Melissa's Cuisine

What I Ate In Chicago

2013-05-24T08:45:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, Mike and I took a trip to Chicago. We've been there before for our first anniversary and we loved the city atmosphere. This time, we went for our "babymoon"--we know that once our baby arrives in July, we won't be traveling much for a while, so this seemed like a good chance to get away. We live about 3 hours away from Chicago, so we drove about halfway and then took the train the rest of the way. We love to travel by train, and then we didn't have to worry about driving or parking in the city!

Our hotel was right on the Magnificent Mile, so after checking in, we headed out for lunch. I had told Mike that I absolutely wanted to go to Chick-fil-a for lunch one day. I got lucky and we headed there for lunch on Friday. It was our first time eating there (the closest Chick-fil-a is 80 miles from our house) and it was everything we anticipated. We both had a chicken sandwich (Mike's was spicy) and fries--I loved their fries! I also really liked the addition of pickles on their chicken sandwich!

For dinner we headed to another restaurant neither of us had been to before, Rainforest Cafe. Mike's co-worker is from Chicago and recommended that we eat at Rainforest Cafe for the experience. Mike and I were both awestruck when we entered the restaurant. We were greeted by a large snake, misting waterfalls, and enormous fish tanks. We were seated next to the waterfall and ate our dinner alongside a parrot and family of gorillas. I ordered one of their specialty items--the BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger. I loved the onion ring that was served on the burger (though I did eat it separately to make the burger size a little more manageable). Mike ordered their Flying Dragon Pepperoni Pizza, the crust was thin and the amount of toppings was perfect. Plus, it tasted good cold a few hours later!

Saturday morning, we headed out to the restaurant voted number one for breakfast in Chicago, Yolk. Being the breakfast lover that I am, I knew we had to pick a great place to eat breakfast. I ordered the Peach Cobbler Crepes. They were delicious, and the portion size was huge, but by time I finished I was sick of the orange flavor from the Grand Marnier. Mike had the Countryside Skillet, which he really enjoyed.

After our enormous breakfast, we really were not hungry for lunch. We did some shopping and walked down to the Navy Pier. By this time it was about 3pm and we still hadn't eaten. We ended up stopping in the food court and Mike got McDonald's and I ordered a Chicken Gyro from Greek Delight. It was delicious! As you can imagine, we were not hungry for dinner. We thought about just getting ice-cream from Ghiradelli's, however the cost and lack of seating deterred us from that plan. We ended up heading back to our hotel and enjoying a couple drinks and appetizers at the M Avenue Lounge. It was the perfect amount of food to satisfy us for the night.

Sunday morning was Mother's Day, and we hadn't thought about that in advance, so the restaurant we wanted to go to was booked. I had seen a restaurant as we were walking around that intrigued me, so we headed to e.leaven for breakfast. This restaurant was more casual than we had anticipated, and we ordered at the front counter and our food was brought out to our table. I ordered the Banana Bread French Toast--thick slices of banana bread topped with bananas. It was delicious and so filling! Mike wanted something smaller than the day before, so he went with a breakfast bagel. He really enjoyed his breakfast as well.

After breakfast, we packed up and headed back to the train station to head home. We had a great weekend of relaxing, shopping, and eating great food!

Festive Marshmallow Treat Fruit Skewers

2013-05-22T08:19:00.000-04:00

I absolutely love the summer holidays! There is just something about them that makes me really look forward to Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. I think part of it has to do with having a day off of work when the weather is nice enough to be outside to enjoy it. Plus, each of these holidays typically involves cook-outs and fireworks, two more things I love!

These festive fruit skewers were so fun to make, and they were fun to eat as well! I actually made a bunch of them last summer for a Labor Day cook-out, but wanted to save the recipe to share when it was more relevant. Now is that time!

I wanted the snacks to look like fireworks, but also incorporate the patriotic colors of red, white, and blue. If you don't have red and blue sprinkles for the marshmallow treats, don't worry about it, there is plenty of red and blue from the fruits!

This is a snack that I think would be fun for children to assemble. Parents, just cut up the strawberries and marshmallow treats and let your kids have fun! Not only will they enjoy putting these snacks together, you'll feel good about the fruit they're consuming when they get to eat their creations later.

Marshmallow Treat Fruit Skewers

Ingredients:
1 pan of marshmallow treats (recipe below)
1 quart of strawberries, washed and hulled
1 pint of blueberries
6" wooden skewers (if necessary, cut longer skewers in half)

1. Cut marshmallow treats into star shapes using a cookie cutter. Set aside.

2. Cut strawberries in half, width-wise.

3. Thread the strawberries and blueberries onto the skewer, alternating strawberry half, 2 blueberries, strawberry half, 2 blueberries.

4. Top the skewer with a marshmallow star.

These are best served the day they are made, otherwise the fruit and marshmallow treats become soggy.

Marshmallow Treats

3 Tablespoons butter or coconut oil
1 (10 ounce) package marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
red and blue sprinkles

1. In a microwave safe bowl, heat butter (or coconut oil) and marshmallows on high for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds.

2. Stir until smooth, returning to microwave in 30 second intervals if necessary.

3. Add cereal to marshmallow mixture and stir until well coated.

4. Press into a greased 9x13" pan. Top with sprinkles.

Allow the marshmallow treats to cool before cutting.

Father's Day Man Cave Filler Giveaway

2013-05-21T05:00:00.000-04:00

Can you believe that we are already half-way through May? I certainly can't! It seems this year has just flown by and I know the next few months are going to go even faster!

It's nearly June and that means that it is time to start thinking about Father's Day. I already ordered my Dad his gift, I'm just (impatiently) waiting for it to arrive. If you haven't bought your gifts yet, this is the perfect giveaway for you! I've teamed up with a great group of bloggers to help promote the new blogging book "The Blogger's Survival Guide" and bring you this great giveaway.

