Tag: Comfort food

Kendall’s Top 5 Favorite Recipes From Tasty

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Kendall’s Top 5 Favorite Recipes From Tasty

Earlier this week a great friend of mine texted me asking for my Apple Cider Cupcake recipe. I quickly sent her the link from my handy dandy Tasty app and she replied that I should put that on my blog this week… which got me thinking… 

I can’t exactly take credit for the recipe (I wish I was that creative) but I can share with you some of my favorite recipes from Tasty that are household staples. So, without further ado, here are my top 5 favorite recipes currently on Tasty! 

** So if you aren’t on the Internets a ton, you may have not heard of a crazy little thing called “Tasty.” Tasty is a brand of the news outlet Buzzfeed and it’s sole focus is food. They have everything from kid friendly recipes, one pot meals, snacks, and full on gourmet meals. They even have an added section for this crazy time called, “Quarantine Cooking.” Their goal is to make sure YOU eat good food. You can visit their website OR download their app from your app store (hint: search for Tasty)! I also recommend following them on all of your social media channels for constant food inspiration. 

  1. Gourmet Salmon Dinner 

OMG this is a favorite of mine… it’s a wonderful meal to spoil yourself with (if you like salmon). For being “gourmet” I didn’t feel like it took an obscene amount of time. If you present the dish as they suggest, it feels even more luxurious to eat!

  1. Creamy Lemon Butter Chicken Pasta

This pasta dish is THE way to my husband’s heart. It’s quick to prepare, filling, and comforting. If you like lemon, if you like chicken, if you like butter, and if you like pasta- search no more! And go make this right away. Hint: I double the recipe so that we always have leftovers AND add extra lemon since my husband has an obsession with all things lemon. 

  1. Apple Cider Cupcakes

Are you looking for a yummy fall treat to share with no one since you are in quarantine/social distancing? Well, here you go! This cupcake recipe came to my attention about 3 years ago and I made them while we were living in Spain (traditional apple cider like we enjoy here in the states was difficult to find but, luckily, Tasty linked the recipe to homemade apple cider within this one and all of my problems were solved). These became a favorite for my Valencian neighbors and fellow Americans alike! 

  1. Baked Avocado Tacos

So, my husband and I are always contemplating going vegetarian and we’ve even taken some steps to reduce meat from our diet. We hope to be more aggressive in the coming year- do you have any transitional tips? Anyways, these baked avocado tacos were one of the first vegetarian recipes that I made that convinced us that, just maybe, we didn’t need meat. They are FULL of flavor, quick to make, and just really freaking enjoyable. 

  1. Mixed Berry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

This salad combines the things I love- berries, dressing, and spinach. I randomly tried this recipe when we were going to a lunch thing a few years back and I remember being floored at how good it turned out to be. It’s a great spring and summer addition to any meal and it’s super easy to whip up! I love how fresh it tastes and how light it feels in my tummy. And the fact that I am saying this about salad should count for something. 

Anyways, those are my current top faves. Go check out Tasty and start eating. 

** And no, I am not paid by them. I am just a fan. Obvi.

Kendall On Food… The Other “F” Word

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Kendall On Food… The Other “F” Word

I. Love. Food. Like, alot. I like health food, I like comfort food, I like exotic food, I like food. I am that person that doesn’t think food photos on social media are stupid… I am very interested in what you are eating because I might want to eat it too! With that said, I am always trying to figure out a balance with my cooking. I love trying out new recipes and experimenting with new ingredients. In a way cooking soothes me.

Food is a touchy subject in my household. My husband and I are always trying to eat “right.” For him the food we eat deeply affects how he feels both physically and mentally. For me the balance is difficult when I feel like we have been doing too much of one thing… I am a girl who likes to mix my food up. It is with this in mind that I strive to blend health and comfort in positive ways. This tends to be harder as we enter into the colder months… I want warm food… yet I don’t want heavy food. Warm and heavy sort of go hand in hand in a beautiful, delicious, winter coat kind of way. I try to make really fresh and seasonal salads but let’s get real… I want a warm casserole with lots of cheese on a 36 degree day… or steaming hot bowl of my homemade beef stew. I don’t want a cranberry and orange salad with champagne vinaigrette (which is a great accompaniment to your winter meals). So, as my family and I head into this cold and beautiful season, my mind is racing with food ideas and questions.

I already know that I need to get some fun winter food prep ideas. Thank goodness for Lisa at Downshiftology. She has compiled seasonal food prep lists (fall foods in link) that are a game changer for me. Not only do I get to keep food exciting, but I am learning how to cook with different ingredients. AND I am keeping it clean and healthy for my partner. This is a win/win! My husband has a healthy appetite… he also works out every single day doing incredibly intense weight lifting and cardio… yet people always comment on what he eats like it’s a display at the carnival. It’s annoying and a little insulting to me after a while. Issy is driven by the food he eats. It works for him. If I were to look at the food the way he does, it would not be good for me, personally. If he were to look at food the way I do, it would discourage him. Thus, balance is key in our household. That and leniency. We love to cheat! And we love to push ourselves with our fasting. This dynamic works for us. One of my closest girlfriends thrives on counting calories… she is a super healthy person and enjoys food… is she wrong to count? Nah. It works for her! Is it wrong that Issy and I fast? Definitely not! It works for us. 

I am a firm believer in balance. Food is something that makes me happy and, as such, I always want to have fun with it. I have seen a lot of people go through really unhealthy relationships with food… these experiences range from friends having eating disorders to other people straight up hating food. Our culture makes it really easy for us to hate ourselves because of what we put in our mouth… and that’s just a load of crap. Food is also something that we end up judging each other by. “So and so ate 3 plates of dinner!” Or, “He Who Must Not Be Named didn’t touch anything on his plate.” Food has become the OTHER “F” word; a forbidden, dirty, and gluttonous thing that we should avoid at all costs. It has the ability to ruin people’s days and create resentment in one’s soul.

Food has been on my mind a lot lately. I want warm and yummy foods on cold evenings. But I know I need to be responsible not only for my husband and I but for Rosemary! I want her to enjoy autumn vegetable dishes AND that hearty bowl of homemade mac and cheese. But inside my heart, I am constantly eating hot pasta, pumpkin bread, and hearty stews… just so you know- that’s the desire of my food heart. But instead, I am making a delicious taco salad tonight that is guaranteed to help me with my energy tomorrow AND ensure a good night sleep tonight. I refuse to look at food as forbidden fruit. I am going to be eating it for the rest of my life- so it’s best to just accept and respect not only how it tastes but what food can do for my body in a positive way. What is your favorite dish these days? How do you feel about food?

Shari’s Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

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Shari’s Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

A favorite in our household is this classic Shepherd’s Pie Recipe (with a few small changes based on how we like to cook). We love it so much we could eat it year-round but since it’s getting cold outside… it’s definitely time for warm meals! We hope you enjoy this!

Ingredients:

  • Meat & Vegetable mixture
    • 2lbs of ground meat, turkey or beef
    • 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
    • 3 Tbsp. Flour (also additional corn starch)
    • ½ Large onion (Chopped)
    • 1 ½ Tbsp. minced garlic
    • 2 Tbsp. Butter
    • 1 Tbsp. BBQ sauce (optional)
    • One bag – mixed vegetables of peas, carrots, corn (we like Trader Joe’s Vegetable Melange)
    • Salt and pepper
  • Mashed Potatoes
    • 4 to 5 Large russet potatoes (peeled, chopped, and boiled)
    • 1 stick of butter (room temperature-ish)
    • 1/3 cup of milk (depends on your preferred thickness of mashed potatoes)
    • 8 ounces of Sour Cream (Optional)
    • Heaping spoon of Minced Garlic or 1 Tbsp. powdered garlic – your choice
    • Salt and pepper

Items needed:

  • Large Skillet (Meat & Veggies Mixture)
  • Medium to Large Cook Pot (Mashed Potatoes)
  • Potato Masher
  • Spatula
  • Measuring Cups/Measuring Spoons
  • 9” x 13” Baking Pan
  • Oven preheated to 400 degrees (if cooking immediately after combining)

Directions:

Mashed Potatoes

  • Peel and cut potatoes into chunks (chunks let them cook more quickly, smaller chucks goes faster)
  • Place them in a large pot of boiling water (optional* if you want to use minced garlic, let the minced garlic boil with the potatoes)
  • Boil until a fork can pass through the potatoes easily. (Approx. 15 to 25 minutes)

Meat and Vegetable mixture

  • In a large skillet, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter on medium-high with 1 ½ Tbsp. of minced garlic, let flavors blend.
  • Add Chopped Onion and let cook ¾ of the way
  • Add 2 lbs. of ground meat and brown on medium-high, add salt and pepper for flavor
  • Add 3 Tbsp. of Worcestershire sauce, (optional add 1 Tbsp. of BBQ sauce as well)
  • Add 3 Tbsp. of flour to thicken (if you prefer thicker add additional corn starch)
  • Add your preferred Vegetable Medley, cook all together until hot

Mashed Potatoes

  • Once potatoes are tender, turn off burner and drain as much water as possible
  • Give all the potatoes an initial mashing
  • Add 1 stick of butter (room temperature-ish)
  • Add 1/3 cup milk (start with, add more if it is too thick)
  • (optional) add ¼ or ⅓ cup sour cream
  • Mash up again
  • Add salt, pepper and garlic powder (or additional minced garlic)
  • Mash up thoroughly and taste, add additional salt, pepper, garlic or butter if needed.

Combining Mixture and Potatoes

  • In a 9” x 13” baking pan spread flat the meat and vegetable mixture in the bottom of the pan
  • Then spread evenly the mashed potatoes over the top of the meat and vegetable mixture
  • If you are saving for later, cover and place in the fridge.
  • If you want to eat now, place in an oven preheated to 400 degrees.
    • Bake until the potatoes are a light golden brown or the mixture is bubbling.
    • This could take between 15 to 30 minutes depending on your oven or if you refrigerated and waited for later.
  • Enjoy!

Kendall’s Chicken Enchilada Pie Casserole Recipe

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Kendall’s Chicken Enchilada Pie Casserole Recipe

Okay, so this isn’t actually my recipe! This gem belongs to my father, Gary. Growing up, Gary didn’t cook a whole lot. He had a few go-to favorites that my sister and I tired of quickly and easily. For example, I am fine NEVER eating hamburger pie again. With that said, my dad makes a mean clam chowder, egg drop soup, and, well, enchilada pie casserole.

This is a wonderful recipe to feed a crowd of people or make and have as leftovers throughout the week. You can totally modify anything below… for example, we grilled the chicken breasts instead of baked them. You can season with different spices you like or use flour tortillas instead of corn! This is super easy and sure to please your friends and fam!

What you need:
4 or 5 boneless chicken breasts
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Chili Powder
Chili Quick (can be hard to find so chili powder is just fine)
1 regular size yellow onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom
2.5 cups of water
1 package of corn tortillas
Shredded cheese (amount is up to you and your preference on cheese)

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 350F
Season your chicken breasts with salt, pepper, paprika and salt
Place in a regular casserole pan, cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour
** For the last ten minutes, remove the foil
Cut chicken breasts into cube size pieces and set aside
Dice up onion
In one large pot, add can of cream of chicken soup and can of cream of mushroom soup and reuse those cans by filling them each up with water and adding that water to the pot. 
Heat up and add chicken and diced onions
Add your chili powder or chili quick and add to taste
Let everything heat together in pot for about 4-5 minutes on medium heat
** If the mixture seems too thick, add a little more water as needed and stir
Cut up your package of corn tortillas into fourths (you can use the whole package or less- this is really up to you- I like a whole package for substance)
Layer your casserole dish with the corn tortilla fourths, and then cover with chicken mixture and a handful (or more) of cheddar cheese, repeat this about 3 times
** If you have room for a fourth layer, do it! 
Cover with foil and place back into oven to cook at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes
** For the last ten minutes, remove the foil

Please note, this is not the healthiest of recipes but it’s great for feeding a crowd or enjoying some comfort food. Eat hearty!