Grilled Chicken Hummus Wrap

My second week working in the city I went to eat lunch with a coworker to a small restaurant in Midtown where I had the best wrap  and hummus I've ever had. Nanoosh's grilled chicken hummus wrap is literally one of the best things I've ever had. A warm whole wheat wrap, creamy yummy hummus, crunchy onions and organic greens and perfectly cooked chicken. Since I can't spend $10 for lunch every day, I tried to make my own.

Ingredients
1 c. chopped grilled chicken
1/4 c. diced onions
2 T. sliced green onions
2 t. olive oil
salt and pepper
2 T. hummus
1 whole wheat wrap (I think Nanoosh uses a pita, but all I had were tortillas...)
1 c. greens (I only had lettuce)

Directions

1. Place oil in a small fry pan over medium heat. Lightly saute onions and scallions (about 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper
2. Spread 2 T. hummus on wrap. Spread onions and scallions. Top with chicken and greens. Wrap. Eat.

Bruschetta Three Ways

Yummy, yummy, yummy. These made beautiful and yummy appetizers for Sangria Saturday. They were gone pretty quick :)

Bruschetta
Thinly slice french bread, brush with olive oil and toast in oven a few minutes

Traditional Bruschetta
Ingredients
4-5 diced medium tomatoes
2 T fresh basil, chopped,
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T olive oil
1/4 t salt
1/4 pepper

Directions

1. Dice tomatoes and remove icky middle part
2. Mix tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper
3. Refrigerate for better test
4. Top toasted french bread slices

Braised Pepper Bruschetta
Ingredients
1/4 c olive oil
3 red, yellow or orange sweet bell peppers, cored and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, diced
1/4 t sea salt
8 basil leaves chopped
block of monterey jack cheese
olive oil for drizzling

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add peppers, garlic and salt. Cook until peppers are soft and sweet, but not brown (about 30 minutes)
2. Remove from heat, stir in basil and let mixture cool to room temperature
3. Slice monterey jack
4. Place cheese on toasted french bread slices, top with pepper mixture and drizzle with olive oil

Boursin Bruschetta

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 T fresh basil, chopped

1 T fresh dill, chopped

1 T fresh chives, chopped

Directions

1. Mix. The longer you let it sit, the yummier it tastes
2. Top toasted french bread slices

*Also tastes yummy on cucumbers

Bacon-Wrapped Potato Bites with Spicy Sour Cream Dipping Sauce

So I made these for a dinner party last winner and they were so so yummy. I just found the recipe again and had to share.

Recipe adapted from The Kitchn
Ingredients
1 pound small or medium red potatoes
1 1/2 t chopped rosemary (I used dried)
1 T olive oil
1/2 t slat
freshly ground pepper
12 oz thick cut bacon
1 c sour cream
1 t hot sauce
salt and pepper

Directions

1. Wash potatoes. Chop into 1 inch pieces, keeping roughly the same size. Put potatoes in a pot and cover with cold to water. Bring to boil over stove. Season water with salt and cook potatoes in boiling water for 3 minutes. Don't fully cook.
2. Drain potatoes and put them in a large bowl. Add the rosemary, olive oil, salt and a few grinds of pepper and toss until the potatoes are evenly coated
3. Cut bacon strips in thirds. Wrap each piece of potato in cut bacon strip and secure with a toothpick. Put the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
4. Cook for 15 minutes, then flip each piece and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until bacon is cooked through
5. Mix sour cream and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pile on a plate and serve with dip. SO NOMS. 

*I used the dip as a mayo substitute on sandwiches later.

Strawberry Glaze Pie

Something about fresh strawberry pie screams summer to me. Maybe it's because I make at least one every summer, and my dad loves this recipe.

It starts with my great-grandma's pie crust recipe
Ingredients
1 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. Crisco
2 T ice water

Directions

1. Mix flour, salt and crisco together with a fork or fingers until it clumps together into little balls
2. Add ICE water and mix until it forms a ball
3. Roll out pie crust; prick pie crust with fork
4. Bake @ 350 for 7-8 minutes until golden brown

*For best results use roll out and place in pie shell immediately or put in fridge

The filling recipe is from an old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook
Ingredients
1 container of strawberries
1 c. water
3/4 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch

Directions

1. Crush 1 c. fresh strawberries and cook with 1 c. water about 2 minutes
2. Push through a sieve and make sure you scrape all the good stuff off the bottom (have some patience with this for best results); Throw out strawberry carcasses and keep the juice
3. Combine sugar and cornstarch stir into berry juice on stove and cook until thick and bubbly (Note it will not become thick and bubbly evenly at first - DO NOT PANIC as I did the first time I made it, it will turn out delicious)
4. Line bottom of cooled pastry shell with sliced strawberries layer with half the sauce, layer with sliced berries again and top with second half of sauce
5. Chill and enjoy :)

Caramel Apple Pie Cupcakes

These cupcakes seem like they take a year to make, but they are so so so worth the effort. They're one of the few cupcake recipes I've repeated.

Recipe adapted from The Craving Chronicles

Parts
Apple Filling
Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce
Cinnamon Cupcakes
Caramel Swiss Buttercream Frosting

Apple Filling
Ingredients
2 T unsalted butter
4 apples (I like MacIntosh) peeled, cored and finely diced
1 T sugar
2 T brown sugar
1 t fresh lemon juice
1/8+ t cinnamon
1/2 T cornstarch
1 T water

Directions

1. Melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add apples, sugars, lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook until apples are tender and release their juices (about 10 minutes)
2. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Add to apple mixture and stir and continue cooking until thickened.
3. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature

Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 1/2 c heavy cream

1 T vanilla

Directions

1. Mix heavy cream and vanilla in a measuring cup
2. Spread sugar in an even layer on the bottom of a heavy, tall sided sauce pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring gently with a heat-proof spatula or whisk to promote even browning until sugar melts (HAVE PATIENCE). Once the sugar comes to a boil (it must come to a boil), STOP STIRRING
3. When the caramel turns a rich amber color remove from heat and immediately whisk in cream (Caution: it bubbles violently and makes scary sounds). Cool to room temperature. If lumps form, just warm over low heat until they melt.

Cinnamon Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 c. milk

1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

2 c. flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

2+ t cinnamon

1/4 t salt

4 eggs

1 3/4 c. sugar

1+ t vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350; line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners
2. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter melts; remove from heat
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt
4. Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat eggs and sugar until thick ribbons form, about 5 minuts (again have patience - I tend to lack this) Add flour mixture and beat on low until just incorporated. Add milk mixture and vanilla; beat until blended
5. Divide evenly among tins; bake 16-18 minutes; cool in pans for 5 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely

Caramel Swiss Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

4 egg whites

1 1/3 c granulated sugar

pinch of salt

2 sticks of unsalted butter, cut into cuves

1/3 c. vanilla bean caramel sauce (above), completely cooled

1+ t vanilla extract

Directions

1. Place a saucepan with about 2 inches of water over medium-low heat and bring to a simmer
2. Combine egg whites, sugar and salt in the metal bowl of a stand mixer; place bowl over pan of simmering water and whisk constantly until mixture reads 160 (or for those of us who wing-it without a thermometer aka me until recently, sugar will be dissolved and mixture will start to resemble marshmallow fluff)
3. Remove bowl from heat and attach to stand mixer; beat with the whisk attachment until stiff meringue pakes form and the outside of the bowl no longer feels warm (about 10 minutes)
4. Switch to paddle attachement; on low speed add one cube of butter at a time; waiting until incorporated before adding the next. When all butter is added and incorporated, add caramel slowly on low speed; add vanilla and continue beating until smooth

*If frosting curdles, keep beating

*If frosting is soupy, place mixer bowl in fridge for 10-15 minutes and beat until smooth and repeat if necessary

Assembly

1. Cut cone shapes out of the top of cupcakes; save the "lids"
2. Fill each cupcake with 1/2 T apple filling; smash lid back on
3. Pipe frosting; drizzle with caramel sauce and enjoy

Mini S'mores Cups

For the days you want s'mores and don't want to smell like campfire. Oh, wait. That's never. For winter when it's too cold? Let's be real - you don't need a reason. Although they were super cute and went over very well for a little dessert party.

