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Blueberry Sugar Cookie Crisp

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I originally saw this recipe in a copy of Oprah Magazine and later tracked it down online when I found myself craving it. This treat is just so very good. Blueberries are some top contenders in my favorite fruit category, and they are in their prime right now, making them plump, juicy and flavorful. The sugar cookie topping is an unexpected and drool-worthy twist on the standard crisp topping variation, making it quite the shining star. Be sure to note that you’ll need two+ hours to let the berries sit and soak before you top them with the sugar cookie dough. Also, let this cool a bit before digging in – I couldn’t resist and started chowing down on my treat right when the crisp came out of the oven, but I must admit that the dessert tasted more flavorful and complex when I let it cool significantly, as the sugar cookie topping had soaked up some of the tasty blueberry juice. As you’d imagine, this crisp pairs perfectly with vanilla ice cream.

Blueberry Sugar Cookie Crisp

Recipe via Lisi’s Luscious Desserts (original recipe via Oprah Magazine)

Blueberry Sugar Cookie Crisp

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 and 1/2 cups sugar, divided
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 pints (about 2 lbs) blueberries
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine berries, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Stir, mashing slightly. Cover and refrigerator for about 2 hours.
  2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
  3. With the paddle attachment, beat the butter, remaining 1 cup of sugar, and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy; then scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again.
  4. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest until berries are ready (you can also make this ahead and keep it in the fridge).
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  6. Strain the berries and save the juice (if you don’t have any juice, no worries – it is not crucial, just an added bonus). Boil the juice until it reduces by half. Put the berries in a 9×13 baking dish and pour the liquid over the strained berries.
  7. Take the sugar cookie dough and flatten between palms to about 1/2 inch thick. Lay flattened balls of dough over the berries to almost cover. Sprinkle with a pinch of sugar.
  8. Place dish on a baking sheet and bake for about an hour, or until the top is golden.

Guacamole with Pico de Gallo

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I am not typically a fan of chunky guacamole. I prefer my guac to be a basic combination of ripe avocados, freshly squeezed lime juice, and salt, something more akin to what I use in my favorite breakfast dish, avocado toast. But last summer when my friend Rebekah made the Pioneer Woman’s version of guacamole with fresh tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, and cilantro folded into it, I was sold – each bite has such a complex flavor palette, so no taste is exactly the same. This has been my go-to appetizer since I tried it out on the Fourth of July and, as you’d expect, it pairs perfectly with crunchy, salty chips and icy margaritas. There’s a lot of chopping involved in this recipe but I assure you that the outcome is worth it.

Guacamole with Pico de Gallo

Recipe & photo via The Pioneer Woman

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Ingredients:

For the pico de gallo:

  • 5 whole plum (roma) tomatoes
  • 1/2 whole large (or 1 whole small) onion
  • 3 whole jalapeño peppers
  • Cilantro
  • Lime juice
  • Salt to taste

For the guacamole:

  • 3 whole avocados
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Lime juice
  • Salt to taste

Directions:

For the Pico de Gallo:

  1. Chop tomatoes, onion, and jalapeños into a very small dice (leave seeds in your jalapeños for a spicier Pico de Gallo, and adjust the number of jalapeños to your preferred temperature).
  2. Chop up a nice-sized bunch of cilantro (just remove and discard the long leafless stems before chopping).
  3. Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir thoroughly.
  4. Squeeze the juice of half of one lime into the bowl. Add salt to taste and stir again.

For the guacamole:

  1. Start with buttery soft avocados. Halve them lengthwise and remove the pits.
  2. Using a spoon, scrape the “meat” out onto a large plate.
  3. With the bottom of a clean cup (or with a fork), mash the avocados, making sure to leave it relatively chunky.
  4. Add just a couple of shakes of salt to taste.
  5. Add a generous helping of the Pico de Gallo and fold together.
  6. Squeeze the juice of half of one lime into the bowl and stir together one last time.

Sriracha Mac & Cheese

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As a native Chicagoan, I didn’t eat a lot of spicy food growing up, but that all changed when I moved to Texas. Over the last few years, I’ve started craving spicy flavors in my food – as far as I’m concerned, the hotter a dish, the better. Hot sauce is a staple in our pantry, and we think it goes with everything from eggs and breakfast tacos to quinoa and pizza. Sriracha is one of our favorite hot sauces so I was super excited to try this macaroni & cheese that calls for the condiment in the recipe. James and I ate this treat alongside grilled steaks, steamed broccoli & icy margaritas – delicious! We’ve been living off of the leftovers for several days, too – this recipe makes a ton of mac & cheese. Enjoy!

Sriracha Mac & Cheese

Adapted recipe & image via Life Tastes Like Food

Sriracha-Mac-and-Cheese-1024x749

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb elbow macaroni
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (+ 2 tablespoons butter for bread crumb topping)
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and minced
  • 4 tablespoons Sriracha hot sauce
  • 3 cups shredded white cheddar cheese (a pinch  more is always encouraged)
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions:

  1. Cook the pasta for about 2 – 3 minutes (or a few minutes shy of what is instructed on the package – the pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  3. In a large pot, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and combine until it’s lightly bubbling and just starting to smell a little nutty.
  4. Whisk in the milk, 1 cup at a time, and turn up the heat to medium. Let the milk come to a simmer so that it can thicken up a bit. (A great way to tell if it’s thick enough is if it coats the back of a wooden spoon and it doesn’t run down the spoon.)
  5. After the mixture has thickened, add the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, jalapeño, and Sriracha.
  6. Remove from heat and mix in 3 cups of cheese, 1 cup at a time.
  7. Put the pasta into a 9 x 13 baking dish and then pour the cheese sauce over it. Incorporate everything together with a spoon.
  8. Place the panko bread crumbs in a small bowl. In a separate, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and then pour over the bread crumbs. Mix well and then spread evenly across the top of the pasta and cheese.
  9. Place baking dish in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly and the bread crumbs start to turn golden.
  10. Drizzle extra Sriracha over each plate before serving.

Mexican Corn Salad

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Summertime foods are my favorites – so much fresh produce abounds, and all you need in order to serve a really great summery meal is some grilled protein (steak, chicken, burgers, fish, you pick), a bright salad with tons of greens and loads of berries & veggies, a stand-out side dish, and a delicious chilled bottle of white, bubbly, or rosé. My go-to side dish is this Mexican Corn Salad, which goes with everything from fish tacos and chicken fajitas to peppercorn steak and turkey burgers. It is beyond easy to make but your guests will feel like you slaved away in the kitchen to prepare it – the flavors are so layered and complex that this recipe would shine on any menu in town.

Mexican Corn Salad

Recipe & photo via Closet Cooking

Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad) 500 5917

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cups corn (about 4 ears), cut fresh from the cob
  • 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • 1 lime, juice
  • 2 tablespoons cotija cheese, crumbled
  • Chili powder to taste
  • Green onions & cilantro, if you like – I don’t love these ingredients so I omitted them

Directions:

  1. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the corn, toss and let it sit cooking until charred. Mix it up and let it char again, about 6 – 10 minutes.
  3. Add the jalapeño. Sauté for one minute and remove the corn and jalapeño from the heat.
  4. Place the corn and jalapeño in a mixing bowl and add in the mayonnaise, garlic, lime juice, cotija cheese, and chili powder. Mix together and serve immediately, or let it cool if you prefer and serve it at room temperature (preferably alongside a meal that tastes great with margaritas).

Greens in a Glass

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We’re on day three of the cleanse, woo! One of my favorite things to enjoy during the cleanse (and any other time, really) is a fresh, tasty green smoothie. In fact, the only one I ever make is Greens in a Glass. It is healthy and surprisingly filling, chock full of vitamins and nutrients that really give me a boost. It’s so, so easy to make, and I cut up the vegetables and store them in my fridge so I can make smoothies all week long at just a moment’s notice. I added a little extra banana to the original recipe and I swapped the Greek yogurt for almond milk so my treat can be dairy-free, but you can really make all of the changes that you’d like – this smoothie is so customizable!

Greens in a Glass

Adapted recipe via Joy Bauer

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup spinach (1 big handful)
  • 1/2 cup cucumber chunks, skins on
  • 1 stalk celery cut into chunks
  • 1 medium banana, fresh or frozen, cut into chunks
  • 1/2 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or frozen
  • 1/2 cup almond milk
  • 3 whole ice cubes (optional)

Directions:

  1. Add the spinach, cucumber, celery, and 1/2 cup of water to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth and liquid.
  2. Add the banana, pineapple, almond milk, and ice cubes (if using) to the blender. Blend until smooth and frothy.

 

Peanut Butter Cup Pie

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Last Monday was a dreary, stormy day in Dallas, so icky and gross that our plans for the evening were canceled, leaving us giddy at the prospect of a low-key night at home. James and I had already planned on making a delicious dinner but we decided to branch out and whip up a tasty dessert, too – after all, I felt the need to celebrate since I had tackled both the Social Security office and the DMV all in one day in an attempt to knock out as many items on my name change to-do list as possible (that’s definitely a cause for celebration, right?). While at the DMV on Monday evening, I answered e-mails and texted friends and checked my bank account and trolled Pinterest where, lo and behold, I found a recipe that nearly made me salivate: Peanut Butter Cup Pie.

The list of ingredients was manageable, and while there were a few additional things that I needed, I decided that with the crazy rain (and the unpredictable drivers), I didn’t want to have to run to the store. So James and I improvised using baking supplies we already had at home. The result was an insanely delicious, distinctly non-vegan version of the Minimalist Baker’s pie, a treat that was so irresistible that we finished it in two days (and then went running for a really long time…#worthit). This pie is definitely going to be in our recipe rotation forever and always.

Peanut Butter Cup Pie

Adapted recipe (& photo) inspired via Minimalist Baker

Peanut-Butter-Cup-Pie-8-Ingredients-SUPER-delicious-so-easy-vegan

Ingredients:

  • Graham cracker pie crust (or you can make your own, per Minimalist Baker’s instructions)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup creamy salted natural peanut butter (we used Earth Balance for the first time & loved it)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 8 ounces Cool Whip topping (or you can make your own, per Minimalist Baker’s instructions)
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (we used 1 full cup, per the instructions, and while it resulted in some delicious, chocolatey goodness, we felt like we’d be okay with a touch less)
  • 1/3 cup milk (we used whole but next time we want to try almond)
  • Coarse sea salt (like Maldon) or crushed, salted peanuts

Directions:

  1. Add cream cheese, peanut butter, and honey to a bowl and use a hand mixer to blend together, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more honey for sweetness or a pinch of salt if your peanut butter isn’t salty enough.
  2. Fold the peanut butter-cream cheese mixture into the Cool Whip using the hand mixer. Blend slowly and steadily.
  3. Pour filling into the crust and pop into the freezer to chill for about one hour. Once it’s fairly chilled and slightly firm, prepare your ganache.
  4. Add chocolate chips to a bowl and heat your milk to a low simmer. Then pour the milk over the chocolate chips. Don’t touch the mixture for about five minutes, letting the chocolate chips melt. Then stir gently with a spoon or a rubber spatula until a smooth ganache forms.
  5. Spoon the ganache over the top of the pie and spread in an even layer with a knife or spatula, working quickly as the ganache will get clumpy if it sets too long.
  6. Top with flaky sea salt or crushed, salted peanuts (optional) and pop back into the freezer to set. 20 minutes before serving, remove from the freezer and serve.
  7. After the initial chill, store the pie in the refrigerator to maintain a smooth but firm consistency. Keep it fresh by covering it with plastic wrap.

 

Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

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Happy Tuesday! Thank you so much for your kind feedback about the launch of Coffee & Tacos – I’m so grateful that you’re along for the ride.

I’m going to test out a series idea every Tuesday called Taste & Try. Each week I’ll alternate between featuring a recipe and a restaurant, all of which I’ve tasted and tried myself. I love food oh-so-much  that, when dreaming up this new blog format, I knew that I’d need to schedule a weekly post dedicated to two of my very favorite pastimes – tasting food at delicious restaurants (both Dallas-based and beyond) and trying out new recipes (typically with a glass of wine or a fun cocktail in hand).

So, in the spirit of yesterday’s Cinco de Mayo celebrations, the first recipe features a Tex-Mex show-stopper – Chicken Enchiladas Verdes. Mom sent me this recipe, which she tore out of Real Simple Magazine, and already it’s become a Brown family favorite. These aren’t the healthiest treats on the block but James and I made these last week and, despite my constant cravings for them, I resisted sneaking bites straight out of the fridge and we had these for dinner for four whole nights, reducing the suggested number of servings and spreading out our sour cream intake just a bit. We skipped the rice, as the original recipe suggests, and opted for an arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette. I think you could use a rotisserie chicken instead of the bone-in breasts, but I just a little more proud of the dish when I cooked the chicken myself. The enchiladas pair deliciously with margaritas, of course.

Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

Recipe & photo via Real Simple Magazine

Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds bone-in chicken breasts (2 to 3)
  • 1 16-ounce jar salsa verde (we used a spicy salsa because that’s what we enjoy but any kind will do)
  • 1 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
  • 1/2 pound Muenster or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 2 cups) (we used Monterey Jack and loved the result)
  • Kosher salt & black pepper
  • 8 6-inch flour tortillas

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place the chicken in a medium saucepan, add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to a plate and let cool. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Place the meat in a large bowl.
  2. Meanwhile, in a blender, puree the salsa and 1/2 cup of the sour cream until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and simmer until slightly thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of sour cream.
  3. Add the corn, 1 cup of cheese, 1/2 cup of the sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to the chicken and combine.
  4. Spread 1 cup of the remaining sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Roll up the chicken in the tortillas and place seam-side down in the dish. Top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake until bubbling and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the package directions. Serve with the enchiladas and sour cream. (And margaritas! On the rocks, with salt.)