Tasty Kitchen Blog » twopeasandtheirpod

Pizza Nachos

twopeasandtheirpod — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 17:00:14 +0000

Planning weekend football snacks? These Pizza Nachos will be a big hit at game time! Repost from November 2012.

Football season is a fun one at our house. My husband and I both enjoy watching football. We don’t always cheer for the same team (that is what makes it interesting) but we do agree that good food has to be a part of the football festivities. One of my husband’s latest obsessions is Dax Phillips’ amazing Pizza Nachos. I saw the recipe on Tasty Kitchen and knew Josh would love them. I decided to make them on football Sunday for a half-time snack and they were a hit!

To make the Pizza Nachos, you will need: butter, olive oil, garlic, heavy cream, milk, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, tortilla chips, onion, pepperoni, black olives, green pepper, and Colby Jack cheese.

First, make the garlic cream sauce. Melt the butter, along with the olive oil, on medium to low heat.

Once melted, add in the minced garlic and stir.

Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add in the cream and milk and stir.

Keep stirring until it comes to a boil.

Add in the salt, pepper, and chili flakes, and Parmesan cheese. Continue stirring. The sauce will thicken pretty quick, so make sure you keep stirring.

Once the sauce is thickened, remove from the burner, and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF and start building your nachos in an oven-proof dish. First, add the tortilla chips.

Next, drizzle the garlic cream sauce all over the chips.

Top with the onions, pepperoni, olives, and bell pepper.

Finish the nachos off by adding the Colby Jack cheese.

Place in the preheated oven, and cook until the cheese is nice and bubbly and the veggies are warmed through, roughly 7 minutes or so.

Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Pizza and nachos are two of Josh’s favorite foods; now he can enjoy them all at once. These nachos are the ultimate game day snack. I love that the recipe is adaptable, too. If pepperoni isn’t your thing, leave it off. Try adding mushrooms, artichokes, roasted red peppers, chicken, etc. Top the nachos with your favorite pizza toppings. The options are endless!

Thanks Dax for the recipe. You have earned me major brownie points with the hubs. Josh always requests Pizza Nachos on game day now. Make sure you visit Dax’s blog, Simple Comfort Food, for more mouthwatering recipes and photos.

Printable Recipe

Pizza Nachos

by Dax Phillips on October 15, 2012 in Appetizers, Snacks

See post on Dax Phillips’s site!

4.50 Mitt(s) 4 Rating(s)

Description

A new take on standard nachos by jazzing them up pizza style. Your nachos will never be the same.

Ingredients

FOR THE GARLIC CREAM SAUCE:
1-½ Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
½ Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 cloves Garlic, Minced (or Use A Microplane If You Have It)
½ cups Heavy Cream
¼ cups 2% Milk
1 pinch Salt
1 pinch Cracked Black Pepper
1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes
¼ cups Parmesan Cheese, Grated
FOR THE NACHOS:
Your Favorite Crispy Tortilla Chips
½ cups Garlic Cream Sauce (Recipe Included)
¼ cups Onion, Diced
½ cups Pepperoni, Cut Into Bite Size Pieces
½ cups Black Olives Sliced
½ whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeds Removed, Diced
1 cup Colby-Jack Cheese, Shredded

Preparation Instructions

Start by making your sauce. Begin by melting the butter, along with the olive oil on medium to low heat. Once melted, toss in the minced garlic, and give a good stir. Raise the heat up to medium, to medium-high. Add in the cream and milk and give a good stir. Keep stirring until it comes to a boil. Toss in the salt, pepper, and chili flakes, along with the cheese, and continue stirring. The sauce will thicken pretty quick, so continue to stir. Once the sauce is thickened, remove from the burner, and set aside.

When you are ready to make your nachos, preheat your oven to 400ºF. I used a cast iron fajita skillet for this. If you do not have one, don’t worry, simply build your nachos on an oven-proof dish. First add your chips. Drizzle the garlic cream sauce all over the chips. Top with the onions, pepperoni, olives, and bell pepper. Make sure you get in there and do some great layering, leaving no chip behind.

Top with the Colby Jack cheese. Place in the preheated oven, and cook until the cheese is nice and bubbly and the veggies are warmed through, roughly 7 minutes or so.

As I sat down in front of the television to watch some football, I said to my wife that these could be my go-to nachos from here on out. Something about those deluxe pizza flavors when placed on a tortilla chip just gets your taste buds rocking. Give these a try and let me know what you think!

The great thing about these pizza nachos, much like any nacho, is that you can make them your own way. Don’t like pepperoni? Try something else. Don’t like olives? Try artichokes, or broccoli, or heck, you can see where I’m heading. Use your imagination. I can guarantee you will love them. By the way, the garlic cream sauce will keep in the fridge for a handful of days. Feel free to use the leftover sauce on a pizza.

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Maria and her husband Josh (who she affectionately refers to as her “dough boy”) blog at Two Peas and Their Pod. They’ve been featured on Saveur, Eatocracy, Gourmet Live, Glamour, and the Los Angeles Times, to name just a few. They’d also just recently added a little pea to their pod. We’re so glad to have them here!

S’mores Pie

twopeasandtheirpod — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 15:00:21 +0000

Note: We’re bringing back this oldie but goodie, just in time for summer. S’mores, baby. In pie form. Just too dang irresistible.

Summer isn’t summer without ooey, gooey S’mores! There is nothing better than sitting around a bonfire with some graham crackers, mallows, and Hershey bars. I love traditional S’mores, but I am always looking for fun and unique ways to enjoy S’mores. I love making S’mores cookies and bars, so when I saw TK member Tonya’s recipe for S’mores Pie, I knew it would be the perfect dessert for our summer BBQ.

To make the pie you need the following ingredients: butter, sugar, an egg, vanilla, flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, marshmallow creme, Hershey’s chocolate bars, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9″ pie pan with baking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and smooth.

Add the egg.

Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Add in the flour.

Pour in the graham cracker crumbs.

Add the baking powder

Mix until just combined.

Divide the dough in half and press half of the dough into the prepared pie pan.

Evenly spread the marshmallow cream over the bottom of the crust.

Place the Hershey chocolate squares over the marshmallow creme.

Place the mini marshmallows over the chocolate bars.

Carefully pat the remaining dough over the marshmallows. Some of the marshmallows will peek through and that’s ok.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the pie.

Bake the pie for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Let the pie cool completely and slice!

The pie was a huge hit at our BBQ! Everyone loved it. A thick graham cracker/cookie crust filled with marshmallow creme, chocolate bars, more marshmallows, and topped with chocolate chips! How could they not have loved it? It was the perfect end to our meal! And it’s the perfect dessert for summer.

Gather around the bonfire or just gather around this S’mores Pie with a fork! It’s a winner! Thanks Tonya for the fabulous recipe! Visit her blog 4 Little Fergusons, where Tonya writes openly and honestly about faith, family and parenting—and food!

Printable Recipe

S’mores Pie

by 4littleFergusons on June 9, 2013 in Desserts, Pies

4.83 Mitt(s) 6 Rating(s)

Description

You will want S’more of this delicious pie! No bonfire necessary!

Ingredients

1 stick Softened Butter
½ cups White Sugar
1 whole Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Flour
1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
7 ounces, weight Container Of Marshmallow Creme
8 whole (1.55 Oz Bars) Hershey's Chocolate Bars, Unwrapped
1 cup Marshmallows
¼ cups Chocolate Chips

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9″ pie pan with baking spray.

In a large bowl beat butter and sugar together until combined, then add egg and vanilla and stir them in. Stir in flour, graham cracker crumbs and baking powder.

Divide the dough in half. Press half the dough in the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie pan. Evenly spread the Marshmallow Creme over the bottom crust. Separate chocolate squares and place on top of the Marshmallow Creme. Place 1 cup of marshmallows on top.

Using the remaining crust, pat sections of dough on top of and around all the marshmallows (they will still show through and that is great!). Sprinkle with 1/4 cup chocolate chips, then bake 20 minutes until lightly browned.

Remove pan from oven and set it on a wire rack. Cool completely before cutting, or you will have a gooey mess. Not that I know …

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Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

twopeasandtheirpod — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:00:11 +0000

I get asked all of the time what my favorite cookie is. I can never give a completely honest answer because I have more than one favorite. It just depends on my mood. I love all kinds of cookies—chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, peanut butter, oatmeal, lemon, chocolate, coconut … and the list goes on. There are too many good cookies out there so it’s really hard for me to narrow it down to one cookie.

When I saw Monique’s recipe for Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, I knew had to try them. Peanut butter, oatmeal, and chocolate chips all in one cookie! Yay! I love that this recipe combines three of my many favorite cookies.

To make the cookies, you need the following ingredients: oats, baking soda, peanut butter, dark brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips. I love that the ingredient list is so simple!

