white chicken chili, cornbread, and apple crisp

I love hanging out with family.

I have found that when family lives close, I always say: "Oh, I will have plenty of time to see them!" and thus postpone going for a visit. And before you know it, they're gone. 

My baby brother lived in Utah for a year and is now gone serving a mission in Panama.

While I am happy he is there, I really miss him.

When my grandpa died, I was filled with remorse for not going to see him more.

I was devastated knowing that my husband would never know him for the fun, outgoing, jolly grandpa that he was. And that kills me inside.

I don't like living with regrets, especially when I could have done something to change the future.

I think this quote by Georgia O'Keefe is perfect for what I am trying to express...

"Nobody sees a flower--really--it is so small it takes time--we haven't time--and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time." 

--Georgia O'Keefe

And this quote by Dieter F. Uchtdorf always makes me think twice about how I am living my life...

"I pray that we will not wait until we are ready to die before we truly learn to live."

--Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Basically, I miss my family.

A while back, Devin and I had dinner with two of my brothers: Isaac and Seth. We ate white chicken chili, cornbread, and apple crisp (see the first picture). It was a fun night. I miss my brothers. Every once in a while, it's okay to reminisce on the past. I believe that it's healthy to remember the good times.

White Chicken Chili

gluten-free, can be dairy-free

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1/2 lb.)

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal (gluten-free)

1/4 cup milk (dairy-free if preferred)

1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter (oil or margarine works as well)

2 green bell peppers, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, minced

1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles

2 (14-oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and no pink remains. Drain water; allow chicken to cool. When cool, shred with two forks and set aside.
2. Combine the cornmeal and milk in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Melt the butter (or oil/margarine) in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the bell peppers, onions, and jalapenos and sauté until soft, about 6-8 minutes.
4. Add the green chiles, beans, broth, spices and salt, and shredded chicken to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a low boil. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
5. Add the cornmeal and milk mixture. Simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes to thicken.

Thank you Nicole for this recipe!

Gluten-free Cornbread

gluten-free, refined-sugar free, can be dairy-free

1 cup rice flour (1/2 cup white rice flour, 1/2 cup brown rice flour)

3/4 cup stone-ground cornmeal

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup honey, melted

1/2 to 3/4 cup milk (almond milk works great)

1/4 cup melted butter (or margarine)

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1. Grease an 8x8 baking dish (glass or metal). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together.
3. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients (eggs, honey, milk, and melted butter). Add this to the dry ingredients. Stir until moistened and no longer lumpy. Add in the xanthan gum.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes. It will be done when a wooden toothpick comes out clean. 
5. Serve warm with cinnamon vanilla honey butter (recipe below).

Cinnamon Vanilla Honey Butter

1 stick butter (1/2 cup), softened

1/4 cup honey, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-3 dashes of ground cinnamon

1. In a small bowl, stir together butter and honey. Mix well, until there are no longer clumps. Add in vanilla and cinnamon.
2. Place the bowl in the freezer and allow honey butter to harden (about 1 hour). Scoop honey butter into food processor and whip on high. 
3. Place whipped honey butter back into small bowl and serve with warm cornbread. Store in fridge.

Apple Crisp

gluten-free, can be dairy free

5 apples, peeled/cored/sliced (Macintosh, Jonagold, or Granny Smith work well)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

a dash of nutmeg (optional)

3/4 cup rolled oats (gluten-free)

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
2. In a mixing bowl, combine apples and lemon juice. Toss together.
3. Pour sliced apples into baking dish.
4. In a bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and oatmeal in a bowl. Cut in the butter. Sprinkle this mixture over the apples.
5. Place in oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, until topping looks crunchy and golden brown, and apples are tender. (Keep an eye on it!)
6. Serve with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

gluten-free banana bread

this banana bread is so good.

moist, soft, banana-y.

ohmahgosh. gayummm.

there's only one thing better than banana bread...

...day old banana bread.

it's so delicious.

even when it gets all soggy and moldy.

oh yeah, get some.

haha, just kidding.

