Crunchy Pesto Chicken with Caramelized Onions

Last week I came home with a bunch of great ingredients after a photo shoot at work. Any time I come home with food from a shoot it's inspiration for me to do a little cooking so food doesn't go to waste. And since we almost always have meat at the shoot, I make sure to snag some to take home so I can make a special meal for Joe.

I didn't really have a plan for the meal. Instead, I decided to just go with the flow and see what happened. Cooking without a plan or a deadline was so relaxing and so much fun, and I realized I don't do it nearly as often as I should.

Joey was blown away with the results. He kept raving about how this was the best meal I've ever made, and that the recipe was worthy enough to be on a restaurant menu. It's not as healthy as the recipes that I typically make, but for a fun, impressive dinner dish, this chicken totally comes through.

Crunchy Pesto Chicken with Caramelized Onions
Ingredients
*1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
*3 tablespoons unsalted butter
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
*2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut in half widthwise (to make four thin chicken breasts)
*1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
*1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese with Italian herbs
*1/2 cup olive oil
*1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
*Additional olive oil for frying
*1 cup shredded cheese (I used a mozzarella-cheddar mix)

Instructions
*In a large skillet over medium heat, melted the butter. Add in the onions, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until onions are caramelized and soft. Remove from heat and set aside.
*Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking pan or line with aluminum foil. Set aside.
*With a small food processor, blend together the basil, feta cheese and 1/2 cup olive oil and process until mixture is nearly smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a shallow bowl. Place panko in a second shallow bowl.
*Dip chicken breasts in the basil mixture to coat both sides, followed by the panko.
*In a large nonstick stillet, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Place chicken breasts, two at a time, in the hot oil, cooking for 2 minutes per side. Chicken does not need to be cooked through. Transfer seared chicken breasts to the prepared baking pan. Top with some of the caramelized onions, followed by some of the shredded cheese.
*Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through and no pink remains.

Happy Cooking!
Madison

On Today's Show...

Hey, everyone! Just checking in with a quick reminder that the first episode of The Rachael Ray Show's "Hey, Can You Cook?! All-Stars" airs today. Depending on where you are across the country, the time it airs is different. To find out what time it is on in your area, you can do so HERE. Episodes will continue to air every Friday for the next four weeks, with a contestant (or two) going home every week.

Happy Friday!

Madison

Emily Dickinson's Coconut Loaf Cake

 

I have a bit of a thing for old, passed-along recipes that have survived decades and generations. Something about the fact that they are old and cherished just sucks me in every time. So last week, when the recipe for Emily Dickinson's Coconut Cake started floating around the internet, I couldn't resist giving the recipe a try. 

Not surprisingly, I really enjoyed the cake because of the one-bowl nature of the whole thing. Very few ingredients were required, all of which I had on hand, and it had only a mild level of sweetness that appealed to me. Beware, the texture of this loaf cake is fairly dense and resembles a pound cake rather than a traditional cake. 

If you're looking for a cake that will bowl you over with sweetness, this is not your cake. But if you are looking for a cake that is perfect for serving with a pat of butter at breakfast or as an afternoon snack with coffee, this would totally fit the bill. 

Emily Dickinson's Coconut Loaf Cake

Ingredients

*1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

*2 cups flour

*1 cup sugar

*1/2 cup butter, softened

*1/2 cup milk

*2 large eggs

*1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*1 teaspoon cream of tartar 

Instructions

*Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs, followed by the remaining ingredients. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Happy Baking!

Madison

More Smart Travel Eats

{Completely unrelated picture of Nutmeg in her new winter coat. She was feeling bad she hasn't been on the blog lately.}

Since I've been doing quite a bit of traveling over the past few months, I thought I would share with you a few more of my favorite healthy eats while on the road and in airports. Although I wish I was the type of person who planned ahead of time and brought a lot of healthy snacks and meals with me, I'm usually rushing out of the house at the last minute trying to get as much done as possible.

Here are a few of my favorite stops and what I typically order:

1. Smoothie King
I wish every airport I traveled to had a Smoothie King. I grew up making frequent stops at this place with my dad and know I can always find something healthy and packed with protein.

