Biscuits and Gravy Bake

I've been asked in the past by numerous people, what is your favorite thing to make? I usually sit there and scroll through all of the recipes I have made, the countless number of pizzas, tacos, vegetarian meals, breakfast goodies and appetizers that have been made with these two hands, but I could never think of a straight forward answer.  It's kind of like when people ask you what your favorite movie is, well what kind of weather is it? what mood am I in? am I alone or with people? But I finally thought of an answer this morning as I thought about my dinner menu. My favorite thing to make is a meal for other people, it's like watching someone open up their presents on Christmas day or surprising someone with a note saying that you care. There's nothing better than a making a meal to share with family or friends. So here's a recipe I got to share this weekend and it was, yum-tastic.

Ingredients:

• 1 can biscuits
• 2 1/2 cup milk
• salt and pepper
• 3 1/2 tbsp flour
• 1 lb breakfast sausage

This band has been in head for the past six months, you'd know them as the band that did the music for Stranger Things, I love the sic-fi, eighties drone they have going on and I find them to be great school work companions. 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Grease a small baking pan.
3. Then cut your biscuits into quarters. Place half in the baking pan and bake for 10 minutes.
4. While baking, in a large skillet brown your sausage. 
5. Stir in your flour and mix until absorbed. 
6. Pour in the milk and stir until it starts to bubble, adding salt and pepper to taste.
7. Once bubbling, set the skillet off to the side.
8. Remove the biscuits from oven and pour your sausage gravy on top.
9. Place the remaining biscuits on top of the rest of the ingredients. (Depending on how hot your oven gets, place aluminum foil on top to prevent burning).
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
11. Let cool for 10, the serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

I was talking to a co-worker the other day and I made a crack about how somedays we just do not want to adult but somehow find ourselves working through the day and doing just that. Where in us, does this urge to push forward come from? I feel like I juggle a lot of things, I mean we all do, we all have a million and one things going on in our lives and we all struggle but how or why haven't I broke down about it? I live with anxiety and usually when things start piling up figuratively with school or work or literally with the dishes in the sink, panic attacks ensue and I am lost for God knows how long. So I guess what I am getting at is a 'pat on the back' if you will, I've started my masters courses on top of work and I'm cool as a cucumber, maybe I can attribute it to my amazing support system that follows me wherever I go.

Ingredients (made 14 enchiladas):

• 2 cans black beans, drained
• 1 can corn, drained
• 2.5 lbs shredded and cooked chicken (I slow cooked mine the night before)
• 2 cups raw spinach
• whole wheat tortillas
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 2 cans enchilada sauce
• 3 cups shredded cheese
• avocado for topping
• sour cream for topping

I've found this song stuck in my head a lot lately, and I know it's obnoxious... but is it? It is... but is it? Yes. No. I can't make up my mind.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl mix together black beans, corn, chicken, spinach and cumin.
• In a greased baking pan (I used 2 and a half lol) place 1/4 cup of the mixture onto a single tortilla and gently roll it up. Repeat until pan is full.
• Next, evenly pour your enchilada sauce onto the enchiladas, then sprinkle the cheese over the top.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• Serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Breakfast Sausage Boats

This is the time of year I make anything cheesy, meaty, or gravy-licious. It's football season. Now the whole family takes part in fantasy football, it's what they do, they compete with friendly banter about how the other is losing or how their fantasy team is the best. Me? I like getting the family together and making everyone something scrumptious to nibble on as we watch our team. I can't get involved in fantasy, I'm too competitive as is, and all I am doing is watching! SO, here you are, make it for your friends and family and have them over for the game, or if your not into football, just have them over and have a great brunch together!

Ingredients (makes for 4):

• 8-10 breakfast sausage links, cooked
• 8 eggs, whisked
• hollandaise (here's a recipe of mine with how to make it)
• salt and pepper
• 1 baguette, or I found individual soft pretzel breads to hollow out

It's raining, I'm sick. I just want my Joni and a cup of tea.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Remove the top of your bread with a knife, then hollow out the bread with a spoon creating a bread bowl.
3. Dice your cooked sausage into small pieces. 
4. Pour egg into each or into your single bread bowl, then evenly distribute the sausage on top.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until egg is no longer runny.
6. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle your hollandaise on top.
7. Serve!

Happy Eating Everyone!

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

"I have nothing to put in my stew, you see,

Not a bone or a bean or a black-eyed pea,

So I'll just climb in the pot to see

If I can make a stew out of me.

I'll put in some pepper and salt and I'll sit

In the bubbling water--I won't scream a bit.

I'll sing while I simmer, I'll smile while I'm stewing,

I'll taste myself often to see how I'm doing.

I'll stir me around with this big wooden spoon

And serve myself up at a quarter to noon.

So bring out your stew bowls,

You gobblers and snackers.

Farewell--and I hope you enjoy me with crackers!"

-Shel Silverstein

Ingredient:

• 16 oz split peas
• 1/4 lb chopped ham
• 1 half yellow onion diced
• 3 carrots peeled and diced
• 4 small stalks of celery chopped
• 2 cups freshly chopped parsley
• 6 cups of chicken broth (After I cooked it was way too thick, I stirred in another 2 and half cups of broth to it and it fixed it right away)
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste

Sip your soup and sink into this sweet melody:

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in your slow cooker and stir well.
2. Cook on high for 7-8 hours. Remove bay leaf when finished.
3. Serve!

