breakfast pizza

I love making breakfast, but I can only make waffles so many times before I get really bored.  I've tried every flavor combination I can think of, but I still needed to try something new.  Breakfast pizza sounded like a good choice.  It has everything you'd want to eat for breakfast all in one item, and you can eat it easily with one hand.  Great when trying to hold a baby and feed a crazy toddler.  Don't be thrown off because this pizza doesn't have sauce, the eggs are liquidy enough when first added that you don't need sauce.

I used The Pioneer Woman's pizza dough recipe, because it's amazing, and added the cheese.

Pour the whisked eggs over the cheese , making sure the crust edge is high enough to contain it.

Spread the chopped bacon and potatoes evenly on top

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and beautifully fluffy and delicious.

As usual, I used The Pioneer Woman's pizza dough, because it is the best.  I made it the night before and stuck it in the fridge overnight in a saran wrap covered bowl.

ingredients:
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
4 eggs
4 strips of bacon
3/4 C O'Brian potatoes (I used defrosted Ore-Ida)

directions:
1.  Make the pizza dough the night before and place it in the fridge in a saran wrap covered bowl.  Follow the directions on the Pioneer Woman's site for that.  In the morning pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees F.  Take the dough out and stretch it out between two cookie sheets sprayed with PAM.  The dough is pretty elastic, so I use a rolling pin to help stretch it, then poke the dough for a fork.  Make sure you have raised edges on your crust so when you add the eggs, they won't pour out over the sides.
2.  Sprinkle the cheddar onto the dough, then whisk the eggs and pour them evenly over the cheese.  Add the bacon and potatoes evenly on top and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the crust is golden and the eggs look cooked through.
3.  Remove the pizza and let it cool on the counter for 5 minutes before you cut it.

raspberry yogurt popsicles

I'm really not much of a summer person.  Yeah, I live in California.  It gets hot here.  I know, I know.  One of the things I really do love about summer though is popsicles.  Part of it is the icy cold sweet refresher.  The other part is nostalgia.  I used to make popsicles with my mom when I was a kid.  We ate crazy healthy, so my idea of a wild and crazy sweet popsicle was frozen orange juice on a stick.  Kind of tame, right?  Now that I control the ingredients, I plan on going crazy.  Plan on seeing many more popsicle recipes on this blog this summer!

I figured I'd make a fairly basic treat to start off with for now.  I already had the ingredients, and this seemed healthy enough for the kiddo to have on a daily basis without having him bounce off the walls.  Which, sadly is not an exaggeration...

These yummy popsicles only have three ingredients, four if you prefer some added sugar.  They took about 10 minutes to make, from pulling everything out onto the counter to sticking them in the freezer.  These were fun to make with the kiddos too.  Jack stuck to his usual supervisory position in his awesome Bumbo chair, while Liam helped me stir, remove the holders, put them back on when the molds were filled, and stick them in the freezer to wait the agonizingly (for him) long time for them to freeze enough to eat.  I also passed down the best rule of the kitchen to Liam.  "Whoever does the cooking gets the leftovers!"  He was very excited to eat the leftover fruity yogurt.  :)

All you need is yogurt, berries, and some cool whip to add sweetness and fluffiness

Jack is already trying to open every food container he can get his hands on and shovel all the food in before I can stop him.  Good thing I'm faster.

You can mix the yogurt, berries, and cool whip together halfway to get the marbled effect, or mix it thoroughly.  I mixed ours thoroughly just because the berries were fairly tart, and I wanted the sweetness to be evenly distributed.

Liam thought he was hot stuff because he was my helper.

The finished product.  I have multiple sizes of popsicle molds, but I always give Liam the smallest ones because he never eats much in a single sitting.

Liam approved!  I've never seen him eat a popsicle that quickly!

ingredients:
2 C vanilla Greek yogurt, any fat count (I use Greek because I like the thickness, and it doesn't make them          too sweet)
1 1/2  C berries, muddled (I used raspberries)
1 C cool whip (lite or regular)
sugar to taste (optional)

directions:
1.  Thaw the berries if frozen, and muddle.  If adding the extra sugar, mix it into the berries.  Add to large bowl with yogurt and stir to incorporate.  Choose to mix partially for a marbled effect, or fully to even out the flavors.  Fold in the cool whip.
2.  Using a small spoon add to popsicle molds.  Try to fill these as full as you can, removing air bubbles.  Place on a flat surface in a freezer.  Let freeze, at least 2 hours.  Eat within a week.

My molds are random sizes but I got 8 small popsicles and 6 medium ones.  I had about 1/2 C of yogurt mix left over (that my little helper happily ate!)

peanut butter sandwich

No, this post is not really a "how to" on making peanut butter sandwiches, although Liam can show you how.  Liam just turned three years old.  He is fiercely independent, and wants to at least try to do everything on his own.  While I generally applaud this when it involves small things, like throwing his own trash away, it makes me nervous when he wants to help me cut meat and he tries to grab a large very sharp knife.  Yikes!  He was taught from the start not to touch the stove dials, get too close to the oven, etc., but I wanted to start him early on things he CAN do to help in the kitchen.  He loves knowing that he's helping, and he loves to try new things.  Plus, I really want him to go off to college eventually and not be that guy who can only make toast.  Lately he wants to make his beloved peanut butter sandwiches solo.  Jeff got this on video and you don't have to watch the whole thing (it is about 4 minutes), and usually Liam is much more to the point, but he turns into a spazzy ham when he sees a camera.  Anyway, it is pretty cute, and every time he licks the peanut butter I can't help but giggle.  The actual point of this tangent anyway is to let your kids help you in the kitchen.  It's great having company, help, and knowing that they are learning new things, and eating new yummy things they can make themselves.

Oreo cake

Jeff: Are you hangry?

me:  What?

Jeff:  Hangry.  You know, like in that Tina Fey commercial where she eats the potpourri.

me:  Weird.  And no.  It's her birthday today.

Jeff:  Huh.  She shares a birthday with our cat.  Are you going to make her a cake?

me:  Tina Fey?

Jeff:  Weird.  Why would you make Tina Fey a cake?  No, I meant are you going to make a cake for Luna.

me:  Cause that's the normal option?  Making our cat a cake?



Anyway, now I have to supposedly figure out how to make a cake for our cat out of dry cat food.  Because I have nothing better to do...


So here's a recipe for Oreo cake, because that sounds way more appetizing than cat food cake (which I'm going to try my best to get out of making, because chances are, all I'm going to do is waste my time and a bunch of cat food).

So the Oreo cake started out because Jeff loves Oreos, but he wanted me to stop him from eating an entire row of them in one sitting, so I suggested he save most of them for an Oreo cake instead.  Come on, Oreo PLUS cake?  Awesome!  I'm a bit embarrassed at how ugly the frosting is, but it was hot and humid the night I made it, and I was too much in a hurry to eat cake to bother sticking it in the fridge to firm up a bit before frosting with it.  One the plus side, the frosting took about two seconds to make, and the cake was yummy!  Plus...Oreo.

The picture above is my favorite pasrt of cake making.  Before the dry ingredients are added the batter looks so smooth and chiffon-y.  So pretty.

The cakes are done when they are slightly golden with darker edges.  I just discovered miracle pan release and it is amazing.  I have never had cakes slide out of pans this easy in my entire life.  I am totally using this release on all my future cakes!

I can smell them from this picture I swear!  Imagine warm vanilla infused Oreos.  Heaven.

This cake and frosting have just about an entire box of Oreos between them.  The frosting recipe just barely covers the cake fairly thinly, so be warned.  If you like thick frosting you might want to make a batch and a half.

I really don't have much else to say about this cake, I thought I'd just let the pictures speak for themselves.

print recipe

Oreo cake

by Liesl May-18-2014

vanilla cake with almost an entire box of crushed Oreos mixed in. Can't go wrong there.

Ingredients

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 cups AP flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 15 Oreos, crumbled

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prep two 9" cake pans. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar in stand mixer on medium until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed and add in eggs and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.2. Add in the milk, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add in the flour until the batter is smooth.3. Seal 15 Oreos in a freezer bag and smash tem into tiny pieces. Add them into the batter. Divide the batter evenly into the two pans and bake until golden on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Let cool for ten minutes, then remove the cakes and allow to cool completely.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 35 mins Yield: a 2 layer 9" cake

Oreo frosting

by Liesl May-18-2014

vanilla frosting with crushed Oreos mixed in.

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• a smudge of salt
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk
• 15 Oreos, crushed

Instructions

1. Beat the butter, vanilla, and salt until creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar and milk until well mixed. Add crushed Oreos.

Details

Prep time: 2 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 7 mins Yield: frosting for a 9" two layer cake

lentil soup

Having a bad cold in warm weather is the worst.  I try to nip colds in the bud in our house because duh colds suck, and I don't want the cold to spread.  Of all the cold remedies I've tried, the combo that works best for us is lots of chicken broth and garlic.  Medications, Vitamin C or zinc tablets?  Nah, they just don't do much.  I don't mind making meals with lots of chicken broth and garlic when colds arise (I love them anyway), but you can only eat chicken soup for so many meals before you need a change.  Yes, this is still soup, but it's heartier, still feels warm and smooth down your throat, and comforts you while it quickly kills your cold.  I'm pretty sure chicken broth and garlic is the magical key because we rarely get colds, and when we do, they only last 1-3 days.  Sweet, right?

I love this soup.  It's full of lentils and vegetables, so so get some protein and veggies (duh again), but it is also very filling, and you can have it as chunky or creamy as you like.  I used an immersion blender to puree about half of it, just to thicken it up a bit.

My usual lentil soup is very chunky and hearty, but this time I wanted a lighter, smoother version that would go down a sore throat easier.  This soup is also a mild attempt at making a version of my favorite soup ever, a lemony lentil soup from my favorite restaurant Casablanca.  Look it up if you're in Sacramento, it's the best Moroccan food ever.

Honestly you can dice the carrots, onion, and garlic whatever sizes you want, just make sure the sizes are even.

I like my onions and garlic to soften and my carrots to cook a bit before I add the broth.  It only takes a few extra minutes, but adds so much flavor!  Definitely worth it.

I didn't add it to the recipe, but if you have some saffron, add a pinch to the soup at the end.  It makes a huge difference and really kicks the soup up a notch.  If you don't have any, don't worry, the soup is still good without it.

I absolutely love crusty bread dipped in soup.  And wine.  Wine is good with everything.

ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
6 garlic cloves, diced
2 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tsp cumin
pepper, to taste
1 tsp chili powder
2 quarts chicken broth
2 C dried lentils
juice of one lemon

directions:
1.  In a large pot heat the olive oil on medium heat and toss in the onions.  Saute until soft, about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic and carrots, and saute another 4 minutes, stirring so the vegetables don't burn.
2.  Stir in the tomato sauce, cumin, pepper, and chili powder.  Once coated, add the broth, 2 cups of water and the lentils.  Bring to a simmer, then cover the pot and turn the heat to medium-low.  Cook until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.Taste, and add more seasoning if necessary.
3.  Use an immersion blender to partially or entirely puree soup, then stir in lemon juice.  Serve hot with crusty bread.  Serves 4-6.

tangent

Okay, this post has nothing to do with food.  It's rare, but it happens.  I just got to try some samples of a new sunscreen, and as a rather pale girl with a family history of skin cancer, this was super exciting for me.  I wear sunscreen every day.  Okay, maybe not in the dead of winter if I'm wearing a turtleneck, but pretty much any other time, yeah, I wear it.  I'm pretty sure I've tried all the sunscreens out there that cost $20 or less a bottle.  This is my new favorite.  As summer is all of a sudden in full swing (when did that happen?  Seriously?) at least for Californians...  anywho, if you wear sunscreen regularly, and you should, totally check that out.

It blends in faster than any other sunscreen I've ever tried before, it feels light and smells faintly of lemons (at least to me), it doesn't feel greasy or oily, and doesn't make my skin shiny.  Basically, if you were to stand next to me you wouldn't be able to tell by scent or shine that I was even wearing sunscreen.  Also, it comes in lotion and spray format.  I like using both.  Lotion in the morning, and spray for hard to reach places and touch-ups.  If you hated your old sunscreen, or even if you just want to try something new, or you've run out since last year (you should replace your sunscreen every year anyway for potency reasons), I suggest you try this.  I'm hooked!

black bean croquettes

Jeff thinks he's hilarious because he calls these "black bean balls", and being a guy, the word "balls" is sooo funny.  Guys are dorks.  I think that croquette is kind of a stuffy sounding word, but it really is better than "balls".

This is one of those foods that even people like my mom who will try most foods at least once had to be forced to try.  For some reason people don't always see these as appetizing.  I don't know why, they look perfectly innocent to me.  Just give them a chance.  The croquettes are basically a tortilla-less burrito.  Who doesn't love burritos?

This recipe fits into my favorite category.
Meals that simultaneously:
1.  taste great
2.  are fairly healthy
3.  all or most of the ingredients are already in my fridge/ pantry
4.  a good source of protein
5.  easy to make and eat

Yeah, anything that fits all five points has got to be worth a shot, right?

The croquettes are great to bring to a party because you can eat them hot or room temperature, and you can eat them with your hands.  Also, you can prep them ahead of time, then ball them up and bake them quickly for an easy weeknight dinner.  These can be an appetizer or a side dish, but we usually have this by itself for dinner.  They're hard to stop eating!

It looks kind of random, I know, to use tupperware to mash food in, but this works best because of the flat bottom.  Mashing food in a bowl with sloped sides is ridiculous.  Sometimes I mash the beans and corn thoroughly and sometimes I leave small evenly sized chunks.

Oil, breadcrumbs, and salt.  Stir these together with a fork.  I like Progressive breadcrumbs because they are already seasoned.

Add the breadcrumbs and salsa.

The breadcrumb mixture should be like wet, course sand.

Form into balls.  These can be any size you want.  They are easiest to eat when they are small, because you can pop the whole thing into your mouth.  If you get lazy, that's ok.  You can make bigger balls, which is much quicker.

Pull out of the oven when the croquettes are golden, but not too crispy.

ingredients:
2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
1 C corn kernels
1/4 C plus 1/2 C breadcrumbs, divided
1/3 C salsa, plus more for serving
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp olive oil

directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2.  Mash black beans in a large bowl until chunky and no whole beans remain, if you are having trouble with this heat the beans for 30 seconds in the microwave.  The heat will soften them and make them easier to mash.
3.  Stir in cumin, garlic, corn, 1/4 C of breadcrumbs, and 1/3 C salsa.
4.  In a small bowl combine the remaining 1/2 C of breadcrumbs, the salt, chili powder, and olive oil.
5.  Roll the bean mixture into balls (I made 15), the size is up to you, I aim for a four bite ball.
6.  Lightly press bean balls into the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat.   If you make the balls fairly small you might have to make more of the breadcrumb and oil mixture.  Place the balls on the prepped baking sheet.
7.  Bake the croquettes until heated through and the tops are golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Serve warm or room temperature with salsa for dipping.

roasted potatoes

This is a side-dish in a hurry recipe.  A warm comfort food recipe.  A "yes, they do look nice, but really they are very easy to make" recipe.

An "I don't know why I'm posting it because it is barely even a recipe" post.

Whatever.  It doesn't matter.  These are easy and yummy, and fairly quick to make (and require only a small amount of prep!).  I like to serve this dish with baked chicken and broccoli, but mix it up however you like.

Sorry for the horrible quality and presentation (or lack thereof...).  The potatoes got gobbled up so fast I could only get pictures of the leftovers (I always make too much food on purpose).  Maybe some day I'll remember to switch these out with better pictures when I make these again.  Probably not.

ingredients:
6 russet potatoes, cut bite size
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 tbsp Dijon mustard

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper covering.
2.  Cut up potatoes evenly sized.  They should be about bite sized.
3.  Toss all ingredients into a freezer bag and seal.  Shake well to evenly distribute oil, mustard, and seasonings.
4.  Lay seasoned potatoes in a flat even layer on the baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes, or until fork tender.  For an added crunch, then place potatoes under the broiler for 2 minutes.  Serve warm.

*Still makes for good leftovers.  :)