Every so often I just need some chocolate – I mean who doesn’t?!?! And with my recent love of all things #sourdough- I have been trying to use Sourdough discard for all my baked goods. This particular recipe has been honed in from 4-5 different recipes that I have tried out over the months. Chocolate Buttermilk Sourdough Muffins are going to be a huge win in you family. I’ve already been told I’ll probably need make a double batch!
Chocolate Buttermilk Sourdough Muffins
Make no mistake this recipe does not include a recipe for a sourdough starter. You will need to have your own starter that you are maintaining and feeding. Discard is just a sourdough starter that isn’t being turned into sourdough bread. If you don’t discard some of the starter when you feed it, you will end up with gallons and gallons of it. So sourdough mamas have to find other uses bc who wants to waste that liquid gold. If you are interested in purchasing a sourdough starter – I highly recommend the dehydrated starter from The Sourdough Nook.
Chocolate Buttermilk Sourdough Muffins
A few key notes about this muffin recipe – it is thicker than you might be used to. You should be able to use a food scoop to portion your batter into the muffin liners of your muffin tin. If you do not have muffin or cupcake liners – you can just use parchment paper. In fact, this gives them a much more rustic bakery feel to the muffin. Just cut 5-inch squares of parchment paper. Then push them over the top of a can of tomato paste (or similar size) to make the cup – you get those pretty points that make it feel fancy. If you do not have buttermilk – you can use regular milk with a splash of lemon juice.
Chocolate Buttermilk Sourdough Muffins
I used to be very intimidated by baking – both sweet and savory. Then one weekend – when I just really wanted cookies – I started baking. And I had some ups and downs – wins and fails but once I realized that it’s just about patience and measuring, its not that different from cooking. When it comes to “science” part of baking – how much flour and oil and rising agents (baking sodas, salts, eggs, baking powders, sourdough discard etc.), you want to follow the recipe pretty strictly. When it comes to the parts that make it tasty – the chocolate or peanut butter or fruit or spice or whatever – you can be a little more “measure it with your heart”. Really as long as you don’t forget something super important like the sugar or salt – even when it’s not perfect, it’s still pretty good!
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine sourdough starter, eggs, oil, buttermilk, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla.
Add wet ingredients from medium bowl to dry ingredients in large bowl. Stir to thoroughly combine. Add 1¾ cup of chocolate chips.
Use a food scoop to add batter to muffin liners in muffin tin. Then sprinkle each with 5-6 chocolate chips.
Place in oven and bake for 5 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN, but reduce heat to 350degF. Continue baking 20 minutes more. Check for doneness with a toothpick in the center.
Remove from oven once toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy warm or cooled.
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
Sometime dinner just needs to be fun and different. We don’t have to be grown up allllll the time, right? This recipe for Spicy Mac & Cheese Pizza is just that – a lot of fun and makes you feel like a kid a bit. The added kick of the jalapenos is just enough to keep you on your toes. And if needs be…only put them on one of the pizzas, so the kids can have the other one.
Spicy Mac & Cheese Pizza
I’ve included my own recipe for pizza dough at the bottom. You can use it or you can use whatever your favorite pizza dough is (if it’s store bought, use the directions from the packaging). I am also working on finessing my Sourdough discard Pizza dough recipe, and I will be sharing that one soon. The key is to pick a dough that will be somewhere between thin crust and regular. With the account of carbs you get from the mac and cheese, you don’t need to double down with some deep dish.
Spicy Mac & Cheese Pizza
The bacon goes so well with the jalapeno, so I that’s why I use it for this version. You can definitely go with diced ham, or even pepperoni or sausage. I also like to bake my bacon for this particular recipe, but you can pan fry or prepare it however your prefer. If you want to bake your bacon – you will need a baking sheet with a baking rack set. This helps to prevent the bacon from curling up and helps it to cook evenly. I even recently learned that I can just get a tub of cooked bacon bits from my grocery deli – and it costs about the same per pound as buying it uncooked.
Spicy Mac & Cheese Pizza
As I mentioned above, this is a very carb heavy meal, so you probably want to even that out some with a nice green salad on the side. I will say that this pizza can be reheated (5 minutes in a 425degF oven) but it’s not as good as it is the first time around. Just like any time you reheat mac and cheese – it gets a little dried out and the cheese does that thing when it’s been remelted too many times. It’s quite good cold, to be honest.
Two classic family favorites rolled into one fun and delicious meal with bacon and jalapenos.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword cheese, cheese sauce, Ham, mac & cheese, pizza
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
2Pizza Dough refrigerated or see recipe below
1Jalapenosliced
½lbBacon
1cupCheddar Cheeseshredded
For the Mac & Cheese
1lbSmall Pastashells or elbows
3tbspButter
1tspGarlic Powder
1tspOnion Powder
3tbspFlour
2cupsMilk
1tspSalt
1tspWhite Pepper
1tspGround Mustard
1tspSmoked Paprika
1cupHeavy Cream
3cupsCheddar Cheeseshredded
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425degF. Start water boiling for pasta.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and lay out slices of bacon in a single layer. Cover with a baking rack (this prevents curling). Back for 20 minutes. Remove bacon to paper towel covered cutting board, bloat excess grease. Then chop to bacon bit sized pieces.
