Category: Dairy Free

Irish Brown Bread & Review of Mockmill Grain Mill

Note: I was sent the Mockmill Grain Mill for review. All opinions are mine alone.

I have dabbled in bread-making for this blog before. I’ve made beer bread, sourdough bread, soda bread, and even gluten-free bread in the past.

Since I returned from my honeymoon in Ireland a few weeks ago, I have been craving Irish Brown Bread like crazy. Served typically with breakfast, Irish brown bread is made with a coarse whole wheat flour, resulting in a hearty bread different than anything I can easily find here in the U.S.

The difference is really in the flour. To get the right consistency, you’d need to purchase a wholemeal flour, sometimes labeled as “Irish-Style,” which can be somewhat difficult to find (although it is available online.)

So when I was offered the chance to try out the Mockmill, a grain mill attachment for the KitchenAid Mixer, I jumped at the chance.  I can make my OWN Irish-Style flour!

Besides my very specific reason for wanting to mill my own flour, there are a bunch of other benefits to using a grain mill. Grinding from whole wheat berries at home means that the bran and germ stay in your flour. A bunch of the “good stuff” is found in the bran and germ: fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants. However, the germ is removed from commercial flour because it reduces its shelf life; the oil in germ can turn rancid, so home milled flour should be used in 1-2 weeks, or stored in the freezer.

The Mockmill, designed by Wolfgang Mock, is nicely compact. (As a city dweller, I very much appreciate this.) I love that it attaches right to my stand mixer; it’s really simple to set up and begin using right away.

source: Mockmill

You adjust the coarseness of the grind by twisting the front of the mill. The mill uses self-sharpening ceramic-bonded corundum grinding stones, which can produce a very fine flour if needed.

The Mockmill grinds flour directly into the mixing bowl, really convenient if you’re using it immediately like I am!

Cleaning the Mockmill is also a breeze; the mill can be separated easily and rinsed to clean any minimal residue left from milling.

Mockmill is offering I Can Cook That readers a really sweet deal, available until August 31: $80 off (that’s over 30% off!) two different package options through this link if you use the code icancookthat. 

The packages come with everything you need to begin milling at home: the Mockmill Grain Milling Attachment for Stand Mixers,  a variety of whole grain berries to get you started, plus “Flour Power” by Marleeta Basey, a comprehensive introduction to the benefits of home milling! Be sure to check them out here.

Note: the price listed is the original price. Add the code icancookthat at checkout to receive $80 off. The sets of books, grains, and Mockmills are being especially made for this promotion so delivery times may vary.

To test out the mill (and make me some oh so yummy brown bread,) I decided to start with a relatively simple version of Irish bread, a yeasted version from the Ballymaloe House in County Cork, Ireland. This version of their recipe comes from David Lebovitz, and is super easy to make.

So let’s test this mill out!

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups freshly ground whole-wheat flour (~2 cups red wheat berries)
  • 1/2 cup all purpose white flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 cups tepid water
  • 1 tablespoon dark molasses
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Continue reading Irish Brown Bread & Review of Mockmill Grain Mill

Grilled Peach Old Fashioned Cocktail

Note: I was sent a Coyote Outdoor Grill to participate in the #CoyoteChallenge. All opinions are mine alone.

I am absolutely loving my Coyote Outdoor Grill; I have been grilling anything and everything I can find! To see some of my other recipes I’ve made using my beloved grill, check them out here. This time, I wanted to branch out and find recipes that you may not necessarily consider making on the grill.

I found this awesome recipe for a Grilled Old Fashioned from Damaris Phillips (Food Network). How does one grill a cocktail? Well, you grill the fruit that goes into it!

I kept to the recipe for the most part, but added in some peaches for extra flavor because my husband loves all things peach and ended up with this recipe for Grilled Peach Old Fashioned Cocktail. I also substituted in Rye Whiskey to suit our personal tastes. Feel free to use your favorite bourbon of choice instead.

My friends and I loooooove Old Fashioned’s so I was thrilled to find a new version of our favorite cocktail. I make a mean Fizzy Old Fashioned that is a perfect “punch” for groups of friends; it’s not nearly as strong as a typical Old Fashioned, but the bourbon taste is still very present.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 orange, cut into slices
  • 12 pitted cherries
  • 1 peach, cut into quarter slices, with the stone removed
  • Cooking Spray
  • 5 tablespoons turbinado sugar (such as Sugar in the Raw)
  • 3 dashes bitters
  • 1 (750-ml bottle) rye whiskey (such as Bulleit Rye)
  • 1 liter club soda, cold or  blood orange soda, cold
  • ice

A quick note for my gluten-free friends. Rye whiskey, obviously derived from rye, is gluten-free. The distilling process removes the gluten proteins. So drink away!

Continue reading Grilled Peach Old Fashioned Cocktail

Blackberry Syrup & Watermelon Blackberry Granita

Today (July 22nd), Ball brand is hosting it’s sixth annual Can-It-Forward Day. (You may recall my last post on Can-It-Forward Day, where I canned on my own for the very first time to make salsa.) Can-It-Forward day is a day to celebrate the joys of fresh preserving, and encourage both new and veteran canners to preserve more. This year, the day will be streamed online via Facebook Live from 10:00 am 3:30 pm EST. Throughout the day, the Ball brand and expert ambassadors will be demoing a variety of canning recipes. In the true spirit of “canning it forward,” for every engagement received on the videos, whether it be a comment, like or share, the brand donate $1 to a local charity, so be sure to check it out!

 

You can also ask Jarden Home Brands canning experts any preserving or home canning questions via Twitter with the hashtag #canitforward from 10AM – 5PM ET on July 22nd. Share your own #canitforward creations with the brand on Pinterest and Instagram as well!

Ball brand has also launched the Freshly Preserved Ideas Tumblr page, a “digital pledge page” a place for consumers to take the pledge to Can-It-Forward this year. Check it out and pledge!

To celebrate, I was sent The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving, a Case of Collection Elite Wide Mouth Pint Jars, one $5 off coupon to be used on FreshPreservingStore.com.

I really loved the new canning book from Ball; along with canning and preserving recipes, there are many recipes that incorporate the canned/preserved items.

source: freshpreserving.com/

I wanted to show off how great both types of recipes found in the book are, so I made a blackberry syrup to can, and used it in a watermelon blackberry granita.

 

The blue wide mouth pint jars are SO PRETTY. I have been using a set of the regular mouth blue pint jars as my drinking glasses for years so I was excited to use the wide mouth for their actual intended use!

source: freshpreserving.com/

 

I will get to the canning and recipes shortly, BUT Ball brand was also kind enough to provide a second set of the products I received as a giveaway to my readers! Details on how to enter will be at the end of the post!

Ingredients:

For Blackberry Syrup:

  • 3 lbs blackberries
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice

For Watermelon-Blackberry Granita:

  • 8 cups seeded watermelon cubes
  • 1/2 cup Blackberry Syrup
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Gear:

  • stainless steel or enameled Dutch oven
  • wire-mesh strainer
  • 3 pint jars, lids, and bands
  • large pot for canning + a rack to keep the jars off the bottom of the pot
  • cheesecloth
  • 13×9 inch baking dish

So, since my last post, I’ve upgraded my canning situation to the Ball Fresh Preserving Kit. However, for beginners, you really can’t beat the value of the Beginners Kit that I used last year to make the salsa. On to the recipes!

Continue reading Blackberry Syrup & Watermelon Blackberry Granita

Pumpkin Curry Chicken with Potatoes and Peas

Note: I was sent two jars of Herb ‘n Zest Cooking Sauces in order to make this Pumpkin Curry Chicken with Potatoes and Peas. All opinions are mine alone.

As someone who works full-time, my biggest requirement for a dinner option is that it can be made in under 40 minutes. By the time I get home, I’m ready to eat! Although it’s not usually too much of a problem, I rarely get the chance to make dinners with the depth of flavor brought to food when it is simmered over a stove for a while.

A local Philadelphia company, Herb ‘n Zest, is changing that. Their innovative condiments and sauces allow home cooks to add quick flavor to meals in no time. All products are fully cooked and can just be added to dishes as sauces or dips.

I was sent a jar each of Herb ‘n Zest’s two most popular sauces: Chive Tomato Cooking Sauce and Curry Pumpkin Cooking Sauce. The Chive Tomato Cooking Sauce is made with Jersey Fresh tomatoes sauteed with chives and spices in olive oil. while the Curry Pumpkin Cooking Sauce is a savory pumpkin sauce seasoned mildly with curry and sunflower seeds. Both sauces are also vegan, soy-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and use non-GMO ingredients.

 

I love love love pumpkin, so I knew I had to try that one first! I decided to make a chicken and potato curry with the sauce and serve it over coconut rice, resulting in this recipe for Pumpkin Curry Chicken with Potatoes and Peas. To make vegetarian/vegan, omit the chicken.

Want to try the sauces for yourself? Herb ‘n Zest is offering a great discount through my blog: 25% off the Home Chef Starter Pack with the code get25icancook! Just click the photo of the jars below and enter the code at checkout!

Buy 6 Jars of Cooking Sauce (Home Chef Starter Pack)

You can also enter their summer giveaway worth $50. Just take a picture of yourself with a jar of Herb 'n Zest, upload it to Instagram & tag the image with #herbnzest. The summer giveaway draw will happen on August 15, 2016, so be sure to purchase your jars soon!

Ingredients:

  • 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
  • 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium sized onion, chopped
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 (12 oz) bag frozen peas
  • 1 (16.75 oz) jar Herb 'n Zest Curry Pumpkin Cooking Sauce

Continue reading Pumpkin Curry Chicken with Potatoes and Peas

Mustard Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Potatoes

So. This recipe for Mustard Chicken is kind of an autumnal meal. But it’s been raining and chilly for about a week now, so I’ve been making more “comfort food” kind of meals. And this one is a definite go-to of mine, it’s so tasty!

I found the recipes for the Mustard Chicken and Brussels Sprouts and the Potatoes both on Cooking Light. The chicken and potatoes both cook at 450 degrees F, so these recipes pair perfectly together for a meal that’s on the table in under 40 minutes!

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
  • 12 ounces halved baby potatoes
  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
  • 1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider
  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided (or margarine or olive oil to make dairy free)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

Continue reading Mustard Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Potatoes

Sparkling Blackberry Gimlets

Over the past year, quite a few of my good friends have gotten engaged. Four of us are getting married this summer (!), so we have plenty to celebrate and discuss when we meet up.

We all love a good cocktail to make our time together festive and have made a few fun ones in the past. This time around, I decided to make us a gin-based drink that just screams spring.

Gimlets are traditionally made with gin (or vodka) and lime juice, but I wanted to create a new, fun cocktail with a few choice ingredients. This Sparkling Blackberry Gimlet is made with Blackberry Ginger Ale. To further enhance the blackberry flavor, I made a quick blackberry-mint simple syrup to go with it. You can substitute in traditional simple syrup if you’d prefer.

 

Ingredients: serves 4

Blackberry Mint Simple Syrup

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup blackberries

Sparkling Blackberry Gimlet

  • handful of blackberries for muddling and mint
  • 8 oz Gin
  • 1/2 cup lime juice
  • 1/4 cup blackberry mint simple syrup
  • 1/2 cup Blackberry Ginger Ale
  • blackberries and mint for garnish

Continue reading Sparkling Blackberry Gimlets

Pulled Pork Tacos with Jalapeno Slaw

I was recently invited to a tasting event, which was conveniently in my own neighborhood. Nick’s Roast Beef, an Old City staple, has changed their name to Nick’s Bar and Grille and has a snazzy new menu to go with it’s new name.

Nick’s Bar & Grille in Old City, established in 1969, is “the” neighborhood corner bar of Philadelphia. In 2012, bartender-turned-owner Joseph Schultice hung up most of his infamous shorts and trimmed his signature long hair to usher in a new era for the long-time Old City staple. Today, Nick’s continues to serve as a laid back and friendly alternative to neighboring clubs and upscale fine dining restaurants.

The new barbecue-themed menu is filled with house-smoked meats, including smoked applewood chicken wings, St. Louis BBQ spare ribs, pulled pork with jalapeno slaw, mac ‘n cheese, house-made sauces, and more.

Nick’s long-time dishes that will remain on the menu include the Ground Bacon Burger, Roast Beef and Pork, six flavors of chicken wings and other bar favorites. New cocktails and spirits will be added to the drink menu, and customers can look for drink tastings with local purveyors.

The tasting took place in Nick’s newly renovated dining room which included custom-designed tables and whiskey barrel high-tops, a new community tasting table, old-time Old City imagery on the walls, and embellishments to the walls and ceilings.

The food was super tasty, I really loved the smoked wings and ground bacon burger. But my favorite tasting of the night had to be their new Pulled Pork with Jalapeno Slaw. The smokiness of the pork was offset by crunchy and slightly spicy jalapeno slaw, making for one awesome sandwich.

I wanted to try to recreate a version of the pulled pork with jalapeno slaw, but I (obviously) don’t have a smoker hanging out in my tiny apartment. So I made a slow cooker version with a Chipotle-Guinness barbecue sauce to add some smokiness to it, so here are my Pulled Pork Tacos with Jalapeno Slaw!

Pulled Pork:

  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard
  • 3 tablespoons coarse salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 (7 pound) pork shoulder or Boston butt
  • corn tortillas

Chipotle-Guinness Barbecue Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium sized yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (~12 oz) bottle of Guinness
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can tomato puree
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of the sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

Jalapeno Slaw

  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 (10-ounce) package shredded red cabbage
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, diced

Continue reading Pulled Pork Tacos with Jalapeno Slaw

Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Roasted Mustard Potatoes

If I was forced to eat one food for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t be terribly upset if it was salmon. That probably isn’t much of a surprise to those that follow this blog, I have almost 40 Salmon Recipes on here! So, I might as well add another one to the list, this recipe for Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Roasted Mustard Potatoes!

For whatever reason, I had a hankering for pistachios recently, so I figured I might as well crust my favorite protein in a pistachio-panko mixture, how bad could it be? Not bad. Not bad at all. In fact, delicious!

I made this salmon with some baby potatoes roasted in a stone ground mustard, so I added the mustard to the salmon as well to keep the flavors consistent. Since I whipped this up the first time, I’ve already made it twice more!

Ingredients:

For the potatoes:

  • 1.5 lbs baby potatoes (I used a baby potato “medley”), halved
  • cooking spray
  • 2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
  • salt and pepper, to taste

For the salmon:

  • 4 (6 oz) salmon fillets
  • 2 tablespoons stone ground mustard, divided
  • 1/4 cup pistachios, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • cooking spray

Continue reading Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Roasted Mustard Potatoes

Shrimp Barley Bowl with Tomato Radish Salad

I have been doing my best to pack myself lunches for work. One of my favorite “lunch meals” is a bowl (either rice or another grain) topped with veggies and a protein. My latest creation, this Shrimp Barley Bowl with Tomato Radish Salad was inspired by some nifty new tools I had sent to me from OXO.

I used OXO’s Rice & Grains Washing Colander, Mandoline Slicer, and Grape & Tomato Cutter to prepare my lunch the night before.

The Rice & Grains Washing Colander is great for tiny grains that require rinsing to wash impurities and starch from the grains, like rice, quinoa, buckwheat, and barley. The small holes in the colander allow water to drain slowly, while preventing the grains from falling through.

The Large Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer has seven thickness options to get the perfect slick thickness depending on what you need. The food holder can be placed on top of whatever you are slicing for safety, and the non-slip notches allow you to slice directly over bowls if needed. For this recipe, I used the lowest setting to make paper thin radish slices.

The Grape & Tomato Cutter quickly and easily quarters grape tomatoes, pitted olives, and grapes, just insert the produce and push down to use.

This recipe combines nutty barley with peppery arugula, sweet tomatoes, crunchy radishes, and grilled shrimp for a really tasty meal, cold or hot!

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup raw pearl barley
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb medium sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes
  • 4 small radishes
  • 1 small cucumber, seeded and diced
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • 4 tablespoons parsley, chopped
  • 1 cup baby arugula

Continue reading Shrimp Barley Bowl with Tomato Radish Salad

Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken #ChineseNYeats

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ChineseNYeats #CollectiveBias

Next Monday begins the Year of the Monkey, according to the Chinese Lunar New Year calendar. Celebrations are held around the world, particularly in places with large Chinese populations, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Locally, Philadelphia’s Chinatown holds a bunch of different events to celebrate, including a parade and a midnight dance performance on the 8th.

My favorite place in the city, Reading Terminal Market, along with the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, is featuring demonstrations of the cuisine and cultures of Asia next weekend. To get in the spirit, I decided to make one of my favorite Thai dishes: Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken.

 

This recipe comes together really quickly with the help of Minute Rice, Dole and Kikkoman.

For this recipe, I used White Minute Rice, Dole Pineapple Chunks, and Kikkoman Less Sodium Soy Sauce and Sriracha Sauce, which I picked up at my local Wegmans, which were found in the rice aisle, canned fruit aisle, and Asian foods aisle, respectively.

Continue reading Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken #ChineseNYeats

Carrot Ginger Soup

Like much of the east coast, Philadelphia got hit with a blizzard last weekend. Which meant I had a whole weekend to make a bunch of meals, like this Carrot Ginger Soup!

This Carrot Ginger Soup from Cooking Light is comforting and creamy without any cream! The hint of curry powder brings such a nice warmth to the dish.

It makes 12 servings, so it’s a great recipe to stock your freezer. I love it as a side to my sandwich or salad for lunch!

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (or margarine to make dairy-free)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 7 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth to make vegetarian)
  • 4 cups diced carrots (~1.5 lbs)
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • the juice from 1/2 lime
  • 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Continue reading Carrot Ginger Soup

Homemade Marinara Sauce

I had a sad surprise this weekend. I opened my freezer to grab a quart of tomato sauce only to find I was all out!

Time to make another batch of sauce, so I decided to make Homemade Marinara Sauce!

This time around, I have a nifty new tool to help make my marinara sauce: OXO’s new Illuminating Digital Immersion Blender.

The immersion blender has six digital controls so you can pick the perfect speed for whatever it is you need blended. Just turn the dial at the top of the immersion blender to adjust the speed; a backlit LED indicator clearly shows your speed selection.

To start blending, you just press down on the wide, soft-touch power button located on the top half of the blender. The handle is nonslip, even when hands are wet.

source: oxo.com

The head is made of nylon, which won’t scratch your bowls or cookware while it blends.

source: oxo.com

A really nifty spec is the soft-glow LED headlight that illuminates the pot while you blend, which is super helpful when making a large batch of soup or sauce in a tall pot. A softer version of the light remains on the entire time the blender is plugged in for safety.

The immersion blender comes with a measuring beaker with a silicone lid that holds up to 3 cups. You can blend right in the beaker, then top with the lid to store whatever you don’t use immediately.

When finished using the blender, the cord wraps securely around the blender body for tidy, compact storage, great for my small kitchen!

source: oxo.com

The blender is a super helpful tool when making soups, dips, smoothies, and sauces. I used it to make a smooth marinara sauce made with canned whole plum tomatoes and sauteed carrots, celery and onions.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup red wine
  • 2 (28 oz) cans whole plum tomatoes
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • fresh basil, sliced

Continue reading Homemade Marinara Sauce

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boats

Every Sunday night is pasta night in my house. Most of the time, that means taking out a batch of tomato sauce from the freezer and cooking whatever dry pasta we have one hand, but it’s nice to switch it up every now and then, like making this recipe for Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boats.

I have never worked with spaghetti squash before, so I thought Sunday night would be a great time to try it.

This recipe for Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boats tops the spaghetti squash with a flavorful chunky salsa, plus an egg that is cooked to over-easy (slightly runny), and then (if you are in the mood) topped with cheese and avocado slices.

These Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boatss are very hearty without being too heavy. They take some time to prepare, so these are good for a weekend meal rather than trying to make these on a busy weeknight.

Ingredients:

  • 2 spaghetti squash, halved
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 2 plum tomatoes, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, optional
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • Cilantro, to taste
  • 2 limes, halved

Continue reading Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boats

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Spice French Toast Casserole #DelightfulMoments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DelightfulMoments #CollectiveBias

It’s no secret that I love all things Pumpkin. I have over 20 posts on my blog including pumpkin/pumpkin spice, but haven’t posted a pumpkin-themed recipe yet this year, what an oversight!

To make up for my lack of pumpkin posts, I’ve got a pret-ty awesome recipe for you today that can be used as a super decadent breakfast (perfect for snow days or holiday mornings with family!) or a really delicious dessert.

This recipe for Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Spice French Toast Casserole is flavored with International Delight’s Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer, which I picked up at my local Walmart. (It can be found in refrigerated bins near the milk, or at the end of an aisle in a refrigerated case.) The creamer adds a swirl of seasonal spice flavors into your coffee (and recipes), inspired by pumpkin pie. Yum!

This recipe pairs wonderfully with a cup of hot coffee flavored with International Delight’s Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer; Walmart also sells single creamers as well. I picked up some of the French Vanilla Single Creamers, which I added to my coffee to enjoy with this breakfast.

As family gathers for the holidays, this recipe is the perfect addition to breakfast or brunch. It’s simple to make and uses the slow cooker to keep your oven and stove free for preparing the main holiday meal!

International Delight wants to hear about your holiday spirit by sharing a video, photo or story through their website. You can win a $5,000 holiday brunch  with all your favorite International Delight products! Learn more here.

 

Ingredients:

French Toast Casserole:

  • 1 lb challah bread, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 cups almond milk (or regular milk)
  • 1 cup International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer
  • 1 (8 oz) can pumpkin puree

Crumble:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted margarine or butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Continue reading Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Spice French Toast Casserole #DelightfulMoments

Slow Cooker Beef and Bean Chili

Note: I was sent a Rubbermaid’s Easy Find Lids 20-Piece Storage Set to review. All opinions are mine alone.

 

We have had a pretty moderate fall so far, but the cold weather isn’t too far off. This time of year, I like to fill my freezer with different meals so I always have comfort food on hand for busy weeknights. One of my favorites, of course, is chili.

 

I was sent Rubbermaid’s Easy Find Lids 20-Piece Storage Set to try out, so it was the perfect time to make my annual batch of chili!

 

Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids are a life saver – I typically just keep the containers from take out and they are all just shoved into a cabinet net to my stove, with no organization to them whatsoever. So i spend a good 10 minutes finding the right top to go with whatever container I’ve chosen. Rubbermaid’s storage set takes the annoyance out of trying to find the right top — the Lids snap on to the bottom of their respective containers so you can find them in no time! The containers also nest inside each other so you can have a small stack of all of your containers and lids in one spot.

 

The 20-piece set comes with  3 (0.5 Cup), 3 (1.25 Cup), 1 (2 Cup), 2 (3 Cup), 1 (5 Cup), and 10  respective Easy Find Lids. The plastic is dishwasher, freezer, and microwave safe and is also BPA-free.

 

On to the recipe! This time around, I went for a classic – ground beef and beans with some bratwurst meat for additional flavor (I used beef bratwurst, but you can use any type you’d like).

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (omit for dairy free)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 pound bratwurst, removed from its casing
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1  onion, chopped
  • 1 chipotle from can of chipotles in adobo sauce, finely chopped (seeds removed if preferred)
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from can of chipotles in adobo
  • 2 red bell peppers, chopped (or whatever color you prefer)
  • 2 (15.5 oz) cans red kidney beans, drained
  • 1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, drained
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ground chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 1 tablespoon espresso grounds
  • For garnish: 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped; 4 oz sour cream; 4 oz cheddar or pepper Jack cheese, shredded

Continue reading Slow Cooker Beef and Bean Chili

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