Winstead Wandering

Prone to Wander

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

by

With plenty of chicken, gooey melted cheese, and the best homemade sauce, Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are a perfect take on a favorite weeknight meal.

With plenty of chicken, gooey melted cheese, and the best homemade sauce, Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are a perfect take on a favorite weeknight meal.

A whole lot of my favorite dinner recipes include shredded chicken. Actually, I use it so often that I’ll typically prepare a bunch at once by baking it in the oven or cooking it in my Instant Pot. I use generic seasonings, like garlic and onion powder, and I use my KitchenAid mixer to shred the chicken while it’s hot. Then I have cooked chicken to use in Bacon Cheddar Ranch Chicken Roll-Up, Baked Chicken Taquitos, or these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas.

I much prefer green enchiladas to red, and I especially prefer them when made with my Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce. Once the sauce is made, these little guys are super quick to prepare, especially if you’ve made your chicken in advance. It’s a perfect recipe to make earlier in the day and refrigerate until dinnertime. Serve with your favorite sides and you’ve got a meal.

With plenty of chicken, gooey melted cheese, and the best homemade sauce, Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are a perfect take on a favorite weeknight meal.

[Read more…]

Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies

by

Made with flaky pie crust and chunks of caramel, Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies are an adorable, mouthwatering version of the favorite holiday dessert.

Made with flaky pie crust and chunks of caramel, Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies are an adorable, mouthwatering version of the favorite holiday dessert.

Probably my favorite thing about hand pies is that they’re supposed to be rustic. You don’t get that pressure to make sure the rim of the crust is perfectly pinched, or make a fancy design with the top crust. Instead, you get the freedom to mold the pies by hand, to make imperfect seams and homemade shapes. It’s the perfect scenario for those who love to bake, but don’t care to get fancy with it.

Made with flaky pie crust and chunks of caramel, Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies are an adorable, mouthwatering version of the favorite holiday dessert.

Know what else is perfect? The filling in these Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies. The tart apples are finely diced to allow them to soften appropriately during the abbreviated cooking time. They’re tossed with traditional apple pie seasonings, and then they just sit for a while as the flavors develop. The crust itself doesn’t need to be anything special — I just use a prepackaged kind — because, in addition to the apples, the little pies are stuffed with chunks of caramel and flakes of salt. That right there would be enough, but to take them really over the top, the pies are drizzled with a rich caramel sauce that offers the perfect finished touch.

Made with flaky pie crust and chunks of caramel, Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies are an adorable, mouthwatering version of the favorite holiday dessert.

[Read more…]

Oatmeal Cream Pie Cupcakes

by

With a tender, flavor-packed cupcake and real cookie chunks in the frosting, Oatmeal Cream Pie Cupcakes are the perfect decadent treat.

With a tender, flavor-packed cupcake and real cookie chunks in the frosting, Oatmeal Cream Pie Cupcakes are the perfect decadent treat.

I got a text a few Fridays ago. It was around noon, and the text was from a friend asking if I’d make cupcakes for her son to celebrate his birthday with his baseball team the next day. It was a no-pressure type thing, and she offered to pick some up from the Walmart bakery if I didn’t have time to bake anything.

With a tender, flavor-packed cupcake and real cookie chunks in the frosting, Oatmeal Cream Pie Cupcakes are the perfect decadent treat.

But y’all, friends don’t let friends buy Walmart cupcakes. Plus, I never turn down an opportunity to make them, especially when the friend gives me free reign over the flavors. I wanted to try flavors that would be a little bit unexpected while also pleasing the palates of a bunch of preteen boys. I made homemade oatmeal cream pies several years ago, and I remembered my friend’s husband mentioning hiding his Little Debbie snack cakes from their boys, and so the idea for Oatmeal Cream Pie Cupcakes was born.

With a tender, flavor-packed cupcake and real cookie chunks in the frosting, Oatmeal Cream Pie Cupcakes are the perfect decadent treat.

The actual cake part starts out standard enough; I use a box mix, as I usually do, but I added some extra goodies to take it into homemade territory. Because I’ve never made a cupcakes that wasn’t begging to be stuffed or filled with something, I cut miniature cream pie circles and tucked those down inside the batter. I used the extra cookie pieces in the frosting, because why wouldn’t I? The end result is these Oatmeal Cream Pie Cupcakes: rich, moist, and deliciously homemade.

With a tender, flavor-packed cupcake and real cookie chunks in the frosting, Oatmeal Cream Pie Cupcakes are the perfect decadent treat.

[Read more…]

Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce

by

Making homemade green enchilada sauce is easier than you think, and it’s the perfect way to turn up the volume on your favorite enchiladas recipe.

Making homemade green enchilada sauce is easier than you think, and it's the perfect way to turn up the volume on your favorite enchiladas recipe.

I’ve never been a fan of enchiladas made with red sauce. I do like them better when I use homemade sauce, but I much prefer enchiladas made with a lighter, green sauce. Plus, I’ll basically eat anything with roasted peppers, so there’s that.

Roasting fresh peppers gives them a depth of flavor that you just can’t find in a canned sauce. By combining the peppers with garlic and onions, you get a result that, in addition to being the perfect Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce, can be used as a salsa or a marinade.

Making homemade green enchilada sauce is easier than you think, and it's the perfect way to turn up the volume on your favorite enchiladas recipe.

[Read more…]

Frosted Heath Cookie Bars

by

Skip the bore and the time suck of rolling individual cookies and make these chewy and decadent toffee-studded Frosted Heath Cookie Bars instead.

Skip the bore and the time suck of rolling individual cookies and make these chewy and decadent toffee-studded Frosted Heath Cookie Bars instead.

Frosted cookie bars are one of my favorite easy desserts. I love that, instead of spending a ton of time in the kitchen rolling out and baby-sitting individual cookies, I can plop the dough in a pan, set the timer, and come back to a finished product. These Frosted Heath Cookie Bars are wonderful on their own; they’d be great even without the frosting. Everything is better frosted, though, and this homemade vanilla frosting takes the bars over the top.

Skip the bore and the time suck of rolling individual cookies and make these chewy and decadent toffee-studded Frosted Heath Cookie Bars instead.

I made these a while back for J to take to a party. Over the next few days I got multiple requests to share the recipe and to make them again. It isn’t tough to see why; these Frosted Heath Cookie Bars are thick and chewy, with a moistness and a richness you won’t find in regular cookies. The homemade frosting is fluffy, light, and the perfect complement to the toffee-studded bars.

Skip the bore and the time suck of rolling individual cookies and make these chewy and decadent toffee-studded Frosted Heath Cookie Bars instead.

[Read more…]

Cheesy Chicken Poblano Dip

by

Loaded with three cheeses, shredded chicken, and pops of roasted poblano peppers, Cheesy Chicken Poblano Dip is the perfect crowd-pleaser for any get-together.

Loaded with three cheeses, shredded chicken, and pops of roasted poblano peppers, Cheesy Chicken Poblano Dip is the perfect crowd-pleaser for any get-together.

My love affair with poblano peppers continues. It began with Roasted and Poblano and Onion Quesadillas, and then it heightened with Pasta in Roasted Poblano Cheddar Cream Sauce. Now things are really ramping up with this Cheesy Chicken Poblano Dip. Let’s be real here: you just cannot go wrong with a good dip recipe, especially as college football season heats up. But when that dip comes packed with three kinds of cheese, hearty shredded chicken, and the mild flavor of roasted poblanos? Then it becomes irresistible.

The dip is baked, which results in a dish of creamy, melty goodness. Once the dip is warmed through, you fire up the broiler to get the cheese on top especially gooey and golden. It’s awesome served warm immediately after baking, but you can also refrigerate it, either before or after baking. Whether you’re preparing it in advance or baking immediately, this Cheesy Chicken Poblano Dip will be the recipe your friends and family can’t get enough of.

Loaded with three cheeses, shredded chicken, and pops of roasted poblano peppers, Cheesy Chicken Poblano Dip is the perfect crowd-pleaser for any get-together.

[Read more…]

Brown Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies

by

Not only are these Brown Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies a unique and delectable twist on a classic dessert, they’re also prepared on the stove in just one pan!

Not only are these Brown Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies a unique and delectable twist on a classic dessert, they're also prepared on the stove in just one pan!

My brother-in-law began his first year of college just a few weeks ago. He’s going to school in New York so, along with mailing Unc Noah her artwork, B began asking if we could send him cookies pretty much as soon as he left. Of course I loved the idea because I’m always looking for an excuse to bake and give away treats, and also because my mom used to mail me cookies when I was in college, too.

One thing or another seemed to come up nearly every day for a couple weeks, and then my mother-in-law decided to make a last-minute trip to visit Noah. Perfect timing! Instead of sending the cookies through USPS, we sent them via Delta right in her carry-on.

Not only are these Brown Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies a unique and delectable twist on a classic dessert, they're also prepared on the stove in just one pan!

I took the cookie-making opportunity to make these Brown Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies. In addition to the depth of flavor the brown butter provides, this recipe is unique because the whole thing comes together on the stove in a saucepan. Yup, after browning the butter, you add the rest of the ingredients to the pan, mix it all up, and then you’r ready to shape cookies.

B and I had a great time making these cookies together and, of course, we all enjoyed eating them, too. Browning the butter and then melting in brown sugar provides a wonderful toffee flavor that takes these a step beyond traditional chocolate chip cookies. They’re further elevated with three different flavors of chocolate chips, some of which melt in the warm dough to leave sweet swirls throughout. The end result is chewy, tender cookies with plenty of chocolate and toffee flavor in every bite.

Not only are these Brown Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies a unique and delectable twist on a classic dessert, they're also prepared on the stove in just one pan!

[Read more…]

Hashbrown Crust Breakfast Pizza

by

With a crispy crust, tender veggies, fluffy scrambled eggs, and plenty of melted cheese, this Hashbrown Crust Breakfast Pizza is perfect any time of day.

With a crispy crust, tender veggies, fluffy scrambled eggs, and plenty of melted cheese, this Hashbrown Crust Breakfast Pizza is perfect any time of day.

I first shared this Hashbrown Crust Breakfast Pizza on my friend Kayla’s blog. She’s since refocused to share about all things Disney, so she gave me the go-ahead to share this recipe here.

It’s no secret that I love breakfast foods (see here or here), and I also love pizza (here and here). Combining the two was a natural step, and the results were everything I’d hoped they would be. In fact, this breakfast pizza is so outstanding, it even made it to a Buzzfeed post.

With a crispy crust, tender veggies, fluffy scrambled eggs, and plenty of melted cheese, this Hashbrown Crust Breakfast Pizza is perfect any time of day.

So what’s all the hype about? To start, you toss pre-made hashbrowns with melted butter and bake to form a crispy crust. The crust is topped with tender veggies and fluffy scrambled eggs (plus any other toppings you can dream up), sprinkled with plenty of shredded cheese, and baked until the whole thing is one delightful dish of crispy, melty, whole family-pleasing goodness.

With a crispy crust, tender veggies, fluffy scrambled eggs, and plenty of melted cheese, this Hashbrown Crust Breakfast Pizza is perfect any time of day.

[Read more…]

Strawberry-Filled Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

by

What happens when you combine homemade strawberry filling, moist vanilla cupcakes, and decadent cream cheese frosting? You get Strawberry-Filled Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

What happens when you combine homemade strawberry filling, moist vanilla cupcakes, and decadent cream cheese frosting? You get Strawberry-Filled Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Look, I’m just as eager as the next person for the arrival of fall. Probably more eager, actually, because a lot of people don’t live in the sweltering humidity of summer in Mississippi. But while I’m 100 percent ready to embrace sweatshirts, football, and all things pumpkin, there are at least a few parts of summer that I’m not quite ready to let go of.

Case in point: strawberries, particularly when they’re in these Strawberry-Filled Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. These little beauties are a twist on a cake I’ve been making for years, which is a twist on a cake my mom has been making for years. I’ve yet to share that cake recipe because I can’t seem to keep it around long enough to get photos. Moist and delicate cake, fresh strawberries, and homemade cream cheese frosting? Yeah, you can see why the cake disappears to quickly.

What happens when you combine homemade strawberry filling, moist vanilla cupcakes, and decadent cream cheese frosting? You get Strawberry-Filled Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

These cupcakes are simply the cute portable version of that family favorite. I do my usual jazzing up of a store-bought cake mix, which results in fluffy cupcakes. Instead of layering sliced berries between big cake rounds, I make a fresh homemade sauce that’s packed with berry flavor. The thickened sauce gets spooned into a little pocket in the center of each cooked cupcakes, but it seeps into the cake to create an incredibly satisfying flavor combination. Neither the cake or the filling are overly sweet because the whole shebang is topped with the lightest, most decadent cream cheese frosting.

While you’ll certainly find me baking my fair share of pumpkin cupcakes and scones, you’ll also see me clinging to the last days of strawberry season, mostly in honor of these must-make cupcakes.

What happens when you combine homemade strawberry filling, moist vanilla cupcakes, and decadent cream cheese frosting? You get Strawberry-Filled Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

[Read more…]

Mexican Street Corn Salad

by

With sweet and smoky charred corn, cool sour cream and citrus, and the perfect notes of spice, this Mexican Street Corn Salad will be a year-round hit at your house!

With sweet and smoky charred corn, cool sour cream and citrus, and the perfect notes of spice, this Mexican Street Corn Salad will be a year-round hit at your house!

I first made this Mexican Street Corn Salad a few months ago for guests. The adults and the teenagers all raved about it, and not in a just-being-polite kind of way, either. In fact, at least a couple of them went back for seconds and thirds. I made it recently for a church potluck and, again, the salad got rave reviews.

With sweet and smoky charred corn, cool sour cream and citrus, and the perfect notes of spice, this Mexican Street Corn Salad will be a year-round hit at your house!

It’s not hard to see why this recipe is such a hit. With the sweet and smoky notes of charred corn, the hit of spice from chipotle chili pepper and jalapeños, and the cooling notes of sour cream and citrus, you’ve got a perfect summer salad that will transition right into fall. Sure, grilled corn is typically a summer staple, but the beauty of this recipe is that you capture all the favorite flavors of Mexican street corn without leaving your kitchen.

With sweet and smoky charred corn, cool sour cream and citrus, and the perfect notes of spice, this Mexican Street Corn Salad will be a year-round hit at your house!

[Read more…]