Framed Cooks - My life. One recipe at a time.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Crispy Breadcrumbs

January 29, 2015 by Kate Leave a Comment

I have never, and I mean never, met a beef stew that I couldn’t make friends with. When it comes to beef stew I am basically just a girl who can’t say no…but I do have certain requirements. And my biggest one? NO POTATOES. Nope. I love potatoes in many scenarios, but not in my beef stew…they get too soggy, and even if you put them in towards the end of the cooking process, they just take up too much room. Nope, I like my beef stew carbs in other ways…in this case, via some crispy breadcrumbs on the top and some creamy polenta on the bottom. Mmmmmm.

Cream Cheese and Chive Potato Soup

January 27, 2015 by Kate 6 Comments

We’ve just been liberated from the 8 inches of snow that just fell on us (there’s nothing more exciting than the sound of the plow truck coming to set you free!) and now they are telling us a possible blizzard is bearing down on us. I mean, really. I know it is January and all, but I think one major snowstorm a week is plenty. But since nobody is consulting with me, the only thing I can do about it is make soup. Lots and lots of warm and wonderful soup. Soup with potatoes and carrots and cream cheese and chives. Soup with BACON. Let’s make soup!

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Tacos

January 25, 2015 by Kate 2 Comments

I heard on the news the other night that it was the 75th anniversary of the slow cooker. I’m basically up for any excuse to use my slow cooker, and 75 years of low and slow deliciousness seemed like the perfect excuse to cook up a slow cooker-full of tender, spicy, creamy shredded chicken, just right for spooning into warmed tortillas and garnishing with a little Sriracha, sour cream and chopped scallions. My best advice on this one? Make enough for leftovers – you are going to want ‘em.

Frosted Meatloaf Cupcakes

January 22, 2015 by Kate 4 Comments

With the empty nest that we have going at our house these days, certain recipes are more of a challenge to make. Whole lasagnas, big casseroles of macaroni and cheese and regular size meatloaves are all just too much deliciousness without the Southern daughter and her posse around to share the eating. So my solution? I’m basically cupcaking everything. Lasagna? Cupcakes. Mac and cheese? Cupcakes. So it was pretty much only a matter of time before I cupcaked meatloaf…which by the way, was practically begging for a mashed potato frosting. Oh yeah.

Creamy Peanut Soup

January 20, 2015 by Kate Leave a Comment

We are a family that likes our peanuts. From good old pb&j sandwiches to just noshing on them by the handful, we have yet to meet a peanut anything we don’t like. Maybe it’s the Southern husband’s Georgia upbringing. Maybe it’s just the salty crunchy deliciousness. Whatever it is, it led me down the road to this creamy and unusual soup, full of smooth peanut flavor and garnished with chopped (say it with me) peanuts! And since we are smack in the middle of soup season, otherwise known as the month of January, it’s the perfect time to give this a try.

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Pizza

January 18, 2015 by Kate 2 Comments

So many many things to say about this little recipe. Starting with the fact that it is basically a loaded bagel with cream cheese, but in pizza form. And since my love for a bagel slathered with cream cheese and smoked salmon and other goodies runs neck and neck with my love for pizza in pretty much any form, this concoction pretty much leaves me weak in the knees. Second, it is SO easy to make that it almost doesn’t seem fair. And third, it gives me a chance to show off my adorable cutting board from Vermont Creamery. But more on them later…let’s make pizza!