Barefoot and Baking

German Chocolate Cupcakes

2012-01-30T10:57:00.000-08:00

Hello Beautiful! I absolutely LOVE German chocolate anything! It is the perfect combination... pecans, coconut and chocolate! I saw a picture of something like this on pinterest but wanted to use all of my favorite components. I LOVED how they turned out and will be skipping lunch so that I can justify having these multiple times today, is that wrong? Oh well, who cares! These are to good to pass up!

German Chocolate Cupcakes

(24 cupcakes)

Cake:

My favorite recipe, I already posted it here! I made it with a chocolate cake mix and chocolate pudding. Cool completely before frosting.

Coconut-Pecan Frosting:

(Recipe from my BFF Abby! Here is the link)

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

1 t vanilla

1 1/3 cups shredded, sweetened coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

In a medium sauce pan, combine evaporated milk, sugar, butter, egg yolks and vanilla. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens, but do NOT boil. It should coat the back of the spoon. Stir in the coconut and pecans. Let the frosting cool for 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

2 heaping T cocoa powder

1 t vanilla

a pinch of salt

3-4 T of milk, or more until desired constancy

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or on the stove top over low heat until smooth. Beat together all the ingredients until the frosting is smooth and whipped. Start with the least amount of milk and add more as needed to desired constancy.

Assembly:

Using a pastry bag and frosting tip, pipe on a ring of chocolate buttercream frosting around the top of each cooled cupcake. Fill the middle of the ring with a spoonful or two of the coconut-pecan frosting. Store in a cool place to let the frosting set up a little.

Dark Chocolate Cookies

2012-01-26T10:57:00.000-08:00

When I first saw these on Pinterest, they had me at one glance! But, I truly knew it was meant to be when I went to get out the ingredients and I had EXACTLY enough powdered sugar and just enough chocolate chips to make these! We were meant for each other! These are unlike any other cookie I have made. I don't even have the words to express how I feel about these... they are divine, decadent, rich and heavenly! They will satisfy a chocolate craving like this Double Chocolate Torte but with much less effort! They have a little crunch on the outside but are soft and gooey on the inside! So there you have it, these just might be what you need for the love in your life for Valentine's day!

Dark Chocolate Cookies
(makes about 16-18 cookies)

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
3 large egg whites, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 T corn starch
1/4 t salt

Preheat oven to 350. Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray and set aside. Melt one cup chocolate chips in the microwave or on your stove over low heat, until melted. Cool slightly.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in one cup powdered sugar until mixture resembles soft marshmallow cream. In another bowl whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt to blend. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into egg whites mixture. Stir in lukewarm melted chocolate and the last 1/2 cup chocolate chips. The dough will get very stiff.

Place 1/2 cup powdered sugar into a bowl. Roll rounded Tablespoons of dough in powdered sugar and place on prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies puff up and cracks form on the tops, about 8-10 minutes. Cool on sheets for 10 minutes and then remove to wire rack to cool.

Orange Rolls (No Rise)

2012-01-23T16:37:00.000-08:00

I LOVE Orange Rolls (you know me and citrus!). So when I found this recipe on Our Best Bites, I knew I had to try it! They came together so fast and they are so totally yum! They have a biscuit texture with orange roll flavor...seriously, they are addicting! So the next time you want a sweet roll for breakfast with out the hassle of letting yeast dough rise, this is for you!

Orange Rolls (No Rise)

(makes 12 rolls)

For the dough:

3/4 cup cottage cheese

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup sugar

4 T butter, melted

1 t vanilla

2 cups (9 oz.) flour

1 T baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/4 t baking soda

Filling:

4 T butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

zest from 1 orange (I used 2 Cuties mandarins)

Glaze:

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1 T melted butter

2 T orange juice (I juiced the two mandarins that I zested)

Preheat the oven to 400. In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla. Process until smooth, about 10 seconds.

Now, add the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda and pulse in short bursts just until the dough clumps together (DO NOT over-process). The dough will be very soft. Don't add any more flour! Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times just until smooth.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Make it into a 12x15 rectangle.

Now put the filling on. Spread the dough with the softened butter, sprinkle evenly with the sugar and the orange zest. Roll the dough from the long side, making a long snake. Cut it into 12 equal parts and place into a greased pie pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. While they are cooking, whisk together the glaze ingredients. When the rolls come out of the oven, drizzle with the glaze. Serve warm!

Chocolate Banana Muffins

2012-01-14T07:42:00.000-08:00

Saturdays at our house are usually pancake/waffle day but sometimes I just need to mix it up a little. And I NEEDED chocolate today (ok, I need Chocolate everyday!) But, at least this way, I could disguise it as breakfast! These muffins are moist and delicious and who doesn't love banana and chocolate!

Chocolate Banana Muffins

(12 muffins)

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3/4 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 t cinnamon

3 very ripe bananas, pureed (about 1 1/2 cups)

6 T butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 1/2 t vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line a muffin pan and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. In a medium bowl whisk together bananas, eggs, yogurt, butter and vanilla. Mix the wet mixture into the dry by gently folding it with a rubber spatula. Add chocolate chips, being careful to NOT over mix the batter. Fill the muffin cups until almost full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, be careful to not over bake. They are done when a toothpick comes out with some moist crumbs on it. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

My Favorite Lemon Bars

2012-01-12T10:02:00.000-08:00

I usually don't start into my citrus kick until closer to Spring, but call it the SUPER mild winter we are having or the fact that I am just so giddy that this is my LAST Michigan winter, I have been craving lemon bars for a few weeks now. I finally gave in and turned to THE BEST recipe I know for these! I know that I already have a lemon bar recipe on here but this one totally trumps the first one. I thought about just replacing the other one but I was afraid that someone out there LOVES the other one and didn't want to take it away from them. With that said, I would replace the other one in a heartbeat with this one. The ratio of lemon to crust is perfect, the lemony flavor is perfect, the crispy crust is perfect. I really just can't say enough about these! So, hands down this is the recipe you want if you are craving lemon bars or Spring, or sunshine (because these literally scream sunshine to me!). I got this recipe out of this cookbook (it is one of my favorites!)

Lemon Bars

2 cups flour
1 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 t salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup flour
1/2 t baking powder
powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 in pan. In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups flour, butter, powdered sugar and salt until crumbly. Press the mixture into the prepared pan, making sure it is even. Bake for 15 minutes until light brown on the edges. In another medium bowl, Beat together eggs, sugar, lemon juice, 1/4 cup flour, and baking powder. Pour the lemon mixture over the crust and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until set in the middle. You will know it is set as it will not jiggle. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cool completely before serving.

Veggie Chowder

2012-01-11T07:10:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on this blog. I was excited to try it, seeing as how my 6 year old keeps telling me he is vegetarian and doesn't even like chicken! So, I LOVE finding soups that are full of good veggies and that he will eat! This one did not disappoint and we will for sure be making it often.

Veggie Chowder
(6 servings)

2 T butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 T minced garlic
4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped (I used about 8 small red potatoes with the skin on)
1 1/2 T flour
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup milk
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese

Melt butter in a large soup pot. Add the onions, carrots and celery and sauté over Medium heat until the veggies are tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add the broth and potatoes, bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender. Mix flour with water and add to the soup. Simmer until the soup is slightly thickened. Add milk and broccoli and cook until the broccoli is just tender. Stir in the cheese until melted and then serve immediately.

Almond Roca

2012-01-08T12:38:00.000-08:00

I have LOVED Almond Roca for as long as I can remember! It is totally one of my favorite candies. So, you can imagine how excited I was to come across this recipe. But I was even more thrilled when it was easy, quick and OH SO GOOD!

Almond Roca

3/4 cup toasted, chopped almonds*

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

6 oz (about 1 cup) milk chocolate chips

Butter a 7x11 inch pan. Sprinkle half of the almonds on the bottom of the pan.

In a heavy sauce pan, over medium high heat, melt the butter and then add the brown sugar. Stir gently until boiling. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling until the temperature reaches 300 degrees (hard crack stage). The best is to use a candy thermometer, doing it with timing can be tricky, especially if this is your first time making this. If it gets higher than 320 it will NOT remain solid.

Pour the hot mixture over the almonds in the buttered pan. Pour the chocolate chips over the top and let them sit for a minute or two to melt. Once they are melty, use a spatula to spread them evenly over the top. Sprinkle the remaining chopped almonds over the melted chocolate. Let the whole thing cool until the chocolate has set. Use a sharp knife to break the almond roca into pieces. Store in an air tight container.

*to toast almonds spread them in a dry skillet and cook them over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to lightly brown and you can smell them. Let them cool completely. Toasting nuts gives them a much crunchier texture and a richer flavor.

White Bread

2012-01-07T19:28:00.000-08:00

I am usually a wheat bread kinda gal but today I just had this craving for good, comfort food, white bread. The kind you pull out of the oven, cut into before it has cooled down, slather in butter to watch it melt into the bread and eat it while it is still steaming! So, my search began! I came across this recipe on this blog. She had me at "Grandma". You know if it is something that someone's Grandma made it is just going to be perfect! Because that usually means that the recipe is not only tried and true but also taking it back to the basics. No fancy, schmancy stuff. And that is exactly what I got, and MAN was it good. Just the stuff to satisfy my random craving! (And NO, I am NOT pregnant!)

White Bread
(6 loaves) I totally cut this recipe in half, so I just have 3!

2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
9 t salt (I cut this down to 8)
3/4 cup butter
6 cups warm water
4 T yeast
24 cups flour

Put the milk, sugar, butter and salt into a medium sauce pan. Heat over Medium-high heat stirring constantly until the mixture just comes to a boil. Remove from heat and let it cool down.

Put the warm water in a mixing bowl, add the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Stir and allow to sit until the yeast starts to bubble (about 5 minutes). Stir in the milk mixture. Add half of the flour and mix until smooth. Keep adding flour until the dough is smooth and elastic. Let rise in a warm, draft free place until it is double in size. Punch down and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes. Shape into loaves and place into greased bread pans. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes (mine were done at 30 minutes) or until they are lightly browned and hallow sounding when you tap the top. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

2012-01-06T05:48:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on Pinterest. It is a crockpot recipe but I just adapted it to stove top. I also changed it a bit to my liking. I was so good! A deep, rich, creamy tomato soup! LOVE it!

Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup
(4 servings)

1 (14 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1-2 T extra-virgin olive oil
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 t dried oregano, or 1/2 T fresh
1/2 T dried basil, or 2 T fresh, chopped
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 cup half and half, warmed
salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy soup pot, saute celery, carrots and onion in olive oil until softened. Add tomatoes, oregano and basil and stir. Add 2 cups of the broth and the bay leaf. Let this simmer until the veggies are cooked and soft. Once they are soft, remove the bay leaf and puree with a submersion blender or in a food processor until smooth. Return to the pot and in another pan prepare a roux. Melt the butter in a small pan. Add the flour and whisk for about 3-5 minutes. Add the last cup of broth to the roux and then add it into the soup. Stir and add the grated Parmesan, warmed half and half, and salt and pepper to taste. Let this simmer for a few minutes to combine the flavors. Serve with a little more Parmesan sprinkled over the top! Would be great served with grilled cheese or these croutons!

Candied Pecans

2011-12-29T13:13:00.000-08:00

I made these for the previous salad post but lets be honest, I ate most of them NOT in my salad! I just LOVE these! They are so easy, so good and will be made often in my house! There are lots of recipes for these, they are all pretty much the same. So here is what I did...

Candied Pecans

(2 cups of pecans)

2 cups unsalted pecans (or walnuts or almonds)

2 T butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 t vanilla

nutmeg or cinnamon (or both)

Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan. Add the sugar, nuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg or both. Stir constantly over medium high heat until the sugar melts and turns a golden brown color. Once the sugar has melted and turns brown remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Mix well. Dump the candied nuts onto the cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and spread out as much as possible. Let them cool completely.

Use the nuts in salad or keep in an airtight container for munching! These would be great over ice cream as well!

Poppy Seed Dressing

2011-12-27T12:03:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from my SIL Adena. It is wonderful! I altered it slightly but will put the original on here with my modifications in parenthesis. This dressing is quick and easy and I LOVE having it in my fridge!

Poppy Seed Dressing

1 1/2 T poppy seeds

3/4 cup rice vinegar (I used 1/2 cup rice vinegar and 1/4 cup red wine vinegar)

1 1/2 cups oil (I used canola)

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 t grated onion

1/2 t salt

3/4 t dry mustard

1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion (I omitted this)

1 lb. Mushrooms, sliced (I also omitted this)

Mix all the ingredients together in a salad shaker or whisk in a bowl. I served this over Spring mix, crumbled Feta cheese, craisins, and candied pecans (recipe coming soon!).

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

2011-12-23T06:55:00.000-08:00

I have a love affair with muffins. I could eat them everyday, although I try my best not to! I also have a love affair with fresh blueberries, Michigan has taught me this. So when I first saw these, I just couldn't resist (I did adapt the recipe though)! The first batch I made I kinda forget to put in the egg (yes I am losing my mind, it goes a little more with each child I have) and had to add it AFTER the blueberries. Lets just say they tasted great but the dull blue color just wasn't very appetizing to photograph. But the whole thing made for a fantastic excuse to make muffins again! He, he, he!

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

(makes 12 muffins)

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup quick oats

1/2 cup sugar

1 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 egg

1 t vanilla

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup oil

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Topping:

2 T sugar

1/4 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400. Grease or paper line a muffin pan.

In a bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. In another bowl mix together water, oil, egg and vanilla. Stir this into the dry ingredients until just moistened. Gently fold in the blueberries. (Do NOT defrost frozen blueberries)

Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the batter in the muffin pan. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix

2011-12-22T11:37:00.000-08:00

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and was so excited to try it. First off, homemade hot chocolate is divine! Not to mention Mexican hot chocolate! I whipped up a batch to take to my kids teachers and am already dying to make more for myself! It is quick and easy and so great to have on hand! This recipe will take the place of any instant hot chocolate that is now in my house! I altered the original recipe to fit my liking.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix

(about 25 servings)

3 cups non fat instant dry milk powder

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups cocoa powder

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 t salt

2 t corn starch

1 t cinnamon

1/8 t cayenne pepper

In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.

In batches, pulse through a food processor until smooth and well combined.

Store in a sealed container in a dry, dark place.

To make the hot chocolate, mix 1/3 cup of the mixture into a mug of hot milk or water. Serve with fresh whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon.

Peppermint Oreos

2011-12-15T12:37:00.000-08:00

Over Thanksgiving we had some great friends stay with us. On one desperate trip to Wal-mart we came across Candy Cane Oreos. They were amazing and gone within minutes (desperate times call for desperate measures!) So, the next time we were at a store, we searched them out only to come up empty handed. That got me thinking, why not just make our own. Homemade is ALWAYS better. Well, the days went fast and the nights went faster and we never got back to those Candy Cane Oreos. But I have been thinking about them ever since and have FINALLY gotten to them. I wanted to take my homemade Oreos to another level. So I found this recipe over at Smitten Kitchen. I, of course, had to alter it to make it Peppermint (and a couple of other adjustments) but I made a few the original way too. Let me just say, these are the real deal! A true homemade Oreo. So go ahead and skip Wal-mart (I know we all have a secret love/hate relationship with it anyway) and just go for the REAL thing!

Peppermint Oreos (and original too)
(25-30 sandwich cookies)

For the chocolate cookies:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/8 t salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 T butter, at room-temperature
1 large egg

For the filling: (peppermint)
1/4 cup butter, at room-temperature
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract*
1 t peppermint extract
1 crushed candy cane (or 5 small candy canes)

*For original Oreos increase the vanilla to 2 teaspoons and omit the peppermint extract and candy canes.

Preheat oven to 375.

In a food processor, or the bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. While on low speed, add the butter and then the egg. Continue mixing until the dough comes together in a mass.

Place rounded teaspoons of dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Flatten the dough balls slightly. Bake for 7-9 minutes until the tops look cracked. Cool completely.

To make the filling, place butter and shortening in a bowl and on low speed gradually add the sugar and extracts. Once these are all incorporated, turn the mixer on high and beat for 2-3 minutes until the filling his light and fluffy. Stir in the crushed candy canes, if using.

To assemble the cookies, place teaspoon sized blobs of filling in the middle of one cookie and top with another. (I used a baggie with one corner snipped off to pipe the filling on.) Press down gently until the filling comes to the edges of the cookie. Continue with the remaining cookies. Now, go grab yourself a huge glass of cold milk and dip away!

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan-Gingersnap Crust

2011-11-28T07:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, so don't hate me but I am NOT a huge fan of pumpkin pie. It's a texture thing. However, I do LOVE pumpkin in almost everything else. So when I came across this Pumpkin Cheesecake over at Our Best Bites, I was slightly giddy! Besides, I had a great friend here over Thanksgiving who was willing to help me out in all my cooking endeavors (thanks Jen! You are the best!). This is my new favorite pumpkin dessert!

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan-Gingersnap Crust

Crust:

1 3/4 cup gingersnap crumbs (about 30 small cookies)

6 T butter, melted

3 T brown sugar

3/4 cup ground pecans

Filling:

3 - 8oz blocks of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

6 oz melted white chocolate (about 1 cup white chocolate chips)

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 t vanilla

1/4 t nutmeg

1 1/2 t cinnamon

1/8 t cloves

Topping:

- fresh whipped cream

- toasted pecans

-caramel sauce, either homemade or store bought

Preheat oven to 350. Using 2 large pieces of heavy duty foil, securely wrap the bottom and outside of your cheesecake pan. This will prevent leaks when using a water bath.

For the crust:

Using a food processor, crush the gingersnaps. Next do the pecans. Combine these together in a bowl and add brown sugar and butter. Stir well and then press into a 9 inch spring form pan. Evenly spread across the bottom and up 1 inch on the sides. Set aside.

For the filling:

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave, being careful not to let it seize. In a double boiler, heat over the lowest setting and stir constantly. In a microwave, heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Set aside.

With an electric mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time. Next add the pumpkin, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.

With the mixer running, slowly add the white chocolate in steady globs. Once this is all incorporated, pour the mixture over the crust.

For the water bath:

Place the cheesecake pan inside a larger pan, like a roasting pan. The larger pan should be at least 2-3 inches in depth. Place in a preheated oven . With a kettle or pitcher, pour hot water into the larger pan until the water is half way up the side of the cheesecake pan (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches).

Bake for 60-75 minutes or until set. The center should be just a tad bit jiggly, it will finish cooking as it cools.

When it is done, remove from the water and cool completely on a wire rack. Once it is cool refrigerate for at least 12 hours. This cheesecake is very soft, so sufficient chilling is a must!

When ready to serve spread the fresh whipped cream over the top, drizzle with caramel and top with pecans.

Quick Artisan Bread

2011-11-27T09:37:00.000-08:00

I am a HUGE fan of homemade bread! And Artisan No-Knead bread it some of my very favorite! It is SUPER easy (it only has four ingredients) and it's crusty on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Can you say perfect! The only downside it that the recipe I have already posted takes 18-24 hours to proof before you can bake it. And lets be honest, I usually don't think that far in advance to start it. So, you can imagine my excitement when I found this recipe here. I have made it 2 or 3 times in the last couple of weeks and I think it is just as good as that other recipe AND it only takes a fraction of the time. Total bonus!

Quick Artisan Bread
(1 large loaf)

3 cups flour
2 1/4 t yeast
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 cups water

Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for about 4 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

Lightly oil a work surface and place dough on it. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice and then shape into a rough ball. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, heat the oven to 450. Put a 6 to 8 quart heavy covered (oven safe - cast iron, enamel, or ceramic) pot in the oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven. Slide your hand under the dough and place it into the hot pot, seam side up. Shake the pan once or twice if the dough id unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.

Coven the pot with the lid and bake the bread for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a wire rack.

PW's Pecan Pie

2011-11-26T16:39:00.000-08:00

Pecan pie is my husband's favorite pie. So, of course, I had to make one for Thanksgiving! I got this recipe from the Pioneer Woman, she never lets me down (especially when it comes to dessert!) And I have to say, it was mighty tasty! I did add chocolate chips because, lets be honest, you can't go wrong with pecans and chocolate!

PW's Pecan Pie

1 whole unbaked pie crust (I used the recipe below)*

1 cup sugar

3 T brown sugar

1/2 t salt

1 cup light corn syrup

3/4 t vanilla

1/3 cup melted butter

3 whole eggs, beaten

1 heaping cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Make your pie crust (recipe below) and set aside. Next, mix your sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, eggs and vanilla all together in a bowl. Pour chopped pecans and chocolate chips into the unbaked pie crust. Pour the syrup mixture over the nuts and chocolate chips. Cover the top and crust of the pie lightly with foil. Bake the pie at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 20 more minutes, being careful not to burn the crust or pecans. The pie should NOT be overly jiggly when you remove it from the oven. If it shakes a lot, cover with the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes (checking the pie every few minutes) or until it is set. Allow to cool for several hours or overnight.

*Pie Crust

(adapted from Bon Appetite)

1 1/4 cups flour

1 t sugar

1/8 t salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

3 T ice water (or more)

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter, rub with your fingertips until the mixture resembles course meal. Add 3 T ice water and toss with a fork until moist clumps form, add more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time if the mixture is too dry. Gather dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Roll out on a lightly floured surface until about 12 inches across. Gently settle into a 9 inch pie pan, being careful not to stretch the dough (this will cause your pie crust to shrink when it bakes). Fold overhang under and crimp edges.

Lasagna Soup

2011-11-20T10:59:00.000-08:00

I am a HUGE soup fan, so when I came across this recipe I was more than a little excited! Talk about comfort food at its finest! I think this is my new favorite soup! I love all of the different flavors, and the way they blend together. There is so much going on in this soup, I had to have 2 bowls just to take it all in.
(Ok, so that was just my justification!) If you only try one new recipe this week, make this soup!! We served it with some fresh crusty bread, heaven, people, pure heaven!

Lasagna Soup
(serves 8)

for the soup:
1 pound Italian sausage
3 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 t dried oregano
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
2 T tomato paste
1 (28 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock
8 oz mafalda pasta (these look like little lasagna noodles, but more curly)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
salt and fresh ground paper, to taste (I didn't need any salt in mine)

for the cheesy yum:
8 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 t salt
pinch of fresh ground pepper

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown sausage in a large soup pot over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain off extra grease. Add onions and cook until they are softened. Add garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time or the pasta will be mush. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl combine ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of cheesy yum in the bottom of each soup bowl, top with some grated mozzarella. Ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Pumpkin Muffins

2011-11-18T07:57:00.000-08:00

There is just something magical about the smell of baking pumpkin in my house this time of year! We have had an uncommonly warm and snow-free Fall here in Michigan (NOT that I am complaining) but it is making it a little hard for me to believe that Thanksgiving is less than a week away! So, this morning I needed something to get me in the mood for this beautiful, thankful season. When I came across these muffins here, I knew they were just what I needed. I adapted the recipe to my liking and the results were so perfectly pumpkin-y and Fall-ish! (Yes, I just made up both of those words)!

Pumpkin Muffins

(12 muffins)

1 2/3 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t ground ginger

1/2 t ground cloves

1 t ground nutmeg

1 t baking soda

1/4 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 eggs

1 t orange zest

1 cup pumpkin

1 stick (4 oz) butter, melted

6 oz white chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, salt and orange zest. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs and melted butter, until smooth. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until almost all the dry ingredients and moistened. Add the chocolate chips and mix until the ingredients are just combined. (DO NOT over mix!) Scoop batter into a greased or paper cup lined muffin tin. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the muffins are puffed up and springy to the touch. Cool on a wire rack.

Lettuce Wraps

2011-11-13T18:11:00.000-08:00

I LOVE these! They are a copy cat of P.F. Chang's, which are to die for. These come pretty close. Besides, who doesn't love a healthy, fun way to spice up chicken for dinner? I got this recipe from my A-mazing sister who (I think) found it online. So, thanks Abby! Now you won't have to continue to send me the same recipe over and over...

Lettuce Wraps

3 frozen chicken breasts

1 lg. carrot

8 whole mushrooms

3 green onions

1 red bell pepper

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 can water chestnuts- drained

2 T oil

1/4 t. sesame oil

Iceberg lettuce

rice noodles (optional for more crunch)

Boil chicken in water with a pinch of salt and a clove of garlic. Once it is cooked through,

finely chop it. Finely grate carrot and mushroom. Finely chop bell pepper, onion and chestnuts. Set aside.

Mix Sauce ingredients

1/2 C water

1/4 C sugar

2T rice vinegar

1 t. sesame oil

1 t. sriracha, this will NOT make these spicy. Double this for more kick!

1/2 C soy sauce

1/2 t. fresh ginger or 1/4 t. powdered ginger

(Double the sauce so you have some for dipping!)

Now, heat 2 T oil and 1/4 t sesame oil in a large skillet. Add onion, mushroom and red pepper. Cook 2 minutes to soften. Add sauce and chicken and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minute until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Add chestnuts and carrots. Stir to combine.

Serve in the crunchy inside pieces of iceberg lettuce. Add the rice noodles, if you are using them. Dip in the extra sauce!

* I will use Low-sodium soy sauce next time, I like to have a little more control over the saltiness without losing the flavor.

Bird's Nest

2011-11-12T10:49:00.000-08:00

My mom used to make these for us as children. We LOVED them. It just made breakfast magical to me. I made them for my kids a couple of weeks ago and they can't seem to get enough of them. It really isn't a recipe so much as an idea, but here it is just the same!

Bird's Nest

bread

eggs

butter

salt

pepper

Heat a skillet and melt butter in the bottom. Cut a hole in a piece of bread (I used a mason jar lid). Place the bread in the pan. Crack an egg in the middle and let it cook for a minute or two until the outside turns white. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then flip, carefully, so you don't break the yolk. Cook on this side for a minute or two until the egg is cooked as much as you like it.

I have also seen these made inside a slice of bell pepper, YUM! Gonna have to try it!

Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts

2011-10-29T16:06:00.000-07:00

I have never made donuts before but these caught my eye here and I just had to give them a try. I mean they are pumpkin, people! And donuts seem so harvest-y, don't they? Anyway, I was prepared to do some work on these and they came together so fast. So if you are looking for a new Halloween/ Harvest tradition (or just a delicious treat) this just might be your recipe!

Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts

(about 2 1/2 dozen, plus donut holes)

3 1/2 cups flour

4 t baking powder

1 t salt

2 t pumpkin pie spice

1 cup sugar

2 T butter, melted

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup pumpkin puree

canola oil (for frying)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spice and sugar. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together all the remaining ingredients except the oil (it's for frying). Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in. Mix all together until the dough is well combined. My dough was pretty sticky. Turn out onto a well floured surface and roll the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick (this may seem pretty thin but they puff up a lot when frying). Cut with a donut cutter or I just used a canning jar lid and a medicine cup (you know the ones that come on the top of child rems Motrin?) for the middle.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a large skillet or heavy pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot (I drop a piece of dough in and it started bubbling like crazy when it was hot enough). Gently slide the donuts in tot he oil, frying the first side until the edges are lightly browned. Carefully flip the donuts over and allow to cook until lightly browned on this side a too. Remove and place on a plate covered with paper towels to. While the donuts are still hot dip them in the buttermilk glaze (recipe below). Place on a cooling rack place over a cookie sheet to air dry until ready to serve.

Buttermilk Glaze*

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 t vanilla

Whisk together until smooth. Dip hot donuts in the glaze and then allow to air dry on a cooling rack.

*I made one and a half times this recipe for all my donuts. I also added 1/2 t maple flavoring to half this recipe for a little variety! Super Yummy!

Sweet and Salty Halloween Treats

2011-10-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

I saw these little beauties on Pinterest and just knew that I had to make them for a fun Halloween party I am co-hosting! They are so super fast and easy and are just so Halloweeny! Now, go grab the 3 ingredients and whip up a batch of these for your super spooky Halloween friends!

Sweet and Salty Halloween Treats

pretzels (I used the waffle squares but twists would work just fine)

Hershey's Hugs (kisses would also work)

candy corns

Preheat oven to 350. Cover a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and place as many pretzels as you want on the sheet. Unwrap and place a Hug on the top of each pretzel. Put the cookie sheet in the oven for about 3 minutes, just until the Hugs are shiny. Pull the tray out of the oven and top each one with a cant corn, pressing down slightly. Now let these cool and the Hug set up. I put mine in my cold garage (the fridge would work too) to speed things up. See, now how easy was that?!!

Blueberry Syrup

2011-10-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

Every summer we go blueberry picking. We pick TONS! And this is why! They are super easy to freeze and freeze really well. Then all year (ok, they totally don't last that long!) We can make super yummy blueberry recipes with the fresh, frozen berries we picked over the summer. So on this wonderfully sunny, Sunday morning in Michigan we made blueberry syrup to top delicious waffles and fresh whipped cream! Heaven, pure heaven!

Blueberry Syrup

(2 1/2 cups of syrup)

2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 t fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 t vanilla

1 t cornstarch (mixed with 2 t water)

Mix all the ingredients, except the cornstarch, in a medium sauce pan and heat over medium high, stirring constantly, until it boils. Once the berries are boiling mix the cornstarch with the 2 t water and mix to dissolve. Add the cornstarch to the boiling berries and stir to combine. Reduce the heat and let the berries simmer until the syrup is thickened and no longer milky. Serve warm over waffles, pancakes, ice cream, or what ever else needs some blueberry syrup!

Hot Chocolate

2011-10-18T17:29:00.000-07:00

It is so that season, and I am LOVING it! Hot chocolate season, of course! I gave up a long time ago searching for the perfect hot chocolate mix. It doesn't exist and making your own is simple, cheap and easy! So, here is my favorite recipe. Now, go get your favorite mug and indulge in a big mug and a bubble bath!

Hot Chocolate
(1 serving)

1 1/2 cups (12 oz) skim milk
2 T milk
1 T cocoa powder (the unsweetened kind)
2 T sugar
a dash of salt
a splash of cream
3-4 drops vanilla extract
a dash of cinnamon (optional)

Put milk in a sauce pan and heat over medium. In a small cup or bowl mix the 2 T milk, cocoa powder and sugar together with a whisk until it is the chocolate is totally incorporated. (The cocoa powder can be stubborn to mix in and I have found this is the easiest way.) Pour this mixture into the milk that is heating up and whisk to blend. Now add salt (not too much) vanilla, cream (this gives it just the perfect amount of creaminess) and cinnamon (if using). Stir until hot (or the perfect drinking temperature). Pour into your favorite mug and slide into that bubble bath!

Fudgy Chocolate Chip-Toffee Bars

2011-10-16T15:22:00.000-07:00

I actually have a few other recipes ready to put on here but I just couldn't wait to put these on! Maybe I was just really craving chocolate or cookies or fudge or all of the above but I made these last night and I literally moaned out loud when I took my first bite! And today, well, I pretty much skipped breakfast, lunch and dinner just to justify eating more of these! So I thought if they are that good they deserve a BIG picture. Anyway, I think I first saw them on interest but they are from the Pillsbury website. I don't usually buy into the whole "store bought" cookie dough thing, but in this recipe I don't think it really matters. Besides, I LOVE how easy it made this recipe. Ok, now go make these! Try them warm (my favorite way) or cold (my husbands favorite). Either way, I don't think you will be disappointed!

Fudgy Chocolate Chip-Toffee Bars

(about 32 bars)

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 cups graham cracker crumbs, divided

1 (8 oz) bag Heath toffee bits (found in the baking isle by the chocolate chips)

1 roll (12 oz) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough (I used Nestle Toll House)

1 (12 oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 T butter

1 t vanilla

Heat oven to 350. Spray bottom only of a 9x13 in pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 1/2 cups of the graham cracker crumbs, and 3/4 cup of the toffee bits until crumbly. Press mixture evenly into the greased pan. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until firm.

Meanwhile, let cookie dough stand at room temperature until it softens slightly. In a 2-quart sauce pan, heat chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and 1 T butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Spread evenly over the graham cracker crust.

In a medium bowl, break up cookie dough and stir in the remaining 1/2 cu of graham cracker crumbs. Crumble this mixture evenly over the fudge layer. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 3/4 cup toffee bits. Bake 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool as long as you can. The longer they cool the firmer the bars will be.

Caramel Apples or Apple Dip

2011-10-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

I am still working through this HUGE bunch of apples we picked, so I thought I would put up another apple recipe. Who doesn't love a caramel apple? I found this recipe on the newsletter of one of my favorite authors. Her name is Marcia Lynn Mcclure, she writes clean romance novels. The stories are always fantastic, usually set sometime in history. They are totally sappy, cheesy, love stories and I just eat them up! Total eye candy for me! Anyway, apparently this recipe is one that Marcia's mom made all the time, and I can totally see why! Now I have amazing caramel apples to enjoy while I read a Marcia book! The great this is this recipe can either be caramel apple dip or you can dip whole apples in it. Either way you won't be disappointed and you may never go back to unwrapping those store bought caramels again!

Caramel Apples or Apple Dip

(makes 10 caramel apples)

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/8 t salt

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup butter

1 t vanilla

10 medium apples

Popsicle sticks

waxed paper

In a sauce pan, combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and sweetened condensed milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly to very, very soft ball stage (for dip) and soft ball stage* for dipping apples. Once it is at this stage, remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla and completely combined.

For apple dip serve with sliced apples.

For caramel apples wash and dry apples. Insert a Popsicle stick into to top of each apple and set aside. Place a length of wax paper on a cookie sheet, butter the wax paper and sprinkle it with sugar (this is very important, caramel apples will stick to the wax paper otherwise). Once my caramel reached the soft ball stage I continued stirring for a few moments until the caramel was a good caramel color (do not do this for too long or your caramel will be too hard). Then I stirred in the butter and vanilla. I let my caramel cool slightly, (when I tried to dip the apples right away, the caramel just slide off the apple). I let the caramel sit for about 2 minutes and then the caramel was perfect. Set the dipped apples onto the wax paper and let them set up. You can leave them like this or you can go on to dip them in melted chocolate, drizzle them with chocolate, decorate them with nuts, sprinkles, or coconut, etc.

*Soft ball stage can be determined with a candy thermometer OR is you are like me and don't have one, just get a small bowl filled with ice water and drop a small amount of the bubbling caramel into it. If you can pick up the caramel out of the water and it holds together in a soft ball, it is ready!

Apple Crisp

2011-10-08T06:50:00.000-07:00

This time of year makes me think of comfort food and apples and trees that look like they are on fire with color. Michigan in the Fall is AMAZING! I am really going to miss it! One of our favorite Fall activities is picking our own apples and pumpkins at one of the many orchards around here. So with apples coming out of our ears, I of course turn to dessert to use some of them up. Apple crisp is one the top of my apple dessert list, especially when it has extra crumble on top and good vanilla ice cream melting over the top. Hungry yet? Ok, here is the recipe... I found it over at the Parsley Thief. (I did alter it just a bit)

Apple Crisp
(10 servings)

6 apples, peeled and cored (I used Fuji, fresh off the tree)
1 t lemon zest
1 T lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg

Crumble topping:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 t salt
1 cup oatmeal
2 sticks cold butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350. Slice the apples into bite sized chunks. Place in a large mixing bowl and combine with the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss to combine and pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

In the bowl of a mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal and butter. Beat on low for for 1-2 minters until the butter is incorporated and the mixture crumbles. You can also do this with a pastry cutter or your fingers. Sprinkle all the crumbles evenly over the apple mixture. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 1 hour, or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are bubbling.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Caprese Salad Skewers

2011-10-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

I have seen this salad pop up all over the internet. I love that these are bite sized and individual. Besides they are so easy and beautiful. I have made them a couple of times now and they are always a hit. The last time was for this Fall Baby Shower I put on with my BFF Abby.

Caprese Salad Skewers

Cherry tomatoes

fresh basil leaves

fresh mozzarella (I used and LOVE these little marinated mozzarella balls. I found them at my grocery store. The brand is Galbani)

balsamic vinegar

toothpicks

sea salt (optional)

fresh ground pepper (optional)

Place a tomato, basil leaf and mozzarella on a toothpick and repeat until you have the desired amount. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

(If you don't use the marinated mozzarella, you may want to sprinkle the skewers with sea salt and fresh ground pepper)

Crockpot Coconut Chicken Curry

2011-09-15T12:52:00.000-07:00

If you are like me and LOVE Indian food, especially Chicken Tikka Masala, then this recipe may just be your new best friend. Now, if you have never had Indian food, first of all, shame on you, and second MAKE THIS RECIPE! This recipe is wonderfully flavorful and satisfying. It is so easy and best of all you get to make dinner at 10 am before the day gets crazy and hectic. Your house will smell amazing all day and all you have to do to finish it off is make rice and maybe (ok definitely) some Naan bread. I found this recipe at Tasty Kitchen.

Crockpot Coconut Chicken Curry
(4-5 servings)

3 chicken breasts (skinless, boneless) about 2 pounds, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 whole onion
1 whole bell pepper (seeded) I like the sweetness of red bell peppers
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
1 1/2 t salt
1 T curry powder
1 T Garam Masala (Indian Spice Mix)
Fresh Cilantro, chopped (optional)

Cooked rice
Naan bread (we LOVE this recipe)

Place the cubed chicken into the slow cooker. Place the rest of the ingredients (except the water, cornstarch and cilantro) into a food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker and mix well. Cook on low for 6 hours. if it is not thick enough, add some cornstarch mixed with water about 1 hour before serving. Serve over cooked rice, garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with warm Naan bread.

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-08-25T17:29:00.000-07:00

This is such a great cookie! It has a rich flavor, chewy center and a hint of toffee flavor from the browned butter. These really are to die for! I found this recipe on Cook's Illustrated. So, when you are wanting a twist to the regular old chocolate chip cookie, this just might be your answer.

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
(about 16 cookies)

1 3/4 cups flour (8 3/4 ounces)
1/2 t baking soda
14 T butter (1 and 3/4 sticks)
1/2 cup sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
1/2 t salt
2 t vanilla
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cup chocolate chips (I like to do 1/2 semi-sweet and 1/2 milk chocolate)
3/4 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flour and baking soda and set aside.

Heat 10 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium high heat until melted. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the butter is a dark golden brown and smells nutty (about 1-3 minutes). Transfer the browned butter to a large heat proof bowl and stir in the remaining 4 T butter until completely melted.

Add both sugars, salt and vanilla to the butter and whisk until completely combined. Add the egg and the extra yolk and whisk again until smooth and no sugar lumps remain (about 30 seconds). Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes, then whisk again for 30 seconds. Repeat the process of resting and whisking 2 more times until the mixture is thick, smooth and shiny. Using a wooden spoon stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts (if using). Make sure no flour pockets remain.

Divide the dough into 16 pieces, about 3 Tablespoons each. Place 8 balls on each cookies sheet and cook them one at a time until the cookies are golden brown on the edges and still a little gooey in the middle, about 10-14 minutes. Cool on a wire wrack

Turkey Pesto Grilled Cheese

2011-08-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

This is not so much a recipe as it is just a concept, but it has become a staple in my life. My favorite is making this on a good Artisan seed bread (I am still looking for the perfect recipe) but my grocery store has a pretty good version.

Turkey Pesto Grilled Cheese

Artisan bread (seed, crusty, french, or whatever your thing is)

pesto (store bought or homemade)

provolone cheese

herb roasted turkey (I LOVE the Castlewood brand from Sam's club)
Fresh tomatoes

Take two slices of GOOD bread, slather each side with pesto. Add cheese and turkey. Now put butter on the outside and grill it on a hot griddle until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted. (I like to put a lid over the top of the sandwich, it helps the cheese to melt). Once it is all melty, remove from the griddle and add that fresh tomato!

Strawberry-Lime Cream Cake

2011-08-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

The one (and ONLY) good thing about having another birthday is getting to make a cake and eat it too! Or in this case having my husband make my cake! I am seriously loving berries and citrus right now so when I saw this cake over at My Kitchen Cafe, I knew it was meant for me! We modified it a little bit. Here is the original and here is what we did...

Strawberry-Lime Cream Cake
(12 servings, or less if you are like me and need more for yourself!)

white cake:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/8 t salt
1 1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 t vanilla
4 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans. Line the pans with a circle of parchment paper on the bottom and then grease the parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the buttermilk, butter and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Add egg whites and beat for 2 more minutes. Scraping the sides as needed. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 28-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs on it. Do NOT over bake, this will cause the cake to be dry. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a butter knife and remove the cakes from the pans to cool completely.

Strawberry Syrup/puree
1 pint fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
4 T sugar
1 t lemon juice
combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth

Lime Cream:
4 limes, for 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Zest and juice the limes into a medium bowl. You should have about 1/2 cup of lime juice. Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix well. Add the whipping cream and beat until stiff peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble to the cake, cut each cake in half horizontally making 4 cake circles. Place one cake circle on a cake plat and top with 1/3 of the berry puree. Next, put 1/4 of the lime cream over the berries, spreading to within 1/4 inch of the edges. Place another cake circle on top and repeat until all the cake circles are used. Top the cake with the remaining 1/4 of the lime cream and garnish with fresh strawberries and lime slices. Chill the cake for 1-2 hours before serving to let the cake set up.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

2011-07-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

We have a beautiful garden, my husband totally has a green thumb. It is producing squash like CRAZY! So I have started to get creative. That is where this recipe comes in. It is totally vegetarian because when you have gorgeous veggies in your back yard who would want to go to the store? I just used what I had. I will tell you what veggies I used but really, the *options are endless!

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

(about 9 servings)

1 medium zucchini, sliced

1 medium yellow squash, sliced

2 tomatoes, quartered

1 medium onion, sliced

6-8 cloves of garlic

1 red bell pepper, sliced

extra virgin olive oil

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

no-boil lasagna noodles

24-oz small curd cottage cheese

2-3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

32-oz marinara sauce, homemade or your favorite store bought brand

fresh spinach

Turn your oven on to broil. Cut your veggies and place them on a cookie sheet. Leave the peel on the garlic cloves while you roast them. Drizzle the veggies with the olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss them with your hands to coat evenly. Place under the broiler for about 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through. They are done when they start to look dark brown (but not burned) on the edges. Remove the peels from the garlic and finely chop. I like to remove the tomato skins as well. Chop tomatoes and red bell peppers into chunks. Place these back on the cookie sheet and toss to mix.

To assemble:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray. Put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the pan. Then put a layer of noodles followed by a layer of cottage cheese, then a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese and finally a layer of roasted veggies. Top the veggies with sauce and start the process over again. You will want to divide all ingredients into 3 equal portions because that is how many layers you will make. The top layer will be sauce and then mozzarella cheese. Cover the whole thing with foil and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes. Allow the lasagna to sit for 10-20 minutes before serving to let it set. (I was obviously to excited to let mine set before I served it!) We LOVE to serve ours on a bed of fresh spinach, the spinach gets slightly wilted but not over cooked this way. It is so good!

*You could also use carrots, mushrooms, kale, etc...

Quick French Baguettes

2011-07-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

Bread is one of my favorite things to make. There is just something magical about the fresh baked bread smell filling your house. I also love quick bread recipes, because lets be honest, I am not a very good planner. That is what makes this bread so great! It can literally be done in half an hour! I know, I didn't believe it myself. And to top it off, it is really good bread. So next time you are out of time and need bread in a hurry, this is your go to recipe! I found the original recipe here.

Quick French Baguettes

(2 good sized baguettes)

2 cups very warm water (not hot)

2 1/4 t yeast

2 T honey

1 1/2 t salt

3-4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl, whisk together warm water, yeast and honey. Set the bowl on top of the preheating oven for 10 minutes. Stir in the salt and add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough becomes soft but not sticky. Knead the dough until elastic.

Cut the dough into4 even pieces. Roll each piece into a long, thin rope. Twist together 2 of the ropes to form one loaf. Repeat with the other 2 ropes to form the second loaf. Transfer both onto a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

You can now bake the loaves right away (if you are in a hurry) or allow them to rise for an additional 15-30 minutes on top of your warm oven.

Now for the secret: Fill a large bowl with 3-4 cups of ice cubes. Open your oven and place the baking sheet with the baguettes inside, then toss the ice cubes on the *bottom of your oven and quickly shut the door. DO NOT open the door for 15 minutes. Bake until golden brown 15-18 minutes. Rub the tops with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven.

*I have a gas oven, when I put the ice on the bottom of the oven it leaked out and made a mess of water on my floor. I suggest putting foil or a second baking sheet on the bottom of your oven to toss the ice onto.

Blueberry Crisp

2011-07-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

Last week we went on this AMAZING family reunion to a beautiful lake in Missouri called Table Rock Lake. We wound far back into rolling green hills and quaint farms to our cabins on the lake. It was secluded, beautiful, relaxing and wonderful. There was a you-pick berry farm a few miles away that we frequented throughout the week, coming back with blueberries and blackberries to garnish everything. While at this farm we had a big bowl of the most delicious Blueberry Crisp with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. We were in blueberry heaven! So when we got home, we just knew we couldn't wait until our next family reunion to get more of that amazing crisp. I set out finding a recipe to rival it. After looking through a million different recipe, I decided I would just give it a try with all the parts I loved the most. This recipe is what I came up with, and yes, it rivals the one we had at that berry farm!
Besides, July is national Blueberry month, so go get some blueberries!

Blueberry Crisp

(6 servings)

4 cups FRESH blueberries (I guess you could use frozen if you absolutely can not find fresh ones)

1 T fresh lemon juice

1 T cornstarch

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 t cinnamon

4 T butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup quick oats

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1 t vanilla

a dash of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9x9 inch square pan or 2-quart baking dish.

Mix together the cornstarch and lemon juice and toss with the blueberries. Spread these evenly into the prepared pan.

In a bowl, using a pastry blender or fork (I just use my hands), mix together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon,nutmeg, butter, oats, vanilla, and pecans until combined and crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the blueberries in the pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the blueberries are bubbling. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Gnocchi with Marinara and Fresh Spinach

2011-07-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

Gnocchi is the Italian word for dumpling. These have been a favorite of my husbands for a long time. So when we went to a great little restaurant near us for dinner he ordered this fabulous Gnocchi dish with marinara sauce and fresh spinach. We both liked it so much we decided to try our hand at recreating it. It was sooo good! Just as good as the original! The Gnocchi recipe we found on Food Network.

Gnocchi with Marinara and Fresh Spinach
(4 servings)

kosher salt (optional)
1 pound russet potatoes
3-4 large egg yolks
1/2 fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1/4 t fresh ground black pepper
1 cup flour, plus more for dusting
1 recipe Garden Fresh Pasta Sauce or your favorite store bought brand
Fresh spinach
chicken sausage (optional)
fresh grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 425.

Spread a layer of kosher salt on a baking sheet and arrange potatoes on top. Bake until a bit over cooked (about 45 minutes). Let sit until cool enough to handle, cut in half, and scoop out the insides.

Grate the potatoes on the large holes of a box grater. You should have about 2 cups. Make a mound of the potatoes on the counter with a well in the middle. Add the 3 eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cheese to the well. Mix well with your hands. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the flour over the potatoes and, using your knuckles, press it into the potatoes. Fold the mass over on itself and press down again. Sprinkle on more flour, little by little folding and pressing the dough until it holds together (try not to knead it, this will make the gnocchi tough). Work any dough on your fingers back into the dough. If the mixture is too dry, add another egg yolk or a little water. The dough should give under light pressure. It will feel firm but yielding. To test if the dough is the right consistency, take a piece and roll it with your hands on a well-floured board into a rope 1/2 inch in diameter. If the dough holds together, it is ready. If not, add more flour, fold and press the dough several more times and then test again.

On a floured surface, cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 1/2 in long pieces. Lightly flour the gnocchi as you cut them. You can cook these as us or form them into the classic Gnocchi shape using the times of the back side of a fork. We watched this YouTube Video and it made it way easier.

Lightly four the Gnocchi as you shape them and then place them on a parchment covered cookie sheet. If you will not be cooking the Gnocchi now, you can freeze them for a later use.

When ready to cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Drop the Gnocchi into the boiling water and cook for about 90 seconds from the time they rise to the surface. Drain the Gnocchi.

Place some Gnocchi in a bowl or on a plate. Top with fresh spinach, then sauce and finally shredded Parmesan and chicken sausage if desired. The heat of the Gnocchi and the sauce will slightly cook the spinach leaving a slight crisp to it. Delish!

Fresh Strawberry Jam

2011-06-28T05:06:00.000-07:00

This is the best stuff ever! I am so blessed to have a great garden and an amazing husband who LOVES gardening! So every June, we venture out and harvest a vast amount of these beautiful strawberries and can some jam. Last year the jam we canned lasted for just over 11 months. We ran out 2 weeks before our berries were ready. So, so cool! This is a very basic jam recipe and so great for first time canners. We used this recipe from Pioneer Woman (She has a great tutorial if you are a first timer). We cut the sugar in half. (Our berries were super sweet!)

Fresh Strawberry Jam

5 cups hulled, smashed strawberries (I like my jam smooth so I just run my strawberries through the food processor)

7 cups sugar (we used 3 1/2 cups)

4 T fresh lemon juice

1 package powdered fruit pectin (49g)

Place 8 or 9 sterilized (I just run through my dishwasher) 8-oz mason jars in a large hot water bath canner (not a pressure canner). Cover with water and bring to a simmer. Simmer center lids in a separate sauce pan of water.

Place smashed strawberries and lemon juice in a large pot. Stir in the pectin until it dissolves. Bring the strawberry mixture to a strong boil. Add sugar, then return to a full boil that can't be stirred down. Boil hard for 1 minute 15 seconds. Skim the foam off the top using a spoon and discard it.

Remove one jar at a time from the simmering water. Pour the water back into the pot. Using a wide mouth funnel, fill each jar with jam. Make sure to leave 1/4-inch of space at the top of each jar. Wipe the rim of each jar with a clean, damp cloth to remove any residue or stickiness. Remove a middle lid from the simmering saucepan and position it on top. Put scewbands on the jar but do NOT over tighten! Repeat with the remaining jars, then place them on a canning rack and lower them into the water. Place the lid on the canner and bring the water back to a full boil. Boil hard for 10-12 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the jars to remain in the water for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the jars from the water with a jar lifter and let them sit, untouched, for 24 hours. After 24 hours, remove the screwbands and check to make sure all the jars sealed. The center lids should have no give at all! If the seals are compromised, store those jars in the fridge. Otherwise wipe down the jars and store in your food storage or share with your friends!

Turkey Burgers

2011-06-21T06:40:00.000-07:00

We are trying our hardest to eat healthier in this house. So I have been trying new healthy recipes that mimic some fattier favorites. Being that it is grilling season we tried out Turkey Burgers last night. I must say it was a huge success. I personally liked them better than burgers made with beef! After looking at a million different recipes and doing a little research, I ended up just throwing together my own concoction. So here it is... now go heat up that grill!

Turkey Burgers

(4 burgers)

1 pound ground turkey (Don't use turkey breast, it will be too dry)

1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

4 t Worcestershire sauce

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 egg

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Mix all this together and form into 4 patties. Cook on grill until cooked through. (You may want to brush your grill with olive oil to keep them from sticking)

Put cheese on them for the last minute to melt it. (we used Provolone)

Put on a bun and top as desired.

*we only used 2 patties so I just wrapped the other 2 in plastic wrap and put them in the freezer. They freeze great and you can cook them from frozen for a super quick meal.

Chicken Gyros with Greek Chicken

2011-06-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing that Michigan has a million of it is Coney Island Restaurants. When I first moved here I just assumed that Michiganders LOVED their hot dogs, but as it turns out all of these Coney Islands also have Greek food. YUM! We love us a good Gyro! So when I saw this recipe over at A Hint of Honey I decided to try it out. As it turns out, this is our new favorite chicken marinade and we have made these many times! I altered the original recipe just slightly.

Chicken Gyros with Greek Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 -inch pieces
4 T extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 t dried oregano
1 t salt
1 t fresh ground black pepper
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
Feta cheese
Tzatziki Sauce (recipe below)
hummus (optional, but so good. We LOVE this recipe)
Pita bread (We LOVE this recipe)
Sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and red onion to garnish

In a medium bowl combine extra virgin olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Whisk together and then add the chicken. Stir to coat evenly and let marinate for 30 minutes. Preheat grill and thread skewers with chicken. If you are using wooden skewers don't forget to soak them in water for 20 minutes to keep them from burning. Cook chicken on the grill until it is cooked through. (We have also put bell peppers and onions on with the chicken and served the kabobs over rice.)

Tzatziki Sauce

8 oz. plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber, shredded and water squeezed out
1/2 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T extra virgin olive oil
several dashes of dried dill, to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble the Gyro add chicken, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion and lettuce to the Pita. Top with Tzatziki sauce, hummus and feta cheese.

Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-06-07T04:42:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to blog about these for weeks now! I am a sucker for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies! I just can't seem to get enough of them! I grabbed this recipe off of My Kitchen Cafe and got straight to work. Heaven! Pure heaven!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

(makes 4-5 dozen)

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups peanut butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 T milk

1 1/2 t vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 cups chocolate chips (I used 1/2 milk chocolate and 1/2 peanut butter chips)

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl combine butter and peanut butter and beat until it is light and fluffy. Add the brown sugar and white sugar and mix until combined. Add the eggs and mix for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is well combined and light in color. Add the milk and vanilla and mix again. Add the dry ingredients and mix briefly. While there are still large spots of flour, add the chocolate chips and then continue mixing until the flour is all mixed in. Let the cookie dough sit for 15 minutes before scooping onto cookie sheets. It will firm up as it sits.

When ready to bake, scoop the dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Leave 1-2 inches between cookies to allow spreading. Bake for 10-11 minutes, making sure to not over bake in the slightest. Leave the cookies on the sheet for 2-3 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. The cookies will look lightly undercooked but they will firm up as they cool. (My cookies didn't flatten out very much so I had to flatten them with the back of a spoon as soon as they came out). Cool completely.

These are Super good frozen too!

French Dip Sandwiches

2011-06-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

I have always loved a good French Dip...tender meat, yummy rolls, au jus...I mean what could be better? So I found a recipe over at Food Network that met my standards and gave it a try. I used this French Roll recipe and the all the parts put together just made a fantastic sandwich!

French Dip Sandwiches

(about 6 large sandwiches)

1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 leek, roughly chopped (I didn't have this so I left it out, but I am sure it would be delish)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 t dried sage
1/4 t dried oregano
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t ground cloves (I thought this was way too much, next time I will cut this down to 1/8 t)
1/2 t ground all spice
2 pounds beef top round roast
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups beef broth
French Rolls
provolone or swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 300. Combine the chopped veggies, garlic and thyme in a large roasting pan. Rub the dried herbs and spices all over the beef and generously salt and pepper. Place the beef fat side up on the veggies. Roast for about 45 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 130. Remove the meat from the pan and loosely cover with foil, let this rest for 30 minutes.

While the meat is resting, put the roast pan on the stove and cook the veggies over high heat until they are browned but not burned and the liquid is evaporated. Pour off any excess fat. Add the beef broth to the pan and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Transfer the liquid and veggies to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 30 minutes. Strain the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Trim the meat of any excess fat and slice very thin. Slice the rolls and add the beef. Top with cheese (provolone or swiss) and place under your broiler to melt the cheese (about 30 seconds to 1 minute). Serve with au jus.

French Rolls

2011-05-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

Needless to say we are a LITTLE obsessed with bread in our house. My husband is definitely the worst of the bunch. We can't just go to the store and buy bread, we have to make it, ALL of it. And we LOVE to make it. So with that premise, we were making French Dip sandwiches (recipe coming soon) yesterday and needed GOOD French Rolls. So, Saturday night we researched, found and made the dough for our Sunday feast. Aren't they beauties?! Slightly crunchy on the outside, soft, moist, and chewy on the inside! They are wonderful... for sandwiches or slathered in butter! We found the recipe here. It is simple, with very few ingredients. And we have found that few ingredients usually make the best bread! We made some slight changes.

*You will need to let this dough sit in the fridge overnight, for best results, so plan ahead!*

French Rolls (Petits Pains)
(12 rolls)

1 2/3 cups cold water
2 1/4 t yeast
1/2 T salt
4 cups flour (we like King Arthur flour)

In a large bowl, mix water and yeast until the yeast is dissolved. Stir in the salt and enough flour to make a soft dough that can be kneaded. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8 minutes. (We put ours in the Bosch and let it do the work.) If the dough gets too sticky, dust it with a little flour and continue kneading. You want the dough to be soft, not hard.

Grease a large bowl (this dough will expand a lot). Put the dough in the bowl and turn once to lightly grease the dough. Tightly cover the dough and place it in the fridge overnight.

Take the dough out of the fridge 90 minutes before you shape it. You should punch it down right after taking it out. After 90 minutes, punch the dough down again and turn it onto a floured surface. Knead the dough to remove all of the air bubbles, about 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 12 equal parts and shape into round rolls. Cover and let rise again for 1 hour. Remove the cover and flatten each ball on a lightly floured surface with your hands. Fold the roll in half and then in half again to make a long roll, taper the ends of each roll to make a point. Place these rolls on greased baking sheets, cover and let rise a final time about 45 minutes or until doubled.

Bake the rolls at 400 for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold.

If you want to retain the texture of these rolls, DO NOT store in a plastic bag. Store in a paper bag, or eat the same day they were cooked.

Ranch Potatoes

2011-05-11T08:03:00.000-07:00

I LOVE this super easy, super fast way to do potatoes! It is from the back of my Hidden Valley Ranch box, so maybe I am the last to hear about it. These are such a great side to go with grilling!

Ranch Potatoes

(4 servings)

2 Pounds of red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

1/4 cup oil (I used olive oil)

1 (1 oz) packet Ranch Dressing mix

Place potatoes into a large storage bag. Add the oil and toss to coat. Now add the ranch dressing mix and shake to coat. Spread evenly onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 (stirring every 15 minutes, so they cook on all sides) for 30-35 minutes or until the potatoes are browned and crisp.

Chicken Taquitos

2011-05-10T13:30:00.000-07:00

Every time I see taquitos in the frozen food section, I think YUM! But then I make them and think "What was I thinking?" They are never very good to me. So when I saw these over at Annie's Eats I ran right out and got the stuff. And boy I was NOT disappointed. My only regret was that I didn't double the recipe. *They freeze you know! So next time I make these (like tomorrow!) I am going to double the recipe and stock my freezer for the quickest meal EVER! My boys loved these too, making them double fantastic!

Chicken Taquitos

(10-12 taquitos, 3-4 servings)

3 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup salsa (I used homemade, but use whatever you love)

1 T fresh squeezed lime juice

1 t chili powder

1/2 t cumin

1/2 t onion powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 T chopped cilantro

1-2 green onions, chopped

2 cups shredded chicken (about 1 1/2 chicken breasts)

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese (I used cheddar)

10-12 6-inch (fajita size) flour tortillas

cooking spray

kosher salt

1/2 can corn, drained (optional)**
1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained (optional)**

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, spices, cilantro, green onions, chicken and shredded cheese. Mix until well combined.

Briefly heat the tortillas until they are soft enough to roll easily. Place a tortilla on a work surface and fill with 2-3 Tablespoons of chicken mixture down the middle. Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling and place the taquito seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the tortillas are filled. Space them evenly on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the tops with cooking spray and then sprinkle with kosher salt. (This actually gives a great pop to these, so do not skip this step!)

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole, if desired

*To freeze for later use, transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and chill the assembled taquitos for 30-60 minutes. Then transfer them to a freezer safe container or storage bag for storing. To bake them from frozen, simply add a few minutes to the original baking time, until the filling is warmed through

**We made these again and added one can of black beans and a can of corn (both drained), omitted the cheese, left the chicken the same and doubled the cream cheese and spices and it made twice as many taquitos! We didn't miss the cheese at all and LOVED the corn and beans in them!

Lemon Berry Trifle

2011-05-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

I have had this recipe on my "to make" list for about a year! It is from My Kitchen Cafe, so I knew it would be amazing. But it also has a few steps so I wanted to wait and make it for a special occasion. So when we were trying to decide what to have for Easter dessert (the best part of any dinner, in my opinion!) I thought of this first. I made it again a week later for a baby shower. Now, let me just tell you, it is worth the time and the many steps! Which, if you make the different parts a day or two in advance, which I did, it comes together lickity split! Just remember to let the finished product sit for a few hours in your fridge to blend together and saturate each other!

Lemon Berry Trifle
(serves 8-10)

Berries (can be made the day before and refrigerated)
4 cups berries (any triple berry combination works, fresh or frozen (if frozen thaw and drain before using)
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup sugar
2 t cornstarch

Combine the berries, sugar lemon juice, and cornstarch in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the berries start to break down, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Lemon Curd (can be made unto 3 days in advance)
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons), strained
8 T butter (1 stick), cut into pieces
1 T grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

Strain the yolks and whole egg through a fine mesh strainer into a heavy medium sauce pan. Add the sugar and lemon juice and whisk to combine.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon. This takes about 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the butter, one piece at a time, until fully incorporated. Stir in the lemon zest. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Store in an airtight container until chilled through or for up to 3 days.

Lemon Cream
3 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1 recipe Lemon Curd (see above)

In a bowl, whip the cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Whisk 1/4 cup of the whipped cream into the lemon curd to loosen it up. Add the rest of the whipped cream to the curd and fold in gently. Cover and refrigerate if not using immediately.

Lemon Pound Cake (can be made the day before or made and frozen for longer)
(this makes two rounds and I only used one for my trifle, I froze the other one for later use)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
3 cups flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 t lemon zest
2 T fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325. Butter and dust with flour 2 round cake pans. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Place the butter in a large bowl and beat until soft, using a hand mixer. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy (1-2 minutes). Add the eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Add the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mixing well after each addition. Stir in the lemon juice and zest.

Pour the batter into the 2 prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean 35-45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling completely on a wire rack.

The Assembly

To assemble the trifle, spoon a layer of lemon cream on the bottom of a trifle bowl. Add a layer of pound cake. You may need to break the pound cake slices into smaller pieces and jigsaw them together to fit. Then drizzle on about 1/3 of the berry syrup. Don't worry if it doesn't completely coat the pound cake - just drizzle it across and let the berries fall where they may. Spoon a layer of lemon cream over the top, smoothing to the sides. Repeat all the layers 2 more times finishing with a layer of lemon cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. It is best to let this set for several hours before serving.

Boston Cream Pie

2011-04-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

O.H. M.Y. ~ stop licking the screen {Gross!} But I really can't blame you, I licked the plate! It was my husband's birthday this month and I knew I had no choice but to make his favorite. And luckily for me I happen to love it too! So thanks to my wonderful husband for being born (and my mother-in-law for giving birth) so that we could indulge in this wonderful dessert! This recipe came from Country Living.

Boston Cream Pie

Cake
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 t vanilla
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup milk

Vanilla Bean Pudding
3/4 cup milk
1 cup cream
1 vanilla bean (I used 1 t vanilla bean paste)
3 egg yolks
2 T cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 t salt
1/2 t vanilla (I omitted this because I used the vanilla paste)
1 1/2 t butter

Chocolate Glaze
1/2 cup cream
4 oz dark chocolate (I used 1/2 semi-sweet and half milk chocolate chips)
1 T butter
3 T corn Syrup

For the cake:
Heat oven to 350. Line the bottom of an 8-in round cake pan with parchment paper. Butter and flour the pan. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and yolks, one at a time, and then add the vanilla.

Stir the cake flour, baking powder and salt together using a whisk. Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture alternating with the milk. Beat until the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

For the pudding:
Heat the milk, cream and vanilla bean (with the seeds scraped into the milk) until just simmering in a heavy-bottomed pot. Whisk together the egg yolks,cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Slowly add the hot milk tot eh egg mixture, whisking continuously. Return to the pan and cook over medium heat, whisking until the mixture thickens and just begins to boil. Immediately transfer to a clean bowl and remove the vanilla bean. Add the butter and vanilla extract and stir until combined. Put plastic wrap against the whole surface to cover. Chill before using.

For the chocolate glaze:
Heat the cream to a boil. Mix the other ingredients together in a bowl. Pour the hot cream over the top and stir until smooth. Let it cool slightly to thicken.

Assembly:
Split the cake using a long serrated knife. Spread the vanilla bean pudding over the bottom half of the cake and place the top layer of cake over the pudding. Pour the chocolate glaze over the cake, allowing the chocolate to drip down the sides.

Berry Buttermilk Muffins

2011-04-20T07:46:00.000-07:00

I just want you to know that I am forgoing my shower to get this recipe to you! These muffins are that good {AND beautiful, don't you think?} My wonderful sister-in-law Teresa gave this recipe to me and I love her even more (if that is even possible) for it! Now, I already know she has great taste (we married brothers after all!) but I truly think we are soul sisters in food. My L.O.V.E. for muffins runs deep but these just brought it to a whole new level. Now that I have talked them up so much, you better get cooking!

Berry Buttermilk Muffins

(12 muffins)

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

zest of one orange (I used two cutie mandarin oranges)

1 egg, slightly beaten

3/4 cup buttermilk

2/3 cup oil

1 t vanilla

2 cups fresh or frozen berries (I used a frozen triple berry mix from Costco)

*sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg*- mixed together to sprinkle over the tops

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 12-muffin pan. In a bowl whisk together buttermilk, egg, vanilla and oil, set aside. In another large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and orange zest. Gently fold in the berries (mine were still frozen) until coated with flour mixture. Now, fold in the wet ingredients and mix carefully until the flour is absorbed being careful not to over mix (this will make tough muffins). Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups and sprinkle the tops with cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg mixture. Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean (it may be a little longer if your berries are frozen) . Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes before taking them out of the pan.

Upside Down German Chocolate Cake

2011-04-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

German Chocolate Cake has always been a favorite of mine. I think it is because it combines all of my favorite things...chocolate, pecan, coconut! What is not to love right?! I LOVE this because it is a fun spin on the original, with all the same great tastes! Besides, it is all in one pan, and you know how I like simple, easy recipes! I found this recipe at See Jane Cook, but like always made a few adjustments. Here is what I did...

Upside Down German Chocolate Cake

1 chocolate cake mix (or 1 yellow cake mix plus one (4 serving) box of chocolate pudding) prepared according to package
1 cup coconut
2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup melted butter
8 oz cream cheese
4 cups powdered sugar

Grease a 11x15 in dish (the one that is bigger than a 9x13 but still has deep sides). Spread the coconut and chopped pecans on the bottom of the pan*. Prepare cake mix according to box directions and spread over the coconut and pecans. Mix butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar together in another bowl and place spoon fulls on the top of the cake batter. Swirl together with a knife. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Serve warm with ice cream and chocolate ganache...

Chocolate Ganache

1/2 cup each milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips

cream

start with about 2 T of cream and melt the cream and chocolate together. Add more cream until you can drizzle it over the top of individual servings of cake.

*Next time I am going to mix the coconut and pecans in to the cream cheese and butter mixture and swirl it into the cake. My coconut and pecans got a little too done on the bottom.

Double Fudge Oreo Crunch Cookies

2011-04-13T06:21:00.000-07:00

These are super yummy, especially if you LOVE oreos! Go get yourself a BIG glass of milk and make these pronto! I found this recipe at How Sweet It Is.

Double Fudge Oreo Crunch Cookies

(about 30 cookies)

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1 cup chocolate chips (I used 1/2 milk chocolate and 1/2 semi-sweet)

1 cup crushed oreo cookies

Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips and oreos.

Preheat oven to 350. Scoop dough into balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Now go get that milk!

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

2011-04-13T06:07:00.000-07:00

I totally LOVE Beef Stroganoff and I have already put a GREAT recipe for it on here, BUT it always seemed a little tedious to me so I didn't make it very often. Never fear! I have found the solution! This recipe is DELISH {AND} all you do is throw everything in your crock pot! Yes, I know I could totally KISS whoever it was who invented the crock pot, they have made my life easier! I found this recipe over at Tasty Kitchen and YES I did alter it, don't I always? It is just because I am Lazy and try and use the stuff I have in my pantry instead of going to the store.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff
(8 servings)

3 lbs. Beef round steak
1/2 cup flour
2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t dry mustard
1 onion, sliced thin and separated
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 (14 oz) can beef broth
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup flour
egg noodles

Cut meat into 1/2 inch by 3 inch strips. (I found that sticking my meat in the freezer for just 15-20 minutes makes it much easier to slice). Combine the 1/2 cup flour, salt, pepper and dry mustard then use this mixture to coat the strips of meat. Combine the meat, onions, mushrooms and broth in the crock pot and stir well. Cook this on low for 8-10 hours. Before serving combine the sour cream with the 1/4 cup of flour and stir into the meat mixture. Let this heat through and thicken up a bit. Serve over prepared noodles or rice.

Layered Brownies with Browned Butter Frosting

2011-03-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

I am just one of those people who don't always keep up with the "fads". I guess that is why it has taken me so darn long to make browned butter frosting. Now I am left thinking to myself "WHY?" Why did I wait so long and how can I add more hours to my day to work off all the browned butter frosting I will be consuming?! It is heaven, pure and simple! And when you put it on top of brownies and then top them with MORE chocolate it is pure heavenly bliss! So get going already, you NEED these! I got this recipe at My Kitchen Cafe, of course! I did change them to match what I had in my pantry (my mom's pantry, actually!)

Layered Brownies with Browned Butter Frosting
makes a 9x13 pan of brownies

Brownies:
1/2 cup butter
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 t salt
1 cup flour
1 t vanilla

Browned Butter Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 t vanilla

Glaze:
3 T butter
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.

For the brownies:
In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and chocolate chips until smooth. Set aside until cool. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs and salt. Mix with an electric mixer until the eggs are pale and the mixture is thick. Fold in the warm chocolate/butte mixture and then add the flour and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. The brownies should just start to pull away from the sides. Cool completely before frosting.

For the Browned Butter Frosting:
Place the stick of butter in a sauce pan and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes or until the butter is a golden brown. Be careful not to burn it. Once it is a nice caramel brown color remove it from the heat. Pout it int a bowl and add the powdered sugar, cream and vanilla. Mix until smooth and thick. Spread the frosting on top of the cooled brownies.

For the glaze:
Melt the butter and chocolate chips in the microwave or over low heat until smooth. Pour over the frosted brownies, tipping the pan to cover evenly or carefully spread with a knife or spatula. Chill the brownies until the glaze is set, about 2 hours.

Friendship Bread

2011-03-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

I know! It has been FOREVER! I have been traveling the country and spending some much needed time with my family, my mom especially! So there you have it, my excuse for lack of posts, take it for what it is worth!

Now, on to yummier (is that a word?) things!

I don't know about you but Spring makes me feel all friendly and stuff. I think that might be because I can finally venture outside of my house without getting frostbite. Or maybe it is the sun finally making an appearance, or all the friendly flowers popping up. Well, whatever the reason I usually end up making Friendship Bread and spreading around the love. So this time I decided to spread it around on a much bigger level, the only catch is you have to make it yourself! We have been making this recipe in my family for a while so I have no idea exactly where it came from, I know there are lots of recipes for this bread out there but here is mine...
* The starter for this bread has to sit for 10 days so plan in advance, it is well worth the wait!

Friendship Bread

Starter

2 1/4 t yeast (one package)
1/4 c warm water
1 c flour
1 c sugar
1 c milk

Dissolve the yeast in the water. In a different bowl mix together flour,sugar, and milk. Add the yeast mixture and mix well. Store this in a large jar with a lid or in a large zip lock bag on the counter, DO NOT REFRIGERATE!

This bag will take 10 days and makes 2 loaves plus 3 starters to give to friends. Make sure to put the date on the bag to track the days.

Day 1: Do nothing
Days 2-5: Mash, yes, mash your bag 2 times a day
Day 6: Add one cup flour, one cup sugar and one cup milk to the bag and mash together
Day 7-9: Mash the bag and release the air 2 times a day
Day 10: YES! Today is the day! The day you get to make your bread! Follow the direction below...
* If you forgot and today is really day 11 or even 12, do not fret, you can still make your bread*

Squeeze the contents of the bag into a large bowl. Add one cup flour, one cup sugar and one cup milk to the bowl and mix together. Now get 3 big baggies and add one cup of this mixture to each bag (this is the starter for 3 more batches for you to share, keep one for yourself if you want to make more bread in 10 days!)

Now, here is what you do with what is left in the bowl...

Add:

1 c oil
3 eggs
1/2 c milk
1 t vanilla

Mix this well and set aside.

In another bowl mix:

2 cups flour
1 c sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 t cinnamon
1 large box instant vanilla pudding (you can also add other flavors of pudding, chocolate is really good, so is butterscotch)

Add these ingredients to the starter mixture and mix well.

In a small bowl mix together 1/2 cup sugar and 1 t cinnamon.

