Tortillas!

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup warm water
3 tbsp oil

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in water and oil. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10-12 times, adding a little flour or water if needed to achieve a smooth dough. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into eight portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 7-in. circle.

In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook tortillas over medium heat for 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Keep warm.

Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken

Stolen from The Comfort of Cooking

Ingredients:

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts (about 2 pounds) 

Salt and pepper 

1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup honey 

1/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil 

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/3 cup water 

Cooked rice

1/2 tablespoon (or more) sesame seeds

3 scallions, chopped

Directions:

Place chicken in a crock pot and lightly season both sides with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, oil and red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours, or high for 2 hours.

Remove chicken to a cutting board, leaving sauce. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces; set aside.

In a small bowl, dissolve 4 teaspoons cornstarch in 1/3 cup water; add to crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Cover and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Add cooked rice to 4 plates, top with chicken and spoon sauce over top. Sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup softened butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions

1. Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into batter. Put batter in refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Roll into 1 inch balls and put on baking sheets. Flatten each ball with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Do not over-bake!

Cornbread

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Mix together flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.  In a seperate bowl, beat egg and remaining ingredients.  Pour wet into dry and mix just until moist.  Pour into an 8" x 8" greased pan and bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes or until done.  Can also be made into muffins (makes about 18.)

Irish Car-Bomb Cupcakes

Chocolate Guinness Cupcake (makes about 24)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup room temp Guinness

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract, and the water; beat until smooth and combined.

Spoon the batter into liners about two-thirds full. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Transfer tins to wire racks and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes; turn cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.

Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter (or the bottom of a large decorating tip), cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down. Now you are ready for the ganache.

Irish Whiskey Ganache

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then, using a rubber spatula, stir it from the center outward until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

Transfer the ganache to a piping back with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Irish Cream Swiss Meringue Buttercream

1 cup plus 2tbsp sugar
5 large egg whites
pinch salt
1lb room temperature butter, cut into 1tbsp sized pieces
1/4 cup Irish cream

Put sugar, egg whites, and salt in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer, and set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved (the mixture will feel slippery between your fingers with no trace of the grainy sugar.)

Transfer bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and cooled, about 10 minutes. Add the cubed butter about 3tbsp at a time making sure it is fully incorporated after each addition. You may notice it does appear to look curdled after you have added in all butter but keep mixing it will come together. once it is fully mixed switch to the paddle attachment and slowly beat in the Irish cream.

Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

Red Lentil Coconut Soup

I made a batch of this amazing soup a few weeks ago for a vegan friend who had just had a baby. It was so good I decided to post the recipe!

Ingredients:

2 cups red split lentils
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 fresh jalapeno or serrano chili, finely chopped, including seeds
1 tablespoon fresh peeled and minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup tomato paste
7 cups water
1 can unsweetened light coconut milk
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving

Method:

Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a dutch oven or large soup pan and add the onions, bell pepper and jalapeno and cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables have softened and start to take on some color. Add the garlic, ginger, spices and tomato paste and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes until the mixture is toasty and fragrant. Add the water, coconut milk, lentils and chickpeas and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes adding the lime juice at the end of cooking. Taste and adjust with more salt or more lime juice if desired. Serve the soup topped with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and some extra limes on the side.

Easy Peasy Bourbon Baked Beans

This is a cheater recipe that is perfect for when you decide to make baked beans at the last minute and don't have the chance to soak beans overnight :D

3 cans baked beans (I like the maple ones)
2 cans white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup bourbon
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tbsp fancy molasses

optional:
1/4 cup brown sugar (I don't find you need this if you buy the maple beans, but it might be needed if you bought the ones in tomato sauce.)

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot or dutch oven. If using a crockpot, cook on high for 6 hours and then switch to keep warm until ready to serve. If using the oven, cover and bake for 1.5 hours at 350F, stirring occasionally. Enjoy!