With a Cherry on Top

What's Baking Round-Up...Baked with ♥

2011-03-02T18:53:00.003-05:00

As you may (or not) recall, this month, I was the host for our monthly What's Baking group. Because it's February, I opted to go with a "love" theme....as in, Baked with Love!

The theme, itself, was quite open for interpretation as long as the recipe was something that would hold up well in a Valentine's menu. To my pleasant surprise, many people went outside the realm of baking "themed" treats for the holiday and chose recipes that reminded them of their loved ones. I am so glad that there were so many different ideas brought to the table this month and am thrilled to show y'all the variation of directions that everyone went in with this particular challenge!

So, without further ado, here are the entries for this month (in no particular order)....

Stuffed Red Velvet Cupcakes with

Cream Cheese Frosting

Source: Our Italian Kitchen

Vanilla Cupcakes

Source: Southern Charm Treats

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Source: Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Triple Chocolate Espresso Brownies

Source: Blissfully Delicious

Coconut Drop Cookies

Source: JBean Cuisine

Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites

Source: Our Share of the Harvest

Alice's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Source: The Boys Made Me Do It

Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Source: Pursuing Domestic Goddess-ness

Vanilla/German Chocolate Cake Cupcakes
with Oreo Bottoms

Source: She Cooks and Bakes!

Mint Oreo Fudge

Source: I was Born To Cook

Mixed Berry Cobbler with Cornmeal Crust

Source: Adventures In My Kitchen

Strawberry Cupcakes

Source: The Tiny Tyrant's Kitchen

Cinnamon Rolls
Source: The Mess Pot

Brownie Pudding
Source: Cloud 8 1/2

Triple Layer Oreo Cake
Source: Beantown Baker

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Cakeballs
Source: The Jey of Cooking

Chocolate Strawberry Tartlets
Source: Brownies and Blondies

Molten Lava Cakes
Source: With a Cherry on Top

Snickerdoodles
Source: Carrie's Sweet Life

Be sure to stick around and see next month's challenge....Amanda, from Our Italian Kitchen, is the host for March! The theme she has chosen is Bake From Your Nationality/Heritage, in honor of St. Patrick's Day! I wonder what everyone will make?!

What's Baking....Baked with Love

2011-03-02T18:50:00.000-05:00

So for this month’s What’s Baking challenge, I was the hostess with the mostess and because it was February, the month of love, I chose a theme based around just that….LOVE!

We all did something “Baked with Love” and I was hoping that it would be interpreted in a few different ways – not only did I feel it would be great to center it around Valentine’s Day, but to also choose recipes that, perhaps, meant something to someone or was a reminder of someone special in their life!

I chose to go the first route and made something very appropriate for V-Day…something I love seeing on a Valentine’s menu and something, actually, that I’ve never made before: Lava Cakes!

Chris and I both love the chocolatey goodness that these cakes hold…the ooey-gooey center is what makes them so darn special! To my pleasant surprise, they were really easy (probably one of the easiest desserts I’ve ever tackled). But being a newbie, something went wrong (maybe I didn’t cool them long enough), but they deflated once I removed them from the ramekins….hence, deflated looking cake in the picture!

But don’t let that stop you….the deflation these babies went under had absolutely no effect on the taste! They were deee-licious!

Molten Lava Cakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup Unsalted Butter

Cocoa Powder

4 oz. Semi-Sweet Chocolate

2 Eggs

1/4 cup Sugar

Pinch of Salt

2 Tsp. Flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter the inside of two ramekins and dust the insides with cocoa powder (to prevent the cakes from sticking).

In a double-boiler or bowl sitting atop a pan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate over medium heat, stirring frequently; let cool.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar and salt until the sugar dissolves (about 1 minute). With the mixer on low, slowly add in the chocolate mixture until incorporated into the egg mixture. Add in the flour and mix to combine.

Carefully divide the batter between the two ramekins and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes and remove. Let cool slightly and gently slide a butter knife around the inside of the ramekin to remove the cake. Serve with whipped cream, a dusting of powdered sugar or fresh fruit!

Yield: 2 Servings

Source: Adapted from Made in Melissa's Kitchen, originally from Allrecipes

Menu Madness - Week of 2.20.11

2011-02-21T08:39:00.000-05:00

So last week's menu was really good! Unfortunately, I didn't have great lighting to get decent shots to post, so there won't be any posts from much of last week. I will say that the Mustard-Roasted Fish (from Ina) was really good and the Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash (also from Ina) was phenomenal! Holy cow, I cannot believe I've never made it before, but it was SO GOOD!

Because we both loved it, it will definitely be finding it's way on the menu again (probably sometime soon) so I'll do my best to get some good pictures and post the recipes. But you can also find the recipes in Ina's Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics cookbook. If you don't have this one, it's definitely worth keeping in your repertoire...it's a good one!

Last week was the first time Chris has tried couscous so that will definitely be making it's way into our menus more and more; it's a nice, healthy alternative to pasta and rice! And this week, will be all new recipes so stay tuned!

Have a great week!

Valentine's Cake Batter Candy Bark

2011-02-16T14:50:00.000-05:00

Whew, that's a mouthful if I don't say so myself! Valentine's Cake Batter Candy Bark....say that 5 times fast!

Well, I'll tell you the story behind this bark. For a while now (pretty much since she posted it), I've had my eye on Stephanie's (Stephanie Cooks) Cake Batter Bark. Seriously, it looks sooooo good and who doesn't love cake batter?! It's, like, one of my favorite things and definitely one of my favorite ice cream flavors!

So I thought that this would be such a great treat to make for Chris to take into work to share with his co-workers. I had planned on this and Red Velvet Cupcakes. That was, of course, until Bridget (Bake at 350) had to go and make her version of bark, which was appropriate for the occasion what with the cute little sprinkles and conversation hearts she tossed on it!

And then I was torn....do I make the yummy cake batter flavored version, which I know will be good because, hello, it's cake batter! Or do I make the version that has crunchy rice krispies mixed into the batter making it a pseudo "Crunch Bark?" Get it?! Crunch Bark = Crunch Bar....I kill myself!

Anywho, the light bulb finally went off and what better way to win this argument in my head than to combine the two recipes...it was, literally, the best of both worlds.

I have to say it was pretty darn good, but I was rather disappointed in the lack of cake batter flavor. I guess I was expecting it to stand out more but I guess I'll have to put more in next time. All in all, it was good and definitely worth making again. But be warned....this stuff will definitely suffice a killer sweet tooth! It is very sweet and probably something you shouldn't give to already hyper children...just saying.

Valentine's Cake Batter Candy Bark

Ingredients
2 - 12oz. bags of White Chocolate Baking Chips
2 - 12oz. bags of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
6 Tsp. Yellow Cake Mix
2 cups Rice Krispies
Conversation Hearts
Sprinkles

Directions
Using a double boiler or sauce pan with heat-safe bowl on top, heat water over med heat until it comes to a simmer. Add the white chocolate in the bowl and stir, continuously, until melted. Stir in the cake mix and then gradually add in the rice krispies; mix until the each rice krispie is coated in chocolate. Carefully spread the mixture out onto a large piece of parchment paper and let cool.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips utilizing the same method above (minus the cake mix and rice krispies) and carefully spread the mixture over the cooled white chocolate mixture.

Sprinkle on the sprinkles and conversation hearts and let cool completely.

Once it's cooled, break the bark into pieces and enjoy!

**I've increased the amount of yellow cake mix above (I originally used 3 Tsp, but I think doubling it may do the trick). Also note, that this is very versatile and any type of candy/sprinkles can be used!

Source: Adapted from Bake at 350 and also adapted from Stephanie Cooks

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2011-02-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Today is one of the most love-filled days with weddings, romance, flowers, candy and let's not forget yummy desserts!

Red Velvet is a classic go-to idea for this special occasion as it's festive color lends itself well to the vibrant shades of red and pink! I know it probably seems like a cop-out to go with red velvet on this day, but I have to say I do love the flavor combination of the cocoa-esque cake combined with the rich, cream cheese frosting! It was clearly a no-brainer for me as I've been craving them for a while now!

So one blog, in particular, I really enjoy following...she's a friend on an online cooking/baking community that I belong to and one of the reasons I love her blog so much is that she does these incredible comparisons! Every once in a while, Bridget, from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, goes on a whim and compares some of the top-rated recipes for a particular item. I think her sugar cookie comparison is, by far, my favorite! But when it came to making red velvet cupcakes this time around, I wanted to do something different than my normal go-to family recipe (passed down by my Great Aunt Linda). But there are so many out there and it was hard to choose, which drew me to Bridget's blog as I was 99% positive that she would have a red velvet comparison!

Sure enough, she did! She actually took the time to compare 5 different recipes. Seriously, if y'all have never seen her comparisons, you need to venture over there and check them out. They really are fantastic and she is so thorough that even if you don't want to go with her top pick, you have enough information on the other recipes to decide which one would be best for you.

Anywho, she compared 5 recipes (all very popular among our foodie community) and chose Kelsey's version of Saveur's Red Velvet Cake (Kelsey is another friend of ours, from Apple a Day) as her favorite recipe. So I decided to give it a shot....

This recipe was good, but if I may be honest, I will say that I much prefer my Aunt's recipe! The texture of Kelsey's was really nice; they were moist and really baked up well. But there was something missing with the flavor and I'm not sure what it was. I followed the recipe to a "tee" but I think that the flavors of my Aunt's recipe are a little more predominant, which is why I love them! For me, I like that cocoa flavor to come through a little more (and for some people, they'd rather not). I know it's a personal preference just like some people hate red velvet!

I think I would make this recipe again; however I would tweak it a bit more to let that flavor shine! All in all, it's definitely a keeper just not my favorite (sometimes you just can't beat a good ol' family recipe)!

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients - Cake
2½ cups Flour
1½ cups Sugar
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
1 Tsp. Salt
2 Eggs
1½ cups Vegetable Oil
1 cup Buttermilk
2 Tbsp. Red food coloring
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 Tsp. White Distilled Vinegar

Ingredients - Frosting
1 - 12oz. pkg. Cream Cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1½ Tsp. Vanilla Extract
3 cups Powdered Sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt into a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar until well combined. Add in half of the dry ingredients and beat until smooth; add in the remaining dry ingredients and continue beating until the mixture is smooth (about 2 minutes).

Divide the batter evenly between 3 8-inch round cake pans, greased and floured. Bake, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean (about 25-30 minutes).

Let the cakes cool 5 minutes, then invert each onto a plate, then invert again onto a cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely.

**For cupcakes, divide the batter into cupcake liners inserted into a cupcake tin. Bake until a toothpick inserted int he center comes out clean (about 18-22 minutes).

To make the frosting, beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together in a large bowl until combined well. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and continue beating until the mixture becomes light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).

Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate, level off with a serrated knife, and spread one-quarter of the frosting on top. Set another layer on top, level, and repeat frosting. Set remaining layer on top, level, and frost top and sides with a thin crumb coat layer; repeat with a second layer of frosting and decorate as desired.

Chill for 2 hours to set frosting.

**For cupcakes, divide the frosting recipe by 1/4 as you won't need that much!

Yield: 1 8-inch, 3-layer cake or 20 cupcakes
Source: Adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, from Apple a Day (originally from Cake Man
Raven)

Menu Madness - Week of 2.14.11

2011-02-13T10:04:00.000-05:00

Here it is...the menu for the week! Yes, the Mustard-Roasted Tilapia is still on there and no, I have not made it yet! That's what happens when things come up during the week, but that's also the beauty of planning a weekly menu: you can just push it out to the next week and not worry about it! It will get made this week and I'm really excited to try it as both it and the Maple-Roasted Squash recipe come from Ina Garten, who never disappoints in the kitchen!

Other than that, it's a pretty easy week of cooking! I'm trying to utilize some of the same ingredients and leftovers for a couple of meals, which will not only save on time, but on money as well!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I'll be in the kitchen today whipping up some goodies: Red Velvet Cupcakes, Valentine's Candy Bark (with a twist) and Homemade Granola with dark cherries, almonds and dark chocolate...YUM!

Have a great week everyone!

Queso Dip

2011-02-09T07:54:00.000-05:00

I think it's pretty safe to assume that I do a majority of the cooking in our house. But don't be fooled - Chris is an excellent cook and he definitely has his specialties. For instance, his scrambled eggs - they are so good and the first time I came to visit him (we did the long-distance thing for a year), he made these for me in the morning and I never forgot them!

And let's talk about his catfish, shall we?

Being in the South, you can find catfish just about anywhere for lunch or dinner (it's a staple menu item at most places). The thing is, it's always fried. Don't get me wrong, fried is good. Fried is VERY good, but it's not always the best for you and some places have a really heavy hand with their breading and I'm not much of a fan (neither is Chris). But where he grew up in Alabama, grilled catfish is easier to come by and I gotta tell y'all, it is so, so good! And when Chris makes it? Oh lord, it's heaven! It melts in your mouth and it's so tender. We'll definitely have to add that to the list of blogging this Summer (we eat it a lot)!

And then there's his Queso Dip. The infamous dip that is always requested for him to bring to gatherings of all kinds. When we first started dating, he bragged about this dip and I thought, "Yeah, yeah, just another dip with Velveeta and salsa...no biggie!"

Well, yes, it does have Velveeta in it, but it doesn't have salsa and it's SO much better than any homemade queso I've tried thus far! I know I'm a little bias, but I'm being honest here....it's really good! It's one of those dips that you just can't.stop.eating. No matter how hard you try, you just have to go back for one more chip. And then one more. Annnnnddd then one more. Okay, I'm done!

Because we're trying our best to eat better these days (kind of hard to do with ribs and queso, but it was the Super Bowl), we opted to use ground turkey instead of beef. Chicken would be exceptionally good in this as well! And just like most of the recipes on here, you can really alter the heat to your liking.

Queso Dip

Ingredients
1 lb. Ground Meat (Turkey, Beef or Chicken)
1 Med. Onion, diced
1 Lg. brick Velveeta Cheese
1 - 10 oz. can Diced Tomatoes with Lime Juice & Cilantro (we use Rotel)
1 - 10 oz. can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles (we use Rotel)
2 - 15 oz. cans Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed

Directions
In a large pan, cook the meat over med-high heat until browned. Add in the onion and cook until tender.

In a large crock pot, add in the meat, cheese, tomatoes and beans; stir to mix. Cook over low-medium heat for 2 hours or until heated through.

Serve immediately with tortilla chips, sour cream, lime, cilantro...whatever you want!

Yield: 12-14 Servings
Source: With a Cherry on Top Original

BBQ Ribs

2011-02-07T07:54:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the Super Bowl...the infamous yearly event that people look forward to at the end of every football season. It's the time to get together with friends and family to root for your favorite team, to pig out like there's no tomorrow and to laugh your butts off at all of the crazy commercials!

I will say that I normally look forward to it; however I'm not much of a fan of Green Bay nor Pittsburgh so it was rather difficult to get into the festive mood. I thought the commercials really lacked substance this year (with the exception of a few), but none really stood out to me as the best of the year. The half-time show was a flop and Christina Aguilera's rendition of the National Anthem was rather a disgrace to our country and what it stands for. And the game, itself, really wasn't that good...I was hoping for something a little more exciting!

With all that negativity though, some good definitely came out of it.....these ribs!!! We love BBQ ribs and being in the South, BBQ anything is always on the menu! You really can't go wrong and even though it's not Summer and you can't throw 'em on the grill and slather 'em up with BBQ sauce, you can still make a pretty mean meal out of it with just a little help from the trusty 'ol oven. Actually, I prefer them this way as opposed to the grill because they become so tender and so succulent; the meat literally falls off the bone and melts in your mouth. And the caramelization that the BBQ sauce goes under during the process.....TO.DIE.FOR!!!

BBQ Ribs

Ingredients
5 lbs. Baby Back Ribs
Salt
Pepper
BBQ Sauce (I prefer Sweet Baby Ray's)

Directions
Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Prep the meat by bringing it to room temperature well before getting ready to cook it. Once it's ready, flip it over to the back side where you'll find a layer of white membrane. Gently insert the tip of a butter knife between the membrane and the meat to lift it up and pull it away (you definitely want to remove as much of it as you can...it tends to make the meat a little tough and stringy if you don't). Discard the membrane when finished.

Season both sides of the ribs with salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan. Covered with double thickness aluminum foil, bake for 4 hours.

Remove the ribs from the pan and place on a baking sheet. Slather them with BBQ sauce (as much or as little as you want) and place them under the broiler for 5 minutes (be sure to leave the oven door slightly cracked so they don't burn)!

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from Steamy Kitchen

What's Baking Challenge - Try Something New for the New Year

2011-02-05T08:45:00.001-05:00

So I skipped out on our challenge for December because of the holiday craziness and I was really excited about doing our January challenge. Jen, from Beantown Baker, was the host for the month and and wanted to encourage us to try something new, so she chose the theme of "Try Something New for the New Year" where we would, literally, try something new! It could be a new ingredient, a new technique, a new recipe, etc.

Well, peeps, I'm sorry to say that "Trying Something New for the New Year" turned into a BAKING FAIL!!! I set out to make Cinnamon Spritzes....I've had the recipe for a long time and have been wanting to make them even longer but I don't own a cookie press. But I had found another recipe to make them using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip to pipe the cookies instead....genius! Well, not so much! I don't know what happened, but I could not get the darn things to pipe for the life of me! They were waayyy too thick and certainly did not come out like the picture I had! So, once again, I was not able to participate (but not for a lack of trying)!

But I will definitely be back for the next one; it's a special month since I've been chosen to host it! The theme for February is "Baked with Love"....I have asked everyone to bake something worthy of being on a Valentine's menu! I'm excited to see what everyone comes up with; there is a lot of versatility with this one and can't wait to see what turns up (maybe some fun appetizers, tasty breads, a decadent entree or a sweet treat)!

But in the meantime, definitely check out what everyone else made for January......

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Source: Carrie's Sweet Life

Cheese Souffle

Source: Pursuing Domestic Goddess-ness

Pistachio Cake

Source: The Tiny Tyrant's Kitchen

Coconut Madeleines

Source: The Boys Made Me Do it!

Gluten-Free Breadsticks

Source: Our Share of the Harvest

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Source: Brownies and Blondies

Warm Apple Bread Pudding

Source: The Mess Pot

Cinnamon Chip Bread

Source: The Jey of Cooking

Cinnamon Rolls

Source: Cloud 8 1/2

Cranberry Orange Scones

Source: Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Mini-Whole Wheat Bagels

Source: Beantown Baker

Tortellini in Pesto Broth

2011-01-31T19:01:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned previously, my friend, Branny, is hosting a Charity Souper Bowl to help donate money to the ASPCA. She and her husband, the Omnivore, have made it their New Year's Resolution to donate more to this wonderful cause!

They have asked fellow bloggers, family and friends to enter a soup recipe to Branny's blog, Branny Boils Over, including a picture of the soup and of the pet you wish to dedicate it to. They have offered to donate $1 for each entry received. Their goal is to reach a minimum of 100 entries and the last I heard, they were definitely getting closer!

I opted to make a Tortellini in Pesto Broth and it was, by far, the easiest and quickest soup I've ever made! It was also really delicious and versatile so you could add a variety of things to make it more hearty!

This soup is dedicated to sweet little Bailey! We adopted Bailey shortly after moving to South Carolina and she has been a joy in my life ever since! We got her at just 10 weeks old and didn't know much about her history or why she had been dropped off, but she won our hearts immediately with her sweet little face! Just look at her....how could you not love that face?!

Don't get me wrong, she has definitely had her "puppy" moments but all in all, she has been a great dog and she brightens my day! She has grown up so much in the year that we've had her and really
come into her own. She has quite the personality and some funny little quirks!

We absolutely adore her and cannot imagine our life without her! For it being the first time that either of us had ever adopted, we sure lucked out and found the perfect addition to our little family!

Tortellini in Pesto Broth

Ingredients
4 cups Chicken Broth
2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves
1/3 Parmesan Cheese, grated
6 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Pine Nuts
1 Garlic Clove
32 oz. Tortellini (fresh or frozen)

Directions
In a large pot, heat the broth over med-high heat until boiling.

Meanwhile, place the basil, Parmesan, olive oil, pine nuts and garlic into a food processor and process until smooth. Whisk 1/3 cup of the pesto into the hot broth, reserving the remaining pesto for another use.

Reduce the heat to medium and add in the tortellini; cook until tender (about 7 minutes).

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: From Radically Simple

Menu Madness - Week of 1.30.11

2011-01-30T19:47:00.002-05:00

Here it is! Our menu for the week....There is definitely some overlap from last week due to a few unexpected things happening, but no biggie! We just make the necessary adjustments and push them out to this week! Have a great week y'all!

Garlic Rice Pilaf

2011-01-26T09:54:00.000-05:00

I'm always trying to find new ways of incorporating "healthier" side dishes into our meals, mainly veggies and good starches. It seems like we never grow tired of roasted (or grilled in the Summer) veggies; they take on a whole new flavor when cooked different ways and both methods are so versatile and allow you to change up the flavorings just by adding different seasonings or sauces.

Good starches, on the other hand, are a little more trying for me to work with in the sense of them not being too "fattened up" with butter, sauces, etc. We love pasta and could eat it everyday but let's face it, it's not always the best thing to eat every.single.day. Potatoes are good, couscous is good and rice is good too, but I only have so many variations in my repertoire of how to prepare these items to prevent us from getting bored and throwing ourselves off the healthy bandwagon!

So when I came across this recipe, I thought that it not only looked tasty but sounded tasty and easy enough to make. It is a little time consuming in sense that it takes a while to cook but the preparation part is rather effortless and includes ingredients that are kitchen staples: rice, garlic, chicken broth, lemon, salt and pepper!

I actually altered the cooking time a bit to shorten it up and I felt like it turned out just fine and was really, really good! Now that I know I can make it in less time than what the original recipe says, this will become a regular side dish in our weekly rotation of favorite meals!

Garlic Rice Pilaf

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 cup White Rice, uncooked
2 1/2 cups Chicken Broth, divided
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/2 Lemon

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large pan, melt the butter over med-high heat. Add in the garlic and rice; cook until both are browned (about 4 minutes). Stir in 1 cup of the chicken broth, salt and pepper; bring to a boil.

Pour the mixture into a small casserole dish and bake, covered for 15 minutes.

Stir in the remaining chicken broth and bake, covered, for an additional 20 minutes. Squeeze in the juice of the lemon, stir to combine and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is light and fluffy.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from Jaime Cooks, originally from What's Cooking in the Orange Kitchen

Tilapia with Lemon-Butter Sauce

2011-01-25T15:21:00.000-05:00

I mentioned previously that one of our resolutions for this year was to focus on getting healthier. They say that happiness can make you fat and it has! I am extremely happy (happier than I've ever been) but I've also packed on a few extra pounds. I have a little frame so it's very noticeable when I do gain a little weight. I still fit into my clothes, but they're definitely getting tight and that is a sure sign that something needs to be done!

I didn't want to diet though. I've tried zillions of diets over the years only to be left discouraged and giving up, ahem, after a couple of weeks. I've heard time and time again that being healthy should be a lifestyle and not considered a "diet." Let's face it, dieting doesn't work. We needed to adopt a healthier approach to eating and staying fit. And it needs to become a way of life, not a punishment that most "diets" feel like.

I've always tried to take a somewhat healthy approach to my cooking....I don't use a lot of salt, I make a lot of my own seasonings, I try to avoid most processed foods, etc. We always had fruit and veggies on-hand, but not enough to get the proper nutrition we needed. So we decided that we're going to incorporate more healthy foods into our life...more fish, more poultry, more fruit, more veggies, more water, etc. Since doing so, we've felt a noticeable difference in how we feel!

Yes, we do have the occasional bag of potato chips or homemade cookies, but we don't devour it's entire contents in 1 or 2 days! We eat in moderation. We still go out to dinner on the weekends and while sometimes we choose healthier options (as healthy as you can get going out), sometimes I just want a big, juicy cheeseburger! Or a slice of pizza! And that's okay, because I do it in moderation and I don't pig out until I'm miserable.

I made this fish last night and it was unbelievably good! The fish, alone, was really tasty but after adding the lemon-butter sauce, it was phenomenal! And so simple to make! It took, maybe, 15 minutes at the most to throw together. The fish was light and flavorful and the sauce wasn't too heavy...just a nice balance of flavor. The sauce would dually be good on chicken as well! This little guy is definitely going to make it's way into our regular rotation of favorites!

Tilapia with Lemon-Butter Sauce

Ingredients
1 lb. Tilapia or any type of hearty, white fish
3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, divided
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 Tsp. Flour
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/4 cup Chicken Stock
2 Tsp. Lemon Juice
1 Med. Tomato, diced

Directions
Pat dry the fillets and season both sides with salt and pepper.

In a large pan, heat 2 Tbsp. butter over med-high heat. Add in the fillets and sear 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove the fillets from the pan and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. butter over med-high heat. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute). Stir in the flour and cook for an additional minute. Gradually add in the chicken stock, followed by the lemon juice, stirring constantly until a smooth consistency forms. If the sauce thickens, add in more stock to get the consistency you prefer.

Spoon the sauce over the fillets and top with the diced tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Menu Madness - Week of 1.23.11

2011-01-24T08:08:00.002-05:00

Happy Monday to y'all! I hope everyone had a great weekend and is ready for another week. As promised, I am going to start posting our menu for each week to not only give you an idea of what we'll be eating for dinner each night (maybe to help you plan) but also to give you a sneak peek at what types of new recipes you can expect to see here in the next couple of weeks to come!

You may notice that I don't cook dinner every single night. Because it's just the two of us here, I find that the meals I make during the week, tend to hold us over into another night with leftovers. I don't believe in being wasteful and sometimes the leftovers are the best part! So I usually try to judge and plan accordingly to the meal(s) that I'm making. It really saves on time and cuts down on our grocery bill, but I always have extra items on-hand to quickly throw something easy together if we do run out of leftovers. For instance, this week I have the ingredients to make Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Beer Bread or I could do Spaghetti with Homemade Turkey Meatballs and a salad if needed. It's always good to be prepared!

So without further ado, here is the menu we have planned for this week....

Annnnd We're Back!

2011-01-23T11:33:00.001-05:00

Remember that line? No? From SNL? Jimmy Fallon? Ben Affleck? Well, if I'm still not jogging your memory, here is the video....HILLARIOUS! Definitely an oldie, but most definitely a goodie!

I realize it's been a little over a month since I've posted anything. I'm sorry. In fact, I don't think I've posted anything since before Christmas! Man, I'm waaaay behind! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to y'all...I hope everyone had a great holiday season!

Things have been pretty chaotic since then...I flew to MI for Christmas (it was a last-minute/unexpected trip, but one that was well overdue). I was able to catch up and spend time with family and one of my best friends. Overall, a successful trip and well worth the the crazy airport crowds!

Like everyone, one of our New Year's resolutions included getting healthy and taking better care of our bodies. I know it's pretty cliche' and one that easily pushes you off the wagon after just a few weeks, but I must say that we're doing pretty darn good with it being almost a month in! We never really ate really bad before (only sometimes) but we're just focusing more on incorporating more figure-friendly foods...things like more fish (eating it more than once a week), a lot more fruits and veggies, cutting back on bad starches and increasing our intake of good starches, drinking less soda and alcohol, etc. We've also been really diligent on being more active and getting in more cardio each day just to better our health overall.

So....with all this healthy eating, I haven't had much to blog. Plus, things were busy with work and now I'm going to be starting a new job in a week, so my schedule will be even more busy!

But I promise to be around more and I'm excited to be incorporating a few more features here! I've slacked quite a bit on "Things I ♥" and need to start sharing with y'all more gadgets, tools and accessories that I love in the kitchen.

I'm also going to be sharing our menu for each week with you, called "Menu Madness" and, of course, I'm going to continue participating in our What's Baking group! Speaking of which, this month's theme is "Try something new for the new year" to challenge each of us to bake something utilizing a recipe, technique or ingredient that we've never used before. I'm pretty excited to see what everyone comes up with! I've also been chosen to host next month's group, so stick around to hear me announce the theme for February!

And last, but not least, I wanted to discuss something very near and dear to my heart....animals! My friend, Branny, over at Branny Boils Over is hosting a Charity Souper Bowl in which she and her husband, The Omnivore, are going to donate $1 to the ASPCA for every soup recipe that is entered! That's amazing and so kind of her! That is actually their New Year's Resolution and it's a fantastic one and definitely something we can all contribute to. Her goal is to reach a minimum of $100 and right now, she's 1/4 of the way there, so she needs all the help she can get! I'm definitely going to be participating and you can too! It's simple....all you have to do is make a new or favorite soup recipe. If you're a fellow blogger, blog about it (and perhaps tribute the post to your pet or a past pet you've had) and share the link with Branny. If you're not a blogger, email Branny with the recipe, a photo of the soup and the name of the animal you'd like to dedicate it to! We've all seen those dreaded commercials with Sarah McLachlan songs playing in the background...the one that I always have to turn the channel because I just can't bear to look at those faces (it just breaks my heart). So please help her out and let me know if you participate!

I'm signing off for now, but not for long! Have a happy and relaxing Sunday and I'll see you soon!

Zuppa Toscana

2010-12-13T14:30:00.000-05:00

If one were to question whether Winter had arrived yet in Georgia, they need not question it any longer! It was frigid and down-right freezing here over the weekend and we saw snow fly!

Now, being a "Yankee" myself, snow and frigid temperatures are nothing out of the ordinary for me at this time of year (especially since my family has already seen blizzard-like conditions where they live). But when you live in the South, especially getting down past Tennessee and Kentucky, you would expect that you've escaped that horrible weather! Well let me assure you...that's a big fat NO!

But what is December without being a little cold and seeing Mother Nature's frozen little stars falling from the sky?! And what better way to celebrate weather like that than to curl up to a nice bowl of homemade soup?! I'll do you one better, how about a nice bowl of Zuppa Tuscana from Olive Garden?! And even better than that...a bowl of Zuppa Toscana homemade from your own kitchen!

Olive Garden: home of the infamous soup, salad and breadsticks special. One that I know I officially partook in plenty of times at lunch gatherings! As always, I feasted on the yummy salad with homemade Italian dressing, buttery garlic breadsticks and piping hot Zuppa Toscana with chunks of potatoes, spicy sausage and fresh kale in a creamy broth....YUM! Seriously, if you've never tried it, you must go and get some. Now! I really mean now!!!

Surprisingly, Chris had never had it, but that's because when he goes to Olive Garden, he orders pasta. Hmmm...who would've thought?! So to my delight, he was pleasantly surprised after trying this hearty soup and even took some for lunch today! As one of my definite favorites, this soup will surely be greeted with big open arms in our house again (probably sooner than we think)!

Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients
1 lb. Italian Sausage
8 slices Bacon, chopped
4 cups Water
2 cups Chicken Broth
2 Lg. Potatoes (Yukon, Russet, Baking, etc.), cubed
1 Med. Onion, diced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
2 cups Kale, chopped
1 cup Heavy Cream
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

Directions
In a large pot, crumble the sausage and brown over medium heat. Add in the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until browned; drain the grease from the pot.

Add in the water, chicken broth, potatoes, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until simmering; let simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender (about 10-15 minutes).

Add in the kale, cream, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes; stir until combined and cook until heated through. Serve immediately.

Note: The red pepper flakes definitely add a bit of heat to the soup, so use sparingly if you prefer less or omit altogether.

Yield: 4-6 Servings
Source: Adapted from Joelen's Culinary Adventures, originally from America's Most Wanted Recipes

Starbucks' Pumpkin Scones

2010-12-07T07:48:00.000-05:00

Have y'all been to Starbucks and had their Pumpkin Scones?! They're heavenly and with a Pumpkin Spice Latte (especially with Autumn's first sign of arrival), it's pumpkin overload, but in a good way! A really good way! I don't know if I've ever talked about my Starbucks craziness or my little method of how I choose my drinks from there, but I'll keep it short....

When it gets to be the time of year that Autumn is arriving, I always go for the Pumpkin Spice Latte (and sometimes treat myself to the decadent Pumpkin Scone or the low fat Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake, which is also scrumptious). Then, as Fall moves out and Winter quickly approaches, my mind goes directly to the Peppermint White Mocha, which is oh so good! Any other time of the year, my go-to drink is just a regular White Mocha but when it's my favorite time(s) of the year, I splurge and get something special!

Sorry, I digress a little. Back to the scones....I came across this recipe, I don't know, quite some time ago and had it bookmarked on my computer ever since. I've made pumpkin scones before...remember these? They were good, but nothing beats the ones from Starbucks. There are so many copycat recipes out there (and I've tried a few), but they don't always meet your expectations of the real thing. This recipe, however, was quite the opposite. These scones turned out exactly like Starbucks' and the sugary white icing drizzled over them was the cherry on top...haha, get it?!

I actually made mini-scones because, along with the Cranberry Soda Bread with Lime Glaze and the Mini- Zucchini & Basil Quiches, I took these into work for Black Friday. I figured it would be easy to grab a small one versus a much larger one and they went a lot further and saved me time from having to make duplicate batches of scones just to feed everyone! They're great in the morning with coffee or tea and sometimes I even found myself snacking on them in the evening just to curb my sweet tooth!

Starbucks' Pumpkin Scones

Ingredients

2 cups Flour

7 Tbsp. Sugar

1 Tbsp. Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp. Salt

1/2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Tsp. Nutmeg

1/2 cup Canned Pumpkin

3 Tbsp. Heavy Cream

1 Egg

6 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed

1 cup plus 1 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar

2 Tbsp. Milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, heavy cream, and egg.

Crumble the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles a coarse mixture. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Using your hands, for the dough into a ball. Pat the dough lightly onto a floured surface and form a 1-inch thick rectangle (9-inches long and 3-inches wide). Using a large knife or pizza cutter, slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut those pieces diagonally so that there are 6 triangles of dough (I took it even further to make smaller, mini-size pieces).

Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 14-16 minutes or until light brown; let cool completely.

To make the icing, combine the powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl; mix well until no lumps are present. Using a spoon, carefully drizzle the icing over the scones and let sit for at least 1 hour.

Yield: 6 Servings (full size)/24 Servings (mini)
Source: Adapted from The Nest

Cranberry Soda Bread with Lime Glaze

2010-12-06T07:18:00.001-05:00

I'm not a big "bread" person in terms of actually baking bread. I don't know, it sort of scares me! I've made homemade bread before and it always just turns out alright. It's never anything special, but it's certainly not horrible either. I've just always envisioned homemade bread as being really, really good. And the times that I've had it, it is! This is definitely a cooking hurdle I need to get over and I'm working on it.

I think, more than anything, it's working with yeast that scares me. Making bread can be a delicate process; there are a lot of steps in between to let the bread rise (sometimes more than once) and kneading it just so. For one reason or another, mine usually comes out dry.

This recipe I actually consider a "cheater" recipe in that it doesn't utilize yeast. It's quite simple and ends up coming out as a cross between a scone and biscotti. It has a hard shell on the outside, but is rather dense on the inside. I made this recipe for work on Black Friday. I thought it would be a nice little "something" to help fill us up but also kill our sweet cravings!

The bread itself was pretty good, although it did seem a little dry (not too bad), but I might've overbaked it as well (again, if you've followed any of my other Turkey Day/Black Friday posts, you'll know that I had lots going on in the oven and some things ended up staying in there too long)! And I missed a step in the process to help vent it and let steam escape during baking. It certainly didn't ruin the flavor and the best part of this recipe is the lime glaze! Holy smokes, people, I'm telling you that I could not keep my hands off of the glaze once I was done using it on the bread. It was so good and just that hint of lime was really refreshing and such a nice complement to the somewhat sweet, yet somewhat tart cranberries in the bread. It was a really nice combination and if I make it again, I will definitely be sure not to overbake it! I think this bread would be great for a bridal or baby shower of some sort or perhaps a brunch!

Cranberry Soda Bread with Lime Glaze

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups plus 1 Tbsp. Milk

1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

4 cups Flour

1 1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda

1 Tsp. Salt

3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, chilled and cubed

1 cup Dried Cranberries

1 Egg

1 cup Powdered Sugar

1 Lime, zested and juiced

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 1/3 cups milk and the lemon juice; let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Rub in the butter until coarse crumbs form. Stir in the cranberries.

Beat the egg into the milk mixture and then add to the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until it just comes together. Form the dough into an 8-inch round and place on the prepared baking sheet. Using a knife, score an "X" 1/2-inch deep in the center. Bake until golden and crusty (about 25-30 minutes). Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, lime zest, lime juice and the remaining tablespoon of milk. Drizzle over the cooled bread and slice for serving.

Yield: 8-12 Servings

Source: Every Day with Rachael Ray

What's Baking Challenge - Thanksgiving

2010-12-03T07:39:00.002-05:00

Well, it's that time again and I can hardly believe we're already rounding up recipes from last month's What's Baking Challenge (it seems like just about a week ago, we were doing our first round up for October). Wow, how time flies!

This was an interesting month because it was about Thanksgiving and it was really nice to see everyone's interpretations of the theme and what reminded them of this special holiday. It was also nice to see a wide variety of baked goods made and not just desserts!

Below are the entries from most everyone (I know that some people stepped out for the month due to time commitments)...hopefully you'll find something that catches your eye and also some other blogs that may be of interest to you!

And before I go, our host chosen for December is Stephanie from Brownies and Blondies. The theme she has chosen is Holiday Colors! I think it will be really fun to see how everyone interprets it and whether they stick with the typical red and green for Christmas, blue and white for Hanukkah, red/green/black for Kwanzaa, black and gold for New Years Eve, a simple red and white combination or maybe even something Wintry in light blue/silver/white! Stay tuned next month to find out....

Edible Cornucopia

Source: Our Italian Kitchen

Rustic Apple Crostata

Source: The Boys Made Me Do It

Pumpkin Cranberry Pecan Upside Down Cake

Source: Beantown Baker

"The Pie That Won't Die"

Souce: The Tiny Tyrant's Kitchen

Cranberry Apple Mini Pies

Source: Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Sweet Potato Trifle

Source: Carrie's Sweet Life

Bacon and Cheddar Apple Pie

Source: The Jey of Cooking

Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

Source: Our Share of the Harvest

Pilgrim Bread

Source: Pursuing Domestic Goddess-ness

**For what it's worth, please excuse the formatting above with the caption sourcing of the pictures. Blogger isn't working with me the way I'd like and for some reason some of the captions are not properly placed under each picture. I'll keep working on it to hopefully get it fixed!

Mini-Zucchini & Basil Quiche

2010-12-02T07:30:00.003-05:00

We all know that Black Friday happens to be the craziest and busiest shopping day of the year. I never, let me repeat, never go out that day!

But unfortunately, my streak of not going out on Black Friday ended this year. You see, I picked up a part-time job this Fall to help get me out of the house, meeting new people here and just having something to do. That job happens to be in retail (one of my loves)! I love shopping and I love working in retail so what better way to fill my days than doing something I love...not everyone gets that opportunity.

Back to Black Friday....so in all of the years I worked my hand in retail, I always lucked out and never had to work this dreaded day. Until now. We were open for 22 hours straight and I was scheduled from 11:45p-7:30a.

So, Thanksgiving night, I had to go into work. After spending all day in the kitchen. After stuffing my face with food. After all of that, I had to go into work waaaayyyy past my bedtime!

Believe it or not, it was actually fun and not as bad as I thought! I'm glad, though, that I was on the other side of the coin working the holiday as opposed to actually shopping it. But all in all, I made it, I had fun and I made a little extra money!

Unfortunately, because we were open practically all day and really busy, we really didn't have the opportunity to get out for our breaks, so everyone was tasked with bringing in items to eat to help replenish and reboost our energy levels throughout the morning, day and night. I decided to bring in a few different things: scones, soda bread and mini-quiches. Oh my goodness, I cannot even begin to tell you how good these little quiches were! I'm not normally a fan of egg-y type dishes, especially quiche, but these definitely changed my mind.

The flavor combination of sweet basil and zucchini with tangy Parmesan cheese and light, fluffy eggs provided our mouths were the perfect bite of sweet, creamy and tangy goodness! And they're crustless, which was really nice and convenient for popping in your mouth! These were so good that Chris and I couldn't keep our hands off of them, so I had to make another batch to take into work that night!

Mini-Zucchini & Basil Quiche

Ingredients

1/4 cup Cornstarch

1 1/4 cup Milk

2 Eggs

2 Egg Yolks

1 cup Heavy Cream

3/4 Tsp. Salt

1/8 Tsp. Nutmeg

Cooking Spray

Olive Oil

4 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/2 Onion, diced finely

2 Zucchini, grated

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

Fresh Basil, chopped finely

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1/2 cup of milk until smooth. Add in the whole eggs and egg yolks, whisking again, until smooth. Gradually add in the remaining milk, cream, salt and nutmeg; whisk until combined. Refrigerated until ready to use.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add in the garlic and onion; saute until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add in the zucchini and cook until just softened (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat.

Spray a mini-muffin tin with cooking spray. Place a pinch of cheese in the bottom of each cup, topping it with a teaspoon helping of the zucchini mixture and a pinch of basil. Pour a tablespoon helping of the egg mixture into each cup.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the quiches begin to puff up and turn golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes and carefully run a butter knife around the rim of each cup to gently lift each quiche out.

**These quiches freeze very well in a sealed Ziploc bag or resealable container. If heating from frozen state, place them on a cookie sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Yields: 48 Quiches
Source: Adapted from The Kitchn, originally adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

2010-12-01T08:21:00.000-05:00

Rounding out the list of appetizers we had on Turkey Day is this recipe for Spinach & Artichoke Dip. I've definitely had my fair share of the dip and have tried my hand at a variety of recipes including those that are super easy and require very few ingredients to others that are much more complex, ingredient-heavy and time consuming. This particular recipe falls right in the middle. It's actually fairly easy to throw together and in fact, the lengthy part is the baking process.

This recipe is yet another from the infamous Grand Temptations cookbook....don't you ever get tired of me talking about it?! I've had that book for years and still haven't made every single recipe in it, so I knew it was time to indulge in this particular one, especially since I've been eyeing it for quite some time. I'm not really sure why I never made it before, but I can definitely say that this, by far, is the best recipe I've made for Spinach & Artichoke Dip!

It's super creamy, a little rich (but not too heavy) and has the right amount and balance of spinach, artichokes, cheese and garlic. Served with tortilla chips, crackers, bread or even veggies, this particular recipe is definitely sure to please at any gathering!

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

12 oz. Fresh Baby Spinach

1 - 15oz. jar Artichokes, drained and chopped

1/2 Med. Onion, diced

1 1/3 cups Parmesan Cheese, grated

5 Garlic Cloves, minced

3/4 cup Fresh Basil, chopped

12 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over med-high heat. Add the spinach to the pan in batches until it wilts down. Remove from the heat and chop it up once it's cool to the touch.

In a medium bowl, mix together the spinach, artichokes, onion, grated Parmesan cheese, garlic, basil, cream cheese, salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Microwave on high for 45 seconds and then bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with crackers, chips, bread or vegetables.

Yield: 10 Servings

Source: Adapted from Grand Temptations

"Classic" Stuffed Mushrooms

2010-11-30T07:54:00.000-05:00

Adding to the list of yummy Thanksgiving apps this year were Stuffed Mushrooms. I love, love, love stuffed mushrooms of practically any sort and it had been quite some time since I've sunk my teeth into one, so it was only right to make them for this food-filled holiday!

This is actually a very classic recipe and what some would refer to as the "original." There are so many variations out there now for stuffed mushroom recipes that it can sometimes be hard to find one that is different, yet appealing to all palettes. You can stuff them with crab, an assortment of cheeses, potatoes, different types of meat, etc. When in doubt, I always refer to the tried and true, the classic, the original, the big guy...you get the point, I'm sure.

With a healthy (not waist-healthy but portion-healthy or size-healthy, if you rather) bite of sausage, cream cheese and Parmesan cheese stuffed into a juicy mushroom, your mouth explodes with depths of flavor and textures...it's pleasing in so many ways! They're such a savory and slightly rich addition, that you don't need too many which is why this recipe can go a long way with guests, even leaving enough for seconds or thirds!

Oh and for what it's worth, please don't mind my picture...I accidentally left them in the oven too long! Even after my timer told me it was time for them to come out, I was preoccupied with other kitchen tasks....who am I kidding? I was stuffing my face "taste-testing" other yummies I was working on! Irregardless, they were still good and we devoured every.single.one!

"Classic" Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

24 oz. Button Mushrooms

1/2 lb. Pork Sausage (whatever flavor you like...I used Italian)

1/2 Med. Onion, diced

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1/3 cup Chicken Broth

8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1 whole Egg Yolk

3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Gently wipe off mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel to remove dirt. Pop out the stems, reserving both parts.

Chop up the stems into fine pieces and set aside.

In a skillet, cook the sausage over med-high heat until browned; drain the grease and transfer meat to a plate to set aside.

Meanwhile, add the onions and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat until softened (about 2 minutes). Pour chicken broth into the skillet and deglaze the pan by running a whisk or spoon around the bottom of the pan to scrape up any bits left behind by the meat. Continue cooking until liquid evaporates (about 5-7 minutes). Add in the mushroom stems and cook to soften (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and egg yolk. Add in the Parmesan cheese and mix until combined well. Add in meat and mushroom mixture and mix well. Refrigerate the mixture, allowing it to firm up (about 20 minutes).

When ready, smear the sausage mixture into each button cap cavity, allowing a generous amount to sit on top. Place stuffed mushrooms on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes (or until golden brown).

Yield: 12-16 Servings

Source: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Sausage Cups

2010-11-29T14:09:00.000-05:00

Happy post-Thanksgiving Day everyone! I hope everyone survived the holiday and Black Friday madness (if you were crazy enough to get out in it)!

Because our families live in other states, Chris and I spent Turkey Day at home, together, this year. It was really nice with just the two of us and definitely complete with all the fixins! We had the usual roast turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, etc. But I also made a few appetizers to help fill us up even more throughout the day!

I decided to make new appetizers this year utilizing recipes that I haven't made before and I'm so glad I gave these Sausage Cups a place at the table this year. They were the perfect mouthful of crunchy, chewy, spicy cheesiness! And they were so easy to put together...they practically took no time at all! And believe it or not, they're just as good leftover!

This is such a versatile recipe and you really can change up the variation of flavors by changing out the ingredients you use! I ended up using Italian sausage, but I think they would be dually delicious substituted with Hot sausage, ground chicken or ground turkey as well (especially if you're trying to avoid the heavy calories and flavors the sausage gives). The original recipe called for a blend of Monterrey jack and cheddar cheese but I used what I had on-hand. Either way, any mixture of cheese would work just fine!

We actually enjoyed these so much, I decided to make another batch of them today just to have for a snack and also to freeze them!

Sausage Cups

Ingredients

1 lb. Ground Sausage

1 pkg. Won Ton Wrappers

2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Ranch Dressing

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini-muffin tin and set aside.

In a skillet over med-high heat, crumble the sausage until browned; drain.

Meanwhile, insert the won ton wrappers into the muffin tin to form little cups or bowls. Bake for 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, mix together the sausage, cheese and ranch dressing. Carefully spoon the mixture into the pre-cooked won ton cups and finish baking for an additional 10 minutes.

Yield: 30 Servings

Source: Adapted from Bob Evans

Apple Pecan Cheesecake - What's Baking Challenge

2010-11-23T08:29:00.001-05:00

It's that time again....it's time for the What's Baking Challenge! First of all, I'm so sorry y'all for being such a slacker on the blog front. Despite how it may look, I really haven't been slacking at home (promise). We've been very busy and my computer is very, very sick. I am "temporarily" on Chris' computer for now which is my why my posts have been few and far between.

But it's nearing the end of the month and with that comes the What's Baking Challenge. If you remember from last month's post, the theme chosen for November is Thanksgiving! What better way to celebrate Turkey Day than with a non-traditional dessert! While I love me some pumpkin pie, I'm feeling a little overkill with all of the pumpkin recipes I've been seeing lately. So I thought I'd liven things up a bit with a cheesecake. But not just your usual New York cheesecake. This one has a delightful little mixture of apples and pecans tossed in cinnamon and sugar on top....YUM!

I'm telling you, this is definitely a great alternative (or addition) to the typical dessert fare you see on Thanksgiving. The cheesecake with the apples and pecans on top really give a warm, comforting feeling in your mouth and really brings it home. It could definitely stand on it's own at the table next to the turkey and dressing but if you have to go with the traditional T-Day dessert(s), you really should throw this in as an accompaniment...I promise, you won't be disappointed and neither will your guests!

Apple Pecan Cheesecake

Ingredients - Crust
1 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/4 cup Butter, melted
2 Tbsp. Sugar plus

Ingredients - Cheesecake
4 - 8oz. pkg. Cream Cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1 cup Sour Cream
4 Eggs
3 Lg. Apples, peeled, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup Pecans, chopped
1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Directions
To make the crust, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 13x9-inch baking dish with foil.

In a small bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Press mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add in sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating between additions until blended together.

In a medium bowl, combine the apples, pecans, remaining sugar and cinnamon. Mix until the pecans and apples are coated with cinnamon and sugar.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the cooled graham cracker crust. Spoon the apples and pecans over the cheesecake mixture and bake for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours to let cool and set. Using the foil, pull the cheesecake out of the dish and cut into serving-size squares.

Yield: 16 Servings
Source: Adapted from Kraft Foods

Easy Caramel Corn

2010-11-11T07:17:00.000-05:00

With Fall, comes tailgating and football parties. And with tailgating and football parties, comes food (more importantly, snacks). That's where this recipe comes in! This is probably the easiest recipe out there for homemade caramel corn (at least from what I've found) and don't let the ease of the recipe fool you: it's just as tasty!

I've been making this caramel corn for years now and it's always been a hit whether I've brought it to work parties, holiday gatherings, giving away as gifts or just making it here at home for something to munch on. It's also very versatile and can be combined with other goodies such as pecans, candy corn, peanuts, etc.

Easy Caramel Corn

Ingredients
3 bags Unbuttered Popcorn, popped
1 cup Unsalted Butter
2 cups Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 cup Light Corn Syrup
1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda

Directions
Empty the popcorn into a brown paper bag, being careful to not let the unpopped kernels get in.

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup over med-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda.

Pour the caramel over the popcorn in the bag; close the bag and shake well. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove and shake well or mix with a wooden spoon so that all of the popcorn is coated in caramel. Spread over wax paper and let cool.

**Be careful as it will be very hot coming out of the microwave**

Yield: 14-16 Servings
Source: From Grand Temptations

Cheddar & Jalapeno Popovers

2010-11-10T07:04:00.000-05:00

For some reason people always ask about ideas to make alongside a big pot of soup and with all of the soups and stews I've made recently (and with more to come), I've found that the best sides include a nice, green salad and bread of some sort. Determining what type of salad and/or bread to make to accompany your soup will depend a lot on the ingredients and flavors your soup will have. Playing up the flavors of your salad and the texture of the bread can really help to complement the soup itself.

To give you an idea, the Squash Bisque I made recently was paired with a salad of romaine, sliced pears, Gorgonzola cheese, dried cranberries, candied pecans and a cider vinaigrette. Alongside it, was a fresh loaf of French bread, perfect for dipping! In this case, you could easily add some grilled chicken to the salad to boost up your protein, but I found the soup hearty enough that it wasn't necessary. This combination provided the perfect Autumn meal while utilizing fresh, in-season ingredients and still rather figure-friendly.

If it's a nice hearty Chili, for instance, I usually opt for a simple green salad with a few fresh veggies and a nice vinaigrette. To have a little fun and play up the spicy flavors of the chili, I might make a salad utilizing fresh tomatoes, red onion and a cilantro lime vinaigrette (a little Mexican cheese would be great on top as well). For bread pairings, you can never go wrong with a good old-fashion Southern cornbread! Mexican cornbread is great as well as is this recipe for Cheddar & Jalapeno Muffins!

I actually made these recently to go alongside a large pot of Chili and it was a nice contrast to the normal cornbread we usually have. Personally, I thought they could've used a tad more salt than what the recipe called for and next time, I'll definitely add more jalapeno. But all in all, I really liked them...the only trouble we really ran into was getting them out of the cupcake liners! I thought I had bought decent liners; they were made by Wilton after all, but to our surprise they stuck terribly to the popovers, making it rather difficult to peel away. So, unfortunately, remnants of the popovers went to waste but we still managed to work with the best part: the middle! I guess lesson learned...don't buy Wilton cupcake liners again!

Cheddar & Jalapeno Muffins

Ingredients
3 Eggs
1 1/4 cups Milk
1 1/4 Flour
1/2 Tsp. Salt
3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted
2 Jalapenos, minced
3/4 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake/muffin liners.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until foamy. Gradually add in the milk, beating at low speed. Add in the flour and salt; beat until smooth. Mix in the butter.

Fill each cup half-full with the batter. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese and jalapenos and top with more batter, filling the cups up.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until brown. Let cool for 1 minute and serve warm.

Note: The ingredient list above reflects the changes I would make to the recipe, including adding more salt and jalapenos. The original recipe calls for 1/4 Tsp. of salt and does not include jalapenos.

Yield: 8 Muffins
Source: Adapted from Grand Temptations

Chorizo, Potato & Mushroom Tacos

2010-11-01T07:03:00.000-04:00

I don't think I need to explain my ~~obsession~~ love for Mexican food. It's pretty cut and dry and something that will probably always be an ~~obsession~~ love of mine. Next to cheeseburgers and ice cream, it's at the top of my list of favorites! I mean, usually when we go out for dinner, it's what is on my mind to get (we usually have to choose between Mexican and sushi). And it doesn't stop there...I love making Mexican-inspired meals at home!

I came across this recipe on Pink Parsley not all that long ago and marked it as one to try. Each week that I sat down to do my meal planning, this recipe seemed to pop up, but for one reason or another I'd brush it off and tell myself I'd make it another time. Well ladies and gentlemen, that time has finally come. And let me be the first to admit what a HUGE mistake it was to put off for so long! This was, seriously, one of the easiest and tastiest meals I have thrown together in a long time. I'd have to say it's climbed right up there as one of my top meals (probably right alongside the Creamy Shrimp & Grits)!

The spiciness of the chorizo with the crispy, soft potatoes and sauteed mushrooms make for an explosion of textures and flavors in your mouth. We served them on real corn tortillas (the best) with a little cilantro, sour cream and salsa verde. Paired alongside some Spanish Rice and Mexican Fried Corn, this recipe is surely going to find it's way in our regular meal rotation! Please do me a favor and don't deprive yourself as long as I did from ~~inhaling~~ tasting these!

Chorizo, Potato & Mushroom Tacos

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Lg. Potato, cubed
1 - 15 oz. pkg. Chorizo, casings removed
1/2 Med. Onion, diced
6 oz. Button Mushrooms, chopped roughly
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
Corn Tortillas, warmed
Sour Cream (optional)
Salsa Verde (optional)

Directions
In a large pan, heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add in the potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp on the outside (about 7-8 minutes). Transfer to another dish and set aside.

In the same pan, begin crumbling the chorizo over med-high heat. Cook, stirring often to break up any large pieces, until heated through (about 5 minutes). If needed, carefully drain the grease from the pan.

Add in the onions and mushrooms to the chorizo; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (about 3 minutes).

Add in the potatoes to the chorizo mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the potatoes are heated through. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with tortillas and optional sour cream and salsa verde.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from Pink Parsley, originally from Mexican Everyday

What's Baking Challenge - Fall Cupcakes

2010-10-29T10:04:00.002-04:00

So y'all probably remember me mentioning the What's Baking challenge a group of us recently started up, right?! If you don't, maybe these will jog your memory!

Well, it's that time of the month where we do a round-up of the recipes everyone made (pictures included)! It was so much fun to see what everyone came up and while I was trying to be different with my recipe, it turns out that I wasn't the only one thinking that way! But even though a lot of us made similar items, all of our recipes are unique and different in their own way, which is still really cool!

Definitely check out these other goodies my fellow foodie friends came up with and definitely feel free to check out the rest of their blogs too! And stay tuned for next month's challenge: Thanksgiving! Catherine, from Pursuing Domestic Goddess-ness, will be hosting and it will be fun to see what we all come up with and how we interpret Thanksgiving into baked goodies!

Vanilla Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

Source: The Boys Made Me Do It

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Source: Pursuing Domestic Goddess-ness

Amaretto Apple Streusel Cupcakes

Source: The Mess Pot

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Source: Brownies and Blondies

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Source: A Jey In The Life

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Source: Our Italian Kitchen

Pumpkin Cheesecake Iced Spiced Cupcakes

Source: The Martin Family

Cranberry White Chocolate Cupcakes

Source: Beantown Baker

Maple Rum Pumpkin Cupcakes

Source: Carrie's Sweet Life

Apple Cupcakes with Cinnamon Swirl & Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Source: Our Share of the Harvest

Pecan Pie Cupcakes

Source: Flourish

Amaretto Apple Streusel Cupcakes

Source: The Transplanted Peach

Spiced Cupcake with Spiced Cream Cheese

Source: Cloud 8 1/2

Caramel Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Icing

Source: Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Squash Bisque

2010-10-26T12:41:00.000-04:00

One thing you'll probably notice a lot of in the next couple of months are soup recipes. This is the perfect season to make them and not feel bad about eating a hearty and rich homemade soup...there's actually nothing more comforting in my opinion! And there is such an abundance of wonderful ingredients right now that can be taken full advantage of, especially squash!

Don't get me wrong, we definitely eat squash in the Summer as well (it's absolutely fabulous on the grill), but there are different types of squash for that and it's rather challenging to find a good Butternut or Acorn squash mid-July. But right now they are in full force and at their pique, meaning they are perfect for eating!

I love the stuff and it definitely holds it's place as a nice side dish or even as the main star at dinner as in this case with the bisque. This was my first time trying this particular recipe but I liked that it used a few other ingredients that are not found in my usual go-to recipe. With a combination of sauteed onion, potato and apple, there was a nice balance of sweet and savory going on this dish. Normally, sage is paired with something like this; however I was out and opted for rosemary instead and was pleasantly surprised with how much more I liked it over the sage! Chris was also quite surprised at how much he liked it and determined it to be at the top of his list of favorites!

Squash Bisque

Ingredients
5 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1 Med. Onion, diced
2 Med. Apples, peeled and diced
1 Lg. Potato, peeled and diced
2-3 lb. Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and diced
Salt
Pepper
1/2 Tsp. Dried Rosemary (or Sage)
2 Tbsp. Flour
1/2 cup Apple Cider
4 cups Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Directions
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat and add in the onion, apples, potato and squash. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the onions become tender (about 10-12 minutes). Stir in the rosemary (or sage) and flour. Add in the cider, stirring occasionally until thickened. Add in the broth, milk and cream; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Using a potato masher, carefully begin mashing the chunks of potato and squash in the pot to form a thicker consistency. Add in the cheese, stirring until melted in. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4-6 Servings
Source: Adapted from Food Network Magazine

Caramel Apple Cupcakes - What's Baking Challenge

2010-10-25T12:15:00.000-04:00

Recently, another foodie friend of mine, Carrie, mentioned she was interested in putting together a monthly baking challenge, so several of us got together and worked out all of the kinks and came up with a group called, What's Baking! Each month, one person will be designated to pick a theme and each of us has to come up with our own interpretation and bake something yummy. This is our first month and the theme chosen was Fall Cupcakes.

Seems easy enough, right? Wrong. I had a million ideas of what I wanted to do. Pumpkin, of course, topped that list along with apples. I wanted to do something different. Something that I've never made before but something that would be easy enough for readers to follow along with and something that would be delicious. I had narrowed it down to two ideas one being pumpkin and the other apple. So I relied on my handy decision-maker, Chris! Being a hard choice for him to make, we mutually agreed that the Caramel Apple Cupcakes would be a wonderful way to celebrate this challenge.

I mean, everyone loves cupcakes (they're all the craze right now) and who doesn't love a good caramel apple?! So, I rounded up my ingredients and went off baking. When they first came together, I was worried that they'd be more like muffins but the texture is very cake-like and the flavor is very apple-y and the caramel (and peanuts) on top made for a delightful translation of the real thing into a cupcake! I know some have preferences of how they like them...some like 'em just the way they are with plain caramel and others prefer them "dressed" up a bit with chopped nuts, sprinkles, chocolate chips, a little icing drizzled over them.... So I decided to do a mixture of both the original style and some with chopped peanuts on top! I can pretty much sum these up with one word: YUM!

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups Flour
2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Salt
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Apples, peeled and shredded
25 Caramels, unwrapped
2 Tbsp. Heavy Cream
Chopped Peanuts (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin/cupcake pan with liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar and sugar. Add in the vegetable oil and vanilla, whisking in between each addition; mix until well combined. Add in half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture, whisking until well combined. Add in the remaining flour mixture and whisk until blended. Add in the apple and mix in until it's incorporated throughout the batter. **Be sure to to place the shredded apple in a dish cloth and squeeze the juice out of it so it doesn't make the batter runny**

Using an ice cream scoop, fill the cupcake liners with the batter almost to the top. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool.

In a double boiler, melt the caramel and heavy cream over med-high heat. Stir constantly until it forms a smooth and creamy consistency. Carefully spread the caramel over the tops of the cupcakes and top with chopped nuts, sprinkles, chocolate chips or whatever your heart desires!

Yield: 12 Servings
Source: Adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray

Homemade Oreos - Power of Pink Challenge

2010-10-18T08:11:00.000-04:00

As you all know, October is a month of celebration for many reasons: Halloween, the beginning of Fall (at least in my eyes), the time for cooking comforting foods, the time for baking all things pumpkin/apple/cranberry-related, and it's Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Did you know that 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer within their lifetime? With statistics like that, most of us (if not all of us) know or have known at least someone who has experienced this dreadful disease. And if you don't know anyone who has, then chances are, you probably will. In fact, in 2010 alone, it is estimated that over 209,000 people will get diagnosed with breast cancer (men included). That's a scary statistic!

It is so crucial for us to all do our part in supporting and helping with the awareness of Breast Cancer. You never know how it could affect you...your Mom, Sister, Aunt, Grandmother, Cousin, Best Friend, Dad, Brother or even you. That's why when my friend, Jen, posted about her Power of Pink Challenge, I knew that I wanted to be a part of it. If we can be successful in touching even 1% of our readers' lives and encouraging them to be proactive about this deadly disease, then I feel like I've done something. While it may not be enough, it's still 1% more than what I had done yesterday.

Jen, the creative brains behind Beantown Baker, has challenged all of her fellow bloggers to create something PINK! By the way, if you haven't checked out her blog yet, please, please do so! She is one of the first bloggers I started to follow and she is one who inspired me to start blogging as well (she's also gone pink for the month, so definitely check it out when you get the opportunity)!

Jen is going on her 3rd year of doing this challenge (you can see some of the ideas others have posted the last couple of years here), so naturally, I wanted to do something different and something she didn't already have from years before. That was my biggest challenge. I could've made it easy and did a simple sugar cookie cutout with pink frosting or M&M cookies with pink M&M's. But those have been done and they're too predictable. And then it finally hit me as I was going through loads of recipes in my cookbooks and Google Reader....OREOS. I decided to to make homemade Oreos and dye the best part of them pink! I had been eyeing the recipe for quite some time but just never got around to making them and this weekend was finally the end to that.

Oh.My.Goodness. I cannot believe how much these taste like the real thing! They are practically the real deal and with a few tweaks, they could definitely give the store-bought packaged cookie a run for their money. They're definitely a close call; however, the cookie portion was a little soft for my liking. I mean, Oreos have the hard, crunchy outer layer of chocolate cookie with the soft, velvet-like cream center. The cream center in these bad boys was dead on. But the cookie itself was a little "off" and if you're going to make them, I would recommend going much smaller than what I did. I didn't have anything small enough and ended up using a round cookie cutter, but they're just waaayyy too big and overly sweet for our taste buds when they're like that. But all in all, a fabulous cookie and definitely something to make again!

Homemade Oreos

Ingredients - Cookie
2 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 cup Unsalted Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the cream mixture, beating on low until combined. Add in the remaining flour mixture (1/3 at a time), mixing in between until both mixtures are combined together.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it's 1/2-inch thick. Using a cookie cutter in the shape of your choice, begin cutting out the dough and placing on parchment-lined baking sheets. Place baking sheet in freezer for 5 minutes and then bake for 8 minutes. Let cool completely.

Ingredients - Cream Filling
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup Vegetable Shortening
2 cups Powdered Sugar
2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
Food Coloring (optional)

Directions
In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and shortening. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Continue mixing until light and fluffy. If dyeing the cream, add in the food coloring to achieve the desired color.

Place the cream filling in a pastry bag or resealable bag with the tip cut off and begin assembling the cookies by piping a large amount of cream into the center of one cookie. Top with another cookie of equal size and gently press down so the cream filling spreads out to the edges. Continue this process until all of the cookies have been assembled.

Yield: 18 Large Cookies
Source: Cookies adapted from Bake at 350, originally from Cookie Craft; Cream Filling adapted from Smitten Kitchen, originally from Retro Desserts

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

2010-10-12T12:48:00.001-04:00

With Fall weather comes Fall meals. We have been having some incredible weather lately and I have been inspired. I finally got my groove back in the kitchen and have been on a cooking craze these days. I have so many new things that I want to try and most of them are perfect Fall and Winter meals.

I definitely want to add more soups to my repertoire and believe it or not, Loaded Baked Potato Soup was on that list. I can't believe I've never made it, especially given how much we love loaded baked potatoes! I've made Potato Soup plenty of times but I've never taken it a step further by loading it up...silly me. What was I thinking?!

I had several potatoes that I had to use up before they went bad and what better way to do than by combining them in a creamy mixture with bacon, cheese, and green onions?! Sounds like heaven to me! I actually had a recipe picked out from none other than my favorite cookbook in the whole wide world,Grand Temptations, but at the last minute, I decided to change it up a bit and ended up altering another recipe I found online - normally, I'll change up a few things to accommodate our tastes more, but shamefully, it happened this time because I read the directions wrong and somehow saw things on there that weren't really there and also got it mixed up with another recipe I had been eyeing. But all is well that ends well because this soup ended up turning out perfectly! It was so, so good. Ridiculously good. And it was all by mistake!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients
5 Lg. Potatoes (Baking, Idaho, Russet, etc.), peeled and cubed
2 cups Chicken Stock
1 cup Water
6 Strips Bacon, chopped
1 Sm. Onion, diced
3 Stalks Celery, diced
3 Tbsp. Butter
3 Tbsp. Flour
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
3 Green Onions, diced

Directions
In a large pot, add the potatoes, chicken stock and water; bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

In a large pan, cook the bacon over med-high heat until crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon pieces and let cool on a paper towel covered plate. Meanwhile, add the onion and celery to the pan and cook in the reserved bacon grease until tender.

Once the potatoes have cooked, place a few spoonfuls of potatoes into a separate bowl and begin mashing with a potato masher; set aside.

Meanwhile, combine the milk and heavy cream; set aside. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the flour and whisk constantly for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk/cream mixture and let come to a boil over medium heat until thickened.

Add in the mashed potatoes to the remaining cooked potatoes and carefully stir in the butter/milk mixture. Add in the cheese, bacon, green onions and celery/onion mixture; stir to combine. Let simmer until heated through. Season to taste with pepper. **If it becomes too thick, you can think it out a bit with chicken stock**

Serve warm and top with shredded cheese, bacon, green onion and/or sour cream.

Yield: 4-6 Servings
Source: Adapted From Cooking During Stolen Moments

Chicken Pasta with Lemon & Artichokes

2010-09-30T09:09:00.000-04:00

I know that I've talked a million times before about my favorite cookbook, Grand Temptations. You know, the one that was made by the Grand Rapids Junior League that I was a part of? Yeah....that one. I really wish that I could buy a bunch of copies and give them to y'all because it really is a fantastic book. There is not one single item that I've made from it that wasn't good. And believe me when I say that I've made a ton of recipes from it and every dish has been superb! It's such a great book for entertaining as well because it really helps you to be a "show off" in the kitchen (but not in a mean, snotty, "I'm better than you" way). They're impressive recipes and they come from renowned chefs and restaurants in West Michigan, so they better be good, right?! I'm telling you, you need to go out and get this book. Who knows? Maybe someday (soon) I'll end up giving one away!

Okay, enough about the book and onto the recipe. I needed to talk about the book a little bit as my segue into this dish because, well, it's a recipe found in the book! This was actually my first time making it and I've been eyeing it for a while but just never got to the actual task of preparing it. So in planning my menu for the week, I went through my list (yes, I have a list...a long list, actually, of dishes I'd like to make in the next couple of months) and saw it on there. It actually reminds me of an adaptation of Chicken Piccata, which if you're ever looking for a good recipe, Ina Garten's version is definitely the best!

Anyway, this recipe is a little more heavy than Chicken Piccata but the lemon juice helps to lighten it up a touch and the breading on the chicken is rather light as well. All around, it's a great dish to make for Fall and into the Winter and served with a nice salad and some Italian bread, it'd be a great meal to entertain with as well!

Chicken with Lemon & Artichokes

Ingredients
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Flour
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup Milk
1/2 cup Bread Crumbs (I prefer Panko)
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
Olive Oil
1 Sm. Onion, minced
1- 12oz. jar Artichoke Hearts, roughly chopped
1 Lemon, juiced
1/3 cup Chicken Stock
1/2 Tsp. Dried Basil
1/2 cup Butter
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/2lb. Spaghetti, cooked

Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat.

Set up a station to coat the chicken breasts with 3 shallow bowls. In the first bowl, add the flour. In the second bowl, combine the eggs and milk; whisk until blended. In the third bowl, combine the bread crumbs and cheese; mix until combined.

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and begin the breading process by dipping each breast in the flour, then into the egg mixture followed by the bread mixture (be sure to coat both sides).

Carefully place each chicken breast into the hot skillet and saute' until golden brown on each side (about 1-2 minutes).

Remove the browned chicken breasts to a baking dish and bake until the juices run clear (about 25 minutes).

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over med-high heat. Add in the onion and saute until tender. Add in the artichokes, lemon juice and chicken stock; mix well and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Mix in the basil and butter to create a smooth sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Serve the chicken over the pasta and top with the lemon and artichoke sauce.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from Grand Temptations

PB Oatmeal Chocoloate Chip Cookies

2010-09-29T08:13:00.000-04:00

What do you get when you mix a peanut butter cookie with an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie? Only my favorite cookie in the world! Words cannot express how much I love these cookies. I know I've mentioned my food indecisiveness before and if you really don't believe how bad it is, just ask Chris! He'll tell you the agony he goes through in waiting for me to decide where I want to go out to eat at, what I'm going to order, what kind of drink I want, and do I want the peanut butter cookie or the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie?! He's such a great guy...waiting so patiently for me to decide and explaining to the waiter/waitress to come back in about 20 minutes after I've had time to mull over the options and decide what I want!

This not only affects my food-related decisions, but it also trickles down into other areas of my life (especially right now when trying to decide how to decorate our new house). It's painful, I tell ya....just painful and torturous and dreadful and annoying. I'll stop there...

So years ago when I came across this recipe for a peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, I about fell off my chair! At first I was excited and absolutely thrilled to have found this ingenious idea. And then I became mad at the thought that I hadn't come of with the idea of combining my two favorite cookies to form one amazing cookie. But I got over it, made the recipe and loved it more than I had ever anticipated and I've been making them ever since. I really can't believe that I'm just now sharing this with you (and Chris). Can you believe in the 2 years we've been together, I've never made these for him?! Crazy, I know. But that's neither here nor there and the moral of this story is that you should stop whatever it is your doing and MAKE THESE COOKIES!!! I promise, you will thank me you did!

PB Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup Flour

1 cup Old-Fashioned Oats

1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 Tsp. Salt

1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened

1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed

1/2 cup Peanut Butter (I prefer Peter Pan for baking)

1 Egg

1 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla

1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add in 1/3 of the flour mixture, mixing well until blended, followed by another 1/3 of the mixture. Add the chocolate chips into the remaining flour mixture and toss to make sure the chips are coated with flour (this prevents the chips from sinking to the bottom of the dough when mixing); add into the butter mixture and mix until well blended.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drop the dough in tablespoonfuls, 2-inches apart and bake for 10-12 minutes (or until lightly browned). Let cool.

Yield: 30 cookies
Source: Adapted from Kraftfoods.com

Pork Loin with Cranberry Sauce

2010-09-28T08:53:00.002-04:00

Since we've moved, one of the things I've been really trying to stay on-task with is fixing a big dinner on Sundays. Especially now that it's Fall, there's nothing more comforting to me than having a warm, home cooked meal on Sunday and sitting down to a game of football! Comfort is defined by food in so many ways with things like soup, chili, pot roast, turkey dinner, and pork loin (to name a few).

Roasting a pork loin is actually one of the easiest things to do in the kitchen; however I know that it can be frightening and very intimidating for some. But it really is a fool-proof dish and one that can help you to overcome any fears you may have about cooking pork if done the right way. I'm telling you that by following this method of searing and roasting to temperature, you can be guaranteed to have a delicious, juicy and tender pork loin cooked all the way through! It really is fool-proof!

This recipe actually comes from the Pioneer Woman and while I know there are mixed reviews of her recipes out there, I will say that so far, I have yet to be disappointed. I love a good pork loin but I am obsessed with dressing it up with some sort of sauce! The sweet and savory combination is one that tickles my taste buds and the cranberry sauce that accompanies this dish is by far, my favorite yet! I cannot get enough of it! Seriously, y'all, this sauce is a must...in that you.must.try.it! It's sweet from the onions, but it has a slight hint of the tart cranberries and the warmth of the rosemary and chicken stock help to bring it back around. It is purely delightful and the nice thing about it is that it would pair well with poultry (especially at Thanksgiving or Christmas)!

Pork Loin with Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

2lb. Pork Loin, trimmed of fat

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Olive Oil

1 Sm. Onion, chopped

1 cup Chicken Broth

1 Tsp. Dried Rosemary

1/2 cup Cranberry Sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Generously season all sides of the pork with salt and pepper and transfer to the hot pan, searing it for 1 minute on each side to form a nice brown crust. Transfer the pork to a roasting dish or pan and roast in the oven until the inside temperature of the pork reaches 160 degrees (approximately 20 minutes).

Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over med-high heat. Add the onions and saute until they become tender and translucent (approximately 3-5 minutes). Add in the chicken broth and rosemary; stir to combine. Mix in the cranberry sauce and cook until heated through, stirring occasionally (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let thicken.

Remove the pork from the oven and set on a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes. Slice the pork and serve with the cranberry sauce on top or alongside for garnishing.

Yield: 4 Servings

Source: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

2010-09-27T08:16:00.000-04:00

There are lots of flavor combinations in this world that, in my mind, are to die for! Especially combinations including chocolate. For instance: chocolate + peanut butter, chocolate + coconut, chocolate + cherry, chocolate + banana, chocolate + vanilla and the very best yet: chocolate + raspberry.

I absolutely LOVE chocolate and raspberry anything! When I get ice cream, I typically order chocolate ice cream with raspberries on top. When I get a piece of chocolate out of the box, I go for the the piece with creamy raspberry filling inside. And when I eat brownies, I prefer them with raspberry jam swirled throughout. Giada De Laurentiis has never, ever, disappointed me with her recipes and this lovely comes straight from her!

Brownies are good by themselves; they can certainly stand alone. But every now and then I like to mix it up and add some fun to them. Lately, when I have made brownies, I swirl a little raspberry jam in the mixture and top them off with drizzled white chocolate and chopped almonds! Yum, yum, yum! This is, by far, my favorite way to make them now and they have not let me down when I've taken them to gatherings with friends! The raspberry in the chocolate speaks for itself while the white chocolate on top really complements the two flavors without making them overly sweet. And the almonds? The salty flavor and crunchy texture bring these bad boys to a whole other level!

Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

Ingredients
1 box of Brownie Mix
3 Eggs
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup Water
2/3 cup Raspberry Jam
4 oz. White Chocolate , chopped
1/2 cup Almonds, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together the brownie mix, eggs, oil and water until smooth. Spread the batter evenly into baking dish. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the jam over med-high heat until melted into a smooth consistency. Carefully pour the jam into the brownie batter and swirl with a butter knife to incorporate the jam throughout the mixture. Bake for 27-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Prepare the white chocolate by melting over a double boiler until smooth and creamy. Drizzle the chocolate over the brownies and sprinkle the almonds on top. Let cool.

Yield: 16 Servings
Source: Adapted from Giada at Home

Southwest Turkey & Black Bean Soup

2010-09-21T08:58:00.000-04:00

It seems that Mother Nature, herself, is playing games with us here in the South lately. While we've had our fair share of abnormally ~~warm~~ hot weather this Summer, it doesn't seem like she really cares. Being from MI, this is the time of year that I look forward to the most and it's usually right around this time that it really starts feeling (and looking) like Fall. I realize that the further South you go, the longer it takes and I'm okay with that. Last year was beautiful down here during the Fall and I really have no complaints. However, it has been cooling off quite a bit at night and in the mornings around here (so much that Chris even wore a jacket to work last week) and we even had a few days in the 80's which, to us down here, feels like it's in the low 70's. I got excited! I brought out my cute little cardigans and wore them around with jeans and I even had my first taste of the year of the infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte! You know it's Fall, when those little babies come out!

But oh the mind games that Mother Nature plays with us. Wouldn't you know it?! It's been well over 90 degrees again and in some spots, it even reached 100 degrees. 100 degrees?! Really Mother Nature?! That's what you're going to give us after we've suffered through a grueling and ridiculously hot Summer?! Please....that hot weather doesn't scare me and it certainly doesn't stop me from already making my Fall meals and baked goods (hence the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones with Maple Glaze).

With the very short spurt of what felt like cooler weather on it's way, the shelves overflowing with Autumn and Halloween goodies in the stores and the ads for cute jackets, sweater dresses, awesome boots and the like, I'm already geared up and ready to go! So with Fall weather, comes a lot of warm, hearty and comforting meals, especially soup! This recipe is definitely one of my favorites (I know, I say that about every recipe) but I realized that I had never made it for Chris! It's actually a healthy soup as it's made with ground turkey, but you would never know it because the flavors are so warm and wonderful together!

Chris especially loved this meal! We had it with some nice, crusty French bread (perfect for dipping or as they say here in the South, "sopping") and he even had another helping and took some for work the next day....that's a sure sign, in our house, that the meal was a success!

Southwest Turkey & Black Bean Soup

Ingredients
2 - 15oz. cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups Chicken Broth
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Sm. Onion, chopped
2 Sm. Green Peppers, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tsp. Cumin
1 - 15oz. can Diced Tomatoes, un-drained
1 Sm. Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and minced
1-1.5 lbs. Ground Turkey
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Directions
In a food processor or blender, puree' 2 cups of the black beans with 1 cup of chicken broth; set aside.

In a Dutch Oven or large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onions and peppers; saute' until tender (about 7 minutes). Add in the garlic, cumin, tomatoes, the remaining black beans and black bean puree'; mix well. Gradually add in the remaining chicken broth, stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes.

In a large pan, cook the ground turkey over med-high heat until slightly browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in with the soup mixture. Add in the jalapeno and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 Servings
Source: Adapted from Grand Temptations

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones with Maple Glaze

2010-09-20T08:35:00.001-04:00

Well hello there! Long time no see, huh?! Oh my goodness, I cannot believe that it's been several months since I've been on here! I really had no intention of taking that long of a hiatus but it was very necessary and some much needed time off. I hope you can understand.

So much has happened in the last few months....we found out we were moving for Chris' job, we actually made the move to Atlanta (with several commutes back and forth to South Carolina and a month in temporary housing), we found a house and are still making progress on settling into it, and we got engaged! Yep, Chris finally popped the question and I couldn't be more happy or more excited about how it all came together! And oh my goodness, y'all, the ring he picked out is absolutely gorgeous! He did such a good job and I'm so proud of him!

So, with the whirlwind of events taking place in our lives, the idea of cooking and baking was not very appealing to me! And the idea of staging the food, taking pictures, writing up a post and then adding it to the blog was even more unappealing. I temporarily lost my passion to have anything to do with the kitchen! You would think that after eating out for over a month, I would've been excited to get in there and make a home cooked meal. Well, I really wanted a home cooked meal, but I didn't want to make it! But I finally got back in there and I finally got my drive back to start blogging my cooking adventures here again! I'm really sorry to leave y'all hanging like that.

So without further ado, let me introduce to you this yummy Autumn-flavored Pumpkin Scone! What better way is there than to get back into the swing of things with a tasty Fall treat?! There isn't. I know I said it last Fall year and I'm sayin' it again now....I LOVE PUMPKIN! And this scone is such a nice addition to any Autumn breakfast, tea (or coffee) with friends or dessert after a nice warm meal. It is so good and the addition of chocolate chips really balance out the pumpkin flavor. I decided to add a drizzle of maple glaze on top to add just a touch of sweetness and boy, did it do the trick! These are great little things you can quickly throw together for an unexpected guest or even to freeze for future use. They've got substance to them and hold up nicely!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones with Maple Glaze

Ingredients - Scones
2 cups Flour

1/3 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 Tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp. Salt
8 Tbsp. cold, Unsalted Butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree'
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Ingredients - Glaze
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1 cup Powdered Sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add in the butter and stir with a fork to combine. Using the fork or a pastry blender, but the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs (the largest pieces of butter should be no larger than the size of a pea). Add in the chocolate chips and mix to combine.

In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla; mix well. Add into the dry ingredients and stir together gently just until the dough comes together. **I found the dough to be quite sticky, so I kneaded it for a bit on a floured surface just to help it come together more. Be careful, though, to not overwork the dough if you do this**

Move the dough to the prepared baking sheet and pat it out into a 9-inch round. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 22-25 minutes). Allow it to cool and slice it into wedges.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the butter and maple syrup over medium heat until combined. Gradually whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Allow it to cool just enough to transfer to a pastry bag (or Ziploc bag with the tip slightly cut off) and drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones.

Yield: 8 Servings
Source: Scone recipe adapted from Annies Eats, originally from Joy of Baking and Maple Glaze recipe from Martha Stewart.

MIA in ATL!!!

2010-08-04T07:52:00.003-04:00

Hey y'all, I know that it's been a while since I've been on (too long) and I'm sorry for that. If you remember a while back, I told you I had some big news to share and I do! And I'm ready to share....

We moved to Atlanta! Several months back, our prayers had been answered and we were blessed with the opportunity to move to Georgia for Chris' job. It was scary and exciting all at the same time, but we both felt this was an opportunity we couldn't turn down. We've been here for a few weeks now and are so happy with our decision - this is definitely where we want to be to continue growing in our relationship together and (hopefully) raising a family! I'm just waiting for someone to make it official...hint, hint....ahem, Chris!!!

I promise that I won't abandon you for much longer but please be patient as we continue to unpack and settle in. The good news is that my kitchen is finally unpacked (for the most part) and we have cooked 2 meals here now...yay! That may not seem like a big deal to y'all but when you've been living out of a hotel and eating out every single day (lunch and dinner) for almost 2 months, it doesn't get any better than cooking a real, homemade meal!

My Mom is flying in from Michigan next week, so I'll be spending some time with her but after that, I have great hopes that I'll be able to get back into the kitchen and start sharing with y'all some more of my favorite recipes! Until then, enjoy the rest of your Summer and I'll see you soon!

Things I ♥ ...Krups Moka Brew

2010-07-20T10:35:00.002-04:00

I was recently asked to participate in some testing of new products for an online community, which many of you are probably familiar with, called the nest. Of course, I happily agreed. I mean, trying out cool new products is a fun concept for me especially when they're cool new kitchen gadgets and tools. I could never get tired of that!

So my first go-round had a little something to do with a topic/product close to mine and Chris' hearts (especially in it's aide to give us a kick-start in the morning)! It was coffee. Yes, our drug and addiction that we could not possibly live without in the morning. We call it "happiness" in our household and that's just what it is. Pure happiness.

But it wasn't coffee, exactly, that we were trying out, but more of it's counterpart: the coffee maker. There were a variety of different types and brands they were having us try out and the one we received was none other than this lovely....

It's the Krups Moka Brew and let me be honest in first saying how much it initially intimidated me! This was not the regular (for normal people) coffee pot that I was expecting! This was a high dollar, fancy-schmancy coffee pot that I had absolutely no clue how to work! It didn't come with directions, which was desperately needed in my case! But after doing a little research and looking it over, I finally managed to figure out how it all worked.

So this isn't your everyday, wake up in the morning, regular 'ol coffee. This makes a full-bodied, fragrant, espresso-esque coffee. Some refer to it being rather true to Italian coffee; however I cannot say since I've never had it. It's good coffee, although a little strong for our liking, but I felt really pretentious drinking it! I felt like I was somebody and that I should be sitting outside a quaint little cafe' with a close girlfriend in Beverly Hills with paparazzi hiding behind the bushes trying to get their best shot of us gossiping over coffee! It took me to another place!

It's definitely a great concept in that it uses a steam method of brewing versus the regular drip style that I'm used to. It also has fun little round filters that you use, although they are purchased separately and with the price tag of this beauty ranging anywhere from $149.99 to $180.00, the addition of the coffee and the filters make it an expensive pick-me-up for the morning! Chris and I definitely agreed that it's not something we would've purchased ourselves and it's probably not something we'll use regularly but I think for special occasions and gatherings, it would be a fun element to serve with brunch or top off a wonderful time with a night cap!

Lemon Ricotta Potatoes

2010-06-22T08:47:00.000-04:00

Can I tell you that I have an obsession? Yes, I have an obsession with food blogs. I am constantly adding new blogs to my Google Reader and it's getting rather ridiculous. I have a few other blogs I like to follow but I would say about 97% of them are food-related. I have an uncontrollable amount of recipes marked in my reader to print off and someday make and to be frank with y'all, at this point, I have no idea if I'm ever going to get to all of them! From the minute I wake up and get coffee going in my bloodstream, I am on the computer checking to see what new posts are out of recipes that look appetizing. It's insane! Does anyone else have this problem? I sure hope I'm not the only one!

Among my rather ridiculous food blog obsession, I have others as well, but we'll save that for another time. For now, for today, we'll just focus on food! There is one blog, in particular, with which I enjoy following because not only does it give some fantastic recipes, it also provides it's readers with great ideas for new kitchen gadgets and trendy kitchen decor. I'll be honest in that I'm mostly in it for the recipes but every now and then an idea or look will catch me eye that they've blogged about. This recipe actually comes from that blog and that blog is none other than The Kitchn.

They posted this recipe recently and I marked it in my Google Reader with the intentions of not putting it in the archives for later, but to make it rather soon. You see, there are some recipes that I come across that are just not worth waiting for - they are much, much more than that and need to be (quickly) put on the menu for trying. I did just that. I put these delectable little potatoes filled with heaven (yes, heaven) on the menu for this past weekend. I served them with Herbed Shrimp with Asparagus and I cannot even begin to tell how well-balanced the flavors of that meal were!

These potatoes are a must-have for any meal of the sort: dinner, parties, fancy get-togethers, quick lunches, etc. Oh My Goodness. They were so easy and required hardly any ingredients other than a baked potato, a little Parmesan, some ricotta and fresh lemon zest. You would think the cheese on the potato would've made for a heavy dish, but the lemon zest lightened it up so much and the combination was like little puffs of cheese on top of potatoes...simply delectable!

Lemon Ricotta Potatoes

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. Small Red Potatoes

1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese

2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese, grated

Zest from 1/2 Lemon

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil for drizzling

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the potatoes on a long piece of aluminum foil (about 3' long). Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bring up the edges of the foil around the potatoes to make a tent. Place tent of potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the ricotta and Parmesan cheese until blended well. Add in the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Once potatoes are cool enough to touch, use a paring knife to mark an "X" in the top of each potato. Gently squeeze them to break up the potato inside. Gently spoon the cheese mixture into each potato and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from The Kitchn, originally adapted from Everyday Food

Herbed Shrimp with Asparagus

2010-06-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

I know I've been a little M.I.A. lately and there's good reason for it. Promise. I can't let the cat out of the bag yet but something BIG is going on in our life right now and there are BIG changes ahead for us in the very near future! If you're friends with me on the nest, then you probably already know what I'm referring to. For those of you who aren't and don't, it looks like you'll just have to wait a teensy bit longer. Haha...sorry guys!

Anyhoo....this BIG thing has been taking up a lot of time for me lately and I honestly haven't had much time to spend in the kitchen and I really haven't even felt like cooking. Shocking, I know! It's been so hot here and unbearable at times and the thought of heating the kitchen up with the stove or oven or even worse: going outside to work over a hot grill is just the furthest thing from my list of priorities and wants. Yes, we have A/C but even on the hottest days, it sometimes doesn't feel like it's on. But you get a reality check as soon as you walk inside from being outside and then you know...it's on!

With it being Father's Day this past weekend and us actually being home, I thought it would be nice to make a nice dinner after church on Sunday. I wasn't sure I'd feel up to it as some you may know, I lost my Dad unexpectedly in February so it's definitely been taking it's toll on me over the past couple of weeks in anticipation of this now dreaded holiday. I still have my Step Dad, Bruce, who is a wonderful father in my life and has been since I was 2, but nothing and no one will ever replace my Dad. One thing that's for sure, though, is our shared love for cooking (and eating) and I know he would've wanted me to carry on with my day like any other and cook a fabulous dinner. So in honor of him, I did! And let me tell how fabulous this was. I cannot wait for lunch today because that means leftovers and I don't remember being this excited for leftovers in a long time...I'm practically squealing like a little pig!

So this recipe comes from, yet again, my favorite cookbook: Grand Temptations. I've been eyeing it for a while now and everytime I have shrimp to use up, I think I'm going to make it and then I find something else wonderful to cook (ahem...these Creamy Shrimp & Grits and Creamy Shrimp & Pasta are definitely culprits)! I almost did it again this weekend, but I stopped myself and said, "Self, you've been wanting to make this recipe for a long time, so stop with the nonsense and get on with it!" And I am SO glad I did! Despite the butter and creaminess of the shrimp, it's actually a very light and flavorful dish and the asparagus...I don't think I've cooked asparagus that perfect in, well, never! I steamed it and then schocked it in ice water to retain a nice and tender crunch and that beautiful green color. The combination of the light asparagus with the creamy shrimp was ahhh-mazing! So, so good!

Herbed Shrimp with Asparagus

Ingredients
1- Lg. bunch Asparagus
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1/4 Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1lb. Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup Flour
1/2 cup Chicken Stock
2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
Salt
Pepper
2 Tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp. Butter, melted

Directions
Place the asparagus in a pot of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Remove and place in a bowl of ice water - This process is called "shocking" and it actually helps to stop the cooking process and leaves vegetables nice and tender and gives them a nice, vibrant color.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add in the onion and garlic; saute' until tender (about 2 minutes).

In a medium bowl, dust the shrimp with flour until evenly coated. Add the shrimp into the skillet and saute' until it turns pink (about 3 minutes). Add in the stock, parsley, basil and salt and pepper to taste; mix well. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the tomatoes and 1/4 cup butter. Cook just until the tomatoes begin to soften and the butter melts, stirring frequently.

Arrange the asparagus on plates and brush with the warm, melted butter. Spoon the shrimp mixture over the asparagus and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from Grand Temptations

Grilled Romaine Salad

2010-06-08T10:28:00.002-04:00

So most of you know that I'm originally from the Midwest, specifically, Michigan. I am and always will be a Michigander! But home now is here in the South and I wouldn't have it any other way....there are so many incredible things that I love about living the Southern life!

That said, I do have some favorite things in Michigan that will always hold a special place in my heart! If you've never been, West Michigan in particular, is one of the best places to live (and visit)! I know I'm a little biased but it's great for young people, for older people and families alike. Grand Rapids is fun and vibrant and filled with great culture - it gives you a big city feel without actually being in a huge, overwhelmingly large city. You can drive 10 minutes out and be in the country and you're just a quick drive away from the lake shore with the beautiful picturesque Lake Michigan and all that it's beaches and quaint little lake towns have to offer!

Like any larger area, there are definitely places very worth your while in checking out, specifically to dine! To name a few: San Chez, Leo's, Seoul Garden, Vitale's and Republic. Republic is newer to the area but has already made it's mark and will continue to thrive downtown. The food is fantastic, the atmosphere isn't stuffy but rather filled with great conversation and laughter and the drinks speak for themselves! If you ever get the opportunity to visit, you should definitely check them out! Have a cucumber martini on me (they're the best)! For not being an Asian restaurant, their sushi is to impress and the sea scallops.....ahhhh-mazing! But my favorite thing to get there is a salad. Yes, a salad. But a grilled salad, nonetheless! They grill romaine hearts to perfection and serve them halved with candied walnuts, feta cheese and a smoky tomato basil vinaigrette....my mouth is watering as I type!

I wanted to recreate this phenomenal dish and thought it would pair perfectly with our Classic Beef Kabobs. I did it a little bit differently, using ingredients we already had, but the flavors were still there and it was oh, so good! Chris even liked it, which I was pleasantly surprised by - I wasn't sure how he'd feel about "grilled lettuce!"

The depth of flavors that you get from this dish is incomparable to anything I've ever had - the smokiness from the romaine, the saltiness of the feta, the sweet crunch from the candied pecans paired with a homemade tomato and sweet basil vinaigrette was divine...absolutely divine!

Grilled Romaine Salad

Ingredients
2 Hearts of Romaine, cut in half length-wise
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Feta Cheese, crumbled
1 cup Pecans, chopped
5 Tbsp. Sugar
Tomato Basil Vinaigrette

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until toasted (about 5 minutes). Let cool.

Meanwhile, in a small pan, heat sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally. As sugar begins to melt, start stirring more frequently until it caramelizes and turns golden-amber in color (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and add in the toasted pecans and toss them into the sugar mixture until all pieces are coated evenly. Carefully spread the candied pecans back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, using 2 forks to help separate the larger clumps. Let cool completely.

Preheat grill to med-high heat. Brush a small amount of olive oil on the cut side of each romaine heart. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place each romaine heart, cut-side down, onto the grill and let cook for approximately 90 seconds. Remove from heat and sprinkle cheese and pecans generously over each romaine heart. Drizzle with dressing and serve warm.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: With a Cherry on Top original

Tomato Basil Vinaigrette

2010-06-08T10:28:00.001-04:00

I specifically made this dressing for this Grilled Romaine Salad we had recently and it truly made the perfect topping for the combination of flavors going on in the dish. But, honestly, it would be equally as good on just about any other kind of salad. I'm hoping to try it out again soon on my favorite go-to salad consisting of fresh spinach leaves, red onion, toasted pine nuts, fresh tomatoes and Gorgonzola cheese....I can only imagine how delectable it will be!

This is one of the easiest and most flavorful dressings I've ever made! Seriously guys, if you've never made homemade salad dressing, you should really give it a shot. With just a few staple ingredients from the pantry, you can convert a typical salad into extraordinary by just replacing your store-bought dressing for fresh ingredients and complimentary flavors! It not only saves you money, but they're better for you, they're easy to make and you can change up the flavors however and whenever you want!

Tomato Basil Vinaigrette

Ingredients
1 - 14.5oz. can Diced Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 clove Garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
1/2 cup Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions
In a food processor or blender, combine the tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, basil and olive oil; blend well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Bobby Flay

Classic Beef Kabobs

2010-06-07T10:44:00.000-04:00

I absolutely love kabobs of all kinds, but my favorite is a classic kabob with beef and an assortment of veggies! The mixture of red onion, mushrooms and colored peppers provide a bright and flavorful complement to the meat! And let's face it peeps, they're fun to eat!

The only thing I dislike about making kabobs is the time that goes into preparing them. There's a lot of cutting, chopping, skewering, and marinating going on! It's all very time consuming for just one dish and something you usually have to prepare ahead of time, which is why we probably only eat them maybe once a month!

The nice part is that while I take the brunt of the work in getting them made, Chris steps up and cooks them in the HOT, HOT heat we have here over the HOT grill! Isn't he so wonderful?! Seriously, he truly is....I'm the luckiest woman alive (not just because he grills, although that is a bonus)!

We've really been taking the opportunity to grill on the weekends, since we don't do it much during the week. We also take advantage of the time on the weekends to prepare and eat a nice meal. While we try to eat nice meals during the week, I like to give myself a little more of a challenge on the weekend since I have more time to do it! With these kabobs, I prepared a grilled romaine salad with candied pecans, feta and a homemade tomato basil vinaigrette. In addition, we had a nice blend of roasted potatoes and onions seasoned lightly with a little salt, pepper and fresh rosemary. The whole meal was absolutely delish and actually very light, but filling....enough to make us take naps afterwards!!!

