How To: Simplify

Shrimp and Goat Cheese Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:13:00 +0000

For me, it seems as though this past month has been filled with beautiful flowers. From reds, purples and pinks to blues, yellows, and whites, I have been surrounded by spring-filled flowers of all shapes and sizes.

A few Saturdays ago, I woke up in the mood to garden. This sort of thing seems to happen to me every spring. All it takes is a little bit of sunshine and some warm weather on a Saturday morning during early spring. The first time that I wake up on a Saturday with temperatures rising, birds chirping, and the sun shining, you can usually find me walking the aisles of my local nursery, with all sorts of gardening ideas running through my head.

Once my husband left for work on that day, I threw on scrubby clothes, hopped in the car, and drove to the nursery. More than a few hours later, my entire SUV was filled with hanging plants, flowers, soil, mulch, and containers. After getting home, I looked up at the sky, noticed that I still has some daylight left, and immediately got to work planning, digging, planting, potting, and mulching.

With the dogs keeping me company on the porches and the neighborhood kids stopping by to ask all sorts of questions about the flowers and sprinkler, I had quite a fantastic evening. As the street lights came on to keep me company, I turned on the string lights and music in the back yard to create a little bit of ambiance as I continued to create my gardens.

By the time 10:00 p.m. rolled around, my work was complete. I planned and purchased my flower, herb, and vegetable garden and then proceeded to plant everything…all in a day’s work. I couldn’t wait for my husband to get home to show him what I did while he was away.

A few days later, I said “see you soon” to my flowers and found myself surrounded by the mountains of Utah. Even though that week was filled with team meetings, work, and a conference, our team was able to find some time to walk the gardens of Thanksgiving Point and take in the beauty of their grounds. Their tulip festival was an incredible sight to see and it was amazing to be surrounded by such amazing color.

I was able to spend some time with my gardens as I tried to feed, nourish, and water my little beauties. However, work pulled me away to Florida where I enjoyed fun, sun, friends, co-workers, bloggers, pools, and oceanic views on the shores of Key Biscayne. Coming back to the concrete jungle was no easy feat but it sure was nice to see that my husband definitely has a green thumb. My flowers were in full bloom and waiting to welcome me home!

To go along with all of the beautiful colors that spring has to offer, I thought I would share this colorful pizza that is simple to make and bursting with all sorts of amazing flavor. The purple of the onion, red of the tomatoes, pink of the shrimp, and green of the herbs kind of reminded me of my flower, herb, and vegetable gardens. Don't you agree?

Shrimp and Goat Cheese Pizza

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
10 shrimp
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons flour
1 pizza dough
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of Kosher salt
3 tablespoons Pesto sauce
10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/4 of red onion, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan. Carefully place uncooked, thawed shrimp in the hot oil. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning on the shrimp. Saute the shrimp for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through.
Sprinkle flour over flat surface such as a cutting board. Roll out pizza dough into a circle. Sprinkle the dough with Kosher salt.
Pour 2 tablespoonfuls of olive oil and 2 tablespoonfuls of Pesto on the dough and brush all over the top of the dough.
Place tomatoes and onions over the dough. Top with cheese. Place cooked shrimp on top of cheese. Sprinkle 1 tablespoonful of Italian seasoning over the pizza toppings.
Place in the oven and bake for 18-20 or until the dough and cheese are slightly browned.
Serve warm.

What's your favorite kind of pizza?

Carrot Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:33:00 +0000

The days leading up to Easter this year involved a little bit of spring cleaning, setting the Easter dinner table, prepping for Easter dinner, and shredding pound after pound of carrots. When it comes to Easter, one of my favorite desserts has the chance to shine: Carrot Cake...with cream cheese frosting, of course.

This year, I decided to go a bit overboard with carrot-filled desserts. I made everything from carrot cake cupcakes to this carrot cake. That's right, two different types of carrot desserts in two days. Did I mention that I went overboard?

The best part about finding a tried and true recipe is that you can take that recipe and manipulate it into many different forms. Do you have the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe? Well, pour that recipe into a pan and you'll have blondies. Take your favorite muffin recipe, pour it into a bread pan, and you'll have quick bread. Do you love a cupcake recipe? Pour it into cake pans and you'll have a cake.

Take for example this carrot cake recipe. I stumbled across the perfect Carrot Cake Cupcake recipe and the next day I made the batter again, poured it into two springform pans, baked the cakes, slathered on the cream cheese frosting, sprinkled the cakes with chopped nuts, and voila...I had the perfect dessert to serve on Easter Sunday.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded carrots (5 medium carrots)
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts, divided
1 cup golden raisins
Cream Cheese Frosting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F two 8-inch springform pans with nonstick spray.
Beat together the sugar, oil, and eggs in a mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.
Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, vanilla, and salt on low speed for 1 minute.
Stir in carrots, walnuts, and raisins.
Pour half of the batter into one pan and the other half into the other pan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from the springform pans and cool on a rack.
Take one of the cakes and slice the top off of it to flatten the top. Spoon 1/2 cup of cream cheese frosting over the top of the flattened cake. Top the frosted cake with the other cake. Spoon 1/2 cups of cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake.
Sprinkle the top of the cake with chopped walnuts.
Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

What is your favorite type of cake?

* Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker

Grilled Kielbasa and Pesto Penne

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 23:32:00 +0000

What are some of your favorite ingredients to always have in your kitchen? Lately, I've been all about trying to maintain a stocked kitchen. From fruits and vegetables to meats and carbs, there's nothing better than going into my kitchen and challenging myself to create a dish using only the ingredients that I have on hand. Because let's face it, who wants to run up to the grocery store every day? Certainly not me...or my husband. We're totally over that.

Last week when I went to the grocery store, I noticed that pasta was on sale. That's right, the whole "Buy 4 for $3.00" dream come true...or at least in my eyes. When I see pasta on sale, I tend to go a little nuts...and nuts I went. I stocked up the cart with all sorts of sizes and shapes of pasta. Then, when I returned home, I proudly placed all of my boxes of pasta into my pantry and smiled with excitement. If you know me, you know that I love to experiment with pasta dishes.

My favorite dish to prepare growing up was spaghetti. To this day, I still love to cook, as my husband calls it, my "World Famous Spaghetti Recipe" but I also love to experiment with vegetables, sauces, and meats. From tomato sauce to pesto sauce, chicken to shrimp, Basil to Oregano...the possibilities are endless when it comes to making a pasta dish full of flavor and excitement for your taste buds.

As it turns out, my husband recently asked if I could start making him dinner to take with him to work. I gladly accepted that challenge, secretly knowing that I could treat every day like an episode of "Chopped" as I experimented with any and all ingredients that I had in my kitchen...and that included the endless supply of pasta.

The other day, I took the Kielbasa that I had in the refrigerator, grilled it, and then paired it with Penne and Pesto. The result was this Grilled Kielbasa and Pesto Penne that my husband thoroughly enjoyed at work. As the saying goes, Happy Husband, Happy Life...or something like that, right?

Grilled Kielbasa and Pesto Penne

Ingredients:

1 lb Penne Pasta
1 lb cooked Kielbasa
1/2 cup Pesto sauce
1 tablespoon dried basil
Dash of dried Oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the grill or griddle on medium heat.
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Be sure to season the boiling water with salt before adding in the pasta.
Keep the Kielbasa whole if using an outdoor grill. Cut the Kielbasa into 1/2 inch slices if you're using a stovetop griddle. Grill the Kielbasa until slightly browned and marked with grill marks.
Return the drained pasta to the pot. Toss in the Kielbasa (if you keep the Kielbasa whole, be sure to cut it into slices before adding it to the pasta), Pesto sauce, dried basil, dried Oregano, and garlic powder.
Toss together the ingredients.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm.

What's your favorite pasta shape?

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 20:54:00 +0000

The weather in D.C. is starting to warm up, the birds are chirping, and the skies have been nothing but a beautiful blue. Even though spring is fully upon us, it's so hard to believe that Easter is tomorrow. Usually, when people think of Easter morning, they think of church, breakfast, chocolate bunnies, baskets, and toys. When I think of Easter morning, I think of arrows. Yes, you read that correctly. Arrows.

When it came to our house, the Easter Bunny was into arts and crafts. Every Easter morning, I would open my bedroom door only to find a colorful arrow cut out of construction paper with my name on it. One arrow would lead to another arrow would lead to another arrow would lead to another arrow...countless arrows would take me on a little adventure throughout the house. These arrows would lead me downstairs, upstairs, back downstairs again, behind the couch, into the kitchen, into the bathroom, back downstairs again, back upstairs, and then finally behind the chair...where my Easter basket was hiding. We definitely had to work for our chocolates every Easter!

As my brother and I bent over time and time again picking up our arrows, my parents would sit back and laugh. That tricky little Easter Bunny, he sure did have a sense of humor. And, as far as I'm concerned, he still does. Every year, my husband and I always get a box in the mail leading up to Easter. Covered in arrows and filled with all sorts of Easter goodies, good 'ole E.B. still loves to cut out arrows and remind me of one of my favorite springtime traditions.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded carrots (5 medium carrots)
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup golden raisins
Cream Cheese Frosting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Beat together the sugar, oil, and eggs in a mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.
Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, vanilla, and salt on low speed for 1 minute.
Stir in carrots, walnuts, and raisins.
Scoop the batter into the liners until each is 3/4 full.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool on a rack.
Top the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

What is your favorite Easter/spring tradition?

* Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:34:00 +0000

I'm always writing about my husband, family, cravings, trips, and experiences. I love sharing all of my stories with you not only because I believe it gives you a better understanding of why I prepare certain recipes, but I like that it gives you a glimpse into my life.

From my stories, you can probably gather that I love my husband, cherish my family, and enjoy reminiscing about trips, experiences, and childhood memories. What's missing from that list? My dogs who are such a huge part of my life. My 70-pound beasts brighten each and every day and bring so much joy, laughter, and love to my life. From morning and through the night, they are always by my side making sure that I'm covered with love, kisses, comfort, and fur.

Growing up, we had a lion-sized Golden Retriever as our family dog who went by the name "Dude." I still remember the day that we brought him to our house. I was a little girl at the time and when we walked into the breeder's house, I was immediately surrounded by Dude's parents who towered over me. My Dad took one look at me and said, "That's how your dog will look one day."

After running around the house and playing with countless puppies, my brother and I selected the most active one of the bunch. We put him in the backseat and then listened to my brother sneeze the entire way home. As it turned out, he was allergic to dogs...who knew? Thankfully, he overcame the allergies and Dude remained a loyal pet in our family for years. He was my best friend, my jungle gym, and my eye-opener. From the moment I hugged him, I was completely attached and in love with dogs.

Fast forward to 2006...my husband (then boyfriend) and I moved into an apartment in Michigan right after I graduated from college. Knowing that he was also a dog lover and came from a family that always had a dog, I didn't hesitate to bring up the idea of adopting a dog. He immediately loved the idea and encouraged me to do some research on options. After weeks of torturous research (yes, I wanted to adopt every dog I saw on PetFinder.com), I finally came across an adoption facility that was hosting a local event.

We showed up, held dogs, found a few fluffy dogs, sat through a few interviews, and then encountered rejection after rejection. The fact that we lived in a one bedroom apartment and wanted a big dog did not work well in our favor. Leaving with an overwhelming feeling of negativity, I pulled up PetFinder.com on my phone as soon as we got to the car and continued my research. It was at that moment that I noticed another adoption facility that was hosting an dog adoption event an hour away...and the store was closing in an hour. Once again, the odds were not in our favor.

Without hesitation, my husband threw the car into drive and we arrived at the store just as they were starting to wrap up the event. I asked to see one of the puppies and as I was holding the puppy, I noticed that another puppy was making his way all the way from the back of the crate, crawling all over his brothers, to make his way into my arms. I placed his brother down, picked him up the little rascal, and fell in love at first puppy kiss.

Meet Caster at age five.

So, you're probably asking, "When did the second dog come into the picture?" Well, as you can see, I've been obsessed with dogs ever since I was little. In fact, when I was little, I always thought I was going to have six dogs when I was older...that is, six dogs at one time. Yes, I wanted to be the crazy dog lady...and I even had all of their names selected. Once again, crazy dog lady.

Anyway, one day, I woke up needing a second dog in my life. Caster definitely fulfilled my craving for a dog but I knew that he wanted a friend. I brought up the idea with my husband and he thought I was nuts. At this point, we were living in D.C. in a one bedroom apartment on the 10th floor. Thoughts of elevator rides and cramped quarters started trickling into his head. He then decided to say "yes" but with a stipulation. "We will only get another dog if you can find one that looks exactly like Caster, " he said with a smirk.

Poor thing...he thought he was so sly as he gave me a next to impossible challenge, or so he thought. Two days later I showed him a photo on PetFinder.com of Tugboat. Black body, white paws, a white mark on his chest...let's just say that a week later, Tugboat was in our car on his way to his new home.

Thankfully, we moved into the city and into a rowhouse where the dogs (and us) have plenty of room to roam around...and cuddle, of course.

Meet Tugboat at age four.

Now, meet these delicious cookies that remind me of Caster and Tugboat. Strangely enough, they are reminiscent of these cookies. They are dark with white marks, sweet, comforting, and super cute.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups white sugar
1/2 vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

Mix together the cocoa powder, sugar, and vegetable oil in a large bowl.
Beat eggs into the cocoa mixture, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Stir this mixture into the cocoa mixture.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Fill a shallow bowl with confectioners' sugar.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in the confectioners' sugar and place on the parchment paper.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to sit on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

What is your favorite animal?

Grilled Pierogies and Kielbasa with Mustard Vinaigrette

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:49:00 +0000

Wow, have I really been away from How To: Simplify for almost a month? My oh my has time flown by over the past couple of weeks. March has definitely been a whirlwind month for us. My weeks have been filled with all sorts of beauty -- from the Cherry Blossoms in D.C., to the mountains in Salt Lake City, and then onto the vineyards in Napa Valley. That's right, the vineyards in Napa Valley. Let me start from the beginning, shall I?

It all started months ago when my husband and I were talking about different ways to celebrate his 30th birthday. He immediately started brainstorming and finally decided on a trip to Gettysburg. He's always been incredibly into reading and learning about Gettysburg -- from the battles to the weaponry, everything about the Civil War is of interest to him. The fact that we live just a short drive from away from one of the major battlefields has been all too tempting to him.

I took it upon myself to plan our little getaway to...Napa Valley instead. I figured, since we live so close to Gettysburg, we can go there anytime we want, right? But Napa Valley? That's a whole different story. I mean, it was his big 3-0 so I had to go all out for his special day. Oh, and the best part? I kept all of it a secret...and he hates surprises.

My mind started racing about all of the options for our trip. Researching endlessly, speaking to travel agents, booking reservations, and planning our winery tours led to the big reveal. As the departure date got closer and closer, he started firing all sorts of questions in my direction: What should I pack? Are the dogs coming? What time are we leaving? Where are we staying? What are we doing every day?

If you know me, then you know that I hate questions. So, needless to say, these questions were starting to drive me nuts as it took all of my willpower to keep my plans a secret. Then one day I knew that it was now or...well, I guess "never" was never really an option since the trip was booked...so yes, the time was now.

When he left for work, I put together a little scavenger hunt throughout our house. Each gift bag was filled with a hint about a portion of our trip with a gift tag that revealed a clue about the whereabouts of the next gift bag. When he opened the door, I greeted him with a gift bag...and he immediately started laughing.

Gift Bag #1 Contents: Golf Ball and Tees = Resort (His reaction: "We're going golfing?!")

Clue: Turn up the heat since it will help you bake

Cookies, casseroles, or even a cake.

Gift Bag #2 Contents: Trolley Car Christmas Ornament = San Francisco (His reaction: Laughter)

Clue: To find the next clue, you'll have to think.

You'll use one of these if you need a drink.

Gift Bag #3 Contents: Bird Statue = Airplane (His reaction: "What?")

Clue: To locate the next clue, you'll need to use your mind.

A book about Gettysburg is what you'll need to find.

Gift Bag #4 Contents: Wine Stopper and Cork = Wineries (His reaction: Laughter)

Clue: To find the next clue, put on your thinking cap.

It's where you might sit or even nap.

...and then it was time for the big reveal. When he arrived at the last gift bag, he opened it up and found Napa Valley maps with all sorts of tourist books. He flipped through the maps, gave me a confused look, and asked, "What is going on?" That's when I excitedly shouted, "We're going to Napa!"

We were in Napa Valley from Thursday until Sunday and those days were filled with delicious food, 10 wineries, the Napa Valley Wine Train, friendly people, a private barrel tasting, and, most importantly, the most amazing wine we've ever enjoyed.

On Sunday, we traveled down to San Francisco, met up with friends, and spent the day doing tourist activities such as visiting Pier 39, laughing at the sea lions, looking at Alcatraz, walking the Golden Gate Bridge, hiking up Lombard Street, peering through the fence at AT&T Park, eating fish on Pier 39, and enjoying dessert at Ghirardelli.

In the words of my husband, "I miss Napa. It was the best trip of my life."

Oh, and since we're talking about items on my husband's "best of" list, I thought I would share with you a simple, grilled recipe that you will love preparing as the weather becomes warmer. He is completely in love with this recipe (as am I) because not only does it allow him to grill unique food, but it also comes together in minutes and is loaded with flavor.

Grilled Pierogies and Kielbasa with Mustard Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 lb pork kielbasa
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1 lb frozen potato and cheddar pierogies (do not thaw)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Preheat grill to medium.
Grill the kielbasa, turning until marked (about 8-10 minutes). Cut the kielbasa into chunks and then transfer to a large bowl.
Whisk together the mustard and apple cider vinegar. Slowly add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil while whisking until combined. Set aside.
Combine the remainder of the extra virgin olive oil, onion, and pierogies in a large bowl and toss to coat. Grill the onion and pierogies, covered, until the pierogies thaw (about 5 minutes). Turn the pierogies and onion and grill, covered, until everything is cooked through (about 4 minutes). Transfer the pierogies to the bowl with the kielbasa. Separate the onion and place on a cutting board.
Roughly chop the grilled onion and add it to the bowl containing the kielbasa and pierogies.
Pour the mustard vinaigrette in the bowl and toss to coat the kielbasa, pieorgies, and onion.
Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley.

What is your favorite vacation spot?

* Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine

Shrimp, Pesto, and Mushroom Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:17:00 +0000

Yesterday, my husband and I had an extremely filling lunch of Grilled Pierogies and Kielbasa. I just discovered that recipe this week and I cannot wait to feature it on the blog. We fell in love with the recipe...hard. So hard that we had it for dinner one night and the following day we grilled another batch and enjoyed it for lunch. I can honestly say that the recipe is now a go-to recipe in our house. Have I teased you enough? I promise that the recipe is next up on the blog! It's like they say, patience is a virtue, right?

Since our bellies were still full from lunch, we wanted a dinner that wasn't too filling but also full of flavor. Plus, I didn't feel like spending too much time in the kitchen since the hunger pains didn't set in until super late last night. Thankfully, one of my favorite items to keep in the house is pizza dough.

As long as you have a few additional items on hand, throwing together a pizza is super simple...and incredibly tasty. During my grocery shopping trip this past weekend, I made sure to buy a lot of vegetables and cheese.

So, what did I do last night? I ventured into the kitchen, rolled out the pizza dough, chopped some veggies, sprinkled on the cheese, and baked a pizza pie that we split in half and devoured...even down to the crumbs.

Shrimp, Pesto, and Mushroom Pizza

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
10 shrimp
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons flour
1 pizza dough
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of Kosher salt
3 tablespoons Pesto sauce
10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
3 portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
1/4 of red onion, sliced
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan. Carefully place uncooked, thawed shrimp in the hot oil. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning on the shrimp. Saute the shrimp for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through.
Sprinkle flour over flat surface such as a cutting board. Roll out pizza dough into a circle. Sprinkle the dough with Kosher salt.
Pour 2 tablespoonfuls of olive oil and 2 tablespoonfuls of Pesto on the dough and brush all over the top of the dough.
Place tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions over the dough. Top with cheese. Place cooked shrimp on top of cheese. Sprinkle 1 tablespoonful of Italian seasoning over the pizza toppings.
Place in the oven and bake for 18-20 or until the dough is slightly browned and the cheese is bubbly.
Serve warm.

What is your favorite pizza topping?

Chocolate Doughnut, Nutella, and Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:38:00 +0000

Growing up in my family meant that you would eat dessert on occasion. Don't get me wrong, we did have our fair share of sweet treats but we weren't the type of family that ate dessert after every meal. If we ever did have a craving for sweets after our meal, you could (and still can) always count on my Mom to have Drumsticks in the freezer. If we really had a craving, Dairy Queen was right down the street which made for easy Blizzard runs.

The only time that we really had sweets on a regular basis is when my brother and I stayed with my Grammy and Papa. After dinner, Grammy would make her way into the kitchen and come out with bowls of Frosted Flakes. After enjoying a massive bowl of sugary goodness, I would sit myself on the floor and build card houses while my brother and Grammy watched David Letterman (random, I know). After getting in their laughs with Dave (Yes, I've seen him so much I feel like we should be on a first name basis), my brother always took it upon himself to act out the role of Godzilla. Oh, my poor, poor card houses.

This one time, after getting my card houses destroyed, I gathered up the cards all nice and neat and took the stack to my Grammy so that she could put them away until next time. That's when she looked at me and asked, "Have you ever played 52 Card Pick Up?" I answered, "No, Grammy...I've never played that game." Seconds later, cards were flying all over the place and completely covered the floor. I looked at her with sheer puzzlement and asked, "Grammy, why did you do that?" Grammy replied by saying, "Jenni, it's called 52 Card Pick Up...there are 52 cards so pick them up!" All of us could not stop laughing. Seriously, how naive was I?

After card playing, Grammy would walk into the kitchen and come back out with two cones piled high with ice cream. That's right...dinner, then cereal, then ice cream...every single time with stayed at her house. I've never really had a sweet tooth but the balance between my love of cereal along with the ice cream was a perfect treat at Grammy's house.

Fast forward 20 some-odd years later and now I find myself married to a man who loves his sweets, especially chocolate. Since we don't eat dessert on a regular basis in our house, when we do I try to make it extra special. I enjoy trying to think of different ways to balance our seldom craving for sweet treats with his love of chocolate...

...and these Chocolate Doughnut, Nutella, and Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches definitely do the trick.

