The Adventures of a Brown Betty Crocker

Healthy Tortellini Vegetable Soup

2012-10-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

Hello friends!

I know, I know, it's been so long. I haven't been experimenting in the kitchen as much as I'd like. I've been making more meals from Skinnytaste or simple sandwiches and salads - nothing fun!

However, I recently attended an Autumn Soups cooking class at the Boston Center of Adult Education (BCAE) and am falling back in love with soups. They're just so easy, delicious, and filling - especially wonderful on cooler Fall days!

I was inspired this weekend to create a tortellini soup, with a mission of finding something flavorful but also chockful of garden vegetables. Be sure to prep your veggies, as this soup comes together pretty quickly and easily. I could also easily see myself adding other favorite vegetables, such as mushrooms and spinach to this dish, so have fun with it!

Healthy Tortellini Vegetable Soup
Serves: 3-4
Prep: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 15 minutes

Healthy Tortellini Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
½ cup onion, chopped
3 carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1-2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with juices
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
9 oz. tortellini, any variety (fresh or frozen...pictured above is fresh spinach)
Salt and pepper
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, zucchini, and celery to the pan and cook until beginning to soften, about 5-6 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in the oregano and diced tomatoes. Add the broth to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add the tortellini to the pot and cook according to the package directions. Remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with grated Parmesan as desired. Enjoy!

Healthy Grilled Chicken Pesto with Fettuccine

2012-08-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

I know we've all been there - long day at work, and the last thing you want to do is cook something. You use some shortcuts and boil some packaged pasta and throw some canned sauce into the mix and call it a day.

Below is a new recipe I created that challenges you to take one or two extra steps but I promise you - it's totally worth it! On a most basic level, it's just grilled chicken, pasta and a pesto sauce. By using fresh ingredients and making my own pesto sauce, the dish was elevated to a whole new level. I also got to use my basil plant I recently planted in my backyard - much cheaper in the long run. Hands down one of my easiest, healthiest, and yummiest recipes to date!

Grilled Chicken Pesto with Fettuccine

Serves: 4-6

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
    1 cup basil
    1 clove garlic
    1/4 cup grated parmesan
    salt & pepper to taste
    2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

2 lbs grilled chicken breast

1/2 teaspoon adobo seasoning

1 lb FRESH fettuccine (see if your local grocer has this - it makes such a difference!)

1. Start with making the pesto. I removed pine nuts or walnuts from this version (stolen from Skinnytaste) to lower the fat content, and I promise you don't even notice.

Ingredients:
    1 cup basil
    1 clove garlic
    1/4 cup grated parmesan
    salt & pepper to taste
    2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
In a food processor pulse basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil while pulsing. Store in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use or you can freeze this in ziplocks bags to use at a later date.

2. After this, start a pot of hot water for your pasta and allow it to get to a rolling boil. Generally, I like to add salt and olive oil to the water, but I would omit the salt this time. The pesto already has this flavor and this can easily get too salty.

3. Next, you can get started on your grilled chicken breast. I used a skillet, and left the chicken there to cook on medium high until no longer pink. Make sure to not move the chicken around too much, so it gets those nice grill marks.

3. Once your water is ready, add the fresh fettuccine. Mine took less than three minutes to cook, so don't leave this unattended! If you are using boxed, just follow the directions they provide.

4. Cut chicken into bite size chunks, mix with fettuccine and the pesto. Add more olive oil as necessary and top with more grated parmesan. Enjoy!

Skinnytaste = my new favorite website

2012-07-03T16:29:00.004-07:00

You guys, I’m in love with this website: www.skinnytaste.com

In my eternal goal to lose weight and eat healthier, I stumbled upon this website and have been hooked ever since. It’s the first food website that consistently has DELICIOUS food that you would never guess is healthy for you.

My personal favorites:

Cajun Chicken Pasta – the Cajun seasoning is phenomenal, and you don’t even taste the difference from using cream cheese. All the summer veggies used make it a colorful medley of food and it’s perfect for dinner. I even have my mother hooked on this!

Grilled Chicken Bruschetta – omg, I just want to sop up every last bit of this sauce. So bright and fresh, perfect for a summer meal. Plus it took just minutes to make!

Lentil and Chicken Soup – You know how they’re always telling us to eat more legumes and lean protein to stay full? Yeah, usually I tune that out as well. Luckily I found this recipe and let me tell you, I think these experts are onto something. This is one of the easiest soups I’ve ever made, and is starting to have a cult following with family. My sister called me recently to ask for the recipe, since her in-laws couldn’t stop raving about it! Perfect for the winter, or as a quick lunch meal for the work week.

Southwestern Black Bean Salad – I have a weird aversion to salads that I’m trying to overcome, so this salad was a happy compromise. I used frozen roasted corn from Trader Joe’s and added grilled chicken breast to make this a full meal. Yum!

I know I haven’t had a chance to update this blog in a while. I’ve been still cooking, but so many of my recipes come from this website that I don’t feel right taking ownership. But! Stay tuned, I have some blog ideas coming that I think you’ll like.

Some other updates:

I purchased a mandolin and this funky manual food chopper from Pampered Chef and I am now a changed woman. My food comes out so much more uniform and beautiful, the OCD in me loves it.
My friends and I are eating our way through New York City next weekend, and on the agenda is a fabulous dinner at Blue Ribbon Brassiere and an afternoon at Dylan's Candy Bar. :)
I’m going on The Great Boston Cupcake Crawl in August and can’t wait to blog about it!

xoxox
Nil

Chicken Picatta Pasta Toss

2012-01-22T18:28:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I've never posted this recipe. It's one of my first meals that I successfully cooked, and has become quite a popular dish requested by friends and family.

This recipe is based on Rachel Ray, but I hesitate to say that this truly takes a half hour to make. The cooking part - yes, but there is a lot of prep time involved. My suggestion is to prep all of the food before getting started to make this stress-free.

Chicken Picatta Pasta Toss

Source: Food Network.com

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
Adobo seasoning
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
8 cloves garlic, chopped
4 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white wine (substitution: Sparkling Apple Cider)
1 lemon, juiced, skin grated
1 cup chicken broth or stock (substitution: vegetable broth)
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 pound penne rigate pasta, cooked to al dente

Directions
1. Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the chicken to the pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper and Adobo. Brown chicken until lightly golden all over, about 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Remove chicken from pan and return the skillet to the heat. Reduce heat to medium. 3. Add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, the garlic and shallots to the skillet. Saute garlic and shallots 3 minutes.
4. Add flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in wine or cider and reduce liquid 1 minute.
5. Whisk lemon juice and broth into sauce. Stir in capers and parsley.
6. When the liquid comes to a bubble (about 5-8 minutes later), add remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to the sauce to give it a little shine.
7. Add chicken back to the pan and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Toss hot pasta with chicken and sauce and serve. Adjust salt and pepper, to your taste.
Serves 4.

PS. Garlic bread works incredibly well with this dish! YUM!

Holiday Cookies 2011, Part 2

2011-12-25T14:20:00.000-08:00

Here's my holiday gift to you, my wonderful readers: Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies. I can't describe to you how much I love peanut butter, and of course chocolate! I've had these at holiday parties for years, and never realized how easy this was to make.

Also, I made these with traditional milk chocolate Hershey Kisses. However, there are some fun holiday versions - peppermint, white chocolate, candy cane flavored - these could easily be changed up!

Peanut Butter Blossoms (adapted from Bakergirl)
(makes about 32 cookies)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Hershey kisses
1/4 cup granulated sugar to roll cookies in
Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a bowl with a mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Then beat in egg and vanilla.
3. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and beat until well blended.
4. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls and roll in 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Set ball 1 1/2-inches apart on a greased baking sheet.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until slightly darker brown.
6. Place 1 chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie; expect dough to crack. Return to oven and continue to bake until chocolate is shiny and soft, about three more minutes. Cool and then serve.

Holiday Cookies 2011, Part 1

2011-12-25T13:49:00.000-08:00

I'll fully admit it - baking is not always my favorite thing. The exactness of the measurements, the mess I make in the kitchen, the fear of leaving the food in the oven for too long and burning - it gives me some serious anxiety!

Luckily, I've realized that practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to baking cookies. Below is my favorite holiday cookie I made as presents for friends and family. It was a great, personalized touch and I'm happy I made the effort to embrace baking more! Hopefully in 2012, you will see some sweeter options in the blog. In the meantime, enjoy!

Mint M&M Cookies (adapted from Treasures from Brenda)
(makes about 40 cookies)

Ingredients

1 cup of soft butter (it is critical that it be soft)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups regular all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
9-ounce package of mint M&Ms (found at most supermarkets during the holidays)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg and the vanilla.
4. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix.
5. Stir in M&Ms
6. Using a small spoon, drop cookies of about one heaping teaspoon onto your cookie sheets, making them about two inches apart.
7. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes (mine were perfectly cooked in 11 minutes). Be sure to remove before they become too brown - they can burn quickly!
8. Cool on cooling racks and then enjoy!

Remember to always:

2011-12-04T20:37:00.000-08:00

via littlebitsoflovely

A Taste of India

2011-11-20T19:15:00.000-08:00

Many people tend to forget how unique the food is in each region of India. I've grown up in a traditional Gujarati household, which according to Wikipedia: "Is primarily a vegetarian cuisine, despite having an extensive coastline for sea food, due influence of Jain vegetarianism and traditional Hinduism.^[1]^[2] The typical Gujarati Thali consists of Roti (a flat bread made from wheat flour, and called rotli in Gujarati), daal or kadhi, rice, and sabzi/shaak (a dish made up of different combinations of vegetables and spices, which may be stir fried, spicy or sweet)."

Seeing that I had daal with basmati rice and curried potatoes for lunch, some of that sounds right. :)

Below is a great map to give you the full Taste of India. Enjoy!

Berry Trifle

2011-08-28T18:44:00.000-07:00

It's the month of Ramadan, which always brings back a rush of happy memories with my family. If there's one thing we all love to do, it's EATING. So breaking fast together usually means having some special treats and loading up on some favorite foods. At a recent iftaari at the mosque, I decided to make a dessert that would not only look pretty, but would also be fresh and delicious. And, let's not lie - I was dying for an excuse to purchase a trifle bowl :)

This dish has so many layers of delicious flavors. I lucked out with the strawberries and blueberries - they were at the peak of season and were incredibly bright and sweet. The buttery pound cake lightly flavored with vanilla and almond extract was a great touch. I could easily see this being a huge hit at any summer BBQ. Enjoy!

Berry Trifle (adapted from Sunny Anderson's Recipe here)

Ingredients
1/4 cup plus 2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound cake, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups heavy cream, at room temperature
2 pints blueberries
2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced

Directions

1. Heat 1/4 cup sugar, the lemon juice and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond and vanilla extracts. Dip the slices of pound cake on each side with the syrup. Cut the slices into 1-inch cubes.

2. Beat the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and the cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and light. Add the cream and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and the consistency of whipped cream.

3. Arrange half of the cake cubes in the bottom of a 13-cup trifle dish. Sprinkle evenly with a layer of blueberries. Dollop half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently spread. Top with a layer of strawberries. Layer the remaining cake cubes on top of the strawberries, then sprinkle with more blueberries and top with the remaining cream mixture.

4. Finish with the remaining strawberries and blueberries, arranging them in a decorative pattern. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Chicken with Orzo, Spinach and Lemon

2011-08-14T19:09:00.000-07:00

For me, there is a thrill that comes from cooking when I can open my pantry and my refrigerator and realize that I have the ingredients to make something truly delicious. Today's dinner was inspired by a box of orzo and some frozen spinach. Things started to get interesting when I realized I also had capers and chicken breasts. Bam! We have Chicken with Orzo, Spinach and Lemon, ladies and gentlemen.

I loosely based my meal on a recipe I found on Ciao Italia with Mary Anne Esposito, with some some slight changes. Enjoy!

Chicken with Orzo, Spinach and Lemon
Serves 4
30 minutes prep and cook time

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups orzo cooked according to package directions
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
One 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well squeezed
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Grinding coarse black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional - I like some heat!)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons capers in salt, well rinsed and minced
1/2 cup white wine or sparkling apple cider
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest
4 tablespoons fresh minced parsley (optional)
2/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (I used mozzarella but would have preferred parmigiano)

Directions

1. Combine the orzo with 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Stir in 1/4 cup of the lemon juice. Salt to taste. Stir in the chopped spinach and 1/2 cup of cheese. Cover, set aside and keep warm. Or make ahead and reheat in the microwave when ready to serve.

2. Meanwhile, place each piece of chicken between two sheets of wax paper and use a meat pounder to thin them to about 1/4 inch thickness. Mix the flour, salt and pepper together in a bag and place each breast into the flour mixture, coating well on both sides and shaking off the excess. Set aside.

3. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large non stick skillet and brown the chicken, adding more olive oil as needed. Transfer them to a dish as they brown, and set aside. However, do not stack the breasts on top of each other, as they get soggy.

4. Add the butter to the pan and stir in the onion; cook until the onion wilts down, about 3 minutes. Add the capers and cook 1 minute. Stir in the wine or cider, raise the heat to high and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in lemon juice and zest and cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens slightly.

5. Return the chicken cutlets to the pan and heat gently until hot. Make a bed of the orzo mixture on a serving platter. Place the chicken breasts over the orzoand pour the sauce over the top. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese and parsley, and serve.

Panko-Crusted Salmon with Roasted Asparagus

2011-07-18T18:41:00.001-07:00

First off, my apologies for not updating this more often. I've been so busy with life that I haven't had much time to try new recipes. Thankfully, I will be getting a brand spankin' new camera in two days, and I'm hoping to take some more time out to test-drive a few concoctions I have up my sleeve. Stay tuned!

I've also been trying to eat healthier, so I decided to try my hand at cooking fish (not always my first choice) and asparagus (something I love to order out, but have never tried to cook at home). I'm much more likely to turn to panko than regular old flour to get that textured, crunchy taste I love. So, I thought this recipe was perfect! The salmon was cooked perfectly and tasted absolutely heavenly. The asparagus went a little mushy - my fault for not realizing they would cook just fine in less than 10 minutes, even if it initially appear to be the case.

Best of all, this meal was low carb, heart healthy (yay for omega 3's!), and took less than 30 minutes to prepare, with minimal prep time. Works for me!

Panko Crusted Salmon:

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

4 teaspoons olive oil

4 pieces thickly cut, boneless salmon (each 6 oz) (try to purchase fresh instead of frozen!)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp honey mustard

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

2/3 cup panko bread crumbs

2 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley

1/2 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set the salmon on a foil-lined baking sheet skin side down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. In a small bowl, combine the honey mustard and 1 teaspoon of the thyme. In another small bowl, mix the panko with the remaining 1 teaspoon of thyme, 4 teaspoons of olive oil, parsley, and paprika. Add salt and pepper (a light sprinkle).

3. Using a small spoon, spread the mustard mixture on the salmon; top with the bread crumb mixture.

4. Roast the salmon for 12-14 minutes (test at 10) or until it is almost completely firm to the touch and flakes when poked with a fork. Serve at once.

Yield: Serves 4.

Roasted Asparagus:

Cook time: 10 minutes

Note: I added a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese for an extra touch.

Ingredients

1 lb asparagus spears (thick spears are best for roasting)

1-2 Tbsp olive oil2 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher Salt

Freshly grated black pepper

Lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse clean the asparagus. Break the tough ends off of the asparagus and discard.

2. Lay the asparagus spears out in a single layer in a baking dish or a foil-covered roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the spears, roll the asparagus back and forth until they are all covered with a thin layer of olive oil. (Alternatively you can put the asparagus and oil in a plastic bag, and rub the bag so that the oil gets evenly distributed.) Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub over the asparagus so that they are evenly distributed.

3. Place pan in oven and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes, depending on how thick your asparagus spears are, until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice before serving.

Yield: Serves 4.

Curry Chicken Pot Pie

2010-12-26T16:44:00.001-08:00

Oh the weather outside is frightful,

But the fire is so delightful,

And since we've no place to go,

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

The blizzard outside today was a perfect excuse to try a new comfort food recipe - chicken pot pie. I just finished my second helping and it was EXACTLY what the doctor ordered. Creamy, spicy, flaky, and delicious all around. My recipe is based on the one I found here, with some tweaks:

Curry Chicken Pot Pie

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30-40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Crust

1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 lbs chicken breast, cut into small chunks

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (corn, chopped carrots, and peas, and whatever else you'd like!)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon red curry powder

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1 3/4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 cup milk

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using 9-inch ungreased pie pan.

2. In a boiling pan, add frozen veggies and chicken and allow to cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes. You can shred the chicken if you'd like, or keep cubed.

3. Meanwhile, a medium-sized saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and all other spices until well blended. Gradually whisk in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until bubbly and thickened.

4. Drain chicken and mixed vegetables and add into saucepan. Remove from heat. Spoon chicken mixture into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.

5. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Healthy Chicken Pesto Pasta - Creamy and Rich!

2010-12-05T15:58:00.000-08:00

I remember when I first started cooking I was sooo particular about following the directions to a "T". However, after experimenting and discovering some great and exciting combinations of food, it's fun to open my pantry and refrigerator and dream up a new concoction. Especially when it actually tastes GOOD!

Tonight I had a hankerin' for pesto chicken, but didn't want to go too crazy on the calories and fat intake. I used yoghurt to give it a cre

amy texture and used minimal amounts of oil without sacrificing taste at all.

Healthy Chicken Pesto Pasta

Serves: 2 (can be easily doubled)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

8 oz chicken breast - cut into strips or chunks, seasoned with salt, pepper, and Adobe seasoning (if available)
1/2 serving of whole wheat pasta (penne or linguine works well, I used egg noodles that I had handy)
2-3 tablespoons pesto (jar is fine)
half an onion
1 cup mushrooms
1 cup yoghurt
1 tsp lemon juice
2-3 cloves of garlic
olive oil
red pepper flakes
grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook pasta as directed. Be sure to check the pasta before draining - whole wheat tends to take an extra minute to fully cook.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the pesto and lemon juice with yoghurt and mix well. Set aside.

3. In a nonstick pan set to medium high, add 1 tsp. of olive oil, the mushrooms and onions. Saute until onions are caramelized and mushrooms soften - about 5 minutes. When this is close to being cooked, add the garlic and allow to simmer for 1 minute. Remove from pan and combine with the bowl of pesto.

4. Using the same pan, add in chicken to cook until no longer pink. More olive oil can also be added if needed.

5. Once cooked, take chicken off heat and add pasta and pesto mix. Combine well, top with salt & pepper to taste. Top with red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese and voila! Dinner is served :)

The Chocolate Bar aka My Idea of Heaven

2010-09-11T10:36:00.000-07:00

Looking for a unique place to take family or friends visiting Boston? I would highly recommend the Chocolate Bar at Langham Hotel. The hotel is exquisite, service is top notch, and you leave feeling absolutely decadent. My friends and I have made this a girl's Saturday lunch for a number of years, they have a different theme each year, and the food is always creative...we even went here for Jen's bachelorette party (followed by a day at the spa - can life GET any better!?)

Hurry though - this slice of decadence only happens on Saturdays, from September 11-June 25 and reservations can fill up!

For more information: http://boston.langhamhotels.com/restaurants/chocolate_bar.htm

Cupcakes, cupcakes, cupcakes!

2010-09-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

These are hands down my favorite baked good (and trust me, I have a LOT of favorite baked goods). This recipe (based on one provided by the fabulous Mamma Joy) reminds me of a super moist cake slash cheesecake. The combination is spot on, and I love watching people bite into the cupcake and be so pleasantly surprised by the cheesecakey chocolate chip center. Make this if you want to be the best mom on the block or simply be ultra decadent. I last made these for my coworkers as a Holiday gift and it went over incredibly well!

Cream-Cheese Filled Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

3 Cups Flour

2 Cups Sugar

½ Cup Cocoa Powder

2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Salt

2 Cups Water

2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil

2 Tablespoon Vinegar

2 Tablespoon Vanilla

1-8 ounce Cream Cheese {softened}

1- Egg

1-1/3 Cups Sugar

1-Cup Chocolate Chips

Pinch of Salt

Directions:

1. Preheat at oven to 350 degrees. Line 36 muffin cups with liners.

2. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

3. Stir in water, vegetable oil, vinegar and vanilla. Fill paper liners half full.

4. In a separate bowl make the filling: Beat together cream cheese, egg, 1 cup of the sugar, salt, and chocolate chips.

5. Spoon one heaping tablespoon filling on top of each cupcake.

6. Sprinkle each with ½ teaspoon sugar. Bake 30 minutes.

Use Glad Freezer Bags to freeze ahead: These cupcakes freeze very well for up to 2 months.

Best Spinach Artichoke Dip EVER!

2010-08-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

If there is one appetizer I am most frequently asked to make/bring to a party, it's my Spinach Artichoke Dip. It's warm, ooey, gooey, and delicious! The dip tastes really fresh, doesn't cost much, serves PLENTY and takes 20 minutes (or less!) to make. I also use the low fat variation of everything to make this dip more health conscious. Enjoy!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip
1 box of frozen spinach
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 lb. low-fat cream cheese at room temperature

5 cloves of minced garlic (adjust to your preference...I love the garlicky taste!)

1 13.5-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 8-oz.carton low-fat sour cream
8 oz. shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
1 large round sourdough loaf (1- to 2-lb. size)
Pita or Tortilla chips for dipping

1. Microwave the spinach per the box instructions. (usually 4 minutes on high). Be sure to place in a microwaveable bowl and cover.

2. Preheat the oven to 350F.

3. Melt the butter in a nonsuck skillet over medium-low heat. Squeeze excess moisture from the spinach by using a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth, and add to the skillet.

4. Stir in the cream cheese and garlic, and continue stirring until the cream cheese has melted.

5. Fold in the artichoke hearts, sour cream and three-fourths of the mozzarella. Allow all of the cheeses to melt.

6. Meanwhile, cut the top off the bread loaf, and, using a sharp knife, cut out the interior. Slice it into cubes for dipping or save and make into croutons.

7. Pour the cheese mixture into the bread loaf, and put the loaf on a cookie sheet. Top with the remaining mozzarella, and cover with foil. Or, you can refrigerate the loaf until it's ready to serve.

8. Bake the stuffed bread for 25-30 minutes covered. Remove the foil, and bake for about 10-15 minutes uncovered, or until the cheese is hot and bubbly and looks like the top of pizza.

Best Foodie Gift: Food Network Magazine subscription

2010-05-24T19:22:00.000-07:00

My best friend Johanna got me this for the holidays, and it’s the gift that keeps on giving. I love Food Network on any given day, and having their magazine helps me think of new recipes and also keeps me updated on what my favorites are doing. The magazine is CHOCK full of ideas, although not many are healthy. Despite that, it’s like recieving a new cookbook every month. I’ve saved all of them and they are in my bookshelf right next to the rest of my cookbooks. If you’re looking for an inexpensive gift for a foodie, I would highly recommend purchasing this!!

Annnnd, we're back!

2010-05-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

I've decided to have Christmas in May. Mostly because I couldn't find my camera cord anywhere, and it's taken me this long to upload my photos. ahem...anyways, first up is a post on a fabulous new tradition we’ve started - Christmas gift swap and dinner.

