Easy Weeknight (Dessert) Recipe: Pineapple Crumble

   I love a dessert that is easy to throw together with ingredients I already have on hand. Nothing pleases me more than transforming a few simple items into something extraordinarily delicious. The other night I found myself craving something sweet, but it being the day before grocery day, I was left with little options to choose from. So I grabbed a few ingredients from the pantry and fridge, mixed them up together and tossed it into the oven. The results were nothing short of amazing. ;)

   Simple Pineapple Crumble

 

You will need:

• Pineapple, sliced and diced (I used one whole pineapple but in a pinch you could use canned, just drain the liquid first. Also, feel free to substitute ANY fruit in place of the pineapple. :))
• 1-2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
• 1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 1 Cup Flour 
• 1/4 Cup + 2-4 Teaspoons Butter, diced small

To Make:
 
   First you want to preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Next, "grease" your oven-safe dish or ramekins (I used two ramekins for single serving desserts) with butter. Toss your diced pineapple (or other fruit) with the 2 tbs brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Pour into the dish or separate equally  into each ramekin. For the topping, mix together equal parts brown sugar and flour. Then add the diced, cold butter and cinnamon. Using a fork or your hands, mash the butter into the dried mixture. You will want to do this until all of the topping has some butter and is crumbly. I used my hands and just "massaged" the butter into the dry ingredients until it was all incorporated. Spoon the topping over each ramekin or the entire baking dish. Top with a few teaspoons of sliced butter and bake for about 30-35 minutes, until topping is brown and the sides are bubbling. Let cool slightly and enjoy with vanilla ice cream!


   I hope you enjoy this weeks' recipe and let us know if you try it with any other fruit in the comments section below! Thank you and have a great week! Like always, keep it clean!

 

 

Easy Weeknight Recipe: Spaghetti Bread

   I love to cook Italian food, especially the old fallback, spaghetti. It was the first dish I ever made on my own and it's always a good stand-by for nights when you don't feel like "cooking." However, if you're anything like me, you are TERRIBLE at measuring those tall, thin, spaghetti noodles. I always over-think the amount that goes into the pot, add more at the last minute, and then end up with a huge pile of cooked pasta. What's a girl (or guy!) to do with all of the left overs? Two words: Spaghetti Bread.
   I came across a pin for this recipe on Pinterest and have been wanting to make my own version for quite awhile. With leftover spaghetti from the lazy night before, I created a next day meal that you won't want to wait for! Here's what you need to get started:

• cooked spaghetti noodles (though I imagine this would work with any pasta)
• marinara or spaghetti sauce
• mozzarella cheese (cubed or shredded)
• pizza dough (store-bought or you can use my recipe here. :))
• optional: garlic powder, dried basil, coconut milk/eggwash, mixed veggies, meats, ect.

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the pasta and marinara together with any veggies or other additions. Like I said, mine was leftover so it was already mixed and had cooked red onion/pepper as well. Now you want to roll your pre-made pizza dough out on the counter, or onto some parchment paper, into a large rectangle. Then, pile the spaghetti in the center of the dough. Next add a layer of cheese, cubed or shredded, onto the spaghetti. You will then cut along the dough so there is an even amount of flaps on both sides. Then braid the flaps together, tucking in both ends. Next you can brush the top with either an eggwash (egg + water) or a little coconut milk. I then sprinkled with garlic powder, basil, and a little salt and pepper. Parmesan cheese would have been delightful on top as well, but I was lacking that. Now you will bake in the oven for 35 minutes until nicely brown. Let cool as long as you can and then serve!
   This makes a lot of food and would pair nicely with a light salad for your next dinner party! It's like French bread and spaghetti that you can eat in one bite! Until next time, stay hungry and let us know how your spaghetti bread turns out in the comments section below! :)

Pizza Cupcakes!

   I love to experiment and have fun in my kitchen. I also loooove pizza. After perfecting my pizza dough recipe (took a few years to get the proportions just right!), I soon became bored with making the same old pie. So, with a little inspiration, I give to you:

Pizza Cupcakes!

You will need: 

• Pizza dough (homemade or store-bought, though I highly recommend the former - recipe below ;))
• Marinara or pizza sauce (again, homemade or store-bought)
• Mozzarella cheese (regular or vegan, shredded)
• Pepperoni (regular or vegan, diced small)
• Oil (I use coconut oil for this)
• Cupcake pan (or a muffin pan for pizza muffins!)

If making your own dough, you'll also need:

• 2 1/4 teaspoon yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup bread flour (or all-purpose flour + 1 tbs vital wheat gluten)
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbs oil (I use grapeseed in mine)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup warm water

   To make the dough, add the yeast and sugar to the cup of warm water. Let sit until bubbles form. Then add the rest of your ingredients. Knead the dough to form a soft ball. Let rise, covered in a bowl, for 30 minutes to an hour, or until doubled in size. Mine usually doesn't  take long to rise at all! Once risen, punch the dough in the center and then knead again briefly. Now your dough is ready to use!

   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease your cupcake pan using the coconut oil and a paper towel. Then pinch off enough dough to cover the bottom of the cupcake pan. Spread it out and make sure some of the dough is coming up the sides. Now you'll spoon a little marinara on top of the dough and coat evenly. Then sprinkle on the cheese and diced pepperoni. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until the tops are brown and the cheese is melted. Let cool briefly and enjoy your cute mini pizzas! :)

   Thank you for letting me share this recipe with you! It's a hit for both kids and adults and is super easy to make. Have fun in the kitchen and as always, stay clean!!!

Easy Pickled Okra!

   Pickling is a process of preserving foods by utilizing anaerobic fermentation. The product is placed in a brine which is usually a mixture of salt, water, and vinegar. Marinating in the brine, over time the food will become pickled resulting in a typically sour or salty taste.
  Pickling can preserve foods for up to a year, so learning to make and can these creations is a basic life skill that will no doubt benefit you in the long run. Not to mention, by making your own pickles and pickled products you can save tons of money per year! Pickling is also one of the safer canning techniques because the acidity of the brine plus the fermentation help to keep harmful microorganism at bay. This process is virtually fool-proof and perfect for beginners!
  I did a lot of research from various websites before beginning my pickled endeavor. I decided upon pickled okra because it was a childhood favorite of mine. People literally would give me jars of the stuff for my birthday and Christmases growing up! I used this website for the base of my project, however, in my typical fashion I added my own twist and variations. Here's how you can make your own! :)

You will need:

1. 1 pound okra, trimmed (or not, I am lazy and skipped this part)
2. 4 small dried red chiles (I used fresh jalapeno, sweet peppers, and red pepper flakes)
3. 2 bay leaves
4. 2 garlic cloves, halved (or more depending on your taste!)
5. 1 teaspoon dill seeds
6. 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
7. 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
8. 1 1/2 cups water
9. 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
10. 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt 
11. 2 pint sized Mason or other canning jars 
12. Large pot, kitchen towel, tongs, and a funnel

   This recipe calls for only one teaspoon of the spices between two jars. I ended up adding a whole teaspoon PER jar because I like things on the spicier, more potent side! You can do whatever you feel would best suit your flavor needs. You can also add things like onion, paprika, cayenne, curry, or ginger... Any spice you like! 

   To start the process, first add the spices, garlic, bay leaves, and peppers to the clean jars. Then, evenly distribute the okra between the jars. Now you will heat the water, vinegar, and salt together just until it reaches a boil. Then use a funnel or very carefully pour the hot mixture over the okra, up to about 1/4 inch below the top of the jar. Screw the lids on both jars tightly. 

   The next step is processing the canned pickles. This was my first experience doing the hot water bath, but it was not as intimidating as you might think. You don't even need any fancy canning equipment! I just used a regular VERY large pot, filled with boiling water. Put a clean dishtowel into the pot and use tongs to place the jars into the water, making sure both are on the towel and not on the bottom of the pot. This could take some special maneuvering on your part! Patience is the key! Once they are set, let them boil for 10 minutes. When you remove them, carefully, from the pot of hot water the lids should be sealed! How easy is that? 

   The pickled okra will be ready immediately after the hot water bath, though it may take a few hours for the jar to cool down enough for you to crack it open. The longer they sit in the brine, the better the flavor will become! These will also last a full year in the pantry, if you can keep them around that long!!! Have fun pickling and stay clean! :)