Not just one, but three people will win a cash prize. Keep the money, give it to your dad, or use it to buy your Father's Day gift. What you do with the money is your choice--just remember the more entries you make, the better your chances! Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cosmic Brownies

2013-05-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

It was really no contest when it came to deciding which recipe I was going to make for this month's Secret Recipe Club. As I browsed through Jess's list of recipes at Life's Simple Measures, I was immediately drawn to her recipe for Cosmic Brownies. She has a plethora of delicious looking baked goods, but like I said once I saw this recipe, there was no turning back.

You see, one of the staples in Mike's lunch is a package of Cosmic Brownies. He's been eating a package nearly every day since high school. Really healthy, I know! Actually, he hasn't had nearly as many since we've been married since I don't buy them for him all the time. But when I saw a recipe so I could make them at home, I was sold!

I made these brownies for dessert for our small group. Everyone enjoyed them, but agreed that they are quite rich. If you look at the picture below, you'll see that I did a really bad job of cutting the brownies into even squares. However, it worked out in the long run because those small pieces on the edge were just the perfect size for brownies this rich!

Cosmic Brownies

Makes 1 9x13" pan of brownies

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
2 Tablespoons milk
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1-1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped M&M candies (or topping of your choice)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla.

2. Add in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and stir until just combined.

3. Pour the batter into a greased 9x13" pan.

4. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out mostly clean. Allow the brownies to cool.

5. While the brownies are cooling, make the ganache topping: Pour heavy cream into a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup and microwave the heavy cream for 1 minute, until hot.

6. Add chocolate chips to the hot heavy cream and allow it to sit for about 3 minutes. Stir the chocolate chips into the cream until the mixture is smooth.

7. Pour the ganache over the cooled brownies and sprinkle with chopped M&Ms.

8. Refrigerate the brownies until you're ready to cut and serve. Store brownies, covered, in the fridge.

Source: Life's Simple Measures

S'mores Bars

2013-05-17T08:48:00.002-04:00

Do you ever get started on making a recipe only to find out you're out a few key ingredients? Yeah, that's happened to me a few times recently. I blame pregnancy brain--I rarely run out of ingredients like flour and sugar, but last night I got started making some muffins and discovered I had less than a cup of sugar left! Yikes! Thankfully, I had a stash of vanilla sugar I was able to use, but still, who runs out of sugar?

Mike and I recently became part of a couple's small group at our church. We've started meeting together every other week, and we take turns hosting. The hosts provide the main dish and the other two couples bring a side or dessert. Last time, I offered to bring a dessert. I had a specific dessert in mind that I wanted to make, but of course, I didn't have one of the key ingredients--Nutter Butter Cookies. (And that's a hard thing to substitute!) So I went to plan B, only to go to the basement pantry and discover that I was out of yet another key ingredient! Fail.

So I continued on to find a dessert that I knew I had everything in the house for. This time I was successful! They say the third time's the charm, and that certainly was the case with this dessert. I had pinned these S'mores Bars a while back and I'm so glad that I finally got around to making them. They were the perfect combination of crunchy, sweet, and gooey! Our small group loved these bars and I see them making their appearance at many events this summer!

S'mores Bars

Makes 16 bars

Ingredients:
3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup mini marshmallows, divided
1 regular sized Hershey chocolate bar

1. Line an 8x8" pan with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Place in the bottom of the prepared pan and press down to form a crust.

3. In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter and sugars until fluffy.

4. Add in the egg and vanilla and mix.

5. Add flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet mixture and mix until combined.

6. Fold in chocolate chips and marshmallows until evenly distributed.

7. Spoon the cookie dough on top of the graham cracker crust as evenly as possible. (I found it was easier to use my fingers to flatten it out.

8. Bake at 350 for 20-23 minutes, until the bars are set.

9. About 5 minutes before the bars are done baking, sprinkle the marshmallows on top and return the bars to the oven to finish baking.

10. Break the chocolate bar into pieces and place on top of the baked bars. Let the bars cool completely before cutting.

Source: Chocolate, Chocolate, and More

Breakfast Pizza

2013-05-15T08:43:00.000-04:00

How often do you eat breakfast for dinner? Mike and I have breakfast for dinner at least once a week. Our go-to meal is an omelet, but I've been known to whip up a batch of pancakes or French toast if we have the time.

One of the best things about breakfast for dinner is how simple it is. Plus, if you have any leftovers, they make a great breakfast! Pot roast for breakfast...not so much...

I'm really excited to work with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter for their Breakfast After Dark campaign. Not only have I been a ICBINB fan for years (I love their spray), but I just love anything that has to do with breakfast.

I wanted to take a step back from our typical breakfast for dinner recipes and come up with something different. I have to give credit for the inspiration for this recipe to Mike's co-workers. He told me a couple weeks ago that they were talking about having breakfast pizza when they had to work a Saturday. They were disappointed that there are no local restaurants that make or deliver breakfast pizza. That got me thinking, and I decided one of these days I'll make a few breakfast pizzas to take over on a Saturday morning. But first, I had to perfect the recipe.

I used a new pizza dough recipe for this breakfast pizza, and I substituted the olive oil with melted I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter has 70% less saturated fat than butter, no hydrogenated oils and is made from a blend of vegetable oils. It's a product that I feel good about eating, and serving to my family.

If you are interested in viewing some breakfast recipes or finding your own inspiration for Breakfast After Dark, I suggest checking out I Can't Believe It's Not Butter's webisodes and recipe collection. The toasted breakfast burrito is calling my name!

Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water, approximately 110 degrees
1-3/4 teaspoons yeast
3/4 teaspoon honey
1-1/2 Tablespoons I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, melted
3-1/4 cup flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt

8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 eggs, scrambled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Pour the warm water into the bowl of your stand mixer.

2. Sprinkle yeast on top of the water and pour in the honey. Allow the mixture to sit, untouched for 5 minutes.

3. Add melted ICBINB, flour, and salt and mix on low speed until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

4. Increase the mixer speed and knead for 5 minutes.

5. Spray the top of the dough with cooking spray and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set in a warm spot and allow it to rise for 2 hours. (See note**)

6. Punch the dough down and press it onto a greased pizza pan.

7. Poke the dough with a fork to avoid air bubbles.

8. Bake the crust at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned.

9. Remove the crust from the oven and top with scrambled eggs, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheddar cheese.

10. Return the pizza to the oven for approximately 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

**Note: I made the pizza dough the night before, as this meal was served for dinner (I knew I wouldn't have time to make the dough after work!). I mixed the dough after dinner and then allowed it to rise for 2 hours and then punched it down. I refrigerated the dough in the bowl overnight. Then, when I needed the dough, I pulled it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature (about an hour--but I was able to fry the bacon and scramble the eggs while waiting) before rolling it out.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

2013-05-13T08:52:00.002-04:00

Spring has finally arrived and I am loving the warmer weather! The scene above is where you can typically find me in the evenings. Since Mike goes to bed so early, the dog and I have taken to heading outside so he can play and I can relax. Few things are better than a sunny evening accompanied by man's best friend, a good magazine, and a cold drink.

I have to give Mike a lot of credit for the idea behind this drink. A few months ago, we were at the movies and he was ordering pop and popcorn for us. Knowing that I have to limit the amount of caffeine that I drink, he ordered a "special" drink for us to split. He asked the concessions worker to mix lemonade and Sprite together, and it was delicious! It has now become our go-to drink when we go to the movies.

We were at the store a couple weeks ago and I saw a new flavor of Sierra Mist--Strawberry Kiwi. It sounded really good, so I picked up a bottle. Later that day, Mike and his friend were working on my car's brakes and I wanted to make something refreshing for them to drink. I thought of the Sierra Mist and then our special movie drink. I decided I would make a big picture of Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade.

I happened to have some fresh strawberries and a lemon in the house, so I figured it would add those into the drink. (Side note--be sure to wash your lemon before cutting it!) The men really liked this drink, and I enjoyed it too! I am sure this drink will be a staple in our house this summer!

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 quart lemonade (homemade or store-bought)
1 lemon, sliced
5 strawberries, sliced
2 cups Strawberry Kiwi Sierra Mist (you can use plain Sierra Mist, if necessary)

1. In a large pitcher, combine the lemonade, lemon, and strawberries. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve the lemonade. (The longer this mixture sits, the stronger the strawberry flavor will be.)

2. Right before serving, pour the Sierra Mist into the lemonade.

3. Serve over ice, if desired.

*If you are planning to serve the lemonade immediately after preparing it, go ahead and add the Sierra Mist right away. I just recommend waiting to add the Sierra Mist until you're serving the drink so that it doesn't go flat.

S'mores Banana Bread Cake

2013-05-10T08:21:00.000-04:00

Are you a camper? Growing up, camping was something we looked forward to every summer. My family would typically spend a week camping in either Canada or Kentucky. We'd also spend a couple weekends at local campgrounds. And, if we took a vacation, we usually camped out instead of staying in a hotel. It was a big deal for us when we finally upgraded from a tent to a pop-up camper!

Mike's family also enjoyed camping. However, their version of camping was quite a bit more upscale than what I was used to! They had a large trailer and would typically just go to local campgrounds. Regardless, camping is something that both Mike and I love to do.

Mike's cousins have started a tradition of camping at a family campground each summer. Last year and the year before, we were able to borrow Mike's parents' trailer and spend the weekend with everyone. We had such a good time and made so many memories. Mike and I own a tent and would love to go camping with a group of friends, but that's going to have to wait until next year...

One of my favorite things about camping is making s'mores. It's just not camping unless you build a big fire, roast marshmallows, and put together a s'more. There's just something about the golden brown marshmallow melting a big piece of chocolate between two graham crackers that I just love! While I like traditional campfire s'mores, I also enjoy making other treats into s'mores. (Like S'mores Puppy Chow, Mess-less S'mores, S'mores Bark...oh, I love s'mores!)

This time I decided to put a s'mores twist on banana bread. This bread recipe is from my mom and it's my absolute favorite banana bread recipe. I added a good amount of chocolate chips to the batter. Then, once the bread was done baking, I topped it with a generous amount of marshmallows and put it under the broiler to roast the marshmallows. The result was out of this world!

S'mores Banana Bread Cake

Serves 16

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1-1/2 cup mashed bananas (3-4 bananas)
1/3 cup water
1-2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, butter, and eggs.

2. Mix in the bananas and water.

3. Add in the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder and stir until the dry ingredients are incorporated.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips.

5. Pour the batter into a greased 8x8" cake pan.

6. Bake at 350 for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

7. Spread mini marshmallows on top of the cake immediately after it comes out of the oven.

8. Place under the broiler for approximately 2 minutes, until the marshmallows are toasted. Be sure to keep an eye on them so they don't burn!

9. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing into it.

Cover and store at room temperature.

Greek Pitas

2013-05-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

I love Greek food. I don't really know when my obsession started, but I know that given the choice, I could eat gyros and tzatziki almost every day! Then throw in a couple days of pizza and I'm a happy camper!

Last year, a new restaurant opened in my hometown. (It feels weird to call it my hometown when I live only 25 minutes away!) They specialize in Greek and Mediterranean food. Their portion sizes are huge and Mike and I love going there. I remember commenting to Mike once that I wished we had a gyro restaurant closer to our house. Then, I found out that we did! It's a little building placed in a random spot (between two car lots), but the food is phenomenal! We've gone a couple times and every time we drive by I try to get Mike to stop (most of the time I'm unsuccessful though!)

When I came across this recipe for Greek pitas, I knew I had to make them! They look so incredible. Now, these aren't the kind of pitas that have the pockets that you stuff, these are more like a flatbread. They were easy to make and the perfect soft and chewy texture. I cut up pieces of grilled Sweet & Spicy chicken, added some pickles and cheese, and folded that up in one of these pitas. It was absolutely delicious!

We had leftover pitas, so I stored them in the fridge so we could have them for lunch throughout the week. I used two pitas like bread slices and packed a sandwich full of meat and cheese for Mike. He said it was delicious and very filling. I think these pitas would also make a delicious base for mini pizzas!

Since I've shared the main course with you so far this week (the chicken and these pitas), be sure to come back on Friday and I'll share dessert!

Greek Pitas

Makes 10 6" pitas

Ingredients:
1-1/8 cup warm water
2-1/4 teaspoons yeast (or 1 packet)
2-1/3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt

1. Pour the warm water into the bowl of your stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes, until the yeast poofs up.

2. Stir in the flour and salt and knead with the dough hook attachment for 5-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm spot to rise until double, about an hour.

4. Punch the dough down and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.

5. Divide the dough into 10 equal sized pieces. **

6. Shape each dough piece into a ball and let them rest for 15 minutes.

7. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly brush the pan with oil if it's not a non-stick pan.

8. Press each dough ball into a 6" disk. I found it was easiest to flatten the ball between my palms and gently press it down with my fingers until a disk was formed.

9. Place 2-3 dough disks on the hot skillet, being careful not to overcrowd. (You may be able to fit more or less depending on the size of your pan).

10. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown on one side. Then flip and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the other side is golden brown as well.

11. Place cooked pitas on a plate and cover with a towel to keep them warm (and soft). Repeat steps 9 & 10 with remaining dough disks.

Serve the pitas warm. Store leftovers in a Ziploc bag in the fridge.

**Note: I thought the size of these pitas was quite small. I would recommend making 6 10" pitas instead, but you can choose the size that fits your needs best.

Source: Soliloquy Of Food & Such

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Rub

2013-05-06T09:36:00.002-04:00

The weather has finally caught up with the calendars here in Michigan! I could not be happier! After an early spring last year, it felt like winter was dragging on this year. Then last week, the temperatures soared into the 70's and have stayed there ever since. I'm so thankful for the warm weather--spring is finally here!

One of my favorite parts about spring is that it is finally warm enough to pull out the grill. I love grilling food, and when the weather is nice, most of our food is cooked outside. This year, I was so excited to start grilling that I even went and got a new propane tank (instead of asking Mike to do it). A big thanks to the kind worker who helped the pregnant lady out so I didn't have to carry the heavy tank. Something about pregnancy brings out the nicest people :)

Anyway, this chicken rub is delicious! I made it first a few weeks ago when we had our small group over for dinner. At that time, the weather was not cooperating, so I cooked the chicken in the oven. Everyone commented on how flavorful the chicken was. I knew it was a winner because Mike didn't put barbecue sauce on his chicken, and typically he won't eat chicken without a dipping sauce! This time, I grilled the chicken. I love the added flavor from the grill. The sugar will caramelize on the chicken and leave you with a nice crunchy exterior. I think I've found my go-to chicken recipe!

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Rub

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons onion powder
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 chicken breasts

1. In a large ziploc bag, combine the brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, salt, and chili powder.

2. One at a time, add the chicken breasts to the bag and shake to coat thoroughly with the seasonings.

3. Grill chicken about 7 minutes per side, until the interior temperature reaches 170 degrees.

Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!

2013-05-05T21:32:00.001-04:00

I'm really excited to be teaming up with a great group of bloggers to bring you this giveaway today! This was the brainchild of Lisa, from Wine & Glue, as a way to celebrate her birthday this week. Happy birthday Lisa! And, we all get to celebrate with her.

Who couldn't use an Amazon giftcard? I know I could find all kinds of things to spend $250 on. I'd start with a few small kitchen gadgets, maybe a couple DVDs I've been wanting, and then I'd move on to baby stuff. I mean, have you seen the cute baby girl items out there? I could spend the whole $250 just on clothes for her! But, I can't win this giveaway, so I sure hope you can!

The contest ends on Friday, May 10 and the winner will be announced shortly afterwards. Be sure to enter properly and with your correct information.

What would you buy with $250 to spend at Amazon?

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French Toast Rollups

2013-05-03T09:16:00.000-04:00

I seem to have breakfast on the brain lately. Have you seen my Pinterest account? I think half of the recipes I pinned this week were for breakfasts! Not to mention, I did post a breakfast recipe the other day. Have you checked out my Biscuit Waffles yet? They take just 10 minutes to make and they're so good! Go ahead and check them out, I'll wait...

Okay, back to today's recipe. I saw this idea when I was browsing my assigned blog for last month's Secret Recipe Club. I didn't have time to make it before the posting date, but I knew I would have to soon!

The original recipe brought back memories of breakfasts when I was in Romania. I remember waking up in the morning to the smell of fresh crepes baking. When I came out of my room, the table was filled with homemade crepes and a jar of Nutella spread (or the Romanian equivalent) and fresh fruit. We smeared Nutella on the crepes and rolled them up to eat. I loved the breakfast so much, I think my hostess made it for me a couple times a week!

This recipe combines the idea of Nutella on crepes along with French Toast. Really, how can you go wrong with that combination? I decided to mix it up a little bit and do some of these with Nutella, others with Peanut Butter, and still others with homemade strawberry freezer jam. I had a really difficult time choosing a favorite, but the sweetness of the Nutella really made those rolls stand out to me!

French Toast Rollups

Makes 12 (approximately 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

12 sandwich bread slices

Nutella, Peanut Butter, and/or Jam

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and vanilla. Set aside.

2. If desired, remove the crusts from the bread. (I was lazy and left mine on.) Using a rolling pin, flatten the bread.

3. Spread Nutella (or your choice of filling) onto bread slices and roll up, pinching the seam to seal.

4. Place 2 Tablespoons of butter into a skillet or frying pan and melt over medium heat.

5. Dip the bread rolls in the egg mixture and place them in the frying pan. I worked in batches of 6.

6. Cook the rollups until golden brown, rolling them around as need to ensure even cooking (about 4 minutes total).

7. Melt remaining butter and cook remaining rollups.

8. Dust the rollups with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Source: Diethood

Arby's Roast-Beef-atopia!

2013-05-01T16:00:00.001-04:00

This post brought to you by Arby's. All opinions are 100% mine.

Arby's holds a special place in my heart... When I was in high school, our band took a Spring Break trip to Florida where we got to perform at Disney. The bus trip was something like 24 hours long and I remember one of the stops we made was at Arby's. My friends convinced me to try a Jamocha shake and my life was changed. Okay, maybe that's a little over-dramatic, but after living 16+ years hating coffee, I was surprised that I loved the Jamocha shake (but I still don't like coffee!). From that time forward, my standard order at Arby's was a roast beef sandwich, curly fries, and Jamocha shake. I still love that combination today!

For a limited time, Arby's is offering a twist on one of my staples--the roast beef sandwich. They're upping the ante and pairing King's Hawaiian Rolls with their roast beef sandwiches.

Their new sandwiches are served hot and fresh to order. Here are their new choices:

Arby’s KING’S HAWAIIAN roast beef sandwich: Comes with an extra helping of freshly sliced roast beef, piled high on a soft and slightly sweet King's Hawaiian Bun.
Arby's King's Hawaiian Roast Beef and Swiss Sandwich: Has the same extra helping of freshly sliced roast beef and King's Hawaiian Bun, topped with Swiss cheese, crunchy pickles, and creamy Dijon spread.

Their two new sandwiches sound fantastic--I haven't decided which one I'll be trying first!Their two new sandwiches sound fantastic--I haven't decided which one I'll be trying first! (Though the pickles in the Beef and Swiss Sandwich are calling my name!)

To celebrate their partnership with King's Hawaiian, Arby's is hosting a Hawaiian Getaway Sweepstakes. Oh, how I would love to go back to Hawaii! The grand prize winner will receive a round trip for two, with four nights stay in Honolulu, Hawaii. They will also receive a premium group lesson at one of the island's premier surf schools, Hawaiian Fire. (How cool is that?!?!) For more details, and to enter the contest, visit Arby’s Hawaiian Getaway Sweepstakes from April 29 through May 26.

I hope you'll stop by Arby's and try one of their new Arby's King's Hawaiian sandwiches. And, don't forget to enter their sweepstakes--I hope you win!

Biscuit Waffles

2013-05-01T09:26:00.001-04:00

I love having taste-testers in my kitchen! Sure, I have Mike, but since he likes pretty much anything I make, his response when I ask him to try something is "yeah, that's good." Sometimes it is nice to have someone who can offer more advice, like trying another spice or cooking something a different way.

The other day, Mike and his friend were working on replacing the brakes on my car. Since I knew it would take them a good portion of the afternoon, I decided to spend some quality time in the kitchen. Life has been so hectic lately that I haven't been able to bake and create as much as I typically like to.

I've seen many people posting about making cinnamon rolls in their waffle maker. It's a great idea, and the cinnamon rolls cook in about a minute, plus you don't have to heat up your oven! Since I had some time in the kitchen, I thought why not try making waffles out of biscuits? I had scored a great deal on Pillsbury Grands biscuits the day before so I had plenty to work with.

I was able to make 8 Biscuit Waffles in less than 10 minutes! How's that for a speedy breakfast? I used Pillsbury Grands Homestyle Southern Style Biscuits and I loved how they worked. I brought out a plate for each of my taste testers (Mike and his friend) and asked them to try the waffles. Their response was an enthusiastic, "these are good!" Then I told them that the waffles were made out of biscuits. Their next response made me laugh--they turned into food critics. "Oh yeah, I can see that. They're a little more dense. But that means they hold up better for the syrup. Yeah, these are good!"

Since I made these waffles in the afternoon, I had quite a few leftover (after we all taste-tested). I stored them in a Ziploc bag in the fridge. The next morning I popped a couple in the toaster to warm them up, and they tasted fresh from the iron! I'll definitely be making these again, especially when I'm short on time!

Biscuit Waffles

Makes 8

Ingredients:
1 can Pillsbury Grands Homestyle Southern Style Biscuits

1. Heat your waffle iron to medium-high heat.

2. Place 1 biscuit in the center of your waffle iron and cook according to the directions on your iron. (I use a Belgain waffle maker and I found it easiest to make just one waffle at a time, if you have a different style waffle iron you may be able to cook 2 waffles at once. Mine has a light that indicates when the waffles are done.)

3. Remove waffle from the iron and set aside. Repeat with remaining biscuits.

Top waffles with desired toppings: syrup, fresh fruit, peanut butter, jam etc.

Speedy Little Devils

2013-04-29T09:21:00.001-04:00

Do you ever have recipes that you look at and think there's no way that recipe is going to turn out? This recipe was definitely one of those for me! (Come to think of it, I was a little skeptical of the 45 Minute Dinner Rolls I posted last week...)

About a month ago, I posted on my Facebook page, and asked what you would make if you had an hour of free time to spend in the kitchen. One of my fans responded with this recipe and said it's a simple but crowd pleasing recipe. (Thanks Rachael!)

The recipe is called Speedy Little Devils--probably because the recipe comes together in a flash! As I was making it, I thought that there was no way it was going to to turn out correctly. The "batter" was so dry, I was afraid I was going to end up with a mess on my hands! Nevertheless, I pressed on and baked the recipe.

Was I ever in for a surprise! These little bars turned out amazingly! I brought a plate in to work to celebrate our intern's last day and I had quite a few requests for the recipe. I absolutely loved the center of these bars--it reminded me of my Peanut Butter Fluff recipe. I should note, I didn't have a Devil's Food Cake mix in my house, so I used a brownie mix instead and they still turned out great.

The moral of the story is: even if something doesn't look good at first glance, keep going, the results may surprise you!

Speedy Little Devils

Makes 20 bars (1 9x9" pan)

Ingredients:
1 box dry brownie mix (or Devil's Food Cake mix)
1 stick of butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow fluff

1. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Allow it to cool before using.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the brownie mix and melted butter. The batter will be very crumb-like and dry.

3. Reserve 1 cup of the brownie mix and press the rest into a greased 9x9" cake pan.

4. In another medium bowl, combine the peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. If the mixture is difficult to mix, microwave for about 20 seconds and try again.

5. Spread the peanut butter fluff over the brownie mix.

6. Sprinkle the remaining cup of crumbs on top of the peanut butter fluff. Gently press the crumbs down.

7. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Cool bars completely before cutting into squares.

Saturday Sweetness

2013-04-27T08:51:00.002-04:00

As I went to publish this post today, I realized that yesterday's recipe never got published! I suppose that is what happens when I am not on the computer all day. I will have the recipe up on Monday morning and I promise it is worth the wait!

In the meantime, I am guest posting at Frugal Foodie Mama today and I sure hope you will stop by! I think you will love Carrie's blog!

Here are the recipes I did post this week:

Nutella Bites: These bite-sized "brownies" are packed full of Nutella flavor. They are the perfect size for your afternoon chocolate fix!

45 Minute Dinner Rolls: The delicious rolls are ready to be served in less than 45 minutes. Freshly made yeast rolls are now a weeknight reality!

Well, I'm off to do some baking and then enjoy this beautiful weather! Have a great weekend!

45 Minute Dinner Rolls

2013-04-24T09:42:00.000-04:00

Homemade dinner rolls on a weeknight? Who has time for that? I'm here to tell you that you do! Believe it or not, these fantastic rolls are ready to eat just 45 minutes after you begin making them! Who doesn't love fresh made rolls with dinner?

I actually made these rolls not once, but twice last week. The first time, I undercooked the rolls and although they tasted good, they were quite dense. I blame my oven--it doesn't work correctly half the time, and I wanted to eat the rolls with dinner, not after all the other food was gone! The second time I made the rolls I allowed for extra baking time, and they turned out perfectly!

The secret to these rolls is the large amount of yeast the recipe calls for. Lots of yeast=shorter rise time. Most of the 45 minute time frame for these rolls is spent proofing the yeast, letting the dough rise, and baking the rolls. That means that you can focus on making the other aspects of your meal while the rolls are doing their thing. Once you make these rolls, you'll want them every night!

45 Minute Dinner Rolls

Makes 12 rolls

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water

1/3 cup olive oil

2 Tablespoons yeast

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 egg

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Pour the warm water and olive oil into the bowl of your stand mixer, and sprinkle the yeast and sugar on top. Allow the mixture to rest for 15 minutes. The mixture will be very frothy when the time is up.

2. Using the dough hook attachment, mix the egg, flour, and salt into the yeast mixture. Begin on low speed and gradually increase the mixer speed once the flour is incorporated. When the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball, you can stop mixing.

3. Divide the dough into 12 equal balls and place in a greased 9x13" pan. Allow the dough to rise for 10 minutes (I like to set the pan on top of my oven while it pre-heats so the dough gets some extra help to rise.)

4. Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes (depending on your oven), until the tops begin to turn golden brown.

5. Remove from the oven and brush the tops of the buns with butter, if desired. Serve warm.

Source: Crazy for Crust and Your Homebased Mom

Nutella Bites

2013-04-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

It's that time again!

Today is the Secret Recipe Club reveal date for my group. This month, I was assigned to Diethood. At first, I was a little disappointed, thinking I had been assigned to a "diet" blog, and that's certainly not something on my mind right now! I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Katerina's tag line "Not a diet-food food blog". Whew!

I just have to say, why have I not seen this blog before? The recipes Katerina publishes are amazing, and I had so many mouthwatering recipes to choose from.

I had quite a list of recipes I was hoping to make, but there were two that topped the list. I wasn't able to make my first choice, due to time constraints (my parent's basement flooded and I helped clean it up). However, I'm really happy that I chose to make these Nutella Bites.

First of all, I love Nutella. Second, aren't these little bites adorable? Who can resist? I know I couldn't, and neither could my friends! There are about 3 left on my counter, but I'm going to go eat them now...

Nutella Bites

Makes approximately 30 bites

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Nutella
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour
powdered sugar

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Nutella, eggs, sugar, milk and vanilla.

2. Whisk in the flour until smooth.

3. Scoop batter into the wells of a greased mini muffin tin, filling 2/3 of the way full. (I used a Tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop the batter and found about 3/4 of a Tablespoon to be the perfect amount.)

4. Bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a bite comes out clean.

5. Allow bites to cool before removing from the pan and sprinkling with powdered sugar.

Source: Diethood

Breakfast Scramble

2013-04-19T07:42:00.003-04:00

Breakfast for dinner.

