Dalia's Delights

Collard Greens

2012-03-07T00:03:00.004-05:00

I am trying to be more of a green eater. I love broccoli and asparagus but there is just so much asparagus that one can eat if you know what I mean. I tried kale in pasta a few months back and it was really good. Spinach is spinach. I prefer it raw in a salad rather than sauteed. So I chose to try collard greens this week and it was delicious!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 bunch collard greens

1/2 an onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

smoked beef sausage, cut in small cubes

salt

black pepper

nutmeg

Directions:

Wash the leaves thoroughly then pat dry. Remove the tough stems that run down the center. Stack a few leaves on top of each other. Roll and cut into thin strips.

Heat a large saute pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the diced onion. Cook for a few minutes then add the sausage and minced garlic. Brown the sausage then add the chopped collard greens and season with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Stir all together with tongs. Cover with a lid and let cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until wilted, stirring occasionally.

Source: adapted from skinnytaste

Homemade Granola

2012-03-05T00:03:00.007-05:00

Cherry. Chocolate. Walnut. Almond. Honey. Coconut. YUMMY!

Ingredients:

1 cup shredded coconut
2/3 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
3 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp ground flaxseed (optional)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt
1 cup dried cherries
4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the coconut to the pan in an even layer and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and toasted. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out the pan. Return the pan to the heat and add the chopped walnuts and almonds. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the oats and canola oil and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the oats are lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the oat mixture to a large bowl and stir in the honey, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt. Spread out onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Bake, stirring every few minutes, until the granola is light golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the toasted coconut and dried cherries. Move the granola to one side of the baking sheet and press gently into a thick slab. Let cool to room temperature.

Break the dried and cooled granola into small clusters, mix in the chopped chocolate, and store in an airtight container. Serve over plain yogurt or milk.

Source: adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Italian Supreme Calzone

2012-02-29T00:03:00.036-05:00

Simply delicious, easy to make, and a winner in our house!

Me: "Honey, did you eat your lunch today?"
Ragy: "Yes, it was soooo good. Are you going to make it again?" (worried that I would move on to something new)
Me: "Yes."
Ragy: "Ok, just keep making it. I will not get bored."

Score! I guess that makes up for him not even tasting my chocolate meringue pie! For three days he swore he didn't like chocolate, coming from a Twix lover, and that he was too full after dinner. Unlike me, full or not, I still make room for dessert. When the pie was gone, he ate ice cream.

Ingredients:

Pizza dough (homemade or store bought such as 1 can of Pillsbury refrigerated classic pizza crust)

Pizza sauce (see recipe below- so yummy and spicy!!!!)
2 links turkey sausage, removed from casings (I used sweet)
½ medium yellow onion, chopped
½ green pepper, chopped
sliced mushrooms, chopped
sliced black olives
15 slices turkey pepperoni, chopped
shredded Gouda cheese (new item in cheese section) or Mozzarella
olive oil and Italian seasoning

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450° F (if using homemade dough) or to 425 ° F as indicated on the package of store bought dough. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray then roll the pizza dough into a long rectangle.

First, in a skillet over medium-high heat, crumble the sausage and cook until browned. Transfer to a medium bowl. Return the skillet to the heat and add the chopped onion and green pepper. Saute. Mix in the slices mushrooms and saute a few minutes more. Transfer the veggie mixture to the bowl with the sausage. Toss in sliced black olives and the chopped turkey pepperoni.

Then, make the pizza sauce as follows:

For the pizza sauce:

14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1.5 tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
¼ tsp. salt
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow to cook for at least 15 minutes.

Next, spread the pizza sauce on one half of the dough. Top with the beef/veggie mixture. Add the cheese. Fold the dough over on top of the cheese and filling, pinching the free edges of dough together to seal. Brush the top of the calzone with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Transfer to the oven and bake until browned, about 12-15 minutes.

**Note: Filling and Sauce makes enough for 2 Calzones! I would not cut the recipe in half, rather, just refrigerate the extras in separate containers for the following week's lunch.

Source: adapted from AnniesEats

Mini Mac and Cheese Pies

2012-02-27T00:03:00.002-05:00

I thought these mini pies turned out incredibly well. I loved the Rtiz cracker crust! I have revised the recipe below to include some changes for a future repeat as the first time I made these they were a bit greasy. So I have reduced both the amount of butter as well as cheese for a better version of this yummy mac and cheese pie.

