Jamie's Green Kitchen

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia with Tomato-Basil Cream Sauce

2010-07-20T17:38:00.000-07:00

After reading Michael Pollan's book Food Rules, I've been trying to live by a few of the rules that he lists to live a healthier lifestyle. The basic story of the book is to "eat food, mostly plants, not too much." My main focus has been on the first point which is "eat food" - seems easy, right? Well what he really means is eat real food, not processed crap. I've tried to cut out foods that my ten year old cousin couldn't read, or that my great grandma wouldn't recognize as food. That cuts out my favorite dental school snack - cheetos - boo! Surprisingly, I haven't missed the cheesy powder covered nuggets at all.

Pollan's second point, "mostly plants," has been a little harder in my household. One of his rules is that eating what stands on one (or no) leg is better than eating what stands on two legs , which is better than eating what stands on four legs. What he means is that you should eat mainly vegetables and fish, followed by poultry, and rarely enjoy beef and pork. What I've been trying to do is limit our meals that include pork and beef to one night a week, so I've had to get a little creative with seafood meals and vegetarian meals that will keep my carnivore husband happy. Tonight's meal not only satisfied him, but impressed the one who taught him his carnivore ways - my father-in-law. If a fish recipe keeps these major meat eaters happy, it's a winner in my book.

Ingredients

•3 tablespoons olive oil
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved
•1/2 cup cream
•small handful of fresh basil leaves
•2 tilapia fillets
•kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
•1/4 cup flour
•1 egg, beaten
•1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
•1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
•1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

Directions

1.Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and add cream. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Sauce will turn slightly pink and coat the back of the spoon. (Note: It is okay if the sauce boils slightly.)

2.Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet large enough to fit both fillets.

3.Rinse and pat dry the tilapia fillets. Season both sides with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.

4.Combine Parmesan, panko and granulated garlic.

5.Dredge the seasoned tilapia fillets in the seasoned flour. Shake off excess. Dip in egg. Press into Parmesan/panko mixture.

6.Place in heated skillet and cook 3-4 minutes per side. Fish will be golden brown and will flake easily when done.

7.When you remove the fish, chiffonnade the basil (Note: To do this, simply roll up a few basil leaves and gently chop). Stir the basil into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

8.Lay fish on a serving platter and spoon sauce over the top. Serve.

Source: Life's Ambrosia

Fontina Mac & Cheese

2010-07-19T17:37:00.001-07:00

Since taking my little blogging break, I've been saving new recipes to make once I started up again. Not that I haven't been cooking at all, but for some reason I felt bad every time that I made a new recipe and didn't share it with you. So I've been cooking my old favorites for the last couple months, and I couldn't wait to break out this new recipe.

Most macaroni and cheese recipes (at least good ones) require you to make a bechamel sauce, which is really time consuming. When I saw this recipe on Annie's Eats, I was so excited that this was such a simple recipe that could be made on any weeknight (even the most busy ones). It did not disappoint. This is a super creamy, nutty mac & cheese, not resembling the orange powdery kind in any way.

Ingredients

1 lb. small or medium pasta shells
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz. Fontina cheese, shredded
Salt
Pinch of grated nutmeg
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions just until 1-2 minutes shy of al dente.

Meanwhile, dice 4 tablespoons of the butter and place in a large mixing bowl. Warm the cream in a small saucepan or the microwave. Cover to keep warm.

Once the pasta is cooked, add to the bowl with the butter and toss to coat well. Stir in the warm cream and the Fontina until the cheese starts to melt. Mix in salt to taste, and add the nutmeg.

Pour the mixture into a buttered 2-quart casserole dish. In a small bowl, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Mix in the panko breadcrumbs and shredded Parmesan. Toss with a fork to coat evenly with the butter. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the pasta in the baking dish.

Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the topping turns golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Source: Annie's Eats, originally from The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook by Jack Bishop

Panko Mozzerella Sticks

2010-07-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

I'm back!! Phillip & I are finally settled into our new home, and I'm feeling comfortable at work - so I thought that it was time to start the blog back up. Thanks for sticking with me for the last few months.

If you've ever been out to a chain restaurant with me, you know that I cannot resist mozzarella sticks. I don't even care if they are good, I will order them every time I spot them on the menu. If you know me really well, you will know what I like to dip them in (I only do this around people that I'm comfortable with) - cheese sauce! Gross, right?! Wrong. It's awesome.

I have never been able to make them at home without total failure, but as I said, I can't resist. This recipe, from The Pioneer Woman (courtesy of Tasty Kitchen) was awesome. I was able to get them all fried up without too many of them busting open and spilling cheesy goodness into the frying pan (that is always my problem with other recipes). The secret? Freezing the cheesesticks before you fry them - genius!

Ingredients

•16 pieces String Cheese, Removed From Wrappers
•½ cups All-purpose Flour
•2 whole Eggs
•3 Tablespoons Milk
•2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs (I Used Kroger Brand)
•1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley Flakes
•Canola Oil, For Frying
•Marinara Sauce, For Dipping

Directions

Slice string cheese pieces in half, for a total of 32 pieces.

Place flour in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and milk.

In another separate bowl, combine panko bread crumbs with parsley flakes.

TO ASSEMBLE: One by one, roll mozzarella sticks in flour, then dunk in egg/milk mixture, then place in panko crumbs. Use your hand to sweep crumbs all over the mozzarella stick. Gently remove and place on a tray or cookie sheet. Repeat until all mozzarella sticks are coated.

***Place tray in freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to flash freeze.***

TO COOK: Heat 1 1/2 inches canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add mozzarella sticks 8 at a time. Watch closely and turn over to evenly brown, cooking less than 2 minutes. Do not allow cheese to bubble and leak.

Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

Serve immediately with warm marinara sauce.

Source: The Pioneer Woman via Tasty Kitchen

A Break...

2010-04-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

If you've noticed that I've absent lately, you've been very correct. I have been super busy with my upcoming graduation and move (where I will start working as a dentist!), that I've not been able to devote my energy to blogging. I've actually made several new recipes and photographed them, but I can't seem to find the motivation to blog them. So - I've decided that I should take a little break from this blog. I will be back once I get settled into my new house (and much bigger kitchen!), so don't delete me from your google reader just yet. I think that I just need to take the pressure off of myself for a while, I'm sure as soon as a post this I'll want to make a whole bunch of new things and post them to share with you.

Thanks for reading for the past two years, and I'll be back soon!

Individual Meat Loaves

2010-03-12T15:39:00.000-08:00

This week's Barefoot Bloggers choice was made by Tonya of What's On My Plate. These mini meatloaves were super savory and yummy. They made an easy weeknight meal that was a big hit for the guys in my house (they love any meal that is meat and potatoes!). I loved that these meatloaves weren't coated in a sickly sweet sauce like most recipes I've tried. I may try this recipe in a full size meatloaf to see if it may be my new go-to meatloaf.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 1/2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)
• 1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
• 2 extra-large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meatloaf will be dense. Divide the mixture into 6 (10 to 11-ounce) portions and shape each portion into a small loaf on a sheet pan. Spread about a tablespoon of ketchup on the top of each portion. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 degrees F and the meat loaves are cooked through. Serve hot.

Source: Ina Garten

Baked Shrimp Scampi

2010-02-26T10:19:00.000-08:00

This week's Barefoot Bloggers choice was made by Jill of Insanely Good Food. This was an easy weeknight meal that really pleased my guys. I served it over pasta with zucchini, and it was great!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 extra-large egg yolk
• 2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Coconut Cupcakes

2010-02-11T19:49:00.001-08:00

It's finally my turn! Each month, two different Barefoot Blogger members get to choose which recipe the group makes. I decided to choose a cupcake recipe, and with Ina Garten - this is the only one to choose! She is famous for these cupcakes mounded with coconut, and I've never made them. Mainly because I don't like coconut - at all. But, even I liked these cupcakes (I'll admit that I took most of the coconut off of the top). They were moist and the frosting was creamy and not too sweet.

Ingredients

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:

1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes

2010-01-30T12:39:00.000-08:00

Phillip & I got invited to a pheasant fry tonight. I haven't made a new cupcake creation in a while, so I thought that this would be the perfect occasion for a new recipe. I wanted something chocolaty to appeal to the masses, and I thought these Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes looked like a good mix of chocolate and fruit.

I used my favorite chocolate mix for the base, filled it with raspberry jam, and topped it with my basic buttercream spiked with raspberry jam. The real treat of these is the chocolate filled raspberries on top... mmm!

Raspberry Truffles

2 pints of fresh raspberries
5 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup raspberry jam
1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the chocolate and jam in heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and pour cream over the chocolate and jam. Let stand for 3 minutes, whisk together until combined. If any lumps remain, microwave for a few seconds and stir. Let the ganache cool a bit until it thickens slightly. Using a pastry bag, pipe into the center of clean raspberries and refrigerate until set (about 15 minutes). Place on top of frosted cupcakes.

Inspired by: Annie's Eats

Shrimp Bisque

2010-01-30T06:56:00.000-08:00

This Barefoor Bloggers choice was from Jennifer at Our Blessed Home. My brother (and roomie) AJ loves seafood soups, so I was really excited to make this for him last week. This wasn't the most rich and creamy bisque that I've ever had (and I tend to prefer creamy soups), as Phillip said, "It was fine, it was shrimpy - it just didn't knock my socks off." I will definitely try to make a shrimp bisque again, but I probably won't use this recipe again.

For some reason, I can't copy the recipe into the blog today. For now, I'll just provide a link - and I'll fix it later. Here's Ina's version of Shrimp Bisque.

Indonesian Ginger Chicken

2010-01-14T19:16:00.000-08:00

Another Barefoot Bloggers post! I know, that seems like all I post these days. I've been super busy with my last semester of school and Phillip & I are building a new house, but I make sure to make time for this blog group every two weeks. Todd of A Cooking Dad made this choice, and it was great. The best thing was that it only took five ingredients, so it was budget friendly as well.

Ingredients

1 cup honey
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup minced garlic (8 to 12 cloves)
1/2 cup peeled and grated fresh ginger root
2 (3 1/2 pound) chickens, quartered, with backs removed

Directions

Cook the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger root in a small saucepan over low heat until the honey is melted. Arrange the chicken in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan, skin side down, and pour on the sauce. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the pan, turn the chicken skin side up, and raise the temperature to 375 degrees F. Continue baking for 30 minutes or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh and the sauce is a rich, dark brown.

Source: Ina Garten

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

2009-12-25T13:07:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!! Thanks this week go to Michelle of Welcome To The Club for this great appetizer. I made these for Phillip's family Christmas, and they were a big hit.

Ingredients

16 extra-large white mushrooms
5 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons Marsala wine or medium sherry
3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
6 scallions, white and green parts, minced
2 garlic cloves minced
2/3 cup panko crumbs
5 ounces mascarpone cheese, preferably from Italy
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside. Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and Marsala. Set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it's completely browned. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine evenly with all the other ingredients. Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the sausage mixture creamy. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste, Cool slightly.

Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture. Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer. Bake until the stuffing for 50 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty.

Source: Ina Garten

Croissant Bread Pudding

2009-12-16T16:50:00.000-08:00

Yum, what a great holiday dessert! Thanks this week go to Peggy of Pantry Revisited for choosing this festive treat. Growing up, bread pudding was my dad's favorite dessert, but I wasn't a fan. Well, I guess tastes do change as we mature, because I could have eaten the whole pan of this. The custard was luscious, and the plump raisins were the perfect treat in each bite.

I think I'm going to make this again next week when I head back home for Christmas!

Ingredients

3 extra-large whole eggs
8 extra-large egg yolks
5 cups half-and-half
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 croissants, preferably stale, sliced horizontally
1 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla. Set the custard mixture aside. Slice the croissants in half horizontally. In a 10 by 15 by 2 1/2-inch oval baking dish, distribute the bottoms of the sliced croissants, then add the raisins, then the tops of the croissants (brown side up), being sure the raisins are between the layers of croissants or they will burn while baking. Pour the custard over the croissants and allow to soak for 10 minutes, pressing down gently.

Place the pan in a larger one filled with 1-inch of hot water. Cover the larger pan with aluminum foil, tenting the foil so it doesn't touch the pudding. Cut a few holes in the foil to allow steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 40 to 45 more minutes or until the pudding puffs up and the custard is set. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Creme Brulee

2009-11-29T14:31:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Suzie from Munch & Nibble for forcing me to make my favorite restaurant dessert. Whenever I go out and get to choose dessert, I choose creme brulee. The mix of sweet and creamy finishes off a meal with just the right note. So why hadn't I made it before? I have no idea! This was a great recipe that would be perfect for entertaining, because you can make the custard ahead of time and just torch it after dinner.

Ingredients

1 extra-large egg
4 extra-large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for each serving
3 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the egg, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together on low speed until just combined. Meanwhile, scald the cream in a small saucepan until it's very hot to the touch but not boiled. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream to the eggs. Add the vanilla and orange liqueur and pour into 6 to 8-ounce ramekins until almost full.

Place the ramekins in a baking pan and carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custards are set when gently shaken. Remove the custards from the water bath, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until firm.

To serve, spread 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly on the top of each ramekin and heat with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar caramelizes evenly. Allow to sit at room temperature for a minute until the caramelized sugar hardens.

Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot in Paris

Company Pot Roast

2009-11-26T19:46:00.001-08:00

I made a big mistake with this Barefoot Bloggers assignment. Did I drop the roast on the floor? Overcook it so bad that it was rubber? No, my mistake was bigger. I attempted this recipe on a weeknight. Beware of this delicious meal, it is wonderful, but it is definitely a weekend meal. I started preparing this when I got home at five, and it wasn't finished until eight thirty. My husband and brother were ready to die of starvation, but were very impressed with the outcome. It was the perfect meal for a chilly November evening, and I'll be making it again, but probably on a Sunday. Thanks to Lisa of Lime In The Coconut for this choice.

Ingredients

1 (4 to 5-pound) prime boneless beef chuck roast, tied
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour
Good olive oil
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 cups chopped celery (4 stalks)
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 to 4 leeks)
5 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 cups good red wine, such as Burgundy
2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes in puree
1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 chicken bouillon cube
3 branches fresh thyme
2 branches fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and sear the other side and then turn and sear the ends. This should take 4 to 5 minutes for each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onions, celery, leeks, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the wine and Cognac and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot. Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender or about 160 degrees F internally. Turn the heat down to 250 degrees F after about an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.

Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce. Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot, place on the stovetop over low heat, and return the sauce to a simmer. Place 2 tablespoons flour and the butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasonings. Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve warm with the sauce spooned over it.

Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Back To Basics

Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

2009-10-31T16:48:00.000-07:00

Two soup posts in a row, I know. I made this soup this week and since I hadn't posted about it yet, I thought that I should. Another standby in our winter soup lineup, this soup is creamy and rich without being heavy. It isn't a super fast and easy soup, but the effort is worth it! I use whatever mushrooms that I can find, but Ina's recommendations are a good starting place.

Ingredients

5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
5 ounces fresh portobello mushrooms
5 ounces fresh cremini (or porcini) mushrooms
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/4 pound (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 carrot, chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon minced thyme leaves, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. Don't wash them! Separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsely chop the stems. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4-inch thick and, if there are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

To make the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot. Add the chopped mushroom stems, the onion, carrot, the sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid. You should have about 4 1/2 cups of stock. If not, add some water.

Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the remaining 1/4 pound of butter and add the leeks. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown. Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the half-and-half, cream, and parsley, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and heat through but do not boil. Serve hot.

Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa at Home

Brussels Sprout and Sausage Soup

2009-10-30T16:37:00.000-07:00

I love soup! If I lived by myself, I would eat soup and only soup. This is a hearty, healthy fall soup that I love to make for Phillip (he is a huge brussels sprout fan). The only problem with soup is that I can never get a very good picture of it.

Ingredients

1 pound brussels sprouts
1/2 pound sausage (I use a chicken sausage with apple that is great)
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 large potatoes
2 bay leaves
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

Preparation

Trim ends off brussels sprouts, remove any damaged external leaves, and cut in half lengthwise. Set aside.

Cut sausage into 1/4-in.-thick slices. Put olive oil and sausage in a medium pot over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is well browned, about 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into roughly 1/2-in. pieces.

When sausage is browned, add bay leaves to the pot. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add potatoes, broth, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Add brussels sprouts. Partially cover pot and reduce heat to low or medium-low to maintain a steady simmer. Cook soup until potatoes and brussels sprouts are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve soup hot.

Source: Sunset, January 2008

Fusilli a la Betsy

2009-10-29T16:25:00.000-07:00

Guess what I got from my friend Lynn?! The Pioneer Woman Cookbook! She is one of my very favorite bloggers, and now I can cook with her even when my internet is down. This is one of our favorite recipes from her blog, I can't believe that I haven't posted it yet. I made this with Hannah, and it made the perfect weeknight dinner. The original dish is made with penne, but we had an overabundance of fusilli, so I used that.

Ingredients:

¾ lb. penne pasta
3 tbsp. butter, divided
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 lb. large shrimp
1 small white onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup white wine (or chicken broth)
1 (8 oz.) can plain tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
basil leaves, to taste (use a bunch!)

Directions:

Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, while water heats and pasta cooks, make the sauce. Melt 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a few minutes, until opaque. Remove to a plate to let cool. Heat 2 tbsp. butter and 2 tbsp. olive oil in the skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally. While the onion and garlic are cooking, chop the shrimp into small, bite-sized pieces. Add the wine (or chicken broth) to the pan and allow to reduce for a few minutes. Chiffonade the basil leaves and set aside. Stir in tomato sauce. Add the heavy cream and stir well to combine. Add shrimp back to the skillet and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the parsley and basil and mix well.

Drain pasta and return to pot. Add the sauce to the pot and stir well to combine. Serve.

Source: The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Blue Cheese Souffle

2009-10-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

Wow, this was a first! I would have never made a souffle on my own without the Barefoot Bloggers. Thanks this week go to Summer of Sexy Apartment, for making me step out of my box. This was good as a pairing with a light salad, but the guys at my house thought that it needed a little meat. The actual question was, "Can you put some bacon in this next time? Ham? Sausage?"

Everyone worries about their souffle "falling" (mainly due to cartoons that we watched as a kid!), but I didn't have any problem with that until I decided to carry the whole thing downstairs to take a picture in my little studio. As I was carrying it down, I watched it slowly sink. I took a quick picture, but it looked much taller than in the picture when I took it out of the oven!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup scalded milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch nutmeg
4 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
3 ounces good Roquefort cheese, chopped
5 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Butter the inside of an 8-cup souffle dish (7 1/2 inches in diameter and 3 1/4 inches deep) and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the hot milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, the cayenne, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, until smooth and thick.

Off the heat, while still hot, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the Roquefort and the 1/4 cup of Parmesan and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Put the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, on medium speed for 1 minute, then finally on high speed until they form firm, glossy peaks.

Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the cheese sauce to lighten and then fold in the rest. Pour into the souffle dish, then smooth the top. Draw a large circle on top with the spatula to help the souffle rise evenly, and place in the middle of the oven. Turn the temperature down to 375 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (don't peek!) until puffed and brown. Serve immediately.

Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot in Paris

Cheddar Corn Chowder

2009-10-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

I love it when my Barefoot Blogger assignments coincide with my weekly meal plan so well. I make a new soup recipe every Monday, and this week's choice by Jill from My Next Life was perfect. This corn chowder is perfectly creamy and packed full of veggies, I will definitely be making this again.

Ingredients

8 ounces bacon, chopped
1/4 cup good olive oil
6 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
12 cups chicken stock
6 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)
10 cups corn kernels, fresh (10 ears) or frozen (3 pounds)
2 cups half-and-half
8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water.

Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.

Soft Pretzels

2009-10-04T19:18:00.000-07:00

My favorite part of baking is that it is easy to share my results with all of my friends. Most of my goodies are of my own choosing, but last week I decided to take a poll of the staff and students in my clinic to see what they were craving. I have never made anything savory for them, and they were almost unanimous that these soft pretzels from Annie's Eats sounded great. I'm taking them in to school in the morning, but I snuck a few for Phillip & I tonight and we were pleased. The whole process is a little time consuming, but the result is really impressive.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
1½ cups warm water (110-115° F)
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
2¼ tsp. instant yeast
22 oz. all-purpose flour (about 4½ cups)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for greasing the bowl

For finishing:
Cooking spray
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp. water
Pretzel (or kosher) salt

Directions:To make the dough, combine the water, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to dissolve the yeast. Add in the flour and melted butter and mix just until the dough comes together. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed until the dough is smooth and clears the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a bowl lightly greased with vegetable oil, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, about 50-55 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large saucepan or stockpot. In the meantime, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll a segment out into a 24-inch long rope. Make a U-shape with the rope and holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and onto the bottom of the U-shape in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 or 2 at a time, for 30 seconds. Remove from the water with a slotted skimmer and return to the baking sheet. Once all the pretzels have been boiled, brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake in the preheated oven until dark golden brown, about 12-14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Source: Alton Brown via Annies-Eats

Bruschetta by Julia

2009-10-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

Phillip has been bugging me about this Bruschetta for a month. He took me to see the movie Julie & Julia a few weeks ago, and has been asking me to use our fresh tomatoes to make Julia's version of one of his favorite dishes ever since. I couldn't find her recipe, but I knew from the movie that she fried her bread in olive oil, so I winged the rest.

This isn't really a recipe, but I'll just explain the steps.

Fry sliced crusty bread in shallow olive oil over medium heat until lightly browned. Top with chopped tomatoes, julienned basil, extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese. I served it in a pool of olive oil, just like we had in Italy.

Zuppa Toscana

2009-09-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

Soup season is here! I love soup so much that I make it every week from the first hint of fall until spring is almost over. One of my favorite soup to eat out is the Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden. It is so different than other soups and it is super healthy with the addition of freash kale. This was the first time that Phillip & AJ had tried this soup and they were pleasantly surprised that it was so hearty.

Ingredients
6-8 cups chicken broth
1 lb italian sausage, removed from casings
2 baking potatoes, scrubbed
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste
1 bunch fresh kale
1/4 cup half & half

In a large dutch oven over high heat, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

While the broth is coming up to a boil, prepare the potatoes by slicing in half lengthwise and then cutting each half into 1/2 inch slices with the skin on. Set aside.

With the italian sausage removed from the casings (or you could use bulk italian sausage too), crumble the sausage into the hot broth.

Add the potatoes to the pot, season with spices and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

As the potatoes soften, prepare the kale by cutting away the tough core and stem. Slice the leafy greens into slices and place in a bowl.

Once the potatoes have softened up, remove from heat or turn the heat off. Stir in the kale and half & half. (The heat of the soup will cook the kale without turning it brown.)Serve hot.

Source: What's Cooking Chicago?, Joelen's Culinary Adventures with Friends and Food

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

2009-09-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

This month's Barefoot Bloggers choices were by Mary of Passionate Perseverance and Susy of Everyday Gourmet. They both chose party cakes, and while I was only able to get to one of them, they both look like great choices if you are celebrating a birthday or other special day. Check out some of the other Barefoot Bloggers to see how they took on the challenge of Ina's Birthday Sheet Cake. I made this chocolate cake the other night, and we are still enjoying it! The chocolate frosting was a little rich for me (very semi-sweet tasting), but I would definitely use this chocolate cake recipe again. It was a really easy recipe to put together, and was very moist and chocolaty.

Ingredients

Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Directions

Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting:

6 ounces good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa at Home page 165-166

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

2009-09-13T19:15:00.001-07:00

I've been hearing grumblings at school recently. "Where are the cupcakes?" "We haven't had any goodies recently." They're right. I've gotten lazy about spoiling my friends. I had some extra time today, so I made them these fall treats to take to school in the morning. My future sister-in-law, Hannah, was my assistant for this recipe (and Phillip's birthday torte), and we both made sure to test these to make sure they passed our standards. They were soft and pumpkin-y, perfect for my friends!

Ingredients:

For the pumpkin cookies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup canola oil
3 cups chilled pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the maple cream cheese filling:
3 cups powdered sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
To make the pumpkin cookies, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk sugars and oil together. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined.

Use a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism to drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets (about 1.5-2 tablespoons.), about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

To make the filling, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter until smooth with no visible lumps. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup and vanilla and beat until smooth. Be careful not to overbeat the filling or it will lose structure.

To assemble, turn half of the cooled cookies upside down. Pipe filling onto the flat side of the overturned cookies. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm before serving.

Source: Annie's Eats

Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte

2009-09-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Phillip! I let Phillip peruse my favorite blogs to choose his birthday dessert, and he chose this beauty from Annie's Eats. It made the perfect dessert for his birthday dinner tonight. It was salty and sweet, but not too dense. It was a big hit!

Ingredients:

For the crust:
32 Oreo cookies, finely processed into crumbs
5 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Small pinch of salt

For the crunch:
1 1/4 cups salted peanuts, finely chopped, divided (for the filling, crunch and topping)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. espresso powder
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash of ground nutmeg

For the filling:
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
12 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (not natural)
2 tbsp. whole milk

For the topping:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Directions:
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and place it on a baking sheet. Combine the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in a small bowl. Toss with a fork to moisten all of the crumbs. Press into a thin layer covering the bottom and sides of the springform pan. Freeze the crust for 10 minutes. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before filling.

To make the crunch, in another small bowl combine 1/2 cup of the chopped peanuts, mini chocolate chips, sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss with a fork to mix and set aside.

To prepare the filling, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip 2 cups of the cream until it holds medium peaks. Beat in 1/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar and whip until the cream holds medium-firm peaks. Scrape the cream into a separate bowl and refrigerate until needed.

Wipe out (do not wash) the mixer bowl, replace the whisk with the paddle attachment, and beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until the cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, whole milk, and 1/4 cup of the chopped peanuts until well combined.

Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir in about 1/4 of the whipped cream just to lighten the mousse. Still working with the spatula, stir in the crunchy peanut mixture, then gingerly fold in the remaining whipped cream. Scrape the mousse into the crust, mounding and smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse firms.

To finish the torte, put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave the bowl over the water just until the chocolate softens and starts to melt, about 3 minutes; remove the bowl from the saucepan. Bring the 1/2 cup of cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and, working with a rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and smooth.

Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing with a metal icing spatula. Scatter the remaining peanuts over the top and chill to set the topping, at least 20 minutes. When the ganache is firm, remove the sides of the springform pan. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: Annie's Eats

Bacon Wrapped Jalepeno Poppers

2009-09-13T18:47:00.000-07:00

I was blessed last weekend with a bounty of Jalapenos from Phillip's Aunt Rita. They have been sitting on my counter staring at me since then. I decided to make some snacks out of them, and turned to my favorite cowgirl The Pioneer Woman. These were so simple to make, and they hit the spot. I will for sure make them again this fall for a football snack.

Ingredients:

Fresh Jalapenos, 2-3 inches in size
Softened Cream Cheese
Thin, Regular Bacon, sliced into thirds

Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membrane (the source of the heat; leave a little if you like things HOT). Smear softened cream cheese into each jalapeno half. Wrap each jalapeno with bacon piece. Secure by sticking toothpick through the middle. (At this point, you can freeze them, uncooked, in a Ziploc bag for later use).

Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. You don't want the bacon to shrink so much so it starts to squeeze the jalapeno. If, after 20 minutes, the bacon doesn't look brown enough, just turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish it off.

Serve 'em immediately if you want them hot, or they're good at room temperature.

Source: The Pioneer Woman Cooks

New Flavor of the Half-Year Chosen!

2009-09-09T17:50:00.001-07:00

Almost two years ago, when I was planning my wedding, I was having difficulty deciding on the flavors for my wedding cupcakes. Upon tasting some samples, my brother AJ looked me straight in the face and said "you have to have raspberry, it's the flavor of the half-year." Really? The flavor of the half-year, was he on crack!? Who chooses the flavor of the half-year, I asked? "I do, of course." After the subsequent choice of lemon (fall '08), and the VERY late choice of lime (chosen one day before the end of the spring '09 half-year), it was decided that a committee should be formed to choose the flavor of the half-year.

Today, the Half-Year Flavor Selection Committee was formed and guidelines were established. The basic guidelines are that the flavors will be chosen on the day after Christmas and the 4th of July, and that each committee member (my brother, his fiance, Phillip & I) can nominate a flavor and will then rank the choices, deciding on a winner.

The flavor of this half year has been chosen, and the winner is..... APPLE!

The flavor was inspired by Phillip & my trip last weekend to Huber Orchard and Winery. We made it home with a whole bag of fresh-picked apples and a gallon of cider, along with butternut squash, whole wheat bread and local honey.

Dinner tonight utilized quite a few of our purchases from Huber.

Parmesan Pork Chops with Cider Gravy and Apple and Pecan Saute

4 Pork Loin Chops

1 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs

1/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan

3 Tbsp Butter

Salt & Pepper

2 Tbsp Flour

1 Cup Apple Cider

2 Apples, finely diced (I used the Jonathans that we picked)

1/4 cup chopped Pecans

Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, salt & pepper. Dry the pork chops and press into the crumb mixture. Add 2 Tbsp butter to medium-high pan, and saute chops for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove chops from pan and add flour to pan drippings. Cook flour for a minute until browned, and whisk in 1/2 cup cider, stirring until gravy is thick.

Add 1 Tbsp butter to another pan, and heat on medium heat. Add apples and pecans, cooking until apples are caramelized. Add 1/2 cup cider and cook until apples are soft.

I served this with roasted butternut squash puree, and it made a great fall dinner on an 80 degree day!

Trisha's Birthday Cake

2009-08-30T19:16:00.001-07:00

Doncha' Love It?

White Pizza with Arugula

2009-08-27T15:20:00.000-07:00

This was my first shot at homemade pizza dough, and it was so good!! Thanks go to Angela of Nummy Kitchen for this weeks Barefoot Bloggers choice. I halved the dough and made four smaller pizza with this half, and put the other half in the freezer for later. I also added prosciutto for some extra protein. These were a big hit for my future sister-in-law Hannah's birthday dinner, and I know that I'll make them again soon.

Ingredients

For the dough:
1 1/4 cups warm (100 to 110) water
2 packages dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
Good olive oil
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
Kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, sliced
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

For the topping:
3 cups grated Italian fontina cheese (8 ounces)
1 1/2 cups grated fresh mozzarella cheese (7 ounces)
11 ounces creamy goat cheese, such as montrachet, crumbled
For the vinaigrette:nocoupons
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces baby arugula
1 lemon, sliced

Directions

Combine the water, yeast, honey and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. When the yeast is dissolved, add 3 cups of flour, then 2 teaspoons salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add up to 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with the flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the bowl.

When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Place 1/2 cup of olive oil, the garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. (Be sure your oven is clean!)

Dump the dough onto a board and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Place the doughs on sheet pans lined with parchment paper and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Press and stretch each ball into an 8-inch circle and place 2 circles on each sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (If you've chilled the dough, take it out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes ahead to let it come to room temperature.)

Brush the pizzas with the garlic oil, and sprinkle each one liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with fontina, mozzarella and goat cheese. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon more of the garlic oil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crusts are crisp and the cheeses begin to brown.

Meanwhile, whisk together 1/2 cup of olive oil, the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

When the pizzas are done, place the arugula in a large bowl and toss with just enough lemon vinaigrette to moisten. Place a large bunch of arugula on each pizza and a slice of lemon and serve immediately.

Source: Ina Garten Back to Basics, page 82

Mongolian Beef

2009-08-17T16:32:00.001-07:00

The guys at my house are big Asian cuisine fans. Generally Asian recipes are very labor intensive and involve a lot of different ingredients that I don't keep at home. When I saw this recipe last Thursday on elly says opa!, I knew that I had to try it. The only ingredient that I had to buy was the flank steak. I made a few changes, including adding much more brown sugar (we like sweet sauces) and adding some Sriracha chili sauce for more heat.

Mongolian Beef

1 lb. flank steak, sliced across the grain
1/2 cup corn starch
3 T canola oil, divided
1/2 tsp. grated ginger
1 T garlic, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp. (heaping) red pepper flakes
2-3 large scallions, sliced
1 T Sriracha chili sauce, or to taste

Pat the steak pieces dry and toss in a bowl with corn starch. Shake off excess, but make sure every piece is coated.

Heat half the oil in a wok at medium-high heat and add the ginger and garlic. Once fragrant, add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl.

Add the remaining oil to the wok and turn on high. Cook the beef until it is brown on all sides. Add the sauce back to the wok and let it thicken, add the green onions and Sriracha in just before plating.

Adapted from Pink Bites

Mango Banana Daiquiris

2009-08-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

What a perfect ending to a perfect Saturday! Phillip and I spent the day relaxing around Indy, and we had an amazing dinner at Cafe Patachou. It has been a favorite spot of ours for brunch, but they just started serving dinner, and I have to say that it was one of the best dinners that I have had in Indianapolis for a long time. In a city known for big chain restaurants, it is so nice to find a local establishment that is flourishing.

After we got home, I decided to mix up this Barefoot Bloggers choice. Thanks to Veronica of Supermarket Serenade for choosing this great end-of-summer drink as our recipe. It was so good that Phillip & I finished the whole batch that was supposed to serve four.

Mango Banana Daiquiris

serves 4

2 cups chopped ripe mango (1 to 2 mangos, peeled and seeded)
1 ripe banana, chopped
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (4 limes)
1/4 cup sugar syrup*
1 1/4 cups dark rum, such as Mount Gay
Mango slices, for serving

Place the mango, banana, lime juice, sugar syrup, and rum in a blender and process until smooth. Add 2 cups of ice and process again until smooth and thick. Serve ice-cold in highball glasses with the mango slices.