Waffle Iron Monte Cristo

There is absolutely nothing in the world that beats the quiet of the first morning of the weekend, a black and white movie playing, coffee brewing and a breakfast on the menu. There's a light fog over the fields this morning, everything is damp and cool, and the wind is a gentle whisper. I'm done being poetic, the fall season just brings out a kind of romance in  me, it's not just harvest season and sweater weather, it's the feeling of the warmth of your hot apple cider reaching your nose and the smell of something savory in the slow cooker. No other season compares, anyway here's a delicious breakfast recipe to chomp on.

Ingredients (1 sandwich):

• 2 slices white bread
• Dijon mustard
• Mayo
• 2 slices ham (I used thick from a left over ham)
• 2 slices swiss cheese
• Blackberry jam for dipping
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp half and half

This song just sounds how everything looks, if that makes any sense. Stardust is a classic song and I've listened to a lot of different versions, so here's one of my favorite renditions:

Directions:

1. Preheat your waffle iron.
2. In a bowl whisk together your half and half and egg to make an egg wash.
3. On one slice of bread spread your mustard, then on the other slice spread your mayo. Then take each slice and on the side without condiments quickly dip it in your egg wash.
4. Place your ham and cheese over your condiment side of your bread then combine the two pieces of bread. 
5. Place your sandwich in the waffle iron and cook it until it turns bread.
6. While the sandwich cooks place about two tbsp of jam in a separate small bowl.
7. When your sandwich is cooked dip and serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Baked Plums Stuffed with Goat Cheese

It's been a hot minute since I posted last, but I've been busy ok? Blogging can get away from me sometimes and becomes lower on the priority list than I would like but alas life is happening around us and we get swept up in all of the chaos. Between reading about Jefferson's views on the role of education in our nation, to trying to problem solve at work, to wanting to go out to two comedy shows in one weekend, it's all stuff I can't skip out on. This past weekend was the husband's birthday weekend and the mother and I decided to make yums for the tums, let's just say his tum was very satisfied. Here's the recipe I took under my wing:

Ingredients:

• 6 plums, halved and pitted
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
• balsamic vinaigrette  (for drizzling)
• 10 oz goat cheese

It's fall time! Yeah, I am one of those crazy, boot loving, apple cider sipping, pumpkin eating freaks and I don't care who knows it. The other things synonymous with Fall, at least for me, is jazz. So hears a little crisp and frosty air music to listen to while you say goodbye to sweaty summer!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and place your plums fruit side up inside. Drizzle your olive oil and honey over the top of your plums and then evenly distribute your basil over the top. Top with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes.
3. When the plums are done in the oven, remove them and let them cool.
4. Next spoon your goat cheese over each plum evenly, top with your chopped pistachios, then drizzle a little balsamic onto each plum.
5. Serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Thai Chicken Flatbreads with Coconut Cream

There's always one day out of the weekend that the husband and I cater to our introversion, we stay home all day and do absolutely whatever we please. We usually end up taking a walk, but the day is crammed full of just listening to music, writing blog posts, snuggling the cat, playing video games, reading and just over all doing nothing. We call it 'together alone time', where we're in the same place but don't feel the need to interact, which I think is healthy, alone time or being by yourself is an important part of a relationship because if your at peace with yourself you can be at peace in a long term committed relationship. So as the husband is in the other room probably figuring out his fantasy football draft, I'm here writing my blog and listening to music. Sigh, I love days like this. 

Makes 6 flatbreads

Ingredients:

• 6 Naan flatbreads
• 1.5-2 lbs chicken breasts cubed into small pieces 
• 1 tsp coconut oil

Peanut Sauce

• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp Sriracha
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dry basil
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 

Flatbread Toppings

• 1/8 red onion, diced
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella 
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1/3 cup shredded carrots
• crushed peanuts for garnish
• chopped fresh cilantro for garnish 

Coconut Cream

• 1/2 of a 5.3 oz coconut yogurt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp lime juice

I've just obtained Frank Ocean's newest album (its about time Frank!) and it's all I've been listening too. NSFW.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small bowl mix together your ingredients for the peanut sauce EXCEPT for the peanut butter. 
3. In a large skillet start cooking your chicken in the coconut oil, once cooked through add your soy sauce mix. Let it cook in the mix for a few minutes, then add your peanut butter and mix until creamy and the chicken is coated. Remove from heat.
4. Place your naan on a greased cookie sheet, then add your chicken distributing it evenly amongst each flat bread.
5. Next take your onion, carrots and sprouts and top your naan evenly. 
6. Bake for 10 minutes. Then add your mozzarella and bake for another 3-5 minutes depending on your oven, until the cheese is melted.
7. While the flatbreads are baking mix together your cream ingredients. I placed it in a baggy after I was done mixing everything and cut a small hole in one corner of the baggy so I could easily drizzle it over each flatbread.
8. After the flatbreads are done, drizzle your cream over the top and garnish with peanuts and cilantro.
9. Serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!