Simple Yet Gourmet

Valentine's Day is coming up soon and these rolls would be a perfect addition to the menu! Not only are they adorable, they are also super light, fluffy, and buttery.  Leave them plain or add some seasonings, either way they are sure to please.  And don't be intimidated by the heart shape- they are really easy to do.  However, these rolls obviously don't have to be made into hearts.  You could shape them into regular dinner rolls and they would still taste just as delicious...they just wouldn't be as cute ;).  

  These are a new treasure at our house, warm rolls filled with brown sugar and cinnamon and topped with gooey caramel sauce and chopped pecans!  I am always looking for recipes for breakfast that I can make the night before to help with the morning rush.  Simple to make using frozen bread dough and yummy to eat.  My family likes a lot of caramel on their rolls so I double the heavy cream and powdered sugar mixture to give it the extra goo my family loves.   Enjoy!

If you like Ranch Dressing, you will probably love this pasta! It's definitely different from your standard pastas that typically involve tomato sauce or cream, garlic and Italian herbs.  Not that I have anything against those- I love a good Italian pasta! But every now and then it's good to break away from the mold and try out something new, and this was very, very good!  Penne pasta, sliced chicken breast, and crispy Bacon topped with a creamy Ranch sauce, this is one even the kids will love! 

My Mother-In-Law made these muffins for us while when we visited last Spring and I was hooked. They are full of fiber and vitamins from the bran, carrots, and raisins but still manage to taste good too! Healthy, hearty and moist but still sweet enough thanks to the brown sugar. So maybe not completely “healthy” but still full of healthy things. Perfect for a breakfast or snack. I love to make these for snacks for Parker (my toddler). I keep a few out and freeze the rest, thawing for about 20 seconds in the microwave as needed. 

These cupcakes are a peanut butter and chocolate lovers dream!   There are four main components to these delectable little cakes, starting out with a moist chocolate cupcake base sprinkled with chocolate chips. Next comes an absolutely dreamy peanut butter frosting, a drizzle of milk chocolate ganache, and a Reese's Peanut Butter cup to top it off. Holy Moly. These are SO good! My favorite part of these cupcakes has to be the peanut butter frosting.  It is just so delicious! It's packs a big peanut butter punch while still being fluffy and just sweet enough without being overly sweet.   I made these for Danny's 7th birthday with his favorite candy bar in mind and he LOVED them!  He also insisted that he get to help by unwrapping and placing the Reese's on the top of the cupcakes, so if they look a little skewed that's why ;).   Any type of Reese's will work here, or you can leave them off all together.  We used Peanut Butter Lovers for these.  

Blueberry Muffins and Orange Muffins are some of my favorites so it was only a matter of time before I did a mash up of the two! These Orange Blueberry muffins are cheery and delicious!  Sweet juicy blueberries combined with bright orange flavor? So good.  The muffin base is sturdy yet fluffy and just sweet enough, and the orange glaze is the perfect finishing touch.   In addition to some pretty standard pantry ingredients, you'll just need some oranges and blueberries (fresh or frozen).  I used Cuties for this recipe but any oranges will work.  Don't skip the step of dusting the blueberries with the flour mixture.  It helps the blueberries stay put instead of sinking to the bottom of the muffins.  Serve these with a nice cold glass of milk or some freshly squeezed orange juice!

Simple yet tasty is how I’d describe this soup. It isn’t anything showy but it really hits the spot. My husband, who really isn’t a big fan of soups, said he actually really liked it! Served alongside my Honey Oatmeal Super Seed Bread  it was a perfect meal for a cold Winter night.  This soup is reminiscent of one my mom used to make using a leftover Ham Hock and dried white beans. She would put them in a slow cooker and let them cook all day. The house smelled amazing! With that soup in mind, I set out to make a similar version on the stovetop.   All you need to make this version is some cooked ham (leftovers work great here), canned white beans, and carrots. It came together so quickly, and was simple, easy, and satisfying. 

Is there anything better than the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven? This Honey Oatmeal Super Seed Bread not only smells and tastes Heavenly, but it is  packed with oatmeal, whole grains, and two Super Seeds.  Not only that but it is soft, moist, slightly chewy, and dare I say fluffy?  Nothing like some store bought counterparts that resemble cardboard.  It is sturdy enough for sandwiches and is perfect toasted with some butter and jam.   I am so happy with how it turned out! What started out as an experiment has become a new go-to.  This recipe makes 2 loaves.  They didn't puff up as much as some bread recipes do, but I've decided that I actually love it being a little smaller. It's perfectly portioned for a sensible sandwich! Since it doesn't have any preservatives in it, the bread will spoil faster than store bought, but I solve this problem by freezing one loaf in a freezer safe bag and pulling it out after I've used up all of the other one.