Chicken & Rice - Quick & Easy!

All credit goes to @TheGoldenBalance on Instagram & TikTok - You can find the video here. 

This recipe is suuuuper easy and suuuper yummy. I think I've already made it like 5 times and I'm not going to stop. I can't believe how flavorful it is and how much it doesn't taste like lemon. Honestly the flavors just beautifully combine and come out so delicious. 

Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs
1 cup rice
2 cups water
1 Jalapeño, diced
1 shallot (or half an onion), diced

Seasoning (to your liking):
•Chicken Bullion
•Lemon Pepper (I used Lawry's)

Finish with:
•Lemon juice
•Cilantro

Directions:

1. Put a skillet to heat with some oil. 
2. Massage your chicken thighs with chicken bullion and lemon pepper to however much your heart desires on both sides. 
3. Sear the chicken on the pan - skin side down first - until you get a beautiful caramelized coating. Remember to flip sides. 
4. Take out the chicken and to the same pan, 3add in your diced jalapeño and diced onion to the skillet. Let that cook for a few minutes until softened. 
5. Add in your washed rice and season with chicken bullion and lemon pepper to your liking. Mix. 
6. Add in 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil.
7. Add the chicken thighs back in and turn down to a simmer. Cover for about 15 minutes. Do not touch them for the whole 15 minutes. 
8. Finish it off with lemon juice and cilantro. 

There you have it! This recipe is amazing and I will forever and ever cook it! I hope you do too!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

This season is just the best for soups! I had read a couple recipes and used a little bit of this and a little bit of that and made my own recipe! This is such a great treat for a cold day. You can also warm it up the next day and enjoy for lunch! I used a fully cooked rotisserie chicken but you can cook your own chicken and add it in. A great idea would be to add some leftover turkey instead of chicken after Thanksgiving and have Turkey Noodle Soup! It sure hits the spot!

Servings: about 4

Time: 30 minutes 

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of oregano
2 bay leaves (fresh)
Half of a lemon - halved into two pieces
1 and 1/2 tablespoons flour
4 cups of chicken broth
1 cup diced up rotisserie chicken (or any other chicken)
1 cup of pasta (I used Campanelle)
Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Put your pasta to cook and boil according to directions on the box.

2. To a soup pot, melt your butter.

3. Add in your chopped carrot, celery, and onion. Let that soften a little bit.

4. While it's cooking, throw in your oregano, thyme, basil, and lemon. I squeezed the lemon and then just threw it in to cook with the veggies. Salt and pepper as needed.

5. After the vegetables have softened, add in your flour and make a roux.

6. After your flour is fully mixed and incorporated, add in your chicken broth, one cup at a time.

7. Once the broth is all in, bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, bring it down to low and cover. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes 

8. After 10 minutes, add in your chopped chicken. You can add more or less, as your heart desires! Simmer another 10 minutes. 

9. Add in your drained pasta and serve!

My Charcuterie Board

I think doing a charcuterie board was one of my favorite activities this summer! I think they are great to do at dinner parties or when having friends over. This is actually already a Bosnian tradition (we put out meat and cheese for guests) but it was evolved into more. I did a ton of research on what the best things to put on my board would be, made a list, purchased everything and got to work. Below you will find a list of everything on my board and where I bought it! I will warn you, pretty much everything is from Trader Joe's. 

The board we've had in our house forever but you can get one pretty much anywhere - from Walmart, Target to Marshalls and Home Goods.

Bread:
Trader Joe's Fig & Olive Crisps
Trader Joe's French bread - cut up and toasted
Trader Joe's savory crackers
Trader Joe's cheddar cheesesticks

Cheese:

Trader Joe's unexpected cheddar cheese

Trader Joe's goat gouda

Trader Joe's manchego cheese

Trader Joe's toscano cheese with black pepper

Boursin garlic and fine herb cheese (they have this at almost any store - I got mine from TJ's)

Meats:

Chicken bologna (Bosnian store)

Beef salami (Costco)

(I would've added suho meso but we didn't have any)

Fruits:

Trader Joe's champagne grapes (these are out of season now - I recommend getting Thomcord grapes)

Trader Joe's fig butter

Strawberries (King Soopers/Kroger)

Trader Joe's dried mandarins

Trader Joe's fresh figs

Veggies:

Fresh cucumbers from our garden

Fresh greek peppers from our garden

Extra:

Boiled eggs (my neighbor has chickens!)