Spread out pizza dough (one recipe on each of two parchment paper covered baking sheets). Bake for 10 minutes and then remove from oven. (It will not be cooked through but will have a crust developed).
Add pasta to boiling water. Cook as directed on package. Drain in colander, rinse with cool water and return to pot (away from heat).
In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, add butter, onion powder, and garlic powder. Once melted whisk in flour and let cook for 3 minutes. Whisk milk, ground mustard, salt, pepper and paprika. Let cook another 2 minutes before whisking in heavy cream. Once incorporated and thickened, add cheese – stirring regularly to fully melt and combine.
Add cheese sauce to cooked pasta and toss to coat.
Spread half of mac & cheese on each par-cooked pizza crust. Sprinkle each with half of bacon, half of the jalapeno slices and half of additional cheese. Return to oven and cook for 10 minutes more. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing to serve.
In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, sugar, salt, and oil. Let sit to activate for about 10 minutes. Yeast should become foamy.
Add flour to activated yeast mixture. Stir together until a sticky dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to proof for about an hour (until dough has doubled in size)
Preheat oven to 425degF.
Once risen, split into two equal halves. Add one half of dough to floured surface and use a rolling pin to press out into ¼-in thick in the shape of the baking sheet. Move to parchment paper covered baking sheet. Spray with cooking oil.
Bake for 8 minutes.
Continue to pizza recipe directions.
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
Welcome to this week’s Weekly Wrap-up and Blog Link-up.
It’s great to see you again this week! Please scroll through to see this week’s features, my weekly wrap-up and other important and exciting announcements from the Pit Crew!
Have you had a chance to check out the new Facebook group Yum Hungry Hangout & Giggles? It is a place to share your foodie finds, funny facts and in general hangout and get to know each other more through out shared love of food. Please feel free to check it out and maybe join in the fun!
Who else is reeling from the time change? I can’t with it being full dark by 445pm….I keep finding myself thinking I need to start dinner at around 4pm…when everyone isn’t even home for the day yet. With the shorter days has also come the cold, rain and wind. Which means I’m making lots of wholesome hearty meals as well as baking a bit more than normal. I’m keeping up with my sourdough every other day and my latest creation is this Parmesan & Sun-dried Tomato Sourdough. It was soooo good with just some white cheddar and salami.
What have you been up to this past week?
One of this last week’s most popular recipe was: Chicken & White Bean Soup – perfect for the blustery days
Chicken & White Bean Soup
In case you missed it, here are the recipes that I shared to the blog this week:
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Planning out the week’s meals is something I do every Sunday for my family. I do this for a few different reasons – one it helps me get into the mindset of a new week ahead. Two it gives me the opportunity to look through the freezer, fridge and pantry to see what might need to be used up, what do I already have on hand, and what do I need to get from the store. I also try to think ahead of how can a double prep something one night to use another night, or say when a recipe calls for half an onion – I make sure to make something that needs the other half within a few days.
I also like to check in with the family to see if they have anything they have been specifically craving or wanting to try something new. Sometimes this is a fruitful ask and sometimes I get bupkitz. But I still try to ask because I also get the ‘don’t forget I’m going to dinner with a friend this night’ or ‘just please no more rice/pasta/whatever’. This is all valuable info for making a dinner menu plan for the week ahead. I also like to use a menu planner with a grocery list – like this one – to make things that much easier.
Tools You May Need
To have success with the recipes this week – here are few items that I think you may consider adding to your kitchen if you do not already have them.
A Grill Pan – I use this to give those beautiful grill lines to sandwiches, meats, and tortillas. It’s just that something extra.
Here is my plan for the week ahead. I have included the links to the original posts (you can find more info about substitutions, and processes in the full posts), as well as the full menu right here so that you don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to.
MONDAY
Simple Sausage Pasta – Sausage, pasta and tomatoes are a classic combo, especially when it comes to weeknight meals. But you don’t always want to go for a fun red sauce. This simple creamy parmesan sauce with diced tomatoes makes for a delicious marriage between the Italian sausage and linguini. My recipe for Simple Sausage Pasta is a must for the monthly dinner menu rotation.
An easy pasta dish for any night of the week with Italian sausage and tomatoes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword heavy cream, Italian Sausage, linguini, Pasta, pasta dishes, petitie diced tomatoes, tomato
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
1½lbItalian Sausageslinks not ground
2lbLinguine
4 tbspButter
2cupsMilk
1tspGarlic Powder
1tspOnion Powder
1tspDried Basil
1tspDried Oregano
1tspDried Parsley
1cupGrated Parmesan Cheese
1cup Heavy Cream
115oz canPetite Diced Tomatoes
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Start the water boiling for the pasta. (salt if desired)
In a large saute pan over medium high heat, cook Italian sausages through, without getting them too dark brown. Remove sausages to cutting board and let rest.
