Culinary Infatuation

Oven Fried Chicken Milanese

2009-10-01T23:41:00.008-04:00

This chicken was so, so good! Unlike other Oven "fried" chicken recipes that tend to have mushy breading, this kept it's crunch and was just plain delicious.

I got the recipe from FN's "Ask Aida". I am not a fan of the show, but since my tv seems to be on that channel often, it was on and I watched the episode. It looked good, but even better, EASY.
I'm all about easy these days. I deviated from the original recipe a smidge, (noted in red) but it is a great and simple recipe.

I planned on making this the night before, but, with a newborn, you can't really plan things. I was thrilled to be able to finish what I started... (the next day). : )

Oven Fried Chicken Milanese

adapted from FN's Ask Aida

My adaptations in red.

Ingredients:

32 oz. buttermilk

4 skinless chicken legs and 4 skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup all-purpose flou

1 tsp. kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon zest (I omitted)
3 large eggs, beaten thoroughly
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions:

Marinate chicken at least 5 hours or overnight in buttermilk.

Heat the oven to 425F and arrange rack in the upper third. Set a rack on a foil lined baking sheet; set aside.
Combine flour, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 3/4 teaspoon of the pepper in a shallow bowl, mix until well combined; set aside. Combine Panko, 1/3 cup of the parsley, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and all the lemon zest in a separate shallow bowl, and toss until evenly combined; and set aside. Whisk together eggs and cheese in a shallow bowl until evenly combined; set aside.
To coat chicken, dredge a piece in the flour mixture and shake off excess. Then dip into egg mixture, let excess drip off, and finally roll in the breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere as necessary. Place chicken piece on baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken.

Bake until coating is golden and crispy, juices of chicken run clear when poked, and internal temperature is 160degreesF, about 40 to 45 minutes.

*If you can't find skinless, bone-in chicken, by it with skin on and pull it off ( I recommend this, the skinless is much more expensive!). To get a better grip, grasp skin with a paper towel and pull!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

2009-09-30T17:06:00.006-04:00

After a 4 month hiatus, I'm back to blogging. I don't know if it was the pregnancy, or just laziness for my lack of posts, but I've come to the conclusion that it's been long enough.

I can't promise an update everyday, or even every week, because my hands are kind of tied with my new bundle of Joy. His name is Max. : )

I have been blessed with so many gifts of food from family, friends and neighbors, that I thought I would return the favor and bake some pumpkin cream cheese bread for myself, and also for my neighbor who gave birth recently to twin boys.

I wanted to bake this bread last week, but what the heck, a canned pumpkin SHORTAGE kept me from that. I've never heard of such a thing, but apparently it's real. I was so thankful for the 2 cans I found at my local Kroger.

I found this recipe on line from the Joy of Baking, I loved the picture of the cream cheese swirl in the bread pictured so that was what helped me decide to go with this recipe. Not hard at all, this is a very simple quick bread that is a great gift, great with morning coffee, or for a snack. With it being fall it is just perfect.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Joy of Baking

Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounce package (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Pumpkin Bread:
1 cup (110 grams) pecans or walnuts
3 1/2 cups (490 grams) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 large eggs
2 cups (400 grams) granulated white sugar
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 - 15 ounce (425 grams) can pure pumpkin
1/2 cup (120 ml) water or milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter and lightly flour two - 9 by 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pans. Set aside.

Cream Cheese Filling: In your food processor, process the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and process just until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, processing just until incorporated. Do not over process. Stir in the flour. Set aside.

Pumpkin Bread: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In another large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Add the sugar and melted butter and whisk until blended. Whisk or stir in the pumpkin, water, vanilla extract, and nuts.
Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until the ingredients are combined. (A few streaks of flour is fine.) Do not over mix as it will make the bread tough.
Divide the batter in half. Take one half and divide it evenly between the two prepared pans. Divide the cream cheese filling in half and place each half of filling on top the two pans of batter, smoothing the tops. Top with the remaining half of batter. Bake the breads for about 50 - 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Place pans on a wire rack and let cool for about 10 minutes before removing breads from pans. Can serve warm, cold, or at room temperature. Store leftovers in the refrigerator or else freeze for later use.

Makes 2 loaves.

Walima Cooking Club- Tajine Ezzitoun

2009-05-31T21:03:00.005-04:00

This month is the debut of the Walima Cooking Club. Our Logo, as many will recognize, is taken from one of Lebanese famous Painter, Mustapha Faroukh’s “Still Life Album".

The May 2009, Challenge is brought to us by Khadidja Zehani from www.dessert-world.blogspot.com. Khadidja worked on two recipes to give us two choices; one for a wonderful savoury dish and one for outstanding dessert....

Our club is devoted to Arabic Cooking, and each month a country and dish from that country is chosen by one of the members. This month the county of Algeria was chosen and Khadidja picked the Tanjine Ezzitoun (olive tanjine) for our savory challenge, and Slilet laaroussa which is -translated- "The Bride's Basket" for the sweet part. As a memeber, you get to choose which recipe (or both) you want to make. (both recipes can be found on her blog).

I chose the savory, particularly because it incorporated olives. I have a huge craving for them lately (pregnancy? ; ) ), and don't put them in dishes because my hubby hates them. The recipe turned out to be delicious, even though I had way too much sauce left over. I know it is because I modified the recipe to feed just the two of us. I also added some additional spices, and omitted the lamb. Lamb here is just way too expensive, and I would have probably had to go to a specialty grocery to get some. I served everything over rice, but in retrospect I wish I would've used the cous cous I have. Oh well, I'll remember that for next time.

I'm so happy to be a member of this new club, and can't wait to see what is in store for next month!

Tajine Ezzitoun - Olives Tajine

(my modifications in red)

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken cut into pieces (I used 6 chicken thighs/skin on)

2 lbs of lamb (omitted)

1 large onion

1 Tbsp butter or oil

2 cups pitted green olives

2 medium carrots, cut into circles

1tsp salt,

1/2 tsp cinnamon, (I also added 1 tsp. ground coriander, a bay leaf and 1 tsp. cumin)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 chicken cube ( I omitted)

water (I used chicken stock)

parsley

Meat balls (optional)

1/2 lb ground beef

1 small onion1 small egg

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Flour to dredge the meat balls

To thicken the sauce:

1 Tbsp soft butter ( I just used water and flour slurry)

2 tbsp flour

Preparation:

1- In a pot / pressure cooker put the butter /oil, chicken pieces, lamb pieces (if using), the onion, salt, pepper cinnamon. Cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent. Add the chicken cube and enough water to cover the meat. Bring the mixture to a boil then cover and cook until the meat is tender. If using both meats, half way through cooking, remove the chicken pieces and continue to cook until the lamb is tender.

2 - In a sauce pan, put the olives and cover with water. Bring to a boil and let the olives boil for 3 to 5 mn. Drain and repeat the same process 2 to 3 times until the olives are no longer bitter.They should not be too salty neither. Set the olives aside.

3- Prepare the meat balls: mix all the ingredients and make balls. Put about 1/2 in of oil in a frying pan and heat over medium heat. Dredge each meat ball in flour and fry until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.

4- Once the meat pieces are cooked, add the olives, the sliced carrots and the meat balls. Bring the sauce to a boil, cover the pot and cook until the carrots and the olives are tender, and the meat balls are cooked through.

5-To finish the dish, mix the butter and flour to form a smooth paste. Bring the sauce to a boil and gradually add the butter/ flour mixture, stirring continuously. Let the sauce boil for 3 to 5 minutes. The sauce should be slightly thick. Add 2 tbsp chopped parsley. Serve the dish accompanied with lemon wedges.

Check out the other members blogs to see their challenge results:

Daring Bakers: Strudel

2009-05-27T22:40:00.005-04:00

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

Instead of doing the apple strudel, I chose to make a pear, brie, and walnut combo. I saw a strudel recipe in Bon Appetit (Feb. issue) and cut it out just waiting for the right time to make it. The filling called for pears and roquefort cheese, and just reading the recipe made me drool. When the recipe for this challenge was announced, I knew what filling I was going to use. Unfortunately, the grocery store by my me did not have roquefort, so I used brie. The recipe for the dough in Bon Appetit was very similar to the dough recipe here, so I was thrilled that I was finally going to make this wonderful strudel.

This was a fun challenge, and the result was a very yummy strudel. Thanks Linda and Courtney!

Preparation time Total: 2 hours 15 minutes – 3 hours 30 minutes

15-20 min to make dough

30-90 min to let dough rest/to prepare the filling

20-30 min to roll out and stretch dough10 min to fill and roll dough

30 min to bake

30 min to cool

Strudel doughfrom “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour

1/8 teaspoon salt7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough

1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.

2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).

3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.

4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time.

Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.

Pear, Brie and Walnut Filling

(modified from Bon Appetit February, 2009)

1 1/2 lbs. Bosc pears, peeled and chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons plus 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

8 oz. brie cut into small pieces

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 Tbs. flour

1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1 Tbs. sugar

1 Tbs. breadcrumbs

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the 1 1/2 tsp. of butter. When melted add chopped pears and let saute for about 4-5 minutes.

Remove and strain juices and put in fridge to chill.

After pears have chilled put into a bowl and add the cheese, walnuts, flour and lemon juice. Stir to combine.

Strudel Assembly:

With hands spread half of the melted butter over dough. Sprinkle rolled dough with sugar and breadcrumbs. Spread pear mixture over the dough leaving about a one inch margin on all sides.

Roll up like a jelly roll and transfer to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 40 minutes, and cool for 30. Serve warm.

Creamy Beef Pasta w/ Asparagus, Sundried Tomatoes, and Mushrooms

2009-05-05T20:40:00.010-04:00

Chad and I went out to eat with my parents a couple weeks ago and I ordered a dish just like this. It was delicious, even the next day when we had it for leftovers. Since we both liked it so much I decided that I would make my own variation. Instead of using the prime rib, which the restaurant used, I used a cut of beef that is much more inexpensive, stew meat.

It took a while to get the dish ready (letting the meat slow cook in the oven), but it was worth it. This dish was so hearty and had so many flavors it really hit the spot. It isn't the healthiest of meals, but everything in moderation, right? The recipe made quite a lot, so we had plenty of leftovers. Next time I plan to make it, I may cook the meat ahead of time to make it a convenient week-night meal.

Creamy Beef Pasta with Asparagus, Sundried Tomatoes and Mushrooms

Beef:

1 lb stew meat
cajun seasoning
flour for dredging (like 1/3 cup or so)
2 Tbs. Canola Oil
1 cup water or beef broth

Heat oven to 350

Season beef with cajun seasoning, dredge in flour and sear on all sides in a large pan with oil over medium heat. ( I used a cast iron skillet so I could just transfer it to the oven. If you don't have one use another oven safe pan and transfer the meat.) Add water/broth cover and cook for 1 hour and a half or until very tender.

Pasta Ingredients:

1 lb pasta (I used penne, but use what you like) cooked according to package directions

8 slices of bacon cooked and chopped

1 cup chopped asparagus (bottoms trimmed) cut into 1/4 inch lengths

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes chopped

1 8oz. pkg. of mushrooms chopped

Handful of fresh parsley chopped

2 Tbs. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Add mushrooms, and asparagus and cook until crisp tender. Add the sundried tomatoes and cook for another minute or two more. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in the parsley at the end and set aside until ready to assemble pasta.

Sauce:

8 Tbs. unsalted butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

3 Tbs. flour

1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth

1/3 cup heavy cream (or use half and half)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat a sauce pan over medium heat and melt butter. When butter is melted add the onion. Cook until it is translucent, then add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds or so. Add flour and whisk to make a smooth roux. Add stock, whisking the whole time. Add cream and parmesan and whisk until cheese is melted.

When beef is done cut into smaller pieces if needed. Add all ingredients together in a big bowl and serve.

Daring Bakers: Caramel Banana Cheesecake

2009-05-02T23:00:00.006-04:00

Better late than never. I'm a week late posting about this lovely cake. I just can't seem to manage my time around cooking anymore.

I knew I'd be making this cheesecake, but I didn't know I'd be so late. I am happy I did follow through though the recipe is one of the best! Very creamy and perfect in every way a cheesecake should be.

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

We were told to get creative with this recipe so I looked for ways to do that. I had no other fruit in the house except bananas (I think fruit and cheesecake just have to go together) so I decided to incorporate them into the batter.

The caramel I made from scratch using a recipe I got from Simply Recipes. If you'd like the recipe click here >>> Simply Recipes.

This was so easy to make, I'm so glad I stumbled upon this recipe, I'll be making my own caramel sauce from now on.

Now for the DB cheesecake recipe:

Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake:

crust:

2 cups / 180 g graham cracker crumbs

1 stick / 4 oz butter, melted
2 tbsp. / 24 g sugar1 tsp. vanilla extract

cheesecake:

3 sticks of cream cheese, 8 oz each (total of 24 oz) room temperature

1 cup / 210 g sugar

1 cup mashed bananas ( I used 2 medium)

3 large eggs

1 cup / 8 oz heavy cream

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. vanilla extract (or the innards of a vanilla bean)

1 tbsp liqueur, optional, but choose what will work well with your cheesecake (I omitted)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (Gas Mark 4 = 180C = Moderate heat). Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath. (I used a large roasting pan)

2. Mix together the crust ingredients and press into your preferred pan. You can press the crust just into the bottom, or up the sides of the pan too - baker's choice. Set crust aside.

3. Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add mashed bananas and mix about 30 seconds. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and alcohol and blend until smooth and creamy.

4. Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. If cheesecake pan is not airtight, cover bottom securely with foil before adding water.

5. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is almost done - this can be hard to judge, but you're looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center. You don't want it to be completely firm at this stage. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. Once fully chilled, it is ready to serve.

Pan note: The creator of this recipe used to use a spring form pan, but no matter how well she wrapped the thing in tin foil, water would always seep in and make the crust soggy. Now she uses one of those 1-use foil "casserole" shaped pans from the grocery store. They're 8 or 9 inches wide and really deep, and best of all, water-tight. When it comes time to serve, just cut the foil away. ( I had no problems using my 9" spring form. I just wrapped it in foil)
Prep notes: While the actual making of this cheesecake is a minimal time commitment, it does need to bake for almost an hour, cool in the oven for an hour, and chill overnight before it is served.

Granola Bark

2009-04-26T10:10:00.006-04:00

So I was in Publix the other day (our area grocery store) and in the bakery section they had this granola bark. It looked so good, but it was way to pricey for my liking.

This was something I knew I could make but needed a basic recipe to go by. After doing some research on the interwebs I found a recipe I could use as a starter (and believe me, there wasn't much out there).

I added a few things of my own, but basically left the recipe as is. Next time I think I may add some maple syrup, or maybe some brown sugar in place of some of the honey.

This took a little over an hour to bake, and prep was like 10 minutes (if that). I can see myself eating this as a snack, or even for breakfast. It keeps for 2 weeks stored in an airtight container or ziplock.

Granola Bark

(Modified from Anson Mills Recipes)

Ingredients

3 cups Anson Mills Oats (not instant, I just used regular 'ol oats with the old man on the box)

2 cups raw, sliced almonds

3/4 cups sweetened coconut

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

3/4 cup raw, hulled sesame seeds

3/4 cup dried cranberries (I used cherry flavored Craisins)

1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips

2 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup honey

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Place an oven rack in the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 250 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place the oats, almonds, coconut, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds,dried cranberries,chocolate chips, and spices in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine.

3. Heat the butter and honey together in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat until the butter melts. Stir in sea salt and vanilla. Remove from the heat.

4. Pour the hot liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are evenly moist.

Turn the granola onto the prepared pan and press firmly with an offset spatula to create an even layer, about 1/2 inch thick. Bake until the granola is firm to the touch and a deep golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. (The granola will become crisper as it cools.)

Cool in the pan, then lift an edge of parchment and break the granola into pieces.

Crunchy Buttermilk-Coconut Chicken Strips

2009-04-20T19:14:00.005-04:00

I found this recipe browsing the My Recipes site. I needed something to do with my chicken breasts, but wanted to try something new.

The recipe is originally from a popular "light" cooking magazine, and it got great reviews so I decided to try it out.

I'm so glad I did. The flavors were fantastic, and even Chad was surprised (he's not a fan of coconut) and delighted. The corn flakes added a crispy crunch, and the curry powder gave it just enough heat.

I was skeptical about baking the strips and them coming out crispy, but they did, and what a great way to cut fat and calories.

Here is the recipe with my modifications.

Crunchy Buttermilk-Coconut Chicken Strips

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into strips

1 1/2 cups buttermilk (I used whole fat, but you can save calories by using non-fat)

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 large egg and 1 egg white beaten

1 1/2 cups crushed corn flakes

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. curry powder

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut chopped

1 tsp. salt

butter spray

Preheat oven to 425; line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with butter spray.

Combine chicken and buttermilk in a dish; cover and chill at least 1 hour. Drain chicken, discarding liquid, but do not rinse. Combine chicken and flour in a medium bowl, tossing to coat.

Combine egg and egg white in a small bowl. Combine crushed cornflakes , coconut, salt, curry powder, and garlic powder in a shallow dish. Dip strips into egg mixture, then dredge in cornflake mixture. Lay on foil lined cookie sheet. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken, egg mixture, and cornflake mixture. When all strips are breaded lightly spray with butter spray. Cook on middle rack of oven for 8-12 minutes.

Potato-Zucchini Pancakes

2009-04-18T09:53:00.005-04:00

I made these a while ago after seeing something similar in BHG. The BHG version had carrots incorporated as well, but I chose to leave them out. This was simple to do, the trickiest part was squeezing the water out of both the potatoes and zucchini. I just used a dish towel and rang the heck out of them until they were dry enough, then put them in a bowl.

I fried them in a little canola oil, and they were a great side dish. These pancakes are easy to adjust to your taste. I thought about adding some parmesan cheese, but didn't have any on hand, maybe next time.

Potato-Zucchini Pancakes

3 medium red potatoes shredded and squeezed dry

2 medium zucchini shredded and squeezed dry

2 eggs beaten

2 1/2 Tbs. AP flour

1/2 and onion finely chopped or (1/2 a cup)

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Canola oil

Put shredded potato and zucchini in a medium sized bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the canola oil (enough to cover the bottom of the skillet).

Scoop out about 1/3 cup (or more if you want them larger) and put in pan. Flatten with a spatula and let cook until crispy on that side (about 4 minutes).

Turn and let cook on the other side until crispy.

Repeat until mixture is gone and serve.

February Daring Bakers: Valentino Cake and Homemade Ice Cream

2009-02-28T18:43:00.010-05:00

After missing out on last month's challenge, I was determined to make this month's daring recipe.

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

I've never made a flour less cake before, so this month's recipe really peaked my interest. The recipe looked simple enough and only 3 ingredients!

A traditional Valentino cake is made in a heart shaped pan, or cut into a heart. But, I don't own such a pan, and didn't want to mess up the cake by cutting so I decided to pay homage to the cake by making a heart in the center with strawberry puree.

The cake came out beautiful. I used 12 oz. of bittersweet chocolate and 4 oz. of semisweet. We were warned that the cake would taste exactly like the chocolate we used, I made sure to use what I liked in quantities I knew would mesh well.

I was more worried about making the ice cream, because I don't own an ice cream maker. After reading the helpful hints from fellow DB'ers I knew I could do it.

The cake came together easily, I used a 9 inch spring form pan and when it came out of the oven, it had risen beautifully. After about 20 minutes or so, it kind of shrank. But it still looked pretty.

The ice cream, to my surprise was very easy to prepare even though I modified a bit (instead of a vanilla bean I used 1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract).

I ended up using a 12 inch cake pan (tips said to use a shallow pan to freeze in) and it froze in under 4 hours. It tasted very custard-y, but I loved it.

~The Recipes~

Chocolate ValentinoPreparation Time: 20 minutes

16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped

½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter

5 large eggs separated

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.

2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.

3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.

4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).

5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.

6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.

7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}

8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C9.

Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C. Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

Dharm's Ice Cream RecipeClassic Vanilla Ice CreamPreparation

Time: 30 minutesRecipe comes from the Ice Cream Book by Joanna Farrow and Sara Lewis (tested modifications and notes in parentheses by Dharm)

Ingredients

1 Vanilla Pod (or substitute with vanilla extract)300ml / ½ pint / 1 ¼ cups Semi Skimmed Milk – in the U.S. this is 2% fat (or use fresh full fat milk that is pasteurised and homogenised {as opposed to canned or powdered}). Dharm used whole milk.

4 large egg yolks

6 tbsp caster sugar {superfine sugar can be achieved in a food processor or use regular granulated sugar}

1 tsp corn flour {cornstarch}

½ pint / 1 ¼ cups Double Cream (48% butter fat) {in the U.S. heavy cream is 37% fat){you can easily increase your cream's fat content by heating 1/4 cup of heavy cream with 3 Tbs of butter until melted -

cool to room temperature and add to the heavy cream as soon as whisk marks appear in the cream, in a slow steady stream, with the mixer on low speed. Raise speed and continue whipping the cream) or use heavy cream the difference will be in the creaminess of the ice cream.

1. Using a small knife slit the vanilla pod lengthways.

Pour the milk into a heavy based saucepan, add the vanilla pod and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuseLift the vanilla pod up.

Holding it over the pan, scrape the black seeds out of the pod with a small knife so that they fall back into the milk. SET the vanilla pod aside and bring the milk back to the boil.

2. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and corn-flour in a bowl until the mixture is thick and foamy.

3. Gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a gentle hear, stirring all the time

4. When the custard thickens and is smooth, pour it back into the bowl. Cool it then chill.

5. By Hand: Whip the cream until it has thickened but still falls from a spoon. Fold it into the custard and pour into a plastic tub or similar freeze-proof container. Freeze for 6 hours or until firm enough to scoop, beating it twice (during the freezing process – to get smoother ice cream or else the ice cream will be icy and coarse)By Using and Ice Cream Maker: Stir the cream into the custard and churn the mixture until thick (follow instructions on your ice cream maker)

Thank you Dharm (Dad~Baker and Chef) and Wendy (A Charmed Life) For a fantastic challenge!

Philly Steak Sandwiches

2009-02-16T19:26:00.005-05:00

When I was at the International Farmers market the other day I couldn't resist the thinly sliced rib eye they had on sale. I mean 3/4 of a lb. for $4?? I had to get it.

I knew just what I was going to do with it too. Big, cheesy, steak sandwiches. I prefer mine with caramelized onions and mushrooms, while Chad prefers his with just the melty cheese.

I first sauteed my onions and mushrooms, then chopped up the meat. I removed the vegetables from the pan sprinkled the meat with salt and pepper then sauteed it. While the meat was cooking I buttered and sprinkled garlic powder on the sub bread and toasted.

When the meat was finished I thew it on top of the bread (then added my onions and mushrooms), added some sliced provolone, and toasted it again.

MMMMMMMMMM!

Chicken Enchiladas

2009-02-16T11:04:00.005-05:00

When I bought a rotessirie chicken the other day, I planned on making chicken pot pie with it. But, I just wasn't in the mood for it the next day. I knew I had to use the chicken soon, so I narrowed down a list of possibilities to chicken tetrazzini, chicken stew, or the enchiladas. Enchiladas won. Mostly because I really wanted something cheesy.

I added refried beans to my mixture this time, and it was oh so good.

Chicken Enchiladas

2 cups chicken cooked

1/2 can refried beans

1 can petite diced tomatoes pulsed in the food processor a few times (or just use tomato sauce)

1 can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth (divided)

1 1/2 Tbs. chili power (divided)

1 1/2 Tbs. cumin (divided)

2 tsp. smoked paprika (divided)

2 tsp. oregano (divided)

pinch of sugar

salt and pepper

pinch of cayenne

1/2 poblano pepper finely chopped

1 small/medium onion finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves minced

2 Tbs. parsley chopped

12 corn tortillas warmed in the microwave for about 30 seconds

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese (or a Mexican blend)

2 Tbs. olive oil

Sour cream for garnish.

Preheat oven to 350

Heat a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat. Add tomato products,1 1/4 cup chicken stock, 1 Tbs. of the chili powder, 1 Tbs. of the cumin, 1 tsp. of the paprika, and 1 tsp. of the oregano. Add salt, pepper to taste, then add the pinch of sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, pepper and parsley. Let saute for about 4 minutes and add chicken and the rest of the spices (salt and pepper too if you like), beans and stock. Stir until well combined and cook for about 5 minutes.

Put a little sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Put about 2 Tbs. of chicken mixture on one end of a corn tortilla and roll up.

Place seam down in the pan.

Repeat until all tortillas are used. Pour about 1-1/2 cups of sauce on top of enchiladas and top with cheese.Bake covered for 10 minutes, and uncovered for another 10, or until cheese is nice and bubbly. Serve with sour cream.

**I had a bit of sauce leftover. This can be put in the freezer for a later use.**

Strawberry Banana Bread with Pecans

2009-02-15T16:06:00.003-05:00

The thought of banana bread entered my mind when I was buying a bunch last week when they were on sale. Rarely do I finish my bananas before they start to get those nasty black spots all over them. This doesn't make me unhappy though, instead, I get excited because there is just so much you can do with over ripe bananas. My favorite stand by is to make banana bread.

I wanted to make a different kind of banana bread this time, and the thought of strawberries came to mind. So I bought a bag of frozen strawberries (with the intent to use the rest for strawberry shakes, mmmmm) and made a plan to make a strawberry banana bread.

I wasn't planning on adding the pecans, but I have tons of them thanks to my mother-in-law. She has a tree, and gathered up a huge bag full for me. Yesterday I shelled some during my morning coffee, and thought they would make a very nice addition to the bread I was planning on making.

The kitchen smelled wonderful while this baked, and it tasted even better. Just the right amount of banana and strawberry, a perfect balance.

Strawberry Banana Bread with Pecans

1 stick unsalted butter softened
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1.2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. chopped pecans (or any other nut you prefer)
3 over ripe bananas mashed (about 1 cup)

1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries chopped
2 eggs beaten

Preheat oven to 375, and butter a 8.5"or 9" loaf pan.

In a small bowl add the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk together.

In a larger bowl add butter, sugars, and eggs. Cream together until smooth and well combined, then stir in the vanilla. Add mashed bananas, and strawberries and stir until strawberries are evenly distributed. Add the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time folding until no white is visible. Add pecans and gently fold into batter.

Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a thin knife comes out clean.

Let cool on rack before slicing.

Chewy Chunky Blondies

2009-02-07T18:10:00.005-05:00

I haven't updated in a while, but I have a good reason. Being in my first trimester (I'm at the tail end) I haven't been in the mood for most foods.

So that means, no exciting recipes. But, I'm slowly starting to feel better (thank GOD).

I had a big craving for some blondies the other night, so I took out my Dorie baking book and found the perfect recipe.

I modified only slightly, and they turned out just how I imagined, amazing.

I took them to work, and I left with none. I'm so grateful I have friends that enjoy sweets that I bring, there is no way I'd be able to (or might I say, NEED TO) finish a whole pan of these.

Chewy Chunky Blondies

(Baking from my home to yours, Dorie Greenspan)

2 C. flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 sticks unsalted butter softened

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1/2 C. sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts ( I used a combo of walnut and pecan)

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

preheat oven to 325 and grease a 9x13 baking pan.

whisk flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

Beat butter on medium speed (using either a stand mixer or hand held) until creamy and smooth. Add both sugars and beat for about 3 minutes until well combined. Add eggs individually, beating for one minute after each addition, then add the vanilla.

Reduce the speed to low, and slowly add flour mixture until well combined. Fold in the chocolate, nuts and coconut. Scrape batter into pan and let cook for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Transfer to a rack to cool, and then cut into squares.

Cheddar and Parsley Biscuits

2009-01-22T14:57:00.005-05:00

I made these delicious biscuits last weekend. I was flipping through a William's Sonoma baking book that I got from Chad's aunt for Christmas, and it just stood out to me. It really didn't take long at all (maybe 30-40 minutes start to finish), and was very simple to assemble. I modified the original recipe by using parsley instead of the recommended chives. I really think the original recipe could be modified a bunch of different ways to accommodate your taste.

I don't have a biscuit cutter (which with all the gadgets I do have makes me wonder why I don't own this) so I used a glass to cut the 3 inch circles.

I made some turkey sausage patties, and we enjoyed a cheddar parsley biscuit sandwich. Very yummy!

Cheddar Parsley Biscuits

(adapted from William Sonoma's Food Made Fast)

2 Cups All purpose Flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 cup cheddar cheese (or use your favorite)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or chives, or other herbs)

6 Tbs. unsalted butter cut into cubes

3/4 Cup milk (I used 2%)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt cheese and parsley. Use a pastry blender or 2 knives and cut in the butter cubes. Mix until coarse crumbs form (the size of peas). Add milk and stir until evenly moistened and uniform.

Lightly flour a work surface and turn out the dough. Knead a few times and shape into a ball. Pat it into a circle about 3/4 of an inch thick. Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter (or glass like I used) cut out as many biscuits as you can.

Take the scraps and form another ball and pat to 3/4 inches thick, repeat the cutting, using as many as the scraps as you can. This should give you about 12 biscuits.

Put biscuits on baking sheet about 1 inch apart, and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until they are golden. Let cool slightly and EAT!

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes for Nancy

2009-01-17T14:06:00.004-05:00

Probably my favorite cupcake ever. And I used boxed cake mix. (no flames please) ; )

I originally made these probably close to a year ago. My friend Nancy remembered how much she liked them, so she requested them for her birthday. How could I turn her down?

They are really rather simple to make, and so worth it. I used Publix brand "oreos" since they were much, much, cheaper than the real deal. But who can taste the difference?

The part I really love is the cookie on the bottom. I like to call it a crunchy little surprise.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

(adapted from Bake and Destroy)

1 box french vanilla cake mix

30 oreo "style" cookies
1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350

Line 2 cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

Take 12 oreos and split them in half. (try to get icing on both sides). Put the halved oreos in the cupcake liners icing side up.

Crush the remaining oreos.

In a large bowl, beat the cake mix, yogurt, oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups crushed oreos and mix until well combined. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full

and bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove and let cool on wire rack.

Icing:

(Hell on High Heels)

1 1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, beat together sugar,butter and salt until well combined. Increase speed to high, beating until light and fluffy. Add cream and vanilla, beating until smooth. Add the remaining oreos and beat until well combined. PUt in the fridge for 10 minutes or so to let firm up a bit before piping on the cupcakes.

Top cupcakes with 1/2 an oreo for garnish, serve, and enjoy.

My Icing got a little warm, so it wasn't as pretty as I first piped it.

Cheesy Baked Grits Casserole

2009-01-17T13:20:00.009-05:00

I never had grits growing up. Even when I moved to New Orleans, I probably only ate them a handful of times. Only when I was older, waiting tables, did I truly understand how wonderful they are.

Now I absolutely love them. With just butter, or even better, with butter and cheese. I was at a baby shower last weekend and someone made a cheese grits casserole. It was amazing. I could have easily eaten the entire dish. I asked for the recipe, and I am still waiting on it.

Not wanting to wait any longer, I decided to browse the web for a recipe. I checked out this recipe on Epicurious, and adapted it to my liking.

It didn't turn out like the one I had at the shower, but it was definitely delicious. Hopefully, soon I can get a hold of the other recipe so I can compare.

Cheesy Baked Grits Casserole

6 cups chicken stock
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 cups instant grits (white)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 lb Cheddar, (or any cheese you prefer, 2 cups divided, save 1/2 cup for top)
3 large eggs
1 cup 2% milk

2 Tbs. chopped parsley

Bring stock and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy pot. (4 quarts or larger)
Add grits in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and gently simmer, stirring frequently to avoid sticking, until thick. It took about 10-15 minutes.

Add butter, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, and cheese, stirring until butter and cheese are melted. Lightly beat eggs and milk in a small bowl, then stir into grits until combined.
Pour mixture into a 9x13 casserole, top with the remaining cheddar and bake for an hour. Remove from oven and top with parsley, serve immediately.

Split Pea Soup With Bacon, Potato, and Barley

2009-01-15T19:23:00.006-05:00

Peas. I'm not a really big fan. Well, when they are alone that is. I am fine with them in salads, pastas etc. But on their own, not so much.

Split pea soup on the other hand, is a favorite of mine. There is something about this hearty soup that makes my heart warm. I thought it might just be because of the addition of the bacon. Because, in my opinion, bacon can really add to ANY meal. But, no. I think it is the consistency, and heartiness that makes a cold night seem warmer with this soup. (okay, and the bacon.) : )

The potato and barley in this recipe really gave it oomph too. This meal is perfect on its own, or add some bread for a real stick-to-your-ribs meal.

Oh, I tried to get the best pictures I could of this soup, but it just isn't pretty to begin with, sooo...

Split Pea Soup with Bacon, Potato, and Barley

1 lb. split peas rinsed and sorted

2 tsp. canola oil

1/2 cup onion diced

1/2 cup celery diced

1/2 cup carrots diced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 Tbs. parsley chopped

7 strips bacon cooked and crumbled (save 1 1/2 Tbs. bacon grease)

3/4 cups barley

2 medium potatoes diced

8 cups chicken stock (or water)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat a large heavy stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add canola oil and bacon grease. When it is shimmering, add the onion, celery and carrots. Cook for about 5-8 minutes until onion is wilted and almost carmelized. Add the peas, parsley and garlic. Saute for a few more minutes. Add stock or water and stir to combine. Cover pot and let simmer for an hour and a half, stirring occaisionally.

Uncover pot and stir. If you have an immersion blender, blend until creamy. If not, remove about 1/2 of the soup and put into a blender. Blend until creamy.

Add potatoes, barley and bacon and cook another 1/2-3/4 of an hour. Serve and Enjoy!

Brined Chicken Breasts in Foil Packets

2009-01-04T19:25:00.009-05:00

Cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be a hassle. Especially when they turn out dry and stringy, and not worth the money you paid for them. I discovered that brining them first, and then steaming them in foil packets prevents the dryness, and results in delicious, juicy chicken.

Tonight I used 4 chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and of relatively equal size. If your chicken breasts are not the same size, you can either pound them and then trim, or trim them until they are. Use the excess trimmings to make a stock, or cook them to put in a salad.

After the chicken is nice and uniform, prepare the brine. I use 5 cups water, 3 Tbs. kosher salt, and 2 tsp. of sugar. Mix together, pour in a gallon sized ziplock, and add chicken. Put in the fridge and let osmosis go to work.

I brined mine for an hour, but you can certainly go longer. I feel this is sufficient enough for a lb. of chicken breasts, as they come out so tender and moist. Rinse the chicken under cold water to remove the brine and pat dry.

Season the chicken with your favorite seasonings; tonight I used fresh parsley, dried oregano, dried basil, salt and pepper,

then I seared them in my cast iron grill pan drizzled with olive oil (mostly because I like the marks, but also because it help to seal in the juices) for a couple minutes on each side.

When finished, onto the foil they went and then I topped with sliced garlic, a bay leaf, sealed the packet and put on a baking sheet. (here I brushed the foil with a little more olive oil)

I baked at 450 degrees for 12 minutes, removed the baking sheet and then poked holes in the foil and let them rest another 3-5 minutes.

They came out perfect, no dryness here!

Asian Grilled Boneless Short Ribs

2008-12-30T19:25:00.006-05:00

I discovered the International Farmers Market near my new home. I've driven by it for a couple months now, vowing that I'd go there on the weekend. Well, it has taken a while for that weekend to come. I was excited to see the prices were so much lower than your regular grocery store, and the products didn't look too bad. Sure, they had some poor quality looking produce, including some of their meat selection, but overall it was a nice surprise to see the better quality items having a much lower price.

I bought some boneless beef short ribs. In my grocery they can be as much as $6-$7 a lb. but I got a lb. and a half for only $4!

I pondered how to cook them. I love, love braising. I just enjoy how tender meat becomes using this method, but I wasn't feeling the braising technique this time. I was in the mood for Asian flavors. I suppose in hindsight I could have braised them in Asian flavors, but it didn't occur to me then ; p

I used what I had on hand and made a marinade and let the ribs soak up the flavors overnight.

After marinating, I grilled then boiled the reserved marinade for a sauce and served with a sprinkling of sesame seeds. The flavor was amazing and intense, exactly how I pictured it.

Asian Marinade (for 1 1/2 lbs of beef short ribs)

1/2 cup light soy sauce

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 Tbs. cider vinegar

2 Tbs. oyster sauce

1 1/2 Tbs. sesame oil (I used dark)

2 Tbs. brown sugar

2 shallots chopped

1 large garlic clove minced

1 Tbs. fresh chopped ginger (or 1 tsp. powdered)

2 tsp red pepper flakes

Whisk everything in a medium sized bowl, add meat, making sure to cover with marinade, and let chill for 12-24 hours. (you can also use a large sized ziplock, which I didn't have at the moment)

To cook:

Remove meat from bowl or bag, and set aside. Strain the marinade into another bowl. Heat oven to broil.

Put marinade into a small sauce pan and boil until thickened and reduced by half (if it isn't as thick as you'd like it add a corn starch slurry).

In a large oven safe skillet (I used my cast iron grill pan) lightly oil and put over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, sear meat on both sides, about a minute each side. Transfer to oven and cook another 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Slice thin and serve over rice with steamed veggies, the sauce, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

**This could also be done wonderfully on a grill**

Daring Bakers: French Yule Log

2008-12-29T12:21:00.008-05:00

Another Challenge with the DBer's: French Yule Log

To say that this month's recipe was "Daring" is putting it lightly. When I printed it out, in 10 pt. font, it was 12 pages long. I must have looked at the pages a trillion times before I could even come up with a preliminary game plan.

This month's challenge is brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux.They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand.

This Buche is quite different than your typical jelly roll. It has elements people. 6 of them. So think of this one recipe as 6 or 7 recipes in one. The elements are:

1. Dacquoise Biscuit (or almond cake)

2. Dark chocolate mousse

3. Dark chocolate ganache insert ( I chose to do a cinnamon-chocolate ganache)

4. Praline Feuillete (crisp) insert (I had to make my own praline paste)

Here is a pic of the praline paste before pulverizing

And After

Here is the final crisp. I ended up using corn flakes. And let me tell you, it was divine all by itself!

5. Vanilla Creme Brulee insert

This took quite a while to cook. Much longer than the 1 hour the recipe states. I think my water bath might not have been hot enough.

6. Dark Chocolate icing

This was by far the most challenging recipe I have made with the DB group. It was a load of fun, although I incurred a lot of dirty dishes, a burn, and a cut, but I'm so happy I pressed on despite the difficulties (the gavottes- thin crispy crepes only found in France, which I attmepted to make myself. ugh, I will need to try this again.)

Merci! Hilda and Marion for a truly daring experience!

You can get the entire recipe for FRENCH YULE LOG OR ENTREMETS RECIPE by Flore of Florilège Gourmand here, it is a doosey. : )

Pizelle Cookies For Papa

2008-12-25T22:05:00.004-05:00

These are the type of cookies my Papa in MI loves. Not too sweet, and with just a hint of anise flavoring. Since I couldn't be there with him this Christmas, I thought I'd send him a bit of love. Along with these cookies I sent him hazelnut biscotti (without the chocolate paint), sugar cookies, and apricot jelly. I'm hoping he'll be here soon after Christmas, because I really do miss him.

I came across this recipe, and I knew it was sure to please my father. It seemed authentic, and full of love and family, I just had to use it. Plus, I am in love with Food Blogga's blog.

I have a toastmaster pizzelle maker that I bought for my mother and myself a while back. I have only used it a handful of times, so I was pleased to see that Susan of Food Blogga gave it her approval, and excited to dust it off and start the pizzelle making process.

Papa got the pizzelles on Christmas Eve, (only a few cracked after careful packaging), and was enjoying one just now while I was talking on the phone. Merry Christmas!

Pizzelles ( I halved the recipe)

(Food Blogga)

6 eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 pound butter (2 sticks), melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract1 (or 2) teaspoons anise seed**( I used vanilla)

1 tablespoon anise extract ( I only used a tsp and a half)

4 tablespoons baking powder

7 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat pizzelle iron.

Coat with cooking spray and wipe off excess with a paper towel. You do not have to re-apply. Beat eggs and sugar. Add cooled melted butter, vanilla extract, and anise extract. Sift flour and baking powder in a bowl and add to the egg mixture. Beat for a few minutes, or until the batter becomes thick. It will have a dough-like consistency. Knead with your hands for a couple of minutes until dough is smooth and has a sheen. With your hands, roll into one-inch round balls and place in the center of the pizzelle iron grids.

**I found flattening them a bit, rather than leaving them in balls made them more consistent**

Close the cover of the iron and bake for about 45 seconds, or until golden brown. Remove from iron and place on a cookie rack to cool.Dust with confectioner's before serving, if desired. Pizzelles will last for a couple of weeks if stored in an air-tight container and kept in a cool area.

Cinnamon Biscuit Rolls

2008-12-24T10:48:00.005-05:00

So I haven't looked at my google reader, oh, in about 2-3 months. And when I started going through the posts a few stood out to me, and they were from the same blog. I didn't remember adding this particular blog, but as I read through the most recent posts laughing, and enjoying them I knew why I did.

I got this recipe from said blog, and oh how easy and husband pleasing! Thanks Frantic Home Cook, for a great recipe! I must remember to check my google reader more often, I'm sure I'm missing a great deal of recipes that I know I'd want to make, or just drool over.

Cinnamon Biscuit Rolls

(Frantic Home Cook)

1 can refrigerated biscuit rolls cut in thirds

1/2 stick butter (4 Tbs.)

3 Tbs. cinnamon

3 Tbs. sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

Put butter, sugar, cinnamon and maple sugar into a bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir to make smooth. Roll thirds of biscuit dough in butter mixture and put in muffin tin (I used a mini tin).

Bake 20-22 minutes. Make a simple glaze of powder sugar and milk to drizzle over warm rolls.

Red Wine Braised Beef and Herbed Dumplings

2008-12-19T21:01:00.004-05:00

The grocery store had a sale on beef chuck stew meat, so I took advantage and bought a 1 1/2 package of it. I had originally thought of making beef and barley stew, but for some reason, I wasn't settling on that in my mind. I waited until tonight to make the stew meat, because I knew whatever I did with it, I'd be cooking it low and slow, so I'd need at least an hour and a half.

Remembering the robust flavor of the Cabernet Pot Roast I made a while back, I decided I'd recreate that but with the chuck in cubes rather that a big hunk. I wanted to have something to accompany it, but I wasn't in the mood for potatoes, or barley for that matter. Of the dishes I wanted to make this week, one didn't make the cut, and that was chicken and dumplings. And I have been craving dumplings all week. After some pondering, I decided to incorporate the dumplings in this dish.

The only thing I would do differently is use my cast iron stock pot rather than the large cast iron skillet I used. I just feel like the dumplings needed to cook longer, and after I added them, the sauce/gravy became a little too thick. After adding some water it was fixed so no biggie, but next time I'll use the stock pot. You can use any good red wine you like, here I used a Pinot Noir.

Red Wine Braised Beef and Herb Dumplings

1 1/2 lbs. stew meat in cubes

1/2 cup flour for dusting

Salt and pepper to season the meat

1 1/2 Tbs. canola oil

1 medium onion chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms

3 garlic cloves minced

1 Tbs. fresh parsley chopped

2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 1/2 cup red wine

4 cups (or more if you want more of a soup/stew) beef stock or broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Season meat with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. (I like to put the flour in a plastic grocery bag then add the meat and shake the heck out of it)

Shake off excess flour and set aside. Preheat a large skillet (or oven safe stock pot) over medium heat and add oil. Sear meat on all sides until dark brown and set aside. Add onion, celery, mushrooms, parsley and thyme to skillet. Saute until brown and caramel-y. Add garlic and saute a minute longer. Add beef back to pot and deglaze the pan with the wine. Let wine reduce by 1/2 and add stock. Cover and put in oven for 1 1/2 hours.

Herbed Dumplings

(modified ATK recipe)

2 Cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 Tbs. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup milk (I used 2%)

3 Tbs unsalted butter cut into cubes

1 Tbs. chopped parsley

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl.

Heat Milk and butter in microwave for one minute. Take out and stir about a minute or so until all the butter has melted. Add to flour mixture and fold until incorporated, don't over mix.

Putting it all together:

Take skillet out of oven and put it over low heat on the stove top. Add spoonfuls of the dumpling batter into skillet and cook for 15 minutes, or until the are cooked through. Serve in shallow bowls.

Deep Dish Pizza in Cast Iron

2008-12-17T19:30:00.000-05:00

I know a lot of people aren't fans of the "Pan" type pizza, usually because it has someting to do with the thick crust. But I love it. I used a recipe I have used before, with the only changes being the white cornmeal instead of yellow, and I used the cheese I had on hand, which was mozzarella and smoked gouda. I topped mine with pepperoni, onions and mushrooms, and Chad's with Just pepperoni.

I think I do prefer the yellow cornmeal to the white, but tonight, Chad said he liked this one better. Go figure. Anyway, this is another inexpensive meal to make as you can add whatever leftover meat, veggies, cheeses you have on hand, And yes, it can be done on a week night. If you prefer to make the dough ahead of time, just store it in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze. **I pre-baked the crust 5 minutes before topping, it lent to a crispier crust***

Hearty Lentil and Sausage Stew

2008-12-16T21:21:00.002-05:00

Tonight I made a soup exactly how I was craving it. I didn't realize it until I started to sit down and eat it. I love, love when this type of thing happens. I was craving a hearty, bean type stew/soup for dinner and I got just that. This is a very pocketbook friendly meal, the most expensive item is the smoked sausage. Not too labor intensive either, just throw things in a pot and let simmer. At the end to make it thick and creamy, I pureed some lentils in my blender. Serve with crusty bread and your good to go with this winter friendly meal.

Hearty Lentil and Sausage Stew

1lb. smoked sausage cut into half moons
1 lb. green lentils
1 medium onion diced
2 large stalks celery diced
1 cup (about) diced carrots

2 medium resset potatoes peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 Tbs. parsley chopped
2 bay leaves
1 Tbs cumin
1 tsp. ground allspice
7-8 cups chicken stock or broth
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add butter and oil. When butter is melted add onions, celery, bay leaves, cumin, allspice, and parsley. Cook about 3 minutes and add sausage. Cook mixture for about 5-8 minutes then add garlic. Cook another couple minutes and add lentils and potatoes. Stir to combine and add chicken stock. Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook about 30 minutes. At the end scoop out about 2 cups of the lentils and puree in a blender. Add back to pan and stir. Serve and enjoy!

Layered Enchilada Casserole

2008-12-14T19:42:00.004-05:00

What a way to cure my Mexican craving! Cheesy, saucy, layers of corn tortillas with re fried bean and ground turkey mixture nestled in between. This is comfort food at it's best. I made this up as I went along, but this isn't really a difficult concept. Think of it as a lasagna, just with tortillas instead of noodles. I doubt this is a unique idea, I think I've seen a recipe or two like it. Nonetheless, it really was delicious, and I'll happily be taking it to work with me the next couple of days.

Layered Enchilada Casserole

1 1/2 lb. ground turkey

1 can re fried beans

1 Tbs. canola oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 garlic cloves minced

1 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley

3 8oz cans (it's all I had on hand) No Salt added tomato sauce

2 Tbs. Chili powder divided

2 Tbs. cumin Divided

2 tsp. smoked paprika divided

2 tsp. dried oregano

Pinch of sugar

a few shakes of cayenne powder

salt and pepper to taste

18 corn tortillas

2 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar and some left over Monterrey jack)

Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat and add ground turkey. Add 1 Tbs. of chili powder, 1 Tbs. cumin, a tsp. of oregano and salt and pepper. Cook until evenly browned. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Wipe out skillet with paper towels and add oil. Put skillet over medium heat and saute onions and pepper. When onion becomes translucent add garlic and parsley. Cook another minute. Add tomato sauce and the rest of the spices and sugar. Let simmer about 5 minutes.

Transfer ground turkey to a mixing bowl and add re fried beans and about 1/4-1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce. Mix well.

In a 9x13 casserole dish layer 6 tortillas on the bottom, cover with sauce, then meat-bean mixture, then cheese.

Repeat the process ending with tortillas, sauce and more cheese. Cover and cook at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, uncovering the last 10 minutes.

Mini Spanakopita Triangles

2008-12-13T18:13:00.005-05:00

I love phyllo. Seriously, what can be better than buttery, crispiness? For an ornament exchange I went to I decided to make mini spanakopitas, because I had a box of phyllo to use, and there are just so may possibilities when it comes to making apps for a party.

The task of making these little bundles of spinach and feta is laborious, but I actually enjoy that, call me crazy. I made about 40 of them, but you can make them whatever size you wish (I cut the sheets in thirds to make them bite sized).

Mini Spanakopita

(makes around 40)

1 package (1lb) frozen phyllo dough thawed in the refrigerator overnight

2 10 oz. boxes frozen spinach, thawed, and squeezed of excess liquid. ( I do this in a colander)

2 Tbs. chopped parsley

1/2 cup yellow onion chopped finely

1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil divided

1 1/4 sticks of unsalted butter melted

1 cup crumbled feta

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 egg

a little nutmeg

Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375

In a saute pan, add olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, set aside to cool. When onions are cool, add all ingredients to a mixing bowl. Stir to mix evenly.

Unwrap phyllo and lay flat, cover with a damp towel to prevent drying out. Take one sheet of dough and brush with melted butter. Lay another sheet on top and brush with more butter. Cut dough lengthwise in thirds.

Put a little of the spinach mixture on on on the end of one strip,

and fold up like a flag.

Brush with more butter. Keep going (trust me, it will take a little while) until mixture is gone.

Put on baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Marble Pound Cake

2008-12-13T17:49:00.000-05:00

Wow, I'm actually updating, lol! I have been such a slacker lately, and I apologize for that.

I made this cake for my friend Kari's birthday. She told me that her favorite cake is a pound cake, and that she loved chocolate. So I thought I'd give her the best of both worlds and do a marble pound. I used Dorie's recipe for both the pound cake (perfection pound cake) and marbling techniques. The cake was very good, but not as moist as I wanted. I'm sure it was a mistake I made, maybe cooking it a little longer than I should have? Maybe the bundt wasn't a good idea, who knows? But, it was still a lovely cake and I was happy to give it to Kari.

Marble Pound Cake

(Dorie Greenspan, Baking From my Home to Yours)

2 cups all purpose flour, or 2 1/4 cups cake flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

I added another tsp. of almond extract

Preheat oven to 325

Butter the pan. Use two cookie sheets on top of one another to insulate.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Beat the butter and sugar on high speed until it is pale and fluffy, around 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and reduce the speed to medium, add eggs one at a time, beating 1-2 minutes as each is added. Mix in the extracts. On low speed mix in the flour mixture a little at a time, bieng careful not to over mix.

For the marbling:

After the batter is fully mixed, transfer 1/2 of it to another bowl and blend in 4 ounces of melted chocolate ( I used semisweet, but Dorie suggests bittersweet). Drop spoonfuls of light and dark batter in the pan and take a knife, spoon, or whatever and make zigzags.

Put on cookie sheets and let bake for 45 minutes, checking on it periodically. If it starts to brown loosely cover it with foil. The cake is done when a knife is inserted and comes out clean.

Let cool, sprinkle with powder sugar if you like and enjoy.

My New Favorite Mac and Cheese

2008-11-04T17:15:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday I put a pork shoulder in the fridge to defrost for Sunday evening. When I went to take it out to season, I wondered how the hell Chad and I were going to eat 3 lbs. of pulled pork. That's when I decided to invite the parents over for dinner. I used my favorite recipe for pulled pork, it comes out perfect every time.

When it came to thinking of sides to serve, I knew I couldn't go wrong with mac and cheese. I have made so many variations of this dish in the past, and I was ready to try another. So I looked on the Food Network site and Alton Brown's recipe caught my eye. That was the one. I made a few variations (very few, highlighted in red) and I am now claiming this as a new favorite.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

(Alton Brown)

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk ( I used half and half)
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large egg
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded ( I used sharp cheddar and Monterrey Jack)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper

Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Look who belongs to the clean plate club!

Daring Bakers Challenge: Pizza!

2008-10-28T19:12:00.002-04:00

For this month's challenge we were to make "Pizza Napoletana” from Peter Reinhart's “The Bread Baker's Apprentice". Our host this month was Rosa of "Rosa's Yummy Yums".

Now I've made pizza before, so I wasn't really intimidated. But the recipe was a bit different than how I usually make it. Not a hard recipe to follow, but just different. I usually make the dough and bake it the same day, but this recipe had it rest in the fridge overnight. I was really excited to use my new KA mixer to help me, it was a bit easier than working the dough by hand (minus the kneading). Oh, and we needed to capture us throwing the pizza like a real Pizziola. This is me (not a great pic, but it worked just fine!)

Here are my balls (lol) ready to refrigerate

I have to say, this was a great recipe! I cut it into 6 pieces, and used two tonight for our dinner, and plan to use the rest later, per the freezing instructions.

I made Chad's ( homemade pizza sauce, mozzarella, turkey pepperoni, and parsley)

And mine (tomato sauce, feta, black olive, parsley and fresh grape tomatoes)

The crust was so crispy and flavorful, the perfect consistency.

Just look at that yummy-ness!

Big thanks go out to Rosa for a great challenge.

For the recipe including Gluten Free instructions visit Rosa's blog.

****I dedicate this post to Sherry, your fervor for baking still inspires.****

Hazelnut Biscotti Painted with Chocolate

2008-10-23T17:08:00.005-04:00

As a shower gift for my wedding, I recieved Betty Crocker's Bridal Edition keepsake cookbook from my Aunt Nancy. Now that I got the new addition to my kitchen, (yay!!!)

I was itching to break this baby in, so I needed a recipe. I decided I didn't want to get too crazy since it was already 8pm, and I got the idea of making biscotti to go with my morning coffee.

I originally browsed through Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, but her biscotti recipe called for instant expresso, which I didn't have. So I moved on to the next book, and that was Betty's.

I found a hazelnut biscotti recipe I knew would taste great. And the good news was that I could finally use up the hazelnuts I bought a couple months ago for a daring bakers challenge I wasn't able to complete.

This was the first time I made biscotti and they were fantastic. The chocolate was an addition I made, it just seemed like the right thing to do. ; )

Hazelnut Biscotti

(Betty Crocker)

1 cup hazelnuts (filberts), coarsley chopped

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Heat oven to 350.

spread hazelnuts in ungreased shallow pan. Bake uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occaisionally, until golden brown; cool.

In large bowl, beat suar, butter, eggs and extracts with a mixer on medium speed. Stir in flour, soda and baking powder. Stir in hazelnuts. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for a couple minutes until hazelnuts are evenly distributed.

Divide dough in half. On one side of ungreased cookie sheet, shape half of dough into 10 x 3 inch rectangle, rounding edges slightly. Repeat with remaining dough on same cookie sheet.

bake about 25 minutes or until center is firm to the touch. Cool on cookie sheet for 15 minutes.

Move to a cutting board and cut crosswise in 1/2 inch slices.

place 20 slices cut side down, on cookie sheet and bake about 15 minutes more.

Remove from oven and cool.

Chocolate paint

1/2 cup semi sweet choc. chips

1 tbs half and half

1 tsp. butter

Heat all in a microwave safe bowl for 10 second intervals until melted. Paint one side of biscotti with pastry brush, and let harden. Enjoy with coffee!

Sausage Stuffed Shells

2008-10-23T16:43:00.003-04:00

I have to say this is a first( that I can think of anyway). Cooking from the back of a box that is. When I was putting the groceries away, I noticed the stuffed shell recipe on the back of my Ronzoni box. It looked decent so I decided that was the way I was going to prepare my shells.

I did modify the recipe a bit, but for the most part I stuck to the basics.

They came out wonderful, and I had enough to feed 8. Unfortunately, there was only Chad and I so we ended up eating them for a couple of days for our lunches.

I made my own marinara instead of using a jar, one, because I rarely have jarred sauces in my pantry, and two, it is so simple to make your own.

Sausage Stuffed Shells

(Ronzoni Box)

My modifications in red
Ingredients:

1 pkg. (12 oz.) RONZONI Jumbo Shells, uncooked
1 1/2 lb italian sausage casing removed
4 eggs, slightly beaten ( I only used 2)
3/4 cup flavored dry bread crumbs
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
3/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 garlic cloves minced
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups (about 28-oz. jar) spaghetti sauce (used my own recipe, see below)
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional) ( I used 1/2 cup and mixed it with the mozzarella)

2 Tbs. fresh chopped basil

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
Cool in single layer on foil.
Heat oven to 350°F.
Meanwhile, in large skillet, brown meat; drain. (I sauteed the onion and garlic with the meat)
In large bowl, stir together meat, eggs, bread crumbs, mozzarella cheese (I used the combo of parm and mozzarella), onion, oregano, salt and pepper.
Fill each shell with about 2 tablespoons meat filling.
Spread thin layer of sauce on bottom of 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
Place filled shells in prepared baking dish; cover with remaining sauce.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Cover with foil.
Bake 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. (I uncovered the last 6 minutes to let the top brown)

Simple Marinara

2 tsp. olive oil

1 tbs. minced onion

1 minced garlic clove

1 16oz. can of tomato sauce

1 small can tomato paste

1 cup beef stock or broth

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. fresh or dried basil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. pepper

pinch of sugar

tsp. fresh chopped parsley

Heat olive oil in a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and sautee a couple minutes. Add garlic and sautee about 30 seconds more. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

2008-10-13T18:12:00.005-04:00

Last week I was flipping through Ina's cookbook and saw this recipe. I planned on making them the next day, but other things prevented me from doing so. I promised to make them on the weekend and last night was the perfect time to do it. These were very simple to do, and the ingredient list is short. Most of the stuff you already have on hand, so no special trip to the grocery store.

They are like a peanut butter cookie with a yummy fruit filling. I thought they were pretty rich, and could only eat like 3 or 4 in one sitting, lol. Seriously, they are so good, and even the richness didn't keep me away.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

(Barefoot Contessa at Home)

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 extra large eggs (at room temperature)

2 Cups creamy peanut butter (18 oz)

3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan

1 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 1/2 cups raspberry jam or other jam (18 oz)

2/3 cups chopped salted peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 baking pan.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar together (Ina uses her KA mixer, but I still don't have one) on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs and peanut butter until well combined.

In a small bowl sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined. Spread 2/3 of the dough in the prepared pan, using a knife to spread it evenly. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small small globs of the dough evenly over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; the dough will spread. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Individual Pepper Jack Au Gratins

2008-10-13T17:54:00.006-04:00

To go with our roasted chicken dinner below, I decided to have au gratin potatoes as an accompaniment. Not wanting to make a huge batch, I decided to use the cute 16oz. croning ware I recieved as a wedding gift.

I loved having my own individual serving dish, so cute! The potatoes were fantastic with the pepper jack, but any cheese will do.

Individual Pepper Jack Au Gratins

(makes 2 servings)

2 medium potatoes sliced thin

1/4 cup onion diced

1 garlic clove minced

1 cup milk ( I used 2%)

2 1/2 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. flour

fresh grated nutmeg ( or use ground 1/4 tsp.)

salt and pepper

4 slices pepper jack cheese

Preheat oven to 400

Heat butter over medium heat. When heated, add onions. Cook for a couple minutes and add garlic. Cook another minute and add flour. Whisk to make a roux. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and let simmer for a minute or so until thickened. Add nutmeg and mix well.

To assemble the gratins:

Grease the mini casseroles with butter and lay sliced potatoes flat. Add a bit of the bechamel (milk, flour, butter combo). Lay a slice of cheese on top. Keep assembling until all ingredients are used. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and cook 5-10 minutes more or until the top gets a nice brown color.

Herb Roasted Chicken Pieces

2008-10-13T17:33:00.004-04:00

Yesterday at the grocery store I saw that whole roasters were on sale. Not wanting to tress and fuss with a whole bird, I asked the butcher if she would cut it into pieces for me (one less thing for me to do). When I got home I used a few simple ingredients, threw it in the roasting pan an voila, perfect roasted chicken.

Herb Roasted Chicken

1 4-5 lb. chicken cut into pieces

3 Tbs. olive oil

2 tsp fresh thyme

2 tsp. fresh parsley

2 tsp. fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400

Put chicken in a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and put into a roasting pan. Roast for about 1 hour or until juices run clear.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies w/ Pecans

2008-10-08T22:04:00.006-04:00

I was itching to make something this evening and remembered I had another can of pumpkin left in my pantry. What better time of year to use it? I wanted something fairly simple, without a lot of techniques/ingredients involved. I decided to make this recipe. This took less than a 1/2 hour to prepare and then another 25-30 to bake. I mostly wanted to bake because I'm in love with my new kitchen! I promise to post pics, but I want to wait until the painting etc. is complete.

I decided to make a double batch, some for dh and his coworkers, and some for mine. I didn't use the brand's specified, and I modified the recipe a bit (my changes in orange). They came out just as I expected, delicious!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies w/ Pecans

(adapted from Nestle's Very Best Baking)

Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1/3 cup brown sugar blend (such as SPLENDA) (I just used light brown sugar)
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons vegetable oil ( for my dbl batch I used 2 Tbs. oil and 2 Tbs. unsalted butter melted and cooled)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels ( I used Ghiradelli and added 1/2 cup pecan pieces)

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

Spray 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

COMBINE pumpkin, sugar blend, egg, egg whites and oil in large mixer bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until blended.

Add flour, baking powder, cocoa, cinnamon, allspice, salt and nutmeg. Beat on low speed until batter is smooth. Stir in morsels. Spread evenly into prepared pan.

BAKE for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into 2-inch squares.

(I sprinkled with powdered sugar for a little extra sweetness. )

*Note* I used a 9X13 for my doubled recipe

Pumpkin Walnut Bread

2008-10-01T20:37:00.007-04:00

While I was flipping through my latest issue of Gourmet, I came across this little gem of a recipe. I had all the ingredients except the pumpkin. No problem since I needed to go to the grocery store anyway. I didn't have the ground cloves it called for so I omitted them, I really wish I would have made a darn list when I went to the store, ugh!

My house smelled wonderful while it baked for the 55 mnutes, omg I was salivating! I ended up using pure pumpkin in a can, and probably a little more than the 9 oz. it called for.

I also decided a drizzle of glaze would be nice so I whipped some up.

This bread would be perfect for breakfast, after dinner or even for a snack. Of course, this recipe screams fall, which it will soon be getting to feel like here in Atl.

Pumpkin Walnut Bread

(Gourmet October, 2008)

2 cups AP flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. all spice

1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I probably added 2 tsp. I love the stuff!)

1/4 tsp. ground cloves ( I omitted due to not having a list!)

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup water

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (I used the pure canned pumpkin)

1/2 cup vegetable oil (canola)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Preheat oven to 350

coat a 9x5 loaf pan with butter and line with parchment paper

Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger and salt until thouroughly blended. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and water. Add the sugar and blend well. Add the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, and vanilla and blend well.

Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the walnuts and stir until they are evenly distributed. Use a spatula to scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and level the top.

bake for 55-60 minutes, until the bread is firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean.

**Note** I acidentally added ground coriander (1 tsp) by mistake. It still tasted wonderful, maybe even better!

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup w/ Orzo and Meatballs

2008-10-01T20:06:00.007-04:00

My 2nd night cooking in my NEW kitchen! How exciting! Last night I made chicken makhani and tonight dh requested soup since the weather was getting cooler. I used what I had on hand and came up with a tomato basil soup. I decided to add orzo and meatballs to it to make it a bit heartier, and it was quite a meal!

Meatballs

1 lb ground sirloin

2 slices wheat bread toasted and processed

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1/4 C. grated parmesan cheese

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350

Mix all ingredients well and roll into mini meatballs. Cover cookie sheet with foil and place a cooking rack on top. Put meatballs on the cooling rack and put in oven. cook for 20-25 minutes.

When finished, take out of oven and set aside.

Tomato Basil soup

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 8oz. can tomato sauce

2 cloves garlic minced

2/3 cup fresh basil coarsly chopped

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup orzo (raw) cooked according to package directions

1 cup half and half

1 stick unsalted butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Over med. high heat put tomato products, stock, and garlic in a large stock pot. Let come to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Add basil and with an immersion blender, blend until smooth and pureed (this can be done in a blender as well). Add butter and half and half and whisk until well blended.

Add meat balls and orzo and serve with parmesan cheese.

Turkey Italian Sausage and Barley Stew

2008-09-15T18:46:00.005-04:00

Well, this may be the last night I cook for a while. We are moving this Saturday into our new house (Woot!) so I will be packing up the kitchen starting tomorrow.

I had this turkey Italian sausage in the freezer, and I knew I had to use it tonight or it wouldn't ever be prepared. After thinking about a few recipes I kind of just threw this one together. It isn't a soupy stew, more like saucy sausage and vegetables over barley. This was really simple and quick to make too. Oh, and keeping with the WW theme it is only 8 points per serving. Not a low point meal, but the portion was rather large (about 2 1/2 cups or so). So, if you reduce the portion, the points may be more around 6 or 7.

Tuscan Turkey Italian Sausage and Barley Stew

(makes 6 servings)

1 lb. turkey Italian sausage casings removed

2 1/2 Tbs. canola oil (divided)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms

2 Tbs. fresh chopped basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 cup frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or less if you don't like the heat)

1 can great northern beans rinsed and drained

2 1/2 Tbs. flour

3 cups fat free chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

2 1/2 cups cooked barley

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a tsp. of canola oil. Add sausage to pan and crumble and brown. Remove sausage and set aside. Add remaining oil to pan and when heated add mushrooms, onion, basil and oregano. Let cook for a few minutes and add flour. Stir frequently and cook for a couple minutes more (some of the flour may begin to stick but that is okay, when the broth is added it will lift off the pan). Deglaze the pan with the broth and scrape up any bits off the bottom of the pan. Add remaining ingredients except barley including sausage and let simmer for about 6-8 minutes. Add barley and serve in bowls.

Chicken Ricotta Meatballs over Pan Fried Polenta and Mushroom Ragu

2008-09-10T20:13:00.005-04:00

Thanks to Cooking Light, and Elly My dinner tonight was the bomb! I subscribe to CL and I always can find something, usually a bunch of things that I want to make. I usually forget though, but I didn't tonight. Tonight I remembered a meatball recipe in this month's issue that looked to die for. I didn't have any ground turkey so I used the ground chicken I had on hand instead. I can see these going into my regular rotation, they were that good.

Not wanting to make just the meatballs by themselves I ask the advice of my Nesties. Elly had commented on making a chunky tomato sauce to go with them, and I remembered a fabulous recipe she had on her blog. It was the mushroom ragu and pan fried polenta. I had found my pairing for the meatballs. : ) I did make a few slight modifications to the CL recipe, as well as Elly's due to what I had on hand.

I have enough left over for about 4 more lunches too, which is a huge bonus while I'm on this weight loss kick.

The meatballs were 5 points per serving (4 meatballs), the ragu was one point per serving (about 1/4-1/2 cup), and the polenta was 3 points per serving (2 slices). You can make the polenta healthier without the pan frying, but I just wanted the crispiness tonight.

Chicken-Ricotta Meatballs

(Inspired by Cooking Light)

I got 23 meatballs out of this

Preheat oven to 375

1 Lb. ground chicken

1/2 cup panko

1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1/4 cup eggbeaters or one egg

1/4 cup fresh basil chopped

salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients and shape into balls. Put foil on a cookie sheet and a cooling rack on top of that. Put meatballs on top of cooling rack and cook for about 20-25 minutes.

Pan Fried Polenta and Mushroom Ragu

For the Polenta

1 Tbs. light butter

1 cup corn meal (I used white)

1 cup low fat milk

3 cups water

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tsp. oregano

2 cloves garlic

flour for dredging

2 Tbs. olive oil

Heat butter in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and oregano and cook until fragrant. Add liquids and bring to a boil. Whisk in corn meal in a steady stream and continue to whisk until incorporated. Lower heat and continue to whisk for about 5 minutes.

Pour into a 9x13 pan and cool a few hours or overnight. Cut into squares, dust with flour. Heat oil into a medium sized pan and brown on both sides.

Mushroom Ragu

1 Tbs. light butter

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 lb. crimini mushrooms sliced

1/4 cup diced onion

1 bay leaf

2 garlic cloves minced

2 1/2 Tbs. tomato paste

2 Tbs. fresh basil

1 Tsp. dried oregano

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup marsala wine

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil and butter in a med. sized sauce pan over medium heat. Saute onions for about 2 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, basil, oregano, and bay leaf and saute another minute. Lower heat and cook about 20 minutes until moisture from mushrooms has been released. Add tomato paste and cook about a minute. Add wine and cook about 3 minutes. Add broth and cook another couple of minutes. Serve over polenta and meatballs.

My Very Late DB Entry: Eclairs

2008-09-05T09:53:00.005-04:00

I feel like such a schmuck. I really have no real good excuse for being so late with this entry except for the fact that I procrastinated. I meant to make them the week they were due, but things got busy.

I'm glad I did make them though, they really turned out nicely. Other DB'ers said the pate choux was a little eggy, but I didn't find it eggy at all. I ended up using Dorie Greenspan's recipe for pastry cream because it is a foavorite of mine. I did use the glaze and sauce recipe, and omg I had so much left over.

Since I'm trying to lose some weight, I ate only 2 (but I wanted 10!), and took the rest to work. They were gone by 2pm. : )

Thank you Meeta from What's for Lunch Honey? and TonyTahhan for a wonderful challenge!

You can find the recipe for Pierre Herme's eclairs here.

Hearty and Healthy Turkey and Vegetable Chili

2008-08-24T19:40:00.008-04:00

I bought a couple of turkey thighs a couple weeks back and needed to use them. I decided to slow cook them in some broth and herbs today while I ran errands. When I got back they were fork tender and ready to work with. I added two types of beans to this chili and even contemplating adding another, but I left it at the black and kidney. I used a bunch of fresh oregano which gave this chili depth of flavor, and I added a bit of cayenne for some spiciness. This made a ton, which is great to freeze for days I don't have anything to bring for lunch. This recipe is only 5 WW points but tastes like it could be 10.

Hearty Turkey and Vegetable Chili
(Makes 8 Servings)

3 1/2 cups dark Turkey meat (I used 2 thighs cooked w/o the skin)
2 tsp. olive oil butter spray
1 cup each: carrots diced, celery diced, green pepper diced onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans drained and rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
6 cups fat free chicken broth
2 Tbs. chili powder
2 Tbs. cumin dash of cayenne (more if you like it hot!) dash of hot sauce
1 Tbs. fresh oregano
1 Tbs. fresh parsley chopped
1 bay leaf salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter spray. Add carrots, celery, green peppers, and onion. Cook until onion turns translucent. Add parsley, oregano, bay leaf and garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add tomatoes and spices, cooking a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with a Tablespoon of cheddar cheese and a dollop of fat free sour cream.

My Omnivore 100

2008-08-20T23:23:00.004-04:00

While browsing through Joelen's blog, I found the Omnivore 100 to be interesting and thought I'd play along. Here is what you do:

"What's your Omnivore 100 score? If you'd like, find out your Omnivore 100 score with this list of food items. How the Omnivore's 100 works":

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten. (Higlighted in Green)
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating. (I'll Highlight mine in red)

I left the ones I'd like to try in blue.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp ( I just can't get over the word)
9. Borscht
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses (not sure, but if Joelen is scared...)
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn or head cheese (just looks gross to me)
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper (Not unless I was getting $$ for it)
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38.Vodka Jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu (No thank you, I value my life.)
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umebosh
i53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV (alcohol by volume)
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin ???
64. Currywurst
65. Durian (I'm interested, but worried about the smell)
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill (ew, ew, EW!)
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie (Oh how I love these, just haven't had one since I was a kid)
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare/rabbit
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa -
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

My Score: 55/100.

Healthy Pizza and a Product Rave

2008-08-20T20:18:00.005-04:00

Tonight on his way home from work Chad mentioned (complained) that he really wanted pizza. I feel bad for him. I mean, he just lost 30 lbs. and he is doing WW with me. Mainly because I'm the cook in the house, although he wants to eat healthier. Since I didn't lose any weight last week (boo hoo) I really wanted to stick to my points. Which meant no pizza.... Unless you make it healthy, which is what I did thanks to this wonderful new find:

They are only worth 1 WW point, and make a wonderful crust for a pizza. I baked mine in a 350 oven for about 7 minutes first, then topped with my favorite toppings and enjoyed it immensly.
My ingredients were:
1/3 C. pizza sauce
1/2 cup FF mozzarella cheese
fresh basil (from a wonderful coworker who says it is growing out of control. I'm happy to take it off her hands)
fresh oregano (Again, from my coworker. Love how generous she is!)
1/4 C. portabello mushrooms
1 Tbs. chopped onion
5 slices turkey pepperoni (I like to slice mine to sprinkle evenly over the crust. That make me get a little bit of pepperoni in every bite ; )

After I topped it I put it back in the oven for the cheese to melt. How awesome is it when you can have pizza for only 4 points? And the serving is just right too!
Chad likes to stick to the basics when it comes to pizza, his was topped with just the pepperoni and cheese. I'm happy he was actually able to eat what he has been craving. And I'm happy I did too.

Braised Chicken Drumsticks with Vegetables

2008-08-18T21:23:00.004-04:00

Tonight I had the idea to braise my chicken drumsticks like I did with my short ribs a while back. I wanted to keep it healthy so I omitted some ingredients and added some. I loved this meal, and don't worry if you haven't had your share of vegetables for the day, you will double that requirement with this meal.

I added wine to give this dish some depth and it really made a difference. You can choose whatever veggies you like, or just use up what you have on hand. The thing I liked about this meal is that you don't have to wait as long as if you were braising beef. It took about 10 minutes to prep, 15 on the stove top, and about an hour in the oven. This came out to 6 WW points, but when I used Spark Recipe's calculator I plugged the info in to WW and it came out to 3. Go figure. I'll go ahead and put up the estimated nutritional info, but I don't always think the Spark calculator is accurate.

Braised Chicken Drumsticks with Vegetables

(serves 4)

8 drumsticks skin removed seasoned with salt and pepper

1 cup carrots chopped

1 cup celery chopped

1/2 cup onion diced

2 cups diced potatoes

1 1/2 cup cubed eggplant

1 cup zucchini

1 cup fresh mushrooms chopped

2 cups canned diced tomatoes

3 cloves garlic chopped

2 Tbs. fresh basil chopped

2 Tbs. fresh oregano chopped

1 Tbs. parsley chopped

1 large or 2 small bay leaves

red pepper flakes for spice

2 oz. red wine

2 tsp. olive oil

butter spray

1 cup fat free, less sodium chicken stock

Preheat oven to 350

Add 1 tsp. and butter spray to a large dutch oven or large, heavy, oven proof skillet. Heat over medium heat and add chicken. When browned on all sides remove to a plate. Add the last tsp. of oil and more butter spray. Add all veggies except garlic. Saute for about 10 minutes. Add garlic, parsley, oregano, basil and bay leaf. Saute about 3 minutes longer. Add wine and deglaze the pan, let cook a minute longer. Add the stock and tomatoes and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken on top of veggies and submerge as much as possible. Cover and cook one hour. Serve 2 drumstick with about a cup and a half of veggies. 6 Total WW points.

Calories 182.2
Total Fat 3.6 g
Saturated Fat 0.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.7 g
Cholesterol 38.0 mg
Sodium 1,246.2 mg
Potassium 779.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 23.7 g

Dietary Fiber 5.5 g
Sugars 7.1 g
Protein 13.9 g

Healthy Turkey and Portabella Lasagna

2008-08-17T20:36:00.009-04:00

I was so excited that my Publix had the whole wheat lasagna noodles I was looking for. I really didn't think they would for some reason. So to celebrate my find I decided to create a healthy lasagna. I knew I'd be using ground turkey, but I wanted some more substance. I thought about zucchini and portabellas and thought that would be a wonderful combination. Until I got home and realized I didn't get the zucchini, Ugh. I left my grocery list at home and forgot not only the zucchini, but a few other items as well. I need to remember to put that darn list in my purse immediately after completing it, this wasn't the first time I forgot it.

I ended up calculating the WW points for this meal, and I couldn't believe my eyes when it came out to only 2 points per serving!! I served this meal with a fresh salad and another one of my favorite finds Maple Grove Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette.

I only had one serving of the lasagna, but I could have had two and not have felt an ounce of guilt. Chad did have two, but he didn't have a salad.

I used WW's recipe builder to calculate the points and Spark recipes to calculate the nutritional info. For some reason when I plug in the info from Spark recipes the point total comes to 3. I'm trusting the WW site though, I like the sound of 2 points much more than 3. ; )

Healthy Turkey and Portabella Lasagna

(serves 9)

1/2 lb. ground turkey

1 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp. light butter

1/4 cup onion diced

1/4 cup green pepper diced

2 garlic cloves minced

1 Tbs. fresh (or dried) basil chopped

1 Tbs. fresh (or dried) oregano chopped

salt and pepper to taste (for sauce and turkey)

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you want it spicier)

1 cup no salt added tomato sauce

1 cup no salt added diced tomatoes

3 Tbs. tomato paste

1/2 cup fat free, low sodium chicken broth

1/2 tsp. sugar

7 whole wheat lasagna noodles

2 small portabella caps thinly sliced

6 Tbs. part skim ricotta

1 cup fat free shredded mozzarella

2 Tbs. grated parmesan cheese

Heat a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil until heated. Add onion and pepper and cook until onions are translucent. Add garlic, basil, oregano, bay leaf, red pepper flakes salt and pepper. Let cook for about a minute more. Add tomato products and chicken broth stir to combine. Add sugar and let simmer about 20 minutes.

While sauce is simmering brown turkey and cook noodles. Only cook noodles for about 7 minutes so they are a little more "dente". You will need to fit the noodles to the pan like I did. I ended up cutting off a bit off the ends and ended up using it for my bottom layers.

Grab a small square (9x9 I believe) pan and put some sauce on the bottom. layer the cut noodles on the bottom. put a Tbs. of ricotta on top of the pasta and spread evenly. add portabellas, then mozzarella, then a bit of the Parmesan and finally some sauce. Repeat with the next layer. On the final layer add the rest of the sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan (you will have used the ricotta up by now). Cover with foil and cook for 25 minutes. Uncover and cook 5-8 minutes more letting the cheese get nice and bubbly. Let sit about 5 or so minutes before cutting into 9 servings.

Calories 136.4
Total Fat 4.2 g
Saturated Fat 1.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.3 g
Cholesterol 24.4 mg
Sodium 420.0 mg
Potassium 210.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 12.1 g
Dietary Fiber 1.8 g
Sugars 2.4 g

Protein 12.5 g

Healthy Tuscan Style Soup

2008-08-14T19:21:00.004-04:00

I am a huge fan of soup, and I really believe that I will be even more while I'm doing this WW thing. It fills me up and I can put tons of healthy veggies in and not feel guilty for eating just a little bit more. Tonight's soup was inspired by one of my Dh's (and mine) favorite soups, Zuppa Tuscana. But this one is healthy, only 233 calories per serving and 6 g of fat. If you are doing WW like me it is only 4, points!!

This made about 6 large servings but the ingredients can be modified to make a smaller or larger batch.

Healthy Tuscan Style Soup

serves 6

1 link Oscar Meyer Smoked Sausage (3.5 servings)

1/2 onion diced small

1/2 cup celery diced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 cup crimini mushrooms chopped

2 cups diced potatoes

1/2 cup quick cooking barley

1/2 cup great northern beans

1 Tbs. Light Butter (I used Land O Lakes)

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup 1% milk

1 1/2 Tbs. parmesan cheese

3 cups kale chopped

2 tsp. ground basil

2 tsp. ground oregano

1 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Heat oil and butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and mushrooms and potatoes and saute about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sausage and cook about 4 minutes more. Add broth and water and scrape up the bits from the bottom. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the milk and cheese and bring to a boil. When it comes to a boil lower heat and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Remove pot from burner and whisk in milk and cheese. Enjoy!

Sinless Sloppy Joes

2008-08-11T22:14:00.006-04:00

I think the last time I had a sloppy joe was when I was in college. I really have nothing against the sloppy joe, it's just that I feel my tastes have developed past that beefy, tomatoey, loose meat on a bun.

Until tonight. I really wanted something simple, easy and still stay in my realm of weight watchers points. Thats when I thought of sloppy joes. Since I had a few whole grain, light English muffins left I decided that would be our bun for this school lunch classic I was about to make.

I calculated the nutritional info on using the sparkpeople recipe calculator. Then I checked the point values on a chart I have been using on the web. It looks as though 1/2 cup of the meat mixture is 4 points.

I thought that 1/4 cup was 4 points so I did even better eating tonight than I thought!

WW Sloppy Joes

1 lb lean ground meat

1/2 cup onion diced small

2 cloves garlic

Pam spray

1 1/2 chili powder

1 tsp. oregano

1 Tbs. cumin

1 tsp. cayenne (only if you want the added heat)

1/2 cup no salt added tomato sauce

1 Tbs. tomato paste

1/4 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

fresh parsley to garnish

Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat and add the Pam spray. Add onions and cook until transluscent. Add extra lean ground beef and break up with a wooden spoon. Add herbs, spices and garlic. Continue to cook until meat is almost cooked through. Add the tomato products and water and simmer until thickened, about 5-8 minutes. Serve on 1 point english muffins for a 5 point sandwich.

Zero (Or One) Point Mashed Cauliflower

2008-08-11T21:48:00.005-04:00

** I'm new to this WW calculating so I'm doing the best I can using the web. A friend has informed me that this recipe would only be zero points if it were broken up into 7 servings. If It makes 6, then it is considered one point.** (Still worth it!)

As I was looking through a list of foods and their corresponding points on the web today I was happy to discover that cauliflower is a 0 point food. I thought immediately how I would be preparing it for our meal tonight. I decided to do a cauli-mash. I calculated the points and they still came out to 0, even after adding skim milk, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper FF cream cheese.

It was so darn tasty! I'm sure to be making this guilt free side again soon.

Mashed Cauliflower

1 bag (16oz) frozen cauliflower

2 Tbs. Fat Free cream cheese

2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup skim milk

salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

Put cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and cook for approximately 6 minutes (or until heated through). Add remaining ingredients and put in microwave for a couple minutes more. Mash the contents with a bowl the best you can. Using an immersion blender or food processor, process cauliflower until desired consistency. Enjoy those 0 points!

WW Parmesan Chicken

2008-08-10T20:59:00.003-04:00

I've gotta lose weight. Really. I've put on about 20 lbs. since I got married. It's ridiculous how many beautiful clothes I have in my closet that I can not wear. Ugh. I have been on a healthy kick for about a month now, but this week I've decided to try Weight Watchers. Now, I am not really a "member", but I am using the points system. I have a friend who was a member and I am hoping to take over her WW stash. Or, I'll just browse the web for numerous ww resources.

One of the resources I stumbled upon today was the Kitchen Parade. There is a lovely list of recipe ranging from 1-8 points. I found a parmesan chicken recipe and decided to use it for our meal tonight. I added sauteed zucchini and mushrooms (sauteed in 1 tsp. olive oil and pam) which are zero points to round out the meal. The chicken was so delicious. I mean how can it not be with the parmesan and dijon mixture. I added a few dried herbs to the mixture and only used one english muffin since I was only making 3 breast halves. I didn't modify the dijon or vinegar since I think they are zero pts. , but I did use only about 1/2 cup of parm. I am seriously still full from dinner. The best part was that it is only 6 points! So I have a few points left over which is fabulous since I really want a glass of wine (2 pts.) ; )

PARMESAN CHICKEN

(recipe courtesy of Kitchen Parade)
6 servings

Hands-on time: 15 minutes

Oven time: 15 – 20 minutes

Dressing:
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper Coating:
1½ English muffins
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon additional pepper
1 tablespoon melted butter
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)

Whisk together dressing ingredients in a low, flat dish suitable for dipping chicken breasts. Process the English muffin halves in food processor until finely ground. Add Parmesan, pepper and butter and pulse two or three times until well blended. Transfer coating mixture to a second low-flat dish. Dip each breast in the dressing, then the coating, covering completely with each. Place on a baking sheet and bake 450F for 15 – 20 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Serving: 300 Cal (26% from Fat); 46 g Protein; 8 g Tot Fat; 4 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 8 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; 222 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 693 mg Sodium; 114 mg Cholesterol, Weight Watchers 6 points

Healthier Red Beans and Rice

2008-08-04T20:13:00.004-04:00

I am so proud of this meal. All the delicious-ness of regular red beans and rice but less fat and calories. I plugged it into sparkrecipes and it came out to around 300 calories and about 7 g of fat per serving, not bad! If you didn't know, I lived in New Orleans for 13 years. And I am a sucker for cajun/creole food. I have a traditional red beans and rice dish in my blog, but I honestly don't think I'll make this dish the traditional way again (not any time soon anyway). In place of white rice I used brown, and instead of the pork smoked sausage I used turkey smoked sausage. I really couldn't tell the difference either. This dish came out so creamy (thanks to mashing the beans a bit) as well as hearty. Perfect for a traditional red beans and rice Monday.

I used my favorite cajun seasonings to spice things up. The dish wouldn't be the same without them.

I'm submitting this recipe to Joelen's (Joelen's Culinary Adventures) Cajun/Nola Eats blogging event. This event focuses on Famous New Orleans Chefs and is also an avenue to remember those who have suffered through Katrina.

Healthier Red Beans and Rice

(makes 6 large servings)

2 cups brown rice

2 cans dark red kedney beans drained and rinsed

1 cup bell pepper (I used orange but any color will do)

1 medium onion finely diced

1 cup diced celery

3 garlic cloves minced

1 Tbs. canola oil

1 bay leaf

1 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley

1 link turkey smoked sausage chopped into half moons

5 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth/stock

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 Tbs (or more to taste) Tony Chachere's creole seasoning

cayenne pepper to taste

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add canola oil. Add onions, peppers and celery (The Cajun Trinity) and saute about 5 minutes. Add sausage and saute about 3 minutes more. Add rice and garlic and stir occaisionally for about 3-5 minutes until rice is toasted. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. When pot comes to a boil reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer 35 minutes. Uncover and mash some of the beans with a potato masher or a large spoon so mixture gets creamy. Cook uncovered for about 10-15 more minutes. Serve with pepper sauce.

Swedish Chicken Meatballs

2008-08-03T21:03:00.005-04:00

So I have been MIA. I have had a lot on my plate lately, so there wasn't much time to blog, or cook for that matter.

Now that things are a bit calmer I had the incredible urge to get back into the kitchen. I'm still on the healthy kick so when I went grocery shopping earlier today I picked up some ground chicken.

I wasn't sure what to do with it though. I thought about burgers but I really wasn't in the mood for them. I don't know what sparked it but I got the idea to make swedish meatballs. I kind of threw this together but it came out great. I served this over ditilini pasta but you can serve this over a pasta shape you like or over rice.

Swedish Chicken Meatballs

Meatballs:

1 lb. ground chicken

2 Tbs. egg substitute (or 1 egg)

1/4 cup whole wheat saltines crushed

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. fresh chopped parsley

Butter spray

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix together with hands. Shape into meatballs. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add butter spray. Add meatballs and brown on all sides. When meatballs are evenly browned on all sides remove from skillet and set aside.

Sauce:

2 Tbs. onion finely chopped

1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms

3 Tbs. Reduced fat sour cream

1 Tbs. canola oil

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

2 Tbs. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 cups reduced sodium/ FF chicken broth

1 Tbs. parsley

Butter spray as needed

Heat canola oil in the same skillet as the meatballs. Add onion and mushrooms and saute 4-5 minutes. Add butter and butter spray and add flour. Stir to make a roux and cook about a minute. Add Broth and scrape bottom of skillet to get up the browned bits. whisk until smooth. Add Sour cream and stir to combine. Add meatballs and parsley and simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Serve over pasta or rice.

Pork Tenderloin with Blueberry Balsamic Reduction

2008-07-08T18:59:00.004-04:00

If I were Rachel Ray I'd probably describe this dish as "Delish" or "Yummo". But because I'm me I'll say it was Freaking Fabulous. The taste of the fresh reduction with the ever so tender pork loin was amazing. This was so simple to do too. The cook time for the pork was about 20 minutes from sear to oven. While it rested I whipped up the reduction and sauteed some squash and zucchini.

The reduction was perfect. I had some blueberries left over from a pastry I made and needed to use up what was left. This was a healthy dinner too, so no worries there.

Pork Loin

1 lb pork loin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

Pam

2 tsp. canola oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Bring pork to room temperature and season. Heat a medium/large skillet over medium heat and add pam and oil. Sear pork on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side, or until it has a nice deep brown color. Transfer pork to oven and cook for about 10 minutes, or until a thermometer read 145. Take out of oven, transfer to a plate and cover with foil. Let rest about 10 minutes.

Bluberry Balsamic Reduction

1/4 cup onions finely chopped

1 garlic clove minced

1/2 cup blueberries

2 tsp. water

1 1/2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 cup low sodium, fat free chicken broth

1 Tbs. red wine

1 Tbs. fresh chopped basil

1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter

Using the same skillet as the pork, add onions and cook about 2 minutes. While onions are cooking add blueberries and water to a microwave safe dish. Cook about a minute and a half. Smash a bit with a spoon. Add garlic to pan and cook a minute more. Add chicken broth and scrape up bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and reduce by 1/2.

Slice pork and spoon sauce over the top.

Calories 258.7
Total Fat 10.7 g
Saturated Fat 3.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat1.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat4.5 g
Cholesterol93.4 mg
Sodium517.3 mg
potassium635.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate5.3 g
Dietary Fiber0.9 g
Sugars0.8 g

Protein32.6 g

Inexpensive Steak Roulades

2008-07-07T18:21:00.007-04:00

Cubed Steak. Probably the cheapest cut in the meat aisle. They were so cheap that I bought 6 of them. I have a stand by recipe for them but I am trying to eat healthy so that option was out. To me, this type of cut tastes best when it is slowly cooked for about an hour or more so that was my intention, but I had no idea what else I was going to do with them.

I had some baby spinach, and low fat provolone in the fridge so I got the idea to stuff and roll them. I wanted to make it similar to a Bracciole, minus a few ingredients.

After pounding the steaks to flatten

I stuffed them and rolled. At first I put toothpicks to secure but I realized that they were pretty much staying secure without them. I dusted them with flour, seared on all sides and then added low sodium beef broth. I covered and let them simmer for an hour. When I took them out I saw the cheese sort of oozed out a bit, but oh well. (maybe I should have left the toothpicks in!) I simmered the sauce a bit to thicken and served it over the orzo I prepared as a side.

I am pleased how this recipe came out for 3 reasons. 1.) The meat is SO cheap! 2.) It tasted out of this world! 3.) It is HEALTHY! Woot!

Inexpensive Steak Roulades

(feeds 4-6)

6 cubed steaks flattened between plastic wrap

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 onion sliced

1 Tbs. canola oil

about 5 sprays of pam

1 can low sodium beef broth

Filling:

1 1/2 cups baby spinach chopped

1/2 cup whole wheat crackers crumbled

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

1 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley

1/4 cup low sodium beef broth (from can)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

preheat oven to 350.

Bring meat to room temperature and season with the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, and onion powder. lay one piece of provolone cheese on top. Add about a Tbs. of the filling. Roll up and secure with toothpicks. dust with flour.

Heat a large skillet over med. heat and add oil and butter spray. Sear meat on all sides

and add onions and remaining beef broth. Cover and put in oven for 45 minutes to an hour.

Calories 224.5
Total Fat 8.5 g
Saturated Fat 2.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat1.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat3.6 g
Cholesterol56.8 mg
Sodium587.0 mg
Potassium 514.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 9.5 g
Dietary Fiber 1.5 g
Sugars 0.2 g
Protein 26.8 g

Israeli Couscous Summer Salad

2008-07-06T13:06:00.005-04:00

Along with the tart below, I made this salad to bring to the BBQ. This salad screams summer. Crisp veggies in a light and tangy vinaigrette, combined with pasta made it difficult to stop eating it. This was meatless, but by adding chicken you have a complete meal.

Israeli Couscous Summer Salad

1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous cooked in chicken broth

1 cucumber chopped

1 cup yellow, green or red bell pepper chopped

1 cup grape tomatoes halved (or quartered)

4 cups baby spinach coarsely chopped

1 cup crumbled feta

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

2 Tbs. fresh parsley chopped

2 Tbs. fresh basil chopped

Dressing (I have no amounts as I added and tasted as I went)

balsamic vinegar

cider vinegar

olive oil

Dijon mustard

salt

pepper

onion powder

garlic powder

Add all salad ingredients in bowl and mix to combine. Pour dressing over the salad and chill for 30 minutes.

Zucchini and Summer Squash Tart

2008-07-06T12:30:00.004-04:00

Chad and I were invited to a friends house for the 4th. I needed to bring a dish but I didn't want to bring something predictable like potato salad or baked beans (I was sure that would already be there). I came across this recipe and it looked super simple and delicious.

I modified the recipe a bit by adding prosciutto and zucchini but generally stuck to the directions. This tart was so easy and pretty quick to make, and goodness it tasted wonderful!

The best part was I didn't have to bring the empty dish home since I used a store bought aluminum pie pan.

The possibilities are endless with this tart recipe so use your favorite veggies in place of the zucchini and squash if you wish. You could also make this in a rectangular dish and cut into squares to make them bite sized.

Zucchini and Summer Squash Tart

(Southern Living Magazine)

1 (8-ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 cup butter or margarine ( I omitted and used olive oil and butter spray)

1 1/2 pounds yellow squash (about 4 cups), thinly sliced*

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed ( I minced)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 large eggs

1/4 cup milk

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese ( I used 2% Italian blend)

*** I added a 1/2 cup of shopped prosciutto***

Unroll crescent rolls; press dough on bottom and up sides of a 10-inch tart pan, pressing to seal perforations.
Bake at 375° for 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Gently press crust down with a wooden spoon. Spread crust with mustard, and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 3 Tbs. olive oil and butter spray. Put onions in skillet and saute a couple minutes. Add zucchini, squash and prosciutto and saute about 5 More minutes. Add garlic and saute about a minute more. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and next 5 ingredients.
Whisk together eggs and milk in a large bowl; stir in cheese and vegetable mixture. Pour over crust.
Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Garnish, if desired.
*1 1/2 pounds zucchini may be substituted for yellow squash.

Meatloaf- The Healthy Kind

2008-07-01T18:38:00.006-04:00

As I was making the menu for the week for my grocery trip Chad had mentioned he wouldn't mind some meatloaf. Not a typical meal for 90 degree weather, I like to think as meatloaf as a fall/winter type of meal. Happy he was suggesting something, I wrote down meatloaf. I remembered a meatloaf recipe I made from Cooks Illustrated earlier this year (during meatloaf season) and decided to use that recipe. When I looked at the ingredients (2 lbs of meat for 2!) I decided I would have to modify the recipe to make it fit for just us, and also to use a different meat, turkey.

I omitted a few things, to make it lighter and when I put my ingredients into my trusted recipe calculator, I found what I was looking for. A healthy kind of meatloaf.

The gelatin remained in the recipe, as I like my loaf to be slice-able, and not falling apart. I reduced the amount of sugar and ketchup in the glaze to make it less fattening.

The end result was fantastic. I couldn't even tell I was eating turkey. This healthy eating isn't so bad after all.

Turkey Meatloaf

(Modified from CI)

1 lb. ground turkey

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

2 garlic cloves minced

1 Tbs. fresh basil chopped

1 Tbs. fresh parsley chopped

6 whole wheat saltines crushed fine

2 Tbs. egg beaters or other egg substitute

2 Tsp. lite soy sauce

1/4 cup 2 % mozzarella chopped fine ( I just used shredded and chopped it with my knife)

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. unflavored gelatin

2 Tbs. low sodium, fat free chicken broth

Glaze:

2 1/2 Tbs. ketchup (low fat would be great but didn't have any)

1 Tbs. cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. ground coriander

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. cover a broiler pan or a cookie cooling rack with two layers of foil and punch holes in it so fat can drain. Then put pan or rack in another pan to catch drips and prevent your oven from smoking you out of the house.

2. Add meat to a medium sized bowl and add all ingredients except gelatin and broth.

3. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid and let stand 5 minutes. After 5 minutes add the gelatin to the ground meat; mix gently with hands until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Transfer meat to foil rectangle and shape into an oval about 2 inches high. Bake 35 to 45 minutes. Remove meat loaf from oven and turn on broiler.

4. While meat loaf cooks, combine ingredients for glaze in small saucepan; bring to simmer over medium low heat and cook, stirring, until thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Spread half of glaze evenly over cooked meat loaf with rubber spatula; place under broiler and cook until glaze bubbles and begins to brown at edges, about 3-5 minutes. Let rest 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Serves 4

Calories 277.4

Total Fat 13.9 g
Saturated Fat 4.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.9 g
Cholesterol 89.9 mg
Sodium 665.7 mg
Potassium 356.1 mg

Total Carbohydrate10.2 g
Dietary Fiber1.4 g
Sugar 2.4 g
Protein 27.0 g

Healthier Potato Soup

2008-06-30T16:33:00.005-04:00

Chad and I love potato soup. The loaded baked potato kind with all the pieces of salty bacon, gooey cheese, and creamy potatoes. However, we don't like all the fat and calories assiciated with it. So I decided to Dr. up and old favorite and make it healthier. After using the recipe calculator in SparkRecipes, I achieved my goal! I ended up pureeing this with my immersion blender to thicken, but that step is up to you. I like how I got a bite of everything on my spoon, plus it thickened it up a bit. This soup is fairly easy and can be quick if the potatoes are prebaked.

Healthier Potato Soup

4 medium sized potatoes baked, skins removed and diced small

4 cups reduced fat milk

2 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth

1/2 Tbs. canola oil

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/2 cup onions diced small

2 garlic cloves minced

1 1/2 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley

1 1/2 fresh chopped basil

2 Tbs. flour

4 pieces turkey bacon cooked and crumbled

3/4 cup 2 % cheddar cheese

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. ground (or fresh ground) nutmeg

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add oil and butter. Add onions and saute until soft. Add garlic, parsley, and basil and saute about 2-3 minutes longer. Add flour and stir until it is a paste, continue to whisk for about a minute. Add milk to pot in a slow stream and whisk vigorously until flour is incorporated. Add chicken stock and the rest of the ingredients except sour cream and cheese and bring to a slow simmer. Continue to simmer about 10 minutes and take off heat. Stir in cheese and sour cream. At this point you can use the immersion blender to puree to thicken, or smash the potatoes up a bit instead.

Serves 6

Calories 216.5
Total Fat 9.8 g
Saturated Fat 4.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.7 g
Cholesterol 24.8 mg
Sodium 237.8 mg

Potassium 409.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate 24.2 g

Dietary Fiber 1.8 g
Sugars 0.2 g

Protein 8.5 g

Daring Baker's: Danish Braid

2008-06-29T14:37:00.008-04:00

I was so excited to tackle this month's Daring Baker's challenge because I looooove flaky pastries! I don't know why I didn't tackle it sooner than last week though. I guess with me having the summer off, I get a bit lazy.

Reading through the recipe, I was nervous. I've never even heard of a laminated dough before! With all the turns, and rests, and turns, and rests, I was pretty intimidated.Luckily, Ben and Kelly provided some footage from Beatrice Ojakangas w/ Julia Childs, and another showing how to turn the dough. They were a wonderful resource and put my fears of making this pastry at bay.

While sitting on the couch one evening I started to concoct some filling ideas out loud. Chad heard this and said "Why can't you just make plain old apple?". Hmmm, there was a suggested apple filling I thought, and agreed that I would use that and make "plain old apple".

Once I got started, it was really easy to do, just a bit time consuming.

Other Daring Baker's had some problems with the butter block oozing out, but thank Jesus, my rolling went smoothly.

I decided to divide the dough into three and make 2 braids, and pinwheels for the last third. I ended up omitting the zest and orange juice from the recipe since I planned on making savory pastries

My first braid, I did the apple, the second I made a blueberry-strawberry compote, and topped that with Dorie's basic pastry cream.

I wasn't the best at the braiding, but it still came out beautiful!

I filled the pinwheels with spinach, finely chopped crimini mushrooms, prosciutto, sauteed onion, garlic, Parmesan, finely chopped mozzarella, nutmeg and pepper.

I love how these turned out, they are perfect for an appetizer or just a little bite.

DANISH DOUGH

Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough

Ingredients

For the dough (Detrempe)

1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1/2 cup whole milk

1/3 cup sugar

Zest of 1 orange, finely grated

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped

2 large eggs, chilled

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage)

1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

DOUGH

Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed. Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice. Mix well. Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.Without a standing mixer: Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk. Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix well. Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain. Make sure that the “walls” of your fountain are thick and even. Pour the liquid in the middle of the fountain. With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges. When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes. You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.

BUTTER BLOCK

1. Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.

2. After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

4. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

DANISH BRAID

Makes enough for 2 large braids

Ingredients

1 recipe Danish Dough (see below)

2 cups apple filling, jam, or preserves (see below)

For the egg wash: 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.

2. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.

3. Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Egg Wash

Whisk together the whole egg and yolk in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.

Proofing and Baking

1. Spray cooking oil (Pam…) onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.

2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.

3. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature. The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

APPLE FILLING

Makes enough for two braids

Ingredients (I halved this recipe)

4 Fuji or other apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch pieces

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Toss all ingredients except butter in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until slightly nutty in color, about 6 - 8 minutes. Then add the apple mixture and sauté until apples are softened and caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes. If you’ve chosen Fujis, the apples will be caramelized, but have still retained their shape. Pour the cooked apples onto a baking sheet to cool completely before forming the braid. (If making ahead, cool to room temperature, seal, and refrigerate.) They will cool faster when spread in a thin layer over the surface of the sheet. After they have cooled, the filling can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Left over filling can be used as an ice cream topping, for muffins, cheesecake, or other pastries.

This was a very fun and great learning experience for me, Thank you Kelly and Ben!

Make sure you head over to the Daring Baker's blogroll and see the other members wonderful danish braids.

Slow and Low Pulled Pork

2008-06-26T23:15:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago I bought a Boston butt, or, pork shoulder, if you will. I have meant to make a pulled pork probably every other day (bad me for no menu planning!)

The night before last was the night. I finally decided (remembered) that I had the pork, and it needed to be slow cooked. I seasoned it heavily, chilled, let come to room temp seared, and then roasted slow and low covered in the oven.

I contemplated using the slow cooker, but since I was to be at home that afternoon, I made the decision to oven roast.

Wow! The flavor was so delicious, and smoky (thanks to my liquid smoke). I know some poo-poo the idea of liquid smoke, but I am not able to grill so I had to get that flavor somewhere!

It wasn't a time friendly recipe, so if you plan to make this, do it when you have a half a day with nothing to do!

Pulled Pork

Rub ingredinets:

1 3lb. pork butt (boston butt; actually the shoulder)

2 1/2 Tbs. chili powder

1 1/2 Tbs. cumin

2 Tbs. smoky paprika

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. cayenne powder (or less if you don't like spicy)

1 Tbs. brown sugar

1 Tbs. coarse salt

1 Tbs. pepper

2 tsp. liquid smoke

2 Tbs. canola oil (for searing)

Add all above ingredinets into a small bowl and stir to combine.

Pour rub over pork and rub it all over. top, bottom, sides, etc.

Put in fridge for 2 hours.

Take pork out and let come to room temp. Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a baking pan with foil.

Heat a large skillet over med. heat. Add the canola oil and let it heat up. Sear pork on all sides until brown (in my case it got a little black, but honestly it didn't matter. It still tasted phenomenal)

Put pork in foil lined pan and cover tightly with foil.

Put in oven and cook for one hour. lower heat to 325 and cook an additional 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Take out of oven and let rest (cool a bit) then shred with two forks.

Serve with a homemade bbq sauce, or use a store bought like I did.

I only dipped though, there was already tremendous flavor from the pork on it's own. : )

Chicken Kafta with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

2008-06-24T21:25:00.005-04:00

Traditionally, Kafta is made with ground lamb (or a mixture of beef and lamb). In an effort to continue my healthy cooking habits I decided to use ground chicken. Kafta is either grilled on a bbq, or simmered in a sauce. I did neither. I decided to make use of the broiler on my oven, and it worked wonderful. The kafta is very simple, and doesn't use many ingredients. You wouldn't know it though because the flavor is so intense. I made a cool cucumber sauce with some left over yogurt, a little mint and cucumbers to serve on top (or just dip into). The sauce complimented the kafta well, I'm glad I made it (it was a last minute decision).

This was the first time I used ground chicken and I am really happy how the kafta turned out. I don't think I want to go back to red meat, it was that good!

Chicken Kafta

1 lb ground chicken

1/4 cup grated onion

2 tbs. fresh chopped parsley

2 tsp. ground coriander

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. olive oil

1.5 Tbs. bread crumbs (I used this because the grated onion made the meat rather wet)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to broil

Mix all ingredients together and shape into oblong patties. Lightly oil an oven safe grill pan and arrange the patties on top. put in broiler and cook for about 5-6 minutes each side. (the temp may vary so keep an eye on them.)

Serve with a simple puree of cucumber, mint, and yogurt.

This is how I enjoyed mine, but they are just as good alone.

Arnabeet Mekleh- Pan Fried Cauliflower

2008-06-24T21:16:00.003-04:00

This simple dish makes me think of my Giddy (grandpa) back in MI. He makes this often, and usually has a plate of it on his table to munch on. It is a popular dish in Lebanon, and I can see why. All you need are 3 ingredients; the cauliflower, some oil, and a pinch of salt. I swear I could have eaten the entire head tonight, but I was good and shared with Chad.

Pan Fried Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower chopped into florets

2 Tbs. olive oil plus extra in a spray bottle to squirt

pinch of salt

Heat medium sized skillet over medium heat and add oil. Add cauliflower and salt and cook until browned and caramelized. Enjoy!

Turkey Cutlets with Provancal Sauce

2008-06-23T21:19:00.003-04:00

I am loving the Cooking Light website lately. In an effort to eat healthier, I have been bookmarking recipes on this site left and right. So many recipes make it hard to choose. I bookmarked this recipe last week and I planned to use it with the chicken I bought but forgot all about it until I had already prepared our dinner that night. Tonight I needed a recipe for a couple of thick turkey breast cutlets I had. I remembered this recipe and decided to use it. It was simple and oh, so flavorful. One of those lick the pan sauces, my favorite! The only modification I made to the recipe was to add shallots to the sauce, other than that I followed it to the letter.

TURKEY with Provencal Sauce

(Cooking Light)

Ingredients
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves ( I used 2 turkey cutlet sliced in half to make thinner)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons dried herbes de Provence

1 teaspoon butter

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.
Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth and herbes de Provence; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until broth mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat; add butter and lemon juice, stirring until butter melts. Serve sauce over chicken. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 2 tablespoons sauce)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 248(30% from fat); FAT 8.2g (sat 1.8g,mono 4.5g,poly 1g); IRON 1.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 101mg; CALCIUM 32mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1g; SODIUM 376mg; PROTEIN 40.2g; FIBER 0.3g

Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison ,
write PublicationAppearance,Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005

Broccoli and Cheese Polenta

2008-06-23T21:01:00.003-04:00

I'm all about the side dishes lately. I get so sick of eating the same ones over and over, so I've been trying to come up with some unique, but healthy new one.

Tonight I needed a side to go with the Turkey with Provencal sauce above. I didn't want it to be to busy since the sauce going on the turky was pretty intense in flavor.

I decided to do a simple polenta. But I wanted to add some kind of vegetable, so I used the box of frozen chopped broccoli I had in the freezer.

This was simple, tasted wonderful, and was quick to prepare and best of all after putting the ingredients into the Sparkpeople Recipe Calculator, it looks as though (makes 6 servings) there is about 137 calories, and only 3.4 g of fat per serving.

Broccoli Cheese Polenta

1 cup corn meal

3 cups chicken broth (fat free, low sodium)

1 box frozen broccoli thawed (I thawed in the microwave)

1 tsp butter

2 tsp. olive oil

1/4 cup 2 % shredded mozzarella

2 Tbs. grated parmesan

salt and pepper

Heat a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat. Add chicken broth and let it come to a boil. In a steady stream, add the polenta whisking the entire time. Keep whisking until smooth. Let cook about 15 minutes and add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Cook about 5-8 minutes longer and serve.

Curried Rice Salad

2008-06-23T20:36:00.004-04:00

I made this side dish to bring to a going away tiki party. A couple of my friends (coworkers) will be moving to brazil for a teaching opportunity. I am so VERY jealous of these girls, but I am also so happy for them. I can only imagine all that they are going to experience, and hopefully I will be able to visit one day. I'm going to miss them!

I was unsure what to bring to the party, because I knew it was going to be outside, and I was sure all the normal potato salads, etc. were covered. I sort of threw this recipe together and was quite happy with it. The spiciness of the curry, with the cool yogurt and sweet raisins made this a great (and healthy, yay!) dish to bring to an outdoor party.

This recipe could probably make 15-20 servings (maybe even more) so feel free to scale it to your preference.

Curried Rice Salad

2 Cups Basmati rice

2 Tbs. canola oil

4 1/4 cups chicken stock (I used homemade)

1 1/2 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onion

1 1/2 cup diced carrots

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup sliced unsalted toasted almonds

1 cup rasins (any type will do, I think golden would be nice but I used regular)

1 1/2 cup fat free yogurt

2 Tbs. curry powder (or to your taste)

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. garam marsala

salt and pepper

Heat a large sauce pan over med. heat and add canola oil. Add onions and saute until they are transluscent. Add rice and toast about 2-4 minutes. Add stock bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat and cook for 20-25 minutes. When rice is almost fully cooked add peas and stir. Let peas cook through (a couple minutes) and take pot off burner. Transfer rice to a fine mesh colander and rinse under cold water until rice is slightly cold. Shake out excess water and transfer to a large bowl.

In a seperate bowl, add yogurt and spices. Mix together well and add to rice. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and chill up to an hour.

Northern Bean Soup with Turkey Smoked Sausage

2008-06-18T18:38:00.006-04:00

Tonight I was in the mood for something simple yet hearty and healthy. For some reason I have been on a bean kick. I have had some sort of beans the past 4 days. No big deal since beans are healthy, I just find it funny that every meal has to incorperate some sort of legume.

I came up with this soup, which was really quick and easy to make. I even entered all the ingredients into Sparkpeople and it turns out it is pretty darn healthy, and under 500 calories! I know it is summer, and this soup is more fall or winter-ish, but I'm a soup freak. I could eat it every day. Unless it is a cold soup, like gazpacho. We had a discussion about cold soups on my message board (The Nest) and most of the ladies agree that soup should be served hot. I have nothing against those who enjoy a cold soup, but I can't get over the, well, coldness of it.

Northern Bean Soup with Turkey Smoked Sausage

7 oz. Louis Rich smoked sausage chopped ( one link)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

3 garlic cloves minced

2 cans northern beans rinsed and drained

1 1/4 cup pearl barley

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. salt

3 tsp. pepper

2 bay leaves

2 Tsp. canola oil

7 cups chicken stock

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Add canola oil and saute pepper, onion and celery until onion gets soft. Add garlic, sausage, bayleaf, oregano, salt and pepper. Saute about 4-6 minutes. Add barley and toast about 1-2 minutes. Add chicken stock and bring contents of the pot to a boil. Add beans, lower to a simmer and cook 20-30 minutes or until barley is cooked. Using an immersion blender, blend soup about 15 seconds to thicken. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 408.2
Total Fat 7.2 g
Saturated Fat 1.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.0 g
Cholesterol 19.5 mg
Sodium 775.7 mg
Potassium 864.0 mg

Total Carbohydrate 65.5 g

Dietary Fiber 14.2 g
Sugars 5.0 g
Protein 21.9 g

Beef Tamales

2008-06-17T22:04:00.004-04:00

Keeping with the theme of eating healthy (and mexican, lol) I made beef tamales. I have never made tamales before and they were on my "to make" list, so when I saw a Cooking Light recipe for them I decided to give them a try. I have to admit, they were a bit time consuming (because of the cook time for the beef, and then the steaming) but I didn't care. I was making these. I couldn't believe the nutritional info, so little fat and calories, in a serving size of two tamales that meant I could have 3, lol! Unfortunately, 2 were plenty. They are pretty filling. I made slight variations to the original recipe only because I didn't read it well. Oh well, I doubt they would effect the nutritional value little, if any. I made a super easy red chili sauce to accompany the tamales. The sauce lent a wonderful flavor to them I'm so happy I decided to make it.

Chad had never had tamales before and wasn't sure how to eat them. After a little Tamale 101, he understood. : )

I am really happy that these turned out so well. Next time I'm sure to use left over beef or pork instead of braising, and then steaming in the same day. That took about 2 1/2 hours. Definitely not a weeknight meal unless some of the work is done ahead of time.

Beef Tamales

(Cooking Light)

Filling:

Cooking spray

1 1/2 cups chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 pound beef stew meat

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground dried red New Mexico chile

16 large dried cornhusks

Dough:

3 cups masa harina

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter, melted

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth

1 cup water

Remaining ingredients: 16 long thin strips dried cornhusk ,1 cup Red Chile Sauce (optional)

My Red Chili Sauce:

1 8oz. can tomato sauce

1 1/2 Tbs. Chili powder

1 Tbs. cumin

1 tsp. sugar

dash of salt and pepper

Mix all together in sauce pan and simmer 5 minutes.

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare filling, heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until onion is tender. Add beef; sauté 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Stir in 1 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring mixture to a boil. Cover and bake 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender.
Transfer beef to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour drippings into a glass measure. Add enough water to drippings to equal 1 cup. Wipe pan with paper towels.

Shred beef into bite-sized pieces. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Return beef to pan; sprinkle with flour. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in ground chile; stir in drippings mixture. Reduce heat, and cook 7 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring often. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.
Place whole cornhusks in a large bowl; cover with water. Weight husks down with a can; soak 30 minutes. Drain husks.

To prepare dough, combine masa and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add butter and oil; stir well. Add broth and 1 cup water; stir until a soft dough forms.

Working with one husk at a time, place about 1/4 cup masa dough in the center of the husk; press dough into a 4 x 3-inch rectangle. Spoon about 2 tablespoons beef mixture down one side of the dough. Using the corn husk as your guide, roll tamale up, jelly-roll style; fold bottom ends of the husk under. Tie 1 corn husk strip around tamale to secure; stand upright in a vegetable steamer. Repeat procedure with the remaining whole corn husks, masa dough, beef mixture, and corn husk strips.

Steam tamales, covered, 50 minutes, or until the dough is firm. Remove tamales from vegetable steamer; let stand 5 minutes. Serve with Red Chile Sauce, if desired.

(Take a look at my make shift steamer!)

8 servings (serving size: 2 tamales)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 145(27% from fat); FAT 4.3g (sat 1.4g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.9g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; CALCIUM 49mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.9g; SODIUM 268mg; PROTEIN 7.9g; FIBER 2.2g