Pan Roasted Potatoes

Ahhh ohemgee you guys!

Don't let the ugly photos fool you-this is one of my favorite potato recipes.

So simple. So quick. So easy. SO DELICIOUS!

These potatoes are super soft and buttery tasting on the inside, and delightfully crisp on the outside.

I make these all the time.

It doesn't get much better than this.

Get your side dish on!

Browned Butter Brownies

Hi, my name is Kayle.

I'd like to introduce myself.

I love chocolate.

I also loved browned butter.

In case you didn't know.

You guys...these are the best brownies I've ever made.
Possibly that I've ever eaten.

They are so chocolatey and dense and rich and fudgy. They have the wonderful crackly top we all love.

And um...browned butter. Super subtle but it adds such a delicious element.

Michael went gaga for these too. We both were absolutely smitten with these wonderful brownies.

I think you just might be too.

Homemade Whole Wheat Ritz Crackers

Me and Ritz crackers go way back.

When I was a kid (like...2nd-4th grades I believe) I used to have to go to the speech trailer at my school (which was a Catholic school, and I had to walk through the cemetery to get to the speech trailer)-I had difficulty pronouncing my "r's" correctly (they came out like "w's"..."wabbit"...etc.). Anyway, I had a great speech therapist and it was always fun and the problem was resolved, I can now say...well...resolved (not wesolved). One of my most vivid memories of going there was that I would always immediately attack a sleeve of Ritz crackers with glee. I don't know why. But they were there and I always ate them. And I loved it.

Now-a-days I use Ritz crackers in my cooking, as well as to occasionally spread some peanut butter on as a snack. But...you guys know me and processed stuff...it just...makes me feel ugh. Have you read the ingredients on Ritz crackers? Ugh!  Anywhozzle, one day I had a bunch of super salty homemade peanut butter at my disposal (accidentally used dry roasted peanuts) and I like really wanted to use it on Ritz crackers. But I didn't want to buy them. So I figured....how hard could they be to make? I did a little google-ing, found a recipe, and turns out-not very hard at all! These crackers definitely don't taste exactly like Ritz (although perhaps the fact that I healthified these by subbing in half whole wheat contributed) but they are still super good. Definitely best on the day they're made, but I always manage to eat them leftover too. And the best part is-I don't feel bad at all about eating them. Nothing but pure contentment here.

(That's pure contentment here...not puwe contentment hewe :P)

Something Saturdays (11/24/12)

My Thanksgiving.

Ahh! OMG you guys Thanksgiving is OVER. Do you know what this means??!! CHRISTMAS IS COMING! OMG OMG OMG OMG. I love Christmas...like...you don't even know. I go batty for the holiday. I'm so excited...I'm not sure if you can tell. :D

Healthy Oatmeal Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 I don't know about you guys but after yesterday I feel...

well...fat.

I ate a bunch.

So I figure, let's share a healthier recipe today, shall we?

I mean...they're still cookies. 

It's not like I'm all like "Oh hey guys here's a recipe for roasted squash and kale and stuff"

Baby steps, you guys, baby steps. 

(Um...I really wish that I wanted to eat stuff like that though. Why can't I feel about veggies the way I do about cookieeees?!)

These cookies are like super simple to put together.

And they taste pretty darn delish.

Chewy, nutty, chocolatey, tastiness.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving!

And I have mashed potatoes!

You know...in case you wanna try a new recipe.

This is definitely one of my new favorites.

They're flavorful.

They're thick and lusciously potato-y.

I love em.

This recipe is courtesy of one of my many wonderful food blogger friends, Mallory (Total Noms). Mallory is NYC based, also, so I've had the pleasure of getting to hang out with her. Which brings me to my next point:

What I'm thankful for.

I'm thankful for my mom and my brother and all my family.

I'm thankful for my Michael.

I'm thankful I'm able to live my life, doing what I love to do.

I'm thankful any of you read this blog.

I'm thankful to be happy and healthy.

I'm thankful for my friends.

I'm thankful for all my new, blogg-y friends. There are so many of you now, and I hope you know who you are. The people whose comments always make me giggle, and blog posts I can't wait to read. Some of you have named my hand mixer. Some of you I've gotten to meet. Some of you I hope to meet soon. Some of you have bonded with me over shared loves and interests (Batman. Dessert. etc.) Some of you sent me gifts for my birthday (seriously...still speechless over the sweetness that was). Some of you may notice that it's you I just namelessly called out, and some of you may not-but I sincerely hope all of you know how much you mean to me and how much I truly think of you as friends, whether we've met in person or not. I love you all and am so thankful that you've come into my life.

