Weekly Meal Plan Menu (March 28-April 3, 2016)

Happy Easter!! I hope you have a super fun day (full of delicious food) and if you need some inspiration for what to make for this coming week then you've come to the right place!

This week’s meal plan was brought you to by:

Big Bear's Wife | The Pajama Chef | Pies and Plots | The Cooking Actress | Foodtastic Mom | The Spiffy Cookie

Something Saturdays (3/26/16)

This week I've just been spending time with the hubby (since he is on spring break and took the week off from work too), helping out with clearing out/packing up his mom's house, and obsessing over potential future homes for us. We also got some great news: Michael got promoted! This job is going to be a lot less stressful for him + pays more! Yippee!

Today we're dyeing Easter eggs with Michael's family and tomorrow we're going to have Easter with Michael's stepmom's family and then later with his mom's family. Are you doing anything fun?

Ultimate Fudge Brownies with Toasted Pecans

This week is a little special for me: Michael's on spring break from school and he also took the week off from work. So I get to have my boy home with me all week!! Which is awesome but also means my productivity is gonna be minimal. It just always is when he's home. We get stuff done but things for him or with him, not so much the stuff I usually do when he's gone. I guess this is my way of saying that um I don't know if I'm going to have recipes for you next week? Maybe? We'll see??

Regardless...if I don't-these brownies will MORE than make up for it! They are PHENOMENAL.

Warning: these brownies are not for the faint of heart. They are very rich. The recipe uses 4 sticks of butter and 6 eggs--that equals a lot of decadence (also this recipe makes A LOT of brownies. So take that into account). I highly suggest freezing some brownies for later. And sharing with everyone so that they are in awe of you and your baking prowess.

Texture: super fudgy and decadent and perfection--with some melty chocolate chips and crunchy toasted pecans thrown in (and normally I'm not a fan of nuts mucking around in my brownies but OMG go with me on this these are an exception and you shouldn't omit them because they're awesome!)
Flavor: A LOT of browned butter means a lot of browned butter flavor, plus a lot of delish dark chocolate, toasted pecans add to the entire thing and then some sea salt on top brings everything together. Serious indulgence here, my friends. Serious brownie perfection. They even have the sought after crackly tops!

These shall go down as one of my favorite brownie recipes-EVER. You will be blown away, forreals.

Thick Italian Hot Chocolate

First of all--I'm aware it's March and spring is technically here (although, it is March-you never know. It snowed yesterday.) and I'm sharing a hot chocolate recipe with you. BUT I just want you to know that if you serve this room temperature or chilled in a small bowl or ramekin, it's essentially like a chocolate pudding or mousse or pot de creme. So it's a very versatile dessert that can be sipped warm or eaten chilled with a spoon! It's the perfect March dessert, really, you're prepared for whatever the weather decides to do!

Also...Easter is coming up. And I think if you served this "hot chocolate" chilled in pretty glasses or ramekins they'd be a pretty impressive holiday dessert. Just sayin'.

Now that we're done discussing the fact that this hot chocolate doesn't have to be hot chocolate....let's talk about it as hot chocolate. I tend to love most Italian style things--I love traditional Italian style pizzas (Neapolitan specifically), gelato, and pretty much all things I've been exposed to. So it shouldn't be a surprise that I'm 1000% on board with their way of doing hot chocolate--which is thick chocolatey indulgence style. Seriously...border-line pudding. Which I adore.

Is it the same as the Max Brenner's Italian Thick Hot Chocolate I so miss? 

No. It is actually thicker. 

Is this my favorite hot chocolate I've ever made? 

YES!

It's rich, and decadent, and thick, and pretty much insanely chocolety and perfect in every way.

In my ever so humble opinion.

