August 31, 2008

Daring Bakers Challenge August 2008: Éclairs!

It's the end of the month so you know what that means...The Daring Baker's Reveal! This month's challenge was chosen by Meeta of What's for Lunch Honey? and Tony of Tony Tahhan and our challenge was Éclairs!

I must say this challenge both excited me (I mean come on...Éclairs??) and terrified me all at the same time. I've attempted a Pâte à Choux type pastry dough exactly once before and they fell completely flat and who really wants a flat Éclair? Not I! ;oP So I procrastinated...I put it off and put it off and put it off and finally when I made them Thursday afternoon I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome!

Now don't get me wrong...This challenge has a bit of work involved and you aren't going to just whip them up in thirty minutes, but it wasn't that hard in the long run and the results were heavenly! I ended halving the recipe when I realized there was no way I would get up early enough to send these to work with Jamison (and used 3 eggs because let's face it...It's a little hard to halve five eggs! ;oP) and made six oblong Éclairs and four round puffs and I must say they turned out fabulously!

I also decided to make my pastry cream a vanilla bean version instead of making it chocolate since we had the choice to keep one of the chocolate elements and use something else for the other option. I simply followed the recipe for the pastry cream and added in one scraped vanilla bean and one tablespoon of vanilla flavoring instead of the chocolate and it turned out perfectly! I still have some of the cream in the fridge...Oh the things I can do with that! ;oP

So this recipe is most definitely a winner! Be sure and check out the Daring Baker's Blogroll and see how everyone else's Éclairs turned out!

I can't wait to see what next month's challenge brings! I hope you all are having a fabulous Labor Day Weekend and for all my international readers I hope you're having a fabulous weekend too! :o)

Pierre Hermé's Chocolate Éclairs
Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
(makes 20-24 Éclairs)

• Cream Puff Dough (see below for recipe), fresh and still warm

1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide the oven into thirds by positioning the racks in the upper and lower half of the oven. Line two baking sheets with waxed or parchment paper.

2) Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a 2/3 (2cm) plain tip nozzle with the warm cream puff dough. Pipe the dough onto the baking sheets in long, 4 to 41/2 inches (about 11 cm) chubby fingers. Leave about 2 inches (5 cm) space in between each dough strip to allow them room to puff. The dough should give you enough to pipe 20-24 éclairs.

3) Slide both the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 7 minutes. After the 7 minutes, slip the handle of a wooden spoon into the door to keep in ajar. When the éclairs have been in the oven for a total of 12 minutes, rotate the sheets top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking for a further 8 minutes or until the éclairs are puffed, golden and firm. The total baking time should be approximately 20 minutes.

Notes:

1) The éclairs can be kept in a cool, dry place for several hours before filling.

Assembling the éclairs:

• Chocolate glaze (see below for recipe)
• Chocolate pastry cream (see below for recipe)

1) Slice the éclairs horizontally, using a serrated knife and a gently sawing motion. Set aside the bottoms and place the tops on a rack over a piece of parchment paper.

2) The glaze should be barely warm to the touch (between 95 – 104 degrees F or 35 – 40 degrees C, as measured on an instant read thermometer). Spread the glaze over the tops of the éclairs using a metal icing spatula. Allow the tops to set and in the meantime fill the bottoms with the pastry cream.

3) Pipe or spoon the pastry cream into the bottoms of the éclairs. Make sure you fill the bottoms with enough cream to mound above the pastry. Place the glazed tops onto the pastry cream and wriggle gently to settle them.

Notes:

1) If you have chilled your chocolate glaze, reheat by placing it in a bowl over simmering water, stirring it gently with a wooden spoon. Do not stir too vigorously as you do not want to create bubbles.

2) The éclairs should be served as soon as they have been filled.

Pierre Hermé's Cream Puff Dough
Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
(makes 20-24 Éclairs)

• ½ cup (125g) whole milk
• ½ cup (125g) water
• 1 stick (4 ounces; 115g) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature

1) In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to the boil.

2) Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add all of the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium and start to stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough comes together very quickly. Do not worry if a slight crust forms at the bottom of the pan, it's supposed to. You need to carry on stirring for a further 2-3 minutes to dry the dough. After this time the dough will be very soft and smooth.

3) Transfer the dough into a bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using your handmixer or if you still have the energy, continue by hand. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each egg has been added to incorporate it into the dough. You will notice that after you have added the first egg, the dough will separate, once again do not worry. As you keep working the dough, it will come back all together again by the time you have added the third egg. In the end the dough should be thick and shiny and when lifted it should fall back into the bowl in a ribbon.

4) The dough should be still warm. It is now ready to be used for the éclairs as directed above.

Notes:

1) Once the dough is made you need to shape it immediately.

2) You can pipe the dough and the freeze it. Simply pipe the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets and slide the sheets into the freezer. Once the dough is completely frozen, transfer the piped shapes into freezer bags. They can be kept in the freezer for up to a month.

Chocolate Pastry Cream
Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by PierreHermé

• 2 cups (500g) whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 6 tbsp (75g) sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
• 7 oz (200g) bittersweet chocolate, preferably Velrhona Guanaja, melted
• 2½ tbsp (1¼ oz: 40g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1) In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. In the meantime, combine the yolks, sugar and cornstarch together and whisk in a heavy‐bottomed saucepan.

2) Once the milk has reached a boil, temper the yolks by whisking a couple spoonfuls of the hot milk into the yolk mixture.Continue whisking and slowly pour the rest of the milk into the tempered yolk mixture.

3) Strain the mixture back into the saucepan to remove any egg that may have scrambled. Place the pan over medium heat and whisk vigorously (without stop) until the mixture returns to a boil. Keep whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 more minutes (still over medium heat).Stir in the melted chocolate and then remove the pan from the heat.

4) Scrape the pastry cream into a small bowl and set it in an ice‐water bath to stop the cooking process. Make sure to continue stirring the mixture at this point so that it remains smooth.

5) Once the cream has reached a temperature of 140 F remove from the ice‐water bath and stir in the butter in three or four installments. Return the cream to the ice‐water bath to continue cooling, stirring occasionally, until it has completely cooled. The cream is now ready to use or store in the fridge.

Notes:

1) The pastry cream can be made 2‐3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

2) In order to avoid a skin forming on the pastry cream, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the cream.

3) Tempering the eggs raises the temperature of the eggs slowly so that they do not scramble.

Chocolate Glaze
Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
(makes 1 cup or 300g)

• 1/3 cup (80g) heavy cream
• 3½ oz (100g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 tsp (20 g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature
• 7 tbsp (110 g) Chocolate Sauce (recipe below), warm or at room temperature

1)In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and slowly begin to add the chocolate, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula.

2) Stirring gently, stir in the butter, piece by piece followed by the chocolate sauce.

Notes:

1) If the chocolate glaze is too cool (i.e. not liquid enough) you may heat it briefly
 in the microwave or over a double boiler. A double boiler is basically a bowl sitting over (not touching) simmering water.

2) It is best to glaze the eclairs after the glaze is made, but if you are pressed for time, you can make the glaze a couple days ahead of time, store it in the fridge and bring it up to the proper temperature (95 to 104 F) when ready to glaze.

Chocolate Sauce
Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé
(makes 1½ cups or 525 g)

• 4½ oz (130 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup (250 g) water
• ½ cup (125 g) crème fraîche, or heavy cream
• 1/3 cup (70 g) sugar

1) Place all the ingredients into a heavy‐bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil, making sure to stir constantly. Then reduce the heat to low and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens.

2) It may take 10‐15 minutes for the sauce to thicken, but you will know when it is done when it coats the back of your spoon.

Notes:

1) You can make this sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for two weeks. Reheat the sauce in a microwave oven or a double boiler before using.

2) This sauce is also great for cakes, ice-cream and tarts.

Posted by Dianne at 12:01 AM | Comments (22) | TrackBack

August 29, 2008

Coming Next Week: Tomato Week 2008!

So you've got all those fresh tomatoes from your garden, your Farmer's Market or your CSA....Now what? Tune in next week for 7 fabulous recipes that will give you ideas of what to do with your tomato stash!

Have a great weekend everyone...Oh and don't forget to check back on Sunday for my Daring Bakers Challenge...It's a winner!

Tomatoes up Monday!

Posted by Dianne at 2:41 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

What's For Dinner?

Tonight Jamison and Alexis want spaghetti so we're having spaghetti...Or they are anyway. I'm having a fresh pasta topper and a salad.

