From My Teeny-Tiny Kitchen

New Blog is Up!

2011-03-10T13:24:00.003-06:00

My new blog is up and running! I'm pretty excited about it, so you should check it out. :)

brand new Page

2011-03-01T16:58:00.002-06:00

You may have noticed that I'm not posting anything. Well, I guess that's for the three of you that read this, haha.

I'm working on creating another blog. More of a general/healthy/food/whatever blog. I feel boxed in with this one and need to spread my wings a little. I'll keep you posted on when I actually write something so you can follow that one.

Day 5: Places I Hope I Go This Year

2011-01-05T13:24:00.006-06:00

Oopsie about Day #4. The topic was Best Leftover Recipe, and I really don't eat leftovers too often so I kind of had a mental block about it.

Today's topic is the places that I hope to travel to this year.

Numero uno on that list for both Brian and I would be Seattle, Washington. He's absolutely in love with the city and I am too. He's been dying to go back there since I've known him, so it would be awesome if we got to go back together.

Ahh, St. Maarten. This would be a dream honeymoon location. Brian could watch planes and I could lay on the beach. No, we're not engaged. Just some wishful thinking. :) haha

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Random, but my Pandora station today is pretty much kicking a$$. If you like Glee, Broadway music, Disney soundtracks, and pop songs, you'll dig it. Want to listen to it? Go here.

Day 3: Work it if you got it

2011-01-03T08:00:00.001-06:00

Today's Topic: Favorite Workout Tip

I wish I could say that I had a great workout tip, but I'm not much of an exerciser. However, I do love the Couch to 5K program if you are interested in starting to run. I've never been one to love running, but the day that I could run three minutes straight was a proud day.

Also, have a friend that you can workout with so you'll be accountable. If you are both committed to going to the gym together or running together, you're more likely to accomplish your goals and get into good habits.

Day 2: Favorite Holiday Memory

2011-01-02T18:42:00.000-06:00

It's so hard for me to pick a favorite holiday memory. Every year has a great memory.

There was the year that I got tickets to a certain boy-band concert.

There was the year that I got my first car.

Last year, we had our very first White Christmas.

This past Christmas was pretty great. I went to candlelight service with my parents and then had taco soup with them after church. Then I met up with Brian to have Christmas Eve with his dad's side of the family. Christmas morning, we had present-opening/breakfast with my parents, lunch with his mom's side of the family, and then a FABULOUS dinner at my parents' house.

Every year that I'm blessed to spend with my family for Christmas makes for a good memory.

Being around this little guy wasn't so bad either. :)

Happy 2011!

2011-01-01T18:52:00.004-06:00

First off, it's super weird to type 2011.

Sorry, had to get that off my chest. :) I hope everyone had a great New Year's Eve and is having a great start to 2011. I have big hopes for this year.

Here are my Resolutions for 2011:

Run another 5K and run the whole entire thing.

Run a half-marathon

Clean more often and keep the house organized. I'm sort of a stacker, so I want to get in the habit of cleaning and picking up on a daily basis.

And the cop-out, lose weight. :)

Actually keep up with my My 365 Blog

And to leave you with a picture from last night...our nephew, James, passed out from too much partying.

(Don't worry, he did not consume any alcohol!)

New Blog Challenge for 2011

2010-12-29T13:23:00.002-06:00

Woohoo for new blog challenges! This one starts January 1, so here's a sneak peek of the topics:

Day 1: New Year Resolutions
Day 2: Favorite Work-Out Tip
Day 3: Favorite Work-Out Tips
Day 4: Best Leftover Recipe
Day 5: Places You Hope to go this Year
Day 6: Best Organization Tricks
Day 7: Favorite Memory of 2010
Day 8: Favorite Healthy Snacks
Day 9: Favorite Things to Do on a Cold Winter Day
Day 10: Favorite Girls Night Out Events
Day 11: What are you Looking Forward to in 2011

I hope everyone had a happy and blessed Christmas!

Day 14: Oprah's Wishlist

2010-12-06T13:47:00.004-06:00

I'm so sad this blog challenge is over!

If I would have ever have been lucky enough to sit through an Oprah's Favorite Things show, I would have loved to walk away with:

Christian Louboutin pumps

A French Door Refrigerator

via here

A private plane plus enough money to fund the rest of Brian's pilot training. (He's already a private pilot, just has to finish the rest so he can be rated for the airlines.) Plus, Oprah's in cahoots with John Travolta, who I'm sure has an extra plane laying around somewhere. :)

Day 13: Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-12-05T18:45:00.004-06:00

It may seem like I took the easy road for my Favorite Christmas Cookie and chose Chocolate Chip Cookies, but these are absolutely the best chocolate chip cookies you will ever make. For real. My mom makes TONS of cookies every Christmas and last year was the first time she made these. I ate these for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

They have a special ingredient of instant vanilla pudding and it adds something amazing to the cookie dough. They're super easy and the original recipe makes 72 cookies, so they're perfect if you want to send some to family and still get to keep some for yourself. :)

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: My cousin, Suzy. (Not sure of the original source)

4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups softened butter (4 sticks)
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 (3.4 oz) packages instant vanilla pudding - You can use whatever flavor you like
4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional - I leave them out)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour and baking soda. Set aside. In large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the pudding mix until blended. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts (if using). Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Yields: 72 cookies, but can easily be halved

Day 12: Christmas Decorations

2010-12-03T20:58:00.007-06:00

I LOVE Christmas decorations. I would totally be the person to leave it up all year. My mom is a PRO at decorating for Christmas so I got it honest. Brian is big on outside lighting, but I won't post any of those for safety reasons. (Plus we're not finished. :)) Although we were told by some kids up the street that our lights look "Tight, yo!" So I guess they look great. haha

My Mantle:

Our stockings that I cross-stitched years ago:

I didn't make Jack's but that's ok. :)

Representing my college days on the tree:

There's tons more decorations around my house I could show you, and I still might, but I'm not totally done with decorations. I had to show the mantle because I'm in love with it.

Day 11: New Year Resolutions

2010-12-03T14:21:00.003-06:00

I always end up making Resolutions for the New Year, and just like everyone else, they don't last long. I mean well, I really do.

So here's what I will strive to do in 2011:
1. Lose weight. Such a cop out answer, but it's so needed. I'm not healthy right now and will like to get down to what I was a couple of years ago.
2. Run a 5K. Yes, I did one two months ago but I walked a lot of it. So my goal is to get back into running and actually run a full 3.1 miles.
3. Spend more time with my friends.
4. Have date nights with Brian more often.
5. Clean my house more often. :)
and last, but not least:
6. Blog more!

Day 10: Favorite Christmas Songs

2010-12-02T08:32:00.006-06:00

I've noticed that I've become pretty picky with what Christmas music I want to listen to. The Peaceful Christmas station on Pandora is my absolute favorite. I've thrown in the variety of Amy Grant Holiday music, so it plays a nice variety of Christian/Christmas Hymns in as well. Let me know if you want me to email you the station - it's a gem. :)

My favorite Christmas Cd's to listen to are:

All time favorites are the Amy Grant Christmas albums

Out of all of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra albums, this one is the best. If you ever get the chance to see them live, do it.

Wouldn't be Christmas without it. Ok, so my inner-16 year-old made me post that one. :)

Day 9: Favorite Holiday Recipe

2010-12-01T13:06:00.004-06:00

I actually feel kind of pressured on this topic since I have a food blog. I really wanted to actually cook a new recipe for this one but after I was sick and now Brian is sick, it didn't happen.

Fear not, for I will deliver on some recipes. Since those reading this from the blog challenge have probably not ventured into the depths of my little blog, I'll just review past recipes that I enjoy around the holiday season.

A favorite for a main dish is the Cajun Glazed Ham. Just thinking about this ham makes me crave it (and happily my parents are making it for their annual Christmas party - hooray!). It's so, so, SO good and worth the hunt for Louisiana Cane Syrup. It cannot be made with anything else. Trust me, you want this ham.

Bacon Wraps - how, I love thee so. I bring these to holiday parties and they disappear faster than you can blink. With a simple ingredient list, you can't go wrong. They are like crack.
Only with bacon and legal.

Coming from someone who hates tomatoes, I love this bruschetta. Plus it's Christmas colors, so it's festive!

Ahh, Manicotti. I've actually never had this around Christmas; however, if you had a potluck party to go to or need a gift for someone, this is a winner. I've given this to a dear friend who just had a baby before. Just assemble it and stop before baking it. Freeze it and then post a label with baking instructions on top of the dish.

Ok, that's all I got for now. Can't wait to see what everyone else posts!

Day 8: Least Favorite Part of the Holidays

2010-11-30T11:41:00.002-06:00

Here's my quick list of least favorite parts of Christmas:

1: Traffic - The main street in this city turns into a NIGHTMARE in December. It's generally awful all year, but Christmas makes it ten million times worse. I avoid it at all costs and will take the back way. Thank God for my mother using back ways all the time, so now I know all of the good ones. :)

2: People that forget the real meaning of Christmas.

3: This song:

It makes me cringe to even post that. But for those who have never heard of it (which I hadn't until a couple of years ago), I feel the need to spread the misery.

Day 7: Holiday DIY/Crafty Goodness

2010-11-29T14:46:00.002-06:00

For Halloween, I made these Mason Jar Lanterns that I saw on Our Best Bites

I had every intention of copying their Christmas version for my mantle this year, but my overall decorating theme went a bit different than originally planned. (Translation: I still have no clue how I want it to look...)

I also wish I was crafty enough to make anything and everything from Not So Idle Hands. I LOVE that blog and drool over everything she makes.

Day 6: Christmas Wish List

2010-11-28T19:28:00.003-06:00

This is a hard topic for me. When I was little, I could rattle off what I wanted for Christmas within two minutes. Now, it's a struggle. But now that I have to make some decisions, here goes nothing. :)

1. Garmin Forerunner 205

2. iHome iP39 Kitchen Timer and Alarm Clock

3. Kitchenaid Pasta Roller Attachments

4. Various cookbooks

*All images from Amazon.com

I can't wait to get more ideas from everyone else!

Day 5: Favorite Holiday Movie

2010-11-27T11:50:00.007-06:00

This one could get lengthy. Christmas movies are probably one of my favorite genres of movies and I have several to get me into the spirit.

My all-time favorite Christmas movie has to be

My mom and I would watch this together every year. If it's on TV, I watch it. I had a DVD in college and lost it, so last year I had to seek it out to replenish my stock.

Other favorite Christmas movies are (in no specific order)

A Muppet Christmas Carol - this is probably my #2 favorite Christmas Movie.

Love Actually

Little Women - the 1994 version with Winona Ryder

Christmas Vacation

A Christmas Story - which, I had never seen the full movie until a few years ago. I always watch the 24 hours of A Christmas Story on TBS, but I always came in at different spots and never saw the full movie. Brian had to remedy that since it's his favorite Christmas movie.

Day 4: Tips/Tricks for a Budget-Friendly Holiday

2010-11-26T16:38:00.003-06:00

This is honestly the hardest post of this blog challenge for me. I'm not really a budget-shopper. And I don't mean that in a snobby way. I've just never been great at saving money or sticking to a budget.

Brian and I have a lot of family members to buy for at Christmas. I've come from the amazing Christmas mornings that my parents provided, so that's in my blood. I want to go overboard but as a social worker, that's not always the thing I can do. Last year, I made some gifts. I made some Gingerbread Cookie Mix. I also made some Brown Sugar Body Scrub from the Domino Sugar website. Domino is a great resource for homemade gifts.

I'm looking forward to reading different tips for a budget friendly holiday! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Day 3: Most Meaningful/Best Gift You've Ever Received

2010-11-24T08:15:00.005-06:00

This one is a toughy for me. My parents are the greatest when it comes to Christmas. One Christmas that leaps out at me was when I was 15 (I think) and I got my first car and tickets to a certain boy-band concert, who shall remain nameless but starts with an N. :) My best-friend also got tickets to the same concert but she was sworn to secrecy until I called her to scream. My poor brother endured a lot of teenage-girl screaming that Christmas.

Two years ago, on Christmas morning at 1:30am to be exact, I was given the gift of life. No, I didn't have a baby. Brian and I were leaving his dad's house and I was following him in my new car (that I had for six weeks) when a drunk driver ran a red light and drove through the front of my car. Had I been an inch closer to Brian's car, they would have driven through me.

(My car is the black one.)

Sorry for being a Debbie Downer this morning, but I was (and still am) very thankful to be around those that love me at the holidays.

Last year, Brian gave me an awesome gift - my Kitchenaid Mixer.

I'm excited to see what Santa brings this year. As I grow up, I even more excited to see people's reactions to what is given to them.

Have a GREAT Thanksgiving! Safe travels if you are traveling to see family!! Enjoy those pat-downs at the airport, haha. :)

12 Days of Christmas - Days 1 & 2

2010-11-23T09:16:00.009-06:00

Since I totally fail at keeping this blog updated these days, I've decided to join in on the fun with the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Challenge. Maybe this will help get me back into the habit. :) Maybe.

I'm trying here, folks.

So, here are the topics:

Day 1: Christmas/Holiday traditions
Day 2: Black Friday/General Shopping Tips & Tricks
Day 3: Most meaningful gift/best gift you've received
Day 4: Tips/Tricks to a Budget Friendly holiday season
Day 5: Favorite Holiday Movie/TV Show Special
Day 6: Gift ideas (what do YOU want? We all have family/friends reading our blogs...so let them know!)
Day 7: Holiday Craft/DIY (If you don't make anything, what do you WISH you could make?)
Day 8: Least favorite thing about the Holidays
Day 9: Favorite Holiday recipe
Day 10: Favorite Christmas Songs/Caroles
Day 11: New Year Resolutions
Day 12: Show us your decorations (indoor/outdoor)
Day 13: Favorite Cookie Recipe
Day 14: Oprah's Favorite Things: What item(s) would you want if you were in the audience?

Day 1 was yesterday, so I'll briefly discuss our traditions. For as long as I can remember, we've gone to a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.

Source
When I was little, I was holding my candle, minding my own business, singing Silent Night, and looking at the old lady with purple hair (no lie, she really had purple hair) when candle wax fell on my hand and burned me. For YEARS, I would not hold the candle and force my mom to hold mine. I honestly think I was in high school when I finally held my own candle. Even now, I hold it very still and watch it the entire time.

In summary, I'm a wuss.

Moving on.

Day 2: Black Friday/General Shopping Tips & Tricks

I think I'm alone in stating this, but the idea of getting up at 3am when it's 20 degrees outside sounds totally dreadful. I'm not a morning person, nor do I like the cold. Surely this will all change if the Lord blesses me with children, but for now, I'm more of a Cyber Monday kind of gal.

Amazon.com is my best friend during Christmas.

Why deal with this:
Source

When you can be in your pj's or work clothes for that matter and shop to your heart's content.

Also, I try to make a list of what I'm buying for people so that I make sure to get an even amount for everyone. I'm all about fairness people.

Halloween Jars

2010-10-09T12:35:00.004-05:00

Confession: I really hate Halloween. Most people think that Valentine's Day is a holiday created by card companies. I feel that way about Halloween. I think it's created by candy companies and horror movie creators.

With that being said, I love to decorate for Halloween.

I never said I was without issues. We carve pumpkins every year, with the exception of last year because the Razorbacks had a game on Halloween. I normally buy a ton of pumpkins to decorate the front of my house.

Last year, I saw these jars on Our Best Bites, but I ran out of time to make them before Halloween. Not the case this year. I was bound and determined to whip up these jars.

I'm so happy I did!

Had I not had my hands totally covered in Mod Podge, I would have taken step by step photos. However, you can find easy tutorials on Not So Idle Hands and Our Best Bites. You can get the monster faces on this page and the pumpkins on this page.

Have a Happy Halloween! I'm going to go hide under a blanket until the horror movie previews go away!

One year ago: Peanut Butter Fudge

Chocolate Malt Cupcakes

2010-09-24T08:41:00.003-05:00

My dad and Caitlin's dad take tailgating at Razorback games seriously. They even have a name for their tailgating--A.R. Grillers. And no, the A.R. is not for Arkansas. It's for Anal Retentive. They have to have everything in a particular manner. Everything has a spot in the back of Caitlin's dad's truck. I mean, everything.

My dad starts planning his menus for games in July. For the first game, we had "The Classics" which were hamburgers and hot dogs. He also did the "Big Mike" which was a hamburger sandwiched in between two grilled cheese sandwiches.

For the big Arkansas/Alabama game tomorrow, the menu contains Korean Beef Tacos and Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwiches. For dessert, we've decided that I'd do a feature cupcake. For the first game, I made the Chocolate Malt Cupcakes from Food Network Magazine.

Oh my.

Oh my stars.

These cupcakes sing from the heavens. They are amazing. It made a lot, so we had ton to pass around. The general consensus of the tailgaters was that these were the best cupcakes they had ever had.

The icing. Oh, the icing. It's fabulous. The cake is fabulous. You must try these. The holidays are coming up soon. :)

Crunchy Chocolate Malt Cupcakes
Source: Food Network Magazine, January/February Issue

Ingredients
For the Frosting:
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
3 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
7 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup malted milk powder (such as Carnation)
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups half-and-half
1 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal

Directions
Make the frosting: Sprinkle the sugar evenly in a large skillet and add the corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring once or twice. Continue to boil, swirling the pan but not stirring, until the caramel is amber. Carefully pour in the heavy cream (it can splatter) and add the butter. Simmer, whisking constantly, until the caramel is smooth, about 2 minutes.

Combine both chocolates and the salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Pour the hot caramel over the chocolate and let stand until melted, about 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth and shiny, then cover and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight. (The frosting can be made up to 2 days ahead.)

Make the cupcakes: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Sift the malted milk and cocoa powders into another bowl.

Beat the sugar and butter in a third bowl with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Add the malted milk powder mixture and beat until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the half-and-half in two parts, beginning and ending with flour.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups, filling each about three-quarters of the way. Bake until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool in the pans 10 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to racks to cool completely.

Beat the chilled frosting with a mixer or whisk until thick, about 2 minutes, but don't overwhip. Spread on the cupcakes or transfer to a pastry bag with a star tip and pipe on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then sprinkle with the cereal.

Printable Version

Be sure to follow A.R. Grillers to stay up to date with menus on game days!

Fresh Start

2010-09-22T16:01:00.005-05:00

Since I've somewhat fallen off the blogging bandwagon, I'm determined to slowly crawl my way back on.

My schedule and Brian's schedule has totally switched up lately, so I have not cooked much at all in MONTHS. Months, I tell you. Honestly, since I got really sick in April, I have not touched a cookbook or cooked many new recipes at all.

I do miss blogging and I miss cooking desperately. However, I still want to blog even if I'm not providing recipes every time. Don't worry, I know you mainly come here for food, which I can't blame you on that. Even if I'm not going to blog about food every single day, I'm still going to try and blog my thoughts, happenings and random ideas that come into my head.

So here's what has been happening the past few months:

I've signed up for a 5K! It's next week and I'm scared to death! I am not a runner by any means, so this is a big thing for me. I used to tell Brian "Why run when you can walk fast?"

We have a nephew!!!! Brian's sister, Valerie, gave birth a week ago to James Kenneth! He was born on September 15, 2010 and we could not be happier. I can't wait to meet him!

With the coming of fall tonight, I will be baking a lot more fall related items. :) I LOVE fall!

Question for today:
Like this new format? Should I change my blog name?

Tomato and Corn Pizza

2010-08-11T09:45:00.000-05:00

Last week, Jade tagged me in a Getting-to-Know-You Challenge. So here it goes!

1) What was on your To-Do list today:

-Laundry. Clean towels have become a hot commodity at home, so this has got to get done tonight.
-Running! If you followed my 365 blog, which has been sadly neglected, you know Caitlin and I are training for an upcoming 5K. Trust me, in this heat, this is a big to-do that I'm dreading.
-File paperwork at work. Yuck!
-Try to menu-plan. I have such a hard time with this and I have got to figure out a system that works for me.
-Clean house. Although, this is a daily to-do that never seems to fully get done. :)

2) 5 Snacks you enjoy:

-Sargento cheese sticks and the White Cheddar cheese slices
-Peanut butter
-Thomas's bagel thins
-Chocolate
-Yogurt

3) 5 Places you have lived:

- Born in Southern Louisiana
- Mississippi until I was 8
- Home with my parents
- Sorority house (ADPi!) at University of Arkansas
- Little Rock, AR for a brief moment in time after college

4) What were you doing 5 years ago:

Five years ago, I was fresh out of college working at a job I hated in Little Rock. Frankly, I hated living in Little Rock because my family and friends were in Northwest and Western Arkansas. I was in a toxic relationship that I needed out of and thankfully came to my senses. Then I met Brian and remembered what I was looking for and needed in a man. Oh and I got my wonderful puppy, Jack.

5) 5 things you would do if you were a Billionaire:
- Travel! There is so much of the world to see and I want to go out and see it.
- Donate money to charity
- Build a bigger house with a HUGE kitchen!
- Pay of debt
- Take care of our families

Ok, now it's your turn! I'm going pass this challenge along to some fellow bloggers!

The Beaty's at Beaty Photography
Laura at a little bit of this...a whole lot of that
Meredith at A Work in Progress
Sarah at Adventures in Ava Land
Tyler at Rants. Raves. Ridiculous.

Now on to the food.

One of the magazines most Southerners are very familiar with would be Southern Living. My mom has subscribed to this for ages and I always remember looking at the recipes. In this year's July issue, I saw this pizza but kind of glazed over it.

Then I heard from a TON of people about how wonderful this pizza was. I figured I'd have to make it and see if it lived up to the hype. Even while I was putting it together, I thought to myself that there was no way this could be as good as everyone was saying.

Oh boy was it ever. It has just the right amount of salt and balanced nicely with the sweetness from the fresh corn. Please use fresh ingredients. Please. You will not be disappointed at all. Brian even loved it, even though he thought it was so weird to put corn on pizza.

Tomato and Corn Pizza
Source: Southern Living, July 2010

3 small plum tomatoes, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 (14-oz.) package prebaked Italian pizza crust
Parchment paper
1/3 cup refrigerated pesto
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (From one medium ear of corn)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon sugar
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
3 tablespoons fresh whole or torn basil leaves

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450°. Place tomato slices on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; let stand 20 minutes.

2. Place pizza crust on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet; spread with pesto. Stir together corn, Parmesan, and sugar. Top pizza with corn mixture, tomatoes, and mozzarella slices.

3. Bake at 450° for 14 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Remove from oven, and top with basil leaves.

Printable Version

Giveaway Winner!

2010-07-19T08:23:00.004-05:00

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments! I loved reading all of them and have a nice list going of all of your suggestions. :)

Without further ado, here is the winner of my very first giveaway!

To make it fair, I used a third-party drawing service on Random.org. My mom was actually the first winner, so I drew again. :)

Congratulations to Erin! Erin, just leave me a comment with your email address and I'll email you about getting you your prize.

Thank you all again! And maybe there will be another giveaway in the future. :)

One Year Ago: Fruit Pizza

Birthday Cake Ice Cream

2010-07-15T17:38:00.009-05:00

One year ago, I got the crazy idea to start a food blog. So, what better to celebrate a Blog Birthday than with Birthday Cake Ice Cream?!

Had the anniversary come in the fall or winter, I would have made a cake. However, the heat index has been holding steady at 105 or higher (today it's 110), I avoid turning on the oven at all costs.

Ok, so I really just wanted an excuse to make ice cream. Can you blame me??

Thank you for sticking with me this past year! In honor of the anniversary, I'm going to have my very first giveaway! In order to enter, all you have to is comment and answer:

What should I make in the next year?

In can be anything, anything at all. Please no brussel sprouts though. I'm not ready for that! :)

Entries must be in by 10:00pm Central Time on July 18, 2010. I'll choose a winner at random. So what will you win? My very favorite Ice Cream Cookbook:

David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop, as well as a $30 Gift Certificate to Amazon.com for you to spend on whatever your heart desires!

So be sure to comment and tell all your friends!

One Year Ago: Where it all began...

Birthday Cake Ice Cream

Source: One Ordinary Day

1 1/2 cups 2% milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup yellow cake mix
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, sugar, and cake mix. Whisk to remove lumps. Stir constantly until mixture starts to bubble. Remove from heat and place directly into a water bath or into the refrigerator. Chill completely.

When thoroughly chilled, stir in heavy cream and vanilla. Pour into ice cream maker and mix according to manufacturer’s directions. Add sprinkles during the last 5 minutes. Remove ice cream and transfer to a freezer-safe container.

Printable Version

Peanut Butter & Cheddar Dog Treats

2010-06-19T11:47:00.005-05:00

Five years ago, I was fresh out of college and working as a secretary in a government office. It was, to say the least, a good job but brutally boring. So I spent a lot of time shopping online...sorry, but it's true. One day I got a wild hair to find a dog. Somehow, I came across this little baby, black and white, Cocker Spaniel named Bandy born on June 19, 2005. Weeks later, he was mine and I changed his name to Jack.

I can't imagine not having my beautiful fur-baby, Jack! I usually make him something special for his birthday, so this year I chose to combine two of his favorite foods--peanut butter and cheese.

Humans can eat them too, but we're too scared to try them. Brian actually came home when I was gone and the treats were still out cooling. He got a little scared that I'd make him try one since he thought they were for him!

Peanut Butter & Cheddar Dog Treats
Source: Southern, Eh?

2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. peanut butter
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 c. skim milk
1 Tbsp. baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In one bowl, mix together peanut butter and milk until blended. Mix in cheese.
3. Mix in flour and baking powder. Pulse slowly, or you'll have flour all over your face, your arms and your kitchen cabinets.
4. On a floured smooth, clean surface, pull together dough and roll out to 1/4"-1/3" thickness (I would keep them thick so that they won't get too dark). Cut out with cookie cutters or a small glass, or even just cut into cute shapes with a sharp knife.
5. Place treats on parchment lined baking sheet (or greased cookie sheet).
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Printable Version

Happy Birthday, Jack!

Check it out!

2010-05-25T08:14:00.002-05:00

If you read my blog in reader, you have to check out my actual page.

Why, you ask?

Because thanks to the amazing, Jessica, at The Frilly Coconut, I have an amazing blog redesign! She is absolutely the best to work with and I highly recommend her!

Thank you so much, Jessica!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

2010-05-05T15:20:00.004-05:00

No new post of food today because my kitchen has been shut down for the week. Why?

It's my Birthday today!!!!!

Since it was Brian's on Monday, we've had a week full of birthday festivities!

So, if you still want to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, here's a recipe you might want to try:

Chicken Tamale Casserole - add a seeded and finely diced jalapeno to the cornbread base for a nice kick

Or

PW's Shrimp Quesadillas are also a good one

or you could always have a piece of cake and celebrate my birthday with me. :)

Lemon Cake

2010-05-03T08:00:00.002-05:00

The day is finally here! It's my 100th blog post! I can't believe it's been 100 already. Granted, I have taken a month long break, but that's neither here nor there.

Whenever we would visit my Maw Maw, we'd usually go visit her best friend, Ms. Annie. Ms. Annie would usually have a cake for us and we would hope and pray it'd be her lemon cake. So when I knew the milestone of the 100th post was drawing near, I thought of making this surprisingly easy and rustic lemon cake.

Just so happens that this is getting posted on Brian's birthday and he loves lemon desserts. So for our birthday cake this year, we get the 100th post cake too! (My birthday is Wednesday.)

Ms. Annie's Lemon Cake
Source: Ms. Annie (Not sure of original source)

For cake:
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
3 egg whites, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together shortening and sugar. In separate bowl, sift flour and baking powder together. Combine the water and vanilla. Add dry and wet ingredients alternately into the creamed shortening and sugar. Fold in beaten egg whites. Divide evenly among three cake pans. Bake for 22-30 minutes. (Mine came out fine after 22-23 minutes.)

For the icing:
3 egg yolks, beaten well
1 1/2 cups sugar
Lemon zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
2/3 stick of butter

In a double boiler, mix half of the sugar gradually into the beaten egg yolks. Add lemon juice, zest, remaining sugar, and butter. Whisk constantly until butter is melted. Once butter melts, take off heat and let cool. The icing will thicken slightly, but will still remain runny. Ice cake layers.

Printable Version

Happy Birthday, Brian!

Easter Eggs

2010-04-02T08:40:00.005-05:00

Much to my shock and dismay, I have a lot of friends that have never dyed Easter eggs before and have no clue how to do it. So, if you still have not dyed any eggs, never fear. I have an easy way you can accomplish this without having to shell (get it? shell? egg-shell? nevermind...) out dough on a dyeing kit.

First step:
Hard boil your eggs. I take a dozen (or however many you want to dye) eggs and place them in a large pot and cover with cold water (enough to cover about one inch over). Bring them to a boil. Once you have a nice boil, cover the pot and remove from heat. Let the eggs sit for 15 minutes. Once the 15 minutes are up, drain off some of the hot water and run some cold water over the eggs. Remove from the pot and let cool.

Now onto the dye:
I didn't buy an Easter egg dye kit this year because I figured it'd be cheaper to just buy food coloring. Most of you will probably already have all of this in your pantry. What you'll need are:

Containers for your eggs
1 cup of hot water for each container
1 teaspoon of vinegar for each container
Food coloring of your choice. I used a combo of the Regular Colors and the Neon colors. On the back of the packages, if gives you a handy guide on how many drops to use.

Drop an egg into the dye and let it sit until it reaches the desired color.

Now onto the fun stuff.

For this egg, I took a sheet of vinyl sticker paper (you can get it at any craft store) and a craft puncher in the shape of an airplane. Once the dye dries, you peel of the sticker and voila! An airplane! I also used flower punchers but they didn't turn out as well as this airplane.

For these, I took a vinyl Alphabet sticker and soaked it in yellow. Then I took it out, let it dry and adhered another letter and soaked it in blue. Once the egg totally dried, I took a fine-tip Sharpie and wrote the rest of our names on the egg. It's a PB&J set!

Cajun Glazed Ham

2010-03-29T08:15:00.001-05:00

What is Easter without a baked ham? In college, I did a Social Theory paper on why we have certain food items geared towards certain holidays. Thanksgiving=turkey; Christmas=turkey for some, ham for others, or beef for our family; New Years Day=black eyed peas; and Easter=ham. We've had this ham for as long as I can remember and it never disappoints. It's also AWESOME for leftovers for sandwiches. Now I'm really wishing I had a sandwich with this ham right now.

I'm not normally a bossy person, but I am for this recipe. There are absolutely no substitutions allowed. You must use Louisiana cane syrup. If you have family members in Louisiana, get them to ship it to you. You can even order it online. Trust me on this. You have to use it. It's worth the investment to get it shipped to you if you aren't lucky enough to live in Louisiana. Check your stores, you may be lucky enough to have it in your grocery store. Unfortunately, we're not so lucky in this area.

Ok, sorry for that. It's just crucial. :)

Cajun-Glazed Ham

Source: The Evolution of Cajun & Creole Cuisine by John D. Folse, page 251

Ingredients:
1 (5 pound cured ham)
1 cup Creole mustard
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Louisiana cane syrup (no substitutions allowed!)
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup cracked black pepper
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of allspice
pinch of ground clove

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a ceramic mixing bowl, combine all the above ingredients, except ham. Using a wire whisk, blend all spices into the mustard-sugar mixture until well incorporated. Place ham in center of dutch oven and coat completely with the sweet mustard mixture. Bake uncovered for one hour.

Printable version

Corned Beef

2010-03-17T19:22:00.005-05:00

For as long as I can remember, we've always had Corned Beef for St. Patrick's Day. I'm sure most of you have already made your St. Patrick's Day dinner, but you can always have a belated holiday dinner and be festive later in the week. Plus the leftovers make yummy sandwiches or corned beef hash. :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Homestyle Corned Beef
Source: My mom (not sure of the original source)

2 1/2 - 3 1/2 lbs. corned beef brisket
2 cups water
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place corned beef brisket and water in Dutch oven; cover tightly and simmer in oven, 1 hour. Turn brisket over and continue cooking, covered, 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove brisket from cooking liquid and place, fat side up, on rack in broiler pan so surface of meat is 3-4 inches from heat. Combine honey and Dijon mustard, brush half the mixture over the top of brisket and broil 3 minutes. Brush with remaining mixture and continue broiling 2 minutes, or until brisket is glazed.

Makes 6-10 servings

Tips

Simmer corned beef since boiling will make meat tough.
Do not use seasoning packet that comes with the meat.

Printable version

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

2010-03-15T18:48:00.006-05:00

There are a few things in life that you just need. I believe these cupcakes should be on your list. Unless you don't like booze, then I just can't help you. These definitely aren't for kids, but adults need some cupcakes of their own every once and a while.

At Christmas, Caitlin gave me an awesome set of cupcake paraphernalia from Bake it Pretty and I've been trying to find a good cupcake recipe to use the awesome cupcake liners. I saw these green liners in the box and knew to save them for St. Patrick's Day. My intention was to bring these to the office, but I went for it and put all 4 Tbsp of Bailey's into the frosting, so they're a little too booze-y for the office. Thankfully, I only had about enough of the buttercream for half of the cupcakes, so I'm going to try and half the Bailey's with milk for the office's cupcakes.

If you shy away from this recipe because it has Guinness in it, trust me, you shouldn't. I don't like Guinness at all, but the beer cooks off and it gives the chocolate a very complex flavor.

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream
Source: Le Petit Pierogi as adapted from Smitten Kitchen

For the Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes:
1 cup Guinness
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream (I used light)

Bailey's Irish Buttercream:
3 to 4 cups confections sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 to 4 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and add Guinness. Bring to a simmer. Whisk in cocoa powder until mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs and sour cream until thoroughly combined. On low speed, drizzle in Guinness-chocolate mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, and mix briefly on slow speed just until the mixture comes together. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly, about 17-19 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely.

To make the buttercream, whip the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for several minutes until the butter is very light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.

When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the Baileys and whip it until combined. If this has made the frosting too thin (it shouldn't, but just in case) beat in another spoonful or two of powdered sugar.

Ice and decorate the cupcakes.

Printable version

Toasted Macaroni with Mushrooms

2010-03-03T21:49:00.005-06:00

Foodgawker is one of my favorite websites. I go there almost daily to find inspiration for new recipes and photo ideas. When I saw this recipe, I had to have it. It had all of my favorite ingredients in it, and while Brian wasn't a fan ("too many mushrooms"), I LOVED it. I never would have dreamed of toasting dried pasta and have it come out so yummy. It brings out a nutty flavor to the pasta that you would not get with just boiling it in salted water. It's definitely a make-again for me, I'll just have to make it when Brian's not at home. :)

Toasted Mushroom Macaroni
Source: No Tea After 12

4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
8 oz. fresh mushrooms (approx 2 cups), thinly sliced
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 oz uncooked macaroni or other pasta
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste

Heat a large heavy skillet over very high heat, add 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil to the pan. Saute the mushrooms until browned, but not cooked all the way through, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the parsley, garlic, oregano and cook for another minute or so. Pour in the wine and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and remaining sauce to a bowl, and set aside.

In another large skillet or saucepan, add the remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil and the butter. Add the macaroni and stir it constantly until it is a deep golden brown, this takes me about 5 minutes. But do watch it carefully, its a bit like toasting nuts, the moment you step away from the stove it goes up in flames. Burned pasta = icky poo poo.

Once toasted, pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the pasta is almost tender. I usually bring mine to the point just before al dente, it takes approximately 10 minutes.

Stir in the mushroom mixture and cream and cook for a few more minutes to let everything come together in a beautiful creamy but not claggy sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and pepper. Taste for seasoning, add salt if needed, but the Parmesan is usually just salty enough. Sprinkle with a bit of fresh parsley, and more Parmesan (of course).

Serves 2 greedy pasta loving people, or 4 as part of a meal.

Printable version

Creamy Rosemary Potatoes

2010-03-03T21:28:00.007-06:00

I'm a total sucker for marketing. If a product is stuffed into a cute package, in miniature form, or has bright colors somewhere on it, it's more than likely going into my buggy. On one trip to Target with Caitlin, I saw a mandoline that was flat, the safety grip clicked on the black, plus it had lime green accents. Mine. In the buggy. That was about two months ago and I just whipped it out the other day to make this yummy potato dish.

With Easter coming up, many of you may be looking to a dish to take to a family dinner. Put this recipe on your list because it is easy to put together, but looks and tastes impressive. That Pioneer Woman knows her stuff.

Creamy Rosemary Potatoes

Pioneer Woman Cooks, page 204

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

1 cup half and half

1 cup heavy cream

5 or 6 medium russet potatoes, sliced thin

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely diced

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons minced rosemary leaves

3 green onions, light green and medium green parts, thinly sliced

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons minced chives

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with softened butter. Combine the half-and-half and the cream in a large measuring cup.
Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice the potatoes very thinly. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with half of the half-and-half/cream mixture and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and onion and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.
Cut the bar of cream cheese in half and add the halves to the skillet, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and combined about 3 minutes.
Pour in the remaining half-and-half/cream mixture and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper and stir. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary. Do not undersalt!
Add the rosemary and green onions and stir to combine. Finally, add 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan and stir to combine.
Pour the cream soaked potatoes into the baking dish. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the top. Scrape out the skillet to get every drop. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup grated Parmesan generously over the top and bake for at least 1 hour, or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the chives, then cut into squares to serve.

Printable version

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

2010-02-28T17:21:00.006-06:00

There's a restaurant in town that makes gooey-butter bars for one of their desserts. Brian's practically obsessed with them. One day, he brought home two and I had them eaten by the next morning. Only, I snuck around and ate them so that maybe he wouldn't notice. :) Yesterday, we were watching Paula Deen and she made a gooey-butter cake, so he begged me to try one. I went searching and found this cookie recipe. It worked out perfectly because Bake at 350's Flavor of the Month was chocolate. Perfect!

This recipe is so easy and you can vary it with whatever cake mix you want to use.

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

Source: Paula Deen

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
1 (18 ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg
1 stick of butter, room temperature

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner’s sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and gooey. Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Printable version

Check out the other entries into the Flavor of the Month:

Butter Chicken

2010-02-22T16:31:00.002-06:00

Yes, I know it's no surprise that we eat a lot of Italian inspired dishes in my house. They're easy, comforting, and alway a big hit for us. So when I saw this recipe on the Tasty Kitchen blog, I wanted to try it but was nervous about how it would be received at home. Plus, the original recipe says to marinate the chicken overnight, which is something I never think about doing before collapsing on my bed. But, I was determined to try something new. So, I thought of my dad's mantra when he makes experiments which is "If it's horrible, we'll order a pizza."

We definitely did not need to order a pizza after eating this chicken. It is phenomenal. We absolutely loved it and I will definitely make it again. I only marinated the chicken for a few hours and it still had a great flavor to it. We didn't think that it was spicy, but you can cut back on the cayenne if you don't like spicy things.

Butter Chicken
Source: Tasty Kitchen

4 pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoons Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
1/4 teaspoons Ground Coriander
1/4 teaspoons Cumin
1/4 teaspoons Cardamom
1 whole Lime, Juiced
1 whole Onion, Diced
1/4 cups Butter
1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Tomato Sauce
1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 pint Whipping Cream
1 bunch Chopped Cilantro, to taste
2 cups Basmati Rice (or However Much You Want) (I used white rice because that's what I could find.)

Directions:
Combine first 9 ingredients and marinate overnight. (Can also marinate for a few hours if you are short on time.)

Saute the onion in the butter until soft. Add marinated chicken and cook about 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat with the lid on. Add the whipping cream and cilantro just before serving over Basmati rice.

Printable version

Baked Orzo with Fontina and Peas

2010-02-22T16:30:00.005-06:00

There are a few things that are forbidden from ever gracing a plate in our house. For me, ketchup, mustard, mayo, bananas, and oranges are just a few things that are from the devil's house. For Brian, the list consists of peas, water chestnuts, and sweet potatoes. Which are three that I LOVE. This recipe has been on my "to-make" list for a long time, but it's always been on the back burner since it has peas in it.

If you keep up with my 365 blog, you may remember that I went through some cookbooks for a new project that my dear friend, Pamela, started for herself. I got inspired and decided to take five cookbooks, look through them, and bookmark recipes to make. Low and behold, this recipe was in a cookbook of mine. I decided to make it anyways and if Brian wasn't a fan of peas, he could push them to the side. :)

Baked Orzo with Fontina and Peas
Source: Giada as seen in Giada's Kitchen, page 111

4 cups chicken broth
1 pound orzo pasta
3 tablespoons butter, plus more to grease the baking dish
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (I used cremini mushrooms, but the cookbook calls for button mushrooms)
1 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces shredded fontina cheese (about 1 cup)
4 ounces diced fresh mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Pour the orzo and the broth into a large bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms are beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the Marsala. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and cook until the Marsala has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture to the orzo in the large bowl. Add the cream, fontina, mozzarella, peas, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and dried thyme. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of the pasta. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

Printable version

Even with the peas, Brian ate two servings and loved it. It is very creamy and rich and yummy. Now if I could just get him to eat sweet potatoes... :)

Cookie Dough Truffles

2010-02-16T20:57:00.002-06:00

There are a few things that don't stand a chance of making it long in our house. Cheese is probably top on the list. Pepperoni slices for Jack...he's somewhat addicted. Kraft Singles, which totally make me shudder, but Brian and Jack love them. But cookie dough? Puh-lease. Lasts maybe a day.

You know those packages of the ready to bake cookie dough that's in squares and you can just break it off the big rectangle and bake them off. Those never see the inside of the oven. Ever. The best I've had so far have been sugar cookies with cinnamon chunks in them. I have never seen them again, which is probably a good thing. Also, Brian's favorite ice cream is Cookie Dough, so I usually end up stealing a "cookie dough bite" from his ice cream when he's not looking.

Don't judge, you know you do it too.

These truffles have been on my list to make for a long time, so I figured that Valentine's Day would be a good excuse to make them. And oh my, were they worth the wait. Thankfully they're rich enough to just eat one and be satisfied. Otherwise, I'd be in big trouble.

Cookie Dough Truffles
Adapted from Paula's Best Dishes

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels
2 bags semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour and add milk. Add mini chocolate morsels, mixing well. Place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes to an hour. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper; chill in freezer 2 hours.

Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Printable version

Shrimp Scampi with Linguini

2010-02-14T20:25:00.008-06:00

Happy Mardi Gras everyone! While I didn't make this dish for Mardi Gras specifically, it could still sort of work. It has shrimp in it anyways.

Ok, so I made this for Valentine's Day, I'm just a slacker and just now getting around to posting it. Whatever you make it for, it's quite yummy and easy to put together. Make up a holiday if you need to. Sometimes you need to spruce up a Wednesday night just so you can get through the rest of the week.

Shrimp Scampi with Linguini
Adapted from Tyler Florence

1 pound fresh linguini
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

Directions
For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the linguini. Stir to make sure the pasta separates. Cook pasta for 2-3 minutes. (If using dried pasta, cook per package directions.) Drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside and keep warm. Add wine, heavy cream and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons butter. When the butter has melted, return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley and cooked pasta. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately.

Printable version

Strawberry Rosemary Scones

2010-02-08T08:30:00.001-06:00

Jade and I are finally back at it again. You maybe remember us tackling recipes together and blogging them at the same time. So far we've done Creme Brulee and Sugar Cookies. This time, we're making scones.

Scones have a reputation of being too tough if you work with the dough too much. So going into making these, I was nervous. This recipe, however, was a good one to begin with because it's a fairly simple recipe to pull together. I ate three the night I made them and had to bring the rest to the office the next day. One of my coworkers told me "It's like something a fancy little bakery would have! Those are amazing!" I was very touched by that and will definitely make these again.

Strawberry Rosemary Scones
Source: Giada

Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup strawberry jam

Glaze:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
2 cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons water (I had to use more than this, but just judge it by how thick or thin you want your glaze)

Directions
Special equipment: a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter

For the scones: Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, salt, and butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Gradually stir in the cream until the mixture forms a dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 1/2-inch thick, 10-inch circle. Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out heart-shaped pieces of dough and put on the prepared baking sheet. Gently knead together any leftover pieces of dough and roll out to 1/2-inch thick. Cut the dough into more heart shapes and add to the baking sheet. Using an index finger or a small, round measuring spoon, gently make an indentation in the center of each pastry heart. Spoon a heaped 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Transfer the cooked scones onto a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes.

For the glaze: In a medium bowl, mix together the lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Gradually add the water until the mixture is thin enough to spread. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the scones. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes. Serve or store in an airtight plastic container for 2 days.

Cook's Note: The dough can also be made by hand by stirring together the flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Gradually stir in the cream until the mixture forms a dough.

Printable version

Go Saints!

2010-02-07T18:52:00.002-06:00

In honor of the Saints' first trip the Super Bowl, I had to make them cookies. My whole family is from Louisiana and I was born in south Louisiana, so it's pretty much in my blood to be a Saints fan.

I used Bakerella's recipe for cookie dough and Bake at 350's royal icing recipe. I still need practice on my piping, but I'm pretty proud of my second attempt at icing cookies.

Go Saints!!!!

Limoncello Cheesecake Squares

2010-01-31T13:57:00.007-06:00

One of Brian's absolute favorite desserts was his great aunt's lemon cake. Sadly, when she passed away, the recipe went away as well. No one has been able to replicate the cake, but everyone still tries. His absolute favorite desserts have to do with lemon flavoring, so when I saw that the Bake at 350's Flavor of the Month this month had to do with booze, it finally hit me. I had to use Limoncello which is a lemon flavored liqueur.

Once the cheesecake had cooled, I sliced a square for me to try but Brian snuck in and got the first bite. Before I turned around, my square had almost completely disappeared. He said that it was probably the best thing I've ever made and it was his great aunt's cake in cheesecake form.

I bought my own Limoncello, but I've included the recipe for it in case you can't find any in your area. It is quite pricey, but it will last in the refrigerator.

Limoncello Cheesecake Squares
Source: Giada

Nonstick cooking spray
8 ounces purchased biscotti
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 (12-ounce) container fresh whole milk ricotta, drained, at room temperature
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar1/2 cup limoncello liqueur*, store bought or homemade, recipe follows
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom of a 9 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Finely grind the biscotti in a food processor. Add the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Cool the crust completely on a cooling rack.

Blend the ricotta in a clean food processor until smooth. Add the cream cheese and sugar and blend well, stopping the machine occasionally and scraping down the sides of the work bowl. Blend in the limoncello, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Add the eggs one at a time, and pulse just until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the baking pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour (the cake will become firm when it is cold).

Transfer the cake to a rack; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. Cut the cake into squares and serve.

*Limoncello liqueur can be found at most liquor stores and in the liquor department of some specialty markets. If limoncello liqueur is unavailable at stores near you, use the following recipe to make your own limoncello liqueur.

Limoncello:

10 lemons
1 (750-ml) bottle vodka
3 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.

Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.

Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.

Makes: 7 cups

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 4 days and 4 hours
Printable version

______________________

Be sure and check out the other entries of the Flavor of the Month!

Chicken Tamale Casserole

2010-01-29T08:30:00.001-06:00

Brian's a freak for casseroles. I don't believe he's ever met one he didn't like. I'm sure I could dream up one he would hate, but it would be tough. I've never been a fan of them due to my picky eating habits that I've grown up with. But I'm learning to like them. It helps that I'm the one making them, so I know what's in them.

It seems like I made this casserole the same week practically everyone I knew made this casserole. It is quite tasty and easy to assemble. Next time I'll add a chopped jalapeno to the base to give it some extra heat.

Chicken Tamale Casserole
Source: Tasty Kitchen as adapted from Cooking Light

1 cup Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend, Divided
1/3 cups Milk
1 whole Egg
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/8 teaspoon Ground Red Pepper
1 box Corn Muffin Mix (such As Jiffy)
15 ounces, weight Cream Style Corn
4 ounces, weight Chopped Green Chilies (drained)
10 ounces, weight Red Enchilada Sauce
2 cups Shredded Chicken (I Use Rotisserie)
1/2 cups Sour Cream, optional

Directions
Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup cheese, milk, egg, cumin, red pepper, corn muffin mix, corn, and green chilies; stir until moist. Pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Bake for 15 minutes. Pierce surface liberally with a fork. Pour enchilada sauce over the top. Top with chicken and remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting. Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top if you prefer.

Printable version

Farfalle with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

2010-01-28T08:30:00.000-06:00

It's no secret I love mushrooms. I immediately knew I'd love this recipe.

Pasta? Check.

Wine? Check.

Cream? Check.

Mushrooms? Check.

Parmesan cheese? Check.

What's not to like? I LOVED this pasta. Loved it. Could not stop eating it. Brian thinks it tasted like something else I've made before, which it did but I didn't care. I even ate it cold out of the fridge. (Keeping it real here.)

Farfalle with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Adapted from Cooking Light

1 pound uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1 tablespoon butter
12 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Minced fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, shallots, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper; cook 12 minutes or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Add the cooked pasta, whipping cream, cheese, and 2 tablespoons parsley, tossing gently to coat. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Garnish with minced fresh parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

Printable version

Short Ribs

2010-01-27T10:04:00.005-06:00

One of the great things about this blog is that I get to try new recipes that I would normally never make for myself. Short ribs have been one thing I've always wanted to make but have never had enough time in the day to cook them.

Usually, I reserve the weekends to try labor intensive, attention seeking recipes. While this recipe doesn't need a ton of labor to complete, it does take a long time. Especially if you don't read the recipe carefully like me. Don't be like me. This one time, at least. :)

I felt like I was on Worst Cooks in America and could picture Anne Burrell shouting at me from a perch in my kitchen. If you haven't watched that show, watch it at least once and you'll understand what I'm talking about. I didn't leave out major ingredients, but I read the cook time wrong, which resulted in me cooking for 5 hours and not eating until 9:30pm. So, start early and read the recipe thoroughly!

Short Ribs with Fettuccine

Adapted from Giada

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces chopped pancetta (about 1/2 cup)
2 1/2 pounds short ribs
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes (whole or diced)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups beef broth
3/4 cup red wine
1 pound fresh or dried fettuccine
4 to 6 teaspoons shaved bittersweet chocolate

Directions
Place the olive oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium heat. Cook the pancetta until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, season the short ribs with salt and pepper, and dredge in the flour. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the pan and set aside. Add the short ribs to the pan and brown on all sides, about 7 minutes total.

Meanwhile, combine the onion, carrot, parsley and garlic in a food processor and blend until finely minced. Then add the tomatoes and tomato paste and pulse.

Once the short ribs are browned, carefully add the mixture from the food processor to the pot. Return the pancetta to the pot and stir. Add the rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, beef broth, and wine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another hour and a half, stirring occasionally. Remove the meat and bones from the pot. Discard the bones. Shred the meat and return it to the pot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes for dried pasta and 2 to 3 minutes for fresh. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the pot and stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta liquid 1/4 cup at a time, if needed, to moisten the pasta. Transfer to serving bowls, top each bowl with 1 teaspoon of chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.

Printable version

Fettuccine Alfredo

2010-01-22T09:23:00.004-06:00

Oh, alfredo. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

Fettuccine Alfredo and I go way back. We're like best friends...we've been through so much together and I always know it's got my back. (Also, I know it's adding pounds to my backside, so that's an ongoing issue.)

The first meal I ever made for Brian was fettuccine alfredo. It's his favorite meal, so I knew I had a good chance of impressing him. I had the water boiling for the pasta, had my sauce going, Brian comes over and then disaster struck. I had bought two packages of fresh fettuccine because Giada said that the sauce sticks better to fresh pasta. When I went to open the packages, the pasta was molded. EWW. Poor Brian had to rush to the grocery store and buy more pasta for me because I had a sauce to tend to. Thankfully the closest grocery store still carried fresh fettuccine back then because now they do not.

It's still one of our favorite dishes, as it always will be, and the last time I made it, this happened. It's an incident that still makes me shudder.

Also, it's one of lists on my Bucket List o' Recipes. It's a very yummy recipe (it's alfredo sauce, of course it's yummy) and it's actually a "light" recipe. As light as alfredo can be at least. :)

Fettuccine Alfredo
Source: Cooks Illustrated Magazine, Spring 2008, Page 35

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 garlic clove, peeled and lightly crushed
Table salt and ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 (9-ounce) package fresh fettuccine

Directions:
Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot. Cook pasta according to package directions, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve one cup pasta water, then drain.

Heat butter over medium heat in large saucepan until foaming. Whisk in flour until mixture is smooth and golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in milk, half-and-half, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Discard garlic, stir in Parmesan and remove sauce from heat.

Once pasta is cooked, return sauce to low heat, add 1/3 cup pasta water and cooked pasta and toss until evenly coated. Cook until sauce has thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Add more pasta water as needed to thin sauce to proper consistency; adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.

Printable version

Recipes to Conquer

2010-01-19T09:56:00.005-06:00

While I was at home sick last week, I did a lot of recipe searching for things to make when I felt better. I found this article and thought that I would take its advice and work through these recipes. It's titled "15 Recipes to Make Before You Die" which is a tad morbid, but a good premise. A bucket list, if you will.

The list consists of:

1) Yeast Bread
2) Beef Tenderloin Steaks
3) Cream Pie
4) Creme Brulee - Check
5) Fudge - I guess I can't count my cheater fudge :)
6) Cream Puffs
7) Crown Roast
8) Fried Chicken
9) Roux
10) Pasta and Cream Sauce - Check
11) Roasted Turkey and Gravy
12) Chocolate Pudding
13) Layer Cake
14) Souffle
15) Chicken Stock

My goal is to do at least two of these recipes a month. Since I already have a couple marked off, I'm left with 13 recipes to conquer. I'll come back and link up the recipes as I go, so that they're all in a concise list.

MIA

2010-01-11T12:21:00.002-06:00

Sorry I've been MIA for a while. I've come down with a viral upper respiratory infection, so the kitchen has been left alone for a little while. Hopefully I'll get over it soon and will be back to cooking.

In the meantime, be sure to check out TTK365 to see what's going on while I'm out sick.

Shrimp Mac and Cheese

2010-01-04T09:54:00.004-06:00

Why hello, 2010! Nice to meet you. Hopefully you're a nice year and not a bad year. Brian brought up an interesting point the other night. He said that he heard a man say "I don't pray for a better year when the new year rolls around, because God always ends up making my year bad to prove how blessed I was the year before. Now I just say that I pray I'm blessed in the new year." Very wise and very true.

But, I digress.

This mac and cheese was made on New Year's Eve as a way to say "Bye bye fattening foods. Hello, diet." I realize I'm showing you this late and that most have probably begun some sort a diet regimen (I know I have). But, keep this recipe in mind for, oh let's say, March when the diet is out the window. :)

The original recipe calls for lobster, but at 5:15pm on New Years Eve, I didn't want to hunt down lobster, so I opted for frozen shrimp, which was equally delicious.

Lobster/Shrimp Mac and Cheese
Source: The Neelys

4 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing dish
Kosher salt
1 pound penne pasta
2 small shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white wine
4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar
2 cups shredded Gruyere
2 (8-ounce) raw lobster tails, defrosted if frozen, meat removed from shell, chopped OR one bag frozen shrimp, defrosted, and chopped
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley leaves

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and adjust racks to the middle. Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with butter.

In a large pot of boiling salted water over medium heat, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve.

Add 4 tablespoons butter to a large pot over medium heat. Once the butter shimmers, add the shallots and garlic and saute until translucent. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the tomato paste and flour and stir to toast, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce, by half, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the cream, whisking well to remove any lumps. Add the paprika, cayenne, and bay leaf. Bring the cream up to a simmer and turn the heat to low. Let reduce until the cream is thick and can coat a spoon, about 5 to 10 minutes. When thickened, remove the bay leaves.

Stir in the grated cheeses, a handful at a time, combining well after each addition. Add the chopped lobster meat to the sauce and stir well. Add the pasta and stir. Add to the greased baking dish and sprinkle with the panko crumbs and parsley. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Printable version

Happy New Years!

2009-12-31T09:10:00.002-06:00

I hope everyone has a very happy and safe New Years Eve! I can't wait to see what 2010 brings and what new recipes will come my way!

I'm not one for keeping resolutions very long, but this year I've started a sister project to this blog. The link is on the left and it's a 365 blog. I intend for it to give a behind the scenes look into the TTK and to scrapbook my year. I'll be starting tomorrow, so be sure and check it out!

Best of 2009 - Part Two

2009-12-30T09:00:00.003-06:00

Time for round two! Let's see what the favorites are today!

For not caring for soup, I sure do love this soup to pieces. It's quick, healthy, filling, and tasty. Since it's gotten so cold, I make this soup A LOT. To the point that Brian's staging a revolt. But for one Weight Watchers point? Come on!

Ah, crack sticks. If I didn't make these at parties, people would think I've gone off the deep end. Your party is not complete without them.

Who could forget the manicotti? If you have not made this yet, what the heck are you waiting for?? This is probably my most favorite thing I've tried this year.

Reason #1 for loving fall - pumpkin desserts. These dessert squares are HEAVEN. Pure heaven.

I can't wait to see what the new year brings! Thank you all for reading and following what the TTK is cooking up.

Oh, and one more thing. Check out what Brian gave me for Christmas...

Isn't he the best?! :)

Best of 2009 - Part One

2009-12-29T11:45:00.005-06:00

As 2009 comes to a close, I'd like to take a moment and reflect on some of my favorite recipes that I've posted thus far. It's crazy to think that Christmas has already come and gone and Friday begins the new year.

Grilled Shrimp are my absolute go-to summer dish. I cannot get enough of these guys and am looking forward to warmer weather (my grill is still covered in snow!) so that I can make some of these.

Oh, Vodka Pasta. How I love thee. Let me count the ways. It really is a staple, much to Brian's dismay. He likes it but I don't think he loves it quite like I do.

For hating tomatoes, I can surely eat a plate of these beauties. I've made them for tailgating, parties, small get-togethers, pretty much anytime I can make up an excuse for bruschetta. If you think you don't like tomatoes, try it. You'll be surprised.

Brian's Baked Ziti is a regular in our home. I'd be kicked out of the kitchen if it wasn't a regular. :) The little nuggets of fresh mozzarella are what make the dish superb.

Stay tuned for more favorites... :)

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T07:53:00.003-06:00

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas!!!! I hope that you and your family have a very Blessed Christmas! We're enjoying our first white Christmas here and it's absolutely beautiful. Be safe wherever your travels may take you.

Baked Potato Soup

2009-12-21T11:31:00.004-06:00

" Baby, it's cold outside."

When I made this soup, it was 17 degrees in Arkansas. Seventeen. Are you kidding me?! I live in the South for a reason! What makes the 17 degrees even worse, is that today is the first day of winter and it's going to be 60 degrees here. No wonder everyone in Arkansas is sick!

Baked Potato Soup
Source: Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
4-5 russet potatoes
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour, divided
6 cups 2% milk
2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup green onions, chopped
1/3-½ cup light sour cream

For topping:
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions
Bacon pieces

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Prick the potatoes with the tines of a fork. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Scoop the insides of the potatoes into food processor, discarding the peels. Pulse until the pieces are broken into small chunks. (I have a tiny food processor, so it turned my potatoes into glue. - Santa are you listening? - I found it easier to scoop the flesh out and chop into cubes.)

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt the butter. Add 1/4 cup of flour to the pot and whisk into the butter. Cook, whisking constantly, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and the rest of the flour. Cook until thick and bubbling, about 6-8 minutes. Mix in the potato chunks. Whisk in the salt, pepper, and cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat, stir in the green onions and sour cream.

Serve immediately. Garnish with sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions and bacon as desired.

Gingerbread Cookie Mix

2009-12-17T12:00:00.004-06:00

Eight days until Christmas. EIGHT!

Don't get me wrong, Christmas really is my favorite holiday. However, this year I'm so far behind, it's not even funny. Doesn't it seem like when you're little, you count down until Christmas and can't wait until the big day. But when you get older, Christmas morning creates a sort of panic? That could just be me, but I'm definitely feeling that way this year.

Oh, well. Always next year to be organized right? :)

If you are like me and still have yet to finish your holiday shopping, you should consider homemade gifts. I've never given them out before and don't know why it's taken me this long to give a gift I've made myself.

Gingerbread Cookie Mix in a Jar
Source: All Recipes

Flour Level:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Flour and Spice Mix:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup packed brown sugar

Directions
Mix 2 cups of the flour with the baking soda and baking powder. Mix the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour with the ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. In a 1 quart, wide mouth canning jar, layer the ingredients starting with the flour and baking powder mixture, then the brown sugar, and finally the flour and spice mixture. Pack firmly between layers.

Attach a card to the jar with the following directions:
Gingerbread Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Empty contents of jar into a large mixing bowl. Stir to blend together. Mix in 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine, 3/4 cup molasses, 1 Tbsp. vinegar, and 1 slightly beaten egg. Dough will be very stiff, so you may need to use your hands. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Place cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Decorate as desired.

Printable version

Check out the other entries into the Flavor of the Month:

Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce

2009-12-08T09:46:00.002-06:00

Hello world! Miss me? Just say yes. :)

Can you believe Christmas is 17 days away?!?!? Wow! This is the time of year for holiday parties, get-togethers, dinners at various family members' homes, and all out festivities. Now is the time of year to throw the diet out the window and be happy.

Well, it shouldn't be that time of year, but who says I can't try and make myself feel better?

I've been wanting to make this dish for a LONG time but there's always been that one ingredient that's made me leery...clam juice. Eww. I didn't know if I could bring myself to make a wonderful pasta dish and then ruin it with clam juice. Nothing against clams, I'm sure they're lovely. It's just not my cup of tea.

However, I saw this on Food Network over the weekend and I just had to try the dish. I had to have it and have been thinking about it since Sunday morning. So I went to the grocery store after work Monday night and was all prepared to be adventurous. Then fate stepped in and my store was out of clam juice. Darn. So I made it without it. Honestly, I don't feel like it needs the clam juice, so I will continue to be stubborn and leave that pesky ingredient out. Feel free to try the recipe with the clam juice and let me know how it tastes.

Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce

Source: Giada

1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, and deveined
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup white wine
1/3 cup clam juice (Or if you're a wuss like me, leave it out)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the shrimp turn pink and is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and set aside.

Add the tomatoes, 1/4 cup basil, 1/4 cup parsley, and the red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine, clam juice (if using), and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the cooked shrimp, the cooked pasta, and the remaining herbs. Toss together until all ingredients are coated. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. The sauce will still be runny, but it will thicken as it stands.

Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

Rugalach

2009-12-01T08:29:00.004-06:00

I believe I've mentioned this before, but the best mail day is when either Food Network Magazine, Cooking Light, and/or the Williams Sonoma catalog arrives. Saturday I was blessed with this month's Food Network magazine and it's beautiful cover is nothing but cookies. Which can only mean...

It's Holiday Baking Season!

One cookie caught my eye, which I found out (thanks to the handy-dandy insert of 50 cookie recipes) that the cookie was rugalach. I had no idea what that meant, other than I had to make it. Just so happens that my office is having a bake sale on Friday, so this could be a contender...

Rugalach

Source Food Network Magazine

Cut store-bought pie dough into 16 wedges (like a pizza). Starting from the tip, spread apricot jam over the top two-thirds of each wedge; sprinkle with chopped pecans. Roll from the fat end in to form a crescent shape. Brush with beaten egg and chill 30 minutes. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 325 degrees.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2009-11-24T09:20:00.003-06:00

Sometimes there is just a certain cookie that you really want, but every time you try to make them, life gets in the way. I've been meaning to make these cookies for a LONG time, and every time I would get the butter out to soften, it would have to go right back into the fridge.

Well thank goodness I finally made them. Because wow. These are by far the BEST oatmeal raisin cookies ever.

Ever.

You hear me? Ever!

Ok, I'll stop.

The recipe came from the authority - Mr. Quaker Oats himself. Seriously! The recipe is under the lid! How convenient!

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Source: Quaker Oats

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Turkey Milanese

2009-11-20T08:30:00.002-06:00

Thanksgiving is upon us. (Insert mild freak out.) Everyone is buying their turkeys and getting ready for stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc. But what if you are only cooking for a couple of people and don't feel like cooking the big bird?

This recipe is here to save the day!

Sidenote - is anyone else having a hard time grasping the fact that Thanksgiving is less than a week away?! Where has this year gone?! It feels like Christmas was just here and now, it's back knocking at the door. Not that I'm complaining, it just that I'm way behind on decorating and shopping. And yes, I decorate before Thanksgiving and the decorations stay up until mid January. (Don't worry, we take the lights off the outside of the house earlier than that, haha.)

Anyways, back on track. This turkey recipe is good any day of the week, any month of the year, any season. Pair it with a nice salad (like the original recipe calls for) or serve it with the traditional Thanksgiving fare for a Thanksgiving any night of the year!

Turkey Milanese

Source: Giada

1 1/2 pounds (about 8 cutlets) turkey breast, pounded 1/8-inch thick
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 cup olive oil

Directions
Using a meat tenderizer or a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, pound the turkey until 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick.

Combine the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Place the eggs in a second medium bowl. Place the bread crumbs in a third medium bowl. Season the turkey on both sides with salt and pepper Dredge the turkey in the flour and shake off any excess flour. Dip the turkey into the eggs and then into the bread crumbs to coat. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the turkey, in batches, until golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side, adding more oil, if needed. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels.

Printable version

Lasagna Soup

2009-11-19T08:30:00.002-06:00

Confession time.

Are you ready?

Sitting down?

I don't like soup.

There, I said it. Shocking, I know since I've posted a couple of soups and here I go again, bringing you another soup recipe. Soup has just never called out to me and said "eat me." I'd much rather eat other things that aren't healthy for me.

Every once and a while, it gets cold outside and soup is just the right thing to have for dinner. Brian got burned out on taco soup, so I had to switch it up. We liked this soup, but next time, I'll add more noodles because we all know I love pasta. :)

Lasagna Soup
Adapted from Tara Cooks as seen on Tasty Kitchen

1 pound lean ground beef
2 cans beef broth
28 ounces, weight Diced Tomatoes With Basil And Oregano
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
1 cup Uncooked Spiral Noodles
1 cup Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook the 1 cup of spiral noodles until a few minutes before recommended on the package. (It will continue to cook in the soup, and you don't want mushy noodles.)

While noodles are cooking, brown the pound of ground beef and drain any fat. Add the beef broth, canned tomatoes, salt, and pepper to the ground beef. Let simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the cooked spiral noodles about 5 minutes prior to serving.

Garnish soup with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and serve with fresh toasted bread.

Printable Version

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

2009-11-17T09:55:00.003-06:00

Thanksgiving is like the Super Bowl for foodies. I especially love it because the Food Network devotes A LOT of time to the holiday.

These mushrooms were on Barefoot Contessa on Saturday. I was not by the tv, so I set my trusty DVR to record the show. After seeing this recipe, I was drooling. I had to have them. We already had plans for Saturday night, so I made them Sunday night.

Oh.

My.

Goodness.

You can't doubt Ina Garten. You just can't. If you love stuffed mushrooms (as I do), make these. The filling can feed an army, so be sure to have a lot of mushrooms on hand. Her original recipe calls for mascarpone cheese, but I have a really hard time finding that in this town, so I substituted with cream cheese.

Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms
Adapted from Ina Garten

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

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

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

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

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

Printable Version

Herbed-Baked Eggs

2009-11-16T08:48:00.004-06:00

Hello all! Remember me?

Anyone?

I'm finally back and fully recovered! Also, I have a list of posts for you this week! To kick off the week, I bring you a breakfast recipe. (Although, I had it for dinner Friday night.)

I'm really not a big egg lover. I'll eat them scrambled or in an omelet and that's really about it. I think it's because runny yolks make me want to gag. I always picture my dad using toast to get up all the yolk that's run out of the eggs. Gag me with a spoon. However, for the sake of the blog, I figured I'd plow through and give this a shot.

Well, I still don't like runny yolks, however, I would make this dish again. I only used two eggs in each gratin dish (mainly because that's all the eggs I had on hand), but next time I might try and do just egg whites to see what comes out. It was very easy to put together and if you're making this for breakfast, you can get the herb mixture prepared the night before so it will go even quicker in the morning.

In other news, you may or may not have noticed a new feature here at From My Teeny Tiny Kitchen...Printable versions!! I've gotten a few requests from different people in the last week to include an easy way to print recipes. So below all recipes, there will be a link for you to click and print from there. I'm working on updating all past recipes so eventually they will all have their own link. Please let me know if any do not work properly and I will get them fixed.

Herbed-Baked Eggs
Source: Ina Garten

Ingredients
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
6 extra-large eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toasted French bread or brioche, for serving

Directions
Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and place the oven rack 6 inches below the heat.

Combine the garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and Parmesan and set aside. Carefully crack 3 eggs into each of 2 small bowls or teacups (you won't be baking them in these) without breaking the yolks. (It's very important to have all the eggs ready to go before you start cooking.)

Place 2 individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Place 1 tablespoon of cream and 1/2 tablespoon of butter in each dish and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Quickly, but carefully, pour 3 eggs into each gratin dish and sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place back under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are almost cooked. (Rotate the baking sheet once if they aren't cooking evenly.) The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. Allow to set for 60 seconds and serve hot with toasted bread.

Printable version

Easy Peasy Fruit Dip

2009-11-06T15:46:00.005-06:00

Ok, I promise this is the last picture I take using my phone.

We had a belated boss's day potluck at work today, and I was slated to bring my mac and cheese but then I went and burned my hand on a cookie sheet. (See yesterday's post.) So I had to regroup and think of something that wasn't labor intensive.

A few months ago, my mom got a big group of women together to go to a local place called Dinner with TLC. They provide all of the kitchen equipment, ingredients, and recipes for you to put together your own meals. All you do is put it together (or have them do it) and take it home and reheat! It's awesome and the menus change every month. Anyways, the owner had out this fruit dip and assorted fruits, along with various other appetizers.

Those who know me well would be shocked to know that I actually ate a fruit dip. I'm not a dip-person. Never have been. But oh.my.God this dip was amazing.

I would have taken a better picture of it last night, but I just never got around to it. Also, a big thank you to my fabulous coworker, Rhonda, for arranging the fruit for me! You should make it for yourself and see for yourself how lovely it is!

Fruit Dip
8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 bag toffee pieces (not the chocolate covered toffee pieces)

Beat cream cheese, sugars, and vanilla in a bowl. Mix in the toffee. Serve with fruit.

Printable version

See? Easy!

Well...

2009-11-05T09:26:00.004-06:00

I had the best of intentions to bring you a cooking post today. Turns out, life had a different plan. A painful plan.

I wasn't going to blog this, but Brian talked me into it. He said that it was all part of telling my story. So here it goes...

Last night, I was making fettuccine alfredo with some chicken because it's our favorite meal. The alfredo was done and the timer went off for the chicken. I happened to have an oven mitt in my hand so I didn't bother with grabbing the other mitt. When I grabbed the pan out of the oven (a 425 degree oven, mind you), my thumb started to burn through the oven mitt. Without thinking, I placed my left hand under the pan even though I had nothing on to protect my hand.

The culprit

So I ran to the bathroom and sat like this for 45 minutes until help arrived:

My mom came over and then Brian got home, and long story short, I got some Silvadine cream and had my hand wrapped to protect it.

So, as I type this post with one hand, I leave you with these words of wisdom...always use two oven mitts and never touch a hot pan with your bare hand. Otherwise, you'll end up like this:

Which is not a very good look for the workplace or public in general.

Pumpkin Pie

2009-10-31T09:08:00.007-05:00

When Bake at 350 announced that the Flavor of the Month for October was pumpkin, I was excited. I thought of all of the pumpkin goodies I could make and thought "Oh this one is easy!" Turns out, I lost all of my good thoughts this week and was clueless on what to make. Then, it hit me. Stick with the classic. Stick with the one pumpkin dessert we've all had and we probably all grew up with.

Pumpkin Pies can be tricky. Some pies don't have enough spice. Some pies have too much spice. Some come out salty, but when you get the right pumpkin pie, it's heaven. This recipe is one that is just right. It has the right amount of spices but doesn't let the pumpkin get overshadowed.

Good thing is, Brian doesn't really go for pumpkin pie, so it's allllllllll mine. :) I know what I'm having for breakfast this weekend! :)

Classic Pumpkin Pie
Adapted from Food Network

One 15-ounce can unsweetened pure pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 package refrigerated pie crust (or your favorite pie crust recipe)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place one pie crust into a 9 inch pie pan and trim the edges.

In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, sugar, eggs, half-and-half, and spices until smooth. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes. Then, reduce heat to 350 and bake 40-50 more minutes.

If doing decorative cut-outs like I used, cut those out in your remaining pie shell. Place on a baking sheet that has been covered with parchment paper. Bake for the last 15 minutes of the pie's cooking time.

Printable Version

------------

Here are some other pumpkin desserts I've made:
Pumpkin Dessert Squares
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Creme Brulee

Check out the other entries into the Flavor of the Month:

Fontina and Mascarpone Baked Pasta

2009-10-30T08:58:00.005-05:00

Cheese? Check.

Pasta? Check.

Breadcrumb topping? Check.

If a recipe has this trio of ingredients, it pretty much guarantees I'll cook it. What can I say? We're suckers for a baked pasta dish with breadcrumbs. Throw in that it's a Cooking Light recipe, and I'm all about it.

If your store doesn't have mascarpone cheese (like mine), substitute it with full fat cream cheese. You can also add in ham cubes (like I did), or leave it plain and basking in its cheesy goodness.

Fontina and Mascarpone Baked Pasta

Adapted from Cooking Light

1 pound uncooked penne
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
3 cups fat-free milk
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
1/4 cup (2 ounces) mascarpone cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Cooking spray
1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; keep warm.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and milk in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk. Cook 10 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. (It will still be runny after ten minutes. Don't worry, it will thicken in the oven.) Remove from heat; add cheeses, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Stir in salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Add cooked pasta, stirring to coat. Spoon pasta mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in breadcrumbs until well combined. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over pasta mixture. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley.

Printable version

Pumpkin Dessert Squares

2009-10-27T08:36:00.005-05:00

Isn't fall the greatest season of the year? The leaves start to turn, there's a crispness in the air, football season starts back up, there's pumpkins EVERYWHERE. Candles that smell like apple cider and cinnamon start to come back into stores. It starts to get dark earlier. And let's face it - sweaters, scarves, and jackets are so much cuter and easier to pull off than summer clothes. Especially if you've eaten a few of these dessert squares, then you need all the extra fabric you can get.

While these cook in your oven, your house will smell like Thanksgiving. Not quite the turkey/dressing aspect because that would be totally weird, but the cinnamon, sugar and pumpkin that comes with the holidays. Brian had two squares and made a new rating scale for it. He said it was a "Make again Tomorrow!"

I highly recommend you click the link for the Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter. It's totally worth buying and really makes this dessert. Stock up before fall is up!

Pumpkin Dessert Squares
Source: a Williams-Sonoma store in Jackson, MS

1 box yellow cake mix, 1 cup reserved
1/2 cup melted butter
3 large eggs
1/8 cup milk
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 jar Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine remaining cake mix with melted butter and one egg. Mix well. Press mixture lightly into a 9x13 pan.

Mix with a whisk the Pecan Pumpkin Butter with 2 eggs and milk. Pour over cake mixture.

Mix reserved cake mix with flour, sugar, cinnamon and softened butter. Spread crumble mixture over pumpkin layer.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

Printable version

Roasted Potatoes and Garlic

2009-10-22T09:55:00.005-05:00

One of life's greatest triumphs would have to be roasted garlic. Seriously. It's amazing. I love to roast it and then use it as a topping for french bread. This side dish combines two of my faves - roasted potatoes and the wonderful, roasted garlic. Oh, make that three faves - wine.

This side dish is totally easy and is great for just a few people or a lot of people. Just adjust to however many potatoes and heads of garlic you can eat. My recommendation on serving it would be to place the potatoes in the bowl, squeeze the roasted garlic on top and mix it all together.

Roasted Garlic and New Potatoes

Source: Pioneer Woman

20 small to medium new potatoes
5 to 7 whole heads of garlic
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 to 1/2 cup dry white wine
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Quarter new potatoes and set on a large rimmed baking sheet. Lop off the very top of each garlic head and arrange throughout the potatoes. Drizzle olive oil over the tops of the garlic and all over potatoes; do the same with the wine. Generously salt and pepper potatoes and garlic. Toss potatoes to coat. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes until nice and golden.

Printable version

Manicotti

2009-10-20T08:30:00.002-05:00

It may come as no surprise that I give you another pasta dish. But if you try any pasta dish that I've made, let this be on your list.

Oh my, is it fantastic! It's a bit of work to put together, but the result is amazing. Brian took a few bites and said "Oh wow. Oh wow. This is a DEFINITE make again!" Even after we were full, we kept eating it.

To stuff the pasta, you can do one of two things. You can either place the stuffing mixture into a large Ziploc, cut of one of the corners and use it as a piping bag. I tried this and could not make it work. So I just used a spoon and pushed it down with my fingers. It's the messy route, but it worked for me.

Beef and Cheese Manicotti
Source: Giada as adapted by Elizabeth's Edible

4 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound 50% less fat Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
14 (8-ounce package) manicotti
1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups marinara sauce
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and onion. Cook until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic, sausage and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool.

Brush 1 teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the manicotti from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool.

Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Dot entire dish with the butter pieces. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes and serve.

Printable Version

Bacon Wrapped Smokies

2009-10-19T09:00:00.005-05:00

I need to get off the kick of wrapping things in bacon. However, if loving bacon is wrong, I don't want to be right.

These little beauties are just as wonderful as the bacon wrapped crackers. They're perfect for a tailgating party, which is what I made them for on Saturday. If you are taking them to an actual game, I would make them the night before, wrap them in foil and then reheat them in their foil packet on the grill.

Bacon Wrapped Lil' Smokies

One package of little smokies sausages
One pound bacon
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and the cayenne pepper. Cut bacon into thirds. Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet that has been lined with aluminum foil. Spray cooling wrack with non-stick cooking spray. Wrap bacon around the sausage. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture on top. Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Printable version

Swiss Chicken

2009-10-16T10:03:00.004-05:00

There's a restaurant in town that has Swiss Chicken on the menu. It so happens to be one of Brian's favorite lunch spots and the Swiss chicken is one of his favorite items. He raves about it all the time and I've been trying to find a recipe that can compare.

This recipe is really good. Not quite the same as the Swiss chicken I was hoping for, but it's still a tasty meal. Brian absolutely loved this and told me to make it many more times.

Lady and Sons' Chicken in Wine Sauce
Adapted from: Paula Deen

4 large skinless boneless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for casserole
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garlic Powder
6 ounces (about 8 slices) Swiss cheese
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup herb-flavored stuffing mix, crushed (recommended: Pepperidge Farm stuffing)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the chicken to a shallow buttered casserole and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste. Layer the cheese slices on top.

In a medium bowl, add the soup and the wine, season with salt and pepper and pour over the cheese. Sprinkle stuffing mix on top and drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Printable version

Have a great Friday everyone!

"Chicken Pasta"

2009-10-15T08:30:00.005-05:00

My dad never cooked until we moved to Arkansas, which was 18 years ago. If you didn't know that tidbit, you would never guess. He has a following at Razorback tailgates. It's true. The people that set up around his spot were not pleased when Brian and I showed up without my dad for the first game. He even fed some cops at the last game! The first thing he ever made was a dessert called Chocolate Bags. He painted paper bags with melted chocolate and then made a raspberry sauce to go on top. My mom cleaned up chocolate for weeks, but my dad was so proud of what he accomplished.

One of the first meals I remember my dad making was this Chicken Pasta. He and I made it together one time when my mom was out of town and we made it with LSU shaped pasta. (Now I wouldn't be caught dead eating anything LSU shaped! No offense, but my allegiance is with the Razorbacks. Woo Pig!) This was dad's dish. One time my mom tried to make it and I told her it wasn't the right color. :) Oops. Now she won't make it because it won't be the right color!

Whatever color your pasta comes out, I promise it will be fabulous.

My Dad's Chicken Pasta
Source: Paul Prudhomme, as adapted by my father

For the chicken:
1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins
Non-stick cooking spray
Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning

For the pasta:
1 lb. bowtie pasta
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 teaspoons Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning
2 cups half & half or heavy cream (or evaporated milk)

Directions:
Heat heavy skillet over medium heat. Spray chicken with non-stick cooking spray and season with Tony Chachere's to your taste. Put the seasoned side down in the skillet. Spray the other side and season. Once cooked, set aside on a plate and cover with aluminum foil.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Wipe out the skillet you used for the chicken and met the butter over medium heat. Add the Tony Chachere's and saute about 1 minute to bring out the flavors, stirring occasionally; add the green onions and saute 1 to 2 minutes, continuing to stir. Gradually add the cream and stir until it reaches a boil. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce thickens somewhat, continuing to stir, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooked pasta. Tear the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the pasta and sauce. Pasta should swim in the sauce.

Printable version

Ricotta Gnocchi

2009-10-14T08:30:00.004-05:00

Jade and I are at it again! This time it was gnocchi that we were going to tackle. The first time I ever had gnocchi was in Croatia. My beautiful sister-in-law is Croatian and she and my brother had their wedding in Germany and then we hopped a plane to Croatia to see where her family is from. We went to eat at a local restaurant and I ordered the gnocchi. It was like eating little pillows of yumminess. Since then, if gnocchi is on the menu, you better believe I'm ordering it. However, none have compared to the dish I had in Croatia.

Gnocchi is a traditional Italian potato dumpling, and it can take a lot of work and effort to make correctly. Since it was my first time making it, I went the easy route and made Ricotta Gnocchi instead of the traditional way using potatoes. This is a very good recipe if you want to try it out and are short on time.

Be sure to check out Jade's blog, The Mess Pot, to see her gnocchi experience!

Ricotta Gnocchi (serves 2)
Source: The Noshery

1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1 cup flour, have extra for dusting
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 – 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Drain any excess liquid from the ricotta cheese. Combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan, yolk and salt in a large bowl. Mix well using a wooden or plastic spoon. Add the flour and stir until just combined. Do not over work. The dough will be very sticky.

Put a pot of water to boil. Flour you work area generously with flour and your hands. Divide the dough in half and roll out to till it is about as thick as a finger. Take sharp knife, dip in flour and cut the the rolls into about 1 inch pillows. Transfer pillows to baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough, work quickly so that the gnocchi on the baking sheet doesn't get sticky.

You water should have come to a slow boil by now, add a generous pinch of salt to the water. Drop your gnocchi into the water and stir to keep them from sticking to the bottom. The gnocchi will float to the top when done, about 2 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or skimmer remove from water and serve immediately with your choice of sauce*.

*Make sauce ahead of time so it is ready to serve when gnocchi is ready.

Sausage and Tomato-Basil Sauce

1 tsp olive oil
2 links Hot Italian Sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
16 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 cup pesto

In a medium-size skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add in the sausage and cook until browned. Stir in the garlic and saute for a few minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce and red pepper flakes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the pesto and simmer on low until gnocchi are ready. Add in salt and pepper to taste.

Printable version

Peanut Butter Fudge

2009-10-09T08:36:00.007-05:00

In order to make up for the last healthy post, I give you Fudge. :)

You're welcome.

This fudge has creeped me out since the day I saw Paula Deen make it on Food Network. (Now you want to make it, don't you? haha) It has Velveeta in it. I hate Velveeta. My cousin used to slice it out of the block and eat it when we were at my grandmother's house. Blech.

Yet, in order to be adventurous and try new things for the sake of the blog, I powered through. Surprisingly, it's actually not cheesy at all! I gave some to Brian to see if he could guess the mystery ingredient, which he couldn't, so I spilled the beans. He wasn't surprised at all and said "Oh yeah, a lot of fudges have that in them." Hmph.

It's definitely an easy recipe to make when you're in the rush of holiday baking/giving season. It does have a lot of butter, but it's not like you're going to be eating the entire pan. Although, I won't judge if you do.

Peanut Butter Cheese Fudge
Source: Paula Deen

1/2 pound sliced easy-melt cheese (recommended: Velveeta)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter (Helpful hint: Spray your measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray first)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts
2 (16-ounce) boxes confectioners' sugar

Directions
Lightly spray the bottom of a 9 by 2-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt cheese and butter together, then add peanut butter and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and add vanilla and nuts.

Empty confectioners' sugar into a large bowl and pour cheese mixture over sugar. Stir until completely mixed. Candy will be very stiff. (Helpful hint: Start stirring with a spoon and once it cools down some, mix it with your hands.)

Using your hands, remove candy from the bowl and press evenly and firmly into the pan. Because of the amount of butter in this recipe, pat top of candy with a paper towel to remove excess oil. Place the pan in refrigerator until candy is firm.

To serve, cut into squares.

Printable version

Taco Soup

2009-10-07T08:17:00.002-05:00

What can you make that's quicker than chili but tastes somewhat the same? Why, by George, you can make taco soup.

It's been so rainy and cold here lately that I've been craving chili but with our crazy schedules, I haven't had time to make a good pot of the stuff. This taco soup is so easy that a 5 year old could put it together. Brown some ground beef, throw in a diced onion, and dump in a million cans of things. Simple!

Taco Soup
Recipe courtesy of my mom (Not sure the original source)

1 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans
1 (15 oz) can Bush's Chili Beans
1 can Ro-Tel
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
16 oz frozen corn
1 packet Taco Seasoning
1 packet Ranch dressing mix

In a Dutch oven, brown the beef and onion together. If necessary, drain the fat. Add in all other ingredients, ending with the seasonings. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to low and simmer for additional 10-15 minutes.

Serving size=1 cup
Serving = 1-2 WW Points
Printable version

Bacon Wraps

2009-10-05T08:00:00.005-05:00

As I said the other day, everything is better with bacon. These appetizers prove it. They might as well be called Crack Sticks. They're that good.

I've made these three times...two last Christmas for different parties and the most recent was this weekend while watching the Razorbacks beat the Aggies. Woohoo! Both times I've made them, people hover over the plate and then all of the crackers magically disappear.

Bacon Wraps
Lovechild of here and here

Club Crackers
Thin sliced bacon
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut bacon in half. Wrap crackers in bacon. Place on cookie sheet that has a cooling rack on top and bake for 30 minutes. Dredge through Parmesan while hot. Allow to cool and crisp, then serve.

Printable version

Cauliflower Fritters

2009-10-02T09:51:00.008-05:00

It may come as no surprise that I'm a picky eater and have never been a cauliflower fan. However, I figured I would give it a try. I've been on a roll with trying new things that I have hated for all of my life. Tomatoes were a success. I even ate Fried Artichoke Hearts at Cheers in Little Rock and I'm still dreaming about them. I was doing so well and so why not be adventurous and go for cauliflower?

Well, at least I can say I tried it...

I'm still not a fan, but if you love cauliflower you will probably love this dish. Next time I'll just use some mashed potatoes instead.

Cauliflower Fritters
Adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray, October 2009

Ingredients:
1 large head cauliflower (about 2 1/4 pounds), trimmed and chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten
One 10-ounce bag salad greens
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1.Steam the cauliflower until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, mash and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, bread crumbs and egg, season with salt and pepper and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Roll 1/4 cupfuls into balls, then flatten into patties, to make a total of 12 to 14. In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the patties until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Serve with the salad greens tossed in olive oil and the lemon juice.

-------

Whenever my dad experiments with a new recipe, he always says "We might be ordering pizza later."

This is what we ended up having for dinner after making these...

Happy Friday!

Marsala Chicken-and-Mushroom Casserole

2009-10-01T08:49:00.003-05:00

Apparently I'm on a casserole kick this week. I blame it on work.

You see, Brian and I work with kids. He's an adolescent substance abuse and mental health counselor. I work with youth who are at-risk of being involved in the juvenile court system, or have already been placed in a correctional-type facility and I'm the parole officer once they get out. We never have a dull moment at work, but at the same time, we're usually stressed beyond belief. His work schedule has him working until 8pm (at the earliest) on Mondays and Wednesdays, so I'm constantly trying to find something that I can make but that will still be good by the time he gets home.

So, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. :) This was really, really easy and tasty. The rice takes on a risotto type texture and has a nice flavor to it.

Marsala Chicken and Mushroom Casserole

Adapted from: Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine, April 2009

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
16 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup marsala wine or white wine
1/2 - 1 cup heavy cream (You know you want to use the full cup. Go for it!)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
1 cup uncooked, long-grain rice
2 packed cups coarsely chopped rotisserie chicken
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat until just melted. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir in for 1 minute. Stir in the marsala and cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water, the parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

2.In a greased 9-inch-by-13-inch casserole, spread the rice in an even layer; top with the chicken. Pour the mushroom gravy on top. Cover snugly with foil and bake until bubbly, about 35 minutes. Discard the foil, sprinkle the parmesan on top and bake for 5 minutes more.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

2009-09-29T11:23:00.004-05:00

Come on, what's not better with bacon?! Bacon makes the world go 'round.

My mom found a Phyllis Hoffman Celebrates magazine at Target. Naturally, it's Halloween themed, and while I hate Halloween, I still love to decorate and make themed food. These chicken breasts caught my eye because I love me some bacon. And now I have leftovers to use more of this week! Hooray!

The cook-time in this seemed a little bit much for me, so I checked mine after 30 minutes and my chicken was done. Keep an eye on it so that your chicken doesn't dry out too much. Also, you might want to dismantle the smoke detector! It gets quite smokey in there!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Source: Phyllis Hoffman Celebrates Halloween, page 96

1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground chile powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12 slices bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a small bowl, combine coriander, chile powder, and paprika. Season chicken breasts with spices. Wrap each chicken breast with 2 slices bacon, securing them with toothpicks.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a cooling rack over prepared baking sheet.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken breasts for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until bacon begins to brown. Remove chicken from pan, and place on cooling rack over baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of chicken registers 170 degrees.

Chili and Cheddar Bow Tie Casserole

2009-09-28T09:48:00.004-05:00

As I've mentioned before, Brian's a sucker for a casserole. Throw the word "cheese" in the title and he's game. I've gotten to where I'll make up a name for something that he might not eat and as long as I mention cheese, he's good to go.

I honestly have no idea how this casserole tastes. (Just keeping it real.) I wasn't hungry the night I made it, but Brian ate all of it. Yes, all of it. So judging by that, it must taste pretty good!

Chili and Cheddar Bow Tie Casserole
Source: Cooking Light

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

Ingredients
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced Canadian bacon (about 2 ounces)
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 1/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
8 cups hot cooked farfalle (bow tie pasta) or other short pasta
Cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.

Remove 1 teaspoon adobo sauce and 1 chile from canned chiles; mince the chile. Place remaining sauce and chiles in a zip-top plastic bag; freeze for another use.

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and bacon; sauté 4 minutes. Add onions; sauté 1 minute. Stir in the adobo sauce, minced chile, flour, chili powder, salt, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Gradually add milk; cook until thick and bubbly (about 4 minutes), stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups cheese and cilantro, stirring until cheese melts. Add pasta to pan; toss well.

Spoon the pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over pasta mixture. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until browned.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 369 (30% from fat)
Fat: 12.4g (sat 7.4g,mono 1.6g,poly 1g)
Protein: 23.2g
Carbohydrate: 43g
Fiber: 3.1g
Cholesterol: 44mg
Iron: 1.6mg
Sodium: 758mg
Calcium: 472mg

Weight Watchers Points: 8

Rigatoni with Red Pepper, Almonds, and Bread Crumbs

2009-09-25T08:50:00.004-05:00

I'm in a rut. A big, fat, stinking rut. And I need out.

Help me.

Do you ever get so stressed out and busy that you just don't know what to do with yourself? Well, that's my life as of now and I'm hoping that next week will be better.

I've had a bag of croutons staring at me from my counter for the past couple of weeks. It's just been begging me to make this pasta. It's so easy and I need easy right now. I need something that I don't have to think about when I put it together. Plus I need a lot of leftovers that I can eat when I'm too stressed to think straight.

This is the only thing that I will eat the leftovers until they're totally gone. Isn't that strange? I absolutely hate eating leftovers. I always put them in my fridge after I cook but then throw it out at the end of the week. Somehow I make myself feel better by keeping them even though I know I won't eat them.

Also, this is the only dish I'll eat cold from the fridge. It's really, really good cold. Plus it gets better the longer it sits. However, I could really do without the roasted red peppers. I just don't like them. Every time I use them, I think "Maybe this time. Maybe this time will be better..." but it's not. At least for me. It's like the fast food Chinese restaurant in the mall food court. You always have hope that one day it will surprise you and be really good. But it's just not.

Ok, enough rambling. On to the recipe!

Rigatoni with Red Pepper, Almonds and Bread Crumbs

Source: Giada

1 pound rigatoni pasta
3 cups purchased garlic-flavored croutons, (about 5 ounces)
1/4 cup slivered almonds (about 1 ounce), toasted
1 cup julienned roasted red bell peppers
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl.

Place the croutons and the almonds in a food processor. Pulse until it becomes the texture of bread crumbs. Add the crouton and almond mixture to the hot pasta. Add the peppers and the olive oil. Toss to combine and serve.

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

2009-09-22T08:31:00.004-05:00

There are just some days that you don't have time for an elaborate recipe. There are days where you just really don't feel like cooking. (Yes, I have them too.) Some days, you just want to get in the kitchen, whip something together in a flash and be done.

Now if we could only get dishes to magically wash themselves, we'd be golden.

I've debated whether or not to even post this recipe because it's really just throwing things into a bowl, mixing it together, and baking it. However, I realize that we all have lives. We all need dishes that we can put together fast that don't require much thinking.

Cheesy Baked Tortellini
Adapted from Giada

2 cups marinara sauce
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound purchased cheese tortellini (or whatever tortellini flavor you prefer)
2 ounces thinly sliced mozzarella
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish.

Whisk the sauce, ricotta cheese, red pepper flakes, parsley and basil in a large bowl to blend. Cook the tortellini in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Add the tortellini to the sauce and toss to coat. Transfer the tortellini mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top the mixture with the mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, or until the sauce bubbles and the cheeses on top melt.

Bruschetta

2009-09-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

When I saw Julie and Julia, I couldn't help but notice the bruschetta that Julia and her husband ate. I hate tomatoes and I was drooling over it! It seems as though I was not alone, and bruschetta has been popping up all over the food blog community.

Again, I absolutely hate tomatoes. Can't stand them. If a spaghetti or pizza sauce is a chunky one, the tomato chunks get pushed to the side of my plate. If we're at an Italian restaurant and they provide bruschetta, Brian always lucks out and gets an extra because I won't touch it.

Well, not anymore.

I'm officially a convert...at least for this dish. Jade and I had been talking about the bruschetta in the movie and she decided to make it. She and I share the same dislike for tomatoes, yet she loved the dish. She provided the courage for me to try it out and I'm so glad I did.

To test it out, I made five. Brian had three and I ate the other two, and we both were wanting more. Yay for tailgating season because it's getting made again on Saturday!

Bruschetta
Source: Jade as adapted from Delish

4 slices of Italian Bread or Baguette cut into 1/2 in thick slices
A variety of tomatoes, seeded and chopped (I used 4 Roma tomatoes to 1 vine ripe tomato)

1 clove of garlic
Basil, chopped
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon butter
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan Cheese
Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:
In a small bowl mix together the chopped tomatoes, basil, 1/2 the extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 the garlic clove, salt and pepper. The basil, salt and pepper will be to your taste. Set aside.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining olive oil, garlic and butter to the skillet. Allow the butter to melt. Place the bread in the skillet and allow it to get brown on both sides.

Remove the bread from the skillet. Spoon the tomato basil mixture on top of the 4 slices of bread. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and top with Parmesan cheese.

Turkey Corn Chili

2009-09-17T09:14:00.005-05:00

It's been raining constantly here. I can't even remember when we saw the sun last. It's becoming more like the Pacific Northwest than Arkansas at this point. So, in order to warm back up, I had to make some chili.

Chili is one of those foods that everyone eats differently. Me, I like to put cheese on it and put some chili on Saltine crackers. Brian, he goes more for a "chili lasagna" approach...he takes crushed Fritos and puts them in a bowl. On top goes the chili, then more crushed Fritos and then covers it in cheese. My mom puts ketchup on her chili. My dad adds more hot sauce.

So, how do you like your chili? Red or white? With beans or no beans? Saltines, Fritos, or plain? Cheese? Sour cream? Cilantro? On top of spaghetti? Let me know!

Turkey Corn Chili
Adapted from RR

1 tablespoon (1 turn around the pan in a slow stream) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, red or green, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons (a palm full) chili powder
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons (a palm full) ground cumin
1 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons (several drops) cayenne pepper sauce
Coarse salt
1/2 cup - 1 cup frozen corn kernels or leftover prepared corn
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups prepared chicken stock or broth, paper container or canned
2 scallions, white and greens, chopped

Directions
Heat a deep pot over medium high heat. Work close to the stove for your chopping. Add oil to your pot, 1 turn of the pan, and add vegetables as you chop them.

Add bay leaf and cook vegetables 5 minutes, stirring frequently, reducing heat if veggies start to stick. Add turkey and cook completely. Season with chili powder, cumin, and cayenne sauce. Season with a little salt, to taste. Add corn, tomatoes, and broth. Combine your chili well, adjust seasonings, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes. Garnish chili with chopped scallions.

Poppy Seed Chicken

2009-09-15T08:49:00.005-05:00

I had never had poppy seed chicken until I was in college. The cooks at my sorority house knew how to throw down on some poppy seed chicken. We would watch the menu calendar and hope and pray for them to make it, since it was pretty much the one thing that tasted really, really good.

Whenever our main cook retired, she made the seniors a cookbook of all of her recipes, including Poppy Seed Chicken. Since I wasn't a senior that year, I sadly didn't get a copy of the book. However, my mom had been holding out on me all of these years and had a recipe of her very own. It pretty much tastes the same, but my mom's has rice added into it.

Brian has said before that he would live on a deserted island if he had a lifetime supply of this casserole. The best part of it is the Ritz cracker topping. Also, you can get low-fat soup and sour cream to make it somewhat healthy. Also, normally I would advise to cooking with a wine/sherry that you would drink. However, in this dish, use the cheap, cooking sherry. It's more rustic that way.

Poppy Seed Chicken
Source: My mom

6 chicken breasts (Or a Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. sour cream
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers (One sleeve from the box)
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
3 Tbsp. melted butter
1/4 cup Holland House Cooking Sherry
3/4 cup rice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook rice in 1 1/2 cups hot broth or water. Once rice is cooked, spread rice in bottom of a 9x13 pan. Boil and bone chicken breasts, or shred the meat from a rotisserie chicken. Put chicken on top of rice layer.

Mix soup, sour cream, and sherry in a medium sized bowl. Pour on top of chicken. Top with crushed crackers and poppy seeds. Pour melted butter over the crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.

Mushroom Rigatoni

2009-09-14T11:22:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone! Remember me? It seems that it's been ages that I've cooked anything! Probably because, it has been ages! The last thing I made was tacos from an Old El Paso kit. :)

So, where have I been? I've been in Little Rock, AR for one of my best friends/college roommate for 3 years/sorority sister's wedding. I had the lovely honor of being her Maid of Honor. I had to leave out of here Thursday after work so my kitchen has sat dormant since Wednesday night.

When I got back home last night, I was absolutely exhausted but drove my happy butt to Neighborhood Market to find inspiration for dinner. I had read this recipe and tried to remember what was in it while I was shopping.

This pasta dish was ok. Nothing too special and nothing I have to make again without some major tweaks. I think if I had made it the way the original recipe was written, it would have had more flavor. However, I couldn't not remember all of the ingredients. So below is what I did. Be sure to check out the original recipe and try that as well.

Mushroom Rigatoni
Adapted from Rachael Ray

1 pound rigatoni pasta
Salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup dry Italian red wine
2 to 3 stems rosemary, stripped and finely chopped, a couple of tablespoons
Black pepper
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Parmesan Cheese

Directions
Place a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Add salt and cook rigatoni to al dente. Reserve about a cup of the pasta water in case the sauce is too thick.

Heat a large deep skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook until shallot is soft. Add in the mushrooms and cook until brown and tender. Add wine and reduce a minute. Scatter the rosemary into the pan and turn to distribute the herb. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Stir in tomatoes. Add in some pasta water if the sauce is too thick.

Drain pasta and add to warm pot. Toss the pasta with the sauce and top with Parmesan cheese.

Brian's Baked Ziti

2009-09-10T09:55:00.004-05:00

I'm not sure why we started calling this Baked Ziti, it just kinda happened. It's really just a fake-baked pasta, but it's one of Brian's favorite meals that I make. I can't say I blame him. We've already had it twice this month. The first time I didn't take any pictures of it, so it gave me an excuse to make it again. Not that Brian complained.

This pasta feeds a LOT of people. I've made some changes to it based on our personal preferences and what I can find the store. The original recipe calls for spinach, but blech, can't stand it. (Remember, I'm a picky eater. Baby steps...) It also calls for capocollo, which is an Italian hot ham. I can NEVER find that here so I just buy Peppered Ham and put it some extra cayenne pepper.

The absolute best part of this dish, is that inside it are little cubes of fresh mozzarella. Oh.My.GOD. When they hit the hot pasta and are put under the broiler, they turn into such goodness that it's indescribable. Please shell out the extra money for the fresh mozzarella. The block just won't do. I promise. The cheese makes the dish.

~~Spinach and~~ Hot Ham Fake-Baked Pasta, or Brian's Baked Ziti
Adapted from Rachael Ray

1 pound cavatappi, corkscrew pasta with lines or, macaroni with line in any short cut
Salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive, divided
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole or 2 percent milk
1/2 pound sliced peppered ham
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a few large handfuls, divided
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground or freshly grated, eyeball it
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, a couple pinches
1 pound ball fresh mozzarella -- buy a piece wrapped, not packed in water, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup plain or Italian bread crumbs
A generous handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions
Preheat broiler.

Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the pasta, salt water and cook to al dente, with a bite.

While the water is coming up to a boil for the pasta, heat a medium, deep skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, and the butter. When butter melts into the oil, add onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes then dust the onions with flour and continue to cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk. Gently bring milk to a bubble, allow the milk to thicken a bit, then stir in the ham and 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano. Season sauce with nutmeg and cayenne and remove from the heat. Taste and add a little salt, if you like.

Combine the cooked pasta and the cubed mozzarella with the sauce, stir to coat completely by turning over and over. Transfer dressed pasta to a baking dish.

To make the breadcrumb topping, combine the breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of EVOO and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmigiano. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top to cover the pasta from edge to edge. Transfer the baking dish under the broiler and broil until golden brown and crispy. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-09-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

Hello Fall!!! I've missed you! Although, the temperatures are back to the upper 80's with humidity off the charts (stupid Mother Nature), it's after Labor Day, which means fall!

Fall is, by far, my favorite season. There's a crispness in the air, cooler temperatures, beautiful leaves, college football (Go Hogs!), pumpkins, the holidays coming up...I could go on! In order to welcome fall, I had to bake. After the pumpkin creme brulee I made, I had to make something else with pumpkin. Enter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

YUM.

I ate five without blinking. Brought them to work the next day and they were gone before I knew it. I halved the recipe because my self-control isn't strong enough to protect me from 60 cookies. For those stronger than me, I've posted the full recipe. If you love pumpkin bread, you'll love these cookies.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: The Food Network

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

Banana Pudding Ice Cream

2009-09-08T09:42:00.003-05:00

When I made the Apple Pie Ice Cream, Brian's gears started turning. He tasted it and said "You know what you should make? Banana pudding ice cream!"

Banana's are on my list of "Don't want to try, don't like them, never have, never will like them" list. The only things that are banana flavored that I will eat are Laffy Taffy's and the banana Runts. That's the extent of my banana consumption and I don't plan on changing that any time soon. Potassium intake be damned.

So, I had Brian design up the ice cream. He wanted the Cinnamon Ice Cream base that I used with the Apple Pie Ice Cream and then add in some bananas and Nilla wafers.

Cinnamon Ice Cream
Source: David Lebovitz, The Perfect Scoop

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
Ten 3-inch cinnamon sticks, broken up
2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks

Warm the milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon sticks, and 1 cup of the cream in a medium saucepan. Once warm, cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Rewarm the cinnamon-infused milk mixture. Remove the cinnamon sticks with a slotted spoon and discard them. Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and into the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

Caramelized Bananas

2 bananas
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp. melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut up bananas and place into a large bowl. Toss with the brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Place in a 8x8 baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

For the Banana Pudding Ice Cream

Puree the bananas and their syrup in a food processor. Once your cinnamon ice cream is ready to be chilled in the refrigerator, whisk in the pureed bananas. Chill in the fridge until thoroughly cooled. Freeze in your ice cream maker per your manufacturer's instructions. In the last few minutes of churning, add in some crushed Nilla wafer cookies.

Skillet Lasagna

2009-09-06T10:21:00.004-05:00

What may come as no surprise to you, I love lasagna. The little frozen Stouffer's lasagnas are what I lived on my Freshmen year of college. So, when I made lasagna for Brian the first time, guess what he said...

"I don't really like lasagna."

What?! No lasagna ever?? It was a very upsetting day, but I'm stubborn enough to not let that stop me from making lasagna. I just have to be creative.

Food Network Magazine came to my rescue in their last issue. There it was, staring at me, this beautiful skillet lasagna. It was an answer to my lasagna prayers. Plus it's a one pot meal so less cleanup! I used some short-cuts to make it easier on myself. And yes, while it is a one pot meal, I still dirtied up about 5 bowls in the prep work. Which leads me to another tip, get all of the prep done before you ever turn the skillet on. I also used Fresh mozzarella, which I don't think I will again. Fresh mozzarella has a ton of water in it and the water just seeped out in the sauce. So next time I will try it with a regular block of mozzarella to see the difference.

Skillet Lasagna
Adapted from Food Network Magazine

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil and/or parsley, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
6 sheets no-bake lasagna noodles
1 carrot, peeled into ribbons
1 zucchini, peeled into ribbons
1/3 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

Directions
Heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic; cook until golden, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook, about 5 minutes. Transfer sauce to a bowl. Return 1 cup of the sauce to the skillet and reduce the heat to low; reserve the remaining sauce.

Meanwhile, mix the ricotta, egg, parmesan, the remaining 3 tablespoons herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl.

Place 2 lasagna noodles over the sauce in the skillet. Layer half of the carrot and zucchini on top; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with half of the ricotta mixture, a few pieces of mozzarella and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with noodles. Top with the remaining sauce and mozzarella. Cover and simmer until the lasagna is cooked and the cheese melts, 20 to 25 minutes.

Let rest for a few minutes before slicing. Garnish with more parmesan and fresh herbs.

Crawfish Pasta...or Redemption, whichever

2009-09-03T13:30:00.004-05:00

After the horrific jambalaya I made last week, I was out for vindication. This time, I picked a recipe that I knew worked. I picked something that could never let me down. It was go time. Diet or no diet, I had to go with what I knew best...

Alfredo.

Brian and I love us some Alfredo. If it's on a menu anywhere we go, chances are one of us (or both, just being honest) is going to order it. There's no getting around it. Alfredo was actually the first thing I ever cooked for Brian. It's a funny story that I will have to share with my recipe for regular, yummy Alfredo.

I first saw this recipe on Elizabeth's Edible Experience. She's a Louisiana gal like myself, so I love reading the Louisiana style recipes she puts up. The recipe is an Emeril recipe and the original recipe calls for A LOT of butter. I normally cut it down by at least half.

Crawfish and Cream over Pasta
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

1 pound linguine or fettuccine
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons Tony Chachere's
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 pound crawfish tails*
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 cup grated Parmesan

Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Return to the pot and toss with the olive oil and reserved cooking liquid. Cover to keep warm.

In a large saute pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, Essence, salt, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the white wine and cook over high heat until nearly all evaporated. Add the cream lemon juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced. Add the crawfish tails and cook, stirring, to warm through. Add the onions and parsley and cook for 1 minute. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat with the sauce. Cook until the pasta is warmed through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Turn out into a serving bowl and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Serve.

*Peeled medium shrimp can be substituted, but the cooking time must be increased to allow thorough cooking.

Yum.

Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

2009-09-02T09:45:00.001-05:00

Two Weight Watcher Friendly posts in two days?! I'm on a roll!

Brian's a fanatic for casseroles. If I mention the word casserole, he'll eat it. If you've read my blog before, you might have picked up that I'm a somewhat picky eater. Casseroles have never been my thing because I end up picking it apart once it hits my plate. Making casseroles have somewhat helped me get over my picky-ness because at least I know what's going into the dish.

This casserole is very versatile and you can change it up to match any of your family's likes or dislikes. We added turkey pepperoni and mushrooms. I cooked the mushrooms after cooking the beef and then added the beef back into it once the mushrooms had browned and softened.

Deep Dish Pizza Casserole
Adapted from Weight Watchers 5 ingredient 15 minute cookbook

1 pound ground round
1 (15 oz) can tomato Sauce seasoned with Italian Seasoning
Cooking spray
1 (10 oz) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
Optional: chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, chopped green peppers, black olives , turkey pepperoni, fat free ham, mushrooms

Preheat oven to 425. Cook meat in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat until browned, stirring until it crumbles. Drain, return to skillet, add tomato sauce and cook until heated.Coat a 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. Unroll pizza crust dough and press into bottom and halfway up sides of the baking dish. Top the pizza crust with meat mixture. Add optional ingredients. (figure extra points)

Bake uncovered at 425 for 12 minutes. Top with cheese and bake 5 minutes or until crust browns and cheese melts. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

8 servings @ 6 points each

Rosemary Roasted Almonds

2009-09-01T08:41:00.004-05:00

These past few days have been AWESOME in terms of mail. I've received my Cooking Light, Kraft Food & Family, and the Williams-Sonoma catalog all within three days. Throw in a Southern Living and Food Network Magazine and I'm gold!

By the way, I'm in love with the new layout/look of Cooking Light. When I saw these Almonds in the snack article, I had to have them. I'm always in search of something to snack on while I'm at work, so it helps to have an actual healthy snack within reach. Plus, if you're counting Weight Watcher's points, like I sort of am, the serving size is only 3 points. Portion the bad boys out before you start snacking though, or you'll wind up eating 12 points instead! :)

Rosemary Roasted Almonds
Source: Cooking Light

Yield
2 cups (serving size: about 2 tablespoons)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Dash of ground red pepper
1 (10-ounce) bag whole almonds (about 2 cups)

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Arrange nut mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool to room temperature.

Lemon Madeleines

2009-08-31T08:44:00.008-05:00

When I saw that the Flavor of the Month for August was Lemon or Lime, I knew it would be a hard choice for me to pick what to bake. Brian LOVES any dessert with a lemon flavor to it. Absolutely loves it. His great-aunt used to make a lemon cake that he still dreams about. We've all tried to recreate the cake, but no one can get it the way he remembered it.

I've wanted to make Madeleines for a long time, so the Flavor of the Month gave me a good reason to try them out!

Lemon Madeleines
Source: Martha Stewart

Ingredients
Makes 2 dozen

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted (not self-rising)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons total)
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two madeleine pans; set aside.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl; set aside.
Put eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and thickened, about 5 minutes. Mix in butter. Using a spatula, fold flour mixture into egg mixture. Let rest 30 minutes.
Pour batter into buttered pans, filling the molds 3/4 full. Bake cookies, rotating pans halfway through, until edges are crisp and golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Let cookies cool slightly in pans on wire racks. Invert, and unmold. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to one day.
First published: December 2005

Check out the other entries into the Flavor of the Month:

Crawfish Jambalaya - Friday Fail...

2009-08-28T10:40:00.009-05:00

Sometimes things just don't work out. Sometimes things sound good but the result is not so good. Case in point - Crawfish Jambalaya.

I wanted it to be good. I had high hopes of finding a jambalaya recipe from scratch that would replace Zatarain's boxed jambalaya. This, sadly, was not the recipe.

Having been born in southern Louisiana, Cajun is injected into my blood. You are born loving crawfish, andouille, and all things spicy. You automatically love jambalaya, etouffee, and gumbo.

This jambalaya just didn't fit the bill for me. I really debated whether or not to even bother posting it, but in honor of keeping it real, I will. Brian loved it but I just could not get behind it. I don't even know what it was that I didn't like about it. It definitely needs more spice and less salt. I'm not giving up on it, but today, it's my Friday Fail. Sorry to leave you going into the weekend with a sad tale. Next week will be different. :)

Crash Hot Potatoes

2009-08-27T09:30:00.001-05:00

I have a hard time coming up with side dishes. Does anyone else have this issue? I can pick a main dish like none other, but when it comes to side dishes, I'm totally clueless. I really need help in this department.

Anyone have any good side dishes to recommend? I'm all ears.

One that we do love in our house is Pioneer Woman's Crash Hot Potatoes. I've only made them one other time and when they were cooking in the oven, Brian stated that it smelled like Christmas in the house. He had given me one of those Rosemary "Christmas" trees last December and so our living room smelled like rosemary. It was awesome. So when the potatoes were cooking up, our whole kitchen smelled like rosemary, which equates with Christmas in Brian's mind.

The only issue I had with these potatoes this time was that I didn't let them boil long enough so I could not mash them down. I had potatoes flying all over the kitchen.

Crash Hot Potatoes
Source: Pioneer Woman

New potatoes (or any small potato)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Rosemary (or other fresh herb)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary.

Bake in 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Pumpkin Creme Brulee

2009-08-26T08:15:00.005-05:00

So Jade and I are at it again. You may remember when we both made sugar cookies. This time we're trying creme brulee.

Recently, we've had a nice run of really, really cool temperatures. It's like an early glimpse of fall, which is my favorite season. For it to be cooler than 80 degrees in August in Arkansas, that's saying something. So with the spurt of cooler temperatures, I'm ready for all things fall. Razorback football games, Thanksgiving, and especially things with pumpkin in it.

When I saw this recipe for Emeril's Pumpkin Creme Brulee, I had to have it. Now. Problem is, most of my stores don't carry pumpkin or if they do, it's in giant cans. Never fear. I've put the remaining pumpkin mixture into small ziploc bags and stuck them in the freezer so that I can have pumpkin whenever I want!

Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Source: Emeril Lagasse

2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar, plus 4 teaspoons
8 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Arrange 8 (1/2-cup) ramekins or custard cups in a large metal baking pan.

In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Bring to a bare simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until frothy and lemon-colored. Slowly add 3/4 cup of the hot cream mixture, whisking constantly. Add the egg mixture to the remaining hot cream, and whisk. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin, and whisk until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Divide among the prepared custard cups.

Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Bake until the custards are just set in the center but not stiff, 45 minutes to 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Sprinkle each custard with 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining sugar. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar. (Alternately, preheat the broiler, and broil until the sugar melts and caramelizes, watching closely to avoid burning and rotating the cups, about 1 to 2 minutes.) Place on small dessert plates and serve.

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I really enjoyed making the creme brulee. It was a lot easier to make than I thought it would be. Plus it was a really easy recipe to half since I can't be trusted with 8 little creme brulees running around.

Be sure to check out Jade at The Mess Pot to see her creme brulee!

Chicken Fried Steak

2009-08-25T09:58:00.001-05:00

I've always LOVED chicken fried steak. However, I don't do gravy. It's true. When it comes to food, I'm a purist. I don't like ketchup, mustard, mayo, gravy, or Ranch dressing. The Ranch is something that Brian just can't get over. When I made the chicken fried steak, the recipe includes instructions for gravy. I didn't make it because I knew I wouldn't eat it and that Brian would just put Ranch on top of the steak, which he did.

For some reason, I've always been intimidated by chicken fried steak. Fear no more because this recipe is so easy. Plus it's a Cooking Light recipe, so it's healthy!

Chicken Fried Steak
Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons fat-free milk
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (4-ounce) sirloin cubed steaks
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Directions:
Combine 3 tablespoons milk and egg whites in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1/3 cup flour and next 4 ingredients (1/3 cup flour through pepper) in a shallow dish. Working with 1 steak at a time, dip in egg mixture; dredge in flour mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining steaks, egg mixture, and flour mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove steaks from pan; keep warm.