Bacon, Gouda, and Apple Grilled Cheese

It has been forever since I've had a grilled cheese with just cheese in it.  I've discovered that there are SO many ingredients that can add flavor and texture.  The sweet and salty combination of this grilled cheese is perfect.  You can also sprinkle a little cinnamon on the apples before grilling the sandwich for an extra boost of flavor.

   

Bacon, Gouda, and Apple Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

bread

thinly-sliced apple

cooked bacon

sliced smoked Gouda cheese

butter

Directions:

1.  Butter outsides of 2 slices of bread.  Layer cheese, apple, and bacon on one slice of bread.  Top with the other slice of bread, making sure to put buttered side up.

2.  Grill sandwich in a skillet or an indoor grill until cheese is melted.

Source:  Gimme Some Oven

Bacon and Pumpkin Pasta

Random thoughts currently going through my mind:

1.  I have not blogged in a VERY long time.  My bad.

2.  Trains are loud, especially when my windows are open.

3.  Charles Kelley has a gorgeous voice.  Actually, he's just gorgeous.  Period.

4.  Boys smell (figuratively speaking).

5.  My apartment smells amazing (literally, thanks to some banana bread baking in the oven).

6.  10 MORE DAYS UNTIL SUMMER BREAK!

7.  I really want to make more coffee.  I love coffee.  Somebody please conduct an intervention.

8.  I can't believe there's a hole in my Lazy Triathlon t-shirt.  I worked my butt off for that free t-shirt (for real, my jeans were too big by the end of it)! 

...and last but not least...

9.  I did not think I could love pumpkin any more than I already do, but I keep finding new ways to enjoy it.  Like with pasta, for example!  It completely surprised me that I liked this recipe as much as I did.  Then again, it's pumpkin and bacon paired with pasta.  How could that not be delicious?  I will definitely be making this one again.

Healthy Bacon & Pumpkin Pasta

Ingredients:

2 cups whole grain shell-shaped pasta

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 ounce light cream cheese

1/4 cup fat-free evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

pepper, to taste

1/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon

1/4 cup sliced green onions

Directions:

1.  Cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Drain pasta and return to the pot.

2.  Over low heat, add the pumpkin, cream cheese, evaporated milk, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Stir until cream cheese is melted and mixture is warm.  

3.  Transfer to a serving dish and top with bacon and green onions.

Source:  Pinch of Yum 

Oh, yum.

Who can resist spinach-artichoke dip?!  Definitely not me.  This is spinach-artichoke dip on pizza crust, and it is a genius idea.  Genius, I tell you.

You know what's not a genius idea...eating the whole pizza.  Whoops.

Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Pizza

Ingredients:

one batch pizza dough (or one refrigerated tube of pizza dough if you don't feel like making the dough yourself...I don't judge...it's possible that I used the kind in a tube)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 shallot, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (6 oz) bag fresh spinach

1 (14 oz) can of artichoke hearts (about 5-7)

2/3 cup ricotta cheese

8 ounces mozzarella cheese

4 ounces parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare pizza dough for baking by pressing into a pan.

2.  Drain artichokes and squeeze with a paper towel.  Roughly chop and press with a paper towel again.  Combine ricotta cheese and artichokes in a bowl.

3.  Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.  Add shallots and a pinch of salt.  Cook until translucent.  Add garlic and spinach and toss to coat.  Cook until spinach is wilted.

4.  Add spinach mixture to bowl with artichokes and ricotta.  Stir in salt, pepper, 1/4 cup parmesan, and 1/2 cup mozzarella.   

5.  Brush 1 teaspoon olive oil over dough.  Sprinkle some mozzarella over the dough, and then evenly spread spinach ricotta mixture over the top.  Cover with remaining cheeses.  

6.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

Source:  How Sweet It Is

Again with the best friend...

I know I talk about my best friend, Cindi, a lot on this blog.  Sorry about that.  She's pretty cool though.

So, my best friend left me for Colorado.  I can't blame her.  Colorado is a great place to live.  Before she left, we got together with some of our high school friends for a little goodbye party, and I made these delicious Cookie Dough Truffles.  

Cindi and I used to do a lot of "baking" when we were younger.  We would often make chocolate chip cookies just so we could eat the raw dough.  I know, I know...naughty.  We once tried to make it without the eggs so that we wouldn't be in danger of contracting salmonella from the massive amounts of dough we were about to eat.  It did not go so well.  In fact, it was a disaster.  Too bad we didn't use the Internet all that much back then, because this recipe would have been perfect.  It's cookie dough (without the eggs) covered in chocolate.  I repeat, it's cookie dough COVERED in chocolate.  Could anything be better?

