White-Chocolate Spiced-Pumpkin Cheesecake

I love this twist on a delightful dessert. The white chocolate marries so well with the flavors of pumpkin and cream cheese. It's not the first time I've put white chocolate into a cheesecake, and I dare say it won't be the last. Also, another little perk to this cheesecake is that it only uses one package of cream cheese, which cuts down on the typical cheesecake-fat-content. Furthermore, the one and a half cups of pumpkin puree is very good for you. Enjoy!

Ingredient:
Crust:
12 graham crackers
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Filling:
1 8oz. package cream cheese
3 eggs
4oz. white chocolate
1 1/2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions:
In a food processor, process crackers, cinnamon, brown sugar, and melted butter until the mixture forms a fine grain. Press into a prepared cheesecake pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt white chocolate in a double boiler until just melted; stir and set aside. In a large bowl, cream 8oz cream cheese with sugars; add eggs, pumpkin puree, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, white chocolate; mix well. Pour filling into prepared crust; bake 45 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; chill for at least 1 hour.

Double-Chocolate, Sneaky-Mom Cookies

I'm currently lacking a picture of this tasty creation because they were eaten before the photo shoot could take place, but I really want to get this recipe on here before I mislay the sheet of paper I scibbled it down on. I've lost more than one recipe in this manner...

Here it goes!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup flax
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and shortening; add sugars, cocoa and beat. Beat in flour, flax, oats, salt, baking soda and egg. Stir in vanilla and chocolate chips. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of batter 2 inches apart on baking sheet and bake 12 to 14 minutes.

When life hands you ripe bananas...

That's right, make chocolate chip banana bread. Now, this is not banana nut bread. Actually, I think of it more as a sheet cake, since I baked mine in a 9x13 inch pan. However, you could certainly bake this recipe in a loaf pan. Anyway, I used some rolled oats and flax in this recipe, which are two things I just love, love, love using. This recipe was a big hit at home, so I hope you enjoy it!

PS
If you guessed that was Nutella that I added as a little garnish in the picture, you guessed right. And, obviously, the green stuff is mint.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup milled flax
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 crushed, ripe bananas
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars; add eggs; beat well. Add flour, rolled oats, flax, soda, powder, cinnamon; beat well. Beat in ripe bananas; stir in chocolate chips. Transfer to prepared baking dish and bake about 30 minutes.

Oh, Blondie!

Wow! I have been neglecting this blog for a really, really long time. So, I think I'll get back into the swing of things by posting this new blondie recipe that I recently concocted.

For a while now, the blondies I had been making (and had posted about previously) were my husband's favorite, but this new and improved recipe now reigns supreme. What makes them superior? For starters, they're bigger, so you have more to sink your teeth into. They're still just as moist and chewy as ever, but having more blondie per bite is just heavenly. Also, more brown sugar versus granulated sugar has resulted in an even more fabulous flavor. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup shortening (room temp)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Icing Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter (softened)
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 to 4 tablespoons milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 13x9 inch baking pan.
Cream butter and shortening; beat in sugars until fluffy; add egg; beat well.
Combine flour, soda, powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Stir in vanilla; stir in chocolate chips. Spread in baking pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, make icing. Beat butter and gradually add powdered sugar and milk, alternating the two as you go. Beat in vanilla. Spread over cooled, baked blondies. Or... if you're like me, spread the icing over the blondies while they're still warm and dig right in.

Chocolate Chip and Rolled Oat Cookies

It seems like I'm always playing with cookie recipes involving the use of rolled oats. But this recipe seems a lot more like a traditional chocolate chip cookie. Only, I think it's a little better because rolled oats give a cookie such great chewy texture.

Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup milled flax
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine oats, flour, sugars, baking soda and baking powder. Add butter, vanilla and egg; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll 1 to 2 tablespoons of dough into balls, placed on baking sheets,and bake for 11 to 13 minutes.

Chi-town Inspired, Deep Dish Pizza

Back in 2007, my husband and I (along with my mother and oldest son, who was still an only child at the time) went to Chicago for my cousin's wedding. Foodies that we are, we had to indulge in some of the famous local cuisine. We had the most amazing deep dish pizza at Pizzeria Due. They had Sam Adam's Summer Ale on draft. It was really a spectacular lunch, followed up with a trip to The Field Museum, a place I had not been to since I was probably ten-years-old.

But enough about the trip! The pizza was amazing (like I already said), but there was something about the crust that seemed different. It was almost like there was some cornmeal in it. It's been a few years since I've eaten it, so maybe some of this is just imagined, but I thought that if I made a pie crust using some cornmeal, I might be able to replicate the flavor. That's what I did, and I made it like a butter pastry crust, not a yeast-dough crust. My husband and I loved it! Here's what I did...

For the 9in crust:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup ice water

Filling:
6 to 8oz cooked sausage
1 sliced, sauteed onion
2 cups pizza cheese, a mozzarella and provolone mix
Sauce:
1 can diced, herbed tomatoes, slightly drained
1 small can tomato paste

Directions:
Make the pie crust and refrigerate at least an hour before use. In a food processor, combine cornmeal, flour and salt; pulse to mix. Then, add cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a crumble. Slowly add ice water while pulsing. It will only take about half a minute. Turn the dough out onto plastic wrap and work into a flat disk, wrap and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out dough and place in a 9in round, deep baking pan. Layer the filling and sauce. Start with a thin layer of cheese, followed by toppings and sauce. Repeat until the pan is full. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Note: You can use any sort of toppings or pizza sauce that you prefer.

Easy Horchata Ice Cream (And Easy Horchata)

My husband and I recently became fans of horchata, the delightful agua fresca that I blogged about in April. I was thinking that horchata would make a perfect ice cream flavor; however, I did not want to take the wonderful homemade beverage and use it as anything other than a delicious drink. Instead, I decided to make an easy, semi-homemade horchata, which I would have no qualms about putting into an ice cream.

Easy Horchata: (note: rice milk and almond milk can be found in cartons in the cereal section of the super market.)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups rice milk
1 1/2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a pitcher and refrigerate.

Easy Horchata Ice Cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup easy horchata

Directions:
Combine whipping cream and sugar in a large bowl; beat until stiff peaks form. Blend in easy horchata and place in a freezable container; keep in the freezer and serve once frozen to desired firmness.
Makes about 32oz.

Elegant Quiche

Well, I guess if I had wanted it to be really elegant, I should have used shallots instead of onions. But honestly, isn't a homemade quiche always elegant? Yet, it's also a comfort food, which makes it a creature of complexity. The name in itself bears an impressive aura, but it's really easy to make. It's as comforting as a cheesy casserole, but it's appearance is more sophisticated. In a word, quiche is simply... quiche!

Ingredients:
For the 9-inch crust:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup ice water

For the filling:
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups spinach
1 cup blue cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
Dash black pepper

Directions:
Make the pie crust and refrigerate at least an hour before before use. In a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse to mix. Then, add cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a crumble. Slowly add ice water while pulsing. It will only take about half a minute. Turn the dough out onto plastic wrap and work into a flat disk, wrap and refrigerate.

After dough had chilled for at least one hour, preheat oven to 350 degrees and roll crust out and fit to a 9-inch pie pan.
Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove from skillet and set aside on a paper towel. Crumble. Saute onion is bacon drippings. Once the onions have become tender, add mushrooms. Once mushrooms are tender, add spinach to the skillet and cook down.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine cheeses, sun dried tomatoes and flour. In a large bowl, beat eggs slightly and add heavy cream; mix well. Add in cheese mixture, ingredients from skillet, bacon and dash of black pepper; mix well. Pour into prepared crust-lined pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until knife comes out clean after being inserted in the middle. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

I've already made two batches of these cookies this week, and there is not a single cookie to been seen in this house. My family attacked them like ravenous beasts, and I was quite pleased because... are you ready for this? I did a sneaky-mommy trick and put flax into these cookies that already had 1 1/2 cups of rolled oats. Now, I'm not about to say that these cookies are for health nuts (they still have a cup of sugar in them, in addition to a stick of butter), but they really aren't that bad for you, as far as cookies go. Also, it's hard to argue with getting healthy grains in a delicious way. These cookies are moist and chewy and perfect in every way a cookie should be. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup milled flax
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup Ghirardelli 60% cocoa unsweetened chocolate chips
1/2 cup shelled chopped pecans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir until dry ingredients are moist. Roll balls of dough about the size of two tablespoons and place on cookie sheets. Bake for about 11 minutes.

Tropical Shrimp Salad on Spinach

Lately, all I've been craving (and mostly making) are light dishes that feel perfect for warm spring weather. This tropical shrimp salad really hit the spot. I used baby-sized rock shrimp, but if you want something bigger, I'm sure that would work just as well. My husband ate his salad sans the spinach, which is really just as good. However, I preferred having mine on greens because I was able to use more of the delightful citrus dressing that went with the salad. Also, I'd like to note that my dressing ingredients are approximations. Play with it a little to get the desired taste.

Ingredients:
For the salad:
1 lb shrimp
1 orange
salt and pepper
olive oil

1 mango, pealed and chopped
1 avocado, pealed and chopped
1/2 tomato, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 can pineapple chunks
2 to 3 tablespoons cilantro
1 bag spinach

For the dressing:
juice of 3 limes
juice of 2 oranges
juice of from canned pineapple
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons salad oil

Directions:
In a large sauce pan coated with olive oil, cook shrimp that has been salted, peppered, and tossed in the juice of one orange. Cook on medium high heat for about 4 or 5 minutes, just until cooked. Remove from pan and cool in the refrigerator. In a large bowl, combine cooled shrimp and the rest of the salad ingredients.

In a small bowl whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour some of the dressing over the salad and toss. Reserve the rest of the dressing for individual salads served on spinach.

Baby Banana Buttermilk Pancakes

Nothing special here, just delightful simplicity. I have so many recipes that I need to share with you, but I've been somewhat preoccupied as of late. For now, I'll share this altogether wonderful breakfast delight. The one slight twist on these pancakes is that they are were cooked in a little more vegetable oil than usual, which gave then a really nice fried exterior. I think I'll make my pancakes like this from now on. Here in the South, we really love our fried food.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup oil
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 to 5 baby bananas, sliced; or 1 large banana, sliced

Directions:
Heat griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
In a large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in buttermilk and oil, add remaining dry ingredient and stir.
Pour a couple tablespoons of oil onto griddle or skillet. Pour a 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto griddle or skillet once the oil is hot. Place banana slices on the pancake before the edges begin to brown. After about two minutes, once edges look cooked and bubble break the surface, turn pancakes and cook until golden brown.

Horchata

A quick google search will lead you to discover that horchata has Moorish origins. The Moors gave it to the Spaniards, who gave it to the Aztecs; and now, you can enjoy this agua fresca at authentic Mexican restaurants.

But I'll be honest, it was not a genuine quest for food knowledge that allowed me to stumble upon this refreshing treat. I was inspired to look up the recipe because of a song -- a song entitled "Horchata," which was written by a band that I had the very great pleasure of seeing last night at the House of Blues here in New Orleans. The band is called Vampire Weekend, but don't be misled by the name. There is nothing gothic, heavy metal, or the like about this band. I can definitely hear some Paul Simon influence in their music, and they are more likely to sport a bow tie and sweater vest than a grungy t-shirt and black nail polish.

Now for the recipe, I looked up several with slight variations in them. Some recipes called for the use of milk; but, as the beverage is traditionally lactose-free, I skipped the milk. I like the consistency of the beverage as it is, and it has a rather milky appearance and texture without the addition of milk. Here's what I put together:

Ingredients:
1/3 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup white long-grain rice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups hot water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cold water

Directions:
In your blender, grind rice and almonds to as fine a texture as possible. Add cinnamon, and pulse to mix. Add 3 cups hot water and let stand at room temperature for at least 3 to 4 hours. (Some recipes suggest letting it soak overnight.) During this time, I occasionally gave the blender a little pulse to keep everything mixed up. After sitting for the appointed time, pour the mixture through a strainer, catching all the liquid in a large bowl or pitcher. Then, stir in sugar and cold water. Chill in the refrigerator. Then, serve in glasses over ice.

Bird Nests: A Holy Week Treat

My mother-in-law passed this recipe along to me, and she found it on another blog: http://www.ponderedinmyheart.typepad.com/ -- the creation of a Catholic homeschooling mother of seven. If there are any other homeschoolers out there, this would be a nice blog to check out!

These fun treats are increadibly easy and redicusouly delicious. My kids (well, at least my five-year-old) were able to help me make them (my two-year-old mostly snacked on the extra chocolate chips).

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
4 cups miniature marshmallows
4 cups chrunchy chow mein noodles (found in the international foods isle)
1 package milk chocolate or malted candy eggs or jelly beans.

Directions:
In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips; microwave until melted, 1.5 to 2 minutes. Add marshmellows to the melted mixture and heat and microwave about 30 seconds more, or until marshmellows are melted. Stir until blended; then, mix in chow mein noodles. Butter hands and shape mixture into small nests; set them on wax paper and add candy eggs. Allow them to cool and set. They will be less sticky once set.

Hooray! An Award!

I intended to post this a few days ago, but I was experiencing technical difficulties. My computer was full of junk and not running so well. I have to say thanks to Ashleigh over at http://ashispregnant.blogspot.com/ for this stupendous honor.



Here's the link to the award:
http://thehusaileybunch.com/you-have-received-the-stiletto-award/

The Rules:
1. Display your badge with pride!
2. Brag about it! Write a post and share the link.
3. Say thanks! Display a link to the friend who nominated you.
4. Do what you do! Keep on blogging and inspiring others.


The blogs I'm passing this award along to (and I think some may have already received this award) are:

http://moogieland.blogspot.com/for always making my mouth water with every delicious post.
http://victoriapitkin.blogspot.com/for her delightfully gourmet homemade dishes.
http://arecipeforaperture.blogspot.com/despite her recent inability to post due to country hopping, she still has a wonderful blog.
http://cookathome2010.blogspot.com/because it takes true ambition to commit to cooking at home for 365 days.
http://exclamatoryscone.blogspot.com/despite the fact that he is not a female, I would like to pass this award along to him for his wit and ability to find humor in the feudal system.

Camping Food, Part II: Three-Bean Salad

This salad has been a big hit in our house ever since we came across it in Gourmet Magazine in 2007. We recently took it with us on a camping trip, and it was a big hit!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 cups thinly sliced celery
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Cook edamame in a saucepan of boiling salted water uncovered for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
Heat oil in a small heavy skillet over moderately low heat until hot but not smoking, then cook cumin, stirring until fragrant and a shade darker, about 30 seconds.
Pour cumin into a large bowl, add edamame and remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes for flavors to blend.
(Note: The last time we made this salad, we skipped cooking the cumin, and it was still just a tasty.)

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Pizza on a Sweet Potato Crust

Savory sweet potatoes sauteed with chorizo and onions make this pizza unique and gourmet, but it's really just as easy as making any homemade pizza. My one word of caution is that you keep plenty of flour handy for working with this dough because it can be a bit sticky. I was so tickled that this pizza turned out to taste just as I hoped it would. Don't you love successful experiments? The tomato slices add a nice fresh and juicy element, which really complimented the savory flavor of the cooked sweet potatoes.

