Mint Fudge Ice Cream with Brownie Pieces - SRC

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, which means it's the perfect time for mint/chocolate desserts. Well, any time is perfect for mint/chocolate desserts in my opinion, but that's just how I roll.

So when I saw this recipe on my assigned blog for the Secret Recipe Club, I knew it was the perfect choice. Well, that and because she said it was quite possibly the best thing she had ever made. That nearly requires a taste test, don't you think?

So my blog this month was Pale Yellow, where Tracy has some seriously awesome baked goods (and lots of other selections as well, but I was irresistibly drawn to the sweets, as usual).  Caramel Snickers Bars, Brown Butter Biscoff Rice Crispy Treats, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies were a few of the delectable treats that caught my eye, but I just kept thinking about this ice cream.

And boy, am I glad I did.

Now here's the thing. You have to plan ahead to make this - the ice cream mixture has to chill before being churned, the brownies need to be baked, cut into chunks, and frozen, and the fudge sauce made and chilled before you can combine it all together. So give yourself a day to get all the components ready (or at the very least, start very early in the morning), and then complete the recipe the next day.

I've used mint extract lots of times, but this recipe uses real mint leaves, simmered right in the milk and cream to impart that real mint flavor. I was amazed at how delicious it was - the flavor is so authentic with no aftertastes. Sublime.
Combine that with fudgy brownie chunks and an incredible fudge sauce swirled through every bite - and you have a little bowl of heaven. Totally worth the time invested to make it. And the calories.

I was running short on eggs, so I didn't use Tracy's egg-based ice cream - I just used the normal vanilla I make except with the step of simmering the mint leaves added in. I also didn't use the fudge sauce that Tracy did, because it uses corn syrup, which I try to avoid. Instead I used this very simple sauce and thought it was fantastic.

This ice cream received RAVE reviews from every member of my family - and Grant, who often times would just as soon eat store bought ice cream as homemade, couldn't stop talking about how awesome it was. Then a friend who stopped by for dinner loved it so much that he declared that I should go into business selling it - that he would pay $30 a gallon for it. I call that a WIN!

Note: You will NOT use all the brownies that the recipe makes in the ice cream itself. You can easily cut the recipe in half if you don't want as much  left over and bake it in a 8 or 9" square pan. Or you could freeze the leftovers. OR you could make brownies from a box if you want. But these brownies are super delicious and definitely worth trying, just on their own. Crackly on top, dense, rich, and fudgy, you won't regret making them.  

Mint Fudge Ice Cream with Brownie Pieces
from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

Ice cream: 
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup sugar
3 cups heavy cream
1 bunch fresh mint
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract  

Fudge Sauce: 
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup (half stick) butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract 

Brownies: 
10 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (I used chocolate chips)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder


To make Ice cream: 

Combine milk, sugar, and cream in a saucepan. Add mint leaves and heat/steep on low, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes. Do not let come to a boil. Remove from heat and pour through a fine sieve to remove the leaves. Stir in vanilla and pour mixture into a bowl to chill, preferably overnight.

To make Fudge Sauce:

Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour into a jar and refrigerate until cool. You won't need all of it for the ice cream - but you can always pour extra on individual servings if desired. It will last in the fridge for several weeks. Sauce will thicken up and can be made pourable by microwaving for 15-25 seconds.

To make Brownies:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease a 13x9" pan with butter. Set aside.
Using a double boiler, or a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the butter, chocolate, and coffee powder. Stir often. Once thoroughly melted, remove from heat. Stir in sugar and brown sugar and whisk to combine. In a small bowl, whisk eggs together until well beaten. Add to chocolate and sugar mixture along with the vanilla and stir well.
Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Stir just into combined.
Pour into greased pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out with a little bit of batter.
Cool completely.
Cut some of the brownies into small chunks, place on a wax paper lined dish, and freeze until ready to stir into the ice cream. You won't use all the brownies - probably only 1/4-1/3 of them. That's okay. The brownies are completely awesome on their own. :)

To put it all together: 
Churn ice cream according to your manufacturer's direction.
Fold in the brownie chunks until evenly distributed.
Spread about a third of the ice cream into a container, drizzle with fudge sauce, Repeat with the second and third layers. Freeze until firm.

Source: adapted from Pale Yellow

An InLinkz Link-up

Brocomoli Dip - SRC

During my growing-up years, my family never ate avocados. I don't think I even knew what one was, if you want to know the truth.
But somewhere in my adult years, I had my first taste of guacamole and I loved it.  It wasn't something I had often, but when I did, it was always a treat.

Several years ago, however, I developed some sort of sensitivity to avocados. One day after eating half of one for lunch, I had horrible stomach cramps and nausea for the next 8 hours. Didn't associate it with the avocado, just thought it was some sort of bug I picked up.
A few weeks later, the exact same thing happened. I realized the avocado connection and made the sad decision to eliminate them from my diet.

One time 2 years ago, I had a small bit of guacamole with a Mexican meal, like just a tablespoon or two, thinking that such a small amount surely wouldn't bother me. Same thing happened. Stomach cramps and nausea for 7-8 hours. Guacamole is definitely out of the picture for me. Boo.

So when I saw a recipe for Brocomoli on my assigned Secret Recipe Club blog for the month, I just had to try it.

I had the pleasure of browsing around Learning Patience this month, where Corey blogs about running and fitness, dealing with Type 1 diabetes, world travel, and of course, lots of food!

I would love to try her Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin, Grilled Romaine Veggie Salad, and I actually have the ingredients waiting in the fridge to make this luscious Mascarpone Cheesecake with Almond Crust.

But the Brocomoli was too tempting. I whipped it up in about 15 minutes and dove in. It's delicious!
Okay, so the kids didn't go crazy for it, but Grant and I declared it a real winner. Grant was skeptical at first, and although he won't replace guacamole in HIS diet for this dip, he was really impressed at how tasty it is and especially happy that I can have it too. :)

We ate it with crackers and corn chips, and Corey suggested using it as a spread for sandwiches too, which I'm sure would be great.

Brocomoli Dip
from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

1 small head of broccoli, cut into florets (use organic if possible)
juice of half a small lemon (I forgot to buy a lemon, used 1 T. bottled lemon juice)
zest of half a lemon
4 ounces low fat cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 small bunch of green onions, diced
1 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp. sumac (optional - I didn't use)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

Steam broccoli until tender.
Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend thoroughly.
Store in the refrigerator and enjoy!

Note: Can be served hot or cold. Serve with crackers, chips, pita bread, as a spread for sandwiches, etc. 

Source: Learning Patience 

An InLinkz Link-up

Peanut Butter Frosted Brownies with Whipped Chocolate Ganache - SRC

Most people find a pan of brownies pretty irresistible, right?

How about if you cover the brownies with a layer of peanut butter topping?  Oh, don't stop there, let's add a layer of whipped ganache frosting!!

This pan of decadence got 2 big thumbs up from my crew of eaters. I never saw them eat their soup so fast, knowing this was waiting for dessert.

The recipe came from my Secret Recipe Club assignment for the month, It's Yummi, where Chef Becca uses her culinary expertise to create and share from-scratch, mainly healthy recipes. She has a wealth of amazing recipes, like Key Lime Cheesecake with Hazelnut Crust , Slow Cooker BBQ Baked Beans and one that Grant would cheer for  - Double Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Tart. 

(I need to ask for a tart pan for Christmas. Seriously, how have I baked for so long without one?)

All that to say, I thoroughly enjoyed browsing her blog and have found plenty of pin-worthy recipes to add to my list of things to try.

These brownies just sounded too good though. And they did not disappoint. I ended up halving her ganache layer ingredients - I mean, I LOVE ganache, but I figured we could cut the calories a little bit without sacrificing the flavor.

The peanut butter layer, which is just a package of peanut butter chips melted with some butter, hardened up more than I was expecting and I wondered if it would matter - turned out it added a nice texture variation and great flavor. Just don't expect it to be light and fluffy like a peanut butter buttercream frosting would be.

It still cuts fine with a sharp knife at room temperature, but I imagine if you chilled the brownies in the fridge, they would be harder to cut neatly.

These brownies were a huge hit and would be a great gift for that chocolate-peanut butter fan in your life.

Peanut Butter Frosted Brownies with Whipped Chocolate Ganache

from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

Yield: 9"square pan of brownies

Brownie Layer:

5 oz (1 stick plus 2 Tbsp) salted butter, room temperature

3.5 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate

3.5 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 large eggs

3 oz (2/3 cup) all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Peanut Butter Layer:

10 oz (1 bag) Reese's peanut butter chips

2 oz (1/2 stick) butter

Ganache Frosting:

5 ounces chocolate, finely chopped (I used mostly semi-sweet and some white chocolate)

4 ounces heavy cream

For the Brownies:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line an 8 or 9" square baking pan with foil, extending up the sides by 2 inches. Spray with cooking spray.
3. Melt butter and chocolates in a medium bowl over a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each one before adding the next.
4. Continue to whisk until mixture is completely smooth and glossy. Add flour and baking powder and stir just until incorporated.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out with wet crumbs - about 20-25 minutes.
6. When the brownies have about 5 minutes left to bake, make the peanut butter filling.

For the Peanut Butter Layer:

1. Place the peanut butter chips and butter into a microwaveable glass bowl. Heat at medium power for 1 minute. Stir and continue to heat on medium power in 30 second intervals until the mixture is melted and glossy in appearance.
2. When the brownies come out of the oven, pour peanut butter mixture over the top of the warm brownies. Spread evenly over the top. Cool brownies completely.

For the Ganache: 

1. Put chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring cream to a simmer (do not boil). Pour cream over chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Place in refrigerator until completely chilled, whisking occasionally.
3. After ganache has chilled, transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on high speed for 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Spread on top of brownies.

Source: adapted slightly from It's Yummi

An InLinkz Link-up

Cinnamon Raisin Brioche - SRC

It's no secret that I love bread - I even have a Nutrimill wheat grinder to grind organic wheat berries for the freshest bread possible. I've made homemade cinnamon rolls, pizza crust, dinner rolls, crescent rolls, sandwich bread, French bread, and of course, biscuits and a wide variety of quick breads.

But I had never made brioche.

In case you're wondering, brioche is a kind of French "pastry" bread that has a high butter and egg content and a dark, golden crust.

So when I saw a recipe for Cinnamon Raisin Brioche on my Secret Recipe Club assignment for the month, I couldn't resist.

Julie is a fellow carboholic who blogs over at White Lights on Wednesday.  She has a really great assortment of DIY home projects, decorating tips, blogging advice, and of course, lots of recipes!

I was tempted to try the Crockpot Rocky Road Chocolate Cake (still haven't used my crockpots for desserts - what am I waiting for?), I love the sound of this Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Dressing, and I have a feeling this Peanut Butter Crack is gonna make it to my Christmas baking list. But I just had to try the brioche.

Now, this bread isn't something you can rush. It requires several hours of prep time, most of which is the rising periods, of course. Some traditional brioche recipes even require refrigerating the dough for a day or two to further develop the flavors. Yeah, I didn't plan ahead enough for that.
But it's really not too involved, so it's perfect for a day that you don't have to be anywhere.

Okay, another confession. The recipe called for 3/4 cup of butter per loaf- that's a stick and a half for anyone who's counting. I stood there and looked at all that butter and just.couldn't.do.it.

Butter is expensive. And that would be a ton of calories.

So I made the only reasonable decision I could at the time and only used 1 stick of butter total. Yes, I cut the amount of butter called for by two-thirds.

And you know what? The bread was still delicious. Maybe not as "pastry-like" as it could have been, but I wasn't trying to make dessert anyways. The kids and I gobbled up half on one loaf within 10 minutes of removing it from the oven. Nobody complained that there wasn't enough butter in there. :) A couple of my kids didn't like the raisins in there, but whatever. I loved them.

I made cinnamon toast the next morning with the leftover bread by slicing it, spreading on a little butter, sprinkling with cinnamon sugar, and baking at 350°F until golden brown. Simply scrumptious!


Cinnamon Raisin Brioche 
from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun
Yield: 2 loaves

Starter: 
2 teaspoons sugar
2 packets active dry yeast (or 5 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm whole milk (105-110° F)
1 scant cup all-purpose flour

Dough: 
1 teaspoon salt
5 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons hot water (or milk)
6 eggs
3-4 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into 1/2" slices

Extras:
1 1/2 cups raisins
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions:

Starter:
In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar and yeast. Pour in warm milk and stir to combine. Let the mixture set for 5 minutes until it's foamy. Stir in the flour until a soft dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside, at room temperature, for 1 hour.

Dough:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, sugar, and hot water (or milk) until the sugar dissolves.
2. Using the whisk attachment, beat eggs on medium low speed with a stand mixer until the eggs are fluffy. Add the sugar mixture and beat to combine. Add 3 cups of flour and mix until combined.  Add in half of the butter and mix for another minute.
3. Remove the whisk attachment and switch to the dough hook. Transfer the starter dough into the dough mixture. Beat for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and stretchy. Add a little additional flour if dough is too runny and sticky. Add the rest of the butter and beat until it's incorporated into the dough.
4. Transfer the dough to a large buttered bowl. Dust the top of the dough lightly with flour to prevent a crust from forming. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled. I like to use my unheated oven with the light on. 
5. Coat 2 standard loaf pans with butter. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon.
6. Uncover dough and punch it down a bit. Add raisins to the dough and knead them in by hand. 
7. Section the dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece in cinnamon sugar, coating heavily, and form into a ball. Place 8 balls in each loaf pan in a 2 x 4 format.
8. Cover the pans with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let rise until doubled, or slightly over the top of the pans. 
9. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake bread for 25-30 minutes, until the bread is set and golden. Start checking about half-way through to see if it's getting too dark. If so, cover the tops with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.  
10. Remove bread from oven. Let sit in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out bread from pans and let cool. 

Delicious warm with butter; also makes great cinnamon toast and French toast!

Source: Adapted from White Lights on Wednesday

An InLinkz Link-up

Chocolate Pumpkin Delight Cake - SRC

It's time for the explosion of pumpkin recipes again!  I couldn't be left out of the fun, especially since pumpkin baked goods are some of my very favorites. So when I saw this cake on the blog of my Secret Recipe Club assignment this month, it was a no-brainer.

Deb blogs over at Cooking on the Front Burner, and let me tell you, she takes some of the most beautiful food photos!  I just couldn't stop looking at everything and admiring how tempting everything looks.
Raspberry Peach Cobbler,  Strawberry Bruschetta, and Grilled Pork with Chile Lime Sauce were just a few of the options that caught my eye, but I just kept coming back to that cake. I mean, chocolate and pumpkin, with a caramel cream cheese frosting???? How could I resist that??

Now Deb's cake is absolutely fabulous with chopped nuts pressed into the sides and garnished with pecan halves on the top. But seeing as I'm the only person in my family who likes nuts with baked goods (boo), that was really out of the question.  Also, she made hers in 8" pans and had leftover batter - I just used 9" pans and used it all. I ended up modifying her recipe a little to increase the frosting so I would be sure to have enough and used less ganache inside the cake. I didn't want it to overpower the salted caramel frosting.

Oh, and I made my own caramel sauce - using this recipe. It's a fantastic sauce and very simple - and one batch of it makes exactly enough for the frosting.  (And if you happen to make a batch that ended up not cooking quite long enough to get that perfect color, you can always save it in the fridge and add it to your coffee. YUM.)

This cake is really big, so be sure you have a crowd to feed!  But it lasts well in the fridge for several days as well, so don't sweat it if you have leftovers.  They're just as delicious!

Chocolate Pumpkin Delight Cake
from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

For the Cake:

2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

For the Frosting

3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

8 oz. caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)

5 cups powdered sugar, sifted

For the Ganache

4 oz dark chocolate bar 

4 oz (1/2 cup) heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly butter (3) 9" cake pans and line each with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl or mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.  

In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla. In another bowl, sift the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg). Alternating adding the dry ingredients and the pumpkin mixture to the large mixing bowl, blending well after each addition. 

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.  Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then remove and cool on racks.

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth, then add the caramel sauce.  Mix well and add the powdered sugar a cup at a time and mix until fluffy.  

To make the ganache, chop the chocolate bar into small bits and place in a bowl.  Heat the cream  in a small saucepan until bubbles form around the edges, then remove from heat and pour over the chocolate.  Let sit for a few minutes, then stir until smooth. 

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a serving dish or cake stand (I prefer to put it on a small board so I can put it in the fridge easier). Place pieces of wax paper tucked around the cake to help with the mess factor.  Put about a cup of frosting on top of the cake and spread within a half inch of the edges.  Drizzle some ganache on top and spread thinly. 

