Your Stuff

this recipe has changed my life! i am an iced-coffee-all-year kinda girl, and for the longest time i would spend WAY too much money at coffee places or on storebought iced coffee to feed that addiction. but this recipe is just as good as Starbucks/any other place imo, so i can let my addiction flourish without even leaving the house. and now you can too!

• step 1: put 1-2 tbsp of instant coffee in your cup, depending on the size of the cup & your preferred strength.
• step 2: add 2 tbsp of hot water (can be boiling or just from the tap) and mix well.
• step 3: use cold water to fill your cup about ¾ full, then add your creamer of choice, and (optional but recommended) a coffee syrup of choice. Stir together.
• step 4: add ice and drink! :)

i discovered this recipe while trying to find ways to use extra pancake mix, and now it's a regular staple at our dinner table! super quick & easy, and pretty damn good if I do say so myself ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡)

Ingredients:

• 2c Bisquick mix
• ⅔ c milk
• ½ c shredded cheddar cheese (plus more if desired)
• garlic powder, parsley, salt
• ¼ c salted butter (half a stick)

Directions:

• step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• step 2: In a large bowl, mix Bisquick, milk & cheese until just combined (don't overmix!) Dough will be lumpy & soft. Add preferred spices such as garlic/onion powder, Mrs. Dash, italian seasoning, S+P.
• step 3: Drop large spoonfuls of dough onto a foil-lined cookie sheet.
• step 4: Bake on top rack for 12-15 min or until golden brown.
• step 5: While biscuits are baking, melt the butter & mix with about ¼ tsp garlic powder.
• step 6: Brush garlic butter over the baked biscuits & sprinkle with parsley & salt. Serve warm.

Tip: smaller biscuits bake more evenly.

cheap, easy & pretty quick weeknight dinner. it's beans & rice...not much more to say

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive/avocado oil
• 1 small white onion, finely diced
• ½ tsp cumin
• 1 c white rice (I prefer long-grained rice like jasmine or basmati)
• 2 c chicken broth
• 2 cans of black beans, drained & rinsed
• 3 tbsp lime juice (and lots more for serving)
• 2 tbsp butter
• handful of fresh chopped cilantro
• hot sauce of choice (I like to use Taco Bell fire sauce)

Directions:

• step 1: Add oil to a pot & heat on medium, then saute the onion ~10 min.
• step 2: Add cumin & rice and saute another 5 min, until the rice starts to look translucent.
• step 3: Stir in chicken broth and beans.
• step 4: Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, & simmer for 20 min.
• step 5: At the end, fluff the rice with a fork, then add lime juice, butter, cilantro, hot sauce & some spices. Stir again and serve immediately with sour cream and more lime juice.

Tip: the lime juice, cilantro, & even onion definitely make this dish better, but you can go without them in a pinch

not the most complex – beef, cheese, and sauce – but they're easy and filling

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• ½ white onion, diced
• a few tbsp taco seasoning
• 8 soft taco size tortillas (i prefer flour)
• 2c enchilada sauce (storebought or make it at home)
• 2c shredded fiesta blend cheese

Directions:

• step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Brown ground beef & onion with taco seasoning in a large saucepan
• step 2: Stir in ½ c enchilada sauce and ½ c cheese. Remove from heat
• step 3: Put a spoonful of sauce in the bottom of 9x13" pan
• step 4: Put a little filling along each tortilla, roll up & place seam side down in pan. Pour remaining sauce over top, then sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
• step 5: Bake about 30 min until bubbly; serve topped with sour cream & pico de gallo for max deliciousness

i love Panera but we have to drive 45 minutes to get to one, so i found a recipe to make this soup at home. if yall have a recipe for the autumn squash soup please let me know. i will trade my soul in return.

Ingredients:

• ¼ c butter (half a stick)
• ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
• ¼ c flour
• 2 c half-and-half
• 2 c chicken broth
• 3 c broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 c carrot, shredded (or julienned if ur feelin fancy)
• ⅛ tsp nutmeg (optional but recommended)
• 2 c (8oz) shredded sharp cheddar
• S+P, other seasonings of choice

Directions:

• step 1: Melt the butter in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat, then saute onion until soft. Sprinkle the flour over top & stir constantly 1-2 min.
• step 2: Whisk in ½ n ½ and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium
• step 3: Add the broccoli & carrot. Cook on medium-low 20-25 min until vegetables are tender.
• step 4: Season to taste. Optionally, blend about 1 cup of the soup & stir it back in for a creamier texture. This makes it seem much more restaurant-quality.
• step 5: Return to low heat and add the cheese. Stir in nutmeg. Then serve!

this soup really isn't difficult to make but it feels SO fancy. it's the kind of recipe i like to serve when we have people over so they think i am a chef (｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝ ♨

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ c flour
• 3 c vegetable broth (I usually sub chicken bouillon and have no issues)
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• crushed red pepper (CRP), basil, Italian seasoning, S+P
• 10-12oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
• ½ c freshly grated Parmesan
• 1½ c spinach leaves (packed)
• ½ c heavy cream (or you can use ½ n ½)
• ¼ c fresh basil leaves, chopped

Directions:

• step 1: Melt oil & butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then cook the onion about 5 min, stirring occasionally.
• step 2: Add the garlic. Stir in flour and cook another minute, stirring constantly.
• step 3: Add the broth, diced tomatoes & tomato sauce, and season to taste.
• step 4: Bring to a gentle boil, then add the tortellini. Cook a couple minutes until tortellini are tender.
• step 5: Remove from heat and stir in spinach, parmesan, & cream.
• step 6: Serve topped with fresh basil, more parmesan and CRP.

potatoes really are the best

Ingredients:

• 6 strips uncooked bacon
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ⅓ c flour
• 5-6 russet or (preferably) yukon gold potatoes, peeled & diced into small 1" pieces
• 4c chicken broth
• 2c milk
• ⅔ c heavy cream
• S+P & ancho chili powder
• 1c sour cream

Directions:

• step 1: Cook bacon in your biggest pot until crispy. Set aside but leave the fat in the pot
• step 2: Add butter & onion and cook until tender
• step 3: Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, then sprinkle flour over top & stir together
• step 4: Add all other ingredients except sour cream. Stir well
• step 5: Bring to a boil, then cook until potatoes are tender
• step 6: Reduce heat and either use an immersion blender to half-puree soup, or remove about 1 cup, blend it & put back in (if you don't have this equipment you can use a fork in the pot to mash up big chunks)
• step 7: Add sour cream and about ½ of the bacon; simmer 15 min and season to taste.
• step 8: Serve with more sour cream and bacon, cheddar cheese, and/or chives

this takes a while, as most bread unfortunately does, but it's so good and only uses a few ingredients, most of which i usually keep at the house. v nice dipped in tzatziki or garlic aioli

Ingredients:

• ½ c nice quality olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 cup lukewarm water (make sure it's between 110-115°F)
• 2¼ tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
• ¼ tsp honey, maple syrup or sugar
• 2½ c all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp fine sea salt

Directions:

• step 1: Combine oil, garlic, rosemary & pepper in a cold medium skillet. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 min or until it becomes fragrant and starts to bubble. Remove from heat BEFORE it starts to brown & set aside to cool
• step 2: In a large bowl, combine water, yeast & honey. Stir a few times, then let sit 5 min.
• step 3: Add 1 c of the flour and ¼ c of the olive oil mixture, stir until just moistened, and leave alone for another 5 min.
• step 4: Stir in remaining flour and the salt. When the dough comes together, transfer to a floured board and knead 10-15 times until smooth.
• step 5:Transfer dough to a large oiled bowl, cover with a warm damp towel, and let rise at room temp for 1-2 hours until doubled in size (or up to 28 hours in the fridge covered in plastic wrap, then on the counter 2 hrs to warm up).
• step 6:When dough is almost done rising, preheat oven to 450°F.
• step 7: Use 2 tbsp of the oil mixture to lightly oil a 9x13" rimmed baking sheet.
• step 8:Transfer dough to the baking sheet & gently press into the pan. Use your fingers to dimple the dough all over, then drizzle the top with the rest of the olive oil. Let it rise another 20-30 min until it puffs up slightly.
• step 9:Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 min, then let cool completely on a wire rack.

this is definitely not the quickest recipe you will find for chocolate chip cookies but it might be the best. the dough also freezes extremely well, so i like to make a few cookies at first, then freeze the rest to bake when i'm scavenging for sweets in the night

Ingredients:

• 2¼ c all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1½ tsp cornstarch
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ c unsalted butter, melted & slightly cooled
• ¾ c packed brown sugar (light or dark, we don't discriminate)
• ½c white sugar
• 1 lg egg + 1 egg yolk, room temp
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1½ c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

• step 1: Whisk flour, baking soda, cornstarch & salt in a large bowl.
• step 2: In a smaller-ish bowl, whisk melted butter & sugars until no lumps remain. Whisk in the egg & yolk, then finally the vanilla. Mixture will be thin.
• step 3: Pour into dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or spatula (to avoid over-mixing). The dough will be very soft, thick & shiny. Fold in chocolate chips.
• step 4: Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 3 days (recommended to refrigerate at least overnight, but if you're impatient like me it will be fine).
• step 5: Preheat to 325°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper. If the dough has chilled longer than 2 hrs, let it sit at room temp for around 15 min.
• step 6: Scoop 2-3 tbsp of dough per cookie, depending on the size you want, roll into balls, & arrange 3" apart on the baking sheets.
• step 7: Bake for 13-14 min or until the edges are very lightly browned. They will be softer than you think they should be, but they'll set as they cool. Cool on the baking sheets for 10 min before removing to a wire rack.
• step 8: Store tightly covered at room temperature up to a week.

Tips:

• I like to use closer to 2 cups chocolate chips because I'm a fiend. Use the amount you want. Go crazy
• These are really good with white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or a combination of the 3. I bet they would also be great with nuts, craisins, etc.
• If you want to freeze some of the dough, roll it into balls ahead of time and wrap individually in plastic wrap, then store tightly covered in the freezer up to 3 months. You can bake them directly from frozen; they just take an extra minute or two.

I am very picky about pot pie so it took me forever to get my recipe the way I want it (and not mess it up). But once you get the hang of these, they are adorable and fun to make and AMAZING! You will need 5-5.5" mini pie pans or similar shallow baking dishes; I use these or these. This recipe makes 3 pies

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp butter
• ½ cup diced white/yellow onion
• ½ cup thin-sliced baby carrots
• ½ cup chopped celery (1-2 stalks)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 3 tbsp flour (+ more for countertop)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1.5c boiling water
• 3 bouillon cubes
• 1 cup half n half or cream
• ¾ cup frozen peas
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie is an easy option)
• 1 package refrigerated pie crust (two 9" rolls)
• egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp water beaten together)

Directions:

• step 1: Take dough out of the fridge; melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• step 2: Add onion, carrot & celery and a pinch of salt. Cook until onions are soft. While they're cooking, dissolve the bouillon cubes in boiling water in a glass liquid measuring cup.
• step 3: Stir in garlic & flour and cook 30-60 seconds.
• step 4: Pour in chicken broth and half & half/cream. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened somewhat.
• step 5: Stir in chicken, frozen peas, and thyme, then remove from heat and season to taste (S+P, oregano, garlic/onion powder, whatever else u like). Set aside to cool.
• step 6: While filling cools, preheat oven to 375°F and lightly flour a countertop. Roll one of the 9" tubes of dough out pretty thin & trace around the bottom edge of a 7-8" bowl to cut out 3 dough circles (you may have to ball up & re-roll the dough to make the third one).
• step 7: Put your pie tins on a baking sheet and lay a dough circle in each one, ensuring there's about a ½" overhang; cut off excess.
• step 8: Scoop a generous cup of somewhat-cooled filling into each dish. Then repeat the dough-cutting process and cover each pie with another dough circle. Trim edges to be just slightly larger than the overhang of the bottom crust.
• step 9: Roll lower & upper crust edges under to make a thick edge, then crimp the edges onto the tin (here's a few good strategies for crimping).
• step 10: Cut a few slits in the top of each pie, then brush egg wash on the top & edges. Bake for 30-40 min on the middle rack until crusts are nicely browned and filling is bubbling. Cool 5 min before serving.

Tips:

• If your oven runs hot, take the pies out & cover in tin foil halfway through
• You gotta use Goldilocks rules to fill these properly. Too little and the crust will sink; too much and the filling will bubble out the top. Try to leave about ¼-½" of room in each pan when you fill them.
• Egg wash is what makes these look nice. Don't skimp or miss any spots!