Gonna Want Seconds

Jeanette's Rocky Road Fudge!

2011-12-22T16:34:00.000-08:00

I'm really excited to share this recipe with you! Growing up, my mom wasn't big into baking. So when Christmas rolled around, this was the super delicious treat she would make to share with all the neighbors. It's unbelievably quick to make and it makes a generous 9X13 pan. When you're making gifts for lots of friends the large pan is SUCH a bonus! It's a fabulous combo of chocolate, chunky peanut butter and mini marshmallows. Well, hello YUM!!!

My Mama's Rocky Road Fudge

Butter

12 ounces semi sweet chocolate pieces

1 cup chunky peanut butter

4 cups mini marshmallows

Generously grease a 9X13 pan with butter. Melt chocolate and peanut butter in a double boiler. When mixture is cohesive, fold in marshmallows and pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate until fudge is set.

Super Buttery Butter Pecan Cookies

2011-12-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm super exciteded to be guest posting over at The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch. I'm sure most of you are familiar with this fabulous blog. If it happens to be new to you, then let me tell you, you're in for a treat cuz you're sooo going to love Shelby the author! She is always cooking or baking something I'm dying to try. Moreover, shes a wonderful gal that you are sure to really enjoy.
So, for my guest post, I made a special cookie that is perfect for this holiday season. It's a Butter Pecan Cookie that is deliciously decedent and literally melts in your mouth. If you have room on your baking schedule to make one more cookie, try to add this one to your list. It's honestly really fabulous and I'm sure you won't be sorry!!!
I would really love it and appreciate if you dropped by Shelby's and gave her some comment love. Please tell her I sent you. Let me know if you try these cookies! They soooo ROCK!
12-20-11 Update: I'm going to post this recipe here now. I love having all my recipes in one place!

BUTTER PECAN COOKIES: FROM TASTE OF HOME

INGREDIENTS

1-3/4 cups chopped pecans
1 tablespoon plus 1 cup butter, softened, divided
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecan halves

In a large bowl, cream brown sugar and remaining butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually add flour, baking powder and salt and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.

Place chopped pecans and 1 tablespoon butter on a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until toasted and browned. Set aside and cool.
Roll into 1-in. balls, then roll in toasted pecans, pressing nuts into dough. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Beat egg white until foamy. Dip the bottom of pecan halves in egg white, then gently press one into each ball. (If you get the foamy egg white on the top of the pecan it with remain after baking and not be attractive)
Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.

Today's Christmas Baking

2011-12-12T16:55:00.000-08:00

This Saturday, hubby and are have a little soiree to celebrate Christmas! Yay!!! I'm trying to put together the menu. So far, it's looking like it's going to be, baked ziti, my favorite Minestrone soup, garlic bread and Ceasar salad. For dessert, I wanted to serve Christmas cookies. I want to have lots of different cookies. For some reason, I always feel like the more food, in this case cookies, I serve the more festive my party will be. So today I decided I'd better get myself in gear and start baking. I wanted to start off with some of my favorites that will freeze well so they'll be perfectly delish on Saturday. What do you think? Good plan?

So here's what I'm baking today:

Coconut White Chocolate Cookies. Tender, delicate and killer DELISH!

Chocolate Oatmeal Almost Candy Bars. These will knock your socks off!!! I also love that this recipe makes a really big batch!

Chunky Chocolate Gobs. These are so yummy, honestly, words fail me.

Oatmeal, White Chocolate, Cranberry and Pecan Cookies! Oh MY!!! I'm sooo making a double batch of these babies!

Porcini Mushroom Pot Roast

2011-12-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

I saw this recipe last year on my friend Kim's blog and I couldn't wait for the weather to cool so I could make this. It is originally from the incomparable, Giada De Laurantiis. Well, let me tell ya, this is sooo delicious it will blow your mind. The roast is cooked slowly so it becomes tender and succulent and the sauce....oh my, the sauce. The sauce is rich with earthy, delicious porcini mushrooms, other veggies and red wine. I mean how could this be anything other that Fab-u-lous?!?
I served this with an herbed cheese polenta that was equally incredible. Of course, it too, was from Giada. Here's the recipe.
Do yourself a favor and check out Kim's blog. I swear she's always cooking something delicious that I can't wait to try at home!

Porcini Mushrooms Pot Roast: Adapted from Giada's Family Dinners as seen on Stirring the Pot blog
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 (5 pound) boneless beef chuck roast
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry red wine
1-3/4 cups canned low-sodium beef broth
1/2 ounce dried Porcini Mushrooms
1 large spring of fresh rosemary
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy, 6-quart pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. (Don't rush this step, which is what creates the deep rich flavor in the finished dish.) Transfer the beef to a plate.

2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions to the same pan and saute until tender, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the wine and boil for 1 minute. Stir in the broth and mushrooms. Return the beef to the pan and bring the liquids to a boil. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Braise until the beef is fork-tender, about 3 hours, turning the beef over halfway through.

3. Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Tent with foil and let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, spoon any excess fat off the top of the pan juices. Using a stick blender, puree sauce until smooth. In a medium, heavy saucepan, combine the sauce and rosemary sprig. Bring to a boil, then season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Cut the beef across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange the sliced beef on a platter. Spoon some of the sauce over and serve, passing the remaining sauce in a gravy boat.

Oatmeal White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2011-11-28T10:21:00.000-08:00

Yay!!!! Today is the second time I've participated in the Secret Recipe Club. This month I was given a really fun blog to pick a recipe from. It's called Everyday Sisters and is written by four sisters. What a great idea is that?!? They seem like a really fun group of gals and, let me tell you, their blog is packed with yummy looking recipes. In fact, it was honestly really tough to choose just one. Good news is, now that I've found their blog, I will be back often.
My family loved these cookies. They had a nice crunchy exterior and chewy interior. Don't you just love that combination? They were loaded with lots of goodies that really made them fab-u-lous!!! I had a kinda hard time getting the dough to come together well. Not sure exactly what I did wrong but I just compressed the dough in a ball and flattened them slightly before baking. It worked out very nicely! I made mine with white chocolate chunks (from a Lindt white chocolate bar), dried cranberries and pecans.

Oatmeal Cookies:from Everyday Sisters
Ingredients:
12 Tbls (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teas vanilla extract
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teas baking powder
3/4 teas baking soda
1/4 teas salt
1 cup of dried cranberries or raisins
1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup of chocolate chips
Instruction:
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
2. Stir together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the batter until just combined. Stir in the dried fruit, nuts and chocolate.
3.Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto 2 large baking sheets (no need to grease them), leaving 2 inches between each ball of dough. Bake until the cookies are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets for several minutes and then transfer them to a rack to cool further.

Herbed Cheese Polenta

2011-11-19T10:53:00.000-08:00

Do you like polenta? I do!!! The thing that sometimes holds me back from making it is that some recipes have you stirring it constantly like a risotto. This recipe, from Giada, has you stirring occasionally. That works for me! It makes this oh so much more doable. The flavors in this polenta are really wonderful. I love all the fresh herbs, cheese, butter...I mean "Hello YUM".This recipe makes a very large batch so I generally cut it in half and it generously serves my family of four. I first saw this recipe over at my friend Kim's blog. Check her out. She's always cooking up something really amazing!!!

Pin It

Herbed Cheese Polenta Adapted from Giada's Family Dinners
8-10 servings
Ingredients:
10 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
2-1/2 cups yellow cornmeal or polenta
1-1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 cups whole milk (I used half and half)
10 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tabelspoon chopped fresh thyme
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
1.Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy pot. Add the salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal.
2. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, about 15 minutes.
3.Remove from the heat. Add the cheese, milk, butter, herbs, and pepper. Stir until the butter and cheese melt. Transfer the polenta to a bowl and serve.

Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Glaze

2011-11-16T19:01:00.000-08:00

I can't begin to tell you how much I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this cake. It's delicious, moist, dense, rich, easy to make, and, if all that wasn't enough, it's low fat. Ya, seriously! How amazing is that?! It's a wonderful treat anytime but yummy enough to grace your holiday table. The glaze is very cinnamon-y so feel free to cut back the cinnamon a little if you want the glaze to be a bit more subtle. When you make this cake be sure to use an electric mixer. The batter is really thick and would be a nightmare to mix well by hand. Enjoy!

Pin It

Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Glaze: adapted from Allrecipes

Cake:
Ingredients:
1-18.25 ounces spice cake mix
1-15 ounce can pumpkin
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup sugar

Glaze:
Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons whole milk

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a bundt cake pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix all cake ingredients together with an electric mixer until well blended, about 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.
3. Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
4. Meanwhile make glaze by combining all glaze ingredients in a small bowl and mixing until smooth.
5. When cake is cooled, drizzle with glaze and serve. Store any left overs in the fridge.

Chicken Ragu

2011-11-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

I sooooo LOVE this pasta dish. It reminds me of the wonderfully flavored pastas that I tasted while travelling in Italy. It's simple and perfect all at the same time. Does that make sense to anyone other than me? I got this recipe from a cookbook I just bought called The Italian Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone. When I read the reviews for the book on Amazon, trying to decide whether or not to buy it, this Chicken Ragu recipe was mentioned and highly acclaimed. I knew after reading that review I had to have this book cuz I had to have this Chicken Ragu! Well, we feasted on this the other night for dinner, and I have to say, I'm really jazzed I got this cookbook and I can't wait to try more recipes!!!

When you make this don't even think about substituting dried herbs for the fresh. It's the fresh herbs that really give this that authentic, I wish I was back in Tuscany, taste. Remember to start your pasta water early cuz when you smell this sauce cooking away your going to want to eat. You will have to remove the cooked chicken from the crock pot and chop it but that doesn't take much time. Alls I'm saying is don't forget to get your pasta cooking early! Mine always seems to take an eternity when I'm hungry. LOL!
Btw-Ky I'm making this for you as soon as you get home from Italy! :)

Pin It

Chicken Ragu: slightly adapted from Michele Scicolone

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 chicken thighs
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
1 rib celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 28 ounce tomato puree
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, stripped from stocks
1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 pound cooked penne

Instructions:
1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Transfer the chicken to slow cooker.
2. Lower the heat and add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies are softened. About 10-12 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Add the mixture into the slow cooker.
3.Stir in the tomato puree, tomato paste, herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4 hours or until the chicken pulls away for the bone. Remove the chicken and allow to cool slightly. Remove skin and bones, and cut the chicken into bite size chunks. Add chicken back to sauce and toss with pasta.