The ladies and I decided to keep our get together low key and personal. Meghan C. kindly offered to host the event, and it was a GREAT success. Check out our festivities:

I volunteered to make the main dish - my first ever chicken roast. I used a Jamie Oliver recipe "Roast Chicken Recipe with Lemon and Rosemary Potatoes" mostly because he used the words ‘chuffed’ and 'some lovely fat'. I just couldn’t resist - I love anything British!

Jamie’s recipes always seem simplistic, but are flavorful and delicious. The technique of boiling the lemon with the potatoes and then transferring it into the cavity of the chicken really tenderized the meat and gave the potatoes a lemony hint that meshed well with the chicken. Some photos below.

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

• 1 x 2kg/4½lb free-range organic chicken
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2kg/4½lb potatoes, peeled
• 1 large, preferably unwaxed, lemon
• 1 whole bulb of garlic, broken into cloves
• a handful of fresh thyme
• olive oil
• a handful of fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
• optional: 8 rashers of smoked streaky bacon

Directions:

Rub the chicken inside and out with a generous amount of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Do this in the morning if possible, then cover the chicken and leave in the fridge until you're ready to start cooking it for lunch or dinner. By doing this, you'll make the meat really tasty when cooked. Preheat your oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cut the potatoes into golf-ball-sized pieces, put them into the water with the whole lemon and the garlic cloves, and cook for 12 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for 1 minute (this will give you crispier potatoes), then remove the lemon and garlic. Toss the potatoes in the pan while still hot so their outsides get chuffed up and fluffy – this will make them lovely and crispy when they roast.

While the lemon is still hot, carefully stab it about 10 times. Take the chicken out of the fridge, pat it with kitchen paper and rub it all over with olive oil. Push the garlic cloves, the whole lemon and the thyme into the cavity, then put the chicken into a roasting tray and cook in the preheated oven for around 45 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. Some lovely fat should have cooked out of it into the roasting tray, so toss the potatoes into this with the rosemary leaves. Shake the tray around, then make a gap in the centre of the potatoes and put the chicken back in. If using the bacon, lay the rashers over the chicken breast and cook for a further 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are nice and golden. (You can tell the chicken is cooked when the thigh meat pulls easily away from the bone and the juices run clear.)

Shopping Find - Aprons

2010-02-16T17:26:00.000-08:00

Aprons - just another accessory I love to buy! I'm in love with all Jessie Steele aprons - they are just most definitely on my wish list (hint hint!):

And, this "Will Cook for Shoes" is adorable!

Heartz Apron at Wrapables - Aprons

Grown-up Peanut Butter Cup

2010-02-01T22:31:00.000-08:00

This chocolate pie literally tastes like a fancier Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, hence the name. The recipe is more time-intensive than other pies, but the end product is SO worth it. The layers of double ghiardelli chocolate, creamy almost cheesecake-like peanut butter and the crunchy homemade wafer crust makes it heavenly to bite into.

Trust me, this one's a winner. In fact, I made this in a Pie Bake-off at my new job and won first place! Here's the link and the recipe is copied below. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Crust

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

8 ounces chocolate wafer cookies (from a 9-ounce package), finely ground (2 cups)

Peanut Butter Filling

8 ounces cream cheese, softened (1 cup)

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup well-chilled heavy cream

3/4 cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped

Kosher salt

Chocolate Topping

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. MAKE THE CHOCOLATE CRUST: Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium glass bowl, combine the chocolate and butter and microwave at high power in 20-second intervals until the chocolate is melted. Stir well, then stir in the cookie crumbs. Press the cookie crumbs over the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and 1 1/2 inches up the side. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, or until set; the crust will continue to firm up as it cools.

2. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING: In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with the peanut butter, sugar and vanilla extract until blended. In another large bowl, using the same beaters, whip the chilled cream until firm. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture to loosen it, then fold in the remaining whipped cream and 1/2 cup of the chopped peanuts. Spoon the filling into the crust, smoothing the surface. Sprinkle lightly with salt and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.MAKE

3. THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING: In a medium glass bowl, combine the chocolate with the heavy cream and microwave at high power in 20-second intervals until the chocolate is melted and the cream is hot. Stir the chocolate topping until blended, then let cool to barely warm, stirring occasionally.Spread the chocolate topping over the peanut butter filling and refrigerate until just firm, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped peanuts around the edge of the pie. Carefully run a thin knife around the pie crust to loosen it, then remove the springform ring. Using a sharp knife, cut the pie into wedges. Run the knife under hot water and dry it between each cut.

MAKE AHEAD

The pie can be covered and refrigerated overnight. Garnish with the chopped peanuts before serving. Serve the pie chilled or slightly cooler than room temperature.

New halal restaurant in Harvard Square

2010-01-28T18:25:00.000-08:00

Funny enough, I saw this tiny restaurant while coming home from Cardio Kickboxing just yesterday and thought it looked interesting. Today, I found a review on Boston.com that has me even more intrigued. I love middle-eastern food (especially shawarma and falafel), so this sounds right up my alley! Will have to report back once I try their food. If anyone else tries it, please let me know.

In the meantime, here's some info:
FALAFEL CORNER

8 1/2 Eliot St., Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA

617-441-8888. Cash only.

Check out the review here.

Prices are also really reasonable. Menu and prices here.

Crunch Top Apple Pie

2010-01-21T19:22:00.000-08:00

Let me just put this out there...Paula Deen is my homegirl, and she can do NO wrong in the kitchen. I love her, despite all the butter that I'm convinced is going to give me a heart attack.

I come from a huge Indian family, and a LARGE handful of my family got together to go apple picking over the Fall:

Let's be honest...there's a whole lot of us. We had a lot of fun apple picking, check out my cousins Nawaz and Shabnam cheesing it up!

Anyways, after we picked all these apples, we obviously needed to cook a pie with it! I tried Paula's recipe and it came out pretty yummy. The crunch top makes it extra special. Only thing I'd change is reduce the amount of apple sauce used by half (it was too gooey). I also won't judge anyone who uses premade pie crust (let's be honest here, kids!)

Paula Deen's Crunch Top Apple Pie

Ingredients

Dough and Filling:

Dough for a double crust 9-inch pie (homemade, frozen, or refrigerated)

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash salt

3 1/2 cups peeled, chopped cooking apples

1 (16-ounce) jar applesauce

1 tablespoon

lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter, chopped into small pieces

Crunch Topping:

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

Dash salt

1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.Line a 9-inch pie pan with half of dough. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Stir in apples, applesauce, and lemon juice. Spoon apple mixture into pie pan and dot with butter. Cut remaining crust into strips; arrange in a lattice design over top of pie. For crunch topping, combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Using a fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over top of crust. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for about 45 minutes, or until crust and topping are golden brown.

The Best Pizza in New York City!

2010-01-21T19:02:00.000-08:00

My friend Jen and I were born only a couple days apart. For this alone, we have a "Birthday Season" that quite literally lasts for about a month. As part of this adventure to celebrate the big 2-5, we spent a fabulous weekend in New York City.

After an awesome night out, we stumbled upon a great pizza joint called Bleeker Street Pizza that was voted the Best Pizza by The Food Network. It's located on Seventh Avenue South at the corner of Bleecker Street in Manhattan's West Village. On a previous trip there, I went on a food tour that said it was the combination of the NY water, special dough and the thinness of the crust that really makes the difference. I'm not one to give any slice of pizza the side eye - and this one was DAMN good. And cheap, to boot! Both the line out the door, and our content faces should be an indictator of that. Check out Jen in her moment of utter bliss!

Good Food, Good Friends, Good Times!

2010-01-18T18:18:00.000-08:00

This blog is an outlet to share some of the tasty creations that come out of my kitchen, as well as the lessons I've learned along the way. Expect to see some yummy recipes, reviews of restaurants, fun shopping finds, and lots of personal photos of friends and family doing what they do best - eating!

Case and point - the lovely ladies enjoying multiple variations of red velvet cakes - yum yum!