Add past to boiling water and cook as directed on the package. Drain pasta in a colander and return to pot, away from heat.
Slice sausages into ½ inch rounds.
In the same pan, reduce heat to medium, and add butter. As the butter melts, scrap up an bits from the bottom of the pan. Add seasonings and let cook some in the butter. Then add milk and bring just to a bubble (do not scorch), then add in parmesan cheese and continue to stir for 3 minutes, then add tomatoes and cook another 3 minutes. Next stir in heavy cream and return sausages to pan.
Once the sauce has slightly thickened, pour it over the cooked pasta and used thongs to combine, as well as serve. Sprinkle with additional parsley and parmesan, if desired.
TUESDAY
Classic Beef Taco Supreme – The classics are classics for a reason, and when it comes to the American version of tacos – the Classic Beef Taco Supreme is where it’s at. Simple ground beef flavored with classic taco seasoning topped with an easy quick pico is just a delightful dinner for your next #TacoTuesday.
In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, white onion. cilantro, diced jalapenos, lime juice and salt to make quick pico. Stir to combine, cover and place in refrigerator until ready to build tacos.
In a mixing bowl, combine beef broth, tomato paste and taco seasoning.
In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add ground beef. Cook and crumble until no longer pink. Reduce heat to medium and add broth mixture. Let simmer (stirring occasionally for 30 minutes).
In a small frying pan or grill pan over medium high heat, lightly toast each tortillas (about one minute on each side).
Smear half of tortilla with sour cream. Sprinkle with cheese. Add portion of ground beef. Top with shredded lettuce and spoonful of pico. And a slice of jalapeno, if desired.
Notes
Taco Seasoning
WEDNESDAY
Pork Bahn Mi Burgers – One of the best ways to make your burgers a little more gourmet is to model them after another great flavor profile. And that’s exactly what I did with this particular burger recipe. If your family is like mine and lives for a weekly burger night – then you are going to love this recipe for Pork Bahn Mi Burgers! It packs a delicious flavor punch that will make the tastebuds dance.
In a bowl, combine slaw ingredients and toss well to evenly coat. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator until ready to build burgers.
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine patty ingredients. Form into six ¾inch patties. Place on a baking rack over a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and Sriracha. Set aside.
Build the burger – smear bottom bun with mayo mixture and top with layer of cucumber slices. Place patty on top and add portion of slaw. Next add layer of jalapeno slices. Smear top bun with mayo mixture and place on top of burger. Press down slightly to help hold it all together.
THURSDAY
Smothered Chicken & Potatoes – Some meals are classics that will live on forever. And most of those have some form of gravy and get to be called smothered! Hearty is another common aspect of classic recipes, so of course, meat and a starch are involved. This recipe for Smothered Chicken & Potatoes is going to be a fast classic for your Sunday suppers or a weeknight meals for the evenings that have a little extra time.
A classic roasted chicken with a silky gravy over fluffy mashed potatoes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword Chicken, chicken and potatoes, chicken drumsticks, drumsticks, gravy, mashed potatoes, pan gravy, pan sauce, potatoes, smothered chicken, taragon
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
2lbChicken Drumstickesskin removed
3tbspOil
2tbspButter
½Yellow Onionminced
1tspTarragon
1tbspChicken Bouillon Powder
1qt Chicken Broth
2cupsHeavy Creamdivided
5lbsRusset Potatoespeeled
¼cupButtermelted
2tspSalt
2tspWhite Pepper
For the Flour Mixture
1cupFlour
¼cupCorn Starch
1tspPaprika
1tspOnion Powder
1tspGarlic Powder
1tspCelery Salt
1tspPepper
1tspRubbed Sage
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Combine flour mixture in a gallon sized zipper bag. Add chicken drumsticks to bag and seal zipper. Give a good shake to get each piece evenly coated with the flour mixture.
Start water boiling for potatoes (salt if desired)
Add oil to large saute pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add floured chicken pieces (DO NOT DISCARD FLOUR MIXTURE!). Cook on all sides until you no longer see pink – does not need to be cooked through, just browned. Remove from pan. Reduce heat to medium.
In same pan, add butter. Once melted, add onions and saute for 3 minutes. Then add remaining flour mix to pan and whisk together. Let cook 3 minutes then add bouillon powder, and tarragon. Whisk in chicken broth slowly. Let cook another minute then whisk in one cup of heavy cream. Once combined, return chicken to pan and coat with gravy. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover with lid. Let cook for 30 minutes.
Add potatoes to boiling water. Once fork tender (about 25 minutes, depending on size of potatoes), drain in a colander and transfer to large mixing bowl. Add remaining heavy cream, salt, pepper and melted butter. Mash together until desired level of smoothness.
Check that chicken in cooked through with a meat thermometer (should be at least 165degF at thickest part of drumstick).
Serve chicken and pan gravy over top of mashed potatoes. Garnish with parsley if desired.
FRIDAY
Black Beans & Rice #Onepotdinner – Y’all know how much I love a good #onepotdinner recipe and this recipes is moving right up to top of the list. We have been trying to add more beans to our diet, as they are chockful of nutrients that are vital for heart health. So I put on my thinking cap and tried to put a new spin on a classic dish. My recipe for Black Beans & Rice is really going to please everyone’s tummy. Not to mention be super easy to make and light on the wallet to boot!
In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add oil. Add onions and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Then add rice and toast until golden.
Add seasoning, black beans, sausage and chicken broth to pan. Add just enough water for everything to be completely covered (may be less than 2 cups or but shouldn't' be more). Stir to combine and let come just to a bubble. Reduce heat to medium and cover with lid. Let cook for 25 minutes. Remove lid and check that all liquid has been absorbed. If it is hasn't then return lid and let cook another 5 minutes.
Serve in a shallow bowl and a sprinkle of parsley, if desired.
SATURDAY
Market Fresh Salad – Entree salads are perfect for weeknight dinners. When you can limit the amount of time turning on the stove in the hotter months, it’s a real win-win. And when you can change things up from hot heavy meals in the colder months – it is still win-win. This salad is loaded with delicious sweet and savory ingredients and drizzled with a homemade poppy seed dressing. My recipe for a Market Fresh Salad is going to be very welcome on a weeknight dinner table.
In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, add chicken and chicken broth. Let boil for 20 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and chop. Let cook as long as you can before building salads. NOTE: You can replace with cold rotisserie chicken meat.
In a frying pan over medium high, add bacon. Cook until just crispy. Remove to a paper towel covered plate. Once cooled, transfer to a cutting board and chop into bits.
Combine dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Secure lid and shake until fully combined. Place in refrigerator until ready to build salads. NOTE Can be kept for up to a week, sealed in jar in refrigerator.
Start with a bed of mixed greens. Then sprinkle with apples, red onions, cheese, cucumbers, and carrots. Drizzle with poppy seed dressing. Then sprinkle with bacon, chicken and walnuts. Drizzle with a little more poppy seed dressing.
SUNDAY
Slow Cooked Beef Ramen – Broth is such a big part of a good ramen soup. The more flavor you can develop, the heartier the ramen will be in the end. Using the slow cooker to make the broth and beef for this Slow Cooked Beef Ramen brings all the flavor to the bowl. Some ramens have 20 different components, above the broth, and it can be overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong I love that type of ramen too, but this particular recipe, is not that. Beef, mushroom, scallion and an egg come together for a delightful ramen creation.
Add beef roast to slow cooker. Combine remaining broth ingredients and pour over top of roast. Secure lid and cook on low for 6 hours.
In the last 30 minutes of the broth cooking, start water boiling for ramen. Cook ramen as directed on package.
Remove roast from slow cooker and shred. Return shredded beef to slow cooker and secure lid for remainder of cook time.
Start water boiling for eggs. Once boiling, gently add eggs and cook for exactly 7 minutes. Remove eggs to ice bath (half ice half water). Peel shells.
Place a portion of ramen in bowl, along with a portion of scallions. Ladle beef and broth over top of ramen. Split egg in half and add to bowl. Sprinkle with a splash of chili oil.
Do you have any tips for making a dinner menu plan each week? Which one of these recipes do you plan to add to your dinner menu plan this week?
Now Let’s Get Cookin’!
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
Soup is one of my favorite things to make for dinner. It’s so easy to give it huge amounts of flavor when you make it at home. And lasagna is another favorite thing for me to make – but it’s a bit much for a weeknight. So I put the two together and made this delicious Lasagna Meatball Soup. Using roasted tomatoes for the soup base and homemade beef meatballs – you and your family are really going to love it.
Lasagna Meatball Soup
This recipe is really 3 recipes in one. As you can use the recipe for the beef meatballs for spaghetti and meatballs, meatball subs, meatball appetizers, you can split them in half and put them on pizza. You can also make the roasted tomato soup without the meatballs, pasta and ricotta and just serve it with some grilled cheese sandwiches! If you want it to be vegetarian, just use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
Lasagna Meatball Soup
I use whole fat ricotta, as I prefer the rich flavor, its nice and creamy. And it doesn’t get as grainy once it mixes into the soup – which part skim ricotta tends to do. I use broken lasagna noodles in this for the full effect of “Lasagna Meatballs Soup”. But you could really use any short pasta. Just be aware of cook time and when to add, so that they don’t turn to mush.
