Chili Tots

You know that moment when you know there’s just going to be absolutely nothing healthy about your meal?

This is it.

I’d like to tell you that this was set out for a group for the Super Bowl or something like that.  But nope.  It was just my dinner.

I first had chili tots at my in-laws and my mind was blown!  It was like chili fries, but even better, because tots are small and fries are long and unwieldy.  I like my junk food easy to eat.

French Onion Soup - a Twist on a Classic #CooktheBooksClub

This month’s Cook the Books Club selection was chosen by Deb at Kahakai Kitchen.  If you’re unfamiliar, in CtBC, participants read the chosen book and then cook something inspired by the book.

This month’s book was Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl.  The memoir follows Ruth Reichl (editor of Gourmet magazine) from the late 70s-early 80s and boy, did she lead an interesting life in those years!

I could not tear my eyes from the pages as she lived in a commune with her husband, and ate and drank her way through several extramarital affairs.  I simply couldn’t put the book down!

Though the ending is what truly spoke to me {turn away now if you don’t want spoilers!!}

Dark Chocolate Orange Biscotti {Virtual Biscotti Baby Shower}

Today is a pretty special day!  A group of bloggers are all sharing some delicious biscotti recipes in honor of Tara’s (from Tara’sMulticultural Table) second baby!

Biscotti Bites from Nicole at I am a Honey Bee

Blueberry Pecan Biscotti from Renee at Magnolia Days

Cinnamon Biscotti from Lauren at Sew You Think You Can Cook

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti from Stacy at Food Lust People Love

Dark Chocolate Orange Biscotti from Amy at Amy's Cooking Adventures

Green Tea Biscotti Cookies from Rebekah at Making Miracles

Jam-Filled Mandelbrot from Kelly at Passion Kneaded

Maple Walnut Biscotti from Sally at Bewitching Kitchen

Nut-Free Anise Biscotti with Chocolate Chips from Susan at The Wimpy Vegetarian

Orange and Dark Chocolate Biscotti from Lynsey at Lynsey Lou's

Parmesan-Peppercorn Biscotti from Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Tangelo, Date, and Almond Biscotti from Karen at Karen's Kitchen Stories

Spa Water from of Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

Why biscotti?  Well, I’m glad you asked.  Biscotti is a cookie that’s baked two times, and this is Tara’s baby #2

I’ve only made biscotti once before, I was excited to try another recipe!

Foolproof Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

Two years ago today, nearing the end of my 30x30 bucket list challenge, I practically swore off homemade biscuits.  I put up a good front in the blog post, but in reality I was pretty disheartened about the whole affair.

In fact, I think I went to the store and bought a big ‘ol box of Bisquick shortly thereafter.  However, the Bisquick is long since used up (I just don’t make biscuits that often) and I was making Slow Cooker Chicken and Biscuits for dinner and I really didn’t feel like running to the store.

So I had to try again.

Like I mentioned before, there are approximately 80 bajillion biscuit recipes out there on the interwebs and they all claim to be the best.

I read recipe and after recipe until I settled on one that made sense.  I liked the idea of gently folding these biscuits to get flaky layers…it was fairly reminiscent of croissants (...Oooh croissants!  I should make those!)

I also kept the mixture extra cold and have simply gotten better at cutting butter into flour (yay pie!) still without a pastry cutter though – go fork!

And finally, FINALLY! I successfully made biscuits!  They rose beautifully and were light and tender and so delicious!

This time, I’m saying goodbye to Bisquick for real!

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Beef Tips

One of my goals this year is to use my crockpot more often.

I’ve found that the more I use the crockpot, the easier it gets to plan it in to my routine and get creative with recipes!

When I came across the call for bloggers to participate in the 2015 Healthy Solutions Spice BlendsChallenge, I knew I wanted to make an easy, delicious recipe in the crockpot.

I received a packet of Healthy Solutions Bold Beef Rub.  I gave it a quick taste test (ah-mazing…I can’t wait to use it on steaks!) and my first thought was teriyaki!

Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon

Holy Smokes!  Are you ready for the ultimate beef stew?  And a slow cooker recipe to boot?

This is a fancy pants French version of beef stew and is ah-mazing!

I made slow cooker stew once before and it was pretty…meh.  I had adapted one of my regular beef stew recipes to a freezer recipe AND to a slow cooker recipe when I found out I was pregnant with Sarah Catherine and I think I didn’t do it right.

Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark

Remember the SRC post a few days ago when I told you about my delicious mistake?

Well, this is it!

I was already poking around and making a few minor changes with the original recipe (I used less salt and sprinkled it on top, and I used dark chocolate instead) when I made my big mistake.

I was melting my butter and sugar and things were looking…well…not quite right.  But not quite wrong either.  Then I poured it over the pretzels and my candy layer was so much thinner than the original recipe – it didn’t even cover all of the pretzels.  But I went ahead with the recipe and hoped for the best.

While the bark did its quick bake in the oven, I reread the ingredient list.  And there is was. “1 cup butter”.  Which I had interpreted as “1 stick butter.”  It was big time amateur hour over here boys and girls.  Someone who uses butter as much as I do knows that 1 stick of butter is ½ cup.  I think I’ve written that instruction approximately 12 zillion times, but to no avail, apparently.