First, mix together the oats and the baking soda in a small bowl. Note-you can use gluten-free oats to make gluten-free cookies.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the creamy peanut butter.

Add the brown sugar.

Next, crack in the eggs. Make sure you omit the shell:)

Add the vanilla extract.

Turn on the mixer and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Add the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon.

Stir in the chocolate chips. Try not to eat the dough at this step. It is hard, so if you cave in, I wont’ tell.

Use a cookie scoop to form your cookie dough balls. You can roll the dough with your hands, but it is pretty sticky, so I opted for the scoop.

Place the cookie dough balls onto a baking sheet and lightly flatten with your hands. Bake for 9-11 minutes in a 350ºF oven. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes … if you can wait that long!

Grab a stack of cookies and start eating!

These cookies are super soft and chewy. And I love that there is no butter or flour involved. No butter means I can eat more cookies, right? Please say yes.

Thanks Monique for an awesome cookie recipe! This recipe is going on my favorite cookie list!

Make sure you check out Monique’s amazing blog, Ambitious Kitchen, for more delicious recipes.

Printable Recipe

Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

by Monique of Ambitious Kitchen on March 21, 2013 in Cookies, Desserts

See post on Monique of Ambitious Kitchen’s site!

4.95 Mitt(s) 20 Rating(s)

Description

Thick, chewy peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies made without butter or flour. Delicious!

Ingredients

⅔ cups Rolled Oats (gluten-free If Desired)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 cup Old-fashioned Peanut Butter (I Used Skippy Creamy)
⅔ cups Dark Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1-½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
⅔ cups Chocolate Chips

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In small bowl, mix together the oats and baking soda; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth, about 3 minutes. Mix in dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, then gently fold in chocolate chips.

Roll cookies into 2-inch dough balls and place onto cookie sheet 2 inches apart, then barely flatten the top of the cookie with your hand. The dough should be pretty sticky so if you find this method annoying, simply use a cookie scoop to drop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. The cookies may not be as round in shape and perhaps a bit thicker, but that’s okay, they will still be delicious.

Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes and remove when edges barely begin to turn a golden brown. The cookies may look a little underdone, but they will continue to cook once you remove them from the oven. Cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

Makes 16-20 cookies.

Notes:
1. You can use less sugar or less chocolate chips to save calories—I have tried using 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and they turned out great!
2. Feel free to substitute almond butter or another nut butter in replace of peanut butter.
3. These cookies disappear quickly so I recommend doubling the recipe!

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Greek Pizza

twopeasandtheirpod — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 10:00:29 +0000

We love making homemade pizza. My husband Josh’s favorite pizza is his famous BBQ chicken deluxe pizza. He also likes sausage and pepperoni. He would eat the same three pizzas for the rest of his life, if I let him. I like to mix things up though. Pizza night shouldn’t be boring. A few of my favorites include our sweet potato kale pizza and our peach basil pizza. Josh always ends up loving my pizza creations, he just doesn’t like to admit it.

I am always looking for new pizza ideas. When I saw Riley’s (My Daily Morsel) recipe for Greek Pizza, I told Josh it was a pizza night. I couldn’t wait to try this pizza. I love Greek salad and this pizza has all of the same fixin’s but in pizza form.

To make the pizza, you will need the following ingredients: pizza dough, olive oil, mozzarella cheese, red onion, salt, pepper, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and tzatziki sauce.

Preheat the oven to 500°F. If your oven can go even higher than that, go for it and set it to its maximum temperature.

While the oven is preheating, lightly flour your work surface and lay down the pizza dough.

Roll the dough out into a thin circle, about 15 inches in diameter.

Carefully transfer the dough to a large baking sheet or pizza stone.

Drizzle the olive oil over the top of the dough.

Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top of the dough.

Add the red onion and season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and all that wonderful cheese is melted.

Scatter the tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and feta cheese over the pizza.

To finish it off, drizzle tzatziki sauce over the top.

Slice the pizza …

Serve and enjoy!

We loved this pizza. And when I say we, I mean we. Josh may love his meat pizzas, but he also loved this veggie Greek pizza. It is loaded with flavor. The toppings are fresh and the tzatziki sauce is a genius addition. We used our favorite tzatziki sauce recipe. It is super simple to make and goes so well with the Greek pizza.

Thanks Riley for sharing your Greek Pizza recipe. We loved it and can’t wait to make it again. Make sure you visit My Daily Morsel for more tasty recipes.

Printable Recipe

Greek Pizza

by Riley - My Daily Morsel on March 20, 2013 in Main Courses, Pizza

See post on Riley - My Daily Morsel’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)

Description

Greek-style tomato, cucumber, and feta pizza drizzled with tzatziki sauce.

Ingredients

12 ounces, weight Pizza Dough
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
½ whole Red Onion, Thinly Sliced
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 cup Quartered Cherry Tomatoes
½ whole Hothouse Cucumber, Seeded And Diced
½ cups Pitted Kalamata Olives, Sliced
½ cups Crumbled Feta Cheese
¾ cups Tzatziki Sauce

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 500°F, or as high as your oven will go. Place the pizza dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll out into a thin 15-inch circle. Transfer to a large baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil over the top.

Sprinkle the cheese and red onion slices evenly over the surface of the dough and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and scatter the tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and feta cheese over the crust. Drizzle the tzatziki sauce over the top and serve.

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Open-Faced Enchilada Veggie Quesadillas

twopeasandtheirpod — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:00:27 +0000

I am always on the look out for quick and easy meal ideas. I love to cook but some nights I just want to make something that can be made quickly with ingredients we have on hand. Oh, and of course, I want it to taste good. One of my new favorites is TK member and fellow TK Blog contributor Amber’s recipe for Open-Faced Enchilada Veggie Quesadillas. I love making these for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner. I love that this recipe is easy, but I also love that it’s a combination of two of my favorite Mexican meals: enchiladas and quesadillas.

To make these, you will need: flour tortillas, olive oil, onion, salt, pepper, bell peppers, enchilada sauce, black olives, Monterey Jack cheese, cilantro, and sour cream.

Preheat oven to 400ºF. On an ungreased baking sheet lightly sprayed with oil, place the tortillas and pierce all over with the tines of a fork.

Bake for 5-6 minutes. You want them to puff up and begin to turn golden brown. Remove and let cool but keep the oven on.

Grab a large skillet. Drizzle in the olive oil and heat over medium heat.

Add the onions, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat to medium-low.

Cook over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, until onions turn translucent and begin to caramelize. Stir occasionally.

When the onions are almost done, add the peppers.

Cook just until peppers begin to soften, then remove from heat.

Spoon enchilada sauce over the tortillas.

Spread the sauce evenly over the tortillas.

Top with the onions and veggies.

Add the olives.

Sprinkle on the cheese.

Place back in the oven for 5-6 more minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Remove from oven. Garnish with fresh cilantro and sour cream.

Serve the quesadillas warm.

Enjoy!

If you are in the mood for Mexican, you have to make these Open Faced Veggie Quesadillas. The quesadillas are loaded with colorful veggies and melty cheese! And the sour cream adds the perfect amount of creaminess. We like to cut the quesadillas into little triangles, like pizza. They are fun to make and eat! This is a great recipe for adults and the kiddos.

Thanks Amber for a great recipe! Open Faced Veggie Quesadillas are a regular at our house! Make sure you visit Amber’s blog, Sprinkled with Flour, for beautiful photos and delicious recipes.

Printable Recipe

Open Faced Enchilada Veggie Quesadillas

by Amber {Sprinkled With Flour} on February 6, 2013 in Special Dietary Needs, Vegetarian

See post on Amber {Sprinkled With Flour}’s site!

0.00 Mitt(s) 0 Rating(s)

Description

Open Faced Enchilada Veggie Quesadillas.

Ingredients

4 whole Flour Tortillas
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Onion, Thinly Sliced
¼ teaspoons Salt To Taste
⅛ teaspoons Black Pepper To Taste
½ cups Green Bell Pepper, Diced
½ cups Yellow Bell Pepper, Diced
½ cups Red Bell Pepper, Diced
¼ cups Enchilada Sauce
½ cups Black Olives, Chopped
1 cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
¼ cups Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
¼ cups Sour Cream For Garnish

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place tortillas on an ungreased baking sheet, lightly spray with cooking spray and prick all over with a fork. Bake for 5-6 minutes, until they are puffed and begin to turn golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Keep the oven on.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions to the skillet, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions turn translucent and begin to caramelize (about 8-10 minutes). When the onions are almost done, add the diced peppers and cook just until they begin to soften. Remove skillet from heat.

Spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce over each of the baked tortillas. Top with the onions and veggie mixture, olives and cheese. Place it back in the oven and cook for 5-6 more minutes, until the cheese has melted. Remove from oven and garnish with fresh cilantro and sour cream.