Lasagna Meatball Soup
When it comes to making homemade meatballs – you need 2 very important kitchen tools. A One Ounce Food Scoop – which is fairly small, but perfect for meatballs in soup. This is needed to make sure that they are all basically the same size. Alternatively you could weigh them out at one ounce each with a kitchen scale, but the scoop goes faster, in my opinion. The next is a baking sheet WITH a baking rack – which really you should be using for most things you put in the oven. The baking rack allows for even circulation of the hot air, so that they cook all the way around the same.
Lasagna Meatball Soup
I served this with some sourdough garlic bread. Just spray with oil and sprinkle with basil and garlic powder. Into a 425degF oven for 12-15 minutes. It will have great flavor and be just crunchy enough to dip into the soup and enjoy!
On a parchment paper lined baking sheet (preferably with tall sides), add whole garlic head, onions, and tomatoes. Drizzle with oil, then sprinkle with basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Add 4 cups of beef broth to a large stock pot over medium high heat. Bring just to a bubble and reduce to medium. Add broken pieces of lasagna.
In a mixing bowl add meatball ingredients and thoroughly combine. Using a 1 ounce food scoop to portion out meat mixture. Use you hands to roll each into a ball and place on a cooking rack (spray with cooking oil) over a parchment paper covered sheet pan.
Remove roasted tomatoes from the oven and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add honey, and Worcestershire sauce. Blitz until smooth. Then add remaining beef broth and cornstarch and blitz again until cornstarch is incorporated. Pour into beef broth/noodle mixture while stirring. Let continue to bubble while the meatballs bake.
Place meatballs in oven and cook for 25 minutes.
To serve, add 7-8 meatballs to each bowl. Ladle soup over top. Then add 3-4 spoonfuls of ricotta cheese to each bowl. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
Welcome to the weekly Home Matters Linky Party #506
A great place to come, share your blog posts and make new friends.
We are so glad you are here with us each week.
I am so excited to be a part of the Home Matters Linky Party Team! I have been participating for quite some time and am eager to make some more contributions to this party. A little about me – I’m a WFH Wife and Mom. My husband, four kids, 5 dogs and 15 chickens all currently live in the PNW, but we are embarking on a cross country move to Big Sky Country over the next 3 months to live out our dreams of being Homesteaders! Like the name implies – I love to make homemade meals every night of the week for my family. I care about what types of things we are eating and I like to try new things. This blog is all about sharing those journeys and adventures with you.
Now on to this week’s party! I can’t wait to see you there.
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If you are looking for a super simple and flavor packed meal this week – then you came to the right place. The keys to successful weeknight meals are easy ingredients, simple directions and hearty portions in the end. This recipe takes humble ingredients and turns them into a delightful weeknight dinner. Mongolian Pork Noodles was a hit in my house and I’m sure that it will be in yours as well.
Mongolian Pork Noodles
When selecting your chow mein noodles you can go to the refrigerator section and find the fresh made noodles (slightly more expensive but sometimes all you can find). Or you can look in the international section of your grocery for a dried version. This my preference for a few reasons – you can buy them whenever and just have them in your pantry (as opposed to the refrigerated version that does expire much quicker), they tend to be less expensive and – to be honest – I like the taste better. Also note that the noodles may be called “stir fry noodles”.
Mongolian Pork Noodles
This recipe can be altered a bit by changing the type of meat used. You can use the same recipe with ground beef, all else would stay the same. If you want to use ground chicken or turkey, I would suggest using chicken broth instead of beef broth (though it would still be good with beef broth).
Mongolian Pork Noodles
I like to serve this with my Crispy Fried Wontons. They are so easy to make, just wonton wrappers, cream cheese and chili garlic sauce, fried in some oil to make for a crunchy, tasty side item. My family always eats them all up, it seems I never actually make enough of them.
In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add ground pork and sprinkle with ground ginger and ground pork. Cook and crumble until no longer pink.
Start water boiling for noodles.
In a mixing bowl combine ingredients for the sauce. Whisk together thoroughly. Once the pork is no longer pink, add in sauce mixture and ¾ of chopped green onions. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer, stirring occasionally. Should thicken.
Add chow mein noodles to boiling water and cook as directed on the package. Drain in colander and return to pot away from heat.
Pour sauce over noodles and toss to coat. Serve in a shallow bowl and sprinkle with portion of green onions and sesame seeds.
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
The more time I spend in my kitchen, the more things I want to make myself. And that has recently turned to bread and rolls and buns and baked goods, in general. Most recently I have been making my own Homemade Slider Buns. I used several different recipes, trial and error, and have rounded it out the recipe I’m sharing below.
Homemade Slider Buns
If you are unfamiliar with yeasty doughs, this is a great recipe to start with. It is fairly simple without any really special techniques. You may need a couple of kitchen tools to make it easier – but also you can use what you have to hand. For example, a bench scrapper is super useful for portioning out the dough. But you can also use a long sharp knife. You can use a bowl cover or plastic wrap on the bowl while the dough in proofing.
Homemade Slider Buns
While this is specifically for slider buns – you can use the same dough for full sized burger buns or hot dog buns. You just have to adjust the cook time slightly (basically start checking at twenty minutes and then remove from oven once golden brown). You can also omit the poppy seeds (if they aren’t going to work for your final recipe) or swap them out for sesame seeds, dried minced onions, or herbs.
Homemade Slider Buns
I, most recently, made little roast beef and cheddar sliders with these rolls and they were a huge hit! You can make ham and swiss, you can use for mini burgers, you can have them hot or cold. You can also just put some butter and jam on them for a delightful snack.
In a small bowl, add water and sugar. Stir until most of the sugar is dissolved. Then add yeast packet. Let sit to bloom for about 10 minutes. (should be foamy)
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and beaten egg. Pour in bloomed yeast. Mix together until a dough forms. Knead for about 5 minutes. Then add half of the softened butter and knead into dough for another 5 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap (or a bowl cover). Place in a warm place (countertop or proofing drawer), to rise for about and hour. It should double in size.
Turn dough out on lightly floured surface and punch out most of the air. Then use bench scrapper (or knife) to portion into 18 equal pieces. Roll each between your palms into round balls. Line out on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Cover again with plastic wrap (or a clean kitchen towel) and let proof again, until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 350degF.
Melt remaining butter. Once buns are done proofing, remove plastic wrap and brush each with melted butter. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Place in oven to bake for 20 minutes (or until golden brown).
Remove from oven and move immediately to a cooling rack. Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing in half to use to make sliders.
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
Welcome to this week’s Weekly Wrap-up and Blog Link-up.
It’s great to see you again this week! Please scroll through to see this week’s features, my weekly wrap-up and other important and exciting announcements from the Pit Crew!
Have you had a chance to check out the new Facebook group Yum Hungry Hangout & Giggles? It is a place to share your foodie finds, funny facts and in general hangout and get to know each other more through out shared love of food. Please feel free to check it out and maybe join in the fun!
Another week – another trip to MT and back. We finally have power out to the property which means the real work can get started. We also finally experienced our first real Montana Snow – which was gorgeous. I have been really racking my brain for great camper meals – made on a small stove and using a small oven.
What have you been up to this past week?
One of this last week’s most popular recipe was: Fancy Pigs in a Blanket – which will be a huge hit for the holiday season ahead.
Fancy Pigs in a Blanket
In case you missed it, here are the recipes that I shared to the blog this week:
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If you are looking for more fun places to link up your posts – check out our Ultimate Handy Linky Party List – check back often as it’s always growing. And if we have missed your Linky Party – please send me a message and we will get it added in!
Planning out the week’s meals is something I do every Sunday for my family. I do this for a few different reasons – one it helps me get into the mindset of a new week ahead. Two it gives me the opportunity to look through the freezer, fridge and pantry to see what might need to be used up, what do I already have on hand, and what do I need to get from the store. I also try to think ahead of how can a double prep something one night to use another night, or say when a recipe calls for half an onion – I make sure to make something that needs the other half within a few days.
I also like to check in with the family to see if they have anything they have been specifically craving or wanting to try something new. Sometimes this is a fruitful ask and sometimes I get bupkitz. But I still try to ask because I also get the ‘don’t forget I’m going to dinner with a friend this night’ or ‘just please no more rice/pasta/whatever’. This is all valuable info for making a dinner menu plan for the week ahead. I also like to use a menu planner with a grocery list – like this one – to make things that much easier.
Tools You May Need
To have success with the recipes this week – here are few items that I think you may consider adding to your kitchen if you do not already have them.
A Set of Food Scoops – there are great for making beautiful uniform meatballs, as well as perfectly portioned cookies.
A Set of Baking Sheets with Racks – I use these almost daily for all sorts of things. They are great for making sure what you are baking is cooked all around evenly. I also suggest that you have parchment paper to hand so that clean up is a breeze.
Here is my plan for the week ahead. I have included the links to the original posts (you can find more info about substitutions, and processes in the full posts), as well as the full menu right here so that you don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to.
MONDAY
Meatball & Mash with Gravy – At least once a week, I like to make a hearty, stick to your ribs, comfort food meal. A lot of the time it’s our Sunday Supper, but occasionally I come up with a simpler recipe that I can make any night of a week. Pan gravy is what really makes this recipe a winner, it is so super silky. Your whole family is going to love this recipe for Meatballs & Mash with Gravy.
Start water boiling for potatoes. (Salt, if desired). Preheat oven to 375degF.
In a mixing bowl, combine meatball ingredients. Using a 1½inch food scoop to portion out the mixture into balls. Roll between your palms to shape.
Add potatoes to boiling water. Cook until fork tender (about 20 minutes).
In a large sauce pan over medium high heat, add formed meatballs. Cook on each side about 30 seconds (just searing the outside). Then transfer to a cooking rack over a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Once all have been seared place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
In same pan used to sear the meatballs, add butter. Once melted add beef broth, worcestershire and seasonings. Bring just to a bubble and remove about ½ cup of the liquid to a glass measuring cup. Add cornstarch and whisk vigorously. Return mixture to pan and whisk together. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer and thicken.
Drain potatoes and add to large mixing bowl. Add melted butter, salt, pepper and heavy cream. Smash and combine until desired level of smoothness.
In a bowl, add a portion of potatoes, and 5-7 meatballs. Ladle pan gravy over top. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.
TUESDAY
Crunchy Shrimp Tacos – Tacos are at the top of my favorite meals, not just to eat but to make. I have so much fun creating each of the components that it takes to make the best bite. These Crunchy Shrimp Tacos have layers of flavor from the fresh slaw, sriracha mayo, cojita cheese and of course the crunchy shrimp that have a little kick from some cayenne.
In a bowl, combine ingredients for the slaw and toss to thoroughly coat. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to make tacos.
In a small bowl or squeeze bottle, add ingredients for sriracha mayo and combine completely.
In a separate bowl, add cornstarch and seasoning for shrimp and stir to combine. Then add shrimp to bowl and toss to coat the shrimp.
Add enough oil to be ½ inch deep, to frying pan over medium high heat. While waiting for oil to come to temperature (350degF), place a cooking rack over paper towels on countertop.
Once oil is to temp, start frying shrimps (about 2 minutes on each side) and then remove to cooking rack. Repeat until all shrimps are fried.
Place the grill pan over medium high heat. Once hot enough start toasting each tortilla, about 2 minutes on each side.
To build the tacos, start with a toasted tortilla. Then add a portion of slaw to center of tortilla. Add 2-3 crunchy shrimps on top and drizzle with spicy mayo. Sprinkle with cojita cheese.
WEDNESDAY
Easy French Dip Sliders – When it comes to easy weeknight dinners, sandwiches always go to the top of my list. Especially ones that are this easy to make. My middle son is a big fan of french dips so I try to come up with different ways to make them for dinner every so often. This go around I used some delicious hard bakery slider rolls to make Easy French Dip Sliders.
The diner classic – a French Dip – made into a simple slider with a homemade au jus that is delicious.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Sandwich
Cuisine American
Keyword au jus, french dip, roast beef, Swiss Cheese
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
2lbDeli Roast Beefthin-sliced
12Hard Slider Rolls
6slicesSwiss Cheesehalved
For the Au Jus
4tbspButter
¼cupSweet Onionfinely minced
2tspGarlic Powder
2tspPaprika
1tspCelery Salt
2tbspWorcestershire Sauce
1qtBeef Broth
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
In a high walled saute pan over medium heat, add butter. Once melted add onions and let saute for about 3 minutes. Then add seasonings, Worcestershire and one cup of broth. Let come just to a bubble while stirring often.
Preheat oven to 425degF.
Reduce heat of au jus to low and let continue to simmer. Stir occasionally.
Cut each roll in half and place the bottoms on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Pile 2-3 slices of roast beef on to each (should fold up so there isn't too much overhang). Place a half slice of cheese on top of each.
Once oven is hot, place baking sheet in for 8-10 minutes. You want the cheese just melted.
When you remove the sheet, immediately place the top buns on each. Cut each sandwich in half.
Spoon au jus into ramekins and serve right away.
THURSDAY
Mexican Beef & Rice – Weeknights can be rough sometimes – getting dinner on the table doesn’t need to make it harder than it has to be. This one pot Mexican Beef & Rice is so easy to put together and you probably have most of the staple ingredients in your kitchen already. It is also a very hearty meal that is sure to fill everyone up! By cooking this all in one pan, you get so much flavor developed in a short cook time, and less mess to clean up after.
A flavorful one pot meal with corn, jalapenos, rice and beef all covered in cheese!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican, Tex-Mex
Keyword beef, black beans, cheese, corn, ground beef, jalapeno, one pan, one pan dinner, one pot, one pot dinner, one pot meal, rice
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 35 minutesminutes
Servings 6servings
Ingredients
4tbspOil
½White Oniondiced
4Garlic Clovesminced
1½lbGround Beef
2tbspTaco Seasoning
3cupBeef Broth
115oz can Diced Tomatoes
14oz canDiced Jalapenos
115oz canCorn
1tbspLime Juice
2½cupsRice
2cupsColby Jack Cheeseshredded
3Green Onionschopped
Sour Cream for garnish
Tortillasif desired
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Add 2 tablespoons of oil, onion and garlic to large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook for 3 minutes then add ground beef, and taco seasoning. Cook and crumble until no longer pink.
Push meat to one side of pan, add remaining oil. Let heat up for a minute then add rice. Stir to coat rice with oil. Let toast for 5 minutes, until golden in color.
Add beef broth, tomatoes, corn, jalapenos, lime juice, and taco sauce. Bring just a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover pan. Cook for 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove lid, sprinkle with cheese and replace lid. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Sprinkle with green onions and top with sour cream, as desired. Serve with warm tortilla, if desired.
FRIDAY
Roasted Chicken Salad Sandwich – Ok while this recipe may seem a bit involved it really can be done with ease. The garlic dill roast chicken can be made several hours in advance (during the lunch hours or even the day before), And the dressing may have a several components, you probably have all of it to hand. Let me tell you – when you bit into these Roasted Chicken Salad Sandwiches you are going to be so grateful for the extra work.
6Chicken Leg Quartersor 6 each drumsticks and thighs
1tbspGarlic Powder
1tbspOnion Powder
1tbspDill
1 tspSalt
1tspWhite Pepper
1tspPaprika
For the Chive Dill Dressing
⅔cupMayonnaise
⅓cupSour Cream
⅓cupHeavy Cream
1tbspLemon Juice
1tbspHoney
1tbspDried Chives
1tbspDill
1tbspMinced Garlic
½tbspOnion Powder
1tspPaprika
1tspSalt
1tspWhite Pepper
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Combine seasoning for chicken. Add chicken to gallon zippered bag and sprinkle with seasoning mix. Shake around to evenly coat. Let rest while oven preheats.
Preheat oven to 325degF.
Spray baking rack with cooking oil and place on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Add chicken to rack and put into oven to bake for 45 minutes.
Add dressing ingredients to a mason jar (or small mixing bowl) and shake to thoroughly combine. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to put together.
Remove chicken from oven (check temp is up to 165degF internally). Allow to cool as long as you can before cutting into small pieces and add to a mixing bowl.
In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add bacon pieces and cook until crispy. Remove to paper towel covered plate and let cool.
Preheat oven to 425degF.
Open each pretzel bun and spray inside with cooking oil. Line out on a baking sheet and then place in oven to toast for 8 minutes.
Once chicken is cooled, add cucumbers, onions, bacon and dressing. Stir thoroughly to evenly coat.
Place a leaf of lettuce on bottom of bun, then top with portion of chicken salad (be generous) and then place top bun on and press down slightly. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
SATURDAY
Philly Cheese Pasta – It’s no secret that I love a one pot meal, especially on a weeknight. I also love to make classic food combinations and flavor profiles into pasta and/or rice dishes. I was able to do both of these things with one recipe. I’m calling it Philly Cheese Pasta. And the only complaint I got about this one was – “You didn’t make enough!”
The delicious flavors of a philly cheese steak all in a one pot pasta dish!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword bell peppers, ground beef, ground beef recipes, heavy cream, mushrooms, onions, Pasta, provolone
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
2lbGround Beef
3Garlic Clovesminced
1tsp Black Pepper
1tspRed Pepper Flakes
1tspSalt
1tspChili Powder
1tspThyme
½Medium White Onionsliced
1Green Bell Peppersliced
8ozBaby Bella Mushroomssliced
1qtBeef Broth
2lbLong Pastabucatini or spaghetti
1cupHeavy Cream
8slicesProvolone Cheesecut into quarters
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add beef, salt, pepper, red pepper, garlic, chili powder and thyme. Cook and crumble until no long pink.
Add onions, bell peppers and mushrooms. Stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes. Then add beef broth and bring just to a boil.
Add pasta and stir to submerge. Reduce heat to medium and cover pan. Let cook for 20 minutes.
Remove cover and stir in heavy cream and cheese pieces. Replace cover and let cook for 10 minutes more.
SUNDAY
Chicken Tortellini Soup – Full of flavor hearty soups are the perfect cold weather weeknight meals that the whole family will enjoy. This recipe for Chicken Tortellini Soup is fairly simple to put together, with not a ton of active cooking going on. What makes this particular soup special is that it has not one but TWO unexpected ingredients – Worcestershire Sauce and Tabasco Sause. You get that deep earthly flavor from the Worcestershire and a pop of heat from the tabasco for a great bite.
In a large stock pot over medium high heat, add butter. Once melted add garlic, onion, carrot, celery and half of poultry seasoning. Let saute until onions are mostly translucent.
Add broth and chicken breast. Bring just to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium and let cook for 20 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and shred. Return to pot and reduce heat to medium low.
Add lemon juice, remaining poultry seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and tabasco. And let cook for 30 minutes more.
Increase heat to medium, and add tortellini. Cook for a final 15 minutes (or until tortellini are all floating).
Notes
Poultry Seasoning
Do you have any tips for making a dinner menu plan each week? Which one of these recipes do you plan to add to your dinner menu plan this week?
Now Let’s Get Cookin’!
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
