Food and Fun

Another Announcement and Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2012-03-04T06:00:00.000-06:00

Hubby and I have a funny way of making decisions. When we decide something, the decision is final. It's how we decided we were getting married, it's how we picked out my car, and now it's how we decided I was heading back to school. I'm not enrolled in a BSN completion program that I'll follow up with a master's degree in nursing and an additional master's degree in heath care administration. It was one of those discussions where we talked about my career being on hold (seriously, it's in purgatory) and the fact one day he will not be physically able to perform his job. Decision made and by 10 am Friday morning I was enrolled in the University of Phoenix Online in the BSN completion program. In 18 months I have my BSN. In about 2 years after that, I'll have a MSN. We went out for lunch to celebrate.

Since I pigged out at lunch time yesterday, I skipped dinner. And as I was doing laundry, playing Words with Friends (love that game), and watching television, I decided to make some cookies. So I made these Chocolate chunk cookies. They were awesome. Soft and chocolaty with a hint of cinnamon running through out the cookie. Rigs either didn't know or didn't care there was oatmeal in the cookies. As I type this, there are roughly 6 cookies left from the 3 1/2 dozen I made last night. Thankfully I was able to grab some cookies for a quick picture.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Source: Anne Burrell, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef

2 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 stick (1 cup butter, at room temperature)
12 ounce chocolate chunks (I used Ghirardelli bitter sweet chocolate)
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (I opted not to use the nuts, but do what you want)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium size bowl combine, flour, salt, baking powder, and oatmeal. Mix well and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat until well combined. Stir in vanilla and dry ingredients, just until combined. Mix in chocolate chunks and nuts.

Spoon cookie dough by the tablespoon full onto prepared cookie sheets and bake at 350 degree for 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on pan for 2-3 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Small Bite Night - Meatball Sliders

2012-03-03T06:00:00.000-06:00

As we debated the menu for our latest small bite night, hubby suggested meat balls, but followed it up with he's the only one that like meatballs. In the past I've made a meatball calzone (the meatballs were baked in the oven, not fired) that Rigby loves. Since we were doing a buffalo chicken slider, we could do a meatball slider as well. After researching recipes on the internet I found one that sounded like it would work. After a quick trip to the store and whipping up a batch of slider buns, it was time to start the meatballs, as the sauce would need time to reduce before dinner. Since the recipe called for Italian sausage, I let out the teaspoon of red pepper flakes in the meatball and added it to the tomato sauce. The end result was a tasty meatball, on a homemade bun, topped with a little Parmesan cheese and a homemade tomato sauce. Rigby ate one meatball slider, declared it different and stated she preferred the Buffalo Chicken sliders. The leftover meatballs and sauce went into containers for hubby to take on assignment with him.

Meatball Sliders

Adapted from: FoodNetwork.com

Meatballs

1 pound Italian sausage
1 pound ground pork
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 egg

Sauce

5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (28 ounce) can pureed tomatoes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

In a large bowl, combine the ingredients for the meatballs and mix until well combined. Shape into 2 inch meatballs. (I used an ice cream scoop, and scooped them right onto a sheet tray.)

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauce pan and brown meatballs on all sides. When brown, transfer meatballs to a plate or platter and set aside.

Once all meatballs are browned add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil to the same sauce pan. Add onions and garlic, season with salt and cook until onions are tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, pureed tomatoes, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Bring tomato mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Once sauce is simmering, add the meatballs to the sauce and allow to simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

To serve, place a meatball on a small bun, top with grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of the tomato sauce.

Ultimate Crab Cakes

2012-02-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

Hubby and I love a good crab cake. Rigby loves crab, but is unsure if she likes crab cakes. So for small bite night, I made a crab cake. And they were good. To me a good crab cake is more crab than filler and these are definitely more crab than cake. Hubby and I both enjoyed them, immensely.

To make these crab cakes, I used mainly lump crab meat and a small amount of meat from the shells. The cakes were amazing. Nicely browned and packed full of crab. Much like making meatloaf, it is important to not overwork the crab cake. And to allow the cakes to sit in the refrigerator until they get firm, this will make them less likely to fall apart when cooking. Since this was the last course at small bite night, there were left over crab cakes. But on the positive side, the left over cakes made a killer Alfredo-Crab baked shells.

Ultimate Crab Cakes

Source: Tyler Florence

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely minced
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 1/2 pounds jumbo lump crab meat
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise, plus more if needed
1 large egg white
1/2 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Heat a 2-count of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion gets kind of caramelized. Dump that into a bowl and fold in the crab meat, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, egg white, lime juice, and cilantro, mixing just until well blended. Season with salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 6 fat crab cakes. Put them on a plate, cover, and stick them in the refrigerator to chill.

To serve, heat a 3-count of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the crab cakes and cook for about 4 minutes each side until nice and crisp.

Coconut Macaroons, A Confession, and An Award!

