recipe Archives | Page 20 of 20 | Winstead Wandering

brown sugar balsamic strawberries

January 24, 2015 by Abby

Strawberries. Balsamic vinegar. Sugar. These are a few of my favorite things. They’re also three things I never would have imagined combining into one dish, let along enjoying. But a few years ago, I stumbled across a recipe- if you could even call it that; it basically just listed the three ingredients- on a blog I don’t recall. I was intrigued, and I happened to have everything I needed, so I threw it together.

The berries get tossed in the rich brown sugar and the acidic balsamic vinegar. Everyone rests in the fridge for a few minutes, getting chilled and cozy. When you pull it out to eat, the sugar and vinegar have come together to form a sweet and tangy sauce. The vinegar has begun to break down the berries, making them soft and delicate. It’s all a pretty lovely process.

It’s important to note that I’ve never followed a recipe when making this dish. I measured the last time I made it so that I’d be able to provide a recipe here, but keep in mind that there’s not really a wrong way to combine these three ingredients, so feel free to play around with it.

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sausage, egg, and cheese crescent roll bake

January 19, 2015 by Abby

We’re no strangers to brinner- breakfast + dinner- around my house. In fact, we probably have it at least twice a week. I love it because most breakfast options are fast and frugal, which are two huge factors I use in determining what we’ll be eating each week.

The other thing I love about the meals in my brinner rotation is that they can all be easily customized. One meat can be subbed for another, vegetables can be switched out based on what you have around, and using a specific kind of cheese isn’t that important.

All of the above apply to this sausage, egg, and cheese crescent roll bake. You could easily use bacon or ham instead of sausage and add any kind of veggies you like (to the whole dish or just to a portion). I use a cheddar cheese blend, because that’s what I usually have on hand, but most anything would work.

That’s a chubby toddler hand sneaking in to steal a grape 🙂

sausage, egg, and cheese crescent roll bake
adapted from Six Sisters’ Stuff

1 small can of crescent rolls (you only need four rolls; you can always buy the regular size and find another use for the leftover four)
1/2 pound ground sausage, cooked and drained
3/4 cup shredded cheese
4 eggs
2 tablespoons of milk
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon minced onion

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cinnamon roll bars with cream cheese frosting

January 15, 2015 by Abby

Who doesn’t love cinnamon rolls? I know I do, and I even make them on occasion. I’m not afraid to work with yeast and there’s just something about a warm homemade cinnamon roll that defies description.

But this is real life. Sometimes it’s 10 p.m. and you remember, as you’re about to climb into bed, that you promised a group of students you’d feed them at your 7:30 a.m. meeting. And since cinnamon rolls are certainly not happening, you rack your brain for a simpler solution. Something mouth-watering, yes, but something that comes together quickly.

That’s where these cinnamon roll bars come in. The base is a box cake mix, so it doesn’t take too many more ingredients for them to come together. I love to bake the bars the night before, then whip up the frosting in the morning and frost them right before I walk out the door.

These bars are so easy, yet so moist and rich, that they could easily become a new make-ahead holiday favorite. Or, if you really love the people in your life, make them this weekend.

Cinnamon Roll Bars
adapted from Cookies & Cups

For the bars:
1 box white or yellow cake mix
3/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar (I’ve used light or dark; both work fine)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cinnamon
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling (optional)

For the frosting:
1 8 oz. brick of cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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homemade microwave popcorn

January 11, 2015 by Abby

Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks. I love salty foods, and I love to be able to munch on something while I’m working or watching TV, so popcorn is a natural fit.

My reason for making it myself, rather than buying bags of microwave popcorn from the grocery store, is two-fold. First, this homemade method is so much less expensive than the store-bought variety. Second, those pre-made bags are loaded with preservatives and chemicals. While I’m not a poster child for natural, organic living, I do try to make healthy choices when I can, especially when the healthier option is cheap, easy, and, in my opinion, even better tasting than the other option.

After popping a bag of this popcorn, you have a blank canvas just waiting to take on whatever flavors you’re in the mood for. My current favorite is butter, kosher salt, and garlic powder. I’ve been known to toss in a little Parmesan cheese, too. I’ve also enjoyed my popcorn with cinnamon sugar and with chili powder and garlic salt (not all in the same batch).

homemade microwave popcorn

1/4 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
1 brown paper lunch bag
toppings of choice: butter, coconut oil, kosher salt, cinnamon sugar, garlic powder, brewers yeast, and Parmesan cheese are a few that I’ve either tried or had recommended to me

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french bread pizza

January 10, 2015 by Abby

The other day, I made what I consider to be a brilliant discovery.

I don’t remember what I was originally looking for, but I noticed that Walmart sells, in their bakery department, fresh loaves of French and Italian bread for $1. ONE DOLLAR. When I saw the price, my mind buzzed with possibilities. Oh, the things I could make with a $1 loaf of bakery-fresh bread.

So, of course, I bought a loaf.

French bread pizza can, of course, be made using homemade bread; I make it that way often. But even those, like me, who love to bake, sometimes need a go-to meal that’s easy to throw together and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. When that’s the case, this pizza fits the bill.

The only ingredient you really have to have is the bread. Beyond that, you can use- or not use- whatever sauce, cheese, and toppings you have around. I find that this meal is a great vehicle for leftovers. If I have chicken and vegetables in the fridge from a meal earlier in the week, I’ll chop them up and call them pizza toppings. And, unlike a traditional pizza recipe, this one easily accommodates eaters with different preferences. Just give each person their own section and let them customize the meal.

French Bread Pizza

1 loaf of French (or Italian) bread, homemade or from a bakery
toppings of choice
Oregano
olive oil
garlic salt

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