*To make simple syrup, heat 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Chill.

Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics pg 47

Peach and Blueberry Crumble

2009-07-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

What a perfect Barefoot Blogger choice from Aggie of Aggie's Kitchen. I was given a bucketful of fresh blueberries from my future sister-in-law, Hannah, just last week. I was also able to find beautiful ripe peaches at the Broadripple Farmers' Market. The crumble was perfect, and I know that I will use the recipe with different fruit.

Peach and Blueberry Crumble

For the fruit:

2 lbs firm, ripe peaches (6-8 peaches)
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fresh blueberries (1/2 pint)

For the Crumble:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 lb (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until their skins peel off easily. Place them immediately in cold water. Peel the peaches, slice them into thick wedges, and place them in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the blueberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into ramekins or custard cups.

For the topping, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until it’s in big crumbles, then sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Place the ramekins on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and back for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tops are browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature. If you want to make these early, store the unbaked crumbles in the refrigerator and bake before dinner. Serves 5 to 6.

Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa at Home, Page 197-198

Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes

2009-07-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

This Barefoot Bloggers recipe was one that I kept pushing off until later, and now I can't figure out why! I used this recipe as a vehicle to add a few things that I had in my fridge and from my garden. Since my new roommate (my younger brother) refuses to eat any meal that does not include something that once mooed, oinked, clucked or barked (just kidding on that last one!), I added some large pepperoni chunks which were a perfect addition. I also added sauteed summer squash because I have a bumper crop in my little garden. Thanks to Cat of Delta Whiskey for choosing this great recipe, I'll definitely be making it again.

Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes

Ingredients

1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced
1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced
6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:

5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 garlic clove, diced
1 teaspoon capers, drained
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.

Source: Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Family Style, page 58

Gazpacho

2009-06-29T14:24:00.000-07:00

Another super summery Barefoot Bloggers post! Thanks this week to Maryl of My Bit of Earth for making me step out of my box again. This cold soup was a really great accompaniment to our fancy chili dog dinner last night. I added sliced avocado as a garnish, because it improves everything it touches. Phillip would have preferred this dish without the red pepper, but he would prefer his entire life without them so he isn't the one to ask!

Gazpacho

Ingredients

1 hothouse cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
4 plum tomatoes
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

Source: Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, page 79

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

2009-06-15T08:19:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Ric!! These were a special request for his birthday, and they were a huge hit at school. The "jelly" filling and topping was actually the homemade strawberry jam that I made a few weeks ago with the lovely Morgan women.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter
1 1/3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Insert 24 liners into a medium cupcake pan.
2. In a large bowl cream together the butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well. Mix in the vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients to creamed mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix well.
5. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan.

Source: howtoeatacupcake.com

I filled the cupcakes with the strawberry jam using the cone technique and topped with peanut butter frosting.

Peanut Butter Buttercream

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 cups powdered sugar
2-4 Tbsp. milk
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

In large bowl, combine butter, peanut butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, and 2 Tbsp. milk. Mix well, adding more milk as needed to make a fluffy spreadable frosting.

Curried Couscous

2009-06-11T15:04:00.001-07:00

I'll be honest. I was not excited about making this recipe this week. We're not big curry fans at our house, but I kept telling myself that this is the reason that I joined Barefoot Bloggers. I wanted to make myself try recipes that I wouldn't on my own. I succeeded this week in trying something new, but did I succeed in finding a new recipe for our file? Not exactly. Phillip & I both said "Eh (shrug)" about this recipe. I thought that it was kind of dry (more dressing would help) and since we aren't big curry fans, the flavor wasn't my favorite. It wasn't as bad as I feared, and I will definitely make my own version of a couscous salad. I've never made it myself before, and it is great for a fast weeknight meal. Thanks Ellyn for making me step outside my comfort zone! The only substitute I made was exchanging feta cheese for raisins (I was out and didn't know it).

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups couscous
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup small-diced carrots
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins (I substituted feta cheese)
1/4 cup blanched, sliced almonds
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup small-diced red onion

Directions

Place the couscous in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in the boiling water and pour over the couscous. Cover tightly and allow the couscous to soak for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Pour over the fluffed couscous, and mix well with a fork. Add the carrots, parsley, currants, almonds, scallions, and red onions, mix well, and season to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Source: Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Outragous Brownies

2009-05-28T00:30:00.000-07:00

Phillip has never been so excited about a Barefoot Bloggers assignment! Eva of I'm Boring chose this classic Ina Garten recipe. We were given free reign to make any additions that we wanted, so I added peanut butter chips instead of walnuts. Warning: this recipe makes a very large batch. I took half to school with me and sent the other half to work with Phillip.

Ingredients

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
12 oz peanut butter chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the chocolate and peanut butter chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool and drizzle with melted chocolate and peanut butter chips.

Source: Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Dog Cake

2009-05-27T17:48:00.000-07:00

If you've read my other blog, you know that I threw a birthday party for my dog LuLu in January. Since then, I've had commissions for two other dog birthday cakes. This evening, Phillip & I took LuLu to celebrate Marley's first birthday. There were at least fifteen dogs there (they didn't slow down long enough for me to count all of them), and they were all so good, they even shared the cake really nicely. I multiplied my normal recipe (below) by eight to make this big version. The normal size would probably provide a treat for about six dogs, so adjust accordingly.

Dog Cake

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup oil
1 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup honey
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 6 inch round cake pan. Mix all ingredients well and pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until set through.

Dog Frosting

Ingredients

1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

Mix cottage cheese and sugar in food processor until smooth, frost cooled cake.

Fried Calamari

2009-05-25T18:32:00.001-07:00

I love calamari. If we're out for dinner and I have a choice of appetizers, I always choose these tiny morsels of seafood goodness. Why had I never made them at home? After making these tonight, I have no idea why. They were easy and just like we get out. I can't wait to make these for my in-laws who are calamari fans as well.

Fried Calamari

1/2 pound calamari, thawed if frozen (I like to use both the rings and tentacles)
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Canola oil for frying

Pat the calamari rings dry with a paper towel. In a bowl whisk together egg and milk to make an egg wash. In a large plastic resealable bag combine flour, salt, pepper, granulated garlic and cornstarch and shake to combine.

Dip the calamari rings into the egg and then put them in the bag with the flour. Shake bag to lightly coat calamari. In a large sauce pan add oil until you have about 2 inches. Heat over medium heat until oil is hot. Once the oil is hot, remove the calamari from the bag and shake off any excess flour. Cook calamari in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes. It is very important not to overcook calamari or it will become rubbery. Remove from the oil, drain, and season with salt and pepper.

Source: Life's Ambrosia

Fried Goat Cheese

2009-05-19T17:27:00.000-07:00

When I saw this recipe posted on The Novice Chef, I immediately knew that I needed to make it for Phillip. He loves goat cheese, and I thought that they would make a great addition to a weeknight salad. I will for sure make these again, they only took about five minutes and they definitely spiced up our dinner.

Fried Goat Cheese

4 oz log of Goat Cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
Olive Oil

Directions:
Mix the goat cheese, seasoning, salt & pepper together. Form goat cheese into balls. Dip cheese balls in egg and then cover in bread crumbs. Fry in a shallow pan of olive oil until golden brown. Serve warm over the salad of your choice.

Adapted from: The Novice Chef

Ashleigh's Bridal Shower

2009-05-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

My friend Ashleigh is getting married, too! I threw her this shower on Sunday (busy weekend for me, huh?), and the day turned out perfectly. I can't wait until I get to celebrate her wedding day with her. The menu for the shower was as follows:

Chicken Salad Croissants

Mini Club Sandwiches

Stuffed Strawberries

Cucumber Cups with Ranch and Shrimp Cocktail

Mini Quiches

Broccoli Salad

Cheese Platter

Cupcakes:

Lemon Black Raspberry

Vanilla Bean Black Cherry

Red Velvet

Note: Ashleigh's future sister-in-law Jan took some of these photos. I was too busy running around to get very good pictures of all the food. Maybe I should hire her to take pictures of all my food, I think she does a better job than I do!

Sources: Annies Eats

Lynn's Bridal Shower

2009-05-19T16:14:00.000-07:00

My friend Lynn is getting married! I helped throw her a shower this Saturday, and it was so much fun. I made these cupcakes from the book Hello Cupcake! and they turned out very cute. Lynn's sister Anne made all the other food, and she did such a good job, everything was so light and springy, perfect for the vegetable garden theme.

Lobster Cobb Salad Rolls

2009-05-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

This week's Barefoot Blogger post is a little different. This month, Tara, our fearless leader gave us the chance to sub out one of the recipes with any other past recipe that we hadn't made. This recipe was a bonus recipe from a few weeks ago, chosen by a vote on the group's website. Phillip & I really enjoyed this, I'm going to have it again for lunch tomorrow and I can't wait!

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
5 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:
2 ripe Hass avocados
1 lemon, juiced
1 bunch arugula, washed and spun dry
1 1/2 pounds cooked lobster meat, cut in 3/4-inch dice
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half or quarters
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound lean bacon, fried and crumbled
3/4 cup crumbled English Stilton, or other crumbly blue cheese
8 hot dog rolls

Directions

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

For the salad, cut the avocados in half, remove the seed, and peel. Cut into 3/4-inch dice and toss with the lemon juice. If the arugula leaves are large, cut them in half crosswise.

Put the lobster and tomatoes in a bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and toss with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Add the diced avocados, crumbled bacon, blue cheese, and arugula and toss again. Fill the hot dog rolls with the salad. Serve at room temperature.

Source: Ina Garten

Basketball Cake

2009-05-05T18:39:00.000-07:00

I did this cake for a birthday party last weekend. The birthday boy was very excited about his basketball cake and his bouncy castle!

I've been busy...

2009-04-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

I just found a whole bunch of pictures from the past few weeks that I didn't have time to post. I made a huge batch of cupcakes over Easter weekend (8 dozen!). I made these super-cute robin chick cupcakes for Phillip's family Easter. They were a hit!

Phillip's Grandpa had a birthday recently, and I made this cherry chocolate layer cake with whipped cream frosting:

I'm throwing a Bridal Shower for my BFF Ashleigh in a few weeks, so I had her over to sample the food that I'm going to make.

Croque Monsier

2009-04-23T08:21:00.000-07:00

Mmmm... Cheesy Goodness. These sandwiches are now a permanent part of my sandwich repertoire. I doubted that they would be worth the effort that they took for just a sandwich, but they were so good that I think I might make them again next week! Chosen by Kathy of All Food Considered , Phillip & I both loved this recipe.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
Dijon mustard
8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.
To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.
Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

Chinese Chicken Salad

2009-04-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

I actually made this Barefoot Bloggers recipe on time, but I've been so busy with finals that I've put off posting it. My finals are finally over, so let the posting begin! This recipe was chosen by McKenzie of Kenzie's Kitchen, and I was pleasantly surprised. I am not generally a fan of chicken salad, but the combination of the crunchy veggies and the peanut sauce really hit the spot. I added snow peas because I had them on hand, and they made a great addition.

Chinese Chicken Salad

4 split chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound asparagus, ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted

For the dressing:

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub with the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in large bite-sized pieces.
Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Cut the peppers in strips about the size of the asparagus pieces. Combine the cut chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.
Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Mini Quiche

2009-04-06T05:40:00.000-07:00

After making Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts a few weeks ago, I realized how much I love my little tart pans! I decided to use Tartelette's original recipe for savory breakfast tartelettes. Phillip & I altered the fillings (we just threw in anything that sounded good), I can't even remember exactly what he put in his. They were so good, I wish I had one right now (it doesn't help that I'm sitting in class with my stomach growling). Here is the original recipe from Tartelette, with my changes in italics:

Crust:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
5 tablespoons butter, cold and cut into small slices
5 to 6 tablespoons ice cold water

Mix together the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture forms pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of water over the flour mixture and toss with fork until moistened. Repeat with the remaining water, one tablespoon at a time and gather the dough into a ball with your hand. Do not handle the dough too long. Wrap into a sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This will allow the dough to relax and make it easier to roll, keeping it from becoming tough. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface, applying pressure from the center to the edges until it is about 12 inches in diameter. Cut out four 5 inch circles onto the dough and press them into the tartlet pans (I used 4 inch pans). Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Filling:
6 slices bacon
4 stalks green onion, sliced, white and green parts included
1/2 finely sliced onion
1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 ½ cups milk
Pinch of salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350F.In a medium sauté pan set over medium heat, cook the bacon slices until crispy brown. Drain them on a paper towel. Crumble them and set aside. Wipe the pan of the bacon dripping with a paper towel and place it back over medium heat and cook the both types of onion for a couple of minutes, just to take the raw edge off. Divide the bacon, onion and parsley evenly among the tartlets and place them on a baking sheet.In a bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper until combined and slowly pour the mixture over the tartlets. Divide the cheese evenly in between the tarts and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Individual sizes bake faster than a whole pie so keep an eye on them after 20 minutes. Let cool before unmolding and serving.

Adapted from: Tartelette

Baby Shower Cupcakes

2009-04-05T13:44:00.001-07:00

I haven't been posting pictures of my cupcake orders recently, but these baby shower cupcakes were too cute to keep to myself! The nursery is done in a really cool jungle mural, so I made cupcakes to coordinate with that.

Rocky Road Cupcakes

2009-03-29T14:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Max! For the past few weeks, every time I bumped into my buddy Max in the hallway at school, he batted his eyelashes at me and reminded me that his birthday was coming up soon. Well, his birthday was yesterday, and I didn't forget about him. I thought that these Rocky Road cupcakes sounded like the ultimate man-pleaser, so I made them today for Max. I used my favorite chocolate cake mix for the base, and topped it with this great, fudgy frosting. I'm still licking my fingers, it's so gooey!

Rocky Road Frosting:

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup mini marshmallows
½ cup chocolate covered or plain almonds, coarsely chopped (I used chocolate covered ones)
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Put the chocolate, butter, condensed milk, and salt in a heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler and place it over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water (or the bottom of the double boiler). Cook, stirring constantly, until the chocolate and butter have melted and the frosting is smooth and thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the water and stir in the vanilla.

Scrape the chocolate mixture into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until the frosting thickens further and cools to lukewarm (so it won’t melt the marshmallows), about 3 minutes. When thickened, the beaters should form lines in the frosting. Fold in marshmallows, almonds, and chocolate chips. Allow the frosting to thicken until it’s a spreadable consistency that won’t run down the sides of the cupcakes. (Just play around with it, you’ll know when it’s ready.) Let the cupcakes sit uncovered until the frosting firms up, about 1 hour.

Source: howtoeatacupcake

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

2009-03-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

This weeks Barefoot Bloggers post, chosen by Anne of Anne Strawberry, seemed like it was chosen especially for me. My hubby loves both goat cheese and tomatoes, and I have been meaning to use my mini tart pans that I got as a wedding gift for a long time now. The original recipe called for using puff pastry, but since I wanted to use my tart pans I made a homemade tart shell. They turned out really great, I will definitely make these again, maybe switching up the ingredients.

Savory Tart Shell

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
5 tablespoons butter, cold and cut into small slices
3 to 4 tablespoons ice cold water

Mix together the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture forms pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over the flour mixture and toss with fork until moistened. Repeat with the remaining water, one tablespoon at a time and gather the dough into a ball with your hand. Do not handle the dough too long. Wrap into a sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This will allow the dough to relax and make it easier to roll, keeping it from becoming tough. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface, applying pressure from the center to the edges until it is about 12 inches in diameter. Cut out six 4 inch circles onto the dough and press them into the tart pans (or one 9 inch pan if making a larger tart). Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Adapted From: Tartelette

Filling

Good olive oil

4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)

3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons dry white wine

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves

4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler

4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese

1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices

3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Preheat oven to 350F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Serve hot or warm.

Adapted from: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Soft Garlic Knots

2009-03-19T20:06:00.000-07:00

I read a lot of blogs. At last count my Google Reader followed 89 different blogs. I could never keep up with this many different blogs without my Google Reader. If you read more than one blog, you should try it. You'll never go back. One of the best things about it is that you can "star" posts that you want to save for later. I use this mainly for recipes that I think look good when I read them for the first time. When I am making dinner, and have no idea what I want to make, I'll sift through my starred recipes and pick a few to try. So today I went back and found this beautiful recipe from Annie's Eats, a blog from a Medical Student/Mom from IU. I always trust a recipe if Annie says that she liked it. These rolls were wonderful, light, and so easy! I'm not that experienced using yeast, but I wasn't intimidated by these at all.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
3 cups bread flour
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. instant yeast
1 ¼ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
¼ cup milk
1 cup + 2 tbsp. lukewarm water

For the glaze:
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. melted butter
½ tsp. Italian seasoning

Directions:

To make the dough, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the dry ingredients. Add the olive oil, milk and water. Mix until ingredients have formed a dough. Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 10 inch long rope and tie into a knot. Take the end lying underneath the knot and bring it over the top, tucking it into the center. Take the end lying over the knot and tuck it underneath and into the center. Transfer shaped rolls to a baking stone, or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 45 minutes, until puffy.

To make the glaze, finely mince the garlic or press it through a garlic press. Mix with the melted butter and Italian seasoning.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Brush the glaze onto the shaped rolls. Bake until set and lightly browned, about 15-18 minutes.

Source: Annie's Eats

Brownie Pudding

2009-03-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

This is the first month that I have has it all together enough to be able to make a bonus recipe for Barefoot Bloggers. Each month, two mandatory recipes are chosen, along with a bonus recipe for those of us who want to join in for more fun. When I saw that Tia from Southern, Eh? had chosen this brownie pudding as this month's bonus recipe, I knew that I had to make it. If you've noticed that I haven't posted much this week (admit, it... you've missed me, haven't you?), it's because I'm on Spring Break! I'm staying with my in-laws this week, and I left my camera at home (insert *gasp* here). I made dinner for them tonight, along with Phillip's cousin Jeremy and his lovely wife Melanie (they are becoming frequent guest stars on my blog), so I thought that this would be the perfect dessert.

Ingredients

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup good cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
1 tablespoon framboise liqueur, optional (I didn't use this)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, framboise, if using, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.

Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Swedish Meatballs

2009-03-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

When my family gets ready to head down to Mexico (which we've done for the past few years around New Year's), we aren't looking forward to the beaches or the waves. For weeks before we go, we talk about one thing. The Food. We all have our favorite spots, but a favorite among all of us is Babe's Noodles & Bar. Our trip is not complete without making a stop there for eclectic favorites including Thai Noodles, Crab Spring Rolls with Peach Sauce, Grilled Dorado,and my personal favorite, Swedish Meatballs. Swedish Meatballs? At a noodle bar? In Mexico? Yeah, I was skeptical at first, too. The owners of Babe's, while an integral part of the scene in Playa del Carmen these days, are originally from Sweden, so Swedish Meatballs are a natural choice to add to their menu. The last time we were there, I set myself on a mission: Recreate those meatballs when I got home so that I wouldn't have to wait another year to taste their fabulousness again.

When I am trying to find a specific recipe,and I have no idea how to start, I always pull out my copy of Joy of Cooking, it never disappoints. This time was no exception. While these may not be exactly the same as Babe's, they definitely fix my craving, and I am already wanting them again. I served them on top of mashed potatoes, and topped them with lingonberry sauce (found at Mejier).

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. onions, finely minced

3/4 lb. ground pork

3/4 lb. ground beef

2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 cup water

2 egg yolks

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

4 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. flour

2 cups beef stock

Directions:

Melt butter in a small, heavy-bottomed pan and cook the onions until soft, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the bread crumbs and water. Let stand 2 minutes. To the bread and water, add the remaining ingredients and the reserved onions. Beat on low speed until smooth. Turn the mixer to high and beat until the mixture becomes light in color and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Use two spoons dipped in water to shape the meat into 1" balls.

Heat the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Cook the meatballs in batches of 15 -20, making sure to brown them evenly on all sides. Remove the browned meatballs and drain them briefly on a plate lined with paper towels.

After all the meatballs have been cooked, add the flour to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Slowly add the beef stock. Cook while whisking until the gravy is thick and smooth.

Strain the gravy if desired. Pour the gravy over the meatballs and serve hot.

Chicken Piccata

2009-03-12T10:03:00.001-07:00

This week's Barefoot Bloggers recipe was chosen by Lindsey of Noodle Nights and Muffin Mornings. This was a great weeknight meal that would be wonderful for entertaining. The lemon sauce was very lemon-y and fresh, it was a great recipe for the warm spring evening we had earlier this week. The only change that I made was that I used chicken tenderloins instead of full breasts, because that is what we already had in the freezer. I can't wait to make this again, the only thing I would do differently is to make a little more sauce, because it was so good over the pasta that we had on the side.

Ingredients:

2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used chicken tenderloins)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 extra-large egg
1/2 tablespoon water
3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
Good olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved
1/2 cup dry white wine
Sliced lemon, for serving
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Source: Ina Garten: Barefoot Contessa at Home, page 96-97

Jaeda's Birthday Cake

2009-03-07T16:57:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, I posted Harp's Birthday Cake. Well, today I helped throw his big sister Jaeda's birthday party. It was an all-out pirate theme, complete with a pirate ship birthday cake! It turned out really nice, and it was a hit with the kids.

Alfredo Sauce

2009-03-03T05:45:00.000-08:00

This alfredo sauce is one of the first recipes that I mastered when I started cooking as a teenager, and is now a staple in our family. However, because of its richness it is a special treat, and one that Phillip was very excited to have tonight. It can be served classically over fettuchini, but tonight Phillip & I had it over our favorite new convenience food, lobster ravioli from Sam's Club. I have actually never measured for this recipe before tonight, I just normally taste it until it tastes right. Feel free to add or subtract parmesan cheese to your liking.

Ingredients:

1 half pint heavy cream (also known as whipping cream)
1 stick butter
6 tablespoons parmesan cheese **

Directions:

Add butter and cream to a saute pan. Whisk over medium-high heat until the butter melts and the mixture starts to bubble. Sprinkle in parmesan cheese, just a little at a time (whisk until each addition melts in). Simmer for 3-4 more minutes, whisking constantly. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

** I use kraft parmesan cheese. Yes, the powdery kind in the green container. In all other respects of my life, I am a parmesan cheese snob. I have tried this recipe with fancy imported parmesan cheese, and it just didn't taste right. Feel free to try it either way and see what you think.

GIVEAWAY Results!

2009-03-03T05:18:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the great response to my giveaway!

To select the winner, I used Random.org's random number generator. I deleted the multiple posts and the winner is....

#26: Shauna

Shauna - please email me at jamiewintersmorgan@hotmail.com to claim your prize.

Happy Blogoversary To Me! - GIVEAWAY!

2009-03-01T15:00:00.000-08:00

One year ago today I started this blog. I thought that it might be fun to have a place to share my recipes, and it sure has been. I've been so surprised with how positive my friends and family have been about this new part of my life. I've only had a few people call me crazy! Here's a look at some of my creations from the past year:

In honor of my blogoversary, I'm going to put on my first giveaway! I've decided to gift one of my lucky readers with my favorite cupcake cookbook:

This cookbook is so inspiring to me. The author is so good at showing you how to make beautiful designs with simple frosting and candies. To enter, leave a comment on this post before 8:00 am eastern time tomorrow, March 3rd. I will use a random number selector to choose the winner, and will post the lucky person's name later that day.

Thanks for making my first year of blogging a success!

Fauxstess Cupcakes

2009-03-01T14:45:00.001-08:00

I made these cupcakes earlier this week for my brother-in-law's 21st birthday! Phillip & I joined his parents at Purdue Friday night to celebrate, and we had a great time. These cupcakes turned out so cute, I just can't stand it! I doubled the recipe to make two dozen, but other than that, I didn't make any changes.

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. cake flour
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
1/3 cup canola oil
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. water

For the filling:
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
¾ cup Marshmallow Fluff
1 ½ tbsp. plus 1 tsp. heavy cream

For the frosting:
¼ cup heavy cream
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly coat the wells of a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray, or line with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together egg yolks, canola oil, ½ cup sugar and water until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

In a clean medium bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff and glossy. Beat one quarter of the egg whites into the batter to lighten the mixture. Add remaining whites and gently fold the mixture together until no streaks remain.

Evenly divide the batter between the wells of the prepared muffin tin. Bake until the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched in the center, about 13-16 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly in pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the filling, in a medium bowl beat together the butter, confectioners’ sugar, Marshmallow Fluff and 1 ½ tablespoons of the heavy cream until fluffy. Reserve ½ cup of the mixture – transfer the rest to a pastry bag fitted with a ¼ - inch round tip. Beat the remaining 1 teaspoon of cream into the reserved ½ cup of filling, cover and reserve.

Gently insert the tip of the pastry bag about ½ - inch deep into the top of each cupcake and lightly squeeze in some of the filling.

To make the frosting, in a small saucepan heat cream over medium heat until steaming, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and dip the top of each cupcake to thoroughly coat. Spoon the reserved filling into a pastry bag fitted with a very small plain tip and pipe curlicues across the center of each cupcake. Refrigerate the cupcakes for 10 minutes to set the frosting.

Source: Annie's Eats, originally from Food & Wine

Meringues Chantilly

2009-02-24T15:36:00.000-08:00

For this week's Barefoot Bloggers post, BMK of Reservations Not Required picked this great recipe for meringues topped with stewed berries. I made this a few weeks ago when Phillip's cousin Jeremy and his wife Melanie came over to our house to go out to dinner. The meringues came out really nice, but they were not very easy to eat. The meringue part was crispy, while the berries and whipped cream were nice and soft. According to Jeremy, "this thing is pretty good once you tear into it with a steak knife!" I will definitely use this meringue recipe again, but I might make them more bite-sized next time. Also, I omitted both liqueurs (orange and raspberry), I couldn't see buying a whole bottle of each just for this one recipe. I'm sure that they made the recipe better, so if you have some lying around, by all means put it in!

Ingredients

6 extra - large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped Cream with Orange Liqueur, recipe follows
Stewed berries, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small glass and a pencil, draw 6 (3 1/2-inch) circles on each piece of paper. Turn the paper face-down on the baking sheets.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a large pinch of salt on medium speed until frothy. Add 1 cup of the sugar and raise the speed to high until the egg whites form very stiff peaks. Whisk in the vanilla. Carefully fold the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar into the meringue. With a large star - shaped pastry tip, pipe a disc of meringue inside each circle. Pipe another layer around the edge to form the sides of the shells.

Bake for 2 hours, or until the meringues are dry and crisp but not browned. Turn off the heat and allow the meringues to sit in the oven for 4 hours or overnight.

Spread some of the sauce from the stewed berries on each plate. Place a meringue on top and fill with whipped cream. Top with berries and serve.

Whipped Cream with Orange Liqueur:

2 cups (1 pint) cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange liqueur (I omitted this)
Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar, vanilla and orange liqueur and continue to whip until the cream forms stiff peaks. Don't overbeat, or you'll end up with butter!

Yield: 4 cups

Stewed berries:
1 half-pint fresh blueberries
3 half-pints fresh raspberries, divided
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
2 teaspoons framboise (raspberry brandy) (I omitted this)

Combine the blueberries, one-half pint of raspberries, 1/3 cup water, the sugar and zest in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes. The juice will become a syrup and the berries will be slightly cooked. Off the heat, stir in the remaining raspberries and the framboise. Set aside.

Yield: 8 servings

Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot in Paris, Page 176

Bacon Wrapped Quail Stuffed with Goat Cheese

2009-02-14T16:23:00.000-08:00

The men of the Morgan family are hunters. They get all dressed up in fancy hunting gear and set out after their prey. To see them, you would think that they were off in search of big game - rhinos or grizzly bears. They're not. They are in search of tiny, tiny birds. Quail, to be exact.

To celebrate Valentine's Day this year, I decided to find a different way to make quail for Phillip. They turned out well - they reminded us of my mom's chicken bacon rollups, just on a smaller scale.

Ingredients

4 small whole quail, wings removed (they are so small that they will burn)
salt
pepper
olive oil
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
4 slices bacon

Directions

Season birds with with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Let the birds marinate, refrigerated for at least an hour, up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Cut a slit in each breast of the quail, fill the resulting pocket with the goat cheese. Wrap each breast in bacon. Tie the legs of each bird together with kitchen twine.

Roast for 15 minutes, or until juices run clear.

We served the quail with mashed potatoes and asparagus - the perfect dinner.

Real Spaghetti & Meatballs

2009-02-14T11:03:00.000-08:00

When the Barefoot Bloggers choices came out a couple weeks ago, I was surprised to see that the first recipe was one that I had just made recently. Chosen be Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake, this is a wonderful fail-proof recipe for one of Phillip's favorite meals. When I made these meatballs, I froze half of them, so Phillip & I will actually be eating them again this week! Here is my original post, try them, you won't be disappointed!

Banana Split Cupcakes

2009-02-14T09:14:00.000-08:00

Most of the cupcakes that I bake make their way to one place - the dental school. I normally take them in and set my carrier on the front desk of our clinic. What happens to them after that is not my responsibility. The students and staff at school know that when they see my pink carrier, they are welcome to help themselves. This is fine with me, but some of my friends are of the opinion that I am too lenient with who gets cupcakes. Because of this, my friend Sean decided to place a custom order so he could distribute it as he saw fit. When I mentioned banana split cupcakes, his eyes lit up and I knew that we had a winner.

There is no real recipe for these, I just used the cone technique to put sliced bananas in the middle of plain white cake, topped it with strawberry buttercream (my basic buttercream recipe with some strawberry jam added), chocolate drizzle, nuts and a cherry!

Fluffer-Nanner-Nutter Cupcakes

2009-02-05T19:04:00.000-08:00

This is the first new cupcake recipe that I've made in a while. After polling my classmates over the past few days, it was decided that a peanut butter, banana, & marshmallow fluff cupcake should be attempted. The banana cupcake was a little muffin-y, but I guess you're going to get that when you use fresh banana. The only change I will make the next time is that I will put more fluff in the center, you can never have too much fluff!

Banana Cupcakes
from howtoeatacupcake.com

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.
2. With an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs to the creamed mixture and beat well. Add the bananas and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add all the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix until completely integrated.
5. Add the milk and vanilla. Mix for 1 minute on medium speed.
6. Fill cupcake liners one-half to three-quarters full with batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan.

I filled them with Marshmallow Fluff using the cone technique.

Peanut Butter Buttercream

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
6 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla

In large bowl, combine butter, peanut butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, and 2 Tbsp. milk. Mix well, adding more milk as needed to make a fluffy spreadable frosting.

Cranberry Maple Walnut Layer Cake

2009-02-01T11:09:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday, Lynn!! My friend Lynn is my most loyal blog reader. She even reads other blogs just to give me ideas. She loved my cranberry maple walnut cupcakes so much, that she asked me to turn it into a layer cake for her birthday. I turned out great (I'm actually eating the piece that she sent home with me right now), it is a great departure from a normal chocolate or vanilla birthday cake. I've never been able to get a picture of one of my layer cakes sliced, but Lynn made me cut into her cake before her guests got there so that we could get a picture of the inside (talk about loyalty!). The only change that I made to the original recipe was the addition of walnuts around the outside of the cake. I hope your (snow-filled) birthday was great, Lynn!

Stuffed Onions

2009-01-27T19:17:00.000-08:00

Tonight's dinner was not a fast one, but it was really delicious. I will definitely make this again, but next time I will make sure that I have enough time. We had a late afternoon snowstorm that snarled traffic and made my commute lengthen from 10 minutes to 35 (it took Phillip an hour and fifteen minutes!). This recipe should really take almost two hours from start to finish, but since I was in a hurry, I didn't let them bake as long as was called for, and while they were good, I could tell that they would be much better if they were caramelized a little more. This is a recipe from The Pioneer Woman, and if you haven't read her blog yet, stop what you're doing and go read it now! Her love story puts me to tears almost every time she posts an update.

Ingredients

6 onions
handful of mushrooms
1 garlic clove
7 oz ground beef (I used pork sausage, because that's what we had thawed)
stale white bread
1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
1/3 cup grated cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
4 cups chicken broth
flat parsley
1 tsp salt
pepper
nutmeg

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400F.

Season the meat with 1 tsp salt, a good pinch of black pepper, some freshly grated nutmeg and 1 heaping tbsp sweet chili sauce. Knead it well.

To prepare the onion - just cut off the top, peel the onion and cut a small slice off the bottom so the onions won’t tumble over. Grab a spoon, stick it between two layers of onion, really dig it in there and just follow the curves with your spoon. That way you’ll loosen the layers a bit making it easier to scoop them out. You can also use a small knife or even an apple corer, this just seems to work best for me. Just make sure you’re left with at least 1/3 inch of onion layer.

Give the onion you just scooped out a rough chop. We’ll use about 1/3 to 1/2 of it, depending on how much you like onions. Wash a handful of mushrooms. Remove the stem, thinly slice them and cut the slices in half. Grate a medium-sized garlic clove and crumble up any stale white bread - buns or sliced bread. Chop a good handful of flat-leaved parsley.

Put your meat in a skillet and cook until brown. Drain the fat—yes, drain all of it! Not because I’m a health nut, but because the meat is part of your stuffing.

Add the onions to the same pan you cooked your meat in. After about 4 minutes you can add your garlic and mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms lose their whiteness. Now simply add a good handful of chopped parsley, put the meat back in and sprinkle the breadcrumbs and cheese in as well. Stir to combine.

Spoon the meat mix into the prepared onions, place in a shallow baking dish. Pour in chicken stock until the onions are 1/3 to 1/2 covered. Loosely cover the tin with aluminum foil and pop in a preheated oven for about 1 hour.

Lower your oven to 350F (175C), take the onions out, drizzle a little broth all over them, spoon out a little of the chicken broth (if it hasn’t vaporized by now) and put it back in the oven, uncovered, for about 20 to 30 minutes. Until the onion and topping is golden brown.

Easy Sticky Buns

2009-01-25T17:30:00.000-08:00

Barefoot bloggers time again! This time, the recipe was chosen by Melissa of Made by Melissa, and it is a keeper! This recipe will stay in my file of easy, decadent breakfasts. I can actually keep all of the ingredients on hand at all times, and whip these up in less than a half hour from start to finish. The original recipe called for a little more butter and raisins, but I did a little altering to suit our tastes (Phillip isn't a big raisin fan, and we're still trying to watch our waistlines). I'm going to take these into school in the morning (I've been getting some complaints about my lack of food sharing recently), but I snuck one before bed, and they were scrumptious!

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling:

2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 1 stick of butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Evenly distribute the mixture into each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/4 cup of the pecans. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down.Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 17 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon), and cool completely.

Adapted from: Ina Garten, Back to Basics, page 240

Harp's Birthday Cake

2009-01-23T19:45:00.000-08:00

This is a sneak peek of the birthday party that I'm helping my wedding photographer throw for her son tomorrow. I'll have more pictures to show you tomorrow evening. Of course, I am my mother's daughter, so I automatically worried that I didn't have enough cake. So... I made another, just in case.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

2009-01-20T18:00:00.001-08:00

Phillip made these meatballs for me once, and they turned out so good that I thought I would try to make them for him. Sadly to say, he did a better job than I did! They were still really good, mine just fell apart more than his did. I used perciatelli pasta instead of spaghetti, and it worked really well. It is a thicker noodle with a hole in the middle to soak up the sauce. Next time I will form the meatballs more firmly and be more careful when turning them.

Ingredients

1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

Directions

Place the ground meats, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don’t crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels.

Serve with pasta and tomato sauce.

Adapted from: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, page 103-104

Tiramisu Cupcakes

2009-01-15T19:12:00.000-08:00

I made this cupcakes tonight for my dad's office party that's coming up on Saturday. They are supposed to be tiramisu flavored, but Phillip & I both think that the coffee flavor was way too mild. They kind of taste like french vanilla cupcakes with mild mocha filling. The next time I make them, if I get the coffee/vanilla ratio right, I'll post the recipe.

Laughing Cow Chicken

2009-01-14T17:58:00.000-08:00

While Phillip & I were on our pre-Mexico diet (we're still on it, just on a smaller scale), I scoured all of the food blogs that I read for some healthy recipes. When I found this, I scored the healthy weeknight meal jackpot! It is so fast and easy that I make it almost every week. The star of this recipe is the Laughing Cow brand Light Cheese Wedges. I use the garlic & herb flavor, but you can use any flavor that you find. You can normally find the cheese in the specialty cheese case by the deli (I've beed told it can't be found in Rushville, you can also use any light cheese spread).

Ingredients:

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
4 Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges
Cooking spray
1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
dash of dried Parsley Flakes
dash of grated Parmesean Cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Lay each chicken breast flat on a cutting board. Cut a horizontal slice to create a pocket in the side of the chicken breast. Stuff the pocket with the cheese, don't skimp, it's good! Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towel, and spray with cooking spray. Combine the breadcrumbs, parsley and parmesean, and sprinkle over both sides of the chicken breast. Bake on a cookie sheet for 15-20 minutes, until done.

Serves: 4

Adapted from Macaroni and Cheesecake

Sauteed Zucchini & Yellow Squash

2009-01-14T17:25:00.000-08:00

This is one of Phillip & my favorite side dishes, we always seem to fall back on it. It's really simple, but it can sometimes take a little longer that it seems like it should. It pairs very well with Italian and with the classic steak dinner (Phillip's favorite). The zucchini & squash can be cut many different ways, which can change the texture of the dish tremendously. Today I sliced it into 1/4 inch slices, which works well for company (and pictures), because it turns out much prettier. If you're in a hurry, you can slice it thinner or even peel it into strips with a vegetable peeler, which makes a nice "veggie pasta."

Ingredients

2 medium Zucchini, sliced as desired
2 medium Yellow Squash, sliced as desired
1 small Onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add butter and olive oil, and heat until butter melts and turns bubbly. Add zucchini, squash, and onion. Spread veggies out evenly, without turning too much (this will prevent them from browning). Cook on medium high until soft and browned. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serves: 3-4

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

2009-01-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

Another Barefoot Bloggers post! This one's a little late, because we just got back from a 10 day trip to Mexico. This weeks post was chosen by Karen from Something Sweet by Karen, and it was a perfect quick dinner for Phillip & I tonight. Breakfast for dinner, don't you love it?! These pancakes were of the thick and soft variety, which is different than my normal thinner, crispy hotcakes. Phillip loved how the bananas caramelized on the bottom of the pancakes. Next time I make them, I might add some walnuts in for a little crunch, yum!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
2 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Unsalted butter
2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving
Pure maple syrup

Directions

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned.

Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup.

Source: Ina Garten, Food Network

My First Cake Order!

2008-12-19T15:15:00.000-08:00

Rasberry Coconut Cupcakes with Snowmen

2008-12-17T20:32:00.001-08:00

My wonderful Mother-in-Law loves snowmen, so I created these cupcakes for her. They are a fluffy white cake filled with homemade raspberry filling and topped with vanilla buttercream and coconut. I made the little snowmen out of fondant, mini chocolate chips and sprinkles.

Coq Au Vin

2008-12-10T19:28:00.000-08:00

This week's Barefoot Blogger post is a classic recipe. Phillip & I thought it was really tender and juicy, but it didn't turn out very pretty. Yummy isn't always pretty, I guess.

Ingredients

4 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced
1 (3 to 4-pound) chicken, cut in 8ths
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy
1/2 bottle (375 ml) good dry red wine such as Burgundy
1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade
10 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pound frozen small whole onions
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done. Set aside.

Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac and put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.

Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa

Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Pizza

2008-12-10T19:17:00.000-08:00

Since Phillip & I have been eating lighter, I've been forced to mix it up a bit to keep our dinners from getting boring. This pizza was great, even though Phillip thought it could have used some meat.

Ingredients

1 (4-ounce) golden beet
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 frozen pizza dough
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon honey

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Leave root and 1 inch of stem on beet; scrub with a brush. Wrap beet in foil. Bake at 450° for 40 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven; cool. Trim off beet root; rub off skin. Cut beet in half crosswise; thinly slice halves.
3. Position an oven rack in the lowest setting. Place a pizza stone on lowest rack.
4. Increase oven temperature to 500°. Preheat pizza stone 30 minutes before baking pizza.
5. Gently brush oil over Basic Pizza Dough. Arrange cheese, beet slices, and onions evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Slide dough onto preheated pizza stone, using a spatula as a guide.
6. Bake at 500° for 8 minutes or until crust is golden. Remove from pizza stone. Sprinkle with salt, and drizzle with honey.

Source: Adapted from Cooking Light

Christmas Cookies!

2008-12-07T16:55:00.001-08:00

These are for my clinic at school, they are my ultimate recipe guinea pigs!

Now Accepting Orders!

2008-12-05T10:33:00.001-08:00

I've finally created a product/price list! I'm getting pretty full of orders for the month of December, but I could squeeze in a few more orders. Click here for product/price list.

Mexican Chicken Soup

2008-11-26T18:52:00.000-08:00

This is my second Barefoot Bloggers post, and I'm so glad that I joined! I tend to get stuck in a rut for our dinners, and this gives me the motivation to try a new recipe at least every two weeks. I'm at my parents' house today, home for thanksgiving, so I made this soup for us for lunch. My mom loves chicken tortilla soup, and she was not disappointed with this recipe.

Ingredients

4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas

For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.

Isn't my mom's big copper pot pretty?

Cranberry Maple Walnut Cupcakes

2008-11-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

I made 4 dozen cupcakes this weekend for Phillip's family Thanksgiving party. The other 3 dozen were not new flavors, so I just took pictures of this new recipe.

Cranberry Maple Walnut Cake

1 yellow cake mix, prepared according to directions
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup Craisens
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Bake according to box directions

Cranberry Sauce

1 bag fresh cranberries
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar

Bring cranberries and water to a boil, add sugar. Simmer until craberries "pop" and are soft. Puree in food processor or blender. If the sauce is too thin, add some cornstarch to thicken.

Maple Buttercream

2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 pound confectioner's sugar
4 Tbsp maple syrup

Cream butter. Add confectioner's sugar slowly. Add maple syrup. If frosting is too think, thin with a few Tbsp of milk.

I cut a small sone out of the top of the cupcake and filled it with the cranberry sauce, then topped it with the buttercream.

Source: Inspired by Beantown Baker

Herb Roasted Onions

2008-11-17T16:56:00.000-08:00

I've just recently joined a blogging event group, the Barefoot Bloggers! Every two weeks, one member chooses a recipe from the great Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa), and we all cook/bake it. This is my first entry, and they were so good. They fit in perfectly with Phillip & my new healthy eating plan.

Ingredients

2 red onions
1 yellow onion
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the stem end of each onion and carefully slice off the brown part of the root end, leaving the root intact. Peel the onion. Stand each onion root end up on a cutting board and cut the onion in wedges through the root. Place the wedges in a bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the onions and toss well.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a sheet pan, reserving the vinaigrette that remains in the bowl. Bake the onions for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender and browned. Toss the onions once during cooking. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

2008-11-16T16:03:00.001-08:00

Phillip & I are trying to lose a little weight before we go to Mexico over New Years, so I'll be posting some lighter recipes on here for a while. I loved these, they were so filling that I actually couldn't finish it all. Phillip thought that it could have used a little more meat, which is easy to fix next time.

Ingredients

4 small acorn squash, 1 to 1 1/4 pounds each
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups cooked rice *
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, completely thawed, drained and chopped
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
Generous pinch kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut 1-inch off the top of each acorn squash and scoop out the seeds. If necessary in order for the squash to sit upright, cut off a small portion of the bottom. Put 1 of the 4 pieces of butter in the cavity of each squash. Set squash on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, brown the ground pork until no longer pink. Remove the meat from the pan, add the olive oil and saute the onion, celery, and carrot until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine.

Return the pork to the pan along with the cooked rice, spinach, pine nuts, oregano and salt and pepper, to taste. Stirring constantly, heat mixture thoroughly, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Divide the mixture evenly among the squash, top each squash with its lid and bake for 1 hour or until the squash is tender. Serve immediately.

* I used Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Read Rice, which made it really easy, just zap it!
**I also halved the recipe and only used one acorn squash, because I could only find really large ones

Source: Alton Brown, Food Network

Cupcake Pops

2008-11-09T18:07:00.000-08:00

This is my first attempt at Bakerella's cupcake pops. They have red velvet cake inside, and they are yummy!! I think that I'll take these to Phillip's cousin's 13th birthday party later this week.

Harvest Celebration Sugar Cookies

2008-11-09T14:12:00.000-08:00

This weekend I made some sugar cookies for Phillip's family to celebrate the end of the harvest. I think that they're pretty cute!

Seafood Lasagna Rolls

2008-11-02T15:33:00.000-08:00

I adapted this recipe from Annie's Eats shrimp lasagna rolls. My family loves crab, so I added canned crab. These are great to serve for a crowd, you can prepare it ahead of time and pop it in the oven. The fact that they are individually served makes it a great recipe for entertaining.
Seafood Lasagna Rolls

Ingredients:
6 lasagna noodles
1 ½ tbsp. olive oil
¾ lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can lump crab meat
15 oz. ricotta cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2-3 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
pinch of nutmeg
1 ¾ cups marinara sauce, divided
shredded mozzarella cheese, for topping

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°.

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the lasagna noodles and cook until partially tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp to the skillet; season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic to the pan as well and sauté until shrimp are cooked, about 4 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool. Coarsely chop the cooled shrimp and place in a bowl with 1 cup of ricotta cheese, the Parmesan, crab, egg, basil, salt and pepper to taste, and the nutmeg. Stir to combine.

In another bowl, combine 1 ½ cups of marinara sauce with remaining ricotta, to taste. Stir until smooth.

In an 8×8” baking dish, spread the remaining ¼ cup of marinara sauce so it covers the bottom. Lay lasagna noodles out on a work surface. Divide the shrimp mixture evenly between the noodles and spread over the full length of each. Roll up and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Spoon the creamy marinara sauce over the top. Top with shredded mozzarella.

Bake until lasagna rolls are heated through and cheese begins to brown, about 25 minutes.

Cream Soda Cupcakes

2008-11-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to Rusty! These are for him, they're just yellow cake and buttercream frosting with cream soda extract added. Super yummy!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

2008-10-29T18:20:00.000-07:00

I love broccoli cheese soup, so I thought that I would make it homemade for this weeks "soup wednesday," which we do every week.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, room temperature
2 pounds fresh broccoli, stems and florets separated and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups (packed) grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy medium pot over medium-high heat. Add broccoli stems and onion; sauté until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and tarragon; sauté 1 minute. Add stock; bring to boil. Simmer uncovered until broccoli is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cream.

Mix remaining 3 tablespoons butter with flour in small bowl to make paste. Whisk paste into soup. Add broccoli florets. Simmer until soup thickens and florets are tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, then refrigerate uncovered until cold. Cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Preheat broiler. Place 6 ovenproof soup bowls on baking sheet. Divide soup among bowls. Sprinkle 1/3 cup cheese over each. Broil until cheese melts and bubbles around edges, about 4 minutes.

Soup before cheese:

And after:

Vampire Cupcakes

2008-10-28T13:51:00.001-07:00

These cupcakes were the first recipe that I saved in my "cupcakes" folder of my favorites list almost a year ago. The way I did it was so easy, it isn't even really a recipe.

Cupcakes: French Vanilla Box Mix
Filling: Cherry Pie Filling, pureed until smooth (I used the cone method)
Frosting: Plain Buttercream (You could just use canned frosting)
Bite Marks: I tinted a little of the frosting red, and used a toothpick to make the holes.

Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Cupcakes

2008-10-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix (18.5 oz)
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Fill cupcake liners 1/2 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes.

Vanilla Buttercream

4 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp milk

Cream butter. Add sugar slowly, adding milk as needed to lighten.

Decorating

Top cooled cupcakes with a large mound of frosting (dyed orange). Roll frosting in orange sugar. Use a skewer to draw lines on top of icing, and pipe more orange frosting in the creases. Add a piece of pretzel stick as stem.

Orange Chicken

2008-10-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

After seeing this recipe on Annie's Eats, I just had to make it for Phillip & I. While it took longer to make than my normal weeknight dinner, it was really good. I could see myself making it again and changing up the sauce (General Tso's, Ross?). Thanks for the recipe, Annie!

Orange Chicken

Ingredients:
For the marinade and sauce:
1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1 ½” pieces
¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
¾ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 ½ tsp. grated orange zest
8 thin strips orange peel (optional)
6 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup dark brown sugar
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. fresh grated ginger *I didn't have any, so I left it out*
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. cold water

For coating and frying:
3 large egg whites
1 cup cornstarch
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
3 cups peanut oil (or canola oil)

Directions:
For the marinade and sauce, place the chicken in a Ziploc bag; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the chicken broth, orange juice, zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper; whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved. Measure out ¾ cup of the mixture and pour it into the bag with the chicken; press out as much air as possible and seal the bag, making sure that all pieces are coated with the marinade. Refrigerate 30-60 minutes, but no longer. Bring the remaining mixture in the saucepan to a boil over high heat. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and cold water; whisk the cornstarch mixture into the sauce. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the orange peel (if using); set the sauce aside.

For the coating, place the egg whites in a pie plate and beat with a fork until frothy. In a second pie plate, whisk together the cornstarch, baking soda and cayenne until combined. Drain the chicken in a colander or large mesh strainer; thoroughly pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place half of the chicken pieces in the egg whites and turn to coat. Transfer the pieces to cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the dredged chicken pieces on another plate or a baking sheet.

To fry the chicken, heat the oil in an 11- to 12-inch dutch oven or straight sided sauté pan with at least 3 qt. capacity over high heat until the oil reaches 350° on an instant read or deep fry thermometer. Carefully place half of the chicken in the oil; fry to golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning each piece with tongs halfway through cooking. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Return the oil to 350° and repeat with the remaining chicken.

To serve, reheat the sauce over medium heat until simmering, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken and gently toss until evenly coated and heated through. Serve immediately.

My Omnivore's 100

2008-10-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

A British foodie site has come up with a list of what it calls The Omnivore's 100 -- a hundred foods that everyone should try at least once in their life. I've posted the list on the extended entry, with the foods from it that I've tried in boldface. How do you fare?

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

S'mores Cupcakes

2008-10-11T13:08:00.001-07:00

Graham Cracker Cupcakes

1 ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs
½ cup of flour
2 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
½ cup of butter, softened
¾ cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
¾ cup of milk

In a small bowl combine the crumbs, flour and baking powder; set aside.

Beat the butter and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla.

Alternately add flour mixture with milk, beating well after each addition.

Bake at 350F degrees for 22-25 minutes or until done. Cool in pans for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and place on a wire rack.

Cut a small slit in the top of warm cupcakes, and insert a half of a snack size Hershey bar.

Swiss Meringue Marshmallow Frosting

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 egg whites
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract, optional

Combine egg whites and sugar in the top of a double boiler (or a glass bowl over but not touching a pan of simmering water). Whisk constantly over medium-high heat until mixtures reaches 160°F, about 5 minutes. Pour egg white mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high for 6 minutes or until room temperature. Add optional vanilla extract 1 teaspoon at a time until desired flavor.

Frost cupcakes and dust with cinnamon and top with remaining half of Hershey bar.

Apple Pie Cupcakes

2008-10-05T19:25:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon Apple Cupcakes:

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 medium sized tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped small (about 2 cups)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.
2. In a large bowl beat together the brown sugar, oil, cinnamon, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition.
3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Beat until blended. Stir in apples.
5. Fill the cupcake liners 1/2 to 3/4 full (I did about 1/2) with batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes (mine were done at about 18 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

I cut out a very small cone and filled it in with cooked, chopped apples. Then, I frosted over the apples with a brown sugar glaze.

Brown Sugar Glaze:

1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter
1/4 Cup Milk

Cook in saucepan until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved. Cool before frosting cupcakes.

Lemon Baked Chicken

2008-09-21T18:28:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite way to make chicken, especially when entertaining. It is pretty impressive, and it's really easy to make. This chicken would feed four people, but Phillip wanted chicken salad, so I made it for the two of us.

Let's gather our ingredients:

4-5 lb whole chicken
1 onion, peeled & quartered
2 lemons, one quartered and one sliced
1/2 stick butter
olive oil
salt & pepper

Let's prepare our bird.

You see those wings just flappin' around out there?

They would burn if they stayed like that.
Tuck the ends of the wings underneath the bird.
This may take some muscle.

See that turkey butt, doesn't it need something?

How about a whole lemon and a whole onion?

Just stuff 'em in there.

Now loosen the skin form the breast as far as you can.

This is where it gets messy.

Rub butter, oil, salt & pepper between the skin and breast

Place 4-6 lemon slices under the skin (they will be so yummy!).

Put more butter, oil, salt & pepper on the outside of the bird.

Bake at 425 for an hour and a half, or until the juices run clear.

So Yummy!

I made a pan gravy from the drippings,

and it added just the right touch.

Kona Inn Banana Bread

2008-09-21T18:13:00.001-07:00

For some reason, I was craving banana bread this weekend. I did a search to find a good recipe, and I was very happy with what I found. This recipe is from the famous Kona Inn on the big island, and it didn't disappoint.

Kona Inn Banana Bread

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sugar
2 cups ripe mashed bananas (about 6 bananas)
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350.

Grease and flour 2 8x4x3-inch loaf pans.

Stir together the flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl. In another larger bowl, mix together the shortening, sugar, mashed bananas, eggs and walnuts. Add the combined dry ingredients and stir only until the batter is thoroughly blended.

Pour into the prepared pans and bake 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer or straw inserted in the center of the loaves comes out clean, or with only a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out on a rack and let cool completely.

Strawberry Pie Cupcakes & Lemon Meringue Pie Cupcakes

2008-09-07T12:28:00.000-07:00

Today is both my older brother and his beautiful fiance's birthday, so I made them each their own batch of cupcakes to celebrate!

My brother requested that his birthday cupcakes "taste like strawberry pie." My brother loves strawberry pie. So much so that I considered just making him strawberry pie so that he wouldn't be disappointed. I'm always up for a challenge, though, so I took on the beast and succeeded! For both kinds of cupcakes, I used a basic yellow cake recipe (advertised as "pie crust cupcakes," but just use yellow cake... box mix if you're short on time). I cut a large cone out of the cake, and filled it with chopped strawberries and glaze. I used my mom's recipe for strawberry pie glaze, which made the cupcakes taste awesome!

Marla's Strawberry Pie Glaze:

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp white corn syrup
3 tbsp corn starch
3 tbsp strawberry jello

Mix first four ingredients together and cook on medium until the mixture boils, thickens and turns opaque. Take off heat and add jello.

Let the glaze cool some before you fill the cupcakes, or all of the hot glaze will soak right into the cake. Top with whipped topping if your heart desires.

The beautiful future sister-in-law-to-be is a lemon fan, so I decided that these lemon meringue pie cupcakes would be so cute. I filled the base cupcake with lemon curd and topped with meringue.

Meringue:

3 large egg whites

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

In a large mixing bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Slowly add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue whipping until egg whites hold stiff peaks when beaters are lifted.

Top cupcakes with meringue and brown under broiler (watch them... they brown fast!)

Cute Cupcakes!

2008-09-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

I made these cupcakes while I was home at my parents' house this weekend for a family dinner. They are basic vanilla cake with raspberry filling and buttercream icing. The little flower on top is colored fondant with royal icing accents, so cute!

A Few Odds and Ends

2008-08-17T17:16:00.000-07:00

I've made a few things recently (and not so recently) that I haven't posted here yet, so I thought I would just post the pictures. If you want a specific recipe, just leave me a comment and I'll post it later.

Phillip helped me make some sugar cookies tonight, so I let him decorate a few:

Yes, that's a niner.

My cookies were not quite a creative, but still cute.

I made this chocolate pie months ago, it was very rich.

This was our breakfast this morning, our attempt at recreating our favorite LePeep dish.