Food Blogger Date--Chelsea Market and The High Line

Me and Susan

Alright so, it's hard to be friends with a food blogger.

I'm pretty sure all I ever have to talk about with people (other than acting & Michael) is food, and most people really don't care that I got a photo accepted by foodgawker, or that I figured out how to make homemade jam all by myself. That is why it is super awesome when food bloggers can get together and hang out. Because we get each other. Tuesday, I had my first "food blogger date" with Susan of The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen. If you haven't checked out her blog yet--do! She's amazingly talented (she even enters contests and such) and so fun and funny (the visuals she paints when she talks about her pug-hilarious!). And  she is just as amazing in person!

Healthy Asiago Chicken Nuggets

I know what you're thinking.

Not in like, a literal-I can read your mind kind of way...although sometimes I have felt like I can sort of read minds...I am fairly certain I'm psychic-laugh all you want but I have dreams that come true!!...oops...off topic. Anyhow...

I assume you're thinking: "Hmm, I wonder how many different ways Kayle can make chicken?"

The answer is-a lot. I'm sorry that my picky-ness is being taken out on all of you, but, well...that's just the way the cookie crumbles I guess.

...Cookies....mmm

Ah! I'm like all over the place today. Yes, so, chicken. These are actually a little different! They're like delicious chicken nuggets we all know and love-but healthy AND a little gourmet tasting because of the asiago cheese. Trust me on this you guys.

Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding (Lightened Up)

Bread pudding. Such a weird thing. It makes you all confused, and for some reason conjures up images of 19th century England (...or...maybe that's just me. Anyway...). And it's like....is it pudding? Is it bread? WHAT IS IT??!

Turns out, it's basically bread that's been soaked in stuff and ends up being, kind of, pudding. 

Mind you, I've still never had the original bread pudding.

But chocolate bread pudding, oh it makes my heart sing!

Daring Bakers Challenge-Challah Bread (Whole Wheat)

May’s Daring Bakers’ Challenge was pretty twisted – Ruth from The Crafts of Mommyhood challenged us to make challah! Using recipes from all over, and tips from “A Taste of Challah,” by Tamar Ansh, she encouraged us to bake beautifully braided breads.

Have I mentioned I'm addicted to baking bread?

'Cuz I am.

It's forreals.

So, I was ridiculously excited when I saw this month's Daring Bakers Challenge was to bake challah bread! Challah bread is special braided bread from the Jewish culture. Even though I'm not Jewish, I had already been completely on the challah train! I'm not sure if you knew this, but challah bread makes THE BEST french toast, and can also be used in some other great bread-based recipes. It's also delicious all by itself :). Plus, if you want, you can easily fold mix-ins into this recipe and have like chocolate challah, etc. You can read more about that in the recipe, though :).

On a side note: challah. Say it. It's fun to say.

Now say it in baby talk.

Because everything sounds funnier in baby talk.

Michael and I speak baby talk to each other pretty much all day every day. It drives everyone crazy. Makes certain people uncomfortable. But we find it "hilawium". 

It am be hawd to twanslate baby talk into da witings of da blog. Youse just has to twy to heaw it, tay?

Anyway.

Challah.

don't judge me too much. Please come back and read again. I promise I'll refrain from the baby talk :P.

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies

You like chocolate, yes?

Obviously you do-because we all know that is like...70% of what ends up on this blog.

Do you also like peanut butter?

Chances are good you like that too.

What about cookie dough?

C'mon....who doesn't like cookie dough? Am I right?

Even if you think you don't like some of those things, these brownies may change your mind. I fed some to a friend of Michael's (who was being a sweetie and fixing my computer), and he is not a pb fan, but he LOVED these brownies. Like-went crazy for them. Told Michael he'd better marry me. He also was sad after he was done eating it. We've all been there.

Now...these brownies will cause you to have to do a lot of dishes. And they're super rich. And probably (definitely) not good for you. But they are SO worth it! It's like...a fudgy brownie + peanut butter cookie dough + thick, delicious chocolate ganache=YUM. (It actually tastes fairly similar to a certain Buckeye Cake.) I needed to use some of the peanut butter I had laying around the house (PB Crave, specifically), so for the peanut butter cookie dough I actually used PB Crave Cookie Nookie--so the cookie dough factor was amped up. But you can totally use whatever peanut butter you like. If you have some cool flavored pb's this is a super fun way to experiment with diff. combinations.

Quick and Easy Mac and Cheesey

Since on Monday we talked about easy--this recipe is the ULTIMATE in easy. Like, it's kind of shocking how quickly you throw this together. This takes no more time than the boxed stuff, and it's a lot more...real.

It's not the most amazing, gourmet tasting, macaroni and cheese. But, it's better than the boxed stuff and just as easy.

So get yourself some Mac and Cheesey!

I'm spending today running around from Penn Station (I get back to NY from Maryland this morning) to home to get ready, then an audition, then recording my Voice Over Demo. I should prob. whip some of this up today, actually.

Quick and Easy Mac and Cheesey

From Picky Palate's "5 Minute Homemade Mac and Cheese"

Food Stories Award for Excellence in Storytelling

Today I was nominated for a brand new food blogger award, by C.J. of "Food Stories" (also, the creator of the award).

Oatmeal Breakfast Truffles

Another breakfast recipe! Yay!

I don't know if it's just me, but I find breakfast to be the hardest meal of the day. If I haven't already made something specifically breakfast-y, I get...lost. I try to think if I want to like, make something, but usually I'm too lazy. I think about making toast or something, but that oftentimes is something I'm not in the mood for at the time or I'm out of stuff. So, anyhow, this is part of the reason I like to have designated breakfast foods made-to make my life easier come morning time. The "truffles" are really pretty quick and easy to make, they're extremely satisfying, pretty healthy, and you prob. have everything you need for them in your cabinets already! 

I've been so busy lately, recipes like this are a lifesaver. I filmed a pilot for Comedy Central this weekend, I'm going to Maryland to finish (hopefully) shooting a short film and am recording my voice over demo this week, and lots of exciting things are happening with the movie I was in-You Can't Kill Stephen King. So, yeah, busy busy busy! But these little breakfast delights are easy easy easy!

One thing you should be prepared for--these are quite chewy and somewhat dry, so make sure to have some milk (or water if you're me) at the ready, you'll definitely want it. 

Oatmeal Breakfast Truffles

Adapted from Oh Bite It's "Crunchy Oatmeal Breakfast Truffles"

Creamy Cheesy Potatoes

YUM!

That's all you're gonna want to say about this recipe! YUMMMM. I can't even adequately describe this. It's just awesome, pretty much. And, like, it is a side dish that can be turned into an entree? You could just have cheesy potatoes, or you could have chicken cheesy potatoes!? It's awesome. And, frankly, I'm lazy, so I totally vote for making this an all-in-one meal and just putting the chicken in there. However, if you have like a family thing or function or whatever you adult type peoples do, and are assigned to bring a side--this sans chicken is a total winner. Plus, if you're a vegetarian, maybe no chicken. Perhaps you could put something else up in there though? Eh? Maybe? I don't know-you guys are creative, I'm sure you'll figure something out. 

Note: BE CAREFUL! I totally made a mess, yesterday, making this. I used fat free evaporated milk in it for the first time and it bubbled over-completely blackening my casserole dish and getting gunk on the bottom of my oven. Have I mentioned I apparently am incapable of cleaning my oven? It's haaaard. I tried using baking soda and vinegar and that didn't work...ugh. I mean, it's clean....ish. lol. So yeah-learn from my mistake. Be careful. That said, the food itself was delicious.

Guest Post at Whipped Baking--Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles!

Today I'm guest posting at the FABULOUS Whipped Baking! The writer, Kristina, and I have become fast friends and I was thrilled when she asked me to guest post on her gorgeous blog while she is visiting NYC (here!). She features tempting treats-but with a healthier edge, you guys should absolutely look around and check her stuff out when you go over there. It's one of my favorites, and I am so excited that I am lucky enough to be guest posting. So, if you want to check out her wonderful blog, and the recipe for those delicious peanut butter pretzel truffles (so addicting--you will seriously eat 10 before you even realize what you're doing), hop on over there! Tell her I say hi! :)

Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie

I know we've been all healthy and stuff lately, but I'm about to go a different direction.

The exact opposite direction in fact.

Here's what I have for you today:

A giant, thick, gooey cookie.

One skillet-not piles of bowls, etc. to wash.

Oh yes, this sounded like a good idea to me!

When Michael got me an 8 in. cast iron skillet for Christmas (which he totally felt like an awful boyfriend for giving me, but I, freak that I am, was so ecstatic you have no idea. The only present that prob. would've made me happier was a particular ring ;) ), I knew the first thing I had to make with it was this cookie! I'd been lusting after it for quite some time. My excitement was palpable. 

The skillet cookies is awesome. VERY gooey, super easy clean-up, and ridiculously decadent. However...I don't know. Not my favorite. I liked it, just not as much as, say, a chocolate chip cookie pie, or even a normal cookie. It lacked...depth. The goo-factor sort of just took over, and the cookie itself was almost bland. It was good, but I have a million other desserts I'd prefer to waste my calories on :P. That said--I think this is a PERFECT thing to make if you ever host a slumber party (I totally miss those, btw.) or if you know a teenage girl who's down in the dumps. There's something oddly satisfying about digging into a huge cookie in a skillet with spoons. It's super fun and feels naughty :P. You guys should totes try it--perhaps I'm just crazy and you'll like it better!

Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies

Today is Monday! For some reason, I really like sharing breakfast recipes on Monday. Perhaps because Monday is the beginning of the week and breakfast is the beginning of the day? Whatever the reason, this is a super awesome breakfast. Because-get this-it's cookies. COOKIES. FOR BREAKFAST! And not like in a "I don't care how unhealthy this is I'm totally having 3 of these leftover chocolate chip cookies for breakfast because I'm lazy and they're just so good-" kind of way, but in a "these are totally good for me but don't taste like they are" way. They're chock full of things that are a perfect way to start your day: whole grains, oats, protein, fruit.....chocolate....OK-the chocolate is optional. And if you want to be extra good, maybe don't use the chocolate chips. The original recipe didn't even have them. But...I...well...I NEED THEM OKAYYY?! But, it's dark chocolate. And like, a couple chips per cookie. Still totally healthy.

Don't judge me.

Mother's Day

Today, I'd like to share a note to my mother:

Whole Wheat, Thin Pizza Crust

Prepare for some blasphemy: 

I was never super into pizza.

I know! I know, it's ridiculous! Take comfort in knowing that I have converted! Turns out, I was eating the wrong kind of pizza. When I moved to NY I learned-I love thin crust! But still, pizza wasn't a thing I ate very often-so unhealthy! Then, I realized how easy it was to make homemade pizza. But still, I was nervous to try homemade dough.

BUT NO MORE! 

This is my go-to pizza dough recipe. Not only does it make delicious, thin crust pizza-but it's also made with whole wheat flour! Yay for it being healthier! During Lent I made this virtually every Friday.

I kid you not.
So, I figured I'd share this with you today. Happy Friday!! :)

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I've sort of decided to have a theme for this week: Healthier Comfort Food!

 Some of our favorite guilty pleasures, made slightly less guilty!

Monday we had a homemade, preservative + corn syrup free chocolate syrup. Today I'm going to share a classic childhood treat-chocolate chip cookie bars! BUT made with whole wheat and no butter (just canola oil)!

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

As you may know, I try to, whenever possible, keep the food I buy/eat as unprocessed/natural as possible. Michael fights me on this.

He says he isn't against it in general, just that we can't afford to not just buy whatever is cheapest. Plus, that boy loves Cheetos, Kool-Aid, etc. But sometimes, I attempt to replace his unhealthy faves with something a little better. He drinks chocolate milk pretty much every morning, and I really hated having to use Hershey's chocolate syrup, knowing all the gunk that was in there. So, when I found this recipe on Annie's Eats, I was ecstatic! I made it almost right away! 

Now, this chocolate syrup still isn't healthy, but it certainly is A LOT better! There are only a handful of ingredients, and you more than likely have all of them already. Plus-this syrup has a much richer, tasty chocolate flavor, so you can use less than you normally would!

Michael even admitted it's better than Hershey's.

Use this chocolate syrup for drinks, over ice cream, or whatever you normally use chocolate syrup for. 

Featured Friday over at Momma's Meals

I’m so excited to be a Featured Co-Host with Tammi from Momma’s Meals. Tammi is the Momma and Cook behind www.mommameals.wordpress.com. Every Friday she has “Featured Friday’s”, where she asks someone new to Co-Host with her. This week, Tammi asked me and I was super excited to accept! All she does is choose a recipe from my collection, and make it in her own kitchen for her and her family. Then, she posts pictures and comments about it! Doesn't that sound fun? Check it out here and be sure to tell her I say hello :) Happy Friday all!

Browned Butter Peanut Butter Cookies + Peanut Butter & Co

There's a little shop in lower Manhattan called Peanut Butter & Co. About a year ago, while my best friend Alex was visiting, we made a trip out there to eat some huge and delicious peanut butter sandwiches, share a peanut butter sundae, and buy some jars of peanut butter to take home. If you're not familiar with PB & Co, you should be. I could talk about them all day. But visit their web site, google them, you'll become enlightened. They're not only a sandwich shop-they produce 10 varieties of amazingly delicious and addictive peanut butters: Smooth Operator, Crunch Time, Cinnamon Raisin Swirl, The Heat Is On, White Chocolate Wonderful, Dark Chocolate Dreams, The Bee's Knees, Mighty Maple, Old Fashioned Smooth, and Old Fashioned Crunchy. (visit here to find them in a store near you, or you can always order online). They don't just sell peanut butter either-what they sell encompass all you would want/need that goes along with it. They love peanut butter. I love peanut butter. Match made in heaven. So, I was super stoked when they sent me a shipment including 2 of my favorites of the amazing PB & Co peanut butters: