Elizabeth Obsesses...

Taco phyllo poppers with creamy Chobani yogurt If you're looking for a super easy Super Bowl snack that is equally delicious and beautiful, look no further - you've got to try these taco bites!  Whether you plan on having a big party or it's just you and your family, these mini tacos make the perfect treat. It only takes about 20 minutes to brown ground beef and assemble these treats, but if you plan ahead and "feed your freezer" it takes even less time.   "Feeding your freezer" is one of my favorite time saving techniques where you do the prep work up front and freeze the results for nights when you don't have time.   For example, when I go to the big warehouse stores, I buy five pounds of ground beef at a time! When I get it home, I brown it all in a big dutch oven with onions, but no other seasonings.  After all, it doesn't take that much more time to brown five pounds of meat than it does to brown one! Once it's all browned, I s...

Chobani Vanilla Cheesecake Bites The Super Bowl is right around the corner, and I'm already obsessing about my menu.  After all, the Super Bowl is the um...well, it's the  Super Bowl of cooking holidays!   I know some people might think that Thanksgiving  is the center of the cooking world, but they'd be wrong.  While I love roasting turkey and making all the sides, being constrained by tradition is not nearly as fun as coming up with an outrageously different feast filled with amazing entrees and appetizers for hungry masses every year ! This year, I'm whipping up these delicious vanilla cheesecake bites using vanilla flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt in the batter.  They are amazing and turned out even better than I imagined.  So good, they may just be my new "go-to" cheesecake recipe. Now - what is everyone else having for Super Bowl Sunday?  I need some more ideas, so please respond in the comments! Chobani Vanilla Cheesecake Bites...

Chobani Chicken Fingers with Chipotle Chobani Dip  Years ago, when I was a new mom,  I made it a point to keep a bag of frozen chicken tenders in the freezer for nights when I just didn't have the time to get a "real" dinner on the table.  I thought this was a good mom thing because it kept us out of the local drive-throughs.  Those days are a distant memory now for two reasons:  first, I learned how easy it is to whip up delicious fresh chicken fingers  from scratch and second, my children will no longer tolerate anything that's not "home-made".  I laugh about it, but they're quite serious.  They know the difference and now they won't let me live it down ! These chicken tenders are made using Chobani Greek Yogurt as a base in the marinade instead of buttermilk.   Like buttermilk, it helps to tenderize the meat, adds flavor, and helps to retain the moisture in the chicken throughout the cooking process.  While buttermilk is tangy...

Chobani Ranch Dressing Whether you're dipping chicken strips or fresh vegetables, Ranch Dressing is king in my book.  Especially when it's homemade.  So when Chobani contacted me about helping them come up with great game day recipes to support their #madewithchobani  #deliciousbowl campaign, I knew that I wanted to start with one of my favorite things:  Ranch Dressing. This version is healthier than ones with sour cream, but thankfully you don't have to sacrifice great taste for great health .  It has far less fat and is a great source of protein, too.   Even my kids couldn't get enough!   It only takes less than ten minutes to whip up, and it's far better than the bottled or powdered versions you find in the condiment aisle of the supermarket. This recipe is for a basic ranch dressing, but you can spice it up to suit your own tastes by adding ingredients like jalepenos, dill, chives, chipotle, or rosemary.  The possibili...

Super Moist Carrot Cake Although it's been around since the latter part of the 1800's, Carrot Cake didn't become widely available in American diners until the 1960's - and then it was viewed primarily as a novelty item.  But when viewed under the shimmering light of disco balls with the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever playing in the background, this dessert hit it's stride and achieved righteous cult status in the 1970's.  What I'm saying is Carrot Cake is to the 1970's what Salted Caramel is to the 2010's.   With it's bold orangey color, it could hardly miss.  It fits right in with zig-zag print couches and plaid pants. I guess I'm just a sucker for the '70's because it's always been fashionable in my eyes.  With it's perfect blend of Autumnal spices and a thick layer of vanilla bean speckled cream cheese frosting, this is *the* perfect dessert for any occasion.  Whether you're hosting a dinner or just feedi...

Big news over here! The Chobani Yogurt company emailed me this evening asking me to participate in their Superbowl campaign by developing game day food items and blogging about them. I'm so excited, I just had to share the news! So, be on the lookout for some exciting new recipes over the next two weeks!

Chipotle Chicken Tacos So, earlier this week I made these chipotle chicken tacos, and they were really amazing.   As I mentioned in  Mango Salsa  post, we're having a cold snap here in Delaware, and I'm trying to bring back the tastes and smells of Summer with some really good hot weather food.  It was too cold to stand out and grill them like I would ordinarily ( and by that, I mean like my husband would ordinarily, lol ), so I pan seared them in a screaming hot skillet, then popped them in a 375F oven for 20 minutes.  That's it!  A quick peek inside revealed that they were cooked to juicy perfection. If this was the only meal I could eat every day for the rest of my life, I would be totally okay with that.   In my opinion, the spicy, smoky chipotle peppers are the shining star of this dish, and I use them to make a marinade for the chicken.   Because these guys are bringing the heat, I temper them with a good amount of honey along wit...

Mango Salsa This past week an Arctic Blast has whipping through Delaware, and it has been so c-o-l-d.  While I know other parts of the country have it worse, but here on the East Coast, we don't usually see temperatures that low.   They even had a 2-hour delay for most of the area schools because the temperature was only 10F in the morning. I decided that if I couldn't get the weather to cooperate, I'd bring some color and a little bit of heat back in the form of this bright, citrusy treat.  If you're anything like me, you're looking at this Mango Salsa and longing for the warmer nights of Summer.  The bright flavors and combination of ingredients balance the heat of the Jalepenos perfectly.  Served with warmed tortilla chips or alongside a chicken breast marinated in my  honey chipotle sauce, you can't go wrong.    This recipe can't get any easier and it only takes ten minutes to whip up. Now, I need other recipes to help us warm up! ...