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 12:55 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Turkey Pasta Bake

So you want some sort of pasta dish, but you aren't actually thinking along the line of something tomato based and you are stumped about where to go from there...Now what? Why not pull out some pasta, turkey and peas? This combination makes a lovely savory combination that will become a instant favorite if turkey and peas are your thing. It's just perfect for when you want a little pasta, but you'd like to put a hold on the tomatoes! ;o)

What You'll Need:
1 box of whole wheat penne, cooked according to package directions
Extra virgin olive oil
4 turkey cutlers, cooked and cut into chunks (Note: I cooked 4 cutlets, but only used two of them as I halved this recipe.)
1 onion, chopped
2 cups of mushrooms, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Sea salt
Black pepper
1 cup of fat free half and half
1/2 pound Gruyère cheese, shredded
1 package of frozen peas
Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Cook penne according to package directions, drain and place in a very large bowl. Set aside.

In a medium sized pan sauté turkey cutlets until done through. Remove from pan, cut into chunks and set aside.

In the same skillet that you cooked your turkey, add a bit more olive oil and sauté onion, mushrooms and garlic until tender with a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground pepper. Add half and half and Gruyère and stir until mostly melted. Stir in peas and turkey chunks until incorporated and pour mixture over the pasta, stirring gently to incorporate, but not mash the noodles.

Once noodles/veggies/turkey are mixed pour into an 13 X 9 inch dish that has been brushed with olive oil and spread out to ensure the mixture covers the entire dish.

Top with grated Pecorino Romano cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes until cheese melts and is slightly browned.

Notes: I halved what you see above made an 8 X 8 inch pan instead. You could use chicken or shrimp in place of the turkey, or even just add more mushrooms and leave out the meat all together.

Posted by Dianne at 7:47 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

August 28, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight Jamison has class so Alexis has asked for Chicken Noodle Soup and I must say it's a fabulous choice for this dark, rainy day! Though I must admit I'm enjoying the weather too...We really needed some rain!

Oh and just so you know until early December Jamison will be in class on Tuesday and Thursday nights and you most likely will not see rice or potatoes on the menu (unless they are creative) on those nights until then! ;oP

What are you having?

P.S. Stop over at Dinner Tonight and see Deb's round up of the fabulous Garden Party series that they've had the past few weeks! They've been a lot of fun and thanks to Deb for the link love!

Posted by Dianne at 1:05 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

Whole Grain Blueberry Waffles

No matter whether it's for breakfast or dinner, sometimes it is nice to have a good old blueberry waffles, but why not take that blueberry waffle and make it a bit healthier. Granted this still is not something you would want to eat every day, but it makes the times that you just have to have a waffle that much better! ;oP

What You'll Need:
2 cups of white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 cup of organic cane sugar
3 eggs 2 cups of buttermilk (Note: If you don't have buttermilk you can use 1 cup of sour cream and 1 cup of milk.)
1 to 1 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries

Preheat a waffle iron.

Stir together white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt and sugar in a bowl until well mixed. Add eggs, oil and buttermilk and stir until well mixed. (Note: You may need a bit more buttermilk due to humidity and such. You want a thick batter type consistency.) Stir in blueberries, until just mixed.

Spray your waffle iron with non-stick spray or brush with oil. Add batter to each plate and lower the lid. When the waffles are golden and done through remove and serve.

Notes: You could do this with strawberries or bananas as well.

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August 27, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight we're having steak tips with peppers, onions and mushrooms paired with baked potatoes.

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 2:49 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Kicked Up Barbeque Chicken

Barbeque chicken, a bit dull, but oh so good! But why not kick it up another notch? This takes regular barbequed chicken and makes it something more...It's just perfect for when you want something quick, simple, but with a certain wow factor. What's not to like about that?

This recipe is actually something I came up with when I was doing Weight Watchers several years ago and one of the many times I've done that over the years. By taking the barbeque chicken and adding a few elements you really get bang for your buck (or points as the case may be)!

It's been a while since I've done Points (the last time I did WW I did the Zone plan), but let's see if I can't remember the basic break down...2 points for the chicken breast, 1 point for the barbeque sauce, 2 points for the cheese, 2 points for the center cut bacon and 0 points for the scallion...That brings you in at around 7 Points, if I remember my Points correctly, for a very hearty dish. Pair it with some fresh or steamed vegetables and you've got the perfect meal!

Note: As I mentioned it has been several years since I have done Points, so double check the numbers if you are actually doing WW! :o)

What You'll Need Per Person:
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup of barbeque sauce
1 ounce of shredded cheddar or Colby cheese (Note: I used Colby Jack.)
1 piece of center cut bacon, cooked and chopped or crumbled
1 scallion, chopped both green and white parts

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Bake chicken breast for 20-25 minutes until done through. Remove from oven and brush with barbeque sauce. Return to oven for 5 additional minutes.

Once chicken is done and barbeque sauce is heated remove from oven and place chicken breast on a plate. Top with shredded cheese, bacon and scallions. Serve immediately.

Notes: If you aren't a fan of barbeque sauce you could simply add the toppings to a breast that has been cooked with season salt.

Posted by Dianne at 7:39 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

August 26, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight Jamison has class, so it's just Alexis and me for dinner. We are having ahi tuna steaks, local corn on the cob and cucumbers.

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 12:24 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Operation Baking GALS Mission Two Team Barefoot: Peanut Butter Brownies and Mint Chocolate Chip Bars

Over at Operation Baking GALS it's time for Mission Two and I'm on Team Barefoot this go around! I decided to send a couple of things again just as I did last time. This time I decided to make some Peanut Butter Brownies and some Mint Chocolate Chip Bars to send. I sent my package out Saturday morning so hopefully they'll arrive soon!

If you are interested in getting involved in Operation Baking GALS yourself check out the website and for now why don't you try one of the recipes for yourself? What are you waiting for??

What You'll Need for the Peanut Butter Brownies:
4 ounces of baking chocolate
1 stick of butter
2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon of sea salt
2 teaspoons of baking powder
4 eggs
1 cup of buttermilk
1 cup peanut butter (Note: Crunchy or smooth will work. I used smooth.)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Melt baking chocolate with butter in either a double boiler or in the microwave until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl stir together flour, salt and baking powder until completely incorporated. Add chocolate mixture, eggs and buttermilk and stir until completely mixed. Stir in peanut butter until incorporated and spread batter into a 13 X 9 inch pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake for 25-35 minutes until brownies are fudgy. Let cool completely and slice into squares. Store in an airtight container.

Notes: If you leave out the peanut butter you just have your basic brownie, but the peanut butter gives the brownie such a wonderful flavor.

What You'll Need for the Mint Chocolate Chip Bars:
2 sticks of butter, softened
1 1/2 cups of organic cane sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of sea salt
2 1/4 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 - 10 ounce package of mint chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 F. (Note: If you were using this dough for cookies instead of bars, you would want to chill the dough for at least 4 hours before baking, but since you are baking like you would brownies you can skip the chilling.)

In the bowl of a mixer cream together butter, sugar and eggs. Add salt and baking soda and mix until incorporated. Add flour slowly and mix until dough forms. Stir or mix in chocolate chips and spread the dough out into a 13 X 9 inch pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and done through.

Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature and then slice into squares. Store in an airtight container.

Notes: This is just an adaptation of the basic Toll House Cookie recipe. You could use regular chocolate chips and add nuts if you liked.

Posted by Dianne at 7:34 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

August 25, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight we're having oven baked chicken breasts, roasted sweet potatoes for Alexis and I, roasted potatoes for Jamison and mixed vegetables. Basic perhaps, maybe even a bit boring, but sometimes that's exactly what you need! ;oP

What are you having?

Update: 6:56 PM: My allergies are really bothering me and I feel blah so Jamison picked up Chinese for dinner.

Posted by Dianne at 12:56 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Very Good Taste's Omnivore's Hundred

I've seen this several places (most recently at a Fridge Full of Food) and thought it would be fun to do! This originated from Andrew at Very Good Taste. Now let's get started shall we?

Here are the instructions:

1. Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2. Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3. Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4. Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile (No Crocodile, but I have had Alligator!)
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV (Not a fan of beer.)
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill (Deer that's been accidentally run over)
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail (Does Conch count?)
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare (Does Rabbit count?)
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee (Not a fan of coffee either.)
100. Snake (I've had rattlesnake.)

So there you have it...That's what I've eaten. What about you? Play along on your own blog or even in the comments below!

Posted by Dianne at 10:54 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Blueberry Cheesecake

On Saturday a dear friend of mine (Hi Cookie!) came over for lunch/the day. We ate lunch, talked, played Scene It Harry Potter and just generally enjoyed spending time with one another! Earlier in the week I had e-mailed Cookie and asked if she liked blueberries as I had a bunch of blueberries in the freezer that I froze when they were in season and I've been wanting to make something with them ever since! It turns out Cookie likes blueberries too so we were in business!

So now I knew we were dealing with blueberries, but what to make? I could have made some sort of blueberry pie or blueberry cobbler or something with a blue berry sauce or a cake or blueberry muffins or even one my all time favorites Blueberry Ice Cream! But I've done all those already...I wanted something new...Something different! But what?