Chocolate Doughnut, Nutella, and Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients:

Chocolate Doughnuts
Nutella
Coffee Ice Cream

Directions:

Cut the chocolate doughnuts in half.
Warm the Nutella in a microwave. Spread the slightly warmed Nutella on the cut side of one half of the doughnut.
Scoop two tablespoons of ice cream and place on the Nutella side of the doughnut.
Sandwich the ice cream with the other side of the doughnut cut side down.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Hand-Cut Baked Parmesan French Fries

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 02:54:00 +0000

From New York to Nashville, I've been traveling quite a bit lately and my travel schedule is becoming increasingly packed over the next few months...and I could not be more excited. Ever since I was little, my passion for travel has always been at an ultimate high.

When growing up, my parents always planned a yearly vacation for our family. We traveled to places like Mt. Rushmore, the Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone where we enjoyed hikes (Mom, Dad, and Jason, "I'm Okay!"), horseback riding (Dad, four words: Blackie the Bucking Horse), 10-mile walks to find ice cream (nobody can say that my brother and I aren't determined), moose sightings, bear sightings, and white water rafting...just to name a few activities.

During my high school years, my parents planned the ultimate trip to visit my great aunt and uncle in Ireland. If the dark hair, pale skin, and freckles don't tell you I'm Irish, well then, I'm not sure what will. During the stay with them, we encountered so many wonderful Irish men and women, ate amazing food, kissed the Blarney Stone, drove the Ring of Kerry (aka to my family, the ring of terror...yes, we drove on it during a torrential downpour), met "Molly the Moth" (Jason, do you miss her at all?), and embraced our drinking genes by drinking Irish whiskey...with no ice (yes, I just turned 18 so I was of the legal age).

When I flew the coop and attended college, I was introduced to the idea of study abroad. After getting accepted into the program, I packed my bags and camera, hopped on a plane, found myself in London, met so many amazing friends, and traveled all throughout the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic as I studied photojournalism.

Now that I'm in the working world, my job requires that I travel to meet with team members, bloggers, and clients. I'm so thankful for the opportunities that are presented to me through my job, especially because I get to meet so many inspirational people who brighten my days while on the road. I have to pinch myself as I think about all of the time I have spent getting to know such amazing people, learning all sorts of tips and tricks, and turning online relationships into real life friendships.

Even though it's nice to be on the road experiencing a lot of what the world has to offer, it's also nice to return to the comforts of my home, husband, and dogs. After hugging my husband and cuddling with the pups, I head into the kitchen where my husband and I get to work preparing a dinner together over a bottle of wine.

Tasting food from all over is quite an experience, but to me, there's nothing quite like a home-cooked meal to make me feel balanced and at home. For this home-cooked recipe and more, please be sure to stop by the Mom It Forward website where I guest posted today about this recipe!

Where is your favorite travel destination?

Peanut Butter Buckeyes

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:03:00 +0000

This might be a huge shock to some of you, especially with all of the chocolatey recipes that I have on this site, but I have to admit...I'm not a chocoholic. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love chocolate in small doses. I also enjoy baking with it and creating all sorts of tasty treats to serve to family and friends. However, when asked if I want chocolate or vanilla, you can bet that my answer will always be vanilla. My husband on other hand is what you call a chocoholic. Opposites attract, right? Well, when it comes to sweet treats, they do in my house.

Our trips to the ice cream aisle are always so interesting. I tend to stay in the area of vanilla and strawberry ice creams while he will most likely be found perusing options such as double chocolate fudge, brownie batter fudge chocolate galore, chocolate fudge brownie...in other words, the more chocolate the better.

Often, we are able to come to an agreement with ice cream flavors such as cookie dough, cookies and cream, and candy bar ice creams (e.g. Snickers, Twix, Reese's). To me, this is the perfect combination of our likes: I am satisfied with the vanilla ice cream that covers his favorite chocolatey pieces. These ice cream flavors are a perfect match to satisfy both of our late-night cravings.

Which brings me to another interesting point. I love candy bars. A girl who doesn't love chocolate but who loves candy bars...? I know, it doesn't make much sense. But, if you really think about it, the chocolate flavors in candy bars is balanced out by the peanuts, caramel, nougat, or peanut butter found in most candy bars. To me, when it comes to chocolate-flavored treats, this is the best of both worlds.

Recently, I found myself in the kitchen surrounded by bag after bag of chocolate. A girl with a love-hate relationship with chocolate...what was a girl supposed to do? Could you imagine my dismay? Unsure of what to do with all of this chocolate, I had to figure out a way to pair it with some type of sweet or savory treat that could tone down the richness...and that's when I found a jar of peanut butter.

With just a few simple steps, I had these super cute Peanut Butter Buckeye lollipops that, once again, satisfied both of our cravings. A Reese's Peanut Butter cup in ball form on a lollipop stick...what's not to love?

Peanut Butter Buckeyes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
4 cups milk chocolate

Directions:

Combine the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar in a bowl.
Roll the mixture into tablespoonful size balls.
Stick a lollipop stick in the center of each ball.
Place balls on a plate lined with parchment paper.
Place the plate in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.
Remove the balls from the freezer and carefully dip them in the melted chocolate, leaving a small portion of the peanut butter still showing. Return the balls to the plate.
Place the plate in the refrigerator and allow to cool for about two hours before serving.

What is your favorite chocolatey treat?

Chicken, Sausage, and Kale Stew

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:54:00 +0000

My favorite items to peruse and shop for are kitchen tools, supplies, and gadgets. I love pitchers, serving trays, bowls, plates, silverware (old and new), bakeware, and cookware...just to name a few. Sadly, though, life in a D.C. rowhouse means that storage space is limited. Even though I'm slowly but surely running out of space to house all of my treasured finds and gifts, I'll always find room in my house to store all of my goodies.

What is your favorite kitchen tool? If you asked me, it would probably take me a while to decide since each one brings so much to the table, literally. However, one of my favorite tools would have to be my Dutch Oven, given to me from my in-laws a few Christmases ago.

Now, there are a couple different types of Dutch Ovens: bare cast iron and enameled. When asked what I wanted for Christmas, the first thing that popped into my head was a bare cast iron Dutch Oven. Even though I love the colors and functionality of the enameled kind, the bare cast iron always was so intriguing to me due to the seasoning and care.

With the proper care, after much use, the surface of the Dutch oven will become dark black, very smooth and shiny, and as non-stick as the best non-stick cookware. With each dish I prepare in my Dutch Oven and after each time the Dutch Oven is seasoned, I can't help but be hopeful that one day my children will enjoy cooking with it as well.

Chicken, Sausage, and Kale Stew

Ingredients:

5 medium redskin potatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
5 Johnsonville mild sausages, de-cased and sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 large onion, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, skin removed and white meat shredded
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
5 cups chopped kale
15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 tablespoons flour (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the quartered potatoes into a bowl. Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into the bowl. Add salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes to coat them. Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Pour the potatoes onto the baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are browned and softened.
Pour 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into the dutch oven. Add the sausage pieces and chopped onion and shallot into the dutch oven. Cook until the sausage is completely cooked through.
Add the carrots into the dutch oven and saute the sausage, onions, shallots, and carrots until the carrots are softened.
Add chicken stock, thyme, chicken, potatoes, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
Add the kale and beans. Simmer for another 20 minutes or until kale is tender and the beans are hot.
Note: If you would like the broth to be thicket, sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of flour over the stew and stir into the mixture until completely dissolved.
Remove the sprigs of thyme and serve warm.

What is your favorite stew?

*Recipe slightly adapted from The Kitchn.

