Jenna's Cooking Journey

Orange Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs

2013-05-14T21:05:00.000-04:00

It's time for another Eating the Alphabet challenge. Brenda from Meal Planning Magic, issues the letters for the challenge and then you select something that corresponds with the letter to make. This month was 'G' or 'H'. I decided to use ginger because it is something that I rarely use.

A few months ago, I had Barbara Bakes for the Secret Recipe challenge. I found these chicken kabobs while browsing through her blog and decided they'd make a great weeknight dish since the marinade comes together quickly and the chicken is grilled. Something we're all looking for in summer meals: easy.

Head on over to Brenda's blog to get more information about the challenge and sign yourself up to participate!

Orange Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs
barely adapted from Barbara Bakes
Ingredients

Orange Teriyaki Glaze

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons ginger, finely grated

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 clove garlic, finely grated or pressed

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon honey

Kabobs

6 bamboo or metal skewers

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

Orange Teriyaki Glaze

Directions

1) If using bamboo skewers, soak in water 30 minutes.
2) Prepare Orange Teriyaki Glaze- Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add ginger, orange zest, and garlic and cook stirring occasionally, about two minutes. Add vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, marmalade, orange juice, honey and red pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. and set aside.

2) Thread chicken onto skewers. Preheat grill to high heat and grease grates with oil.

3) Grill kabobs 2 - 3 minutes on all four sides. When the chicken is nearly done, reduce the heat of the grill and slather on the glaze. You want to be careful to let the glaze caramelize onto the chicken but not let it burn - rotate frequently and slather on more glaze after turning. Total cooking time should be about 15 minutes. You can slide the chicken cubes apart and check to see if it is done, or cook to 170º.

Even though the picture is horrible, this was a great dish. While this chicken was fantastic, the ginger wasn't really prominent. I changed the recipe to have double the amount of ginger. I loved the amount of orange in the glaze though, it definitely came through. This was an easy dish and I served it with cilantro lime rice for a delicious dinner.

Cinnamon Swirl Pound Cake

2013-05-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

I love cinnamon, and try to make things that have cinnamon as often as possible. When I received my Secret Recipe Club assignment for the month: Everyday Mom, I quickly settled on this recipe. I also chose this recipe because a bundt cake pan is something that I've wanted to get for a long time, so I was excited when I found mini-bundt cakes and look forward to using it to try other delicious recipes.

Everyday Mom is written by Kim, who looks like she has a lot of fun making stuff with and for her kids. I don't have kids yet, but hope that someday I can do food projects with my kids. I'm sure that will be yet another journey that my cooking will take us on. Check out Kim's blog to find kid friendly recipes and a lot of good-looking desserts.

Cinnamon Swirl Pound Cake
from Everyday Mom
Ingredients
Cinnamon Streusel Swirl:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Buttermilk Pound Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1 cup buttermilk

Directions
1) Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan or all the compartments of a mini-bundt cake pan. Dust the pan with flour and shake out the excess.
Cinnamon Swirl:
2) In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, breaking up any large lumps of brown sugar. Add the melted butter and stir until blended and crumbly.
Pound Cake:
3) Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine, and set aside.
4) In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter at a medium speed until very creamy, about 2 minutes.
5) Gradually add the sugar and beat at medium-high speed until well blended and light, about 4 minutes.
6) At medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla extract and orange zest.
7) At low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions and mixing just until well combined.
8) Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the batter. Scrape the remaining batter on top and smooth it into an even layer.
9) Bake the cake for 65 to 75 minutes for a normal bundt cake pan or 45 minutes for mini-bundt cake pans, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

While I was writing this blog post, my husband snuck two out of the pan while I wasn't looking and declared these really good. I love pound cake, so I knew they would be delicious. I put cinnamon in the batter as well, and unfortunately, I couldn't really taste the cinnamon. Next time, I think I'll ad even more. These are fantastic by themselves, but I can't wait to find toppings to try with them.

If you have a favorite recipe using your bundt cake pan, please feel free to leave me recipes in a comment.

Sloppy Joe Mac

2013-05-01T05:00:00.000-04:00

Casseroles aren't really dishes that are meant for two people. A 9 by 13 pan of something plus a side dishe usually turns into a week of leftovers. Therefore, I don't really put casseroles on the menu very often.

Since I'm going through my sloppy joe phase, which I think by now I've exhausted all my sloppy joe recipes, when I saw this, I figured I'd make it. I considered cutting the recipe down to bake into a 9 by 9, but then ended up dumping the entire box of macaroni into the boiling water. Oops, more leftovers for me.

Sloppy Joe Mac
from FoodNetwork
Ingredients
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

One 15-ounce can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
Salt and pepper to taste

3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 cup beef broth

12 ounces elbow macaroni with ridges

2 cups shredded yellow Cheddar

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce in a small bowl.
3) Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until well browned. Season with salt and pepper.
4) Add the garlic, bell peppers and onions and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
5) Pour the tomato mixture over the beef, add the beef broth and stir until well combined. Simmer until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
6) Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water until not quite tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and add to the sauce. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish and top with the cheese.
7) Bake until the casserole is bubbling and the top is browned.

This was a really easy dish and was really tasty too. I was surprised at how much it tasted like a sloppy joe. We really didn't have many leftovers. By the end of the first night, there was only half a pan left. I think this would be a great potluck dish. Kids would love it because of the mac and cheese part and it is simple to put together.

Cream Cheese Meltaways

2013-04-28T21:44:00.000-04:00

When I was a kid, I'd lose stuff and then have difficulty finding it again. My dad was in the military, and the ID card that they give everyone was always the first thing to disappear. My parents used to say, "It will always be the last place you look."

I felt very much that way for this baking challenge, for which Amanda from Our Italian Kitchen chose mini/bite sized treats. Everything I found was delicious looking truffles, and I couldn't find anything that I actually had to bake. I was so stuck on the truffle idea that I had almost given up, until I found these Cream Cheese Meltaways at Alida's Kitchen. I found what I was looking for in the last place I looked.

Cream Cheese Meltaways
from Alida's Kitchen
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

assorted sprinkles, for decorating (optional)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2) In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch and salt until combined.
3) In a large bowl, add powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese and vanilla and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
4) Add flour mixture to butter mixture, stirring until combined. (Note: dough will be dry and crumbly).
5) Shape dough into 1-inch balls (be careful not to overwork dough) and place on prepared cookie sheets.
6) Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until bottoms of cookies are lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes of pan and then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Dip the tops of cooled cookies into glaze and place on wire rack. Decorate with sprinkles, as desired. Let cookies stand until glaze is set.

I have to admit that I thought these cookies were more addicting without the glaze. To me the glaze tasted better after it had awhile to sit, but I still think they were better without. These were slightly bigger than bite sized for me, but I definitely could have made them smaller too. I only yielded 20 cookies, while Alida said the recipe makes 36. These are fantastic cookies, and I'm glad I ran across them for the challenge.

Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes

2013-04-26T06:55:00.000-04:00

Last Blogger's Choice recipe swap I participated in, I made Magic Monster Cookie Bars from Kate's Recipe Box. This time around for the Blogger's Choice swap, I received Kate's blog again, so I decided to make one of the other recipes from her blog that I had wanted to make: Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes. These have been going around a lot of blogs that I read, so I knew they had to be good.

Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes
slightly adapted from Kate's Recipe Box
Ingredients
1 can (14.5 oz) tomato sauce
2 teaspoons oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 lbs ground turkey
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1 jalapeno, minced (without seeds for less heat, with seeds for more)
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz. beer, such as a light ale or lager
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
Hamburger buns, cheese (I used pepper jack) and guacamole, for serving

Directions,
1) In a bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, oregano, ground cumin, dried cilantro, allspice and Worcestershire sauce.
2) In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground meat, stirring occasionally until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Drain off the fat.
3) Add the canola oil to the pan with the browned meat then stir in the diced onion and the jalapeno. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato mixture, along with the beer, ketchup and cilantro until well combined.
4) Let all ingredients come to a low simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
5) Toast buns under the broiler until lightly browned.
6) Stir in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve on warmed buns with cheese and guacamole.

My modifications and substitutions were based on things that I couldn't eat in the original recipe. I think the chipotle in adobo would add that smoky flavor, that these don't have. However, these turned out to be the best sloppy joes that I have made so far. I used ground turkey since I knew there would be so many other flavors. I think what made these great was the addition of the beer. It gave just that extra kick of flavor. I did use pepper jack on top of using the jalapeno with the seeds, so ours were a little on the spicy side. Thanks again for another great recipe Kate!

Thanks again Sarah, at A Taste of Home Cooking, for hosting the swaps. They always result in great food! Please find the other recipes from the swap below.

Chilaquiles with Salsa Verde

2013-04-17T05:30:00.000-04:00

Sometimes my work day seems really long and by the time I get home I don't want to make dinner and even ordering out seems like too much work. This is where this meal comes in handy. If you use store bought chips, this meal takes about 10 minutes, and is delicious. Plus, it isn't too expensive to make.

Chilaquiles with Salsa Verde
from Everyday with Rachael Ray
Ingredients
3 cups salsa verde

3 4 1/2 ounce cans diced mild green chiles

6 cups tortilla chips

1 cup sour cream

5 ounces queso fresco (or Mexican blend), crumbled

1/4 cup sliced radishes

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

1) In food processor, mix salsa and chiles for 20 seconds.
2)) Pour sauce into large nonstick skillet; bring to simmer over medium. Lower heat to medium-low, add chips and toss to soften slightly.
3) Divide among plates. Top with sour cream, cheese, radishes and cilantro.

I have never had radishes before this dish, so it was a new experience for me...I didn't realize they were had a kick towards the end of eating them. I liked this dish a lot, but I found it kind of spicy. I really need to start reading the labels on the jars of salsa that I buy, I think I'd save myself some pain, although the radishes probably didn't help either.

I made chips from scratch using corn tortillas and Jacob said that the homemade chips made it even better. Jacob didn't even miss the meat in this dish and went back for seconds. Whether you make your chips from scratch or just buy a bag of your favorite chips at the store, this is a great, simple dinner.

Roasted Eggplant Spread

2013-04-15T05:25:00.000-04:00

It's time for another Eating the Alphabet Challenge. I missed last month as March is the craziest month in my family. Three birthdays and an anniversary all within two weeks is a lot to do.

This month, the letters for the alphabet challenge were 'E' or 'F'. I honestly wanted to try something with figs. I found some great goat cheese and fig recipes, but then I found out that they aren't really in season yet. Nonetheless, when they do come into season, I found some great recipes.

When I ruled figs out, I kept thinking about eggplants. I am one of the few people that I know personally that LOVES them. If I was still single, I think I'd eat several of them a week, but my husband isn't a fan. One of my favorite flavors for eggplants is roasting them, so I found this new recipe for a spread that I knew would be simple yet delicious.

Roasted Eggplant Spread
slightly adapted from FoodNetwork
Ingredients

1 medium eggplant

1 red bell peppers, seeded

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons good olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon oregano

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2) Cut the eggplant and bell pepper into 1-inch cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano. Spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking. Cool the vegetable mixture slightly.

3) Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse 3 or 4 times to blend. Taste for salt and pepper.

I like this spread as an appetizer idea because it seems like a lot of appetizers are either really heavy with cheese or meat based. This is really simple, but the roasted flavor of both vegetables really comes through. Depending if you like roasted red peppers or the roasted eggplant more, you could go heavier on the vegetable that you like. I served these with pita chips and it was amazing. Definitely a great appetizer.

Please check out all the other letter 'E' and 'F' submissions below. Thanks Brenda for hosting this challenge!

Chicken Parmesan Roll-ups

2013-04-12T06:55:00.000-04:00

This time the theme for the recipe swap, hosted by A Taste of Home Cooking, was Chicken. I entered this swap mainly because it seems like I'm always struggling to find new ways to eat chicken. When I ask my husband what kind of chicken dishes he wants for the week, he always requests barbeque chicken, and while I love barbeque chicken, it is nice to find other recipes.

I received My Chicago Kitchen's Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan Roll-ups. I've actually never made chicken parmesan before. I made tofu parmesan back when I first joined the swap. I was excited though because I think roll-ups can be a fun vessel for fillings.

Chicken Parmesan Roll-ups
adapted from My Chicago Kitchen
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

4 tablespoons parmesan cheese

8 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese, plus more for topping

1/8 cup frozen spinach, defrosted and strained

4 basil leaves, divided (I tore mine into small pieces)

4 roasted red pepper halves (I used jarred), trimmed to fit inside the chicken breasts

1 jar favorite marinara sauce (or 1 1/2 c. prepared marinara)

Toothpicks

Directions

1) Heat oven to 350 F.

2) Mix together in a bowl the ricotta, parmesan cheese, shredded mozzarella, and spinach.

3) Lay chicken down in front of you and distribute evenly the ricotta mixture. On top of the mixture place basil pieces, and red pepper pieces.

4) Roll up the chicken breasts and secure them with your toothpicks.

5) Pour 1 cup marinara into the bottom of a 9 x 13 in. pan and nestle in your roll-ups, seam side down. Top with remaining marinara and additional cheese. Bake uncovered 45-50 minutes, until cooked through. When ready to serve, spoon cooked marinara over the top.

Angie's recipe doesn't have a ricotta mixture on the inside, but since it isn't a breaded chicken dish, I felt it needed a little more filling. The problem I ran into was putting so much filling into each chicken breast, that they were hard to roll. These were delicious. I loved the spinach and the roasted red pepper combination on the inside. This dish was easy to put together and tasted really delicious.

Please check out all the other chicken recipes from this swap below!

Triple Peanut Butter Bars

2013-04-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

Back around Christmas, I participated in a cookie swap. The person that I received said that she loved peanut butter cookies and oatmeal caramelitas, so I set out to research something that could infuse the two. For the longest time, I wasn't finding anything and then one day on pinterest, I guess I entered the magic search phrase and these appeared. They have some of the same qualities as a caramelita (the crumbly oatmeal bottom and top layer) but the flavorful middle part.

The cookie swap was a success, but I never posted the recipe for my cookie bars because I never took a picture. Recently, I decided to make these for Jacob's coworkers and so I snapped a shot so I could post these bars.

Triple Peanut Butter Bars
slightly adapted from Midwest Living
Ingredients
1 1/2cups quick-cooking rolled oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped, unsalted dry roasted peanuts
1 cup peanut butter-flavored pieces
1/2 cup semi-sweet milk chocolate chips
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

1) Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil, extending the foil over edges of pan; set aside.

2) For crust: In a large bowl, combine oats, the 1 cup flour, the 1-1/2 cups brown sugar, the 1 teaspoon baking powder and the 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Using a pastry blender, cut in the 1 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3) Remove 1 cup of crumb mixture to reserve for topping. Stir peanuts and peanut butter-flavored pieces into the 1 cup reserved topping mixture; set aside.

4) Press remaining crumb mixture onto the bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes. Cool at least 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

5) In a medium saucepan, heat the 1 cup brown sugar, the 1/4 cup butter and peanut butter over medium heat until butter melts and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Cool slightly. Stir in egg and vanilla. Stir in the 1-1/4 cups flour, the 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and the 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Drop in very small mounds evenly over the crust in pan. Sprinkle with reserved topping mixture.

6) Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack before lifting from pan using edges of foil and cutting into bars.

These to me are the perfect bars. They have a little bit of chocolate, the peanut butter, and then the crumbly cookie portion. I think these would make the perfect summer picnic bars for parties or even just park trips. They are pretty crumbly, so make sure you have a crumb-catcher in hand (or a dog/vaccuum cleaner)...plus a really big glass of milk. All the great desserts need a good glass of milk.

Secret Recipe Club: Chicken Taco Cornbread Wedges

2013-04-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

For the Secret Recipe Club Swap this month, the swap in which you are assigned someone's blog and allowed to choose any recipe you want to make, I was assigned Barbara Bakes. Barbara started her blog to join the Daring Bakers challenges and I started my blog to join in on the recipe swaps that a food forum I participate in host. Her recipes all sound so good and I had a hard time choosing from desserts like: Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Toffee Cookies, Rocky Road Brownie Bites, and main dishes like: Queso Bacon Burgers and Avocado Salsa, or Chicken Empanadas with Ranchero Ranch Dressing.

My birthday was March 22nd, and for my birthday I received this gorgeous cast iron skillet. Every blog I came across I searched to see if they had any recipes that reference their cast iron skillet. Barbara had this Chicken Taco Cornbread dish that looked delicious and a great first start for my cast iron, so I knew I had to make it.

Chicken Taco Cornbread Wedges
barely adapted from Barbara Bakes
Ingredients
Chicken
2 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon ranch seasoning

Dressing

1/2 cup ranch dressing

1/2 cup salsa verde

1 cup tightly packed cilantro leaves (or 1/2 cup freeze dried cilantro)

Filling

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper

2 cups shredded chicken

3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves (or 2 T. freeze dried cilantro)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel Original)

Crust

2 cups Marie Calender’s Cornbread Mix

1 cup milk

Toppings

1 1/2 cup Colby & Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

3 cups shredded romaine

1 cup chopped tomatoes

Directions

1) Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

2) Sprinkle chicken with seasonings and bake until internal temperature is 160 degrees. Once chicken is done, shred with two forks or place chicken breasts in mixer with paddle attachment and mix on low until shredded.

3) Combine ranch dressing, salsa and 1 cup cilantro leaves in a small food processor or blender. Process until well blended. Cover and refrigerate.

4) In 12-inch cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, and jalapeno pepper; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken, cilantro, salt, cumin, pepper and tomatoes with green chilies; cook 5 minutes. Remove from skillet. Wipe out skillet with paper towel; grease.

5) In large bowl combined cornbread mix and milk. Pour cornbread mixture into skillet. Spoon chicken mixture over cornbread mixture; sprinkle with cheese.

6) Bake at 400 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into wedges. Top with romaine and tomatoes; drizzle with dressing.

This is easily the best dish that I've made in awhile. The flavors are just so pronounced in such a short amount of time, that everything in this dish just pops. The ranch is amazing, and probably something that I'll start making just for regular salads. I've never made cornbread before, but Marie Calendars was such a great compliment to the chicken. I cannot eat a lot of spice, and this to me was quite spicy. However, it was so delicious that I ignored the heat and kept eating. If you're serving it to people that can't eat spices, I'd make sure that the Rotel and salsa you used were mild, but also cut back on some of the cumin. I know that this will be a dish that will get made in our house a lot, and am excited to have found such a great recipe for my cast iron skillet on my first use.

Please find all the other great Secret Recipe Club recipes below.

Arugula Pesto Meatloaf

2013-04-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

Spring brings some weird weather that confuses me when I'm meal planning. Some days are rainy and cooler and then the next day it can be sixty and beautiful. These are the last few days that I try to cram the last of my comfort food recipes into the meal plan. This is one of those dishes that I really wanted to try to get in before it got too warm for meatloaf. While I love meatloaf, it is just too heavy for the summer months when it is warm and humid.

Arugula Pesto Meatloaf
slightly adapted from Everyday with Rachel Ray
Ingredients

Cooking spray

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 pounds meatloaf mix (beef, pork and veal)

1 clove garlic, grated

1 egg, lightly beaten

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup ricotta

2 cups arugula

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup parmesan

1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese

Directions

1) Preheat to 400 degrees . Line a baking sheet with foil; coat with cooking spray.

2) Using a food processor, pulse 2 cups arugula, 1 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup each pine nuts and parmesan, and pinch salt.

3) Combine the breadcrumbs, meatloaf mix, ricotta, garlic, egg, salt and pepper. Shape into a 5-by-8-inch rectangle on the sheet.

4) Bake about 30 minutes, then remove and top with pesto and provolone and bake until thermometer reads 160 degrees, about 10-15 more minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

The pesto makes this meatloaf lighter and delicious. I usually stick to basil pestos, but am glad that we stepped outside the meatloaf box to try this recipe. It really makes me want to try to make other types of pestos. The only comment that I have for the pesto is that it seemed a little thin to me. I think a cup of olive oil made it a little too runny. Next time, I'll add a quarter of a cup of oil at a time to try to get a better consistancy that will better adhere to the meatloaf. This pesto would be great on meatballs too.

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits and Gravy

2013-04-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

A lot of the time while I'm making dinner, I'll have Food Network on in the background. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives is on about 90 percent of the time, but it is good background noise. One day, while I was cooking, I heard Guy Fieri mention Cheddar Biscuits and Gravy. I thought they sounded delicious so I wrote Cheddar Biscuits and Gravy on my fridge calendar to remind myself to look it up.

I couldn't find the recipe from the episode, but I found plenty of other recipes on blogs that sounded equally delicious. I love this age where we can get a meal idea and use the internet to find something that sounds similar in under ten minutes.

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits and Gravy
barely adapted from Tiny Test Kitchen
Ingredients
Biscuits
2 cups flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup cold buttermilk, shaken
1 cold large egg
1 cup grated Cheddar
1 egg beaten with a splash of water

Sausage Gravy1/2 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage
1/2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk

Directions
Biscuits
1) Heat oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
2) Add the egg to the buttermilk in a measuring jug and beat to combine, set aside.
3) Take a tablespoon of the flour and add it the grated cheese. Toss to coat the cheese with the flour, set aside.
4) Place the remaining flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl of an stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the ingredients with the mixer on low. Add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas. You may need to shut the mixer off and manually rub the butter into the flour to get the butter pieces all the same size.
5) Turn the mixer back to low and add the buttermilk mixture to the flour in one addition. Mix until just combined. Add the cheese mixture to the dough and mix until just combined. Stop the mixer.
6) Using clean counter space, flour a 12×12″ area well. Form a ball with the dough in the mixer bowl and place it on the flour. With lightly floured hands, knead the dough gently. Using your hands again, form a 5×10″ rectangle with the dough.
7) Using a 2 3/4″ biscuit cutter ( or a small cup), cut out 8 biscuits from the dough. Reform squares of the same thickness to get the last biscuits.
8) Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet.
9) Brush the tops of the biscuits with the egg wash and pop in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden grown.

Gravy
1) Heat the oil in a 9″ saute pan over medium high heat. Add sausage and break up any large pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage is browned.
2) Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, trying to keep as much of the oil and fat in the pan as possible. Add the butter (less if you have a lot of oil) and allow to melt. Add flour and begin to whisk continuously for 2 minutes until the flour and butter have formed a smooth paste and the flour is cooked.
4) Begin to add the milk in a thin stream, whisking all the time to prevent lumps.
5) When all the milk is added, let the gravy simmer gently for 2-3 minutes to make sure the milk is heated through.
7) Re-add the sausage and cook on medium low heat for 2-3 minutes.

I love biscuits and gravy. I loved the biscuits by themselves. I just used regular packaged cheese in our biscuits and I do think to achieve the full cheddar flavor from the biscuits you do have to use something sharper and more pronounced. While the recipe looks labor intensive, it isn't difficult. It definitely isn't a weeknight recipe, but made for a delicious Saturday breakfast at home watching our recorded shows from the week.

Sloppy Moussakaas

2013-04-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

I am somewhat of a sandwich addict. They are just so easy, and usually so delicious, that I have a hard time not putting several sandwiches on my menu plan every week. I get Rachel Ray's magazine and usually her sandwiches and burgers sound so delicious that I save the magazines until I try them all. When I saw this recipe for a spin-off on Sloppy joes, I knew I had to make it.

Sloppy Moussakaas
slightly adapted from Everyday with Rachel Ray
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ground lamb or beef

Salt and pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons tomato sauce

1 - 1 1/2 cups chicken or beef stock

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

Freshly grated nutmeg

A small handful feta cheese

4 ciabatta or other rolls, split and toasted

Directions

1) In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, over medium-high heat. Add the lamb (or beef) and cook, crumbling the meat, until well browned, about 5 minutes.
2) Season with salt, pepper and the cinnamon. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, jalapeno and oregano and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook for a minute. Stir in the stock and simmer over low heat until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

3) In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook until thickened slightly; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the cheese.

4) To serve, spoon the meat mixture onto the rolls. Top with the sauce.

