Semi-Homemade Sticky Buns

This post is sponsored by the Puff Pastry brand but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

If anyone knows me, they know I love breakfast/brunch.  I also love sweets.  So when I can combine the two and eat my sweets for breakfast - hey, that's a win for me!  But let's face it, I'm an adult and I eat what I want when I want.. ha!  I just feel less guilty when it's a "breakfast sweet".  ;)

For this recipe, I used Puff Pastry.. making this a semi-homemade treat.  I love how light, airy, and flaky Puff Pastry is, and how easy it is to work with!  It's so versatile that it can be used for breakfast, dinner, sweet, savory, appetizers.. there are so many options.  Anyone can make this recipe, it's that easy.  They were all gone by the next day because my kids (and husband) couldn't keep their hands off of them.

Semi-Homemade Sticky Buns

            For the Sticky Buns

• 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 package (2 sheets) Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry

            For the Filling

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 3 tsp cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 400ºF.  Use a stand or hand mixer, cream 1 1/2 sticks of butter and 1/3 cup light brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Divide the butter mixture between between a 12-cup muffin tin.  Divide the chopped pecans and sprinkle on top of the butter mixture in the tins.  

Unfold the first sheet of your Puff Pastry and brush the whole thing with melted butter.  Sprinkle half of the cinnamon and brown on top.  Roll up the pastry tightly, starting with the edge closest to you.  End it with the seam side down and cut off the ends.  Then cut the roll into 6 equal pieces and place into the muffin tins with the spiral side down.  Repeat with the second Puff Pastry sheet.  

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the muffin tin on top of that to catch any spills.  Bake the sticky buns for 25 to 30 minutes or until they are firm and golden.  Let cool in the pan for just a few minutes before inverting them.  Make sure to scrape any extra toppings from the tins - don't let that good stuff go to waste!

As you can see, my kid is about ready to go in for the kill.  These didn't last long at all.. and I plan on making more very soon!  We have family coming in for Easter this year and I think these will be part of a perfect brunch!  

The Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets are perfect for these little treats.  And these are fun for kids to help with also - Clara loved sprinkles on the pecans!  Easter is coming up, you should make a test run beforehand.  ;)

Homemade Bagels {recipe}

I was kind of intimidated at the thought of making my own bagels.  It just seemed like a lot of work, and easy to screw up.  But I am so glad that I did it.  I can honestly say that I will never go back to store bought.  The taste is so fresh, and they freeze very well!  And while they do take a little bit of time, it's not really hard work.  While my bagels don't look totally perfect, I assure you they taste fabulous.. and I was pretty darn proud of myself.  Now if you have some extra time this weekend, I suggest you roll up your sleeves and give these a try!  And don't let the lengthy directions scare you off!

Homemade Bagels
recipe from Annie's Eats

For the sponge:

• 1 tsp. instant yeast
• 4 cups bread flour
•  2 1/2 cups water, room temperature

For the dough:

• 1/2 tsp instant yeast
• 3 3/4 cups bread flour
• 2 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp honey or brown sugar

To finish:

• 1 tbsp baking soda
• cornmeal, for dusting
• toppings of your choice (cinnamon-sugar, cheese, seeds, or everything topping)
•  Everything Topping - combine 4 tsp each of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, and 2 tsp salt

For the sponge, stir the yeast into the flour in a medium bowl.  Add the water, stirring until it forms a smooth, sticky batter.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until it becomes very foamy and bubbly.  It should get nearly double in size and collapse when the bowl is tapped on the countertop.

To make the dough, in the same bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer), add the additional yeast to the sponge and stir.  Then add 3 cups of the flour and all of the salt and honey (or brown sugar). Stir (or mix on low speed with the dough hook) until the ingredients form a ball, slowly working in the remaining ¾ cup flour to stiffen the dough.

Knead dough for about 6 minutes with the dough hook.  The dough should be firm, but still pliable and smooth.  If the dough seems dry and rips, add a few drops of water and continue kneading.  If it seems tacky or sticky, add more flour to achieve the stiffness required.  Should be satiny and pliable but not tacky. Immediately divide the dough into 4 1/2 ounce pieces (recipe should make about 12 bagels).  Form the pieces into rolls.  Cover the rolls with a damp towel and allow them to rest for 20 minutes.

Line two sheet pans with parchment and mist with spray oil.  Shape bagels by pushing a hole through the center and stretching out the hole to 2.5 inches.  Place each one 2 inches apart on the pan.  Mist bagels with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Check to see if they are ready to be refrigerated by using the float test.  Fill a small bowl with room temp/cool water.  Test one bagel by putting it into the water and if it floats within 10 seconds then they are ready for the fridge.  If it does not float, return to the pan and continue to let them set at room temp for 20 more minutes or until it passes the float test.

The following day (or when you're ready to bake them), preheat oven to 500 F.  Bring large pot of water to a boil and add the baking soda.  Have a slotted spoon nearby and your toppings ready.  Remove bagels from the fridge and gently drop them into the water, boiling only as many as will fit (should float within 10 seconds).  After 1 minute, flip them over and boil another minute.  if you like chewy bagels, you can boil 2 minutes per side instead.

While the bagels are boiling, sprinkle the same parchment lined sheet pans with cornmeal.  If you are topping the bagels, do it as soon as they come out of the water.  When all the bagels have been boiled, place the pans on the middle shelves in the over and bake 5 minutes, then rotate the pans.  After rotating, lower the oven to 450 F and continue baking about 5 minutes or until bagels are light golden brown.  Remove the pans from oven and let bagels cool on rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy their amazingness!

Everyday Cinnamon Rolls {recipe}

This cinnamon roll recipe is hands down a favorite in our family.  They're fairly easy and they turn out great every time.  They're so good, I can't even get a picture before they start getting eaten (as you can see).. but hey, I'll take that as a compliment!  I love cinnamon rolls all year long, but really there's just something about a sweet, warm roll with a hot cup of coffee when it's chilly outside.  It just kind of gives me the warm & fuzzies!

We had these for breakfast on Thanksgiving, and they would be yummy for a Christmas morning treat also.. or an any time treat.  My husband has to have cinnamon rolls as a dessert on the days that we have chili for dinner.  I'm not quite sure why, but it's what he always requests!  Ain't nobody complaining around here.. well except baby my OB Doctor who tells me I need to slow my roll.. but I just don't think he understands how good these are.  ;)

So if you decide one day you're going to up and make cinnamon rolls, look no further.. you need to make these ones!

 

Cinnamon Rolls
Source - Our Best Bites


Dough

• 1 cup milk
• 4 Tbs butter, cut into chunks
• 3 1/4 – 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 (.25 ounce) package instant or ‘rapid rise’ yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg

Filling

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup butter, softened

Icing

• 1 1/2 C powdered sugar
• 2 T melted butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 Tbs milk

For the Dough-- Place milk and 4 tbsp butter in a a bowl and microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds. Butter should be at least partially melted; stir and set aside. In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, yeast, white sugar, and salt. When milk mixture has cooled to warm, add it to the flour mixture along with the egg while the beater, with paddle attachment, is running.  Beat about 1 min.  Switch to dough hook and add remaining flour only until dough just lifts from side of the bowl. It should be soft and a little sticky. Continue to let the dough knead for 5 minutes. If you are not using a stand mixer, turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes by hand. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and let rest for about 10 minutes.

For the Filling--  Mix softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in small bowl.

For Assembly-- Roll dough into a 12 x 14 inch rectangle. Spread filling over the dough. Roll up from the longer side of the rectangle and pinch edges closed.  Score the roll into 12 equal pieces and then cut into rolls. Place in a 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover pan with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes (I like to turn on the stove and just leave it sit on top of that). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  When rolls have finished rising, bake for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool a little then spread with icing. Makes 12 rolls.

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.

#6SecondsFlat

I've teamed up with Wendy's to share the 'low down' on their fun new contest!  For a limited time, Wendy's has their new grilled chicken flatbread sandwiches available... it comes in honey mustard and asiago ranch.  Tasty! 

So.. more about this contest.  Wendy's is giving you a chance to win $6,000!  All you have to do is film a 6-15 second video clip (on either Vine or Instagram) about the flatbread sandwich and use the hashtags #6SecondsFlat and #LittleBits6... so simple!  Have fun with it, and make it funny!  You can see a lot of the silly video clips on their website.  And you can read all the official details here.