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups Ritz crackers, crushed**I used one whole sleeve

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated and divided

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

4 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about 8 ounces uncooked)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Dip a piece of paper towel in melted butter and lightly grease 8 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan. The crust has plenty of butter in it and you will end up with grease overload if you spray the muffin cups with cooking spray as the original recipe suggested. (Fill the empty cups with a little water. That is a trick I learned so that they will not burn.)

In a bowl, combine the crackers, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, and the melted butter. Divide the mixture among the prepared muffin cups and press firmly in the bottom and up the sides of the cups.

In a large bowl, mix the macaroni with 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, milk, sour cream, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Stir the milk mixture into the macaroni. Taste and season with more salt and black pepper if you feel it is bland.

Spoon a few tablespoons of the macaroni mixture into each cracker crust and top with the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and slightly crispy. Allow the pies to cool slightly before unmolding and serving warm.

Source: adapted from Epicurious

Beef Enchiladas

2012-02-24T00:03:00.035-05:00

This was my first time to make enchiladas with corn tortillas rather than flour tortillas, and I loved them. This dish was so good. There are a few steps involved, but it is worth the effort. After I stuffed and rolled all of the enchiladas, I realized I was going to need 2 pans to bake, so I baked one pan with 6 enchiladas and I assembled and froze the remaining 6 in a foil pan with a lid for another weeknight meal.

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

1 tbsp canola oil

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 can (28 oz.) enchilada sauce

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

For the meat:

1.5 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 cans (4 oz. each) diced green chilies

1/2 tsp salt

For the tortillas:

12 corn tortillas

1/2 cup canola oil

To assemble:

3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup chopped black olives

1 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

Step #1 – The Sauce
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a paste, cooking for one minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Step #2 – The Meat
Brown the meat with onions in a skillet. Drain off fat. Stir in 2 cans diced green chilies and the seasoned salt. Set aside.

Step #3 – Tortillas
Heat canola oil in a small skillet over medium heat. One by one, using tongs, fry tortillas in oil until soft, not crisp – about 30 seconds per side. Remove to a paper—towel lined plate. Repeat until all tortillas have been fried.

Step #4 – Assembly
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour ½ cup red sauce in bottom of baking pan. Spread to even out. Dip each tortilla into red sauce, then remove to work surface. Spoon meat, a little grated cheese, black olives, and green onions in the center of tortilla. Roll up and place, seam down, in baking pan. Repeat until pan is filled. Pour extra red sauce over enchiladas. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle cilantro over enchiladas before serving.

Source: Pioneer Woman

Chocolate Meringue Pie

2012-02-22T00:03:00.008-05:00

Eating this pie was like eating chocolate pudding with extra goodness like a fluffy meringue topping and a buttery, flaky pie crust that was so easy to prepare. I was surprised at how this pie was not at all overly sweet. The amount of sugar was just right!

Ingredients:

For the pie crust:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

8 tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3 tbsp very cold water

For the filling:Click to see savings

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chocolate 1% low-fat milk

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg, lightly beaten

For the meringue:

4 large egg whites

1 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/3 cup sugar

Directions:

For the crust: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (You can make this pie crust by hand as well!)

Mix briefly to blend. Add in the butter pieces and mix on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand and the largest butter pieces are not much bigger than peas. Mix in the cold water on low speed just until the dough comes together.

Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. (This dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.) Remove from the refrigerator. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface.

Preheat oven to 450°.

Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold edges of dough under, and flute. Pierce bottom and sides of dough with a fork. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

For the filling: Pour the milk into a saucepan and gradually add the flour, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, and simmer while stirring constantly for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, beat 1 egg. Gradually stir about one-fourth of the filling into beaten egg, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add back to the saucepan with the remaining filling. Cook for 3 minutes. Pour into prepared crust; cover with plastic wrap while you make the meringue.

For the meringue: Place 4 egg whites, cornstarch, and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Beat at high speed until foamy. Gradually add 1/3 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Remove plastic wrap from filling; spread meringue evenly over filling, sealing to edge of crust. Make high peaks with the back of a spoon.

Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes; cool on a wire rack 1 hour. Chill 3 hours or until set. (After I cooled, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated overnight, my beautiful stiff peaks disappeared!)

Source: crust from AnniesEats and meringue pie from MyRecipies

Spicy Parmesan Shrimp Skillet

2012-02-20T07:36:00.007-05:00

I absolutely loved the simplicity of this dish in both preparation and taste. It is a light dish but with just enough flavor to make you want to take another bite, and another, and another. I will note that if you don’t salt the pasta water well enough, it can be a bit bland. The shrimp themselves are well seasoned in a slightly sweet yet spicy marinade with lots of garlic.

Ingredients:

serves 2

1 pound raw peeled shrimp

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cups uncooked penne pasta

for serving:

additional parmesan cheese

chopped green onions

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk olive oil, parmesan, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic and red pepper flakes together. Add shrimp to a large ziplock bag, pour marinade over top, then seal bag and shake to coat. Place in the fridge overnight.

When ready to eat, bring water to boil in a large pot, add salt, a few drops of oil, and cook pasta.

While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and all the marinade (just dump the entire contents of the bag into the skillet), then cook shrimp until pink – about 2 minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook!

As soon as shrimp is finished, add penne into the skillet and toss to coat completely. Top with additional parmesan cheese and green onions, then serve.

Source: HowSweetItIs

Rolled Stromboli

2012-02-16T00:03:00.023-05:00

What to eat for lunch? Do you have this problem too? Sick of sandwich bread? We were! So I decided to make this rolled stromboli for my husband's lunch, and it was a great hit. Warm and very tasty. We loved the dough and the filling. I will be making this at least twice a week from now on, varying the ingredients so that we don't get bored. Variations can include: Broccoli, cheddar, and chicken, Italian style with ground beef, veggies, and cheese, chicken sausage with onions, peppers, and cheese, or Mediterranean style with grilled chicken, feta, spinach, and caramelized onions. (Thanks Mona for the suggestions.) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough (homemade or store bought)

Chipotle mayo for spreading (or regular mayo and some mustard will be good)

Corned beef, thinly sliced

Cajun turkey breast, thinly sliced

green olives, chopped

mozzarella cheese slices

cheddar cheese slices

olive oil and sesame seeds for topping

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll the pizza dough into a rectangle on a lightly greased baking sheet. Spread a thin layer of spicy mayo on half of the dough. Layer a few slices of corned beef, turkey, and cheeses. Top with olives. Roll the dough, tucking in the edges so that the cheese does not melt out. Press down over the top to slightly flatten then brush a little olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cut a few slits to vent. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden.

Source: daliasdelights original

Coconut Almond Chocolate Biscuits

2012-02-14T00:03:00.007-05:00

Coconut. Almonds. Chocolate. YUM!

I thought I was going to love these little things, but I didn't just love them. I only liked them. Gosh, I have so many left over for such a weak emotion. They are not sweet, which is ok. They are not as soft or fluffy like a buttery cheddar biscuit that I am dreaming of now. I spread strawberry jam all over mine, warm out of the oven and it was nice. I will say that I liked the coconut and almond flavors a lot but for the first time, not so much the chocolate. They don't quite belong here. Make if you want, or wait until I find you another recipe with this same yummy combination.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

1 large egg

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

1/3 cup shredded coconut (sweetened)

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

milk and sugar for topping before baking

Directions:

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place shredded coconut and slivered almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes. Keep your eye on the coconut. It browns quickly. Remove from the oven when toasted and allow to cool. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Toss the cold butter cubes into the flour mixture. Using your hands, quickly work in the butter into the flour mixture, breaking it up with your fingers. Some butter bits will be the size of small pebbles, and some will be the size of oat flakes. Set in the fridge for a few minutes.

Whisk together buttermilk and egg.

Remove the flour and butter mixture from the fridge and add coconut, almonds, and chocolate chips.

Whisk together and create a well in the center of the mixture. Add the buttermilk mixture all at once to the well. Use a fork to bring the wet and the dry ingredients together. Mixture will be shaggy. Lightly flour a work surface and dump the shaggy dough mixture out onto the counter. Bring together the dough with your hands into a 1 1/2-inch thick disk . Use a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits. Flour the biscuit cutter if it starts to stick to the dough.

Place biscuits, about 1 inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Brush with a bit of milk and a few pinches of sugar. Bake biscuits for 14-18 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and serve warm, with jam if you want. *Heat in microwave for 20 seconds when eating the following day(s).

Source: Joy the Baker

Sweet Potato Souffle

2012-02-10T00:03:00.006-05:00

Brown sugar, cinnamon, a hint of orange....This was delicious!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

2 medium sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon grated orange rind

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg yolks

5 large egg whites

Directions:

Position oven rack to lowest setting, and remove the middle rack. Preheat oven to 425°.

Coat a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish (or 8 individual ramekins) with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Set aside.

Pierce potatoes with a knife and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour or until tender. Let cool then peel and scoop out the insides. Combine potatoes and butter, and mash with a potato masher until smooth.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, potato mixture, half-and-half, and next 6 ingredients (through egg yolks) in a food processor; process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Place egg whites in another mixing bowl; beat at high speed with a mixer until soft peaks form. Add remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (do not over beat). Gently fold one-fourth of egg white mixture into potato mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture.

Gently spoon mixture into prepared dish or dishes. Sharply tap dish 2 or 3 times on the counter to level. Place dish(s) on a baking sheet; place baking sheet in a 425° oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 375° (do not remove soufflé from oven). Bake 1 hour or until soufflé is puffy, golden, and set. Serve immediately.

Source: Cooking Light, April 2006

Red Chile Chicken with Rice and Black Beans

2012-02-08T00:03:00.011-05:00

A simple one-pot meal of rice, black beans, chicken, chicken broth, and some spices. These very basic ingredients are magically transformed into this amazingly comforting meal as they simmer together. As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it and I am sure glad that I did. We really enjoyed this one for dinner and for lunch the next afternoon.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp canola oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lbs total)

2 1/2 tbsp ancho chili powder, divided (I used 2 tbsp regular chili powder and ½ tbsp chipotle chili powder because that is what I had)

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup uncooked white rice

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped green onions (OR 1/3 cup cilantro)

salsa for serving (optional, but highly recommended!)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a medium-large heavy pot (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breast with salt and 1 tbsp of the ancho chili powder (or a combination of other chili powders). Place the chicken in the hot oil and brown on each side, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving behind as much oil as possible.

Add the onion and rice to the pot. Stir for several minutes, until the rice turns from translucent to opaque.

Add the garlic and the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp ancho chili powder. Cook one minute, and then add the broth and salt to taste. Stir well. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

Cut the chicken breast into 1″ pieces. Add them to the pot along with the beans. Re-cover and cook 12 minutes longer.

Test a kernel of rice. If it’s not cooked, cook for another 5 minutes or so. Add the green onions. Fluff the mixture with a fork and serve with salsa (if using).

Source: Smells Like Home

Honey Yeast Rolls

2012-02-06T08:10:00.002-05:00

These rolls are soft and tender with a hint of sweetness and the most amazing ones I have ever had. They are sweetened with honey and coated with a layer of honey and butter. They are a little on the denser side, but no heavier than your average dinner roll. These are the perfect beginning or side to any soup, stew, or casserole. You'll definitely have a hard time eating just one or two.

Ingredients:

2¼ tsp instant yeast

1 cup warm water

¼ cup honey

3 tbsp. canola oil

1¼ tsp salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 cups BREAD flour

Cooking spray

For the glaze:

1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1 tbsp. honey

*NOTE: You can use all purpose flour if you must, although not preferable, but if you do chose to substitute the bread flour for all-purpose then here is a tip: add 3/4 tsp baking powder to the all purpose flour.

Directions: (can also be done by hand)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast and warm water. Add the honey, oil, salt, and egg and mix well. Add 3 cups of flour and mix until the dough comes together in a sticky mass. Switch to the dough hook and, with the mixer on low speed, knead for about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour to the keep the dough from sticking if necessary. Do not add too much flour. The dough will become more workable the longer you knead.

Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in bulk, about 2 hours.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 30 seconds. Cover with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes. Punch the dough down and divide into 8-10 equal size pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place into a round, lightly greased round baking dish. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 30 minutes.

Bake at 400˚ F for 13-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Mix together the melted butter and honey. Eight minutes into baking, brush the tops of the rolls with this mixture. Let cool slightly before serving.

Source: A Cookie A Day

Cinnamon Brown Butter Doughnut Puffs

2012-02-03T09:26:00.000-05:00

Ditch the diet and make these today! If you love cinnamon, you will love these mini puffs.

Ingredients:

For the coating:1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the puffs:1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda (omit if you will use regular milk instead of buttermilk)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 tbsp + 1 tsp unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing muffin cups
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk *

*You can use milk instead of buttermilk if you choose but make sure NOT to add any baking soda.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 12 standard size or 24 miniature muffin cups, or line cups with paper liners.

Prepare coatings: In a small saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat and continue to cook it, stirring frequently, until brown bits form on the bottom and it smells nutty and heavenly. Immediately remove from heat and set aside. In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon. Set aside as well.

Prepare puffs: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg together in a medium bowl and set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Mix in 1/3 of flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of buttermilk, repeating again and finishing with the flour mixture. Mix only until combined.

Spoon into prepared muffin cups. Bake standard sized muffins for 20 to 25 minutes and miniature muffins for 10 to 12 minutes. When finished, muffins will feel springy to the touch and a tester inserted into the center will come out clean. Transfer them in their pan to a wire rack.

As soon as you feel you’re able to pick one up, take your first puff and roll the top and upper edges in the browned butter. Don’t be afraid to pick up the browned butter solids at the bottom of the saucepan; they’re the dreamiest part. Let any excess butter drip off for a second before gently rolling the butter-soaked cake top in cinnamon-sugar. Transfer puff to wire rack to set and repeat with remaining puffs. Eat warm.

Source: originaly from Betty Crocker but photo idea and instructions from Smitten Kitchen

Spicy Shrimp Pizza

2012-02-01T07:39:00.010-05:00

Ever had shrimp on a pizza? If not, this one is pretty good. The combination is savory and delicious. Of course as with any recipe, you can adapt it to your liking.

Ingredients:

1 Pizza dough

Olive oil, for brushing

pizza sauce

½ lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tsp. olive oil

Cajun seasoning, to taste

Crushed red pepper, a few pinches

a combination of these cheeses:

mozzarella cheese

mild cheddar cheese

feta cheese

toppings:
bell pepper, diced
red onion, finely chopped (next time I will omit... were too strong)
green onions, chopped

olives (green or black), chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven and a pizza stone at 500˚ F for at least 30 minutes. Roll out the pizza dough into a 12 inch round circle. Lightly brush the surface of the dough with olive oil. Top with a thin layer of pizza sauce leaving a clear perimeter around the edge for the crust. Add the toppings: bell pepper, red onion, green onions, and olives.

Sprinkle the mozzarella, cheddar, and feta cheeses.

Combine the shrimp, olive oil, and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss until the shrimp are well coated with the seasoning. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes or until they turn pink. Evenly distribute the cooked shrimp over the pizza. Sprinkle with additional Cajun seasoning, if desired and a few pinches of crushed red pepper.

Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is lightly browned*, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing and serving.

*My crust came out a bit more browned that I would have liked. Also, I added more cheese on top of the shrimp (bad idea) which resulted in the shrimp burning as well. So make sure that you place the shrimp over the cheese then bake.

Source: daliasdelights, idea from AnniesEats

Pizza Sauce

2012-01-30T07:46:00.003-05:00

This sauce is so easy to make and very tasty. This amount makes enough for 4 pizzas so if you are not going to use all of it at once, just freeze the leftovers for another time.

Ingredients:

1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 small cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Source: Cooks Illustrated

Lasagna Stuffed Shells

2012-01-27T07:38:00.001-05:00

This is my favorite variation of lasagna. Meat, sauce, cheese all assembled in jumbo pasta shells. Serve these with a salad and french bread and you have a meal that you can proudly claim as your own. No going out tonight honey. I bring Italian to you :)

Ingredients:

for the beef:

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 lb ground beef *

1/2 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

salt, black pepper, oregano

*You can mix ground spicy turkey sausage with the beef if you want to, or use just beef which was really tasty. You can also add a handful of spinach. I did not this time.

for the filling:

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/2 of a (15 oz) carton whole-milk ricotta cheese (next time I will note how many cups this is.)

salt and black pepper

for the sauce:

2 cups jarred spaghetti sauce (I use chunky garden veggie)

1 small clove garlic, minced

salt, black pepper, and oregano

15 jumbo pasta shells

Directions:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta al dente. Drain and drizzle with olive oil. In the meantime, prepare the beef, sauce, and filling.

For the beef: Heat the olive oil in a pot. Add the onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and oregano (season well!). Cook for a few minutes then add the ground beef.

For the filling: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Add the beef mixture.

For the sauce: Heat the spaghetti sauce in a small pot. Add the minced garlic and season with salt, black pepper, and a little oregano.

To assemble: First drizzle olive oil in the bottom of Pyrex or casserole dish. Then add a good amount of the spaghetti sauce to it. Fill each pasta shell with the cheese/beef mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer on top of the sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce over each shell followed by additional mozzarella cheese.

Bake uncovered on 350 degrees for 20 minutes until the sauce is bubbly. At the same time, heat the french bread. Serve with a salad.

Source: daliasdelights

Julia's Baked Spinach

2012-01-25T07:37:00.004-05:00

A mountain of greens becomes merely an anthill once cooked.

I am always looking for new ways to eat spinach and I thought for sure I would love this one. It was good but I feel something was missing. Almost all the reviews I read said it didn't need the cream so I used beef broth as typically that is what the French use. However, I think half broth and half cream would have been better. I actually made this for Thanksgiving and was unaware that not a single person at the table even liked spinach. So make this if you have a spinach-loving crowd. Otherwise, keep searching like me for some other variation.

Ingredients:

Serves 6

3 lb fresh spinach -I used 4 bags of baby spinach

3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 cup stock, milk, or cream (your choice; Julia recommends beef)

3/4 cup grated Swiss, Parmesan, Romano, OR Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons fine, dry breadcrumbs

Directions:

Stem and wash the spinach, draining it but letting drops of water still cling to the leaves. Place the spinach in a large pot covered with a lid over high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted. Transfer the spinach to a colander, fill the pot with cold water, and immediately return the spinach to the pot with the cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again. Working with a handful at a time, squeeze the spinach to extract as much excess water as possible. Coarsely chop the spinach. (You should have about 3 cups of chopped spinach.)

Wipe out the pot and then melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the chopped spinach. Cook, stirring frequently, until all of the moisture has been boiled off (when the spinach starts to stick to the pan).

Reduce the heat to medium and sprinkle the flour over the spinach. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Stir in about 2/3 of the cooking liquid a small amount at a time, scraping the bottom of the pan as you go. When the liquid has been added, stir for another minute or two. If needed, add in the remaining liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Mix ½ cup of the shredded cheese into the spinach mixture and then spread the mixture into a lightly greased baking dish. Toss the remaining ¼ cup of cheese with the bread crumbs and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top. Melt the remaining 1½ tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the top. Bake until lightly browned and heated through, about 30 minutes.

Source: Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Garlic Rolls

2012-01-23T07:34:00.005-05:00

Update: Jenna's beautiful whole wheat garlic knots:)

These rolls are so soft and delicious, and the garlic glaze is amazing. When they bake, the whole house smells so good. These were a hit at Thanksgiving dinner! My mom and I made them together, and it was so much fun. She rolled each dough into a long log and I attempted to tie the knot. I will be making these many times to go with the long list of soups and stews that I have planned for this winter season.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

3 cups bread flour

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. instant yeast

1¼ tsp. salt

2 tbsp. olive oil

¼ cup milk

1 cup plus 2 tbsp. lukewarm water

For the glaze:

2 cloves garlic

3 tbsp. melted butter

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

Directions:

To make the dough, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the dry ingredients. Add the olive oil, milk and water. Mix until ingredients have formed a dough. Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

To Shape: Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 10-inch long rope and tie into a knot. Take the end lying underneath the knot and bring it over the top, tucking it into the center. Take the end lying over the knot and tuck it underneath and into the center. Transfer shaped rolls to a baking stone, or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 45 minutes, until puffy.

Note: These started out shaped as knots, but as they rose the second time, they expanded a bit too much and turned into these funny looking rolls. As long as they taste good then the shape doesn't really matter, right. :)

To make the glaze, finely mince the garlic or press it through a garlic press. Mix with the melted butter and Italian seasoning.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Brush the glaze onto the shaped rolls. Bake until set and lightly browned, about 15-18 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Source: KingArthurFlour

Starbuck's Very Berry Coffee Cake

2012-01-20T07:56:00.006-05:00

My husband loves a slice of Starbucks Very Berry Cake along with a tall Pumpkin Spice Latte while studying for an exam. Now rather than buying just one slice and wishing you had another, you can make it at home and eat however many slices you want. It really is a copycat recipe. Taste this one and taste the one at the store and you will see no difference other than this one is fresh, fluffy, moist, and cheap.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

3 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt

1/3 cup milk

1 1/2 cups fresh berries (frozen and thawed berries may be substituted)

Crumb topping:

3 tablespoons softened butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour the bottom and sides of a spring pan.

For the cake: Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar with electric mixture until light. Add eggs one at a time and beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, lemon zest and sour cream or yogurt and mix well. Alternately, add flour mixture and the milk to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Spread half of the batter evenly into prepared pan and smooth the top. Spread berries (well drained) on top of batter. Cover berries with the remaining batter and spread the top evenly with a spatula (some of the berries will show through).

For crumb topping: Combine all ingredients and use fingers to mix and form crumbs.

Spread crumbs on top of cake and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and cake is golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Serve at room temperature.

Source: RecipeFinder

Stuffed Grape Leaves

2012-01-18T07:45:00.000-05:00

Stuffed grape leaves can be intimidating to make, but honestly are really not that hard. They require some time for preparation, rolling, and cooking but the wait is worth it. They can be stuffed with meat or made vegetarian with just rice and herbs, which is what I did here.

Ingredients:

For the rice mix:
1 cup uncooked rice
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, finely diced
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/4 tsp crushed mint
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp all spice
2 tbsp olive oil

For assembly:
1 (16 oz) jar grape leaves, drained and rinsed
1 tomato, sliced
1 potato, sliced
1 small onion, cut in rings
2 cups chicken broth + 1 tbsp tomato paste, heated
juice of 1 large lemon, divided

Directions:

Drain the grape leaves and carefully pull them apart. Put a few leaves at a time in a pot of boiling water. Boil each set for 5 minutes to tenderize the leaf. Remove and set aside.

In the meantime, combine all ingredients for the rice mix (rice through olive oil.)

Next, prepare your cooking pot by first placing 2 or 3 grape leaves on the bottom (preferably the torn ones) so that the ones you roll do not burn. Now layer the sliced potato, onion, then tomato in the pot.

Place a grape leave, rough side up, one at a time on a large plate. Cut in half and remove the stem tip that pokes out (1 whole leaf is too large to stuff). Put approximately 1 tsp of the rice mix in the center of the leaf half. Roll over once. Fold in the edges, continue to roll tightly.

Layer the stuffed grape leaves one at a time above the sliced tomato, seam side down and close together so that they do not come apart during cooking. (Each layer should go in a different direction across the pot.)

Heat the broth. Mix in 1 tbsp tomato paste and half a lemon juiced. Pour this hot liquid mix over the stuffed grape leaves. (Liquid should reach slightly over the top layer. Add more broth or water to reach this level.)

Over a high flame, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and place a flat plate (glass or stoneware- I use a dessert plate) upside down over the top of the leaves. Press plate to stay down and leave in place during cooking. Cover pot with its lid and let simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes.

Uncover and squeeze the remaining lemon half over the leaves, recover, reduce the heat slightly, and let cook for another 20 minutes. Check one leaf to see of the rice is fully cooked. When done, remove lid, remove the small plate, and place a larger plate or platter over the pot opening. Flip the entire contents onto this large platter. (If you see much liquid remaining, try to drain carefully before flipping) Serve warm with tahini sauce.

Source: daliasdelights

Spicy Chicken Sausage and Lentil Soup

2012-01-16T07:57:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 links of spicy chicken sausage, casing removed

1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced

2 celery stalks, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced (I used 15 baby carrots)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp red chili flakes

1 cup uncooked brown lentils, rinsed

6 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

parmesan cheese, olive oil, and bread to serve

Directions:

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add the uncased chicken sausage and cook, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks. Sausage should finish cooking in small chunks. Remove from the pan.

Add a touch more olive oil if necessary. Add onions, celery, and carrots. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 to seven minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the garlic, cumin, and chili flakes, and cook for one minute more.

Add the sausage back to the pan. Stir to incorporate. Add the lentils and chicken stock. Simmer the soup, uncovered, until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.

Serve soup with a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and good crusty bread. Soup will last, in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 5 days. Soup also freezes well.

Source: Joy the Baker

Spinoccoli Pizza

2012-01-11T20:17:00.002-05:00

White sauce, spinach, broccoli, and grilled chicken. This is the best pizza that I have made so far. Loved it!

Ingredients:

For the white sauce:
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
¾ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
1 clove garlic, smashed
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For the pizza:

Pizza Dough

Olive oil, for brushing
½ cup packed baby spinach leaves, torn
1 cup very small broccoli florets
shredded mozzarella cheese
shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until bubbling and light golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in the heavy cream and garlic, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from the heat and whisk in the grated Parmesan until completely melted and smooth. Discard the garlic clove.

To make the pizza, preheat the oven and a pizza stone at 500˚ F for at least 30 minutes. Roll out the pizza dough into a 12-14 inch round. Spread the white sauce over the crust, leaving a border clear around the edge for the crust. Lightly brush the perimeter of the dough with olive oil. Sprinkle the torn spinach leaves over the white sauce. Evenly distribute the broccoli florets over the dough. Layer evenly with the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Finish with additional grated Parmesan, if desired.

Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Source: adapted from AnniesEats

Stove Top Mac and Cheese

2012-01-08T12:20:00.002-05:00

Without a doubt this the easiest, creamiest, and yummiest mac and cheese that I have made. I loved the addition of the peas. You can also choose to add shredded chicken if you like to make it a complete meal. I did not and instead served breaded chicken on the side.

Ingredients:

2 cups elbow pasta + 1 cup of reserved pasta water

2 cups yellow American Cheese, shredded*

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt

salt and black pepper

1 cup frozen peas, thawed (optional)

* I got 2 blocks of yellow American cheese from the deli section (it was around 0.8 lb). After shredding it, it was a little over 2 cups. I only used 2 cups in this recipe.

Directions:

Cook macaroni pasta for 8-10 minutes in salted water, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining the pasta.

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Add 1/4 cup pasta water, the yogurt, and 1/3 of the grated cheese and stir until the cheese has melted. Stir in remaining cheese, one small handful at a time to prevent clumping. Add additional pasta water as necessary to thin the cheese sauce. Stir in peas, if using, and serve warm.

To reheat, microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. If you think it needs it, add a tablespoon or two of skim milk or water. It's usually creamy enough after it's heated thoroughly but it's up to you.

Source: FoodieBride

Oven Roasted Vegetables

2012-01-05T07:48:00.007-05:00

This is a very easy recipe to make and very easy to tailor to the vegetables you have on hand. The simplicity of just salt, black pepper, and olive oil is what makes this side dish a hit!

Ingredients:

Carrots

Red Onion

Sweet potato

Green beans

Squash, skin peeled

Broccoli

Olive oil

Salt

Black pepper
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Put the vegetables in a large bowl and drizzle generously with olive oil and season with garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Transfer them to a foil lined baking sheet in a single layer.

Cook for 20-30 minutes until tender.

Source: daliasdelights original

Baked Chicken Meatballs

2012-01-03T07:35:00.017-05:00

I enjoyed these chicken meatballs very much. They were moist and flavorful, and I loved the addition of both the ketchup glaze and Parmesan cheese. Very similar to meatloaf but in bite size form and a bit healthier than your standard beef meatball.

Ingredients:
3 slices white bread, torn into small bits (1 cup) soaked in 1/3 cup milk

1 pound ground chicken

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 large egg

1 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/ 2 tsp black pepper

3 tbsp Parmesan cheese

ketchup

oil for greasing the pan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. In a small bowl, soak the bread in milk until softened.

In a large bowl, add all ingredients (chicken through Parmesan cheese). Squeeze the bread to remove excess milk and add the bread to the bowl. Mix well and form 12 meatballs.

Lightly spray or oil a baking sheet lined with foil and place the meatballs on it. Squeeze a little ketchup on top of each meatball and spread with a spoon. Bake until the meatballs are cooked through, 20-30 minutes.

Source: Adapted from Gourmet, August 2009 Issue