Sweet Basil

DP Chili

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:40:00 +0000

MMMMM Chili... In fact, Dr Pepper and Hershey's Chocolate Chili!! Every day my husband calls me from work, (sometimes a few times) just to say hello, I love you, how's your day going, etc. One day he called and I insisted that he decide on dinner. I love to cook, but sometimes I would rather scrub a toilet than figure out what to make for dinner. It just gets old thinking about what will taste good. Anyway, I asked what he wanted for dinner, and he replied, "eh, whatever you feel like." I quickly responded with, "NO! Sorry Love, not happening. YOU pick. I'll make anything, but don't make me decide!!"
He said Chili. I got right on it.

This is hands down, the best chili I've made to date. It has a yummy little kick and those special ingredients,
continue reading...

well, they just give something that you would never suspect, and you'd never guess that's what made it. Ever. Why didn't I think of adding cocoa and Dr Pepper sooner? And, what else (other than the cafe rio pork) can I make using Dr Pepper?

Ok, so here's what happened. I was going to use beef broth, but then decided to do a turkey chili so that would be weird. Then, I was going for chicken stock, but I knew the flavor would be so light, and I really wanted something with a deeper flavor. I opened the fridge, and front and center was a Dr Pepper. I don't buy pop. Yup, I'm a crazy mom that thinks it's not an every day beverage, but a good friend knows my hubby prefers Dr Pepper over all other pops and dropped one off. So, I dumped it in. I could feel it in my bones that it was going to be good. And then I though, "Well, if we are going crazy, and I've had plenty of savory dishes with a secret ingredient of chocolate, so let's throw that in too!" I can seriously taste this baby now. It's got a great little kick to it (I was shocked that my little girls ate it), but the flavor is also rich, hearty and amazing.

My hubby got home, sat down for dinner, and said, "oh, grab me that dp." Yeah, about that. It's gone. He truly thought I had given it away or dumped it. Poor guy just looked at me like, "You gave my precious dp away". I quickly said, um it's how I made the chilli. Let's just say he was more than excited to dive in. And, he was more than pleased by the outcome. LOVED IT. Not just loved it. LOVED IT. As will you...

DP Chili
Recipe by me

2 Tb Canola Oil
1 Large Yellow Onion
3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1 Each, Red, yellow, Bell Pepper, minced
1 Lb Ground Turkey
1 Tb Chili Powder
1 Heaping Tb Cumin
1/4 Ts Cayenne (or more to taste)
1 Ts Oregano
1 Tb Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa
1/2 Ts Allspice
1/4 Ts Thyme
1 12 Oz Dr Pepper
1 Tub Knorr Homestyle Chicken Stock
2 Tb Tomato Paste
1 can, drained, Pinto Beans
1 Can Tomatoes for Chili (or if you can't find those you could use mexican style tomatoes)

sour cream, cheese, green onions etc for serving.

In a heavy bottomed pot, add the oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 min. Add the garlic, stirring everything together to not burn the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the minced bell peppers and saute for another 2-4 minutes or until the peppers are tender.

Add the ground turkey to the pot and cook through until almost cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Dump all of the spices over the meat and quickly stir it all in. Let the spices cook onto the meat for 1-2 minutes. Add the dr pepper, tomato paste, and knorr stock. Stir until the tub of stock and paste have dissolved. Add the pinto beans, and tomatoes and turn the heat down to a simmer. Simmer for 30-all day. The longer it simmers the better the flavor. Mine simmered for 2 hours on a very low heat.

Serve with cool sour cream, grated cheese, green onions, and chips.

White Balsamic and Basil Chicken Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Sometimes I just want something quick, easy, and light. I love to cook meals that take a little more work, thought, preparation and time, but I also am a mom, wife, blogger, friend, etc and I just feel worn out. I need a meal that can come together with little thought, but still be fantastic. This is definitely one of those meals. I realize that you do need to make a little trip to Costco, but if you don't have a membership just run to your local grocery store and find a similar dressing. Really you could do a Sun-dried tomato, or Italian. There's just something especially delicious about the Culinary Treasures, White Balsamic Citrus Basil Dressing.

Continue reading for the recipe

One of my favorite things about this pasta is that you could eat it warm or cold, vegetarian or with meat, switch up the veggies etc and it will still be delicious. I love a recipe that you can easily make your own.
I do highly recommend trying it with sun-dried tomatoes. They add a sweet pop of flavor that is absolutely delicious with this dressing.

White Balsamic and Basil Chicken Pasta
Recipe by me

1 Large Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
Culinary Treasures White Balsamic Citrus Basil Dressing (or any favorite vinaigrette)
1/2 Box Bow Tie Pasta
1/2 Cup Oil Packed Sun-dried Tomatoes
1 Small Bunch of broccoli, steamed
Parmesan Cheese, Shredded

In a ziploc bag add the chicken and enough dressing to coat the chicken. Allow to marinate at least two hours or up to 1 day.

Remove the chicken from the bag, and discard any remaining marinade. Grill on a grill pan for 5-7 minutes per side or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, place the pasta in a pot of salted, boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, but keep it in the pot.

Thinly slice the chicken and add it, the broccoli, and sun-dried tomatoes into the pot with the pasta. Toss with a little of the white balsamic citrus basil dressing until evenly coated. Top with a little Parmesan cheese to taste.

Cookies N Creme Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

I actually have two more cookies n creme recipes that I want to try making, but I am feeling a little burned out this week. I have two puking kiddos and no energy left to finish baking. Plus, the hubby is not one to chow on fattening foods all week which means we've been throwing baked goods at people just to get them out of our house. Sooooo, here is the last cookies n creme recipe, until maybe next week. ;)
Just kidding, I think I'll go a little longer than that.
Continue reading...

This week is pretty bitter cold and I am not loving it at all, but today was raining. I happen to love that. Utah doesn't seem to rain much. Snow, or sun. Those are your choices. Which seems well, except my favorite thing is to sleep when it is pouring down rain outside. Lovely.

Anyway, these cookies were pretty darn delicious. But, I had a few cold and I just can't do cold cookies anymore. I've become a warm cookie snob. We literally nuke every single cold cookie before eating it. It's either fresh out of the oven or 5-8 seconds in the microwave at this house. I loved that creamy white chocolate in the cookie, but my favorite was actually the little cookie bits from the candy bar. I loved the extra texture.
Do give these babies a try and let me know how it goes!

Cookies N Creme Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe By Me (cookie base adapted from a friend)

\
3/4 Cup Butter Flavored Crisco
1 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbs Milk
1 Ts Vanilla
1 Egg
1 Tsp Salt
3/4 Tsp Baking Soda
2 Cups flour
3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Chopped Cookies N Creme Candy Bars

Preheat the oven to 375

In the bowl of a standing mixer, add the shortening and brown sugar. Mix on medium speed until smooth.

Add the milk, vanilla, and egg and mix again until smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients so that when you add them to the cookie dough they get well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until the dough comes together. Remove the bowl and use a large wooden spoon to stir in the chocolate chips and candy bars.

Place by heaping tablespoons onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8-9 min. Remove from the oven to cool for a couple seconds and then quickly eat a soft, warm cookie.

Did You Know That Wednesday- How to Save $$ on beautiful furniture

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Hello friends at Sweet Basil! I'm so excited to write a guest post for you. I'm a big fan of Sweet Basil and especially of Carrian!

I'm pretty new to the blogging world. 6 months ago we moved to Portland, Oregon and I decided to start selling the furniture I paint at www.paintinginportland.blogspot.com. I started out painting furniture for my house, and now sell it online also. ;) I thought I'd share a few of my painting tips with you today!

When I look for furniture, I try to find pieces that are sturdy and not in need of too many repairs. I also make sure the drawers slide in and out easily. I love french provincial furniture, so when I found this dresser, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. I'm super embarrassed by these pictures taken in my garage, I had 5 dressers in there at the time and I was trying to paint them and move them out to clean my garage AGAIN. ;)

First, I always sand the furniture before priming. I primed this piece in grey. Important part to remember, sanding helps the primer stick to the furniture, primer helps the paint stick. Some people don't prime or sand, you can buy special products so you don't have to. I've found that painted furniture lasts longer when it's sanded and primed.

Then I painted it black. This is the first layer of paint. Normally I only do one layer, but for the chippy look I was trying to achieve, I needed a bottom layer to show through.

Then I rubbed some vaseline in random spots and painted the bottom half red. The vaseline will keep the paint from sticking in those spots.

Once the paint was dry, I wiped off the vaseline. The spots where I rubbed on the vaseline were raised a little, so it was easy to tell where they were.

Next, I wiped black glaze on the whole dresser, let it sit for a minute and then wiped it off with a damp cloth. This part is optional, it just gives it the old/worn look.

I painted the hardware in black, and once the glaze was dry, I brushed on a coat of polyurethane.

I love the chippy look the vaseline creates. I also love the way the black glaze makes the hardware stand out.

I love two-toned dressers! I'm happy I chose to leave the top black.

The final product, a stand out, custom piece of furniture for your home! I hope you were able to learn something new and I'd love to have you over at my blog!! If you have any painting questions, post a comment on my blog and I'll get back to you. Come see all my projects! Thanks again!!!

www.paintinginportland.blogspot.com

Cookies N Creme Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Winner!! The Winner of the Swiss Diamond pan is Julie, @hbgarden! Congratulations! I've emailed you.

These Cookies n Creme brownies using Hershey's Cookies N Creme Candy bars were a reeeeaaallly huge hit at our house. I even went and picked up a huge supply of cookies n creme candy bars to keep with the chocolate chips. In other words, these are a new staple in our home. They will forever be a favorite.

The brownies are perfectly fudge-y, gooey, chocolate-y, and delicious. I love that the top has that "crust" if you will and the rest is all tender, and as I've already mentioned, gooey. In fact, I would even go as far as to say that even if I just made it into a plain brownie it would probably be our favorite brownie recipe. But, it's not just a plain brownie. That cookies n creme center is amazing. AMAZING. Oh my sweet deliciousness.
Can you see how melty and perfect these are? You will die. You will adore these brownies.

Cookies N Creme Brownies
Recipe By Me
*See note*

1 Box Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
3/4 Cup Margarine, melted, and cooled
1/3 Cup Evaporated Milk
1 10 oz Bag Hershey's Cookies N Creme small Candy Bars or a few \King Size Bars

Heat the oven to 350

Mix the cake mix, margarine and evaporated milk in the bowl of a standing mixer. Mix until completely incorporated. Dough should be thick, but very greasy.

Press 1/2 of the dough into a greased 8x9 inch pan. Bake for 6-7 min or until the brownie is starting to firm up.

Lay the candy bars evenly over the half baked brownie.

Place a large spoonful of dough into your hand and press it out flat. Carefully lift one edge of the dough off of your hand, tilting the hand holding the dough, so that it comes off in one sheet, and place it over the candy bars. Continue "patching" the dough all over the candy bars until they are completely covered.

Place back in the oven for another 15-18 min, or until set. These are a bit gooey, and the center is chocolate so your toothpick probably wont come out clean. Set aside to cool for 5-10 min. Enjoy!

***When you are making these brownies it is essential that the dough is thick. If the margarine is too hot the batter wont thicken. You will need to set the entire bowl in the fridge to let it cool and thicken. Later, when you are placing the top layer on the brownies it will help out a ton if your hands are cool. I like to rinse mine under cool water so that the dough doesn't melt on my hands which makes it more difficult to remove and place on the brownies. If it does begin to stick just stop, wash your hands well and start again. If your batter is not very thick you could always spray a little cooking spray on both hands to help it not stick to you.

Cookies N Creme Blossoms

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

I've been so into cookies n creme lately. I don't know how I ever went so long without it?! This whole week is going to be full of cookies n creme. Today starts it off with Cookies N Creme Blossoms...

oh wait, before we move on to the recipe... Don't forget that today is the LAST day to enter to win a Swiss Diamond Pan, made with REAL Diamond Crystals!

I love blossom cookies. Obviously I'm referring to the peanut butter and Hershey's kiss version, but with so many flavors of kisses these days any true cookie lover must venture out and try a few new ones. I'm not a huge chocolate cookie fan unless there is something else to break up the chocolate overload. While I know that the kisses are chocolate I love how the white chocolate lightens these cookies up.

And because I feel like gabbing a little, I heard that it's going to be getting colder here in Utah. I know a lot of you love the snow, but let me make sure you hear my opinion... HATE IT. It's pretty to look at. From my warm house. With blankets. And a yummy treat ;) But, other than that, I have no need for it. I don't ski, snowboard, or snow shoe. Therefore I don't do snow. Just sayin'. I'm curious what you all think about winter and what your weather is like? Do tell...

Cookies N Creme Blossoms
Recipe by Me
Makes 24 cookies

1/2 Cup Butter Flavored Shortening
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 Cup Hershey's Cocoa
2 Ts Baking Powder
1/2 Ts Salt
1 Large Egg
1/2 Ts Vanilla
1 1/4 Cup Flour
24 Cookies N Creme Hershey Kisses, Unwrapped

In the bowl of a kitchen Aid or large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening and sugar. Add the cocoa, baking powder and salt. Mix again on low until just combined.

Add the egg, vanilla and flour and mix until the dough comes together.

Using a cookie scoop place the dough on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet. (If you use two spoons just make sure you shape the dough into balls.)

Bake at 325 for 12 min.
Remove from the oven and quickly place a kiss in each center. Let cool for a min and remove from the baking sheet to a cooling rack.

El Pollo Loco! and coupons for FREE Food!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:39:00 +0000

I'm not one for "fast food", but I have to fully admit that El Pollo Loco is so much better than your regular fast food.
Recently I had an opportunity to attend a Bloggers Meetup and we were able to learn all about El Pollo Loco. First, it's real meat. I know what you're thinking, "Isn't everywhere real meat?" I'll let you go watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and then do some research yourself. I love that the chicken is juicy and tender and that there are plenty of options for the whole family.

I started out with a simple salad, and it was delicious. I usually prefer more greens like, spinach, etc, but the dressing on this salad is wonderful. You'll love it. Plus, it comes in a big cup which is easier to eat in and you get more.

I chose to get the Califresco. It was super good. I loved that it had zucchini in it. So unexpected!

It was huge, and I could only eat half of it, but that just means leftovers for tomorrow. :)
And here's my favorite part about El Pollo Loco, They give back. A lot. They recently gave a large check to the Road Home in SLC. Fundraisers get 20% of the entire day's proceeds. THE ENTIRE DAY. That's kinda a big deal. They are looking to be a part of the community and give back. Their stores even have tv's so that High school kids have a safe place to hang out and they do family activities. For example, tuesdays the kids eat free and coming up in February they will have cookie decorating for the kiddos. Love that!

Want to try them out yourself? Print off these coupons and enjoy!!

Did You Know That Wednesday- How to Peel Ginger

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:02:00 +0000

Did you know that one of the easiest ways to peel ginger is use the inside of a spoon? Just scrape it along the ginger and you will soon have peeled ginger! For anything you don't use just place it in the frezzer and grate it up when you need it.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas -Repost

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:30:00 +0000

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!!
I'll be doing a lot of reposts within the coming months. I just want to bring back some of the old favorites that get lost in time.

These Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas have changed our view of Enchiladas forever. Keep reading to understand why...

Now, we are not enchilada fans. Burritos enchilada style are good and enchiladas always look good to me, but we have never had a recipe we like. That is until now. This recipe was seriously so good. The chicken has a hint of lime that just barely peeks through and the sweet honey with that dirty bite from the chili powder makes the chicken so flavorful. I was extremely weary of the sauce because I have had white sauces on burritos that were disgusting, but this was not the case. We adored these enchiladas and cannot wait to try our own touches.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
Recipe By Phemomenon

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 large limes)
2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 large cloves of garlic, ﬁnely minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts), cooked and shredded
12 corn tortillas
2 cups of Mexican cheese blend, shredded (1 small bag usually is 2 cups)
1 14-oz can of green enchilada sauce (mild or medium, to your taste)
1/2 to 3/4 cup of heavy cream
nonstick cooking spray
1 Tablespoon of chopped cilantro, to garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cooked and shredded chicken in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, place the honey, lime juice, chili powder and minced garlic or garlic powder. Whisk together thoroughly to combine. Pour this mixture over the chicken and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate while you prepare the tortillas, 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, in the refrigerator.

Heat a large griddle till a drop of water skitters across (about 350 degrees F). Spray the surface with non-stick cooking spray or a oil it with a little bit of canola oil in between each round of tortillas. Heat tortillas about 20 seconds on each side till warm and ﬂexible and some golden brown spots have appeared. Remove the tortillas from the griddle and keep them between a couple of paper towels until ready to use.

Spray the sides and bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl combine the enchilada sauce and the heavy cream. Spread about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the bottom of the oiled baking dish.
Add a large spoonful (about 2 tablespoons) of the chicken mixture to the center of each tortilla in a line. Cover the chicken with a large tablespoon (or big pinch) of cheese, then roll the tortilla up from one side to make a rolled enchilada - it will be more of an over lap on the seam side that rolled tightly. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish starting at one end with the long edge parallel to the longest side of the pan so that you end up with two columns of six enchiladas each.
Repeat with the remaining chicken, cheese and tortillas. You will use about 1 1/2 cups of the cheese for the ﬁlling and set the remainder aside for topping the enchiladas in the pan. Add the remaining marinade mixture to the enchilada sauce and cream mixture, if desired. Pour this mixture over the top of all the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake the enchiladas for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and starting to brown on top.

Best Bites Dinner Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for your very own Swiss Diamond Pan!

I love a good dinner roll. These dinner rolls from Our Best Bites are very good. I don't think I prefer them over my potato rolls, but they are pretty darn good. I'm just partial to potato rolls. I am all about sharing recipes no matter where they come from. If the recipe is great then I feel like it's my job as a food blogger to post it, even though it isn't my own recipe. It's not all about tooting your own horn, but sharing delicious food. Don't you agree?

These rolls are light, fluffy, and have a great flavor. You really couldn't ask for more.

It's very important when making rolls that you take the time to use the exact ingredients, follow the recipe exactly, and use good yeast. I'm partial to instant yeast. It seems to always work better for me, and although you don't always need to do the proofing ahead of time with instant, I always do.

World's Best Dinner Rolls

Recipe by Our Best Bites

2 Cups of Whole Milk (must be whole)

1/2 Cup Plus 1 tb Sugar, divided

1/3 Cup Unsalted Butter

2 ts Kosher Salt

2 Pkg Yeast (4 1/2 Ts Instant)

2/3 Cup Warm Water

8-9 Cups All-Purpose Flour

3 Beaten Eggs

In a sauce pan, combine milk, 1/2 cup sugar, butter and salt. Heat over medium heat until the butter has melted completely. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to lukewarm. If the mixture is too hot it will kill the yeast.

Meanwhile, dissolve the yeast and 1 tb of sugar in the warm water. The mixture will become big and puffy. If it does not then your yeast is bad or the water is too hot or cold. The mixture must be puffy and bubbly in order for you to move on in the recipe.

In a kitchenaid or large mixing bowl, combine the milk mixture and 3 cups of flour for 30 seconds. Add the yeast mixture and beat on high for 3 minutes. Add the 3 beaten eggs and up to 6 more cups of flour. I used 5 1/2 more cups of flour. The dough should be soft and will stick to your finger when touched.

Place the bowl in a warm place with a clean towel over it. Allow it to rise until doubled, about one hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide in half.

Spray two 9x13 inch baking dishes. Roll the dough out into a rectangle and cut into 12 pieces. Shape into balls and place in the baking pan. Repeat with remaining dough until pans are full.

Allow to rise for 30 more minutes with a clean towel over the pans. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately spread butter over the tops of the hot rolls.

Did You Know That Wednesday- Panko Bread Crumbs

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Since so many seem to still be unaware of Panko I thought it was absolutely necessary that we talk about Panko, what it is, and why I adore it.

Panko is a Japanese style bread crumb that is made with only the white part of the bread, unlike regular bread crumbs that use the crust too. These bread crumbs are a coarser crumb than the other and are great for fried foods, but baking with them is fantastic too.
Panko absorbs less oil and creates a crunchier breading and stays crunchy longer.

Love, love Panko. I RARELY use any other bread crumb. There are a ton of different brands, but Kikkoman is one of the easiest to find.

Philly Cheese Steaks and a Giveaway!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

I'm not sure how I've lived my whole life without ever having a Philly Cheesesteak or owning a Swiss Diamond Grill Pan and Saute Pan. All three are my new favorites. I tend to gain new favorites quite often, but I guarantee that these will be faves forever. For-Ev-Er. Couldn't resist. I say it that way in my head almost every time.

The grill pan itself is amazing. First of all, it's made with real diamond crystals. Continue reading for a chance to win...

Try to tell me that doesn't pique your curiosity a little. The diamond crystals are embedded in a very high quality non-stick component. This allows easy clean-up, plus it wont peel, crack or blister, even if you use metal utensils. You can even wash it in the dishwasher if you want, although it is recommended to wash by hand. Last, but not least, Swiss Diamond is made to last a lifetime. Not just a few years like most other cookware.

One of the reasons I love this sandwich is because it's freshly sliced meat. I'm not a big fan of beef deli meat. Also the grill pan really does a fantastic job. Who wouldn't agree that grilled meat is always better then cooked in the oven, well this is grill, but indoors! It's perfect. The meat is tender, flavorful and still juicy unlike cooking on a skillet.

Can you see how deep the saute pan is? It's the best! Love it. Love, love it. A good quality pan makes all the difference, and these peppers and onions turned out perfect. A little bit of olive oil, add everything on high, turn it down and let these suckers slowly cook to softened, sweet deliciousness.

The provolone sauce is the last, and in my own opinion the best part of the sandwich. I thought about going for sliced provolone and placing the whole sandwich under the broiler, but I kept going back to the sauce. I like that it made the entire sandwich a little more juicy and tender. I hate a dry sandwich.

I think that when it comes to a sandwich like this one your philosophy should be, "pile it on!" The more the better. Stuff it so full of meat, sauce and peppers that your jaw can barely open wide enough to shove it all in. And trust me, that's exactly how I build that at my house.

Want to win your own Swiss Diamond Pan??! I bet you do! Swiss Diamond was kind enough to offer one "Try Me" Pan worth $69.99 to a lucky Sweet Basil Winner!
The giveaway will run until January 16th, winner announced the 17th.
How to Enter
Tell me your favorite recipe or if you don't cook, why you'd love a Swiss Diamond pan, including an email address to contact you.

Extra Entries- please provide separate comments for each entry
Follow me on Twitter @ohsweetbasil
Follow Sweet Basil
Tweet about the giveaway with a link back to Sweet Basil
Post about it on FB with a link back to Sweet Basil
Follow Swiss Diamond on FB

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich with Provolone Sauce
Recipe By Me
2-3 lb Beef Sirloin, trimmed (I ask my butcher to do it since it's free and saves me time. They would probably slice it for you too, but it takes hardly any time and I don't mind doing it)
2 of each, red, yellow, orange and green peppers, sliced
1 Yellow Onion, sliced
Hoagie Rolls
Olive oil
Butter
Kosher Salt
Fresh Black Pepper

Provolone Sauce
1 tb Unsalted Butter
1 Tb Flour
1 1/2 Cup Whole Milk (not skim)
1 Ts Worcestershire Sauce
1 Cup Sharp Provolone, shredded (I buy my from the deli at Harmons or Gourmet Cheese section in a chunk. You do NOT want to buy pre-sliced or shredded. It's not the same quality, and will not melt correctly.)
Salt and pepper

Begin by placing the meat in the freezer for 30-45 minutes. Then thinly slice the meat. You can do this ahead, or if short on time just let it be in the freezer while the onions and peppers cook and then pull it out and slice it. The freezer's purpose is just to allow you to slice the meat very thin.
Start with the onion and peppers.
In a saute pan over medium heat add a drizzle of olive oil and about a tb of butter. As soon as the butter has melted add the onions to the pan and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point, if the pan is looking a little dry add a little more olive oil, otherwise just add the peppers. Cook for another 15 minutes, or until the onions are caramelized and the peppers are soft.

When you add the peppers in to cook begin on your sauce.
In a saucepan add the butter and cook over medium heat until the butter is melted. Quickly add the flour and whisk for about a minute or until the color is nutty. Add the milk and continue to whisk. Add the Worcestershire. Turn the heat to low and simmer, whisking occasionally for 5-6 minutes or until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from the heat and add the shredded provolone, whisking until smooth. (You can cover the sauce and keep it on low/1 until you are ready to eat, but you must watch it. Mine does fine to be off the stove covered.)

Cook the meat last.
Heat a grill pan to high. Throw the meat in the pan, drizzle a little olive oil over the meat and season with kosher salt and pepper. Cook for 30-60 seconds per side.

Open the hoagies and stuff with the meat, cheese sauce, and onions/peppers. Serve immediately.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Panini, my cure for an in the rut lunch.
I was trying to think up a good sandwich for lunch two weeks ago, and absolutely nothing sounded good. Sometimes when this happens I'll go back to my old posts and revamp an old favorite. That way I can focus more on creating instead of the fact that everything sounds BLAH.

I adore a good panini. I love the crunchy bread, gooey, warm middle, and that any sandwich becomes ten times better when it's served as a panini. Sun-dried Tomatoes on the other hand, well, that's been a little bit more tricky. I hated tomatoes for the LONGEST time. I still struggle with eating a big, fat slice of raw tomato, but I believe I've already told you that half a dozen times.

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and Mozzarella Paninis
Recipe By Me
4 Vine or Roma Tomatoes, sliced in half or into thick slices depending on the size of your tomatoes
Fresh Mozzarella
Ciabatta Bread
Olive oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Place the tomatoes on an oiled baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper and then drizzle with a little more olive oil. Bake in a 250 degree oven for 2 hours or until the tomatoes have wilted down.

Pesto
1 Cup Oil packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 Cup fresh basil
2 Garlic cloves
1/4 Cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A dash of kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4-1/2 Cup Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese

To toast the pinenuts, place a pan over medium heat and add the pine nuts. Cook, tossing the nuts occasionally, until they begin to turn golden.

Blend the tomatoes, basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor until the mixture is beginning to smooth out. Drizzle in a little olive oil until you get to the desired texture. I used about 1/2 cup. Because you are using oil packed sun-dried tomatoes you may not need the extra oil. I only did because we were towards the end of the jar and I had already used too much of the oil.
Add the cheese in and pulse twice. Set aside.

Slice open bread and spread a generous layer of pesto on each side. Place slices of fresh mozzarella next with roasted tomatoes on top. Cover with the other slice of bread and drizzle the top with olive oil. Place in a hot panini press or onto a grill. Close the lid and let them cook until the cheese is beginning to run out and you can see grill marks on top of the bread. If you are grilling them in a pan place a heavy plate or cast iron lid on top to smoosh down the sandwich.

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Crackers

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:42:00 +0000

Just in case you need a quick and easy, not to mention yummy, little snack for the kids to make and eat for the New Years celebration.

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Crackers

1 pkg Ritz Crackers
1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
4 OZ White Almond Bark, melted (30 sec intervals in the microwave)

Spread a little peanut butter on one cracker, top with another cracker and dip in the white chocolate. Use a fork to lift the crackers out of the chocolate and shake a little to remove the excess chocolate. Let the chocolate harden, and eat up!

Grilled Chicken and Avocado Napoleans

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

I adore Grilled Chicken and Avocado Napoleans. They are so simple, but completely delicious. I hate spicy, but for some reason I love the kick of cayenne in the dressing with the cool avocado and flaky, buttery, amazingly delish puff pastry. It's pretty much perfection.
The first time I had this recipe I knew it looked good, but it seemed a tad odd to use puff pastry for a sandwich. I am forever converted. You truly must try it yourself to understand, but it's quite amazing.

We usually eat these napoleans with a little spinach, or greens, but we were completely out on this particular evening. I didn't care. I had a hankering and was more than willing to forgo the greens.
Have you ever even had Puff pastry? It's purty darn delicious. We don't make our own. Why slave for hours to make something that Pepperidge Farm does so well? They make a fantastic puff pastry, and so I stick with them.

This recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis, so unfortunately I cannot take the credit, but I'm all about sharing recipes that are delicious even if I didn't think it up myself.
.

Grilled Chicken and Avocado Napoleons

2 (9 by 10 inch) sheets of frozen puff pastry, thawed and cut into 12 rectangles.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Kosher Salt

Olive oil for drizzling

3 Tb low fat or reduced fat mayo

1/4 ts Cayenne pepper

1/2 Large Avocado, thinly sliced

2 cups Baby Spinach

Place an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat to 400. Line baking sheets with parchment. Using the tines of a fork, prick the top of the pastry all over. Cover with parchment and place another baking sheet on top. Bake for 25 min (ours took 23 min) or until golden. Remove from pan and let cool.

Preheat a grill pan and season both sides of chicken with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Grill until chicken is cooked through, about 5-6 min on each side. Set aside to rest.

In a small bowl, mix together mayo and cayenne.

To assemble: Place pastry on a work surface. Slice each chicken breast diagonally into 6 (1/4 inch thin) slices. Place 3 slices of chicken on pastry and top with 1/4 of spinach. Place 1 avocado slice on top. Spread 1 ts of mayo mixture on the underside of another piece of pastry to create the middle layer. Place on top. Repeat the layering with a pastry ending as the top.

