Fresh Green Beans

E,

I decided to make a nice meal last week to celebrate my new job. I served a roasted chicken (which turned out B-E-A-U-Tiful by the way), some mashed potatoes and I grabbed some green beans on my out of the grocery store. Upon returning home and getting ready to fix dinner, I decided I had no idea how I wanted to prepare them. Steam them? Boil them? Saute them in bacon grease like I usually do? Nah, I was looking for something different. That's when I came across a recipe from the Pioneer Woman (IS THERE ANYTHING THIS WOMAN CAN'T COOK??) Anyway, it was a really fantastic dish. Easy and delicious!

Ingredients:
1 pound Green Beans
2 Tablespoons Bacon Grease (can Substitute 1 Tablespoon Butter And 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil)
2 cloves Garlic
1 cup Chopped Onion
1 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Chopped Red Bell Pepper (I didn't have any red bell pepper so I omitted this ;))
1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper To Taste

Directions:

1. Snap the stem ends of the green beans
2. Melt bacon grease in a skillet over medium low heat. Add garlic and onions and cook for a minute. 3. Then add green beans and cook for a minute until beans turn bright green.
4. Add the chicken broth, chopped red pepper, salt and black pepper. Turn heat to low and cover with a lid, leaving lid cracked to allow steam to escape. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until liquid evaporates and beans are fairly soft, yet still a bit crisp.

White Russian Cupcakes

Erin,

White Russians have quickly become my new favorite cocktail. There is nothing better than watching The Big Lebowski on a Saturday night with a white russian in hand. I came across this recipe the other day and it sounded super complicated, but it's not at all! It was simple and delicious and tasted like actual white russian. Great cupcakes for when you want to impress someone in your life ;) (Makes 12 cupcakes)

Cupcake Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 large egg and 1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

1/8 cup Vodka

1/4 cup Kahlua, divided

Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a seperate bowl or in a stand mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until combined. Add egg and egg white, one at a time. Then add the vanilla, Vodka, and 1/8 cup of Kahlua. Gradually add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, ending with the flour mixture.

3. Bake 17 -20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcakes comes out clean. While the cupcakes are still warm, brush the tops with the remaining 1/8 cup Kahlua. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting. 

 

Kahlua Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

1 stick of butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

pinch of salt

3 - 4 tablespoons Kahlua

 

Directions:

Beat butter until creamy. Add salt. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until combined. Add Kahlua 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency.

Clean Eating Pasta Salad

What you will need:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
8 oz whole grain penne pasta
4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese cut into cubes
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to directions
2. Let pasta cool
3. Mix olive oil and lemon juice and soak tomatoes in mixture for 15 minutes
4. Combine all ingredients and serve cold

Greek Orzo Salad

What you will need:

2 cups orzo pasta

1/4 cup kalamata olives

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1/4 cup feta cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 

Directions:

1. Cook orzo according to directions on box; drain

2. Put in large bowl and add olive oil to prevent from sticking

3. Toss olives, pepper, onion and cheese into the pasta

4. Add vinegar

 

Serve cold

I usually cook this the night before work and take it for lunch with grilled chicken and black beans. It's so good!