My First Thanksgiving

Tips and Tricks

Guys. This will be my first year making thanksgiving dinner for my boyfriend and his dad. We've been joking that it's wife test #1. I tend to get pretty obsessive with entertaining others being perfect, so this is ranking pretty important for me. As such, I've done a bit of research on turkey-cookin' that I thought I would share!

When I first told multiple people, including my dad, that I was making dinner for the first time, they all said, "brine the turkey!" If multiple people say to do it, do it. Brining the turkey is basically marinating it, and infusing favors into the meat. I found this recipe that I'm using on Pinterest (obviously). Basically, I'm going to whip up this citrus herb marinade on Wednesday, and brine my turkey in it over night. On Thursday, I'll take it out of the brine, pat it dry, and add stuff some of the oranges, lemons, and herbs inside the turkey to further infuse those flavors. Here's the recipe I'm using:

Apple Cider & Citrus Turkey Brine with Herbs

You may have noticed that I said I was stuffing the turkey with lemons and oranges instead of stuffing. I found an article on common thanksgiving mistakes (I told you, obsessive) and stuffing the turkey with stuffing was one of them. By stuffing the turkey, you now have to cook the turkey longer, essentially drying out the turkey, in order to not have selmonella bread pudding. Yum! So, I'll be baking my stuffing separately. I'm using my grandma's stuffing recipe!

Here are some other tips from the article above:

Dry the turkey before roasting, inside and out.
Use a real thermometer.
Let the turkey rest for 15 minutes before carving.
The turkey takes FOUR DAYS to thaw, at least.

Did you forget that last one? Fret not. Buzzfeed has everything: How to Thaw a Turkey

Good luck to all you first timers! I'd love to hear the recipes you'll be using or what you're making!! Leave them in the comments below!

Make It Monday: Dinner Edition

Basil Lemon Butter Cheese Ravioli

Sometimes, you need a delicious, not-at-all-clean dinner.

Seriously. Sometimes, you just need comfort... and food. In the form of pasta. Everyone loves pasta. The boyfriend especially. The kid could live on cheese ravioli and not gain a pound. It's really annoying. This is by far his favorite meal. Since I found this recipe, he's requested it several times. I can't blame him, though. I always feel like it's really fancy when I make it! Except, it's really not. It's cheap, easy, and quick. Perfect for a Sunday night dinner!

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen cheese ravioli

1/2 c. butter (I use Land o' Lakes w/ olive oil)

1 shallot, minced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped basil

Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Extra basil, for garnish, optional

How To:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the ravioli until done, approximately 7 minutes. The ravioli will float when done. Toss those in a colander. To keep this a one-pot meal, using the same pot, melt the butter. Sauté the shallot and garlic until tender. Mix in the lemon juice, zest, and basil. Let that simmer for about 5 minutes. Just long enough to let the flavors combine. Return the ravioli to the pot, and toss to combine the ingredients.

Serve it up hot with Parmesan and a little extra basil!

That's it. See how simple that is? And don't you feel fancy?

Enjoy!

Friday Funday!

Tiramisu Dip

I did it. I made something, I photographed it, and, now, I'm posting it. It's been a while guys, a long while. Sometimes, I'm like, "yeah! I'm going to make this and take some pictures!" Then it doesn't come out as pretty as I want, so I don't. Oh, the woes!

I'm headed to my friend's tonight for dinner, and I agreed to make dessert. She loves tiramisu, but I'm much too lazy for that on a Friday. So, let's make it a dip, which is also just perfect for summer! (In my opinion..)

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 c. mascarpone cheese

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 tsp. instant coffee

1/8 c. chocolate chips

Vanilla wafers for dipping!

How to:

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add in the mascarpone and combine. Mix in half the powdered sugar at a time, just to avoid having a cloud of sugar in your face.  Toss in the coffee and vanilla and combine! In a food processor, pulse the chocolate chips until they're pretty fine. 

Place your dip in whatever serving bowl you'd like and sprinkle as much of the chocolate as you'd like. Serve that up with some vanilla wafers, and you're good to go!

Refrigerate if you happen to have any left over!

So, can we discuss something completely irrelevant for a moment? While working on this post, I was watching True Life. Who even knew they still made this show? Remember when it was like, "True Life: I have OCD" or "True Life: I have Tourettes"? The only problem these kids have now? "True Life: I hate my butt" and "True Life: My family hates my boyfriend". 

The epitome of first world problems...