Trader Joe's dark chocolate covered pretzels

Trader Joe's Roasted and Salted Marcona Almonds with Rosemary

There you go! I might do another one but not until next summer. I highly recommend Trader Joe's for cheeses - if you pick anything off this list to get from Trader Joe's - the cheese is where it's at. They are super affordable and have a high variety. What are some of your favorite charcuterie board items?!

Trader Joe's Favs!

I was not a big Trader Joe's fan. I only go when I see people rave about certain products - put them in a list - and then buy them. I recently have explored more and have grown to love more and more of their items. I am picky about my food so the list I've come up with below, I can personally say is my honest opinion. They are in no particular order - just some favs I put together! I can also make a list of things I would recommend passing, but we can do that another time! At the very bottom, I put together a photo combo so you can screenshot everything in one!

1. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

These are probably my favorite. They taste just like the Reese's peanut butter cups but they're dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is really good for iron levels so that is one great perk! They also taste super yummy - no bitterness! I've bought them every time I go!

2. Goat's Milk Gouda Cheese

I have recently learned that I LOVE gouda cheese. This one is super creamy and yummy! I've used it to shred and use on top of pizza and other foods. I mix this with other cheeses but it's probably my favorite, hands down. 

3. Smoked Salmon, 4. Everything bagel, & 5. Whipped cream cheese

One of my go-to breakfasts lately has been making a bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon on top. All 3 are from Trader Joe's! I love their whipped cream cheese because it's so light and easy to spread! The bagel is topped with their 'Everything But the Bagel' seasoning. I personally am not a big fan of it on its own but on this bagel, it's great! The salmon is also super yummy and healthy! They also have other types of salmon - one that includes 'Everything But the Bagel' seasoning too!

6. Hold the cone Mini Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cones

These mini ice cream cones hit the spot! After I have my meals, I want something sweet but not overpowering. These mini cones are perfect! They come 8 in a box are are only $3! They have tons of flavors to choose from!

7. Sparkling black tea with peach juice

This sparkling black tea with peach is my new favorite! I am not a fan of sparkling water (I know, I'm European, how can I not like it!?) but I really like this! It has almost no sugar but it tastes wonderful! It has a great hint of tea with a splash of peach and it's definitely going to be another buy for me next time.


8. Hazelnut chocolate cookies

These cookies are THE BOMB! They are sweet but not too sweet. They are perfect with your morning coffee or just for fun. This is also a new one for me and I'm so glad I got them. They may or may not be half gone already. 

9. Thomcord Grapes

All my Bosnian fam - these grapes are exactly like the ones from Bosnia!! They are small, round, and a little harder in the middle. My parents absolutely love them and since I got them two days ago, we're already out. If you know the Bosnian grapes, go get these and thank me later!


10. Savory crackers

These are my favorite crackers for dips! They are perfectly salted and not too hard or soft- which is why they're great for dipping! They also come in a mini size that I haven't tried but I'm sure they're the same! Stay tuned to my part 2 post where I share my favorite dips and jams!

So far, those are my top 10 favorites! I will be posting a part 2 with more favorites. What are some of your favorite TJ items?!

Super Bowl Nachos!

I personally am not a huge Super Bowl fan unless the Broncos made it all the way. If they are not playing, then I am neither fan, but I know how much my friends and family love to watch so I just tune in and watch with them. (Or if it truly doesn't interest me, I go shopping! Best time to go since everyone else is glued to a TV!) I recently made some super bomb nachos and thought I'd share with everyone!

You can buy nacho chips or make your own. Personally, I love the homemade ones from tortillas. (Partly because I had some left over at home and I thought I should just use them).

