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I started cleaning my entire house with Branch Basics during quarantine. I think everyone cleaned a lot during those months, but it feels so good to know that all the cleaning I did was with safe and non-toxic solutions instead of harsh chemicals!!

Since Bryant and I have started our TTC journey, I have really been focusing on how I can make food/lifestyle changes that are healthier. Eliminating processed foods was the first step, and then I started eliminating other less obvious toxins in our home like laundry, deodorant and toothpaste. Cue, Branch Basics! My mom started using it a few months before I did and ALWAYSSSS mentioned how well it works. I was like, "Yeah, okay Mom! I'm glad you love it!" And thennnnn I got an email from Branch Basics asking if I wanted to sample the product and ever since my first spray and wipe - I've been OBSESSED.

My absolute favorite part about Branch Basics besides the fact that it's non-toxic and is actually extremely effective is that one bottle of their mineral-based concentrate solution is all you need to clean your entire house. There are a few different empty bottles that come in the Starter Kit including the bathroom, all-purpose, streak-free, foaming wash and laundry bottle. Simply fill each bottle with certain amount of water + concentrate by following the directions on each one and then get to cleaning! You can read more about how the concentrate works here.

Bedroom

Every week or so, we wash our sheets and pillowcases, but the bestttttt is when the comforter gets a wash too -- we especially love washing it at the start of a new year. We have white linen sheets, pillowcases and a white comforter. Our dog, Basil sleeps in our bed every single night. Dog + white bedding is a dangerous move but I NEVER have to worry because I haven't met a stain yet that Branch Basics Oxygen Boost couldn't solve.

I usually pour two scoops of the oxygen boost and two cap-fulls of the laundry cleaner (two because the comforter is a heavy duty load) into my washer and let the cycle start by filling the machine with water. Add the comforter and let it soak for 30 minutes before closing the door to start the actual wash part of the cycle. Once it's done, you'll notice not only super clean bedding, but veryyy vibrantly white bedding! It restores the bright color every single time and looks brand new, I'm always so amazed.

Bathroom

I think the second best thing to fresh bed sheets is a sparkling clean bathroom. Something about take a shower or bath in what feels like a new space just gives off all the clean vibes! My favorite way to use BB to clean the bathroom:

Shower/tub: spray the entire tub and shower walls with the bathroom cleaner spray bottle. Sprinkle and coat the entire tub with the oxygen boost. Use an abrasive brush or sponge to rub the oxygen boost into the bathroom cleaner a bit. If your shower has tiles/grout, you can use a toothbrush to scrub them with the oxygen boost.
Floor: Spray with the bathroom cleaner, let soak for 10 and then wipe down. If you have tile/grout floors, sprinkle the oxygen boost over the grout after spraying with the bathroom cleaner and let soak for 10-15. After soaking, scrub with a toothbrush or abrasive brush and then wipe clean.
Toilet: spray the entire toilet inside and out with the bathroom cleaner. I always do the oxygen boost around the rim of the inside of the toilet to get rid of any discoloring! Let the inside of the toilet bowl soak with the cleaner while you wipe down the outside of the toilet and then use a toilet bowl brush to scrub the inside. Flush and you're done!

Windows & Mirrors

Not to be dramatic, but the first time I used the Branch Basics glass cleaner, I gasped. I've never seen a window so clean and sparkly. The streak-free cleaner bottle directions say to fill with water and use ONE DROP of the concentrate. That's how powerful (yet safe) this stuff is!! If you windows are looking streaky then you probably accidentally spilled a little more concentrate into the bottle than just a drop and it needs more water. Feels weird to only add such a small amount to the water but trust me when I say that a drop is all you need.

Don't forget you can use code "JANE" for 20% off of the Branch Basics Starter Kit. The starter kit comes with everything you need to start cleaning your whole house. (I make a small commission off of each purchase made with my code, so shopping with code "JANE" is a great way to support me at no extra cost to you! (This blog post was created in partnership with Branch Basics.)

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Red Thai Curry Noodles

12/4/2020

Okay this reminds me so much of my vodka sauce recipe, except a vegan Thai version. In addition to tomato paste, there's Red Thai Curry Paste and a little lime juice and ginger. It's really good and different if you're in the mood for a creamy pasta but don't want to deal with heavy amounts of dairy.

Sometimes, when I make coconut milk based sauces, I notice that leaving it over high heat can cause things to separate and get oily so that's why I added the starch into it. It holds together better that way!

Per usual, this recipe is enough to feed two people, or it can be split into three smaller sides. For reference - a standard box of pasta is around 1 lb and I always make half a box which is the perfect amount for two entrees.

What you need:

1/2 lb rice noodles (I used Tinkyada Brown Rice Noodles)
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp grated ginger
2 tbsp neutral oil (I used grape seed oil)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp red Thai curry paste
1/2 tsp corn starch or arrowroot starch
1 14 oz can of coconut milk
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
Salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp of each)
Optional - scallions or cilantro for topping

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook the rice noodles.
Heat the minced garlic and ginger in the grape seed oil in a large skillet until fragrant.
Add the tomato and curry paste to the skillet and flatten/stir until brick red and hot.
Add the starch to the hot paste and mix it in. This will help ensure that the sauce holds together better.
Add the lime juice and soy sauce, then add the coconut milk. Combine everything with a whisk.
Bring the sauce to a low bubble and whisk on and off until the noodles are done cooking.
Toss the noodles in the sauce and serve hot. The dish looks pretty when it's finished off with something green like scallions or Thai Basil.

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Mini Stuffed Shells

11/29/2020

My kind of cereal. A few weeks ago, I made two different pasta recipes. One was regular-sized stuffed shells and the other was a creamy lemon pasta dish with medium-sized shell noodles. After making and eating both the lightbulb went off in my head and I was like OMG, what if I stuffed THE SMALLER SHELLS?!?!

Usually, mini food recipes are somewhat impractical but besides being fun as hell to eat - this is actually one of the more successful mini recipes I've made, which is why it's deserving of an entire blog post! Here's why -- the ratio of shell to cheese is actually really nice with the mini version because in the regular version, there's A LOT of cheese. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but sometimes classic stuffed shells can be super heavy on the cheese since there's so much to fill, and for someone like my husband who thinks it's too much cheese and not enough pasta - the mini version is perfect.

As far as process goes, using something to assist with filling the shells helps a lot. You could use a pastry or ziplock bag and cut a hole in the bottom corner to squeeze the ricotta cheese, but I just used an old fashioned ketchup bottle with a pointy tip. Whatever works, but I def wouldn't recommend trying to free hand it!

