Cooking up Comfort

Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute

2011-10-19T09:33:00.000-04:00

I have been making this for a couple of years now. There is just something about the way that cream of chicken slides out of the can....it looks like chicken jello. Ick. I feel like a food snob but I just can't use it any longer! This substitute is really simple and tastes so much better in your casseroles!

1/4 c. flour
6 Tbsp. butter
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
salt and pepper, to taste

Over medium heat, melt the butter in a sauce pan. After it is melted, whisk in the flour until it is bubbly and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in the chicken and milk. Return the pan back to the heat and bring to a soft boil until the soup thickens, whisking continuously. Add salt and pepper as you see fit. This recipe is equal to two cans of cream of chicken soup.

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

2011-10-17T09:30:00.002-04:00

This is a super speedy dinner that you can throw together and walk out the door in the morning. The chicken is so tender and juicy--this would make a perfect dinner for a cool fall evening!

3 large frozen, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bag of frozen corn
1 can of cream of chicken soup or this substitute
1 can of frozen biscuits

Place chicken and corn in crockpot. Pour soup over the top. Cook in the crockpot on low for 8 hours. Shred chicken and return to crock pot. Place biscuits on top of the chicken/corn mixture. If you can take the insert out of your crock pot, place in oven and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Or, you can place the lid back on your crock pot and cook for another hour.

Beef Burgundy

2011-09-30T08:28:00.001-04:00

I always knew that someone special was coming for dinner when my mom made this dish. This isn't your run-of-the-mill Tuesday night dinner!

It's special for another reason too. This recipe was my Mammaw's. She taught my mom how to make it, my mom just taught me how to make it, and now I am passing the recipe to you!

Don't be too worried about getting the measurements exactly right; mom doesn't measure and everything is guesstimated! :)

Salt pork or jowl bacon for drippings
About 3/4 cup flour
2 1/2 lbs sirloin, cubed
1 carton beef stock
12 oz. burgundy wine (I found a small bottle next to the vinegar at the grocery)
Half an orange, somewhat hollowed out
Thyme (I used a few fresh sprigs)
Marjoram (I probably used about 1 tsp.)
Tarragon (I probably used about 1 1/2 tsp.)
Black peppercorns (ummm...about 1 1/2 tsp.?)
Kosher Salt (about 1 tsp?)
2 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves
Jar of pearl onions
Mushrooms (Ick, I pick these out!)

Fry salt pork in a dutch oven until done. Dredge sirloin in flour. Remove salt pork from grease and discard. Brown sirloin in salt pork drippings. (Don't cook it through, just enough to brown it!) Drain meat of remaining grease and add broth and burgundy.

In the hollowed out orange, combine spices and garlic. (I didn't measure, just filled it with a little of each.) Wrap up the orange in a cheesecloth and tie off with a knot. Place orange in the center of the meat and broth. Place in oven and cook at 325 degrees for about three hours.

Remove from oven and add onions and mushrooms. Cook an additional hour. Remove orange and serve over noodles. You can also cook this in the crock pot on low for 4-5 hours.

Caramel Apple Muffins {Applefest Recipe #10!}

2011-09-28T13:28:00.000-04:00

This recipe originally called for butterscotch chips; which I thought sounded fantastic! So off I went to the grocery to gather supplies. I had the butterscotch chips in my hand and then I spotted these:

If butterscotch chips would be good...can you imagine caramel??? They did not disappoint! These muffins are really yummy. Bits of apple...bits of caramel...crunchy brown sugar on the top. mmmm. And surprisingly, they aren't too sweet. They would make a great breakfast treat!

2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ cup old-fashioned oats
8 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
½ cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup applesauce (I had this applesauce already made so I used it.)
2 large eggs
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk
¾ cup caramel bits
¾ cup chopped apples
1/3 cup toasted pecans, chopped (I left these out because I'm allergic.)

For topping:
about 1/3 cup brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Grease muffin tins.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix lightly with a fork to blend. Stir in the oats. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Beat in the applesauce, eggs and vanilla extract until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and beating just until incorporated. Fold in the caramel bits and apples with a rubber spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups. Top each muffin with 1/2 tsp. of brown sugar and press down. The batter is quite thick so it needs to be pushed down a little. Bake about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Sugar Plum

Thanks so much for hanging out with me the last ten days! It's been fun trying out all of these apple recipes! There will be more themed postings to come. In a couple of weeks I will be posting five days of Halloween goodies. Check back!

Apple Dumplings {Applefest Recipe #9}

2011-09-27T22:57:00.001-04:00

When asking what everyone's favorite apple recipe was, I got a comment about apple dumplings made with...wait for it, wait for it...Mt. Dew. Mt. Dew?! Well it sounded crazy enough for me to try. Oh em gee. These little babies were fantastic! My hubby took one to work and shared it with a co-worker. Because your child might be reading over your shoulder, I won't tell you how she described this delicious dessert. Let's just say they are good. Oh. So. Good.

2 baking apples (I used golden delicious)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup (half a stick) butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
6 oz. Mt. Dew

1 can crescent roll dough (I used the kind that is not cut into rolls, just a sheet that you roll out)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 casserole dish. Peel and core apples. (I used my handy dandy Pampered Chef peeler/slicer/corer so they were sliced too, but they don't have to be).

Roll out crescent dough (you might need to break out the rolling pin to make the dough a uniformed rectangle). Cut dough into four rectangles with a pizza wheel.

Cut apples in half and place a half an apple on each dough rectangle.

Gather corners of dough and lift up. Hold it there for a few seconds, letting the weight of the apple stretch the dough a bit. Twist the four stretched out corners and tuck down over the apple.

Repeat with the other three. Place apples in the greased casserole dish. Melt butter and sugars in small saucepan. Once melted, remove from heat and whisk in Mt. Dew and cinnamon. I sprinkled some white sugar sprinkles on the top to give a little sparkle. :) Pour mixture over apples and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Tomorrow is the last day of Applefest--make sure to check back!

Apple Cider Syrup {Applefest Recipe #8}

2011-09-26T12:00:00.001-04:00

Mmmmmm.....what can be better than a fresh stack of pancakes or a crisp waffle on a Saturday morning? A pancake or waffle with this syrup; that's what!

This syrup is thrown together in a snap and will keep in your refrigerator for a few weeks. This makes a great gift in a jar with a pretty ribbon!

3/4 Cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 TBs cornstarch
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups fresh apple cider (or juice would work)
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter

Mix sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg well. Add apple cider and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, use within a week or two.

I found this recipe on thesisterscafe.com

I hope you enjoyed today's apple recipe--there are only two more left! Which has been your favorite?

Sauteed Apples with Thyme {Applefest Recipe #7}

2011-09-25T22:43:00.000-04:00

I really enjoy apples cooked over the stove top or baked in the oven, smothered in brown sugar and cinnamon. But I always wind up putting it in it's own little bowl or cup and eating it after I've cleaned my plate....because....let's face it, it's a dessert.

These apples will make you feel much better about adding it to your dinner plate. The normal sweetness of the apple is still there, but there is no added sugar. The thyme and lemon zest really complement the cooked apples. Enjoy!

4 McIntosh apples, or Golden Delicious apples (or a mix of both)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, leaves
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Core apples. Cut each apple into 8 wedges; halve wedges crosswise.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

This can't be a bad start, can it?

Add apples and 1 teaspoon each fresh thyme leaves and grated lemon zest; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until apples are just tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 3 to 5 minutes.

Thanks for checking out today's Applefest recipe! Tomorrow will be a REALLY yummy that is a staple around my house in the fall. Want a hint? It's a condiment! Weird, huh? Check back tomorrow!

Apple Cider Pudding Cake {Applefest Recipe #6!}

2011-09-25T22:24:00.001-04:00

I have been making this yummy little cake for about two years now. As a matter of fact, it has been on the Thanksgiving menu for the last two Thanksgivings--everyone LOVES it!

What's not to love? A warm apple spice cake with a gooey pudding layer, topped with a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream.....YUM!

Another added bonus...there is very little fat in this recipe! (Let's not talk about the ice cream we plop on top, ok?)

Cake:
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 large egg
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups chopped Granny Smith apples

Boiling Mixture:
1 cup apple cider (apple juice can be substituted if apple cider can’t be found)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar

Streusel:
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cold butter

Butter an 8×8 inch square baking dish. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, 1 cup brown sugar, milk, melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients until just combined. Gently fold in apples. Spread in prepared pan.

In a small saucepan, bring apple cider, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 cup brown sugar to a boil. Pour slowly and carefully over the batter.

Bake for 35 minutes. Meanwhile, put streusel ingredients in food processor (you can use a bowl and cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork) and pulse until butter is cut up and mixture is crumbly. After the cake has baked for 35 minutes, sprinkle streusel topping evenly over the cake and bake 8-10 minutes more (until a toothpick inserted into the top layer of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs).

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

this recipe is from mykitchencafe.com

Apple Pie Float {Applefest Recipe #5!}

2011-09-23T18:07:00.003-04:00

OK...this one recieved mixed reviews. My husband: "Ick." Me: "It's Ok, it needs something." My ten-year-old: "This is REALLY good, mom!"

So normally, I wouldn't post a recipe that everyone didn't absolutely love. The discussion around the dinner table is always, "Is this blog worthy?" But, you must understand, I have the pickiest ten-year-old on earth. Not only did she try it (trying something new usually turns into a tear fest), but she LIKED it! This is monumental!

It was my mission to make this taste better, because she begged for more every night after dinner. So I switched from diet to regular and it was a major improvement. I also tinkered with the measured amounts--as opposed to just "willy-nilly" pouring! :) The results: Delish!

For one float:
2 scoops of vanilla Ice Cream
3/4 c. ginger ale
1/3 c. apple cider
a sprinkle of cinnamon

Put the ice cream in a glass. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Combine ginger ale and cider in a separate glass, then pour over ice cream. Enjoy!

Note: I have no idea why this post is highlighted in white. Sorry bout that!!

idea from how does she

Thanks for checking out Applefest! Tomorrow's recipe is a delicious fall recipe. If autumn had a taste....this would be it! Check back tomorrow!

Waldorf Salad {Applefest Recipe #4}

2011-09-22T21:23:00.001-04:00

This is something my mom (a.k.a. Nana) has made ever since I can remember. I wouldn't touch it as a kiddo because it had celery in it. (I still don't like celery....so I didn't put any in my version of this salad!) I do wish I would have though--I was really missing out all of those years! The dressing that coats the apples is made from Cool Whip and mayonnaise. It might sounds strange but it is a perfect combo that has the tang of the mayonnaise but a very slight sweetness from the Cool Whip.

I think this would be delicious any time of the year but it really seems like the perfect time of year for this right now. The apples and the spices remind me of fall but the dressing still has a light flavor that is perfect for these in between summer/fall days.

10 apples (I used 5 Macintosh and 5 Golden Delicious)
1-8 oz. container Cool Whip
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup candied almonds (recipe below)

Candied Almonds:
1/2 cup whole almonds
2 Tbsp. cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Chop apples and toss with a little bit of lemon juice, pineapple juice, or 7-Up.

Combine Cool Whip, mayonnaise, and spices in a bowl. Add the dressing mixture to the apples along with raisins and top with nuts.

For Candied Almonds:
Place almonds, sugar, and cinnamon in a skillet and heat over medium heat. Sugar will start to look sticky then will begin to melt. Once it begins to melt, stir continuously until the sugar has turned a caramel color and all nuts are coated. You will be tempted to add water, but don't! The sugar takes a while to melt, but trust me...it will!

When all of the almonds are coated, spread them out as best you can on parchment or wax paper. Once cooled, you can pick them up and break them apart.

(Note: My mom always used walnuts or pecans in her salad. I use almonds because I am allergic to almost every other type of nut. If you candy whichever nut you use, I would suggest putting a good amount on the top of the salad. When the candied nuts get mixed in the candy coating dissolves. Still good--but not the same!)

Thanks for stopping by for day 4 of Applefest. I have two recipes completed and ready to go. Which one for tomorrow....an apple drink or an apple dessert?

Roasted Applesauce {Applefest Recipe #3}

2011-09-21T09:41:00.000-04:00

I didn't know applesauce could take like this! The butter makes such a huge difference. It really gives the applesauce a depth of flavor that I don't think could be achieved without it. This is good cold but absolutely delightful warm!
1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch of coarse salt
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
3 pounds small assorted apples, such as Gala, McIntosh, or Fuji (about 10)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of ground clove
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine water, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Peel and core apples. (I used one of those handy dandy corer/slicer/peeler contraptions from pampered chef). Scatter butter pieces over mixture, and top with apples. Roast until apples are very soft, 30 to 40 minutes.

Working in batches, puree apples in a food processor, adding the juice from the baking dish. Stir in spices. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Applesauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Thanks for stopping by for Applefest Day #3! Come back tomorrow for another delicious apple recipe!

recipe from Martha Stewart

(Easy!) Chocolate and Caramel Apple Danish {Applefest Recipe #2}

2011-09-20T10:54:00.002-04:00

Oh my goodness...what an event it was to get to this final product! I saw this recipe on the Picky Palate that I really wanted to try; it looked delicious! So off I went to the store for pre-made pie crust, Rolos, and an apple. I knew I needed two apples, but I still had one at home left over from this apple dip I made the day before. So anyway, I get to the store and they are completely out of pre-made pie crusts; even the store brand. For a VERY brief moment I thought..."I'll just make my own." Then I came to my senses. Pie crust is not one of the easiest things to make and it really is never as good as what you buy at the store, in my opinion. So I thought I would try puff pastry sheets.

I went home to make my dessert and discovered there was only one apple left. My dear husband loved the apple dip so much from the day before that he finished it up with my left over apple. So glad you enjoyed it, honey!...but now I'm without an apple. OH well, I made the recipe with one apple. I put the finished product in front of my hubby for his opinion; and he is so honest with his opinion. The verdict? "Eh. It needs to be sweeter...and it needs more apples." Duh! I know it needs more apples...you ate the apple I intended to put in it.

I was determined to make this work. Day 2. I set out my second frozen sheet of puff pastry to thaw and ran to the store for more apples and Rolos. Well, my twenty minute errand turned into a two and a half hour errand (you've been there, right?). When I got home, my puff pastry sheet was a warm blob of rectangular dough. There was no way this thing was unfolding. So, I had to roll it out with my rolling pin. (When you make this, I suggest thawing as directed on the package. That way you can simply unfold it instead of dragging out your rolling pin.) It was smooth sailing from there. My husband had commented that it needed to be sweeter. This time I used Jazz apples instead of Granny Smiths; and I used two. I also made a glaze out of powdered sugar and apple cider.

I gave it to my husband again, a little scared of his oh-so-honest opinion again. He took a bite and I got an "OMG! This is fantastic!" YES! And it was...the Rolos melted to give a nice little hint of chocolate and caramel. The puff pastry baked up nicely and was a beautiful golden brown. And that glaze REALLY made the dessert a success.

I know this sounds like a dreadfully complicated recipe after reading this. But it isn't. I made it complicated trying to make it perfect and easy for you. So now, you have a delicious and easy recipe. You are welcome.

3 Tablespoons butter
2 apples of choice (I recommend a sweet variety), peeled and diced
3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 roll Pillsbury pie dough
1 pack of Rolo chocolate caramels, unwrapped and quartered
1 egg

Preheat oven to 400. Place butter into a skillet over medium heat. When melted add diced apples, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until softened.

Unfold pastry onto a baking sheet then pour cooked apples down the center of dough leaving about a four inch border on both sides. Top with quartered Rolos.

Cut one inch sections of pastry dough into strips on both sides then take those strips and gently stretch them over top of the apples, sort of like braiding.

Beat egg with a tablespoon of water and brush over braided pastry.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the danish is golden brown. Remove and let cool for about ten minutes. Pour glaze over danish and serve. It's best warm or warmed up!

Recipe adapted from The Picky Palate

Thanks for stopping by for the second day of Applefest! Check back tomorrow for a comforting recipe that can be served warm along with dinner or cold in a lunch box! Or better yet, subscribe with your email address and you will get the recipe in your inbox!

Caramel Apple Toffee Dip {Applefest Recipe Day #1}

2011-09-19T15:29:00.001-04:00

I have made this twice and it has been a HUGE hit both times. It's something that can be thrown together very quickly. I've also mixed the cream cheese and brown sugar the night before and placed it on my platter/plate. When I was ready to serve, all I had to do was slice my apples, pour on the caramel, and sprinkle on the Heath Bits.

Oh, and don't bother putting lemon juice on your apples to keep them from turning brown. With this dip, the apples won't be around long enough to turn brown. Trust me!

1 8oz block of cream cheese (I use light)

1/4 cup brown sugar

Caramel sauce for drizzling (I use Smucker's brand that is made to pour over ice cream--it's fat free!)

A sprinkle of Heath toffee bits

Sliced apples for dipping

Mix cream cheese with brown sugar. Spread on a plate, and top with a drizzle of caramel sauce and a sprinkle of toffee bits. Sliced apples for dipping. Dip the apple slices in pineapple juice after slicing to keep them from going brown.
***in the picture, the recipe has been doubled***

Check back over the next ten days for more apple recipes! Want a tease? Tomorrow's apple recipe involves chocolate!

recipe from thesisterscafe.com

Applefest!

2011-09-18T19:57:00.000-04:00

Fall is in the air and it is my absolute FAVORITE season! The crisp breeze, digging out long-sleeved shirts, the leaves changing on the trees, college football, fall festivals....ahhhhh, I LOVE everything about it!

I don't think I have ever looked more forward to fall than I have this year. Which is why I am having an Applefest here at Cooking up Comfort! Starting tomorrow, I will be posting apple recipes for ten days! Some traditional, some not so traditional...but hopefully they will all be delicious!

Stay tuned!

Bento #3!

2011-09-15T11:00:00.002-04:00

So I'm already getting tired of this box and my ONE accessory (silicone baking cups). I picked up some edible color markers which are pretty cool. But today, I'm on a mission. I will be scouring the world wide web in search of bento accessories! You just can't even imagine how cute these little lunches can be. It is my mission to make them cuter every time! I'm hoping that I can make them SO cute that my ten-year-old will get jealous of the two-year-old's lunch and want one herself. That way, maybe she would try to eat something that was healthy...you know, if it was cute enough. :)

In today's lunch we have:

peeled and segmented clementines
slices of ham, rolled and cut
string cheese, cut
Froot Loops
Pringle's Stix
fruit leather hearts
bread cut outs colored with edible color markers

Meal Planning

2011-09-14T22:10:00.002-04:00

I was doing so well...posting a new recipe every single day. I was cooking. I was cooking a LOT. Trying at least one or two new recipes a day. Some were great. Some....not so much (don't worry, I don't post those). So here I am today...with nothing to post.

Why do I have nothing to post? Because I didn't make a meal plan for this week! I'm telling you people...if I take the time to sit down and plan out what I am going to make for the next two weeks, I make it! If I don't make a meal plan, I don't cook. It's as simple as that.

I really encourage you to try this. It helps you get your grocery list organized (so you aren't running to the store every day for "one more thing") and helps you feel more organized.

I'm including some sites here with templates to help you along.

Gotta run. My timer is going off which means my Totino's Party Pizza is done....because I didn't make a meal plan this week.

Bento #2!

2011-09-13T09:39:00.019-04:00

Poor Lilly was feeling a bit under the weather last Thursday and she had to miss her second day of preschool. She is back to her crazy-two-year-old self and had this little bento to take with her today!

I'm looking forward to eventually getting a real bento box and some fun accessories; but for right now, this will do!

ham (or pink chicken, if you are Lilly) sandwich cut outs on a bed of "stringed" string cheese
whole wheat goldfish crackers
grapes
sugar wafers

Margarita Cake

2011-09-12T22:25:00.000-04:00

My FAVORITE (she's my only, so I can say that and not get in trouble) sister-in-law, Meredith, sent me this recipe with rave reviews. I needed to take a dish to a party this past weekend and chose to take this--wanted to hurry up while it still feels like summer outside!