2012-02-21T06:00:00.000-06:00

I have a dirty secret. My blog posts are scheduled, like weeks in advance. Seriously. Am I super organized, no. Truthfully, up until recently, I wasn't even working, by choice, so I had plenty of time to post my post daily. In fact, as this post goes up, I'm more than likely just waking up and getting Rigby off to school. Later today I'll start my new job. It's part time and withing walking distance of my house. Not sure how I feel about working so close to where I live. It's going to be interesting, first I haven't worked on the floor as a nurse in close to 3 years and I haven't worked as a nurse in any capacity in over a year. Plus, this will be the first time I'm working, because I want to. I get the distinct feeling our lives are about to get very interesting.

Now onto what I a calling my new guilty pleasure, Coconut Macaroons. Macaroons are great by themselves, but melt a little high quality chocolate and dip the macaroons in them... I impulsively bought the ingredients for macaroons on Valentine's Day. I made a small batch, taste tested them, and then made a double batch. I preformed quality control until I was certain they were delicious. Rigby decided she didn't like them, which is unfortunate for her.

Here's how I made my Coconut Macaroons:

Coconut Macaroons

Makes about 18 macaroons depending on size

1 7 ounce package shredded sweetened coconut
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg white
6 tablespoons flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate for dipping, optional

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease and flour a cookie sheet. (Skip this step and your macaroons will stick and teh person cleaning up after you will be livid)

Combine flour, sugar, salt, and coconut in a bowl and mix well. Stir in egg white and vanilla until well combined.

Drop macaroons by the tablespoon full on the prepare cookie sheet.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 12-14 minutes ot until edges are golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Once cooled, dip bottoms of macaroons in some melted chocolate. Enjoy!

Now to the rewards part I've received two Liebster Blog Awards! One from Anna at Crunchy, Creamy, Sweet and Ramona at Curry and Comfort. Both excellent bloggers and both blogs worth checking out. I strongly suggest you guys check them out! Thank you to both of you lovely ladies!

Liebster Blog Award is given to talented and loved bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

Here are the rules:

Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you.
Copy and paste the blog award on your blog.
Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed.
Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment at their blog.

I'm giving this award to:
Amy at Amy's Cooking Adventures
Andrea at Quest for Delish
Inessa at Grab and Go Recipes
Food Crazie
Stephanie at Cookin' Cowgirl

Small Bite Night - Cipolline Tempura

2012-02-18T06:00:00.000-06:00

It's a rare occasion that we make fried food. (Guess I should have stated that about 6 small bite nights ago). Rigby doesn't like onions, if she knows there is onions in something, she'll spend time picking them out, unless they are chopped very fine. So imagine my surprise when she tried these onions.

A cipolline is a small, sweet, flat Italian onion. And they are delicious, especially when dipped in tempura batter and fried to perfection. The perfect one bite. To go along with the onions, I made a simple aioli with some sriacha and garlic. Back to Rigby and the onion. She tried one, didn't make any strange faces, and then asked for the next course.

Cipolline Tempura

Kosher Salt
1 pound small cipolline onions
1 cup cake or rice flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 to 3/4 cup ice-cold sparkling water
2 cups peanut or other neutral-flavored oil

Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Toss in the cipolline and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Drain and let cool.

When the onions are coll enough to handle, use a paring knife to peel off the outer skin and trim off the hairy ends.

To make the tempura batter combine the flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Add the cold sparkling water and mix a loose batter forms.

Pour the peanut oil into a large saucepan over medium-high heat; the oil should come 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the sides of the pan. When the oil is hot enough, dip onions in the tempura batter and then add them to the oil one at a time. Fry until the batter is crisp, but still pale and golden. Remove onions from the oil to the drying station and salt immediately.

Serve with dipping sauce of choice.

Sweet Glazed Butterflied Chicken

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-06:00

What is more comforting than a whole roasted chicken? {Probably the scalloped potatoes I made to go with them} Lately, I've had no desire to do anything, especially grocery shop, clean the house, laundry, or take things out to defrost in time for dinner. Yesterday morning I ended submerging a whole chicken in a pot of cold water to defrost it in time for dinner, but it was worth it. The chicken is butterflied, (spine removed, breast bone cracked, and pressed flat), seared in a cast iron skillet, roasted in the oven, AND then glazed with the most perfect sweet, tangy, ans spicy glaze. Very delicious. A moist and juicy chicken with that sticky glaze. Almost like a BBQ chicken, but some how better. I liked the fact the chicken was started in a cast iron skillet and finished in the same skillet. Less dishes for clean up. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Sweet Glazed Butterflied Chicken

Source: Sunny Anderson, Cooking For Real, Food Network

1 (5 pound) chicken, spine removed and butterflied
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons grated onion
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Liberally season the chicken with salt and pepper. Allow to rest on the counter for up to 2 hours to come to room temperature.

Heat a large oven-safe pan (such as a cast-iron skillet) over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Right as the oil begins to smoke, add the chicken, skin side down. Press gently while cooking and allow to sear until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Using tongs, flip the bird over so that the skin is on top and place the pan in the oven. Be gentle with the tongs, they could rip the skin; try gripping the legs to flip. Place the pan in the oven and roast about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a sauce pot on medium heat, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the onions, garlic and allspice, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper. Sweat the onions for a few minutes, but do not brown. Add the brown sugar, mustard, hot sauce and vinegar. Cook a bit more to bring the flavors together, and then remove from the heat. I let this cook for about 10 minutes.

When the chicken is around the 140 degree F mark, about 30 minutes in, remove from the oven and brush on the glaze. Return to the oven and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees F, about 15 minutes more. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before serving. Cut off the legs, and then slice the breast off and cut into portions.

Small Bite Night - Fried Calamari

2012-02-11T06:00:00.000-06:00

I love calamari. But more so if it's made right. To me that means: lightly breaded and cooked to perfection, no rubbery calamari for me. I prefer calamari served with a rich and flavorful tomato sauce, with perhaps a little lemon drizzled over the top. And i love the combination of tubes and tentacles.

This calamari recipe is by far my favorite and the most easy thing on the planet to make. The calamari is lightly dredged in flour, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Once dredged, it takes a quick bath in hot oil and then drained on paper towels and seasoned with more salt. Surprisingly, Rigby likes calamari. Although I'm thinking if she knew what it was, she wouldn't eat it.

Fried Calamari
Source: Giada de Laurentiis

Peanut oil, for deep-frying

1 pound clean squid with tentacles, bodies cut into 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick rings

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons dried parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 lemons, cut into wedges

Pour enough oil into a heavy large saucepan to reach the depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Mix the flour, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Working in small batches, toss the squid into the flour mixture to coat. Carefully add the squid to the oil and fry until crisp and very pale golden, about 1 minute per batch. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.

Place the fried calamari and lemon wedges on a clean plate. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with the marinara sauce.

Butter Me Up Shrimp Scampi

2012-02-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

I do love to try a new recipe. I've had this recipe on my list of things to make for awhile. I originally saw the recipe on 30 Minute Meals. Hubby was watching it with me that day and he is not a shrimp fan, but said he would be willing to try it. We just so happened to have all the ingredients on hand, so I made it for dinner last night. And it was awesome. I loved it, hubby enjoyed the pasta, and well Rigby, she was Rigby. She chose to fill up on salad, just because she could. Hubby did try the shrimp and decided they weren't the worst thing in the world, but enlisted Ben and Spike (they're Canine Americans) to help him with anymore shrimp in his pasta. To me this was a make again recipe.

Butter Me Up Shrimp Scampi

Source: 30 Minute Meals

Salt
1 pound pasta, I used linguine
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails off
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
2 lemons, 1 sliced and 1 juiced
1 stick butter
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 cup white wine

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the pasta and cook to just-shy of al dente. Remove and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.

Add the shrimp, the seafood seasoning and 1 sliced lemon to a medium bowl and toss to coat. Set aside

Over low heat melt the butter in small pot, then stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Let cook and bubble gently for 10 minutes.

Heat large skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat Add the fennel seeds and the shrimp with the lemon slices. Cook until the shrimp are pink, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the white wine and the juice of 1 lemon. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the serving bowl, reserved cooking water and butter to a pasta bowl and toss until the liquids are absorbed by the pasta, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

Braised Country Style Pork Ribs

2012-02-07T06:00:00.001-06:00

Last week was one of those weeks where very little was done. Meals were mostly leftovers, the house went uncleaned, but somehow laundry got done. Hubby was called out on a locums assignment at the last minute and Rigby received her midterm grades. There seemed to be a definite rib theme on Food Network one afternoon, so on Friday, I dropped Rigs off at the school and headed to the store to purchase some ribs. Sadly, they didn't have the beef short ribs I wanted, so I opted to for some country style pork ribs. Now I have ribs and no real plan. I started the ribs by searing them until they were brown, then added some vegetables, later some apple cider vinegar and tomato sauce, and lastly beef stock, before popping the whole thing into the oven to cook the rest of the way. The ribs were delicious, and fork tender and the braising liquid made an incredible sauce. Served over some creamy mashed potatoes, yum. Here's what I did:

Braised Country Style Pork Ribs

5 pounds country style pork ribs
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 onions, diced
3 ribs of celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2-3 cups beef stock

Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy bottom oven safe Dutch oven and preheat oven to 300 degrees. Season ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. Sear ribs until they are brown on both sides, do this in batches and take your time. Remove ribs to a platter and set aside.

Drain out excess oil from the dutch oven and add 1 tablespoon of fresh olive oil to the pan. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook until vegetables are soft and starting to turn brown. Add garlic and cook an additional minute or two. Stir in tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Add the ribs back to the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the ribs half way up. Place cover on the pan and place in a 300 degree oven. Check ribs after 2 hours and add more beef stock if needed, braise ribs another hour. Remove cover and cook an additional 30 minutes, to allow the liquid to reduce into a yummy sauce.

Remove ribs to platter, skim off any fat from the sauce and serve over mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Small Bite Night - Sausage and Pancetta Stuffed Mushrooms

2012-02-04T06:00:00.000-06:00

I like making stuffed mushrooms, they are pretty much a blank canvas. Rigby and hubby like to eat stuffed mushrooms. When Rigby was tasked with finding recipes for Small Bite Night, I was not surprised she picked this recipe.

Normally when I make stuffed mushrooms, I make a stuffing with bread crumbs, marscapone cheese, and sausage. This recipe used Italian sausage and pancetta. These are delicious. A crunchy stuffing loaded with sausage and pancetta, all served in a mushroom cap. The perfect bite.

Sausage and Pancetta Stuffed Mushrooms

Source: Cook Like a Rock Star

Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 onions, finely diced
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
1 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned. Caps reserved. Stems removed and finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 large egg
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the pancetta and bring to medium-high heat. Cook the pancetta until it starts to brown and crisp on the edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the onions and the red pepper flakes and season with salt. Continue cooking until the onions are soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in the finely chopped mushroom stems and rosemary and cook until the mushrooms are brown and soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

In a large bowl, combine sausage, egg, Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs, add the mushroom mixture, season, and mix well.

Make a small tester patty and saute in a small saute pan. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Once your satisfied with the taste of the tester patty, generously fill mushroom caps with the stuffing mixture and arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet. Pout 1/4 to 1/3 cup water into the pan to keep the mushrooms moist. Bake until the filling is cooked through and brown and crispy on the top. Transfer to serving platters and enjoy!

Apple Fritters

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-06:00

One of the things I miss about my life in Wisconsin, (other than friends and family), is stopping at the bakery on my way to work. Sometimes I'd get cookies to bribe staff with or get myself an apple fritter. The apple fritters there where delicious, moist, and covered in glaze. And as I sit here, I'm trying to think of the last time I had an apple fritter and realize it's been a very long time. Well over a year. So this morning I made a batch. And they were delicious. Hubby and I are in agreement apple fritters must contain chunks of apple. (Apparently the last time he had one, there was no apple, just dough) I used up the leftover apple slices from last night's cheese fondue, which was roughly an apple and half. Instead of the sugar glaze, I rolled the fritters in cinnamon and sugar. These turned out amazing. The sweet, crunchy exterior, the soft and somehow flaky inside, paired with the slight tart from the chunks of Granny Smith apples, made for what I have to say is the best apple fritter I ever ate. How successful were these, Rigby ate three.

Apple Fritters

Adapted from: About.com

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 1/2 -2 chopped apples
Peanut oil for frying
Additional cinnamon and sugar for dipping

In a large mixing bowl combine, flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Beat together egg and milk and add to the dry ingredients. The batter should be thick, gently fold in the chopped apple.

Pour 2-3 inches of oil into hot oil and heat to about 370 degrees. While waiting for the oil to heat, set up drying station (baking sheet lined with paper towels, cinnamon sugar, and a clean plate.) Once oil is hot, carefully drop tablespoons full of dough into the hot oil and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully drain paper towels and roll in cinnamon and sugar while still hot. Repeat with remaining dough. Enjoy!

Chicken Chimichangas

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-06:00

Last week I had boiled a chicken to make a tasty broth for a soup. I used half of the chicken in the soup and saved the other half to use later. The later use turned out to be chicken chimichangas. Since the chicken was already cooked, it was just a matter of heating the filling in the oven, filling the tortilla shells, and then baking in the oven until golden brown and crispy. The recipe called for the chimichangas to be fried in hot oil and I had every intention of doing that. And then I changed my mind. I sprayed a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and then sprayed the tops of the chimichangas and popped them in the oven until golden brown. Once they're done, top the chimi however you want. I used tomato, lettuce, queso, and sour cream, delicious.

Chicken Chimichangas
Source: Simple and Delicious

1/2 chicken shredded
1 cup refried beans
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 8-inch flour tortillas
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Nonstick cooking spray
topping for chimichangas

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine the chicken, refried beans, chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, hot pepper sauce, and cayenne pepper. Heat until completely warmed through.

Spoon 1/3 cup filling onto each tortilla; sprinkle with cheese. Roll the chimichangas and place in a large baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Once all chimis have been rolled, spray tops with cooking spray and bake in the oven until golden brown in color, about 15-20 minutes.

Top chimichangas with toppings of choice.

Small Bite Night - Chocolate Covered Strawberries

2012-01-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

As Rigby and I were driving to the store to get all the ingredients for small bite night, I looked at her and said I know the perfect dessert. Chocolate covered strawberries. She agreed whole heartily. She loves them and they are so easy to make and look so elegant when done.

I tasked Rigs with picking out the strawberries and she selected smaller ones. For the dipping chocolate, I used a darker chocolate (60% cacao) but use what you like. I just so happen to have some white chocolate left over from when I made the Vanilla Bean Cheesecake, so I melted that and drizzled it over the dark chocolate for decoration.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

4 ounces melted chocolate
12 strawberries
1 ounce white chocolate, melted

Wash and dry the strawberries. I left the tops on, just so I had something to hang on to when dipping them.

Once berries are dry, dip berries into chocolate, and place on prepared baking sheet. Place berries in refrigerator until chocolate has set. Once chocolate is set, drizzle white chocolate over the berries. Serve once chocolate has set completely.

Steak au Poivre Salad

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

There are just times when I crave vegetables and salad. Especially after I've been giving into craving after craving. This salad take Steak au Poivre and turns it into a lower calorie alternative, but it doesn't compromise on the flavor. There is still a steak component and mushrooms, but the dressing is a very light vinaigrette.

The best part of the salad, is Rigby loved it. Other than the shallots, there wasn't anything she didn't love about it. And she didn't feel the need to be snacking an hour or two after dinner, like she does sometimes after having salad for dinner. Hubby and I both loved the dish and it is something I will be making again.

Steak au Poivre Salad
Source: Cuisine at Home

1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 bag baby spinach or arugula (6 ounce, I used a bag of mixed greens)
3/4 cup thinly sliced shallots or white onions
3/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh mint leaves
2 strips bacon, diced
1 New York strip steak, trimmed, seasoned with salt and pepper (I used tenderloin steaks)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Toss the mushrooms, spinach, shallots, parsley, and mint together in a large bowl.

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and cracked black pepper together, whisk well and set aside.

Cook the bacon in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper-towel lined plate, then toss with the spinach salad.

Sear steaks in the same pan as the bacon to desired doneness, 6-7 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest for 5 minutes; thinly slice against the grain into thin strips.

Divide salad among 4 plates and top with steak strips; serve with lemon pepper vinaigrette.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

Winter has finally arrived in NE Iowa. On the morning of our first official BIG snow storm, I tossed a chicken into a stock pot with some veggies and let it go. My intention was to use the chicken to make a soup and then maybe some chicken and dumplings. The soup turned out to be Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, the other half of the chicken is currently sitting in the fridge awaiting transformation into Chicken Chimichangas. After straining the broth, I add fresh carrots, celery, onion, and a parsnip to some of the fresh stock. After tossing in some wild rice (I impulse bought some wild rice a month or so ago), I left it to simmer away until the rice was tender. Once the rice was tender, I made up the cream component and added that to the soup along with some of the chicken I made earlier in the day.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

7 cups chicken stock
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1 medium parsnip, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2/3 cup wild rice
4 cups chopped chicken
2 cups heavy cream
4 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons flour
salt and pepper to taste

Combine chicken stock, celery, carrots, parsnip, onion, and wild rice. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Allow mixture to simmer until rice is tender, about an hour.

After the rice becomes tender, melt butter in a medium sized saucepan. Slowly whisk in flour, season with salt and pepper and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in heavy cream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Once mixture has thickened, slowly add the cream mixture to the rice mixture. Add in chopped chicken and continue to cook until chicken is heated through. Serve with fresh made bread and enjoy!

Small Bite Night - Stuffed Figs

2012-01-21T06:00:00.000-06:00

One of my recipe picks for small bite night were stuffed figs. Stuffed figs are simple to make and super delicious. Since I couldn't get fresh figs, I use some dried figs that I reconstituted in hot water prior to slicing them in half and stuffing them. This is one of those dishes that can be made ahead and tossed in the oven 10-15 minutes prior to serving.

These figs are stuffed first drizzled with balsamic vinegar and then topped with Gorgonzola cheese and pieces of walnut. The perfect one bite food. I have to give Rigby credit, she didn't like these, but she tried them.

Stuffed Figs

12 fresh figs, cut in half.
Balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
Gorgonzola cheese
1/2 cup toasted and quartered walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place fig halves on a baking sheet. Using you finger, press a small small hole in the middle of the finger. Sprinkle each fig with a few drops of balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with salt.

Fill each fig with Gorgonzola and top with a quarter of a walnut. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese melted and bubbly.

Cinnamon-Swirl Raisin Bread

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-06:00

Some days it just doesn't pay to enter the kitchen. I had the recipe for this bread for about a month before I made it. My first attempt not so successful. The dough went together beautifully. The first proofing, great. The second, no problem. Then Rigby's technology teacher emailed us to let us know about her antics in class, and things went down hill from there. After picking Rigs up from school. (She sent a text stating she was staying for the after school program, despite the fact I was waiting in front of the school for her) I opened a bottle of wine and started to shape the bread into loaves. After rolling out the dough, brushing on butter, and sprinkling with cinnamon and sugar, it was time for the final proofing. Everything was going well. The oven was preheating, I was enjoying my glass of wine, and was busy getting dinner together. Dinner went on the table and I was enjoying my second glass of wine. Once dinner was over and Rigby was doing clean up, I slid the bread into the oven, set a timer, and then took my glass of wine into the living room to hang out with hubby. When I remembered the bread in the oven, it was cremated. To the point the raisins turned to ash in your mouth.

My second attempt started out pretty bumpy. I had a cheesecake in the oven at the same time I was making the dough. (The butter from the cheesecake crust baked out onto the bottom of the oven) Once the smoke cleared and the oven was wiped out, the bread came out perfectly. And it's pretty tasty toasted.

Cinnamon-Swirl Raisin Bread

Source: Fine Cooking

2 cups raisins
4 cups all purpose flour
6 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
6 tablespoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 packet yeast
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/2 cup warm milk
1 large egg
7 melted butter, divided
3/4 cup room temperature water

Put raising in a small bowl and cover with with hot tap water. Let stand for 5 minutes, drain, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine, flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, the yeast, and the salt. Whisk until well combined. With mixer running on low speed and dough hook in place, slowly add in the warm milk, egg, 3 tablespoons melted butter, and enough of the room temperature water to form a dough. The dough should be smooth, but still sticky. Just knead in the raisins by hand until just incorporated.

Place dough into a well greased bowl and allow to rise until slightly fluffy, about 30 minutes. On a well-floured surface use your hands to flatten and spread out the dough until it's about 3/4 inch thick. Fold the dough in half from top to bottom, then in half again from left to right. Return dough back to to bowl, cover, and let sit until it has risen slightly, about 30 minutes.

Generously grease two loaf pans. In a small bowl, combine remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar and 4 tablespoons of cinnamon, set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter, set aside.

Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle that is 8 1/2 x 16 in size. Using a pastry brush, brush butter onto bread. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Starting at the small side, roll dough into a cylinder and place seam side down into the prepared loaf pan. Cover and let proof for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake bread on the center rack for 30 to 35 minutes. Rotating loaves half way through baking. Cool loaves on a wire rack . Melt remaining butter and brush butter on tops of each loaf.

Pork Chops and Apple with bacon-roasted cauliflower

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-06:00

Over the past year, Rigby has gotten so much better about trying different foods. And one thing that she's started doing is going through cook book and cooking magazines marking recipes she would try. Her system is pretty simple, if it looks good in a picture, she'll read the ingredients and then decide if it's something she would try. She saw this recipe in Cuisine at Home, and thought it was something she might like. So I made it. She wasn't a fan of the cauliflower, mainly because of the leeks. She also has a firm belief fruit should not be cooked, ever. I personally loved the combination of cauliflower, apple, and leek. I also liked the fact the entire combination was roasted in the oven. Overall, not a bad dish. As I sit here typing this, I'm not certain of hubby's take on the dish as his portion is in the fridge covered in foil, waiting for him...

Pork Chops and Apple with bacon-roasted cauliflower
Source: Cuisine at Home

3 strips thick-sliced bacon, chopped
5 cups cauliflower florets
2 medium leeks, trimmed and sliced lengthwise
1 apple chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
salt and pepper to taste
4 bone-in pork loin chops, season with salt and pepper
2/3 cups apple juice
1/2 teaspoon corn starch

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate; set aside, reserve drippings.

Toss cauliflower, leaks, apple, and 1 tablespoon thyme with 2 tablespoon bacon drippings; season mixture with salt and pepper. Spread vegetables evenly on a large baking sheet. Roast on lower rack in oven until cauliflower is golden brown and apples are tender 20-25 minutes.

Heat remaining bacon drippings in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Sear pork chops 2 minutes per side; remove from skillet and place on vegetables in the oven. Roast chops about 6 minutes.

Whisk together apple juice and cornstarch. Deglaze skillet with apple juice mixture over medium-high heat, scraping up any brown bits. Whisk in 1 tablespoon thyme and season with salt and pepper. Simmer sauce until thickened, 5-6 minutes, then spoon over pork

Small Bite Night - Homemade Soft Pretzel

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

It's Saturday, or as we call it around here, small bite night!! (Yup, I realize this is posting on Monday, I was to excited about these to pop them in the que and had to share early) Normally I make 4 or 5 small dishes over a few hours and we eat in courses. This time I made a cheese fondue to go with these pretzels. Talk about delicious. These pretzels start out as a yeast dough. The dough is allowed to proof, then is separated into 8 sections, rolled into long ropes, boiled, and then baked. And they are amazing. Simply amazing. And dipped into cheese fondue, (fondue was a combination of Gouda, fontina, and white wine) they become divine. The salty outer crust paired with the soft and chewy interior... They are delicious. Rigby and I shared on fresh from the oven and they are just as delicious after they have cooled completely.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Source: Alton Brown

1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more the the tops of the pretzels
1 package active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Cooking spray for the pans

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, roughly 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer dough to a well oiled mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or foil and spray with cooking spray, set aside

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan. Do not skip this step!!!

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. (DO NOT skip this step!!) Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Place on prepared baking sheet, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg mixture and sprinkle with salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Benedict Eggs in Pastry

2012-01-15T06:00:00.000-06:00

On the weekends I usually make a family breakfast. Sometimes it's a simple breakfast bagel sandwhich, sometimes it could be waffles or pancakes. Breakfast casseroles usually go over pretty good as well. And last weekend it seemed like all roads led to eggs benedict, it was all over Foodnetwork. Then I get this recipe from Taste of Home. I personally don't like the texture of runny egg yolks, so this recipe was right up my alley. Flakey puffed pastry, salty ham, scrambled eggs, a pinch of cheddar cheese, creamy hollindaise sauce. Now the original recipe said this would serve 4 people, but this dish had a high calorie count, well over 1200 calories per serving. I couldn't have that. I made my pastried smaller, cut the amount of cheese used, and opted to leave the hollindaise off the top of the pastry, and it was still delicious.

Benedict Eggs in Pastry

Source:Taste of Home

2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup butter, melted
Dash cayenne pepper
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
1 tablespoon butter
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons milk
1 package (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

In a double boiler over simmering water, constantly whisk the 2 egg yolks, lemon juice and mustard until mixture begins to thicken and reaches 160°. Reduce heat to low. Slowly drizzle in warm melted butter, whisking constantly. Whisk in cayenne. (Transfer to a small bowl if necessary. Place bowl in a larger bowl of warm water. The sauce will seperate if you skip this step) Keep warm, stirring occasionally, until ready to use.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook and stir ham until ham is warmed through. In a large bowl, whisk six eggs and milk. Add egg mixture to the pan; cook and stir until set. Remove from the heat; stir in 1/3 cup reserved hollandaise sauce. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, unfold puff pastry. Roll each sheet into a 12-in. x 9-1/2-in. rectangle; cut each in 4 squares. Place 1/2 cup egg mixture on half of each rectangle; sprinkle with cheese.

