Kitchen Trial and Error

greek baked tilapia

2013-06-09T12:23:00.000-04:00

i've done a pretty good job at losing the baby weight - all 45 pounds of it was gone within six months. next on the list is getting rid of twelve pounds of what i affectionately call "wife weight." i tend to go through phases of eating really well, working out every day, and eating ok, working out once or twice a week. having meals that are quick, delicious and not so mad for me really help. and this fish is one of them. if you can cut tomatoes and boil pasta, you're set. we served ours with sauteed spinach for an extra dose of vegetables.

baked greek tilapia
30 minutes, serves 2
click to get the recipe at heat oven to 350

tomato, bean, and barley soup

2013-06-06T11:50:00.000-04:00

i can't believe i'm sitting here in pants and a long sleeved shirt, listening to the pouring rain, and hoping the temperature will reach 60 degrees today. just two weeks ago, we were turning on the air conditioning as the temp hit above 90 for a couple days in a row. the change in weather messes with my meal planning - one week we're eating salads and grilling chicken, the next we're longing for big bowls of pasta and soup. and while i won't be making this bowl of soup tonight - this chicken marsala risotto won out in the end - if this weather holds out, it might end up on the menu sooner than i think.

tomato, bean, and barley soup
adapted from the macro chef
45 minutes, serves 6

4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
15 ounces diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup quick cooking barley
2 cups cooked white beans (14 ounce can)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1 cup chopped spinach

coat the bottom of a soup pot with olive oil and place over medium heat. add the mushrooms and onions and saute for about 5 minutes. add the carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook an additional 5 minutes.
add the tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. add the barley and simmer for 30 minutes.
add the beans, soy sauce, and mirin and season with salt and pepper.
right before serving, stir in the spinach. serve with crusty bread.

secret recipe club: mojito chicken tacos

2013-06-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

for all of my regular readers, you've probably noticed i haven't been around these parts much in the last couple months. yes, i've been cooking - and even photographing a lot of it - and no, i don't have any big life announcement to make that sucked up all my time and would provide a reason for my absence. it's really quite simple: i've been spending a lot more time with the kiddo (and in less than three weeks, he turns one. my god time flies.) and jason and a lot more time away from the computer. and as much as i've loved it, i have been looking forward to my secret recipe club eats, as they give me a great excuse to get back on here, reminding me how much i enjoy sharing here.

my last two src choices were sweet, so this month i definitely wanted to go savory. i stopped dead in my tracks when i spotted these zesty margarita chicken tacos with creamy chipotle lime drizzle over at the weekend gourmet. while i'm not a huge fan of margaritas (drinking way too much tequila once in college has scarred me forever), i love love love mexican food and set off to make the margarita tacos.

until i got to the grocery store. because i don't drink margaritas, we don't have margarita mix at home. while staring at the bottle of it in the store, i noticed the mojito mix next to it. my first thought was to buy both and make up some mojitos to drink with the tacos. half a second later i decided to simply sub the mojito mix for the margarita mix in the recipe. mojitos are my favorite alcoholic drink - there are few things better on a hot, humid summer day - and i knew the flavor of mint and lime would be delicious in tacos. to further the mojito flavor, i swapped chopped cilantro in the marinade with fresh mint. while the chicken was delicious and the tacos as a whole really good, we were split on the sauce. jason really liked it, i could have done without it. honestly, i think this recipe taught me i'm not a fan of the smoky chipotle pepper flavor, because it was that smokiness i didn't care for. none the less, these were a great way to mix up our weekly mexican night.

for more information on the secret recipe club, including the list of participating bloggers, featured recipes from members, and instructions on how to join, visit the secret recipe club website!

check out my previous secret recipe club posts: maple glazed whole wheat spiced apple pizza, pig out cookies, pasta with blistered tomatoes & arugula and iced grapefruit cookies, mushroom barley soup, scalloped ham and potato bake & andes mint cake, chicken souvlaki with tzatziki, asian pork chops, lemon lime meltaways, blueberry peach crisp, minted lemon ice, white chocolate macadamia nut blondies, raspberry cream filled eclairs, jam swirled cheesecake, whole wheat grapefruit cake, chewy no bake granola bars & carrot cinnamon waffles, cannoli, gingerbread muffins, double chocolate peanut butter chip oatmeal cookies, butterscotch peach cake, whole wheat honey pancakes, minted pineapple lime agua fresca, breakfast tacos, simple almond sandwich cookies, & roasted banana rum cake.

mojito chicken tacos
adapted from the weekend gourmet
serves 6-8

the sauce makes a relatively large amount - slightly over a cup. if you aren't a huge fan of sauce on your tacos or the flavor of chipotle chilis, consider halving the sauce recipe. leftover chicken is also delicious on a taco salad.

for the marinade:
juice of 1 orange
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup mojito mix
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
pinch red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts

for the sauce:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon puree from chipotle peppers in adobo
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

tortillas, avocado, grilled onion, cheese, and pico de gallo for serving

combine the marinade ingredients in a gallon size zip top bag. add the chicken, seal the bag, and coat the chicken with the marinade. marinate at least two hours.
combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl. season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until serving.
grill your chicken breasts, tent with foil and let them rest for a few minutes while preparing any other fillings for your tacos. slice the chicken and build your tacos. i like avocado, chicken, cheese, grilled onion, pico de gallo, and sauce layered in a tortilla.

secret recipe club: maple glazed whole wheat spiced apple pizza

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

for this month's secret recipe club, i chose something totally out of season, sawsan's apple and cinnamon streusel pizza. sawson blogs over at chef in disguise and when i first saw that she lives in the middle east, i naively thought we couldn't have anything in common. i was so wrong! i have a pretty technical day job and spend a lot of my off hours cooking and being a mom. and so does sawsan. she is an orthodontist by day and self professed "food explorer" - a term which i love, by the way - by night and a mom of two.

this recipe was the perfect way to use up some apples i had hiding out in my refrigerator that had seen better days. spiced up with orange, lemon, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg and blanketed with streusel, these are my kind of apples. it didn't hurt that i added another layer of sweetness with a maple glaze.

while this pizza was baking in the oven, i kept thinking of other combinations that would be equally as delicious - spiced apple drizzled or baked with caramel, spiced pear, fresh berries, peaches with vanilla. i cannot wait to try a few later this summer when fruit is in season!

this recipe would be great for a party - it's easy to make and can feed a lot of people. besides, who can resist warm, cinnamony apples?!

for more information on the secret recipe club, including the list of participating bloggers, featured recipes from members, and instructions on how to join, visit the secret recipe club website!

check out my previous secret recipe club posts: pig out cookies, pasta with blistered tomatoes & arugula and iced grapefruit cookies, mushroom barley soup, scalloped ham and potato bake & andes mint cake, chicken souvlaki with tzatziki, asian pork chops, lemon lime meltaways, blueberry peach crisp, minted lemon ice, white chocolate macadamia nut blondies, raspberry cream filled eclairs, jam swirled cheesecake, whole wheat grapefruit cake, chewy no bake granola bars & carrot cinnamon waffles, cannoli, gingerbread muffins, double chocolate peanut butter chip oatmeal cookies, butterscotch peach cake, whole wheat honey pancakes, minted pineapple lime agua fresca, breakfast tacos, simple almond sandwich cookies, & roasted banana rum cake.

maple glazed whole wheat spiced apple pizza
adapted from chef in disguise
45 minutes, serves 8+

sawsan's original recipe calls for the zest of a whole orange, so that's what i used. and honestly, it was a bit overpowering. i like the combo of apples + orange, so i think the zest is good, it could just be toned down a bit. if you don't care for the combo, skip the orange zest completely.

1/2 pound whole wheat pizza dough
1 tablespoon butter, melted

for the apples:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 large hard apples (gala and jonagold are good choices), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
zest of half an orange (optional, see note above)
zest of half a lemon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

for the streusel:
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

for the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1-2 tablespoons water

if using a pizza stone, place it in your oven and preheat it to 450F. if you aren't using a pizza stone, preheat your oven to 450F. stretch your pizza dough into roughly a twelve inch circle and set aside.
saute the apples. melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. once melted, add the brown sugar and cook until dissolved, about 1 minute. add the apples, turn down the heat to medium low and cook until the apples are tender and the sauce has been reduced to a glaze - it will become watery before it thickens - about 10 minutes. remove from heat and mix in the zest and spices.
make the streusel (if you're super organized, make the streusel while the apples are sauteing). mix the flour, oats, sugar, and salt in a bowl. add the butter and use your hands to rub it into the mixture until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
spoon the hot apple mixture over the pizza dough evenly. sprinkle the streusel evenly over the apple mixture on the pizza. brush the crust with melted butter. bake until the crust is golden, about 8 minutes. remove from the oven and cool completely.
to make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon water until smooth. if the glaze is too thick, add water a little bit at a time, until it's the consistency you want. pour glaze over the cooled pizza. store leftover pizza in the refrigerator.

secret recipe club: pig out cookies

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

for this month's secret recipe club, i didn't follow my normal process when choosing a recipe on lisa's blog, cook lisa cook. instead, i clicked around somewhat haphazardly, reading through her list of recipe tags and clicking on the ones that sounded good. i didn't make it very far down the list, as cookies sucked me in! as soon as i saw these "piggy out cookies" i knew i was going to make them as soon as i saw bacon. i didn't read the rest of the ingredients list until i was making my grocery list later in the week!

these cookies are everything they promise to be: smooth creamy peanut butter, sweet milk chocolate, and salty bacon all in one bite. i dare you to eat just one. or two. while lisa mentioned the flavor of the cookies were better the second day, after spending a night in the refrigerator, i totally disagree. there's nothing like warm cookies out of the oven, and these are no different. but it's nothing that a few seconds in the microwave can't fix. we nuked ours about 15 seconds, just long enough to take the chill off and start to melt the chocolate. delicious!

for more information on the secret recipe club, including the list of participating bloggers, featured recipes from members, and instructions on how to join, visit the secret recipe club website!

check out my previous secret recipe club posts: pasta with blistered tomatoes & arugula and iced grapefruit cookies, mushroom barley soup, scalloped ham and potato bake & andes mint cake, chicken souvlaki with tzatziki, asian pork chops, lemon lime meltaways, blueberry peach crisp, minted lemon ice, white chocolate macadamia nut blondies, raspberry cream filled eclairs, jam swirled cheesecake, whole wheat grapefruit cake, chewy no bake granola bars & carrot cinnamon waffles, cannoli, gingerbread muffins, double chocolate peanut butter chip oatmeal cookies, butterscotch peach cake, whole wheat honey pancakes, minted pineapple lime agua fresca, breakfast tacos, simple almond sandwich cookies, & roasted banana rum cake.

pig out cookies
adapted from cook lisa cook
1 hour, makes 2 dozen

i always use thick cut bacon - for breakfast and baking - and cooked six slices for these cookies. i diced the bacon when it was raw, making it easier for me to cook six slices worth in one pan without overcrowding and making a huge grease mess. the bacon can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.

about 1/3 of a pound bacon, cooked and diced/crumbled
2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat drippings, cooled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup milk chocolate chips
sea salt for topping (optional)

preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
in a large bowl, beat the bacon fat, butter, and peanut butter until smooth. add the sugars and beat until light and creamy, about three minutes. add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
with the mixer on low, add about half of the flour, then the baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and end with the rest of the flour. mix until combined.
fold in the chocolate and bacon by hand with a spoon.
portion about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet (i used my oxo medium cookie scoop), at least an inch apart. the cookies don't spread too much, so they can be pretty close together. lightly flatten the cookies with your fingers. top with a little sea salt, if you like.
bake for 10-12 minutes, or until light brown. let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. store in the refrigerator.

winter salad with clementine vinaigrette

2013-03-24T16:41:00.000-04:00

i've mentioned before that i'm always on the lookout for new salads to try. i jumped on this one since a box of clementines always finds its way into my shopping cart and each week we always end up throwing a few away. i always have good intentions of eating them all. but just as soon as the weekend is over and monday comes, before i can blink it's already thursday. i breeze through the rest of the week and weekend and soon enough, i'm staring down the last three or four clementines that just didn't make it. while this salad isn't my favorite, it's still light and refreshing and a great way to use up those stragglers.