Favorite Pick: The Vanilla Shredder (20 oz) is my go-to drink and has 283 calories, 36 grams of protein, and just 12 grams of sugar. I pair mine with either a banana or a granola bar for a bit more substance if I'm using it as a meal replacement.

2. Starbucks
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Starbucks comes through for me every single time. They recently rolled out a new line of salads in addition to their sandwiches, which can be a lifesaver when you need a dose of leafy greens.

Favorite Pick: In the morning, I always go with the oatmeal with fruits and nuts and pair it with a small soy latte. Side note: at hotels, I ask for extra packets of peanut butter to stash in my purse. It makes a great addition to oatmeal and adds a few grams of protein.

Runner Up: The Protein Bistro Box at Starbucks is my runner-up for when I'm craving something savory. It comes with a few wedges of cheddar cheese, a hard-boiled egg, whole grain pita, peanut butter and apples, all for just 380 calories.

3. Cosi 
You have no idea how desperately I wish we had a Cosi in Iowa! So whenever I'm in a city that has one, I never fail to stop by. Their soups, sandwiches and flat bread are all delicious and they offer plenty of veg-friendly options.

Favorite Pick: Their soups rotate every day, but my faves are the Three Bean Chili or the Moroccan Lentil Soup. It comes with an order of whole grain flatbread and I typically order a side of hummus for healthy dipping.

4. Panda Express
Things got really desperate a while back when Joey and I were on our way home from visiting my family in Idaho in September. Stuck in an airport terminal in Denver that had very few options, I was faced with either eating a protein bar from a new stand or Panda Express. Since Joey was eating Panda Express and I was really craving something warm (and some veggies) I went with it, too. I was pleasantly surprised at the options.

Favorite Pick: I went with a double order of steamed veggies (70 calories) and paired it with steamed rice (380 calories) and two veggie spring rolls (160 calories for two). Not exactly health food, but it hit the spot and was definitely more satisfying than a granola bar or trail mix.

What are you favorite places to eat while on the road? 

Madison

Honeyed Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn

 

Joey and I spent a fabulous and fun-filled weekend in Minneapolis getting to meet our new nephew for the first time (!!) and watching Joey's brother play football. Since Joey's mom, Lisa, always makes amazing treats to bring to football games, I decided that it would be fun to make something to take along for the road trip up to the game. Something about popcorn and snacks during the fall just makes road trips that much more exciting. 

I've made a version of this caramel corn many times in the past but it wasn't until fall baking and pumpkin craziness hit that I thought to make a pumpkin spice version. And although I was a little nervous about swapping out the corn syrup for honey and adding in a hefty dose of pumpkin pie spice, I'm glad I did. 

I may have overdosed on the caramel corn on the car ride home, which led to Joey having to take the bag away from me and put it on his side of the car, but it was just too good to resist. 

Honeyed Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn 

Ingredients

*1 (3 oz.) bag light butter popcorn, popped with unpopped kernels removed

*1/2 cup unsalted butter

*1/2 cup granulated sugar

*1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar

*1/2 cup honey or corn syrup

*1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 

*1/4 teaspoon salt

*1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*1/2 cup roasted peanuts

Instructions

*Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly grease. 

*In a large saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, brown sugar, honey or corn syrup, pumpkin spice and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. One mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. Continue to stir until no longer foamy and mixture returns to a deep caramel color, about 1 minute. 

*Spread popcorn and peanuts onto baking sheet. Drizzle the caramel over the popcorn and stir until popcorn is evenly coated with the caramel. Spread into an even layer. 

*Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Transfer mixture to a clean piece of aluminum foil to cool. Break up any large pieces. 

*Store in a zip top bag or storage container for up to a week.

Happy Baking!

Madison

Slow Cooker Homemade Apple Butter

A few weeks ago I mentioned that the amazing team over at Hamilton Beach came to visit my workplace to do a product preview of their blenders, slow cookers, coffee makers and a few other appliances. Of course, they came bearing treats for us to snack on, too. And the highlight of those snacks? A homemade apple butter made in the slow cooker.

Since I'm still a slow-cooking novice, I was amazed at how easy it was to make apple butter (something that seems awfully labor-intensive in my mind) with very little hands-on time. There was also a rumor going around that making homemade apple butter makes your house smell amazing. So last weekend, our first free weekend in quite a while, I plunged deep into apple butter making and football watching. Not a bad combination at all.

The thing I love about this recipe is that it doesn't depend on more highly processed sugars, like corn syrup or granulated sugar, and instead uses agave syrup and a little bit of 100% apple juice. The results were outstanding; plenty of fresh apple taste with a little bit of texture that made it taste pleasantly homemade. However, if it's a smooth texture you're looking for, I would imagine you could put the cooled apple butter in the food processor and blend it completely smooth.

I'm planning on making more of this in the weeks to come and putting it in jars to give to friends and family over the holidays. I already passed along a jar to my mom and my cousin, Emily, to enjoy and plan on passing along another few jars when I head up to Minneapolis for the weekend. It's nice to be able to give a gift during the holidays that is healthier, and more unique, than baked goods. But now that I think of it, pairing apple butter with homemade sugar cookies would be an excellent adaptation.

Slow Cooker Homemade Apple Butter

Ingredients
*5 lbs. apples (I used Gala), peeled, cored and cut into quarters
*1 cup agave syrup or maple syrup (I used agave)
*1/2 cup apple juice
*2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
*1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions
*Place all the above ingredients into a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker set on low covered with the lid. Cook for 4 to 5 hours. Stir occasionally during the last two hours of cooking to break up the apples (they should fall apart fairly easily and form a fairly smooth butter-like consistency).
*Continue to cook for 30 additional minutes without the lid, stirring frequently, to achieve the consistency you desire.
*Transfer butter into canning jars. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Happy Cooking!


Madison

The Cat's Out of the Bag!

Remember a few weeks ago when I posted a mysterious blog post about 'exciting things going on that I can't share quite yet'? Gosh, if you're anything like me you hate when people say that. Am I right? Well, now that commercials are airing and a video clip is up online, I've been cleared by the team at The Rachael Ray Show to share with you what I'm currently working on...

To watch the video link, click HERE

As many of you already know, I competed on season 3 of Rachael's "Hey, Can You Cook?!" reality cooking series while in college back in 2008. To my surprise, they called back in August asking me if I would be interested in being on this season's "Hey, Can You Cook?! All-Stars". I was both nervous and excited about the proposition of competing on national television again. But of course, I couldn't turn down the amazing opportunity.

So here are the details: the first episode will air on Friday, October 28th. Rachael's show is syndicated so it airs at different times across the US. To find out when it's on in your area, click HERE. I'm not able to share much more than that, so you'll have to tune in or DVR the episodes to find out how far I make it and see all the crazy stuff they make us do.

Thanks again for your flexibility with my semi-hectic posting schedule. Life and blogging will return to normal as soon as possible, but for now, I'm enjoying the ride.

Madison

Welcome to the Family, Baylen and Ali!

Over the last week and a half I've been holding off telling you about some exciting news that happened in our family. You see, I wanted to make sure my sister-in-law, Amber, and her hubby, Jake, had plenty of time to share their news to friends and family before I shared it myself.

Finally, after months and months of waiting, Joey and I are excited to take on the new titles of 'Aunt Madison' and 'Uncle Joey' to handsome little Baylen Jacob! We are planning on meeting him this weekend. Needless to say, we are more than ready to start the spoiling, gift-giving, and cuddling with him as soon as possible. I know I might be biased, but I think that he's the cutest baby I've ever seen.

But the exciting news doesn't stop there! The same weekend Baylen was born, Joey's brother, Jason, proposed to his girlfriend, Ali.  We couldn't be more trilled to have Ali join the family. She and Jason are such a great pair together and genuine, adorable, sweet girls like her are hard to come by. Nice job, Jason!

Semi-Homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cups

Good news! I baked you cinnamon rolls, pumpkin ones in fact. I couldn't imagine a better way to start your weekend, or any day of the week for that matter, than with a warm ramekin oozing with dough and pumpkin and spices.