Weekly Meal Plan Menu (March 21-27, 2016)

 Ummmm how is it almost Easter??? INSANITY! If you're anything like me then you always have some trouble figuring out what to make prior to the holidays. Sooo this meal plan will REALLY help out with that! Enjoy my lovelies xoxo

This week’s meal plan was brought you to by:

Foodtastic Mom | The Spiffy Cookie | Big Bear's Wife | The Pajama Chef | Pies and Plots | The Cooking Actress

Something Saturdays (3/19/16)

at Salt and Smoke with my bestie

I'm back! I had the most wonderful time in St. Louis with my best friend, Alex, and her boyfriend-Mike. I arrived Saturday and we had a delicious dinner at Pastaria (hiiighly recommend the fried risotto balls and the Canestri Cacio E Pepe). Sunday, we checked out the Delmar Loop and had my favorite meal of the trip at Salt and Smoke. Everything we had was so so delicious (I got a super amazing brisket sandwich) and we were full all day. We had some time to kill at that point so we checked out the Missouri History Museum and saw the loop, and then we went to see Beauty and the Beast (stage musical) at The Fabulous Fox Theatre (loved it!) Monday, Alex and I visited the Cahokia Mounds, St. Louis Science Center (and we discovered it's more for children), and then we grabbed lunch at The Schlafly Tap Room (the best part were the fries and truffle aioli! They also have a bunch of their own beers available, which is cool.) Then we checked out historic St. Charles, including the Lewis and Clark Boat House and Nature Center (Lewis & Clark left from St. Charles so it was like a little museum about their expedition). St. Charles had a bunch of adorable shops and things but Alex and I especially liked Kilwins (I loooved their almond toffee) and di Olivas (an olive oil and balsamic tasting emporium--Alex ended up buying a bottle each of their Tuscan Herb olive oil, Margarita Balsamic, and Strawberry Fields Balsamic). We went back to Alex's place for a little bit to see Mike off (he had to fly to Cleveland for work) and then after a little relaxation we went to PW Pizza for dinner. We split a pizza-one half was the "Wolf" for Alex and the other half was Margherita for me. It was my kind of pizza-so so good! Tuesday (my last day), we started out day with Vincent Van Doughnut--and I can say the Chocolate Salted Caramel Doughnut is def. the best, and they were absolutely some of the best doughnuts I've had. Then we spent most of the gorgeous day at the St. Louis Zoo (so fun!) and had lunch at a nearby Irish pub called Seamus McDaniel's. And the rest of the day I just binge-watched The Jinx with Alex and enjoyed my remaining time with my best friend. <3

Weekly Meal Plan Menu (March 14-20, 2016)

Sunday is here which means another week full of meals for all of you! This week features a couple of my favorites, so I hope you enjoy! 

This week’s meal plan was brought you to by:

The Cooking Actress | Pies and Plots | The Spiffy Cookie | Foodtastic Mom | The Pajama Chef | Big Bear's Wife

Something Saturdays (3/12/16)

This week was actually pretty exciting. Wednesday I met up for lunch with an old friend of mine from high school to catch up, and that was cool. But then later I met up with a local wedding planner (Val of Perfectly Planned) and after chatting and finding out we have a ton in common (we're the same age, got into/are getting into wedding planning for similar reasons, and we even got married the same exact day!) we decided to have me start assisting her with upcoming weddings and, if everything works out long-term, I could eventually be a planner for her business and help her take on more clients! I am outrageously excited and I can't wait to see how it all works out!!! And then on Friday I had a call-back audition for a union commercial I auditioned for a week and a half ago. So that was exciting--I didn't do as great as I would have liked but whether I get it or not I'm excited they liked me enough to have me in for a call back!

Today I'm flying to St. Louis to spend a few days with my best friend! I'll be there until Wednesday so, aside from today's post and tomorrow's meal planning post, I'll be pretty much off the internet (aside from Instagram, of course) until I'm home. I'm so excited to spend this time with my best and I'll fill you all in on how it went next week!

From last week's SNL-Jay Pharoah doing impressions of black comedians is amazing!

Also-in case you haven't heard-our friend Hayley, AKA The Domestic Rebel, has her very own cookbook coming out! And I highly suggest you pre-order a copy of Out of the Box Desserts: Simply Spectacular, Semi-Homemade Sweets because I'm pretty sure it's gonna change all our lives for the better.

Homemade Cheddar Pierogi {with Caramelized Onions}

This is a big one, guys. This is one of those recipes that like...changes your life. Ok...maybe that's dramatic.

...OR IS IT?

No but forrealsies, these are definitely a new favorite. Turns out-making homemade, from scratch, pierogi isn't that hard (I will admit that it dirties a lot of dishes, but it is TOTALLY worth it!)

Now, first of all, if you aren't familiar with pierogi: they're pretty much a pasta that is filled with mashed potatoes (and, in this case, cheddar cheese) and usually served with sauteed or caramelized onions. There's a bunch of variations but, in my opinion, this version is the best.

The pasta shell is tender. The cheddar mashed potato filling is perfectly flavorful and comforting. Sauteeing the pierogi in butter after boiling makes the texture and flavor even better. And serving them with caramelized onions is just perfection. I'm legit. obsessed. Michael is too. He took one bite and gave me a wide-eyed look, "These are amazing!" He was impressed. I was sort of impressed. You'll be impressed. If you need a perfect pierogi recipe-look no further! Or, if you just want a new idea for dinner tomorrow-also look no further! You need homemade cheddar pierogi in your life!

Cheesy Turkey Pesto Rolls

I can't believe I did it. This is something I practically never do. I...I used crescent rolls in a recipe. And I didn't make the crescent roll dough from scratch. This is not a thing I usually do but I know we don't always have time and...I wanted to make these. So I bit the bullet and used crescent roll dough. I hope we're all ok with this? Everything in moderation, am I right?

I feel like I've been pretty firmly in the old-for-my-age camp in a lot of ways for awhile. You know, I'd rather sit and watch Netflix or a movie than go out, I like to cook/bake (obviously), Michael and I bicker like an old married couple...etc. One of the few things that kept me from being too far over the edge is that I've never cared much for HGTV...and I don't knit. Well...now that I'm starting to get into the idea of house hunting...I am sorta loving HGTV all of a sudden.

...but so far I still don't knit.

But whether you're young-at-heart or old-for-your-age...or anywhere in between, you're gonna be all about these rolls! They're crazy easy to throw together and they make an awesome lunch or snack or appetizer or just grab-and-go sustenance! They're cheesy and pesto-y (so make sure to use a pesto you love!) and there's turkey so yay protein! They're also super customizable so feel free to play around with the fillings, and you can totally make them vegetarian (just...don't add any meat--ta da!) 

Weekly Meal Plan Menu (March 7-13, 2016)

Here we are, another week's worth of delicious meals for you to enjoy! I've gotta say...I'm loving the selection in this one, how PHENOMENAL does everything look??!

This week’s meal plan was brought you to by:

The Pajama Chef | Big Bear's Wife | The Cooking Actress | Pies and Plots | The Spiffy Cookie | Foodtastic Mom

Something Saturdays (3/5/16)

I've seen The Lion King like a thousand times but seeing it through new eyes in this Buzzfeed article that is a play-by-play as someone who has never seen it watches it for the first time.....made me get all the giggles.

Fellow 90's kids--Nickelodeon is bringing back Hey Arnold! (And Legends of the Hidden Temple)

Michael and I are getting closer to taking the steps to buying a house. AND his mom is about to start house hunting. Sooo....I've officially become addicted to HGTV is pretty much what I'm saying (namely Flip or Flop and House Hunters).

This week was pretty boring. Our microwave broke and I had to get a new one from my mom (she had an extra). I also got to talk to my brother because he's now in his job training so he can use his phone and the internet and such again. Annnd last night we saw Deadpool! And loved it. It was perfection. Ryan Reynolds is amazing. Today I work but then we're going to Youngstown for Michael's cousin's birthday. And then tomorrow=more work! Ick.

Potato Scones

Yes yes....Kayle sees a new potato recipe and feels the need to make it. Don't give me as hard of a time as Michael does about it, mmkay? Cuz really...don't we all love potatoes? And my love means I share potato recipes with all of you soooo...I think it's a win win for all of us.

Now...I had never heard of potato scones before. Google tells me they're Scottish...which makes sense (I've been watching a lot of Outlander and I've read the books so obviously I'm an expert on Scots lol). I'm not Scottish at all (to my knowledge...although those ancestry commercials for DNA testing make me consistently curious as to what my results would be) but I am Irish. And St. Patrick's Day is coming up. And you know...potatoes are like a big deal for Ireland (which is like pretty similar to Scotland really...they both speak Gaelic and are in similar areas and yeah...) So I think these potato scones are perfect for the occasion, really.

They're a comfort food I didn't even know existed. They're made from mashed potatoes and normal scone/biscuity-y ingredients and then...they're fried in a skillet (I prefer cast iron for this sort of job. Makes me feel very pioneer-y.) And you serve them with butter. And they're darned delicious. Crisp and fried on the outside, and shining with melted butter, and then they're chewy and potato-y on the inside. I loved them.

DO YOU SEE THE GLISTENING BUTTER AND THE FRIED GOODNESS??!

Need I say more?

Paleo Chocolate Chunk Cookies

When I saw Ambitious Kitchen share these cookies...I had no intention on making them anytime soon. But then How Sweet It Is raved about them. And I realized I had all the ingredients on hand. So I made the best decision ever and decided to give them a try. And they're one of my all-time favorite healthier cookie recipes.

Michael's really becoming a cookie connoisseur, I'm a little proud of it. I like to think I'm responsible. I decided not to tell him there was anything different about these cookies but he immediately was like "Hmm...they're a little nutty. The texture is different too-is there almond butter in these?" And I mean...almond flour...he wasn't too far off. I then came clean and he just shrugged and ate the rest of the cookie happily. Ahh how far we've come.

That reminds me of a funny story-we were voting early for the upcoming primary and I was apparently just out of sorts that day because I kept asking questions and then seeing there were very obvious answers around me. And Michael kept teasing me every time. The people at the election office were getting a kick out of it and the one older woman asked if I was sure about him. I then informed her we were married so I'm fairly stuck with him. She giggled and said well a sense of humor is always good for a long lasting relationship. I agreed. And then glared at my oh so funny husband.

Anyway--back to the cookies. 

They're chewy. Just a little bit nutty (part of why I'm so impressed Michael picked up on it). The coconut sugar gives them a deliciously complex and almost caramelized flavor. Gooey dark chocolate chunks are the things I dream of...and sea salt on top because I firmly feel all ccc's need it. My cookie jar was a happy place when these resided there. And they couldn't be easier to make-you just mix them up in a bowl, you don't even need an electric mixer! And there's no chilling required soo...you can pretty much have cookies in your belly in less than 30 minutes. SCORE!

Weekly Meal Plan Menu (February 29-March 6, 2016)

We're going to do something new around here! Myself and some other food bloggers are going to bring you a meal plan with delicious options for the coming week. Fun, right?! I'm so excited to start and I hope you all enjoy these delicious meal ideas.

This week’s meal plan was brought you to by:

The Spiffy Cookie | Foodtastic Mom | The Pajama Chef | Big Bear's Wife | The Cooking Actress | Pies and Plots

Something Saturdays (2/27/16)

Let's talk about my trip to San Antonio for my brother's airforce graduation! Thursday we caught our first glimpse of him during the "Airman's Run" (although mom wasn't able to see him but I did!) and then there was an Honor Graduate Ceremony (the top 10% of their class get to be honor grads, and Josh was one! He actually finished #2 in the entire class!) and then a Coin Ceremony (they get coins which are like a thing...anyway) and theeen we got to go hug him! And we hung out with him around the base the rest of the day, and it was awesome. Friday morning Josh's best friend (and our across-the-street neighbor most of our lives) Bryan came and we watched the official graduation ceremony--which mostly just involved them marching and stuff. Then we got to go hug him again (yay :D) and then their dorms had an open house so we got to see where he slept and his locker and we met his MTI's (training instructors). --it was also pretty hilarious because Bryan is an officer (he's almost done training to be a fighter pilot) and Josh's fave MTI called the entire dorm to attention to pay respect to him and he was so embarrassed and then she said, "You look a bit red there, Sir." and it was sooo funny. Anyway, then Bryan had to go back to his base and we were going to meet him there after we grabbed lunch. 

