Korean Sugar Pancakes (hoddeok)

Hey guys!
My dream is to one day go to Korea! I haven't had much experience with the food or anything like that but I really want to try as much as I can! So when I found this recipe I just had to make it! I mean come on who doesn't love stuffed pancakes!!! I know I do! Could you imagine what you could stuff them with? The traditional recipe is just brown sugar and pecans but imagine it with brown sugar and dried blue berries or cranberries! It makes my mouth water just thinking about it!So lets make a few!!!

Hoddeok Dough Ingredients:
2 cups of all purpose flour
2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
2 teaspoons of yeast
1 cup of warm water
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil 
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Directions:

1. Mix water, yeast, sugar, salt and oil together until dissolved. 
2. Add in the flour and mix with a spatula just until incorporated.  
3. Cover the bowl, and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
4. While you wait for your dough to rise, make the filling:

Filling Ingredients:
 1/2 cup of brown sugar
 2 tablespoons of any nuts, chopped  
 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

*Mix the sugar, chopped nuts and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside.*

Directions:

1. This is what the dough looks like after the initial 1 hour rise. It will have doubled in size and will be very sticky.
2. Punch down the dough using your hands or a spatula and let it rest again for another 20 minutes. 
3. This is what the dough looks like after the 20-minute rise.
4. Pour the sticky dough onto a floured surface and knead for a while with well floured hands until the dough comes together. 
5. Roll into a ball and cut in half and then cut each half into four smaller pieces, so you’ll end up with 8 pieces of dough.
6. Again with floured hands take each ball of dough and pat it flat with your hand and fill the middle with a heaping spoonful of the sugar mixture. 
7. Slightly push with the back of a spoon so the sugar sits nicely in the dough. 
8. Fold each end up and pinch slightly together so it seals shut.
9. In a well oiled cast iron skillet/griddle (or any pan if you don’t have one) pour in a little vegetable oil so there is a thin coating and heat on medium flame.
10. Put the ball of dough pinched side down and cook for about 30 seconds until browned. 
11. Flip over and carefully push the ball down into a flat pancake with the back of your spatula and cook for another minute. If it seems like you can’t flatten the ball anymore, then don’t force it - you might have put in too much filling and the sugar will just burst out.
12. Flip again and cover with a lid and cook for a minute until the sugar is nice and melted.
13. Keep repeating the cooking steps until all the dough-balls are cooked. Stack them in a plate and serve right away.

Review:

So what can I say about this recipe? Firstly, when pressing the dough in the pan I guess I didn't push down hard enough but it still turned out well and very delicious.  My friend and I had a blast making this recipe. The first few we burnt because we were laughing so hard and not paying attention to what we were doing. I think everyone should have a good friend like this, who you can cook with! She is the one I am always planning cooking and baking days with. Plus she has a love for Korean culture and food as much as I do! Be very careful when you eat them. Ours were very hot so we had to cut them in half and let them cool before we could eat them, but once we took that first bite we couldn't stop!!! It was the perfect balance of sweetness! I loved the Pecans in it and the dough wasn't overly sweet and had a fun texture! It was like a gummy awesomeness! haha! I totally suggest this recipe for anyone who has a sweet tooth! Its perfect for those kind of days! Talk to you guys soon!

Ta Ta For Now,
Lil' C

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Bowl

Alright guys, sorry about last week. I had a minor freak out over my flight being canceled and the airline losing my bag that had my lap top charger in it but I will try to fix it by adding two recipes this week! Today I have for you one of my new favorite winter foods! I love tacos and I love chicken. Its my one draw back from trying to be vegetarian.... So I made this recipe for the first time and let me tell you it was hard to keep my hands out of the slow cooker! My small apartment had an amazing taco smell! Okay before I get to the review I will start the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs. chicken breasts
• 1 (16 oz.) jar salsa
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained
• ½ lb. (8 oz.) frozen corn
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• ½ Tbsp cumin
• ½ Tbsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ¼ tsp salt
• to taste cracked pepper
• 2 cups dry rice
• 8 oz. shredded cheddar
• ½ bunch cilantro (optional)

Instructions

1. Add everything except the rice, cheese, and cilantro to the slow cooker along with ¼ cup of water (for good measure). Give everything a good stir and make sure the chicken is covered in the mixture.
2. Secure the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hrs.
3. Near the end of the cooking time, cook the two cups of rice according to the package directions (Bring the rice and 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot with a lid in place, as soon as it reaches a boil, reduced the heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving).
4. After 8 hours of cooking, carefully remove the lid of the slow cooker. Stir with a fork to shred the chicken (it should be super tender and will shred easily). Build the taco bowls by placing rice on the bottom, then the taco chicken mix, shredded cheese and fresh cilantro.

Review

 So as you guys know I got stuck on my way home from my little vacation but that doesn't stop me from cooking!!! Plus any recipe that gets me to use my slow cooker I'm all for it! What can I say about this recipe that would make you try it? Well, lets start with how easy it is! All you basically do is throw everything into the crock pot and turn it on for a few hours! Its so easy but the only hard part is the smell. Once you get that taco smell its hard not to try it! Haha! I had so many almost tastes but then I remembered that there was chicken in there and I didn't know if it was cooked or not, so I didn't try it. I will say that when I finally did I was so happy with how it tasted and how fun it was to throw everything into the bowl and eat it! It was an awesome night!  We had left overs and I decided to show you what I do with my leftovers! I try and make everything into a breakfast bowl and believe me its easy! Basically  all I do is add an egg and its a Breakfast bowl! I have some pictures from that too!See how easy that is!!!

 As always,
Ta Ta for now,
Lil' C

Easy Veggie Ramen Bowl

Okay guys,
 I know Thanksgiving is coming around but with work and not being able to make it to my own Thanksgiving I have decided to not use something related at all! So that's why I decided to post this one! I know ramen is a gross, unhealthy thing but, you can actually make it taste good and it doesn't have to be bad for you. When shopping for ramen just get whatever flavor you like... I always use the noodles but not the flavor packet. The number one reason Ramen has a bad name is because of all the msg in the flavoring packet. So I always use can broth or even homemade to create a Delicious flavor! Okay before I ramble I'm going to get into the recipe.

Ingredients

 1 pkg ramen noodles

1 cup fresh spinach

3 medium button mushrooms
2 whole green onions
1 large egg (optional) 

1 tsp chili garlic paste (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil, wash and slice your veggies. Once the water is boiling, add the dry noodles and cook according to the package directions (boil about 5 minutes). Add the seasoning packet (or half a packet if you prefer less sodium) and stir until dissolved.
2. Turn the heat down to medium and stir in all of your fresh veggies. Allow them to sit in the hot (not boiling) broth for 1-2 minutes or until slightly softened.
3. Make a well in the center of the pot and crack the egg into it. Allow the egg to poach in the broth until the whites are solid but the yolk is still runny. Alternatively, you can break the yolk and stir the pot just slightly to yield egg ribbons like in egg drop soup. The water should not be boiling at this point or else your egg will dissolve into such small pieces that it will just give you a cloudy broth.
4. Pour the soup into a bowl and serve with a dollop of chili garlic paste on the side.

So I know when you think ramen you instantly think about  the crappy instant kind. Yes you can have the instant kind and actually make it healthy! As I said before I don't use the flavoring packet. I know the recipe calls for it but you can change that to veggie broth. Basically all you have to do it sub the broth for the water and cook the noddles in the broth. Its brings the flavor into the noodles just make sure to not over cook the noodles! I love ramen and I was super happy to make this recipe! I wanted to something that was on the cheaper side and that was fast and believe me this is the recipe! when ever we make this recipe we change up the veggies! I think this time we just added peas and carrots but kept the others from the recipe! I love bok Choy and it goes well with this recipe but sadly my boyfriend thinks its gross so I don't get to add it. So you can really make it to your personal flavor pallet! I don't think I could say anything bad about this recipe. I did try it with the egg but I ended up cooking the egg in a different pan. I think its a good idea to cook it in the broth but when I tried it is was just a giant mess so I always cook my eggs in a different pan. Although if you do try it in the pot please tell me about it!!!

As always please tell me all about your changes to these recipes and please send me some fun recipes! Maybe I'll post them!

Ta ta for now,
Lil' Char

Matcha tea cookies! (green tea cookies)

Hey guys,

Sorry about not getting this out yesterday. I have been so busy with school and work that I just don't have a lot of extra time... Anyway, You guys don't want to hear anything about that. As I said last week I decided to create this post! What I love about matcha is that its healthy and well green... It fits for all Hallows eve! I know its not the 31st yet but its not everyday that you make green cookies so its very fitting for this month. Matcha has plenty of benefits!
Heres just a few:
1. High in Antioxidants

2. Loaded with Catechin, EGCg
3. Enhances Calm
4. Boosts Memory and Concentration
5. Increases Energy Levels and Endurance
6. Burns Calories
7. Detoxifies the Body
8. Fortifies the Immune System
9. Improves Cholesterol
10. Amazing Flavor
 If you're a tea lover than I would give this a try. Yes its green and yes its an earthy flavor but I don't know why you wouldn't try it. I mean did you read the benefits?

Ingredients:
3/4 (2.25 oz.) cup confectioner’s sugar
1 1/2 tbsps matcha green tea powder
10 tbsps (5 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cup (8.5 oz.) flour
3 large egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar (to coat the dough)

Directions:

Whisk the confectioner’s sugar and matcha powder together. Beat the butter and matcha sugar mixture together in a stand mixer (use paddle attachment) until the butter is smooth and light. Add the flour and stir until just combined. Mix in the egg yolks until they are incorporated and the dough comes together. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten it into a thick disc. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until it is firm. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Use a small cookie cutter (about 2-inches) to cut shapes from the dough. (*Note: I didn’t have a 2-inch cookie cutter, so I used a 1-inch cookie cutter and it worked quite well.) Roll the cut shapes in granulated sugar and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes (13 minutes for me) or until they begin to turn golden at the edges. Makes about 5 dozen 1-inch cookies (probably 3 dozen 2-inch cookies). Store in airtight container away from sunlight as the color will fade with exposure to sun.

So when I first made these cookies I loved the smell of the dough being made and it really made me want to be outside. Sadly, it was super hot out. I mean so hot you could hardly breath.... Here in MN that's around 90 degrees. At first I wasn't sure how this overpowering tea was going to work with some short bread cookies but it really worked and I loved it! My roommate actually loved them more than I did and ate all of them! Haha! Right out of my freezer! I always keep about 6 cookies in a small jar and I always put the rest into the freezer. It keeps your cookies fresh and sometimes you just need an ice cold cookie! What I love bout short bread cookies is that it doesn't get hard and gross it just is cold and when you bite into it, its still fluffy and Delicious. Well Again I'm sorry that this post came out so late but I believe its still a good one!

Ta ta for now,
Lil' Char

London Fog Cookies!

This recipe is awesome! If you love tea and love cookies then I think you should try this one! It has an amazing blend of earl gray tea and vanilla beans, that you just want to eat more and more. Plus it gives you energy! Haha, earl gray tea has caffeine in it and so when you mix it with a bunch of sugar you get an energy overload! Just wait until I post about the matcha cookies.... Those have a bunch of caffeine in it but this post is about Earl Gray tea cookies or London Fog cookies.
These cookies are an adaption of the drink. Its basically a Earl Gray latte! I actually made it as I was making the cookies and it was so good and it made me so excited to make the cookies. So in the festive spirit for making these cookies I decided to add the recipe for London Fog Tea! Sorry no picture of my tea!

For the tea,

Ingredients:

1 tea bag of earl gray tea
1/2 cup milk (any kind or soy milk. I used soy milk)
1 TBSP sugar. (I used German rock sugar... about 5 pieces)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract.

Directions:

Brew the tea in a small amount of water. Once the tea has steeped for about 3- 5 minutes depending on how strong you like it add the water. You can also heat the milk or make it a cold drink. I made mine with warmed soy milk! Mix in the sugar and vanilla extract and enjoy! See, easy as pie!!!!

For the short bread cookies,

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 vanilla bean split and scraped
 2 tbsp. Earl Grey Tea (about 3 tea bags)

 Directions:

Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer.  Add the vanilla, vanilla bean, and the tea.  Add the flour and mix until the dough comes together.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 mins.  Pre-heat the oven to 350F.  Roll out the dough to a little less then 1/4" on a well floured surface.  Cut out desired shapes.  Place on parchment lined baking sheets.  Chill the cut cookies for at least 20 mins. before baking.  Bake the cookies for about 12 mins. or until the edges are just barely brown.  Cool on wire racks.

These cookies freeze well in an air tight container.

Side note: It was hard to find vanilla beans. I think I went to a couple of grocery stores but couldn't find them. If you live around a Lunds I would go there or you can go to the baking isle in a craft store... I didn't know about that until a few days ago but you can bye vanilla bean paste. If you go that rough then you'll need to know that it is roughly a TBSP of bean paste for on bean! This will come in handy later on if you like to bake a lot!

Well you guys already know how much I love this recipe!!! I couldn't help but include the drink recipe. I loved it so much that I had to include it. I tried this drink for the first time at a starbucks... Now normally I'm not one for starbucks but that was all I could get into... there was a huge line and I ventured in. The girl behind the counter said that I should try this because I wanted something that had Earl Gray tea in it. She was actually from Canada, so she made it for me and I couldn't get enough of it! I looked up the recipe when I got home and found the cookie recipe and the drink recipe! It was a wonderful thing! Now that its fall here in the crazy state of Minnesota, I can enjoy it warm! Before I was enjoying it cold and believe me that it is just as good then! The cookies have this butter taste mixed with the tea and its amazing! I loved that they weren't overly sweet and not super earl gray- ish! It just goes well with a nice cup of tea or any meal as your sweet treat! I hope you guys stay around for the next cookie I make! As I said before they are called Matcha green tea cookies! Yep, I'm in the mood for tea cookies and I hope you guys are too!

Mexican Breakfast Bowl (Vegetarian)

My kitty Koda says hi to everyone!!!

So this recipe is actually from memory. My old coworker made this for me and ever since I've been making it for myself. I don't just eat it for breakfast. I feel like it could be for anytime of the day! I don't know why that day my coworker made this for me but I'm very glad he did. It wasn't on the menu and isn't really part of anything he just made it for me and told me it was called a Mexican breakfast bowl so here it is!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked brown or white rice
1/2 cup black beans (rinsed and drained)
1/4 cup pico de gallo
1 fried egg however you like it.

Directions:

1. Cook the rice according to the package. Usually I cook the bean separate but I found out that its easier to add the beans in with the rice and let them cook that way.
2. Cook the egg however you like. I like mine over easy.
3. Add everything together and enjoy!

Fantastic Ranting Hour! Haha!

Well you obviously know that I love this recipe!!! It has a good flavor and has an awesome memory behind it. Actually this recipe makes me sad that I won't really see those coworkers again but its nice knowing that I have something to remember them by. I do have to tell the story of my kitty and this recipe too! My kitty loves black beans and for some odd reason hes always around me when I'm cooking. Maybe that has something to do with him being a kitten and me holding him while I cooked! Haha! Anyways, He's always at my feet and trying to get up the cabinets to get to the food, but when I cook black beans he goes crazy! He actually tripped me when I was walking with the bowl. So I guess I shouldn't have taught him that, that's okay. Oh well! He might pop up every once in awhile, just letting you know. Well that's it!

Ta Ta For Now,
Lil' Char

Udon With Edamame and Peanut Sauce (Vegan)

Well Guys,
I'm glad you guys have been with me this long. I have been taking a long time to post again and I'm sorry. I've been so busy with school (yes I've gone back to school) and work. Oh yeah and did I mention that I moved! Well I did! So you might notice a different background in some of the pictures. My kitchen is now the size of a small closet so I'm sorry if it looks crowded.

On with the yummy recipe!!!

Peanut Sauce

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup low- sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tablespoons, unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon agave nectar
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro

1 ( 8 oz) package udon noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 cup cooked edamame
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup cucumber, diced
1 cup bean sprouts
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 cup roasted chopped peanuts (garnish)
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro (garnish)

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients for the sauce in a food processor or blender and puree.
2. In a large bowl,  toss the noodles with sauce and top with the veggies.
3. Garnish and enjoy!


Opinion Time:

When I made this I couldn't help but eat a little through out the whole process. When I cut the veggies, I couldn't help but eat a lot of them. Speaking of veggies, lets talk about the diced cucumber and grated carrots. Firstly, the carrots; its a ton cheaper if you but the big bunch of carrots and grate them yourself. Plus you don't have to figure out what to make with the extra grated carrots if you buy the bag. It took me a little bit more time but it was cheaper. Also don't but the little baby carrots for this either, again it costs more than just buying a bunch. Now for the super delicious  cucumbers. When I dice them i leave the skins and seeds. I feel that it adds a little more texture and flavor. It is perfectly fine if you choose to peel the skins off and scrape out the seeds. You just might want to add a little bit more to the recipe then. Okay so now that I'm done with that little rant I'll get on with the taste. I thought this recipe was a wonderful dish! It had a little bit of a tang to it and the crunch was awesome! When I think of a pasta dish, I don't think it should crunch but with this one it was pleasant! The veggies were fresh and the sauce was amazing! I didn't like the noodles. I bought precooked ones. I recommend that you look harder than I did and find the uncooked ones.  I did find them after I had made this dish! My boyfriend, whom I try recipes out on; said that it was good! He even said that he would eat it again! My goal has been achieved!!! Its fun to open peoples eyes to new things and thankfully I have a wonderful boy friend who is willing to try anything I make.... Even if it makes us sick. I have had a few kitchen mishaps. Everyone does! Anyway, that's all for now! See you guys next week!

With a ton of love,
Lil' Char

Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Sorry for another vegan recipe but this one is awesome! I found it in my favorite cook book as of right now. Its Chloe Coscarelli's Vegan Baking cookbook. I think everyone should get this cookbook! Its an awesome book and every time I look at it I find something to make from it! I actually can't wait to make more from it!
Anyway, this recipe is easy and fun to make! Just make sure to not over mix it!

