The Cook Next Door

Leave of absence

2011-05-26T15:43:00.000-05:00

I had plans to start posting recipes again, but this week things have changed for our family. Go here to read more about it.

Crispy Oven-fried Chicken

2011-03-30T15:55:00.000-05:00

Crispy Oven-fried Chicken

from Keeping Up

1 cup Rice Krispies cereal

1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg, beaten

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Place all ingredients (except egg and chicken) in a food processor and pulse until uniformly mixed. Pour mixture into a shallow dish. Dip each piece of chicken in egg, then in seasoning mixture, pressing to coat. Bake on a greased baking sheet in a 350 degree oven until no longer pink in the center, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with yogurt dipping sauce.

dipping sauce:

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

Whisk together sauce ingredients. Make in advance for optimal flavor.

{cooks note}

This is a great low-fat recipe that is sure to please everyone in your family. We prefer it without the dipping sauce. I like to serve mine with garlic red mashed potatoes and homemade country gravy. I guess it not really that low-fat if you make it with the gravy. :) You could have your crumb mixture and dipping sauce prepared ahead of time to make for a quick and delicious meal for your family on those busy nights.

Egg and dry crumb mixture.

I like to bake mine on parchment paper to avoid the chicken from sticking to the pan.

Enjoy!

Savory Crepes

2011-03-23T07:00:00.001-05:00

Savory Crepes

from Emeril Lagasse (slightly adapted) the sauce only

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened into a pale blond roux, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the hot stock in a steady stream, whisking to incorporate. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently with a heavy wooden spoon until thick. Add 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper, and stir to incorporate. Slowly whisk in the cream and simmer, stirring, until well incorporated and thickened. Remove from the heat.

I used this recipe for the crepes.

{cooks note}

Sunday evening, my boys wanted crepes. Anytime there are strawberries in the house, they beg for crepes. For a while, I have wanted to try out a new recipe for a crepe filling. My favorite is fresh strawberries with whipping cream. I have tried different fruit variations, but always find myself going back to the strawberries. I searched for a savory recipe and found a sauce I liked, so I went for it. I gathered all of the miscellaneous ingredients I had in my fridge and it was a success. Here is what I used for the filling. Sweet peppers, prosciutto, bacon, ham, cherry tomatoes, Gruyere cheese, Parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese. Any type of filling similar to this would work, these are just the ingredients I already had in my fridge. I sauteed the peppers first and then added the three meats. Once they were cooked, I assembled the crepes and added the tomatoes, cheeses and the sauce. I also poured a little sauce over the top. The sauce was so good and added the perfect touch to the crepes. We saved the fresh strawberries and leftover crepes for our dessert. I'm loving that strawberries are in season again. I'm not loving that my little family can go through $14 worth in three days!

{The picture quality on these is not that great. I didn't have time to adjust my settings.}

Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte

2011-03-21T16:57:00.000-05:00

Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte

from My Baking Addiction

1 cup butter, melted, plus more for pan
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
10 individual Reese’s Cups, chopped

For the filling:
1/4 cup peanut butter, heated in microwave at 10 second intervals for easy spreading

For the glaze:
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round pans and line with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl combine the 1 cup melted butter and cocoa and stir until the cocoa is dissolved.
3. Add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, and mix well. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until incorporated. Stir in the vanilla, flour and salt and combine until the flour is no longer visible. Fold in the chopped peanut butter cups and divide the mixture between the pans. 4. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Run a knife around the edge of each pan and turn out onto a work surface.
5. Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate or a round platter. Spread the 1/4 cup of peanut butter over the first layer and top with the second layer. In a bowl, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of peanut butter, the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and heavy cream until a glaze forms. Add more half and half, if needed, to achieve desired thick glaze consistency. Pour the glaze on top of the torte, spreading it out with a small knife allowing it to drip over the sides. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler and drizzle over the glaze. Cut into slices and serve.

{cooks note}

About a month ago, I was asked to donate a dessert for a political party auction. The desserts were starting at $50, so I knew I had to make something worth it. After searching my archives, I decided on this Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte that is to die for. I like it because it doesn't have a cakey texture. It's definitely more on the rich brownie side. I used homemade peanut butter (the color of your glaze may vary from mine since I used homemade) and lot's of chocolate peanut butter cups. I cooked one torte in 9 inch round cake pans (it was my test one that I made one week before) and the final one in 8 inch round pans. They both turned out great. I used an 8" round plastic cake container that I purchased from a local grocery store to deliver the cake in. The torte fit perfectly in it and it was easy for people to view since there was a clear plastic dome covering the top. My family and friends absolutely loved the dessert (from when I made a tester) and I will definitely be making this again. I topped the final torte with chopped pieces of chocolate peanut butter cups because you can never have enough chocolate and peanut butter in one dessert.

*The auction was this past Saturday and I'm not sure what my dessert auctioned off for...I'm not sure I want to know. At least I know it went for $50.

Add lot's of chocolate peanut butter chunks. They definitely add to the richness of the dessert.

The first layer of the cake topped with homemade peanut butter.

Top the first layer with the second round cake (more like a giant rich brownie).

Spread the glaze over the entire cake and push over sides.

Heat semi-sweet chocolate in a double boiler and drizzle over the top. I like to put the melted chocolate in a plastic sandwich bag and cut a small tip off the corner and use it to drizzle the chocolate.

After I cut the first piece out. So moist and good.

Really, you can't go wrong with serving this dessert. It's completely easy and quick to make...despite it's complicated looks. :)

The torte I auctioned off with the chocolate peanut butter chunks on top.

This is how I packaged the dessert. I spent .30 on the cake dome and already had the ribbon.

We were supposed to include a small card describing what our dessert was. Hopefully it sounded appetizing to someone.

If you make this, the only thing you'll regret is the slightly larger gut it may or may not give you.

Almond Granola

2011-02-17T16:09:00.000-06:00

Almond Granola
from Keeping Up

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup sliced or slivered almonds

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, honey, oil, salt, vanilla and almond extract until well combined. Fold in oats and almonds. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. Still well, then bake another 10 more minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and stir again. Cool completely and store in a covered container.

{cooks note}

I was a bit skeptical of this recipe, only because I am not a huge fan of almond extract. Plus I really like this recipe. I gave it a shot and I am so glad I did. It's really tasty and will make a great addition to our breakfast line-up. I added 1/2 a teaspoon of almond extract instead of the 1 teaspoon it calls for. It has a hint of almond flavor...just what I was going for.

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

2011-02-03T15:02:00.000-06:00

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan
from allrecipes.com

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
2 pounds tilapia fillets

Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.
Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

{cooks note}

As my sister would say "Best white fish recipe I have made at home." My other sister emailed this to me a few months ago and I had yet to try it. I picked up some Tilapia at Costco and decided to try it. Wow. So, so good. I used 2.5 pounds because 1) my husband eats a lot! and 2) we like leftovers. Since I cooked a little more fish than the recipe called for I added a little bit extra of everything. This fish is so light and flakey, you'll definitely want more. The good news is the leftovers, if there are any, are just as good as the first day if not better. If you hesitate buying fish because of the cost, try and make extra room in your monthly budget for it. It's so healthy for you.

I got 8 fillets in my bag.

Each fillet is individually wrapped.

I like to use fresh grated Parmesan cheese whenever I can. It's somewhat unusual for a fish recipe to include any type of cheese.

Another ingredient that threw me off.

The mixture, once everything is added. Doesn't look that tasty yet.

I used heavy duty tinfoil and lined my pan with it. You really can't beat one less pan to wash.

Just out of the oven...

and just before entering my mouth. Please try this soon and let me know what you think.

Armommy

2011-01-28T06:00:00.007-06:00

A few months ago, Rae of Armommy, asked me if I wanted her to send me some of her products to review. Of course I was delighted, I have been a fan for a while now...remember this post? I received the package in the mail a few months ago and moved soon after, so it's been on the back burner for a while. Now that the sun has decided to make it's appearance for a few days, I thought I had better take advantage and pull the package of goodies out and snap away. I asked my niece, Kate, to be my little model. She kindly obliged since it involved being a model and looking cute.

First, here is a picture of Rae and her cute family. Isn't Rae beautiful?

Rae made customized place mats for each of my children. Since the boys are at the perfect age for wanting to help me set the table, Rae thought it would be fun to send me the place mats that show children where each thing goes. Brilliant! Kate didn't need any help and thought it was so fun to set the place setting herself. You can go to Armommy's shop to see what other goodies they have. If you like the style of place mat that Rae made for my children, you can see them in her shop.

Meet Kate. At first she was shy.

That didn't last too long.

The place mat. I think these are so cute. I love the owl. They are made of professional grade laminate and are 12x18. Armommy also does custom orders. Just send them an email and they will be happy to work with you.

Look how good she is doing...no help from me.

Look how hard she is concentrating...the tongue comes out when she is concentrating hard.

Yes, her hair is all natural. Add a little water, and voila! Back to the place mats.

The last item placed...the cup.

The finished product. These would make the best gifts for those little one's in your life.

Blake's custom place mat...

and Carter's.

Lastly, she sent me their signature snack bags. Look how stylish they are. Plus, they save the environment.

Just fill them up and velcro them closed.

Thank you, Rae! I love it all.

Go here to view Armommy's blog. Lot's of creative ideas.

p.s. Another of my favorites is their smib.

How to Peel and Segment a Grapefruit

2011-01-24T16:49:00.000-06:00

Have you ever seen a recipe that called for segments of a grapefruit or an orange, but you skipped that ingredient/step because it sounded too difficult to do? Well, today's little tutorial should help you the next time you run into that problem. Segmenting an orange or grapefruit is quite easy, actually. We eat a good amount of grapefruit in the winter at our house, so I find myself doing this all the time. I finally got around to making a little tutorial for you. Let's begin.

First you need to have a sharp knife. You can use either a chef's knife or a serrated knife. I used a serrated on this particular day. Cut each end of the grapefruit off and set aside. This will allow you to see the "meat" of the fruit underneath it's rind. It also provides a base for the fruit to sit on while you cut the rind off. Take your knife and start at the top cutting the skin off as you go. Be careful not to cut too much of the fruit off because it will end up in the garbage.

Once you have taken all of the rind off, your grapefruit will look like the picture above. Now it is time to cut the segments out. If you used a chef's knife, I would recommend using a paring knife or a smaller serrated knife to help you cut each segment out. Cut down on one side of the segment and flip your knife over. The segment should push right out. Sound confusing? I will link up to a great little video that will show you all about it at the end.

At this point, I have cut a few segments out.

Here is a picture of a segment almost ready to fall into the bowl. I couldn't hold my knife in position to show you where it was exactly, because I only have two hands.

Here is another view of the grapefruit.

The empty grapefruit. Do not just throw that in the trash. Squeeze all of the juice out of it before you throw it away.

Once you try it out a few times, it becomes a piece of cake and you can do it much faster. Click on this for a short video tutorial.

Faux "Bran" Muffins

2011-01-21T15:55:00.000-06:00

Faux "Bran" Muffins

from Keeping Up

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon molasses

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cups milk

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups old-fashioned oats

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, molasses, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix in milk, then add flour and oats. Mix until combined. Pour batter into 18 greased muffin cups and bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes or until muffin centers spring back when touched. Serve warm with butter and honey.

{cooks note}

Wow. These muffins are 100% whole grain and completely delicious. My sister brought us over some a month or so ago and I was smitten. My husband didn't get the chance to try one because the kids and I devoured all of them. They were that good. I didn't have any ground wheat already prepared so I ground some in my Blendtec. I ground 4 cups, just because, and it was finished in 50 seconds. I really do love this machine. I know I've convinced a few of you to purchase one, so here is another great way to use it. If you don't have a wheat grinder already, this one works great for jobs like this. Side note: I will still use my Nutrimill for grinding wheat most of the time because I like to adjust how fine it is, but the Blendtec works for those times when I don't want to pull the whole thing out just to grind 2 cups of wheat.

Grinding the wheat.

Fresh ground whole wheat really is the best.

Cream the brown sugar and softened butter together.

Add the eggs, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, molasses and salt. Mix until just combined.

Add the milk.

Add the ground whole wheat flour and oats together.

Mix until the dry ingredients are just barely wet. Over mixing will result in a dense muffin with a tall peak and we are looking for light and moist and rounded on the top.

I sprinkled some oats on the top because I think they look prettier that way. We eat with our eyes, right?

My husband claimed these were "The best muffins he has ever eaten." I wouldn't go that far, but they are a pleaser in my house.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp

2011-01-14T07:00:00.001-06:00

Lemon Garlic Shrimp

from Keeping Up

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound uncooked (medium or large) shrimp, peeled and devained

1 1/2 teaspoons creole seasoning

juice of 1 lemon

zest of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

3/4 pound angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and olive oil. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute (do not let brown). Add shrimp and creole seasoning. Cook just until shrimp turn pink, stirring often, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, zest and parsley. Serve immediately over angel hair pasta.

If you can't find creole seasoning, such as Tony Chachere's or Emeril's Essence, use 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.

Chicken Pot Pie

2011-01-13T07:00:00.003-06:00

Chicken Pot Pie

from Ina Garten

3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on

3 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

2 chicken bouillon cubes

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 cups medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes

1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (2 cups)

1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

For the pastry:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions and parsley. Mix well.

For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough tomoisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the side, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

{cooks note}

Warning: this is a labor intensive meal, but worth it. You could take some short cuts like buying frozen carrots, but those just don't cut it for me. There are a few things you could definitely prepare ahead of time to make the actual process shorter. Something I would do differently the next time I make these is to not cube my chicken. I think I will just buy a whole cooked chicken at Costco or cook my own and then pull the meat off of it. I didn't really like the texture of the cubed chicken. That's just me, though. Oh, and I also just used boneless skinless chicken. For the pastry, I do not have a food processor...yet. I just made it the good old fashioned way and it turned out great. Below is a picture of the reason why I post very little on this blog lately. She is by my side constantly through this ear infection, cold, flu and most of all teething time. She is scheduled to see an ENT soon, so let's hope that solves the ear problems. In the picture, she is teething on a cupboard knob. Nice.

Bake and cube chicken. Set aside.

Saute onions in butter. I did not have frozen small whole onions, so I just cut up a yellow onion into larger chunks.

I like to use fresh herbs whenever possible. Using fresh herbs really makes a difference in certain dishes.

The filling. Make sure you cut your carrot so it is bite sized.

Once the pastry is over all of your pies, spread an egg wash (yolk/water mixture) over the top to help with browning. Make three slits at the top for air to escape and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

About an hour later you have this to look forward to. The perfect comfort food for a cold winter evening and it is even better the second day.

Crockpot Oatmeal

2011-01-12T14:29:00.000-06:00

Crockpot Oatmeal
from Keeping Up

2 cups steel cut oats (not quick or old-fashioned oats)
6 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 large apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Stir together ingredients in a greased crockpot. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. To cook for 8 to 10 hours, add 1 additional cup of water. Serve oatmeal topped with sliced bananas and toasted nuts, if desired.

{cooks note}

Simple, easy, healthy, wonderful smelling breakfast to wake up to. A little preparation is needed at night, but that's it. Sometimes I leave the apples out. I never add raisins because they are not my thing. I love fresh or frozen fruit on the top. Steel cut oats can be purchased at just about any grocery store. I like to buy mine in the bulk foods section at Winco. Talk about cheap!

Freezing Fresh Lemon Juice

2010-12-16T15:22:00.000-06:00

I love the scent of fresh lemons. When shopping in the produce section of my local Costco, I spotted packages of meyer lemons and couldn't pass them up. I brought some home with me and decided to freeze the juicy goodness into ice cubes. It's very simple and adds the perfect touch to any lemon dessert. I wanted to also try and freeze the peel, so I zested it and froze what I could into two ice cubes. I haven't used any yet in a recipe, so I can't tell you if it tastes just as good as fresh or not.

A good zester is a must. Mine is a Microplane.

I stuffed the zest into two ice cube molds and filled the rest with the juice.

I made a total of 32 lemon cubes. I only used about 6-8 lemons. Once the cubes are frozen I take them out of the molds and store them in a freezer zip lock bag. When using in a recipe make sure you allow enough time for the cube to melt; otherwise, try the microwave.

My New Blender and Homemade Peanut Butter

2010-12-13T16:29:00.003-06:00

I've been researching the best of the best blenders for quite a few years now. I narrowed it down to two: the Vitamix and the Blendtec. I reviewed Consumer Reports, youtube videos, websites and even the actual blenders themselves. I'm lucky enough to have two people in my family with both. I decided on the Blendtec for a few reasons. There are two sizes that the Blendtec jars come in. The standard is the 64 ounce and then they have come out with a new 96 ounce jar that has a four inch blade. The actual blender itself comes with a 64 ounce jar. I purchased the larger jar in addition to the 64 ounce one. I have my reasons for wanting two jars. The rest of my reasons for purchasing the Blendtec over the Vitamix are as follows:

Quiter

Computerized

Fits under a standard cabinet

Lighter base

More shallow jars (easier for scraping things out)

No plunger needed

There are more reasons, but those are the major one's. My family, like most, love green smoothies. This machine makes them so easy to make. No shaking of the blender, or plunging ingredients down. In 20 seconds or less we have a wonderful, nutritious, green smooth packed with wholesome goodness. I purchased mine through Costco and got an additional 4 year warranty making the total warranty 7 years. That is identical to Vitamix. I like the Vitamix also, I just decided to go with the Blendtec because I liked it a little bit better.

Today, I made homemade peanut butter in less than a minute. I put in three cups of dry roasted unsalted peanuts. Set the level to 1 and let it grind for about 15 seconds. Then I turned the speed to level 5 and let the machine do the rest of the work for an additional 30 seconds or so. I made smooth today, but chunky would be just as easy. I added about 3/4 teaspoon of salt. I had a few empty peanut butter jars so I filled them right up. I made a total of three batches (3 cups of peanuts in each) and filled two Costco size peanut butter jars (the organic kind). I love the flavor and so does my family. I bought the bag of peanuts in the bulk section at my local Winco. I paid $4.81 for the bag.

I have a list a mile long of all the different foods I want to try out. I'll keep you posted on how that goes. For now, I will easily use my blender 2-3 times a day. It even whips fresh whipping cream in a matter of seconds. If you are in the market, I highly recommend Blendtec. It's definitely an investment, but one worth making.

{I was not paid by Blendtec to write this post.}

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

2010-11-22T08:20:00.002-06:00

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

from kelseyskitchen

Yield: (2) 9" round cakes or (1) 9x13" pan

Cake

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Pumpkin Filling

1 (14 oz.) can pumpkin puree (1 1/2 cups)

3 eggs

2/3 cups whole milk

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

Crumb Topping

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and prepare baking pan(s).

Make cake batter: In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. In a separate mixing bowl, mix (or sift) flour, salt and baking powder together. Add dry ingredients to butter and egg mixture. Mix just until combined. Set aside.

Make Filling: In a separate large mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree, eggs, milk, brown sugar and spices. Set aside.

Make Crumb Topping: In a separate mixing bowl, combine the butter, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and spices. Mix until topping is loose and crumbly.

Fill the bottom of your pan(s) with the prepared cake batter. Next, pour the pumpkin filling over the top of the cake batter, and sprinkle the crumb topping on top of the filling. Bake for 45 minutes or until the filling is set and topping is golden brown. Cool before slicing . Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

{cooks note}

This cake is extremely good. I served mine with fresh whipped cream. I took my pictures when there was no natural light to be seen (the darn winter months will be tough for me to take decent pictures since it get's dark so fast in the evening). I'm not a pumpkin pie fan, so this type of dessert is my thing. I'm totally diggin' it and it's on my top 5 favorite fall desserts. It takes quite a few mixing bowls, but definitely worth the effort.

Back In The Saddle Again

2010-11-22T08:00:00.001-06:00

Wow, have I really taken this much time off? Well, to make it up to you, I will post my new favorite pumpkin recipe. It will definitely knock your socks off. Stay tuned...

I am finding it harder and harder to post since the computer I work on is now in my babies room. She is supposed to take two naps a day, but in the past few days has refused due to her molars coming in and I believe an ear infection. So, when she is napping, I can't work on my posts and when she is up I can't work on my posts. My children take priority and they don't let me sit and spend the time I need to on this little blog. I'm trying to work something out. In them meantime enjoy the upcoming recipes. Oh, and I'm sorry to inform you that I will not be much help for your Thanksgiving Day feast. With our move and everything else going on, I just haven't gotten it done. Maybe next year...

Moving

2010-10-15T14:26:00.000-05:00

I have been missing a lot lately. It might have to do with the fact that I'm preparing my little family of 5 to move across the country next week. I'm extremely busy and feeling very overwhelmed with it all. I promise to be back...I'm just not sure when that will be. We don't even have a place to live yet! Pretty typical for us. Although, each time we add another child, so it makes it a little more difficult. I'm sure things will be okay. If you have any suggestions for activities for our four day car ride, I would really appreciate it. My husband and I are both driving a car, so there will not be an extra set of hands to help. Our children are ages 5,3, and 1. Please help!

Herb Foccacia

2010-10-05T13:59:00.000-05:00

Herb Foccacia
from Keeping Up

2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
1 large clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or 1/2 teaspoon each oregano, thyme and basil)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup warm water

In the bowl of a mixer, combine all ingredients with the dough hook attachment. Mix at medium speed for 5 to 8 minutes or until dough is smooth and has pulled away from sides of the bowl. Remove dough hook, cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise for 30 minutes.

Deflate dough and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Spread dough out by hand on an oiled baking sheet into roughly ad 8"x10" rectangle. Use your knuckle to make indentations on dough every 1/2-inch, or make holes over entire surface with a fork. Lightly brush dough's surface with olive oil and bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Stir together olive oil and salt and brush over the surface of hot bread. Serve immediately.

{cooks note}

This bread is so good, especially with the herbs. I didn't end up using the whole amount of flour the recipe called for. Each climate and elevation with bring different results. From start to finish it was 1 hour total. It goes perfectly with this soup.

Winner

2010-10-02T19:58:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry this is so late. Life has gotten kind of crazy for my family. Better late than never, right?

The winner of the Cox's Honey giveaway is:

Jenna...

Ditto on everyone's comments....warm wheat bread....cornbread...homemade rolls...PB sandwiches...etc, etc. The possibilities are endless!

Congratulations Jenna. I know you will put the honey to good use. Please send me your information via my email and the honey will be shipped right to your front door.

Thanks for entering everyone and a big thank you to Cox's Honey for sponsoring another giveaway.

Cox's Honey Giveaway: Round Two

2010-09-24T09:14:00.000-05:00

Because I have been so lame with this blog lately (is anyone still looking?) and because it's Friday, a giveaway is in order. Cox's honey would like to give one lucky winner a case of twelve 20 oz. containers of their creamed honey.

Here's how to enter:

What is your favorite fall treat to eat with honey?

You have until 11:59 pm on Friday to enter.

{image via cox's honey}

Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas

2010-09-22T13:43:00.000-05:00

Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas
from Keeping Up

1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded

Stir together honey, lime juice, chili powder and garlic powder until combined. Add chicken and let sit in marinade for at least 30 minutes.

2 (10-ounce) cans green enchilada sauce
1 cup half and half
flour tortillas
shredded colby jack cheese

Mix enchilada sauce with half and half. Spread roughly 3/4 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish. Fill flour tortillas with marinated chicken and shredded cheese, roll-up, then place side-by-side in baking dish. Pour remaining enchilada suace over the top of the enchiladas and top with more cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes.

{cooks note}

An easy dish to prepare ahead of time and quick to make. Serve with Spanish rice and refried beans to make the meal complete.

Creamy Lemon Chicken

2010-09-15T14:44:00.001-05:00

Creamy Lemon Chicken

from Keeping Up

2 tablespoons olive oil

10 boneless, skinless chicken tenders

1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence

1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning or other spicy seasoning salt

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 3/4 cups heavy cream

zest of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3/4 pound fettuccine, cooked al dente according to package directions

Pat chicken tenders dry and sprinkle with Herbes de Provence and creole seasoning. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown tenders on both sides. Add chicken broth and simmer just until chicken is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove chicken from broth and set aside.

Allow broth to simmer and reduce down for a few more minutes, then add cream and lemon zest. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until sauce has reduced to desired consistency. Stir in lemon juice and add chicken back to sauce. Serve over fettuccine.

Herbes de Provence is a French herb blend, readily available on the spice isle. Your guests will never know these sophisticated flavors came together in 20 minutes!

{cooks note}

This dish will knock your socks off! I added a little cayenne pepper to mine instead of creole seasoning. I didn't want it too spicy because then my kids wouldn't eat it. If you do not have chicken tenders like me, then cut your chicken down the middle and then you will have a chicken tender. Once the chicken was browned on both sides and it was ready to be taken out of the pan, I placed it on a plate and covered it tightly with foil and stuck it in a warmed oven so it would stay warm and moist. I also grated some fresh Parmesan cheese over the top of the chicken once it was added to the pasta. Please go and try this soon. It is worth a special trip to the grocery store just for the Herbes de Provence. Oh, and your house will smell divine.

Browning chicken.

The sauce and chicken ready to join the pasta.

Please don't overcook your pasta...there is nothing worse than mushy overcooked pasta. Set the timer!

Voila!

Granola

2010-09-14T14:48:00.000-05:00

Granola
from my mom

10 cups Rolled Oats
1 cup Wheat Germ
2 cups Sunflower Seeds
3 cups Nuts (Almonds are my choice)

1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar (packed)
1 1/2 cups Water
1 1/2 cups Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 cups Honey (I always use Cox's creamed honey)
1/2 cup Molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
3 teaspoons Vanilla

Add the first 4 ingredients into a bowl and stir. Then combine the rest of the ingredients into a pan and cook on the stove until the sugar has dissolved--do not boil. Pour syrup over dry ingredients while stirring. Bake at 300 degrees for 20-30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes. When done, cool pan and continue to stir. Store in an air tight container in a cool place.

{cooks note}

I've been sick lately; therefore, my lack of posts. I never thought at 29 I would get a double ear infection. To top it off, I also got a sinus infection. I am craving fall like no other. It's still too hot here to wear pants. Ugh! In the spirit of fall, I decided to make my mom's delicious homemade granola. The smell of my house yesterday was heavenly and made me happy. My family loves this granola and we eat it every day until it is gone. It's simple and tasty--just how I like it. You can add whatever else you would like...cranberries, raisins...there are no rules. I add a few scoops of ground flax to my dry mixture. It probably equals out to be 1/4 cup. Once you have everything mixed together, pour the mixture onto 3 baking sheets. I have done two in the past and it takes much longer to cook. I also have played with the oven temperature and increased it to 325 degrees. Since my oven can only hold one pan at a time, I cook them individually. It will seem like your timer is ringing every 10 seconds, but be patient, it will be worth it in the end. I would say that I cooked each pan for 30 minutes total...sometimes I have to add in an extra 10 minutes depending on how crunchy I want the granola to turn out. When finished, make sure you let the granola cool on the pan stirring occasionally. If you think it needs to bake longer, don't be afraid to put it back in the oven. Add this to your favorite yogurt or eat it with milk, either way you will love it.

*I buy slivered almonds at Costco. You can also find them in the bulk isle at Winco.

Creamy Bacon Carbonara

2010-09-07T14:20:00.000-05:00

CREAMY BACON CARBONARA

from just get off your butt and bake

2 eggs
1/4 cup Cream
1/3 cup Parmesan
Fresh diced Parsley or dried flakes
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes
*(I doubled the Sauce recipe, and it was perfect)
1/2 lb. bacon
1 small onion, chopped (opt)
3 mushrooms sliced (opt)
1/2 lb. Pasta

DIRECTIONS:

Beat the eggs, cream, Parmesan, parsley, salt and the red pepper together in a bowl. I just used a fork. Fry the bacon until crisp, then crumble and set aside. With 1 -2 Tbsp. bacon grease, saute the onion and the mushrooms until the onions are translucent and golden. Drain the pasta and while still warm, add to the onions and mushrooms. Pour cream mixture into the pasta, and stir over low heat for one to two minutes. (**I doubled the sauce recipe and I saved a bit of the pasta water, just in case my sauce got thicker than I liked – simply add a bit if you need it) Don’t do this on high heat, or you will make scrambled eggs. Serve with additional Parmesan, and a loaf of Crusty French bread and a salad. So Good!

{cooks note}

My whole family loved this new recipe. I've made something similar to it, but the sauce did not call for egg in it. Definitely double the sauce recipe. Please excuse the lack of color in the photo. I'm addicted to mangos and eat them with at least one meal a day. All of the food on my plate sort of just blended in together, which is "breaking" the color rule for me.

Grace's Banana Bread

2010-08-31T13:58:00.000-05:00

Grace's Banana Bread
from Favorites

5 large ripe bananas
4 eggs
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

In mixing bowl, beat eggs; add bananas until smooth. Add shortening and sugar and mix well. Add flour, soda, and salt and combine. Pour into 3 greased (8"x4") loaf pans and bake at 300 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes, or into 2 greased large (9"x5") loaf pans for 75 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.

{cooks note}

I love this banana bread recipe. I like to use my mini loaf pans to bake them in. They make great little treats for neighbors and friends. My kids love this stuff...especially when I make a simple powdered sugar frosting to drizzle over each piece. Highly addictive I tell you. I prefer my banana bread with walnuts, but my kids do not. I make two with nuts and two without. Stay tuned over the next few months for a more health conscious recipe that is just as good.