I’ve recently been into open faced sandwiches.  I like that you can use any kind of bread and jazz it up with toppings of your choice.  I decided to make Sloppy Joes one night and made 2 different versions, one beef and one chicken.  Andrew ate the beef version and thought it was incredible and I ate the chicken version and thought it was also incredible.  The meat soaked up the sauce making it very flavorful and tender, the cheese on top was perfectly melted and help hold the sandwiches together, and the garlic Texas Toast made for a delightful, crusty base.    It’s a hearty meal that will satisfy any craving. The recipes can be found here: Open Faced Sloppy Joe Open Faced Chicken Sloppy Joe   Both recipes are identical, and you use either ground beef or ground chicken.  You can also use ground turkey if you prefer.  Let’s walk through how to make them. Preheat … Continue reading

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Occasionally during the winter, I start craving warmer weather, fruity cocktails, and a beach somewhere tropical.  Who doesn’t?  But we live in MN and that’s not a reality this time of year.  To curb the winter blues, I sometimes make fruity cocktails at home to feel a little more cheerful about the amount of snow outside 😊 I’m going to share with you 2 new cocktail recipes using Starburst Infused Vodka.  You read that right…I infused vodka with Starburst candy.  It was super simple and didn’t take any effort to make but patience is required to allow the vodka to sit for a few days. The cocktail recipes can be found here: Cherry Limeade with Starburst Infused Vodka Strawberry Lemonade with Starburst Infused Vodka   You want to start by infusing the vodka.  Use a fairly nice vodka because it’s literally 2 ingredients: vodka and Starbursts.  And you want to enjoy the cocktail, not feel like you ordered some … Continue reading

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Cookies are something I always enjoy baking and sharing with others.  They tend to make enough to bring to work, have throughout the week at home, or freeze for later (although I don’t know why you would have any to freeze and not eat them right away).  And the recipes are often simple or less complicated that you can quickly whip up a batch.  Today I have 4 different cookie varieties to share.  All are incredibly soft and chewy (hence the blog name), large (like large enough to share), and contain great flavor combinations.  Here’s what I have for you: Soft & Chewy Carrot Cake Cookies Soft & Chewy Dulce de Leche Cookies Soft & Chewy Cookies & Cream Cookies Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cup Cookies   Now let’s walk through how to make them.  Each recipe makes 7-8 cookies (one actually makes 12 but who’s counting), but they are decent sized cookies and can be shared … Continue reading

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Classic Cowboy Casserole is the ultimate comfort food this time of year.  If you’re from the Midwest, you know casserole season is upon us.  Temps are dropping, there is a chill in the air, and you want something hearty and filling for dinner.  That’s where my Classic Cowboy Casserole comes in 😊 It’s hearty, cheesy, has a little bit of spice, and is packed with different flavors and textures.  It’s a wonderful Tex-Mex recipe. The recipe can be found here. Start by preparing the ingredients; thaw the corn, chop the onion, mince the garlic, drain, and rinse the black beans, and slice the green onion.  All ingredients can be set aside until ready to use. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until completely cooked through, crumbing as you cook, for about … Continue reading

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Homemade Bao Buns are something I never thought I would want to tackle but ended up enjoyed making them and of course, eating them 😊 Bao Buns are steamed buns that are soft and pillowy, very fluffy, and have a neutral flavor.  I would equate it to eating a piece of plain white bread.  They can be made sweet or savory by adding a filling or you can eat them on their own.  We filled ours with a teriyaki chicken mixture, but I think a pulled pork, ground beef, or chicken are great fillings when paired with the right sauce.  You can also go the sweet route and use jelly or jam, perhaps some butter with cinnamon and sugar.  Play around with the flavors! I do not think they are hard to make but must admit….it did take me 2 tries.  The dough takes a little time to make because it needs time to rise.  This is where I … Continue reading

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If you are looking for 5 layers of quesadilla goodness or a meal inspired by Tex-Mex flavors, I have just the thing!  It’s called Quesadilla Pie.  It’s a savory dish comprised of 5 layers of tortillas with all the fillings.  When I asked Andrew to describe it, he said “it’s good.  It’s really good”, then proceeded to keep eating so that was all I got out of him 😊 It’s easy to make and very mild to accommodate any palette.  I wouldn’t consider it a spicy dish, but you can customize it to spice it up or spice it down. The recipe can be found here. I suggest using a springform pan to make this recipe.  If you don’t have one, you can use a pie pan or another round baking dish, but I think the springform pan helps to cut even slices and remove the slices without losing the filling.  A link to the pan I used can be … Continue reading

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The Harry Potter books are something I grew up reading and then fell in love with the movies as they came out in theaters.  To this day, we have a Harry Potter marathon at our house some weekend during the winter months to enjoy the films.  If you have about 20 hours of free time, I suggest you do the same 😊 Kidding!  We don’t watch the movies in one sitting but it is fun to watch them consecutively and within a few weeks of each other to get the full effect.  The one thing I struggle with is snacks and beverages.  I want something themed to go along with our viewing but don’t always plan ahead.  This year, I am planning way ahead.  We’re going to enjoy various versions of Butterbeer (IFYKY) and a few themed snacks.  Here’s what we’ll be enjoying! Copycat Hot Butterbeer Copycat Cold Butterbeer Copycat … Continue reading

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It’s that time of year again where we bake way too many cookies, gorge on sweets, go cocktailing with friends, enjoy meals with family, and celebrate the holidays!  This is my favorite time of year for baked goods and all things dessert.  Anyone that knows me knows what a sweet tooth I have.  I could spend all year creating new dessert recipes, fun reindeer shaped cookies, peppermint bark, anything gingerbread related, and more.  Which is basically what I want to share with you today – delicious dessert recipes for the holidays!  Here’s what I have for you: Gingerbread Whoopie Pies Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting Peppermint Lush Bars with Oreo Crust Cherry Fudge with Dark Chocolate   First up are my Gingerbread Whoopie Pies.  These are phenomenal!  Incredibly moist cookies, an excessive amount of filling, and the perfect amount of spice.  If you like gingerbread, you will LOVE these cookies.  … Continue reading

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Christmas is a time for family, friends, food, and of course, cocktails!  I want to share 4 new martini recipes with you today.  All are fun, festive, and sure to get you in the holiday spirit.  Here’s what I have for you: Ornamentini Sugar Cookie Martini Eggnog Martini Holiday Spice Martini   ORNAMENTINI These are super fun to make and are a great way to serve martinis to your guests.  I think they would make great place settings at a dinner party, or you can make them ahead of time and save them to serve as an after-dinner drink.  It’s a very merry martini with a citrusy flavor! The recipe can be found here. Start by adding one rosemary sprig and a few cranberries to the bottom of 2 martini glasses.  Bonus points if you make sugared cranberries to use because they are both delicious and festive!  I opted for … Continue reading

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Look no further for fun and festive martinis that are packed with seasonal flavors and are delicious to drink!  I have 4 recipes to share with you today.  All are great for holiday parties or family gatherings because they are simple to make and don’t require many ingredients, and you probably have most of the ingredients at home already.  Here are the recipes: Espresso Martini Snickerdoodle Martini Mint Chocolate Martini Salted Caramel Martini   ESPRESSO MARTINI This martini tastes just like boozy espresso and it’s phenomenal…if you like coffee! Start by making the instant espresso, and let it cool completely.  Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.  Add the vodka, Kahlua, espresso, and simple syrup.  Shake vigorously then strain into a martini glass.  Enjoy! This recipe is for ONE cocktail and can be found HERE. SNICKERDOODLE MARTINI This martini tastes just like a snickerdoodle cookie.  It’s perfectly sweet with a hint of spice. Start by combining 2 Tbsp of … Continue reading

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