Jake, a man who loves Ferrero Rocher candies and had never tasted Nutella, proclaimed that there was no possible way that he could like Nutella.  It sounded “gross.”  Clearly, there is a disconnect here.  Chocolate and hazelnut are the primary ingredients in both treats.  So, I made him try it one day and, to his amazement, he liked it!  Imagine that!  So you can imagine the happiness that Nutella fudge brought to our house.  We also took a batch to my in-laws’ house at Christmas and the word “heavenly” was used once or twice. (Also heavenly: Elmo punch.)

This fudge is super sweet, so please don’t skip the sea salt on top.  It makes a huge difference, and somehow the flavor diversity makes you think that there is less sugar in the fudge making it less of a sweet overload.  Which, of course, means that it isn’t as bad for you.  Logic, people!  Use your heads!  I should totally start a healthy living blog.

Nutella Fudge with Sea Salt

1 (14 oz. ) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz. bittersweet (approximately 60% cacao) chocolate chips
1 cup Nutella, room temperature
3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Sea salt, approximately 1/2 tsp

Spray the bottom and sides of an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overlap on the sides (the spray keeps the paper in place while you are working).

In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate chips, Nutella, and butter.

Form a double-boiler by setting the bowl on a medium pot of gently simmering water. The water level should be low enough that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 5- 7 minutes.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and spread the top smooth and sprinkle with the sea salt. Refrigerate until the fudge is firm, at least 2 hours.

Run a knife under hot water, dry it off, and run it around the edges of the pan to loosen the fudge. Using the overhanging parchment paper, lift the fudge out. Peel off the parchment paper. Cut the fudge into 3/4-inch squares. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil.

Source: Cookin’ Canuck

Happy Valentine’s Day!  And I’m serious when I say “happy.”  I hate it when people complain about Valentine’s Day because they aren’t in love with a significant other.  There are lots of things to love!  Your family.  Your friends.  Grey’s Anatomy.  The upcoming long weekend.  Red velvet brownies.  Cheesecake swirls.

I happen to have 3 funny valentines this year.  Two of them aren’t afraid of the camera.  The other runs to the bedroom the second it gets pulled out of the case.  All three of them are snugglebugs.  And all three of them love cheese (which is possibly the most important trait to look for when searching for a valentine).

On a side note, I made lots of friends giving these away at work and, as my father taught me, giving sweets away at work is the cornerstone to success. 

Red Velvet Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Red Velvet Layer:
3 1/4 cups flour
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons milk, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon red food coloring
2 teaspoons white vinegar

Cheesecake Layer:
2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 18 jelly roll pan with butter or cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons milk, vanilla extract, red food coloring, and white vinegar.

Combine the dry and wet ingredients, until completely combined.  The batter will be very thick, but that’s ok.  Remove 3/4 cup of the batter and place it in a separate bowl. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk (into the 3/4 cup of batter you just took out) and set aside.

Pour the remaining batter into the prepared jelly roll pan. Using a spatula, smooth out the batter to reach all the edges.

Now, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream, beating until combined and there are no lumps. Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the red velvet layer and smooth mixture until it reaches all of the edges.

Drop spoonfuls of the remaining red velvet batter (that was mixed with the extra milk) onto the top of the cheesecake layer. Drag the tip of a knife through the red velvet and the cheesecake layers to create swirls.

Bake for 30 minutes, rotating half way through, or until the center is set and it no longer jiggles. Let the brownies cool completely before cutting.

Source: very slightly adapted from The Novice Chef Blog

I made these little wafer crackers for Lily a couple of weeks ago and they were a hit.  She loves cheese (or, chesssss as she calls it), and is obsessed with crackers.  Annie’s Bunnies are pretty much a staple in this house, but – and stop me if I’m wrong – isn’t $4 for a box of crackers a little ridiculous?  Yes, they are organic.  I understand that, and try to stick to mostly organic for the tot, but $4?!  Especially considering half the box ends up on the floor/ in Buster’s belly.  So, I made my own darn crackers.  And Lily liked them just the same (maybe more, if that’s possible).  AND her mom and dad loved the wafers, too, and ended up stealing most of them.  It’s like stealing candy cheddar from a baby…

The best part about these wafers is that you can make them into any shape you want, any size you please, and you can even make cheese straws.  Or, if you want to get really crazy, use a different kind of cheese!  Think pepper jack.  Yum.

