Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Yesterday on Facebook, amidst the political bantering that has since prompted me to stay off my personal Facebook account a day or two, I promised cookies.

Cake batter. Chocolate chip. Cookies.

The beauty of these cookies is how darn fast they mix up, bake, and disappear once partially cooled. This is one of those recipes that is PERFECT for children to make - even wee ones with an attention span of a roach. It takes maybe 3 minutes to stir together and plop onto the sheet. They are soft with a hint of cake battery flavor in the background (sorta like the cake batter rice crispy treats I made awhile back).

They cook in 10, don't take long to cool down, and are a treat to eat.

What's also really awesome is that you can use any cake mix you want and any mix in you want. I went with a butter yellow cake mix and chocolate chips (used sparingly - I don't like a lot of chocolate in my CCCs. I know, I'm weird). You could use red velvet and white chocolate. Or german chocolate and pecans. The possibilities are endless!

Give these a try and see which cake mix is your favorite to use.

Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 (18.25 oz.) box cake mix
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix and the baking powder. Add eggs and oil, then mix until well blended.

Stir in chocolate chips and drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Stephanie Cooks

Psst! Just two more days to enter to win a 12 inch Pre-Seasoned Lodge Logic Cast Iron Skillet!  Don't miss out!

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

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You worked all day, you come home (in the dark, thanks to daylight savings time!) and the last thing you want to do is stand in the kitchen and cook an elaborate meal. You need tasty food, on the table quickly, using stuff you have on hand. This recipe delivers.

Butter.
Garlic.
Brown Sugar.

What could go wrong?

The brown sugar carmalizes on the chicken and creates this deliciously sweet/salty chicken that would go with just about any veggie you throw together. And it's just four ingredients! FOUR!

This will definitely go into our we'rehungrywhatcanwethrowtogetherfast file - and I hope it goes into yours, too!

 



Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

4 chicken breasts
4 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, sliced
4 tablespoons brown sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
 

Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts and set aside.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, or until fragrant and the butter/garlic is starting to brown just slightly.

Add chicken, cover pan, and cook for 12 minutes. Flip chicken and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked throughly (or has reached an internal temp of 165°F).

Sprinkle the tops of each chicken breast with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Cover pan with lid once more and let the brown sugar melt, about 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Source: The Novice Chef

Psst - have you entered to win a 12 inch Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet yet? It's my favorite kitchen item and you need one, too! Drawing ends Friday at midnight - don't miss out!

New look and... my first ever giveaway (12 inch Lodge Castiron Skillet)!! (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

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Y'all.

I've decided to get serious with this blogging thing. Thus, the great new look thanks to Jen @ Munchkin Land Designs... and the great tips from my friend Jen @ Juanita's Cocina. It's about to get real, y'all.

While waiting on my new and improved design to be finalized, I have been quietly cooking and snapping pictures in my kitchen. Know what that means? I'm a woman with a plan. You'll soon see regular posts - not just a hoard of posts in one week and nothing for three like in the past. I hope to take things to the next level and connect with some other fab foodie bloggers out there in internet land.

I told y'all it was getting real up in here.

{this is the point where Jason rolls his eyes at me}

To celebrate my redesign, I want to celebrate YOU with a giveaway! Most blogs out there host giveaways on a fairly regular basis but I never have. Many of them are sponsored by a brand/product but I'm small potatoes in the blog world and am paying for this right out of my pocket. Yep, I like you that much.

Many of you have faithfully followed along since the beginning and saw first hand just how bad the photography has been at times. Some of you may be brand new and I hope you'll add me to your reader and stick around. Regardless of how long you've been here, I know you'll want a chance to win one of my favorite kitchen items - a 12 inch Lodge cast iron skillet.

Seriously, I ADORE anything cast iron. I used to think it was just for camping and then I saw the light. I love this particular skillet so much that we hit up the Lodge outlet store earlier today (on our way back from a beach weekend at Myrtle Beach - which rocked!) and picked up a 3rd one. Makes total sense that it be the first item I give away to a reader!

You can make peach cobbler in it. Or cornbread. Or mac and Cheese. Or chicken. Or steak (mmmm.... steak). Or baked pasta. The possibilities are endless!

Even if you have one (or four) you can use another. And if you don't have one yet, you need one.

To win a 12 inch Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet:

Required: Comment and tell me your favorite thing to make in a cast iron skillet {be sure and include your email address!}

Additional entries:
Like me on Facebook
Follow me on Pinterest

If you follow me on Pinterest or Facebook, please note that in your comment or I won't know to give you additional shots at winning. With those two additional entries, you can have your name in the drawing three times!

Giveaway closes Friday, November 9 @ Midnight. Winner will be notified by email on Saturday, November 10.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. Lodge doesn't even know who I am; I just think their products rock and I want you to have one. This product will be paid for out of my own pocket and shipped directly to you.

Chicken Enchilada Spaghetti

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Take the deliciousness of traditional chicken enchiladas, skim off the multi-step cooking method, and you get this dish. It's easy, quick (start to finish, 20 minutes at most), and delicious!

You can use any pasta shape you want; spaghetti was cheap so that's what I went with. You could also swap in your favorite homemade enchilada sauce but I went with easy and picked up a bottle at Trader Joe's.

Chicken Enchilada Spaghetti
1/2 lb spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I used rotissere)
1 (10 oz) can of red enchilada sauce
3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
fresh cilantro, for garnish

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, add the oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, chili powder, paprika and cayenne, and cook for only a minute or so, stirring constantly - just until the garlic is fragrant and the spices are toasted. Add the chicken and the enchilada sauce and stir to incorporate. Reduce the heat to low and add the pasta to the skillet. Use tongs to toss until the pasta is coated with the sauce. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese, continuing to toss until melted and combined. Garnish with cilantro before serving.

Source: Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Crispy Beef & Black Bean Burritos with Sour Cream-Poblano Sauce

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We both loved these baked burritos! I loved that they were super easy and fast to whip up. This recipe also makes quite a bit so it stretched into leftovers easily. Because they are are baked until crispy, the leftovers don't get soggy and they hold up well to the sauce. While poblanos can be spicy, they have a great smoky flavor that I love. By removing the seeds, and pairing them with a cool sour cream sauce, you come away with the flavor of the poblano without burning your mouth off.

The burrito filling is really versatile and you really can throw in anything you like in your burrito. Use ground turkey instead, or pinto beans, throw in some corn, whatever you like!

Crispy Beef & Black Bean Burritos with Sour Cream-Poblano Sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 pound ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 1/4 teaspoons chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or cheese of your preference
Flour tortillas (I used a package of 12 burrito size)
Cooking spray
2 poblano peppers
2 tablespoons butter
1 jalapeno pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons flour
2/3 cup chicken broth (preferably room temperature)
1/2 cup sour cream (light is fine)

Preheat oven to 400º and lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the onion begins to soften. Add the ground beef and break up with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking until the meat is cooked through, then drain off any fat if necessary. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for about a minute. Stir in the beans, water and spices and add salt to taste. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Place about 2 tablespoons of cheese at the end of each tortilla. Top with a generous amount of the beef and bean mixture. Roll into a burrito by folding the left and right sides in and then rolling away from you. Place the burrito seam-side down on the baking sheet and repeat process with remaining tortillas, cheese and filling. Lightly spray with cooking spray, then bake for about 20 minutes until the tortillas are golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Roast the poblanos, either directly over a gas flame or under the broiler, until the skin is charred. Place in gallon size food storage bag until cool enough to handle. Peel the peppers, remove the stem and seeds and dice.

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Once butter has melted, whisk in flour and cook for an additional minute, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and then add the poblano peppers. Continue to simmer, whisking frequently, until sauce has thickened. Stir in the sour cream and add salt and pepper to taste. Heat through, then spoon sauce over the burritos.

Source: Cook Like a Champion

Pasta with Tuna and Tomato Sauce

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Canned tuna is way underrated. It's almost like people are embarassed they like it. Though I'm not sure why... I adore a good ol' tuna salad sandwich. Canned tuna really is more versatile than just a cold salad sandwich ingredient. Matter of fact, not too long ago I made a fried tuna po boy that was delicious! This was the first time I've used it in a pasta dish and it was delicious!

This recipe is a really great weeknight meal. It's hearty, easy, inexpensive, and fast. The original source of this recipe is actually from an italian cookbook from the 60s!

If you like tuna, I think you'll like it featured in this pasta dish.

*be sure you use tuna in olive oil, not water!

Pasta with Tuna and Tomato Sauce

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

Salt

1 pound pasta shells

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 6-ounce can tuna packed in olive oil

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped or torn

A generous 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

 

Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat and add the can of tomatoes, including the juice. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

Once the sauce is cooking, heat a large pot of well salted water to a strong boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook at a vigorous boil, uncovered, until al dente (cooked through but still a bit firm to the bite). Drain and set aside.

Pour off the excess oil from the tuna can and stir the tuna into the tomato sauce. Add the ricotta cheese, and add salt to taste. Turn off the heat. Mix the sauce with the pasta in a large bowl. Mix in the basil.

Pour the pasta into a 2 to 3-quart casserole dish and top with the parmesan cheese. Put under a hot broiler for 4-6 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve hot.

Source: Simply Recipes

Melon Mojito Fish Tacos

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I was frantically trying to capture the last few minutes of the setting sun and while I was successful in getting a picture, thanks to the lack of sunshine, it doesn't appear near as colorful and appealing as it does in real life. It's human nature to be attracted to "pretty" foods and this one doesn't disappoint! Purple and green are always gorgeous together, and even more gorgeous when you can take a bite out of it!

If you're a fan of mojitos, I guarantee you'll love these tacos. Bright, fresh, colorful, and perfect for a warm summer night. The fact that you can throw it together quickly is the icing on the cake!

Melon Mojito Fish Tacos
For the fish:
1 pound firm white fish (I used cod)
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons light rum
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons lime zest
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

For the salsa: 
1 cup finely chopped honeydew melon
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon light rum
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Remaining ingredients:
Corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups chopped red cabbage (1/4th of a large cabbage)

Place fish in a small baking dish. Whisk together garlic, rum, lime juice, lime zest, mint, cumin, salt and pepper. Pour evenly over fish, spooning the herbs and garlic on top of the fish. Set aside and let marinate 10-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare salsa by combining all ingredients in a medium bowl and stirring together.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Spray grates with cooking spray.

Place fish on grill and cook for 10-12 minutes, covered, turning once. Fish is done with it flakes easily and is opaque in the center. Remove from grill and wrap with foil to keep warm.

Place tortillas on the grill and cook for about 60 seconds per side, until browned and slightly crisp.

Slice fish into pieces and divide among the warm tortillas. Top with cabbage and salsa.

Source: Cara's Cravings

Honey-Rum Baked Black Beans

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Over the summer, I traveled to Honduras on a mission trip with 30+ other church members. It was an amazing and hard week. I shared about it in two parts (so far) if you want to check it out here and here. And while we did eat a lot of chicken, rice, and beans, these beans aren't Hondurian in any way, shape, or form. However, I still think of that trip when I think about this recipe because I read it in a magazine on the plane there, snapped a pic, and passed on the magazine to another person to enjoy. And since that trip, everytime I got through my phone pictures and see it there, waiting for me to make, I'm transported back to that flight.

Totally random, I know, but that's how my brain works.

Back to the beans. Baked beans, by nature, take awhile to make and usually a couple of steps (unless you cheat and go with canned instead of dry). But in my experience, they're always worth the effort. This is my first time making (or eating!) baked black beans and they were delicious! The chorizo adds a Mexican flare and a bit of spice.

The next time you're looking for sides at your BBQ, consider these for a change!

*Note: This recipe won't work with canned beans without changing the liquid amounts significantly.  

Honey-Rum Baked Beans

1 pound dried black beans, picked over

2 links chorizo sausage, casing removed

1 large Spanish onion

2 medium carrots

5 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

1 cup dark rum

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 can low sodium chicken broth

1 cup barbecue sauce

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Kosher salt and pepper

 

In a large bowl, place beans and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Soak for 8 hours.

 

Drain beans, place in 8 quart saucepan, and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer 1 to 1.5 hours or until very tender, stirring occasionally. Drain beans and place in large bowl.

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Meanwhile, cut onion and carrots into a small dice. Finely chop garlic.

In a large skillet, heat oil on high. Add chorizo and cook until browned. Remove the cooked chorizo and add onion and carrots to the skillet. Cook 5-6 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add rum and cook 3 minutes or until reduced by half.

Transfer the onion mixture to the bowl with the beans and add the honey, molasses, brown sugar, broth, barbecue sauce, chorizo, and 1/3 cup cilantro. Mix gently to combine and stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper.

Transfer the mixture to a deep 2 to 2.5 quart baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.

Uncover and bake 45 minutes longer.