Recipe adapted from Texas Cottage Blog

Ingredients

7  whole graham crackers (1 cup finely crushed)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

4 bars (1.55 oz each) milk chocolate candy, divided

12 large marshmallows

24 mini marshmallows

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place graham crackers into a large resealable plastic bag. Finely crush into crumbs. Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and butter in a small bowl.
2. Place 1 tablespoon of crumb mixture in each cup of a mini muffin pan. Firmly press crumbs to form shallow cups (I used a spoon and my fingers). Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling. Meanwhile, break two of the candy bars into rectangles. Remove pan from oven; place one rectangle into each cup.
3. Cut marshmallows in half crosswise using shears dipped in cold water. Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup. Return to oven 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly softened. Remove pans from oven to cooling rack; cool 15 minutes. Carefully remove cups from pan. Cool completely.
4. Place mini marshmallows on top of half marshmallows (I toasted the mini marshmallows over the gas range because the the marshmallow halves didn't stay puffed up)
5. Break remaining candy bars and place in small microwavable bowl. Microwave on high 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds. Spoon melted chocolate on top and let stand 40 to 60 minutes or until set. Makes 24 cups.

Note: Store the cups in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Freezing is not recommended.

Cinnamon Vanilla Swirl Bread

I love homemade bread so much. This is light and fluffy. Moist and just sweet enough where you don't need butter. It's perfect for a breakfast or brunch and you don't need a bread machine! I double the inside part to make it cover better.

(Image above from Rachel Cooks)

Recipe adapted from Rachel Cooks

Ingredients

1 c milk
12 T unsalted butter, divided
2.5 t active dry yeast
2 whole eggs (plus egg for egg wash, see below)
1 c sugar, divided
3 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 t salt
4 T ground cinnamon
2+ T vanilla Extract
egg and milk whisked together for egg wash
extra softened butter for pan

Directions

1. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter with the milk. Heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and cool until still slightly warm. Sprinkle yeast over the top, stir once and set aside for ten minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together flour and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 1/3 cup sugar and eggs using a paddle attachment. (I don’t have a stand mixer so I used a spoon and then kneaded by hand. I’d suggest the stand mixer if you have one.) Pour in milk mixture and combine. Add half of the flour and continue to beat on medium speed until moistened. Add the rest of the flour and beat until combined.
4. Remove paddle attachment and switch to dough hook. (Or dump it onto the counter for ten-ish minutes.) Knead dough on medium speed for ten minutes, adding 1/4 cup of flour if necessary, kneading for five more minutes.
5. Heat an empty glass bowl in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds just so it is warm. Pour in a little bit of canola or vegetable oil and toss the tough in the oil so it has a thin coating. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place for two hours or more.
6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine cinnamon, 2/3 cup of sugar and vanilla extract. Add in 3 tablespoons of cold butter. (Sometimes I'm a bad girl and I double this.) Using a fork, work together this mixture together until the butter is in pea-size pieces.
7. On a floured or oiled work surface (I used oil), roll dough into a rectangle the width of your loaf pan and 18-24 inches long.
8. Evenly spread butter/sugar/cinnamon/vanilla mixture over rolled out dough. Starting at the far end, roll up dough, keeping it as tight as possible. Pinch seam to create a seal.
9. Coat the loaf pan in softened butter and place roll, seam side down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for two more hours.
10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
11. Create an egg wash by mixing an egg with a little bit (1-2 T) of milk and brush over the top of the loaf. Bake for 40 minutes on the middle or lower rack of your oven.

(this image from Rachel Cooks)