I thought these were great. The sauce was a little grainy, but the flavor was still good. Jacob loved the saltiness of the feta on the sandwiches while I loved the cinnamon flavor in the meat. I think these were a great spin-off on regular sloppy joes. Even though they aren't really Greek, they were really great and came together really fast. For some reason these make me want to curl up with My Big Fat Greek Wedding and a bag of popcorn.

Monster Magic Cookie Bars

2013-03-29T06:55:00.000-04:00

For the longest time, I was scared of desserts. My lean-to when I was asked to bring desserts were boxed Magic Cookie Bars from the baking aisle in Wal Mart. When I was assigned Kate's Recipe Box for the Recipe Swap that A Taste of Home Cooking hosts, I ran across a lot of great sounding recipes (Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes and Make it Yourself Shamrock Shakes). But when I saw the Monster Cookie Bars, I realized that I haven't touched Magic Cookie Bars since I got really into cooking. While these are slightly different than the ones in the box at Wal Mart, I decided these would be what I'd make for the swap.

Monster Magic Cookie Bars
slightly adapted Kate's Recipe Box
Ingredients
9 full graham crackers
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup M&Ms
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease a 9×13″ baking pan.
2) Crush graham crackers into crumbs using a food processor or rolling pin.
3) Mix in melted butter until well-combined. Press crumbs into lined baking dish.
4) Evenly pour the sweetened condensed milk over the graham cracker layer. Sprinkle the oats, M&Ms, peanut butter chips and chocolate chips evenly over the sweetened condensed milk. Gently press in a little.
5) Bake for 30 minutes or until browned and pulling away from the edges of the pan. Let cool completely before cutting.

I love these bars because the graham crackers and the sweetened condensed milk base provide such a blank slate for any of your favorite dessert toppings. I threw in some peanut butter chips that I had sitting in my pantry and I think it just enhanced the 'monster-ness' of these bars. While I don't have kids, I think this would be a great rainy/snow day activity with your child. Have them roll the graham crackers and build their idea of a monster cookie bar. There is no wrong topping in the monster magic cookie bar world.

Please check out all the other great recipes below!

S'More Peanut Butter Cookies

2013-03-26T19:10:00.000-04:00

This month's What's Baking Challenge is hosted by Beantown Baker. She chose sprinkles as this month's theme. Stop by her blog in a few days to see her round up of what everyone made this month.

I have to admit that I see sprinkles on about the same level that I see glitter. They just get EVERYWHERE when you're trying to use them. While it makes your stuff pretty, it usually isn't worth the hassle of cleaning little beads up for the next few months.

Since sprinkles are something that I loved as a kid...I decided to try to find something to bake that reminded me of being a kid. While searching, I found these S'More Peanut Butter Cookies. I LOVED S'Mores when I was a kid. So why not combine s'mores with sprinkles and have the most fun cookies around.

S'More Peanut Butter Cookies
as seen on Sally's Baking Addiction
Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour

12 large marshmallows, cut in half

8 oz melting chocolate (such as Baker's)

sprinkles

Directions

1) In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed. Mix in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla (in that order). Scrape down the sides as needed. Slowly mix in the baking soda and flour. Do not overmix. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.

2) Roll 1.5 Tablespoons of dough into a ball. Place onto ungreased cookie sheet or silicone baking mat. Bake for 7 minutes.

3) Remove from oven and place marshmallow on top, gently pressing it down into the warm cookie. Place back into the oven for 2-3 more minutes so the marshmallow can melt and the cookie can finish baking.

4) Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.

5) As the cookies cool, melt chocolate according to package directions. Spoon about two teaspoons of chocolate on top of each marshmallow and swirl around with the back of the teaspoon. Top with sprinkles.

The only complaint that I have about these cookies is that some of the marshmallows completely disintegrated under the chocolate. The majority of them looked great, but some of them fell completely apart. Taste wise these aren't exactly like S'Mores, but they're so delicious. I actually love the little crunches that the sprinkles provide in the chocolate. It is a great contrast to the puff of the marshmallow and the soft peanut butter cookie. During this challenge, I learned that sprinkles aren't as bad as I thought they were...although a lot of them got all over my oven. I'll have to play more with the rest of the bottle that I have.

Thanks Jen for a great challenge!

Chocolate Raspberry Tart w/ a Graham Cracker Crust

2013-03-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

About three months before we moved from Wyoming to New Jersey, I bought tart pans...even though I had put a ban on buying new things right before the move. They were like two dollars, and I convinced myself that I'd use them all the time. About a year later, I've never used the tart pans...ever.

So, when the Dessert swap, hosted by Sarah at A Taste of Home Cooking, produced a dessert that required a tart pan, I smugly said that I knew I'd need the tart pan eventually and that is why I bought it. :)

Chocolate Raspberry Tart with a Graham Cracker Crust
from Life and Kitchen
Ingredients
Baking spray for the dish
1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup melted unsalted butter
3-1/2 cups fresh raspberries
8 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
Small pinch salt

Directions
1) Heat the oven to 325°F. Spray the sides and bottom of a 9-1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
2) Put the graham crackers and melted butter into a food processor and pulse until crumbly.
3) Pour the cracker mixture into the tart pan and press the mixture into the sides and bottom of the pan with the bottom of a measuring cup or a jar.
4) Set the pan on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm, then bake the tart crust about 15 minutes, checking and rotating if needed to make the sure the crust doesn’t get too dark. Set on a rack to cool.
5) Meanwhile, push 1 cup of the berries through a fine sieve, mashing with a spoon, into a bowl so the puree drips through; set it aside and discard the seeds.
6) Heat the cream over medium heat until scalding, but not quite boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate; whisk to blend until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the raspberry purée and the salt.
7) Pour the mixture into the cooled tart shell. Refrigerate until the ganache is fairly firm, about 1 hour.
8) Arrange the remaining raspberries on top of the ganache; they should completely cover the surface. These berries won’t sink into the chocolate filling. The ganache is chilled slightly before the raspberries go on.
9) Chill until the ganache is completely firm, about 30 minutes, and serve.