Lunch was Whataburger (a regional burger chain based out of San Antonio) and it was pretty tasty! Then we got a tour around Bryan's training area of base and saw the plane he flies and met a bunch of cool people, it was neat! After that we checked out the River Walk which is hand's down my favorite part of San Antonio-there are walkways and shops and restaurants and hotels and such all along this river and it's so gorgeous. Everything reminded me of Mexico but also very Southern...which I guess is Texas. And, because it was Texas, we had to try a steakhouse for dinner! We went to Saltgrass Steakhouse and it was definitely tasty! Oh and I also found a chocolate shop (Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory) so I had to buy myself a dark chocolate salted caramel :P

Saturday Josh brought one of his friends from his flight whose family wasn't able to come to graduation. We visited the Alamo (pretty but not terribly exciting) and then we went on a tour cruise of the River Walk (Rio San Antonio Cruises) and it was so interesting (and funny-our guide was a crack-up) and allowed us to see how beautiful the whole River Walk is! For lunch we had my favorite meal of the trip at Boudro's-their burger was delish and the avocado salsa (essentially guacamole) was to die for--esp. when you dip your french fries in it! Josh spotted an old fashioned ice cream parlor with 37 flavors so that's where we had dessert (choc pb fudge for me, a scoop of cinnamon and a scoop of banana nut for him, orange sherbet for mom, and a scoop of mint choc chip and a scoop of pistachio almond for his friend.) 

THEN we went to Sea World (even though I'm sort of boycotting them because of the documentary BlackFish--but we all got in for free because of Josh being in the military). It was fun, though-especially the rollercoasters. Then we had just enough time to grab some dinner at Taco Cabana (which was pretty good for fast food!!) before getting the boys back to their dorm. Sunday was our last day and we were all pretty tired so the three of us (my mom, Josh, and I) just hung out and spent time together on base and in mine and mom's hotel room. And then way too soon we had to say goodbye. I had the best time but I miss my brother like crazy. *sigh* Also I wish Michael could have been there, he would have loved the food and the River Walk (and, of course, seeing Josh).

Then I got home and it snowed. And Michael's car ignition broke (which we got fixed and it was fine but it was an annoying few days).

And this weekend I'm working. Blech.

But this is for all my fellow Jess+Rory shippers.

Roast Garlic Gravy

Hiii everyone! I'm back!! Didja miss me? I missed you! I have to say, though, I had THE BEST time! It was so wonderful to see my brother and spend so much time with him. We also got to check out San Antonio-which is an awesome city and I cannot recommend the River Walk down there enough! So beautiful and so many amazing restaurants! We did a lot of fun stuff, and I'll talk more about it on Saturday, but yeah the best part was definitely my baby brother. It was so hard to leave him and know I won't see him for another 6ish months (after he's done with his tech training for his intel job in the airforce). But at least I can send him care packages now! I know he misses his sissy's food lol.

I would put roasted garlic in everything if I could. So I obviously jumped at the chance to put it in gravy!

Now...I get that gravy season is sorta technically over. But like...is it? Is it ever really over. 

I think not. But...yeah you might not be making turkey and might not have drippings. I certainly didn't when I made this. Sooo I've included a way to make this both with and without drippings. Huzzah!

This gravy is rich and creamy and has a delicious mellow garlic flavor and seriously takes any mashed potato recipe over the top. A must make, in my humble opinion.

Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed S'mores Brownies

Excuse the messiness of these photos. I'm just trying to show real life here...I mean...s'mores and melty peanut butter cups are messy. Any of you who have children (or remember being children) should be plenty aware of this fact. All things considered I think I did the best that could have been expected. Plus....I mean....messy and gooey looks kinda yummy, ya know?

Now...before I get into the transcendent experience that is eating one of these brownies...I need to give you guys a heads up! I'm going to be out in Texas Wednesday-Monday to go to my brother's graduation from basic training for the airforce. Sooo I'm not going to be able to post this Wednesday or next Monday. I KNOW-I'm sorry! But I figured...at least I'm leaving you with something completely over the top amazing to keep you all satisfied until I get back. So, hopefully these brownies will help me earn your forgiveness. I mean-look at these photos. We're cool.

When I made these delicious brownies I instagrammed them. And was told by one of my husband's coworkers that she needed one. And I thought to myself "These are really rich, and this did make a huge pan of brownies...I could probably share." So I told her I'd send some in with Michael the next day. And apparently she told everyone because I shortly thereafter got a text from him saying, "So I guess I'm bringing dessert tomorrow?"

They were excited :D And I sent the brownies. And they were devoured. But poor Jess (the original coworker who commented) wasn't there the rest of the week and got no brownies! So she's been pouty about it. I can't really blame her. These are DARNED GOOD.

Allow me to e'splain to you these magical brownies. They have a thick and buttery graham cracker crust. Nomnom. Then they have a very dense and very chocolate brownie layer. Mmmhmm. THEN they have peanut butter cups and melty dark chocolate barks layered on top of that. OMIGOSH. And theeen there are toasted marshmallows on top. YESYESFORREALSIESYES.

In summation-these are insanely gooey and decadent and rich and pretty much what dreams are made of. You need them. I need them. We all need them.

Something Saturdays-On a Sunday (2/14/16)

Another boring work-work-work week. It's also been super snowy here (boo)--is it snowy where you are?? Yesterday was great though-I went to a bridal shower for Michael's cousin and then he and I celebrated Valentine's Day by going out to dinner at one of our favorite places, Burntwood Tavern, and then we watched Supernatural and some movies. AND, as a special treat, he surprised me with a red rose when I got home from the shower :) Today I'm just working, bleh. What are your V-Day plans? Slight warning--this coming Wednesday I am going to Texas for my brother's airforce basic training graduation sooo I'm not going to be posting while I am gone (which is Wednesday-Monday). But then I'll be back in action on that Wednesday! Yay!

OMG I AM DYING OVER THE FULLER HOUSE TRAILER! I'm already shipping DJ&Steve again lol.

And, on the same nostalgia train-Milo Ventimiglia (AKA Jess) is going to be in the Gilmore Girls revival! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! (Jess+Rory 4eva!)

Pecan Sticky Buns #GalentinesDayParty

HAPPY GALENTINE'S DAY!!

What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s only the best day of the year. Every February 13th, Leslie Knope and her lady friends leave their husbands and their boyfriends at home and just kick it breakfast style. Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus, frittatas!

A few months ago Michael and I binge-watched Parks and Recreation. And we will never be the same-WE LOVED IT SO MUCH! So this year Galentine's Day really means something to me, because I love Leslie. And Ann Perkins. And April. And Donna. And the entire gang. Just like I love my food blogger gal pals, which is why we came together to celebrate this day of sisterhood and breakfast food! A big THANK YOU to Neighborfood and Gotta Get Baked for putting this thing together!

Waffles are Leslie Knope's absolute favorite, so I considered sharing some. But-I've already shared A TON of waffle recipes, and I've found my favorite waffle recipes. So I'm mixing it up with another breakfast treat that I know the Knope-ster would also dig: Pecan Sticky Buns! That are completely homemade, but pretty simple to make, and it only makes 4. Which is good because I, unlike Leslie, do not have triplets or a million friends and these are really best served fresh soooo 4 was plenty to split between Michael and I. But you can totally double the recipe if you need to!

These sticky buns are chewy and fluffy and smothered in a caramel-pecan mixture that it cooks in and is stuffed with. Nothing makes your mouth happy like something sweet and rich and nutty in the morning, or at least that's how I feel! Michael's response upon taking a bite was "mmmmmmm"...so ya know...even the fellas support these.

But today isn't about the fellas it's about the ladiiies! I have so many wonderful girlfriends thanks to this blogging community I'm a part of, and I'm lucky enough to have had the same exact best friend my whole life (my bestie Alex). I don't have a lot of friends but the ones I do have I really care about and nothing sounds better than being able to actually meet up with all my ladies for brunch. And bringing these sticky buns to the party. And then watching an old movie. That's the dream.

Check out the rest of the Galentines Day Party deliciousness!

• Caramel Cheesecake from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Hula Pie from Heather’s Dish
• Red Velvet Donuts from Blahnik Baker
• Strawberry Chocolate Chip Pancakes from NeighborFood
• Pecan Sticky Buns from The Cooking Actress
• Gin Lime Coconut Truffles from Food Lust People Love
• Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies from Wallflour Girl
• Lavender Ice Cream from NinjaBaker
• Three Ingredient Valentine’s Day M&M Fudge from Big Bear’s Wife
• Smores Waffle Sticks from A Cookie Named Desire
• Cherry Chocolate Chip Cheesecake from Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt
• Chocolate Frosted Fudgy Brownies with Strawberries from Pineapple and Coconut
• Nutella Layer Cake from gotta get baked