Make Ahead Easter Brunch

April 1, 2015April 1, 2015 ~ Elizabeth ~ 2 Comments

It’s really no surprise that I love brunch. I’ve hosted Easter brunch several times and love it. There are so many fun recipes you can assemble and even make the night before so you’re not spending all of your time in the kitchen. Here are a few of my go-to crowd pleasing recipes.

Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

Ingredients:
Blueberry Scones:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
5 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones
1 cup fresh blueberries

Lemon Glaze:

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 lemon, zest finely grated
1 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Sift together the dry ingredients; the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter to coat the pieces with the flour. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate; do not overwork the dough. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Take care not to mash or bruise the blueberries because their strong color will bleed into the dough.
Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 12 by 3 by 1 1/4 inches. Cut the rectangle in 1/2 then cut the pieces in 1/2 again, giving you 4 (3-inch) squares. Cut the squares in 1/2 on a diagonal to give you the classic triangle shape. Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with a little heavy cream. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until beautiful and brown. Let the scones cool a bit before you apply the glaze.

Healthy Bacon, Egg, Potato Breakfast Casserole

Potato-Egg-Bacon-Casserole — Courtesy: Jeanette’s Healthy Living

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (~ 1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, chopped (~ 1 cup)
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 strips uncured antibiotic free turkey bacon, chopped
1 teaspoon Fines Herbes or other herb blend
6 large eggs
1 cup non-fat cottage cheese, pureed in food processor
1 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups shredded Yukon gold potatoes
9 cups baby kale

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, bacon and fines herbes until onions are translucent. Set aside.
In large bowl, whisk together eggs, cottage cheese and cheddar cheese. Stir in shredded potatoes. Add sautéed bacon and vegetables. Spoon into lightly greased 9×9 square dish.
Bake 45 minutes until casserole is firm.
Serve on bed of baby kale.

Bourbon Banana Nut Stuffed French Toast

BourbonFrenchToast — Courtesy: Country Cleaver

Ingredients:

1 loaf Brioche, sliced 1 ½”-2″ thick
2 Bananas, sliced
4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
2 tbsp Bourbon
½ tsp Cinnamon
½ cup Finely chopped Pecans
2 Eggs
1/3 cup Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
Maple Syrup

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place sliced bananas onto a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until the bananas start to gently caramelize. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
While the bananas are baking, take each slice of brioche, using a sharp pointed and serrated knife, lay the slice flat and like you were slicing the bread horizontally, insert the knife flatly into the bread and slice a small pocket into the middle of the bread, ensuring you don’t puncture through the bread. Repeat with each slice of brioche. Set aside momentarily.
In a bowl, mix together cooled bananas, bourbon, cinnamon, ¼ cup pecans, and cream cheese until smooth. With a spoon or knife, or a piping bag with a round tip and filled with banana mix, spread into the pocket of each bread slice.
In another shallow bowl whisk together, milk, eggs and vanilla. Dip each slice of stuffed brioche into the egg wash and place into a heated, and non-stick sprayed pan over medium to medium-high heat. Cook until each side is deep golden brown. Flip and cook completely. Serve immediately with additional bananas and chopped pecans on top. Top with maple syrup.

Party Potatoes:

Ingredients:

32 Ounce Bag Frozen Cubed Hash Browns
1/2 cup Melted Butter (More for Greasing Pan)
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 cup Chopped Onion
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Pint Sour Cream
2 cups Sharp Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
Butter a large baking pan.
Place frozen hash browns in baking pan, spread evenly.
Combine butter, salt and pepper. Pour over hash browns.
Stir together onions, soup, sour cream and cheese and spread over hash browns.
Baked for 45 minutes, stirring half way through.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Breakfast for Dinner: Protein Pancakes

February 4, 2015 ~ Elizabeth ~ Leave a comment

Lately I’ve had a hankering for pancakes. I tend to default to eggs for breakfast, but thought I’d try something new and get my pancake fix at the same time. After trying different versions, this one’s the winner and worth giving a try.

Ingredients:

1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup oats (blended – or 1/4 cup oat flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg white
1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)

Instructions:

Blend oats in a blender or magic bullet (if using oats over oat flour). Stir dry ingredients together. Add wet ingredients and mix well (batter will be thick).
Heat pan on medium heat. Spray with nonstick spray and slowly spoon batter into pan. Cook time will vary, mine took about a minute and 30 seconds before I flipped them.
Top with fruit, Greek yogurt, pure maple syrup or whatever you’re in the mood for.