Then it hit me...Cheesecake! Yes I had already made a cheesecake for our dinner guests earlier in the week, but I had always wanted to see if you could make a cheesecake with actual blueberries in the cake and not just as a topping and this was the perfect chance! And I must say I really loved how this turned out! The flavor was really fabulous and the color was just marvelous! Topped with a little whipped cream this was the perfect, cool, creamy, summery dessert!

Now if you'll excuse me I think I need to go get myself upon the treadmill and/or elliptical machine! ;oP

What You'll Need for the Crust:
1 sleeve graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick of butter, melted

(Note: I like to leave my graham crackers a bit chunky instead of processing them to complete crumbs, but which ever version you prefer will work fine.)

Crush graham crackers and place in a medium sized bowl. Add sugar and stir to mix. Pour in melted butter and stir until it all comes together. Press into a 9-inch spring form pan that has been generously sprayed with non-stick spray. Set aside.

Note: As I've mentioned before in terms of cheesecake the most important part of making a cheesecake is making sure that you preheat your oven first! Preheat your oven to 325 F and don't try to skip this step. It's essential! Do NOT skip the preheat stage!

What You'll Need for the Blueberry Portion:
2 cups of blueberries (Note: I used some I had frozen earlier this summer)
The zest of 1 lemon
The juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of organic cane sugar

In a medium sized pot add blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar and cook over medium heat stirring often until blueberries form sauce and become soft. This takes roughly 3-8 minutes depending on the heat.

Remove from heat and set aside and let cool to at least lukewarm or cool completely.

What You'll Need for the Cheesecake:
Blueberries as prepared above
4 - 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened (Note: I used regular cream cheese, but I've used low-fat and fat free in the past when making cheesecake and they both have worked.)
1 cup ricotta (Note: I used part skim this time because the store was out of fat free, but any variety will work.)
4 eggs
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 cup of unbleached all purpose flour

As I mentioned above preheat your oven to 325 F.

In the bowl of your mixer cream together cream cheese, eggs, ricotta and sugar until completely smooth. Add cooked blueberry mixture and mix until the blueberries are completely incorporated into the batter. You may need to scrape down the bowl several times. Add flour and mix until just incorporated. The batter will be a lovely purple color:

I mean how gorgeous is that color??

Pour batter into the pan with the crust and spread it out evenly. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to make sure there are no air pockets. Wrap the bottom of the pan in aluminum foil and place the pan into a baking dish. Pour warm water into the dish until it comes at least half of the way up the side of the pan. (Note: The aluminum foil keeps the water from ruining the cheesecake, while allowing you to bake it in a water bath.)

Bake for 1 hour.

At the end of 1 hour turn the oven off, but leave the cheesecake where it is. Open the oven door to the broil position and let the cheesecake sit in the turned off oven for an additional hour. Once that hour is over remove from oven and place in the fridge. You want to chill the cheesecake for at least 8 hours. Overnight is best.

Once the cheesecake has cooled completely, just before serving, remove the outer ring of the springform pan, slice and serve.

Trust me if you're a blueberry lover you are going to LOVE this one!

Notes: I'm going to go out on a limb here and say if this worked for blueberries, any berry would work with this same method. Or perhaps peaches...Oh my...I may just have to make that one day! ;oP

Posted by Dianne at 7:03 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

August 22, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight I'm going to make gluten free waffles for Alexis and Jamison and I'm going to have Vegetable Quiche.

What are you having?

Update: 5:22 PM: I ended up making 2 mini quiches in my mini tart pans with Colby jack, swiss and dill. One for tonight and one for Sunday for lunch. I also have some salad from last night so I'm going to have some salad too.

Posted by Dianne at 12:59 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

Taste and Create XIII: Potato Rosemary Fougasse

For this month's Taste and Create I was paired with Pam from The Backyard Pizzeria and after looking through her blog I finally decided to make the Potato Rosemary Fougasse because I had never made a flat bread before and potatoes and rosemary...What's not to like? And I must say this did not disappoint! It was fabulous!

First off let's talk some dough!

If you've never made bread with potato in it before you have to try it! The potato gives the bread such a wonderful texture and the dough is just a dream to work with! I somehow forgot to add the brown sugar, but the bread turned out fabulously, so I didn't miss it!

Once I had the bread together I put it in a large bowl that had been oiled with olive oil to let it rise:

And I let it do its thing for about 45 minutes until it had risen nicely:

From there I divided the dough into one small ball and one large flat bread:

I cut slits into the flatbread as you can see above. I also wanted to see how it would work as a smaller "bun" type deal and thus the smaller version as well, which I left untouched other than shaping.

After about 40 minutes the bread had risen to this:

How gorgeous is that?

I baked it for about 23 minutes and it turned out great! I mean look at that crumb!:

Look at those lovely bits of rosemary throughout!

Let's take a little closer look at that shall we?

Isn't that fabulous?

I was very pleased with this bread. I wish I had remembered it last night when my sister was here and we had salads, it would have been the perfect accompaniment! I'd like to make it again and play around with using White Whole Wheat flour in place of the white flour. I think it would work perfectly!

As always Taste and Create was so much fun. Be sure to stop over at the main site and see everyone else's contributions and stop over at the The Backyard Pizzeria for the actual recipe!

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! A friend of mine who I haven't gotten a chance to spend a lot of time with lately is coming over on Saturday so that should be a blast! Other than that we're just relaxing! Check back later for What's For Dinner and then I'll see everyone on Monday!

Posted by Dianne at 7:21 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

August 21, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight Jamison has an appointment and won't be eating with us, so we're having big salads with homemade blue cheese dressing. My sister and the boys may be here too.

What are you having?

Update: 9:22PM: The blue cheese was molded (and not in a good way!) so we had homemade ranch instead.

Posted by Dianne at 1:08 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Hot Fudge and Whipped Cream

I adore cheesecake and if you've been around Dianne's Dishes for a while you've probably heard me say that before! Seriously a cheesecake food group? Anyone??

Essentially I have a basic cheesecake recipe base that I tweak to make different varieties. The base is the most important part of a cheesecake to begin with. You want something that is creamy, yet firm, but not so firm that you have to really push your fork through it to eat it. You want firm, yet soft...Confused yet? ;oP But trust me this cake base never fails! You get a perfect cheese cake every time and after all that's exactly what you want!

A peanut butter cheesecake has been on my list of things to play around with for a while. So when we had dinner guests on Tuesday night (With whom we had a fabulous time I might add!) I decided it was the perfect time to see what I could come with! I must say I was really pleased. The peanut butter is there, but not overpowering and the chocolate crust, along with the hot fudge drizzle and whipped cream just all came together so well! I even made Jamison a crustless, gluten-free version (see below) that was pretty good too! What's not to like about that?

What You'll Need for the Crust:
1 sleeve chocolate graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick of butter, melted

Crush graham crackers and place in a medium sized bowl. Add sugar and stir to mix. Pour in melted butter and stir until it all comes together. Press into a 9-inch spring form pan that has been generously sprayed with non-stick spray. Set aside.

Note: The most important part of making a cheesecake, other than getting everything blended well, is making sure that you preheat your oven first! Preheat your oven to 325 F and don't try to skip this step. It's essential!

What You'll Need for the Cheesecake:
4 - 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened (Note: This go around I used regular cream cheese, but I've used low-fat and fat free in the past when making cheesecake and they both have worked.)
1 cup ricotta (Note: I use fat free, but any variety will work.)
4 eggs
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 cup peanut butter powder
1 cup of unbleached all purpose flour

As I mentioned above preheat your oven to 325 F.

In the bowl of your mixer cream together cream cheese, eggs, ricotta and sugar until completely smooth. Add peanut butter powder and beat until completely mixed. On low speed add flour and mix until just incorporated.

Pour batter into the pan with the crust and spread it out evenly. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to make sure there are no air pockets. Wrap the bottom of the pan in aluminum foil and place the pan into a baking dish. Pour warm water into the dish until it comes at least half of the way up the side of the pan. (Note: The aluminum foil keeps the water from ruining the cheesecake, while allowing you to bake it in a water bath.) Bake for 1 hour.

At the end of 1 hour turn the oven off, but leave the cheesecake where it is. Open the oven door to the broil position and let the cheesecake sit in the turned off oven for an additional hour. Once that hour is over remove from oven and place in the fridge. You want to chill the cheesecake for at least 8 hours. Overnight is best.

What You'll Need for a Gluten Free Alternative:
1 - 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup of organic cane sugar
1/3 cup ricotta (Note: Again I used fat free, but any variety will work fine.)
2/3 cup peanut butter powder
1/3 cup sweet potato flour

Cream together cream cheese, eggs, ricotta and sugar until smooth. Add peanut butter powder and beat until it is completely mixed. Add sweet potato flour on low and mix until just incorporated. Pour into two small 6 inch glass dishes that have been sprayed with non-stick spray. Follow the same directions for baking as above.

(Note: With the glass dishes you don't need to wrap the bottoms of the dishes in aluminum foil since the water can not penetrate them.)

After the hour of sitting in the oven that is turned off turn cheesecake out of their dish and put in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 8 hours before serving.

Now let's talk a little hot fudge shall we?

What You'll Need for the Hot Fudge Sauce:
8 ounces of baking chocolate (Note: I used 60%.)
1 cup of sugar
1 stick of butter
2 cups of half and half
1 tablespoon of vanilla

Melt everything together in a medium sized pot. Bring to a quick boil. Boil for three minutes and then remove from heat. Add vanilla and stir to mix. Let cool and serve.

Note: You can store the hot fudge in the fridge when you're done. When you put the hot fudge in the fridge it turns to a fudge like consistency. Simply take out a few scoops, put it into a glass dish and microwave for 20-30 seconds to melt again.

Posted by Dianne at 7:25 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

August 20, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight I'm going to make some vegetarian Sloppy Joes for me, some left over chicken for Alexis and a hamburger on a gluten free bun for Jamison. I'm going to make Jamison and Alexis oven fries and me some oven sweet potato fries.

What are you having?

Update: 10:51PM: When I was slicing cucumbers and tomatoes for Alexis to go with her chicken they looked so good to me that I decided to make a salad instead of Sloppy Joes. It was fabulous!

Posted by Dianne at 12:38 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

Mexican Lasagna

Mexican lasagna has always intrigued me. I've heard about it for years, but had never tried it. I knew the general idea was that you used corn tortillas as you would noodles in a more traditional lasagna, while also utilizing more traditionally Mexican ingredients. I made this version sans meat and I must say I really liked the result! What's even more fabulous is that the longer it sits the more the flavors just come together making it the perfect recipe for leftovers! And let's face it leftovers are a good thing...Lunch anyone? ;oP

What You'll Need:
12 Corn tortillas
1 - 15 ounce can of pinto beans (Note: If you want you can use pre-made refried beans, but I like to make my own.)
6-8 scallions, chopped (Note: Both green and white parts.)
Cayenne pepper
A pinch of sea salt
1 - 4.25 ounce can of whole green chillies, drained and chopped
1 - 19 ounce can of enchilada sauce
Chopped peppers (Note: You can use any type of pepper that you like. I used chopped sweet banana peppers, but bell peppers will work fine too. If you really want to heat things up then you can use a hot pepper as well.)
Shredded Cheddar, Colby or Monterrey Jack (Note: I used Colby Jack. Or you can use a combo of any of them.)
Sour cream for garnishing if desired

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Mash pinto beans and stir in chopped scallions, a generous pinch of sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste. (Note: If you don't like a little spice then leave out the cayenne, but I like for it to give a little kick. You can use as much or as little of it as you like.) Set aside.

Spray and 8 X 8 inch baking dish with non-stick spray and place 4 corn tortillas in the bottom of the pan, overlapping, until the entire bottom surface of the dish is covered. Spread out half of the bean mixture to cover the top of the tortillas. Sprinkle with chopped chilies and peppers.

Next add a layer of enchilada sauce and cheese. Repeat these steps one more time.

After you have done two layers add another layer of tortillas and top it with enchilada sauce and peppers. Then top with a layer of cheese.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese melts and browns slightly. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Cut into slices and serve plain or with a dollop of sour cream.

Note: Guacamole would be a good topper for this too. You could add some shredded chicken too if you liked, or even some mushrooms to continue in the vegetarian vibe.

Posted by Dianne at 7:36 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

August 19, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight we're having guests over for dinner. That's always fun! We're having fajitas (pan made this time I decided it was too hot outside so I pulled out the crock pot instead!), "Refried" Beans, queso, tortilla chips, Fresh "Salsa" and roasted peppers and onions to go on the fajitas. We'll also have cheese and sour cream for topping if desired.

For dessert we're having a peanut butter cheesecake with a chocolate crust (I made Jamison a gluten free version with no crust), topped with hot fudge and freshly whipped cream.

To drink I took some of the concentrate from the Strawberry Lemonade Punch in the freezer and simply made Strawberry Lemonade instead. I also made some Passion Fruit iced tea. I'll have sugar or a zero calorie sweetener for the tea if needed, but I think it's best just straight up and of course we'll have water if either of the above choices don't suit.

What are you having?

Update: 3:17 PM: I forgot about the Mexican rice! We're having that too! :o)

Posted by Dianne at 12:46 PM | Comments (10) | TrackBack

Parmesan Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

Today is a busy day, so I'm going to share with you a quick, easy, fabulous side dish that you can whip up in no time! This one will get you raves and you won't be in the kitchen all day either. That's a win win in my book! ;oP

What You'll Need Per Person:
1 potato
Extra virgin olive oil
Course sea salt (Note: I like Celtic Sea salt.)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce of Parmesan cheese, grated
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, stripped from the stem and chopped

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Cut a potato in half and then make slices about 1/8 of an inch thick. Toss with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper, Parmesan and rosemary and place in a single layer on a baking sheet that has been lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Bake for 20-25 minutes until potatoes are slightly crisp and golden. Serve immediately.

How easy is that?

Notes: You could use thyme if you liked in place of the rosemary or use them both.

Posted by Dianne at 7:43 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

August 18, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight we're having a Roasted Old Bay Chicken, some left over corn on the cob, cucumbers and wild rice.

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 1:24 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Stuffed Peppers a la Dianne

Wow the weekend passes so quickly! You blink and it's simply gone! It seems like just a few minutes ago it was Friday afternoon and now bam it's Monday morning! Where did the time go? I'll tell you...It went to house cleaning and lawn mowing and laundry and errands and generally boring stuff! So let's not talk about it and move on to the peppers shall we?

Stuffed peppers...I've heard horror stories about them and I must say I've never actually tried your traditional stuffed pepper, nor have I actually had a chance, and these stuffed peppers are most definitely not what most people are used to! I also made some Stuffed Mediterranean Peppers last year and they weren't exactly what you would call traditional either, but that is not necessarily a bad thing!

Traditionally (From what I understand...Again I've never eaten a stuffed pepper) stuffed peppers involve some form of tomato sauce, maybe some onion, possibly some rice, perhaps some ground beef and seasonings. Sounds good, but I wanted to take it a step further. I decided to cut out the tomato and meat, add in risotto instead of regular rice, all while tossing in some cheese and giving them a spicy kick. What resulted was fabulous and if you like things a little spicy then these are the stuffed peppers for you!

What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4-5 mushrooms, chopped
A pinch of sea salt
2-3 cups of baby spinach leaves, chopped
1 cup of arborio rice
Freshly ground black pepper
A generous pinch of cayenne pepper (Note: If you're not a fan of spicy use less or omit this. If you like spice add more!)
1 quart of broth, plus more if needed (Note: Chicken or vegetable will work.)
1/4 a pound of queso blanco
2 ounces of goat cheese

In a large skillet sauté onion and mushroom with a pinch of sea salt until tender. Add chopped spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until spinach is wilted. Add arborio rice and cook for a minute or two, then add black pepper and cayenne pepper and give a stir to mix. Add broth and cook, stirring occasionally until arborio rice is tender.

You may need to add more liquid. I usually use broth at first and then if I need to add more I add water instead. If the liquid has absorbed, but the arborio rice is still stiff add more water 1 cup at a time. Sometimes you may not need to add liquid at all, other times you may need to add liquid 3 or 4 additional times. I'm not sure why this is, but I suspect it is much like flour and has to do with humidity.

While the arborio rice is cooking, cut the tops off of bell peppers and remove the seeds and ribs. (Note: This mixture will fill 6-10 peppers depending on what size they are. I used four, three green and one chocolate, and had some filling left over.) Set aside.

Once the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed remove from heat and stir in cheese until mostly melted. Let sit for about 5 minutes to rest.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Stuff each pepper with filling until it is completely filled and place the top of the pepper back on. Place in a baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray or brushed with olive oil. Baked for 10-15 minutes until peppers are soft. Serve immediately.

Notes: This filling mixture is fabulous all on its own if you don't want to stuff peppers. This filling would also be good to stuff mushrooms.

Posted by Dianne at 7:28 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

August 15, 2008

What's For Dinner?

I have no clue what we are having tonight for dinner. Alexis and I both had a big salad for lunch, but I'm not sure about dinner yet!

Inspire me people! ;o)

What are you having?

Update: 3:14 PM:

"Alexis what should we make for dinner? I'm having trouble deciding."

"Pizza of course!"

Pizza it is!

Posted by Dianne at 1:37 PM | Comments (10) | TrackBack

Gluten Free Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate...What's not to like? I'm a firm believer that there is no such thing as too much chocolate. Jamison on the other hand...Well let's just say that he's a firm believer in chocolate in small doses.

Yes I know...How is that possible? ;oP

He does however like chocolate pie (though I'll have to gluten free-ize it before Thanksgiving...And yes I did just make that up!) so I thought it might be fun to play around with some pudding and see what I could come up with and let me tell you Alexis and I were highly impressed!

Now in the interest of full disclosure I have to tell you that Jamison wasn't as big of a fan of this as Lex and I. He thought it was too rich, which rich it was, but again it's all a matter of perspective. I also was out of milk chocolate so that made it a bit richer than it might have been otherwise and I'll definitely try it again in the future using milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet to see if it would be a bit more to his liking. Overall however I was very pleased and if you're a chocolate lover I think you would be too!

P.S. I enjoyed taking last weekend off so much I've decided to make it an every week thing for the most part unless something just really inspires me and I can't wait to share it with you all! Check back this afternoon for "What's For Dinner?" and then I'll see you happy readers on Monday!

What You'll Need:
2 cups of chocolate chips (Note: Milk, semi-sweet or dark will work fine. Or you could do a mix of them or even go nuts and throw in some white chocolate chips too!)
1 1/2 cups of sugar (Note: Jamison likes things very sweet!)
1 1/2 cups of half and half (Note: Fat-free or regular is fine.)
1 cup of corn starch
1/2 a stick of butter, softened

In a large pot, over low to medium heat, melt chocolate chips and sugar in half and half, stirring often, until smooth. Once melted bring to a quick boil and slowly add corn starch, stirring constantly. Once mixture is slightly thickened (about 2-3 minutes) remove from heat, add softened butter and stir for an additional minute or until butter is completely melted and incorporated. Chill for 1 hour and serve plain or with a dollop of whipped cream.

Notes: Because of the chocolate chips this is a make and serve sort of dish. The longer it sits, the more firm it becomes. If needed you can whip the mixture with a mixer or hand mixer just before serving if you feel it's too firm.

Posted by Dianne at 7:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 14, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight is breakfast for dinner! I'm going to make Jamison and Alexis some Gluten Free Waffles and I'm going to play around with either Banana or Blueberry waffles for myself.

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 1:56 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Fish, Chips, Hush Puppies and Double Dill Tartar Sauce

One of Jamison's all time favorites has always been fish and fries. Luckily he can still have these since there was no gluten in the process. The method of cooking fish is adapted from Jamison's dad, who is an avid fisherman and likes to have fish fries, and I have to say it's really fabulous! Of course for me I like to throw in some hush puppies and tartar sauce and you've got the perfect meal! Had this been onion rings instead of "chips" and I would have been in complete heaven! Maybe next time! But since I would be the only one eating them this go round I didn't want to go to the trouble. Anyway, this is a quick and easy way to make fish and trust me you'll love it!

What You'll Need for the Fish:
1 to 1 1/2 pounds of a firm fish (Note: This is a fabulous way to cook catfish and that is usually what I use, but this go round I used grouper.)
Hot sauce
1 cup of corn meal
A generous pinch of sea salt
Black pepper
Cajun or Soul Food Seasoning (Note: I used Cajun Seasoning this go round and the version I used is salt free. If you use something that has salt added then omit the sea salt.)
Oil for frying (Note: I have a fryer, but you can use oil in a large pot with a thermometer on the stove top if you don't.)

The first thing you want to do is make the fish. Since you're going to be frying things in batches preheat your oven to 225 F to keep things warm. Also preheat your oil to 375 F.

Cut your fish into small pieces and sprinkle generously with hot sauce. Set aside.

While your oil is heating mix together corn meal, salt, black pepper and Cajun seasoning until well mixed. Once oil is heated take fish fillets that have been sitting with hot sauce and place them in the corn meal mixture to coat:

Once the oil is heated completely drop fish into the fryer in a single layer, but do not over crowd. My fryer will hold 2-3 pieces of fish at a time, depending on the size. Fry for 5-8 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Place on a baking sheet that has been lined with a silicone baking sheet and paper towels to drain:

Once you are finished frying the fish put the baking sheet into the preheated oven to stay warm until you finish the hush puppies and "chips".

Next up...Hush Puppies!

(Note: This makes a small batch of hush puppies...Roughly 8-12 depending on what size you drop into the oil.)

What You'll Need:
1 1/2 cups of cornmeal (Note: This is real cornmeal...Not cornmeal mix or whatever that has flour and leavening agents added to it.)
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup of milk or buttermilk
2/3 cup of sour cream (Note: I like to add this in when I'm out of buttermilk, but it is still fabulous even if you are using buttermilk.)
1/2 of a bell pepper, chopped fine
1/2 of a small red onion, chopped fine

Preheat oil to 375 F.

In a large bowl mix cornmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda until well incorporated. Add egg, milk and sour cream and stir to mix. (Note: You want a very thick batter that is not quite a dough. If you need to add a bit more milk do. Corn meal, much like flour sometimes needs a bit more or a bit less.) Stir in bell pepper and onion until completely incorporated into the batter. Let sit for at least 10 minutes and then drop by the rounded tablespoonfuls into the hot oil. Flip the hush puppies a few times while frying to ensure that they do not brown only on one side. Remove when golden brown and place in the preheated oven to stay warm.

Now you want to do the "chips"! Basically you want to do these with the same method as the Bacon Cheese Curly Fries that I made for Jamison's birthday, minus the bacon and cheese. If you've never made homemade fries before take the link and you'll be set!

And last but not least (or you can make this well ahead of time and have on hand in the fridge) you want to make the Double Dill Tartar Sauce!

What You'll Need:
1 cup of light mayonnaise
1/2 cup of dill pickle relish (Note: If you can't find dill pickle relish then you can simply chop some dill pickles or dill pickle chips.)
1/3 cup of fresh dill, chopped fine or 1-2 tablespoons of dried dill
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Mix together in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

And there you have it...Your own Fish, Chips and Hush Puppy dinner!

Notes: The left over fish makes fabulous leftover sandwiches! Toast a couple of slices of bread, reheat the fish and place on the bread, top with a slice of cheese and some of the Double Dill Tartar Sauce, pair it with a salad and you've got a fabulous meal in no time!

Posted by Dianne at 7:10 AM | Comments (11) | TrackBack

August 13, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight for Jamison and Alexis I'm making single serve lasagnas. I'm making a turkey pasta bake for myself. Alexis and I will have some fresh tomatoes and cucumbers as well.

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 3:27 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

Slow Cooker Fajitas

Normally I do fajitas on the stove top, but a few weeks ago I decided to try them out in the slow cooker and see how they turned out and I have to say I was very pleased! The meat turned out to be tender and the spices were just right! I'll definitely be doing this again...It's simple, delicious and just perfect for those summer days when you don't want to heat up the house!

What You'll Need:
1 to 1 1/2 pounds of beef or chicken, sliced into thin strips
Extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1 tablespoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Note: Most of the pictures are of the beef version, but I've got a couple of chicken examples too for the end.

Slice meat into thin strips and place in a glass bowl:

Mix together spices and then pour over meat. Toss to coat and place the meat in the bowl of your slow cooker:

Cook on high for 2-3 hours until beef is tender.

After the meat is cooked remove it from the slow cooker and serve. Below is how I like to serve them.

First lay meat out in the center of a tortilla:

(Note: I prefer whole wheat.)

Next top the meat with some sautéed peppers and onions:

I like to really sear them and let them get slightly caramelized. It makes them tender and gives such a wonderful flavor.

Next top with a little cheese:

Sometimes I use cheddar, sometimes Colby, sometimes Monterrey Jack, or sometimes a mix of all three. This night I simply used Colby.

At this point you can call it a day and simply wrap it up:

Or you can top it with a little sour cream, avocado and/or guacamole and then wrap it up. You can pair it with some beans or a salad and dinner is ready!

Chicken also works with this method:

You cook it the same way and once the chicken is done through and tender you're ready to go.

I cooked some for Jamison the other day:

I served his with rice since he's not a fan of corn tortillas and he can't eat the flour version.

Notes: You can play around with the spices if you like. I like it a bit spicy, but you can leave out the cayenne all together if that is not your thing.

Posted by Dianne at 7:21 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

August 12, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight we're going the healthy route. I'm going to make Jamison some stir fry for dinner. I may have stir fry as well, or I may make a few sushi rolls. Alexis wants edamame with her rice instead of stir fry so that works too.

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 12:25 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Chocolate Peanut Butter Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Chocolate and peanut butter...Such a fabulous combination as you well know! A few weeks ago when our neighbor did us a favor I decided to play around with the two ingredients and this cookie is the result! These cookies are tender and almost cake like and the flavors of the chocolate and the peanut butter just meld so well! I wish Jamison could have tried these, but alas with the gluten it just wasn't an option! These would have been fabulous for him though! Regardless, if you are a peanut butter/chocolate lover then these are the cookies for you!

What You'll Need:
2 ounces of baking chocolate
1/4 cup of half and half
2 sticks of butter, softened
1/2 cup of peanut butter powder
1 tablespoon of vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 cup of cocoa
2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
2 - 10 ounce packages of peanut butter chips

Melt baking chocolate with the half and half in the microwave until smooth. (Note: My microwave actually has a setting for melting chocolate and it works great! You want to be extremely careful when you melt chocolate in the microwave that you don't let it go too far and burn. Do the first round at 30 seconds and then do each additional round at 20 seconds if your microwave doesn't have a setting.) Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of your mixer cream together butter, peanut butter powder, vanilla, eggs and sugar until completely smooth. Add cooled, melted chocolate and mix well. Next add sea salt, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa to the wet mixture and mix on low until incorporated. Slowly add flour and mix until just mixed. Add peanut butter chips and stir to incorporate. (Note: You can do this with a spoon or you can just mix them in with the mixer on low. I prefer the mixer method.) Place dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Drop dough by the rounded tablespoonful onto a baking sheet that has been lined with a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper. Bake for 8-12 minutes until cookies are done through. Remove from oven let sit on the cookie sheets for a couple of minutes and then remove the cookies gently to a cooling rack. Once the cookie are cooled store in an airtight container.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Notes: You could add in chopped peanuts as well if you liked.

Posted by Dianne at 7:07 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

August 11, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight is a mixed bag...Jamison is having steak and a baked potato, Alexis is having a turkey sandwich and I'm having Mexican lasagna.

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 2:36 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Tomato Goat Cheese Pizza Tart

Wow...The weekend seems to go by so fast! On Saturday we decided to go the new local library and see what it had to offer. They had booths set up with fun things to do and clog dancers, which Alexis really enjoyed, and of course the new library and all the books! What's not to like about that?

Saturday night Jamison made dinner and then I gave Jamison a haircut, after which he put Alexis to bed. I then spent several hours watching Dr. Who on BBC America...Sure they are old episodes, but David Tennet was on the screen so what else could you ask for? Perhaps a Dr. Who/Torchwood marathon would have been even better...Yes I'm a geek! ;oP

Speaking of being a geek I saw a quote on Facebook Flair that I just loved: "Come to the dork side...We have π!" Get it...π...Pi...Pie...Oh never mind! ;oP

Where was I? Oh yes...

Anyway, yesterday I spent the day doing lesson plans and Jamison and Alexis spent the day annoying one another, which they are rather good at! ;oP No seriously though Jamison kept Alexis occupied...They played in the basement, they played outside and had fun as they always do. It's amazing how much you can get done when a curious five year old isn't under your feet! Don't get me wrong I find her curiosity all consuming and exciting, but lesson planning is much more fun for both of us if I can surprise her once the lessons actually roll around! All of that said, we had a wonderful weekend though the weekend always seem to blaze in and out before I catch my breath. Two days just doesn't seem like enough does it?

Now let's talk some tomatoes shall we?

Believe it or not I was not always a fan of tomatoes. In fact as child I hated them...I didn't like them on salads, I didn't like them on sandwiches and I didn't even like them plain! But years ago, the first time I did Weight Watchers, back before WW had Points or even the Core Plan, I rediscovered tomatoes through cooking with them and then progressed into enjoying them all by their little selves. It wasn't immediate, but over the course of a few months my whole outlook on tomatoes changed. Now I can't get enough of them!

My initial plan was to make a traditional tomato/goat cheese tart with a pie crust, BUT my crust failed miserably. Oh well that happens sometimes, but what next? I briefly thought about making a buttermilk biscuit crust, BUT I was out of buttermilk. Oh well that happens too. So I decided to settle on a pizza crust instead and the result was fabulous!

If you like tomatoes and goat cheese then pull out your tart pans...This one is for you!

P.S. This was my tomato inspiration of this week's garden party over at Dinner Tonight...I'm a few days early, but it's going to be such a busy week I knew if I didn't get it done early it wouldn't happen. :o)

What You'll Need for the Pizza Crust:
2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour (Note: I meant to use white whole wheat flour, but got side tracked. You can substitute that if you like.)
1 teaspoon of sea salt
3/4 cup of warm water
1 tablespoon of honey
4 teaspoons of yeast
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

What You'll Need for the Tart Filling:
2 pints of grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
A generous pinch of sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
2-3 sprigs of rosemary, chopped (Note: I love rosemary. In my opinion there is no such thing as too much rosemary. Seriously if I could figure out a way to chocolate coat it I would! However if you aren't a fan of rosemary or like it in small doses use one sprig.)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces of goat cheese
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Slice tomatoes in half and place in a glass bowl. Sprinkle generously with sea salt an toss to coat. Let tomatoes sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours to draw out moisture. After that time dump the tomatoes into a mesh or stainless steel strainer and let drain for 20-30 minutes.

In a glass bowl stir together flour and salt until mixed. Set aside.

In a glass measuring cup add honey and yeast to warm water and let sit for 3-5 minutes until foamy.

Next add olive oil to the flour mixture and then slowly add water/yeast mixture stirring until ball of dough forms. (Note: Depending on humidity and such you may need a little more or a little less water. Eyeball it as you go. Once the ball forms you'll know to stop. It's hard to mess this recipe up. It's very forgiving. If you go too far with the water add more flour a little at a time until ball forms.)

Press dough into a tart pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Let dough rise while oven preheats.

Preheat oven to 425 F. Bake crust for 5-6 minutes until done, but not browned. Remove from oven and set aside.

While the oven is preheating and the crust baking, prepare topping. In a large skillet sauté onion and tomato, with rosemary, garlic and black pepper until tomatoes are soft and most of the liquid has cooked off. (Note: If the liquid doesn't appear to be cooking off don't sweat it...Simply strain the cooked tomatoes before putting them on the crust.)

Once tomatoes are cooked spread them out on the partially baked crust. Sprinkle the top of the tart with goat cheese and Pecorino Romano cheese. Return to oven and bake for 5-6 additional minutes until cheese is melted and crust golden. Remove from oven and let sit 5-6 minutes before serving.

Notes: You could use other herbs if you liked. Dried thyme would be fabulous in this! You could also add in other vegetables if you liked.

Posted by Dianne at 7:25 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

August 8, 2008

What's For Dinner?

In sticking with last night's simple and easy theme, tonight we're having homemade pizza. It's slightly cooler today with a cold front (which is such a relative term in the summer!) that blew through yesterday so turning on the oven isn't as big of a deal.

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 1:27 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

Southern Baked Beans

Growing up when we had a barbeque or cook out nine times out of ten baked beans would be present. I don't know if that is just a Southern thing or what, but invariably there would be baked beans and potato salad. As I've gotten older my version of what baked beans should be has changed a bit, but sometimes it's fun to take a trip down memory lane and make them like the beans of my childhood. I still like my version a bit better, but these beans are ridiculously easy to make and sometimes ridiculously easy is exactly what you need when you want something in a hurry.

Oh and on a side note I'm taking the weekend off so What's For Dinner (after this afternoon's addition) will be back on Monday! Have a great weekend everyone! :o)

What You'll Need:
2 large cans of pork and beans
1 cup of a good, sweet barbeque sauce
1/4 cup of natural brown sugar
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup of mustard
1 onion, chopped
Sea salt
Black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large baking dish mix together all ingredients until well incorporated. Bake for 1 hour.

As far as serving you can serve them right out of the oven, or you can chill them first and then serve them cold. They are good either way.

See...Ridiculously simple!

Notes: You can also add in a chopped bell pepper if you like.

Posted by Dianne at 7:36 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

August 7, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Do ever just have one of those days that you're just exhausted before you ever get started? I didn't sleep well last night and subsequently I'm just foggy today. So what does that have to do with dinner? I'm glad you asked! ;oP

Tonight I think a little comfort food is in order, and also food that I don't have to give too much thought to either since my brain is a little foggy! So this morning before Alexis and I headed upstairs to her school room to do lessons I put a roast in the slow cooker. With the roast I'll whip up some mashed potatoes...Plain for Jamison and goat cheese for me. We also have some left over corn from last night for Alexis and me and possibly some sliced cucumbers and/or tomatoes.

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 12:27 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Not Your Mama's Green Beans

Green beans...Perhaps not the most exciting ingredient, but it doesn't have to be that way. When I found out that the ingredient for this week's garden party at Dinner Tonight was green beans I was momentarily stumped and I knew my normal, boring way of making them was not going to cut it here, but then my mind kicked into high gear and I came up with several ideas.

But first let's discuss how I DON'T Like green beans...And this is a very important thing to understand from my point of view.

As a child growing up in the South the way you would most likely see green beans is cooked until they are almost mush, which I have to give my mom credit, she somehow managed to never let them go that far, or in some sort of green bean casserole or salad, neither of which I am a fan. Another way that I don't care for green beans is steamed...If you bite into it and it's still crunchy (not to mention waxy!) then I'm not interested. These are simply not the way I like green beans.

Now let's talk about how a green bean should be...

A green bean should be tender, but not mushy and the standard way of cooking them is pretty boring...A little water, some salt and pepper and cook until tender, but as I mentioned above, and most importantly, not mushy! Yawn! I'm bored just typing that sentence! At first I thought about making some risotto with green beans, but then I decided that wasn't the way I wanted to go. I usually add green beans to soups too, but that wasn't the direction I wanted to go either.

So I started wondering is there was a way to cook the green beans in a skillet, with a few key ingredients to give them a fabulous flavor, that would give you a tender bean, without it being too crisp or letting it get too mushy, and this stir "fry" what I came up with and I'll readily admit this is not the healthiest option (though I did lighten it up a bit by using center cut bacon instead of the version with more fat), but as a sometimes food we're talking pure heaven! And sometimes you need a little heaven...Even if it does just come on a plate! ;oP

What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, chopped fine
2 pieces of center cut bacon, chopped or cut into pieces (Note: Regular bacon will work too, but you might need to drain off some of the fat. Center cut bacon tends to be a lot less fatty than its counterparts.)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
2-4 cups of whole green beans (Note: This is a nice bunch in your hand, but if you want to measure it exactly grab a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup and stand the green beans up in the cup and repeat this twice. If it's full you've got roughly the right amount, but there is really no way to go wrong here.)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot add olive oil and cook shallots and bacon until bacon is crisp and shallots are slightly caramelized. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute before adding green beans. Cook the green beans 5-8 minutes until tender, but not falling apart. Serve immediately.

Notes: Some grated Parmesan cheese would be great on top of these beans! If you don't have shallots red onion will work fine. Another substitution you could make would pancetta for the bacon.

Posted by Dianne at 7:10 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

August 6, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Today is scheduled to be another scorcher so we're pulling out the slower cooker again! Tonight we are having barbeque chicken from the slow cooker, corn on the cob, a green bean dish that will be discussed tomorrow, some fresh tomato slices for Alexis and I and a "baked" potato for Jamison.

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 12:07 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

"Taco" Rice

I love Mexican Rice, but I decided the other night I wanted to play around with the mix a little bit and the result was delicious! This rice has just the right kick and pizazz! If you like Mexican Rice then chances are you'll love this too!

What You'll Need:
1 cup of brown rice (Note: Not instant rice.)
1 small onion, chopped
1 - 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes (Note: You could also use two cups of fresh tomatoes that were chopped if you preferred.)
1 - 4.25 ounce can of green chillies
4-6 roasted peppers, chopped (Note: I used some I bought at the store, but you can roast them yourself if you like.)
1 cup of taco sauce (Note: I like the medium variety, but you can use mild or even hot if that is more to your tastes.)
Water if necessary

Note: You can make this one of two ways. You can make it on the stove top OR you can make the whole thing in the microwave. I prefer the microwave version. Both versions take about the same amount of time...Stove top takes about 50-60 minutes, while the microwave version takes about 45-55 minutes, but the microwave version has less steps. Less is better sometimes, so I'm giving you the microwave version below. If you choose to do stove top you need to sauté your onions until tender before adding the other elements to your pot.

In a large glass bowl that has a lid dump all of your ingredients into the bowl and stir to mix. Place the lid on the bowl and microwave on high for 30 minutes, checking the mixture and giving it a stir every ten minutes or so. After 30 minutes if you need to add a bit of water you can add a cup at a time as needed to ensure that the mixture does not dry out until the rice is tender.

Cook for 10-20 more minutes until rice is tender checking the mixture every 5 minutes to ensure that it does not dry out or burn.

Once rice is cooked through remove from the microwave and let sit covered for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Notes: The leftovers of this rice makes fabulous burritos! Heat 1 cup of the mixture and place it in the center of a flour tortilla. (I like whole wheat tortillas!) Then top with cheese avocado and sour cream if desired. Wrap up and serve!

Posted by Dianne at 7:03 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 5, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight Alexis and Jamison are having spaghetti and you know I'm sitting that one out! ;oP I am going to make some stuffed peppers for myself since I picked a bunch of them last night from the garden.

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 12:42 PM | Comments (10) | TrackBack

Grilled Portabella Caesar Salad with Sea Salt Croûtons

I love Caesar salad, but I had never made it at home. A while back I picked up a jar of sardines in olive oil with the intention of actually making a Caesar salad and then as I am prone to do I got side tracked. I put the bottle in the pantry and promptly forgot it was even there as it got pushed toward the back of the abyss.

The other day when I was pulling out ingredients to make Jamison another loaf of the gluten-free bread that we use for his sandwiches in his lunch at work I came across that jar and decided it was high time to get around to trying my hand at a Caesar salad.

There is some debate about what should or should not be in Caesar Salad dressing. Some use Worcestershire Sauce, others go for sardines, some use vinegar, others lemon juice. The traditional Caesar consists of Romaine lettuce, croûtons, Parmesan and the dressing, but many variations have popped up over the years including grilled chicken or shrimp.

With this version I wanted to make it a bit more substantial that just lettuce, but I also wanted to make it vegetarian as well. (Note: This salad is not vegan due to the eggs. Also some vegetarians do not eat eggs, though some do. So if you are serving it to someone that does not eat meat, check with them to see what they do eat. There are vegan versions out there. I haven't tried any of them, though I do find them intriguing.) The result was perfect! This was most definitey a keeper!

What You'll Need:
2 portabella mushrooms, sliced, grilled and cooled
2 cloves of garlic, roasted (Note: The roasted garlic gives the dressing an overall mellow garlic flavor. If you don't want to roast the garlic then you can just add 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic, but the garlic flavor will be more powerful overall. To roast the garlic, put a couple of cloves of garlic in a dish covered and bake at 425 F until soft...The toaster oven is perfect for this!)
2 egg yolks
4-6 sardines, chopped fine
1/4 teaspoon of ground mustard or 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard (Note: The mustard gives it a kick of heat. Use less if you're not a fan of a little bite.)
The juice of 1 lemon
1/4-1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil (Note: Use less if you like a thicker dressing, use more if you like slightly thinner.)
Parmesan cheese, grated
3-5 cups of Romaine lettuce, chopped
Sea Salt Croûtons

Slice portabella mushrooms into strips. Brush a grill pan with olive oil and cook, flipping once, until mushrooms are tender. Set aside to cool.

In the jar of a blender or the bowl of a food processor, process egg yolks until slightly thick. (Note: If you have an issue with raw eggs you can use the pasteurized version.) Once eggs are slightly thick add garlic, sardines, ground mustard or Dijon, lemon juice and olive oil and process until smooth. Set aside.

Place place lettuce leaves into a large bowl and pour dressing over the top of the lettuce. Toss to coat. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese and then toss again.

Add lettuce to a plate and top with grilled mushrooms and croûtons. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 large salads or 4 side salads.

Notes: As I mentioned above you could use grilled chicken or shrimp in place of the mushrooms. This is not really a left over type of dish...You'll want to eat it immediately.

Posted by Dianne at 7:32 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 4, 2008

What's For Dinner?

The first day of Kindergarten went well! We had a blip here or there, but otherwise it went entirely smoothly and Alexis had fun, so that is all that matters! Now let's talk dinner!

Tonight we're having pork chops, fresh tomatoes and Parmesan and garlic roasted potatoes. For dessert, which we don't normally do that often, but hey it's a special day...Alexis and I will have peach cobbler and for Jamison I will figure out something gluten-free, but I'm not sure what it will be yet.

What are you having?

Update: 7:03PM: I ended up making Jamison some gluten free chocolate pudding. Alexis ended up wanting pudding instead cobbler.

Posted by Dianne at 12:28 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

The First Day of Kindergarten and Whole Wheat Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Well today is the day...Alexis starts Kindergarten! It's hard for be to believe that it's actually time for her to start school. It seems like just yesterday she was my little glow worm wrapped up tightly in her little blanket looking at me for the first time as if to say "Hey, I know you!" Oh how time flies! Where have the last five years gone? Some days it seems as if it was just yesterday that she was born....Others? Well if you're a mom or dad you know exactly what I'm talking about here! ;oP

As I mentioned to you before we have decided to home school Alexis. I've known since the day she was born, and in all honesty actually well before that, that this is what we were going to do. So as you are reading this little missive we are in her school room working on her lessons. We've done lessons on and off since she was three, but this is her first official day of school. Thirty years ago I started Kindergarten and today it is time for my precious little girl to do the same! Sniff! ;oP

One thing I always thought was odd about the schools in Maryland since we moved here is how late they start their fall term. In fact the first official day of school for those in the Maryland school system is not for several weeks and then is immediately followed by the Labor Day holiday a few days later. Having taught preschool for several years I can readily tell you that that is a recipe for disaster. You get the kids there, get them somewhat into a schedule an then boom...Holiday! And holidays lead to having to go to all that trouble to get them back on schedule when they return and trust me it takes several days to do that because as you parents well know kids are easily distracted. You need a little more time to firmly the establish the schedule before you go giving them a holiday to rile them up! So I decided to start a few weeks early. One of the joys of home schooling! Plus that means we get to end earlier too so that's a good thing as well! ;oP

Anyway....Where should we be?? Oh yes...Now let's get to the real reason that you all are here...The food! ;oP

As I've mentioned in the past Alexis and Jamison love spaghetti. I don't think I can stress this love enough to you...Seriously they would eat it every night if I let them and truth be told I'm spaghettied out! It was never one of my favorites to begin with, but given the number of times I've eaten it, first with Jamison, and now with both of them, I'm really not a fan anymore. Don't get me wrong...I love pasta. In fact many times when they want spaghetti I'll play around with some vegetables and things of that nature to see what kind of topper I can come up with, but I'm definitely over just your run of the mill spaghetti.

So what do you do when you're over regular spaghetti? The other night when Jamison and Alexis wanted just that I decided it was high time to put some of the fresh veggies I have on hand from the garden to good use and whip up a delicious pasta salad! It's the perfect way to put to use all those fresh, yummy veggies!

Sometimes pasta salad can be heavy and a lot of times it is made with a mayonnaise base, but I have to say when it comes to pasta salad I'm more of an oil and vinegar sort of girl. I also like to use whole wheat pastas instead of the run of the mill white pasta. These substitutions give you a dish that is much healthier and actually all of the ingredients in this salad except for the goat cheese are Weight Watchers Core ingredients. What's not to like about that?

What You'll Need:
1 - 11 ounce box of whole wheat bow tie pasta
1 small red onion, chopped
1 banana pepper, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash chopped
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped (Note: I used an orange tomato, but any tomato will work.)
1 cup of peas (Note: Fresh or frozen will work.)
1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
4-6 ounces of goat cheese, crumbled
Celtic sea salt

Cook bow tie pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool. (Note: If you want to do a fast cool you can rinse the pasta under cold running water until it is cool.) Set aside.

In a very large bowl toss together vegetables until well mixed. Add bow ties and toss again to completely incorporate. Set aside.

In a canning jar or a bowl mix together olive oil, vinegar, oregano, thyme and ground pepper until well mixed. (Note: If you do this in a canning jar it is easier. You just dump everything into the jar, give it a shake and voilà...You're done!) Pour mixture over the veggie/pasta mixture and toss to coat.

Sprinkle the top of the salad with crumbled goat cheese and Celtic sea salt. Serve immediately.

Notes: Any vegetable you like will work fine. You can also play around with the herbs. I use dried basil sometimes too. You want to eat this salad within a day or so since the vinegar content can make things turn to mush if you don't.

Posted by Dianne at 7:48 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBack

August 3, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight Alexis and I are having red beans and rice. Jamison is having a steak and some plain rice.

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 3:57 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

Operation Baking GALS: Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies and Trail Mix Too!

So as I mentioned the other day when Susan of She's Becoming Doughmesstic asked me to help out with Operation Baking GALS and send a care package to her cousin stationed overseas I said yes at once and I knew exactly what I wanted to send...Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies, that trust me if I didn't tell you they didn't have flour in them you'd never know! I knew they would ship well and while I was at it I also decided to whip up a big batch of Trail Mix! I put together the trail mix the next day and baked up the cookies on Sunday afternoon. Monday morning Alexis and I made our way to the post office and off the package went with a little note to Susan's cousin as to who I was and why I was sending him stuff and now I'm going to share both recipes with you!

Let's start first with the peanut butter cookies...

As I've mentioned before we recently discovered Jamison can not have gluten and that has been a big adjustment and many time gluten free baked goods leave a lot to be desired and I mean A LOT! The other day I wanted to make Jamison some peanut butter cookies and a friend of mine told me a simple recipe that was gluten free and mentioned that you would never know that there wasn't any gluten present...

In all honesty my first reaction was "Yeah right!" quickly followed after I saw the recipe by "There is no way that is going to work and make cookies!"

I dubiously mixed up the "dough" and was extremely surprised that it actually looked like cookie dough. I was equally as surprised that it came together at all, but hey it did! So I scooped out balls of "dough", placed them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven and low and behold cookies did come out! And when I let them cool for a minute and actually tasted one I was shocked. I mean taste wise I expected them to be OK...The ingredients weren't all that out there and were good in and of themselves, but I was most shocked by the texture...You would never know there wasn't flour in these cookies! They were amazing! The version I made for Jamison was a bit different than the one I made to send...I'll talk more about that in the notes below, but for now let's get started!

What You'll Need:
3 cups of organic sugar
3 eggs
2 cups of creamy peanut butter
1 cup of chunky peanut butter
1 cup of chopped peanuts
3 tablespoons of vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a large bowl cream together sugar, eggs and peanut butters until smooth. Stir in chopped nuts to incorporate and then add vanilla and stir to mix. (Note: These cookies don't "spread" out when they bake so you can put them rather close together as seen above. Be sure to leave a little room for the next step.) Place cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until slightly browned.

Once cookies are baked take the back of a fork and gently press down to flatten slightly. Let cook and then store in an air tight container.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Variation for Jamison:

Using the same instructions as above mix 2 cups of creamy peanut butter, 2 cups of sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of vanilla and 1 package of milk chocolate chips and bake the same way. Once baked take the back of spatula and flatten the cookies slightly. Let cookies cool and store in an airtight container.

Note: I didn't send the variation with chocolate chips because I was afraid it would be too hot for the chocolate chips to survive the journey and they would just melt into a big old mess. According to Susan I don't think it mattered as they enjoyed the regular peanut butter version just fine. :o)

Now let's talk a little trail mix!

Trail mix is basically just a mix of dried fruits and nuts as you well know. You can add anything you like. This is my version, though I did add in one ingredient that many like that I'm not a fan of as you'll see below.

What You'll need for the Trail Mix:
1/2 a pound of roasted sunflower seeds
1/2 a pound of raisins
1/2 a pound of sultanas
1/2 a pound of dried cranberries (Note: If this had been for me I would have omitted the cranberries...I'm not a fan. Though it you can always pick around what you don't like too! ;oP)
1/2 a pound of roasted peanuts
1/2 a pound of roasted cashews
1/2 a pound of sliced almonds
1/2 a pound of Brazil nuts
1 cup of cocoa nibs
1 - 2.5 ounce container of Just Cherries (Note: These are just dried cherries. If you can't find the brand then any dried cherry will work.)
1 2.5 ounce container of Just Bananas (Note: Again any dried banana chip will work.)

Mix together ingredients in a large bowl until incorporated. Store in an airtight container.

How easy is that? And the trail mix is gluten free too!

So there you have my additions to this round of Operation Baking GALS! Until next time.

Posted by Dianne at 12:18 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 2, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight we're having fish, chips, slaw and hush puppies

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 4:29 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

August 1, 2008

What's For Dinner?

Tonight is an ultra simple night...Old Bay Steak Sandwiches on whole grain bread for me and gluten free bread for Jamison. Alexis wants tomatoes and "white cheese" (i.e. mozzarella).

What are you having?

Posted by Dianne at 5:14 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Pan Grilled Lemon Pepper Tilapia with Avocado Salsa

I love grilled fish. Usually when I "grill" it though I forget about tilapia and "grill" tuna or salmon instead. The other day when Alexis and I were at the market I was in a fish mood and they had Tilapia on sale so I grabbed some and as always it turned out perfectly!

After pan "grilling" the fish I topped it with some Avocado Salsa because I had always wanted to make something like that, but never had and I must say it was the perfect meal! Alexis even liked it minus the salsa and I left the black pepper off of her fillet since she's "not a fan" of black pepper. This is a bit adventurous for Jamison overall though! He got steak instead. ;o)

What You'll Need Per Person:
1 tilapia filet
Extra virgin olive oil
The juice of 1/2 a lemon
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 an avocado, cut into chunks
6-8 grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1/4 a red onion, finely chopped

Heat a grill pan over medium heat until very hot.

While the pan is heating drizzle both side of each fillet with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Then sprinkle each fillet with sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Set aside until pan heats thoroughly.

In a medium sized bowl toss together avocado, tomatoes, red onion, a little extra virgin olive oil, a small pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper to coat and incorporate. Set aside.

Brush the grill pan with a little extra virgin olive oil and grill each fillet for 1-2 minutes on each side until done through. This process goes very fast and literally takes minutes. Pay close attention so as not to burn.

Once fillets are done place fillet on plate and top with avocado mixture. Serve immediately.

Note: This process will work for most any type of fish. If you prefer something else then by all means substitute away.

Posted by Dianne at 7:20 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack