Sushi and Chocolate

New Website :)

2006-12-10T16:41:00.001-08:00

www.adamandmonika.com

I am still working on moving all the old recipes to the new site, but I've added a few new one that you might like. Let me know if you like or do not like the new format.

Thanks!
Monika

Happy December!

2006-12-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

As an early Christmas present to myself, I've purchased a MacBook. Now, I know you are wondering how this has anything to do with food, but I assure you that you will benefit from it. Be prepared for some major website changes to Sushi & Chocolate!

Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

2006-11-23T09:02:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and this was the description:

"These cookies are the pinnacle of perfection! If you want a big, fat, chewy cookie like the kind you see at bakeries and specialty shops, then these are the cookies for you!"

How could I not make these cookies? They turned out absolutely wonderful with the perfect consistency - crispy on the edges and chewy in the middle. (On a side note: I love that you don't have to soften butter with these so when you need cookies in a flash these are perfect and will wow your guest because they are so gigantic!)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or line with silpat pan. Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Coronation Chicken

2006-11-18T20:03:00.000-08:00

We love Indian food and this is a great 'at home' version for those nights when you are craving curry. Okay, I know Adam is the only one in the world who craves curry, but this is a good dish nonetheless.

2 tbls extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbls curry powder
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbls tomato paste
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbls mango chutney
1 1/2 cups mayo
3 tbls cream
1/4 cup green onions, chopped

Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the chopped onion, cover and fry gently for 5 minutes until the onion is soft. Stir in the curry powder and cook for a further 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, tomatoe, lemon, and chutney. Stir until boiling, and then cook for 5 minutes until the mixture reduces and thickens. Allow to cool and stir in mayo and cream.

Add chicken and stir to coat. Serve on a large platter with basmati rice, garnish with green onions. A side of Naan would be nice too.

Key Lime Cheesecake

2006-11-12T19:27:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving meal is sometimes a challenge. That's why I like to use the beginning of November to start experimenting with new recipes. I've never made a cheesecake so this was somewhat of a challenge to me. (I never knew how much equipment it takes to make a cheesecake!)

I found this recipe in last month's Bon Appetite and am pleased I saved it in my cooking file. The tartness of the key lime pudding is a great pairing for the creamy and sweet insides of the cheesecake.

Lime custard:
6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons Key lime juice

Crust
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons fresh Key lime juice
1 16-ounce container sour cream

For lime custard:
Whisk all ingredients in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until custard thickens and boils for 30 seconds, about 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (mixture will thicken).

For crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap 3 layers of foil around outside of 8- to 8 1/2-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Butter pan. Stir first 3 ingredients to blend in medium bowl. Mix in butter until moistened. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of prepared pan. Bake just until set, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:
Place cream cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, eggs, lime juice, and lime peel in processor; blend well. Spoon custard into crust; smooth top. Carefully spoon filling over. Set cheesecake in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to baking pan to come 1 inch up sides of cheesecake pan. Bake until almost set but not puffed and center moves slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir sour cream and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl to blend.Carefully spoon sour cream mixture over hot cheesecake; smooth top. Bake until topping sets, about 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen. Cool cheesecake completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Chicken Salad with Bacon & Blue Cheese

2006-11-11T17:43:00.000-08:00

A classic chicken salad recipe with tangy twist. Enjoy this meal with a tall glass of iced cold lemonade.

Combine in a large bowl:

2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2/3 cups chopped celery (if you don't like celery then put in 1 cup grapes halved)
4 oz creamy blue cheese
1/3 cup light mayo
1/3 cup ranch dressing
6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

Refridgerate for about 30 minutes. Serve atop ritz crackers or a loaf of crusty French bread. I made this chicken salad with fresh chicken, but you could easily substitute canned chicken or one of those roast whole chickens you can buy at the grocery store.

Adam's Comments: "I gotta say. Chicken Salad Sandwich - perfect."

BBQ Meatloaf

2006-11-05T17:27:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know I am an avid runner and this weekend I ran my third half-marathon. One of the great things about running is the weekend before races you are supposed to do nothing but sit around and rest your legs. It's a great excuse to get caught up on TV. And what better show to catch up on then Paula Deen's Home Cooking. If anyone knows how to make homestyle, mouth watering meals it is Paula.

The moment I saw this meatloaf episode I immediately added it to my weekly menu.

One word : YUUUUUUUUUUMMMMM!

(P.S. - For those that care, I had a personal best at this half marathon with a time of 2:13:19. I plan to do my first full marathon in April.)

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup bread crumbs (I used Italian Style)
1 onion, diced
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce (I used an Italian one from Heinz)
6 tablespoons vinegar
6 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together the beef, bread crumbs, onion, egg, salt, pepper, and the tomato sauce. Form this mixture into a loaf and place it in a shallow pan. Stir together the vinegar, sugar, mustard, Worcestershire and water (if too thick). Pour this sauce over the meatloaf. Bake for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes with the pan juices.

Adam's Comment: "Best Meat Loaf Ever." More moist and more flavorful than any meat loaf I've ever tasted. It's very yummy. The gravy is awesome."

Chunkolatenutterbutter Cookies

2006-10-29T18:49:00.000-08:00

This is a treasured recipe of mine that I feel needs to be passed down to my readers before the holiday season is upon us. I can't remember how I came across this recipe, but it is one of the few recipes that's managed to stay in my collection of special occasion cookies because it never disappoints.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (or 1 tsp kosher salt, which is what I use)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulate sugar and peanut butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. (Seriously folks, wait until it is creamy). Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in morsels and peanuts.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Press dough down slightly to flatten into 2-inch circles. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still soft.

Cool on baking sheets 4 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Adam's Comments: They are really good. Definitely unique.

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

2006-10-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

Garlic. Cheddar. Chicken. How could I not make this recipe? I got this recipe from a wonderful set of girls who love to spend their days swapping recipes. With all the talk, this chicken recipe gave me high expectations for how delish this dish would be. I must admit that it did not disappoint. It's a great recipe to throw together in a flash and I bet everyone in your family will love it.

1/2 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and cook the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.

In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, pepper, and salt.

Dip each chicken breast in the garlic butter to coat, then press into the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with any remaining butter and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture.

Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Adam's Comments : "It's Yummy. It's cheesetacular."

Pumpkin Pasta with Mushrooms

2006-10-19T06:44:00.000-07:00

Do you love pasta but are sick and tired of the same boring sauce? Get ready to throw a curve ball to your tastebuds with this unique dish. As a side dish or a veggie meal, this recipe is perfect for the month of October.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried sage (you can use fresh chopped sage too)
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound pasta, cooked to al dente (I made whole wheat pasta)
Cheese of choice (I used sharp cheddar)

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender. Add the mushrooms.

Next add sage and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Reduce heat and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and fresh sage leaves if desired.

Supercake!

2006-10-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

In honor of my super husband finishing his MBA degree, I spent this afternoon taking my first attempt and a "decorated" cake. I think I did pretty good for my first try! :)

I used the Mmmonika's Chocolate Cake recipe and a butter cream icing.

Morning Coffee

2006-10-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

The recipe that most people ask me for isn't some fancy dessert or labor intensive meal. It actually is something that takes less that 5 minutes to prepare and I have daily. It's my world famous (okay, maybe only famous to me) coffee.

I've been drinking coffee since 3rd grade and I can't ever see starting my day without it. There is something about a nice rich cup of strong coffee that calms me down after my frantic morning routine, yet energizes me with a positive pick up and go to start my day.

3 Heaping Tablespoons Starbucks Verona Coffee, ground
12 oz water
2-3 Tablespoons coffee-mate fat-free hazelnut or french vanilla creamer

Special Equipment : Hamilton Beach Stay N Go coffee machine & No. 4 Coffee Filter

Fill up Stay N Go Cup with water (leave a little bit of room for the creamer).
Pour the water into the water reservoir.
Place the #4 coffee filter into the appropriate location on the coffee machine.
Fill filter up with coffee grinds
Press the button twice to start coffee machine (you can program the machine to start at a certain time, but I never use that functionality)
Once the red light goes off add creamer, stir, and enjoy.

If you want to drink coffee just like me, then wait 10 minutes before drinking you coffee. Making my coffee is normally the last thing I do before leaving my house in the morning. I take the cup of coffee with me for my 10 minute commute and then drink it when I get to my desk in the morning and prepare for the day's activities.

Chicken with Figs and Gnocchi

2006-10-12T19:37:00.000-07:00

If the last recipe with anchovies didn't scare you away from this blog, then you must be a true foodie. And any foodie would love this recipe. Packed with a broad array of textures and flavors, I was impressed with how complex and comforting this chicken was.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 pound thick-cut pancetta, chopped
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts and thighs, cut into large chunks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
All-purpose flour for dipping
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
14 to 16 dried Mission figs, quartered (cut the tops tiny tops off too)
1 1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
One 12- to 16-ounce package fresh or frozen store-bought gnocchi
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped chives (10 chives)

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and the pancetta. Cook the pancetta for 5 to 6 minutes to brown and crisp it, then remove with a slotted spoon and reserve. Place a large pot of water on the stove to boil.

Season the chicken chunks with salt and pepper and dredge in a little flour. Reheat the skillet, add the chicken and brown over high heat for a few minutes on each side to brown, then scoot the meat to the edges of the pan and add the onion, garlic and figs. Cook for 5 minutes , then mix the chicken chunks into the onion and figs. Add the wine to the pan and cook it down for 5 minutes or so, until about 1/3 cup remains. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice and thyme, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the chicken another 10 minutes, while you prepare the gnocchi.

Salt the boiling water and add the gnocchi; cook according to the package directions, then drain. Re-heat the gnocchi pan over medium-low heat. Melt the butter and cook until the butter is browned. Add the gnocchi to the browned butter. Raise the heat to medium-high and lightly brown the gnocchi. Season the gnocchi with salt, pepper and the nutmeg, turning the gnocchi to coat. Add the chives, toss the gnocchi and remove from the heat.

Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. If you would like a little more sauce, add 1/2 cup of broth to the pan. Mound the chicken and figs in shallow bowls and pile the gnocchi on top of the chicken in the center of the bowls. Garnish with the crisp pancetta sticks and serve.

Red Snapper in Crazy Water

2006-10-12T19:19:00.000-07:00

Add a little excitement to your typical weekday menu by making a red snapper dish! I mainly by the wild caught Australian Red snapper, but I am sure whatever your grocery carries will be just as good. The fish tastes most and buttery in this meal and the broth is absolutely delicious. Oh, and don't be scared by the anchovies, when you melt them they take on a completely different flavor - trust me .

2 pounds red snapper fillet with skin, cut into 3-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 jar flat anchovy fillets
3/4 cup white wine
3 tablespoons capers
1 quart chicken stock

Season fish pieces with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes, garlic and anchovies. Melt anchovies into oil. Add snapper, skin side down and crisp the skin. Turn and brown the fish in oil 3 minutes. Add wine and deglaze the pan (lift up drippings) then add capers and scallions and stir in chicken stock. Stir the stew gently so you do not break up the fish. Bring the broth to a simmer and cook another 3 to 5 minutes to combine flavors.

Serve fish in shallow bowls with plenty of broth and some crusty bread. We didn't have any so we used Crostinis from Central Market (mini-breadsticks).

This is another adaptation for a RR recipe. (Yes, I am still her biggest fan!)

Cheese Cookies

2006-10-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

Every year as the holidays approach, my friends host these fantastic cookie exchange parties. Each person brings a few dozen of their favorite cookie and the recipe to share and by doing so, you get to take home everyone's different cookies and the recipes. It's a great way to get everyone in the holiday baking spirit!

Tonight 22 of my closest cookie-lover friends got together for some cookies, wine, and good times. I choose cheese cookies for two reason.

1. I love cheese. (I mean come on, who doesn't??)
2. I wanted a cookie that would stand out among all the sugar treats.

These savory cookies are perfect to pair with a glass of wine! My family especially loves these around the holidays because they make incredibly tasty make ahead appetizer for those unexpected holiday visitors.

2 sticks butter, softened
8 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons cayenne (use ½ tsp if you want less heat)
2 cups flour
2 cups rice krispies

Cream butter and cheese until well blended. Add flour and mix well. Add other ingredients.

Roll into little balls and flatten to disc shapes. Bake at 350Â° for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Store in an airtight container 1 week.

Curried Chicken Salad with Taro Chips

2006-10-02T18:20:00.000-07:00

If your household is anything like mine, it is very rare that the entire family is ready to eat at the exact same time - especially on the weekends. So what is a foodie supposed to do?? My perfect go-to meal on weekends like these has always been chicken salad. You can dress it up with a nice side veggie and serve on some sourdough bread or eat a few bites right out of the bowl.

The below recipe is really just an approximation. I don't typically measure my ingredients and just go by the taste alone, but so many people have asked for this recipe that it's about time I write it down.

1/3 c. mayo
2 tsp curry (I think I used 3 this last batch)
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp cumin
pinch cayenne
1 c. diced cooked chicken
3 tbsp raisins
2 tbsp minced celery
1 tbsp minced shallot
salt & pepper
1 bag Taro chips

In a small bowl mix may, curry, mustard, lemon juice, cumin and cayenne. In a medium bowl combine chicken, raisins, celery, shallot and curry dressing. Toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I know this isn't the best picture, but I wanted you all to see what Taro chips were.

Shrimp Pasta

2006-09-25T19:12:00.000-07:00

This is a 'tried and true' recipe from my personal collection. I was given this recipe by a friend and it's been in my rotation ever since. It's a great we're-sick-of-beef-and-chicken-so-give-us-something-a-little-different recipe. The best part is I always have most of these ingredients on hand so it makes a great last minute meal.

The hardest part to making this meal is peeling and deveining the shrimp. If at all possible, buy the shrimp already "prepared". It will save you about 20 minutes.

2 1/2 ounces olive oil
32 large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons diced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons diced shallots
1/2 cup tomato, diced
16 artichoke hearts, quartered
1 cup thinly sliced portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 cup white wine
4 cups cream

Heat saute pan over high heat. Add olive oil and shrimp, and saute until they are about 1/2 cooked, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and shallots and saute until they are golden brown. Add tomatoes, artichokes, mushrooms, and green onion. Remove from the heat and carefully add the wine. Return to the pan and cook until the white wine is reduced by 1/2. Add the cream and let sauce reduce for 2 minutes or until sauce thickens. Serve over pasta of your choice.

Crab & Bacon Chowder

2006-09-24T17:36:00.000-07:00

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 slices of bacon, chopped
2 pounds red potatoes, cut into ½-inch dice
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup cream
5 cups milk (I used skim)
12 ounces imitation crabmeat
3 tablespoons thyme, 3 palmfuls
2 tablespoon cajun seasoning, (I used the one from Penseys)

Put a medium pot over medium high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and the bacon and cook until the bacon is crisp, about 6 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Pour off a little of the bacon fat, leaving a thin, even layer. (I was lazy and decided to leave ALL the bacon fat) Add the potatoes, onion, celery, and bell pepper season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the milk and cream, cover the pot and bring to a simmer.

Uncover the pot, stir in the crabmeat and seasonings and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes, until the potatoes are just fork-tender and the soup has thickened.

Serve immediately and top with the chopped bacon!

Maple Pecan Shallot Butter on Sweet Potatoes

2006-09-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

Mmmmmmm. Butter. Not much else I should say...

Butter:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 shallots, peeled and minced
1/4 cup pecans, chopped & toasted
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoon thyme

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium low heat. Add the shallots and cook until well browned and slightly crips, about 8 minutes. Set them aside to cool.

In a small bowl, combine the remaning butter with the shallots, pecans (I toasted mine for about 2 minutes), syrup, thyme, and salt. Blend together with a spoon or fork until the ingredients are evenly incorporated. Set aside for at least 1 hour at room temperature. If you are not going to use this within a few hours, cover and refrigerate.

Potatoes:
3 sweet potatoes

Preheat oven to 425. Lay the potatoes on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet and bake until flesh is very tender when pierced with a fork, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Last Minute Enchiladas

2006-09-14T19:12:00.000-07:00

Some how, despite my meticulous menu planning, I left off a meal for tonight. I came home from work and realized it about 8pm when my lovely husband told me that he was hungry. I was a little taken aback because I thought there should be plenty of food in the fridge. To my dismay, there was nothing in the fridge that Adam would eat (because we all know he's not going to eat my organic homemade yogurt!).

So, I fumbled around my fridge and pantry for a moment and found what I initially considered to be "something to tie you over while you are doing homework so stop asking me for food" meal. As I made this meal, I realized that the smell of this canned soup reminded me of my childhood when my family would get together for some classic mexican meals. The dish ended up to be super quick and super easy AND it was all made in one pot! For a last minute and virtually effortless meal, this was a perfect choice.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken (I used chicken tenders because that is what I had in the freezer)
1 can Campbells Condensed Creamy Chicken Verde Soup
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. garlic powder
6 corn tortillas, cut into strips (it was all I had left in the house, you could easily use flour)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Cube chicken. In a pan at medium high heat, saute until cooked through. Set heat to lowest setting and mix in water, soup, and tortillas. Pour chicken mixture in 2-qt. shallow baking dish.

Top with cheese and bake 350 degrees for 25 min.

Yeehaw Pies

2006-09-11T19:17:00.000-07:00

One taste of these ginormous cookies and they jumped into my (and Adam's) top five favorite cookies. This retro cookie will become a regular in my cookie baking rotation!

This makes about 14 sandwiches.

The Yee
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I used butter flavored crisco)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Cream shortening with sugar. Add vanilla, egg and milk. Sift cocoa, flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and add to creamed mixture. Drop by spoonful on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 12 minutes. Cool.

And the haw:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 to 2 cups of Marshmallow Fluff
1 tsp. vanilla

Whip shortening with sugar until smooth. Blend in fluff and vanilla. Go through the baked cookies searching for similar shapes and pair them up. Spread filling onto the flat side of one cookie, then place second cookie on top, making a sandwich.

Slow Roasting Pot Roast

2006-09-10T09:00:00.001-07:00

I love Sundays! They are my favorite days of the week because I have so much time to cook. This was one of the first weekends in a long time that I had NOTHING planned on Friday, Saturday, OR Sunday. It was wonderful.

When you have a lot of time on Sunday or have a bunch of laundry that you MUST get done, a slow cooking roast is one of the best things to do. You're gonna be at the house all day, so you might as well put that oven to use.

This was a easy roast to make and I think most people will have the majority of the ingredients in their house. Slow roasting makes the meat so tender that I didn't even need a knife to serve it!

3.5 pound beef sirloin roast (I got a nice cut of meat from Central Market)
1 bunch of celery, chopped
1 pound of baby carrots
1 clove garlic, minced
1 package dry brown gravy mix
4 tablespoons water
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
10 oz Coca-Cola

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place meat in a roasting pan - (I always let my meat sit out of the fridge for 10 minutes to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan). Sprinkle carrots & celery around roast.

In a large bowl, combine the gravy & water and mix into a smooth paste. Add soups, cola, and garlic and mix well. Pour over roast.

Cover, and cook 1 hour in the preheated oven. Reduce oven temperature to 225 degrees and continue cooking for 2 hours. Remove from oven and turn roast over to cover the other side with gravy. Cover pan, and return to oven for another 2 hours.

Remove from oven and let meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Salmon en Croute

2006-09-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

A dish fit for entertaining! Suprise your dinner guests with an impressive golden brown gift waiting for them on the table. When they cut inside, they will be impressed with the soft pink and green colors and aroma of the buttery cajun spice.

1 tbsp oil
2 cups fresh baby spinach
salt and pepper, to taste
1 egg
1 pkg frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 pound skinless salmon fillet

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and 1 tbsp of water. Cover and let the spinach steam until wilted (about 2 minutes). When cool enough to handle, squeeze any excess water from spinach. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl beat egg with 1 tbsp water. Unfold 1 sheet of pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll into 14 x 14 inch square and and put spinach in the center of the pastry and top with salmon. Season with salt and pepper. Brush edges with egg mixture. Fold each corner to center on top of salmon and seal edges securely. Place seam side down on baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Lower temperature after first 20 minutes to 300 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes.

Cajun Sauce:
1/2 c. butter
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cajun seasoning (I used Pensey's Spice blend)
3 egg yolks

Melt butter, lemon juice, and cajun seasoning in the microwave for 2 minutes or until mixture is almost boiling. Place 3 egg yolks in the blender. Cover and blend for 10 seconds. Through the opening in the lid, and with blender on high speed, gradually add butter mixture. Blend about 30 seconds more or until thick and fluffy, stopping to scrape sides as needed. Serve immediately.

Fruit Pebble Cupcakes

2006-08-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

I can vividly remember the day I made rice krispie treats for the first time. I was in 7th grade home education class and burned the butter on the stove. I was so embarrassed that MY krispies were the ONLY ones in the entire class that were a major flop.

If my teacher could see me now...

I have a feeling these sugar snacks would get an A+! If the frutiy pebbles don't give you enough energy, the frosting certainly will! These are perfect for those nights when you forgot you were supposed to bring in dessert for your children's class for your husband's co-workers - they took less than 10 minutes to make!

PS - I think Adam actually drooled when he saw these! :) Many thanks to my awesome cousin, Erica, for the recipe!

1/2 stick butter
1 pkg. mini-marshmallows
1 pkg. Fruity Pebbles
1 can vanilla frosting

Microwave butter in a 4 qt. container for 45 seconds. Add marshmallows and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir. Add cereal. Mix. Press into greased muffin pans to form cupcakes (I used a 9x13 pan and pressed down with wax paper). Cool. Remove from pans and spread with frosting.

Adam's Comment : "It's so sweet, I can see through time." said as he finishes his SECOND helping in less than 4 minutes.

Garlic Cream Chicken

2006-08-28T16:59:00.000-07:00

Tired of the same ole chicken recipes? Need something quick and easy to spice up an ordinary weekday dinner? Just add garlic! When you cook with garlic it fills the entire house up with a delicious smell that will make everyone's mouth water and when it's sauted in butter and oil it takes on a mild sweet flavor while holding on to the traditional garlic taste.

3 whole heads garlic (about 40 garlic cloves)
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt & Fresh ground pepper
3 tablespoons salted butter
3 tablespoons EVOO
1 1/2 c. white wine
2 Tbls dried thyme
2 Tbls flour
2/3 c. heavy cream

Drop the cloves of garlic into a pot of boiling water. Wait for about 60 seconds, then drain and peel. Set aside the cloves. Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper, and heat the butter and oil in a large deep pan over medium high heat. Saute the chicken until nicely browned (about 5 minutes per side). When done, transfer to a plate.

Next add all the garlic cloves to the pan. Lower the heat to medium and saute for 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add wine and bring to a boil. Scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return chicken to the pot and sprinkle thyme over the top of each chicken breast. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes.

Remove chicken to a platter and cover with foil. In a small bowl, whisk together flower and 1/2 c. of the sauce and then whisk it back to the rest of the sauce. Raise the heat to medium-high, add cream and boil for about 3 minutes. Pour sauce over the chicken and serve.

Warner Chicken

2006-08-27T15:38:00.000-07:00

Our good friends, Erin and Andy, gave us this recipe for our wedding cookbook. The original name is Chicken N Stuff, but I've renamed it Warner Chicken in honor of them.

This dish is rich and flavorful and SO easy to make! I love that I always have all of the ingredients on hand so this will be a great last minute meal in our house.

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
4-6 slices swiss cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups pepperidge farm herb stuffing mix
1/2 cup butter, melted

Place uncooked chicken in casserole dish. Place cheese slices over each piece of chicken. Dilute soup with wine; heat soup 30 seconds in the microwave. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle stuffing all over; drizzle butter over the stuffing. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Leek-y Chicken

2006-08-20T08:31:00.000-07:00

There is one vegetable that I buy everything I go to the grocery store - LEEKS! I buy them for two reasons. They are a versatile veggie that can be added to any dish and I love going through the check out line and having to explain to the cashier what a leek is.

Leeks have a mild onion or scallion flavor so if you like those, you'll probably love leeks. This dish is a great starter dish for those of you who've never cooked with leeks before! So what are you waiting for? Go to the store today and buy some leeks!!

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium leeks
1 cup dry white wine (I used the Target boxed white wine)
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1-2 tablespoons corn starch

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO, butter, and garlic. Saute garlic for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over.

While the chicken works, trim the tough tops (the green part) and root ends from the leeks. Cut the remaining white and tender green parts in half lengthwise, then cut the leeks into 1-inch half-moons. Place the leeks in a colander and run cold water over them. Separate the layers to release the dirt and grit. Rinse the leeks well, then drain.

Stir the leeks into the chicken and wilt for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and cream, cook down by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add corn starch and let simmer for about 5 minutes. The leeks should be tender, with some bright green color, and the chicken should be cooked through.

I served this dish over a bed of creamy red pepper rissoto.

Adam's Comments : "Tangy but not flagrant. Creamy but not too rich. Just very flavorful without being obnoxious. You could eat a lot of this every day and it will still be good"

Monika's Comments : "Leeks still remaing at the top of my favorite veggie list. I freaking LOVE them. I can't believe people go their whole life without using these to cook. This dish has a big flavor with very little ingredients."

Comments Back On...

2006-08-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

One of my faithful readers let me know that something has been wrong with the comment section of my blog. Apparently the comments were being sent to the email of my maiden name. The issue should be resolved now. :)

Jan's Rum Cake

2006-08-16T18:07:00.000-07:00

When Jan first told me about this cake, I must admit, I didn't believe all the hype. She told me that she brought this cake to a pot-luck and within minutes the entire rum cake was gone (even though there were plenty of desserts left on the tables)! So of course, I had to try this cake and send it to Adam's co-workers for their case of the Mondays.

While it was baking it filled the entire house up with this rich buttery rum flavor. After it came out of the oven I had to have a piece (okay, I had two) because the flavor was to intriguing. The cake was warm, gooey, rich, buttery, crunchy, & moist. It melts in your mouth - I must admit that this cake is spectacular! Adam took the cake to work and received multiple emails from his co-workers that were upset that they missed "the best cake ever".

If you want to be a hit at the next party, make this cake. Seriously.

For Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup rum
4 eggs
1 box vanilla pudding

For Icing:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup rum
1 stick butter
Pecans

Mix cake ingredients bake for 55 minutes at 325 degrees in a floured pan sprinkled with pecans. Boil sugar and water for 3 minutes. Add rum and butter. When you take out of the oven, pour over cake while hot.

Tator-Tot Casserole V2

2006-08-15T18:59:00.000-07:00

This deserved a Version 2 because Adam said this just jumped up a few notches on the proverbial scale and I agree. The meat is moist and tender and the extra can of soup makes the whole dish taste as though it's covered in cheese!

*changes have been italicized*

1 pound hamburger
1 cup french onions (I used the cheddar ones. See pic below)
1 can green beans, drained
2 can cream of chicken soup
1 bag frozen tater tots
Salt & Pepper

Spray 3 qt casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread hamburger into dish, covering entire bottom. Top with onions & green beans. Season with salt & pepper. Spread cream of chicken soup over the bean layer then top with tater tots. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Spaghetti Dinner with Tiramisu

2006-08-14T14:07:00.000-07:00

Sunday cook day!!! Today also marked the start of my 12 week 1/2 marathon training. What a better way to start the training than a nice meal of complex carbs!! (Spaghetti Dish was an adaptation of a RR recipe).

Spaghetti Dish -
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
2 small to medium yellow onion, 1 grated and 1 finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped, divided
1 egg
1/2 to 2/3 cup Italian bread crumbs, a couple of overflowing handfuls
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons chopped sage leaves, 4 to 6 sprigs
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 pound pancetta, chopped
12 baby portobello caps, chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine, eyeball it
1 cup beef stock
1 (28-ounce), can crushed tomatoes, San Marzano if available

Preheat 400 degrees F. Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil.
Mix meat with the grated onion, 3 cloves chopped garlic, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, nutmeg, capers, sage, and a healthy drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Mix meat, score the meat into 4 sections and make 3 very large balls from each section. Arrange the 12 balls on a nonstick cookie sheet and roast 15 minutes until firm but not hard.

Drop spaghetti in salted boiling water to cook off. Drain.

Add another tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet and the pancetta. Cook 3 to 4 minutes then add the remaining garlic and mushrooms to the pan and cook 5 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add remaining chopped onion and deglaze the pan with wine, cook off 1 minute, add in stock and whisk up remaining drippings. Stir in the tomatoes and season sauce with salt and pepper, if necessary. Simmer 5 minutes.

Tiramisu-
1 pkg. (2.8 oz.) Dark Chocolate NESTLÉ EUROPEAN STYLE Mousse Mix
2/3 cup milk
1 pkg. (8 oz.) mascarpone cheese
1 cup strong-brewed coffee or espresso, cooled to room temperature
1-2 pkgs. (3 to 3.5 oz. each) ladyfingers, divided
Shaved or grated chocolate
2 cups whipped cream

Prepare mousse mix according to steps 1 and 2 of package directions using 2/3 cup milk. Fold mascarpone cheese into prepared mousse.

Line bottom of 8-inch-square baking dish with half of ladyfingers; drizzle with half of coffee mixture. Spoon half of mousse mixture over ladyfingers; top with remaining ladyfingers. Drizzle with remaining coffee mixture. Spoon remaining mousse mixture over ladyfingers. Sprinkle with
chocolate. Refrigerate for 2 hours and then top with whipped cream before serving.

Seared Tuna with Chipotle Cream Sauce & Wasabi Potatoes

2006-07-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

Who says you can't have a high quality meal at home for under $30 & under 30 minutes? This flavor fusion meal was a breeze to make and would fool any foodie into thinking you slaved away all day in the kitchen.

Wasabi Potatoes
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (about 5 or 6 small Yukon Gold potaotes)
Salt
1/3 cup cream
2 tablespoons wasabi paste (I bought the powder and made my own)
½ cup green onions, chopped

Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, salt the potatoes and cook until tender, 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and add them back to the hot pot. Smash the potatoes with a masher to desired consistency with the cream and wasabi. Adjust salt, to taste. Stir in green onions.

Pan Seared Tuna with Chipotle Cream Sauce
6 6-ounce tuna steaks, each about 1 inch thick
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled chipotle peppers
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 portabella mushroom cap, sliced
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Lime wedges (optional)

Preheat oven to 200°F.

Sprinkle 1 side of tuna steaks with pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Place tuna steaks, pepper side down, in hot oil and sear 2 minutes. Turn tuna over and continue cooking to desired doneness, about 2 minutes for rare. Transfer tuna to rimmed baking sheet; keep warm in oven.

Add butter, sliced green onions, and chopped garlic to same skillet and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in mushrooms and soy sauce and simmer 30 seconds. Add whipping cream and simmer until sauce lightly coats back of spoon, about 3 minutes. Stir in lime juice and chipotles. Spoon sauce onto plates; arrange tuna atop sauce. Garnish with lime wedges.

Adam's Comment: "It's spicy and not spicy. It's kinda rich and then it's not rich. I don't know...It's just really good"

Cheesecake Brownies

2006-07-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

Brownie Base:
1 cup butter
2 cup white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Cheesecake filling:
4 8-oz packages of cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sour cream
3 eggs
2 squares baking chocolate, melted & cooled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 13x9 pan with foil so you can easily lift the brownies from the pan to cut later on. Spray foil with cooking spray.

In a saucepan, melt 1 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 2/3 cup cocoa, 1 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sugar, and remaining vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Pour over partiall-baked brownie batter. (Filling will come almost to the top of the pan).

Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or spatula around the rim of the pan to lossen cake; cool. Refigerate 4 hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Drizzle with chocolate if desired.

"Not" Fried Rice

2006-07-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

The main reason sushi (or any Asian food for that matter) will always remain at the top of my food favorites list is because I can not make a better version of it at home. Although, now that I have all these new & wonderful wedding presents my 'at home' versions might just keep my from ever going to a restaurant again! Okay, maybe not, but this version of fried rice, made with my new rice maker, was good enough to fool me.

I love the fact that this quick and healthy version of fried rice didn't make me feel like I had a grease brick in my stomach and I also enjoyed knowing that all the veggies were fresh and hand chopped (with my new knifes, of course).

1 tsp sesame oil
6 oz chicken tender, cut into strips (I used my new scale to measure out 6 oz)
16 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, cut in half lengthwise
2 tbls soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 oz Canadian bacon or ham, chopped
1/4 c. onion, chopped
1/4 c. carrot, chopped
2 tbls mushrooms, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 1/2 c. basmati rice
3 1/3 c. low sodium chicken stock
2/3 c. frozen peas, thawed
1/2 c. red bell pepper, julienned
4 green onions, chopped
1 c. bean sprouts

Lightly coat the steaming tray with cooking spray. Place chicken in a small dish and drizzle with half the sesame oil; stir to coat. Place in the steamer tray to one side in a single layer. Repeat with shrimp. Reserve.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and pepper. Stir until sugar dessolves; reserve.

Insert the rice cooking bowl into the Cuisinart rice cooker. Add the oil; cover and turn on for 1 minute. Add the Canadian bacon, chopped onions, carrot, mushroom, and garlic. Stri to coat with oil. Cover and cook 4 to 5 minutes, place the steaming tray over the rice cooking bowl and cover. Conitnue to cook until rice cooker switches to "warm". Using potholders, lift off steaming tray. Add the peas, red pepper and green onions to the rice cooking bowl on top of the rice - do not stir. Replace the steaming tray on the top of the rice cooking bowl and cover. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer the rice to a medium bowl, along with the steamed chicken and shrimp and bean sprouts. Drizzle the soy mixture over the rice and stir to combine.

Spinach, Artichoke, & Chicken Dish

2006-07-13T20:18:00.000-07:00

After a wonderful & relaxing HONEYMOON, Sushi AND Chocolate are back into action! With a brand new casserole dishes, new appliances and fancy china, I just had to make something. I have been busy with writing thank-you notes, doing laundry, and organizing the wedding photos so I haven't had a lot of time to hit the grocery store. But like a true foodie, I did manage to have some standard staples in the house.

Tonights dish was intended to be a repeat but, halfway through the process I realized I was missing 4 major ingredients. So I started to wing it. I played with lots of flavors and then ended up making a standard appetizer dish (Spinach & Artichoke Dip) into a healthy meal. By reducing the amount of cheese and adding some meat, this dish will satisfy a plethora of craving!

Enjoy!

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (I actually used strips)
1 package, 10 oz, frozen chopped spinach
3 Tbls butter
2 portabella mushroom caps, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 package feta, crumbled

Saute butter, mushroom, garlic, and shallot over medium for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper taste. Add chicken strips to pan and brown chicken. While chicken is cooking, defrost spinach in the microwave. Transfer spinach to a kitchen towel. Twist towel around spinach and wring it out until very dry. Transfer to medium bowl. Add ricotta cheese to bowl. Stir to combine. Transfer cheese mixture to your skillet and combine with the chicken mixture. Continue to cook for at least three minutes (or until chicken is cooked).

Spray a large casserole dish with nonstick spray and then transfer mixture to dish and press down with the back of a wooden spoon. Sprinkle casserole with feta cheese. Cook for 15 minutes in a 400 degree preheated oven.

Adam's Greek Feast

2006-06-24T19:56:00.000-07:00

Yum.

Tonight Adam made dinner.

He decided to make Greek food. Here is the run-down of what he made; first, let me warn you that he almost never follow recipes. Everything below is an approximation, and he typically just add ingredients to taste.

Tzatziki

Many of you may have referred to this in the past as “that white sauce on my gyro.” It’s fairly ubiquitous for Greek food in general, though. Here’s how Adam made it:

1 overflowing cup of plain yogurt
¾ of a cucumber, skinned then chopped
3 finely chopped garlic cloves
1 tablespoon of pre-chopped garlic cloves (surprise, surprise – I got sick of chopping them manually)
7 or 8 shakes of onion salt
A drizzle of olive oil

Mix the above together well. Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors mesh.

Greek Salad:

Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Fresh lemon juice
Honey
Feta cheese
Whatever greens you like
Salt/pepper to taste

In a bowl, mix together oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. I think the golden ratio is somewhere along the lines of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil, but I typically do half and half. The half vinegar, in this case, is about 25% fresh squeezed lemon juice and 75% balsamic vinegar. Add a drizzle of honey (the secret ingredient) plus salt and pepper. Blend well, toss in the fridge for a few minutes to let the flavors settle. Afterward, obtain whatever greens you want and mix with feta by hand so that everything is blended well.

Keftedes

These are Greek meatballs, similar in shape to the meatballs you’re used to, but the flavor is more exotic.

Ground Beef/Pork
Bread Crumbs
1 Egg
Mint
Garlic (I returned to manual chopping since the flavor is so much more intense)
1 Onion

You can use all pork, all beef, or whatever other ground meat you want, but I like the flavor of ground round mixed with breakfast sausage (Owens, regular). Tonight I used 1 lb. beef and 0.5 lb sausage. Add the egg, about ¼ cup bread crumbs, at least a tablespoon of freshly chopped mint (I had to use dried tonight, which simulates the effect but doesn’t quite hit it), tons of garlic, and a finely chopped onion (whatever type you like). Mix well by hand and form into balls slightly smaller than a racquetball (there’s a shout-out to Costa, my friend who provides inspiration for Greek feasts, and who I can totally conquer at racquetball). In a large pan at medium heat, place the balls into a layer of olive oil that’s not thick, but which completely covers the pan.

Now, the important part: EAT!

Chocolate Truffle Cookies

2006-06-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

These cookies have quite a reputation and have been given many nicknames over the years...

Heroin cookies
the best cookies ever
Chocolate crack
OMG-I-think-I-Am-In-Heaven cookies

I don't think any more words are needed to describe these, but I will say that I enjoy this cookie with a glass of red wine over milk...

4 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, divided -or-
1 cup regular chips (for melting) and 1 cup mini chips (for in cookies)
1/3 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Melt unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup of chocolate chips, and butter in the microwave. Cool for 10 minutes. In a mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs for 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and chocolate mixture. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Beat into chocolate mixture. Stir in remaining chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Remove about 1 cup of dough. With lightly floured hands, roll into 1” balls. Please on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly puffed and set. Cool on pan for 3-4 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Cappuccino Frosting

2006-06-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

Q: How does a group of tired engineers get through the morning staff meeting?
A: Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Cappuccino Frosting!

I made these cupcakes partially because I have to make up training meeting and partially because its a meeting with my old team. I know my former boss is a huge coffee lover so I thought these would be the perfect thing for the AM meeting.

Yum! Are these cupcakes awesome! But then again, how in the world could something with chocolate AND coffee be bad? Enjoy!

Cupcakes:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup sour cream

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-sized muffin.

2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

4. Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogenous and thick.

5. Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

6. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

Frosting:

10 tablespoons butter , softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream

In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners' sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl. Dissolve instant espresso in vanilla and cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Chicken with Sun dried Tomato Cream Sauce

2006-06-13T19:58:00.000-07:00

Mmm...if you like the tomatoe bisque from La Madeline, then you will love this dish! The sun dried tomatoes give it a nice sweet/tangy flavor which pairs well with the basil. I would pair this with some nice crusty french bread.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pound chicken)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic gloves, minced
¼ cup drained sun dried tomatoes, patted dry and coarsely chopped
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ cup white wine (I used yellow tail)
¾ cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy cram
¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil (I used that basil paste from Target..worked just as good)

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat (should be hot, but not smoking), then brown chicken, turning once, about 6 minutes on each side (Chicken will NOT be cooked through). Transfer with tongs to a plate.

Add garlic, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes to skillet and saute, stirring, until garlic is pale golden (about one minute). Add wine and boil, stirring and scrapping up brown bits, until reduced by at least half (about one minute). Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, cover.

Cut up chicken into nice bite size pieces and then add chicken to the skillet, simmer until cooked through (about 5 minutes). Transfer chicken to a platter and keep warm, loosely cover with foil.

Stir cream and basil into the skillet and bring to a simmer. Transfer the sauce to a deep heatproof bowl and puree with a blender. (I just poured mine into the Kitchen Aid Blender and pureed from there. Make sure to get some of the tomaotes in the blender.) Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve sauce over chicken!

Adam's Comments: It has kind of a tangy-ness to the cream sauce that makes it really unique. Good stuff.

Daddy's Meatloaf

2006-06-12T18:26:00.000-07:00

My dad was sick for about 5 years before he passed away and during that time he was on a low sodium, low fat diet. Now he was never one to want to be on a diet, but he raved over this dish when I made it for him.

I got this recipe from one of his renal patient cookbooks and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. (Now, Adam and I add ketchup to it and it makes not-so-low-sodium, but either way it was a nice moist & flavorful meatloaf.)

1 ½ pound ground beef
½ cup unsalted saltine crackers, crushed
2 eggs, beaten
1 can (8oz) low sodium tomato sauce
¼ cup onion, chopped
2 Tbsp hatch chiles, chopped
1 tsp thyme leaves, crushed
1 tsp marjoram leaves, crushed
1 tsp salt (optional - won't be very low sodium if you do this)

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. In a prepared loaf pan, press mixture firmly into pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Lasagna

2006-06-05T20:21:00.000-07:00

I don't normally make lasagna because it's a dish that I leave up to my mom. But, I had company coming over and needed something quick and easy. I found this recipe on Epicurious and couldn't pass it up.

It was Excellent--restaurant quality! It was pretty easy to make (especially because I have a super nice food processor). We paired it with a spinach & carrot salad that was topped with fresh raspberries & blackberries.

Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion (do not drain)

Preparation
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper and sauté until meat is cooked through, mashing beef into small pieces with back of fork, about 10 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with juices. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled.)

Filling
11/2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
1 15-ounce container plus 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups (packed) grated mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Using on/off turns, chop fresh basil leaves finely in processor. Add ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Using on/off turns, process filling until just blended and texture is still chunky.

Assembly
12 no-boil lasagna noodles from one 8-ounce package
3 cups (packed) grated mozzarella cheese (about 12 ounces)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
Nonstick olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread 1 1/4 cups sauce in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles on sauce. Drop 1 1/2 cups filling over noodles, then spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering of sauce, noodles, filling and cheeses 2 more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles. Spoon remaining sauce atop noodles. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Spray large piece of foil with nonstick olive oil spray. Cover lasagna with foil, sprayed side down.

Bake lasagna 40 minutes. Carefully uncover. Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Bake until noodles are tender, sauce bubbles thickly and edges of lasagna are golden and puffed, about 20 minutes. Transfer to work surface; let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Tomatillo Cream Chicken Enchiladas

2006-05-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

My sombrero is off to Heather, who is a retro domestic goddess herself! She was generous enough to share this delish recipe! Let's hope we get some more goodies from her.

Tomatillos are NOT members of the tomato family like many believe. Instead, they are related to gooseberries! Their flavor actually resembles that of a tart apple with a hint of lemon. It's pleasant. It's clean. If you've never cooked with a tomatillo, I highly recommend it.

3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
1 (8 oz) pkg. Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
24 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Tomatillo Cream Sauce (recipe follows)
1 (8 oz) pkg. Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend, shredded
Sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease two 13x9x2-inch baking dishes. In a large bowl, combine chicken and next 8 ingredients. Spoon 2 Tbsp. of chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Fold sides over, enclosing filling. Place filled tortillas, in a single layer, seam side down, in prepared baking dishes. Spoon Tomatillo Cream Sauce evenly over enchiladas. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.

Tomatillo Cream SauceMakes 5 cups
8 fresh tomatillos
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt1 cup heavy whipping cream

In a large skillet, combine tomatillos, broth, chilies, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat.Pour mixture into container of an electric blender or food processor. Pulse mixture several times until smooth. Return mixture to skillet; stir in cream, and cook 2 minutes on low.

Sloppy Joes

2006-05-29T20:33:00.000-07:00

I got home from work rather late and all I had in the fridge was some hamburger meat. So to save a trip to the store and to use up some ingredients we had laying around the house, I managed to whip up a yummy version of sloppy joes.

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbls lemon juice
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbls mustard

Brown ground beef in large pan and drain off fat. Stir in onion soup mix, simmer for a few minutes. Add other ingredients, simmer and serve on hamburger buns.

THE cake

2006-05-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

The recipe below I didn't exactly find, it was given to my a few years back by Adam's mom, Joy. Every year for Adam's birthday his mom would make THE cake and all of his friends would gather around the table and relish in the cake of myth and legend. The bottom of the cake forms a nice dense crust while the inside remains moist, gooey, and sweet. It is delish by itself, but I prefer to top it with raspberries and a dab of powdered sugar.

Get out a 13x9x2 pan and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees (it using a glass pan, which I don’t recommend, use 325 degrees).

1 (2-layer size) package yellow cake mix (I use only Pillsbury’s pudding-included type)
4 eggs
1 stick butter (1/2 cup), melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar

Mix one slightly beaten egg with dry cake mix and butter to a moist dough consistency. Grease the pan and press mixture evenly in it.

Soften cream cheese (nowadays not really necessary) and beat in electric mixer with remaining (3) eggs and vanilla until creamy. Beat in powdered sugar gradually and beat until smooth; this takes several minutes. Pour over crust. Bake 35-40 minutes. Watch carefully so base doesn’t get too brown. The cheese mixture sinks into the center somewhat leaving a firmer crust around the edges. Cut in squares to serve.

Adam and his friends enjoy this cake best after it's cooled for a few hours and then put in the fridge to "set". I think it tastes fine either way.

Chicken Catalina

2006-05-09T20:34:00.000-07:00

I took a picture of this, but some how I ended up formatting my camera and lost the pics :(

I apologize in advance.

We usually prepare the night before and refridgerate overnight. Then it's an quick and easy dinner when you get home.

8 oz bottle catalina salad dressing
1 envelop dry onion soup mix
8 oz apricot preserves
2 pounds chicken (cut into chunks)
2 cups rice
3-3 1/2 cups water

Mix dressing, onion soup, preserves, water and chicken in a large bowl. Pour rice into greased 9x13 baking dish and top with chicken mixture. Bake covered for about 1 hour. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more.

NOTE: I was a little shy on the water and it was a huge mistake. *I* like my rice fluffy and wish I had put in closer to 4 cups of water, but I know that some people like their rice a little more sturdy.

Becky's Banana Bread

2006-05-06T07:34:00.000-07:00

This was one of the recipes we recieved for our wedding cookbook. It comes from my mom's dear friend, Becky.

3 ripe medium bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Transfer to a prepared pan. Bake until top is golden brown and splits slightly, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Serve warm.

DO NOT DOUBLE RECIPE.

Mince & Potatoes

2006-04-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

This is a North Eastern dish that my mom made a lot for me when I was growing up. I couldn't get enough of the dish then and I still can't get enough of it now. It's a savory & flavorful dish that I am sure you will be sharing with your family.

2 lbs hamburger (mince)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tsp Marmite (or 1/2 cube beef stock)
Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp HP Sauce
1/2 boiling water

Brown mince over high heat stiring to break up. Add the onion and marmite. Season with salt and pepper. Add boiling water and stir well. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Add a good shake (about 1/2 ounce) worcestershire sauce. Add HP sauce. Check for taste.

Serve piping hot with over mashed potatoes. (I made my mashed potatoes with cream cheese, butter, and chicken stock..yum!)

Chicken Piccata

2006-04-21T20:13:00.000-07:00

I do my best to not eat a ton of carbs in the evening unless of course I have a race the next morning. When I do have to run I always have a filling meal with lots of protien and carbohydrates. Hey, give your body what it needs, right!?

Tomorrow, one of my friends, Julie, and I are going to be running in her first 5K ever! To help celebrate the event I had her over for a pre 5K meal. On the menu was blue cheese stuffed olives, cheesey garlic bread, angel hair pasta with a lemon-butter chicken piccata - a meal fit for a champion!

3/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
2 pounds, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup chicken stock
4 tbsp capers, drained
1 tsp sage
3 tbsp butter

In a shallow bowl, combine flour salt and pepper. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.

In a large frying pan over medium high heat, warm 3 tbsp olive oil. Add the chicken, 2 or 3 pieces at a time, and cook, turing ONLY once, until browned and opaque throughout, about 7 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and cook loosely with foil. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

In the same pan over medium high heat, warm the remaining olive oil. Add the shallots and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the wine to cook, stiring with a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits from the pan, reduce (about 3 minutes). Add the lemon juice, stock, butter, and capers. Cook 4 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Parmesan Chicken

2006-04-18T19:08:00.000-07:00

Talk about quick and easy! I had everything in my fridge AND it was preped and ready to go in 25 mintues! To top it all off the chicken turned out fantabulous! It's cheesy, it's crispy, it's creamy all at the same time.

Please pause for a moment of drool.

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used reduced fat - trust me, you wont miss the fat)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

Combine mayo and cheese in a bowl. Pour bread crumbs on a sepearate plate. Cover the chicken breasts in the mayo and cheese and then roll each breast into the bread crumbs, covering completely. Place in a small lightly greased casserole dish. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

note : I placed the chicken in the dish the way I took it out of the package (ie, I didn't open the breasts and lay them flat) I ended up having to cook the chicken for 35 minutes. If you open the breasts I think the 20 minutes will be just perfect.

One last note : I am serious with the light mayo part. Try it and if you don't like it let me know and I'll change the recipe...I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Tater Tot Casserole

2006-04-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

Everyone has that one dish that was a staple in their childhood. For me it was casseroles. My mom always made fantastic casseroles and thus started my fascination with quick and easy meals. This dish is just that and fairly good for you since it regulates the amount of tater-tots you can eat!

1 pound hamburger
3/4 cup (1 bunch) green onion, chopped
1 can green beans, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 bag frozen tater tots

Spray 3 qt casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread hamburger into dish, covering entire bottom. Top with onions & green beans. (I seasoned with Garlic Salt for taste). Spread cream of mushroom soup over the bean layer then top with tater tots. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Lemon Meltaways

2006-04-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

I first tried this recipe about a year ago in a Thursday staff meeting. One of my fantabulous coworkers, Erin, (who also happens to be a fantastic cook) brought in some goodies to keep us awake :). I vividly remember these cookies because it was so refresing to get a cookie without chocolate (every now and then, of course!).

Cookies:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch

Frosting:
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1-3 drops yellow food coloring if desired

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in lemon juice. Combine the flour and cornstarch. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Shape into two 8 inch rolls. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm. Unwrap and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove to wire racks to cool. For frosting, combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Frost cooled cookies. Makes about 5 dozen cookies, or 2-1/2 dozen sandwich cookies.

Fluffernutter

2006-04-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

Ahh..the goodness that is marshallow fluff! Because sometimes you just have to eat dinner like a true adult!

2 slices of bread
1/8 cup marshmallow fluff
1/8 cup peanut butter (I used White Chocolate Wonderful)

Using a knife, spread a generous layer of peanut butter on one slice of bread.

Clean the knife and then repeat with a layer of marshmallow fluff.

Put the two pieces of bread together with the peanut butter and fluff sides facing one another. Cut the sandwhich at a diagonal for easier eating!

I LOVE these. They are especially tasty with a tall glass of milk!

Indian Curry

2006-04-12T20:24:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to the Clay Pit with a friend. And although it was delish, it was WAY to expensive for my blood. So what was the next best thing? Make it at home! In my opinion this is a mild curry flavor. If you want to make it spicier, increase the amount of chili and curry.

2 tsp mustard seeds, crushed
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
3 tsp curry powder
1 can diced tomatoe, drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground red chili pepper
2 tsp salt
1 pound cubed chicken
1 can light coconut milk

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard & cumin seeds. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Combine the tomatoes and oil with the seeds. Cook about 1 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in remaning spices and add chicken. Cook for about 8 minutes. Stir in coconut milk. Simmer over low heat for around 10 minutes.

Serve hot, spooned over warm basmati rice. (We actually used a mexican pasta instead and it was just as good - just not authentic).

This recipe is low-cal & high in protien - about 219 calories & 29 grams of protien per 3/4 cup!

Adam's thoughts: "I like me some curry. Lots of flavor, but not overly rich. It's kinda hard to describe curry chicken. You either like it or you dont. It tastes like curry...which is yummy!"

Monika's thoughts: "Uh, yeah..this is a MUCH better option than the clay pit! I also like it because I can control the spiciness. I'm no Indian food expert, but this sure fooled my taste buds. I am going to take this to lunch tomorrow!".

Plantain Pie with Cheese

2006-04-09T19:47:00.000-07:00

Part of my new years resolution was to eat one new fruit or veggie a week. Last week I made brussle sprouts (which I LOVED) and this week I decided to make something with plantains. Unlike bananas, plantains are good through all stages of their ripeness. When they are green they resemble potatoes and when they turn black they get very sweet.

This recipe is a slight adaptation from a Latin dish I found in Bon appetite with a sweet and savory flavor.

3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large ripe (yellow) plantains, peeled, cut on diagonal into 2 inch long ovals
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves
1 pound ground beef
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup blue-cheese stuffed green olives, coarsely chopped, plus 3 tbls of brine
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp baking spice (or allspice)
1 tbls yellow cornmeal
12 oz queso fresco, crumbled

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add plantain slices and cook until golden brown (about 3 minutes on each side). Using a slotted spoon, transfer slices to a sheet of foil. Pat plantains with paper towel and cool. Reserve 2 tablespoons oil from skillet for filling.

Line a greased 9 inch pie dish with a single layer of cooled plantains. Using fingers, firmly press slices together to seal any gaps. Set crust aside.

Heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until onion is translucent. Add beef and saute until brown. Add tomatoes, raisins, olives, oregano, cinnamon, cumin, and baking spice and simmer until most of the liquid evaporates. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in cornmeal.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Crumble half of the queso fresco over crust, then spoon in filling and press to compact. Sprinkle evenly with remaining queso fresco. Bake pie until cheese is melted and filling is heated through, about 20 minutes.

Adams thoughts : "Can't talk eating...I would probably rate this a ten. I love food like this. Mmmm. Mmm-Mmm-Mmm...(eats a few more spoonfuls)...I will have more stuff to add when I am not busy being in flavor country."

Monika's thoughts : This dish really has everything. It gets me pumped for all the tropical food we are going to eat on our honeymoon. I think if someone wants to make some thing a little different than your standard meat & potatoes this will fit the bill.

Play Ball!

2006-04-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

I love baseball. It doesn't get much better than sitting in the Texas sun enjoying the excitement of the crowd, the crack of the bat, and a nice and tasty hot dog!

This year was a little different. It was the first year in a long time that I didn't get tickets to the home opener and I was a little bit upset. (Saving for a wedding takes a lot out of your piggy bank). But, no need to fear! If you can't go to the baseball game, bring the baseball game to you!

So we played hookie from work to watch our Texas Rangers and broke out the grill!

On our Game Day Menu:

2 Vanilla Cokes with Ice
Hebrew National 99% Fat Free Hot Dogs
Sauerkraut & Grilled Onions
2% Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo & Relish
1 Betty Crocker Bake n Fill Baseball cake

This was the first time I used my Bake & Fill cake. I got it for a Christmas present, but had forgot about it in my closet. I'm not posting the recipe for the cake because I just used the standard cake mix. (I did make my own cream cheese frosting.) I'll start testing recipes for future games!

Go Rangers! It's going to be a great season!

Beef Stroganoff

2006-03-31T20:38:00.000-08:00

This is another classic recipe that has proved itself time and time again. A combination of beef chunks, mushrooms, onions and sour cream, Beef Stroganoff was the prize-winning recipe created at a cooking competition held in the 1890s in Russia.

Recipe from The Big Red Cookbook by Betty Crocker

1 1/2 pound beef tenderloin (I use the tips)
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups beef broth
4 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon salt
1 small clove garlic, chopped
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup sour cream
Hot cooked egg noodles

Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Cook beef in butter, stirring occasionally, until brown.

Reserve 1/3 cup of the broth. Stri in remaining broth, ketchup, salt, and garlic into skillet. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until tender.

Stir in mushrooms and onion. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes or until onion is tender.

Shake the reserved broth and the flour in tightly covered container; gradually stir into beef mixture. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; reduce heat to low.

Stir in sour cream; heat until hot. Serve over noodles.

(I make the noodles while the beef is simmering the first 10 minutes).

I Need Your Support!

2006-03-30T15:11:00.000-08:00

I recently accepted the challenge to raise funds to support the Komen Tarrant County Race for the Cure® on Saturday, April 15, 2006, in the fight against breast cancer. One in seven women will be stricken with breast cancer in her lifetime and the more we raise, the more the Tarrant County Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation can give back to fund vital breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs in our own community and support the national search for a cure.

Please join me in the fight by pledging in support of my participation in the Race or contributing generously to Komen Tarrant County. Your tax-deductible contribution will fund innovative outreach and awareness programs for medically underserved communities in Fort Worth and national breast cancer research.

Whatever you can give will help!

I truly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.

Thank you so much for your time and support in the fight against breast cancer! Every step counts!

Click here to visit my personal page.

If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://race.komentarrant.org/site/TR?px=1111601&pg=personal&fr_id=1020&s_tafId=2501

Click here to view the team page for DKC DFW Knotties for a Cure

If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://race.komentarrant.org/site/TR?team_id=6540&pg=team&fr_id=1020&s_tafId=2501

Chicken Divan

2006-03-26T19:04:00.000-08:00

This dish is a must have for any new bride. So simple, yet so divine!

It's a retro casserole dish that was popular in the 50's and originated in a high end New York restaurant. The mixture of curry, parmesan, and wine gives the recipe a flavor that implies continental elegance.

In my humble opinion, it's a great recipe for people who are tired of plain chicken dishes.

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen broccoli, chopped
2 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded
2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or lime (I used lime)
2 teaspoon curry powder
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs (I used the herbed bread crumbs)
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the outer wrappers from the broccoli. Open 1 end of each box. Microwave for 4 minutes, until thawed. Put into a casserole dish. Add the shredded chicken.

In a medium bowl, combine the soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, Cheddar, lime juice, curry powder, salt and pepper, to taste, and wine. Whisk together to make a sauce. Pour the sauce over the broccoli and chicken. Mix well with a spatula.

Spray 11 by 9 inch casserole dish. Place the mixture into dish. Spread sauch a spatula. Combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs and butter and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Zucchini Spice Cake

2006-03-24T20:11:00.000-08:00

If I had to choose one recipe that started my love for baking, this would be it.

My mother gave the this recipe a few years back. I had never made a cake from anything other than a box and I will admit that the zucchini intimidated me a little. To my surprise (as well as every other person who tastes it), the cake became a favorite.

3 c. grated zucchini squash
3 c. white sugar
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Frosting:
3 oz pkg softened cream cheese
1/4 c. soft butter
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together sugar, eggs, oil & squash. Combine remaining ingredients add to mixture. Grease & flour bundt pan. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Cool Completely before removing from pan.

For frosting, cream & whip all ingredients in a bowl for about 4 minutes.

Rosemary Spiced Nuts

2006-03-23T20:15:00.000-08:00

This is a simple and savory recipe to keep on hand for those last minute house guests. The rosemary aroma will fill your entire house and make people think you've been slaving away all day.

3 tbls butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2-3 tbls dried rosemary

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter with the spices. When melted, pour the sauce over 3 cups mixed nuts. Toss the nuts into the mixture. Coat evenly. Spread the nuts onto a jelly roll pan and toast the nuts in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Cool completely before serving. Store in an air tight jar. Will last a few weeks.

Chicken with Grapes and Basil Orzo

2006-03-19T18:54:00.000-08:00

This meal is particularly satisfying due to the contrast among the grapes, mustard, and cream, which bring light/sour, robust/strong, and creamy/heavy flavors all at once. You're never overwhelmed by any of the ingredients, but you reap the benefits of each one. The orzo provides an excellent bed for the chicken which harmonizes with the sauce. Garlic bread is a particularly good companion to the meal, which compliments the other flavors and allows you to soak up any remaining sauce on the plate (it's too good to leave any survivors).

Happy 2 Year Anniversary to Monika & Adam!

Chicken with Grapes:
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/2 cup white wine,
1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grainy, stone-ground mustard
1 1/2 cups, about 1/2 pound, seedless grapes, halved

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat; add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 and 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Place flour in a shallow dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper then dredge the tenders in flour and add it to the pan. Cook chicken 8 to 10 minutes or until browned. Add wine and scrape up browned bits as wine cooks down and bubbles, 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup stock to skillet. Combine cream and mustard and add to stock. Add grapes to the pan and turn chicken and grapes to coat and combine with the sauce. Simmer 5 minutes over low heat.

Basil Orzo:
1 package Orzo
3/4 tsp basil paste
1 tbls olive oil

Cook orzo according to package. Stir in olive oil & basil paste.

Garlic Bread:
1 small baboli pizza crust
2 tsp garlic, minced
3/4 cup fresh parmesan
1 tbls butter

Spread butter & garlic on pizza crust. Top with cheese. Bake at 400 for approximately 10 minutes.

Chocolate Guinness Cake

2006-03-16T21:27:00.000-08:00

When Irish, Mexican, American, Texan, and all other places in between eyes are smiling it is because they’ve just had this cake! Believe me when I say that this cake will certainly steal your heart & your stomach away.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup Guinness draught stout
2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in middle of oven. Grease and lightly flour 2 9-inch cake pan.
In a small saucepan, combine cocoa powder and stout and heat over low-moderate heat until smooth. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.In a large bowl with an electric mixer on low-medium speed, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until pale yellow in color. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.

Stir buttermilk into cooled cocoa and stout mixture.

With the mixer on low, slowly add one-third of buttermilk mixture into creamed butter until incorporated. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the remaining two parts of the buttermilk and ending with the flour. Batter will look grainy or appear to be breaking up.

Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove to wire rack with parchment or waxed paper beneath it. Allow cake to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then slide knife around the edge of pan and invert to release cake, bottom side up, onto wire rack. When cool, use a fork to poke holes generously into bottom side of cake.

Makes two 9-inch cake.

Chocolate Guinness Sauce
1/2 cup Guinness draught stout
8 tablespoons dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix ingredients in small saucepan and heat over low heat until smooth. Allow to cool. Spoon the sauce over bottom of the cake, allowing sauce to seep into cake. Leave about ½ cup to pour over the top. Invert cake right side up onto serving platter. Poke holes in top of cake and spoon remainder of sauce on top of cake.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze
10 ounces (11/4 cups) heavy whipping cream
10 ounces semisweet dark chocolate, chips or bar broken into small pieces

Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepot. Turn off heat and stir in chocolate pieces until sauce is smooth and creamy. Pour onto finished cake, smoothing ganache atop and along sides of cake. Ganache will pool at bottom of cake and can be removed with a knife.

If desired, spoon extra ganache into ziplock bag, snip corner and squeeze atop cake in zigzag lines or decorative pattern. If ganache is too runny allow to thicken in bag until stiff. Or, reserve extra ganache in refrigerator to spoon over ice cream or form into truffles.

Recipe from sous chef Carol Light, Kells Restaurant and Pub, Portland, Ore.

Special Carrot Cake

2006-03-14T20:10:00.000-08:00

Delicious homemade carrot cupcakes are a great pick me up for any day of the week. My co-workers ate these up in no time.

From AllRecipes.com

2 cups white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one cupcake pan.

Combine the sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, soda, oil. With an electric mixer beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the carrots and the walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 24-30 minutes. Note: this cake can be made in two 9 inch layer cake pans just change the baking time to 40 minutes.

To Make Frosting: With an electric mixer blend the cream cheese and cream. Add the vanilla and confectioners' sugar. Frosting can be spread and a still warm cake. I also topped my cupcake with a sliver of a mini-carrot!

The Dallas Cookie

2006-03-05T18:25:00.000-08:00

Rich, elegant, and yet, surprisingly down to earth. These couture cookies were extremely “high maintenance” compared to your standard fare chocolate chip cookie, but they are well worth the work.

I used nothing but the best ingredients, including high quality chocolate, butter, & vanilla. Because when you name a cookie after the glitz and glamour of Dallas, Texas, nothing but the best will do.

Enjoy!

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 cups semisweet high quality chocolate chips
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 to 1 ½ tsp espresso powder*
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts or macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 350.

In a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water melt unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup chocolate chips, and butter, stirring until smooth, and remove top of bowl from heat. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs, sugar, and ground espresso on high speed until very thick and pale, about 3 minutes.

Beat in chocolate mixture. Into mixture sift in flour, baking powder, and salt and stir until just combined. Stir in remaining chocolate chips** and nuts.

Drop heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets and bake in batched in middle of oven 9 to 11 minutes, or until puffed and cracked on top.

*If you don’t have espresso powder you can use 2 teaspoons finely ground dark-roast coffee beans, like Italian-roast.

**After my test cookie, Adam told me that it wasn't sweet enough. So, I ended up adding an extra cup of these chocolate chips filled with caramel. I think they'd taste fine without them so I didn't include the extra cup of chocolate chips in the recipe above.

Easy Cheesy Chicken Bake

2006-03-02T17:31:00.000-08:00

This dish was so easy to make I had time to make some homemade spaghetti sauce while it cooked! If you are interested in that recipe send me an email.

1 - 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 package Athenos crumbled Blue Cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange chicken in small baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of lime juice. Season with salt & pepper. Top with blue cheese and drizzle with remaining lime juice.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

This works well with feta cheese too!

We served this dish atop of pasta & my homemade spaghettie sauce.

(817)-Cookie

2006-02-22T20:33:00.000-08:00

Tonights baked good was an inspiration from a few knotties...

It's a mixture of Mexico & Scotland - Just like me! So without further adieux, I give you the Funky Town cookie! LOL...Dallas...you're next...

Cookie Layer:
1 3/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 C. sugar
3/4 C. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch slices

Filling:
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
7 tbsp butter
1/2 C. light brown sugar

Topping:
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped
3 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped

Adjust rack to lower third of oven; preheat oven to 350° F.

To make the cookie layer: Put the flour and sugar in a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Work with your hands until the mixture forms a dough. Press into a 9x13 inch baking pan, prick the bottom with the tines of a fork and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch and pale golden.

Let cool in the pan.

To make the filling: Combine the milk, butter and sugar in a 1 1/2-quart saucepan. Heat over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring frequently, for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture begins to come away from the sides of the pan, has thickened slightly, and is straw-colored. Pour over the shortbread base. Set aside to cool for at least 2 hours or overnight. (I only let mine cool about 1 hour because I got impatient.)

To make the topping: Melt each type of chocolate separately in a microwave or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of water. Spoon lines of plain milk chocolate over the set caramel filling. Add spoonfuls of white chocolate. Use a skewer to form a marbled effect on the topping.

Cut into squares or rectangles with a thin-bladed, sharp paring knife.

Cream Cheese Chicken Roll

2006-02-21T19:06:00.000-08:00

A favorite of Adam and a quick and easy recipe for anyone. This is a good recipe if you are making a side dish that takes a little more prep & cook time, because you don't have much to do once the chicken hits the pan.

I paired this dish with a Italian Mac & Cheese Bake (email me if you want that recipe).

3 large skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)
6 ounces garlic & herb cream cheese spread
12 slices bacon

Pound the chicken until thin. Spread each chicken breast with cram cheese and roll up, jelly-roll style. Wrap 4 bacon slices around each roll and secure with toothpicks*.

In a pre heated medium-high skillet, cook turning occasionally, about 35 minutes.

*You have to be very careful with this recipe because the first time I did a "jelly-roll" style recipe the toothpicks kept me from cooking the chicken completely. Cooking string/twine would probably work better, but I didn't have any at the house.

This was an another inspiration of a RRR. (Rachael Ray Recipe)

Man! do I love Rachael Ray!

Tex-Mex Pizza

2006-02-20T08:38:00.000-08:00

When the weather is cold, nothing will warm you up like the spice of chipotle. I made mine low fat by using 2% reduced fat cheese, fat free sour cream, & 97% lean ground beef.

This recipe is an adapataion of a Rachael Ray Meal.

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup corn meal
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup skim milk
1 cup frozen corn kernels Extra-virgin olive oil or, vegetable oil, for drizzling

Topping:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin or vegetable oil,
2 turns of the pan
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
Salt
2 1/2 cups (10-ounce sack from dairy aisle) shredded Cheddar or jack cheese
½ can (7 ounces) enchilada sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix together first 9 ingredients. Spray a 12 inch skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Choose a pan with oven safe handle or, double-wrap handle with foil to protect it in the oven. Place pan in oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes in center of the oven until light golden in color.

Brown the meat over medium high heat in a second skillet in extra or vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add onions and spices and cook meat 5 minutes more.

Remove cornbread from oven and top with meat, cheese, and enchilada sauce. Add pan back to oven and cook 5 minutes more to melt cheese. Garnish with sour cream, hot sauce and/or cilantro, optional.

White Chocolate-Lemon Biscotti

2006-02-17T21:55:00.000-08:00

Today’s recipe is from a friend/co-worker that is not only skilled in Electrical Engineering and System Engineering – she can cook! And boy, does she do it well. Like everyone, I get the random email telling me someone brought in donuts or cookies; rarely do I feel the need to go to their desk, but when this girl brings in a treat you better believe that I do my best to be first in line!

Many thanks to Mariah for giving me this low-fat coffee treat. It’s ridiculous how good these biscotti are…

¾ cup sugar
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp lemon extract
2 large eggs
1 2/3 cup flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ¼ cup (6oz) premium white chocolate, chopped
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine four, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate.

Turn dough out onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Shape dough into 2 (12 inch long) rolls; pat to 2 ½ width.

Bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove rolls from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Cut rolls diagonally into 21 slices. Place cut sides down, on a baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as soon as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack.

Serving Size (1 biscotti)
Calories: 55
Fat 1.7

Love day = Love cake

2006-02-13T19:22:00.000-08:00

Adam and I don't celebrate Valentines day, but I still love all things pink. This year, I couldn't resist making my love this tasty strawberry cake to celebrate the holiday.

And what did Mr. Adam have to say about the cake? "Sweet Jesus! This is Good!"

Happy Valentines - Enjoy!

1 package french vanilla cake mix (I use Pilsbury with the extra pudding)
1 package strawberry gelatin (3 oz)
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
3/4 c. milk
3/4 c. vegetable oil
4 large eggs
Strawberry Cream Cheese frosting (see recipe below)
24 strawberry slices, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 9-inch round baking pans.

Place the cake mix, gelatin, strawberries, milk, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend on low speed for about 30 seconds. Stop machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to 2 minutes. Divide the batter into the prepared baking pans.

Bake the cakes until they are lightly golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 25-30 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool. Remove the cakes from the pan and let them cool COMPLETELY on wire racks before frosting.

Frosting
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
4 table spoons butter, room temperature
3-3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup mashed and drained strawberries*.

Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speen until combined. Stop machine and add 3 cups of powdered sugar and the drained strawberries. Blend the frosting on low until the sugar is incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium and blend the frosting until fluffy, 30-45 seconds longer, adding extra sugar in needed.

*make sure you drain the strawberries other wise the frosting will be too runny.

Salisbury Steak with Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2006-02-12T15:23:00.000-08:00

This homestyle Sunday meal is not only delish it is also good for you.

Salisbury Steak
1 pound ground round (I used 96% lean beef)
2/3 c. chopped onion
1/3 c. uncooked instant brown rice
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg white
Cooking Spray
1 1/4 c. presliced fresh mushrooms
2 cans beef broth
2 tbls Worcestershire sauce
2 tbls water
1 1/2 tbls cornstarch

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Divide into 4 equal portions, shaping into a 1/2-inch thick patty.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add patties, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from skillet; set aside, and keep warm.

Recoat skillet with cooking spray. Add mushrooms; saute over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Add broth and Worcestershire sauce; cook 10 minutes. Return patties to skillet. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Remove patties from skillet; set aside and keep warm.

Combine water and cornstarch; stirl well. Stir the cornstarch mixture into broth mixture in skillet; bring to boil, and cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Spoon gravy over patties.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes
3 or 4 Sweet Potatoes ( I bought the ones in the saran wrap - ready for microwave)
2 tbls butter
Marshmellow Fluff (optional)

Microwave the Sweet Potatoes for 8-10 minutes until soft. Add potatoes & butter in a medium bowl and combine with fork. Add 1 tbls of fluff to each serving.

I served this meal with some steamed green beans & carrots.

Black-bottom Cupcakes

2006-02-08T18:05:00.000-08:00

by David Lebovitz
from The Great Book of Chocolate

The smooth texture of sweetened cream cheese, the comforting familiarity of a chocolate cupcake, the ability to fit in the palm of your hand – what’s not to like? It’s a mix of modern & traditional. The dark chocolate pieces in the top of the cupcake (I used Ghirardelli’s 60% Cocoa bar) make this cake deliciously moist. They remind me of the large muffins you can pick up at any Starbucks counter.

Ingredients
For the filling
8 ounces cream cheese, regular or reduced fat, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

For the cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup unflavored vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

MAKE THE FILLING
1. Beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the chopped chocolate pieces. Set aside.

MAKE THE CUPCAKES
1. Adjust the rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 12-cup muffin tin, or line the tin with paper muffin cups.

2. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.

3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients, stirring until just smooth. Stir any longer and you will over mix the batter and end up with less-than-tender cupcakes.

4. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Spoon a few tablespoons of the filling into the center of each cupcake, dividing the filling evenly. This will fill the cups almost completely, which is fine.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden brown and the cupcakes feel springy when gently pressed. These moist treats will keep well unrefrigerated for 2 to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.

Spinach & Mushroom Stuffed Chicken

2006-01-30T17:30:00.000-08:00

Another chicken success! I came home stressed from a looooooong day at work but, since I got up at 5am to run a few miles I knew I would have some time to do my favorite stress relief – cooking!

1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package, frozen chopped spinach
4 tablespoons butter
1 package sliced mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ red onion, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 cup Italian mix cheese
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese

Place breasts in the center of a plastic food storage bag. Pound out with a heavy-bottomed skillet. Be firm but controlled with your strokes.

Defrost spinach in the microwave. Transfer spinach to a kitchen towel. Twist towel around spinach and wring it out until VERY dry. Transfer to a medium-mixing bowl.

Place a nonstick skillet over moderate heat. When skillet is hot, add butter, mushrooms, garlic, and onions. Season with salt and pepper and sauté about 8 minutes (or until onions are transparent). Add the mixture to the spinach. Add the cheeses to the bowl. Stir to combine the stuffing. Return your skillet to stove over Medium high heat.

Place a mound of stuffing on each breast and wrap and roll breast over the stuffing. Secure breasts with toothpicks. Add 3 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add breasts to the pan and brown on ALL sides. (This will take about 15 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken).

Serve with mashed potatoes. OH! Pesto mashed potatoes would be a smash! (LOL). The chicken was a little difficult to "wrap & roll" because the stuffing was falling out and that meant I had to cook it a little longer, but it still tastes tender and juicy.

Chocoholics Unite!

2006-01-25T08:40:00.000-08:00

With all the gourmet food stores and shops out there who wouldn't be confused on the kind of chocolate to buy their sweetie for Valentine's Day. My suggestion - Why don't you try out the Chocopaedia http://www.seventypercent.com/chocop/?

I've been using this site for a few years now to give me the latest and greatest review on the high quality chocolate. (I know I don't have the funds to buy a $50 bar of chocolate just to *see* if it tastes good.) This site has it all! You can search of cocoa percentage, chocolate makers, & even gift sets. (My favorite is the chocoalate & champagne set ;) ).

Classic French Toast

2006-01-24T12:30:00.000-08:00

3 Tbls sugar
¾ cup of milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbls butter
6 slices of bread

In a shallow bowl, beat together the sugar, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet. When skillet is hot but not smoking, dip bread in egg mixture and place in pan. Brown 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

I serve this classic breakfast with a side of fried eggs & Virginia sausage. It is delish & pseudo healthy because I used my Earth Grains high fiber / high protein bread!

Vodka Gorgonzola Chicken

2006-01-22T12:53:00.000-08:00

This is an adapation of Rachel Ray's recipe. As much as I love stinky cheese, the gorgonzola was a little much for me so we decided to add in some spaghetti sauce to lighten the taste. The tomatoes & cheese pair well together and was a big hit in this household.

2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 large egg whites
1 cup chopped pecans
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup cream
1/2 cup Gorgonzola
1 jar Vodka Pasta Sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves, plus extra for garnish – substitute 1 teaspoon dried sage and stir into sauce, if fresh is not available

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix flour, poultry seasoning and garlic powder in a dish. Beat egg whites in a shallow plate or bowl. Place pecans on a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap on a cutting board or work surface.

Preheat a nonstick skillet with oven safe handle over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Turn in flour to dust the breasts, then turn in egg whites, then press breasts into nuts on both sides. Wash hands. Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan and add chicken. Brown the nuts and chicken 2 minutes on each side then transfer to the oven and finish cooking the chicken through, about 8 minutes.

In a small pot, warm milk over medium heat. Add cheese and melt it into the milk. Add jar of vodka sauce. Stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped sage and simmer 5 minutes.

I served these chicken pieces over a batch of wide egg noodles and then poured the sauce over the top of everything.

Delish!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2006-01-18T19:10:00.000-08:00

I love Mexican food, but it's not the healthiest thing to eat. So I had to search high and low for a tasty way to incorporate this dish into my weekly menu.

This recipe was taken from a Mexican Light Cookbook and is fabulous. Adam still has a hard time believing this soup is actually good for him!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

4 corn tortillas
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth
2 cups water
3/4 cup canned Mexican-style stewed tomatoes with juices
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
12 ounces skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 350Â°F. Brush 1 side of tortillas with oil; cut in half. Stack halves and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Spread strips on nonstick baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet.

Combine broth, water, tomatoes, bay leaf, garlic, cumin and red pepper in saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Add chicken; simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in green onions, cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with tortilla strips and serve.

Pecan Crusted Goat Cheese Chicken with Fresh Basil Cream

2006-01-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Dinner to Adam!

8 6 Oz. Boneless/Skinless Butter-flied Chicken Breasts
1-Cup Goat Cheese Mix (recipe follows)
Taste Salt & White Pepper
Flour
Egg Wash (recipe follows)
Pecan Breading Mix (recipe follows)

1. Pound The Chicken Breasts To 1/2" Thick, Be Sure To Make The Breast Uniform In Size.
2. Lightly Salt & Pepper The Breasts. With A Pastry Bag, Pipe 2 Oz. Of The Goat Cheese Mix Onto The Center Of The Breast, Fold In Half To Enclose, Envelope Style, The Goat Cheese.
3. Coat The Stuffed Chicken Breast With Flour, Remove Any Excess. Dip The Floured Breast Into The Egg Wash, Remove Any Excess. Coat The Egg Washed Breast With The Pecan Breading Making Sure To Cover The Entire Breast Evenly. Reserve, Refrigerated, Until Cooking Time.
4. To Cook, Fry In A Frying Pan With Corn Oil, Or In A Deep Fryer Until Golden Brown. Place The Fried Breasts In A Pre-Heated 350-Degree Oven For 6-8 Minutes, Or Just Until The Internal Temperature Reaches 140 Degrees (Use A Meat Thermometer)
5. Place On Serving Plates And Top With The Basil Cream Sauce. Garnish With Starch & Vegetables Of Your Choice.

Goat Cheese Mix:
1 Lb Cream Cheese
1 Lb. Goat Cheese
1/2-Cup Oven-Roasted Garlic Puree
1/4 Cup Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
Mix Cheeses, Garlic Puree, And Dry Ranch Dressing In Food Processor Until Well Blended.

Roasted Garlic Puree:
2 Cups Peeled Fresh Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Salt

Coat Garlic With Oil And Season With Salt. Wrap In Foil And Bake At 375 Degrees For One Hour, Until Garlic Is Golden Brown. In Food Processor With Knife Blade, Process Garlic To A Smooth Puree.

Basil Cream Sauce:
2 Tbls. Butter
2 Tbsp Garlic, Minced
Pinch Salt
Pinch Fresh Pepper
1 Qt. Chicken Stock
1 Qt. Heavy Cream
1 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves, Julienne

In A Sauce Pan Over Medium Heat, Sautee The Garlic In The Butter Until Lightly Browned. Add The Chicken Stock And Simmer Until Reduced By Half. Add The Heavy Cream And Simmer To A Smooth Sauce Consistency. Season With Salt & Pepper, Add The Basil And Reserve Warm Until Service Time.

Pecan Breading Mix:
2 Cups Flour, All Purpose
2 Cups Pecan Pieces, Medium
1 Cup Pecan Meal
Pinch Salt
Pinch Fresh Pepper

In A Mixing Bowl, Combine All Ingredients Until Well Mixed.

Egg Wash:
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk
Pinch Salt

In A Mixing Bowl, Combine All Ingredients Until Well Mixed.

A fantabulous meal by a fantabulous chef. Recipe compliments of Michale Ancho Chile Bar.

Sumo Cookies

2006-01-11T08:03:00.000-08:00

Now, I haven't celebrated Valentine's day in quite a while, but these cookies are so awesome that I just have to post something.

My first experience with SUMO cookies was last Mother's day when I ordered a large seven layer cookie for my mom. It arrived the next day in a tastefully decorated box and looked fantastic. My mom was thrilled with the gift because of how unique it was and how great it tasted.

For Valentines this year, I highly recommend you getting that special someone one of these delish cookies. Who knows what the future will hold for you afterwards!

http://www.sumocookies.com/holiday.html

Uncle Andrew's Extra Special Sunday Morning Pancakes

2006-01-08T07:56:00.000-08:00

We recieved this recipe from Adam's uncle as an addition to our wedding cookbook. But there was no way I could wait 6 months before I tried some extra special pancakes!

Uncle Andrew’s Extra Special Sunday Morning Pancakes

1 cup flour
1 egg
2 Tablespoons oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder - TWO tablespoons, no kidding!
1 cup milk - approximately

Stir together dry ingredients, add oil, egg and half of milk, beat until smooth. Continue adding milk until consistency is like thick cream. Cook on hot griddle. May sprinkle with small blueberries if desired before turning.

The recipe was quick and very easy to make. I also enjoyed the pancake's light and fluffy texture. I cooked each one with a tab of butter which helped crisp the outer rim.

Fort Worth Chicken

2006-01-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

I've had this recipe for a while, but haven't had the desire to make it. Mainly because I LOVE honey mustard and knew that if I made it I would eat too much of the sauce and then not enjoy the dish. So when Adam offered to make dinner tonight, this was my first choice. We had most of the ingredients in the house already so it was going to be a cheap at home date for us!

The original recipe from my friend called for a few other ingredients but I changed them to match the flavors of the Wendy's Texas Cheeseburger. I always thought the cheese and mustard would do well on chicken and I knew I could make it for far less calories & fat.

Boy! Was I right! This meal is AWESOME. We paired our dinner with some steamed broccoli & roasted garlic and a glass of red wine.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound, boneless chicken breast
2 teaspoons seasoning salt
6 slices bacon, cut in half
1/2 cup mustard
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup fat free mayonnaise
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups shredded Sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS:
Rub the chicken breasts with the seasoning salt, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until crisp. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, honey, corn syrup, mayonnaise and onion. Set aside. Saute mushrooms for 3-5 minutes in 1 TBLS olive oil.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the breasts in the skillet and saute for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned. Remove from skillet and place the breasts into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Apply the honey mustard sauce to each breast, then layer each breast with mushrooms and bacon. Sprinkle top with shredded cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and chicken juices run clear. Garnish with chives and serve with the reserved honey mustard sauce.

(In case you are wondering, Adam threw in some smoked sausage too)

Blackberry Cheese Pie

2006-01-05T19:38:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I received baking tools to please any baking obsessed person. And since opening thme, I had been fantasizing about using my new found baking gadgets.

Patiently I waited...and waited...then waited for things to get back in the swing of things... then today I was swinging!

A co-worker gave me some recipes to add to my wedding cookbook and I was in heaven when I saw a recipe for homemade pie crust! I've never made pie crust from scratch and this looked awesome. The moment I got home I started pulling out my ingredients.

Pie Crust:
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. shortenting
6 tbls. water

Combine flour & shortening. Add water mixed with salt. Depending on amount of humidity, will need to add/dust rolling pin and mat with flour to prevent sticking.

Filling:
1 can of Blackberry filling
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tbls lemon juice (1 used lime because that was all I had)

Beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the sugar. Beat for about 3 minutes on medium high. Add the egg & lemon juice and beat until creamy.

Spread the mixture on the pie crust and then bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove and spread the blackberry filling on top. Continue to bake at 400 degrees for another 25 minutes.

I was so excited when I was making this that I messed up a lot of steps in the recipe. Surprisingly the recipe came out okay. It was the first pie I have ever made (okay, first pie crust) and I am pretty proud. I even went as far to use my new star cookie cutters and make a decorative topping.

Overall, a good dish.
Crust = 8.5/10
Filling = 6/10

New Year, New Food

2006-01-04T19:40:00.000-08:00

I hope those that are reading this didn’t make resolutions to lose weight this 2006. It won’t change your body’s physical appearance if you are working out one hour each day but still eating fast food for lunch and dinner. Take the time to learn how to prepare healthy meals. Nutrition is approximately 80% of your body’s development. So go beyond the ho-hum typical American goal! Dare to make one new dish a week, try a foreign veggie, or dare I say, take your homemade dinner to work for lunch *gasp*.

Sunday nights are what I call my “cook nights”. I’ll make a meal big enough to feed a family of eight and that is then split it into individual dinners for myself and Adam (a trick I learned from my mom back in the day). When we are in a rush in the morning or trying to grab a quick bite to eat before we head out for the evening, these frozen dinners make a huge difference. Sure, not all of them are the most low-fat dinners (like tonight’s lasagna), but at least it is made with all natural ingredients and virtually no “added” ingredients.

Another trick I have is pre-packaging all my fruits and veggies in individual snack size Ziploc bags. This makes packing lunches super easy in the morning. For example, tonight when I made the lunches, my lunch got the following:

1 cup fresh raspberries & blackberries
1 cup carrots
1 cup Goldfish crackers
2 hard boiled eggs
1 cup Mediterranean couscous (made with curry, artichoke hearts, & raisins)
1 Myoplex Lite Protein shake
1 Lean Cuisine Spinach & Garlic Pizza

Adam’s lunch got the following:

1 cup carrots
1 cup Goldfish crackers
1 pear
2 servings of Lasagna
4 ants on a log (pieces of celery with peanut butter and raisins)
1 protein bar
1 packet brown sugar & vanilla instant oatmeal
1 sliced buffalo chicken sandwich with spicy brown mustard
2 hard boiled eggs

I know that I am in the minority in not wanting to lose weight during the New Year *le sigh*. I do, however, hope to keep this foodie blog going strong and inspire some people who never had the courage before to step inside the kitchen and try something new.

Muscle Milk 'n' Oats - Vanilla

2005-12-18T19:49:00.000-08:00

Last night Monika exchanged an early Christmas gift – why not? My pre-Christmas surprise was a few bowls of Muscle Milk ‘n’ Oats. That’s (Muscle Milk), the brand, for those of you not familiar with it.

I’m always looking for ways to increase lean mass, and what better way to do so than by taking in a lot of carbs early in the day, but with the added benefits of minimal fat, 4 grams of fiber, and a whopping 30 grams of protein! Not to mention, Muscle Milk, in my opinion, is by far the most delicious protein drink on the market (it should be – at 20/10 grams of unsaturated/saturated fat). But I digress – how was the oatmeal?

I popped off the lid, added 2/3 cup of water, and 90 seconds later, I had a steaming bowl of oatmeal that smelled fantastic. I waited a good 5 minutes or so before taking a first bite, since I could tell the stuff was retaining heat with astonishing efficiency. Finally, my spoon took its inaugural journey into a mass that thought of oatmeal, but with the relative thickness of spinning a spoon in a vat of honey. In other words, this is thick stuff.

Chewing it feels somewhere between chewing oatmeal and taffy. It did taste good though, just like sweet, milky oatmeal infused with vanilla should taste. And frankly, with the nutritional benefits you gain from it, this product is a home run. The only true drawback I thought of was that I couldn’t eat this in the morning on the run, because it took a good 20 minutes to take it all down. Because it’s so thick, it retained heat ‘till its bitter end, so I had to let it cool as I ate.

Rating: 9/10 on the “protein food” scale, where Promax and Muscle Milk shakes are 10s, and something like EAS MyoPro Banana Crème is a 1.

Chipotle Enchilada Casserole

2005-12-18T17:37:00.000-08:00

I *really* wanted to make Tortilla Soup today, but at last nights grocery trip to Central Market I realized I forgot my recipe. So, I ended up with an enchilada casserole because Adam suggested it.

I derived this recipe from the back of the Dorthy's enchilada can for two reasons.

1. I hate taking the time to actually make enchiladas and the casserole is so much easier.
2. I love my Le Creuset dish my mom got me last Christmas and try to make everything in it.

1 lb hamburger meat
2 tbls garlic powder
1 tbls chipotle chile powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbls cumin
1/2 c. onions
how ever amount of cheese you want (I used one 12 ounce package)
1 can of Grandma Dorthey's enchilada sauce (yeah, i know from a can..I HAD to try it cause it looked good).

Brown the meat with the onions and all the seasonings.

Then pour the sauce in the sauce pan with the meat and let simmer for about 15 minutes. In a small greased casserole dish, put one layer of corn tortilla. Then put some sauce over the top. Finish the layer with cheese (I used sharp and asiago). Repeat.

The "top" of the casserole will be a layer of corn tortilla and cheese. Put under the broiler (set at high) for about 4 minutes, or until the cheese is browned.

Let set 5 minutes before serving. Top with sour cream if you wish.

I tried to get a picture of the finished product, but Adam was too quick and made a dent in the food before. So, this is the "final product" before it went into the broiler.

Mini Retro Snoballs

2005-12-14T16:42:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow night Adam and I are attending a Champagne and Dessert Christmas party given by some co-workers and I have decided to bring my Retro Snoball Cupcakes – the mini sized version. My first attempt at these cupcakes was a huge success, but I think a bite size cake would be much better. The coconut will have less chances of falling onto the ground and more chance of falling into your mouth!

I doubled my original cake recipe, but left the marshmallow frosting the same. I changed the dark chocolate to Ghirardelli vs. Valrhona and used a Wal-Mart powdered sugar over my standard brand. The recipe came out as expected – fantastic. The cake is dark, rich, & buttery flavor which is the flavor every adult should look for in a chocolate cake. There is a subtle hit of sugar, but believe me, this is not missed because of the marshmallow frosting.

I've updated the frosting recipe in the other Retro Snoball post so please make this as much as possible!!!

12 Days of Foodie :: A Holiday Wish List

2005-12-12T21:04:00.000-08:00

These are a few of my favorite things...

12. Callebaut Cocoa Powder ($20 for 2.2 pounds). This is the best cocoa you will EVER put in a cookie.

11. Dinner Party Journal ($26). Keep track of what you served and to whom with this chic & stylish journal.

10. Fran's Pure Chocolate Cookbook ($35). Fran knows her chocolate. While you're at it, order some of her Dark Chocolate Truffles.

09. Hang-Tag Ornaments (Set of 6 $12.95). Make sure your giftrecipientss know who the gift came from with these cute and cleaver gift tags.

08. Penzeys China Cassia Cinnamon ($3.19 for 2.2 ounce glass jar). A good addition to any household. (I got these from my mom last Christmas)

07. Hostess Apron by Jessie Steele ($35.99) . An updated look for this generations Mrs. Cleaver. Super sexy, but oh so classic.

06. Riedel Spirit of 'O' Stemless Glasses (Set of 2$19.99). Love, love, LOVE these! Great for entertaining.

05. Wusthof Grand Prix Kitchen Shears ($35.99). Yes they are a little pricey, but think of all the money you will save by buying the whole chicken and cutting it yourself.

04. Nielsen-Massey Vanilla ($19 for 8 ounce bottle). The ONLY vanilla I allow in my house.

03. Subscription to Bon Appetit. Great recipes & great articles. How could you go wrong?

02. Rachael Ray: 365 No Repeats A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners. My fave & inspiration for all my cooking. I had to do a plug for her!

01. Taylors Classic Oven Guide Thermometer, Model 5921 ($13.95). You cant call your self a baker without one!

Beef Burgundy with Herbed Noodles

2005-12-11T19:59:00.000-08:00

Sundays are always my favorite day of the week and today was no exception. After a quiet morning of coffee & eggs, Adam and I hit up Target to get some much needed groceries. When we got back to the apartment, Adam went straight to the books and I went straight to the oven. Don't you love how domesticated we are becoming ;0?

Last week, I Tivoed a Rachael Ray episode on Beef Burgundy and I thought it sounded fantastic given our weather has been on the chilly side (for Texas, that is anything below 50 degrees). I was shy a few ingredients such as parsley, beef stock, Burgundy wine, and pearl onions, so I improvised and added a few things that I did have.

I gotta say, for not having all of the ingredients on hand, this recipe still came out as a winner.

4 slices bacon, chopped
4 tbls butter, divided
1 box white mushrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper
1 c. frozen onions
2 lbs lean sirloin, 1-inch thick, trimmed and cubed into 1 inch pieces
3 tbls all-purpose flour
1 c. Burgundy wine (I used the Target cube Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 1/2 c. store bought beef stock (I used Chicken Stock)
Bouquet of 3 or 4 sprigs each sage and fresh thyme, tied with kitchen string

Herb Egg Noodles:
12 ounces wide egg noodles, cooked to package directions
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 tbls chopped fresh dill leaves
12 blades fresh chives, snipped or finely chopped

Heat a large deep skillet with a heavy bottom and a lid over medium high heat. Add bacon to the pan and brown. Remove crisp bacon bits with slotted spoon. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the pan and melt into bacon drippings.

Add mushrooms to the pan and turn to coat evenly with butter and bacon drippings. Season the mushroom slices with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms 2 to 3 minutes and add onions to the pan.

Continue cooking onions and mushrooms 2 to 3 minutes longer, then transfer to a plate and return pan to the heat. Add remaining butter to the pan and melt it, then add meat to the very hot pan and brown evenly on all sides, keeping the meat moving. Add flour to browned meat in the pan and cook the flour 2 minutes.

Add wine to the pan slowly while stirring. When the wine comes up to a bubble and you have scraped up the pan drippings, add the stock and bouquet of fresh sage and thyme sprigs to the pot. Cover the pan.

When the liquid boils, reduce heat to medium. Cook covered 5 minutes, remove lid and add mushrooms, onions and bacon back to the pot. Simmer with the cover off until sauce thickens a bit. Adjust seasoning and remove herb bouquet.

Toss hot egg noodles with butter and herbs. Place a bed of noodles in a shallow bowl and pour Beef Burgundy over the noodles and serve.

I was a little worried with the final product when I saw how liquidy this dish was, but after once in the bowl, the sauce began to thicken.

Overall, the flavor of this meal was pleasant and by no means over powering. It didn't have the deep wine taste I had imagined; it had a more delicate flavor. I blame this on the chicken stock. The dill added some dimension to the dish and paired well with the buttery noodles.

The only changes I will make for next time will be to use beef stock instead of chicken stock and to use Burgundy wine. I think the additions of those two will give this a rich & deep flavor that will compliment the wintry weather.

Knottie Mexican Get Together

2005-12-07T16:51:00.000-08:00

No, I didn't mean naughty ;)...

I got together with some fellow bride-to-bes and a few married ones at Joe T. Garcia's last night. We munched on cheese enchiladas, beef & chicken fajitas, margaritas, & some of Monika's Mexican Wedding Cookies.

This is one of the first recipes that I ever made with my KA Mixer and it's one of my no-fail favorites. The dough is easy to make and always tastes great. My God-mother would make these during the Christmas holiday and I always thought they were wonderful.

