Coffee and Cannolis

I make a lot of potato side dishes however I normally just quarter, toss with some EVOO and whichever seasonings pair well with the main course.  Truth be told - it's getting a little stale.  I've had these Crash Hot Potatoes from Pioneer Woman  on my "to-make list" for.ev.er and I've finally made them.  I'll definitely be making these more often.  Not only are they delicious, they were so easy to make. Crash Hot Potatoes Source: Pioneer Woman , originally from Jill Dupleix Ingredients: 12 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes) 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil Kosher Salt To Taste Black Pepper To Taste Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste Directions: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender. On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato. With a potato masher, gently press down

I haven't posted a menu plan in awhile but now that I'm starting to get back in to blogging more I feel like this will keep me productive.  Nothing too special this week but I feel like it's because I'm anxious for Spring but we're not quite there yet so some spring-type foods just won't cut it yet.  S: Chili M: Baked Sloppy Joes (a semi-homemade recipe) T: Baked Ziti (new recipe for us) W: Chicken Parm Panini (another new recipe) R: Chicken Tenders and Mac & Cheese F: Pizza, using this crust , but not sure about toppings yet... I'm hoping for something new to come to mind!  S: some kind of Beef Stew...

There is something that is just so comforting about meatloaf, but I will admit that it's something I rarely make, though I'm looking to remedy that.  Since I cook for two, and honestly we're HORRIBLE about using up leftovers, it's kind of hard to make meatloaf.  With that being said, I have been playing around with finding a great mini-meatloaf recipe because they're perfect for cooking for two.  There are many variations of meatloaf, but I found that this one is a winner for our house.  Mini Italian Meatloaves printer-friendly recipe Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon olive oil 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 1 small onion, diced 1 lb. lean ground beef 2 eggs 2/3 c. breadcrumbs 3/4 cup parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 3/4 - 1 cup Marinara sauce Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a saute pan, heat tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and onion and sa

When my husband and I went out for our anniversary we were given a sample of some potato croquettes that were served along side one of the specials of the evening.  Neither of us got that special but as soon as we tried the potatoes we both almost wanted to change our order just to get more of these delicious bites of heaven.  I mean, they were balls of delicious mashed potatoes, rolled in breadcrumbs and fried.  Certainly decidant!  Rob immediately asked if I could try to make them at home and I figured why not?!  Plus, it gave me an excuse to try another one! While I still don't think mine were as good as the one's from the restaurant ( Roberto's Trattoria  in St. Louis), they were melt in your mouth good!  Below is the recipe I put together when making them, however I have to be honest that I made mine a little bigger than I put in the recipe because they'd be better that way and I'll have to make them that way next time! Please note that these are rich, so a l

These little truffle gems are great to make for any occasion.  I personally made them to counteract the Oreo Truffles I make all the time for my friends and they went over just as well, if not better.   So many people love cookie dough straight from the spoon, but this is a great way to eat it without the worry of getting sick! Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles Ingredients : 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed 2¼ cup all-purpose flour 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract ½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips 1½ lb. semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate, coarsely chopped Mini chocolate chips (for garnish) Directions: Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has

Sometimes some of the most simple dishes are the best.  Case in point, these pork chops from Pioneer Woman .  The original recipe called for "Breakfast Pork Chops", or thin bone-in pork chops, however I had boneless chops on hand which is what I wanted to use.  After thining them out some I felt they were comprable to the original recipe.  This recipe did not disappoint.  The pork chops were flavorful, tender and juicy - not like the dry pork chops of back in the day.  Simple Pan Fried Pork Chops Source: adapted from  Pioneer Woman Ingredients: 7 pieces Or 8 Pieces Breakfast Chops (very Thin Bone-in Pork Chops) (I had boneless pork chops in the freezer to use up, but I thinned them out a bit for this recipe) 1 cup All-purpose Flour 1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt 1 teaspoon Black Pepper Cayenne Pepper To Taste ½ cups Canola Oil 1 Tablespoon Butter Extra Salt And Pepper, To Taste Directions: Rinse pork chops. (Yes, I rinse my pork chops. Please don’t be hatin’.) Salt

Have you had the Macaroni & Cheese from Panera Bread yet?  If not, I suggest you get it next time you're there.  It is so creamy and has a bit of tang to it.  It's made with shell pasta, butter, cream and Vermont White Cheddar (with a bit of American cheese).  Delicious and indulgent.  I make a lot of mac & cheese, always trying to find the perfect balance between creamy, cheesy, flavorful and something with integrity (i.e. not velveeta, though that's still delicious!).  So far this is definitely my favorite recipe.  I actually prefer stove-top mac & cheese but if you like baked you could definitely adapt this recipe to suit your tastes. White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese Source: Telly's Tasty Tidbits original Ingredients: 1 lb. shell or elbow pasta 1-1/2 c. cream 1-1/2 c. 1% milk 4 T. butter 4 T. flour 8 oz. Vermont White Cheddar, grated 2 oz. American Cheese, grated S&P to taste Pinch of Cayanne Pepper if desired Directions: - prepa

Majority of people like cheesecake, and who can blame them?  It's creamy, sweet and there's numerous variations out there.  Admitedly, while I love cheesecake, I don't make many but that's something I'm hoping to remedy.  Truth be told I don't make that many because a.) I don't have many reasons to take cheesecake somewhere and b.) there is no need for a cheesecake for just the two of us.  With that in mind, any time I can concoct an excuse I'll take it.  We had a group of friends over for Super Bowl this year and after surveying what everyone else said they'd bring that left me with the desserts and some appetizers.  I would love to say something cleverly sarcastic, however whatever I type will not be able to do justice to my sarcasm voice there.  I was SOO excited to get to try a new dessert but there was just a matter of what.  While purusing Annie's Eats I came across a recipe for Peanut Butterfinger Cheesecakes and knew it was a winner, e

Salsa is such a beloved condiment, however there are zillions of ways to make it.  Spicy, sweet, chunky, thick, runny, etc... I mean, the list just goes on and on.  I, however, don't even eat salsa, but when having a group of friends over to watch the Super Bowl I wanted to make some knowing how much the majority of people like/love it.  Needless to say, I was a little nervous about having my friends try it, considering I didn't even taste test it first.  (I guess I should point out that my husband doesn't eat salsa either - we're just not huge tomato people in our house).  I know the basics of salsa - tomatoes, peppers, onions, cilantro... however from there I'm clueless so I needed to make sure to get a recipe from a source that I trust as one to consistently steer me in the right direction.  I'll take my friends word that this recipe of Pioneer Woman's did not disappoint as each person that ate some raved about it.  Some things to note about the reci