Kale and White Bean Soup

February 2, 2015February 2, 2015 ~ Elizabeth ~ Leave a comment

A Sunday snow storm calls for cozy cooking. This soup is easy to make, delicious and healthy. I typically have the items in my fridge and cupboard which makes it a go-to. Like most of the winter soups I make, I always add a Parmesan rind. It adds so much flavor and you can keep them in the freezer so they’re ready to use anytime.

Ingredients:

1 medium carrot chopped 1/2 cup
1 stalk of celery sliced 1/2 cup
1 medium onion chopped 1/2 cup
1 tbsp.olive oil
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 cups kale, chopped
1 15oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (undrained)
Grated Parmesan cheese (for topping)
Parmesan rind

Instructions:

In a large Dutch Oven cook carrots, celery, and onion (Mirepoix) in hot oil over medium heat for 3 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add broth, kale, beans and undrained tomatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring twice.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Super Bowl Snackin’

January 30, 2015 ~ Elizabeth ~ Leave a comment

Super Bowl Sunday is almost here. Time for an overabundance of food, drink, commercials and football. If you’re looking for some foodspiration, here are some of my favorite snickety-snacks. Can’t wait to whip up some of these yummy treats – clearly I like buffalo sauce.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Buffalo Chix Meatballs — Courtesy: Damn Delicious

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chicken
3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 cup buffalo sauce
Light Ranch (for dipping)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, Panko, egg, garlic and onion powder and green onions; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 1 1/4-to-1 1/2-inch meatballs, forming about 24 meatballs.
Place meatballs onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 4-5 minutes, or until all sides are browned.
Place meatballs into a slow cooker. Add buffalo sauce and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours.
Serve immediately, with ranch dressing, if desired.

Veggie Patch Pizza

Ingredients:

2 cans Crescent Rolls
16 oz. cream cheese. softened
1 cup mayo
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
Assorted Veggie Toppings (your faves):
- 1 cup broccoli, cauliflower
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped bell peppers
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- zucchini, mushrooms, green onions, cucumbers

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread Crescent rolls onto large cookie sheet and press edges.
Bake for 8-10 minutes then cool.
Mix cream cheese, mayo and ranch dressing.
Spread onto cooled rolls.
Sprinkle veggies on top, one at a time.
Sprinkle cheese on top.
Cut into squares before serving.

Buffalo Cauliflower with Blue Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:

Cheese Sauce:

1/3 cup nonfat sour cream
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon skim milk
2 teaspoons mayonnaise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Buffalo Cauliflower:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup hot sauce, such as Frank’s
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
8 cups cauliflower florets (from about 1 medium head)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
For the cheese sauce: Whisk together the sour cream, blue cheese, milk, mayonnaise, 1/8 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes
For the Buffalo cauliflower: Meanwhile, microwave the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl on high until melted. Whisk in the hot sauce and lemon juice and set aside.
Mix 1/2 cup water, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower and toss until well coated. Spread the cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until beginning to brown and just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Whisk the hot sauce mixture again, drizzle over the cauliflower and toss with tongs to coat. Roast the cauliflower until the sauce is bubbling and browned around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes more. Serve hot with the cheese sauce.

Greek Layer Dip

Ingredients:

6 oz crumbled Feta cheese
2 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons nonfat plain Greek yogurt
8 oz Sabra Classic Hummus
1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ cup diced cucumber
½ cup diced grape tomatoes
10 pitted Kalamata olives, diced

Instructions:

Combine the feta*, cream cheese and yogurt in the bowl of a food processor and process until combined and smooth. Spread the cheese mixture evenly across the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Top this cheesy layer with the hummus and spread across evenly. (*I reserved a tiny bit of the feta to sprinkle over the top at the end)
In a medium bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, oregano, mustard, salt and pepper and stir until well combined. Add the diced cucumbers, tomatoes and olives to the oil mixture and stir until well combined. Spread the tomato/cucumber mixture over the top of the hummus in the pie plate and serve.

Spinach Artichoke Bites

bites-closeup-2 — Courtesy: Park House Love

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) package softened cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 tubes of crescent roll dough
shredded mozzarella (optional, though in my opinion completely necessary)

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray mini muffin tins with baking spray.
Combine the first six ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well. Once you’ve combined the dip, set aside.
Roll your crescent roll dough out onto a large cutting board/work surface. Working with half of the dough at time (4 triangles), pinch all of the creases together so that you’re left with one big piece of dough.
Using a pizza slicer or a knife, cut the dough into 12 roughly even squares.
Press each of the dough squares into a mini muffin tin.
Using a teaspoon, fill each cup with the spinach artichoke mixture.
Sprinkle each one with a little shredded mozzarella- who doesn’t love more cheese!
Bake in the oven for 12 minutes.
Wait a couple minutes until they’re cool enough to touch, then use a teaspoon to get them out of the cups and onto the plate of your choice or into your mouth.

Roasted Chickpeas

January 26, 2015 ~ Elizabeth ~ 1 Comment

Lately I’ve been taking my salads to another level at lunchtime. I made a batch of roasted chickpeas this weekend and they are little bites of deliciousness. Roasting them with your favorite spices adds another dimension of flavor to the chickpeas. I’ve seen a lot of recipes with cumin and cayenne, but I opted for a blend of sea salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic and sage.

Ingredients:

2 cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dry seasoning mix (sea salt flakes, black pepper, rosemary, garlic and sage)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
Toss the chickpeas with olive oil and seasoning and spread out on an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet
Roast in the oven for 30 minutes

Mock Mashed Potatoes

January 16, 2015January 16, 2015 ~ Elizabeth ~ Leave a comment

As the saying goes..summer bodies are made in the winter. If you’re like me, I just want to snuggle up and eat hearty meals in the winter. We all crave comfort food, but there are some great ways to lighten things up and even trick yourself in the process. A go-to for me is cauliflower mashed potatoes. I can honestly say, you will not miss those little spuds after you try this delicious alternative.

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower
1 tablespoon butter
3-5 tablespoons skim milk (depends on the consistency you want)
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley or chives for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Wash and separate the cauliflower into florets
Bring water to a boil and boil florets until soft
Drain water
Add milk, butter, garlic salt, pepper
Use a hand masher, food processor, or an immersion blender to obtain your preferred consistency

That’s the Way the Cookie Crumbles

December 18, 2014 ~ Elizabeth ~ 1 Comment

The cookie exchange challenge is on! My amazing work family has decided to have a cookie exchange amongst our team. We’re all very competitive and I take this task seriously – okay as serious as you can with cookie baking. I’m not much of a baker since there’s so much precision involved. However, there’s something about Christmas cookies that brings out the baker in me.

After reviewing my family favorites, I selected the Russian Tea Cake. These buttery powdered sugar balls of bliss are one of my favorites. The recipe is one my mom has used for as long as I can remember so you know it’s good.

1 cup unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups finely chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup powdered sugar (set aside to roll the warm cookies in)

Combine all ingredients, mix well
Refrigerate dough until chilled (makes it easier to roll them into balls)
Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
Bake in a preheated oven of 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Once baked roll while still hot in confectioners’ sugar until coated. Let cool and you can lightly dust with more powered sugar if needed.

Holiday Brunchin’

December 9, 2014 ~ Elizabeth ~ 4 Comments

In previous years, I’ve hosting a holiday dinner/gift exchange for a few of my closest girlfriends and wanted to switch things up this year. After watching an episode of “Brunch at Bobby’s” (swoon- yes I have a crush on Bobby Flay), I was inspired to host a brunch this year. We had a variety of yummy food and drinks to enjoy! I included the highlights along with a couple of recipes that should definitely make your next brunch menu. Happy hosting!

Bold Fashioned:

Ingredients:

Templeton Rye Whiskey
Orange bitters
San Pellegrino blood orange sparkling soda
Luxardo maraschino cherries
Orange bitters

Directions:

Fill glass with ice
Pour 1 shot of rye whiskey over ice
Add orange bitters (2-3 drops)
Add approximately ½ can San Pellegrino blood orange sparkling soda
Stir to incorporate
Add 1 Luxardo maraschino cherry
Peel a piece of the orange rind and squeeze into the drink and around the rim of the glass
Sip and enjoy