Spray 2 loaf pans. Pour 1/4 of the cinnamon and sugar mixture into the bottom of each pan to coat the bottom. Divide the bead batter evenly between the pans and top with the remaining cinnamon and sugar.

Bake at 325 for one hour.

Restaurant Style Chicken Nachos

2011-03-04T17:27:00.000-08:00

I am a huge fan of mexican food in general, but nachos {Good Nachos} top my list. I made these on a whim to copy our favorite Mexican restaurant and they were so yummy! I need to put them on here so that I will remember to make them again! This is more just a list of ingredients because you can make as big a plate of these as you like!

Restaurant Style Chicken Nachos

Chicken, cooked and shredded

green enchilada sauce

cheddar cheese/jack cheese

refried beans

tortilla chips

sour cream

salsa

guacamole

Preheat your oven on broil. Place an oven rack about 10 inches from the top of the oven. Cover a pie plate or cookies sheet with foil and pile on some tortilla chips. Cook shredded chicken in enchilada sauce in a sauce pan until warmed through. Heat up refried beans (I like to add a little enchilada sauce and shredded to these). Put dollops of beans all over the chips. Next add the chicken in the same way. Top with lots of shredded cheese. Place the nachos in the oven under the broiler until the cheese is melted and starts to bubble. Top with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. We like to gather around and eat off of the same plate just like at a Mexican restaurant!

*You could totally use any kind of meat: shredded beef, shredded pork or make it vegetarian and just use beans!

Nutella Smoochies

2011-02-23T04:43:00.000-08:00

I {KNOW!} I am still on this whole Nutella kick! I thought I would get over it, once the Holidays and WND (World Nutella Day) were past. But then I thought, who am I kidding? There are Holidays all year long I could use Nutella for, why limit myself? So I made the trek to Costco and bought myself the motherload pack that only Costco carries and found this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis.

Nutella Smoochies
(24 cookies)

1 3/4 cups flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup nutella
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar, plus more to roll the dough in (about another 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
Hershey's kisses

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, place the Nutella, butter, and both sugars. Using a hand mixer beat the ingredient together until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and blend until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.

Shape the dough into walnut sized balls and roll in sugar. Place the cookies on a cookie sheet. Bake for 6 minutes. Remove the cookies, quickly place a kiss in the middle of each, pressing down slightly. Return the cookies to the oven for another 2-3 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

60 Minute Rolls

2011-02-18T08:18:00.000-08:00

When I found this recipe over at Lick the Bowl Good, I just knew they were for me! I am a huge procrastinator, especially when it comes to making dinner, I usually put off even thinking about it until 4:00 pm and by then I have to scramble. So, you can imagine my relief when I found these, LIFE SAVER! And it doesn't hurt any that they are super yummy!

60 Minute Rolls

(24 good sized rolls)

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar

2 t salt

3 T butter

3 packages (0r 6 3/4 t) active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

5-6 cups flour

In a small sauce pan, stir together milk, sugar, salt and butter. Heat over low until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm.

Dissolve yeast in warm water in mixing bowl. Add the lukewarm milk mixture and 4 1/2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture and mix, using the dough hook, on low for about a minute. With the mixer still going, add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time. (I didn't need to add all of it, so just add until the dough starts to clean the sides of the mixing bowl). Continue mixing for another couple of minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. (The dough will be slightly sticky to the touch.)

Place the dough into a greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm, draft free place for 15 minutes. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 24 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place in a greased muffin tin or 9x13 pan. Each 9x13 pan will hold 12 rolls. Cover the pans with a clean dish towel and let the rolls rise for 15 minutes.

Bake at 425 for 12 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown. Brush the tops with melted butter when you take them out of the oven.

Conversation Hearts

2011-02-14T16:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

I found this recipe over at a kid's craft site called the Crafty Cow. This was such a fun, albeit messy, project I did with my family! I really LOVE how they turned out and my kids thought it was so cool to color on them! I think this will be a new Valentine's Day tradition for us!

Conversation Hearts

(this makes a TON!)

1 package (1/4 oz, or 2 t) unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup water

2 t light corn syrup

2 lbs. powdered sugar, plus more for dusting (I probably used about another pound when all was said and done)

Assorted flavoring extracts of your choice

Assorted food coloring of your choice

small heart shaped cutters (I found mine at Jo-Anns in the cake decorating section)

Food coloring markers (I got mine at Wal-mart in their cake decorating department, they are called Food Writers by Wilton)

1. Place corn syrup, gelatin, and water in a small saucepan and heat over low. Stir until the gelatin is well-distributed and dissolved.

2. Pour the gelatin mixture into the bowl of a mixer fitted with paddle attachments. Add one cup of powdered sugar and mix on low until incorporated. Continue adding powdered sugar one cup at a time until all 2 pounds is used. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed. The dough will change from watery liquid to a stiff dough.

3. Once you have mixed in all the sugar, turn the dough (it will be sticky) onto a powdered sugar coated work surface. Add more powdered sugar to the top and knead the dough, adding more sugar as needed, until it is no longer sticky and very smooth.

4. Now, decide how many colors/flavors you want and divide the dough into that many pieces. Add a few drops of color and flavor and knead until it is totally mixed in. (You may want to use gloves for this as the color can stain your hands.) Roll out each ball to desired thickness and cut out hearts of varying sizes. I covered the balls I wasn't using so that they didn't start to dry before I could roll them out. Place the heart cut outs on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and let them dry for 24 hours. I know that this is a long time but they need to dry that long before you write on them or the ink will run. Once they are totally dry, write on them with edible markers.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2011-02-11T17:44:00.000-08:00

These little yummies are so easy and such a fun party food. I used ready made and frozen Italian meatballs from Sam's Club and these literally took about 3 minutes to throw together and then about 2 hours in my crock pot! My kids thought they were great too!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1(15 oz) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup vinegar or cider vinegar

1 T molasses

1 t Dijon mustard

1/2 t chili powder

25 frozen Italian meatballs (or homemade meatballs, cooked through)

Mix all ingredients in your crock pot, except meatballs, until smooth. Add meatballs and cook on low for at least 2 hours (or until meatballs are heated through). You can just let these babies simmer while you party on!

Pizza bites

2011-02-06T16:25:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe over at Our Best Bites. I did mine a little differently, but they are the same idea. My kids thought these were pretty cool! What kid (or adult, for that matter) doesn't love finger food!

Pizza Bites

Pizza dough*

Ranch dressing (already made up)

mozzarella cheese, cubed into 1/2 inch cubes

olive oil

Italian seasoning

garlic powder

Parmesan cheese

*You can use whatever pizza dough is your favorite. I used this one. I doubled the recipe and it made about 24 bites.

Roll out the pizza dough into an rectangle about 18 inches by 6 inches. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 24 squares. In the center of each square put 1 to2 teaspoons of ranch and the same amount of cheese (about 4 cubes). Gather up the edges and seal the dough so none of the innards leak out. Place these seam side down in a greased pie plate or similar dish. Brush the tops with olive oil and then sprinkle with Italian seasoning, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are golden and the dough is cooked. Serve with marinara sauce or ranch dressing for dipping.

You can really fill these bites with anything you would put on a pizza...pepperoni, pineapple, bell peppers, etc.

We even filled a few with a big marshmallow and a few chocolate chips. When they were cooked I drizzled them with some icing, YUM!

Nutella Gelato

2011-02-05T12:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Nutella Day!

I hope you are all celebrating this most glorious day! We sure are at our house! And what better way then with this Nutella H.E.A.V.E.N!

I adapted this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis over at Food Network. It is so good, and the closest to real Italian Gelato I have been able to make at home. So, when life gives you ice, make ice cream (or Gelato)!

Nutella Gelato

(about 4 cups)

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heave cream

1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup

4 eggs yolks

1/2 t vanilla

1/2 cup Nutella

dash of salt

In a saucepan, combine milk, cream and 1/2 cup sugar. Stir over Medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whip the egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer until the eggs are thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir to combine. Add this mixture back into the the saucepan with the remaining milk and cream. Cook this over low heat until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 7-10 minutes). Mine took a little longer, but it did eventually coat the back of my spoon.

Place a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer. Stir in the vanilla, nutella and salt until the nutella is dissolved. Chill the mixture completely before pouring it into an ice cream maker. Follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze.

Macaroon Brownies

2011-02-04T05:26:00.000-08:00

I simply love macaroons and chocolate so when I came across this recipe at Tasty Kitchen I knew it was meant for me! I did adjust the recipe slightly and added chocolate frosting, because you really can't have enough chocolate in my opinion! If you are going to do it, do it right! You just might want to make these for your love this Valentine's Day!

Macaroon Brownies

brownies:
3/4 cup melted butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 t vanilla
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 t salt

filling:
4 cups coconut
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 T vanilla (yes, tablespoon)
1/4 t salt

frosting:
4 T butter, melted
1-1/2 heaping T cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 T milk
1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 (325 if using a glass pan). Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. Melt butter and add sugar, vanilla, and cocoa powder. Mix well. Add eggs and whisk until combined. Stir in flour and salt. Stir until smooth. Pour half the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Combine all the ingredients for the filling. Stir until well mixed, and spread over the batter in the pan. Drop remaining brownie batter over the filling in spoonfuls and then spread out evenly. (This can be a little tricky, I found a butter knife worked best). Bake at 350 (or 325) for 40 to 45 minutes.

For the frosting: melt the butter and stir in the cocoa powder. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until smooth. You can frost the brownies while they are still warm by pouring the frosting over the top and letting the frosting set or you can pour the warm frosting over individual cooled brownies so it drips down the sides.

Seed Bread

2011-02-03T05:46:00.000-08:00

Being snowed in totally made me want to bake ALL day, so that is exactly what I did! I made this yummy seed bread. It was perfectly moist and delicious and so wonderfull warm, straight out of the oven with nutella all over it! (I know, I am addicted to nutella!) It also makes great toast and is super yummy with a big bowl of soup! The recipe was originally made for a bread machine so I adapted it for a regular oven and added some different seeds I had on hand. Here is the original recipe!

Seed Bread

(1 loaf)

1 1/4 cups warm water

2 T honey

2 T vegetable oil

2 T flax seeds

2 T unsalted sunflower seeds

2 T sesame seeds

1 T poppy seeds

1 1/2 t salt

2 t yeast

2 cups white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

Since this bread was meant for a bread machine I added the ingredients into my mixer just like you do for a bread machine...wet ingredients first, followed by dry, with the yeast on top. I then mixed it on low until the dry was completely incorporated with the wet. Then I bumped it up to medium for about 5 minutes. Let the dough rise until double, about 1 1/2 hours. Knock it down and shape into a loaf. Place into a greased loaf pan, slit the top length wise, spray the top with a little cooking spray (so it won't stick to the plastic wrap), and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise until double, about 1 hour. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. If you knock on the bread it should have a hallow sound when it is done. Now go get your nutella!

Nutella Gooey Butter Cake

2011-02-02T11:41:00.000-08:00

(Photo courtesy of Abby!)

Did you know that National Nutella Day is February 5th?! Well, I did, and in honor this most sacred of days I wanted to share with you an a-mazing nutella recipe. I guess you are supposed to let this cake cool and then cut it and it would hold together better but lets be honest, it was hard enough waiting for it to come out of the oven (even after I had licked the bowl clean!) so I just served it up nice and warm and gooey! I found this recipe over at Tasty Kitchen.

Nutella Gooey Butter Cake

(Serves 1, I mean 16)

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 egg

8 T butter, melted

filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup nutella

3 eggs

1 t vanilla

8 T butter, melted

16 oz (about 4 cups) powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 8 T melted butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Press the mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and nutella until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla and butter and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well. Spread the nutella mixture over the cake batter and bake for 40-50 minutes. DO NOT over bake, the center should still be gooey. Serve with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2011-02-01T13:06:00.000-08:00

We are having a blizzard warning here! So, what better to hunker down to than a big bowl of comfort food. This soup tops that list for me especially when you serve it with a big slice of crusty bread or in a bread bowl. When I saw this recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe, I just knew I would love it!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

(4 servings)

1 can chicken broth, about 1 3/4 cup

1 small onion, chopped

1/3 cup flour

1/4 cup butter

pepper to taste

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

2 1/2 -3 cups broccoli, chopped and lightly steamed

Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan until onions are tender. (I think next time I will just saute them in the butter.) In a separate pot melt butter and add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, stirring so it doesn't burn and then whisk in the milk. Stir and heat together over medium-high heat until the soup starts to thicken. Next, add the chicken broth and continue to stir until blended. Add the cheese and broccoli and stir until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Heath Bar Cake

2011-01-24T12:08:00.000-08:00

From My Kitchen Cafe, of course! I often find myself on her food blog, just drooling! This cake is easy, delicious and very rich! We topped it with fresh whipped cream, yum!

Heath Bar Cake

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 t vanilla

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

5-6 chocolate covered toffee bars (like Heath), chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan.

In a large bowl, combine the sugars, flour and butter with a pastry cutter or fork until crumbly. Remove 1/2 a cup and set aside. Add buttermilk, egg, vanilla, baking soda and salt to the remaining crumb mixture and mix well.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading till it is even. Sprinkle the top with the 1/2 cup reserved crumbs and the chopped Heath bars. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the center is no longer gooey but a toothpick still comes out with moist crumbs. The cake may fall slightly in the middle, but this is OK!

Serves 8-10

Bean Dip

2011-01-21T12:52:00.000-08:00

This bean dip has been a staple in our house since I was in high school. It is quick, easy and oh so good! My kids love this as a snack and can devour the whole thing in a matter of minutes. This is also a really good way to dress up plain old refried beans as a side dish.

Bean Dip

1 (16 oz) can refried beans

1/2 cup of your favorite salsa

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

Mix together the beans, salsa and cheese in a sauce pan and heat until the cheese is melted, stirring to keep from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan. When the cheese is melted, remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Serve warm with chips or as a side dish.

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa

2011-01-17T07:17:00.000-08:00

I am LOVING quinoa right now. It is so good for you and I just love the flavor and texture. It is so versatile and can be used for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I found this recipe on a website called 101 Cookbooks. This is such a wonderful, healthy breakfast I couldn't help but share it! I may have just found my new favorite breakfast!

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa

(4 servings)

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1 cup quinoa*

2 cups berries (I used a frozen triple berry mix, thawed)

1/2 t cinnamon

1/3 cup pecans, toasted (you can use whatever nuts you like)**

honey or agave, to taste

In a medium pan mix together milk, water and quinoa. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed (about 15 minutes). Add the berries and cinnamon and fold to combine. Top with nuts and honey.

*Some quinoa needs to be rinsed before using otherwise you get a bitter taste. I use Bob's Red Mill and have never had this happen but I know other brands can be bitter if not rinsed before using.

** To toast nuts place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and cook in a 350 oven for 5-7 minutes.

Fruit Pizza

2011-01-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

This is one dessert that I have been making for a long time. It is easy, quick and oh so yummy! I also LOVE the way it looks and you can really change it up depending on what fruit you use.

Fruit Pizza

Sugar cookie dough (I use half a batch of these...but you can also used premade, store bought)

1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow cream

8 oz cream cheese

Fruit (I LOVE berries on this... mango, kiwi and peaches are also wonderful)

Press cookie dough evenly into a tart pan (or cookie sheet) until about 1/2 inch thick. Bake according to directions for about 10 minutes or until golden around the edges and cooked in the middle. Let cool. Mix together the cream cheese and marshmallow cream until smooth. Spread the frosting on the cooled cookie. Slice the fruit and arrange onto of the frosting anyway you like.

*If you use a cookie sheet you will probably need the full batch of my sugar cookie dough. If you only use half the batch, do not cover the whole cookie sheet, it will be to thin.

Chili Verde

2011-01-13T10:13:00.000-08:00

I am completely in LOVE with Mexican food! I crave it daily, I never get tired of it, and I love to cook it. So when I saw this recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe, I immediately added it to my "must try" list. It is so good, the pork is so tender and it made for the perfect Sunday meal for my family and friends. Do plan time for this, though, and DO NOT skip the reducing of the sauce, it is VERY important to this recipe!

*I altered this recipe to use what I had on hand, this is my version

Chili Verde (Mexican Stewed Pork)

(8-10 servings)

2 T canola oil

5 pounds boneless pork roast, trimmed of as much fat as possible

salt and pepper for seasoning roast

2 yellow onions, chopped

5 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 (15 oz) can green enchilada sauce

2 (7 oz) cans diced green chilies

2 (14 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes

1 cup beef broth

1 t ground cumin

1 t dried oregano

1/2 t pepper

Cut the roast into 3-4 large chunks. Season the pork with salt and pepper. In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering and hot. Add the pork and brown on all sides (about 1 minute on each side), do not crowd the pork. You may need to do the pork in shifts. Leave the pork in the pot and add the onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Place the pork, onion and garlic in the slow cooker and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. After the pork has cooked, remove it and shred it. Cover with foil to keep warm. Now pour the remaining sauce into a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Simmer vigoriously for 20-30 minutes. Stir often to prevent sticking and burning. The sauce should be reduced by about half and thickened. Add the sauce and the pork back into the slow cooker and heat through. Serve with homemade tortillas, and all the fixings... cheese, sour cream, avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa etc.

Quinoa and Vegetable Stew with Chicken

2011-01-07T09:30:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe over at Picky Palate. I absolutely LOVE soup (have I mentioned this before?) and am always looking for new recipes to try. I love this soup. And next time I am going to make it without the chicken, it was not necessary to me. The Quinoa has a lot of protein in it so you don't even need the chicken if you don't want it.

Quinoa and Vegetable Stew with Chicken

(8-10 servings)

2 T olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 stalks of celery, chopped

4 large carrots, sliced

2 cups sweet peppers, chopped

1 large zucchini, quartered and sliced

64 oz chicken or vegetable broth

1-15 oz can petite diced tomatoes

5 Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cubed into one inch pieces

3 cups cooked Quinoa

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I used my fav Rotisserie chicken from Sam's)

2 T Dijon Mustard

1 T hot sauce

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper and garlic salt with parsley to taste

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute Onion, celery, carrots, peppers and zucchini until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes and potatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add quinoa, chicken, mustard, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste. Stir in fresh parsley and simmer until ready to serve.

Playdough

2011-01-03T09:37:00.000-08:00

This is the best recipe for homemade playdough! This is just one of the many ways we combat the cold Michigan winters. My boys think making this is so cool and they love to pick out the colors they want. I love how soft and squishy this is. I put a little peppermint extract in it so it smells yummy too!

Playdough

2 cups flour

3 T cream of tarter

1/2 cup salt

2 cups water

2 T oil

1 T mint extract (optional)

food coloring

Mix all the ingredients together in a large pan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until the moisture forms a ball. This usually takes about 5 minutes. Knead while it is still hot (this is where I add the different colors). Let it cool completely before storing a an airtight container or Ziploc bag. This DOES NOT need to be refrigerated!

Nutella Hot Chocolate

2010-12-30T09:51:00.000-08:00

I think I have died and gone to H.E.A.V.E.N. Nutella heaven, that is! I have made no secret of my nutella obsession but this takes it to a new level! I saw this recipe pop up on quite a few different food blogs I follow, the recipe was essentially the same, just a few small changes. But the one I like the best is from my friend Brenda's blog. I only changed it slightly...

Nutella Hot Chocolate

1 cup milk (I used 1%, it is what I had)

a splash of heavy cream (probably not necessary if you use whole milk)

1/4 cup nutella

a pinch of salt

a dash of cinnamon

Heat the milk and cream until hot but not boiling. Add the nutella, salt and cinnamon and whisk until the nutella is totally melted and combined. Serve with fresh whipped cream!

Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2010-12-29T09:28:00.000-08:00

This is another recipe from my sister-in-law. I absolutely LOVE spinach and artichoke dip and this is my favorite recipe for it! It makes me like it even more that it doesn't have mayonnaise in it. Not that I have anything against mayonnaise but putting it in desserts and eating it in a big glob on top of crackers or bread just makes me want to gag. It is a mental thing. Anyway, you won't miss the mayo one bit in this, it is wonderful!

Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip

1-10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1-14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

2-8 oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, divided

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and salt and pepper until combined. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is brown and bubbling.

Pancakes

2010-12-27T13:46:00.000-08:00

This is my very favorite pancake recipe. I actually got the original recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook but completely altered it and added a few things. My kids ask for pancakes daily so I have had many opportunities to adjust these (not that I make them daily). Now, they are just as I like them! I have made them with all milk and all buttermilk but my favorite is half milk, half buttermilk.

Pancakes

(16, 4-inch pancakes)

2 1/2 cups flour

4 T sugar

4 t baking powder

2 beaten eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup buttermilk

2 T oil

2 t vanilla

1 t salt

Mix together the dry ingredients. Add the wet and mix until smooth. Cook on a hot griddle, flip when bubbles appear on the first side. Top with your favorite syrup (here is mine), berries, nutella, etc...

Eggnog Bunt Cake

2010-12-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

This is one of the best Holiday desserts ever! I absolutely love it! It is the perfect combination of eggnog, caramel and cinnamon without being over bearing on any one of these flavors. I got this recipe from the Sister's Cafe.

Eggnog Bunt Cake

1 yellow cake mix

3 T flour

2 cups eggnog

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 t rum extract

1/8 t nutmeg

Beat together all the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pour into greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes. Dust lightly with powdered sugar for presentation.

Caramel sauce:

1 cup brown sugar

2 sticks butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 T cinnamon

1/2 qt. rich vanilla ice cream (I used Haagen-Daz vanilla)

Melt all together over medium heat, until it just boils. Pour warm over individual servings immediately before serving.

Gingersnap Cookies with White Chocolate Chips

2010-12-17T06:28:00.000-08:00

I love soft gingersnaps, so when I saw this recipe at Two Peas and Their Pod, I was totally excited to try them. The white chocolate chips are the perfect compliment to these. I altered the recipe slightly to fit my liking.

Gingersnap Cookies with White Chocolate Chips

(makes about 3 dozen cookies)

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 T canola oil

1 t vanilla

2 1/4 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 1/4 t cinnamon

1 1/4 t ground cloves

1 t ground ginger

2 eggs

3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1 cup sugar - for rolling cookie dough in

Preheat oven to 350. Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in molasses, oil, vanilla, baking soda, salt and spices. Mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until smooth. Slowly add in the flour. Stir in the white chocolate chips. Scoop the cookie dough into balls and roll in the sugar. Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, the cookies should still be soft. Let cool on pan for five minutes and then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Turtles

2010-12-10T16:32:00.000-08:00

These are my husbands favorite (I know, I say that A LOT! I guess he has a lot of favorites!) Anyway, these are from Abby's blog. I always know that I can count on Abby for great food and these are great! Oh, and super easy. It is highway robbery that candy stores can get away with charging so much for ONE of these!

Turtles

1-14oz bag of caramels, unwrapped

6 oz whole pecans

1 bag chocolate chips (I used 1/2 semi-sweet and 1/2 milk chocolate)

1-2 T cream or evaporated milk

Melt caramels in a sauce pan with the cream, stirring until they are smooth. Add the pecans and mix until the pecans are coated. You want there to be LOTS of caramel around the nuts. Put little dollops of the nuts and caramel onto foil sprayed with cooking spray. DO NOT use wax paper, the caramel won't come off. Once they are cooled, melt the chocolate in a double boiler, microwave or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (this is what I always do). Do this over low heat and don not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. Stick a tooth pick into the top of a caramel/nut cluster and dip it into the chocolate until coated. Shake off the excess chocolate and place on wax paper. Repeat with the remaining caramel/nut clusters. Let the chocolate get hard and then try not to eat them all in one sitting!

Sausage and Kale Soup

2010-12-07T13:08:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe at Martha Stewart.com. It was quick and hearty, the perfect thing for a cold snowy day. It has a great almost creamy broth without the cream/milk. Serve it with some crusty bread and there is nothing better for a week night meal.

Sausage and Kale Soup

(4 servings)

1 T olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 t crushed red-pepper flakes

5 medium potatoes (1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1/2 inch chunks

3 cans low-sodium chicken broth

1 bunch kale, stemmed and shredded

12 ounces chicken sausage, cut into 1/2-inch half moons (We browned these in a pan before adding to the soup)

In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant. Add the potatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes.

In a blender, puree half the soup. Return to the pot and add kale and sausage. Simmer until the kale is wilted about 10-15 minutes.

Hot Chocolate Cookies

2010-12-06T10:52:00.000-08:00

Oh WOW! These are so good. When I saw the name of these cookies over at Tasty Kitchen, I just knew I couldn't go wrong. I guess I know what kind of cookies Santa is getting this year!

Hot Chocolate Cookies

(adapted from Tasty Kitchen)

(makes about 4 dozen)

2 sticks butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

3 1/4 cups flour

4 packages (1 ounce each, NOT sugar free) Hot chocolate mix

1 t salt

1 1/4 baking soda

1/2 t cinnamon (optional)

1 cup each milk, semi-sweet and white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, hot chocolate mix, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry to the wet in 3 or 4 parts, mixing after each. Stir in the chips. Chill dough for about 1 hour. Scoop dough onto a cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let cool on pan for a few minutes before removing.

Peppermint Bark

2010-12-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

This was such a fun Holiday treat to make. My boys think it is the best thing EVER! I saw this recipe at a couple of different places, all the same, with some different toppings, so be creative. Or just use candy canes... nothing says Christmas like the cute red and white stripes!

Peppermint Bark

12 ounces Semi-sweet chocolate

12 ounces white chocolate

4 t vegetable oil

1 cup crushed candy canes

Line the bottom and sides of a 9x13 pan with foil, smooth out any wrinkles. Mix the semi-sweet chocolate with 2 t oil and melt in a double boiler. I used a pan of simmering water (on low) with a glass bowl set on top. Do NOT let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. Stir until completely melted. Pour into the prepared 9x13 pan, making an even layer and let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Repeat with the white chocolate mixed with the other 2 t of oil. Immediately after pouring the white chocolate in an even layer over the semi-sweet, sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top. Lightly press the candy canes into the white chocolate and then let set completely for about 1-2 hours in the fridge. Once set, break into uneven pieces. Store in the fridge in an air tight container.

I saw on a couple of sites that if you try and set the chocolate in the freezer the two layers don't stick together. I put mine in the freezer once it was totally set because I found it easier to break into pieces when it was frozen.

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

2010-12-03T20:00:00.000-08:00

I was in desperate need of comfort food this week. The snow has set in, my kids are sick and my husband is working too much. So what do I do? I cook, it makes me feel better. I found this recipe at My Kitchen Cafe. I have decided I would be lost without it. The blog not the recipe. Well, maybe the recipe too.

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

(6 servings)

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups water

2-3 chicken breasts (I used a rotisserie chicken)

1 1/2 T olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 1/2 t salt

1 t dried thyme (I used 1 sprig of fresh)

1/4 t pepper

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 1/4 cups flour, divided

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/4 t dried thyme (I used fresh, about 1/2 t)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 T vegetable oil

In a large pot, boil the chicken in the broth and water until the chicken is cooked through (about 15 minutes). Remove the chicken and shred. Keep the reserved broth warm on the stove. (I used a rotisserie chicken and skipped this step. I sauteed the veggies in a soup pot and added the water and broth.)

While the chicken cooks, saute the veggies in the olive oil for 6-7 minutes, or until tender. Add the veggies to the broth along with the thyme (I put in the whole sprig), salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.

In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup cold water and 1/4 cup flour until smooth. While whisking, slowly add this to the vegetables and broth until combine. Add the peas and the shredded chicken and stir.

For the dumplings, stir together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a small bowl mix together the sour cream, milk and oil. Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined, DO NOT over mix.

Heat the soup to boiling and drop teaspoonful amounts of dumpling dough into the boiling soup. The dumplings should be small, they expand as they cook. Cover the entire surface of the soup in a single layer of dumplings. Reduce the soup to a simmer. Cover the soup and let the dumplings cook for 15 minutes. DO NOT lift the lid while they cook.

Once the dumplings have cooked, remove the lid and stir gently to break the dumplings apart. Serve.

Cinnamon and Sugar Almonds

2010-12-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

These are my husbands most favorite. So when I saw them over at My Kitchen Cafe, I of course had to give them a try. I love everything about these from smell of my house while they cook to the sweet crunchy flavor. These are such a great holiday treat, ok, maybe an anytime treat!

Cinnamon and Sugar Almonds

(about 2 cups)

1 egg white

1 t cold water

1/2 t vanilla

2 cups unsalted almonds

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a large 11x17 rimmed pan with foil and lightly spray it with cooking spray.

In a large bowl beat egg white until stiff peaks form. Add the water and vanilla and beat again until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the almonds until they are coated with the egg mixture.

In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add this to the almonds and stir until mixed well. Spread the coated almonds into an even layer on the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until the almonds look and feel dry. The coating should be crunchy. Let cool completely before serving and packaging.

Chicken Salad Wraps

2010-11-29T17:11:00.000-08:00

Gotta LOVE an easy meal! Seriously, this is faster than Fast Food! Thanks Abby for reminding me about this great "go to" quick lunch.

Chicken Salad Wrap

(4 servings)

1 can of white chicken, in water, drained (or about 1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded chicken, or hey, left over turkey!)

a couple of spoonfuls of lite mayo (NOT miracle whip, unless your into that)

craisins

chopped nuts (I use pecans)

chopped celery

salt and pepper to taste

spring greens

tortillas

Mix together the chicken, mayo, craisins, nuts, celery salt and pepper. I just add mayo until the chicken mixture holds together a bit. Put a big ol' spoonful in a tortilla with some spring greens and roll that puppy up. Now how fast was that?!

Peanut Butter Banana Blender Drink

2010-11-29T16:51:00.000-08:00

This has been a breakfast that has been in my life since I can remember. I loved it (and still do) and now my kids love it. It brings back memories, it's healthy, and can pack some protein. So what are you waiting for, make this for breakfast!

Peanut Butter Banana Blender Drink

(about 2 servings)

1 ripe banana

1 spoonful of peanut butter

1 cup of milk

1/4 t vanilla

protein powder (optional, but so good)

ice

Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. These measurements are just a guess, I alter the amounts to taste. So, if you LOVE peanut butter, add more. If you like it thick add more ice. You get the point!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

2010-11-16T11:23:00.000-08:00

I have had these on my "to try" list for sometime. I keep seeing them pop up on different food blogs so I decided it was high time I gave these bad boys a try! Oh so glad I did! I may just never make apple crisp again...these are that good. I originally saw them on A Hint of Honey.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

(directions borrowed from A Hint of Honey)

INGREDIENTS
Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Apples:
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

Caramel Sauce:
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil or parchment paper

(I just greased my pan and they worked just fine). Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

4. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.

5. To make the streusel, in a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, oats, and butter with your fingers until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the apples.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set.

7. To make the caramel sauce, whisk together the sugar and butter in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat until it melts. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes. Let cool. Drizzle over cooled bars.
Fills a 9x13 pan.

Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup

2010-11-13T17:08:00.000-08:00

I absolutely L.O.V.E. this soup! I stumbled across this recipe at Simply Recipes. Ok, I am a huge soup fan, but I tend to like soups that have some sort of meat in them. However, my 5 year old told me the other day that he HATES meat and would only eat dinner if it did not have beef or chicken in it. So I decided to find a vegetable soup that I could make that used some of our winter vegetables from our garden. Well, if I had recipes that were this tasty that didn't have meat, I could totally be vegetarian! So make your self some crusty bread and get to work on this surprisingly delicious soup! (Don't let the kale scare you, it is so wonderful and very mild in this soup!)

Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup

(6 servings)

3 medium carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise

2 large tomatoes, quartered

1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges

1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut lengthwise in 1/2 inch thick wedges

6 whole cloves garlic

1 T olive oil

6 cups or more of vegetable broth

4 cups finely chopped kale

3 large sprigs of fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1-15 oz can of great northern beans (I used white kidney beans, it is what I had on hand)

Preheat oven to 400 (reduce by 25 degrees if using a convection oven). Brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Arrange carrots, squash, tomatoes, onion and garlic on the sheet. Drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast the vegetables until they are browned and tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Cut squash and carrots into 1/2 inch pieces; set aside. Peel garlic and place in a food processor with tomatoes and onion. Puree until almost smooth. Pour 1/2 cup vegetable broth onto the baking sheet and scrap up any browned bits. Transfer both the broth and the puree to a large pot. Add 5 1/2 cups broth, kale, thyme, and bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until the kale is tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the carrots, squash and beans to the soup. Simmer another few minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Serve hot with crusty bread.

This soup can be made a day ahead.

Lion House Rolls and Honey Butter

2010-11-10T17:05:00.000-08:00

I have always heard that Lion House Rolls were the bee's knees, so I figured I would see for myself. Now, I have never tasted a bee's knee but these rolls were super yummy and when you put honey butter on them, lets just say they turn magical! So next time you want to impress someone, bring out the big guns and whip up a batch of these.

Lion House Rolls

(18 BIG rolls)

2 cups warm water

2/3 cup nonfat dry milk (instant or non-instant)

2 T yeast

1/4 cup sugar

2 t salt

1/3 cup butter, softened, but not melted

1 egg

5 to 6 cups flour

In a large bowl or electric mixer, combine water and milk powder. Stir until the milk dissolves. Add the yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix on low until the ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add 2 more cups of flour, mixing on low speed, then for 2 minutes on medium. Add 1/2 cup flour at a time until the dough is soft, not overly sticky, and not too stiff. (You may not need to use all the flour.)

Coat a clean bowl with oil and place dough in it to rise. Turn the dough over in the bowl so the dough is coated (this will prevent the dough from drying out). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until double in size.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and flip the dough once to flour both sides. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and 18 inches long and about 1/4 inch thick. Brush the dough with melted butter. Using a pizza cutter cut the dough in half length wise so you have two very long strips each about 4 inches wide. Cut the strips every 2 inches to make 18 pieces of dough.

Starting with the short end, roll up one piece of dough with the butter on the inside. Place the roll on a parchment lined pan seam side down. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Be sure all the rolls face the same direction on the pan. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise until double. Bake rolls at 375 for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Brush the tops of hot rolls with melted butter.

Honey Butter

(1 cup)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 t vanilla

1/2 cup butter

Whip the softened butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and honey gradually. Beat for 10-20 minutes or until whipped and light.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

2010-11-10T11:10:00.000-08:00

I came across this delightful recipe in Mother Earth News Magazine and thought I would give it a try. Given my LOVE of butternut squash I knew it would be worth it and it definitely was! This is such a yummy, Fall, unique dish. It was even wonderful reheated! So, if you are looking for a new Fall dinner, you just may need to give this a try.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

(8 servings)

1 T olive oil

1 (1 1/2 to 2 pound) Butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

4 cups whole milk

pinch of nutmeg

12 no boil lasagna noodles

2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the cubed squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the 1/2 cup of water into the pan, cover and let simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. When the squash is tender, mash the squash in the pan or a food processor. Season the squash puree with more salt and pepper to taste.

Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Once it is melted, add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk, whisking as you go. Bring to a low boil over medium/high heat whisking often. Continue whisking often until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly butter a 9x13 pan. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom. Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of noodles. Spread half of the squash puree on the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the cheese. Repeat layering once more, finishing with a layer of noodles covered by the remaining white sauce.

Tightly cover with foil and bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Remove cover, add the rest of the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese to the lasagna and continue baking for 15 more minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden. Let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Zucchini Gratin

2010-11-08T15:19:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe over at Food Network. I altered it a little to fit with the ingredients that I had on hand. It was totally yummy! I know I can always count on Ina Garten. This made a great side dish and it gave a fun new spin to plain old zucchini!

Zucchini Gratin

(6 servings)

6 T butter, plus 2 more T for topping

2 yellow onions, cut in half and then sliced

4 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 1/2 t kosher salt

1/2 t pepper

1/4 t ground nutmeg

2 T flour

1 cup hot milk

3/4 cup bread crumbs (I used Italian seasoned bread crumbs)

3/4 cups grated Gruyere cheese (I used a combination of Parmesan, asiago and Romano)

Preheat oven to 400.

Melt the butter in a large (12 inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes or until they are tender but not browned.

Add the zucchini and cook, covered for about 10 minutes or until they are tender. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and continue cooking for a few more minutes.

Stir in the flour and then add the HOT milk. Cook over low heat until it makes a sauce, this takes a few minutes.

Pour the mixture into a 9x13 pan .

Combine the bread crumbs with the shredded cheese and sprinkle over the top of the zucchini. Dot this with the remaining 2 T butter that has been cut into small bits.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

Lentil and Squash Soup

2010-11-04T07:27:00.000-07:00

My Mother-In-Law told me about this lovely soup book call Love Soup by Anna Thomas. And since I do LOVE SOUP and since my Mother-In-Law is the Goddess of soup making, I knew I couldn't go wrong. This was my first soup that I made from this book and it was fantastic! The book is totally vegetarian, which I love, even though I am NOT vegetarian. It is just so nice to have a few recipes that DON'T call for meat. I topped it with these croutons and a dollop of sour cream, YUM! But really you could garnish it with so much!

Lentil and Squash Soup

(6-8 servings)

1 generous cup of lentils

1 1/2 t sea salt or kosher salt

1 small butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 medium yellow onions, chopped (I used 1 large)

1 1/2 T olive oil

1 small yam or sweet potato

2 T minced fresh ginger

1/2 T ground cumin

1 t turmeric

1/4 t red pepper flakes (more , if you want it to have a big kick)

4-5 cups vegetable broth (if using canned, dilute with 1 cup water)

2-3 T fresh lemon juice

optional garnishes

olive oil

salsa

sour cream

croutons

grated cheese

(I used homemade croutons and sour cream, and LOVED it)

Preheat oven to 375.

Rinse lentils and combine them in a soup pot with 4 cups of water and 1 t salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the top.

While the lentils simmer, cut the butternut squash in half, remove the seeds, and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast the squash in the oven for 45 minutes, or until soft. While the squash is roasting, saute the onion in the olive oil with a big pinch of salt, over medium heat, stirring often, until they are soft and golden (about 20 minutes). Peel and dice the yam.

When the lentils are just tender, add the sauteed onion, diced yam, minced ginger, cumin, turmeric, red pepper flakes, and 4 cups of vegetable broth. Simmer everything together, covered, for another 25 minutes. As soon as the squash is ready, scoop it out of its skin and add it to the soup. Cook until everything is soft. You can add more broth if the soup seems to thick. Puree the soup in batches in the blender or with an immersion blender. Return the soup to the pot and add lemon juice to taste. Adjust the seasonings, if needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish as you like.

Cake Pops

2010-10-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

I have been seeing these EVERYWHERE! I don't even know where they first popped up...Pioneer Woman, Bakerella, I'm just not sure. But I decided I would join the "IN" crowd and do some myself. There really are SO many things you can do with these. I put them on a stick but I have also seen them done as truffles. The cake options are many, as are the icing options, the covering options and the decorating options. So go ahead and have a little fun of your own, be creative and daring! My boys thought these were so cool and my oldest even asked if I would make them for his next birthday. We wrapped up a bunch and took them to a couple of friends. They really are such a great idea and so easy (minus a couple of mishaps that I will explain as we go so you can learn from my mistakes!)

Cake Pops

(30-40 depending on how big you make them)

1 cake mix (any flavor you like) baked according to the box

1 can store bought frosting (I know, just go with it!) any flavor you like

1 bag of candy melts, any color/flavor you want (chocolate chips will also work, as will white chocolate, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips...you get the idea)

sprinkles or other decorations

candy/sucker sticks (I got mine at Walmart, they also have them at craft stores)

a block of Styrofoam (optional)

Once the cake has been baked and cooled, crumble it, in a bowl until there are no big chunks left. Now, mix in the frosting until a dough forms. I used the whole container of frosting and my cake balls were a little soft. So, you might want to use a little less like 3/4 of it. Shape the dough into balls. Do NOT make them too big or they fall off the sticks. About one Tablespoon of dough is all you need. If you are going to make truffles instead of pops, go ahead and make them bigger, if you want. Place the cake balls on a cookie sheet and freeze for at least 1 hour. Because I used all my frosting, I left mine in the freezer overnight, covered. This made them more frozen/firm and they worked great. If you want them to be ready in 1 hour, use less frosting. Once they are firm, melt the candy melts in a double boiler or microwave (there are instructions on the bag for both ways). Now, stick a stick into each of your cake balls and dip them into the melted coating. I made sure to get a little of the coating on the stick to make sure the cake ball didn't just fall off. Gently shake off the excess coating (if you don't they will drip everywhere) and decorate as you like. Sprinkles were fast and easy and I loved the outcome. If you are using sprinkles make sure to sprinkle over a bowl to catch the excess. This makes for a much easier clean up and I could reuse all the sprinkles that fell into the bowl. Then stick the cake pop into the Styrofoam to dry. Another reason I loved that my cake balls were more frozen is that it helped the coating to dry really fast, about 2 minutes. If you don't have or want to use Styrofoam you can place the cake pops on wax paper to dry. Wax paper is also what you would use to make the truffles. Now go out and spread the happiness of cake pops!

Our Favorite Smoothie

2010-10-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

This is just a list of ingredients. I just start putting these things into my blender and taste/adjust amounts as I go. I do always put the same things in though. After trying so many different combinations of things, this is our favorite. My kids love it and I love that they love it! This makes for a happy family! And who doesn't want that?! We do smoothies for breakfast all the time, but they are great whenever and can even be frozen into popsicles.

Our Favorite Smoothie

ripe bananas

yogurt (I like Greek, more protein and probiotics...Greek Gods is the best brand in my book)

orange juice

vanilla, just a few drops

protein powder (we use the soy,vanilla flavored, it adds sweetness)

a handful of baby spinach and/or kale (the beauty is you can't taste it)

frozen or fresh berries (we like blueberries, strawberries and raspberries the best. Plus the color hides the green from the veggies)

ice (you won't need very much or any at all if you use frozen berries)

Blend this all together until smooth. I don't add any additional sweetener, it is always sweet enough for us. But if you want it sweeter, honey or agave both work great.

Cheddar and Garlic Biscuits

2010-10-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

Abby is the one I got this little concoction from. It couldn't be easier. I don't know if I would actually call it a recipe, just more a list of things you throw together. So here it is...

Cheddar and Garlic Biscuits

(makes about 9-12 biscuits)

2 1/4 cups Bisquick mix

2/3 cups milk

garlic powder (to taste, I put about 1/2 t)

shredded cheddar cheese (as much as you like, I usually put about 1/2-3/4 cup)

3 T butter, melted

garlic salt (I like the one with parsley)

Preheat oven to 450. Mix together Bisquick, cheddar cheese, garlic powder and milk until a dough forms, do not over mix. Drop by the spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. While they are in the oven, melt the butter and add a dash of garlic salt. When the biscuits come out brush the tops with the garlic butter.

Homemade Croutons

2010-10-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

These are so easy and such a great way to use stale bread! I used this Artisan Bread recipe. But I think any french bread would work just fine. I don't think I will ever buy croutons again, these are just too good! I looked at quite a few different recipes but in the end took what I liked from each one.

Homemade Croutons

day old or stale french bread (I used Artisan bread)

extra virgin olive oil (about 1/4 cup per half a loaf)

kosher salt

dried oregano

dried basil

garlic powder

(any other spices you like...thyme, rosemary)

Preheat oven to 350. Cut bread into one inch by one inch cubes or any size or shape you want. (It would be fun to use small cookie cutters and make shapes). Put the bread cubes on a cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the bread. Sprinkle with the salt and spices. Toss with your hands until the bread is evenly coated. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the bread is very crusty and golden brown. Make sure to stir the bread once or twice as it cooks to ensure even cooking. Cool completely. Use on salad, soup or anything else you can think of. These will store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.