Beer Bread

In case you haven't picked up on things around here, I love any recipe that is simple.

Rosemary Rolls? Simple.

Tomato Soup? Simple.

Cornflake Chicken? Simple.

And this recipe is no different.

Bake at 350 is another one of my daily blog reads that is full of sweet and decadent treats. Not to mention, she is an amazing cookie decorator and has a new book out full of gorgeous designs with step-by-step illustrations!

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And, although her cookie decor is simply amazing, it's her beer bread recipe that has become a staple for me. 

Take a basic mixture of self-rising flour, butter and sugar and mix it up with different types of beer and fillings. 

For example...

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How great do those flavors sound?

I have tried all but the classic (because really, when you have those other flavor options, do you really want it to be so plain?) and it is hard to pick a favorite. 

The chocolate chip is perfect for a sweet breakfast (yes, I said breakfast) or mid-afternoon snack that fills my sweet tooth.

The orange nutmeg really does taste like a breakfast option or the perfect companion to a hearty pork dish.

And you can't go wrong with rosemary in my book. Add gruyere to that, too? Perfection with a bowl of soup. 

I like to pour the batter into small loaf pans and pass them out to neighbors and friends, too. One for you, one for me. 

Click here for the link to the basic recipe and how to make all the variations! 

The hardest part is choosing which one to start with!

Laura

Cornflake Chicken

How have I not blogged about this before?!

I talk a lot about simple recipes that are "go-to" for me. This dinner hits the nail on the head for that.

It is one our favorite summer dinners and is perfect to take to lunch in the park, a picnic dinner or a casual night at home!

Cornflake Chicken!



I've tried multiple versions but the best one is found here by Kellogg's. The only modifications I make is using boneless, skinless chicken tenders instead of chicken pieces (as called for in the recipe) so they only take about 15 minutes in the oven.

Next time you're at the grocery store, look for the boneless, skinless thin chicken tenders to be on sale and stock up in your freezer! You can also pick up some boneless, skinless chicken breasts and ask the grocery store butcher to slice them into thin strips for you (free of charge!). They really are better as little chicken fingers because you get a lot of crunch from the coating that way!

We always have a box of cornflakes on hand for when I'm in a dinner rut. This is great because you probably have all the ingredients, except the cornflakes, at home so you can pick up one ingredient at the store and- voila!- dinner is served.

Click here for the original recipe!

Enjoy!

Laura



Rhoad's Rolls Pizza

I don't want to brag or anything, but ever since I've been pregnant, I've become the queen of easy, simple weeknight dinners. Between exhaustion, back pain and overall "I'm carrying a child here" symptoms, cooking nightly dinners has become tough for me!

But the upside of this is that we have found some of our favorite new recipes this way! For example, the Grape Tomato Pasta dish! Another new favorite is even easier than that- Rhoad's Rolls Pizzas.

I've talked about my love for Rhoad's Rolls before with these Rosemary Rolls and my love continues.
 
Simply pull the rolls out of the freezer a few hours ahead of time (or use the simple thaw method on the back of the bag) and let rise. Once they have doubled in size, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and spray your pan really well with non stick spray!

Smush (very technical here) the rolls into flat circles and top with your favorite pizza toppings! This was great because the hubster likes red sauce with his toppings and I'm more of an EVOO pizza type of girl so we were able to personalize our own just the way we like it. Sort of like Burger King...

Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Simple and delicious! The hubster even said he liked these better than the typical pizza we make.

(Let's not even pretend this picture is appetizing- I was starving and couldn't mess around with food photography biz-nass).



Just FYI- I ate two of these babies and the hubster had three, so plan accordingly. And make some for leftovers- they were a great lunch the next day.

I like calling myself the Queen,
Laura