1 c. pecan pieces
1 c. butter, softened
2 c. powdered sugar (divided)
2 c. flour (divided)
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

Beat butter and 1/2 c. powdered sugar in a bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1 c. flour, vanilla, & salt. Beat at low speed until well blended. Stir in the remaining 1 c. flour and pecans with a wooden spoon. Shape the dough into a ball; wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour (or until firm). I only had to do this for about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Put the remaining powdered sugar into a shallow bowl or 13x9 baking dish. Shape tablespoons of dough into 1-inch balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake these for about 13-15 minutes. They should appear a pale golden brown. Let the cookies stand on the cookies sheet for about 2 minutes.

Transfer hot cookies to powdered sugar. Roll cookies in powdered sugar, coating well. Let the cookies cool in the sugar.

I normally serve these cookies in small baking cups so that people don't get powdered all over their clothes, but you can do it how ever you please!

Tis the season

2005-12-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

While snooping around google.com I ran across a food blog called Simply Recipes, which then pointed me to the following site:

http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php/2005/12/05/2005_food_blog_awards

"Over the month of December, we're going to ensure that people recognize the quality writing and photography that go on in our community.

Here's how it's going to work - Between now and Friday, December 16th, we're accepting nominations in several categories, that are listed below. After the 16th, a group of judges will review the nominations, and submit five sites for your approval. From Dec 21st through December 31st, the polls will be open for people to vote.

We're excited about these awards. Last year, the awards and some of the winners were featured in dozens of newspapers and magazines world-wide."

WHOA! You mean I could win an actual award for baking & eating?!?! I think my 2006 resolution has been made!

I also stumbled upon another foodie blog called Chocolate & Zucchini. (http://chocolateandzucchini.com/) . This website will now be one of my favorite places. It is chalk full of recipes, reviews, & humor. Even though, they were the clear winner for the 2004 Food Blog awards, I think they will (and should) take the cake again this year. Not to deter any of my faithful readers, but you should visit their site if you get a chance.

Chicken Balls & Rice with an Apricot Sauce

2005-12-04T15:21:00.000-08:00

I made these for an appetizer at a holiday party one time, but I made them with venison. I called them Bambi Balls. Adam thought they would be better made with chicken so for his Monday & Tuesday lunch I made him Chicken Balls with rice. (When making rice make sure you use chicken stock instead of water. It makes a much richer flavor.)

These turn out great and are a good alternative to that fattening party food you normally serve.

Chicken Balls
1 tbls extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 lbs ground chicken
3 tbls chopped fresh sage, 4 or 5 sprigs, slivered
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1 c. apricot all-fruit spread
1/2 c. spicy brown mustard
1 & ½ c. Italian bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls

Preheat a small pot over medium heat and the oven to 425 degrees F.
To the pot, add oil and onion. Saute the onion for 3 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine chicken, 1 cup bread crumbs, and chopped sage.

Next, add balsamic vinegar to onion and reduce by half, 3 minutes. Remove vinegar from heat and combine with apricot all-fruit spread and spicy mustard. Stir until mustard is fully incorporated. Dip will be glossy and brown in color.

Add 4 tablespoonfuls of apricot dip to meat and mix. Form meat into bite size nuggets, coat in remaining bread crumbs then place on nonstick cookie sheet. Recipe will make 20 to 24 pieces. Bake 15 to 17 minutes, until evenly browned, turning occasionally.

Once done, dip them in the apricot sauce. Mmm Mmm Good.

BV Coastal Estates - Pinot Noir

2005-11-30T10:23:00.000-08:00

(The next three posts are from our other blog. I thought it would be nice to incorporate our wine reviews with the other foodie reviews...so don't go thinking we've been drinking on a Wed afternoon. They are just copied and pasted from another blog)

Over the past couple days we've had a glass of BV Coastal Estates, but this time it's the Pinot Noir. What a difference that type makes! Keep in mind that we are certainly not wine connoisseurs. The Cabernet hit harder on the tongue, and in its wake was a sort of heavy, peppery, assertive taste.

The PN’s flavor is smoother, right off the bat. It’s harder to quantify exactly what the predominant tastes are, because no one thing really stands out for me – but I’ll get to the cauldron in a moment. In terms of the aftermath of a sip, this wine fades away in a truly subtle fashion, leaving the mouth not quite as dry, and certainly not as bitter. It’s rather pleasant in comparison.

Now, however, it’s time for flavor country.

Adam’s Black Cauldron (or rather this time, just some general thoughts):A mad scientist tried to make a perfume derived from some sort of flower, but screwed it up. Instead, it turned out tasting like dirt, powder, and dust…but somehow in a really tasteful, satisfying sort of way.

Monika’s Thoughts:“Monika’s sophisticated pallet detects the subtle smell and flavor of red wine…alcohol and…are you writing this? Sniff it, swirl it, sniff again…[pondering] strawberries, [rolls eyes]…earthy strawberries. Done! Dusty earthy strawberries!”

Haha, that was much too hilarious to edit.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellar

2005-11-30T10:21:00.000-08:00

We just busted out another bottle of wine, so here's the review:

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Artemis
Cabernet Sauvignon
2002 Napa Valley

Phew, that was a lot of information. Taking the type of grape aside, I find it incredibly hard to believe that any person will ever *really* know the nuances of all the different brands/types/years/etc. There is just too much information. Otherwise...

This is great stuff - the smoothest we've had so far. The flavor remains fairly consistent throughout - no particular burst or absence of flavor on the back-end.

Adam's Black Cauldron:Plum, blackberry, lotus blossom*

*I have no idea what lotus blossoms smell like, but this wine has a hint of what I imagine they'd smell like.

Monika's Thoughts:"Sweet, smooth, clean, and crisp. So far of all the wines I've tried, this is my favorite."

BV Coastal Estates - 2002 Cabernet Sauvingnon

2005-11-30T10:20:00.000-08:00

-Chock-full of alcohol
-Leaves the mouth feeling dry
-"Earthy" as opposed to "fruity"; the first thing I thought of was grass.
-Pungent...I can smell the scent of the wine from further away than usual.
-After a sip, I think of black pepper. And "man, this stuff is going to make me drunk."
-I quasi-broke the cork in the removal process. Luckily, only the top 10% - no "wine fouls" committed with cork getting inside the bottle. We really need a decent bottle opener.

The Black Cauldron - every time I try a wine, I'm going to rattle off a bunch of random tastes that I detect because hey - pretending like you tasted a plum in a man's hat in these wines is half the fun. So...
//edit, Monika wants her opinion separated :)

Adam's Black Cauldron: grass, oak, black pepper, dirt

Monika's Black Cauldron: blackberry, wood, dust, fig

Retro Snoballs

2005-11-29T18:22:00.000-08:00

When I was little, er, younger, I would eat these Hostess Snoballs that were pretty good. I remember the frosting was hard and more of a foam texture than a cupcake frosting. I always thought that was wrong.

So when I found a recipe for Mashmallow frosting, I thought it would be a great chance to make this classic dessert all over again...but with a gourmet twist.

These were an absolute BLAST to make.

The cake batter is made with 70% Cocoa by Valhrona. It's a gooey & rich chocolate cake. The frosting is made with butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and Marshmallow Fluff.

I piped the frosting on to the cupcakes after the cooled and was so impressed!

Then it was topped and shaped with some coconut that I colored with 3 food drops of red food coloring. I am sorry for the bad picture; it didn't do the cupcake justice.

The frosting made WAY too much and next time I will probably cut it in half. Wait...I take that back, next time I will double the cake recipe and make more cupcakes. This recipe only made 12.

I think these are going to be a HUGE hit at the office tomorrow.

Okay - WAAAAAAY too much frosting & sugar for me tonight...Off to the gym!

UPDATE :: I actually got an email requesting the recipe for our super Retro Snoballs and how can I keep my fans waiting ;)

8 tbls unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Valhrona)
1/2 c. Dutch-processed cocoa
3/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 c. sour cream

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with baking cup liners. (this made 12 cupcakes)

Combine first three ingredients in medium heatproof bowl. Melt ingredients using a double-boiler or a saucepan over simmering water. Whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool, until just warm to the touch.

Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

Whisk eggs in medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt and wisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture; whisk until fully combined. Alternate about 1/3 of flour mixture with the sour cream into chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. End with remaining flour mixture and whisk until batter is homogenous and thick.

Divide batter among muffin pan cups. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.

Cool in pan on wire rack, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

And the goodness that is frosting:

1 can of Fluff 16 oz. (use actual Fluff not marshmallow cream)
4 sticks of unsalted butter at room temp.
2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Cream the butter then add the sugar. Once fully incorporated add the fluff. Beat until mixed.

Pink Coconut:
1 bag coconut sweetened
3 drops of red food coloring.

Mix until pink!

C&C Cookie

2005-11-28T17:19:00.000-08:00

My two favorite food groups are coffee & chocolate. And as my favorite food groups, I try to incorporate these into my diet each day. So you can imagine my excitement when I found a cookie recipe made with dark chocolate and espresso powder.

Thankfully I had all the supplies at the house, so before I hit up the gym (I'm doing chest & tri's tonight) I had to make this recipe! Call it an obsession...

1/2 c. butter (I used unsalted)
1 c. light brown sugar
3 tbls granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1-3/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp instant espresso coffee powder
1 bag chocolate chips - 60% Ghiradelli Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.

Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.

Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges. Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie.

The mixture is pretty dry compared to other cookie dough so I was surprised when I tried the dough. I've got to say that this is some of the best cookie dough I have eaten.

SIDE BAR :: I highly recommend those who do not have an oven thermometer to buy one. I got mine from Williams Sonoma for around $10. I set the oven to 280 and the thermometer read 325. In order to reach exactly 300 degrees I set it to 255. (Just a helpful hint for people who can never get the recipes to come out right). This has been the BEST addition to my kitchen hands down. Even though I love my mixer as if it was my own child, it still doesn't save as many dishes as the thermometer has.

The overall cookie is FANTASTIC! I know I may be biased because I am such a coffee lover, but, wow! With this recipe & my other no-other-chocolate-chip-cookie-is-better-than-this recipe I don't see a need to keep my other recipes in my organizer. The true test of this will be how they hold up tomorrow.

And, in case you are wondering, Sushi is my third favorite food group.

Thanksgiving Pie Recipe #1

2005-11-28T15:43:00.000-08:00

I made this last year for Thanksgiving, but used peanut butter instead of mocha chips. It was super delish!!!! Of all the pies on the table (there were 7) this one was the "winner" by amount eaten.

Chocolate Mocha Pie
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup Baking Cocoa (dutch process if available)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
16 oz cappicino chips (I got them at Target)
2 c. heavy whipping cream, divided
2 tsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

PREHEAT oven to 350°F.COMBINE graham cracker crumbs, cocoa and granulated sugar in 9-inch pie plate. Stir in butter until all ingredients are moistened; press onto bottom and up sides of pie plate. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle 1/2 cup morsels over bottom of hot crust; let stand for 10 minutes or until all morsels are shiny. Spread chocolate over bottom and up sides of crust. Cool to room temperature.

MICROWAVE 2 cups morsels and 3/4 cup cream in large, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

BEAT remaining cream, sugar and vanilla extract in chilled small mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Fold 2 cups whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Spoon into crust; swirl top. Garnish with remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate until firm.

I topped it with a chocolate ganace. Melt some chocolate chips (any kind will work since it is just for taste) and then use a fork to splatter a design on the top of the whipped cream.

Shepherd's Pie

2005-11-27T18:37:00.000-08:00

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 3/4 pounds beef (I used 1 pound beef & 1 pound turkey)
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock or broth
4 teaspoons Worcestershire, eyeball it
1 bag mixture of peas & carrots
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tbls fresh dill, chopped

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine cream cheese, dill, and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.

While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. Add carrot, peas, and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 2 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables.

Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned.

Adam's review: "Very moist. Very flavorful. Yummy!"

This meal will probably make about 5 Adam sized lunches. This was a 30 minute meal recipe, but I changed a few things and added dill.

Thanksgiving Day Fun

2005-11-22T20:13:00.000-08:00

On the menu this Thanksgiving, or at least my contribution, is the following:

Key Lime Meringue Pie
Chocolate Caramel Pecan Pie
Chocolate Lovers Mocha Pie
Peanut Brittle (the one I made a few days ago)

I've made Key Lime pie before, but this time I decided to add a meringue topping. I've never made meringue before so this was an aggressive move on Turkey Day.

From the looks of it, I think it came out okay although it doesn't looked solidified as I think pie should be. I guess we will see tomorrow.

Yes, tomorrow. For as long as I can remember, my mom and step dad have been celebrating Thanksgiving on Wednesday night instead of Thursday so that I can eat lunch with my dad.

Anydangways, the chocolate lovers mocha pie was next on the menu and it was a task. I made this last Thanksgiving and it was a hit. It is super easy to make too. But, tonight seemed to be bad-luck day for Monika & baking. I couldn't even get the cream to whip. I was so upset.

I had to take a baking break and hit up Target for some more supplies. I think the problem with the cream was I used powdered sugar instead of sugar and this new Whip-it stuff.

The next batch of whipped cream turned out okay, but it definitely wasn't my best effort. How disappointing. I put the cream in the pie and it's setting in the fridge as we, uh, speak (?).

The pecan pie is in the oven baking. I think this one is a winner. The recipe made a little too much filling, but it was corrected early on.

Tomorrow is judgement day. Recipes that are well recieved will be posted. The ones that are ho-hum will be tossed in the garbage ;).

Peanutty Brittle

2005-11-21T08:55:00.000-08:00

This is probably one of my easiest recipes. I've messed around with the ratios and have found out that you can NOT double this recipe. It won't harden if you do. So, I recommend that you just take the extra time and make it in the small batches.

1 & 1/2 c. dry roasted peanuts
1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 pinch salt
1 tbls butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda

Grease a baking sheet, and set aside. In a glass bowl, combine peanuts, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cook in microwave for 6 to 7 minutes on High; mixture should be bubbly and peanuts browned. Stir in butter and vanilla; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Quickly stir in baking soda, just until mixture is foamy. Pour immediately onto greased baking sheet. Let cool 15 minutes, or until set. Break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.