winter salad with clementine vinaigrette
adapted from rachel cooks
15 minutes, serves 4

for the dressing
1/4 cup clementine juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

for the salad
1 head red or green leaf lettuce or 2 hearts of romaine, torn
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces (optional)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup slivered almonds
4 clementines, peeled and segments cut in half

combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. alternatively, place them all in a jar and shake to combine. season with salt and pepper and whisk/shake to combine.
divide the lettuce, chicken, cranberries, almonds, and clementines among four salad bowls. top with dressing and serve.

slow cooker creamy tomato artichoke parmesan soup with brie, ham, and apple panini

2013-03-21T15:39:00.000-04:00

when i lived in downtown rochester, i ate a lot of lunches and dinners at magnolia's on park avenue. more often than not, my companion and i would share one of their thin crust pizzas and i would always order a bowl of their signature cream of tomato artichoke and cheese soup. i cannot tell you how many people i have turned onto this soup. it's killer.

so good in fact, when i am sick, it's what i crave. in the dead of winter, when it's freezing cold out and we're buried until feet of snow, it's what i crave. so much so there have been a few times since we moved into the burbs that jason has made the 13 mile drive for a bowl of this soup. it's that good.

and as much as i love it, i've been hesitant to make it. scared i might not be able to replicate it at home and also afraid of what would happen if i could. i have so many happy memories sitting at one of their small tables, looking out the window as others push babies and walk their dogs, i don't mind finding a reason to go there a few times a year.

a few weeks ago, i had tomato soup on the brain and stumbled on this slow cooker recipe. delicious by itself, i knew the addition of artichoke hearts, leftover from this killer roasted artichoke dip i made last thanksgiving, would be welcome. and they were. not quite as good as magnolia's, it's a good second place.

and the sandwich! oh the sandwich. it was actually kind of an afterthought. which is a shame, because it was so simple and delicious, with a side of steamed vegetables it would make a great dinner all on it's own. it didn't hurt that it was delicious dipped into the soup.

slow cooker creamy tomato artichoke parmesan soup
adapted from the girl who ate everything
serves 4-6

28 ounces diced tomatoes
4 carrots, finely diced (about 1 cup)
4 ribs celery, finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup fresh basil
4 cups chicken broth
6 ounces frozen artichoke hearts
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups half and half

add the tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, oregano, basil, and chicken broth to a large slow cooker. cover and cook on low for at least five hours or up to ten. using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth.
at least thirty minutes before you plan to eat, preheat your oven to 450F. line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. add the artichokes, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. roast, stirring a few times, for about 25 minutes or until artichokes start to brown. set aside.
melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. add the flour and whisk constantly for about 5 minutes. the mixture should be sandy and brown slightly. slowly whisk in one cup of hot soup and whisk until smooth. gradually add another 2-3 cups of soup, whisking constantly until smooth. add the mixture back into the slow cooker and stir to combine.
add the artichokes, parmesan cheese and half and half. season with salt and pepper.
cover and cook on low for at least another 15-30 minutes to warm through, or until ready to serve.

brie, ham, and apple panini
adapted from all day i dream about food
15 minutes, serves 2

2 soft rolls or 2 flatbreads

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 pound deli ham

4 ounces brie, thinly sliced

1 green apple, thinly sliced

preheat your panini press or george foreman grill.
cut the rolls in half. combine the dijon and mayonnaise in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. spread both sides of the rolls or flatbreads with the dijon mayo mixture.
build your sandwich with deli ham on the bottom, apple, and brie on top.
press until sandwich is toasted and cheese is melted, rotating the sandwich 90 degrees partway through. for me this took about 5 minutes.
serve with the soup.

pretzel chicken with mustard cheese sauce

2013-03-18T16:25:00.000-04:00

it's been five and a half years since jason and i spent labor day weekend in chicago, and four and a half since we spent the same weekend in cleveland. while it feels like only yesterday we were in both cities it also feels like a lifetime ago. i can still remember - plain as yesterday - walking into the great lakes brewing company in cleveland and having a drink at the bar while we waited for a table. we sat outside and marveled at the fact that we could do whatever we wanted since no, we didn't have any kids in tow. i don't remember what i had for dinner, but jason still dreams of the pretzel chicken he had.

i first recreated it at home three years ago, and while that version was good, this one takes the cake. butterflying the chicken breasts makes them nice and thin so they cook quickly, so you don't end up with burnt pretzels or undercooked chicken. dipping the chicken in the pretzels, then egg, then pretzels again ensures they have a nice, thick coating. and the cheese sauce? takes it over the top.

pretzel chicken with mustard cheese sauce
adapted from taste and tell
30 minutes, serves 2-4

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied (cut thinly in half)
1 cup salted pretzels, crushed with a mallet or a food processor (measure them before you crush them)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup 2% or whole milk
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

put the pretzels in a shallow dish. put the eggs in another shallow dish. scramble the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
place a large saute pan over medium heat and coat the bottom generously with vegetable oil.
dip each chicken breast piece into the pretzels, then into the egg, then back into the pretzels, pressing to make sure they adhere. cook in the hot oil until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
while the chicken is cooking, make the sauce by melting the butter in a medium sauce pan. whisk in the flour and cook for one minute. gradually mix in the milk and make sure there are no lumps. whisk frequently until slightly thickened. add the mustard, season with salt and pepper, and whisk in the cheese until melted.
serve the chicken with the cheese sauce.

skillet glazed pork chops

2013-03-15T21:37:00.000-04:00

monday is one of those days i've been dreading. one of those days that when you schedule it, it sounds crazy, but it's so far off in the future that by the time the day actually arrives, it can't possibly be as bad as you think it is. and the worst part: it's my own fault for scheduling it the way i did. so while everyone else is sitting at home, relaxing or sleeping off their monday in bed, i'll be giving a workshop and driving 4 hours home. and while i'm excited for the workshop - and am not completely dreading the four hour drive - i'm pretty bummed i'll miss tucking baby winn into bed. it's funny how much a baby changes every little thing.

skillet glazed pork chops
adapted from cook's illustrated cooking for two 2011
25 minutes, serves 2

2 one inch thick boneless pork chops
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
pinch dried thyme

combine the maple syrup, vinegar, mustard, and thyme in a small bowl and set aside.
coat the bottom of a skillet with vegetable oil and place over medium heat. cook pork on one side, about five minutes, flip and cook an additional eight minutes, or until the internal temperature is at least 145F. transfer the pork to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
add the maple syrup mixture to the pan, whisk to combine any browned bits in the pan, and simmer until thick and syrupy, about two minutes. return the pork to the pan and coat in the sauce. serve.

lemon glazed blueberry scones

2013-03-12T21:28:00.000-04:00

ugh. that's how i feel about the last month. first i was sick for a weekend. then, later that week, the baby got sick. which meant i soon got sick and so did jason. it was the sickest we've been in a very long time and spent the whole next week eating saltines for dinner. it was rough.

i spent the next two weeks trying to catch up with life that i missed while we were all sick. which brings me to this week. we're finally all healthy and most everything is caught up. except for the eighteen draft blog posts sitting in my computer, waiting for me to catch up.

i've professed my love for scones many times before and these are no different. i have about eight cups of blueberries in my freezer from when i picked them last summer and knew these scones would be a great way to feature them. it didn't hurt that they went to brunch with me, where i spent a couple blissful hours baby free.

lemon glazed blueberry scones
30 minutes, makes 9 large scones

1 3/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

preheat your oven to 375F. line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.
using your hands or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
mix in the blueberries.
add the milk and vanilla extract and mix just until combined.
turn the dough out onto the baking sheet and use your hands to form it into a rough circle or square. cut into as many scones as you'd like.
bake for about 15 minutes (smaller scones will take less time to cook, so check them often). transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
to make the glaze, whisk the sugar and lemon juice until smooth, starting with one tablespoon juice and adding more until it's the consistency you like. drizzle the glaze over the scones. scones are best eaten the day they are made. if storing, avoid air tight containers as the glaze will soften and get soggy.

secret recipe club: pasta with blistered tomatoes & arugula and iced grapefruit cookies

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

last march, i made this whole wheat grapefruit cake for my secret recipe club selection and fell in love with grapefruit in baked goods. so this march, when i stumbled on these pink grapefruit cookies at life of a modern housewife for this month's secret recipe club, i knew they would be delicious. it just so happened i had absolutely nothing planned for dinner that same saturday night, so lucky for me while browsing her recipes, i also found this fettuccine with blistered tomatoes and arugula. it's one of my favorite kind of meals - meatless, pasta, and ready in less than 30 minutes. i will definitely be making it again.

while both recipes were delicious, i made a few slight changes. to the pasta, i swapped out fettuccine for bowties and since arugula comes in a 5 ounce bag from my grocery store, i added all 5, instead of the 4 ounces the original recipe called for. for the cookies, i am simply too lazy to roll them out. sure, they would have been perfectly round, but i prefer the slice and bake method to save time and the mess. and instead of sandwiching them, i topped each with some buttercream. and then ate half a dozen or so in one afternoon. fresh cookies are dangerous in my house.

for more information on the secret recipe club, including the list of participating bloggers, featured recipes from members, and instructions on how to join, visit the secret recipe club website!

check out my previous secret recipe club posts: mushroom barley soup, scalloped ham and potato bake & andes mint cake, chicken souvlaki with tzatziki, asian pork chops, lemon lime meltaways, blueberry peach crisp, minted lemon ice, white chocolate macadamia nut blondies, raspberry cream filled eclairs, jam swirled cheesecake, whole wheat grapefruit cake, chewy no bake granola bars & carrot cinnamon waffles, cannoli, gingerbread muffins, double chocolate peanut butter chip oatmeal cookies, butterscotch peach cake, whole wheat honey pancakes, minted pineapple lime agua fresca, breakfast tacos, simple almond sandwich cookies, & roasted banana rum cake.

pasta with blistered tomatoes and arugula
adapted from life of a modern housewife
25 minutes, serves 4

1 pound bow tie or other short cut pasta
3 garlic cloves, minced
pinch red pepper flakes
10 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
5 ounces baby arugula
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

cook the pasta according to the package directions. save 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, drain, and set aside.
while the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and place over medium heat. add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. add tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes soften, about 8 minutes. stir in balsamic vinegar. season with salt and pepper. if the pasta is still cooking, remove from heat.
return the skillet to medium heat and add arugula. cook, tossing often, until leaves wilt. add pasta and stir well to incorporate. add about half the pasta cooking water and cook a couple minutes until absorbed.
remove from heat and stir in the mozzarella cubes and parmesan cheese. serve immediately.

iced grapefruit cookies
adapted from life of a modern housewife
makes 48 two inch cookies

for the cookies:
grated zest and juice of one grapefruit
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

for the buttercream:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons grapefruit juice

with a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, a couple minutes. add egg yolks and mix until combined. add the zest and mix until combined.
with the mixer on low, add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until combined, then add the juice, and cake flour. mix until combined.
divide dough roughly in half and turn each half out onto a piece of plastic wrap. using your hands, form into a log about 2 inches in diameter. repeat with the remaining dough. refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
preheat your oven to 350F. line a baking sheet with parchment paper. remove a dough log from the refrigerator. slice into 1/8 inch slices and arrange one inch apart on the baking sheet. bake until the edges are golden, about 10 minutes. transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
while the cookies are cooling, make the buttercream. beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. add the honey and grapefruit juice and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
spread each cookie with a thin layer of buttercream. store in an airtight container.

almond crusted chicken fingers

2013-02-15T21:25:00.002-05:00

ever since we left the bar almost three years ago to make our own chicken fingers at home, a version makes in into our dinner rotation every couple months. they're easy, delicious, quick, and don't make a big mess when they're baked. this version is breaded with both panko and ground almonds. if you aren't a fan of nuts or have a nut allergy, feel free to skip the almonds all together and just use panko. they're delicious either way.

almond crusted chicken fingers
adapted from how sweet eats
30 minutes, serves 4

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenders or chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup ground almonds
3/4 cup panko
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
non-stick spray or spray vegetable oil
honey mustard dipping sauce for serving (optional)

soak the chicken in the buttermilk for at least four hours and up to overnight.
preheat your oven to 450F. line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.
in a large plate, combine the almonds, panko, flour, salt, pepper, and paprika.
remove chicken from the buttermilk and let the excess drip off. dip in the breading mixture and place on the wire rack. repeat with the rest of the chicken pieces.
spray each tender with vegetable oil. bake for 12 minutes, flip and spray with oil, and bake for an additional 12 minutes. serve with honey mustard dipping sauce.

chicken cordon bleu soup

2013-02-11T12:14:00.001-05:00

it's funny how people react to snow. last weekend, we got hit, just like everyone else on the east coast. i had plans friday to take the baby out for the day, but after watching six inches fall in the morning, i ditched them and stayed inside. mostly because i didn't want to deal with the other idiots driving around that don't realize you actually do have to drive differently when there's this much snow falling. by late saturday morning the snow stopped falling and it was absolutely beautiful outside. all the tree branches were covered in snow. it was picture perfect. other than having to be plowed out of our driveway, we weren't really affected. our power didn't go off, we didn't go to the grocery store to stock up, i didn't even bother getting out the flashlights.

after being stuck in the house for two days, we decided to head out with family for dinner. big mistake. while the weatherman was still talking about how much snow fell and how icy the roads were, we couldn't get over the people who ventured out to eat. our first choice, sticky lips bbq, had an hour plus wait. our second choice, red robin, also had an hour wait. an hour for a hamburger?! so we ended up at five guys. not exactly what we were looking for, but with seven of us and two babies, none of us felt like waiting an hour to eat. moral of the story: everyone else feels just as cooped up as you and it's better to stay home and make dinner.

chicken cordon bleu soup
adapted from double dipped life
45 minutes, serves 4-6

4 medium baking potatoes

2 tablespoons butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup flour

2 1/2 cups 2% milk

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

1 cup shredded swiss cheese

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 cup diced cooked ham

wash your potatoes and pierce them with a fork. microwave on high for 5 minutes. rotate and cook for an additional 5 minutes. check to see if they're tender. they may need a few more minutes and the cook time will vary based on your microwave. cut in half and set aside to cool slightly once done.
while the potatoes are cooking, start the soup. place a large stock pot over medium low heat and melt the butter. add the garlic and onion and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
add the flour to the pan and whisk until no dry pockets of flour remain. while whisking constantly, slowly add the milk. add the chicken broth and whisk well. bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
while the soup is thickening, scoop the potato out of the skin and cut into small pieces.
once the soup is thickened, add the potatoes, cheese, chicken, and ham. taste and season with salt and pepper. serve hot.

meyer lemon cupcakes with meyer lemon buttercream

2013-02-07T20:11:00.001-05:00

it's been a while since i've made anything sweet. honestly, i think the back to back cakes in january had me sugared out. last week i picked up a bag of six meyer lemons in the store. two were already spoken for, leaving me with four. the perfect number to make these cupcakes.

i love lemon desserts, almost as much as hubs, so it's no surprise these cupcakes are one of my favorites. ever. using meyer lemons makes the cakes not too sweet, not too tart. and the buttercream is the perfect finishing touch. so last week, while everyone else was watching beyonce sex it up, i was mixing up these cupcakes. definitely not a bad way to spend a sunday evening.

meyer lemon cupcakes with meyer lemon buttercream
adapted from miss delish
makes 18-24

i listed a range of 18 to 24 cupcakes for this recipe. i used a 1/4 cup of batter per cupcake and had 24. only a couple had nice, rounded dome tops, the rest were a little puny. if you want them to be a bit taller, i suggest dividing the batter among 18 cups instead of 24.

last fall i started using my medium cookie scoop, which holds 1 1/2 tablespoons, to portion frosting. for me, this is the perfect amount - not too much, not too little. if you like to pipe big swirls or want more frosting, i suggest doubling the recipe. i made double and froze half of it, since i didn't even come close to needing it all.

for the cupcakes:
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
the juice & zest of 2 meyer lemons
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

for the buttercream:
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
juice of 1 meyer lemon
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

preheat your oven to 350F and line 2 muffin tins with paper cups. set aside.
to make the cupcakes, combine the milk and lemon juice and set aside while preparing the rest of the batter.
to make the cupcakes, cream the butter with an electric mixer until light. add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. add the eggs one at a time, mixing each completely before adding the next. add the vanilla and lemon zest and mix until combined.
in a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
with the mixer on low, alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk & lemon juice until combined.
divide the batter between the cupcake liners and bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
while the cupcakes bake and cool, make the frosting. cream the butter with a mixer until light and fluffy. add the lemon juice and mix until combined. alternate adding the sugar and the milk until it is all combined. add the vanilla and mix on high for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
top each cooled cupcake with buttercream. these cupcakes are best the day they're made. they're good the next day, and are really dry on the third day.

secret recipe club: mushroom barley soup

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

i had a hard time choosing my recipe for this month's secret recipe club. jane at the heritage cook has hundreds of sweet and savory recipes, most of which look like something i would make at home. and i can totally get behind her "chocolate monday" feature. (marry that with alison's sweet tooth friday and the start and end of the week is covered!)

i had it narrowed down to three recipes - mexican black bean soup with cilantro lime sauce, triple layer lemon cake with lemon buttercream icing (for hubs, of course), and one of her two mushroom barley soups. i ultimately chose the mushroom barley soup because i didn't have the patience for the black bean soup this month, i had already made two layer cakes in the last four weeks and couldn't justify another, and the first and only time i made mushroom barley soup it came out far too thick. i've had every intention to remake it and as soon as i saw jane's version, i stopped looking for anything else!

this soup is deceiving; it doesn't look like much, but it's packed full of flavor. tons of vegetables - mushrooms, carrots, celery, leeks - barley, and sherry, one of my favorite additions to soup, make this flavorful and filling. you definitely won't miss the meat!

for more information on the secret recipe club, including the list of participating bloggers, featured recipes from members, and instructions on how to join, visit the secret recipe club website!

check out my previous secret recipe club posts: scalloped ham and potato bake & andes mint cake, chicken souvlaki with tzatziki, asian pork chops, lemon lime meltaways, blueberry peach crisp, minted lemon ice, white chocolate macadamia nut blondies, raspberry cream filled eclairs, jam swirled cheesecake, whole wheat grapefruit cake, chewy no bake granola bars & carrot cinnamon waffles, cannoli, gingerbread muffins, double chocolate peanut butter chip oatmeal cookies, butterscotch peach cake, whole wheat honey pancakes, minted pineapple lime agua fresca, breakfast tacos, simple almond sandwich cookies, & roasted banana rum cake.