Tortilla chips from Tortillas:
•1 (12 oz) package of corn/flour tortillas (I only used about 3 at a time when cooking on a single tray ; You can use corn tortillas but all I had was flour)
•1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
•1/2 of a lime or eyeball as much lime juice as you like
•1 teaspoon of ground cumin
•1 teaspoon of chili powder
•1 teaspoon of salt
(I eyeballed all the seasonings - add as much or as little as you like)


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cut each flour/corn tortilla into 8 chip sized wedges and arrange the wedges in a single layer on a cookie sheet. I used about 3 full ones because that's what could fit on my cookie sheet.

3. Cover each tortilla wedge with oil and lime juice, making sure each is covered well.

4. Combine the cumin, chili powder and salt and sprinkle on the chips.

5. Bake for about 7 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 8 minutes or until the chips are crisp, but not too brown. *Be careful not to let your chips burn.


For the nachos:
•Tortilla chips (the ones above or store bought)
•1 and 1/2 cups of shredded cheese AND/OR Velveeta cheese + a can of Rotel
•Beef or chicken

As much as you'd like:
•1-2 diced tomatoes
•Sour cream
•Baked beans
•Green onions
•Cilantro
•Corn
•Olives

1. Take your chips and layer them at the bottom of a baking dish. You can use as little or as much as you'd like.

2. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on top. I like to use a lot since I'm an avid cheese lover. Pop it into the oven at 350 for about 5 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.

*For alternative gooey cheese: Combine some velveeta and rotel into a bowl and pop it into the microwave until it's melted completely through. Mix thoroughly. Poor on top of your nachos

3. Take the pan out of the oven. If you like meat, you can add some chicken or beef, whatever you have at hand.

*To make the beef - get 1lb of beef, cook it in a pan. Add any spices you'd like. I usually add a teaspoon of each: oregano, basil, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. When it's all done cooking, add taco seasoning and water (follow directions on the packet) and mix it all together. Cook it about 20 minutes total. 

4. To the pan with the tortilla chips, add in diced tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, baked beans, green onions, cilantro, corn, and olives. Take away or add anything else you'd like. You can also always buy these by the can if you don't have time to get fresh ones.

Chicken Fried Rice

So this is how it happened.. I bought some chicken tikka masala from king soopers (kroger) - I guess the marketplace has this frozen section of certain foods that you can put into a bucket and take home with you.. it includes chicken masala, shrimp scampi, mac & cheese, and a whole bunch of other foods so I decided to get some chicken tikka masala. Well, I didn't know what to eat with it cause I couldn't just eat it on its own, so I made some rice in my Instant Pot. Well, silly me forgot that 1 cup of rice = 1 gallon of rice after it's been cooked so I had a lot left over. I decided I should wing it at making some fried rice. I kinda sorta half listened to some videos on YouTube and winged the rest. I will tell you, it took me about 10 times before I perfected the recipe. (I'm not saying I made 10 batches that night, that would be crazy). But, I can successfully say that I did it! And for you, here is my recipe! :) If you make some, let me know so I can share!

Ingredients:

1 tray of chicken tenderloins (or chicken breast, whichever), diced into bite-size pieces

1 teaspoon of oregano

1 teaspoon of basil

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

2 tablespoons of oil

1 medium sized onion, diced

1/2 cup of peas (I used frozen, you can use whatever you prefer)

1/2 cup of diced carrots (I had a bag of mixed peas and carrots, you can use fresh)

1 cup of jasmine rice

1 cup of water (or more if cooking on stovetop)

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

1 egg

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook your rice and water until it's cooked. I like to have the rice ready before I start cooking the rest of my ingredients. I used my instant pot and it cooked in 12 minutes. If you don't have one, you can cook it over the stovetop & follow directions on the bag. 

2. Season your diced bite-size chicken with your oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. If you like to add paprika or whatever other spices, feel free to do so. (Or leave any out)

3. In a hot skillet, add oil and chicken. The skillet should be big enough to fit the rice and all of the ingredients. I went with a large one (not sure of size, just the biggest skillet I had)

4. Once the chicken is about 50% cooked (should be about 2 to 3 minutes), add in your diced peas and carrots. 

5. After about 2 to 3 minutes, add in your diced onions. 

6. Once the onions are somewhat translucent and your chicken is fully cooked, add in your rice and mix in with all the ingredients. 

7. Add in your soy sauce. I'm gonna be honest and say I just kinda wing it with the soy sauce. I just add in however much looks good. You can add 1 tablespoon but if you feel that it's not enough, you can certainly add more or less. Your choice!

8. Once that's all mixed in nicely, I use my wooden spoon and move all the rice and vegetables towards the outside of the pan, leaving a big hole in the middle - kinda like a donut. Crack one egg in the middle and start scrambling it. As the egg starts to cook more, mix it with all of your ingredients. 

9. Keep mixing until all the ingredients are fully mixed and cooked through! Add in salt and pepper as you wish, or any other spices.

You can certainly add in any other ingredients that you like - celery, peppers, leave out peas - whatever you like because it's your fried rice and you can make it however you like!

Enjoy! :)

Day 40: Egg Breakfast

I shared this on my Instagram and FB a couple days ago but I thought I'd also share the recipe on my blog since I think it's super yummy! It's a quick and easy recipe so you don't have to spend hours making food for your family.

Ingredients:

4 bell peppers halved - one of each color, diced into bite-size pieces

1 medium onion, diced small

2 tablespoons of oil

4 eggs

2 hot dogs

1/4 cup shredded cheese for topping

salt and pepper for taste

Directions:

1. Dice half of each of your bell peppers into bite-size pieces. Toss them into a hot pan with 2 tablespoons of oil. Let them sear for about 5 minutes, depending on how soft you like them.

2. Toss in your diced onion and let it sear for about 2 to 3 minutes, until translucent.

3. Cut up two hot dogs into small pieces and toss into the pan. Let it sear for about 2 to 3 minutes as well.

4. While your ingredients are searing, beat 4 eggs and season with a little bit of salt. Pour eggs into your pan and cook to your desire. I like mine a little bit runny, not fully scrambled. You can even make it into an omelette if you want to.

5. Top with some shredded cheese and you're all done! Enjoy!

Day 31: Slow Cook Mississippi Pot Roast

Since I've had some free time, I stumbled upon a recipe on Pinterest called the Mississippi Pot Roast. I didn't think anything of if since it didn't have much reviews, but as I kept scrolling through, this recipe kept popping up, so I thought to myself, why not. I went to King Soopers (Kroger) and got myself the ingredients and made it.

OH.MY.GOODNESS. This is probably the BEST pot roast i've ever had. Where have I been all my life without it? It was SO juicy and the taste was out of this world. I kept going back for more. I couldn't wait to make the mashed potatoes and broccoli that I tossed some into a bun of bread and ate it like that. It was SO good. I wouldn't lie to you. It was amazing. Please make it and please tell me how much you loved it. K? OK!

Ingredients:

3 lb chuck roast

2 tbsp olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

1 packet ranch dressing mix

1 packet Au Jus mix

½ cup salted butter 1 stick

8 pepperoncini peppers

Directions:
*I did everything in my instant pot and made it slow cook - you can do yours in a pan and transfer to a crockpot if you don't have one. 

1. Turn your instant pot to 'Saute' and wait for it to heat up. Once hot, add oil. (For crock pot - heat up a large non-stick pan on high. Once it is hot, add oil to the hot skillet.)

2. While you are waiting for that to warm up, take a paper towel and make sure you dry both sides of the pot roast. Season it with a little bit of pepper.

3. Once the skillet/instant pot is nice and hot, add the roast. Allow the roast to cook for about 2-3 minutes until it is golden brown. Using tongs, flip the meat over and sear the other side of the roast for another 2-3 minutes.

4. If cooking in instant pot, turn 'Saute' off, by pushing cancel and then push 'Slow Cook' for 8 hours.  (For crock pot - transfer meat to slow cooker.) **Once I find the perfect timing for the instant pot, i'll update this post with it! I heard around 70 minutes but I will test it and let you know!**

5. Top with a stick of butter. (Mine was cut into 1/4 so I used two to make it ½ cup)

6. Sprinkle packets of dry ranch dressing and Au Jus over the pot roast. Then place 8 pepperoncini peppers on and around the roast.

7. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

8. After about 8 hours, take two forks and start shredding the meat. Discard any fatty pieces. Depending on your crock pot / instant pot, you may need to cook it more or less. Know your machine!

9. Serve over mashed potatoes with vegetables or make a sandwich. (Will make another post on how to steam broccoli in the instant pot!)

Day 26: What I Order at Starbucks!

A week or two ago, I asked my followers in Instagram what they like to order at Starbucks and I would like to thank those of you that participated!! You gave me some GREAT suggestions! I also wanted to make a blog post about the drinks that I order at Starbucks just in case you were wanting to try something new too! I’m sure many of you have tried these but why not share them anyway. Also, the red cup officially came back on November 1^st!

AcaiStrawberry Refresher. If you haven’t tried this, you are missing out! It’s basically water and strawberries mixed together with some magical ingredient that makes it super yummy. This drink is basically like drinking water but with a kick! I’ve heard of people asking for lemonade instead of water – which I have also tried – but I don’t like it because it’s too much sugar for me. But if that’s for you, then go for it!

Frappuccino. I know everyone and their mom has probably had one at some point in their lives but it’s honestly the best – don’t fight me on this. The one I specifically get is the caramel one. They recently had a Ultra Caramel Frappuccino and it was wayyy too sweet for me. I think if you truly have a sweet tooth, it’s the way to go but for me, it was too much sugar so I stick to the regular caramel frap!

HotChocolate. Lately, because it’s been getting cold, I’ve been ordering their hot chocolate. In my opinion, it’s the perfect amount of chocolate and warm enough to make me smile every time I drink it. I usually don’t order this other than when I’m really cold and craving chocolate. (hello mother nature!)

CaféMisto. (with a pump of hazelnut and a pump of chocolate) I’ve heard this being referred to as the Nutella drink but honestly, being a Nutella addict, it’s not. I do like this drink because I am a more-milk-than-coffee lover and that’s exactly how this is made. I do have a low tolerance to coffee though so I will only get this when I’m truly wanting caffeine. I’ve also heard of other recipes adding some caramel drizzle.. so I might try that and get back to you.

There you have it. I wish I could say there’s more I order but I haven’t really ventured out to the Starbucks menu (because my caffeine tolerance is horrible) but once I do start exploring, I will be sure to try more. In case you were curious, these were the responses I received!

x

Day 24: Homemade Bosnian Food - Kljukusa

*Updated Recipe from Jan 21, 2017*

My Bosnian roots are pretty much coming out in this post. My mom has been making Bosnian food every since she could pretty much walk. Over the years, I've had cravings for certain Bosnian foods and wanted to make them, myself. Like any other Bosnian mother, no exact measurements are used when cooking. (You think I'm joking but I'm 100% serious, they just know.) Well this is one recipe that I would like to share because I made it tonight and I thought, why not. It's called Kljukusa and the best way I can describe it, is baked dough with chicken. I don't know how to exactly describe it, but oh man, it ends up being delicious.

Here is what you will need: (Ingredients are not in 100% exact measurements so it might take time to perfect) Makes enough for about 4-5 people.

Ingredients:

3 cups of flour (approximately)

3 eggs

3 big pinches of salt (or about 2 tablespoons)

1 pinch of baking powder

About 1 water bottle of water

1 tray of chicken winglets or breasts, whatever you prefer.

Seasoning for the chicken/ salt & pepper. 

Oil

Heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. Sift your flour. You don't want chunks of it. I used my KitchenAid mixer for these next steps and poured my flour into my KitchenAid bowl. 

2. Add in 3 eggs, salt, and baking powder. I let the mixer start going slowly. 

3. Slowly start adding in your water. A little bit at a time. For my Bosnians out there, I used a whole small bottle of Kiseljak, when I have it. To my Americans out there - Kiseljak is sparkling water. :)

4. While that is mixing, I season the chicken. I use some smoked paprika, Bosnian vegeta, salt and pepper, but it's really up to you on how you want to season it and what type of chicken you want to use. (chicken breast/chicken winglets)

5. Sear your chicken on the stove with some oil for a couple minutes on each side. This step is optional - if you want a crispy coat on your chicken. (I do, so I sear it beforehand)

6. The pan I usually use is a round 2-3 inch deep pan. I coat the bottom in oil. 

7. Pour your mixture into the oiled pan and make sure it's spread evenly and there are no bubbles. 

8. Take your seasoned chicken and place it wherever you'd like in the pan with the mixture. Push it down a tad so it's not floating at the top. 

9. Pop it in the oven at 450 degrees for 30-35 minutes. 

10. About 5 minutes before it's suppose to come out, pour some heavy whipping cream all over it. Use as much or as little as you'd like. Make sure to get the outsides so they don't end up hard. 

11. Put it back in the oven for the rest of the 5 minutes. 

Once it's done, enjoy! :)

Day 20: Chrissy Teigen’s Tomato Soup

As mentioned in one of my previous posts, I was recently gifted Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook ‘Cravings 2: Hungry for More’ and I have been wanting to explore some of the recipes in there. My previous post was about her Banana bread and it turned out fabulous – so much coconut and yummy chocolate chunks! Well because of that, I wanted to try her tomato soup recipe. It looked yummy from her picture so I thought why not. Plus, the recipe was pretty simple.

I will say that I am NOT a fan of tomato soup. I have tried Campbells and I think it’s disgusting. I don’t like it at all. The only tomato soup that I’ve enjoyed is from Snooze with their grilled cheese, but who’s got time to go to Snooze just for their tomato soup? I would say Chrissy’s recipe is probably more comparable with Snooze’s soup than with Campbells. It’s creamy but not soupy. I really enjoyed it and brought the leftovers to work with me the next day!

Her ingredients are pretty simple- some onion, garlic, tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, sugar, salt, pepper.. let it boil and then simmer for 15 mins.. blend it up, add some heavy cream and there you go! She also served hers with parmesan crisps, which is just cheese in the stove for about 5 mins.. but I ended up using the wrong type of cheese so mine ended up a little burnt.. but that’s ok! I like them that way! Extra crunchy!

Onions

 Add garlic

Chicken broth, sugar, salt, pepper

Bring to boil and then turn down to a simmer for 15 mins

Blend it up, add some heavy whip cream and you're done!

I would give this recipe a 5/5 because it’s super easy, quick, and delicious. There’s nothing I hate more than spending over an hour making food because, let’s be real here, I get HANGRY. This recipe was done in probably 45 minutes total. I was able to enjoy it and the parmesan crisps within that time frame. The ingredients were simple and it turned out really REALLY good. I highly recommend trying it.

Day 17: Palacinke (Nutella Crepes)

Click the picture above to buy some Nutella!

So, I've hesitated about putting this recipe up but I really have to because I want everybody to be able to make it. These are the best crepes I have ever made and the best part is that it only makes like 10 to 12. I know I use to make Palacinke back in the day but it would make about 20 and have about a week of them left over, which - let's be honest - end up gross and thrown away. These, you and your family/friends can finish them in one night and maybe have just one night of leftovers (instead of 3). The other best part is that there is NO sugar!! The only sugar that will be added is the Nutella, should you choose to add it. I hope you get a chance to make it and share it with me once you do! :)

Ingredients:

1 and 1/4 cup of sparkling water

1 cup of milk

2 Eggs

1 cup of flour

1 spoonful of oil

1 pinch of salt

Oil for the pan

Nutella or any flavoring you would like 

Directions:

1. Combine your wet ingredients - eggs, oil, salt, water, and milk - and mix thoroughly. 

2. Add your flour to the mixture, gradually. The consistency should be like pancake batter but a little bit thinner. (not soupy or too thick)

3. Put just a teaspoon of oil in your pan and swish it around so it coats the whole pan. Turn your stove to medium-high heat. You will need to put a teaspoon of oil in between every crepe - not between each flip, but between each crepe.

4. Take a good spoonful of your crepe mixture and put it in your pan. If you are using a ladle, I would say to use half a ladle of the mixture - depending on how big your ladle is; we don't want too much because it can end up thick. Lift your pan around so the mixture is coated nice and even around. Remember we are making thin crepes, not thick pancakes. 

5. After you see the edges browning, using a wooden spoon, flip your crepe over to the other side and let it cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. If you're a pro, you can use the pan to flip it over. I'm definitely not there yet. 

6. Once it's complete, take it out of the pan into a flat plate. Take some Nutella and spread it evenly on the crepe. You can roll it or fold it - however you choose to do it. 

