Kitchen Escapes

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:00:00 +0000

As a testament to just how good these rice crispy treats are, I'll admit I had to make them 3 times before getting a picture of them. Each time I made them we either ate them all or gave them away. I am in no way complaining about that though because these rice crispy treats are amazing. Brown butter and salt add an interesting depth of flavor to traditional crispy treats, making them irresistible to me. Honestly, it took some severe willpower to limit myself to one (or two) of these per day, and I could have easily eaten the whole batch. Now I just have to find an excuse to make them again......

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats
Source: Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about half a 12-ounce box)

Butter or coat with non-stick spray an 8-inch square pan with 2-inch sides.

In large bowl, combine the rice krispies and salt; stir to combine.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as the point between nuttiness and burnt butter happens very quickly. (this whole process took 10-15 minutes for me)

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color and you see brown bits in the butter, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. If the residual heat from the melted butter does not melt the marshmallows, turn the heat back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal. Quickly spread into prepared pan, using hands or a spatula if necessary to ensure top is even and corners filled in.

Let cool completely before cutting.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Wednesday: Split Pea Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Possibly the most unappetizing picture ever, but I promise it tastes better than it looks! We've had a ham bone in our freezer since Thanksgiving so I finally gave in to the hubby's request for split pea soup. I have no recollection of ever having this soup before, so it was kind of scary because I'm not really a fan of ham or peas. Surprisingly, this soup only has subtle flavors of each and was actually pretty good! Super easy to prepare and paired with some crusty bread, it made for a pretty comforting dinner!

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
Source: adapted from Whole Foods

Ingredients

1 (16-oz) package dried green split peas, rinsed

1 ham bone

2 cups diced ham (less if your ham bone is pretty meaty)
3-4 carrots, sliced
1 onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I omitted)
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups low sodium chicken broth

Directions
Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the order given, adding the broth last. Do not stir ingredients. Cover and cook on high 4—5 hours or on low 8—10 hours until peas are very soft and ham falls off the bone.

Enjoy!

Herb Crusted Pork Roast

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I've mentioned before that the hubby's most requested meal is this pork roast. When he once again requested it the other day, I took the opportunity to try something new. As much as I love the go-to pork roast, I have a fear of over using it and getting to the point of never wanting it again. So when I saw this recipe I figured it would be a good one to try, although the flavors ended up being a little similar.

This recipe comes together relatively quickly, and does not require any marinating time. The breadcrumbs give it a nice crust while the herb paste keeps it juicy and tasty. I'm going to have a hard time deciding which roast to make next time it's requested!

Herb Crusted Pork Roast
Source: Adapted from Joelen's Culinary Adventures, originally from Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients:
2-3 lb pork loin roast
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1 medium shallot, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup packed basil leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves (or 1/4 tsp dried)
2 garlic cloves, minced

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack in the middle, set aside.

In a flat dish combine the panko breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, minced shallot, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pinch of pepper. Using a fork, toss the mixture until the breadcrumbs are evenly coated with oil.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the basil, thyme, rosemary, garlic, remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt and pinch of pepper. Process until smooth.

Rub the outside of the roast with the herb paste; coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the roast on the prepared wire rack and baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50-75 minutes or until the thickest part of the roast registers 145 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Allow the roast to rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Creamy Risotto with Edamame

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:00:00 +0000

We do not have risotto often in our house, however it is often a favorite of mine at good Italian restaurants. Although risotto takes some tender, loving care to produce, that is not the reason we don't have it often. To be honest, every time I have made it at home it ends up being a bit too rich for me! And also, I often don't want to open a bottle of wine to make risotto unless I know I am able to finish drinking it. But after taking a few bites of this risotto I knew it was different and would be an instant favorite in our family.

This recipe totally breaks the standard of risotto, instead of Parmesan and wine.......laughing cow cheese wedges and beer! Now beer I can handle because it is easy enough for the hubby to finish off the can, and we always have laughing cow cheese around because it is an easy, healthy snack. This recipe got 2 big thumbs up from the hubby, and he really enjoyed the subtle flavor of the beer. I think the substitution of these two main ingredients creates a lighter tasting dish that I fear may allow it to become a staple side dish around here!

Creamy Risotto with Edamame
Source: adapted from Food & Wine

Ingredients

1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium shallots or 1/2 onion, very finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup arborio rice

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup light beer (we used Coors light)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2-3 wedges Laughing Cow cheese, garlic and herb flavor

Directions

Bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the edamame and cook until tender, about 5 minutes; drain.
In same saucepan, combine the chicken broth and beer; season with salt and pepper. Heat through over low heat until ready to use.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the shallots/onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until slightly translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add 1 cup of the beer broth to the rice and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the broth, about 1 cup at a time, stirring until it is absorbed before adding more. The rice is done when it's al dente and suspended in a thick, creamy liquid, about 17 minutes total. Add the edamame and cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Cake Batter Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Do you ever see the 10 for $10 sales on boxed cake mixes at the grocery store? And then think, "hmm, that's a good deal but why would I ever need multiple boxes of cake mix?" Now of course I know that you don't have to buy 10 boxes to get them for $1, but sometimes I have a hard time passing up a good deal. Nonetheless, I usually skip by the cake mix sales, but now that I discovered these cookies I may have a harder time next sale.

These cookies would be perfect for a quick sweet tooth fix, or those nights you remember you are supposed to bring treats to school or work. They are super easy to throw together and a lot easier to eat than a piece of cake! And while they taste a bit like cake (obviously), the addition of chocolate chips make them taste more like a traditional cookie.

Cake Batter Cookies
Source: All Recipes
Makes ~2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake mix and baking powder. Add eggs and oil; mix until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Slow Cooker Wednesday: Chicken Taco Chili

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 14:00:00 +0000

(sans fixings on top, I was hungry!)

In my quest to utilize my slow cooker more often I have realized that I seem to be in a slow cooker rut. Meaning almost everything I make is some sort of soup/chili/stew. But I decided, screw the rut because I wanted to make this chili. Such a simple, healthy, comforting meal to come home to on a cold night. And even better, this hardly took any time or effort to prepare. I mixed everything up (except chicken) in a big Tupperware the night before, kept it in the refrigerator, and in the morning all I had to do was dump it in the slow cooker and add the chicken. And obviously because I can't get enough, this is healthy enough for me to add extra cheese on top:)

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chili
Source: Adapted from Skinny Taste

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans, drained
1 16-oz can kidney beans, drained
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
10 oz package frozen corn kernels
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies (Rotel)
chili peppers, chopped (optional)1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

For garnish: chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese

Directions:
Combine all ingredients through chili powder in slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in, cook for remaining 30 minutes. Top with your desired garnishes.

Enjoy!

Weekly addition

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:50:00 +0000

I've decided to try adding something new to my blog. Lately I've been feeling that in addition to regular posts, I thought it would be fun to add a weekly (sometimes every 2 weeks) post dedicated to the slow cooker. With a new baby coming soon I imagine I will be looking for easy meals and thought this would give me a head-start. Since I also usually work late a couple nights a week, it is always nice to come home and have dinner ready. So tomorrow I will be introducing Slow Cooker Wednesdays! Stay tuned:)

Sugared Cranberries

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0000

If you've never tried one, cranberries straight up are pretty sour and tart. While I am not really a fan of cranberry anything, I knew other people would be and I thought these would be a nice snack to have before Christmas dinner. These cranberries are super simple to make, requiring only a few ingredients and a little prior planning. The result is a festive, sparkly snack that is still a little tart, but balanced nicely with the sugar.

Sugared Cranberries
Source: Pink Parsley, originally from Cooking Light

2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
2 cups fresh cranberries
3/4 cup superfine sugar (or granulated sugar processed for 30 seconds in a food processor)

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water and cook over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat, being careful not to boil or the cranberries will pop when added. Stir in the cranberries, then transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Drain the syrup from the cranberries, reserving liquid if desired. Place the superfine sugar in a shallow dish, and add the cranberries. Stir lightly to coat completely, then transfer the cranberries in a single layer to a baking sheet. Allow to dry at least one hour before serving.

Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to one week.

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:36:00 +0000

I tend to think that shrimp tastes the best when flavored with lemon and garlic, so this dish did not disappoint. As an accompaniment to a steak and lobster New Years Eve dinner, I actually didn't have enough room to eat as much shrimp as I would have liked. No real worries though, the flavor goes a long way in this dish. Even though it's highly unhealthy, my favorite part of this dish was using crusty bread to sop up all the melted butter yumminess hiding under the shrimp!

*Note, I halved the original recipe, making enough for 4 people

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Source: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

1 pound Raw Shrimp, Deveined, Shells On

1 stick Cold Unsalted Butter Cut Into Pieces

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 cloves Garlic, Peeled

1/8 cup Fresh Parsley

1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper

1/2 of a Lemon, Juiced

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse frozen shrimp to separate, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.

In the bowl of a food processor, add cold butter, garlic, lemon juice, salt, parsley, and red pepper. Pulse until combined. Sprinkle cold butter crumbles evenly over the shrimp.

Bake until shrimp is opaque and butter is hot and bubbly, roughly 10 minutes.

Serve shrimp and melted butter with hot crusty bread.

Chinese Egg Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I like to think I have made it through this pregnancy so far without many cravings. However, one thing had been on my mind for weeks.......egg rolls! Since we are trying to cut back on frivolous spending (but really, are pregnancy cravings frivolous?!?) I decided to attempt making my own egg rolls. The actual assembly of the egg rolls was no big deal, but believe it or not this was my first attempt (ever) at frying food! I have a number of recipes saved that keep getting pushed back because they require frying and I have always been intimidated by the idea of frying food. What kind of oil do I use? What do I do with the leftover oil? How can I attempt to eat healthier if I'm frying food?

Well, I tried my hand at frying, and the results were amazing. Granted not healthy, but the perfect item to satisfy the craving and I can now say I accomplished something new in the kitchen.

If you decide to make these, I recommend reading the Egg Roll rules from the original blogger, Steamy Kitchen. This was so helpful to me, and includes step by step pictures. As you can see from my picture compared to her's, I could not find the correct wrappers and just went with the refrigerated wrappers found by the produce, resulting in the big bubbles when fried:/ While I still found them tasty, next time I may try harder to find the recommended wrappers. These are a bit time consuming, but one batch makes enough to freeze so you can have egg rolls at your disposal anytime:)

Chinese Egg Rolls
Source: Steamy Kitchen

Ingredients:

50 Spring/Egg Roll Wrappers (about 2 packages), defrosted unopened at room temperature for 45 minutes or in the refrigerator overnight
Water, for sealing edges
Oil, for frying

FOR THE GROUND PORK
1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon sugar
freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE VEGETABLES
2 to 3 cloves garlic, very finely minced
½ head of cabbage (about 11 ounces)
3 carrots, shredded
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
10 fresh shiitake mushrooms (or dried black mushrooms soaked overnight), stems discarded
1 tablespoon cooking oil (canola, vegetable, peanut)
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. To make the filling, combine the ingredients for the ground pork together. Marinate at least 10 minutes. In the meantime, shred the cabbage and the carrots using your food processor or by hand. Slice the mushrooms into very thin strips (or you could use your food processer and pulse a few times to get a fine dice.)

2. Heat a wok or large saute pan over high heat. Add the cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the pork and stir-fry until no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes. Turn heat to medium-low, push the meat to one side of the pan. Add the garlic, cabbage, carrots, ginger and the mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute, until the vegetables are softened. Add the rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and black pepper. Continue to stir-fry for another minute. Scoop out the filling to a baking sheet and spread out to cool. Prop up one end of the baking sheet so that it tilts, allowing all the moisture to drain to one end. Let cool for 15 minutes.

3. Discard all of the accumulated juices. Use paper towels to blot the filling to rid of extra oil or juice. Now, you're ready to wrap (see photos from Steamy Kitchen for instructions on how to wrap). IMPORTANT: Only use 1 heaping tablespoon of filling for each egg roll, the width of the egg roll should only be 1.25" diameter.

Keep the rolled egg rolls in neat, single layer and covered with a damp paper towel to prevent drying. If you want to stack the egg rolls, make sure you have layer of parchment paper in between the layers to prevent sticking. Keep wrappers also covered with damp paper towel to prevent drying. Refrigerate up to 4 hours until ready to fry or freeze.

4. To fry the egg rolls, fill a wok or pot with 2 inches of high-heat cooking oil. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C) or until a cube of bread will fry to golden brown within 10 seconds. Gently slide in or lower the egg rolls, frying 4 to 6 at a time, turning occasionally until golden brown about 1½ minutes. Place on wire rack to drain and cool.

NOTE: To fry frozen egg rolls, do not defrost the egg rolls – just add them to the oil frozen, frying 4 to 6 at a time. Add an additional 1½ minutes to the frying time since they are frozen.

Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Muffins that taste like donuts=genius! I made these way back in October while visiting my sister and her family in Dubai. We actually ended up making them twice, one batch for us and one batch to take to Mason's school bake sale. Mason was my little sous chef! I got the ingredients ready and he did all the batter mixing, filled the muffin tins, watched them bake, dipped the muffins in butter and then in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. He was quite the helper and I think he was pretty proud of himself.

These muffins come together in a flash and truly taste like a donut. I actually forgot about them for awhile, but I think I need to make them again soon.

Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins
Source: Bella's Bistro, originally from Tasty Kitchen

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4C. Flour
1 1/2t. Baking Powder
1/2t. Salt
1/2t. Nutmeg
1/2t. Cinnamon
1/3C. Vegetable Oil
3/4C. White Sugar
1 Egg
3/4C. Milk

For the topping:
1/4C. Butter
1/3C. White Sugar
1T. Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
In small bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.

In large bowl combine oil, sugar, egg and milk. Add the dry ingredients and stir only to combine.

Bake in well-greased muffin tin, at 350 degrees, for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl. Combine the white sugar with the cinnamon in another bowl.

Shake muffins out while still hot. Dip muffin tops in butter, then into the sugar/cinnamon mix. Let cool.

Makes 12 muffins.

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Chicken noodle soup is a winter staple, but when I am not sick it is not something I have cravings for. When I had turkey leftover from Thanksgiving I wanted soup, but nothing traditional. And then one day this soup magically appeared in my google reader and all was right in the world.

This soup is an awesome take on chicken noodle soup. It is a bit spicy, but the flavor is amazing. This soup also comes together in a flash, especially if you use leftover chicken/turkey, but that's certainly not a requirement! I also added in frozen, shelled edamame to incorporate some veggies. I can't wait to make this again!

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Source: adapted from Joelen's Culinary Adventures, originally adapted from America's Test Kitchen

6 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin (substitute 2 Tbls white wine and pinch of sugar if don't have mirin)
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Asian chili garlic sauce (or to taste depending on your preferred spice/heat level)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
2-3 (3 ounce) packages of dried ramen noodles
1/2-1 cup frozen, shelled edamame (optional)
3 scallions, sliced thin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced (I omitted)
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
pinch of red pepper flakes for garnish (optional)

Bring broth, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, and chili garlic sauce to a boil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the cut up chicken breasts to the pot and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through.

Open the packages of ramen noodles and discard the seasoning packet included. Place the dried ramen noodles and edamame into the broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are just about cooked. Stir in the scallions and cilantro and serve in bowls. Garnish each bowl additional fresh cilantro leaves and a drizzle of 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. If you like things on the spicy side, sprinkle a few red pepper flakes for garnish.

Enjoy!

Carmelized Chipotle Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I was not expecting to like this meal as much as I did. Traditional barbecue flavors are not something I am drawn too, however the smokey, spicy flavor of this chicken was surprisingly delicious. If you've never tried chipotles in adobo sauce I encourage you to try this recipe. The chipotles give off a smokey flavor with quite a bit of heat, but the flavor is mellowed out by the additional ingredients. I served this with simple basmati rice which also helped tame the spicy flavors.

While this dish has a couple steps and may appear time consuming, it is not all hands-on so you have the ability to get other things done while sauce simmers/chicken bakes.

Caramelized Chipotle Chicken
Source: Pink Parsley, adapted from Gourmet, September 2009

1.5 tbls extra virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons chopped chipotle chiles in adobo
1/2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering. Cook garlic, stirring constantly, until golden, then transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium and cook onion until golden brown, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 450.

Add the garlic and remaining ingredients, up to chicken, to skillet. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and continue cooking until sauce is slightly thickened, 15-20 minutes.

Reserve half of sauce and set aside. Add chicken to skillet and coat chicken with remaining sauce in pan. Bake chicken 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with reserved sauce; continue to cook until chicken is cooked through, 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pork Chops with Dijon Herb Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0000

A very simple and healthy meal that takes no time at all on a busy weeknight. These pork chops have a lot of flavor and were great served with simple buttered egg noodles.

Pork Chops with Dijon Herb Sauce
Source: Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

1 tsp butter
4 pork chops, 1 inch thick, trimmed of visible fat
1/2 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
1/2 onion, chopped
3/4 cup fat free/low sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, tarragon)

In a large saute pan heat the butter over moderately low heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium, add the chops to the pan and sauté for 7 minutes. Flip and cook until pork chops are browned and done to medium, about 7-8 minutes longer. Remove the pork chops and tent with foil to keep warm.

Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and boil until it reduces to 1/2 cup, about 3 minutes. Stir in the mustard, herbs, and 1/8 tsp pepper. To serve, spoon sauce evenly over pork chops.
Enjoy!

Creamy Taco Mac

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Just like Hamburger Helper, but better because you know all the ingredients. This meal is comforting, easy and delicious. We went through a phase where we made it quite often because of its simplicity, and it is a great meal for Andy to tackle when I am working late.

Creamy Taco Mac
Source: Delish

Ingredients

1.25 lbs ground turkey
8 oz dry pasta + 1 cup reserved pasta water
1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes
4 Tbsp mild taco seasoning
3 oz cream cheese*

1/2 cup sour cream *

salt & pepper
cheddar cheese (optional)

*you can successfully use low fat versions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta per directions, reserving one cup of pasta water.
Over medium heat, brown ground turkey and drain any excess liquid. Add taco seasoning and diced tomatoes; simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta, reserved water, cream cheese and sour cream. Stir until cheeses melt and all is incorporated. Simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Sprinkle with extra cheddar cheese.

Enjoy!

I'm back! (hopefully)

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I cannot believe it has been 6 months since my last post. Since July I have finished my internship, graduated, been asked to stay on as an Associate therapist, and traveled to Dubai. Oh yeah, and I've been baking up a little man in my belly:) Now that life is settled down for awhile, I am hoping I can get back into posting about my adventures in the kitchen. In the hopes of getting back into things, the next few posts may be shorter on commentary!

Spicy Chicken Shawarma

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

A shawarma and a Morgan!

Anyone from the Mankato area will tell you that Massad's is the place to eat if you are at the mall. The chicken shawarma's there are to die for, even if they leave you with unfortunate breath for a day or two. Since I no longer live in the area, I have been forced to find my own version, and this one comes pretty close. I don't think Massad's could ever be replicated unless you got the actual recipe, but this one comes close enough to tide me over until the next guarantee of a Massad's shawarma, Black Friday. An bonus, it's pretty healthy!

Spicy Chicken Shawarma
Source: Adapted slightly from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

2 Tbls finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground coriander
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbls plain low-fat Greek-style yogurt, divided
2 Tbls fresh lemon juice, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
2 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbls tahini
4 (6-inch) pitas, halved

Optional toppings:

1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup chopped red onion
lettuce

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in 2 tablespoons yogurt, 1 tablespoon juice, and 2 garlic cloves. Add chicken; toss to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until browned and done, stirring frequently.

2. While chicken cooks, combine remaining 1/4 cup yogurt, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining 1 garlic clove, and tahini, stirring well. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons yogurt mixture inside each pita half; divide chicken evenly among pita halves. Fill each pita half with desired toppings.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

I have finally returned to the land of the blog! The past two months have been a blur, between writing my clinical competency exam, writing parent assessments, spending time with Abby and Mason, keeping the house clean, weddings, friends, family etc. I have not had any spare time to blog my adventures. And honestly, the adventures were few and far between:/ But I'm back, with a backlog of things to post, so hopefully I can keep up!

Ah the chocolate chip cookie. So simple, so delicious, and yet they so easily snuck under my radar. I'm sure everyone has their go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe, I mean a cookie is a cookie right? Wrong. Sorry mom, but these cookies beat out your recipe we have been making for years.

The technique to these cookies is a bit untraditional based on other cookies I have seen/made. From what I gather from America's Test Kitchen, when the melted butter mixes with the dough, the flour proteins grab onto freed water molecules from the butter, forming elastic sheets of gluten. In other words, gluten=chewy cookie. Science aside, these are just damn good cookies. Thick, chewy and chocolate-y. Even if you have a go-to recipe already, I strongly urge you to give these a try and compare.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Adapted slightly from American Classics, from the editors of Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients:
2 cups plus 2 Tbls all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbls unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg plus one egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Adjust oven racks to upper and lower middle racks; heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together dry ingredients.