mushroom barley soup
adapted from the heritage cook
60 minutes, serves 4-6

2/3 cup quick-cooking barley
1/4 ouncedried porcini mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, sliced
4 carrots, sliced
8 ounces baby portobella mushrooms, sliced
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and rinsed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons dry sherry (not sherry vinegar)
1 3/4 cups beef broth

soak porcini mushrooms in a half cup water until they're soft, about 20 minutes. once soft, drain and reserve liquid. rinse the mushrooms to remove any grit and coarsely chop.
while the mushrooms are soaking, chop the rest of your vegetables.
coat the bottom of a large dutch oven with olive oil and heat over medium high heat. saute onion and celery until just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. add carrots, baby bellas, leek, and chopped porcinis. saute until the liquid from the mushrooms is evaporated, about 10 minutes.
stir in tomato paste, sherry, beef broth, reserved mushroom soaking liquid - be careful not to add any grit that collected in the bottom of your dish, barley, and three cups of water. bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and simmer until the barley and vegetables are tender, 15-20 minutes.
season with salt and pepper and serve.

pomegranate, pear, and goat cheese salad

2013-02-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

we try to have salad one night a week for dinner and i'm always on the look out for a new one. this pomegranate and pear version caught my eye because it's so similar to my new favorite apple chicken salad, only this version has pomegranate and pear instead of apple and dried cranberry. it's delicious, with a few tweaks.

first, i don't have pomegranate molasses on hand, and couldn't justify spending $5 for a bottle just for a tablespoon. so i tried to substitute pomegranate juice. bad idea. the dressing didn't emulsify and the pomegranate flavor wasn't strong enough - since the molasses is essentially sweetened pomegranate juice that's boiled down to concentrate it, you don't have the same problem with the molasses. it wasn't inedible, but it wasn't anything great. i've left the original recipe below. if you try it, please let me know how it turns out. is it worth $5?!

because of the dressing mishap and that we happened to have some leftover maple mustard vinaigrette from the apple chicken salad, we topped our leftover salads the next day with that dressing. and it was delicious.

the original recipe calls for salted pistachios instead of sliced almonds. the first time i had the salad, i had the pistachios and didn't think they went well with the pomegranate or the pear. the next day i subbed in the almonds and prefer them.

pomegranate, pear and goat cheese salad
adapted from food52
15 minutes, serves 4

for the vinaigrette
1 large shallot, minced
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

for the salad
6-8 cups mixed salad greens
2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced (optional)
2 ripe pears, cored, and thinly sliced
seeds from one pomegranate
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup sliced almonds

to make the vinaigrette, whisk the shallot, molasses, and vinegar together. season with salt and pepper. while whisking, stream in the olive oil. mix until combined.
divide the greens, chicken, pears, pomegranate seeds, cheese, and almonds among four bowls. top with dressing.

pappardelle with mushrooms

2013-02-02T21:33:00.000-05:00

as much as i adore mushrooms, i've always steered clear of any recipe that called for dried porcinis. i don't know why, but they've always intimidated me; something about having to reconstitute them made me afraid they would turn into chewy sponges in the end. boy was i wrong! i'm so glad i gave this recipe a try. it's really simple and full of mushroom flavor. don't let the time fool you - 30 minutes of it is spent waiting for the porcinis to reconstitute. no wonder this was one of cooking light's best recipes.

pappardelle with mushrooms
adapted from cooking light
45 minutes; 15 active minutes, serves 4

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2/3 cup boiling water
8 ounces pappardelle
1 large shallot, finely chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 ounce (or 5 tablespoons) freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup heavy cream

rinse porcini mushrooms under running water. combine the porcini and boiling water in a small bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. once soft, drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid. chop porcini. cook the pasta according to the package directions. drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
once the porcinis are softened, start making the sauce (it's ok if the pasta is still cooking, it will take a few minutes to make the sauce). coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil. place over medium heat. add the shallots, mushrooms, and garlic and saute for about five minutes.
stir in porcini, sherry, and season with salt and pepper. cook for one minute, stirring frequently, until the liquid evaporates.
stir in the pasta, reserved porcini liquid, reserved pasta cooking liquid, grated parmesan, and cream. toss well to combine. to serve, top each with additional parmesan cheese.

the latest: january

2013-01-31T21:56:00.000-05:00

how have i not stumbled upon 365 days of slow cooking before?! i am loving it and could spend hours going through the archives!

i love to can in the summer and jams and jellies are my favorites. but there comes a point each winter where i realize i have way too much jam than can be consumed before the next season. luckily break or bake has the same problem and rounded up a few of her favorite ways to use them up.

i've had my pinterest account for the last year or so and used it mostly for planning the baby's nursery and other baby related purchases. in the last week i took the plunge and decided to transfer all of my tagged posts in google reader to pinterest. it's a big undertaking, but i'm hoping in the long run it will be easier for me to meal plan and find and share new recipes. once i've got it all - or am a lot closer to finishing - sorted out, i'll be sure to add a follow button if you want to follow me.

part of my day job is to educate the public on ways in which the things we do at home affect the health of the great lakes. one of the chemicals we often discuss is BPA. the environmental working group just released their guide to BPA. it's a quick read with info about the concern and tips to reduce your exposure, such as limiting canned food consumption.

the ewg blog posted recipes for homemade pledge and oven cleaner. i have used white vinegar as fabric softener in my washing machine and as a jet-dry substitute in my dishwasher and we use baking soda and vinegar to clean our drains. i have seen the oven cleaner method on multiple websites and talked to others who have used it and say it works great. now that the holidays are over, i need to try it!

i stopped at dunkin donuts last week on the way into work and tried a new dark chocolate mocha coffee with cream and sugar. i liked it better than their regular mocha. it had a stronger chocolate flavor and was less sweet.

i'm curious: what would you like to see more of here? less of? what types of posts are your favorite? let me know in the comments or email me kitchentrialanderror [at] gmail [dot] com.

44 clove garlic soup with chicken

2013-01-31T20:25:00.001-05:00

i really hate to start it this way, but i'm sorry. i'm sorry deb, this garlic soup was just plain too garlicky for me. too garlicky for my garlic loving husband. this is the first and only recipe i've made from deb at smitten kitchen that was a bust for me. that said, i think there are a few ways to totally redeem this soup & it's on my radar to try again.

the original recipe calls for 44 cloves of garlic - or three heads, to make it easier. two heads of garlic are roasted and added to the soup later and the remaining head is simmered in chicken stock. the roasted garlic is nice and mild, still garlicky, but not as pungent. i think either skipping the third head completely or roasting all three heads would make a soup full of garlic flavor, without the super strong bite. please let me know in the comments if you try it. and i'll be sure to update this post when i do.

