July 21, 2008
Chocolate Peanut Butter Drop Cookies
These cookies are one of Jamison's all time favorites. As a child we called them "Cow Drop Cookies" and I'll let you just imagine why! ;oP I have made these many times over the years and I have even made a gluten free non-oat version in the past since I haven't been able to locate gluten free oats that don't cost a bazillion dollars a pound.
See there I go digressing again...Where was I? Oh yes!
A few weeks ago our neighbor did us a huge favor and I wanted to send something home with him for helping us out. My mind immediately set on these cookies! They are quick, easy and beyond delicious and just perfect for when you want to whip something up fast to share! I also sent a batch to work with Jamison the next day, because why not share all around! ;o)
What You'll Need:
1 stick of butter
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 cup of natural brown sugar
2 heaping tablespoons of cocoa
2/3 cup of half and half
1/2 cup of peanut butter
2 cups of oats
2 teaspoons of vanilla
Melt butter with both sugars, cocoa and half and half in a medium sized pot and bring to a quick boil over medium heat. Boil for five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until the peanut butter is completely melted and smooth. Stir in vanilla and then add oats. Drop by the rounded tablespoonful onto a baking sheet that has been lined with waxed paper or a silicone baking sheet. Let set for an hour or two and serve. Store in an airtight container.
How simple and delicious is that?
Notes: You could use crunchy peanut butter if you liked.
Posted by Dianne at 7:15 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
July 15, 2008
Cheesecake Brownies
Cheesecake and brownies...Who doesn't like those? Why not combine the two and see what you come up with? This is it! These brownies are rich, decadent and oh so delicious! These most definitely are sometimes food, but oh what a sometimes food they are! In fact they were so good I kept a couple and sent the rest off to work with Jamison for a treat day this morning! They were just that tempting! ;oP Of course I haven't sent anything for a treat day at Jamison's office in a while, so this was the perfect excuse!
Seriously these were heavenly, but they'd cause me to have to spend way too much time on the treadmill and in case you didn't know I despise the treadmill even though I drag myself upon it anyway, but why have to drag myself upon it longer than I have to?!!?!? ;oP
What You'll Need for the Brownie Layer:
2 sticks of butter
6 ounces of baking chocolate
2 cups of organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 tablespoon of vanilla
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large bowl melt butter and baking chocolate in the microwave on 30 second intervals until completely melted and smooth. Stir in sugar. (Note: It may be a little grainy one you add the sugar, but don't worry.)
Stir in baking powder and vanilla and stir to incorporate into the chocolate mixture. Add eggs and stir until well mixed. Next slowly stir in flour until completely incorporated.
Pour mixture into a 13 X 9 inch dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Set aside.
What You'll Need for the Cheesecake Layer:
2- 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup of organic cane sugar
2 eggs
In the bowl of your mixer mix together cream cheese, sugar and eggs until completely smooth. Drop cream cheese mixture by large dollops on top of the brownie mixture. With a spoon swirl cheesecake into the brownie mixture. (Don't worry it's not going to be pretty at this point. It blends more into a swirl once you bake.)
Bake for 30-40 minutes until edges are done and cheesecake center is set. (Note: It may still be a little wiggly. Don't worry.) Remove from oven and let cool completely. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.
Notes: As I mentioned these are very rich, so smaller is better. :o)
Posted by Dianne at 12:23 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
June 25, 2008
Spinach Ravioli
Several years ago for Christmas Jamison got me a pasta maker
You don't really need a pasta maker to make ravioli if you're willing to roll out the dough over and over, but the pasta machine makes that step so much easier! I also don't have a ravioli "mold", but you don't really need one...All you need is a pizza cutter and you're good to go!
This version is made with semolina flour, ricotta and spinach. I had intended to throw in mushrooms too, but I got side tracked and it was all good in the end so that is all that matters. Don't let homemade pasta intimidate you because it is really quite easy, not to mention completely delicious!
What You'll Need:
2 cups of semolina flour
1 teaspoon of sea salt
3 eggs (Note: Depending on humidity and such you might just need 2 eggs.)
1 cup of part skim ricotta
1 cup of chopped, cooked spinach, drained well
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Tomato sauce (Note: I usually just eat tomato sauce, but in this instance I used Jamison's meat sauce from his spaghetti and it turned out great!)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a large bowl stir together semolina flour and sea salt until incorporated. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture an add 2 eggs. Stir until mixed and test dough by squeezing with your fingers. If it sticks together like dough then you won't need the other egg, if it's still crumbly then add another egg and stir to combine. Take your hands and knead the dough until a ball forms. Set aside.
In a glass bowl mix together ricotta cheese, a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper and stir to mix. Add spinach and mix until incorporated. Set aside.
Divide the pasta dough into eight sections. Sprinkle a little flour onto your pasta machine and squish the dough into a flat circle. Run the pasta through your machine several times until smooth. If you need to add a little more flour then do. Each time you send it back through the machine, just fold the dough over on itself. If it seems grainy or it isn't sticking together like you think it should, just keep sending it through the machine and it will come together. The first time I made pasta I didn't work the dough enough and it turned out crumbly.
Take the rolled out dough and on a floured surface cut it into 2-3 inch strips.
Place a dollop of ricotta mixture in the middle of the strip (1/2-1 tablespoon of the mixture) and fold over. Mash the dough around the dollop of spinach ricotta and then use your pizza cutter to cut off the excess dough.
Place the individual raviolis on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper and then repeat until you run out of dough an filling.
Rule number one for pasta making...It doesn't have to be perfect! Just have fun. If you get a little spinach and/or ricotta into the dough no big deal. If it isn't perfectly sealed, well that's ok too! Once you have made the ravioli set it aside.
At this point you can do one of two things: 1) Boil some water and make ravioli or 2) Freeze the ravioli. If you want to freeze the ravioli simply put the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze until solid (by freezing them first it keeps them from sticking together) and then put in a storage container and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. With this batch I froze half of them and cooked the other half. If you want to start cooking see below.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water with a little sea salt and add a single layer of the ravioli to the pot. (Note: They will sink to the bottom.) As the ravioli cook they'll start to float. When they float take them out of the water. If you have one that seems to be taking longer than the others then take your spoon and give it a nudge, it might be stuck. If it's not stuck then let it keep cooking until it floats. (Note: I've never noticed this with store bought ravioli, but it happened with every one of the ones I made.) Repeat this process until all the ravioli is cooked.
Once you remove them from pot let them drain in a colander or on a wire baking rack for a moment. Then place them on a plate, top them with a little hot tomato or meat sauce and some freshly grated Parmesan and serve immediately.
Notes: Cooked mushrooms would be a good addition to the filling, as would caramelized onion or you could do a simple ricotta an herb filling instead.
Posted by Dianne at 7:09 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
June 12, 2008
Barbeque Chicken Pizza
Every couple of weeks we have pizza night. Jamison always has a tomato sauce with pepperoni and ground beef on a gluten free crust with rice mozzarella, Alexis usually has a tomato sauce with mozzarella, Parmesan and black olives, though as of late she has eschewed the olives and me, well I like to switch it up. Sometimes I have Chicken, Artichoke and Spinach Pizza or a Goat Cheese Pizza with Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes or taking the dough and making a Calzone or you can leave out the crust all together and make Eggplant Pizzas. The possibilities are endless!
This go around I decided to make something a bit more contemporary and put together a Barbeque Chicken Pizza on a White Whole Wheat Crust! You can top this any way you like and you end up with a personalized pizza that hits the spot! What's better than that?
What You'll Need For the Crust:
2 cups of white whole wheat flour
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
In a large bowl stir together flour and salt to incorporate. In a glass measuring cup add honey and yeast to warm water and let sit for 3-5 minutes until foamy. 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 then add more flour a tablespoon at a time until ball forms. If you need more water then add it a tablespoon at a time. Easy peasy.)
Once the dough ball forms you need to let it rise. This make roughly one large pizza or 4-6 personal sized pizzas depending on how big you like them. I like to make personal sized pizzas so that way everyone can have their own favorite toppings. If you're making one big pizza simply place the dough on a baking sheet in your oven with your oven light on (the oven light puts out just enough heat to rise to dough) or if you want to make personal sized pizzas divide the dough into 4 to 6 small balls and place on a baking sheet and follow the same procedure as for the large ball. You can freeze the dough balls before you let them rise if you want to use them later and then pull them out and let them thaw and rise at another time. If you aren't freezing the dough then let the dough balls rise for at least one hour. Then roll or push out the dough on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper (use a little olive oil on your hands to keep it from sticking) and top with your favorite pizza toppings to bake.
What You'll Need To Complete The Personal Sized Pizza:
1/4-1/3 cup of barbeque sauce
1/2 cup of shredded chicken
1/3 cup of mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup of Parmesan, shredded
1/4 cup of sliced black olives
1/4 of an onion, chopped (Note: I used Vidalia, but any onion will work.)
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Spread a layer of barbeque sauce out onto the spread out crust. Next add a layer of chicken. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan and then add olive and onion. Bake for 8-12 minutes until crust is golden brown, cut and serve.
Notes: Pineapple is a good addition to this pizza. Green peppers work too.
Posted by Dianne at 10:55 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
April 18, 2008
The Best Slow Cooker Pot Roast You'll Ever Eat
Pot Roast is one of, if not the, quintessential comfort food of all time. When you cook a pot roast in a slow cooker you end up with a tender, moist roast that literally falls apart. You can cook it alone and make some mashed potatoes and a side salad to accompany the meal, or you can throw in some cut up potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc to make a wonderful one dish meal.
Any way you make it, this is bound to become a family favorite! And the best part is this is simple and easy to throw on in the morning and have a hot, hearty dinner ready for the evening. Pot roast isn't just for Sunday dinner anymore!
What You'll Need:
1 roast (Note: You can chose shoulder, rump, whatever you like.)
Water
Sea salt
Black pepper
Place roast in the bottom of you slow cooker and cover with water until just covered. Add a very generous pinch of sea salt and a lot of freshly ground black pepper and believe it or not that's it!
Now for cooking. You can do it one of two ways. You can cook it on high for 5-6 hours or you can cook it on low all day long. You'll know it's done when you stick the roast with a fork and it sort of shreds.
Once the pot roast is cooked remove it from the slow cooker and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing. I usually let it rest on a cutting board or in a glass dish. When you start to slice the roast it will normally just sort of fall apart. Once in a blue moon you may get a roast that does not, but it's very rare. 9.9 times out of 10 when a roast is cooked like this it just falls apart and is very tender.
If you want to add in vegetables then layer them on the bottom of the slow cooker and then lay the roast on top. After that follow the same directions as above.
If you want you can make gravy with the broth that forms from the cooking of the roast by taking 2 cups of the broth and placing them in a stock pot. Take about 1/4 a cup of broth and mix with 1-2 tablespoons of flour until smooth and add to the pot. Stir the broth/flour mixture in to mix and then cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. There is no need to add salt or pepper as the broth already has both. You can also reserve the left over broth for soup.
Notes: If you want you can add in a sliced onion on top of the meat or throw in 6-8 garlic cloves, but it's not necessary unless you just want to. The salt and pepper bring out wonderful aspects of the meat itself. You could also add in some rosemary and/or thyme.
Posted by Dianne at 7:24 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
April 7, 2008
Cheesy Ham Bake
I love Easter and not to mention the leftover Easter ham! A thick slice of ham makes a wonderful sandwich, but you can just eat so many sandwiches before you start looking to make something else. An omelet with ham and cheese is a good alternative or you can make a sinful, cheesy, macaroni bake with nice bites of ham through out. It's not light and it's not something you want to make everyday, but it's a fun treat or "sometimes" food an sometimes that's just what you need!
What You'll Need:
3/4 of a 16 ounce package of pasta (Note: I used rotini, but you can use whatever shape you want.)
2 cups of milk (Note: You can use whatever kind of milk you want. I used skim.)
2 - 8 ounce bars of Colby cheese, shredded
9 ounces of goat cheese, crumbled
Black pepper
4 cups of ham, chopped into bite sized pieces
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking melt cheese in the milk until smooth with a little black pepper. (Note: You can add salt it you want, but given the cheese and ham are salty in and of themselves I don't. I think these two elements make the whole dish salty enough.)
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a large bowl toss together pasta and ham. Pour melted cheese mixture over the mix and stir to coat. Pour mixture into a 13 X 9 inch dish that has been buttered or sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the mixture is slightly browned. Serve immediately.
Notes: I had planned to add 2 cups of broccoli florets into the mix too, but I was out of broccoli. You could add in other veggies if you wanted and leave out the ham if you wanted a vegeterian option. Mushrooms would be good, as would onion and/or bell peppers.
Posted by Dianne at 7:04 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
April 2, 2008
Mushroom and Tortelloni Salad
I love a good pasta salad. The mix of pasta, vegetables, olive oil, vinegar and cheese just melds so perfectly together and makes a wonderful all in one meal!
Pasta salads are a good pot luck dish or even make a good addition to a picnic. You can mix and match ingredients and you always end up with a hearty, satisfying dish that can be changed the tiniest bit or drastically depending on what you're in the mood for, all while giving you a familiar, yet different experience. It's an extremely versatile alternative to your common salad. What's not to like about that?
What You'll Need:
1 - 8 ounce package of Barilla Ricotta and Spinach Tortelloni or equivalent product, cooked according to package directions and cooled (Note: If you want to cool it quickly you can simply rinse it in cool water.)
1 package of button mushrooms, sliced
Extra virgin olive oil
1 bell pepper, chopped
5 scallions, chopped
1 small can of black olives, drained
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, shredded
Cook tortelloni according to package directions, drain and let cool.
Slice mushrooms and sauté in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil until mushrooms are tender. Let mushrooms cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl toss together vegetables and olives to mix. Add tortelloni and toss to incorporate. Set aside.
In a glass canning jar with a lid shake together vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and oregano until completely incorporated. (Note: You can also do this in a glass bowl with a whisk, but the jar method is much easier.) Pour over the vegetable/tortelloni mixture and toss to coat.
At this point you can do one of two things. You can refrigerate the salad for an hour or two, sprinkle with Parmesan and then serve. Or you can just sprinkle with Parmesan and serve at room temperature. Most pasta salads don't store well due to the vinegar content breaking down the vegetables and are best eaten when made or within a couple of hours there after.
Notes: You can add in other veggies if you like. Cucumbers are a wonderful addition to pasta salads, as are peas and corn.
Posted by Dianne at 7:38 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
March 27, 2008
Matzo Ball Soup
I had never had Matzo Ball Soup, but I was curious. It looked like such a hearty, comforting soup and those I know who had tried it were big fans, so I decided about a year ago to make some. Of course somehow I always got sidetracked and never got around to making it, but that all changed last week and I must admit I was highly impressed! I'll most definitely make this again and I may try one of the other variations I've seen as well.
Overall this is a simple, basic, hearty soup that really hits the spot. It's exactly what you're looking for when you think of comfort food, with the added bonus of a hearty broth and nice chunks of chicken and vegetables. What's better than that?
What You'll Need:
1 whole chicken, rinsed
Water
Sea salt
Black pepper
2 cups of matzo meal
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs
A pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of chicken broth
Extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 leek, chopped
Place your chicken (and any gizzards and such) in a large stock pot and cover with water. Add a generous pinch of sea salt and some black pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes to an hour, until chicken is done through and the water has formed a broth. (Note: This is just a very basic chicken stock. You can add in other veggies or herbs and such if you want, but for this soup simple is best.)
While the broth is making mix together matzo meal, olive oil, eggs, salt and broth in a medium sized bowl until a sticky dough forms. Place the bowl in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill.
Once the chicken is done and the broth has formed remove the chicken and place it in a glass or stainless steel bowl to cool so you can remove the chicken from the bone. Strain broth through a sieve into a large glass or stainless steel bowl and set side.
Return the empty stock pot to the stove over medium heat and sauté onion, celery, carrots and leeks until the onions are tender. Return the broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Cook for at least 30 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Taste the broth and if more salt or pepper are needed add accordingly.
Once the chicken is cooled enough to handle remove the skin and discard. Next tear off chicken until all of the edible meat is off of the bone. Once the carrots are tender add the chicken pieces back to the pot. Bring the mixture back to a boil and take the chilled matzo mixture and roll it into balls slightly smaller than a golf ball. Once all the matzo balls are added cook the soup for an additional 10 minutes to cook the matzo balls and then serve the soup warm.
Notes: One of the recipes I read a few years ago for this soup called for putting dried dill into the matzo balls. I must admit that intrigues me and I may try it next time, but this time I wanted to leave the soup as basic as possible.
Posted by Dianne at 7:52 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 13, 2008
Not Your Mama's Banana Pudding
One of Jamison's all time favorites it Banana Pudding, but when he had to give up dairy due to IBS then he had to give up the pudding. Last week I decided to make him a non-dairy version, though we'll have to adapt it more now that we've found out he can't have gluten either, so the wafers will have to be changed as well, but we'll breach that another time. For now this version is what evolved.
Overall Jamison was completely surprised. He kind of got that "you did what?" look when I first told him what I'd done, but after he tasted it I won him over. It's a simple and dairy free alternative to your basic banana pudding, but you don't lose any of the flavor. That's just what you look for with this sort of thing!
What You'll Need for the Vanilla Pudding:
1 quart of Eden Blend Rice and Soy Beverage
2 vanilla beans split and scraped
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup of corn starch
In a medium sized pot pour rice/soy milk. Cut and scrape two vanilla beans into the milk and then throw in the split beans. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 3-4 minutes to let the vanilla seep into the milk. Pour mixture through a sieve and return strained milk, minus the split beans, to the pot. Lower the heat and return pot to the flame. In a separate bowl whisk together sugar, salt and corn starch until mixed. Add to the milk and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool pudding in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
What You'll Need for the Banana Pudding:
1 batch of Vanilla Pudding (See recipe above)
Vanilla wafer type cookies (Note: I used a light version. I'll now be looking for a gluten free version for the next time I make this for him.)
Bananas
First place a layer of vanilla wafers on the bottom of a baking dish:
Next place a layer of bananas on top of the vanilla wafers:
Now add the pudding:
Since bananas have a tendency to brown after exposure to air next you want to switch the top two layers and add the bananas directly on top of the pudding:
Next add a final layer of vanilla wafers covering as much of the surface area of bananas as possible, blocking them from the air as much as possible:
Serve immediately or store in the fridge covered for up to two days.
Notes: You could use plain rice milk or plain soy milk in place of the blend, but I really like the flavor of the blend. You could also substitute 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla in place of the vanilla beans. The pudding itself is not only dairy free, it's vegan. I don't know if vanilla wafers are vegan however, though I'm sure there is a vegan equivalent out there somewhere if they aren't, and as I mentioned before I will now be searching for a gluten free version of the wafers as well for the next time I make this.
P.S. Don't forget the March edition of the Dianne's Dishes contest series for your chance to win some free herbs and spices! The contest ends today, March 13, 2008 at 5 PM EST so if you haven't entered yet then do! ;o)
Posted by Dianne at 7:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 7, 2008
Another Double Dose: Pineapple Eggrolls and Funnel Cakes
Note: We're doubling up again today so we can wrap up the "fry" day recipes. Enjoy! Next week we'll have some healthy recipes to make up for all this fried stuff! ;o) Don't forget that on Monday we'll have the March edition of the Dianne's Dishes contest series as well so check back for your chance to win!
When Jamison and I first got married we lived in Huntsville, Alabama and we used to love to go to a Chinese restaurant there called Formosa (Sorry, but I can't find a webpage for them!) and they had the best pineapple dessert type eggrolls. For years I've wanted to try to make them, but I just hadn't gotten around to it. I've made blueberry eggrolls and regular eggrolls, but I never got around to the pineapple version until this past Saturday and we all thought they turned out great! Ben even tried some topped with some of the Dulce de Leche I made for this week's Tuesday with Dorie. Pineapple and caramel...What's not to like?
What You'll Need:
1 package of egg rolls wrappers
2 - 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 large can of crushed pineapple, drained well
1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
Organic cane sugar
Preheat oil to 350 F.
Cream together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in pineapple until well mixed.
Take an eggroll wrapper and lay it flat. Place a spoonful of the pineapple mixture in the center of the wrapper. Fold the sides to cover the filling. and then fold one end up and then the other. If it is having problems sticking run some water along the seam and then stick it back together and it will seal perfectly. Place in the oil and turn it several times to ensure that it browns on all sides. Once it is golden brown remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with organic cane sugar to coat. Serve warm or cooled.
Notes: You could really do this method with any type of fruit. Peaches would be really good, as would strawberries. Or another option would be to add chocolate chips to the cream cheese/sugar mixture instead of fruit. It's really just up to you and your imagination.
And now let's go on to the funnel cakes...Yum funnel cakes! ;o)
When Katherine and I were children my mom used to make us funnel cakes from time to time and it was always a treat we relished. I've made them once or twice since I've left home and it always brings back a nostalgic wave of memories. I couldn't find my recipe on Saturday morning so I called my mom and she read it off to me from her recipe box. It was almost as if she was here with us on Saturday after all! ;o)
We ended up topping the funnel cakes with powdered sugar and some of the Dulce de Leche I made for this week's Tuesday with Dorie...We used the soup out of that stuff on Saturday! It's good! ;o) But overall this dish was most definitely a blast from the past!
What You'll Need:
1/4 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3-4 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
2 cups of buttermilk
3 eggs
Powdered sugar for dusting
Place enough oil in a deep sided skillet to go up the side of the pan at least 1/2 inch. Heat over medium heat until you can drop a drop of batter in the oil and it immediately starts to fry.
While oil is heating mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to mix. Add buttermilk and eggs and stir until batter forms. Place some batter in a narrow neck funnel or a measuring cup with a pour spout and swirl the batter into the hot oil. Fry until one side turns golden brown and then flip. Cook for 1-2 minutes more until the other side is browned and remove from oil. Drain on a paper towel and then top with powdered sugar.
Notes: You could add in some cocoa powder for Chocolate Funnel Cakes. You could also top the funnel cakes with sugar and cinnamon for a different twist. Whipped cream would also be good, or even a chocolate drizzle. Use your imagination! ;o)
Posted by Dianne at 7:07 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
March 6, 2008
Two For The Price of One: Veggie Corn Dogs and Dianne's Seasoned Chicken Fingers
Note: I'm going to double up on the recipes today and tomorrow to wrap up the "fry" day recipes. Next week we'll have the March Edition of the Dianne's Dishes Contest series. So let's get started shall we?
Corn dogs are definitely a fair food type of deal. As I've grown older I've also sort of grown away from your traditional hot dog and when I have a craving for something of that sort I usually go for a veggie dog. So when we decided to try corn dogs I immediately went for the veggie dogs and they turned out great! It was a blast from the past, all with a new spun twist.
What You'll Need:
1 package of Jumbo Smart Dogs or some other soy/veggie dog equivalent
2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 tablespoon of organic cane sugar
1/2-1 cup of buttermilk
1 egg
Corn starch
10 wooden sticks
Preheat oil to 340-350 F.
Cut hot dogs in half. (You'll have to do this for most fryers in order for the corn dog to fit inside.) Place a stick in the end of each hot dog. Set aside.
In a medium sized bowl mix together flour, sea salt, baking powder and sugar and stir until incorporated. Add 1/2 cup of buttermilk and 1 egg and stir to mix batter. The batter should be thick, but not gloppy. If it is too thick then add a bit more milk. Place mixed batter into a tall glass and set aside.
Place some corn starch on a plate and roll each hot dog in the corn starch to coat. After they are coated dip each hot dog down into the glass of batter and fry immediately, turning several times to ensure that it browns evenly. When they are golden brown they are done. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain. Serve with mustard and/or ketchup.
Notes: This would work with conventional hot dogs as well.
And now let's talk a little chicken...Shall we?
Chicken fingers or "chickens" as Alexis likes to call them...What's not to like? We ended up making two versions. This one and a honey mustard version that Leann adapted from a certain food network "chef" (who will remain nameless because I'm far from a fan, but you marinate the tenders in honey mustard and then coat them in bread crumbs and herbs.). Both versions were to die for, though I'll only share mine here. But either would be good dipped in a mixture of equal parts Dijon mustard and honey, which was good on the french fries we made too, but we'll get into that another time! ;o)
What You'll Need:
1-2 pounds of boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 cup of unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup of a parmesan type cheese (Note: I used Kerrygold's Dubliner cheese, which is a personal favorite, but you can use regular old parmesan if you want.)
1-2 tablespoons of a Seasoning Mix (Note: I used Kirkland Signature Organic No-Salt Seasoning, which I got at Costco. It is a dried mix of onion, garlic, carrot, black pepper, red bell pepper, tomato, orange peel, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, basil, celery, lemon peel, oregano, savory, mustard seed, cumin, margoram, coriander, cayenne pepper, citric acid and rosemary, but what ever kind of seasoning you like works.)
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
Buttermilk
Preheat oil to 340 F.
Cut chicken breasts into strips. Set aside.
Mix together dry ingredients in a shallow baking dish. Set aside.
Pour some buttermilk in to a bowl and dip each strip in the buttermilk. Then take each strip and coat with the dry mixture. Drop each coated strip into the hot oil, two or three at a time, and fry until golden brown, turning a few times to ensure that all sides brown. This usually takes about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel. Serve with honey mustard for dipping.
Notes: As I mentioned above you can make a simple (and delicious) honey mustard sauce/dressing simply by mixing equal parts honey and Dijon mustard...For instance 1 cup to 1 cup or 1/2 cup to 1/2 cup depending on how much you want to make. The sauce/dressing will store in the fridge for weeks.
Posted by Dianne at 6:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 27, 2008
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies With Cashews
Most people like cookies, and while a good old chocolate chip cookie can really hit the spot, sometimes you want something a little different. So what do you do? You take a basic chocolate chip recipe and tweak it a bit and you end up with something new and delicious! This was also the perfect cookie to share with Jamison's coworkers so I packaged them up and sent them along to share. If you're a chocolate lover (or know someone that is) and like cashews too this is the cookie for you!
What You'll Need:
2 sticks of butter, softened
3/4 cup of organic cane sugar
3/4 cup of natural brown sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla
3 eggs
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2/14 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup of raw cashews
1 package of milk chocolate chips
1 package of white chocolate chips
Cream together butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs until smooth. Mix in sea salt and baking soda until just mixed. Add flour and mix until just incorporated and dough forms. (Note: If you want to sift the dry ingredients together you can, but if you add the salt and soda first to the wet mixture and make sure it's mixed in you can then add the flour and it works just fine. The sifting is just an extra step in terms of cookies that I've long since moved away from. There are some recipes, such as delicate cakes and things of that nature, that you would still need to sift or whisk the ingredients together, but for cookies it isn't necessary, unless you just enjoy sifting, which I don't. :o)) Stir in cashews until completely incorporated throughout the dough. Add milk chocolate chips and stir to mix throughout and then repeat with white chocolate chips.
Place the mixed dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before baking. (Note: This is a VERY important step when baking cookies with butter. If you don't let the dough chill you'll end up with flat, weird cookies. The butter needs to be given the chance to re-solidify somewhat.)
Once the dough is chilled preheat oven to 375 F.
Using a tablespoon measuring spoon scoop out balls of dough and place them on a baking sheet that has been lined with a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper. Bake cookies in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until cookies are done.
Remove baking pan from the oven and sit the pan on a wire wrack and let them cool for a few minutes before removing cookies from the pan.
Makes roughly 5 dozen cookies.
Notes: You could use a combination of any two types of chocolate chips that you liked. You could also substitute another kind of nut if you aren't a cashew fan. Or you could even use some honey roasted cashews or other nut for another taste element.
Posted by Dianne at 7:23 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
February 25, 2008
Chicken Soup A La Alexis
"Mommy I want to make some chicken soup."
"OK."
"And I want it to have big chunks of chicken."
"Anything else?"
"And salt, pepper, peas, corn, onion and leeks."
"Is that all?"
"Oh and egg noodles!"
"Sounds good."
"And when we get finished I want you to take a picture of my soup and put it on your 'bog'!"
So we made some soup just as she asked and I'm sharing it with you now. Why stifle creativity? ;o)
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 leek, chopped
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breast
At least 1 quart of chicken broth
1 cup of frozen peas
1 cup of frozen corn
1-2 cups of whole grain egg noodles
Sauté onion, carrot and leek with a pinch of sea salt until onions are tender. Add chicken breasts and chicken broth and cook until chicken is done through. Remove from soup and cut the chicken into chunks and then return to broth. Add peas and corn and cook until they are unfrozen (about 5 more minutes). Add noodles and cook until tender. Serve immediately.
Notes: Thyme would be a good addition to this soup. Any other veggies you wanted to add in would be good as well.
Posted by Dianne at 7:39 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 11, 2008
Clam Chowder
Clam Chowder is one of my all time favorites. I've loved Clam Chowder since I was a child and a few years ago I tried my hand at making my own. My first attempts involved me adapting a recipe from Cooking Light that used canned clams and clam juice. From there it evolved even more.
While making chowder I had never actually made it with fresh clams. I had always wanted to try, but for some reason the thought was a bit daunting to me. The other day when Alexis and I were at the market they had some very nice, very fresh clams and I decided it was time to try my hand at chowder completely from scratch. My version is still on the light side as far as chowders go and is chunky with vegetables and clams. It's a lovely, creamy, chunky version that's also not as heavy as other chowders sometimes are.
Chowders made with canned clams and juice are great, but nothing compares to one made with fresh clams. Clams in and of themselves aren't overly expensive seafood either, so you won't break the bank. I readily find them here priced about $1 a pound, but that might not be the case in other areas of the country. If you're interested in making some chowder from scratch start watching your seafood counter and see how clams run in your area.
What You'll Need:
3-6 pounds of clams (Note: Use more if you like a lot of clams, less if you don't. Remember when you are buying your clams that the majority of the weight is in the shell, so while 3-6 pounds might seem like a lot for a small batch of chowder, in reality you aren't really putting that many clams into your pot.)
Water
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
4 ribs of celery, chopped
6 potatoes, 3 peeled and chopped, 3 peeled and left whole
A pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2-4 cups of clam juice reserved from cooking the clams
3-4 bay leaves
1 cup of fat free half and half
When you buy your clams you want to use them immediately. The fresher the better. This is a recipe you'll want to purchase your clams and make the same day. Place clams in a large glass bowl and cover with water and ice. Let them sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This helps rinse them and let the sand settle out of them. You will see air bubbles rising to the top of the water. Don't worry...This is a good sign!
In a large stock pot cover rinsed clams with water, bring to a boil and cook until clams open. Usually about 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and take clams out of the clam water, reserving clam juice for the soup. (Note: A rule of thumb to always remember with clams...Clams that are opened before they are cooked are bad so toss them!...Clams that don't open when they are cooked are bad too so toss any of those that might arise! In this batch I lost 4 clams. 3 before cooking and 1 after.)
Once the clams are cool enough to touch remove them from their shells, remove their beards (Note: You'll be able to tell which part is the clam and which part is the beard...The beard is a flowery little projections that looks like, well a beard! Alexis had a ball doing this step and was disappointed when there were no more clams to separate.) and place the clams in a large glass bowl. Cover the clams after they are separated with some cooled clam juice and set aside. I like to do this step while the soup is cooking.
In a large stock pot sauté onion, celery and cubed potatoes, with a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper, until onion and celery are slightly tender, but not mushy and still have a bit of a bite to them. Cover the veggies with clam juice and add the three whole potatoes and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender.
Once the whole potatoes are tender remove them from the pot and mash them with the half and half. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Then return this mashed mixture to the pot to help thicken the soup. Drain the clams and then stir them into the soup. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes to heat clams through. Serve immediately. (Note: Don't cook for too long after you add the clams. They get tough if cooked too long.)
Notes: Fat free half and half is great in that it gives you that creamy aspect of heavy cream without the extra fat. You could use corn starch or flour to help thicken the soup, but the potatoes give the soup a very creamy thickness that is a bit healthier than the other alternatives. Some people like to add thyme to their chowder, and while I'm a fan of thyme, I don't care for it in chowder. Ditto for nutmeg, which is also sometimes added. If I add anything to chowder other than your basic sea salt and black pepper I go for Old Bay Seasoning to give it a kick.
P.S. Don't forget Dianne's Dishes February Contest: Kids In The Kitchen for your chance to win one Pampered Chef "My Safe Cutter" along with one Pampered Chef "Kid's Apron and Chef's Hat Set"! Just leave a comment on this thread with a valid e-mail address (and don't worry, no one will see your e-mail address but me!) before 5:00 PM EST, Thursday, February 14, 2008. I'll print out the participants and my little sous chef will pull a name out of the hat. I'll e-mail that person for their address and announce the winner on Friday, February 15, 2008! Anyone anywhere on our little planet earth is eligible to enter so what are you waiting for?
Good luck! Oh and tell your friends! ;o)
P.S.S. Oh and go check out the winner of Culinate's Death by Chocolate contest!
Posted by Dianne at 9:16 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 6, 2008
Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Jamison and Alexis are both avid peanut butter people. I mean seriously, if peanut butter ceased to exist the world might just cease to exist for the two of them, as far as they are concerned. I too enjoy peanut butter, but truth be told almond butter, or more importantly cashew butter, are more up my alley. Overall though, if you’re not allergic to peanuts, which we aren’t, then what’s not to like?
The other day my little sous chef asked me if anyone made peanut butter ice cream. I told her that I’m sure someone out there did, but right off the top of my head I couldn’t think of anyone. We got busy with other things and I forgot to do a little research to see what I could find. The next day she asked me if we could make some peanut butter ice cream and since we hadn’t made any ice cream in a while we gave it a whirl.
Now let me tell you, if you like peanut butter, even the tiniest little bit, you will LOVE this ice cream! It’s rich and creamy and there are little bits of peanut butter throughout the whole peanut buttery flavored ice cream itself that just burst in your mouth. The ice cream itself would be superb topped with some hot fudge sauce, but even alone this is the very epitome of the peanut butter lovers dream!
P.S. Speaking of chocolate...If you haven't gone over to Culinate yet to vote in their Death By Chocolate contest then you should! You could win a trip for two to Napa's Chocolate Festival! My entry was Hot Fudge Cake.
What You’ll Need for the Peanut Butter Ice Cream:
1 - 18 ounce jar of peanut butter
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 pint half and half
1 - 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla
In a large stock pot add all ingredients and cook until sugar and peanut butter are melted. Remove from heat and let sit until the mixture cools to room temperature. (Note: As the mixture cools the peanut butter may separate from the milk a bit, but you can easily stir it back into the mixture. I stirred it several times as it was cooling and once before putting it in the ice cream maker. Once in the ice cream maker the machine does the stirring for you!) Once the mixture is cooled add to your ice cream maker and freeze according to your models operating instructions. When it is finished you will have your basic soft serve ice cream and can serve it immediately. Place the mixture into the freezer in a covered container to let harden fully if you prefer a more firm ice cream. Thaw for a few minutes before serving.
Notes: Alexis wanted to add chocolate chips to the ice cream itself, but we couldn’t find mini-chocolate chips, as they work best in ice cream mixtures due to their small size. (Do they make those anymore? I haven’t looked for them in years!) This ice cream is not low-fat or anything of that nature. While I normally try to look at making things healthier, in this case this is an indulgence and as such should be enjoyed once in a while in moderation, but you know that drill! ;o) That being said if you wanted to lighten it up a bit you could use light cream, fat-free half and half and light peanut butter and it should all work fine, though it might freeze harder once you put it in the deep freeze. Also this recipe is designed to be made in this ice cream freezer, but you could double it to go in a larger model. In reality I ended up with a bit more (about a cup or so) than what my freezer would hold, but you could freeze that and use it later if you needed.
Posted by Dianne at 8:54 AM | Comments (12) | TrackBack
February 1, 2008
Marshmallow Peanut Butter Brownies
Last Saturday a friend of mine was supposed to come over for lunch, but she had to reschedule at the last minute. We ended up taking Alexis to her first in theater movie so it wasn't a total wash of a day, but I had already made dessert! I ate one brownie and then put them out of sight and sent them to work with Jamison on Monday morning to share with his coworkers, but let me tell you these brownies are to die for! They are ooey, gooey, swirly and just heavenly! If you like peanut butter and/or marshmallows these are the brownies for you!
What You'll Need:
1 - 5.3 ounce Green and Black's 72% baking bar
1 - 4 ounce bar Ghirardelli White chocolate baking bar
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 - 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 cups of organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 - 10 ounce package of peanut butter chips
1 - 7 1/2 ounce jar of marshmallow cream (Note: As always look for a version with NO high fructose corn syrup!)
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In the microwave or in a sauce pot melt chocolate, butter and sweetened condensed milk until smooth, careful not to scorch. Let cool slightly.
While the chocolate is melting whisk together flour, sugar, sea salt and baking powder in a very large bowl to incorporate. Set aside.
Once the chocolate is cooled add to the flour mixture along with eggs and vanilla. Stir until completely mixed. Pour 3/4 of the batter into a 13 X 9 inch pan that has been buttered and floured or sprayed with non-stick spray. Set aside.
Melt peanut butter chips in the microwave or in a sauce pan until smooth. Again watch to be sure they don't scorch! Once they are melted stir in marshmallow cream, but don't mix completely. Leave it swirly. Pour peanut butter/marshmallow mixture into the dish with the 3/4ths batter and gently spread out, careful not to push it all the way to the bottom of the batter. Take remaining 1/4th batter and drop into spoonfuls on the top of the marshmallow mixture so as not to cover completely.
Place baking dish in the oven and bake for 30-35 minute until chocolate edges are chewy, but not hard. A few crumbs with a brownie is not a bad thing when sticking to check for doneness! Remove from oven and let sit for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Store in an airtight container.
Notes: You could add in nuts if you like. Next time I make these I think I'm going to use a cup of melted peanut butter instead of peanut butter chips.
Posted by Dianne at 7:24 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
November 30, 2007
Macaroni and Five Cheeses
Macaroni and Cheese is one of those foods that immediately makes most people think of comfort, of warmth and of home. It's warm, creamy and oh so sinful, but in a comforting sort of way and sometimes you just need that sort of thing.
Macaroni and Five Cheeses takes your normal Mac and Cheese and takes it to a whole different level. By baking the macaroni in the oven it makes the flavors meld in a way that simply cooking on the stove top doesn't allow, though it's certainly ok to just eat it at that step too! This isn't a dish you want to make often because it's definitely not health food, but occasionally it's nice to indulge is some warm, cheesy goodness!
What You'll Need for the Macaroni:
1 - 1 pound box of elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions
4 tablespoons of butter
1/3 cup of unbleached all purpose flour
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2-3/4 cups of dairy (Note: Milk, half and half, heavy cream, etc. I used skim milk today.)
2 cups of cheddar cheese, shredded (Note: I like sharp, but what ever you prefer works fine.)
1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup of provolone cheese, shredded
1 cup of swiss cheese, shredded
Cook macaroni according to package directions, drain and set aside in a very large bowl.
In the same pot that you cooked the macaroni melt butter and add flour, a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes stirring constantly to cook the flour. Add dairy and stir to mix. Cook until roux thickens slightly and add cheese. Stir until cheese is completely melted and mixture is smooth. If the mixture is really thick add more dairy to the mix. It should be like thick pancake batter in consistency.
Once the mixture is smooth pour it over the macaroni noodles until well incorporated.
At this point you can dig in if you want and you basically have Macaroni with Four Cheeses, but now let's take it to another level!
Pour macaroni mixture into a greased 13 X 9 dish or two smaller dishes. (Note: I went with two smaller dishes. We're having oven issues at the moment and are waiting on the repair guy to do what needs to be done. I actually baked the two smaller dishes in the toaster oven! One is for me and the other one I'm going to put in the freezer and give it to my sister the next time I see her. See it's a share with your friends/family type of dish! ;o))
And now on to the topping!
What You'll Need for the Topping:
Unseasoned bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese, shredded
Sea salt
2 tablespoons of butter, cut into small dot sized pieces
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Once the macaroni is spread into the greased dish cover the top with a thin layer of bread crumbs and then sprinkle the top with a thin layer of Parmesan cheese and sea salt.
Dot the top with the small butter pieces.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until top is golden brown. Let sit for 5 minutes and then serve.
Notes: This can be reheated easily and you can even freeze it with the topping on and thaw and bake later. Any type of cheese you like will work. You could even add in some salsa for a Mexican flare!
Posted by Dianne at 10:20 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 19, 2007
Thanksgiving Dessert Yummy: Pumpkin Cheesecake
This week let's delve into some Thanksgiving dessert yummies! They are a bit harder to freeze so I make them the week of Thanksgiving! On Wednesday I'm going to go all out and post a dessert recipe and my version of brining a turkey! How's that for crazy???!?!? ;o)
Up first Pumpkin Cheesecake!
Within my circle of friends and family I'm somewhat known for my cheesecakes. I've got a ton of different scrumptious variations and people ask for them often! Key Lime, Chocolate, Peppermint, Caramel Irish Cream, Turtle, Peanut Butter, Regular, among many others and one of my favorites is my Pumpkin Cheesecake! Every Thanksgiving I whip one of these gems up and I look forward to it all year! It's a different twist on the standard pumpkin pie, but it will draw raves! Try is and see.
What You'll Need for the Crust:
2 1/2 cups of gingersnap cookies
1/4 cup of sugar
1 stick of butter, melted
Measure 2 1/2 cups of ginger snap cookies and then process them in the food processor until smooth. (Note: If you don't have a food processor then place them in a plastic bag and have fun smashing them! ;o)) Process in sugar and melted butter until a crumbly mixture forms. Press the crumb mixture into a 9-inch spring form pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil to the very edges of the pan, without covering the opening. Set aside.
What You'll Need for the Filling:
3 - 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened (Note: You can use regular, light or even fat free cream cheese.)
1 - 15 ounce can of mashed pumpkin or 1 and 3/4 cups of freshly mashed pumpkin
1 cup of ricotta cheese (Note: You can use the whole milk, part skim or fat free version.)
1 cup of natural brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
1 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 325 F. (Note: This is very important when baking a cheesecake! The oven must be preheated! Do NOT skip this step!!)
Put a pot or kettle on to boil with enough water to cover 1/2-3/4 of the cheesecake pan with water.
Cream together cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, ricotta and eggs until well blended. Mix in pumpkin pie spice and flour until just blended. Pour into prepared crust.
Place cheesecake pan into a baking dish. Pour hot water into the dish or pan being careful not to get any water on or in the cake itself. The water depth should be at least 1/2 the way up the side of the spring form pan, but no more than 3/4ths of the way up the side.
Bake for 1 hour. Turn oven off and open oven door to the broil position and let the cake sit unmoved for 1 more hour.
After the cheesecake sits for 1 hour carefully remove from the oven and take out of its water bath. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Notes: The water bath helps the cheesecake top to not split as much. If you're making this on a cold day (like today for example), you might have trouble getting the cream cheese to cream completely smooth. Don't worry about this as it will not affect the taste of the cheesecake. You can also use graham cracker crumbs instead of gingersnaps, though I think the gingersnaps give it that extra omph. If you want you can decorate the top of the cheesecake with seasonal shaped cookies (such as leaves, acorns, pumpkins, etc.) and I recommend serving it with a dollop of fresh whipped cream on top.
Posted by Dianne at 1:15 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 13, 2007
Thanksgiving Yummy: Cornbread Dressing
Cornbread dressing (or stuffing...I guess it depends on whether you stuff it into the bird or not! ;o)) is more traditionally a Southern recipe I would say, but regardless it's an essential holiday side dish! The version below is very similar to my Mom's traditional dish, though I've omitted the butter and use the healthier extra virgin olive oil instead. Some people add in meat, some add in other veggies, or you can add whatever you like. It's all up to you, but regardless of how you do it, the end result is delicious!
What You'll Need for the Cornbread:
2 cups of corn meal
1 cup of flour
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 eggs
2 cups of buttermilk
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add eggs and buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Pour into a 8 x 12 inch dish (or 13 x 9 inch dish if you want) sprayed with non-stick spray and spread out evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
What You'll Need for the Dressing:
One batch of cornbread (See recipe above)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 onions, chopped
1 bunch of celery, chopped
A pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
2-3 heaping tablespoons of sage or poultry seasoning
1 quart of broth (Note: Vegetable, chicken or turkey broth will work fine.)
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Crumble the cornbread into a large bowl and set aside.
Sauté onion and celery until tender and slightly caramelized. Add to cornbread. Add seasonings, broth and eggs. Mix thoroughly and pour mixture into a 13 X 9 inch pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown.
Serve immediately or freeze for up to six weeks. If frozen thaw and then reheat for 20-25 minutes covered with foil until warm through. If needed add a bit more broth to moisten.
Notes: You can add in 1-1 1/2 cups of shredded carrots, sliced mushrooms or even corn if you like. Some people like to add ground beef or sausage, but I've never tried that. You could even add in oysters or clams if you like. For a more un-Southern version you can use toasted French or white bread instead of cornbread.
Posted by Dianne at 1:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 6, 2007
Pimento Cheese
Once in a blue moon I get the taste for a Pimento Cheese sandwich. When I was a child my Mom would make it occasionally and the kind you make is oh so much more satisfying than the type you buy in your local deli. It's not something I eat often, but every other year or so I'll whip up a batch. It's one of those comfort foods at their finest and it's simple to make to boot. Easy comfort...What's not to like?
What You'll Need:
1 - 8 ounce bar of cheddar or Colby cheese, shredded
2 - 4 ounce jars of pimentos, drained
2-3 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise (Note: I use Helmann's Light.)
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt (Note: Optional. I only add salt depending on the cheese I'm using. Most of the organic varieties are a bit less salty, so taste the mixture and if it needs salt then add it accordingly.)
In a large bowl mix cheese through pepper until incorporated. Taste. If needed add salt. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes: This works well on bread as a sandwich topping or you can use celery sticks and scoop up the mixture. You can easily half this recipe as well.
Posted by Dianne at 3:08 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
October 15, 2007
A Little of This and That Risotto
Risotto is a go to dish at my house, yet it is rarely the same twice. It will always have Parmesan, but often I like to throw in goat cheese too. I mix and match the other ingredients as the whim strikes me. This version is a little of this and that that I needed to use up in the refrigerator. It's a very easy dish to mix and match, but it always turns out fabulously!
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, shredded
1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (Note: This was what I had left over from when I made the Chicken, Artichoke and Spinach Pizza so it was short two hearts, but you could easily use the whole can instead. Risotto is a very giving dish. A little more, a little less, it won't matter in the long run.)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup of risotto rice (aborio rice)
Broth or water
1 cup of Parmesan cheese, shredded
In a large skillet or stock pot sauté onion, carrot and artichokes with a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper until onion is tender. Stir in risotto and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth or water to cover the ingredients in the pot and cook, stirring occasionally and adding water or broth as it evaporates as necessary until risotto has plumped and is done through. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan. Let sit for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Notes: The longer it sits the creamier it gets. You can add any veggies or meat that you like. As I said before risotto is a very giving dish.
Posted by Dianne at 7:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 12, 2007
Parmesan Pea Pasta
Creamy pasta! What's not to like? This dish is quick, easy and versatile. It also draws raves. What better for a quick, delicious dinner on a week night?
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of frozen or fresh peas
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup of fat free half and half
3/4 cup of Parmesan, shredded
1/2 cup of mozzarella, shredded
2 cups of cooked spaghetti noodles
In a large skillet sauté onion, garlic and peas with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper until onion is tender. Stir in half and half and cheese and stir until the cheeses melt. (Note: Some mozzarella is slightly stringy when it melts. If this happens don't worry about it. It won't change the taste of the dish.) Once the cheese melts stir in cooked spaghetti and stir to coat. Serve immediately.
Makes 2 servings.
Notes: Shrimp or chicken could easily be added to this dish. You could add in other vegetables as well.
Posted by Dianne at 7:47 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
October 10, 2007
Caramel Apple "Brownies"
It's treat day again at Jamison's office! I love trying something new and then sending it with Jamison so I'm not tempted to eat more of it than I should! ;o) Although there is no chocolate in this recipe it's still very brownie like. With the abundance of apples this time of year it's fun to come up with new things to do with them.
Caramel Apple "Brownies" take the best of two worlds and bring them together. You've got your apple and you've got your caramel, but in a totally different combination than your basic caramel apple, which I might add are one of my favorite treats! Who says you can't bring a little fusion to dessert? ;o)
What You'll Need for the Brownies:
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon
1 cup of walnuts, chopped
2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
2 large apples, cored and chopped
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cream together butter through cinnamon until smooth. Stir in nuts until incorporated into the wet mixture. Slowly add flour and stir until just mixed. Add apples and stir to incorporate throughout the mixture. Spread apple mixture into a 13 X 9 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and "brownies" stick done.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
What You'll Need for the Caramel Topping:
1 cup of organic cane sugar or natural brown sugar
1/2 cup of dairy (Note: You can use half and half, fat free half and half or heavy whipping cream.)
While the "brownies" are beginning to cool mix sugar and dairy in a medium sized pot and cook, not stirring, until it turns a golden amber color. If you want you can swirl the pan a few times instead of stirring. (Note: I like to bring the mixture to soft ball stage (235 F) on a candy thermometer, but you don't have to check the temperature if you don't want to. When it turns amber it's ready to go.) Remove from heat and let sit for about 2-3 minutes and then drizzle over the "brownies".
Notes: You could add a little nutmeg into the "brownies" if you liked. Any kind of nut will work as well, or you can leave those out entirely. Also any type of apple you have on hand works well too.
Posted by Dianne at 7:39 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
October 8, 2007
Basic Chicken Soup
I love fall (well usually this 90 degree stuff in October is past old, but that's another story all together!), but fall also brings on allergy season. As I've gotten older my allergies have gotten worse and the pollution around here doesn't help matters either. Sometimes it's nice to just whip up a nice pot of Basic Chicken Soup. It's a healthy comfort food that helps you feel better when you're suffering from allergies or even a common cold.
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt
Black pepper
1 quart of chicken broth
2 cups of chicken
1 cup of edamame
In a medium sized stock pot sauté onion and carrot with a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper until onion is tender. Add broth, chicken and edamame and bring to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes or until carrots are tender.
Notes: You can make it vegetarian by using vegetable broth and leaving out the chicken. Any veggie will work. Sometimes I add leek and/or peas and corn. It's an easy soup to mix and match. You can also add in pasta of some sort if you like.
Posted by Dianne at 8:21 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 2, 2007
Homemade Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a big hit at our house, but I worry about the trans fats that come with commercial brands. Most of the big companies have gotten them down to a point where they can list that they are trans fat free, but if the word "hydrogenated" appears on the label, then the trans fats are still there!
Natural nut butters are the way to go and they are extremely easy to make. You just need some roasted nuts and a little honey. Combine the two and you've got a fantastic alternative to commercial varieties. Get the kids involved, they'll love this process! After you're done grab an apple and smooth on some Homemade Peanut Butter and you've got a fantastic snack!
What You'll Need:
2 cups of dry roasted peanuts (Note: Not salted. You can find plain dry roasted peanuts in most health food stores or natural markets. If you want a salt kick add in 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt.)
1/3-1/2 cup of honey (Note: Much like working with flour you might need more or less. When the "butter" starts to form and ends up to the consistency you like stop adding honey.)
In a food processor process peanuts until chopped fine. Start adding honey with the processor still going until "butter" forms to the consistency you like. Store in an air tight container.
Notes: This will work with any roasted nut. Also natural peanut butters tend to separate sometimes so you may need to stir before using. If you want a crunchy variety stir in a 1/2 cup of chopped peanuts.
Posted by Dianne at 10:02 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
September 27, 2007
Simple Baked Chicken with Rosemary
This week it has been all about simple in terms of food here at our house. I got through stages where I like things a bit more complicated and then I go through stages where I like simple, straight forward food. Baked Chicken is one of those simple and straight forward type dishes that always hits the spot.
There are so many things you can do while baking a chicken. You can mix up the sp