The Girly Girl Cooks

Settling In

2013-05-13T17:14:00.001-06:00

Slowly but surely, Dusty and I are settling into the adorable town of Chester. After 5 straight days of packing and eating out for every meal (the kitchen was packed up), we are thrilled to be in our new home. On Thursday, the movers showed up at 9:00 am to load up our tiny "hobbit hole" of an apartment with this giant thing...

Seriously?!?!? Really?!?!?

Was that necessary?

Our poor neighbors. There was no where for this humongous truck to park, so they had to block some driveways. Let's just say the truck had to get moved a few times to let out some angry neighbors : /

But hauling and loading only lasted about 1-1/2 hours because our apartment was small and ready to go. After that Dusty and I hit the road in our separate cars, following each other through miles and miles of farmland to head up north to our new home.

Once we got to Chester we were greeted by one of the hospital administrators and she handed us over the keys to the house we will renting. When I opened the door, this is what I was greeted with....

My dream kitchen!!!

If you don't recall, this was my previous kitchen....

Nasty! I couldn't wait to say good-bye to that dark-tiny area!

Since we have moved in, I have been spending a ridiculous amount of time in my dream kitchen. But can you blame me??? Overall, I am so excited to be living in Chester. Everyone so far has been incredibly friendly and welcoming. It's crazy, we have been doing more socializing in these past 4 days than we ever did in Billings for the 2 years we lived there and Dustin and I are absolutely loving it!

On another note, today was Dusty's first day on the job. It was so nice that he was able to walk home for lunch and when he comes home tonight, the lucky guy is going to have his favorite brownies waiting for him!

Life is fantastic and exciting right now! I am so thankful to be joining such a wonderful farming community, as well as living closer to family and friends. I look forward to sharing even more recipes and my experiences of life here on the Hi-Line.

Almost-Famous Caramel Sauce

2013-05-01T07:58:00.003-06:00

If you are from my hometown or the Ravalli County area of Montana, then there is a 90% chance that you know what this recipe is.....

It's the recipe of the homemade caramel sauce from the local county fair and football concession stand at the high school football games!

I have always wanted this recipe and finally I have it! It's so ridiculously easy and instantly reminds me of all the fun times at my high school football games and the county fair. I was the weird kid at the fair that didn't go for the rides, I went for the food. Boy Scout elephant ears with butter and cinnamon/sugar, homemade orange julius drinks, ridiculously long hot dogs and this caramel sauce with sliced apples. Yummmmm. Good times. Good times.

I know this week I have been eating "real food" but this week is also a special celebration....it's Caramel Week! To celebrate all things sweet and creamy, me and my blogging buddies, the Theme Weavers, have come up with a weeks worth of seriously delicious and super creative ways to make, bake and use caramel! Get your sweet tooth ready for a ton of fantastic recipes involving caramel....you have been warned!

On the line up for the week of all things caramel includes....

~Monday~
{Comfortably Domestic} Crockpot Dulce de Leche
{Kvetchin' Kitchen} Caramel Apple Pie
{La Petite Pancake} Caramel Banana Bread Pudding

~Tuesday~
{Decadent Philistines Save the World} Salted Caramel Pork Loin with Shaved Brussel Sprout & Apple Salad
{Bakeaholic Mama} Chewy Milk Dud Brownies

~Wednesday~
{Inside NanaBread's Head} Chocolate Alfajores with Salted Vanilla Bean Caramels
{Comfortably Domestic} Alfajores Caramel Sandwich Cookies
{The Girly Girl Cooks} Almost Famous Caramel Sauce (this post!)
{Climbing Grier Mountain} Dulce de Leche Milkshakes with Caramel Drizzle

~Thursday~
{Tenaciously Yours} Popcorn Crunch Sundae
{Kvetchin' Kitchen} Red Wine Caramel Sauce

~Friday~
{Country Cleaver} Pear Caramel Mini Cheesecakes
{Munching in the Mitten} Caramel Cake

~Saturday~
{Comfortably Domestic} DIY Dulce de Leche Coffee Creamer

Did I not warn you???? These ladies are my favorite and are so incredibly creative. Did you realize you could use caramel so many ways!?!?!

If you are looking for a great made-from-scratch recipe for caramel sauce, this is going to be your go-to recipe. Once you make this recipe, you can use it to make all the other wonderful recipes provided by the Theme Weavers, or you can just simply drizzle it over ice cream or enjoy it with sliced apples (my personal favorite)!

Almost-Famous Caramel Sauce

-1 cup Butter (2 sticks)
-1 cup Light Corn Syrup
-1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
-2 cups Brown Sugar
-1 tsp Vanilla Extract

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk. Heat over medium-low heat and stir the ingredients until all is melted and blended together. Once incorporated, add in the brown sugar and vanilla extract. Continue stirring until the mixture begins to boil. When it begins to boil, let the mixture boil for 1 minute and then remove from heat.

Serve warm over ice cream or with sliced apples and ENJOY!
{Store the caramel sauce in an airtight container and it will keep for 3 weeks}

Eating "Real"

2013-04-29T22:15:00.002-06:00

This past week I have been suffering from a massive head cold. It's been nasty and I've been living on the couch for the past few days. Besides being sick with this common cold, I haven't been feeling my best lately. Ever since we found out that we would be moving to a small town that is 90 miles to the nearest anything we have been eating out a lot trying to enjoy our favorite spots in town to dine before they would be a distant memory. I have a feeling that my recent poor eating habits have something to do with me becoming sick.

On Saturday, as I was laying on the couch with wads of tissue surrounding me, Vick's vapor rub under my nose, an ice pack on my nose and nasal spray clutched in my hand due to my massive nasal congestion, I decided to watch "Hungry for Change" on Netflix. If I had to watch another minute of the NFL draft I was going to go insane, so I thought this food documentary couldn't be any worse than 7 hours of NFL draft. What I didn't expect was how good the movie was going to be and how much it opened my eyes. It definitely got me thinking about my own health and what I'm putting into my body.

Just for curiosity sake I also checked out the "100 Days of Real Food" blog I had heard about a long time ago. I read a couple of her articles and started reading their journey of eating real food for 100 days. This all got me thinking and curious.....how would I feel if I cut out white sugar, white flour and white rice? What would it be like to cut out processed foods?

I decided to experiment this week prior to Dusty's graduation on Friday/Saturday to see if I could cook and eat "real food." I wanted to see how the grocery bill would differ, if I would start feeling better and also, how would Dusty react. Would he still love my cooking???

So far and luckily, yes! Dusty didn't even know I was changing up our way of eating until I finally said something to him at dinner time. I swapped out whole-wheat tortillas instead of regular flour tortillas and he said my quesadillas were delicious. Score! Besides that, he has barely noticed any changes.

Also, the grocery bill was the exact same, if not a little bit less! 75% of our groceries were veggies/fruit which cuts down on grocery costs, so I was able to splurge and get wild caught fish and some organic produce. I was so proud of our cart when we were checking out. It felt really good!

Here is the menu I planned out for Sunday through Wednesday for this week....

~Sunday~
Breakfast: Fruit Smoothie
Lunch: Salad with organic goat cheese and homemade vinaigrette
Dinner: Broiled Tilapia with Tomato Caper Sauce with roasted broccoli and carrot fries

~Monday~
Breakfast: Plain Chobani Greek Yogurt with Honey & Blueberries
Lunch: Salad with goat cheese, hard boiled eggs and sliced apples
Dinner: Veggie Quesadillas

~Tuesday~
Breakfast: Cottage Cheese & Fresh Pineapple
Lunch: Leftover Quesadilla
Dinner:Chili Lime Shrimp Skewer with Butter Garlic Quinoa and creamy honey buttered corn (from Picky Palate Cookbook)

~Wednesday~
Breakfast: Plain Greek Yogurt w/Honey and Blueberry
Lunch: Salad with goat cheese, hard boiled eggs and sliced strawberries
Dinner: Smokey Spice Rubbed Grilled Salmon w/Black Bean/Corn Salad

Snacks: Banana, Carrots, Apples, Strawberries, and Watermelon

On Thursday through Sunday, Dusty's parents will be in town to attend/celebrate Dusty's graduation from his Master's program, so I didn't plan any further for the week. I gotta say, so far everything has been tasting great and I look forward to trying this more "hardcore" once we get settled up North after our big move.

Have you every tried eating "real food" or participated in the 100 days of real food challenge? Or even 10 days?

I'm curious and excited to see how my body is going to feel after sticking to it for a while!

Going Country

2013-04-05T12:14:00.001-06:00

I feel like a broken record when I say this but....nursing school has taken over my life and time has gone by so fast! Has it really been since February since I last posted on here???? Dang. Can it be summer break yet? I miss cooking, food photography and my blog friends!

