Note: For every entry received in this mixer giveaway, I will donate 10 cents to Oklahoma tornado relief efforts on behalf of PW friends/readers.

 
Today I’m giving away three (3) KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixers…in the color of each winner’s choice!

For this giveaway, to keep the focus on the great need following Monday’s devastating tornado, I will donate a dime for every entry received to tornado relief efforts in Oklahoma. (If there are a thousand entries, it’ll be a hundred bucks; ten thousand entries, a thousand bucks…and so on.) The donation will be made on behalf of PW friends/readers and will be given to the tornado-related charity of each mixer winner’s choice. (If winners do not have a preference, I’ll direct the entire sum to the organization where I feel it’ll be most effective.)

Nothing required on your part: Just enter to win the mixer and your entry turns into a dime. There’s no cap on the amount; we’ll just see where it goes. This is just a small way we can all help together!

TO ENTER

To enter this giveaway, just answer the following question in the Comments section of this post:

What did you have for dinner last night?

Did you feast on pepperoni pizza? Steak and potatoes? Apple Jacks? Tacos? Quinoa salad? Just shout out what was on the menu last night and you’re automatically entered to win a mixer…and your entry will turn into a dime.

THE RULES

Giveaway will end at midnight (Pacific Time) Thursday.

Winners will be announced Friday, along with the donation amount and where the donation(s) will be made.

Giveaway sponsored by Pioneer Woman.

Very, very seriously.

No, I’m serious. Don’t even joke about it. I’m not even kidding.

I’m being serious here.

Dead serious.

Actually, no I’m not. Just kidding!

See? That right there is the perfect example of why I’m terrible at prank calls. I can’t keep it going. My sister Betsy could keep a prank call going for hours if she ever had the chance. She never cracked. Not once. But me? I’d deliver the first line or two, then I’d either become crippled from laughing or I’d say “Never mind, just kidding” and hang up. Honestly, my middle name should be Just Kidding. It’s what I always say when I lose my nerve.

What I’m saying is, we really do love nachos in our house. And while my husband and kids prefer a more pared-down, simple approach, I like to load mine with everything I can get my hands on.

Here’s a version I made last night! It straddles the fence between what they want and what I want.

That pretty much defines everything I cook around here.

 
Dice up half the onion…

 
 
 
And throw it into a skillet with a little olive oil over medium-high heat.

 
 
 
Cook the onions for a minute or two, then throw in the ground beef…

 
 
 
Break it up…

 
 
 
And let it cook until the meat is totally browned.

 
 
 
Drain off the fat…

 
 
 
Then add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.

 
 
 
Stir it around to mix in the spices…

 
 
 
Then crack open the beans. I like Ranch Style beans because they’re just so ranchy (not to be confused with raunchy) but you can use any ol’ bean you like.

 
 
 
Pour ‘em right into the skillet.

 
 
 
Stir it around, then pour in the hot water to make it a little more saucy. Reduce the heat to low and simmer away while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.

 
 
 
Next up…

 
 
 
Dice the rest of the onion.

 
 
 
Lop off the tops of all the tomatoes, then cut them into slices, then cut the slices into strips…

 
 
 
And cut them in the opposite direction to dice them.

 
 
 
For heat, lop off the top and bottom of a jalapeno…

 
 
 
Then cut it into thin strips and cut the strips into a fine dice.

 
 
 
Throw the onions, tomatoes, and jalapeno into a bowl and tell ‘em you’ll be right back.

 
 
 
Tear the leaves off of half a bunch of cilantro and give it a rough chop…

 
 
 
Then throw it into the bowl.

 
 
 
Slice a lime in half…

 
 
 
Then squeeze in the juice.

 
 
 
Sprinkle in a little salt…

 
 
 
And stir it together. Pico de Gallo, baby!

 
 
 
I actually prefer pico de gallo chunky like it is in the previous photo, but I wound up dumping it out and chopping it up a little more finely for the more persnickety people in my household.

I’m not going to name any names.

 
 
 
Slice a couple of avocados in half, then pit them and scoop out the good stuff.

 
 
 
Slice the avocados into strips…

 
 
 
Then dice ‘em up.

 
 
 
Finally…the cheese! I grated both cheddar and Monterey Jack, but I didn’t mix them up.

I’ll show you why in a minute!

 
 
 
To assemble the nachos, make a single layer of chips on a platter or plate.

 
 
 
Grab a big scoop of the beef/bean mixture…

 
 
 
And sprinkle it all over the chips. Don’t be afraid to get some juice on there and really make these messy!

 
 
 
Sprinkle on a layer of cheddar…

 
 
 
Then throw on another layer of chips…

 
 
 
Another layer of beef and beans…

 
 
 
Then a nice layer of Monterey Jack.

 
 
 
I couldn’t resist a final layer of chips.

 
 
 
And another layer of beef and beans.

 
 
 
And another layer of cheddar.

 
 
 
Next, I nuked the nachos at 45-second intervals until the cheese was perfectly melted.

I would like to get a t-shirt that reads “I Nuked the Nachos.”

 
 
 
I’m naughty.

 
 
 
But I had to do this.

 
 
 
And then I had to do this. Hey, they’re veggies! So that makes the whole platter of nachos healthy.

Maybe.

 
 
 
I know for sure it makes them delicious!

 
 
 
I have firsthand experience with this.

Enjoy these, guys! They’re totally yummy. And you can add whatever extras you like: Sour cream, chopped black olives—anything. And what I love about these is that the chips toward the bottom start to soften a bit under all the gooey ingredients, while the top ones stay more crisp. So the bottom ones are like mini enchiladas or soft tacos after awhile. Divine!

Here’s the handy dandy printable.

Recipe

Loaded Nachos

Prep Time:

10 Minutes

Cook Time:

15 Minutes

Difficulty:

Easy

Servings:

8

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 whole Yellow Onion, Diced
• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
• 1 can (14-5 Ounce) Pinto Beans, Chili Beans, Or Ranch Style Beans
• 1/2 cup Hot Water
• Tortilla Chips
• 1-1/2 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
• 1-1/2 cup Monterey Jack Cheese
• 6 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Diced Finely
• 1/2 bunch Cilantro Leaves, Chopped
• Juice Of 1 Lime
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 whole Avocado (pitted And Diced)
• Sour Cream (optional)

Preparation Instructions

In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and half the onion. Cook it until starting to soften, then add the ground beef. Cook the meat until it's totally browned, then drain the fat. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Add the beans and hot water and stir. Reduce the heat to low and simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

To make the pico de gallo, combine the other half of the onion with the tomato, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir it together and set it aside.

To build the nachos, place a layer of tortilla chips on a platter or plate. Top with a layer of the beef/bean mixture, then all but 1/4 cup of the cheddar cheese. Add another layer of chips, another layer of the beef/bean mixture, and the Monterey Jack cheese. Add a final small layer of chips, then a small layer of beef and beans, then a final sprinkling of cheddar.

Microwave in 45 second increments until the cheese is melted and bubbly. (You may also place the platter into a 325 degree oven if it's heatproof. Just leave it in until the cheese is melted.)

Immediately sprinkle on the diced avocado and plenty of pico de gallo.

Optional: Add dollops of sour cream here and there!

Serve immediately!

Posted by Ree on May 20 2013

You absolutely must eat these with an ice cold glass of either 1% or 2% milk.

Let me repeat that in case you didn’t grasp it the first time.

You absolutely must eat these with an ice cold glass of either 1% or 2% milk.

Now, let me explain this directive. The milk is necessary, because the cookies are so rich, you have to have something to wash them down. The 1% or 2% is necessary, because whole milk would be just too much decadence at once, and skim milk just wouldn’t be able to compete with the wonderment.

Also, I need to acknowledge that the name I gave these cookies makes no logical sense at all. But neither does anything else I say. So in that way, I’m a paragon of consistency.

Ignore me. Just ignore me.

And enjoy these cookies, my friends!

 
Here’s what you need, love-muffin!

Sorry I called you love-muffin. I’m trying to quit.

 
 
 
Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer.

 
 
 
Then add sugar…

 
 
 
And beat it with the paddle attachment until it’s light and fluffy.

 
 
 
Scrape the inside of the bowl once, then mix it again for a few seconds.

 
 
 
Beat in the eggs, once at a time…

Oh! Wait one second. First look at the photo above. Now imagine the sound effect *bleep*.

 
 
 
Now imagine the sound effect *bloop*.

I like to make sounds while I bake. I’m trying to quit that, too.

 
 
 
After the eggs are beaten in, add a tablespoon of vanilla extract…

 
 
 
And mix it until it’s all combined.

 
 
 
Now, into a sifter, measure the flour and the cocoa…

 
 
 
Then add the baking soda…

 
 
 
And the salt.

