Strawberry Sour Cream Streusel Muffins

On By sarafillmerIn Breakfast, Dessert

I had some strawberries that I needed to use in my fridge, and what better way than in a yummy muffin.  The addition of the sour cream helped make these super moist and delicious. Recipe and photo courtesy of thelittlesouschef.com.

  • 2 cups flour
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 6 Tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 ¼ cups sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups diced fresh strawberries, divided

For the Streusel topping:

  • 3 Tablespoons butter, softened
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup flour

Preheat the oven to 375.  Line muffin tins with 18 liners. Dice strawberries into small pieces.  Pour flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a medium bowl. Whisk together.  Pour melted butter, sour cream and vanilla into a small bowl, then add the eggs. Whisk together until smooth.  Pour sour cream mixture into the flour mixture.  Stir together until combined. Add 1 1/2 cups diced strawberries and stir until combined.  Divide batter into the muffin cups.  Evenly sprinkle the 1/2 cup remaining strawberries over the tops of the muffins.  For the streusel, soften butter in a small bowl, add remaining ingredients  and stir until mixture comes together, then sprinkle over the muffins.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Strawberry Pretzel Pecan Salad

On By sarafillmerIn Dessert

Strawberry-Pecan-Pretzel-Salad-RecipeI made this recipe for Easter brunch and it was so good. Light and refreshing, the perfect finish to a hearty meal.  While the recipe lists this as a salad, I layered all the different elements for a parfait so you could retain as much of the different textures as possible. It looked pretty too! Recipe and photo courtesy of thegunnysack.com

  • 1 cup pretzels, crushed
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter, melted
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 8 oz whipped topping
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, diced

Mix together the pretzels, pecans, brown sugar and butter. Spread on a large, lined baking sheet with sides (like a jelly roll pan) and bake at 400 for 7 minutes.  Allow to cool completely and break into pieces.  In a mixer, combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping. Right before serving, chop up the strawberries. If making a salad, fold the pretzel mixture and strawberries into the whipped mixture.  If making parfait, start with a layer of pretzel, then whipped topping, then strawberries. Repeat til you reach the top of your serving glass.

Parmesan Chicken Casserole

On By sarafillmerIn 30 minute meal, Entree, Gluten-Free

DSC_00701-1024x683I made this chicken this past weekend because it looked like a quick and easy meal to eat on a day when I really didn’t want to cook dinner.  Start to finish it took 30 minutes and was so delicious. I halved the recipe for my family of four but I’ll post the full recipe below in case you are feeding a crowd. Pair with starch of your choice. Recipe and photo courtesy of thecookinchicks.com.

 

  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
  • 1 cup mayonnaise OR plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 375.  Place your diced chicken into a greased 9×13 baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the mayo/yogurt, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Spread mixture on top of chicken, then sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, then serve over pasta or rice. Pan will be a little soupy so use a slotted spoon the serve the chicken.

 

Oven Fried Chicken

On By sarafillmerIn 30 minute meal, Entree

oven-friend-chicken-017sI tried this recipe as a time saving option to frying chicken and I was very happy with the results. I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs but you could use chicken breast as well. I would just make sure it has the skin on it otherwise it’s not truly fried chicken is it? Recipe and photo courtesy of raegunramblings.com

  • 6 pieces chicken
  • 1/2 cup Bisquick
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, for coating
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • garlic salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Once to temperature, place a large, oven safe dish with a tablespoon of butter in the oven.  You want to make sure your chicken will fit in a single layer. In a large bag combine Bisquick, flour, salt, onion powder, and Italian Seasoning. Shake to mix and set aside. Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt and pepper to taste on both sides. Toss chicken in flour mixture to coat fully. Swirl the melted butter in the dish to evenly distribute and then place coated chicken skin side down in hot dish. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip over so skin is up and then cook until finished, about 10 more minutes. If skin isn’t getting crisp, finish under a broiler.

Roasted Green Beans

On By sarafillmerIn Gluten-Free, Side Item

best-ever-oven-roasted-green-beans-2These green beans were so good, and so simple to prepare.  Definitely something you can whip up in 30 minutes start to finish with either fresh or frozen green beans. I’m not going to include spice measurements because it is all to taste.  Enjoy! Recipe and photo adapted from thewanderlustkitchen.com

  • 1 lb green beans
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • onion powder
  • garlic powder

Preheat oven to 425. If using fresh green beans, trim the ends.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle on spices and use your hands to coat evenly. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping after 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Cherry Pecan Crisp

On By sarafillmerIn Dessert

cherry pecanOne of my husband’s favorite pies is cherry, and since I am not a fan of canned cherry pie filling, I decided to go the crisp route.  This recipe is adapted from Pioneer Woman’s Cherry Almond Crisp, but since I also not a fan of almonds/almond extract, I added pecans instead. It turned out fabulously and I will definitely be making it again.

Crumb Topping:

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • dash of nutmeg
  • 1/4  teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter, salted
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Cherry Filling:

  • 1 lb frozen cherries
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray 5 ramekins with non-stick baking spray and set aside. Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.  In a separate bowl, combine the cherries, vanilla, sugar and cornstarch and toss to coat. Evenly distribute the cherries between the ramekins then generously cover with the crumb topping. Don’t be afraid to pile the ramekin high as it will cook down during baking.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Serve warm or room temperature with ice cream.

French Dip Sandwiches

On By sarafillmerIn Entree

Slow-Cooker-French-Dip-Sandwiches-2-650x975I found this recipe on Pinterest while looking for roast recipes.  The meat was so good it could easily be served as a stand-alone.  Serve with a really good hoagie roll for the complete experience. Recipe and photo courtesy of carlsbadcravings.com.

