I heart tortilla chips. But tri-colored tortilla chips….eh, not so much. I think the red and blue chips just taste a bit stale and off. So, I surprised myself by buying a bag of blue corn tortilla chips at the grocery store.
Best impulse buy ever!
These chips are so good!! And it was a perfect pairing with my favorite tomato soup. Amy’s chunky tomato bisque soup is delicious. The chunkiness of it reminds me a bit of tomato sauce. I doctored mine up with a little rotisierre chicken, hot sauce, salsa, cheese, and a dollop of sour cream.
Have you seen the movie, Bridesmaids, yet? Funny stuff!! But now, I can’t get the Wilson Phillips’ Hold On song out of my head.
Let’s sing it together!
Okay, I don’t know about you, but I feel lifted up and ready to tackle one more day!! 
Yesterday, I had my family over for a Memorial Day lunch. Unfortunately, it was too windy and not quite warm enough to swim. But we had fun chatting, running around on the playground, and playing Sorry! and Uno. And we ate well.
Veggies with hummus & spinach artichoke yogurt dip
Veggie Pizza–recipe below
Salad & Watermelon from my aunt–the watermelon was perfect to kick off the summer!
BBQ Beef sandwiches–recipe to come soon
Mac N Cheese–recipe to come soon
Fruit Pizza from my sister-in-law–yummers!
Brownie & Marshmallow Crunch Bars–recipe to come soon
Veggie Pizza:
Ingredients:
1 can crescent rolls
8 ounces light sour cream
1 block reduced fat cream cheese
1 packet Ranch dressing powder
shredded cheddar cheese
whatever veggies you like!
Preheat oven to 350. Roll out one can crescent rolls on baking sheet. It’s okay if you don’t get it to the edge of the baking sheet. They have the seamless dough sheets now that are super easy to use! Bake for about 13 minutes. Let cool.
Mix together sour cream, cream cheese, and Ranch dressing powder. Spread mix on cooled crescent rolls.
Put whatever veggies you want on top! I used cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, yellow peppers, and mushrooms.
Top with shredded cheese.
It’s uber-windy here. Well, it’s always windy in Kansas. Why did I bother curling my hair?
I hope you’re heading to a super fun BBQ with your family and friends! What are you in charge of bringing? What?! You’re not bringing anything? Might I suggest cupcakes.
Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes: 1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbl unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg , room temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the frosting: 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbl vanilla extract
To make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter, sour cream, egg & egg yolks, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until smooth for about 30 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula and mix by hand to ensure no flour pockets remain.
Divide batter among cupcake liners. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from muffin tin and place on wire rack. Cool cupcakes to room temperature before frosting.
To make the frosting: Whip butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes using wire whisk attachment on mixer. You’ll need to stop to scrape the bowl a few times. Reduce speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Add vanilla extract and increase speed to medium-high. Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy for about 2 minutes.
Frost cupcakes and enjoy!
I love to eat outside at restaurants. There’s a limited window of springtime before it gets sweltering hot outside. Currently, it’s peak patio dining time! But here’s the thing, don’t forget the patio patrons, dear servers!!
I recently ate for the second time at Fizz Burgers & Bottles. It’s a small restaurant, but only a mile away from me. The first time, I had a traditional cheeseburger and regular fries. I immediately regretted not getting the sweet potato fries. I knew that I had to right this wrong.
Enter the mushroom Swiss burger and sweet potato fries. Throw in a Stella for good measure.
Yum!!! Fizz has “spicy ketchup”. I think Heinz is perfection, so I wasn’t having any spicy ketchup nonsense. So, I stuck with ranch for the sweet potato fries. They did not disappoint. Now, what was disappointing was the lack of waiter presence on the patio. I got much better service the first time. I will definitely go back, but I may have to forgo the patio.
What do you do with 2 waffles and 2 fried eggs? Make a wafflewich, of course!
If you love sandwiches and if you love breakfast foods, than the wafflewich is for you, my friend! I used Van’s Lite Waffles. The whole sandwich was only 280 calories.
In retrospect, one egg would have been plenty on this wafflewich. My mind and stomach are often in disagreement on these portion control issues!
I think I’m pretty set for awhile! Hope you’re enjoying your Memorial Day Weekend all!!
Have you eaten Boston Cream Pie before?? It’s delicious!!! I’d never tried it before I baked it myself. I’m adventurous like that.
Did you know that Boston Cream Pie is sponge cake and not pie? So, why call it Boston Cream Pie?? Who cares….let’s just eat it!!
Boston Cream Pie
Recipe from Cooks’s Illustrated
Ingredients:
For the custard: 2 cups half & half
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup flour
4 tbl cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the cake: 1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup whole milk
6 tbl unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
For the glaze: 1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbl light corn syrup
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
To make the custard:
Heat half & half in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering.
In the meantime, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Add flour to yolk mixture and whisk.
Remove the half & half from heat. While whisking constantly, slowly add 1/2 cup to yolk mixture to temper. While still whisking constantly, return the tempered yolk mixture to the half & half in your saucepan.
Return saucepan to medium heat and cook about 1 minute, whisk constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk constantly for 8 minutes. Yes, whisk constantly for 8 minutes! You don’t want your eggs to cook in the custard.
Increase heat to medium and continue to whisk quickly until bubbles burst on the surface, 2-5 minutes.
Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk in butter and vanilla until butter is melted. Pour custard into a medium bowl.
Lightly press greased parchment paper directly on the surface of custard and refrigerate at least 2 hours & up to 24 hours.
To make the cake:
Preheat oven to 325. Lightly spray two 9 inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Heat milk and butter and a saucepan over low heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Cover to keep warm.
Whip eggs and sugar with mixer at high speed about 5 minutes until light and airy. Add hot milk mixture to egg mixture and whisk by hand to combine. Add flour mixuture to wet mxture and whisk by hand to combine.
Divide batter between your two cake pans. Bake 20-22 minutes.
Cool cakes in pans about 2 hours on wire rack. Run a small knife around the edges of pans. Invert cakes onto wire rack. Carefully remove parchment.
To assemble the cake:
Place one cake on a large plate. Whisk the custard briefly, then spoon it onto the center of the cake. Spread evenly to cake’s edge. Place second layer of cake on top of the custard. Make sure the layers are aligned. Press lightly on top of cake to setl. Refrigerate cake while preparing the glaze.
To make the glaze:
Bring the cream and corn syrup to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Whisk gently until smooth for about 30 seconds. Let stand, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Pour glaze onto center of cake. Spread glaze to edge of cake. Let the excess decoratively drip down the sides of the cake. Chill finished cake 3 hours before serving. Cake can be made up to 24 hours before serving.
Get to whisking and enjoy!!!
I dropped and shattered a bottle of vanilla extract in my kitchen. It smelled amazing at least. I called Sarah to debate whether to go to the grocery store for the 100th time this week. Or should I substitute almond extract for vanilla extract. Sarah said almond extract. She’s wise. If she was here, I’d give her a cupcake.
Do you like Oreos? Me too!! How about a cupcake recipe that uses a whole package of Oreos plus some Mini Oreos?
Have you ever used Marshmallow Creme? Ugh! It’s a booger to get out of the jar!!
Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Recipe slightly adapted from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes: 1 box Duncan Hines White Cake Mix
1 stick of butter, melted
1 cup water
3 eggs
24 whole Oreos
Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pan with liners. Place an Oreo in the bottom of each liner.
In a bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, melted butter, and water. Mix on low speed for one minute and then increase to high and beat for another minute minute. Fill liners 2/3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes.
(Handy tip—I use an ice cream scoop to put cupcake batter into the liners.)
Umm….I also dipped Oreos in the batter to eat. Don’t judge.
For the filling: 13 oz jar Marshmallow Creme
1 stick salted butter, softened
1/8 tsp almond extract
4 tbl heavy cream
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
In a large bowl, beat Marshmallow Creme, butter, heavy cream and almond extract on medium until smooth. Add the powdered sugar slowly. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for a minute. Refrigerate filling until cupcakes are done baking and cooled.
Once cupcakes are cooled, fill the cupcakes with the Marshmallow Creme filling. I used a knife to cut a small circular whole in each cupcake. I suggest using a pastry tip to get the filling in easily. (I recently got and used this Betty Crocker decorating set at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for only $10!)
Frosting: 4 sticks salted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp almond extract
8 cups powdered sugar
15 Oreos, crushed finely
In a bowl, beat butter, cream, and almond extract on medium until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes. Fold in crushed Oreos. Frost or pipe frosting on cupcakes. Top with a mini Oreo.
Enjoy your sugar coma!!
It’s National Blueberry Cheesecake Day!! Is it weird that I keep up with food holidays? Don’t answer that.
Now, I’ve yet to be brave enough to make an actual cheesecake. True story: I had all the springform pans and whatnot for cheesecake makin’. And they sat in my kitchen all sad and lonely for years. I finally gave them to my lovely sister-in-law. She makes killer cheesecake. It was win-win.
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Recipe from Tyler Florence
Ingredients:
For the crust: 2 tbl sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
9 sheets of honey graham crackers
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
For the filling: 16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 eggs
2 lemons, zested & juiced—that works out to be about 1 tbl zest & 1/3 cup juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
To make the crust:
Preheat oven to 325. Grease bottom of 9×9 inch baking pan with butter. Place parchment paper over the top of pan and press down at corners. Crush graham cracker until texture of bread crumbs. Combine sugar and cinnamon with graham cracker crumbs and mix. Add melted butter and mix. Pour into pan and gently pat down with the base of a glass. Bake for 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
To make the filling:
Add cream cheese, eggs, lemon zest & juice, and sugar. Mix on med-high for several minutes until well combined and smooth. Pour onto your cooled crust and spread to edges. Cover with blueberries. Blueberries will sink a bit as they bake. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes or until center only slightly jiggles. Remove from oven and cool completely in pan. Then refrigerate in pan for at least 3 hours. Once set, remove from pan using parchment lining. Cut into bars and enjoy!
Hi friends!! I made this meal a few weeks ago for Mother’s Day. (Hi Mom!) It was pretty yummers, so I wanted to share.
For the sweet potato fries, cut sweet potatoes in half-moons. Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and cayenne pepper. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes. And tell your Dad they are sweet potatoes AFTER he eats them.
BBQ Pulled Chicken
Recipe from McCormick
Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg McCormick Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Pork Seasoning
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
Place chicken in crock pot. Mix seasoning, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar and water. Pour over chicken and cover. Cook for five hours on low or 2 1/2 hours on high. Remove chicken from crock pot. Shred chicken using two forks. Return chicken to crock pot. Mix with sauce and heat up a bit again before serving. I served mine on small slider buns.
Make this for your Memorial Day weekend BBQ!!