Mini Savory Chicken Handpies

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Mini, Savory Chicken Handpies are the perfect fix for a Holiday Appetizer.
It's always a little tricky to figure out what to take to a Holiday party. Or, if you are hosting I feel like it's even worse. The food is all up to you and it had better be good because you know that people are going to come hungry. I hate deciding what to make for guests. I rack my brain over it for weeks until the party. I always want to take something that looks wonderful, doesn't take too much time so I'm not slaving in the kitchen, but most of all I want it to taste amazing since I know that so many different people will be sampling it.
These little pies are filled with creamy chicken, broccoli, and red peppers. The flavor is fantastic, and I adore the creaminess from the filling with the flaky crust of the pies.

I know that these will be the perfect solution to your Holiday Appetizer Problem, and even if you don't have a party to attend, you could always make one big pie for a Holiday dinner that is sure to impress.

Mini Savory Chicken Handpies
Recipe by Me

2 Tb butter
2 Clove Garlic
2 tub Knorr Homestyle Chicken Stock
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
8 Oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup Half and Half or Whole Milk
Pinch of Salt and pepper
1 Large, cooked chicken breast, shredded
1 Cup Broccoli, chopped
1 Tb Fresh Parsley, Chopped (if you use dry only use 1 ts)

1 Savory Pie Crust (recipe at the end of the post or use any you like)

Place the butter, and the Knorr Homestyle Chicken Stock in a saute pan over medium heat. Once melted add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the red pepper, and saute another 2 minutes, or until softened. Add the cream cheese, milk, and seasonings. Whisk to combine and remove from the heat.
Add the chicken, broccoli, and parsley in a large bowl with the creamy mixture and fold all together. Set aside.

Heat the oven to 425.

Roll out the pie crust, and using a biscuit cutter or a glass, cut circles out of the dough. I just use a regular drinking glass to get the little circles. Place a little filling, about a tablespoon, in the center of a circle. Place another circle on top and press around the edges to seal it shut. Use a fork to go around the sides to create a tiny version of a pie crust. Use the scraps to create leaves, stars, etc as a decorative topping.

Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 20-30 minutes (ours took about 26, but it depends on the size of the pie)

Savory Pie Crust

1 1/2 C flour

1/2 cup plus 1/8 cup Crisco

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 egg (beat the egg in a small bowl and pour out half of the mixture)

1/2 Ts Apple Cider Vinegar

Cold water (read the rest of the instructions for the amount)

Place the flour into a mixing bowl with the shortening. Cut together until it looks like corn meal.
Then, in a 1 cup measuring cup, combine 1/2 egg (slightly beaten), and apple cider vinegar. Fill the cup with cold water up to 1/2 cup. Combine the wet and dry ingredients & stir with a fork until combined. Then use your hands to clump the dough together in a ball.
Flour the counter and roll out the dough.

Chocolate Andes Mint Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:49:00 +0000

These cookies are a cinch to make, and while you may have already been sold on the peppermint chip cookies I think you would be wise to give these puppies a try.

.I'm off for the weekend to enjoy a much needed break with the family. I hope you all enjoy your Holiday weekend!
Merry Christmas!

Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies
Recipe by me

1 1/4 Cup Butter,softened (MUST be softened)
2 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Ts Vanilla
2 1/2 Cup Flour
3/4 Cup Unsweetened Hersheys Cocoa
1 Ts Baking Soda
1/2 Ts Salt
1 Cup Andes Mint Baking Chips

Heat the oven to 350.

In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until smooth and lightened in color. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together all of the dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix only until the ingredients are well incorporated.
Stir in the baking chips.

Spoon onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack.

Chocolate Peppermint Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

These cookies and the mint chip, which will be Thursday are all from the same cookie, but it's amazing how different the chips make them. I asked a bunch of people which cookie they preferred and everyone had a different opinion, so of course I have to show all three kinds.
Chocolate Peppermint Chip Cookies
Recipe by me

1 1/4 Cup Butter,softened (MUST be softened)
2 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Ts Vanilla
2 1/2 Cup Flour
3/4 Cup Unsweetened Hersheys Cocoa
1 Ts Baking Soda
1/2 Ts Salt
1 Cup Andes Peppermint Baking Chips

Heat the oven to 350.

Spoon onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack.

White Chocolate Peppermint Oreos

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

These White chocolate Peppermint Oreos are one of my new favori te Holiday Cookies. They are more rich than just a basic oreo, but in a very good way. You must go buy the Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking CHips. They are wonderful and there are so many things that you can do with them.

I took these cookies to a cookie exchange with Cookies for Kids' Cancer. It was a lovely time and I so enjoyed getting to know fellow bloggers. It was probably one of the nicest little brunches that I've been to because everyone was so mellow and kind. I love that. I hate the ones that everyone is just trying to one up or self promote. It's just not as fun. Please make sure you check out their website, Cookies For Kids' Cancer. It's such a wonderful cause. And be sure to make these cookies for Santa. I'm sure you will adore them!

White Chocolate Peppermint Oreos *white chocolate frosting follows*
Recipe by Me

1 1/4 Cup Butter,softened (MUST be softened)
2 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Ts Vanilla
2 1/2 Cup Flour
3/4 Cup Unsweetened Hersheys Cocoa
1 Ts Baking Soda
1/2 Ts Salt

Heat the oven to 350.

Spoon onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack.

Frost the underside of one cookie and then place another on top. Devour!

White Chocolate Frosting

Recipe By Me

Make sure you buy the real baking white chocolate and not chocolate chips

6 Oz White Chocolate (I use ghirardelli chocolate and each square is one oz)

1/2 Cup plus 1 Tb Heavy Cream

1/2 Cup Butter, Unsalted, Softened

4-5 Cups Powdered Sugar (I used just over 4, but one time needed almost 5 for some reason)

1 Cup Andes Peppermint Chips

Place the white chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl, and heat for 30 second intervals, stirring between each one until smooth and melted.

Add the butter and powdered sugar to the chocolate and using a hand mixer, mix until smooth. Fold in the peppermint chips.

Bacon, Apple and Applewood Cheddar Grilled Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:30:00 +0000

This applewood smoked cheddar is a new favorite. Of course I had to turn it into a Bacon, Apple, Cheddar Grilled Cheese

I hate lunch time with all of my heart and soul. Really, I do. I hate thinking up something to eat for myself, and for my kiddos. Especially during the Holidays. You tend to have more people in the house even if it is just your own family. I like to have some good ideas for quick, but totally delicious lunches, so I don't feel so bugged by lunch time. It's even more important when you have guests and you don't want to offer everyone a plain ol' PB&J for lunch. Meet, Bacon, Apple and Applewood Cheddar Grilled Cheese.

The cheese is by Ilchester and you can find them in your Gourmet Cheese Section. Mine happened to be on sale which was even better. If you cannot find the Applewood Cheddar, just use another good quality cheddar or smoked cheddar. You'll want that flavor, trust me. I love how deep the flavor is in the cheese melted all over the smoky, salty bacon, and then you get this amazing burst of sweet from the apple. I know it sounds weird, but I PROMISE that sweet and salty are made for each other. Didn't you ever have an apple with cheese growing up? Come on? Someone?! A good bread is also a must. Mine's our homemade wheat, but you just use whatever good quality bread you prefer.

Bacon, Apple and Applewood Cheddar Grilled Cheese

recipe by me

2 Slices Hearty Wheat (or white) Bread
A couple Slices Of Ilchester Applewood Cheddar Cheese
1 Sweet Apple (I used Honeycrisp), peeled and sliced thin
2 Slices Bacon, cooked
Butter for grilling

Layer the cheese, cooked bacon, apple slices, and a little more cheese on the bread. Place the other slice of bread on top and butter the bread.

Heat a pan to medium heat and place the sandwich butter side down. Let grill until perfectly golden, meanwhile butter the top. Flip and grill until golden again. This is one grilled cheese I like to press down a little to help the cheese seal in the fixings.
Eat up!

Did You Know That Wednesday-Free DIY Christmas Decorations

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0000

OK, not such a lovely photo. Sorry :( You get the point though right??

I learned this from my darling neighbor, Amelia.
Did you know that you can go to any home depot, lowes (really any store that does trees) and ask for the trimmings? They give you them for FREE and you can come home and whip up any ol' decoration. Like the centerpiece above. I already had everything, I just threw the branches around the tea light cylinder. Or, the bough on my front door. Tie them all together with ribbon and ta-da!!!

Great tip huh?

Golden Loaded Potato Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:30:00 +0000

I happen to adore free stuff, but even better than me receiving I adoooooore giving it away. Our winner, via random.org, of the Turkey Fryer courtesy of Butterball and Masterbuilt is...

Alysun who said, "My dad usually does a deep fried but he didn't this year. It wasn't the same."

Congratulations!!!!! You are going to LOVE it!

I used to think that potato soup was nothing special. Good, warms you up, a quick meal, but nothing delicious and craveable. Totally, completely, wrong. I'm literally craving this soup as I sit here and write about it. There are a few things that make this soup special.
First, this soup is made with Golden Yukon Potatoes. They are creamier and a little more delightful.
Second, that Knorr Homestyle stock rears it's head again. It adds flavor, and fat without adding a ton of butter or bland, liquidy stock. It truly does make a difference.
Third, the honey. I know what you are thinking, "This is weird", but you couldn't be more wrong. Promise. The creamy soup, with the salty bacon and sharpness from the cheese are all begging for a little hint of sweet. If I didn't tell you it was there you probably wouldn't even know it. Well, in this picture you can see the drizzle around the soup, but anyway.

One thing about the Holidays is that although they are so fun, they are also so busy, stressful and crazy. I love the idea of having a family gathering and making it a soup potluck. You get to concentrate on being together instead of a big, huge crazy meal. Plus, I love seeing all of the family favorite soups that arrive. It's so fun!

Golden Loaded Potato Soup
Recipe by me

5 Medium to Large Yukon Gold Potatoes, cut in half
2 Tb Unsalted Butter
1 Tub Knorr Homestyle Chicken Stock
1 Small Onion, Chopped Fine
2 Tb Flour
3 Cups Skim Milk
2 Cups Heavy cream or Half and Half
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1-2 Tb Honey
Kosher Salt to Taste (I did about a ts)
Pepper To taste

6 Sliced Cooked bacon (we bake ours in the oven at 425. Trust, it's better in the oven)
Extra Sharp Tillamook Cheese, shredded
Sour Cream
Extra Honey for drizzling

Heat a large stock pot, filled with water, to mediumm-high. Add the potatoes and cook until just tender. Drain the potatoes, and peel off the skins. I left a few pieces on, but you don't have to.

Chop the potatoes into 1/2" pieces and set aside. Take 3/4 of the potatoes and mash them. Add them back in with the potatoes.

Return to your stock pot and heat it up to medium heat. Add the unsalted butter and the tub of Knorr Homestyle Stock. Heat, whisking occassionally until melted, and add the onion. Cook until transleucent, about 3-4 min. Quickly whisk in the flour and continue to whisk for about 1 minute in order to cook out the flour taste. The mixture should be clumpy, and golden in color.

Add the cream and milk, whisking as you pour in order to dissolve the lumps. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn down to simmer until it begins to thicken, about 5-10 minutes.
Add the sour cream, honey, and seasonings. Add the potatoes back in, and continue to cook for another 5-10 min.

Serve in bowls, topped with cheese, bacon, sour cream and a drizzle of honey. You will love it!

Crimini Tartletts

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Don't forget to enter to win your very own TURKEY FRYER!!!

These Crimini Tartletts are so stinkin' easy, but oh sweet deliciousness! They are packed full of flavor and they are super filling. You do not, I repeat, DO NOT, miss any meat at all. Promise. In fact, I think it would be wonderful to make a regular sized one for dinner and serve it alongside a nice, light salad. For reals. The crimini mushrooms are more meaty and I love the little zip that you get from the red peppers. Plus, who doesn't love cheese?! The Knorr Homestyle Beef stock is essential. I know I say that a lot, but seriously. Remember that this comes in a little tub and the flavor is incredible without all of that watered down nonsense. I just saved on a bunch of ingredients and steps by just using that. The parsley is also a must. It brightens the whole appetizer and brings on a little freshness to a warm, gooey, juicey tart.... mmmmmmmm, told you I love them!

One of the best things about this dish is that it only has a few ingredients and hardly any prep work. That's kind of a big deal if you think about it because if you are planning on taking this to a party or serving it for your guests you can worry more about getting ready than sweating in the kitchen. Speaking of taking it to a party, if you do take it I would just bake it until almost done and then add the cheese and stick it in the hosts oven for a few minutes to finish it off. It's no biggie, and hopefully your host is kind enough to not care. You could always try the ol' wrap them in foil and stick it in a carrying case, but I do love fresh food.

Crimini Tartletts
Recipe By Me
**Remember that cleaning mushrooms should just be wiping them with a paper towel. No cleaning by rinsing with water!**

1 Clove of Garlic, Minced
1 Tb Onion, minced
2 Tb Unsalted Butter, divided
6 Oz Crimini Mushrooms, cleaned, sliced, and cut in half (just to create more bite sized pieces)
1/2 Large Bell Pepper, Sliced, and cut in half
1 tub Knorr Homestyle Beef Stock
1 Sheet Puff Pastry, Thawed (I use Pepperidge Farm)
Gruyere Cheese
1 small Handful Parsley, chopped

In a medium saute pan, heat 1 tb butter over medium heat until perfectly melted. Quickly add the onion and garlic and turn the heat down to medium-low. Let the two cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and peppers, and cook stirring occasionally for another 5 min.

Add the last tablespoon of butter and the homestyle stock. Gently fold the mixture until the butter and stock are completely melted and everything is well coated. Cook on medium-low for 15 minutes or until everything is incredibly tender and juicy.

Heat the oven to 400.

Lightly flour the counter and lay out the puff pastry. Using a glass, biscuit cutter, etc of your desired size, cut out circles and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. (You don't want these suckers to stick, so I do recommend the paper)

Use a paring knife (or butter if you need to), score the dough about 1/4 inch in. In other words, make a small circle inside of the large one so as to create and crust, or side on the tart. Add a few little dashes in the center too. Scoring it will allow the edges to rise, but not the middle to you have a cute, little tart.

Fill each center with a spoonful of your mixture and place the entire pan in the oven for 12-15 minutes. The time is going to depend on the size of tart you make. Mine took about 14 minutes, your tart could vary.
Once the time is up, open the oven and pull the rack out, and add a shaving or two of the Gruyere cheese. Place back in the oven for another 2-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the tart is golden.

Sprinkle with fresh, chopped Parsley and serve immediately!

Funeral Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:30:00 +0000

I guess I grew up in a weird place because I had never heard of "funeral potatoes" until moving to Utah. Everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE has their own recipe for this potluck favorite. I hear that they are well known everywhere, but that people call them all sorts of different things. I was a little hesitant at first, but upon trying them I can see why everyone loves them. I looooove the cheese-y potatoes with the crunchy topping! It's delicious. I just had one hold up... What's with all of the cream of something soup? I wanted real ingredients, and although I did do the normal cornflake topping, I think I'll do Panko next time. I loooved the flavor in these REAL Funeral potatoes.

Funeral Potatoes
Recipe By Me

3 tb Unsalted Butter
1 Medium yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tb Knorr Homestyle Chicken Stock
1 3/4 Cup Hot Water
1 Cup milk
1 Ts Worcestershire Sauce
1 Dash Hot Sauce
1 1/2 ts salt
1/2 ts pepper
2 cups shredded, Tillamook Extra sharp cheddar cheese
26-ounce bag frozen shredded hash browns
1/2 cup light sour cream

Topping
2 Tb Unsalted Butter, Melted
2 1/2 Cups, slightly crushed CornFlakes

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5-6 minutes.

Quickly whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute in order to cook out the flour taste.

Combine the chicken stock and hot water and stir until the stock has melted out evenly. Add it to the milk in a liquid measure and slowly whisk into the butter and onion mixture.
Add the salt, pepper, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Take the pot off the heat and add the sour cream. Then stir in the cheese until smooth. Mix in the frozen hash browns, lifting and folding the mixture until well combined.

In a medium bowl, toss the lightly crushed cornflakes with the butter until evenly combined. Scoop out the potato mixture into a 9X13-inch baking dish and top with the buttered cornflakes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly around the edges.Remove from the oven and let sit for about 10 min and then serve!

Banana Dulce De Leche Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Please excuse the grainy instagram photo. I wanted to show you what was going on inside of the pie since I forgot to snag a pic later. Oh, and please forgive me for the store-bought graham cracker crust. I just wasn't in the mood to take on one more thing.

This pie is rich, but amazing. I absolutely loooooved it. I think it would be good served as bars too. I can picture it now... mmmmmmm.
So, you fill your pie crust with bananas, top with dulce de leche and then top it with "Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding" from Paula Deen. Oh my. It's wonderful. There's truly nothing else I can say. Just, go make it, tomorrow.

Banana Dulce De Leche Pie

1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust
2 Bananas, sliced
1 Can Dulce De Leche

1 Cup Milk
1 3.4 Oz Box French Vanilla Instant Pudding
4 Oz Neufchatel Cheese, Softened
1/2 (of a 14 oz can) Can of Sweetned Condensed milk
1/2 Container (6 oz) Cool Whip, defrosted

In a large bowl, combine the pudding and milk and set aside.

In another bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, and then add the sweetened condensed milk and beat again until smooth.
Add the pudding into the cream cheese mixture and stir until evenly combined.

Add 1/3 of the cool whip to the bowl, and gently fold it into everything. Add the remaining cool whip and fold until completely combined. Adding a little at a time is keeping it lighter vs just whipping it all together.

Layer the sliced bananas on the bottom of the pie crust and pour the dulce de leche all over it. You most likely will only use 3/4 of the can. That's fine.
Add the filling on top and chill for at least a few minutes before serving