A Light, Delicious Cake

And not just any cake either! This is an applesauce cake that's guaranteed to please the young, and young at heart. Alex and Sonja Overhiser, who wrote the new cookbook A Couple Cooks, told Tonia's Kitchen it's so easy to make, their kids actually help out. It's a very moist cake that includes notes of cinnamon and offers a profile that's very fluffy and gooey. Olive Oil and Greek Yogurt help keep it light, and most of all, very tasty!

1. 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2. 2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
3. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4. ¾ teaspoon baking powder
5. ¾ teaspoon baking soda
6. ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
7. 1 egg
8. ⅓ cup olive oil
9. ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
10. ½ cup unsweetened applesauce (or homemade applesauce)
11. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12. Powdered sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. Put the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the baking pan. Use a fork to thoroughly mix the ingredients together.
3. Use your hands to make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients. Into the hole, crack the egg and add the olive oil, yogurt, applesauce, and vanilla. Use a fork to mix the ingredients together until smooth and blended. Smooth the top of the batter with the side of a butter knife.
4. Bake until the cake is fairly firm when you press lightly at its center and a toothpick inserted in the middle has no wet batter sticking to it, 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and leave on the counter to cool completely, 1 hour. Leave the cake in the pan. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into pieces and use a small spatula to lift them from the pan. Store at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. 

Smokey Chili, Sans Beef

Sometimes, we have a tendency to think about chili as good or bad, with the bad being the kind that has no beef in it. Think that no more say Alex and Sonja Overhiser. They wrote the new cookbook, A Couple Cooks, and stopped by Tonia's Kitchen with their idea for vegetarian chili. They told Tonia what makes this chili great is the use of fire roasted tomatoes (canned is fine), and black beans. Together, they offer a smokey flavor profile that really makes this chili special. You may not even miss the beef!

• Onion and garlic
• Olive oil and butter
• Quinoa
• Beans
• Canned fire roasted tomatoes
• Corn
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Worcestershire sauce, vegan (or omit)
• Chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt

Not Good, Gouda!

Everyone loves a good bread! But what about a very special bread that's bursting with cheese flavor. Alex and Sonja Overhiser, who wrote the new cookbook A Couple Cooks, 100 Recipes to Cook Together came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about their recipe for Gouda Bread. Both told Tonia it starts with their recipe for sourdough, cut into diamond shapes. The bread is then stuffed with Gouda and Cheddar, along with some seasonings and baked until it's nice and gooey. A fantastic, cheesy bread!

Mediterranean Comfort Food

We tend to think of Mediterranean food as fresh, light and flavorful, but there is a comfort food side to Mediterranean cuisine that's not as well known. Alex and Sonja Overhiser wrote the new cookbook, A Couple Cooks, and stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about their recipe for the Creamy Mediterranean Chicken Skillet. It's a cream-based sauce, which adds to the heartiness of the dish. Both Sonja and Alex told Tonia they start with garlic, Olive Oil and butter, along with spinach for a true Mediterranean. Not exactly what you might be thinking when it comes to Mediterranean food, but it's delicious anyway!

A Delicious Dessert That's Easy

It sounds very fancy. A dark chocolate gnoche tart with cardamom and a Graham Cracker crust sprinkled with cocoa. To top it all off, it's decorated with raspberries. Yep, that sounds pretty complex, but the authors of the new cookbook A Couple Cooks, promise it's anything but! Sonja and Alex Overhiser stopped by Tonia's Kitchen  to talk about his delicious dessert and how simple it is to make. Both told Tonia it's essentially chocolate and cream melted together for a delicious combination. To make it really fancy, but still very easy, finish it with edible gold dust! You'll be golden to anyone who tries this!