Lemon Blueberry Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

Lemon Glaze

2 tablespoon granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cooking oil on the bottom and sides of a 9x5x3 loaf pan
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Remove 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture. Place the blueberries in a separate bowl and toss in the 1 tablespoon flour
Using the electric mixer, beat butter until softened. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy
Add eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in 3 parts and milk in 2 parts alternatively, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Mix only until combined
Scrape half the batter into the loaf pan. Add the blueberries in the middle. Add rest of batter on top
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. Or until a toothpick comes out clean
For the glaze, stir the sugar with lemon in a microwaveable bowl. Place in microwave for about 30 seconds or until sugar has dissolved
After the loaf has cooked, place on wire rack in pan. Poke holes in the bread. Brush the lemon glaze on top of the loaf. Cool completely

French Toast Bake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 loaf of Texas Toast
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup of milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Ground cinnamon for sprinkling
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

Melt butter in microwave. Add brown sugar. Stir till mixed
Pour butter/sugar into bottom of 9×13 pan. Spread evenly
Beat eggs, milk, and vanilla
Lay single layer of bread in pan- use sliced Challah bread
Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top, evenly
Add a 2nd layer of Challah bread
Spoon on remaining egg mixture. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top, evenly (I like to add extra)
Cover and chill overnight
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes
Sprinkle powdered sugar on top before serving. Serve with maple syrup, optional

Friendsgiving

November 18, 2014 ~ Elizabeth ~ Leave a comment

Thanksgiving is almost here and I’m looking forward to a few days off with my fam back in the Mitten. There’s nothing better than spending time with family over scrumptious food and copious amounts of wine – well at least that’s how my family rolls!

Last weekend marked the 4^th annual Friendsgiving with some of my dear friends to prepare for the main event. We kicked off the first one with a traditional Thanksgiving meal and decided to evolve it over the years. This year, the star of the show was the roasted beer can chicken (recipe to come). It was out of this world amazing and I’m so glad my friend John decided to take on the challenge.

I was tasked with bringing a few appetizers and immediately thought of two I’ve been dying to try. Both of them were easy to make and a smashing success.

Phyllo Cups with Brie and Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

2 boxes (15 count) Mini Phyllo Cups (sold in the freezer aisle)
7 ounces of Brie
1 can Cranberry Sauce

Instructions:

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Remove the phyllo cups from the packaging and arrange them on a baking sheet. Fill each cup with a 50/50 mix of Brie and cranberry sauce. Bake for 15 minutes and serve.

Creamy Brussels Sprout Shallot Dip

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Brussels sprouts, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sour cream (light or regular)
4 ounces (1/2 package) 1/3 fat cream cheese
1 cup low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for topping
1/4 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper

Creamy-Brussels-Sprout-Dip-minimalistbaker.com_ — Courtesy Minimalist Baker

Instructions:

Heat a cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Once hot add 1 Tbsp olive oil, shallot and garlic. Stir constantly as to not to let it burn.
Add Brussels sprouts, 1/4 tsp each sea salt and pepper and stir. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until tender and slightly wilted and then remove from heat, turning off burner as well.
In a separate bowl mix together sour cream, cream cheese, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, another pinch of salt and pepper and stir. Add Brussels sprouts mixture to the bowl and stir until well combined.
Use additional Tbsp olive oil to lightly grease the cast iron so the dip doesn’t stick. Spoon dip back into the skillet and bake at 375 for 11-13 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

An Apple a Day…

November 4, 2014November 4, 2014 ~ Elizabeth ~ Leave a comment

I recently went apple picking in Wisconsin with my girlfriends for our annual adventure. There were plenty of options to choose from which had my mind swirling around what I was going to do with my peck of apples. The crisp weather lends itself nicely to wholesome apple treats. Applesauce immediately came to mind and I wanted to share this easy and delicious recipe. Added bonus- your home will be filled with the cinnamon apple goodness.

Ingredients:

8-10 apples peeled and chopped (type is up to you, but I like a variety)
1/2-1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1-2 tbsp butter (optional)
2-3 packets of Truvia (you can use regular sugar if you prefer)
2 cups water

Directions:

Fill sauce pan with 2 cups of water and add the peeled/chopped apples- bring them to a simmer to slowly cook the apples down for about 20 min with the lid on to trap the heat
Check on the apples slowly stirring them as they simmer and continue to reduce (note: apples have water in them so you might need to remove some of the water for a chunkier consistency)
As the apples start to reduce, add in the cinnamon and sugar starting with the smaller amounts- you can always add more
Once combined, return the mixture to a simmer uncovered
Take a taste to see if it needs more cinnamon and sugar- it all depends on the apples you choose and what you prefer
Once you’re happy with the flavor and consistency, add in 1-2 tbsp of butter to finish
Enjoy!