Coffee Cake Cookies

These little babies are delectable and delicious! Sometimes I crave stuff without chocolate, as weird as that seems. Because I'm a woman. And I love chocolate. But these were awesome enough that I didn't even miss my chocolate.

Photo Credit to Bakers Royale

Pecan Streusel:
1 ½ cups of pecans, toasted
¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch of salt
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Cookie dough portion:
½ cup of unsalted butter, browned
1 egg
½ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup sugar
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cup unbleached all purpose flour

To make pecan streusel:
Place pecans on a bake sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for about 10-12 minutes or until pecans start to darken slightly and smell nutty. Set aside to cool. Chop pecans once cooled.
Place chopped pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and whisk to combine. Add melted butter and toss to combine. Set aside.

To make cookie:
Heat and melt butter until it is brown and nutty smelling. Set aside to cool slightly.
Place egg, dark brown sugar and sugar in a stand mixer bowl and mix on medium speed with a paddle attachment and beat until mixture is glossy, about 1-2 minutes. Add sour cream, cream cheese, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt into mixture and beat to combine. Add in cooled butter and beat to combine. Turn off mixture.
Using a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula, fold flour into wet mixture. Add 1/2 the streusel mixture and fold to combine.
Scoop out 1 heaping tablespoon of mixture and light roll into a ball and place cookie on bake sheet. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of streusel on top of cookie and lightly press onto the top of cookie.
Bake cookies for about 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Recipe Source: Bakers Royale

Barbecue Chicken Quesadilla

I love simple, easy, and quick. This is definitely one of those! You for sure need to add a side of vegetables, or fruit, or, in our case, both.

Photo Credit to Mrs Harding Cooks

Barbeque Chicken Quesadillas
onion, sliced (one small onion was about right for two quesadillas)
olive oil
dash salt
dash sugar
chicken, cooked and shredded (we had 2 leftover drumsticks)
sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
mozzarella cheese, shredded (any kind of cheese you have will do)
barbecue sauce
tortillas

Caramelize the onions: Heat olive oil over medium-low heat (about 1 T to 1 onion), add onions, salt and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes.

Wipe out the skillet from the caramelized onions and heat to medium. Pile onions, shredded chicken and cheese on tortilla. Drip a few dollops of barbecue sauce over it, then top with a second tortilla. Toast quesadillas in skillet for a couple minutes on each side, till cheese is melted and tortillas are lightly browned.

Serve with extra barbecue sauce for dipping, if desired.

Recipe Source: Mrs Harding Cooks

Chicken Chili

Hey-o. This is my favorite chili recipe right now...and by right now, I mean for the last 5 years. It's delicious, healthy and yummy, plus scrumptious. Get the picture?

Photo Credit to Mrs Harding Cooks

Chicken Chili
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 cups chopped yellow onion {2-3 onions}
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 bell peppers {I used 1 red, 1 green and 1 yellow}
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely diced {I couldn't find this, left it out}
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 (28 oz.) cans whole peeled tomatoes in puree, not drained
2 (15 oz.) cans beans, drained and rinsed {I used 1 can black and 1 can pinto beans}

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions 5 minutes, or until tender and translucent. Add the garlic to the pot and sauté just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in the chopped bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, oregano, chipotle, and kosher salt. Cook 5 more minutes. Place the canned tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly so the tomatoes are cut to large chunks. {You could also break the tomatoes up with your fingers.} Add the tomatoes with the puree to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the shredded chicken and the beans, and allow to simmer for another 20 minutes.

It's very healthy on it's own, but I like to serve it with chips, cheese and sour cream.

Recipe Source: Mrs. Harding Cooks

{Healthy} Banana Bread

I have made lots of different banana breads. This is not a cakey, sweet deliciousness. This is a healthy yummy very banana-y bread. I love it!

Photo Credit to Just a Pinch

{Healthy} Banana Bread
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar free applesauce
3/4 cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
3 mashed overripe bananas

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce and honey. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Recipe Source: Just a Pinch

{Healthy} Skillet Summer Vegetable Lasagna

Delicious. Simple. Healthy. Yummy.

Photo Credit to Mel's Kitchen Cafe

{Healthy} Skillet Summer Vegetable Lasagna
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 small yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Drain tomatoes into a 2-cup liquid measure. Add water to tomato liquid to make 2 cups. Add tomato/water mixture and 1 teaspoon salt to skillet.
Scatter noodles into the skillet, layer tomatoes over the noodles and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, stirring occasionally (so the noodles won’t stick!) for about 10 minutes.
Stir in zucchini and squash, cook, stirring now and then, until noodles and squash are tender, about 8 minutes. Add basil and half of the rictotta cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese to the noodles, stirring until the sauce is creamy. Dollop remaining ricotta cheese over the noodles, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Carnitas Tamale Pie

The Carnitas that we made were delicious, and we loved them. But this pie. Ahhhhhhmazing. So delicious, and yummy. The more cheese the better. The much better.

Photo Credit to Pinch of Yum

Carnitas Tamale Pie
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup yellow corn meal
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 can diced green chiles
⅓ cup milk
1 egg
1 can cream corn
2-3 cups leftover carnitas
1 cup enchilada sauce
1 cup shredded white cheese (Jack, White Cheddar, Pepperjack, etc.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Stir in the oil until the mixture makes soft crumbs. Whisk in the milk and egg. Add the cream corn and green chiles and stir until just combined. Bake in a 9-inch square pan (or larger, depending on how thick you want it) for 25 minutes or until set. Since it's a tamale-like base, it won't be completely dry like a cornbread. It's supposed to be just a little mushy.
Poke holes in the crust with a fork. Pour the enchilada sauce over the crust. Squeeze or drain excess moisture out of the carnitas and arrange on top of the crust. Sprinkle with cheese.
Reduce oven temperature to 350. Cover with foil, return to oven, and bake for 20 minutes. When everything is heated through, remove foil and let bake for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Top with chopped cilantro, allow to cool for 5 minutes, and cut into slices or scoop into bowls.

Recipe Source: Carnitas Tamale Pie

{Healthy} and Delicious Refrigerator Bran Muffins

Okay, I was waiting to write about these until I refrigerated the batter for awhile. And guess what? They're awesome! And delicious! and Healthy! {and have lots of fiber! Hehehehehehe}

Photo Credit to Mel's Kitchen Cafe

{Healthy} and Delicious Refrigerator Bran Muffins
4 cups wheat bran flakes or plain wheat bran
2 cups bran buds (look like little pebbles) or all-bran (look like little twigs)
2 cups boiling water
1 quart (4 cups) buttermilk
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) butter, melted
½ cup (no-added sugar) applesauce
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 cups whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl with a tight fitting lid, place the wheat bran flakes (or plain wheat bran) and the bran buds or all-bran. Pour the boiling water over the bran and mix well. Stir every couple of minutes while the mixture cools to room temperature. The mixture will become very thick and sticky.
After the mixture cools, add the buttermilk, melted butter, applesauce, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well to combine all the ingredients together.
The batter can be covered well and kept in the refrigerator for up to 30 days. To bake, scoop the batter into greased or lined muffin tins. Fill 3/4 full. Bake at 375 degrees for about 14-16 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe