Easiest Crusty Bread Ever!

I LOVE BREAD! I'm not afraid to admit it. You put a bread basket in front of me and I will eat it....ALL! Let me tell you this is easiest bread that I make. We easily eat two loaves a week. Once volleyball season is over I'm almost positive that number will go up.

The best part about this recipe is that it takes only a few minutes to mix together before bed and almost no work the next day.

Here's what you're going to need:

Enameled Dutch Oven
3 cups of unbleached white flour
1/2 tsp yeast
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1.5 cups warm water

Let's start with the dry ingredients.

Start with a medium size bowl and put in your 3 cups of flour.

1/2 tsp of yeast.

3/4 tsp salt.

Mix all your dry ingredients.

Slowly add your warm water while mixing.

It's not pretty but once it is throughly mixed cover with plastic wrap for 12-18 hours.

The next day preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Once it's ready place your empty Dutch Oven with lid in to preheat for 30 minutes.

Dump the dough out onto a clean heavily floured surface.

Shape dough into a ball.

Place the dough into preheated dutch oven with lid and put into the oven for 30 minutes.

Then remove the lid for an additional 15 minutes.

Now here's the hard part. Let the bread cool (I really don't follow this rule because it's so good to dip hot bread into butter and enjoy! So eat at your own risk right out of the dutch oven)

If you are able to control yourself and can make it to slicing pieces and waiting to take it to the table to eat then major props to you! But don't forget to slather butter all over that sucker and enjoy.

Let me know if you give it a try.

Easy Crock Pot Chicken Tacos (Plus 2 Bonus Recipes!)

So one of my go to favorite dinners for a busy day/night is Easy Crock Pot Chicken Tacos! (with two bonus recipes!)

Here's what you're going to need!

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Your favorite salsa

Homemade Fajitas Seasoning: Mix all the ingredients together

(I triple this recipe because we use it all the time)

     1 1/2 tsp ground cumin 

     1/2 tsp dried oregano 

     1/4 tsp salt

     1/4 tsp ground red pepper 

     1/4 tsp ground black pepper

     1/8 tsp garlic powder

     1/8 tsp onion powder

     (optional a little cayenne pepper for a kick)

Lime Rice (Toss in some chopped cilantro and it's just like the rice at Chipotle!)

     1 cup brown basmati rice

     2 limes 

     1 tbl butter

     2 c water

     (optional) handful chopped cilantro 

Toppings: Pick and Choose your favorites or lay them all out for a taco bar!

     Avocados 

     Black beans

     Corn

     Salsa

     Tomatoes

     Tortillas

     Cheese

     Cilantro

First up the Chicken! Grab your chicken, fajita seasoning, and salsa.

Place your chicken in the crock pot. Generously sprinkle your homemade fajita seasoning on top.

Dump most of your salsa on top of the chicken.

Place your crock pot on low and put on the top. Typically I use frozen chicken breasts but since I just picked up the chicken at the store that morning I had not portioned or froze them yet. I let mine cook on low all day. In a pinch turn it on high and give it a few hours and you'll have a quick dinner ready!

Once your chicken is thoroughly cooked (165 degrees!) take a fork and shred your chicken in the pot.

How good does this look already!

Bonus recipe Lime Rice! Start by putting a tablespoon of butter in to a hot pot with the juice from one lime. 

Once the lime butter is all melted and a little bubbly take your cup of basmati rice and dump it in and sauté it for about a minute.

Then add your two cups of water, bring the water to a boil, put the lid on a reduce heat and simmer for 30 min.

Once all the liquid is gone add the juice from your second lime. (You can also add chopped cilantro to make it like the rice at Chipotle if you like...our kids are at the stage where they won't eat food with green stuff in it. So we add it to our individual tacos.)

We prefer to eat Chicken Tacos in bowls. You can totally make this into a giant burrito if you prefer. To start layer a heap of your Lime Rice on the bottom.

Next I like to pile on some black beans.

Then go crazy with the chicken....go on put a little more...you know you want to.

Diced avocado...yes please!

And why not add a little salsa to the top! I'm starving!

This is one of our favorite dinners. The littles thoroughly enjoy it too. They love to customize their own bowls too. And the best part is you can make this for just a few people with leftovers or throw in a couple more chicken breasts and serve a crowd....can you say TACO BAR!!!! You can even throw this over some chips and make nachos!

What's your favorite taco toppings?

Brownies Stuffed with Chocolate Bars

I LOVE CHOCOLATE! And I love to shout my love for chocolate when typing because I love it so much. This is the one recipe that my friends love and hate. They love the chocolate stuffed in the middle of the brownies with the caramel on top and they hate that they can't eat just one. 

This is one of my favorite desserts to make for baby showers. It hits that chocolate craving caused by those hormones cause like no other. 

So lets get started on this chocolate deliciousness.

What you will need: (I always make a double batch.)
Two boxes of your favorite turtle brownie mix (this contains nuts for those with allergies)
Oil, water, and eggs per the box directions x2 (remember we're making two boxes)
Vanilla Extract
A lot of chocolate bars

Preheat your oven per the directions. Dump both boxes of brownie mix in a large bowl along with your oil and water.

Add your vanilla extract. I don't actually measure how much I put in. But if I had to guess I would say a tablespoon per box.

Crack those eggs into the bowl.

Get to mixing.

Once your batter is throughly mixed get out a 9x13 pan. I like to line my with foil so i can remove it from the pan which makes it easier for cutting and cleaning. You'll see down below.

Pour half of your batter into your pan.

Smooth it out so its in the corners.

Time to break open those chocolate bars. Layer then on top of the brownie mix.

Sometimes you have leftovers which is a nice treat for not licking the batter out of the bowl. (Which can make you sick...but I like live dangerously.)

Pour the rest of the batter on top of the chocolate bars make sure everything is covered and the mix is in the corners.

Use the provided caramel packets and make a lovely zig zag on top of the brownie mix.

Use the spine of your butter knife and drag it through the caramel sauce to make a pretty design.

Place this bad boy in the oven. I like to add an extra 10 min of cooking time so I know my batter is throughly cooked since you can't check the middle with the chocolate bars.

Once they are done let them throughly cool. (I bake in bulk!)

Once they are cool lift the foil out of the pan and use your favorite knife to cut them for yourself friends.

Mmmmm....chocolate. Does that make your heart as happy as it does mine?

This is the stuff dreams are made of. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

What is your favorite chocolate dessert?