K&K Test Kitchen

Rosée Baked Eggs and a Maison Le Grand Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:53:00 +0000

I was recently contacted to try out Maison Le Grand's newly launched line of Rosée Sauces.

Maison Le Grand is a family-owned company that makes fresh, delicious cold-pressed sauces and pestos. Their products are delicious, with minimal processing and all-natural ingredients. In fact, the ingredient lists are impressive.

The new rosée sauces are dairy-free, gluten-free, and preservative-free! I typically make my own sauces, because then I know exactly what is in them. But Maison Le Grand makes life easy, by making sauces that you can feel good about eating!

Maison Le Grand provided me with these lovely sauces and I knew that I was most excited to try the Spicy Rosée. There are two other flavours - Classic and Rustic - but I love spicy sauces! (This is not a sponsored post though I was provided with the products. All opinions are my own. I would not post about a product that I did not believe in 100%.)

I used the Spicy Rosée to make baked eggs. It is barely a recipe, but it is so delicious! These baked eggs make a super easy, but elegant brunch dish. I particularly love the spiciness of the rosée sauce paired with the egg and you can throw these together in no time, because the sauce is so flavourful and doesn't need any extra seasoning.

Rosée Baked Eggs

Per Serving

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Maison Le Grand Spicy Rosée Sauce
1 egg
1 teaspoon Maison Le Grand Classic Pesto

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Pour 1/3 cup Spicy Rosée Sauce into a small oven-proof ramekin. Gently crack an egg on top, then top the egg with the remaining tablespoon of sauce and a teaspoon of pesto. Swirl gently. Place the ramekin on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until egg whites are just opaque. Yolks should still be soft. Serve with pesto topped toast!

Contest

Because I love these new sauces from Maison Le Grand so much, we are giving you a chance to win a package with all of the new rosee sauces and the whole line of pestos (a $50 value)! This is unfortunately only open to our readers from Ontario and Quebec, so my apologies to our friends who live elsewhere.

You can currently purchase the products in:
Quebec: IGA (Sobey’s) // Loblaws // Maxi // Metro // Super C // Provigo Grocery and independant supermarket such as: Adonis, Fromagerie Atwater, Jardin de la Seigneurie, Le Marché Végétarien, P.A, Valmont et plusieurs autres.

Ontario: Highland Farms // Independent (YIG) Your Independent Grocer // Loblaws // Pusateri’s // Valumart // Whole Foods Market // Zehrs

Visit www.maisonlegrand.com, then leave a comment below telling me which product you would most like to try. Then use the rafflecopter to enter the Maison Le Grand contest below! The contest ends June 5, 2013.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Strawberry Pineapple Sangria

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:46:00 +0000

Just in time for the long weekend, here is a lovely, fruity drink to enjoy while sitting on the patio with friends! This sangria is delicious! I love sangria because it is easy to make, yet is quite impressive, and since you make it ahead of time, you can enjoy your company, rather than spend time mixing up drinks. This version makes use of in-season strawberries and pineapple too!

Do you have plans for the long weekend? It's Victoria Day weekend in Canada, so we get to celebrate the unofficial start of summer a week earlier than our American friends.

My parents are driving up from Virginia to visit this weekend, and hopefully, we will have a chance to enjoy some beautiful weather and the sights around Ottawa!

Strawberry Pineapple Sangria

Adapted from My Life as a Mrs.

750 ml bottle of semi dry white wine (look for something described as fruity or citrusy)
1 1/2 cup pineapple juice
3/4 cup silver rum
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup simple syrup
1 cup diced pineapple
1 cup diced strawberries
3-4 sprigs mint, gently squeezed with hands to release the oils

Stir together the liquid ingredients, then add fruit. Allow the sangria to sit for a few hours before serving. Add the mint just before serving.

Halibut with Citrusy Tomatoes and Capers

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:32:00 +0000

I initially didn't really like this halibut. But, then I had it for leftovers, which I rarely do with fish, and it was way better. I'm not sure how to remedy that, but perhaps you could finish cooking the halibut in the sauce? Let me know if you try that!

The great thing about this dish is that it is super quick. This was supposed to be a nice date night meal, but my date had an emergency, so I ended up cooking this up quickly and heading out to a pub to watch a hockey game. I served the halibut with some quinoa and broccoli, and the whole thing took under 30 minutes to prepare! In the end, my date got some leftovers too, and he also loved it.

Halibut with Citrusy Tomatoes and Capers

From Real Simple

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons capers
kosher salt and black pepper
4 6-ounce pieces skinless halibut fillet or some other firm-fleshed white fish

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes, orange juice, parsley, capers, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and simmer until the tomatoes begin to break down, 4 to 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Season the fish with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Serve with the tomatoes.

Black Bean Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:44:00 +0000

Happy Friday! You deserve a little treat to celebrate. And what is better than a treat that tastes decadent and delicious, but is actually not terrible for you? These black bean brownies fit the bill. They are full of chocolatey flavour and so moist. You will love them and not even wonder why there are black beans in your brownies.

Hope everyone has a fun, fabulous, and healthy weekend. Sneak in a few treats and enjoy the sunshine! (Or in my case, I will be enjoying the rain I guess).

Black Bean Brownies

From The Best of Clean Eating

1 ounce dark organic chocolate (70% cocoa or greater)
1 1/2 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
2 eggs
1 egg white
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 heaped cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup raw organic honey
1/2 cup chopped unsalted walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with olive oil cooking spray (or line with parchment).

Melt dark chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat with one tablespoon water mixed in.

Combine melted chocolate, beans, eggs, egg white, oil, cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla, applesauce and honey in a food processor. Process until smooth. Stir in walnuts and pour mixture into the baking dish.

Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes.

Thai Kale Salad with Peanut Lime Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:51:00 +0000

What do you do when you've gotten off track with your eating habits? Or when you've had an over-indulgent weekend?

Well, my body told me what to do after a weekend full of fun -- Kentucky Derby, a wedding, and Cinco de Mayo -- and my body told me to eat vegetables. As many vegetables as possible.

Then inspiration hit me and I decided to make a salad, with a dressing so delightful that I would definitely be satisfied. It has also been helpful to have the Tone It Up community keeping me inspired and helping me hold myself accountable. TIU (and Chris Powell Bode) has also inspired me in the kitchen, as I've had to get creative to think up fun and delicious ways to feed my body the good stuff - lean protein and tons of veggies.

And then there is this salad, which is full of crunchy vegetables and bright colors. It looks like a party in a bowl and tastes like a party in your mouth. The dressing is one of my favorites as well. It makes anything taste better.

Thai Kale Salad with Peanut Lime Dressing

1 head kale, washed and cut into thin strips
1 medium beet, peeled and grated
1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
2/3 yellow bell pepper, slivered
2 mini cucumbers, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts
2 tablespoons toasted coconut flakes

Dressing:
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Bragg's amino acids
Squeeze of half a lime
1/2 teaspoon honey

Prepare the dressing first. Microwave the peanut butter for about 15-20 seconds. Whisk in the rest of the dressing ingredients (feel free to adjust the amount of honey / lime juice to your preference). Pour half the dressing on the kale and massage with your hands. Let the kale sit for 10 minutes, then add the rest of the vegetables and dressing. Sprinkle peanuts and coconut on each serving.

I served this with baked chicken breast (bake for 15 minutes per side at 375°F).

Chicken Quinoa Meatballs

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Thu, 02 May 2013 14:49:00 +0000

When I was in San Francisco, my friend had a container of the most addictive meatballs in her fridge. So addictive that we polished them off and I had to trek over to Whole Foods to get us some more. I took down the ingredients in my iPhone's notepad and vowed to try to make the meatballs myself when I got back to Ottawa, since we don't have a Whole Foods here. (Dear WH execs, please put one in Ottawa, thanks! Oh yea, Trader Joe's, you should come here too.)

Anyways, these delicious chicken quinoa meatballs are so simple and full of fresh, wholesome ingredients! You will not feel one bit of guilt in eating these!

And these are perfect for my new Tone It Up lifestyle. In the past week, I've jumped on the TIU bandwagon for the 3rd annual Bikini Series, and it has been an incredible ride so far.

Tone It Up was started by two amazing trainers and nutritionists, Karena and Katrina. These girls are best friends, and seriously, take one look at them and you'd be inspired to listen to every word they had to say to help you work on your bikini body!! Their program is all about eating lean, clean and green and being strong, fit women. They have some great workout DVDs and post tons of workouts and YouTube videos on their blog. There is also a TIU nutrition plan (in regular, vegetarian, gluten-free, and pescatarian), that I haven't yet purchased (it is a lifetime membership for $150), but I am considering it, because from everything I have heard, it is totally worth it. For now, I am sticking with my Chris Powell Bode transformation plan, which is similar in that it focuses on eating 5 small meals during the day that are full of lean protein and lots of veggies, with a limited intake of complex carbs.

My favorite part of TIU though is that Karena and Katrina (the other K&K) created a community for women to support each other as they work toward living a healthy and fit life. And this community is awe inspiring! I've already become friends with so many incredible women, who are so supportive of each other. And some of my friends have joined me in the Bikini Series too! It is so fun to check-in with each other and help each other stay on track. It has been a fun journey so far and I can't wait to rock my bikini body this summer! You can follow along on my Instagram account or join the Bikini Series yourself!! And continue to check back for recipes as I work on eating clean.

Chicken Quinoa Meatballs

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast - (or 1 lb. lean ground chicken)
3/4 cup cooked quinoa
3/4 cup grated carrot
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 small yellow onion, minced
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs (or panko + 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
2 tablespoons skim milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

I recommend grinding the chicken breast yourself. I did this in a food processor. The texture is better and frankly, sometimes ground meat scares me.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a wire rack in the bottom of a jelly roll (rimmed) baking sheet). Spray the rack with cooking spray.

Mix together all of the ingredients so that they are well combined and so that quinoa and carrots are evenly distributed throughout.

Roll the mixture into balls (you can decide how big to make them, but the cooking time listed is for balls about 1-1/2 inches in diameter). Place the balls onto the wire rack.

Bake for 25-30 minutes (or until juice runs clear).

Makes 16-20 meatballs (depending on size).

Healthier Baked Oatmeal

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

It is that time of the month again. It is Secret Recipe Club reveal day! Every month, the bloggers in the Secret Recipe Club, are assigned the blog of one of the other members to explore. After browsing our match's site secretly, we each pick a recipe, make it, photograph it, and share it with you on reveal day.

This month, I was assigned Making Miracles, a blog written by Rebekah, to share both her journey as a surrogate and her love of cooking. I have to admit that I didn't know much about surrogacy, but if you are ever curious, Rebekah shares her experiences, the highs, lows, and everything you'd ever want to know. She also has a blog packed with tons, and I mean tons, of delicious recipes! I know that I say this every month, but again it was difficult to choose just one!

In the end, I decided to make baked oatmeal. It is something that I have wanted to make for a long time, because I've always been drawn to its convenience and my idea that it must taste like a big oatmeal cookie. Now, who wouldn't want that for breakfast! I've also recently joined the Tone It Up community, and I kept seeing baked oatmeal pop up in my Instagram feed. I will tell you more about my TIU journey/plans tomorrow or Wednesday, but in the meantime, I will just say that because of TIU, I had to at least attempt to make Rebekah's Baked Oatmeal a tiny bit healthier. So there is a bit of extra protein in there and coconut oil instead of butter. You can also feel free to add in your own treats - nuts, coconut, fresh or dried fruit - there are tons of options!

Oh and the verdict, this definitely tastes like oatmeal cookies for breakfast. It is a winner!

Healthier Baked Oatmeal

Adapted from Making Miracles

3 cups oatmeal
½ cup brown sugar (I might cut this down to 1/3 or even 1/4 cup next time, as I prefer mine less sweet)
½ cup coconut oil (melted)
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (optional, my scoop is 30 grams)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups skim milk (almond, coconut, or soy would work too)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped raw pecans (optional)
1/4 cup toasted coconut (optional)
2 tablespoons ground flax seed (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Mix all of the ingredients together, stirring well until completely combined. The mixture will be quite "soupy."