44 clove garlic soup with chicken

click to get the recipe at smitten kitchen.i made two changes: i didn't bother counting cloves and roasted two heads (where deb calls for 26 cloves) and simmered 1 head (where she calls for 18 cloves) and i added two precooked, shredded chicken breasts when the soup was finished.

pan roasted chicken with balsamic bell peppers

2013-01-29T21:10:00.000-05:00

here's yet another way to jazz up a relatively boring chicken breast. we eat a heck of a lot of chicken breasts around here, so much so, that we buy them 10 at a time. and even though we eat chicken in many different ways, a simple one dish pan roasted chicken is something i've been gravitating to lately. there's something satisfying about making chicken, vegetables, and sauce in one pan. it's something i can do while simultaneously cleaning up from the day and getting ready for the next. these types of dishes are my favorite.

and if you aren't a fan of balsamic or bell peppers, i've got 49 other ways to enjoy chicken.

a housekeeping note: for those of you on pinterest, i've added a pin it button to the bottom of each post to make it easier for you to share your favorites.

chicken with balsamic bell peppers

adapted from cooking light

30 minutes, serves 4

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 medium or large bell peppers, sliced

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

coat the bottom of a large skillet with oil and preheat over medium-high heat.
combine garlic powder, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. coat the chicken breasts with vegetable or olive oil and the spice rub.
add the chicken to the pan, and cook, about ten minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked through. remove the chicken from the pan and return the pan to medium heat.
coat the pan with oil and add the peppers, shallot, and rosemary. saute about three minutes or until the pepper start to soften. deglaze the pan with the broth, reduce heat, and simmer about 5 minutes until thickened. stir in vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and cook three minutes.
add the chicken back into the pan and toss with the pepper mixture to reheat. serve the chicken topped with the peppers.

vegetable noodle soup

2013-01-27T12:38:00.001-05:00

why yes, that is the may 2012 issue of bon apetit on my coffee table. and yes, my bookmark is on the editor's letter page, so i didn't make it very far. i'm a bit behind on my reading. i have a good 15 or so magazines that have piled up since last june (and apparently earlier) along with a few new cookbooks from christmas and my birthday. same thing goes for some of the posts saved in my google reader. which brings me to this soup: this soup has been sitting in my reader, starred, waiting for me to make it, since it was posted two and a half years ago. week after week it got pushed aside for something flashier. what a shame, considering how delicious, easy, and adaptable this soup is. and now that i have the last four pounds of baby weight to lose, this meatless soup may make it's way into our weekly rotation more often.

vegetable noodle soup
adapted from the other side of 50
45 minutes, serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 leek, white and light green parts, cleaned well and thinly sliced
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
4 carrots, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup dry sherry
8 cups (2 quarts or 64 ounces) chicken stock
2 large potatoes, peeled, and cubed
8 ounces egg noodles
1 cup half & half

in a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. add the leek, celery, and carrots. season with salt and pepper and saute until they have softened about 8 minutes.
add the mushrooms and thyme and saute until the mushrooms have given up their liquid and the liquid has been absorbed, about 8 minutes.
add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
add the flour and mix well. cook, mixing frequently, for a minute or two, or until the flour is light brown.
deglaze the pan with the sherry and cook until evaporated.
add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, and add the potatoes and noodles. simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes and noodles are tender.
remove from heat, stir in the half & half, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

chicken yakitori rice bowl

2013-01-24T13:56:00.001-05:00

it took three and a half years for us to find a decent chinese restaurant near our house. when jason finally found it, we had chinese a couple times in just as many weeks. and each time we ended up with a lot of leftover rice. not wanting to let the rice go to waste, i ripped this rice bowl recipe out of my december cooking light and made it for dinner one weeknight. i love the flavor of green onions when they've cooked in soy and sugar and they go really well with snow peas and chicken. if i had any carrots at the time, i would have cut those into matchsticks and tossed them in too. stir fry is the perfect vehicle for lots of vegetables, since they're coated in sauce.

chicken yakitori rice bowl
adapted from cooking light
20 minutes, serves 4

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chicken broth
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
8 ounces snow peas
1 small bunch green onions, cut into one inch pieces
4 cups leftover white or brown rice

combine soy sauce, mirin, sugar, vinegar, and chicken broth in a small saucepan. bring to a boil and simmer three minutes. remove from heat.
heat a large non stick pan over medium heat. coat the pan with vegetable oil and cook the chicken, tossing frequently, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. remove the chicken from the pan.
add the snow peas and onions to the now empty pan and saute just until the onions wilt. add sauce and chicken and cook a few more minutes, until the sauce is thick and coats the chicken well.
place about 1 cup rice in each bowl and top with the chicken and vegetable mixture.

whole wheat vanilla scones

2013-01-22T20:32:00.002-05:00

last thursday morning i woke up craving a scone. more specifically, i craved a scone that i could slather with homemade peach butter i completely forgot about until i stumbled on a few jars in the basement while getting jarred apples for the baby the night before. i was so dead set on scones that after i got us up and ready for the day, i plunked him and a few toys in his high chair in the kitchen next to me. much to my surprise, in the 15 minutes or so it took me to whip these and coffee together, he never touched a single toy. instead, his eyes moved from me, to whatever ingredient i had in my hand, to the cupboard i opened. he was fascinated. and it made my scones a heck of a lot easier.

if you love vanilla as much as i do, then these scones are for you. i bought myself vanilla bean paste as a birthday present the last time i was grocery shopping. i love the flecks of vanilla bean seeds it gives to the scones. not too sweet and not too vanilla-ey, they're perfect spread with jam or butter. i spread mine with a smidge of salted butter and a generous amount of deb's peach butter that i made last summer. i know, i completely forgot to tell you guys about it! don't worry, i'll remind you again this summer, when we're in the thick of peach season and i made another batch for next winter.

whole wheat vanilla scones
30 minutes, makes 6 scones

i like using vanilla bean paste in these since it peppers the vanilla bean seeds throughout. if you don't have any on hand, replace it with additional vanilla extract.