For the next ones, you just continue with a teaspoon of oil, swish it around the pan, drop some of the crepe mixture and distribute it evenly. Flip after about 2 mins. Let it cook for another 2 mins. Etc.

There you have it! Super easy! Also, don't worry if you don't get it on your first try. Cooking is a science and takes some practice to get it just right!

Click the picture to buy some Nutella!

Day 14: Chrissy Teigen's Banana Bread

So I don't know how I stumbled upon it, but I found Chrissy Teigen's banana bread recipe and decided that I wanted to make it. The first ingredient on her list was 6 ripe bananas. I didn't have any ripe bananas. I actually did have 6 bananas but they were not ripe, so I decided to put them to the side and wait for them to ripen so I can make this world famous (twitter famous) banana bread recipe. It took about two weeks for mine to be ready and in the meantime, I went out and bought the rest of the ingredients so I wouldn't have to rush to the store the day I wanted to make it.

Ironically enough, my boyfriend and I were strolling around Target yesterday and I found Chrissy's book and I was looking through it and found the exact recipe in there. My boyfriend saw how interested I was in this cookbook that he bought it for me! (Do I have the best man or what?!!!!)

I was finally able to make the banana bread today!! Let me tell you. YUMMMM. I usually hate banana bread because it has such a weird texture (it's bread but it's mushy inside.. that's so weird to me) but this one, I realllllly liked! She uses chocolate chips and coconut and it just is such a great combination that it melted in my mouth!

The BEST part (for me) was adding the butter on top of the slice I was eating. That really just sealed the deal for me. The mixture of the sweet banana bread and the saltiness of the butter just hit the spot! Oh my gosh. Chrissy. Thank you. I cannot recommend this enough! I made it exactly how her recipe shows and the only thing I changed was that I added in crushed walnuts because my family likes a crunchy texture. I am telling you - if you have not made this, you need to go make it ASAP. You will not be able to control yourself. Just saying. You can buy the book on Amazon for only $17.99 ! At Target, we actually ended up paying $20.99 plus tax. If you want just this recipe instead of buying the whole book (highly recommend to glance through the book), you can view the full recipe here by USA Today!

Day 4: Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

Recently, I purchased the 6 quart instant pot and oh my goodness am I blown away by it! It literally does everything. The only thing I'm still waiting for them to build is to print money. I am actually starting to also do some Bosnian recipes on it but more to come on that later.

My favorite thing to eat as the weather is getting colder is chili. I made a wonderful chicken chili in my instant pot and wanted to share the recipe! Let me know if you decide to make it too and if you liked it!

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts -or- sliced chicken breasts (i used the pre-sliced ones - you can even use chicken tenderloins)

15 oz can of white beans, drained

15oz can of black beans, drained

15oz can of corn, drained

10 oz can of rotel - original - with all juices

1 medium onion, diced

1 tsp of cumin

1 tsp of chili powder (depending on how spicy you want it, use more or less)

1 tsp of crushed pepper flakes

1/2 cup of chicken broth 

8 oz package of cream cheese

Optional:

Tortilla strips for topping

Shredded cheese for topping

Directions:
1. Place your chicken at the bottom of the instant pot. Then follow with drained beans, corn, chopped onion, rotel, and chicken broth.
2. On top of that, add your spices- cumin, chili powder, crushed pepper flakes.

3. Stir all ingredients but make sure to keep the chicken at the bottom. Lift the chicken a little bit to have the juices go underneath so it doesn't burn.
4. Cut your cream cheese into squares - doesn't matter how many - and put it on top.

5. Cover and seal the lid and set to 'sealing' position. Enter 20 minutes manually for high pressure.

Once the 20 minutes is done, leave the instant pot to naturally depressurize for about 20 minutes and then set the valve to venting afterwards to completely release all the pressure.

6. Remove the chicken breasts and shred them (if needed) and put them back in the instant pot and stir. (I bought the really thinly sliced chicken breast so when it was done cooking, it just fell apart on its own so I didn't really need to shred it. If you bought the big chicken breasts, you may have to)

I topped mine with tortilla strips and cheese. Enjoy :)