It's become a weekly staple in our household. Not only is it pretty simple to make, but it also tastes good, and if you make enough, you have leftovers for the next day!

The past few weeks have been so busy at our house. Between Mike's crazy work schedule and going up to the hospital to see my dad, I felt like had been severely lacking in the food department. When we don't have good dinners, that means Mike doesn't have leftovers to take for lunch and he ends up eating junk. I decided this past week would be different--so far I've cooked and we've had leftovers every night!

Back to breakfast for dinner. This scramble is one from my "youth group days". Every time we'd have a youth trip, one of our breakfasts was guaranteed to be this breakfast scramble. I remember crawling out of our tent and seeing one of our leaders standing over a huge griddle making breakfast. The ingredients are pretty simple: potatoes, eggs, sausage and cheese. You don't even have to add milk unless you want to. I think it makes the eggs fluffier, so I put a good dose of milk in.

You can eat it as is, or stuff a tortilla with the filling. Plus, this makes enough for dinner and then some!

Breakfast Scramble

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
3 pounds diced hashbrown potatoes (frozen)
1 pound ground sausage (your choice!)
12 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Drizzle a large skillet with olive oil and heat over medium heat.

2. When the oil is warm, add the potatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

3. Push the potatoes to the side of the pan and add the sausage. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink.

4. In a large bowl, combine the eggs and milk. Whisk until eggs are beaten.

5. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet with the potatoes and sausage. Cook until the eggs are no longer runny.

6. Sprinkle cheese over the mixture and stir to distribute.

Serve as is, or with tortillas.

Triple Layer Peanut Butter Pie

2013-04-17T08:41:00.000-04:00

A couple weeks ago, my dad had back surgery. The surgery was successful, but he ended up being in the hospital for 12 days! When he finally received the green light to go home, he was more than ready for the comforts of home as well as a good homemade meal!

Since we always go to my parent's house for Sunday dinner, I told my dad that he could choose anything he wanted for me to make for dessert. Anything that sounded good to him, I would make. And for some odd reason, even though I've never made one for him before, I had a feeling he would choose a peanut butter pie. He did!

Since I've never made a peanut butter pie before, I had to find a recipe. I couldn't find one that I really liked, so I ended up combining different aspects of 3 or 4 different recipes. The result was this triple layered masterpiece. Everyone really enjoyed this pie, and I loved that it wasn't too sweet or too rich to have a large slice.

Who am I kidding? Even if it was sweet and rich, I'd have had a large slice!

Triple Layer Peanut Butter Pie

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
35 Nilla wafers, finely crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (3.9 oz) package Jell-O chocolate pudding
1/2 cup milk
6 ounces cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups Cool Whip, thawed and divided
2 Tablespoons peanut butter

1. Mix the wafer crumbs and butter until well blended.

2. Press into the bottom and sides of a 9" pie pan and bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Cool.

3. While the pie crust is cooling, beat the chocolate pudding mix and milk with a whisk for 2 minutes. The pudding will be thick.

4. Spread the chocolate pudding onto the bottom of the crust.

5. Mix the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and peanut butter in a medium bowl and beat until blended.

6. Fold 1 cup of Cool Whip into the peanut butter mixture.

7. Spread the peanut butter mixture over the chocolate pudding layer.

8. Spread the remaining cup of Cool Whip over the peanut butter layer.

9. Microwave the peanut butter in a small bowl for 15 seconds. Drizzle over the Cool Whip layer.

10. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours before serving.

Trail Mix

2013-04-15T09:22:00.000-04:00

Through-out high school and college, I practically lived on trail mix. It was so easy to make--just open the cupboards and throw whatever I found into a big mixing bowl. Give it a shake and enjoy! If done right, trail mix can be a pretty healthy and substaintial snack. I'd often pack a bag of trail mix and an apple and call it lunch at work or school.

I still enjoy making trail mixes, in fact, I'm having this one for lunch today! (With some other items, of course!) After my friend had her baby a couple weeks ago, I put together a trail mix for her. I thought it would be easy to grab a quick handful, especially for those midnight feedings. I added a bag of my newest addiction--Brookside Dark Chocolate bites, and I heard her tell her husband those were all hers!

I hesitate to even call this a recipe because I rarely make it the same each time. However, I've listed below the items that are staples in my trail mixes. What other foods do you put in your trail mix?

Trail Mix

Makes 16 1/2 cup servings

Ingredients:
2 cups Cheerios
1 cup pretzels, broken in pieces
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup raisins
1 cup Brookside chocolates (my favorite is the Acai with blueberry)
1 cup almonds (I like to use the smokehouse flavor)
1 cup peanuts

Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Cover and store at room temperature.

Saturday Sweetness

2013-04-13T08:25:00.002-04:00

Let's talk weather for a minute. It has rained all day every day this week. It's quite miserable and I'm ready for some sunshine. This dreary weather makes me want to stay inside all day and bake. In fact, that sounds like a good plan for this morning!

In case you missed it, here's what I shared this week on Melissa's Cuisine:

Blueberry Peach Cobbler--Breakfast? Snack? Dessert? Whenever you choose to enjoy this cobbler, it's guaranteed to please. Plus, it's a shortcut recipe, the cobbler is made from Bisquick!

Pizza Sliders--A quick solution for a weeknight meal. These sliders are made with Pillsbury Grands (another shortcut recipe) and are much better than the restaurant variety!

Loaded Brownies--A pregnant woman's dream! These indulgent brownies are filled with chocolate chips, caramels, and pretzels.

Here are some of my favorite pins from this week: (Sorry I don't have pictures, just a text link to the original post...Pinterest changed how to embed pins and I'm having a hard time figuring it out!)