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Homemade Oreos with Peanut Butter

twopeasandtheirpod — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:00:25 +0000

Oreos are good, homemade Oreos are better, and these Homemade Oreos with Peanut Butter are DEE-VINE! When I saw Half Baked Harvest’s recipe on Tasty Kitchen, I had to do a double take. I’ve made homemade Oreos before, but it never crossed my mind to add peanut butter to the mix. Genius! Tieghan adapted this recipe from Bakerella and it is a winner.

To make the Oreos you need: butter, chocolate chips, sugar, vanilla, egg, flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, powdered sugar, milk, and peanut butter.

To make the cookies, put the butter and chocolate chips Into a medium-sized microwave safe bowl.

Heat it in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, and continuing in additional 30-second heat bursts until melted.

Whisk in the sugar until well combined.

Add the vanilla extract.

Whisk in the egg and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda until combined.

Stir flour mixture into the chocolate mixture. Beat with a mixer until the dough comes together.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of wax paper.

Shape into a log about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Place log along the edge of the wax paper and roll it up in the paper.

Shape it as you roll so it keeps a smooth cylinder form. Twist the ends of the paper to secure it closed and help keep it compact. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. If the log settles and flattens on one side, rotate every 15 minutes or so to keep its round shape. (We forgot to roll our log, so our cookies aren’t perfectly round, but we got no complaints.)

Heat oven to 325ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the dough and put it onto a cutting board.

Using a sharp knife, cut dough into quarter-inch-thick slices.

Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 12-18 minutes or until cookies are firm to the touch. Allow cookies to cool completely.

To make the filling, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Add milk and salt.

Beat the filling until smooth.

Place about a tablespoon of filling on the bottom of one cookie and about a tablespoon of peanut butter on another cookie.

Sandwich the two cookies together and repeat with remaining cookies. And eat!

Chocolate, cream filling, and peanut butter. These cookies have it all! The cookies are slightly crisp with a deep chocolate flavor. The cream filling is sweet and goes so well with the salty peanut butter. If you are an Oreo fan, you have to make this recipe. I bet you will never be able to buy Oreos again. These Homemade Oreos with Peanut Butter are amazing!!

Thanks Tieghan for introducing me to the best Oreo cookie ever! Make sure you visit Tieghan’s blog, Half Baked Harvest, for lots and lots of delicious recipes. Now get baking, you need these Oreos in your life. Stat!

Printable Recipe

Homemade Oreos with Peanut Butter

by halfbakedharvest on January 9, 2013 in Cookies, Desserts

See post on halfbakedharvest’s site!

4.33 Mitt(s) 3 Rating(s)

Description

Cookies ‘n’ cream with an added hit of peanut butter!

Ingredients

FOR THE COOKIES:
1 cup Unsalted Butter, Softened
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
¾ cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 whole Egg
1-½ cup Flour
¾ cups Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
FOR THE FILLING:
½ cups Butter, Softened
1-⅔ cup Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Milk
1 pinch Kosher Salt
¾ cups Creamy Peanut Butter

Preparation Instructions

For the cookies:
Into a medium-sized microwave safe bowl add the butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Heat it in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, and continuing for additional 30 second heat bursts until melted. Then whisk in the sugar until well combined. Then whisk in the vanilla. Then whisk in the egg until combined. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda until combined. Stir flour mixture into the chocolate mixture. Beat with a mixer until the dough comes together.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of wax paper. Shape into a log about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Place log along the edge of the wax paper and roll it up in the paper. Shape it as you roll to maintain a smooth cylinder. Twist the ends of the paper to secure it closed and help keep the shape compact.

Refrigerate at least two hours or until firm. If log settles and flattens on one side, rotate every 15 minutes or so to maintain a round shape.

Heat oven to 325 F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unwrap the dough and put it onto a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into quarter inch thick slices and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 12-18 minutes or until cookies are firm to the touch. Just watch them because it’s hard to tell by the looks if they are done since they are so dark to begin with. These bake in batches well, so bake a few to test the bake time, if you have the time. And if your cookies are smaller, adjust the baking time.

When done remove the pan from the oven. Allow cookies to cool while you prepare the filling.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add milk and salt and continue beating until smooth again. Place about tablespoon of filling on the bottom of one cookie and about a tablespoon of peanut butter on another cookie. Sandwich the two cookies together. Repeat with remaining cookies.

Adapted from Bakerella.

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Quinoa Spinach Mac and Cheese

twopeasandtheirpod — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 11:00:11 +0000

It is the new year and I know we’re supposed to be eating lots and lots of salad, but I just can’t get excited about salad for every meal. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good salad, but sometimes I want something more. Like this Quinoa Spinach Mac ‘n Cheese from Carrie Burrill. When I saw the recipe, I said goodbye salad, hello quinoa mac ‘n cheese!

This is the perfect comfort food for the new year. The quinoa and spinach make this mac ‘n cheese much healthier than traditional mac ‘n cheese. Sure, there is still cheese and butter involved, but all things in moderation, right? And I love creative versions of mac ‘n cheese. My Avocado Mac and Cheese is a favorite at our house so I knew we would love this recipe!

To make the Quinoa Spinach Mac ‘n Cheese you will need the following ingredients: butter, flour, milk, nutmeg, salt, white cheddar cheese, cooked quinoa, spinach, Parmesan cheese, more butter, and panko bread crumbs.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add butter and flour.

Keep whisking until a paste forms.

Add the milk and continue whisking. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring it to a boil. Keep whisking the whole time!

Once it reaches a boil, mix in the nutmeg, salt and cheddar cheese.

When the sauce is smooth, take it off heat.

Grab a large bowl. Throw in the cooked quinoa, then pour in that delicious sauce you just made.

Add the spinach and mix until combined.

Transfer the mixture into a cast iron skillet or a casserole dish. Top with the freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Take a small bowl and mix the butter and bread crumbs.

Then sprinkle that crunchy buttery goodness over the top of the casserole!

Bake for about 20 minutes, until bubbly. Remove from the oven.

Grab a spoon and dig in!

You will love this healthy twist on the classic mac ‘n cheese. I promise you. It is the real deal. You won’t even miss the macaroni; the quinoa is awesome in this dish. And the salty, crunchy Parmesan panko topping is sooo good! Don’t skip that part. Don’t skip anything. Make this Quinoa Spinach Mac ‘n Cheese right now. It is comforting, filling, and perfect for a cold day. And don’t worry, the kids will love it too! It’s a great dish for the entire family.

Thanks Carrie for sharing your recipe. Head on over to Carrie’s blog, Bakeaholic Mama, for more delicious sweet and savory recipes.

Printable Recipe

Quinoa Spinach Mac ‘n Cheese

by Carrie Burrill on October 23, 2012 in Casseroles, Main Courses

See post on Carrie Burrill’s site!

4.33 Mitt(s) 3 Rating(s)

Description

Family friendly mac ‘n cheese made a tad healthier!

Ingredients

FOR THE CASSEROLE:
3 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Flour
1-½ cup Whole Milk
2 dashes Freshly Grated Nutmeg
¼ teaspoons Salt
8 ounces, weight Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
3 cups Cooked Quinoa (cooked According To Package Instructions)
2 bunches Fresh Baby Spinach
FOR THE TOPPING:
½ cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
¾ cups Panko Bread Crumbs

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a medium saucepan add 3 tablespoons of butter and flour and heat over medium heat. Whisk continuously until a paste forms. Whisk in milk. Increase heat to medium/high and bring to a boil whisking the whole time. Stir in the nutmeg, salt and cheddar cheese. When cheese sauce is smooth remove from heat.

In a large bowl mix together the cooked quinoa, cheese sauce and spinach.

Transfer the mixture into a casserole dish (I used an 8 inch cast iron skillet). Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

In a small bowl mix together the butter and bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

Bake on 350 F until bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and enjoy!

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Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

twopeasandtheirpod — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 11:00:35 +0000

Thanksgiving has come and gone and that means one thing: it’s time to start baking cookies! I love baking cookies every day of the year, but especially during the holiday season. I always make my staple Christmas cookies: Soft Gingersnaps with White Chocolate Chunks, Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookies, Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies, and Lace Cookies. But I always like to try a few new cookie recipes every season, too. I was looking for a festive holiday cookie recipe on Tasty Kitchen and stumbled upon Monique’s recipe for Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies. My search was over. I had to make these cookies.

Snickerdoodles are a classic holiday cookie, but these are made with brown butter. Brown butter takes butter, an already glorious ingredient, to a new level of gloriousness. If you haven’t tried brown butter, don’t wait any longer—make these Brown Butter Snickerdoodles.

To make the cookies, you will need: flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, salt, butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and Greek yogurt.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. (Tip: Don’t use a dark pan, which will make it more difficult to gauge the color of the butter as it browns.) Once the butter starts melting, it will begin to foam.

Make sure you whisk the butter as it foams.

After a few minutes, the butter will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan. Keep whisking! When the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma, remove the pan from heat. (The butter in the photo above still has more browning to do.)

See that rich brown color? That’s the color you’re looking for. Immediately transfer the butter to a bowl to prevent burning. Let the brown butter cool for a few minutes.

Pour the butter into a mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). Add the sugar and mix well.

Add in the egg and egg yolk.

Next, add the vanilla.

Add in the Greek yogurt.

Mix until combined.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, just until combined.

Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Measure about 2 tablespoons of the chilled dough and roll into balls. Roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Place the coated dough balls on a cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies for 8-11 minutes or until the edges start turning golden brown. They will look slightly underdone in the middle, but don’t worry—they’ll continue to cook once out of the oven.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for at least 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

The brown butter makes these snickerdoodles extra extra special. I am in love. The cookies are soft, chewy, and have a slight nutty flavor thanks to the brown butter. The cinnamon and sugar makes the cookies pretty and gives them the perfect amount of sweetness. If you are looking for a new holiday cookie to try this year, make these. Your family, friends, and neighbors will love them. And if you don’t want to share, I won’t tell. They didn’t make it out of our house either.

Thanks Monique for a fabulous recipe! I am going to make these cookies every year. Make sure you visit Monique’s blog, Ambitious Kitchen, for other tasty recipes.

Printable Recipe

Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

by Monique of Ambitious Kitchen on October 14, 2012 in Cookies, Desserts

See post on Monique of Ambitious Kitchen’s site!

4.89 Mitt(s) 9 Rating(s)

Description

These aren’t your average snickerdoodle. They are a million times better.

Ingredients

FOR THE COOKIES:
2-½ cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Cream Of Tartar
½ teaspoons Cinnamon
¼ teaspoons Salt
2 sticks Unsalted Butter
1-¼ cup Dark Brown Sugar
½ cups Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
1 Egg Yolk
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Plain Greek Yogurt
FOR THE ROLLING MIXTURE:
¼ cups Granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons Cinnamon

Preparation Instructions

For the cookies:
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and set aside. NOTE: Make sure your baking soda and cream of tartar are fresh!

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. The butter will begin to foam. Make sure you whisk consistently during this process. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan; continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer the butter to a bowl to prevent burning. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

With an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and yogurt until combined. Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low speed just until combined.

Chill your dough in the refrigerator (important!) until the dough is cold about 30-60 minutes, or place in freezer for about 20 minutes if you are super eager, although I cannot promise the same results if you do this. Fridge is always best! If you desire a puffier cookie, keep the dough in the fridge overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Once dough is chilled, measure about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Meanwhile, mix the rolling mixture ingredients in a bowl. Roll balls in the cinnamon-sugar rolling mixture. Place dough balls on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. If you desire a thinner cookie, flatten the tops of the cookies a tiny bit (very tiny) with your hand.

Bake the cookies 8-11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. They will look a bit underdone in the middle but will continue to cook once out of the oven. Bake longer if you like crispier cookies. Cool the cookies on the sheets at least 2 minutes. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets after a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

_______________________________________

Cucumber Feta Rolls

twopeasandtheirpod — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:00:57 +0000

I love a good Greek salad. It is one of my favorite salads to make and to order when we dine out. When I saw Lotta Maddness’s recipe for Cucumber Feta Rolls on Tasty Kitchen, I immediately thought: Genius! Why didn’t I think of that! The rolls have all of the fabulous flavors of a Greek salad, but in a cute little cucumber roll. I knew I had to make them.

To make the rolls, you will need: an English cucumber, dill, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, Greek yogurt, feta cheese, lemon juice, and black pepper. Simple, right?

Using a mandoline (or a sharp vegetable peeler), slice the cucumber lengthwise into long thin strips.

Place the cucumber strips on a towel to absorb the liquid.

Chop the dill, sun-dried tomatoes and olives (make sure you remove the pits) into smaller pieces.

Mix together the Greek yoghurt, feta and lemon juice in a bowl until blended.

Next, add the dill, sun-dried tomatoes and olives to the feta mixture and season with pepper.

Place one strip of cucumber on a cutting board.

Place about a teaspoon of the feta mixture onto one end of the cucumber strip.

Roll up the cucumber strip and secure with a toothpick.

