Simple Yet Gourmet

Have you ever had a Scotcheroo?  They're like an extra delicious Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treat with a topping made of Butterscotch and Chocolate Chips.  I'll have to post a recipe for those someday, but these Scotcheroo Peanut Butter Bars are every bit as delicious! Basically they are like a chewy and delicious Peanut Butter Cookie topped with a smooth and Creamy Chocolate Butterscotch layer.  Dangerously addicting, these flavors were just made for each other!  Funny story- when I made these I intentionally saved out the middle row to take pictures of the following day.  When I went to grab them, I realized one of them was missing and turned to find Brynlee munching away on one! Guess I should have made my intentions clear, but it just goes to show that they couldn't be left alone! 

Navajo Tacos was one of my favorite meals growing up!  My Mom would make these with her usual white bread dough recipe, which was delicious and it worked great for these, however you have to plan ahead a bit when using regular bread dough to give it time to double in size.  The awesome thing about this recipe is that it comes together in under 20 minutes! The bread still puffs up beautifully and tastes delicious but cuts down on the meal prep time.  What you'll want to do is mix up the bread dough (no mixer required) and let it sit while you start heating up the oil and making the taco meat.  By the time the oil reaches the right temperature the dough is ready to be cut into pieces and rolled out.  I like to make my tacos with re-fried beans (warmed up), taco meat, olives, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream.  So yummy, and one of those rare meals that no-one complains about!  This recipe makes 8 scones, so if you have extras you can always spread some honey butter or Nutella on them f

So I have started a new tradition in our house this year.  Every Sunday I always make a yummy dessert for us to share while we play games or watch a Disney movie.  This year I have decided to make a NEW dessert each week to expand our choices.  So far, the recipes I have tried have been amazing.  This chocolate cake recipe was a huge hit at my house.  Even my husband, who does not like dessert ate two pieces and finished the cake on Tuesday.  The cake is extremely moist and the cream cheese frosting is a nice change to the sweet buttercream I usually add to my cakes.  I hope you and your family enjoy this cake as much as mine did!  

 Also called “Miracle Bread”, this No-Knead bread is the easiest bread in the history of ever! Like the title says, there is literally no kneading required. You don’t even need a mixer- just a bowl and a spoon!  This is the perfect solution when you want homemade bread for dinner but know you have a busy day ahead of you.  All you do is mix a few ingredients together, cover it, and let it sit for several hours. Then just transfer it to a piece of parchment paper, place it in a hot Dutch oven and bake! The Dutch Oven holds the steam in and makes the crust of the bread nice and crispy, but I think you could make this bread without it. Maybe in an oven safe pot with a lid or just on a stone. It won’t turn out as crispy but would still be delicious. The texture of this bread is chewy and crisp on the outside while remaining soft on the inside. An added bonus from the long rise time is that the flavor of the bread is deepened, making this bread even more yummy! Serve it warm slathered with

Oreo’s, cheesecake, raspberry mousse, and chocolate ganache ( have I got your attention yet? ) layer to make this stunning Valentine’s Dessert! And it's quite delectable too if I do say so myself. Other than the taste though I’d have to say the best part of these cheesecake cups is that they are entirely no-bake and can be made a few days ahead of time!  I used Double Chocolate Oreo’s for these but regular would work great also.  The cheesecake layer comes together quickly and is creamy and sweet with just a little tartness to offset the sweetness of the other layers while the mousse adds a fluffy layer of raspberry yumminess. A thin, decadent layer of chocolate ganache seals the deal. You could stop there, but if you want to go the extra mile, add a swirl of whipped cream, another Oreo and some fresh raspberries for a truly Simple, yet Gourmet dessert!  Note: These jars can be made all at once or a layer at a time to make them more manageable!

A healthy protein packed cherry smoothie would be a perfect addition to a Valentines breakfast or an after-school snack to combat all that sugar, don’t you think? With their sweet tartness and beautiful color, cherries are one of my favorite fruits! While fresh ones are hard to come by in February ( I randomly found these ones at Costco ) I can usually find frozen ones. Honestly, frozen cherries make the best smoothies anyway.  No pitting required and since they are frozen and they make the smoothie nice and thick.  I love throwing some into my morning protein shake with a scoop of vanilla protein powder,  but I realize that protein powder isn’t a staple in every house. That’s why I’m including two versions for this smoothie-lucky you! 

Second only to a perfectly sweet piece of corn on the cob, this is my favorite way to eat it! Traditional Elote would be made with a cob of corn, slathered with mayo and sour cream then sprinkled with spices and cheese. This skillet version takes all of that deliciousness and simplifies it.  Frozen corn is cooked in a skillet with butter then mixed with mayo and sour cream, sprinkled with cojita cheese, flavored with spices, and finished off with a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of cilantro.  I love serving this with these Steak Tacos but they would be a perfect side for just about any Mexican Dish!  

Sugar cookies are one of my favorite things to make with the kids! It's tradition to make them for a few different Holidays including Valentine's Day. While decorating is the usually the main purpose in making these, over the years I have tweaked the cookie recipe and frosting to make them absolutely scrumptious as well! So much yummier that buying a store-bought mix and canned frosting.  I would even be so bold as to say I think they are every bit as good, if not better, than Swig and Crumble! Give them a try and see if you agree.   My Scrumptious Sugar Cookie Frosting is an ultra creamy, cream cheese frosting with a few extra additions that put it over the top! Sour Cream adds to the creaminess and takes the sweetness down a notch.  The frosting is still plenty sweet but not sickeningly so.  Butter Vanilla Emulsion is my other secret weapon that really elevates the flavor of this frosting! It can be found on Amazon, or in a craft store like Michaels,  but if you don't hav