Knock-off El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans

I have an confession - I am obsessed with EPL's black beans, I can eat a large container of them for lunch or dinner four out of five days a week, I absolutely love them. I am really monitoring spending nowadays since I have newly become a stay-at-home mommie. This is new to me and took a lot of prayer and faith, I am loving being able to be with my children and I am proud to say I am also back in school.




Back to the El Pollo Loco's lovely food - well the good thing about them is they are in walking distance from my home! I love that place and they pretty much know my order when I arrive. In the past few weeks however, I must admit I have been a little frustrated with EPL... they haven't had any of their BBQ chicken, I mean imagine my disappointment when I couldn't order my beloved 3 piece white meal with double black beans and a loco salad. 

I decided I could do the recipe myself and never have to be frustrated about EPL. I seasoned the chicken with lime and lemon pepper, a bit of garlic powder and a bit of onion powder and let the chicken develop in flavor, I then broiled it on a low temp and added the bbq sauce toward the end of the cooking process. 

Here is the recipe I found for the BBQ Black Beans


Because I am not a canned food kind of girl, I used a package of dried beans, I soaked them over night, then cooked them in water only until tender, I then added the ingredients from the recipe. 


For the spinach salad, I made a balsamic vinaigrette that I go to frequently from Emeril Lagasse. This meal was devoured by my family, I was really pleased with the outcome.




Are there any restaurant recipe's you are able to duplicate for your family?

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

About a week ago, I was on fellow blogger Brandi's blog at Don't Disturb This Groove and I saw a recipe for her blueberry cream cheese muffins. I decided to bake them over the weekend and these are just delicious! Thank you Brandi for sharing the recipe with everyone.

Ingredients
2 c. fresh blueberries
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 (4 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 eggs


Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease 12 cup muffin pan or line with paper muffin liners.
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add cream cheese and blend in well.
Add each egg, one at a time, mixing well until egg is blended.  Add milk, and vanilla. Mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together.  Incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix until combined.  *Do not over mix batter.  Gently fold blueberries into batter.  Spoon batter into the prepared muffin pans.  Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into muffins comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: about 18 muffins. 

Pioneer Woman Comfort Meatballs

A tasty meal is never too much work, these meatballs are no exception, they are delish! 

Since there are tons of steps to cover here is the link to the recipe, I found this recipe in my book The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

Ready... Set... Go!

add oatmeal

stir to combine

add milk

onion

generous amount of pepper

form meatballs into tablespoon sized portions (I used one tablespoon and one teaspoon and switched the meat onto each spoon until the size was correct) refrigerate meatballs for 30 -45 minutes to allow them to firm up and hold shape for cooking.  

add sauce ingredients together

I poured Vinegar and Worcestershire sauce into a large bowl then added 

ketchup

sugar

onion

stir to combine

dredge meatballs in flour and brown on each side in a skillet

place meatballs in a baking dish

cover with sauce and bake for 30 to 45 mins

easy and delicious!

Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

When I have had a rough day, I love to have comfort food to cheer me up. Since I am modifying my eating habits in hopes to shed at least 20 pounds, I cannot make my meals too comforting, that would damage my efforts. Dinner tonight is a quick meal that you can make with your eyes closed.  All of these ingredients are in your pantry I am sure.

Here is what you need:

4 Chicken breasts, split into cutlets if possible or butterflied (season with salt and pepper)

1/4 stick of butter

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 mushrooms sliced - I love mushrooms so I used a ton (or a can of mushrooms)

Rosemary- to taste

Thyme-to taste

Parsley - to taste

All you need to do is:

Melt butter in skillet and cook chicken through. remove chicken and place on a plate, in the same skillet, add 2/3 cup of your chicken stock. Add the herbs and then put mushrooms in skillet, toss around a bit until they have started to brown. Add chicken back to skillet and cover skillet for 6 minutes, add last 1/3 cup of your chicken stock, add 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Cover the skillet again and cook on a low heat for 30-40 minutes. 

Garlic Spinach

Add 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil to sautee skillet. When melted and combined add the garlic to the skillet and blend into oil and butter, add spinach to skillet  toss until completely cooked and serve.

Superbowl Sunday Meal

By far the easiest BBQ meal I have ever made... no need to talk about these recipies, I will just say... try them both out!

Smoky Baked Beans (from Big Daddy's House via foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry white beans (that have been soaked overnight)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1/2 pound smoked sausage, diced
• 1/4 cup roasted garlic paste
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• Dash balsamic vinegar
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 12 ounces dark beer
• 1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large Dutch oven, over high heat, bring the soaked beans up to a boil with enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain in a colander.

In the same Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the butter. Add the onions and saute until nicely colored, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the smoked sausage and brown. Stir in the roasted garlic paste, sugar, maple syrup, mustard and vinegar and mix well. Add the rosemary, cayenne pepper, and chicken stock. Add beans and stir well. Pour in the stock and the beer and bring to a boil. Cover and bake in the oven for 90 minutes. Remove from oven. Stir in the tomatoes, and parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Spicy Pop Pulled Pork

Ingredients
2onions, peeled and quartered

•          

• 
  
• 1 whole pork butt (pork shoulder roast)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cans pop (I use Dr Pepper)
• 4 packed tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 can chipotle peppers (I substituted fire roasted tomatoes and cayenne seasoning for the chipotle)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Start by placing the onion quarters in the bottom of a pot. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper, and then place on top of the onions. Open the cans of pop and pour them over the whole thing. Add the brown sugar to the liquid and stir.

Cover the pot, put in the oven and cook for at least 6 hours, flipping the roast 2 or 3 times during the cooking process. When it's done, the pork will be dark and weird and wonderful. It'll also be fork-tender. That's when you know it's done.

Remove the meat from the pot and shred completely. Then return the meat to the pot and keep in the juice until you need it. Divine!

(recipe from Pioneer Woman via foodnetwork.com)

Old Fashioned Banana Cake

I have a confession... I am a stress baker. I don't consume all that I bake, and I honestly just admitted my condition to myself recently. I have found baking therapeutic, and have turned to baking when my nerves are on edge for any number of reasons versus dealing with things in an emotional way. I bake for enjoyment at least once a week, however the stress baking is beginning to take on a life of it's own.

Now that you know my issue with baking, this will explain the evening/day shots of this cake. I received a text message that sent me straight downstairs and into the kitchen at 9:30 p.m. and I forgot to take a shot of the cake sliced, I did that in the morning around 8:00 a.m. the following day. This cake is really yummy!

Old Fashioned Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa’s How Easy Is That

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Grated zest of 1 orange

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Cream cheese frosting (recipe follows)

Walnut halves, for decorating

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan.

MIX bananas, granulated sugar and brown sugar in bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Add oil, eggs, sour cream. vanilla and orange zest. Mix until smooth.

STIR together flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in chopped walnuts. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, turn out onto cooling rack and cool completely.

SPREAD frosting thickly on top of cake and decorate with walnut halves. Slice and serve.

Makes 8 servings.

Cream Cheese Frosting

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (1/2 pound)

MIX cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment on low speed until just combined. Don’t whip. Add sugar and mix until smooth. 

I had no idea when I purchased this recipe book, just how EASY everything is to make. 

I love this book!

Lemony Buttermilk Cake

I love pound cake - What I don't like are all the calories, so I thought this cake may just do the trick, and since I had a bag of lemons to get rid of, I thought... 

why not give it a go?!? - 

I found this recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens 2004 Annual Recipes Book

Lemony-Buttermilk Pecan Cake (I omitted pecans)

3 Cups Cake Flour (Sifted)

2 Cups Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Salt

2/3 Cup Buttermilk

1 cup Softened Butter

5 Eggs

1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 Cup Lemon Juice

Lemon Oil- Optional (I used lemon zest)

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan. Set pan aside.

2.In a medium bowl combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

3.In a large bowl beat the softened butter with an electric mixer on high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in the 2 cups granulated sugar, vanilla, and lemon oil until fluffy and light, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 20 to 30 seconds after each addition.

4.Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition and starting and ending with flour. Beat just until combined. Using a wooden spoon, stir in lemon peel and the 1/2 cup juice. Stir in pecans. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

5.Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and the top springs back when touched lightly. Meanwhile, for glaze, in a small saucepan heat and stir the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice until sugar is dissolved.

6.Let cake stand for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto wire cooling rack set over a shallow baking pan. Poke holes in the top of the cake with a toothpick or wooden skewer. Spoon glaze over cake. Cool completely. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

I added a simple confectioner's sugar glaze to the cake and it was delightful!

Cinnamon Roll Cake - I can never make enough of them ...

Do you bake as often as I do? 

Or do you want a simple, slam dunk cake to go to when you need to make something to satisfy a few guests that is not only hands down the easiest cake I have ever made but a tasty buttery treat that never lasts more than 3 hours...  Well here it is - 

I follow a blog "sewfantastic" and this recipe was right up my alley - I have made this cake 5 times since Thanksgiving weekend and yes... I literally mean 5 times, I have even had to make one to send to someone else's house LOL! This is the easiest, baking I have ever done.
Just dump, mix, fold the batter, then mix, and swirl the cinnamon, shove in the oven for 30 minutes, make a confectioner's sugar glaze and serve... I'm in L-O-V-E!


Give it a try - you will love it. And thanks Juilianne
Cake:

3 c. flour, 1/4 tsp.salt, 1 c. sugar, 4 tsp. baking powder, 

1 1/2 c. milk,

2 eggs, 

2 tsp. vanilla,

1/2 c. butter, melted

Topping:

1 c. butter, softened ,1 c. brown sugar, 2 Tbsp. flour, 1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.

Glaze:

2 c. powdered sugar, 5 Tbsp. milk, 1 tsp. vanilla

While warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.

While warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.


p.s. "Jai" just asked me to make another one, they are so darn easy, who can refuse???
I am working up the nerve to make a Hummingbird Cake with a Caramel Frosting, please stay tuned for that, good or bad, I will post it... 

Asian Orange Chicken and Fried Rice

Inspired by Mrs. Delightful's Orange Chicken post a couple months back, I decided I would try to make the recipe and it's absolutely delish - 

Asian Orange Chicken

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
•  
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
•  
• Chicken:
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Pour 1 1/2 cups water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and cool 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Place the chicken pieces into a resealable plastic bag. When contents of saucepan have cooled, pour 1 cup of sauce into bag. Reserve the remaining sauce. Seal the bag, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
3. In another resealable plastic bag, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the marinated chicken pieces, seal the bag, and shake to coat.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken into the skillet, and brown on both sides. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels, and cover with aluminum foil.
5. Wipe out the skillet, and add the sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mix together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; stir into the sauce. Reduce heat to medium low, add the chicken pieces, and simmer, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 2 cups enriched white rice
• 4 cups water
• 2/3 cup chopped baby carrots
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• soy sauce to taste
• sesame oil, to taste (optional)

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. In a small saucepan, boil carrots in water about 3 to 5 minutes. Drop peas into boiling water, and drain.
3. Heat wok over high heat. Pour in oil, then stir in carrots and peas; cook about 30 seconds. Crack in eggs, stirring quickly to scramble eggs with vegetables. Stir in cooked rice. Shake in soy sauce, and toss rice to coat. Drizzle with sesame oil, and toss again.