The hardest part of this dessert is waiting for everything to chill so you can dig in. One of my favorite combinations is chocolate and raspberries, so I loved these. Plus the addition of fresh raspberries on top strengthens the raspberry flavors. I feel like this dessert is calling me to get a bigger tart pan...but I'm pretty sure the two small ones will suffice. A girl can never have too many kitchen gadgets, right? ;)

Check out all the other desserts that were made for the swap!

Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Salsa

2013-03-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

I love tostadas. It is everything that you love about tacos, on a crunchy base shell. I think I love tostadas because I love Mexican pizzas at Taco Bell and can't replicate those close enough to make myself happy, so the next best thing is tostadas.

I saw this on Sarah's blog when she first posted them and thought they sounded to die for. I pinned them and had good intentions to make them, but never did. I received her for a recipe swap back in early February and made these for the swap, but ended up posting about the amazing Egg Sandwiches with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto instead.

Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Salsa
adapted from A Taste of Home Cooking
Ingredients
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
4 fajita-size tortillas
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz. can of corn, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup queso fresco, cheddar or Mexican cheese blend
2 cups shredded chicken mixture from Chicken Suiza Pockets, or 2 cups shredded chicken

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350.
2) Combine tomato, avocado, onion and cilantro together in a small bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, cumin, pepper and salt. Pour over the avocado mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3) Add a splash of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet until puffy and lightly browned. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
4) Divide black beans, corn, chicken and cheese among tortillas. Transfer tortillas to a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, or until chicken is warmed through.
5) Divide the avocado salsa among the tortillas and serve immediately.

These are like I thought, absolutely to die for. I couldn't get enough of the avocado salsa, and kept sneaking little tastes while I was cooking. I thought the flavors all worked together well to create a great dish. My only comment about this is that we chose bigger sized tortillas and these came out massive. I made it half-way through mine and even though it was the best dish I've had in a long time, I couldn't finish it. So I'd recommend doing taco sized tortillas and maybe just eating additional tostadas if need be instead of creating a mammoth of a tostada like I did. Either way you serve them, they are definitely delicious.

Tomato Tortellini Soup

2013-03-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

In Wyoming, the wind was crazy. I don't think that there was really ever a wind-free day. My husband told me when we moved to New Jersey that it was never windy...but I think he just forgot what it was like since he lived in Wyoming for awhile. For a couple days, not too long ago, the wind here rivaled the Wyoming wind. During these few days, I went through a soup phase. Soup warms every part of your body and during really cold temperatures with really high winds, it is even more delicious.

Tomato Tortellini Soup
adapted from Mrs. Scwartz's Kitchen using PreventionRD's tomato soup
Ingredients
Tomato Soup
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
pinch of Kosher salt
4 cloves minced garlic
28 oz can crushed tomatoes (no added salt)
1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped

Directions
1) Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and salt and sweat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sweat for 2 more minutes.
2) Add the tomato, broth, and oregano and bring to a simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
3) Blend soup in a blender or by using an immersion blender (you can also omit this step for a slightly chunky soup).

Additions to the soup
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 cups vegetable/chicken broth
2 cups fat free half and half
1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions
1) To the tomato soup, add the half and half, chicken broth, sundried tomatoes, and spices. Bring to a simmer.
2) Once simmering, drop tortellini into the soup. Cook according to package directions (about 8 to 10 minutes).
3) Scoop into bowls and serve topped with parmesan cheese.

This is a mixture of two recipes. I cannot eat canned tomato soup like the original recipe calls for, so I made the tomato soup from scratch using another recipe that my husband and I love and then followed the original recipe from there. The soup from scratch doesn't take too long, but if you're in a hurry, the canned soup will work fine.

I loved the tortellini in the soup since it made it a little heartier and filling. The tomato soup was delicious, the flavor developed really well on the stove and was even better the next day for lunch. The leftovers didn't make it very long in our house. This was great with garlic bread.

Secret Recipe Club: Carrot Cake Ice Cream

2013-03-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

This is my second Secret Recipe Club blog swap. In the club, you are assigned someone's blog and you can make whatever you want. Click on the link and peruse the site to learn more about the recipes that have been posted and for rules about the club.

This month I was assigned Cheap Ethnic Eatz, which is written by Evelyne in Canada. Evelyne has such a diverse collection of recipes, which I found incredible. I have never been a super adventurous eater (it took me several years to warm up to the idea of sushi). However, she has a great list of ice cream on her recipe index. She has everything from White Asparagus Ice Cream to Strawberry Jam Balsamic Ice Cream. One of the non-ice cream dishes that I'd love to make from Evelyne's blog is her Truffled Tomato Tarte Tatin. Please head over to her blog to tour an amazing selection of food.

I was obsessed with Evelyne's ice cream list. Let's be honest, I love most desserts. However, I am a self professing ice cream addict. I could eat a bowl every night and be in bliss. Cookies and cream? Yes! Give me a tub of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia Ice cream and I've died and gone to heaven. Milkshakes are even accepted too. Can you see a theme here?

I have always LOVED Carrot cake though, and the second that I laid eyes on the link in Evelyne's blog that said she had Carrot Cake Ice Cream, I knew that is what I had to make.

Carrot Cake Ice Cream
barely modified from Cheap Ethnic Eatz
Ingredients
1 cup Carrot Juice
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar (less if you're using a Carrot flavored smoothie)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup can pineapple, drained and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup carrot, shredded
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon orange zest (I found orange peel in the spice section and used it)
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Directions:
Ice Cream Machine
1) Put carrot smoothie and cream in ice cream machine and start the machine
2) Add the remaining ingredients
3) Follow ice cream machine instructions.
Hand made
1) Mix all the ingredients
2) Pour into a shallow container and freeze until solid around the outside and mushy in the middle
3) Stir with a fork and freeze until firm

This ice cream had more in it than any other ice cream that I've tried to make. I think my ice cream maker clogged up at some points with all the additions, so I kept trying to stir it when I saw it happening. This ice cream doesn't taste exactly like carrot cake ice cream, but it does have flavors that hint that direction. I served it with cream cheese pound cake and it was a great combination. One of my favorite carrot cakes that I've ever had, had a hint of orange in it, so I decided to add the orange peel/zest to the mix. I can't wait to go out there and find other ice cream options that I have never considered before.

Chili Blanco

2013-03-01T06:55:00.000-05:00

It is time for another recipe swap, hosted by Sarah at A Taste of Home Cooking. The theme this time was Blogger's Choice and I received Dawn's blog: Simple Gourmet Cooking.

While looking through Dawn's blog, I discovered an old favorite: Mexican Stuffed Shells, so I made that one night. Then, I was looking around her blog and came across this chili. I have been looking for a good chile recipe that isn't a red-base chili, so I thought I'd try this one as my swap recipe.

Chili Blanco
slightly adapted from Simple Gourmet Cooking
Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken or ground turkey
1 pound lean ground pork
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Knorrs Concentrated Chicken Broth tubs
1 can Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
2 15-oz cans Great Northern Beans, undrained
1 15-oz can golden hominy, undrained
1 4-oz cans diced green chile peppers, undrained
4 large fresh jalapeno chile peppers, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
Directions
1) In a 4-quart Dutch oven cook chicken, pork, onions and garlic over medium heat until pork is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat.
2) Stir in concentrated broth, enchilada sauce, beans, hominy, green chile peppers, jalapeno peppers, lime juice, cumin, and white pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 40 min, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro.

When going through my cupboard for ingredients, I realized that I only had one can of green chiles, but I had an extra can of green chile enchilada sauce. So, I added that in addition to everything. Apparently the commissary on base doesn't like stocking different types of peppers, so they only had jalapeno peppers instead of poblano, so I just grabbed more of those instead.

While it isn't as white as Dawn's, due to the enchilada sauce, I decided to keep the name. I thought this chili was fantastic. Jacob said that it was different enough and good enough to enter into a chili competition, which in my mind is a huge stamp of approval from him. I served this with an herbed cheddar bread that has the texture of cornbread. It was great for some of the dreary weather we've faced the past couple of weeks. Definitely put this on your menu if you're looking for a non-red chili.

Please check out the other great dishes from the Blogger's Swap below.

Maple Pecan Crusted Apples

2013-02-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

Early in January, I was asked by Brenda at Meal Planning Magic to join her Eating the Alphabet Healthy Challenge. The challenge is to make foods that feature fruits, vegetables, grains or beans starting with different letters of the alphabet each month.

This month was either 'A' or 'B'. When I told my husband about this, he suggested avocados... I think this is because we eat avocados A LOT. However, I kept going back to a recipe for baked apples that I had seen as part of the Secret Recipe Club. So, in order to challenge myself, for the purposes of the swap, I abandoned my husband's avocado suggestion and went for the baked apple suggestion.

I hope you follow this swap throughout the year and if you're interested in joining, head on over to Brenda's blog to sign up!

Maple Pecan Crusted Apples
slightly adapted from Sustainable Cooking for One
Ingredients
1 medium apple
Pinch of: cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves
2 tablespoons craisins
2 tablespoons chopped raw pecans
1 tablespoon maple syrup (real, preferably grade B)

Directions:
1) Peel one circle around the middle of the apple, and a little off the top of the apple. Remove the core.
2) Place the apple in a small baking dish or oven-safe bowl. Mix together the spices and roll the apple in them.
3) Mix any remaining spices with the craisins, and add about 1/3 of the pecans. Stuff that mixture into the center of the apple. Pour the maple syrup over the apple, and top with the remaining pecans. 4) Bake until soft (mine baked about 40 minutes, but it will vary for the size of the apple). Spoon the syrup over the apple before serving.

I loved these apples because I just made one for my husband and one for me, so there isn't a whole nine by thirteen pan of dessert sitting at our house calling our name. We felt like we ate something sweet enough to qualify as a dessert, but weren't so bogged down that we felt guilty.

One of my favorite desserts is those baked apples that you can get at places like Boston Market. They are just so comforting. This tastes very similar. I went a little heavier on the cinnamon, so that was the predominant spice flavor in ours. The maple syrup kind of cramelized and made a delicious coating. I liked the nut addition as well as the craisins, I think they would have been missed if they hadn't been added. We learned that fruit can make a very delicious dessert...and simple too.

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

2013-02-14T06:15:00.000-05:00

Confession: this isn't the first time that I made this dish. I made it while we were in Wyoming, but never took a picture.

When I first met Sarah from A Taste of Homecooking on my food forum, I spent a lot of time on her blog and this was (and still is) the most popular recipe on her blog. The first time I made it, I had never thought of making sloppy joes from scratch and it sounded much better than other sloppy joes. Right now, I'm going through a kind of sloppy joe phase (is that even a real thing?) and think they're delicious, so I put this one back on the menu.

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
barely adapted from A Taste of Home Cooking
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 softball-sized onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 tablespoons steak sauce, such as A-1
1 cup beef stock
Salt and ground black pepper
4 dinner rolls
4 slices provolone

Directions:
1) In large skillet over medium-high heat add the oil and then brown the ground beef, about 5-6 minutes.
2) Add the onion and green pepper and cook another 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables start to get tender.
3) Stir in the steak sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a bubble and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed.
4) Turn on broiler, and split open rolls and remove most of the soft insides of the bottom part of the bun, leaving a bed to hold the meat mixture. Put a slice of cheese on each top of bread. Toast the rolls until browned and cheese is melted. Spoon in meat mixture.

I had these for lunch the next day and definitely think the meat got more flavorful while it sat in the fridge over night. I thought these were really good and a great weeknight meal. They are originally from Rachel Ray, so you know they're fast. I didn't make a cheese sauce from Sarah's version because I remember the cheese sauce not being worth the hassle the first time that I made it. I think just regular provolone is just as good, and is less fuss.

Chipotle Aioli Deviled Eggs

2013-02-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

My first attempt at Deviled Eggs was a complete and utter disaster. I spent at least an hour over my kitchen sink trying to gently peel the eggshell of the egg, but getting chunks of egg flesh on each piece of shell. My mom makes amazing deviled eggs and I was hoping to follow in her steps, but I just remember being so frustrated that I swore no more deviled eggs would grace my table.

After that experience I talked to A LOT of people about deviled eggs. How did they boil them, what kind of eggs did they use, did they rinse them or just let them cool on their own...etc. A lot of talk about something that shouldn't be complicated...right?

Well, learned that everyone does eggs differently, and heard that everyone had their own horrendous egg peeling experience. So, I definitely wasn't alone. So now, I try to find a different deviled egg recipe every time I try. I served these on Super Bowl Sunday and they were the easiest thing on my menu to make.

Chipotle Aioli Deviled Eggs
barely adapted from SteakNPotatoesKindGurl
Ingredients
Eggs and filling
8 Hard boiled eggs
4 tablespooons Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt

Chipotle Aioli
½ cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 large Adobo chili
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1) Hard boil the eight eggs and let cool to room temperature. Cut in half lengthwise and remove the yolk. Place into a bowl and break up with a fork until lumps are gone. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and salt. Whisk with a fork until creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Chill for one hour.
2) Add all of the aioli ingredients into a food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Place into a container with a lid and refrigerate until ready to use.
3) Place the egg halves onto a platter. Put the egg yolk mixture into a piping bag and use the star tip to pipe into the egg halves (I just used a spoon instead of a piping bag) and add a tiny dollop of the chipotle aioli. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

I made these for my husband because I am unable to eat chipotle in adobo. He said he liked the smokiness of the chipotle with the deviled egg. SteakNPotatoesKindaGurl put crab on hers, but he wrinkled his nose at the thought of that, so I just stuck with the aioli. This was the easiest dish at our super bowl party and everyone liked them.

Secret Recipe Club: Triple Chocolate Oreo Bars

2013-02-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

This is my first Secret Recipe Club month, which is a great recipe exchange where you receive a blog and can choose anything to make. I actually applied to be part of this exchange in November of 2011, so I'm glad that I was finally chosen to participate. Please drop by the website to find a ton of great recipes and all the info about the swap.

For my first swap, I received Meghan's blog Cupcakes with Sprinkles. She says she's never too full for dessert which resonates with me. A great dessert can make a good meal that much better, and people unite over dessert. I loved looking through her desserts, she has such a diverse assortment. I had a hard time choosing between the these bars, Caramel Apple Cheesecake bars, and Snickerdoodle Cupcakes. I chose these because I have a soft spot for oreos and they just sounded too good to pass up, but I know this blog will provide me with desserts for every party that I have for a long time to come. Head on over and check out her awesome desserts.

Triple Chocolate Oreo Bars
as seen on Cupcakes with Sprinkles
Ingredients

1-16.6oz pkg Oreo Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter, melted

1-14oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup Milk Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup Mini Chocolate Chips

1 cup White Chocolate Chips, melted

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 9x13 pan with foil, shiny side down, and spray with a non-stick spray.

2) Crush all but 8 Oreos in a food processor. Place the crushed Oreos into a medium bowl and salt and melted butter stir until combined. Press the Oreo mixture into the prepared pan. Coarsely chop the remaining 8 Oreos and set aside.

3) In a double boiler, just a glass or metal bowl over a pan of boiling water, add the sweetened condensed milk, semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips and the vanilla. Stir until completely melted. Remove bowl from heat. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the Oreo crust in the pan. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and the coarsely chopped Oreos over the chocolate mixture. Press down gently on the chips and Oreos.

4) Bake for 20-22 minutes. Cool pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Melt the white chocolate chips and drizzle over the bars. Chill in the fridge until cooled completely.

I obviously had a problem with the white chocolate layer, as can be seen with my photo, so these were really Double Chocolate Oreo Bars. For some reason, my white chocolate chips never melted right, so I just decided not to put them on the top. But, I was serving them at the Super Bowl party and everyone loved them, so I considered them a hit. I loved the bottom and how moist and oreo-like it was, and the other layers complimented the base perfectly. While these were very chocolately, they weren't too rich. There's never such a thing as too much chocolate, right?

These are really easy to put together and super delicious. I wonder if they'd be good with the flavored oreos...or the golden ones. I guess that will be my next thing to try.

Please check out all the other great Secret Recipe Club recipes below.

Egg Sandwiches with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto

2013-02-01T06:55:00.000-05:00

It is time for another recipe swap, and this time, I got our host Sarah from A Taste of Home Cooking. I was really excited because in all the time that we've been doing the swaps, I have only ever gotten something from Sarah once. Please visit Sarah's blog to look through six years dishes she's made while blogging.

While looking through her blog, I came up with so many dishes that I basically meal-planned my two weeks of food around Sarah's blog. We loved every dish that I made, so it was hard to choose between the three that I actually took pictures of, which one I should actually post. I was going to post about the Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Salsa, but then one of the other bloggers from my food forum posted it as part of her Taco Tuesday series...so I'll save that one for another time. I finally decided on these delicious breakfast sandwiches.

Egg sandwiches with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto
slightly adapted from A Taste of Home Cooking
Ingredients
4 ounces goat cheese, softened
2 teaspoons dried chives
4 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
4 medium rustic rolls, halved crosswise, lightly toasted
4 tablespoons pesto
4 ounces sliced prosciutto
Directions
1) In a medium bowl, combined the goat cheese and chives; set aside.
2) Heat the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack each egg into the skillet, and lower the heat to medium-low. After about two minutes, flip the egg and sprinkle with salt. Turn off the heat but don’t move the pan. Residual heat from the pan will finish cooking the eggs without drying the out while you build the sandwiches.
3) Spread the cut sides of one half of each roll with the goat cheese mixture and one half of the roll with pesto. Top the bottom half with a fried egg, then sliced prosciutto. Top with the other half of the roll. Serve immediately.

I tried making these with a scrambled egg type mixture as Sarah recommended, but ended up with more egg on my plate than between the bread. The second time I made these, the fried egg worked much better, although Jacob said he liked the taste of the scrambled eggs better. I love the combination of pesto and goat cheese, so I thought that that would be a delicious addition. I only used chives because I forgot to buy green onions, but I think the green onions would be amazing as well because I didn't really taste the chives in the goat cheese mixture. These breakfast sandwiches are super tasty and only take about 10 minutes to cook, so it is a win-win dinner. Can't wait to make these again in the future. Stay tuned for the tostada recipe as well, it was amazing too!

Please click through the dishes below to find other delicious recipes.