 
 
 
Sift it together…

 
 
 
Then mix in big spoonfuls at a time until it’s all combined.

 
 
 
Give it a good scrape…

 
 
 
Then give it one more mix and for the love of Pete, please do not even take one bite of this dough. It’s so irresistible, you’ll then eat half the bowl of dough. And then the yield I’m giving you for this recipe will no longer be correct. And then you’ll be mad at me.

 
 
 
Next, add the semi-sweet chips…

 
 
 
And the white chocolate chips.

 
 
 
Stir it around…

 
 
 
Till it’s all combined! And the same admonition applies: Don’t. Try. Bite. Half. Gone. Yield. No. Correct. Mad. Me.

 
 
 
Drop or scoop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto a baking sheet…

 
 
 
And then, and this is truly optional, press about three white chocolate chips into the surface. This is just to make the cookies extra popalicious.

 
 
 
That was a weird word. I won’t use it again.

 
 
 
Bake ‘em until they’re just barely, barely set, then let them cool on the cookie sheet about 5 minutes before removing them.

 
 
 
Oh, baby.

 
 
 
Serve ‘em with an ice cold glass of 1% of 2% milk!

Not whole milk.

Not skim milk.

Please don’t forget.

 
 
 
Enjoy these, guys.

Here’s the handy dandy printable!

Recipe

Chocolate Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time:

10 Minutes

Cook Time:

12 Minutes

Difficulty:

Easy

Servings:

36

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 sticks Butter, Softened
• 2 cups Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs
• 3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups Flour
• 3/4 cups Cocoa Powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1-1/2 cup Good Quality Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 cups Good Quality White Chocolate Chips

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, scraping the sides once.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in vanilla.

Sift together dry ingredients, then add in batches to the mixer, mixing until just combined after each addition.

Gently blend in chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.

Using a cookie scoop, add 1 tablespoon portions to baking sheet. Dot the top of each cookie with 3 white chocolate chips if you'd like them to really show up on top. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until cookies are barely done but still soft and chewy.

Let cool on a baking rack. Yummy!

Posted by Ree on May 13 2013

Thank you guys for being a part of things around here for all these years. I’ve enjoyed blogging so very much, and you guys have been wonderful.

Here are some of my faves. Click on either the photo or link below it to be taken to the step-by-step. (Warning: I’ll start with the oldest recipes and work my way up…so some photos may be very old and grody-looking. My photography has been part of the process!)

I’m sharing a lot of recipes here…but there’ll be no more photos than my average cooking post! Har.

 
Cinnamon Rolls. They define me and complete me.

 
 
 
Olive Cheese Bread. This stuff is just sickeningly good. (Great photo, don’t you think? Not.)

 
 
 
Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce. One of my favorite desserts of all time. The maple cream sauce can be drunk with a straw. (Don’t ask me how I know this.)

 
 
 
Onion Strings. These things bring grown men to their knees, they’re so delicious and addictive. The only drawback is that they can’t be made fast enough.

 
 
 
Pasta all Vodka. Can I make this for breakfast? My gracious.

 
 
 
My Favorite Burger. And it still is. (This was the recipe that told me once and for all that I can’t shoot recipes at night. And to this day, I still don’t know how to use a flash.)

 
 
 
Ginger Steak Salad. Oh, I love this one. Best use of a leftover steak ever.

 
 
 
Quick and Easy Apple Tart. The perfect quick dessert! (Drizzle on caramel sauce instead of powdered sugar if you’re feeling particularly naughty.)

 
 
 
Key Lime Pie, which isn’t even made with key lime juice, but I’m okay with that if you are.

 
 
 
Ribeye Steak with Onion-Blue Cheese Sauce. This one’s up there, folks. It’s definitely up there.

 
 
 
Buttered Rosemary Rolls. The best (and easiest) dinner rolls this side of the Mississippi.

 
 
 
Homemade Chicken & Noodles. Will forever remind me of Ga-Ga.

 
 
 
Restaurant Style Salsa. Possibly one of my most habit-forming recipes. There’s no going back from here.

 
 
 
Barbecue Chicken Pizza. Me likey. The more cilantro, the better.

 
 
 
Cinnamon Toast, the Right Way. You did know there’s a right way and a wrong way to make cinnamon toast, right? Don’t go down the wrong road!

 
 
 
Spinach with Garlic Chips. One of my favorite side dishes! Popeye would be proud.