Classic Beef Kabobs

Ingredients
1.5 lbs. Top Sirloin, cut into 1" chunks
1 Med. Red Onion, cut into 1 1/2" chunks
1 Lg. Green Pepper, cut into 1 1/2" chunks
1 Lg. Red Pepper, cut into 1 1/2" chunks
1 Lg. Yellow Pepper, cut into 1 1/2" chunks
1 Lg. Orange Pepper, cut into 1 1/2" chunks
1 lb. Button Mushrooms, sliced in half
1 1/2 cups Italian Dressing

Directions
In a med. bowl, pour 1 cup of Italian dressing over the sirloin and let marinate, covered in the fridge, for at least 1 hour.

To assemble the kabobs, carefully thread the sirloin onto the skewers, alternating with the vegetables. Once all of the kabobs have been assembled, lightly brush the remaining dressing over them and place on a pre-heated grill.

Cook over med-high heat, about 8-10 minutes, turning once during the cooking process.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: With a Cherry on Top original

Poppy Lime Fruit

2010-06-01T08:17:00.000-04:00

Memorial Day has just passed and in my book, it's officially Summer! It's a holiday that is widely recognized as the summer kickoff for BBQ's, opening up the pool, taking the boat out on the lake and spending quality time with good friends and family!

I don't know about y'all, but we had a fantastic holiday weekend! We spent time out on the boat with some great friends and had an amazing cookout with grilled steak, salmon, grilled potatoes, homemade ice cream and Poppy Lime Fruit! It was actually just watermelon - I got a great deal on it and it was so juicy and so, so sweet!

This is a recipe I have been using for years! Fresh fruit in the Summer is one of those things that you just can't do without, especially at any gathering of the sort! But sometimes it's nice to add a little "something" to jazz up the flavor just a bit and make it a little different than the norm. Some use fruit dips, but I use this dressing! It is so easy to throw together and only requires a few staple ingredients from the pantry! It doesn't change the flavor or the texture of the fruit in any way, but just adds a little pizazz to it and it is so, so, good! It has never let me down and is always one of my most requested recipes!

Poppy Lime Fruit

Ingredients
1 Lime
4 Tbsp. Sugar
1 1/2 Tsp. Poppy Seeds
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
Fresh, Seasonal Fruit

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the juice of the lime, sugar, poppy seeds and salt until the sugar is dissolved. Slowly whisk in the oil until combined.

Pour the dressing over the fruit in a large serving bowl and gently toss to combine.

Yield: 12-14 Servings
Source: Adapted from Grand Temptations

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Ice Cream

2010-05-28T13:55:00.000-04:00

Simple question: What's your favorite dessert? Are you a cake person? Perhaps a sinful chocolate dessert person? What about cheesecake? Want to know what mine is?! Take a guess....

ICE CREAM! I love all the other stuff too but nothing compares to a good bowl (or cone) filled with ice cream! It's one of those desserts where no matter how incredibly full I am, there is always room for ice cream! I have this theory that when you eat ice cream on a full stomach, it melts in your body and sort of seeps through the cracks! Pretty dumb, I know, but it's how I get by!

What about homemade ice cream? Have you ever had it? Made it? That takes me back (waaayyy back) to my childhood years of making ice cream with my parents. It seemed like it took forever and it was good, but still didn't compare to the stuff you'd buy in the store. Ice cream makers have come a long way in twenty plus years - they're not big and bulky; in fact, they fit right onto your counter or even in a cupboard. They only take 25 minutes to make the ice cream and the deliciousness that comes out is just that: delicious! It's creamy and smooth and velvety...almost like a frozen mousse or custard. It is SO good!

How good is it?! It's so good that I don't think I'll ever go out for ice cream again! Well, that's probably not true, but if I have homemade ice cream at home, why would I go out? This stuff puts the store-bought and the Dairy Queens, the Baskin Robbins' and whoever else out there to shame! No joke.

So I made the chocolate and peanut butter ice cream from Annie's blog. Both Chris and I were craving chocolate ice cream and with peanut butter mixed in? Too good! Annie actually got the recipe from David Lebovitz's book: The Perfect Scoop. Apparently, in the blogging (and ice cream making community), he's the one to follow. So, this book is definitely on my list to get! The flavors were so good together; like a creamy, melted peanut butter cup! The only thing I would change next time is using less peanut butter and more chocolate. The peanut butter flavor, for me, was a little overpowering and I would've loved to have it toned down a bit and taste more of the chocolate. All in all, it was still very good and super simple to make too!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Ingredients
2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1/4 cup Unsweetened Dutch-process Cocoa Powder
1/2 cup Sugar
Pinch of Salt
1/2 cup Peanut Butter

Directions
In a medium saucepan, add together the cream, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Bring to rolling bowl over med-high heat, stirring frequently. As the mixture begins to foam up, remove from heat. Carefully stir in the peanut butter and mix until melted into the mixture.

Place the mixture into a resealable container and chill thoroughly, in the refrigerator. When ready, pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

Yield: 2 Servings
Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats, originally adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Summer Orzo Salad

2010-05-24T09:28:00.003-04:00

So, I've been a little out of it lately as far as cooking and updating things around here and I apologize. To be honest, I really haven't done too much cooking lately. But, it was definitely well overdue and I decided to get out of my rut, concoct a weekly menu for this week and do a little grocery shopping to make it all happen!

As you know, we recently made these Boneless Wings and they went over tremendously well with the online community! I've had lots of emails and comments and views regarding this recipe and it has seemed to be quite the pleaser all over. Why wouldn't it be? Boneless wings are great and these are super simple and delicious, giving Buffalo Wild Wings a run for their money! It's definitely one of Chris' favorite foods and now is definitely one of his favorite meals to make. I like making them too because it's a team effort when these bad boys go down in our house and we work really well together in the kitchen when we're not getting in each other's way!

So Boneless Wings were on the menu, again, for this past weekend. When we make them, I usually like to accompany them with lighter side dishes since the wings are typically a little more heavy and spicy in flavor (depending on the sauce you use...we like ours spicy). Last time I made this Black Eyed Pea & Ham Salad to go with them and while it was really tasty, I wanted to do something different. I wanted to do a summer pasta salad of some sort. I came across this recipe a while ago, in Everyday with Rachael Ray. It really inspired this dish, but I adapted it quite a bit that the changes really make it stand on it's own as an entree too.

While the original recipe calls for rotini, I substituted in orzo for a light and fun twist. In addition, I added in fresh squash and panko bread crumbs for additional flavor and textures. This is such a light and summer dish and is great served warm or cold. It's versatility and combination of flavors really make it hearty but not heavy. A little grilled chicken or shrimp mixed in could go a long way! I don't recall his exact words, but Chris really enjoyed it (so much that I caught him sneaking a helping or two out of the container in the fridge)! This is definitely a dish we'll be eating more often and it's also great for picnics, BBQ's and summer parties alike!

Summer Orzo Salad

Ingredients
1 lb. Orzo
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, minced
3/4 cup Panko Crumbs
3 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
2 cups Swiss Cheese, shredded
1 Med. Zucchini, sliced thinly
1 Med. Yellow Squash, sliced thinly
1 1/2 cups Corn (fresh or frozen)
Salt
Pepper

Directions
Add orzo to salted, boiling water and cook until al dente (about 10 minutes). Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add in the garlic, zucchini and squash; sautee until tender (about 5 minutes). In a small pan, toast panko crumbs over medium heat and let cool.

Drain orzo and return to pan. Toss together the zucchini and squash mixture with the orzo. Add in the corn; mix well. Add in 1 1/2 cups of Swiss Cheese to the mixture and mix until cheese melts in. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To the panko crumbs, add the remaining cheese and basil; toss to combine. Place orzo into a serving bowl and top with panko mixture. Serve warm or cool.

Yields: 4-6 Servings
Source: Inspired by Everyday with Rachael Ray

Taco Mac 'n' Cheese

2010-05-20T09:15:00.000-04:00

Seriously, who doesn't love a good bowl of mac 'n' cheese, especially the homemade kind? Don't get me wrong, I've been known to treat myself to my fair share of Velveeta Shells and Cheese from time to time and even the stuff that comes in a blue box as well, but the homemade version is so good, so comforting and so easy to make!

The possibilities are endless when it comes to add-ins and mix-ins for mac 'n' cheese. In college, I loved mixing it with a little tuna and frozen peas...kind of a semi-homemade version of tuna casserole (and on the cheap too)! But one thing I've never done before is make a taco version. And with my love for Mexican-inspired food, for the life of me, I can't think why! Taco Mac has been all the buzz lately in the online foodie community; it's sort of a homage to Hamburger Helper. Remember that stuff?! I used to eat that a lot in college too and I'm not gonna lie....it's pretty darn tasty, but also pretty darn bad for you!

So I had a few different versions of Taco Mac bookmarked to make, but in the shower the other day (yes, I think about food in the shower and everywhere else and at all times of the day), a few ingredients came to mind that would be perfect pairings with the mac 'n' cheese recipe to replicate the currently infamous Taco Mac. While most everyone else used ground beef or turkey, I decided to spice it a bit and use chorizo! Sauteed in some diced onions and poblano peppers, it flavored this dish in so many other ways than just using plain old taco seasoning. I used a mixture of Mexican cheeses for the sauce and, of course, my homemade taco seasoning. It was so creamy and so delicious, I am highly anticipating the leftovers for lunch today!

Taco Mac 'n' Cheese

Ingredients
1 lb. of Chorizo
1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
1 Sm. Poblano Pepper, diced
1 lb. Pasta (I used Rotini)
1 1/2 cups Milk
8 oz. Cream Cheese
3 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning
2 cups Mexican-blend Cheese, shredded (any kind of cheese would suffice, especially Monterey Jack)
2 Tbsp. Sour Cream

Directions
Cook pasta in large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente (about 10 minutes). In a large skillet, begin browning the chorizo over med-high heat. Drain the grease from the pan and mix in the onion and pepper; saute' until tender (about 5 minutes). Drain the pasta and place back into the pot.

In a small saucepan, mix together the milk and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cheese is melted and the sauce begins to thicken (about 5 minutes). Stir in the taco seasoning; mix well.

Pour the chorizo mixture into the pasta and top with the sauce; mix together. Add in the cheese and stir until it's melted in. Mix in the sour cream until incorporated into the pasta. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4-6 Servings
Source: With a Cherry on Top

Chocolate Butterscotch Blondies

2010-05-13T09:30:00.001-04:00

I'm not really into blondes....I prefer my guys with dark hair. But when you're talking desserts, you can give me blondes all.day.long. Blondies that is! I mean, really, who doesn't love a good blondie every now and then?! It's like a vanilla version of a brownie but usually more cookie-like and all dressed up with goodies inside. This one, especially, is going out on the town with chocolate and butterscotch chips....YUM!

I just saw this recipe not all that long ago over on Leslie Sarna's blog, which by the way, if you've never ventured over there, you should check it out! Not only is she absolutely charming and adorable, she's a vegetarian, but she's my kind of vegetarian! If ever there is a day that I turn meatless, she is one that I will be following quite closely. And if ever there is a time when I'd rather have a meatless meal, she is the one I turn to. She's my kind of vegetarian because she uses, what I like to call, real food. Not any of that soy/tofu crap. I'm sure it's not bad but I just can't bring myself to do it. Not yet at least! She makes vegetarian meals look and sound great and uses regular, everday ingredients like me, but boosts up the lack of protein through veggies, beans, etc.

Anywho, back to the blondies.....she recently posted about these and I have not been able to get them out of my mind! I don't know why because butterscotch is not one of my favorite things. It's one of those flavors where I can usually take it or leave it - I usually leave it. But seriously people, don't leave it! Don't leave it at all. These babies actually need it! I didn't put as much in as she did but it's just enough for little bits of butterscotchy goodness. And with the chocolate.....OH.MY.GOSH!!!

Chocolate Butterscotch Blondies

Ingredients
1 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 cups Flour
3/4 Tsp. Salt
3/4 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Butterscotch Chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Add in the eggs and vanilla; beat until blended.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Mix in the chocolate and butterscotch chips until combined and lightly coated with flour. Pour half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix on low. Add in the remaining flour mixture and continue mixing on low until blended together (about 2-3 minutes).
Pour batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Yield: 18 Servings
Source: Adapted from Leslie Sarna

Coconut Thumprints

2010-05-10T08:21:00.000-04:00

I'm definitely a seasonal girl. And what I mean by that is I truly love all four seasons....Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. Fall is by far my favorite; however Summer runs a close second. Coming from Michigan, I truly got to experience all four seasons my whole life and I loved it. I will say that I was a little nervous about moving to the South because while a lot of people hate it, I actually enjoy Winter (for a short time). Nothing beats a white Christmas but come February, I'm ready for it to dissipate and to see nicer weather. Unfortunately up there though, you never actually know when Spring has sprung officially. For instance, they have had a pretty mild Winter this year and even hit record highs of 80 degrees last month. But now, it's May and they're freezing and expecting a dusting of snow while we're down here in 94 degrees and sun! Hmmm....I think I got the better end of the deal on this one!

Being a seasonal girl, I definitely have seasonal tastes; most people do. Come September and October, I am SO ready for anything and everything pumpkin-flavored! But now that it's Spring and Summer, I prefer charred food from the gill, juicy fresh fruit and coconut! I get on these coconut kicks as soon as the weather turns warm and the sun is beating on my face. I don't know what it is, but coconut looks, tastes and sounds like Summer and I have to have it in just about everything!

Any recipe I come across or think up in my head, often involves coconut. Even if the original recipe doesn't call for it, if it's Summer, I'll find a way to incorporate it in! So you can imagine that I was in heaven when I came across this recipe for Coconut Thumbprints! I've never been much of a thumbprints person; I don't mind them but they tend to be a little "much" for me....too much buttery flavor and too much sweetness from the jam. But I decided to try these out and found myself pleasantly surprised! They definitely have that traditional buttery flavor like most tea cookies; however the coconut brings in a mild sweetness and really balances that flavor out. I used strawberry jam because it's what I had on hand and it was a nice pairing to the coconut. I'll confess, I can only eat one of these suckers at a time because they still can be a little "much" for me but hey, it's a good weight loss strategy, right?! Make things you aren't obsessed over and you'll eat less...at least, that's what I tell myself!

Coconut Thumbprints

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups Flour
3/4 cup Shredded Coconut
1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup Sugar
1 Egg Yolk
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
Strawberry Jam

Directions
In a food processor or blender, process the coconut with a few pulses to chop it up a bit.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add in the coconut and mix well.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add in the egg yolk and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add in the flour mixture, beating on low, until it is incorporated into the cream mixture.

Using hands, form the dough into a ball and place back in the bowl, covered with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F.

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and using your thumb or the back of a melon baller, make a dent in each cookie. Fill each cookie with jam and place them back into the oven for 10 more minutes.
Remove cookies from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Note: I used Strawberry Jam to fill the cookies; however any jam you have on-hand or want to use can be substituted.

Yield: 32 Cookies
Source: Adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody, originally adapted from FoodandWine.com

Fiesta Black Beans

2010-05-07T08:25:00.002-04:00

Rounding out this week's Cinco de Mayo meal is this easy-to-prepare, light and flavorful dish of Fiesta Black Beans! As you may recall, these beans were also accompanied by these Creamy Chicken Enchiladas and this Mexican Fried Corn. The three dishes, together, brought some substantial individuality to the meal but also provided a nice combination of textures and flavors together.

These black beans are so simple to whip up, especially on a whim, and require hardly any effort at all. And the best part is the flavor that comes from it! With little work and such wonderful reward, why wouldn't you make this dish?!

Easily enough, they could stand on their own as a main dish. You can also alter them to your liking, making it as hot as you want and as flavorful as you prefer. Topped off with a dollop of sour cream and you, my friends, have perfection....

Fiesta Black Beans

Ingredients
1 - 15oz. can Black Beans, rinsed and patted dry
1 Lg. Tomato, diced
1/2 cup Red Onion, diced
1 Sm. Jalapeno, diced
1/2 Lime
1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Salt
Pepper
Sour Cream

Directions
Pour black beans into a small serving bowl. Add in tomato, onion and jalapeno; mix gently to combine. Squeeze the juice from half of a lime and stir to incorporate. Add in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste; mix until blended. Serve cold with sour cream.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: With a Cherry on Top

Mexican Fried Corn

2010-05-06T08:37:00.001-04:00

In honor of Cinco de Mayo yesterday, as you may or may not recall, I made these delightful Creamy Chicken Enchiladas. In addition to the enchiladas, I had both corn and black beans at my fingertips and decided to turn them into Fiesta Black Beans (which I'll post about tomorrow) and Mexican Fried Corn, another favorite of Chris'.

The last time I made this corn, was back when I made these Stuffed Poblano Peppers and I can't believe I haven't made it again since! I knew I had corn to use and I wanted to do black beans. I had contemplated making my "fall-back" side dish, Spanish Rice, but I felt like it would be too heavy with the enchiladas so I wanted something lighter and I wanted to someway incorporate a vegetable into the meal so both of these sides worked perfectly!

My inspiration for this actually came quite a while back when I stumbled upon a recipe on delish for Fried Corn last year. While it's really not fried, it surely looked very appetizing and while my mind is constantly working on trying to adapt or re-invent recipes, the light went off - Mexican Fried Corn! I took her version of the dish and altered it to complement the flavors of the Mexican food we ate.

This corn is super easy to make and it's a nice alternative to the regular side dishes we normally eat. The blend of sweetness from the corn, creaminess from the butter and milk and the savory flavor coming in from the cumin was a wonderful accompaniment to this meal and balanced it out just perfectly!

Mexican Fried Corn

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 small Onion, diced
3 cups Corn
3/4 cup Milk
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 Tsp. Cumin
Salt
Pepper

Directions
In a large skillet, melt 1 Tbsp. butter over med-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Stir in corn, remaining butter and milk; cook until heated through and corn becomes creamy. Add cilantro, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from delish

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

2010-05-05T15:06:00.001-04:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!! I don't know about you, but I love a good reason to celebrate any holiday (especially those that involve Mexican food)! The last couple of years, I haven't gone out to celebrate and this year we're not either, but there's no reason we can't celebrate at home, right?! Right.

Chris LOVES my Creamy Chicken Enchiladas! LOVE might be exaggerating a bit, but he really, really likes them! He's been hinting around the last month or so for me to make them again and I thought what better time than today in celebration of the 5th of May!

Now there are a variety of ways to make enchiladas and typically they come with either a red sauce or a green tomatillo sauce. I like both but I tend to prefer the red sauce with the creamy chicken and green chile filling I use; it's a nice combination of flavors, not too rich and not too spicy. Actually, I tend to use more heat in my dishes but this one, while it uses jalapenos and chiles, is very mild.

I made my own red sauce but if you don't want to go to the trouble, it's just as easy to pick up a jar of enchilada sauce at the market. As I've said before, I prefer to make my own sauces when I can - I find them to have better flavors, fresher ingredients and no preservatives. Sometimes making things from scratch takes a little longer than usual but it's because you're making it with love!

Happy Cinco de Mayo y'all!

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients - Enchiladas
2 Lg. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded
4 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Sour Cream
8 oz. Green Chiles, diced
1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped
8 - 10-inch Tortillas
Mexican Blend Cheese, shredded

Ingredients - Sauce
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Sm. Onion
2 Jalapenos
3 cloves Garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. Chili Powder
2 Tsp. Ground Cumin
1 Tsp. Sugar
10 oz. Tomato Sauce
1 cup Water
1 Lg. Tomato, diced

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, green chiles, cream cheese and sour cream; mix well until blended. Set aside.

Meanwhile, make the sauce by heating the olive oil in a medium skillet over med-high heat. Add in the onions and peppers; saute until they become tender (about 5 minutes). Add in the garlic and toss to combine.

