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EASY SHRIMP GNOCCHI

May 21, 2021 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

Bright Flavors

I have been craving bright, fresh flavors lately and this Easy Shrimp Gnocchi is the exact answer to my cravings. I know we all hate it when a food blogger says “you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry right now.” So, I’m not going to take it that far. But… this dish was created from ingredients that I buy routinely. I might not have each item in the kitchen at all times, but I shop these items on the regular. I love cooking like this because it feels less wasteful. I’m not shopping for unique ingredients that I might not use up. I’m not spending money beyond my typical grocery budget. These ingredients are easy to find and familiar to my family.

Any Time Of Day

While I typically think of gnocchi as a dinner item, I actually love this Easy Shrimp Gnocchi as a brunch dish. Yes, you can still have this for dinner but hear me out. The bright lemon flavor along with the spinach and tomatoes just scream brunch to me. To really put it over the top into brunch mode, add a fried or soft boiled egg to your bowl. So. Dang. Good! Keep in mind, this dish is light in flavor but also, the servings are moderate in size. In other words, you won’t be able to feed a crowd with this one unless you double the recipe. Whether you’re eating this for brunch or dinner, personally, I love this dish paired with a glass of white wine.

Blue bowl filled with gnocchi, shrimp, and vegetables.

Easy Shrimp Gnocchi

Sarah Baade

This shrimp gnocchi has bright, fresh flavors and comes together easily in one pan.

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Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner

Servings 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
16 oz dry gnocchi (shelf stable)
1 medium shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large handfulls fresh baby spinach
10 oz small sweet tomatoes, halved
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt & pepper to taste
optional topping: shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook until it starts to turn golden brown, approximately 7 minutes.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, shallots, and garlic. Cook an additional 2 minutes.
Add spinach, tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes. Cook until spinach is wilted.
Push all ingredients to one side of the pan. Add shrimp to other side of the pan, turn shrimp as needed until cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Toss shrimp with all other ingredients in the pan. Serve warm, topped with parmesan if desired.

Keyword Easy Shrimp Gnocchi, Gnocchi, One Pan Meal, Shrimp

Looking for more summer recipes?

Panzanella Summer Salad

Sober Sangria

Rainbow Fruit Salad

HOT CHOCOLATE MIX

February 18, 2021 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

Cold Weather Days

I have spent time in cold places. Several years, in fact. Growing up in Kansas, we would see snow a few times each year. Grad school in Buffalo, NY felt like winter would never end. Living in Colorado still brought plenty of snow but it would melt pretty quickly. San Antonio? We rarely get snow here. But here I am, texting snow pictures to family and friends and quickly going through all of our hot chocolate mix. The South isn’t built to handle the cold and snow. It broke down the power infrastructure to the point that much of the state (not just the city, but the entire state) has had power outages for three days. Even as I sit here writing this, I’m expecting the power to go out again at any moment. This is not something I ever expected to deal with in South Texas.

Overhead view of a mug of hot chocolate and marshmallows next to a bowl of hot chocolate mix and a bowl of marshmallows.

Coping With The Cold

Admittedly, my family has had it better than most. We have a gas fireplace which normally doesn’t get much use but has thankfully still been functional without power. We also have a gas stovetop so I’ve been able to light that up with a lighter and still cook for the family. Did you know you can cook chicken nuggets on your stovetop? Turns out, they are delicious that way! We managed to save most of our food from spoiling by putting it outside in the freezing cold temperatures. We also have ample supply of hot chocolate mix. Truthfully, when I initially made this mix, I wasn’t sure how quickly we might go through it. A week ago, we were hitting nearly 80℉ – who drinks hot chocolate when its that warm out? But here we are, warming ourselves from the inside out with lots of hot chocolate as we sit near the fireplace. As I look out the window, I see that snow has started coming down at a pretty good pace again. Honestly, I’m over it. But at least I know we can snuggle up together with mugs of hot chocolate in our hands.

Hot Chocolate Mix

Sarah Baade

This mix is very easy to make and will keep the whole family warm during those cold winter days.

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Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings 17 servings

Ingredients

1½ cups dry milk powder
1 cup powdered sugar
1½ cups cocoa powder
¼ cup powdered vanilla creamer
Optional toppings: marshmallows; whipped cream

Instructions

In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients until well combined.
Mix ¼ hot chocolate mix with 8oz hot water or milk. Stir until mix is fully dissolved. Add toppings as desired.
Store mix in an air-tight container.

Notes

If your cocoa powder has clumps, sift it into the bowl rather than just adding it in as is.

Keyword Chocolate, Hot Chocolate, Hot Chocolate Mix, Hot Cocoa, Hot Cocoa Mix

Wanting a treat to serve with this hot chocolate? I’ve got you covered. Check out my recipe for Fudgy Brownies. This is the perfect pairing for any chocolate lover.

FUDGY BROWNIES

February 12, 2021 by Sarah Baade 1 Comment

The Fudgy Brownies Journey

All my life I was making brownies out of a box mix. And I was content with it, until I wasn’t. A couple of years ago I made a box mix that was dull, flavorless, and more cake-like than true brownie texture. I didn’t even really want to serve them to my friends but that was all I had time for that day. Maybe it was the brand or type of mix that I bought that was the problem. I suspect it is actually just that I have higher expectations of baked goods. So I began the process of creating my own recipe. I bake everything else from scratch, why should fudgy brownies be the exception??

The Challenge

As it turns out, fudgy brownies are actually a huge lesson in chemistry. I did not study chemistry of any sort in college, certainly not food related chemistry. So, when my first attempt at my own fudgy brownies failed, I began to research. You’d be surprised how little information there is out there on how to get that shiny, flaky “skin” that we all love to see on top of our brownies. Without finding much info online, I have modified, adjusted, and tested several versions of brownies. Each version has been delicious. The asthetic has just been off from what I want.

Brownies on a white plate and white background.

The Answer

As I was about to finalize my recipe, a friend shared a YouTube video with me. She didn’t know I had been working on this recipe for a year and a half. A delicious, chocolate filled year and a half. This video explained what I was trying to figure out. That flaky shine on top of brownies is related to the sugars being fully coated in fat. I altered my recipe again… and again. As I sit here typing, I literally have four slightly different batches sitting on my counter. What I’ve determined is that the a super high gloss shine is achievable. I can almost see my reflection in one batch but it doesn’t taste as good. The ultimate balance is a light, flaky shine on top while maintaining that fudgy, rich chocolate in the middle. So here it is, my labor of love, my fudgy brownies recipe. Enjoy!

By The Way…

My favorite pairing with these Fudgy Brownies is my No Churn Chocolate Chunk Coffee Ice Cream. Go ahead and try it, and let me know if you agree 😉

Fudgy Brownies

Sarah Baade

Rich chocolate flavor with that classic flaky shine on top. You'll never reach for a box mix again.

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Equipment

Electric mixer. Ideally, a stand mixer is best for this recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup all purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional but adds richness to the chocolate flavor)
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Scrape sides of bowl as needed. When you think you have it fully combined, scrape the sides again and continue beating the mixture for a few more minutes.
Add powdered sugar to the butter mixture. Start mixing on low so the powdered sugar doesn't fly out of the bowl. Gradually increase speed of mixer and beat until mixture is light in texture and almost white in color. (I use a stand mixer and let it run at the second highest setting while I prepare the next ingredients.)
In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips in microwave. Stir every 30 seconds in order to not burn the chocolate. Once fully melted, set aside to cool slightly.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside. (Don't skip sifting. This prevents you from having clumps of cocoa powder in your brownies.)
Add eggs and vanilla to butter mixture and begin mixing at low setting.
While continuing to mix butter and eggs, add melted chocolate. Beat on medium speed until fully combined. Scrape sides of bowl as needed.
With a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula, gradually stir dry ingredients into mixture.
Spread brownie batter into greased 9×13 baking pan. Bake 30 minutes or until test toothpick come out almost clean (you want to see a few bits of slightly undercooked batter on the toothpick).

Keyword Brownies, Fudgy Brownies, Homemade Brownies

Looking for additional dessert recipes? Try these Peanut Butter Cut-Out Cookies or Chocolate chip Cookie Bars.