Double Glazed Pumpkin Scones

2011-10-31T14:05:00.000-07:00

Yay! My first time participating with Secret Recipe Club. What a fun concept this is! Everyone that participates is assigned another blogger and then chooses a recipe from that blog to recreate. I was given a fun blog called Loving Life which is written by Kristen. She writes a great blog and has some yummy recipes on it. When I saw these fabulous Pumpkin scones, I knew just what recipe I'd choose. They're a knock-off of the Starbucks pumpkin scones. I haven't had the ones from Starbucks so I can't attest to their authenticity but I can tell ya these are really yummy! Deliciously flavored with pumpkin and spice and moister than a lot of scones. I hate dry scones, I mean whats the point?! Well, With these lil beauties you wont have to worry about dryness! My favorite part of these scones is the double glaze. Yippee! First the whole scone is brushed and covered with a plain glaze. Then they're drizzled with a spice glaze. Well Hello double YUM!!!

Pin It

Double Glazed Pumpkin Scones: from Loving Life and originally Food.com

Scones

2 cups flour
7 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons half and half
1 large egg

Powderered Sugar Glazze

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk

Spiced Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 pinch ginger
1 pinch ground cloves

Directions

TO MAKE THE SCONES:.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife, fork, or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Form the dough into a ball.
Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle (about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide). Use a large knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut those three slices diagonally so that you have 6 triangular slices of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 14–16 minutes. Scones should begin to turn light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.
TO MAKE THE PLAIN GLAZE:.
Mix the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp milk together until smooth.
When scones are cool, use a brush to paint plain glaze over the top of each scone.
AS THAT WHITE GLAZE FIRMS UP, MAKE THE SPICED ICING:.
Combine the ingredient for the spiced icing together. Drizzle this thicker icing over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (at least 1 hour). A squirt bottle works great for this, or you can drizzle with a whisk.

Chili Cheese Mac

2011-10-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Gosh, it feels like I've been gone form the blogisphere for forevah! How's everyone doing? Thanks to everyone who contacted be while I was on my unexpected blogcation!!
Well, I've come back with a family favorite! Chili Cheese Mac! I mean common! Just take a look and I bet your mouth starts watering. I know mine sure does. This is comfort food at its finest. Yummy elbow pasta dressed in a fabulous beefy, cheesy tomato sauce?!? I'll I can say is, Yes Please!!!

Pin It

Chili Cheese Mac adapted from Cook's Illustrated
serves 8-10
Ingredients:
table salt
1/2 pound elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked pasta)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (85% lean)
2 medium onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
12 oz Colby Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and add dry macaroni; cook until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

Using the same large pot, wipe dry and heat over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until shimmering. Add ground beef and break it up in pieces to brown. Once browned, remove from pot and discard drippings. Set beef aside.

Add remaining oil to the same large pot and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, garlic, red pepper, chili powder, and cumin; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and begin to brown.

Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, reserved 3/4 cup pasta water and beef to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until flavors have blended.

Stir in the cooked pasta, 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to a 9x13 baking dish and smooth over with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

Remove from oven and sprinkle the top of the dish with the remaining shredded cheese. Return the dish once again in the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes until the cheese begins to melt and brown. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

2011-09-29T09:19:00.000-07:00

This is a delicious dessert that is a snap to make and yummy enough to serve for company. It's not actually cake like at all, it's more like a crust less pumpkin pie with a yummy, cakey, buttery, nut topping. I'm talking Super YUM! This is perfect dessert for anytime during the fall season but it would also be a great addition to your Thanksgiving dessert offerings.

Just a heads up on this recipe. Obviously, your baking time will vary. Every oven is different and to tell you the truth, mine is, at best, wonky! I baked this 1 hour and 45 minutes. The way to tell if this is done is to stick a knife tip or toothpick in the center of the cake, inserting just through the cake layer, and when it comes out clean the cake is done.

Pin It

Pumpkin Crunch Cake-adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup unsalted butter, melted

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix well, and spread into the prepared pan.
Melt butter in large pan. Add pecans and brown being careful not to burn.
Sprinkle cake mix over the top of the pumpkin mixture, and pat down. Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly over the cake mix, then drizzle with melted margarine.
Bake for 1 1/4 to 2 hours, or until done. Cake is done when center part of cake is set and toothpick inserted in center, just through cake part, comes out clean.

Molasses Spice Cookies

2011-09-26T16:32:00.000-07:00

As soon as the weather cools down a bit, and it starts to just begin to feel like fall, these are the cookies I want baking in my oven. Soft, chewy, deliciously spiced, Molasses cookies. How can you resist these? This recipe produces cookies with utterly the perfect texture and spice for me. They are truly lovely.
Pin It

Molasses Spice Cookies – from onecaketwocake.com/
Yield: about 20 large cookies.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/3 cup for rolling cookies

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsulphured molasses

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice and set aside.
3. Beat the butter with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes with mixer set at medium speed. Add egg, vanilla extract, and molasses. Beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
4.Place remaining 1/3 cup of granulated sugar (I used coarse sugar) in a shallow bowl. Scoop out dough in 2 tablespoon clumps and roll into 1 3/4 inch-wide balls. Roll balls in sugar and place on prepared sheets, spacing them 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.
5. Bake until the outer edges of the cookies begin to set and centers are soft and puffy (the inside of the cracks will still look raw), about 11 to 13 minutes. Don’t overbake these cookies! Cool cookies on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. These cookies stay nicely chewy for a few days if kept in an airtight container.

Maida Heatter's " The Georgia Pig Peanut Brittle"

2011-09-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

Okay. So, please listen to me when I tell you, this recipe is extremely dangerous to make at home! Extremely dangerous! Are you thinking I'm referring to the high temperature of melted sugar you need to achieve to make this delicious candy? Well, that's not what's dangerous about this recipe in my book. Well, of course, you need to be very careful when preparing this recipe cuz 300 degree sugar hurts like H-E-double hockey sticks if it comes into contact with human skin, but come on, I know you know that! DUH!!! What I found to be really dangerous about making this is my kitchen is the insane deliciousness of this fabulous candy and the sheer amount my hubby and I shovelled in our mouths. Restraint? Not with this stuff. Are we gluttons or perhaps Pigs as the name of the recipe mentions? Well, with this stuff hanging around, yeah, we absolutely were. Diabetic comma? It was close, but we just barely managed to avoid it! Dang this is GOOD stuff.

What differentiates this recipe from your run of the mill peanut brittle is that it's tender and crunchy at the same time and has an airy, honeycomb interior. This is created by the addition and quick incorporation of baking soda. So the technique in this recipe is really important to follow. A candy thermometer is an absolute must. At the end of the recipe you have to work very quickly so make sure you prepare this during a time when you can give it your undivided attention. I suggest you read through the recipe in it's entirety a few time.

This incredibly delicious peanut brittle is going into my must make for Christmas repertoire.

I'm submitting this post to the "50 Women Game Changers" hosted by Mary over at One Perfect Bite.
This week the group is focusing on, none other than, the fabulous Maida Heatter. Swing by and check out some more fabulous Maida recipes!

Pin It

Maida Heatter's "The Georgia Pig Peanut Brittle" from Maida Heatter's Best Dessert Book Ever

Ingredients:
vegetable oil, preferably peanut oil
1 pound (3 1/2 cups) salted peanuts
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon butter, plus extra for pan
2 tablespoons baking soda

Instructions:
1. Place a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil (18 inches wide) about a yard long, shinny side up, on a work surface near the stove top. Spread a thin layer of vegetable oil over the foil, spreading it with a paper towel. Let is stand.
2. With additional butter to that called for, butter the sides of a 5-6 quart saucepan and set aside.
3. Adjust an oven rack to the middle and preheat oven to 200 degrees.
4. Place the peanuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a single level and place in the oven to heat.
5. Meanwhile, place the sugar, corn syrup, and water in the buttered saucepan. With a long handled wooden spoon stir over moderate-high heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil.
6. Clip a sugar thermometer to the side of the pan and let boil over moderate heat without stirring until the thermometer reaches 275 degrees.
7. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan and set aside.
8. when the candy thermometer registers 275 degrees, add the warmed peanut to sugar mixture and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the thermometer reaches 300 degrees. (the mixture will caramelize and darken as it cooks; but if it starts to smell burnt, lift the pan quickly from the heat and stir.)
9. OKAY!! GAME ON!! Now work QUICKLY. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the butter and then the baking soda (this is the SECRET of the recipe) and stir very briskly for only 2-3 seconds until the mixture becomes foamy, pale in color, and rise to the top of the pan. Do NOT wait or the foam will settle down and you will loose the honeycomb part of this brittle. Quickly pour the foamy mixture onto the oiled aluminum foil. Do NOT smooth over the top or spread or you will deflate the brittle.
10. Let stand for about 30 minutes or until cool and crisp. Then, with a thin, wide metal spatula, turn the brittle upside down and dry the bottom with a paper towel. (I did this, but personally, probably will skip this next time. I where it is fairly humid and frankly didn't notice any moisture on the bottom.)
11. Break brittle into pieces and store in an airtight container.,

S'more Bars

2011-09-18T10:36:00.000-07:00

S'mores are one of those iconic foods that make me feel like I'm ten years old, it's summer and everything is right with the world. We used to have these every time we'd spend the day at the beach and finish the evening off with a bonfire. Corona del Mar. Southern California. My Dad, Mom, and my sisters. Some of our neighbors. The perfect sunny Socal beach weather. The glow of the warm fire as the sun set. I think what I loved most about these times, honestly, was the pure joy I saw in my Mama's face as we sat around the fire and she soaked up the last of our perfect day. So yeah, S'mores have some fairly significant associations for me! I mean, how many foods can pull all those heart strings for heavens sake!!! I still love to make them around a fire pit. Nothing better! But, to extend those memories and enjoy them as the weather cools and we're in doors more, I turn to making these incredible S'mores Bars!

This recipe gets it just perfect, in my humble opinion. The perfect ratio of graham cracker to chocolate to marshmallowy yumminess! Btw-in case you were worried, I want to tell you that there is more marshmallow goo hidden underneath the graham topping! Some of the other recipes I've seen out in the blogiverse don't have as much chocolate in them. When I've made them with less they just don't taste right. Remember this is milk chocolate so it's not as intense as semi sweet or dark. For me, it's gotta be milk chocolate and it's gotta have the proper amount to replicate the taste of the camp fire original!

Pin It

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 egg
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk chocolate chips
2 -7 ounce jars marshmallow creme

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Set aside 1/2 mixture for topping.

2. Line a 9X13 baking pan with aluminum foil leaving a 2 inch overhang. Grease well. Press remaining mixture into pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust; spread with marshmallow creme. It will relax and be easier to spread after it sits a minute or so. I also sometimes coat my hands with a little butter and spread it out. Gently drop tablespoons of remaining graham cracker mixture over top allowing some of the marshmallow creme to peak through.

Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.

Achiote Roasted Pork Tacos

2011-09-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

When I'm craving a good, authentic, Mexican pork taco, here's the receta I immediately turn too. I'm talking, close your eyes, take a bite and you just might think you're in Me-he-co! I'm in Cabo by the way and the weather is perfect! This is another recipe from the fabulous Rick Bayless. Do you have his cookbooks yet? If you don't let me tell ya you're really missing out. The breadth of his work is really amazing and he manages to deliver absolute authenticity ever time. Thank you Senior Bayless for giving me this amazing taco recipe!!!

Pin It

Makes 6 servings (enough meat for 20 good-size tacos)

Ingredients:
2 medium (about 1 ounce total) dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
4 medium (about 1 ounce total) dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 small white onion, roughly chopped, plus a couple of slices (broken into rings) for garnish
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs (such as marjoram, thyme and Mexican oregano)
A scant 1/4 teaspoon allspice, preferably freshly ground
A pinch of ground cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil or rich-lasting lard
Salt, about 1/2 teaspoon
3 pounds lean, boneless pork shoulder or (Boston) butt roast or 4 1/2 pounds fresh picnic ham with the skin on (for classic crispy skin)

8 leaves romaine leaves, for garnish
3 radishes, thinly sliced, for garnish

Instructions:

1. The chile paste. Place the chiles in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and let stand 30 minutes to rehydrate, stirring occasionally to ensure even soaking. Drain, reserving 2/3 cup of liquid, then transfer chiles and reserved liquid to a food processor or blender.

Pulverize the bay leaves in a spice grinder or a mortar, then add to the blender, along with the vinegar, onion, garlic, mixed herbs, allspice and cloves. Process to a smooth puree (adding a little more water if needed to keep the mixture moving through the blades); press through a medium-mesh strainer into a small bowl.

Set a large (6-quart) pot with a lid (preferably a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat and add the oil or lard. When hot enough to make a drop of the puree really sizzle, add it all at once. Stir constantly as the puree sears, concentrates and darkens into a spicy-smelling paste, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt.

2. Seasoning and pot-roasting the meat. Turn on the oven to 325 degrees. If you are using pork shoulder or butt, cut it into slabs roughly 3 inches thick (try to get them all about the same thickness so they\’ll cook evenly); leave a picnic ham whole, but make 1-inch-deep incisions every few inches all over the meat. Lay the meat into the pot with the chile paste, then flip it over to cover with the chile (slathering with a spoon or spatula to give an even coating). Pour 1/2 cup water around the meat, cover tightly and place in the oven.

Baste the meat every 30 minutes with the liquid and rendered fat that accumulates around it. After about 2 1/2 hours (the fresh ham may need another 1/2 to 1 hour), the meat will be fork-tender and will have darkened to an appetizing and crusty, rich, red-brown. If all the liquid evaporates during the cooking, leaving only chile paste and fat, dribble a little more water into th epan so you can go on basting. If time allows, let the pork stand, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes to reabsorb juices before serving.

3. Serving the meat. Line a serving platter with the lettuce leaves. With the help of tongs, spatulas or meat forks, transfer the meat to the platter, then taste the pan juices and add a little more salt if necessary. Spoon the juices over the meat, then scatter the onion rings and radish slices over all, to create a riot of color and texture.

Advance preparation: The pot-roasted pork holds well in a low oven for an hour or so before serving. It can be done ahead and rewarmed in a 350-degree oven, though the texture of just-cooked pork is the best.

Drunken Mexican Beans with Cilantro and Bacon

2011-09-10T17:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a delicious bean dish I absolutely adore. It's from Rick Bayless. I have all his cookbooks. I love how he makes authentic Mexican food so accessible. Don't get me wrong, I love gringo style Mexican food a ton, but sometimes I crave the real deal. Whenever I want the real thing, I immediately start scanning my Rick Bayless collection of cookbooks! They're filled with things I can't wait to try. This time I served these yummy beans with some unbelievable pork tacos that I can't wait to share with you. Next time you are serving Mexican food, give these beans a try. They're a delicious alternative to refried beans and they're flavored with some extra fabulous ingredients. I mean tequila and bacon. These aint no canned beans baby. I'm just sayin...Pin It

Drunken Mexican Beans with Cilantro and Bacon

from Rick Bayless

Ingredients:

8 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) dry pinto beans
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) cubed pork shoulder (or extra chopped bacon)
4 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small white onion, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and chopped
Salt, about 2-2 1/2 teaspoon
1 1/2 tablespoons tequila (plus a little more if you like-okay I like)
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro

Instructions:
1. Rinse the beans thoroughly and scoop into a medium-size Dutch oven. Add 5 cups water, remove any beans that float, then add the pork shoulder (or extra chopped bacon) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and very gently simmer, partially covered, until the beans are thoroughly tender, about 2 hours. You'll need to gently stir the beans regularly and add water as necessary to keep the liquid a generous 1/2 inch above the level of the beans.
2. In a medium-size skillet, fry the bacon (that is, the remaining bacon if you used some for the simmering), stirring regularly, until crisp, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon, leaving behind as much of the drippings as possible. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the drippings and return the pan to medium heat. Add the onion and chiles and fry until deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Scrape the onion mixture into the beans, then taste and season it all with salt. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes to blend the flavors. If the beans seem quite soupy, boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the consistency of a nice, brothy bean soup. (An alternative here is to puree 1/4 of the beans in a food processor or blender, returning them to the pot to thicken the broth.)
3. Just before serving, stir in the tequila and cilantro, then serve in warm bowls topped with the crumbled bacon.

The BEST Chocolate Cookies. Ever. (imho)

2011-09-06T16:02:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed that different people like different chocolate experiences? Some peeps only like a specific type of chocolate such as dark or milk or semisweet. Some prefer chocolate to be combined with other ingredients like fruit or nuts and, to others, anything other that pure, plain chocolate is tantamount to a mortal sin. Oh, we human beings can be so fussy! (Me especially, LOL!) Well, here's a cookie that is perfect for those of you ( and me too!) that want a deep, dark, intense, chocolate experience. These are Good. Really Good. I mean eat the entire very rich batch Good!

Pin It

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies: from Epicurious

Ingredients:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), divided
3 large egg whites, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray.

2. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in glass bowl in microwave, stirring twice, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.

3. Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme.

4. Whisk 1 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend.

5. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue. Stir in lukewarm chocolate and 1/2 cup chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff).

6. Place 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheets on rack 10 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack.

Peach Crumb Bars

2011-09-03T16:00:00.000-07:00

As summer is beginning to wind up, I find myself trying to enjoy as much summer fruit as possible. Peaches happen to be one of my favorites. I can't seem to ever get enough of them. I love to eat them out of hand, grilled in salads, in pies, cobblers, and now in a delectable bar cookie! When I saw this recipe I about flipped. It seemed like a peach cobbler combined with a bar cookie. Seriously? Well, hello peach deliciousness! Two of my favorites things evah rolled up into one treat!

Pin It

Peach Crumb Bars:from Completely Delicious (btw-love this blog! It's gorgeous!)

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest of one lemon
1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
1 egg
4 cups (about 4 large) peaches, peeled and sliced
4 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup of the sugar, baking powder, ground ginger, salt and lemon zest. Add the butter and toss with the flour mixture. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter until the size of peas. Whisk the egg slightly, and stir it into the crumb mixture. Dough will be crumbly. Press half of the dough into the prepared baking pan.
3. In another bowl, stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch. Add the sliced peaches and gently mix. Spoon the peaches over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the peach mixture.
4. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares. Stores really well in the fridge.

Ina's Potato Salad

2011-09-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

I have to tell ya, there are few things that I love more, than a classic style, loaded with goodies, old fashioned potato salad. You know the kind I'm talking about. The type your Grammy makes but loaded with extra goodies like bacon. I just can't get enough of the stuff. But these days, I find myself in a quandary. My girlfriend introduced me to Ina's Potato Salad. This recipe has a tangy dressing jazzed up with buttermilk and two types of mustard. Then to take the whole thing over the top, it's generously accented with fresh dill. In my, ever so very humble opinion, Ina really does dill right! She seems to marry is with just the right ingredients and she shows absolutely no timidity. These days deciding which potato salad to make is a tough choice. But I have to admit, I love having two wonderful recipes that I know my fam will always love and devour. This Labor Day I'm to make Ina's and I can't wait!!!!

BTW this recipe has an interesting technique for cooking the potatoes that I haven't seen in any other potato salad recipes. It's simple, yet brilliant. How totally Ina!

Ina's Potato Salad: From the one and only Ina Garten

Ingredients:

3 pounds small white potatoes (I often use red potatoes)

1 cup mayo

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

1/2 cup chopped fresh dill

salt and pepper

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped red onion

Instructions:

1. Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.

3. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in quarters or in half, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Mexican-ish Crock Pot Chicken

2011-08-29T12:04:00.000-07:00

This recipe is a best friend to a busy mom! Seriously. You throw everything in the crock pot in the morning and when you come home you shred the chicken and serve it on tortillas. Of course, that's true of most slow cooker recipes. The best thing about this one, and what separates it from many others, is that everyone will LOVE it. No, you wont see this recipe printed on the pages of Bon Appetit, but let me tell ya, this will be a huge hit with the fam! It's good old fashion family style home cooking. It's perfect for your busy fall schedule! You know the drill, soccer practice, ballet lesson, math tutor, band practice, back to school night. Yikes!

Pin It

Mexican-ish Chicken

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast, skinless and boneless
1- 15 1/2 ounce can black beans, drained
8 ounces ortega chopped chiles
15 ounce can petite chopped tomatoes
1 cup corn, drained
6 ounce can black olives, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 8 ounce block cream cheese, cubed

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to crock pot EXCEPT cream cheese. (okay-I know the cream cheese is shown thrown in in the beginning in my photo but that was just for the beauty shot!)

2. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8 hours or until chicken is extremely tender.

3. Remove chicken and shred. Add back to crock pot. Add cream cheese, cover and continue to cook on high for 30 minutes. Stir well and serve with tortillas

Luscious Lemon Crinkle Cookies

2011-08-26T16:53:00.000-07:00

Do you love lemon flavored bake goods? I soooo do. It seems to me that some people are either chocolate lovers or lemon lovers. I happen to LOVE BOTH. Of course I do! Heaven forbid there be some sorta baked good camp I"m not a card carrying member of. Well, anyhoo, these lemon cookies are really, really, really amazing! If you love lemon, do yourself a favor and start baking!

Lemon Crinkle Cookies:from Lauren's Latest
Makes 1 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:
½ cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoons baking soda
1-½ cup all-purpose flour

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

The Best Penne with Vodka Sauce (IMHO)

2011-08-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

My friend Mary, over at One Perfect Bite, is hosting a tribute to 50 women who are Game Changers in the wonderful world of food. Today is week 12 and she is spot lighting the incredible Patricia Wells. Okay, so I have a confession to make. I totally have a chef crush on Patricia Wells. She is a wonderful chef, a prolific cookbook author, and lives in dreamy Provence! She's living my dream life! Anyway, I was excited to participate in this tribute. I'm reposting so forgive me, but let me tell ya, this is the BEST penne in vodka sauce I've ever had.

Penne with Vodka Sauce

This is one of my all time favorite pasta dishes. When my husband used to travel for work, this was the dish that my son and I would always have for dinner. It is total comfort food to me. It is from the wonderful book Trattoria by Patricia Wells'. I remember reading a bunch of Amazon reviews before I bought this book and more than one reviewer said that this recipe alone was worth the price of the book. I could not agree more. This is by far and away the best Penne with vodka sauce I've had. I deeply love Patricia Wells for this recipe! Thank you, Patricia, my Penne with Vodka Sauce angel !!!!

Penne with Vodka Sauce: adapted from Patricia Wells

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic-minced
pinch crushed red pepper
sea salt
1-28 ounce can crushed tomatoes in puree
1 pound penne
2 tablespoons vodka
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons parsley-roughly chopped

1. In an unheated skillet large enough to hold pasta later, combine the oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and 1 teaspoon of salt, stirring to coat with the the oil. Cook over low-moderate heat for 2-3 minutes. Do NOT brown garlic. Add crushed tomatoes. Stir to blend, and simmer, uncovered until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. (This step is super important. The sauce needs to thicken for the flavors to intensify. So the amount of time you cook it is less important than the consistency. You may need to cook it longer than 15 minutes.) Taste for seasoning.

2. Meanwhile, bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add 2-3 tablespoons of salt and the penne. Stir to prevent sticking and cook until al dente. Drain thoroughly.

3. Add the drained pasta to skillet with the tomato sauce. Toss. Add the vodka, and toss again, then add the cream and toss. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and let rest for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Bourbon Brownies with Double Frosting!!!

2011-08-13T22:35:00.000-07:00

Wow! Who knew?!? Bourbon and chocolate together are absolutely AH-MAZING!!! I mean, they seriously are, delicious! I don't even like bourbon. Well, at least I didn't think I did. This recipe has totally changed my mind!!! My daughter says this is the best thing I have ever baked. Please make these for yourself and tell me what you think! I LOVE these!

Pin It

Bourbon Brownies with Double Frosting:from Southern Living!!
Brownie Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
2 tablespoons water
1 (6 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (About 1 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
1/4 cup bourbon

White Frosting Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Chocolate Glaze Ingredients

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F Grease the bottom of a 9-inch square pan.

Combine sugar, shortening and water in a saucepan.

Bring to a boil over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar melts.

Remove from heat.

Mix chocolate chips and vanilla together until smooth.

Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition.

Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.

Add the nuts.

Bake for 30 minutes or until shiny and firm on top.

Remove from oven and pour bourbon over the top of the brownies while brownies are still hot.

Cool completely.

To make the first (white) frosting, beat the butter and vanilla together until creamy.

Gradually add the sugar until smooth.

Spread evenly on top of the cooled brownies.

Chill until firm.

To make the chocolate glaze, melt and stir together the chocolate chips and shortening in double boiler until melted and smooth.

Spread glaze on top of the white frosting.

Chill until the frostings are firm, and cut into squares.

Store any uneaten brownies in the refrigerator.

Burrata with Strawberries and Balsamic Glaze

2011-08-12T09:40:00.000-07:00

This is a deliciously fabulous little recipe! It came to me from none other than my good friend Craig. If you've read my blog for a while, you remember Craig for some really yummy recipes. Well, this one is no exception. It can be served as a salad or as a dessert. It's incredibly quick to put together, has only three ingredients, and honestly, tastes vastly better than the sum of it's parts. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, all the ingredients are nice and cool and it's served cold so it's perfect on the hot, dog days of summer when turning on the oven is not an option!

I make this with already prepared balsamic glaze. You can make your own but this is super convenient. Here's the brand I used, and btw, I'm not getting paid to endorse it. It's made by Arrezzio.

Ingredients:

6-8 ounces Burrata Cheese

1 basket strawberries

Balsamic Glaze

Directions:

1.Slice Burrata into rounds about 1/4 thick

2. Slice strawberries about 1/4 inch thick.

3. Divide Burrata among 4 small plates and arrange in a circular pattern. Top with strawberries then drizzle balsamic glaze on top.

Gringo Enchiladas

2011-08-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

Gringo Chicken Enchiladas!!!

This is one of those dishes that I love beyond belief! It's nutritious, delicious, comforting and pleases everyone in the family. It's one of my favorite comfort foods and I make it more often than any other recipe I have. I make them so often that I've memorized the recipe. Sometimes when I wan't a lighter version I use light sour cream and cut out the cheese. Then I have a no guilt comfort food!

Gringo Enchiladas-adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves-poached

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small onion-chopped

1 (7oz) can chopped green chili peppers

1 (1oz) package taco seasoning mix

1/2 cup water

1 cup sour cream

3 cups cottage cheese

3 cups Monterey jack cheese-shredded (divided )

1 (28oz ) can mild enchilada sauce

12-9 inch flour tortillas

Directions:

1 .Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. When chicken is cool enough to handle shred. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a large nonstick skillet saute onion on medium heat until it is soft and translucent. Keep the heat low enough so that you don't brown the onion. Turn heat to low. Add green chili peppers, taco seasoning, water and prepared chicken to skillet. Mix ingredients thoroughly until taco seasoning is evenly distributed and mixture remains moist but not soupy. Take off heat.
4. In a medium bowl mix sour cream, 2 cups of Monterey Jack cheese, cottage cheese 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix until all ingredients are well blended.

5. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of an 11x14 baking dish. Place approximately 1/2 cup of chicken mixture and 1/2 cup cheese mixture on tortilla and roll up then place in prepared pan seam side down.

6. Bake at 350degrees for 40-50 minutes or until sauces is bubbly and enchiladas are heated through. Top enchiladas with remaining cup of Monterey jack cheese and broil until melted. Pull enchiladas out of oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Gonna Want Seconds

Jeanette's Rocky Road Fudge!

Super Buttery Butter Pecan Cookies

BUTTER PECAN COOKIES: FROM TASTE OF HOME

INGREDIENTS

Today's Christmas Baking

Porcini Mushroom Pot Roast

Oatmeal White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Herbed Cheese Polenta

Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Glaze

Chicken Ragu

Double Glazed Pumpkin Scones

Scones

Powderered Sugar Glazze

Spiced Glaze

Directions

TO MAKE THE SCONES:.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife, fork, or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Form the dough into a ball.

Bake for 14–16 minutes. Scones should begin to turn light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE PLAIN GLAZE:.

Mix the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp milk together until smooth.

When scones are cool, use a brush to paint plain glaze over the top of each scone.

AS THAT WHITE GLAZE FIRMS UP, MAKE THE SPICED ICING:.

Combine the ingredient for the spiced icing together. Drizzle this thicker icing over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (at least 1 hour). A squirt bottle works great for this, or you can drizzle with a whisk.

Chili Cheese Mac

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Pumpkin Crunch Cake-adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients

Molasses Spice Cookies

Maida Heatter's " The Georgia Pig Peanut Brittle"

S'more Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

Instructions:

Achiote Roasted Pork Tacos

Drunken Mexican Beans with Cilantro and Bacon

The BEST Chocolate Cookies. Ever. (imho)

Peach Crumb Bars

Ina's Potato Salad

Ingredients:

Mexican-ish Crock Pot Chicken

Luscious Lemon Crinkle Cookies

The Best Penne with Vodka Sauce (IMHO)

Penne with Vodka Sauce

Bourbon Brownies with Double Frosting!!!

Burrata with Strawberries and Balsamic Glaze

Gringo Enchiladas

Gringo Chicken Enchiladas!!!