Do you remember when you had to choose a name for your first email address? It’s one of the first times I remember having to identify myself digitally as something other than my birth name. Was yours something like armybarbiebabe.com, littlelizardprincess.com, or spidermansbestfriend.com? My top choice was chefallie.com, a seeming perfect identification for my 12-year-old self. At this age, I was already catering small events with dozens of vanilla cupcakes and cheddar cheese straws, as well as, selling car loads of apple pies around the holidays. I was always thinking of new recipes to share. This was the first time I learned about net profit, cost analysis, profit margins, and was reminded that I still needed a delivery driver.
While most kids at 8 years old were asking for an easy bake oven for Birthdays and Christmas, I was in the kitchen using a professional oven, eager to help with all things food.
Ever since, I have been developing recipes and learning knife skills, adapting to better kitchen safety, and more. Here are three recipes that i’m taking with me into 2023 that are both delicious and friend/family approved.
3 Recipes To Share
🍞 Homemade Bread
I make about seven loaves of bread a week and prepping the dough only takes five minutes. Here’s how I bake it and what you will need.
Ingredients:
- 6 c. all-purpose of flour (King Arthur is my favorite)
- 2 packets of active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 3 c. of warm water
Directions:
- Begin by adding flour, yeast, and salt to a large mixing bowl. (Be mindful—the dough will rise a lot. Stir these ingredients together.
- Microwave the water in a glass bowl for 1 ½-2 minutes. Water should be warm to the touch.
- Add warmed water to the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon—making sure to incorporate the flour that often sticks to the bottom of the bowl.
- Once combined, cover with a clean linen cloth or clingwrap and leave on the counter for 3-8 hours (I have found my proofing sweet spot at 5 hours).
- Preheat oven at 400 degrees F.
- Bake for 1 hour (and enjoy the heavenly smell that wafts throughout the house).
- Let cool before wrapping and storing for up-to five days.
Allie’s Three Favorite Ways to Eat Bread
-To fuel the morning: Toast two slices for a sweet and savory combo. For the sweet option: smear with strawberry cream cheese or layer peach jam with salted butter. For the savory option: smash half an avocado, top with sea salt, smoked salmon, and shaved parmesan cheese.
-For a lunch-time sandwich or on-the-go meal: thinly cut two pieces and spread pesto mayo on one side, fill sandwich with smoked turkey, sliced mozzarella cheese, fresh spinach, and finish with a salted slice of heirloom tomato.
-As a pre-dinner snack: toast thick slices of bread. While bread is toasting, prepare a shallow dish/plate of olive oil and top with coarse salt, a swirl of balsamic glaze, a pinch of your favorite herb. Dip and enjoy.
🍕 Pizza Dip
Pizza dip has been my go-to dish for gatherings for the past few months. It is great to serve as an appetizer, or crowd-pleasing finger food. I’ve found it to be an overall entertaining must.
Ingredients:
- 1 c. mini pepperoni
- 1/2 lb italian sausage
- ½ c. mushrooms
- ½ c. onion
- ½ c. diced green pepper
- 1 c. grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
- 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
- 1 (25 oz.) jar of marinara sauce
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large skillet, add sausage, mushrooms, peppers, and onion, and cook at medium-high heat. Drain access oil/liquid.
- In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, parmesan, and mozzarella.
- Layer 1: Spread ½ of the cheese mixture onto the bottom of baking dish.
- Top the first layer with ½ the jar of marinara sauce.
- Add ½ of the sausage mixture.
- Then ½ of the pepperoni on top.
- Repeat layers.
- Bake for 25 minutes—when cheese is bubbly, it’s done.
- Serve with tortilla chips, pita bread, or crackers.
Notes & Ways to Share
-Easily duplicate this for a bigger crowd.
-This is a CHEESY recipe! But if cheese isn’t your middle name (like it is mine 🧀), doubling the serving of veggies adds more volume and balances out the cheese ratio.