TOT TOPPED SHEPHERD’S PIE

January 17, 2021 by Sarah Baade 3 Comments

Changes To Our Meals

We all know life has changed over the past year. Okay, that is an understatement but I know I know need to go into all of the ways life has changed. I want to tell you how my family’s dinners have changed. Prior to Covid-19, my family and I focused on plant based options most days of the week. We still included meat of one sort or another a couple of times per week but most of our dinners were vegetarian or even vegan. When we started ordering our groceries online for curbside pick up, things changed for us. Being able to stop by the store on the way home from work/school, kiddo in tow, became something we are less comfortable with. Picking up groceries only every other week means relying more on foods that store well longer term (hello freezer!). Long story short, we’ve started eating more meats because they are easy to store in the freezer long term. As our eating habits change, it only feels right to shift the blog as well. My first beef based recipe for you is Tot Topped Shepherd’s Pie.

Wooden spoon with a scoop of tater tot shepherds pie and a white casserole dish with tater tots in the background.

Tot Topped Shepherd’s Pie

In addition to introducing more meats into our diet, we are focusing on smaller dishes to accommodate our small family without having excessive leftovers or waste. I recently saw this idea of topping a shepherd’s pie with tater tots and I knew I needed to make my own version of this. I love a traditional shepherd’s pie and even have a plant based, Baby Bella Shepherd’s Pie on here. But my least favorite part of making the traditional version is the mashed potatoes. The peeling, cutting, boiling, and mashing of the potatoes seems to take forever. Worth it? Yes. Do I always have time for those steps? No. These tater tots save tons of time and give a slightly crispy texture that is a hit with my whole family. Added bonus? Tots keep in the freezer until you’re ready to make this dish (as do the ground beef and peas). Give this Tot Topped Shepherd’s Pie a go and let me know what you think of this new recipe!

Tot Topped Shepherd’s Pie

Tater Tots make for a super easy topping on this cozy dish.

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Course Dinner

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
3 large carrots, cut into ¼" slices
½ medium yellow onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup beef stock
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 package frozen tater tots

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a large skillet, over medium heat, brown ground beef. Drain any excess grease.
Add carrots to beef and cook 2-3 minutes.
Add onion and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
Stir in garlic, thyme, salt and pepper.
Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir until evenly coated.
Add peas, beef stock, and tomato paste. Stir until paste is evenly distributed.
Transfer mixture into a greased 8×8 pan. Place tater tots on top of mixture in straight rows then bake for 25-30 minutes or until tots are golden. Serve warm.

Notes

Number of servings varies slightly based on who is eating. My family of three (two adults and one young child) managed to get two servings each. If feeding four adults, I would estimate four servings.

Keyword Casserole, Hot Dish, Shepherd’s Pie, Tater Tots, Tot Topped Shepherd’s Pie

SLOW COOKER BLACK BEAN SOUP

January 8, 2021 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

Bowl of black bean soup garnished with sour cream, two slices of avocado and green onions.

There is a restaurant here in San Antonio that has amazing, smoky refried black beans. These are my absolute favorite beans. Ever. I love these beans so much that I could never try to actually replicate them. Instead, I’ve used those beans as inspiration. Have you ever used liquid smoke before? A little goes a long way but when you find the right balance, it can give a beautiful enhancement to the flavors of your dish. After creating this black bean soup, I am interested to see how else I can start using liquid smoke.

My family and I have found a new weekend routine where we schedule time to play outside. This might be riding our bikes through the neighborhood, running around on a playground, or hiking a nearby trail. By scheduling these activities, we are all committed to spend this time together, “no screens attached.” It has provided such an escape from all the stressors of the world. For those couple of hours, our only priority is having fun together. Pure joy. I’ve found that these activities can build up quite an appetite. With the cooler weather we’ve had lately, I love starting a slow cooker recipe in the morning and having it ready for when we get back home. So here, I have for you, my new slow cooker black bean soup recipe. Start it in the morning, go spend some time playing outside, and then enjoy a warm bowl when you get home.

