Roasted Broccoli and Garlic

Today I am talking about Vegetables.

Say Wha?!

That's right. Vegetables. And not just any vegetables-green ones.

I know, what's this world coming to.

I just, struggle with vegetables-ESPECIALLY green ones. I WANT to like them, I dooo! But, I don't. Thusly, I'm consistently on the hunt for new ways to trick myself into eating them. Because, ya know, I'd like to be healthy. When I found this recipe I knew it was a possibility. I hate broccoli. But, I love garlic. So...yeah, I thought this might be a thing to try. Worse came to worse-Michael would eat it! 

Now I have good news and bad news.

Good news: I ate 4 whole pieces of broccoli!

Bad news: That was all I could do before the broccoli flavor caught up to me. Michael polished off the rest.

A partial victory. I will take it. 

And I'm sure those of you who aren't as crazy as me will definitely love it. 

Roasted Broccoli and Garlic

From a Couple Cooks "Roasted Broccoli with Garlic"

Daring Bakers Challenge-Basic Biscuits (or "Scones")

Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!

This was my first Daring Bakers' Challenge! I am so excited to be taking part in this awesome community. This month is dedicated to mastering the perfect biscuits (or, if you're Britishly and/or Australian-y inclined, "scones"). We were allowed to truss it up a bit by doing things such as adding buttermilk ("Southern Biscuits) or cheese and herbs, but I decided-this is about the basics, I'm going to go basic.

National Peanut Butter Day

IT'S NATIONAL PEANUT BUTTER DAY!!

Yayyyyyyyyyy!!!!!

You guys, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I LOVE peanut butter. It's the bees knees. And, in honor of this auspicious occasion-let's show off all the peanut butter recipes that have graced my blog thus far (and goodness knows there are MANY more to come :D)-let's do this in order of newest to oldest.

Mixed Berry Milkshake

 You may remember that post I wrote about some 2 ingredient vanilla ice cream I made. You might also remember, I mentioned I made it to use in a milkshake. I figured you've waited long enough to see that very shake. As I've mentioned, multiple times, Michael loves fruity/refreshing sweet things. Me, not so much. When I saw this recipe I knew it would be right up his alley. Michael looooves berries (especially strawberries. Can I say how depressed he is that they're not in season right this second?) This shake is super simple, super pretty (lookit! It's purple), a great excuse to use some of that 2 ingredient ice cream, and it can have whatever berries you fancy! So, the sky is the limit! Yes...I do feel cruel posting this in the middle of winter when this is obviously a summer drink, but, well....just file it away for later. Or just buy frozen fruit! They're perfectly good!

Cheesy Chicken

Today is National Cheese Lovers Day!!! 

Are you a cheese lover? 

OF COURSE YOU ARE! Who isn't? 

(oh wait....sorry lactose intolerant friends. Love you.)

Since this is the day of cheesy lovins, I decided this was the opportune time to share this recipe-a major favorite with Michael and I! I learned how to make this from his mom (Mama Maria). She made it up. Supposedly this dish began as Chicken Marsala....and somehow morphed into just chicken, breading, cheese, chicken broth OM NOM NOM NOMSS!

 You just brown some cut up chicken breasts really quickly...

 Then cover in LOTS of cheese, and pour on some chicken broth. And bake, of course.

I tried this for the first time at Mama Maria's house, within the first month of Michael and I dating. I was not prepared for how much I would love it! It became a thing that Michael and I bonded over while long distance-we would "cook dinner together" with this recipe, in different cities, but somehow it made us feel closer.

And you know...it was a great excuse for a tasty dinner.

It really has next to nothing in common with Chicken Marsala.

Just preparing you.

But it's like, way better!

Mama Maria is kind of a genius.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Baked Oatmeal

This, right now, is my FAVORITE breakfast.

It's like a chocolate chip cookie.

BUT IT'S HEALTHY!

And oatmeal.

I've never been able to get into oatmeal. I wanted to but...I don't know...it just never has really done it for me. However, I do like oatmeal when it's baked in stuff (like cookies, for instance). So, I was open to the idea of baked oatmeal. But, baked oatmeal usually has like...fruit and stuff in it. I don't really enjoy baked fruit (unlike Michael and his love for fruit pie). Then, Chocolate Covered Katie tempted me with "Cookie Dough Baked Oatmeal". Um, yum. It looked super promising. I fell in love. I don't really think it tastes like cookie dough. However, I DO think it tasted like an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie! I feel like I've made this like 30 times since then, and with time I perfected it to the way I like it. But the beauty is-you can mess with it to see how YOU like it too! AND it is gluten free, and can be sugar free, soy free, dairy free, and fat free. YEAH. It makes a single serving, and is low calorie, and, in general, just a really healthy way to start your day. So if you're still hanging on to a healthy New Year's resolution, this is for you!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Baked Oatmeal

From Chocolate Covered Katie's Cookie Dough Baked Oatmeal

Chicken Parmesan Wraps

Oh my word. This week I have been cooking up a storm. I have so much to share with you guys! But, first thing's first, these Chicken Parmesan Wraps. I made these awhile ago and they were awesome. It's a new, healthier twist on that beloved Italian favorite. Egg roll wrappers mimic the breading, and are filled with sauce, cheese, some spinach, and cooked chicken. Michael was a super big fan of these. They're pretty simple AND these wraps were the first time I ever made my own tomato sauce! (Which I improvised...just some crushed tomatoes, garlic, basil, and sugar that I cooked.)

EATS!

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups

There are few things I love more than cookies. 

One of those things is cookie dough.

Don't try and say you don't agree.

This recipe is the entire reason I started following Sing for Your Supper-it's what made me say "You are my kind of people. I would like to continue to read your blog and formulate a friendship in my head based on food and cyberspace." If you follow food blogs, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Basically, these are under baked peanut butter cookies inside ramekins (or muffin cups), that you then put some chocolate chips on top of, let get all melty, and then you enjoy the num num numminess. You could also put some ice cream on there if that suits your fancy. I apologize for the pictures not doing these justice--I still have many photos/recipes stored up from my old camera, but I promise you'll begin seeing better pictures with time. Anyway, don't worry about my photography, worry about making sure you have all the ingredients necessary to make these babies. Because, c'mon, you're gonna make these like, now, right?

That's what I thought. ;)

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups

Adapted from Sing for Your Supper

Oven Fried Chicken

I was going through my cache' of photos of food whose recipes I still needed to post, and I almost couldn't believe I hadn't shared this one yet. This is one of my favorite, easy, healthy chicken dishes that I discovered way back when I first started the blog. And, since so many people always resolve to be healthier in the new year, I thought now was the perfect time to introduce you to this oven fried chicken! It honestly does taste like it has been fried, but it is just baked in the oven with a mere 1 tbsp. of butter! That's it! It's tasty and quick and guiltless! EAT!

S'mores Brownies

 Before I went home to visit, my brother, Josh, posted on my facebook a picture of something that was (more or less) s'mores brownies-with the caption "Make these for me!" Well, as luck would have it...I'd been yearning to make How Sweet's recipe for S'mores Brownies for quite some time. Michael's not a ginormous s'mores fan, though, so I had been putting it off for his sake. A visit home was the perfect opportunity to whip up some choco-marshmallowy goodness. It also seemed like the ideal time to get together with one of my best friends, Angela.  So, the day after I arrived in Ohio, Josh woke up early with me, Angela came over, and we (Ok...me) set to making a double batch of these brownies. We joked, and visited, and Angela stirred the brownie batter! We also looked at all the butter in the graham crust and realized real s'mores are most definitely healthier...and we all silently agreed to not care.

We got impatient, however. They smelled so good as they baked. The recipe said to let them cool 2-3 hours! But...they looked so beautiful. And marshmallows are best when they're warm....so....Josh grabbed a spoon...

 and became a rebel. 

I followed. 

Then Angela gave in to our bad influence.

 We all burnt our mouths. 

But it was totally worth it.