Made with Love

MIA

2009-03-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

I know I have been MIA from the blogging world, and I can't really say that that is going to change anytime soon. There will be random posts just to save some recipes that I am loving lately, but that will be about it. This is just something that I do not have time to keep up on. So thanks for following, and you never know, life may change soon and I may get some time back, in which case this blog will get a lot more love. Happy Spring everyone!

Mini Muffin Mania

2009-02-09T20:45:00.000-08:00

Yep, here I go on a muffin kick again. These little muffins were such a yummy bite-sized treat, something about tiny food makes it so much cuter and tastier. The recipe came out of my Totally Muffins Cookbook, which is like totally awesome! Enjoy!

Almond Poppy seed Muffins

2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup poppy seeds
1 1/2 cups ap flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease tins or line with paper cups.
Heat milk to scalding. Pour over poppy seeds and set aside to cool
In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add almond extract and cooled milk mixture.
Fold in dry ingredients and almonds and stir just to blend.
Divide mixture among muffin cups, bake 20 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Notes:
If you choose to make many muffins I crushed the almonds smaller and I only used 1/4 cup. I would also add a little more almond extract, but I really love the flavor. Also, next time I am going to try these with lemon extract and zest, to make a lemon poppy seed muffin.

Snickerdoodles!

2009-02-09T20:36:00.001-08:00

These cookies were a hit at the office today, the perfect little afternoon pick me up! I followed the recipe exactly, and my only suggestion is to bake them no longer than 7 minutes. They go from undercooked to overcooked in the blink of an eye!

Snickerdoodles

2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup Crisco® Butter Shortening
OR 1 stick Crisco® Butter Shortening Sticks
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1.HEAT oven to 400°F.

2.COMBINE 1 1⁄2 cups sugar, shortening, eggs, milk and vanilla in bowl of electric mixer. Beat at medium speed until well blended.

3.COMBINE flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Add gradually to shortening mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.

4.COMBINE remaining 1⁄2 cup sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

5.BAKE 7 to 8 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets. Place on cooling racks to cool completely.

Another nice Winter Soup

2009-02-06T19:28:00.000-08:00

This recipe caught my eye on picky palate the other day, so I added a couple of items to the grocery list and cooked up a batch of this soup. It makes a HUGE pot, you may want to half it so you are not eating leftovers forever. I ended up freezing quite a few tupperwares for lunches later on down the road. It was a great soup though, and we will add it into our rotation. We served it in some sourdough breadbowls, which were the perfect accompaniment. If you are craving some delicious comfort food, give this soup recipe a shot!

Herty Queso Chicken Soup with Black Beans and Potatoes

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 cans of chunk chicken from Costco, undrained (or use 2 Cups cooked, shredded chicken breast)
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon Lawry’s garlic salt with parsley
3 ¾ Cups chicken broth
1 10 oz can cheddar cheese soup
1 10 oz can cream of chicken soup
15 oz can black beans, drained
10 oz can Mild Rotel Tomatoes
2 Cups diced baking potato
¼ Cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 additional 10 oz can cheddar cheese soup
Garnish
Fritos or tortilla chips
Cilantro leaves

Heat oil in a 5 qt dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery and carrots until softened, about 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stir in garlic and chicken. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
Add cumin, salt, pepper, garlic salt, chicken broth, 1 can cheese soup and cream of chicken soup, beans, tomatoes and potatoes.
Cook over medium heat until potatoes are fork tender.
Reduce heat to low and stir in cilantro leaves and additional cheese soup to thicken.
Simmer on low until ready to serve. Garnish with chips and cilantro leaves if desired.

Favorite treat to date!

2009-02-06T19:13:00.000-08:00

These rice crispy treats were gone fast. And unfortunately, one was not enough. We brought them to a superbowl party and then to work the next day, and didn't have a singl one left. I wanted to make a 9x13, but when I saw how much butter that would include, I couldn't do it. (No one needs to explain to me that the butter ratio is the same in the 9x9, I get it, I still ate the same amount of butter, but it was just a principle thing to me!) That said, do no let the butter dismay you, these little gems are so worth it, you will love them! Also check out Nicole's blog for a ton more deliciious treats.

Peanut Butter Cup Rice Krispie Bars

2 tbsp butter
5-oz marshmallows (1/2 large bag)
3 cups rice krispies/puffed rice cereal

Peanut Butter Filling
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter (natural or regular)
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tbsp milk

Chocolate Topping
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup semisweet/dark chocolate chips

Lightly grease a 9×9-inch pan.
In a large, microwave safe bowl, combine butter and marshmallows. Heat until butter is melted and marshmallows are soft. Stir to combine. Fold in rice cereal with a spatula, then pour mixture into prepared pan and press into an even layer. Allow to cool and set at room temperature.
For the peanut butter layer, combine all filling ingredients in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. The consistency should be like frosting. If it is too crumbly (consistency may vary slightly by type of peanut butter used), add an additional tablespoon or two of milk until filling is spreadable. Spread onto cereal layer.
For the chocolate topping, melt chocolate chips and butter in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Stir until smooth. Pour over peanut butter layer and, using an offset spatula or regular spatula, spread chocolate to cover entire surface. Let chocolate set up at room temperature before slicing.

Makes 20 rectangular candy bars.

Football treats!

2009-02-06T19:01:00.000-08:00

These are super chocolately, but soo good. They were the perfect addition to our superbowl party, all the girls just kept saying how cute they were. I have seen this recipe pop up in a few blogs lately, but I originally saw it on Katie's. Check out her website for way better pictures! As soon as football season rolls around again whip up a batch of these, you are sure to impress quite a few people! As a side note, they were a bit too chocolately for me, next time I think I may try to make them more like a traditional rice crispy treat with marshmellows.

Chocolate Football Crispies
Kraft

Ingredients:
6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
½ c. light corn syrup
1 Tbsp butter
½ tsp vanilla
4 c. Cocoa Pebbles Cereal
white decorating gel

Directions:
- Microwave chocolate, corn syrup and butter in large microwaveable bowl on high 2 1/2 min., stirring after 1 ½ min.
-Blend in vanilla.
-Add cereal, mix well.
-Let cool 10 min and then shape into football shapes on parchment with moistened hands.
-Let cool completely and use decorating gel to add lacings.
-Let stand until gel is firm.

Make these now, you won't be sorry!

2009-01-25T11:38:00.000-08:00

Or maybe you will be sorry, because you will eat them all by yourself and then have terrible guilt for the days to come. But they are worth it, they were so easy, and sooo good! I got these from Lauren who got them from Brooke, so thanks to both of you, these were gobbled up! I didn't use the coconut, but only because I forgot to mix it in, next time I will use it for sure.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® Create 'n Bake® refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
1/2 cup of coconut (optional)

Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in coconut.

In ungreased, 9- or 8-inch square pan, break up half of cookie dough. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust. Spread cream cheese mixture over dough. Crumble and sprinkle remaining half of dough over cream cheese mixture.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until chilled. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Store in refrigerator.

Tortellini Primavera

2009-01-25T11:16:00.000-08:00

We loved this dinner, and I can not wait to make it again! It was simple, with ingredients we always have on hand, and it was so flavorful and delicious. The leftovers were great for lunch the next day also, which doesn't always happen with pasta. Head on over to Annie's Eats for hundreds of other great recipes just like this. Seriously, I love her blog, she is always posting something that I just have to make!

Tortellini Primavera

Ingredients:
1 cup mushrooms, chopped (omitted for Michael's sake)
½ cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp. margarine
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
8 oz. cream cheese
1 tomato, chopped
¼ cup milk
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 t. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
family size cheese-filled tortellini, cooked and drained
1 large chicken breast cooked and cut into bite size pieces (not in original recipe, I added for Michael)

Directions:
Heat margarine in a skillet. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and saute. Add all remaining ingredients except tortellini. Heat until all have melted together and are well blended. Cook until the mixture just begins to boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in tortellini.

Yummy dinner from Elly says Opa

2009-01-25T11:06:00.000-08:00

This was a great dinner, though a little time consuming for company. I should have gone with some stuffed chicken breasts that I could have just popped in the oven, but this recipe was so good I didn't want to make anything else! Everyone enjoyed this dinner served over some goat cheese mashed potatoes with the pan sauce drizzled over the top. I doubled everything to serve our group of 4. Yummy!

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomato Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
2 chicken breast halves, about 5 oz. each
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup white wine (I used Chardonnay)
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, chopped and drained, if they are oil-packed
2 ounces herbed goat cheese (this is what I had on hand; if you have plain you may want to saute a clove of garlic and add a fresh herb like basil to the sauce)
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Sprinkle chicken breast halves with salt and pepper.
Heat skillet over medium heat and add oil.
When oil is hot, add chicken breasts. Cook through, about 3-6 minutes per side depending on how thin they are. Set aside and keep warm. Drain the pan if there is a lot of excess oil.
In the same skillet, add wine and chicken broth. Increase heat to medium-high and cook liquids down until reduced by half, being sure to scrape up the browned bits from the chicken.
Add in sundried tomatoes and heat through. Take skillet off the heat and stir in goat cheese

Barefoot Contessa's green beans

2009-01-25T10:44:00.000-08:00

I know, you are thinking what is exciting about greens beans, but trust me, when you use this recipe, lots! I got this recipe from Barefoot Contessa's Family Style Cookbook, and it did not disappoint. If you're looking for something a little bit different for your green beans, try this!