45 Minute Dinner Rolls--I absolutely love homemade bread and the idea of being able to have fresh baked (homemade) rolls on the table for a weeknight dinner is amazing!

Snickers Cake--This over-the-top cake would be the perfect birthday cake for my dad or for Mike!

Oatmeal Cream Pies--These are a homemade version of a snack I grew up eating. I can't wait to try this recipe!

I'm off to make a dessert for Sunday lunch tomorrow, then we have two birthday parties to attend today. It's another busy Saturday! What are you up to today?

Loaded Brownies

2013-04-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday one of my co-workers asked me if there is anything that I've been craving during my pregnancy. Yes! I told her I was always wanting Oreos and brownies. The other day, I came home from work and I wanted brownies so badly! I thought I had bought a brownie mix at the store not too long ago, and I planned to whip up a batch while supper was cooking. For some reason, I couldn't find the mix I thought I had, but I did find a mix that I bought from a chocolate party I hosted.

I whipped up the brownies and was surprised when the recipe called for an 8x8" baking dish, yet the nutrition facts said the brownies made 20 servings. The directions said to cut the brownies into 2-1/2" pieces. I think someone needs to try their math again! Anyway, the brownies were pretty good, but they certainly didn't hold a candle to these loaded brownies.

I made these brownies a while ago, I just never got around to posting them. It turns out that was a good thing, because this month's ingredients for the Lady Behind the Curtain Dessert Challenge are caramel and pretzels! These brownies contain both, plus they're full of chocolatey goodness. They're everything I've been craving, and then some!

Loaded Brownies

Makes 1 9x13" pan, approximately 18 servings

1 box brownie mix
2/3 cup vegetable oil*
1/4 cup water*
2 eggs *
*or ingredients listed to prepare brownie mix
1/2 cup chocolate chips, divided
24 caramels, unwrapped and cut in half
1/2 cup pretzels, broken in pieces

1. Mix the brownie mix, oil, water, and eggs together in a medium bowl.

2. Pour half the batter into a greased 9x13" pan.

3. Sprinkle half the chocolate chips and the caramels over the brownie batter.

4. Pour the remaining batter into the pan and top with remaining chocolate chips and broken pretzels.

5. Bake at 350 for 22-24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out mostly clean.

Pizza Sliders

2013-04-10T09:25:00.000-04:00

Given the number of pizza recipes on my blog, it should come as no surprise when I say that Mike and I love pizza. We could easily eat it 7 days a week, but considering that it is not the healthiest meal choice, we try to limit ourselves to 1 night a week (plus leftovers for the lunch the next day!)

Recently, a chain restaurant came out with their version of pizza sliders. The commercials made them look really good, so last time we ordered pizza, Mike and I decided to go for the sliders. We loved how they tasted, but decided we probably wouldn't order them again. You see, we're cheap. It cost us $10 for 9 sliders. Typically when we order from this restaurant, we get their dinner box, with an 8 slice pizza, 5 breadsticks, and 10 cinnamon sticks. That also costs $10. Between the two of us, we ate 8 of the 9 sliders. Yes, I eat as much as my husband. Don't judge ;) When we get the dinner box, we have enough food for dinner, plus leftovers for lunch the next day. So basically, even though we enjoyed the sliders, we're too cheap to buy them again.

One night I figured, why not make our own sliders? I've made a mini version of pizzas before, and these are basically the same thing. I didn't plan far enough ahead to make my own pizza dough, so I decided to use Pillsbury Grands. I used the Flaky Layers Butter style to give the crust an extra something special. Mike and I both really enjoyed these, and we'll be making our own pizza sliders from now on!

Pizza Sliders

Makes 8

Ingredients:
1 tube Pillsbury Grands biscuits
1 cup pizza sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
24 slices of pepperoni

1. Flatten biscuits into rounds about 5" and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

2. Spread the pizza sauce over the flattened biscuits.

3. Top the pizza sauce with shredded mozzarella and pepperoni.

4. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.

Blueberry Peach Cobbler

2013-04-08T08:46:00.000-04:00

It's incredible how much stuff babies require! Mike and I started our baby registry on Saturday. We had fun selecting the items for our registry. Can I just tell you how much it makes my heart melt to see my husband awww-ing over adorable Easter dresses? So precious!

I didn't realize how many decisions we would have to make for seemingly simple things. Like bottles...who knew that you have to choose different shapes and certain flow style based on the age of your baby? I certainly didn't! We felt pretty accomplished as we left the store. Then, I got home and pulled out a registry check-list. Apparently we missed quite a few items on that list. Thankfully I was able to add our missed items online, but goodness, I had no idea it could be so complicated! Don't get me wrong, I'm loving every minute, but at times it sure gets overwhelming for us first time parents!

You might be thinking that this cobbler looks awfully familiar. Yes, it probably does, because I posted a similar recipe for Blackberry Peach Cobbler in February. The major difference (other than using blueberries instead of blackberries) is that this recipe is simplified. I used Bisquick baking mix to cut down on the steps for this recipe. I think that will be the theme for my life for the next few ~~months~~ years...simple is better!

Blueberry Peach Cobbler

Serves 5-6

Ingredients:

2 cups Bisquick baking mix
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup peach jam
1 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Tablespoon sugar

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the baking mix, sugar, melted butter, and milk to form a dough.

2. Place the dough on a floured surface and roll out to a rectangle about 8x10".

3. Spread the peach jam over the dough and sprinkle the blueberries on top of the jam.

4. Roll the dough up, jelly-roll style, and press the seams to seal it shut.

5. Cut the dough into 1" slices and place in a greased round cake pan.

6. Drizzle the melted butter on top of the dough and sprinkle it with the sugar.

7. Bake at 475 for 10-12 minutes, until the top is lightly browned.

Cool slightly before serving.