Hope in the Kitchen

Mache Salad

2012-01-25T15:29:00.004-05:00

Mache.

So delicate and delicious. And exotic. My host mom in Paris served this green almost weekly and I fell in love with it. She served it as a simple salad - mache, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. That's it! It was so lovely and I think about it a lot.

I rarely come across mache but of course I stumbled upon it at Wegman's.

We ate it the other night with this dressing:

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

2-3 pinches kosher salt

5 turns fresh ground pepper

3 pressed garlic cloves, optional

Whisk all ingredients well until combined or put in a jar with a lid and shake vigorously.

You only need a very little bit of this dressing for your mache. Save the rest for another salad.

Adam said it was too acidy but I enjoyed it. Start off with less lemon juice if you wish.

Stuffed Cabbage & Bolognese

2012-01-20T10:17:00.003-05:00

Going back to the post I did a few days ago, here are the photos from Skinny Taste recipes.

This is the Stuffed Cabbage and Beef Casserole:

Ravioli with Crock Pot Bolognese:

I know I make a lot of things from Skinny Taste so I am going to try to go on a break. Yes, she has lots of great recipes but I too have tons of cookbooks that I need and want to be using. I am just usually planning our meals in front of the computer, away from my cookbooks, so it is just easier to find recipes online. I have meals planned from now until Tuesday but after that I plan on making some recipes from my favorite cookbooks. Stay tuned.

Pesto Pasta with Broccoli & Chicken Sausage

2012-01-19T16:05:00.008-05:00

It is a technological miracle! I just had to download Google Chrome and now I'm back in business!

So for dinner last night I made a delicious pasta dish. Adam even said "it's been a long time since I've gone back for seconds". ha! That's what happens when I am experimenting with meals all the time.

This pasta dish was inspired by Gimme Some Oven's Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Roasted Brussel Sprouts. Instead of the sprouts, I used blanched broccoli. I had some Roasted Garlic and Herb Chicken Sausage from Wegmans with a very delicate casing that would not allow me to slice the sausage into coins as recommended in the original recipe. Instead, I just removed the casing which doesn't look as pretty but I'm sure tastes just the same.

1 pound of broccoli, rinsed and chopped into bite size pieces

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 lb. (16 oz.) pasta

4 links or 1 pound chicken sausage, removed from casing

4 cloves garlic, pressed

1/3 cup pesto (jarred Wegman's brand is great)

Parmesan cheese for serving

Fill a large pot with cold water, add a few pinches of salt and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions.

In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add broccoli and stir. Cook for 3 minutes. Strain and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up as you stir. After 6-8 minutes, add the garlic and continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant and the sausage is browned.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and save 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. In the large pot the pasta was cooked in, add the pasta, broccoli, sausage, pesto and pasta water. Stir until combined.

Serve with grated Parmesan.

Oh and can you tell I had a lovely day last Friday at Wegman's?! It was heaven, I tell you! I can't wait so long to go back again.

SkinnyTaste

2012-01-11T10:09:00.001-05:00

I am having some trouble with my computer these days. I can open my blog but I cannot manage it so now I am here attempting to use my husband\'s iPad. I am still not in love with this contraption. I was not able to manage the blog on the iPad either until we figured out that I needed to find a blogging app. With that done, here I am, typing but not sure how to add photos or links.

I recently made two back-to-back recipes from Skinny Taste - Kalyn\'s Stuffed Cabbage Casserole and Crock Pot Bolognese Sauce.

Both were tasty! Adam said he would not ask for the cabbage dish again and I agree but the bolognese sauce was lovely! We ate it over cheese ravioli and it made enough to freeze for our next pasta meal.

Visit www.skinnytaste.com and scroll down to find the recipes.

I am now going back to figure out this iPad. Wish me luck - I need it!

New Years Eve Party

2012-01-05T09:41:00.007-05:00

Sometime in early December, Adam suggested having a New Years Eve party at our house. I said, sure, why not?! We had a party to ring in 2010 and it was fun so we thought it was time for another. We invited people over around 8:00 but I still wanted to make a lot of goodies to snack on. Adam and I teamed up and made a pinecone cheese ball, cheese biscuits with ham, Adam's famous cheese, bologna & mustard plate, veggies & ranch, seasoned pretzels, dill pickle, cream cheese and dried beef bites and rice krispy treats.

Note: Check out that wine cork wreath my mom got us for Christmas - it was empty and we filled it with our cork stash.

In addition, Adam made his famous boilo and I made a punch that turned out to be a hit! I was thinking about getting ingredients to make all kinds of cocktails but then I thought it would be easier to make a pitcher of punch, that way it's ready to go when someone's glass is empty.

Recipe:
1 bottle sweet sparkling wine (spumante, asti, etc.)
1 bottle vodka
1 1/2 to 2 bottles cranberry juice cocktail
Lime slices

Mix all in a pitcher and drop in lime slices. Serve over ice.

Our friend James and Lauren brought some orange jell-o shots! They hollowed out orange halves, pour the jell-o into the orange shells, let them set and then cut them into wedges. So very clever!! I was so amazed by them and took lots of pictures but when I was ready to sample one, they were gone. It's ok though because we will definitely try to make them.

It was a great evening but it flew by way too fast! One minute it was 10:30 and we were watching Dick Clark, the next minute I was chatting in the kitchen and someone yelled "one minute"! We hardly had time to get on our hats and pop the bubbly! We look forward to having a party again soon - before and including NYE

Another thing I wanted to share with you is that I started a mini journal for 2012. And by mini, I mean super mini - just because I could never write in an empty paged journal - it's too daunting to me! I got the idea from a blogger I adore - Ashley at Under the Sycamore. I am keeping a "Best of My Days" journal. Every day I write a few words about the best part of my day. If you want to do this too, you can download the template from Ashley's blog.

Happy New Year!

Holiday Greetings!

2011-12-23T11:27:00.006-05:00

Merry Christmas to all!

Decorating our tree.

Adam-the-heavy-handed-sugarer and I made sand tarts

Our decorated buffet

Front door wreath

Peanut Butter Fudge

2011-12-21T08:54:00.004-05:00

Adam brought fudge home from work a few days ago and it was so good that it inspired me to make my own. For some reason, I like peanut butter fudge better than chocolate (but of course I'll glady enjoy both!). I am usually nervous about making candy because it needs to be so precise but this turned out well. It's rather firm but that might be because it cooked too long so really don't let it boil over 3 minutes as it says in the directions - if you like your fudge a little soft, boil just under 3 minutes.

cut up and boxed for gift giving!

This recipe was inspired by Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss.

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon butter
7 oz. jar of marshmallow cream
12 oz. creamy peanut butter

Butter a 9 inch x 13 inch dish, line it with parchment paper and butter the parchment. You can really use any size pan - just depends on how thick you want your fudge.

Mix sugar, cream, vanilla and butter in a medium saucepen. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add marshmallow and peanut butter. Stir well and immediately pour into prepared pan. Let cool completely, cut into small pieces and store in the refrigerator.
;

Christmas in NYC

2011-12-20T14:42:00.010-05:00

The weekend my mom, dad, brother sister, husband and I ventured to New York City. Here is the story in pictures (sorry mom, I didn't get a picture of you):

The Rockettes, Top of the Rock, Rockefeller Christmas tree, dinner at Beacon, Papaya hot dogs, Shorty's Philly bar, Rudy's bar

Boilo

2011-12-14T10:58:00.006-05:00

Boilo! The coal region's hot toddy! Our friend Nick came over one evening and taught us how to make this delicious beverage. We enjoyed it while decorating our Christmas tree.
The great thing about this recipe is that you can add whatever quantity and variety of ingredients that you want. There are many variations but this is what we did:

1 2-liter bottle ginger ale
2 oranges, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
2 cinnamon sticks
1 Tablespoon caraway seeds
1 Tablespoon whole cloves
2 Tablespoons candied ginger, chopped
2 Tablespoons mulling spices (optional)
10 oz honey
2 1/2 cups Four Queens whiskey (or any cheap whiskey)
1/4 cup moonshine (optional, if you know someone who makes it)

In a large pot over medium/high heat, add the ginger ale, oranges, lemon, spices and honey. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to warm/low. Add the whiskey and moonshine. Enjoy warm!

Bacon in the Oven

2011-12-05T13:14:00.005-05:00

My mom made this bacon for BLTs recently and it was so delicious! I gave it a try this weekend. It's super simple.

You need bacon and brown sugar.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a rack on the sheet. I used a cooling rack or you can use a rack from your roasting pan.

Place the slices of bacon on the rack. Sprinkle just a little bit of brown sugar on each piece of bacon.

Bake for 15 minutes and then flip the slices of bacon. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until it reaches your desired crispiness.

I put sugar on both sides of my bacon and it can out caramelized and super sweet - it was more like a candy than a breakfast side dish but I loved it! Remember, a little sugar goes a long way. Although, as I was eating this I was thinking, this would be so good on a Christmas cookie platter. ha!

Crispy Chicken Thighs

2011-11-30T10:22:00.003-05:00

The other night we had some chicken thighs and legs to use up. I know lots of people say thighs are the best becauase they are so flavorful but I just haven't gotten on that ban wagon yet. I still prefer boneless skinless breasts. It's just neater and more appealing to me. But we had this chicken on hand - thanks to Adam's winnings at the gun club - so we wanted to prepare it for dinner.

I was looking around for a basic recipe and came across a method for baking bone-in, skin-on thighs and getting a really crispy skin so that's what we tried. I had some legs to bake too but they didn't turn out as crispy - don't know why.

But those thighs were so crispy!! The skin turned out so well and so delicious!!!

I found the recipe from this website - The Kitchenista.

Chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on (you can use other chicken pieces too)
Olive oil
Sea salt or kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Pour a tiny bit of olive oil on the baking sheet and spread it all over the pan.

Remove the chicken from the fridge and let it sit for awhile to get the chill off. You can place the chicken on a plate in single layers between paper towels. Then use the towels to dry off the chicken the best you can. Next, drizzle the pieces with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher or sea salt. Place on the baking tray skin side up.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour.

Cranberry Raspberry Smoothie

2011-11-29T08:33:00.006-05:00

1 banana, frozen and peeled

1/2 cup frozen raspberries

a handful of fresh cranberries

1/2 cup vanilla or plain yogurt

1/2 cup orange juice

2 Tablespoons honey

Combine all ingredients in a blend. Blend until smooth. Taste. Add more honey if not sweet enough.

Recipe from nutritionist Kim Hahn

Caramel Apple Sundaes

2011-11-14T15:06:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite candies are caramels! I just love the super sweet taste and creamy texture. So when I saw a recipe for caramel sauce with apples I knew I had to try to make it to eat on vanilla ice. I was a bit nervous because I do not have much practice with candy making and I think it really takes skill. But I tried this anyway. And I've made it 4 times until it turned out semi-correct. But it was still so delicious! I don't think I let it cook long enough to get the deep caramel color, but it still tasted good! Maybe you can try the recipe and see how it works for you and then let me. I just love caramel apples too much to give up on this!

I am rather ashamed to write about this, especially if a certain Caramal Maker reads the post. It just makes me appreciate her candies more and what talent and precision it takes to make a good caramel.

I got the recipe from the Cookin' Canuck.

2 1/2 medium gala apples

1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 quart vanilla ice cream

Core apples and thinly slice, cutting each slice in half (I peeled my apples too but that's up to you).

Spread sugar evenly in a large skillet set over medium heat. Let the sugar sit, untouched, until it begins to melt.

Using a fork stire the sugar until it has completely melted and turned a medium caramel brown.

Remove from the heat and slowly add the cream. Stand back a little because it will foam and may splatter. Return to the heat and whisk until the sauce is smooth - this is where I always have trouble because the sugar solidifies onto my whisk but I found if you keep cooking the sauce. It will all incorporate nicely.

Set over low heat, whisking occasionally, until ready to serve.

In the meantime, melt butter in a medium skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the apples and cook until the apples are beginning to turn brown.

Add the apples to the caramel sauce and stir until they are coated.

Using four bowls or short glasses. layer the ice cream with the caramel apples, drizzling the extra sauce over top. Serve immediately.

If you're not an experienced caramel maker like me, don't worry if you need to try this recipe a couple times - even if you don't get a traditional caramel consistency and color, it will still be tasty with your ice cream. I know from experience.

Apple Pie Martini

2011-11-07T09:11:00.002-05:00

Last Friday I was on the hunt for a new drink recipe. Something for fall. Through my googling, I found a recipe for an Apple Pie Martini. I thought, that will hit the spot!

I found this recipe from the cocktails section of About.com but changed it a bit to my liking.

1 shot vodka

1 shot Navan Vanilla Liquor (or any vanilla liquor)

2 or 3 shots apple cider

juice from a lime wedge

pinch of ground cinnamon

Put all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a martini glass.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

2011-11-02T12:15:00.007-04:00

Last night we had a wonderful dinner. Relatively unhealthy, yes, but we didn't mind especially since my roasted chicken sausage went awry the night before and we were hungry.

We had grilled cheddar, apple and bacon sandwiches and roasted butternut squash and apple soup - the perfect fall meal. It filled us up and made us happy.

Even though I was nervous Adam wasn't going to love the soup he did! And so did I. It turned out very well and I highly recommend making it. It's really quite easy after you gather all the ingredients, chopping them up is the most time consuming part. I am a huge fan of cream soups and I have been waiting for weeks to try this.

The recipe is from Ciao Florentina but I altered it a bit.

1 butternut squash (3lbs), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 granny smith apples, cored and cut into 1 inch pieces (Florentina did not peel them but I did)

2 carrots, sliced

4 Tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 cup white wine

3 cups vegetable or chicken stock (I used chicken)

1/2 cup heavy cream (I used a splash more because I love cream!)

1 teaspoon salt

black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 bay leaves

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

In a 9x13 glass baking dish, toss the squash, apples, carrot slices, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, salt and pepper with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Roast uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until tender. Stir a few times during cooking.

Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat in a cast iron pot. Add and saute the diced onion with a pinch of salt until transslucent. Add the wine and let it reduce by half. Add the roasted vegetables to the pot together with the stock. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and using a hand held blender, puree the soup until smooth. Stir in the cream and cook an additional 3 minutes.

Adjust salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Florentina also suggests serving the soup with a drizzle of cream, snipped chives and a pinch of ground nutmeg.

You can also add fresh thyme leaves to your vegetables as they roast.

To make the grilled cheese, spread Dijion mustard on 2 pices of bread. Top one slice with cheddar cheese, 3 pieces cooked bacon, a few granny smith apple slices and more cheese. Place other piece of bread on top with mustard side down. Spread butter on the top of the sandwich and place on a hot grill. Butter the other piece of bread before you flip it.

Very Delicious Fall Salad

2011-11-01T10:40:00.008-04:00

Fall Salad with pear, Parmesan, candied pecans and maple-balsamic dressing!

This is the most delicious salad I've made in a long time! And the dressing turned out so well - there are so many balsamic vinaigrette recipes out there that I've tried and they're usually flat and blah. Well this dressing is so great and slightly sweet from the maple syrup which I love. I had two servings last night!

And this was especially great because the only things I need to buy was lettuce and a pear.

I got this recipe from the Food Network, created by Tyler Florence.

Candied pecans:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1/2 cup raw pecans (you can do halves or chopped)

Maple-balsamic dressing:

1 small shallot, finely diced (I omitted)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons maple syrup

salt and pepper

Salad:

Mixed greens and baby spinach

1 pear, sliced

1/4 cup shaved Parmesan

To make the candied pecans, set a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the butter and sugar an d once it has melted toss in the pecans and continue to toss to coat and cook evenly, about 1 minute. Transfer to a sheet tray lined with waxed paper (use 2 forks to seperate pecans) while you prepare the salad.

Make the dressing by combining the chopped shallot, Dijon and balsamic vinegar in a medium mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while you whisk to emulsify. Add the maple syrup and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Assemble salad by tossing greens and pear slices in a large mixing bowl with dressing. Top with Parmesan and pecans. Or you can arrange the salad ingredients in individual bowls and top with dressing - whatever works for you!

Banana Bread

2011-10-31T15:20:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, I was planning a nice day at my parents house with lots of recipes to try. No other plans for the day but really making treats and eating them. What I did not plan for was a ton of snow that caused the power to go out. So instead of baking (watching tv, doing laundry, etc.) my mom and I enjoyed cold pizza and candlelight.

But the next morning the power was back and I had some very ripe bananas that needed to be used so I found a recipe for banana bread from Simply Recipes and gave it a try. It was super delicious and moist. I left half for my parents and took the other half home and it really only lasted us a few hours. I will be making more very soon!

I usually prefer nuts in my bread but this version doesn't call for any. And I was ok with that! This makes only one loaf and I like to think that's good so I don't consume too much but then I really miss it when it's gone.

Thanks, Simply Recipes!

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed (I used 4)
1/3 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat overn to 350 degrees

In a large mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon to mix butter into the mashed bananas. Then mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells

2011-10-26T08:47:00.007-04:00

And I made Pumpkin and Ricotta Stuffed Shells!

After a little hesitation from both me and Adam, we actually enjoyed the pumpkin twist on the old classic! The flavor was much more complex than the typical ricotta and mozzarella filling. And when you think pumpkin, don't think sweet. Think dimension and savory. Although I think I would serve it as a side dish with some meat, just for texture.

And if you us low fat ricotta (of course I did not - I used whole milk ricotta. yum!), this dish has less calories (and more flavor!) than the traditional recipe!

My Aunt Donna mailed me this recipe (thank you!!). It's from October 2011 Country Living magazine.

24 jumbo pasta shells
1 tablespoon olive oil
22 ounces ricotta (2 1/2 cups)
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
2 1/2 ounces pecorino Romano, grated (3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
1 large egg white
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped (I omitted)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 (26 oz.) jar marinara sauce

Cook pasta shells according to package instructions; drain. Transer to a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Set aside and let cool.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, pumpkin, 3/4 cup pecorino Romano, and remaining ingredients, except marinara sauce.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread sauce in bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with about 3 tablespoons ricotta-pumpkin mixture and arrange in the pan. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle shells with remaining pecorino, and bake for 15 minutes.

Or you can do what I did and stuff the shells the night before and refrigerate overnight in an airtight container, in between layers of plastic wrap; arrange shells on sauce right before baking.

Evening Prep

2011-10-25T08:39:00.009-04:00

What happened last night was something rare. I did something that I always want to do, at least a few times a week. I began preparation for dinner the night before. It felt so good! To know that all I have to do when I get home is pop something in the oven and 40 minutes later, it's dinnertime without all the prep and tons of dishes! And what are we having tonight?? You'll just have to wait to see tomorrow! Hint: think a fall twist on stuffed shells.

Happy Birthday!

2011-10-17T10:58:00.002-04:00

Happy 21st Birthday today to my sister!

We saw her over the weekend for dinner at the German restaurant on South St. in Phila., Brauhaus Schmitz. She had a delicious Hazelnut cake with a candle :)

Creamy Macaroni with Spicy Sausage

2011-10-17T10:31:00.008-04:00

As I previously mentioned, this is the other recipe I have made from my new cookbook, homemade by Clodagh McKenna - Mac and Cheese with Spicy Sausage.

Now the original recipe is called Creamy Macaroni with Smoked Bacon but as I was reading the notes with the recipe, Clodagh suggests using spicy sausage in place of the smoked bacon. So I did because it seemed more heartier than just bacon for a main course dinner. I just used spicy Italian sausage.

Here is the recipe with my moderations:

1 box (15 or 18 oz) macaroni
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced smoked thick-cut bacon OR a pound of spicy sausage cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup bread crumbs (or you can grate a few pieces of stale white bread)
1/3 stick butter

Cheese sauce:
2/3 stick butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 3/4 cups milk
1 3/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a heavy-bottom saucepan, stir in the flour, and cook for 2 minutes until it resembles a small piece of dough. Slowly whisk in the milk, stirring all the time. Stir in the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Season with salt and pepper, add the Dijon mustard, and stir.

Turn down the heat and cook until the sauce starts to thicken (it should coat the back of a wooden spoon). The cheese sauce should be creamy in texture; if it becomes too thick, add more milk.

While the cheese sauce is simmering, add the pasta to a large saucepan of salted boiling water and stir for about 30 seconds so the pasta doesn't stick together. Cook for 10 minutes, then drain.

Place another skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the sausage and cook until done.

Pour the pasta into a 10 inch baking dish, followed by the cooked sausage, followed by the cheese sauce, making sure the sausage and the cheese sauce is evenly distributed over the pasta.

Place the sausage skillet back over medium-high heat. Add the butter and once melted, stir in the bread crumbs and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the cheesy macaroni and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the top is golden.

Guest Post - Asian Turkey Meatballs

2011-10-14T13:14:00.004-04:00

A few years ago I stumbled across a cooking blog called The Culinary Couple. It is written by a very charming couple living right here in Pennsylvania! Together we have chatted online about local places as well as Germany - they too have a big love of the country and food! I even used posts from their past trip to Munich as inspiration for places to visit on our honeymoon.

The Couple has recently welcomed a son to their family so they reached out to me to do a guest post on their blog. I was, of course, excited to contribute!

Go here to check out my Asian Meatball Recipe on The Culinary Couple.

Thank you to Emily and Nick for this opportunity and I hope you're enjoying time with your new addition!

PS - Can't wait to see pictures of the baby in his tiny Lederhosen!

Bucatini

2011-10-12T09:26:00.005-04:00

Last night for dinner I was planning to make plain, ole spaghetti. Nothing special. Then I remembered that I bought a package of bucatini at a DiBruno Brothers in Philadelphia (gourmet food shops sprinkled through the city) when we were visiting my sister for the PSU v. Temple game.

I have come across a few bucatini recipes and read about the unique long, hollow noodle. I was very intrigued. But I could not find it in any grocery stores around me (the story of my life). I was so excited when I found it in the amazing DiBruno Bros. store. See, we originally went into the store because my husband told me to get him something while we were shopping and he was at the Phillies game. I knew he was teasing but when we walked by DiBruno, I knew I had to get him what he REALLY wanted.

Not a shirt.

Not undies.

But some meat and cheese!

So my mom, sister and I browsed the delicacies and found him the perfect treat while I got myself some sea salt chocolate and bucatini.

And you know this bucatini is authentically Italian because there were was no English on the packaging. Love that!

Here you can see the pasta before it's cooked:

And here is the bucatini with some delicious Prego Three Cheese and ground beef. Yum! (I forgot to do the fancy Instagram finish on this pic. Darn!):

Wild Mushroom Risotto

2011-10-11T09:48:00.006-04:00

For my birthday my mom got me this book, "homemade" by Clodagh McKenna. It's full of great entertaining and decorating ideas as well as recipes. And the photos are so beautiful and inspirational. I highly recommend this book!

So far I have made 2 recipes from it. Today I will talk about one and tomorrow the other.

Yesterday for dinner I tried my hand at mushroom risotto for the very first time! And I think it came out quite well. Adam wasn't fond of the taste - I think it was too starchy for him. But I was proud of it - maybe because of all stirring that goes into making the dish.

Here's the recipe from homemade:

scant 1/2 cup (just over 3/4 stick) butter

1 onion, very finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped, divided

1 1/2 cups aborio rice

1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons dry white wine

4 cups hot vegetable stock (I made mine - recipe to follow)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

9 oz mixed wild mushrooms (I only used a 4 oz mix prepackaged and sliced in produce aisle)

sea salt and pepper

sprig of fresh sage, finely chopped (I omitted)

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt 2/3 stick butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat, add the onion and 1 chopped garlic clove, and cook gently for 3-4 minutes until softened.

Add the rice and stir for a minute or so to coat it in the butter. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

Every couple of minutes, add some stock, stir and allow the rice to absorb the juices. Repeat until all of the stock has been absorbed and stir continuously.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the remainder of the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the wild mushrooms and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

When the rice is tender and all the stock has been absorbed, remove from the heat and let rest for 30 seconds.

Stir in the mushrooms, the remaining butter, the sage and Parmesan cheese.

Season to taste and serve immediately.

Vegetable Stock Recipe (modified from allrecipes.com)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion

1 shallot

2 large carrots

2 stalks celery with leafy greens

5 garlic cloves

1 bell pepper

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs thyme

1 teaspoon salt

2 quarts water

**These are the ingredients I had on hand - you can add so many others: green onions, potato, mushrooms, parsley or other savory herbs, corn cobs, the list goes on. **

Chop scrubbed vegetables into 1-inch chunks. Mince garlic.

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add all ingredients except salt and water. Cook for 5-10 minutes stirring frequently.

Add salt and water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Strain. Discard vegetables.

Chicken Stew with Biscuits

2011-10-07T14:49:00.002-04:00

First of all, look at that picture. Cute, huh? Artistic, even. Well it was taken with my phone by the Instragram app. I think the photos turn out great with this app and I'll be using it quite a bit from here on out. And the best part is that it's easier than using my camera. A lot of times I won't post a recipe just because it's such a pain to find my camera, take the photo in good lighting and in a nice area and then get the photo on my computer. It's much easier using my phone so that's what it'll be for awhile!

On to the chicken stew recipe! This is really a guest post by my mom. She made this for my birthday dinner and it is so delicious! It's Ina Garten's recipe.

3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in skin on

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

5 cups chicken stock

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

2 onions, chopped

3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

4 carrots, medium-diced, blanched for 2 minutes

1 10-oz package frozen peas

1/2 cups fresh parsley, minced

For the biscuits:

2 cups flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, cold and diced

3/4 cup half and half

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat overn to 375 degrees.

Place the chicken breasts on a foil-lined, PAM-sprayed sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. You will have 4 to 6 cups of chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring until thick. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the heavy cream. Add the chicken, carrots, peas, and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10x13x2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Add the half and half and combine on low speed. Mix in the parsley. Dump the dough on a well-floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out 12 circles with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter.

Remove stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling. Brush them with the egg wash, and return the dish to the oven. Bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubly.

Simple Fall Candies

2011-10-06T09:43:00.003-04:00

I found this cute idea from this blog.

These are so cute and delicious flavor combos!

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, place desired amount of mini pretzel twists, topped with a Hug.

Put in hot oven for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press in a candy corn on each hug.

Let cool and place in an air tight container.

Enjoy!

Golden Malted Pancakes

2011-09-27T10:24:00.004-04:00

I use Bisquik a lot. It's my go-to base for pancakes and waffles, as well as shortcakes and chicken tender breading. Unless I am making a specialty pancake or waffle recipe, I just think Bisquik makes good, fluffy treats. We eat waffles and pancakes on weekend mornings when we're home and have no plans. For a shower gift, I got Golden Malted Waffle & Pancake Flour from Williams-Sonoma and just over the weekend, I tried it out. You simply add milk, an egg and melted butter to the flour mix and you're ready for the hot griddle.

These cakes turned out very well, but different than Bisquik pancakes. They were thinner, which meant you could eat more :) And since the batter was quite thin, it made a lot of crispy, slightly sweet pancakes.

Thanks, Emily, for this great gift!

Tailgating

2011-09-26T15:33:00.007-04:00

Two weekends ago, Adam, my parents and I visited my sister at Temple University. We went to the big Temple vs. PSU game and did some tailgating before the game. My mom brought ingredients for cheese and scallion omelets, grilled sausage, hash browns and fruit. While I didn't get a photo of our delicious brunch - it was a noon game - I got some good shots of my family. And even though Temple put a great fight and lost at the end, we had a fun time.

Balsamic Chicken

2011-09-23T10:53:00.003-04:00

This is a delicious and easy recipe from my friend Jamie. It is in the cookbook I got for a shower gift, Hope In The Kitchen: Wedding Edition.

I ate my chicken just as pictured - over a slice of tomato, a slice of mozzarella, drizzled with olive oil and topped with basil leaves. Adam ate his over a salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Both ways are delicious! The balsamic vinegar infuses so much flavor into the chicken.

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Place chicken in a large ziploc bag and pour marinade on top. Let marinade for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Now you can either grill the chicken until done or saute it in a pan. I added some oil to a large pan and pan seared the breasts until done (you can cut the meat into smaller pieces for quicker cook time).

Coconut Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

2011-09-15T09:46:00.004-04:00

Last evening for dinner we had Coconut Chicken Salad with Warm Honey Mustard Vinaigrette. It was quite tasty and we were both sad that I didn't make enough chicken! We loved the sweet and savory taste of the coconut and chicken so I will definitely make this again as a main course instead of a salad topper.

As my obession with skinnytaste.com continues, I found this recipe there and adapted it a bit.

This is for 2 salads:

6 chicken tenderloins

6 Tablespoons shredded coconut

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

3 Tablespoons corn flakes, crushed

1 egg

pinch salt

olive oil spray

5 cups lettuce, chopped

1/2 cucumber, sliced

1 carrot, ribboned with a vegetable peeler

Vinaigrette:

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon honey

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with olive oil spray.

In a shallow bowl, add the egg and beat it. In another bowl, add coconut, panko, corn flakes and salt. Lightly season chicken with salt. Dip each tender into the egg and then the breading mixture. Place on the prepared baking. Spray with more olive oil spray.

Bake for 15 minutes. Flip and bake for 10 more minutes or until cooked through.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients. Microwave for 20 seconds to warm dressing.

Arrange lettuce, cucumbers and carrots on dinner plates. Top with chicken and then with the warm vinaigrette.

Note: You may have to make more dressing if you chose to have more lettuce and vegetables on your salad.

Pumpkin Waffles

2011-09-12T13:04:00.002-04:00

These waffles are a great fall treat. I just love anything pumpkin! This was the first pumpkin recipe of the season for me and the smell of the pumpkin and spices were so good! I have a whole slue of pumpkin recipes lined up for the fall.

This recipe is not complex but it does require a few bowls and a mixer.

I made these in a regular round waffle iron but they would be great in a Belgian waffler!

Ours were topped with fresh whipped cream sweetened with sugar.

Recipe from the Pumpkin Waffle Blog (where else??).

1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Plug in and heat waffle iron.

Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Whisk together to break apart the cornstarch. Add the remaining dr ingredients, and whisk to blend.

Separate eggs: yolks go in a medium bowl and whites get set aside in a smaller bowl.

Add pumpkin and milk to the egg yolks. Whisk to blend and set aside.

Whip egg whites with a hand mixer on high until stiff peaks form - about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Set aside.

Pour melted butter into the yolk/milk/pumpkin mixture. As you pour, whisk to combine.

Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix them together until just combined. A little lumpiness is fine and will smooth out when the egg whites are added.

Slide the egg whites out of the bowl and onto the mixture you just prepared. Gently fold them in until no white is obvious.

Once the waffle iron is heated, you're ready to pour in the batter. Because the color of the batter is darker than a regular batter, it is hard to tell when the waffle is done. Make sure it is cooked long enough to a good crispiness.

Taco Chicken Salad

2011-09-01T15:26:00.005-04:00

Last night for dinner we had a very tasty salad! It was a wonderful meal that filled us up and made us feel healthy (except for the cheddar biscuits I made from Skinny Recipes). This salad recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you Our Best Bites for a great salad recipe!

Salad:

4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped (I used a bag of the romaine salad mix with carrots)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, cubed
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (8 3/4 oz.) can corn, drained and rinsed
Taco grilled chicken (recipe below)

Dressing:

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (I didn't mix in with the dressing because Adam doesn't like it so I just sprinkled it on top of my salad)
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons (or more if you like extra heat) adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt (or more for taste)

In a big bowl, toss all salad ingredients together except the chicken.

In a small bowl, mix all dressing ingredients together. Test taste to see if you need more adobo sauce or salt.

Plate salad on individual plates, top with chicken and then dressing.

Taco Chicken Recipe

1 pound chicken tenders (you can use boneless skinless breasts or thighs if you want)
Juice of 2 limes
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Place chicken in a plastic marinading container or a large Zip Loc bag. Add the lime juice, vinegar and garlic. Move chicken around to coat. This will not completely cover the chicken so just move the chicken around every once in awhile as it marinades. Marinade for 4-8 hours.

Heat the grill. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. In a small dish, combine chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Rub mixture all over chicken.

Grill about 5 minutes per side or until cooked through.

Remove from heat and allow to stand for a few minutes before serving.

Apple & Cheddar Stuffed Chicken

2011-08-30T13:01:00.005-04:00

Adam's mom gave me the latest issue of Semi-Homemade by Sandra Lee. There are so many decorating ideas and recipes in the magazine which got me so excited for fall! Just last night I put out a navy blue and hunter green plaid tablecloth and orange pumpkin placemats and lit a spicy candle.

Anyway, on Saturday I made one of Sandra's fall-time recipes for lunch. The recipe is Apple and Havarti Stuffed Chicken Breasts but since I couldn't find havarti in Pine Grove, I used extra sharp cheddar and it turned out very well. We ate the chicken with honey carrots and fries (not much color in this meal but we were trying to use up what we had on hand). Here's Sandra's recipe:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 very thin peeled apple slices
1/4 cup shredded havarti or cheddar cheese
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup apple cider

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a knife, cut a slit about 2 inches long in the thick side of each chicken breast to form a pocket (do not cut in half). Sprinkle inside pockets and out side of chicken with salt and pepper. Stuff each with 3 apple slices and 1 tablespoon cheese. Pinch edges to seal; secure with 1 or 2 toothpicks.

In a large oven-proof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until done, turning once.

Once done, remove chicken from skillet (be careful with that skillet handle! I have a bad burn on my palm because I've just started using oven-proof skillets and I'm not used to those hot handles! ugh!) and place on a serving platter. Discard wooden picks.

In a small saucepan, pour skillet drippings through a fine wire-mesh strainer; discard solids. Stir in cider and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes until mixture is reduced to 1/3 cup. Serve apple cider mixture with chicken.

German Foods = Honeymoon Foods

2011-08-25T10:04:00.022-04:00

After our wedding on July 23, we left 2 days later for our honeymoon in Munich, Germany. We had a great time and I wanted to share some of our food experiences. We ate a lot! And it was all so scrumptous. I failed to take pictures of everything we ate but I did get photos of our favorites. g

To begin, as soon as we arrived in Munich, we dove right into exploring the area. We stopped at a restaurant at the Marienplatz - city square - around 10:45 am for a snack and to watch the Glockenspiel - a 10 minute show of figurines dancing in the bell tower of the city hall. We ordered weisswurst, a traditional white sausage in the Munich area. It's historically eaten in the morning because it is not smoked and can spoil after noon time. You eat the sausage with a pretzel and mustard. Our waiter failed to tell us that you do not eat the skin of the weisswurst :( But we still enjoyed it's unconventional creamy texture.

We also had a bratwurst and sauerkraut. The sauerkraut was the best I've ever had and I'm a huge kraut fan!

During our touring adventures in the old town of Munich, I took a break and slipped into a bakery and got a huge meringue. So sweet and crunchy!

While Adam was in a crowded soccer shop getting his Bayern Munich jersey, I enjoyed a gelato! So many flavors to choose from but I settled on raspberry! Look how divine the flavors look all mounded up in their containers, screaming at me to try each one!

We then wandered on to the Viktualienmarkt to see what the vegetable, fruit, meat, cheese and florists had to offer. I really wanted a pickle. Adam played along and tried it first so I could get a photo. It was both sweet and spicy at the same time - like no pickle I've ever had before. I like it but Adam did not (he's strickly a bread and butter pickle man).

Oh the beer!! We drank lots and lots of beer! Again, the beer was so much better than any beer in the U.S. And I think Adam has only had one U.S. beer since we've been home because nothing can compare to the brews in Bavaria! Pictured below is weissbier and a radler we enjoyed near the English Garden. During our trip Adam drank mostly weissbier. I fell in love with radlers - half beer and half lemonade. So freshing, especially for someone like me that can't drink a ton of beer.
Adside from all the beer we had at cafes, we visited beer gardens and beer halls. Adam's favorite beer was Augustiner and we visited the Augustiner beer hall. We also visited the famous Hofbrauhaus. While in the English garden we drank at the beer garden by the Chinesischer tower. Below are photos of the Hirschgarten, a beer garden a few blocks from our hotel. We went there twice!

Here, Adam enjoys a liter (or mas) of dunkel beer.

Of course we need pretzels with our beer! I ate several soft pretzels on our trip. The outsides were quite hard but the inside was so soft and doughy! In the background of this picture you can see the little shanty where you go to get your beer.

Ahhh! The beer garden cuisine! Let me say, I am hooked on currywurst! A sausage covered in curry ketchup with a side of fries! I was sure to bring home a bottle of curry ketchup and we're going to recreate this dish! I had currywurst 3 times on our trip!

Adam's favorite beer garden fare was schweinshaxe - a pig leg with incredible crispy skin! In this photo he had it with potato salad but other times he had it with fries.

After spending 3 days in Munich, our friends Susi and Jeff came to pick us up to take us to Susi's hometown, Furth im Wald - about 2 hours from Munich.

While in Furth we had some great food! We had one of the most traditional Bavarian meals, schweinsbraten - sliced pork served with gravy and a knodel. One of the best pork dishes ever!

We also enjoyed some local schnapps one evening! And we knew we loved schapps because we've had it several times at Susi's house in Maryland.

In Furth Adam mostly enjoyed Erdinger beer, brewed locally.

One night we went to a beer tent and Susi and I enjoyed gluwein - a hot spiced wine - because it was a very chilly night for July!

Below is a photo of Susi's sister serving up a snack of little sandwiches - delicious bread, some smothered in herbed cream cheese topped with cucumbers and radishes and some topped with sliced cheese and a gerkin.

We were also in town for Susi's son's christening. It was very special becuase I am his U.S. godmother and we was able to be there for the service. After the christening, we went to a restaurant for a champagne toast, dessert and coffee. Here is Susi in front of the dessert table.

To sum things up, we had pork and beer every day and were as happy as can be! We had an amazing trip and we cannot wait to go back soon!

Garden Tomato Sauce with Pasta

2011-08-17T09:51:00.003-04:00

One of my new favorite recipe blogs is called Gina's Skinny Recipes. My friend Rebecca introduced me to the site. Gina features a lot of low fat recipes that happen to be Weight Watchers-friendly. Even though Adam and I aren't technically counting points, her recipes help us make flavorful foods without all the calories.

This year our garden wasn't as fruitful as we had wanted. Because of the wedding and honeymoon, I expected some of the plants wouldn't get as much attention as they needed. However, our green beans, basil, sunflowers and yellow pear tomatoes were the stars of the garden! I used some of the yellow tomatoes for one Gina's recipes.

Easy Garden Tomato Sauce

1 Tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 pounds grape tomatoes, halved (we used mini yellow pear tomatoes)
salt and black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
a handful of fresh basil or oregano, chopped (we used basil)

In a large pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until golden, making sure not to burn the garlic.

Add tomatoes, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir well and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add basil or oregano and cook for another 15 minutes.

Serve over your favorite pasta.

Chicken Satay with Cucumber Mango Rice

2011-08-08T13:13:00.004-04:00

Chugging through my Cuisine at Home magazine, I came across this chicken satay recipe and let me say, it was my favorite meal from this magazine yet!

So many flavors are in the chicken paste and all flavors I love - lime, ginger, coconut! Mmm!

This recipe uses cashews and cashew butter instead of the traditional peanuts. I assume you could also use peanuts and peanut butter and have the same results. According to Cuisine at Home, cashews are "richer" and have a "lighter flavor" for the sauce.

For the Paste:
1/3 cup coconut milk
3 cloves garlic
2 shallots
2 Tablespoons canola oil
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon chili garlic sauce
1 Tablespoon minced lime zest
1 piece fresh ginger, peeled (2-inch)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground tumeric

12 chicken breast tenders, cut in half lengthwise, seasoned with salt and pepper (1 1/4 lb)

For the dipping sauce:
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup chopped cashews
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup cold water
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup cashew butter
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon chili garlic sauce
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grill grate with oil.

For the paste, puree all of the paste ingredients listed above in a mini food processor until smooth.

Toss chicken with paste and thread onto 12 pre-soaked wooden skewers; set aside (Can be made and refrigerated up to a day ahead).

For the dipping sauce (use amounts as listed above), head oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add cashews, garlic and ginger, cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in water, coconut milk, cashew butter, brown sugar, chili garllic sauce and soy sauce, simmer 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in lime juice. Divide into little bowls for each person dining.

Grill satay, covered, until chicken is browned, 2-3 minutes per side.

Serve with a side of the cashew dipping sauce and cucumber mango rice.

We loved this rice so much! We even took some to work the next day for lunch and it was just as good then!

3 cups coconut water (I used 1 1/2 cups coconut milk and 1 1/2 cups water - either works)

1 1/2 cups dry jasmine rice

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups half-moon sliced cucumbers

1 mango, pitted, peeled and diced

chopped cashews

Boil coconut water in a large saucepan.

Stir in rice, butter and salt. Return mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook rice until tender, 15 minutes.

Add cucumber and mango, season with additional salt if needed and garnish with chopped cashews.

Caesar Salad Linguine with Grilled Shrimp

2011-08-08T13:12:00.005-04:00

Continuing my quest to make healthy, fresh and unique meals, I tried Caesar Salad Pasta, also from Cuisine at Home. This recipe calls for a can of anchovy fillets in order to make an authentic caesar dressing. I have never worked with anchovies before but I am happy to report they are easy to use and taste great. But I think you have to try it for yourselves because I was hesitant!

I had some trouble with the croutons - they burned on the grill! Next time, I would make skewers of shrimp only and croutons only, which is how I wrote the recipe below. I wouldn't alternate on the same skewer as the recipe says because the bread will burn before the shrimp is done.

8oz dry linguine
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup diced shallots
1 can (2 oz.) anchovy fillets in oil, minced
3 Tablespoons minced garlic
2 Tablespoons minced lemon zest
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
salt and pepper

Boil linguine in a large pot of salted water according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Melt butter with oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add shallots and anchovies and cook until shallots are soft and anchovies melt, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

Stir in lemon juice, zest, Worcestershire and pepper flakes. Toss linguine with sauce to coat.

Off heat, toss romaine and Parmesan with pasta and season with salt and pepper.

Serve pasta with grilled shrimp and croutons.

Grilled Shrimp & Crouton Skewers

1/2 cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon minced lemon zest
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
24 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left on
24 cubes Italian baguette, 1-inch thick

Preheat grill to medium. Brush grill grate with oil.

Whisk together oil, zest, juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and set aside.

Thread shrimp on 4 metal skewers. Thread bread on 4 metal skewers. Brush all skewers with lemon oil. Grill, covered, 2-3 minutes per side.

*You can use wooden skewers as long as you soak them for at least 15 minutes before use or they will burn.*

Wedding, Honeymoon & Tuna Sandwiches

2011-08-04T09:24:00.009-04:00

I feel like such a slacker for not posting in over a month!

But over the past year I've been so busy planning our wedding that sometimes we'd take the easy route on meals and I just wasn't trying anything new.

It was all worth it though because I had the best day of my life on July 23rd when I became Mrs. Pankake. See a few of our wedding day photos on our photographers' blog - Part 1 and Part 2. And see our cake baker's blog: We love Jasmine at the Couture Cakery! And more on our food caterer and event coordinator, C&J, in another post.

Photo by Bec

Then we went to Munich, Germany for a week. We had the most wonderful time! It was a whirlwind trip but we saw a lot and visited some friends.

Adam at the Hirschgarten

Once we got home I made a trip to the grocery store because we have now vowed that we are going to eat well, incorporating lots of fresh food into our diet.So the first meal I made for my husband was Blackened Dixie Tuna Sandwiches and they were so amazing!! It was Adam's first time trying ahi tuna steaks and he loved them. And it was the first time I used celery root and it is so delicious! It's a starch that tastes like celery. This recipe if from the August 2011 issue of Cuisine At Home.

For the remoulade:

2 Tablespoons mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons minced red bell pepper

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup peeled, matchstick-cut celery root

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 Tablespoon capers (I omitted)

1 Tablespoon chopped scallions (I omitted)

For the tuna:

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme (I omitted)

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 ahi tuna steaks

olive oil

2 rolls (the recipe is for an open face sandwich but we used used the top and bottom of the bun for each sandwich)

Mayonnaise

Lettuce leaves

Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grill grate with olive oil.

For the remoulade, combine mayo, bell pepper and Dijon in a bowl. Stir in celery root, parsley, capers and scallions; cover and chill until ready to use.

For the tuna, combine brown sugar, garlic powder, thyme, paprika, black pepper and cayenne in a small bowl.

Brush tuna with oil and firmly press the spice mixture on both sides of the tuna steaks.

Grill tuna, covered, 2-3 minutes per side. Brush cut side of rolls with oil, then grill, cut side down, to toast, 1-2 minutes.

To assemble, brush the bottom roll with mayo, top with a lettuce leaf and a tuna steak. Divide roumoulade evenly between sandwiches.

I have lots of other great meals planned too! Stay tuned!

Chocolate Bundt Cake with Chocolate Wine Glaze

2011-07-12T09:28:00.009-04:00

This recipe is from my Aunt Laurie. She gave me the recipe and a brand new beautiful bundt cake pan as a bridal shower gift. She also made this cake for me at the special garden tea party she threw. This cake is so easy but very decadent! Then my mom recreated it for Bec's Fiesta.

A secret ingredient is actually in the glaze. It is the Chocolate Lab wine from the Pleasant Valley Wine Company in New York. Aunt Laurie gave me a bottle to use for this recipe but take my advice, it's also a delicious dessert drink on it's own!

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 small box chocolate pudding

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup brewed coffee

1/2 vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour a bundt cake pan.

Mix all ingredients well and pour into prepared bundt pan.

Bake for 50 minutes. Cool in the pan for about 8 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack until completely cooled.

For glaze:

Mix 3-4 tablespoons of chocolate wine and 1 cup powdered sugar. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Also for dessert at the party, we had a pinata! Here it is after Bec worked so hard to break it. Her little pup Rocko was checkin' out the loot!

Party Girls: Miriam, Bec & me

The Winner Is....

2011-07-05T09:21:00.004-04:00

... Comment number 2!!

That is Natalie! Congratualtions and I hope you enjoy your Shabby Apple dress!!

Thank you to everyone for participating!

Shabby Apple Giveaway

2011-06-24T09:47:00.011-04:00

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Ok, this post doesn't have anything to do with food. It has to do with clothes shopping - my second favorite thing to do after cook! Plus you have to look good when you serve all the delicious food you just cooked!

There is this cute online shop called Shabby Apple. They have adorable dresses, skirts, accessories and even bridesmaids dresses that I am totally in love with! Their designs are classic yet modern and they offer something for every body type. These dresses so ultra-feminine which I totally love. They even have some cute kids clothes and aprons too. There is a wide array of colors in their clothes so if you're looking for specific colors, browse around and I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for (so many cute white dresses!). A lot of the dresses are vintage-inspired which is so chic right now!

You can learn more by visiting their Facebook page by clicking here. Be sure to "Like" the page page to get special announcements and coupons.

Now for the good news! Shabby Apple would like to give one of my readers their Ahoy! dress. This is it:

All you have to do to enter to win is go to Shabby Apple, come back here and leave a comment about the website or tell me which item is your favorite. Make sure you leave your email address with your comment so I can contact the winner.

This giveaway is opened to U.S. residents only. The giveaway will end on Tuesday July 5 at 12:01 am and at that time I will randomly pick a winner. Good luck!

But if you don't win this dress and/or want to purchase something else, you can use this discount code to get 10% off. The code is hopeinthekitchen10off and will expire in one month.

Happy Monday!

Cupcakes from Fancy Cake Shop

2011-06-23T10:14:00.009-04:00

For all of you cupcake lovers out there, there is a wonderful cake shop in Carlisle, PA called Fancy Cake Shop. I have been lucky to have their cupcakes on 3 different occasions this summer. Their lovely creations are very creative and always tasty. If you're ever in Carlisle, if you live there or if you're just looking for a special treat, you must check them out. They even make gorgeous wedding cakes.

First I had the lemon cupcakes and the raspberry cupcakes (yes, I ate one of each!) at Katie's Bridal Shower. They will even coordinate the cupcake frosting color to your party color scheme!

Then I had pink champagne cream filled cupcakes at my bridal shower! So delectable!

And just last weekend I had the cheesecake filled cupcakes at Bec's Fiesta. I even had one the next morning for breakfast because I'm pretty sure I dreamt about them!

I cannot wait until another special occasion arises so I can get more of these wonderful cupcakes!

**And these are my own opinions of Fancy Cake Shop. They have no idea who I am. But I sure do know who they are! Yum!

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

2011-06-21T15:05:00.004-04:00

Continuing on with the fiesta on Saturday, here is a recipe for a delicious summer salad. I got the recipe from a blog that Bec showed and I'm loving it: Gina's Skinny Recipes. There are so many great recipes on this site! I have made many things from her.

1 lb shrimp, cooked, deveined, peeled and chopped

1 tomato, seeded and diced

1 avocado, diced

1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely diced

Juice of 2 limes

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

salt

pepper

In a small bowl, combine lime juice, oil, pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the shrimp, tomato, avocado and jalapeno. Pour dressing over top and add cilantro. Toss gently. Add more salt and pepper if necessary.

**You can also add some finely diced red onion in the dressing but we did not because we're not big onion lovers**

Tex Mex Burgers

2011-06-20T11:58:00.009-04:00

On Saturday we had a fiesta for this young girl's birthday. I originally wanted the party to be Mediterranean themed, then Spanish themed but it ended up being a fiesta theme. So we had a nice mix of it all. Bec throws fiestas for her students all the time so I thought she needed one thrown for her.

Throughout the next few posts, I will write about what we ate, starting with the Tex Mex Burger. I got this recipe from a blog called Mennonite Girls Can Cook.

For the burgers (makes 4):

1 pound ground beef

1 egg

1/4 cup fine bread crumbs

1 tablespoon milk

1/4 cup grated onion

1 1/2 tablespoon dry taco seasoning

Mexican cheese blend, shredded

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT cheese with your hands. Form into 4 patties. Place on a hot grill and cook to your liking. Once nearly done, top with shredded cheese and heat until cheese melts.

For Pico de Gallo topping:

3 Roma tomatoes, diced

3/4 cup yellow & red bell pepper combined, diced

1/2 cup red onion, diced (I didn't use)

1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

juice of 1 lime

salt

pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a non metallic bowl. Cover and refrigerate for up to one day in advance.

For Spicy Mayo and all other ingredients:

1/2 cup mayo

hot sauce

Mix mayo with hot sauce to your taste.

1 avacado, sliced

4 Kaiser rolls

Place burger on roll, top with pico de gallo, slather spicy mayo on top part of bun and add sliced avacado.

Eventhough it was Bec's bday, she still took food pix for me! Thank you!

Salt and Vinegar Grilled Potato Slices

2011-06-13T17:03:00.003-04:00

Love these because they remind me of salt and vinegar chips! From Martha!

1 lb potatoes cut into 1/4 inch slices

2 cups white vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more for sprinkling

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Bring potatoes and vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan (vinegar should cover potatoes or you can add some water if you don't have enough vinegar). Reduce heat to medium-low until just fork tender, about 5 minutes. Let potatoes cool in vinegar for 30 minutes (this was too long to wait so I skipped this step). Drain well and gently toss with oil, salt and pepper.

Preheat grill to medium- high heat. Grill potatoes in a single layer until evenly browned and cooked through - a grill pan is nice for this or else it is very easy to lose the potatoes in the grill slats. Sprinkle with salt before serving.

A Beautiful Afternoon

2011-06-08T14:27:00.019-04:00

Saturday was my bridal shower. It was completely beyond lovely! My bridesmaids, mom and mother in law did a fantastic job of planning a terrific afternoon and I love every minute of it!

An afternoon tea party. Here is a silver tea set that I bought at an auction years ago and my mom put lots of time into polishing it!

The shower was at the Orris House Inn in Mechanicburg, PA. Each table was set with teacups and in each cup was a bundle of homemade sugar cube - some colored and in various heart and flower shapes. There was also a "hope" sign with questions Bec asked to both Adam and I - we were asked the same question and our answers were displayed for everyone to enjoy (What was your first date like? What was it like meeting Adam/Hope's family? What are your favorite qualities of Hope/Adam?).

We had a delicious lunch by C&J Catering. Sandwiches, salad and chilled strawberry soup.

And because I love cupcakes so much, we had pink champagne cupcakes. Notice the cute Alice In Wonderland theme?!..

Bec took the time to glue little hearts on to the tea bags!

We played a few games...

Kristin and Arielle collected kitchen tools that my mom sewed on an apron. Everyone then played a memory game to see if they could remember everything on my apron as I ran through the crowd. There were some tough ones - a jalapeno pepper corer and a banana slicer!

Finally, I received some great gifts including a cookbook called Hope in the Kitchen The Wedding Edition - a compilation of recipes from the ladies at the shower. I love it!

Thank you to everyone for making my day special! And thank you to Bec for these photos!

No, Dad! Not another bath!

2011-05-26T09:06:00.006-04:00

But because Baxter loves to run outside in the dirt and mud, his fuzzy white fur needs regular maintainence!

I just bought him a Goat Milk Stuff Pet Shampoo Bar and we put it to work. And it smells sooo good and leaves his coat super soft. I highly recommend it.

Anyway, we secured Bax to a tire, warmed the water and scrubbed away.

Swenson Ladies have a Garden Tea Party

2011-05-25T09:46:00.011-04:00

Last Sunday my Aunt Laurie hosted a garden tea party at her house for the Swenson ladies and a bridal shower for me. She did a fabulous job of preparing a delicious lunch. Aunt Laurie is a wonderful hostess and plans everything perfectly - down to the gardening gloves as a silverware holder to the delicious homemade rose mints.

We had a delightful menu of iced tea and lemonade, green salad with blueberries & strawberries, a bowtie pasta salad with sunflower seeds which I now love!, pickled deviled eggs, chardonnay lemon cream cheese sandwich triangle on cinnamon raisin bread, turkey and berry triangle sandwiches and a chocolate bundt cake with chocolate wine sauce.

Here is the tablescape - set for me, my mom, my sister, my cousin and her little girl, my two aunts and my grandma.

A place setting - beautiful glass bowl and plate, fine china tea cup and saucer, garden glove silverware holer and a cute wedding dress box that held the homemade rose mints.

The drink and dessert table. I just love the milk glass pitcher and glasses. They were a wedding gift to my Aunt Laurie from her grandma, who we were also remembering that day because it would have been her birthday.

Here are the eggs, sandwiches and salad. Behind the food are photos of me throughout the years.

Aunt Laurie gave me the centerpiece. It now looks so cute by my front door. Everyone also gave me gift that were garden related because they all know how much I love gardening. I got some great tools, seeds and watercans.

Thank you to my family for a wonderful afternoon!

Chocolate Honey Almond Tart

2011-05-16T10:26:00.003-04:00

Well I must be on a Giada kick! I can't help it though! This is a decadently wonderful recipe. And it's especially good because I had all the ingredients except heavy cream on hand! I bought chocolate graham crackers weeks ago and little did I know I could use them for a dessert crust.

1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

9 chocolate graham crackers

2 tablespoons slivered almonds

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup honey

12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springfoam pan.

Place the graham crackers and almonds in the bowl of a food processor and process until they turn into find crumbs. Add the butter and pulse until incorporated. Press mixture into the bottom of the springfoam pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool to room temperature for about 20 minutes.

In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk the cream and honey together. Heat until the honey melts stirring constantly. Increase heat to medium until the mixture is just below a boil. Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Pour chocolate over prepared crust. Refrigerate overnight. Run a knife along the sides of the pan to help loosen the chocolate from the pan before removing.

From the Food Network

Giada's Meatballs

2011-05-13T13:45:00.004-04:00

For Adam's mom's Mother's Day lunch, Adam and I made these meatballs to eat with spaghetti. So delicious and the best meatball recipe I've ever made! Thanks Giada!

1 small onion, grated
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 large egg
2 tablespoons ketchup
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground veal
2 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the onion, parsley, Parmesan, bread crumbs, egg, ketchup, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Add the beef and veal. Using your hands, combine all ingredients gently but thoroughly. Shape the meat mixture into 16 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs and place on prepared baking sheet. Make a hole in the center of each meatball and place a cube of the mozzarella inside. Reform the meatball so that the mozzarella is completely covered with the meat mixture. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes until cooked through.

Go here for a recipe for spaghetti sauce to go with these.

Bridal Shower Season

2011-05-12T13:16:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday Bec threw a bridal shower for her sister Katie, who is getting married 7 days before me on July 16. The shower was BEAUTIFUL! The decorations were unique and the food delicious and quite impressive! The menu included chicken salad on mini homemade rolls, apple walnut pinwheels, lemon and spinach pasta salad, mango and black bean salsa, green salad with mandarin oranges, toffee fruit dip, and for dessert lemon and raspberry cupcakes. I just had to share a few photos!

And of course a picture of the beautiful bride!

Herb and Dijon Salmon

2011-05-04T12:08:00.004-04:00

Ok this is a bad picture. It looks like chicken but I assure you it is not. It is but a delicious rosemary, thyme and dijon salmon filet. So good and so simple!! We ate it with rice and mixed vegetables.

I am into anything with whole grain mustard right now!

3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 teaspoon pepper

1 1/4 lbs salmon filets, skin removed, cut into 4 equal pieces

4 Tablespoons whole grain dijon mustard

Mix rosemary, thyme and pepper in a small bowl.

In a large frying pan, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat.

Spread 1 tablespoon mustard on the top of each salmon filet. Top with some herb mixture. Press down lightly to adhere herbs to mustard.

Place fish in hot frying pan, herb side up, and cook until done, about 15 minutes. Just keep a close eye on the filets so they don't get too crispy. You may want to cover them too while they cook. You can flip the fish for the last few minutes of cooking to cook the top as well.

This can also be done on a hot grill. Just spray the bottom of the filets with cooking spray before grilling. Grill herb side down for about 12 minutes.

From Weight Watchers Online

New Take on Tacos

2011-05-03T09:25:00.008-04:00

Last night we tried a new twist on tacos. I just love tacos and could eat them once a week with no complaints. Adam, on the other hand, while he will eat them, doesn't like them so often. So I found a recipe that mixed things up a bit and we really liked it!

Introducing Chili Tacos!..

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb ground beef

1 envelope taco seasoning

a dash of chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

store bought taco shells, heated to package directions

shredded cheddar cheese

sour cream

taco sauce

any other taco toppings you enjoy

In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook til soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 3 more minutes. Add the beef and cook until done. Add the taco seasoning, cumin, chili powder, tomato sauce, and kidney beans. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Now build your tacos with the chili meat mix and toppings of your choice!

I really like that this is more filling with the beans and you can add the tomato element without a fresh tomato because while I like just a little tomato with my tacos, I can't eat the entire tomato.

Adapted from Weight Watchers Online.

Sweet and Sour Pork

2011-04-19T19:36:00.006-04:00

I made this tonight night for dinner and Adam and I both loved it! We ate every last bit - that's how I know it's a hit!

We ate it over a wild rice mix which was very tasty and gave nice texture to the dish.

This is a keeper for our go-to dinner recipes. Thank you Food Network for the recipe!

1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (Adam got what was label pork sirlion and that worked well)
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons sugar, plus a pinch
3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
3 scallions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cups snow peas, cut in half

Toss the pork with 1/2 tablespoon vinegar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, the soy sauce, cornstarch, ketchup, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/3 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in another bowl.

Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the pork and slowly stir until it turns mostly opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Discard the oil and wipe out the skillet.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil in the skillet, then stir-fry the garlic with a pinch each of salt and sugar, 15 seconds. Add the carrots and scallions and stir-fry until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. (Add a little water if the garlic starts to stick to the skillet.) Add the pork, snow peas and soy sauce mixture; stir until the pork is cooked through and the sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes.

Quick Cheesesteak Pizza

2011-04-01T10:15:00.005-04:00

I am always looking for an easy weeknight dinner. Unfortunately easy doesn't always mean healthy. I know it CAN mean healthy but when we stumble across something we like, we go for it. This recipe is an example of that. Cheesesteak Pizza!!! Oh yeah!

This recipe is from Sandra Lee's Semi Home magazine. Super easy and few ingredients. Great for a quick meal or for party bites!

I have to admit I was a bit nervous because I am not very fond of Pillsbury pizza dough but this turned out quite tasty! p

1 roll thin crust refrigerator pizza crust

1/2 lb deli roast beef, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 medium onion, chopped (we didn't use onion)

1/2 cup provolone, shredded

1/2 cup cheddar, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

On a lightly sprayed rimmed baking sheet, roll out the pizza crust to fill the sheet. Bake crust for 5 minutes.

While crust is baking, saute bell pepper and onions in a saute pan over medium heat until softened.

Take crust out of oven and top with the roast beef, peppers, onions and cheeses. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust has browned.

Cheeseburger Pies

2011-03-31T10:00:00.007-04:00

Last week I was on the search to find a recipe for dinner that used ground beef. I was in the mood for a cheeseburger but wanted to do something different. I found this recipe from Food Network on a Paula Deen show. Paula's son Jamie made these for a get together. The cheeseburger pies are great for a meal but would also be fun if they were made smaller for appetizer bites!

Jamie's Cheeseburger Pies

1lb ground beef

1 Tablespoons steak seasoning (McCormick's Montreal is our favorite)

1 Tablespoon steak sauce (A-1)

1/2 onion, chopped finely (optional, we did not use)

4 slices cheese (any cheese will do. we used provolone)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (let thaw at room temp for at least 30 mins - needs to be relatively thawed or else it will crack when you work with it)

1 egg yolk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Heat a large fry pan over medium-high heat (or heat your grill if you are making these in warmer weather)

In a bowl, mix together the beef, steak seasoning, steak sauce and onion if using. Form into 4 round patties. Cook in fry pan - or grill - until the burgers reaches medium doneness (the burgers will continue to cook when you put it in the oven).

Roll out the puff pastry to slightly flatten. Cut into 4 squares and place on the prepared baking sheet. Place a burger on each pastry square and top with a piece of cheese. Fold pastry up over the top the burger and pinch dough closed. Make sure dough is sealed and that there aren't any tears in the dough on the sides of the pouches.

In a small dish lightly beat the egg yolk and a teaspoon of water. With a pastry brush, brush the wrapped pastry on the tops and sides.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes until the pastry is nicely browned.

We ate our cheeseburger pies with sugar snap peas and white cheddar mac and cheese.

Boilo

2011-03-28T13:21:00.010-04:00

I have found a new winter drink that I LOVE!!

It is called boilo and I discovered it while attending a party in Girardville, PA in celebration of the St. Patrick's Day.

Boilo is popular in the coal regions of Pennsylvania, originally from Lithuania. It's a warm drink made by heating lemon juice, orange juice, sugar, honey, cinnamon sticks (sometimes other spices - allspice, cloves, anise seeds) and then adding whiskey!!

This is so so yummy! I am going to experiment and create my own recipe and when I do, I will share it! Boilo kept me warm on that cold winter day!

And since the weather is still quite cold in PA, I still have time to try to make this before spring arrives for good!

Adam & me at the Girardville St. Patrick's Day parade.

The Pioneer Woman's Penne a la Betsy

2011-03-13T17:40:00.008-04:00

Bec gave me the Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook a few years ago for my birthday and it has been used very frequently. It is actually my goal to make everything in the book. So far I haven't made anything that I don't like!
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I have been wanting to make Penne a la Betsy for so long now and last night I finally made it happen. Adam isn't a huge pasta guy but if you add cream and shrimp, he's on board!
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This recipe is incredibly easy and incredibly delicious! What more could you ask for!?? I highly recommend giving this a try!

Thank you, Pioneer Woman!
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3/4 pound penne pasta (or any other pasta - I used rigatoni)
1 pound shrimp
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 8oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
Fresh parsley
Fresh basil
Pepper to taste
Salt to taste
;
Cook the pasta until al dente.
;
Peel, devein and rinse (under cold water) the shrimp. Heat about 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large fry pan over medium high heat. Add shrimp and cook until just opaque. Do not overcook. Remove from pan onto cutting board and let cool a few minutes. Pull off tails and chop into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
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Finely dice onion; mince garlic. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Saute and stir occasionally for a few minutes. Then add wine. Stir occasionally while wine evaporates for 5 minutes.

Add tomato sauce and stir to combine. While stirring, add cream. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 8 minutes.
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Now chop some basil and parsley. (I used about 6 large basil leave and omitted the parsley).

Add shrimp to the cream sauce and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the herbs and finally stir in pasta. Mix until combined and serve immediately.

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I'm in love....

2011-03-11T14:20:00.005-05:00

... with a new instant oatmeal!
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Growing up I never liked instant oatmeal, especially the traditional Quaker's variety. Then one day a free sample of Quaker's Simple Harvest oatmeal came with the Sunday paper and I really enjoyed it! After buying it a few times, it disappeared from the grocers' shelves.
[

So a few months ago I came across another oatmeal called Oat Revolution. The tall slender shape of the box really grabbed my eye. But what really sucked me in was the $1.19 price tag for 5 servings. I thought, what the heck?!, I should just give it a try. And what do you know, I love it!
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I eat it for breakfast at work or for a mid afternoon snack. The pouch the oats comes in is also a measuring cup so you know how much water to add. Then in 90 seconds in the microwave it's ready!

I have only found Oat Revolution at some, not all, stores that carry the Sur Fine brand, which around where I live is Karns. I have not found it at Giant yet.

I like to stock up on the Maple & Brown Sugar and the Cinnamon Roll.

What a satisfying snack for when I don't have the time and ingredients to make my favorite hot breakfast cereal, Bulgar Porridge. I recommend grabbing a box if you can find it!!
o

A 70's Party & Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

2011-03-07T15:40:00.021-05:00

Saturday was Jesse's 26th birthday! In celebration, Bec planned a surprise 70's party for him. With our costumes on and the fondue warm, the birthday boy walked into a groovy evening!

The Birthday Boy and his pup, Rocko

Me & Adam

Me & Bec

Bec & Jesse

The Girls

Fondue

On a quest to find a unique and delcious cupcake recipe for Jesse, I came across this blog and found the following recipe. These were sooooo good!!!! I highly recommend you try them! They were a hit at the party. You'd never know boxed cake mix is involved...

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cupcakes

Pretzel Crust:

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 2/3 cups crushed pretzels
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Batter:

1 box devil's food cake mix
1 small box Jell-O instant devil's food pudding mix
8 oz sour cream
1 cup applesauce
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 bag peanut butter chips
36 mini Reese's peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting:

2 sticks butter, softened
4 cups confectioners sugar
1 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Prepare muffin tin/tins with cupcake liners and lightly spray with cooking spray.

Crush pretzels in a food processor (or put in a heavy duty plastic bag and crush with a mallot). You want them fine so they go in the cupcake liners in an even layer. In a medium bowl, mix together the crust ingredients.
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Drop a small scoop of the crust mix into the bottom of each cup. Use a small shot glass to pack them down to a firm crust.
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Bake for 5-8 minutes until very slightly brown. Let cool for a couple of minutes before you add the batter.
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In a large bowl combine all the batter ingredients except the PB chips and PB cups. Mix until well combined and all the lumps are gone. Stir in the PB chips.
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Drop a small spoonful of batter onto each pretzel crust. Then press a PB cup into the batter. The batter will be a barrier so when the PB cup melts it won't leak through the crust.
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Cover the PB cups with batter. Bake at 350 degress for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (make sure you don't hit a PB cup or chip while performing this test).
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To make the frosting, cream the softened butter with a mixer. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Add milk until frosting reaches spreading consistency. (You can play around with the amounts of ingredients. I started off with less sugar and cocoa than what it calls for and just kept adding until it got to the taste I like.)
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When the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost liberally and sprinkle with some sea salt.
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Thanks to Bec for the photos and I got the cupcake toppers at TJ Maxx!

]

Turkey and Chorizo Chili

2011-02-17T23:01:00.008-05:00

I came across a recipe for Rachel Ray's chicken and chorizo chili served over buttery polenta. Not a big fan of polenta but intruiged by eating it with chili, I thought I'd give it a try. I changed her recipe a bit - like changed out the chicken for turkey. Remember to add more salt or chili powder if needed - and more butter to the polenta :)

And I like the polenta with chili!

Turkey and Chorizo Chili

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 pound chorizo (or turkey sausage would work), chopped
1 pounds ground turkey

2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can red beans, drained
1/2 bottle beer (we used a German wheat)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes
Salt
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup quick cooking polenta (if you can't find quick cooking, regular is fine)
2 tablespoons butter
1 scallions, finely chopped (optional)
1 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme leaves (optional)

Heat a big, deep skillet over medium high heat with olive oil. Add chorizo and render its fat, 2 minutes. Push the chorizo off to the sides of the pot and add turkey. Brown and crumble the turkey, 5 to 6 minutes. Season the turkey with chili powder and cumin while it cooks. Combine the onions, garlic, peppers and beans to meats and cook another 5 to 6 minutes. Stir the beer into the chili and reduce the liquid a minute then add the tomatoes and heat through. Season the chili with salt, to taste, and reduce heat to low.

Bring 3 cups stock to a boil in a medium pot, stir in polenta and keep stirring until the polenta masses and thickens to a porridge, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in butter, scallions and thyme and season with salt, to taste.

Fill bowls half way with polenta and make a well in the center. Fill up bowls with chili and serve.

Guylian Chocolates & Giveaway

2011-02-07T09:02:00.022-05:00

Giveaway is closed and a winner has been chosen!

Congratulations Amy & Brian! A representative of Guylian will be contacting you soon about shipping the chocolates to you.

I would like to introduce to you some very delectable Belgian chocolates! Guylian has been producing beautiful artisan chocolates for over 50 years and this week I've had the distinct pleasure of sampling an array of their products.

These are great little chocolates! There are the dark chocolate truffles - my favorite! - and the truffle pralines which are milk, dark and white chocolate swirled together with a slight hazelnut flavor. They come packaged in a variety of sizes, as well as individually wrapped.

Here is a picture of a dark chocolate truffle:

For those out there who have to watch their sugar intake, Guylian makes sugar free milk and dark chocolate bars.

Most impressive to me are the adorable sea creature shapes these chocolates are made into! These are a must have for any party or wedding with a sea/ocean/luau theme.

Quotes from my friends about the chocolate:

"Velvety smooth dark chocolate truffle"

"My daughter has loved Guylian for years! I am so excited to see the individually wrapped praline chocolates!"

"Delicious!"

"The seahorse is just so fun!"

"Just what I needed for an afternoon pick-me-up!"

Visit the Guylian website to learn where to buy the chocolates and to find out more about the company. I do know you can find Guylian at Wegmans, Wal-Mart & Giant. Every once in awhile they are at Marshalls, TJMaxx and Ross. These chocolates are well-priced for their gourmet quality - you can get a large box for around $10.00.

Additionally, Guylian wants to give one of my readers some of their famous chocolates! If chosen as the giveaway winner, you will receive Guylian Original Seashells, 4.4 oz. & Guylian Original Praline Tempations, 4.4 oz. - a $14 value.

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment below about chocolate! Any comment will do! Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

On Friday, February 11 at 12:00 am, I will randomly chose a winner, contact you for your mailing address and then Guylian will send you your goodies! Good luck!

Roasted Chickpeas with Shrimp

2011-02-02T18:33:00.005-05:00

In our quest to get sexy wedding day bodies, Adam and I have been looking for healthy dinner recipes. When I was on the South Beach Diet, I found a blog called Kayln's Kitchen and she features tons of great SBD recipes. So I was looking at her site and she recommended a recipe from Whistlestop Cafe Cooking. Chickpeas (I love) and shrimp (Adam loves). I thought it sounded like a hit!

I made it tonight and it was quite tasty! The chickpeas get a nice roasted taste and get a bit crunchy. Shrimp keeps the meal light.

Here is the recipe, adapted from Whistlestop:

1 pound shrimp, peeled
1 can 14.5 oz. chickpeas
2 green onions, chopped - I didn't use cause Adam doesn't care for them
2 tsp lemon juice
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried parsley

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400°. Cover a baking sheet with foil.

Rinse the chickpeas and place in a bowl with onions (if using), parsley, lemon juice and oil. Toss in paprika, generously salt and pepper to taste. Allow to sit until ready to roast. Peel and clean shrimp.

Pour the chickpeas onto prepared baking sheet. Place in a hot oven and roast for 10-15 minutes, stirring halfway through. Move chickpeas to end of pan but still in a single layer and place shrimp directly on pan. Roast chickpeas and shrimp for another 5 minutes until the shrimp are pink and curled.

Salmon Stew for Two

2011-02-01T15:13:00.003-05:00

Today I am posting a recipe from a blog that I just love! The styling of the blog puts me at complete ease and relaxation. I love the bright photos. They just make me happy. So happy. And the name is French - Cannelle & Vanille (cinnamon & vanilla). Everything sounds better in French. Just the other day at work I was on the phone and said vehicle placard and accidently pronounced "placard" as you would in French. Just sounds better and was easier to say. Oh well.

Anyway, I made a lovely salmon stew. It was scrumptous. At least I thought so. Adam did not. He loved the salmon and that was about it. We have learned he is not a fan of coconut milk and parsnips - at least not in a stew with salmon. But I was selfish and made this stew because I love every ingredient it calls for.

Here is the recipe from Canelle & Vanille - I did exactly as the recipe says except I used celery instead of fennel because I could not find any but I think it would have made it even more delicious when it's included! And added more veg stock (I changed it below to reflect what I did).

Salmon, Fennel, Parsnip and Coconut Stew

Makes enough for 2 people

2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 leek, washed and sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 fennel bulb or a stalk of celery, diced
2 parsnips, scrubbed and diced
2 cup vegetable stock
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
8 oz salmon, skin removed and cut into chunks
Microgreens as garnish (optional)

In a medium pan, heat the olive oil and cook the leek, garlic and fennel for about 5 minutes until tender. Do not let it get brown. Add the diced parsnips, vegetable broth, coconut milk, salt and pepper.

Cover the pot and let it simmer for about 5-10 minutes until parsnips are tender. Add the salmon, cover and let it simmer for another 3 minutes or so, until it turns light pink. Adjust seasoning.

Granola

2011-01-31T11:40:00.004-05:00

I have been meaning to make granola for awhile. It's a good snack and can usually be made with ingredients you have on hand.

Adam ate most of the granola from this recipe. He loves it with yogurt and a sliced banana. I actually like to eat it plain. I have to make more very soon!

2 1/2 cups oats
3/4 cup slivered almonds or chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dried fruit - I used golden raisin - cherries or crasins would be good
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and coated with non-stick spray.

Toast oats, almonds, cinnamon and salt together in a large skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 7-8 minutes.

Combine dried fruit, coconut and brown sugar in a large bowl; add toasted oat mixture.

Stir syrup into oat mixture and mix well.

Spread granola onto prepared baking sheet; bake 7 minutes, stir, bake 7 minutes more.

Let cool on baking sheet and store in air tight container.

This recipe is adapted from Cuisine at Home

Cajun Lemon Tilapia & Rosted Cauliflower

2011-01-09T20:50:00.003-05:00

Interesting photo, I know.

But this baked tilapia and roasted cauliflower was a wonderful dinner (I should have added a side of greens though - next time!)!

This tilapia recipe was so easy and full of flavor. I created it with the inspiration from this recipe.

4 tilapia fillets

3 tablespoons lemon juice

6 tablespoons of butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cajun seasoning

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line with foil a baking dish that will fit all the fish in one layer. Spray the foil with non stick cooking spray.

Rinse the tilapia fillets under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Place fish on a plate and sprinkle with cajun seasoning, salt and pepper on both sides of the fillets.

Place fish in prepared baking dish.

In a saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter and then add the garlic and lemon juice. Saute garlic for 1 or 2 minutes.

Pour butter mixture over the fish.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes apart with a fork. Fish cooks very quickly and you do not want to overcook the fish or it will be tough.

I have made this fish twice in the past 2 weeks!

As for the cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets and toss with oilive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 375 for about 10 minutes, flipping the cauliflower half way through.

Pepperoni Pizza Bites

2011-01-09T20:36:00.003-05:00

During our quest to eat healthy we took a break and indulged in pepperoni pizza bites. And they were soooo worth it! This is such a fun idea. The exact same ingredients as a plain ole pizza but in reverse. Somehow, to me, it tastes kinda better!

We used pepperoni but you can use your favorite toppings.

This recipe is from Our Best Bites

1 tube rerigerator pizza dough

mozzarella cheese, shredded

pepperoni slices

1 Tablespoon ollive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or oregano

grated parmesan

marinara sauce

Preheat oven according to pizza dough package. Around 400 or 425 degrees.

Spread out the dough on a counter top and press out until as thin as possible without making a hole in the dough about 8"x12". Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut into 24 squares. (or you can make the squares larger, as I did)

Add cheese and pepperoni to each square center. Then carefully fold up the corners of each square and press together to form a ball. Place in a lightly sprayed pie plate seam side down. Brush the top of the balls with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, garlic and parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 10 minutes but keep your eye on it because all doughs bake differently.

Serve warm with warm marinara sauce.

We have all the ingredients so I think we'll be making this again this week.

Meatballs with Peppers and Pineapple from The Pioneer Woman

2011-01-02T21:31:00.006-05:00

One day last week we were searching for a dinner idea and I found this recipe right after Ree posted it on her blog and it immediately looked good to me. We have been eating a lot of stir frys and rice lately so this was right down our alley.

The sweet and spicy is so good!

1-¼ pound Ground Beef
½ whole Onion, Diced Very Finely
1 whole Egg
½ cups Panko Bread Crumbs (or Regular Breadcrumbs)
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
½ teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper, More To Taste
¼ cups All-purpose Flour
Canola Oil, For Frying
2 whole Green Bell Peppers, Seeded And Diced Roughly
1-½ cup Fresh Pineapple Chunks (I used canned because it's what I had and they were still very tasty!)
2 cups Beef Stock Or Broth
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
½ cups Sherry Or White Wine Vinegar
⅓ cups Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
Salt To Taste
Crushed Red Pepper, To Taste
Extra Beef Stock If Needed

Combine ground beef, diced onion, egg, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, and crushed red pepper. Mix with hands until combined. Roll meat mixture into small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Freeze on the pan for 15 minutes to firm.

Mix together beef stock, soy sauce, sherry (or vinegar), sugar, and cornstarch.

Heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Roll meatballs in flour, then fry in two batches until nice and brown, about two minutes per batch. Remove meatballs and set aside on a separate plate.

Pour off oil from pan and return pan to medium high heat. When pan is hot, throw in the chopped green peppers and cook for one minute. Add pineapple to pan and cook for one minute, stirring gently. Pour in stock/soy sauce mixture, then add meatballs. Stir gently to combine and allow to cook and bubble for a few minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Add salt and crushed red peppers to taste.

Serve over cooked brown or white rice.

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Caramel Fruit Dip

2011-01-02T21:16:00.003-05:00

I made the best fruit dip for a New Years party we went to on Friday. And it's soo easy to whip together! On mini skewers, I put a piece of pineapple, a strawberry and, on some, a piece of mango. I figured the skewers would make the fruit pieces easier to eat at a party.

The recipe:

1 8 oz. block Neufchatel cheese - the low fat version of cream cheese - or you can use cream cheese - room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

With a mixer, beat until smooth. The mixture will be grainy at first but keep beating until it's smooth.

I found this recipe on Our Best Bites. They additionally add toffee chips right before serving, so that is an option too. I bought the toffee chips but just didn't add them because I thought it was good as is. Plus now I can make some toffee chip cookies later!

Christmas Eve Dessert - Phyllo Triangles and Pie

2010-12-29T10:13:00.007-05:00

After church on Christmas Eve evening, my family enjoyed some dessert while we opened our presents. We had a cheese plate created by Salt & Peppa (my bro & fiance), a coconut cream pie (keep reading to learn about the pie) and berries & cream phyllo triangles.

I had some Alouette Berries & Cream Spreadable Cheese and have been thinking about how I wanted to use it. I really enjoyed just eating it with graham crackers. But for Christmas I figured I'd make something fun with it. Somehow my mom accumulated 3 boxes of phyllo sheets in her freezer so we had all the ingredients on hand.

These are so easy and seem so fancy!

The recipe is from the Alouette Cheese website.

Berries and Cream Chocolate Phyllo Triangles

1 pkg. (6.5 oz.) Alouette Berries & Cream Spreadable Cheese
18 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted
12 oz. unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. confectioner’s sugar

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Lay out 3 sheets of phyllo dough. Brush 1 sheet with ½ tbsp. melted butter. Place second sheet on top. Brush top of second sheet with ½ tbsp. melted butter. Repeat with third sheet.
Cut stacked dough into 5 equal strips (approx. 2.25 inches wide).

Place ½ tbsp. Alouette Berries & Cream in center of each strip at the end closest to you. Begin folding in a triangle (in the style we fold our flag). Fold triangle over until the end of the strip. Place triangle on sheet tray end side down. Brush with melted butter.

Repeat preceding steps with remaining sheets of phyllo dough.

Place the 30 bundles on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 13 minutes.
Meanwhile, place chocolate in a small bowl and microwave on HIGH, stirring occasionally, until melted, about 2 minutes.

Transfer bundles to waxed paper and drizzle with melted chocolate. It was hard for me to "drizzle" so I just put a little spoonful on each which worked well too.

Let rest for 5 minutes.

Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve warm.

As for the coconut cream pie, it is a family favorite. And no one can make them like the The County Seat Restaurant in New Bloomfield - where this pie came from. Every time we go there for a meal, we always hope there is a slice left. The meringue is so high and delicious - my mom and I can only hope that one day our pies will look and taste this perfect!

Thank you, Sue!

Easy Cocktail

2010-12-20T18:42:00.005-05:00

This is a tasty cocktail from Sandra Lee. Just pour 1/4 cup canberry juice in a champagne flute and fill the rest of the way with any type of sparkly. I used Korbel Extra Dry, but a brut, asti or spumante would be good too - whatever you have, grab at the store or is on sale. Then float a few dried cranberries for a garnish.

So festive! And for the person who doesn't want a super sweet drink.

My new mug

2010-12-14T15:44:00.006-05:00

I was pleasantly surprised when Bec gave me this cute mug as a thank you! I just love it so much that I've been drink more these past 2 days just so I can use it.

And our dogs really can't hold their lickers - especially Trapper!

She also got me delicous Christmas/winter-themed tea. So far my favorites have been peppermint candy cane and gingerbread spice!

Thanks again, Bec!

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Praline Blondies

2010-12-13T08:59:00.007-05:00

Last week I was on the hunt for unique recipes to make for the cookie reception after our church choir concerts on Sunday (yesterday). And since the treats were going to be on a cookie buffet, I wanted them to be just small little bites.

This recipe is from Real Simple's 50 Best Holiday Cookie Recipes. I love blondies and praline so I was really hoping it would be a winner. Turns out it was and each little square was gobbled down quickly.

These turned out so well I just might make them again. Afterall, I only got one small piece from this batch and that just wasn't enough for me!

Blondies:

nonstick cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Topping:
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

a few tablespoons of milk, if needed

Heat oven to 350° F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with the cooking spray. Line the pan with 2 crisscrossed pieces of parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides; spray the parchment with the cooking spray.

Make the blondie: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and mix in the brown sugar and vanilla. One at a time, mix in the eggs; mix in the flour mixture until just combined (do not overmix).

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, about 25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan. You can put the pan in the fridge to hurry the cooling process along.

Make the praline topping: In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar and butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbling, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla, 1 tablespoon of water, and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. If mixture is clumpy that means you cooked the sugar too long (what happened to me) so add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk really well until smooth. Spread over the cooled blondies and sprinkle with the pecans. Let the topping set, 10 to 15 minutes.

Holding both sides of the paper overhang, lift the cake out of the pan, transfer to a cutting board, and cut into squares. Store the blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2010-12-07T08:49:00.004-05:00

Last Friday I was in the mood for really good creamy chicken and wild rice soup. That's all I wanted in the soup - chicken, rice, a creamy base and lots of flavor. But then I found a recipe from Taste of Home that got great reviews but it called for broccoli and carrots, which ended up being a great addition.

You need to plan ahead a bit for this recipe because you have to prepare the chicken and cook the wild rice which can take up to an hour - then you can start preparing the soup.

2/3 cup uncooked wild rice (can take 45 minutes to an hour to prepare)
2/3 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped carrot
2 tablespoons butter
7 cups chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf (I got this idea from a reviewer on the Taste of Home website)
1 cup chopped fresh broccoli
3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (I roasted a split chicken breast with salt, pepper and olive oil in the oven at 350 until done and then shredded the meat)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free half-and-half

Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan coated with cooking spray, cook onion and carrot in butter for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, potatoes, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add broccoli; cook 3-7 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender. Discard bay leaf.

Drain rice if necessary; fluff with a fork. Stir chicken and rice into potato mixture; heat through. In a small bowl, combine flour and half-and-half until smooth. Gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Yield: 8 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

My soup was thick so you can add more milk or broth if it's too pudding-like for you.

You can play with the amount of ingredients or omit an ingredient all together. It would be good with more potatoes and no broccoli too but I like that we got a serving of greens!

We ate the soup with a baguette from Panera.
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Spices Inc.

2010-12-02T12:17:00.005-05:00

I recently won a set of 10 spices from Spices Inc., who happens to be based out of Pennsylvania!

I received the Chickens Gone Wild Spice Set which includes:
Jamaican Jerk
Manzanillo
Blackened Seasoning
Adobo Lime
Citrus Seasoning
Mediterranean Dry Rub
Tandoori
Chipolte Honey
Kickin Chicken
Sweet Tweetie

I have been trying to decide which spice I want to try first. I am excited for the Chipolte Honey and Adobo Lime because I love sweet and spicy together.

I think I will use these more in the summer for some marinade pre grilling.

A big thank you to Foodbuzz and Spices Inc. for this great collection!

Orange Chipotle-Spiced Pecan Mix

2010-11-30T19:45:00.003-05:00

I made these very tasty pecans for Thanksgiving appetizer. I will definitely be making more - sweet and spicy! If you can, buy the chipotle chili pepper. It is a great smokey hot flavor.

I found this recipe from on myrecipes.com and it was originally in Cooking Lite in November 2008.

1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 large egg white
2 cups pecan halves
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper
Cooking spray
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 225°.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk until slightly frothy. Stir in pecans. Combine sugar, salt, and pepper. Add to pecan mixture; toss well. Spread mixture in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 225° for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven; cool completely. Stir in cranberries.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

2010-11-24T08:53:00.005-05:00

I saw this easy recipe on a blog I read, Kelly's Korner, and added it to my list of quick and delicious snack/party recipes. I made it last night to take to a party tonight.

As Kelly does, I just scooped the mixture into a bowl and refrigerated it overnight. I didn't go to the trouble of shaping it into a ball and rolling it in pecans, as the original recipe calls for. So it's more of a cheese spread than a ball! I am serving it with graham crackers but animal crackers & Nilla wafer - regular or chocolate - would be good too!

1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened
1 stick of real unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners sugar (you may want to add more to your liking)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
chopped pecans, optional

Beat cream cheese and butter until very well blended. Mix in sugars and vanilla. Then mix in chips.

Now you can either form the mixture into a ball and coat with chopped pecans or spoon it into a little serving bowl. Refrigerate several hours before serving, ideally overnight.

This is a fun, sweet appetizer!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2010-11-18T09:54:00.003-05:00

I made THIS for a dinner party last night.

It was delicious and turned out perfectly. This time, I followed the recipe to a T.

I will have a picture up tomorrow!

Chicken and Apple Soup

2010-11-15T12:55:00.004-05:00

What a bizarre looking picture! Maybe even un-appetizing. But I promise you it's not!

My brother and I made this soup at my parents house so I didn't have my camera. This is a photo from my phone.

But boy, this is a tasty fall soup if you love apples and chicken together!

Chicken and Apple Stew (I think it's more of a soup though...)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
4-6 potatoes, diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 apples, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups apple cider
3 cups chicken broth

Preheat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium-sized soup pot over medium-high heat. Place chicken cubes in a medium bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add flour and toss to coat. Add chicken to hot oil and brown for 7-8 minutes until done. Remove from pan on to a plate. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pot. Add the onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, salt & pepper. Cook vegetables until tender, about 6 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the apple cider, scraping up any brown bits from the pan. Add chicken broth, apples and chicken to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 10 minutes until vegetables are soft and the broth has thickened.

This recipe is adapted from Espresso Yourself, a coffee shop/restaurant in Newport, PA. Not only was my sister a waitress/barista here last summer, I found the business card for Matt 'N Nat Photography, who will be photographing our wedding! This place has great food made with mostly organic ingredients.

My brother thinks that some egg noodles added to the soup would be tasty!

We also added about a cup of water to the soup to make more broth, so that is an option too if you think it's necessary.
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Chicken Piccata

2010-11-09T11:04:00.006-05:00

For my birthday last month my Aunt Donna got me a subscription to Cuisine at home - a great magazine of recipes with no advertisements! The recipes all look great and seem easy to make. I already made sweet and spicy salmon filets from the magazine for Adam's birthday and last night I made chicken piccata. It was so simple and delicious. I love lemon and garlic flavors, especially with chicken.

[

For the recipe you can pound out chicken breasts into cutlets but I just buy the cutlets from the meat department at the grocery store - so much easier!

[

Chicken Piccata

From Cuisine at home

4 chicken breast cutlets (you can buy the cutlets or cut a breast in half and pound it thin)

salt and pepper

all-purpose flour

nonstick spray

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup dry white wine (I didn't have any so I used chicken broth)

1 teaspoon minced garlic (I used 2 cloves)

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon capers, drained

2 Tablespoons butter

Fresh lemon slices

Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.

Coat a saute pan with nonstick spray, add oil, and heat over medium-heat.

Saute cutlets 3 minutes on one side. Flip cutlets over and saute the other side, covered, 2 minutes. Transfer cutlets to a warmed platter; pour off fat from pan.

Deglaze pan with wine and add minced garlic. Cook until garlic is slightly brown and liquid is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Add broth, lemon juice and capers. Return cutlets to pan and cook on each side for 1 minute. Transfer cutlets back to plate.

Finish sauce with butter and lemons. Once butter melts, pour sauce over cutlets.

;

I had a lot of trouble slicing the lemons. Need a new sharp knife badly!

Parc on Rittenhouse Square

2010-11-08T10:34:00.003-05:00

In October, when Adam and I visited Arielle in Philadelphia, we came across a cute little French brasserie called Parc and just had to stop. The atmosphere was very inviting and we sat outside on the sidewalk and enjoyed our sandwiches and beer. Another reason why we loved this location is because it is right by Rittenhouse Square which is chock full of owners walking their dogs! We saw so many cute dogs trot by! This is a fun place to check out on a nice spring or fall day.

I had the country chicken club:

Arielle had the lamb sandwich:

Adam had the cheeseburger:

Beef & Vegetable Potpie with Cheddar Biscuits

2010-11-02T10:13:00.011-04:00

Since the cold weather is upon us, I was looking for something hearty for dinner last night. As I was flipping through the latest Food and Wine magazine I came across a beef and vegetable potpie with cheddar biscuits. It sounded good and after going the through the entire magazine and another cookbook, I went back to that potpie. I am so glad I did!

But as I put the potpie into the oven, I realized I should not be a model for cooking success! With a hungry man waiting for his dinner and me hurrying with all my might, I forgot to add the peas to the pie!! We had them as a side. So if you make this, don't forget the peas!!!

The biscuits turned out so good on top of the pie! Make sure the bisuit dough is dense - if it's too runny, add more flour. If it's too thick, add a touch more milk.

The original recipe makes 2 potpies to serve 12 people. I halved the recipe and it turned out perfectly! I wrote below how I made a single potpie, which would serve roughly 5 people but if you go here, you can see the original recipe.

Beef-and-Vegetable Potpie with Cheddar Biscuits from Food & Wine Magazine

1 stick plus 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 white onion, coarsely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium to large parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
salt and pepper
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 cups plus 3 tablespoons self-rising flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 (10 oz) package frozen peas
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 450° and position a rack in the upper third. Line the bottom of the oven with foil to catch any drips.

In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the oil. Add the onion, carrots and parsnips; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8 minutes.

Add the beef and rosemary and cook over moderately high heat, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no trace of pink remains and any liquid has almost evaporated, 10 minutes.

Stir in 3 Tablespoons of the flour and cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the milk and the stock and simmer until thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Put the remaining 2 cups of flour in a large bowl. Cut in the remaining 7 Tablespoons of butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cheddar. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of milk until a smooth dough forms. Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, arrange mounds of the biscuit dough on the filling baking dish.

Bake both potpie on the top rack of the oven for 20 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the biscuits are cooked through.

Let the potpies rest for 10 minutes before serving.

A parsnip is a great alternative to boring ole potatoes!

Those stinkin' peas on the side!

Mudslide Milkshake

2010-11-01T15:35:00.006-04:00

This sinful after dinner treat is from Claire Robinson. She has a fun show on the Food Network called 5 Ingredient Fix. It's worth checking out!

I am always looking for uses for frozen bananas because every time I have a banana that is too ripe to eat, I peel it, slice it and put it in the freezer for opportunities like this!

1/2 cup Irish cream (like Bailey's)

1/4 cup chocolate vodka - you can use regular vodka

1 pint coffee ice cream

1 banana, sliced and frozen

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

;

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high until smooth.

Warning: This is very strong!!! You can add some milk and more ice cream if you think it's going to kick your butt after the first sip.

Chunky Monkey Pancakes!

2010-10-27T09:00:00.004-04:00

I have made several other recipes from Our Best Bites and they have all been a hit. So I was not surprised when I tried their Chunky Monkey Pancakes and they turned out heavenly!

I follow Our Best Bites on Twitter and read their blog a lot. The two friends that journal their recipes are just so sweet and they seem trustworthy to me so I feel very confident that their recipes will be delicious. And they always are.

I made Chunky Monkey Pancakes on Saturday and they we were like eating a sweet dessert for breakfast, which I loved! It's a good way to start a Saturday.

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Peanut Butter Syrup

1 1/2 C flour
3 Tbs sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 C buttermilk *
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs canola oil
1 large or extra large egg
2 small-med ripe bananas
1/4 C mini chocolate chips (or reg. chips roughly chopped) tossed with 2 tsp flour
Cooking Spray or butter for pan

1 C maple syrup
1/2 C peanut butter

*As a substitute for buttermilk, place 1 1/2 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar in a 1 1/2 C measuring cup and then fill the remainder with milk.

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla and whisk well. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until moistened and combined. Place bananas in a bowl and roughly mash with a fork. Fold into batter. Add the chocolate chips that have been tossed with flour and stir.

For syrup, heat peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add maple syrup and gently whisk to combine. Heat in the microwave for another 30 seconds, whisk, and then set aside.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat. Coat pan with little butter and then pour on pancake batter. Use1/4 C batter for large pancakes (4-6') and 2 T for kid-sized ones (2-3'). Wait until bubbles form and edges are set and then flip.

Reheat syrup if necessary and pour over warm pancakes.
t

Friday Night Dinner

2010-10-26T09:14:00.003-04:00

After a long week last week, Adam and I had no plans for Friday evening and we were so excited to do nothing and just stay at home. But we couldn't decide what to have for dinner. We wanted something easy and delicious - like always. So we turned to Mary and asked her for ideas. She suggested grilled steak topped with Boursin cheese. We thought that sounded perfect so we stopped at the store on the way home.

Of course we grabbed some asparagus too - Adam's new favorite vegetable - and potatoes.

Our dinner right out of the shopping bag:

And 30 minutes later on our dinner plates:

We got 2 T-bone steaks, seasoned them with McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning and cooked them on a hot grill. We then ate every bite of the meat with Lite Herbed Bousin cheese - very rich and creamy -which you can find in the specialty cheese department of most grocery stores. The Lite cheese was very tasty! And good thing we got lite because we ate over half of the little tub!

I roasted the asparagus in a 400 degrees oven with salt and pepper and olive oil for about 5- 8 minutes.

For the potatoes, I peeled and cubed 3 potatoes. I put them into boiling salted water and allowed them to cook for 5 minutes. While they were boiling, I heated 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. After 5 minutes, I drained the potatoes and added them to the hot oil in the skillet. Then I just let them fry for about 15 minutes or until they get to be browned to my liking. Then scoop them out of the oil onto a paper towel lined plate and add salt and pepper.

A great go-to potato side dish for all meals of the day.

This was a very yummy dinner a a little splurge to kick off the weekend. I have been thinking about it a lot since Friday... Are you hungry now too??

Savvy Grouse Post

2010-10-22T15:01:00.003-04:00

Check out my Savvy Grouse post about Spiral Path Farm in Loysville, PA.

Photo from Spiral Path website

My Birthday Party

2010-10-21T09:03:00.017-04:00

October 2nd was my birthday and as a special treat, my parents, Bec, Jesse, Adam and I went to Cafe Bruges in Carlise, PA. Cafe Bruges is a casual Belgian restaurant and we not only sampled some great Belgian beers, we had a feast, beginning with amazing frites and ending with a waffle. YUM!

Bec took these cute pictures and I just couldn't wait to share them! It was a fun night!

From left to right - Adam, Hope, Mom, Dad, Jesse and Rebecca who is behind the camera (I am sad she's not in the picture)

And the most delicious part of the evening - fries fried in beef tallow with honey mustard sauce, ketchup, spicy Asian sauce and homemade mayo. These were the tasties and crispiest fries I've ever had. I have been craving them since we left. I need more.

Fried cheese croquettes... yummmm

Herbed cheese toasts - local Quark (fresh soft cheese from Keswick Creamery in Newburg, PA) with fresh herbs and sliced radishes on rye toast

For dinner I had moules in the Bruges style sauce (white wine and herbs) and more frites

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Bec also had the moules; Adam had steak frites, Jesse and my dad had waterzooi (Dutch word for stew) of fish and my mom had stoemp (a mash, this time of poatoes) served with various saucisse (sausages). Everyone loved their meal!

And for the grand finale, a Belgian waffle with apple compote, whipped cream, powdered sugar and 72% Belgian dark chocolate sauce.

And I am so sad I didn't get photos of the beer. Everything we tried was great and this restaurant only serves Belgian brews which is so unique.

Next time we visit Cafe Bruges, I think we will get frites, a waffle and beer!

Then we headed over to Bec and Jesse's house where they planned a little party for me. The theme for the party was letter B.

We played a game of Boggle.

And Bec planned a Boto Boot, or photo booth.

This is my favorite photo from the that evening!! I just love it! Maybe it's because of the flying cat...

And a DELICIOUS brownie cake with peanut butter filling! Heavenly!

Thank you sooooooo much, Bec for the great evening you planned. You're such a wonderful friend!!

City Tavern, Philadelphia

2010-10-18T15:53:00.008-04:00

Backing up to two weekends ago, Sunday October 10, Adam and I were walking around Olde City of Philadelphia when we decided to have lunch at the City Tavern. As you remember, I have met the head chef, Walter Staib, 3 times - twice at Taste of the Nation and once in Hershey. I have two of his cookbooks and am a fan of his 18th century cuisine.

Usually I only talk about dining experiences that I love but this time, I wanted to write about this tourist trap. The ambience of the City Tavern is beyond charming: The waitress and hosts were period outfits, you drink out of pewter cups and enjoy your meal in the beautiful old building.

Sadly, our dining experience was less than stellar. We had soup and salads and they were very mediocre and over priced. As you can see in the turkey noodle soup photo below, the chicken was of the cubed, preprocessed variety, which totally grosses me out.

So if you're debating this restaurant, I recommend going for drink and/or dinner. The raspberry shrub and the tavern cooler, along with the homemade breads were wonderful!! I ate here a few years ago, had the rabbit for dinner and loved it!

Adam perusing the menu

The dining room

Cute table setting - you will see the bread and

my raspberry shrub (vinegar, sugar, water and champagne)

Turkey noodle soup

Apple cider with rum, brandy and whiskey

I have to remember this combo!

Johnny Appleseed Meatballs

2010-10-17T20:07:00.003-04:00

I know a photo is worth a thousand words so I am very sad to report that I did not take a picture of these meatballs. I had a very hungry boy to feed and all I'm thinking about when cooking is getting dinner on the table.

But these meatballs are very tasty and moist and worth a try this fall.

I had some very ripe apples so I peeled, cored and sliced them, put the apples in a saucepan with some water and cooked them down to applesauce for this recipe. I didn't even pass the sauce through a seive - the small apple chunks were tasty with the meat!

I found this recipe in the Adams County Apple Cookbook. The apples I used were from Adams County too!

1 pound ground beef
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup water

In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, salt and applesauce. Shape into about 20 meatballs.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.

Once oil is hot, add the meatballs and brown until almost cooked through. If your skillet isn't large enough to cook all the meatballs at once, do them in batches and let the cooked meatballs rest on a paper towel lined plate.

Reduce heat to medium, add ketchup and water to pan with the meatballs, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

We ate our meatballs with egg noodles!
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Sweet Ending Yogurt in Philadelphia

2010-10-12T11:49:00.005-04:00

Over the weekend Adam and I went to visit my sister Arielle in Philadelphia. She goes to school at Temple University and on Saturday we ventured into center city to have lunch and go shopping in the Rittenhouse Square/Walnust Street area.

Here we are having yogurt from Sweet Ending (like my new makeup look from MAC? A little too tan, huh?). This is my new favorite ice cream/frozen yogurt place! You walk in, get a dish and then serve yourself whatever flavor of frozen yogurt you'd like and then add your own toppings. I had the original yogurt topped with fresh pomegranate seeds, mango chunks, banana slices, lychees, and honey. Arielle got some green tea and mango ice cream and also topped hers with fruits, what fruits I can't remember.

This was a great afternoon treat. We will definitely be going back to visit Arielle soon :)
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Country Fried Steak from Pioneer Woman

2010-10-11T11:08:00.005-04:00

This recipe is from the Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook. I thought it looked like the ideal comfort food and have been anxious to try it. I saw cube steak (round steak that has been tenderized) at the store and immediately thought of this meal.

I need more practive with making the gravy though. Mine turned out thick even though I was adding milk. I think I rushed the process and my heat was too high and I didn't whisk long enough - just a warning for when you try it!

Adam said this is one of his top 10 favorite things I've made for him!

3 pounds cube steak
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk, plus 2 cups for the gravy
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus about 1/3 cup for the gravy
2 teaspoons seasoned salt, such as Lawry's
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil for frying

Begin with an assembly line of 4 deep plates
1. with the steak
2. with the eggs and 1 cup milk - beat with a fork to combine
3. with 3 cups flour, seasoned salt, paprika, cayenne and black pepper - stir gently
4. an empty plate for the breaded steaks

Lightly season a piece of meat with salt and pepper, then dip it into the egg-milk mixture. Flip to the other side to coat. Next, place the meat on the plate of the seasoned flour. Turn over to coat thoroughly. Now place the meat back in the egg-milk mixture, turning to coat. And finally dredge in flour one more time. Place the breaded meat on the emply plate until ready to fry. Repeat with all steaks.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is sufficiently heated (drop a few sprinkles of flour in the skillet - it's ready if it sizzles), fry 3 pieces of meat at a time. Cook one side until the edges start to look golden brown, about 2 1/2 minutes. Turn over and cook for 2 or 3 more minutes until the other side is golden. Don't over cook or the meat will be tough.

Remove to paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all meat is cooked.

To make the gravy, pour off all the grease into a heat-proof bowl.

Without cleaning the pan, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup grease back to the pan. Allow the grease to heat up.

Sprinkle 1/3 cup flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix the flour, creating a golden brown paste. This is known as a roux, and you want the roux to attain a deep rich color. If the pastes seems more oily than pasty, sprinkle in another tablespoon of flour. Whisk again and check the consistency.

After a couple of minutes, the paste will start to turn golden brown, then, whisking constantly, pour in 2 cups of milk. Whisk to combine then let the gravy come to a slow boil.

The gravy will thicken gradually, but if it seems to thick at first add splashes of milk as needed, whisking to combine.

The total cooking time should take 5 to 10 minutes. Then generously season with salt and pepper.

Serve steak with mashed potatoes and cover all in gravy!

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

2010-10-05T10:04:00.009-04:00

I just love pumpkin so much! Pumpkin anything really. Pie, ice cream, cake, coffee, pasta sauce. But when I saw the pumpkin pie milkshake recipe on Our Best Bites, I started foaming at the mouth! I found this recipe quite a few weeks ago. I went to 2 different stores and they were both sold out of pumpkin - maybe a sign that I should be making my own pumpkin. But last week I finally got my hands on some and we made these shakes twice in one week! They are creamy and crunchy; sweet and spicy!

Recipe from the Our Best Bites website:

1/3 cup (or 2 heaping spoonfuls) pumpkin puree, canned or homemade
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 or 2 graham crackers, crushed

Put everything except the ice cream and crackers in a blender and blend until well mixed. Then, by hand, mash in the ice cream and stir until incorporated. You may need to let the ice cream sit out for a while to let it soften. I find this method the best because my blender won't blend a thick milkshake. You can add more milk if you want it to be less thick.

Pour into a glass or two and top with graham crackers. I then like to stir my graham crackers in because I like to eat the shake with a spoon and get some crackers in each bite!

Next pumpkin recipe will either be whoopie pies from Brown Eyed Baker or sausage pasta from The Culinary Couple.
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As Seen In The Patriot News

2010-10-01T16:24:00.004-04:00

Two Sundays ago you could fine the Fall 2010 Wedding Style insert in the Patriot News.

If you flip through the book to page 12. You will find this:

Yes, that's a story about Rebecca's wedding shower featuring my food blog and her photography blog!

A big thank you to the staff at the Patriot News for featuring us!

Minestrone

2010-09-29T08:53:00.006-04:00

Minestrone Soup

This soup is inspired by the The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. She also includes roasted zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms to add right at the end of the recipe, but I didn't have any on hand (well I did but they weren't lookin too hot after I pulled them from the back of the fridge!).

On Sunday I bought a bag of frozen green beans and a bag of frozen sliced carrots because they were only 87 cents a bag and lucky I did because they came into handy for this soup!

My soup really soaked up the chicken broth so you can either add more than 8 cups or add water at the end if you like more broth.

I even made a special trip to the PA Bakery to get a French baguette. I was really excited to have some good bread and while it was good and we ate it all, it wasn't authentic and made me miss those days when I was studying in Paris and had real baguette every night for dinner. Then again, I don't miss all the weight I gained eating like that but it was so good and I must say, worth it!

Also as you read the recipe, you may think, wow, this sounds bland, but it really is not. The chicken broth gives great flavor as does all the vegetables. It's also key not to over cook the veggies.

Anyway, back to the soup:

2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 whole carrots, washed and sliced (I used frozen carrot slices)
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 stalks celery, sliced

8 cups chicken broth
2 cans cannelini beans, rinsed
1 cup (heaping) cut green beans, fresh or frozen (I used frozen)
1 cup medium or small pasta shells or macaroni, uncooked
1 can (14.5) diced tomatoes with juice
salt and pepper, to taste
¼ teaspoons Turmeric (optional - I didn't use but I am curious to how it would taste.)
Parmesan cheese, shaved

In a heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, and celery and stir to cook for 3 minutes. Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for ten minutes.

Add green beans. Cook on low for five minutes. Add pasta and cook for an additional five minutes. Add cannelini beans, canned tomatoes, stir, and cook for an additional five minutes on low heat. Check for seasonings, adding salt, pepper and tumeric if using.

Add roasted vegetables at the very end. Stir and allow to simmer and heat for a few minutes before serving. Be sure to check seasoning! Add more broth if necessary to increase liquid amount.

Serve with Parmesan shavings and crusty Italian bread.

Wegman's Pizza Dough

2010-09-23T09:09:00.001-04:00

When I was at Wegman's a few weeks ago I bought their in-house pizza dough. I put it in the freezer when I got home to use for a quick meal for a work night.

(Photo from wegmans.com)

So on Monday morning I put the frozen dough on the counter and when we got home 10 hours later, the dough was thawed and had risen immensely!

I took it out of the packaging and attempted to stretch it out onto an oiled baking sheet. I did not have luck. It was very elastic and would not keep it's shape. Therefore we ended up with a very thick pizza! But the crust was quite delicious. I would buy it again if only I knew how to make it into thin crust. A couple people reviewed the dough on the Wegman's site and said it was enough dough to make 2 pizza's but I just don't know how I'd manage that. Maybe I should leave the pizza making to the professionals!

Anyway, we enjoyed our deep-dish style pizza. I picked up a jar of pizza sauce and some shredded mozzarella cheese, sauteed some portobello mushroom slices in olive oil for a few minutes and then put them on the pizza along with hand-cut slices of mini pepperoni. The mushrooms look a little like sardines too!

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The dough packaging has baking instructions.

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We certainly got our carbs that day!

Cayenne Chicken with Avacado Salsa & Chili Sweet Potato Wedges

2010-09-21T08:40:00.006-04:00

I am quite sad I haven't posted in awhile! It's not that I haven't been cooking but it's just that I haven't made to many unique or special things. I know that shouldn't matter. But today I have pledged to post much more often. We'll see how long I can keep the fresh posts!

Last week I was searching for something very easy to make for dinner with the ingredients I had.

We had pan seared chicken breasts with avacado & tomato salsa and chili sweet potato wedges. A very coloful and spicy meal!

For the chicken:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with the cayenne and salt. Add chicken to the pan and cook 5 minutes on each side or until done.

For the salsa:

1 avacado, peeled, pitted and chopped (I kept the chunks large)

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (I kept the chunks large)

juice of 1/2 a lime

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. You can also add chopped red onion or diced jalapenoes if you have any.

For the sweet potatoes (a favorite recipe from Everyday Foods, Jan./Feb. 2006):

2 large sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut each potato lengthwise into 8 wedges. If the wedges are too thick slice them lengthwise again.

On a parchment paper lined baking sheet toss the sweet potatoes with the oil, sugar, chili, salt and pepper, until coated. Arrange wedges on a single layer, cut side down.

Roast potatoes until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

Lentil Soup

2010-09-09T20:46:00.006-04:00

Here is another recipe in a group my aunt gave me. She really enjoyed this soup and wanted to pass it on. I think it's the perfect fall soup. It's very hearty and the lentils give great protein.

The bacon gives the soup a smokey flavor but you could also skip the bacon if you would like a vegetarian/vegan option, or if you don't have bacon.

The recipe is from Martha Stewart Living, March 2005.

3 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/4-inch half moons
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups lentils, picked over and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) - or 3 1/2 cups -chicken broth
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper

In a 5-quart pot with lid, cook bacon over medium-low heat until browned and crisp, 8-10 minutes. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat.

Add onion and carrots; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste, and cook 1 minute.

Add lentils, thyme, broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cover; cook until lentils are tender, about 30-45 minutes. You may need to ad more water if the soup gets too thick. Do not over cook because lentils will fall apart and become mushy.

Stir in vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve immediately.

I did take some to work the next day to heat up and it was still good but it's best to eat immediately.
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Cake for the Dogs

2010-09-09T20:18:00.006-04:00

Today is Baxter's birthday. And we had his grandparents over to celebrate. Baxter and Trapper both got tasty bones and very squeaky toys.

We had cake but it was only for the doggies. I was inspired by the Brown Eyed Baker's Dog Birthday Cake. I thought her blog post was just so cute and I have been preparing to make this for months. I think both Baxter and Trapper enjoyed their special treat!

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded carrots
1 egg

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch round cake pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

I used peanut butter for the frosting and some dog food to spell out the B.

The dogs want evenings like this all the time!
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Baxter

2010-09-09T09:49:00.002-04:00

Happy 1st Birthday, Baxter!

Stayed tuned for photos of his cake from his party this evening!

Chicken Gyros

2010-09-02T10:50:00.008-04:00

Last night I made chicken gyros with tzatziki and they were very delicous and sooo quick to make! My Aunt Bet gave me this recipe and I will definitely be making it again! The chicken preparation alone is good to put on a green salad!

And to top it off, this is a healthy meal!

A lot of the ingredients call for "Weis Quality" so I assume this recipe is from the Weis grocery store.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 glove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 chicken breasts, cubed
salt and pepper to taste
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped (we omitted because we don't like raw onion)
4 pitas
1/2 cup feta cheese

For sauce:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add chicken to the pan and cook until browned and juices run clear, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for tzatziki sauce in a small bowl. Stir to blend and set aside.

Warm pitas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes and without slicing, fill each pita with 1/4 of ingredients. Fold pita in half and serve with sauce.

We slathered the warm pita with the tzatziki sauce first.

We chopped the small tomatoes from our garden!

These were so good! With lunch time appraoching, I wish I had one to eat today!

And this photo has nothing to do with gyros but I had to show it off because it's just too cute! This is Adam with my friend's little girl, Alexandra. The two have become great friends!