What you need:

1 cup medium sized shell pasta (makes enough for 2 bowls)
15 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder or 2 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp fresh chopped basil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce
1/4 cup of thick shredded mozzarella cheese for topping (I used Sargento it's my fave mozz for melting.)

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook about a cup of stuffed shells for as long as the packaging says.
Prepare the filling by mixing the ricotta, garlic, parsley, basil, lemon juice, parm, salt and pep in a bowl and filling up either a pastry/ziplock bag/sauce bottle to have ready for when the shells are done.
Fill an oven safe dish or bowl with the pasta sauce. (I used a bowl bc it would be hard to transfer and keep looking pretty into a bowl from a dish.)
Once the pasta is done, carefully place the empty shells into the sauce one by one and then fill them one at a time.
Next, carefully place a few thick shreds of mozzarella cheese onto each of the stuffed shells.
Bake for 10 minutes at 350 F and then turn the broiler oven setting on for 3-5 minutes in order to melt and partially brown the mozz that's laid out on top. (Watch the entire time the broiler is on because it could burn very easily!) Serve hot.

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BLT Salad with Fried Green Tomatoes

11/28/2020

If you've ever been in the Southern U.S. States, you know that fried green tomatoes are huge. Every time I'm in Georgia or South Carolina I see them on every single menu. During a road trip to Florida, we stayed in a random hotel overnight to break up the drive and ordered takeout from a nearby place that had this awesome BLT Salad that I fell in love with and had to recreate to share with you guys! It was served with ranch dressing but I opted to add goat cheese instead. You could go either way!

What you need:

1 large green tomato (ends up being enough for two salads)
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup flour
1 egg
Kale - as much as you want to eat
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 slices of bacon
Either Goat cheese crumbles or ranch dressing

What to do:

Cut the green tomato up into pieces, think of them as the croutons to your salad so around that size.
Heat up about an inch of vegetable oil in a small but deep skillet or pan.
Assemble the frying station next to the oil. So, three bowls, one with the egg wash (scramble it), one with the flour and one with the panko.
Dip each piece of tomato into the flour, then egg, then panko. Don't be afraid to really coat it in the egg so that the panko can stick properly and the whole thing is coated and covered. After the panko, shake off any excess crumbs and then drop into the oil and cook until golden brown. (Every stove is different but I use a medium heat setting for this.) Set aside on a paper towel once they are done.
Wash and dry off the kale. Rip off the large stem in the center and discard. Add the leaves to a bowl and rip them into bite sized pieces. Pour the olive oil salt and pepper on the leaves and then "massage" the kale by squeezing it in your hands over and over until it's not rough anymore. More enjoyable to eat that way! You could add a simple salad dressing here if you want too but I like just the EVOO and s + p.
Cook the bacon, I like to chop it into squares before cooking it, but you can cook/separate it however you want.
Now that you have all the pieces and parts, assemble the salad. Mix the goat cheese and bacon pieces in with the kale and then top with the fried green tomatoes. If you don't like goat cheese, top with ranch dressing and then eat!

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Seafood Pasta

11/28/2020

If you missed it, I found out this year that despite my life-long seafood allergy, I can eat mollusks. Which means I can eat clams, mussels, scallops, oysters, calamari and octopus!!! I always felt like I was missing out on the seafood pasta dishes my family would order at Italian restaurants on vacation and now that I can eat some seafood, I've been ordering it like crazy and of course, I had to try and make it at home too. Most of the times I see this kind of dish on the menu at a restaurant, there's almost always shrimp in it - so that's pretty much the only thing missing from this dish as far as what's "typical." (Sadly, I can't have shrimp, crab or lobster.)

Cooking time is a little more than my usual recipes since you have to pay close attention to preparing the scallops separately - but it's so worth it to get that tasty sear. If you're going to roast your own tomatoes and garlic like I suggest, that takes time too. You could use jarred marinara sauce but I truly think fresh is best for this one. I'd say the whole thing start to finish can be done in around 45 minutes. Like the rest of my recipes, this will serve 2 people.

What you need:

4-6 fresh or frozen + thawed scallops
10-12 little neck clams, washed
10-12 mussels, washed
1/2 lb pasta, angel hair, linguine or tagliatelle (or fettuccini)

For the tomato sauce:

2 cups grape tomatoes for 6 roma tomatoes sliced in half
3 gloves garlic roughly chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

For cooking the clams and mussels:

3 tbsp butter (I use EarthBound plant-based butter)
4 minced garlic cloves
1 tbsp Calabrian chili paste
1/2 cup dry white wine

What to do:

Combine the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and salt/pep on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes at 350 F. You can add herbs if you would like more flavor but this will be your tomato sauce for the pasta dish - it tastes sooo much more fresh than using pre-jarred sauce this way and compliments the freshness of the seafood!
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook the pasta in. (If you're using pasta that cooks in a few minutes, wait to cook it until the very end.)
Put two skillets on the stove, one of them must have a lid that goes with it.
The skillet with a lid is for the clams and mussels. Melt the 3 tbsp butter into it and add the minced garlic and Calabrian chili paste. Let that cook for a few minutes and then add the wine, clams and mussels. Cover until all the shells open up and the clams and mussels have been steamed - this usually takes about 10 minutes on med-high heat.)
Next, cook the scallops. I pour grape seed oil into a skillet that's been resting on med-high heat. The skillet needs to be decently hot to sear the scallops better. Pat the scallops completely dry and hit them with a little salt and pepper. Place the scallops into the skillet and cook for 4 minutes without touching. Flip the scallops to the other side for about 2 minutes and then they are done! Once they are finished I like to move them to a plate to stop the cooking process and squeeze a little lemon juice on them.
Once the clams and mussels are done, add them to the plate with the scallops.
Add the blended tomato sauce to the leftover sauce that the calms and scallops cooked in and whisk together over medium heat.
Add the cooked pasta into the sauce and combine. Taste test and adjust, sometimes I add a little more wine or butter here. You can add the seafood right to the pasta and serve or plate the pasta and then add the seafood on top! Serve hot.

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Granola Butter Twix Cups

10/29/2020

I am over the freaking moon. I cannot believe how good these little treats are!! First and foremost - there are no peanuts or tree nuts. I used my girl @AvoKween's vanilla granola butter which is honestly the best thing a person with a nut allergy could ever ask for. It can replace almost all nut butters in most recipes and it's freaking delicious. To firm up the consistency in order to make the 'caramel' part of the twix cup, I added pureed dates to the granola butter which helped hold the middle layer up a bit better than if I were to just use the melty granola butter.

So, these granola butter 'twix' cups are naturally sweetened with a lil maple syrup + they are gluten free, grain free, dairy free and peanut allergy friendly. Amazing.