I had a little mini-bundt cake pan that I've been wanting to use so I made little mini cakes; I'm including cook times for both.

Warning: Do not taste the glaze before you pour it on the cake. You will want to guzzle it because it is basically a really sweet margarita. I know you won't heed my warning, but don't say I didn't warn you. You better go ahead and make a triple batch of glaze....

Cake:

1 pkg. of white cake mix
1 pkg. (4 serving size) of vanilla pudding (I used sugar free and could not tell the difference)
4 eggs
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1/4 cup of margarita mixer (without alcohol) or fresh lime juice
1/4 cup of tequila

Glaze: (If you are making the mini-bundt cakes or cupcakes, double the recipe. Meredith said that she doubled it for a regular bundt cake, poked holes in the cake while it was still in the pan, and poured it over the holes. I meant to do this but I was in a hurry and forgot! She says it makes the cake ultra moist!)

1 cup of powdered sugar
3 Tbsp of fresh lime juice (you could also use the margarita mix)
2 Tbsp of tequila

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour your cake pan(s). Combine all cake ingredients, mix on high for two minutes. If making a full size bundt, bake for 45-50 minutes, until center is set. If making mini-bundts or cupcakes, bake for 18-22 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 (mini cakes) or 10 (regular bundt) minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet with a wire rack placed in it. Pour glaze over cake while still warm. (I sliced up little candy lime slices to put on top. If making a regular bundt cake, I think real lime slices would look pretty.)

recipe slightly adapted from Meredith Norman

Buttermilk Biscuits

2011-09-11T16:04:00.004-04:00

I've mentioned before my bread addiction. If I had to pick a favorite bread, biscuits would be tied for first (with a soft yeast roll slathered in honey butter). I whipped these up to go with a late lunch this afternoon and they were hands down the best biscuits that I have ever made! Many times, homemade biscuits come out very dense and/or dry. Not the case with these. They were VERY light. My husband, who hardly ever eats bread with a meal (weird, huh?) said: "I don't even like biscuits and these are really good!" SCORE!

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

2 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

8 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced

2/3 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup milk, plus more for brushing

Preheat oven to 425˚F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Blend in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the buttermilk and milk; mix until just combined. Do not over mix.

On a floured surface, roll the dough to a 1-inch thick square. Fold the dough in half, turn it and roll it again into a 1-inch thick square. Repeat one more time and then gently roll one final time into a 1-inch 9×9 square.

Use a biscuit cutter or knife to cut into individual portions. I don't have a biscuit cutter so I just cut the biscuits into squares. Place the dough on baking sheet, brush with milk and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Optional: After baked, brush melted butter on the tops.
Another option: For a savory biscuit, omit the sugar, add 2 cloves of garlic (minced) and a 1/2 Tbsp dried parsley.

Adapted from Jane’s Sweets & Baking Journal
Picture borrowed from stumptownsavoury until I get my camera fixed!

Waffles of Insane Greatness

2011-09-09T21:23:00.001-04:00

I'm a firm believer that everything doesn't have to be made from scratch--sometimes the box mix is just as good or better. Cakes...the box mix is just as good. Brownies...the box mix is almost always better. Waffles...the box mix is ALWAYS better.

My mom gave me a professional grade waffle maker for my birthday a few years ago and ever since then I make a LOT of waffles--at least once a week. I tried the recipes that came with the waffler and they were not good at all. So, I settled for the big bag of Krusteaz from Sam's--they were good!

However, as I have mentioned before, I am trying to make more things from scratch to lessen the amount of preservatives that my little family consumes. I have tried SO many waffle recipes and they never measure up to the store-bought mix....until now!

With a name like "Waffles of Insane Greatness," how could they not be good? These were super yummy. Crispy on the outside with a very light and fluffy interior. I think the secret is the corn starch--enjoy!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk or buttermilk or 2 c. rice milk with 3 tablespoons vinegar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Butter and syrup, for serving

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes (I mixed mine before church and made them about 1 1/2 later and they were great).

Preheat a waffle iron. Do not use non-stick spray on the waffle iron; the oil in the batter will allow the waffle to release easily. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve immediately with butter and syrup.

adapted from Aretha Frankensteins

Slow Cooker Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic (!) and Chicken Noodle Soup

2011-09-08T20:19:00.005-04:00

This is a great double duty meal. I make two chickens so I can use the leftover chicken and stock for chicken noodle soup the next day. Both recipes are SUPER fast; and you get two meals!

Recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic:

Two whole chickens, innards removed;
Celery, onions, or lemons (or a combo of any or all of them) to line the bottom of the slow cooker
40 cloves of garlic (2-3 heads, separated); don't peel them, but remove as much excess papery skin as you can. Some will end up losing their peels; stick those in the cavity of the chicken.
Any fresh or dried herbs you like; I used fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme (optional)

Line the bottom of the slow cooker with your veggies. Throw about half the garlic cloves in there, too. Plop in the chicken, and tuck the remaining garlic cloves around it (try not to have any on top of the chicken. They won't cook down well and might burn; tuck them between the breasts, wings, thighs and legs and around the outside of the chicken, instead).

Rub the herbs under the chicken skin ... use a light hand, because their flavors will intensify with long cooking.

Put the lid on the slow cooker, set it on high, and go on about your day. In about six-seven hours, your house will smell incredible and you'll have delicious, moist, garlic-scented chicken (this can overcook and dry out, so if you're not eating at the six/seven-hour mark, turn it down to low from then until dinnertime or use your cooker's "keep warm" setting if it has one).

Fish out all the garlic cloves (and the vegetables if desired), and serve alongside the chicken; the pulpy flesh of the garlic makes a great condiment for the meat or spread on a crusty slice of baguette.

recipe from Amy Kuras

Recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup:

Juices and chicken from prior recipe
A few carrots
8 cups of water
3 cups Kluski egg noodles
1 Tbsp (more or less, to taste) Kosher salt (regular salt will work just as fine)
Pepper to taste

Save the juices from the chicken but take out all of the herbs and garlic (go ahead and leave the celery in there too!) Remove the chicken that you would like to use from the bone (about half a chicken) and return to juices; don't bother shredding it or cutting it up. Place the juices and chicken in the refrigerator, covered, overnight.

When you are ready to make your soup, remove the chicken and it's juices from the fridge. There should be a layer of (really yucky) fat on the top. It is super easy to stick a spoon in there and scoop it off the top. Discard the fat. PLEASE, discard the fat.

The remaining "juice" will look like chicken jello, gross huh? Scoop it out, along with the chicken, into a stock pot. Add the water, whisk (chicken will break up here) to combine. Bring to a boil.

Add noodles and return to a boil. When noodles are soft, your soup is ready!

Blueberry Muffins

2011-09-07T15:52:00.001-04:00

If you know my littlest darling, you know that she is an absolute feign for fruit. ESPECIALLY blueberries. When we are in the grocery store she goes bananas (pun intended) for the produce section. I try to give her a cookie for the bakery but she protests until I pop open a carton of blueberries or peel an orange. It's a good problem.

However, I think she has burned herself out on blueberries. I buy the big-mega-carton at Sam's because the child usually eats an entire pint for a snack. But a half-eaten Sam's container of blueberries has been sitting in my refrigerator for a week and she won't have anything to do with them. So....I made muffins!

These are yummy and I knew they would be as soon as I finished mixing up the batter. Is it strange that I thought the batter was beautiful? Well, strange or not, it was. It was a very very slight purple and really thick and smooth; just beautiful. The taste was just as beautiful as well. Don't even think about skipping the cinnamon sugar on top; it really makes it!

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar, for topping
Preheat oven to 375.
In a medium sized bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the baking powder, then add the flour alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition (Make sure you start and end with flour). Mash 1/2 cup of the blueberries and add them to the batter. Stir in the vanilla at the end, along with the whole blueberries.

Mound the batter into 12 greased or paper lined muffin cups, filling each completely to the top (actually, over the top; the batter is thick enough that it’ll hold it’s shape). Sprinkle with sugar or cinnamon sugar.

Bake the muffins for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester (toothpick) inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Remove the muffin from the oven, and after 5 minutes remove them from the pan to cool completely.

recipe adapted from King Arthur

Dutch Baby

2011-09-06T20:11:00.002-04:00

Yesterday my whole little family was home in the morning with no where to be! Can you imagine? No school, no work, no meetings....ahhhhh LOVE Labor Day (and any other holiday that gives us all a day off!)!

I decided to take advantage of the leisurely morning and make breakfast for my family. You know, where everyone sits down at the table at the same time to eat--what a concept, huh?

I whipped up these little Dutch babies and they were well received. My husband said that it tasted like something that he would eat at a little bed & breakfast--I'm going to go ahead and take that as a compliment.

I didn't top them with anything fancy; just some powdered sugar and some maple syrup for dipping. But I can imagine the possibilities! Baked apples, peaches, berries, whipped cream.....YUM!

These were fast, easy, and filled the tummy!

4 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup flour, sifted
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons soft butter

Heat oven to 400°F. Butter (butter it WELL! Mine wanted to stick) two 9-inch cake pans well. Put eggs in blender container, cover and process at “stir” (or your lowest setting) until light yellow in color. Remove cover and add remaining ingredients; process on "blend" just until smooth. Pour into prepared pans and bake 20 minutes; then reduce heat to 350°F and bake 10 minutes.

(I have seen on other blogs that the traditional Dutch Babies are served with lemon, butter, and powdered sugar).

My First Bento!

2011-09-05T16:02:00.001-04:00

So the first time I stumbled across a bento lunch on a blog, I really rolled my eyes. I mean I REALLY rolled my eyes. Who has time for this? Why would you waste your time?

Fast forward two months...I have registered my two-year-old for preschool two days a week. If you know her, you would know that she is the most divalicious toddler around. She has an opinion, she knows what she wants, and she will let EVERYONE within a one mile radius know about it.

I worried about lunch time at the preschool. I could just picture some other little playmate coming in with something that looked yummy to my little darling. She would eye it up and either 1) scream for it...or 2) just take it. I know, horrible manners but she is two and we are working on it! :)

So then I remembered those cute little bento lunches. And that is what I made. I wanted to be sure that she had the most appealing lunch for her first day of preschool tomorrow. And you know what? It didn't take me any longer to make this little box then it would have to make a regular lunch. I'm sure I will get fancier and that will take more time; but, it's nice to know that I can still throw together a cute little lunch quickly!

Not a recipe at all, but, here is what is in the box:

An apple shaped rice krispie treat (regular recipe with red food coloring added and a pretzel stick stem)

A serving of pretzel sticks under the rice krispie treat

Silicone cupcake liners (reusable) filled with yogurt and blueberries

2 slices of ham rolled up, cut to fit

1 string cheese, cut to fit

Chinese Roast Pork

2011-09-04T10:00:00.015-04:00

I don't know about you, but, when I order Chinese take-out I DIVE for those little bits of red pork that are mixed in the fried rice. If you are like me and you hoard all of those succulent little morsels for yourself, you will LOVE this pork recipe. I'm not sure what it is...the ginger, the brown sugar, the Chinese five-spice powder...but this tastes a LOT like that pork that you find in take-out fried rice.

3 lb. boneless pork loin
salt and pepper
2Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder

Trim pork of excess fat and season with salt and pepper. Warm oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.
Transfer pork to slow cooker. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp. fat from skillet. Add onion, garlic and ginger to skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add soy sauce, brown sugar and five-spice powder. Cook, stirring, until sugar has dissoved, about 1 minute. Pour over pork.

Cover and cook on low until meat is very tender when pierced with a knife, about 5 hours. Remove pork to a cutting board, tent with foil and let stand 10 minutes. Thinly slice against the grain and serve.

recipe (and photo until I get my camera fixed!) is from all you magazine