handle•like•candy

Stolen! Salted Chocolate Mudslide Cookies

2011-12-15T19:58:00.001-05:00

I made these for a work holiday party and nearly ate them all! Hopefully they may it!

Salted Mudslide Cookies
http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/08/salted-mudslide-cookies/

adapted from the giant rainbow cookies

2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 cup dark cocoa powder

3 tablespoons instant coffee powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) of unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 10-15 minutes

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup coffee liqueur + 1 teaspoon (Godiva, Kahlua, etc)

1 cup chocolate chunks

sea salt for topping

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix the flour, cocoa, coffee powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the melted butter and sugars until they are combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until mixed. Stream in coffee liqueur and mix. Gradually add flour and mix until a dough forms – it will look crumbly at first, but it will come together. I even used my hands to help at one point. If you find you absolutely need more liquid add in a teaspoon of coffee liqueur, but it should come together. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Remove dough from the fridge and roll into golfball sized balls. Set on a non-stick baking sheet with 2 inches between each. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set and the middles are still soft. The centers should be puffy. Do not over bake. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with sea salt. Let cool completely then dig in!

Hawaiian Teri Beef Sandwiches

2011-12-15T10:55:00.001-05:00

Teri beef is big in Hawaii and it's so good, I find myself craving it a lot. This is just one way to serve it but you can also put it over rice. I serve it like a typical plate lunch with Hawaiian Mac Salad.

Ingredients:
1 pound thinly sliced beef, cut into medallions.

Teriyaki Sauce:
2/3 cup shoyu (Asian soy sauce)
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons sherry or white wine
3 clove garlic, minced
1 inch piece ginger, crushed
3 stalks green onion chopped fine
1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice (optional)

Mix all ingredients. Soak beef 4 hours or overnight in sauce. Bake in shallow pan. Turn pieces over and marinate with sauce. Ten minutes before turning heat off, pour rest of shoyu mixture. Serve with chopped green onions and Chinese parsley. Bake 325 degrees for 1 hour or less depending on how well you like your meat. Medium is best. This is also a great for grilling on the BBQ.

Simmer the marinade on the stove until thickened. Serve over beef.

I used King's Hawaiian sweet rolls to be as authentic as I could!

Praline Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Casserole

2011-11-24T21:28:00.001-05:00

I've made this the last Christmas and Thanksgiving I've hosted and it's always a hit!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ingredients
1 butternut squash
3 large sweet potatoes
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon of allspice
1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, beaten
Approximately 1/2 cup of heavy cream
Praline Topping, recipe below
Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F to roast the squash and sweet potatoes.

Slice the butternut squash in half, scoop out the seeds and fibers and rinse. Place the squash on a jellyroll pan and drizzle with olive oil, turn over and cook cut side down. Rinse and scrub sweet potatoes, prick with a knife and place on baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for about one hour, or until tender. Sometimes the sweet potatoes will take longer to cook; insert a knife to test and leave in the oven longer if needed. Remove and let cool.

When you are ready to make the casserole, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter or spray a 1-1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop the flesh out of the squash and the sweet potatoes into a mixing bowl with a flat paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth; add in the sugar, allspice, cinnamon, vanilla extract and eggs. Blend well and add just enough cream to moisten as needed. Mixture should be fairly thick. Spread evenly in casserole dish. Combine the butter, brown sugar, flour and pecans and sprinkle over the squash/sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. If you miss your marshmallows, sprinkle the top with a few miniature marshmallows and return the casserole to the oven just until melted and lightly browned.

Serves about 6 - double for the holidays.

Praline Topping:

10 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar
10 tablespoons of all purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans
Whole pecan halves for garnish, optional

Melt the butter. Meanwhile mix the brown sugar, flour and pecans in a small bowl. Pour the butter into the brown sugar mixture and stir with a fork until well mixed. Sprinkle the pecan mixture all over the top of the casserole.

Stolen: Frosted Candy Bar-Stuffed Cookie Cups

2011-11-21T20:19:00.001-05:00

Here's another one taken from www.kevinandamamda.com. She's going to make me fat!!

I made mine in mini muffin tins. I also used the Hershey's chocolate frosting recipe for the chocolate frosted ones.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frosted Candy Bar Stuffed Cookie Cups

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) butter, melted and cooled
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Cream the butter, sugars, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour and baking soda.

Next add the eggs to the wet ingredients and beat well. Finally add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Scoop batter into a regular-sized muffin tin, filling the cups about 1/3 full. Top with fun-sized candy bars. Scoop remaining batter on top of the candy bars, filling the cups about 2/3 full. Bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes or until the edges just start to turn golden.

Makes 12 cookie cups. Store at room temperature.

To make as minis: Scoop batter into a mini muffin tin, filling the cups about 2/3 full. Top with a fun-sized candy bar. Bake at 325 for 6-8 minutes or until the edges just start to turn golden.

Buttercream Frosting
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon Tahitian vanilla extract

Place the butter, sugar, milk and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.

Read More http://www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsnew/new-recipes/frosted-candy-bar-stuffed-cookie-cups.html#ixzz1eOOnluIX

Cheeseburger Macaroni

2011-11-21T18:28:00.001-05:00

I grabbed this recipe off of another blog I follow, www.kevinandamanda.com and I was hoping it would be thicker. I think adding some cream cheese at the end would do it.

1 lb lean hamburger meat
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies (or petite diced tomatoes)
2 cups beef broth (or water)
1 cup elbow macaroni

Brown and drain hamburger meat. Stir in taco seasoning, Rotel, beef broth, and macaroni. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and cover pan. Simmer 12-14 mins until macaroni is tender.

Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce….
2 Tablespoons butter
2 tbsp flour
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking for 5 minutes until fragrant and light brown in color. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Whisk until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Add the salt and pepper to the cheese sauce. Pour the cheese sauce over the hamburger mixture. Stir gently to combine.
Serves 4.

Read More http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/cheeseburger-macaroni.html#ixzz1eO4l8fK5

Beef Carnitas Tacos

2011-11-20T19:47:00.001-05:00

Who needs a restaurant!? I make these all the time and they are easy, quick, and so good!

I like to get handmade tortillas from a little shop in Pittsburgh, Reyna Foods. However, if you can't get your hands on fresh corn tortillas, store bought will do just fine.

Ingredients:
2 pounds lean stew beef
1 14oz can beef broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 orange wedge

Place all of the ingredients into a large pot with tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil and then turn heat down to a low simmer and cook until meat is tender and can be easily shredded with a fork - about 1.5 hours.

Alternate method #1 (how I do it):
Place all ingredients into a pressure cooker and allow to cook about 45 minutes. Turn off heat and let cooker sit until it has depressurized - about 15 minutes. Shred meat with fork.

Alternate method #2:
Place all ingredients into a crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours.

Serve with shredded cheese, guacamole, pico di gallo, etc.

2011-09-21T12:51:00.000-04:00

This was another one of those impromptu sides I managed to come up with in my head and on the fly. I don't do much with beans, but these turned out so good!

Ingredients:

1 can of white kidney beans (canellini beans)

1/3 cup of white wine

1 medium-sized tomato, diced

1/4 red onion, diced

2 Tablespoons of pesto

1 Tablespoon chopped oregano

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a skillet, on medium heat, sautee the onions in the olive oil until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and sautee another 3 minutes.

Add the beans, pesto, and oregano. Sautee another 1-2 minutes to encorporate the pesto.

Add the wine. Simmer until the wine has reduced to about half and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Optional: Sprinkle with your favorite cheese (parmigiano-reggiano, feta, etc.)

Pioneer Woman's Macaroni & Cheese

2011-09-13T08:24:00.003-04:00

I'm adding this one to the Macaroni & Cheese Project list! This turned out really good; however, still not my favorite! It was creamy and flavorful, but I prefer to use more than one type of cheese. I'd say four out of five stars.

Ingredients
4 cups dried macaroni
1 whole egg
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard (more if desired)
1 pound sharp Cheddar, grated (not pre-grated cheese), plus more for baking
Salt
Seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook the macaroni until still slightly firm. Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, beat the egg. In a large pot, melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook for a couple of minutes, whisking constantly. Don't let it burn. Pour in the milk, add the mustard and whisk until smooth. Cook until very thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.

Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. Whisk together until smooth. Pour the egg into the sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth. Add in the cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt and the pepper. Add any additional spices if desired. Taste the sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.

Pour in the drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Serve immediately (while it's still very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese and bake until bubbly and golden on top, 20 to 25 minutes.

Queso Chicken "Burrito" Bowl

2011-08-09T10:44:00.005-04:00

I'm a huge fan of Mexican food - not such a big fan of burritos. Actually, I like what's in burritos, it's just the wrapping that I can do without. So here is my Qdoba rip-off of the queso chicken burrito bowl.

1) Prepare the chicken:

- cut skinless, boneless chicken breast into cubes

- simmer in 2 cups of chicken broth and adobo sauce until chicken is cooked through

- Set aside

2) Prepare the rice:

- Cook one cup of white rice per package directions

- Stir in chopped cilantro and juice of 1/2 lime

- Set aside

Other ingredients you will need:

- one can of black beans, heated in their own liquid

- one cup of guacamole

- Pace 4-Cheese Queso Dip

- pico di gallo (diced tomatoes/onions/cilantro/lime juice)

- tortilla chips

- sour cream

- shredded cheddar cheese

In a shallow bowl, layer the items in order of - rice, beans, chicken, queso, pico di gallo, guacamole, sour cream.

Sprinkle tortilla chips around the perimeter of the bowl and drizzle some more queso.

Bacon-Cheddar Corn Muffins

2011-04-17T09:49:00.003-04:00

1 Cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal 1/2 Cup Sargento Low-Fat Cheddar Cheese 2 Tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt 4 center-cut bacon slices, cooked, drained, and crumbled 1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and minced 1 1/4 Cups lowfat buttermilk 1/4 cup canola oil 1 large egg, lightly beaten Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix the first 7 ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. Stir in bacon and jalepeno. Create a well in the flour mixture. Combine buttermilk, egg, and canola oil in a small bowl and stir well with a whisk. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the well of the flour mixture and stir just until moist. Place 12 muffin cups into a muffin tin and divide the batter among the 12 cups. Bake for 16 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes on a wire rack. Serving Size: Makes 12 muffins Number of Servings: 12

Aglio e Olio with Mussels and Shrimp

2011-03-01T10:42:00.002-05:00

Ok - I take some of my food shots with my iPhone and the pictures aren't the best. Deal with it. I don't have time to set up my camera all the time and take pictures. I just want to eat!

Aglio e Olio

1 cup angel hair pasta - cooked to package directions; reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

salt/pepper to taste

wedge of lemon

In a saucepan, add the olive oil and garlic. Gently sautee the garlic in the olive oil - do not allow to brown. Add the red pepper flakes and stir. Add the cooked pasta and pasta water - toss to coat.

Sqeeze a little lemon on top and toss. Add fresh, chopped parsley if you choose.

Steamed Mussels
1 cup white wine

1/2 cup of water

1 sprig rosemary

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon of butter

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a steaming pot and place the mussels inside the steam basket. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until mussels have opened up. Remove the garlic and rosemary sprig from the simmer water and add the butter. Allow butter to melt and then pour over mussels. When adding mussels to the pasta, do not add any additional liquid to the pasta.

Sauteed Shrimp

6 uncooked, peeled and deveined shrimp

olive oil

creole seasoning

Toss the shrimp in the oil and creole seasoning. Sear in a pan coated with olive oil. Flip and sear on the other side. Add to pasta.

Seared Salmon with Mango Salsa

2011-03-01T09:57:00.004-05:00

Just another idea for salmon...maybe not the most creative, but hey - it was pretty darn good!

I bought some salmon from Costco and since I'm the only one who eats it, I can do whatever I want to it!

Mango Salsa
1 ripe mango, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalepeno, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 green onion, diced
lemon and lime juice
salt
pepper
cilantro, chopped

Mix all of the ingredients and allow to sit for about 30 minutes to create juice and allow the flavors to mesh.

I seared the salmon in a cast iron skillet using lemon infused olive oil. Then it went into a 375-degree oven to finish cooking. I topped it with mango salsa and stuck it under the broiler for a minute or two to warm the salsa.

P-Dub's Bowtie Lasagna - Remix

2011-02-28T10:30:00.003-05:00

I revamped this "Pioneer Woman" recipe to be as healthy and low-cal as possible. Fortunately, it's not low on taste!

Ingredients:
1 pound 93% Lean Ground Beef

5 cups Whole Wheat or Barilla Plus Bow Tie (Farfalle) Noodles (cooked to package directions)

3 cups Jarred Spaghetti Sauce

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Salt

½ teaspoons Garlic Powder

½ cups Low Fat Mozzarella Cheese

½ cups Fat FreeSour Cream

Nutritional Info:
Fat: 13.4g
Carbohydrates: 53.6g
Calories:453.1
Protein: 31.3g

Fry ground beef in small pan. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.

After noodles are cooked, drain and drizzle with olive oil. Mix in your spaghetti sauce. (I can’t guarantee your results on this, because I’m spoiled; I am a “home canner” and have the BEST sauce on my shelf, a home canned marinara sauce that I use for lots of stuff—pizza, spaghetti, and of course, THIS.)

Add your fried hamburger, seasonings, cheese, and sour cream. Fold together and allow it all to combine and melt together, over low heat, for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Number of Servings: 6

A Classic: Tuna Noodle Casserole

2010-11-02T10:05:00.005-04:00

In my 30+ years on this planet, I have never had Tuna Noodle Casserole. I'm not sure why - although it was never a staple 'comfort food' in my house growing up. Honestly, the thought of it repulsed me a bit. My good friend, Rachel, had brought some for me to try and I really liked it. The recipe below is courtesy of Rachel P. with my changes in blue. I had only made changes due to the ingredients I had on hand. I also doubled the recipe to fit into a 9x13 pan.

Tuna Noodle Casserole by Rachel P. (Mrs. Peeps)

6 oz. egg noodles (wide or extra wide) partially cooked (about 6 minutes)

1 small can of tuna, drained and flaked with a fork

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

1 cup frozen peas, cooked

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup (or more) fresh grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup fresh bread crumbs cooked in 1 T. butter until slightly crisp (I used Italian Seasoned bread crumbs)

**fresh grated parmesan cheese***

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a large bowl, stir together first six ingredients until well combined.

3. Spread into a small greased 8x8 casserole dish then sprinkle bread crumbs and parmesan cheese evenly over the top.

4. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes and serve warm

Vitenamese Pho (with Pork)

2010-10-26T19:20:00.011-04:00

If you've ever had Pho, you know how good it is and how you crave it at the worst possible time! If you haven't - well, try this recipe! You'll see that this soup is simple and quick. The secret is in the condiments, served on the side, and added to the pho to taste. It's all about the condiments! Next time, I think I'll find a stalk of lemongrass to simmer in the broth.

Ingredients

3 cups chicken broth

3 cups water

2 scallions (green onions)

1 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon fish sauce

pork tenderloin, cut into thin slices

1 teaspoon red chili paste

Egg noodles (superfine - Asian type)

Rice noodles (rice stick)

Condiments:

Lime wedges

fresh cilantro

fresh thai basil

bean sprouts

fish sauce

soy sauce

sriracha hot sauce

Sambal Oelek (red chili sauce)

In a large stock pot, add the chicken broth, water, scallions, garlic, and fish sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the sliced pork. Simmer another 15 minutes or until pork is fully cooked.

In a separate pot, cook the noodles and set aside.

Serve the soup with the noodles and add in the condiments to taste.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

2010-10-26T18:29:00.009-04:00

After perusing many recipes online for the perfect cream of mushroom soup, I had enough ideas in my head to come up with my own version. Co-worker tested and approved by 4 out of 4 co-workers!

Ingredients

1 container of button mushrooms

1 container of baby portabello mushrooms

1 large "hen of the woods" muishroom*

3 cups of chicken broth/stock

3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup sherry wine

3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 small white onion, diced

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

olive oil

salt/pepper

Coarsely chop the mushrooms.

Heat a skillet and add approximately 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil**. Add the diced onion to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Sautee the onions until clear, about 5 minutes. Add the diced mushrooms. Sautee the mushrooms until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a stock pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk until smooth to form the roux. Allow to cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and stir until the roux is incorporated. Allow to simmer 5 minutes. Add the thyme and sherry wine.

Add the mushrooms/onions to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream. Simmer another 5 minutes. Remove approximately 2 cups of the soup and puree in a blender or food processor. Place the pureed soup back into the pot. This step allows the soup to become thicker while allowing some chunks of mushrooms in the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer 20 minutes and serve.

* You can use any mushrooms you can get your hands on...mix it up!

** I had leftover bacon grease from breakfast so I used it to sautee the onions and mushrooms.

A quickie - Thai Simmer Chicken

2010-10-18T20:52:00.001-04:00

So my quickie pantry-raid dinner was pretty darn good.

I wanted to make some chicken that would complement the yellow saffron rice I wad making. I didn't feel like grilling it or baking it...a simmer sauce sounded good. So here's what I did....

Butterfly two skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper. Place a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and brown the chicken on both sides.

Add to the pan:
1 cup (give or take) chicken broth
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons red chili paste
2-3 tablespoons Vidalia onion salad dressing
1 scallion, chopped
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

Simmer (covered) for about 20 minutes. Serve over rice and top with simmer sauce.

Yum!

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

2010-09-06T15:09:00.002-04:00

There is a Caribbean restaurant east of Pittsburgh and they have authentic Caribbean food - including Jerk Chicken. They also have something called Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken. The chicken is stewed in veggies and spices and is tender and juicy and loaded with flavor. I have recreated this recipe and served it with a coconut curry rice. Yum!

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
1 whole chicken (about 3lb)
A splash of lime juice
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 onion
3 stalks of scallion
1 hot pepper (ideally scotch bonnet)
1 sweet pepper
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 inch of ginger
3 tomatoes
Oil for frying
3 tablespoons of flour, stirred in to 1/4 cup of water
3 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 3 teaspoons of dried thyme)
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of kitchen bouquet browning sauce
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 teaspoons of creole sesasoning (more if you want it spicy!)
2 cups of water

Wash the chicken with a splash of lime juice. Chop the chicken in to small pieces. Chop the onion, scallion, hot pepper, sweet pepper, garlic and tomatoes in to small pieces, grate the ginger and mix the flour in 1/4 cup of water. Season the chicken by rubbing in salt, pepper, thyme, onion, scallion, hot pepper, sweet pepper, garlic, ginger and tomato. Leave to marinate for one hour.

Scrape the seasoning off the chicken and fry in the oil until the chicken is sealed (about 5 minutes). Remove the chicken and drain off the oil. Melt the butter in the saucepan and fry the onion, scallion, hot pepper, sweet pepper, garlic, tomatoes and thyme for three minutes Add the water, soy sauce and browning and simmer for five minutes. Stir the flour/water mixture in to the stew then add the chicken. Simmer for five minutes, occasionally stirring gently.

Watergate Salad...or one of my favorite desserts

2010-04-03T23:03:00.003-04:00

I had thought the name for Watergate salad came from the obvious Watergate scandal in the 70's - and maybe it did - but there doesn't seem to be any proof of that. This dessert actually came out in 1975 when Kraft first made the Pistachio instant pudding mix. Another name for this dessert is Hawaiian Surprise. I think I like that name better, although, there isn't much about it that's Hawaiian except that it does have pineapple in it.

I was hoping this dessert was made back in the 50's or 60's as the color and consistency of this dessert really looks like something out of the Atomic Age. Either way, it's retro....and fabulous!

Ingredients:
1 16oz tub of Cool Whip
2 boxes of Pistachio instant pudding mix
1/3 bag of multi-colored (fruit-flavored) mini marshmallows

1/2 can of pineapple tidbits, drained
1/2 jar of maraschino cherries, drained and cut in halves.
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl, fold the pudding mix into the Cool Whip until the pudding mix has been incorporated. Fold in the remaining ingredients. Chill and serve.

You can really alter the ingredients and add whatever you like or have on hand...but this is the classic.

Seared Salmon with Apricot and Sweet Chili Sauce

2010-02-28T12:08:00.003-05:00

I am wanting to eat more fish, but can't always go out for it. Cooking fish, now, is a different story...for me anyway. I was brave and bought myself a salmon filet. Here's what I did with it, and I must say, it was delicious!

Ingredients
1 Salmon Filet
Lemon-infused olive oil
salt/pepper

For the glaze:
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 tablespoon sweet red chili sauce
1/2 cup of pinot grigio (or other dry/semi-dry white wine)

In a skillet, heat the olive oil. Sprinkle the filet with salt and pepper. When the skillet is hot, place the filet into the skillet and sear on both sides and then allow filet to cook through. About 4 minutes per side.

In a small saucepan, add the wine, apricot preserves, and chili sauce. Whisk together and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Serve glaze on top of the salmon filet.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

2009-09-10T08:25:00.002-04:00

I debated at first calling this soup since I ended up serving it over mashed potatoes, but technically, it is a soup. I searched all over the internet for recipes and could only find ones that had sugar or brown sugar in them. I do not understand this ingredient at all. Sugar? Stuffed pepper soup? No thanks. I know how to make stuffed peppers - so the soup can't be much different than that.

So, here we go. This is my own recipe. Is it good? Well, let's just say, none of it went to waste!

Most of the recipes make enough soup to feed an army. This recipe makes about 5-6 quarts.

2 bell peppers, diced
1 pound lean ground meat
1 quart of chicken stock or beef broth (I used homemade chicken stock)
1 quart of tomato juice
3/4 cup tomato paste
1 shallot, diced
1/3 cup of brown rice, uncooked
salt/pepper
olive oil

Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil in a soup pot. Add the diced shallot and ground beef and cook until the meat is browned. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the stock/broth, tomato juice, and tomato paste. Simmer until the tomato paste has been incorporated into the soup.

Add the diced bell peppers and simmer about 10 minutes. Add the uncooked brown rice and simmer until the rice is tender, approximately 30-40 minutes. The rice will thicken the soup and you can continue to simmer the soup until it's thick enough for your liking. I made mine pretty thick since I was going to spoon it over mashed potatoes.

Salt and pepper to taste.

PW's Bolognase Sauce

2009-05-20T09:18:00.003-04:00

Another rave for a recipe from Pioneer Woman. Actually, this is a recipe created by her friend, Pastor Ryan, but it was posted on her site.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/05/ryans-bolognese-sauce/

I took this photo with my cell phone so it doesn't really show all of the yummy goodness. PW has a ton of pictures on her site. This was really easy to make and the flavor was outstanding! This is definitely going on my regular rotation!

Fettuccine Alfredo

2009-03-09T18:07:00.007-04:00

This recipe is not for the faint of heart, literally! It's rich, creamy, cheesy, and decadent. But - if you want fettucine alfredo, this is how it has to be done. No skimping here!

1 lb fettuccine
1/2 cup butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 cups light cream or half and half
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon pepper
pinch of salt

Cook the fettuccine pasta according to package directions.

Melt the butter in a skillet and lightly saute the garlic. Do not brown the garlic. Add the cream/half and half mixture and bring to a simmer. Add the cheese and allow to melt. Add salt and pepper. Mix with the cooked (and drained) pasta.

I also topped mine with a grilled chicken breast. It was perfect!

Dungeness Crab

2009-02-17T07:19:00.003-05:00

When we lived in Philly, Josh's love for seafood was born. One of our friends introduced us to a little place called The Clam Tavern. It's such a great place. It's hidden away so well in a little neighborhood in Clifton Heights and has that quaint "crab shack" feel. Don't let the looks fool you though, the food is amazing! The steaks are juicy and tender and the seafood is fresh. Plus, on Wednesday nights, it's all-you-can-eat Dungeness Crab.

We just don't have a restaurant like that here in Pittsburgh. It's really sad. It's even more sad that to get semi-decent seafood, you have to dress up and pay an arm and a leg to get small portions and bad service.

What we do have is Wholey's Fish Market. What Wholey's doesn't have 99% of the time is Dungeness Crab....but they had it last Saturday. My heart nearly stopped. I bought 4 of 'em. Believe me, that was more than enough for the 2 of us.

Dungeness Crab
4 Dungeness Crabs
1 bottle of beer Old Bay Seasoning lemon wedges melted butter
Fill a large stock pot about 3/4 of the way full with water. Add the beer and several tablespoons of Old Bay Seasoning. Bring the water to a boil.
Add the crabs
Boil for approximately 20 minutes.
Remove crabs from pot and clean.

What I did was:
Cut the crabs in half - right down the middle.
Remove the upper and lower shells, gills, and "mustard" (this is the yellow-green stuff inside the cavity of the crab.)

Once the crabs are cleaned - place into a large bowl and sprinkle with Old Bay Seasoning.
Serve with lemon wedges and melted butter.

Skillet Corn Bread

2009-01-27T12:04:00.006-05:00

Homemade cornbread is so easy! Plus you can adjust it to how you like it...sweeter..not as sweet...it's up to you. I flipped the cornbread over before taking this shot.

2 cups cornmeal (I used Masa Harina)
1/2 cup A/P flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons oil
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 small can of corn or creamed corn

Preheat oven and cast iron skillet to 400°F. Pour 1/4 cup oil into skillet when hot. Once the oil has coated the pan, pour out the excess oil.

Put all dry ingredients into a bowl.

Mix all wet ingredients together and then very gently stir into the dry. Don't be concerned with lumps. DO NOT overmix.

Pour immediately into very hot skillet. Then place back into oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Fried Calamari - Yes, you can do it!

2009-01-05T08:48:00.004-05:00

Don't you just love fried calamari? It seems so exotic...like you can only get it in a restaurant and pay $10 for a small appetizer plate of it. Well...let me tell you, this stuff is cheap. I only paid $4 for a pound of 'tubes and tentacles'. Mmm....I just love the tentacles. They are so crispy.

Ingredients & Instructions
1 pound of fresh squid
1 cup of all purpose flour
5-6 tablespoons of creole seasoning
salt/pepper
lemon wedges
vegetable oil (for frying)

Cut the squid tubes into rings. Cut off any cartilage that may be on the tentacles.
Mix the flour, salt, pepper, and creole seasoning.
Toss the squid into the flour mix and shake off excess.
Heat the oil to about 325 degrees.
Fry the squid for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool on a paper towel-lined plate.
Squeeze a bit of lemon on top of the calamari.
Serve with marinara sauce.

Ok. Stop panicking! Yes...this is what it looks like right out of the container. Think of the first time you ever handled raw chicken. Gross, right? But now, it's no big deal.

The tubes are whole and the tentacles are separated from the tube. Some of my tentacles had some cartilage attached to them and I just cut that off and got rid of it. Just slice up the tubes so you have little rings.

Toss the rings and tentacles in the flour mixture and fry. That's it! Just like frying veggies!

Homemade Pierogies

2009-01-02T11:03:00.006-05:00

I love homemade pierogies. Unfortunately, I don't get them very often and came to the harsh reality that if I want them, I have to make them myself. It's really not hard at all, but it's rather time-consuming. It definitely helps to have a curious husband who wants to help out.

1 large egg
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup milk
1 cup water
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
5 pounds (about 10 medium) baking potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 ounces cheddar cheese (about 1/2 cup) grated
6 ounces cream cheese
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk egg. Add sour cream, and whisk until smooth. Add milk and water, and whisk until combined. Slowly add about 3 cups flour, and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and work in about 1 cup flour as you knead. Use a plastic scraper to lift dough as it will stick to the counter before flour is worked in. Continue kneading for 8 to 10 minutes, working in another 1/2 cup flour. The dough should be elastic in texture and no longer sticky. Be careful not to add too much flour, as this will toughen dough. Place dough in a lightly floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let rest while you prepare filling.

Make the filling: Place potatoes in a large pot, and cover with cold water. Add salt. Place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook until fork-tender. Drain and mash with a potato masher. Add 8 tablespoons melted butter and the cheeses, and continue to mash until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

On a floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Using a glass or a cookie cutter measuring 2 1/2 inches in diameter, cut out as many circles as possible. Gather dough scraps together, roll them out again, and continue cutting.
Lay a dry, clean towel on work surface; set aside. Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each dough circle. Holding a circle in your hand, fold dough over filling, and pinch the edges, forming a well-sealed crescent; transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Continue this process until all dough circles are filled.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Place pierogi in boiling water in batches. They will sink to the bottom of the pot and then rise to the top. Once they rise, let them cook for about a minute more. Meanwhile, In a small saucepan, cook remaining butter over medium-high heat until nut-brown in color, about 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and drizzle butter onto a serving platter, leaving any burned sediment behind. Remove pierogi from pot, and transfer to platter to prevent sticking. Serve immediately.

Now, I have a 2" biscuit cutter...which makes petite pierogies. This was not my intention at first, but they are perfectly bite-sized. I would recommend a 3" cutter for 'normal' sized pierogies.

Since they are so small, I used a teaspoon to measure the filling and then formed it into balls. Just fold the dough in half and seal with a fork.

Here they are in all their cuteness...ready for the freezer. I freeze them like this and then transfer them to a freezer bag when they are frozen through.

Josh had the brilliant idea to add some bacon that we had leftover from breakfast to the potato-cheese filling. Let me say, oh my god! What a great idea! With a little sour cream they were similar to stuffed potato skins. Yum!

I'm a reasonable gal, and I'll share my pieroghies with you...on one condition...you come to my house to eat them. They're like the Holy Grail...they can't cross the 'seal' (aka...my doorway).

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

2009-01-02T10:53:00.002-05:00

This was another appetizer I made for the NYE party. I think I could eat the entire bowl of it!

1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) package of 1/3 fat cream cheese
1/2 cup of sour cream (fat free)
1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 box of frozen, chopped spinach (defrosted and towel-dried)
1 cup of mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
3 cloves of garlic, minced
salt/pepper

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and transfer to an 8x8 casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

I then transferred it to a small crock pot to keep warm.

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip

2009-01-02T10:43:00.003-05:00

I made this as one of our New Year's Eve Party appetizers and it was a huge hit! This is my recipe and I added a bit more hot sauce than the usual recipe.

Ingredients
2 (10 ounce) cans chicken

2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese
1 cup hot sauce (I use Frank's)
1 cup ranch dressing
2 cups cheddar cheese

2 loaves baguette

Directions
Drain canned chicken and put in medium sauce pan.
Add hot sauce and cook on medium until heated throughout. My personal favorite is Frank's hot sauce.
Add cream cheese and stir until blended thoroughly.
Add ranch dressing and mix.
Add 1-1/2 cups of cheddar cheese and heat for a few minutes until mixed and melted.
Pour the dip into the crock pot and sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on the top. Keep heated on low.
I serve on baguette that has been sliced and toasted. However, it is also tasty on corn chips or celery sticks.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

2008-11-26T11:37:00.003-05:00

Aren't we all about tired of all of the pumpkin pie recipes floating around this time of year? Here's something totally different...and so good, you could eat the whole thing.

Makes about 8 servings

Crust

1/3 box chocolate graham crackers, crushed

1/2 C (1 stick) butter

Filling

8 oz cream cheese

1 C creamy peanut butter

3/4 C confectioner's sugar

8 oz whipped topping, split

1/4 C milk

6 oz (1/2 bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips

To Make Crust:

1. Melt butter or margarine. Mix with crushed graham crackers in pie pan. Form a crust.

To Make Filling:

2. Using a hand mixer, mix all ingredients except those used for crust, whipped topping, and chocolate chips.3. Stir in chocolate chips. Fold in 1/2 (4 oz) of whipped topping, remaining whipped topping can be put on top of pie.4. Pour filling into crust. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Crockpot Chicken and Veggies

2008-10-30T09:24:00.004-04:00

The credit for this recipe comes from a Pittsburgh Nestie - Cheri. Acutally, she's more of a Fayette County Nestie! :)

I made this last night - working 2 jobs makes crockpot meals a necessity! It was very good and I ate 2 platefulls!

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (fresh or frozen)

2 family sized cans of cream of chicken soup (I substituted with 1 can of cream of mushroom soup)

1 can of chicken gravy

3 white potatoes, cut into chunks

3 carrots, cut into pieces

1 small onion, diced

a handfull of fresh green beans

a handfull of fresh asparagus

1/2 cup water

salt/pepper

Just toss it all into a crockpot and cook on medium heat for 6 hours. Serve over warm biscuits.

Philly Cheesesteaks

2008-10-29T08:12:00.003-04:00

One of the biggest things we miss about Philadelphia is the cheesesteak. You can't get one anywhere in Pittsburgh that tastes anything like 'em. Plus - Pittsburgh has no idea how to make a real Philly cheesesteak - they do not come with lettuce, tomatoes, and mushrooms!

Sure, you could go to Pat's or Geno's and get your "whiz wit", but the best cheesesteaks come from a little place hidden away in a small shopping plaza (Pennsport Mall) in south Philly - Gooey Louie's. Louie's isn't fancy - not by a long shot. It's mainly a small convenience store with a grill in the back, but it's Philly's best kept secret. Louie's doesn't do "whiz", but that's ok. They top theirs with white American cheese and they somehow manage to get it, well, gooey! The sandwiches are also piled high with about a pound of meat and fried onions.

Let's get started. What I've assembled here is what I think will make the most authentic Philly cheesesteak. I have:

2 large vidalia onions
White American cheese
chipsteak (thin slices of beef)
Italian bread (2 foot long loaves)

The chipsteak comes from a local beef farm. Their cows are free-range and organic. Not that it will make a better cheesesteak, but it's good quality beef.

In a cast iron skillet*, sautee the diced onions with about 2 tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and pepper.

*It doesn't have to be cast iron, per se, it's just my new favorite skillet.

You want the onions nice and caramelized so they are sweet and tender. Then place them in a bowl and set aside.

To get that gooey texture to the cheese, I cut up my cheese into pieces and put it in a double boiler covered with plastic wrap. Let this sit over simmering water and the cheese will melt nicely.

In the same skillet that you fried the onions, brown the chipsteak. I chopped the steak up into smaller pieces before cooking.

Take your Italian rolls and split them down the middle. With a spatula, spread the melted American cheese on the roll. Then add the browned steak and top with fried onions. (I also put ketchup on mine.)

To get the full experience, I wrap them in foil and let them sit a few minutes so all of the flavors can meld, the cheese oozes down into the meat and the bread softens a bit.

Yes - I can see you drooling now! Josh said we should open a restaurant since these were so spot-on. I'm gonna charge $10 for a foot long cheesesteak. Who wants to place an order?
;)

La Lechera

2008-10-27T09:37:00.004-04:00

I found this strange cereal in Ollies Bargain Outlet...not in my regular Giant Eagle. I don't think this cereal was ever released in the US, which is evident by the Spanish writing all over the box. You Dulce de Leche fans should recognize this as another type of 'milk' cereal. You're right! In fact, it's corn flakes with sweetened condensed milk. Not frosted with sugar. I had to try it...even if it did come from a bargain outlet..and even if I had no idea where it's been before ending up in Cumberland, Maryland.

These babies are covered in the sweetened condensed milk 'frosting'. So much so that the flakes are a bit on the hard side and need a couple of minutes in cold milk to get to the texture that I like. Man, are they sweet - almost too sweet. I have to wait until the milk washes off some of the frosting to really enjoy this. I want to add strawberries to it..or blueberries. Something that's a little tart to counteract the sweetness.

Still, experimental cereal is a good thing. Wonder why we don't have this in the States.

Pumpkin Pie - The Real Deal

2008-10-20T09:19:00.010-04:00

Pumpkin pie isn't much of a mystery. All you need is a can of Libby's Canned Pumpkin and the recipe is right there. Believe it or not, it makes a pretty darn tasty pumpkin pie. So what are we doing here? My CSA gave us some 'baking pumpkins' so we don't want the cute little guy to go to waste!

Wash the exterior of the pumpkin in warm water, no soap. Cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds and remove all of the stringy flesh. Remove the stem.

Place the pumpkin in a microwaveable bowl with an inch or 2 of water. Microwave on high for about 15 minutes.

The pumpkin should slide right off of the skin.

Puree the pumpkin in a food processor. You'll have about 6 cups and you'll only need 3 cups for the pie. Freeze the remaining pumpkin for another time!

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place all of the ingredients below into the food processor and mix until well blended:

1 cup sugar

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

3 cups pureed pumpkin

1½ cans (12 oz) of evaporated milk

Pour the mixture into 2 pie crusts. Ok. I cheated and used the pre-made ones.

Bake at 425 degrees F for the first 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F and bake another 45 to 60 minutes or until a clean knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

I've never been a fan of pumpkin pie - but I really like it made this way. The filling isn't nearly as pasty and thick as when you use a canned pumpkin recipe. The filling is more flavorful and almost mousse-like. Yum!

Penne with Clams & Mussels

2008-10-20T09:06:00.003-04:00

You don't need to go to a restaurant for a fancy seafood pasta! This is so quick and easy to make. You can even substitute the clams/mussels for shrimp or other seafood.

Penne With Clams & Mussles Recipe

2 Large cans of diced tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, diced

½ pound of littleneck clams, rinsed

½ pound of mussels, rinsed

1 pound of penne rigate, cooked al dente

½ cup of white wine, of choice

3-4 fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes

olive oil

salt/pepper

In a large skillet, sautee the garlic in olive oil. Add the red pepper flakes and let warm for about 30 seconds.

Add the 2 cans of diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add in the white wine and simmer 10 minutes. At this point, I'll take a potato masher and mash up some of the tomatoes in the skillet to thicken the sauce.

Add the basil, clams, and mussels. Simmer for 10 minutes or until clams/mussles have opened. Discard any that do not open.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over the cooked penne.

Cabbage Noodles (Halushki)

2008-10-03T20:30:00.005-04:00

This is one of my most favorite comfort foods. It's basic - cabbage and noodles - but it takes me back to my childhood when my mum-mum and pap-pap would make this all the time and I'd eat 2 or 3 bowls! Okay - I admit it's presentation is lackluster. Heck, it may even be down right unappetizing to anyone with no experience with Hungarian and Polish foods. Like I said - this is a comfort food and yes, it's an ethnic food as well. Deal with it.

Cabbage Noodles
1 head of cabbage - chopped (core removed)

1 bag of egg noodles

1/2 stick of butter (the real thing!)

1/4 cup of Crisco (vegetable shortening) - it's comfort food, remember!

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large skillet, melt the vegetable shortening and add the chopped cabbage. Sautee on medium heat. Stirring occassionally to keep the cabbage moving and so it doesn't burn on the bottom.

You want the cabbage browned (see below). To be technical, you need to caramelize the cabbage to bring out the sweetness. It will probably take about 35-40 minutes of sauteeing and stirring to get it to this point. Do NOT cover with a lid at any time! You want the water to cook out and caramelize the sugars.

Now you want to boil the noodles. Once they're tender, drain and mix with the cabbage. I like to let it sit on very low heat so that the noodles have time to absorb some of the butter/shortening and the cabbage flavor. Salt and pepper to taste.

Acorn Squash-Butternut Squash Soup

2008-10-03T13:35:00.003-04:00

Let me preface this by saying - that is not my ugly bowl. I brought this soup to work and this is one of our office dishes.

As you may already know, I belong to a CSA Farm. It's squash season and they've hooked me up with some acorn squash and some butternut squash. Heck, I don't know what to do with it...my husband won't eat it in any way, shape, or form. So, I figure I'd whip up a soup and take it to work to share with my 5 co-workers. Luckily, it was a hit!

Acorn Squash-Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash - peeled and cut into chunks
1 acorn squash - peeled and cut into chunks
3 granny smith apples, peeled and diced
1 onion - diced
1 clove of garlic - diced
3 14-oz cans of chicken broth
1 Tablespoon Butter
1/4 teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 Tablespoon of sage, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Toss the squash chunks in a little bit of olive oil (to coat) and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees.

While the squash is roasting, melt the butter in a dutch oven or stock pot and sautee the apple and onion for about 10 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic, sage, and the spices (Chinese 5 Spice/Nutmeg).

Add the chicken broth and the squash and simmer for 30 minutes. Place the soup into a food processor and puree until slightly chunky/slightly smooth. You will need to do this in batches. If you have a hand-blender, this would work perfectly.

Season with salt/pepper and serve.

Apple Crisp - With Oats

2008-09-23T19:44:00.003-04:00

This isn't your basic apple crisp with butter and flour as a crumb top. This has oats - and it's so much better!

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Toss the apples in the juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of nutmeg.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Stir until crumbly. Press half the oat mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with sliced apples.

In a medium saucepan, combine white sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla. Cook, stirring, until thick and clear, 10 minutes. Pour over apples.

Cover apples with remaining crumble mixture.
Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes, until bubbly and golden.

Pumpkin Scones

2008-09-16T19:51:00.003-04:00

Here's yet another way to use pumpkin! These are just slightly sweet and taste very similar to pumpkin pie. So good with my morning coffee!

Scone Dough:
2 cups (280 grams) all purpose flour
1/3 cup (72 grams) light or dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup toasted ad chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup fresh or canned pure pumpkin (if using canned pumpkin make sure there are no spices or sugar added)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Egg Wash:
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk or cream
Turbinado sugar for sprinkling the tops of the scones (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.

Stir in the raisins and pecans, if using. In a separate bowl mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin puree and vanilla and then add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches round and about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into 3 pie-shaped wedges (triangles). Place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash and sprinkle a little Turbinado sugar on top, if desired.

Place the baking sheet inside another baking sheet to prevent the bottoms of the scones from over browning. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 6 scones.

Alton Brown's Fried Chicken

2008-09-14T22:30:00.011-04:00

Fried chicken. It sounds simple enough, yet I've never been able to perfect it. Either it's cooked too long or not long enough or it's bland, etc. On an episode of Good Eats, Alton made fried chicken - and I watched it closely. I realized there were a few things I was doing wrong. I was seasoning the flour, which was wrong. Plus, I had the wrong equipment. Alton recommended a Lodge Chicken Fryer. Where do I get one? I checked a few places and thanks to my friend, Cara, I found exactly what I needed at Trader Horn. Sweet!

Yes - this is what I need! A large, deep skillet. Alton recommends cast iron for it's even heating and cooking. Now, for the chicken.....

1 broiler/fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces

2 cups low fat buttermilk

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Flour, for dredging

Vegetable shortening, for frying

Place chicken pieces into a plastic container and cover with buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

Drain chicken in a colander. Combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Liberally season chicken with this mixture. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

Melt enough shortening (over low heat) to come just 1/8-inch up the side of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy fry pan. Once shortening liquefies raise heat to 325 degrees F. Do not allow oil to go over 325 degrees F.

Place chicken skin side down into the pan. Put thighs in the center, and breast and legs around the edge of the pan. The oil should come half way up the pan. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, approximately 10 to 12 minutes per side. More importantly, the internal temperature should be right around 180 degrees. (Be careful to monitor shortening temperature every few minutes.)

Drain chicken on a rack over a sheet pan. Don't drain by setting chicken directly on paper towels or brown paper bags. If you need to hold the chicken before serving, cover loosely with foil but avoid holding in a warm oven, especially if it's a gas oven.

Pumpkin Pizzelles

2008-09-13T21:56:00.006-04:00

I love pizzelles. It's not Christmas without them. I remember hundreds of pizzelles spread across the tables in my grandparents' basement - their second kitchen. Red ones. Green ones. They all had the same flavor, but I still think green was my favorite.

It's a few months until Christmas, but autumn is finally here. So many pumpkin recipes - too many to choose from. The other day, I had a brilliant, or what I thought would be brilliant, idea....pumpkin pizzelles. Some adaptation of the basic pizzelle recipe was required since I would be adding a moist ingredient (pumpkin). The final result, a brilliant idea! I think I'll be headed out to get some cinnamon ice cream to serve these with. Yum!

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions
1 Preheat the pizzelle iron.
2 Beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, then add the eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla.
3 Sift the dry ingredients together, then fold into the sugar mix.
4 Lightly brush the pizzelle iron with butter, then drop a teaspoon amount of dough onto the iron. Close the lid and bake for 34-60 seconds.
5 Remove. Before the cookies cool, you can shape them into cones or rolls or shallow bowls, if you want, or leave them flat.
6 Repeat buttering the iron as needed and dropping on dough and baking it until all the dough is gone.

Home Grown Tomatoes

2008-08-26T08:37:00.003-04:00

There ain't nothin' in the world that I like better Than bacon 'n lettuce 'n home grown tomatoes.

Up in the morning, out in the garden. Get you a ripe one, don't get a hard 'un.

Plant 'em in the spring, eat 'em in the summer. All winter without 'em is a culinary bummer.

I forget all about the sweatin' and the diggin' every time I go out and pick me a big 'un!

Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes What'd life be without home grown tomatoes? Only two things that money can't buy that's true love and home grown tomatoes.

You can go out and eat an that's for sure. But there's nothin' a home grown tomato won't cure.

Put 'em in a salad put 'em in a stew. You can make your own very own tomato juice.

You can eat 'em with eggs, eat 'em with gravy, You can eat 'em with beans, pinto or navy.

Put 'em on the side, put 'em in the middle Home grown tomato on a hot cake griddle.

Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes. What'd life be without home grown tomatoes?

Only two things that money can't buy That's true love and home grown tomatoes.

If I's to change this life I lead You could call me Johnny Tomato seed.

'Cause I know what this country needs -

Home grown tomatoes in every yard you see!

When I die don't bury me In a box in a cold dark cemetary.

Out in the garden would be much better 'Cause I could be pushin' up a home grown tomatoes. Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes What'd life be without home grown tomatoes Only two things that money can't buy That's true love and home grown tomatoes.

John Denver

la-la-la lasagna!

2008-08-25T11:48:00.004-04:00

Lasagna isn't something we have very often. It's delicious, but the time and preparation usually keep me from bothering to make it. However, Josh requested it, and reminded me that it has been a long time.

I always use homemade spaghetti sauce. This time, though, I wanted something different...brighter in flavor...fresher in flavor. Then I saw this huge pile of cherry tomatoes sitting on my counter...hmmm.

Garden Maranara Sauce

2 cups of cherry tomatoes - cut in half

1 small onion - diced

1 clove garlic - diced

1 can diced tomatoes (including juice)

1 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon fresh parsley - chopped

4 large leaves of basil - chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

salt/pepper

olive oil

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sautee the onions and garlic for about 5-10 minutes or until transparent.

Add the cherry tomatoes and sautee about 10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer another 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Add the parsley and basil and simmer another 10 minutes.

I also browned about a pound of ground beef in another skillet and then added it to the finished sauce.

The sauce was perfect and I cried a little that I had to add meat to it. But lasagna is just so boring without meat.

Lasagna Recipe

1 box of lasagna noodles

1.5 pounds ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella..or white cheddar...or asiago (I used imported provolone)

1 cup of fresh grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Meat Sauce (recipe above)

Boil the lasagna noodles for about 6-7 minutes. You want them to still be a bit firm when you remove them from the pot. Drain the noodles and lay each noodle on paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.

Mix the ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese in a bowl and set aside.

In a 9x13 pan (or lasagna pan), put a layer of the meat sauce on the bottom of the pan.

Then put down a layer of noodles, overlapping the edges.

Take 1/3 of the cheese mix and spread it over the noodles.

Place another layer of meat sauce on top of the cheese layer. Continue with noodles, cheese, sauce. You should have about 3 layers, with the very top layer being sauce. I'll then sprinkle some shredded mozzarella on top.

Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour at 350 degrees. Allow to cool about 10 minutes before cutting.

corn!

2008-08-23T21:09:00.003-04:00

I love corn on the cob. I could eat an entire dozen of corn on the cob for a meal. I could eat it every day. However, sometimes, I have too much corn....too much corn that doesn't taste good on the cob.

I had about 3 dozen ears of corn. Some of it was past its prime...some of it was just not suitable for being boiled (or grilled) and smothered in butter. So, I cut it all off the cob - and then placed 1-cup servings in freezer bags and put them in the freezer.

Now I'll have fresh, locally grown corn for several months. It'll be perfect for my chili, chicken tortilla soup, corn chowder, and just for warming with some butter as a side dish. We had that with dinner tonight and it was so good!

Timbits

2008-08-12T21:40:00.004-04:00

When I was in college, I had a friend from Niagra Falls, Canada. Actually, she's still my friend...I just haven't seen her in 10 years! Anyway, she introduced me to great coffee and doughnuts from Tim Horton's. I thought these places were only in Canada until I saw one in Buffalo, NY last October. I didn't stop and have regretted it since.

Fast forward to today. I'm in Southwestern Ohio and what do I see? Tim Hortons! I had to go in for some Timbits. Good lord, this sounds like something terrible...use your imagination! Really though, it's just doughnut holes...but that's not interesting at all.

Mmmmm...Timbits.

Mom Johnson's Macaroni

2008-08-12T21:25:00.003-04:00

I'm sure all of our husbands have favorites from mom. This is something that Josh requests quite a bit. I think it's as close as it gets to his mom's version, but of course, I'm sure mom's is better! He calls it "macaroni", but to me, it's "beef-a-roni". Either way, it's pretty darn tasty!

2 Pounds elbow macaroni (cooked al dente)

2 Jars of Del Grosso Meat Sauce

3 small cans of tomato paste

1 large can of tomato juice

1 pound of ground meat

8 slices of American cheese

garlic salt

onion powder

pepper

In a saucepot, combine the Del Grosso meat sauce, tomato paste, tomato juice, and american cheese. Let simmer.

While the sauce is simmering, brown the ground beef in a pan and season with the garlic salt, pepper, and onion powder to taste. Once browned, add to the sauce.

Allow the sauce and meat to simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the cooked elbows and stir. Turn the heat down to "low" and allow the macaroni to absorb the sauce - stirring frequently. Once everything has thickened, it's ready to eat! Even better as leftovers!

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti

2008-06-10T12:33:00.005-04:00

I love reading The Pioneer Woman. Hell, I've even found myself envious of her life. She has some great recipes...and this is the 2nd one I've tried. I like it. It's got good flavor and it's one of those comfort foods. Here's the recipe link:

PW's Spaghetti Chicken

Josh said it tastes just like a chi-chi...which is a delicacy where he works. Ramen noodles, cheese (or cheese puffs), onions, and chicken (or other available meat). Nice.

Korean Beef Stir-Fry

2008-06-10T12:27:00.002-04:00

Yay! I've finally made a stir fry that I actually like! I served this with rice noodles.

3 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon canola oil

8 ounces flank steak, trimmed of fat and very thinly sliced against the grain

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 teaspoons chopped jalapeno pepper, or to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

4 cups mung bean sprouts

1 6-ounce bag baby spinach

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, optional

Combine mirin, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spread steak out in the pan and cook until seared on one side, about 1 minute. Add garlic, jalapeno and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add bean sprouts and spinach (the pan will be very full).

Pour the mirin mixture into the pan and stir gently until the sauce thickens and the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in cilantro and sesame oil. Serve topped with sesame seeds (if using).

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondies

2008-06-04T21:21:00.004-04:00

What can you make with a few ingredients that's sweet and satisfying...and you're out of chocolate?! Blondies! Of course, you can toss in any nuts or chips that you like. This is what I had on hand from making the Blueberry Banana Peanut Butter Bars.

6-7 TBS butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder (optional, creates lighter blondie texture)
1/2 cup of white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 350.Line an 8x8 pan with foil and lightly spray with PAM.In a large microwave safe mixing bowl melt the butter. Allow to cool for 5 mintues. Mix the brown sugar with the melted butter and beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla. Add salt, stir in flour and baking powder (if using). Mix in any additions .Pour into prepared pan and use a greased spatula to evenly spread mixture in pan and level the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set in the middle. Cool on rack before cutting.

Blueberry Banana Peanut Butter Bars

2008-06-04T21:15:00.004-04:00

Josh found this recipe in an issue of Backpacker Magazine and boy, am I glad he did! I love these suckers. Chewy, crunchy, fruity.....good in every way!

1/4 Cup honey

1/4 Cup brown sugar

1/4 Cup peanut butter

2 Cups of flake cereal (preferrably bran flakes or kashi flakes), crushed

1/2 Cup dried blueberries

1/2 Cup slivered almonds (or nut of choice)

1/2 Cup dried banana chips

1/3 Cup of white chocolate chips

Break the banana chips into small pieces and set aside. Heat the honey and brown sugar in a large skillet and simmer for 1 minute. Over cooking will make the bars brittle. Removed the pan from the heat and stir in the peanut butter. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.

Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan with vegetable oil or PAM. Scoop the mixture into the pan and pack down evenly. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to a cutting board. Allow to come to room temperature and cut into 9 bars.

Can keep in freezer for 3 months.

Blueberry-Banana Granola Bars

See Blueberry-Banana Granola Bars on Key Ingredient.

One $4 Chicken. Endless meals.

2008-05-27T10:19:00.005-04:00

The $4 roasting chicken is a great thing. I can rotisserie it or roast it...get a good meal out of it. Then I can remove all of the remaining meat and use it for chicken salad, tossed into a salad, or use it for enchiladas. Then I can take the carcass and the giblets and make oodles of chicken stock. This $4 chicken can give me about 8 pints (16 cups) of stock.

Let's do the math. A box of chicken stock is around $3.50 a box. Maybe more. That's about 32 oz. I have about 128 oz just from one $4 chicken. That saves me at least $14.00.

Chicken Stock
1 $4 Chicken carcass and giblets
1 big pot of water
1 onion
3 carrots
3 ribs of celery
3 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
salt/pepper

Simmer all ingredients together for about 6-8 hours. Done.

Jambalaya

2008-05-27T09:02:00.005-04:00

I'm revising this post. Since I've started making jambalaya, it's gotten better...and so have my photos. I use a lot of the Creole Seasoning, to give it some heat!

1 lb. boneless chicken

1 lb. shrimp, boiled in Zatarain's and peeled;

1 lb. (hot) smoked andouille

1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 - 6 cloves garlic, minced

4 ribs celery, chopped
3 small cans tomato paste
1 28-oz. can tomatoes
8 cups good dark homemade chicken stock
Creole seasoning blend to taste (or 2 - 3 tablespoons);

1/2 package of frozen okra
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
4 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked

In a sauté or frying pan, brown the chicken, sprinkling with Tony Chachere's seasoning if you've got it; a bit of salt, black pepper and red pepper otherwise. Don't brown if using leftover cooked bird, but you still might want to season the meat. Tear or cut the meat into bite-size pieces.

Brown the sliced smoked sausage or andouille and pour off fat.

In the pot, sauté the onions, garlic, peppers and celery in oil until onions begin to turn transparent.In the same pot, while you're sautéing the "trinity", add the tomato paste and let it pincé, meaning to let it brown a little. What we're going for here is an additional depth of flavor by browning the tomato paste a little; the sugar in the tomato paste begins to caramelize, deepening the flavor and color. Keep it moving so that it browns but doesn't burn.

Once the vegetables are translucent and the tomato paste achives sort of a red mahogany color, deglaze the pan with the about 2 cups of the stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to mix up any browned bits, and stir until smooth, making sure the sautéed vegetables, paste and stock are combined thoroughly. It should be fairly thick.

Add the Creole seasoning, tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook over low-medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the meat and/or seafood and cook another 10 minutes; if you're using seafood, be careful not to overcook it.

Add the rest of the stock, okra, check seasonings, and stir in the rice, combining thoroughly. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is cooked through. If you haven't checked your seasonings before adding the rice, it's too late! It's much better for the rice to absorb the seasonings while it's cooking. Check seasoning anyway, then turn the heat down to low-medium and let the sauce thicken up a bit, with the pot uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients. When the jambalaya has thickened up a bit and has reached the "right" consistency (you'll know), it's done.

Chicken Cacciatore

2008-05-16T08:33:00.003-04:00

You can't go wrong with Ina Garten. You can't go wrong with Giada DeLaurentiis, either. This is my version of Giada's Chicken Cacciatore. As rich as it looks, it's a pretty light dish - even moreso if you don't bread the chicken.

4 chicken breasts (skinless/boneless)
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (San Marzano works best)
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons drained capers
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly. In a large heavy sauté pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and sauté just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, sauté it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and sauté over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.

The Macaroni & Cheese Project: Recipe 004

2008-05-06T08:11:00.004-04:00

Salt, to taste

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 (12-ounce) can 2 % reduced-fat evaporated milk

2/3 cup low-fat milk (2 %)

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon garlic salt (optional)

Pinch cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons cornstarch

8 ounces 50 percent light cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)

4 ounces fontina cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring 2 1/2 quarts water to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and the macaroni; cook until the pasta is completely cooked and tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta and leave it in the colander; set aside.

2. Add the evaporated milk, 1/2 cup of the 2 percent milk, mustard, garlic powder (if using), cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the now-empty saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Whisk the cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup milk together, then whisk it into the simmering mixture. Continue to simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce has thickened and is smooth, about 2 minutes.

3. Off the heat, gradually whisk in the cheddar and gruyere until melted and smooth. Stir in the macaroni, and let the macaroni and cheese sit off the heat until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 5 minutes.

THE VERDICT:

DIFFICULTY: Very easy.

TEXTURE: Creanmy and smooth, yet it has a nice, thick texture. The longer you leave it on the stove, the thicker it becomes. Mmm.

TASTE: I'm realizing that fontina is the magic cheese. It makes everything taste wonderful! The extra spices gave the mac'n cheese extra depth.

REHEAT FACTOR: On pulling it out of the fridge, I noticed that it congealed into one large mass of mac'n cheese, similar to baked macaroni. Once nuked, it was a bit drier, but tasted just fine.

OVERALL: I was surprisingly pleased with this stovetop version of mac'n cheese. I would definitely make it again. I give this recipe 4½ out of 5 stars.

Crunchy, Beer Battered Fish

2008-05-06T08:03:00.003-04:00

Everyone should eat more fish, but I haven't really found any way to prepare it that Josh really likes. His idea of fish is the frozen stuff - already coated in batter. There's got to be a better way! Since beer usually makes things better...I've added it to Ina Garten's recipe.

1 1/2 pounds fresh cod fillets (choose thick ones)

Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup beer of choice

1 extra-large egg

Vegetable oil, for frying

Lay the cod fillets on a cutting board. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Cut the fillets in 1 1/2 by 3-inch pieces.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Whisk in 1/2 cup of water and then the egg.

Pour 1/2-inch of oil into a large (12-inch) frying pan and heat it to about 360 degrees F.
Dip each fillet into the batter, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place it very carefully into the hot oil. Don't crowd the pieces. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the oil between 360 and 400 degrees F. Cook the fish on each side for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through.

Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.

Ina's Lemon Yogurt Cake

2008-04-28T15:29:00.007-04:00

I've recently discovered Barefoot Contessa on Food Network and I just love Ina! All of the recipes I've tried and tricks come out so well!

I made her Lemon Yogurt Cake this past weekend. I made blackberry sauce instead of blueberry. It's the same recipe, but just use a different fruit!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

1 1/3 cups sugar, divided

3 extra-large eggs

2 teaspoons lemon zest (2 lemons)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the glaze:

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

BBQ "Pulled" Chicken Sandwiches

2008-04-20T21:13:00.005-04:00

Another easy crockpot meal! If you're a fan of pulled BBQ pork sandwiches, this is even better!

Here's what you'll need:

1 bottle of Coca-Cola

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (frozen is OK)

1/2 jar of Jalapeno Jelly

Place all of the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours. Once cooked, drain all of the liquid and shred the chicken.

Place the chicken back in the crock pot. Set the crock on 'warm'.

Add:

1/2 bottle of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce

1 Tablespoon of brown mustard

Stir and allow to warm. Serve on a Kaiser roll.

Rotisserie Chicken

2008-04-20T21:05:00.004-04:00

If you don't have one, run out and get yourself a rotisserie set for your grill. It's the best $25 you'll spend. Probably the easiest thing to make is rotisserie chicken. You can find endless recipes for the chicken, but here's what I did this weekend.

Grab yourself a whole chicken. I know, it's kinda scary. Make sure you remove the bag of giblets from the cavity. Rinse the chicken and cavity with warm water.

Here's what you'll need:

One whole roasting chicken

Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

4 garlic cloves

1 bottle of beer

1/2 cup of chicken broth

Place the chicken on a sheet pan. Sprinkle the Creole Seasoning all over the chicken and gently rub the seasoning all over the chicken. Place the garlic cloves in the cavity of the chicken. Tie up the wings and legs with kitchen twine and place the chicken on the spit rod.

Take a 9x13 metal baking pan and place it in the center of the grill. Pour the beer into the metal pan. Place the chicken/spit rod onto the grill. Turn the grill on...leaving the center burner off. Keep the temperature at about 250 degrees.

Let the chicken cook for about 1.5 hours. Baste the chicken with the chicken broth. Let cook for another 1.5 hours, basting every so often.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the spit and let it rest on a sheet pan for about 5 minutes before carving.

The Macaroni & Cheese Project: Recipe 003

2008-04-20T10:12:00.007-04:00

When I was in Tennessee, I had this fabulous and macaroni and cheese made in a crock pot. I've tried emailing the lady who made it for her recipe, but to no avail. So, I did some searching and it seems like the ingredients for crock pot macaroni and cheese is basically the same throughout various recipes.

I must have a super-powered crock pot because after 5 hours, it was nearly burnt around the edges and a little dry. I suggest 3-4 hours.

Here's the recipe.

8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
4 cups(16 ounces) shredded sharp Chedder Cheese
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
Place the cooked macaroni in crockpot that has been sprayed with nonstick cookingspray. Add the remaining ingredents, all except 1 cup of the cheese, mix well. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese and then cover and cook on low settingfor 5 to 6 hours or until the mixture is firm and golden around the edges. Do not remove the cover or stir until it has finished cooking.

THE VERDICT:
DIFFICULTY:
Easy. The most difficult step was boiling and cooking the noodles!

TEXTURE:
Dry and chunky. I blame this on my crockpot. I think if I shut it off around 3-4 hours, it would have been a lot creamier.

TASTE:
Again, with only 1 cheese, it's a bit on the bland side. Salt helped.

REHEAT FACTOR:
This gets dry once reheated. A small dot of butter is required to get the creaminess back.

OVERALL:
I'm indifferent on this one. I would like to retry it with the shorter time on the crock. I give this recipe 3 out of 5 stars.

A Cookbook...

2008-04-16T18:36:00.004-04:00

I'm putting together a cookbook. I plan on selling it for $17.50. My cookbook will have bright, glossy pages, easy to follow instructions, and lots of ideas!

The cookbook will contain lots of photos and original recipes. If you're interesed in purchasing a cookbook or contributing a recipe and photo, please contact me.

Pre-orders must email me at:

aliveinthemoment@gmail.com

Food For Thought

2008-02-28T09:09:00.003-05:00

Once again, I have my friend Andi to thank for another great food find! This time, it's the Ziploc Zip n' Steam bags.

At first I thought, well, that's not very "green" of me to use disposable steaming bags, but I got a free sample in the mail and gave 'em a shot. Turns out, they work perfectly! The veggies aren't overcooked (or undercooked) and you can season them any way you like.

Last night I made some zucchini and carrots and threw in a pat of some butter that I had mixed with fresh, chopped rosemary. Yum...so good! Josh made broccoli and carrots and then splashed on some soy sauce after they were cooked.

Spanish Beef Daube

2008-02-21T10:13:00.003-05:00

This recipe is from the January issue of Cooking Light. I omitted the saffron...mainly because it's $16 for a tiny bottle. I tossed in a little cayenne pepper instead. I really liked how this turned out! The meat was very tender and the gravy/sauce was pretty flavorful. I served it with skin-on mashed potatoes.

Ingredients
Cooking spray
3 pounds bottom round roast, trimmed
2 cups thinly vertically sliced yellow onion
3/4 cup thinly sliced bottled roasted red bell pepper (I used fresh)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads (omitted)
1 cup of dry sherry
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas, thawed (I used canned)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Preparation
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan.

Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add bell pepper and garlic; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add salt and next 5 ingredients (through saffron); cook 30 seconds or until fragrant, stirring constantly. Stir in sherry and hot pepper sauce, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about half. Add beef and broth to pan; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until beef is tender.

Remove beef from pan; cool slightly. Cut beef across grain into thin slices; cover and keep warm.

Add peas, parsley, and vinegar to pan; cook 5 minutes. Combine cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; stir cornstarch mixture into broth mixture. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Add sliced beef; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.

Sloppy Joes

2008-02-17T19:56:00.004-05:00

Okay, I know...who needs a recipe for sloppy joes, you say. Well, this is *my* recipe. I have converted Manwich lovers with this recipe, so it must be good. I can't take credit, this is actually my mom's recipe...although, I don't think she uses onion. The choice is yours.

1 pound of lean ground beef
1 small onion (finely diced)
3/4 cup of Heinz Chili Sauce (NO SUBSTITUTIONS!)
1/2 cup of Heinz Ketchup (NO SUBSTITUTIONS!)
salt/pepper
olive oil

In a skillet, sautee the onion in about a tabespoon of olive oil until transparent. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Sautee until beef is fully cooked and browned. Turn the heat to low and add the chili sauce and ketchup and mix. Once sauce is mixed and thoroughly warmed, serve on your favorite roll.

Air Fries

2008-02-17T19:47:00.002-05:00

I really hate making french fries. The fat, the grease, the mess. Plus I never buy those frozen fries that you can just throw in the oven...who knows what's in those things, plus they're usually pretty bland. Here is my recipe for "Air Fries".

4-5 medium sized Yukon gold potatoes
olive oil
salt
pepper
Old Bay Seasoning

Cut up the potatoes into strips, as thick or as thin as you like. Toss them in the olive oil, salt, pepper, and Old Bay seasoning. Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and place the fries on the cooling rack, to allow the fries to cook on all sides without having to turn them. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minues.

Coming this week...

2008-02-16T22:49:00.000-05:00

Spanish Beef Daube

Sloppy Joes

Air Fries

French Onion Soup

2008-02-10T17:21:00.001-05:00

After 7 years of Josh asking, I finally made French Onion Soup. It wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought! The secret is in the simmering....the longer, the better! Definitely restaurant-quality!

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 onions, sliced (I used 2 vidalia onions and 1 white onion)

2 shallots, sliced

1/2 teaspoon of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 cup sherry wine

4 cups of beef broth

2 cups of beef stock (Iused the boxed one)

1/4 teaspoon thyme

2 tablespoons butter

french baguette, sliced

gueryre cheese, sliced

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven and satuee onions for 5-8 minutes on medium-high heat.

Stir in sugar, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to medium and cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Increase heat to medium-high and sautee for 5 minutes or until onions are golden brown.

Stir in wine and cook for 1 minute. Add broth/stock and thyme and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1-2 hours. Add butter and allow to melt into soup.

Preheat broiler. Toast baguette slices for 2-3 minutes.

Place soup in oven-safe crocks. Place toasted baguette slices on top of soup. Place a slice of cheese on top of the baguette. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until cheese has melted.

What's better than a cupcake?

2008-02-06T21:19:00.000-05:00

A filled cupcake!! The best part is the top of the cupcake, so why not make the middle as good as the top? I used these recipes:

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake

Wilton Buttercream Frosting

Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting

All you need to do is fill two pastry bags with the frosting and use a star-tip. Poke the tip down into the center of the cupcake and squeeze! Decorate the top and you're done!

Pizza Night!

2008-01-26T09:25:00.000-05:00

Last night, we decided we wanted Pizza but didn't want to drive 30 minutes to get some. So, we made our own! Josh is rather traditional and stuck with pizza sauce, mozzarella, and cheddar cheese. I went with my favorite - white pizza - with riccotta cheese, fresh mozarella, spinach, garlic, and tomatoes.

Pizza Crust

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 package of dry yeast

2/3 cup warm water

1 1/2 cups bread flour

1 1/2 tablespoons cornmeal

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add flour, cornmeal, oil, and salt to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons bread flour, as needed, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; shape into a ball. Lightly respray bowl; place dough in bowl, turning to coat top. Cover; let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, for 30 minutes.

Stuffed Peppers

2008-01-22T16:42:00.001-05:00

There are so many variations on these, but this is an old family recipe.

4 green peppers, tops removed and seeded

1 pound of lean ground beef

1/2 cup of rice (I use brown)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

salt/pepper

2 quarts tomato juice

Mix the ground beef, rice, oil, and salt/pepper in a bowl. Stuff 1/4 of the meat mixture into each pepper.

Place the peppers in a crock pot and cover with the tomato juice. Season with salt/pepper. Cook on the low setting for 8 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes.

My Famous Stuffed Mushrooms

2008-01-13T00:04:00.000-05:00

This recipe was the very first one I created on my own. Gosh, I think that was probably back in college...over 10 years ago. I had stuffed mushrooms in a restaurant and knew I could recreate them. The ingredients are so simple, it's hard to imagine that they taste so gosh darn good! So good in fact, that a friend of mine offered to mow our lawn if I paid him in stuffed mushrooms! Plus, if you're feeling adventurous, I suppose you could experiment with the filling on your own!

1 8oz. package of white button mushrooms

1/2 cup of ricotta cheese

1/2 cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 shallot, finely minced

1/2 cup of melted butter, divided

3 tablespoons of shredded parmigiano-reggiano cheese

salt/pepper

Carefully wash the mushrooms. Remove the stems. Place the mushroom caps in a baking dish. Dice the mushroom stems and place into a mixing bowl. Add the riccotta cheese, breadcrumbs, shallot, 1/4 cup of the melted butter, and salt/pepper to the bowl. Mix well.

Stuff the filling into the mushroom caps. Go ahead, pile it on high!

Take the remaining 1/4 cup of melted butter and pour over the top of the mushrooms. Sprinkle the parmigiano-reggiano cheese on top. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Veggies in January

2008-01-12T23:56:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine recommended these. Steamed carrots, green beans, and zucchini in a buttery, rosemary-infused sauce. Sounds decadent, but only 45 calories! Thanks, Erica for finding these! They've been such a great find for someone longing for summer veggies!

Traditional Hummus

2008-01-09T21:56:00.000-05:00

Mmm...I love hummus. I love it on sandwiches. I love it on warm pita bread. I love it on veggies. I've made it several ways and now...this is the traditional way. It's so yummy on pita or this sunflower-wheat bread with cucumbers, tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves. Yum!!

In a food processor, process:

1 can of garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained

1 large clove of garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon of tahini

juice of 1 lemon

sea salt

pepper

olive oil (stream in until smooth)

It will take several minutes to get it to the consistency you want. Remember to scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl to catch any large pieces.

Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Balsamic Vinaigrette

2008-01-07T09:32:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year again! Salad time! So who says you have to eat the same old boring salads?

This one is full of some of my favorite things. For the dressing, I prefer to use a thick and syrup-y balsamic vinegar. If you use the cheap stuff, you'll have to reduce it in a saucepan until thick.

2 Cups of Field Greens lettuce mix

1/2 red pear, cut into small slices

1/4 cup of dried cherries

1/4 cup of chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon crumbled parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Dressing:

In a small bowl, whisk together:

2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar (I prefer Claudio 25-year Balsamic)

1 small squirt of Dijon Mustard

1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider

Salt/Pepper

World's Best Banana Nut Bread...Seriously!

2008-01-02T14:41:00.000-05:00

My friend Andi gave me this recipe and it's divine! It has cream cheese, so of course it's fantastic!

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (1 1/4 pounds unpeeled bananas, about 4 medium)

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8- x 4-inch loafpans.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil last 15 minutes to prevent browning, if necessary. Cool bread in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

Giada's Linguini with Chicken Ragu

2007-12-13T19:05:00.000-05:00

My husband and I saw this on an episode of Everyday Italian and tried it right away. Since then, I've made it several times and it's a regular menu item!

Giada's Linguini with Chicken Ragu

I make the marinara sauce described in the recipe, however, I put it in a food processor after it's cooked to make it smooth.

The Macaroni & Cheese Project: Recipe 002

2007-12-10T21:18:00.000-05:00

Non-stick cooking spray

Salt

3 cups elbow macaroni

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/3 cups 1 percent milk

3/4 cup shredded Fontina cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan

1/2 cup shredded non-fat cheddar 4 ounces processed light American cheese (recommended: Velveeta Light)

1/2 cup Japanese (panko) bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Salt water, add macaroni, and cook until al dente. Drain into a colander, run under cold water to stop the cooking, and then set aside.

While pasta is cooking, combine flour and milk in a large saucepan, whisking until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add cheeses and cook until melted and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the macaroni and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs over top. Bake until bubbly, about 30 to 40 minutes.

THE VERDICT:

DIFFICULTY:

Moderate. This recipe requires making a cheese sauce, which isn't difficult at all, but does add a few extra steps and cheeses.

TEXTURE:

Creamy yet just chunky/dry enough. Not greasy at all. The Velveeta makes it just creamy enough and it doesn't come out all stringy.

TASTE:

The variation of cheeses really add a lot of flavor to this recipe. I really like the addition of the fontina and parmigiano-reggiano as they add the right amount of zip.

REHEAT FACTOR:

This gets dry once reheated. A small dot of butter is required to get the creaminess back.

OVERALL:

I especially like this recipe because it cuts about 1/2 of the calories by using the Velveeta Light, non fat cheddar and lowfat milk. This recipe is one of my favorites and I've made it several times.

I give this recipe 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Beef Stew

2007-12-10T20:56:00.000-05:00

My family has been making this beef stew recipe for years. It's different from most beef stew recipes because it has a tomato base rather than a beef broth base. I prefer it over the broth base. Even better paired with a piece of buttery, crusty bread!

1 pound of lean stew beef
1 cup of flour
4 small yukon gold potatoes
4 carrots, peeled and cut into coins
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of green beans, drained
1 quart of tomato juice
1 cup of chicken broth
1 onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, diced
1 T olive oil
salt/pepper

In a plastic bag, toss the beef cubes with the flour, salt, and pepper. Remove the beef cubes and shake off excess flour. In a large pot, brown the meat with the olive oil and diced onion and garlic.

Add the tomato juice and chicken broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the carrots and simmer for an addtional 15 minutes. Add the potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes more. Add corn and green beans to warm.

The Macaroni & Cheese Project: Recipe 001

2007-12-10T11:29:00.000-05:00

Baked Macaroni & Cheese is a huge topic on The Nest. Someone is always in search of the best recipe, so what I've decided to do is start trying recipes from around the 'net and do my own critiquing and voting! Plus this will be a great place to compile the various recipes.

I've numbered them starting at 001 to protect identities. If you want the direct link or original post, please let me know.

I found this recipe on The Nest and it was requested by many people on my local board.

Recipe 001
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained

4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup sour cream

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a buttered or pam casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese if desired.

THE VERDICT:

DIFFICULTY:

Easy. The hardest part of this recipe is boiling the water! No cheese sauce to make.

TEXTURE:
I liked the texture right away. I do like my mac'n cheese a bit chunky, but not too dry. It had a bit of creaminess, but a little greasy from the butter and cheese.

TASTE:
I should have realized that with one type of cheese, this wouldn't have much flavor variety. Even though I used sharp cheddar, I felt the taste was a little bland. It needed another more sharp or pungent cheese to 'wake' this up. I should have been turned off by the addition of the eggs. I'm not a huge fan of eggs, so when I bit into a shell filled with scrambled egg, I was not a happy camper.

REHEAT FACTOR:

Surprisingly, this had a better taste/texture once it was reheated. It seemed a little creamier the second time around.

OVERALL:

I give this recipe 3 out of 5 stars.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Nutella Frosting

2007-12-10T11:19:00.000-05:00

This recipe is so quick and easy! You don't need to add the Nutella frosting, but why wouldn't you?!

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 pinch salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a large bowl, beat together the butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Sift together the salt , baking soda, and flour and mix into the butter mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips. Mix until well blended. Press batter into a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into bars and let cool in pan on wire rack.

Nutella Frosting

I made a 1/2 batch of Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Frosting and beat in 3 tablespoons of Nutella.

Chai Shortbread Cookies

2007-12-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

This recipe is out of the December 2007 Cooking Light issue. I thought they'd be bigger in diameter than they were, but these are bite-sized, so don't be surprised when you make these!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom (I omitted because I didn't have it. I used chinese 5 spice instead)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of ground cloves
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup powdered
10 tablespoon butter, softened
1 tablespoon ice water (I used strong-brewed chai tea)

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through pepper), stirring well with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until combined (mixture will appear crumbly). Sprinkle dough with 1 tablespoon ice tea; toss with a fork. Divide dough in half. Shape dough into 2 (6-inch-long) logs; wrap each log in plastic wrap. Chill 1 hour or until very firm.

Preheat oven to 375°.
Unwrap dough logs. Carefully cut each log into 18 slices using a serrated knife. Place dough circles 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Orange Rooibos-infused Apricot and Walnut Biscotti

2007-12-10T10:43:00.000-05:00

Instead of water, I brewed some orange-rooibos tea for the dough. I really liked the result and will try this with other teas and cookie recipes.

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 cup dried apricots, chopped

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons strong-brewed rooibos orange tea

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

Melted Dark Chocolate

Preheat oven to 325°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in walnuts and apricots.

Combine 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, rind, vanilla, and eggs, stirring with a whisk. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring until well blended (dough will be dry and crumbly).

Knead dough lightly in bowl 7 or 8 times or until a dough forms (dough will be sticky). Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into an 8-inch-long roll. Place rolls 6 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; flatten each roll to 1-inch thickness.
Bake at 325° for 30 minutes. Remove rolls from baking sheet (do not turn oven off); cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Cut each roll diagonally into 15 (1/2-inch-thick) slices using a serrated knife. Place slices, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 15 minutes. Turn cookies over, and bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire racks.

Steak Fajitas

2007-12-10T10:35:00.000-05:00

This is one of our favorite quick-fix meals. Plus it's perfect for that flank-steak that you have no idea what to do with!

I took a flank steak and used a dry rub all over it. My favorite is Saltgrass 7, which is a mixture of coarse salt, pepper, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Then the steak is grilled to 'medium'. Allow to rest for a few minutes and then slice it as thin as you can with a very sharp knife!

I top mine with my homemade guacamole, sour cream and cheese. Sometimes I'll add salsa, too.

Guacamole
2 ripe avocados
juice of 1 lime
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of diced tomatoes
salt/pepper

Remove the flesh of the avocados and mash with a fork. Add the lime juice and salt and mash into a paste. Stir in the garlic and tomatoes.

A Classic: Peanut Butter Tassies

2007-11-28T19:43:00.000-05:00

This is what happens when you're craving something sweet.......

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

1/2 c. granulated white sugar

1/2 c. light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 c. flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 (14 oz.) bag miniature peanut butter cups

Cream butter and peanut butter; add sugars gradually, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beating well. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Chill at least 1 hour.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place in lightly greased tassie pans, shaping each ball into a shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, dough will rise during baking. Remove from oven and immediately press a peanut butter cup evenly into each hot crust. Cool completely before removing from pan. Makes 24 tassies. Can be frozen.

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

2007-11-28T15:31:00.000-05:00

Melissa gave me a recipe for this soup and it sounded so good. Although, I wanted to make it a bit lighter, so I decided to make this broth-based instead of cream-based. This is a good use for leftover turkey! The soup was so yummy! Lots of hearty veggies paired nicely with the wild rice.

2 cups of leftover turkey, shredded

6 cups of chicken broth

1 cup of water

3 carrots, chopped

1 parsnip, chopped

1 1/2 cups of uncooked long grain and wild rice

1 1/2 cups of assorted mushrooms (I just grabbed the package of mixed mushrooms)

1 stalk of celery, chopped

1 onion, diced

2 tablespoons of olive oil

3 tablespoons of sherry

bay leaf

salt/pepper

In a soup pot, sautee the onion, carrot, parsnip, and celery in the oil for 10 minutes. Deglaze with the sherry wine. Add the chicken broth, water, bay leaf, and rice. Simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Add the mushrooms and simmer until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Add in the turkey to warm. Season with salt/pepper and serve.

Red Chile-Cheese Enchiladas

2007-11-28T08:41:00.000-05:00

When I saw this in the December issue of Cooking Light, I had to make it! I added shredded chicken to mine, just because it seemed kinda boring without it. I topped it with lettuce, tomato, and sour cream....as I always do with enchiladas. I think next time I'll also add in the Fiesta Rice too! Of course, my photos aren't nearly as pretty and neat as in the magazine!

Recipe Link: Red Chile-Cheese Enchiliadas

Aunt Jennie's Apple Pie

2007-11-24T20:27:00.000-05:00

No one made apple pie like my great aunt, Jennie. Most of the time she'd skip making small pies and make trays and trays of apple squares...which was basically apple pie but made on baking sheets and cut into squares. She made pies up until she got very sick and was well into her 80's.

Luckily, her recipe was written down, although, I don't think anyone can amke pies like she could! I used her recipe and was very pleased with the result. The crust was flaky and the apples were tender and sweet with a hint of tartness.

Crust
2 1/2 Cups of flour, sifted
3/4 cup of shortening
5 tablespoons of cold water
1 teaspoon of salt

Sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl. With 2 forks, cut in half of the shortening until the shortening is incorporated into the flour and the mixture is "mealy".

Cut in the remaining shortening until the shortening is incorporated and forms small "beans".

Sprinkle the water onto the mixture, one tablespoon at a time. Incorporating the water thouroughly before adding the next tablespoon.

Form the dough into a ball, making sure not to over-handle the dough.

Roll out onto a well-floured surface.

Filling
8-10 apples (I used a mixture of rome, jonagold, golden delicicous, mcintosh, and fuji)
*The apples must be peeled, cored, and sliced very thin.*
The juice of 1 lemon
2/3 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of cinnamon

Toss all of the ingredients in a bowl.

Assembling the pie:
Line the bottom of a pie plate with the rolled-out dough.
Fill the crust-lined pie plate with the apple mixture.
Dot with 2-3 teaspoons of butter.
Top with remaining pie crust.

Bake approximately 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Marbled Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake

2007-11-24T20:20:00.000-05:00

This recipe was given to me by a Nestie on the What's Cooking Board on the Nest....Pinks101604. I really liked the combination, but my family wasn't as keen on it as I was. Apparently, no one else in my family likes dark chocolate!

Crust
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup all purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)

Cheesecake
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 ½ lbs cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs, at room temp.
1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups canned pumpkin puree (1 lb)
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 325. Lightly butter 9 inch springform pan. In a medium saucepan, melt butter with the chopped chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove the melted chocolate mixture from the heat and let it cool slightly, then stir in the sugar and the lightly beaten egg until blended.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the melted chocolate mixture. Stir the chopped walnuts into the brownie batter. Spread the batter in the prepared springform pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake for 10 minutes, or until risen and dry to the touch. Let it cool completely. Wrap the outside of the pan in a large sheet of foil. Leave the oven on.

Make the cheesecake: In a medium glass bowl, melt the chopped chocolate in a microwave oven on high for 1 minute, stirring halfway through. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well between additions. Beat in the cornstarch and vanilla. Add 1 cup of the cheesecake batter to the melted chocolate and stir until well blended. Beat the pumpkin puree and the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves into the remaining cheesecake batter.
Pour three-fourths of the pumpkin cheesecake batter over the brownie crust. Pour the chocolate batter on top of the pumpkin cheesecake batter. If the chocolate batter is too thick to pour easily, heat it in the microwave on high for 10 seconds. Spoon the remaining pumpkin cheesecake batter on top of the chocolate batter. Use a table knife to make a few decorative swirls: Do not over swirl.

