Amy

Pumpkin Dulce de Leche Pie

September 6, 2017 by Amy Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by OXO. I received free products in exchange for this post. A charitable donation was also made to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer in exchange for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

According to the dollar spot at Target, as well as the baristas at Starbucks, it is FALL Y’ALL!

FINALLY.

(Yes, I know calendar-wise, it’s not TECHNICALLY Fall…but I’ll take what I can get!)

I’ve officially switched my home decor to Fall, and I’m currently warming ALL of the Fall Scentsy fragrances I can get my mitts on.

Also, I’m in full-on Fall baking mode. HELLO, pumpkin pie. <3

I decided to make a classic pumpkin pie with a slight twist. While I was at the store, I came across some dulce de leche, and thought that it would be PERFECT with this pie. Caramel + Pumpkin go really well together. It worked beautifully in this pie. I used my favorite all-butter pie crust, and adapted one of my favorite pumpkin pie recipes to make this fantastic dessert. I got a handful of compliments from coworkers the other day when I made this. It was a winner!

I highly encourage you to make your own pie crust from scratch, by the way. It’s super easy, doesn’t take much time at all, and the flavor in this crust is just so rich and buttery. It’s worth it!

OXO sent me some amazing products to make the perfect pie! One thing I really love about OXO is that they really, truly make the cooking & baking experience easier on the home-cook! I’ve loved the OXO brand for years, and these products are a great addition to our kitchen tools.

I received the following products to use/review:

Glass 9″ Pie Plate

Double Pastry Wheel

Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons

4-Cup Angled Measuring Cup

Silicone 1″ Pastry Brush

I have always been really cautious about glass bakeware lately, because of the risk of it shattering. However, OXO put me a little more at ease with their thermal shock resistant borosilicate glass. OXO claims that this means that it can go from freezer to oven without the need to thaw, which is awesome! I didn’t test this out, but the pie plate performed really well for me!

I also especially loved the measuring tools that they included. I already have (AND LOVE) the full set of their angled measuring cups, so getting another 4-cup one is awesome! The measuring spoons are especially awesome, because they connect via a magnet vs. constantly having to take them on/off loops to keep them all together. It’s GENIUS.

The double pastry wheel and silicone pastry brush seem really well-built, and they also performed really well. All in all, I really enjoyed all of these products!

Pumpkin Dulce De Leche Pie
Source: Pie Filling adapted from Libby’s & Pie Crust is from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
For the crust:

1 recipe pie crust

For the filling:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

3 large eggs, divided

1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

4 oz. dulce de leche

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out your pie crust into two even-sized circles, that would fit into the pie dish. Rub butter on the inside of a 9″ pie dish, and press one of the crusts into the pie dish.

To make the filling, mix the granulated sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat two of the eggs together, until well-mixed. Add in the pumpkin puree and sugar/spice mixture, and mix well. Then, gradually stir in the evaporated milk.

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie shell-lined dish, and then drizzle the 4 oz. of dulce de leche on top of the filling (not on the crust).

Optional: Using a pastry wheel, cut the last pie circle into 1/2 inch strips, and place over the pie in a lattice pattern.

Place the last egg in a small bowl or mug, and beat until well-mixed together. Using the pastry brush, brush the edges of the crust, as well as the top of the crust (if you are using a double crust) with the egg wash.

Bake the pie in the oven for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F, and then reduce the temperature down to 350 degrees F. Bake the pie for another 40-50 minutes (checking the pie every 10 minutes or so to see if the pie crust edges need to be covered with a pie shield to prevent burning), or until a knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean. Cool the baked pie on a wire rack for 2 hours, and serve immediately or refrigerate.

Shrimp, Corn, and Avocado Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

July 31, 2017 by Amy 2 Comments

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Amaize Sweet Corn. I was compensated for my post, and all opinions are 100% my own.

Oh man, y’all. This summer has been BRUTAL. The other day, I was helping my husband cut the grass, and it just got to be too much. I’m just going to hug the AC vent until October. I’m not built for this heat and humidity!

One of the few things that summer has going for it is that it’s grilling season! I love grilled foods! Meats, veggies, you name it! I’m a fan! The a-MAIZE-ing folks at Amaize Sweet Corn reached out to me to create a recipe using their corn, and I couldn’t wait! The last time I worked with them, I shared this delicious Grilled Corn Guacamole with y’all.

Amaize Sweet Corn is a non-GMO breed of sweet white corn, grown and harvested in the warm summer months (June – September). It was in development for 22 years, and during that time, over 10,000 variations of corn were tested until the perfect balance of texture and taste were found. Amaize Sweet Corn is only available in the US. In Louisiana, it is found exclusively at Rouse’s (for other states, here is the store locator).

Since Amaize Sweet Corn prides itself in their flavor and texture, I had to let it be the star in a dish. This Shrimp, Corn & Avocado salad puts Amaize Sweet Corn front and center. We enjoyed this as a side dish, but you could easily put this over a bed of lettuce as well. I seasoned the shrimp with lemon pepper to bring a bit more fresh flavor to the dish and also tossed the salad in a fresh basil vinaigrette. It just screams summer! I absolutely loved this dish! Just turn on the grill, and this salad is ready in no time!

Shrimp, Corn & Avocado Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
Source: Nifty Foodie Original

Ingredients:

2 ears of Amaize Sweet Corn

1/2 ripe avocado, cubed

1 1/2 lb. shrimp, deveined and peeled

1 1/2 tsp. canola oil

2 tsp. lemon pepper

1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

1 1/2 tbsp. white wine vinegar

1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

5 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. sugar

Directions:

Preheat your grill. Place your corn on the grill, and grill the corn for about 2 minutes on each side, until it shows grill marks (about 10 minutes total). Set the corn aside to cool.

Season your shrimp by tossing it in the canola oil with the lemon pepper and place them on the grill. Grill the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side, until the shrimp turn hot pink and opaque.

Once the corn has cooled, cut away the kernels from the ear, and place in a medium bowl with the cubed avocado and grilled shrimp.

In a mason jar, place the fresh basil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and sugar. Close the lid and shake the mixture well until everything is mixed together.

Toss half of the basil vinaigrette in the medium bowl with the corn salad. Enjoy!

Cheesy Asparagus Bacon Quiche #brunchweek

May 12, 2017 by Amy 10 Comments

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BrunchWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the #Brunchweek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

TGIF, y’all! I can’t believe we are near the end of #brunchweek! It’s been a delicious week, indeed! Have y’all seen the recipes?! If you’re planning a Mother’s Day brunch, it’s definitely worth checking out some of the posts that have been shared so far! 🙂

Today, I’m sharing an amazing quiche with y’all. It’s made using ingredients from these generous #brunchweek sponsors – Cabot Creamery Coop and Michigan Asparagus. This quiche is not only delicious, but with the addition of the asparagus, this quiche also makes for a nice presentation.

For the crust, I used puff pastry dough, which takes away the prep of having to make your own crust. Then, the mixing of the ingredients is a cinch, too. No one has to know that this quiche is easy to make – they will be so impressed by the flavors in this quiche! I mean….cheese, asparagus, bacon? You can’t go wrong here!

…

Apple Berry Smoothie #brunchweek

May 9, 2017 by Amy 7 Comments

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BrunchWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the #Brunchweek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

My husband and I have been on our weight loss journey for a few months now. While my weight has gone down 20ish lbs, I’m also excited to see the non-scale victories. I was having random aches/pains, my jeans were tight, none of my dresses fit and I just felt so blah. I also can’t eat nearly as much as I used to be able to. The portion control has been helping! I love being back on track again and enjoying healthier foods, like this great smoothie!

Since the weather is warming up, I just had to fork out the blender. I love the combination of apples with berries, so I had to make this into a smoothie! The wonderful thing about using frozen berries is that you don’t even need to use ice! So it’s chock-full of fruity flavors! After I drank this, I actually felt super full afterwards. This simple smoothie includes Rainier Fruit’s Lady Alice Apples, frozen berries, vanilla yogurt, milk & honey. It couldn’t be any easier to make, and it’s absolutely delicious!

