Double Doozies

So as the holiday’s approach us it is time for tons of food and sweets! Currently in the US we are celebrating Thanksgiving.  Wait around for my next post for the awesome pork that I cooked for my families Thanksgiving. This is all about the sweetness of life…the double sweetness of life that is!! These cookies are Steve’s favorite!

I didn’t make the cookies as “homemade” as a true cook would do…however I took a bag of instant cookie mix (just add oil, eggs etc). Rolled them up, placed them on the pan and then in the oven. I would just follow the directions. However, in the recipe below there are also directions on how to make them homemade. We were on a time crunch and hey Betty Crocker can taste like the real deal!

Side note~ I am sure that these cookies could be made with any kind of flavor cookie! We decided for chocolate chip cookies, however the recipe calls for chocolate cookies. 

While the cookies cooked, we started to make the cream filling. Once the cookies finished, I always place the cookies on paper towels while they cool. I followed this cream recipe to the T. This blog is short and sweet just like these cookies!!

What is your favorite holiday desert? 

Happy Cooking and Happy Thanksgiving!!

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

        1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (recommended: Dutch-processed)

       1 teaspoon baking soda

     1/4 teaspoon baking powder

      1/4 teaspoon salt

       1 1/2 cups sugar

       10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

       1 large egg

 

Vanilla-Cream Filling:

    4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature   

     1/4 cup vegetable shortening

      2 cups confectioners' sugar

     2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Set 2 racks in the middle and upper third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. In a food processor or the bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. While pulsing or on low speed, add the butter, then the egg. Process or beat until the dough is thoroughly blended and massed together. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter onto nonstick or parchment-lined cookie sheets at 2-inch intervals. With moistened fingers, round out the cookies and flatten them a little. Bake for 9 minutes, turning the pans once for even baking, until the cookies are set. Set the cookie sheets on a rack to cool.

Vanilla-Cream Filling: Put the butter and shortening in a mixing bowl and, at low speed, gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla, until blended. Turn the mixer up to high and beat for 2 or 3 minutes more, until fluffy.

With a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip, pipe teaspoon size blobs of filling onto the tops of half the cookies. Keeping the smooth bottoms of the cookies facing up, flip the remaining cookies on top of the filling and lightly press to form sandwiches.

What a turnover???

Everyone in my family will tell you that I am not the best baker. I have got numerous stories of my epic failures when it comes to baking. From rock hard Cinnamon rolls to icing on a cake that just drips right off. They make for good stories though. Since I am in a giving mood I will share one with you before I give you this awesome turnover recipe.

I think I was in my freshmen year of college, still very kitchen illiterate, and my grandmother always made this pound cake with what we call penucci icing. As I have found out, its really only caramel icing. We never understood where she got that name from, until I was thumbing through an old cook book and found the recipe labeled just that. Anyways so if you have ever made any kind of icing in your life you know that the proportions of the different ingredients is pretty important. Little ol 19 year old me didn't know the difference and I had my mind set on making this cake just like grandmother did. I was out picking things up from the grocery store and I asked my mom how many sticks of butter do I need to make this icing, she replied (or in my mind this is what I heard) we need 4 sticks. So picked everything, went home, started cooking the cake. Cake finished, it was beautiful!!

I was as high as a kite because now I am just one step away from beating this! So I start making the icing, I would like to say that I looked at the recipe but....I didn't  and mom said that we needed 4 sticks of butter. So into the pot when 4 sticks of butter, sugar etc. bubbles up bubbles down ready to pour onto the cake. Now normally when you pour this icing down onto the cake it should stick and firm up. Caramel icing isn't one to really continue to run. Well I started to pour the icing and that sucker just ran,  I would have to scrape around the sides to re-ice the cake... I was so defeated! So everyone came in cause they want a piece of memory that this cake serves, and people are like why is the icing so runny? I didn't have a clue. It tasted delicious! As you feel your arteries clog up. But hey, doesn't anything with that amount of butter??

We chalked it up that I didn't let it boil long enough, until later that night. My mom went in to cook dinner and she asked me where the butter was. I replied its in the icing...from then on when ever I make this cake or bake anything for the matter this story comes up. Lessons learned... always read the recipe and if there is any need for 4 sticks of butter check again!

I found this recipe on food network. It is an Alton Brown recipe, and he totally geeks me out to the core in his shows. So I knew this should be good. This is a salmon turnover. I followed the recipe to the T and then made a dill dipping sauce from Paula Dean.

These two recipes are so easy!!! You definitely have to try these out!! Steven and I also thought about trying it with black beans instead of rice. You can pretty much put anything in this!! Be careful not to overfill them... but they are still good if you do!

Salmon  Turnover

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry
• Flour, for dusting
• 1 can boneless, skinless, salmon
• 1/2 cup Sauteed mushrooms
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sour pickle relish
• 1 cup cooked white, brown or fried rice
• 2 to 3 chopped scallions
• 1 tablespoon parsley leaves, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly flour the counter top. Roll puff pastry so there are no seams. Cut into 4 squares.
In a bowl, combine salmon, mushrooms, pickle relish, rice, scallions, parsley, salt, and pepper. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each square. Brush inside edges of puff pastry with egg wash and fold over to make a triangle. Using a fork, seal the edges. Poke a slit or two in the top of each turnover. Brush tops with egg wash. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

For the dill sauce we made a little modifications. I didn't use the cucumber and the dill we used was from a spice jar and we just tasted it as we added it. So add these things to your liking!

Dill Sauce

Ingredients

1 English cucumber, peeled, grated, and drained for 1 hour

1 cup sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup fresh dill, finely chopped

Directions

Mix in a bowl until all ingredients are combined

What is your favorite cooking mishap? I would love to hear!

 

Happy Cooking!

Noodling Around

Let me tell you what, there are three types of food that I could eat everyday all day and never get sick of it!! That is Mexican, Chinese and Pasta!!! I love pasta, it is totally my go to food. Need a quick meal? Don’t have much in the cabinet, cook up some pasta and some butter and you are good to go! So I am sure you have guessed what today’s recipe is… PASTA!! I am sure I will post other ones as well, because I am a pasta junkie. If there was a support group in be there.

Any who, I got these two recipes off of pinterest. It was well worth it and fast to cook! It’s a spicy Romano Cheese pasta. Things I did differently to this recipe, is instead of using the Romano and the Parmesan cheese, I used shredded Italian blend. At the grocery, I couldn’t seem to find any Romano. I guess it was meant to be. I also added onions and thought about adding spinach, but then decided that there was enough flavors going on already to be good.

I didn’t do a lot of spiciness, because that doesn’t always agree with stomachs. I also didn’t have anymore cayenne pepper, so I just did a shake of red pepper flakes. But you should do it to your liking. Other than that, this was an easy delicious dinner and I highly suggest giving it a shot!

The second recipe was a bit more complicated. It was a frozen berry yoghurt. I didn’t do the fresh berries in the recipe, but it was still good. Although disclaimer- you use honey in this I suggest if you are making a smaller serving, than to use less honey! I definitely made that mistake. I am not a huge fan of honey and I added to much so it was very prevalent in this batch.

Also, you are going to have to freeze this before you serve it, because otherwise it is just like a smoothie, not like ice cream.. The recipe made it seem like you just mix it all together and your good to go. I didn’t find that to be the case. So once I made it I put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes and it harden right up and was good to go!

Overall a very good meal… we were full to our stomach and enjoying the good feeling  that you get after eating a ton of good food!

Enjoy the Recipes!!

Romano Spicy Pasta

The Sauce:

• 1 pint heavy cream
• 4 T butter
• 2 tsp  salt
• 1 – 2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup romano cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper  *EDITED*  My husband and I like a lot of KICK to ours.  IF you or your family doesn’t, please read comments first.  If you aren’t sure how much cayenne you will like, add a tiny amt and taste as you add until it’s to your liking!

The Rest:

• 10 ounce package of bowtie pasta cooked and drained according to package directions – al dente.
• 1 1/2 T melted butter
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 small jar artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 7-8 ounce precooked sliced grilled chicken (we also add equal amounts of sausage to ours…although shrimp, beef, and crab would be great too!)
• 1/8 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 oz heavy cream

How To Make It:

Sauce:

• Melt butter in saute pan or skillet. Add cream, salt and pepper, heat to a boil. Remove from heat and fold in cheeses and cayenne pepper. Set aside.

The Rest:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter, then add mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes. Stir for one minute. Next add artichokes and chicken (and cooked sausage or other meat). Stir. Stir in 1 ounce heavy cream and 1/2 of the sauce. Add bowtie pasta followed by rest of the sauce. Stir gently. Serve.

Mine



Theirs







 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Website of orgin: http://www.bosssanders.com/2012/03/03/spicyromanochicke/

 

 

One Minute berry icecream

Ingredients

• . 1 x 500g pack of mixed frozen berries
• . 150g fresh blueberries
• . 3–4 tablespoons runny honey
• . 1 x 500g tub of natural yoghurt
• . a few sprigs of fresh mint
• . optional: 4 small ice cream cornets

Method

In advance: Put 4 small glasses in the freezer, or you can serve straight into ice cream cornets, if you prefer.

When you're all set up and ready to go, get the glasses (if using) and the frozen berries out of the freezer. Divide the fresh blueberries between the glasses or cornets. Put the honey and yoghurt and leaves from the sprigs of mint into the food processor and whiz, then add the frozen berries and whiz again until combined. Spoon the frozen yoghurt over the fresh berries and serve. Yum.

Mine

Their

http://m.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/1-minute-berry-ice-cream

Happy Cooking!

Stuffed With A Bit Of Heaven

 

So this recipe comes from a pintrest board. Yea, I know… pintrest the new crack for online DIY and just pure awesome randomness! This dinner was made with two different recipes, one for the stuffed chicken and the other for the zucchini chips. There are a lot of modifications to tonight’s dinner, because I thought that we had ricotta cheese, however it had gone bad. I didn’t want to fork out the money for panko crumbs, so I used good ol’American Wal-Mart branded bread crumbs.

For the stuffing I used a hand full of Monterrey Jack cheese (shredded), about two tbsp of cream cheese, spinach, and cherry tomatoes, small clove of garlic and rosemary. These changes were made not because the recipe was bad… it was just the circumstances stated above!! I can only attest to my modifications; however I believe that this recipe would be good as is. Also, just a side note, I think it would be good if it was stuffed with feta, spinach, etc, although not everyone is a fan of feta cheese.

Here is the recipe for the stuffed baked chicken- at the bottom of the recipe I have the picture that the website posted and what mine actually turned out like. When it is just you and your family at home, what difference does it make to make a beautiful presentation? I prefer tastiness over presentation any day!!

Panko Crusted Chicken Stuffed with Ricotta, Spinach, Tomatoes, and Basil:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 1 cup of low fat ricotta cheese
• Small handful of baby spinach, chopped
• Small handful of grape tomatoes, diced (remove the seeds if possible)
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Dash of oregano
• 2 chicken breasts
• Italian seasoned panko crumbs
• 2 tsp olive oil

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the ricotta, spinach, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, basil, garlic, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Rinse the chicken breasts then cut a long horizontal slit along the center of the thin long edge of the chicken breast, nearly through to the other side. Fill the cavity of the chicken breast with the ricotta mixture. Season each side of the chicken with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Carefully dip the chicken breasts in the panko crumbs until both sides are evenly covered. Close the slit together with toothpicks (or if you are like me and realize that you don’t have toothpicks, simply break some kebab sticks in half and use them).

Heat the olive oil in an OVEN PROOF skillet on the stove over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, place the chicken in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown, flip the chicken over and place the skillet into the oven. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Enjoy.

Recipe retrieve from pintrest, but also this site : http://www.fortheloveofcooking.net/2011/06/panko-crusted-chicken-stuffed-with.html

Their Chicken

My chicken

The other part of dinner tonight was a zucchini chip. Basically thinly sliced zucchini, with a type of breading baked in the oven. Steve liked the zucchini chips, but they weren’t my favorite thing that I have made before. I think it would be good just to place slices on a pan and throw a little olive oil and a little bit of seasoning would be better instead of breading them like this. But I gave it a shot and now we know. I had to modify this recipe because I can’t use apple cider vinegar (allergy to apples… I know I’m weird!) , which could’ve been the very reason these didn’t taste like I thought they would have.  I could have also sliced the zucchini two thinly as well. But I couldn’t get the slice to crisp up like a chip; instead they got a little soggy, even after I tried to broil them to get them a little crispy. Any way’s if one of you figures out where I went wrong in the process let me know and I will definitely retry to make them!

Zucchini Chips                              

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Homemade Breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• heaping 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup cold milk (I used oat milk)
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 1/2 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 small zucchinis)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine breadcrumbs, cheese (if using) and black pepper.

In separate bowl add flour, milk and vinegar.  Gently stir until combined but do not over stir.

Dip zucchini slices in flour mixture and then dredge in breadcrumb mixture.

Place coated zucchini slices on a baking sheet (I line mine with non stick foil for easy clean up!) and bake for 30 minutes, flipping the slices over once halfway through cooking, or until browned and crisp.

Nutritional Info:

Makes 2 servings.

Nutrients per serving:  Calories: 224.5, Cal. from Fat: 33.5, Total Fat: 3.5g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 41.5g, Fiber: 6.5g, Sugars: 12g, Protein: 9g, Sodium: 459mg, Chol: 0mg

Recipe found at http://www.thenakedkitchen.com/zucchini-chips/

That’s all I got for now Internet world!!

Happy Cooking!

Twice baked Potato’s= Potato Casserole

The back story to this blog, is when I was in college I studied abroad in Germany for a year. Something I really loved about Germany (despite loving everything!!) was how they did a baked potato.  There was a beergarten in the town located by the Neckar River. They LOADED their potato! It was always delicious! They would load it up with meats, veggies and cheeses… much more than just shredded cheese and bacon bits.  The second part of this back story resides when I came back from Germany and the Presbyterian Campus Ministries was holding a fundraising dinner for some of the students to go on a pilgrimage to Ionna Abby. So they had a twiced baked potato dinner, which was the first time I had ever had a twice backed potato.  It was awesome!!  So genius me thought it would be a great idea to combine the two ideas.

Never making a twice baked potato, of course I looked up a recipe, looked simple enough and off I went to the grocery store to make this upgraded twiced baked potato.  So the things that were going to go into the potato- onions, chicken, garlic, broccoli, mushrooms, cheese, sour cream and salt/pepper. They were going to be EPIC!! Got the two potato’s and everything else on the list and I started cooking.

I put the potato’s in the oven, started to sauté’ everything in a pan. First the onions, than garlic and then the mushrooms, meanwhile the broccoli was boiling. I put everything in to a bowl, which included the sour cream, cheese and a couple of tbsp of cream cheese. Who doesn’t love a cheesy potato??  What I have failed to learn is that it takes FOREVER to bake a potato!!! After an hour and a half of baking these huge potatoes, they were not even close to being cooked. So thinking that they could’ve been feasible to be scooped out and the fact that we were STARVING, I pulled them out to cut the potatoes in half and attempt to scoop them.

It seems that the joke was on me, because we couldn’t get the potatoes scooped and the “shell” portion ended up cracking and breaking up. At this point my hopes of producing a decent dinner was little to none…so there was a cast iron pan available, so I chopped up the uncooked potato’s combined all the “innards” with the potato’s and placed it all inside the cast iron pan. Placed a nice layer of cheese on top and put it back in the oven for 30 minutes…checked it and the potato’s are STILL NOT DONE!!!! At this point, Steve and I have gotten to a point where we are “hangry” (this is a term I heard a friend use and have fallen in love with it. It is when you are so hungry, you are angry).  So we pull out this now casserole, place a helping on the plate and nuke it in the microwave.  It turns out pretty ok… could’ve been so much better had the potato’s actually been cooked all the way. But with most things, if you add more cheese and sour cream it gets better.

So the moral of this story is…POTATOS TAKE FOREVER TO COOK!! Here is the twice baked potato recipe that I was attempting to try. I recommend smaller potatoes, and microwaving the potatoes instead of baking them. No picture this time, sorry!

Twice Baked Potato’s  

4 large russet potatoes, each about 3/4 pound each, scrubbed and dried

2 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup sour cream

1 scallion, finely chopped

Freshly grated nutmeg, optional

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the potatoes directly on the rack in the center of the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Pierce each potato in a couple spots with a fork and continue to bake until tender, about 30 minutes more. Remove potatoes from the oven, and turn the heat down to 375 degrees F.

Hold the potato with an oven-mit or towel, trim off the top of the potatoes to make a canoe-like shape. Reserve the tops. Carefully scoop out most of the potato into a bowl. Take care to leave enough potato in the skin so the shells stay together. Mash the potato lightly with fork along with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the butter and sour cream. Stir in the scallion, nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Season the skins with salt and pepper. Refill the shells with the potato mixture mounding it slightly. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the potato filling. Brush the reserved top with the remaining butter and season with salt and pepper.

Set the potatoes and lids on a baking sheet, and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/twice-baked-potatoes-recipe/index.html

First is the worse? Not this time!

First Post!!  I am going to start off with one of my favorite deserts I have made. This recipe is by far the best cobbler I have had EVER!! When it cooks, it smells like your grandmother’s house, full of butter and love. My grandmother LOVED to cook! I feel like every time we were at her house she was cooking something! I have some of her old recipes and can’t wait to dive into them!

I found this recipe in a magazine called Bon Appétit! Steve and I enjoyed this hot with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream. Also when making this, if you like cinnamon than I would add just a dash of the wonder spice. Otherwise it is just as good without it!

Drop Biscuit Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups plus 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. crème fraîche or sour cream
• 6 cups fresh blueberries (about 2 lb.)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 375°. Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 3 Tbsp. sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter; using your fingertips, incorporate until only pea-size lumps remain. Gently mix in crème fraîche. Knead in bowl until a biscuit-like dough forms, 5–7 turns (overmixing will make dough tough).
• Combine remaining 1 cup sugar, remaining 3 Tbsp. flour, berries, juice, and zest in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Pour into an 8x8x2" glass baking dish or divide among six 6-oz. ramekins. Tear biscuit topping into quarter-size crumbles; scatter over berries.
• Bake cobbler until juices are thick and bubbling and topping is cooked through and deep golden brown, 20–25 minutes for ramekins or 45–50 minutes for baking dish. Let cool for at least 1 hour.

nutritional information

7 servings, 1 serving contains:
Calories (kcal) 340
Fat (g) 13
Saturated Fat (g) 8
Cholesterol (mg) 35
Carbohydrates (g) 59
Dietary Fiber (g) 6
Total Sugars (g) 35
Protein (g) 3
Sodium (mg) 260

 http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2012/08/blueberry-drop-biscuit-cobbler#ixzz2Bk3kQdJ1