Pour the batter into a greased casserole dish (mine was round, 8 inches across).

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the center is set.

Buffalo Chicken Flatbread Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:53:00 +0000

If you love Buffalo chicken anything as much as I do, you may want to go make these flatbread pizzas immediately. I don't know why I never thought to put Buffalo chicken with cheese, but I'm glad that I finally did it. These pizzas are spicy and full of gooey melted cheese.

Find someone to share these with, because the pizza is quite addictive and you may find yourself caving to your cravings for another 3 slices. I can't think of anyone who might do that. (Me. The answer is me. Oops!)

Okay, I promised a life update and to be honest, there is a too much to tell you. This week has been crazy busy, but I will have time to sit down this weekend and write a full post.

I'm also going to do an update to the K&K Test Kitchen Facebook page this weekend too, so stay tuned for that! Please hold me accountable. Someone tweet me or comment here or on Facebook if the page still looks the same Monday. Call me out. Okay, thanks. Haha.

Buffalo Chicken Flatbreads

Adapted slightly from Simply Scratch

2/3 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Naan flatbreads
1 cup skim mozzerella cheese
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
2 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled
Green onions or cilantro, to top the pizza

In a small sauce pan, over low heat, combine the Frank's, butter, salt and pepper. Whisk until butter is melted.

Preheat your oven to 425°F and lightly spray a rimmed aluminum baking sheet with cooking spray.

Place the two naan flatbreads on the sheet pan and then spoon on desired amount of buffalo sauce on to both (this is your "sauce"). Then top each with shredded cooked chicken, shredded Mozzerella cheese and sprinkle with the crumbled blue cheese. Drizzle a little bit more of the buffalo sauce and save the rest for a different recipe.

Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the naan is crispy and the cheese is melted and slightly golden brown in spots.

Remove, let cool before slicing and then top with sliced green onions.

Sweet Potato Burgers with Sriracha Yogurt Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:35:00 +0000

I love these sweet potato burgers. Even more, I love Greek yogurt mixed with Sriracha. I could dip anything in that sauce. The combination of the burgers and the Sriracha yogurt sauce is something close to taste bud heaven. These "burgers" make a satisfying meatless meal and while a bit time consuming to make, the effort is definitely worth it in the end!

I'm going to do a proper life update post for Thursday this week, with another tasty recipe, but suffice it to say that I have been b-u-s-y! This weekend was the first time in a long time that I actually had time to cook (and that was because I was procrastinating from studying for my French oral exam). The weekend ahead will also include some good cooking and relaxation, but then chaos will take over again. How do you stay on track, eating right and cooking at home, when you are busy??

Sweet Potato Burgers with Sriracha Yogurt Sauce

Adapted from Will Cook for Friends
Makes 8-10 burgers

2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs.), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup black beans, drained*
1 cup sweet corn*
3/4 cup quinoa, cooked
1/2 cup rolled oats
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin chili powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha (more or less to your taste)
1/3 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt

Avocado

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Cube the sweet potatoes, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the sweet potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes, turning once or twice during cooking.

While the sweet potatoes roast, cook the quinoa. (I made 1 cup dry quinoa, and saved the rest.) Add the quinoa to a small pot over medium heat, and let it toast for a minute or two. Add double the amount of water, bring to a simmer, and cover. Let cook 12-13 minutes, turn off the heat, and let it sit without removing the lid for another 5 minutes.

Add the oats to the bowl of your food processor and pulse until it looks like very coarse flour.

In a large bowl, combine about 2/3rds of the beans and 2/3rds of the sweet potato. Mash with a potato masher until slightly chunky and not quite smooth. Add in the rest of the beans, sweet potato, corn, cooked quinoa, oatmeal flour, and the seasonings. Give it another mash or two, keeping some of the texture.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of oil. Form about 1/2 cup of the mixture into a tight ball, then press it between your hands into a patty. Place patties in the hot skillet and cook 4-5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate in the oven to keep warm, and repeat with the rest of the mixture. Add oil and adjust the heat on the pan as needed.

Mix together Greek yogurt and Sriracha, serve over the sweet potato burgers with avocado slices!

*Save the leftover black beans, corn, and quinoa to make a mini-version of this salad!

Apricot Breakfast Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 22:04:00 +0000

You absolutely have to make these breakfast bars. Go to the store right now. Buy a bunch of bananas. Let them sit on your counter until they are starting to brown. Don't touch them or eat them until then, trust me, it will be worth it!

Breakfast and snacks are tough. We are often in a rush or on the go, and making healthier choices can fall by the wayside. These bars are a little step in the right direction though! They are packed with oats and nuts, and studded with sweet apricots and coconut. A little bit of coconut oil and bananas keep these bars moist. You'll want to pack one of these for a workday snack or maybe throw some in your carry-on bag for travel!

Apricot Breakfast Bars

3 cups gluten free rolled oats
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups chopped dried apricots
5 large ripe bananas
1/4 cup coconut oil (and a little extra for greasing the pan)
1/3 cup grade A maple syrup
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with coconut oil.

In a large mixing bowl combine oats, nuts, apricots, and sea salt.

In a medium mixing bowl mash bananas (use forks or a potato masher). Add coconut oil and maple syrup to the mashed bananas and stir well to combine. Pour banana mixture into bowl with oats and stir until fully mixed.

Fill pan with oat mixture and use a spatula (or the backside of a large spoon) to press mixture firmly into pan.

Bake for 35 minutes (more or less depending on your oven) until bars are lightly browned on the top. Let cool and then slice into bars.

via A House in the Hills

Paprika Beef Stew

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 02:24:00 +0000

Well, it is finally supposed to be nice here in Ottawa today, so it feels a bit strange to be giving you a decidedly wintry recipe today. But at least I am posting! You may have noticed a lack of posts around here lately. I apologize for that and hope to make it up to you with lots of tasty treats in the coming weeks!

This recipe was originally named Goulash, but I am calling it Paprika Beef Stew, because after making it, I can confidently say that it isn't goulash. Now, I realize that there are a lot of different interpretations of what goulash is or isn't. Growing up my mom made us "goulash" that was ground beef and zucchini in a tomato based sauce. That is the American version. This recipe is closer to the Eastern European version, but it still isn't what I remembered from my trip to Prague. Of course this stew is delicious, I just don't want to confuse people who may be looking for something a bit more traditional.

Give yourself a lot of time to make this and read through the directions fully before doing so!

Paprika Beef Stew

Via the Kitchn

2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck (preferably chuck-eye roast or chuck tender)
4 thick-cut slices bacon, roughly chopped
Neutral cooking oil, such as canola or safflower
2 yellow onions, sliced into thin half moons
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons caraway seeds (optional)
3 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
1/2 cup dry red wine, such as Chianti or Zinfandel
3 1/2 cups good-quality beef stock
2 red bell peppers, sliced lengthwise into thin strips
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces egg noodles, cooked according package directions
Sour cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Cut beef into 1-inch cubes. (You can place the meat in the freezer for thirty to forty minutes to make make it easier to cut. Just allow it to come to room temperature before cooking.) Thoroughly pat dry with paper towels and season generously with kosher salt and pepper.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and fry until crisp and golden, about 7-9 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the remaining fat in the pot, and set aside.

Add 1/3 of the beef cubes to the bacon fat (do not stir or disturb the meat) and cook until the bottoms are seared and deep golden brown (almost black), about 3-5 minutes. Turn beef and continue cooking until remaining sides are browned, another 3-5 minutes. Remove the beef to a separate bowl.

Allow the fat in the pan to reheat for a minute or so (and to cook out any residual meat juices before continuing. Add the next 1/3 of beef and a glug or two of oil if the pot seems dry. Repeat the searing process until all the meat is browned and set the bowl aside.

Lower the heat to medium and add a couple tablespoons oil. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and caraway seeds and sauté for another minute or so. Stir in the paprika, tomato paste, and marjoram until combined.

Pour in the wine and increase heat to high. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to remove any leftover browned bits. Add stocks, browned beef, and reserved bacon to the pot and bring mixture to a boil. Cover and transfer to oven. Cook for 1 hour, then stir in the bell peppers. Return to the oven and continue cooking until the meat is quite tender, another 45 minutes to an hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle over cooked egg noodles, and serve with a big dollop of sour cream and a sprig of fresh dill. This recipe is even better made a day or two in advance. Just reheat in the same Dutch oven over medium-low to medium until warmed through.

Spice Cake with Bourbon Buttercream

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:42:00 +0000

It was recently my birthday!! And I made myself a cake. Yep. A delicious, fancy layer cake.

Growing up, both my cousin Crystal and I really liked spice cake, and since our birthdays are only a week apart, we often had a shared celebration with our family. Spice cake was usually our birthday cake of choice.

When I decided to make myself a true layer cake this year to celebrate my 27 years, I thought back to all those delicious cakes of my youth. Of course, as a 27 year old, I decided that I should make this a grown-up version and that is why this cake has bourbon buttercream frosting. (We all know about my love of bourbon.)

As I celebrate this year, not only am I thankful for this delicious cake, but I am so thankful for my amazing, loving family and all of my wonderful friends! I recently had a bit of a personal self-realization and I am working on changing my life for the better. For that, I can't wait to see what lies ahead. This year is going to be a really good one and I am looking forward to sharing it with everyone!

Spice Cake

From Dinner with Julie

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups milk, room temperature

It is important to make sure that your eggs, butter, and milk are at room temperature in order to have a fluffy and moist cake. You can put your eggs in a bowl of warm water for about 5-10 minutes before using them. I zapped my milk for about 20 seconds in the microwave before using it (it doesn't need to be hot, just not cold). If you forget to take the butter out of the refrigerator, cut it into small pieces (1 inch cubes works), and microwave for 10-15 seconds until softened, but not melted!!

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or spray two 8” or 9” round cake pans.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. In a larger bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for about half a minute, until it’s pale and creamy. Pour in the sugar and continue to beat for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl whenever it needs it. It may look separated – it’s OK.

Stir the vanilla into the milk. Add about a third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir it in by hand or with the electric mixer on low speed, just until it’s combined. Add about half the milk in the same manner, then another third of the flour, the rest of the milk, and the rest of the flour, mixing just until the batter is blended.

Divide the batter between the pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cakes are golden and their tops are springy to the touch. Cool completely before frosting.

Bourbon Buttercream Frosting

From Butter Me Up Brooklyn

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 cups (600 grams) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon good quality bourbon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl.

Beat butter in your biggest bowl until light and creamy, or about two minutes. Add the sifted powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the bourbon, vanilla and salt and beat until smooth and spreadable, or about one minute more.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Kalamata Olive Bruschetta (3-ways)

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:18:00 +0000

Okay, I've been slacking. I know that I'm on vacation, but it's kind of unacceptable how little I have been posting lately. So, to make it up to you, today, I have not one, but three recipes! We start with the base recipe: sun-dried tomato and kalamata olive bruschetta. The bruschetta can be served with bread as an appetizer, or it can be stuffed into chicken or mixed into a crunchy vegetable salad. You could also eat it with a spoon. The options are endless with this delicious mixture. I also tossed some roasted cauliflower with some of the bruschetta as well, and that was quite tasty too. Of course, in the recipes that you see below for the chicken and salad, you don't need the full recipe for the bruschetta. (The bruschetta kept well for a few days.)

Hope you are all enjoying the first part of April! My goal for the month is to get back on track with the blog.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Kalamata Olive Bruschetta

Adapted from Garnish with Lemon

1 loaf French bread
4 oz. Crumbled Feta cheese
3 garlic cloves
4 ounces Kalamata olives coarsely chopped
1- 7 ounce jar julienned sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (mostly drained)
10 basil leaves chopped

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Slice the bread into ½ inch slices and toast in oven until lightly browned (about 9 minutes). Rub the bread with one of the garlic cloves after you remove it from the oven. Can be made two days ahead, put in air tight container once it has cooled.

Put remaining garlic cloves, olives and sun-dried tomatoes in bowl of food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped but not pureed. Slice basil in ribbons and stir into tapenade.

Top each baguette slice with a heaping teaspoon of tapenade, then sprinkle some crumbled feta on top and more basil.

Chicken Stuffed with Sun-Dried Tomato and Kalamata Olive Bruschetta

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato and kalamata olive bruschetta (see above)
1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Slice a horizontal pocket into each chicken breast (through the thick part). Do not slice all the way through the breast.

Mix together the bruschetta and the feta. Spoon half of the mixture into each breast. Use a toothpick to secure the opening. Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Bruschetta Greek Salad

3 mini-Cucumbers (or 2/3 English cucumber), sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 avocado, diced
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato and kalamata olive bruschetta (see above)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Mix together the vegetables. Stir in bruschetta, drizzle with red wine vinegar and olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Add the feta cheese just before serving.

Blackberry Basil Lemonade

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:45:00 +0000

It's Friday! And it is a holiday weekend and a long weekend for many! And I'm jetting off to California today! I say we celebrate with a tasty, summery cocktail.

This was born out of a desire to do a cocktail post, but also out of laziness. You see, I didn't really feel like going back to the store, because I had just been there, so I looked in my fridge to see what I could find. I had a carton of blackberries that I bought to eat with yogurt; I had basil that I bought for Remy's Ratatouille; and I had a random carton of lemonade. Blackberry Basil Lemonade was born.

This drink is delightful, let me tell you! It is so refreshing. It has sweetness from the berries, herbal notes from the basil, and tartness from the lemonade. The drink also turns a gorgeous, spring shade of pastel pink-purple as the juices from the berries are released. Of course, you can keep this family friendly or you can add a splash of vodka for a grown-up version.

Blackberry Basil Lemonade

Non-alcoholic version

1 container high quality lemonade
2 cups blackberries
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
8 basil leaves, roughly torn

In the bottom of a jug, muddle blackberries, lime juice, sugar, and basil until blackberries are smashed. Fill the jug half way with ice, then pour in the lemonade.

OR per cocktail

6-8 blackberries
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 basil leaves, roughly torn
1.5 ounces vodka
1/2 cup lemonade
Ice

In the bottom of a glass, muddle blackberries, lime juice, sugar, and basil until blackberries are smashed. Fill the glass half way with ice, then add the vodka and lemonade.

SRC: Remy's Ratatouille

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

It is Secret Recipe Club reveal day! Secret Recipe Club is a really fun way to explore new blogs. Each month, the participants are assigned someone else's blog to secretly stalk and on reveal day, we share our recipes and are finally allowed to tell our new friend how much we love their blog.

This month, I was assigned Finding Joy in My Kitchen, a blog written by a lovely lady who goes by the pseudonym "SnoWhite." She and her now husband learned to cook wholesome, budget-friendly meals as students, in part as a way to manage her food allergy, and SnoWhite now uses her blog as a way to document her adventures in the kitchen. She does meal plans (something I really, really need to get better at) and is quite prolific, with tons of easy, delicious recipes to choose from!

In the end, I decided to make Remy's Ratatouille (named of course after the star of Pixar's movie). In part, I picked it because it looked so cool. The other reason I chose this recipe was that over the past month, I've seen a bunch of takes on ratatouille and I have been dying to make a version myself. The dish turned out beautifully and of course, it was delicious too! This would make a great side dish at a dinner party. The only thing that I would change is the eggplant. You will see below that I have added instructions to salt the eggplant and let it sit for a bit before assembling the casserole. I find that helps reduce the bitterness that sometimes comes from roasting eggplant. Otherwise, this is definitely a dish that I will make again!

Remy's Ratatouille

Adapted from Finding Joy in My Kitchen (originally adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

1 medium eggplant
1 medium bell pepper
1 large tomato
1 medium zucchini
1 medium summer squash
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons red wine (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil

Begin by slicing your eggplant, bell pepper, tomato, zucchini and summer squash into very thin slices. This would be easiest with a mandolin cutter.

Lay the eggplant on some paper towels and sprinkle it with salt. Cover with more paper towels and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. (This will ensure the eggplant isn't bitter).

In a large oval baking dish (approximately 10 inches in length), pour 1 tsp. olive oil, minced garlic, tomato sauce and wine. Stir together and spread over the base of the dish.

Layer the veggies in the dish. To do so, pick a location along the outside edge of the dish to start, and layer the zucchini, tomato, eggplant, bell pepper, summer squash (I used extra peppers in place of the squash). Repeat layers until you have the entire dish filled around. Then, fill in the center of the dish. Drizzle the remaining olive oil on top, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano.

Cover the dish – using a cookie sheet, parchment paper or foil. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. If you use foil or parchment paper, do not tightly seal the dish, you want the steam to escape.

Remove the dish from the oven and shred some Parmesan cheese over the top of the veggies. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted.

Serve as a side or with rice or quinoa as a main.

Blood Orange Pound Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:54:00 +0000

Blood oranges are magical. Orange on the outside, vibrant purples, oranges, reds, and pinks on the inside. I am a huge fan.

This cake is slightly sweet with subtle notes of fragrant orange and warm spicy cardamom and cinnamon. The glaze is an absolute treat. Sweet and tart at the same time, and a pretty shade of pink. It would make a lovely addition to a spring brunch, for Easter or a girl's baby shower.

Blood Orange Pound Cake

Adapted from Healthy, Delicious

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
2 blood oranges, zested and juiced (should be approximately 4 tablespoons juice)
3/4 cup plain, 2% Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons blood orange juice

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Using a mixer to cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and zest until mixture is pale and fluffy. You want to incorporate lots of air into the batter here.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. In a third bowl, combine the orange juice, Greek yogurt, and vanilla.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and mix gently, folding the dry ingredients into the egg mixture — just enough to combine without over-mixing. Add the wet ingredients and fold them in gently. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients.

Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely, then whisk together the glaze. Pour the glaze over the cake, let set for 10 minutes before slicing and serving the cake.

Beef Stroganoff

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Wow, it seems like forever since I have posted a recipe for K&K. Kelsey has been bearing the load of the blog and the cooking. With a compressed NHL season, I find that we are either busy with games or Tim is not home to eat so I skip cooking. Finally last week, Tim was home, the weather was cold and I was looking to make a winter comfort food meal as it was a rare cold day in Arlington! One of my favorite winter meals is Beef Stroganoff and I was excited that I had all the ingredients on hand. The only problem is my favorite recipe is in a cookbook in storage in Washington state. So I choose a new and lighter recipe from allrecipes.com and into the kitchen I went.

When I make beef stroganoff I always use sirloin steak to insure the tenderness that I like! I know that ups the cost but to me, any toughness to the meat ruins the meal and it often saves on cooking time. The reviews from allrecipes.com gave the recipe almost the full 5 star rating. Although it was pretty good when I did a taste test, I decided it was lacking something so add added more dry mustard and veal demi grace from Williams Sonoma. The final product was delicious, tender, and a five stars home cooked meal.

Beef Stroganoff III

By: Donna from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

2 pounds beef sirloin steak
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 ounces butter

1 medium onion, chopped
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed beef broth
1 teaspoon prepared mustard

8 ozs fresh sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup white wine

1 or 2 tablespoons of veal demi grace (I use William Sonoma's)
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Yolk-less egg noodles -cook according to direction on package while stroganoff cooking!

Directions

1. Remove any fat from the sirloin steak and cut into strips 1/2 inch thick by 2 inches long. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of both salt and pepper.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and brown the beef strips quickly, then push the beef strips off to one side. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook slowly for 3 to 5 minutes, then push to the side with the beef strips.

3. Stir the flour into the juices on the empty side of the pan. Pour in beef broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and stir in mustard and veal demi grace. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is tender.

4. Five minutes before serving, stir in the sour cream and white wine. Heat briefly then salt and pepper to taste. Serve on top of egg noodles.

Funfetti Rice Krispie Treats

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:35:00 +0000

Okay, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, I'm giving you a taste of the rainbow! What are your St. Patrick's Day plans? How about you make up a quick and tasty treat for your family and friends?

I made this extremely addicting version of Rice Krispie Treats for my friend Annie's birthday last week. I wanted something easy (was making them after barre class at 9 pm) and portable (was taking the treats to the bar with me after work). Well, these definitely fit the bill and based on the fact that they disappeared in a flash, I would say that the treats were also a crowd pleaser. These treats seriously taste like funfetti cake and make for a really fun twist on the traditional recipe. The addition of the cake mix is kind of a genius trick, in my books, and now that I have so much leftover cake mix, I will probably have to make these again soon!

Funfetti Rice Krispie Treats

From Gimme Some Oven (originally from How Sweet It Is)

1/4 cup salted butter
1 (10 ounce) bag of mini marshmallows
5 cups Rice Krispies
1/3 cup yellow cake mix
2 tablespoons sprinkles

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat and add marshmallows. Stir until they begin to melt, adding in (dry) cake mix one spoonful at a time so its combined. Stir in cereal so it is completely coated with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle in half of the sprinkles and mix. Press into a baking dish (any size will do) and top with remaining sprinkles. Let sit for about 30 minutes before cutting. I find spraying a knife with nonstick spray helps to cut them cleanly.

Old Bay Hot Crab Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

So, I'm a bit late with this one. I made this dip for the Super Bowl. My mom sent me some Old Bay seasoning so I could make something that represented Maryland in support of the Ravens. Well, the Super Bowl was ages ago and I'm just posting this for you all, because I forgot about this dip. My friend reminded me of it this weekend though, so I figured it was time to put up the recipe!

This is a "lighter" version of crab dip, with calorie-rich mayo and cheeses subbed out for lighter Greek yogurt, Ricotta, cream cheese, and some Parmesan. The Old Bay gives this tons of flavor. The beer marinade was inspired by some crab dip that I had out at a restaurant. I used these pretzel bites for dipping and it was amazing!

Old Bay Hot Crab Dip

1 pound fresh crab meat, picked over for shells
3/4 cup beer (pale ale)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 scallion, minced
4 ounces light cream cheese
1/2 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
1 cup light Ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
2 green onions, minced
1/2 cup Multigrain crackers, crushed
3 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Rinse the crab and pick it over for shells. Place the crab in a small bowl and pour the beer over it. Marinate the crab in the beer for 30 minutes. Drain the crab after 30 minutes.

While the crab is marinating, sauté the scallion in olive oil over medium heat until it starts to soften. Add a teaspoon of dry mustard powder and 1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning, and sauté an additional 30 seconds. Transfer the scallions to the bowl of a large food processor. Add the cream cheese, ricotta, Greek yogurt, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice. Purée until smooth.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, combine the crab, pureed cheese mixture, green onions, and an additional tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning. Stir well to combine. Spread the mixture in an 8x8 inch baking dish.

Mix together crushed crackers, Parmesan cheese, and butter and spread evenly over the crab mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Nutella Brownie Bites

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 15:31:00 +0000

Happy Friday, everyone! I made you a treat.

These little bite sized treats are so easy to make. In fact, I could not believe how little effort I had to put into making them, particularly since they taste amazing and look exactly like those store-bought bite sized brownies. These brownie bites were also ready in under 20 minutes.

You may also be surprised to know that these Nutella Brownie Bites only really have 3 ingredients. Pretty wild. At first, I was totally skeptical that this recipe would work, but the bites were perfectly chocolatey and sweetened and the right texture for brownies. I decided to add a little bit of espresso powder to my recipe, because espresso powder tends to enhance the chocolate flavor, but you can skip that step if you don't have any on hand.

Nutella Brownie Bites

1 cup Nutella
2 eggs
10 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
Hazelnuts for topping

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a mini-muffin pan with cooking spray.

Stir together Nutella, eggs, flour, and espresso powder (if you are using it) until the batter is smooth and all ingredients are incorporated.

Scoop brownie batter into the muffin tin, almost filling each hole. Top with crushed hazelnuts.

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350°F.

Adapted, recipe found via Pinterest which lead me to Savory Sweet Life and Abby Dodge

Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:41:00 +0000

Guys. This is the best soup. Like ever.

I was basically licking my bowl when I finished.

About a week ago, I didn't have a lunch packed for work. I had to go buy something to eat. Since I wanted soup, I went to a great place in my building. That day, one of the options was cauliflower soup. I had never had cauliflower soup before, so I thought I would give it a try. Well, my taste buds did a little dance to thank me for my choice! The soup was amazing, and for the rest of the week I dreamed about recreating it.

In setting about my quest to recreate this delicious cauliflower soup, I imagined all the things that I would want in the soup. Delicate leeks. Caramelized roasted garlic. And loads of Parmesan cheese. When I finally made the soup, and it was beyond my wildest dreams. It was creamy and complex. And I shoveled it into my mouth, even though I was supposed to be leaving for barre class. Then I felt like throwing up all through barre. But it was worth it.

Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup

1 medium head of cauliflower, cut in florets
2 leeks, sliced in 1/2 inch slices
6 cloves garlic
Olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup 10% cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Clean your cauliflower and leeks well. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the leeks and cauliflower on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place garlic cloves, in the skins, on aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil, then wrap the foil into a packet to around the garlic. Place the garlic in the oven with the cauliflower and leeks. Roast for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the cauliflower and leeks and keep the garlic in the oven for an additional 10 minutes.

Toward the end of the roasting time, sauté onions for 5-7 minutes or until softened in a glug of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the roasted cauliflower, leeks, chicken broth, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. When the garlic is done roasting, allow it to cool slightly then squeeze it out of the skin into the pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer for 20 minutes.

Take the pot off of the heat. Add the cream and Parmesan cheese. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer the soup to a blender and puree in batches. Make sure to remove the plastic center of the blender lid to allow the steam to release. Cover with a kitchen towel to avoid splatter. Blend, then serve.

The Paloma

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:44:00 +0000

So, last Friday was National Margarita Day. I'm pretty skeptical of any "national insert food here days," because there seems to be one for literally every food or drink you can think of, but I can get behind a day that celebrates the only way I like to drink tequila. Well, margaritas were the only way I liked to drink tequila, until I discovered the Paloma, a super delicious tequila based cocktail. In my mind, the Paloma is a poor man's margarita on the rocks, but with a fancy name. You see, the only liquor you need is tequila, nothing else, no Cointreau or anything. The Paloma is just tequila and fresh squeezed juice with a splash of club soda. And for some reason, I just feel more sophisticated saying that I'm drinking a Paloma. I really can't explain why.

I recently came across this article from Seattle Magazine about what your local bartenders want you to know. One of the things that really stood out to me is that citrus based drinks are basically guaranteed to be super fresh, given the amount of citrus a typical bar goes through in a week. You know that I love a good citrus based drink (e.g., Greyhounds, Meyer Lemon Tom Collins, Winter Sun), so the Paloma is right up my alley. Next time you are in the mood for a margarita, switch things up and try this tasty concoction!

The Paloma

Per drink

1/4 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup tequila (white or gold is fine)
1 teaspoon sugar (you can sub in agave or honey, just adjust the amount as necessary)
Ice
Club Soda
Sugar for the rim

Using a leftover squeezed lime, coat the rim of a tall glass with juice. Dip the rim of the glass in a small dish filled with sugar, turn, then tap the glass to remove the excess sugar.

Fill the glass with ice, then add grapefruit, lime juice, and sugar. Stir well, then top with tequila. Add club soda to fill the glass. Garnish with a slice of lime.

Secret Recipe Club: Judy's Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:00:00 +0000

For Secret Recipe Club this month, I was assigned the blog My Judy the Foodie, which is where Shari shares her adventures in cooking her mother Judy's recipes. Shari describes herself as a former "clueless cook" who had couldn't even boil water, but all that changed when she came across her mother Judy's treasure trove of recipes. Now, Shari shares these recipes with us, along with sweet stories about her mom.

I knew that I wanted to make one of Judy's recipes for SRC and I happened to have 3 extra ripe bananas, ready to be turned into something delicious. When I scanned the recipe index, my eyes lit up at the sight of "Judy's Chocolate Chip Banana Bread." In my opinion the best banana bread recipes are always the ones shared by friends and family, passed through the generations. So I was sure that this banana bread would be amazing. After reading the accompanying post, where Shari describes how this particular banana bread recipe was a staple and much requested treat in her mother's home, I couldn't wait to get baking. Put simply, this banana bread rocks! It is moist and the perfect density. If you follow the directions, your chocolate chips will be perfectly spread throughout the bread. In fact, I might have to start a "ripening corner" in my own kitchen, so that I can always have this banana bread on hand. And I highly recommend that you go bake your own immediately! Thank you, Shari and Judy!

Judy's Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

From My Judy the Foodie
Makes 2 loaves

1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 pint sour cream (I used low fat sour cream - 1 pint = 2 cups)
3 mashed bananas
2 cups flour (less 1 Tablespoon flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and salt and mix well.

Dissolve baking powder and baking soda in sour cream (sour cream will begin to foam, then add to above mixture).
Slowly add banana pulp.

Slowly add flour.

Add vanilla.

Place chocolate chips in ziploc bag with remaining 1tablespoon of flour to cover chips so they won’t sink to the bottom of the loaf when they bake. Then add to mixture.

Grease two (2) loaf pans with butter and pour batter into both pans.

Bake at 350 for 90 minutes. Check after an hour with toothpick or skewer as some ovens bake in 1 hour. Mine was done in about 65 minutes.

Release from pan once cool.

Let cool on wire rack.

Sprinkle confectioner’s sugar on top.

This bread freezes well and tastes just as good, if not better, when it’s still a bit very cold in the center!

Pretzel Bites

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:47:00 +0000

I made these amazing pretzel bites for the Super Bowl and I seriously could not get enough of them. Which is why I had to stop eating before the end of the first half of the game. These little pretzels are soft and doughy on the inside and crisp on the outside, the perfect sports watching snack.

Be very gentle when you put the pretzel bites in the boiling water. My first two batches went well, but then I just dropped the third batch in the water and the water erupted out of my pot and all over my stove, leaking into my preheated oven and all over the cabinet next to the stove. It was a gigantic mess and a pain to clean up, since I was right in the middle of making the pretzels. You might want to use a really big pot as well. Even after my disastrous experience making these pretzel bites, they still turned out great. I will be making them again for sure!

Pretzel Bites

From Annie's Eats

1½ cups warm water (110-115° F)
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
2¼ tsp. instant yeast
22 oz. all-purpose flour (about 4½ cups)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for greasing the bowl
To finish:
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp. water
Pretzel (or kosher) salt

To make the basic pretzel dough, combine the water, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to dissolve the yeast. Add in the flour and melted butter and mix just until the dough comes together. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed until the dough is smooth and clears the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. If you don't have a stand mixer, just turn the dough out onto floured surface and knead it by hand for five minutes, until the dough is smooth. Transfer the dough to a bowl lightly greased with vegetable oil, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, about 50-55 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large saucepan or stockpot.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently deflate it. Divide it up into approximately 6 equal portions. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough out into a long rope about 1-inch in diameter. Use a pizza cutter to cut the row into small segments, no longer than 1-inch each. Repeat with the remaining dough.

VERY GENTLY Place the pretzel bites into the boiling water in batches so that they aren’t overcrowded. Boil each batch for about 30 seconds, stirring once or twice to submerge all surfaces in the water. Remove from the water with a slotted skimmer and spread out on the prepared baking sheets. Seriously, be careful when you put the pretzels in the water. I had a water volcano eruption all over my kitchen. Brutal!

Once all the pretzels have been boiled, brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake in the preheated oven until dark golden brown, about 9-11 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve with mustard.

Beauty Essentials

noreply@blogger.com (Kels @ K and K Test Kitchen) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:45:00 +0000

Okay, so this isn't a post about food. I wanted to share something a little bit different with you all an we'll get back to food shortly, I promise! But for now, here are a few of the beauty products that I can't live without. Do you have any tried and true products? Please share!

Makeup

Nars Blush in Orgasm: This is the most perfect blush. It gives your cheeks the perfect peachy-pink flush, with a bit of shimmer. After hearing about it for years, I finally took the plunge toward the end of last summer, and I won't go back.

Stila Eye shadow in Kitten: I wear this everyday. It is shimmery and brightens my eyes. I have deep set eyes, so I need to highlight them and this eyeshadow is perfect for that. I dress it up with a little bit of eyeliner for nighttime. I also really like Bobbi Brown's eye shadow palettes.

Benefit "They're Real!" Mascara: I received a sample of this mascara and I was blown away by it. It is truly a "va-va-voom" mascara, almost giving my eyelashes the appearance of being fake. It is definitely the best mascara that I've tried, and I have tried everything from drugstore brands to Chanel. I wear this for night and wear Cover Girl Lashblast in Brown during the day.

Maybelline Baby Lips: I am a lip balm / lip gloss / lipstick junkie. Seriously. Lip stuff and nail polish are my two weaknesses, and I often don't leave the drugstore without a new lip product or nail polish. Anyways, Maybelline Baby Lips is my favorite everyday lip balm/gloss. It is really hydrating and also shiny, so in my mind it does double duty. I usually go for Quenched, but I also have the Cherry Me color, which leaves my lips with a nice pinky-red color. And it has SPF 20! So important!

Skincare

I've had problems with my skin for ages. Breakouts, blackheads, redness, etc. I've tried the dermatologist prescribed products route and I've tried the be gentle and don't do anything to it route and everything in between. I've finally found some products that are working for me.

Murad Time Release Acne Cleanser: Okay, so feel free to make fun of me. I found out about this cleanser while reading an interview the Possessionista did with Emily Maynard. Emily mentioned the problems that she experienced with her skin and they sounded so much like my experience, so I went out and bought this cleanser. So far, I really like it, but again it is tough to find in Canada.

Derma E Tea Tree and Vitamin E Oil: (not pictured) This is a miracle worker. I've had problems with my skin forever, and I've finally found something that seems to work. About a month ago, I bought this oil and immediately noticed a difference. My skin was smoother, the redness was significantly reduced, and my breakouts less frequent. Tea Tree oil is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal so it helps keep everything clear. Vitamin E soothes the skin and heals scarring. Plus the oil is moisturizing, so often I don't have to use face lotion. I started using Derma E's Vitamin E cream too and I really like that as well for when my skin is really dry though (which is the case now given the winter wind that whips my skin on my walk to work.. whoa alliteration). I've seen Derma E products at Rexall in Canada, though I bought this at Terra 20.

Hair

Moroccanoil Restorative Hair Mask: I read a post by the Pioneer Woman about this hair mask and Ree definitely sold me. I went out and bought it in December, because I knew I had 3 weeks to go until my hair appointment scheduled for while I was home for Christmas. At that point, I desperately needed a cut (and color) and my hair was looking rough, to say the least. After using this mask only twice, I went to a Christmas party and was asked my someone if I had just had a haircut. It was that good. It smoothed out my split ends and made my hair silky and shiny. I still use it about once a week to repair the damage caused by blow drying and curling my hair. (Also at $50 it may seem a bit steep, but I still have half a tub left after using over 10 times.)

Suave Keratin Infusion Dry Shampoo: This is by far my favorite dry shampoo. I've tried maybe 4 other brands, including much more expensive brands, and this one works the best for me. It smells good and does what it is supposed to -- give my hair tons of body. Plus it is only $3.49 a bottle! Unfortunately, I can't find it here in Ottawa, so I have to stock up when I hit Target down in the U.S.

None of these companies know me or asked me to do this, I just like these things and wanted to share them with you!