Set the springform pan in a medium roasting pan. Add enough hot water to the roasting pan to reach halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake the pumpkin cheesecake in the hot water bath in the center of the oven for 1 ½ hours or until it is firm around the edges but slightly jiggly in the center. Turn the oven off, prop the door several inches open and let the cheesecake stand in the water bath in the warm oven for 1 hour or until it is completely set.
Remove the marbled pumpkin cheesecake from the water bath and refrigerate it until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours or over night.

Remove the foil and springform ring from the cheesecake. Carefully transfer the cheesecake to a platter, cut into wedges and serve.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2007-11-19T08:02:00.001-05:00

My friend Jill gave me this recipe several years ago. It's become a staple menu item in our house. Her recipe calls for carrot and zucchini, but Josh doesn't like them in the soup, so I've substituted them.

4 cups of chicken broth

1 cup salsa (I use homemade)

3 chicken breasts, cubed

1 green pepper, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can of Niblets corn, drained

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 teaspoons of orgegano

1 teaspoon cumin

salt/pepper

tortilla chips

cheddar cheese

sour cream

Place the chicken broth and spices in a soup pot and bring to a simmer.

Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink.

Add the salsa and diced peppers and simmer until peppers are tender.

Add the corn and black beans to warm.

Serve over crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheddar cheese. Top with sour cream.

Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin

2007-11-18T18:23:00.000-05:00

I wasn't happy with any of the recipes I found online, so I made up my own! I would like to try this with different cheeses like asiago, but this is what I had on hand.

6 Yukon gold potatoes, sliced thin
1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup of Velveeta Light, shredded
1/2 cup of fat free sour cream
1 cup of milk
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of flour
salt/pepper

Melt the butter in a skillet. Saute the onion until transparent. Whisk in the flour. Stir constantly until the roux is a light golden brown.

Whisk in the Dijon mustard, sour cream, and milk.

Add the cheeses and melt almost completely. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the potatoes and stir gently.

Transfer to a baking dish and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes at 325.

Zuppa Toscana, My Version

2007-11-13T09:05:00.001-05:00

Okay...so this is my version of what you can get at the Olive Garden. I've lowered the calories and fat by using turkey sausage and skim milk and the end result is practically the same!

1 pound of turkey sausage

1 large can of chicken broth

4-5 yukon gold potatoes (sliced thin)

1 small onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, diced

1 cup of skim milk

1 cup of chopped kale

Crumble sausage and brown in a skillet.

Place the chicken broth, potatoes, onion, and garlic in a soup pot and simmer for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Add the sausage and simmer 10 minutes more.

Add the kale and milk and simmer until kale is tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Beef Noodle Soup

2007-11-13T08:53:00.001-05:00

This recipe has been in the family for quite some time. I remember having it as a child and it is still one of my favorite soups.

1 2-3 pound beef roast

1 head of cabbage

1 quart of tomato juice (I use homemade)

6 yukon gold potatoes (peeled and quartered)

1 pound of carrots (peeled and cut into thirds)

2 stalks of celery

1 onion (peeled and cut in half)

a small bunch of parsley

salt/pepper

Fill a large stock pot about 2/3 of the way up with water. Place the cabbage, beef roast, tomato juice, celery, onion and parsley in the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 4-6 hours (keep the lid on the pot).

After the stock has cooked, strain it through a sieve, reserving the meat. Place the meat back into the stock. Add the carrots and potatoes. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Serve with extra fine egg noodles.

Pumpkin Rolls - A Family Tradition

2007-11-12T16:56:00.000-05:00

Each year, my mom and my aunt make pumpkin rolls. Some are given out as gifts and some are kept for the family for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think everyone who tries these asks for the recipe, so here it is!

3 eggs
2/3 Cup of canned pumpkin

1 Cup of granulated sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 tesaspoon of cinnamon

3/4 Cup of flour

1/4 Cup of chopped nuts (we use walnuts)

In a bowl, mix the wet ingredients and then mix in all of the dry ingredients.

Pour the batter into a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Turn the cake onto a tea towel sprinkled with powdered sugar and gently peel off the wax paper. Gently roll the cake and tea towel ~ roll longways. Place roll in freezer and allow to cool.

Once the cake is cool, remove it from the towel and place onto a sheet of aluminum foil. Gently unroll and spread filling inside.

Filling Recipe:
1 8oz. Package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1 Cup of Powdered Sugar

2 Tablespoons of Butter

1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract

Mix well with an electric mixer. Filling should be smooth and creamy.

Once the filling is spread onto the cake, roll the cake back up and wrap in the aluminum foil.

Can be frozen for several months.

Bowls of pumpkin cake batter

Bowls of Cream Cheese Filling

Spreading the cake batter in the pan

Spreading the filling on the cake roll

Rolling up the pumpkin roll

Make Your Own: Sweetened Condensed Milk

2007-11-11T11:57:00.000-05:00

I wanted to make the Hello Dolly bars in my blog and realized I had no sweetened condensed milk. So, I figured I'd make my own!

2 Cups Skim Milk

1 1/4 Cups of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of Vanilla

Place the milk in a saucepot and reduce by 2/3. The milk will be slightly thicker and have a light tan appearance. Add the sugar and simmer until the mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon. About 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

This was way better than any canned sweetened condensed milk! It was almost like dulce de leche...just not as caramelized and thick.

Homemade Spaghetti & Meatballs

2007-11-08T10:52:00.000-05:00

I learned how to make spaghetti sauce from my mommy when I was very young. At the time, I was so naive that I thought the onion she put in the sauce was an egg! Like any good spaghetti sauce recipe, this one also evolved over time.

Ingredients:

1 can crushed tomatoes (I like San Marzano)
1 can diced tomatoes (San Marzano)
1 can tomato paste
1 quart of tomato juice
1 small onion (peeled but left whole)
2 bay leaves
5-6 fresh basil leaves (chopped)
oregano (fresh is good, but if you have dried that’s fine – I put it in to taste, so no measurement here)
¼ cup sugar
olive oil ( about a tablespoon or 2)
salt/pepper

Place all the ingredients into a crock pot and allow to simmer on low for 6-8 hours. I like to put mine on the lowest setting and let it cook while I’m at work. If you don’t have a crock pot, you can do this on the stovetop, but just simmer for about an hour, stirring frequently.

My meatballs are also a basic, family recipe.

Ingredients:
1 pound of lean ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup of Italian Seasoned bread crumbs

2 tablespoons of chopped parsley

salt/pepper

Mix all ingredients by hand in a large bowl. Form into 1.5" balls. I usually just drop these in the sauce and let them cook - flavoring the sauce and being flavored by the sauce!

Greek Lamb Kabobs

2007-11-08T08:24:00.000-05:00

I saw this marinade recipe in the May 2007 issue of Cooking Light. We thought it looked so good, but was a bit apprehensive because they served it on lamb. We've never had lamb before, other than in a gyro, so it was definitely an experiment.

I used lamb chops and cubed the meat, removing all fat and bone. Then I marinated the cubes in this recipe:

1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

4 garlic cloves, minced

I let the lamb sit in the marinade for at least an hour. Then skewer the meat and grill. This turned out so yummy and tender...it was almost like eating filet mignon!

Tha Ill-Dookie (Josh's Hot Wings)

2007-11-07T08:27:00.000-05:00

My husband claims he can't cook, but yet he's made a few amazing things. For my 30th, he made filet mingon, garlic mashed potatoes, and even baked me a cake. He's also the grill-master of the house and can grill a steak to perfection.

These wings were no exception. This was a bit of an experimental recipe. He had tried these wings in Baltimore and had to figure out how to make these at home. I'm usually not a fan of hot wings...I don't care for the taste of hot sauce...but I found myself eating way more of these than expected! I told Josh...these are blog-worthy and he had to come up with a name. He said they were the "ill-dookie" and laughed. He didn't give me any other choice at that point, so these are Josh's Ill-Dookie Hot Wings.

Here's the rundown of ingredients - no real measurements were made and it was done according to taste:
Frank's Hot Sauce (the base of the sauce) - approximately 1 cup
Butter - approximately 3-4 tablespoons
Garlic Salt - a few shakes
Old Bay Seasoning (the secret ingredient that changes everything you know about wings!) - approximately 1 tablespoon (give or take)
Parmesan Cheese - approximately 2 tablespoons in the sauce and extra for sprinkling.

In a saucepot, heat up the Frank's Hot Sauce.
Add the butter and let it melt.
Add the spices and cheese.

*The Lions Head bottle that you see in the background is a pilsner beer from a microbrewery in Wilkes Barre, PA. This stuff is really good and only about $11 a case! You have to have beer and wings!

Veggie Pizza

2007-11-07T08:24:00.000-05:00

I love this stuff! It's really the only way you'd get me to eat raw cauliflower and raw broccoli! I made it as a side dish to our dinner last night. Josh made hot wings so this was like the veggies and ranch dip you get as a side.

2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup Light Miracle Whip
1 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Roll out the crescent roll dough onto a 9x13 inch baking sheet, and pinch together edges to form the pizza crust.

Bake crust for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Once finished cooking, remove crust from oven and let cool 15 minutes without removing it from the baking sheet.

In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and dry Ranch dressing. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange broccoli, tomato, green bell pepper, cauliflower, shredded carrots, and Cheddar cheese over the cream cheese layer. Chill for one hour, slice and serve.

Chicken Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce

2007-11-05T09:21:00.000-05:00

Back in graduate school, a girl I used to know made this for us for dinner a couple of times. The sauce was her mom's recipe and she was never able to give me a copy. It was one of my favorite mexican dishes and I've been craving it for about 8 years now! I found this and thought it was very close to what I had in grad school. Maybe after a few practice rounds, I can get it just right!

Ingredients:

* 3-4 poblano chiles, seeded and chopped

*1 clove of garlic

* 1/2 cup milk

* 4 tablespoons butter

* 1 tablespoon flour

* 1 cup Mexican crema or heavy cream

* salt to taste

* 2 whole chicken breasts, cut in half

* 1 cup grated manchego, jack or gouda cheese

Preparation:

Puree the chiles and garlic in a blender with the milk until smooth.

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter, add the flour and brown lightly.

Add the chile puree, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or a wire whisk until smooth. Lower the heat, add the cream, and stir constantly until the sauce begins to bubble. Remove from heat and add salt to taste. This sauce may be made one day ahead and refrigerated.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet and saute chicken breast halves for 4 minutes on each side. Place them in a buttered baking dish, pour the poblano cream sauce over all bake, uncovered, in a preheated oven at 350º for 20 minutes.

Shred the chicken with two forks.

I served this rolled up inside a lightly fried tortilla with the cheese and topped with homemade guacamole and sour cream.

Chili....that's quick but tastes like it simmered all day!

2007-11-01T12:11:00.001-04:00

Over the years, I have tinkered around with how I make chili. I think I've finally gotten it to a point that I'm happy with. The addition of the lager really gives it depth. Plus adding extras in like corn and topping with sharp cheddar gives it many layers of flavor and texture. I just got really tired of beans and meat only!

Recipe:

1 pound of lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 can of dark red kidney beans (sometimes I substitue 1 can of black beans here)

1 can of light red kidney beans

1 small can of Niblets corn

1/2 bottle of lager (I used Lion's Head)

1 quart of tomato juice

1 can of Progresso hearty tomato soup

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons oregano

1 clove of garlic, diced

salt/pepper

2 tablespoons of olive oil

cheddar cheese (optional)

In a dutch oven, sautee the onions and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are transparent. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and let brown.

Add the tomato juice, tomato soup, oregano, and cumin and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the beer and simmer 15-20 minutes more. Chili should be somewhat thick.

Add the beans and corn and let warm. I've also added black beans to this at times.

Top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Home of the Buffalo wing

2007-10-30T13:49:00.001-04:00

Josh and I went to Buffalo, NY yesterday for the day. I had to go up for work for a quick site visit. We figured, since we've never been, we should check out the city and it's namesake...Buffalo Wings. On the recommendation of one of Josh's friends, we went to a place called Duffs...which supposedly had the best wings in the city. We ended up getting the mild since we were told even the mild were pretty hot. Josh reluctantly poses for the camera......

Well, they weren't hot at all, more like, buttery. The wings were okay, but I still have yet to find wings better than Fat Head's in good old Pittsburgh!