*If at this point there is still too much liquid, transfer the mixture back to the stove top and let simmer until more of it cooks off.*

Garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro before serving.

Source: Good Housekeeping Magazine

Jalapeno Popper Chicken

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Stop! You, right there, about to click away because you don't like spicy foods! Don't blow this dish off due to fear of burning tastebuds. I feel your pain (quite literally, on many occasions). I'm a big spice wimp who steered clear of jalapeno poppers for years because I thought they were spicy. But they aren't. Really. Jalapenos, when removed of their ribs and seeds, are very mild and flavorful. And jalapenos stuffed with cheese and more cheese? Amazing.

Now, take the flavor of those little nuggets of goodness and stuff it into chicken that is breaded and baked. You want to try it now, right?

You definitely should.

Jalapeno Popper Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar or Colby cheese
1 tsp olive oil
4 jalapenos, chopped (ribs and seeds removed)
1 1/4 cup Panko
2 tsp taco seasoning
1/2 tsp dry parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp oregano
1 egg
Non-stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare a cookie sheet with light spray of non-stick spray.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the jalapenos and cook until softened. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the cream cheese and shredded cheese, stir to combine.

Cut a pocket into the each chicken breast. Stuff each pocket with the cream cheese mixture. Secure with a toothpick if necessary.

In a shallow dish, whisk the egg. In another shallow bowl, mix the Panko, taco seasoning, parsley, oregano, and salt. Dip each chicken breast in the egg then the Panko. Place the breaded chicken breast on the prepared cookie sheet. To help give the breading a deeper color, you can give each breast a little spray of oil.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink inside and the juices run clear.

Source: Sunny Side Up

Skillet Lasagna

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Whew! What a crazy ride we have been on this summer! So crazy, in fact, that I didn't cook a single meal for three months!

In the past three months, we have moved from Texas to North Carolina, both started new jobs, said many tearful goodbyes, pulled out of a contract on our first choice house, found a new house, dealt with closing issues, lived with other people and then in a hotel with our three dogs, got our stuff packed and moved here, and put our Texas house on the market. And in the big fat middle of it, I fell and badly broke the bones in my left leg leaving me mostly wheelchair bound for 6 weeks and counting. I'm documenting our new adventure if you want to check it out.

The upside is that our new kitchen is finally unpacked enough for us to hit the grocery store and plan some meals! Since cooking is my therapy, I was stoked to get back in there.

Knowing that some of the stuff is still in a box somewhere, and my mobility is limited, I opted for an easy to pull together meal. This dish comes together in about 30 minutes and uses few ingredients or dishes. We both loved it! Lasagna is delicious but such a pain to make. This gives you all the flavors without the work!

Skillet Lasagna
3 (14.5 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
pinch red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 lb ground beef
10 (curly-edged) lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup ricotta cheese (part-skim is fine)
3 Tbs chopped fresh basil

Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor until coarsely ground and no large pieces remain, about 12 pulses. (I used my immersion blender instead - you could probably sub crushed tomatoes and it'd be just as good!)

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook, stirring often and using a wooden spoon to break up the meat, about 3 to 5 minutes, or until it's no longer pink.

Scatter the pasta in the skillet, then pour the tomatoes over the top. Stir, increase the heat to medium-high, and cover. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender, 20 minutes. (stirring often is important!)

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.

Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in half the mozzarella and Parmesan, and 1/4 cup of the ricotta. Dot the remaining ricotta over the noodles in tablespoons, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Transfer to the oven and broil until the cheese melts and is starting to brown.  Remove from oven, sprinkle with basil, and serve.

Source: Pink Parsley

Skillet Ground Beef Stroganoff

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We've been eating out a lot.

(you can probably guess that based on the infrequent posts here lately)

I love all food so eating out is just fine with me but after awhile our options get pretty limited. We don't live near much more than basic chain spots. I'm no snob; I'll happily dine at Chili's or Panda Express but even I get sick of it all after awhile.

Over the weekend, I decided I was tired of eating out and wanted to cook. We were already stopping by a grocery store so I grabbed just the ingredients for this meal. Not usually the way I grocery shop, but it worked in a pinch.

This meal was super fast, inexpensive, and so warm and comforting. And - just one pot needed! Perfect for a weeknight or a weekend when you don't want to eat yet another take-out meal.

*I didn't have brandy or cognac on hand so I used a bit of Worcestershire sauce and then some beef broth for this step

Skillet Ground Beef Stroganoff
1/2 Tbsp. canola or olive oil
1 lb. ground beef or ground sirloin
1 onion, finely diced
12 oz. white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup brandy or cognac (see note above)
2 Tbsp. flour
4 cups beef broth
1/2 lb. egg noodles
1 cup sour cream (light is fine)
2 tsp. lemon juice

Heat a large saute pan with lid or a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the oil and, once hot, the ground beef. Don’t stir the beef; instead, let it brown on one side completely. Add the onions. Stir, breaking up the ground beef, until the beef is browned and onions are tender. Move to a bowl, draining any excess fat.

To the skillet, add the mushrooms and a small pinch of salt (and a little more oil, if necessary). Cook until the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Add the brandy and lift any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil for about 1 minute before adding flour. Cook for 30 seconds; then, add the broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the noodles and the beef. Cover partially with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Source: Elly Says Opa

Lasagna Cupcakes with Sausage and Mango Chutney

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I've decided my favorite punctuation is "..."

If you know me well, you know "..." completely fits my personality.

Why?

Because I often trail off in the middle of sentences and stories and move onto something else. Or just stop speaking all together because I'm distracted by something shiny. Or glittery. Glitter is always better.

That dog in Up? Me in dog form. SQUIRREL!

That's probably why I work with children. I get them.

Boy is this a random start to a food post. Stay with me...

Our life is about to take a crazy new road and I'm stoked, scared, and seriously emotional. These two born and bred Texans are scooting 1100 miles away. I would have said boot scooting, since we are Texans, but I've never owned a pair of boots in my life so it just felt wrong.

And of course, when you start to make a move things go wrong...
...like the landline going out
...which caused the DSL to go out
...and the AC unit upstairs went out

Which means there is a 10 day lapse in blog entries. Not due to the AC, but the internet. Duh.

My dad totally saved the day and brought over some fancy internet thingy that runs on cell tower somethings.

That's the technical name of it.

So, my humble little blog will be a bit random for awhile until we get everything settled...

Because right now, "..." is our future. Our crazy, unknown, and incredibly exciting future.

(now I'll finally get to the recipe)

These cuties are from Aarti and have a slight Indian flair that I love. They were fairly quick and easy, very flavorful, and cute as a button. Great for company since they're so much prettier than scooping out lasagna and good for portion control.


We give them two thumbs up!

Lasagna Cupcakes with Sausage and Mango Chutney
Meat Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (1-inch) cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound mild Italian chicken sausage, casing removed

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 (28-ounce can) crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus 12 whole small leaves

Ricotta Filling:

3/4 cup part-skim ricotta

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for topping

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, plus more for topping

1/3 cup mango chutney

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 package wonton wrappers (at least 48)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the meat sauce: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the cinnamon stick and whole cloves. Add the onion, sprinkle with a little salt and saute until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.

Add the sausage, breaking up the clumps with your spoon. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, 1/4 cup chopped basil, as well as some salt and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer uncovered, for about 15 minutes, stirring every now and then. Allow the meat sauce to cool, about 15 minutes before building lasagna cupcakes. As the meat sauce is cooking, prepare the ricotta filling.

For the ricotta filling: Stir together the ricotta, 3/4 cup Parmesan, 3/4 cup mozzarella and mango chutney. Season with lots of pepper, about a teaspoon and set aside.

To assemble the cupcakes: Pull out your favorite cupcake pan. If your pan is not nonstick, spray the cups with cooking spray. Place a wonton wrapper in each cup. Don't worry if you're using square ones.

Drop about 1 tablespoon of meat sauce into the bottom of each cup. Then add 1 teaspoon of ricotta filling. Then cover with another wonton wrapper, rotating it about 90 degrees so that the corners of the first wrapper and the second wrapper aren't right on top of each other. Repeat this until you've built 3 layers total. Top each with a small basil leaf, then another wonton wrapper. Finish each cupcake with a spoonful of meat sauce, a little shredded mozzarella and pinch of grated Parmesan.

Pop them into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. When time's up, resist the temptation to eat them right away or else you'll burn your mouth! Let them rest on the counter for about 10 minutes, and they should slip out of the muffin tin easily. Top with more shredded basil if you like.

Source: Aarti at Food Network

Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream

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Mmm, I love a fish taco! Most of the taco places we love to dine at have fish tacos on the menu with usually the option of breaded or grilled. We both often order them yet have never made them at home! I decided to go with a grilled version instead of messing with the batter and oil on a weeknight.

These are super quick to make (even with marinating it) and really tasty - light, fresh, and limey. You can use a variety of toppings but we went with the usual taco fillings that we like to order out. The chipotle cream was delicious as well; it's cool and creamy with just a hint of heat in the background.

Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream
Fish:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound white flaky fish fillet, like tilapia or halibut

Chipotle cream:

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons chipotle pepper, in adobo sauce

8 taco sized tortillas (corn or flour)

1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage or lettuce

1/2 cup corn kernels

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges

Cotija cheese

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour over the fish fillets and let marinate for 20 minutes. Put the yogurt into a strainer lined with a paper towel and place over a bowl to drain and thicken for 20 minutes.

Remove the fish from the marinade and grill on a preheated grill or nonstick grill pan over a medium-high heat until cooked thorough, about 3 minutes per side. Set the fish aside on a plate for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl combine the thickened yogurt, mayonnaise, and chipotle pepper.

Heat the tortillas on the grill or grill pan for 30 seconds on each side.

Flake the fish with a fork. Top each tortilla with 1 tablespoon of the chipotle cream. Top with fish, cabbage, corn, cotija, and cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Note: I cut my fish into small pieces before marinating and just quick fried them on the stove. We did not flake our fish.

Source: Ellie Krieger on Food Network

Chipotle Mac and Cheese

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There are 4 reasons why I love this dish.

1. It's easy.
2. You use only ONE pot for the entire dish.
3. It's delicious.
4. It's mac and cheese. The end.

In all seriousness, please don't be scared off by the addition of the chipotle pepper. You only use one and it adds a nice smokyness and heat in the background. Nothing too crazy hot. And I'm quite the weenie. On the flipside, if you want spice add more peppers.

While the cotija cheese is optional, I think it's a delicious addition at the end.

(psst - The original recipe included chopped cooked bacon on top as well. I did intend to add that, because I lurve me some bacon, but I didn't have any thawed. It was delicious without but add it if you want to. And you know you want to...)

Chipotle Mac and Cheese
2 cups of dry elbow pasta
2 cups of milk
1 cup of cottage cheese
1 chipotle chile in adobo
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
Pinch of cumin
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 cups of shredded cheese, a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack
1/4 cup of crumbled cotija cheese (optional)
4 pieces of cooked bacon, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon of butter or cooking spray

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-inch square or round baking pan with the butter or cooking spray. Add the dry pasta.

In a blender (or using your immersion blender), mix together the milk, cottage cheese, chipotle chile, mustard powder, garlic, cumin, salt and black pepper until it’s smooth. Pour mixture over dry pasta and stir until sauce is evenly distributed.

Stir in two cups of the shredded cheese, cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the foil and stir the macaroni and cheese a couple of times. Top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese and chopped bacon and cook for another 25 minutes uncovered or until brown and bubbling.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with cotija and serve.

Source: Homesick Texan

Mongolian Beef

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I'm revisiting one of our favorite meals because my first picture was so unappetizing, and because I think it deserves mentioning again.

This dish is so tasty and a great copycat PF Changs version. It's salty and sweet, with a bit of kick at the end thanks to the red pepper (which you can omit easily). More than that - it's so fast and easy! Dinner is start to finish, including rice, about 20 minutes.

Mongolian Beef
2 lb of flank steak, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup of cornstarch
6 teaspoons of canola oil
1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoon of chopped garlic (about 4-5 large cloves)
1 cup of water
1 cup of soy sauce
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
Green onions, thinly sliced (garnish)

Pat the steak pieces dry and put them in a strainer. Sprinkle with corn starch and move them around to make sure all the pieces are coated and the excess falls out the bottom.

Heat half of the oil in a large wok at medium-high and add the garlic and ginger. Immediately add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl.

Turn the heat up and add the remaining oil to the wok. Add the beef and cook, stirring until it is all browned. You may want to do it in batches to ensure all pieces brown quickly and easily.

Pour the sauce back into the wok and let it cook along with the meat. Thanks to the cornstarch, the sauce will thicken up a bit. You can add more cornstarch if you like it thicker, or add water to thin it out.

Garnish with green onions and serve with hot rice.

Source: Pink Bites