Pico de Gallo

Football season is officially among us! We all root for our favorite teams throughout the regular season- hoping that they'll make it to the playoffs... and who knows- even the Superbowl??? Football season also comes with awesome finger food. Chips and salsa will always be a classic gameday munchie. Take your salsa a notch up by making it yourself- it's a simple, delicious way to cheer on your team!

Pico de Gallo (makes about 1 quart)
3 Roma Tomatoes
2 Avocados
1 Red Onion
2 Jalapenos
1 tbsp Lime Juice
Salt
Pepper
Chopped Cilantro (optional)

1. Small dice tomatoes, onion, and avocado.
2. Remove seeds from the jalapeno, and cut into very small pieces- think mincing!
3. Combine all of the cut veggies in a bowl, and add lime juice.
4. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add cilantro, if desired (I went without- because I really dislike cilantro...)
6. Chill and serve with chips!

This is a recipe that is inspired by the pico that my mom makes. She loves cilantro, so she goes pretty heavy with it. I, however, am not a fan... so I decided to go without it. With or without, this pico de gallo packs a punch of flavor, and goes perfect with some lime-seasoned tortilla chips! It's a super easy recipe that doesn't take much time, but will definitely please the crowd!

Garlic and Pecorino Dinner Rolls

I love carbs in any form- rice, noodles, bread, potatoes- really anything. Bread is one of my favorite snacks. I use it to hold me over when I'm needing a snack, and even sometimes as a meal, albeit pretty unhealthy.

This recipe is one of my favorites. It's a soft bread with a nice crust. It's perfect for any occasion, and it holds well. The flavor is very mild and neutral, and it can really be used for pretty much anything. Plus, it's easy to make, and you don't need a bread machine!

Garlic and Pecorino Dinner Rolls (Makes 3-4 dozen rolls)
1 cup Water
1 tbsp Yeast
1 2/3 cup Buttermilk
1/3 cup Honey
2.5 pounds Flour
1 tbsp Salt
1 stick Butter

1 tbsp Minced Garlic
4 tbsp Butter
Chopped Parsley
Shaved Pecorino Cheese

1. Combine yeast with warm water to allow it to dissolve.
2. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl
3. In a separate bowl, place buttermilk and honey and mix together.
4. Add the yeast to the liquid ingredients.
5. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and begin to knead.
6. Add softened butter in and knead the dough for 10 minutes.
7. If you have a standing mixer, instead of kneading by hand for 10 minutes, use the lowest setting with a dough hook to knead for about 7 minutes.
8. The dough should be a very smooth mass.
9. Place into a greased bowl (use baking spray) and cover with plastic. Allow to rest for 2 hours.
10. Once the dough has risen about 3 times the size, remove from the bowl onto a clean surface.
11. Cut the dough using a bench scraper or dough divider. Scale out into 1.5 ounce balls.
12. Roll the balls in a circular motion with your hand cupped to make a smooth surface. The motion should pull the dough towards the bottom, smoothing out the top.
13. Place the dough spaced out on a greased baking sheet or casserole dish. Cover very loosely with film, and allow to rest another hour.
14. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. When dough has risen at least twice its size, unwrap the film and bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.
15. Make garlic butter with melted butter, garlic, and parsley.
16. When the bread is done baking, allow to cool briefly. Then, brush butter liberally over the top.
17. Shave pecorino over the top and serve immediately.

If you are not serving this bread fresh, be sure to place it into the refrigerator. You can reheat the bread in the oven or very briefly in the microwave (20 seconds) prior to serving.  you are saving it for later, brush with butter when you serve it. This bread is perfect for any
occasion and can be made in advance. Just remember to share it!

One Pan Mac and Cheese

Growing up, I was an extremely picky eater. I hated to see anything green in my food. One of the few things that I would eat (and could eat every. single. day.) was mac and cheese. It's still one of my favorite foods... and I could still probably eat it every day (but it would not be very good for my health...)

I recently figured out a way to make mac and cheese easier. In the past, I had been making a roux to make the sauce and boiling the pasta separately. This is probably the easiest mac and cheese recipe you'll come across- and it doesn't come with a neon orange powder. 

One Pan Macaroni and Cheese (Makes 4 servings)

1/2 box Macaroni Noodles

2 cups Water

1/2 cup Milk
2 tbsp Butter
2 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 slices American Cheese
Shaved Pecorino Cheese
Salt 

Pepper 

Garlic Powder

1. In a large saute pan, bring the noodles and water to a boil.

2. Once it boils for about 2 minutes, add the milk and butter. 

3. When the noodles become about 75% cooked (try one), add the cheese in. Chop up the cheddar, and shave the pecorino with a vegetable peeler. You can shave about 10-12 pieces. Add more if you wish!

4. Mix the cheese into the mixture, and then add seasoning to taste. Pecorino is salty, so you can add less salt than you normally would. 

5. Continue to mix the mac and cheese until the sauce thickens. You don't need to add any flour, because the starch from the pasta will help to thicken the sauce. 

6. Add more milk if the noodles become too dry. Once you get the right consistency and the noodles are done cooking, serve!

This is one of the simplest recipes you will come across, and it will be done in just over 20 minutes! Perfect way to enjoy comfort food made with love and cheese (although they're basically the same thing) Thanks for reading! :)

Classic Banana Bread

To celebrate my birthday last weekend, I had some friends over to play games and relax. We played fun minute-to-win it style games (basically absurd and unusual games with household objects). Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures from the party... For one of the games, we hung bananas from our waist and pelvic-thrusted oranges onto paper plates using the banana. It was as strange as it sounds... The bananas weren't really great for peeling and eating, since they got bruised along the way. Luckily, the peels didn't break, so they were perfect for smashing up into banana bread! 

My mom always used to make banana bread for my school teachers around the end of the school year when I was growing up. Thanks to the party, I had some bananas lying around, so what better use than banana bread!

Classic Banana Bread (makes 2 large loaves)
2 sticks Butter
1.5 cup Brown Sugar, packed
.5 cup Sugar
8 Eggs
1 tbsp Baking Soda
1.5 Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
2.5 cup Flour
8 Bananas

3 tbsp Butter
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare 2 large loaf pans by spraying them well with baking spray.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy.
3. Once aerated, add eggs gradually and mix until smooth.
4. Add dry ingredients, and then mix very slowly until incorporated.
5. Peel bananas, and smash with your hands into the mix.
6. After the bananas are dispersed throughout the batter, pour the mix into the prepared loaf pans.
7. In a bowl, place sugar and flour together.
8. Cut butter into small pieces, and use your hands to make a crumble.
9. Once the mixture becomes sandy, sprinkle a generous layer over each of the loaves.
10. Place the loaf pans onto a baking sheet to catch any drips.
11. Bake for about 1.5 hours, until the centers are fully baked. Test this using a toothpick or knife and poking a hole into the bread. It should come out clean.
12. Allow the bread to cool completely before removing from the pan. 

This is a simple, delicious recipe. It's not too sweet, and the crumble adds a nice texture. You can also add nuts, chocolate chips, or whatever else you desire to the batter for even more variety. I like to keep my banana bread classic, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of honey on a hot day!

Banana Pudding

 

Banana pudding is a classic American dessert, and perfect for any springtime gathering! Many recipes call for pudding packets, but making banana pudding from scratch is not as difficult as you think!

I made this pudding for a cookout with my fellowship, Reformed University Fellowship. It was a really great time getting to see so many of my good friends together. We had some senior testimonies, where seniors came and spoke to the group about the lessons they've learned through their college years, and the impact the fellowship community has made in that time. It was a great time filled with tears, joy, "aw"s and laughs. I have been extremely blessed to know all of those people and it's crazy that my college time is already coming to an end.

Now onto the recipe :) I had many requests for it tonight, so hope everyone enjoys!

Banana Pudding 
2 cups Milk
10 Egg Yolks
1/4 cup Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
2 tbsp Butter
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Bananas
1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1 Banana 
1 box Nilla Wafers
3 tbsp Sugar
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
Chocolate Chips (to garnish)

1. Heat milk and 1/4 cup of sugar in a medium pot on medium heat.
2. Whisk remaining sugar and flour together in a medium bowl and slowly add the egg yolks, while whisking constantly.
3. When the egg mixture is completely combined, set aside.
4. Prepare a small casserole or bowl by wiping the inside with a wet towel or sponge. Then, place a layer of plastic wrap on the inside and stick it to the wet surface. Have a medium-mesh sieve placed on top. 
5. When the milk is scalding, slowly pour it into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
6. Pour the egg mixture back into the pot on low heat.
7. Whisk constantly, while touching the bottom of the pan with the whisk, so that no part of the custard burns. Whisk until the custard boils for about a minute, and is thick.
8. Immediately pour the custard through the sieve onto the casserole dish or bowl.
9. Cover the top with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to cool. You want a thin layer of custard to speed up the cooling process.
10. Mash 2 bananas with a spoon or with your hands.
11. Whip the first heavy cream with an electric mixer to medium to stiff peaks.
12. When the custard is cool, transfer it into a bowl and add the banana.
13. Gently fold in the whipped cream until it is all incorporated.
14. In a serving dish or in small glasses, add a layer of banana pudding, a few pieces of sliced bananas (1 if it's in an individual glass), and a layer of nilla wafers. Repeat until you run out of pudding.
15. Whip the remaining cream with sugar to stiff peaks.
16. Make a decorative layer of whipped cream on the top by using a piping bag (or ziploc bag) fitted with a star tip. If you do not have icing tips, you can cut the tip of the ziploc to a point, with the seam at the center of the point.
17. Top with chocolate chips, and serve cold.

It is a good idea to make the pudding a day in advance, so that all the flavors can mesh, and so the wafers become cakey. If you do make the pudding early, layer everything except for the whipped cream, and then chill. Whip the cream the day of, so that it does not deflate, soften, and so it stays fresh.

Nutty Granola and Banana Chips

Spring is here- along with warmer(ish) weather, which means time for more outdoor activities. I think about hiking, trail running, and simply enjoying the beauty of nature. A perfect treat to pair with these fun, fit activities is granola!

This granola is quite possibly the simplest you will ever make, and it's made with instant oatmeal! I paired it with sweet and chewy banana chips. You can easily create variety with your granola by using different sweeteners and any flavor of oatmeal you'd like! I used cinnamon apple oatmeal, which had a great flavor to go with the nuts! Using brown sugar or agave nectar is another option, if you do not have honey or maple syrup at home. 

Granola (Makes about 1 cup)
2 packets Instant Oatmeal 
1/4 cup Water
1 tbsp Honey
1/4 cup Mixed Nuts
1 tbsp Maple Syrup

1. Place a medium mesh sieve over a small pan, and pour the oatmeal through it. This will separate the oatmeal from the flavoring and sweetener in the packet.
2. Shake the sieve to remove any excess. Set aside the oats.
3. Add the water. Mix to incorporate.
4. Heat the mixture until it boils, and the bubbles slow. The mixture will become thicker, like syrup, and much of the water will evaporate.
5. Remove from heat, and add the oats. Mix until they become incorporated.
6. Add the honey and mix to incorporate the honey evenly. This may take a couple of minutes, since there is not much liquid.
7. Add the nuts and mix.
8. Transfer the mixture to a small aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. I used a toaster oven baking sheet. Then, mix in maple syrup (or any other sweetener).
9. Place the sheet in the toaster oven and toast for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make sure that the granola stays in one flat pile, so small pieces don't burn. If you don't have a toaster oven, bake at 350 degrees F in a conventional oven, mixing every 5 minutes.
10. Remove from toaster oven once the granola becomes golden and the nuts are toasted.

Banana Chips
1 Banana
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
2. Peel and slice banana into thin slices (about 1/8"), so that you have thin medallions.
3. Lay the banana slices onto a baking sheet lined with a nonstick silicone baking mat (Silpat). They should be spaced apart at least half an inch.
4. Sift powdered sugar through a sieve to cover each slice. This will create a syrup that the banana slices will dry out in, so that the pieces have a leathery texture, and a sweet banana flavor.
5. Bake in the oven for about an hour, until the banana pieces are dry to the touch and are thin and dried out.
6. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before removing from the mat. If it is a rainy or humid day, turn off the oven and allow to dry further.
7. Mix into the granola or enjoy alone! Place the chips into an airtight plastic container to prevent them from becoming soggy.

You can enjoy this granola on top of yogurt, with fresh fruit, or even as a snack by itself! It's tasty, simple, and delicious! Take it on picnics, hikes, walks, or enjoy in the car or on the go! :)