Honey Cornbread Muffins with Cinnamon Honey Butter

Thanksgiving lunch was an absolute success yesterday! I am stuffed! I hope everyone had a wonderful one as well! This year, I opted to do something low-key because there was not enough of us to do a full on turkey celebration! We ordered from Whole Foods Supermarket, which is an extremely great option for smaller families, couples, or one! The quality of food is absolutely wonderful and the price is even better! The only thing I made this year was some yummy honey cornbread muffins from the Neely's of Food Network paired with a cinnamon honey butter from Ina Garten! It is best to prepare the cinnamon honey butter a day or two before in order for the flavors to really meld together.

Yields: 16 cupcake sized muffins

Ingredients:
Cornbread
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup honey
1 cup of corn, drained well

Cinnamon Honey Butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. kosher salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line cupcake tins with liners.

2. In a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and drained corn.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, butter, and honey.

4. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.

5. Evenly divide the cornbread mixture into the paper liners. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, until golden.

6. Butter: Combine the butter, honey, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Serve at room temperature.

*If you want your butter to be sweet, omit the salt and add confectioner's sugar instead (to taste).

Nutella Cookies Stuffed with Nutella

I finally got around to trying out this recipe and was not disappointed! The simplicity of it in conjunction with the flavor is just genius! I must give credit to Natasha from Butter Baking for the idea of stuffing this cookie with Nutella! I love that there is no additional sugar being added unlike a lot of other Nutella cookie recipes! Happy baking!

Yields: About 18 cookies

Ingredients:
1 generous cup of Nutella, room temperature
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
Nutella for stuffing

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 trays with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, beat together the Nutella and egg. Add the flour and mix until incorporated. The mixture is going to be thick.

3. Roll a teaspoon of dough into a ball and flatten in your palm. Place on the lined baking tray. Put a small amount of Nutella in the center of the flattened dough. Roll another teaspoon of dough into a ball and flatten in your palm. Place is over the Nutella and press the edges of the two cookies together, sealing them like ravioli.

4. Repeat step 3 until all the cookie dough has been used and bake for 6 - 8 minutes.

*I actually ended up with only 1 tray of cookies because I used a tablespoon instead and allowed the cookies to bake for 10-12 minutes. This yielded 10 cookies. :)

Homemade Granola

After watching Damaris Phillips's (the new Food Network star) show, I was inspired to try out her granola recipe! I love cinnamon and it just looked and sounded so good! Serve with some Greek yogurt and fresh fruit and you will be in for a treat! After having tried the recipe myself, I think I would substitute the peanuts with slivered almonds next time because I found the peanut flavor to be too prominent. Do not be afraid to adjust the recipe to your liking by adding or omitting ingredients. I generously added the cinnamon, raisins, cranberries, and coconut. It is also important to note that if you use a dark baking sheet, this will bake much faster. In my case, I used a dark baking sheet, so that is what this direction is specifically for. Enjoy!

Yields: 5 cups of granola

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup peanuts or slivered almonds, chopped
3/8 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/8 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup unsweetened or sweetened coconut

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

2. Combine the oats, pecans, sunflower seeds, and peanuts/slivered almonds in a large bowl.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the sugar, honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and 1/8 cup water until smooth.

                  

Pour the liquid mixture over the oat mix and stir until combined. Pour onto a baking sheet and spread evenly.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes on second lowest rack and stir halfway through to allow for even browning. Raise the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and continue to bake until golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on it as it can burn easily!

4. Pour the cooked oat mixture into a large bowl and stir in the raisin, cranberries, and coconut. Let cool. The granola will keep in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool dry place for up to 3 weeks.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

I am such a sucker for sweets, but did not want to overly indulge. I was also in an adventurous mood, so I took it upon myself to make something vegan! You will definitely not miss the eggs or milk! This cupcake is surprisingly light and fluffy and so easy to make. Brewed coffee really brings out the chocolate flavor, so I encourage you to stick with brewed coffee for this recipe. If you are not a huge fan of coffee, water it down or just use water. The chocolate flavor just will not be as prominent. Happy baking!

Yields: A dozen cupcakes and enough frosting to pipe onto the cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup coconut oil (make sure to heat it up so that you do not use any solids)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

1 cup brewed coffee

Frosting

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners, set aside.

2. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar, and coffee. Using a whisk, mix the ingredients together until smooth.

3. Fill each liner 3/4 of the way with batter. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting.

4. Frosting: In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, and flour. Beat until smooth and pipe onto cupcakes! So easy! :)

*I actually ended up cutting the frosting recipe in half since I did not feel like getting fancy and piping the frosting onto the cupcakes! I just used a butter knife to spread a little frosting on top! Happy eating!

Baked Parmesan Breaded Chicken

I have been craving chicken strips, so I decided to make my own! Serve with a condiment of your choice! I personally enjoy mine with honey mustard. This recipe is quick, easy, and delicious!

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish or a large cookie sheet.

2. Put the olive oil in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, basil leaves, and pepper.

3. Dip each chicken breast in the oil mixture, then in the bread crumb mixture, coating well on both sides. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in the baking dish or on the large cookie sheet and top with remaining bread crumb mixture.

4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven or until juices run clear. Flip them halfway through the baking time.

*I did not have chicken breast halves on hand, so I decided to cut my chicken breasts into big strips for easier eating. I cut the baking time by 5 minutes.

Bacon Clam Chowder

The weather has been pretty unpredictable lately. One day it is fairly nice and the next day the temperature drops by about 20'! There is no better time for soup! I wanted something substantial so I decided to make something creamy. Though you can omit the bacon, I feel like it is such an important element that just adds a bit of je ne sais quoi to the dish (but it is good). I prefer using the chopped instead of minced clams so that it is more prominent. I know red wine vinegar and bacon sound like they do not really belong, but trust me, they really bring the dish together! I apologize in advance for not being able to photograph the roux. It all kind of happened really fast so I did not have the time to photograph certain steps!

Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
2 (6.5 oz) cans chopped clams
1 (8 oz) bottle clam juice
1/2 cup onion (half of a medium sized onion), minced
1/2 cup celery (about 3 single stalks), medium chopped
1/2 cup carrots (1 medium), peeled and diced
1 large Russet potato, peeled and cubed
4 strips of bacon, room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup and 2 tbsp. all purpose-flour
2 cups half and half
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Prepare all vegetables as stated above and set aside.

2. Set up a large skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook thoroughly, making sure to flip them every so often to ensure even cooking. It should still have a chewy texture. Allow it to cool before cutting or ripping it into bite sized pieces and set aside. Transfer all the bacon fat into a large saucepan/pot and set it on the stove for later use.

3. Add onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes into the large skillet that you just used to cook the bacon in. Drain juice from the cans of clams and the bottle of clam juice into the skillet. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Allow it to simmer on low heat after.

4. Melt butter over medium heat in the large saucepan/pot with the bacon fat in it. Whisk in flour until smooth and tan in color. It is important to allow the roux to cook in order for the flour taste to fully dissipate.

Photo borrowed from the internet to show you the color so you know when it is done

5. Slowly whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Turn the heat down to low. Take skillet with vegetables off the heat and transfer everything into the saucepan/pot. Be careful not to splash yourself! Stir to incorporate the mixture.

6. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper, bacon bits, and clam meat to the soup and heat through, about 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.

*If you find that the soup is too thick for your taste, just add more half and half or some milk. 

Happy eating!

Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Icing

I have been meaning to make something with pumpkin in honor of Halloween, but that never happened due to my crazy schedule lately. Better late than never, I suppose! This cookie is awesome because it has a slight cake-y texture. Sometimes, I enjoy my cookie more cake-like than just plain chewy and flat. It tastes like a glazed pumpkin donut! Yum! Enjoy!

Yields: 3 dozen

*As you can see, I used Lactaid milk for the icing since I'm lactose intolerant. Use whatever milk you have on hand!

Ingredients:
Cookie
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (almost a whole 15 oz. can)
1 egg, room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Icing
2 cups confectioner's sugar
3 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter, white sugar, and light brown sugar on medium.

3. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract to the creamed mixture, and beat again on medium until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients just until incorporated.

4. Drop tablespoonfuls of batter onto a cookie sheet 2 inches apart from the next. Slightly dampen your fingers to shape and slightly flatten the cookies.

5. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool before icing.

6. Icing: Combine confectioner's sugar, milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Gradually add more milk for a thinner consistency that will drizzle well.

7. Once cookies are cool (10 - 15 minutes), dunk the tops into the icing or drizzle icing using a fork and allow it to dry.

Curry Chicken Sandwich

Ever since I tried the curry chicken on a crostini hors d'oeuvre from my old job, I fell in love! It was a refreshing take on a chicken salad with a subtle curry taste that just took it to the next level of deliciousness. I just had to make it into a sandwich so here is the recipe! This is best made a day in advance in order to allow the flavors to really meld together. Enjoy!

Yields: 8 sandwiches

Ingredients:
1 lb. thinly sliced, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 stalk of celery, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1 Golden delicious apple - peeled, cored, and chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/3 cup seedless grapes - halved, then cut into thirds if grapes are big
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/4 cup and 2 tbsp. mayonnaise, regular or light
A pinch of salt if necessary

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the celery, onions, apple, cranberries or raisins, and grapes. Set aside in the refrigerator.

2. Fill a large pot 2/3 full with water and add about a teaspoon of salt. Allow it to come to a boil on high heat.

3. In the meantime, roughly chop the chicken. Once the pot of water is boiling, transfer the chicken into the pot and allow it to cook through, about 4-5 minutes. Drain the water from the chicken and allow it to cool for 10 - 15 minutes.

4. Once the chicken is cooled, combine it to the large bowl from the refrigerator. Add the pepper, curry powder, and mayonnaise. Carefully toss the mixture together using a big spoon until incorporated. Taste the mixture to see if salt is needed or if more curry needs to be added to your liking. Serve on toasted bread with tomato and lettuce!

*To take this recipe and make it totally out of this world, cook 3-4 strips of bacon until crispy, allow it to drain, chop them up and incorporate them into the curry chicken!* Sadly, I had no bacon to add!

This is a wonderful recipe that could be utilized in so many ways! You can eat it on toasted bread or alone, stuff it in pita, or get fancy with it and serve it as an hors d'oeuvre on crostini! Use either red or green grapes as per your preference as well as raisins (if you choose raisins over cranberries)! Have fun with this recipe and make it your own!