Valentine's Day Recipe: Strawberry and Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:37:00 +0000

Hearts, flowers, chocolates, strawberries -- love is in the air and for someone who doesn't love the color pink, it's hard to escape the bright colors of February (aka the month of love). How do you celebrate Valentine's Day? As for me, if you don't know by now, my husband and I aren't that big on Valentine's Day. Romantic dinners? Never. Flowers? Nada. Chocolates? No thanks. Teddy bears? Cute but I'll pass.

I've never been a fan of pink, I'm not into hearts, and I'm not a lovey dovey overly romantic person. Don't get me wrong, I love showering my husband with love -- he's my best friend, love of my life, and soul mate. I don't know where I would be without his love, support, confidence, and friendship. I love him to pieces more and more with each passing day and year. But, when it comes to Valentine's Day, we simply wish each other a "Happy Valentine's Day" and then go about our business like any other day...and I'm completely fine with that.

With all that being said, this year was a little different. Usually I shy away from all things hearts and pink treats. So, what did I do this year? I allowed the pink vibes of the month to creep into my kitchen...through the form of a strawberry, my favorite fruit. That's right, my love for strawberries resulted in a Valentine's Day treat.

Am I destined to fall in love with Valentine's Day and all of its loveliness? Most likely not. However, if Valentine's Day treats call for strawberries, I will have no problem joining in on the fun...if only for a bite (or two) of a delicious cupcake.

So join in on the ~~strawberry~~ Valentine's Day fun with these Strawberry and Chocolate Chip Cupcakes. Whether you're a fan of Valentine's Day or not, one thing is for sure -- you will fall in love with these cupcakes and will love sharing them with your Valentine...if you're into that, of course.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day Recipe: Strawberry and Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Tip: If you're not into baking, simply buy box mix. The best part about box mix? You can easily add different candy and flavors into the mix (and frosting) in order to customize the taste and look.

Ingredients:

1 box of vanilla cake mix (along with the additional ingredients listed on the box - e.g. oil, eggs, water, etc.)
1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips
1 package of strawberries, washed and hulled
1 container of classic frosting

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cupcake pan with liners.
Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box.
Reserve a few strawberries for garnish. Chop the rest of the strawberries and fold them and the chocolate chips into the cake batter.
Drop the cake batter into the liners until they're 3/4 full.
Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven, allow them to sit in the pan for 2 minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack. Let them cool completely before frosting.
Frost the cupcakes.
Slice the reserved strawberries in half and garnish the top of each frosted cupcake with a halved strawberry.

What is your favorite way to spend Valentine's Day?

Nutella and Cocoa Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:18:00 +0000

It seems as though it's very rare to come across people who love to bake and cook. Usually, people who love to bake enjoy the measurements whereas the people who love cook take full advantage of the guestimates. And then there's me. I love to bake and cook. Baking fully embraces my control freak, anal retentive, OCD side while cooking allows me the freedom to experiment, taste-test, and educate myself. The two combined are me in a nutshell.

My Mom is one of those people who loves to cook and would be happy to never have to bake a treat in her life. So, how did I grow to love baking? That's easy. Whenever my family craved a tasty treat, I would always volunteer to spend some time in the kitchen whipping up chocolatey goodness.

This past fall, when we were visiting my parents, I decided to bake a batch of cupcakes...using my parents 20+ year-old oven. I got to work whipping up all of the ingredients. Into the oven they went and out of the oven they came...with tops as hard as hockey pucks. Knowing that I couldn't serve the cupcakes to family and friends, I worked on whipping up another batch. Into the oven they went and out of the oven they came...with inverted, sunken tops.

When my husband walked into the kitchen, his nose wrinkled, his eyes squinted and then widened, and a smile crossed his face as he asked, "What are those?" I was mortified, exhausted, and insanely frustrated. Why insanely? I'm pretty sure I was starting to go insane. In the past, I have never encountered such an awful experience trying to bake cupcakes.

With the greatest of determination, I whipped up yet another batch of cupcake batter. Into the oven they went and out of the oven they came...with tops that were even more inverted than the second batch. I didn't think it was possible. My husband was laughing, my mom was trying to tell me to just "fill the centers with frosting...no one will ever know," and my Dad was nervous. Why was he nervous? The oven was 20+ years old and, according to my Mom, "gets more and more inaccurate the longer it stays heated." Um...what?

My Mom was frustrated for years but it wasn't until my Dad saw my frustration that he knew that the end was near for the ~~trusty~~ old relic. A month later, my parents welcomed construction workers and delivery men into their home. During the holidays they were able to show off their new oven...oh yeah, and refrigerator, dishwasher, and granite countertops (you're welcome, Mom).

During the holidays, I made cupcakes in the new, trusty oven and guess what...they turned out perfect on the first try...and I immediately exhaled a sigh of relief.

Nutella and Cocoa Cupcakes

Tip: If you're not into baking, simply buy box mix. The best part about box mix? You can easily add different candy and flavors into the mix (and frosting) in order to customize the taste and look.

Ingredients:

1 box of vanilla cake mix
4 tablespoons of Nutella, divided
1/4 cup of chocolate chips, divided
1 container of classic frosting
2 tablespoons almonds
2 tablespoons peanuts
2 tablespoons white chocolate chips
1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cupcake pan with liners.
Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box.
Place the Nutella in a bowl and microwave for 15 seconds. Drop 2 tablespoons into the prepare cake mix and gently swirl it into the mix.
Drop the cake batter into the liners until they're 3/4 full. Sprinkle 1/2 of the chocolate chips over top of the cupcake batter. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven, allow them to sit in the pan for 2 minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack. Let them cool completely before frosting.
Prepare the frosting by gently swirling together the frosting and 2 tablespoons of the Nutella in a small bowl. Frost the cupcakes.
Place the rest of the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, almonds, peanuts, and cocoa powder in a food processor (or simply put them in a plastic bag). Process (or crush) all of these ingredients together until the mixture turns to a crumb texture. Sprinkle mixture over the frosting.

What is your favorite type of cupcake?

Chunky Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Crumb Topping

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:18:00 +0000

Whenever I go to the grocery store, I almost always add to my cart fresh fruits and vegetables. We love to pair our main entrees with a fresh vegetable as well as a side salad. As for our lunches, I love to make deli-style turkey sandwiches with a side of chips, pickle, and slices of apples. My husband and I love eating our meals together so I'm always trying to come up with healthy sides that satisfy all of our cravings.

With that being said, sometimes I end up with too many fruits and vegetables and that's when my creativity starts to flow. I love adding beans to pasta dishes, potatoes to casseroles, and fruits to baked goods. With some herbs and spices, an ingredient that is on its last breath can easily turn into a delicious weeknight meal or dessert that is guaranteed to please.

This week, I had a craving for muffins and I knew that I had Granny Smith apples in my refrigerator that were begging to be baked. I love the taste of baked goods with apples in them and nothing beats the scent of baked apples. The smells that emanate from the kitchen remind me of my favorite season: fall. No matter what time of year it is, baked apples and their scent always provide just the perfect warmth to my house.

Today, I quickly whipped up a batch of these Chunky Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Crumb Topping and as I sit and write this, I'm surrounded by the beautiful apple cinnamon scent of fall. All of the candles in my house are of the apple cinnamon scent but nothing truly beats the real scent from the oven.

Chunky Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Crumble Topping

Ingredients:

For the muffins:

1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped (reserve 3 tablespoons diced apple for the crumb topping)
1 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon plus 2 pinches salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

For the crumb topping:

1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, melted
3 tablespoons diced apple

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with muffin cups.
Whisk together the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add chopped apples.
Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and butter in a small bowl. Gently egg mixture into flour mixture. Do not overmix.
Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full. Top each muffin cup with the crumb topping (To make crumb topping: Combine all ingredients except apples in a bowl and mix with a fork to create crumbs. Toss in the apples and coat lightly with the flour mixture).
Bake in the oven for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool slightly, about five minutes, before removing them from the pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Recipe slightly adapted from Martha Stewart.

