Mini Banana-Nut Nutella Muffins

It's the end of the month, which means I am diving deep into my pantry + fridge. Sometimes this is when the best little creations occur...like these little guys. Quick, easy + seriously yummy.  

mix-up your bread mix according to the directions on box and distribute into mini-muffin cups. fill about 1/4 full with batter, then add about a teaspoon [or more] of nutella and then add remaining banana-nut mixture, until each muffin cup is about 3/4 full. bake @ 375 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, or until a tooth-pick comes out clean of batter.

love bite-sized desserts. 

and you're gonna love these too! 

Versatile Blogger Awards

One of my fellow foodie friends has graciously nominated me for The Versatile Blogger Award. Thanks so much Jessica, you made my day!! Check her out @ A Kitchen Addiction <------- fabulous recipes + photos! [yummy]

Here are the rules for the Versatile Blog Award:

•  Thank the person who gave you this award. 
•  Include a link to their blog.
•  Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly. 
•  Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award.
•  Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself. 
• In the same post, include this set of rules. 
• Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs

So, what is the Versatile Blogger Award?  "It is a great way to introduce different bloggers to each other and to promote quality blogs that awardees and their readers may not have discovered otherwise.”

So, in the honor of 'paying it forward'- drum roll please...Here are my nominees! For the love of Pete, do yourself a favor, take 5 mintues [or more!] and check out their awesome blogs. You will not be disappointed...promise!!  

chaos in the kitchen 

living in yellow 

good life for less 

pearls,handcuffs, and happy hour 

not without salt

wash the dog 

story of my life 

peas and crayons 

(a)musing foodie 

I can cook that 

rose 'a la mode 

hungry meets healthy

eat yourself skinny 

curry and comfort

apartment 46

Ok Miss Jessica-- here are my totally random 7 fun-facts! [in no particular order]

1. I would not, [could not] live without salt. end of story. 
2. I could eat bacon for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 
3. any type of repetitive tappy, crunchy, crinkly sound drives me bananas and is usually followed by a "look" [can't help it, it's the teacher in me. which you would think would mean I have a higher tolerance for such annoying sounds. nope.]
4. I've broken my nose 3 times. yes, three separate times. fun!
5. I am consistently 5 minutes late. used to be 10...progress!
6. I am terrified of spiders. EEK! [just writing it freaks me out!]
7. I met my husband on a playground. 

the end. 

now go check out those blogs people. 

shew!

Instagram - Week in Review 2

This past week flew by! And now it's almost the end of March. Say whaaa? Where'd the month go? Anywho...here's a little bit of this + that thanks to my life-documenting app---> Instagram. 

absolutely loving all of the beautiful blossoms. 

these happen to be bursting in front of our house! 

prettyness!

Downtown Frederick --> East Church Street 

a deelightful sight on the way to work 

super foggy mornings made for some pretty interesting shots!

did I mention it was foggy?? good gracious! 

Beautiful Czech eggs I brought back from Prague for my Momma about 5 years ago. We're talking carrying in hand--through customs in London + state-side-- whilst annoyingly asking all airport security to PLEASE be gentle! Only to be delivered [unbroken!] Easter Sunday. That, is love people. 

they are not kiddin! their reuben is no joke. 

husband tested + wife approved. two thumbs up!

FINALLY!! something Michael and I have in common!

went on a little field trip with the kiddos to the science center. made a new friend. 

I'll call him Spike. 

spring time color obsessions---mint + tangerine. gimme!

weekend treat ---> mini-strawberry-pie @ Cafe NOLA

perfection.

Monday = Teacher Workday. 

aka never ending to do lists + never ending piles...day. 

however, I am happy to report-productivity showed up + took over.

[thank goodness] 

gotta try to keep the productivity going with our never-ending pile of laundry. 

which goes a little something like this...

Quick + Spicy Peanut Noodles

You ever just have a hankering for something because of something you saw on TV or in a magazine. Well, this happens to me often. I'm an advertisers dream! I was looking back through some old cooking mags trying to decide which ones to keep + which to pitch and I came to a section devoted to Thai cuisine. One of the recipes was a peanut noodle salad of sorts. Mind you, this scenario was occurring at 6pm on Friday eve, while I was laid-up on the couch nursing a barometric pressure headache. Dinner time was right around the corner and I knew any minute Kev was going to saying--"so what's on the menu tonight, babe?" Sooooo, with some quick thinking [and using only what I had on my shelves] I came up with this quick + easy recipe. Cured my headache, hit the spot and it took me maybe 20 minutes to make. Success people! 

