Decadent Chocolate Treats and Delicious Oriental Dinners June 13, 2013

Welcome back!  This week we’re focusing on a couple of categories because they’re delicious recipes that I’ve really been wanting to share with you.  Also, we don’t have a pizza recipe this week because pizza night just didn’t happen last week.  But don’t worry, it should be back with a vengeance this week and you’ll hear all about it on the next post.  On a completely unrelated side note, the weather has been weird this week.  This is the third day in a row that has started out like a typical Texas day: hot and humid, but then rapidly turned into a torrential downpour in the afternoon accompanied by strong winds and lots of thunder and lightning.  Crazy!  Still, I’m glad for the rain.  (I just don’t like being out in it.)

Let’s start out with an easy, slow cooker dinner with some great flavor.  My hubby was originally very skeptical about the flavors, but once he tasted it he understood.  It was enough for 4 servings, and I enjoyed mine with lots of crunchy peanuts on top.  This is quick to throw together and uses basic ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen.  Let’s find out.

Slow-Cooker Thai Chicken (from Betty Crocker.com)

2 lb. skinless chicken thighs (I used my standard boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and I cut them first for quicker cooking.)

3/4 c. salsa

1/4 c. peanut butter

2 tbsp. lime juice

1 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. grated ginger

1/4 c. chopped peanuts

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

1. Place the chicken in the slow cooker.  In a small bowl, mix together the salsa, peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, and ginger and pour the mix over the chicken.

2. Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours or til the chicken is no longer pink.  Remove the chicken onto a plate.

3. Remove the sauce from the slow-cooker and skim off the fat.  Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the peanuts and cilantro.  (Since my chicken was cut, it cooked through in 3-4 hours.  And I didn’t have to skim any fat since I used chicken breast.  When we got home, I just cooked up some rice and poured the chicken and sauce over top.)

Let’s move on to an easy dessert that packs a ton of fudgy, walnut goodness into every bite.  As a bonus, you should already have all of these ingredients (except maybe the walnuts) in your pantry.  (Before you ask, there are NO leavening agents in this recipe, so don’t think that you just forgot to add them.  I double-checked before I made these and was a little apprehensive, but they turned out perfect.)  I love a fudgy brownie, especially when they don’t require me to stir chocolate over a double boiler.  Another bonus is that these taste better the longer they sit (if they last very long at all).  Check these bad boys out!

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts (from the February 2011 issue of Bon Appetit)

10 tbsp. cubed butter

1 1/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. cocoa

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1/3 c. + 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 c. walnuts

1. Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat it to 325 degrees.  Line an 8 inch square pan with foil and grease the foil with Pam.  In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and continue cooking til the butter stops foaming and browned bits form at the bottom of the pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the sugar, cocoa, 2 tsp. water, vanilla, and 1/4 tsp. salt and stir to blend.  Let this mix cool 5 minutes.

2. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition.  When the mix looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir til blended.  Beat vigorously for 60 strokes.  Stir in the nuts and transfer to the prepared pan.

3. Bake til a toothpick inserted in the center removes almost cleanly, about 25 minutes.  (Mine had to go just a little longer.)  Cool on a wire rack.

Back to the savory side, I love this dish.  It’s healthy, but it feels like it shouldn’t be.  (I mean, it’s got the word “fried” in the title.  Shouldn’t that be unhealthy?)  This doesn’t take long to whip up, and I ate it all (Well, half the recipe anyway.) for dinner one night when the hubby was working.  (He’s not a big quinoa fan or a hot pineapple fan, so it was just for me.)  It’s got a great combination of flavors and textures, and you can really customize it to your tastes and what you might have on hand.  Let me start by saying that I love the flavor of hot pineapple.  I don’t know what it is, but it just tastes SO good.  (Just talking about it makes me want to eat it again.)  Let me give you the recipe before I explode.

Thai Fried Quinoa (from the fabulous Dainty Chef)

1 c. rinsed, drained quinoa

1 c. light coconut milk

1 c. chicken broth

2 chopped green onions (Yeah, you guessed it.  I left these out.  I just used a little bit of a regular onion instead.)

1 tbsp. grated ginger

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 c. frozen peas (I used edamame because I just love its crunchy texture.)

1 8 oz. can drained pineapple tidbits

1/4 c. chopped cilantro (I didn’t have any on hand, so I didn’t worry about this.)

2 eggs

2 tbsp. soy sauce

Juice of 1/2 lime

1. Place the quinoa in a saucepan over high heat.  Add the milk and broth and bring to a boil.  Once it’s boiling, cover it, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook til all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 15-20 minutes.

2. While the quinoa cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and spray it with Pam.  Add the onions, ginger, and garlic and cook for 1 minute or til fragrant, stirring constantly.  Add the peas, pineapple, and cilantro and cook for 1 more minute.

3.  Create a well in the center of the ingredients.  In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, then pour them in the well.  Continue to whisk vigorously til scrambled, then fold in the outer ingredients.  Add the quinoa, soy sauce, and lime juice and stir to combine.  Cook 1-2 more minutes, or til the quinoa starts to crisp.

Our last recipe is fora rich, dark chocolate ice cream with a salty peanut butter swirl.  It’s amazing, and so rich that I could only eat 2 small scoops at a time.  Oh, but it was so good.  I’m warning you though, the chocolate is REALLY rich.  You just can’t eat a lot without getting sick.  (I couldn’t anyway.)  And I think I’ll double the peanut butter part next time because it was just so amazing.  Here’s the skinny on how to make it.  (And sorry about just one pic; somehow the other’s got blurred, and I didn’t notice while there was still ice cream left to photograph.)

Chocolate and Salty Peanut Butter Ice Cream (from the Joy the Baker cookbook)

For the ice cream:

1 c. sugar

1/3 c. cocoa

1/4 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. cornstarch

2 1/2 c. whole milk

3/4 c. heavy cream

3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips  (My cocoa is really dark, which I usually love.  But in combination with the semi-sweet chocolate chips, I felt it was too much.  If you plan to use dark cocoa, then I’d suggest using milk chocolate chips to balance it out.)

For the peanut butter swirl: (I plan to double this next time.)

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 tbsp. heavy cream

1 pinch salt (I’d suggest a fine salt.  I used kosher and sometimes the peanut butter swirl was a little crunchy.)

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, 1/4 tsp. salt, and cornstarch.  In a medium saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat.  Add the sugar mix and whisk to combine.  Heat til the mix just begins to boil and thickens to a warm pudding consistency.  Remove from the heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer.  Stir in the 3/4 c. cream and the chocolate chips til melted and smooth.  Place plastic wrap on the custard and refrigerate til chilled through.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, 1 tbsp. cream, and pinch of salt.  Cover and set aside (at room temperature).

3. When the custard is completely cooled, churn according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.  When it’s done churning, spoon it into a freezer-friendly container.  Drizzle the peanut butter mix on top and gently swirl it.  (To avoid overworking it, I layered them together then swirled it gently.)  Freeze several hours before serving.

I hope this gets your mouth watering.  Talk to you again soon!

May’s Happenings June 6, 2013

Welcome, one and all.  Let’s catch up on what happened during the marvelous month of May.  Sadly, I don’t have any pictures from last week’s pizza extravaganza.  We had the hubby’s brothers and their girls over last Friday, and we had a mini pizza tasting with four different flavors.  We started with the delicious Thai chicken, moved to a standard pepperoni (with a pizza sauce that I just threw together), a BBQ chicken (with a BBQ sauce that my hubby made up on the spot), and a 3 cheese (ricotta, parmesan, & mozzarella) pesto chicken pizza.  Of course, we were hanging out while they cooked and eating them right when they came out, so no pictures got taken.  Still, they’re flavors that I’d like to revisit, so I can take pictures the next time.

Now does anyone remember when I made frozen banana bites?  They were delicious and fairly good for you, but they also took a little time and effort to make.  While browsing Pinterest, I kept seeing pins about using frozen bananas to make a guilt-free ice cream.  You would get the same great flavor as the banana bites, but with a little less work.  I decided there was no reason not to try it, so I went ahead and tested it (for you, of course).  It comes together really easily and tastes just like the banana bites.  I’m a big fan of peanut butter, so I plan to double the amount next time so that the flavor comes through stronger.  Plus with only 3 fairly healthy ingredients, you can enjoy this frozen treat with no guilt.  Here’s how to make it.

Guilt Free Ice Cream (from Doomestic)

4 peeled, sliced, frozen bananas (The only part you have to think about ahead of time.)

2 tbsp. peanut butter (I plan to double this for extra peanut butter flavor.)

2 tbsp. cocoa

1. Put all your ingredients in a food processor and process them til smooth and blended.  You can serve it right away or put it back in the freezer and enjoy it later.  (It’s a really great cool-down treat after a hard day of work or play.)

A new product that I recently got to try is another option for a refreshing, mostly guilt free treat.  I recently got a coupon to use on some Dreyer’s popsicles.  I was just expecting to get a basic popsicle, but then I spotted their new Outshine Coconut Waters with Pineapple.  Oh my goodness!!!  These combine the wonderful flavors of pineapple and coconut (one of my favorite combos) into a cool, very refreshing frozen treat.  I love the flavor of pina colada (non-alcoholic, of course!) and this definitely has that great taste.  If you can find these on sale, I would definitely suggest you give them a whirl.  (And maybe someday I’ll be able recreate them.)

And since we’re on the subject of desserts, I have to tell you that I found a new obsession: baklava.  I’ve had “baklava” before, but they were all VERY pale imitations of the real thing.  On a recent girl’s day out, two of my best friends and I stopped for a light lunch at a local Turkish grill.  We tried some feta and spinach stuffed pastries, hummus, and baba ganoush.  We ate probably a little too much of their house-made flatbread dipped in olive oil.  And we shared too small a plate of the most delicious baklava.  Theirs is a simple phyllo dough filled with sweetened pistachios, and I think we all could have eaten more than 1 plate on our own.  It’s a little pricey, but definitely worth a splurge every now and then.  Of course, I might just have to learn to make it myself so that I can have more of it.  :D

The new produce that I got to try this month was a root vegetable called jicama.  Though it doesn’t have a lot of flavor (a little bit like a cross between a carrot and a cucumber), it has a great crunchy texture.  It’s also a very cool (as in temperature) vegetable.  It has a thick skin that needs to be peeled off, but afterward it slices very easily.  When I can find it for a good price, I think it will make a great addition to my summer salads and slaws.

With all the sweets that we just discussed, you might feel like you’re going to have a stomach-ache. So I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you my favorite remedy for an upset stomach.  I am a huge fan of ginger and its anti-naseau properties, but stomach-aches don’t always come when you’re at home and can brew some ginger tea.  Luckily, there are a couple of ginger products that you can easily have on hand to quell those feelings.  The first product that I found was a tin of ginger altoids.  These curiously strong mints are hot to taste, but that heat packs some tummy-soothing properties.  Unfortunately, I can no longer find these in my local stores.  (The best places to find these items are Central Market -for Texas residents- and World Market.)  When my altoids ran out and I needed a replacement, I found a group of products made by a company called The Ginger People.  Among their various ginger-ific products, they make a wonderful ginger hard candy.  Like the altoids, these hard candies pack a punch that can soothe a multitude of tummy troubles.

Until next time, here’s hoping your sweet tooth is satiated and your tummy turmoil is taken care of.  Happy Eating!!

P.S.  Happy Anniversary, honey!!!  I love you!

Memorial Day Menu May 30, 2013

Hopefully, you were able to spend a lovely memorial day weekend with your family.  I definitely enjoyed having a day to sleep in and spend some extra time with my hubby.  Since Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer, I thought this would be a great time to share some summer inspired recipes.  I’ve also got last week’s amazing pizza and an upcoming deal to tell you about.

Let’s start with the deal, next Friday (June 7), is National Doughnut Day.  (Don’t you love that there is such a thing?)  You’ll have to check with your favorite local donut shop, but Krispy Kreme sent me an e-mail saying that you can walk in and get a free doughnut.  Sounds tasty!

In a similar vein, last week, we had a breakfast pizza that was extremely delicious. (The idea for this pizza came completely out of my own head.)  First, I browned up some breakfast sausage and pan-fried some bacon.  Then, I used a combination of sausage and bacon drippings to make a pepper gravy.  The pepper gravy went down on the dough first, then I sprinkled on some of McCormick’s Smokehouse Maple seasoning (for a maple syrup flavor without the sweetness).  I then put down some cheddar cheese, crumbled sausage, and chopped bacon.  We also made a couple of sunny-side up eggs which we put on top of our slices.  This was a little harder to eat and distribute than I wanted, so next time I’d pull the pizza out about 5 minutes before it was done, crack a few eggs on top, and let the whole thing finish cooking in the oven.  Still, the runny yolk made the pizza even better than it already was.  My husband LOVED this pizza (so did I), and we will definitely have it again.

 

Now what would summer be without a good burger?  This next one we’ve had several times, and it is always juicy and full of flavor.  The original recipe calls for these burgers to be served like a patty melt, but we usually serve them just like a regular hamburger.  What I really love about these burgers is that the hubby doesn’t mind them being made of ground turkey.  (He’s usually a big beef guy.)  I also like the play on my favorite chip flavor.  Curious yet?  Here they are.

Sour Cream and Onion Turkey Patty Melts (from the Rachael Ray show)

2 tbsp. veggie oil

1 1/2 lb. ground turkey

1/4 c. sour cream

4 chopped scallions (both parts)

2 tbsp. divided butter

8 slices Muenster cheese

8 slices pumpernickel bread

1. Place the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  In a large mixing bowl, mix together the turkey, sour cream, and scallions.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Butter one side each of 4 pieces of bread (using 1 of the tbsp. of butter).

2.  Form 4 thin patties that are each about 1/2 inch thick; add them to the hot pan.  Cook the burgers til golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.  When they’re done, remove them to a plate and wipe the pan clean.

3. When the patties are done cooking, add the remaining tbsp. of butter to the pan and return it to medium heat.  Once the butter is melted, place the 4 unbuttered pieces of bread in the pan.  Top then each with a slice of cheese, the burger, another slice of cheese, and the buttered slice of bread, buttered side up.  Cook the sandwiches in the pan til the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes per side.