Ingredients:
For the dough:
1 medium sweet potato, boiled and mashed
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading and handling
1 teaspoon salt
1 package highly active dry yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, optional

For the toppings:
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
8 oz chorizo, uncased
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup white wine
1 medium to large tomato sliced about 1/4 inch thick
4 green onions sliced
4 cups shredded mozzarella/provolone mixed
5 tablespoons tomato based pizza sauce

Directions:
For the dough:
Boil and smash one medium peeled sweet potato and set aside. In a small bowl, combine warm water, tablespoon of olive oil, teaspoon of sugar, and yeast; allow about 3 to 5 minutes to sit, or until mixture becomes foamy. Meanwhile, whisk flour and salt in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture and mashed sweet potato to flour and stir until well incorporated and dough forms. Turn dough out onto a clean floured surface and knead until the dough becomes elastic and rounded. When you push it down with a figure, it should bounce back. Place dough in a large bowl coast with olive oil, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1.5 hours. After dough has risen, punch down, knead into a ball, and wrap up tightly. Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator about half an hour before rolling out and baking. Dough can be made a day ahead of time and kept refrigerated.
For the pizza:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Before rolling out the dough, knead in fresh herbs like rosemary, if desired. Using a floured pizza roller or rolling pin, roll out dough on a large cookie sheet or large pizza pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 425 before topping. This method prevents a soggy crust.
Meanwhile, in a large sauce pan on medium/high heat, cook chorizo and add sweet potatoes to the pan to saute. If the pan becomes too dry, add white wine as needed to deglaze. Once the sweet potatoes have tenderized, add the chopped onions and cook until they have become fork tender and translucent. Add white wine as needed; be sure to cook the wine down all the way before using the topping. Once this is complete, spoon pizza sauce on the the partially baked crust. Top with cooked chorizo and sweet potato mixture. Then, lay sliced tomatoes on top, followed by a sprinkling of green onion sliced and finally topped with cheese.
Bake for approximated 20 minutes more or until the cheese is completely melted and begins to form browned spots.

Camping Food, Part I: Caramel Guinness Brownies

In New Orleans, the St. Patty's Day festivities began this weekend, but we skipped the parade and went camping with some friends. In keeping with this week's Irish theme, I decided to make some brownies with Guinness. I found various recipes using stout beers in baking with chocolate, but I decided to adapt my own. I thought it would be nice to add some homemade caramel to the brownies to complement the coffee flavors of Guinness. Also, I thought that these brownies would most likely have a very deep chocolate flavor which would be benefited by a sweet, delicate cocoa icing. Also, if you don't want to take the extra step to make the caramel you don't necessarily have to--these brownies are perfectly decadent without that addition.

For the caramel:
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cream of tartar, and 1/2 cup of water. Cook over high heat without stirring until sugar begins to melt and edges turn golden. Swirl the pan to cover evenly, and continue cooking until the sugar turns golden amber. Wear oven mitts (sugar will be extremely hot and may splatter) while carefully pouring the heavy cream down the side of the pan, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until combined. Transfer to a medium bowl to cool.
(Note: This caramel with be very thick and chewy. For a thinner caramel, use more cream.)

For the brownies:
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 stick butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
4 oz. white chocolate
4 oz. semi sweet chocolate
11.5 oz. milk chocolate chips
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
12 oz Guinness extra stout, room temperature

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour and cocoa. In a double boiler melt butter, unsweetened chocolate, white chocolate, and semi sweet chocolate; whisk together until smooth. In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until fluffy. Whisk melted chocolate and Guinness into four/cocoa mixture. Then, mix in egg/sugar mixture. Stir in milk chocolate chips. Spoon half the batter into the prepare pan, being sure to get about half the chocolate chips. Dollop about 5 tablespoons of caramel on different spots on the batter in the pan, streaking the caramel so that there will be just a touch of caramel per brownie. You will only use about half of the prepared caramel (the rest would be nice with apples!). Pour the remaining brownie batter in the pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Icing:
Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter, softened

Directions:
Beat all ingredients together in a small bowl and spread over warm brownies.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Oat Protein Bars

These bars are very similar to my Chewy Chocolate Oatmeal Protein Bars; however, the addition of peanut butter and cinnamon add moisture and an extra flavor zing. I'm still playing with ingredients for healthy bars that will make for good running fuel. The first batch gave me plenty of energy for a five mile run. I was definitely happy with those results. Even if you're not running, I still think these bars are great for getting extra protein and Omega 3 in a tasty way!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup textured vegetable protein, rehydrated with 1 cup water
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup flax
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 12oz package semi sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13x9 inch baking pan.
In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup textured vegetable protein and 1 cup water; cook on medium heat until TVP absorbs all the water.
Meanwhile, combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl; mix well. I suggest using a stiff wooden spoon. Add TVP once it is ready. Make sure all dry ingredients are moistened. Press dough into baking pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes.

Savory Peanut Butter Chicken Over Lo Mein

This Thai inspired dish was a delightful dinner with fresh vegetable toppings. It was a big hit with all the boys in my family, from daddy on down to my two-year-old. The sauce was thick, but if you prefer one that is thinner, chicken stock could be added.

Ingredients:
For the sauce:
8 cloves garlic, diced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sriracha chili sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons coconut milk

For the chicken:
1.5 lbs skinless chicken thigh fillets
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Seasonings:
salt
black pepper
ginger
chili powder
garlic powder
ground mustard
cumin

noodles:
1 8oz package lo mein noodles

toppings:
wedges of lime
cilantro, chopped
green onion, sliced
carrots, thinly sliced and chopped
red onion, thinly sliced
fresh tomato, diced

Directions:
In a small saucepan, heat 1 Tb vegetable oil and 1 tsp sesame oil. Cook garlic in heated oil, then add remaining sauce ingredients; mix well. Sauce will bubble and thicken. Remove from heat.
In a large saucepan, heat 1 Tb vegetable oil and 1 tsp sesame oil. Coat chicken in seasonings listed above, then sear in a hot vegetable/sesame oil mixture. Once chick in seared, pour peanut sauce over chicken. Turn chicken to ensure it is well coated.
Meanwhile, cook lo mein in a pot of boiling water.
Once lo mein is cooked, plate noodles and top with peanut butter chicken and fresh toppings.

Cocoa Buttermilk Pancakes

Funny story... actually, not that funny. But, incidentally, my dog is named Cocoa Butter Milk Bulmanski. She's a little French Bulldog. A cute dog, but in the dog house today for nearly destroying one of my new rose bushes. Anyway, I decided to make a little change to my standard buttermilk pancakes this morning in order to celebrate the final chapter of Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, which we've been reading the past few weeks at breakfast time. I also added a cup of frozen raspberries to the pancakes, but my boys were not big fans of the raspberries. I guess next time I'll just omit the berries.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Heat griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in buttermilk and butter. Add all remaining ingredients; stir just until large lumps disappear.
Lightly grease griddle, and pour 1/4 cup of batter onto hot griddle. Cook until edges look cooked and bubble begin to pop up on the surface; flip pancake and cook until done on both sides. Each side only takes a couple of minutes.

Chewy Chocolate Oatmeal Protein Bars

Rolled oats! Milled flax! Textured vegetable protein! Whole wheat flour! You can barely contain yourself, right??? Don't you just love the taste of flax and TVP??? Alright, in all seriousness, these bars are pretty tasty. And I have not gone over to the dark side; I very much still love baked goods that provide only one sort of benefit--mental health! I made up this recipe because next month my husband and I are running in the Crescent City Classic, so we thought it would be nice to have some homemade energy boosters. They really are quite tasty (thanks to semi sweet chocolate) and packed with protein and Omega 3. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup milled flax
1/2 cup high protein TVP (textured vegetable protein), rehydrated with 1 cup of water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 package (12 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:
Grease 9x13 inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a microwave safe bowl, rehydrate 1/2 cup TVP with 1 cup of water. Be sure that the bowl is covered tightly, or it will boil over. Microwave on high for about 5 minutes, then let set for 5 to 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and TVP; mix well. Lastly, add melted butter, eggs and vanilla. Stir contents of bowl until all dry ingredients are wet. The warmth from the TVP and butter will cause the chocolate chips to partially melt.
Press batter into baking pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes.

Pollo con Chorizo y Frijoles Negros Caliente

I served this spicy chicken mixture as tacos, but it would be nice over rice or as a quesadilla. The cilantro lime sauce added the perfect cooling effect, but with more flavor than just using sour cream.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 lbs. chicken thighs
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp red pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 lb chorizo, casing free
1 medium onion, chopped
1/5 green bell pepper, chopped
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
2 chipotle peppers, diced
15.5 oz can black beans, drained
1 tsp cornstarch mix with approx. 1 tablespoon water

Directions:
Poach chicken thighs in a large pot of water with spices until fully cooked, about 15minutes of cook time per pound. Remove from pot once cook and set aside until cool enough to remove skin and bones.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan begin cooking chorizo. Once the chorizo has cooked and emits grease, add chopped onion and bell pepper and cook until tender. Add a cup on stock to deglaze the pan. Add diced tomatoes and deboned chicken to pan. Stir in chipotles and drained black beans. Then stir in cornstarch mixture to thicken sauce.

Cilantro Lime Sauce:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain low fat yogurt
2 tablespoons mayo
zest and juice of 1/2 a large lime
1 to 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Directions:
Combine yogurt, mayo, zest, juice and cilantro; mix well.

Spoon chicken onto tortillas and top with shredded cheese, greens, fresh chopped onions, cilantro lime sauce and whatever else you may desire.

Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothie

This smoothie is more tart than sweet. I also use frozen fruit, as opposed to any ice; I find ice to only water down the flavor. I like to liquefy my smoothies to ensure they can be sipped easily through straws by little mouths.

Ingredients:
2 cups frozen blueberries
1 cup blueberry pomegranate juice
1 cup plain low fat yogurt
1 small banana, sliced

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in the blender, cover, and liquefy until smooth.

Enjoy a healthy treat!

Bacon, Shrimp & Goat Cheese Won Ton Ravioli

The only credit I can take for this dish is suggesting the goat cheese and being my husband's sous-chef. He needed an extra set of hands to make the wrapper-filling process go faster. We consumed half of the ravioli yielded from this recipe, so I guess it serves four adults. We had roasted asparagus on the side, but that was only because my eldest son requested it. The ravioli alone was enough to fill our bellies.
(Note: The shrimp were only given a slight chop in order to preserve the texture. I don't like the idea of putting the shrimp in a food processor because you lose so much of the shrimp's texture-based appeal.)

Ingredients:
Filling
3/4 lb shrimp, roughly chopped
3/4 cup mozzarella-provolone shredded cheese mix
1 (4oz.) container of goat cheese
1/4 cup chopped pasta herbs (fresh oregano, thyme and basil)
4 sun dried tomato halves, sliced
3 strips bacon, crispy and crumbled
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp red pepper

1 package won ton wrappers

Sauce
2 tsp bacon grease
1 shallot, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup seafood stock
2 to 3 sun dried tomato halves, sliced
1/4 cup cream
1/2 tsp black pepper

Finishing Touches
1 fresh roma tomato, diced
chopped pasta herbs
crumbled bacon

Directions:
Cook bacon 4 to 5 strips bacon until crispy. In a medium bowl, combine raw chopped shrimp, cheeses, herbs, sun dried tomatoes, crumbled bacon, salt, pepper, garlic powder and red pepper; mix well. Lay out won ton wrappers for filling, use two wrappers per ravioli, spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of filling onto center of 1 wrapper, wet edges of wrappers with fingers dipped in water; then, place one wrapper on top of wrapper with filling. Seal wet edges together, and fold up sides to make a neat square package. Continue the process until all the filling has been used. Make about 26 ravioli.
Once ravioli are complete, boil water in a large pasta pot.
Meanwhile, prepare sauce.
Saute diced shallot in bacon grease. Once nearly cooked, add garlic and saute. Add 1/2 cup white wine, seafood stock and sun dried tomatoes. Once the wine has cooked down, add cream and black pepper.
Cooked ravioli in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes; they will have risen to the surface by this time. Remove from water and set on a plate with paper towel to absorb the liquid.
Stir diced roma tomato and herbs into sauce right before plating. Put six or seven ravioli's per plate and top with sauce. Add more fresh herbs and crumbled bacon for garnish. Serve.

Rosemary Basil Pizza Crust

I'm a bit surprised with myself for not yet having blogged about homemade pizza; although, I'll admit that it's been at last a couple of months since I've made one. What I really like about this dough is how simple and easy it is to make, and I equally love how easy it is to manipulate with little additions. I've used it for calzones and even bread that was perfect for pannini's. You can make it as this herb version, or even role cheese into it. Once before, I baked it as a three cheese bread with cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan. It was very tasty! You can also substitute one cup of all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour to make a healthier crust. It changes the texture, but it is still very good, like anything baked from scratch.
(You'll notice that one corner of the pizza looks a little different. That part was pepperoni only--for the boys.)

Ingredients:
1 package active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons dried basil leaves

Directions:
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together yeast, warm water, sugar and olive oil. Let sit for about 3 minutes to fully dissolve and activate the yeast.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
With a rubber spatula, gradually mix the yeast mixture into the flour until just combined and dough barely holds together. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter surface dusted with flour.
Knead the dough with flour-dusted hands until the dough has become smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. The surface should be tight and silky and bounce back slightly when pressed. Lightly grease a large mixing bowl with olive oil and place the dough in it.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
Once doubled, punch the dough down. Knead the dough into a ball; set aside and cover with plastic wrap to rest for half an hour.
Dough can be made the day before and refrigerated overnight. Keep covered tightly in plastic wrap or in a sealed food storage bag.
Prior to rolling the dough for baking, knead in herbs. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Roll dough out in a pizza stone or no-burn cookie sheet. Sprinkle on garlic powder, if desired. Bake dough for approximately 5 minutes before topping. This method helps prevent a soggy crust.
Once topped with the desired sauce and toppings, continue to bake until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Chocolate Strawberry Jam Muffins

These muffins are delicious with or without the jam. I made them mini (I always seem to make my muffins mini) because they are easier for my little boys to eat, and the mini size makes them bake faster, thus leaving less time for restless waiting. I enjoy baking breakfast goods in the morning because it adds to the ambiance that I try to achieve in the mornings. Breakfast is a special time at my house. We begin with a Bible story, then continue at the at the with some literature. I'm currently reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to my boys. I'm so glad that my eldest has reached an age where he can sit and enjoy a good chapter book.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 egg
Strawberry jam

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin tin.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt; mix well.
In a small mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, butter and egg; beat well. Add milk mixture to flour mixture all at once; stir until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Divide batter evenly into greased muffin cups. Place 1/4 teaspoon of jam on each muffin; press into batter. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
If making regular sized muffins, use 1/2 teaspoon of jam, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Red Velvet Cake

For St. Valentine's Day, my husband made a lovely dinner: a simple wedge salad topped with crispy bacon and creamy blue cheese dressing; followed by scallops with a spicy chipotle sauce, fresh tomato, and avocado slices. The least I could do was make a tasty dessert. I'll admit, I was a bit selfish in electing to make a red velvet cake because it's my favorite, but it does seem like an ideal cake for Valentine's Day. Doesn't it?

Ingredients:
Cake:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon special dark cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 ounce red food coloring
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease 2 9-inch cake pans.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa's, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Alternate beating in flour mixture and buttermilk, until well combined. Beat in food coloring and vinegar, then add vanilla.
Spread the batter evenly in pans.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
In a a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat in confectioners' sugar until fluffy; beat in vanilla. Use to fill and frost cake.

Optional:
Combine semisweet chocolate and heavy cream in a double boiler. Whisk until smooth, then cool and use to spread on top of cake or to dip fruit for decoration.

Black & Gold King Cake

WHO DAT!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!

Now that I've gotten that out of my system, I can tell you about the nontraditional king cake I made for this year's momentous Super Bowl. I represented the Saint's black by making the pastry chocolate and represented the gold by making a caramel filling. I hope you enjoy! By the way, the grocery store only had green and red sugar sprinkles, so I just skipped that part; although, I wish I had just put some regular sugar on top.

Ingredients:
Pastry:
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder

Filling:
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup water
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 8oz package heath toffee brickle

Icing:
2 cup confectioners sugar
4 to 6 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:

Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour and cocoa's into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. (Make filling while dough rises. Directions follow.)
When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 cookie sheets.
Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10x16 inches or so). Spread caramel and toffee bits evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. Make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the confectioners' sugar blended with 4 to 6 tablespoons of heavy cream (milk is an acceptable substitute).

Caramel filling:
In a medium heavy saucepan, combine water, sugar, and cream of tartar. Cook on high until the sugar completely dissolves and edge become a golden color; then, swirl the pan. Allow the the sugar to cook until it becomes and amber color. While wearing an ovenmit, carefully pour cream down the side of the pan and stir continuously with a whisk or wooden spoon. Remove from heat and pour caramel into a medium bowl to cool until room temperature.

Shortbread and Toffee Fudge Bars

These simple bars can satisfy even the strongest craving for buttery cookies and fudge, probably because they are cookies and fudge. This recipe is a little time consuming relative to its simplicity; but, honestly, it doesn't require much work. The fudge layer is Carnation's excessively easy recipe with the added bonus of toffee bits. The cookie dough is dense and firm enough to make it a good crust, but, with two sticks of butter, it's sure to be moist and melt-in-your-mouth good.

Ingredients:
Cookie Crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fudge Topping:
2 cups (12 oz.)Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 can (14 oz.)Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 pkg.(4 oz. from 8-oz. pkg.) Heath Bits 'O Brickle Toffee

Directions:
Grease a 9x13 in pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make cookie dough: beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Then, beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour and salt; mix until dough forms. Press dough into the greased baking pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and crust is firm in the center. Allow to cool.

Once the crust has cooled, begin the fudge. Combine chocolate morsels and sweetened condensed milk in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Warm over lowest possible heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in toffee and vanilla extract. Spread fudge mixture evenly over cookie crust and refrigerate until firm.

Mediterranean Chicken Salad

I made this for dinner the other night, and it made everyone happy. My husband ate his in a pita and I had mine wrapped in a tortilla. The next day we both had it for lunch on toasted whole grain bread. Delicious!

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken tenders
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Crushed red pepper flakes
Tuscan seasoning
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain low fat yogurt
1/4 cup sliced green onion, about 3
1/4 cup diced calamata olives
1/4 cup diced sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
Heaping tablespoon cappers
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Paprika
Chili powder
Celery salt
White pepper
Additional Tuscan seasoning

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Season chicken with salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and Tuscan seasoning; sear in hot oil. Meanwhile, chop, slice, and dice additional ingredients.

Once chicken is fully cooked, remove from pan and allow to cool; then, dice chicken into bite sized pieces. Then, combine chicken, mayonnaise, yogurt, green onion, calamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, capers, and parmesan. They season with paprika, chili powder, white pepper, and an ample amount of celery salt to taste. Additional Tuscan seasoning can be used if desired.

Enjoy!

Sunday Fried Chicken

Bear with me as I wax proseic about last Sunday evening. Ah, yes... it was the perfect conclusion to a pleasant weekend. After returning home from a late afternoon run, I put my two-year-old down for a nap to the sound of water being put to boil and the scent of New potatoes being pealed. In the background, Brad Paisley was singing about never ending love on Pandora radio. There was a handsome bare chested man in the kitchen preparing dinner for me. I took a shower, and when I had finished, I heard the sound of oil popping in the kitchen and smelled the delicious aroma of chicken frying. Upon entering the kitchen, the handsome man was creaming potatoes moistened by melting pats of butter and creamy milk. I poured an Abita Abbey Ale into a frosted glass and sipped the delightfully floral brew and enjoyed a pleasant conversation about the emotion derived from simple home cooked meals. After all the chicken had been fried, he made a peppery gravy and we sat at our table to enjoy a satisfying Southern dinner.

This is how that handsome man made the chicken:

He soaked about 1 lb of chicken tenders in a mixture of 4 cups of buttermilk and several tablespoons of Worcestershire and hot sauce for about half and hour.

Then, he dredged the chicken in a flour mixture with ample amounts of Paprika, Cayenne, Salt, Pepper, Italian seasoning, and Garlic powder. (The spices should be visible in the flour mixture.)

Lastly, he fried it in several inches of very hot vegetable oil.

Creole Chicken Potpie with Biscuit Crust

I love making potpies, and I love serving them for dinner because everyone loves them. It makes my husband happy, and it make my little boys happy. One of the challenges of making potpies can be getting a chance to make the crust ahead of time, so it can sit in the refrigerator long enough to make handling easier. Well! I had a stroke of genius the other day. I thought, "maybe I can just make a batch of biscuit dough and throw that on top." I did it, and I think I may prefer a biscuit topping over the standard pie crust. Crazy? Crazy good!

By the way, I usually make a stock with a fattier peice of chicken when I make potpies, but right now I have a freezer full of chicken breast tenders, so I'm making my pie fillings a bit differently. Although, this way also has fewer steps and makes the potpies easier and quicker.

Pie filling
Ingredients:
1 lb of chicken breast tenders
3/4 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup canned sweet peas
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 to 1 1/2 cups chardonnay
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken shock
1 heaping tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
seasonings:
salt
pepper
oregano
thyme
paprika
cayenne
garlic powder

Biscuit crust
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk

Directions:
In a large frying pan heat olive oil on high heat. Meanwhile, season chicken well with salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, paprika, cayenne, and garlic powder. Once oil is hot, sear chicken breasts on all side until cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and add a splash of wine to deglaze, then add chopped carrots.

While carrots are cooking, make biscuit dough. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Using the tines of a fork, cut shortening into flour until consistency of coarse meal. Add milk; stir with fork until mixture leaves sides of the bowl and forms a soft, moist dough. On a floured surface, toss lightly until no longer sticky. Roll out dough to fit the dimensions of the baking dish you will bake the potpie in.

Once the carrots are almost cooked, add butter and the onions. Add wine as needed to give plenty of liquid for the vegetables to cook in. When the onions become soft, add the mushrooms and garlic; continue adding wine as needed. Once the mushrooms are fully cooked, add flour and stir continuously to form a roux. Then, stir in chicken stock, cooking on medium heat and allowing the sauce to thicken. Once thickened, stir in heavy cream, add additional cayenne and salt to preferred taste. Return chicken to pan and stir in peas and chopped cilantro.

Pour contents of the pan into a large baking dish; top with biscuit dough. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until the crust is golden and puffy like a biscuit. Enjoy!

Milk Chocolate Chip Blondies with Vanilla Icing

It's not a cookie. It's not a brownie. It's not a cake. It's something delightfully reminiscent of all of the above. Even my husband, who is "not that into sweets," couldn't resist the chewy delightfulness of these blondies.

Blondies
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13x9 inch pan.
In a large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; blend well. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips; spread in bottom of greased pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Icing
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon shortening
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk

In a medium bowl, mix butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk for desired consistency. Spread over bars.

You can spread the icing over cooled bars, but I prefer spreading it on warm bars because it melts over the blondies nicely.

Vanilla Cream Eclairs with Chocolate Icing

This is quite the sweet treat! My boys enjoyed all the phases of their creation, especially licking the cream bowl and icing beaters. I suggest making the vanilla cream first, just don't eat it all before you get the eclairs baked!

Vanilla Cream
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 large egg yolks

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, bring milk to a simmer.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl combine sugar, flour, cornstarch, and egg yolks; beat on high until thick and pale yellow.
Slowly add about 1/3 of the milk to the egg mixture, blending the entire time. Do this slowly so as not to scramble the eggs. Scrape the egg mixture into the the saucepan with the remaining milk and whisk continuously over low to medium heat until the thickens and begins to bubble, stir in vanilla extract; then, using a clean spatula, scrape into a clean bowl. Cover the custard with wax or parchment paper; then, cool in the refrigerator.

Eclairs
Ingredients:
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of butter (one stick)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease cookie sheet.
Bring water, salt, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Lower heat and add flour all at once, stir constantly until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Remove from heat and beat in each egg one at a time, making sure each egg is well blended before adding the next.

Place pastry dough into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch tip. Pipe dough onto prepared cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. I piped between 2 and 3 inches per eclair. Dough can be gently smoothed with moistened finger tips.

Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Leave in the oven an additional 10 minutes with the oven turned off. Remove, cool, and pipe pastry cream into eclairs.

Chocolate Icing
Ingredients:
(note: these are approximations)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
1 to 2 cups confectioner sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, add cocoa to butter, vanilla, and about 1/2 cup powdered sugar; beat on medium. Continue to beat in milk and confectioner sugar until you reach the desired consistency.

Slather icing on cream filled eclairs. Enjoy!

Be Delicious: Easy Egg Nog on Foodista

Be Delicious: Easy Egg Nog on Foodista

Easy Egg Nog on Foodista

Chicken and Bowtie Pasta

Last night I made this simple but delicious pasta dish. I like making this sort of dinner because it doesn't require a recipe. If you have a protein (especially something as versatile as chicken), a pasta, and a few pantry extras, you can easily create something like this simple dish.

Here's what I had:

Ingredients:

approximately 1lb chicken breast tenders

1/2 package of bowtie pasta

1/2 large white onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 olive oil

1/5 to 3/4 cup white wine, chardonnay

1/2 cup sweet peas

1 tablespoon flour

1 to 1 1/2 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 1/2 tablespoon basil pesto

1/4 cup sliced sundried tomatoes

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large fry pan on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, coat breast tenders in garlic powder, salt, and Italian herbs. Once oil is hot, sear chicken. While chicken cooks, chop onion and garlic. Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove to a plate; deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine. Then, saute chopped onions until nearly tender; add garlic and a bit more wine. Once the onions and garlic are tender, add a tablespoon of flour to make a paste; then, add the rest of the wine and chicken stock. Allow the sauce to cook down to desired thickness. Meanwhile, boil salted water and cook pasta. Add sundried tomatoes to the sauce while it continues to cook. Once the pasta is cooked, stir basil pesto into the sauce, add cubed cooked chicken, pasta, and the sweet peas. Salt to taste, and serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Eggnog for Breakfast

Holiday travels have kept me from blogging about my eggnog breakfast craze, but, now that I'm home, here are some simple breakfast recipes that incorporate eggnog! I was inspired to put eggnog in my pancakes and muffins one night when I fell in love with eggnog after knocking back a few with bourbon.

The first recipe is really easy: I just put eggnog in my coffee. No cream or sugar necessary! I filled my mug about halfway up with coffee and half way up with eggnog.

The next recipe is eggnog pancakes. Delightful! The about of eggnog I suggest give the pancakes just a hint of eggnog, which really compliments the traditional taste of pancakes. If you want a stronger eggnog flavor, you could add 1/4 cup more eggnog.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup eggnog

2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and eggnog; add to the dry ingredients, stirring until smooth. Stir in melted butter. Using a hot greased skillet, pour a 1/4 cup of batter at a time per pancake. Once the edges are a little dry, flip and cook other side until it is browned. Enjoy!

My final recipe is quick and easy eggnog muffins. They're mini because that's the way I like my muffins!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup eggnog

1/3 cup oil

1 egg

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees and grease muffin tins. In a medium bowl combine your dry ingredients; mix well. In a small bowl, blend eggnog, oil, and egg; add to flour mixture all at once. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Evenly divide batter between greased muffin cups at bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Enjoy!