Spiced Chocolate Budino with Oranges

This recipe may seem a bit odd to some of you.

Chocolate pudding and crushed red pepper.

Are you crazy Liz?

No, unless you mean crazy-genius. Err, I guess Giada would be the crazy-genius one. I simply added the orange zest and ate nearly the entire bowl.

I'm justifying the bowl thing by telling myself the crushed red pepper speeds up my metabolism.

Spiced Chocolate Budino with Oranges

Ingredients:

1 package dry chocolate pudding mix

2 cups milk

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp orange zest

Directions:

Make pudding according to directions. Add the crushed red pepper and orange zest, mix to combine. Let the pudding sit before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis recipe

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Group project.

All college students shudder collectively at those two words.

I have a secret weapon for them, though. And it comes out of my oven.

Try bringing some chocolate chip muffins to meetings and not getting along with your group-mates. Impossible!

I believe this trick should work for business groups, as well. Co-workers. Cohorts. So bring some to your next meeting! You won't regret it :D

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

12 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup milk

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. With a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in each of the eggs separately, scraping down the sides. Add the vanilla and mix.

Add half of the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Add the milk and mix, then add the rest of the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared muffin tins and bake for 21-23 minutes, until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Let rest in tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Curried Tofu with Squash and Broccolini

There's something about broccolini that I really like. I think it has something to do with its shape. It boasts all the broccoli flavor in a long, slender form. It's like broccoli's cooler, older Italian sister.

Plus it's fun to say.

Broccolini.

Broc-o-leen-eee

I may have repeated the word obnoxiously while cooking last night. I also may have forgotten to chop the broccolini up beforehand and hastily did so on my counter, getting curry simmer sauce everywhere. Cooking with me is always an adventure. Ask those (un)fortunate enough to end up in the kitchen with me.

Anyhoo, this recipe is lots of fun. The curry sauce is delicious and adds the perfect level of heat. The tofu ends up perfectly cooked. Despite all the broccolini talk, it really isn't the main ingredient in this. Still, it plays its supporting role with the squash wonderfully.

Curried Tofu with Squash and Broccolini

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 pound broccolini (1 bunch)

1 large onion

1 winter squash, peeled and chopped into cubes

1 package of tofu

1 cup curry simmer sauce

1 cup non-dairy milk

1/2 cup water

Directions:

In a large pot, heat the oil and then add the onion and squash. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, mix together the curry simmer sauce, milk, and water. Add the tofu to the onion and squash mixture and then pour the sauce over it. Cover and let simmer under the vegetables are cooked, about 7 minutes.

Add the broccolini and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Serve over brown rice.

*Adapted from Health Magazine

There's No Place Like Home

Spring Break is finally here!

Dorothy and Glinda had it right.

There's no place like home.

One Of Those (Good) Days

Do you ever have days where you are just ridiculously happy? Today is definitely one of those days for me! Lately I have been feeling sort of down with a lot of anxiety and low energy, but today feels like a breath of fresh air. Despite being in the midst of finals and the months before my LSAT growing shorter, I feel 100 percent centered.

I think it has to do with all the sunlight. It's been pretty dreary in Chicago lately, but the sun has come out to play today! Here are a few pictures from my living room.

I am just loving how bright and cheery everything looks! Makes me feel like spring is on its way...

So, in honor of this beautiful and bright day I am going to share with you one of my favorite pre-made soups. No, I was not asked to do a review and I very well may be violating some sort of code by writing this, but I just can't keep things like this to myself :D

I've tried pretty much all of Alessi's soups. They are hearty and flavorful. One package makes four servings, but if you're a single girl like me, know that leftovers freeze well! I've found these at a couple normal grocery stores, so no Whole Foods necessary.

Looks pretty good, huh? I would definitely recommend seeking these out at your local grocery store. You won't regret it!

Alright, I am going to get back to enjoying this beautiful day. Let's hope I squeeze in some studying ;-)