Another great aspect of summer is the abundance of fresh produce.  This week, we had an amazing pasta coated in a fresh corn pesto.  I saw this dish a few years ago in an issue of Bon Appetit, and I immediately knew that I would have to make it.  This has such delicious components, it had to be amazing.  There’s smoky bacon, sweet fresh corn, fresh basil (I didn’t have this to use this time, but I hope to for the next time.), and some salty Parmesan.  As good as this was, I did have an idea or two for the next time we make this.  I think some crumbled feta would add a little tartness and creaminess that would be great.  My husband also had the brilliant idea that we should top it with a poached egg.  Hopefully, we can try both next time, though not at the same time.

Tagliatelle with Fresh Corn Pesto  (From the August 2010 issue of Bon Appetit)

4 slices chopped bacon  (I wouldn’t mind a couple more slices for extra smokiness.)

4 c. corn  (I didn’t have quite enough, but I didn’t want to add any frozen corn.  I used the proper amount for the pesto and just used less to mix with the pasta.

1 clove minced garlic

1 1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 c. grated Parmesan

1/3 c. toasted pine nuts (I just substituted walnuts.)

8 oz. tagliatelle (I couldn’t find tagliatelle, so I used fettuccine.  I had enough pesto that next time I would use the whole pound of pasta and make more meals out of it.)

3/4 c. torn basil leaves  (Again, I didn’t have this, but I would’ve loved it.)

1. Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat til crisp and brown, stirring often.  Transfer to a paper-towel covered plate to drain.  Pour off all but 1 tbsp. of the dripping and add in the corn, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Saute the corn over medium-high heat til it’s just tender, but not brown, about 4 minutes.

2. Transfer 1 1/2 c. corn to a small bowl and reserve for later.  (This is where I used less than called for.)  Put the remaining corn in the food processor and add the parmesan and nuts.  With the machine running, add the oil and blend til almost smooth.  Set aside.

3.  Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water til just tender, but still firm to the bite.  Drain, reserving 1 1/2 c. of the cooking water.  Return the pasta to the pot and add the pesto, reserved corn kernels, and 1/2 c. basil leaves.  Toss over medium heat til warmed through, adding the cooking water by the 1/4 cupfuls to thin to the desired consistency, 2-3  minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Before serving, top with the remaining basil and the bacon.

And to finish things off, we have to have dessert.  There’s no dessert more reminiscent of summer than ice cream.  I recently read a wonderful book that had great ideas and flavor combinations of ice cream.  This one was crying out to be made, and it was an amazing way to use up some strawberries.  The finished product is SO creamy and delicious, that I just didn’t want to stop eating it.  I highly suggest you look through the book, and I more strongly suggest that you make this ice cream.  (BTW, none of the ice creams in this book are custard-based, so you don’t have to worry about raw or curdled eggs.)

Roasted Strawberry and Buttermilk Ice Cream (From Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams by Jeni Britton Bauer)

For the strawberry sauce:

1 pint hulled, sliced 1/2 in. thick strawberries

1/3 c. sugar

3 tbsp. lemon juice

For the ice cream:

1 1/2 c. whole milk

2 tbsp. cornstarch

2 oz. softened cream cheese

1/8 tsp. fine sea salt

1 1/4 c. heavy cream

2/3 c. sugar

2 tbsp. light corn syrup

1/4 c. buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In an 8 inch glass dish, gently stir together the strawberries and 1/3 c. sugar.  Roast the strawberries for 8 minutes or til just soft; let cool slightly.

2. Once slightly cooled, puree the berries in the food processor with the lemon juice.  Measure 1/2 c. of the puree for the ice cream and refrigerate or freeze the remaining sauce for another use.  (It’s perfect for strawberry shortcake.)

3. In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp. milk and the cornstarch together to make a smooth slurry.  (This will be your thickening agent.)  In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and salt til smooth.  Fill a large bowl with ice and water.

4. In a 4 quart saucepan, combine the remaining milk, cream, 2/3 c. sugar, and corn syrup.  Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat and boil for 4 min.  Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry.  Bring the mix back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a spatula, til slightly thickened, about 1 minute.  Remove the pan from the heat.

5. Gradually whisk the hot milk mix into the cream cheese til smooth.  Add the 1/2 c. of strawberry puree and buttermilk and blend well.  Pour the mix into a 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag.  Seal the bag and submerge it in your prepared ice bath.  Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, til the mix is cold, about 30 minutes.

6. Once cold, pour the ice cream base into the ice cream maker (You can just snip one corner and squeeze it in.  Very little mess.)  and churn til thick and creamy.  Once churned, pack the ice cream into a storage container, press parchment on the surface, seal, and freeze til firm, at least 4 hours.

Don’t all those recipe look good?  I’m drooling again just thinking of them.   Hopefully that gets your weekend off to a great start.  I’ll talk to you soon!

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Dessert May 25, 2013

How’s your week going?  I am having a great week, full of activities and fellowship with friends.  I’ve also been trying lots of tasty recipes, and I’m so glad that I can finally share some with you.  Four recipes is a lot, but I think you deserve a full post.  Plus these are too tasty to wait any longer.

Let’s start with breakfast.  I’ve mentioned before that my husband doesn’t have a lot of time in the mornings, so I’m always on the lookout for fast, tasty food that I can make for him.  I recently saw a great recipe that fit all my favorite check boxes: it’s easy to make, freezes well, reheats well, tastes good, has decent nutritional values, customizes easily, is quick to fix in the morning, and my husband thinks it’s delicious.

Baked Oatmeal Cups (slightly tweaked from Macaroni and Cheesecake)

2 c. quick-cooking or rolled oats

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c. honey (My hubby’s favorite way to fix oatmeal is maple syrup and cinnamon, so I use maple syrup instead of the honey.)

2 eggs

3/4 c. milk

1/3 c. melted butter

2 tbsp. cinnamon (Added for my hubby.)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees; grease 12 muffin cups and set them aside.  In a large bowl, stir together the oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon (if using it).  Add the honey (or syrup) and stir to combine.  Add the eggs, then pour in the milk and butter.  Mix til fully incorporated; the mix will be very runny.  Add in any extras that you want (chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, etc.) and stir to incorporate them.

2. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full and sprinkle any extra topping on top (if desired).  Bake the oatmeal 25-30 minutes or til the tops and edges are golden brown.  Remove them from the oven and let cool a few minutes in the pan.  Once slightly cooled, run a knife around the outside of each muffin cup and remove the oatmeal from the pan.  These can be served warm or cool.

3. I freeze the muffin cups in a Ziploc bag.  The night before, I’ll put 2 in the fridge to thaw a little.  Then when my husband’s ready for breakfast, I take the thawed oatmeal cups and heat them in the microwave for about a minute.

When I showed you our tasty taco pizza recently, I mentioned that I’d used some chicken from an enchilada filling.  The time has come for me to share that enchilada recipe with you.  These peanut butter mole enchiladas were tasty, but I’ve added a few tweaks to bulk them up a little more.

Peanut Butter Mole Enchiladas (from Pillsbury)

2 10 oz. cans enchilada sauce

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I tried using 1 tbsp. of cocoa instead which was just a bit too bitter.  I think 1/2 tbsp. of cocoa would be perfect.)

1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar-monterey jack

8 flour tortillas (If you’ve read my blog for a while, you know that I used corn instead of flour.)

2 c. cooked chicken breasts

1/4 c. chopped peanuts

1 tsp. lime juice

8 oz. sour cream

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

(Next time, I would add a can of black beans and a can of corn to make the filling go a little farther.)

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees.  In a 2 quart saucepan, cook the enchilada sauce over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, til heated.  Stir in the peanut butter and sugar; cook 1-2 minutes or til the peanut butter is melted.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Add the cinnamon and chocolate and stir til the chocolate is melted.

2. Grease a 9×13 inch pan.  Set aside 1/2 c. of the cheese.  Spoon 1/2 c. of the sauce into the bottom of the dish.  Fill each tortilla with 1/4 c. chicken, 2 tbsp. cheese, and 1 heaping tbsp. of sauce.  (To make things faster, I mixed together the chicken, 1 c. cheese, and 8 tbsp. of sauce, then I just used this mix to fill up the enchiladas.)  Roll up the tortillas and place the enchiladas seam side down in the pan.  Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.

3. Cover the pan with foil and bake 25-30 minutes or til thoroughly heated.  Sprinkle the enchiladas with the reserved 1/2 c. of cheese and bake, uncovered, 2-3 minutes longer or til the cheese is melted.  After removing the enchiladas from the oven, sprinkle the top with the peanuts.  In a small bowl, stir the lime juice into the sour cream.  Pour some over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the cilantro.

Last Friday, we enjoyed an amazing cheesesteak pizza based on this recipe.  I used her method to make a cream sauce though I used only 3/4 c. cream, 4 wedges of Laughing Cow, about 1/4 c. of grated Parmesan, and 2 cloves of minced garlic.  (I spread some on the pizza and used the leftovers the next day to sauce some pasta.)  I then topped the pizza with some sauteed onions, mushrooms, and bell pepper; roast beef, provolone slices, and Italian seasoning.  My husband is a huge fan of Philadelphia cheesesteak sandwiches, so naturally he adored this pizza.  I enjoyed it too, especially the garlicky cream sauce.  I’m sure this would have been even tastier if we’d had some Boursin cheese and real steak.  Nevertheless, we will return to this recipe often.

 

The dessert recipe is one that I made as a little gift for our church’s high school graduates.  This recipe for a peanut butter filled chocolate cookie sounded like something that everyone would like, so I made a double batch.  This was a pretty easy cookie to make (though there are several parts, they’re all pretty easy), and the taste was out of this world.  According to Martha Stewart, each batch should make 2 1/2 dozen cookies.  Somehow, mine turned into gigantic cookies, so they only made about 21 per batch.  Big or little, they have a great peanut butter chocolate taste that we found irresistible.  If you need an impressive, delicious cookie for an upcoming event, keep these in mind.

Peanut-Butter Surprises (lightly adapted from Martha Stewart)

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. Dutch-process cocoa (In my kitchen, I use Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa which is a mix of extra-dark cocoa and Dutch-process cocoa.)

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt (Since I think all baked goods need a little salt to enhance their flavor.)

1/2 c. room temperature butter

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. sugar

1 1/4 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 c. peanut butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, shortening, sugar, and 1 c. brown sugar on medium til light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing til fully combined.  Add the vanilla and beat to combine.  Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix on low til fully combined.  Add the chocolate chips and mix on low just til combined.  Cover and chill til firm, about 1 hour.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and remaining 1/4 c. brown sugar.

4. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.  (I used my 1 1/2 tbsp. cookie scoop.)  Make a thumbprint in the middle of each cookie.  (I used the back of my cookie scoop to make an indent.)  Fill each cookie with about 2 tsp of the peanut butter mix.  (Even with the reduced number of cookies my batch made, this would quickly exhaust the amount of peanut butter I had.  I just put in a small amount that looked right, probably about 1 tsp.)  Top with another tbsp. of flattened dough and mold the dough to cover the peanut butter.  (I divided 1 cookie scoop of dough in half and used that to cover 2 cookies.  The dough is very soft, so I kept chilling it between batches.   Although it’s chilled, you can easily mold and flatten it with the warmth of your hands.)

5. Bake til firm, about 12 minutes, rotating halfway through the time.  Cool on the cookie sheet 5 minutes, then finish cooling on a wire rack.

I hope you’ve gotten your fill of yummy pictures and recipes.  I can’t wait to share more with you as soon as I can.

P.S.  I meant to get this post out on Thursday.  I got through the dinner recipe before I had to stop for an appointment that lasted the rest of the evening.  Then yesterday was too full for me to even think about it.  I wanted to make sure you got a post this week, so I got up early this morning and finished with dessert.  Thanks for your patience!

Short but Sweet May 17, 2013

I planned a longer post this week, but it just isn’t going to work out that way.  Still, I didn’t want to leave you without a post this week.  Our schedules have been different than usual this week, but it’s all been very good.  I’ve made some really great recipes that I can’t wait to share with you, but for this week, we’ll stick with just last week’s pizza night and a refreshing drink for you to enjoy as the weather’s heating up.

Last week’s pizza is going to be a favorite of ours for a long time to come: Thai Chicken Pizza.  I was inspired to make this after reading about it on a favorite food blog: Dainty Chef.  I’ve mentioned it before, but her blog is filled with tasty food that is affordable and approachable.  This pizza just sounded amazing, and I’m so glad we got to it soon.  For our version, we topped the pizza with sweet chili sauce, shredded chicken (cooked of course), zucchini, and mozzarella.  Then, when it came out, we sprinkled on some chopped peanuts, cilantro, and basil and drizzled on some sriracha sauce.  Let me tell you, the flavors were incredible.  It was a little spicy, but very fresh and flavorful.  (In case you’re wondering, I’m not doing recipes for the pizza because it’s all about customization for you and your family.  I don’t measure any of the ingredients, I just put on however much looks good to me.)

We’ve gotten lots of great produce lately, and I am loving the chance to use it in new recipes.  I used 1/2 of a pineapple to whip up 1/2 a batch of this delicious agua fresca (enough for 2 tall glasses).  Agua frescas (Spanish for fresh waters) are refreshing drinks that come in all sorts of delicious flavors.  This one has a yummy, light pineapple taste with just a hint of ginger.  If this recipe is any indication, they are quick to make and perfect for a hot summer day.

Pineapple-Ginger Agua Fresca (from the July 2010 issue of Bon Appetit)

5 c. peeled, cored, cut in 1 in. cubes pineapple

4 c. water

1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp. peeled, grated ginger

1. Puree the pineapple, 1 c. water, and sugar in batches in the blender til smooth.  (Since I was doing a half batch, I just used my immersion blender on all the pineapple, water, and sugar at once.)  Mix in the remaining 3 c. water (if you didn’t already) and ginger.  Cover and chill til cold, about 4 hr.  Strain the liquid into a pitcher, pressing down on the solids (to release as much juice as possible).  If you’d like, you can add more ginger (to taste) and serve it over ice.

  (Hubby didn’t like the floaties, but I didn’t mind them.  They’re just bits of pineapple and ginger.)

Well, that’s all I can say today, but I’ll be back as soon as I can with tons of yummy recipes.  Have a great weekend!

