Chocolate Pretzel Hearts

Heidi also found these fun pretzel hearts you can make for or with your kiddos! A special treat for everyone to enjoy:)

Ingredients:

• Pretzels – the regular minis look like a heart shape already!
• Bag of Hershey’s Kisses OR Almond Bark Chocolate Melts
• Valentine M & M’s (I just saved the red from our Christmas M&M’s)

Directions:

1. Spread out pretzels in a single layer on a cookie sheet covered in tin foil.  Place one chocolate  on top of each pretzel.
2. Place in a 275 degree preheated oven for 3 minutes to soften the chocolate.
3. Remove from oven, SLOWLY push down Hershey’s Kiss with an M&M.

After they’re cooled you can start snacking – these are so yummy but highly addictive!  Also – you may want to seal them up in a big ziploc bag quickly, so they don’t get stale.

(Recipe can be found here!)

Elegant Beef Blue



 

 

 

 

Heidi has had someone make this meal for her and she says it's delicious! A yummy, Valentine's Dinner you can cook up for your Valentine if you plan on staying home!

 

 

Elegant Beef Blue

Ingredients:

• 4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup dry white wine 
• 1/2 cup beef consommé
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 8 small asparagus spears 
• 1 1/2 ounces crumbled blue cheese 

Preparation

1. Rub steaks with chopped thyme, salt, and pepper.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add oil. Add steaks, and cook 1 to 3 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness. Remove steaks, and keep warm; reserve drippings in skillet.
3. Stir wine and consomme into drippings; increase heat to high. Cook, stirring often, until reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir in half-and-half, and cook, stirring constantly, until reduced to 1/2 cup or desired consistency. Keep warm.
4. Snap off tough ends of asparagus; remove scales with a vegetable peeler, if desired. Cut spears in half, and place in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Top steaks with asparagus, and sprinkle with cheese.
5. Broil 6 inches from heat (with electric oven door partially open) 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve immediately with sauce.

 

 

(Recipe can be found here!)

Pistachio, Dried Cranberry, and Toasted Coconut Bark

I saw this on Pinterest the other day and I said "YES! That's it!" I like to make simple goodies for the neighbors and friends for our Christmas Eve deliveries, this recipe looks easy enough and definitely is gorgeous enough to package in a clear bag with cute ribbon and tag! 

It also sounds divine with the combo of green pistachios, deep red cranberries and toasted coconut for a twist! So if you are looking for a quick, easy and pretty edible gift to give, this is the ticket! I think this will give a lot of bang for your buck, or rather a lot of merry for your money :) Merry Christmas!! Xoxo Katie

--Katie Hanchinamani

Pistachio, Dried Cranberry, and Toasted Coconut Bark

• prep: 15 mins
  total time: 1 hour 15 mins
• yield: Makes one 9-by-12 1/2-inch sheet or six 2-1/2-by-5-inch bars

Ingredients:

• 1 pound white chocolate
• 1/4 cup salted pistachios
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup toasted large unsweetened coconut flakes
• Basic Bark or Bark Bars

Cook's Note

Bark can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Directions

1. Step 1

   Coat a 9-by-12 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet or 6 small loaf pans (2 1/2-by-5-inches) with cooking spray, and line with parchment, leaving an overhang on long sides. Pour melted chocolate into baking sheet or divide among pans (3 tablespoons each), and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle toppings over chocolate. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. Peel off parchment, and break bark into pieces.

Recipe can also be found here!

Slow Cooker Beef Stew IV

This recipe is similar to one I made the other day! The men or meat eaters in your life will love this comforting and hearty dish! Serve with warm crusty bread and butter and a side salad and call it a day! If you don't have red wine, white will work as well or cooking sherry.  Let the slow cooker work for you all day and throw everything together when making breakfast! Enjoy! Xoxo Katie 

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 12 servings

• 3 pounds cubed beef stew meat
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 4 large potatoes, cubed
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1. Place meat in a large plastic bag. Combine 1/4 cup flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt; pour into the bag with the meat, and shake to coat.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add stew meat, and cook until evenly browned on the outside. Transfer to a slow cooker along with the carrots, potatoes, parsley, and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together 2 cups of boiling water and dry soup mix; pour into the slow cooker.
3. In the same skillet, melt butter and saute onions until softened; remove to the slow cooker. Pour red wine into the skillet, and stir to loosen browned bits of food on the bottom. Remove from heat, and pour into the slow cooker.
4. Cover, and cook on High for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to Low, and cook for 6 hours, or until meat is fork tender. In a small bowl or cup, mix together 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 cup warm water. Stir into stew, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until thickened.

(Recipe can be found here)

--Katie Hanchinamani

October Recipe!

Happy Fall everyone! 


If you find yourself with a few extra minutes for a faux-fancy dinner, this is the ticket! You can make it all in one pan too, you just have to switch a few things out. Serve with some brown rice and a green veggie and you are good to go! It tastes better the next day as well, so pack for your spouse or enjoy yourself during nap time! It's so yummy! Enjoy!  

--Katie Hanchinamani

Nigel Slater's Coq au Riesling

Recipe type: Dinner, Entree, Chicken, Main,

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  30 mins

Total time:  45 mins

Serves: 4-6

I followed Nigel’s recipe but amended the quantities slightly as I needed to feed my family.

Ingredients

• 50g butter
• splash of olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 125g bacon/pancetta, sliced into thin strips
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 8 chicken pieces on the bone (I used 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks)
• 250g portabellini mushrooms, sliced
• 500ml Riesling (or dry white wine of your choice)
• 250ml cream
• salt & pepper to taste
• handful chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Melt the butter and oil together in a large pan.
2. Brown the chicken pieces all over and remove from the pan.
3. Add the onions and bacon and allow to fry until the onions are soft and translucent and the bacon has rendered it’s fat.
4. Add the garlic and allow to saute for another 30 seconds before removing the mixture from the pan (leaving the fat behind).
5. Season the chicken with salt and pepper (I used white pepper) and place in the pan, skin down.
6. Allow to brown all over then add the mushrooms and allow to fry for 5 minutes.
7. Add the onion and bacon mixture back to the pan.
8. Pour in the wine and allow to come up to a boil. Turn down the heat and cover. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
9. After 15 minutes, uncover, turn up the heat and add the cream. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes.
10. Add the chopped parsley and season to taste.
11. Serve with rice, pasta or crusty bread.

Life-Changing One-Pot Pasta

Heidi found this recipe over at  the blog, Family Bites! Looks super delicious and easy:)

Life-Changing One-Pot Pasta

Adapted from Martha Stewart

• 1 - 12-14oz. package of spaghetti or linguine
• 2 cups diced boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen peas
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 5-6 cups chicken stock or water
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Place the pasta in your pot, along with the chicken, peas, and mushrooms. Cover with the stock, olive oil, lemon zest, pepper, and thyme; season with salt and pepper.

Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium high but still boiling, and cook, stirring and turning the pasta frequently with tongs to break it up and prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the pasta is al dente and the stock is mostly evaporated, about nine minutes.

Remove the pan from the stove and add the heavy cream, stirring to combine. Remove the thyme sprigs and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese before serving. 

Updated: The first time I made this dish my package of pasta weighed 14oz. The second time it weighed 12oz. I've adjusted the amount of stock needed as it depends on how much pasta you have. If you use less, and find the liquid is absorbed before the pasta is cooked, just add more. Also, feel free to replace some of the liquid with white wine if desired.