Repeat layers until you get to the last one.  Spread frosting around the top and sides of the cake, smoothing as desired. Drizzle or spread the remaining ganache over the top and allow to drip down the sides.  Use an offset spatula to blend the edges in with the frosting if desired.

Remove wax paper from the bottom of the cake.  Store covered in the refrigerator. 

Source: Adapted slightly from Cooking on the Front Burner

An InLinkz Link-up

Chicken Enchiladas Suiza (SRC)

I already have a couple of chicken enchilada recipes, both very different and both very tasty.  But with a husband that adores spicy and Tex-Mex sort of food, I figured you can never have too many enchilada variations.  So when I saw one featuring green sauce (instead of the typical red) on my Secret Recipe Club assignment for the month, Little Bit of Everything, I knew I had to try it.

Of course, I found several other recipes to try.  Julie blogs from Nebraska and has a beautiful collection of dishes, like Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread, Pot Roast Carbonnade, and Salted Caramel Ice Cream  (which I did make and it was to.die.for delicious - but I did encounter a few difficulties with making it so I didn't feel comfortable posting it until I make it successfully a few more times.  Ahem.)

So most of y'all know that I really don't like buying pre-made stuff, and that includes enchilada sauce.  I already have a homemade red sauce that my family really likes, but I didn't have a green one.  So I searched for one and found an intriguing recipe which involved roasting poblano chiles.  I'll be posting it soon, so stay tuned.

These enchiladas were simple and amazingly delicious.  While a couple of  the girls complained that they were too spicy (that's because of the sauce), Grant couldn't stop raving about them. He would eat them every week if I'd make them.  I loved them too and was bummed that I missed out on the leftovers.  Grant took them for his lunch the next day. Guess that's a sign of true love - you let the hubby take the awesome leftovers.

Chicken Enchiladas Suiza
from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken (breasts or thighs)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can chipped green chiles, drained
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 can Rotel mild diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
1 (14 oz) can mild green enchilada sauce (or use homemade)
2 cups finely shredded cheese - cheddar or colby jack
10-12 Fajita size tortillas 

Cook chicken as desired.  You can boil it, bake it, or cook in a slow cooker. You could even use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie if you wanted.  I like to sprinkle the chicken breasts with kosher salt and pepper on both sides, place on a baking sheet, and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until done.  Cool chicken slightly and then dice finely or shred it.

Combine chicken, sour cream, green chiles, green onions, Rotel, and 1 cup of cheese in a large bowl. Mix to combine well. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9" baking dish.
Divide the chicken mixture between the tortillas and roll up securely.  Place in the baking dish and pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven, top with remaining 1 cup of cheese, and return uncovered to the oven until cheese is melted.


Source: Adapted slightly from Little Bit of Everything

An InLinkz Link-up

Strawberry Monkey Bread - SRC

What's your favorite part of summer?

The longer, sunny days?
Time at the pool or lake or beach?
No school/vacations?
Outdoor concerts, farmers' markets, or grilling out?

All of those things are pretty great and all, but my absolute favorite part about summer in Arkansas is the fresh, juicy, sweet fruit that we pick at local farms (or buy at local markets, if you're so inclined).  We picked strawberries in late May, blueberries several times through June and early July, and now blackberries and peaches are in season.   I LOVE supporting local farmers!! 

There is just nothing as good as summer fruit, fresh from the vine/tree/bush - I just want to eat it all plain and not even bother cooking with it.  However, for this month's Secret Recipe Club assignment, I simply couldn't resist using some (store-bought) strawberries to make this luscious monkey bread.

If you're not familiar with monkey bread, it's basically a lightly sweet dough that's rolled into small balls, covered with cinnamon sugar, layered in a bundt pan,and doused with a large serving of a buttery, cinnamon syrup to bake.  This variation uses a homemade strawberry syrup instead of the cinnamon syrup, plus there are chunks of freshly diced strawberries sprinkled throughout the dough.  YUM!

I got the recipe from C Mom Cook, where Shelley doesn't let the busyness of being a stay-at-home mom of 2 stop her from making amazing recipes like Tiramisu, where she made each component from scratch. Including the marscapone, lady fingers, custard, everything. In fact, she has her youngsters helping her out. It's so awesome. I'm totally motivated to get my kids in the kitchen more, even though they usually slow me down and make three times the mess. :)
I also made her Skillet Arroz con Pollo, which was is a great and simple weeknight meal, but I didn't get a decent photo of it. We really liked it, though!
Oh, and these Apple Buns look perfect for fall - definitely have those on the list to make!
So needless to say, I loved perusing Shelley's blog and finding all sorts of amazing things to make.  She is one talented lady!

This delightful bread was a huge success with my family and we could have probably eaten the entire pan of it in one sitting if I hadn't made the kiddos stop. :)  Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave very nicely - but the bread is BEST served on the first day.  So make it when you have a crowd to help you eat it!

Strawberry Monkey Bread
from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

Dough
1 cup milk
1/3 cup white sugar
5 Tbsp. butter (I used salted)
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
2 eggs
4 to 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup diced strawberries

To prepare dough:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar, and butter. Heat until sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and pour into your mixing bowl to let it cool until just warm (about 110°F). Stir in the yeast and let stand until foamy.

Add in eggs, 4 cups of flour, and salt.  Mix until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Continue mixing with a dough hook or knead by hand on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add additional 1/4 cup flour if dough is too sticky. Grease a large bowl with oil or cooking spray.  Place the dough in the bowl and turn once to coat. Cover and let stand in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce. Combine 1 cup sugar, butter, and strawberries in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.

To build the monkey bread: 
Prepared dough
about 1/3 cup of cinnamon sugar (1/3 cup sugar + 1 tsp. cinnamon, well combined)
1 cup diced strawberries
Prepared syrup

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously spray a Bundt or tube pan with non-stick cooking spray with flour, or grease generously with butter and dust with flour. Gently deflate dough and take small portions and roll into balls.  Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar, then place in prepared pan.  Interspersed through the balls, toss some of the diced strawberries so that they are evenly layered throughout the pan. Once all of the dough and berries have been added to the pan, pour the prepared syrup evenly over the top.

Place the Bundt pan on a cookie sheet and place the bread in the oven.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, depending on your oven. Mine was done at 40 minutes.  Check on bread periodically to make sure that the top is not over-browning. If it starts to get dark, cover it loosely with foil as it bakes.

Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before inverting onto a large plate and serving.

Source: adapted slightly C Mom Cook

An InLinkz Link-up

Chocolate Peanut Butter Revel Bars - SRC

Now that grilling and barbecue season is upon us, it's time for a great dessert for a picnic, potluck, or holiday party.  

Oh, who am I kidding?  

I'm always up for a great dessert, special event or not.  

This is a perfect cookie/treat for a crowd, because they're so rich, you can cut them into small bars and serve plenty of folks. I found this gem of a recipe on my blog assignment for the Secret Recipe Club this month, It Bakes Me Happy. (isn't that the cutest blog name??) 

Emily is an amazing baker and full-time mom who has a serious sweet tooth and loves chocolate. I know we'd be great friends. :)  She has so many recipes I'm anxious to make, like Turtle Muffins,  Pistachio Gelato (I totally almost made this, but after I bought the pistachios, I couldn't resist just eating them out of the bag. I hadn't had them in such a long time. And MAN, are they good. But next time I'm making the gelato), and Heavenly Hash Brownies. Plus many, many more great choices. 

But I couldn't resist the Chocolate Peanut Butter Revel Bars. 

So here's the breakdown: an incredible oatmeal peanut butter cookie dough crust, a rich, almost fudge-like chocolate center, and more cookie dough on top.  Bake it to a light golden brown, and you're done. Simple, and ohhhhhhh, so delicious.  It's a good thing I made them for a home-school mom's group, or I would have eaten even more of them.  As it is, I ate way more than my share.  Sigh. Another week of weight-loss failure.

Ahem.

So anyways, I love these bars and I love Emily's blog and I hope you'll go visit her and check out all her awesome treats.  

Chocolate Peanut Butter Revel Bars

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla, divided use

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3 cups oats, old fashioned

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. 
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and 1/4 cup peanut butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. 
3. Add the brown sugar and beat until well mixed.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time and then 1 tsp. vanilla
5. In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking soda, and oats.
6. Gradually stir the dry mixture into the peanut butter mixture; set aside
7. In a medium saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips.
8. Cook over low heat until the chocolate melts, stirring occasionally.
9. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 tsp. vanilla. 
10. Press two-thirds of the oat mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 13 x 9" pan.
11. Spread the chocolate mixture on top of that.
12. Using your fingers, crumble the remaining oat mixture over the top.
13. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. 
14. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.  
15. Slice and serve.

Source:  It Bakes Me Happy, originally adapted from BHG 100 Best Cookies

P.S. These go GREAT with a big glass of milk.  

An InLinkz Link-up

Cheddar Chive Biscuits - SRC

This month for the Secret Recipe Club I was assigned to Rachel Cotterill, who lives in England and has a great passion for travel and learning a wide variety of skills, from juggling to rope splicing.  She has authored a couple of novels as well. Impressive!

Rachel has an abundance of vegetarian dishes on her blog, and many interesting ethnic foods I had never heard of, such as Kalaalit Kaagiat  (Greenlandic cake), Pastiera Napoletana (Italian Easter Pie), and Baslama (Turkish grilled flatbread).

But when I saw these scrumptious-sounding biscuits (or scones, as they're called in England), I had to try them.  I'm sorry, Rachel - I had to call them biscuits because in my house, "scones" are sweet and served for breakfast.  I didn't want to confuse my children (or husband)!

I made them as an accompaniment to this soup and the dinner was a HUGE hit.  The kids couldn't stop talking about how much they loved the biscuits and how tasty they are, without even a smear of butter inside. (of course, I was thinking that a brush of garlic butter would be fabulous, but it's really not necessary).
The leftovers reheated in the oven beautifully the next day and were nearly as good as fresh.

This is a keeper recipe for sure.  Thanks, Rachel!

Cheddar Chive Biscuits
Makes a large batch - about 10 3" biscuits and 12 to 14 1-1/2 " biscuits

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour 
5 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 stick (4 oz) salted butter
4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
black pepper, to taste
3/4 ounce chopped chives (or other desired herb, such as rosemary, parsley, or sage)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk or buttermilk (I used milk - and I didn't need quite all of it)

Preheat oven to 400° F.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Grate the cold butter into the flour and mix with fingers to make mixture with the texture of breadcrumbs.
Add most of the cheese to the bowl, reserving some for sprinkling on the tops.
Season with pepper and chives (or other herb).  Stir to combine.
Break the eggs into the middle of the bowl and add a little milk.  Start to pull the mixture together, adding extra milk as needed to make a soft (but not very sticky) dough.  Mix just until combined - trying not to knead it much.
Roll out the mixture to about 1 inch thick on a floured surface and cut with a biscuit cutter.  I made some large and some miniature.  Brush the tops of the biscuits with a little milk and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned.

adapted slightly from Rachel Cotterill 

An InLinkz Link-up

Spicy Corn Chowder with Chicken - SRC

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!  (And Happy Birthday to my younger sis, Anna!)

So this isn't exactly an Irish recipe - but it does have potatoes in it, so that has to count for something.

And, I got the recipe from the blog of a lovely lady from England......which is neighbors with Ireland, so that has to count for something too. (little bit of a stretch there, I admit it)

For this month's Secret Recipe Club assignment, I had the pleasure of visiting Sarah's Kitchen.  Although Sarah is originally from England, she has been living in the States for 12 years and has been an American citizen for four.  She loves crafts and couponing, as well as cooking and baking.

She has a wide variety of recipes on her blog - one that I found particularly alluring was the Processor Danish Pastries.  I actually made them over the weekend with some variations on the fillings and absolutely loved them - but I failed miserably at getting the dough to stay pinched closed and the pastries were....shall we say....messy looking.  Certainly not photogenic.  But totally mouth-watering and irresistible.  I can't wait to try again with that dough.  It was so easy and flaky, buttery perfection.

But that was okay, because I had already made another recipe from her blog that I loved as well.  This chowder is so flavorful with the variety of peppers, but overly spicy.  Although my son thought I was crazy for pureeing part of the mixture, it really helps to thicken it up and make it more chowder-like and not as much of a brothy soup.   It's hearty, satisfying, and just perfect for a chilly evening.   I loved the little chunks of browned chicken breast in there, as well as the crispy bacon on top, but you could certainly make this vegetarian with equally good results, I'm sure.

Spicy Corn Chowder with Chicken

4 slices of bacon 
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4 cups corn (frozen or fresh)
4 small/medium potatoes, diced
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme (or 3/4 tsp. dried thyme)
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 cups cooked and diced or shredded chicken (I just seasoned a couple of chicken breasts with salt and pepper and sauteed in a bit of oil in a frying pan until cooked through)


Cut the bacon into strips and fry in a large dutch oven until crispy; set aside.  If you used turkey bacon like I did, you might need to add a little oil to the pan - if you use regular bacon, drain grease, reserving 1 Tbsp.
To the reserved fat, add the onion, jalapeno, poblano pepper, red pepper, and corn. Cook for about 5 minutes.  Add in the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Add in the potatoes and broth.  Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.  Transfer half of the soup to a blender and puree.  Add back to the soup pot and add in the milk, heavy cream, and cooked chicken. Let simmer for a few minutes.  Top each bowl with some crumbled bacon.

Adapted slightly from Sarah's Kitchen

An InLinkz Link-up

Jalapeno Popper Dip - SRC

Y'all have undoubtedly guessed by now that I have a major sweet tooth.  Like, it takes up my whole head sweet tooth.  It's a real problem.  

But if there were ever an appetizer that would tempt me to indulge in it instead of having dessert, this is it.
Well, in all seriousness, it's hard for anything to compete with a dish that features 3 (!!) kinds of cheese, bacon, butter, and the scrumptious flavor (but not much heat) of jalapenos.

"I just want to dive into that dip!" exclaimed my friend after she sampled it.
I wanted to join her.
And our husbands did too.
The kids didn't go crazy for it, but that was really okay, because the four adults who were there managed to eat at least half of it during the Super Bowl (which none of us were watching).

And you know what?  While the dip was really best with corn chips, it was also totally awesome on some leftover steamed broccoli the next day.  Which made me feel like I was really making healthy choices. Clearly I have issues. 

So many thanks to Heather, who blogs at Join Us, Pull Up a Chair, my Secret Recipe Club assignment for this month. She has lots of delicious sounding recipes like Sausage Stuffed Zucchini (can't wait for summer to try that one!) and Apple Glazed Pork Tenderloin.  I'm also planning on making her Roasted Cauliflower and Cheddar Soup this week, which sounds ridiculously yummy and might even get my children to eat cauliflower without complaints!

But this dip....ohhhhhhh, this dip.  I'm still drooling over the thought of it a week later and am looking for the next excuse to make it.  Preferably a gathering where there are people to share it with, but not so many people that I don't get my fair share.  :)

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Note: Use care when handling jalapenos - the seeds and membranes can cause some serious burning issues on your fingers.  Speaking from experience here. I usually hold the cut jalapenos with my hand inside the plastic bag from the store - since I don't have food-safe gloves on hand.

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
8 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped (I used turkey bacon)
6 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Topping:
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375°.  In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients (except for the topping ingredients). Pour into a greased 2 quart baking dish.

In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients with a fork and sprinkle over the cream cheese mixture.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown.  Let rest 5 minutes before serving.  Serve with crackers, chips, or vegetables.

Source: adapted slightly from Join Us, Pull Up a Chair

An InLinkz Link-up

Triangle Delights - SRC

Need another recipe for a cookie exchange, party, potluck, to give away to friends or neighbors, or just for dessert tonight?  Wow, Christmas season is just so busy, right???

Look no further.  This one will blow your socks off.
And it's ridiculously simple, which makes it even better.

For my Secret Recipe Club assignment this month, I had the pleasure of browsing through Adventures in All Things Food,, where Andrea has tons of great recipes, three adorable children, and a huge, beautiful farm. Oh, and she also has a craft section and does frequent give-aways.  Awesome!

While I was tempted by many recipes, including her Challah Bread and this amazing Chocolate Espresso Bundt Cake, I just couldn't resist trying a cookie which Andrea said was one of her favorites from childhood.
What do you get when you combine graham crackers and a simple sauce of butter and brown sugar with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla with coconut, almonds, and chocolate chips????

A pan of pure deliciousness, that's what. 

I took a big plate of these luscious goodies to our homeschool co-op Christmas party, and they were devoured in minutes.  Frankly, I was disappointed.  Even though I had saved several at home, I was hoping to have a few left over.  I just could not get enough of them.

They're like a combination of Hello Dolly Bars and Toffee, both of which are huge favorites of mine.  I altered the recipe only slightly, adding a half cup more marshmallows because I thought it just didn't look like enough.

These are going into the *BEST* and *MUST MAKE* categories for me.  Thanks so much, Andrea!

Triangle Delights

2 sleeves of graham crackers (all may not be used)
3 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup sliced or chopped almonds
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line a rimmed cookie sheet or jelly-roll pan with parchment paper, then place graham crackers in a single layer on the bottom of the pan. Cover with marshmallows.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir until butter is melted and sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Pour the hot mixture over the marshmallows, then top with coconut, almonds, and chocolate chips.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

Allow the pan to cool, then use the parchment paper as handles to remove the cookies from the pan to a cutting board.  Slice into 3 inch squares, then into triangles.  A pizza cutter works great for this!


Source: Adapted slightly from Adventures in All Things Food

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes - SRC

If you're looking for a special potato dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, your birthday, or next Thursday, I've got a winner for you.

Although they take awhile to bake, these potatoes are simple to put together and are definitely worth planning ahead for. They're tender and hearty, enhanced with thinly sliced onions, and drenched with creamy cheese sauce. A potato-lover's dream come true.
 
Although my mom would occasionally make a similar dish called scalloped potatoes when I was growing up, I can't remember ever making them myself.  But when I saw these on my Secret Recipe Club assignment for the month, Cheese Curd in Paradise, I knew I had to make them.  I need more scrumptious side dishes in my repertoire.

Ashley blogs from Wisconsin (hence the "cheese curd" in her blog title), a state that I have never visited but would love to see someday (in the summer, thank you very much).  Any place known for their cheese has to be amazing, right?  I can't imagine my life without cheese.  

She has lots of great recipes, from Pizza Muffins to Pumpkin Truffles, that I'm looking forward to trying - but I am beyond happy to have these potatoes in my life.  While they are a bit on the decadent side, I'll definitely bring out this recipe for special occasions and dinners.  Everyone in my family absolutely loved them.


Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes
Source: Adapted slightly from Cheese Curd In Paradise

6 large russet potatoes, sliced into very thin slices
1/2 large onion, sliced into rings
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (best if you grate your own!) 
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash paprika

Preheat oven to 400°.
Layer half of the potatoes into bottom of a buttered 13 x 9" pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.Top with onion slices, and add the remaining potatoes. Sprinkle again lightly with salt and pepper.  (I like to use Kosher salt.)
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Mix in the flour and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute.  Slowly stir in milk.  Cook until the mixture has thickened.  Stir in cheddar cheese and continue stirring until melted.  Season cheese sauce with salt and pepper to taste, and add a dash of paprika if desired.  Pour over potatoes and cover the dish with foil.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours.  Remove foil and cook for a few more minutes to slightly brown the top if desired.

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies - SRC

We are in the throes of birthday season at my house.
Meaning, three of my five children have October birthdays.
Which translates into a LOT of butter, powdered sugar, and heavy cream, with all the cake and homemade ice cream flying out of my kitchen.

You'd almost think I'd veer away from sweets for my Secret Recipe Club assignment this month. And I honestly tried.  I was assigned to Group B's fearless leader Suzanne's blog, Thru the Bugs on My Windshield.  Suzanne has a great sense of humor and some really great recipes that I wanted to try, like Salsa Verde , Chicken Asparagus Penne Pasta Salad, and Blueberry Delight Coffee Cake (which is in the breakfast category, so it doesn't count as sweets.)

In the end, I was fascinated by the idea of Apricot Empanadas and despite my tumultuous relationship with pie crust, selected them as my new recipe to try.

Unfortunately, I forgot to add apricots to my shopping list and when it came time to make them, I realized my distressing mistake.  I didn't have time this week to return to the store.....so I picked something I already had ingredients for in the pantry.  Peanut Butter Cookies.

I know, I know, everyone knows how to make peanut butter cookies.  But seriously, sometimes I get so distracted by the oreo-stuffed, salted caramel drenched, swiss meringue buttercream covered delicacies that I forget the tried and true, simple recipes.

These were awesome.
My husband loved them.
My kids gobbled them up with gusto.
And I relished the soft, slightly chewy cookies with just one prominent flavor, peanut butter.  And the little crunch of sugar on the outside sealed the deal.

Peanut butter cookies should never be forgotten.

P.S. Yes, I've tried the popular 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies - 1 cup pb, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg.  
They're good.  Great if you're in a pinch and out of flour or need to bake gluten free. But these are better.  And don't take much longer.  Really. 

P.P.S. Her recipe said to roll the dough in 1 inch balls and that you'd get 4 dozen cookies.  Apparently I'm incapable of rolling balls that size.....I ended up with just 31 cookies.  And they weren't huge, either.   

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used smooth, but crunchy would work also)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour (I used part whole wheat, part all-purpose)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Granulated sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven to 375°.

Thoroughly cream butter, sugars, peanut butter, egg, and vanilla.  Sift together dry ingredients; blend into creamed mixture.  Shape into small balls; roll in granulated sugar. Place 2" apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Press tops gently with a fork or meat mallet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until set.  Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet.

Makes 30-40 cookies.

Source: Thru the Bugs on my Windshield, originally from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Enchilada Stuffed Shells -SRC

Have you ever made a new recipe full of delicious ingredients that you know your family loves yet had skeptical, dubious children take one look and declare,  "I don't LIKE that!" before they've even tasted it?

It drives me crazy.

My 3.5 year old Ellia is a real master at that kind of stuff. If she even thinks a dish might have onions in it, she automatically doesn't want to eat it.  What makes it even worse is that she really doesn't mind onions, it's the 6 year old (Annika) who does.  Ellia just wants to be like Annika, so she has to copy the onion-hating.

There was one time recently that Ellia was eating her peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch and she excitedly announced, "You can't even taste the onions!!!!"  

Yep.  I can't taste onions in my PB&J either.  Wonder why that is.

I use onions a lot in my cooking, so there are many opportunities to use that phrase, I suppose.

So there was a small amount of skepticism when this dinner was presented, but once the reluctant eaters were persuaded to take a bite, there were no more complaints and the plates were emptied.  Hurray!  Score for Mom!

Many thanks to Grandma Loy's Kitchen, whose blog I was assigned to for this month's Secret Recipe Club.
Grandma Loy has lots of down-to-earth recipes with simple ingredients and easy preparation - like her Herbed Potato Frittata (which I made a version of on Saturday and it was amazing!), Apple Pear Streusel Pie,  and Easy Pretzel Pralines (definitely trying those this fall).
I have really enjoyed reading through her blog and pinning all sorts of new things to try.

But I couldn't resist this entree option - I love enchiladas and pasta is always a hit with my family.....so I just knew these would be delicious.  When Annika came in and saw me filling the shells, she was less than impressed with how the filling looked....but I made her take a little bite and she was immediately convinced.....this was an awesome meal. :)   She couldn't wait to tell the others how good dinner was going to be!  And we all thoroughly enjoyed it.

I included our favorite enchilada sauce that I use for this recipe - Grandma Loy has her own version that you can also check out.  Or you can just use canned sauce.

P.S.  This would make a GREAT potluck meal.
P.P.S. I bet it would also freeze really well....although I haven't tried it yet.

Enchilada Stuffed Shells
adapted  from Grandma Loy's Kitchen

1 lb ground turkey or beef
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
1 can (15 oz) pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
4 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 (10 oz) cans enchilada sauce OR homemade recipe below
20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked according to package directions
2 cups shredded cheese - cheddar and Monterey Jack combined, divided use

Brown ground turkey or beef with onion, red pepper, and garlic.  I like to sprinkle with garlic salt for flavor.  Drain if necessary.  Add corn, beans, cream cheese, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and 2/3 cup enchilada sauce.  Let cook for ~10 minutes.  Cool slightly.  Spoon about 2 heaping Tablespoons meat mixture into each cooked pasta shell. Place in a greased 13 x 9" dish.  Sprinkle each shell with some of the cheese. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the shells.  Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 350°F. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer.

Makes 10 servings of 2 shells each.

Enchilada Sauce: (makes enough for a double batch of stuffed shells  - freeze half for another time if you don't need a double batch)
2 T. olive oil
1 T. flour
1/4 c. chili powder
2 c. chicken broth
10 oz. tomato paste
1 t. oregano
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. salt

In a large saucepan or skillet, heat 2 T. oil and then add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon.  Cook for 1 minute.  Add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds.  Add 2 cups broth, tomato paste, oregano, cumin and salt.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium/low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

Lemon Zucchini Bread - SRC

This month I had the pleasure of getting introduced to Lea Ann from Cooking...On the Ranch for my Secret Recipe Club assignment. Lea Ann lives in Colorado and has seriously one of the best views in the entire world from her little town.  You HAVE to click over to her About page to see it.  Go ahead....I'll wait.

Didn't I tell you???  Looks like a little piece of heaven to me. I need to go on vacation there.

So I was tempted by so many recipes on her blog - from Chicken Macaroni Salad (definitely making that one soon - I bought the ingredients for it, just haven't gotten to it yet) to this mouth-watering Baked Zucchini and Tomato side dish.....but I had some organic zucchini that was desperately calling to me from the bottom drawer of the fridge to be used soon, and I had never tried Lemon Zucchini Bread before, so that was the big winner.

I was the designated "snack-bringer" to my ladies' Bible study that week, so I decided to double the recipe and share this treat with friends.  And I must say, it was a HUGE hit.  I got loads of compliments from the ladies and kids alike.....and everyone was super surprised that the bread had zucchini in it.

That's mostly because of an error I made.

See, I just got my first food processor a few weeks ago and was super excited to use it to shred the zucchini. Sooooo much faster than hand-grating it, right?
But silly me, I neglected to take the blade out of the bottom of the processor, so the zucchini got not only grated, but basically pureed.  It was a nice, fine pulp.

I just tossed it in the bread anyways and it essentially disappeared.  I don't think anyone would have guessed that there was zucchini in the bread - but it definitely did its magic of adding moisture to the bread.

The best part was the glaze - the tangy, vibrant lemon glaze.  It just made the bread explode with flavor.

You really have to try it - Lea Ann swore it was amazing and she was Oh. So. Right.
Definitely double the recipe - you'll be so glad you did.

Next year I am totally planting some zucchini in my yard so I can make this bread all summer long.


Lemon Zucchini Bread
Adapted slightly from Cooking...On the Ranch
(makes one 9x5" loaf)

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil (I used expeller-pressed coconut oil)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
Juice of 1 lemon (or 2 Tbsp. lemon juice)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup grated zucchini

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
Juice of half a lemon (or 1 Tbsp. lemon juice)

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, blend flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat 2 eggs well, then add oil and sugar and blend well.  Add the buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon zest and stir to combine.  Fold in the zucchini.
Add wet mixture to dry mixture and blend gently; don't over mix.
Pour batter into a greased 9x5" loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl - add more juice or sugar if necessary to make a good drizzling consistency.  You don't want it really thick, but super liquidy isn't good either!  Spoon glaze over bread evenly and let set before serving.