This recipe is only for me.
That's because we never grew up with Beef Stroganoff. I don't think my dad liked it, and since he was a picky eater, this dish, among many others, was not among our circulating dinner menu.
When I got older and started experimenting with my own recipes, I decided to try my hand at stroganoff.
After a few less-than-stellar attempts, I finally found a recipe that really spoke to me and my tastes.
I love the egg noodles in this dish, but you could easily use a pasta like penne or bow-ties for this dish as well. You'll want something that carries a cream sauce well, and is thick enough that it doesn't get outplayed by the beef, mushrooms and sour cream sauce.
If you're like me, or you're somewhat of a novice with homemade pasta sauces, this will be unlike any you've made before. It's not overly garlicked out like most Italian sauces, and there are zero tomatoes. But, the taste is nonetheless superb and it's a total departure from what you might be used to. It's a great way to substitute in an unusual pasta dish that's also easy and fast for a weeknight.
I mean, what's not to like about that?
Beef Stroganoff
1 lb. egg noodles
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 white onion, finely diced
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 lb. steak meat, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup beef stock
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup sour cream
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Boil water and add egg noodles. Cook until soft, then drain. Set aside.
In olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add onions and cook until fragrant and translucent, about five minutes.
Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
Add meat and mushrooms. Cook until meat is completely browned.
Mix cornstarch and beef stock in a cup and stir until cornstarch has dissolved completely. Add to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in white wine and cook and additional 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in sour cream and seasoning until the sauce is creamy and homogenous.
Pour sauce over egg noodles.
Garnish with parsley.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Steak Gorgonzola Pasta
It's an ice stormy kind of day.
If you don't know what that means, you don't live in upstate New York.
Right now, there are tree branches scattered across my lawn and one (thankfully small) on my roof. My car is encased in solid ice and the roads look like they've been converted into outdoor skating rinks.
It's pretty exciting.
This kind of thing happens around here every few years, but this year, it's actually led to an state of emergency in my area. That would be cool and all if I didn't work in a profession where I still have to go to work amidst an environmental disaster. So, I'll be making the dangerous trek into work shortly, and I'm so sarcastically excited about it.
I made this pasta because of the fact that I'm one of the only streets in my town that still has power, and I had all of the ingredients handy. Thank heavens for a freezer of meat and some boxes of store-bought pasta.
Usually, I don't have gorgonzola at the ready, but I'd been trying some recipes with pears and gorgonzola cheese lately, and I had enough left to try this recipe. I really like the pairing of red meat and gorgonzola as I've put in on my hamburgers a number of times. Mixed into this creamy pasta sauce, this cheese is tangy and sharp enough to complement the robust flavor of the steak without being too overpowering. And pasta, especially the shorter, fatter pastas (ex. rotinis and pennes) or egg noodles, like I used, absorb and collect the sauce, serving as the perfect bed for this dish.
This dish is warm and savory, and perfect for a cozy day snuggled inside the igloo that Mother Nature just made for you.
Steak Gorgonzola Pasta
1 lb. egg noodles
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 white onion, finely diced
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 lb. steak meat, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup beef stock
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup sour cream
6 oz. gorgonzola cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Boil water and add egg noodles. Cook until soft, then drain. Set aside.
In olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add onions and cook until fragrant and translucent, about five minutes.
Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
Add meat and mushrooms. Cook until meat is completely browned.
Mix cornstarch and beef stock in a cup and stir until cornstarch has dissolved completely. Add to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in white wine, sour cream, gorgonzola and seasoning. Stir until the sauce is smooth and homogenous.
Pour sauce over egg noodles.
Garnish with parsley.
If you don't know what that means, you don't live in upstate New York.
Right now, there are tree branches scattered across my lawn and one (thankfully small) on my roof. My car is encased in solid ice and the roads look like they've been converted into outdoor skating rinks.
It's pretty exciting.
This kind of thing happens around here every few years, but this year, it's actually led to an state of emergency in my area. That would be cool and all if I didn't work in a profession where I still have to go to work amidst an environmental disaster. So, I'll be making the dangerous trek into work shortly, and I'm so sarcastically excited about it.
I made this pasta because of the fact that I'm one of the only streets in my town that still has power, and I had all of the ingredients handy. Thank heavens for a freezer of meat and some boxes of store-bought pasta.
Usually, I don't have gorgonzola at the ready, but I'd been trying some recipes with pears and gorgonzola cheese lately, and I had enough left to try this recipe. I really like the pairing of red meat and gorgonzola as I've put in on my hamburgers a number of times. Mixed into this creamy pasta sauce, this cheese is tangy and sharp enough to complement the robust flavor of the steak without being too overpowering. And pasta, especially the shorter, fatter pastas (ex. rotinis and pennes) or egg noodles, like I used, absorb and collect the sauce, serving as the perfect bed for this dish.
This dish is warm and savory, and perfect for a cozy day snuggled inside the igloo that Mother Nature just made for you.
Steak Gorgonzola Pasta
1 lb. egg noodles
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 white onion, finely diced
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 lb. steak meat, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup beef stock
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup sour cream
6 oz. gorgonzola cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Boil water and add egg noodles. Cook until soft, then drain. Set aside.
In olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add onions and cook until fragrant and translucent, about five minutes.
Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
Add meat and mushrooms. Cook until meat is completely browned.
Mix cornstarch and beef stock in a cup and stir until cornstarch has dissolved completely. Add to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in white wine, sour cream, gorgonzola and seasoning. Stir until the sauce is smooth and homogenous.
Pour sauce over egg noodles.
Garnish with parsley.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Habanero Jelly
Let's talk about Christmas appetizers.
It's something we rarely talk about given the amount of thought we put into the cookies and the big family dinner. Most of the time, we're so busy trying to perfect the big things that we forget about the little snacks and treats we can put out that require little to no effort.
And, we all know how much I love little to no effort.
This jelly is something that you can make ahead of time, can to preserve until the big day, and then unveil on a plate with some cream cheese and crackers. I mean, seriously, how easy is that?
You don't even have to prepare the plate. Just stick a knife in the cream cheese and let your guests fend for themselves!
I love this jelly because it's a little spicier than other pepper jellies, but not overpoweringly 'burn your face off' spicy. In fact, this jelly is sweet with a confident heat at the end.
Combine that flavor combo with cream cheese and carb-laden crackers?
I'm a happy girl.
A word to the wise: I've learned from prior experience that these peppers require the use of protective gear when handling. Having a pair of gloves at the ready will save your hands, and more importantly, any sensitive face membranes your hands may come into contact with within the following twelve or so hours.
Because even though you think you washed your hands good, trust me, you didn't.
You will burn your pretty little eyeballs off if they come into contact with habanero juice.
So, for the love of Pete, glove up and get ready for some spicy sweet habanero jelly!
Habanero Jelly
(adapted from Bernardin)
1/3 cup finely diced dried apricots
3/4 cup white vinegar
2 tbsp. finely diced red onion
1/4 cup finely diced sweet red pepper
1/4 cup finely diced habanero peppers, seeded
3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup liquid pectin
Rehydrate apricots in vinegar for two hours.
Combine apricots, onion, peppers, sugar and remaining vinegar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir for one minute.
Remove from heat and stir in pectin. Continue to stir as the mixture thickens.
Pour mixture into two sterilized pint jars.
Use a water bath to properly can the jars.
It's something we rarely talk about given the amount of thought we put into the cookies and the big family dinner. Most of the time, we're so busy trying to perfect the big things that we forget about the little snacks and treats we can put out that require little to no effort.
And, we all know how much I love little to no effort.
This jelly is something that you can make ahead of time, can to preserve until the big day, and then unveil on a plate with some cream cheese and crackers. I mean, seriously, how easy is that?
You don't even have to prepare the plate. Just stick a knife in the cream cheese and let your guests fend for themselves!
I love this jelly because it's a little spicier than other pepper jellies, but not overpoweringly 'burn your face off' spicy. In fact, this jelly is sweet with a confident heat at the end.
Combine that flavor combo with cream cheese and carb-laden crackers?
I'm a happy girl.
A word to the wise: I've learned from prior experience that these peppers require the use of protective gear when handling. Having a pair of gloves at the ready will save your hands, and more importantly, any sensitive face membranes your hands may come into contact with within the following twelve or so hours.
Because even though you think you washed your hands good, trust me, you didn't.
You will burn your pretty little eyeballs off if they come into contact with habanero juice.
So, for the love of Pete, glove up and get ready for some spicy sweet habanero jelly!
Habanero Jelly
(adapted from Bernardin)
1/3 cup finely diced dried apricots
3/4 cup white vinegar
2 tbsp. finely diced red onion
1/4 cup finely diced sweet red pepper
1/4 cup finely diced habanero peppers, seeded
3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup liquid pectin
Rehydrate apricots in vinegar for two hours.
Combine apricots, onion, peppers, sugar and remaining vinegar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir for one minute.
Remove from heat and stir in pectin. Continue to stir as the mixture thickens.
Pour mixture into two sterilized pint jars.
Use a water bath to properly can the jars.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Grasshopper Fudge Bars
Chocolate and mint.
We have a love/hate relationship.
I hate that I love it.
See, I never used to find the combination of chocolate and mint palatable. I loved chocolate with nearly everything else, but I could easily skip over mint choco-chip ice cream, Thin Mints, or grasshoppers.
In recent years, that has unfortunately changed. I say it with disdain because we all are painfully aware of how little willpower I have to begin with, so every time I find out I like another candy or cookie, I lose a little more hope that I'll ever be one of those naturally-healthy-eating kind of people.
I just like junk too much.
When I saw this recipe by Averie Cooks, I decided to give it a try. Not so much so I could post it, but just to see how deep my new-found interest in chocolate and mint went. Turns out, that was a really bad idea. As far as choco-minty things go, this has jumped up to the top of my little list.
What makes this even more delectable is the fact that it's seriously easy to assemble and it's a no-bake confection. There aren't a ton of ingredients and the hardest thing to find is the mint extract. Once you've got that, you're golden.
Or green.
Minty green.
Grasshopper Fudge Bars
(Adapted from Averie Cooks)
36 mint cookies (Thin Mints)
1/2 stick melted butter
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 tsp mint extract
Green food coloring
Crush mint cookies into fine powder. Add melted butter and combine well.
Press mint cookie mixture into the bottom of 8x8 pan. Chill for 30 minutes.
In a bowl, combine white chocolate, mint extract, green food coloring to preference and 1/2 can of sweetened condensed milk. Microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring between until chips are completely melted. Spread green fudge mixture over the mint cookie layer. Chill for 30 minutes.
In another bowl, add chocolate chips and other 1/2 of the sweetened condensed milk. Microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring between until chips are completely melted. Pour and spread over green fudge layer. Chill for 1 hour before serving.
We have a love/hate relationship.
I hate that I love it.
See, I never used to find the combination of chocolate and mint palatable. I loved chocolate with nearly everything else, but I could easily skip over mint choco-chip ice cream, Thin Mints, or grasshoppers.
In recent years, that has unfortunately changed. I say it with disdain because we all are painfully aware of how little willpower I have to begin with, so every time I find out I like another candy or cookie, I lose a little more hope that I'll ever be one of those naturally-healthy-eating kind of people.
I just like junk too much.
When I saw this recipe by Averie Cooks, I decided to give it a try. Not so much so I could post it, but just to see how deep my new-found interest in chocolate and mint went. Turns out, that was a really bad idea. As far as choco-minty things go, this has jumped up to the top of my little list.
What makes this even more delectable is the fact that it's seriously easy to assemble and it's a no-bake confection. There aren't a ton of ingredients and the hardest thing to find is the mint extract. Once you've got that, you're golden.
Or green.
Minty green.
Grasshopper Fudge Bars
(Adapted from Averie Cooks)
36 mint cookies (Thin Mints)
1/2 stick melted butter
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 tsp mint extract
Green food coloring
Crush mint cookies into fine powder. Add melted butter and combine well.
Press mint cookie mixture into the bottom of 8x8 pan. Chill for 30 minutes.
In a bowl, combine white chocolate, mint extract, green food coloring to preference and 1/2 can of sweetened condensed milk. Microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring between until chips are completely melted. Spread green fudge mixture over the mint cookie layer. Chill for 30 minutes.
In another bowl, add chocolate chips and other 1/2 of the sweetened condensed milk. Microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring between until chips are completely melted. Pour and spread over green fudge layer. Chill for 1 hour before serving.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Buffalo Egg Salad Sandwich
I think at this point, we can agree that I'm kind of a hot sauce freak.
I spent all day, well, maybe not all day, but a good chunk of my morning, trying to figure out something new to do with these cartons of eggs I've got.
See, we've got this Amish family in our town that collect fresh chicken eggs and sells them for a dollar a dozen. All you have to do is bring your own carton to fill.
My grandmother visits them weekly and fills up and tons of eggs. This week, she brought me three dozen.
Since they aren't pasteurized, I've got to use them fairly quickly.
Thus, I've been brainstorming.
This is my latest creation, born out of my love of hot sauce and the fact that I generally pour enough hot sauce on my egg salad to turn it bright orange. It's a lot more delicious than it is visually enticing, I promise.
Anyway, this recipe came together super easy and tastes amazing. This is probably my new favorite way of making egg salad.
If you are a hot sauce enthusiast like me, I'm sure you will love it too!
Buffalo Egg Salad Sandwich
8 hard-boiled eggs
1/4 cup Buffalo sauce
1/4 cup blue cheese dressing
Salt & Pepper to taste
Sliced bread of your choice
Smash hard boiled eggs until they are in small chunks.
Add Buffalo sauce and blue cheese. Stir until well combined. Season to taste.
Spoon onto a slice of bread and spread. Top with another layer of bread.
I spent all day, well, maybe not all day, but a good chunk of my morning, trying to figure out something new to do with these cartons of eggs I've got.
See, we've got this Amish family in our town that collect fresh chicken eggs and sells them for a dollar a dozen. All you have to do is bring your own carton to fill.
My grandmother visits them weekly and fills up and tons of eggs. This week, she brought me three dozen.
Since they aren't pasteurized, I've got to use them fairly quickly.
Thus, I've been brainstorming.
This is my latest creation, born out of my love of hot sauce and the fact that I generally pour enough hot sauce on my egg salad to turn it bright orange. It's a lot more delicious than it is visually enticing, I promise.
Anyway, this recipe came together super easy and tastes amazing. This is probably my new favorite way of making egg salad.
If you are a hot sauce enthusiast like me, I'm sure you will love it too!
Buffalo Egg Salad Sandwich
8 hard-boiled eggs
1/4 cup Buffalo sauce
1/4 cup blue cheese dressing
Salt & Pepper to taste
Sliced bread of your choice
Smash hard boiled eggs until they are in small chunks.
Add Buffalo sauce and blue cheese. Stir until well combined. Season to taste.
Spoon onto a slice of bread and spread. Top with another layer of bread.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Yellowman Sponge Candy
Allow me to introduce my new favorite blog.
Seriously, I love this blog. I love the woman who writes the blog. Not in a weird way, just in that intense 'need to be your best friend -slash- want to know all of your culinary secrets' king of way. It's kind of like when you love Charlie Hunnam, so you instantly love every movie and show he's ever done. I can't miss an episode of Sons of Anarchy anymore...
Love, in this case, is a hyperbole that means intense adoration.
Now that we've figured that out, let me explain the who and the why. The blog is called Wilde In The Kitchen. It is operated by a woman named Vicki and she is a genius! Not in the figurative sense, but like a real life genius. An organic chemist, to be exact. And, her prowess in the lab led her to create the easiest, most fool-proof recipe for Sponge Candy I've ever seen.
See, you would have gotten a recipe of Sponge Candy from me a long time ago, except for the fact I could never get a recipe to work right. Vicki actually chronicles her failures for you to see, which I'm always way too embarrassed to do. But, it definitely shows how tricky a pan of Sponge Candy can be.
In fact, it was that honesty that made me try her recipe. I'd tried others that came out with a pan of seemingly perfect candy, but when I tried it, I was defeated. This time, I decided to give her recipe a shot, and it worked!
So, I'm standing 100% behind this version because it worked out so well for me. I was so hell-bent on making it because it kind of represents two important aspects of my life. Yellowman candy is a traditional Irish toffee that I've always wanted to make, and when it's dipped in chocolate, it is exactly the way real Buffalo Sponge Candy is supposed to taste. As an Irish New Yorker, this is a pretty great candy for me to learn how to make!
Thanks Vicki!
Yellowman Sponge Candy
(adapted from Wilde In The Kitchen)
1/2 tsp gelatin
1 tsp water
1 tbsp baking soda
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cups light corn syrup
½ cup water
Grease and flour and 8x8 baking dish.
In a small bowl, add gelatin and baking soda into 1 tsp water.
Combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water together over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Using a candy thermometer, bring mixture to a boil and continue cooking until you reach 310F, stirring frequently.
Add the gelatin and baking soda mixture. Return to heat and cook an additional 30 seconds, careful of rising and spitting sugar.
Pour into baking dish. Let cool completely before cutting into pieces. Dip in melted chocolate if desired.
Seriously, I love this blog. I love the woman who writes the blog. Not in a weird way, just in that intense 'need to be your best friend -slash- want to know all of your culinary secrets' king of way. It's kind of like when you love Charlie Hunnam, so you instantly love every movie and show he's ever done. I can't miss an episode of Sons of Anarchy anymore...
Love, in this case, is a hyperbole that means intense adoration.
Now that we've figured that out, let me explain the who and the why. The blog is called Wilde In The Kitchen. It is operated by a woman named Vicki and she is a genius! Not in the figurative sense, but like a real life genius. An organic chemist, to be exact. And, her prowess in the lab led her to create the easiest, most fool-proof recipe for Sponge Candy I've ever seen.
See, you would have gotten a recipe of Sponge Candy from me a long time ago, except for the fact I could never get a recipe to work right. Vicki actually chronicles her failures for you to see, which I'm always way too embarrassed to do. But, it definitely shows how tricky a pan of Sponge Candy can be.
In fact, it was that honesty that made me try her recipe. I'd tried others that came out with a pan of seemingly perfect candy, but when I tried it, I was defeated. This time, I decided to give her recipe a shot, and it worked!
So, I'm standing 100% behind this version because it worked out so well for me. I was so hell-bent on making it because it kind of represents two important aspects of my life. Yellowman candy is a traditional Irish toffee that I've always wanted to make, and when it's dipped in chocolate, it is exactly the way real Buffalo Sponge Candy is supposed to taste. As an Irish New Yorker, this is a pretty great candy for me to learn how to make!
Thanks Vicki!
Yellowman Sponge Candy
(adapted from Wilde In The Kitchen)
1/2 tsp gelatin
1 tsp water
1 tbsp baking soda
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cups light corn syrup
½ cup water
Grease and flour and 8x8 baking dish.
In a small bowl, add gelatin and baking soda into 1 tsp water.
Combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water together over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Using a candy thermometer, bring mixture to a boil and continue cooking until you reach 310F, stirring frequently.
Add the gelatin and baking soda mixture. Return to heat and cook an additional 30 seconds, careful of rising and spitting sugar.
Pour into baking dish. Let cool completely before cutting into pieces. Dip in melted chocolate if desired.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Mumbo Sauce
Earlier this year, my mom and I visited Washington, D.C.
Now, I'm not a history buff, by any means. I had no idea just how many monuments and memorials we would see. And, I had no idea where the White House was located. In fact, I walked right by it without noticing it. It wasn't until I pulled a 180 back down the sidewalk that I realized I was literally right in front of it. True story.
My mom, on the other hand, is a lover of all things historical. Washington was a dream vacation for her. My dream vacations always include booze, gambling, beaches and more booze.
Obviously, I'm my father's daughter.
One of the things we did share an interest in was the food. We ate at some ridiculously trendy and expensive restaurants, but we didn't really venture out into the world of local cuisine, trying some of the goodies only found in D.C. I didn't really realize this until it was too late, so when I got home, I started looking up recipes that were specific in origin to the Capital.
The first one I found was this Mumbo sauce. This sauce is predominantly used in Asian cooking. It tastes reminiscent of sweet and sour sauce with a hint of spicy barbeque sauce. I'm sure this description doesn't do it justice, but just trust me when I say it's good.
Mumbo Sauce
(adapted from Huffington Post)
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup pineapple juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp hot sauce
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Combine all ingredients in a pot and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.
Serve over chicken.
Now, I'm not a history buff, by any means. I had no idea just how many monuments and memorials we would see. And, I had no idea where the White House was located. In fact, I walked right by it without noticing it. It wasn't until I pulled a 180 back down the sidewalk that I realized I was literally right in front of it. True story.
My mom, on the other hand, is a lover of all things historical. Washington was a dream vacation for her. My dream vacations always include booze, gambling, beaches and more booze.
Obviously, I'm my father's daughter.
One of the things we did share an interest in was the food. We ate at some ridiculously trendy and expensive restaurants, but we didn't really venture out into the world of local cuisine, trying some of the goodies only found in D.C. I didn't really realize this until it was too late, so when I got home, I started looking up recipes that were specific in origin to the Capital.
The first one I found was this Mumbo sauce. This sauce is predominantly used in Asian cooking. It tastes reminiscent of sweet and sour sauce with a hint of spicy barbeque sauce. I'm sure this description doesn't do it justice, but just trust me when I say it's good.
Mumbo Sauce
(adapted from Huffington Post)
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup pineapple juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp hot sauce
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Combine all ingredients in a pot and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.
Serve over chicken.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Green Beans in a Creamy Mushroom Sauce
This is... perfect.
Ingenious.
Exactly what I needed for my Thanksgiving feast.
This is a perfect addition to my carefully calculated menu. To explain this, I'll need to back up.
See, this Thanksgiving, I've been trying to design the most perfect menu. To do so, I've been looking for recipes that incorporate all of my favorite Holiday foods, and display them in a new, innovative way. My goal was for every meal to be unique and sensational.
When it comes to green bean casserole, there are not a lot of ways to revamp or improve the recipe. At the same time, I feel like there's way too many casserole-type dishes on my table. So, because of this, I looked for ways to fix green bean casserole so it was just as tasty, but still a touch on the unusual side.
I made this recipe while trying to do just that.
I love green beans, and I love green bean casserole, but I hate that every side dish on thanksgiving features one healthy vegetable lobbed into a baking dish with not-so-healthy ingredients just to make it taste good.
I wanted to show my guests that green beans can look and taste delicious without all of those extra calories.
The result is this slightly creamy, Mushroom-filled sauce over green beans and topped with those famous French fried onions we recognize all too well on top of traditional green bean casserole. The taste is reminiscent of the Thanksgiving dish without the trademark heaviness that makes it hard to gobble up the rest of your Thanksgiving sides.
Get it? "Gobble?"
So clever....
Green Beans in a Creamy Mushroom Sauce
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 8oz. container mushrooms
1 cup cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp dried parsley
2 tsp onion powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
2/3 cup French fried onions
1 - 1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans
In a sauté pan, cook mushrooms in olive oil over medium heat for 8-10 minutes.
Stir in soup, broth, parsley and onion powder. Season to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 10-15 minutes uncovered.
Cook green beans in a pot of boiling water. Blanch in cold water to stop cooking. Arrange green bens lengthwise on a serving tray.
Pour mushroom sauce over green beans. Garnish with French fried onions.
Ingenious.
Exactly what I needed for my Thanksgiving feast.
This is a perfect addition to my carefully calculated menu. To explain this, I'll need to back up.
See, this Thanksgiving, I've been trying to design the most perfect menu. To do so, I've been looking for recipes that incorporate all of my favorite Holiday foods, and display them in a new, innovative way. My goal was for every meal to be unique and sensational.
When it comes to green bean casserole, there are not a lot of ways to revamp or improve the recipe. At the same time, I feel like there's way too many casserole-type dishes on my table. So, because of this, I looked for ways to fix green bean casserole so it was just as tasty, but still a touch on the unusual side.
I made this recipe while trying to do just that.
I love green beans, and I love green bean casserole, but I hate that every side dish on thanksgiving features one healthy vegetable lobbed into a baking dish with not-so-healthy ingredients just to make it taste good.
I wanted to show my guests that green beans can look and taste delicious without all of those extra calories.
The result is this slightly creamy, Mushroom-filled sauce over green beans and topped with those famous French fried onions we recognize all too well on top of traditional green bean casserole. The taste is reminiscent of the Thanksgiving dish without the trademark heaviness that makes it hard to gobble up the rest of your Thanksgiving sides.
Get it? "Gobble?"
So clever....
Green Beans in a Creamy Mushroom Sauce
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 8oz. container mushrooms
1 cup cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp dried parsley
2 tsp onion powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
2/3 cup French fried onions
1 - 1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans
In a sauté pan, cook mushrooms in olive oil over medium heat for 8-10 minutes.
Stir in soup, broth, parsley and onion powder. Season to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 10-15 minutes uncovered.
Cook green beans in a pot of boiling water. Blanch in cold water to stop cooking. Arrange green bens lengthwise on a serving tray.
Pour mushroom sauce over green beans. Garnish with French fried onions.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Rakott Krumpli (Hungarian Potato & Egg Casserole)
I love trying new things.
Especially, when those things are food-related. Even more especially when they are foods I've never heard of from countries I've never been to. So, this casserole was right up my alley.
Now, I'm only, like, 50% certain that I can even pronounce this correctly, and that alone would have potentially scared me off. But, after sifting through some similar recipes, I decided that this was literally TOO easy for me to pass up. When you read the ingredients, you'll understand why.
Potatoes and Eggs? Why, that's legitimately almost half the recipe right there!
Is it sounding promising yet?
I do have to say, however, that I did make one minor change to my recipe that you probably won't appreciate. So, I'll invite you to change it back if you wish, or make up your own version like I did. The traditional version does not have onions in it, but after reading this review of the New York Times, I decided to try it since I'm kind of an onion freak.
Also, I noticed in doing some of the research that this can be a meatless or meat-full dish, with some recipes calling for either bacon or sausage. Naturally, me being me, I did not do this, so you're getting a full-on 100% vegetarian dish.
Nonetheless, I found this recipe to be savory and soul-satisfying like every good potato dish should be. However you pronounce it, this Hungarian-style casserole will delight everyone at your dinner table.
Rakott Krumpli (Hungarian Potato & Egg Casserole)
(adapted from NY Times)
6 Idaho potatoes
2 cups white onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
2 cups sour cream
2 tbsp paprika, divided in half
Salt & Pepper to taste
Especially, when those things are food-related. Even more especially when they are foods I've never heard of from countries I've never been to. So, this casserole was right up my alley.
Now, I'm only, like, 50% certain that I can even pronounce this correctly, and that alone would have potentially scared me off. But, after sifting through some similar recipes, I decided that this was literally TOO easy for me to pass up. When you read the ingredients, you'll understand why.
Potatoes and Eggs? Why, that's legitimately almost half the recipe right there!
Is it sounding promising yet?
I do have to say, however, that I did make one minor change to my recipe that you probably won't appreciate. So, I'll invite you to change it back if you wish, or make up your own version like I did. The traditional version does not have onions in it, but after reading this review of the New York Times, I decided to try it since I'm kind of an onion freak.
Also, I noticed in doing some of the research that this can be a meatless or meat-full dish, with some recipes calling for either bacon or sausage. Naturally, me being me, I did not do this, so you're getting a full-on 100% vegetarian dish.
Nonetheless, I found this recipe to be savory and soul-satisfying like every good potato dish should be. However you pronounce it, this Hungarian-style casserole will delight everyone at your dinner table.
Rakott Krumpli (Hungarian Potato & Egg Casserole)
(adapted from NY Times)
6 Idaho potatoes
2 cups white onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
2 cups sour cream
2 tbsp paprika, divided in half
Salt & Pepper to taste
Boil and strain potatoes. Cut into 1/2" cubes. Potatoes can be peeled if desired.
Caramelize onions in olive oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat. It should take about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven 350F.
Combine potatoes, onions and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in sour cream, 1 tbsp of paprika and seasoning to taste.
Transfer to a 8x8 baking dish. Top mixture with remaining 1 tbsp paprika.
Bake 40 minutes.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Sea Salt Caramels
So glad my college degree is in healthcare.
Otherwise, I might not know what to do when boiling hot caramel spits into the air and lands on my skin. I might have cried like an over-sized baby, but I did take care of the little round burns myself.
Of all the caramel concoctions I've made this weekend, it would seem fitting that I would wait to injure myself until the very last recipe. You know, that point when you feel like you're pretty much a caramel expert and you've mastered the cream-pouring-into-hot-sugar situation...
Needless to say, despite the taste, these are officially my least favorite caramels to make. Any caramels that cause me physical pain are my least favorite.
Despite this, I love the salt and caramel combo. It brings the caramel flavor to a new level, and I'm not being pretentious in saying that. It really does lift this caramel from a basic candy to something you might find in a gourmet shop.
And, did I mention how pretty these caramels are? With a little sea salt on the top, these literally beckon you to eat them.
So what are you waiting for?
Sea Salt Caramels
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
11/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1½ cups sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.
Combine cream, butter, vanilla extract and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low boil for one minute, then remove from heat.
In another saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring gently. When the sugar mixture turns a caramel color, stir in the cream mixture slowly. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Using a candy thermometer, bring the temperature of the caramel mixture to approximately 248F. Remove from heat and pour into the 8x8 pan.
Let cool completely before cutting. Garnish with a pinch of coarse sea salt.
Salted Caramel Sauce
I know, I know...
Sometimes, I get stuck on something and I obsess.
I can't tell you why, exactly. It might be because I make something that sparks a wave of creative cooking and I have to get it all out at once. Or, maybe it's because I already had all the ingredients out to make caramel sauce, so I decided to go for it once more.
All I know is I now have two delicious jars of gourmet, home-made caramel sauce.
And it's already got me thinking about what else I can do in the way of caramel sauces and candies.
Thoughts?
Salted Caramel Sauce
(adapted from David Lebovitz)
Sometimes, I get stuck on something and I obsess.
I can't tell you why, exactly. It might be because I make something that sparks a wave of creative cooking and I have to get it all out at once. Or, maybe it's because I already had all the ingredients out to make caramel sauce, so I decided to go for it once more.
All I know is I now have two delicious jars of gourmet, home-made caramel sauce.
And it's already got me thinking about what else I can do in the way of caramel sauces and candies.
Thoughts?
Salted Caramel Sauce
(adapted from David Lebovitz)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
In a large bowl, combine cream, vanilla and salt.
Pour sugar in saucepan over medium heat. Stir slowly as the sugar begins to melt and brown.
Once the sugar dissolves and turns a dark caramel color, remove from heat. Slowly incorporate the cream mixture with a whisk. Increase speed in stirring when the bubbling begins to settle. Whisk until the mixture is completely smooth.
Let cool completely.
Use over desserts or ice cream. Garnish with a pinch of sea salt if desired.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce
So... here's a little secret.
I really don't like vanilla ice cream.
It's okay, as far as ice creams go, but if I had the choice between chocolate and vanilla... well, I go cocoa.
In fact, making my vanilla bean caramels yesterday was the first time I truly indulged in anything really vanilly.
I know. This rhyming this has got to go. Just let me get this recipe out.
I made the caramels, then I decided that I needed to try and make some sauce for ice cream. So, I did.
Then, I put it on vanilla ice cream that I had to go out and buy because, as stated above, I don't eat it regularly. Truth be told, I bought the neopolitan stuff so I could eat the chocolate ice cream, too. But the vanilla was specifically for eating with this sauce. So, I did that, too.
The result? ...
Amazing, obviously.
This sauce is so packed full of vanilla goodness that it perfectly out-does the vanilla ice cream that I tend to find a little on the bland side. (I'm sure if I bought a gourmet vanilla ice cream, I'd feel differently, but since that luxury isn't always an option around these parts, I stick to making ice cream toppings that outshine my cheapo tubs of ice cream.)
If you've made the vanilla bean caramels, you'll understand. If you haven't, you now need to try both of these delicious vanilla bean recipes!
Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce
(adapted from David Lebovitz)
I really don't like vanilla ice cream.
It's okay, as far as ice creams go, but if I had the choice between chocolate and vanilla... well, I go cocoa.
In fact, making my vanilla bean caramels yesterday was the first time I truly indulged in anything really vanilly.
I know. This rhyming this has got to go. Just let me get this recipe out.
I made the caramels, then I decided that I needed to try and make some sauce for ice cream. So, I did.
Then, I put it on vanilla ice cream that I had to go out and buy because, as stated above, I don't eat it regularly. Truth be told, I bought the neopolitan stuff so I could eat the chocolate ice cream, too. But the vanilla was specifically for eating with this sauce. So, I did that, too.
The result? ...
Amazing, obviously.
This sauce is so packed full of vanilla goodness that it perfectly out-does the vanilla ice cream that I tend to find a little on the bland side. (I'm sure if I bought a gourmet vanilla ice cream, I'd feel differently, but since that luxury isn't always an option around these parts, I stick to making ice cream toppings that outshine my cheapo tubs of ice cream.)
If you've made the vanilla bean caramels, you'll understand. If you haven't, you now need to try both of these delicious vanilla bean recipes!
Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce
(adapted from David Lebovitz)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp salt
Combine cream, vanilla extract, vanilla bean
paste and salt in a bowl.
Pour sugar in saucepan over medium heat. Stir slowly as the sugar begins to melt and brown.
Once the sugar dissolves and turns a dark caramel color, remove from heat. Slowly incorporate the cream mixture with a whisk. Increase speed in stirring when the bubbling begins to settle. Whisk until the mixture is completely smooth.
Let cool completely.
Vanilla Bean Caramels
So... I'm not exactly the best caramel maker on the planet.
Making candies is really not my strongsuit. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's a concentration issue. Or, a patience issue. Or, maybe a combination of the two.
I guess it just boggles my mind how a recipe with so few ingredients can be so tricky. It's so easy to ruin a pan of caramel, not to mention ruin the actual pan.
Not that it's happened to me before. Twice.
It's a good thing these caramels taste so good because they are costing me a fortune in good cookware.
Anyway, I had to invest in a really good, really accurate candy thermometer to make what turned to be an edible form of caramels. But it was worth it. These candies kind of surprised me because I really didn't expect them to taste the way the did. I mean, I know what caramel tastes like. And, I know what vanilla flavor tastes like. But vanilla caramel? It's like a whole new animal.
The vanilla transforms the caramel into its own distinct flavor. It is the perfect way to display vanilla on its own without adding other flavors.
Now that I've fully gorged myself on pure caramels, it's time to figure out what I can bake these caramels in.
Thoughts, anyone?
Vanilla Bean Caramels
Let cool completely before cutting.
Making candies is really not my strongsuit. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's a concentration issue. Or, a patience issue. Or, maybe a combination of the two.
I guess it just boggles my mind how a recipe with so few ingredients can be so tricky. It's so easy to ruin a pan of caramel, not to mention ruin the actual pan.
Not that it's happened to me before. Twice.
It's a good thing these caramels taste so good because they are costing me a fortune in good cookware.
Anyway, I had to invest in a really good, really accurate candy thermometer to make what turned to be an edible form of caramels. But it was worth it. These candies kind of surprised me because I really didn't expect them to taste the way the did. I mean, I know what caramel tastes like. And, I know what vanilla flavor tastes like. But vanilla caramel? It's like a whole new animal.
The vanilla transforms the caramel into its own distinct flavor. It is the perfect way to display vanilla on its own without adding other flavors.
Now that I've fully gorged myself on pure caramels, it's time to figure out what I can bake these caramels in.
Thoughts, anyone?
Vanilla Bean Caramels
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp salt
1½ cups sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp salt
1½ cups sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.
Combine cream, butter, vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low boil for one minute, then remove from heat.
In another saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring gently. When the sugar mixture turns a caramel color, stir in the cream mixture slowly. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Using a candy thermometer, bring the temperature of the caramel mixture to approximately 248F. Remove from heat and pour into the 8x8 pan.
Let cool completely before cutting.
Baked Taco Ziti
It's like food fusion.
You know, that thing where you mix foods to create a multicultural dish?
It's sorta like that.
In truth, fusion cooking is not something I try often. Mostly, it's a scared-y cat issue. I hate the idea of wasting good ingredients because I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. The only time I really venture out of my comfort zone is when I'm making pizza. That's because I know if I don't like it, I can just scrape off the toppings and salvage the cheese for my all-time favorite pizza: plain.
I'm not a simple kind of girl.
And, possibly a commitment-phobe.
That being said, I got this idea after seeing taco-stuffed shells on a restaurant menu recently. I didn't get it because, like I said, I'm have a little commitment issue and hate the idea of shelling out fifteen bucks on a meal I don't like.
I guess I'm a little on the stingy side, too. Boy, you're really learning a lot about me today, aren't you?
Anyway, a few days after that outing, I was struck with a craving for baked ziti. Ground beef, cheese and pasta... a love even a non-Italian can appreciate.
I wanted to throw a little Mexican flare into the mix so I browned the meat in taco seasoning. It was a good start, but I needed more. So, I added a little taco sauce, a hint of pico de gallo, and substituted the traditional mozzarella with a shredded Mexican blend.
Bingo.
The results are my Mexican twist on traditional Italian ziti.
Enjoy!
Baked Taco Ziti
1 box Ziti
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 white onion, diced
1 packet taco seasoning
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup pico de gallo
4 oz. cream cheese
2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
Preheat oven 350F.
Cook ziti according to package directions. Drain.
In a large pan, saute onions in olive oil until translucent.
Add ground beef and taco seasoning. Cook thoroughly. Remove meat from heat and drain excess grease.
Stir in taco sauce, pico de gallo and cream cheese into the ground beef.
Combine meat mixture, ziti noodles and 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese in a 13x9 pan. Top with the additional 1/2 cup of cheese.
Bake 30 minutes.
It's sorta like that.
In truth, fusion cooking is not something I try often. Mostly, it's a scared-y cat issue. I hate the idea of wasting good ingredients because I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. The only time I really venture out of my comfort zone is when I'm making pizza. That's because I know if I don't like it, I can just scrape off the toppings and salvage the cheese for my all-time favorite pizza: plain.
I'm not a simple kind of girl.
And, possibly a commitment-phobe.
That being said, I got this idea after seeing taco-stuffed shells on a restaurant menu recently. I didn't get it because, like I said, I'm have a little commitment issue and hate the idea of shelling out fifteen bucks on a meal I don't like.
I guess I'm a little on the stingy side, too. Boy, you're really learning a lot about me today, aren't you?
Anyway, a few days after that outing, I was struck with a craving for baked ziti. Ground beef, cheese and pasta... a love even a non-Italian can appreciate.
I wanted to throw a little Mexican flare into the mix so I browned the meat in taco seasoning. It was a good start, but I needed more. So, I added a little taco sauce, a hint of pico de gallo, and substituted the traditional mozzarella with a shredded Mexican blend.
Bingo.
The results are my Mexican twist on traditional Italian ziti.
Enjoy!
Baked Taco Ziti
1 box Ziti
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 white onion, diced
1 packet taco seasoning
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup pico de gallo
4 oz. cream cheese
2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
Preheat oven 350F.
Cook ziti according to package directions. Drain.
In a large pan, saute onions in olive oil until translucent.
Add ground beef and taco seasoning. Cook thoroughly. Remove meat from heat and drain excess grease.
Stir in taco sauce, pico de gallo and cream cheese into the ground beef.
Combine meat mixture, ziti noodles and 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese in a 13x9 pan. Top with the additional 1/2 cup of cheese.
Bake 30 minutes.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Honey Mustard Pretzel-Coated Swai
With the holidays approaching, I always punish myself by starting a diet during the absolute worst season to watch your calorie intake. Usually, I go the high-protein, low-carb direction, also known as the anti-Thanksgiving, anti-Christmas dinner diet.
It's this time of the year that I start really experimenting with protein. It's not easy to get through a diet like this if you don't change up the recipes and make them fresh and exciting. White fish is a huge part of good low-carb dieting, so I try to reinvent meals so I don't feel like I'm constantly eating the same thing.
This recipe could be used with any white fish, but I used Swai because it was handy. Fish, depending on the kind, can take on almost any flavor you give it. Since I love honey mustard, I tried it with the Swai and it came out great.
The pretzel crumb coating is not really low-carb, but it's a delicious compromise and way healthier than coating and frying the fish. And, it adds a nice crunch to round out all the other flavors and textures.
This is a good addition to any dinner menu and a delicious option for anyone who wants to add a little extra fish to their diet.
Honey Mustard Swai
1 lb. swai fish fillets
1 cup crushed salted pretzels
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
Preheat oven 450F.
Whisk together oil, mustard, honey and vinegar.
Coat the fish in the vinaigrette, then coat with pretzel crumbs.
Bake on a cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes.
It's this time of the year that I start really experimenting with protein. It's not easy to get through a diet like this if you don't change up the recipes and make them fresh and exciting. White fish is a huge part of good low-carb dieting, so I try to reinvent meals so I don't feel like I'm constantly eating the same thing.
This recipe could be used with any white fish, but I used Swai because it was handy. Fish, depending on the kind, can take on almost any flavor you give it. Since I love honey mustard, I tried it with the Swai and it came out great.
The pretzel crumb coating is not really low-carb, but it's a delicious compromise and way healthier than coating and frying the fish. And, it adds a nice crunch to round out all the other flavors and textures.
This is a good addition to any dinner menu and a delicious option for anyone who wants to add a little extra fish to their diet.
Honey Mustard Swai
1 lb. swai fish fillets
1 cup crushed salted pretzels
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
Preheat oven 450F.
Whisk together oil, mustard, honey and vinegar.
Coat the fish in the vinaigrette, then coat with pretzel crumbs.
Bake on a cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Bleu Cheese-Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
By now, you know my obsessions.
My food obsessions, at least.
Trust me, I'm pretty extreme about everything else in my life too.
I'm pretty crazy about things like chicken wing sauce. Despite my hatred for chicken wings, that is.
I know, it's weird. Don't judge me.
I got this idea after having stuffed meatball appetizers at a party recently. Those meatballs were of the beef variety, but it got me thinking about how I could do stuffed meatballs with ground chicken. After some research, I found a recipe that appealed to both my love of stuffed meatballs and my ridiculous addiction to chicken wing sauce.
And these, are ridiculously appealing.
I didn't have any specific reason to make these meatballs, so when they were done, they pretty much just went to me. I don't see any problem with that, though. I mean, it's not like they're the worst or unhealthiest thing I've ever eaten completely on my own....
I said, don't judge me. Remember?
Bleu Cheese-Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
(adapted from Inspired By Charm)
1 lb. ground chicken
1/2 white onion, diced
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg
4 oz. blue cheese, cut into cubes
1 cup Buffalo sauce
Preheat oven 400F.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, onion, garlic, bread crumbs and egg. Use an ice cream scoop to remove a scoop of meat.
Take a cube of bleu cheese and wrap the scooped meatball around the cube, covering it completely.
Repeat until all of the meat mixture is used up. Place meatballs on a baking sheet. I ended up with 18 meatballs.
Bake meatballs for 20 minutes.
Place meatballs in a slow cooker on the lowest setting and cover with Buffalo sauce. Keep meatballs warm for serving.
My food obsessions, at least.
Trust me, I'm pretty extreme about everything else in my life too.
I'm pretty crazy about things like chicken wing sauce. Despite my hatred for chicken wings, that is.
I know, it's weird. Don't judge me.
I got this idea after having stuffed meatball appetizers at a party recently. Those meatballs were of the beef variety, but it got me thinking about how I could do stuffed meatballs with ground chicken. After some research, I found a recipe that appealed to both my love of stuffed meatballs and my ridiculous addiction to chicken wing sauce.
And these, are ridiculously appealing.
I didn't have any specific reason to make these meatballs, so when they were done, they pretty much just went to me. I don't see any problem with that, though. I mean, it's not like they're the worst or unhealthiest thing I've ever eaten completely on my own....
I said, don't judge me. Remember?
Bleu Cheese-Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
(adapted from Inspired By Charm)
1 lb. ground chicken
1/2 white onion, diced
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg
4 oz. blue cheese, cut into cubes
1 cup Buffalo sauce
Preheat oven 400F.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, onion, garlic, bread crumbs and egg. Use an ice cream scoop to remove a scoop of meat.
Take a cube of bleu cheese and wrap the scooped meatball around the cube, covering it completely.
Repeat until all of the meat mixture is used up. Place meatballs on a baking sheet. I ended up with 18 meatballs.
Bake meatballs for 20 minutes.
Place meatballs in a slow cooker on the lowest setting and cover with Buffalo sauce. Keep meatballs warm for serving.
English Toffee Bites
This recipe has been blowing up my Pinterest lately.
I'm not sure if it's a newer recipe or simply out for the holidays. I mean, I do think of toffee more around Christmas time.
I had previously never made toffee. In fact, I didn't even know what toffee was made from. The only thing I knew was that toffee is delicious. I really didn't have any plans to make my own, even after seeing this recipe on-line. After reading the comments, however, this sounded really easy.
You know how much I like easy.
The ingredients are minimal, they look amazing, and the flavor is ridiculous. In a good way.
With Christmas coming, it's going to be that time when everybody starts baking cookies and making candies for others. These toffee bites might just be the centerpiece on my holiday cookie plate this year!
English Toffee Bites
(adapted from Shugary Sweets)
1 cup salted butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
12 oz. milk chocolate, melted
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Combine butter, sugar and vanilla in a large pot over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil. Use a candy thermometer to bring the candy to 300F, stirring continuously.
Pour mixture into a foil-lined 8x8 baking dish. Let cool.
Pour melted chocolate over the top of the toffee. Top with walnuts before chocolate hardens.
I'm not sure if it's a newer recipe or simply out for the holidays. I mean, I do think of toffee more around Christmas time.
I had previously never made toffee. In fact, I didn't even know what toffee was made from. The only thing I knew was that toffee is delicious. I really didn't have any plans to make my own, even after seeing this recipe on-line. After reading the comments, however, this sounded really easy.
You know how much I like easy.
The ingredients are minimal, they look amazing, and the flavor is ridiculous. In a good way.
With Christmas coming, it's going to be that time when everybody starts baking cookies and making candies for others. These toffee bites might just be the centerpiece on my holiday cookie plate this year!
English Toffee Bites
(adapted from Shugary Sweets)
1 cup salted butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
12 oz. milk chocolate, melted
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Combine butter, sugar and vanilla in a large pot over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil. Use a candy thermometer to bring the candy to 300F, stirring continuously.
Pour mixture into a foil-lined 8x8 baking dish. Let cool.
Pour melted chocolate over the top of the toffee. Top with walnuts before chocolate hardens.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Maple Sugar Pie
How did this recipe elude me for so long?
I live literally within walking distance to Canada, where this pie is most well-known. And, my family has been making maple syrup every winter since I can remember. Yet, we've never made this dessert.
So, naturally, I set to work.
This pie is ridiculously sweet. I don't want to be callous, but this is, like, a diabetic nightmare. Almost every single ingredient is loaded with sugar. I mean, I love it, but you might not enjoy this if you're sweet tooth isn't packed with cavities. I love sugar. We are friends. So, this fits right into my life perfectly.
It's a no-bake pie, and it takes all of maybe ten minutes to make. The hardest part is letting it sit for an hour to set.
Unless you have willpower. Then you're okay, I guess. I don't have any of that stuff, so my minutes move ridiculously slow as this thing chills.
Totally worth it.
Maple Sugar Pie
(adapted from www.tastefullyjulie.com)
1 store-bought, pre-baked pie crust (dough)
1 1/2 cups maple syrup
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup cornstarch
Whisk cornstarch and 1/2 cup heavy cream together. Set aside.
Combine maple syrup and cream in a pot over medium heat and bring to a low boil. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and continue stirring until it thickens.
Pour into pie crust.
Refrigerate at least one hour prior to serving.
I live literally within walking distance to Canada, where this pie is most well-known. And, my family has been making maple syrup every winter since I can remember. Yet, we've never made this dessert.
So, naturally, I set to work.
This pie is ridiculously sweet. I don't want to be callous, but this is, like, a diabetic nightmare. Almost every single ingredient is loaded with sugar. I mean, I love it, but you might not enjoy this if you're sweet tooth isn't packed with cavities. I love sugar. We are friends. So, this fits right into my life perfectly.
It's a no-bake pie, and it takes all of maybe ten minutes to make. The hardest part is letting it sit for an hour to set.
Unless you have willpower. Then you're okay, I guess. I don't have any of that stuff, so my minutes move ridiculously slow as this thing chills.
Totally worth it.
Maple Sugar Pie
(adapted from www.tastefullyjulie.com)
1 store-bought, pre-baked pie crust (dough)
1 1/2 cups maple syrup
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup cornstarch
Whisk cornstarch and 1/2 cup heavy cream together. Set aside.
Combine maple syrup and cream in a pot over medium heat and bring to a low boil. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and continue stirring until it thickens.
Pour into pie crust.
Refrigerate at least one hour prior to serving.
Haluski
I'm not from Pittsburgh.
But sometimes, I act like I am. I love the Steelers. And, the Penguins. I'm not really a baseball fan, but if I was, I'm sure I'd be a Pirates fan, too. I've visited the city, and I loved it. It's not known for its local cuisine, but I think it should be. Pittsburgh offers a number of special dishes that I've grown to love.
Haluski is a perfect example.
A flavorful blend of cabbage and onions intermixed into egg noodles, this dish is easy to assemble and makes a perfect side dish against something like steak or chicken. Many recipes I've seen call for a healthy sprinkling of bacon, but you know how I feel about that...
Egg noodles are a cinch to cook and the veggies cook in only a few minutes. It takes a short time to get this side dish on the plate. The flavors are savory and down-homey... even though, 'down-homey' isn't a real phrase. When you take a bite, you'll understand what I mean.
Pittsburgh on a plate.
Really, I promise.
Haluski
1 bag egg noodles
1 stick butter
1 white onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 head green cabbage
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cook egg noodles in boiling water per package directions.
Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a large saute pan. Add onions and saute until fragrant and translucent.
Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
Add cabbage with the rest of the butter and let cook an additional five minutes, letting it wilt. Season to taste.
Stir into the egg noodles until well-combined.
But sometimes, I act like I am. I love the Steelers. And, the Penguins. I'm not really a baseball fan, but if I was, I'm sure I'd be a Pirates fan, too. I've visited the city, and I loved it. It's not known for its local cuisine, but I think it should be. Pittsburgh offers a number of special dishes that I've grown to love.
Haluski is a perfect example.
A flavorful blend of cabbage and onions intermixed into egg noodles, this dish is easy to assemble and makes a perfect side dish against something like steak or chicken. Many recipes I've seen call for a healthy sprinkling of bacon, but you know how I feel about that...
Egg noodles are a cinch to cook and the veggies cook in only a few minutes. It takes a short time to get this side dish on the plate. The flavors are savory and down-homey... even though, 'down-homey' isn't a real phrase. When you take a bite, you'll understand what I mean.
Pittsburgh on a plate.
Really, I promise.
Haluski
1 bag egg noodles
1 stick butter
1 white onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 head green cabbage
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cook egg noodles in boiling water per package directions.
Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a large saute pan. Add onions and saute until fragrant and translucent.
Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
Add cabbage with the rest of the butter and let cook an additional five minutes, letting it wilt. Season to taste.
Stir into the egg noodles until well-combined.
Pumpkin Butter
I love the holidays.
There's family gatherings, which truthfully, isn't as meaningful to me as it is to others because we all live within a mile of each other and see each other daily. There's vacation time from school and work, which might be one of my favorite parts. Either that, or it's the massive surplus of delicious food and desserts.
My cupboards don't feel complete in the fall unless there's a couple cans of pumpkin puree available. I used a little bit the other day to make my Pumpkin Pie Beer Bread, and I wanted to use the rest of the can. I don't have the patience to wait and go grocery shopping for ingredients, so I decided to make pumpkin butter, as it's super easy and the ingredients are minimal.
Plus, there's something about fall that makes me want to break out the slow cooker. I was excited to have a good reason to cook without really having to cook and, you know, exert energy.
Pumpkin butter is totally easy to prepare and cook. The hardest part is stirring. Or, maybe getting the can off of the pumpkin puree...
Pumpkin Butter
1 large can pumpkin puree
1 cup white sugar
2 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
Combine ingredients in a slow cooker.
Cook on low for 8 hours, stirring occasionally.
Pour into sterilized jars.
There's family gatherings, which truthfully, isn't as meaningful to me as it is to others because we all live within a mile of each other and see each other daily. There's vacation time from school and work, which might be one of my favorite parts. Either that, or it's the massive surplus of delicious food and desserts.
My cupboards don't feel complete in the fall unless there's a couple cans of pumpkin puree available. I used a little bit the other day to make my Pumpkin Pie Beer Bread, and I wanted to use the rest of the can. I don't have the patience to wait and go grocery shopping for ingredients, so I decided to make pumpkin butter, as it's super easy and the ingredients are minimal.
Plus, there's something about fall that makes me want to break out the slow cooker. I was excited to have a good reason to cook without really having to cook and, you know, exert energy.
Pumpkin butter is totally easy to prepare and cook. The hardest part is stirring. Or, maybe getting the can off of the pumpkin puree...
Pumpkin Butter
1 large can pumpkin puree
1 cup white sugar
2 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
Combine ingredients in a slow cooker.
Cook on low for 8 hours, stirring occasionally.
Pour into sterilized jars.
Pumpkin Pie Beer Bread
From my "Beer Bread" series....
Pumpkin Pie Beer Bread
(adapted from Shortstop Blog)
3 cups flour
1 cup pumpkin puree1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 12oz. pumpkin ale
2 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice3 tbsp butter, melted
Preheat oven 350F.
In a large mixer, combine all of the ingredients except the butter, adding the beer last to the mixture.
Pour the mixture into a greased loaf pan. Pour the melted butter over the top of the mixture.
Bake for 1 hour.
Pumpkin Pie Beer Bread
(adapted from Shortstop Blog)
3 cups flour
1 cup pumpkin puree1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 12oz. pumpkin ale
2 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice3 tbsp butter, melted
Preheat oven 350F.
In a large mixer, combine all of the ingredients except the butter, adding the beer last to the mixture.
Pour the mixture into a greased loaf pan. Pour the melted butter over the top of the mixture.
Bake for 1 hour.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Tequila, Lime & Jalapeno Barbeque Sauce
I've been gone for awhile.
At least, gone in the cyber-sharing sense.
Despite going on a bit of a hiatus from posting this summer, it definitely did not keep me from cooking. One of my favorite things to do in the summer is break out the barbeque. I'm a very picky eater, and that is definitely evident when it comes to barbeque sauce. I can honestly say I only tried barbeque a couple years ago. Since then, I've only found a small number of sauces I'm willing to buy at the grocery store. I even went as far as to test and publish my own barbeque sauce here last summer because I tested a recipe that I absolutely love.
Now, I'm trying out some variations using my tested and true Kansas City barbeque sauce.
The first is a tequila, lime and jalapeno version. The flavors are not overpowering, but they
give a spicy citrus kick to a good barbeque sauce.
I used this on chicken and served it with my cilantro lime rice. I found that these flavors together were so complementary. I loved the combination and think that this spicy summer dish will work in the winter months too!
Stay tuned for more!
Tequila, Lime & Jalapeno Barbeque Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup minced white onion
1/2 cup minced red pepper
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/2 cup minced jalapeno
1 28oz. can tomato sauce
2/3 cup tequila
2 cups ketchup
1 cup packed brown sugar (I used dark)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup dijon mustard
2 tbsp cayenne powder
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp lime extract
Salt & Pepper to taste
In a large pan, saute the onions, pepper, garlic and jalapeno in olive oil on medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
Transfer to a slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for 4-6 hours on low heat, stirring occasionally.
Let cool. Puree if desired for smoother consistency. Pour into jars.
At least, gone in the cyber-sharing sense.
Despite going on a bit of a hiatus from posting this summer, it definitely did not keep me from cooking. One of my favorite things to do in the summer is break out the barbeque. I'm a very picky eater, and that is definitely evident when it comes to barbeque sauce. I can honestly say I only tried barbeque a couple years ago. Since then, I've only found a small number of sauces I'm willing to buy at the grocery store. I even went as far as to test and publish my own barbeque sauce here last summer because I tested a recipe that I absolutely love.
Now, I'm trying out some variations using my tested and true Kansas City barbeque sauce.
The first is a tequila, lime and jalapeno version. The flavors are not overpowering, but they
give a spicy citrus kick to a good barbeque sauce.
I used this on chicken and served it with my cilantro lime rice. I found that these flavors together were so complementary. I loved the combination and think that this spicy summer dish will work in the winter months too!
Stay tuned for more!
Tequila, Lime & Jalapeno Barbeque Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup minced white onion
1/2 cup minced red pepper
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/2 cup minced jalapeno
1 28oz. can tomato sauce
2/3 cup tequila
2 cups ketchup
1 cup packed brown sugar (I used dark)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup dijon mustard
2 tbsp cayenne powder
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp lime extract
Salt & Pepper to taste
In a large pan, saute the onions, pepper, garlic and jalapeno in olive oil on medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
Transfer to a slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for 4-6 hours on low heat, stirring occasionally.
Let cool. Puree if desired for smoother consistency. Pour into jars.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Lemon/lime/orange/grapefruit Extract
I am obsessed with homemade extracts.
I see you rolling your eyes at my dramatic use of the word "obsessed", or perhaps you're just bored with it because I'm seemingly obsessed with everything I make.
But seriously, I'm so so so so so into making my own homemade extracts.
They taste so much better than store-bought versions, and I've been placing them in these cute little corked bottles and using them as decorative accents in my kitchen. It's called killing two birds with one stone, people. I need extracts, and I need cute decorations.
Classy and crafty.
Previously, I've made vanilla extract and habanero extract. The habanero was an unusual choice, but it actually serves as more of a heat introducer than a flavor. When I need to punch up the spice in a dish, a little drop of that extract goes a seriously long way.
Right now, I'm into citrus extracts. Summer is ending and the fruit is about to get super expensive at the grocery store. That, and in the middle of winter, it's hard to know exactly how fresh or how local your produce is. Preserving flavor in extracts is like carrying a little of that fresh summer flavor into the colder months when you desperately want a juicy bite of citrus.
The first up is lemon extract.
It's super easy and makes an appearance in many of my favorite lemon desserts. Plus, like I said, it looks so super classy sitting on my counter begging to be baked with.
To do this, I highly recommend using a good quality tool for zesting or peeling. The pith under the zest is really bitter and gross, and you want to have a tool that won't bite into that nasty white layer. I used a citrus peeler that pulled off the peel in nice strips without removing the pith. The strips look very cool hanging out in the extract and make the bottles easier to identify if they don't have labels.
Lemon Extract
2/3 cup grain alcohol
Peel from 3 lemons
Find a decorative 8 oz. jar and sterilize in boiling water.
Place peels in the jar. Pour grain alcohol over the top and seal the jar.
Leave for at 2-4 weeks before using, shaking the bottles every couple days.
I see you rolling your eyes at my dramatic use of the word "obsessed", or perhaps you're just bored with it because I'm seemingly obsessed with everything I make.
But seriously, I'm so so so so so into making my own homemade extracts.
They taste so much better than store-bought versions, and I've been placing them in these cute little corked bottles and using them as decorative accents in my kitchen. It's called killing two birds with one stone, people. I need extracts, and I need cute decorations.
Classy and crafty.
Previously, I've made vanilla extract and habanero extract. The habanero was an unusual choice, but it actually serves as more of a heat introducer than a flavor. When I need to punch up the spice in a dish, a little drop of that extract goes a seriously long way.
Right now, I'm into citrus extracts. Summer is ending and the fruit is about to get super expensive at the grocery store. That, and in the middle of winter, it's hard to know exactly how fresh or how local your produce is. Preserving flavor in extracts is like carrying a little of that fresh summer flavor into the colder months when you desperately want a juicy bite of citrus.
The first up is lemon extract.
It's super easy and makes an appearance in many of my favorite lemon desserts. Plus, like I said, it looks so super classy sitting on my counter begging to be baked with.
To do this, I highly recommend using a good quality tool for zesting or peeling. The pith under the zest is really bitter and gross, and you want to have a tool that won't bite into that nasty white layer. I used a citrus peeler that pulled off the peel in nice strips without removing the pith. The strips look very cool hanging out in the extract and make the bottles easier to identify if they don't have labels.
Lemon Extract
2/3 cup grain alcohol
Peel from 3 lemons
Find a decorative 8 oz. jar and sterilize in boiling water.
Place peels in the jar. Pour grain alcohol over the top and seal the jar.
Leave for at 2-4 weeks before using, shaking the bottles every couple days.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Galaktoboureko
I'm back.
After a good six weeks away from the computer, I'm back creating some new and exciting recipes among other things I've been working on.
So... you may be asking what caused my abrupt hiatus.
Let me explain.
First and foremost, I went through a pretty disasterous break up earlier this year. I tried as hard as I could to continue posting through the unfolding drama, but realized that I needed to take some "me"-time to figure out what I really wanted to accomplish as a newly single woman. Truth be told, after a few months, I've decided that I really do enjoy cooking for one because I'm the only one who judges my food and I happen to think everything I make is the best thing ever.
I also made the decision to go back to school and start working on my Master's degree. When I first started this blog, I was in nursing school getting my BSN in nursing at Binghamton University in the southern tier of New York. I've decided to further my education by getting my Nurse Practitioner degree.
Thirdly, like I said, I've been doing some soul-searching trying to figure out who I am outside of an ex-girlfriend and a perpetual college student. I've been trying to determine what kinds of things I like and what hobbies I could try. One of the newest things is exercise. I've been working on devising a new work-out plan to help me meet my weight loss goals and get stronger. So far, since my break-up, I've lost about twenty pounds, and I'm looking to lose about twenty more. If you guys have any good tips, I look forward to hearing them. I would love to turn this blog into an open forum where we can discuss anything and everything.
That brings me to my next point. In the coming weeks, I will be redesigning this site with the intent to expand my posts to more than just cooking. In a quest for self-discovery, I want to show everyone all of the new things I've learned and how far I've come in my search for total self-reliance and independence.
In one of the most brutally honest blog posts I've ever written, I hope that you will join my on my new path and enjoy reading all of the new content I hope to offer soon.
Until then, I leave you with another recipe that I tried out a couple weeks ago with tremendous success. You know how I love Greek food, and this dessert is definitely an example of why. So rich and creamy, this is not your typical dessert, and it's definitely not going to help me shave off those last few pounds, but it's absolutely worth it.
Galaktoboureko
3 eggs
2/3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
5 cups skim milk
1 pkg. storebought phyllo dough
1 cup caramel, warmed
Preheat oven 350F.
Mix eggs, sugar and flour in a large pot over medium heat. Add milk and stir to allow the mixture to thicken into a custard-like consistency.
In a greased 8x8 pan, place 1/2 the package of phyllo dough on the bottom. Pour the milk mixture over the top. Place the other 1/2 of phyllo dough over the top.
Score the top layers of phyllo dough to allow air to escape during cooking.
Bake 40-45 minutes.
Chill before serving.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Vanilla & Rosemary Roasted Carrots
This is me... trying to eat more veggies.
I'm not good at it. I have no will power. Nor, self-control. My friends know this about me. They love me anyway.
I desperately try to come up with ways to trick myself into eating vegetables. But, if I can be completely honest, it rarely happens. No matter how hard I try, or how good I roast a bunch of greens, I can't help but hear that voice in the back of my head shouting that it's not carb-y enough to satisfy my unrelenting taste buds.
I do the best with what I can. I can't even lie to you and say that these roasted carrots are better than cheesecake or garlic bread because they just simply aren't. Not in my head, anyway.
But, they are mildly sweet. And the vanilla and rosemary add a very strange, uniquely cohesive blend that makes you a little less aware that it's still just carrots under there.
Plus, they make your house smell goooorgeous while they roast.
The end result is a side dish of straight vegetables that packs both a sweet and savory punch that leaves your guests wondering just how you made that unique flavor blend.
I suggest putting them on a plate with meat and carbs...
... because I still have no self-control.
Vanilla & Rosemary Roasted Carrots
1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and halved
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dried rosemary, minced
1 tsp vanilla extract
Salt & Pepper to taste
Preheat oven 350F.
Combine olive oil, vanilla, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Place carrots on baking sheet and drizzle oil mixture over the top. Sprinkle rosemary over the oil.
Roast for 1 hour.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Cajun Tilapia
Cajun seasoning.
I have been putting this on, well, just about everything lately. I can't tell you how many times I've sprinkled it over chicken this week alone.
For someone who's never been to the South, I sure feel that invisible Cajun blood welling up inside me.
I thought about showing you my Cajun chicken, but, in all honesty, it's just plain chicken and Cajun seasoning. Sometimes, it's on a bun. But, other than that, it's pretty straightforward.
I decided to put it on fish because that seemed like a natural fit, considering how much Southerners eat fish and Cajun seasoning. I can't really boast that they eat it on tilapia because, truthfully, I don't even know where tilapia is fished out of.
Quite possibly, tilapia doesn't even exist down there.
I'm not a geography major, so you'll have to fill me in on what fish goes best with this seasoning.
Anyway, I put it on tilapia and it was fantastic. The way I imagine Cajun-style fish is anywhere in the country.
Anyone got any ideas for more fish/meat this seasoning could go on?
Cajun Tilapia
2 large Tilapia filets
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 green onion, chopped
1 lemon, sliced into wedges
Salt & Pepper to taste
Preheat broiler.
Place fillets on baking sheet and drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil on the top. Sprinkle with 1/2 the Cajun seasoning. Flip and repeat on the other side.
Place tilapia under broiler for 4 minutes. Flip and broil an additional 2-3 minutes.
Garnish with green onions and lemon wedges.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Banana Fritters
I cannot tell a lie.
Very often, I use ingredients in meals that I can't admit to liking on their own. That's not to say I would experiment with bacon. We all know that is not going to happen, thank you very much.
But some foods, say, in this case, bananas, are not one of my top all-time favorites from the fruit pile. I will eat them, but I never crave them. I don't eat them when there is anything else better or fattier in the house.
Bananas are the kind of snack I eat because the cheese puffs are gone.
The easiest way to get me to eat bananas is to let them over-ripen and throw them in a banana bread.
I would eat that even with cheese puffs in the house.
Anyway, I figured since I had some bananas I knew I wouldn't eat, I'd look around for an interesting recipe to experiment with.
Banana Fritters is what I found.
I ate these plain, but I bet these would go even better with some chocolate sauce or some ice cream. They are sweet with a crunchy coating and a mushy, melt-in-your-mouth center.
Maybe bananas aren't that bad after all...
Banana Fritters
4 over-ripe bananas
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Oil for deep frying
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. The consistency should be pretty thick.
Heat a pan of oil to 350F.
Using an ice cream scoop, drop a dollop of the banana mixture into the oil one by one. Give each dollop enough space in the pan.
Fry for 2-3 minutes per side.
Serve with ice cream.
Very often, I use ingredients in meals that I can't admit to liking on their own. That's not to say I would experiment with bacon. We all know that is not going to happen, thank you very much.
But some foods, say, in this case, bananas, are not one of my top all-time favorites from the fruit pile. I will eat them, but I never crave them. I don't eat them when there is anything else better or fattier in the house.
Bananas are the kind of snack I eat because the cheese puffs are gone.
The easiest way to get me to eat bananas is to let them over-ripen and throw them in a banana bread.
I would eat that even with cheese puffs in the house.
Anyway, I figured since I had some bananas I knew I wouldn't eat, I'd look around for an interesting recipe to experiment with.
Banana Fritters is what I found.
I ate these plain, but I bet these would go even better with some chocolate sauce or some ice cream. They are sweet with a crunchy coating and a mushy, melt-in-your-mouth center.
Maybe bananas aren't that bad after all...
Banana Fritters
4 over-ripe bananas
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Oil for deep frying
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. The consistency should be pretty thick.
Heat a pan of oil to 350F.
Using an ice cream scoop, drop a dollop of the banana mixture into the oil one by one. Give each dollop enough space in the pan.
Fry for 2-3 minutes per side.
Serve with ice cream.
Caprese Salad
I love caprese.
Caprese anything, really.
It's surprising to me given that my least favorite vegetable on the planet is a tomato. Is the tomato a vegetable? I remember being told in grade school that it didn't technically count as a vegetable. But, I was also told that subjects like calculus and wood shop would come in handy in my adult life.
Yeah, right.
Thanks for the time suck, Department of Education.
Anyway, as someone who dislikes a regular old lettuce-filled salad, I have to try to get creative in order to get my daily veggie-quota in. That's where things like this caprese salad come into play.
And, yes, I do know that cucumbers are not caprese. But since I've been eating cucumbers in balsamic vinegar since I was a child, it seemed natural to put them in this recipe
It's my recipe. I do what I want.
This is a super easy and simple way to get a ton of vegetables into your diet without feeling like your eating a ton of vegetables. It's light and summery, but filling. Plus, it's totally good for you!
How many times can you get such a win-win in one salad?
Caprese Salad
2 cucumbers, sliced
2 cups grape tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
1 1/2 cups fresh mozzarella, cubed
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette
Salt & Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Chill before serving.
Caprese anything, really.
It's surprising to me given that my least favorite vegetable on the planet is a tomato. Is the tomato a vegetable? I remember being told in grade school that it didn't technically count as a vegetable. But, I was also told that subjects like calculus and wood shop would come in handy in my adult life.
Yeah, right.
Thanks for the time suck, Department of Education.
Anyway, as someone who dislikes a regular old lettuce-filled salad, I have to try to get creative in order to get my daily veggie-quota in. That's where things like this caprese salad come into play.
And, yes, I do know that cucumbers are not caprese. But since I've been eating cucumbers in balsamic vinegar since I was a child, it seemed natural to put them in this recipe
It's my recipe. I do what I want.
This is a super easy and simple way to get a ton of vegetables into your diet without feeling like your eating a ton of vegetables. It's light and summery, but filling. Plus, it's totally good for you!
How many times can you get such a win-win in one salad?
Caprese Salad
2 cucumbers, sliced
2 cups grape tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
1 1/2 cups fresh mozzarella, cubed
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette
Salt & Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Chill before serving.
Artisan Bread
I bought a dutch oven.
Brand new purchase.
Never used one before.
Never will be without one again.
I actually bought it because I saw this bread recipe online. I decided that I wanted to try it out for myself.
What... a phenomenal idea.
As you may have noticed back around April-ish, I was 110% obsessed with baking bread, specifically Easter breads. This was pretty much my first foray into the world of homemade yeast breads. As much as I struggle with this love/hate relationship I call baking, I have to say that I enjoy baking bread far more than I would have anticipated.
My favorite bread up until now has always been those fresh loaves from local bakery/delis that boast a thick, crusty outside with a soft, chewy middle.
We're talking bread, certainly not men, people.
For whatever reason, it certainly did not occur to me that I could make such a lovely thing by myself. Surely, it must have been one of those magic goods that are unable to be replicated.
Wrong.
If you're a fan of those fresh market loaves like I am, then this is definitely for you. And, the best part is, the ease in which this recipe comes together is unreal. It's basically like a mash-up of actions, like stir, wait, knead, wait, watch TV, bake, do your nails....
Not rocket science.
And, it comes out fresher than anything you can buy in a store with the totally doable option of digging in while it's still warm. I recommend that.
Plus, the options are unless if you're looking to flavor up your loaf.
I can't say enough about it, but I'm going to anyway so you can get on with your life and go bake this bread!
Artisan Bread
(adapted from Simply So Good)
3 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 packet instant yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
Whisk flour, salt, yeast and water in a large greased bowl until homogenous.
Cover with a dish towel and let rise overnight.
Preheat oven 450F. Place dutch oven inside the oven and heat for 20 minutes.
Give the dough one final knead on a floured surface before placing into the dutch oven.
Bake covered for 25 minutes. Remove lid and bake an additional 15 minutes.
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