Fluffy Chocolate Chip Biscuits {recipe}

I'm officially 37 weeks.. 1 week and 2 days away from when Clara was born.  Things are really getting hard.  I can't sleep at night.. if I'm not waking up from heartburn then I'm waking up because I have to pee.. and if it's not because of either of those then it's because I can't get comfortable or I just simply can't sleep.  So Sunday morning I was up way earlier than I like to be on a weekend - 6am - and decided to put my time to good use.  I know very soon that my ambition to cook or try anything new will disappear for a while, so I decided to try a new recipe and make my darlings a nice breakfast before church.

These biscuits are obviously more of a 'sweet treat' for breakfast.. so I also made some scrambled eggs and we had some fruit with it.. but you could easily switch up the recipe.  I think next time I will mix in some blueberries and then they would be just fabulous drizzled with honey!  They are super light and fluffy - not dense at all.  Clara loved them, as you can see from the photo below.. ;)

Fluffy Chocolate Chip Biscuits

recipe via Southern Plate

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup milk (preferably whole or buttermilk)
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into slices
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp whole milk

Put sliced butter, flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl and cut butter in to flour with a pastry cutter or fork until incorporated (but it will still be lumpy).  Place bowl in fridge for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, take bowl from fridge and stir in sugar and chocolate chips until well mixed.  Add milk and stir until just moistened.  If you need to add more milk, add up to 1/8 cup to make sure everything is moist.. but do not overstir.  

Turn dough out onto a floured surface.  I prefer to place a piece of parchment or wax paper on my counter and flour that - it makes for easier clean up!  Flour hands and then pat the dough into a rectangle.  Gently fold right side to middle of rectangle and do the same with the left side.  Pat out into a rectangle and repeat the process one more time.  Pat out into a rectangle.

Take a biscuit cutter or a glass and dip into flour then cut out your biscuits.  Place biscuits in a lightly greased cake or pie pan with their sides touching.  I used two pie pans.  Bake at 450 degrees for 13-15 minutes, or until lightly golden.  

Make the glaze-  Stir together confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth.  Brush over tops of biscuits.  Let set a couple minutes before serving.  ENJOY!  :)  Makes roughly a dozen biscuits.. maybe a few more.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake {recipe}

My birthday was last week.. and I had fun making myself a sweet birthday treat.  And for once in my life, I was craving something sweet, but not chocolate (that never happens.. who am I?).  I haven't had Pineapple Upside Down cake.. in.. a long time... and that sounded just perfect.  Clara liked helping put the cherries into places, too.  You know what else is good?  Peach Upside Down Cake... just sayin'!  If you want to keep up with all the fun things I'm making, baking, and cooking.. be sure to follow me on instagram!

Just a side tip.. when you put your cake pan on a cookie sheet, I would lay down some wax paper or aluminum foil.. otherwise you're going to have a super fun time trying to get that pan clean if anything leaks out.. as you can see from my pan above..

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
recipe from Averie Cooks

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• One 20oz can pineapple slices
• Maraschino cherries
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
• 3/4 granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (if using powdered buttermilk, use 2 tbsp with the dry ingredients, and a 1/2 cup water with the wet ingredients)
• 1/3 cup sour cream (or greek yogurt)
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Pour the melted butter into a 9-inch springform cake pan, making sure it's well greased.  Sprinkle brown sugar over the butter.  Add a whole pineapple slice to the center.  Halve the rest of the slices and stagger them like the photo shown.  Place any remaining slices around the side of the cake pan with the curved side point down.  Place 1 cherry in the center of the whole pineapple and 1 in each center of the sliced halves.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the next 5 wet ingredients.  Add the wet mixture to the dry, mixing lightly until just combined.  Be careful not to overmix.. there may be small lumps and that's okay.

Gently pour batter in cake pan, being careful not to mess the pineapple and cherries on the bottom.  Place pan on a cookie sheet line with aluminum foil, and bake for 40 minutes, or until center is set.

When done, allow cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before inverting.  Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Oatmeal Cream Pies {recipe}

I've been wanting to try to make these oatmeal cream pies for a long while.. and I decided to make them this past week to take to work.  They were gone by the time I left, so I think they were a hit.  ;)  I did save some for us to keep at home too, and of course those didn't last long either.  They taste very similar to the well-known store bought version.. even better, actually.. because homemade is always better.  Don't let the ingredient list scare you.  These cookies aren't that much work, and they're worth it!  When I first saw the ingredient list, I thought how strange that cocoa powder and dried apples were in it.. but they looked so good, so I stuck it out.. and I don't know how, but everything just meshes so well together.  I have to eat mine with a big glass of milk.  :)

Oatmeal Cream Pies
recipe from Annie's Eats

For the cookies: 
8 oz. (1½ cups plus 2 tbsp.) all-purpose flour
4 oz. (1¼ cups) old-fashioned oats
½ ounce (2 tbsp.) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 oz. (1 cup, packed) dried apple rings
3 oz. (6 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2¼ oz. (¼ cup plus 1½ tsp.) canola oil
7 oz. (1¾ cup plus 2 tbsp.) sugar
1½ oz. (3 tbsp.) molasses
3 oz. (6 tbsp.) corn syrup
1½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 large egg
2 ounces (¼ cup) milk

For the filling:
2 cups marshmallow creme
4 oz. (8 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt
½ tsp. cream or milk

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.  Combine the flour, oats, cocoa powder, and apples in a food processor (I used my Ninja) and pulse a few times, then process about 2 minutes, until no large apple bits or full oats remain.  Set aside.

Combine the butter, oil, sugar, molasses, corn syrup, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl of a mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until well combined, about 2 minutes.  Mix in the egg and beat 1 more minute.  Blend in the dry ingredients and the milk just until incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat 30 seconds more.

Use a dough scoop to portion out the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 tablespoon per cookie, leaving ample room as the cookies will spread while baking.  Transfer the pans to the oven and bake, rotating halfway through, until the cookies are set around the edges and puffed up in the center, about 4-6 minutes depending on your oven.  They may seem too soft but remember that the original is a very soft cookie so that is the desired texture here.  Also remember the cookies will continue to bake a bit longer once they are out of the oven.  Do not overbake, this will result in a hard cookie instead of a soft and chewy one.  When cool and set enough to move, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling, combine the marshmallow creme and butter in a mixing bowl and beat on medium-high speed until smooth.  Blend in the confectioners’ sugar and salt and whip until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes more.

Pair up the cookies by size.  Then transfer the filling mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip.   Or you can do what I did and just use a spoon to dollop some in the center of the flat side of the cookie, then sandwich together with the other cookie and press gently so the filling goes to the edges.  Store in an airtight container.  Yields 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on size.

Hot Cocoa For One {recipe}

So we've been trapped at home since Thursday night because of a super awesome ice storm.  We've been able to venture to WalMart and all that, but I haven't dared brave the highways... Arkansas drivers in winter weather = scary.  Unfortunately they're not equipped to deal with these situations like they are where I'm from.  If they only had salt trucks...

Doesn't look too bad through the windows.. but all the pretty white stuff, which I wish was snow so we could go out and play.. is just ice.  So we've taken advantage of our long weekend.. doing crafts, baking, and watching Christmas shows... and catching up on getting this house clean!  I've done a lot of sitting on the couch, fire place on, and admiring our Christmas tree with a big mug of hot chocolate.  I've got a nice little recipe, for just one mug of chocolate... easy-peasy..

I know a lot of people love marshmallows in their hot chocolate... and don't get wrong, I like them too... but I honestly much prefer some whipped topping.......... lots and lots of whipped topping.. why not indulge a little, right?  Why make instant when this stuff is just as easy, but 100x better?

Hershey's Hot Cocoa for One
recipe from Hershey's

• 1 cup milk
• 2 to 3 teaspoons cocoa
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
• dash salt
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

 Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a large mug.  Heat milk in microwave 2-3 minutes, or until hot.  Gradually add milk to cocoa mixture in mug, stirring until well blended.  Stir in vanilla.  Top with marshmallows or whipped topping.  Drink immediately.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins {recipe}

Are any one of you morning people?  Because I'm definitely not... though I always wished I were.. it would make my life easier.  But I'm not.  And while I absolutely love my job, being to work at 6:15am is difficult for me.. but it is getting easier.  Kind of.  Coffee makes waking up early bearable at least.  Coffee lover right here!  So I'm always excited for the holiday seasons because of the fun coffee creamer flavors.  Coffee-Mate now has their Peppermint Mocha, Dark Chocolate Fudge, and Eggnog Latte creamers out.  I'm a chocolate lover, so of course the first one I went for was the dark chocolate fudge... but I'm definitely going back for the eggnog latte next!  There's truly nothing like curling up with huge mug of hot coffee.. makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  ;)

Then, the other day.. I decided to make some muffins.  Because muffins and coffee go so well together (also, I had old bananas to use up).  And then I was like..... why not use the creamer IN the muffins?  Genius.  These muffins really are delicious and the creamer helps make them moist and more flavorful!

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup Coffee-Mate Dark Chocolate Fudge creamer
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1. In a small bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in the egg, bananas, vanilla, and creamer. Combine the flours, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture until just moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. 
2. Coat muffin cups with cooking spray or use paper liners; fill three-fourths full with batter. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. Yield: 6-8 muffins.  Also, if you have 3 bananas, this recipe is easily doubled!
3. If you want to make a fun glaze for the muffins (who doesn't love that?), then mix together 1/4 cup of powdered sugar to 1-2 tbsp of creamer.  Adjust to your preferred consistency and drizzle over the cooled muffins!

 Enjoy them warm, with a big mug of hot coffee..topped with whipped cream of course.. go big or go home!  Coffee-Mate's delicious seasonal flavors are only available through December so get them while you can!

I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, however all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Swedish Pancakes {recipe + giveaway}

Anyone else love to make a big breakfast on the weekends?  I always do - breakfast is actually my favorite meal of the day.. heck, some days we also have it for dinner.  Why not?  Hash browns, sausage, bacons, eggs, waffles/pancakes.. though instead of the classic pancake, I decided to try out some Swedish pancakes this past weekend. 

These pancakes are so good.  They're much thinner than a traditional pancake, so I can stuff my face with more.  Always a plus.  A neat thing about the "Recipes Across America" cookbook (which is where I found this recipe) is that it tells you a little bit about the recipe itself, or fun facts about ingredients in the recipe.  A few things I learned.. these are not the same as crepes (when I saw the recipe, I thought they were).  They are much thinner.  And in Sweden they are traditionally served with lingonberries, or sometimes.. ice cream!  Hey, I'd be willing to try that.  #icecreamaddict

Swedish Pancakes
recipe from "Recipes Across America" by Taste of Home

• 2 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Frozen blueberries (or some sort of jam/fruit spread)
• whipped topping

In a blender or stand mixer, combine first six ingredients.  Blend well.  Heat a lightly greased 8-in nonstick skillet, pour 1/4 cup batter into center of pan and quickly lift and tilt pan to evenly coat the bottom.  Cook until top appears dry.  Flip and cook 15-20 seconds longer.

Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed.  Stack pancakes with waxed paper or paper towels in between.  Reheat in the microwave if desired.

Heat frozen blueberries in a small pot until juicy and warm (or you could use jam or fruit spread warmed up).  Fold pancakes into quarters and serve with berries or jam, and whipped topping.

Taste of Home gifted me their "Recipes Across America" cookbook, which is where I found this recipe.  I'm an a huge fan of Taste of Home.  I have a couple other cookbooks from them, and I also get their magazine in the mail.  When I meal plan I just spread all my magazine and cookbooks (along with Pinterest of course) out on the table and go to town.

This cookbook is divided into five "regions".  More than 735 recipes from each part of the nation... northeast, south, midwest, southwest, and west.  And these recipes are from real home cooks, that may have been passed down in their families.  There are hundreds of striking color photos (which is a huge plus for me.. I love seeing what the end product looks like), the cookbook’s pages are sprinkled with food folklore, recipe histories, fun facts and culinary trivia.

And great news!!  I've teamed up with Taste of Home to give one of you lucky ducks the new cookbook!  Just enter using the rafflecopter form below.  :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ghostly JELL-O JIGGLERS

This past week Clara helped me make some fun JELL-O JIGGLERS... she always wants to be on the counter while I'm cooking.. my little assistant.  I let her pick out the flavors to use, and as you can see in the photo below.. she was very excited about her Orange and Grape JELL-O.  ;)



These treats were simple enough for her to help with, and the prep took hardly any time at all.  The hard part was, of course, having to wait for them to set.. so we could decorate and eat them!  I decided to make little ghosts up top of our JIGGLERS!

I just used muffins tins for the molds.  And after setting them in warm water for about 15-20 seconds, it was really easy to remove the JIGGLERS from the tins!  Clara loved helping me put the "ghost" on top too.. I used COOL WHIP whipped topping for the ghost, and mini chocolate chips for the eyes!

As you can see above.. she was really impatient to try out her creation.  Can you blame her?  It didn't take her long to scarf it down, that's for sure.  Or my husband, for that matter.  There's nothing like spending some quality family time in the kitchen.. and then getting to devour all the deliciousness afterwards!  ;)

Jello.com has some fun ideas for Halloween treats.. I'm really loving the MMMMonster JIGGLERS and the Creepy Crawly JIGGLERS (that you can make from an ice cube tray!).  Have you  made any fun Halloween treats yet??

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

Easy Personal Pizzas with Pillsbury {recipe}

So school has been back "in session" for almost a month now (at least here)... and while I don't have a kiddo in school per se... I just went back to work (for the first time since Clara's been born.. yikes!), and so Clara is now attending a Learning Center.  She's loves it!  With our lives being a little more chaotic now, we've had to get creative with dinners sometimes. 

The other night I made Grands Mini Pizzas... idea taken from the Pillsbury website!  You can totally top them with whatever you want, and completely make them your own. These are fast and easy to get on the table in less than 30 minutes... not to mention fun!  Clara loved helping me put cheese on her pizza.  :) It's a great way to get your kids involved with you in the kitchen!

All you have to do is preheat your oven to 375 F, flatten our your biscuits to about 6" around, top them with your choice of toppings, and put them in the oven for 10-15 minutes.  I put my homemade pizza sauce (recipe coming soon!) on top of ours... Clara's pizza just had cheese.. mine and my husbands pizza had cheese, pepperoni, yellow bell pepper, and some hamburger (we had 1 leftover burger in the fridge from when we grilled out the other day - great way to use those leftovers;).  Also, if you have an extras.. they freeze wonderfully!

Also, Pillsbury has a free recipe booklet you can download... check it out here.  What recipe looks the best to you?  I think the taco melts might be next on my list!  :)  I encourage you to get creative with your kids in the kitchen!  Just because it's been a long, crazy day.. doesn't mean you can't have fun and get a good meal on the table quick.

Oh, and my husband was also a fan!  ;)

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. The content and opinions expressed here are all my own and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of General Mills. Compensation was provided by General Mills via Clever Girls Collective.

Chicken Pot Pie {recipe}

It's the beginning of September (already?) and every year around this time I get that itch.. for comfort food, pumpkin everything... and cooler weather.  Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do about the cooler weather part... it was 100 degrees here yesterday... but every day I wish for it to come!  Arkansas in the fall?  Yes, please.. I'd take that all year round.  It's gorgeous.

100 degrees or not, I opted to make a classic chicken pot pie.  I'll shut the blinds and turn up the AC to pretend is chilly outside, if I have to.  This, to me, is one of the ultimate comfort foods.  A flaky crust filled with a blend of veggies and potatoes and mixed in with a creamy sauce.  It's definitely a hearty meal... a Sunday-afternoon-type-meal, if you know what I mean.

This particular recipe makes 2 pies... which is wonderful, because it does take a little bit of time to create.  So I can make 2 pies, and stick one in the freezer for another delicious meal at a later date - but without all the 'work'.  ;)

Chicken Pot Pie
recipe from Taste of Home

• 2 cups diced, peeled potatoes
• 1 3/4 cups sliced carrots
• 1 cup butter, cubed
• 2/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)
• 1 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 3/4 tsp. pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 4 cups cubed, cooked chicken
• 1 cup frozen peas (or green beans)
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 pkg. refrigerated pie pastry

1.  Preheat oven to 425 F.  Put potatoes and carrots in a saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook 8-10 minutes until they are crisp-tender.  Drain.

2.  In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat until melted.  Add onion and cook until tender.  Stir in flour and seasoning until blended, then gradually stir in broth and milk.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes or until thickened.  Stir in the chicken, peas, corn, and potatoes/carrots.  Remove from heat.

3.  Unroll a pastry sheet into eat of the two 9-in pie plates.  Add the filling mixture.  Unroll remaining pasty and place over the filling.  Seal and flute edges, cut slits in top.. brush the tops with an egg wash (1 egg and a little milk or water).. it helps to give it that pretty golden look.  ;)

4.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned  Let stand 10-15 minutes before cutting.

*Freezing Tips*  If you are only going to bake one pie, you can cover the other and freeze it (unbaked).  To use, remove from the freezer 30 minutes before baking (don't thaw it).  Preheat oven to 425 F.  Place pie plate on a baking sheet and cover the edges loosely with foil.  Bake 30 minutes then reduce oven to 350 F.  Bake for 70-80 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165 F.

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Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies {recipe}

This is one of my favorite chocolate-y cookies.  You know those cookies that you just can't stop eating, and need a huge glass of a milk to go with it?  Yep, these are the ones (ok, maybe that's most cookies for me).  They are chewy and soft.. perfectly perfect.  I've made these cookies quite a few times in the past, but this time I made just a couple changes.  I used white whole wheat flour, instead of all-purpose... I've switched completely, and now use white whole wheat for everything.  So far, so GOOD!  I love the taste and chewiness it gives.  It's lighter than whole wheat, but has 100% of the nutrition.  Also, I used dark cocoa and dark choco chips instead of the traditional semi-sweet.  I have a love for dark chocolate.. and I think it works perfectly for these cookies.  Of course, you can switch out whatever kind of chocolate suits your taste.  :) 

These are also Clara approved, of course.  The kid takes after me - major sweet tooth!  Yes, she was sneaking chocolate chips while helping me and my mom make these..

Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Hershey's

• 2-1/4 cups white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)
• 1/3 cup special dark cocoa (or cocoa of your choice)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2  eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) dark chocolate chips (or chips of your choice)

Heat oven to 375°F.  Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl on medium speed until creamy.  Add eggs; beat well.  Gradually add flour mixture, beating well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes (9 minutes is the magic number for my oven), or until set.  Do not overbake.  Cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool completely.  Makes about 5 dozen cookies.  Eat warm with a huge glass of milk.  ;)

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Favorite Chicken Enchiladas {recipe}

These are our favorite enchiladas.  Hence the title.  This is probably one of the meals that my husband requests the most.. and in my opinion, is just as good as going out to a Mexican restaurant.  I've made this for both of our families as well... it was a hit all around.  :)

These are pretty versatile.  Add in a little black beans and corn kernels to give it a bit of a Tex-Mex flare.  Or not.  You can use either corn or flour tortillas.  I've tried both, and they are each wonderful.  I normally make them with flour just because that's my husbands preference.  Omit the jalapenos if you want (I usually do).  Or leave them in.  You can really just use whatever cheese you may have on hand... mexican blend, cheddar, monterey jack, white cheddar.

Also... these make really good leftovers.  Really really good.  Once the spices and flavors have sat overnight, mmmmmhm... I always look forward to having them for lunch the next time.  My mouth is watering just thinking about eating our leftovers tomorrow..

And the cilantro... do not skimp on the cilantro!  I only paid $0.89 for this bunch... it's worth the splurge.  ;)  I just love herbs, and it will give your dish such a fresh taste.  This dish is definitely not a 'quick weeknight meal'... it takes up a little more time, but I promise you it's well worth it.  Because it's a bit more time-consuming, I usually make these as a weekend meal.  You could even use a rotisserie chicken to cut the time down a little.  We have them at least once a month I'd say - you should give them a try!  You won't be disappointed.

