Whew. I’m back. It has been a long, exhausting past few weeks. We are officially moved into our new house, completely moved out of our old townhouse, oh, and we got a puppy. (More on that later.) Yes, we are crazy, but we are loving life right now in our new house and with our newest fur-baby.

Life is starting to get back more into a routine, which means getting back to our normal eating routine. The week that we moved, between not having a stove at the new house for a few days, and working long hours unpacking, we ate out almost nearly every night. After our wallets and waistlines took a hit, we were SO ready to get back to our normal eating habits.

Quick breakfasts are always a challenge for me, because I always tend to hit the snooze button one too many times, therefore having to sprint out the door. These breakfast egg muffins are a perfect make-ahead breakfast snack to eat on the run. Packed with protein and veggies, they are a low-carb breakfast that will keep you full until lunchtime. They are extremely versatile, so you can make them your own with your favorite veggies or cheeses. They freeze well, so you can make a whole batch on Sunday, and have them for breakfast all week long.

Breakfast Egg Muffins
Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients:
8 large eggs
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup diced peppers, green and red
1/2 cup ground sausage, browned
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Prepare a muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients together. Pour the egg mixture into muffin tins, filling the tins about 3/4 of the way full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the tins and allow to rest for 30 minutes before refrigerating.

To make ahead and freeze: Freeze muffins in a ziplock bag. To reheat, place in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until warm.

Source: Adapted from The Way to His Heart

Hard to believe that we close on our new house in just about 2 weeks. It seemed like forever away when we set our closing date, and now it seems I’m scrambling packing boxes, picking out paint colors, and arranging for our new appliances to be delivered. Even though we’re only moving about 10 miles away, I’m using the opportunity to give our pantry and freezer a complete overhaul, and I’m trying to use up whatever I can before we move. One less thing I have to pack, right?

I’ve had a sirloin steak stashed in the back of my freezer for who knows how long, so I pulled it out over the weekend to defrost it. Since it decided to snow here, again, there was no way I would be grilling it. Steak fajitas seemed like an easy, and healthy, option, but between work, meetings and working out, I wouldn’t be able to even start dinner until 8:30 pm. The only solution? Crockpot steak fajitas.

The beef melts like butter in the crockpot, and the seasoning and peppers and onions flavor the beef nicely. If you prefer your peppers more on the crisp side, add them right at the end. Otherwise, they get mushy if they cook all day with the beef. Serve your fajitas along flour tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro and shredded cheese, and you’ll have a healthy, tasty meal ready to eat within minutes of walking in the door.

Crockpot Steak Fajitas
Yields: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb beef flank or sirloin steak, sliced into very thin
1 large medium onion, sliced into thin strips
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 teaspoons taco seasoning
1/4 cup beef stock
2 bell peppers, sliced into strips (use any color you like)

Directions:
Place the steak and onions in the bottom of your crockpot. Mix the remaining ingredients together, minus the peppers, then pour over the steak and onions. Toss gently to coat. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the meat is cooked and tender.

Once the meat is cooked, add the bell peppers and cook for an additional 30 minutes until softened. Alternatively, you can saute the peppers in a frying pan with a little olive oil under tender.

Serve with flour tortillas, sour cream, cilantro and shredded cheese.

Source: Adapted from Barefoot in the Kitchen

I work a lot of night shifts, and sometimes when I have some down time between patients, I can get a little blogging done. However, in my sleep-deprived zombie state of mind at 3:00am when I was writing this post, I realized I just posted the recipe, and didn’t actually write anything about the recipe. Reason #13192 why you shouldn’t blog in the middle of the night.

Nevertheless, these grasshopper brownies are delicious, and perfect for a St. Patty’s Day treat. I brought these into work on a very busy, stressful night, and they turned out the perfect thing to keep our spirits up. I cheated a little and used a boxed brownie mix for the bottom, but if you have a favorite homemade recipe, have at it. The filling is a minty buttercream, and its topped with a layer of chocolate. So even if you’re not big into the drinking aspect of St. Patty’s Day, use it as an excuse to make some festive brownies.

Grasshopper Mint Brownie Bars
Yields: 24 bars

Ingredients:
For the brownies:
1 family size brownie mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs

For the filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon mint extract
green food coloring (optional)

For the frosting:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup butter

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the bottom of a 13×9 inch pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper and extend the paper over the sides of the pan. (This way, you can easily lift out the whole pan of brownies). Combine all the ingredients together in one bowl, stir until smooth. Spread into the prepared pan, and bake for 28-32 minutes or until done. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, beat together the 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese together in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients. Spread evenly over the cooled brownies.

Place the frosting ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir, then microwave again for 10-15 seconds as needed until the chocolate is melted. Stir until smooth. Pour evenly over the filling, and gently spread to cover the filling.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Source: Pillsbury

I always love “springing ahead” every spring with daylight savings time. While I don’t always love losing an hour to my day, I love how it gets darker later, and the days start to get longer. That, combined with the 60 degree temperature and the over-abundant sunshine that we had today, it feels like maybe, just maybe, that spring is on the way!

Despite all this beautiful weather, I’ve lived in Western PA far too long to know that it won’t last, and we’ll be back down to the 40′s by the end of the week. So what do I do when it’s cold and miserable out? I bake.

I enjoy spending leisurely afternoons in the kitchen, and when I have ample time, making something more time consuming like yeast breads, bagels or a decadent dessert. I wanted to make a savory bread to use for leftover meatloaf sandwiches, so I found a standard white bread recipe, and jazzed it up with some butter, garlic and herbs. It came out wonderful, adds an extra kick to your standard sandwich, and is great as a panini or even grilled cheese.

Garlic Herb Swirled Bread
Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon active-dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil

Directions:
Into the bowl of an electric mixer, add the water, then sprinkle the yeast into the water. Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Using the paddle attachment, stir in the milk, sugar and salt. Add in 1/2 cup flour until the dough comes together in a loose, lumpy batter.

Continue adding flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky. Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough for 8-10. You can also knead by hand, if you wish. Add additional flour if necessary. Continue to knead the dough until it is smooth, feels slightly tacky, and the dough springs back when poked.

In a clean mixing bowl, spray the bowl with non-stick spray and add the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about one hour. Meanwhile, combine the softened butter with the herbs and set aside.

After the dough has raised, turn the dough onto a floured countertop. Use a rolling pin to stretch the dough into a large rectangle. Spread the butter-herb mixture generously along the surface of the dough. Starting at a short end, tightly roll the dough into a roll. Place the dough into a loaf pan, cover, and let raise until double in size, about 1 hour.Heat the oven to 425° F about halfway through the second rise.

Transfer to loaf to the oven, then turn down the heat to 375°F and bake for 30-35 minutes. Finished loaves will be dark golden-brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove the loaf from the pans and let it cool completely before slicing.

Source: Bread recipe from The Kitchn , adapted by Stick a Fork In It

Why does it seem like the weekends just fly by, while we work weeks drag on? This weekend was a blur, a fun blur, but definitely a blur. We celebrated with a good friend at her baby shower, had dinner with out-of-town friends, celebrated the fact the my father-in-law became an ordained pastor (SO proud of him!), AND got to look a puppies. Yes, one week old yellow lab puppies. I just about died from the cuteness. One of those little ladies will be coming home with us in April, and I can’t wait!

Weekends like this, I just don’t have time for complicated deserts or meals, so when I needed a dessert for the church banquet, I knew I needed something fast and easy. This chocolate Oreo lasagna fit the bill perfectly. You start by making an Oreo crust, spread on a layer of sweet cream cheese filling, chocolate pudding and then top it with whipped topping and crushed Oreos. It is to.die.for. It’s rich, creamy, and so decadent that you’ll find yourself going back for second and thirds.

Chocolate Oreo Lasagna
Yields: 12 servings

Ingredients:
1 package Oreos, crushed
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1-8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2-12 oz tubs whipped topping
2-3.9 oz packages chocolate instant pudding
3 ¼ cups cold milk

Directions:
Process cookies in a food processor until they are finely crushed.  Reserve 1/2 cup of Oreo crumbs for the topping. Transfer remaining Oreo crumbs to a medium bowl; mix in melted butter.  Press into the bottom of a 13×9 inch dish.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Beat the pudding mixes and the milk together with a whisk for two minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

Using an electric mixer, whisk together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add in 1 container of the whipped topping and fold together until well incorporated.

Spread the cream cheese layer evenly across the top of the Oreo crust, then spread the pudding on top. Top the pudding layer with the remaining whipped topping, then garnish with crushed Oreos. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

*To cut clean, even pieces, place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes before serving.

Source: Mandy’s Recipe Box

Hello? Anyone still here? I know, I know, it’s been pretty quite ’round here lately. No worries, I didn’t fall off the face of the Earth, I’ve just been simply busy. The reason why? We are in the process of buying our first house!

We started the process a few weeks ago, and spent a Sunday afternoon looking at houses with our realtor. We looked at 3 different houses, and we simply fell in love with the last one. We put an offer in the next day, and we were under contract by that Tuesday. If all goes well, we’ll be closing the first week in April. Very, very exciting stuff!

The best part of the house, of course is the kitchen. It is uh-mazing. I am so excited to have more than 4 cupboards, and of course lots of  counter space…ohhh the counter space. The island is so big I could take a nap on it. Seriously. I can only imagine the yummy goodies that will be created in this kitchen!

Besides the kitchen, I am mostly just excited to have more space in the house. While our townhouse worked well for just the two of us, it was a tight fit whenever we’d have more than a few people over. I can’t wait to be able to have our friends over for dinner parties, and actually have space to entertain. I foresee lots of Sunday dinners with friends and family in our future.

Speaking of Sunday dinner, this is a perfect recipe for your meat and potato lovers. The beef slow cooks all afternoon, making it extremely tender and flavorful. The gravy thickens up nicely, and is perfect on top of a bed of mashed potatoes. Serve it with some veggies and some fresh dinner rolls, and you have the perfect comfort food for a cold winter day.

Slow Cooked Tri Tips & Gravy with Mashed Potatoes
Yields: 4 servings

Now that January’s over, can I stop posting healthy recipes and get back to cookies and cakes again? I’m kidding of course. I’m not trying to sabotage anyone’s weight loss efforts, but I am a firm believer in moderation. A cookie here, a piece of celery there, all lead to a perfectly balanced diet, right?

So speaking of cookies, say hello to these oatmeal coconut chewies. Now, if you’re a coconut hater, don’t run away. You can’t taste the coconut, I promise! It just adds to the chewiness of the cookie. Combined with the quick oats, makes these cookies chewy, soft and buttery. What more could you want in a cookie?

Oatmeal Coconut Chewies
Yields: 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to cool room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
1 cup quick oats

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl cream together the sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased or lined (silpat or parchment) baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes, until the cookies are set but not overly browned (bake a few minutes longer for a crisper version).

Source: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Hard to believe we’re already one month into the new year. I thought life would slow down after the holidays, but January seemed just as busy as December. We’ve kept ourselves busy with work, and dove headfirst into house hunting over the past week or so. In fact, we may be putting in an offer on a house sometime this week. {Ahhh!}

Since I always love getting a glimpse into other blogger’s lives, I thought I would share a few pictures from my life outside of the kitchen. So, with the help of Instagram, here’s a look at how January shaped up for us.

1. After a late night New Year’s Eve, the first day of 2013 started off with a long afternoon nap, for everyone in our house, including Miss Tess.
2. After a gluttonous few weeks of holiday eating, I was ready to get back to my normal, mostly healthy eating habits.
3. I had a rare day off in the middle of the week, so I spent the day shopping and aimlessly browsing Pinterest while I had a quiet lunch at Panera. Best day off ever!
4. We had a surprise 50 degree day in the middle of the month. I took full advantage of it and went for a run outside, something I haven’t done in a while since it’s been so cold.
5. This face – she is too much. Snug as a bug under the covers between Brad and I.
6. Pandora and a glass of Ice wine while I got ready to go out for my birthday. If you haven’t had it before, Ice wine is delicious. (Made from frozen grapes up here in Western PA)
7. Birthday dinner with friends – so lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life.
8. Tried to head to the ski slopes one day and got caught in a blizzard. Somedays I wonder why I didn’t move south!
9. Saw these tulips at the grocery store and couldn’t resist them. Tulips are my favorite!

If you’ve followed the blog for a while, you might know that my husband and I are huge football fans, and are season ticket holders to our favorite team. Unfortunately for us, that team is the Buffalo Bills, who have never ever won a Superbowl, and haven’t even been close to winning the Lombardi trophy since the early 90′s. Sigh. Someday, right?

Nevertheless, the Superbowl is great excuse to get together with friends, drink a few beers, and toss back some delicious, not-so-healthy snacks. I’ve compiled a list of my favorite football snacks, a few of which will definitely be making an appearance this Sunday.

Savory:
Pizza Pull-Apart Bread
Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas
Stromboli
Pizza Rolls
Buffalo Chicken Bites
Roast Beef on Weck Sandwiches
Baked Buffalo Wings
Potato Slabs
Crockpot Pulled Pork
Homemade Pizza
Grilled Chicken Quesadilla
Pico de Gallo
Ranch Dressing
Homemade Salsa
Pizza Bites
Buffalo Chicken Tenders
Soft Pretzels
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Veggie Pizza

Sweet:
Brownie Batter Dip
Peanut Butter Cup Bars
Scotcheroos
Chocolate Chip Oreo Brownies
Peanut Butter Chocolate Crispy Bars
Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip