Thursday, December 9, 2010

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake



Let's face it, cream cheese is a blessing and a curse. It creates cheesecake and also I imagine it blocks arteries just as sufficiently. But let's not think about that just right now. Focus on the positive. Stare at this beauty... and yes, I used the real, regular cream cheese and this came out PERFECT. Light cream cheese can suck it.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake  
from Mrs. Fields' Best Ever Cookie Book

Ingredients:
-Crust
5 ounces chocolate cookie crumbs (about 1 cup)
2 tbsp salted butter, melted

-Filling
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
16 ounces sour cream (about 2 cups)
3 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
9 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Prepare the crust: Grind cookies into fine crumbs using a blender or a food processor fitted with a metal blade, Add butter and blend until smooth. Press crust into bottom of 9-inch springform pan, and refrigerate while preparing the filling.

3. Prepare the filling: Beat cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Blend in sugar and sour cream. Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix until smooth.

4. Using a wooden spoon, stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Pour filling into the crust-lined pan, and smooth top with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips evenly over the top.

5. Bake 30 to 40 minutes. Turn oven off and leave cheesecake in oven for 1 hour to set. Remove from oven and chill in refrigerator until firm, about 3 to 4 hours.

Yield: 12 to 16 servings


Tine's Notes: No seriously, I understand some people are very health conscious but cheesecakes aren't meant to be low-fat. Use the real stuff, your mouth will thank me while your waist...that's another story.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Choconut Macaroons

A twist on a classic.

Choconut Macaroons
from Mrs. Fields' Best Ever Cookie Book

Ingredients:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp almond paste
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
2 ounces mini semisweet chocolate chips (about 1/3 cup)
3 large egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine almond paste and sugar in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, work paste into sugar completely. Add coconut and chocolate chips and stir to combine.

2. In another medium bowl, beat eggs whites until fluffy using absolutely clean beaters. Add cream of tartar and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Add half of beaten egg whites to coconut mixture and combine to lighten. Fold in remaining whites gently, being careful not to deflate.

3. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on the cookie sheets before transferring to a cool surface.

Tine's Notes: I used regular chocolate chips so these spread a little more than I would have liked but they came out fine. Crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside!

Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

Yeah yeah, Thanksgiving was a while ago-- I'm doing some catch up blogging. Bear with me.

I've used this recipe for 2 years now and I think it's a keeper. After testing stuffing after stuffing recipe, I'm relieved. Simple, yet exactly what I was looking for. And yes, I say stuffing even though it does not actually go into the bird. The original recipe directs you to, but we don't put anything in our turkey.


Awesome Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing
from Allrecipes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
3 3/4 cups cubed white bread
1 pound ground turkey sausage
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
3/4 cup turkey stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C). Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.

2. In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.

3. Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. Spoon into turkey to loosely fill.


Tine's Notes: This year I only used white bread, but last year I used both. I actually prefer both. I used an additional half of apple and another 1/2 cup of dried cranberries. Seasoning-wise, I did not have dried rosemary separately so I used liberal amounts of Italian seasoning which also has marjoram-- a great stuffing flavor. Since I did not put this into the turkey, I baked it in a casserole dish at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Mocha Mousse Cheesecake


Definitely one of those recipes that once you read the title and see the picture, you will dream about this until you make it. Is that just me? I bought a springform pan just for this baby. Well, I'm sure there was one long ago in this house... but it's hard to say where it went. I would tell you how long this cheesecake lasted in a household of 2, but it's shameful. I tried... but LOOK at it!


Mocha Mousse Cheesecake
from Mrs. Fields Best Ever Cookie Book

Ingredients:
-Crust
4 ounces chocolate chip cookie crumbs (about 1 cup)
2 tbsps salted butter, melted

-Filling
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
8 oz. sour cream (about 1 cup)
3 large eggs
7 oz. semisweet chocolate chips, melted (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup coffee, freshly brewed
1 tbsp vanilla extract

-Glaze
5 oz. semisweet chocolate (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) salted butter, softened

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2, Make the crust: Use a blender or food processor with a metal blade to grind cookies into fine crumbs. Add butter and blend until smooth. Press crust into bottom of s 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate while preparing mousse.

3. Make the filling: In a large bowl with and elective mixer, beat the cream cheese until very smooth. Add sugars and sour cream, and blend thoroughly. Add eggs and beat until mixture is smooth.

4. Add melted chocolate, coffee, and vanilla, again blending ingredients until smooth. Pour filling into prepared pan, and bake in middle of oven for 50 to 60 minutes.

5. Turn off oven, crack door 1 inch, and leave cheesecake in oven 1 hour to set. Then remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

6. Make the glaze: In a small saucepan melt chocolate and butter over low heat; stire until smooth. Pour glaze over top of cheesecake and smooth with a  metal spatula. [When baked cheesecake has cooled, pour chocolate-butter glaze over the top and smooth with a metal spatula to form a thin chocolate frosting.] Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or until firm. Cut and serve.



Tine's Notes: So in a [futile] effort to be healthier, I opted to use low-fat cream cheese and fat free sour cream. Let's just say, you can tell the difference-- see picture. They are really serious about fat content in cheesecake. After a couple of days, I hate to admit the consistency was less creamy and more crumbly. Also for measurements, I've started using a scale for exact measurements-- had it already, might as well use it. I used Chips Ahoy! cookies for the crust.

Thing I learned: Also, please remember to wrap the bottom of your springform with foil or you'll deal with a smoky mess the next time you use the oven. *I did.*


Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Marbled Pesto Bread


You must make this if you have a bread machine [and extra pesto lying around!]. Your house will smell heavenly!

Marbled Pesto Bread
Recipe from 150 Recipes for Your Bread Machine by Jennie Shapter

Ingredients:
5 fl oz milk
5 fl oz water
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cups unbleached white bread flour
1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 rapid rise yeast
7 tbsp pesto sauce

Topping:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp coarse sea salt

Preparation:
1. Put ingredients in bread machine per instructions (dry before wet, wet before dry, etc.) Set to basic dough setting. Lightly oil a 10 x 4 inch loaf tin.

2. When dough cycle is finished, turn out dough to a slightly floured surface. Punch it down gently, then roll it out to a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick and 10 in long. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and leave to relax for a few minutes, if the dough proves difficult to roll out.

3. Spread the pesto sauce over the dough. Leave a clear border of 1/2 inch along one long edge. Roll up the dough lengthways, Swiss (jelly) roll fashion, tuck the ends under and place seam down in the prepared pan.

4. Cover with oiled clear film and set aside in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes or until the dough has more than doubled in size and reaches the top of the loaf tin. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

5. Remove the clear film and brush with olive oil over the top of the loaf. Use a sharp knife to score the top with flour diagonal cuts. Repeat the cuts in the opposite direction to make a criss-cross pattern. Sprinkle with sea salt.

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Turn out on to a wire rack to cool.

Tine's Notes: I used more of the prepared pesto sauce (and STILL have some left over-- it's a large jar). I noticed while kneading the dough that because the recipe calls for real milk as opposed to dry milk powder it was tougher to deal with. After letting it rest, it became much more manageable. This would be a perfect accompaniment for an Italian dinner in lieu of dinner rolls!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Hot and Spicy


Two words I've come to love and like Pavlov's dogs, my taste buds start watering. I can't help it.

Hot and Spicy Tofu
from Allrecipes

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 pound firm tofu, cubed
1 red onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green chile pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 cup hot water
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Preparation:
1. Heat peanut oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Toss the tofu into the oil, and cook until browned on all sides. Once browned, toss in onion, bell pepper, chile pepper, and garlic; cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the hot water, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Pour over tofu and vegetables, toss to coat, and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens slightly.

Tine's Notes I used plain vegetable oil which was fine. My tofu was medium texture so it crumbled a bit while cooking, but overall held up. I must be colorblind, I used a regular onion and green bell pepper (this is what happens when you go with on-hand ingredients, right?) Instead of using a chile pepper, I used Thai chili paste, a dab will do ya, trust me. My inner saucier would have preferred more so I recommend adding more water.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Alliteration What?


This dish will surely have you seeing green-- in a good way. This dish brought to you by the letter P.

Pasta, Pesto and Peas
From Food Network - Ina Garten

Ingredients:
3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:
1. Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.

2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pignoli, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Tine's Notes: I used elbow macaroni and rotini as my two pastas. Left out spinach and pine nuts (those suckers are expensive!). I had a jar of pesto sauce patiently waiting to be used and now have about 1/4 of it left over. Have you turned green yet?

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Ode to Health

The last couple of weeks, I have done a number on my body. Eating out multiple times a week so now when I'm cooking at home, I feel the need to make it up.


Pan-Seared Salmon
From Southern Living

Ingredients:
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 (6-ounce) salmon steaks
Garnish: orange rinds, optional

Preparation:
1. Combine brown sugar and soy sauce in a shallow dish or large zip-top freezer bag, and add salmon.
Cover or seal, and chill 2 hours. Remove salmon from marinade, discarding marinade.

2. Cook salmon in a lightly greased skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes with a fork. Garnish, if desired.

paired with....

Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Cashews
from Southern Living

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs fresh broccoli
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup salted roasted cashews

Preparation:
1. Remove and discard broccoli leaves and touch ends of stalks; cut broccoli into spears. Arrange broccoli in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Arrange broccoli on a serving platter. Set aside, and keep warm.

2. Place butter in a 1-cup glass measuring cup. Microwave on high 15 seconds or until butter melts. Stir in brown sugar and next 4 ingredients. Microwave at high 45 seconds or until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in cashews. Pour garlic sauce over broccoli, and serve immediately.

Tine's Notes: Followed each recipe to a T. Have yourself a dinner that doesn't feel like grazing on fluff or too indulgent. There seemed to be a theme of brown sugar and soy sauce that day.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Luscious Lemon Bars

I love bar desserts because they are finger foods, but can also be elegant. Thus enter lemon bars.

Luscious Lemon Bars
From Southern Living

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp baking powder
Powdered sugar for topping

Preparation:
1. Combine 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar.

2. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly. Firmly press mixture into a lightly greased 13x9-inch pan.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

4. Whisk eggs in a large bowl; whisk in 2 cups granulated sugar and lemon juice. Combine remaining 1/4 cup flour and baking powder; whisk into egg mixture. Pour batter over crust.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until set. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars, and sprinkle evenly with additional powdered sugar.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Chicken Breasts in Caper Cream Sauce

Paired this with the Greek Orzo from last post for a dinner. Contrasting flavors, but it worked out for me.

Chicken Breasts in Caper Cream Sauce
Recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

Preparation:
1. Season chicken breasts with lemon pepper, salt, dill weed, and garlic powder.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place breasts in skillet, and increase heat to medium-high. Turn chicken frequently, until brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until breasts are cooked through. Remove chicken to a warm serving platter, and cover with foil.

3. Return skillet to stove, and increase heat to high. Whisk in whipping cream, whisking continuously until reduced to sauce consistency, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in capers. Pour sauce over chicken, and serve.

Tine's Notes: The only change I did was use only 2 chicken breasts and 1 tbsp of butter. The amount of seasoning I used was the same and it made for a really tasty chicken breast.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Greek Orzo


Greek Orzo with Feta
Recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 (8 ounce) package crumbled feta cheese
1/2 pound dried orzo pasta
1 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:
1. Stir together olive oil, lemon juice, olives, tomatoes, red pepper, red onion, garlic, oregano, and feta cheese in a large bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and toss the tomato mixture. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.

Tine's Notes: I modified this recipe a little for my own taste and availability. Omitted olives and red bell pepper. I used 2 sun-dried tomatoes and 1 roma, 1 clove of garlic, and dried oregano. I didn't have parsley, but I used the other green stuff we always have on hand, cilantro. I used a small red onion which really packs quite a punch, tangy! I didn't use as much feta as in the recipe since I went by taste. Very bright and flavorful dish!

Friday, June 25, 2010

School Lunch menu: Friday = Pizza Day

Remember those days when you would get a printout of the lunch menu for the entire month in elementary school? Every Friday was designated Pizza Day. I have to admit, I actually wasn't so grossed out with school cafeteria food until middle school when almost every meal was drowning in oil *shudders*

Just because I check an older age box now doesn't mean I can't enjoy pizza every once in a while. I just have to watch what's in it... hello pretty pizza.

Ricotta Cheese Pizza
Recipe from Allrecipes



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 (8 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crust
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh broccoli
1 (3 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained

Preparation:
1. Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken in the butter until no longer pink and the juices run clear, 7 to 10 minutes; remove from heat and set aside.

3. Combine the ricotta cheese, 1 tablespoon butter, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave for 1 minute; stir to combine. Spread the mixture over the pizza crust. Scatter the mozzarella cheese evenly over the pizza. Arrange the cooked chicken, broccoli, and mushrooms evenly on top of the pizza.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

Tine's Notes: I used homemade pizza crust for this using the bread maker. It irks me to buy that kind of stuff sometimes because of how inconvenient it is to store it unless you plan to use it right away. Really who stocks up on pizza crust? You? Oh sorry then. I always have flour. Also, I used fresh mushrooms and frozen broccoli. I guess we're even then.

Monday, June 21, 2010

First day of summer, but I like spring [rolls]


*If you follow Allrecipes on Facebook, they do a Meatless Monday recipe of the day and today it was the tofu parmigiana I used a couple of posts ago!

In honor of following along with their theme, today would be perfect to share with you a meatless option. Oddly enough, we go vegetarian probably 2-3 times a weekly without consciously thinking about it. It's more for mother's health than anything. You'll notice I've only made a red meat (steak) once since this blog started up.... looking for the healthy fat/protein, if you will. Enter chicken and fish. And tofu!

This recipe was shared with me through the awesome kids of the Go Green, Eat Smart apprenticeship of Citizen Schools at Bedichek. These kids spent a semester learning about and cooking up vegetarian dishes. I tasted it at their demo and had to make it for myself... and when I did, I made a dinner of it. Yes, honestly.

Spring Rolls

Ingredients:
Thin rice noodles (vermicelli)
Rice spring roll wrappers
1 carrot
Few basil or soft lettuce leaves
Cilantro
1 package Hard texture tofu
Teriyaki sauce

Preparation:
1. Prepare the following sauce:
        1 small clove garlic, crushed
        1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
        1 tbsp peanut butter
        2 tsp lime juice
        1 tsp brown rice syrup
        2 tsp water

        Combine all ingredients together in a small bowl, except the water. Add water as needed for the right consistency.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Open package of tofu and drain excess water. Cut tofu into slices 1/2" to 3/4" thick. Choose a baking pan that fits just the amount of tofu you want to bake in one single layer. Put 2 tbsp of teriyaki sauce in bottom of pan. Place tofu on top and cover with more sauce. Can add a little water so it will not burn. Place pan uncovered in oven. Bake 10 minutes then flip over. Bake additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

4. Cut carrots into thin strips. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch carrots. Wash basil leaves and cilantro and let dry.

5. Cook noodles by immersing in boiling water. Gently separate noodles with tongs or a spoon. They should be done in 3 minutes. Taste to check doneness. Pour noodles into colander and rinse with cold water. Let drain.

6. In a pan large enough for the spring roll wrappers to fit, add warm water. Dip one spring roll wrapper into the water until it softens. It is ready when it is flexible and translucent.

7. Assemble your fillings in front of you. On a flat surface, lay the softened wrapper. Place 1-2 herb leaves first in the center. Place other ingredients such as carrots and tofu on top. Place a small amount of noodles also in center on top of pile.

8. Fold the side of the wrapper closest to you over the filling. Fold in the sides and lastly roll away from you tightly to seal the filling in.

Tine's Notes: For the dipping sauce, I used sugar instead of rice syrup, just a dash will do you. Also, feel free to add additional filling, I added bean sprouts

Thing(s) I learned: Growing up without it, I'm a now a big fan of hard texture tofu. I really do like cilantro.


Sunday, June 20, 2010

Flounder; not Ariel's friend


Sorry that was my favorite childhood movie... and no, I didn't know about the castle. Anyway, to the cooking portion of this show....

I realize many of the dishes I have made include components that are not to be considered healthy: butter (oooh butta), heavy cream... well actually, those two are really the big players I'm taking about. They add an integral part of each dish, I cannot deny them... so this dish is a wonderful change. It includes neither and you will feel a tad healthier after eating this.


Flounder Mediterranean
Recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients:
5 roma (plum) tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pinch Italian seasoning
1/4 cup white wine
24 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
4 tablespoons capers
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
6 leaves fresh basil, chopped
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound flounder fillets
6 leaves fresh basil, torn

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2.Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Plunge tomatoes into the boiling water, and immediately remove to a medium bowl of ice water. Drain, and remove skins. Chop, and set aside.

3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute onion until tender. Stir in garlic and Italian seasoning. Stir in tomatoes, and cook until tender. Mix in wine, olives, capers, lemon juice, and 1/2 the basil. Reduce heat, blend in Parmesan cheese, and cook until the mixture is reduced to a thick sauce, about 15 minutes.

4. Place flounder in a shallow baking dish. Cover with the sauce, and top with remaining basil leaves.

5. Bake 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Tine's Notes: I reduced this recipe by half since I'm only feeding two and it was the perfect serving size. I used 4 flounder fillets, 2 tomatoes, and left out the kalamata olives. Olives are pretty heavy in sodium and the capers added just the perfect amount to make this dish stand out. Don't skimp on the white wine, I probably added a little more than the 1/4 cup. Simple and delicate, great dinner served over brown rice.

I've already made this twice with some variations (e.g. lime juice instead of lemon, more onions, less tomato, more Parmesan). This recipe was made to be customized for your flavor preference. Have at it!

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Muffin: bread baked in small portions



At the house, a variety of fruit is a must. Put it in a carb and you've got the best of both worlds.
The day I made these I saw 3 bananas about to go south of the border (something my dad used to say) so this was the perfect recipe to try out.

Banana Crumb Muffins
Recipe from Allrecipes

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

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

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

3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Tine's Notes: Followed the recipe to a T. No changes! These will definitely brighten your morning! Not overly banana-y. If you want a smooth muffin, make sure you mash the bananas well. There were a few chunks in mine-- not exactly the best texture. They keep well and the topping stays crunchy for a couple of days- eat them quickly! This made 12 muffins instead of the 10 in the recipe.

Thing I learned: I deserve a pastry blender with the types of baking I do.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Pretzel [time]


I made this recipe many times during the winter because I love baking and the smell that lingers in a cold house. With everyone home for the holidays, one full recipe barely lasted... minutes. Not kidding. I was the kid that grew up to the mall pretzels as a treat for not complaining when I was bored out of my mind. These taste EXACTLY like the mall pretzels. Who knew it was the baking soda?

Soft Pretzels
Recipe from Recipezaar

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups water (approx 105 degrees)
1 tablespoon yeast
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups occident flour (bread flour)
2 cups flour

Dipping solution:
1/2 cup baking soda, into
3 cups hot water

sweet creamy butter, for 'dipping' face of pretzels after baking (melt butter, then let set a few minutes, and use paper towel to remove cream which will float to the top)

Preparation:
1. Dissolve yeast into warm water.

2. Add sugar, then flour & mix well- do not 'knead' as this toughens the dough. (Mix just until combined well) Let rise until doubled, at least 20 minutes.

3. Cut into long 'ropes'. Shape into pretzel shapes, then dip into prepared dipping solution.

4. Place on well-greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with pretzel salt.

5. Bake at 500-550°F for 4-6 minutes until golden brown.

6. Dip face of pretzel into melted butter.

Variation: add 1 t vanilla to the dough.

Flavor variations:
Cinnamon/sugar- omit salt& dip into cinnamon sugar after face has been coated with butter.
Sour cream & onion- after dipping face of pretzel in butter, sprinkle with sour cream & onion powder
Garlic- same as sour cream & onion, but use garlic powder.
Sesame or poppy seed--BEFORE baking, AFTER dipping into dipping solution, dip pretzel face-down into the seeds, then bake. Salt is optional with this one.

Tine's Notes: I've only made the original and cinnamon sugar variations. I had to fight off a hoard to even let them cool off. These will go fast!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

I haz chiken?


I know, I know. The meme is so played out. Give me a break, I cook all these dishes and I'm supposed to worry about what to title a blog post? Priorities.

To the food!

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
1/4 c. Italian dressing
1/2 c. plain bread crumbs
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp basil leaves
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 parsley flakes
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
1/2 c. tomato sauce
1/4 c. Parmesan
1/4 c. Mozzarella cheese

Cooking:
1. Dip chicken in Italian dressing. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl except for remaining cheeses and tomato sauce.

2. Bake chicken for 10 mins per side. Generously top with sauce and cheese, cook for another 2 minutes.

Tine's Notes: I used the NuWave oven for this but the HI setting is equivalent to a 350 degree oven so no worries about that. For the mozzarella, I used an Italian blend. And because you can't have too much cheese, I threw in a couple tsps of grated Pecorino Romano. You'll probably need to avoid salt for a bit after this meal.

Also, a couple of days later, I also made Tofu Parmigiana. I warned you I like Italian flavors...

Thing I learned: This dish is entirely too easy to make. Will not be ordering it at a restaurant again. And neither should you.

P.S. I bought a springform pan so be on the lookout for that Mocha Mousse Cheesecake soon. =)~

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Break to say hello!

Hi all 3 readers I know of! Glad you are here and reading this lonely food blog. Because of you, I can legitimately say "I have a food blog" and not feel like I'm lying.

If you've been reading before this post, you'll notice I have redesigned. The other layout was just a bit confusing to try and customize beyond what I had already managed to do. This is it now. Like it? Tell me yes.

I know this blog is far from polished and that's what I love about it. I will be doing tweaks as I see fit, but I have no desire to turn this into a beast of a blog with a plethora of tabs, categories and non-food topics. If I do, you have the right to remind me that I said I would never do it.

Also, I'm not going to write long detailed posts about what I did all day or come up with crazy stories to tell you that have nothing to do with whatever recipe I'm featuring. I'm starting to notice this annoying trend in some blogs and I'm really having an issue with it. I'll keep my crazy stories to one line, is that a deal? The ultimate goal of this endeavor is to share a recipe and keep it short and sweet. Like myself.

So dear reader(s), I hope you are enjoying this diamond-in-the-rough of a blog because it's been so fun to share my kitchen with you thus far.

Cheers!
Tine 

Friday, June 4, 2010

Da-na da-na

Laugh now, but this is serious stuff. My mother can't eat because of this. Well, she couldn't eat much of it because of the connotation but you get it, right?



My brother went deep sea fishing about a week ago and his spoils came to about, oh I'd say about 25 lbs of black tipped shark meat. I had no idea what to do with all of it let alone how to cook it. Google-fu to the rescue.

What did I discover? There are two options to cook shark: frying and baking. I found this recipe and thought we should get a jump start on consuming this... meat.

Seven Spiced Shark Steak

Ingredients:
3 (8 ounce) shark steaks
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder

Cooking:
1. Rinse the shark steaks and trim off any skin.

2. Mix together the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic salt, thyme, black pepper, and chili powder in a small bowl to form a paste. Spread a thin layer of the soy sauce mixture on both sides of each shark steak. Place on a plate and cover. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Arrange the shark on a baking sheet. Bake the shark in the preheated oven until cooked completely through, about 40 minutes, turning the steaks over once, about half-way through the cooking time.

Tine's Notes: Subbed dried thyme for the fresh [who actually has that on-hand all the time?] Shark meat is very clean tasting and not at all fishy like I thought it may be. The spices in this recipe really go all out. You should probably taste it before slathering it on as I did not. Needless to say our sinuses were quite clear after dinner this night. It's quite a kick. [I hear shark tacos are the way to go. Anyone have a recipe or suggestions for more shark recipes? Better yet, anyone want to take some off our hands?]
Seeing as how my mother flips out knowing she is eating shark, brother instructed that I continue to cook it and tell her it's just fish. On it.

Here's a pic: Shark is not pretty.

*NEW Thing I learned: I suck at filleting.

Easy-as-pie [pineapple carrot] cake


No really, this has to be one of the easiest cakes to make. First, it's just baked as a sheet in a 9 x 13 pan. Second, it's glazed to make it pretty for all the superficial foodies. Third, it tastes YUM. Now, I know you may see the flavor combination as strange, but the pineapple gives this cake great moisture. Recall carrot cake *cough more-like-bread cough* Yeah so this solves that issue.

I made this the night before I left for a trip to Austin for 5 days and I didn't get to see it again. Say it with me, folks. Re-frid-ger-ate. Ok thanks!

Pineapple Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
3 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1 c. salad oil or your choice of vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
2 c. fresh carrots, grated
1 c. crushed pineapple (not drained)
1/2 c. milk


Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and sugar.

2. Add nuts and toss with flour mixture. Stir in oil and eggs. Add carrots, pineapple and milk.

3. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees about 35-45 minutes. Cool, then frost with the following frosting:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla or lemon juice
1 (1 lb) box powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 c. nuts, chopped

Tine's Notes: I added chopped pecans and used fresh pineapple and this was perfect. Honestly, you can't really taste any pineapple flavor so keep that in mind. I had extra frosting from the Red Velvet cupcakes I made a while back so I used the remainder instead of making another batch which is why my glaze is barely there. Probably better for the waist right? Sure....

Cream = comfort food

The TV is constantly on at my house. Just think of it as background noise. Don't think less of me, it's usually on the Food Network. Lately, everything that Giada De Laurentiis makes causes this strange sensation.... also known as drool face -> :-)~

Can't help it. She went to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. I admire that she's a real chef unlike some other people parading around that network.... Anywho, this is one of her recipes from her grandmother.

Nonna Luna's Rice
Ingredients:
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, divided, at room temperature
2 cups parboiled long-grain rice
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 pounds small shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 cup whipping cream
Freshly ground black pepper

Cooking:
1. In a medium nonstick saucepan, heat 1/2 of the butter and smashed garlic clove over medium-low heat. Remove garlic to another pan to cook with shrimp.

2. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken stock and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and rest covered for 5 minutes.

3. In a large skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic. Add the shrimp, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp is pink and cooked through. Stir in the cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Using a fork, fluff the rice and arrange on a platter. Spoon the shrimp cream sauce over the rice and serve.

Tine's Notes: I used brown rice for this and the chicken broth really adds the flavor you are looking for. This slightly tart, but creamy sauce is definitely a comfort food. Enjoy!

Friday, May 7, 2010

Just Roll with It

Life. That's what some people say right? Or roll with the punches?
 
My best friend and I used to joke about rolling around our apartments after a long, debauchery filled night. Shhhh, don't tell her I'm sharing that with y'all. It may be privileged information.

What I'm getting at is.... I love rolls. A) Carbs. B) It's personal-sized and travels well. C) Endless flavor variations. I don't need to continue do I?

Cute aren't they? And yes, food can be cute. I don't know why...

Recently, I've come into possession of a book titled Stop and Smell the Rosemary. It is a collection of recipes compiled by the Junior League of Houston. I'm already a huge fan. This is my first attempted recipe from the book....

Coolrise Sweet Dough

Ingredients:
6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 packages dry yeast (~5 tsp)
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp salt

Preparation:
1. Combine 2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Stir to blend. Add butter and hot water all at once. Beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.

2. Add eggs and 1 cup flour. Beat at high speed 1 minute, scraping bowl occasionally. Gradually stir in enough dough out onto a floured board and knead 5 to 10 minutes. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, then a towel. Let dough rest 20 minutes on the board. Punch down.

This is the basic recipe for Coolrise Sweet Dinner Rolls, Coolrise Orange Rolls, and Coolrise Cinnamon Rolls. Coolrise Sweet Dough may also be shaped into 2 mini-loaves.

Tine's Notes: I made two shapes- the cloverleaf and pan rolls! 

Coolrise Sweet Dinner Rolls

Prepare Coolrise Sweet Dough as directed. Shaped dough into any of the shaped described below. After shaping, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake rolls 15 to 20 minutes.

Dinner Rolls: Pinch off 2-inch piece. Rill into a ball. Roll until ball forms a log 4 inches long. Roll ends between hands to taper. Place on a greased baking sheet 2 inches apart.

Cloverleaf Rolls: Pinch off a 1-inch piece. Roll into a ball. Place 3 balls in each cup of a greased muffin pan. Balls should touch bottom of cups and fill them half full.

Pan Rolls: Pinch off 2-inch pieces and roll into balls. Place in greased round cake pan, letting balls touch each other. Do not place in center of pan.

Butter Horns: Roll dough to a 1/4-inch thickness, brush lightly with melted butter and cut into a 12-inch circle. Cut circle in 16 pie shaped pieces. Starting at wide end, toll up. Place, point end down, on a greased baking sheet 2 inches apart.

Crescent: Same procedure as Butter Horns, but curve ends to form crescents.

Yields: 2 to 2 1/2 dozen rolls

Bu- boo- Bolognese!

After a friend introduced me to The Pioneer Woman, I've been hooked. You will be too if you have yet to check out her site. It's full of food, home, photography and randomness that I LOVE. I envy her lodge kitchen T  H  I  S much. Maybe more.

Perusing her site will easily suck hours out of my life. Finding this recipe during one of those time warps was definitely worth it.

Entered as Bolognese Sauce in my recipe collection-- it's Pastor Ryan's Bolognese Sauce if you want to get technical. I just know it's dee-li-shous. Look at it, how could it not?


Ingredients:
½ cups Olive Oil
1-½ cup Grated Carrots
1 whole Large Red Onion, Diced
2 pounds Ground Beef
2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano
2 Tablespoons Dried Basil Flakes
1 can (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 cup (to 2 Cups) Red Wine
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire
2 cans (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes
1 cup Milk
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Fresh Parmesan Cheese

Cooking:
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat. Add grated carrots and onions and cook for a few minutes. Make a well in the center of the mixture, and then add in the ground beef. Cook for a few minutes until brown, gradually stirring it into the carrot mixture.

2. Throw in oregano and basil. Use fresh if you have it; if you don’t, it’s fine. When the meat is browned and combined with other ingredients, make another well. Add tomato paste and let it heat. Add garlic and stir to combine.

3. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add red wine. Stir together. Add Worcestershire and stir. Add canned tomatoes. Finally, pour in milk, stir, and let simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours—however long you need.

4. Serve with pasta and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Yields: 8 servings

Tine's Notes: I pretty much followed the recipe exactly. I used dried oregano and basil-- so fragrant! The only major change I made was to use only 1 can of whole tomatoes and 2 quartered fresh roma tomatoes. Also added a dash of sugar to balance out the acidity. Served on whole wheat rotini with grated Pecorino Romano. YUM YUM YUM

Salad: Friend or Foe?

Sometimes I joke that salads are like grazing on grass. The most basic ones. Do you crave that? I like flavor, texture, crunch.

This salad came about via another Iron Chef moment (glimpse into the fridge to check ingredients) and baby spinach and a cantaloupe greeted me. By now you should understand that I just basically mix whatever I have on hand into something edible. Not a bad way to explore food actually. Don't be scared by this salad, it gets better I promise.... it's pretty!


Spinach Cantaloupe Salad with Mint

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 cup sliced cantaloupe
1 cup sliced avocado
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

1 tablespoon mint apple jelly
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced

Preparation:
1. Divide spinach between 2 serving plates. Arrange half of the cantaloupe and half of the avocado in a circular pattern over the spinach on each plate. Sprinkle with diced red pepper and fresh mint.

2. Mix together the mint jelly, white wine vinegar, oil and garlic. Drizzle over the salads. Serve.

Yields: 2 servings

Tine's NotesIt's best when served cold, so I arranged the plates and popped them in the fridge minus the dressing for about 10 minutes. The fresh mint leaves really make the salad so don't skimp on them. I was worried about the garlic in the dressing, but it is surprisingly mild and masked by all the other flavors. The cantaloupe is a great refreshing pop in this otherwise odd salad. A perfect summer salad.


Hmmm pie + chicken

That's right, the quintessential home-cooked meal. Chicken. Pot. Pie. I remember the first time I had one at a friend's house down the street. It was of the personal sized pre-frozen variety, but I was so intrigued by this pie that was not a dessert.

Now is the time I have to admit something to you, fair reader(s). Sometimes I cheat. At cooking, I mean. I consider some forms of cooking to be shortcuts and I'm fine with them, other times I just can't conceive doing something like cooking an entire meal in the microwave. I draw the line there. Other than the microwave, I'm not really opposed to exploring other methods. Thus enters... the NuWave oven. Yes, we have one. Ok, fine we have two, but that's a story for another time. Back to the oven-- it takes up a good amount of counter space so I decided that it needed to earn its due if it was going to stay there or be demoted to the bay window sill, or worse, under the counter cabinet. I am not usually the cook who used it so this would be something I needed to do a little research. If you've seen the infomercials, I'm sure you know all the bells and whistles this thing can do. Me? Sort of, I just knew I could cook frozen things in there. Great! Convenient for me! No more thawing!

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 (10 oz.) can Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 1/2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
3/4 cup chicken broth combined with 3 tablespoons flour
2 Pillsbury pie shells

Cooking:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix soup, vegetables (may use fresh vegetables), chicken, and broth. (The mixture should be somewhat thick.)

2. Put mixture into the bottom pie shell. Cover with the top pie crust and crimp to seal. Slice a few vent holes in the top.

3. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden. Cover pie edge with aluminum foil or a pie shield if it begins to brown too quickly.

Tine's Notes: I used Cream of Chicken and Mushroom soup but it tasted just fine. I also added 2 tbsp of milk to make it more creamy. I used fresh carrots, but frozen peas and corn. Variety is good right? Instead of pre-bought shells, I made my own courtesy of Mrs. Fields and only used it to top the chicken and vegetable mixture. And yes, I sure did use the NuWave oven. 35 minutes on high if you need to know. =)

Yields: One 9-inch pie

Crust:
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 to 3 tbsp ice water

1. With a pastry blender, incorporate the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Toss the mixture with a fork, sprinkling on just enough of the ice water to form a cohesive dough. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 45 minutes. Roll out to an 11-inch circle and fir into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim and crimp edges. 

**This a pic free post. No, I won't be doing it often, I just don't want to steal a pic for this. Just know it didn't take long to eat.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

No pictures, no pictures

Correct title. There are no pictures of the meal I made tonight. Why? I was just that hungry. [BUT I won't leave you with nothing to look at, this a food blog, I know you come for the pictures.]

Reality: If I don't shop for particular ingredients that I deem necessary for a dish, I often go Iron Chef in the kitchen.
Translation: I do substitutions and or make MY version of the meal. Works out pretty well. Most of the time.

Tonight's dish:

Carrot Rice
recipe and photo by Allrecipes.com 

Ingredients:
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon margarine
1 onion, sliced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
3/4 cup grated carrots
salt to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
chopped fresh cilantro

Cooking:
1. Combine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid, and allow to steam until tender, about 20 minutes.

2. While rice is cooking, grind peanuts in a blender and set aside. Heat the margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned golden brown about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in ginger, carrots, and salt to taste. Reduce heat to low and cover to steam 5 minutes. Stir in cayenne pepper and peanuts. When rice is done, add it to skillet and stir gently to combine with other ingredients. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Tine's Notes: I used brown rice and I used a rice cooker. Sue me. I left out the peanuts, used butter and left out the cayenne pepper. My customers are a little picky. I used the tsp of grated ginger and added extra ground ginger. It is flavorful and slightly sweet. I actually loved the way it turned out.

This was served with Steak Dianne. What is that? Basically, steak with a butter sauce. You know how to cook a steak right? [See blog title banner for a picture of a steak.] I thought using a butter sauce would be somewhat acceptable since I didn't season the steak before I cooked it. [Note: I didn't have Worcestershire sauce on hand so I used a splash of a Bloody Mary mix I had which also covered the need for extra salt or pepper. Improvisation skills!]

Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter melted
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
chives, minced
salt and pepper

Sunday, April 25, 2010

No Gno [cchi]

I knew it had to had to be coming: my first food failure. Collective sigh here. I adore Italian food and carbs even more so gnocchi naturally was on my 'to try' list of dishes. It now has moved to 'try again' list.

Pretty isn't it? Yeah, I didn't make this.

That would be a lunch in Rome. I ate about 3/4 of that in one sitting. If that doesn't scream glutton to you, then we can be friends.

I used this recipe and it came out more like potato porridge than dumpling. I don't even want to show you the aftermath, but I will tell you it tasted pretty damn good but for texture snobs, this would not be ideal. Odd textures don't scare me. My parents trained me well I guess.

The actual dish was Gnocchi with Sage Butter sauce. More like mashed potatoes and sage. Alright reader, you've beat it out of me, I'll share a pic. Be kind.... I promise I'll do better next time.


Bite of heaven: Amaretti cookies

When my mother went to Italy for the first time, she happened to grab a random box that looked a little something like this:

From the duty-free shop at the airport, mind you. She RAVED about them and even included ONE in a care package along with Italian tchotchkies for me. Just one. Let's just say that's all she could spare.

This time around while we were in Italy [MY first time there] we were prepared and bought 3 boxes. I don't see anything wrong with that. Also, they were the last 3 in the shop.

Mother found an Amaretti recipe from the Joy of Baking blog... also I discovered that marzipan [another love of mine] is almost the exact same thing! Sugar heaven!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Coconut goodness

Lately, I've been snacking on coconut flakes. Seriously. Straight out of the package. Sad, but true. I was determined to actually make something that contained coconut flakes rather than eating the entire package. Would I ever tell you this in real life? Most likely not.

Yesterday's lunch, I kid you not


 
What did I make? Jamie's Coconut Cake [from Paula Deen-- you just KNOW it's going to be good and unhealthy]

I only had one 9" pan so this took awhile, but helped with waiting to ice the cake which is my biggest downfall. Pretty much every cake I've ever made got iced entirely too early and got runny. This wonderful cake is pretty dense, but stacks SO well. It's lightly flavored and doesn't have any coconut extract.

It's a beauty, isn't it?

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Feelin' Jamaican mon!

This dish actually says to use a grill pan, but it SMELLS so heavenly it kind of makes you want to grill outside so the neighborhood can envy your dinner. Maybe that's just me. I paired this with a rice dish, but you may want to do something else, lighter, maybe some type of salad.

Jamaican-Spiced Chicken
from Cooking Light Eat Smart Guide

Ingredients:
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp finely chopped and seeded jalapeño pepper
2 tsp cider vinegar [I used apple cider]
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 salt
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 lbs)
cooking spray

Cooking:
1. Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl; add chicken; toss to coat.

2. Heat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add chicken to pan; cook for 4 minutes. Turn chicken over; cook for 6 minutes or until done.

Yields: 4 servings (serving size: 2 chicken thighs)

Side dish.... this is turned out a bit mushy, I have a feeling it was because I kept adding more water because I didn't want it to burn [I used brown rice] and we're not the type of people who cook rice in pots. Rice cooker all the way! Next time, I'll be sure to use white and see how it goes. The rice has a mild flavor and really pairs well with spiced dishes.



Rice with Peas (kidney beans)


Ingredients:
3 cups of rice
1 can of tinned or 1 cup of fresh red peas (either kidney beans or pigeon peas)
5 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 uncut scotch bonnet pepper (1 jalapeno pepper may be used as a substitute)
3 Scallion (spring onions may be used as a substitute)
1 tin (or one cup) of coconut milk
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
2 sprigs of fresh thyme (2 teaspoons of dried thyme may be used as a substitute)

Cooking:
1. Bring seven cups of water to a boil in large pot.
2. Add garlic, kidney beans, coconut milk, rice, pepper and thyme. If using fresh kidney beans, you need to soak them in 3 cups of water overnight and let boil for 40 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients. [I basically used all the substitutes-- canned kidney beans, jalapeño pepper, spring onions and dried thyme. I'm all for simplifying recipes.]
3. Rice should be done cooking in approximately 40 minutes depending on the type of rice used. Garnish with fresh thyme optional.


  

Monday, April 12, 2010

I don't braid hair, only bread

For Easter, I wanted to bake so bake I did. Allrecipes.com had an Easter section that I riffled through for something simple yet elegant. Thus we have braided bread. I found a very cute braided round bread but it also had actual Easter eggs baked into it. I'm not a huge eater of eggs so mixing them into something works better for me. P.S. This makes a fairly large loaf so share!

Braided Egg Bread
via Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 (.25 ounce, ~2 1/2 tsp) package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil [I used olive oil, recommended for better flavor]
3 eggs + 1 egg yolk

TOPPING:
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a saucepan, heat water and oil to 120 degrees F-130 degrees F. Add to dry ingredients along with eggs. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.

3. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Set a third of the dough aside. Divide remaining dough into three pieces. Shape each into a 13-in. rope. Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Divide reserved dough into three equal pieces; shape each into a 14-in. rope. Braid ropes. Center 14-in. braid on top of the shorter braid. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

4. Beat egg and water; brush over dough. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cover with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Perfect Pita Bread


Perfect Pita Bread

Ingredients:
1 package of yeast, or quick rising yeast (~2 tsp of yeast)
1/2 cup warm water
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup lukewarm water

Preparation: 
1. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until water is frothy.

2. Combine flour and salt in large bowl.

3. Make a small depression in the middle of flour and pour yeast water in depression.

4. Slowly add 1 cup of warm water, and stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until elastic.

5. Place dough on floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. When the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic, it has been successfully kneaded.

6. Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all of the dough is coated.

7. Allow to sit in a warm place for about 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

8. Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 10-12 small pieces. Place balls on floured surface. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 deg F. and make sure rack is at the very bottom of oven. Be sure to preheat your baking sheet also.

9. Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick.

10. Bake each circle for 4 minutes until the bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for 2 minutes.

11. Remove each pita with a spatula from the baking sheet and add additional pitas for baking.

12. Take spatula and gently push down puff. Immediately place in storage bags.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Baked Falafel with Tzatziki Sauce

So there's this little restaurant I love called Baba's Mediterranean Grill that we frequent. I'm proud to say that the cultural food options have really expanded since I last lived in the area. [Although I have yet to find a decent Thai place.] When eating out, I almost always add it to the mix of options. My family even ate here for my birthday. As much as I like to try new dishes, I like to stick to what I know there-- usually a falafel platter which comes with 2 sides. Ever since, I've been curious about making my own... and for the health conscious, this is great because it is baked and NOT fried like typical falafel.

Baked Falafel

Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cilantro leaves (tightly packed)
1/4 cup parsley leaves (tightly packed)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Plain, dried breadcrumbs for forming balls (optional)

Cooking:
1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Combine all of the falafel ingredients except 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the breadcrumbs in food processor.

2. Process the mixture for 10 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and process for 10 more seconds. The ingredients should be well incorporated but the mixture should still be slightly coarse; go through 1 or 2 more processing cycles to achieve this consistency, if necessary.

3. Divide the mixture into tablespoons and form into a ball. [I ended up with about 15 balls] Lightly roll the falafel balls in plain dried breadcrumbs to help hold them together during baking and placed them on a unlined baking sheet.

4. Brush the falafel balls with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and place them in a 425F oven. Bake the falafel in 4 stages. After 10 minutes, I rotated my baking sheet front to back. After 20 minutes, I used a spatula to flip the balls. After 30 minutes, I rotated my baking sheet front to back again. After 40 minutes, I removed the falafel from the oven.

I served the falafel in pita pockets with the chopped romaine, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce.


Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (optional: mint)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1 kirby cucumber, peeled and finely diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl; stir to incorporate. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes prior to serving. Taste after chilling and adjust seasonings if necessary.

[This was perfect, I didn't need to add any more salt or pepper.]

And of course, you need pitas... yes, this meal took awhile to make...



Spicy Basil Chicken

I just LOVE this recipe when I'm craving Thai spices. I'm a huge fan of basil, I pretty much want to put it in every dish. Ok, maybe every other. It's divine.


Spicy Basil Chicken

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons chili oil [I used fresh chilis, you can also the garlic chili sauce]
2 cloves garlic
3 hot chile peppers
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
5 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 cup fresh mushrooms
1 cup chopped onions
1 bunch fresh basil leaves

Cooking:
1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the garlic and chile peppers until golden brown. Mix in chicken and sugar, and season with garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, but not done.

2. Stir oyster sauce into the skillet. Mix in mushrooms and onions, and continue cooking until onions are tender and chicken juices run clear. Remove from heat, and mix in basil. Let sit 2 minutes before serving.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Vegetarian Pad Thai

I am guilty of making pad thai with a premade sauce. It was edible, but this recipe is so much more flavorful and worth the effort. Although I prefer my pad thai on the spicy side, this is the sweeter version, but I'm sure you can tweak the recipe to your preference. You'll notice the substitutions/omissions I made and it was still great. Enjoy!


Vegetarian Pad Thai
from Cooking Light
Ingredients:
2/3 cup chili sauce [I used leftover taco sauce]
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 1/2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp chopped seeded serano pepper [I used jalapeño]
1/2 pound uncooked wide rice stick noodles (báhn pho) [I used skinny rice noodles (py mai fun)]
1 package extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes [I used soft texture I had on-hand]
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh bean sprouts [I omitted this since I didn't have any]
3/4 cup diagonally cut green onions
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro, divided
1/3 cup coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
6 lime wedges

Cooking:
1. Combine first 6 ingredients; set aside.

2. Cook noodles in boiling water 5 minutes or until done. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well. Heat 2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu; cook 7 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan.

3. Combine egg whites and egg, stirring well with a whisk.

4. Heat 2 tsp oil in pan over medium high heat. Add garlic, and sauté 10 seconds. Add egg mixture, and cook 30 seconds or until soft-scrambled, stirring constantly. Stir in chili sauce mixture and noodles; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tofu, bean sprouts, onions and 1/3 cup cilantro and peanuts over noodle mixture. Serve with lime wedges.

Yield: 6 servings

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Icing


Got this recipe from one of the baking blogs I follow. This is a perfectly moist and light, but wannabe fancy little cake. Another great dessert to file away....

Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Icing

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup quick-cooking oats (see note)
3/4 cup water , room temperature
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Broiled Icing Ingredients:
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:
1. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Create a foil sling for the pan: cut two 16-inch lengths of foil and fold them to widths of 5 inches each. Fit foil pieces into baking dish, one overlapping the other, pushing them into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. This creates a sling that will help you remove the cake after baking and cooling. Spray foil lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Combine oats and water in medium bowl and let sit until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. In another medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.

3. In bowl of standing mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until combined, 2 to 4 minutes, scraping down bowl halfway through mixing. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add flour mixture in 2 additions and mix until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add soaked oats and mix until combined, about 15 seconds.

4. Transfer batter to prepared pan and lightly tap against counter 3 or 4 times to dislodge any large air bubbles; smooth surface with spatula. Bake cake until toothpick inserted into center comes out with few crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool slightly in pan, at least 10 minutes.

5. FOR THE BROILED ICING: While cake cools, adjust oven rack about 9 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. In medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, melted butter, and milk together; stir in coconut and pecans. Spread mixture evenly over warm cake. Broil until topping is bubbling and golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Let cake cool in pan 1 hour. Transfer cake to serving platter, then discard foil. Cut cake into squares and serve.

*ATK’s notes: Do not use old-fashioned or instant oats for this recipe. Be sure to use a metal baking dish; glass pans are not recommended when broiling. If you have a drawer-style broiler (underneath the oven), position the rack as far as possible from the broiler element and monitor the icing carefully as it cooks in step 5. A vertical sawing motion with a serrated knife works best for cutting through the crunchy icing and tender crumb.