What are you thankful for?

Oh and in case you were wondering, here is my Thanksgiving menu:

Texas Roadhouse Dinner Rolls

Michael's Applesauce

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Cranberry sauce (the icky stuff from the can...for Michael lol)

Corn

Butterball turkey breasts

Pumpkin Pie-My favorite pie crust + the canned pumpkin recipe

Mini Apple Pies

"Snickers" Peanut Butter Caramel Corn

I love sweets.

I love popcorn.

I love chocolate.

I love peanut butter.

I LOVE CARAMEL CORN!

So like...I know Thanksgiving is this week, and I don't really know if caramel corn is a particularly Thanksgiving kinda thing but...I mean...corn was a big deal at the time, with the natives and such, ya know? So...yeah. That makes sense.

My beloved Kristina (from Whipped) shared this recipe around Halloween time. Because it's like candy. But somehow low-cal? I think it's because of the popcorn, I don't know. All I know is I wasted pretty much no time to get this in Michael's and my bellies. We were pretty darned excited. And it was delicious. And we ate it. A lot. And before we knew it...it was gone. Because popcorn is addictive like that.

I'm not gonna lie...this recipe is difficult...I think? I'm not 100% sure if making caramel corn is hard or if I just suck at it, but all I know is I can never evenly coat all the popcorn and the caramel is hot and I burn myself and I can't make it all sit on the pan evenly and when I try to mix it I make a mess and...yeah. But then all those annoyances fade away when I take the first bite. Kinda like how moms supposedly forget the pain of childbirth once they hold their baby in their arms (is that true? I sure hope so). You know? But yeah. You should make this. It's popcorn (popped in a big pot which is way more fun than I realized...heheeee all the lil kernels go "pop! pop! pop!"), a peanut butter caramel, and a yummalicious chocolate drizzle on top of it all. Oh yeah and peanuts. Sweet...salty....nummy.

Something Saturdays (11/17/12)

I am exhauuuusted! Just finished two, 12 hour days shooting that episode of "My Dirty Little Secret" for Investigation Discovery. So, I'm super sorry for being MIA-ish. And not having more to say for this Saturday post. All I gots to say is this stuff:

OHMAGAWD-this list is totally my middle school experience. Freaking me out. Oh yeah and this is elementary school.

DON'T FORGET YOU CAN STILL ENTER THE KING ARTHUR FLOUR GIVEAWAY UNTIL MONDAY!

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

Where is the time going? It's like one second it's October, then it's my birthday, and now Thanksgiving is coming up!! For those of you looking for a little inspiration for your Thanksgiving menus (I'll post mine sometime later), you should definitely check out some of these options:

My Birthday: A Recap in Photos

So...I was gonna share a recipe with you guys today. Really, I was.

But...I'm tired.

I had a super fun/super busy birthday.

And today I've got an audition and some stuff to get done, because tomorrow and Friday I'm filming an episode of True Crime, and Saturday I have to work. So instead, you guys get to see some pictures of my birthday!!

Yay...!...?...!

Quick Wheat Baguettes-King Arthur Flour Review

Tomorrow is my birthday! To celebrate, we've got bread (I love bread. Ask anyone) and a giveaway! Yay!

Tomorrow may be my actual birthday, but when I received 4 bags of King Arthur's organic flour to review-it certainly felt like that was my birthday! 

If you're not (for some crazy reason) familiar with the brand, King Arthur Flour is America’s oldest flour company, founded in Boston in 1790 to provide pure, high-quality flour for residents of the newly formed United States. More than 220 years later, they’re the nation’s premier baking resource, offering everything from top-quality baking products to inspiring educational programs—all backed by the passion and commitment of their dedicated employees and owners.

To learn more about King Arthur Flour, their philosophy and/or products, you can find them on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.  You can also sign up to receive e-mail updates that include everything from recipes to their latest product offers.  And don’t forget to check out their recipe page for fabulous step-by-step recipe ideas that use many of King Arthur Flour’s products! Their website alone is fab-they have so many amazing products and resources! 

And um, yeah, now they have ORGANIC FLOURS! I attempt to incorporate a lot of organic into my diet, and I use flour a lot so I was pretty ecstatic at the opportunity to try out King Arthur Flour's varieties. 

Here's a little run down about the flours I received and my (amazing) experiences with them:

King Arthur Organic (Unbleached) All-Purpose Flour: "A certified-organic all-purpose flour, produced from hard red winter & spring wheats. Slightly lower protein level of 11.8%." Obviously, all purpose flour is the go-to, it is the workhorse of flours in my kitchen. I've been using this flour like...almost daily, and everything turns out absolutely wonderfully!

King Arthur Organic (Unbleached) Bread Flour: "King Arthur’s organic unbleached high-gluten bread flour, milled from organically grown hard red spring wheat, is perfect for yeasted baked goods-bread, rolls, pizza, and more. 12.7% protein, a full point higher than other national brands. The higher the protein level, the stronger the rise. Use in recipes calling for bread flour, including bread machine recipes. Super when you're making rye or other whole-grain breads that have trouble rising their highest." Oddly enough, I've used this flour more in cookie recipes than bread ones (so far) but either way the cookies turned out thick and perfect, and the breads chewy and the whole wheat versions have a much higher rise than usual. Oh, and I used it for this bread recipe below. I'm officially in love with this bread flour :).

King Arthur 100% Organic (Unbleached) Whole Wheat Flour: "A certified-organic whole wheat flour produced from hard red spring wheat. King Arthur Organic Whole Wheat Flour works GREAT! Protein level: 14%. Ideal for all of your whole wheat baking." Whole wheat flour has been the 2nd most used flour in my kitchen, and I have absolutely loved the double layer of health (organic and whole wheat! woohoo!). And, this was another flour I used in the bread recipe below.

King Arthur 100% Organic (Unbleached) White Whole Wheat Flour: "King Arthur 100% Organic White Whole Wheat Flour, milled from a blend of hard white winter and spring wheats, tastes milder and bakes lighter than traditional whole wheat. Protein: 14.0%.Called "The new miracle flour" by First for Women: 'Bakers rejoice! Now you can make all your favorite recipes with white whole-wheat flour. Recently introduced by King Arthur Flour, 100% Organic White Whole Wheat tastes milder than traditional whole-wheat flour but incorporates the three key components of whole grains: bran (packed with fiber), endosperm (full of protein) and germ (rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber).'" This was probably my biggest surprise. I have been incorporating some white whole wheat flour into almost ALL of my baking--it barely (if at all) affects the flavor and texture, but I know that I'm getting the added nutrition! Possibly my new favorite flour, love love love it!

Now. About this bread.

It's perty.

And chewy.

And hearty.

And like...good for you n stuff.

Honestly? This recipe is very similar to that other baguette recipe I've shared. The biggest difference is that the bread flour combined with the whole wheat flour keeps it chewy and from getting too dense (like happens when you use too much whole wheat in the other recipe). But it's quick, tasty, and a perfect accompaniment to dinner, soups, chili, whatevs! Keep reading for the recipe, then after that the details on the giveaway(CLOSED)!

Something Saturdays (11/10/12)

Heheheeee today is 11-10-12. 

Hilarious.

Also, Michael's friend from Ohio, Katina, is visiting this weekend! Which is just SO nice! I'm so excited. :)

Now, to wrap up COOKIE WEEK let's look at all the cookie recipes I've posted on the blog:

1. Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies 2. Candy Bar Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies 3. Browned Butter Peanut Butter Cookies 4. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls 5.Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies 6. Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (with coconut oil) 7. Lazy (Bisquick) Chocolate Chip Cookies 8. Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cookies 9. Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies 10. Butter-less Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies 11. Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies 12. Levain Chocolate Chip Cookie Copy Cat 13. The New York Times Best Chocolate Chip Cookie 14. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies 15. Whole Wheat Butter-less Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies 16. S'mores Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies 17. Brown Butter Dark Chocolate and Toasted Pecan Cookies 18. Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies 19. Ultra Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies 20. Browned Butter Dark Chocolate and Marshmallow Cookies 21. Something Special Cookies 22. Healthy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies with Nuts 23. Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies 24. Momofuku's Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies

I also had this conversation with Stephie from Eat Your Heart Out, about my new hand mixer:

Oh and you guys...next week...is MY BIRTHDAY! (which I love but am actually freaking out about turning...how old I'm turning. It's an inconsequential number but for some reason seems so much older than my current age. Plus people rarely mistake me for a teenager now, what's the deal with that? DO I LOOK OLD??!) You wanna know what I'll be doing for my birthday?? Well, for you guys I'll be doing a giveaway (so keep an eye on the blog Monday!). And for me, in real life, I'm going to be spending the day with my cousin Emily (3rd cousin tech. but we grew up very close and she goes to Columbia now!)-we're going to go to Levain Bakery where I will FINALLY have some of the famed cookies! Then, later, for dinner, me, Michael, Emily, and my friend Brandon are going to Outback Steakhouse for dinner (don't judge me it's nostalgic and I love their steak!). It'll be a very fun day :D.

Healthy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies with Nuts

 Sometimes you want cookies, but you don't wanna feel guilty about it (if you're the kinda person who does that). That's where these cookies come in. They're HEALTHY!

Maybe this is my way for apologizing for giving you that totally not healthy breakfast "muffin" on Monday. Because honestly? These cookies are probably a much healthier breakfast.

Either way, let's not worry about it. Let's eat cookies and glare at people who look at us funny and then say "Um...these cookies are healthy. Kthanksbye."

When you're eating these cookies, you will not feel like you are eating something healthy.

This will not feel like a sacrifice.

All you're gonna know is that these cookies are chewy, and have delicious chocolate chips and (in my case) peanuts, and that you love them and would like to eat a bunch. 

But guess what? There are about 8 tbsp. of sugar in these babies. TABLESPOONS.

And no butter, just 2 tbsp. of wonderful healthy coconut oil.

Oh yeah and they're gluten free-nothing but wonderful, filling oats.

This is insanity. These are so yummy, I have no clue how it's possible. But it is. You need to have these in your life.

Homemade Holiday Gift Ideas

I'm a little bit of a freak.

I've already gotten almost all of my Christmas presents, most are even wrapped.

One thing I'm super excited about this year is some of the homemade gifts I'm giving: some people are getting homemade cookies, a certain person is getting cookie dough (with instructions on how to bake), someone else is getting some homemade vanilla extract, and another person is getting homemade chocolate peanut butter. Oh yes. This is going to be good. If you like the idea of making some of your gifts this holiday season, I've listed a few ideas below:

• Homemade Vanilla Extract
• Homemade Chocolate Syrup
• Homemade Peanut Butter/Variation of Nut Butters
• Raspberry Jam
• Caramel Corn
• Puppy Chow
• Chocolate Truffles/"Oreo Balls"/Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles/Other Candy
• Homemade S'mores Kit:
  Include marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers (may I suggest homemade ;P)
• Cookies/Cookie Dough:
  (If giving cookie dough, I particularly like the idea of these two methods)

• Cookie Dough Balls
• Levain Chocolate Chip Cookie Copy Cat
• Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies 
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
• Browned Butter Dark Chocolate and Marshmallow Cookies
• Candy Bar Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Momofuku's Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies
• Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cookies
• Browned Butter Peanut Butter Cookies
• Whole Wheat Butter-less Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• NY Times Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
• (For the gluten free): Butter-less, Flour-less, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

For more ideas you can also check out my Homemade Gift Ideas board on Pinterest-I'm always updating it with new stuff I find, too!

Brown Butter Dark Chocolate and Toasted Pecan Cookies

Do you want a cookie that seems gourmet as all get out?

Do you want a cookie that tastes complex and comforting all at the same time?

Do you want thick cookies, with a soft center and wonderful little bites of crunch?

Do you want cookies with all the nutty, caramelized flavor of browned butter + the rich molasses goodness that is dark brown sugar + ooey gooey bites of dark chocolate + surprising bites of salt that create a yummilicious sweet/salty combo thing + the surprising perfection that is toasted pecans?

DO YA?

...yes. You do.

Trust me.

When I first saw this recipe on Baker Bettie, I was actually surprised by how intriguing I found them. But something about them just...sang to me. I knew I needed to try them. It took me a bit, but last week it finally happened. Now, I'm not sure if you've noticed but, as a general rule, I don't much enjoy nuts in my cookies (or brownies, etc.)-nut butters are always fair games, but usually nuts are just not accepted into my cookie-dom. Maybe you also feel this way, maybe you don't. Either way listen to me when I say: DO NOT OMIT THE PECANS FROM THIS RECIPE! I'm serious...the toasted pecans might be the best part. I actually used just slightly less pecans than the recipe calls for (a very scant amount less, but still)...I regret it. There was nothing more amazing than taking a big bite of cookie that encompassed chocolate, salt, cookie, and pecan. It is a perfect flavor marriage. This cookie without the pecans is just missing part of what makes it so amazing. It's like...Superman without the Kents, Batman without Alfred, Dean without "Baby" (aka The Impala), Damon without his eyebrows...you get the idea. I mean it when I say these cookies are like a whole 'nother level. They are incredibly unique and wonderful and amazing and delicious. They're like cookie masterpieces. You need to be a part of this. You need to make these. I mean it. 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins

We're gonna have a little fun this week.

You see, next week is my birthday.

Christmas time is quickly approaching.

Also, I have a lot of cookie recipes that I've made and need to share.

So, let us declare this week:

COOKIE WEEK!

Yayyy cookies!

To start us off, a cookie-like breakfast recipe.

Technically they're muffins, but trust me...they're almost cookies. Like...eating cookies for breakfast prob. would be just as acceptable as these muffins, but since they're muffins they're breakfast food and you don't feel as guilty for eating them in the morning. Ya know?

Soft and fluffy, like a muffin.

Oatmeal, chocolate chips, and all the brown sugar goodness of a cookie.

There's really nothing not to like about these.

Something Saturdays (11/3/12)

Stuff got real this week with Hurricane Sandy (Halloween got sorta eclipsed). Michael and I got very lucky and we were able to keep power and were completely fine. Others were not so lucky. If you're interested in helping, you can donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief.

Anyway, since I wasn't able to do much all week (hello non-functioning public transit systems) I spent a lot of time relaxing, catching up on stuff, and-of course, cooking and baking. :)

How did you (if you were affected) spend your hurricane time?

White Chicken Enchiladas with Scallion Sauce

Here it is! The main event!

The actual main course of Michael's birthday dinner.

He wanted Mexican and he wanted something I would eat too--so I found a enchilada recipe that had all ingredients that I liked, except for the sauce. 

The sauce had green chiles in it. I don't do chiles. 

Don't hate me but...I replaced them with scallions! So...it's like not authentic at all. 

But...I liked it! Michael liked it! 

It was quite tasty and is a winner if you've got a picky eater in your household (like me *hangs head in shame*).

It's also pretty easy. And not too unhealthy either (I maaay have used Greek yogurt in the sauce instead of sour cream...). Give it a try, K? For me? :D

Cinnamon Sugar Stuffed Scones-Guest Post at Pies and Plots

Now that we've come out the other side of this hurricane, let's reflect on what matters.

Food 

Friends

In my short time here in bloggy-land, I have made a lot of wonderful, wonderful friends. Some of whom you already know, and some you don't! Today I'm going to introduce (or re-introduce) Laura from Pies and Plots to you! Well...more like she's introducing me to her readers, since I'm guest posting over there today. 

But I digress.

Here's what makes Laura awesome: she's a writer, she's my age(ish), she's super supportive (hello, she favorites like every new post tweet of mine! how nice!), she's sweet, fun, and that girl can BAKE! She shares some of the most creative baked goods I've ever seen, and I love each and everyone post. Laura has a few dietary restrictions...SHE'S ALLERGIC TO CHOCOLATE AND CHEESE!! I know *sob* the poor girl! How does she live??! I'm kidding, I'm kidding...mostly. But she obviously manages just fine without these things. But as I'm sure none of you are surprised by...I had a hard time finding a non-chocolatey recipe to share on her site today.

It was a challenge I met! And I got to include another bloggy friend in the process (I adapted the recipe from Kristina of Whipped Baking...I'm sure you remember her. She's hopped on over here to see you guys a couple times before. :P) Anyway, these scones: they're chewy and delicious. They're glazed. They're stuffed full of CINNAMON SUGAR GOODNESS! It is one of the best ways you could possibly start your day, and if you want to see the recipe, just head on over to Pies and Plots!

You should also follow Laura!

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