Muffin Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk (I used vanilla soy milk. Not a fan of coconut.)
½ cup canola oil
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
1 tablespoon pure lemon extract
1 tablespoon poppy seeds


Icing Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 to 4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions:

To make the muffins: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together coconut milk, oil, lemon juice, zest, and lemon extract. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until just combined. Fold in poppy seeds. Do not over mix.
Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out dry with a few crumbs clinging to it. Cool the muffins completely before icing.
To make the icing: Whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, water, and zest in a small bowl until smooth.
Spread a thin layer of icing over each muffin.

My Crazy Opinion/ Rant Time!

So this recipe is awesome! You can't even tell that its vegan!!! I've been finding it out that vegan is a scary word for most people and once for me but once they try it you can't really tell a difference, plus sometimes its better!!! I've noticed that I myself have really become a fan of vegan food and I hope you guys try these recipes and also become a fan. I'm not saying you have to go Vegan I'm just saying that try it before you knock it. This recipe was one of those that I happened to like better. I've made it a couple times now and its great! I couldn't wait to get the ingredients that I actually didn't even realize that I had most of it already... Oops! I had a hard time getting my roommates opinion. She asked muffin in hand and about an inch from her mouth if it was vegan. I should have said no... Sadly I didn't. I did get her boyfriend to try it and he liked it, so that was awesome! Actually, I brought a couple into work for my coworker who use to be vegan, and she loved them! I was told that I'm a pretty good baker! Haha! I try! Anyway, try it and please post pictures and awesome comments!!!

With Lots of Love,
Lil' Char

Spiced Plantain Tacos (Vegan)

What's up Guys!
Today I have for you an easy and quick dinner! I found this on another crazy day at work, when there was nothing to do but surf the web for amazing and easy dinners! As you all know I work in a kitchen so when I say surf the web I really mean on my phone. My bosses don't even mind as long as its job related! Oh and in exactly one week this exact meal with be on the menu at work! I know, I'm fabulous! Haha! Anyway, On to the good stuff!

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon Chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 ripe plantains (looks like a big banana and you want them to have brown spots on the yellow peel. It means its ripe and perfect!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
8- 6 inch corn tortillas
1/4 red onion, sliced
1 avocado, diced
1 handful fresh cilantro
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced or diced
sliced jalapenos (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl combine chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix as well as you can.
2. Slice the plantains on a bias about 1/2 inch thick.
3. Sprinkle the plantains with the spice mixture and at the same time heat the oil in a pan.
4. Place the spiced side down and cook until a brown crust develops about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle the other side with the leftover spice mixture and flip. cook for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Arrange everything onto the tortillas and enjoy!


I think its now time to rant!

Well you guys already know that this is going to be on the menu at work so I don't really have to tell you much on how I liked it. Sadly, my amazing boyfriend said he preferred tacos with meat to these... So sad... I thought that this recipe was super easy and I liked them a lot! I could eat them all the time. Although, I do have to admit something.... Come everyone and gather around..... I thought plantains were a potato. I know, I know. Stupid of me but what can I say? I've never had one before. What I loved about this recipe was the most is  fact that even though I thought it was one thing, I still learned something new and I am so glad that I did. You never stop learning! The spice mix tasted just like the store bought taco seasoning so I highly recommend keeping this in your pocket for when you do make tacos. Plantains or not its still cheaper to make your own... Unless you're lazy like me and have about 40 of those little taco seasoning packets in your pantry. I like tacos.Anyways, the flavor of these were very good. Originally the red pepper wasn't in the recipe but I had one in my fridge that needed to be used up and I thought it fit very well! I loved how the avocado smoothed all the flavors together and really made it feel like an authentic Mexican flavor.... Not that I really know what that is here in America. Hahaha! Well its that time again.... Its time for me to leave and cook some more!  So I'll see you guys next week and maybe if I'm nice I'll give you a hint on next weeks recipe.... I said maybe!

With love'
Lil' Char

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

Oh my gosh I love this recipe! I was so excited to make this that I forgot too... I might have bought the ingredients and then I might have had to go to work then by the time I got off I was being lazy... I actually didn't get to the recipe for a week. Okay wow, this makes it seem like I didn't want to.... I did! I really did, so my next day off I made them with some peanut butter chocolate chip cookies! Just so you know that those two go very well together.  I did talk to my coworkers about it a ton... I might have annoyed them. Oh well!

Ingredients:

3/4 cups unrefined coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup peanut butter

Directions:

1. Mix the coconut oil, cocoa powder and agave nectar together. When its well mixed it will look like melted chocolate and taste even better!

2. Scoop about 1 tablespoon into a cupcake wrapper. When I made these I pulled up the chocolate up the sides so it made a little cup. Place the cups in the fridge and let them sit for about 15 minutes.

3.  Once hardened scoop just under a tablespoon into the chocolate molds. spread it around and cover with about 1 tablespoon of the chocolate mixture, smooth and place in the fridge for another 15 minutes.

4. once hardend enjoy!

* to store keep in the fridge in an air tight container.

Rambling corner:

If you don't like coconut then this recipe isn't for you. First off if you eat some chocolate mixture when you're making these it will taste like a mounds bar.... Not bad but not the taste I wanted to get out of this. As for the peanut butter, well when I made the cookies I used all of it so when it came to my cup candies I had to use what I had which was cashew butter. It is just as good though. I minor difference.  It was a bit weird at first but I soon fell in love with these candies. Although when I make them they never turn out pretty like I want them too. The first time I didn't add enough agave to it and the second time I added powdered sugar to the mix and yeah bad idea.... It was good just a little stiff. I don't have pictures of the second ones... sorry guys. The first non- pretty ones are the only ones. I might make them again and really try and make them look pretty, then maybe I'll compare them to actual reeses. Those are probably one of my favorite candies! Incase you wanted to know... The dark chocolate ones are to die for!!! Haha!!! Anyway, I'm thinking that this chocolate mixture would be good as homemade mounds bars. I'll try and make them and get back to you guys! I hope you'll stick with me until then!!! Maybe even some almond joys!!!! I don't know... I said maybe! Haha! If you love candy as much as I do I would totally give this a try. I'm not just saying that because I want to get comments and pictures from you guys of your finished products. I want feedback on how you guys changed the recipe to make it your own. Thats basically what I do when I find a recipe. As my rambling corner comes to an end I'd like to say one more thing. Its totally random but i'm taking a few photography classes so hopefully my picture will look better!!!

As always, Ta Ta for Now,

Lil' Char

Scalloped Chicken Hot dish

Hey guys! How you doing? Just so I let you know us Minnesotans Love our hot dishes! Haha!

Anyways,  what should I say about this recipe? The reason I chose to make it? Well if we take it like that then the reason I made this was for my coworker. He said the vegetarians are weird and should eat meat. Now I'm not a vegetarian. I'm more flexible then that. Thanks to last October I four that I really liked eating veggie. If you don't remember October is national Vegetarian/ Vegan month and I pledged to be a vegetarian and it was a success. I enjoyed it and couldn't help but keep close to a vegetarian diet... And then theirs my boyfriend. He never knew what a vegetarian ate until he met me, But I'm proud to say that he has liked most of my dished that I have made over the past half a year! Anyway, I decided to prove that I could eat meat and cook it, since I am a cook after all. So with nothing else to say until my rambles at the end of the page here's the recipe!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup margarine or butter. ( I used margarine.)

1 package PASTA RONI Shells and cheddar

2 cups frozen mixed veggies (I used corn, peas, beans, and carrots.)

2/3 cups milk

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs ( I used Italian style panko bread crumbs)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 Fahrenheit.

2. in a 3- quart saucepan, combine 2 1/4 cup water and 2 tablespoons of butter to a boil. Stir in pasta and frozen veggies. Bring that back to a boil and cook for about 12 minutes or until the water it almost completely absorbed.

3. Add the Pasta Roni seasoning packet, milk and chicken. Cook for another 3 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken.

4. In a separate pan melt the remaining butter and toss with bread crumbs.

5. Place the chicken mixture into a 3 quart cooking dish and cover with the bread crumbs.

6. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the sauce it
bubbly.

7. Let sit for a few minutes and enjoy!


Its Rambles Time:

First off let me just say don't make this recipe in the summer.... My gosh it made the apartment so hot and sticky!!! I almost started cooking in my skivvies!!! Please get that image out of your head. Haha! So as my apartment heated up my patience started to decline and here comes mistakes. First off I grabbed my almond milk instead of the actual milk, if my boyfriend wasn't there to stop me we could have had a disaster! My almond milk happens to be dark chocolate. Oops! So after that I tried to pay more attention but it was hard with my kitten on top of the kitchen cabinets. He has somehow gotten himself on top of the fridge and on top of the cabinets. Not okay but I wasn't going to let him come down and walk on a hot stove so to my luck he stayed there. When it was in the oven I wished I had put garlic in it. I love the smell of garlic and it would have tasted heavenly!!! But sadly I didn't. If anyone does please tell me how it is!!!! As for the taste well it actually tasted like an alfredo chicken pot pie. It was good don't get me wrong but something was missing and I'm convinced that, that thing is garlic and maybe some pepper! I think though the next time I make this I will make it in the winter and add garlic. Oh and my boyfriend really liked it! He said to put it in our recipe box, or on my blog! Haha! Sorry when I made this I decided to make it a winter recipe and I held it for a little while. So sorry if my rambles seemed weird with the whole summer thing. Again, please post pictures in the comments and tell me all about your changes if you make any! I would love to hear from you guys!

Ta Ta for Now,
Lil' Char

Lasagna Primavera (vegetarian)

Hey guy!!!! How is everyone? As for me, I am amazing! This recipe I'm bringing you is awesome! do you know why its awesome? Well I'm going to tell you anyways. It because my boyfriend decided to help out! Actually he basically made the whole thing! I couldn't be happier! Food always tastes better when someone else makes it! But I did help!

Ingredients:

12 uncooked lasagna noodles
3 cups frozen broccoli florets (from 14oz bag), thawed and well drained
3 large carrots roughly chopped or shredded (I chopped mine)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, well drained
2 medium bell peppers, cut into 1/2- inch pieces
1 container (15oz) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 containers (10oz each) refrigerated Alfredo sauce
1 bag (16oz) shredded mozzarella cheese (4 cups)






Directions:

1. Cook and drain noodles according to the package.

2. Meanwhile, cut the veggies and keep in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix both of the cheeses and the egg.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large glass baking dish, (13 x 9 - inch or 3- quart) spoon 2/3 cup of the Alfredo sauce. Place 4 noodles over sauce. Spread with half of the cheese mixture and 2 1/2 cups of vegetable mixture; randomly spoon 2/3 cup remaining sauce in dollops over nodes. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat that step once more.

4. Place the remaining 4 noodles on top and cover with the remaining vegetables and Alfredo sauce. Cover with cheese and bake.

5. Bake uncovers for about 45 to 60 minutes or until bubbly and hot in the center. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.


*** Side note. The Alfredo sauce may bubble over the sides of the dish so to prevent the bottom of the oven from getting dirty place a cookie sheet under the glass dish***

Ye Old Rambling Corner:

As you know before my boyfriend happened to make most of this recipe so it was nice to be able to sit back and chill. I loved the long baking time because I could actually update my blog while it cooked. Most of the time I wait until after. Oh and while we were putting this dish together I found a water mark on a noodle that made me super happy! I thought it actually looked like a dinosaur!!! I would love to hear your opinions on it so I'll have to post a picture of it! I find it adorable!
This dish is perfect for a cold winter night, all nestled in front of the fire, with a good book! I guess in my mind I feel like anything that uses the oven is a winter dish! Especially, here in Minnesota. It gets very cold here so warm oven dishes make the best things on a cold night! I guess it could be good in the summer with some summer veggies, like squash and zucchini, but have the air on or you'll be sweating! Oh man I wish we would have done that! We are gong to have to try that soon!!!! Oh and we added some asparagus to the mix. We had it in the fridge and wanted to use it! it made a very good addition! Oh and you know how the recipe calls for a can of diced tomatoes.... Well we were so distracted by the dino noodle to add it in.... It was still super yummy without it but I think next time we will have to remember it! Haha!

Vegan Jelly Filled Muffins

I told you that I have phases. Sorry if this recipe isn't what you guys want. I Am in a super healthy non- animal phase. I think it started when I decided to start working out and the whole consultation with my personal trainer telling me to eat better. Anyway, I've found that I actually like vegan things and I love that I can bring my coworker some! she use to be vegan and will try anything I make! I found this recipe on pinterest when I looked up vegan muffins. The blog was weird and I'm pretty sure its just a random thing that people post on. It didn't even seem like a blog at all. 

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup plain soy or rice milk
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup raspberry, strawberry, or grape jam or preserves
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a 12-well (1/2 cup) muffin pan with paper liners; set aside.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture; set aside.
3. In a medium, nonreactive bowl, whisk together the soy or rice milk, vinegar, and cornstarch until the cornstarch has dissolved. Pour this into the well in the flour mixture. Add the granulated sugar, oil, and vanilla and stir with a rubber spatula until combined (there will be a few lumps).
4. Fill each muffin well about three-quarters full. Using a spoon, create a small indentation in the batter by slightly spreading it from the middle out toward the edges. Measure 1 heaping teaspoon of jam or preserves and place the back of the teaspoon inside the indentation. Rotate the spoon, letting the jam slide into the indentation. Repeat in each well.
5. Bake until the tops of the muffins are firm, about 21 to 23 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and let cool completely on the wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

 I really liked this recipe. I wasn't that big of a fan of the nutmeg but it was still good! I loved the jelly! I used strawberry. I was going to use my mom's homemade jelly but it was almost gone so I stuck with Smuckers. My roommate liked then but wasn't a fan of the jelly. Weird I know. When I brought it into work I told my coworkers after they started eating them that they were vegan and they couldn't believe that they were so good!!! Sorry for not posting pictures... I was having problems with them uploading. when I can upload them I'll post them as soon as I can!

Ta Ta For Now,
Lil' Char

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

So along the lines of eating healthy and I decided to find some vegan cookies. Chocolate chip is a good one to start out with! Mainly because I don't know anyone who doesn't like chocolate chip cookies! I found this recipe in one of my cookbooks. Its called Chloe's Vegan Desserts by Chloe Coscarelli. I've also made a Vegan Milk shake from this cookbook and it was awesome! Anyway, During my vegetarian month I decided to buy a couple cookbooks that were different than the ones I have so this happened to be one.


Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 TBS arrow root or corn starch (I used arrowroot. I found it in the organic section in my grocery store)
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup vegan butter or margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 TBS pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup Vegan Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line some cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, arrowroot, baking soda, and salt.
3. With a stand or hand mixer, mix together brown sugar, butter, sugar, water and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy. Slowly mix in the flour mixture.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Make sure the cookies are about 1 .
Tablespoons. Bake for 10- 12 minutes.
6. Let cookies cool and enjoy!


So the first time I made this recipe it was a flop. I couldn't figure out what we did wrong... Well until today when I decided to make it again. The first time I didn't use my mixer and I tried to mix it by hand. That doesn't work. Actually is makes your cookies look like pancakes. Next I melted my butter in the microwave but when we mixed everything together it got all soupy. So the next time I tried making them I left the butter out until it was at room temperature. It looked a lot better and actually got fluffy! I was really excited at this point that I couldn't wait to finish this! Sadly I think I ate more cookie dough than cookies.

I was so excited when these cookies turned out that I almost forgot to try it! What I found out was even thought the first batch of cookies I made didn't turned out they still tasted good! My roommates didn't like them as much as I did but maybe its because it doesn't have any eggs or animal products. Or maybe it was because I told them they were vegan before they tried them. I still think they ended up awesomely! I hope you guys try this recipe and enjoy it as much as I did!

Ta Ta for now,
Lil' Char

Vegan/ Gluten Free Banana Blue Berry Bread

So my friend just got back from studying abroad in Chile. the reason I'm bringing this up is that she has a gluten allergy and because of that, I've decided to try more gluten free recipes.Also with it being a new year and a lot of people's new years resolutions being eating healthy, I'm one of them, I'm trying more healthy recipes and also more vegan/ vegetarian recipes. So that is why this recipe is perfect! It has the option of being gluten free. I chose to use make it gluten free so that my friend could have breakfast!

I found this recipe on the best website ever! haha! Pinterest! The person who posted it on pinterest was from the blog TreeHugger. I haven't had a chance to look at this blog too much but if all of her recipes are like this one then I think I should!

Ingredients:
3 large over-ripe bananas
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup of your choice of soymilk, almond milk, or apple sauce (I used almond milk)
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 cups whole wheat flour or gluten free flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups blueberries (frozen works fine too)


1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 9x5 inch loaf pan with a light layer of cooking oil.
2. If using soy or almond milk, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to it and let it stand until it curdles. About 1 minute. Skip this step if using apple sauce.
 3. In a large bowl, mash up the bananas until smooth (but don't be afraid to leave some chunks -- these make a sweet surprise in a slice of bread). Add lemon juice, the curdled milk substitute or apple sauce, and agave nectar. Stir to combine.
4. In another bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and stir to combine.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir until combined and everything is moistened.
6. Toss in your blueberries and gently stir until evenly mixed.

7. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan before transferring to a plate.
8. Enjoy!

Note: Whenever I bake I usually skip the whole dry and wet ingredients thing. When I learned how to bake it was always slowly add everything in and not to separate.

Sorry I only took one picture. It still looks pretty though! Anyway, My roommate and I couldn't wait for this to get out of the oven! Our apartment smelt to amazing and our mouths were hard-core watering. I ended up doubling the recipe. I had a few bananas that I managed to not eat fast enough. I thought the first bite tasted weird but as i continued to eat I realized that it was just because I haven't really eaten anything gluten free before and I ended up really enjoying it! My boyfriend and his roommates were the same way but ended up eating a whole loaf in one sitting so I was happy about them liking it!

Ta Ta for now,
Lil' Char

Sorry Guys

Sorry guys,
Between the holidays and being sick I haven't been able to do much cooking. I promise to have a few posts up soon. Please stay tuned and again im sorry for missing some posts! The next few I posts are exciting for me and I hope you enjoy them! I don't have pictures for one of them but I'm going to try and make it again so I can have pictures in the post, so stay tuned for a few new recipes!

sorry again and Ta ta for now,
lil' Char