Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge

Although I do really love a good cookie, there's something about cookie dough that is SO much better. I love cookie dough! In my ice cream, in my cupcakes, and definitely in my fudge. 

This tasty treat is suuuuper sweet and perfect in small quantities. It would pair wonderfully with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk. And a major plus is that there's no baking involved. It's just mixing stuff together and sticking it in the fridge! 

Don't let the terrible photo fool you, this is a dessert that everybody will want to try!

What You'll Need:
cookie dough:
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 cup flour 
fudge:
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips 

What To Do:
Line an 8x8 baking pan with aluminum foil and set aside. 

To prepare cookie dough: combine butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until it is light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla, salt, and cream. Add flour and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Set aside.

To prepare fudge: in a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, salt and cream. Stir over medium heat until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and slowly stir in powdered sugar, a little at a time, until the mixture is smooth and well incorporated. Stir in vanilla. Add more powdered sugar as necessary for taste and texture (the more sugar, the sweeter and firmer the fudge will be).

Add cookie dough to the fudge base and stir to combine. Ensure that the mixture is at room temperature before stirring in the chocolate chips. Once combined, spread fudge into the prepared pan. Chill for four hours or until set. Cut into squares and enjoy with a glass of milk! 


Recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction

Hope Spoken

Over a year ago I sat on Casey's sofa, feeling unusually welcomed and loved by someone I have only ever known online, and first heard about the heart and vision for the Hope Spoken conference. I was so excited that it would be in Dallas, so close to me, and more focused on Jesus than anything else. Because honestly, what I need more than anything else is Jesus. 

I found a very kind woman who agreed to allow to buy her ticket from her in payments over six months. And although I had been planning to commute back and forth from Fort Worth, my boss surprised us by taking care of a hotel room for Annie, Lindsey and I. This weekend was just what I needed. I want to process and reflect before I share some of what the Lord spoke to me over the course of the conference. But until then, here are some things that I really loved about Hope Spoken.

1. Food. 

                              

When we arrived on Friday, a super cute dessert buffet instantly drew every Instagram addict in. French macarons, insanely tasty cake pops, cookies, and candy were all perfectly displayed. All of our meals were included in the conference ticket and were pretty dang delicious too. Every meal included dessert... and not just something easy like sheet cake. We had fluffy layered cake with strawberry filling and whipped cream, cheesecake, and sopapillas. In addition to scheduled meals, there was snack buffet on Saturday with popcorn, cookies and brownies! And then after worship on Saturday night, these saints (who obviously understand my love language) delivered donuts for our share groups to enjoy. So, the foodie in me was full and satisfied all weekend long. 

2. Aesthetics. 

It was evident from the start that great thought and care had been put into creating a beautiful space for the conference. From balloons and paper flowers to the handmade stage to the registration table, everything was cohesive and lovely. 

3. The humility of the leadership. The conference hosts, every speaker, every small group leader displayed such genuine humility throughout the conference. Most of the ladies were not professional speakers, writers or event coordinators, but they came together to show how Jesus is alive and at work in their stories- through the good, the ugly, the painful, the unexpected.

I am grateful for the opportunity to go to hope spoken and inspired by the courage in the women who spoke to us about their stories. I will be back to share more about the truth I gleaned from those stories! 

Pasta Carbonara

Oh hey y'all! 

The past few months have been filled to the brim with schoolwork, jobs, ministry events and travel, leaving this poor little blog in major neglect. It was a good transition to prioritize other things above it, but I am glad that with some recent changes I will have more time to update this space with yummy recipes, daily happenings and lessons from the Lord!

Before I dive into all that the Lord has done since I last posted, I wanted to share this super easy recipe! I made this after being out of town all week, when I had no meal plan and basically just tossed it together. This would be great for a weeknight meal. It's also a great base to add on your favorite veggies or meats- green peas, onion,  mushrooms, prosciutto, or grilled chicken would all make perfect additions!

What You'll Need:
(serves 1)
one serving angel hair pasta
two slices bacon
2 cups spinach 
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
freshly cracked black pepper
salt 

What To Do:
Prepare pasta according to package instructions. 

Meanwhile, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon to drain and reserve 2 tbsp of drippings in pan. Add spinach and cook for two minutes or until wilted. Add garlic and continue cooking for one minute. Crumble in the cooked bacon and stir to combine. 

Drain pasta well and add to pan with Parmesan, salt and pepper, stirring to coat all the noodles. Add the egg to the top and stir to coat. (Add a splash of cream for a thicker sauce)

Serve immediately and top with more Parmesan! 

original recipe 

easy canvas giveaway

Are you still stumped about what to get your mom/dad/grandparents/insert-other-loved-one-here for Christmas?

A fantastic option is taking one of their family photos and having it printed on a high quality canvas! The online process is incredibly simple and so affordable! I've used Easy Canvas Prints in the past for Mother's Day and after family photo shoots. My latest print was taken from an iPhone photo and still looks great! (Wish I could include a photo but it is a Christmas gift ;)

Easy Canvas Prints has sales all of the time on their already great prices.  And right now with the code 50FREESHIP you can get any canvas at 50% with free shipping! That would make an 8 x 10 canvas only $22.35.

And I'm really excited because today I get to give away one free 8x10 print! To enter, just leave me a comment with your favorite Christmas tradition. The winner will be randomly selected and contacted on Friday 12/13 so that you have enough time to get your print shipped for Christmas. 

Merry Christmas y'all!

Spicy and Saucy Verde Pork Enchiladas

Ever since these creamy chicken enchiladas changed my perspective on enchiladas as a whole, I've been excited about experimenting with different flavor combinations, sauces, and components.  Whenever my parents sent me some shredded pork roast, I knew I wanted to transform it into something delicious and flavorful. 

These enchiladas utilize all my favorite green things- green chilies, jalapenos, cilantro and avocado- alongside tender pork roast and a creamy sauce that pulls everything together. You can always cut back on the spiciness by using mild green chilies and deveining the jalapenos, but I loved how the cool avocado balanced the peppers out. 

This is a great recipe to double. You can always freeze half for later, or enjoy the leftovers-they're pretty amazing. 

What You'll Need:
12 white corn tortillas 
2 cups shredded roast pork 
1 tsp olive oil 
1/2 large yellow onion, diced  
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 large avocado
2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese 
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour 
2 cups chicken broth 
1/2 cup heavy cream 
1 cup sour cream 
2 4oz cans diced green chilies 
1 small bunch cilantro, diced 
1 jalapeno, diced

What To Do:
Preheat oven to 350.

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan and add onion, stirring occasionally until translucent. Add garlic and continue cooking for one minute more. Add half of a can of the green chilies, shredded pork, and salt and pepper to taste and cook for a couple minutes, until heated through. Add a splash of heavy cream, ensuring that all of the filling is moistened. Turn off heat and cover until ready to use. 

Meanwhile, melt butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly stir in chicken broth. Allow the sauce to come to boil and to thicken. Lower heat to low. Add in the remaining green chilies, jalapeno, cilantro, sour cream, one cup of cheese, and stir well. Allow sauce to simmer until all ingredients are completely incorporated. (If desired, before adding the sour cream or cheese you can blend the sauce in a blender to get a smooth consistency and light green color.)

As the sauce simmers, microwave your tortillas 2-3 at a time, wrapped in a damp paper towel. Once heated, fill each tortilla with a generous scoop of the pork filling and two slices of avocado. Roll together, fitting into a baking dish. 

Once all of the tortillas are filled and rolled, pour your sauce over the tortillas, being sure to get every enchilada. There should be more than enough sauce for these saucy enchiladas. Cover with the remaining cheese. 

Bake for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling. Broil for just a moment at the end for a nice browned top!

Serve with rice and beans, chips and salsa, and guacamole or your favorite Mexican side dishes!

original recipe. 

turkey pot pie

In the midst of 16 degree weather and post-Thanksgiving leftovers, I scrounged up the perfect dish: Turkey Pot Pie! It's rich and warm and comforting and is packed full of nourishing vegetables and lean protein. 

I made mine in mini casserole dishes which turned out to be perfect serving sizes. Forgive my lack of exact measurements but I made this one up as I went so I'll be estimating how much of everything went into it! 

What You'll Need:
for the crust:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup shortening 
dash of salt 
3-5 tbsp ice water 
for the filling:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup turkey, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 small potato, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk (plus more as needed)
salt and pepper 

What To Do:
Preheat oven to 350

In a food processor, combine four, shortening and salt. Pulse until the mixture forms a coarse crumbly texture. Then add 1 tbsp of water at a time, mixing just until it comes together. Form dough into a ball and refrigerate for at least thirty minutes. 

Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add turkey, potato, carrot and celery and stir well. Continue cooking for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are softened, adding more oil as necessary. Sprinkle flour over and stir to coat. Slowly add in broth and milk, scraping the bottom of the pan. Allow mixture to come to a boil and thicken. 

Meanwhile, divide dough among four mini casserole dishes or roll out for your pie pan. Spray dish with cooking spray and press dough into shape. Fill each with turkey filling and top with more pie dough. 

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is browned. 

pie crust recipe adapted from here

Chicken Madeira (just like the Cheesecake Factory!)

Have you ever been to the Cheesecake Factory? The menu is the size of a Harry Potter book. Okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration. But it is well beyond Dr. Seuss in any case. And despite the endless menu options, I always- always- order the Chicken Madeira. Because it is that good (And it's a huge portion which means lunch for the next day too!). The sauce is sweet and savory and so full of flavor. 

Now, I didn't have any Madeira wine for my own dish so instead I used a balsamic vinegar mixture. It turned out just as tasty and still quite beautiful. If you do happen to have some Madeira on hand, just use that instead of the balsamic vinegar in this recipe and omit the brown sugar. 

The Cheesecake Factory dish is served with melted mozzarella over the chicken and grilled asparagus. However, I think the sauce is the real star and didn't want to take away any of its shining glory. But if you want to go completely copycat, then before adding the sauce to your chicken, place thin mozzarella slices to the cooked chicken breast and broil for a few minutes until just bubbly. I don't love asparagus so I didn't miss it but it would definitely add to the beautiful presentation of this dish! 

What You'll Need:(serves 4)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin 
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
for sauce:
3 Tbsp. butter
2 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 c. balsamic vinegar
1 c. beef broth
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
pepper 

(optional) 1 tsp cornstarch

What To Do: 

Heat butter in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and saute for a couple minutes. Add remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until sauce thickens and reduces to about 1/2-1/4 of it's original volume. If your sauce is still a little runny, mix together 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tsp water in a small cup and combine completely. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into your sauce and stir quickly. 

While the sauce is simmering pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a separate skillet and cook chicken for five minutes on each side or until seared nicely on the outside and fully cooked on the inside. Right before serving, spoon some of the sauce over each piece of chicken. Serve with mashed potatoes. 

recipe adapted from favorite family recipes