Jersey Girl Cooks

Time to make the Christmas cookies!

2009-12-10T17:17:00.000-08:00

WARNING! These will make you gain weight! Okay, now that I have cleared that, let's proceed with the recipes. If, you are a frequent reader, you know I try to make food that is somewhat healthy most of the time. I don't bake too often for fear I'll eat it all myself. But it's holiday time, right? And if I want to make a batch of cookies and eat half myself, then that is what I am going to do!

These are three of my favorites for cookie trays. The Double Chocolate Cherry Almond Drops require a bit more work but are pretty and well worth it. The gingersnaps and saltine toffee are easy and two of my go to recipes for the holidays. This is not the end of the holiday treats. I will be posting more soon. What are your favorite holiday goodies?

One last thing. My friend Michaela has a recipe in the Ile de France contest. Please click HERE and rank her recipe. I thought it was definitely worth five stars. Great holiday appetizer! All you have to do is click on the stars. Thanks!

Double Chocolate Cherry Almond Drops

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips or broken up white chocolate, divided
24 maraschino cherries
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Using an electric mixer beat the butter until creamy. Add almond butter and sugar and beat until smooth. Mix in the flour until smooth. Mix in 1 cup white chips while reserving the rest. Roll dough into one inch balls forming 24 cookies. Place cookies 2 inches apart on parchment paper. With your fingers or the back of a wooden spoon, make an indentation in each ball. Place one cherry in each cookie. Bake for 11 to 14 minutes or until bottom of cookies are golden and cookies are set. Cool completely. Melt the remaining white chips in the microwave and drizzle over the cooled cookies. Melt the semisweet chips and then drizzle the dark chocolate over the cookies. Let the chocolate harden before serving. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Blue Ribbon Gingersnaps (from the Blue Ribbon Baking cookbook)

•3/4 cup shortening
•1 cup packed light brown sugar
•1/4 cup molasses
•1 large egg
•2 cups all-purpose flour
•2 teaspoons baking soda
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•1 teaspoon ground cloves
•1 teaspoon ground ginger
•1/2 cup sugar (for dipping)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream shortening, brown sugar, molasses and egg in large bowl. In a separate bowl sift flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, blending until mixed. Dough can be chilled for easy handling. Shape the dough into balls the size of whole walnuts. Roll balls in sugar, place on baking sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool on sheet one minute before transferring to rack. Makes 3-4 dozen.

Saltine Toffee
40 saltine crackers (1 sleeve)
1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cups chocolate chips

Line jelly roll pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Lay crackers out flat on foil. Melt sugar and butter and bring to boil until foamy (about 3 to 5 minutes). Pour over crackers and spread to coat. Bake 5 minutes in 350º oven or until bubbly. Remove from oven. While hot, sprinkle with chocolate chips, let soften and melt, then spread. Sprinkle with whatever toppings you like. Let the chocolate harden then break into pieces. Keep stored in the refrigerator.

Steak and Potato Salad

2009-12-05T12:28:00.000-08:00

In our house, I am the veggie, chicken, seafood and salad eater while the husband loves meat and potatoes. Last week, it was his turn to make dinner. His turn comes only every few weeks or so but he does get the occasional responsibility . So he thought he'd surprise me this time with something more on my side of the table. Does that mean no meat and potatoes. Well, you would think so but he thought he was going to trick me. Hmmmmm......

I came home to a salad for dinner. Hubby, you're good! I love salads and I needed to fit into a cocktail dress this week for a Christmas party. What's in the salad? Meat and potatoes.

Now I will give him credit because he took the recipe off of my friend's blog, Stacey's Snacks. There really isn't a recipe on her blog I dislike, so it was a good choice to go looking there. The salad was good and hubby followed the recipe except he couldn't find hanger steak so he used skirt steak instead. If you can find hanger steak, I would use that like Stacey says.

Good try hubby but next time don't be so sneaky!

Click here to get the recipe from Stacey's blog.

Happy birthday to my big boy!

2009-11-27T17:58:00.000-08:00

Today was my son's 8th birthday. It's hard to believe that my youngest is that big. To celebrate, we made cupcakes that I saw on Picky Palate. Jenny from Picky Palate has a great blog filled with fun, family friendly recipes. These cupcakes caught my eye right away and the kiddos loved making them. It was like an art and baking project all in one. Check out the bowls filled with the colored batter and pretty cupcake tins before they went in the oven.

The cupcakes went great with ice cream. My son picked out an M & M ice cream cake. Between the cake and cupcakes, the kids were sugared out. Now they're crashing and mommy gets some quiet time. Time for a movie and maybe a nibbling of some leftovers. And then gym time tomorrow. Have a great night!

Rainbow Bright Cupcakes by Picky Palate

1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
1/2 Cup water
8 oz sour cream
small box instant vanilla pudding mix
Food Coloring: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green and Purple
Vanilla or Cream Cheese Frosting of Choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, beat the cake mix, eggs, oil, water, sour cream and pudding on medium until well combined. Batter will be nice and thick. Divide batter evenly between 5 white or glass bowls. Drop 5 different colors of food coloring into each cake batter bowl until you reach your desired colors. Stir well. Spoon each color into paper lined cupcake tins until all are filled. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove and let cool completely. Frost with frosting of choice.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

2009-11-27T08:53:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! It was also my husband and I's 15th wedding anniversary and we had a nice relaxing day. This was the first Thanksgiving dinner we cooked in about 6 years so it was fun to plan and decide on the menu. I know turkey is the main event in many families but here it is all about the antipasto and appetizers. The husband and I split up the chores in making dinner. He was in charge of the turkey while I was in charge of the appetizers and sides. My brother and neighbors brought dessert so everything was very managable.

Although turkey is not the big favorite at our house, the hubby did a great job of cooking it on the grill. I bought an already brined fresh turkey from Trader Joe's. My husband rubbed it with a fresh herb mixture of rosemary, sage and thyme. He basted and grilled it to perfection. Take a look at the golden skin. It was delicious and I am looking forward to leftovers!

We love sausage stuffing so I decided to try something new this year and I made Nonna's stuffing from Aggie's Kitchen. I had never tried stuffing with pasta before but I know Aggie always knows what she's doing. It was great and could be a meal in itself. More yummy leftovers for us! Check out Aggie's blog for her stuffing or a collection of other great recipes.

And here is the antipasto platter and appetizers. We had an array of cheeses, Italian meats, marinated lupini beans and artichokes along with some prosciutto bread. The problem is always finding room for the main course after nibbling on this.

I hope everyone has a good Black Friday. There is no shopping for me today! I tend to stay away from the shopping crowds. Today is my little guy's 8th birthday so I am making cupcakes and preparing for his birthday. Stay tuned and come back tonight to see the rainbow cupcakes I made.

Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

2009-11-23T15:57:00.000-08:00

While most of the bloggersphere is posting pre Thanksgiving recipes such as sweet potato casseroles, turkey gravy, delicious looking biscuits and flaky pies I have not decided on my menu yet. I know the hubby will be taking care of the turkey on the grill so now it's up to me to decide on antipasto, sides and desserts. So many good blogs to get recipes off of but so little time before Thanksgiving! So while all of you were doing the prep I was making treats to please the kiddos. And pleased they were. If you would like to make this classic treat just click here. I took the recipe right off of Allrecipes website.

And if you have any good Thanksgiving recipes that you can't live without, please let me know about it!

Soup's On!

2009-11-20T19:02:00.000-08:00

There are so many reasons to love soup. First, it is warm and comforting. Second, it is easy and quick to make. Third, it's great to make ahead of time and is great with the crazy soccer, karate, cross country, cub scout schedule we have. If everyone eats at different times, it can always be heated in the microwave. I could go on and on because what's not to love about soup?

Well, the husband will sometimes think he doesn't like soup. The other night I made some beef vegetable soup and as I was cutting up some cooked bottom round, he was dreaming about putting the meat between two pieces of crusty Italian bread. I just have to guide him into liking his soup. I do this by making hearty soups such as tortellini soups, beef vegetable, black bean soup and ham and bean soup. It seems to work as I do see a twinkle in his eye when he comes home on a cold day to a huge pot of hearty soup. This tortellini is one of our favorites. Click here for my other version with kielbasi.

Chicken Tortellini Soup with Carrots and Kale

12 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 small head kale, cored and chopped
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups cooked boneless chicken, chopped
2 (14 oz) packages frozen tortellini
salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Heat broth on high heat in a large soup pot. Add kale and carrots and cook for 15 minutes or until carroys are softened and kale iswilted. Add chicken and tortellini. Cook according to tortellini package directions which is typically 18 minutes or 4 minutes for precooked ones. Make sure tortellini is cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with grated cheese if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Da Bomb Breakfast!!!

2009-11-14T16:31:00.000-08:00

This breakfast is the bomb! It was so good it practically made me cry. When the husband saw what I was making, he looked a little leary. He is not a huge French toast man but loved this once he tasted it. This probably would even be good as a dessert topped with a few scoops of ice cream. And the Nutella syrup just raised it to another level.

The sad thing is this recipe almost didn't even make it to the table. I had the French toast idea swirling around in my brain but when I went into the fridge, there was only one egg left. Lucky for me Thrive Food Storage had sent me some eggs to try and this was the perfect opportunity. These are dried eggs that can be stored for ages and are so convenient for times when you run out of fresh eggs or those times when you come home from vacation and your fridge is empty. All I needed to do is mix the powder with water and they were ready to use in my French toast.

I do have one warning. Don't look at these pictures before you have had breakfast! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Coconut Pecan French Toast with Nutella Syrup

3 large eggs

2/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup flaked coconut, plus extra for garnish

1/4 cup chopped pecan halves

1 tsp ground cinnamon

6 slices white or wheat bread

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 TBS Nutella (chocolate hazlenut spread)

In a large shallow bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, and vanilla. In another bowl, mix together the coconut, pecans and cinnamon. Dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture. Then dip into the coconut mixture. Place slices on a well oiled skillet or griddle on medium heat. Cook both sides for a few minutes or until the egg is set, being careful not to scorch the coconut and pecans. While bread is cooking mix together the syrup with the Nutella. Serve the French Toast with the syrup over it and sprinkle with extra coconut. Makes 3 servings.

Carnation: It's the Cooking Milk!

2009-11-10T19:38:00.000-08:00

The One2One Network is working with Carnation Evaporated Milk to let cooks around the country know that evaporated milk isn't just for baking. They came to me to see if I would like to get involved and help with this campaign. They asked if I could feature two recipes on my blog, one from Carnation's recipe booklet and another that I created myself. The nice people at One2One Network and Carnation Evaporated Milk also sent me a recipe booklet, some free cans of milk and a gift card to cover the cost of groceries for the recipes.

The minute I heard the name Carnation, I couldn't refuse the offer. I love cooking with Carnation evaporated milk! Evaporated milk is simply milk in which some of the water is removed. It is rich, creamy and the perfect substitute for half and half or light cream. I use it often to lighten up my recipes. I also keep a few cans in the pantry to use in my coffee.

It was not hard to pick out the recipes I would make. First, I went with The Party Perfect Mini Quiches from the recipe booklet and then I chose Mushroom Cheddar Quiche which I make often. I used the non fat Carnation milk in both and believe me, the fat was not missed. Both dishes had a custard texture without the added calories of cream.

If you would like the recipe for Party Perfect Mini Quiches, click here. They really are perfect for a party! I also like to make some in advance, keep them in the fridge and heat them up for a quick nutritious breakfast.

Lucky for me, real men eat quiche in my house. I make this Mushroom Cheddar Quiche for dinner all the time. It is another easy meal to make in advance and then heat up right before dinner. In this one, I used a whole wheat crust to make it even more nutritious.

The winter is a great time to stock up on Carnation Evaporated Milk. I will be making plenty of creamy soups with it. For more interesting recipes, click here. They have both sweet and savory recipes which any cook will enjoy making!

Cheddar Mushroom Quiche

1 TBS olive oil
3 green onions, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
3 large eggs, beaten
1 can (12 oz) Carnation fat free evaporated milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp black pepper
4 oz low fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
9 inch pie crust

Preheat over to 375 degrees. In a large fry pan, heat oil on medium heat and saute onions and mushrooms for 10 minutes or until wilted. In a small bowl, mix together eggs, milk, salt, mustard and pepper. Mix the egg mixture with the mushrooms. Sprinkle the cheese on the bottom of the pie crust. Pour the egg mixture over the cheese. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden and puffy. Cool before serving.

Marsala Mushroom Beef Tenderloin

2009-11-09T17:41:00.000-08:00

First, I want to announce the El Tacodor winner. Congrats to Dawn from Vanilla Sugar who has won the dinner prize pack! Dawn, please email me your address and My Blogspark/ Old El Paso will ship out your prize.

Now for some good stuff. I just loved making this dinner! It was quick and easy, lower in calories and tasted like something you would get at a restaurant. What else is there to a good dinner? I served it with some roasted potatoes and a green salad. And now I am getting all kinds of favors done from the husband. Hubby, please clean the garage. Hubby, can you empty the dishwasher while I am making tenderloin? Hubby, do you mind scrubbing the toilets while I cook dinner? Okay, I am exaggerating a little but he really was impressed with this dinner.

The great thing is that this dinner was not expensive at all. I bought a whole beef tenderloin from the grocery store when it was on sale for $4.99 per pound. I had the butcher trim it for me and cut it into individual steaks and roasts. I am set for a while. Or at least for my next honeydo list!

Marsala Mushroom Tenderloin

4 (6 ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, cut about 1 1/2 inch thick
1 TBS steak seasoning
10 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 TBS flour
1 TBS butter
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup low sodium beef broth
1 TBS soy sauce ( I used lower sodium)
2 TBS fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Rub the steaks with the seasoning and sprinkle the mushrooms with the flour. Set aside. In a large frying pan, melt the butter and add the oil to the pan. Bring to medium high heat and sear the steaks for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, depending on how rare you like them cooked. Remove steaks from the pan and keep warm. Add mushrooms, reduce heat to medium and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth and soy sauce to the pan. Stir well and cook until mushrooms are tender ans sauce is slightly reduced. Add the parsley and place the steaks back in the pan to warm and pour the sauce over them. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4 servings.

My BlogSpark and El Tacodor Game Night Giveaway!

2009-11-05T11:31:00.000-08:00

Is Taco night a part of your dinner rotation? We just had taco night and it was loads of fun! It is easy to now schedule game night and taco night all in one evening. All you need are Old El Paso® taco fixings and a FREE game-ready El Tacodor Pack which includes instructions, a scorecard and a challenge sheet which you can download at http://www.eltacodor.com/.

My family and I were lucky to receive a whole dinner prize pack from My Blogspark and Old El Paso. The kids enjoyed the tacos and the game. And here are the two kiddos chowing down on tilapia tacos.

You can win a prize pack too! I will be giving away one prize pack courtesy of My BlogSpark and Old EL Paso. This includes information and a link to the El Tacodor game, as well as (2) two coupons to purchase Old El Paso dinner kits and a $10 gift card to purchase any additional meal needs (i.e. meat, cheese, lettuce, etc).

And if that wasn’t exciting enough – you can also enter the Old El Paso El Tacodor Sweepstakes for a chance to win $5,000 just for having fun with your family. Other prizes include monthly giveaways of $300 cash cards, and weekly giveaways of gift certificates for Old El Paso products for the next five months. When you visit El Tacodor you will also find a link to coupons, a calendar to schedule your next taco night, topping choice chart and more!

So what do you need to do to win? Just leave a comment by Sunday 11/ 8 on what your family's favorite type of tacos are. We especially like fish tacos. Even my picky son ate the talapia tacos I made the other night! Make sure you leave me an email address if you do not own a blog. Unfortunately, this can only be mailed to a US address. Good luck everyone! I will be picking a winner on Sunday night and posting it then.

New Winner and Moorestown Iron Cupcake rundown!

2009-11-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

I have not heard from the movie ticket winner and have no email to get in touch with her so unfortunately I have to pick a new winner. The new winner is Barbara Bakes! Congrats Barbara! Please email me your address so I can get your prize packet out.

Now let me tell you about my experience as a cupcake contest judge. Last week I was lucky enough to be a judge in the Iron Cupcake Challenge of Moorestown, NJ. The contest happened to be at the Pop Shop which happens to be my kids favorite place to eat. So lucky me and lucky them!

Kati Angelini is the brainchild behind this fun event. She knows how to organize an event and has her own cupcake business. Here is Kati and her husband dressed for the event.

There were 15 contestants which meant I had to try 15 cupcakes. It was not an easy feat but I was able to get through it. And here are the winning cupcakes:

All of the cupcakes were great and it was hard deciding on a winner. If you live in or near southern NJ, think about entering next time. The next cupcake challenge will be on November 29th at Swanky Bubbles in Cherry Hill, NJ and you can get the details here. Now enjoy looking at these beautiful morsels!

We have a winner and check out some cakes!

2009-10-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

First, I want to announce the winner of the movie prize pack. It is Mom2Be and was picked through random.org. Congrats and please email me your address so I can get your prize mailed out.

Second, let me tell you about the sweet sugary day I had. Last night, my daughter and I made a fondant cake for a 10 year birthday celebration at her middle school today. The fondant figure you see on the cake is her principal. I see a very strong resemblance. This was the first time, I ever tried using fondant and it was so much fun that I will be trying it again. Look at some of the other beautiful cakes that families made. Aren't they great? The school even had some special judges from Carlos Bakery . I tried some cake but kept it to a minimum as I finished my day as a cupcake judge for a local Iron Cupcake event. It was so much fun and I will do a post with pictures later on this week. Now I am all sugared out!

My BlogSpark / General Mills Movie Moment Giveaway!

2009-10-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

Starting in November, you can receive a free movie ticket when you purchase two specially marked packages of General Mills’ Cereals. After purchasing two cereals, visit generalmills.com/moviecash to enter the code found inside each box of cereal and print your free movie certificate good for admission to any movie.

Participating brands include select sizes of: Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Trix and Reese’s Peanut Butter Puffs.

To find a participating theater near you, log onto http://emoviecash.com/dis_locator/

I also have some good news. If you would like to win a “Movie Moment” prize pack that includes 4 e-movie cash certificates ($12 each) and one (1) free coupon for a General Mills cereal, all you have to do is leave me a comment telling me what your favorite movie is. The nice folks at MyBlogSpark and General Mills sent me a "movie moment" pack and we are going to see Where the Wild Things Are this weekend. I will randomly pick one person to also win a prize pack.

Please include your email address if you do not own a blog so I can contact you if you win. You have until Sunday 10/25 to leave a comment as I will be picking a random winner on Sunday night. Sorry but this prize can only be sent to a US address. Good luck everyone!

Margarita Pizza with Ricotta and Prosciutto

2009-10-15T20:26:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a quick post as I am packing to go on a girls weekend. Have you ever made your own pizza? If not, you have to try it. I happened to be browsing through some of my food pictures and found these pizza ones. Now I am hungry. I couldn't resist posting them so here you go. And the great thing is you can put on any topping you like. Below is what I used. No measuring necessary! Just throw it on until it looks good!

Happy weekend! See you all next week when I will have some great giveaways!

Margarita Pizza with Ricotta and Prosciutto

1 (16 ounce) pizza dough (you can buy it or use homemade)

cornmeal for the dough

marinara sauce

fresh mozzarella

ricotta cheese

Prosciutto ham, chopped

fresh chopped basil

kosher salt and crushed red pepper

Preheat pizza stone in oven to 450 degrees. Dust with cornmeal. Toss the dough into a pie shape. Dust pizza peel with corn meal and place dough on top. Cover with desired toppings and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden and crispy.

Marinated Cranberry Beans

2009-10-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

The lazy blogger has returned! I did not mean to go this long without a post but I guess it just happened. But in the meantime I have been attending to another blog for the new job that I have. Take a peek here if you're into fashion. I also want to thank all my wonderful blog readers for ranking my cheese platter. I received third place and won an Ile de France cheese basket. What foodie doesn't want cheese?

Last week, we went to the Collingswood Farmers Market and I found these beautiful looking beans. Pretty! These creamy, slightly nutty beans are great many ways but I decided to make them in a salad. They can be served hot, cold or at room temperature. Once they are cooked, they look similar to a pinto bean. These beans were a great farmers market find. Have you ever had them?

Marinated Cranberry Beans

1 bag of cranberry beans, shelled

1 cloved minced garlic

2 TBS fresh chopped basil

3 TBS chopped pimentos

1 few TBS olive oil

1 to 2 TBS balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Cook the shelled beans in a inch or two of salted water. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until beans are tender. Mix together drained beans, garlic, basil and pimentos. Add olive oil, vinegar, salt and pper to personal taste. Refrigerate overnight and serve at room temperature.

Ain't Too Proud To Beg!

2009-09-28T17:19:00.000-07:00

Readers, I need your help! I am in the Ile de France prettiest cheese platter contest and I am falling behind. If you could just click on this LINK, click on the stars and rank my platter I'd be forever grateful to you. You don't have to sign up or log in to vote. There is one vote per computer only. If I don't get enough votes, I might resort to using my video cam and singing a little cheese chant. You probably don't want to watch that. Thank you for your support!

My family and I went apple picking last week and here is a picture of the kiddos in the orchards. Now, what apple desserts should I make. Any suggestions?

Lovely Zucchini Blossoms

2009-09-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

I was at the farmers market this past weekend and picked up some beautiful zucchini flowers. They are probably the last of the summer so I thought I should get some while I can. I love them stuffed with cheese, batter dipped and sauteed but that is a lot of work. I wanted something easier and quicker to make. So I decided on a zucchini blossom and goat cheese omelette. The flowers make the omelette look beautiful and the goat cheese made everything taste delicious. Even the manly husband didn't mind eating a few flowers!

I didn't make this omelette the traditional way. I actually flipped it over before I stuffed it with goat cheese so that you could see the beautiful blossoms on the outside of the omelette. This would be perfect for a summer brunch.

Zucchini Blossom and Goat Cheese Omelette
3 large eggs
2 TBS milk
salt and pepper to taste
6 zucchini flowers, stems and center removed
1 ounce of goat cheese

Heat a six inch omelette pan on mediium heat and spray with cooking spray. Beat the eggs and milk together and add salt and pepper to your liking. Pour half the mixture in the pan. Split the flowers down the middle and lay 3 on the omelette. Cook until almost set. Flip the omelette over and spread half the cheese on top. Fold the omelette in half and keep warm. Do the same with the remaining ingredients. Makes two omelettes.

Figs, Figs and More Figs!

2009-09-22T16:54:00.000-07:00

One of my neighbors happened to give me two great big bags of figs. Yes, lucky me! They were ripe and right off the tree so I couldn't resist to just eat about five right away. Take a look at these beautiful fruits.

I then decided to make a nice salad with romaine lettuce, sliced figs, crumbled blue cheese and a cranberry vinagrette dressing. I cheated and used Trader Joe's brand but it was a fabulous salad.

Then it was time for dessert. I went with a pear and fig galette. It sounds so complicated but was so easy to make. I just rolled out some pie crust, layed down the filling , tucked the sides over, brushed the dough with egg wash and baked. Here is is half way through the process.

When I say I rolled pie crust, I literally rolled it right out of the Pillsbury box. Sad to admit, but I can't make pie crust. I am sure I have mentioned this cooking weakness before. If anyone would like to give me some pie crust making tips, I will gladly take them. Or you can come to my house and give me pie lessons. I will gladly repay you by making you dinner.

Or I can give you a fig tip. Did you know you can freeze figs? As long as they are not bruised, place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Once they are frozen, store them in plastic freezer bags. Defrost them and they will be ripe and ready to eat. Enjoy!

Pear and Fig Galette

1 premade pie crust (or home made crust)
2 pears, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
8 to 10 figs, sliced
1 egg, beaten
2 TBS turbinado sugar (you can substitute regular sugar if necessary)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Lay the pie crust on the cookie sheet in a large circle. Mix together the pears, sugar and cinnamon. Spread the pears in the middle of the crust leaving a 2 inch border. Top the pears with the figs. Sprinkle the figs with the Turbinado sugar. Fold the sides of the crust over and brush the dough with the egg wash. Bake the galette for 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden and fruit is cooked. Cool slightly before serving.

Roasted Veggie Hoagie/ Sub/ Hero/Grinder

2009-09-18T06:34:00.000-07:00

I love roasted veggies. They are the type of thing you can make once and then use through out the week for different recipes. This past week, I had a roasted veggie omelet, a roasted veggie wrap and my favorite which was this hot roasted veggie hoagie. That's what I call a sandwich that is stuffed and is on a nice Italian roll but you might call it something different. If you can recall, I did a post on different names you can call a sandwich depending on the area you live. What do you call your sandwich?

I roast whatever veggies I have on hand and like to throw in some herbs and spices to make them more flavorful. This time, I had an array of vegetables from the local farmers market and used yellow squash, mushrooms, red peppers and eggplant. Don't forget the garlic! The husband is usually not happy to see this beautiful tray of colors calling my name from the oven. He would much rather open the oven door to see a juicy prime rib roast or some gooey fat chocolate chip cookies. So I can pretty much hog the whole pan to myself.

I had a multitude of cheeses in the fridge so it was a hard decision to decide what kind to put on my hoagie. Yes, if life should be so tough. But I went with Asiago and loved the sharp taste with the sweet carmelized veggies. I am sure any cheese such as Brie, goat cheese, swiss cheese or mozzarella would work. And speaking of cheese I have a little favor to ask of you.

A while back I had posted a picture of a cheese plate I had entered in the Ile de France prettiest platter contest. I was wondering if you could click here and rank my platter if you choose to do so. It is much appreciated and I thank you lots! There is also a link on my side bar. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Roasted Veggie Hoagie

1 medium eggplant, skinned and chopped in 2 inch pieces
1 medium yellow squash, sliced
10 ounces button mushrooms
1 large red pepper, cored and cut into 2 inch pieces
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
handful fresh basil, chopped
2 TBS olive oil
salt and red pepper to taste
3 to 4 hoagie rolls or nice size pieces of Italian bread (I used multi grain)
cheese to your liking (I used Asiago...about a half cup shredded for each hoagie)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl mix all the veggies, garlic, Italian seasoning, basil and drizzle with the olive oil. Mix together well and add salt and red pepper according to your taste. Roast the veggies for 40 to 50 minutes or until they are soft and browned. Split the rolls and fill them with the veggie mixture. Top with cheese and put them back in the oven for a few minutes or until cheese is melted.

Garden State Italian Turkey Chili

2009-09-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

I am so sad that the summer has come to an end. Not only our beach days are over and our swim club is closed, but all the wonderful fruits and vegetables will be disappearing from the farmers market. BOO HOO! One of my favorite parts of summer is all the fresh produce our garden state brings.

I love meals that can be made and reheated at the drop of a dime. With our crazy schedule, some nights dinner time is different for everyone in the house. So chili is a great meal to have in the fridge and I can also make it in big batches to be frozen. Today, as I was looking through the produce draw, I came across a few leftover items from the garden and farmers market. And before I knew it, this Jersey Girl Italian Turkey Chili was born. Leftover tomatoes, squash, fresh basil and eggplant all went in the pot. Some white wine, tomato sauce, fresh basil and garbanzo beans completed the chili to make more than a delicious meal. Even the husband, who is by no means a veggie man, liked it. I made a big batch so now dinner is already ready for another night this week.

I finally got around to using Twitter so if you would like to follow me, click here. It's a really neat thing!

Jersey Girl Italian Turkey Chili

1 TBS olive oil

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 small eggplant, skinned and chopped

1 medium sized yellow or green squash, chopped

3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped

3 cloves crushed garlic

1/2 cup white wine

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

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

1 TBS sugar

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

handful fresh basil, chopped

salt and crushed red pepper to taste

In a dutch oven, heat oil on medium high and brown ground turkey. Add eggplant, squash, tomatoes, and garlic to pan. Reduce heat to medium and stir. Add white wine, beans, sauce sugar, onion powder and italian seasoning. Combine well, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add basil, salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 30 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

Polish Festival and Country Fair

2009-09-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

Every year in September, we look forward to the Little Servant Sisters Polish Festival and Country Fair in Cherry Hill, NJ. Today was a beautiful day where the kids had a great time playing spin the wheel games, looking through the white elephant tables and listening to the Polish polka music.

Of course my favorite was sampling all the Italian and Polish food. I felt like I should try a little of everything. Here is some of the goodies we ate:

Lasagna with meatballs and sausage.

Hand made pierogis. I also bought a dozen to take home. It will make a good night's dinner.

Stuffed cabbage with some good old fashioned root beer in the back ground.

And this unbelievable apple cake that is OH, SO GOOD! I just had a piece and it is filled with apples and so moist. I actually weighed it because I was curious after thinking it felt so heavy. It was FIVE POUNDS, I kid you not!

So if you are ever in south jersey, make a trip to this wonderful festival. It is always held the weekend after Labor day. Until next year.............

Summer's End

2009-09-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

This picture reminds me that the summer has sadly come to an end. The book bags are packed with supplies and the kids are fast asleep dreaming about the first day of school tomorrow. We had a great week at the shore and now it's back to reality. But first let's bring back some of the summer memories.

I am starting a new job on Wednesday and I am looking forward to the fall season. We will be busy with my son's soccer games and cub scout activities. My daughter is starting middle school and that brings on a whole new set of activities. Of course there is plenty of football to watch and I hope to be doing some fall comfort food cooking which includes soups, chili and apple crisp.

Today kicked off Rutgers football and I made a cheese platter to celebrate. I felt like this depicted the end of summer with grapes, figs, apples and flowers. Rutgers didn't fare too well however we finished the platter. I am also entering my picture in the Ile de France prettiest cheese platter picture contest. Happy Fall everyone!

Meeting The Cake Boss!

2009-09-03T20:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry for being a posting slacker. I am on vacation at the Jersey shore and have had limited computer time. This is a good thing as we have been having fun on the beach, crabbing, fishing and going to the zoo. And of course we all have had our share of good food.

Last week, before our vacation, I decided to take my kids on a foodie field trip. We were visiting my mom and brother in north Jersey so we also went to Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken. This is home of The Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro. My kids were thrilled and we were able to meet Buddy who was very nice. Take a peek.............

I did bring home some goodies so the husband was very happy and I made some new friends in my neighborhood. The pastries were the best and I have no complaints about the cupcakes or cookies either. I do have a complaint that someone must've snuck into my house and shrunk my jeans or I just ate too many pastries. Oh well, diet next week! That must mean that you will see some low fat recipes loaded with fruits and veggies. Have a great holiday weekend!

Curried Turkey Salad

2009-08-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

Oh, this turkey salad is good! Last week I was cleaning out my freezer and roasted an 8 pound turkey breast. I followed my blogging friend, Stacey's instructions. It came out so good...moist and full of flavor from the herbs. Even my husband, who really isn't a white meat lover, liked it. He declared it the best turkey breast he's ever had. Take a peek of it coming out of the oven.

After having 2 dinners of roast turkey, there was still a considerable amount left. And then I came upon this post in Baking with Dynamite. A light bulb went off. Thank you Adam! He used chicken, I used turkey and I was out of sour cream so I added a few spoons of light mayo. I don't like my salads to be drowned but used just enough to moisten the turkey. I served it on a bed of romaine and my lunch was complete.

Save Your Joints Curry Chicken Salad by Dr Adam

3-4 cooked chicken breasts, pulled or chopped into small pieces (I used turkey)

1 1/2 cups grapes, quartered or chopped finely

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 carrot, chopped finely

1 medium onion, sliced and chopped finely

3/4 cup low fat sour cream (I used a couple of TBS light mayo)

1 Tbs curry powder, or to taste

1 tsp lemon juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

The steps to this recipe are so easy it doesn't need to really be laid out. In a large bowl, place the chicken, grapes, almonds, carrot and onion. Add the sour cream, and mix well, until all the solids are covered over. Add the curry powder, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Mix until well combined, and place in the fridge for the flavors to meld a little. This dish works great, and can be eaten for busy people over the next few days. I like to portion it and "grab and go" on the way to work.

Pineapple Zucchini Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-08-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

In my blog reading this past week, I kept coming across this delicious zucchini sheet cake. The original recipe is posted on Tasty Kitchen. After the fourth time of drooling over it, I decided to make it. This cake is great for a party or crowd as it makes a large cake. And it is surprisingly low in fat compared to most other sheet cakes. It uses low fat cream cheese for the frosting and only 3 tablespoons of oil in the cake. Don't get me wrong. After eating three pieces, I won't call it diet food. But if you only have a small piece, it can be a sensible dessert. I substituted half carrots and half zucchini and it was delicious. The leftovers went to my husbands work this morning.

Pineapple Zucchini Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup All-purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (can Use All White Flour If You Don't Have This)
1-¼ cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Sweetened Flaked Coconut
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
Freshly Grated Nutmeg, To Taste (1/4 To 1/2 Tsp?), Optional
1 Pinch Ginger (about 1/16 Tsp Or So), Optional
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
2 whole Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Cups Grated (unpeeled) Zucchini (*see Note)
1 (20 Oz.) Can Crushed Pineapple In Juice, Drained (reserve In Case You Need It For The Cake Batter Or The Frosting)

FROSTING
2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
8 Ounces Low-fat Cream Cheese, Softened (can Use Full-fat Cream Cheese)
2 Cups Powdered Sugar, Approx.
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Splash Of Milk Or Pineapple Juice, If Necessary
Chopped Walnuts Or Pecans (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.
Combine oil, eggs, and vanilla; stir well. Stir egg mixture, grated zucchini, and pineapple into flour mixture. Batter will be stiff and dry but keep folding it and it will all come together. If it still seems too dry, just add a little splash of the pineapple juice.
Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for about 33-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs and cake is pulling away from sides of pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare frosting, combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla just until smooth. Add a splash of milk or pineapple juice if necessary. Spread frosting over top of cake. You can garnish with chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired.
NOTES : If your zucchini are huge, scrape the seeds out of the center before you shred it so it’s not too watery. Also, I spread it all out on layers of paper towel to drain it and dry it off a bit. Then I measure out 2 cups. Not sure if this is critical though. Nuts can also be added to the cake batter if desired. This recipe makes a very generous amount of frosting.
And this recipe can be turned into a Carrot Cake just by substituting shredded carrots for the zucchini.