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Pumpkin Bread

Posted by Meaghan Barry on November 4, 2013

pumpkin bread

I have been attempting to start this post for pumpkin bread the entire month of October, but it just didn’t happen.  Our laptop computer keyboard is currently out of commission for the letters r, f, v, and the number 4 (and also the hyphen key, but that’s a bit more manageable.)  You never realize how often the letter r comes up in the English language!  It definitely makes writing posts more challenging.  Here’s hoping Santa brings me a new laptop this Christmas.

Even though Halloween is now in the past, it’s never too late for pumpkin recipes in my opinion.  I came across this recipe for pumpkin bread on Pinterest and the pin claimed it was Starbucks’ recipe for pumpkin bread.  I don’t know if that’s true, but I think it tastes pretty close!

Print
Pumpkin Bread
Prep time:  10 mins
Cook time:  65 mins
Total time:  1 hour 15 mins
 
Ingredients
  • cooking spray
  • 1 and ½ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • ⅔ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Grease a glass loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium-sized bowl.
  3. Then, mix the sugar, brown sugar, milk, egg whites, and pumpkin together in a large bowl. Stir ingredients together until fully mixed.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Stir until completely incorporated.
  5. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 65 minutes or until center is set. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
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Source: Slightly adapted from The First Year Blog

If you are like us and can’t get enough pumpkin recipes this fall, here are a few more from the 2 Sisters 2 Cities archives:

  • Baked Pumpkin Donuts
  • Mini Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Pumpkin Granola
  • Pumpkin Mousse
  • Turkey, White Bean, and Pumpkin Chili

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Filed Under: M's recipes Tagged With: fall recipe, pumpkin, pumpkin bread, pumpkin recipe, starbucks

Caprese Pasta Salad

Posted by Meaghan Barry on July 17, 2013

caprese pasta salad

I’ve been too caught up in newborn/toddlerland to post for the past few weeks, but I’ve finally decided to hop back on the blogging train.  I haven’t been cooking too much lately as we’ve also been fortunate to have had a lot of meals brought to us each evening.  Baby N is pretty relaxed during the day, but things get a bit chaotic around dinnertime each night with him and T.  Yesterday, I had big plans to make this caprese pasta salad right after lunch today while both boys were sleeping.  However, T fought his nap big time, N woke up earlier than expected, and I spent any downtime I had trying to make our house look a little less like a scene from Hoarders.

I finally got a chance to start making this caprese pasta salad around 5 last night, but didn’t get a chance to start taking photos until 7 and I was losing natural light fast.  Baby N was a bit fussy so I had him in the Moby wrap while I was photographing.  Hence, these are not the most stylized or perfectly lit/focused photos.  But, I promise what my photos lack, this recipe makes up for in taste!

caprese pasta salad

This recipe combines two of my favorite types of summer salads: a good pasta salad made with fusilli and a caprese salad.  I love the bright flavor that the white balsamic vinegar brings to this recipe as well.  While I was making it, I was a bit concerned about using a half a cup of vinegar, but I think this is the ingredient that really makes this recipe shine.  This caprese pasta salad would be a delicious summer dish on its own or served on a side with a piece of grilled chicken or steak.

Print
Caprese Pasta Salad
Prep time:  15 mins
Cook time:  10 mins
Total time:  25 mins
 
Ingredients
  • 4 cups fresh basil leaves
  • 1 pound fusilli pasta
  • ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, chopped into bite size pieces (you could also use small mozzarella balls)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or 2 medium heirloom tomatoes, chopped (I used a combination of the two)
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare an ice bath in a separate bowl Once water is boiling, blanche basil leaves for 30 seconds. Once they turn bright green, use a slotted spoon to add them to the ice bath. Drain well, squeezing out any excess liquid. Add basil to the bowl of a food processor.
  2. Using the same pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water until cool. Add drained pasta to a large bowl.
  3. Meanwhile, in the food processor, add the vinegar, salt, red pepper flakes, and pepper to the basil. Process for a few seconds. Continue to process and drizzle in the olive oil slowly through the top of the food processor until fully combined.
  4. Pour dressing over the top of the pasta. Add mozzarella, tomatoes, and capers. Stir together all ingredients until fully combines. Can be served immediately or refrigerated for up to 3 days.
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 Source: Slightly adapted from Love and Olive Oil

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P.S. Happy, happy birthday to my favorite co‐blogger of all time!  That glass of rosé is for you!


Filed Under: M's Sides, M's recipes Tagged With: caprese pasta salad, caprese salad, cookout, cookout recipes, heirloom tomato recipes, heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella, pasta salad, summer recipes, tomato recipes, tomatos

Herbed Potato Salad

Posted by Meaghan Barry on June 19, 2013

 Herbed Potato Salad (from 2 Sisters 2 Cities)

I recently came across this recipe for Herbed Potato Salad in a recent copy of Better Homes & Gardens.  While I am not one to be craving potato salad on a daily basis, I certainly appreciate it’s place as a summer side whenever we make grilled chicken, hot dogs, or hamburgers.  I tend to associate potato salad with tons of creamy mayonnaise.  I was very surprised how much delicious flavor this recipe had considering the relatively small amount of mayonnaise and sour cream it used.  I have definitely been eating it by the spoonful before the serving bowl even hits the dinner table.

Another thing I really like about this recipe is that the method for steaming the potatoes is pretty much foolproof.  I am a chronic potato under‐cookerer (yes spellcheck, I realize cookerer is not a word, but it should be.)  Nothing is worse than biting into a rock hard potato center…yuck!  However, they have come out perfectly done every time using this steaming method.

Bowl of Herbed Potato Salad

I have already made this Herbed Potato Salad several times this spring and I’m sure it will be making it’s way to our dinner table many more times this summer.  It’s tastes even better the next day (that is, if there is any leftover!)  I also love that it uses a relatively small amount of fresh herbs so that I can use my container garden supply.  I’m certainly not yielding any pesto‐sized crops yet so it’s nice to be able to use my my own herbs in recipes that call for a scant amount.

Print
Herbed Potato Salad
Prep time:  10 mins
Cook time:  20 mins
Total time:  30 mins
 
Ingredients
  • 3 pounds small red potatoes, washed, unpeeled, and cut into 1‐inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons extra‐virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1‐2 tablespoon(s) fresh herbs (I have been using a combination of chives, thyme, and oregano)
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (regular or light)
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon celery seed
Instructions
  1. To prepare potatoes, boil a large pot of water and place a steamer basket just above the water line. Once the water is simmering, add the potatoes to basket. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the pot. Allow potatoes to steam for 18‐20 minutes or until cooked thoroughly. Remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool down a bit.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Add the cooled potatoes and stir to combine. You can serve immediately or place in the fridge to be served at a later time.
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Source: Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, June 2013

 


Filed Under: M's Sides, M's recipes Tagged With: bbq, bbq sides, cookout recipes, fourth of july recipes, memorial day recipes, potato salad, potatoes, summer, summer recipes

More Memorial Day Menu Ideas

Posted by Keelin Hollenbeck on May 23, 2013

Before K and I start delving into a whole new season of summer recipes, we wanted to share a few of our favorites from the 2S2C archives.  With Memorial Day weekend coming up (seriously people, I’m pretty concerned about what just happened to the entire month of May- eek!), I have been starting to plan my menu for the holiday weekend.  If you are looking for even more Memorial Day menu ideas, be sure to check out our Memorial Day Weekend and Fourth of July menu round-ups from last year.  In addition, K’s post about our Fourth of July family reunion party from last year is chock-full of patriotic menu and decoration ideas.  I really want to make her DIY Patriotic Pennant Banner to have on hand for all the patriotic holidays!

Even though the weather forecast is looking pretty lousy for the Boston area this weekend, I’m still hoping to do a lot of grilling.  In addition, we are going to have our first lobster night of the summer- can’t wait!  I’m also going to try to make some of the 10 summer recipes shown below.

10 Memorial Day Menu Ideas

Salt Potatoes: an upstate NY summer tradition

Salt Potatoes

Baked Beans: a great side dish for summer cook-outs

Baked Beans {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Greek Pasta Salad: the perfect side for hot dogs and hamburgers

Greek Pasta Salad (from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Orzo and Spinach Salad with Lemon-Cranberry Vinaigrette: a family favorite (and a 2S2C old-school photo flashback!)

Orzo Salad

Tex-Mex Pimiento Cheese Dip: serve with red and blue tortilla chips! {I realize I put this dish in just about every round-up that I do, but you will not regret making this for your next party!!}

Tex-Mex Pimiento Cheese Dip
Mediterranean Dip: this recipe is great for showcasing fresh summer produce

Mediterranean-Dip-with-Pita-Chips
The Classic Margarita: get the weekend started off the right way with this perfect margarita (5 more weeks to go until I can sample one!)

The Classic Lime Margarita {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}
Sausage, Pepper, Onion, and Potato Bake (I’m making this tonight- one of my favorite summer dishes!)

Sausage, Pepper, Onion, & Potato Bake {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}
Frozen Cupcake S’mores: a great summer treat!

Frozen Cupcake S'mores {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}
Patriotic Star Sugar Cookie Cut-outs: for the very ambitious Memorial Day celebraters!

Star cookie cut-outs

Well, it looks like K is a way better summer-blogger than I am considering that 80% of the above recipes are hers.  I can’t promise that I’ll be able to catch up to her pace this summer with baby #2’s arrival, but I am still hoping to share a few of my new favorite summer recipes over the next few months.  What do you have planned for your Memorial Day weekend menu?

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Filed Under: M's recipes Tagged With: cookout recipes, grilling, memorial day, memorial day recipes, memorial day weekend, memorial day weekend menu ideas, patriotic holiday menu, patriotic holidays, patriotic menu ideas, patriotic party ideas, summer recipes

Top 20 Recipes for Mother’s Day

Posted by Meaghan Barry on May 10, 2013

Is anyone else wondering where this week has gone?  I can’t believe it’s Friday afternoon.  It’s been a pretty busy week around here with doctor’s appointment, my dad visiting for a night, book club, playgroup, a new swing-set for T, and getting stuff checked off the “holy crap, I’m due in 7 weeks” to-do list.  I’m looking forward to a fun (and hopefully somewhat relaxing) mother’s day weekend!

Unfortunately, neither K nor I will get a chance to see our mom for Mother’s Day this weekend, but we will see her next weekend for little sister M’s big college graduation weekend!  If we had the opportunity to see her this weekend though, we thought of some recipes we would consider making for her.  This list originally started off as our top 10 recipes for mother’s day, and quickly grew to 20!

For a Fun Brunch:

Baked French Toast

Baked French Toast {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Chocolate Chip Skinny Scones

Chocolate Chip Skinny Scones {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Homemade Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee

Iced Coffee Recipe

Bacon & Green Onion Quiche

Bacon & Green Onion Quiche

Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Muffins {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

For a Mid-Afternoon Snack

Caramel Corn

Caramel Corn {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Soft Pretzels with Jalapeño Dipping Sauce

soft pretzels with jalapeño dipping sauce

Blueberry Lemon Popsicles

blueberry lemon mint popsicle

Basil Lemonade

basil lemonade

For An Easy & Elegant Dinner:

Girls’ Night Pasta

Girls' Night Pasta {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Corn Pancakes with Smoked Salmon and Lemon-Chive Cream

corn pancakes with smoked salmon

Slow-Roasted Beef with Horseradish Cream Sauce

Slow Roasted Beef with Horseradish Cream Sauce

Roast Chicken with Garlic, Lemon, & Parsley

roast chicken

Chicken Piccata

chicken piccata

For a Special Dessert:

Chunky Monkey Cupcakes

Chunky Monkey Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Sea Salt Caramel Brownies

Sea Salt Caramel Brownies

Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Coconut Lemon Bars

coconut lemon bars

Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Hot Fudge Sauce

Hot fudge sauce

Happy mother’s day mom, our #1 reader at 2 Sisters 2 Cities!

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P.S. If you are also looking for gift ideas for mom, check out my often-updated gift guide on Pinterest for some gifting inspiration!

 


Filed Under: M's recipes Tagged With: for mom, mother's day, mother's day breakfast, mother's day brunch, mother's day dessert, mother's day easy dinner, mother's day menu, mother's day snack

Tres Leches Cupcakes

Posted by Meaghan Barry on May 2, 2013

Tres Leches Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

I typically buy healthier items when I grocery shop at Whole Foods (versus a typical Boston-area grocery store such as Stop & Shop or Shaw’s.)  However, the one thing that gets me everytime is the tres leches cake from prepared foods section.  It’s always located on the last end-cap we have to go around before we head to the cashier.  I can practically hear it calling my name from the shelf!  I often find myself picking up a slice to split with my husband for dessert.

Tres Leches Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

While K and I were discussing what Cinco de Mayo recipes we were going to post, I told her about my obsession with the WF tres leches cake.  I’ve never made one before and she told me that I had to try making tres leches cupcakes instead.  K just bought me some awesome new cupcake pans for my birthday so I figured it would be the perfect chance to use them.

Tres Leches Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

If you haven’t had a tres leches cake (or cupcake) before, tres leches means three milks due to the three varieties of milk used in the recipe.  This recipe actually has four types if you count milk and heavy cream as separate types of milk (the other two are evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk.)

Tres Leches Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Print
Tres Leches Cupcakes
Author: 2 Sisters 2 Cities
Recipe type: dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep time:  30 mins
Cook time:  15 mins
Total time:  45 mins
Serves: 18
 
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
  • 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 5 eggs, yolks and egg whites separated
  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • ⅓ cup whole or 2% milk
  • 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the tres leches glaze
  • 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
  • 1 14-ounce sweetened condensed milk
  • ½ cup heavy cream
For the cupcake topping
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two cupcake pans with paper liners (this recipe makes about 18 cupcakes.)
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl of an electric mixer, add the egg yolks and ¾ cup sugar. Beat them together using the whisk attachment until mixture is well combined. Add the milk and 1 and ½ teaspoon vanilla; continue to beat until combined.
  3. Pour the liquid mixture over the flour mixture and stir together gently with a spatula. Wash out the mixing bowl and whisk attachment. Once dry, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks appear. Add ¼ cup sugar and continue to beat until combined.
  4. Using the spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the other large bowl. Mix until just combined and pour batter into cupcake liners. Bake for 15 minutes or until center of cupcakes reach 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
For the tres leches glaze
  1. Line a baking sheet with foil and transfer the cupcakes once they have cooled. Using a fork or a skewer, poke about 10 holes into each cupcake.
  2. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and ½ cup heavy cream. Pour mixture over the cupcakes (some residual glaze will spill over onto the foil.) Place the baking sheet of cupcakes in the fridge and allow to chill up to 30 minutes.
For the cupcake topping
  1. In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, add the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Using the whisk attachment, mix together until stiff peaks form. Use a spatula or spoon to top cupcakes with whipped cream topping.
  2. Store cupcakes in refrigerator.
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Source: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman, Alton Brown, and The Latin Kitchen

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Filed Under: M's Desserts, M's recipes, Party Ideas Tagged With: cinco de mayo, cupcake recipe, cupcakes, mexican, mexican food, tres leches cake, tres leches cupcakes

Baked Panko Chicken Tenders

Posted by Meaghan Barry on April 29, 2013

Baked Panko Chicken Tenders {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

As promised, here is a post with another toddler-friendly recipe!  Every couple of months I try to make a huge batch of chicken tenders and freeze them.  I can then just pull out a couple and reheat them for a quick lunch or dinner for T.  I usually serve them with a small bowl of homemade ranch dressing or ketchup and a side of steam veggies.  I’ve tried a lot of various recipes for chicken tenders, but this one for Baked Panko Chicken Tenders seems to be the biggest hit with him.  I prefer baking versus pan-frying them since it’s usually easier to cook and clean up a large batch of baked chicken tenders.

While I’ve categorized this recipe for baked panko chicken tenders as a toddler and kid-friendly recipe, I will admit my husband and I both heavily “sample” the tenders as soon as I pull them out of the oven.  These chicken tenders could easily be converted to an “adult meal” by serving them on top of a mixed greens salad dressed with the aforementioned ranch dressing.

If you’ve ever made any kind of chicken or fish that is dunked in buttermilk or an egg wash, then flour, then the liquid, and then another layer of breadcrumbs, you may have encountered what I like to call “monster hands.”  All four layers stick to your fingers and after repeating this process for a few times, your fingers look like they have contracted elephantiasis.  To avoid this, I recommend dunking your fingers (or tongs) in a bowl of warm water each time to rinse off all the layers.  This will help keep each individual bowl somewhat clean as well and prevent huge clumps of ingredients falling off your fingers and  into each bowl.

Baked Panko Chicken Tenders {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Print
Baked Panko Chicken Tenders
Prep time:  20 mins
Cook time:  20 mins
Total time:  40 mins
 
Ingredients
  • -2-3 pounds chicken tenders (or chicken breasts cut into tender-sized strips)
  • -1 and ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • -1 and ¼ teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
  • -2 cups buttermilk
  • -2 cups eggs
  • -1 cup all-purpose flour
  • -4 cups panko (Japanese style breadcrumbs)
  • -1 teaspoon thyme
  • -cooking spray
  • -bowl of warm water
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare two or three baking sheets with foil sprayed with cooking spray.
  2. Lay out chicken on a large platter or cutting board. Season both sides of chicken with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Prepare three bowls for chicken to be dipped into and add the following ingredients:
  3. ) buttermilk and egg, whisked together
  4. ) flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, mixed together
  5. ) panko and thyme, mixed together
  6. Dip each individual chicken tender into the buttermilk mixture (1), the flour mixture (2), once again into the buttermilk mixture (1), and finally into the panko mixture (3.) Lay the covered chicken tender onto the prepared baking sheet. Once you fill up a tray of chicken tenders, spray the top of the chicken tenders with a light layer of cooking spray.
  7. Cook for 15-20 minutes until chicken tenders start to turn golden and the internal temperature of each piece of chicken reaches at least 160 degrees F. Continue to prepare and cook the remaining chicken tenders.
  8. Serve chicken tenders warm with ranch dressing or ketchup. Alternatively, allow baked panko chicken tenders to cool and place them in gallon-sized freezer bags. To serve, take out the desired amount of chicken tenders and reheat in the oven or microwave until warm.
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 Source: Adapted from The Picky Palate Cookbook and Recipes for Baby and Toddler: 365 Quick & Healthy Dishes

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Filed Under: M's Entrees, M's recipes Tagged With: chicken, chicken nuggets, chicken recipe, chicken tenders, ketchup, kid-friendly recipes, panko, ranch dressing, toddler-friendly recipes

Homemade Ranch Dressing and Dipping Sauce

Posted by Meaghan Barry on April 26, 2013

Homemade Ranch Dressing {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Hello again poor, sweet neglected blog.  It’s been so hard to find the motivation to blog these past few weeks, but I am finally feeling inspired once again on this sunny spring day.  I have a whole series of kid-friendly (and especially toddler-friendly) recipes lined up.   First up on my list is homemade ranch dressing.  Many of the family cookbooks that I own recommend dipping sauces to get your toddlers interested in eating healthier items.  I can certainly attest that T literally licks his plate clean if I give him a little bowl of homemade ranch dressing, ketchup, or hummus to dip his food into.

While it’s certainly easier to buy a bottle of ranch dressing at the store, I prefer to make my own salad dressings for two reasons.  First, I like to have control of what goes into the dressing…fresh herbs, organic ingredients where possible, a controlled amount of salt, and no preservatives.  Secondly, I think homemade dressing just tastes way better than any bottled stuff.

Ranch Dipping Sauce {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

This homemade ranch dressing is pretty versatile…kids can use it to dip chicken fingers and baby carrots.  I know some people cannot eat a slice of pizza without some ranch dressing on the side.  It tastes really awesome with a bowl of potato chips (I know, I ate all the chips for my lunch after taking these photos!  I ate the carrots too!)  Or, simply use the ranch dressing as it was originally intended- to dress up a simple mixed green and tomato salad.

Print
Homemade Ranch Dressing and Dipping Sauce
Prep time:  15 mins
Total time:  15 mins
 
This delicious ranch dressing is great for salads or as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets, vegetables, and chips.
Ingredients
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 1 cup light mayonnaise
  • ½ cup light sour cream
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
  1. Mix the garlic and salt in a small bowl and mash them together with a knife. Add in the finely chopped herbs and mix together with the garlic salt mixture.
  2. In a bowl or large measuring cup, add the remaining ingredients and the herb/garlic/salt mixture. Adjust ingredients to taste and add more buttermilk if you wish for a thinner consistency. Transfer ranch dressing to a sealed container, such as a mason jar. Refrigerate the ranch dressing for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld together.
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Source: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

If you are interested in other salad dressing and dips, check out our recipes for

Thousand Island Dressing:

Homemade-Thousand-Island-Dressing

Dill Dip:

Dill Dip

Baked Potato Dip:

Baked Potato Dip

Cheers to a great weekend!

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Filed Under: M's recipes Tagged With: carrots, chicken nuggets, dipping sauce, homemade salad dressing, potato chips, ranch dressing, ranch salad dressing, salad dressing, toddler-friendly recipes

Weekly Meal Plan for April

Posted by Meaghan Barry on April 11, 2013

april weekly menu plan

I just wanted to squeeze in a quick post since we haven’t had any this week!  My husband accidentally left our DSLR in the trunk of his car earlier this week and today our laptop is getting a little TLC at the Apple store.  My mom also was visiting us earlier this week.  Is that enough excuses for you because I’m sure I could come up with a few more?

I made this meal plan for this week starting on Monday.  We have started to get some warmer days in so I have included a lot more fish and grilling recipes than I did for the winter.  I’ve already made the salmon burgers and fish tacos this week and they were both really, really good!  I will definitely be making them both again hopefully many times this upcoming summer.  I’m also looking forward to trying some new recipes in the second half of the week.

Day 1:  Salmon Burgers with Lemon Dill Mayo from The Picky Palate Cookbook
Day 2:  Blackened Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa and Chipotle Aioli, side of chips and guacamole from Tide and Thyme (I have linked to this recipe before- you must try it soon if you have not already!)
Day 3: Take-out (late afternoon doctor’s appointment)
Day 4: Chicken with Tomato Herb Pan Sauce and Garlic Rice Pilaf, from Annie’s Eats
Day 5: Spice-Rubbed NY Strip Steaks with Avocado Lime Salsa and Corn Muffins from Cooking Light, April 2013
Day 6:  Panko-Crusted Cod with Tomato Basil Relish from Cooking Light, April 2013
Day 7: Chili Lime Shrimp Skewers over Garlic Butter Quinoa from The Picky Palate Cookbook

What’s on your menu for the week?  Are you passing over the soup recipes yet and trading them in for some grilling time?
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Filed Under: M's recipes Tagged With: april weekly menu plan, menu for the week, spring dinner, spring dinner ideas, weekly menu plan

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Posted by Meaghan Barry on April 4, 2013

chocolate peanut butter banana muffins

Ready for some non-Easter recipes yet?  We’ve taken a brief hiatus this week after Easter to recuperate and to start getting into spring-mode!  We have been brainstorming a lot of new recipes ideas and can’t wait to share them.  In the meanwhile, I wanted to share the recipe for these chocolate peanut butter banana muffins that I made for the first time about six months ago and have made several times since.  T loves them and I really don’t mind eating them myself ;)

chocolate peanut butter muffins

The original recipe is from Jessica Seinfeld’s cookbook Deceptively Delicious.  In her cookbook, she incorporates a lot of pureed fruits and vegetables into recipes so that kids (especially picky eaters) get more nutrients into their diet.  The original recipe calls for a 1/2 cup of pureed carrots or cauliflower, but I haven’t yet tried making them with this.  The recipe I have tried does incorporate a bananas, peanut butter, and applesauce- they are amazingly moist considering they only have one egg white and no oil or butter in them.

Print
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Prep time:  10 mins
Cook time:  20 mins
Total time:  30 mins
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 banana, mashed
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 cup all purpose flour (alternatively, you could use ½ cup whole wheat flour and ½ cup all purpose flour)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, line a muffin tin with paper baking cups.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mix ½ cup of the brown sugar with the peanut butter, applesauce, mashed banana and egg white. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour(s), baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Add the mixed dry ingredients with the peanut butter mixture and stir to combine. Add the chocolate chips until fully mixed. Add the remaining ½ of brown sugar and stir once or twice.
  3. Use a spoon to pour the batter in 12 muffin cups (the batter may be a bit thicker than a regular muffin recipe.) Bake for 18-20 minutes or until tops of the muffins are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
  4. Remove from oven and allow the muffins to cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes. Remove muffins from tin and cool on a wire rack.
3.2.1682

Source: Adapted from Deceptively Delicious and Once a Month Mom

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