Gluten-free Banana Bread

• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose baking flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4-5 medium ones)
• 1 cup sugar (1/2 cup white, 1/2 cup brown)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (more or less)

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, bananas, sugar, applesauce, oil and vanilla. Stir moist ingredients into dry ingredients, just until moistened. Stir in cinnamon.
2. Transfer to two loaf pans (about 8-in. x 4-in. in size) coated with cooking spray (or shortening), then dusted with gluten-free flour. Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

recipe found here

Eggs Benedict with Spinach Pesto

Making eggs benedict is like being part of a symphony. Every ingredient is like an instrument. Each plays an important part and must be in precise orchestration. If you miss one step or get off beat, the entire performance could end up in shambles.

For one, you have to have eggs poached perfectly with warm, runny yolks, hot buttered toasted English muffins, and a creamy, golden Hollandaise sauce. And even more difficult--each must be completed all about the same time.

When I order Eggs Benedict at a restaurant, I can't help but feel like royalty as I eat them.

Eggs benedict is definitely for a special occasion. And only those who have made them will fully appreciate them.

So if you're looking for a way to show someone how much you care for them, make them Eggs Benedict.

Poaching the eggs is by far the most difficult part, in my opinion. But that doesn't mean they are impossible to make. Actually with the right tools, they can be rather simple.

Easy Poached Eggs

• fresh eggs
• water
• 1 to 2 teaspoons vinegar (rice vinegar works well)

Equipment:

• shallow saucepan with cover
• slotted spoon

1. Fill your saucepan 2/3 full with water. Bring water to almost boiling. (If the water is already boiling, lower the heat until it is no longer boiling.) At this point, you can add one or two teaspoons of vinegar to the water, if you want. The vinegar will help the egg whites to coagulate more easily. (Thank you Alton Brown for teaching me this word.)
2. Make sure to only work with your eggs one by one. Crack an egg into a small cup, then place the cup near the surface of the hot water and gently drop the egg into the water. With a spoon, gently nudge the egg whites closer to their yolks. This will help the egg whites hold together.
3. You can either turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 4 minutes, until the egg whites are cooked. Or you can leave the stove on (water simmering slightly), cover the pan, and watch carefully--the egg will cook faster this way. But BEWARE...you must watch the egg CAREFULLY, because a few seconds in human time is minutes in egg poaching time. Every second counts.
4. Lift the eggs out of pan with a slotted spoon.
5. Want to know a cool trick I figured out a couple of years ago? Poach your eggs in a mason jar lid (ring included). Oil the lid, place it in the pan of hot water, drop the egg over the mason jar lid, let it settle in the ring, and then turn off the heat and cover. And voila! Perfectly shaped poached eggs in just a few minutes!

Note: Fresh eggs will be easier to poach than older eggs. This is because they don't spread out as much. Vinegar is optional, but it will help the eggs hold together. However, if you don't like the taste, omit.

Hollandaise sauce may seem intimidating, but if you make it in a blender, it is actually rather easy and has a wonderful consistency.

Blender Hollandaise Sauce

• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 dash Tabasco (or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper)
• 1/2 cup butter, melted and hot

1. In the container of a blender, combine the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice and Tabasco sauce. Cover, and blend for about 5 seconds.
2. Set the blender on high speed, and pour the hot butter into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream. It should thicken almost immediately.
3. Pour sauce into a glass bowl or serving pitcher. 
4. Keep the sauce warm until serving by placing the serving container in a pan of hot water.

Pesto sauce is usually made with fresh basil leaves, but when you don't have fresh basil on hand, or you are just too poor to afford it (like me), then spinach works almost just as well.

Spinach Pesto

• 4 cups washed, torn spinach leaves, stems removed, well packed
• 3 garlic cloves, halved
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts (or walnuts)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil (or 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves)
• 1/4 cup olive oil (I like the flavor of extra virgin olive oil)
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (omit if you want it dairy-free)
• 1/8-1 teaspoon salt (the amount will vary if you add the Parmesan cheese or not)

1. Place a few spinach leaves, garlic, pine nuts, basil and a little oil in blender or food processor. Cover and puree until leaves begin to look crushed. 
2. Continue adding spinach leaves with small amounts of oil to blender. Use a rubber spatula to help to combine pureed mixture, and to scrape off the sides of the food processor/blender. 
3. Add Parmesan cheese and salt. Cover and process until spinach pesto mixture is smooth.

To assemble:

• 8 pieces of cooked bacon or 4 pieces of Canadian bacon or smoked salmon (whatever floats your boat)
• 4 slices of tomato
• 8 slices of avocado
• 4 poached eggs
• 2 English muffins, sliced
• Butter
• Spinach Pesto

1. As soon as all the eggs are in the poaching water, begin toasting your English muffins. (You can gently remove the eggs from the poaching water and set them in a bowl, if your muffins are not toasted in time.)
2. After the muffins are toasted, butter one side of an English muffin. Slather with spinach pesto. Top with two slices of bacon or 1 slice of Canadian bacon or a piece of smoked salmon. Lay a tomato slice and 2 slices of avocado over that. Put a poached egg on top of the avocado, and then pour some hollandaise sauce over.
3. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, if desired. 
4. Repeat with additional ingredients.
5. Serve at once.

Eggs Benedict were made to be eaten with a fork and a knife.
Makes you feel like royalty, ya know?

Dev. He was all messy. No one really likes their picture taken while they are eating, but he is just so cute, I couldn't resist :)


Question of the Day:
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? 
I love oatmeal with bananas, dried figs, and cinnamon :)

THANKS for reading!
<3 Sarah

Cinnamon Rolls

Ciiinnnammoonn Rolllsss. Oh for the stars, they are so good.

Nom.

Nom.

Nom.

It was Christmas Eve. The time was 11:00 PM. The family and I were sitting around the table playing Scrabble (I was kicking their trash, of course). Suddenly I got an urge to make cinnamon rolls. I needed an overnight cinnamon roll recipe. Whatever was I to do?

When in doubt, turn to Our Best Bites. This cooking blog is so awesome. Two moms taking over the world with delicious recipes. Thank goodness for moms.

I found an overnight cinnamon roll recipe on their website and seriously, it is the BEST cinnamon roll recipe of all time. So good. Too good actually.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

For the dough...

• 1 T active dry yeast
• 1/2 C warm water 
• 4 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 C (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

For the filling...

• 1/2 C (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 C packed brown sugar
• 1 T cinnamon

For the cream cheese frosting...

• 1/2 C (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 8 oz (1 package) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2-3 C powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the water, allow to bloom for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth.  Whisk in 1/2 C of the flour.  Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot for about 30 minutes.  
2. Add the eggs, sugar, butter, and remaining 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture.  Fit the mixer with the dough hook and knead on medium speed until smooth 10-12 minutes. Add a bit more flour to reduce stickiness if needed.
3. Cover with plastic wrap, set in a warm spot and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.  
4. While dough is rising, prepare filling.  Take 2 T of the stick of butter and set aside.  Beat  remaining butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until combined and slightly fluffy, about 1 minute.
5. Butter a 9x13 baking dish.  Transfer the dough to a floured work surface.  Roll  out into a rectangle about 15x10 in.  Spread filling onto dough and roll up length-wise.  
6. Use string or dental floss to score and cut the dough into rolls.  You can make 12 small rolls, 10 medium ones, or 8 large.   Place cut side up in baking dish.  Melt the reserved 2 T butter and brush on top of rolls.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. 
7. The next morning remove from refrigerator and let rise until half again as high, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350.  Bake until golden brown, about 15-30 minutes.  Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, make the frosting. With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together (about 2 minutes on medium speed) until smooth. Add in the vanilla and mix. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a scraper. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Add more or less depending on how sweet you want the frosting. 
9. Spread the frosting over warm rolls and serve.

Cut with floss and never squish those cinnamon rolls again.

See? The perfect cut. It's amazing!

Look into the swirls...and become mesmerized.

Slather with butter. Oh yes.

After refrigerating overnight, remove plastic wrap and rise for an hour.

While those puppies are baking, make the cream cheese frosting.

Holy sweetness.

I laughed so hard when these came out of the oven. Apparently I crammed them too close together. Cinnamon roll explosion. Ha :)

Perfection.

We had to have a balance of sweet and tangy, and what's better than grapefruit?

The brothers on Christmas morning.

These are delicious plain...

...and even more delicious with frosting.

Savor every bite.

I am craving these so bad. Drool.

Oh, and here is my Christmas gift to you...

Merry (late) Christmas!

Love, the Hinckley siblings.

P.S. I adore my brothers :)

 <3 Sarah 

Pumpkin Pear Pesto Pizza

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Okay, yes, Halloween is over...darn :( 

I truly love Halloween.

Costumes. Candy. Crazy people.

It doesn't get much better than that.

Halloween accomplishments this year:

• Dressed up like a leopard
• Went to parties
• Danced the night away
• Watched scary movies
• Went trick-or-treating! (you can never be too old, right?)
• Ate WAY too much candy
• And...made pumpkin pizza...oh it was divine 

I felt like it was a successful holiday.

This is me and Devin about to head out the door to go trick-or-treating.

Our conversation:

(A few days before)
Devin: "Let's go trick-or-treating on Halloween!"
Me: "Okay, that sounds like fun!"

(An hour before)

Devin: "Are you ready to go?"

Me: "Devin...I don't know...aren't we a little too old to go trick-or-treating?"

Devin: "Sarah, seriously? You can't just change your mind right before we go..."
Me: "But all these little kids keep coming to my door. I haven't seen any adults yet. And I feel bad..."

Devin: "Sarah, we are going."

Me: "Ugh..."

(After about 10 minutes of Devin and my roommate Jane convincing me to go)

Me: "Okay, fine...I'll go."

And I am so glad we went. People LOVED our costumes. Plus we got invited into someone's house to eat mouthwatering scones and hot apple cider. Yum :)

Oh, and did I mention that Devin dressed up as Moses?

Yep.

I could not stop laughing when I saw his costume. I couldn't even look at him...but in all seriousness, he looked like a stranger to me. Thank goodness he only looked this way for one night :)

Rawr.

Best friend couples! Me and my bestie Katie. And Leah and her bestie Ashley.

Okay, so this guy's costume was amazing. He dressed up like an old man AKA Mr. Rogers. He dyed his hair gray, drew wrinkles on his face, and dressed in old-school clothing. Definitely legit.

Bored Sarah = photo editing

Now onto the FOOD!

Have you ever had a pear gorgonzola pizza?

Or a butternut squash pizza?

Well if not, you are missing out.

To me, pizza is not that great.

Pros: tastes good.

Cons: greasy, too much cheese, unhealthy toppings (sorry pepperoni-lovers...)

However, pizza can taste delicious without all the bad stuff...

This pizza is proof.

First things first...roasted butternut squash with caramelized onions and rosemary.

You will think you've died and gone to heaven. Roasted veggies are my weakness. I eat them like a little kid would inhale candy. Nom nom nom.

And what better way than to serve them on a pizza?

And not to forget about another AMAZING pizza topping...pear.

Yes, you heard me. Pear, with gorgonzola cheese of course.

I had never had this combination before until Devin told me about it.

He had it a couple of times at restaurants, and loved it.

So we gave it a try. And it was...SO GOOD.

The combination of the sweet pear with the salty cheese. Perfect.

Oh, and don't forget the pesto!

Get in my belly...

Devin showing off his pizza dough tossing skills.

Show-off :)

 Flattening pizza dough my way.

 Ummm...

We decided to eat on the floor. Cute, right?

Confession: I only have one chair in my house...hence why we sat on sofa cushions.

Let's just pretend that we made the decision to sit on the floor ourselves :)

The wonderful pumpkin we carved.

A bit gruesome, I admit.

Ahhh!!

Classic Pizza Crust

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.
3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups white-wheat flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
2. Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the white-wheat flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining white-wheat flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.
4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top.

Basil Pesto

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (or 1 cup fresh basil leaves and 1 cup fresh spinach leaves)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine the basil/spinach in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.
2. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Pumpkin Pizza (Butternut Squash Pizza)

• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1/2 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Pizza crust dough
• Pesto (or marinara)
• Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place sliced onion and squash in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; toss to coat.
2. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until onions are lightly browned and squash is tender; set aside.
3. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F. 
4. Spread pesto or marinara over the pizza dough (I like to spread half of the dough with pesto and the other half with marinara). Cover with Mozzarelle cheese (however much you like). Distribute squash mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is firm.

Pear Gorgonzola Pizza

• 4 ounces sliced provolone cheese (or swiss cheese)
• 1 Bosc pear, thinly sliced
• 2 ounces chopped walnuts
• 2 1/2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• Fresh basil
• Pizza crust dough
• Pesto (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place pizza crust dough on a medium baking sheet. Layer with Provolone (or swiss) cheese. Top cheese with Bosc pear slices. Sprinkle with walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese.
3. Add fresh basil, if desired.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned.