Copycat Recipe – Chuy’s Creamy Jalapeno Dip

This dip is absolutely amazing and can be used on just about anything. This super-easy recipe takes about 10 minutes. You can adjust the level of spicy to your liking. Enjoy!

Servings: 8 / Calories: 200 per serving

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Sour Cream
• 3/4 cup Mayonnaise 
• 1 packet 1 oz Dry Ranch Dip
• 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Salt
• 1/2 cup Cilantro (or more if you desire)
• 3/4 cup Pickled Jalapenos plus juice. More juice = hotter be warned
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk (adding more buttermilk will help to thin out dip, if needed)

Instructions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, ranch dip packet, and garlic salt.
2. In blender or food processor, puree cilantro and pickled jalapenos with a little juice. (If using tomatillos, blend with jalapenos and cilantro).
3. Add cilantro jalapeno puree to mayo mixture.
4. Stir in buttermilk until you reach desired consistency. Add fresh lime juice, if using.
5. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

It’s Kitchcraft!

I truly have developed a love for kitchen wizardry? kitchen-witching? kitchcraft? Whatever 🙂  This blog allows me the chance to share some of the recipes my Bear has deemed “menu-worthy”, a semi-secret family recipe or two, and solicit feedback from my readers.  Enjoy!

I just wanted to let everyone know that my wife is in no way a tyrant “deeming” foods as “menu-worthy”.The whole “menu-worthy” thing started as an inside joke and grew from there 🙂

Love you, Bear!
-Peaky

Solar Eclpise 2017

Just wanted to share a few pictures from our viewing of the solar eclipse! Hope you like them! 🙂

 

Copycat Recipe for Butter Streusel Coffee Cake – Sara Lee

Copycat Recipe for Butter Streusel Coffee Cake – Sara Lee

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Cake Ingredients

• 1/3 cup warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) good-quality unsalted butter, softened
• 1 whole egg + 2 yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Streusel topping

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 4 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cubed

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, add the warm water and sprinkle in the sugar and yeast. Let sit for about 10 minutes. It will begin to foam.
2. In a large bowl (or stand mixer with beater blades) mix the flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, and butter together until almost creamed.
3. Next, add the eggs and vanilla, followed by the salt and dissolved yeast.
4. Mix until the ingredients are combined enough to form the dough is wet and sticky. Yes, it is messy…be warned 🙂
5. Transfer the dough to a well-greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
6. Let dough sit for 30 minutes at room temperature, then place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill overnight.
7. When properly chilled, take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes.
8. Preheat the oven to 350°
9. Directions for streusel topping
   • Pulse the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt in a small food processor. Add the butter and continue to pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
10. Press the dough evenly into a thoroughly greased pan and top with the streusel mix.
11. Bake until the cake is golden brown (about 40-45 minutes).
12. Once cooked, let the cake cool for about 5 minutes before removing from the pan.
13. Best served warm, enjoy!

 

 

 

Oven Pancakes!

​Ever wanted pancakes without all the hassle? So fast and easy you’ll never go back! If you want, you can add chocolate chips or blueberries to change it up.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups pancake mix
• 1 1/2 cups of milk
• 2 tbs oil
• 1 egg

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Mix all ingredients together.

3. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray.

4. Place pan in oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden around the edges and enjoy!

S’mores Sweet Potato Fries

​This past October, my wife and I, along with our besties Shelly and Beth went to a haunted house. On our way back home, we stopped at Red Robin for some late night noms and saw these on the menu. I’ve been meaning to give these a try sooner, but better late than never, right?

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1 bag of frozen sweet potato fries
• 1 1/2 cups of mini marshmallows
• 1 tsp cinnamon sugar
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 2 tbs milk
• Graham crackers

1. Cook the fries according to the directions.
2. Once done, sprinkle cinnamon sugar and marshmallows over the fries.
3. Place tray back in the oven and broil for 2-4 minutes to melt the marshmallows.
4. While everything is in the oven, melt the chocolate chips and milk in a bowl in the microwave.
5. Once the marshmallows are starting to look toasted to your liking, remove tray from the broiler.
6. Drizzle melted chocolate over the fries.
7. Garnish with graham crackers and enjoy.

Moscow Mules!

 

Super easy and refreshing. Add the following to a copper mug:

2oz of Smirnoff No.21 Vodka

4oz of ginger beer (with or without alcohol)

Ice

Slices of limes

Stir and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin (pure pumpkin puree)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place paper baking cups into muffin pan or spray muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3. In large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugar and brown sugar. Beat in eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture, until there are no lumps.Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.
4. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugar, egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
5. Top each muffin with about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture and use a toothpick to swirl it into the batter. This will not look smooth, but it will bake up much prettier.
6. Bake muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If using a mini muffin pan, cook for about 13 minutes.

Soft Glazed Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Yield: 3-4 dozen

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Ingredients:

Produce

• 1/2 cup Pumpkin puree

Refrigerated

• 2 Eggs, large

Baking & Spices

• 4 cups All purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp Baking soda
• 1/4 tsp Cream of tartar
• 1 cup Granulated sugar
• 3 1/2 cup Powdered sugar
• 3/4 tsp Pumpkin spice
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla

Oils & Vinegars

• 1/2 cup Vegetable oil

Dairy

• 1/2 cup Butter

Liquids

• 4 tbsp Water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and set aside. In a large bowl, stir butter, oil, pumpkin, sugars, vanilla and eggs together until incorporated and smooth. Slowly mix in all dry ingredients until completely incorporated. Scoop onto prepared baking sheet using 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop and flatten to 1/2 inch thick using the bottom of a glass. If the dough is sticking to the glass, press the bottom of the glass in granulated sugar before flattening. Bake 8-9 minutes.
2. While cookies bake, stir all ingredients together for glaze until smooth.
3. Once cookies are finished baking, cool 3 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to cooling rack. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons glaze over each warm cookie. Let glaze harden 2-3 hours before serving. OR eat them warm with lots of runny glaze 🙂

Summertime Quinoa Salad

Shelly – This one is for you to always remember that Disney cruise ❤ 😉

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Total time: 30-40 minutes

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups quinoa
• 4 cups of chicken stock
• 3 small bell peppers, seeded and diced (Any color peppers will work, but the salad looks prettier with red, orange, yellow, etc.)
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tbsps balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 can of sliced black olives
• 1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes quartered
• salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rinse the quinoa then add to a pot with 4 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil and stir frequently until all water is removed and quinoa is fluffy, about 15 minutes.
2. While quinoa is cooking, wash and chop the peppers, tomatoes, olives and cucumbers.
3. Then add cooked quinoa, peppers, tomatoes, olives, and cucumbers into a large bowl.
4. Place the bowl in the freezer for about 20 minutes to cool it down.
5. In a separate bowl combine olive oil, balsamic and salt, and feta cheese and stir.
6. Mix in the dressing with the quinoa mixture until well combined.

Note: you can serve right away but I prefer cooling in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.

 

 

Sweet & Smokey Chops

PREP TIME: 15 min.

CROCK POT COOK TIME: 4 hours

MAKES: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 pork loin chops (approx 8 oz each)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional