Rolling Around the Kitchen...

Guinness Cupcakes

2012-03-16T17:58:00.001-07:00

Call me crazy, but for some reason on St. Patty's Day I feel as if everyone becomes a little Irish! Well maybe not, but it's a good excuse to eat great food and have lots of good drinks too! And you know I decided, instead of getting super bloated with Guinness and going into a sugar coma too, to combine the two into an amazing cupcake! It is actually like an Irish car bomb in a cupcake, without the head rush of drinking it too fast or the risk of your Bailey's curdling once it hits the Guinness. So enough chit chat about the drinks and good food and on with the recipe! This could have also been ordered this past week from my bakery(Sweet Lemon Bakery), and now you can make 'em yourself whenever you want!

Utensils:
Spatula
Whisk
Mixer with whisk attachment
2 Pots
Glass bowl
Cupcake tin
Cupcake liners
Piping bags
Piping tips-round
Rack

Ingredients for Cupcake:
1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoons salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Heat oven to 350F and line cupcake tin with the liners.

Bring the Guinness and butter to a simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan. Add cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together.

In the mixer beat the eggs and sour cream on medium until combined.

Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat to combine.

Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture and beat for a minute.

Fold the batter with spatula until completely combined.

Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 of the way full.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean(about 17 minutes)

Cool the cupcakes on a rack.

Ingredients for Ganache:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Jameson Irish whiskey

Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl.

Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate.

Let sit for one minute and then, using a rubber spatula, stir it from the center outward until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined.

Let ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

Cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down.

Put ganache in a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Ingredients for Icing:
2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

Whip butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated.

Add Bailey's, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Vote for this BLOG!!

2012-03-16T13:35:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! So no food post on this one, just a request that everyone click on the following link http://www.saveur.com/food-blog-awards/ and nominate your favorite food blogs. (preferably this one!)

Follow the directions on the page and be sure to type in this full address in order to nominate my blog... http://www.rollingaroundthekitchen.blogspot.com

Thanks in advance and a new post will be coming this weekend!

xoxoxoxoxox

Barley Risotto

2012-03-12T10:42:00.003-07:00

Barley you say? BARLEY!! Yes, barley. This is literally a thrown together dish of what I had in my fridge and pantry. It turned out delicious if I do say so myself, so I decided to share it with you all! So I started with the picture of the onion, lemon, garlic, mushrooms, barley and thyme. Then when I got into actually making it I ended up using a red onion and I threw in some tomatoes too! Tomatoes make everything taste better! So here is the recipe with not so exact measurements as I had to get this on the table quickly. I eyed a lot of this so if you have any comments please feel free to leave them!

*Check out the health benefits of barley too!!

Utensils:

spatula
saute pans
chef knife

Ingredients:

2T butter
1/4 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 medium-large baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2-3 roma tomatoes, diced
salt and pepper
zest of 1/2 a lemon
2 springs thyme, chopped

2c chicken stock
1t salt
1c quick barley

Saute your red onion first for a few minutes. Then add in the garlic and lightly saute. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for about 5 minutes or so. (*) At this point I added my tomatoes and let them cook down for another few minutes. Make sure you salt and pepper this to taste at this point too. While this was all sauteeing I was making my barley. I had bought the quick barley and I heated a little salted chicken stock and added the barley. Cook until the barley is slightly tender. Once all the liquid has been soaked up you can add this to your veggie mixture. Mix in the thyme as well and let this cook together for a few minutes more. Season again if necessary and add your lemon zest. Stir together and serve.

*Oh and just a little FYI, I had smoked some boneless pork ribs the night before. I diced one up and threw it in after I sauteed the onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Let this saute for a few minutes, then follow the rest of the directions. You could also use cooked chicken or shrimp.

The smoked pork ribs

Healthy Barley:
http://www.barleyfoods.org/nutrition.html
http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/benefits-of-barley-6160.html

Oh and just a little sweet treat I made in between for St. Patty's Day....

Guinness cupcake, Jameson ganache filling, and Bailey's buttercream

Seafood Tacos

2012-02-24T11:28:00.000-08:00

So a friend of mine asked me for a good fish taco recipe. Instead of just fish I decided to throw in some scallops as well. Really you could add any seafood to this, shrimp, mussels, crab. It would all be pretty tasty! This is a super simple and quick recipe and I was able to finish it all up in about 15 minutes.
Don't forget to check the previous blog out to see the lime dressing I use to marinate the beans, corn, onion and cilantro in! http://rollingaroundthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/02/chickpea-salad.html

Utensils:

Bowl
Spoon
Saute pan
Spatula

Ingredients:

1/4lb Scallops
1-2 White Fish fillets ( I used tilapia, but cod or haddock would
work too.)
1/2T butter
6-8 small flour or corn tortilla wraps
1/2 can red bean, drained
1 cup corn(fresh is always good, but I used frozen and it's just as good)
red onion(which I forgot to add in...I was in a rush to get dinner on the table, oops)
1/2c cilantro, rough chopped
lime
salt and pepper
sour cream

Combine the beans, corn, red onion and cilantro with the lime dressing that was made from the chickpea salad. Let sit while cooking the seafood. Season the fish and scallops with salt and pepper and saute with 1/2T butter until lightly golden brown and cooked through. Set aside and brown up the tortilla wraps. Drain the bean mixture and place some on the browned tortillas. Flake the fish and place on top of beans and add the scallops as well. You may want to cut the scallops in half to make them fit better. Top with sour cream if you wish and ENJOY! So simple right? So healthy, fresh and easy.

Fish is Good...

http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/oehas/fish/fishbenefits.htm

http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/blog/tilapia-nutrition-facts-–-health-benefits-of-tilapia

Chickpea Salad

2012-02-17T09:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to friends' birthdays and getting to go to dinner at a yummy restaurant. From the moment I had this salad I knew I had to figure out how to make it! And guess what, it's sooooo easy! I think I got it pretty close to what we had a the restaurant and if not, I don't care because this one is still really good, and my new doggy likes it too. I just got a new great dane puppy. His name is Caspian and he is 13 months old! He is so so sweet and follows me around the kitchen when I am in there cooking, waiting for me to drop things. And since these chickpeas are a little slippery they tend to drop on the floor. He liked the carrots too and don't forget the cilantro. Who ever heard of a dog liking cilantro?? Mine does!

So on to the recipe for this chickpea salad. It's packed with nutrients and gives you a fresh burst with the lime and cilantro. Check out the nutrition websites at the bottom too!

Utensils:

Spatula

Whisk

Bowls

Chef knife

Peeler

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained(save 2T 'juice')

1 carrot, peeled, chopped

1/4 red onion, chopped

1/4c cilantro, rough chopped

1/4c lime juice

1/4c oil

1 1/2T salt

2tsp pepper

Drain the chickpeas, saving 2T of the 'juice' for the dressing. Chop the carrot about the same size as the chickpeas and the onion a little bit smaller. Rough chop the cilantro and combine all of the chopped ingredients to the chickpeas. Whisk together the 'juice', lime juice, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over the chickpea salad and cover. Let marinate in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Drain most of the dressing off the salad and it's ready to eat. (I usually save the dressing and you will see why with the next post of fish and scallop tacos!)

Hope you guys like this salad as much as I do.

Here's Caspian waiting....

Chickpea Health
http://www.livestrong.com/article/371012-chick-peas-nutrition-information/
Carrot Health

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/carrots.html
Red Onion Health
http://www.healwithfood.org/health-benefits/eating-red-onions.php

Tasty Sangrias

2012-02-14T08:22:00.004-08:00

Pin It Cheers!!! You might be thinking sangria is only for the summer, but guess what, and I hate to say this, but you are wrong! Especially since red wine is 'healthy' for you. I mean don't go out and booze it up every night with 5 bottles of red wine. Moderation is key people! So with that being said, this tasty treat can be enjoyed any time of year. I am now craving some sangria thanks to a friend of mine for asking me for a recipe. I am putting up two different red wine sangrias, sorry, no white wine sangrias, it's just not as healthy! My wine choice is made by my in depth palate and sense of...how fun the name and label was!!

This would be a perfectly romantic drink, so make it for your special someone or just yourself! Spread some love today!

Don't forget to check out the sites at the bottom to see some of the health benefits of red wine.

Orange Sangria

1 bottle red wine

1/4c grandmarnier

1QT orange juice

3/4c sugar

sliced oranges

sliced peaches(or frozen)

strawberries(fresh or frozen

I like to use the frozen stuff in the summer as it will make the sangria a little more refreshing. In the fall and winter you can use fresh.

Cranberry Sangria

1 bottle red wine

1c brandy

1QT cranberry juice

1c honey

dried cranberries

grapes

starfruit

Health Benefits of Red Wine

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/red-wine/HB00089

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-red-wine.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090611174052.htm

Jerky or Biltong

2012-02-13T17:54:00.000-08:00

Phew what a week last week! I had to renew my drivers license...and little did I know I would have to retake the two written tests AND the road test! Aaaaahhhhh. I felt like I was in high school getting my learners all over again! Now I have to put in a new fuel tank and of course they found something wrong with my fuel pump as well. Hmmmmm...go figure! Oh and then I had to go back a few days later to get a new battery. All the while these things are happening I decided that jerky was the way to cure my headaches. Of course cooking or really food in general will always be my cure-all, but this week it was jerky!

This is one food that brings back so many memories of my childhood. Being born in South Africa, I feel like jerky was almost a staple, except it wasn't called jerky. It was called biltong, which to me is such a nicer, more appetizing name than 'jerky'. Also Zach, who is a more than a picky eater, loves jerky. He requested a while ago for me to make him some jerky. So this long overdue time has come. Except I am going to call it Nik's Biltong! I am going to make one for Zach that is not spicy and doesn't have a huge flavor profile, I will remind you again that he is soooo hard to cook for. It will actually have more of a teriyaki flavor than anything else.

Here goes...

Utensitls:

Chef knife
Bowl
Wire rack
Aluminum foil
Sheet pan

Ingredients:

Beef, sliced thin
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1/4 cup worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup molasses
2T of fresh garlic, chopped
1-2T black pepper
1T salt

I used a top round steak. You really want the leanest meat possible as the fat will make the meat go rancid. Slice it thin, about a 1/4' thick and go across the grain. Combine all the ingredients and let the sliced meat marinate covered, in the fridge for at least 10 hours. Pull out and rinse off with cold water. Place on a rack and preferably put that on a foil lined sheet pan. Put the sheet pan in the oven at 170F and crack the door open. Let dry in the oven for 1hr, turn the oven off, shut the door and continue to dry for about another hour.

Voila, you have jerky...biltong!

Chocolate, pistachio bars

2012-02-04T13:37:00.000-08:00

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A sweet treat to kickoff the Superbowl XLVI!! As I cleaned Zach's room this afternoon I found massive amounts of candy wrappers! I was actually quite shocked, because I didn't think he really ate a lot of candy! HA...talk about being a naive mom! Well at least I am learning early with the candy before he is doing this with other things. And no, I don't want to think about what those 'other things' might be Thank You. So then, I am putting some marshmallows away that he had taken out last night. After he grabs a few, I again, have to explain about all the candy and how his teeth are going to rot out of his head because he doesn't brush well. As I put them away, thinking how the heck am I going to control this candy eating, non brushing monster of a son, I start reading the recipes on the back and one catches my eye. It's not your regular 'puffed rice' treat(love how they have to use that when doing the competitions on t.v.), but had things like pretzels, nuts, chocolate and raisins. Now I am not one for raisins and I didn't have any pretzels. I did however have pistachios, nutella and cinnamon. Pretty much the same ingredients right? Right, that's what I thought too. Here is my version of this sweet nutty goodness.

(Obviously I had to make these, because I had just got onto Zach about eating candy and stuff. So the natural thing to do is make more candy! Duh!)

Oh and check out below to see the fabulous reasons to add pistachios and cinnamon!

Utensils:

Rubber spatula
Saucepan
Baking dish
Chef Knife

Ingredients:

3/4 stick of butter
1/4c Nutella
15 large marshmallows
2c 'puffed rice' cereal
2T pistachios, chopped
1t cinnamon

Melt butter. Add in marshmallow and melt. Add in Nutella and melt. Add 'puffed rice' cereal, cinnamon and pistachios and combine completely. This gets stiff pretty quick so work quickly and use a rubber spatula. Make balls, put onto a sprayed sheet pan or in a sprayed brownie pan, whichever suits your style. Let cool and cut however you want...make footballs if you'd like! Now keep in mind these are not your normal treats, they are a little more stiff, but very good. You can always mess with the recipe a little too and add more marshmallows or butter to your liking. I know my bro and sis-in law always say you can never have enough marshmallows!

PISTACHIOS:

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/pistachio.html

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/7-health-benefits-of-pistachios.html

CINNAMON:

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-surprising-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html

http://www.organicauthority.com/health/11-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html

Bacon, Leek and Potato Soup

2012-02-03T15:09:00.000-08:00

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Beware of this soup, it will make your house smell like a leek, but it's so worth it! I love a really nicely made bowl of soup and I think I can say that potatoes are one of my absolute favorite foods. I am for sure a true steak and potatoes girl, don't get me wrong I like all the other fancy pants meals and tres chique dishes, but give me a nice juicy (medium rare) steak and a loaded baked potato...Heaven! Anyway since I love potatoes I thought I'd do this soup. (We can pretend like the bacon is the steak.)

Check out the very end for some site links of the health benefits of leeks! They are pretty similar to onions and garlic with a lot milder flavor.

Utensils:

Sheet pan
Saucepan
Rubber spatula
Chef knife
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups

Ingredients:

8 strips bacon, cooked and chopped(save the grease for sauteeing)
1T olive oil
2T Butter
1/2 onion, small diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 leeks, diced
1t dried sage
2T flour
1c milk(any kind) or heavy cream, heated
1pt chicken stock or water
1 large potato, small diced and par-boiled
salt and pepper

Cook the bacon off on a sheet pan in the oven at 350F until crispy. Reserve the grease and put in a large saucepan. Heat the bacon grease, olive oil and 1T of the butter. Add the diced onions and sautee until translucent. Add the minced garlic and sautee lightly. Add in the leeks and season with salt and pepper. Sautee until tender. Add in the sage. Melt in the other Tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to incorporate evenly. Continue stirring for about a minute. Pour in the milk a little at a time and stir after each addition. Next, pour in the stock, par-cooked potatoes, and bacon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
*You may also at this point puree this soup if you want a smooth, creamy finish. I kept mine rustic and chunky because I like seeing what I am eating! Either way it's great and hope you enjoy this hearty meal.

Loooooove me some bacon!

Make sure you was thoroughly.

This was my sage before I dried it.

I found the mini loaf, at Target actually, to put my soup in! I love bread bowls and if I would of had the time I would have made my own...next time!

Oh and just a little precautionary advice, when you put a hot pan on granite and then lift it up, the granite is "WHOA, HOT!!" I mean not that I would know from experience or anything.

Leeks
http://www.indepthinfo.com/leeks/health-benefits.htm
http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/leeks.html
http://www.gayot.com/lifestyle/health/features/leeks-health-benefits.html

Beer Comparisons

2012-01-28T11:01:00.000-08:00

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So I would call this beer tasting, but really it's just me drinking and telling you what kind of beer it tastes like that I have had before! Feel free to do your own tastings/comparisons and let me know what you think. I am always down for a good discussion!

Of course I will continue to add to this list as I get through all the beers in the world!! HA!

I really don't know a beer to say this tastes like. It's a typical IPA though.

Tastes a lot like Killian's

Tastes like Sweetwater 420

Just as I suspected, like a Blue Moon

This was like a cider, closer to a sweeter Woodchuck rather than a Strongbough

Ricotta cheese

2012-01-28T10:59:00.000-08:00

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Here is the yummy ricotta cheese, the one I used in the previous dip post. I had no idea it was so extremely simple and quick it was to make! So now I will be making this whenever I need or want some instead of the store bought. Yes, store bought is also simple and quick to go pick up, but there is just something about how what you make tastes so much better. A sense of accomplishment and knowing it was your hard work that made it! So I hope you all try it and enjoy it as well!

Utenstils:

Stainer

Fine mesh cheesecloth

Spatula

Meauring spoons

Saucepan

Ingredients:

2qt whole milk
1cup heavy cream
1tsp salt
3T lemon juice

Combine milk, cream and salt in saucepan.
Heat on high and stir occasionally. (keep an eye on this as it will boil over if you don't turn the heat down once it starts to boil.)
Bring to a boil and then add lemon juice and turn to med heat.
Stir constantly for two minutes.
Pour into the strainer lined with cheesecloth. (I do this over the sink, but you may also do it over another pot and save the liquid to make mozzarella!!)

Dips

2012-01-23T13:22:00.000-08:00

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Jalapeno Popper Dip

Kale and Artichoke Dip

So my weekend consisted of a CubScout Pinewood Derby and making dips for the playoff games!

Here is the bragging...Zach won 3rd place and it was his first derby race ever!(I am a little bit of a proud mom.)

Back to the dips! And no I don't mean people...edible dips! I love dips, especially during football season. Something easy to make and easy to eat too! So check these two out...Make 'em for the SUPERBOWL!

Utensils:

Spatula
Bowl
Chef knife
Container to bake in(I used large muffin tins, since I was doing more than one and I also did not want to make massive amounts since it's just me eating it!!)

Jalapeno Popper Dip
Ingredients:

3 jalapenos, deseeded/veined, roasted, diced
5oz cream cheese
1oz goat cheese
2oz heavy cream
2T egg whites(I use the box liquid egg whites, you can use fresh, but I think it's easier this way)
2oz shredded pepper jack cheese(you can really use whatever cheese you like, cheddar, mozzarella etc.)
1tsp salt
1/2tsp black pepper

Mix all the ingredients together well.
Preheat your oven to 350F.
Place mixed ingredients into baking dish.
Sprinkle with a little more cheese and I added some bread crumbs to the top as well.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip:

Ingredients:

4oz ricotta(my next post will show you how to make this)
1 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup spinach, if frozen-thaw, drain, chop, if fresh-saute with butter, salt, chop
*oh and I used kale as an alternative to spinach, super healthy just like spinach and it gives a slightly different flavor to this dip. Take a look at the bottom article about the 8 most nutrient dense foods.
4oz mozzarella cheese
1oz parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Mix all ingredients together well.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Place ingredients in your baking dish and sprinkle with a little more parmesan.
Bake for 25-30minutes.

Ok so I used kale btw. It is pretty darn healthy!

Health Watch:

http://www.organicauthority.com/health/most-nutrient-dense-healthy-foods-on-earth.html

http://www.kalenutrition.net/

CHILI!!

2012-01-19T06:56:00.000-08:00

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This chili is super hearty and I wanted to do this recipe because of an idea from a lady in the liquor store. I was picking up tequila for my margarita pops and a lady in the store asked if I was making chili with it....hmmmm, no I wasn't, but now I am! What isn't better than using tequila in my chili with lots of cilantro! My love for cilantro came from when I was in Florida. I actually hated cilantro before this experience, never really understood it I guess. I began culinary school at Florida Culinary in West Palm Beach. I actually loved this experience more than anything! Did I love West Palm Beach, no, but I found my passion for cooking there and my love for cilantro. The guy I was dating at the time had a father who is an amazing Chef. He was not school trained as a chef, nor does he have the credentials to say that he is one, but damn could he cook. He worked in the food industry and has done forever, he has gained his chef stature from me through his experience alone. Anyway, he put cilantro on everything. We would pick it fresh from the yard, chop it slightly and then just throw it on at the end. I had to learn to like it or would be picking it out of my meal for hours! Good thing I have an open mind and heart when it comes to food. And so the love affair began, me and cilantro, cilantro and me! How I do miss it down there sometimes! And now, I bring you my tequila chili with cilantro and a poblano jalapeno sour cream.

*Oh and don't forget to check the bottom for the health benefits of cocoa and peppers!

Really I should be giving you Zach's(my son) recipe for chili. The kid gave me a list of ingredients right before Thanksgiving of his chili. He wanted to make it for everyone as Thanksgiving dinner! It actually sounded pretty good; I was impressed...gotta love him! Maybe I will put it up later and you can decide between the two, or make both and do a taste test.

Tequila Chili

Utensils:
Large pot
Chef knife
Ladle
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Can opener
Saute pan

Ingredients:

1/2c flour

1/2tsp pepper

1/2tsp chili powder

1/2tsp cayenne

1/2tsp coriander

1tsp salt

1 package stew meat

2-3T oil

½ onion, diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

3 cups chicken stock or water

1 can pinto beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can tomatillos, diced

1tsp chili powder

1tsp cayenne

1/4c tequila

1/4c lime juice

2T butter

Cilantro, coarsely chopped(to garnish)

Mix flour, pepper, chili, cayenne, coriander and salt together.

Dice stew meat into bite size pieces.

Add oil to large pot and heat on med-high

Dredge meat in flour mixture(save the flour mixture for later) and sear off in large pot.

Brown all sides of meat and remove from pot. (you will need to do this a little at a time, so you do not overcrowd the pot)

Add in onion and sauté until translucent

Add in garlic and sauté, do not let brown or burn

Add stock or water a little at a time and stir all the goodness off the bottom.

Add the beans and stir.

Add diced tomatillos and stir gently.

Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Add the meat back in and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add chili powder, cayenne, tequila and lime, stir and simmer for 1 hour.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*If your chili is too thin for your liking, melt 2T butter and add 2T of the flour mixture. Cook on low for a minute or so, do not let this burn! It will stink up your hole kitchen.(trust me) Slowly ladle some of the hot chili liquid into this mixture and stir continuously. Once you have incorporated about 3 ladles, add this back into the chili and stir. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes.

Flour, cocoa, salt, pepper, cayenne, chili powder, coriander

Butter and flour mixture

Poblano Jalapeno Sour Cream

Utensils:
Tongs
Bowl
Spoon

Ingredients:

1 1/2c sour cream

1 can pickled jalapenos or any type of jalapeno

1 poblano pepper

salt

pepper

oil

Coat poblano with oil, salt and pepper.

Put under the broiler and turn regularly.

Take out when the skin has blistered and the pepper is soft.

Place in a bowl and cover with plastic for 5 minutes. Remove skin from poblano and seeds from inside.

Mince and add to sour cream.

Mince 5 pieces of pickled jalapeno(or more to taste) and add to sour cream.

Chill.

Serve the chili with the cilantro on top and then a dollop of sour cream. Mmmmmm, delish!

Health benefits of cocoa and peppers:
http://www.emaxhealth.com/1020/cocoa-powder-health-benefits-surpass-fruit

http://www.oohoi.com/natural%20remedy/everyday_food/cocoa-powder-benefits.htm

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=29
http://factoidz.com/the-health-benefits-of-cayenne-and-chili-peppers/

Three flavors of Wings!

2012-01-16T11:39:00.000-08:00

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This post comes about because of a mis-hap at a local restaurant(and because it's football season and the superbowl is upon us). My dad, son and I went out to dinner the other night and I had a hankering for some chicken wings. Wings are definitely a type of food that I get cravings for and once that craving sets in, I GOTTA have it! They are perfect with an ice cold beer and can come in sooooo many different flavors. From hot wings(medium, mild, atomic, catastrophic, habanero. I think you get the picture.) to bbq wings, lemon pepper, teriyaki, parmesan, honey mustard and the list goes on. So back to the story, I ordered my 6 wings, mild. You see I don't like my wings super hot so I can't taste anything for a week after, but I do like a good amount of heat so I have to take a few swigs of beer after each bite. And so, mild it was, which, when I looked at the menu quickly it was the second choice of hotness. Or so I thought. Unfortunately, I did not actually read the first one which was the lemon pepper rub! Ugh! To my dismay when I received my wings(the ones I had been craving forever) they were not spicy at all and very bland at that. I was a little bummed. Well probably more than a little and I guess I could of got a side hot sauce, but that is just not the same. So because of my lack of using the wonderful things we call eyes and actually reading things instead of thinking I know what's up, this brings us to my chicken wing extravaganza! Be excited! So I went a little overboard with it all. Instead of just making myself some hot wings, which a normal person might do(oh and I have never claimed to normal btw!) I made four different kinds. I will also tell you that choosing only four kinds to make was extremely difficult for me. But, I did not want to overwhelm anyone with my 20 wing ideas!
Four it is....

On my trek to the grocery store to buy all the things I needed for my wings I ran into something wonderful. Now this may have been around for a while here at Publix, but I have never seen it before. I will warn you I get excited over the little things in life, like create your own six packs! This is lovely I tell you, so lovely that I just had to pick a few or six out to go with my wings! What a perfect day! Don't worry, for all you out there who don't drink beer, I will also give a wine suggestion to go with your wings, yes, wine. It can go with wings I promise! It's like a trying to be fancy when you know you are not kind of pairing! Anyway, back to my beer...which the only downfall to this wonderful addition to Publix is the height of the top beer shelves. Being in a chair now, I have limited reach, and if any of you know me, it is a huge deal to go ask for help! Phew, it's like after I ask for help I need to go take a nap. It is a hard task, but I am learning SLOWLY to get over it! Needless to say I saved the asking for help for next time and went for the lower shelved beer! Ha. I was just too excited and couldn't wait to get home to make my wings and try my beer to go find help this time. And yes my beer choosing skills are so precisely honed that I go for the ones with the coolest label or most colorful, best words, ones with lemons and so on!

*In case you do not do beer, look next to the Ingredients for a wine
suggestion!

Utensils:

Bowls

Tongs

Sheet pans

Small saucepan(for the chili bbq, pepper parm and buffalo)

Aluminum foil

Whisk(for buffalo)

Measuring spoons

Measuring cups

Before being baked, Chili BBQ and Ginger Teriyaki

Ingredients for Chili BBQ:

1 package chicken wings(about 12 wings)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup worchestershire sauce
3T roasted garlic chili paste
*Syrah

Combine all these ingredients in a bowl.

Add chicken wings about 10-20 minutes before cooking.

Cover and place in fridge.

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Take wings out using tongs and put onto aluminum foil lined sheet pans.(don't skip this step because you will be cleaning the sheet pan for days if you don't use aluminum)

Cook for about 15-20 minutes.

While the wings are cooking place any remainder sauce in a small saucepan and heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes or so. Once the wings are pulled out of the oven, use this sauce to baste the cooked wings.

Ingredients for Ginger Teriyaki:

1 package chicken wings(about 12 wings)

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup rice vinegar

1/4 tsp Chinese 5 spice

1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger

*Merlot

Combine all these ingredients in a bowl.

Add chicken wings about 10-20 minutes before cooking.

Cover and place in fridge.

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Take wings out using tongs and put onto aluminum foil lined sheet pans.(don't skip this step because you will be cleaning the sheet pan for days if you don't use aluminum)

Cook for about 15-20 minutes.

Before being baked - Black Pepper Parmesan and Buffalo

Ingredients for Black Pepper Parmesan:

1 package chicken wings(about 12 wings)

8oz grated parmesan
3oz ground black pepper
1 1/2T salt
1oz butter, melted
*Zinfandel

Combine all ingredients except for butter.
Place wings in butter and lightly coat.
Remove from butter and put them in the bowl of pepper parmesan mix.
Coat completely and pack the mixture onto the wing.

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Take wings out of bowl using tongs and put onto aluminum foil lined sheet pans.(don't skip this step because you will be cleaning the sheet pan for days if you don't use aluminum)

Cook for about 15-20 minutes.

To get a super crispy outside, I usually turn the broiler on high and put them under that.

If you do this, be sure to crack the oven slightly and stand right next to it to watch them.

Crisp them up to your liking.

Ingredients for Buffalo:
1 package chicken wings(about 12 wings)

1 stick butter(4oz)

8oz hot sauce

1T salt

*Champagne(Wishes and Hot Wing Dreams!)

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Salt wings in a bowl.

Take wings out of bowl using tongs and put onto aluminum foil lined sheet pans.(don't skip this step because you will be cleaning the sheet pan for days if you don't use aluminum)

Cook for about 15-20 minutes.

While they are cooking, melt the butter in a small sauce pan.

Add the hot sauce and bring to a boil.

Be sure to whisk together completely.

Now since I am not frying the wings to get that crispy outside, I usually turn the broiler on high and put them under that.

If you do this, be sure to crack the oven slightly and stand right next to it to watch them.

Crisp them up to your liking.

Take them out of the oven and then toss in the hot sauce mixture.

Oh and don't forget the BBQ Frogs Legs! Uh yeah, don't ask!

Margarita Cake Pops

2012-01-15T15:04:00.000-08:00

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I am not really sure, but I do know that the cake came first, next came the cupcake, now the cakepop!

I am sure many of you may have seen or heard of cakepops. They are like crack for people with a sweet tooth! No clean up involved when partaking in one of these fun and tasty treats. They can truly take on any shape or form as well, which is always a fun thing!

In the pictures and recipe below you can see my trial in making margarita cake pops for a bridal shower! This is a first for me, so I hope it's a success.

*First and foremost I cannot explain enough how important it is, especially when baking, to read a recipe all the way through before you start. This may seem like common sense to most, but I guess it was an extremely valuable lesson I learned in culinary school. Also to help keep you organized measure everything out first and if you need to mix the dry first, do so. If you need to zest limes, do so. So with all that being said, here goes!

Utensils:
Mixer
Rubber Spatula
Zester/microplane
Whisk
2 9" Pans
Measuring Spoons
Measuring Cups
Toothpicks
Lollipop Sticks
Candy Melts
Decorations

Ingredients for cake:

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, at room temp

1 cup buttermilk

5 limes, zested and juiced

1/4 cup tequila

Mix together dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated.
Add dry mix and buttermilk, alternating portions.
Mix until incorporating, without over mixing.
Add in lime zest, juice and tequila.
Mix well and then pour into two greased baking pans.

Bake at 350 F for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted in the center and comes out almost clean.

Let cool and then crumble into mixer, mix until fine crumble.

Ingredients for Icing mixture:

1 1/2 Cups vanilla icing from a tub(I know this may be an extreme shocker, but we only use a very small amount)
2T Tequila
1/4 cup Lime Juice

Add these ingredients to the crumbled cake mix.

Mix until all are incorporated evenly.

Make sure this mixture is able to hold together when formed into a ball. Depending on the cake itself, more or less of the vanilla icing may be necessary, so just keep an eye on it.

How to assemble the pops:

Form into balls and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Melt your candy coating.

Remove balls from fridge.

Dip a lollipop stick in the candy coating and insert into ball.

Place finished balls back in the fridge for another 5-10 minutes.

Remove from fridge and you will probably have to reheat the candy coating or melt some more to cover all the balls.

Coat each ball with an even coating and let dry.

I use styrofoam to stand them up in while drying.

Then decorate each one to your liking.

This recipe will actually make close to 80-1oz pops.(I, however only made 40) You can make them as big or small as you like...Have fun popping!!!

1 tequila, 2 tequila...

lime zest

whisk the dry together

whip butter and sugar

You can crumble by hand, but it's so much easier in a mixer

Make sure you put these in the fridge after this step

Food Culture of the World!

2012-01-13T05:48:00.000-08:00

Pin It I bet you were thinking something like this.....

Well, not exactly. I was thinking more along the lines of food from these 196+/- countries of the world.

I think other than my passion for cooking and being in the kitchen, I have a passion for travel, people and their culture. If you know me, I have lived in a few different states/places and get the urge to be on the move constantly. Here lately I have decided to stop being a vagabond and stay in one place for a while.(boooooo, does not sound that thrilling to me.) But, I am trying to be a responsible adult these days! Ugh, it's so hard. Why can't we all just be like Peter Pan and never grow up? Anyway, I love to learn about people and how they live, eat and survive. Therefore it brings me to this adventure of finding the plethora of food out there that most of us are unaware of. Each country has its own unique way of cooking and flavors too! A lot of the ingredients might be the same, but the technique used in cooking is different or the way it is eaten might be different. The question now is how to tackle 196 countries and which dishes to bring to you all. So stay tuned to this posting as I roll things around in my head to come up with a way to get through all these countries! If you all have any recipes from where you are from please feel free to email me them so I can possibly feature it on here. Maybe, as the title of this post says, I should do it alphabetically!? This is not going to be a quick or short process, but over time I will get through them all. Think of it like the movie 'Julie and Julia', except I probably wont be posting one every day as this is not my primary focus for this blog. It is merely a fun idea and tasty journey...with that being said be ready for the first dish in the near future.

That's How I Roll...

2012-01-10T08:10:00.000-08:00

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Oh the kitchen makes me so happy!
That's me front row all the way on the left!

I lived in the fast pace, heart palpitating, move or you will get burnt restaurant kitchen. I love the adrenaline rush of moving so fast for hours and then stopping at the end of the night feeling satisfied and fulfilled. Lived you say? Yes lived, no, I didn't die (this is not a ghost writer), and I did not move, get fired, start a family or just change my mind about my passion in life either. You see, just as I was able to begin really living in my dream world and making my life and my sons just that much better, it was stripped from my fingers. The day I finished culinary school, I was in a car accident and lost the use of my lower body. I now live my life in a wheelchair. You might think this could be the most horrific and devastating thing, but just think, at least I was still left with the parts that really matter most to me. I lost the use of my legs, but was left my arms, hands, eyes, brain and nose...all of which I need to continue doing what I LOVE! So instead of being able to cook in a commercial kitchen or a restaurant of my own, I will be rolling around the kitchen of my own home! The only thing you won't get to do is taste my craft. Unless however, you choose to use the tools I will provide to recreate it from the recipes I post! If you don't cook, you can feast your eyes on the pictures I will post and then get someone else to recreate the meal for you!! I hope you all enjoy this journey as much as I am going to. The more questions you ask, the more knowledge you will gain and me as well! One thing that has been engrained in my head even more now than ever is LIVE WITH PASSION!

Days before my accident, I was on top of the world!

My cars seem to emulate my personality, well until now. These days I drive a silver mini van. Which I am not, nor will I ever be thrilled about! To me, it seems the dullest of the dull. Sorry all you mini van lovers out there! However, I cannot really complain though, since this beautiful car above was totaled in the wreck, my wonderful brother gave me his old mini van(which I will also add, he loves mini vans...hmmmmm.) So before this fabulous bright yellow car, my first car was GREEN! The perfect color of green, 5 speed and it was the LOVE of my life at the time. I felt like a racecar driver and got the tickets to prove it!

Riding in the ambulance from Floyd Hospital to Shepherd Center.

Now this picture was a ride to a new beginning, in a really big, loud, fast ambulance, not one of my favorite cars! It was a learning experience unlike like any other, to the Shepherd Center. Being at Shepherd was like I was a baby learning from my mom how to do the basics. Brushing my hair was different, eating was different, using my new LEGS. You might look at them and call them WHEELS, but they are my legs! I am like Lieutenant Dan from Forrest Gump, and one day hope to be Forrest Gump himself. When he starts running and his braces fall off and he is freed. For the moment though I will travel this journey however tough and very draining it may be. It is a must for me to get back to my passion and I will be doing it walking or not.(Sorry legs, I can't sit around waiting on ya.) My family and friends support me like no other and I am eternally grateful for that! My son, makes me go on. Even though he may not ever know it, he is my strength a lot of days.

This is how I roll...

Life is different now and lots of changes have to be made daily. I learn new things about myself, way more than I did before. It's time to cook again, with passion and quickness like I once did! I am ready, are you?

My Amazing son Zach

Food is fabulous and so is the company that goes along with it!