I would say.

Chocolate Cream Pie
Printable Version

For the crust:20 Oreo cookies, broken into large pieces
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
2 ½ cups half-and-half
Pinch of salt
⅓ cup granulated sugar, divided
2 tbsp. corn starch
6 large egg yolks, at room temperature
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cold and cut into
6 equal pieces
6 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the whipped cream topping:
1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream, cold
2 tbsp. powdered sugar

1. To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Pulse Oreo cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form (or crush in a zipper top bag). Drizzle butter into food processor until uniform consistency is reached, a few 1-second pulses.
3. Pour crumbs into a 9-inch glass pie plate and press evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Refrigerate the unbaked crust for about 20 minutes, until firm and set, then bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while the filling is prepared.
4. To make the filling, in a medium saucepan bring the half-and-half and 3 tablespoons of the sugar to simmer over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
5. In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar and cornstarch; set aside.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks together until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Add the cornstarch mixture to the yolks and whisk well for about 1 minute, until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture begins to turn glossy.
7. Once the half-and-half reaches a simmer, slowly add about ½ cup to the egg yolks to temper them, whisking constantly. Then add the yolk mixture to the rest of the hot half-and-half, the mixture will thicken in about 30 seconds. Return to a simmer, whisking constantly until 3 or 4 bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thick and glossy, about 15 seconds.
8. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until incorporated then add the chocolate and the vanilla and whisk well, then stir with a spatula to be sure that everything is well incorporated.
9. Pour the filling through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Pour strained mixture into cooled crust and smooth the top. Let cool for about 5 minutes then press plastic wrap directly to the surface and refrigerate until firm and set, at least 3 hours. (My pie was not fully set after 3 hours but was perfect the next day.)
10. For the topping, beat the heavy whipping cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks begin to form. Add in the powdered sugar and continue to beat just until stiff peaks begin to form. Spread over chilled pie.

slightly adapted from The New Best Recipe from the editor's of Cook's Illustrated, via Tide & Thyme

Vanilla Bean Salted Caramel Sauce

I mean, what is there really to say about this stuff?  It's gooey caramel sauce that's been salted and studded with vanilla bean flecks.  There you have it. Put it on ice cream, bake it into brownies, top cupcakes with it, dip apples into it, or eat it by the spoonful.  Any way you drizzle it, it's going to be delicious.

Be sure to have all of your ingredients measured and ready to go because this can go from melted sugar to burned, bitter sugar really quickly and you definitely don't want that.  The caramel color usually takes 5-7(ish) minutes to develop but watch it closely.  If you don't have vanilla beans, you can still make a delicious salted caramel sauce without the vanilla bean pod.

Vanilla Bean Salted Caramel Sauce
Printable Version

1 whole vanilla bean pod
1 cup heavy cream
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
2 tsp. sea salt or fleur de sel
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water

1. Use a small paring knife to split the vanilla bean pod down the middle, stopping about ½ inch before the end. Scrape the seeds from the pod and place seeds and scraped pod in a small sauce pan. Add the cream, butter, and salt to the pan and place over medium heat, until boiling, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a separate 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, bring sugar, corn syrup, and water to a boil, stirring until sugar is fully dissolved.
3. Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until mixture is a golden caramel, watching carefully to avoid burning.
4. Remove vanilla bean pod from the cream mixture and slowly add the cream mixture, a little at a time, to the caramel (it will bubble up). Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.
5. Pour caramel sauce into heat-safe dish and cool to room temperature before storing in the fridge. Enjoy!

as seen on Confections of a Foodie Bride, originally sea salt caramel candies from Gourmet