Natalie's Killer Cuisine

Smokey Guacamole

2010-03-10T01:17:00.002-06:00

I know it is still chilly in some parts of the country, but here in Dallas spring has arrived. I don't care about the official date. It just feels like Spring. The crape myrtles are starting to blossom, the tulips are opening and everything just seems to be waking up. I know I am. I just want to get out and breathe in the fresh air!

Around here you may not hear people refer to the season as 'Spring' but instead as 'Patio Weather'. The kind of weather where you can go sit on your favorite restaurant's patio for hours. Drinking cold beers and margaritas and eating fresh guacamole. Patio weather = My favorite time of the year.

Heck, it can even be your own patio. And your own homemade guacamole. I like the sound of that! Can I be invited?

Smokey Guacamole

yield: 8-10 servings

4 large Haas Avocados, ripened

2 Roma Tomatoes, diced with seeds removed

1/2 of a Red Onion, small dice

1/4 cup Cilantro Leafs, rough chop

1 tsp Lime Zest

1 TBS Lime Juice

1 1/4 tsp Ancho Chile Powder
1 tsp Smoked Sea Salt (or regular)

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Cumin

1. Cut avocados in half all the way around, length wise. (Use the tip of a sharp knife to pull out the seed, which you can then plant).

2. Use a spoon to gently scoop out the avocado. Dice the avocado in large chunks and add to a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss without completely mashing the avocado.

3. Serve with chips or as a condiment.

For printable recipe click here.

This guacamole is just perfect. It is bright, fresh and flavorful but the ancho chile powder provides a deep smokey flavor. I made a batch when a group of friends were over and trust me, it didn't last long. Everyone loved that it wasn't mashed and you could still see whole avocado pieces. And I loved that they loved it!

Salted Cashew Cookies with Homemade Dulce de Leche

2010-03-06T01:33:00.008-06:00

Dear Old Neighbor,

Hi there. We never met but there are a few things I would like to say. First, thank you for being quiet most of the time. On a few occasions you would listen to a country music a bit louder than I prefer, but that's okay, I occasionally watch musicals a little too loud. You see, my living room and kitchen wall backed up to your living room wall. But you live in an efficiency apartment, so your living room is also your kitchen, which is also your bedroom.

I had an AC vent directly above my stove, which went straight into your apartment. Basically, anytime I cooked, I know you could smell it. The neighbor above me used to comment often about the savory and sweet aromas wafting from my apartment, but I am sure you could smell it as if you were 4 feet away (because you technically were only a few feet away through a vent).

I think after 2 years maybe I should have brought you a cookie, or something. You had to deal with our busy catering season last year, when we were preparing pulled pork weekly (which takes 2 days). I'm sorry for 2 days it smelled like a Dickey's BBQ in your apartment. I'm sorry you had to smell pot roast and tacos. Or cakes, pies and cookies. Or the few times I burnt toast or popcorn. Burnt popcorn is the worst.

But now I have moved away from you and I have another neighbor to torment with my kitchen aromas. But I moved above someone who is really loud. I mean, really, really loud. Sometimes I stomp, but I don't think he can hear me because his music is... so loud. Maybe I should bring him some cookies? I've never tried it, but these would be a good kind to start with.

Your old neighbor behind the wall,

Natalie, formerly #104a

Salted Cashew Cookies

yield: 18 cookie sandwiches

2 1/2 cup Roasted Cashews

2 TBS Peanut Oil

8 TBS Butter, softened

3/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 tsp Salt

1 2/3 cup AP Flour
1/2 cup Roasted Cashews, bits

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. In a food processor, combine the 2 1/2 cups roasted cashews and peanut oil. Process at least 1 minute, until creamy and combined.

2. Add the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer, and add butter and both sugars. Beat until smooth and creamy, and add egg. Mix until combined and add vanilla and salt.

3. Add the flour in 2 stages and lastly add the cashew bits to the dough.
4. Roll dough into 36 even sized balls and smooth down with the palm of your hand (I used a spatula to flatten, to achieve the large lines.)

5. Sprinkle with Fleur de Sel sea salt and bake 8-10 minutes.
6. Let cookies cool. Spread Dulce de leche on a cookie and top with one other cookie.

Dulce de leche

1 (14oz) can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1. Remove paper wrapping and submerge can of sweetened condensed milk in boiling water for 3 to 4 hours. Add more water when necessary (cook 3 hours for a softer Dulce de Leche and 4 hours for a more firm Dulce de Leche. I boiled mine for 4 hours).

2. Let cool completely before opening can.

For printable recipe click here.

These cookies are so great and so balanced. Salty, crunchy, sweet, creamy. I have a few left and I am trying to stretch them as long as I can. I never want to run out. I am on day 3, and they are still as soft as day 1. There are many ways to make homemade Dulce de leche and I chose one of the easiest routes. I may have taken the easy route, but that route is creamy and delicious.

Lemon Chicken wrapped Asparagus, Dinner for One

2010-03-04T22:39:00.006-06:00

I just love cooking dinner for friends. It is one of my favorite things to do, and if I had an endless budget I would do it every night. Though most of the time, I am simply cooking for one. Kyle is a cook in a fancy-schmancy restaurant downtown, so Monday through Saturday he is cooking for others while I cook for myself.

This sound unfortunate but it actually works for us. I get to cook a healthy meal for me (or for a friend and myself) and I usually throw together something for him as well. He gets home late and his dinner time is usually around 1am, and that is when he heats up his food. He may be a chef but he has no problem eating a frozen pizza for dinner. He is a guy after all.

One reason why our separate dinner times work is because we eat completely different. He loves anything deep fried, cooked in bacon fat, or from a cow. And I like my food colorful, light, and usually vegetarian or occasionally with chicken.

Many recipes are just too big to make for myself. As much as I want to make vegetarian lasagnas or batches of soup, I just know I won't eat it all and I hate having food waste. I instead try to create 'dinner for one' recipes like this lemon chicken wrapped asparagus. I know I won't have leftovers, I know I will be full, and I know I will be satisfied.

Lemon Chicken wrapped Asparagus
yield: 1 portion

1 Chicken Breast Halve
1 tsp Salt
1 Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Mustard Powder
1/4 tsp Lemon Zest
5 - 6 pieces of Asparagus, trimmed
Olive Oil
Lemon Slices, garnish
Side Salad, optional

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Wrap a chicken breast halve in plastic wrap and pound until 1/2 inch thick. (Pound with the back of a saute pan or a mallet). Add salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Place the breast side down and place the asparagus spears on the middle of the chicken breast. Sprinkle with mustard powder and lemon zest.
3. Tightly roll the chicken around the asparagus, using toothpicks to hold the chicken in place.
4. In a large saute pan add olive oil to the pan. When hot add the chicken and saute on all sides. Remove the toothpicks and brown on all sides, which should take 1-2 minutes. It should stay together, if it is too loose keep the toothpicks intact.
5. Place the chicken in an oven safe pan and place in preheated oven for 5-10 minutes, until finished cooking and juices run clear.
6. Top with fresh lemon slices.

For printable version click here.

The asparagus was nice and crunchy, and the chicken was very flavorful. A lot of lemon chicken recipes call for packaged 'lemon black pepper' seasoning. Why use that when you can use actual black pepper and fresh, bright lemons? This was a great supper, and even though I ate it alone I was content and very satisfied.

Meringue Cookies

2010-02-28T22:04:00.008-06:00

'When I grow up I want to be ______'

How did you used to fill in that blank? As a teenager I would often change my mind and my life goals. Because when you are in high school, you have it all figured out. At least you think you do. For a couple of years I thought I wanted to be an Air Force pilot. No really, I did. But then September 11th happened and everything changed. After that I thought that being a police officer would be pretty cool. I graduated high school and went to community college, still thinking I wanted to be a cop. I realized I needed to lose some weight to be able to run after criminals and I started to exercise and watched what I ate. Well, that then led to an interest in nutrition. Which made me change my mind yet again.

I switched my focus to nutrition, which was very interesting and I still retain a lot of that information. Can you see where I am going with this? The interest in nutrition led to an interest in nutritional cooking, which led me to culinary school.

That was over four years ago, and as you can see, food is my focus now more than ever. I have briefly mentioned on this blog that this summer I will be going back to school to study photography. I can't wait to see where that takes me because I have learned that you can't predict the future. But I do see myself holding a camera in one hand, and a fork in the other. That would make me happy (and hopefully lots of money!)

People have been making meringue since the 1600's and it is said to have been invented in a Swiss town called Meiringen by an Italian chef. A basic meringue cookie consists of egg whites and sugar, so this in a timeless recipe.

I just love meringue cookies. I remember making a batch with my grandmother and I have loved them ever since. They are light, sweet, airy and easy to flavor. I made peppermint, hot chocolate and blueberry. The blueberry was my favorite.

Meringue Cookies
yield: 60-65 cookies

6 Egg Whites

1 1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 tsp Pure Peppermint Extract

1 1/2 tsp dehydrated blueberry powder
1 1/2 tsp sugar free hot cocoa powder

preheat oven to 175 degrees

1. Place egg whites and sugar in a heat proof bowl to an electric mixer. Set bowl over a simmering pan of hot water and stir until sugar has dissolved and liquid is warm to the touch. This should take 2-3 minutes.

2. Transfer bowl to electric mixer and use the whisk attachment to whip until stiff peaks form. Divide into three clean bowls.

3. Add the peppermint extract to the first, the blueberry powder to the second, and the hot cocoa mix to the third. Gently mix each until well combined.

4. Place each mixture into a piping bag with any style pastry tip attached. Pipe equal sized stars or shapes onto two parchment lined baking sheets. (To achieve the marbled look, paint stripes in the inside of your piping bag with food coloring gel.)

5. Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until crispy but not browned. You should be able to pull the meringue cookie off the baking sheet without it sticking. Turn the oven off and let the cookies cool in the oven. Store in airtight containers.

For printable recipe click here.

These would be perfect served at a number of events! You can make them in any color, which makes them great for parties, gifts, or even candy stations which are popular at weddings right now. And being that the main ingredients are egg whites and sugar, almost anyone can enjoy these cookies. I may not know where I will be in another five years, but wherever that is I hope to have meringue cookies nearby!

Orange Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls

2010-02-26T20:13:00.007-06:00

I love cooking and eating food that uses all five of your senses; sight, taste, smell, touch and hear. After all, not everything makes it into each catagory.

Think about it. Taco Bell bean burritos aren't the prettiest things you can eat, but boy do I love them. And Sprinkles Cupcakes sure are cute and all, but they never taste good to me.

But these Orange Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls.
Well, they reach you on all five levels.

Sight I just love how they came out looking. I love anything swirly, it reminds me of Alice in Wonderland for some reason.

Taste These sweet rolls taste fantastic. They are sweet and gooey, though much lighter and brighter than your classic cinnamon roll.

Smell If you have never baked with orange, do it now. It makes your house smell heavenly.

Touch Talk about sticky fingers!

Hear Make these. Give them to your friends. Listen. You should hear something that sounds like this 'mmmmmmmmm'.

Orange Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls
yield: 12 large rolls

4 TBS Butter, softened
3/4 cup Orange Juice, room temperature
2 tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 tsp Salt

1 Egg
1 TBS Poppy Seed
3 cups AP Flour
3/4 cup Sugar
1 TBS Butter, melted

1 cup Powdered Sugar
4 tsp Orange Juice, pulp-free

1 tsp Orange Zest

1. Cut butter into small pieces. Set aside.

2. Attach the dough hook to your electric mixer and add the orange juice and egg. Add the yeast and salt. Add the remaining ingredients and turn on the dough hook to medium speed.

3. Knead for 6-7 minutes until completely smooth and butter has been mixed into the dough evenly. Place dough in a large bowl and cover with a clean towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour.

4. After one hour dough should be doubled in size. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into 10-inch rope; coil each rope and tuck end under coil.

5. Use the melted butter to brush over the rolls. Cover the rolls with a clean towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for another hour.

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

7. Combine powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest in a bowl until smooth. Spread over the rolls.

For printable recipe click here.
If you have a bread maker, click here for recipe.

These sweet rolls are a great way to thank your body for giving you your five senses. Especially that taste one, I like that one a lot.

Old Fashioned Raisin Pie

2010-02-23T20:43:00.007-06:00

Raisin Pie... now that's something you don't hear (or eat) everyday. In fact, I didn't even know such a pie existed until just recently. A coworker had asked me if I ever made one, and when I said no he asked me if I would ever want to. I said sure why not, and the next day I had a 5lb bag of raisins on my desk. What a subtle way to say you want me to bake you a Raisin Pie!

He told me his Grandmother used to make him this pie, so I decided to research it a little bit. After all, when I think of my grandmother's desserts, raisin pie doesn't come to mind.

During colonial times the Pennsylvania Dutch dubbed this as 'funeral pie' since it can be made days ahead of time during any season and due to being a double crusted pie, it can be transported easily. This sturdy pie was an integral part of funerals. Friends would bring the pie in hopes that the natural sweetness from the raisins would console the mourners. To this day the pie is served at Amish funerals and is still referred to as a funeral pie.

(I bet you are just dying to try this pie!)

Old Fashioned Raisin Pie
Recipe from Sun-Maid

2 cups Raisins

2 cups Water

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

2 TBS Corn Starch

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Salt

1 TBS Vinegar

1 TBS Butter

1 Double Unbaked Pie Crust

preheat oven to 425 degrees

1. Combine raisins and water and boil for 5 minutes.

2. In a separate bowl combine brown sugar, corn starch, cinnamon and salt. Stir together until there are no clumps remaining and add to the raisins.
3. Stir until the liquid is clear and thick, and remove from the heat.

4. Stir in vinegar and butter. Cool slightly before pouring in to an unbaked pie crust.

5. Cover with pastry or lattice strips as I did. Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

This delicious pie really brings out the best in raisins. The flavors were similar to a pecan pie, but the texture was different. The raisins are plump and soft, not chewy at all. You could add nuts to the recipe for more crunch, and some recipes call for lemon zest which would be a nice, bright addition.

My coworkers tried the pie and all were pleasantly surprised.
I think you would be to!

Blogger Secret Ingredient Winner

2010-02-23T07:00:00.005-06:00

hosted this week's Blogger Secret Ingredient and the ingredient I chose was cocoa. I received many mouth watering recipes and it was hard to pick a winner.

But I did, and...

Drumroll please!

Tara at Fun Fearless Foodie made mouth watering Nutella Chocolate Pizzelle Sandwiches. Wow! How great do these sound? I don't have a Pizelle Maker but now I want one. The cookies are beautiful. Beautiful and delicious, what more would you want?

I also have to pass on the Blogger Secret Ingredient Torch, and guess what, the winner is the new host! Check out Fun Fearless Foodie to see the new Blogger Secret Ingredient!

Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits

2010-02-21T09:38:00.013-06:00

I would like to think I have a variety of cuisine on this blog. My favorite thing to share with you are killer cookies, cakes and desserts. And that seems to be yall's favorite too. But I also have healthy meals on here. It's all about balance, yes?

Remember that Tex Mex Quinoa stuffed Bell Pepper I made? Healthy, Vegetarian, and Balanced.

And then I also share the food Kyle eats. Because he doesn't eat healthy, and he sure doesn't eat balanced. But that is okay every once in a while. When people ask me what he eats I tell them he eats the B's. As in bacon and beef.

Remember those Barbacoa Tacos I made for him? They were totally greasy and beefy. Totally Kyle cuisine.

But I realized I was forgetting someone important. After all, I live in a 3 person household. Okay maybe not three person, but two people and one dog. One amazing, spoiled rotten, beautiful, crazy ass dog. If you have been reading my blog for awhile then you should be no stranger to my miniature Australian Shepard named Holly. I told you a little bit about her here.

I have always wanted to make Holly homemade dog treats but the recipes I have looked at are always weird. I never have dried milk powder on hand. And pureed liver is something I am not willing to bring into my kitchen. So I decided to experiment and make my own dog biscuits using ingredients I always have on hand. I even bought a dog-bone shaped cookie cutter for the occasion!

Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits
yield: 36 medium sized biscuits

1 cup Low-fat Peanut Butter
1 cup Nonfat Milk
1 tsp Fish Oil, optional

2 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 TBS Baking Powder

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. In a large bowl add the peanut butter. Slowly add the milk while whisking simultaneously. Whisk until combined and smooth. Add fish oil if using.

2. In a separate bowl combine the whole wheat flour and baking powder. Pour the peanut butter mixture on top and use a large spoon to combine.

3. Divide dough into 2 portions. Flour a work surface and rolling pin, and roll to a 1/4 inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut into shapes (or cut into small squares).

4. Cover two baking sheets with parchment and place the cookies on top. Cookies can be close as they should not spread.

5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until hard and crisp. Let cool before giving to your pet.

For printable recipe click here.

Holly loved the biscuits. She kept rolling over, giving me paw and playing dead in an attempt for me to give her more and more.

I did try a small bite of the dough, and it tasted very peanut buttery, which any dog is sure to love. The fish oil is optional, I just chose to add it since I already give her a little bit everyday. It promotes healthy skin and fur, which you can see she has a lot of!

If you are a baker then you are sure to have most of the ingredients on hand. You should spoil your dog today! They won't be 'beggin for bacon' after having one of these healthy peanut butter dog biscuits!

Vanilla Bean Melting Moment Cookies with Caramel Filling

2010-02-19T19:32:00.003-06:00

Yup, I'm blogging on a Friday night. Remember when staying in on a Friday night made you a total nerd? There were a few years in high school when I felt like that, as if I needed to be out partying with other teenagers. It was sometime in my senior year that I accepted I was actually a nerd.

No really, I was. A fantasy-fiction reading, non alcohol drinking, JROTC participating, full on nerd. As if High School isn't hard enough, I volunteered to wear a military uniform to class. Dorkazoid!

But you know what? Thank God! I'm glad I was ~~nerd~~ a good kid. I think it helped me become the woman I am today! I spent every night chowing on my Mom's yummy cooking and now I cook in my kitchen every night. I spent my nights reading, and now I spend my nights writing. I also hang out with the same nerds!

Vanilla Bean Melting Moments
yield: 10 cookie sandwiches

6oz Butter, softened
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar, sifted
2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste (or 1 tsp Vanilla Extract)
1 cup AP Flour, sifted
1/4 cup Cornstarch

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Place the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Stir in the sifted flour and cornstarch until combined.
3. Place the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a fluted tip. Pipe 1in rounds onto a baking sheet linded with parchment paper, allowing room to spread.
4. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes or until golden. Cool on a tray (not on a rack, that will make it hard to pick up the delicate cookie).

For printable recipe click here.

The cookies are soft and tender and they literally melt away in your mouth. They are very delicate though, which is why you don't want to place them on a cooling rack. You also have to pipe the filling on them, if you try to spread it you will end up with a bunch of crumbs. A bunch of delicious crumbs.

The caramel went really well with the cookie. It tastes just like those little packaged caramels, but much softer and better. I piped the caramel on the cookie and it was perfect. It would also be great on cupcakes, cakes, pies, or even with apples.

Caramel Filling or Caramel Dip for Apples

yield: 1 3/4 cup

1 (14oz) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 1/2 oz Butter
2 TBS Golden Syrup

1. Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and turn on very low heat.
2. Stir for 25-30 minutes or until thick and pale golden. Allow to cool. Eat with a big spoon.

For a printable recipe click here.

The caramel filling used as a caramel dip will make any fruit hater love their apples! It tastes just like a caramel covered apple, but better, because you can get a better caramel to fruit ratio. Make it to go with apples, or make it to go with a melting moment cookie. Either way, stay home on a Friday night and make this caramel!

Chocolate Sugar Cookies and a Cocoa Powder BSI Challenge

2010-02-15T23:51:00.105-06:00

Thanks to Mardi at Eat, Live, Travel, Write for passing the Blogger Secret Ingredient (BSI) torch on to me! Check out her site for last week’s winner and secret ingredient.
So what exactly is Blogger Secret Ingredient?

• The host picks an ingredient, preferably one that is in season, readily available and not too expensive.
• The host links back to all the other previous weekly hosts.
• Participants create a unique recipe using the BSI and e-mail the host their recipes.
• You do not need to have a food blog to participate, and you do not have to submit a photograph (though, it’s preferred so I can show everyone your creative creations).
• If you don’t have a blog, you can e-mail the host directly and it will be posted on the blog.
• The host reviews recipes Sunday evening of each week and picks a favorite.
• I will hand select the winner based on what looks the yummiest, and a prize will be rewarded!

So what ingredient did I chose? Are you dying to know?
I chose cocoa powder, one of my favorite ingredients!

Cocoa powder is made when chocolate liquor is pressed to remove three quarters of its cocoa butter. The remaining cocoa solids are processed to make a fine unsweetened cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is bitter but when baked with it adds a deep and intense chocolate flavor. I love adding cocoa powder to my favorite recipes to see what it tastes like in the chocolate variation. Source

I can't wait to see what you come up with using cocoa powder! Email your recipes to Natalie@NataliesKillerCuisine.com before Sunday the 21st to be included in the roundup!

I made these cookies for my sweetie on Valentines Day and they were great. I love classic sugar cookies and these are even better with the addition of cocoa powder. You can use your favorite cookie cutter to make these cookies for any occasion!

Chocolate Sugar Cookies
adapted from Joy of Baking

yield: 22 - 24 medium cookies

2 3/4 cup AP Flour
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Butter
1 3/4 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1. Whisk together first four ingredients and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat until creamy and add the dry ingredients to the mixer.
3. Divide the dough into two portions and roll in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
4. Flour your work surface and your rolling pin, and roll cookies to 1/4 inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutter.
5. Place on a parchment lined or prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes if using a medium sized cookie cutter. Bake 6-8 minutes for a small cookie, and a few minutes longer for a larger cookie.
6. Let cool for at least 2 minutes before placing on a rack.
7. Decorate with royal icing (recipe below).

Royal Icing
2 Eggs
2 tsp Lemon Juice
3 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted

1. Use an electric mixer to whip all ingredients until smooth and silky.
2. Divide the royal icing in separate bowls and color with coloring gel (optional). Cover royal icing you are not using with plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out.
3. Spread or pipe icing on, let icing set at least 2 hours.

Printable recipe can be found here.

Click here to see a list of the past BSI challenges.

Now go make something with cocoa powder!

Shrimp and Chicken Arrabbiata

2010-02-12T14:17:00.004-06:00

Brrr Baby, it's cold outside!
I need somethin' spicy to warm me up.

Dallas set two records yesterday. The first record set was the amount of snow fall we had. There was more snow than ever recorded in Dallas history! It was snowing when I woke up and was snowing as I went to sleep. The record was a little over 7 inches, and some places got around 12 inches. Please take note that I did not enjoy the snow one bit. It caused my electricity to go off for a few hours, it caused my feet to get cold and wet, it caused my tires to spin and it caused a helluva lot of traffic.

The next record set was the record-breaking amount of curse words I said in my car, as I sat for almost two hours! My normal 15 minute drive home from Target took two hours yesterday. It was awful. Texans are not used to snow, and I am one of them. We drive 2 feet, stop. 2 feet, stop. Some people just get stuck, like this bus that I saw yesterday. I also took a few 'shortcuts' which ended up NOT being shortcuts. But yes, I am the doofus that went to Target on the snowiest day ever.

I decided to make shrimp and chicken arrabbiata. I planned on calling it shrimp and chicken diavolo which is usually used for spicy dishes in Italian (though in Italy you would never see shrimp and chicken paired together) but I like the arrabbiata instead. It means angry, and let me tell you, after all this snow I was hot and angry, just like this dish!!

Shrimp and Chicken Arrabbiata with Quinoa
yield: 4 portions

2 TBS Olive Oil

16 Shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 Chicken Breast Halves, cut into chunks
1/2 of a Red Bell Pepper, cut in thin strips
1/2 of an Onion, cut into thin strips
1 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 can Diced Tomatoes
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Cooked Quinoa

1. Cut chicken breast into cubes and set aside. Peel and devein shrimp and set aside. Click here for deveining instructions.

2. Add olive oil to a hot pan and add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook at least 6 minutes, until chicken is cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken from the pan and add the shrimp and cook until finished, only 3 - 4 minutes, then remove from the pan.

3. While the pan is still out add the onions and red bell pepper strips. Let vegetables cook for at least 5 minutes, until softened and aromatic. Add the garlic and cook an addition 2 minutes, before adding the can of tomatoes.
4. Cook the onion, pepper, garlic and tomatoes until the liquid has been reduced and you have a thick sauce. Season with the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

5. Add the chicken and shrimp to the sauce and toss. Serve with quinoa, rice or pasta.

For printable recipe click here.

This spicy meal warmed me up. I love heat from red pepper flakes. It warms up your body and your mouth, but it doesn't burn and isn't overly hot like some peppers and spices can be. I enjoyed the chicken and shrimp combination, but of course you can make this using just shrimp, chicken, or even thin slices of beef. I used quinoa though I think it would also taste great with pasta.

I hope you are staying warm wherever you are!

Coconut Cream Cheese Brownies

2010-02-09T22:41:00.005-06:00

Do I even need to say anything?
Just look at this brownie.

It was soft and it was moist, like a great brownie should be. I enjoy a cakey type brownie every once in a while, but usually I crave gooey, rich and deep chocolate brownies.

There was a top and bottom layer of brownie, but let's get the obvious part. The star of the show, the coconut cream cheese. This makes the brownies extra moist and decadent. It''s sweet, adds texture, and a very light, subtle flavor of coconut.

I asked Kyle what he thought and he said it tasted like a classic brownie and the middle reminded him of marshmallow fluff. Hey I'll take that, normally he grunts and says yum or it's good. This was real feedback!

Coconut Cream Cheese Brownies

yield: 25 brownies

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup Sugar
1 Egg Yolk
3/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Shredded Coconut
2/3 cup AP Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt

8 TBS (1 stick) Butter
4 oz Bittersweet Chocolate

1 1/4 cup Sugar
3 Eggs
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Coconut Extract, optional

preheat oven to 350 degrees
prepare an 8x8 baking pan

Filling
1. Combine the softened cream cheese, egg yolk, vanilla and coconut. Set aside and make the brownie batter.

Batter:
1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Melt butter and chocolate in 30 second increments until fully melted with a glossy appearance. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla (and coconut extract if using) and whisk until smooth and lump free.
3. Combine the flour mixture with the chocolate mixture and stir until combined.
4. Pour half of the brownie batter into a prepared baking pan. Add the coconut filling and spread across the batter, and top with the rest of the brownie batter.
5. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before cutting.

I made these with a friend who confessed to me she had never made brownies from scratch before. Hopefully I converted her from a boxed-brownie-maker into a brownie-baker.

You can also make these brownies with your favorite flavors. If you have a think against coconut, then how about adding some orange juice and zest? Maybe some peanut butter? You could even add some jam. The possibilities are endless....
....now if only this plate of brownies was endless also.

A Fiber One double whammy plus a gift card giveaway!

2010-02-04T21:34:00.012-06:00

I love two things in this world
1. Food
2. Free Food

Parties become more enjoyable when there is flavorful, free food. A wedding becomes tolerable once the buffet opens. And dinner tastes better when you don't have to pay for it (why do you think girls date so much?) I occasionally go to the grocery store on Saturday. Not because it's the busiest day, but because that is when the samples are out. And like I said, I like free food.

Safeway and Fiber One must have known this little fact about me, because they sent me a coupon and gift card for me to try out some Fiber One products. They were tasty on their own, though easily transformed into healthy satisfying dishes. Score!

If you like good food, keep scrolling down.
If you like good, free food, scroll all the way to the bottom.

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Fiber One Crust
Yield: 2 portions

2 Chicken Breast Halves
4 slices Deli Honey Ham
4 slices Swiss Cheese
Salt, Pepper
2 Eggs, whisked
1 cup Bread Crumbs or Chicken Coating
1/2 cup Fiber One Original Cereal
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Dried Parsley
Pan Spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. Use a food processor to crush the Fiber One original Cereal into a course powder. In a large bowl add the cereal, bread crumbs, onion powder and dried parsley. Set aside.
2. Pound chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap using the bottom of a large saute pan. Pound until almost half the original thickness. You want a long thin piece.
3. Divide the ham between the two breasts and place on top of the now chicken cutlets. Next add the swiss cheese. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on top.
4. Roll the chicken carefully, making sure no cheese is hanging out. Use toothpicks to hold in place. (I use plenty of toothpicks to seal the sides and keep in place)
5. Brush with whisked eggs then coat with bread crumb mixture until fully coated.
6. Place in preheated oven for 20 - 25 minutes, until fully cooked. Let cool at least 3 minutes before serving.

For printable recipe click here.

This was such a pleasant dinner and dessert. The chicken cordon bleu is satisfying and tastes sinful, though I know it's figure friendly. Even my chicken hating boyfriend enjoyed this, he said the ham and swiss did the trick! The crushed Fiber One cereal added a great texture to the crust. You could enjoy this with a number of sides, such as a simple salad or roasted vegetables.

For dessert we had strawberry frozen yogurt, made using Fiber One strawberry yogurt. It tasted just like soft serve frozen yogurt, or even a strawberry shake, though we know it's much better for you than an actual shake! As we all know, 2010 is about getting healthy and getting in shape. These are the kinds of recipes that will help me and can help you succeed.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
yield: 4 servings

3 Egg Whites
1/3 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Simple Syrup
3 containers Yoplait Fiber One Strawberry Yogurt

1. Prepare simple syrup by adding 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to a sauce pot. Simmer until reduced to a syrup consistency, around 6 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Add egg whites to a mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, beat for 1 - 2 minutes until frothy. Add sugar after 1 minute.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the cooled simple syrup, egg white mixture, and yogurt.
4. Freeze mixture in ice cream maker according to the unit's instructions.

For printable recipe click here.

Congrats to Scott from Fight the Fat Foodie for winning the gift card!

~~Giveaway Time!!~~
Enter to win a $50 gift card to a Safeway grocery store which includes stores like Tom Thumb and Randalls (find one near you). You can spend the gift card on whatever you like, though I think you should pick up one of the recommended Fiber One products. Heck, you could even grab one you have never tried before, from me to you!

To Enter:
1. Comment below, telling me which flavor of Fiber One yogurt sounds best. Peach, Vanilla, Key Lime Pie or Strawberry? (1 entry)
2. Follow or subscribe to Natalie's Killer Cuisine, and leave a comment telling me you did! (1 entry)
3. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest. On Twitter I am @NataliesCuisine, and leave me a comment telling me you tweeted! (1 entry)

And that's it! Simple as key lime pie. Good luck!
Contest ends this Saturday the 6th, at the stroke of midnight!

Prize courtesy of Fiber One and Safeway, through MyBlogSpark.

Chocolate Banana Biscotti

2010-02-02T00:31:00.004-06:00

I'm moving ya'll, I'm really moving! Wait, you didn't know I wanted to move did you? Well, now you do. And I have for a while. Don't get me wrong, I love my apartment, just ready for a change. So ready for a change.

Kyle and I moved in our current one bedroom apartment two years ago. We both came from our parents house and didn't have much to fill our apartment with. Now it's overflowing with stuff. Not junk, I'm not a hoarder over here! Mainly kitchen stuff related to our catering. We are going to a bigger apt (within the same complex, which makes the move much easier) but the kitchen is twice the size. I'll show you pictures soon!

I obviously won't be cooking as much the next few days. Our cable/internet will be installed Saturday so I want everything in by then, which doesn't give me much time. I decided to make some biscotti for a few reasons. We will be drinking mass quantities of coffee over the next few days, and who doesn't love to dip something in coffee (or any warm drink). Also biscotti last a while since they are baked until dry. Hopefully I will have some left for our first morning as #239, but they may not last that long!

Chocolate Banana Biscotti
Recipe adapted from The Picky Palate
yield: 20 - 24 biscotti

3/4 cup Ripened Bananas, mashed
1 Egg
2 TBS Brown Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 3/4 cup plus 2 TBS Flour
1/2 cup plus 2 TBS Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Espresso Powder, optional
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

Chocolate Chips, any kind

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Place banana, egg, brown sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Mix to combine.
2. In a separate bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add the chocolate chips and espresso powder is using and mix again. Divide into two equal portions and place on a silpat lined baking sheet (or parchment paper) 4 inches apart.
4. Form each piece of dough into a 6 inch log, about 3 inches wide. Bake for 25 minutes.
5. When done remove from oven and reduce heat to 250 degrees. Let biscotti cool for 10 minutes.
6. Using a serrated knife, cut biscotti into diagonal strips
7. Place back on the cookie sheet and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until crisp. (I turned mine half way for even coloring.) Let cool at least 20 minutes.
8. Optional: Decorate the top of the biscotti with chocolate. Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth. (I am messy and like to dip a fork in the chocolate and splatter it on the biscotti, though you can let the chocolate cool a bit and add it to a piping bag.)

(FYI: When I sliced the biscotti the chocolate chips were still hot and coated the knife, which is why you can't see chips but only a streak of chocolate. I know of like the way it looks.)

Printable recipe can be found here.

These are flavorful and fantastic. They had a subtle banana flavor when eaten dry, but when you dipped them into your coffee the flavor was much stronger.

Let's hope our move goes as good as these biscotti taste!

White Chocolate Coconut Chewies

2010-01-28T10:31:00.011-06:00

My favorite feeling of the day is when the dishes are clean, the clothes are put away, my boyfriend and dog are fed, checkbooks have been balanced (as if I ever do that....), and I can sit on the couch and relax. I even bought groceries, paid the bills, and filed our taxes today. Talk about total relaxation.

Knowing everything is right in my little world. The only thing that can make this moment better? A cookie. A really good cookie.

Yesterday I walked around Dallas and took some pictures, which are over at Nikon Natalie. I left for my adventure around 2, and by the time I got home around 5 I realized I had not eaten one thing the entire day. How does that happen?

I scarfed down some 3 bean chili I had in the fridge and knew I wanted to make something sweet to enjoy as I relaxed that evening. I don't mean to sound over-confident when I say I threw these together, but I really did. And I didn't know they would be so flavorful. The lime zest makes this cookie addicting. All the flavors are sweet and delectable, then you have this little bit of tart, and you want more. A lot more.

White Chocolate Coconut Chewies
yield: 2 dozen cookies

1 1/2 cups Butter

3/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar
3/4 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Eggs
2 1/3 cups Flour
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Lime Zest

1 cup White Chocolate Chips
1 cup Toasted Coconut
1/2 cup Macadamia Nuts, optional

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Place butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat until melted. Add the sugars, vanilla, and eggs. Whisk until smooth and creamy and let sit 3 minutes. Whisk again and let sit another 3 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and lime zest. Add to the wet mixture in stages until fully combined.
3. Add the chips, most of the coconut (reserve a little but for topping) and nuts if using.
4. Roll into ball and press into the reserved coconut. Place on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Printable recipe can be found here.

These little chewies are delightful! They are soft and the coconut adds a great chewy texture. The white chocolate chips added a sweet bite, while the lime zest was definitely a bright surprise.

Whole Wheat Pancakes with Blueberry Maple Syrup

2010-01-24T23:34:00.006-06:00

I've got two two things on my mind.
Avatar & iPhone.

I saw Avatar just a few hours ago and it was epic. I loved it. If 3D is the direction movies are going in, then I'm ready. I even saved my 3D glasses, I'm super ready.

and iPhone... my dear iPhone. I got it yesterday and I love it. I am still in the honeymoon phase and don't want to let it out of my sight. I think I have it mastered and I have been going app crazy. To go from a Blackberry to an iPhone is like going from a old, beat up, paint chipping Ford Taurus to a new shiny Benz.
I was ready for my Benz.

As you know, weekends blog posts are dedicated to my 1o in Ten challenge. I have been eating well though I wish I worked out more last week than I did. There is no reason to be upset with myself, I always have next week!

....back to the iPhone. I downloaded a cool app that I know will help me as I try to shed some pounds. It is free, so I am sure many of you with iPhone's have it. It is called 'Lose It'. You tell it how much you weigh and how much you want to lose. It calculates your daily calorie needs and as you eat you type in what you eat and the calories will be deducted from your calorie bank.

But what you log into Lose It needs to be healthy, right? So how about some healthy, low fat, Whole Wheat Pancakes, with a rich Blueberry maple Syrup?

Whole Wheat Pancakes
yield: 12 medium pancakes

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 TBS Brown Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Sugar
2 TBS Flax Seed
2 cups Milk (1% or Skim)
1 Egg
1 TBS Canola Oil
1/2 cup Mix-Ins (Nuts, fruit, chocolate chips)

1. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients first, and pour the wet ingredients on top. Stir until combined and add your 'mix-ins' last (I used pecan pieces).
2. Heat a large nonstick pan until hot. (I make a small test pancake and when it starts to cook I know the pan is ready. Then you can taste the pancake and see if there are any adjustments you would like to make).
3. Use a ladle to pour batter into pan, into the desired size of your pancakes.
4. When bubbles appear on surface, loosen the pancake and flip to the other side until brown.
5. Keep hot in a slightly warm oven (or covered) and make the rest of the pancakes. Serve with your favorite toppings, or blueberry maple syrup.

Blueberry Maple Syrup
1 cup Blueberries, frozen or fresh
1 1/2 cup Maple Syrup

1. Combine in a small sauce pot and turn to medium heat. Let mixture simmer and reduce to 1 cup, which will take around 15 - 20 minutes.

Printable recipe can be found here.

I am normally not a pancake person and usually prefer a crispy waffle, but there were heaven. You could totally fool anyone with these waffles, as they don't have a 'healthy' taste. And by that I mean they don't taste like cardboard. Add some chocolate chips to fool your kids (shhh, the healthy part will be our little secret!)

The pancakes are soft and lightly sweet. I added pecan bits to mine which added a nice crunch, but you could add anything to them. The blueberry maple syrup is rich and a little goes a long way. It would also go great on waffles, and even ice cream and desserts.

Polynesian Chicken

2010-01-21T21:12:00.005-06:00

Have you noticed that food bloggers can over complicate recipes? Sometimes there are just too many flavors going on in one thing. Hey, I am guilty of it too. But, that is how I cook sometimes. I will throw in a dash of this, a sprinkle of that and when it's time to re-write the recipe I realize it looks like a lot of work.

Sometimes I just need to stop trying to create the most unique and fabulous dish, and trust the family recipes. After all, they wouldn't survive the generations if they weren't delicious. I work with a great gal named Darla (which is such a cute name, in my opinion) and she showed me her Mom's recipe for Polynesian Chicken. I had all the ingredients on hand and it looked really tasty.

I realized when I was finished cooking that this is another one pot meal. I made one skillet chicken with spinach and mushrooms the other night and loved the quick clean up. No wonder I have been so happy lately, there have been less dishes to put up!

There were just a few changes I made to the recipe. First, the recipe called for canned peach slices and all I had was sugar-free peach chunks. I don't think this affected the flavor at all, the sauce was still sticky sweet. This made the sauce a bit lower calorie though and I think the peach chunks were also easier to eat rather than peach slices. I also served the chicken over brown rice instead of white rice. The nutty brown rice went well with the soft vegetable and sweet chicken.

Polynesian Chicken
yield: 4 servings

2 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
2 TBS Soy Sauce
3 TBS Cornstarch
4 Chicken Breast, boneless and skinless
Salt, Pepper
2 TBS Olive Oil
1 Bell Pepper, thin slices
1 Onion, thin slices
1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
1 can Sliced Peaches (I used Sugar free chunks)
Cooked Rice (I prepared Brown Rice)

1. Whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce and cornstarch. Open the peaches and drain the syrup into a separate container. Set aside.
2. Cut the chicken breast in large cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Add the 2 TBS olive oil to the pan and add chicken. Cook for at least 6 minutes until all sides of the chicken are browned and chicken is cooked all the way through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Add the pepper and onion slices to the pan and turn heat to medium low. Cook at least 10 minutes, until vegetables are soft and aromatic. Remove vegetables from the pan.
5. Whisk together the soy sauce mixture with the reserved peach juice. The mixture will appear milky due to the cornstarch. Add to the pan and turn on low. Stir until transparent and thick.
6. Add the tomatoes and peaches to the sauce and leave on low heat for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the tomatoes start to look a little wrinkled, add the chicken and vegetables to the pan and gently toss in the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
7. Serve over white or brown rice.

Printable recipe can be found here.

This is a great weeknight dinner. It is quick to put together and prep is minimal, not to mention the flavors are simple and comforting. I have always enjoyed orange chicken and this is very similar, except the sweetness in the sauce comes from peach juice. I don't know how exactly this is Polynesian but I don't care... it just tastes so good!

Killer Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

2010-01-20T21:24:00.004-06:00

I was born in 1986, which makes me 23. There are a few downsides when it comes to being raised in my generation. For one, I don't rely on my brain when it comes to spelling, I rely on spellcheck. I am ashamed to say there are certain words I have never learned how to spell correctly, and when I type them I usually just spell them incorrectly, knowing the my internet browser will correct my spelling error for me. (It's a little late but I have a new resolution.... which is learn how to spell better!)

Also, the invention of email and text messaging. We don't communicate face to face anymore and hardly on the telephone. We text. We email. And we tweet. I have been instant messaging with friends since I was 12 years old (anyone remember ICQ?) and I know it has affected how I communicate. I now have a job where I occasionally have to call strangers, and let me tell you, I hate it. (Another resolution.... become the type of person than can easily speak to anyone without it becoming uncomfortable.)

But no matter what your age, how you like to communicate and whether or not you tweet, everyone can agree on chocolate cake. Specifically, a moist, rich, totally killer chocolate cake. A perfect chocolate cake can bring people together, as this cake did this past weekend.

I made this cake last weekend for someone who hates birthdays. I wanted the cake to still look like a celebration, but without being over the top. I chose not to frost the sides, so you could see the rich color of the cake. The sprinkles added the perfect crunch. This cake was just perfect, no matter if you are having your 8th, 18th, or 68th birthday.

Killer Chocolate Cake
Recipe from RecipeZaar
yield: 2 9-inch cake rounds

2 cup Sugar
1 3/4 cup AP Flour
3/4 cup Cocoa Powder (I used Valrhona)
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
2 Eggs
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup Boiling Water

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Add first 6 dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk until combined evenly. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.
2. Add half of the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine until smooth, then add the next half and continue to stir until smooth and lump free.
3. Measure 3/4 cup of water and microwave until boiling. Pour into the chocolate cake batter and stir until fully combined. The batter will appear to be thin now.
4. Prepare your cake pans with butter or pan spray, and divide the batter between the two evenly. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Let cool at least 10 minutes in pans before removing. Let cool on a rack at least 30 minutes. Make frosting while you are waiting.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 cup Butter, room temperature
1 cup Peanut Butter
2 TBS Heavy Cream
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste, optional
2 cups Powdered Sugar

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the softened butter and peanut butter. Beat until combined and add the heavy cream and vanilla bean paste and continue to beat.
2. Add the powdered sugar in batches until fully combined and smooth. If the frosting is too stiff add a bit of heavy cream, if it is too soft add a bit of powdered sugar.
3. Frost the bottom cake layer and place the second layer on top. Frost the top layer and drizzle with melted chocolate and plenty of sprinkles.

Printable Recipe can be found here.

This cake has an intense chocolate flavor, and is very soft and moist. The peanut butter frosting isn't overly sweet, and went very well with the cake though you could use any flavor of frosting and this cake would still be killer. If you have been searching for a killer chocolate cake recipe, then look no further!

Dragonfly Restaurant Review

2010-01-18T18:39:00.007-06:00

I always feel silly bringing my big, bulky camera to dinner when I go to a fine dining restaurant. I want to share with you the great meal I had, but at the same time it's a bit tacky with my flash. That is why I love lunch. The lighting is usually perfect and a flash is not necessary. Also, dinner prices are normally a bit higher and I would rather be enjoying my meal, my wine and my company. Whereas lunch is a bit more casual, and taking photos isn't as much of a distraction.

How do you feel about taking pictures in restaurants?

I went to Dragonfly in September, which was far too long ago, so I knew a trip was in order. It is one of my favorite lunch spots, and the lunch menu has plenty to offer, as you can see in my pictures. The food is always delicious and comforting, yet still creative.

My friend Chirine works at the Hotel Zaza, so a trip to Dragonfly means I get to catch up with her, and that is always gobs of fun. She has the best stories and keeps me laughing, until I start eating of course.

You may remember this dish from the last review, as it is not a trip to Dragonfly without the Crispy Calamari Salad. The Asian greens go perfectly with the crispy calamari and everything is coated in a sweet chile vinaigrette. And for a little crunch, the salad is topped with fried nori.

I want more! Isn't this lovely? It was my favorite of the day. I think it was called Deconstructed Ahi Tuna Roll. Everything went together perfectly, and it was much more satisfying than an actual sushi roll. I think with the right size mold and quality ingredients I could recreate this at home.... but why would I do that, and miss a trip to Dragonfly?

These sliders were delicious and very balanced. The meat was warm and rich, the smoked gouda was creamy with an underlying bitterness. The pickle was... well you know how a pickle tastes, and the red onion relish had the right amount of sweetness. I am not ashamed to say that a table of ladies ordered more than one of these plates.

Butternut Squash was the soup of the day. It was velvety smooth and perfect for the arctic weather Dallas was experiencing when I went (yes, Dallas had Arctic weather!) The soup came with a few drops of chili oil and seasoned croutons. In the background you can see the soft bread we received, with some Olive Oil for dipping.

So far, so ~~good~~ delicious!
Time for my entree.

I ordered the Grilled Organic Salmon with Spring Vegetable Linguine in a Lemon Cream Sauce. Oh. My. God. It was delicious and smelled great when it arrived steaming hot to the table. I love the bright flavor of lemon, and it went well with the light vegetables and tender salmon. As you can imagine I was already feeling full, so I took half of this home with me. It was still great reheated the next day.

But one can never be too full for dessert...

This is the Caramel Apple Cheesecake. I loved it, the cheesecake was perfect and the apples were spicy. I ordered a cappuccino, which went well with this and the other dessert that we ordered.

A Slice of Ice (yes, that is what it's called) was intoxicating. I couldn't get enough. The filling was Oreo Ice Cream, and top and bottom was Oreo as well. It was covered in a chocolate and caramel sauce.

I've said it once, I'll say it again. If you are ever in Dallas I recommend stopping by Dragonfly restaurant inside the Hotel ZaZa. It's killer cuisine at it's finest!

Dragonfly at Hotel ZaZa
2332 Leonard St
Dallas, TX 75201
214-550-9500

One Skillet Chicken Dinner

2010-01-17T19:32:00.008-06:00

My 10 in Ten challenge has been going well. I have been eating healthy meals and last week I started going back to the gym.

It's frustrating to not be able to jog on the treadmill, and especially outside on pavement. My left ankle is doing much better, but I still can't bounce on it. I have been using the stationary bikes, walking and occasionally the elliptical machine (though I really dislike the elliptical, it never feels like I am working out.) Yesterday I did 45 squats and 45 lunges. Talk about being sore today!

My friend came over for dinner on Friday night and this is what I prepared. He told me it looked fancy, when it is actually very easy to make. I love any meal that is one pot, or one skillet as this is titled. When I see a one pot recipe, I see in my head 'easy clean up' and that is always a plus to me.

You can easily alter this recipe to better suit your liking. I thought about adding some bell peppers or onions, but I kept it simple. Kyle doesn't eat chicken (he is very picky.... don't even get me started) but I will probably make this dish again soon and use beef for him.

One Skillet Chicken Dinner
Recipe from Prevention.com
yield: 2 portions

2 Chicken Breast, boneless & skinless
2 TBS Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 can Diced Tomatoes, drained
2 cups Mushrooms, sliced
3 cups Spinach, rinsed
Parmesan for topping, optional

1. Cut the chicken in 1inch cubes. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper, and saute until chicken is cooked all the way through, about 6-8 minutes, or until juices run clear. Set aside, keep warm
2. Add the garlic to the pan and stir until aromatic, around two minutes. Add the drained diced tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach. Use tongs to toss in the pan. Cook 3-4 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and most liquid has been absorbed. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
3. Add the chicken back to the pan and toss.

Printable recipe here.

This was a great dinner that came together quickly and easily. The ingredients went together well and the tangy Parmesan was a great addition to the hearty flavors. This can be enjoyed on it's own as a low fat, low carb meal. Or pair with rice, pasta, and thick crusty bread.

Andes Mint Cookies

2010-01-15T07:53:00.001-06:00

I can't wait to have kids. (Breathe Mom, Breathe! )
I mean years (many, many years) from now, of course.

Children are beautiful little things, but I am looking forward to being in control of someone else (just sayin!) doing things the Natalie way. I see the way some people raise their kids, and it really irks me. But I know better than to tell someone else how they should raise their child. Here are the things I plan on doing.

1. No bad music. I listened to oldies until I was about 12, then I started listening to the mainstream music. But when I was a kid, it wasn't so bad. N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, Britney and Christina, all innocent compared to what is being played now. The other day I saw this kid that couldn't be older than 11, listening to the radio while her Mom was in the store. Listening and singing loudly to a song called 'Birthday Sex' that is popular on the radio right now. Kids shouldn't be singing that, gosh!

(I am a total Dr. Laura fan, can you tell?)

2. No fast food. This is the hardest one for me to stay quiet about when I see other parents do it. I recently saw a friends baby eating a Jack in the Box taco.

A baby. A jack in the box taco.
I'll give you a second to process that.

Even I won't eat that, I know for a fact a baby under two shouldn't be. When I still lived at home, we had neighbors who had twins that I often babysat. These kids had been eating raw vegetables since they could eat and were never fed unhealthy junk or sugary foods. To them, a treat was raw red bell pepper. That is amazing! I can't (yes I can) wait to raise a little human with healthy foods!

3. Limit one cookie.

....who am I kidding? I don't stop at one cookie. I'll let that slide. I will just have to start baking healthy, sugar free cookies.

Until then, here are some Andes Mint Cookies I made for the Cookie Exchange over at Steph Chows. I was partnered with another Natalie and she sent me the softest, most brownie-like cookies I have ever had. How were they still so soft after being shipped? Go check out those cookies! These are what I sent to her.

Andes Mint Cookies
yield: 3 dozen

1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter, room temperature
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Salt
2 1/2 cups AP Flour
1 (10 oz) bag Andes Mint Baking Chips

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Cream butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add both sugars and beat until light and airy.
2. Add the vanilla, then the eggs one at a time. Wait until the first one is fully incorporated before adding the next egg.
3. In a seperate bowl whisk together the dry ingredients (excluding the chips) and add to the butter mixture until fully combined. Mix in the Andes Baking Chips last.
4. Chill dough for 30 minutes before portioning into 36 evenly sized balls. Lightly press with your palm to flatten the cookie a bit before placing on a parchment lined baking sheet.
5. Bake the cookies for 8 - 10 minutes (I prefer mine softer, around 8 minutes). Cool on the baking sheet 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

These cookies are fantastic, especially straight out of the oven. When they are warm and gooey, it tastes like you are eating a melted Girl Scout thin mint cookie. The mint-chocolate chips (that are swirled) that you can buy around the holidays always taste a bit artificial to me. But these chips taste smooth and creamy and have an intense mint flavor, just like an actual Andes Mint. Kyle doesn't like mint flavor which just meant more for me!

Baked Zucchini Chips

2010-01-13T19:01:00.015-06:00

I tend to always have zucchini in my fridge. I never write grocery lists (it would be wiser if I did, I usually come home with only baking ingredients and veggies) but zucchini is something I always buy without thinking. Typically I grill or roast it and though Kyle and I usually eat different dinners, we both like zucchini as a side dish.

But I wanted to do something a little different this time. I had seen zucchini chips before. You bake the zucchini slices with a bread crumb and Parmesan cheese crust... how could that be bad? And right now I do have a big chunk of Parmesan cheese I am trying to use, given to us at Christmas by Kyle's sister who lives in Italy!.

These zucchini chips are best served warm, when they are crunchy and smell of Italian seasonings and Parmesan cheese.

Baked Zucchini Chips

3 Zucchinis, rinsed
1/4 cup Parmesan, shredded
1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Dried Parsley
1 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Paprika
2 Egg Whites

preheat oven to 450 degrees

1. Slice zucchini as thinly and uniform as possible (this is when having a mandolin comes handy).
2. Place on a paper towel for at least 10 minutes to let excess moisture drain. Mix together all the dry ingredients. In a bowl whisk the egg whites until frothy.
3. Place the zucchini in the egg mixture, then coat in the bread crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet and when the baking sheet is full, bake for 5 minutes. Pull out the baking sheet and flip over the zucchini chips. Return to the oven for another 7 minutes.
4. Serve warm with fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional).

This was a great snack that satisfied my salty-crunchy tooth! The chips are low in fat and I didn't feel guilty eating them! I did the same procedure to a yellow squash and it worked out well. I will say that I prefer them hot, when they have a nice crunch. As they cool they get a bit softer, but that's okay. Just pop them back in the oven the next day, and they are crispy. I plan on making these again, see... not everything has to be deep fried!

Sausage and Cheddar stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

2010-01-10T20:05:00.008-06:00

I have a few bad habits, but don't we all?
I feel like getting a few off my chest.

Sometimes I deep fry food. That's bad. I know. For months now we have had a huge pot on the stove permanently filled with oil, so it's always there. Most of the fried foods I make are for Kyle. Kyle works in a restaurant and actually works the fryer station sometimes, so he knows how delicious fried foods can be. He likes fried hash brown patties (McDonalds style), funnel cakes, onion rings, french fries, and especially these jalapeno poppers!He eats it, but I need to stop cooking it.

Okay, I eat it too.
Sometimes though, just sometimes.

Wonder what the trash magazines are doing in the pictures? I love them. I am obsessed with celebrity gossip. I have never admitted this out loud, but I check Perez Hilton as least 8 times a day. I'm shameless, I'm nosy, and I'm sure a lot of you have done your fair share of tabloid reading too!

And one more bad habit? I tend to never blog on Saturdays. Which is bad because that is 1o for Ten challenge day. Bad start to Week 2, skipping out on the healthy blog entry and going with the trashy magazines and the fried goodness! I will update next Saturday. I promise. Deal?

Sausage and Cheddar Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers
yield: 5 peppers

5 Jalapeno Peppers
2 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 tsp Salt
2 oz Pork Sausage, cooked
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 cup Beer
Oil, for frying

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Cut stems off of peppers. Pull out the seeds and insides of all the peppers and place each on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes until soft.
2. While the peppers are softening in the oven, mix together the cream cheese, cooked sausage, cheese and salt. Set aside.
3. Place enough oil in a large pot to cover the poppers and turn to high heat. Heat the oil until it is at least 350 degrees. (To test if the oil is ready, spoon a small amount of batter in the oil and if it starts to sizzle and fry, you are ready to go!)
4. Open up a cold beer and enjoy until there is about 1/2 cup left. Whisk that with 1/2 cup flour for the beer batter.
5. When the peppers have cooled stuff them with the cream cheese mixture. Toss in the beer batter and drop two at a time in the oil.
6. Deep fry until the coating is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Cool in paper towels at least 2 minutes before enjoying.

(Doesn't Charlie Sheen look so creepy, like he is ready to steal my jalapeno poppers?) These little suckers are delicious! The beer batter stays nice and thick and doesn't fall off of the pepper. The pepper itself was soft and my batch wasn't too spicy. The filling was slightly melty and ooey gooey delicious. I can see myself making these again, maybe for a party. If you would like a lighter version, you always check out my Stuffed Jalapenos.

Honey Roasted Almonds

2010-01-07T17:39:00.017-06:00

The Super Bowl is one month away.
Did I just mention football on my food blog?

To be honest I have probably watched 30 minutes of football this whole season. I like to watch for a second, see the score, everything cool in the game? Yes? Okay back to VH1.

But I do like what football does. It brings friends and family together. You drink and you snack. Two of my favorite things!

These Honey Roasted Almonds can come together and be ready to serve in less than an hour. That makes them a great addition to your super bowl buffet. Anytime Kyle and I cater, we always place a few bowls of mixed nuts around the house. By the end of the night, they are always empty. It's a fact, people love nuts!

Though they have sugar, these almonds aren't that bad for you if you watch your portion size.

Honey Roasted Almonds
Recipe from Cooks.com

2 cups Raw Almonds
2 TBS Honey
2 TBS Water
2 TBS Oil (Almond, Peanut or Canola)
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Place the almonds on a baking sheet and in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. (If the almonds are already roasted, skip this step) Set the almonds aside and let cool.
2. In a medium sized sauce pan add the honey, water and oil. Bring to a boil and add the almonds. Stir around for a few minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the nuts.
3. Transfer into a medium bowl and toss with the sugar and salt.
4. Spread back on the baking sheet with wax paper, let cool.

These almonds are addicting! The coating is light and doesn't fall off in big clumps some other honey roasted almonds I have had. You can easily add nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon or other spices to the sugar for additional flavor. And I don't see why you couldn't do the same process with other nuts. Honey Roasted Cashews anyone? If you like sweet and crunchy snacks like I do, then you would love these Honey Roasted Almonds.

Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches

2010-01-04T20:34:00.008-06:00

I can't believe what I am doing. I am ashamed.
I almost don't want to tell you, especially after this post.

But here goes.....
I am watching The Bachelor.

I caved in! I wanted to know what my friends were facebooking and tweeting about. I wanted to watch the show that people watch season after season (not to mention there isn't anything on TV Monday evenings). And, I also wanted to see how funny, catty, and ~~skanky~~ classy the girls are!

The show starts and the bachelor is standing there in a suit and these girls are getting out of limos one by one. They have on formal gowns, which I find silly. Couldn't you tell more about a person if they are dressed normally? The gals give him a little trinket, note or gift when they step out of their limo which is their own way of saying 'hello and please keep me around' because at the end of the episode, only 15 of the 25 girls stayed.

I just have a little bit of advice for these ladies. If you are ever on The Bachelor and want the guy to keep you around, get out of that limo with an apron on and some fresh, baked cookies in your hand. Especially these cookies. He will choose you on the spot!

Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches
yield: 10 sandwiches

1 batch Peanut Butter Cookies
Dark Chocolate Spread (or melted chocolate)

1. Bake cookies according to directions (except roll in 20 small balls rather than 12.)
2. When cool, spread dark chocolate spread (or melted chocolate) on backside of one cookie, then sandwich with another cookie.

These cookie sandwiches are great! This is my go-to peanut butter cookie recipe since I always have peanut butter, sugar and an egg on hand. Not to mention they are delicious, soft (and gluten free if that matters to you!) Sometimes I like to add a pinch of salt, and sometimes I add a tsp of baking soda for a lighter cookie. These cookies aren't too sweet, but more creamy, decadent and salty.

Make these cookies. Score a bachelor.