What is your scent for your home?

White and Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:24:00 +0000

If you're anything like me, you love to cook for family and friends. One of the greatest joys I have is hosting dinner at my house. Filling bellies with home cooked food that I created and prepared in my kitchen is always so gratifying.

I love to experiment and try new recipes as a hobby. Adding rosemary here, lemon pepper there...basil here, oregano there...experimenting with spices, herbs, and flavor combinations keeps my time spent in the kitchen new and fresh. Sharing those recipes with all of you is an exciting experience.

With all that being said, even though I love to experiment and try new recipes, when it comes to cooking for guests, I stick to my go to dishes. Serving tried and true recipes leaves me less worried and stressed in the kitchen. Knowing the measurements and timing leaves me with a sense of control. Having the confidence that the dishes will look and taste delicious leaves me with a sense of satisfaction.

What are my go to dishes? Well, for starters I love to serve bruschetta or Bleu Cheese and Tomato Puff Pastry Tarts. For main dishes, my White Chicken Chili and the "Tilley Special" (aka Classic
Barbecue Spareribs) are always a big hit. For a side dish, my Mushroom Risotto is always a crowd pleaser. When it comes to dessert, Cookies and Cream Brownies always steal the spotlight.

My other favorite dessert? Sometimes nothing compares to warm cookies. Plus, if you have extra that you want to get out of the house (before you eat them all once the guests leave), package them up in cute bags and send them home with your guests as goodie bags. Not only will you serve your guests a fantastic dinner, they'll also have a nice treat to enjoy once they're home.

This cookie recipe is my go to cookie recipe because the cookies always come out perfectly sweet and soft. Take the main components (sugars, butter, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and four) and toss in your favorite cookie treat. Mix it all together, drop dough balls onto a baking sheet and stick them in the oven for 10-12 minutes and voila. You'll have perfect little cookies each and every time.

I had some extra milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips in my freezer begging to be baked. So, I took my favorite go to cookie recipe, tossed in the chocolate chips, and baked cookie after delicious cookie. The best part? I had friends over the other night so I made sure to send them home with a couple bags of these tasty treats.

White and Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place sugar, dark brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla in a bowl and whisk together until smooth.
Add baking soda, salt and flour into a medium bowl and mix to combine. Add this mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine.
Fold in themilk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.
Drop rounded tablespoonfuls (or use an ice cream scooper) onto baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

What is your go to recipe?

Appetizer Meatballs

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

I was a tomboy when I was little and I still am. Pink? No thank you. Stilletos and skirts over jeans and a t-shirt? No way. Take me to a baseball or hockey game any day over a trip to the mall.

Instead of doing the typical girly things when I was young, I loved helping my Dad fix and repair items around the house. Instead of getting a mani/pedi, I always preferred grabbing my softball glove and playing catch with my brother in our side yard. When I wasn't hanging out with friends or doing my homework, I was most likely found at the ice rink, baseball diamond, or track field.

I played sports all the way through high school and even found myself joining softball leagues when I moved to the D.C. area. Luckily, I married a guy who is literally a walking sports almanac. His knowledge about sports and the way he memorizes and remembers games, scores, and plays will forever impress me.

When I'm not watching HGTV or the Food Network, you will most likely find the television filled with ESPN or a game. We're always trying to escape to Michigan not only to spend time with family and friends but also to head to a Michigan State Football game. If I'm not heading to a football game, then I most likely end up finding myself at Comerica Park attending a Tigers game.

Simply stated: I, and my family, cannot get enough of sports. They are such a huge past time in our lives and we get so excited when big games are being played. We love to host parties to help bring people together over exciting games, finger-licking good food, and delicious cocktails.

The newest addition to my game day spread are these Appetizer Meatballs. With only a few ingredients and simple steps, you will be well on your way to serving up a great appetizer that is perfect for game day!

Appetizer Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can of jellied Ocean Spray cranberry sauce
1 (12 ounce) jar of Heinz chili sauce
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeeze lemon juice
16 large meatballs, cooked

Directions:

Add the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice into a medium crock pot or large saucepan. Whisk together the ingredients until combined.
Add the meatballs into the crock pot or saucepan and toss them into the sauce until completely coated.
Set the crock pot to medium or heat to stovetop heat to medium and simmer for one hour before serving.

What is your favorite appetizer?

Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:29:00 +0000

It's January 7 and it's 70 degrees in the Washington, D.C. area. I cleaned the house, did some laundry...and gardened. That's right, I was gardening in January. I went outside wearing yoga pants, a tank top, and flip flops...in January. Can you tell that I'm in shock?

I've been living in the D.C. Metro Area for the past four years and it has been quite an experience, especially coming from the suburbs of Detroit. Growing up, I lived in a house that was surrounded by land, a farm, cows, and horses. Now, I live in a D.C. rowhouse that is 18 feet wide which is surrounded by neighbors, concrete, and an alley. In other words, it's our little slice of pride and comfort. I have always craved the city life and now I finally have it.

The nice thing is that a majority of our family and friends still live in Michigan so we try to escape the city life every once in a while to breathe in the fresh air and surround ourself with the beauty of nature. Plus, we have two 70 pound dogs who, even though they have a nice, little backyard in the city that they enjoy, they love to tire themselves out by running and playing on our parents' land. Oh, and chase chickens, of course. Yes, this past holiday season during our visit to my parent's house, we discovered that Caster is a Chicken Chaser. I'll save that story for another day...crazy Caster.

Anyway...

Since I'm still a suburban girl at heart, I always try to create a green space out of this concrete jungle. Every spring, my husband and I do our best to green the outside of our home with flowers, grass, plants, and herbs. And, just like every homeowner in the burbs, during the winter we have to prepare our garden for the future spring season. It's always so sad clearing out the weeds that were once beautiful flowers. However, it's also exciting thinking of just how bountiful I hope to make my gardens this coming year.

With the new year comes the shedding of the old and the bringing of the new. An organized house, clean clothes, and cleared out garden help to give one's self a sense of refreshment. And to celebrate that feeling? These Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Cup Cookies with a glass of cold milk aren't a bad way to pat yourself on the back and get excited about the year to come.

Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk chocolate chips
12 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, broken into chunks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place sugar, dark brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla in a bowl and whisk together until smooth.
Add baking soda, salt and flour to the sugar mixture and whisk together until smooth.
Fold in chocolate chips and Reese's chunks (reserve 1/4 cup of chunks).
Drop rounded tablespoonfuls (or use an ice cream scooper) onto baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart.
Take the reserved 1/4 cup of Reese's chunks and stick the chunks into the tops of the cookie dough balls.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

What is your favorite treat to add into cookie dough?

Top 12 Recipes of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:30:00 +0000

So, where did this year go? Are we really ringing in 2012 tonight? Wow, what an incredible year 2011 was to me. I traveled a ton, spent a lot of time with family and friends, stood up in my friends' weddings, made trips to the lake house, attended sporting events, reconnected with old friends, became an aunt to the most adorable nephew, fell more and more in love with my husband, and experimented in the kitchen.

I cannot thank you enough for all of the love, support, tweets, comments, Facebook updates, well wishes, tips, tricks, and suggestions that you have given me throughout this past year. Thankfully through my work at Mom It Forward, I've attended a lot of conferences and have had the pleasure of meeting a lot of you. Being able to hug, share stories, and enhance our friendships has been such a gratifying experience. For those who I have yet to meet, I hope our paths cross soon.

As I said earlier, I have spent a lot of time in the kitchen this past year testing, experimenting, baking, and cooking all sorts of dishes and baked treats to share with family and friends. In celebration of 2012, I'm sharing with you the top 12 recipes of 2011.

1.) Apple Rings
2.) Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
3.) Pumpkin Pancakes
4.) White Chicken Chili

5.) Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
6.) Banana Cream Cheese Muffins with Crumb Topping
7.) Mushroom Risotto
8.) Chocolate Chip Pancakes

9.) Chocolate Chip Waffle Cookies
10.) Apple Cinnamon Cookies with Maple Frosting
11.) Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
12.) Chicken and Mushroom Tostadas

I wish you a safe and Happy New Year! I look forward to sharing more stories, recipes, tips, and tricks with you in 2012! And once again, thank you for everything.

Festive Fruit Punch

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 23:24:00 +0000

I absolutely love my house but I love it even more during the holiday season. With that being said, nothing beats making the drive to Michigan to spend the holidays with family and friends. Last week, we said goodbye to our holiday decor and Christmas tree as we packed up suitcases and made the drive to my parent's house.

I always look forward to spending time at my parent's house but this trip was extra special. A few days before our planned departure date, I received the following text from my brother: "You're going to be an aunt this weekend! Julie's water broke this morning and we're at the hospital." I immediately ran upstairs, woke up my husband, and shared the good news with him. Even though we were extremely excited to be an aunt and uncle for the first time, we were also nervous and glued to our phones throughout the weekend as we awaited updates.

The baby's due date was originally scheduled for January 25. However, my little nephew couldn't wait to celebrate Christmas...and, of course, be a Christmas baby like his aunt. His weight was a healthy amount but his little lungs needed a bit more time to develop. As soon as we arrived at my parent's house, we immediately went to the hospital to meet our nephew. The first moments shared with him were priceless.

The doctors kept hinting that due to his speedy progress, he had a chance of going home on Christmas...and, just like that, my brother was sending me picture messages of his cute little family in front of his Christmas tree on Christmas day. Talk about the best Christmas present ever. We stopped by their house and spent time holding him, loving him, and admiring every ounce of him. All of his noises and facial expressions brought out laughter from all who were in the room.

This year, I'm filling my glass with this delicious holiday fruit punch and am toasting to my family, friends, your support of How To: Simplify, all of my blessings, all of the love that I have in my life, and, most importantly, to my nephew...I can't wait to spoil him in the years to come!

What is your favorite part of the holiday season?

Prime Rib Roast

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 04:45:00 +0000

Out of all the holiday dinners, Thanksgiving was always my favorite. We would always have a large Turkey roasting away in the oven all day long. The smells that filled the air always exuded the wonderful scents of fall. Paired with mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, gravy, stuffing, and cranberry relish only made the turkey even more delectable.

And then as the weather grew colder and colder, I had nothing but dread set in when it came to Christmas dinner. Don't get me wrong, I loved spending the entire day with family as we laughed, shared stories, and created lasting memories. However, I always had an enemy on Christmas Day. The enemy I'm referring to is the big 'ole ham in the oven. Ask me if I like ham and you'll likely get an immediate answer along the lines of "No." Simply put, I can't stand ham.

I would never consider myself a picky person. I'm always up for trying new foods and I'm of the nature where I can't officially say I don't like a particular food until I at least give it a try. As for ham, I've tried and tried. My Mom would always pack ham sandwiches in my lunchboxes growing up and I would always try to find ways to trade it for better sandwiches. I've come to terms with the fact that we just don't get along.

My fingers were always crossed every year around the holiday season because I had high hopes that one day that Christmas ham would be replaced. Unfortunately, my grandpa loved ham...and he hated turkey. We would always joke around with each other during Thanksgiving and Christmas when it came to our meat preferences. At least one of us was pleased during each holiday!

My Christmas fears and trepidations were soon calmed when my cousin's husband introduced beef to the Christmas menu one year. My mom even started preparing tenderloin for the Christmas Eve dinner. My fears around Christmas dinner have calmed down drastically over the past few years...now the only thing that I really need to worry about is my uncle's shrimp cocktail sauce...or should I say horseradish sauce...? There's enough horseradish in it to clear out your sinuses for an entire year. We used to have competitions to see who could eat the most. If that stuff is wrong, I don't want to be right. It's painfully delicious.

Although my grandpa is no longer with us, we still prepare the traditional Christmas ham. I mean, the holidays are all about tradition, right? Sorry, ham lovers. Thankfully, the Mom It Forward team is on my side when it comes to the main entree for Christmas Dinner. In our virtual Christmas dinner, we've shared with you Goat Cheese Pops with Herbs, Pecans and Bacon for an appetizer and Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Goat Cheese and Fresh Sage as a side dish. The main entree is definitely a crowd-pleaser. We're featuring a simple yet delicious Prime Rib Roast Recipe that everyone will love, even if you do have a few ham lovers in your family.

If you are interested in finding out more about this recipe and potentially making it for your family and friends during the holidays, be sure to stop by Mom It Forward to get the recipe! I know this year, as is the same with the past few years, I'll be piling my plate high with...you guessed it...beef. Sorry, ham...better luck next year.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Goat Cheese and Fresh Sage

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 01:05:00 +0000

I have some exciting news to share with you...we finally have a Christmas tree! Even though the weather is not too frightful at the moment, it's nice and cozy in our home with all of our Christmas decor, candles, and cinnamon-scented pinecones throughout our home. I love waking up in the morning to all of the lights and scents in our home, as well as going to bed with the lasting image of our Christmas tree in my head.

There's just something about this season that is filled with so much joy, celebration, love, and warmth. I love to spread the holiday cheer through cards, baked goods, decor, and most importantly food. And I don't think I'm alone on this one...

Since the Mom It Forward team shares a love of food, we thought that preparing a Christmas dinner and sharing it with our readers would be a great way to invite you to our virtual Christmas dinner table. Last week, we shared our appetizer: Goat Cheese Pops with Herbs, Pecans and Bacon. This week, we're sharing with you one of our side dishes: Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Goat Cheese and Fresh Sage. That's right, more goat cheese. Why? Because it's delicious and I, for one, cannot get enough of it.

If you are interested in finding out more about this recipe and potentially making it for your family and friends during the holidays, be sure to stop by Mom It Forward to get the recipe!

Goat Cheese Pops with Herbs, Pecans, and Bacon

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:25:00 +0000

Yesterday marked the first day of December which means that the holiday season is upon us. My house is decorated and all that is missing is the tree. No matter how many Christmas decorations I put up around my house, it simply does not feel complete under we put up our tree and fill the house with the beautiful scent of evergreen.

Unfortunately, my husband refused to get a tree until the calendar read December. Well, it's December 2 and we still don't have a tree. That means we're waking up tomorrow morning to shop for a tree. By tomorrow afternoon, I will finally have a decorated tree in the house and my life will be complete.

Not only is my personal life being filled with the sights, sounds, and tastes of the holiday season, my work life is as well. This week, the Mom It Forward team researched and put together a holiday dinner menu that is guaranteed to please. Everything from an appetizer and main entree, to a dessert and festive beverage, we have all of your dining needs covered.

Yesterday I prepared the entire feast and photographed all of the yummy goodness. Today, I'm featuring the appetizer that is bound to be a big hit at your holiday dinner: Goat Cheese Balls with Herbs, Pecans, and Bacon. Not only are they easy to prepare, they are way too cute, easy-to-eat, and bursting with flavor. Trust me, I just ate five of them in the past two minutes. They are way too good.

To make some of your own goat cheese balls, please be sure to stop by the Mom It Forward website to grab the recipe! Next week, I'll be sharing the main entree: a simple and delectable prime rib roast that comes together in a matter of minutes and cooks in a matter of a few hours.

What is your favorite holiday appetizer?

Chocolate Swirl Cupcakes Topped with Chocolate Frosting and Pirouettes

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 22:50:00 +0000

Tomorrow we leave for Michigan for a little escape from the city and I could not be more excited. My husband grew up in northern Michigan and I grew up in southeast Michigan. We met at Michigan State University during my last year at school. From East Lansing, we moved into an apartment in Brighton, Michigan where we stayed for a year.

I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit where we had tons of land, a tree fort in the backyard, dirt on our road, and a farm behind our house. To me, the house was a perfect house to have a childhood, especially in Michigan. My husband grew up in northern Michigan where he was surrounded by land, trees, water, and beauty. His surroundings during his childhood were so beautiful that people still look at his hometown as a vacation town during all of the months of the year due to boating, fall sightseeing, and skiing.

Even with all of the beauty of Michigan, I always knew that I would end up in a city at some point in my life. The city bug hit me when my family would take numerous trips throughout the years to visit my aunt and uncle in Chicago. The moment I set foot in that city I fell in love and that's when my determination to live in a city grew to exponential heights.

Having traveled throughout the U.S., Europe, and the Czech Republic, my love for cities continued to grow. One day, I figured enough was enough. During our year spent in Brighton, Michigan, I hinted to my husband (boyfriend at the time) that I wanted to move to a city. Hint after relentless hint soon turned into an ultimatum. He was either going to move to a city with me or we were over. Thank goodness he decided to stay with me on this one. I'm such a better person because of him and I don't know where I would be without him.

We both ended up finding jobs in D.C. and four years later we're still loving the city life. In that time span, we added a dog to our bunch, got married, and bought a rowhouse in the city. This city has been absolutely incredible to us and we look forward to all of the great memories that this city will help us create.

However, now that I have claimed stake on the city bug, is it weird that we always try to find ways to escape the city and enjoy the fresh air and beauty of Michigan? Thankfully, Michigan is easily achievable with a car ride. Seeing that blue Michigan sign as we cross into the state border always brings back such a flood of memories of the amazing times we had and continue to create whenever we visit.

During our trip these next couple weeks, we'll be touring the state as we visit our parents, attend a wedding, enjoy rest and relaxation, take in all of the beauty that the state has to offer, party during a tailgate, attend a Michigan State football game, and spend time with family and friends who we miss so much in between visits.

So this cupcake is for you, Michigan...and for us. We're celebrating the excitement for our big trip and thanking Michigan, as well as our family and friends, in advance for the great memories that will be created over the next few weeks.

Chocolate Swirl Cupcakes

1 box of white cake mix
1/3 cup of oil
3 eggs
5 ounces of milk chocolate chips
2 cups creamy chocolate frosting
Pepperidge Farm French Vanilla Creme Filled Pirouettes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Mix together the cake mix, 1/3 cup of oil, 3 eggs, and 1 cup of water for two minutes until well combined.
Melt the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Pour half of the cake batter into the chocolate-filled bowl and then mix together until the chocolate is incorporated.
Fill the cupcake liners 1/2 full by pouring 1-2 tablespoons of white batter into the cupcake liners. Top with 1-2 tablespoons of chocolate batter. Continue to do so with all of the cupcake liners.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven, take them out of the muffin tin, and allow the cupcakes to completely cool on a wire rack.
Frost the cupcakes and then poke a small hole in the back side of the cupcakes. Break pirouettes in half and insert the pirouettes into the cupcakes at a slant.

What is your favorite type of cupcake?

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Scones with Brown Sugar and Honey Glaze

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:05:00 +0000

Can you believe that it's already November? Wow, where has the year gone? I must admit, though. I'm doing my best to make the most of fall before winter arrives. My house has been decorated with pumpkins, fall garland, oranges, and reds for the past month or so. Even though Halloween has passed and I have to put away my jack-o-lanterns, I decided to keep the pumpkins and gourds throughout my house as we anticipate one of my favorite holidays: Thanksgiving.

To be completely honest, I don't think that there is one thing that I don't like about Thanksgiving. I love spending the entire day with family and friends as I prepare dish after dish. At the end of the meal, nothing satisfies me more than to look around our table and see my guests with bellies full of the food that I prepared throughout the day. In my opinion, the fact that Thanksgiving is celebrated during the fall is absolute perfection.

Thanksgiving is definitely a foodie's holiday and fall is definitely a foodie's time of year. There have been tons of pumpkin-filled recipes on so many food blogs. These recipes have served as mouth-watering inspiration to the recipes that I create in my kitchen. I love seeing pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg used in a wide variety of ways to help satisfy cravings for fall-flavored treats.

Since I'm not putting away my pumpkins, I refuse to stop cooking with pumpkin until the last bite of pumpkin pie is enjoyed during Thanksgiving. I stumbled across Lorie's Mississippi Kitchen the other day and saw her recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Scones. I knew that I had to make this recipe and put my own spin on it. So, in celebration of November and my love for pumpkins and pumpkin-filled treats, here's a delicious scone recipe that is filled with all of the wonderful flavors of fall.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Scones with Brown Sugar and Honey Glaze

Ingredients:

Scones:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin spice mix
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 large eggs
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup granola

Glaze:

1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and brown sugar in a large bowl.
Cut in butter, using fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Whisk together the egg, cream cheese, and pumpkin in a medium bowl. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
Drop dough onto prepared baking sheet using an ice cream scooper. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the scones are lightly browned.
Prepare the glaze: Place brown sugar, honey, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil while stirring often. Boil for one minute and then remove from the heat.
Remove scones from the oven and allow them to slightly cool over a baking sheet. Drizzle with glaze. Sprinkle with granola.

What is your favorite pumpkin treat?

*Recipe slightly adapted from Lorie's Mississippi Kitchen.

Spooky Graveyard Halloween Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:03:00 +0000

When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam,

May luck be yours on Halloween.

- Author Unknown -

Little ghosts are all about
Bats and witches flying out
Don't be scared, there's no doubt
Tonight is Halloween
- Author Unknown -

Happy Halloween!

Spooky Graveyard Halloween Cupcakes

Ingredients:

5 ounces milk chocolate chips
24 Oreo Cookies
White frosting gel
White cake mix
1 container creamy white frosting
Candy pumpkins
Green frosting

Directions:

Melt the chocolate chips. Fill a freezer bag with the melted chocolate and cut off one of the corners. Take a baking sheet and flip it upside down. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the baking sheet. Pipe 24 small leafless trees, each 3 to 4 inches tall (make them thick so that they don't break when hardened). Chill in the refrigerator until chocolate hardens.
Separate the Oreo Cookies so that you have 24 chocolate disks without cream filling on them. Snip the sides of the 24 disks on a diagonal with a pair of scissors so that the sides are flat and not rounded. Take the white gel and pipe "RIP" on the disks. Place the disks in the refrigerator to chill.
Prepare the cupcake batter according to the directions on the box. Crush the 24 leftover disks (the sides with the cream filling) in a freezer bag. Add the crushed cookies to the cupcake batter. Prepare a muffin tin with liners, fill the liners with the batter (3/4 full), and bake according to the directions on the box.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Frost the tops of the cupcakes with the white frosting. Cut a slit at the back of each cupcake and insert the tombstone. Use a toothpick to poke a hole next to the tombstone and insert the tree. Place the candy pumpkin next to the tombstone. Pipe green frosting around the pumpkin and tombstone to make it look like grass. Sprinkle leftover crushed cookies around the tombstone, tree, and pumpkin.

How are you celebrating Halloween today?