And yes.. yes I made a video.  I call this one, "Ma!  The Flatbread!"... you know, after the Will Ferrell line in Wedding Crashers (Ma! The meatloaf!)  And yes, that was totally my husbands idea.

This post is sponsored by Wendy's.  All opinions are my own.

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.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

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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Cheesecake Just Makes Life Better

Lately, I hate cooking.  I just don't have any desire to be in the kitchen unless I'm baking something.  And I haven't even been baking as much lately.  I've been so tired, and my feet hurt and swell if I'm on them for more than 15 minutes at a time it seems.  I'm so glad I have such an understanding and helpful husband.  He's been helping a lot with the cooking lately.  But this week was our anniversary and I wanted to make something yummy (not that I need an excuse to bake -- life is short, so I say bake when you want!), so I made Sopapilla Cheesecake bars a few days ago.  I love cheesecake and I love sopapillas, so I figured there's no way I could go wrong here.  It will probably be a while before I get to be in the kitchen again, since I'll be up in Seoul for at least 2 weeks starting next week.. so I had to make one last (maybe) thing before the trip.  My mom made this recipe a while ago and said it was good, so I figured I had to try it out too!

Sopapilla Cheesecake
recipe from Food.com

• 2 (8oz) packages of cream cheese
• 2 (8oz) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted
• 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

Grease a 9x13 pan.  Unroll one package of crescent rolls and line the bottom of the pan.  Mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until well blended and spread over the crescent rolls.  Then, unroll the second package of crescent rolls and place on top of the cream cheese mixture.  Melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter and pour over the top, then sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of cinnamon sugar.  Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Let it cool.  You can serve it slightly warm, but I prefer it chilled!  Then drizzle a little honey on top and you are good to go!  Or you can serve it with fresh strawberry sauce.. or even.. chocolate..

I really enjoyed this recipe.  It was easy to make, and it was satisfying!  When I made it, I did cut the recipe in half and used an 8x8 pan instead -- because that is plenty for just my husband and I.  Anything more would have been too much for just the two of us. 

Tomorrow I have my baby shower (a second one.. lucky me!) and then my husband and I are going to head out of town for the weekend to 'get away' and celebrate our anniversary.  Can't wait!

Sugar Attack...

My weekend consisted of some pretty awesome things.  Shopping trip to Namdaemun Market, baby shower, baking, naps, and the company of great friends.  Kind of sounds like the perfect weekend, right?  Now if only the pool would open so I could go lounge around and get some sun on my legs before baby girl gets here!

To the left is walking through part of Namdaemun Market (it's huge) and to the right is just a portion of all the beautiful wrapping papers and tissue papers.  Seriously - there was so much and they are amazing.  You can't find wrapping paper this pretty in the states anywhere.  I'm definitely going to stock up on their wrapping paper, tissue paper, and greeting cards before we PCS out of here next year (oh, and fabric too) !!

Just 3 more weeks until I head up to Seoul and wait for baby girl to be born.  I can't believe it's coming up so fast -- so many things I want to do, yet I just want to relax and enjoy this last bit of time that we have of it being 'just us'.  It's hard to do both, ha ha!

And what would be a weekend without baking?  My husband wanted me to make these this weekend.. Can you guess what these beautiful little brownies have inside them?  Can ya, can ya, can ya?

Golden Oreos!!

I just love goodies that have little surprises in them.  So much fun.  Although I could only eat a few because I would have gone into a sugar-induced coma if I had any more.. they were delicious!  Especially good while warm with a little vanilla ice cream.  :)  It's a miracle I haven't gained more than I already have during this pregnancy... so I'm trying to quit while I'm ahead, ha ha!

Oreo Stuffed Brownies

• 1 box brownie mix (or make your own, if that strikes your fancy)
• 1 package oreos 

Preheat oven to 350 F & generously coat cupcake/muffin tins with nonstick spray.  Prepare brownie mix according to package.  Dip oreos in brownie batter then place in bottom of cupcake/muffin tins.  Bake 12-15 minutes, or until brownie is cooked through.  As soon as you remove them from the oven, run a knife around the edges so they are easier to get out once they cool a little.  Let cool 5 minutes, then remove from tins and enjoy.  :)  It should make the whole package of oreos.