Quick + Spicy Peanut Noodles 

serves 2 

• 8-10 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti, cooked
• 3 tbsp seasame oil 
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 3 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup shredded carrots

1. heat sesame oil and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over med-high heat. [be careful not to burn the red pepper flakes!]
2. add honey, soy sauce and peanut butter. slow stir until all ingredients are mixed well. 
3. remove from heat. pour sauce into a large mixing bowl. add cilantro + carrots. 
4. finally add cooked pasta and using tongs, combine with sauce. 

serve immediately. have peanuts on hand? add some for a yummy crunch! 

these sweet little chopsticks traveled all the back from Japan with me. 

[aww]

quick-easy-good. done!

[Easy] Curry Risotto

Risotto is one of my most favorite comfort foods. However, I hardly ever make it because it is time-consuming, back-breaking work! All that stirring and pouring, and stirring and pouring-- yeah, not into it. I finally found a fool proof -EASY- way to make one of my favorite dishes + I'm thrilled about it! 


My girlfriends and I usually get together once a week [when we can] and do dinner, drinks and a lot of giggling. We all have different tastes [vegetarians and peskatarians alike], so when I host these gatherings I try to have a dish that everyone can alternate and customize, like this pizza party I had a couple of weeks ago. This risotto definitely did the trick thanks to all of the yummy toppings! 

it's easy because it's baked! cheyeah. 

[p.s. this is probably the fanciest piece of cookware I own. 

Thank you, Nana for the suh-weet heirloom]

[Easy] Curry Risotto 

adapted from O [Oprah] Magazine 

serves 4-6

• 6 strips of bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups water
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 3 tbsp curry powder

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees. using an oven safe, straight-sided saucepan or Dutch oven with lid, cook bacon over med-high heat. 
2. when bacon is cooked through-remove bacon and let drain on a plated paper towel. reserve fat in pan, and add onion. cook until soft and see-through--about 3 minutes. 
3. add rice and stir to coat well. stir in the wine and cook until it evaporates. [about 1 minute]
4. add spices + salt and pepper to taste. stir in water and bring to a boil. 
5. cover + bake for 20-25 minutes. check the risotto-- most of the liquid should be absorbed. 

serve immediately. choose your toppings [like all of them] and enjoy!

toppings! fresh basil-mango chutney-bacon-grilled chicken-craisins + candy walnuts 

I girl scout promise, to never-ever break my arm trying to make risotto again.

on my honor.  

Me Gusta, Tostadas

I like toast. Apparently that is what 'me gusta, tostadas' directly translates to. While this statement is true [I do love me some toast!], I really like this tostada recipe that I adapted from Ms. YUM-O herself, Rachael Ray.

Tostadas with Fresh Salsa 

serves 4 Adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray 

• corn or vegetable oil, for frying
• 4 corn tortillas (6 inches) 
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 3-4 small red potatoes, cooked-halved + quartered 
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded + finely chopped
• 2 jalapeno chili peppers, seeded + finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth 
• small handful of cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• s + p
• 1 1/2 tbsp of butter
• 1 tbsp flour 
• 2/3 cup of milk [ I used Almond Milk, and it worked great!]
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese [feel free to use whatever cheese you'd like, cheddar would work great too]
• Greek Yogurt for garnishing 

mmm. fresh salsa! 

1. start by putting together the salsa. combine tomatoes, jalapeno [just one], onion [half], cilantro, and lemon juice. set aside. 
2. next, begin browning ground turkey in a large pan over med-high heat. 
3. once browned, add potatoes making sure to get them brown as well.  
4. then add cumin, chili powder, garlic, the remaining jalapeno and onion, and tomato paste. plus, s + p to taste. 
5. stir and combine all of the ingredients until well mixed, then add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. 
6. while simmering, in a small sauce pan create your cheese sauce by melting the butter and slowly whisking in the flour. once these ingredients are combined, slowly start adding the milk while continuing to whisk. once mixture becomes thick, begin adding the cheese. stir until all the cheese it melted and blended well. [slow + steady with this process!]
7. transfer meat mixture to a bowl to cool. 
8. heat a thin layer of oil in the pan to quickly fry the tortillas. 1-2 minutes on a side should do the trick! 
9. once finished frying, layer your tostadas up with your tortilla, then meat mixture, cheese sauce, fresh salsa, and top it off with a dollop of greek yogurt! 

YUM-O is right!

a little messy, but sooo worth it. 

ahh muy bueno! 

Eggplant Mozzarella with Roasted Asparagus

Like eggplant parmesan? Well, you're going to loooove eggplant mozzarella. Imagine ooey gooey melted mozzarella layered on top perfect prosciutto, bold marinara, and crispy-crunchy eggplant. Did I mention all of this is on top of roasted asparagus. Yeah-- this combo is a winnner!! 

oh my. 

Eggplant Mozzarella with Roasted Asparagus

serves 4 

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 eggplant, pealed and sliced
• 8 slices of fresh mozzarella 
• 8 slices of prosciutto 
• 2 cups of your favorite jarred marinara [mine is Wegman's Grandpa's Sauce]
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 large bunch of fresh asparagus
• EVOO 
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

1. pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. clean + snap asparagus. place in oven safe baking dish. drizzle with EVOO, sprinkle with s+p and lemon juice. roast for 15-20 minutes, or until bright green + tender. 
3. meanwhile, sprinkle eggplant slices with salt to draw out the moisture for 30-50 minutes.
4. rinse eggplant slices off with water + pat dry. 
5. next, mix bread crumbs, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and Italian Seasoning in a medium bowl with a large opening. 
6. heat a thin layer of EVOO in a large pan over med-high heat. 
7. begin breading eggplant by dipping in egg wash and then into bread crumb mixture. repeat with each eggplant slice. 
8. place eggplant slices in pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. 
9. then reduce heat, spoon marinara over each piece of eggplant, place a piece of proscuitto on top of marinara, and finish with the mozzarella on top. 
10. for you veggie lovers out there--skip the proscuitto part [and save it for me!]
11. finally, remove asparagus from oven, and turn the broiler on high. 
12. place pan with eggplant stacks under broiler to melt the mozzarella. 
13. to serve, layer asparagus with the eggplant stacks on top. 

sprinkle with chopped parsley, if you're feeling fancy!

ya dig? dig in. 

xoxo

Instagram - Week in Review 1

For those of you who don't know [maybe my more senior readers, hi Mom!] Instagram is a fabulous little photo/social media app for your [smart] phone. For my generation, who is obsessed with sharing all the quirks and little details of our day-to-day lives [me included!], it's kinda like Pringles...once ya pop- you can't stop! My brother [a freelance photographer/videographer] always told me "the best camera to have, is the one in your pocket." So without further-ado, here is my weekly recap thanks to Instagram.

the week started with some exciting daily deelight stats. 

whew hoo! here's to babysteps!

daffodils are showing their pretty faces just about everywhere. including in front of our house! 

So apparently I have been out of the loop. Cheerios has like 17 [ok maybe not 17] different choices now. When did this happen? according to my husband, it has always been like this. I beg to differ, sir! I think I would have noticed amazing choices like peanut butter [so good!!] and cinnamon burst, banana nut, and dulce de leche. hellooo!! Get some!

it's funny, because it's true!!

Lucky Charms played a key roll this week. Not only did they take me back to my childhood days of sleep-overs at girls houses who were actually allowed to have these sugar-laced cereals, they also were the main ingredient in a fun St. Patrick's Day inspired probability activity with my 4th graders. 

Spring is here people! Tree's are bursting with beautiful blossoms everywhere. I love it! My allergies...ehh that's another sneezy-story. 

One of my besties and I were a couple of tie-dyin' fools. Much needed St. Paddy's Day attire.  

BREAKING NEWS! The Daily Deelight will be getting a serious facelift!! 

This is big peeps!! Stay tuned...

Skinnygirl Beer Ritas! 

Skinnygirl Margaritas [thank you, Bethenny!] + Bud Light Lime + fresh squeezed lime juice = 

a St. Paddy's Day drink to be remembered! 

thoroughly enjoyed my St. Paddy's Day. 

[please notice the finished tie-dyed tee + the custom hatah-blockahs] 

Chloe showing off her asssets. 

finished up the week with some couch time + inspiring reads! 

hope everyone had a delicious + fun-filled weekend.

here's to a not so maniac Monday!

xoxo

Corned Beef Reuben Roll-Ups

Happy St. Party's Day err I mean St. Patrick's Day! Find your green + pretend you're Irish! Gotta have some corned beef for St. Patrick's...right?! However the traditional corned beef + cabbage...not really my thing. Reuben's however, yeah I can get my Irish Jig on for that! These roll-ups have all the makings of a classic reuben [minus the swiss cheese--bleech!] all rolled up into a handy-dandy delicious + easy-to-grab crescent roll. 

mmmmm. tasty!

shredded pepper-jack cheese, sauerkraut, crescent rolls, thousand island dressing, sliced corned beef [+1 egg whipped for egg-wash]

roll out crescent rolls on a foil lined cookie sheet. layer each roll with dressing, corned beef, sauerkraut, and cheese. then roll'em up! brush with an egg wash for that pretty baked-sheen. sprinkle tops with s+p. bake @ 375 degrees for 8-11 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. 

grab + go! St. Patrick's Day festivities are calling!