Egg Salad with Pickled Celery & Dijon

I had never tried egg salad until this recipe and I’m not really sure why. It’s not that I was trying to avoid it, but I didn’t necessarily have a strong desire to try it either until I saw this recipe on Smitten Kitchen.

It intrigued me with the pickled celery and coarse dijon.

I’d been meaning to give it a try for awhile and finally made it happen.

While I can’t speak much about egg salad in general, as this was my first sampling, I can tell you THIS egg salad is phenomenal and completely addicting.

I know because I’m officially addicted to it.

You see… my downward spiral into addiction went like this…

I made a batch for egg salad sandwiches for my lunches during the week.

I ate my sandwich at lunch the first day and fell head over heels.

Then I continued to crave it the rest of the afternoon and by the time I got home, had thoroughly convinced myself I needed a snack before dinner.

And that snack needed to be egg salad.

I didn’t want a full sandwich (since this was a “snack”) so I put it on crackers and proceeded to polish off nearly all of the rest!

The celery and dijon are a brilliant combination by Deb at Smitten Kitchen. The celery adds texture and acidity from the pickling process while the dijon gives the egg & mayo flavor some body.

Get the recipe here: Egg Salad with Pickled Celery & Coarse Dijon; Smitten Kitchen

Guess I will have to make another batch!

Good Morning Muffins

Morning is my favorite time of day.

But lately, I haven’t been acting like it with an ever-increasing snooze button count.

So this week, to break this unwanted routine, I vowed to myself and publicly pledged to my husband and best friend that I was going to get out of bed when I should and take time to enjoy breakfast and coffee instead of frantically dashing out the door.

So far, I’ve been successful at prying myself out of bed.

What’s my secret?

These muffins!

They are power muffins. Wake-up-and-conquer-the-world muffins.

I look forward to these in the morning and consequently, add an incentive to depart from my warm and cozy covers.

I’m not ashamed I have to motivate myself with food sometimes.

They are loaded with good for you ingredients while also adaptable to preferences. With only a slight sweetness, they still pair perfectly with coffee.

Good Morning Muffins; adapted from Eating Well

¾ c whole-wheat flour

¾ c. all-purpose flour

2 t. baking powder

½ t. baking soda

¼ t. salt

1 T. ground cinnamon

2 eggs

½ c. packed light brown sugar

¼ c. canola oil

¼ c. milk

1 t vanilla

1 apple, finely chopped

1 c. grated or shredded carrot

½ c. oats

¼ c. chopped pecans or walnuts

2 T. milled flax seed, optional

Topping

¼ c. brown sugar

¼ c. chopped pecans/walnuts or ¼ c. oats

THE PREP: Preheat oven to 400 and spray muffin pan. Combine: whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk eggs and brown sugar until smooth. Then whisk in oil, milk, and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in carrot, apple, oats, and nuts. Mix up the topping. Scoop batter into muffin cups (they will be very full) and sprinkle with topping. Bake until tops are golden brown and firm to the touch, 15-18 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Start your day off right with a tasty and satisfying breakfast.

Disclaimer: Consuming these muffins may result in a bright outlook on the day, determination to conquer to-do list items, and the desire to sing “Oh What A Beautiful Morning.”

You can’t say I didn’t warn you. :)

Enjoy!

Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas

This recipe is a total cinch to make. I’ve been on a simple-and-easy-meal-please spree.

I’m sure you can relate.

And these delightfully flavorful quesadillas are a go-to favorite for my hubs and I.

Plus, what goes with quesadillas?

Chips and salsa!!

Quite possibly one of the most satisfying and simultaneously addicting snacks existing in the world today.

Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas; Recipe or Not

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 can corn, rinsed

¼ – ½ t chili powder, depending on your spice preference

Dash of ground cumin

Dash of salt

Shredded cheese of choice

Tortilla shells

Delicious Additions: Cilantro, cilantro, cilantro! Also green onion or any other onion, green chiles, jalapeños (if you’re into spice)

Delicious Toppings: Guacamole, salsa, or sour cream

THE PREP: Heat the griddle or pan to med-high heat. Mix the black beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, salt, and any of the other additions (which I highly recommend) in a bowl. Spread a little butter on one side of a tortilla shell or spray the pan with cooking spray or butter and put a tortilla shell on the griddle. Sprinkle some cheese leaving a half inch space between the cheese and end of the shell. Top with black bean & corn mixture and top with a little more cheese and another tortilla shell. Flip over once the bottom tortilla shell has gotten a little brown and crispy. Once the second side is brown and crispy, cut and enjoy!

A word of warning: these are a little bit difficult to flip… you’ll lose a few beans and corn kernels in the process.

I made a variation of The Pioneer Woman’s Restaurant Style Salsa for these quesadillas. And it did not disappoint! You can find her recipe here.

We can’t get enough of these and hope you like them as much as we do!