Favorite Chicken Enchiladas
adapted from Pink Parsley

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 2 15-oz can tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts)
• 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro, plus more for topping
• 12 (8-inch) soft corn (or flour) tortillas
• cooking spray
• salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the onion, jalapenos, and oil in a large saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions have softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken into the sauce.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the thickest part registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate; set aside to cool. Strain the sauce through a medium-mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing on the onions to extract as much liquid as possible.  Place onion mixture in a large bowl and set aside. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces. Add to the bowl along with the onion mixture. Add in 1/4 cup enchilada sauce, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, and the cilantro. Toss to combine.

Place 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla. Tightly roll each tortilla around the filling and lay them seam-side down in a 13x9-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cook spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for about 7 minutes until the tortillas are starting to slightly brown on the top.

Reduce oven temperature to 400. Remove enchiladas from oven and pour remaining sauce over to coat them thoroughly. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup monterey jack down the center of the enchiladas. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until the enchiladas are heated through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese browns, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.  Garnish with extra cilantro.  Serve with guacamole, sour cream, etc..

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Barley Corn Salad & Tomato Vinaigrette {recipe}

Today was one of those lazy days... husband went fishing... Clara and I made pancakes... we watched some Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and did a little coloring... did some cleaning and some napping.  It was just way too hot outside to do anything outdoors, although we did run out quick for some refreshing shaved ice. ;) 

But it was also one of those days where I didn't feel like slaving away in the kitchen, or heating up the house.  So this was a perfect side dish to our dinner.  It didn't take too much effort to throw together.. we served some grilled chicken on top of this and it was perfect!  I think the leftovers would be good tossed into a spinach salad... or in a wrap.  It tastes just as good the next day. 

Barley Corn Salad & Tomato Vinaigrette

adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

• 3/4 medium barley
• 2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen (thawed)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup red onion, minced
• 8 slices cooked center cut bacon, chopped
• salt & pepper, to taste

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp red onion
• salt & pepper, to taste

Cook barley according to package directions.  When barley is is finished and tender, drain to get rid of excess liquid.  Place in a large bowl.  Stir in corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and bacon into the cooled barley.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the tomato vinaigrette, combine 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, water, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, 1/2 tbsp red onion, and salt and pepper in a blend or food processor and blend until smooth.  Stir into the barley salad sparingly (I pour in just a little at a time, I don't usually use all of it).  Serve salad cold.

Peach Praline Upside-Down Cake {recipe}

My parents and younger brother are in town for the week, and this was one of the many things on my list of things to make while they're here.  There's always a ton of good food goin' on when family is in town!  We made our way to the Farmer's Market in Little Rock one day, and came home with a whole bunch of goodies.  Fresh peaches being one of them.. I really can't resist fresh, local fruit.  The peaches were so juicy and sweet.  Clara can knock down a whole peach by herself in a matter of minutes.  Impressive for such a slow and picky eater (anyone else have one of those?  hoping this 'phase' ends soon!)

I made this for a dessert after dinner one night with whipped cream.  Would also be delicious with some vanilla bean ice cream.  But I can definitely see this being eaten with a cup of coffee in the morning as well! 

When I made this, I also served it with extra peaches.. you can never have too many.. and a little brown sugar/cinnamon/butter crumble on top.  Because, why not?

Peach Praline Upside-Down Cake
Recipe from Taste of Home

• 4 eggs, separated and at room temperature
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 3 medium peaches, peeled and sliced (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Extra sliced peaches, toasted pecan halves, and whipped cream for garnish (optional)

Separate eggs.  Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375°.  Peel and slice your peaches.  

In a 10-in. ovenproof skillet (I used my cast iron skillet), melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Remove from heat. Arrange peaches in a single layer over brown sugar mixture right away; sprinkle with chopped pecans. 

In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in milk, melted butter and vanilla.  Fold in flour mixture.   

With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium until stiff but not dry; gradually fold into batter. Pour batter into skillet over the peaches. Bake 22-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm with whipped cream, pecan halves, and extra peaches if desired.  Yield: 8 servings.  Enjoy!