 
 
 
Simple Sesame Noodles. One of the simplest recipes on this site, it’s also one of the most delicious. You won’t believe the flavor, and you’ll make it all summer long.

 
 
 
Big Steak Salad. It’s 7:14 am, and I can close my eyes and taste this feast-for-the-senses salad. I absolutely love it.

 
 
 
Spicy Dr Pepper Pulled Pork. You won’t believe how easy it is. Soooo spicy and flavorful!

 
 
 
Quesadillas de Camarones. I’ve eaten a lot of different varieties of quesadillas in my 44 years…but I think this one might be my fave.

 
 
 
ClassicCaprese. Nothing better in the world.

 
 
 
Chipotle Steak Salad. This is the third sliced-steak salad I’ve put on this list. Do you think I might have a problem? Anyway, you’ll love this one.

 
 
 
Cajun Chicken Pasta. My kids love it. Marlboro Man loves it. Charlie loves it. I love it. It’s spicy, creamy, flavorful, and dreamy. You’ll love it, too!

 
 
 
Citrus Butter Cookies. These little numbers are both darling and delightful. (And buttery. Mmmmmmm!)

 
 
 
Corn & Cheese Chowder. It’s perfectly delicious in a regular ol’ bowl…but in a bread bowl, it’s utterly sublime.

 
 
 
Perfect French Fries. Dip ‘em in a mix of ketchup and mayonnaise if you’ve been good and have exercised all week.

 
 
 
Salisbury Steak. Who doesn’t love this school cafeteria throwback?

 
 
 
Chicken Florentine Pasta. Protein, veggies, carbs…this has it all! I love, love, love this pasta dish.

 
 
 
Low-Carb Burgers, for the times you need to be good…

 
 
 
And Patty Melts, for all the other times. Ahem.

 
 
 
And then we have Supreme Pizza Burgers for those times you pretty much want to thumb your nose at every rule there is.

 
 
 
Mango Margaritas. Colorful. Cool. Absolutely irresistible. Practice restraint—these’ll sneak up on you. Again, don’t ask me how I know this.

 
 
 
Buffalo Chicken Salad. Surprisingly decadent.

 
 
 
Perfect Potato Soup. One of the best soups there is, and one of the most popular soups on the site. Many thumbs up!

 
 
 
Sunday Night Stew. So right, it’s actually wrong. Or vice versa. Another favorite.

 
 
 
Edna Mae’s Sour Cream Pancakes. Try them. Just once.

 
 
 
Breakfast Quesadillas. Just posted these week before last. I could go for one (or seven) wedges right about now.

 
 
 
And, from last week, Orange Vanilla Monkey Bread.

I think that’s as good a place as any to end this roundup!

Hope you find a couple of new things to make this week.

Thanks again for being here, guys.

I love ya,
P-Widdy

#4389 Roberta C: “Bride and Prejudice.”
#10303 Kristi: “Pitch Perfect on DVD….Him-”I have a feeling we should kiss” Her-”Sometimes I have a feeling I can do crystal meth and then I think hmmm better not”….laughed til my abs hurt.”
#16886 Janet N: “Last movie I watched was Finding Nemo with 19 kindergartners.”
#23821 Lia: “The last movie I saw was Side Effects. Great movie but this is reminding me that I need to see a movie in a theater again soon!”

Congratulations, winners! Contact prizes@thepioneerwoman.com to claim your Cuisinarts.

(GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

I love this old school style of Cuisinart, because it reminds me of my mom and graham cracker crusts and my childhood.

So today…

Because it’s May…

Because it’s Anniversary Week…

Because I love food…

And because I love ya, I’m giving away four (4) of these 11-cup Cuisinart food processors.

TO ENTER

To enter this giveaway, just answer the following question in the Comments section of this post:

“What’s the last movie you saw/watched?”

Was it Iron Man 3? Silver Linings Playbook? Wreck it Ralph? Or have you not set foot in a theater since Steel Magnolias was first released?

Just shout out the last movie you saw in a theater and you’re entered to win one of the Cuisinarts!

THE RULES

One entry per person, please.

Winner will be announced Friday

Good luck!

Sponsored by Pioneer Woman.

(GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

#35477 Sally C. “Bones all the way!”

Congrats, Sally! Contact prizes@thepioneerwoman.com to claim your pot!

(GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

Today, because it looks like rain might be headed my way, because that means I don’t have to garden, because I made guacamole yesterday, and because I love ya, I’m giving away one of these gorgeous, vivid blue Le Creuset 7 1/4 Quart French Ovens.