  • 3 lb chuck roast
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1 cup Coke, (NOT diet)
  • 2 10.5 cans beef consomme
  • 1/4 cup dry minced onions
  • 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 French rolls or hoagie buns
  • 12 slices provolone cheese

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick skillet.  Using two forks or tongs to hold roast, sear on all sides until lightly browned.  Add to slow cooker and top with all remaining seasonings and liquids. Cook on LOW for 4 hours, then remove roast to a cutting board.  Thinly slice roast across the grain.  Place sliced meat back in slow cooker and continue to cook on LOW for 1-2 additional hours.  hen ready to serve, remove roast and strain fat from broth for dipping.  Split rolls and line the bottoms of a baking tray. Top each half with beef followed by 2 slices of cheese. Bake at 35o until cheese is melted. Serve with reserved au jus.

 

Pizza Pull-Apart Muffins

On By sarafillmerIn Entree

Pizza-Pull-Apart-Muffins-750x364We have a pizza night every Friday and a couple of weeks ago I broke the mold and made these muffins.  They were really easy to assemble and were fabulous.  My son ate them for three straight days leftover. You could also experiment with adding different pizza toppings. Recipe and photo courtesy of tiphero.com

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 26 oz frozen dinner rolls, thawed
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 6 oz sliced pepperoni, cut into quarters
  • marinara sauce for dipping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 6-cup muffin tins (or one 12-cup muffin tin) with non-stick spray. Cut the rolls into quarters. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl so that the oil is spread evenly on each piece of dough and the toppings are evenly distributed. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Homemade Samoas

On By sarafillmerIn Cookies, Dessert

Homemade-Samoas-stacked2These cookies.  They are my favorite Girl Scout cookie, and when I found a recipe for a homemade version I knew I had to try it.  I had it pinned for probably a year, but then I saw a Tasty video online and it spurred me to make them myself.  While they were amazingly delicious, it was about a 2.5 hour process to get them made, so next time I think I’ll make them into bars and save myself a little bit of time. Recipe and photo courtesy of justataste.com

Cookies:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coconut Topping:

  • 3 cups shredded coconut, sweetened
  • 15 oz caramels
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 oz chocolate (almond bark or dark chocolate)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In three increments, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter, mixing between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the milk and vanilla extract, blending until combined and the dough begins to come together in large pieces. Wrap the disk securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Once the dough has chilled, roll out onto a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8-inch thick. Cut out as many cookies as possible with a doughnut-shaped cookie cutter. Place the cut-out cookies on a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet half-way through, until the cookies are pale golden brown. Transfer the cookies to a wire wrack to cool completely.

Make the coconut topping:
Spread the coconut flakes onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the coconut for about 10 minutes in a 350ºF oven until toasted, stirring frequently to ensure even browning and so that it does not burn. Remove the toasted coconut from the oven and set it aside. Melt the caramels, milk and salt in the microwave, stirring every 45 seconds until fully melted.  Combine 3/4 of the caramel with the toasted coconut in a large bowl. Carefully spread the remaining 1/4 cup of caramel atop the cooled cookies then press on a portion of the coconut mixture. Let the cookies cool for 30 minutes. If the caramel-coconut mixture thickens too much at any point while pressing it onto the cookies, return it to the double-boiler and warm it until it’s spreadable again. Melt the dark chocolate in a double-boiler or in the microwave. Dip the bottoms of the cookies in the chocolate and place them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Use a fork to drizzle the tops with chocolate. Let the cookies sit until the chocolate hardens fully.

*If you don’t have a doughnut-shaped cookie cutter, you can use two cookies cutters (such as a circular 2-inch and a circular 1-inch) to form the ring shape. Alternately, you can use the caps to any dry spices to serve as cookie cutters.
*If the dough is too firm to roll out after being refrigerated, let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling and cutting out the cookies.
*The shortbread should be very pale golden in color. When in doubt, under-bake it!
*If using dark chocolate chips, 8 ounces is equal to about 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips.
*Coconut burns very quickly, so keep an eye on it and stir often!
*Spreading the cookies with the reserved 1/4 cup of caramel gives the coconut mixture a stickier base to adhere to.

 

Classic Cheesecake

On By sarafillmerIn Dessert

cheesecakeMy husband requested cheesecake for Christmas Day, and when I asked what kind he said, “Cheesecake”.  According to him there is only one kind of cheesecake and it needs no other adornment or flavoring.  In the spirit of that, this cheesecake recipe is the classic Kraft recipe that you can find on the back of the block of cream cheese.  I baked it in a water bath and it turned out perfectly.

Cheesecake

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 4 blocks cream cheese (8oz each)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 eggs

Strawberry Puree

  • 1 pint fresh strawberries
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the cheesecake, preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter and press into a 9″ springform pan that has been wrapped in foil.  Cream together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth, approximately 3-4 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time and mix until just incorporated. Pour the mixture into the pan.  For the water bath, place the foil wrapped pan into a roasting pan or large baking pan and add about an 1/2 to 1 inch of boiling water.  This ensures your cheesecake won’t crack. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until there is only a slight jiggle in the center of the cheesecake.  Take the cheesecake out of the oven and let cool on the counter for about an hour.  Move it to the fridge and let it continue chilling at least 4 hours, or overnight.

For the strawberry puree, combine strawberries, sugar, and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. The mixture will sizzle for a while, but then juice will begin to form. Continue stirring; mash a few strawberries with a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula to help produce the syrup. Cook until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and use an immersion blender or normal blender to puree about 1/2 of it, leaving some chunks of strawberry.  Store in the refrigerator.