Category:

Foodie Friday

This recipe makes about 40 cookies.

Our family is obsessed with these cookies. I knew about this chewy delicious recipe, but always put it off because vanilla pudding mix is full of junk! I finally found an instant vanilla pudding that had 4 simple ingredients, sugar, cornstarch, natural flavors and sea salt. Win! I make it ahead into balls, freeze it for an hour and put in the oven. It is difficult to get to 7 “WOWS” in my family, but these do the trick. Be prepared for the best cookie you’ve ever tasted.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use food nanny kamut flour)
  • 1 box (3.7 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix or this one
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I use this one)
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Pre hear over your 350. Mix the wet ingredients and then the dry ingredients. Bake for 13-14 min. 

How was your Memorial Day? We were invited to a BBQ yesterday for Memorial Day and she asked me to bring a side dish.

I love a challenge.

I was craving a greek salad with a twist. I left out any meat since we were attending a bbq with lots of yummy grilled meat. The feta has protein and a delicious kick. Let me know what you think!

GREEK ORZO SUMMER SALAD

1 16 oz package orzo pasta, (I use the one from trader joe’s) cooked and put aside

1 package cherry tomatoes

1 can, black olives

1 package of feta cheese

1 whole bunch of Dill, chopped

1/3 cup red onion, sliced thinly

Drizzle with 1/4 cup avocado or olive oil and 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions: Cut the tomatoes, onions, dill, and feta. Finally, drizzle with oil and salt. Toss and serve.

Our family is just a little bit gummy bear obsessed! We love them and buy them daily, so why not make our own? We have done SO many variations. Wanna know some of our family favorites? Phyto reds blend and lemonade blend. I use stevia drops instead of honey and fresh lemon juice as the juice, but it’s totally up to you. Here’s where you can buy the phyto reds – HERE

If you do use the phyto reds, I use one scoop to one cup of water and double the recipe.

Here is the recipe below. I love that it is only 3 ingredients and no bad ingredients! Enjoy and let me know if you make them.

FRUIT JUICE GUMMY BEARS

INSTRUCTIONS 

  • Pour 1/2 cup juice into a sauce pan set on low heat.
  • Add 1 tablespoon honey.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of gelatin.
  • Mix until all dissolved and then remove from heat.
  • Using the dropper, add into your mold.
  • Place in fridge for 30 minutes to cool and form or until solidified. 

I shared these cookies on my stories and so many of you wanted the recipe.

I love these! They’re so yummy, I had 3 today!

I attended a women’s bridal shower, and my sister’s friend Brooke brought these cookies. Immediately, I had to ask her for the recipe. They were melt-in-your-mouth delicious and equally soft yet crispy.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Cowboy cookies

This recipe makes two dozen


1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shortening (or substitute for 2 sticks of butter)
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
Mix dry ingredients
2 cups flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 cups oatmeal
1/2 package of semi sweet chocolate chips

Mix thoroughly, bake at 350 F for approximately 8 minutes.

I discovered this recipe off the King Arthur flour website and fell in love. It reminds me of a melt in your mouth cinnamon and sugar muffin I used to make for brunch about a decade ago in Chicago.

Good memories.

I tried to recreate that very muffin by under cooking it. I came VERY close to recreating them and they may just be better than original inspiration.

What are you waiting for, make these and let me know what you think!

Click here for 3 ingredient dinners, broccoli salad, chickpea dinner (my kids love) and Amy’s pancake we make on weekends.

Buttery Snickerdoodles

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
                3/4 cup granulated sugar
                1 large egg
                1 teaspoon baking powder
                1/2 teaspoon salt
                1 1/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour or King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

              2 tablespoons sugar
                1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, to taste

               

                To make the cookies:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
                Beat together the butter and sugar until smooth.
                Add the egg, beating until smooth.
                Beat in the salt, and baking powder.

  • Add the flour, mixing until totally incorporated.
  • To make the coating: Shake together the sugar and cinnamon in a medium-sized zip-top plastic bag.
  • Drop small (1″-diameter) balls of dough into the bag; a teaspoon cookie scoop works well here. Roll/toss the cookies in the cinnamon sugar until they’re completely coated.
  • Space the cookies at least 1 1/2″ apart on the prepared baking sheets. Use a flat-bottom glass to flatten them to about 3/8″ thick; they’ll be about 1 1/2″ in diameter.
  • Bake the cookies for 8 minutes (for soft cookies) to 10 minutes (for crunchier cookies). 

  • 1 (15 ounce) can Organic Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained (chickpeas)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup creamy almond butter (just almonds + salt)
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (or sub honey)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup small wild frozen blueberries OR 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top (dairy-free, if desired)

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with 10 muffin liners (we’re only making 10 muffins) and spray the inside of each liner with nonstick cooking spray so that the liners do not stick to the muffins — this is important.


Step 2

Place chickpeas and 1 egg in the bowl of a food processor or high powered blender and process until beans are well blended. Add two other eggs, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, baking powder and salt and process again until smooth. Fold in ⅓ cup chocolate chips.

Step 3

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips evenly among the tops of each muffin batter. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffins comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then remove muffins from tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Let me know what you think! Don’t miss my reel featuring this recipe.

Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen

My mom has been making feijoada for as long as I can remember! She’s Portuguese with family in Macau and Porto, Portugal, so she has enjoyed the real thing for years. I personally love it with rice. It is my favorite comfort food. This recipe was originally made with sausage and or chicken. Since we didn’t have any yesterday, we enjoyed this nonetheless! I actually like this better than the sausage version. You decide, and let me know what you think!

Veggie Feijoada

1 Large sliced onions

3-4 Cloves of garlic

Bacon (for flavoring)

1 Small can, tomato paste

Chicken broth, 2 cubes

3 Cans garbanzo beans, drained

2 Cans kidney beans, drained

Fry in a large pot: onions, garlic, bacon. Slowly add beans and tomato paste and stir. Discard bacon. If you make it the day before, it tastes better. Serve on a bed of rice or a loaf of bread.

Enjoy!

Don’t miss these sales around the web

Steve Madden Use code SPRING60 for up to 60% off, excludes Travel Tan. I’d go for 1/2 size smaller for the Travel Tan.

Nordstrom

I was searching the internet for a MAYO FREE broccoli salad. . .

My dad hates mayonnaise after getting sick about 20 years ago. Honestly, after he told me how he got sick, I started to hate mayonnaise too. The story goes, he ate a fast food burger and apparently the mayonnaise they used was not fresh. He was sick for days after and hasn’t had mayo since. I’m pretty excited that my search for the BEST mayo-free broccoli salad has ended. This recipe is adapted from this site. Here’s to trying new things. Hope you enjoy!

Note: I tripled this recipe for 9 people.

1 pound of broccoli (I like it chopped as small as you can chop it)

1/2 cup (salted) sunflower seeds

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/3 cup dried cranberries (optional) I left this out, but it is a pretty pop of color!

For the dressing

1/3 cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

one medium clove of garlic minced

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Get two bowls out, one large bowl and one small one. In the large bowl, add sunflowers, chopped broccoli, onion, cheese and cranberries. In a smaller bowl, combine the dressing ingredients: oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic and salt. Whisk until the mixture is well blended. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until all the broccoli is lightly covered in dressing. If you have any self-control, marinate 20 minutes or even overnight in the fridge. 
5. Divide salad into individual bowls and serve. Leftovers will keep up to for 3 to 4 days in fridge, covered.

Cookie + kate suggests:

MAKE IT VEGAN: omit the cheese,

MAKE IT DAIRY FREE: omit the cheese, use maple syrup instead of honey

MAKE IT NUT FREE: use sunflower seeds instead of almonds

Let me know what you think? I think this will be a new favorite recipe in our house. Is it addictive? You betcha! The whole bowl was gone tonight! Bonus, it travels well if you need a yummy picnic food. Check out more of my recipes like blueberry muffins and puffed pancakes or search “foodie friday” on the blog.

Thanks for stopping by!

xx Shalice

Margarita Friday

Reid and I have been trying Margaritas! We usually have NO idea what to do when it comes to cocktails. I love an extra salty margarita on occasion and Reid likes his plain. I usually ask to lick his salt off. Through trail and error, we found a yummy recipe that works for us! Let me know, do you have a good receipe?

2 ounces of Tequila (any brand)

The juice of 4 tangerines, 2 limes, 2 lemons. Extra to line the rims of the glasses before salt.

4 fresh mint leaves

Ice

2 Tablespoons agave or honey

Kosher salt (Or chili salt) place in a plate and coat the rims.

4-6 Cucumber slices

Jalapenos (optional)

Mix and enjoy! My shop page is open 24/7, hope you have a nice time with family or a good book. We have a “social distancing” neighbor chat around the cul de sac. Its a fun way to get to know the neighbors. What are you up to?

The Texas Sheet Cake we make EVERY birthday is finally on the blog! I originally got this recipe from a guy in my Poetry Class at Wheaton College. No joke! He made it for the last class kick off party and I told him I HAD to have this recipe. He quickly wrote it on a napkin, and from there its history. I’ve since shared it with my family, friends and YOU! Let me know what you think!

Chocolate Sheet Cake

Yields 1 9 x 13 cake

2 cups flour (I use Kamut flour)

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325F, mix in a large bowl.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I substitute for a stick of butter)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
Bring the butter oil, powder and water to a boil in a sauce pan. Slowly add to the flour mix and mix well.

Two eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

*When I don’t have buttermilk, here’s the substitute: for each cup of buttermilk, I add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir than let stand for about 5 minutes.

Blend till smooth and add to cocoa flour mix. Pour into a 9 x 13 greased and floured pan. Bake till toothpick comes out clean. Let cook at least 5 minutes before icing. Bake at 325 F, for approximately 25 minutes.

CAKE ICING

1/2 cup butter
3 T. cocoa
6 T. Milk
1 t. vanilla (add to cocoa mixture)
1 16 oz box of powdered sugar

Melt butter and cocoa together in a sauce pan- make sure not to burn it. Add milk to butter mixture. Add powdered sugar to cocoa and milk and mix till there are no lumps.

Pour over warm (not hot) cake and spread smooth

Let me know what you think. This is our favorite birthday cake ever!

Enjoy and let me know how you like it in the comments!

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