1 cup flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
about 2 tablespoons sugar for topping (optional)

preheat your oven to 375F. line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
whisk the flour,s sugar, baking powder, and salt together.
using your hands or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
add the milk, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean paste and mix just until combined.
turn the dough out onto the baking sheet and use your hands to form it into a rough circle or square. cut into about 6 equal pieces.
sprinkle the bottom of your mixing bowl with a layer of sugar. turn each scone over into the sugar, coating the top. turn right side (sugar side) up and place on the baking sheet.
bake for about 15 minutes. transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

cherry vanilla cake

2013-01-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

the last few years, my birthday cake has been a labor of love. two years ago, when i turned 29, it was all about pistachios and last year, for the big 3-0, it was all about salted caramel and chocolate. this year, it's cherry overload.

i usually start thinking about my birthday cake, and narrowing it down to a couple recipes, around christmas and i have the recipe chosen by the time i return to work after new years. this year, i had a hard time deciding exactly what i wanted. the pistachio and chocolate masterpieces were both from the baked cookbooks. in hindsight, i should have stuck with one of them, but i wanted something different. something with fruit. if you love maraschino cherries, this cake is for you.

i had high hopes for this cake and was actually disappointed. while i finally tackled swiss meringue buttercream - it really is easy and isn't nearly as sweet as buttercream, but has a flavor all it's own - the filling and buttercream had too much butter in them. too much butter?! i know, madness! but true. the cake itself is delicious. with a few tweaks, i bet these would be great as valentines cupcakes, topped with the cherry filling (made with less butter) instead of the buttercream.

what to do with all those leftover egg yolks? make ice cream, of course.

cherry vanilla cake
one 8 or 9 inch three layer cake that serves 16

annie has great instructions and i followed them perfectly, so click to get the recipe from annie's eats.

secret recipe club: scalloped ham & potato bake and andes mint cake

2013-01-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

i am kicking off the new year with potatoes and leftover christmas ham doused in cheese sauce and a four layer chocolate cake filled with candy and covered in mint buttercream. what, this isn't what you had in mind after two months of "holiday" eating?!

i either had family staying with us or was staying with family from mid december to after the new year, so i was itching to spend some time in the kitchen. these choices from melissa's blog, i was born to cook, for this month's secret recipe club were perfect. not only were they easy, and delicious, melissa taught me to embrace scalloped potatoes. sorry mom (hi mom!), but scalloped potatoes are one of the few things you made that i just plain didn't like as a kid. since before we were married, jason has requested it whenever we have ham leftovers. this time i gave in to his request and am so glad i did! these potatoes were delicious. and would make a great addition to a potluck.

if it was the cake that caught your eye, it's every bit as delicious as it looks. when jason declared at christmas that yes, he likes the combination of mint and chocolate, (for some reason i was convinced he hated it), i knew this cake was mine as soon as i saw it. and since it's only the two of us, and the whole new years resolution mumbo jumbo has me thinking about eating a bit better, i made a six inch cake. and really, even that is almost too big for the two of us. almost.

for more information on the secret recipe club, including the list of participating bloggers, featured recipes from members, and instructions on how to join, visit the secret recipe club website!

check out my previous secret recipe club posts: chicken souvlaki with tzatziki, asian pork chops, lemon lime meltaways, blueberry peach crisp, minted lemon ice, white chocolate macadamia nut blondies, raspberry cream filled eclairs, jam swirled cheesecake, whole wheat grapefruit cake, chewy no bake granola bars & carrot cinnamon waffles, cannoli, gingerbread muffins, double chocolate peanut butter chip oatmeal cookies, butterscotch peach cake, whole wheat honey pancakes, minted pineapple lime agua fresca, breakfast tacos, simple almond sandwich cookies, & roasted banana rum cake.

scalloped ham and potato bake

adapted from i was born to cook

30 minutes prep, 60 minutes bake, serves 4 as a main dish

5 cups potatoes, sliced thin (about 3 medium potatoes)

1 medium onion, sliced thin

2 cups ham, diced

for the sauce

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups 2%, 1% or whole (skip skim, if you can) milk

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup shredded colby jack cheese

for the topping

1 tablespoon butter, melted

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

grease a two quart casserole dish. layer about a quarter of the potatoes, ensuring the bottom is covered. top with about a third of the onions and a third of the ham. season with salt and pepper. repeat, layering potato, onion, and ham, and finish with a layer of potato. set aside.
preheat your oven to 350F.
to make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. when melted, whisk in the flour and cook about one minute. slowly whisk in the milk. continue cooking over low heat, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens. once thick, season with mustard, salt, and pepper, remove from heat, and whisk in the cheese until melted.
pour the sauce over the potato mixture. cover and bake 45 minutes.
combine the melted butter and bread crumbs. uncover the casserole and spread the mixture evenly over the top. return the casserole to the oven, uncovered, and bake an additional 15 minutes. if you would like your crust to be a bit more brown, turn on your broiler and broil for a few minutes. be sure to check frequently while broiling as the topping can go from perfectly browned to burnt in a short time.

andes mint chocolate cake

adapted from i was born to cook

makes one 6 inch, two or four layer cake

if you have parchment paper, i highly recommend lining your pans with it, especially for this cake. the candy tends to fall to the bottom, making a nice crust stuck to the bottom of the pan. i could have avoided it with two pieces of parchment.

to make an 8" or 9" layer cake, double all of the cake ingredients, split the batter between THREE pans (instead of two), and bake for the same amount of time. double the buttercream ingredients too.

for the cake

1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (or 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons) flour

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped andes mints (about 16 mints)

for the buttercream

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon mint extract

1/4 cup milk

green food coloring

preheat your oven to 350F. grease and flour - or line with parchment - two 6 inch cake pans. set aside.
to make the cake, bring the water to a boil. while the water is heating, mix the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. add the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until combined. mix in the boiling water and the andes mints.
divide the batter equally between the two pans. bake for about 23 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. cook in the pan for a few minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely.
while the cake cools, make the buttercream. combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, and mint and mix until combined. slowly add the milk, a tablespoon at a time, until your buttercream is the consistency you want. beat for about a minute. add green food coloring, if you like, and be sure to mix well to ensure the color is evenly distributed.
to make a four layer cake, cut each of the layers in half. place bottom layer on serving plate, top with about a third of a cup of icing, top with the next layer. repeat until the cake is built. spread a thin layer of icing over the cake and refrigerate for 15 minutes. ice with the remaining frosting. top with more chopped andes mints.