Beat egg and water; brush over pastry edges. Bring an opposite corner of pastry over the egg mixture; pinch seams to seal. With a small sharp knife, cut several slits in the top.

Transfer to a greased baking sheet; brush with remaining egg mixture. Bake at 400° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with remaining hollandaise sauce, if desired.

Small Bite Night - Zucchini and Parm Fritters with Spicy Tomato Sauce

2012-01-14T06:00:00.000-06:00

Recently we started having what we call Small Bite Night. The first time we did it was New Year's Eve and at that time it was more of a clean out the fridge type of thing. It was a huge success. Small bites of food, served in the living room, eat a bite or two and onto the next thing. Rigby loved it and so did hubby. This last weekend we did small bite night again. Again a success. This time Rigby got involved with the planning. She went through two cook books and selected some recipes she thought would be good. Surprisingly she picked this recipe. The reason I say surprisingly, is she is not a huge fan of zucchini, but she was a huge fan of these. They were delicious. Crunchy exterior, soft inside, hint of cheese and salt, and with the homemade dipping sauce, delicious. It's actually one of those things Rigby would eat again and again.

Zucchini and Parm Fritters with Spicy Tomato Sauce

Source: Cook Like a Rock Star

Sauce

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 onion, cut in to 1/2 inch dice
large pinch crushed red pepper (Adjust this to your taste preference)
Kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
1 28 ounce can tomatoes

Fritters

Extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, cut into 1/2 inch dice (adjust this based on the size of the zucchini)
kosher salt
1 zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
Peanut oil for frying

Sauce

Coat a large saucepan with olive oil, add the onions and a decent pinch of red pepper, bring the pan to medium high heat. Season with salt and cook until the onion is soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Test the seasoning and add more salt and crushed red pepper if needed. Bring sauce to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue cooking until sauce is nice and thick, remove from heat when you reach your desired thickness.

Fritters

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the onions, season with salt, and bring the pan to medium-high heat. Cook until onions are soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the zucchini, season with salt, and cook for another 7 to 8 minutes, or until the zucchini just starts to soften and begins to color on the edges. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine flour, Parmesan cheese, and baking powder. Add the zucchini and onion mix and stir until just combined. Gradually add the milk to form a very thick batter.

Pour peanut oil into a large saucepan over medium-high heat (1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil is all you need) While the oil is heating, prepare your drying station by putting a few layers of paper towel on a baking sheet. When oil is ready, drop 1 inch balls of batter into the pan, being careful to not over crowd the pan. Cook fritter for 3-4 minutes or until all side are golden brown. Remove from pan and place on drying station. Season with salt and continue until all the fritters have been cooked.

When all the fritters are done, serve with the spicy tomato sauce and a sprinkle of parm.

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-06:00

For my birthday, I wanted to make this triple chocolate cheesecake. When I say triple chocolate, I mean triple chocolate. The crust is made from chocolate teddy grahams and the cake is glazed with bittersweet chocolate. So what's the cake it's self? The first layer is milk chocolate, followed by a white chocolate layer, which is then followed with a semisweet chocolate layer. See, triple chocolate. Since I'm pretty sure I'll be alone most of the day, I thought I could indulge myself with a small chocolaty treat.

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

Adapted from:Group Recipes

Crust

1 1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate teddy grahams
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk

Filling

3 8 ounce blocks cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla (I used the seeds from 1 vanilla bean)
2 tablespoon cornstarch
4 ounces milk chocolate, melted
4 ounces white chocolate, melted
4 ounces semisweet chocolate melted

Glaze

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine ingredients for the crust and press into a 8 inch spring form pan. Bake crust in oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove and let cool on a wire rack. Decrease heat to 300 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time until well combined. Separate filling into 3 separate bowls, about 2 cups per bowl. Mix melted milk chocolate into one bowl, white chocolate into another, and semisweet chocolate into the third. Pour milk chocolate layer into crust and smooth out. Carefully spoon the white chocolate layer over the milk chocolate layer and using an off set spatula, carefully smooth white chocolate layer. {I used pastry bags to pipe in the white chocolate and semisweet chocolate layers} Carefully spoon semisweet layer onto white chocolate layer and use an offset spatula to smooth out the layer. Bake in a 300 degree oven for one hour to one hour fifteen minutes, or until set and center is slightly jiggly. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack.

Combine ingredients for glaze in a small sauce pan. Whisk over low heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Allow mixture to cool 15 minutes prior to pouring over cheesecake. Refrigerate until the glaze is set.

Brussels Sprouts Slaw

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

Brussels sprouts used to be a vegetable I would avoid at all costs. I didn't like them, but now I love them. The first time I made them, I sauteed them with bacon and butter, and they were awesome. Then I roasted them in the oven and combined them with other ingredients to make a warm salad and that was amazing. Over Christmas, I use a recipe from Chef Anne Burrell and made frizzled Brussels Sprouts and those were awesome. Yesterday I used another Chef Anne Burrell recipe and made a Brussels Sprouts Slaw and that was amazing. Thinly sliced Brussels sprouts with red onions, carrots, and apple, dressed with a sweet but tangy dressing. After spending the morning thinly slicing Brussels sprouts with a mandolin, I realized I could have probably gotten the same results from using the food processor, next time. I found this slaw to be the perfect side dish to go along with the ham that I slow roasted in the oven. Since Rigby is not a fan of Brussels Sprouts, I conveniently didn't tell her the bulk of this slaw was Brussels sprouts. She liked it. Normally she isn't an onion eater, but since these were thinly sliced, she didn't mind eating them. But she did inform me more apple, less onion would make this slaw even better.

Brussels Sprouts Slaw

Source: Cook Like a Rock Star

2 pints Brussels sprouts, shaved on a mandolin or cut very thinly
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, grated on the large side of a box grater
1 Granny Smith Apple, julienned
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup mayo
kosher salt

In a large bowl toss together the vegetable.

In a smaller bowl mix together the apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and mayo. Season with salt.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat. Season with additional salt if needed.

Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-06:00

Over the weekend, I decided I wanted a cheesecake and as Rigby calls it Crack Ham. I did some searching online and found what I thought looked like a good cheesecake. Hubby invited a friend of ours over and I headed out to the store to purchase the ham.

The cake starts with a cookie crust, made from vanilla wafers and the usual makings of a graham cracker crust. The cream cream cheese layer comes next, flecked with the seeds from a vanilla bean and flavored with additional vanilla extract. The next layer is a very decadent and light white chocolate mousse. Once the mousse was set up, I drizzled some chocolate over the top and piped some vanilla bean whipped cream around the outside of the cake. Once the cake was completed, I decided it was almost to pretty to slice into, but I'm glad we did. The crisp crust. The somehow light and fluffy cream cheese layer topped with that decadent white chocolate mouse. To die for. And cheesecake makes an amazing breakfast.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Adapted from: The Inner Gourmet

Crust

1 1/2 cups finely crushed Vanilla Wafers
1/8 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg yolk beaten
1/2 cup melted butter

Filling

2 8 ounce packages softened cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 stick salted butter, softened
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Seeds from one vanilla bean

White Chocolate Mousse

1 cup heavy cream
4 ounces softened cream cheese
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
5 ounces white chocolate, melted

Garnish

1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
seeds from one vanilla bean
2 ounces chocolate for melting

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine vanilla wafer crumbs, brown sugar, butter, and egg yolk. Press into either a 9 in spring form pan or an 8 inch spring form pan. (I used an 8 inch to get a taller cake, but use a 9 if you want a thinner cake) Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes or until crust has slightly browned. Remove from oven, cool on wire rack and reduce heat to 325 degrees.

Beat together the cream cheese and butter. Gradually beat in the sugar until well combined. Next beat in the vanilla, seeds from vanilla bean, sour cream, and cornstarch. Pour into prepared crust and bake in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour. The center of the cheesecake should jiggle when you take it out of the oven. Allow cake to cool completely.

Beat together the remaining 4 ounces of cream cheese and melted white chocolate. Whip one cup heavy cream and 3 tablespoons powdered sugar until stiff peaks have formed. Gently fold the whip cream into the white chocolate mixture. Spread the white chocolate mouse evenly across the cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate until mousse it set.

Drizzle 2 ounces melted chocolate on top of white chocolate mouse. Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form, then add in the seeds from the vanilla bean and the vanilla sugar. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Using a star tip, pipe vanilla bean whipped cream around the cake. Enjoy!

Pan Roasted Duck Breast

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-06:00

For all the things that Rigby doesn't like, she loves duck. This was originally going to be Christmas dinner, but J wasn't sure he liked duck. We were going to have these for New Years Eve, but I decided since hubby was on call it would be best to have them when he was off, so he could at least enjoy them. Besides, I gave Rigby the choice of pork chops or duck breast and she voted for duck breast, and risotto.

I've found the best way to cook duck is to render out the fat. When making a whole duck, I toss it in boiling water for 10 minutes and start the roasting at a high temp and then turn the bird at certain intervals in cooking. When making duck breast, it's easier to render out the fat by cutting slashes in the skin and fat and then searing the breast skin side down. I let these finish roasting skin side down in the oven, and talk about a rich, tender, juicy piece of duck.

Pan Roasted Duck Breast

Source: Foodnetwork.com

Duck Breasts (I order mine from Omaha Steaks)
Kosher salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

With a very sharp knife, score the fat of the duck breast in a criss cross pattern, taking care to not cut into the meat. Season with salt and pepper.

Warm a heavy bottom, oven proof skillet over medium heat. (I used a cast iron skillet)

Place the duck breasts, fat side down, in the skillet to render off the fat, about 6 minutes. Reserve rendered duck fat. Turn the duck breasts over and sear for 1 minute. Turn the fat side down again and place the skillet into the oven to roast for 7 to 9 minutes, until breasts are medium rare. Let the duck breasts rest for 5 minutes prior to serving.