Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake

another phone pic, sorry

Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake

(from aspicyperspective.com)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 T. lemon juice, divided
• Zest of 1 lemon (I used orange)
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 8 oz. plain or vanilla, Greek yogurt
• 12 oz. fresh strawberries, diced
• 1 cup powdered sugar (I skipped the glaze- it was great plain)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan (10-15 cup pan.) Sift together the 2 ¼ cups of flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in the lemon zest and set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 Tb. lemon juice. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt, mixing just until incorporated.
3. Toss the strawberries with the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Gently mix them into the batter.
4. Pour the batter into the Bundt pan. Place in the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled whisk together the remaining 2 Tb. of lemon juice and the powdered sugar. Drizzle over the top of the cake.

Okay, this cake had great flavor and is somewhat healthy!  It was moist and nicely sweet.  

The Best Enchilada Soup- Chili's copycat. Crockpot

Chicken Enchilada Soup {Chili’s Copycat}

this recipe makes a lot- I usually halve it

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 quart chicken stock ( I used Just Like Bouillon with water)
• 1 tablespoon chicken soup base (I took it down a little)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (8 oz). can tomato sauce
• 1 (19 oz.) can enchilada sauce (or two 10 oz. cans) I used this quick recipe
• 1 cup masa harina (or 6 small corn tortillas, minced, I blended mine in the blender)
• 16 oz. Velveeta, cubed
• 1 (22 oz.) bag Tyson roasted and diced chicken, thawed (I just threw my 1 or 2 breasts in the crockpot)
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained (optional)
• 1 can black beans, drained (optional)
• Garnishes: pico de gallo, sour cream, shredded cheese, crunchy tortilla strips

1. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and saute the onions until they are tender. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute or two, then scrape the onions and garlic into your crock pot.

2. Add all the other ingredients, except the chicken (unless you're using the uncooked chicken), corn and black beans. Cook over high heat for 4 hours or low for 5-7. However you work your crockpot magic. Whisk until smooth (you may wish to use a stick blender).

3. Add the chicken pieces, corn and black beans and heat through, maybe another 30 minutes to one hour. Check seasonings, and garnish as you like before serving.

This is so great!  I've made it twice already.  The tortillas thicken it up nicely and add a nice flavor, even though I usually don't go for corn tortillas.  The velveeta adds a nice richness and creaminess.  I have two other recipes for Enchilada Soup on this site, but one uses cream of chicken soup and one uses little pastas so they all have a place here.

My new favorite choc chip recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe that I Love
(from lilluna.com)

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp.vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1 cup cookies and cream bars, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cream butter, oil and sugars. Add eggs and beat until fluffy.
3. Add remaining ingredients.
4. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake for 7-9 minutes.

What's great about these is the almond extract adds a nice little flavor, and the vegetable oil makes for the nice crackly top.  The cookie is still soft, but not cakey or too chewy.  I do like to chill the dough before baking to keep from spreading.

Knockoff Panda Express Chow Mein-- easy and kid-friendly!

• not an awesome pic, sorry
• 
  
• Panda Express Chow Mein Knock-off
• (from favfamilyrecipes.com)
• 
  
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (I used about a teaspoon of garlic powder)
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated (I used a sprinkling of ground ginger)
• ground black pepper, to taste
• 2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 (5.6 oz) packages refrigerated Yaki Soba noodles (found in the produce section of the grocery store.. usually the 3 packages are sold together in one 17oz. pack)
• 2/3 c. chopped celery (chopped diagonally)
• 1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
• 2 c. chopped cabbage

Instructions

• In a small bowl combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and black pepper. Set aside.
• Remove Yaki Soba from packages and discard included flavoring packets. Rinse noodles well, drain, and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large wok or skillet. Add celery and onion and saute for about 1-2 minutes or until onions start to become soft and transparent. Add cabbage and saute an additional minute or so.
• Toss Yaki Soba noodles and soy sauce mixture with the vegetables over medium-high heat for an additional 2-3 minutes or until noodles are heated through.

Wow--- the kids loved this!  It tasted a lot like Panda Express but less greasy...I forget I was going to use sesame oil instead of the vegetable oil to give it a little more nutty flavor.  It was great though.  It was about 4 dollars for the big pack of noodles, which is kind of pricey, will look out for cheaper price somewhere.  You can serve this with many different kinds of chicken.  I served it with the crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken.

A flavorful salad- Craisin Feta Pecan Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 
  
• Candied Pecan, Craisin, and Feta Salad
• 2-3 cups spring mix salad
• 1 cup sugar coated pecans (I used a quick recipe on allrecipes to candy my pecans http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sugar-coated-pecans/)
• 1 cup craisins
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 
  
• . CREAMY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE 
• 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 3 Tbsp. mayo
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 T. sugar
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 2 t. Morton's Nature Seasoning (I used a combo of a little garlic salt, pepper, onion powder)
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

1. In a large bowl or on a large plate, lay out spring mix salad. Top with sugar coated pecans, craisins, and crumbled feta.
2. You could use a store bought Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette or you can make the recipe above by whisking together garlic, mayo, lemon juice, dijon mustard, sugar, Nature's Seasoning, and salt until well combined. Add the balsamic vinegar and whisk well. Slowly add in the olive oil (while whisking).
3. Pour dressing over prepared salad and enjoy! Refrigerate any leftover dressing.(from chefintraining.com)

This was full of flavor, I really liked it.  I didn't have fresh garlic or Morton's seasoning but I used garlic powder and other spices.  The dressing is really forgiving, but it makes the salad.  

Brown Butter Brownies

Browned Butter Brownies
(from somethingswanky.com)

• 2 1/2 sticks salted butter
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup high quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare a 9x13 baking dish by spraying with non-stick cooking spray and lining with parchment paper (optional, but I like to do it so I can lift the brownies right out of the dish).
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Stir constantly until butter has reached a light brown color and little "bits" have formed.
4. Pour the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the sugar and cocoa powder and beat until smooth, almost creamy.
5. Add the salt, water, and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each addition.
6. Add the flour and chocolate chips and mix well. Batter will be VERY thick.
7. Use a sturdy rubber spatula to spread batter in the 9x13 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Let cool, then cut into 2" squares to serve.

Holy Cow!  If you like a good, rich, chocolatey brownie with that extra pizazz from the browned butter, you'll love these babies.  We did!

White Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodles- amazing!

White Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cookies

(from recipecritic.com)

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3.4 oz package white chocolate instant pudding mix
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 and prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.

2.  In a large bowl mix together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and white chocolate pudding mix. Set aside.

3.  In your mixer cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and mix together.  Add your bowl of dry ingredients.  Mix together and lastly add the white chocolate chips.

4.  Mix in a small bowl the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Scoop out cookie dough and roll into balls.  Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar and place two inches apart on baking sheet.

5.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until slightly golden.  Let cool and enjoy!

These are so good!  I will make these again.