But let me fill you in on a little secret. I hate cooking with yeast. I mean I wish I was a master of all things dough-based, but yeast and I have a bit of a tortured relationship. So I went all Sandra Lee on you and did a little semi-homemade job on a can of Pillsbury Grands Biscuits.

Although I typically discourage the buying and using of things like pre-made biscuits, these things get me every time. They have the flaky layers deal down, that's for sure. So on those mornings when you just want a fruit smoothie and your hubby is sick of eating cereal or oatmeal for breakfast, these are the perfect solution. They're super easy to put together and reheat really well.

Semi-Homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cups

Ingredients
*1 can refrigerated Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Biscuits (8 count)
*1 cup brown sugar
*1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
*1/3 cup pumpkin butter (I used purchased but you could also use my Healthy Pumpkin Butter recipe)
*1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
*1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
*3 to 4 tablespoons milk
*1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease five oven-going small ramekins (mine are 4-inches in diameter) with nonstick cooking spray or five jumbo muffin cups. Set aside.
*Roll each biscuit into a five-inch long rope between your hands. Flatten each rope so it forms a rectangle (roughly 5 inches long by 2 or 3 inches wide).
*In a shallow dish, combine the brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Dip both sides of each biscuit rectangle into the sugar mixture to coat.
*Spread a small spoonful of pumpkin butter into the center of each biscuit rectangle and spread, making sure to leave a border around the edges. Roll up the biscuits lengthwise and pinch the ends to seal. Cut each rectangle into two slices. Repeat with remaining rectangles.
*Place three cut pieces into each of the ramekins or muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cinnamon rolls and browned and puffy.
*Cool slightly. Meanwhile, combine the powdered sugar, orange juice, milk and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Drizzle over the warm cinnamon rolls and serve immediately. Or, cover and reheat in the microwave when ready to eat.

Happy Baking!

Madison

So You Want to Be a Food Editor? (Part 1)

I get quite a few e-mails from readers of Espresso and Cream each week. Some of them are recipe questions, comments and the like, but far and away the most popular e-mail I get is about my career as a food editor. Seems to me that we could all become great friends in real life since many of you share my passion for cooking food and writing about it. Since I get so many e-mails about how to become an editor or break into the publishing industry, I thought I would dedicate a couple posts to the topic.

Although I've worked in food-focused publishing for close to three years now, I can in no way claim to know everything about the food world. However, I can share my personal experiences on the topic, how I got to where I am, what to study in college and what I look for when seeking out new freelance writers. Whew, that sounds like a mouthful, doesn't it? Let's get to it...

My journey in food started in a rather unorthodox way. Although I knew I wanted to write about food in some capacity, I had no idea how to get to that point or what to study. So I found myself as a junior in college majoring in journalism and public relations while minoring in Spanish. My school did offer a magazine journalism specialization, but I opted for the public relations route because I read a lot about there being more opportunities for employment in public relations.

During my junior year of college, a friend of mine saw a commercial aired by The Rachael Ray Show calling for video submissions from the best home cooks in America to be part of a cooking competition called "Hey, Can You Cook?!" So one Saturday afternoon in September we rented some video equipment from the university and filmed a video of me cooking a blueberry-veggie pasta dish. I had no expectations of ever hearing back from the show, so I was shocked when I was called by producers a few weeks later. You can watch more about my experience here, but I eventually went on to win the four-week competition.

The show's airing came at a nice time, as I started looking for internships in the months following. I was blessed to land an internship with Meredith Corporation as a food edit intern with Better Homes and Gardens magazine. After spending the summer at BHG, I stayed on as a part-time intern throughout the school year, working on as many food-related university projects as possible, such as campus magazines, local food publications, etc. Those experiences helped to boost my portfolio with plenty of glossy food pages and build culinary credibility. I'll never forget the first time I saw my name in Better Homes and Gardens. To say I was thrilled would be an understatement.

When I graduated, much like now, the economy was in a terrible place and full time jobs in publishing were scarce (something that is still true today). Since Meredith didn't have any full time positions open, I opted to stay on as a part time/temporary employee, much like a freelancer but with more set hours, working both in publishing as well as doing some on-camera food work when it became available.

The end goal during this time was always to land a full-time position. But being able to gain valuable experience in the field I wanted to work in while I searched was invaluable. Eventually, I was notified about an open food editor job in another division at my company that had potential to be a good fit. I immediately began the application and interview process and was over the moon when I was told I got the job.

This post is already getting extremely long, so I've decided to break it up into two parts. Although I majored in journalism and public relations, there are some things I would have done differently looking back. I want to be able to address that, and answer any questions you have. So if you have questions, shoot them my way or leave a comment below this post and I'll include them in part 2!

madison

Lisa's Amazing Snack Mix

 

Today's recipe comes to us courtesy of my mother-in-law, Lisa! This fall we have traveled to a couple of my brother-in-law Jason's football games and every weekend Joey's mom comes armed with multiple bags of snack mix, half of the bags savory and half of them sweet. Although her sweet mix is delicious, I much prefer all things salty. And boy does this hit the spot. 

I had to chuckle a little, because when I asked for the recipe from Lisa, she sent the recipe to me in an e-mail and ended it with, "you may change your mind about posting it when you see the ingredients." 

Okay, I'll admit that I was a little horrified when I saw that the recipe calls for an entire bottle of Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn Oil, but then I reminded myself that this makes a whole lot of snack mix. Enough to feed a huge crowd for a tailgating party or a big group of friends and family. And yes, it really is made in a plastic trash bag, seeing as that its the only thing I can think of that is big enough to hold all of the ingredients. 

Lisa's Amazing Snack Mix aka 'Garbage Bag Trail Mix'

Ingredients

*1 family size box of Crispix corn cereal

*1 bag pretzels 

*1 (12-ounce) can cocktail peanuts 

*2 standard-sized bags of Combos or other cheese-filled cracker

*1 (12-ounce) box Cheez-It

*1 (20-ounce) box Honey Nut Cheerios

*1 (16-ounce) box Quaker Oat Squares

*1 (16-ounce) bottle Orville Redenbacker Popcorn Oil

*1 teaspoon onion salt

*1 tablespoon garlic powder

Instructions

*Add the onion salt and the garlic powder to the popcorn oil bottle. It will keep separating so you have to shake it up again right before adding it to the mix. 

*Put all the other ingredients together in a big plastic garbage bag. Gently roll the bag from side to side to mix the ingredients together.

*Add the oil mixture a little at a time while gently rolling the bag to mix together. Continue to roll a bit after all the oil is added. 

*When all the oil has been added, the mixture will be pretty oily. Do not fear! Transfer the mixture to gallon-sized zip top bags and allow to sit overnight. Mixture will store for up to two weeks in the zip top bags. 

Happy Cooking!

Madison

On Being Less Connected

A few weeks ago I read an interesting post on Beauty Bets. Although the site is primarily fashion, beauty and style-focused, every now and again there is a little gem of a post about something other than beauty products and the latest spa treatments I find myself dying to try.

In the post, the author talked about the idea of being less connected in our non-working hours, taking breaks to detox from outside distractions and the like. Specifically, they linked to this post, which I found unbelievably insightful and convicting to read. As someone who is a self-professed cell phone addict, constantly updating my Twitter status, reading posts on Facebook or checking e-mail, it's nice to be reminded that I need to just step away now and again.

If you have a chance, I highly recommend taking a few minutes to read through it. It's a great reminder of how important it is for all of us to guard our personal time away from work and keep some things sacred, such as spending time with family and friends.


Tell me: What do you all do to detox from technology? Do you have a set time you decide to quick checking your phone or e-mail each night? Or maybe you turn it off the minute you walk in the door?

For me personally, I love letting my work cell phone go dead on the weekends. When I was first given my work cell, I thought about moving to just having one phone for both work and personal use, but I'm glad I've kept the two separate so I can completely disconnect on the weekends.

Caramelized Onion Bean Dip

A couple weeks ago when Joey asked how I wanted to celebrate my birthday weekend, the answer was simple. All I really wanted to do was watch the Gators play football and have a weekend filled with relaxing, exercising, and eating some great tailgating food.

For Joey, that meant me making his mom's cheesy beef dip. I'll admit that I had a hard time buying Velveeta at the store, but seeing his face light up when I served it for the game was priceless.

For me, tailgating food means lots and lots of raw veggies served with some type of hummus/bean dip and maybe something sweet on the side. So when I saw Jenna's recipe for White Bean Dip with Pita Chips, I got to making my shopping list.

When I actually arrived at the store, the red onions were calling my name. I figured anything and everything tastes better with caramelized onions, including bean dip. So my version is slightly varied from the original I was inspired by. The results were outstanding, with a sweet-savory flavor profile and smooth consistency. And it makes a lot of dip, so be prepared to have leftovers or enough to serve a group!

Caramelized Onion Bean Dip
Adapted from Jenna at Eat Live Run  


Ingredients
*1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
*2 tablespoons olive oil
*2 cloves garlic, chopped
*Juice from 1/2 lemon
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
*1/2 teaspoon paprika
*1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
*2 (15-ounce) cans white beans (cannellini beans), rinsed and drained

Instructions
*In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion to the skillet and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the onions are softened and caramelized, stirring frequently.
*Add the garlic to the pan during the last three to four minutes of cooking. Remove from heat.
*Transfer the caramelized onion mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Add in the lemon juice, salt, black pepper, paprika, cumin and beans. Process until mixture is smooth, about three minutes, adding extra oil if necessary to reach desired consistency. Serve with fresh veggies or pita chips. To store, transfer to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

My 7 Links

I'm a little late to the game, but I'm finally getting around to doing my Seven Links post after being tagged by Emma a few weeks back. It was so much fun to dig through the Espresso and Cream archives to put this post together. I hope you enjoy!

Most Popular Post: Autumn Chopped Salad
    By far my most popular post has been my fall adaptation of a family-favorite salad recipe. This salad is one that my mom brings to every family gathering and everyone raves about it. The secret is the amazing dressing combination that is made with poppyseed dressing and balsamic vinaigrette. GIve it a try!

Most Beautiful Post: Our Wedding: The Ceremony 
    There aren't many words in this post, but I think the photos speak for themselves. It was, by far, the most beautiful day of my life and I was thrilled with how the photos captured the joy and excitement of the day.

Most Controversial Post: The Great Meat Debate
    My husband grew up on a cattle farm that raises cattle the traditional mass-produced way, as did my uncle and others in my family. And although I have a great respect and appreciation for meats raised free of hormones with plenty of room to roam, I also have a great deal of respect for the hard-working farmers in America's heartland. This post still continues to rustle up controversy.










Most Helpful Post: Green Cleaning: Stainless Steel
    My mom actually turned my onto this easy, green way to clean stainless steel. It's much more effective than any commercial cleaning product I've ever tried. My stainless steel bathroom fixtures and appliances look amazing - even my hubby noticed!

Surprise Success Post: Homemade Larabars 
    I had no idea that this recipe would be such a huge success. Thanks to some major play on StumbleUpon, a lot of people are now making Larabars at home, which I think is a great thing!

Post That Didn't Get the Attention It Deserved: The Only Chocolate Chip Cookie You'll Ever Need
    This cookie recipe really is out-stand-ing! I was blown away with how it seemed to capture the perfect balance between soft, chewy and crispy all in one cookie. And any cookie that can do all that is a winner in my book. If you're looking for that signature cookie, this would be the one.

Post I'm Most Proud Of: We Did It! 
    Running (and completing!) our first half marathon just five days before our wedding was such an amazing feeling of pride and accomplishment. Although people told us we were crazy for attempting such a feat before our big day, I was so happy we did it. Training together while preparing for marriage proved to be a great way to grow even closer.

Everyday Chocolate Loaf Cake

 

Thank you all for the happy birthday wishes and for your support as I balance a whole host of things that are piling onto my platter. I can promise you that I'll have more information for you about unspoken happenings by the end of the month.