Ok, stop listening to my blathering and go make some cheddar wafers!

Cheddar Cheese Wafers

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional – I obviously didn’t put them in for Lily’s crackers)
1 tablespoon half-and-half or cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, flour, salt and red pepper (if you’re using it) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the half-and-half and process until the dough forms a ball, about 10 seconds.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough until it is about 1/8-inch thick. Now you can use cookie cutters, a knife, or a pizza roller to shape the dough however you like. Gently transfer the crackers to an ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment, leaving at least 1/4-inch between them.

Bake on the middle rack for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are barely browned. Remove from the oven and set the cookie sheet on a rack to cool.

Serve at room temperature. These will keep in the refrigerator, in a sealed container, for two days (if you don’t eat them all!).

Source: Smitten Kitchen

I’m taking a break from vegetables for a hot minute to share these ridiculously delicious cookies.  It’s been a cookie kind of week.  Jake got in a car accident Friday morning and we had to spend the day in the hospital doing tests.  Jake: 1  Airbag: 0.  (For once, I’m thankful for his hard head.)  Then came the logistics of a rental car and the news today that his car is totaled and we have until Saturday to buy a new one.  Stress.  Someone pass the cookies and the snugglebug.

Luckily, every cloud has its silver lining, and ours was when Jake’s sisters, mom, and nephew came to visit for a quick and crazy weekend.  The house was packed, but I knew that fun was in store the first morning when his oldest sister said that she wanted to go to Costco.  Yes!  There was no way to NOT have a blast after a solid deal-finding session, amIright?  We ate Mexican food, watched the kids play with the fire truck, and forgot all about the accident for a few days.

These cookies are chewy, soft, and have a well-rounded flavor that is reminiscent of carnival caramel apples.  I loved them so much that I made a batch for a charity bake-off at work and received lots of compliments and recipe requests.  You need to make them as soon as possible.

Caramel Appledoodles

1 stick (8 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored and finely diced
1 cup caramel bits (I used chopped up Werther’s, but it was a pain, so I would recommend the bits)

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cinnamon

Cream the butter and the sugars together using a stand or hand mixer.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat until fully incorporated.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, sat and nutmeg.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar combo and mix until combined.  Fold in the apples and caramel bits.  Chill for at least one hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together the 1/2 cup sugar and 3 Tbsp. cinnamon in a small bowl.  Form the cookie dough into balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet about 3 inches apart.

Bake for 14-16 minutes.

Source: The Jey of Cooking, and Prevention RD has a version that she made a little healthier.

Happy birthday, Jake!  As you can see, Lily loved the lemon pasta dinner we had to celebrate tonight.

She really loved it.

No, seriously.  She LOVED it.  Unfortunately, she is going through a no-bib phase.  Which means mommy is going though a lots-o-laundry phase.

Jake liked the pasta, too.  The cake (not made by me) and wine didn’t hurt, either.  Then we followed up dinner with a bubble-blowing-baby-squealing session.  And bath time.  What were birthdays like before the added fun of a little one?

About two years ago, my dad was visiting Jake and me (pre-baby) here in Boston and we were all getting ready to eat a bagel breakfast on his last morning here.  As Dad picked his bagel up, I warned him about how sharp the knife was but he was listening to me just about as much as he normally does when I have only the best intentions (ha!) and proceeded to slice right through the bagel and into his hand.  I won’t get into the gory details, but there were many hours spent in the emergency room that day, and many more spent cleaning our murder scene of a kitchen.  He still can’t feel the last two fingers of his left hand.

Fast forward to this past week when I took those same killer knives to get sharpened at a local kitchen supply store.  They had become dull through years of use and abuse.  When the owner handed the finished product back to me he hesitated for a minute, clearly contemplating whether or not he should let me leave with them.  I didn’t share the story about my dad, but I could tell that he was trying to decide whether or not I was a walking liability.

For this recipe, you probably want to pull out your good, sharp, and hopefully accident-free knives (don’t invite my dad over that day!) because you’ll be doing a lot of veggie chopping.  But trust me, the labor is worth it once you taste the sweet, tangy vegetables.  This salad is another one that is compliments of Nonnie.  Isn’t she the best?  Send more recipes, please!

Nonnie’s Chopped Veggie Salad

1 1/2 cups green beans, cooked and chopped into small pieces
1 1/2 cups corn
1 1/2 cups peas
1 small jar pimentos, chopped
1 cup celery, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 medium red pepper, diced
1 onion, diced (I happened to have a red onion)
1 cup grated carrot

For the dressing:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup white vinegar
2 Tbsp water

Combine all of the ingredients of the dressing and bring to a boil.  Let cool.

Combine all of the vegetables (which vegetables you choose can be adapted based on what you like) and pour the dressing over.  Mix well and chill for 24 hours.  Drain the excess liquid before serving.

Source: My wonderful Nonnie 

The Steelers aren’t going to be in the Super Bowl this year (boo!), so food has taken on a much more important role in that day for me.  Snacks are the word.  And what is snackier than chips and guac?  I know that there isn’t much fresh corn around this time of year, but you can lightly roast frozen corn in the oven and it still turns out great.  Which is good because this is the kind of snack that I would eat year round.  And if you happened to freeze corn on the cob, you can just let it thaw and roast it on a stove top grill pan, directly over the flame of a gas grill, or on a real grill if you live somewhere lovely and tropical.

I’ll be sure to post other snacks, too, as the big day (of disappointment) nears and I bury my sorrows in the kitchen.  Have I mentioned how hard it is to be a Steelers fan living in Boston?  I mean REALLY.  Especially when the Pats are doing so well.  And I have a lot of Facebook friends who are Ravens fans: clearly the meanest people on Earth (god only knows why I torture myself) .  They are vile!  But Lily and I won’t let them trouble us!  No no!  Lily shows off plenty of Polamalu love no matter how well the team is doing.

Roasted Corn Guacamole

3 ears corn, shucked
6 whole avocados, diced
1 large tomato, diced
1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons diced jalapeno (I only had pickled but frest is perfect)
1 whole lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Grill corn until it starts to char and has grill marks on the kernels (or if you don’t have cobs, lightly roast in the oven). Allow to cool a bit, then cut the kernels off the cobs. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine corn kernels, diced avocados, diced tomato, jalapenos, minced garlic, lime juice, salt, and cumin. Stir gently to combine. Add cilantro and stir in.  Let it sit for at least half an hour before serving.

Source: Very slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

My grandmother, Nonnie, has a secret.  She is a really good cook!  For as long as I can remember, Nonnie and Grandpa have eaten almost every meal out in a restaurant.  They say that with two people it is both cost and time effective to let someone else do the cooking.  So, I never questioned it and always thought that Nonnie just didn’t cook.  I never spent much time contemplating if she didn’t know how to cook or just didn’t feel like doing dishes, and I half thought, “Good for her!  A modern woman who refuses to be tied to the oven.”  But really, she’s wonderful in the kitchen!  (And spent a lot of her life there cooking for her kids.)  She’s been keeping this talent a secret from those of us who didn’t know her 50 years ago, but the truth peeks out every once in awhile when she will whip up a delicious dish as though it is no sweat.

This soup is one of those dishes.    When we were in Florida for Thanksgiving, Nonnie acted like there was going to be some casual lunch ready when the rest of us got home from taking Lily to the beach.  Then we arrived home to this delicious, flavorful, perfect soup.  I loved it enough to eat a second bowl on an 8o degree Florida day (and it might even be good enough to draw Lily out of her new favorite hiding place).  I recreated it this past weekend and it was still as wonderful as I remembered.  Yooooou tricky Nonnie!  Now I’ll be expecting mouthwatering homemade food at every visit!

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream

8 roasted red peppers packed in oil (about 1 large jar), drained and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup sweet corn kernels, lightly roasted
6 cups vegetable stock
2 cups half and half
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Cilantro Lime Sour Cream, recipe follows

Saute the butter, onions, and garlic until soft in a heavy bottomed soup pot on medium-low heat. Add the red peppers, tomato paste, corn, and vegetable stock. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat, and then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the half and half, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Mix the cornstarch with a little cold water to get rid of any lumps and add it to the soup to thicken. Simmer 5 minutes. Let the soup cool slightly, and then blend in batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender to puree.  Top with a dollop of Cilantro Lime Sour Cream.
* When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream:

1 cup sour cream
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh cilantro leaves

In a mixing bowl, whisk all ingredients vigorously until light and creamy.

Source: Nonnie, who adapted the recipe from Food Network

Winner winner chicken dinner!  Random.org chose #15, Alida’s Kitchen, who said, “I love scrambled eggs with cheese and salsa.”  Can’t disagree with that answer.  Congrats!

What’s that?  You didn’t win one of the hundreds of KitchenAid mixers that were being given away on various food blogs last month?  Yea, me either.  I dutifully filled out my name and email address more times than I can count and I didn’t win any aprons or specialty cheeses or cookbooks.  Nothin.  Nada.  What a downer!

But fear not!  I have a giveaway today that is JUST as huge and exciting as a stand mixer.  (To me at least!)  My favorite gadget company, Oxo, sent me this amazing egg beater and they sent an extra one for you!  It’s perfect because it is small and really easy to get out and use quickly.  It’s in between a whisk, which can be laborious, and an electric mixer which you have to go through the hassle of plugging in and setting up.  Who wants to do that for some eggs or to whip some cream?  Plus, it’s dishwasher safe!  Win!  You’ll totally forget about your lost stand mixer once you have one of these babies in your hand.

Here’s some product features (courtesy of Amazon):

• Smoothly rotating gears are enclosed for protection and easy clean-up
• Soft, comfortable, non-slip grips on turning knob and contoured handle
• Sturdy stainless steel Beaters can be removed for cleaning or for tasting
• Beaters are elevated and continue to work while device rests on bottom of
  bowl
• Base detaches from top and is dishwasher safe

AND, because I love you (and because Land O Lakes loves you, too) I’m throwing in a coupon for a free package of eggs to beat and scramble.  Note to those who have a membership to BJ’s (I’m looking at you, in-laws!): you can use this coupon there to get 18 eggs for free instead of 12 .  Gotta love a deal.

Just leave a comment on this post telling me if you eat scrambled eggs your scrambled eggs plain or with ketchup.  Or hot sauce.  Or whatever weird things you have in your pantry.

Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by Oxo and Land O Lakes, as a part of the Foodbuzz Tastemakers Program, but my opinions are my own.  There will be one winner randomly chosen on 1/15/2012 (happy birthday, Dan!) who will be notified by email.  Winner must live in the U.S., but if you don’t live in the U.S. I would still love to hear your preference!  No purchase necessary.

Lily loves yogurt.  No, she REALLY loves it.  She could eat a container of YoBaby at every meal and never complain.  And why should she?  It’s delicious!  Trust me.  But it can get expensive, and when you’re going through as much as we do, I figured I might as well try to mix up some of my own.  After all, if you are looking for organic, whole milk yogurt, your options are very limited (which is probably why it costs so much).  And the semi-homemade version worked out really well!

Also, by using your own fruits, you can make any flavor combo that you want.  We tend to buy YoBaby at BJ’s because it is the cheapest place, but they only sell vanilla and banana (kinda blah).  The strawberry/blueberries combo was a big hit when I combined them for my yogurt experiment.  If berries aren’t in season, then feel free to use frozen.  But with today’s grocery stores, there’s usually pretty decent fresh fruit available (shipping in non-local fruit is never ideal, but since frozen fruit isn’t local either, I went with fresh).

I packed it up into individual containters to send to daycare:

And she liked it!  (This is an old picture of Lily, but I couldn’t pass up sharing those baby blues.)

Semi-Homemade Baby Yogurt

4 cups of berries, cleaned
2 Tbsp. honey (use sugar if your baby is under a year old)
32 ounce container of plain, whole milk yogurt

Combine the berries and the honey in a pot and cook over medium heat until the juices come out of the fruit (about 15-20 minutes), stirring occasionally.  Put the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to get rid of any seeds.  Cool in the fridge for at least half an hour.

Mix the fruit with the yogurt and serve!  It is great to break it up into individual containers, or you can also fit most of it back into the original yogurt container.