…

Strawberry Rolls with Orange Icing #brunchweek

May 8, 2017 by Amy 24 Comments

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BrunchWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the #Brunchweek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

It has been a crazy year so far. I decided to let my blog sort of fall in the background of my life again, and I’m a bit bummed about it. So many things have been happening this year, which is a bit crazy for me. I’m used to me and my husband sort of having quiet evenings at home, and well…I kind of made myself SUPER busy the past few months.

To re-motivate myself back into blogging, I am joining up with some amazing bloggers for #brunchweek! The sponsors were ridiculously generous with us bloggers, and I’m excited to feature 3 recipes using products from the sponsors for #brunchweek!

This first one just screams spring/summer to me! Fluffy rolls with plenty of strawberry filling, topped with a sweet orange icing. It’s just SO good! I used Dixie Crystals Sugar, Red Star Platinum Yeast and Nielsen-Massey Almond Extract to make these rolls, and y’all..these rolls are just spectacular! If you want a fruity twist on the average cinnamon roll, give this a try! Another perk to this recipe is that the rolls come together fairly quickly, considering it’s a yeast-based roll recipe!

…

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Cheesy Sausage Dip

April 4, 2017 by Amy Leave a Comment

Hello y’all! I can’t believe we are finally officially in SPRING! It’s time to plant new flowers, have the semi-annual fight with pollen (ha), fork out the warm weather clothes, and well…have more parties!

When it comes to hosting family and friends in our home, I’ve learned that simpler is better. I used to make elaborate meals for parties, but it’s hard to enjoy a party when you’re stuck in the kitchen the whole time! I really only go all-out for Christmas or Easter. Other than that, I prefer to stick with easier recipes. I especially love spring, because typical spring parties = crawfish boils in Louisiana. However, sometimes the guests come hungry (way before the crawfish are finished), so a quick/easy dip recipe that stays warm in the slow cooker is just the ticket!

I like to make this dip just before the guests arrive, so the cheese on top is nice and melty for everyone to enjoy. It’s ridiculously simple to make and it’s always a crowd pleaser! 🙂

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Cheesy Sausage Dip
Source: adapted from Southern Bite

Ingredients:

16 oz. sweet Italian sausage

16 oz. Velveeta, cubed

8 oz. cream cheese, cubed

10 oz. can RoTel Diced tomatoes and chiles, drained

11 oz. can Mexican corn, drained

1 tsp. taco seasoning

1 cup shredded taco blend cheese

Directions:

Brown the sausage fully in a pan. Once the sausage has fully cooked, drain and discard the leftover fat.

Add the cubed Velveeta and cream cheese to the pan with the sausage, and cook/stir on low heat until the cheeses have melted.

Add the drained tomatoes, corn and seasoning to the pan, and mix until fully incorporated.

Transfer the dip to your slow cooker and set the slow cooker to warm. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the dip. Cover, and serve with tortilla chips after the shredded cheese starts to melt.

Enjoy!

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

February 16, 2017 by Amy 3 Comments

A while back, I realized that quite a few of my recipes lost their pictures when my previous website hosting company lost a bunch of my photos. I’m making it a mini goal of mine to update the pictures. I’m going to try my hardest not to edit the original wording on the posts (so you may see fiance in there…we’ve been married for almost 8 years now haha!).

I do have to admit that this recipe is STILL my go-to recipe years later, and I’ve passed it to many friends as well. 🙂 Give this recipe a try, if you’re looking for a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. I sometimes add in M&Ms to add something extra to these cookies (pictured above).

————

I’ve read a lot of great reviews about this recipe for Chocolate Chip cookies. The only reason I made these (since they are SO not diet friendly) is because our over-generous neighbors were landscaping at the same time as my fiance and I. They gave us ALL of their leftover top soil (which was more than what we needed.we didn’t even have to open any bags that we purchased at Lowe’s). So, my fiance suggested that I bake them something. Any excuse to bake works for me! AND it felt good not to use applesauce haha!

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Brown Eyed Baker from Baking Illustrated

Makes about 18 large cookies.

Ingredients:

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 5/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm

1 cup packed (7 ounces) light or dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate chips)

Directions:

Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the chips to taste.

Roll a scant 1/4 cup of the dough into a ball. Hold the dough ball with the fingertips of both hands and pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough’s uneven surface. Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart.

Bake until the cookies are light golden grown and the outer edges start to harden yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a side metal spatula.

I will admit, these are some crazy procedures on this recipe (jagged edges on top, what?). However, follow them to the T! The cookies will come out a little gooey, but if you leave them on the baking sheet, they will finish baking into a perfect cookie! The jagged edges do bake into a neat looking top as well.

Dessert for Valentine’s Day & Gift Ideas (+ GIVEAWAY)

January 24, 2017 by Amy Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by JORD. I received product in exchange for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

I love Valentine’s Day. Maybe it’s because it’s another fun opportunity to throw together a gift for my husband (after the holidays), but I’m also a hopeless romantic. I love the idea of giving something meaningful to that special someone and spending quality time with them.

Some years, we’ve done small gifts (like favorite snacks) and then there are some years that are a bit more of a splurge. When it comes to my husband, I find that I have to really keep my eyes peeled for gifts for him. He typically purchases what he wants, but there’s always something he doesn’t think of. 🙂

When I first heard of JORD, I thought that these wood watches would make a perfect gift for Valentine’s Day. I have never seen such a unique watch like this before. Their men and women wood watches are completely stunning, and unlike anything I’ve ever seen in stores! So many of their watches caught my eye, but the product I decided to review was their Frankie 35 watch.

Besides the beautiful watch, I was really impressed by the packaging. The watch comes in a gorgeous wooden box, with the watch surrounding a small burlap pillow. It’s gorgeous and definitely gift-worthy!

The watch was custom-fitted to my wrist as well. I have really small wrists, and while I know you can have watches resized, it’s a nice added touch to have it fitted to your wrist already when you gift it to someone. The wooden watch band that I received was rich and beautiful…the pictures hardly do it justice! I feel like this is a wonderful idea for a Valentine’s Day gift. It’s beautifully packaged, completely unique and I can completely appreciate the range of prices that JORD has available in their watches!

Are you interested in JORD watches? JORD is generously offering a contest through The Nifty Foodie. One winner will receive a $100 e-gift code, and EVERYONE who enters will receive a $25 e-gift code. All e-gift codes will expire on 3/31/2017.

Enter Here!

Note: This giveaway is supplied by and coordinated through JORD, and is open to readers in the continental US only over the age of 18. Entries will be accepted until January 29th, 2017. JORD will receive your email address, and it may add you to a mailing list. Winner will be contacted by JORD. All e-gift codes will expire on 3/31/2017.

When it also comes to Valentine’s Day, I really enjoy making a nice dinner for my husband and me. I’m not a fan of waiting 2-3 hours in a restaurant, and since I’m a fan of cooking and baking, it’s a no brainer to DIY a Valentine’s Day dinner! One of my favorite indulgences around Valentine’s Day is chocolate, and while I enjoy making a nice, elaborate dinner, I try to keep dessert on the easier side (to where it’s prepared ahead). This flourless chocolate cake is not only indulgent, it’s very quick to throw together. If your special someone is a lover of chocolate, I’d highly encourage you to give this a try. It’s super rich and there’s no shortage in chocolate flavor here!

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Source: slightly adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients:

4 oz. good-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus additional for sprinkling

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment paper.

Chop the bittersweet chocolate into small pieces, add the butter, and melt the chocolate mixture (by double-boiler or microwave). To melt in the microwave, melt the chocolate mixture in a glass bowl in 30 second increments at 50% power, stirring after each cooking cycle, until melted. To melt in a double boiler, either use a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring well until smooth.

After the chocolate mixture has melted, whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture. Add in the eggs, vanilla extract & salt and whisk the mixture well. Sift in 1/2 cup of the cocoa powder over the mixture and whisk until just combined (do not overmix).

Pour the batter into the cake pan, and bake in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes, or until the top of the cake has formed a thin crust. Remove the cake from the oven, and cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving plate.

Dust the cake with additional cocoa powder and serve with sorbet or ice cream. Enjoy!

Wooden Wristwatch

Skillet Tamale Pie

January 12, 2017 by Amy 2 Comments

Louisiana’s winters are so crazy. One day, it’s in the 20s and two days later, it’s in the 70s. I can’t figure out a menu with all of these darn weather changes! One day, it’s perfect for comfort food and the next, I feel like I need to make kabobs on the grill haha!

Of course, I love comfort food days. I bookmarked this recipe a couple of months ago when I got an email from America’s Test Kitchen. It was such a simple recipe to throw together. It’s basically beans and ground beef cooked together, topped with a cheesy cornbread crumbly topping. If you make the cornbread in advance or purchase some at the store, this is great for an easy weeknight dinner to throw together! This was a winner, and both my husband and the in-laws said I needed to make this one again! 🙂

Skillet Tamale Pie
Source: Cook’s Country

Ingredients:

10 oz. pre-made cornbread, crumbled (about 2 1/2 cups)

3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tsp. minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

1 1/2 lbs. 90-percent lean ground beef

2 (15.5 oz. each) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 (10 oz.) cans Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained, 1/3 cup juice reserved

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

Place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the cornbread, 1 1/2 cups cheese, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat, until simmering. Add chopped onion and chipotle pepper, and stir/cook the mixture until the onion has softened (about 5 minutes).

Add in the ground beef, being sure to break up the ground meat well as it cooks. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes, until the beef is no longer pink. Stir in the beans, Ro-Tel and reserved juice, and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add in 2 tbsp. cilantro and the other 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and stir the mixture well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Sprinkle the cornbread mixture evenly over the meat/bean filling. Place the skillet in the oven, and bake until the cornbread mixture is golden brown (about 10-15 minutes). Garnish with the remaining cilantro. Enjoy!

Butcher Box Review

December 21, 2016 by Amy Leave a Comment

Disclosure: Butcher Box provided me with products at no cost to me, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Steak night. There’s just something special about steak nights in our house. A few years ago, we went to our first steakhouse dinner, and we quickly realized what we were missing when it came to a perfectly cooked steak. Super thick cuts of meat, seared perfectly, resulting in a melt in your mouth-type of dinner. It was just outstanding, and because of that experience, our steak purchases were forever changed.

When we first got married, we used to buy whatever steaks were on sale at the grocery store. It didn’t matter the cut…as long as it was beef, we were game for it. I remember looking at the price of ribeye and filet, and thinking really? Is it worth it? It’s all cow. Ignorant ignorant ignorant. Y’all…yes, it’s worth it!

Now that my husband has a nice grill, I especially love steak nights. He can somehow grill a killer crust on a steak, and I’m a medium-rare/medium steak gal myself. He gets it perfectly every.single.time. Steakhouse at home? Yes, indeed!

The folks at Butcher Box reached out to me, and asked if I’d like to give one of their monthly deliveries a try. I had a choice between All Beef, Mixed (Beef/Chicken/Pork), Beef & Chicken or Beef & Pork. I just HAD to get the All Beef box….we cook chicken all the time in our house, so beef is a nice change. 🙂

I was so impressed with the care that they took in the shipment. The beef was still frozen solid (thanks to dry ice), and everything was vacuum packaged for us to throw into the freezer.

Our package contained grass-fed beef strip steaks, top sirloins, tri-tip steaks, thinly sliced beef, ground beef and a package of bacon. That’s enough for several meals in our 2-person household. Our package also included recipe cards to use with their products! It’s just a well done (ha, I crack myself up!) package.

So far, all of the meat we have tried has been fantastic. I find that grass-fed beef is more flavorful, and the quality of the meat is great! All of the steaks are good, thick cuts of steak, too. Perfect for grilling!

I love what Butcher Box offers. First of all, you don’t have to source out your meat. They deliver 100% grass-fed beef, organic chicken, and all-natural pork straight to your door. I also appreciate that it’s pre-portioned out for easy freezing. Also, shipping is included in the cost, so you know exactly what you’re paying when you choose a subscription box.

Also, if you’re looking for a last-minute gift idea, Butcher Box offers gift subscriptions. I think that’s a really neat, out-of-the-box idea. I know of a few people in my life who would love something like this (think of the person who has it all…what a unique gift idea, right?).

Amy

Footer

Archives