Deal Update, New Tradition, and Yummy Food May 9, 2013

Let’s start with a deal update and some new deals.  Last week, I posted about Haagen-Dazs’s upcoming free cone day.  Since that post they’ve released some information about the time.  It will be held from 4-8 PM, so if there’s a scoop shop near you, I hope you get to stop by.  I’ve also heard about another deal involving cold and creamy treats.  Sonic has brought back their summer of shakes deal: after 8 PM, shakes are half off. They’ve also brought back 99 cent snacks during their regular happy hour (2-4 PM).  Apparently they’re trying to fatten us all up for the winter.  

In case you didn’t already know, my husband is wildly crazy about pizza.  Though I’m content to have it once every few months, he would happily eat it a few times a week.  He’ll also take it any way he can get it: frozen, take-out, gourmet, or homemade.  I’m not a fan of frozen, ok with take-out and gourmet, but usually very excited about homemade.  For whatever reason, it’s taken me this long to realize that we should have a weekly pizza night.  I’ve been seeing lots of different pizza flavors across the blogosphere, and thought it would be fun to do our own take on some of them.  My bread-maker will make enough dough for 2 pizzas in about an hour and a half, so if we’re not having friends over, I can just freeze half of the dough for the next week.  Then I just have to flatten it, top it, and let it cook for about 20 minutes.  We started this past week, and I was very pleased with the results.  It was an easy dinner, and the hubby was very pleased.  This past week, we did a taco pizza.  Once the dough was in the right shape, I topped it with salsa (for sauce), cheddar (Mexican blend cheese would’ve been great, but we just had cheddar.), black beans, corn, hot sauce, some mole chicken (from a recipe that you’ll hear about eventually), and more cheddar.  When it came out of the oven, I sprinkled it with some diced avocado and let it sit for a few minutes.  When it was just a little cooler, we cut it and dug in.  For our first foray into pizza night, I’d say it was a big success.  Our bellies got happily full, the hubby’s pizza craving was taken care of (for now), and I didn’t have to do much work for dinner.  What more can you ask for?

 

As for this week’s yummy food, I’ve got so much to share I wasn’t sure where to start.  I finally decided to give you the recipes for a tasty breakfast, a frozen treat, and a seasonal cookie.

Let’s start with a tasty breakfast treat.  I’m sure you’ve noticed that I love pancakes, and I LOVE peanut butter, so it was only a matter of time before I put them together.  These pancakes are really tasty, though a little on the dry side.  The first time I had them, I smeared them with my favorite strawberry jelly.  Because  of how dry they were and the fact that there’s not much sugar in them, they responded better to being doused in syrup.  If I’d had strawberries on hand when I made these, I would’ve made my favorite strawberry sauce which would’ve been the best of both worlds.

Peanut Butter Pancakes (from the March 2000 Cooking Light)

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

6 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. chunky peanut butter (I only had creamy on hand, but it still worked out very well.)

1 tbsp. veggie oil

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 lightly beaten eggs

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir til smooth.

2.  Spoon the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot griddle and cook til brown on both sides.

My frozen treat was another test for the Meyer lemons I had on hand.  Though I liked the flavor, I would like it just as much with regular lemons.   These come together quickly and are great to have on hand as the weather gets warmer.  This is one of the few recipes that I’m not sure where I found it; if you know where it comes from, please let me know so I can properly credit it.

Creamy Lemon Popsicles (source unknown)

1/2 c. lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon (My zest was in short, thin strips, but I really didn’t like the feeling of it when eating the popsicle.  Next time I’ll either make sure it grates into even smaller pieces, or I’ll pulse it with the sugar in a food processor so that both will mix better with the other ingredients.)

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. whipping cream

1/3 c. sugar

1. Mix all the ingredients together til the sugar dissolves.  Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.  (I got 4 popsicles, but it will just depend on the size of your molds.)

 

My last treat for today is a cookie recipe that will help you dispose of some of those yummy strawberries hiding out in your fridge.  They are the delicious and incredibly moist strawberry-shortcake cookies.  These are very similar to the peach drop cookies I made last year.  They have a great strawberry flavor and are incredibly moist (If you have some that are going to be eaten the next day, it’s probably best to leave them out in the air; otherwise they get really soft and almost mushy.), though I thought they needed more sugar.  (I think it’s because my strawberries weren’t very sweet.)  I fixed that by topping mine with a simple confectioner’s sugar glaze.  Although I wanted them sweeter, my husband ate them without any complaints and one of his co-workers also happily devoured them sans glaze.  I’d say leave them as is and make a glaze on the side for those who are craving a sweeter taste.  These are really a cross between a cookie and a shortcake; even the way they’re made is similar to biscuits.

Strawberry-Shortcake Cookies (From the June 2009 issue of Martha Stewart Living)

12 oz. hulled, diced strawberries

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 c. + 1 tbsp. sugar

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

6 tbsp. cold, diced butter

2/3 c. heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine the strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tbsp. sugar.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar (about 7 tbsp.).  Cut in the butter til the mix resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in the cream til the dough starts to come together, then stir in the strawberry mix.

2. Using a tbsp. drop the dough onto parchment lined baking sheets.  (I used my cookie scoop and only got 2 dozen cookies.)  Sprinkle the cookies with some extra sugar (if desired) and bake til golden brown, 24-25 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

I hope you’ve been having a good week.  Mine’s been a little crazy, but good.  Stay cool and come back soon for more delicious treats.

April’s Adventures May 2, 2013

I look forward to these posts all month long.  I love posting about yummy food and working on my photography skills, but since I save up these tidbits for so long, by the time I get to share them, I’m fairly bursting with excitement.  As I go about my regular schedule, I’m trying to remember things I love that I haven’t yet gotten around to sharing with you.  Some of those will definitely be in today’s post.  First up, though, are some recent deals that you may not have heard of.

Haagen-Dazs has announced that May 14 is going to be their free cone day.  They haven’t said if there’s a time period, but I’m sure you could contact your local shop for more information.

Also, Starbucks is kicking off summer by bringing back their Frappuccino Happy Hour.  From 5/3-5/12 from 3-5 PM, you can get frappuccinos for half off (yay!).  We’ve had a couple hot days recently (although we’ve also had hail and chilly temps), so I hope we’ll have more warm weather that will give me a reason to cool off with a frappe.  I’m also really hoping that they bring the coconut frappes back soon, since they’re my hands-down favorites.

One of my new/old favorite things is shopping at Old Navy.  Of course, lots of people shop there during high school and college, and until recently, the last time I’d been probably was in college.  A couple of months ago, my best friend and I wandered in to browse while we waited for another shop to open.  I was very surprised by what we found.  Old Navy has really done a makeover on their image.  Though they still carry great stuff for teens and young adults, there are also casual options for those of us who aren’t so young anymore. (I got a shirt similar to this on sale for less than $10.) They’ve also added some really chic and affordable jewelry.  If you’re looking for casual clothes and fun accessories, then you’ll definitely want to keep them in mind.  (Oh, and they have frequent sales and lots of clearance.)

Another great place for chic, cheap, and fun items is everyone’s favorite store: Target.  Besides being filled with fun, stylish items at great prices, I absolutely adore Target’s dollar section.  Though other stores are trying to copy this, Target’s is the best.  Obviously, not everything is great quality, but you can get some great finds.  Over the years, I’ve gotten plates, measuring cups and spoons, and organizational items, and a lot more that I can’t remember right now.  You can also find good deals on food (chocolate-filled panda cookies), gift wrapping items (gift wrap, cellophane bags, ribbons, etc.), kid’s toys (That can be used for prizes or party favors, and you won’t feel bad if they get lost or broken.), note pads, cards (blank and thank-yous), holiday decor, and so many other things.  Though you won’t always find something, it’s always worth a look (at least in my book).

Now, this past month’s new produce to try was Meyer lemon.  I used them in different recipes, tasted them plain, and finally got a good handle on their flavor.  Surprisingly, I prefer regular lemons to Meyers.  Though Meyer lemons aren’t quite as tart as a regular lemon, they have a more floral or perfume-y smell and taste that isn’t my first choice.  It’s nice, but I prefer the tart, bright zing from a plain lemon.

Now, I haven’t done quite as well on my goal of trying new foods.  I wanted to focus on grains, but I’ve run into a problem.  For the most part, it’s warm outside now, and I just don’t feel like hot cereal.  If you’ve got any idea about other types of new food that I could try for not too much money, I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Another new thing that I’ve gotten to try is a new card game called Quao (cow).  I got this for the hubby for his birthday, and we had a hilarious time playing it with our friends.  It’s somewhat similar to Quelf, but different enough that it wouldn’t be redundant to have both in your arsenal.  The point of the game is that Quao is the supreme dictator, and everyone must obey her rules – even if they don’t know what they are.  You”ll play 4 rounds with a (potentially) different quao each time.  The person playing the quao is responsible for enforcing the rules (known and unknown) and is the only person who gets to know what the secret rule is.  Each player is trying to discard all their cards, which may result in you saying silly things or acting out a little (hence the similarities to Quelf).  The other Quelf similarity is having rules that you follow or risk incurring a penalty of picking up more cards.  If you want a hilarious time with your friends, check it out!

The last thing I wanted to share was my most recent, successful craft project: I turned a bar of soap into a gallon of liquid hand soap!  I followed this awesome tutorial, and it turned out great, even though I made some big mistakes.  (I had a 7 oz. bar, not 8 oz., yet I still poured in a gallon of water.  I also misread the amount of glycerin needed, so I put in 2 tsp., not 2 tbsp.)  Obviously, it’s pretty hard to mess this up.  In case you’re wondering, my new hand soap smells like orange and honey.

I hope you’re having a great week.  Stop by and let me know some of your old and new favorite things.