Good news is that in less than a month I am free for the summer! Which means that in about 2 months I will get to meet up with my favorite ladies in the blogging world at Blogher Food in June for everything food and blogging. I can't wait!

The real reason I'm posting today is because something crazy has happened to Dusty and I in the past month. We have been keeping it under wraps for the entire time and haven't really talked about it until now...

Dusty and I are moving in May up to the Hi-Line of Montana!

Dusty applied for an administrative position at a critical access hospital up on the Hi-Line and this week we found out he got the position! We couldn't be more excited and I couldn't be more proud of him. It's been a constant celebration this whole week since he found out.

It's going to be such a huge change because we are moving from a city population of over 100,000 to a town of just over 700 people. Plus we are going to be 90 miles to the nearest city which means I need to get a Sam's Club membership and a large freezer chest so we can stock up! I honestly can't wait though because everyone that we have met in the town so far has been so welcoming. It is going to be so much fun to be apart of a small community and get involved.

One of the things I'm actually really excited for is the adorable home we are going to rent through the hospital. The kitchen is awesome and has tons of natural lighting....perfect for food blogging!!! Plus we actually get to paint the walls, which will be a first in a rental and we can finally get our first dog! So if you know of anyone who has doberman pinscher or german shepherd puppies, let me know! Also, there is only one restaurant in town, which means we are going to be saving a lot of money not eating out and I need to start stocking up on ethnic cuisine cookbooks since I'm going to be doing way more cooking :)

I seriously can't wait to move up to the Hi-Line! It's going to be quite the adventure for the two of us. The only complication is that I'll still have one more semester of nursing school in Billings, so figuring out the housing for me for that last semester is going to be interesting. I'm hoping that I can just stay in the dorms on campus (did I just say that???) so that it will be simple and easy. We will see!

Fun things are in store for Dusty and I....a move, Dusty's graduation, a new job, a wedding (which is 99 days away!) and maybe even a new puppy if we can find one!

Seriously Easy Risotto

2013-02-25T23:08:00.003-07:00

Have you ever attempted making risotto? It's the one culinary dish that absolutely terrifies me. Why does risotto scare me so? I blame Food Network.

I distinctly remember watching Next Food Network Star a couple summers ago and the challenge one week was for the contestants to cook a celebrity dinner with Wolfgang Puck as the guest of honor. One of the contestants absolutely screwed up the risotto so bad that Wolfgang stood up from the table and insisted on taking the poor contestant back into the kitchen to teach her how to make risotto the right way. That scene seriously intimidated me into making risotto. (Watch it here)

So call me crazy, but I decided to make my very first risotto for Dusty on Valentine's Day. The secret to the risotto is that I cheated. I made a foolproof, idiot-proof, can't-mess-up, seriously easy baked risotto from Ina Garten. Dusty and I have seriously got a foodie-crush on Ina's cooking. Every single thing I've made from her has been wonderful. I was so impressed by her easy Parmesan Risotto, I had to share it with you!

Easy Parmesan Risotto by Ina Garten
{4-6 servings}

-1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
-5 cups Chicken Stock (divided)
-1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-1/2 cup White Wine
-3 tbsp Butter (diced)
-2 tsp Salt
-1 tsp Pepper
-1 cup Frozen Peas

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the rice and 4 cups of the chicken stock in a Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven, add the remaining cup of chicken stock, the Parmesan, wine, butter, salt, and pepper, and stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Add the peas and stir until heated through.

I told you it was easy! Go make this for your family and friends and impress them!

Recipe from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)

Valentine's Day Menu

2013-02-11T20:01:00.004-07:00

Aaaugghhh! It's starting to happen again. School is getting insane and free time to make yummy new creations is decreasing.

Must. Fight. This.

My first Senior semester of nursing school has kicked off with a bang! I spent last week on ATU and had a blast. Previous semesters we were only assigned one patient, now we get to pick our own patients and we get to have two! Juggling the two patients and having more responsibility with freedom is awesome! I'm totally loving it. On Wednesday I get to spend 12 hours at the ICU and can hardly wait because I'm so excited! I seriously can't wait to be a nurse.

Don't worry. I'm not a total loser. My life isn't just school. It's also working on Orthopedics, cooking, baking, date nights with Dusty, shopping and....The Walking Dead.

Ok. Maybe I'm kinda lame right now. But oh my gosh! The Walking Dead is on Netflix, which means Dusty and I watched 2 seasons in like 3-4 days. Nerd alert!

Well, that pretty much sums up where I've been the past week or two. Work, school, homework, and watching an obscene amount of zombie killing on Netflix. Also, I've been planning one of my favorite meals of the year besides Turkey Day.....Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is the one day I like to go all out and show off my culinary skills to Dusty. Since good seafood is a luxury in Montana, I love to make something fishy and fancy for the big day of love. I found these beautiful babes at Costco this weekend....

And they are going to taste so good broiled with a lemon-chive butter and served over a creamy parmesan risotto with roasted green beans! It will be my first attempt at making risotto, so wish me luck!

While I'm spending my 12 hours on Wednesday in the ICU, Dusty is in charge of making a Red Velvet Cake with the classic frosting. On our first V-day spent together 5 years ago, Dusty surprised me and made a Red Velvet Cake for me. I know it's the typical Valentine's Day dessert, but it sure is special to me!

If you are struggling to think of something special that has some WOW-factor, then I've got the perfect Valentine's Day menu for you....

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

Impressive and fancy!

Lobster Macaroni & Cheese

Seriously seductive ;)

Roasted Asparagus

The perfect side dish!

And finally, the most delicious and decadent dessert...

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Balsamic Glazed Strawberries

This dessert is super impressive, but so easy!

What are you making for your sweetie? Are you eating out or staying in?

Super Bowl Round-Up

2013-01-27T20:09:00.001-07:00

Guess what....Super Bowl is only one week away! While Dusty will be all wrapped up in the big game, I'll be over in the corner eating my delicious football food and paying attention only during the commercials. Just like every other Super Bowl Sunday for the past 24 years of my life.

Besides the commercials, I love the seriously awesome grub I make for the big game. It's a total blow out of all things cheesy, good and/or sinful. I haven't decided exactly what I'm going to make yet, but I know it's going to be amazing and big game worthy.

Are you hosting a Super Bowl Party?

Do you want something more exciting than just chips and salsa???

Here are my go-to Super Bowl dishes that will be a game winner and crowd pleaser!

-BBQ Venison Wontons

-Death By Cheese Dip

-Shrimp Cocktail Dip

-Honey Dijon Chicken Wings

-Football Spicy Wings

-Huckleberry Glazed Chicken Wings

-Balsamic Onions & Prusciutto Pizza

-Homemade In-N-Out Animal Fries

-Jalapeno Poppers

-BBQ Macaroni Salad

-Best Brownies Ever

-Homemade Snicker Bars

-Pig-Out Cookies

-Bloody Caesar

-Huckleberry Fizz Cocktail

-Julie's Famous Daiquiris

Looking through this list of food, drinks and treats makes me that much more excited for next Sunday!

Hearty Vegetable Mexican Soup with Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread {Soup Week}

2013-01-21T17:45:00.002-07:00

Happy Soup Week!

I made some soup for you.

Some really healthy, hearty, and flavorful soup!

Not to mention, some of the best cornbread you have ever tasted in your life!

This week in the blogging world, my favorite group of ladies have gathered together to bring you a week full of delicious soups and such that will warm you up.

So many soups! Which one to make next?!?!

Check out these links throughout the week to see the wonderful soup creations these talented ladies have created....

Monday

Me!

Katie of Hill Country Cook: 3 Bean & Spinach Soup + Le Creuset GIVEAWAY!

Kirsten of Comfortably Domestic: Broccoli Cheddar Soup & Bread Bowls

Tuesday

Madeline of Munching in the Mitten: Garbage Soup
Mads of La Petite Pancake: Gnocci Pesto Soup

Wednesday

Megan of Wanna Be A Country Cleaver: 40 Clove Garlic Chicken Soup with Parmesan Croutons

Lauren of Climbing Grier Mountain: Sunchoke Soup with Gorgonzola and Honey Crostini

Thursday

Carrie of Bakeaholic Mama: Beef Bourguignon and French Baguettes

Monica of The GromMom: Coconut Curry with a lot of Aloha

Friday

Kat of Tenaciously Yours: Eat Live Run’s White Chicken Chili

Allison of Decadent Philistines: Arizona Mountain Soup with Cornbread

Saturday

Anne of My Sweet Heart: Pink Prosecco Soup

Jeanne of Inside NanaBread’s Head: Shrimp Bisque and Mayo Biscuits

Beka of Kvetchin’ Kitchen: Creamy Mushroom Soup

Don't all of those look fantastic!?!?

Such a great selection of wonderful soups!

Hearty Vegetable Mexican Soup

{Serves 4-6}

-1 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

-1/2 Yellow Onion-diced

-1 Medium Zucchini-diced

-1 Medium Yellow Squash-diced

-1 Red Bell Pepper-diced

-4 ounces sliced Mushrooms

-1 tbsp minced Garlic

-15 ounce can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

-14 ounce can Diced Tomatoes

-1 cup Fat Free Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

-1/4 cup chopped fresh Cilantro

-1 tbsp Lime Juice

-1 tsp Cumin

-1 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder

-1/2 tsp Salt

-1/4 tsp Pepper

-Sour Cream, Cheddar Cheese & Green Onion (for garnish)

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, zucchini, squash, red bell pepper and mushrooms. Cook and stir until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add the minced garlic, stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Then add in the rest of the ingredients (chickpeas to pepper) to the dutch oven. Stir to combine and bring the soup to a simmer until hot.

Serve the soup into individuals bowls and garnish with sour cream, cheese and green onions.

Recipe Adapted from Picky-Palate

Now let's not forget about this guy!

This cornbread is truly amazing and perfect with this soup.

You are going to love it!

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

{Makes 9}

-1-1/2 cups Flour

-1/2 cup Cornmeal

-2 tbsp Sugar

-1 tbsp Baking Powder

-1 tsp Salt

-1 cup Milk

-2 Eggs - lightly beaten

-1/2 cup Butter - melted

-1-1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese - divided

-1 Green Onion - chopped

-1 tbsp seeded and diced Jalapeno Pepper

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a smaller bowl, combine the milk, eggs and melted butter. With a spoon or spatula, stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the lumps are just dissolved. Gently mix in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, green onion and jalapeno pepper. Allow the mixture to rest in the bowl for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F) and grease a 8x8 baking pan.

Pour the batter into the baking dish, smooth the top and sprinkle on evenly the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack and cut into 9 equal squares. Delicious! Enjoy!

Recipe Adapted from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa

Winter Time Comfort Foods

2013-01-16T07:42:00.001-07:00

After a freakishly warm December, the nasty snow and freezing winds of winter have finally arrived. I hate it because snow = stuck car. I drive a Ford Focus and it always gets stuck and slides around. Living in Montana means I have developed amazing defensive winter driving skills. But seeing how I hate using my amazing defensive driving skills, I like to be a homebody as much as I can and stay off the the roads.

So when it's freezing outside and snowing, I like to cuddle on the couch with Dusty and my blanket and eat hearty comfort foods that warm the soul.

Here is a collection of my favorite winter time comfort foods...

Turkey Meatloaf w/Cranberry Glaze

Apple Pork Loin

Creamy Mustard Roasted Salmon

Tuna Casserole

Broccoli Soup

Creamy Asparagus Soup w/ Roasted Garlic & Chive Chevre

Creamy Chive Mashed Potatoes

Fancy Potatoes

Gooey Caramel Rolls

Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Pancakes

My Mom's Coffee Cake

Sausage Gravy w/Biscuits

What are your favorite comfort foods?

Stay warm!

Fancy Potatoes

2013-01-14T07:39:00.003-07:00

Nursing school started up again this week. Good-bye free time! Good-bye life. It's been fun while it lasted. After looking through the course syllabus for my classes, I don't think this semester going to be hard, but it's going to be busy. Very busy.

I'll have class all day on Monday and Tuesday, clinicals on Wednesday and Thursday, and then two 12 hours shifts of work on Friday and Saturday. That means I get Sundays to grocery shop, do laundry and homework. Sounds fun, right? No wonder there is a nursing shortage. They sure make it hard to become one!

With this in mind, my weekly menu-planning has become very strategic and now I have gotten Dusty involved. I plan the meals for the nights I can cook and he plans for the nights that I work. Let me tell you what, after a 12 hour shift at the hospital, it is awesome to walk in the door to a home cooked meal made by your man. I'm a lucky girl.

On the menu this week:
Sunday: Roast Chicken, Sauteed Carrots & Fancy Potatoes
Monday: Chili with Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Bread
Tuesday: Leftover Chili & Cornbread
Wednesday: Fish Tacos & Mexican Rice
Thursday: Shrimp Penne Vodka Pasta, Salad & Garlic Toast
Friday: Tuna Casserole (made by Dusty)
Saturday: Leftover Casserole

Last night (Sunday) I made the most delicious Roast Chicken. I don't know why I never roast chickens on a regular basis. They are so easy to cook and seriously amazing. What I loved just as much as the roast chicken were these Fancy Potatoes...

Tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside, these fancy potatoes look and taste really impressive on your dinner plate!

Fancy Potatoes

{Serves 4}

-8 medium sized Golden Potatoes (approximately 2 pounds)

-2 tbsp STAR Olive Oil with Roasted Garlic

-2 tsp Kosher Salt

-1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

-1/2 tsp dried Rosemary

-Cooking Spray

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

Cut the bottoms off one side of the potato so that they lie flat. Make 1/8" slices across the potatoes, but don't cut all the way through! Only cut down about 1/4" from the bottom.

Place the sliced potatoes in a large bowl and add the olive oil, salt, pepper and dried rosemary. Using your hands, rub the potatoes down with the olive oil and spices and also so that it gets between the potatoes slices. Place the potatoes on the greased baking sheet and roast for 40-45 minutes until tender and crispy on top. Enjoy!

Variations: You can substitute the roasted garlic olive oil for regular EVOO or you could omit the dried rosemary and use STAR's Olive Oil with Fresh Rosemary instead. These potatoes are really versatile!

Recipe Adapted from Ina Garten, Food Network

Peanut Asian Noodle Salad

2013-01-11T14:02:00.002-07:00

Somehow this week I ended up eating a ton of seafood. I didn't plan on it, but it happened. I'm not complaining or anything because it was fantastic and delicious!

On Monday I made a penne vodka pasta with shrimp, then on Tuesday I went to a seriously fun and amazingly good sushi party. A bunch of my nursing school friends got together and made homemade sushi. We made everything from nigiri, sashimi to soft shell crab rolls with lime and honey. Oh my gawd it was to die for! My friend Rosa is the queen of sushi and I learned so much from her. It was a blast!

Then on Wednesday, Dusty and I went out to Bistro Enzo for his birthday where we both had the dinner special, which ended up being seared scallops with a trout-corn risotto and an avocado, tomato, lime chutney (so good!).

Since I menu plan each week, it also just so happens that I planned for Thursday (last night) to be Asian-Panko Salmon with this Peanut Asian Noodle Salad....

I absolutely love this side dish!

It's perfect to serve along with salmon or chicken. If you want to have it as a main course, you could easily roast some shrimp or cooked chicken, and toss it in the salad.

Peanut Noodle Asian Salad

{Serves 4 side dish or 2 main course}

-6 oz Spaghetti

-1/3 cup Vegetable Oil

-1-1/2 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

-2 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce

-1 tbsp Sesame Oil

-1 tsp Honey

-1/2 tsp minced Garlic

-1/4 tsp fresh grated Ginger

-2 tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter

-1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds-divided

-4 ounces Sugar Snap Peas

-1 Red Bell Pepper-thinly sliced

-1 Green Onion-thinly sliced

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente in a large pot of salted water. Once cooked, drain and set aside.

While the noodles are cooking, bring another pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the sugar snap peas in the boiling water for 4 minutes until crisp tender and then shock them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, drain and set aside.

To make the peanut dressing:

In a small bowl combine the vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, peanut butter and 2 tsp of toasted sesame seeds. Whisk the ingredients together and set aside.

To serve:

In a serving bowl combine the spaghetti noodles, sugar snap peas, red bell peppers, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, green onions and peanut dressing. Toss to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

*Recipe Inspired & Adapted by Ina Garten, Food Network.com

The Perfect Omelet

2013-01-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning when I woke up and made breakfast, I didn't expect that I would be making the most perfect omelet I have ever encountered in my life.

Like I had said in my previous post, I bought two new Barefoot Contessa cookbooks that I absolutely love. The recipes are earthly, sophisticated, elegant and simple, yet challenging. Everything I love about cooking. I've read them both cover-to-cover and have incorporated a handful of her recipes into my weekly menu planning already.

When I saw the recipe for Omelet for 2, I instantly knew that I must make it since I only cook for two on a daily basis for Dusty and myself. Rarely do you find a recipe for two! Such a rare creature in the culinary world! Everything is for 4, 6 or 8 servings, which means I'm constantly doing math and division on a daily basis.

So back to yesterday.

Dusty and I slept in because it's Sunday, and that is what you do on Sunday. I rolled out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast and approximately 30 minutes later I pulled my omelet out of the oven. I snapped this picture for Instagram, not knowing what I was just about to encounter....

The perfect omelet.

I split the omelet in half, gave Dusty his half of the omelet and took a bite of mine. After only one bite, I knew I was in for something amazing so I ran over to the window to get another picture with my iphone. I kept thinking, I must share this recipe! I don't care how nice the photo looks, I gotta do a post on this omelet! The world must taste this omelet!!!

Thanks to Ina Garten and her wonderful Omelet for 2 recipe, I was a culinary goddess in Dusty's eyes that morning. He kept singing my praises all morning and gave me a huge kiss just for making him the best omelet he has ever had in his life. I pretty much felt like a rock star and I want all of you to make this omelet for your loved ones so that you can be culinary gods/goddess's for your family too!

I'm not kidding. This omelet is goooood! The eggs were fluffy, but not to eggy. The cheese was cheesy, but not too cheesy. The flavors from the potatoes, bacon, jalapeno and two types of onions were just absolutely perfect. What I love most is that the ingredients are so simple and pretty much everyone has them in their refrigerator already!

Do yourself a favor and make this omelet for breakfast! You are going to love it.

Omelet for 2: by Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa At Home

{Serves 2}

-1/4 lb Bacon

-1 tbsp unsalted Butter

-1 cup medium-diced Yukon Gold Potatoes

-1/2 cup chopped Yellow Onion

-1 tbsp minced Jalapeno Pepper

-5 extra-large Eggs

-2 tbsp Milk or Cream

-1 tsp Kosher Salt

-1/2 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper

-1/4 cup chopped Scallions, white and green parts

-4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar Cheese, diced, plus grate cheese for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the bacon crosswise in 1-inch pieces. Cook the bacon in an 8 inch ovenproof saute pan over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned. Drain the bacon on paper towels and discard the fat from the pan. Add the butter to the pan, then add the potato and yellow onion. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the onion starts to brown and the potato is tender but firm. Add the jalapeno pepper and cook for 30 seconds.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together with a fork. Stir in the scallions and diced cheddar. When the potato is cooked, add the bacon to the pan and pour over the egg mixture. Place the pan in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the omelet puffs and eggs are almost cooked in the center. Sprinkle with a handful of grated Cheddar and bake for another minute. Serve hot directly from the pan.

*Some changes I made to the recipe...
I used salted butter, shredded (not diced) cheddar cheese and large eggs instead of extra-large. Also, I used a 10 inch pan because that is what I had. The changes I made to the original recipe were delicious and perfect because I worked with what I had in my kitchen. That's what cooking is all about!

If you want the recipe to serve more than 2, you can easily cut it into thirds or fourths. I would just maybe serve the omelet along with a fruit salad, sliced oranges or strawberries to go along with it.

I can't wait for you to make this for breakfast!

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Balsamic Glazed Strawberries

2013-01-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year Everyone!

This is my first recipe post for 2013 and believe me, it's a good one.

Dusty and I went up north to spend Christmas and New Years' with Dusty's family on the farm for the past couple of weeks. We had so much fun hanging out, relaxing and eating so much food! While we were there we spent a day in the "big city" where we did some post-Christmas shopping and went to go see some new release movies. The boys went to see Django and us girls went to see Les Miserables.

Before the movies started we decided to kill some time at the neighboring Barnes & Noble. As usual, I made a bee-line for the cookbook section (go figure, surprise-surprise!) and purchased two Ina Garten cookbooks, Barefoot Contessa At Home and Foolproof. I absolutely love these books and have spent the past few days reading her books like a novel. I've read them cover-to-cover and can't wait to cook everything! Her recipes are so simple but elegant, which is my absolute favorite style of cooking.

One of the recipes that caught my eye was the Panna Cotta with Balsamic Berries from that At Home cookbook. I have previously assisted in making panna cotta when I use to assist in culinary classes, but never made it myself. Plus, I just recently posted a recipes for Raspberry Balsamic Glazed Berries. This recipe looked divine and I wanted to add my own twist and changes to it....hence, Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Balsamic Glazed Strawberries!

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Balsamic Glazed Strawberries
{Serves 4}

-1 tsp unflavored gelatin powder
-1-1/2 cups Heavy Cream
-1 cup Vanilla Bean Tillamook Yogurt (or any other vanilla yogurt)
-1 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste (or 1 Vanilla Bean)
-6 tbsp Sugar
-1 pint fresh Strawberries-sliced
-1 tbsp Star Fine Foods Balsamic Vinegar
-1-1/2 tsp White Granulated Sugar

In a small bowl, sprinkle 1 tsp of gelatin powder onto 1-1/2 tbsp cold water. Stir to combine and set aside until dissolved, 10 minutes.

In a bowl, stir to combine 3/4 cup heavy cream, yogurt, and vanilla bean paste. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 3/4 cup heavy cream with the 6 tbsp of sugar. Bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, remove the saucepan from heat and add in the gelatin from the small bowl and stir to incorporate and dissolve.

Pour the hot cream mixture into the cold cream-yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Pour evenly into 4 small ramekins and place in the refrigerator to chill. Once chilled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

1 hour before serving the dessert, slice 1 pint of strawberries and place them in a bowl. Combine the strawberries with 1 tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar and 1-1/2 tsp of sugar. Gently stir to combine so that the strawberries soak up all the juices and flavors.

When you are ready to serve, run a butter knife around each dessert in the ramekin and dip the bottom of ramekin into a bowl of hot water. This will loosen the panna cotta from the ramekin and allow it to easy release. Invert each ramkin onto small individual serving plates. The panna cotta should easily release onto the plate, but you may have to help it out and jiggle a little bit.

Surround the panna cotta with the balsamic glazed strawberries and serve!

Your guests are going to be so impressed with this dessert!

Recipe Inspired & Adapted from Ina Gartens Barefoot Contessa at home

Raspberry Balsamic Glazed Berries

2012-12-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

Usually when you think of breakfast, you tend to think of a big stack of pancakes, french toast, eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, sausage, waffles etc. I could go on forever...I love breakfast.

What about a nice simple bowl of fruit to start the day?

I love having fruit for breakfast. Whether it is with yogurt, cereal, granola, oatmeal or by itself. Fruit is refreshing, sweet and good for you. Fruit is awesome.

So when Star Fine Foods sent me their brand new line of Creamy Balsamic Glazes, I knew exactly how I was going to use it!

This recipe couldn't be any easier! Combine a whole bunch of berries in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of Raspberry Balsamic Glaze and 1-1/2 teaspoon of sugar. That's it!

Not only is it good for breakfast, save some for later and make dessert with pound cake or angel food cake! 2-for-1 is the way to go! Just spoon some berries on top of cake with all of their fantastic balsamic juices and you have a delicious and simple dessert!

I'm in nursing school, doing clinical rotations and working at the hospital...I love simple! Simple is good.

Simple makes my life a whole lot easier when time is not available.

Can we take a moment to talk about how awesome these Creamy Balsamic Glazes from Star Fine Foods are for cooking and baking? I can't wait to make a caprese salad so I can use the Modena flavor. Or how about a pork loin for the Apple and/or Raspberry flavor? I can't wait to also try the Modena flavor with my Balsamic Onion & Prosciutto pizza. YUM!

These glazes add a lovely gourmet touch to any dish and there are so many possibilities for how you can incorporate them into your recipes!

If you can't find them at your local grocery store, fear not! They are available to purchase online with Star Fine Foods. This tends to be an issue when you live in Montana. New products that are fun are most likely impossible to find. Thank goodness for the internet!

I can't wait for you to try these Balsamic Glazes and to make these Glazed Berries...they are absolutely delicious!

Raspberry Balsamic Glazed Berries
{Serves 4}

-1 pint Strawberries-hulled and cut in half
-1 pint Raspberries
-1 pint Blackberries
-1 tbsp Star Fine Foods Raspberry Creamy Balsamic Glaze
-1-1/2 tsp White Granulated Sugar

Rinse, wash and drain berries. In a large bowl, combine the berries with the Raspberry Balsamic Glaze and sugar. Stir gently. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate berries for 1 hour so the juices of the berries soak up and combine with the creamy balsamic glaze and sugar. Spoon the berries into a bowl and enjoy!

*Note: Star Fine Foods sent me a package full of their awesome products to test out and use to create recipes. All opinions and thoughts written about the products are my own. I seriously love these glazes! Thanks Star Fine Foods!!!

Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2012

2012-12-22T13:39:00.003-07:00

The name of my blog says it all, I'm a "girly girl" and it's true. But what you might not know about me is that Dusty and I love going to the movies. Seriously love it. We love going to the movie theater, renting movies and watching Netflix. Being that I'm a "girly girl" and all, you would think I would only be a fan of the romantic dramas and/or chick-flicks, but that is soooo not the case.

My favorite movie genres are thriller, action, historical dramas and adult comedies. Basically, I have the movie preference of a man, but those movies are in my opinion the best and extremely entertaining! So when I created my top 10 list of movies I loved for 2012, it's no surprise that these following movies made the list...

10. The Dark Knight Rises

Synopsis: Eight years on, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.

Star Rating: 8.7

Why I Love It: The last in the 3 part trilogy, this movie goes out in with a bang! Anne Hathaway as the seductive Cat Woman and Tom Hardy as the super muscular and powerful Bane add to the fantastic character line-up in this Batman series. Pretty much I just loved the character Bane. His voice is indescribable and unique, plus those muscles...oh those gorgeous muscles. The story line has shocking twists and turns that have you on the edge of your seat, plus some surprises for you at the end!

9. Skyfall

Synopsis: Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her, bringing MI6 under attack.

Star Rating: 8.0

Why I love it: Sorry Sean Connery, but Daniel Craig is my favorite Bond of all time! I just love how he gives Bond a raw edge about him. Plus, did you know Daniel Craig does all of his own stunts? Impressive! I also enjoyed how the past of Bond is explored more so you can get deeper into the mind of 007. The train scene at the beginning gets you sucked into the action right away and Javier Bardem is the perfect super genius!

8. The Bourne Legacy

Synopsis: An expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the
events of the previous three films.

Star Rating: 6.7

Why I love it: Having a B.S. in Microbiology makes me a super geek. So anything that has to do with gene alteration and genetics, I'm all over it! Jeremy Renner has become one of my favorite actors after watching him in The Hurt Locker and I find myself just loving to watch him as an actor in all his movies. Like Daniel Craig, he also has a raw edge about him that grabs your attention. I love how this chapter in the Bourne series actually runs parallel to the last Bourne movie. The action-packed events occurring to Aaron Cross coincide with Jason Bourne during The Bourne Ultimatum.

7. The Cabin in the Woods

Synopsis: Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods.

Star Rating: 7.2

Why I love it: Sounds like your typical horror movie, right? WRONG! During the month of October, to celebrate Halloween Dusty and I only watch scary movies. It's a thing we started a couple of year ago. When we saw this movie had a 7.2 star rating, we had to investigate because most scary movies never rank this high. About 5 minutes into the movie we realized why. The Cabin in the Woods is a scary movie, but also a comical and witty tribute to all horror films. It's brilliant, scary and surprisingly hysterical (but not in a cheesy way). I absolutely loved this movie.

6. The Raven

Synopsis: When a madman begins committing horrific murders inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's works, a young Baltimore detective joins forces with Poe to stop him from making his stories a reality

Star Rating: 6.3

Why I love it: According to history, Edgar Allan Poe's death is a total mystery. Due to the lack of technology and resources in the 1800's, the cause of his death with never be know. This movie tries to explain the cause of his death with a thrilling and mysterious story line.

5. Ted

Synopsis: As the result of a childhood wish, John Bennett's teddy bear, Ted, came to life and has been by John's side ever since - a friendship that's tested when Lori, John's girlfriend of four years, wants more from their relationship.

Star Rating: 7.3

Why I love it: 3 words...Dirty. Raunchy. Hysterical. I laughed so hard throughout this movie. Typical Seth Macfarlane sense of humor and comedy, but even better. Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis are hysterical in this movie as well. I just enjoyed every second of this movie!

4. The Hunger Games

Synopsis: Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in the Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to compete.

Star Rating: 7.3

Why I love it: At first the idea of children being put into an arena to kill one another kinda disturbed me. But then I decided to go watch the movie and I got sucked in. As an older sister, I related to Katniss by volunteering to protect her sister. I would totally do the same. I call it my "momma bear instincts" because I'm super protective over my little sis. As most girls do, I also loved the love-triangle between Katniss, Gale and Peeta. Are you team Gale or Peeta? I'm totally team Peeta. I love me some Peeta. The movie is action-packed, political, serious, sad and extremely entertaining. After watching the movie, I read the books and became obsessed. I read all 3 books in one week. So good!

3. Lincoln

Synopsis: As the Civil War continues to rage, America's president struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield and as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on the decision to emancipate the slaves.

Star Rating: 8.3

Why I love it: Daniel Day-Lewis. Wow. Probably the greatest actor of all time. You forget you are watching Day-Lewis and actually think you are watching Lincoln before you. I could go on forever talking about the things I loved about his performance, but I'll just say this....Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln is the most amazing performance by an actor of all time!

2. The Avengers

Synopsis: Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. brings together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki and his army.

Star Rating: 8.4

Why I love it: After years of making separate Marvel movies, finally all of them have come together to make the coolest action-comic hero movie of all time. Action-packed, witty, exciting, and hysterical. This movie has it all. The story-line of this movie is brilliant, smart and a fun time for all. I saw this movie multiple times in theater with Dusty. We loved this movie....and guess what! They are making a sequel!

1. Argo

Synopsis: A dramatization of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran.

Star Rating: 8.2

Why I love it: I was so surprised that this was my favorite movie of 2012. Based on a real historical event that was use to be classified by the government, it seems too impossible to be true. The fear, raw emotion and tension throughout the movie from beginning to end was incredible. Ben Affleck directing was very impressive, smart and he was amazing at creating such an intense tension throughout the movie you could cut it with a knife. The entire movie you are sitting on the edge of your seat gripping for the characters. Will they make it? Will they get out? Dusty had to lean over and tell me to calm down a couple of times because I was so into the movie and freaking out with suspense...which is funny because you know how the movie is going to end the entire time. All I know is that this movie better win some Academy Awards and even Best Picture. Go see it! You will love it.

Well, there you have it....my top 10 list for 2012! There are still a few movies being released before the year is over and here are some movies I still need/want to see:
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
This is 40

Can't wait to see them! I'm sure they will be added to the list.

What was your favorite movie this year? Are there any that I missed?

*Star Ratings, Pictures & Synopsis source from IMDB.com*

Creamy Asparagus Soup with Roasted Garlic & Chive Chevre {Giveaway}

2012-12-17T17:47:00.003-07:00

Growing up I was the weird cheese kid. My mom would buy those huge bulk blocks of feta cheese from Costco and I would take off chunks of the cheese and eat it like an apple. It would gross everyone out in my family, but I didn't care because I love my stinky cheese. The stinkier, the better. Feta didn't last long in our household because of me...the stinky cheese kid.

Once I got into college, my weird love for cheese only got more intense. I discovered different types of cheese such as blue cheese, Gouda, Gorgonzola, goat cheese and much much more. I even dragged Dusty to monthly cheese tastings in Missoula at the Good Food Store. Give me a hunk of stinky cheese and I'm in heaven.

A while ago I was up late one night watching Food Network (like usual) and a show I hadn't seen before came on, Road Tasted with the Neelys, and they were in Montana! Imagine my surprise seeing foodie places from Montana on Food Network. The state of Montana usually gets ignored in the food world unless it involves steak. During the entire 30 minute episode I was so giddy and excited to see different businesses and bakeries from across the state being featured by the Neely couple. One of the places that was featured by the Neelys was only 2 hours away from me! Who knew I lived so close to an organic dairy that produced chevre, ricotta and feta? This place I'm speaking of is the Grade A Amaltheia Organic Dairy in Belgrade, Montana.

The Amaltheia Dairy is a family run business owned by Melvyn and Sue Brown. On Thanksgiving Day of 2000 they started their dairy and in 2002 began making their own cheeses. The name Amaltheia for the dairy was derived from the greek mythology of the goat named Amaltheia that nursed Zeus growing up. According to greek mythology Zeus rewarded his trusty goat by putting her image in the sky as the Capricorn constellation and took the goats horn to create the cornucopia....and trust me, this cheese that they create would please the Gods!

Each day at the Amaltheia Dairy tucked in the base of the beautiful Bridger Mountains in Belgrade, Montana, approximately 280 goats get milked and create 150 gallons of goats milk. The milk then gets carefully processed into the various types of cheese including chevre, ricotta and feta.

Did you know that 1 pound of goat cheese takes 5 pounds of milk?
Crazy!

Besides the basic chevre, Amaltheia also has some really wonderful flavored chevre including: Roasted Garlic & Chive, Spiced Pepper, Sun-Dried Tomato and Perigold Black Truffle. Even the herbs used to flavor the cheese is grown locally. When they say organic, they mean it!

I seriously love the Roasted Garlic & Chive and I'm dying to get my hands on the Perigold Black Truffle! I can only imagine how amazing it would be on my Wild Mushroom & Goat Cheese Pizza. Dang. That really sounds good.

Mmmm. Feta. My favorite!

The Amaltheia Organic Dairy is a true treasure to the state of Montana. Their cheeses are a very high quality product and you can taste the time, energy and love put into their beloved cheese products.

Now here comes the best part....A GIVEAWAY!

Sue and Melvyn of the Amaltheia Dairy have generously donated a fantastic giveaway for The Girly Girl Cooks readers...

A fantastic bundle of their fabulous cheese!

Included in the giveaway:

Whole Milk Ricotta
Organic Goat Feta
Plain Chevre
Roasted Garlic & Chive Chevre
Spiced Pepper Chevre
Sun-Dried Tomato Chevre
Perigold Black Truffle Chevre

That's a whole lot of cheese and such a fun giveaway!!!

To Enter (Mandatory Entry):

Leave a comment telling me your favorite type of cheese.

~~For Additional Entries (leave a separate comment for each entry):~~

-Like Girly Girl Cooks on Facebook

-Like Amaltheia Organic Dairy on Facebook

-Share the giveaway on Facebook

-Follow Girly Girl Cooks on Twitter

-Follow Amaltheia Organic Dairy on Twitter

-Share the giveaway on Twitter

-Follow Girly Girl Cooks on Pinterest

-Follow Girly Girl Cooks on Instagram

That is 9 total entries for the giveaway! I'd say those are good odds! If you can't wait for the giveaway and want to have some goat cheese heaven, you can purchase their cheese online or find their products at numerous locations in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.

**A random winner will be announced Friday, December 21st. The winner has 24 hours to contact me, otherwise a new winner will be chosen**

CONGRATS TO JANET O'BRIEN! YOU ARE THE WINNER OF THE AMALTHEIA CHEESE GIVEAWAY!

Email me at girlygirlcooks@aol.com with your address and I'll get the giveaway out to you ASAP!

Besides eating cheese as is, I love cooking with cheese. Last week I went out to dinner with Dusty and his Grandfather for a delightful and really entertaining evening at Walkers Grill to celebrate the end of the semester. We both got straight A's and survived the Fall semester, so a nice dinner was in order. The soup we were served to accompany the main course was a creamy asparagus soup with a paprika oil drizzle. I don't know what it is about Walkers, but every time I eat there I want to recreate their recipes at home so I can enjoy them all the time. Thus, I made my own Creamy Asparagus Soup with the Amaltheia Roasted Garlic & Chive Chevre.

The creaminess of the soup plus the garlicky-onion tang from the chevre is a savory and wonderful combination. The cheese melts into the soup and the bits that you scoop up with your spoon is a burst of delicious flavor. This could possibly be one of my new favorite soups!

Creamy Asparagus Soup with Roasted Garlic & Chive Chevre
{Serves 4}

-1 pound Asparagus
-1/2 Yellow Onion-finely minced
-1/4 cup Butter (1/2 stick)
-1 tbsp Flour
-2 cups Low-Sodium Fat Free Chicken Broth
-Salt & Pepper
-1 oz of Amaltheia Organic Roasted Garlic & Chive Chevre

Cut the flowered tops off of 8 asparagus spears, just about 1 inch long and set aside for garnish. Also, cut the bottom 2 inches of the woody base of asparagus and discard. Chop the remaining asparagus spears into 1/2 inch pieces.

In a large pot, melt the 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Add the minced onion and chopped asparagus to the pot and cook until the onion and asparagus become softened. Sprinkle in the tablespoon of flour, stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Blanch the 8 asparagus tips for 2 minutes in the boiling water and then submerge the tips into cold ice water to shock them. Set aside.

After 15 minutes of simmering, taste the soup and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth and then pass through a strainer for a perfectly smooth texture. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

To Serve: Ladle the soup into each of the 4 bowls and place 2 asparagus tips into each bowel. Sprinkle equal amounts of the crumbled roasted garlic and chive chevre into each bowl. Enjoy with some bread and a green salad. Enjoy!

*Note: Amaltheia Organic Dairy generously donated and provided me a package full of their awesome products to giveaway to my readers. All opinions and thoughts written about the products are my own. I love this cheese! Thank you Amaltheia!
*Source: Information and background about the Organic Dairy and the picture of the goats was sourced from the Amaltheia website.
Recipe Inspired & Adapted from Darren McGrady of Eating Royally

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Pancakes {Chobani Yogurt Giveaway}

2012-12-14T13:26:00.002-07:00

Every other weekend, Dusty and I make pancakes for breakfast. Whether it be sour dough, buttermilk, or sour cream pancakes...we don't care! As long as we get to relax on Sunday morning with a plate full of warm pancakes soaked in butter and maple syrup, we are good to go.

One of my favorite pancake recipes is the Pioneer Woman's Sour Cream Pancakes from her first cookbook. They have a spongy texture that I absolutely love. So I thought I'd change up the original sour cream pancakes by incorporating these two ingredients...

Chobani's Lemon Greek Yogurt & Fresh Blueberries!

Instead of using sour cream, I used the Chobani Lemon Greek Yogurt, which provided the exact same spongy texture but provides some extra protein and flavor. These pancakes were a really fun twist on a pancake recipe I make regularly.

Now for the fun part....THE GIVEAWAY!

For the first time in my life, I won a giveaway! I entered and won the Chobani Facebook Giveaway where you can enter to win a case of Chobani yogurt. Since it's the holiday season and I'm in the giving mood, I wanted to share the love that Chobani has shown me by giving away a case of Chobani Greek Yogurt!

Included: 6-16 ounce blended flavors of Chobani Yogurt!

Perfect for smoothies, dips, baking, cooking and snacking.

To Enter (Mandatory Entry):

Leave a comment telling me your favorite flavor of Chobani Yogurt.

~~For Additional Entries (leave a separate comment for each entry):~~

-Like Girly Girl Cooks on Facebook

-Share the giveaway on Facebook

-Follow Girly Girl Cooks on Twitter

-Share the giveaway on Twitter

-Follow Girly Girl Cooks on Pinterest

-Follow Girly Girl Cooks on Instagram

**A random winner will be announced Tuesday, December 18th. The winner has 24 hours to contact me, otherwise a new winner will be chosen**

CONGRATS TO KELSIE N! YOU ARE THE WINNER OF THE CHOBANI GIVEAWAY!

Email me at girlygirlcooks@aol.com with your address and I'll get the giveaway out to you ASAP!

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Pancakes

{Makes 12}

-6 oz Chobani Lemon Greek Yogurt

-1/4 cup Flour

-1 tbsp Sugar

-1 tsp Baking Soda

-1/2 tsp Salt

-2 Eggs-beaten

-1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

-Zest of 1/2 Lemon

-1/2 cup fresh Blueberries

-Cooking Spray

-Butter

-Maple Syrup

Place a skillet or large pan over medium-low heat.

In a bowl, combine lemon greek yogurt, flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. Gently stir together until just combined. In a separate small bowl, combine the beaten eggs and vanilla extract. Pour the eggs into the yogurt/flour mixture. Gently stir to combine. Add in the zest and juice of half a lemon and 1/2 cup of fresh blueberries. Fold in to combine.

Using either cooking spray or butter, grease up the skillet. Pour 1/8 cup of pancake batter onto the skillet for each pancake and spread batter out on griddle with measuring cup. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the bubbles on top of the pancake start to pop. Flip them over and cook for an additional minute. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Stack the pancakes on a plate and serve them with butter and maple syrup. Enjoy!

*Note: Chobani provided me with the case of greek yogurt because I won the case of Chobani yogurt from the Chobani Facebook giveaway. Because it's the holiday season and I love ya, I decided to share the love by giving away the case to one of my fantastic readers! Thank you Chobani!

Recipe Inspired & Adapted by: The Pioneer Woman

Cranberry Pistachio Christmas Cookies - Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2012

2012-12-12T06:26:00.000-07:00

For the first time this year I participated in The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap hosted by Love & Olive Oil and The Little Kitchen with OXO. Each participant was matched up with 3 great food bloggers and got to send each blogger 1 dozen of their favorite cookie. All proceeds and donations from the cookie swap went toward OXO's Be A Good Cookie campaign for Cookies for Kids' Cancer foundation. It's such a great cause and so much fun to be apart of!

I was matched up with the lovely and very talented:

-Jamie of Green Beans & Grapefruit

-Gretchen of Hazelettes

-Ashley of Baker by Nature

Over the past week I have received my cookies in the mail! All of which have been fantastic! It was so much fun to get 3 packages in the mail containing 3 different dozens of cookies. The best part was not knowing who was going to send you cookies, so it was a total surprise when you opened them up!

-Jocelyn of Inside BruCrew Life sent me Peppermint Mocha Fudge Cookies which tasted like a richer and more chocolatey adult version of a Thin-Mint cookie. To Die For!

-Sarah of The Life Album sent me Lemon Coconut Snowballs which you just pop in your mouth and let melt. I love anything and everything with coconut, so these cookies were fun to receive!

-Kimberly of Rhubarb & Honey sent me Holiday Monster Cookies that are filled with everything wonderful!

The cookies I mailed Gretchen, Ashley and Jamie were Cranberry-Pistachio Christmas Cookies! I just love the colors of the nuts, berries and chocolate with how they look so festive for the holiday season. Plus, have you ever made a cookie using cake mix?

Oh my gosh! They make the fluffiest and softest cookies EVER!

These are my favorite holiday cookies of all time. Make them. You will love them too.

Cranberry-Pistachio Christmas Cookies
{Makes 3 Dozen}

-2 packages of Yellow Cake Mix
-4 Eggs, beaten
-1 cup Canola Oil
-1 cup chopped shelled Pistachio Nuts
-1/2 cup sweetened dried Cranberries
-1 cup White Chocolate Chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the dry yellow cake mix, beaten eggs and oil. Mix until just combined. Fold in the pistachio nuts, cranberries and white chocolate chips.

Using a 1-1/2 tbsp sized cookie scoop, scoop out the cookie dough and place onto the cookie sheet. You should be able to fit 12 balls of cookie dough on a cookie sheet at a time.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges become lightly golden. Carefully transfer your cookies to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the last 2 dozen of cookies.

Enjoy! Happy Holidays!

*Thank you OXO, Love & Olive Oil and The Little Kitchen for hosting such a wonderful cookie swap!
*Thank you Kimberly, Sarah & Jocelyn for the fantastic cookies!

Recipe from: The Gooseberry Patch

Artichoke & Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms

2012-12-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

From now until Christmas day there are going to be tons of Christmas and holiday parties to attend. Need a savory, delicious and festive appetizer to serve or bring to your friends house?

I've got just the thing for you...Artichoke & Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms!

Mushroom caps baked and stuffed with a creamy filling that you can easily pop in your mouth is what makes this such a perfect appetizer. Have a drink in one hand while having a stuffed mushroom in the other. Perfect for parties!

I love the use of the christmas colors too. It makes this appetizer really stand out and fun for this time of year.

To make the filling, I used some very special ingredients from Star Fine Foods. They have a special line of infused olive oils that are simply amazing. I used the Olive Oil with Roasted Garlic for my mushroom filling and oh-em-gee it was so fragrant! The aromatic smell of garlic filled my kitchen and the flavors of my filling were touched with a pleasant flavoring of garlic. I can't wait to start roasting everything with these olive oils!

I also used Cara Mia marinated artichoke hearts from Star Fine Foods which added the perfect seasonings to the mushroom filling. Mmmm, I love marinated artichoke hearts. They are my favorite on top of pizza, used in dips and now stuffed inside mushrooms!

Did I mention before that these stuffed mushrooms are perfect for parties? You can easily assemble them earlier in the day before your guests arrive and then just pop them in the oven for 20 minutes. As Ina Garten says, "How easy is that?"

Artichoke & Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms

{Makes 16}

-16 whole White Button Mushrooms - stems removed

-2 tbsp Star Fine Foods Olive Oil with Roasted Garlic

-5 oz frozen chopped Spinach-thawed and water squeezed out

-4 Sun-Dried Tomatoes-finely diced

-1/4 cup Cara Mia Marinated Artichoke Hearts-roughly chopped

-4 oz Goat Cheese

-4 oz Cream Cheese

-2 tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F) and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Wipe mushroom caps clean with a damp paper towel.

Heat 2 tbsp of garlic olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and marinated artichoke hearts. Stir to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove the mixture from the pan and place it into a bowl. Add the goat cheese and cream cheese to the bowl and stir to combine. Mix well.

Fill the mushroom caps with the mixture and place them on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle mushrooms with grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

*Note: Star Fine Foods sent me a package full of their awesome products to test out and use to create recipes. All opinions and thoughts written about the products are my own. I love this stuff! Thanks Star Fine Foods!!!

Huckleberry Souffle

2012-12-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

So apparently I'm on a Huckleberry kick.

Earlier in the week I made Huckleberry Glazed Chicken Wings and they were amazing. I couldn't get enough of them. Now I give you this....Huckleberry Souffle!

I think I shall declare this week "HUCKLEBERRY WEEK". Can that be a thing?

This recipe is surprisingly easy and only requires 5 ingredients! It isn't your traditional souffle but it is incredibly rich and delicious like a traditional souffle. It is perfect for those who are terrified to attempt a souffle (like me!) because timing isn't an issue. It also doesn't deflate like regular souffles. Pretty much you can't mess this dessert up.

The great thing about this recipe is that it is so versatile. Since it only requires egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, butter and jam, you can make it any flavor you want!

Strawberry, Raspberry, Blueberry, Orange Marmalade, etc....

The options are endless!

All you need is an electric mixer or a very strong arm and you are on your way to a very special dessert. Also, you can use a double boiler or simply place a 2 quart glass bowl on top of a large pot of simmering water (that's what I did) when it comes to cooking the souffle. Instead of buying a double boiler, I like to Macgyver my way through the kitchen. That's how I roll.

Huckleberry Souffle
{Serves 2}

-3 Egg Whites
-3 tbsp Granulated White Sugar
-1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
-3 tbsp Huckleberry Jam (or any other flavor jam)
-1 tbsp Butter
-Whipped Cream (optional)

Start by simmering 1 inch of water in a double boiler over medium to medium-low heat. Butter the top part of the double boiler.

With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in large bowl until frothy, then add in the cream of tartar and sugar slowly. Continue beating until the egg white are stiff (think meringue-like). Gently fold in the jam.

Spoon the mixture into the buttered top of the double boiler. Cover and cook over the barely simmering water for 1 hour. After an hour, once the souffle is cooked, spoon the souffle into two serving dishes and top with whipped cream (optional).

Enjoy!

Recipe Inspired & Adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

Huckleberry Glazed Chicken Wings

2012-12-04T10:54:00.001-07:00

These wings are finger-licking good!

On Saturday I found a very small bag of huckleberries in my freezer that I've been hoarding for the past 2 years. I decided to make Huckleberry Glazed Chicken Wings for dinner and OH MY GOD WERE THEY GOOD! I could eat at least 100 of these in one sitting.

I kinda have an obsession with wings. I don't know about you, but when I make chicken wings I don't like to fry them, I like to roast them instead. For many reasons including:

1) Healthier

2) Not as messy

3) Easier

4) Just as tasty when roasted

5) What are you suppose to do with all that used oil that has become funky?

Kind of a waste of oil if you ask me.

The sauce for these wings was out of this world good! All you need is 1/4 cup of huckleberries for 4 servings of wings, which is not a lot if you are hoarding your berries like me.

Good news for those of you that don't live in the Northwestern corner of the country where huckleberries grow, you can easily substitute blueberries for the huckleberries!

True Story: Once I bought huckleberry ice cream and read the ingredients list. It read that blueberry juice and extract were used and not a single huckleberry listed! I felt cheated! But, if I hadn't read the ingredients list, I wouldn't have know because they taste very similar. Huckleberries are just a little more tart than blueberries, and that's about it.

After making these wings I have only 1/4 cup of huckleberries left!

But it was so so so worth it.

Is it summertime yet?

I need to go Huckleberry picking again!

I can't wait to share with you this recipe for Huckleberry Glazed Chicken Wings. I know you are going to love them!

Huckleberry Glazed Chicken Wings

{Serves 4}

-2 lbs of chicken wings, split at the joints and tips removed
-Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

-Cooking Spray
-1/4 cup Fresh Huckleberries (or Blueberries)

-1/4 cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce

-2 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

-3 tbsp Light Brown Sugar

-1 tbsp Star Fine Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil

-1/2 tsp minced fresh Garlic

-1/2 tsp Roasted Sesame Seeds (plus more for garnish)

-1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

-1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

-1 Green Onion-sliced

Position the lower oven rack on the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees (F). Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray so the wings don't stick to the surface.

Pat the wings dry and sprinkle them with Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste. Spread the wings out evenly in the baking dish and bake the wings, flipping them over halfway through, for 40 minutes.

While the wings are baking, combine in a food processor or blender the huckleberries, low-sodium soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, light brown sugar, olive oil, garlic, roasted sesame seeds, red pepper flakes and ground ginger. Blend until sauce is smooth. Transfer the huckleberry sauce to a small saucepan and simmer on low until slightly reduced.

Once the wings are done baking, remove the wings from the baking dish and place them in the large bowl with the huckleberry sauce. Toss the wings until fully coated with the sauce and then return the wings to the baking dish to continue baking for 3-5 minutes until glazed.

Plate the wings and garnish them with sesame seeds and green onion.

Enjoy!

Christmas Treat Ideas

2012-12-02T09:25:00.002-07:00

The Christmas tree and house are decorated and the holiday baking has begun!

Something unusual has happened this year, Dusty and I have all of our Christmas shopping done. Like, completely done. Purchased, wrapped and under the tree done. This has never happened before. Most of the time I'm scrambling and still shopping the days leading up to Christmas. The fact that I'm done shopping for everyone is a miracle and feels pretty darn good!

Now that shopping is out the way, I can focus on baking! And boy are there tons of mouth-watering sugary treats out there in the blogsphere! So many delicious treats and not enough days in the month leading up to Christmas...what is a girl to do!?!?

Dusty and I have already made and enjoyed our favorite Domino Christmas Cookies. Plus I've already made and shipped off some Cranberry-Pistachio Christmas Cookies for the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap (recipe/post coming soon!). All I have to do is figure out what I'm going to make next!

If you are like me and trying to figure out what treat to bake up next, here is a list of some fantastic baked goods from my favorite ladies in the food blog world! You will be sure to find some inspiration for holiday baking from these lovely gals!

{Cookies}
Pistachio Shortbread Cookies - Wanna Be A Country Cleaver

Dark Chocolate Cherry Pecan Cookies - Inside Nana Bread's Head

Cranberry Bliss Cookies - Gimme Some Oven

Biscoff Blossom (Kisses) - Gimme Some Oven

Bailey's Chocolate Cookies - Gimme Some Oven

Egg Nog Logs - Comfortably Domestic

Pfeffernusse Cookies - Comfortably Domestic

Sugar Crusted Ginger Cookies - Climbing Grier Mountain

Gingerbread Biscotti - A Cozy Kitchen

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies - The Church Cook

Turtle Cookies - Jenna's Everything Blog

White Chocolate Peppermint M&M Cookies - Two Peas in their Pod

{Brownies & Bars}
Mud Hen Bars - The Hill Country Cook

Chubby Hubby Bars - The Country Cook

Peppermint Pattie Brownies - How Sweet It Is

{Other Sweet Treats}
White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn - Simply Scratch

Salted Chocolate Peppermint Bark - Simply Scratch

Candy Apple Popcorn Balls - Wanna Be A Country Cleaver

Magic Marshmallow Puffs - The Hill Country Cooks

Chocolate Peppermint Glazed Doughnuts - Climbing Grier Mountain

Macadamia Fudge - Surly Kitchen

Chocolate Cinnamon Fudge - A Cozy Kitchen

Gooey Chocolate Coconut Truffles - How Sweet It Is

Italian Mini-Meatloaf Pasta

2012-11-30T21:01:00.000-07:00

This recipe has a special place in my heart and I can't believe it has taken me this long to share it on my blog!

The summer after my sophomore year of school at the U of M, I had to spend 5 weeks taking a summer course and lived in an off-campus apartment. It was my first time living on my own without being in a dorm or using a meal plan. Those 5 weeks were so liberating. I felt like an independent adult for the first time. I had my own (very cheap) set of pots and pans, dishes and cookware....but I loved it. I enjoyed every moment of coming home from class and cooking for myself, and having no one to answer to.

During those 5 weeks, Dusty was back home on the farm for the summer and came to visit me for a weekend. On the first night he was in town, I was so excited to see him and I wanted to impress him by making him this dish. Since I had previously lived in the dorms, we usually heated up chicken sticks and french fries at his apartment for dinner, so it felt pretty special to have him over at my apartment and cooking him something that didn't involve reheating.

Even 4 years later, whenever I make this dish we always bring up that time when I first made it for him. It's funny how some recipes can stay with you for so long and have so much meaning, even if it is years later. It totally supports my theory that you can win someone's heart through their stomach!

Italian Mini-Meatloaf Pasta

{Serves 4}

-1 pound lean Ground Beef

-1/3 Seasoned Bread Crumbs

-1 egg, lightly beaten

-14 ounce jar of Onion & Garlic Pasta Sauce

-1/4 tsp Salt

-1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

-8 ounces of sliced Mushrooms

-1 tbsp Olive Oil

-8 ounces of Fettuccine Pasta

-1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

-Fresh chopped Parlsey

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, 1/3 cup pasta sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands to combine. Cut the mozzarella sticks in half crosswise so there are 4 small sticks of cheese total. Divide the beef mixture into fourths and shape the beef mixture to form a loaf. Flatten the loafs a bit with the palm of your hand so they will bake evenly. Place the mini-meat loaves on the slightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes until no longer pink.

While the meat loaves are baking, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the sliced mushroom and saute until they start to become golden brown and soft. Pour in the rest of the pasta sauce and simmer on low while the meat loaves continue to bake. Prepare the pasta according to package directions and drain well. Return the cooked fettuccine to the saucepan with the pasta sauce and continue to simmer.

To serve, arrange the mini-meat loaves over the fettuccine and sprinkle with parmesan and parsley.

Enjoy!

{Guest Post} The Hill Country Cook: Roasted Butternut Squash

2012-11-28T06:27:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody!

I have a really special treat for you today, my friend Katie from The Hill Country Cook is sharing with us her super easy, simple and delicious recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash! Katie and I met 2-1/2 years ago through food blogging and Tasty Kitchen. She writes one of my favorite blogs of all time and has become one of my dearest friends!

My classmates and co-workers laugh at me and look at me funny when I tell them I have "blogging friends," but if you are in the food blogging world, it doesn't seem weird at all. It's like we've known each other forever. Plus we all share a passionate love for food! Some of my favorite people in the world are my "blogging friends" and Katie is one of them. I'm so very excited that she is writing this fantastic guest post on my blog!

With that, I'll let Katie take it away!

Hey y'all!

I am so excited Haley asked me to do a guest post y'all! She is sweeter than honey, and has been so busy with nursing school, but when she gets to cookin', WATCH OUT WORLD! Lip smackin' good. I've known Haley for about two and a half years now. She was one of the first blogging girls I met, and shortly after, I remember she was the featured member on Tasty Kitchen!! I thought, "I know someone famous!" Even though she's all the way in Montana, and I'm all the way down here in Texas, we share good laughs and stories - and recipes, through our beloved blogs, facebook, and yes, PINTEREST!

So I'm showing y'all something simple here. When it really starts getting cold, which it's yet to here in Texas, but I'M not complaining (well, sorta) - I like to roast veggies! Roasting brings out the sweetness in the veggies, makes the house smell good, and warms it up too! Leftovers keep, and freeze well, and they're pretty versatile. And require little prep time to boot!

For roasted butternut squash, all you need to do is slice the butternut squash in half. It's a hefty fellow, and likes to wobble on the counter, so be careful with your knife. Just slice it in half, lengthwise, and remove the seeds.

Then, sprinkle with brown sugar, and place a small pat of butter in the hollowed out portion. Fill the hollow area with a diced apple. Bake at 400 degrees for almost an hour. When it was good and soft, I then sliced the squash and removed the skin. The squash was very hot, but it was much easier to do while it was tender, rather than raw.

Hope y'all enjoy!

What's y'alls favorite roasted veggie?

~Peace, Love, and Baking Y'all

Katie Burkhart

http://TheHillCountryCook.com

Creamy Chive Mashed Potatoes

2012-11-26T08:10:00.001-07:00

These are by far the best mashed potatoes that I have ever consumed.

They are life altering.

These potatoes are creamy, smooth and full of delicious subtle chivy flavor. Plus they contain two of Julia Child's favorite things: Butter & Heavy Cream. Amen.

Usually when I make mashed potatoes, I use just one type of potato (golden), butter, splash of milk and mayonnaise. Yes, that's right. I use mayonnaise. It's a family thing. Add a little squirt of mayo for some extra creaminess and flavor.

To shake things up, Dusty and I decided to make mashed potatoes differently for Turkey Day this year since it was just the two of us. One of things we did differently was that we used a combination of russet and golden potatoes. It made them fluffy, but not too starchy. Plus no mayo. These potatoes didn't need the mayo. They were creamy all on their own!

From now on I'm only making my mashed potatoes this way.

Creamy Chive Mashed Potatoes
{8 servings}

-1-1/2 lbs Russet Potatoes-peeled and quartered
-2-1/2 lbs Golden Potatoes-peeled and quartered
-1 Bay Leaf
-3 tbsp Salted Butter
-2 cups Heavy Cream
-2 tbsp dried Chives
-Salt & Pepper

Place the potatoes in a large pot with cold water (enough to cover potatoes), 1 tbsp salt and 1 bay leaf. Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat and boil until fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain the potatoes, remove the bay leaf and return them to the pot to dry the excess moisture out of the potatoes. Remove the bay leaf.

While the potatoes are boiling, heat the heavy cream and butter in a saucepan. Set aside.

Place the potatoes in a large bowl and whip them with an electric hand mixer until almost smooth. At least until all the big chunks of potato are broken down. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and butter to the bowl of potatoes and continue to beat with the electric mixer until completely smooth, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, stir to incorporate.

Finish by adding in the dried chives and stir to combine until evenly distributed throughout the mashed potatoes.

Recipe Adapted and Inspired from: Tyler Florence Food Network