 
 
This is a bee-yoo-tee-ful blue color: really deep and dramatic. And…blue!

TO ENTER

To enter this giveaway, just answer the following questions in the Comments section of this post:

“What is your current favorite TV show?”

I have to say, I am loving old seasons of 24. It plays four episodes at a time, once a week, on a cable channel, and Marlboro Man and I’m really enjoying the weekly injection of adrenaline.

Just shout out the show you’re loving right now and you’re entered to win a pot!

(If you don’t watch TV, no problem! Just say so in the comments and you’re all set.)

THE RULES

One entry per person, please.

Winners will be announced just before the next anniversary giveaway is announced.

Good luck!

(GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

#14671 Jordene: “Happy Tuesday Ree.”

Congratulations, Jordene—contact prizes@thepioneerwoman.com to claim your prize!

New giveaway will be up shortly!

(GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

This week I’m thinking about the things in my kitchen that I couldn’t (or wouldn’t want to) live without. My favorite knife is way up at the top of the list. I’ve tried to switch to other knives here and there—tried to dip my toes in a couple of different knife waters—but I keep coming back to this one.

 
 
 
So today, because I’m in anniversary celebration mode, and because I love ya, I’m giving away this Wusthof Nakiri knife…

 
 
 
Along with this beautiful, fabulously useful John Boos end-grain maple cutting board. You will fall madly in love with this thing—it’ll become your best friend, your constant companion, and you’ll love it more the more you use it. It’s as practical as it is beautiful.

If you’re interested, just say howdy or Happy Tuesday or something similar in the Comments section of this post.

I’ll announce the winner just before posting the next cooking-related giveaway!

(GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

Along those lines, I would like to say that I don’t think my central nervous system will make it to Season 4. I just don’t.

Anyway, in the old, ancient version of this pasta, I took the time to roast the red peppers myself over the stovetop burner, and I added toasted pine nuts, which added a nutty flavor and a little crunch. But last night, I had no time for roasting. I had no time for nutty crunch. I just had time to whip up a quick, easy pasta. And I just had time for Jack Bauer.

 
I love, love, love these things. You can find lots of different brands, lots of different sizes of jars. But jarred roasted red peppers are absolutely, positively something you should stock in your pantry or fridge if you don’t already. They’re just smashing in sauces like this one, but they’re also perfect cut into strips on a sandwich, chopped and spooned over a block of cream cheese with crackers, or just eaten on a plate for lunch with a pile of cottage cheese.

 
 
 
Start by grabbing any pasta you want. I got this in the big city, and it’s part of my Different Pasta Shapes collection, which I would someday bequeath to a museum if I didn’t have big ol’ plans to eat it all.

Pasta. It is everything.

 
 
 
Throw it into salted boiling water and cook it till it’s al dente.

 
 
 
Then chop up an onion…

 
 
 
And mince up some garlic.

 
 
 
Then pile some roasted red peppers onto the cutting board…

 
 
 
And give ‘em a rough chop.

 
 
 
Next, grab a couple of tablespoons of glorious, flavorful butter…

 
 
 
Then throw in the onions and garlic.

 
 
 
Saute them until they’re soft, about 3 to 4 minutes or so.

 
 
 
Next, throw in the chopped red peppers…

 
 
 
And cook them around for a couple of minutes, just until they’re heated through.

 
 
 
Transfer the mixture…

 
 
 
To a food processor or blender…

 
 
 
Then puree it until it’s all…well, pureed!

 
 
 
Mmmm. This is divine right here. And even though it’s totally pureed, it’ll still have a great texture to it. Yum!

 
 
 
Now, back to the skillet: Heat another couple tablespoons of butter…

 
 
 
Then pour the pureed pepper right in.

 
 
 
Turn on the heat and start to heat up the puree…

 
 
 
Then pour in some vegetable or chicken broth to thin it a bit.

 
 
 
Then stir it all around.

 
 
 
Add some salt and pepper…

 
 
 
Then, my favorite part: Add in some heavy cream.

 
 
 
Stir it around and see what it looks like, then you can always splash in a little more cream if you want it even richer.

 
 
 
Next, mince up some herbs. I only had parsley, but if I’d had basil I would have gone crazy with it.

 
 
 
Throw it right into the sauce…

 
 
 
And stir it around.

 
 
 
Then taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper if it needs it.

