{Super Bowl Series} Greek Dip

My mother-in-law is 100% Italian, so naturally anything she makes is not only tasty but beautiful as well. I don't know how she does it. :) She introduced me to this pampered chef recipe and wow, I am hooked. This fresh dip isn't kidding around- it honestly changes my world every time I eat it!

GET ME TO THE GREEK DIP:

1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
1 Tbls lemon juice
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup hummus
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped & pitted olives (any kind you like best)
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/3 cup sliced green onion

1.) In medium mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, lemon juice, italian seasoning and garlic until smooth and well-combined.

2) Spread cream cheese mixture into a deep 9-inch pie plate or oval platter. Spread hummus on top of cream cheese layer. Sprinkle on cucumber, then tomato, olives, feta and onions.

3) Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. Serve with any kind of chips, crackers, or veggies you love!

This delicious recipe won't disappoint!

Have fun!

Love-
Bethany

{Super Bowl Series} Bacon Wrapped Lit'l Smokies

Bacon Wrapped Lit’l Smokies are the easiest Super Bowl app out there.  While the bacon and smokies are a little more taxing on your pocket book it is a splurge you and your guests/hosts are sure to love.  Not to mention, this recipe is mad easy.  I got the recipe from an old roommate and if he can succeed at making them at 12 AM on a Friday, you can pull it off at 12 PM on a Sunday. So grab those wieners and let’s get cooking!

Bacon Wrapped Lit'l Smokies

1 lb sliced bacon

1 14oz package of cocktail wieners/ lit’l smokies

¾ cup brown sugar

Aluminum foil

Toothpicks or skewers

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Slice bacon strips into thirds. Wrap individual wieners in bacon. Secure with a single toothpick or several smokies on a skewer.  Put brown sugar and wrapped wieners in a large airtight plastic bag or container.  Shake for 30 seconds or until all the wieners are coated in sugar.  Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil (make sure to cover it well because caked on sugar is tough to scrape off). Arrange sugared smokies on the baking sheet and bake in oven for 40 minutes or until the sugar is bubbly. Remove and either serve immediately or keep warm in a slow cooker on a low setting.

I like these lit’l smokies just the way they are but you can try barbeque sauce, spicy mustard, or honey mustard for dipping. You will be sure to “score” big with your friends and family with this savory/sweet treat! 

Love for all-

Whit

{Super Bowl Series} Feeling Fruity?

This is the EASIEST dip on the planet. I'm not even kidding. Easy and very addicting, that's why I didn't make very much for this post because honestly I would eat all of it...aaand it's not very healthy. BUT if you are going to a Super Bowl party this is sure to be an instant hit. You can make a lot, it's very cheap, and it's quick to whip up!

Fantastic Fruit Dip

8 oz of cream cheese
7 oz of marshmallow fluff
One drop of red food coloring

First, warm the cream cheese until its softened (20 seconds in microwave), add the marshmallow fluff, and stir until smooth. Mix in food coloring and you're done! This dip is best with apples, strawberries, grapes and pretty much anything else you can think of! Have fun and dip on!

Mmmmm mmmmmmm
-Bethany!

{Super Bowl Series} Jacked-Up Bloody Mary

Welcome to the Twenty-Something's Table Super Bowl Series! We hope the recipes to follow in the coming week help you become the hit of your party on Sunday.

{Confession:  We aren't huge football fans but we support any excuse to get together with friends, drink beer, cheer obscenely, and eat delicious food.}

There is no better way to "kick-off" Super Bowl Sunday than with a Bloody Mary... and bacon. That's right, BACON. If you are hosting or cooking Sunday morning you are going to need one of these bad boys/girls. Bethany and I got our cooking extravaganza off to a delicious start with a couple of these Jacked-Up Bloody Marys (really they are just a little more fancy but Jacked-Up sounds so much more football). By using what we had in our refrigerators, left over bacon from a Super Bowl recipe, and marinating our own vodka we saved some money making this savory drink. Cheers!

Beth & Whit's Jacked-Up Bloody Mary

Bloody Mary mix or tomato juice
1 liter Vodka
2 jalapeños
3 cloves of garlic
Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco sauce

1/2 Tbls celery salt

1/2 Tbls lemon pepper

1 Lime
Black pepper
Pickles
Green olives
Pickled anything
Bacon

Marinate your vodka the day before using whatever ingredients you like best; peppers and garlic add the most flavor and basil can add a zesty flare when it is in season. Place vodka and flavorings in an airtight container for up to three days.   After desired taste is acquired separate the vodka from the seasonings with a strainer, label and store.

Fry a strip of bacon for each Bloody Mary in a pan over medium heat; let bacon cool and dry on paper towel.

Combine celery salt and lemon pepper in a bowl, spread evenly in a circular pattern on a plate.  Using whatever size glass you deem appropriate, rim it with lime juice by running a fresh cut slice around the top edge. Press the rim into the seasonings and cover evenly. Fill glass with ice.

I'm going to assume this isn't your first rodeo and you know how to make yourself a drink, after all you are a twenty-something.  Combine desired ratio of tomato juice/mix and flavored vodka in a shaker.  Add a few dashes Worcestershire and tabasco, a squeeze of lime, and sprinkle of black pepper (I also like to add a splash of olive and pickle juice, seems gross but I guarantee it is subtly delicious).  Shake well.  Poor into your fancy salt-rimmed glass. Toothpick desired toppings and add to drink.  We used (homemade) pickled asparagus, lime, olives, and pickles because that is what we found in the fridge.  Pepper jack cheese, beef sticks, shrimp, and the classic celery can be wonderful additions as well.

Give the drink a final stir with your strip of bacon and enjoy!

Here's to a great excuse to make a Bloody Mary!
Cheers and much football love-

Whitney

Milk & Cookies

I have a sweet tooth, it's true. I cant help it! I just love baking! The other night, after Ryan and I had dinner (homemade meatballs), we were craving something sweet.  I thought, "What do I have in the kitchen that I could make cookies with... NUTELLA!!" So I looked up a recipe using peanut butter and Nutella. (Sounds amazing right?) Well, I started mixing all the ingredients and after I was done I read that I made them wrong... oops. I wasn't suppose to mix the Nutella in until later. SO I put them in the oven anyway... and you know what? The results were great! They definitely tasted more like peanut butter than chocolate, but I loved them anyway.  As twenty-somethings we may not always get things right, especially in the kitchen, but if we give it our best shot and follow through the results can be delicious.


PEANUT BUTTER NUTELLA COOKIES:

1 cup butter (2 sticks) room temperature
2/3 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy – I like crunchy)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 2/3 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

heaping 1/3 cup Nutella

Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla together until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda and salt and add to butter mixture. Add Nutella in dollops over the top of the dough.  Use a butter knife to swirl the Nutella through the dough.  Do not over mix.  Chill the dough in fridge for 15 minutes before spooning onto cookie sheet to firm the nutella.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Bake until slightly brown at edges.  Let cool a few minutes on cookie sheet before transferring.

I got the recipe from this blog. HERE

Also, I am in love with milk. SO tasty!

Love-
Bethany

Leftover Bonus: Homemade Fried Rice

When I told my dad, the head chef of our family, that I had started a blog with Bethany about cooking he laughed, "What do you know about cooking? You're still wet behind the ears."  Well, that's the whole point, Dad.  We are learning as we go, just like you had to.

I could share many stories about burned pot pies that rattled like tambourines or the garlic bread French toast my father once fed my sister and I for breakfast, but that isn't what drives me into the kitchen every night.  Even though those stories would get me my own Comedy Central show, I would rather spend my energy sharing the good stories about my father's recipes.

Besides making killer Swedish pancakes, homemade french fries, and teriyaki steak, my dad has always been an ace at making rice dishes. One of my favorite recipes is his homemade fried rice and I think I've added some twenty-something touches he would approve of. I hope you saved some of the rice from yesterday's rice and bean dish because you will never look at leftovers the same way.  This is a budget recipe compared to what you would spend at a restaurant or on the frozen, pre-made version.  So put away that take-out menu because you're looking at about 85 cents per serving for this delicious homemade side. 

Dale's Homemade Fried Rice

2 cups, cooked, day-old white rice (freshly cooked rice will turn out gummy)

3/4 cup frozen pea/carrot mix, thawed and drained

2 eggs

2 Tbls soy sauce

3 Tbls vegetable oil

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a wok or frying pan on medium-high heat.  Add eggs and scramble immediately and continue to stir.  Once the eggs are half cooked (1 minute) add rice, vegetables, remaining oil, and soy sauce.  Continually stir for 3-4 minutes until heated through.  Season with additional soy sauce if preferred and serve immediately.  

This recipe is for all the fifty-something parents and cooking mentors who have taught us the tricks of the trade and have spared our egos when we haven't gotten it right.  We offer up our insanely easy recipes and cheap beer in thanks to you! Cheers!

As always, love for all-

Whitney

Rice and Beans

CHEAP, the one word that twenty-something's secretly love.  If I could find all my jeans on sale, my coffee half-price, and a good tap beer for under $3 I would be a happy woman.  The truth is I can't always find the bargains I want and my student loans don't always allow for indulgences.  This is why I make rice and beans at least once every two weeks.

Rice and beans is a classic and healthy dish that doesn't require a lot of labor or cash.  You can play around with the type of vegetables and beans you like the best but my roommate and I have become addicted to black beans and peppers.  The following recipe makes enough for 4 large servings and costs around $1.75 per serving.

  Rice and Beans

2 cups white or brown rice
2 Tbls butter
3 bell peppers (I like to use 2 green, 1 red or yellow)
1 yellow onion
2 cans of black beans (I use 1 plain can and 1 flavored, cumin is my favorite)
1 Tbls olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Heat rice and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat, coat rice with melted butter.  Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce to low heat.  Simmer and keep covered for 18-25 minutes for white rice or 30-40 minutes for brown rice.  Remove lid and fluff with a fork, let steam for 5-10 minutes.

While rice is cooking chop onion and pepper, add to a large frying pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions soften and turn translucent.

Drain and rinse the unflavored can of black beans in a colander.  Then add flavored black beans to the the colander, drain but do not rinse as you want to maintain the flavor.  Add black beans to the onion and pepper mix, lightly stir until beans are warmed through, 1-2 minutes.

Top a bowl of rice with your beans and enjoy!

Add hot sauce, sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, tomato, and/or avocado to add more flavor and variety.

Love from a frugal twenty-something,

Whitney

Grilled Cheese: The Adult Version

Confession, I am a recovering grilled cheese addict...just kidding. But maybe after you try this good, or should I say "Gouda", recipe you just might become dependent as well, or at least I hope so muah haha.

Gilled Cheese is hands down the easiest sandwich to make, anyone can do this. It is cheap, quick, and you can make variations of it for you, your friends, and family. Grilled cheese isn't just for kids and college students anymore. I have added the inexpensive and healthy ingredient of spinach to add flare to my adult version of the classic.

GRILLED CHEESE

This is what you'll need:

2 cups of spinach
Sliced pepper jack cheese (or cheese of your choice)
Butter
Bread (any kind)

Boil the spinach in water, drain and then pat/squeeze dry. Cut the cheese, set aside. Spread  a layer of butter over both slices of bread, on both sides. Place bread onto a pan over medium heat.  Add cheese and spinach to one slice of bread, cover with the other slice, and flip until golden brown.

The cool thing about grilled cheese is the recipes are endless! Try lots of different types of cheese, bread, and fillings and let us know your favorites!

Love-
Bethany

Hot Potato

Make twice-baked potatoes as a side for your next meal and you will instantly appear to be an expert in the kitchen.  Due to the assumed cooking experience it takes to make this hot and steamy potato recipe your friends and family will see you in a whole new light.  Little do they know, twice-baked potatoes are easy to prepare and fairly inexpensive.  Any twenty-something can make a regular baked potato, but only the awesome ones know to make twice-baked.

I like to make the potatoes ahead of time, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until it's time to throw them in the oven.  This saves me time in the kitchen when hosting friends and family.

This recipe was taken from my trusty Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. 

Twice-Baked Potatoes

4 medium russet potatoes 

1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

Milk (optional)

3/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

1 Tbls snipped fresh chives (optional) 

4 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

Scrub and rinse potatoes, pat dry. Poke with a fork. Bake potatoes at 425 degrees F for 40 to 60 minutes depending on the size.  Let potatoes stand for 10 minutes.  Cut a lengthwise slice off the top of each baked potato; discard skin from slice and place pulp in a bowl.  Scoop pulp out of potatoes and place in bowl, leaving skins intact in a boat shape. 

Mash the potato with a potato masher or an electric mixer on low speed.  Add sour cream, garlic salt, and pepper; beat until smooth.  If necessary, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to reach desired consistency.  Season to taste with garlic salt and pepper. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese, chives, and bacon.  Divide the mashed potato mixture evenly among the potato shells. Place in a 2 quart baking dish.  

Either cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for up to 24 hours or bake immediately.  

Bake, uncovered at 425 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 2 to 3 more minutes or until cheese melts.  

Bon Appetit! 

Much love-

Whitney 

Get at Me with that Guacamole

If you don't LOVE guacamole you either have never been to Chipotle, you are making it wrong, or you don't have a pulse.  Throw out your seasoning packets and misconceptions about guacamole because this recipe is all you need to achieve avocado perfection.

I have been blessed enough to be friends and roommates with a true guacamole master, Laura Virgen. Laura and I met two years ago through good friends and I can't help but love the recipes she brings to our table from her Mexican heritage.  Her guacamole has become a staple in our apartment and we hope that it becomes a regular in your home as well.

Guacamole is like wine: perfect for any occasion.  This recipe will win you popularity at your next office event, family occasion, football party, book club, or roomie dinner.

I have learned to make the guacamole by taste and memory, which is the beauty of this recipe. For the start of this endeavor, I have provided an outline to follow in hopes to guide you through the first couple of batches.

This recipe is for 3 avocados, 4 people, and costs around $8 for the ingredients.  Add an extra dollar and avocado for every person up to 8.

Guacamole

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp finely chopped jalapeño
1 lime, juiced
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic (optional)
1/4 cup chopped red onion
3 avocados
2 plum tomatoes, cut and seeded
Salt to taste

Chop cilantro, jalapeño, and garlic in a food processor with the juice of 1/2 a lime.  Scoop mixture into a bowl.  Add chopped red onion.  Cut in half, remove pit, and scoop the fruit from the avocados into the cilantro mixture with a spoon.  Add chopped plum tomatoes.  Mash avocado and ingredients with a large spoon or the bottom of a glass until desired consistency (chunky, smooth, etc.).  Season with lime juice and salt to taste.

Tips of the Trade:

If you do not have a food processor the best way to chop herbs, such as cilantro, is to remove excess stems, grip leaves tightly in a bundle, and chop finely.

When cutting onions peel the onion down, cut off one end, score in a grid pattern, and slice length wise to create a uniform dice without mess or fuss.

The most common type of avocado is Hass.  See this link for advice in selecting perfectly ripe avocados. http://www.avocadocentral.com/how-to/how-to-pick-how-to-buy-avocados

Storing guacamole can be tricky because of the oxidation or browning of the avocados (this is natural but unappetizing to look at).  To keep quac looking fresh spoon into an airtight Tupperware, squeeze lime juice over leftovers, cover directly with plastic wrap, cover with Tupperware top, and refrigerate.

Enjoy this with tacos, burritos, on a panini, flautas, or just plain ol' chips.

Love All-

Whitney

A special thanks to fellow Twenty-Something, Laura

Spaghetti Love

My Grandma has been making this spaghetti sauce for ages, and it is the BOMB! I grew up eating it and I can say that I will be making this for my kids and grandkids. This is embarrassing  to mention, because I just built it up so, but I haven't actually made this before. Yikes. How could I have lived on my own for five years and not made this? Well, the answer is I was too lazy.  I was "too busy" to put in the effort. My mom invited Ryan (my hubby) and I over for dinner and when she mentioned spaghetti I thought, "YES! I can finally learn how to make this the right way from a pro."

I was so surprised at how easy the recipe really was. That got me thinking, maybe cooking is a lot less complicated than it seems. I think we as twenty-somethings are so prone to grab what's the fastest. We are hungry and we want to eat right away, so we just get fast food or grab a frozen pizza. Well I don't know about you, but I am really sick of frozen pizza. (Not to mention we're not 18 years-old anymore, our bodies can't handle frozen pizza and mac and cheese every other night. We need all the nutrients we can get. Besides, who doesn't want to save some of those tasteless calories for a good, cold beer after work?)

GOWER FAMILY SPAGHETTI SAUCE:

4 Tbls olive oil 
1 small onion chopped
1 small clove garlic chopped
2 Tbls chopped parsley
1/2 lb ground beef
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 
1 can tomato juice (2 1/2 cups)
1 can tomato paste (2/3 cups)

Saute onion, garlic and parsley in olive oil until soft. Add meat and seasonings and cook until lightly browned. Blend in remaining ingredients and simmer for one hour, stir occasionally. 
Note: When the sauce is simmering it will make a mess, it will continue to splat all over your stove and floor. Partially cover it, but you don't want it to burn so be careful. 

WINE

Spaghetti is always best with some red wine. I don't know if you know this little secret, but Trader Joe's  has $3 bottles of wine! Woot, woot! It's actually really tasty wine too! Most liquor stores have bargain bins where you can find discounted wine as well, so grab a bottle. If you're feeling good (and rich), maybe go for the $10-15 wine! I usually go for a Merlot or a Cabernet but I urge you to try several different varieties until you find your favorite. 

Here it is. YUM, YUM, YUM. Get in my belly. You know when you taste something that you haven't had in so long and it just takes you back to a different time? Whenever I eat this I feel right, like all my twenty-something troubles have floated far, far away and I am so content.

Please try this recipe! Make a big batch to freeze or have friends over.

Love-
Bethany

BURRR

STAY WARM OUT THERE


Whitney and I live in the very cold state of Minnesota, when temps reach well below zero we have to stay warm. Some of my best memories are from when I was a kid and I would play all day in the snow and my mom would make me the best cup of hot chocolate when I was ready to come in. Bundled up with a blanket and snuggled in for the night with hot cocoa is where I wanted to be.

This little quick and yummy recipe is sure to keep you warm!

PEPPERMINT HOT COCOA:

2-4 Cups of Milk (depending on how many people)

Hot Cocoa mix (were on a budget here, use a cheap mix)

1/8 teaspoon of peppermint extract 

I add a candy cane for fun and of course marshmallows or whipped cream! 

If you are going to a party or just staying in on a friday night, a good way to spice things up is adding peppermint schnapps instead of peppermint extract. That will keep you warm all night!

Have fun!

-Bethany

B.A.N.A.N.A.S

This sh*t is bananas, B.A.N.A.N.A.S.  Seriously, even Gwen Stefani would approve of this delicious banana bread.  For our non-twenty-something readers and/or any reader who did not get the above reference to a major pop song please use the search engine of your choice to look up "Hollaback Girl".  We won't always make song pairings to go with our recipes but in this case we are.  So crank it up, shake your booty, and let's get baking!

Easy, Easy, Easy Banana Bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1/2 Cup Shorting or Butter (I always use butter because in five years my physique will not allow such luxuries) 

1 Cup of Sugar

2 Eggs

3/4 Cup Mashed Bananas (the blacker, the better- this will make your bread dark in color and rich in flavor)

1 1/4 Cup of Flour

3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Cream sugar and butter with a mixer. Add eggs one at a time until smooth. Stir in banana. In a separate bowl combine all of your dry ingredients and then slowly add dry ingredients into banana mixture. Grease a loaf/bread pan and poor in mixture, spread evenly.  Bake for 30-35 minutes. Then eat, eat, eat! (Well, wait until it cools a little otherwise you will get some serious burns.)

Banana bread may seem like something your grandmother or mother would make for quilting circle but it is about to cross generations. Banana bread is easy, cheap, and uses up food that would usually go bad.  It is a simple and delicious addition to coffee with friends, a homemade and heartfelt gift to bring your host or hostess, or a complete indulgence for you, your roomies, and/or significant other. 

Love from your baking besties-

Bethany and Whitney