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Sarah Baade

This soup is easy to make and has a warm, gentle smoky flavor to it. Delicious.

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Course Dinner, Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

1 lb dry black beans, rinsed
15oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
Optional Garnishes: sour cream, avocado, green onions, crumbled tortilla chips

Instructions

Place all ingredients in slow cooker.
Cook on high for 6 hours or until beans are tender.
Serve with garnishes as desired.

Keyword Black Bean Soup, Black Beans, Slow Cooker, Slow Cooker Soup

Looking for more soup recipes?

Barley Soup

One Pot Vegetarian Chili

PEPPERMINT COCOA COOKIES

December 14, 2020 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

December can only mean one thing when it comes to food blogging… COOKIES! Over the years, I’ve done more Christmas cookie baking days and cookie exchanges than I can count. These traditions are fun, right? And they truly bring joy. Joy that tastes delicious, and sweet, and comforting. So many of us have memories of a grandparent or a parent making a certain favorite cookie. No matter how old I get, I will always feel nostalgic love for a chocolate crinkle cookie (in my family, we call it a chocolate Kringle cookie) because that’s what tastes like home so to speak. In a year when many of us can’t be near our families for the holidays, we can at least come together over holiday cookies. Perhaps you and your mom make the same traditional recipe on the same day this year? Or maybe you video chat with your brother as you both try a new cookie recipe? Let’s make cookies together this year even if we still aren’t close enough to hug.

White background with chocolate cookies surrounded by red and white peppermint candy pieces.

I’ve had chocolate on the brain lately, brownies specifically, actually. However, brownies don’t scream Christmas to me. With that in mind, I converted a brownie recipe I’ve been working on and turned it into a holiday cookie. My husband loves peppermint with chocolate (frankly, I do too) and so this peppermint cocoa cookie was born. To keep things festive, I used actual peppermint candies for this recipe rather than peppermint extract. I hope you’ll think of your family and holiday traditions as you dive into these cookies.

Peppermint Cocoa Cookies

Sarah Baade

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional but add richness to the chocolate flavor)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
5 oz starlight mint candies or candy canes, broken into small pieces

Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together sugar, melted chocolate, vegetable oil, espresso powder and vanilla.
Stir in eggs one at a time.
Stir in broken candy pieces.
Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat over to 350°F.
Form cookie dough into walnut sized balls and place on parchment lined cookie sheet, 2" apart.
Bake 13-15 minutes.

Notes

*I did not have any marshmallow fluff on hand when I made these but I think it would be great for turning these into a sandwich cookie.

Keyword Chocolate, Cookies, Peppermint, Peppermint Cocoa Cookies

CRANBERRY ORANGE BREAD PUDDING WITH BOURBON SAUCE

November 15, 2020 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

A hand holding several bright red cranberries.

Historically, cranberries have not been my thing at Thanksgiving. Am I alone in this? I doubt it. In my earlier childhood, I remember our family having the canned, gelatinous cranberry sauce on the table. The image still doesn’t settle well with me but also, the texture isn’t something I enjoy eating. As I got older, homemade cranberry sauce found its way to the Thanksgiving spread. Certainly more appetizing but still not my thing. I totally get the nostalgia of the canned stuff and I appreciate the effort in the homemade version. However, neither one gets served on my Thanksgiving table.

White casserole dish of bread pudding with cranberries next to a small black plate with a single slice of the bread pudding topped with bourbon sauce and a spoon resting next to it.

It might sound like I have something personal against cranberries but I don’t. I promise. In fact, I very much enjoy cranberries in other dishes. Sauce is the issue. Really, the texture of the sauce is the root of the problem. So, in a year when nostalgia is bringing more joy than ever, I’m making a cranberry dish but with my own twist. Bread pudding. Yes, friends, cranberry orange bread pudding with bourbon sauce to be exact. That cranberry flavor is there, its just in a different form. This bread pudding is absolute comfort food. It is rich and sweet but also a little bit tart from those cranberries. A beautiful balance of flavors. Serve it warm with a spoonful of the bourbon sauce and you’ll be in heaven.

Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding With Bourbon Sauce

This cranberry orange bread pudding is the perfect dish for a cozy holiday dessert.

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Course Breakfast, Dessert

Servings 9

Ingredients

Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding

4-5 croissants cut into 1"pieces (this will end up being approximately 7 cups) Croissants that are 1-2days old are ideal for this recipe
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen cranberries

Orange Burboun Sauce

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons bourbon
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the bread pudding:

In a medium mixing bowl, soak croissant pieces in cream and milk for 10 minutes. Gently stir as needed to ensure all pieces become saturated.
Leaving any residual cream in the bowl, transfer croissants into an 8×8 baking dish. gently stir cranberries in with croissant pieces.
Beat sugar, orange zest, nutmeg, vanilla and salt in with cream. Pour mixture over croissants and cranberries.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes. While pudding chills, preheat oven to 350F.
Remove from refrigerator and bake for 50 minutes.

For the bourbon sauce:

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and sugar over medium heat.
Whisk in cream, bourbon, orange juice and salt. Continue to stir until mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Serve sauce over bread pudding.

Keyword Bourbon Sauce, Bread Pudding, Cranberry Orange

Looking for more Thanksgiving dessert ideas?

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Orange Spiced Monkey Bread

Lemon Iced Ginger Cookies

THE POWER OF A MEAL

November 7, 2020 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

Black bean chili – we also turned the leftovers into breakfast tacos.

I have a hard time asking for help. This is not a new trait nor is it one that I’m particularly proud of. Even as a young child, I would become incredibly frustrated if I couldn’t complete my homework or some other project independently. This resulted in a lot of frustration for both me and my parents. I’m talking complete melt down with a face full of tears. Ultimately, I’d call my sense of independence both a best personal trait and one of my biggest downfalls.

Throughout college I spent my summers working at YMCA camps. In my final summer there, a friend called me out. We were working to move some heavily weighted discs and it was a genuine struggle for me. I quietly kept doing my best to move these things but the struggle was obvious. My friend bluntly asked “Why don’t you just ask for help?” I don’t recall my exact response but I do recall that I fought her on her point. Here’s the thing though, if I were watching this play out rather than being a participant in the situation, I absolutely would have called it the way she did. Frankly, the job probably would have been completed faster as well. Her question has stuck with me over the years and I’ve gradually been more willing to ask for help when I need it.

All the fixings for a charcuterie board plus goods from my favorite coffee shop.

Is there anything more humbling that a medical situation that forces you to rest and recover? A couple of months ago I underwent surgery that required some serious down time. No lifting anything over 5lb, limited mobility (short term), complete exhaustion despite pain levels being relatively minimal. If you no me, you know this was a struggle. Being a mom doesn’t typically allow for that kind of down time nor is it really in my character. I want to help around the house, cook meals, be fully engaged with my daughter. The choice wasn’t mine, my body (and my doctor) told me I needed to be still and rest.

A sweet friend of mine set up a meal train for my family. Have you ever participated in one of these? The idea is that people can sign up for a day to bring you a meal or they can give you a gift card to a meal delivery service. My ego said no to this but, thankfully, my mouth said yes to my friend organizing this meal train. As it turns out, we really needed this help. Even once I was feeling more mobile, I didn’t have the energy to cook for a few weeks. The kitchen stresses out my husband so it was incredible to have people supporting us in this way.

Not only did we eat during my recovery time, we felt an abundance of love and support. Friends took the time to choose foods they knew our daughter would love. They intentionally cooked vegetarian meals because they know I don’t eat much meat. People who I haven’t seen in a year sent gift cards to restaurants and food delivery services. Friends cooked meals that were full with nutritious ingredients – ideal for a healing body. Folks who are new in my life provided us with dinner when I least expected it. The thoughtfulness of all of this hit me so hard! It raised my spirits, eased my stress, and allowed me to fully focus on healing.

Here are the lessons. Allow your friends and family to help. Give them the opportunity to be there for you. On the flip side, be there for others in their time of need. There is no need to overcomplicate this either. You can do take out and drop it off if that is easiest for you. The love and support behind the meal is what makes the biggest impact.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported us!

PUMPKIN BARS

October 12, 2020 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

In recent months, I have come to learn that Halloween is my daughter’s favorite holiday. Last year was her first time trick or treating and she was nervous. The idea of talking to strangers and asking them for something was a bit much. We didn’t want her to miss out on all the fun so we practiced with her. We sat down and explained how trick or treating works and then literally pretended to go through the motions with her. She was still hesitant but on the big night but she put a brave foot forward and rocked it out.

Yes, the costumes and the candy are part of the fun at Halloween. BUT, my girl loves everything about this season. She has fun making jack-o-lanterns, checking out neighborhood decorations, and eating all the pumpkin treats. Last year, she asked for my homemade pumpkin bread on a weekly basis. This year, I’m giving her another homemade option with these pumpkin bars. Thick crust, smooth pumpkin filling, crumble topping, maple glaze. I know my daughter is going to love this! I’m also confident you and yours will love it.

Pumpkin Bars

Sarah Baade

Thick crust, smooth pumpkin filling, crumble topping, maple glaze. The perfect pumpkin bar.

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16 bars

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups all purpose flour
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ teaspoon salt

Pumpkin Filling

15 oz canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 large egg
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
¾ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Crumble Topping

⅓ cup flour
⅓ cup old fashioned oats
⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup raw pecan pieces
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoon salt

Maple Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, stir together all crust ingredients – mixture will be crumbly. Press mixture into pan and bake 25 minutes. While crust cools, prepare the filling and topping. Keep oven heated to 350° F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together all pumpkin filling ingredients until smooth. In another medium bowl, stir all crumble topping ingredients together. Spread pumpkin filling over crust. Sprinkle crumble topping over pumpkin filling. Bake 45 minutes. Let cool completely.
Once cooled, whisk maple glaze ingredients together in a small mixing bowl then drizzle over pumpkin bars. Use parchment paper to lift bars out of the pan and place on cutting board. Cut bars into 16 squares.

Keyword Pumpkin, Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Spice

CLASSIC PESTO

September 1, 2020 by Sarah Baade Leave a Comment

Since moving to Texas nearly a decade ago, I have tried growing some sort of produce nearly every summer. I’ve been semi-successful with tomatoes and peppers here and there but nothing really worth bragging about. This summer we had some local teenagers build a raised garden bed for us and I am really looking forward to how this will expand my gardening efforts. This is also the first summer I’ve ventured into growing herbs. I’m proud to say that my basil plant has been thriving! This plant has more than doubled in size in the short couple of months its been living in my backyard. The best way I could think of to honor this beautiful plant is to make pesto out of it. This recipe puts the basil front and center.

You can actually make pesto from a variety of ingredients. You essentially choose your greens, choose your nuts, and combine with the remaining typical ingredients. I love that this enables you to use what you have on hand. This past weekend, I even made a version that used the green leaves from my sweet potato plants. But let’s be honest, most people don’t have those readily available. As I continue to play around with different combinations, I may post some of my favorite pesto recipes. There is a lot to be said, though, for starting with the basics though.

Here, I’ve decided to keep things traditional – basil and pine nuts. Once you put it all together, there are lots of options for using your pesto. I love eating it on toast with hummus and a thick tomato slice. You can use pesto instead of a red sauce as your base on pizza or on pasta. I’m also a huge fan of pesto on fried eggs. I’d love to hear how you end up using this recipe so feel free to leave a comment below with the details.

Classic Pesto

Sarah Baade

Classic pesto is easy to make and a fantastic way to use up fresh basil.

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Course Condiments, Sauces

Cuisine Italian

Equipment

Food Processor

Ingredients

1/3 cup pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil, packed
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Place pine nuts in a dry sauté pan and cook over medium low heat. Stir frequently until pine nuts are lightly browned. Once toasted, immediately remove pine nuts from heat and place on a separate plate to cool. ***Watch pine nuts closely during this process as they can quickly pass from lightly toasted to burned.
Place cooled pine nuts, basil, parmesan cheese, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground.
Add olive oil, lemon juice and salt into the food processor and pulse until smooth.

Keyword Basil, Pesto, Pine Nuts