Now, let's talk about cake. Although Joey and I celebrated my birthday with an ice cream cake this year, I made these little individual chocolate loaf cakes a few weeks back after spotting them on Smitten Kitchen for a little early birthday celebrating. 

Although I'm famous for not loving chocolate like most people seem to (including my hubby), something about this simple recipe called out to me. You see, when it comes to baking, there are few things I love more than a simple cake recipe. I guess I still believe deep down inside that cakes are supposed to be simple, Little House on the Prairie style. It makes absolutely no sense, I know. 

This recipe made enough cake to feed a small crowd, or a few hungry chocolate lovers for days on end. I found that dividing the batter among individual loaves as opposed to one giant loaf made it easier to freeze some of the cake and save it for later. Which, of course, comes in handy when the craving for chocolate strikes. 

Everyday Chocolate Loaf Cake 

Recipe just slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

*1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

*1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

*1/2 cup sugar

*1 large egg

*1 cup buttermilk

*1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*3/4 cup whole wheat flour

*3/4 cup all-purpose flour

*3/4 cup Dutch cocoa powder

*1/4 teaspoon baking soda

*1/2 teaspoon baking powder

*1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions 

*Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter three mini loaf pans (you can also just use one standard-sized loaf pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes). Line the bottom of the baking pans with parchment paper. Set aside. 

*In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs. Beat until just combined, followed by the buttermilk and vanilla. 

*In a large bowl, beat together the flours, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to the mixture in the bowl, beating until just combined. Do not overmix. Scrape down the batter from the sides of the bowl and transfer batter into the prepared pans. 

*Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

Happy Baking!

Madison

Delay in Posting

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

I wanted to check in and let you know that I'll be out of touch much of the rest of the week for some exciting things that will remain undercover for a few more weeks. Sorry, I hate it when other people say that. 

I'm also taking a little time to celebrate my birthday today! 

Thanks for being understanding and helping make this past year as wonderful as it has been!

-Madison

Homemade Chicken Nuggets and a Winner

Thank you so much to everyone who entered the coffee maker giveaway! Every time I do a giveaway on Espresso and Cream, I'm blown away by the large number of responses, and I was so entertained reading each of your responses about why you need coffee. Glad to know I'm among a group of passionate coffee drinkers. The winner of the giveaway is Em who said:

Please e-mail me (madisonjanemayberry@gmail.com) with your address and I will get your coffee maker in the mail asap!

And in the kitchen today, I've got yet another chicken recipe for you! We cook a lot of chicken at our house since it's one of Joey's favorite types of meat and I actually don't mind cooking it one bit. Although I've been a vegetarian for almost two years, I still enjoy preparing meat-based recipes. Having a hubby who loves to eat meat doesn't hurt either.

Last week we had a bit of a kid-tastic meal when I prepared chicken nuggets for dinner. Of course, the idea of buying packaged chicken nuggets makes my skin crawl so I set out to make my own version with real, white meat chicken and easy-to-identify ingredients.

Since I wanted the chicken nuggets to be light and crunchy, I used Panko bread crumbs, which are a Japanese-style bread crumb that results in a much crunchier coating than traditional Italian-style bread crumbs. These turned out great and we so darn easy to make. Just a few minutes to dip and toss and less than 15 minutes in the oven leaves you with chicken nuggets you can feel good about feeding to your family.

Homemade Chicken Nuggets
*2 large chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
*2 cups Panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
*1/2 teaspoon paprika
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
*1 cup Egg Beaters (liquid egg replacement)
*Ketchup (optional but highly recommended)

Instructions
*Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
*In a shallow bowl or large plate, combine the Panko, paprika, salt and black pepper. In a second shallow bowl place the Egg Beaters (you could substitute 3 large eggs beaten together if desired).
*Add chicken pieces to the Egg Beaters in the bowl. Piece by piece, add the egg-coated chicken pieces to the Panko. Toss gently to coat. Transfer coated pieces to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
*Bake chicken nuggets for 10 to 12 minutes, until Panko is browned and chicken is cooked through (165°F internal temperature).
*Serve chicken nuggets with ketchup, if desired. Serves 2.

Happy Cooking!

Madison