-Prepare the pizza dip ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until time to cook.
🥯 Sugary Cream Cheese Squares
I must conclude with a simple and sweet recipe that has been a family favorite for years—especially around the holidays.
Ingredients:
- 2 packages of Original Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
- 2 8-oz packages plain cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 c. white sugar
- 2 tbls. cinnamon
- 2 tbls. butter (melted)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread 1 package of crescent rolls on a greased 9×13 pan and pinch together edges to make a unified sheet of pastry.
- Bake this first layer for 10 minutes.
- While the first layer bakes, mix both packets of cream cheese with ¾ cup of sugar and 1 tbls. cinnamon. Save ¼ cup sugar and remaining 1 tbls. for the topping.
- Remove first layer from the oven and top with cream cheese mixture.
- Add other package of crescent rolls to the top of cream cheese.
- Finally, top with remaining sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
The Start of Chef Allie
When deciding whether to enroll in the International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach this year or not, I talked to those in my inner circle. I knew this step towards a passion I’ve had for…ever(?) would require countless hours in the kitchen and would hinder other career opportunities. I equally knew that my love for combining flavors, challenging myself with new recipes, and bringing people together around food, would bring me towards the purpose my 8-year-old self was already in tune with.
My family’s response to culinary school? “Took you long enough.” Have you ever heard someone say something like: Think back to what you loved to do when you were young? This will help if you are seeking direction with your career or wondering what your strengths are. For example, if a child loves to play with Legos, they might find a career as an Architect or Contractor. If a kid is known on the playground as bossy, they might end up a Coordinator or CEO. Those who think outside the box become Inventors and Entrepreneurs. And the children who create with colors will grow up to be the creatives and graphic designers.
💡Tip for making a difficult decision: Draw a Vin diagram
Vin Diagram Decisions
One way to make see more clarity through a dilemma is to draw a vin diagram and put a scenario on each side of the chart. Label accordingly and make sure there’s enough space in the middle to have the overlapping pros.
Here’s How I do Mine:
What to Expect From Allie in 2023
When I started the Allie in Her 20’s Blog last year, I wasn’t sure which areas of lifestyle in which to focus. I kept hearing advice like “niche down to one topic” and “don’t tackle too many categories at the beginning.” But, in authentic Type-A Allie fashion, my narrowing down still consisted of five categories–beauty, relationship, travel, recipes, and lifestyle—all centered around how to live abundantly in your 20s and beyond.
Over the past three months, the beauty, relationship, and travel sections of the blog have received the most entries, not surprisingly!
- 2022 yielded lots to document regarding my skincare journey through acne, from routines, to products, and lots of tips that have helped regulate my skin tone and clear up imperfections. More on this here: CEO of Morning Skincare [Best Products for Dry Winter Skin] + The 5-step Nighttime Skin Care Routine [That Works While You’re Dreaming]
- The relationship section on Allie in Her 20s is being filled with conversation topic ideas, gratitude practices, and love language gifting, that all encourage meaningful connection with friends, family, partners, and self.
- And lastly, the travel section includes helpful itineraries, budget tips, and cultural information relating to the South of France, USA’s Carolinas, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and more.
While all these categories reflect what areas of life consumed most of 2022, 2023 calls for a different recipe—one that focuses on developing delicious recipes, sharing meal prep guides for those with busy lifestyles, and disseminating health tips learned in my Holistic Nutritionist Certification.
conclusion
Food has the power to enhance many facets of life, while also helping to heal the body and provide the energy it takes to live your best life, starting in your 20s. Below I have included three health-focused recipes to start incorporating into your weekly routine.
xxx
Allie M.
[…] What do all these recipes have in common? They are all simple ways to include nutrient-focused foods into your diet every week. Find all of these recipes in Reels format on my Instagram (linked below) and some more of my go-to weekly recipes in the Allie in Her 20s post: 3 of the Best Friend Approved Recipes to Share. […]