   

Cookie Dough Truffles

Ingredients:

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

3 cups (about 18 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons shortening

Directions:

1.  Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.  Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract.  Stir in the miniature chocolate chips.  Refrigerate until firm enough to form balls.

2.  Form 1-1/2 inch balls of dough and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Freeze for 1-2 hours.

3.  Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in the microwave following the directions on the package of chocolate chips.  Dip each truffle in the chocolate coating using forks or dipping tools.  Transfer to a baking sheet covered in wax paper.  Store truffles in the refrigerator. 

Source:  Dainty Chef

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Once again, I was preparing for a potluck.  Once again, I could not decide what to make.  My family suggested cookies.  Cookies?!  Really?  Do they still not know that cookies are not my favorite dessert?  I decided to look for a cookie recipe anyway, and I am SO glad that I did.

These chocolate peanut butter cup cookies are to-die-for!  They are thick and rich, sweet and salty.  It is a really good thing that I shared them at the potluck before I even tried them, because otherwise I might have kept them all for myself.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons flour

6 Tablespoons cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

2 cups coarsely chopped peanut butter cups (freeze peanut butter cups for at least 30 minutes before unwrapping and chopping)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.  Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

3.  Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.

4.  Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and milk.  Beat until smooth.

5.  Gradually beat in dry ingredients on low speed until incorporated.

6.  Gently fold in 1-1/2 cups chopped peanut butter cups.

7.  Drop large rounds of dough (about 3 tablespoons) onto baking sheets.  Place a few pieces of remaining chopped peanut butter cups on top of each dough ball and gently flatten.

8.  Bake 12-14 minutes.  Rotate pans halfway through.  Do not overbake the cookies.  They will set as they cool.  

9.  After cooling on the pans for about 10 minutes, remove cookies to wire racks to finish cooling.

Source:  Annie's Eats

Rosemary Chicken and Wild Rice

I found this recipe recently and thought it looked pretty good and kind of healthy, but I wasn't overly excited about it.  I wasn't overly excited, that is, until I tasted it.  It was SO good!  I totally did not expect to like it so much.  I will definitely be making it again.  The combination of flavors was surprising, and it was very easy to make.

  

Rosemary Chicken and Wild Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup wild rice or wild rice/brown rice mix

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

2 carrots, diced

1 tablespoon dried rosemary or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1/3 cup orange marmalade (low sugar, if possible)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1.  Prepare wild rice or wild rice/brown rice mix according to package directions, substituting chicken broth for the water and adding salt.

2.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Sauté garlic for 1-2 minutes or until golden.  Add chicken and carrots.  Sauté for 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the rosemary.  Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.

3.  Stir in the marmalade, mustard, and pepper.  Heat through.

4.  Stir in the hot rice and toss to combine.

Source:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe      

Slutty Brownies

When I saw a recipe for "Slutty Brownies," I immediately though of my best friend.  Don't worry!  It was not because she's an immoral lady.  She's completely the opposite.  

You see, we have strange senses of humor, and words like "floozy" and "trollop" have always made us giggle.  Cindi and I were planning to have a girls day and do some baking, and we both agreed that these brownies would be perfect.  Perfect, they were.

Slutty Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownie layer -

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

Oreo layer-

16 double-stuffed Oreos

Cookie layer-

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9" by 9" pan with aluminum foil.  Spray aluminum foil with non-stick spray.

To make brownie layer-

1.  Melt butter in saucepan over low heat.  Remove from the heat.

2.  Add the sugar and cocoa powder.  Whisk to combine.

3.  Whisk in salt, vanilla, and eggs.

4.  Add flour and mix until combined.

5.  Set aside.

To make cookie layer-

1.  Beat the butter and sugars using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

2.  Add egg and vanilla.  Beat until combined.

3.  Mix in flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until combined.  

4.  Fold in chocolate chips.

5.  Set aside.

To assemble-

1.  Press the cookie dough into the pan.  

2.  Layer with the Oreo cookies.

3.  Pour brownie batter over the top of the Oreo layer.  Spread batter gently and evenly with a spatula.

4.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or until toothpick comes out mostly clean.   

Source:  Handle the Heat