Pepperoni Pizza Sliders

Superbowl weekend is coming up.  Frankly, it wasn't even on my radar until I heard people talking about how this crazy polar vortex that we're going through may result in the game being played on a Saturday...or even a Friday...due to the extreme cold weather.

For those still looking for something quick and easy to put on their Superbowl spread, this ought to do the trick.  Same goes for the uber delicious Hawaian roll ham and cheese sliders.  There's something about mini sammies, melted cheese, and butter that makes for happy people.  Since both can be assembled in advance, you could have them in the fridge ready to bake for whenever that game ends up being.  It's sure to be a hit with your guests!

More Superbowl food ideas:

• Football Snackadium
• Taco Dip
• Mini Corn Dog Muffins
• Blooming Onion with Dipping Sauce

And umm...go...well...yeah.  I don't even know who's playing this year so guess I'm not rooting for anybody in particular!

Pepperoni Pizza Sliders

Ingredients

For the sandwiches

• 3/4 cup pizza sauce 
• 12 Hawaiian rolls 
• 48 slices large deli pepperoni (or 1 lb pepperoni slices) 
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 
• Sliced onions, green peppers, olives (optional)

For the topping

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 
• 1/2 tablespoons onion powder 
• 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder 
• 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• A few dashes Worcestershire sauce  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Spread pizza sauce onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place 2 large slices (or a few small slices) of pepperoni and a some shredded cheese inside of each roll. If you want, dress them up with your desired veggies.  Close rolls and put into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet so that the sandwiches are touching each other. 
3. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the topping ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches, just enough to cover the tops; let sandwiches sit for at least 10 minutes to absorb the butter and seasonings. If desired, sandwiches can be assembled and buttered a day ahead, covered and kept in the fridge until ready to bake. 
4. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes or until tops are slightly brown and crispy. Serve warm. 

Source: Barely Modified from What's Cookin' Chicago

Baked Honey Sriracha Chicken Tenders

Hi everybody.  I'm sorry I've been absent lately.  Alex has been going through a 5 WEEK "Wonder Week" and it's been challenging to say the least.  Add to that the fact that I think he's sensitive to dairy and now we have food challenges that make menu planning even harder.  No more milk, cream, yogurt, ice cream, froyo, or my beloved cheeses :(.  The things we do for our babies.  Am I right?

This is a recipe that's a total keeper AND Alex-friendly!  Who knew that something so simple could taste so good?  It's spicy and sweet with a wonderful crunch.  And get this.  ZERO oil!  The secret to achieving this is by using light, airy panko bread crumbs and baking on a wire rack so that both sides get nice and crisp.

We made them last night and I literally had to make a quick blog post to share with you all.  That's how much we loved this meal!  I apologize for the horrible lighting in the photo but that's what happens when you eat in the dark.  Boo Winter!

Baked Honey Sriracha Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup Sriracha hot chili sauce
• 14 oz uncooked chicken tenders without breading (or use boneless skinless chicken breast and slice into tender-sized pieces)
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Place a wire baking rack on a large cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl or large ziplock bag, mix together honey and Sriracha sauce.  Add chicken tenders and toss or squish to coat.
3. Add bread crumbs in a separate large ziplock bag.  Transfer chicken tenders into bag.  Seal and shake to coat.  Place chicken on wire rack.
4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink in center and bread crumbs are golden brown.  If desired, serve with additional honey Sriracha sauce for dipping.

Source: Barely modified from Betty Crocker

Copycat McDonald's Sausage Egg McMuffins

Is anyone else a fan of breakfast?  How about Sausage Egg McMuffins from McDonald's?  I hardly ever eat at McDonald's but I LOVE their Sausage Egg McMuffins.  If I'm feeling really good, I'll even splurge on some hashbrowns.

When it came time to round-out my freezer stash with some breakfasts, I knew I wanted to try to make my own version at home.  What is about to follow is a copycat recipe but honestly, it's such an easy thing to make that I use the term "recipe" loosely.  If you want, you could also leave out the sausage or substitute Canadian bacon or regular bacon.

The hardest part was figuring out how to make a round egg "patty" like they do...because I'm anal and like everything to be round and match.  For that, I used what I had on hand and that was canning bands.  They were slightly smaller than the English muffins but close enough.  I experimented a bit on whether it was better to put them with the thread-side up or down.  In the end, threads up seemed to work better in terms of getting a better spray and containing the eggs (the picture below is from one of my earlier runs but I got better at avoiding spillage over time!).  If you greased your rings well, the eggs should fall out pretty easily but some of them required a little more oomph.  I just separated the crusty parts that stuck to the rings then pushed them out gently with my fingers.

These are totally yummy and I am so grateful to have about 2 1/2 dozen of them stashed away in the freezer. Having a good (and fast, one-handed) breakfast is the key to starting your day off right!

One Years Ago: BLT Corn Salad Wrap
Two Years Ago: Jerk Chicken with Mango Cilantro Relish

Copycat McDonald's Sausage Egg McMuffins

Ingredients

• 12 English muffins
• 12 slices American cheese
• 12 fully cooked frozen sausage patties
• 12 large eggs
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Place canning bands with thread side up into a skillet over medium-high heat (or if you have them or want to buy something fancy you can use something like these egg ring rounds).  Spray pan and inside of bands generously with cooking spray.
   
   
   
2. Crack an egg into each band and sprinkle each with salt and pepper.  Use a knife to gently break each yolk so that it spreads out.  Don't worry if the egg spills out of the rings, if you're a perfectionist, you can peel or cut them off later.  Cover and cook through.  When eggs are done, remove the egg-filled ring using tongs and gently push the eggs out of the rings.  Set aside for assembly.
   
   
3. Meanwhile, split your English muffin and place a slice of cheese on the top of each muffin half.  If desired, fold over each cheese corner so that it is the same size as the muffin.  Place a frozen sausage patty on the bottom of each muffin then top with a cooked egg round.  Put the two halves together to form the sandwich.
4. Wrap each sandwich in square of deli paper wrap (or just use parchment paper).  
5. To enjoy now: Microwave sandwich until sausage patty is cooked through, about 45 seconds to a minute.  To enjoy later: Place wrapped sandwiches into gallon sized freezer bags, squeezing out as much air as possible.  When ready to eat, microwave from frozen until heated through, about one minute to 90 seconds.  Flip the sandwich halfway through cooking for more even heating.

Source: Christine's Kitchen Chronicles as inspired by McDonald's

Caprese Burgers with Pesto Mayonnaise

It's Summertime and you know what that means...grilling!  And farm fresh veggies!  Hooray!

With the first red tomatoes of the season rolling in from my CSA farm share I decided to make a very simple burger that would highlight the super fresh flavors.  And when I say "I" made this meal I really mean that I sent my husband outside in the heat to go grill up these burgers :D.  Yet another reason grilling makes the menu...it's group participation from the hubby!

The original recipe called for sliders but we had a pack of leftover pre-made patties so ours were regular sized burgers.  Personally I think it works out better because the size of the tomato and mozzarella is a better match, anyway.  This was a great quick meal that will have you spending virtually no time to make and you can use any extra topper ingredients to make a fast Caprese Salad on the side.  For the salad, just layer the mozzarella, tomatoes, basil then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vineagar.  Season with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt and you're good to go!

Caprese Burgers with Pesto Mayonnaise

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh mozzarella, sliced
• 1 tomato, sliced
• Fresh basil leaves
• Burger buns
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (As usual I used Fat Free Greek Yogurt instead)
• 1/4 cup pesto

Directions

1. Mix salt and pepper into beef (or if using pre-formed patties, season each side of the patty).  Place on a hot grill and cook through, flipping once.  Near the end of the grilling time, add cheese.  Cover grill and cook for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the mayonnaise and pesto in a small bowl.  Set aside.
3. Place burger onto bottom half of bun.  Top with tomato and basil.  Spread pesto mayonnaise on top half of bun.  Serve.

Source: I was Born to Cook 

Cherry Cheesecake Bites

Today I wanted to share a simple treat that you can make for your 4th of July celebration.  It literally took me minutes to put together and is a super cute way to celebrate America's birthday.

I've had these Cherry Cheesecake Bites bookmarked for quite some time but to add to the red, white, and blue festivity, I decided to try to dye my graham cracker crumbs blue.  Not wanting them to get too wet I ended up using gel food coloring.  If you attempt it with regular food coloring please let me know how it turns out!  And of course you could make them with naturally colored graham cracker crumbs, too.

I feel like most Fourth of July desserts feature strawberries and while that would be great as well, I went with cherries.  Because is there anything more American than Cherry Pie?

Looking for more ideas Summer recipe ideas for your Independence Day Celebration?

• Summer Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette (Panera copycat)
• Firecracker Shrimp
• Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro-Jalapeno Slaw
• Loaded Baked Potato Salad
• Herbed Potato Salad
• BLT Corn Salad Wrap
• My Mother-in-law's Broccoli Salad
• My Mother-in-law's Pasta Salad
• Sweet Beginnings Summer Pasta Salad
• Tomato Basil Orzo Salad
• Red, White, and Blue Cupcakes
• Watermelon Slush

Cherry Cheesecake Bites

Ingredients

• Fresh cherries (or strawberries, raspberries, etc.), washed and dried
• 1/2 block (4 oz) low-fat cream cheese
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Graham cracker crumbs
• Blue gel food coloring (optional)

Directions

1. In a small food processor (love my Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender for this!) or bowl with electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and salt.  Transfer sweetened cream cheese mixture to a small bowl.
2. In a small ziplock bag, add some graham cracker crumbs.  If desired, add a few drops of food coloring then seal bag and mix to combine.  Repeat until desired shade of color is created.  Pour prepared graham cracker crumbs into a bowl.
3. Make sure cherries are dry then dip into the cream cheese then graham crackers.  Repeat until you've dipped them all.
4. Eat and enjoy, taking care not to swallow the cherry pit!

Source: Barely modified from Oh, Bite It!

Chicken Parmesan Pasta

By request of Facebook fans Danielle and Ava, here's a fast and easy chicken recipe for you on this lovely Friday.

It's a meal that  your whole family will enjoy and comes together in a pinch.  To make it even easier, I used popcorn chicken rather than slicing chicken tenders.  How's that for lazy?

Coming up next week: something for 4th of July!  Some other festive recipes from years past are already listed below, too.

One Year Ago: Chorizo and Sweet Potato Lettuce Wraps, Panera Mac and Cheese, Summer Corn Fettuccine, and Pulled Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches
Two Years Ago: Summer Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette and Herbed Potato Salad
Three Years Ago: Orange Berry Muffins and Firecracker Shrimp
Four Years Ago: Pasta Salad

Chicken Parmesan Pasta

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound breaded popcorn chicken, heated 
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil 
• 1/2 medium onion, diced 
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/2 jar of your favorite sauce, or equivalent of homemade 
• Italian seasoning to taste 
• Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded 
• 1/2 pound penne or other short pasta

Directions

1. Cook pasta to al dente according to packaging directions and then set aside. 
2. Meanwhile in a large covered skillet, heat oil. Add onion and season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion is translucent and tender. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds, then stir in the spaghetti sauce. Add Italian seasoning and additional salt and pepper to taste.
3. Combine pasta, chicken pieces, sauce, and stir until everything is evenly heated. Top with mozzarella cheese, cover, and let sit over a low flame until it melts. Serve hot. 

Source: Barely Adapted from Stephanie Cooks

SRC: Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

This month's Secret Recipe Club assignment comes from one of my favorite bloggers, Jennifer at Mother Thyme.  Jennifer had guest posted for me last year with her very popular Cream Cheese Coffee Cake.  It's always fun to get to know a new blog through SRC but sometimes, it's also good to get one you know and follow already because you just know it will be filled with great recipes!   I had already bookmarked her Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothies and so it seemed it was destiny that made her my assignment for the month.

What I loved about this recipe was how it tasted just like strawberry cheesecake filling.  With strawberries in season and having bought FOUR POUNDS from Costco, I added twice as much in my smoothies for extra strawberry oomph.  This made mine a bit thick so I had to add a splash of vanilla almond milk to thin it out.  It was awesome and so simple!

Jennifer topped hers with whipped cream and some graham cracker crumbs for the full cheesecake flavor experience.  Looks pretty, too!

Do you have any favorite strawberry recipes?

One Year Ago: Creamed Chard and Spring Onion Pasta and Fresh Strawberry Pie
Two Years Ago: Lemon-Rosemary Turkey Meatballs

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt (I used 0% Fage Greek Yogurt and added about 1/2 tsp vanilla)
• 3 ounces light or fat free cream cheese
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1-2 teaspoons agave nectar (I used about a tablespoon of honey)
• Vanilla almond milk or regular milk (optional)

Directions

1. Add all ingredients except for the milk into a blender.  Process until smooth and creamy.  If needed, add milk of choice to thin the smoothie out to your desired consistency.  Serve immediately.

Source: Modified from Mother Thyme

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Someone please tell me where the time has gone.  Here we are at the end of April, already!  This freaks me out a little bit as I also realized this week, I'll hit the double digits until Baby Boy is estimated to make his entrance.  Whoa!  Good thing we already bought his infant carseat, crib (needs to be built still), and painted his nursery this past weekend.  If he decides to make an early entrance (please don't!!) at least we're somewhat prepared.  Still a million and a half things to do, though.

Anyway, with April being National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month, I wanted to share one more grilled cheese recipe after already having shared my unorthodox Grilled Cheese Donut.

This one is still not traditional but at least all in the savory camp.  If you're a buffalo chicken lover, this recipe is for you.  The sauce is surprisingly sweet and has just enough spice to call it "buffalo".  I had some leftover day old bread from Jimmy John's so my sandwiches were tinyyy and took me longer than I'd like to butter and put the (yummy!) white sauce.  Still, the finger sandwich size made them extra fun to eat and would be good for tiny children hands :).  If you follow the recipe as written, you'll get 2 regular-sized sandwiches.

One Year Ago: Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Three Years Ago: Summer Corn and Vegetable Soup

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients

For the White Sauce

• 2 tablespoons non-fat Greek yogurt
• pinch of sugar
• pinch of garlic powder

For the Buffalo Sauce

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup Frank’s hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

For the Sandwiches

• 3/4 cup cooked and shredded chicken (from about 1 small chicken breast)
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 2 tablespoons minced celery
• 4 1/2-inch thick slices Italian bread
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 slices cheddar cheese

Directions

1. To make the white sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, sugar, garlic powder and a pinch each of salt and pepper.  This can be made ahead if desired and refrigerated.  
2. To make the buffalo sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add the hot sauce, brown sugar and vinegar and stir until combined. Add the shredded chicken, red onion, and celery and toss to coat. If the chicken was cold, keep the pan over low heat and let it warm through a bit.
3. Lightly butter one side of two slices of the bread. Flip the slices over and lay them butter side down on your work surface. Spread half of the white sauce the remaining non-buttered side of the bread. Top each slice with a slice of cheese and half of the chicken mixture and then place the remaining cheese slices over the chicken. Lightly butter one side of the two remaining slices of bread, then flip them over and use the other half of the white sauce to coat the unbuttered side. Top each sandwich with a slice of this bread to finish it (buttered side facing out).
4. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Place the sandwiches butter side down in the pan and cook until the bread is golden brown and toasted. Flip the sandwiches using a spatula and continue to cook on the other side until the bread is golden brown. Use the spatula to compress the sandwich as it cooks on the second side. Remove the sandwiches from the pan and let them rest for a minute or two, then slice in half (if desired) and serve.

Source: Barely modified from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

SRC: Peanut Butter Cup Bars

This month's Secret Recipe Club assignment comes from Mele Cotte which apparently means "Baked Apple" in Italian.  I learned something new!  And I am so extremely glad to have found Christina's blog.  She has the most amazing looking desserts which made it oh-so-hard to pick a recipe this month.

I ended up letting my husband pick the recipe and no surprise that it involved his favorite combination of flavors...peanut butter and chocolate!  What made me happy was the fact that this recipe came together ridiculously quickly and easily.  All it requires is melting the ingredients on the stove top, pouring it into a pan, and allowing it to set in refrigerator.  Perfect for the novice chef or busiest of people looking to impress.

The concept is a peanut butter cup but in bar form.  It delivered!  My husband originally told me to take the pan of treats to work but after one taste, he changed his mind and hoarded them.  My father-in-law said it was the best "fudge" he has ever eaten and happily went for seconds.  What set these apart for me was the slightly crunchy texture that came from the graham crackers.  Who would've known?

Oddly, I don't have an 8x8 pan in my kitchen so used a 9x9.  This works fine but results in a thinner bar and more squares (yah!).  The thinner bar I actually enjoyed because any thicker it would be too rich for me to enjoy.  However, the increased surface area made my chocolate layer suffer slightly.  In the future, I'd increase the amount of chocolate layer and have noted these changes below.  In the spirit of being lazy and not wanting to buy a bag of peanut butter chips just for decorating, I used straight-up peanut butter that was melted slightly in the microwave.  Delicious and pretty, too!

One Year Ago: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed Cinnamon Rolls (my first Secret Recipe Club reveal...wow time flies!)
Two Years Ago: Churro Bites
Four Years Ago: Grandma B's Spaghetti Meatballs

Peanut Butter Cup Bars

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
• 2 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter

Directions

1. Line a 9x9-inch square pan with foil, leaving enough to hang over the sides.  Butter the foil and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the 3/4 cup of butter over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar. Add 1 cup peanut butter and graham cracker crumbs and stir until combined and smooth. Transfer the peanut butter mixture into the prepared pan, even out and smooth the top with a rubber spatula or by tapping it gently on the counter top.
3. In the saucepan, melt the 1/3 cup unsalted butter. Add the chocolate and stir until almost completely melted, remove from heat, and continue stirring until completely smooth. Pour over the peanut butter layer and smooth into an even layer using a rubber spatula.
4. Put the remaining 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter to a zip lock bag.  Microwave for about 30 seconds.  Snip the corner of the bag and drizzle in a decorative pattern on top of the chocolate layer.
5. Refrigerate the Peanut Butter Cup Bars at least 30 minutes to set. Remove from the pan by lifting the foil and place on a cutting board. Cut into 25 bars (5 rows by 5 columns). Store in an airtight container.

Source: Slightly adapted from Mele Cotte

Grilled Cheese Donut

Happy National Grilled Cheese Day!

Today I'm sharing a sight to behold.  It's no ordinary grilled cheese.  It's an entree...no...it's a dessert.  It's a grilled cheese DONUT!

Instead of bread, the cheddar cheese is sandwiched between two Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  It's sweet, it's savory, it's one of the most amazing inventions ever.  I like to use Krispy Kremes because they have the softest and fluffiest melt-in-your-mouth texture but any yeasted glazed doughnut will work.  I'll admit I was pretty grossed out when I realized I was buttering a glazed doughnut but how else are you supposed to get that signature grilled bread texture?

The credit for the concept goes to Tom+Chee, a local Cincinnati joint that specializes in a menu of just grilled cheese and tomato soup!  It's now nationally known after being featured on Man v. Food and Amazing Eats.

What's your favorite grilled cheese?

Also, have you entered my 4th blogiversary giveaway?  4 prizes at stake and the rafflecopter ends soon!

Two Years Ago: Banana Split Cupcakes and Chinese Steamed Fish
Three Years Ago: Blueberry Citrus Cake
Four Years Ago: Crockpot Turkey and Cake Balls (Truffles)

Grilled Cheese Donut

 
Ingredients

• Glazed doughnut (I prefer Krispy Kreme brand)
• Unsalted butter
• Sliced sharp cheddar cheese
• Salt

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet or griddle on the stove.
2. Cut doughnut in half and lightly butter each side on the non-glazed surface.  Place one doughnut half butter side down then top with a slice of cheese (on the glazed side) and then sprinkle with a crank of freshly ground sea salt (a small pink of regular salt will also work).  Place the other doughnut half on top.  The buttered sides should both be facing outward.
3. Grill on heated skillet or griddle. Flipping and removing when desired doneness is achieved and cheese is melted.
4. Enjoy hot!

Source: Inspired by Tom + Chee

Asparagus and Ham Stuffed Potatoes

Have you ever cooked a meal using just your microwave?  No, I'm not talking about TV dinners here.  I'm talking about a home-cooked from scratch meal.

Today's recipe was the perfect way to use up my remaining Easter ham meat and it was sooooo easy because it was made (almost) entirely in the microwave.  If you don't have leftover ham, you could easily use lunch meat, ham steak, or buy some of that pre-diced ham.  The whole meal is on the table in about 30 minutes and has a good mix of carbs, veggies, meat, and dairy.  Talk about getting in the entire food pyramid!

Honestly I was surprised by how much I loved these.  Just like these potatoes looked visually bursting at the seams, they were also bursting with powerful flavor bits.  I can only imagine the possibilities of this base recipe with other fillings - cheddar, broccoli and chicken; steak, caramelized onions, and blue cheese?  Oh the possibilities of quick, wholesome meals are endless!

I made a few modifications.  The biggest being substituting Greek yogurt for the sour cream.  The nutritional swap is awesome and your tastebuds won't know the difference.  I added more of it and the cheese because I love a creamy potato. For an extra punch, I added parmesan to the topping.  Divine!

Two Years Ago: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Three Years Ago: It was a breakfast themed dinner club with Country Fried Steak and a Belgian Waffle Bar with Strawberry Topping, Pancake Syrup, and more then rounded out with easy Bacon Egg and Toast Cups.

Asparagus and Ham Stuffed Potatoes

 Ingredients

• 4 medium russet potatoes (about 8 ounces each) 
• 1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed of woody stems and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 
• 1 cup diced ham 
• 3/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese, divided
• 4 Tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives or green onions, divided 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper 

Directions

1. Use a fork to pierce potatoes all over. Microwave on MEDIUM, turning the potatoes once or twice, until soft, about 20 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile,steam asparagus in a steamer basket on the stove until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. 
3. Combine the steamed asparagus with ham, Greek yogurt, 3/4 cup Swiss cheese, 6 tablespoons chives or green onions, salt and pepper in a bowl. 
4. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut off the top third then gently scoop out the flesh, leaving enough to keep the sides intact; Combine with the ham mixture.
5. Place the potato shells in a microwave-safe dish and evenly divide the ham mixture among them. (They will be very well stuffed.) Top each stuffed potato with 1 tablespoon of the remaining Swiss cheese and 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan.
6. Microwave on HIGH until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Garnish with the remaining chives or green onions.  If desired

Source: Modified from Eating Well

Spicy Tofu Hotpot

Winter is a time for steamy soups and one popular Asian version of this is called "hotpot".  It's essentially the equivalent of fondue.  Thin cuts of meat, dumplings, vegetables, and noodles are boiled in a soup that's placed in the center of a special cook-top table or portable propane stove.  Honestly, as much as I enjoy this meal, I'm too lazy to do it myself because it requires a lot of prep and patience.  Generally this is a social affair and so it's a very prolonged meal that can easily last a couple hours.  Plus, if you try to rush things and  put too much food in at once, the soup gets overloaded and it takes even longer to cook!

That's why I was so excited to find this recipe for hotpot.  It's all the hotpot flavor that I love with a more immediate satisfaction.  Sure, you lose the fun and socialization aspect but when there's just the two of us at home, I can deal with that.

The original recipe would have made an excellent Meatless Monday meal but since my husband is a carnivore, I added some shredded chicken and frozen dumplings.  If I had fish, shrimp, or beef balls those would have likely made an appearance, too.  Udon noodles are my favorite soup noodles but honestly, all I had on-hand was linguine so that's what we used this time.  It's such a versatile recipe with a great base to get you started!

One Year Ago: Korean Style Short Ribs (Crockpot)
Three Years Ago: Chicken Palava (African Peanut Stew), Ragu a la Bolognese, and Look Alike Hostess Cupcakes

Spicy Tofu Hotpot

Ingredients

• 14 ounces firm tofu, preferably water-packed 
• 2 teaspoons canola oil 
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 
• 6 cloves garlic, minced 
• 4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced (about 2 cups) (I used regular white mushrooms)
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar 
• 4 cups vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth 
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha sauce, or to taste 
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 cups thinly sliced tender bok choy greens 
• 1 cup shredded chicken
• 12-18 frozen Asian-style dumplings
• 8 ounces fresh cooked noodles such as lo mein, udon, or mei fun (I used linguine)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Drain and rinse tofu; pat dry. Cut the block into 1-inch cubes. 
2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook until slightly soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sugar, broth, water, soy sauce and sriracha sauce; cover and bring to a boil. Add the dumplings and cook for about 3 minutes. Add bok choy, chicken, and tofu, cover and simmer until greens are wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked noodles remove from the heat and stir in cilantro. 

Source: Modified from Eating Well

SRC: Salted Browned Butter Rice Crispy Treats

Sometimes, the best recipes are some of the simplest.  All you need is a few quality ingredients.  And with a little manipulation, you can create magic.  This is the way I chose to go with this month's Secret Recipe Club assignment from Debbi Does Dinner Healthy.  She's the hostess of our group so I was honored to get a chance to dig deep into her blog.

I ended up choosing salted browned butter rice crispy treats.  The key to the flavor wow in what looks like a regular old rice crispy treat is the butter.  Yes, you need to start with real butter.  If you've ever tried to make rice crispies with margarine I bet you ended up with something that was soft if not even a bit stale tasting.  It's because the margarine is made as a blend that includes water.  And water is not friends with the snap, crackle, and pop.  So don't use margarine in your rice crispy treats...for this recipe or otherwise!

When you take butter and then gently heat it, it eventually becomes this beautiful brown color with a subtle nutty smell.  As you can guess, this is browned butter.  And it's a way to make any buttery dish instantly delicious.  Make sure you're using the unsalted kind because it allows you to control the amount of salt in your finished product (different manufacturers have more or less salt in their salted butter).  Unsalted butter is also fresher than its salted counterparts.  Because salt is a natural preservative, it can sit on the shelf longer and still be stable.

The verdict?  Everyone raved about the unique flavor of these rice crispy treats.  They were buttery and slightly nutty while staying true to their roots.  It was a winner!

Other recipes I considered from Debbi's site: 

• Sweet and Tangy Chili (Crockpot) - The use of balsamic vinegar in this chili was intriguing to me and as you know from the recently shared Balsamic-Honey Glazed Roast Beef Sandwiches with French Dip, I'm a real fan of that flavor.  Plus, who can't use another crockpot recipe in their repitoire?
• Cincinnati Sloppy Joes - As a Cincinnati girl, this screamed for me to make them...and I will, soon!
• Debbi has an assortment of recipes based on Amish Friendship Bread starter mix.  I was into doing that for awhile and then took a break by throwing my starter into the freezer so I wouldn't have to keep feeding it.  Not to mention I was getting pretty sick of cinnamon bread after awhile.  These two recipes were my top picks originally but since I had to go on vacation, I wasn't able to get my starter up and running in time to post this recipe.  So, maybe later I'll try Amish Friendship Honey Biscuits and Amish Cinnamon Rolls!

Salted Browned Butter Rice Crispy Treats

Ingredients

• 4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter 
• 1 10-ounce bag marshmallows 
• Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt (I used Kosher salt as I didn't have any sea salt)
• 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about half a 12-ounce box) 

Directions

1. Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides. 
2. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute. 
3. As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth. 
4. Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. 
5. Quickly spread sand gently press into prepared pan.