 
 
 
Drain the pasta and throw it into the sauce…

 
 
 
Then in goes the Parmesan…

 
 
 
A little more parsley…

 
 
 
Then toss it all together, sprinkling in more Parmesan and/or parsley as you go!

 
 
 
Holy…help me Rhonda.

 
 
 
One of my favorite things on earth. And takes no time at all! And you can serve it with a grilled chicken breast or slice the chicken and mix it in with the sauce.

 
 
 
Positively scrumptious!

Here’s the handy dandy printable.

Recipe

Quick and Easy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Prep Time:

5 Minutes

Cook Time:

10 Minutes

Difficulty:

Easy

Servings:

8

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 12 ounces, weight Pasta Of Your Choice (I Prefer Short Ones Like Rigatoni, Penne, Etc.)
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 1/2 whole Large Onion, Finely Diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 jar (15.5 Ounces) Roasted Red Peppers, Drained And Roughly Chopped
• 1 cup Vegetable Or Chicken Broth
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream (more To Taste)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Shavings (more For Serving)
• Finely Minced Parsley
• Chopped Fresh Basil (if You Have It!)

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until starting to soften. Add the chopped red peppers and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until hot.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Carefully transfer the contents of the skillet to a food processor or blender. Place on the lid and puree the pepper mixture until totally blended (there will still be some texture to the peppers.)

Heat the other 2 tablespoon butter back to the skillet over medium heat. Pour the pepper puree back into the skillet. Add the broth, salt, and pepper, and stir until heated. Splash in the cream and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if you need to.

Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Add Parmesan and parsley/basil, then stir it together to coat the pasta.

Serve in bowls with extra Parmesan and a sprinkling of parsley on top.

Posted by Ree on May 1 2013

“Something sweet! We need something sweet! Don’t come home unless you bring something sweet!”

They missed me so very much.

I stopped at the grocery store in town to get milk and orange juice and bread, and I scanned my brain for “something sweet” ideas, everything from cookies (but I’d have to wait for the butter to soften) to sheet cake (but I’d just made one last week) to pie (but I’d have to make a crust because I just used the last one in the freezer)…and then I had a revelation.

Monkey Bread.

What kid doesn’t love monkey bread? What grownup doesn’t love monkey bread? What dog, cat, gopher, or coyote doesn’t love monkey bread? My old friend Ryan posted the classic cinnamon-sugar Monkey Bread recipe here years and years ago, and it pretty much can’t be beat. But once I got home, hugged the kids, kissed Marlboro Man, and sniffed Charlie, I decided to go rogue and make an orange-vanilla version.

It turned out to be one of the most profound decisions of my life. Or at least of that afternoon.

 
First, zest a couple of oranges.

 
 
 
If I were cool, I would have used a microplane zester. But I’ve lost mine somewhere along the way.

Translation: My boys probably tried to saw down a tree with it somewhere.

Anyway, get the zest off the oranges however you can do it.

 
 
 
And then…hello! Three small can’s o’ biscuits.

Don’t hate. Appreciate.

You can try making your own biscuit dough for this monkey bread if your soul desires.

But it won’t be as good.

Hahahahaha. Hahaha. Haha. Ha.

Ha?

 
 
 
Pop open the cans and cut each biscuit into quarters.

 
 
 
Keep going till you have a big pile of biscuit pieces.

And an important note: Please do this when the biscuits are super cold, right after you take them out of the fridge. I’d let mine sit on the counter for awhile and they weren’t as easy to handle.

Don’t be like me. I hate putting away groceries. So I just choose not to do it.

 
 
 
Okay, now just grab a big ol’ ziploc bag and throw in a cup of sugar and a dash of salt.

 
 
 
Then throw in the orange zest…

 
 
 
And seal the bag and shake it all together until the sugar and the zest almost become one.

 
 
 
Throw in the biscuit pieces (and I can’t emphasize enough: Make sure they’re cold or you’ll have a sticky headache on your hands)…

 
 
 
Then seal the bag again…

 
 
 
And shake it up, turn it over, and/or swing it around until the biscuit pieces are totally coated in the orange-sugar mixture.

 
 
 
Tip the biscuit pieces into a bundt pan and set it aside for a sec.

 
 
 
Now for the naughty part: Melt 2 sticks of butter in a medium pan…

 
 
 
Then throw in 3/4 cup brown sugar…

 
 
 
A good tablespoon of vanilla extract…

 
 
 
And stir it all together. No need to totally get it all combined/dissolved; it’s actually better if you don’t.

 
 
 
You knew this was gonna happen: Now just pour the contents of the pan all over the biscuit pieces. The butter will be a little separate from the brown sugar, but don’t worry about that; it’ll all become one in the oven.

 
 
 
This is Fifty Shades of Wrong right here.

Where wrong equals right, of course.

 
 
 
Next, bake it in a 350 degree oven for just about 25 minutes, until the top is nice and golden brown.

And this is the tough part: After you remove it from the oven, you need to set it aside for a good 10 minutes or so before you turn it out of the pan. There’s so much buttery caramely stuff going on, if you turn it out too quickly, it’ll run and fall all over the place.

 
 
 
Okay, I waited.

 
 
 
Confession: I don’t think I waited long enough, as it was just a leetle tenuous when I turned it out of the pan. But I was concerned that if I waited too long, it would stick in the pan…so I picked the lesser of two evils.

 
 
 
And speaking of evil…my WORD, was this good. A little too good, actually. Sticky, caramely, orangey, sweet…ugh.

I need to do penance today.

(But I might have to have a few little pieces of monkey bread first.)

Here’s the handy dandy printable!

Recipe

Orange-Vanilla Monkey Bread

Prep Time:

10 Minutes

Cook Time:

25 Minutes

Difficulty:

Easy

Servings:

12

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 cans (7.5 Ounces Each) Buttermilk Biscuits (not The Flaky Kind), Cold
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 whole Oranges, Zested
• 1 dash Salt
• 2 sticks Salted Butter
• 3/4 cups Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

First, make sure all the biscuit cans are very cold.

Open all the cans of biscuits and cut the biscuits into quarters. Fill a large Ziplock bag with the granulated sugar, the orange zest, and the dash of salt. Seal the bag and shake it around until the zest and the sugar are totally combined. Add the biscuit pieces to the bag, seal it and shake/toss it around until all the biscuit pieces are coated in the orange sugar. Pour the pieces into a bundt or tube pan and set it aside.

In a medium pan over medium heat, melt the butter then stir in the brown sugar and vanilla until just barely combined. Pour the mixture all over the biscuit pieces, scraping the pan to get all the butter/brown sugar out of there. Let it settle for a second, then place the pan in the oven.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top of the biscuits are golden brown. Then remove the pan from the oven and set it on a rack. Let the pan sit for at least 10 minutes (but no more than 15), then turn the cake out of the pan onto a cake plate.

Note: When it first comes out of the pan, the melted sugar/caramel will be a little on the hot side. Wait a few minutes after turning it out before serving.

Delicious!

Posted by Ree on April 29 2013

“Knock it off, Napoleon! Make yourself a dang quesaDILLA!”

Okay, I feel better. And not just because I got to start my Monday cooking post with a movie line. I feel better because of these quesadillas, which are everything to me. They’re all that’s wonderful, good, and holy about quesadillas, but with a breakfast twist. And you can serve ‘em up on a plate with sour cream and pico de gallo as you would for regular quesadillas…or you can just throw wedges at your loved ones as they head out the door. They’re highly portable!

I took a bacon-and-egg approach, but you can change it up and use cooked breakfast sausage or even chorizo, which would be divine.

Let’s go make ourselves a dang quesadilla! Grandma would have wanted it that way.

If you haven’t ever seen Napoleon Dynamite, this headnote might be a little confusing.

And please go watch it today. The secrets of the universe are contained within.

 
Cut a pack o’ bacon in half…

 
 
 
And fry it up until it’s just starting to crisp.

 
 
 
Set it aside on a paper towel, and try—this will be difficult, but do try—not to eat it all before it’s time to assemble the quesadillas.

 
 
 
Next, pour off all the grease…

 
 
 
But don’t clean the skillet! If you do you’ll regret it every day for the rest of your lives!

 
 
 
Next, dice up some onion and bell pepper: I had this orange one, but a mix of red, yellow, and green would be pretty.

 
 
 
Then seed a jalapeno and dice it up.

You can leave out the jalapeno if it frightens you in a breakfast setting.

Jalapenos never frighten me in any setting, though. I want a little pain when I eat. Makes me feel alive!

 
 
 
Melt a little butter in the dirty and delicious skillet over high heat…

 
 
 
Then throw in the veggies!

 
 
 
Cook ‘em around until they’re nice and golden brown and starting to get soft…

 
 
 
Then remove ‘em to a plate and set ‘em aside.

 
 
 
Crack the eggs into a bowl…

 
 
 
Splash in a little half-and-half…

 
 
 
And add salt and pepper.

 
 
 
Poke all the egg yolks to break the membranes…

 
 
 
And whip ‘em until the mixture is totally smooth.

 
 
 
Now, turn the heat down to low and melt a leetle more butter in the same skillet.

 
 
 
Pour in the eggs…

 
 
 
Then use a spatula…

 
 
 
To push the eggs around the skillet as they cook.

 
 
 
This right here is how my father-in-law likes his scrambled eggs.

 
 
 
I like ‘em a little more done myself. Turn off the heat and set ‘em aside when they’re done.

 
 
 
Pico de gallo is a must with quesadillas! Chop up a bunch of tomatoes…

 
 
 
Onions…

 
 
 
And cilantro.

 
 
 
Then dice up a seeded jalapeno…

 
 
 
And slice a lime in half.

 
 
 
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and squeeze in the lime juice, then sprinkle in a little salt.

 
 
 
Then stir it around until it’s all combined.

 
 
 
And of course, because I love them truly, madly, and deeply, slice a couple of avocados in half…

 
 
 
Scoop out the good stuff…

 
 
 
And cut it into slices.

 
 
 
Now it’s quesadilla time! Plop a small flour tortilla on a buttered skillet or griddle and top it with cheese.

 
 
 
Spoon some of the veggie mixture on top…

 
 
 
Then top it with a nice layer of scrambled eggs.

 
 
 
And next? A circle of bacony goodness…

 
 
 
Another layer of cheese…

 
 
 
And a second tortilla.

Then just let it go over low heat until the bottom layer of cheese is melted.

 
 
 
Meanwhile, get another quesadillas going. For this one, I used a whole wheat tortilla.

 
 
 
Layer of scrambled eggs…

 
 
 
On this one, I did a circle of avocado. Yum!

 
 
 
Another layer of cheese…

 
 
 
A layer of the veggies, then throw on the top tortillas.

 
 
 
Flip both quesadillas and keep cooking on low/medium-low heat until the cheese is all melted and you can’t go another minute without sinking your teeth into these gorgeous creations.

 
 
 
Use a pizza cutter to slice the quesadilla into quarters.

 
 
 
Beautimous!

 
 
 
To serve ‘em up, plop a dollop of sour cream in the middle…

 
 
 
Followed by a pile of pico.

 
 
 
This is life right here.

 
 
 
Here’s the whole wheat version, which means it has no calories.

In my mind.

 
 
 
These are so rich and filling, one or two wedges is enough for most homo sapiens. And they’re portable!

 
 
 
Garsh, this looks good.

 
 
 
Tastes even mo’ better!

Here’s the handy printable:

Recipe

Breakfast Quesdillas

Prep Time:

20 Minutes

Cook Time:

15 Minutes

Difficulty:

Easy

Servings:

6

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound Thin Bacon
• Butter
• 1 whole Onion, Diced
• 1 whole Bell Pepper (any Color), Seeded And Diced
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Diced
• 8 whole Eggs
• 1/4 cup Half-and-half
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 6 whole Tortillas (regular Or Whole Grain)
• 1-1/2 cup Freshly Grated Cheddar And Monterey Jack Cheese
• Avocado Slices (optional)
• Pico De Gallo, For Serving
• Sour Cream For Serving

Preparation Instructions

Note: This recipe makes 3 quesadillas, which should serve 6 people.

Fry the bacon, then remove it to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off the excess grease.

Return the skillet to the stove over high heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of butter. When it's melted and the skillet is hot, add the onions, bell pepper, and jalapeno. Stir it around and cook until the veggies are starting to soften and turning golden brown. Remove to a plate and set aside. Set the skillet back on the stove over medium-low heat.

Mix together the eggs, half-and-half, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet, then pour in the eggs. Scoot the eggs around the skillet with a spatula, cooking slowly, until the eggs are done. Turn off the heat and set aside.

To assemble the quesadillas, place a tortilla on a buttered griddle or skillet over medium-low heat. Add a layer of cheese, a layer of cooked veggies, a layer of bacon slices, a layer of eggs, a layer of avocado, and another layer of cheese. Top with a second tortilla.

Cook on both sides, flipping carefully, until the cheeses are totally melted and filling is hot. Repeat with the other tortillas and ingredients.

Slice the 3 quesadillas into four wedges each. Serve on a plate with sour cream and pico de gallo or salsa (or grab them and head out the door!)

Posted by Ree on April 22 2013