Cherry Tomato Shrimp Scampi

I successfully ate shrimp for 7 meals last week. I’m not sure you can constitute that as successful, but regardless I did it. When I tested this shrimp scampi recipe earlier in the week I didn’t think about the fact that I’d be away for the weekend near water aka a surplus and desire to eat as much fish as possible. A spontaneous dinner date to a favorite seafood spot in town didn’t help either. After meal 7 I think I can confidently say I’ll be taking a siesta from shrimp for a bit, but you can bet when I’m ready again this recipe will be the one breaking my shrimp fast.

This recipe comes together so quickly. The white wine butter (I use ghee) sauce is kind of insane. Just hold the pasta, add crusty bread, you’ll be wanting to sop up every last bit. I also added tomatoes for a pop of color and flavor amongst the shrimp. Pair with an easy green salad, I just did butter lettuce, avocado slices, leftover parsley from the shrimp and a vinaigrette, and your meal is done.

Cherry Tomato Shrimp Scampi
yields 3 servings | recipe adapted from BevCooks

Ingredients:
1 lb. large frozen shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined
2 Tbsp. ghee (or butter)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ shallot, finely chopped
½ cup white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)
10 oz cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 lemon, zest and juice
Salt and pepper
Crusty bread and a green salad, for serving

Directions:
Over medium heat, melt the ghee and olive oil in a large pan. Add the garlic, shallot, and tomatoes, and sauté for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the wine and crushed red pepper to the pan, and give it all a stir. Turn the heat to medium-low, put the lid on your pan, and let the tomatoes, garlic, and shallot simmer for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to wilt.

Once the tomatoes are starting to soften, add the shrimp to the pan and season generously with salt and pepper. Squeeze half of the lemon into the pan and let the shrimp cook for about 1-2 minutes per side until pink. Stir in the lemon zest and parsley and give it a taste. Adjust seasoning as needed.

Serve in a low bowl with toasted crusty bread and a green salad!

Annie

This recipe was prepared in the Phantom Chef 11” Deep Fry Pan, a new favorite line of kitchenwares!

Raspberry Pistachio Sweet Rolls with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

Thank you to Feed Feed, Immaculate Baking, and Sprouts for sponsoring this post!

I’m bringing the bakery to my own kitchen with these jazzed-up spring cinnamon rolls made from Immaculate Baking and some help from The Feed Feed!

Story time! There is a new bakery and coffee shop in my neighborhood that I’m obsessed with. Their pastries are gorgeous, the coffee is so delicious, and the vibes are too good all around. I make sure to pass by on my daily walk to soak in the smells of buttery pastries and people watch the crowd who have stopped by for a croissant or kougin-amann on their patio.

I’ve taken inspo from my new neighborhood spot to create these bakery-level sweet rolls. It’s the easiest and most perfect way to take your cinnamon rolls up a springy notch! 

Raspberry Pistachio Sweet Rolls with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
yields 5 sweet rolls

Ingredients:
1 tube of Immaculate Baking Organic Cinnamon Rolls
6 ounces organic raspberries
¼ cup shelled raw pistachios, chopped
zest of 1 lemon

Directions:
Following the directions on the cinnamon roll package, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 or 9x9 square pan or baking dish. Open the cinnamon rolls, and set the icing package aside. One by one, unroll a cinnamon roll. Sprinkle the line of dough with chopped pistachios and place 5-6 raspberries evenly spaced down the row of dough. Then roll back up tight enough for the raspberries to stay in place. Repeat until all 5 cinnamon rolls are now filled with pistachios and raspberries. Arrange in baking dish.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until just, I mean just, golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool. While your rolls are cooling empty the contents of the icing package into a small bowl. Add the lemon zest and stir to incorporate. Drizzle over the top of your rolls, sprinkle with extra chopped pistachios, and enjoy! 

Check out my recipe on The Feed Feed here!

Annie

Texas Sheet Cake Cookies

I originally published this post in March 2014. Now having lived in Texas for over a year and a half, I’d been wanting to update this recipe as a nod to my new home. What better day to repost it than on Texas Independence Day!

These cookies are based on the traditional chocolate sheet cake but have been transformed into cookies. Texas Sheet Cake is rich, decadent, and full of cocoa flavor - the best! I grew up eating this cake, however, it was called Scotch Chocolate Cake in our house. I have no idea the origin of this name and Google didn’t help, but it is the exact same thing as Texas Sheet Cake. It’s a moist chocolate cake with the most addicting fudge-like frosting that is made in a saucepan over the stove.

I adapted these cookies from this recipe, and have continued to adapt them since I first made these 7 years ago. And now for a quote from my original post “In my opinion, I think I should rename them to Oklahoma Frosted Drop Cookies. Seems more appropriate bing the Oklahoma girl I am. Texas tries to own everything!” Call them what you want, but since I’m now an obnoxious Texas resident, we’ll keep their OG name, Texas Sheet Cake Cookies.

Texas Sheet Cake Cookies
yields 24 - 28 cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Icing:
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
3 Tbsp. milk of choice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, stopping after 30 seconds to scrape down the sides. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined. With the mixer off, add in the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. On low, mix to combine. Once incorporated, increase the speed until the dough comes together. The dough will be thick and look like sugar cookie dough. 

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt your chocolate chips for 30 seconds. Take out of the microwave, give a stir, and then heat for 15 more seconds. Go for a little longer if needed, but your chips should be melted after 45 seconds. Add the melted chocolate into the dough, and mix to combine. Using a 1 1/2 Tbsp. sized cookie scoop, scoop leveled balls of dough onto your prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 7-8 minutes, until just set. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Once your cookies are cool, melt the butter, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in powdered sugar and stir vigorously until all the lumps are gone and the icing is thin. Using a tablespoon measurer pour the warm icing over the cookies. Let that layer set. Then using the leftover icing, take a fork and drizzle in a back and forth motion over the tops of the cookies. (You may need to slightly reheat the icing before the next layer to make sure it is thin enough to drizzle). Let the icing fully harden before transferring to a container. Cookies will stay fresh in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Happy Texas Independence Day!

Annie

Best Biscuits

They are here! My best flaky layered homemade biscuits. These things are downright delicious and full of layers, just how I like them. Add a swipe of vanilla bean honey butter and you have a very sinful treat or breakfast.

This recipe was developed out of two different conversations. A good friend had polled our big group text asking if anyone had a good biscuit recipe. She had been trying one she found on Google over the past few weekends and they kept coming out flat and tough. We walked through the recipe together and she was doing everything right, so I took this as a sign to come up with my own biscuit recipe.

Then later in the week when a hankering for breakfast sandwiches struck, and the store happened to be out of biscuits, the nudge yet again to create a biscuit recipe came calling.

No fancy tools like a food processor or pastry cutter are needed for this recipe. All you need are a few simple ingredients, a bowl, and your hands! Cold butter is squeezed into the flour creating a very butter speckled dough! This (and baking powder) is what helps the biscuits puff up and rise, while also creating space between the layers from the butter melting into the dough while baking.

You can’t beat a Grand’s Flaky Layers biscuit, so I knew layers were a very important addition to my recipe. By folding the dough over itself, and then over itself again, and then again, multiple layers are created that then flake off perfectly once baked.

Best Biscuits
Yields 6 biscuits

Biscuit Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup whole milk
6 Tbsp. very cold unsalted butter, diced
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Vanilla Bean Honey Butter: (optional)
4 Tbsp. room temperature unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. vanilla bean paste (Trader Joe’s sells this at the holidays, but it can also easily be found on Amazon)

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425°. Add the flour to a medium bowl. Working quickly, squeeze the very cold and diced butter between your fingers until all of the butter is flattened into little flakes and mixed into the flour. Add in your baking powder, sugar, and salt to the bowl and mix with a spatula. Then make a well into the flour mixture and add about 1/2 of your milk. With the spatula gently begin to combine the milk into the flour mixture. Add in the rest of the milk, and then using your hands, work everything together until a dough starts to form. The dough may be sticky in some places and dry in others, just do your best to bring the dough together without overworking it. Turn the mixture onto a floured surface and start to work it into a verticle rectangle (if you have a bench scraper it can be helpful with these next steps). Again it will look dry, but that is okay.

Once flattened into a rectangle fold the dough like a letter. Bring 1/3 of the top to the middle and then the remaining 1/3 from the bottom up and over. See the pictures above for reference. Now you just repeat! Flip your “letter” over so the seam side is down, and with your hands, flatten into that same verticle rectangle shape again, and then fold like a letter. Continue this until you’ve flattened and folded about 4 to 5 times. This is what will create all of those layers. The final time, flip it seam side down again, flatten it into rectangle, and with a knife, cut into 6 equal squares, about 3x3.

Place biscuits on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet. Brush the tops of the biscuits with 2 tbsp. of melted butter and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.

While the biscuits are baking prepare your vanilla bean honey butter. In a small bowl, add the room temperature butter, honey, and vanilla bean paste. Whisk vigorously until smooth, creamy, and combined.

Serve the biscuits warm from the oven with vanilla bean honey butter and enjoy!

Note: These biscuits can be made ahead (unbaked) up to 1 month in advance. Make the dough, cut into squares, and freeze, uncovered, on baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe Ziplock or storage container. Do not thaw before baking just add a few minutes to the baking time.

Tag me on instagram @_annietucker if you make this recipe!

Annie

12 Days of Christmas Recipes

I tried to “healthify” a family favorite Christmas cookie recipe (ginger cookies to be exact) yesterday and it was a crash and burn. Note to self: Christmas is the time for real Crisco shorting, sugar, flour, and molasses, don’t try to mess with the originals. That has been the extent of my baking lately. I just haven’t been in the mood to bake and recipe test lately. However I’m giddy to get back to Oklahoma for Christmas to bake cookies for Santa with my nieces and sip on brandy ices by the fire. Instead of serving up a new Christmas recipe, I compiled the best from TAB over the years into one post. Some cookies, homemade candy, festive cocktails, a few salads, and breakfast ideas.

I realized I had pulled 12 recipes and then wanted to play into the 12 days of Christmas so I’m up way past my bedtime trying to get this up while it’s still December 13th just so it makes more since being 12 days until Christmas!

On the 1st day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a Decorated Cookie for Santa

My signature sugar cookies get made without a doubt every year at Christmas. Over the years I’ve loved decorating these after Christmas Eve service with my sisters, having friends over for a cookie decorating party, and more recently I love getting to make them with my nieces. The original recipe calls for a thin glaze icing which is delicious, but I also love a stiffer decorator’s icing for piping. Recipe below!

Decorating Frosting:
1 cup shortening (room temp)
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 tsp. Almond extract
2 lbs. powdered sugar
1/2 cup cream or milk
food coloring of your choice (I buy mine at craft stores, the color is much more vibrant than what you buy at the grocery stores)

Using an electric mixer, cream shortening and extracts together. Alternate adding in powdered sugar and milk gradually until all combined. Divide into bowls and stir in food coloring. Get frosting into piping bags and get decorating for Santa, he deserves it:) Tip: an upside-down gingerbread man cookie cutter makes for an easy decorated reindeer and an upside-down ice cream cone cutter is perfect for a Santa!

On the 2nd day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, two Ginger Cookies

These, Perfect CCCs (of course), and my signature sugar cookies are hands down my top three favorite cookies and maybe dessert in general. As mentioned above I thought I’d try and be progressive and give them a healthyish spin with oat flour and coconut sugar, but just don’t even try. Enjoy the extra calories :)

On the 3rd day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, three White Chocolate Dipped Oatmeal Ginger Cookies

I developed this recipe a few years ago and it just worked! They take on the flavor of my favorite ginger cookies as mentioned above, but the added oats and white chocolate make them something special. My sweet co-worker Ashley makes them year round and I couldn’t love her for that more!

On the 4th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, four Cranberry & White Chocolate Christmas Cookies

Too festive for words and delicious too. I have a weak spot for white chocolate. I love the way it tastes with the tangy dried cranberries and the added spices in these cookies give them extra festive flair.

On the 5th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, fiiiiiiivvveee Brandy Ices

Hi I’m Annie, I like Rent the Runway, instagram, eating, hanging out with friends, and brandy ices. The OG OKC drink that is 1000% getting made this year. My recipe is dairy free to avoid a massive stomach ache.

On the 6th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, six pieces of Peppermint Bark

Mint + chocolate forever. It’s no Williams Sonoma peppermint bark (the best!!), but it’s too easy for words and makes for great neighbor or co-worker gifts.

On the 7th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, seven Christmas Cracks

Iphone photo circa 2014 is not doing this magical concoction justice. This recipe was shared with me from my blogger bestie (I feel 19 saying that but it’s the truth) Molly’s family. It too is a great neighbor or co-worker gift that is soooo easy to make. I haven’t made Christmas Crack in a while and I’m thinking this will have to go on my holiday baking list for sure.

On the 8th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, eight Snowball Cookies

My dad and I recently had a really good pecan sandie and went on a love fest for how good and underrated they are. I mentioned I’d make it my duty to find a good recipe for them to remake. I guess after blogging for 7 years you forget you already have a recipe for them?? These little Snowball Cookies are essentially pecan sandies just rounder and extra doused in powdered sugar.

On the 9th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, nine Wintergreen Salads

This is a little gem of a recipe I threw up on the blog late last fall. It’s remained pretty under the radar, but it needs more attention. It would make a wonderful addition to your holiday table. The little roasted fingerling potatoes are the best part!

On the 10th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, ten Acorn Squash Salad Bowls

Another festive salad that makes for a fun lunch over the holidays or a creative side dish. I don’t know about you, but I love acorn squash. We always grew up eating it. My mom would roast halves and we would eat it with butter and brown sugar lol. I’m now stuffing mine with greens, but still good (if not better).

On the 11th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, eleven Best Breakfast Casseroles

I talk about this casserole a lot, but it’s truly the best. The recipe was shared with me by my friend Madeline and the original recipe calls it Christmas Casserole so…

On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, twelve Merry Berry Scones

This recipe makes me miss my old roommate and friend Lindsay. She loved this recipe and still makes them for herself since she’s moved to LA. The rosemary in these scones are such a hidden surprise. They are great with coffee and would be wonderful on Christmas morning!

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“On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, twelve merry berry scones, eleven best breakfast casseroles, ten acorn squash salad bowls, nine wintergreen salads, eight snowball cookies, seven christmas cracks, six pieces of peppermint bark, fiiiivvveee brandy ices, four cranberry & white chocolate christmas cookies, three white chocolate dipped oatmeal ginger cookies, two ginger cookies, and a decorated cookie for santa.”

Merry Christmas!
Annie