Quick and Easy

Easy (and Healthy) Tropical Granola

June 3, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Have you ever tried making granola at home? If you answered no, then you’d be amazed at just how simple it is! A little melting, a little mixing, a little toasting and your done. Yup. That’s all there is to it! But probably the best part about making granola in the comfort of your own home is the fact that you can customize it to fit your taste.

Customizing granola is incredibly easy. Add your favorite type of nuts. Try the dried fruits you like the most, and then get creative, try different combinations. Your options are endless. The version I have here has dried mangos, pineapple, papaya and some toasted and raw coconut. I also added some almonds and pistachios for another element of taste and texture. It’s delish!

If you’ve never made your own granola, what’s stopping you? The fact that you’d have to buy nuts and fruits, that you wouldn’t usually have in your pantry, in bulk? That you’d be stuck with excess after you made your granola? Well, I have an answer to cure those worries. Instead of buying those products in bulk, shop at stores that have the bulk bins that way you can scoop out what you need without having a lot of extra leftover.

I love keeping granola around our house. Not only is it a healthy snack, it’s quick and easy and ready to go at the drop of a hat. I find myself scooping it up by the handful enjoying it as I move from one task to the other. But not only is it a great snack while you’re on the go, it’s also perfect mixed into your favorite flavor yogurt. I always have a few containers of Greek yogurt on the hand, and when I find myself needing a little more substance, I mix in a few scoops of granola. It’s delicious, satisfying and quenchs my hunger!

Easy Tropical Granola

Ingredients:

2 Cups old fashioned oats
3 Tbsp flax seeds
1/4 Cup almonds, roughly chopped
1/4 Cup pistachios, roughly chopped
1/3 Cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 Cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
3 Tbsp raw honey
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 Tsp coconut extract
1/8 Tsp Siagon cinnamon
Pinch salt
1/3 Cup dried cranberries
1/3 Cup dried mangos*
1/3 Cup dried pineapple*
1/3 Cup dried papaya*

* 1 (7ounce) bag of tropical fruit trio can be used in place of the mangos, pineapples and papaya.
Directions:

Preheat oven to 325.

Combine honey and butter in a small saucepan and place over low heat to allow butter to melt. Increase heat, once butter has melted, and bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Allow mixture to boil for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add coconut extract, stir to combine.

In a large bowl combine oats, pistachios, almonds, flax seeds, cinnamon, and salt and stir to combine. Add the butter mixture to the oat mixture and stir to incorporate, making sure everything is coated. The mixture will seem dry at first, but continue stirring. The longer you stir the more the ingredients will combine with one another.

Transfer mixture to a rimmed baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring the mixture every 5-7 minutes. Remove granola from the oven when fully toasted and golden brown. Allow mixture to cool completely.

Once the mixture has cooled add the dried fruit, toasted and raw coconut and stir to combine. Place in airtight containers to store.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Open Faced Bacon, Avocado, and Egg Sandwiches

May 31, 2013 by Lynsey 2 Comments

Don’t you just love when delicious meals are born by a complete accident? I know I do. It always makes me smile when I start sorting through the tidbits of this and that in my fridge and pantry and I dicide to make something with some of those ingredients and it turns out amazing. Not only do I get to use up ingredients that were close to the point of being beyond use, I also make a delicious meal that ends up being a family favorite. Such was the case with this open faced sandwich.

I try not to do a whole lot of sandwiches for supper since Spencer and I both typically each sandwiches for lunch throughout the work week. On those occasions that I do decide to make sandwiches for supper, I try to make sure that they are unlike the ones that we eat on a daily basis. I know BLT’s aren’t out of the norm for a lot of people, but they are for me throughout the week. I like my bacon warm and crispy, and without frying it up fresh I just can’t achieve that taste I desire! So anything involving bacon is a great start for a sandwich for supper.

I have to say, I love a classic BLT. I think BLT’s are one of my all-time-favorite sandwiches. You can’t beat crispy bacon, fresh, cold lettuce, and ripe tomatoes. That combination is a classic and unbeatable. As much as I love a classic BLT, there are times where I like to twist things up from time to time and add a little flare to the traditional BLT. That’s what’s been done with this open faced sandwich!

Hands down, hot, crispy bacon and fresh sliced avocado make a great combo! Add a fried egg, ripe tomatoes, and a piece of buttered and toasted Texas toast and you’ve got the makings for a great and simple sandwich. This sandwich is comprised of simple ingredients that are all big on flavor, and all of those flavors marry so well when combined. Salty and crispy bacon, buttery avocado, fresh tomatoes, a fried egg with that delicious yolk and thick, hearty Texas toast. I’m telling ya, folks, it’s delicious.

This sandwich is so simple and so easy to assemble. The simplicity makes it great for those quick, week night suppers so many of us are very familiar with. But don’t just stop at supper, this sandwich could very easily be enjoyed for breakfast, brunch or even lunch. It’s a sandwich that’s perfect for any time of the day and for a quick fix meal for those families on the run.

Open Faced Bacon, Avocado and Egg Sandwiches

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon, cooked until crispy
2 Eggs, fried over easy
1 Ripe avocado, sliced
1 Small ripe tomato, thickly sliced
2 Pieces Texas toast, lightly buttered and toasted on each side
1/4 Cup white sharp cheddar, shredded

Directions:

Evenly divide the sliced avocado and place on the toasted bread. Followed by the tomato slices, then with 3 slices of bacon (per sandwich) and gently lay the fried eggs on top of the bacon. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over each of the sandwiches and serve immediately.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Cheeseburger French Bread

May 29, 2013 by Lynsey 1 Comment

What kind of pizza person are you? Are you a plain ol’ pepperoni and cheese type? Supreme? Sausage? Or do you get a little more adventurous with your toppings from time to time? I’ll tell you, there are times where I crave just a plain jane pepperoni pizza, but there are other times where my tastebuds will venture out and I’ll crave a cheeseburger pizza, or even something like this prosciutto, goat cheese, and jalapeno pizza. Toppings that are a bit different and that some wouldn’t even dream of putting on a pizza. But sometimes those random, “out there” toppings end up making the best pizzas!

Do you ever find yourself craving a pizza but you just don’t have the time (and/or desire) to make the dough and go through all those motions? I know I’ve been there several times. The other day, I was in the mood for pizza, it was getting late and I just didn’t have the time to make the dough and wait for it to rise. So, I took a step back in time and did what my parents did for me countless times when I was young. Whenever I was younger and I was craving a pizza and either we A) didn’t have the time to wait for it to bake or call it in or B) I was the only one craving pizza my parents would make me my very own pizza bread. They would get a hot dog bun or cut a loaf of bread in half, spread some sauce, toppings and cheese on it and pop it in the oven to melt the cheese and heat everything through. Even though it wasn’t a traditional pizza it was so sooo good and hit the spot every. single. time! After having these a few times I got to where I craved these more than I craved pizza. They were easy to throw together and I started getting involved in the preparation process; helping shred the cheese, layering in the toppings and so on. I had so much fun trying new toppings and helping my parents make my food.

Fast forward several years and the famous pizza bread made an appearance in my life again. For some reason I had gone years without making the stuff and I’m not quite sure why that happened. One day, my little man was craving pizza but I didn’t have any dough already made and he was beyond hungry. So what’s a mom to do when her little boy’s hungry and there’s no time to spare? Make lemonade out of lemons…or in this case, pizza out of french bread!

I already had a loaf of french bread, some browned ground beef and all the other toppings so I decided to make a cheeseburger french bread. Something easy, delicious and satisfying, a sinch to throw together. Tucker loves to help in the kitchen and he was eager to help when I was making his “special bread pizza”, so he pulled up a chair and helped spread the sauce, place the meat and sprinkle the cheese. I think more cheese made it in his mouth than on the actual bread, but there is something to be said for quality control! After we topped the bread, we popped it in the oven and let it bake a few minutes. The end result was a tasty bread that was full of flavor and that my entire family enjoyed!

This concept is so easy and so versatile. You can layer just about anything to suite the tastes of even the pickiest eaters. This is also perfect for gatherings, as you can make several different varieties so everyone can have their choice. This bread is also perfect for those quick, week night meals for those busy families and families on the go. You can have a satisfying and filling meal on the table in about 20-25 minutes. Throw a green or pasta salad together and call it good!

Cheeseburger French Bread

Ingredients:

1 Loaf french bread
1/4-1/2 Cup honey mustard(depending on how much sauce you like), recipe follows (or use store bought)
1/4 Cup pickles, chopped- home made or your favorite kind
1 Small tomato, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 Cup white onion, finely chopped
1 Cup ground beef, browned and drained
1-1 1/4 Cups sharp cheddard, shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut bread in half, lengthwise, and place on baking sheet. Place the bread in the preheated oven and toast until lightly crisp, about 5 minutes.

Remove bread from oven. Spread half of the honey mustard on one half of the bread, and the remaining on the other half. Top with a little over half of the ground beef, followed by 2 1/2 tablespoons of pickles, 2 1/2 tablespoons of onion, chopped tomato and shredded cheese. Top with remaining ground beef, pickles and onions and more cheese, if desired. Return to oven and bake about 10-15 minutes, until cheese has melted. Remove from oven, allow to set for 5 minutes then serve.

For the honey mustard-
2Tbsp yellow mustard
2 Tbsp brown mustard
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3-4 Tbsp honey

Mix all ingredients to combine.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

SRC: Jamba Juice Five Fruit Frenzy (Copy Cat Recipe)

May 27, 2013 by Lynsey 4 Comments

Believe it or not I’ve never actually had a beverage, or any other item for that matter, from Jamba Juice. The main reason being that we don’t have one in my state. However, I have heard of Jamba Juice, but when I tell you how I first heard of it you’re probably going to have a pretty good chuckle. But hey, it’s Monday and we all need a good laugh to start the week! The first time I ever heard of Jamba Juice was from the movie Baby Mama. Random, right? What’s more weird, the fact that I remember that I learned about it from that movie or the fact that I had never heard of it before then? But that’s the first time I ever heard of Jamba Juice, initially I thought it was a fictional business because I’d never heard of it until this movie but I quickly realized it was a real business that was very well known for all of their delicious smoothies and drinks.

I continue to hear amazing things about JJ, but I still have not actually had anything from there. So for this month’s secret recipe club assignment I was so excited to find a copy cat recipe for JJ on Emily’s blog, life on food. Now I could finally bring a taste of JJ to me, in my state, in my own home! Emily is native of Iowa, turned Georgian, back to Iowa, then to Maine for a short stint where there she became a total lobster snob. She had a brief semester in Paris, then back to Maine then to Connecticut, where she finally settled down, got a job and got married! She’s done quite a bit of moving and traveling but all of that going has helped her grow her love and passion for food. She’s always had a passion for food, however, she grew up with the kitchen helping her mom and grandmother (much like me!). Helping her family in the kitchen and being around the family table for meals seeded a love of food in her, and meals with family around the table are still a must to this day! Whether it’s an elaborate meal with special ingredients and techniques, more homestyle meals, or a simple smoothie; she finds the process of everything rewarding and relaxing.

This smoothie recipe wasn’t the first thing I came across while perusing Emily’s blog, she has so many different and delicious recipes and that made it so difficult to narrow down my choices and finally make a decision. I saw several recipes that sounded amazing, but I’ve been on a smoothie kick lately so I just kept going back to this recipe while I was browsing her blog. I’m so glad I decided to make this smoothie. It’s incredibly easy, full of flavor and it’s different than a lot of the smoothies I’ve been making lately.

Lately I’ve been on a green monster smoothie kick. Those things are amazing, and I think one of my favorite smoothies! But, it’s always good to have a little change every now and then and I was so excited to try this recipe. This smoothie is packed full of fruit, a little juice and that’s it. This differs from the green monster since it’s comprised of spinach and yogurt and a few fruits. This smoothie inspired by JJ is amazing; sweet, slightly tart and a great way to start your mornings…or even enjoy as an afternoon pick-me-up! I’m so glad I was finally able to have a little taste of Jamba Juice and if I ever get the opportunity to try an smoothie from there, definitely will!

SRC: Jambo Juice Five Fruit Frenzy

Ingredients:

1 Cup orange juice
1/3 Cup strawberries
1/3 Cup blueberries
1/3 Cup raspberries
1 Frozen banana*
1/2 Cup ice cubes

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until completely incorporated.

Recipe source: Life on Food inspired by Jamba Juice

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Salsa Verde Stacked Chicken Enchiladas

May 22, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I think it’s safe to say that we enjoy Mexican food at least once a week, whether we go out to eat at our favorite local restaurant or I make it at home. I have a weakness for the stuff; it’s amazing, delicious, full of flavor and so incredibly satisfying…and the margaritas with salt don’t hurt anything either! When I’m planning my weekly menus, I try to plan between 3-5 easier meals to make during the week and 1-2 more tedious, time consuming meals for the weekend. I try to make as much use of what little time I have once I get home, and the last thing I want to do is spend 3 hours in the kitchen after I get off work.

This recipe helps me accomplish serving a delicious, healthy and satisfying meal to my family without keeping me in the kitchen for hours. To make the meal assembly even faster, I boiled and shredded the chicken Sunday afternoon then stored it in the refrigerator until I was ready to use it. Once the day came to make these stacked enchiladas, it was simply a matter of chopping a few items then layering the ingredients and baking.

These enchiladas are different than most since the ingredients are layered, rather then each tortilla being individually stuffed and rolled up. It makes the preparation and assembly process a lot easier, making this the ideal meal for busy families. This is also an ideal recipe for hellp from those little helpers. My son loves being in the kitchen with me, and since this is just a simple layering process why not let the kiddos come in and help sprinkle some meat and cheese!

This meal is so simple but huge in flavor. I think the salsa verde packs so much flavor, that there really isn’t need for a lot of extra spices and seasonings. Pair that with delicious, moist shredded chicken, gooey melted Monterey Jack and salty feta with a hefty helping of fresh chopped cilantro and sweet red onion and you’ve got a meal that will please your whole family!

Salsa Verde Stacked Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

3lb Chicken thighs*
2 Tbsp salt
15 Corn tortillas
4 Cups (approximately 32 oz) salsa verde, homemade or store bought
1 lb Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/4 Cup finely diced red onion
1/2 Cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 Cup crumbled queso anejo cheese or other crumbly, salty cheese such as feta

Directions:

Place chicken in a large stock pot and cover with water. Add salt and cover. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Allow the chicken to simmer about 20-25 minutes, until cooked through. Drain chicken and allow to cool until cool enough to touch. Remove the meat from the bones, discarding the bones and skin. Shred the chicken and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour 1 cup of salsa verde in the bottom of the pan and spread evenly. Place a layer of tortillas (approximately 4) over the salsa verde, tearing one in half to form a complete layer. Top with 1 cup of chicken, 1 cup of shredded cheese, and 1 Cup salsa verde. Repeat the layering process with the remaining ingredients, ending wtih tortillas. Top with remaining salsa verde and jack cheese.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and place back in the oven and bake until cheese is bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with red onion, cilantro and queso anejo or feta. Serve immediately.

*For even less prep time use Rotisserie or grilled frozen chicken.

Recipe source: Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Easy Salsa Verde

May 9, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Green and pink are my all time favorite colors. But let’s focus on green for a minute, shall we? Looking around right now I spot several things that are green; my wallet, my carryall bag, and my planner. So, it’s quite obvious to any passersby that I’m fond of green, lime and avocado green to be exact! Green is just a happy color; it’s bright, refreshing, fun and it’s also closely associated with the onset of Spring and Summer which are happy and fun too. Other than flowers and plants, one of the first things I think about when Spring roles around is being outside. Cookouts. Baseball games. Float trips. Being at the lake. Or just being out is the back yard, I love it all.

When I think of cookouts, bbqs, or any other outdoor parties I think of easy foods to bring or serve. One of my favorite easy appetizers are dips. They are versatile, most of them take little to no time to assemble and they can sit out with no maintenance. Lately I’ve been on a salsa kick. I mean I have a weakness for salsa anyway, but lately it’s been more intense than normal. I’m a sucker for it, what can I say? I love all salsas, but lately I’ve been addicted to the green stuff. My favorite color! No, I’m not addicted to it because of the color…although that does hurt. I love the flavor of it!

When I go to Mexican restaurants salsa is a must, as well as cheese dip and salsa verde. I love the green stuff, it’s so good. Since my infatuation with salsa has grown immensly, I decided it was due time to make some of the green stuff at home. This salsa verde is delicious, full of flavor and takes no time to throw together. It’s a matter of giving the ingredients a rough chop and then tossing them in the food processor and giving them a quick pulse to get that perfect salsa consistency. The end result is nothing less than amazing. Spicy, slightly sweet, a little tangy, light and fresh; this salsas got it all. We enjoyed this batch not only as a dip but in some stacked enchilidas (recipe to come soon!) and it was amazing.

Easy Salsa Verde

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Lbs (approximately 5-6) Tomatillos, husks removed and quartered
1 Medium white onion, quartered
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Jalapeno pepper, quartered and majority of the seeds removed
1/2 Cup cilantro
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to achieve desired consistency and to combine. Taste, adjust seasonings if needed and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Store in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for upto two weeks.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Chocolate Chip, Heath Cookie Dough Dip

May 3, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Last Thursday I made an appearance on a local news station to talk about my little blog and to share a few different recipes. The three goodies I made were Samoa Monkey Bread, Snickers Stuffed Skillet Cookie and this dip. While all three items were a hit, I think this dip was the most popular treat, hands down. Before we could even present the segment on air, some of the staff couldn’t resist, they just had to dive in and see what this was all about. Then they couldn’t stop after one bite, they just kept coming back for seconds, thirds, fourths and so on. Ever since my interview aired I’ve been receiving emails and phone calls requesting the recipe for this dip. Well, the wait is over!

This dip is nothing short of amazing. First and foremost, it gives you the satisfaction of that raw cookie dough that so many of us enjoy but without the raw eggs. And it takes less time to throw together too, not that cookie dough takes much time to make anyway. Now that’s a win win if you ask me!

If you haven’t noticed by now, sweets are definitely a weakness of mine. If it’s got chocolate, sugar, butterscotch, frosting…you name it then I’m going to eat it. While I love being in the kitchen baking my heart out, there are times where I find myself in a bind. There are times where I need something sweet for a get together or party, but I don’t need it to be the typical cupcakes, cake, or cookies. Then there are those times that I need something to take to a friend’s house, but it’s last minute and I don’t have time to wait for something to bake. So what’s a girl to do in a situation like this? Dilemmas I tell ya!

Well, now when you find yourself in such a predicament you can whip up some of this dip. This dip is extremely easy, pretty much effortless to make and takes no time to put together. It’s a matter of mixing the cream cheese and a few other ingredients, then folding in the fresh whipped cream. Allow the mixture to chill for a bit and then you’re set. So simple, right?

This dip is amazing, and amazingly addictive. You’ll find yourself making this all the time, because it is so good and because it’s so stinkin’ easy to make. This dip is slightly rich, because of the cream cheese but it’s quickly balance by the light, airiness the whipped cream brings to the dish. You’ve got it all with this dip; rich, light, sweet, and chocolate. I love to use pretzels to dip in this dip to add a little saltiness to the plate. I’ve also served this with vanilla wafers and graham crackers and they are as equally delicious. You’ll be happy with whatever you scoop this dip with, just be sure you make the did! I need some fellow addicts!

Chocolate Chip, Heath Cookie Dough Dip

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream
1 (8oz) Block cream cheese, room temperature
3 Tbsp butter, room temperature
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Cup powdered sugar
3/4 Cup chocolate chips
1/3 Cup heath bits with chocolate

Directions:

Beat heavy whipping cream on high until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Place butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl and beat on medium-high until incorporated and smooth. Add the brown sugar and mix to combine. Add the powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time and mix to combine. Once all of the ingredients are incorporated add the chocolate chips and heath bits and stir. Lastly, add the whipped cream and gently fold to incorporate.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Teedo’s Famous Salsa

May 1, 2013 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Okay folks, we are T-minus 5 days and counting until Cinco De Mayo! Are you excited? I know I am! I look for any excuse to enjoy a hefty dose of Mexican food; cheese dip, salsa, guacomole, pico, enchiladas, fajitas…I love it all and I think I could eat my weight in Mexican food every. single. day. If you do need an excuse, which I don’t, what better reason to enjoy Mexican food than on the ever so popular Cinco De Mayo?

Now that I’ve confessed I could eat twice my weight in dips and other foods, why not enable you to do the same thing? No, I’m not trying to make myself feel better by giving you the means to do the same thing. I promise. I’m just trying to share a tasty recipe with you so that you can enjoy some refreshing salsa this Sunday…or any day for that matter!

I have a weakness for salsa. I love it. I won’t go into the specifics of how I prefer my salsa but if you are interested you can read about it here. Now, for the most part all salsa is comprised of the same basic ingredients; tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers and cilantro. There are plenty of other spices and ingredients that can be added to achieve the desired flavor and texutre, but they are all start with the same thing. This salsa, however, differs from the traditional salsa just a bit. The most significant difference is recipe is the addition of avocados. Yes, avocados.

Before reading this recipe the thought of adding avocados to salsa had never crossed my mind. But Jenny’s dad not only thought of it, but actually did it and let me tell ya, it’s amazing. This salsa is delicious, full of flavor and so simple and quick to make. It’s a matter of throwing all of the ingredients into a food processor, putting the lid on and pulsing until you achieve the desired consistency. That’s it!

This salsa stores wonderfully in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, not that it lasts that long at my house! We can’t get our fill of this stuff; the fire roasted tomatoes add a terrific smokey flavor, the onion adds a slight kick, the cilantro adds a fresh, bright flavor, the lime adds a bit of tartness while also keeping the avocados from turning brown! All of the flavors marry together wonderfully, providing a delicious and refreshing dip!

Teedo’s Famous Salsa

Ingredients:

1 (14.5oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes*
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
2 Avocados, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
1/2 White onion, roughly chopped
2 Cups fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 Clove garlic, minced
Juice of half a lime
Kosh salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

*If you can’t find fire-roasted, petite diced tomatoes are fine too.

Directions:

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until desired consistency is achieved. Taste, adjust seasonings if needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Store in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Recipe source: slightly adapted from The Picky Palate Cookbook by Jenny Flake
For other delicious recipesbe sure to check out the Picky-Palate blog

Snickers Stuffed Skillet Cookie…and my t.v. debut

April 26, 2013 by Lynsey 2 Comments

I have some exciting news, folks! Yesterday I made my television debut. Can you guess what it was for? I won’t keep you waiting. It was to talk about my blog! My little, ol’ blog. Eeeeek! This little debut has been in the works for a few months. Can I just say I was beyond flattered when I recieved an email from the morning producer at a local news station? My jaw literally dropped when I read the email and learned that they were interested in me and my blog. I quickly composed myself and responded to let her know that I would love the opportunity to appear on their show to talk about my blog and food. I mean who doesn’t love to talk about food? After much correspondence we nailed down a date and time and a few other details. Once all that was taken care of it was a matter of me planning what to make to present on the segment. That was the hard part!

I started browsing recipes on my blog, recipes I had bookmarked and recipes that I had been developing. I wanted it to be perfect, this is t.v. people! I knew I wanted to present at least three things, but I didn’t want it to be three of the same thing. I finally determined two of the three, one being this skillet cookie. I decided on the skillet cookie since A) I am such a fan of cookies and B) since I’ve been on a skillet cookie kick lately (that’s a tongue twister!). A cookie of some sort had to make an appearance! The second item I knew I wanted to bring was the Samoa Monkey Bread. This monkey bread was a hit with Spencer and Tucker as well as my brother and sister-in-law…and guys on the news too!

The third item was the one throwing me for a loop! What do I do? Another baked good? Another sweet dish? A dip? The wheels in my little ol’ head were just a spinning. I finally decided on a dip. But not a savory dip, a sweet dip of course. I mean these people had been up since before the crack of dawn, they needed sugar, they needed a boost and I was just the person to provide the goodies! So the last thing I decied to make was chocolate chip heath cookie dough dip (to be posted next week!).

Me and Mallory after the segment. How cute is she?

So now that I had the date, time and recipes it was a matter of testing the recipes and making sure everything was in order. We needed to practice a little quality control and that meant my family and friends had to sacrifice and taste all these things I was making. It’s a hard job, but someone has to do it and I have the support system that will “belly up” and take one for the team!

This skillet cookie is amazingly delicious and simple! Two things I love in a recipe; one that’s not a lot of fuss to assemble and that tastes oh. so. good! This skillet cookie fits that bill on all levels. It’s a one pot dish, literally. All the mixing and cooking takes place in a cast iron skillet. No mixer or fancy tools needed here. It’s a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe that is mixed up and baked in a skillet. A since it’s in a skillet…that means bigger pieces which means more deliciousness to inhale in one sitting!

This particular recipe is taken up a few notches though…it’s got good stuff between two layers of a chewy, chocolate chip cookie. I love a good chocolate chip cookie, I think I could eat my weight in them! Give me a chocolate chip cookie stuffed with caramel and Snickers and sprinkled with a little salt. Well, then I would just be in heaven. But let’s not stop there. Let’s not make a dozen or two small cookies, let’s make one giant cookie and let’s bake it in a skillet. Oh yeah! That’s the good stuff!

I love love love this cookie right now. One of the best things about it is you can customize it with whatever add-ins you want. Reese’s peanut butter cups, Milky Ways, caramel sauce and pecans, marshmallow cream…I mean the options are endless! This has quickly become a favorite in my house. It looks like it was a favorite in the news room too; I only had a slice left by the time it was all said and done! I’m sure it will become a favorite in your home too!

I had a blast on the show yesterday! All of the anchors, producers, camera techs and the rest of the staff were amazing. I was a bit nervous when I first got there, but everyone was no nice and quickly put my nerves at ease. I chatted with everyone before the segment, and when it was time to go on the air I was ready to chat about food! Thanks again to the amazing staff at KARK4 for this amazing opportunity and experience!

Snickers Stuffed Skillet Cookie

Ingredients:

1 Stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 Tsp vanilla
1 Egg
3/4 Cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 Cups flour
1/2 Tsp baking soda
1/4 Tsp salt
1 Cup chocolate chips
1 Cup (about 5 Fun Size) Snickers, chopped
1/4 Cup caramel sauce
1/2-1 Tsp sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Place butter in a 12 inch skillet and place over low heat allowing butter to melt. Once the butter has melted remove skillet from heat, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and stir to combine. Add vanilla and stir to combine.

Add the flour, baking soda and salt and stir to incorporate. Add the egg and mix. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Divide the dough in half, leave half in the pan and set the other half aside. Gently press the dough into an even layer in the skillet. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the cookie, followed by the chopped Snickers. Crumble the remaining dough evenly over the caramel and Snickers layer. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Easy Restaurant Style Salsa

April 18, 2013 by Lynsey 1 Comment

Let’s chat a little bit about salsa, shall we? I love salsa. I mean LOVE salsa. It’s one of those things that is so simple, but with the right seasonings, it’s amazing. Salsa is one of those things that I could eat anytime, any day, and everyday. It’s a weakness of mine.

I am a little picky about my salsa and the way it’s served. Some people like it room temperature. But, I’m not one of those people. I like my salsa cold, I mean straight from the fridge cold. I’m not a fan of lukewarm salsa. I don’t know why, I’m just not. To me, it tastes better when it’s chilled.

I don’t like it too thick either. If it’s too thick it’s like eating tomato paste. No big chunks either. I don’t want everything pureed to the point of not being recognized, but I like everything finely diced. I like it a little juicy, while still having some texture.

I am also a big fan of cilantro. I love cilantro in general, I mean it definitely makes anything better! So, the more cilantro the better! I think people will be divided on my next prerequisite, but I love the addition of vinegar to salsa. I love the acidity it brings. I’m not talking a ton of acidic flavor, but I think a hint of it definitely adds so much to the overall flavor.

So now that you know all of my specifics, when it comes to salsa we can move on! I know you were curious! Anyway, making salsa at home allows me to have control over all of these things; the texture, taste, amount of vinegar, cilantro and the temperature. Believe it or not, it’s easier than you think to make a delicious salsa at home.

If you have a food processor or blender in your kitchen then you can whip up a batch of fresh, delicious salsa in no time. There are no special ingredients in the salsa either, this recipe consists of ingredients that are staples in my pantry. So anytime I start craving a good batch of salsa I just go in my kitchen, throw all the ingredients in the food processor, blend it and then pop it in the fridge and allow to chill for a few minutes. That’s it! Now that you have the ingredients, you’re just a few steps from fresh salsa anytime you want it too!

Easly Restaurant Style Salsa

Ingredients:

2 (14.5oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 Large jalapeno
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Onion
Juice of 1 lime
1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 Cup cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch of sugar

Directions:

Remove stem and most seeds* from jalapeno, cut in half and set aside. Cut onion in quarters. Roughly chop cilantro.

Place tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, garlic, vinegar and cilantro in a food processor and pulse several times until desired consistency is achieved. Season with salt, pepper and lime juice and pulse a few more times to incorporate. Taste, adjust seasonings if needed and refrigerate until ready to serve.

*I left some seeds in for additional heat. However, if you are sensitive to heat then remove all of the seeds. Additionally, if you just want the flavor of the jalapeno and none of the spice, cut the jalapeno in half and remove seeds and soak in ice water for about 15-20 minutes before using.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

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