S’moregasbord of S’mores
What’s your favorite s’mores combination? Do you reach for the original; marshmallow, graham cracker, chocolate bar? Or do you break out your own version of a gourmet s’more? While I do enjoy an OG every once in awhile, I much prefer to push the limits of traditional campfire sweets. So much variety can be added just by switching up the vessel for your marshmallow. All it takes is a quick look down the cookie aisle at the local grocery store. The vessel options are endless! S’more Vessels Graham Crackers (standard issue) Chocolate Graham Crackers Fudge Stripe Cookies Chocolate Chip Cookies Oreos® Nutter Butters® Grasshopper Cookies Ritz Crackers® Keebler Club Crackers® (my personal fav) Now that you’ve got some ideas for your vessel, let’s move on to the innards of the s’more. Aside from all the flavored marshmallows you can purchase or make, there are so many chocolate/candies and fillings to…
Mexican Street Corn
Roasted, piping hot corn, coated in cheese and a sprinkling of spice. Is your mouth watering yet? If you haven’t tried Mexican Street Corn yet, what are you waiting for? I first experienced Mexican Street Corn from a food truck specializing in Mexican street food favorites. From my first bite, I was transported to the oceanside streets of Puerto Vallarta and heard Mariachi bands playing. Ok, maybe no Mariachi bands, I guess it was the sounds of train whistles and rumbling of train tracks, you know, the normal sounds of downtown Fargo. Ingredients The ingredients to this recipe are few, but the flavors of smokey cumin and the saltiness of the cotija cheese explode when they hit your tongue. Here’s what you’ll need for Mexican Street Corn: Butter Fresh or Frozen Sweet Corn (If I have to go frozen, fire roasted corn is my go to) Mayonnaise (Say what?? Just…
Crispy Oven Baked Taquitos
Tired of the same old hard shell tacos? Turn your Taco Tuesday upside down with these easy to make, crispy taquitos. No need to stink up the house with a deep fryer, these taquitos develop their crispiness in the oven, making them a healthier option than their fried counterparts. From poultry to beef or even vegetarian, the taquito filling can be made to suit your particular culinary desires. You can use ground chicken, turkey or beef, or if you want more texture, use pulled chicken or beef. If using beans, you can skip ahead a few steps and go straight to filling and rolling the tortillas. For the meat version, you’ll start by cooking your choice of protein in a hot skillet. Once your protein is fully cooked and looking all nice and brown, add in 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning and if you’re feeling spicy a tablespoon of chipotle…
Tex-Mex Tater Tot Hotdish
Shall we start out with the long debated hotdish vs casserole? It all boils down to where in the country you reside. In my region of the country, there is no such thing as casserole. Tater Tot Hotdish, Tuna Noodle Hotdish, Hamburger Hotdish, Enchilada Hotdish…I can keep going. Ok, fine, there’s one dish that can be called a casserole, but we only eat it once a year; Green Bean Casserole reserved solely for Thanksgiving. Now, Tater Tot Hotdish/Casserole gets a bad rap, mostly from our younger days when we were forced to eat this nearly inedible meal in the school cafeteria. But, I am here to redeem this underrated hotdish! As the saying goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” So, if you’ve been scarred by the ghost of hotdish past, let me heal those scars and open your eyes to the beauty of this Tuned-Up Tex-Mex Hotdish!…
Almond Cake
Raise your hand if you like cake! Raise your hand if you like almond flavored desserts! If you like one or both, this almond cake recipe is for you. This recipe has been a family favorite for many years, likely due to our Scandinavian roots and the simple fact that we can’t get enough of almond flavoring. Almond cake is buttery, moist (apologies to those who dislike the word), and downright delicious. You can serve it up with fresh fruit, ice cream or if you’re feeling over-the-top serve it up with both. If you’re an almond cake purist like me, you just eat it plain anytime of day, breakfast included. This cake is an amazing side to your cup of coffee. All the Almond Goodness To start out, gather up your ingredients, there’s only 7, so hurry up and get after it. There is one caveat; the original recipe calls…
Chocolate Banana Bread
How many times have you made banana bread in your life? If you’re like me, you can’t even fathom a number. Hundreds? Thousands? It doesn’t matter though, because once you try this Chocolate Banana Bread recipe, you’ll need to start the count over. In the world of banana breads; this recipe is a game changer! My family has always enjoyed a good sprinkling of chocolate chips in banana bread, so when I presented this version, there was no turning back. Not only are there chocolate chips, there’s also cocoa powder for a double dose of chocolate; think brownies with a healthy banana spin. This banana bread is so moist, delicious, sweet and savory. You’ll want to have a glass of cold milk within reach. Banana bread recipes have been blowing up my Instagram feed lately, but this recipe for chocolate banana bread from Maria at Two Peas & Their Pod…
Anything & Everything Egg Bake
When you’re in a bind for breakfast and you want something that’s quick and can feed a crowd, egg bakes are the way to go. The best thing about an egg bake, is that you can whip it up quickly in the morning or make it the night before and store it in the fridge. This recipe bakes up quickly in about 30 minutes and we’re calling this the “Anything & Everything Egg Bake,” because you can customize it to your own liking or the liking of your guests. Ingredients When making this recipe, the only requirements are eggs and milk. The rest of the add-ins are up to your own discretion. Here’s what I used this time around. Eggs Half & Half Hashbrowns Cheddar and Colby Jack Cheese Diced Ham Red Pepper Yellow Pepper Roasted Poblano Pepper Yellow Onion Seasonings Season Salt Pepper Garlic Powder Trader Joe’s Mushroom &…
Colossal Cinnamon Roll
When it comes to a warm, gooey cinnamon roll, who doesn’t want to dive into one that is as big as your head?One can be content with a small, single serve roll, but why not “roll” out the red carpet for yourself or house guests and showcase the epitome of breakfast pastries. This recipe was created by Sally at Sally’s Baking Addiction. I’ve been following her on Instagram and she recently issued a challenge to try your hand at creating this colossal pan of deliciousness. When presented with this challenge, I accepted it with vigor and a full backing from my cinnamon roll loving husband. He told me if it took multiple tries, he would gladly eat any and all failures or successes. So let’s get this challenge rolling! The best part of this recipe, is that it mostly consists of pantry staples; flour, sugar, salt, a packet of yeast,…
Dunkaroo Dip
Squeeze Its, Oreo O’s, Surge, Cookie Crisp and Green Ketchup; what happened to all our favorite 90’s treats? Honestly, I can do without those snacks, but what I truly miss are Dunkaroos, a snack pack of cookies and icing. If you’re like me and you spent the 90’s in elementary school, you knew you’d be the envy of all your friends if you pulled a Dunkaroos pack out of your lunch box. Now, if you didn’t grow up in the 90’s you’re probably wondering what the heck is a Dunkaroo. Well, I pity you, because you probably only know this type of snack as cookies and frosting or cake batter dip. It’s too bad you can’t use the cool kid terminology of Dunkaroos. When I reminisce about the good ol’ days, I can still remember savoring the sweetness of this snack. There’s just something about the kangaroo shaped graham crackers…
Clump Dip
Don’t let the name of this dip scare you away. Yes, I have to admit, it is not the most glamorous name, but it is an oh, so tasty dip. Not only is it tasty, it is also super easy to make. It is one of those recipes that you just “dump” until it “looks right.” I will do my best to translate my “looks right” into actual amounts. The easiest way to measure the ingredients is to remember you need equal parts cream cheese and sour cream. This takes out the guess work of making a smaller or larger batch. Who am I kidding, you’ll never need to make a smaller batch because of how fast this dip gets eaten. After combining the cream cheese and sour cream add the salsa, green chiles, jalapeños and shredded cheese. Mix it all together and voila you’re finished. Grab those chips and…