Chocolate Buttercream

Chocolate Buttercream

1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened. (3 sticks)

1 cup of cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups of powdered sugar

2 teaspoons of real vanilla extract

1/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup Ovaltine

Cream together the room temperature butter, cocoa powder and salt. Mix for like 2 minutes or until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated. Turn the mixer on low and add the powdered sugar, then the milk and vanilla extract. once the powdered sugar starts to incorporate, turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat until smooth. in a cup, mix together the heavy cream and Ovaltine. Turn the mixer down and slowly stream in the ova line mixture. Then mix until your desired consistency. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Carnitas

Crock Pot Carnitas

1 1/2 lbs top sirloin steaks

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 cup water

1 cup beef broth

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Cut the top sirloin steaks into 1 inch cubes. Next, brown the sirloin in a pan until it has a nice crust. Remove the steak and set it aside. Add the onions to the pan and cook until translucent. In the crock pot, pour the water and beef stock into the bottom. Add the meat and onions and cover in the spices. Cook on low for 5-6 hours and serve with warm tortilla and all your favorite toppings! OR if you have kids, like me, make some quesadillas out of it!

Red Onion Jam

8 red onions

2 tablespoons of butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/2 cup red wine

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon dried cumin

In a large pot, melt the butter. Once you have sliced all of your onions thinly, put it into the pot with the melted butter. Let these cook completely until they are all translucent. Next, add the brown sugar and let them caramelize just slightly. Once that is complete, add the remaining ingredients in and simmer for 30 minutes. This will make about 5 small mason jars. Let it come to room temperature before you refrigerate it. Enjoy this on top of burgers, or steak sandwiches or even scrambled eggs!

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

1 pound ground chicken

1/2 cup italian breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 egg, whisked

zest of quarter a lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 14-ounce can store-bought pizza sauce

Fresh Mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, using your hands, gently mix together first 11 ingredients. Shape into golf sized meatballs. Place a few inches from each other on a foil-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix your pizza sauce with olive oil. Brush this mixture on top of each meatball. Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove meatballs from oven, spoon some more sauce on top of each meatball, and cover each with a slice of cheese. Broil another 3 to 5 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden. YUM.

Orzo Chicken Salad

Orzo Chicken Salad

2/3 cup of orzo, cooked

1 cup of corn, fresh or frozen

2 cups of shredded chicken

1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 avocado, chopped

The juice of 1 lime

Cook pasta. Add the frozen corn to the pasta water for the last minute for the kernels to thaw out. Drain. Rinse the pasta/ corn mixture in cold water to cool off. In a large bowl mix all remaining ingredients. Stir and enjoy! I love this for lunch!

Ps I totally stole the picture from the recipe because I completely forgot to take one of my own before I inhaled every single bite.

Pesto

Pesto

Basil (more than you would think)

 1/4 cup pine nuts

2 cloves of garlic 

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup (or more) of extra virgin olive oil

Add the basil, pine nuts and garlic to the food processor. Once it is pulsed a few times, add the olive oil until it is smooth. It will be a little runny at this point. Next, stir in the parmesan cheese. Do not mix it in the food processor because the heat from the blade changes the taste of the cheese. Enjoy

*side note- These are not precise measurements. I don't measure anything when I make it.

** Freezes really well.

Southwest Steak Rub

Southwest Steak Rub

1 Tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

1 Tablespoon light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Mix all ingredients together and rub on both sides of steaks before grilling.

*Side note: I was messing around on Pinterest and came across this recipe and it was named "Outback Special Seasoning". My husband and I LOVE outback and we both agree it does NOT taste anything like the seasoning on their steaks. So we re-named it :) This steak rub has a smokey taste and then a little bit of a kick at the end. My 2, almost 3 year old ate it and asked for seconds! Enjoy!