String Beans with Shallots

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound of french string beans (haricots verts)
salt
2 tbl unsalted better
1 tbl olive oil
3 large shallots, large-diced
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Blanch the string beans in a large pot of boiling salted water for 1 1/2 minutes only. Drain immediately and immerse in ice water.
Heat butter and oil in a very large saute pan and saute the shallots for 5-10 minutes, tossing occasionally until browned.
Drain the string beans and add them to shallots with 1/2 tsp salt and the pepper, tossing well. Heat only until the beans are hot.

More Comfort Food

2009-01-25T10:31:00.000-08:00

This is another one of those comfort foods that is nothing special or fancy, but in my mind it always takes me right back to my parents house, which is as comforting as it gets for me anymore. Enjoy!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

1 pkg of egg noodles, cooked
2 cans of tuna
2 cans of cream of mushroom (I use cream of chicken because Michael won't eat mushrooms)
2 cans of milk (we use FF)
2 cups of frozen peas and carrots
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.
While noodles are cooking, mix tuna, cream of mushroom, milk measured in the empty soup can, and vegetables together in a 9x13 pan.
Drain noodles and mix together with sauce in 9x13, cover with cheese, and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Amish Cake

2009-01-25T10:10:00.000-08:00

This cake is one of my favorites, because it is easy, and it always impresses. If you like coconut you have to try this cake, don't let the sour cream frosting scare you off, just try it. You will be grateful you did. I always use a box cake for this, but for those of who do everything from scratch, feel free to make your own cake, okay. Also, the photos do not do it justice, white on white on white doesn't make for a great picture, especially when the photographer is no good either.

Amish Cake
Recipe from my mom, who got it from Grandma Will in Indiana

INGREDIENTS:

16 oz sour cream (I used FF)
1 pkg coconut (5 1/2 cups)
2 cups of sugar
1 french vanilla cake mix, prepared as directed (I can't find french vanilla here in
CA, so I just use a white cake)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix together the coconut, sour cream and sugar and let sit in fridge for at least 12 hours!
Prepare cake according to directions on box and pour into two rounds (8 inch is best, but 9 inch works fine, you'll just have thinner layers)
After cake is cooled slice each round in half so you have two layers, ending up with four layers total.
Frost between each layer lightly, and then cover the whole cake. Refrigerate for another 12 hours, and then enjoy!

I make this frosting in the morning before I go to work, the cakes right when I get home from work, and then frost it all before I go to bed so it can be enjoyed the next day.

Happy 29th birthday to brent!

Banana Crumb Muffins

2009-01-17T22:06:00.000-08:00

This recipe has been popping up on quite a few blogs lately, and for good reason. It is a great banana muffin, although it doesn't quite edge out the banana coconut muffins that I love just a little bit more. They got rave reviews at work, the crumb topping definitely makes them a bit more special. Check out Brooke's blog Desert First for this recipe and many other great ones!

not a great picture, sorry

Banana Crumb Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Chicken Pesto Farfalle

2009-01-17T21:46:00.000-08:00

This was a Dinner Divas recipe that was too good to pass up. It was Carrie's choice, and it really delivierd an outstanding meal. I stumbled upon it on Bettylou's blog, a fellow dinner diva. I loved it for dinner and lunch the next day, and I honestly can't wait to make it again!! I thought that it was a bit time consuming, but in the end, worth it.

Adapted from Cooking Light

1 3/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves ( I used 2 chicken breasts)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
Cooking spray
20 ounces uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta) (I used the best garlic basil pasta from TJ's)
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided (I used fat free)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (3.5-ounce) jar commercial pesto (about 1/3 cup)
3/4 cup half-and-half (I again used fat free)

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
4 cups halved grape tomatoes (about 2 pints)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (I omitted)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Grill chicken however you prefer, I threw mine on the panini press, which I wouldn't recommend, it dried out a bit

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain,reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid (I forgot this, oops). Place pasta in large bowl and set aside.

4. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Combine 1/2 cup milk and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in pesto. Gradually add remaining 1 cup milk and half-and-half, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook 8 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Add 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 cup cheese; stir until cheese melts.

5. Add chicken and sauce to pasta, tossing well to coat. Add tomatoes and basil; toss gently. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Serve immediately.

Make your own calazones!

2009-01-10T21:25:00.000-08:00

This has become a regular in our dinner rotation, and for good reason. There are very few meals that Michael ever requests, but this is one of them, and I am happy to oblige because they are really easy and quick. I save time by using Trader Joes pre-made pizza dough so all we have to do is roll it out, but if you want to go the homemade route, knock yourself out. Calazone fillings can be whatever you want, be creative, the possibilities are endless. Just don't skimp on the ricotta, that is my favorite part!

Calazones

1 container of part skim ricotta cheese
2 TB Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
pizza dough
grape tomatoes halved
mozzarella
green onions diced
olives diced
red and green peppers diced
pepperoni
sausage fully cooked
1 egg white
marinara sauce for dipping

To start roll out dough and cut into two halves. Please realize now that this does not make traditional shaped calazones, more like funky circle/squares. If you want them shaped traditionally divide your dough into two pieces before rolling out into 2circles. I just don't have time for that!
In a small bowl mix together ricotta, Parmesan, egg, basil, and oregano.
On one half of your pizza dough spread 1/2 cup or so of ricotta mixture. Top with ingredients of your choice, leaving just enough room to fold one side over the ingredients and seal, like making a little pocket.
When all your edges are securely sealed brush with egg white and then bake in 425 oven for 15-20 minutes, until crust begins to brown. Let cool and then enjoy with a side of marinara for dipping.

Delicious Dinner

2009-01-10T21:09:00.000-08:00

These stuffed chicken breasts have been popping up on quite a few blogs lately, although I first saw it on Brooke's blog. I just made a few small changes based on what I had on hand. The original recipe is from Rachel Ray, you can check it out here. Unfortuately I was not able to wrap it in bacon, because I had none thawed in time, next time though, and there will be a next time, it was certainyl good enough to make again!

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Black pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, softened ( I used 4 oz of laughing cow ligh garlic and herb cheese)
A handful baby arugula, chopped (I omitted but I will add next time!)
A handful baby spinach leaves, chopped
8 slices bacon ( I used just about 2 TB of bacon bits as my bacon was frozen :()

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a small sharp knife cut into the thick end of the chicken and make an incision reaching 2/3 the way down the breast. Loosen up the incision with your fingers to make a hole. Combine the cream cheese with arugula and baby spinach, season with salt and pepper and stuff into the breasts. Wrap the breasts with the bacon tightly to cover the meat evenly. Place chicken on a nonstick baking sheet and roast 20 to 25 minutes until bacon is crispy and chicken is firm.

Happy Birthday to Michael!!

2009-01-10T20:57:00.000-08:00

So my wonderful husband celebrated his 29th birthday earlier this week with a wonderful dinner at a BBQ restaurant that he has been wanting to try out since we moved here. Everything about it was excellent, we both loved our dinners of tri tip and ribs, complete with mashed sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and baked beans. We saved dessert for at home though, because I had gotten up early Sunday morning to make him his favorite dessert, Pecan Pie. I find pecan pie disgusting, and I hardly want to blog about it, but for Michael, I will. He says it is the best Pecan Pie, and that is tastes just like it is supposed to. Sorry for the lack of picture, maybe if you look close you will see that the candle he is about to blow out is sticking in a piece of pie!

Pecan Pie
From Pioneer Woman (who else would I turn to for such decadence?)
Check her out for great step by step picture directions as well as the finished product!

1 unbaked pie crust
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup melted butter (regular, salted)
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 heaping cup chopped pecans

Mix sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, eggs, and vanilla together in a bowl.
Pour chopped pecans in the bottom of the pie shell. Pour syrup mixture over the top. Bake pie at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, being careful not to burn pecans and crust.
Allow to cool for several hours or overnight. Serve in thin slivers.

So much better the second time around!

2009-01-10T20:12:00.000-08:00

These have pretty much become our new favorite side dish. I am not too sure how my waist line feels about it, but I know my stomach is happy. These are really simple and just so much better than a regular baked potato. Give them a try, and load them up with whatever you fancy. I went the traditional route with these, but they would also be great with some salsa and jalapenos for a Mexican flair.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

2 large baking potatoes
1/4 cup crumbled bacon or bacon bits
1/4 cup of cheddar cheese
2 green onions finely diced
1/2 cup of cour cream
about 1/4 cup of milk (depends on the size of your potatoes)
salt and pepper to taste

Wash the potatoes well and prick all over with a fork.
Bake the potatoes until soft in the oven (about 1 hour at 350) or in the microwave (about 8 minutes in our little microwave)
Remove from heat and let cool. When they are cool enough to handle, cut the potatoes in half length wise. Scoop out their insides being careful to leave the skin in tact, kind of resembling a hollowed out boat.
Combine the potato's flesh with the bacon, cheese, onions, sour cream, salt and pepper, and enough milk to make creamy. I like to mash these together by hand so they retain some of their texture, but if you want them super creamy you can use a hand mixer.
Fill the potato skins with the potato mixture and sprinkle a little cheese on top. Bake in a 450 oven for 10-15 minutes, or until tops begin to brown. Enjoy!!

Beef...it's what's for dinner!

2009-01-10T19:54:00.000-08:00

So we finally got around to trying out our BBQ here in pereptually warm SoCal, and these steaks were the perfect meal to break it in. I wanted something a little more fancy that just a steak though, so I conjured up memories of an Italian restraunt at home in Washington that serves a steak covered in cheese and then drizzled with a balsalmic reduction. I am proud of myself on this one, it was my first time making a reduction (sooo easy), and it really lived up to my memory of it. So delicious I can not wait to make them again!

2 sirloin steaks
montreal steak seasoning
balsalmic vinegar
goat cheese/blue cheese/gorgonzola (your choice)

Heat the BBQ until it is smoking hot and then place seasoned steaks on the grill. Now do not touch them for about 4 minutes. Gingerly flip them over and once again leave them alone for 4 minutes.
Remove to a plate and sprinkle with cheese of your choice ( I choose goat cheese, so creamy and it pairs so well with the balsalmic) and do not cut into them.
While the steaks are settling, heat 1/2 cup balsalmic vinegar in a saucepan. Bring it to a light boil stirring constantly. You shoudl notice the vinegar getting thick and syrup like. When it is too your desired consistency, remove from heat and drizzle over steak. Enjoy!

Birthday cake!

2009-01-02T22:00:00.001-08:00

Alright, so truthfully, this cake came out of the box, which therefore renders in no longer blog-worthy, but I just loved the way it looked, and I did make this homemade cream cheese frosting, so I thought I would at least share a picture. (and that is the longest run-on sentance ever, I hope my 4th grade teacher Ms. Wedul never sees that!)

I've been tagged!

2009-01-02T21:16:00.000-08:00

My friend Brooke over at desert first tagged me the other night, so my job is to share seven random things about me with you, and then tag seven other blogs that I follow. Make sure you stop by her blog and check out all of the great looking goodies on her blog, she has some great chicken recipes that I have starred in my reader to try, and those banana crumb muffins are on my agenda this weekend! Enjoy these seven bits of randomness, and thanks for stopping by!

These are the rules that I found on Brooke's blog:
1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
3. Tag several random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So here they are, all sorts of seven things that you don't really need to know but I am putting out there anyhow!

1. I was born and raised on an island of just 15,000...then I moved to LA. talk about culture shock!
2. I am very allergic to bee, which happens to include "lip venom" a lip plumper that has bee venom in it...and yes of course I learned that the hard way on a night out in Vegas.
3. I am a licensed cosmetologist who much prefers working at a bank than cutting hair, but I keep my license just for the cheap hair products.
4. I am the oldest of 3 sisters, if you spend 10 minutes with me you will know that without a doubt!
5. I am a total Daddy's girl, who is trying very hard (and successfully I think) to become my husband's girl. But there will always be something about my Papa.
6. I want a Wii sooo bad I sometimes have dreams about the games I would play if I owned one (super freak, I know)
7. I read avidly, like everything that I can get my hands on. I swear there are almost no books left in the library that I haven't read. And yes, sometimes I do read the last chapter first!

Now I get to tag 7 other blogs that I frequently read, so head on over to these girls and check them out!

1. Kayla at Central Cooking
2. Brooke and a cookie for dessert
3. Julie and Jewels in the Kitchen
4. The Milkman's wife and Milk and Honey
5. Amber at Amber's Delectable Delights
6. Bridget over at The way the Cookie Crumbles
7. Lindsay over at Love Deliciousness

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T20:23:00.000-08:00

I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season and that this new year is already off to a great start for you. We spent the holidays in Washington with my family, it was my first time up there since our wedding, and it was so great to see my family and friends! So much good food while we were there, and Chirstmas treats galore. It was good to come home just to leave my mother's kitchen though. We spent New Years in Palm Springs with our friends Brent and Katie, who just got engaged, and had a great time. I had my first experience with fondue, and I LOVED it all! I have added a fondue pot to my birthday list (did you hear that mom, I would love an electric fondue pot!)

This year I have a lot of New Years resolutions, but topping my list it this blog. Keep your eyes open for more posts, I have resolved to update at least 3 times a week, help keep me accountable, okay. Also, I want to get a little braver in the kitchen and move out of my comfort zone. I hope to churn out a lot more baking this year, and be willing to try lots of new things. Namely, homemade pie crust! I have also vowed to workout at least three times a week to makeup for all the extra baking I plan on doing. Again, Happy New Year to you all, I hope that your year is full of many blessings!

Cheers to a great New Year!

Raspberry Almond Thumbprints

2008-12-23T11:41:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from this amazing blog, seriously check her out, talk about some serious inspiration. I keep telling myself that when we are in a house instead of an apartment, I am going to entertain just like her. She is something else. Anyways, I love the use of almonds instead of walnuts, which is how we always made them growing up. Mine spread a little much, so they aren't too beautiful, but they make up for it in taste! Enjoy!

Almond Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract (I used 1/2 vanilla and 1/2 almond extract)
3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. almonds, ground coarsely
1 c. raspberry preserves

DIRECTIONS:
-In bowl of stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy in color, about 3 minutes.
-Add eggs and beat to combine well.
-Add vanilla and combine.
-Scrape down sides of bowl, slow mixer to low and add flour and almonds.
-Beat to combine (mixture will be coarse), remove bowl from mixer and scrape down sides, making sure all mixture is thoroughly combined.
-Scoop dough out into tsp sized rounds, rolling into balls. Place on cookie sheet at least 1 inch apart.
-Place cookie sheet in fridge for 15 to 20 minutes.
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line cookie sheets.
-Make an indentation into top of cookie with finger.
-Using a spoon, place a small amount of jam into indentation of each cookie.
-Place into oven and bake until starting to turn golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
-Remove from oven and let cool before serving

More soup from the crock pot

2008-12-19T21:43:00.000-08:00

I LOVE this soup, and I love that it sits in my crock pot all day while I work and I come home to an awesome filling meal. This recipe makes a lot of soup, but I love to freeze it in individual tupperwares so I have lunch for work. This recipe is supposed to be like the Olive Garden's Pasta Fagioli, but mine is always thicker then theirs, even more like a chili I guess. So anyways, I prep everything at night and just put it in the fridge, so in the morning before work all I have to do is put it in the warmer and let it do its magic.

Pasta Fagioli

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb cooked ground beef
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup of chopped onion
3 stalks celery chopped
40 0z can of tomato juice
14 oz can of beef broth
2 cans of kidney beans with liquid
1 can of white kidney beans with liquid
26 0z can of tomato sauce
8 0z of cooked macaroni noodles
oregano, basil, paprika, and garlic to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Add all ingredients except for noodles to crock pot and let simmer on low all day. 1 hour before serving add cooked macaroni noodles.
Serve with Parmesan cheese and bread sticks for dipping.
And if your married to a husband like mine, he will need a sandwich to go with it, because soup is not enough to fill him up, or so he says.

Fall Food

2008-12-19T21:31:00.000-08:00

Alright, I know it is winter now, but it is just starting to feel like fall here in California, and I am sooo behind in posting, that this fall favorite of mine is just now going up. Super easy, everyone has a version of this, but just in case they don't, I have to post this, everyone should enjoy this side dish. Michael had actually never had squash like this, and he was pleasantly surprised. He did give it a bit of the once over when I put it in front of him though. :)

Fall Squash

INGREDIENTS:
1 acorn or butternut squash, cut in half
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp honey
2 heaping! tbsp brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Place squash cut side down in a glass baking dish with about1 inch of water, cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes, until sides of squash are soft to the touch
Remove pan from oven, turn squash over and fill with the honey, butter, and brown sugar (1 tbsp of each per squash, but isn't that kind of obvious) Place back into oven uncovered and bake an additional 10 minuter. Now put it on the plate and enjoy.
These are also really good mashed, but why bother, I think the presentation is cute as is!

Serious comfort food...done lighter!

2008-12-19T21:19:00.000-08:00

This recipe for alfredo sauce is all over the Weight Watcher's website for good reason. It is incredibly easy, and delicious. We added some sauteed scallops, shrimp, and sun dried tomatoes and served it over tomato flavored fettuccine. Something else that I also love about this recipe is that it is just for 2 servings, since alfredo sauce left overs are never great warmed up. Enjoy.

LAUGHING COW ALFREDO SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:
3 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Garlic & Herb
3/4C skim milk
1 tbsp reduced fat Parmesan cheese
1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS:
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine all the ingredients over a low heat, until everything is melted and the sauce is velvety smooth, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately over hot cooked pasta of your choice

Christmas is coming!

2008-12-13T18:19:00.000-08:00

Alright, I will admit to you that I do not actually feel that way. Christmas just doesn't seem to come in California. I really hope that on December 23, when I step off that plane in Washington, all the sudden the Christmas rush hits me. I am really missing it. No matter what I do, it just doesn't feel like Christmas here. The lights are up, the Christmas music is on, and I made these cookies from Katie's fantastic blog, to try and get in the spirit. I enjoyed them, but Michael requested a non-healthy version with regular white flour, so those are on the agenda this weekend. Merry Christmas, hope you are all getting in the spirit!

Fabulous Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. powdered sugar
4 eggs1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 Tbsp lemon zest
5 c. flour (I used whole wheat to Michael's dismay)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Powdered sugar, for rolling

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Cream butter and sugars in a mixer for 5 minutes.
-Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly.
-Add vanilla, almond, and lemon zest.
-Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt a little at a time.
-Do not over mix, this process should take about one minute.
-Chill dough for up to a week in the fridge, or roll out and cut right away.
-Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake cookies for 7-8 minutes.
-Wait until cookies are cooled before icing.

I frosted these with this cream cheese icing, then using cookie stencils and sprinkles decorated the tops. So easy, and so cute!

More pumpkin, I can't help it!

2008-11-23T10:38:00.001-08:00

I am so in the holiday spirit right now, which means pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin. I don't think I have baked anything in the last month that didn't include pumpkin. It is just one of those seasonal favorites, that will seem out of place once fall is over, so I have to get my fill now! These pumpkin bars are amazing! So moist, they get rave reviews everywhere I bring them. I tried to make them a bit more healthy, so below in black you will see the substitutions I made this time. Please don't let the banana freak you out, you really won't taste it in the bars, all the spices mask the banana flavor really well. I know that right now my mom is thinking I should just leave her recipe alone, but at the rate I bake, I have to make things a smidgen healthier, or else I would be severely overweight! So without further commentary, enjoy!

Wait until they are cool to frost, otherwise they look like this!

Company Pumpkin Bars

INGREDIENTS:
4 eggs ( I used 2 eggs and 2 bananas)
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup oil (I used applesauce)
I 15 oz can pumpkin
2 cups flour ( I used whole wheat flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon (I use about 2 tbl)
I also added 1 tsp cloves and 1 tbl pumpkin pie spice I like the spicy flavor, and I wanted to make sure it covered the banana flavor

Frosting
1 8 oz pack of cream cheese, room temperature ( I used RF cream cheese)
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick butter
2 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 pan.
Mix eggs and sugar until well blended, and oil and mix, then add pumpkin and mix. Meanwhile combine all dry ingredients, then slowly add to wet mixture. Stir together, but DO NOT over mix.
Pour into pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until top springs back when touched or toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Set aside to cool and make frosting.

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add powdered sugar slowly. Spread over cooled pumpkin bars, sprinkle with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. ENJOY!

Hearty Chili

2008-11-23T10:17:00.000-08:00

This is my go to chili recipe, which comes from my friend Cassy, back home in Washington. This was almost always my requested dinner when I went to her house, I loved all the veggies in it, and the nice spice that wasn't overpowering, but was certainly there. It was a big change from the chili I grew up on, which was honestly a can of chili beans, a can of kidney beans, a can of tomato sauce, some ground beef, and a chili seasoning packet. Sorry to out you mom, but that really isn't chili! Of course I took some liberties with it, as I do with almost all recipes, and my version didn't disappoint at all. If you are looking for another soup to add to your winter round-up, look no farther.

Chili

1 1/2lb ground turkey or beef (I used left over roast I had, shredded into tiny pieces, LOVED it!)
1 (15 ounce) can chili beans, not drained
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can white kidney beans (cannelini), drained
2 (28 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon or bacon bits
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 dash cayenne pepper (or more if you want it spicy)
1 or 2 tablespoon brown sugar

Optional Toppings:
shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese
sour cream
onions
taco chips

* Cook the meat first then add the diced veggies until tender. Add all other ingredients to slow cooker and let simmer for the day. That is it, really. That simple! This makes enough for a crowd so you may want to half the recipe or plan to freeze some. It does freeze well and tastes just as good thawed and re-heated. Works perfect to have small tupperware portions to take to work, just take it out of the freezer the day before. ENJOY!

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

2008-11-10T20:28:00.000-08:00

No pictures tonight, we were too hungry to bother to find the camera, but I though that I would share our meal with you anyhow. It fit the bill for easy and tasty, and sort of healthy. Prepare yourself for this please....it is a recipe off of the Campbell's soup can. Not gourmet, but gourmet isn't really me anyhow, now is it?

INGREDIENTS:
1 can of Campbell's Cream of Chicken ( I use the 98% fat free of course)
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cups uncooked long grain white rice
pepper to taste
2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables ( I just used peas)
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Stir everything but chicken and cheese together in a 2 quart dish.
Top with chicken, seasoned as desired ( I used some rosemary and oregano).
Bake at 375 for 50 minutes or until rice and chicken are done.
Sprinkle with cheese and broil until cheese browns. Let sit for 10 minutes and enjoy.

Just a heads up, I actually made this the night before and left it in the fridge so it was ready to pop in the oven right when I got home from work. I did end up having to add a little extra rice to soak up some extra water/soup, which required about 15 more minutes in the oven.

Easy breakfast casserole

2008-11-09T18:26:00.000-08:00

Please allow yourself a moment to picture this scene: My mom sitting on the couch at 9am with a bag of cheetos in one hand and a diet pepsi in the other. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Oh yea, of course not, only my mother finds cheetos and sugar water to be an appropriate breakfast. If only I had been home to make sure she had an appropriate meal. Unfortuantely I had to work, which left my mother and my husband alone to fend for themselves for breakfast. Mom, I promise I will always be prepared with this casserole for any future mornings with us. (please don't get me wrong though, my mother would rather eat cheetos and a diet pepsi for breakfast then real food, it just appaled my husband so much I made this for their future mornings together.) And just so you know that my mother didn't starve that morning, Michael took her to a sports bar for breakfast...please insert sigh here, if you knew my mother you would know she doesn't belong in a sports bar.

This recipe came about to prevent another morning like the above mentioned. My friend Lindsay had made a similar casserole, so this was my attempt to copy it without actually knowing what she put in it. The recipe below is with pretty basic, there are lots of ways to jazz it up. Think peppers and onions and bacon and/or sausage. Change it to suit your tastes.

Breakfast Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

cooking spray (PAM)

1 bag of cubed frozen hashbrowns

8 eggs (I used egg substitute)

1/2 cup milk

2 cans of diced green chiles

1/2 pound of thick sliced ham

1 cup of shredded cheese

1/2 cup diced onion (I saute them first)

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Spread frozen hashrowns in the bottow of a lightly sprayed 9x13 pan. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over hashbrows, layer the diced chile peppers and onions over the top, followed by the ham and finally the cheese. Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes, or until eggs are set and cheese is golden brown. Top off with a dallop of sour cream and enjoy.

The man sandwich!

2008-10-14T20:48:00.000-07:00

This is not a healthy guilt free meal. It is also not a meal I should make again, but I will. Honestly, I have already made it again, this was round two. It is just that simple and good. Just a few ingredients and 30 minutes and dinner is on. If you are looking to please a red med meat eating man in your life, here is the ticket ladies, I nearly guarantee success. Michael liked it better last time with out the A-1 sauce, but I liked it better this time with the A-1, so you decide if you want it or not. I just learned he is not an A-1 kind of guy I guess. Please don't be shy with the butter, I have made it twice, and it was better with all of the butter instead of the scant amount I tried to get away with the first time. Just follow the recipe, you will be glad you did... until the next morning when you can't button your slacks for work!

Marlboro Man’s Favorite Sandwich
(Marlboro Man is Pioneer Woman's husband, in case you wondered)
Pioneer Woman

INGREDIENTS:
2 to 3 pounds cube steak (tenderized round steak that’s been extra-tenderized
1 large onion OR 2 small/medium onions
4 French/Deli rolls
Butter, man
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
Worcestershire Sauce
Tabasco
A-1 sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Slice onions and cook in 1/4 stick butter until soft and light brown. Remove and set aside.
Slice cube steak against the grain. Season with Lawry’s.
Heat 2 TBSP butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown.
Add meat in single layer. Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides.
Add 1/2 a bottle (at least) Worcestershire sauce, 5 to 6 shakes Tabasco, and 2 TBSP butter and a few healthy shakes of A-1. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine.
Butter halved French rolls and brown on skillet.
To assemble, lay bottom half of French roll on plate. Place meat mixture, followed by a spoonful of juice from the pan. Top with other half of roll, cut in half, and devour!

Fall is here!!!

2008-10-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

Fake spider, I promise! I decorated for Halloween today, and I couldn't resist!

Okay not really. But we have cooled down to the seventies, and that is plenty of reason to bust out the pumpkin. I saw this recipe on Annie's Eats, who adapted the recipe from Bakespace, and knew that it would be my first pumping recipe of the year. They were amazing good, who doesn't love a little cream cheese filling when they bite into a cupcake! These were the perfect start to my fall baking, I can't wait to use the pumpkin left over in my fridge for something new. Or maybe I will just make these muffins again, they were that good. I brought them to my first day at my new job and made instant friends, so thanks Annie! Happy Fall baking friends!

Yummy cream cheese filling!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Yield: 24 muffins

INGREDIENTS:

For the muffins:
3 cups flour (I used white wholewheat flour)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. and 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil (I used 1/2 applesauce and 1/2 oil)
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

For the streusel topping:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup and 1 tsp. flour
4 tbsp. butter, cubed
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whip until smooth. Form into a log on plastic wrap or foil, making sure that the diameter is small enough to fit into the well of a muffin pan. Wrap the log up tightly and freeze until slightly hardened, 1-2 hours. (Alright, so you should know that I skipped this step, because I wanted to eat the muffins now, I didn't want to wait 2 hours, and it worked out perfectly. I just used my tiny cookie scoop to drop the filling into each muffin)

To make the muffins, combine the flour, spices, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, sugar and pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.

To make the streusel topping, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix together with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two muffin pans with paper liners. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well halfway with batter. Remove the cream cheese log from the freezer and slice into 24 equal slices. Place a slice in each muffin well. Divide the remaining muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups, on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the top of the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

Crockpot Potato Soup

2008-10-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

This soup far exceeded my expectations. I have these two crock pot cookbooks that I have been trying recipes out of, and they have been pretty hit and miss. This one though, was wonderful. I prepped everything the night before so in the morning all I did was dump it in the crock pot and turn it on. The house smelled so good when we got home from work, and we so enjoyed the soup for dinner and lunches the next couple days. We served it topped off with some sour cream, cheese, and fresh chives from my newly cultivated herb garden. Oh, and the letters you see below, that was my husband asking if he could dice the potatoes. Next thing I know he had that spelled out instead in potatoes. He is not much help in the kitchen, but he sure is sweet! The recipe below contains some changes, but mostly it came from 101 More Things To Do With A Slow Cooker.

INGREDIENTS:
6 cups of potatoes peeled and diced
5 cups of water
2 cups chopped onion
4 cubes of chicken bullion or 4 tsp instant granules
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup of shredded cheese
1 tbsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Combine potatoes, water, onion, bullion, and pepper in greased slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hours or until potatoes are tender. Stir in crumbled bacon, cheese, and milk. Cover and cook an additional 20 minutes. Makes 10-12 servings.

One additional step that I took was to blend about 5 or 6 ladles of the soup before adding the bacon and cheese, just to give the soup a creamier thicker consistency.

Muffin Madness!

2008-10-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

I know that I have said that my raspberry muffins are the most amazing muffins ever, but I may have lied...or at least their is a tie. Let me introduce the amazing delicious moist wonderfulness that is these banana coconut muffins. Let me pause for a moment of remembrance for these muffins, there were so good and gone too fast! Anyways, I found these from this blog of a friend from The Nest's What's Cooking board, and am so happy that I stumbled upon them. Go make them, and double it like I did, because 8 muffins will not be enough!!!
source: this blog, who got it from www.epicurious.com

sorry for the bad picture...I'm still learning how to use a camera!

Banana Coconut Muffins

Servings: Makes 8.
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 very ripe bananas, mashed (3/4 cup)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

DIRECTIONS:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin cups with liners.Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together bananas, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and 1/2 cup coconut in a large bowl until combined well, then fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened.
Divide batter 8 lined muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup coconut. Bake until muffins are puffed and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer muffins to a rack and cool slightly. (I took mine out after 20 minutes and they were plenty done!)

Crockpot Cooking 101

2008-10-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

This is hardly a recipe, but so much of crock pot cooking is just throwing stuff in a crock pot and ending up with something yummy that I thought that I may as well post it. I have been using my crock pot a lot lately now that I am working. I prepare everything at night so that all I have to do is plug my pot in in the morning. We served these burgers with TJ's sweet potato fries, (Michael's new found favorite side!) and some baked beans, nothing healthy, but everything tasted great. And actually I take that back, the buns were whole wheat!

Crock Pot BBQ Chicken

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 bottle BBQ (your favorite kind)
2 onions, cut into rings

Put everything in crock pot on low for 5 hours, shred chicken, spoon onto hamburger buns.

Like I said easy, the way it needs to be sometimes. We are going to use the leftovers for BBQ chicken pizza later this week. Easy again!

And on the eight day God created...

2008-09-24T20:50:00.000-07:00

Bread Pudding! This bread pudding to be exact, with a Jack Daniels Cream sauce. Oh, you don't believe God would have used whiskey? Just taste this, they you won't question me. And if it really bothers you, you boil it, so the alcohol dissipates. Isn't that what they say anyhow? Once again this recipe comes from the Pioneer Woman herself, if you haven't been to her site will you just go there. You won't regret it. Well your stomach won't, but your thighs and your butts may begin to loathe her. One word from the wise (yes I am wise, I have made this multiple times already), DO NOT overfill the baking dish with bread. DO NOT stuff it in there, it will pop out of the sides and fall to the bottom of the oven and make gross burnt eggy sticky charred spots. Trust me, you don't want to learn this from example, okay!

See...don't stuff too much bread in, you will regret it!

Oh yeah, enjoy!

The Best Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS:
2 eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups sugar
3 1/2 to 5 cups sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (Iused French Bread, because I had it)
1/3 cup pecans, chopped finely (omitted but used raisins in its place)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat together eggs, butter, vanilla, and milk. Add sugar and mix until sugar is dissolved. Arrange bread cubes tightly in a nine-inch baking dish, keeping the crust facing up around the edges in scattered within the dish. Pour liquid over the bread. Sprinkle pecans all over and bake for 55 to 70 minutes, or until crust is golden brown all over the top.

While the bread pudding is baking, make the Whiskey Cream Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup Jack Daniels
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until mixture reaches a low boil. Pour a small amount over the individual servings of bread pudding.

Exclamation Marks

2008-09-19T10:23:00.002-07:00

I just realized that I use the exclamation mark a lot. Maybe even a little bit too much. I hope just translates to you readers as excitement about everything. I reread my entries and I punctuate nearly everything with them. My 5th grade teacher Ms. Stavig would be so ashamed. I hope that she never finds this blog. I have been a bit liberal with them, I promise, I will try to cut back!

Homemade pesto, the Weight Watchers way!

2008-09-19T10:23:00.001-07:00

We love pesto in our house on sandwiches, in wraps, on pasta, you name it and we have probably tried it. But it is expensive to buy prepared and it is SO fattening, so I did some investigating and found this wonderful recipe that lightens it up quite a bit, yet it still tastes great! We made ours into a cream sauce (which was not Weight Watchers friendly) and served it over tortellini with chicken and broccoli. It was excellent! Pesto also freezes really well, my favorite method is to freeze it in ice cube trays, then you just pop out however many you need, instead of defrosting a whole batch. I actually intend to freeze some today if I ever get off the nest and my blog. Enjoy the lighter side of pesto!

Pesto

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp pine nuts
2 cup basil, leaves, fresh
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium garlic clove(s), peeled
1/2 tsp table salt

DIRECTIONS:
Place pine nuts in a small skillet and set pan over medium heat. Cook until nuts are golden, shaking pan frequently to prevent burning, about 3 minutes. Transfer nuts to a plate to cool.
In a blender or food processor, combine nuts, basil, broth, cheese, oil, garlic and salt; process until smooth and thick. Yields about 1/4 cup per serving at a points value of 2. Makes 4 servings.

*If you want to make it into a cream sauce as we did, we mixed 2 cups of 2% milk with 1/2 cups of pesto and let simmer on stove top. I added a little cornstarch to help it thicken up.*

Something from my mother finally!

2008-09-19T10:23:00.000-07:00

I am surprised that nothing I have posted so far has come from my mother, but this recipe comes from her big spacious kitchen at home in Washington(oh how I miss that big spacious kitchen with all its counter space and cupboards!). This recipe is always a hit, we make it at least 3x a month just for us, and almost every time we have company also. If you don't want to use the baking method which is detailed below, you can serve it all cold, which is easier for parties where your oven is already busy. To do so, just cube the mozzarella and add it in with the tomato mixture and serve with bread/crackers. And whatever you do, do not leave out the balsamic vinegar, it is what makes it sooo delicious! This mixture is also great over salad or mixed with pasta, but you won't have any leftovers because it is that good, you will just have to whip up another batch!

Bruschetta with Double Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS:
6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil (I rinse mine to cut down on calories)
3 cloves minced garlic
2 TB olive oil + some for brushing bread
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 baguette/loaf of french bread/melba toast etc.
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for half an hour or longer. It helps all the flavors blend together.
Turn on broiler. (If your oven doesn't have a broil function, no worries mine doesn't either, just turn it to the highest temperature and watch closely!)
Cut your bread of choice into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer, brush with olive oil, and broil just until brown about 1-2 minutes.
Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.
Broil for 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Dinner Divas #3 YUMMO!

2008-09-14T16:21:00.001-07:00

First off, you will never here me say yummo again, I promise! It is just that it is a Rachel Ray recipe, so I feel like it is necessary to say yummo, oops there is was again, and EVOO. Alright, I have them out of my system now, on to the review.
Honestly, we really liked this macaroni and cheese. It was simple and authentic tasting. I made a few changed, which are noted below, but we will revisit this recipe in my kitchen, it may even enter regular rotation!
Also, I must note that I got to pick 2 September recipes for my cooking group Dinner Divas, so this was one of my picks, and there will be an Emeril Apple Pie coming up in the near future. Both of these recipes were picked on behalf of Michael. He has been asking me to cook both, so he was my inspiration when looking for recipes this month.

Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
From Rachel Ray
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound chicken breast tenders, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 pound macaroni elbows or cavatappi corkscrew shaped pasta twists (we used fussili)
2 1/2 cups raw broccoli florets, available packaged in produce department (no broccoli for Michael, but we added peas)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper ( didn't have any, added some tapatio)
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups whole milk (I used a mixture of whole and nonfat)
1 cup chicken stock
3 cups yellow sharp Cheddar (I also added some goat cheese)
1 tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard (I used about 2 TB)

DIRECTIONS:
Place a pot of water on to boil for macaroni.
Heat a medium pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and chicken and season with salt and pepper. Saute a couple of minutes then add onion and cook another 5 to 7 minutes until onions are tender and chicken is cooked through. Turn off heat and reserve.
To boiling pasta water, add pasta and salt to season the cooking water. Cook 5 minutes, then add broccoli and cook 3 minutes more or until pasta is cooked to al dente and florets are just tender.
While pasta cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add butter and melt, then add flour, cayenne and paprika and whisk together over heat until roux bubbles then cook a minute more. Whisk in milk and stock and raise heat to bring the sauce to a quick boil. Simmer until the sauce thickens about 5 minutes.
Drain macaroni or pasta and broccoli florets. Add back to the pot and add chicken to the pasta and broccoli.
Add cheese to milk sauce and stir to melt it in, a minute or so. Stir in mustard and season sauce with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli and cooked pasta and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings and transfer to a large serving platter and serve.

I hope they make these in Heaven!

2008-09-14T15:51:00.000-07:00

Let me set the scene for you, it is early on a Saturday morning, and I have a lot to accomplish. First though, I decide to color my hair. So now imagine me in the kitchen, with a bag on my head, seeding and degutting (yeah, I know I made that word up) 100 grape tomatoes. Why would I do that you wonder? Because I want to bring the beauty of this recipe to a football party, and they would be so much easier to eat if they were bite-size, wouldn't they? Here I am an hour later, with 90 grape tomatoes (some were lost to the degutting process) trying to decide how to make them stand up in a pan, and how to stuff them. Oh yeah, and I really need to wash my hair before it turns black or falls out of my head. So after a shower and some inspiration I realize I will have to cut the ends off of these tomatoes so they can stand, and I will have to pipe in their stuffing. 2 hours later they finally go in the oven, and I emerge a brunette.

Alright, now that you see how my Saturday morning was, let me share the recipe! The following recipe from Pioneer Woman is my latest obsession. I want to make these and eat them every single day. No seriously, they are that good. I got a little giddy and Martha Stewart on this recipe one day and decided that they would make the cutest appetizer in little grape tomatoes...dumb idea. Cute-yes, labor intensive-YES! So I will stick to Roma tomatoes in the future, the tomato stands up better in the oven that way anyhow. Also, I have no pictures of my own, because they always get eaten before the camera ever makes it out, so the picture below is from . So without further ado, read this recipe, and then get in the kitchen and make them, everyone who eats one will thank you!!!

Roasted Ricotta Roma Tomatoes

Picture from Pioneer Woman

Dinner Divas #2 FLOP!!!

2008-09-14T15:38:00.000-07:00

Second Dinner Divas recipe is going up quite late, but better late then never, right! Michael had VERY high hopes for this recipe, I think that he was expecting Panda Express fried orange chicken though, so he was already set up for disaster. I am not sure if I messed up on the recipe somewhere or what, but we really did not like this dinner, and my orange chicken wasn't orange. I'll post the recipes and the pictures, because we all have flops sometimes, but that will not be made in my kitchen again!

Orange Mandarin Chicken
Source Cooking Light
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges in light syrup, undrained
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned.
While chicken cooks, drain oranges in a colander over a bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons liquid. Add oranges, 2 tablespoons liquid, onions, jalapeño, and garlic to pan. Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes. Combine broth, soy sauce, and cornstarch; add to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened.

Pioneer Woman, where have you been all of my life?

2008-09-05T18:45:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I am counting my lucky stars that I stumbled upon Pioneer Woman's blog last weekend, we have eaten something off of her blog every night this week. She is FUNNY, and she has some awesome recipes on her blog. I haven't been disappointed yet! If you haven't been to her blog yet, I recommend you go here immediately, and have a pen and paper ready so that you can start a grocery list of all the things you need to start making some of her recipes. From now on PW will be used to talk about her, get used to it, you will see it a lot.

PW's Crispy Yogurt Chicken

I know, you are thinking crispy yogurt chicken, that sounds disgusting. But the yogurt marinade was delicious, and although the crispy part didn't quite work out, I will be trying this again in the future.

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken drumsticks (I used breasts, which may have contributed to the uncrunchy chicken)
2 cups plain yogurt
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Parsley
The juice of one lemon
Butter
2 cups of panko (I used regular bread crumbs, couldn't find panko. Also may have contributed to the uncrunchiness)

DIRECTIONS:
Combine lemon juice, yogurt, parsley, and minced garlic.
After thoroughly rinsing the chicken, pat it dry and sprinkle it with salt.
Put the panko in a bowl with a generous sprinkle of salt and butter the baking dish
Now dip the chicken in the yogurt marinade, and then the panko, and then place in the baking dish. Complete the process with all of the chicken and then top each piece of chicken with a pat of butter. (PW says this is the most important part, I forgot until half way through, but I did add it.)
Bake at 350 for 1hour - 1 1/4 hours.

An Ultimate Comfort Food

2008-09-05T18:12:00.000-07:00

So everyone was talking about this recipe on the Nest's What's Cooking board the other day, so I decided we had to try it in our weekly rotation. I made a few changes that we were very happy with, and Michael enjoyed it so much he asked for the leftovers for lunch two days in a row! It will definitely be a regular in our rotations from now on. The original recipe came from Lindsay, but it was for a 9x13, which was way too much casserole for 2 of us, even when we do both like leftovers, I also saw some room for improvements, so the recipe below is what I ended up with. I hope that you all enjoy as much as we did!

TACO BAKE

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
1 TB minced garlic
1 packet taco seasoning
8 oz. tomato sauce
4 oz. seashell pasta (I used elbow macaroni, it was all they had at TJ's)
4 oz. (1/2 package) cream cheese, softened in microwave (I used fat free)
1/2 cup sour cream (I used fat-free)
1 can of sliced olives
1 can of black beans, drained
6 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used cheese from 2% milk)

So far assembled: pasta, cream cheese spread, and the black beans

Finished off with the meat, cheese, and olives

DIRECTIONS:
Brown ground beef with onion and garlic, drain if necessary. Add taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, cook pasta according to directions. Drain.
Mix softened cream cheese and sour cream in separate bowl.
Spray bottom of 8x8 pan. Put pasta in bottom of pan. Spread cream cheese mixture over pasta. Sprinkle the can of black beans over the cream cheese mixture. Spoon ground meat mixture over this. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Finally sprinkle the olives on top pf the cheese.
Now you can pop it in the oven and bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.
I served our taco bake with some sauteed green beans and some garlic cheddar sourdough. Yummy!

Dinner is served!

Easy dinner when you're short on time and craving big flavor

2008-09-05T17:50:00.000-07:00

I finally caved and got Michael a panini press, and boy am I glad I did. It was the only thing that he officially registered for on our wedding registry, and he is so happy to now have it in our possession. Anyways, my favorite sandwich to grill is noted below, as well as the salad I served with it. Who can go wrong with all that melty cheese anyways?

Caprese Panini

INGREDIENTS:
Panini Rolls
mozzarella
Pesto (about 2TB per sandwich)
Balsamic cream (I just mixed balsamic into ff mayo) (2 TB per sandwich)
Fresh basil

DIRECTIONS:
Brush live oil on outside of roll and place bottom on grill. Brush pesto on roll, top with tomatoes and fresh basil. Place thick sliced (I like it about 1 inch) mozzarella on top of basil. On inner top of roll spread the balsamic cream and then place on top of sandwich. Close panini press and bake until cheese is melted. ENJOY!

Tortellini Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS:
I package of tortellini, cooked according to directions on package ( we like pesto or cheese filled)
2 Roma tomatoes
3 TB pesto
3 TB mayo
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 small can of sliced olives, drained

DIRECTIONS:
After you have cooked noodles allow to cool by gently running cold water over them. While they are cooling combine pesto and mayo to make a nice creamy sauce. Cut tomatoes into bite sized chunks, and toss all ingredients in a bowl. This is best when left to sit overnight, although you may need to add more sauce if the tortellinis soak it all up. Feel free to use more or less sauce depending on how "saucy" you like your salad"

Yeah...I realize it has been a while

2008-09-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

Don't know how I got so far behind blogging. It is not like I haven't been cooking every night, I guess I have jest been to lazy to blog it. So here is an onslaught of new posts, as you can see my kitchen has been pretty busy!

Dinner Divas #1

2008-08-27T17:34:00.000-07:00

As I become a little more familiar with the WC board on the nest, I felt it was time to join one of the many cooking groups that are available. The Dinner Divas sounded perfect for me, the only rule is there are no rules. Sounds perfect for they way I cook in my kitchen! The first recipe was from Bobby Flay for Chicken Cobb Burgers. I took many liberties with the burger, and ended up outstanding!! There were no complaints anywhere around the table. Well, I guess there was one complaint, no pictures. The camera's battery needed to charged, and while I had it plugged in all day anticipating needing pictures, I had it plugged in incorrectly. Yes, Michael got a good laugh out of that. I served it with fresh corn on the cob and a cold tortellini pasta salad. I have noted the changes I made below in black. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
8 strips of bacon
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, 90 percent lean (I used lean ground beef, Michael refused chicken)
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
(2 TB balsalmic mixed in ground beef mixture gave some great tang)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese ( I hate Blue cheese so I used goat cheese, loved it!)
4 burger buns, split (I used whole wheat kaiser rolls, toasted)
1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 slices
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 8 slices (No avocado in our kitchen)

For the vinaigrette:2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (I used balsalmic)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (had no lemon)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce

DIRECTIONS:
For the burgers: (First you should know we do not have a grill. Not a challenge though, we made them on out panini maker/open faced grill, it worked perfectly!)
Heat the grill to medium.Place the strips of bacon on the grill (lay them across the grate so they don't fall through) and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Increase the heat of the grill to high. ) Form the meat into 4 (8-ounce) burgers, brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked completely through, about 5 minutes per side. Top the burgers with the blue cheese, close the cover, and continue cooking until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute longer.Place the burgers on the bottom half of each bun and top with a slice of tomato, 2 slices of avocado, 2 slices of bacon and some of the dressed romaine. Cover each burger with the bun tops and serve.

For the vinaigrette:Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and oil in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld. Just before assembling the burgers, place the romaine in a medium bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

Favorite Cookies of All Time!!!

2008-08-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

These are the cookies that undo my greatest gumption and will power. I could resist the brownies and the chocolate chip cookies, but not these cookies. I can't stop eating these cookies until every last one is gone. They smell amazing, they are the perfect size, and I think they are cute cookies, if there is such a thing! I couldn't really get a good photograph of them, but don't judge, they will knock your socks off! The original recipe is from allrecipes, but I use a modified version (shown below), that someone else has posted in the comments, and I have never once had a problem with it. Every time it makes perfect little chocolaty pillows of decadence. I do cook on silicone mats (not necessary though), and I measure my cookies out with my cookies scoop, I just love the uniformity of them. Get cooking, these ones are worth it!!!

White Chip Chocolate Cookies
Submitted by KATCOLTER
Yields 5 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cups white sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 12 oz bag of white chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in the white chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are set. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lasagna

2008-08-20T15:56:00.000-07:00

This is another one of those foods that just says comfort food to me, and it did not let me down. Michael's boss came over for dinner, so I served this with sauteed green beans, a green salad, and some of my homemade bread that is posted below. All in all dinner was a success no complaints. And once again, the following is for an 8x8 pan, double it for a 9x13 or two 8x8's. It is always great when you have a good dinner like this already done up in the freezer!

Lasagna
Serves 6-9

INGREDIENTS:
Cooking spray
8 no boil lasagna noodles ( I use TJ's brand, they are the perfect size)
16 oz marinara sauce (mines from scratch, and includes a # of ground beef)
1 15oz tub of ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1/ cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
2 cups grated mozzarella

Everything waiting to be assembled

Look at those yummy cheesy layers

Finished, just awaiting the oven so it can crisp up

DIRECTIONS:
Spray pan well with cooking spray and preheat oven to 350.
In a mixing bowl combine eggs, ricotta cheese, Parmesan, basil, and oregano.
Spread a thin layer of sauce over bottom of pan and then layer with 2 noodles.
On top of each noodle spread 1/6 of ricotta cheese mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of cheese and a ladle full of sauce. Put 2 noodles over sauce and repeat layering, until you have filled the pan. (For my 8x8 pan in took 3 layers)
Finish the layering with 2 noodles over the top, the remainder of the sauce, and then the cheese.
Cover in foil and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes or until center is bubbling and cheese is melted and crispy.

Homemade bread in the crockpot?!?!?!

2008-08-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

Yep, it is true. I found this little gem of a recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, 101 More Things To Do With A Slow cooker, and it was so interesting that I had to try it. I was not disappointed, next I am going to try a honey wheat recipe that is in that cookbook with some cinnamon and diced apples. Again, so fall inspired! This bread gave the whole house that wonderful homemade bread smell, and it was so hard not to take the cover off of the crock pot and sneak a peek. But my patience prevailed and we ended up with a nice little loaf of white bread. My only problem,which is entirely my fault, is that it got a little brown on the bottom. That is because my slow cooker turns to warm when the time is up though, and I wasn't home, so I think it got direct heat just a little too long. Enjoy, and try this, you will love how easy it is to get homemade bread!

My yeast foaming

My dough in the crock pot just waiting to cook

My finished loaf

All sliced up

Classic White Bread
101 More Things To Do With A Slow cooker
Stephanie Ashcraft and Janet Eyring
10-15 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 envelope (.25 ounce) of active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup lukewarm water
1tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour

DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl combine yeast, 1 tsp sugar, and 1/4 cup warm water. Allow yeast to foam, about 5 minutes.
Add egg, oil, lukewarm water, salt, 1/4 cup sugar, and 2 cups of flour. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes on low.
With a wooden spoon, stir i remaining flour.
Place dough in greased 4-5 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours. Remove stoneware from cooker and let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Best brownies ever!

2008-08-19T11:17:00.000-07:00

So yesterday on the WC board at the nest Stephanie posted her blog update, and as I meandered abound her blog I found this gem of a recipe, which I of course had to make immediately! They smelled amazing cooking, so it was maybe a teeny tiny let down when they came out only because they couldn't possibly taste as good as they had smelled. I sent them to work with Michael today, because I could undoubtedly eat the whole pan if I wasn't thinking. They were really that good. We ate them last night warmed up with vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate syrup...decadent!

Milk Chocolate Chunk and Peanut Butter Brownies

Source: Carole Bloom's The Essential Baker
Makes 16 2-inch squares

INGREDIENTS:
3 oz (6 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup natural-style, chunky peanut butter
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 oz milk chocolate, chopped into small chunks

DIRECTIONS:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. Line the baking pan with aluminum foil and grease the inside of the foil.
Place the butter in a large bowl and beat the butter on medium speed until it's fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the peanut butter and cream together. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.
Add the sugar to the mixture and cream together.One at a time, add the eggs to the peanut butter mixture and beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla and blend completely.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture in two stages and stir together thoroughly.
Add the chocolate chunks to the batter and stir to distribute evenly.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly.
Bake the brownies for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly moist.Remove pan from the oven and cool completely on a rack.
Lift the brownies from the pan with the aluminum foil and carefully peal the foil away from the sides. Cut into 4 equal-sized rows in each direction.

Feels like home

2008-08-18T11:52:00.000-07:00

While Fall is still a very distant thought here in sunny California (come to think of it, do they even have Fall here?), I am in the mood for something very homey and fallish,and very few things make me think more of home and the leaves changing colors and falling off of the tress than a roast cooking in the crock pot all day. I am really longing for a nice cool crisp day, it hasn't really been below 80 since we got married and moved here. I know some of you would kill for this weather, but it just isn't me. Shopping yesterday was so sad because there are so many beautiful coats coming out this year, and it will just never really get cold enough to wear one here. At least I will save myself the money by not having to buy one this year! Alright, enough of my pity party, on with the cooking!

This is such a classic recipe I don't even know where it came from, I only know it is how my mom and I have been making it forever, and it never lets me down. Since there are 2 of us and we never eat all of the roast, leftovers turn into French Dip sandwiches later in the week. Hope you enjoy, we always do!

Everything is in, now it is just time to slow cook

Crock Pot Roast

INGREDIENTS:
2 TB olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 3-4 pound roast
1 large onion, cut into rings
1 pound of cut carrots
8 red potatoes, washed and quartered
1 packet of onion soup mix dissolved in 1 cup of water

DIRECTIONS:
In frying pan heat oil and then brown roast on all sides, covering in a salt and pepper crust. This quick frying helps to seal in some of the juices and adds a nice little flavorful crust to your roast.
After greasing inside of crock pot, add cut carrots, quartered potatoes, and onion rings.
Place roast on top of vegetables and pour onion soup mix water over roast. Place lid on and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours. If roast is frozen, add 2-4 more hours to cook time.

Who says dinner can't be easy?

2008-08-18T10:47:00.001-07:00

Michael and I got back from the airport late Saturday night, so the kitchen opened back up Sunday. I made french toast with some wonderful chicken sausage for breakfast and got some enchiladas done up for dinner. I am big on convenience and don't believe that everything needs to be made by scratch, I would probably do a lot less cooking if it did!! I guess I fancy myself a bit as Sandra Lee the semi-homemade cook. My enchilada recipe follows, pretty basic and pretty tasty. As a side we had a black bean and corn salad, and we topped off our enchiladas with sour cream. They do not photograph well at all, but the pictures at least give you an idea. And if anyone has a great way to keep my tortillas from cracking when I roll the enchiladas, please share, because I think that I have tried them all!

Tortillas stuffed and rolled, waiting for the sauce.

Ready to go in the oven.

Plated up and ready to be enjoyed!

Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS:
10 corn tortillas
1 pound ground beef
2 cups shredded cheese
1 20 0z can of enchilada sauce (we are a mild family)
1/2 large onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 TB olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Brown the oil, onion, and garlic in a large frying pan. Add the ground beef and cook until done, set aside.
Preheat oven to 400.
Grease a 9x13 pan (I use 2 8x8 pans and freeze a batch for another night!) In each tortilla add about 4TB ground beef mixture. Sprinkle a TB cheese on top of meat, roll tortilla sides in, and place seam side down in greased pan. Continue with remaining tortillas.
Once all enchiladas are rolled pour can of enchilada sauce over the top, sprinkle remaining cheese, cover with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Michael wanted you to all know what it would look like when you were done...I think he just wants to be more involved in my blog!

The kitchen is closed :(

2008-08-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

Michael and I are headed out of town for the rest of the week for a funeral, so my kitchen is now shut down for a few days. We are headed to Idaho, his best mans father just passed away, so we really need to be there. It makes me kind of sad to close up my kitchen for a few days though, because I am really starting to get into this cooking and blogging thing. Yuck, restaurant food for the rest of the week, Lori (Michael's mom in Idaho) doesn't cook. I will be back at it on Monday I am sure, hope you all have a great weekend!

Raspberry Muffins

2008-08-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

I recieved this recipe from my wedding caterer with a muffin cook book and my muffin tins. She had printed it on an index card and put it in the cookbook, which I thought was the sweetest thing. I have been eager to try them for a while now, as she is a fantastic baker whose goods are in coffee shops around town, so last night was finally the perfect opportunity. The only thing I will chang next time is I will add more berries. The recipe calls for 1 cup, I will throw in at least another half cup. Also, as a side note, I used frozen raspberries, and it worked just fine. All in all they didn't dissapoint, I am working on my second one as breakfast right now! Sorry there is no picture, Michael took the camera and there were no muffins left when the camera got back home! I will make them again soon I am sure so I will post a picture next time!

8/22 Alright, so we are going out of town again this weekend, so I made these muffins to take with us. They are strawberry this time, and I once again am really enjoying them. I also used white whole wheat flour, with no problems or taste complaints. I got a picture this time too...YEAH!

Fresh out of the oven

Don't you think a cream cheese swirl would be amazing in here?

Maxine's Blueberry Muffins
Makes 12 regular of 6 texas sized muffins

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups AP flour
1 cup sugar
1 Tblsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk (I used 1/2 and 1/2)
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 beaten eggs
1 cup blueberries (or raspberries!)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350
Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl
Then add milk, melted butter and the beaten eggs. Mix jut until all is incorporated, be sure notto overmix!!
Gently stir in the berries.
Pour into lined or sprayed muffin tins, sprinkle tops with coarse pearl sugar
Bake for approimately 20 minutes,or unil golden brown and center tests done with a toothpick.

Chocolate Chip Cookies!!

2008-08-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Who can resist perfect chocolate chip cookies? These cookies really lived up to the hype and were enjoyed my many. This recipe is all over the nest, but I got it from Sweet and Savory Southern's blog I followed the recipe to the T except for traying the up. I am a mini cookie kind of girl, so I just used my cookie dough scoop and made 60 cookies. As simple as that, and I was able to skip the difficult step! And as always, with any good cookie, DO NOT OVERBAKE THEM!!! Take them out when they just start to look golden brown, they will continue to cook on the cookie sheet, this is how you can keep them so chewy. Have fun baking!

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Source: Baking Illustrated, page 434)
Makes about 18 large cookies.

These oversized cookies are chewy and thick, like many of the chocolate chip cookies sold in gourmet shops and cookie stores. They rely on melted butter and an extra egg yolk to keep their texture soft. These cookies are best served warm from the oven but will retain their texture even when cooled. To ensure the proper texture, cool the cookies on the baking sheet. Oversized baking sheets allow you to get all the dough into the oven at one time. If you’re using smaller baking sheets, put fewer cookies on each sheet and bake them in batches.

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 5/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1-1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the chips to taste.
4. Roll a scant 1/4 cup of the dough into a ball. Hold the dough ball with the fingertips of both hands and pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough’s uneven surface. Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart.
5. Bake until the cookies are light golden grown and the outer edges start to harden yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a side metal spatula.

Quiche!

2008-08-11T20:20:00.000-07:00

So Michael loves when I make quiche and was quite pleased with this one tonight, so here is the recipe I followed. I got the basis of it from Allrecipes, but I did deviate from it quite a bit (my deviations are included in the recipe). Don't be afraid to experiment with other fillings, this is a great base, change the cheese, vegetables, and meats as much as you would like. I also doubled the recipe and froze one after I baked them, just add about 10 minutes to cook time if you put them both in th oven. Next time I will use deep dish pie crusts, as I had some filling left over, and I will read the sausage label before I start, because the maple flavor was not quite right. Opps!! Oh yeah, and for the pie crust, I always use a frozen store bought one, I still haven't mastered pastries. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 shallot diced
3 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup diced red peppers (I used a frozen medaly)
3 strips of bacon
3 oz sausage
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (9 inch) pie crust
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and sausage, cook until crispy and set aside. In same skillet add onion, shallot and peppers and saute until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, cream, basil, oregano, and pepper, add cheese.
Spoon the meat and pepper/onion mixture over bottom of uncooked pie crust. Pour the egg mixture over the onions.
Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into center of the quiche comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Project #1

2008-08-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

This was my first baking project in my kitchen, and it turned out great. This was the TWD groups recipe for the week of 8/6. After reading lots of nesties reviews of this loaf I did some modifications to it. They include no white sugar, 1/3 cup milk, 1 1/2 cups of flour, no rum, and no nutmeg. I also decided to make muffins instead of a traditional loaf, I find them way more fun and easier to eat. To marble them I put about 1/2 cup of the banana mixture with two dobs of the chocolate on top and then swirled them together. I baked them for about 15 minutes, and was very happy with the results!

Black-and-White Banana Loaf
Source: Dorie Greenspan, Baking from my home to yours, pg 232 Makes about 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 ½ ripe bananas, peeled
Squirt of fresh lemon juice
Grated zest of ½ a lemon
1 tablespoon dark rum
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk

DIRECTIONS:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ inch loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of the other.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with the lemon juice and zest, then stir in the rum.Melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the butter together in a microwave oven or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the remaining stick (8 tablespoons) of butter at medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugars and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes, until light and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. The batter will look curdled, and it will continue to look curdled as you add ingredients. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the flour mixture, mixing only until it is just incorporated. With the mixer running, pour in the milk, and when it is blended, add the remaining dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl and mix in the mashed bananas. The batter will look even lumpier.

Pour a little less than half the batter into the bowl with the melted chocolate and stir to blend.

Drop alternating spoonfuls of both batters into the prepared pan, then, using a table knife, swirl the batters together, taking care not to overdo it.

Bake for 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Check after 30 minutes and if the cake starts to brown too much, cover it loosely with a foil tent. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it rest for about 15 minutes before unmolding, then cool the cake to room temperature right side up on the rack.

What is happening in the kitchen today?

2008-08-08T10:54:00.000-07:00

So I am home for the day and have decided to spend it in the kitchen. We are going down to San Diego to hang out with friends this weekend, so I wanted to make some snacks that would travel well and would be thouroughly enjoyed. I decided to try the banana chocolate marble loaf that the TWD group made this week, as well as the old standby of chocolate chip cookies. I will post recipes and pictures when everything comes out of the oven. Wish me luck!

Here we go...

2008-08-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

My name is Jenn and I created this blog to keep up with my fellow nesties in the kitchen on the What's Cooking board.. I got married on July 5, 2008 to my other half Michael, and we are making a little life for ourselves in Southern California right now. This blog will explore my time spent in the kicthen, which seems to be most all of it, as I learn to cook for 2. I grew up in the kitchen helping my mom, but it was all very homestyle cooking, so I look forward to trying all sorts of new things. I am most at peace in the kitchen, there is pretty much nowhere I would rather be! Enjoy my adventures, and know that everything I make has a little piece of my heart in it.