Corn Dog Muffins

I love corn dogs, but it's hard to find good ones! And the ones that you make at home just aren't the same as getting them from a food cart.  My dad spoiled us growing up, because he made his own hot dogs and they were AMAZING! Store bought just doesn't compare. But then I discovered the Angus hot dogs (and at almost 5 bucks a package, I am definitely living up to my "expensive" description :P) - they are a reasonable substitute I suppose. Found this recipe and tried them out for a dinner a couple of months ago. I've played around with the recipe a bit - more on that in a sec.

Ingredients

• 2 (8.5 ounce) packages cornbread mix
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• 9 hot dogs, cut in half

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease muffin tins.
2. Stir together the cornbread mix and the brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Fold the eggs and cheese into the dry mixture until moistened. Spoon mixture into muffin tins until 2/3 full. Add 1 hot dog half to each muffin.
3. Bake in a preheated oven 14 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

I've tried this a couple of ways in the past couple of months - both with the hot dogs on top, or mixed in, and with various types of hot dogs. I recommend your favorite type of hot dog, and to put them on top. And really, 9 hot dogs? When they come in packages of 8? I feel a Father of the Bride moment coming on...But for serious, you can just use 8 and it's fine. And Jiffy mix is my preferred method of corn muffin mix. I like that it's already a little bit sweet before the brown sugar. All in all, this is a fun recipe sure to please, whether it's a kids party, or just an easy dinner.

Factoid of the day: Snow makes the world seem so much brighter! I hate the dark gloominess that is Michigan in the winter - it's just gray and brown and seems lifeless. But cover everything with a bit of fluffy white ice crystals, and it's a whole new world. So, while you're driving and cursing the crazy drivers and the icy roads, take a minute and look around (preferably while stopped - that seems like the best option :P), and marvel.

Slow Cooker Pinto Bean Bonanza

So I was looking for a recipe that would branch me out of my box. This one turned out pretty good! This was my first pinto bean experience, plus, I just love any recipe that I can use the crockpot for! :D

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon
• 8 cups water
• 2 cups dry pinto beans
• 1/2 pound kielbasa sausage, cut into bite-size pieces (optional)
• 1 (15 ounce) can ranch-style beans
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dried minced onion
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeno peppers
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons ground paprika
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion

Directions

1. Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; crumble bacon when cool.
2. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, and stir in pinto beans. Simmer over medium-low heat until the beans soften, about 30 minutes; pour beans and water into a slow cooker. Stir in the bacon and bacon drippings, kielbasa, ranch-style beans, tomato paste, dried onion, apple cider vinegar, pickled jalapeno, sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Set the cooker to Low, and cook until pinto beans are very tender, 9 to 10 hours.
3. About 5 minutes before serving, stir in chopped green pepper. Serve topped with chopped green onion.

As per usual, no jalapenos or green peppers were harmed in the making of this dish. I ended up adding the full package of Kielbasa (about a pound total), partly because I didn't know what do with the rest, and when I added the half pound, it really didn't look like enough. I followed the directions with the beans, and by 10 hours of crock-potting on low, they were still a bit hard for my taste, so I may increase the pre-crockpot boiling time by 5 minutes or so. And I used one medium white onion instead of the the dried onion. Seemed to work out fine. The whole dish had a really good smoky flavor, and was great served over rice with some cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.


    Brean and I had "the kid talk" today. This topic has come up many times in our almost 7 years of marriage. Everyone and their brother asked about us having kids about year 3 or marriage. That continued for about a year, and after repeated "we are not planning on having kids" it died down. Then everyone started having kids, and I thought to myself "I want a kid!" (I know, you probably didn't know that I had ever crossed the "never wanting kids" line, did ya? :P) So for several months, I was planning on how that would work, and what in our lives would change, and how would daycare work, etc. Then I realized - I still didn't actually WANT kids. I wanted it because everyone else had it and it seemed like the thing to do. We had been married for the "appropriate" amount of time, we had a house - it just seemed like the "right" time. So now I'm back on the "no kids" plan.
    Brean said today "we need to make a firm decision in the next year or so about whether we are going to have kids or not". I kinda freaked out. After much talking, we decided we are still at the decision of no kids for now, with open hands that the decision could change in the future. I'm scared to fully commit to saying 100% that I will not ever have children, because I don't know if I would ever honestly be able to say that. I know that if we don't, I will have "what ifs", and I don't want to live a life followed by regrets. Brean would make a FANTASTIC dad, and I don't know if saying no to kids is fair to him, or to the fabulous grandparents that my in-laws would make.
     I love our life right now. And I love that we were able to talk about our fears and our hopes, and still come together in the end to say that, for now, the plan is not to have kids. But if that plan changes in the future, it will be ok.

Steak Salad

    Alright ladies and gentlemen, this is a TO DIE FOR salad. Brean makes fun of me and says that if I make something I really like, we're guaranteed to have it again the next week or so. (I suppose I should preface this and let you know this is only an amazing salad if you like blue cheese. Though Brean doesn't, didn't have any blue cheese, and still thought it was pretty good. I think he's crazy.) So without further ado -

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin steak
• 8 cups romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
• 6 roma (plum) tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/4 cup walnuts
•  
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

Directions

1. Preheat oven on broiler setting. Broil steaks for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Allow to cool, then slice into bite-size pieces.
2. On chilled plates, arrange lettuce, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Sprinkle with blue cheese and walnuts. Top with steak slices.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and smoke flavoring. Drizzle over salad.

      So, changes. Have you ever had the Blue Cheese Pecan Chopped Salad at Outback Steakhouse? They make their salad with these AMAZING cinnamon candied pecans, which is a perfect balance to the blue cheese. So I made it my mission to find something similar to switch out for the walnuts. (Oh, and I didn't add the mushrooms) So here is the recipe that I used for the pecans - kind of a lot of work, but totally work it. They really do make the salad from really good to AMAZZZZING.

Candied cinnamon pecans

• 1/3 cup pecans sliced-lengthwise
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Slice each pecan half into at least three lengthwise pieces.
3. Combine the cinnamon and brown sugar.
4. Toss the pecans with the melted butter, then with the cinnamon/sugar mixture, making sure to coat them all evenly.
5. Put the nuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, until sugar is caramelized.
6. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and slide the pecans off of the parchment to cool.

     Make sure to keep an eye on the pecans - my second batch that I made were epic burnt piles of goo. I did add chopped green onions to this salad, which I would highly recommend. The measurements are really guesstimates - I would say make it to your personal specifications.
     This was also my first foray into mixing salad dressings! The first time I made this I was REALLY in a blue cheese mood, so I wanted blue cheese dressing. But I also wanted to try the dressing in the recipe. So I mixed them together. It was a fabulous smoky and cheesy mixture, and something I never would have thought of before this time. Cravings really are the beginnings of genius, I swear!

Factoid(s) of the day in no particular order:
1) Attitudes are like germs - whether good or bad, they are going to spread.
2) I love my weekly Glee (or Modern Family) nights. It's so nice to get together regularly with people that I enjoy hanging out with, with whom I can be myself, and who challenge me to think outside of the box on a regular basis.
3) I am going to listen to the Bible on shuffle! One of my resolutions for this year was to read the Bible. As with exercise, I really hate doing the things that are good for me, so I don't! For exercise, my compromise was to get a treadmill so that I could walk while I watch my shows (which I never have a problem making time for :P). So, I got the Bible on cd in order to listen to it on my way too and from work. I've been listening to books on cd on my commute for over a year, and I love the feeling of accomplishment as I check books off my list of to-reads. The reason to listen to it on shuffle is, and I'm sorry for moments of sacrilege, some parts of the Bible I find, well, boring! So, instead of skipping large chunks that I find less than interesting, I'll listen to the boring parts in small parts, mixed with interesting parts. The only problem I am seeing with this is that I will lose the context of the verse/chapter. But I am excited about this, and shall keep you updated if there are any interesting crossovers. Who knows, maybe I will write a book! :D

Thai Pork with Peanut Sauce

Today's creation, by request! :D I should probably disclose, unless otherwise stated, the recipes are from AllRecipes.com

Thai Pork with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 boneless pork chops, about 3/4-inch thick
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup sliced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped dry roasted peanuts
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. On a plate, combine the flour, cumin, cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir to distribute the spices. Coat the pork chops with the flour mixture, and shake off any excess.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the pork chops in the hot skillet, and fry for about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through.
3. While the pork chops cook, stir together the chicken broth, coconut milk, peanut butter, honey, ginger and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Remove the pork chops to a serving platter, and keep warm.
4. Pour the peanut sauce into the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Pour peanut sauce over the chops, and garnish with green onion, bell pepper, peanuts and cilantro.

I will say, I was a fan of this one. I LOVED the peanut sauce- it was a great compliment to the pork chops. I think I would make it to put on just about anything! The flour/seasoning coating didn't really seem to do a lot in way of adding flavor, so I think I would either double dip to get a bit more of a coating, or ignore it completely. Now, I should point out that I did not add the green peppers, and didn't have cilantro on hand. Definitely would serve with rice or cous cous. 

Factoid of the day: I used to hate cooking. Never did it - Brean was pretty much the sole cook in our household. Talking to a friend today, I realized my enjoyment of cooking started when I had TIME to devote to it, and to look at new recipes and figure out different things that I liked. I learned what a roux was, and to follow taste instead of exactly a recipe. Suddenly cooking wasn't quite so scary and complicated! I love going through my daily e-mail from AllRecipes and picking out things that look interesting. Between reading, watching shows, and scrapbooking, this is my most frequent hobby. 

Plus, food is the universal language of small talk! Everyone has to eat, right? Some people may not consider food a hobby, but put any two people in a room, and they can at least say "well, any good ideas for dinner this week?" and the person can reply "well, lasagna sounds good" or "my mom made a really good meatloaf when I was a kid". Food brings people together, at holidays, and lunch at work, or dinner out with friends. 

So welcome to my small talk, world. I'm glad you're here. 

A taste of what's to come

Should have added this to the previous post, but oh well. Here is a preview of some of the recipes to come over the next couple of weeks - see anything interesting? In no particular order...

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
Ikea's Swedish Meatballs
Thai Pork chops with Peanut Sauce
Steak Salad
Easy Garlic Chicken
Pad Thai (with Ramen, for a verrrry cheap dinner)
Double Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
Beer Bread
Pirogi Casserole
Pesto Cream Sauce
Mexican-style Goulash
Goat Cheese and Arugula over Penne
Smoky Grilled Pork Chops
Curry Chicken Salad
Hearty Garlic Potato Soup
Easy Chicken and Cheese Enchilada's
Seafood Newburg
Curry Chicken Stirfry (kind of a combo of two different recipes)
Avocado Shrimp Bisque (Ok, this was a disaster, but I figure failures have to go in occasionally :P)
Herbed Chicken Nuggets
Crepes
Baked Ham Sandwiches
Oregon Salmon Patties
Chunky Cheesecake Brownies
Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup
Cinnamon Cream Syrup
Corn Dog Muffins
Creamy Shrimp Linguine
Simple Taco Soup
English Royalty Chocolate Chip Scones
Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff
Caramel Apple Crisp
Slow Cooker Pinto Bean Bonanza
Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars
Cream Cheese filled Coffeecake with Fruit Preserves and Crumb topping
Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Stew
Stuffed French Toast
Ham and Pea Salad
Bourbon Sausage
Raspberry Fudge Brownies
Asian Lettuce Wraps (based on the P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps)
Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Balsamic Pea Salad
Missouri Burger
Taco Turkey Wraps
Slow Cooker French Dip
Coriander and Cumin Rubbed Pork
Swiss Chicken Casserole
German Currywurst
Holiday Cranberry Chutney with Smoked Turkey on Pumpkin Bread
Hamburger or Cheeseburger Soup (pretty easy to just add cheese!)
Brown Sugar Smokies
Lemon Icebox Pie


See any you're interested in? Let me know and I'll move it up the list! Otherwise, these, plus whatever new ones I'm trying will be in whatever I want at the moment. :D

Return is imminent!

Well blog universe, after an VERY extended sabbatical from this not very often updated blog, I am returning! My goal for the next several weeks is to cover all the recipes we have been trying over the past year, which on average is 3-4+/2 week period. So batten down the hatches and get ready for the flood of recipes, new and old! Looking forward to passing on some new favorites. :) Please think about sending me some of your  favorites - I am always on the hunt for new recipes!

Beef and Bean Chimichangas

Yum! I really liked these, because they're not fried and taste amazing! I highly recommend serving with sour cream on top, plus or minus salsa and lettuce. As usual, it's courtesy of allrecipes.com.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1 1/2 cups whole kernel corn
• 2 cups taco sauce
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 8 (12 inch) flour tortillas
• 1 (16 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• shredded lettuce
• 1 tomato, diced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease, and add the onion, bell pepper, and corn. Cook for about 5 more minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the taco sauce, and season with chili powder, garlic salt and cumin, stirring until blended. Cook until heated through, then remove from heat, and set aside.
3. Open the can of beans, and spread a thin layer of beans onto each of the tortillas. Spoon the beef mixture down the center, and then top with as much shredded cheese as you like. Roll up the tortillas, and place them seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Brush the tortillas with melted butter.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve with lettuce and tomato.

As usual, made some changes. Hate peppers (as previously mentioned), so I left those out. And I decreased the amount of taco sauce added to one cup instead of two - I think two would have made it too runny. Ended up using tortillas that were 8" instead of 12" - I was able to use all of the filling, but it would probably work better to have the larger tortillas. All in all, Brean was a big fan and ate like three, so I consider it a success. I don't actually think I would change anything, though several reviews mentioned added green chiles to the mix and Brean mentioned it as well, so I would consider adding them to his portion.