Playing, Loving & Surviving the Games of Motherhood
I think you just need to read the title to know this cookie is going to be good. It’s like the taste of a peanut butter cookie, but with a much chewier texture, and this delicious chocolaty swirl with a hint of hazelnut. It’s just as familiar as it is different. My husband and I quickly agreed that this was the best peanut butter cookie we have ever had. This is yet another jewel I found on Pinterest, via The Sisters Cafe – go check them out!
I have totally been having one of those days. And at the end of a day like today, grilled chicken and steamed veggies just ain’t gonna cut it. But I also don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen cooking up a feast worthy of a major guilt trip afterwards. I just want something yummy (i.e., not healthy) that will be ready in the time it takes Special Agent OSO to do his 3 special steps. So Mexican Lasagna is what’s on the menu tonight in our house. There might also be a michelada or two (or 3).
I’ve tried a lot of pulled pork recipes in my time, and this is by far my favorite. It’s North Carolina style barbecue, so it’s a vinegar based sauce, which is there to serve as a compliment to the meat instead of overpowering it. The meat itself is super flavorful after chilling out in the fridge all night with a serious dry rub. It’s combined with smoked ham hocks that give it an awesome depth of flavor. Plus, it’s super easy and cooks all day in your slow cooker. I served it with corn, kale chips, and blackberry cobbler. If you are still searching for that perfect pulled pork recipe, I would definitely give this one a try!
There’s something about marinating meat that gets me excited. It’s such an easy way to impart a lot of flavor, and usually you can do the majority of the work in advance. It’s so nice to know that all I have left to do for dinner is to pop it in the oven. Like most New Yorkers, we are sorely lacking a grill (yet another thing that tops my “dreams of suburbia” list), so this is a great replacement recipe for when you would normally do bbq chicken. The flavor penetrates all the way through the meat, but isn’t overpowering, making this recipe pretty fool-proof for most palates (including children). The meat is also super tender, practically falling off the bone. You could easily set the chicken under the broiler for the last few minutes to give the skin a few charred bits if that’s more your speed as well. I served it with some fresh heirloom tomatoes and corn. A simple and fresh tasting summer dinner. Hope you enjoy!
African Drumsticks
Adapted from Nigella Kitchen
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tsp. English mustard
1 tsp ground ginger
1 T apricot jam
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
8-10 chicken drumsticks
1 T garlic flavored oil
Are y’all as addicted to Pinterest as I am? I could totally just browse for hours, and at the end, I actually kinda feel productive. Unlike just cruising facebook or some other time sucker website, I have something to show for my time wasting – fabulous new ideas for organization, recipes, outfits, decorating, etc. I even know 100 uses for baking soda! Granted I will probably use only 1% of these, but who cares, the other 99% are there just in case. Like the recipe pin I found for pink lemonade pound cake. It ended up the actual recipe sounded not-so-fabulous, but as fate had it, Deb had just posted a recipe for these pink lemonade bars. It was meant to be.
These are like your typical lemon bar, but with a slight berry flavor and this really pretty magenta-like color. When I originally made them I decreased the lemon juice and increased the raspberry, thinking it would make them less tart and therefore, more appealing to my toddler. I wish I hadn’t, as I missed the tart, so I’m posting the original recipe’s proportions below. If you like your lemon bars on the gooier side, decrease the flour by a tablespoon. As is, they are delicious, it’s totally just a preference thing. These would be absolutely perfect for a girly party (baby/wedding shower) or any hot summer day when you want something rich but refreshing. They are just too pretty to pass up!
Pink Lemonade Bars
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
For cookie layer:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp lemon zest
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup flour
For the lemonade layer:
1 cup raspberries
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup AP flour (1 T less or more if you want them gooier)
confectioners sugar
Cookie Layer:
Lemonade Layer:
Craving something cheesy, salty and carb-coma inducing? Well, look no further! This dish is like restaurant style mac and cheese taken to the extreme. It has pretty much anything you could ask for at the end of a long day – bacon, cheese, pasta, ham and even a little chicken for good measure. You will eat it, your kids will eat it, then you’ll all eat it again for lunch the next day because it’s just darn addicting (isn’t all mac & cheese?).
Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta
Adapted from Chef in Training —-> head on over and check her out!
12 oz penne pasta, cooked
2 cups heavy cream
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese (separated)
3 chicken cutlets, cooked & cubed
4 strips bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/2 cup ham, diced
bread crumbs
So we are still on vacation down in GA, but I thought I would share another oldie but goodie from my previous blog. This is the perfect drink for a hot summer day. My husband and I discovered them years ago while vacationing in Mexico. He likes to put all the extra jazz in his, but I like just straight up lime juice and beer. So kick back, make yourselves a refreshing Michelada and pray that Monday won’t come too quickly. 
Micheladas (makes 2)
3 limes
salt
2 Mexican beers (like Corona)
soy sauce (optional)
Worcestershire sauce (optional)
Originally posted on Culinary Wannabe – this is one of my favorites!
For years, every birthday in our house has included the infamous Magnolia Bakery cupcakes. People line up around the block waiting to get into the itty bitty store in the west village to buy a box of these treasured cupcakes. Truth be told, I’m not the biggest fan of the traditional vanilla or chocolate. They are a little grainy and dry and the frosting makes my teeth hurt just thinking about it. Some of the other flavors like spice or red velvet are okay, but they aren’t the real star of the show. The real star is the banana pudding. It is absolutely ta-die-for, and has long been dubbed by Brad and I as one of the best dessert in nyc.
In recent years Magnolia’s have popped up all around town, and I can frequently be found at the one on the UWS. If you are in NYC, be sure to grab a (large) cup, and if not try this recipe at home. It’s really simple and a definite crowd pleaser!
Magnolia’s Famous Banana Pudding
Recipe Courtesy of More from Magnolia
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups ice cold water
1 3.4-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix (Jell-O brand recommended)
3 cups heavy cream
1 12-ounce box Nabisco Nilla Wafers (substituting not recommended)
4 cups sliced ripe bananas