3. By hand or with stand/electric mixer, beat melted butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla; mix until incorporated and smooth. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Be careful to not overbeat. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.

4. Roll a scant 1/2 cup dough into a ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull the dough apart into two equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and place on baking sheet with jagged surfaces up, leaving enough room between each ball.

5. Bake for 11-14, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking, until outer edges start to harden but centers are still soft and puffy. Cool cookies on baking sheet until they can be moved to cooling rack without breaking.

Busy Busy

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 01:22:00 +0000

Things have been pretty busy around here lately! I have a big paper due in a few weeks, so I have not had time for any blog updates. I'm still cooking and baking, so stay tuned for new posts in a couple weeks:)

Laughing Cow Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:00:00 +0000

If you google "laughing cow chicken" I am sure that you will find a ton of variations of this recipe. There really is no real way you can mess up this dish, and the beauty of it is that you can take the concept and adapt it any way you want. I've seen versions using each cheese flavor (garlic and herb, french onion, swiss), breaded and non-breaded, flattened and rolled, etc.

In the past I would make this by pounding the chicken, spreading on a wedge of cheese, and then rolling it up and securing with toothpicks. However, I feel too much of the cheese oozes out while baking, so this is my new variation and I love it! Again, feel free to switch up the cheese and seasonings. When using garlic and herb cheese I like to use italian seasoning in the panko.

Laughing Cow Chicken
Source: Kitchen Escapes original

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 wedges laughing cow cheese, french onion
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg white
1/4 tsp. onion powder
salt and pepper
1-2 Tbls. olive oil

Preparation:

Cut 2 inch horizontal slits in each chicken breast, making sure to not cut all the way through, just cut enough to make a nice pocket. Spread one cheese wedge in the pocket of each chicken breast and season each with salt and pepper.

Combine panko, onion powder and salt and pepper to taste in shallow bowl. Add egg white to second shallow bowl. Dip chicken breasts in egg and then dredge in breadcrumbs, coating well.

Heat oil in large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat; preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add chicken breasts to hot skillet, cook 4-6 minutes until browned. Flip chicken, cook another 4-6 minutes until brown and crispy. Transfer skillet to oven, bake 6-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Enjoy!

Spicy Asian Lettuce Wraps

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Over the past few years I have made numerous recipes from Cooking Light, and I have come to find that some of the magazine's recipes are disappointingly bad. I had high hopes for a ricotta pasta awhile ago, that ended up a congealed mass of cheese and dried herbs....quite unedible.

These wraps.....are 100% edible and delicious, a definite Cooking Light success. The hubby was a bit skeptical as he claims to have never seen lettuce wraps before, but I'm pretty sure he is now a lettuce wrap convert. The meat mixture is pretty spicy, almost too much for me, so you can always cut back on the amount of chili paste.

Spicy Asian Lettuce Wraps
Source: Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

2 1/2 ounces rice noodles
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon chile paste with garlic
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 lb. ground turkey
8-12 large Boston or Romaine lettuce leaves

Heat skillet over medium-high heat; brown turkey; drain off any excess grease/liquid.

Meanwhile, add rice noodles to boiling water; boil 6-7 minutes until al dente. Drain noodles and rinse under cold water. Chop noodles into bite size pieces.

Combine soy sauce, chile paste and sesame oil in large bowl. Add cooked noodles and turkey to soy sauce mixture, toss well to coat.

Spoon about 1/3 cup turkey mixture down center of each lettuce leaf; roll up.

Enjoy!

Black Russian Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Is it strange that I'm always really disappointed in myself when I forget to take a picture of something? Maybe I should just be happy that usually when this happens, it's also a case of something being so good that there is no time to waste in taking pictures. Sometimes I just need to dig in. This cake was no exception.

I can't remember how I came across this recipe, but I'm so glad I did. This cake is super easy, incredibly moist and has great flavor from the coffee and Kahlua. I'm a huge fan of most things coffee flavored, and I kind of wished that flavor was more potent in this cake, but either way it was still delicious.

Black Russian Cake
Source: The New Intercourses: An aphrodisiac cookbook

For the cake:
butter for greasing
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
3/4 cup strong coffee
1/2 cup creme de cacao
1/4 cup Kahlua
1 package dark-chocolate cake mix
1 (3 1/2 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding

For the topping:
1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons strong coffee
3 tablespoons Kahlua
3 tablespoons creme de cacao

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and thoroughly grease a 10-inch Bundt pan or a tin of miniature Bundts.

For the cake, combine the oil, eggs, coffee, creme de cacao, and Kahlua in a large bowl. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Add the cake mix and pudding mix, and stir until just combined. Pour into the Bundt pan until three-fourths full.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Invert cake onto a serving plate and punch holes throughout the cake with a skewer or ice pick.

While the cake is baking, prepare the topping. Be sure to sift the confectioners sugar well, or the glaze will be lumpy. Combine the confectioners sugar, coffee, Kahlua, and creme de cacao until the sugar dissolves. Spoon over the warm cake, reserving several tablespoons to drizzle onto cut slices.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Marinara Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Check out my new gorgeous new dutch oven! For quite some time now I have been pining over Le Creuset dutch ovens, but I could not stomach the price (close to $200!) and there was no way Andy would ever be okay with spending that much on a kitchen gadget. So I finally gave up that dream and found a Lodge dutch oven for $50, that is still pretty and will last forever without the hefty price.

Naturally, I couldn't wait to make something in my new toy, and the obvious choice at the moment was Giada's marinara sauce. I've been wanting to make this for a long time, but I was being picky and did not want to make it unless it was in a shiny new dutch oven:/

As it turns out, I should have made this a long time ago. I may never need to buy jarred tomato sauce again! This is really easy to make, and can be frozen for future use.

Marinara Sauce

Source: adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup red wine
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 dried bay leave

Directions
In a large pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add wine, stir and let simmer until almost all has evaporated. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste.

(The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.

Spanish Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 13:00:00 +0000

The last of my mexican side dishes, and again another meal I enjoy in restaurants but have never made at home. I really enjoyed this rice, and it paired great with leftover pork carnitas. I think this would be a great addition to any future taco night in our house.

I did have a slight issue while making this because I somehow did not pay attention to my grocery list and bought tomato paste instead of tomato sauce. I did not realize this until I had already started making the rice, so I had to improvise. I ended using about 4 oz tomato paste and adding a little extra liquid, and the end result still had great flavor, but had a bit too much liquid. Next time I'll pay better attention to my own grocery list.

Spanish Rice

Source: Alosha's Kitchen

Ingredients

3 tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain white rice
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp Mexican oregano (didn't have so used normal oregano)
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3 cups chicken stock
8 oz. can of tomato sauce

Method

Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat and saute the rice until it is golden brown. Add the vegetables and seasonings, and continue to saute for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add the broth and the tomato sauce, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the sauce is almost completely absorbed. Remove the rice from the heat and let it stand 3 to 4 minutes, still covered. Fluff and serve.

Mashed Pinto Beans with Manchego Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (Steph) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Keeping on the spanish/mexican theme we had going on a few weeks ago, I needed to find a couple new side dishes. This recipe caught my eye because I LOVE refried beans, but have never had them at home. I think the hubby thought I was crazy as I was preparing these beans, but I was very satisfied with the outcome.

However, I did not care for the bacon, and would leave that out next time. Maybe my bacon wasn't crispy enough, but I just did not really like the addition, so my changes are reflected below. Also, I have not acquired a potato masher yet, so my beans were not mashed as much as I would have liked, so hopefully I'll have one by the next time I make these beans.

Mashed Pinto Beans with Manchego Cheese

Source: adapted slightly from elly says opa

1/2 medium onion or one shallot, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp. cumin
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper
2-3 Tbsp. shredded or grated manchego cheese
sliced scallions
1 tsp olive oil

Heat olive oil over medium heat in large skillet; add the onion/shallot and cook until tender. Stir in the garlic until fragrant, and then the chicken broth, cumin, beans, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a light boil and continue to simmer for 10 minutes (or for as long as you want, if you want to time it with your main dish).

Use a potato masher to press down on the beans, and mash to your desired consistency (adding more broth if necessary).

Once plated, top with the manchego cheese and sliced scallions