Author: Amanda

Loaded Beef Nachos

- Amanda 2 Comments

Is it the weekend yet? Close enough I think. And maybe just the right time to start dreaming about indulging in something as mouth watering as these Loaded Beef Nachos. A name I’m not sure really does this plate justice. Because it really made all our nacho dreams come true and I’m pretty sure will do the same for you. It’s exactly what our locked down life needs at this point where, quite frankly, we’re all starting to feel pretty over it. But we’re pushing on through as it doesn’t seem to be anywhere near over yet. And in the meantime, we’ll be right here eating these.

This recipe really makes that perfect plate of nachos. You’ve got crunchy chips, ultra smooth nacho sauce, cumin-spiced black beans (though pinto or even kindey will do the trick,) taco-seasoned beef, saucy yogurt, and fresh pico de gallo and guacamole. A little fresh cilantro on top and if you close your eyes you just might feel like you’re in your favorite nacho joint with the fam or your besties, wherever that may be.

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Luscious Lemon Bars

- Amanda

Who doesn’t love a good lemon bar? While I think it impossible not to have a special place in one’s heart for the zesty-shortbread-bottomed-citrus delight, I’m sure there exists those who don’t. This post is not for them. I hadn’t made lemon bars in a while but hearing that my sweet baking-loving niece in LA recently made some and how outrageous they were, first made me sad I couldn’t be there to sample some of her creation, but also really made me want to eat some. Which meant I had to make some. And since the recipe she used was so outstanding, I decided to give that a go instead of my usual lemon bar recipe.

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Sourdough Pancakes

- Amanda

Everyone has a favorite pancake recipe but this is one I think is worth adding to your recipe file. Have you made a sourdough starter yet? Well, just in case these crackers or the thousands of drool worthy sourdough bread photos floating around the internet right now haven’t lured you to get in on this trend, maybe these scrumptious fluffy Sourdough Pancakes will do the trick. They really are unique and so good.

I had never made or tried these anywhere before, I don’t think, but with leftover starter discard in my fridge, how could I not give them a try? My kids live for pancakes and as much as I’d love to save my discard for my new obsession, the previously mention Sourdough Discard Crackers, I figured I had to use a little for a twist on a breakfast treat. Well, I’m very glad I did, because these were really yummy. Like better than your favorite diner or gourmet cafe good. They were buttery, light, soft on the inside and ever-so-slightly crisp on the edges with a bit of tasty tang you don’t normally find in a pancake.

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Turmeric & Spinach C-Booster

- Amanda 2 Comments

It’s Saturday and for us that usually means more treats, more bread, or just anything a little more decadent. But in between those less good-for-you moments, I like to make sure we’re all getting in our vitamins and nutrients. Enter this Turmeric & Spinach C Booster. It’s delicous, refreshing and packs a nice nutricious punch. And just in case you need more proof that this is indeed yummy, the kids gave it two thumbs up and my littlest did her happy smoothie dance.

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Celebration Cake

- Amanda

I don’t think there’s much I need to say about this cake, except maybe to be careful if you try to nose-dive right into it. Just look at that frosting. This Celebration Cake is dreamy, silk-chocolatey-heaven on top of light and fluffy vanilla cake. For me personally, that combo right there, just might be the perfect cake or cupcake pair ever. It’s classic and the best of both worlds. Not too plain and not super chocolate overload (perhaps not really such a thing.) But this really offers something for everyone. And there’s no scooping cupcake batter, piping frosting or stacking cake layers to be done here. Just bake the cake in one pan, slather on said chocolatey goodness and shower it with sprinkles if you wish. (The sprinkles besides being beautiful and really adding to the “celebrate” part, give such a fun texture contrast with each bite.

We made this cake to celebrate two important birthdays that happened in the same week. The birth of my newest nephew, the cutest little lovebug ever and the 15th birthday of my only other nephew. I had planned to be in LA for the birth but that got derailed thanks to Covid-19. And I was excited to have been able to be in town at that time so I could make the cake for the big 15. I’ve missed his last few birthdays being here in Istanbul. Well, boo. A tough pill to swallow on both accounts but we still wanted to celebrate these awesome humans we are lucky enough to call family. And this cake seemed the perfect fit.

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