Anyway! This recipe is amazeballs, and, hopefully, it'll pass the tiramisu lovers test! I'd love to know if you try it!

Christmas Cookie Week Pt. 2

Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies, Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies, & Candy Cane Kiss Dip

Is anyone else around here extremely last minute? I've been meaning to post this baby (since yesterday), and I've just been hammered with stuff! Working 10s, last minute plans with friends, and getting ready to leave for the holiday. So, It appears "Cookie Week" is a two week business. Don't mind me and my slack! So, these are my final cookies. Not to fret, I'll be posting a Peppermint Dip and Cranberry Brie pastry, as well. (Hopefully tomorrow. If not, I am BEHIND!) So, my fellow procrastinators, let's get to it.

Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies

These chocolate mint chip cookies are another that I make yearly. They're my brother's favorite, and , therefore, I feel obligated to make them! Plus they're delicious, and mint is just a Christmas flavor. Of course I need to make them. 

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2/3 c. sugar

2/3 c. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

2/3 c. cocoa powder

2 c. flour, sifted

1 bag mint morsels of your choosing

How To:

In a large bowl, whisk together butter and vanilla. Using your hand mixer, beat in the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda. Carefully mix in the cocoa, until the mixture is combined well. Slowly add in the flour, adding about a half a cup at each addition. Mix well! Now fold in the mint morsels. I used Nestle's dark chocolate and mint chips with a some broken up Andes mints. Stick this in the fridge for at least an hour. When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325˚. Using a tablespoon, plop balls of dough on a greased (or wax paper-lined) cookie sheet. Bake these for 10-11 minutes. Let them sit on the baking sheet for a minute or two, then transfer to a cooling rack!

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Anyone that knows me, also knows I will eat spoonfuls of peanut butter straight out of the jar. I'm pretty sure peanut butter is my first true love. So, of course, the perfect peanut butter cookie is needed.

 Ingredients:

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 1/4 c. flour, sifted

Extra sugar, for rolling

How To:

In a large mixing bowl, start by whisking the butter and vanilla together. Using a hand mixer, beat in the egg, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and peanut butter. Slowly beat in the flour. As always, I do about a 1/2 cup at a time. Beat this until it's mixed well. Eat the dough, because it's amazing. Pop this dough in the fridge, too. Also for about an hour or so. Preheat the oven to 350˚.  Use a spoon to scoop the dough out. Roll them into balls between your hands and roll in sugar. Place your little dough balls at least 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake these for 9-10 minutes. Let them sit for a minute or two, then transfer to a baking sheet. They're going to seem like they might need to be in there a little longer, but I promise, they don't. They're going to be chewy and delicious and heaven.

Candy Cane Kiss Dip

When you're entertaining on Christmas eve, it's definitely necessary to have more than just cookies. I'm sure, by now, they've all had their fair share of eating dough and an excessive amount of cookies. So, this dip is perfect. It also happens to be ridiculously easy. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

40 Candy Cane Hershey Kisses

1 (7 oz.) jar of marshmallow cream

4 oz. cream cheese

How To:

Using a double broiler, melt down the kisses. If you don't have a double broiler, boil water in a medium-sized pot. Place your kisses in a metal bowl, and set the bowl over the boiling water. Stir the kisses as they melt down. Once melted, beat in the cream cheese and marshmallow fluff. BAM!! You're done. Place this in the fridge until it's serving time. Serve it up with some chocolate graham crackers, or whatever else you can find!

Have a wonderful Christmas!!

What's Cookin' Wednesday!

Roasted Tomato Basil Marinara

Warning: This is delicious, clean, and easy. So, I was reading up on some clean eating. The basis of it is that you don't eat any processed food. That basically means cutting out anything canned, jarred, or bagged. Now, there are exceptions, such as canned vegetables and beans. Just look at the label. If you don't know what something is, it's probably not clean. Now, I make a pretty good marinara with canned crushed tomatoes, but why not kick it up a notch on the health front, right? So, this recipe requires minimal work. And if you've read any of my other recipes, you know I'm all about that. On the week nights, at least. 

Ingredients:

7 cloves garlic, peeled

9 large tomatoes, halved

Handful of basil (I used about 10 leaves)

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Cooked pasta of choice

(I used whole wheat spaghetti noodles)

How To:

Preheat the oven to 400F. Go about cutting your tomatoes, cutting the basil off the stems, and peeling the garlic. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the tomatoes out. Lightly drizzle with olive oil, and crack a bit of salt and pepper over the tomatoes. Now spread out the garlic and basil with the tomatoes. Pop this in the oven for about an hour, or until the tomatoes begin to brown. It'll smell marvelous. Once they've roasted, take them out and let them cool a bit. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse. Add a bit more salt and pepper, if you please. 

Pile this on top of your cooked pasta, and savor the healthy deliciousness. I will actually take this over the jarred sauce any day. I probably won't make marinara any other way, now. It was just so tasty and fresh.

Have you guys tried eating clean? What's your favorite recipe?

Make It Tuesday?

Oatmeal Pumpkin Cream Pies

I must apologize for the late post. Last night, I went to see my favorite band of all time, Anberlin. It's their final tour, and there was just nothing that could keep me from being there. Needless to say, the band played amazingly, as they have every time I've been to a show of theirs. They'll alway hold the largest part of my little musical heart. 

Guys, that man we're standing with? That's the lead singer, Stephen Christian. His voice is pure perfection. Now that you've forgiven me, we can get to the real post. (:

I'm sure we've all got Thanksgiving coming up. Unless you don't celebrate that, which is cool. But then there's the work pot lucks and dinner with friends, and ya know, just the whole holiday get togethers begin. Whenever there's a potluck or any kind of gathering, everyone knows I'm bringing a dessert. That's just what I love making. Although it had nothing to do with any gathering, I recently made these Oatmeal Pumpkin Cream Pies, and can I just tell you, they were delicious. 

Ingredients:

Cookies:

1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 2/3 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

1 c. flour

Pumpkin Filling:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

1/4 c. pumpkin puree

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

2-2.5 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. flour

How To:

In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugars. Add the vanilla, egg, baking soda, and cinnamon, and whisk to combine. Mix in the rolled oats. Slowly add in the flour using a wooden spoon to combine well. Cover this and let refrigerate for at least an hour. I let mine sit overnight because I got lazy. After about an hour, or the next day, preheat the oven to 325F. Roll the cookie dough into small balls, about 1-2 inches. Place these in rows on a greased cookie sheet. Pop in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. I like my cookies a little crispier, so this is all judgement. Let the cookies cool for about 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. 

While you're making the cookies, or while they're cooling, you can start the filling. Using a hand mixer, or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, pumpkin puree, and spices together. Slowly begin adding in the powdered sugar, about a 1/2 cup at a time. As this still produces a thin consistency, add in the flour. Fair warning, it's still going to seem a bit thin, or it did to me. However, if you pop the frosting in the fridge for a bit, it's much easier to work with. Once your cookies are cooled completely, you can spread the filling on the bottom of one cookie and sandwich it to another.

Congratulations! You just made delicious cookies!

What's your favorite dessert to take to gatherings!? I'd love to know! (:

What's Cookin' Wednesday!

Stir Fry!

Good evening! I hope everyone's week is going well! Mine is going surprisingly fast, and I'm a-ok with that. But it's mid-week and, while I'm here blogging away, boyfriend is making dinner. I don't know about all of you, but once it hits Wednesday, dinner better be easy. I am in no mood to stand in the kitchen for a good hour or so. If you share my feels, save this recipe for a day you feel like putting a little effort in, and chopping veggies for a good amount of time. If you're looking for something easy, check out this easy tomato basil soup.

However, this is delicious and healthy and packed full of veggies and protein. I'm all about trying new meat substitutes. So, when I found Trader Joe's "Chicken-Less Strips" I was really excited. Tossed these babies in with all the veggies and fooled two meat eaters. Take that!

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil

1/2 a bunch of broccoli, cut into florets

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/2 cup carrots, chopped

1/2 orange pepper, sliced

1/2 red pepper, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 green onions, sliced thinly

1 can water chestnuts

1/4 cup cashews

1 package Trader Joe's Chicken-Less Strips (or chicken)

2 cups quinoa, cooked

Sauce

2 T soy sauce or tamari

3 T teriyaki

1 t. rice vinegar

1 1/2 t. brown sugar

How To:

In a large skillet, or wok, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and whites of the green onions until fragrant. Toss in the package of Trader Joe's Chicken-Less Strips, and sauté with the onions and garlic for a couple minutes. Add in the carrots and celery, and sauté for another 5-7 minutes. Add in the peppers and broccoli, sauté for about 3 minutes, then cover the pan. Allow this to sit for about 10 minutes. Add in any extra olive oil as needed while sautéing. While you're letting that sit, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. I alway recommend tasting sauces as you go. Keep in mind that although the sauce is a bit salty, when it's combined with the other ingredients, it won't taste as salty. Add the water chestnuts, cashews, and sauce to your veggies. Stir to combine well, and allow the mixture to heat through. This also let's the flavors combine. I typically let mine sit for around 10-15 more minutes. Usually, I'm finishing up the quinoa. Put the quinoa in your serving bowls and top with a generous amount of stir fry! 

I'd just like to inform you all that this tasted just like Chinese take-out for me, and it was so good. You know when your Chinese is almost better the next day? Yep, just like that.

What's your favorite healthy take-out!? I'd love to know in the comments below! (:

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Quinoa Taco Bowls

As discussed (several times), I'm a Mexican food junkie. So naturally, I'm a Chipotle fan. However, they're typically super busy, and it isn't as healthy as I wish it would be. They definitely have guac going for them, though. But, why pay $8/bowl when you can make it at home for much less and make it healthier? Plus, you can add in some toppings that maybe they don't have. Black olives. I mean, come on. Black olives are a necessity.

Ingredients:

Roasted Red Pepper & Basil Quinoa

1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles

1 can corn

1 can black beans

1 Tbsp. Cumin

1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper

2 tsp. Chili Powder

2 tsp. Fajita Seasoning

1 tsp. Paprika

(The fajita seasoning and paprika I got at Penzey's. You can totally omit the fajita seasoning and add in more of the others, or omit completely.)

Toppings:

Romaine lettuce

Mexican-style cheese

Plain Greek yogurt

Black olives

Any other toppings of choice

Here's the quinoa I used. It's amazing, and it added the best flavor to the bowl.

How To:

Cook the quinoa according to the instructions. If you can't find that kind, you can always use normal quinoa! In a small pan, dump the corn and diced tomatoes and green chiles in, and stir to combine well. This makes a super simple corn salsa. I don't add anything to this, I just let it heat up. In another pan, combine black beans and spices. I didn't drain my black beans. Let these sit and heat all the way through, about 10-15 minutes. Now, in your serving bowls, put about 1/2 cup of quinoa in the bottom of the bowl. Top this with the bean mixture, then the corn salsa. Then top it with lettuce, yogurt, black olives, cheese, and whatever else you desire! If you're a meat eater, it would be so easy to add in some seasoned chicken or beef.
Easy peasy and healthy!! (:

What're you going to top your burrito bowl with!? 

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Vegetarian Tikka Masala

I may have mentioned before that we love Indian food. I love that they have soooo many vegetarian options, no matter where you go. It's common to eat vegetarian there. Plus, anything that isn't typically vegetarian is super easy to make it veggie. Just toss in some cauliflower, potatoes, and chickpeas in place of chicken. Boyfriend loves Chicken Tikka Masala, so I made this veggie recipe!

Ingredients:

1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 can chickpeas
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 (28oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. garam masala
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. sugar
1 c. heavy cream
Basmati rice, cooked

How To:

In a large pot, heat up the olive oil. Toss in the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger, and sauté these until the onions are translucent. At this point, add in the crushed tomatoes, spices, and sugar. Bring this to a low boil, reduce heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Now add in the cauliflower and chickpeas. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream, and stir this up to combine well. Bring the mixture back to a simmer, and allow this to simmer for about 5-7 minutes.
Serve this up over warm basmati rice with a nice piece of garlic naan on the side!

What's your favorite ethnic food!? Tell me about it in the comments below. (:

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Roasted Beer & Lime Cauliflower Tacos w/ Cilantro Coleslaw

Isn't that a mouthful? I got this recipe out of one of my recent Women's Health magazines. Holy yum. It has this spicy, yummy, smokey taste. Along with the vinegar from the coleslaw. So good.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower

3/4 cup beer

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1 Tbsp. lime juice

1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce or tamari

1 1/2 Tbsp. hot sauce

1-2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 head cauliflower, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Pinch of salt

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Corn tortillas

Coleslaw

2 Tbsp. lime juice

2 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar

1 tsp. olive oil

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

How To:

Preheat the oven to 400. In a medium saucepan, combine the beer, vegetable broth, lime juice, soy sauce or tamari, hot sauce, and garlic. Bring this to a light simmer and toss in the cauliflower. Mix this around, and let it soak up the flavors for about 5 minutes. Dump this mixture in a collander, and transfer the cauliflower to a greased baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the seasonings, olive oil, and cauliflower, making sure to coat the cauliflower well. Pop the cauliflower in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

While that's going, make the coleslaw. I made mine in the same large bowl that I coated the cauliflower in for flavor cohesion. Yeah, real fancy. To do this, just combine all the ingredients listed under coleslaw, mixing well to coat everything! I tossed my corn tortilla shells in the oven for a bit to get a little cripiness. Once everything is done, toss some coleslaw in a shell with some cauliflower. Top with avocado, salsa, or whatever your favorite toppings are!

 

 

Who else has a magazine subscription with recipes!? What's your favorite you've tried?

What's Cookin' Wednesday

 Smokey Cauliflower, Chickpea, & Dumpling Soup

As stated, the boyfriend and I love soups. Love, love, love. I'm always looking for new, interesting soups. The smokiness of this one definitely drew me towards it. I've recently acquired an abnormal amount of paprika, and I've never used that before. So, I've been trying a ton of recipes with paprika. This soup was just so smokey and warm that it was perfect for a fall night. It has veggies and proteins and carbs. It's perfect and hearty.
We're actually eating this again tonight, since I froze half of it. I'm quite excited about it.

Ingredients:

Soup

1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1 can chick peas

6 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

5 large cloves of garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. sweet paprika

1/4 tsp. hot curry powder

6 cups vegetable broth

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

1 tsp. soy sauce or tamari

Salt & pepper to taste

Dumplings

1 1/2 c. flour (I used whole wheat)

1/2 tsp baking powder

3 scallions, green and white parts, sliced thinly

1/2 - 3/4 c. water

How To:

Preheat the oven to 400. Toss the cauliflower florets in 3 tablespoons of oil and some salt. Spread the florets out evenly across a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. While those are baking, heat the remaining oil in a large stock pan. Add in the onion and garlic and saute until translucent. Once translucent, add in the bay leaves, spices, broth, paste, and soy sauce/tamari. Stir to combine the ingredients well! Turn the heat up and bring it to a simmer, then reduce the heat. Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes. After ten minutes, add the cauliflower and chickpeas.

While that is simmering, begin your dumplings. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and scallions. Slowly add in the water, until you get a thick, sticky dough. Drop tablespoon-sized globs into the soup and continue to simmer. Make sure the dumplings are completely submerged in the soup. After about 15-20 minutes, check a dumpling with a toothpick. You want the toothpick to come up clean.

Let the soup cool for about 5 minutes, then laddle into bowls and marvel in the smokey goodness.

This was probably one of the most wonderful soups I've ever made. It was smokey and hearty and just warm. It may be absolutely perfect for fall. Plus, it just looks pretty.

This recipe makes a ton, but you can freeze it! Freeze half of it and save it for a lazy, cold day!



I'd love to hear what your favorite soup is! Let me know in the comments below!

What's Cookin' Wednesday!

Tater Tot Casserole

Alright guys. It's been over a week, but I'm slowly getting better! I've been a super slacker blogging, but I was more worried about getting healthy again! Sorry! (:

It's come to my attention that many people have no idea what tater tot casserole is. This is heartbreaking to me. It's something my mom used to make quite a bit, and I love it. It also only requires 3 main ingredients. You can't beat that... While I was sick, boyfriend was the one cooking and taking care of me. It was a wonderful change. (; Even though I was sick. So, this was a super easy recipe that I could give him directions to make while I died on the couch. I still got up to take the pictures, but he did all the grunt work. While he was making it, he said it smelled like beef stroganoff. If that tickles your fancy, then go for it!

Ingredients:

1 bag Morningstar crumbles

(or 1 lb ground beef)

1 can cream of mushroom

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp garlic salt

Pepper to taste

1 c. shredded cheese (I used colby jack)

Bag o' tots

That's more ingredients, but you can leave out the spices and cheese. My mom used to... I just wanted to add some stuff.

How To:

Preheat oven to 400. In a large pan, start heating up the crumbles. If you're using ground beef, brown completely and drain. Add in the cream of mushroom and spices. Stir this until combined well. Spread evenly over a greased pan. I believe mine was an 8x11 pan. It's an odd size. On top of the meat mixture, sprinkle half of the cheese. Line the tots up on the cheese, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cook according to tot package. I think mine said 20-25 minutes.

Serve immediately!

This is just an old recipe that my mom used to make for me. Tommy had never heard of it, and I was just so confused. Then I realized that not many people had heard of it... O.O

Have you had tater tot casserole? What's a family recipe you love? (:

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Tomato Basil Soup

Somehow, overnight, my body decided to be sick. I literally could not tell you the last time I was sick. So, of course, I act like I'm dying. Because I don't get sick, and boyfriend will now bend to my will. (; That's a joke... kinda. This wasn't my planned post, but I had forced myself to the gym and just wanted a shower and to lay down. Anything that needed me to be involved was just not happening. And what does anyone crave when they're sick? Soup!

Either way, winter is coming (someone please get that). I may try to live off of soup throughout the fall and winter! It's just so warm and cozy...

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

4 Roma tomatoes

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

3/4 c. half & half or heavy cream

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

3/4 c. veggie broth

1 oz. fresh basil (mine was packaged)

2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning

Salt & pepper to taste

How to:

Heat the oil in a large stock pot. Sauté the garlic, bay leaf, and crushed red pepper until the garlic is slightly browned. While that's going, toss your Roma tomatoes and basil in a blender and pulse. Ours was a little chunky. If you don't like that, blend away! Once the garlic has browned, dump the tomato/basil mixture in. Also dump in the can of crushed tomatoes. Bring that to a low boil, and add in the cream and brown sugar. I was about to omit this because I though it was weird, but don't. I promise. Mix all this together and let simmer for about 8-10 minutes. You could totally stick an immersion blender in now, if you have one and you want it creamy. I don't have one. *hint hint mom!* Add in the broth, salt & pepper, and seasoning. Continue to heat for another 3-5 minutes, until warm throughout.

Serve hot and steamy with some grilled cheese on the side!

I totally suggest tasting it throughout the process! I used a couple of recipes and kinda just made my own. When I walked away, boyfriend added in the Italian seasoning, and it was just right. He also made the grilled cheese while I whined about being sick. (: I have to give him that! If you're wondering, we use an Italian seasoning from Penzey's! That place is like a tiny spice heaven.

What is your favorite soup to make when you're sick? (:

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Taco Pizzadillas

Sometimes, ideas start like this:

Tori: What do you want for dinner this week?

Boyfriend: Pizzadillas sound good!

Tori: Oh my god, I want taco pizza. OOOH! What about taco pizzadillas!?

In case you don't know, a pizzadilla is a quesadilla stuffed with pizza stuff. Ours are typically green peppers, black olives, and red onions with pizza cheese. Then you dip it in pizza sauce! We love that hear. He loves pizza, and I like to make it healthier! So why not switch it up!? This is definitely a meal that vegetarians and carnivores can enjoy, alike! You can substitute the crumbles for ground beef, if you aren't a fan! (: Either way, it's freaking delicious, and we loved it.

Ingredients:

8 tortilla shells (I used whole wheat)

Butter to grease tortillas

1 can refried beans

1/2 lb. Morningstar crumbles

3/8 c. water

1/2 taco seasoning packet

1 small can sliced black olives

1 1/2 c. Mexican cheese

1/2 c. salsa

Shredded lettuce

How to:

In a small pan, start "browning" the crumbles. Once this is heated through, add the 3/8 cup of water and the taco seasoning. Let this heat for a bit to absorb the flavors and thicken. Set this aside. Butter one side of all of the tortillas. Place one in a large skillet and slather on as much refried beans as your little heart desires. Top that with some of the crumbles. I used about 1/4 cup, spread evenly. Then, add the sliced black olives and Mexican cheese. I'm not giving you any measurements, because I believe in you. Also, you and I have different taste buds. Alright, now top that with another tortilla, butter side up. Turn the heat on! Approximately a medium heat. Cook until golden brown, then flip. Cook that side until golden brown, too. Place it onto a plate and top with salsa and shredded lettuce!!

If you asked boyfriend, he would tell you that every meal I make starts with garlic. It's probably really close to the truth. Garlic is my absolute favorite, but one thing I hate about using garlic is having to peel it to press it. Although I love the smell of garlic, it's not cute when that's what my hands smell like every day. I've recently received this garlic press, and it's absolutely amazing! Two reasons. 1. You don't have to peel the garlic. 2. You get more minced garlic out of each clove! Definitely check it out if you love being in the kitchen, but you don't want to smell like what you cook after! (:

Anyway, these were so good!! I just can't.
On a side note, I think I should rename my blog "How to Eat Mexican Food Every Meal."
I promise next week won't be a Mexican dish! But who's going to try this!? What other ingredients do you love on taco pizza!?

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.