Also, I almost ALWAYS forget to add flakey sea salt to any chocolate that I melt and put on things so if you're less forgetful than me I would def add some right before you stick them in the fridge to cool.

What you need:

3/4 cup coconut flour
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1 cup pitted dates
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup vanilla granola butter
1 cup melted dark chocolate I used HU Kitchen gems

What to do:

Combine the coconut flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl and mix to form the "dough". It should be pretty dry but should stick together when you press it.
Divide the dough equally into 8 muffin tin cups that have been lined with parchment paper. (You want this layer to be about half an inch thick - the ones in my photos I did a little too thick.) Bake for 8 minutes at 350 F - they should be slightly golden brown.
While the coconut flour layer is baking, pulse the dates, water and granola butter in a food processor for a minute or two until you've created a paste. It should be thick but pourable - adjust the amount of water if you need.
Pour the date and granola paste on top of the coconut flour crusts.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave for 30 second increments until it's smooth and pour equal layers on top of the date and granola paste.
Stick them in the freezer for an hour before eating. Keep cool in the fridge.

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Lemon and Arugula Pesto Pasta

10/27/2020

Peanut and tree nut free pesto!!

It's also packed with all the green things and that's always a plus! I used arugula, spinach, basil, garlic, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. The whole arugula leaves you see mixed in there are coated in a super simple vinaigrette recipe so there's an extra little vinegar kick in the dish from the white wine vinegar I used too!!

What you need:

1/2 box of pasta (I used Joval Foods brown rice penne pasta - makes 2 entrees or 3 side dishes)
3 handfuls of spinach (about 2 cups, completely packed)
1 handful of fresh basil (about 1 cup, completely packed)
2-6 garlic cloves (I love garlic so I usually do 3 or 4 cloves.)
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste (I usually do 1/2 tsp of each)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (separate portion as listed above)
2 tbsp white wine vinegar (not white vinegar)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 handfuls of arugula (about 1 measuring cup, completely packed)

What to do:

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
While the pasta cooks, put the spinach, basil, garlic, parm and lemon juice in a food processor and pulse for about a minute and slowly pour in the EVOO as you go. It should turn into a paste. More EVOO will loosen things up a bit and more parmesan cheese will thicken things up a bit so feel free to adjust! Season with salt and pepper after tasting.
Pour the EVOO, white wine vinegar, lemon juice and salt/pepper into a container with a lid and shake up to make a simple vinaigrette dressing.
Pour the vinaigrette over the arugula and toss to combine.
When the pasta is done, drain it and run cool water over it so that it's not piping hot. (This will melt the cheese in the pesto which you don't want!)
Add the pesto to the pasta and mix to combine. You can either mix the arugula leaves into the pasta or serve the pesto pasta over the arugula leaves on a plate and combine while eating! Up to you!
Top with parmesan and lemon zest before serving.

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Vodka Sauce

10/26/2020

16 Comments

UGH. Vodka sauce. This is by far my most popular recipe and it's suuuuper easy to make and pretty much foolproof so that's why I think everyone loves it so much.

I started making this a few years ago and I think my favorite part about the recipe I originally developed is that there are several different ways to customize it depending on whatever I'm in the mood for. Sometimes I like it spicy, sometimes I like it to be less cream-heavy, sometimes I'm avoiding dairy in general so I eat it a vegan version of it!! So I'll list below the different ways that I love to make it and let you decide which version you're feeling.

Spicy Vodka Sauce
Depending on how much heat you can tolerate, you can add in crushed red pepper flakes or a spoonful or two of Calabrian chili paste at the same time as you add the tomato paste in the beginning.

Vodka Sauce Sans Vodka
You can replace the vodka in the recipe with white wine! I've even seen a dear friend make and love it with gin! Also, if for whatever reason you cannot have any alcohol you can replace the vodka with broth!

Cheesy Vodka Sauce
Add freshly grated parmesan cheese once the cream has been added to the skillet. I would say 1/4 - 1/2 cup. Melting cheese into the sauce can also help thicken it up if you accidentally add too much cream or pasta water.

Gluten Free Vodka Sauce
The sauce is naturally gluten free! So just use brown rice pasta! My favorite is Jovial Foods brown rice pasta or Taste Republic fresh pasta. Can hardly tell the difference between both brand's pasta and regular pasta that's full of gluten.

Bulkier Vodka Sauce
Add diced shallot or onion in with the butter at the beginning and then add a cup or so of crushed tomatoes in after the tomato paste is brick red! This gives the dish a bit more texture and the flavor of the onions with the flavor of garlic that's already in there is really great.

Vegan Vodka Sauce
A few different ways to make this version - coconut cream added in at the very end (it tends to separate the sauce if it's in there and over heat for too long.) I have also used oat milk creamer (Nut Pods brand) which works nicely too since their creamer is a bit thicker than regular oat milk.

Lighter Vodka Sauce
This is one of my favorite versions. I replace half of the cream with veggie or chicken broth. And actually, you can go as far as replacing half of the half of cream that's left with oat milk creamer. So you end up with 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup oat milk and then 1/2 cup broth. I would combine all the liquid together and add it in 1/2 cup at a time just like the recipe calls for with the full portion of cream.

What you need:

1/2 box pasta (around 1/2 lb, enough for two large portions or three side dishes)
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp garlic powder or 2 minced garlic cloves
1 oz (2 tbsp plain vodka)
1 cup heavy whipping cream (has to be heavy, light or regular cream won't work as well.)
1/4 cup reserved pasta water

What to do:

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
In a large skillet on medium heat, melt the butter and add the tomato paste and garlic. Cook until the paste is brick red in color.
Add the vodka and whisk. (The boozy taste and flavor of the vodka will evaporate here.)
After about 3-5 minutes of evaporating and cooking, add half of the cream and whisk. Turn the heat to simmer while you bring it to a bubble.
Add the rest of the cream and whisk again. Bring to a low bubble on the lowest heat setting and let simmer until the pasta is done cooking. (You can add more cream if you want it saucier - I usually start off with a cup and see how it looks.)
The sauce can get super thick while simmering so I like to add in around 1/4 cup of the salty/starchy pasta water to loosen things up and create an extra silky texture.
Add the pasta to the sauce, combine and serve hot.

16 Comments

Buttered Noochles

10/15/2020

This pasta is freaking amazing and one of my fave simple dairy-free "cheesy buttery" pasta sauces. It's made from just oat milk creamer, vegan butter, garlic powder and nutritional yeast. If you love cheese and dairy but can't eat either or are trying to cut back - this will be your new bestie.

Two things:

First, if you don't salt the water you cook the pasta in, the finished product may need a little salt. Second, don't get oat milk and oat milk creamer confused. I'm not so sure if regular oat milk would work since the creamer is a little more thick. Here's the oat milk creamer I use. (I buy it online because I can only find their almond oat milk creamer at stores and I'm allergic to almonds.) And honestly, if you're in a pinch you could just add the vegan butter, garlic powder and nooch to the hot pasta in a bowl and eat it that way - no skillet or sauce prep required and suuuuper fast! Been there, done that.

I love pairing it with a fun pasta shape. If I'm using brown rice pasta I use these shells, if I'm using regular pasta, I use this cannolicchi.

What you need:

1/2 lb pasta of choice
2 tbsp vegan butter (I use Earth Balance or Melt Organic)
3/4 cup oat milk creamer (I use Nut Pods)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp garlic powder

What to do:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for as long as the packaging says.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium sized skillet on medium heat and add the oat milk creamer to it.
Once the oat milk and butter start to bubble, add in the garlic powder and nutritional yeast. Whisk to combine.
Whisk on and off while it simmers on low heat while it thickens up for around 8-10 minutes and then add the pasta to it. I usually top with a bit of black pepper.

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Linguine & Clams

9/28/2020

Technically, you don't have to eat this pasta dish with linguine but the name 'linguine and clams' is so iconic to me that we're just gonna call it that. I personally loveeee clams with mafaldine too which is like a more wider long noodle with curly edges.

I love adding chopped clams to this dish in addition to the fresh clams in the shell. One of my favorite restaurants serves it that way and the texture + extra amount of clams is so gooood. Also, sometimes I add cherry tomatoes at the same time as the garlic cloves and it's so good that way too!

This dish is enough for two entrees, or three small plates and it takes about 30 minutes to whip up.

What you need:

1/2 lb of pasta (enough for 2 entrees or 3 small plates)
3 tbsp of butter (can be vegan)
4-6 minced garlic cloves (the more the better IMO)
1-2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes depending on how much heat you can tolerate
Around 30 fresh little neck clams (in a pinch you can use two small cans of chopped clams)
1 6oz size can of roughly chopped clams (you can de-shell some of he clams and chop them yourself but I kinda like the canned clams, is that gross? Lol.)
3/4 cup white wine (I use cheap chardonnay)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tbsp fresh chopped flat leaf parsley (dried parsley works too)

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Turn your fave stove burner (we all have one, lol) to a low heat setting and melt the butter in a large/deep skillet and add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. (Make sure the skillet you decide to use has an option to use a lid!)
While the garlic is simmering in the butter for a few, wash the clams with a scrub brush and cold water to remove any sand or possible bacteria.
Once the garlic is fragrant and translucent, add the clams into the skillet. Pour the wine over the clams, change the heat from low to medium and cover with a lid.
Check back after about 10 minutes to see if the clams have opened up. Once they are all opened - they're done. Discard any that stayed shut.
Remove the clams from the skillet and place them on a nearby plate while you add the chopped clams, pasta, pepper and parsley to the skillet. Mix over medium heat for a few minutes. (It's easier to mix around without the clams and their shells!)
Taste the pasta before adding the clams back in and serving. If you didn't salt the pasta water, you may need to season with salt.
Once you're satisfied with the taste of pasta sauce you can add the clams back in and it's ready to be served! I always top with more parsley and red pepper flakes.

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Pumpkin Sheet Cake (Gluten Free/Vegan)

9/27/2020

I stumbled upon this recipe from Jessica in the Kitchen last week and changed it around a bit to fit the way I like to eat. I did use her vegan cream cheese recipe and it was FIREEEE, the best vegan cream cheese frosting I've tried hands down so I didn't change a thing about that part. (Tap here for her vegan cream cheese frosting recipe.)

When it comes to desserts, I'm obsessed with trying to find healthier ways to bake them! So instead of using 1 1/2 cups can sugar, I used 3/4 cup maple syrup. I also love subbing out wheat (flour) in baking recipes for a 1:1 oat flour and all purpose gluten free flour combo so I did that here too.

What you need:

1 cup gluten free all purpose flour (I used Pamela's)
1 cup gluten free oat flour (you can grind up whole or quick oats in a food processor to make your own!)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups pumpkin puree
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup grape seed or vegetable oil
1/2 cup oat milk
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (this helps the more dense gf flour rise)
1 batch of Jessica in the Kitchen's Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9x13 inch brownie pan with non-stick or line with parchment paper. (I used this pan.) The brownie pan works best because it's not too large and the edges go up higher than a regular baking sheet so it holds the shape better.
Combine the dry ingredients (sifting is best to prevent clumps) in a large bowl.
I used my Kitchen Aid to mix/combine the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, oil, milk vanilla and apple cider vinegar.
Pour in the dry ingredients in two equal parts until you have a cake batter.
Transfer the cake batter to the brownie pan and spread it out evenly with a frosting spatula or just a regular spatula.
Bake for 25 minutes and check the center with a toothpick. If it comes out dry, you're good if it comes out wet with batter, cook for another 5-10 minutes and check the cake again. (You can cover the top with tinfoil to prevent too much browning or any burning on top.)
Let the cake cool completely before frosting. (I made the frosting while the cake was cooling but you could make it at any of the waiting times while you bake the cake!)
Sprinkle the applied frosting with a little cinnamon, slice into squares and serve. Store in the fridge if you're not eating it right away and bring back to room temp before serving.

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Homemade Crunch Wrap Supremes

9/23/2020

Taco Bell! But won't make your stomach hurt afterwards. :)

Believe it or not but I actually found low carb Mission soft tortillas at the grocery store that taste EXACTLY the same as a regular tortilla? Like what? Why haven't they always made them that way?

I have recipes for both regular sized crunch wrap supremes and then mini ones below. The mini are handheld and SO FUN!!

What you need:
Regular Sized CWS

1/2 cup white onion, diced
1 lb ground turkey (beef or chicken works too)
Taco seasoning, I used Siete Foods
6 large soft tortillas
6 small medium sized tortillas
Queso
6 tostadas
Greek yogurt
Lettuce, diced
Salsa or fresh diced tomatoes

What you need:
Mini Sized CWS

1/2 white onion, diced
1/2 lb ground turkey (beef or chicken works too)
Taco seasoning, I used Siete Foods
6 medium sized soft tortillas
6 street tacos, or use a cup as a "cookie cutter" to cut bigger ones to make street-sized tacos.
Queso
6 round yellow tortilla chips (in place of the larger tostadas)
Greek yogurt
Lettuce, diced
Salsa or fresh diced tomatoes

What to do:

If you're doing chicken breasts, drop them into some boiling water until the insides aren't pink anymore. (If you cut them in half they cook faster.) Once they're done place them on a cutting board until they are completely cook and shred them.
In a skillet, combine 2 tbsp neutral oil, onion, your meat of choice + taco seasoning. Let all of that cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the meat is cooked all the way through. Drain excess liquid and set aside.
OKAY. Crunch wrap time. Here's the deal - you can customize the layers how you want but this is how I did it.
1. Large tortilla lays out first.
2. Create a small pile of your meat of choice about the same size as a tostada or small taco tortilla.
3. Next - queso.
4. Next, the tostada or small tortilla chip. Be gentle from here on out because you don't want to crack the delicate tostada/chip.
5. Top the tostada/chip with a spoonful of greek yogurt. (Spoonful = tablespoon for all of those who need me to hold your hand through this LOL.)
6. Next, top that with a handful of freshly shaved iceberg lettuce.
7. Salsa or diced tomatoes come next.
8. Almost done - place the smaller soft tortilla over the lettuce.
9. MOST CRUCIAL PART, fold the edges of the large soft tortilla on the bottom up and over the top tortilla and fold/pleat the edges in order to close everything up.
10. Once closed up, spray or brush the top with a little neutral oil and carefully flip it into a skillet and place on the stove on low-medium heat. Cook for 5ish minutes until golden brown - brush the top with a little more oil and then flip and cook for another 5ish mins and then you're done!
Garnish however you would like, I usually dip in ranch or add hot sauce.

4 Comments

Butternut Squash Carbonara

9/23/2020

Loooove me some carbonara. I love making this dish because it can be easily customized. Want it creamier? Add heavy whipping cream. Want to add in some fall flavors? Add some butternut squash or pumpkin puree. Want it to taste like cacio e pepe? Toast some peppercorns and toss em' in. Looking to add some greens? Arugula or spinach both work great mixed in. Want to give it an Asian flare? Miso paste is so amazing in it too! The options are endlessssss.

A few carbonara tips I've learned over the years:

Grating cheese with a microplane (super thin) straight from a block works best. It melts easier and really just tastes way better than like that powdery kraft parmesan you can buy at the store.
DO NOT combine the sauce mixture and the pasta over heat, like in a pot on the stove. Too much heat will make the eggs in the sauce scramble and what you'll get is basically pasta with scrambled eggs in it, lol. The worst.
If you don't have pancetta, bacon will work. Try and get thicker sliced bacon if you can! If I'm working with bacon, I like to cut it into perfect little squares because it looks nicer that way!

What you need:

1/2 box long pasta - I prefer tagliatelle
1/2 cup diced pancetta or bacon or more if you want
2 egg yolks, one whole egg
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup pureed butternut squash (or pumpkin if you want!)

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Start cooking the pancetta (or dice the bacon and start cooking that.) Once it's done transfer to a plate and let it chill until the pasta is done. Up to you whether or not you want to set it on a paper towel in order to transfer less or more of the flavorful grease from it - as long as there's not a ton of it you're good.
Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks, whole egg, cheese, BNS puree and pepper in a large bowl. If you did not salt your pasta water you may need to add a pinch of salt here. There will be salt from the pancetta or bacon so you don't need a lot.
Drain the pasta and while it's still very hot - put it straight into the bowl with the sauce. This is *important* - use tongs to gently but also quickly toss the noodles over and over again in the sauce. The heat and movement spreads out the sauce and helps the raw eggs cook. (If you don't create that movement the eggs could scramble.)
Plate immediately and serve hot. Top each serving with more cheese and pepper.

0 Comments

Healthy Cinnamon Apple Bread

9/19/2020

I baked with applesauce for the first time!! The texture it brings to this cinnamon apple bread is insaneeeee. Don't expect some giant apple flavor to take over your tastebuds, it's pretty subtle but still so sosossoso good. I really love this one because even though one of the main components is apple, there aren't any apple chunks involved in the recipe. I hate apple chunks in any baked good, the texture of this bread is the same as like banana bread/pound cake! Aka, amazingly moist.

If you don't know by now, I have a weird obsession with baking healthy treats. It's usually at the start of a new season when I bake the most. Sooooo, this recipe is actually *vegan* because the applesauce replaces the eggs and I use oat milk instead of cow's milk. It's also gluten free because I used oat flour/gf all purpose flour and then it's nut free too, obviously, no almond flour used in any of my recipes due to my nut allergy! Oh and I used maple syrup instead of sugar so it's naturally sweetened. AHH, SO FUN TO BAKE HEALTHY THINGS THAT STILL TASTE THIS GOOD!

**Everyone's oven works differently and reaches different temperatures at different times so be patient with it and keep checking it throughout the suggested cooking time! It's a little harder for gluten free flour to rise, so if you have options, use a more narrow than wide bread pan.

Also, one more thing. It looks sort of ombre colored and I believe that is because I overdid it with the olive oil I used to brush the sides of the loaf pan. I am always scared that the loaf is gonna stick to the pan so I tend to over do it and that can sometimes lead to the edges of the loaf browning due to the heat and amount of oil seeping into the bread. Just an FYI.

What you need:

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup melted vegan butter - I used soy free Earth Balance
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup oat milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup gf all purpose flour (I used Pamela's)
3/4 cup oat flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder

Optional Frosting:

2 tbsp vegan butter (room temp)
3 oz vegan cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and prepare a loaf pan by either lining it with parchment paper or greasing the sides with grape seed oil or extra virgin olive oil spray.
Add all of the wet ingredients to a large bowl and mix.
Add all of the dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl and mix.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet and then mix until combined and a batter is formed.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 35 minutes. The batter should be pretty thick!
After 30 minutes, check on your loaf, cover it with tinfoil to prevent too much browning at the top and turn the heat down to 350 degrees. Cook an additional 15 minutes and then check the center with a toothpick to see if it's done or not. If it's not done, continue to cook for 5-10 minute increments.
If you're going the frosting route which I highly recommend, make it at any point and keep covered at room temp until the loaf is done baking and cooled.
Let the loaf cool completely before removing it form the loaf pan and adding the frosting or else the frosting will totally melt and slide off of the loaf!

4 Comments

Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Tortellini

9/15/2020

Some people get excited about the cooler weather aspect of fall but for me it's all about the food. I'm a huge fan of all things butternut squash and I especially love pairing it with pasta.

All of the ingredients I used were purchased from my local ALDI grocery store! I was super impressed with not only the value but also the variety and selection of groceries that they offer! I also love that in addition to visiting the store or doing curbside pick up, you can shop with ALDI on Instacart too - perfect for those super busy days. One of my favorite products I found and used in this recipe would be the Priano Three Cheese Tortellini because of how quick and easy it was to make - it only takes a minute or two after being tossed into boiling water and then it's ready to go.

This blog post is sponsored by ALDI.

There are a few factors that take this particular butternut squash pasta sauce to a whole new level of cozy. It's obvious that the butternut squash is roasted and pureed but I also roasted a handful of garlic cloves with the squash and coated the entire roasting party in extra virgin olive oil and Stonemill Ground Nutmeg.

This recipe makes enough for two large entrees or 3-4 small sides. Prep time is 10 minutes and cooking time is 45 minutes, so it takes about an hour total to complete!

What you need:

1 medium-sized butternut squash (should result in 2 very full cups of cubed butternut squash)
6-8 peeled garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 teaspoon Stonemill Ground Nutmeg (optional: more for garnishing)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp tomato paste
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup white wine - I used Winking Owl Pinot Grigio from ALDI (can sub in broth of choice if you can't consume wine)
1 package of Priano Three Cheese Tortellini
Optional garnishes: parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper so that it's ready to go by the time you're ready to roast.
Peel, de-seed and dice up a medium sized butternut squash. The cubes should be around 1" in size.
Put the cubes and garlic cloves into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle in the Stonemill Ground Nutmeg, salt and pepper. Next pour the olive oil over top and mix until everything is coated and distributed.
Transfer the veggies to the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. (I like to flip them half way through so that the bottom doesn't brown too much.)
You should be able to easily cut through the butternut squash cubes when the timer goes off. If not, roast for an additional 10 minutes and check them again.
Next, transfer the roasted butternut squash and garlic to a food processor or blender. Add the tomato paste, heavy whipping cream and white wine or broth.
Puree until smooth and transfer to a skillet or pan to simmer while you cook the tortellini.
Transfer the tortellini straight out of the boiling water into the sauce allowing some of the pasta water to come with it. This will help loosen the pasta sauce and give it an extra silky texture.
Once the tortellini have been coated in the sauce, divide up into bowls or plates and serve while it's hot!

1 Comment

Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake

8/13/2020

Last week, I made Monique from @AmbitiousKitchen's Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake recipe and it was soooo good - like I freaked out when I ate it. Almond flour is one of the key ingredients but I found a way around that since I can't eat nuts. I was actually super skeptical about using an almond flour alternative since it distinctly says in her recipe a few times that she doesn't recommend a sub. I ended up used Pamela's Products GF/V Flour instead of the almond flour! Upon completing the batter, I realized it was super dry, almost like cookie dough instead of cake batter - so I added in a few splashes of oat milk and prayed that would do the trick. It did!

What I'm sharing below is a recipe totally adapted from Monique - I don't claim it as my own. I just changed a few things around and adjusted it to accommodate my nut allergy. Sooo many of you were excited about it that I decided to share for my fellow nut allergy fam.

So basically, this is the best healthy-ish cake I've ever eaten. There's 1/2 cup honey instead of sugar, no dairy and no gluten. Say whhaaaatttt. The frosting is optional but I think the sweetness from it is what makes it taste more like a cake than a sweet bread.

What you need:
For the cake

1 cup shredded zucchini
2 eggs
1/2 cup honey
Zest from 2 lemons
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup oat milk
1 1/2 cup Pamelas Gluten Free Flour
3/4 cup gluten free oat flour (I blend Bob's Red Mill Old Fashioned Gluten Free Oats in my food processor to make my own oat flour.)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup fresh blueberries

For the optional frosting

1/2 cup melted vegan butter, room temp (shouldn't be hot)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Shred the zucchini and squeeze out or soak up the excess water/moisture with a cheesecloth or towel.
Combine the wet ingredients in a a bowl and mix.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to combine - don't over mix.
Brush a 9x9 pan with a little bit of coconut or neutral oil like grape seed oil or line with parchment paper to prevent sticking and pour the batter into it.
Fold in the blueberries. Since the batter is relatively thick, you'll really need to fold them in a push them down.
Bake for 30 minutes and test the center with a toothpick to see if it's firm before cooling. If it's not firm, bake at 5 minute increments while perform the toothpick test until done.
While the cake cools, make the frosting by using a whisk to combine the butter, sugar and lemon juice.
Once the cake is completely cooled, transfer to a serving plate and top with frosting before serving!

0 Comments

Pad Thai

7/21/2020

Pad Thai, but make it allergy friendly. It's actually vegan and gluten free if you don't use eggs or meat as the protein because I took the fish sauce out of it!!

While pad see ew is my favorite Thai dish, Pad Thai is more common I feel like and a close second. I mean, of course I love it- it's noodles!! It's always been harder for me to eat at restaurants though since there's usually fish sauce and peanuts all up in it and I have so many unfortunate food allergies!! I started making my own version of the dish at home a while ago and it's def not authentic but it's as close as I can get - still v good in my opinion. :)

What you need:

1/2 lb rice noodles (enough for 2)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup matchstick carrots
1/4 cup roughly copped shallot
4-5 scallion stalks, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar or mirin
4 tbsp Tamarind paste
3 tbsp water
3 tbsp palm sugar, tightly packed (or light brown sugar)
1 cup bean sprouts
Optional: 1-2 eggs
Cilantro for topping
Fresh lime wedges for topping

What to do:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to package instructions.
Fry 4 of the minced garlic cloves in vegetable oil until golden brown and crispy. Be careful not to burn them, the transition happens fast. Set them aside on a paper towel until the end.
Heat the oil in a wok or large deep skillet and add the carrots, shallot, and two minced garlic cloves. Let simmer for a few minutes until translucent. Don't let the garlic burn! If you're going to add chicken or shrimp I would cook in the wok/skillet here until done.
While the veggies are simmering, make the pad thai sauce in a bowl or jar by combining the soy sauce, vinegar, tamarind, water, and sugar.
Add the cooked noodles, rest of the scallions and bean sprouts to the wok with the veggies (and optional protein choice) and then quickly mix them with the pad thai sauce. If you're doing egg, clear a spot for the eggs and quickly scramble/cook them in the wok before mixing them fully into the noodles.
Top with the crispy fried garlic, cilantro and fresh lime juice.

0 Comments

Pancake Ice Cream Cake

7/2/2020

It was my friend's birthday last month and she LOVES ice cream so I wanted to make her an ice cream cake without actually having to bake cakes. That's where I came up with the idea to use Pancakes! So this recipe is shamelessly inspired by a lazy feeling but I'm not mad about it at all because it's a game changer.

What you need:

A doubled batch of pancake mix, I used Aunt Jemima's the first time and Annie's organic the second time. (Both work great, and both times I doubled the suggested portion and had a little more than what I needed.)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup sprinkles (I bought mine from Layered Cake Shop on Etsy - cutest colors and sprinkles ever.)
Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream, I used an entire container of Tilamook (1.75 oz)

What to do:

Follow the packaging instructions to make the pancake batter and pancakes. (I used two large skillets at a time and cooked two huge pancakes in each one to make the time go by faster.)
It's important to leave the pancakes somewhat undercooked. They shouldn't be gloopy but I found when they are super dense in the middle and maybe even a little raw, the cake tastes and holds better. It's also okay if you mess up the pancakes while flipping because they'll be turned into crumbs anyways.
You can either use a food processor or two forks to rip the pancakes into pieces. You want pancake "crumbs". The size should be a little smaller than a crouton and a little bigger than bread crumbs. It's okay if they are not all the same size because they get smooshed in the cake mold.
One the pancakes have cooled, add the sprinkles and maple syrup to the pancake crumbs and mix. If the sprinkles start to melt too much in the wet syrup, you can add more in while layering in the cake mold.
Take the ice cream out of the freezer in order to soften it.
I used two 4" circular cake pans to mold the cake into the shape I wanted. You'll need to line the bottom of it with two pieces of parchment paper at a 90 degree angle so that you can easily pull up the cake once it's all frozen. (I cut 4 pieces of parchment paper into 2 inch wide strips because the circle shape is awkward and it made the most sense that way.) They should be long enough so that there are 4 tabs sticking up and out of the baking pan for you to pull! Once they are in place, you can put the pancake crumbs right on top of them.
Scoop 1 cup of the pancake bits into a measuring cup, it shouldn't be packed in there too tight but it should be decently full.
Line the bottom of each baking pan with the 1 cup of pancake crumbs and press down with the bottom of a cup until it's even. If it's a liiiiittle loose, that's okay, the ice cream will seep in and do it's thing.
Next, add a layer of the softened vanilla ice cream on top of each layer of smooshed pancake crumbs. The ice cream should be soft enough to spread around but not too soft where it's complete liquid. (A hot spoon helps to smooth it around better.)
Quickly transfer each pan to a flat area in the freezer. Leave it in there until the ice cream freezes up enough to hold another layer of pancake crumbs and then ice cream. (Mine sat in the freezer for a little over an hour before it was ready.)
Repeat steps 9 and 10 with the layers. On one of the cakes, top with pancake crumbs and more sprinkles. This will be the top portion of your cake - the one with just ice cream on top will be the base layer.
Return to the freezer again for at least three hours.
Remove each cake pan and let thaw for 5 minutes before pulling each piece of cake out of the pan. Start with the one without pancake crumbs on top and put it on your cake stand. Quickly remove the other cake from the pan and place it directly on top of the base layer. Pop it back into the freezer to firm back up for 30 minutes or longer.
Let thaw for 6-8 minutes before slicing through and serving!

1 Comment

Drunken Buttered Noodle Sauce

7/2/2020

This might be the most versatile recipe that I make in my kitchen. It's honestly not even a recipe it's just a cooking method of combining equal parts white wine and butter and then adding whatever you're in the mood for. It's def a chameleon pasta, blends into whatever and there's so many things that it pairs perfectly with!! I love how well the butter and white wine end up coming together to make the most silky buttery sauce. Sometimes I brown the butter a bit too before I add in the wine if I'm wanting an even deeper butter flavor.

I usually eat it plain with just pasta, but if I'm adding veggies to it I'll go with garlicky broccoli or charred corn in the summer. When I brown the butter, I like to use mushrooms and onion. For protein, sooo good with little neck clams or scallops! The pasta also pairs really well with with lemon chicken and capers too.

This dish can also be turned spicy or cajun with a teaspoon of either red pepper flakes or cajun flavors like Old Bay Seasoning or Tony's Creole Seasoning! (So good this way if you're pairing the pasta with seafood and/or corn.)

ALSO, you could add a few splashes (around 1/2 cup) of heavy whipping cream to this sauce to turn it into a more rich and creamy sauce, kind of like alfredo but with a slightly heavier booze factor.

What you need:

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) regular or vegan butter
1/2 cup white wine (I use Kim Crawford pino or some sort of buttery chardonnay)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2-3 tbsp lemon juice
Optional - 1 tbsp cajun seasoning for a cajun version that pairs great with seafood
Optional - 1/2 heavy cream for a heavier, creamy version

What to do:

Melt the butter into a medium-large skillet on medium heat.
Once it starts to bubble, add the wine and or whatever extra seasonings or cream you might be adding in. The wine should create some steam and be bubbling. Lower the heat to its lowest setting and let the sauce simmer while whisking on and off for 10-15 minutes. It should go from bubbling to barely bubbling. (Be careful, if your heat is too high it could evaporate too much of the liquid and you might need to add another round of ingredients to keep it going.)
Toss the pasta in the sauce before serving. I like to add 2-3 tbsp of pasta water for an even better, silky texture. Parmesan cheese is also really good on top!!

4 Comments

Elote Pasta Salad

7/1/2020

This is the summer of corn. I've been eating so much of it lately and putting it into everything!

I couldn't decide if I wanted this to be a creamy pasta salad or not so I used burrata cheese so that some bites would be creamy and some wouldn't! You could totally add mayo though and make it a creamy pasta salad if you want!

If you don't have access to a Trader Joes, you could make your own elote seasoning at home! I would use 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 2 tbsp cotija cheese and then 1/4 tsp cumin powder. The lime juice and cilantro that are added to the pasta salad will add a more "street corn" flavor to the overall dish as well.

What you need:

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
4 ears of corn
2 tbsp Trader Joe's "Everything but Elote" seasoning (see note above if you don't live near a TJ's)
3 tbsp chopped cilantro or parsley
1 tbsp white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
3 tbsp lime juice
Optional - 1/2 cup mayo or greek yogurt + garlic powder for a creamer pasta salad
Optional topping: burrata cheese

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
While the pasta cooks, char the corn by cooking the ears in a large skillet with vegetable oil until charred and somewhat blackened. (You can do this on a grill too!)
Cut the corn off the cob and mix it with the seasoning, cilantro or parsley, vinegar and lime juice.
After draining the pasta, rinse it with cold water to bring down the temp before adding it to the other ingredients.
Chill for an hour before serving. Or not, it's good hot too LOL.

4 Comments

Pepperoni & Hot Honey Pizza

6/19/2020

6 Comments

I've discovered the most perfect pepperoni in the world. Introducing, Hormel Cup n' Crisps. Out of all the different kind of pepperoni meats I've tried with making pizza, this one is by far my favorite. They curl up so nicely into the perfect little cup to hold one of my other favorite pizza toppings of all time - spicy hot honey.

What you need:

2 cups of bread flour
1 tsp dry active yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup room temp water but remove 1 tbsp of it before adding to flour
1 tbsp butter for greasing the pan
1 cup your fave pizza sauce
1 cup low moisture thick shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (5 oz) package of Hormel Pepperoni Cup n' Crisp
Spicy honey or you can use regular honey and red pepper flakes

What to do:

Add the flour, yeast and salt to a stand mixer and combine with a few turns of the dough hook. Add the water and mix on the lowest setting with the dough hook until a ball forms. Let that rest for 10 minutes.
On the lowest speed setting, knead the dough with the dough hook for 10 minutes - the dough shouldn’t be sticking to the sides, only the bottom of the bowl.
It should be kinda sticky unlike pasta dough, and silky. Remove the hook from the kneaded dough and set the dough in the bottom of the stand mixer bowl. Cover tightly and let rest for 2 hours in a warm place.
Spread a tablespoon of room temp butter all over a 9x13 baking sheet. Then spread out the dough. (It shouldn’t stretch all the way to the edges just yet, so do the best you can and then cover the dough in the baking sheet with saran wrap and let it rest for 30 more minutes.
Preheat your oven to 550° F or as high as it can go. (Mine only goes to 525° F)
After the dough relaxes for the 30 extra mins, spread it all the way to the edges and make sure it’s evenly distributed.
Coat the pizza dough with a thin layer of your fave pizza or marinara sauce. Cover with cheese, all the way to the edges. (All the way to the edges is important for crisping the crust because the cheese melts and seeps down to crisp it all the way to the bottom of the pan.)
Add a few additional dollops of pizza sauce to the on-top of the cheese, I do around 8-10 randomly but evenly distributed.
Since the Hormel Cup n' Crisp pepperonis curl up so well, they will shrink in size, so it's important to use the whole packet of them to line the pizza. Overlapping is encouraged, and it should look overcrowded but don't worry it'll turn out perfect!
Cook the pizza on the very bottom of the oven (not the rack, the actual oven) for 6 minutes. This achieves a crispy bottom crust! After the 6 minutes, move it up to the next level and lowest rack of your oven. This will finish off the melty cheese and crips up the pepperonis while preventing the bottom of the pizza crust to burn or blacken.
Once you take it out of the oven, drizzle with either hot honey or regular honey and spicy red pepper flakes. Let it cook for a few minutes and the carefully transfer it to a cutting board to slice up and serve!

6 Comments

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bars

6/16/2020

Here's the deal. The cookie dough recipe below is heavily influenced by what's on the back of the Toll House Chocolate Chip bag - that's what I grew up eating!! You could definitely use your fave cookie dough recipe or a healthier/gluten free blah blah cookie dough recipe - just make sure you replace the raw eggs with a liquid like an oil or milk and then bake the flour for 5-7 minutes at 350 F so that there's no raw ingredients that could contain bacteria. You also won't need any baking agents like baking soda because the dough won't be baked in an oven at all.

This recipe makes about 8 bars, or 16 small square bite-sized pieces.

What you need:

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
2 tbsp whole milk
3/4 granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (I love Lily's Sweets)
1 quart of vanilla bean ice cream

What to do:

Take the ice cream out of the freezer and let it sit out in order to soften it.
Pour the flour onto a cookie sheet and spread it around until it's distributed as flat and even as it can lay. Bake for 5-7 minutes at 350 F. This way you won't be consuming anything raw that might contain bacteria.
Use the microwave or stove top to soften the butter. The butter should be 80% melted. Let it return to room temp before the next step or else it could be hot enough to melt the sugars which isn't good for the overall dough texture.
In a large bowl, mix the softened butter with the sugars, vanilla and milk until combined.
Slowly mix the flour into the sugars and butter, 1 cup at a time. *If the batter seems too dry, add canola oil 1 tbsp at a time until you get a cookie dough batter texture.
Mix in the chocolate chips and if you're like me, eat a handful of them while you're doing it lol.
Split the dough in half so that there's two identical sized portions of dough and roll each one out as best you can into a flat 9x9" square shape.
Take a piece of parchment paper and place it in the bottom of a 9x9" square pan so that the edges are sticking up and out of it. (This helps you to easily lift the finished product out of the pan at the end without ruining it.)
Next, fit one of your cookie dough squares as best as you can into the bottom of the pan until it's stretched to the edges and lays evenly. Stick it in the freezer for 20 minutes in order to make it a bit more firm.
Remove the layer of cookie dough from the pan, cover it and put it away in the fridge until later. (Now you have that part ready and sized for the top when the time comes.)
Take the other square of cookie dough that you rolled out and place it in the bottom of the pan on top of the sheet of parchment paper. Press down to make it fit evenly and then freeze for 20 minutes to firm up a little bit.
Add the ice cream on top of the cookie dough layer. The ice cream should be pretty soft and melty, but not totally liquid. Use a spoon or icing spreader to slather it around and make it as even as possible. You want the layer of ice cream to be hard enough to hold up the top layer of cookie dough without it sinking into the melting ice cream. (If the ice cream layer seems too soft, stick the pan in the freezer for 20 minutes and then add the top layer of cookie dough.)
Once the second cookie dough sheet is on top of the ice cream, let the whole thing freeze for 3 hours or overnight.
Before eating, remove from the fridge and let it thaw for 6-8 minutes before removing it from the pan and slicing up!

0 Comments

SUmmer Corn Pasta

6/7/2020

3 Comments

I don't always put veggies into my pasta, but when I do...it's usually fresh summer veggies like corn! I used to make this recipe with rigatoni noodles but I think the sauce pairs better with a semi-wide longer shape like fettuccini, tagliatelle or mafaldine so I adjusted things according to that lil fun fact.

Also, this is optional but I really like when the corn is charred. (I didn't have enough time to char it the day I shot these photos!)

What you need:

1/2 lb of pasta (I prefer mafaldine or tagliatelle)
2 large or 3 small ears of fresh corn on the cob
2 tbsp butter
2 minced garlic cloves (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1/4 cup freshly chopped basil (I put half of it into the pasta and half of it on top)
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp lemon juice + more for topping
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + more for topping
Black pepper for topping

What to do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Use a sharp knife to slice the corn off of the cobs. Toss the corn into a non-stick skillet with the butter and cook on medium heat until the corn starts to turn golden or charred depending on what you're going for.
Toss the minced garlic and half of the basil into the hot skillet for a minute or two and then add the cream, lemon juice and parmesan cheese and combine with a whisk.
Turn down the stovetop heat to super low and let the sauce simmer until the pasta is done cooking.
Add the pasta to the skillet with the sauce and mix. I like to add in a couple tbsp of the starchy pasta water here too to loosen up the creamy sauce a bit.
Before serving, top each dish with more parm, fresh basil, black pepper and a lemon wedge or lemon zest.

3 Comments

Chicken on the Grill

5/21/2020