Brunch Round-Up

The problem I find when ordering brunch is trying to decide between something rich and sweet, like french toast or pancakes, and something savory, like an omelet or eggs benedict. Everything always sounds good and I usually wait until everyone else at the table has ordered before making my final decision (I am pretty notorious for eating off everyone else's plates at a meal). I love all sorts of breakfast/brunch foods so when it came time to prepare my own weekend brunch I wanted to include an assortment of dishes that would appeal to any sort of food mood or appetite. 

Strawberry and Cream Scones

When I first found the recipe for these scones while perusing Joy the Baker (she is the best), I knew that I wanted to include them. I love a great danish and these seemed like they would have the perfect flavors for a Saturday morning with girlfriends. Let me tell you, they did. The recipe called to top with turbinado sugar, but instead I brushed the tops of mine with cream and then generously sprinkled vanilla sugar on top. That vanilla flavor (one of my favorites) added the perfect sweetness to these already perfect scones. 

Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Quiche

Quiche is another one of my favorite dishes and I loved this one especially because it was full of caramelized onions. I love onions, in every form, but caramelized definitely take the cake for the best. The onions were sandwiched between layers and layers of gruyere cheese and full of eggs, cream, and seasonings. I went back for thirds of this quiche during brunch- I could not get enough!

Big Cluster Granola

I can't even count on my fingers and toes how many times I have made this granola. If you haven't started making your own granola then you are terribly wrong and missing out on one of the best things in life. I could probably make this granola in my sleep, but I knew that it was perfect addition to round out the brunch menu. It is light and simple, but always a crowd pleaser!

Brunch makes for a perfect weekend. 

Boyfriend Birthday Brownies

Betcha can't say that three times fast?

Because I sure can't. 

This past Sunday was my boyfriend's 27th birthday! Birthdays are and have always been a huge deal to me. When I was younger, I knew that when I woke up on my birthday, the traditional Tucker-family birthday sign would be hanging on the mantle, a special birthday breakfast was in store (waffles with strawberries and whipped cream), and I would get a call from my grandmother to sing 'Happy Birthday'. I almost always had a party, usually one that involved a pool (the result of having a birthday in the middle of the hot Oklahoma summers). Birthdays were a little different as I grew older and went to college, especially that monumental 21st birthday, but had no less importance and level of celebration. I love everything about birthdays and feel that they should be celebrated from the moment a person wakes up until they go to sleep!

The most important component of any birthday is the cake (that's my sweet tooth talking) and I wanted to make sure my boyfriend got exactly the kind of "cake" he wanted. I always request a strawberry cake with strawberry icing with strawberries on top, but he wanted plain and simple, delicious chocolate brownies. Feeling the pressure to make these brownies perfect, I turned to a constant source of recipe inspiration and followed this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. 

all images via. Smitten Kitchen

I thought the brownies turned out delicious; dense and flavorful. We even did a comparison taste test between the brownies I had made and the pan that his mom had sweetly made for him to (he had dropped hints to all the right people about his "cake"). He wasn't willing to reveal his thoughts and honestly, I couldn't decide with I liked better. They were both delicious and the perfect way to end the perfect birthday day!

Until the next birthday!

Spicy Brussel Sprout Sweet Potato

Tuesday night will go down as the most productive night I have had in 2014. After taking a Barre3 class with my sister Annie, we went back to my apartment, made dinner, and then plopped down to watch T.V., and highlight Annie's hair. People always give us crazy looks when they find out that sometimes we forgo the professional salons and choose to freshen up our blonde locks ourselves with a $9 box kit from the drugstore. This is not a new trend for us, in fact, I remember watching my mom highlight my older sister's hair when I was still in elementary school. This was before the time that my mom thought it was appropriate to spend $100+ on coloring at a salon. When you have three daughters you have to make cuts somewhere and this is how we did it. The process is the same today as it was 15 years ago- a plastic cap covered in tiny holes in which you pull your hairs through and then coat with the lightening mixture. Just wait about 30 minutes, rinse, wash, and TA-DA you are a blonde beauty! This process is so easy that I have done it to myself numerous times. It's a great option for blondes between salon visits, but not always a great idea for brunettes. We tried it once on a friend and I am shocked that she still talks to us. #traumatic 

While Annie's color was "setting" I asked her to come to my closet to help me pack for our trip to Charleston. While standing in my closet, staring at my clothes, I got the overwhelming urge to "Spring Clean" my closet. Right then. At 8:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night. Before I knew it there was a pile 3-feet tall of sweaters, jeans, shoes, scarves, and purses on my floor and about 30 empty hangers amongst the reminder of the clothes hanging in my closet. Annie watched in amazement (shock?) as I parted with a good third of my closet and began to fold it all and place in bags. I followed the Everygirl's rules for cleaning out your closet and feel confident about the things I rid myself of. I am trying to simplify my life this spring and I think the four large bags of clothes now waiting to be sold/given away are a good start. 

After the closet purge, I cleaned up my room, started some laundry, and got in bed feeling accomplished and happy and slept better than I have in days. Not only had I done so much that day and night but had eaten a great dinner (I know you were all wondering how I was going to tie a recipe in to this story).

After Barre3 I quickly whipped this dinner up for Annie and I and we both loved it. Sweet potatoes are my favorite, easy, cheap dinner. I eat one at least twice a week and was excited to venture away from my typical grilled veggie filling for a new variation on my savory sweet potato.

For 1 serving

1 medium sweet potato

2 teaspoons EVOO

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

1 1/2 cups, loosely packed brussel sprout leaves 

Salt & pepper
A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce (Louisiana is the favorite brand of the Tucker's)

1. Rinse your sweet potato with warm water and then use a fork or knife to pierce the potato all over. Lightly dry the potato with a paper towel and then wrap the damp paper towel around the potato.
2. Place in microwave and cook on high for 5-6 minutes, then flip to other side and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
3. While your sweet potato is cooking, start to heat the EVOO over medium heat in a medium-sized sauce pan. When oil is hot, add the sesame seeds and cook until toasted, stirring often so not to burn them.
4. When there is 2-3 minutes left in microwave cook time, turn stove heat down to low and add brussel sprouts, salt and pepper, and a few dashes of hot sauce to sesame seeds and mix to cook.
5. When the sweet potato is finished cooking, remove from microwave, slice, and season with salt and pepper. Top with brussel sprout mixture, finishing it off with more hot sauce if you prefer. Annie and I both prefer more hot sauce, always.

Until next week's sweet potato. 

Coffee Talk & Tea Time

I usually try to make my own coffee each morning and then use the office coffee pot for my refills. As much as I would like to visit a coffee shop each morning, I know that my budget and morning timeline could not handle it. With coffee shop java costing me an average of $3 per trip, plus standing in line behind the mix of high schoolers and corporate crowd, a daily trip just isn't in the cards for me. 

This week was a little different and I admit that I have visited a coffee shop almost everyday. With the weather constantly changing in Oklahoma, that means I have also had very different drinks this week. Depending on the weather I have two caffeine-boosting drinks that I can't get enough of. As of recently I have given up most dairy products (ice cream is my favorite exception) and have been staying away from milk as much as possible. I don't enjoy drinking my coffee or tea plain so I have been using milk alternatives and truly believe they make the drinks so much better.

While basking in the beautiful weather (78 degrees!) on Tuesday, I ordered an iced almond milk chai tea latte (from Whole Foods) to keep me cool and refreshed while running errands for work. There is nothing better than a chai tea latter when it is warm out and the almond milk only makes it more delicious.

On Wednesday morning the weather was cooler so I ordered my new, favorite cold-weather drink. A regular coffee with steamed soy milk (or more specifically at Starbucks, a "grande pike with steamed soy for Kathleen" in which they always spell 'Cathline').  I have been ordering this all winter and I think it is close to the perfect cup of coffee. I definitely like a little "cream" in my coffee with just a hint of sweet and that is exactly what the soy milk adds to the coffee. 

If you are looking for a new cold or warm-weather drink or need a great dairy-alternative cup of caffeine I would recommend both of these!

Keeping you caffeinated, no matter what the weather.

Sweet Potato, Chickpea, Tahini Bowl

There really isn't anything better than coming across a recipe that looks delicious and then realizing that you have all the ingredients in your pantry already. That happened to me today when I found this recipe and I knew that it was perfect for my dinner. Wednesday had been one of those days that no matter when and what I ate I would still be hungry 30 minutes later. My stomach felt empty all day and my co-workers could probably hear my stomach growling from down the hall. I knew that I needed something heavy and full of protein for dinner and this did the trick. Did I mention that I already had all the ingredients and didn't have to run to Whole Foods in the rain that started coming down as I left work. 

Sweet potatoes are a staple for my dinners (at least when I am just cooking for myself). Not only are they cheap, but also filling, and I can make one in less than 10 minutes in the microwave. This recipe required me to forgo my typical microwave technique but I knew that roasting the sweet potato in the oven would be worth it. All the components in this warm salad come together wonderfully and I know this salad will become a regular rotation for my "single-girl meals".

The most time consuming part of this recipe is waiting for the delicious sweet potatoes to come out of the oven. After that you simply pile all the ingredients in a bowl and top with the delicious, homemade tahini dressing and mix to combine. 

I can't wait to eat this again tomorrow!

The recipe is originally from Smitten Kitchen, so it's no wonder that I loved it

Boyfriend Gift Guide

It's that time of the year again! The time of the year that females either dread, tolerate, or love.

 Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, which means that most girls are stressing about what to get their man friend. I haven't quite figured out what makes it so difficult to shop for guys but it has always been a struggle. Girls, on the other hand, are a breeze to shop for, in fact we are also really easy to please overall...

I can't claim to be an expert when it comes to shopping for guys, but I have done some research online, on other blogs, and with friends and my own man friend and think that I have put together some ideas to get you started. If you still need more ideas, check out my other boyfriend gift guide here. 

American Flag- Best Made Co. 

This website is full of cool ideas, including these other historic flags that are a great addition to a bachelor pad, camp supplies, and tools. Perfect for the rugged man in your life. 

The Hungover Cookbook - Barnes and Noble

A clever cookbook that starts with a quiz to determine your exact state of mind and ability to cook. The book categorizes six different types of hangovers and supplies recipes for each, including the Elvis Presley Peanut Butter, Banana, and Bacon Sandwich.

Baseball Henley - J.Crew

Give your man friend subtle hints with this gift- he should wear a little more J.Crew and a little less of that high school t-shirt he just won't get rid of. 

Ribbed Beanie - Bloomingdales

We still have six more weeks of winter, so he will need to bundle up with the help of this stylish and warm beanie. 

Reese's Peanut Butter Hearts

One thing that I have learned over all the years is that the easiest way to please a guy is through his stomach. If you want to keep it simple or need something small to add to your gift, hit your local grocery store and pic up a Valentine's themed bag of his favorite candy. 

ESPN's 30 for 30 - Dick's Sporting Goods

This box set includes all 30 episodes of the ESPN Film Series, including never-before-seen footage and interviews. The best part about this gift is that you can even join him on the couch to watch these- I've loved every one I have watched!

Hazelnut Whiskey Sandwich Cookies - Whimsy & Spice

I usually recommend homemade treats and cookies but everything on this website looks delicious and perfect for Valentine's Day. This site has sandwich cookies, flavored marshmallows, brownies, and hot chocolate mixes. In fact, I wouldn't mind any of those things for myself, including this helpful tea towel.

If you are looking for recipes for homemade treats, I would suggest these-

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake - my favorite!

Peanut Butter Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Best Brownies

White Chocolate Cranberry Cream Cheese Cookies

Homemade Oreos

Snickerdoodle Bars

Even more ideas

Thousand-Layer Chocolate Chip Cookies

I had never heard of a Thousand-Layer Chocolate Chip cookie before, but the thought of a thousand layers of chocolate sounded like heaven. Making this cookie was unlike any baking technique I had ever tried before, but it was fun, different, and resulted in a delicious chocolate chip cookie (which I had been craving for days!)

In a traditional chocolate chip cookie recipe you would mix together all the ingredients and fold in the chocolate chips at the very end, before rolling and placing on a baking sheet to cook. This recipe was similar to most chocolate chip cookie recipes until the end, when you kept the dough and chocolate separate. Instead of mixing the chocolate in to the dough, you create layers of dough and chocolate (hence the name "thousand layer") before rolling out the layers and cutting out with a cookie cutter. 

The only slight downfall for these cookies is that you are required to chill the dough before creating the layers.

Cookie recipes that require me to refrigerate the dough are tough for two reasons...

1. I don't have the patience to wait 30 minutes to an hour while the dough chills

2. I eat half of the dough while I am failing at being patient

Both of the above happened on Sunday night when I was making these cookies, but I still had enough dough to make 20 large cookies and I ate enough dough to give me a stomachache.

I received rave reviews from every one that got to eat one of these and they are already all gone (the last one was consumed while I wrote this post). Looks like I will be making this recipe again soon!

I might add pecans next time and call them Two Thousand Layer Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Four-Legged Friends

In the three years of baking for this blog I have never shared a recipe for man's (or woman's) best friend. You know that best friend who always greets you at the door with an excited tail wag or a slobbery kiss. My canine best friend loved to chase cars, be held like a baby (at least he tolerated it), and thought the best seat in the house was right on top of whatever project you were working on. My sweet Jake died a few summers ago, but his sassy sister Stella still keeps my family company and loves on us, especially when we drop human food or give her a treat. 

These dog treats are for any and all special pups in your life, even the ones who leave hair everywhere, steal your laundry, and get in to your food. They are especially for those that snuggle with you at night, really listen when you talk about your problems, and serve as watchdog, no matter how big or small.

I followed a very simple recipe that included some of my favorite flavors, pumpkin and peanut butter. The dough might seem sticky when you try to roll it out, just make sure that you have a well-floured surface, rolling pin, and hands (go ahead and throw some flour on your face to look like a professional baker). Watch your treats carefully in the last minutes of cook time to prevent burning and cool completely before storing. I bagged mine and have been keeping them in the fridge to ensure freshness!

Stella loved her treat and those eyes show clearly that she wasn't letting anyone get near her peanut butter and pumpkin bone. 

Make these treats for all the dogs in your life- they will thank you for it!

Back to people food after today. 

Strawberry, Banana, and Ginger Smoothie

I drink a smoothie for breakfast almost every morning. I love mine loaded with frozen fruit, fresh baby spinach, almond butter, and almond milk. To that standard base I will add spices like cinnamon and ginger and power foods like avocado, flax, or chia seeds. I make my smoothie at night and refrigerate it so that grabbing it for breakfast in the morning is as easy as possible and I am able to snuggle in my warm bed for a couple extra minutes. 

The first recipe I made from my "What Katie Ate" cookbook was her Strawberry, Banana, and Ginger Smoothie and not just because it was on the first page. I am always looking for new smoothie recipes and this one was perfect for the day after Christmas when I was trying to eat a little lighter. 

Strawberry, Banana, and Ginger Smoothie 

serves 3-4

Ingredients

2 cups milk (your choice)

1/3 cup natural yogurt

3 frozen bananas, roughly chopped

handfull strawberries, hulled

1 x 3/4 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated

1 tablespoon honey

Place all ingredients in a blender and whizz until smooth! 

A few of my other favorite smoothies right now!

Butternut Squash and Cherry Smoothie

Superfood Sunshine Smoothie

Peach, Pear, and Fresh Ginger Smoothie

I like to top my smoothies with granola.

Katie's Granola (Yes, Another Recipe)

When my older sister asked what I wanted for Christmas this year I simply told her a cookbook and a slouchy beanie. What a surprise on Christmas morning when I unwrapped a black, cashmere beanie and a new cookbook! I was excited about both and within an hour my cookbook was completely covered in sticky notes, marking the pages of the recipes I wanted to make first. The cookbook is by the photographer and blogger behind What Katie Ate and features recipes inspired by Katie's travels around the world, entertaining her friends, and her family. One of the first recipes to catch my eye was her "Bob's Granola" recipe. My addiction with making my own granola started at exactly this time last year with Smitten Kitchen's recipe, followed by this recipe, and then followed by this recipe. Those three don't even begin to cover the amount of times that I have made different variations of granola in my kitchen. The smell that comes from the oven while the granola is cooking is enough for me to want to make it daily, not to mention that it is my favorite snack!

This recipe isn't too different from my standard granola recipe but I enjoy the change and the slight variation in favor. You can chop your almonds and hazelnuts, or keep them whole. You can add the dried fruit or leave it out. Granola recipes are so versatile and almost impossible to mess up-- just don't let it burn! Start checking on your granola often during the last 10-20 minutes of cooking.  

Ingredients 

5 1/2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup wheatgerm

3/4 cup shredded coconut (I used flaked because I like the texture it adds to granola)

3/4 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup pepitas

1 cup almonds

1 cup hazelnuts, skinned (or any other nut variation you prefer)

4 tablespoons canola, peanut, or sunflower oil (I used coconut because I like to break the rules)

4 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons quality maple syrup (to clarify this is not Aunt Jemima, Log Cabin or anything else you pour on top of your Eggo's in the morning)

1 3/4 cups sultanas, currants, or raisins (or a combination) - optional 

1/2 cup chopped, dried dates or figs - optional

makes 12 cups

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the oats, wheatgerm, coconut, seeds, and nuts in a large bowl, then divide this mixture in half, leaving half in the large bowl and setting aside the other half, covered, in a small bowl.

Heat the oil, honey, and maple syrup in a saucepan over low-medium heat for 5-6 minutes until the mixture is thin and runny, then pour it over the oat mixture in the large bowl. Mix really well with a spoon until well-coated but not too clumped together; if the mixture looks a bit wet, mix in some of the reserved dry oat mixture.

Divide the wet oat mixture between the prepared sheets then bake for about 1 hour, stirring the granola occasionally to make sure the mixture cooks evenly. It should be a luscious golden color when it's done - take care not to let it darken too much.

Remove the sheets from the oven and let the mixture cool completely, then tip it into a large bowl and combine with the reserved dry oat mixture and the dried fruit. 

Serve with milk and additional honey drizzled on top, on top of your yogurt of choice with fresh fruit, or plain, as a snack. 

recipe from What Katie Ate

I need to start a separate granola blog.

Rustic Caramel Apple Hand Pies

When Annie first blogged about these Rustic Apple Hand Pies I almost jumped in my car and drove 30 minutes to her house just to get my hands on one. I love desserts with fruit in them more than anything and apple pie is one of my favorites (getting excited about our Thanksgiving apple pie as we speak). While I was shopping for produce at the grocery store this weekend I couldn't help but pick up some granny smith apples. Not only were they beautiful but I had been dreaming about making these apple pies for a while. 

While Annie kept her pies classic, I decided to stuff mine with not only apples but little pieces of soft caramel. They might have made for a mess in the baking process (read: hot, melted caramel everywhere) but they tasted wonderful, especially hot, right out of the oven and warmed up with my coffee on Sunday morning.

Follow Annie's recipe and let her pictures be your guide, but if you want the flowing caramel of my version, just add small cubes of caramel (store bought) with the apples!

Maybe I will sneak some caramel in to the pie on Thanksgiving too. 

Rosemary Chicken Wings

I'm not surprised, not everything lasts
I've broken my heart so many times I stopped keeping track
Talk myself in, I talk myself out
I get all worked up then I let myself down

I tried so very hard not to lose it
I came up with a million excuses
I thought, I thought of every possibility

And I know some day that it’ll all turn out
You'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And I promise you kid that I'll give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

There is a perfectly good reason why I am quoting Michael Buble, other than the obvious reasons like his talents, good looks, romantic songs, and his good looks (it was worth mentioning twice). This recipe for rosemary chicken wings came from Mr. Wonderful himself. They are his go-to party dish and seemed like the perfect thing for me to make for a football-filled Saturday. I had never made chicken wings before but once I saw the words "rosemary" and "Buble" I knew that this was the perfect way to dive in to this dish. 

I will say the hardest part about this recipe was removing the wingtips and separating the wings in to two pieces. I still can't say for sure if I did it correctly, but they look and taste good and that is really all that matters. 

Michael Buble just hasn't met me yet. 

Rosemary Pumpkin Hummus

Hummus is like granola in that once I made it myself, I will never be able to go back to buying it at the store. Rosemary and pumpkin are two of my favorite fall flavors so I loved the idea of combining them for this Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Pumpkin Hummus.  

I made this recipe a couple of weekends ago when I was house-sitting for my parents. I had to wait to make it at their house since I don't have my own food processor yet (it is my #1 on my Christmas list though) which was perfect, because that meant I could eat it all without feeling bad about not sharing. 

Although the recipe didn't specify, I peeled my chickpeas before throwing them in the food processor like Smitten Kitchen recommends (and I did here). I know that it is more time consuming but I think it is worth it to have the smoothest hummus. 

Pumpkin everything.