Transfer the onion and pepper mixture into a medium saucepan. Mix in the chili powder, cumin and sugar and heat for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, water and tomato. Heat through until it begins to lightly boil; lower the heat and simmer until thickened (about 5 minutes).

Pour the sauce into a strainer set on top of a medium bowl, so just the sauce is strained from the mixture. Use a wooden spoon to help push the sauce through; discard what's left of the mixture in the strainer.

To complete the enchiladas, pour a little of the sauce into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spoon the chicken mixture into a flour tortilla and roll it up carefully to secure the filling. Place the filled tortilla in the baking dish seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining chicken mixture and tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and bake for 15 minutes. Pull the enchiladas out and top with a generous amount of cheese. Bake for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Top with cilantro and serve immediately.

Yield: 4-6 Servings
Source: Enchiladas from With a Cherry on Top, Sauce adapted from Pink Parsley, originally from America's Test Kitchen

Banana Bread Cookies

2010-04-29T08:39:00.002-04:00

Prior to moving down South, I spent quite bit of my time working at a children's boutique, Snapdragon, in Grand Rapids. It started out part-time in the evenings for something to do and a way to earn some extra cash to go towards bills, food, shopping, etc. Unfortunately, the company I had worked for closed their doors so I ended up spending even more of my time at Snapdragon! I have to say that it was, by far, my favorite job ever! For me, it wasn't work....it was fun and I got to be creative doing the things I love: shopping and socializing, with customers, of course!

What brought me to the vision of these delectable cookies was this cute little cafe right next door to Snapdragon, CG's Prep Kitchen. They were definitely known for their great soups and sandwiches as well as their make-ahead-meals, but what really got our boats floating over at Snapdragon, was their baked goods! Man, did they have some goodies over there! I will say that I certainly put on some extra pounds making regular trips over there at night! I guess while me leaving Snapdragon to move to the South was bittersweet, it was much more like a blessing in disguise to prevent me from further gaining anymore weight!

But my favorite thing was their chocolate chip cookies. Chocolate chip cookies are most everyone's favorites, but I'm pretty particular about my cookies and while they were usually a little more crunchy for my liking, I certainly overlooked that with the great flavor they had! There was always a subtle hint of banana and possibly cinnamon in them, but it wasn't enough to really overpower the chocolate chip flavor. For some reason though, I seemed to always find myself wanting a little more of that banana flavor to come through.

So, I decided to try my hand at recreating a sister version, but more to my liking: more banana and more chewy. What was once my classic, everyday chocolate chip cookie recipe is now reminiscent of the sweet, moist and delicious banana bread cake my Mom always made growing up!

Banana Bread Cookies

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
6 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Egg
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 cup Old Fashion Oats
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
3 Bananas, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and cinnamon; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar until it resembles a crumbly texture (about 1 minute). Add in the egg and vanilla and continue beating until mixture becomes smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add in half of the flour mixture and blend in at a low speed. Add in the remaining flour mixture and continue blending in on low. Add in the oatmeal and chocolate chips; mix until evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Using a wooden spoon, carefully mix in the banana pieces.
Using a tablespoon, drop the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until the edges are lightly browned (about 15 minutes). Carefully remove from the oven and let cool on pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Finish baking the remaining dough, following the same steps.

Store in an air-tight container or resealable bag for up to 4 days (or longer if kept refrigerated).

Yield: 18 Servings
Source: With a Cherry on Top

Creamy Shrimp & Grits

2010-04-28T17:19:00.002-04:00

Let me preface this post by saying this: After I ate this dish, I'm pretty certain I had died and gone to heaven! I know you probably think I'm being a little dramatic and normally I am, but this time, I promise I'm not. Promise. I'll be the first to admit that Southern cooking has won my heart over, for sure, but this recipe pretty much takes the cake as far as favorite meals go!

First off, if you've never had grits, you should definitely try them. Although I caution you on where you have them because I've been to some places where they're not very good, especially if you're a grits virgin - they could scare you away! Essentially, grits are ground corn and they come in 2 different kinds: white and yellow. Like oats, you can get them stone ground (which is the best option), quick cooking or instant (which I don't recommend). They resemble the taste and texture of polenta...slightly sweet, but thick and creamy. And traditionally, they're served for breakfast but are eaten at any time of the day (especially in our house)!

Shrimp and grits is a very popular dish among the South (primarily on the East and Gulf coasts) and there are a variety of ways to prepare it; however this dish really hits the target in combining a base of creamy and cheesy grits with a slight hint of hot sauce topped with perfectly cooked shrimp in a gravy made of bacon, onions and peppers. Honestly people, it doesn't get any better than this! And if you're still a grits virgin, this is definitely a great recipe to break you in!

Creamy Shrimp & Grits

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Lemon
Hot Sauce (I use Frank's) to taste
1 1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 1/2 cups Stone-Ground Grits (white)
6 slices Bacon, chopped
1 Sm. Onion, chopped
1 Sm. Green Pepper, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 cup Scallions, sliced
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 cup Chicken Broth
2 cups Cheddar Cheese

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp with the juice of the lemon and several generous splashes of hot pepper sauce; set aside.

To make the grits, bring 6 cups of water and 1 Tsp. of salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in the grits and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned. Add in the onions and green peppers; continue cooking until onions become translucent and peppers are tender. Stir in the garlic and scallions and let cook up for 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the chicken broth and remaining salt and cook until thickened (about 5 minutes).

While the gravy is thickening, add the butter to the grits and stir until melted. Stir in the cheese and season with hot pepper sauce and salt to taste.

Once the gravy has thickened, add in the shrimp and cook until pink (about 3-5 minutes).

Spoon the grits into a large shallow bowl and top with shrimp mixture; serve immediately.

Note: If using Quick-Cook Grits, follow the directions on the package to prepare them.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from Ezra Pound Cake, originally adapted from "A Real American Breakfast"

Boneless Wings

2010-04-27T08:10:00.001-04:00

One of Chris' favorite things to eat are wings (especially from Buffalo Wild Wings...AKA: B-dubs)! While I'm not a huge fan of major chain restaurants, I do love me some B-dubs! Don't get me wrong, chain restaurants aren't horrible by any means, but I'd much rather eat at a place highlighting local cuisine (you know, those wonderful hole-in-the-wall places that you just can't beat the flavor of)!

When we first moved down here, it was nearing Chris' birthday and his requests were: going out for wings and a cheesecake for dessert! Luckily for me, I was able to accommodate both! Being new to the area, I scoured the Internet for the closest B-dubs with no luck. Wings are pretty popular down here and there are several local chains with "amazing" wings that were recommended to us, so we decided to try them out over the course of the time we've been here. BIG MISTAKE! HUGE mistake! Apparently we had been spoiled....

But as every story has a happy ending, so does ours....not too long ago, B-dubs finally opened a restaurant in the area and even better yet, they're getting ready to open one right around the corner from us! Woohoo! Of course, as you know though, eating out isn't the best and I know that B-dubs may have some tasty fare, but going there regularly is not going to help our girlish figures! So we decided to copycat one of our favorites here at home. And you know what? They were pretty darn good! In fact, we kind of liked them better than B-dubs! Shhh....don't tell them!

Boneless Wings

Ingredients
1 lb. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 2" pieces
1 cup Flour
3 Eggs, beaten
2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
Peanut Oil for frying
Wing Sauce of your choice - we used Asian Zing from B-dubs

Directions
Heat oil in a large pan over med-high heat. Set up a dredging station with the flour, eggs and Panko crumbs, each in their own dish.

Begin dredging the chicken pieces first in the flour, then in the egg and then into the Panko crumbs to coat evenly. Place coated chicken pieces on a plate and continue dredging remaining chicken.

Once oil is heated through, carefully place the coated chicken pieces in the pan. Cook the chicken until the coating on the outside is golden brown and the juices from the chicken have run clear (about 2 minutes). Place cooked chicken on a plate covered with paper towels and continue cooking the remaining chicken. Note: Do not overcrowd the pan with the chicken or it will not cook evenly!

Place the cooked chicken in a resealable container or bag, along with the sauce of your choice. Close the container or bag and gently shake to coat the chicken even with the sauce. Remove and serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing and celery sticks.

Note: You can also use vegetable oil in place of the peanut; however we prefer the peanut oil because it's better for you and it gives a little more flavor to the meat.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: With a Cherry on Top

Black Eyed Pea & Ham Salad

2010-04-26T13:53:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, this weekend was not as nice as they had predicted. We had plans set for 2 weeks to hang out with some friends on the lake but Mother Nature decided to her own thing and gave us dreary and wet weather the entire time. We were nothing short of disappointed, to say the least, but we made the most of it and still hung out together and as usual, we had a great weekend with them!

In addition to our lake plans, I had high hopes of grilling out and making this recipe for a nice, summery salad I recently heard about! But, yet again, my plans were foiled. However, I did not let Mother Nature get me on all accounts, so I still decided to make this salad and we cooked inside instead. I am SO glad I made this recipe because it was so much better than what I anticipated!

Since moving to the South, I have quickly become a fan of Black Eyed Peas. If you've never had them, I highly recommend you try them sometime (I think most of you would probably enjoy them)! Despite their name, they're not peas. Not at all. They're more like a bean and a great source of protein! I think they're delicious and I usually have them warm but this salad is a refreshing way to eat them and a great pairing with practically any entree you make during these warm Spring and Summer months!

The dressing base for this salad is vinegar and I'm not a fan of the flavor of vinegar, so while I was excited to try the dish, I was also a little nervous because I wasn't sure how that flavor would come across. Honestly, I couldn't taste the vinegar at all! It was really light and the crunch of the celery and onion provided a nice texture blended with the peas and ham. And the flavors of garlic and parsley were a great accompaniment! I improvised a bit on this recipe because I didn't realize until half-way into making it, that I was out of a couple of ingredients, but nonetheless, it turned out wonderfully and both Chris and I were pleased with the addition of a new side dish to eat this year! He even referred to it as being "the flea's knees!" If you remember, he said this dish was "the bee's knees" so he changed it up to fleas....whatever that means! I'll take it as a compliment though!

Black Eyed Pea & Ham Salad

Ingredients
1 cup Dried Black Eyed Peas, sorted and rinsed
1 cup Cooked Ham, cubed
1/2 Sm. Red Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp. Red Pepper Flakes
2 1/2 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup Flat-Leaf Parsley, chopped

Directions
Add the peas to a large pot of boiling water and cook, over high heat, for 30 minutes. Drain and let cool.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ham, onion and celery; mix well. Add in the cooled peas along with the garlic, red pepper flakes, vinegar, oil and parsley. Toss to combine and let set to bring to room temperature before serving.

Note: I actually used 2 Tbsp. of Red Pepper Flakes and it was pretty hot (even for us) so I would cut back to at least 1 1/2 Tbsp. or less depending on how much heat you like in your dishes! Jalapeno peppers would be a great source for heat instead as well!

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from Oishii

Meatball Pizza

2010-04-16T09:14:00.000-04:00

I'm pretty sure that I've mentioned on numerous occasions here that Mexican is my favorite type of cuisine. That is definitely true, but I would have to say that Italian runs a close second. What can I say, I'm a sucker for some good 'ole starchy pasta or cheesy pizza! My hips love it too!

We eat pizza a lot here and it's funny because I've never blogged about it. Well, now that I think about it, most of the pizza we get is usually delivery (or DiGiorno...please don't get them confused because they are very different despite what the commercials say). Yes, we eat frozen pizzas! While I know in the foodie community, that is a big fat no-no, sometimes you just have those days where you don't feel like cooking and you don't want to pay the delivery guy. Enough said.

This recipe is one of my favorites and I've been making it for years! There's not much to it, which is wonderful, and it has always been a hit here at home and for parties (especially big game days...it goes over so well with the guys and pairs exceptionally well with a glass of vino or a nice cold brewski)!

I like all kinds of pizza and am usually not too picky when it comes to toppings. A lot of times it depends on my mood....sometimes a classic pepperoni will do the trick and other times I may be craving supreme or Hawaiian or margherita. But this one is meatball and it tastes like a giant meatball...SO, SO GOOD! There's really not much to it and it doesn't need any fancy schmancy toppings because the flavors of the meat and the dough married together is perfection!

Meatball Pizza

Ingredients
1 Pizza Dough (store-bought, homemade or from local bakery/pizza shop)
Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1 1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 sm. Yellow Onion, diced
4 Tsp. Garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper
1-6 oz. can Tomato Paste
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 Tsp. Dried Oregano
3 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
10-12 slices Mozzarella or Provolone Cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spray baking pan with cooking spray and spread out the dough to the edges of the pan. Using a fork, poke holes on top of the dough and lightly drizzle olive oil over the top. Sprinkle the rosemary and salt evenly over the dough and bake for 10-12 minutes (less for softer dough and more for crispy dough).

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown the beef over med-high heat; drain any excess fat from the pan. Add in onion and cook until they become translucent and tender. Stir in the garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in the tomato paste until combined with meat mixture. Add in the Parmesan cheese, oregano and parsley; mix well to incorporate.

Carefully spread the meat mixture over cooked pizza crust and layer the cheese slices over top. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese begins to bubble.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Adapted from 30 Minute Meals by Rachael Ray

Broiled Grapefruit

2010-04-15T08:56:00.001-04:00

Confession: I'm not a huge fan of grapefruit. I want to like it and I've tried to like it, but for some reason, my taste buds won't allow me to get over the sour after-taste this popular fruit leaves in my mouth!

Grapefruit is really good for you, as most fruits are, but it aids the body in more ways than others. Did you know that it increases your metabolism, is low in sodium and pushes excess water out of your body, resulting in weight loss? In fact, there is even a diet out there consisting of eating just grapefruit! It's also rich in Licopene, aiding in the prevention of cancer. And last, but not least, it's a great source of Vitamin C, which can lead to radiant skin! Bonus!

Despite all of the wonderful things this pink fruit has to offer, it's definitely not on my weekly grocery list. But recently, Joy the Baker, posted about broiling grapefruit with a touch of brown sugar and ginger on top. She said it was "super delicious" and described it as "grapefruit creme brulee." It sounded really good and wanting to ~~like~~ love grapefruit like so many I know, I decided to give it a shot, hoping it would convert me!

It was good and I liked it. I didn't love it, but it was good and I've eaten it a couple of times since! I don't know if I'd go as far as putting it in the same category as creme brulee, but the sweetness of the brown sugar definitely helped in providing a solid contrast to the sourness I grew to despise!

Broiled Grapefruit

Ingredients
1 Grapefruit, sliced in half
3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

Directions
Turn the broiler on. Place the grapefruit halves on a baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the sliced pieces, one tablespoon at a time. Note: Allow the brown sugar to dissolve into the juice and meat of the grapefruit before adding additional amounts.

Broil for 7-9 minutes, turning the pan half-way through. Note: While broiling, prop the open door open slightly to allow the fruit to broil evenly.

Yield: 1 Serving
Source: Adapted from Joy the Baker

4-C's Cookies

2010-04-13T08:24:00.000-04:00

I'm one of those people who has, what I like to call, FOTB (Food On The Brain). Some people have Baby On The Brain (I have that too, but waiting for Chris to pop the question first...heehee), but my mind is constantly honed in on food just about 24/7!

I'm really not exaggerating when I say that my mind is going a.million.miles.a.minute - all.the.time. And a majority of it is focused on what my next meal will be, what time I'm going to make dinner, what I'd like to bake next, what I think I may want tomorrow, what recipes I've seen recently that caught my eye that I need to look up again...I think you get the point.

But one thing I do spend quite a bit of time working on in my head is coming up with new recipes (to cook or bake)! Once in a while, I'll get an idea of something that sounds good - a unique combination of flavors or ingredients. I'll rack my brain trying to figure what is out there that would be comparable to what's in my head. Sometimes I find it and sometimes I don't. It's the times that I don't when my creativity kicks in to overdrive!

This weekend, for example, was one of those moments! Chris and I were being lazy Saturday afternoon, laying around and watching movies. All of a sudden, it occurred to me that I needed to make a new batch of granola, but I wanted to do something different. I was craving a combination of chocolate and cherries and then coconut popped into the mix and then I fell in love! I thought a granola mixture of the three would be uber yummy until.....I started thinking of a name for it. I could call it 3-C's Granola! But wait, I could make them into cookies. Yes, cookies would be much better. Chocolate cookies, in fact, would be perfect. And they shall be named 4-C's Cookies (Chocolate cookie base with Cherries, Coconut and what else, more Chocolate)! The granola will have to wait for another time...

4-C's Cookies

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 Egg
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
3/4 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 cup Dried Cherries
1 1/4 cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes
3/4 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions
In a large bowl beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. Gradually add flour mixture into the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.

Add in the cherries, coconut and chocolate chips; mix into dough until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop a tablespoon full of dough and roll into balls using hands. Place cookie balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes and then move to cooling rack to finish cooling.

Yield: 18 Servings
Source: With a Cherry on Top

Key Lime Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream Frosting

2010-04-09T08:10:00.002-04:00

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO.....ME...♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

Yes, that's right it was my b-b-b-birthday this week (Monday, to be exact)! I'm sorry, but birthdays are a big deal to me because it's the one day that is truly yours and while mine was nothing special this year (I'll give you a hint: I'm almost 30 but definitely over 25), it's still a day to not be taken lightly and is a reason to celebrate life!

Unfortunately, I've lost some people very close and special to me over the last few years. In fact, most of you don't know this, but just a couple of months ago, I unexpectedly lost my father at a young age of 52. So it's extremely important, for me, to celebrate birthdays and another year of being on this earth with my family and friends!

I've had my eye on this recipe since Peabody posted about it last month! I love, love, love key lime anything and I knew that I wanted to do a birthday cake (or cupcakes) with a key lime flavoring of some sort. This recipe was perfect and up until then, I thought I was going to make a version of these Blackberry Cupcakes with Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting when, once again, Peabody posted about them back in January. By the way, if you've never taken the time to check out Culinary Concoctions by Peabody, you really should! Everytime I see one of her new posts, I literally want to eat my computer screen! Baked goods are her specialty and she always has a way of making them look so incredibly delightful! I promise, you won't be disappointed. Promise. I'll even pinky swear you, cross my heart, yadda, yadda, yadda!

But I'm SO glad I decided to opt for this recipe because they were absolutely yummy in my tummy! Haha! These little hunnies are nothing short of scrumptious! While the original recipe called for a key lime frosting, I decided to go with a raspberry cream instead; I wanted to lighten up the flavor a bit for Chris' co-workers (just in case some weren't fond of key lime). Well, now you know my secret...when I make desserts, I keep some here for us and send the rest off with Chris to work (that way I'm not tempted all day long, every day of the week)! The raspberry cream was a great complement to the key lime flavor and while they key lime was definitely prominent, it wasn't overbearing with a few adaptations I made!

Seriously, if you love key lime or lime, you gotta try these! Once again, I promise you won't be disappointed. Promise.

Key Lime Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream Frosting

Ingredients - Cake
2 1/4 cups Flour
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups Sugar
2 Egg Whites
2 Eggs
1 Tsp. Milk
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Whipping Cream
1 Tbsp. Lime Zest

Ingredients - Key Lime Filling
8 oz. Mascarpone Cheese, at room temperature
3 oz. Key Lime Juice
9 oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk

Ingredients - Raspberry Cream Frosting
1 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
6 cups Powdered Sugar
3 Tbsp. Raspberry Juice (from a thawed bag of Frozen Raspberries)

Directions - Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the cupcakes, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in egg whites, beating after each addition. Add in eggs, beating after each addition. Add in lime zest and mix until well blended.

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, vanilla and whipping cream. With mixer set on low, add in the flour mixture alternating with the milk mixture; beat well after each addition.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter evenly into a cupcake pan lined with foil or paper wrappers of your choice.

Bake for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center(s) comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool (about 10 minutes) and remove from pan to cool completely

Directions - Key Lime Filling
In a medium bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese, key lime juice and sweetened condensed milk and mix on low for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours to set.

To fill the cupcakes, gently cut a circle in the top of the cupcake at a 45 degree angle using a paring knife. Pop out the top, which should look like a cone shape and cut off the tip of the cone (you can eat that part) and set the top aside. Using a pastry bag (or resealable bag with the tip cut off) filled with the refrigerated key lime filling, carefully pipe the filling into the hole of the cupcake (be careful not to fill too high as it will squirt out when you put the top back on. When the cupcakes have been filled, place the coordinating top back on to cover up the filling.

Note: If you have a hard time finding mascarpone cheese, you can mix together 8 oz. of cream cheese with 1/4 cup of whipping cream to substitute it. You can also add in additional amounts of key lime juice for a stronger flavor.

Directions - Raspberry Cream Frosting
In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes). Reduce the speed to medium and add in 4 cups of the powdered sugar and the raspberry juice; beat until smooth and creamy (about 4 minutes). Add in the rest of the powdered sugar, 1/2 a cup at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture begins to thicken to your desired consistency.

Using a pastry bag fitted with the tip of your choice (I used a large round tip), carefully pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

Note: You may not use all of the powdered sugar. If the mixture begins to get too thick, you can thin it out with additional amounts of raspberry juice or milk.

Yield: 18 Servings
Source: Cupcake recipe adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody (originally adapted from Easy Home Cooking Magazine), frosting recipe from With a Cherry on Top

Southern-Style Deviled Eggs

2010-04-08T16:07:00.000-04:00

So it's Easter season (well, it was) and one thing that is for sure, there is always an abundance of Easter Eggs in most everyone's home! I think the two most common ways to use those eggs up include Egg Salad Sandwiches and of course, Deviled Eggs.

I know, I know...Deviled Eggs. Boring! But, when I started this blog, I vowed to include all things good and in this case, that means Deviled Eggs! You'd actually be surprised by how many people don't know how to make them. That said, there are actually several ways and it's really more of a personal preference, what you grew up with and where you live.

Let me explain. See, growing up, Deviled Eggs were always at every get-together, party, reunion, etc. There really wasn't much to them other than a little mayo, yellow mustard and some paprika on top. That's it! Nothing fancy.at.all.

But in the South, they like to put pickles in their Deviled Eggs. That's right. I said it. Pickles. Can you believe it?! When Chris asked whether I was making them for Easter, I casually said "No." I hadn't planned on it because A). I didn't color eggs this year and B). I didn't think about making them. Can I tell you that he looked at me as if I were crazy?! Well, it came to be that he thought it was tradition to have them for Easter and I can see where he would get that.

So, I said I would make them. I had planned on using the traditional method I grew up with, except I thought I would doctor them up a bit and use Dijon Mustard instead. Then comes the next question: "Are you gonna put pickles in them?" What?! No! Then came the look. Again. Okay, fine, I'll put pickles in them. All the while thinking...ew...gross. But this was one of those moments where I ate my words! Pickles in Deviled Eggs are delish! I used the Claussen pickles and, in my opinion, they were better than any other kind (even though I've never had them with any other kind) because they added a hint of garlic, which you especially can't go wrong with! I also made them a little fancy by piping the filling into the egg instead of spooning it in...so pretty!

Southern-Style Deviled Eggs

Ingredients
6 Eggs, hard boiled
1 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1 lg. Pickle Spear, chopped finely
Salt
Pepper
Paprika

Directions
Slice each egg in half and carefully remove the cooked yolks into a small bowl; set cooked eggs off to the side or on a serving dish.

Using the back of a fork, press into the yolk mixture, breaking it up into small crumbles. Add in the mayo, mustard and pickles; mix to combine until it forms a smooth mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Using a pastry bag and med-large round tip (or resealable bag with tip cut off), carefully pipe the yolk mixture into each egg half. Lightly sprinkle paprika on top and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: The measurements listed above may not be exact as I typically just throw things in and alter it by taste and/or sight. Just use your judgement to make it according to your taste!

Yield: 6 Servings
Source: With a Cherry on Top

Cilantro Potato Salad

2010-04-08T07:57:00.001-04:00

I'm a sucker for starches (especially potatoes) and I absolutely LOVE cilantro! Most people either love the herb or hate it, but for me, it's a major love-fest. So it goes without saying the level of love that I feel when I combine the two together!

Potato salad is one of those dishes that, for some reason, I can only eat during the Spring and Summer months. I don't know why. I really have no reason. That said, it is one of my favorite side dishes to eat (especially at a cookout or family gathering).

As you know, potato salad can be prepared in a variety of ways. There is the traditional style using mayonnaise and mustard or some using just mustard (or mayonnaise for that matter). Then you have the warm, German style, some made with pesto or even different flavors of vinaigrette. No matter what, it's deemed as one of those classic summer side dishes and a "must" for any get-together of the sort.

I love this version because it takes the traditional mayo and mustard flavor to another level by adding lots and lots of cilantro and a little bit of lemon! The flavors are light, so you kind of feel good about eating it (at least I do), but it's just another way of preparing one of those classics we have grown to love!

Cilantro Potato Salad

Ingredients
1 lb. Baby Red Potatoes, quartered
1/3 cup Red Onion, chopped finely
1/3 cup Celery, chopped finely
1 Tsp. Garlic, minced
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1 Lemon, juiced
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Directions
In a large saucepan, bring potatoes to a boil and cook until tender; drain and let sit until cool.

In a large bowl, mix together the onion,celery, garlic, mayo, mustard and lemon juice. Add in the potatoes and toss to coat. Gently mix in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chill, covered, for 1 hour before serving.

Yield: 4-6 Servings
Source: Adapted from Grand Temptations

Spring Asparagus

2010-04-07T08:10:00.003-04:00

With our recent Easter meal, I found my menu to be somewhat Spring-inspired. Lighter dishes packed with bold flavors was what I was going for. The colors of green and yellow always speak "Spring" to me and both were carried through, in some way, in each dish we had.

Asparagus is definitely on our list of favorites for vegetables and during the colder months, we roasted them quite a bit. Now that it's ~~warm~~ hot out, grilling is definitely one way to go, but we also enjoy them sauteed in a little olive oil and garlic. FYI- green beans are also great this way and if you're a fan of mushrooms, they're the perfect complement to the dish!

With the asparagus, I wanted to lighten it up a bit and bring all the flavors of the menu together. I always have fresh lemons and limes in the house - they have so many uses and I love the flavors! We use them in a variety of ways including spritzing our water, garnishing cocktails, adding fresh flavors to dishes and sprucing up baked goods. So, I decided to zest a little fresh lemon peel on top! The citrus flavor really brightened up the dish and paired well with the garlic to really balance out the meal!

Spring Asparagus

Ingredients
1 bunch Asparagus
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper
1 med. Lemon, zested

Directions
In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in asparagus and saute until they begin to soften (about 10 minutes). Stir in the garlic and finish sauteing (about 3 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to serving dish and sprinkle lemon zest on top.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: With a Cherry on Top

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

2010-04-06T08:46:00.002-04:00

With Easter being this past weekend, I couldn't decide whether I should cook something or if we should go out for brunch. Being just the two of us, I really didn't see the sense in cooking a huge Easter dinner (we did that for Thanksgiving and it was a lot of work for just two people)! The weather was absolutely gorgeous (I am seriously getting used to living in the South) and instead of the traditional Easter fare of ham, we decided to grill out! So I put together a wonderful little menu including these babies, Spring Asparagus, Cilantro Potato Salad and Southern Deviled Eggs (by Chris' request)!

I can't even begin to tell you how good these were! The entire meal was an absolute success and while I'll only toot my own horn on a rare occasion, I am definitely going to toot on this one - Toot, Toot! I also gave myself a healthy pat on the back! Everything was so good and the words, "This dinner is the bee's knees" came right out of Chris' mouth! I've never gotten that kind of compliment before, so I knew this was serious stuff! I even made mention that this is now my favorite meal. Ever.

Back to the skewers (I'll be posting about the other items at a later time)....They're a little time consuming to put together, but what kabob isn't?! I mean, the rigorous task of cutting the meat and veggies, skewering them so there's enough of everything on each one and then seasoning and/or marinating them before grilling... This one also had the added difficulty of wrapping bacon around each piece of chicken, which was definitely an issue in and of itself!

People, if you're going to make this dish, don't make the same mistake I did and buy cheap bacon. Normally it's fine when you're cooking it but the stuff kept falling apart and not staying on, which added on to my time!

But in the end, it was all worth the blood, sweat and tears....they came out perfectly! The meat was tender and the pineapple was caramelized just right. They had the perfect combination of sweet teriyaki glaze coupled with the smoky flavor from the grill! They were absolutely delightful!

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

Ingredients - Skewers
1 lb. Chicken Breasts, cut into 1" chunks
1 lb. Bacon, cut into 3" pieces
1 lg. Pineapple, cut into 1" chunks

Ingredients - Teriyaki Sauce
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1 Tbsp. Cold Water
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tsp. Garlic, minced
1/2 Tsp. Ground Ginger
1/4 Tsp. Pepper

Directions
To make skewers, take one piece of chicken, wrap it in one piece of bacon and slide the skewer through the seam of the bacon holding both pieces of meat on. Follow with two chunks of pineapple. Repeat until there are three pieces of bacon-wrapped chicken and six pieces of pineapple chunks on the skewer. Repeat process with remaining skewers and place in a deep baking dish.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch, water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and pepper over medium-high heat; mix well. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Carefully spoon the teriyaki mixture over the skewers in the baking dish until they're well covered with the sauce.

Cover and refrigerate at least an hour before grilling.

Preheat grill. Grill the skewers over low-medium heat for 10-15 minutes (or until juices run clear from chicken).

Note: If using bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 1 hour before placing on the grill.

Yield: 4-6 Servings
Source: Adapted from Our Best Bites

A Little R&R...

2010-03-30T07:22:00.000-04:00

I apologize that I've been M.I.A. lately, but I have good reason - my family has been in town for almost 2 weeks now so I have been on somewhat of a mini-vacay! My kitchen has most desperately been deprived...our cupboards are bare and our fridge is damn near empty (other than a couple of containers filled with takeout leftovers)! It's really a sad, sad sight!

On top of it, the 3.5 pounds that I lost in the last month and a half, has come back in just a week. How does that happen?! How is it that we work so hard for weeks, months and even years to be healthy and lose weight and yet in just a few days' time, it comes back with a vengeance?! Ugh. So frustrating. Eh well...I'll get back to the grind again this week.

The fam actually leaves tomorrow morning so I'm already gearing up to get back on schedule and into my routine of weekly menu planning, grocery shopping and getting my fix of cooking and baking! That said, I've managed to take some time this morning and do a little house cleaning....I've cleaned up my Google Reader and am working on the blog. If you have a little time to spare, be sure to venture over to my "Blog Roll" and "Other Blogs I Love" sections - I've added some new fabulous sites that you should definitely take a peek at!

Happy Tuesday to you and I'll see you soon!!!

Sweet & Salty Olive Oil Granola Clusters

2010-03-23T16:11:00.000-04:00

Just reading the title, I'm sure you're probably thinking this: "Granola? With olive oil in it? Ewww. Gross!" But let me just say that it's the furthest thing from being gross! It's actually really, really good and while you only get a hint of the olive oil flavor, it's fruitiness pairs well with the rest of the ingredients!

The combination of both sweet and salty flavors hits your taste buds with an explosion and it's really, really addicting! I make homemade granola quite a bit and up until now, this was my favorite recipe. But I think I've converted and now I'm definitely sold on granola with olive oil in it!

The marriage of salty pistachios and almonds paired with the sweetness of dried berries and olive oil is enough to put you over the edge. But wait! There's more...Top it off with a sweet maple, brown sugar and cinnamon-y glaze and they'll be scooping you up off of the floor after taking a bite! We couldn't keep our hands off of the stuff and while my usual granola recipe doesn't last long around here, I think this one has it beat by a long slide!

Plus, I learned a new trick: how to make your granola cluster! Probably sounds silly, I'm sure, but sometimes I like reaching into the bag and pulling out a cluster to munch on rather than a handful of it loose. If you whip up an egg white and pour it into the mixture, it clusters it like a champ! But if you choose to not, that's fine too, because the loose version is wonderful in a bowl of milk, atop of yogurt or spilled over a heaping scoop of ice cream!

Sweet &Salty Olive Oil Granola Clusters

Ingredients
3 cups of Old-fashioned Oats
1 1/2 cups Pistachios, hulled
1 cup Almonds, roughly chopped
1 cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes
1 cup Dried Fruit
3/4 cup Maple Syrup
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Egg White

Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the oats, pistachios, almonds, coconut, and fruit; mix well until combined. Add in the maple syrup, olive oil, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon; toss until evenly combined.

In a small glass, whisk the egg white until it becomes frothy and foamy (about 2 minutes). Mix into the granola mixture.

On a baking pan covered with parchment paper, spread the mixture out in an even layer. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, to get evenly browned.

Remove from heat and let cool completely. As it cools, it will begin to harden and form into one large piece. Once it is cooled, using your hands, break up the granola into clusters of your desired size.

Store in an air-tight container or resealable plastic bag.

Yield: 6-8 Servings
Source: Adapted from The Kitchn (originally adapted from The New York Times)

Salsa Chicken

2010-03-19T08:19:00.000-04:00

A lot of you are always looking for and asking about good crock pot recipes and unfortunately, I don't have a lot here in my blog. Granted, I've only been at this for a short time but there may only be a couple (or one) that I know of! I'm working on that, so please bear with me!

I actually don't even use my crock pot that often and I have no valid reason as to why not! They're so convenient and easy to use and it takes a lot of the work of slaving over a stove, oven or grill out of the process!

Salsa Chicken is probably one of the easiest and best recipes you can make with a crock pot! I don't know what it is, but I have this "thing" with shredded meat - chicken, beef or pork - I love it! Kind of weird, huh? I know. What can I say? Nothing...I've got nothing.

This is a great go-to and no-fail recipe and it can be used in a variety of ways. I prefer it shredded and served over rice (as pictured) but you could also use it for tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, taco salad, tostadas, burritos, taquitos.....shall I go on? I can if you like! You can also just take the chicken breasts out whole after they've cooked all day in the sauce and eat them that way; however if you do, I would warn you to not cook it as long because I find that it tends to fall apart on it's own, assisting with the shredding process. It's so super tender and literally just falls apart when you touch it!

Salsa Chicken

Ingredients
5 Lg. Chicken Breasts
1- 10 3/4oz. can Cheddar Cheese Soup
1- 24oz. jar Salsa
Taco Seasoning

Directions
Place the chicken in a large crock pot. Top with cheese soup, salsa and taco seasoning. Stir to combine.

Turn on low and cook for 8 hours. When done, begin shredding the chicken right in the pot until there are no large chunks left. Serve immediately.

Note: I use my own blend of Taco Seasoning; however, you can use whatever blend you like or buy a packet of seasoning from the store. Also, if you prefer to eat the chicken breasts whole as opposed to shredding, do not cook it as long (depending on the settings of your crock pot, I would suggest cooking them for 4-6 hours instead).

Yield: 4-6 Servings
Source: Adapted from Lemons & Love

Taco Seasoning

2010-03-18T07:03:00.000-04:00

If you've been reading this blog even for a short amount of time, you'll know that I'm not a big fan of packaged foods. It's not that I don't ever buy them, use them or eat them, but there are some things that are just better when made from scratch. They taste better, they're better for your health and they're better on your wallet!

I realize that sometimes it's more convenient to go that route and trust me - been there, done that. But sometimes it's not. Taco seasoning is one of those things that can easily be duplicated at home and offer a more authentic flavor than what you get out of a little packet!

It's so easy to throw together and once again, you control the amount of ingredients that go in. You can omit certain seasonings, double up on others and my favorite: lower the amount of salt. A lot of those pre-packaged items at the store are filled with high levels of sodium and preservatives and personally, I find the flavors to be a bit over-powering.

Chances are you have most, if not all, of these ingredients in your spice cupboard and the best part...it's okay if you don't! Don't worry about running out to pick one up...you can play with the other ingredients and it'll still taste great!

Taco Seasoning

Ingredients
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1 1/2 Tsp. Ground Cumin
1 Tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp. Paprika
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a resealable container. Place the lid on and shake vigorously until well blended.

May be used immediately for cooking or stored in container for future use.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: With a Cherry on Top

Green Velvet Shamrock Whoopie Pies

2010-03-17T09:17:00.003-04:00

Let's talk about whoopie! Get your mind out of the gutter people...I'm talking about the kind you eat! It seems that all the craze these days in baking is Whoopie Pies! Hmmm...I even made a rhyme (completely unintentionally, I promise)! There is something nostalgic about these Amish goodies and well, they're good!

Typically the traditional whoopie pie is a chocolate cake-like cookie with a creamy marshmallow filling inside. Think of an Oreo but softer and better. Well, maybe...Oreos are pretty damn good! But since these babies have been around, people all over the country have taken the dessert to another level using a variety and combination of flavors. What once used to be a hidden treasure throughout New England and Pennsylvania is now a national phenomenon.

This recipe varies from the norm in that it mimics the flavors of a Red Velvet Cake. Except it's green. Really green. And they're shamrocks! Because....it's St. Patty's Day!!! The idea was actually inspired by Annie's version for Valentine's Day when she made these cute little hearts. The idea came to me to do something similar but with shamrocks to celebrate this festive green beer drinking day! Happy St. Patty's Day y'all!

Green Velvet Shamrock Whoopie Pies

Ingredients - Pie
2 cups Flour
2 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp. Salt
8 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Egg
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Whipping Cream, at room temperature
1 oz. bottle Green Food Coloring

Ingredients - Cream Cheese Filling
4 oz. Cream Cheese
2 1/2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

Directions
Using this shamrock as a template, trace the figure onto drawing paper. Tear off 2 sheets of parchment paper to fit the length of baking sheets. Place the drawing under the parchment paper and trace the shamrock onto the parchment paper so they are evenly spaced. Set paper drawing side down on baking sheets and set aside. Note: I was able to get 9 shamrocks drawn out per sheet.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add in the egg and mix well. Add in the vanilla and mix well. Slowly begin blending in the flour mixture adding one-third in at a time. Alternate with half of the whipping cream and end with the last one-third of the flour mixture. Fold in the food coloring until completely incorporated into the batter.

Transfer the batter into a pastry big fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe the batter into shamrock shapes, using the drawings on the other side as a guide.

Bake for 8 minutes and allow to cool about 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Continue baking off the rest of the batter.

While the pies are cooling, begin making the filling by creaming the butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Slowly mix in the vanilla until combined. Gradually add in the powdered sugar, mixing in between, until completely incorporated.

Once the pies are cooled, begin matching them up in pairs by shape and size. Note: You may have to play with them a bit to get them to fit together properly. Flip one of each pair over so that the flat side is facing up.

Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Begin piping the filling onto the bottom piece of the pie, leaving some space around the edges. Place the top piece over the filling and gently press down to push the filling through the pie, making sure it reaches the edges.

Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Yield: 12 Servings
Source: Inspired by Annie's Eats, recipe from my Great Aunt Linda