Chill until ready to serve.

I had so much fun making these rolls! And the best part, you get to eat them when you are finished playing! I loved the creamy Greek yogurt and feta filling. The kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, dill, and lemon gave the rolls the perfect punch of flavor. The cucumber wrapped everything up nicely and provided a nice crunch. These Cucumber Feta Rolls make a great party appetizer. Not in the mood to party? Make them for yourself! I made them for lunch and served pita bread on the side. So tasty!

Thanks Traci for sharing your creative recipe! Visit Lotta Maddness for other delicious recipes, travel tips, DIY projects, and more!

Printable Recipe

Cucumber Feta Rolls

by LottaMadness on August 2, 2012 in Appetizers, Vegetable

See post on LottaMadness’s site!

3.50 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)

Description

Greek salad in a rolled up cucumber strip.

Ingredients

1 whole English Cucumber
2 sprigs Dill
2 Tablespoons Sun Dried Tomatoes
8 whole Kalamata Olives
4 Tablespoons Greek Yoghurt
1 ounce, weight Feta Cheese
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 pinch Black Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Start by slicing the cucumber in half lengthwise. Then, using a mandoline (or a sharp vegetable peeler), slice the cucumber lengthwise into long thin strips. Place the cucumber strips on a kitchen towel to absorb the liquid.

Chop the dill, sun-dried tomatoes and olives into smaller pieces. Mix together the Greek yoghurt, feta and lemon juice in a bowl until blended. Next, add the dill, sun-dried tomatoes and olives to the feta mixture and season with pepper.

Place one strip of cucumber on a chopping board. Place a teaspoon of the feta mixture onto one end of the cucumber strip. Roll up the cucumber strip and secure with a toothpick. Chill until ready to serve.

_______________________________________

Maris Callahan is the author of In Good Taste, where she writes fresh, simple recipes for young professionals and busy cooks. When she isn’t working on her next recipe she is usually reading, writing, eating—or doing a combination of all three.

Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Frozen Yogurt

twopeasandtheirpod — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 13:29:45 +0000

Cookies are my all time favorite dessert, that is no secret. Well, my second favorite dessert is frozen yogurt. So when I saw Anna’s recipe for Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Frozen Yogurt my eyes almost popped out of my head. My two favorite treats combined in one recipe—a dream come true! And the best part? You don’t even need an ice cream maker to make this dreamy frozen yogurt. It is so easy to make! The hardest part is letting it chill in the freezer. I am not patient, especially when desserts are involved. But I promise this Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Frozen Yogurt is well worth the wait!

Let’s get started! To make it, you will need: butter, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, flour, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips or chunks, and vanilla yogurt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars.

Beat until light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla extract and mix until smooth.

In a small mixing bowl, combine flour and baking soda.

Add in the salt.

Whisk all of the dry ingredients together.

Add the chocolate chips and stir.

Add the flour and chocolate chip mixture to the butter mixture and fold gently.

Stir until combined.

Add the yogurt.

Stir until smooth.

Place in a container and cover with a lid. Freeze until set, preferably overnight.

Remove from the freezer and serve.

Enjoy!

The frozen yogurt is rich, creamy, and oh so sweet. It tastes just like cookie dough but in frozen form. I love how simple it is to make. I am going to have to keep our freezer stocked with this frozen yogurt! It is the perfect cool-down treat for a hot summer day.

Thanks Anna for sharing your Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Frozen Yogurt. I am off to eat another scoop now! Make sure you visit Anna’s blog Crunchy Creamy Sweet for other fun and delicious recipes!

Printable Recipe

Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Frozen Yogurt

by Anna on July 25, 2012 in Desserts, Ice Cream

See post on Anna’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 8 Rating(s)

Description

Your favorite cookie dough meets frozen yogurt for a perfect treat on a hot day!

Ingredients

½ cups Unsalted Butter, Softened
½ cups Packed Dark Brown Sugar
¼ cups Granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 cup All-purpose Flour
¼ teaspoons Baking Soda
¼ teaspoons Salt
¾ cups Mini Chocolate Chips Or Chunks
1 cup Vanilla Yogurt

Preparation Instructions

In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat until combined.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, soda and salt. Add the chocolate chips or chunks and stir.

Add the flour and chocolate mixture to butter mixture and fold in gently. Add yogurt and stir again.

Place in a container and cover with lid. Freeze until set, preferably overnight.

Cookie dough recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Bridal Edition Cookbook.

Makes about 2 cups.

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