Source: Smitten Kitchen as seen on Debbi Does Dinner Healthy

Balsamic-Honey Glazed Roast Beef Sandwiches with French Dip

Oh my god this is without a doubt the best sandwich I have EVER eaten!!!  And it's a crockpot recipe so dinner was on the table in under 15 minutes which was perfect since my husband had to eat early in order to digest before his running group training session.

I'm a fan of French Dip Sandwiches but this juice and the balsamic-honey glaze brings this particular version to a whole new freaking level.  I mean it is phenomenal!  I literally inhaled my dinner and had to refrain from eating a second sandwich.  Then, I rushed to my computer to blog about it because keeping this recipe from you would be a crime.

The au jus dip juice is full of yummy beefy and slightly acidic flavor (from the balsamic vinegar).  The beef is incredibly tender and sopping in the flavored juices.  The cheese is perfectly melty and the glaze just puts everything over the top with its syrupy sweet sour perfection.  I used rye hoagie rolls as my bread and wish I had used something a little more substantial because the tender bread wanted to fall apart under the weight of the beefy goodness as I drenched it with dip juices.  The cheese acted a bit like glue as it precariously held the sandwich together!

Yep.  My mouth is still watering a bit as I write this post.  I cannot wait to eat the leftovers for lunch  tomorrow!

PS:  Happy Birthday, Mom!  I love you!

Two Years Ago: Cheddar Cauliflower Soup

Three Years Ago: Sushi, Zuppa Toscana, and Sun-Dried Tomato, Basil, and Parmesan Muffins

Balsamic-Honey Glazed Roast Beef Sandwiches with French Dip

I was so eager to eat this sandwich that I smooshed my two halves together
before I realized  the photo would look way better if I kept it open...
hence the onions and some beef stuck to the cheesy side.  Oops!

Ingredients

For the Sandwiches

• 6 sub rolls (I love rye!)
• 1 recipe Balsamic Slow Cooker Beef with Onions (recipe below)
• 6 slices provolone cheese
• Mayonnaise (optional)
• Balsamic Honey Glaze (recipe below)

For the Balsamic Slow Cooker Roast Beef

• 1 3-4 pound boneless roast beef (chuck or round roast)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

For the Balsamic Honey Glaze

• 2 cups balsamic vinegar
• 4 Tbsp honey

Directions

1. Place onions in the bottom of your slow cooker.  Then add the roast beef.
2. In a large bowl, mix together  the remaining roast beef ingredients.  Pour over the beef and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.  (I'd recommend the latter for the most tender beef!  Cook it low and slow!)
3. Once the roast beef has cooked, remove it from your slow cooker and transfer to a serving dish.  Shred the beef lightly with two forks.
4. Transfer the juice and onions to a fat separator (I have and recommend this one from Oxo).  Put the strained onions into a bowl and set aside.  Then pour about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the juice over the roast beef.  Reserve the rest of the au jus juice for dipping.  Throw out the fat.
5. Make the glaze by combining the ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan.  Bring to a boil then lower heat to low and allow to simmer while stirring constantly. The glaze is done when it is thick enough to coat your spoon.
6. Turn on your oven broiler.  Open a bun on a baking sheet and if desired, smear a bit of mayonnaise on the top half then add a slice of cheese.  Place meat and some onions on the other half of the bun.  Put the baking sheet under the broiler and heat until the cheese begins to bubble and get slightly browned.  Remove the sandwiches from the oven then drizzle with balsamic-honey glaze.  It's strong so start light and add more as desired.
7. Serve sandwich with au jus for dipping.  Close your eyes and be amazed by how delicious it is.  Try not to eat more than one!

Source: Barely adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody as modified from Add a Pinch

Mac and Cheese Contest Entry #3: Bonnie's Grammy's Mac and Cheese

Before sharing this week's macaroni and cheese entry, I want to share a photo.  You remember my dog Toby, right?  Yep, he's a cute little fella as you can see below.

But wait a second.  On closer inspection you'd notice that to the side of my cute posing pup is a book.  And that book has a chunk of the cover chewed off.  And if you were to look at that same book in real life, you'd see doggy love bites all over as well.  And that same book, my dear readers, was the copy of Mac & Cheese by Ellen Brown that I had planned to give away in this contest!

How he got to it I'm still not quite sure as it was sitting high up on my desk.  And, it had been sitting there for weeks before Toby finally decided to do a "taste test" of his own.  Yes, Ms. Brown, the photos in your book look SO delicious that even my dear beagle could not resist taking a literal bite out of them.  Only, Toby must not have gotten the memo that there wasn't ACTUAL mac and cheese inside the book!  But fear not, this just means that I get to keep this now well-loved copy and will buy a brand new one for the winner.  Because as cute as he is, I'm sure you don't really want the one that has been in my dog's mouth...

So back to recipe sharing.  This recipe comes from Bonnie and she got it from her grandmother.  Looking at it, you can tell it's totally a family recipe.  There are no measurements.  I'll admit that when I first saw this in my email, I was skeptical.  Just four ingredients and using cheese that's not freshly shredded?  Humph!  The cheese snob in me and the cheese goddesses Ellen Brown and Laura Werlin would turn their noses up at this straight away.

What's funny is that in her submission, Bonnie said "I hope you enjoy this even if you don't choose it for the contest".  But a contest is a contest and so I dutifully made it...adding a splash of cream for extra richness.  I made homemade stewed tomatoes from my stash of canned tomatoes figuring if this recipe was going to have a few simple ingredients, I might as well start from the best.  I stirred it when it came out of the oven and well...it looked a little soupy.  But that's okay because Bonnie also mentioned that she personally thought it was better only slightly warm or even the next day as the flavors continue to meld together and the cheese sauce becomes thicker.

Tentatively, I took a bite.  And then, a big smile spread across my face.  I closed my eyes and was taken back to my own childhood.  It was something I had long forgotten but this recipe took me back there.  I remembered a nostalgic time of Mom making a homemade chicken broth and serving it with macaroni noodles.  Being the cheese head that I was (and still am today!) I would sometimes add a slice or two of Kraft American singles and microwave it until melted.  I'd stir it together and call it macaroni and cheese.  Come to think of it.  That was probably one of the first original "recipes" that I ever made myself.

You see, this recipe is so simple and so pure.  It's best eaten with a spoon instead of a fork because the sauce, though very creamy and cheesy, is liquidy.  But it's addicting.  I really can't explain it!  My mother-in-law felt this was the best recipe to date.  I also thoroughly enjoyed it so thank you so much Bonnie for sharing your grandmother's recipe!

Thank you to those that have been sharing and then commenting on each of my Mac and Cheese Mondays posts.  To make it easier for you, every post always has social media buttons for sharing at the bottom of the post.  I noticed there are more shares than comments so if you want to make it count as a contest entry, please be sure to leave a comment letting me know you have shared as this is the only way I can keep track of who you are!  You want to do this so you can enter to win one of two great cookbooks: Mac &Cheese by Ellen Brown or Mac and Cheese, Please! by Laura Werlin!  See this page for full contest details :).

Three Years Ago: Classic Pot Roast

Bonnie's Grammy's Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 box large elbow macaroni 
• 1 package Kraft American singles (the orange kind) 
• 1 can of stewed tomatoes (I usually use the Italian seasoned ones, but any flavor will work!) 
• Milk (Christine's Option: Add a little cream for extra richness and extra creamy mac!)

Directions

1. Cook the macaroni until al dente, according to the instructions on the box.
2. Put the pasta back in the pan and add the stewed tomatoes (juice and all!).  Pour the pasta and tomato mixture into a clear, glass lasagna pan.  Add enough milk directly into the pan so that it reaches half-way up the sides.  Cover the top of the pasta with a layer a cheese slices. 
3. Bake in a 350 oven until the cheese is melted.  Take the pan out of the oven and carefully stir the melted cheese into the pasta.
4. Eat!

Source: Bonnie's Grammy as submitted by Bonnie

California Roll Lettuce Roll-Ups

I love it when the stars seem to align between what I receive my CSA basket for the week and the things I have bookmarked to make.  My only regret is having had to wait this long to share this recipe with you since I had been traveling so much recently (food photo adventures have been shared on facebook!).  But, I'll call it a nod to my recent trip to Japan by sharing it now :).

What I loved about this recipe was how quickly you could put it together and how healthy it was.  If you love the flavor of California Rolls but don't want the hassle of creating actual sushi rolls, this is the way to go.  I could even see adding some chopped nori (seaweed sheets) to really get the full flavor experience.  And why stop there?  You could adapt this recipe as a vehicle to contain the flavors of any of your favorite sushi rolls!

One Year Ago: Homemade Girl Scout Samoa Cookies and Chicken, Blueberry, and Summer Squash Salad

California Roll Lettuce Roll-Ups

Yields: 4 servings (3 wraps each)

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry rice
• 2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 head (~12 leaves) Boston lettuce, leaves removed and washed
• 1/2 English cucumber, seeded and cut into 1-inch matchsticks
• 1/2 cup (about 2) carrots, shredded or cut into 1-inch matchsticks
• 5 oz surimi (imitation crab meat), cut into 1-inch matchsticks
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 3 Tbsp pickled ginger, chopped (optional)
• 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package directions.  Once cooked, stir in the vinegar and then set aside.
2. Assemble the lettuce roll-ups by layering several tablespoons of rice in each lettuce leaf.  Then add 2-3 pieces of cucumber, carrot, crab, and avocado.  Top with pickled ginger if desired and finish with a dash of soy sauce.

Source: Adapted by and as seen on PreventionRD from Good Housekeeping

Guest Post by Coffee and Cannolis: Mini Frittatas

Any coffee lovers out there?  How about cannolis?

Well, like I said in my last post, I'm not much of a coffee drinker but I do LOVE cannolis (Umm have you been to Mike's Pastry in Boston? Yum!).  I also am a fan of  Coffee and Cannolis!  Angie, the voice behind this blog, is another What's Cooking message board member but I only recently started following her myself.
She had my attention at her Baked Cinnamon Sugar Churros (I had tried a fried Churro Bites recipe but am always looking for equally delicious baked versions of fried foods).  After that point, I went back and pursued her other recipes.  I bookmarked a couple recipes that I know my peanut butter, dessert loving husband would go crazy over: Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake with Pretzel Crust and Peanut Butterfinger Mini Cheesecakes.  I honestly don't know which one would he'd like more but can say that they'll definitely be contenders for future birthday cakes.  I also saw Angie post a recipe for Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips, one that I love but realized I have never shared on my own blog.

Today she has chosen to share a super easy savory recipe and she must have read my mind because I love breakfast foods!  I love a good frittata or quiche but my egg-hating husband would never go for it.  This recipe would work well in my house because I could eat a few and then freeze the rest for later.  I can also add whatever leftover veggies and meats I have for customized flavors.  Awesome! It'll get filed right next to the Bacon Egg and Toast Cups for quick, bite-sized eggy breakfast treats.

One Year Ago: Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cheesecake - A past birthday cake for my husband...and it was 9 LAYERS high!
Three Years Ago: Cha Cha's White Chicken Chili

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Hi!  My name is Angie from Coffee and Cannolis, and I’m so excited to be able to guest post today on Christine’s Kitchen Chronicles!  I have been following Christine for a few years now, so it’s an honor to be able to help her out with a post while she’s busy!  (And PS – have you seen that S’Mores Pizza?  I cannot wait to try it!)

Since you may not know me – a few things… I am a (new) mom to 15-month-old Tyler, who takes up A LOT of my time, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!  With what little free time I get, I enjoy baking and cooking (and Pinterest, Netflix Instant Queue, reading…).  Since my free time has been cut significantly, I’ve learned to take some shortcuts, make adjustments, and that I don’t have to get a completely gourmet meal on the table every night.  My new goal (aside from just getting the kid to eat!) is to create REAL food that anyone can make.  Quickly and easily, with as few convenience foods as possible.  I wish I were superwoman, but alas I am not.

In efforts to save some time in the kitchen while still getting a healthy breakfast in my son’s tummy, I’ve discovered my love of these mini frittatas!  I like to make them on Sunday during nap time, or even once he’s down for the night, and freeze them to grab throughout the week.  Not only are they quick and freezer-friendly, they’re very versatile.  Your kids LOVE broccoli?  Throw some in.  You have a kid like mine that loves turkey sausage and super sharp white cheddar cheese?  Well, good news – these are fantastic with sausage and cheese!

Mini Frittatas

Ingredients:

• 8 large eggs
• ½ cup milk or half and half
• Salt and Pepper
• Assorted Mix Ins, such as: Shredded Cheese, Cooked Sausage Crumbles, Diced Peppers, Diced Steamed Broccoli

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray
2. Whisk together eggs, milk and salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Evenly distribute egg mixture among the 12 muffin cups.  Add about 2 tablespoons of mix-ins to each cup.
3. Bake about 20-25 minutes until the eggs are puffy and the edges are golden brown.  (If necessary, run a butter knife around the edges to loosen before removing from pan). 

Makes 12-mini frittatas

* These can be frozen in a freezer-weight bag.  To defrost I pull them out and keep in the fridge overnight, and just microwave for 10 seconds for my son, 30-45 seconds for me!

Source: Disney’s Family Fun

Watermelon Slush

Hello my lovelies!  Remember my extremely talented friend Emily who guestposted this General Tso's Chicken, takes all our Dinner Club photos, and did a Apple Extravaganza bakefest with me last Fall?  Well she and her husband Scott came over recently so we could continue the tradition of the wives creating deliciousness in the kitchen while the husbands did...manly things like watching TV.  But unlike during the Fall, we minimized the use of the oven (because it was hot hot hot!), focused on a theme of using seasonal fruits and veggies, and put the boys to work by manning the grill.

To kick off our Summer Fruit and Veggie Extravaganza, we started with this absolutely refreshing, totally natural and healthy watermelon slush.  The colors were gorgeously vibrant and it quenched our thirst on this hot July day.  It was a wonderful mocktail as is but we won't tell if you add a splash of vodka, tequila, or other favorite liquor to the mix ;).

Four more recipes and another awesome review+giveaway left to share in the next two weeks so stay tuned and keep coming back!

One Year Ago: 5 Minute (Healthy) Chunky Monkey "Ice Cream"
Two Years Ago: Raspberry White Chocolate Swirl Ice Cream
Three Years Ago: Grands! Taco Melts (AKA Homemade Hot Pockets)

Watermelon Slush

Photo Credit: Emily H.

Yields: 4 servings (1 cup each)

Ingredients

• 4 cups watermelon, seeded, diced, and frozen
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 3/4 to 1 cup water

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Source: Prevention RD

Recipe Swap: Cheesy Chili Mac

Recipe swap time again!  This time I received a recipe that I had bookmarked earlier and was wanting to make anyway so was very excited to see this One Pot meal show up in my inbox.

This is very rich and very cheesy as the name promises!  I decided to leave out the extra cup of shredded cheese in the pasta sauce because I was concerned it'd be too much (crazy considering how much I LOVE cheese) and it was still plenty cheesy.  This is essentially homemade Hamburger Helper.  Yum!

This week I submitted a recipe that I received in a previous swap: Pierogi and Kielbasa Bake.  The Cookaholic Wife had made a very similar version previously and her husband liked the recipe even more WITH my addition of the veggies!  See the full round-up at Taste of Home Cooking.


By the way, I think I'm officially going to try to make Fridays a series of posts: Fast Fridays.  Meals that you can make in 30 minutes or less.  What do you think?  And, any great recipes to share so I can build my repertoire?

Cheesy Chili Mac

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 Onion, minced
• 1 Tbsp Chili powder
• 1 Tbsp Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 4 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp Brown sugar
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 2 cups Water
• 1 15 oz can Tomato sauce
• 2 cups Pasta (I used about 3 cups Penne since noodles are bigger and so they don't pack as well)
• 1 15 oz can Black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained (used diced tomatoes with jalapeno peppers)
• 4 oz Cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups Shredded mexican cheese blend (I used a sprinkling of sharp cheddar)
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Heat a 12" skillet over medium heat and add oil.  Heat until shimmering.  Add the onion, chili powder, cumin, and salt to the pan.  Cook, stirring frequently until the onion is soft, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the garlic and brown sugar and cook an additional 1 minute.  Add the ground beef and cook through.
2. Stir in the water and tomato sauce then add the pasta and stir again.  Cover and increase heat to medium-high.  Cook until al dente, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the tomatoes and black beans, then the cream cheese and stir until the cream cheese is incorporated.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and for extra cheesiness, add 1 cup of shredded cheese.  Stir until combined.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and cover.  Let stand for 2 minutes until the cheese has melted.  Top with cilantro and garnish with sour cream, if desired.

Source: Adapted from Jey of Cooking