Sweet Basil

Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Gratin

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0000

My girlfriend said that this is the first recipe she has ever heard me say that I love. I'd say that this must be some pretty darned good Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Gratin. Wouldn't you?
Well, I do pick apart everything that I cook because I want it to turn out perfect before I post it to you guys, but I truly did love this dish. I totally ate it for lunch the next two days, which pretty much NEVER happens.

One of the best parts about this gratin is that you can actually taste the squash and sweet potatoes. Sometimes things are drowning in the cream and cheese so much that it feels like a cream overload. I also love the gruyere cheese. It's flavor melds perfectly with everything, so it's almost hard to tell if it is alone or in the sauce. I love that.
My favorite, favorite, favorite part is the sides and very top where the Gruyere gets a little more crisp. MMMMMMMM, I love the crispy cheese on the sides of the pan. LOVE IT!

This is a fantastic side dish, but I see nothing wrong with eating it with a lovely spring salad. Hooray for changing up the basic potatoes augratin for something a little more sophisticated, but still just as easy and delicious!

Sauce
1 Tub Knorr Homestyle Chicken Stock
2 Tb Butter, unsalted
1 Clove of Garlic, minced
2 Heaping Tb Flour
4 oz Cream Cheese
3 Cups Whole Milk
1/2 Ts Nutmeg
Salt And Pepper To Taste

Gratin
1 Small (2-3 lbs) Butternut Squash, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Medium Sweet Potato
Salt And Pepper
1-1 1/2 Cups Shredded Gruyere Cheese

In a sauce pan over medium heat add the Knorr Homestyle Stock and Butter. Melt together and add the garlic, cooking for 30-60 seconds or until fragrant. Quickly whisk in the flour until the butter mixture clumps together. Continue to stir for 1 minute to remove the flour-y taste.

Add the cream cheese and continue to stir in order to melt the cream cheese into everything. As the cream cheese begins to melt, whisk in the milk. Continue to whisk until smooth. Add the seasoning and about 1/2 ts each of salt and pepper. Taste, and season more if needed. Allow the sauce to simmer until thickened. Remove from the heat.

Heat the oven to 375.

Grease the bottom of an 8x9" baking dish. Layer the sweet potato and squash slices going, sweet potato, squash, sweet potato, squash until the bottom is covered in a single layer. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over everything and drizzle about 1/4-1/3 cup of sauce over the top. Sprinkle 3 tb of cheese over the sauce and repeat layering the squash and sweet potatoes, salt and pepper, sauce and cheese ending with the cheese as the very top layer.

Bake at 375 for 45min or until tender and bubbling. Enjoy!

Lemon Roasted Broccoli

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:12:00 +0000

I love how fresh and different this Lemon Roasted Broccoli is. Broccoli can so easily be the same ol' boring thing, but not only does this change things up it also brightens up the broccoli. I love the extra crunch and nuttiness from the toasted pine nuts and, the saltiness from the Parmesan and I adore the freshness from the lemon zest. It's delicious. If my kids could eat it, I think you can too. It's our new favorite way to eat broccoli.

In other news, yesterday was our 7 year anniversary. My husband surprised me with a trip to the Zermatt Resort in Midway, Utah. It was wonderful. We loooooooved every minute of our weekend. We went night swimming at the crater (if you've seen the Bachelor this season that's the crater we swam in) we ate out, got a massage, and pretty much just relaxed all weekend. It truly was so lovely. Not to get all sappy on you,

but I truly married the best man I've ever met. He is hands down my best friend. He is so observant and loving. I love that he knows exactly what I like and what I need. I dated a guy once who was really good at being "lovey dovey" etc, but the problem was that 1. he did most things because he wanted the same thing returned to him, not because he was all about making me feel good, 2. He did things that meant something to him or that he thought was sweet, instead of taking the time to think about what I enjoyed or loved. When I was dating Cade that was one of the first things I noticed. He did everything because he cared about me and wanted to, not because he was doing it to feel something or get praise for himself, and he noticed every little thing about me and would do things for me that he knew would mean something to me. I love that.
So happy and blessed to have a relationship that I can honestly say that I love him more each and every year, and I cannot imagine ever being happy with anyone else. Happy 7 years love!

Lemon Roasted Broccoli

4-5 Cups Of Broccoli, stalks cut short
3 Cloves of garlic, sliced
2-3 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
Kosher Salt
Fresh Black Pepper
1 Ts Lemon Zest
2 Ts Lemon Juice
1 Tb Pine Nuts, toasted
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Heat Oven to 425
Toss the broccoli, oil, garlic, salt and pepper on a cookie sheet. Roast for 20-25 min.
Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, and 1/2-3/4 tb olive oil.

Remove the broccoli from the oven, and toss with pine nuts, lemon juice mixture, cheese and lemon zest. Serve immediately.

Copycat Chili's Molten Lava Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Don't you dare tell me that you've never had a Molten Lava Dessert at Chili's. Don't. You. Dare. A few years ago I was in Hawaii and we were STARVING, the first and only restaurant that we foundwas a Chili's. Random eh? We had this baby for dessert and while we may not really be cake people, this is soooo delicious!

The dessert is a moist, chocolate cake filled with a delicious fudge sauce, topped with ice cream that has a chocolate shell on it. It is served warm and the cold ice cream is a delicious contrast.

I think you could make mini cakes in whatever you want, but mini bunt pans, or Texas sized Cupcake pans work fantasty. At first I tried to slice off a little from the bottom so that it sat flat, but I found that the sauce seeped through some of them, so instead I just hurried and turned them out onto a wire rack upside down and because they were still hot it just flattened the dome for me. I also think it would be wise to remind you that when you are making your domes be very mindful of how far down your knife reaches. As you are cutting it's easy to forget and accidentally poke through the bottom.

Copycat Chili's Molten Lava Cake
Fudge Sauce From Krysta

1 Duncan Hines Fudge Cake Mix and ingredients
Vanilla Ice Cream
Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping
Caramel Sauce
Hot Fudge, recipe follows

Mix the cake mix according to instructions and bake in a Texas size muffin tin according to package instructions. Turn out to cool. (Remember you will be eating these upside down so you'll want them level)

Hot Fudge
1 Cube Butter, Unsalted
1 Cup Evaporated Milk
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Pinch of Salt
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
Melt all of the ingredients in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to boil and stir for two minutes.Remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir for one minute.
Allow the fudge sauce to cool.

Once the cupcakes and fudge are cool, use a serrated knife, at a slight angle, so carefully cut a well out of the bottom of each cake.

Fill the cake with the fudge sauce, wrap in saran wrap and freeze for 1 hr or up to a few days.

Once you are ready to serve, heat each cake in the microwave for 35-45 seconds or until warmed through. Drizzle caramel over the cake and the plate (it really is delicious to get little bits of caramel bites). Quickly top with vanilla ice cream and pour the chocolate shell topping over the ice cream. Serve IMMEDIATELY. Enjoy!

Did You Know That... Wednesday- Tips for cooking rice

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:33:00 +0000

Did you know that...

You can keep your rice from clumping and sticking together by washing it a few times until the water runs clear and then set it aside for 20 minutes or until no water remains. Washing the rice rinses a lot of the starch off of the rice which allows it to cook without clumping.

During the cooking process you can also add 2 drops of lemon juice which will not only help keep the rice from sticking together, but it will help the rice become bright white instead of dull!

Hoisin Glazed Meatballs

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Hoisin Glazed meatballs for a Valentines day at home.

How do you do Valentines Day? Do you go out to celebrate or do you stay home? Do you exchange gifts or just lots of love and snuggles? We aren't big Valentines Day people at my house. For starters our Anniversary is the 19th, so it's a lot right on top of each other, and for another thing, we both find it more of a hassle to try to go out in the crowds. It's just too annoying. We would rather stay home with the kiddos and have a cute little meal together.

One fun thing to do is to go with a theme. Now, I know that meatballs is kinda pushing it with this Asian theme, but it's the meat that the husband requested. So, instead of your basic steak, shrimp, surf and turf, etc for Valentines, why not take a trip around the world? You could decorate with paper lanterns, chopsticks, little gold and red streamers and fortune cookies. Then serve up these awesome Hoisin Glazed Meatballs with steamed veggies, ginger salad, or edamame. End with a delicious dessert, everyone saying why they love the other person and then snuggle up on a the couch for a favorite movie from the year you started dating. Yeah?

If you aren't in the mood for meatballs just use the sauce over chicken, beef or even just chicken wings!

Hoisin Glazed Meatballs
Recipe By Me

1 1/2 Lbs Ground Turkey
2/3 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 Egg
1/4 Cup Milk
1 1/2 Ts Ground Ginger
1/4 Ts Salt

Hoisin Glaze
1 Tub Knorr Homestyle Chicken Stock (Found at Smith's or Harmons in Utah)

1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 Ts Sesame Oil
1 Tb Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 Tb Hoisin Sauce
1 Tb Oyster Sauce
1/3 Cup White Sugar
2 Ts Corn Starch

Place the egg into a small bowl and whisk a little. Add it with all of the other ingredients to the turkey into a bowl and mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until evenly combined.

Heat the oven to 350.

Heat a skillet to medium high heat and add 1 tb oil. Grab a heaping tablespoon of meat and pat into a round ball. As soon as the oil starts to smoke add the meatballs and immediately tun the pan down to medium. Cook the meatballs on each side until brown. (See this tip for making meatballs) Place in an 8x9" pan and loosely cover with foil. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through, depending on the size of your meatballs.

Meanwhile, heat a saucepan over medium heat. Squeeze the tub of Knorr Homestyle Stock into the saucepan with the vinegar. Let the stock begin to melt and then add all of the other ingredients except the corn starch. Let cook for 3-5 minutes. Bring the sauce to a boil.

Place the corn starch in a small bowl and add a little (about 1 tb) of the hot liquid. Whisk it to combine the corn starch and liquid. Slowly drizzle the cornstarch mixture into the sauce, whisking vigorously. Let cook until thickened, about 2-5 minutes.

Serve over hot meatballs, and cooked rice.

(This is a sponsored post as part of the Knorr4 promotion. All opinions, recipes and content all come directly from yours truly!)

Love Potion- Italian Soda

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Ppppffffff (that's me trying to hold back a laugh). Can you see my running shoes? LOL! Yup, I had just worked out, done yoga, and made a yummy raspberry Italian Soda. Awesome.

Listen, if you have kids, you must make a fun drink on Valentines Day. I found one on Pinterest I want to try too, but I had the stuff and know how for this delicious concoction so I started there. My little one and her friend were full of giggles drinking their little versions of this "love potion". Gosh, I love kids. Aren't they just the best?

This drink is super yum to add a swirl of heavy cream to, but I was out, so I opted to go without and instead I added a dollop of whipped cream to the top. It still ended up mixing in a bit, and it was AMAZING. So bubbly and I love the raspberry flavor. Feel free to use any flavor btw.

Love Potion/Italian Soda

6 Oz Club Soda
4 Oz Torani Flavored Syrup
1/3 Cup Crushed Ice
Whipped Cream

Pour the club soda in a cup, add the syrup, top with whipped cream and a swirl of syrup for color on top of that. Enjoy!

Valentine Brownies- Red Velvet Brownies With Cream Cheese Filling

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Making these red velvet brownies was so fun for me. I had my 5 year old help with everything and she thought that making red brownies was awesome, then I showed her that we were cutting them into hearts and she was thrilled. I love little moments like that. In fact, I believe those little moments are essential to life. A little reminder every now and again about what's really important and to slow down and play a little. I'm already planning out my own Valentines Day surprise for the girls and while I don't know exactly what it will entail I'm loving getting ready for it. Love, love, love my little family.

Sometimes I feel like Valentines day, in fact often I feel that Valentines day is such a waste. I don't need a day to do something special for my loved ones. But, this Valentines day I feel like it's Thanksgiving. I feel so thankful for a darling husband and children who see the best in me and look past my faults. It sometimes feels like you can't move past your faults even by loved ones because they think of you a certain way etc, but my little family always sees me for who I am becoming, not who I've been etc. This Valentines I want to live up to that more, love a little more, speak kindly a little more, and show a whole lot more appreciation. How lucky are we to have love no matter if it's for a pet, family member, significant other etc? Love is definitely a blessing and life just wouldn't be the same without it.

Red Velvet Brownies
Recipe By Me

1 Box Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake Mix
1/3 Cup Evaporated Milk
3/4 Cup Margarine, Melted and cooled
1 Cup White Chocolate Chips
1 8 oz package Cream Cheese, softened
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 Tb Milk
1 Ts Vanilla

Mix the cake mix, evaporated milk, and margarine in the bowl of a standing mixer until smooth. Set aside to thicken for a moment.

Heat the oven to 350.

Grease a 9x13" baking dish and spread 1/2 the dough onto the bottom. Bake for 6 minutes and remove from the oven.

Sprinkle the white chocolate chips all over the brownie and drop dollops of the cream cheese mixture. Wait a minute for the cream cheese to begin to soften and melt into the chocolate. Very carefully spread the mixture all over the brownie.

Pick up heaping tablespoons of the remaining dough and flatten into the palm of your hand. If your hands are too warm if will melt into your hands. You can try spraying your hands with cooking spray, chilling the dough in the fridge and running your hands under cool water. Place the dough all over the top like a patchwork quilt, until it is completely covered.

Bake again for 16-19 minutes. Cool on the counter and then place in the fridge to help chill the filling even more. Remove 20 min before eating to bring back to room temp.

Did You Know That Wednesday-Tips For Making Meatballs Round

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:47:00 +0000

If you are anything like me making meatballs round can be a bit annoying. I hated that mine always ended up looking like squares, or weird, awkward pyramids. I just could not figure out what I was doing wrong. I like to brown mine in a pan and then finish them in the oven. I love the crust that the browning creates, but the oven keeps them super tender. So what could I do? Well, here's how I move mine in order to keep them round.

First, start out with your hot pan and the bowl of your meatball mixture close by. Not letting the meatballs sit and rest in a pan, but instead quickly making them and placing them in the skillet helps them stay round.

Second, after the first side is cooked instead of flipping the meatball over to the other side (like you would a piece of chicken) flip the meatball onto one of its sides.

Third, once that side is cooked flip it onto the reverse side from the first that you cooked. Think in terms of chicken. You cooked it, but instead of flipping it over you flipped it onto its side. Now, you want the underside cooked. Flip to it.

Fourth, Flip onto another side, and continue to cook any little corners that are undercooked so that you are getting rid of any points.

I know that's a little tricky, but if you think about the top and bottom as steps one and three and the sides are the other steps you should be good to go.

Isn't that better?

Salt To Honey

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:53:00 +0000

Last week we had the fantastic opportunity of checking out the Junior League of Salt Lake's 4th and most recent cookbook. Junior League of Salt Lake has sold over 145,000 copies of their past cookbook, and this one is bound to do awesome. The recipes are from various home cooks, chefs, and restaurant owners.

The recipes are fantastic because not only do they feature great Utah's Own products, but they are a great example of what recipes are being made in the home right now during our generation. As I was sitting at the table munching on different samples I kept thinking, "you would not see kale, quinoa, espresso caramel bars etc 15 years ago." Well, you would have, but the average at home cook was probably not thinking about it. Don't you agree? Our taste buds are reaching new heights and this cookbook totally keeps up with the new food trends.

I think it was such a fantastic idea to have so many recipes from a wide variety of people. Chefs, restaurant owners, home cooks all in one place. Now the cookbook appeals to even more people. I always feel like if some other at home cook can make it then it must be something that I can do too. And, if a real chef loves it then it must be good.

Check out these little cuties. Aren't they perfect? Like I said, the cookbook features many Utah products and I'm such a huge believer in using products that are locally available. It's great for our own economy and I love the quality of the foods. They aren't being made in some huge factory clear across the world where who knows what goes into it, but instead a friendly neighbor who is working hard to grow or produce the product made it. Love that.

You can purchase your own cookbook after this Thursday at a variety of stores around Utah. I do hope that you will grab one. I think you will love the recipes and the beautiful pictures throughout the book.

Super Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:26:00 +0000

The Super Bowl is this Sunday and whether you watch it or not it's a great excuse to whip up some delicious snacks.

The Appetizers section, under recipes on the menu bar is full of fantastic ideas ranging from dips to egg rolls.

Looking for a good chili or soup? Check out Soups under recipes on the menu bar.

And of course don't forget dessert!

If you are still looking for sides, snacks, etc those are also listed under recipes. I love to have a lot of options and trust me there are plenty to choose from!

Homemade Twix Candy Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:30:00 +0000

Today is the last day to enter to WIN $250!! All you have to do is tweet me what you would save on your Superbowl groceries if you used the Amex blue cash card that gives 3% back. Make sure you use the hashtag #bluecashmeifyoucan
It should look like this...
"@ohsweetbasil I would save (insert dollar amount) #bluecashmeifyoucan"

Sometimes you just need a Twix candy bar. I love them. Those and 100Grand Candy Bars. Don't you think they are delicious? We pretty much never buy candy, but when we do it's usually just a simple candy bar. My husband isn't much for candy, and I am kind of the same. We tend to prefer warm cookies from the oven over processed candy. With that being said I'll repeat, sometimes you just need a Twix.

A few weeks ago we were at home watching a movie and we split a Twix. I immediately thought, I think we could make these. And ever since I've been thinking up just how to get it done.
Success! The other day I decided to just go for it and while (as you'll see below) the first batch, the one I photographed due to time constraints didn't turn out as beautiful they really did taste just like a twix candy bar.

Continue Reading...

These are so much easier than you think. I bet you could whip them up for game day and everyone would devour them.

You will want to work with the caramel rather quickly, and if it does start to harden just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds at a time until it is soft again.

Also, it would be wise to wait a minute before dipping the bars into the chocolate. If the chocolate is still super hot it will be harder for you to keep the shortbread and caramel together.

They look pretty good huh?! I personally think the shortbread should be chilled for an hour before slicing and baking so that they are a little more crisp, but everyone else loved them, so it's up to you.

HomeMade Twix Candy Bars

Recipe by me

Shortbread

4 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 pinch of salt

1 1/2 Ts Vanilla

1 Cup Of Sugar

4 Sticks of Butter, unsalted and softened

Place all of the ingredients together in the bowl of a standing mixer. Mix on low until the dough just starts to come together and increase to medium until a ball of dough forms.

Place the dough on saran wrap in a flattened disk. Place in the fridge for 1 hour. (you can skip this step depending on how crisp you want the shortbread)

Roll out to about 1/4-1/2" thick and slice into "sticks". I found that creating a very small channel in the top helped to hold in the caramel. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Let cool completely.

Caramel

1 Bag or 2 Cups of caramel squares

2 Tb Evaporated Milk

Heat the caramel and evaporated milk together in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until smooth.

Let the caramel cool for a minute. Using a teaspoon, scoop a little caramel and drizzle it down the length of the shortbread. I used my finger to help everything go in the right place.

Let the caramel harden for a few minutes or until smooth, and not sticky to the touch.

Chocolate

One package Milk Chocolate Almond bark

Heat in a microwave safe dish (I preferred to use a Pyrex 8x8 for easier dipping), stirring occasionally until smooth.

Let cool for a minute and drop in the twix. Use a fork to push chocolate over the top of the candy, slide the fork under the length of the candy and let a little drip off. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet until the chocolate has hardened. Enjoy

These can be stored in an airtight container, or frozen.

Pizza Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Don't forget to tweet to me @ohsweetbasil how much you could save on your super bowl spread if you used the blue cash card from American Express which gives you 3% back. Use hashtag #bluecashmeifyoucan and you could win $250!!

This Pizza Dip comes from Amy, an old friend who is one of the easiest people to get a long with and talk to and who happens to be quite the sports fan. I certainly can't keep up with her. Years ago she brought this delicious pizza dip to a Super Bowl Party and it became a fast favorite.

I probably shouldn't even be posting this recipe since I can feel everyone's thighs growing larger by the moment (mine included), but isn't pizza and dip what the Super Bowl is all about? So what better way to celebrate than to combine the two?!

Continue reading for the recipe...

We prefer to eat our pizza dip with Stacy's Pita Chips, but you can certainly make your own. I guess I just feel like Stacy's does such a great job, so why worry about one more thing to bake. Right? I'm sure you are going to love the gooey, creamy, cheesy dip with the crisp pieces of pepperoni all over the top. In fact, I'm sure it will become a favorite dip for you and your family.

Pizza Dip
Recipe Adapted from Amy

1 8 Oz Package Cream Cheese, Softened
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1/2 Ts Garlic Powder
1 Pinch of Salt
1/4 Fresh Parmesan Cheese, grated, plus 1 tb more for the top
1/2 Cup Pizza Sauce
3/4 Cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
1 3.5 oz package Pepperoni, chopped
1/2 Ts Italian Seasoning

Pita chips for serving

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft and creamy. Add the sour cream, garlic powder, salt, and parmesan cheese. Stir everything together and place in an 8x8 inch baking dish. Spread the pizza sauce over the top and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Cover the entire dip with the pepperoni and then lightly sprinkle the italian seasoning, and extra parmesan cheese over the top. Bake at 350 for 30 min or until bubbly.

Serve immediately with pita chips.

BLT Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Do you have Twitter? Wanna win $250? I thought so. Just enter by tweeting to me how much you would save on your super Bowl Groceries if you had the AMEX blue cash card that gives 3% back with the hashtag #bluecashmeifyoucan
Your tweet should look like this, "@ohsweetbasil I would save (insert amount) on my groceries! #bluecashmeifyoucan"

I was trying to think up a new twist on a classic BLT the other day and my mind started to wander to the Super Bowl and what dip to make. Every party needs at least one dip. In my own personal opinion that is.
I couldn't help but wonder about doing a BLT dip. Something a little different than the typical dip, but still warm and creamy. I think next time I will toast the baguette and probably double the actual dip, but other than that this was a total score. We loved it. It is not healthy in any way, but if you want to you can at least pretend it is with all of that chopped lettuce on top. We used Red Leaf, but if you must do iceburg.
Continue reading...

See? Don't you think that toasted baguette slices would be better? I do. This dip truly is delicious and I'm excited to see what all of you think.

BLT Dip
Recipe By Me

1 Cup Mayonnaise (we use the olive oil one)
1 8oz Package Neufchatel Cheese, softened (cream cheese is fine)
1 Clove of garlic, minced
1 Pinch of Salt
Chopped Lettuce
1 Chopped Roma Tomato
2-3 slicesCooked, Chopped Bacon
Warm Baguette

Mix together (I used a food processor) the mayo, neufchatel cheese, garlic, and salt until smooth.

Place in an 8x8" baking dish and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Remove from the oven and top with lettuce, tomato and bacon. Serve with slices of baguette.

Serve

Parmesan Fries and $250 to you!

noreply@blogger.com (Carrian) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:30:00 +0000

If I must tell the truth, and I must, we are obsessed with these Parmesan French Fries.

*wait, pause, hold on. Do you have twitter? Do you want to win $250? Yes?
K, if you were using your Blue Cash American Express Card to purchase your SuperBowl Spread you could get 3% cash back on your superbowl groceries.Click Here for more deets about Blue Cash Sooooo here's what you need to do:

Head over to Twitter and tweet to me at @ohsweetbasil what you would earn by using the blue cash card on your superbowl spread using the hashtag #bluecashmeifyoucan. I'll pick a winner to recieve $250 from American Express by Friday the 3rd. Super easy yeah? So, go get tweeting! **

This picture does not do these babies justice. We've had this version three times and every single time I plan on taking a photo and instead end up chowing down. This time they didn't turn out perfect because the hubby cut them a little weird, but they were still delicious.

There is something about a good, hot, delicious french fry. I hate crappy fries. Especially when they are cold. Here in Utah I like JCW's fries or Iceburg and I love JCW's "special sauce". LOVE IT. But our ultimate favorite fries come from Communal. It's like Heaven on Earth. Literally. These fries are a little like those.

Continue reading for the recipe...

Our parmesan fries are baked, not fried (I feel like a commercial) and we add some fresh, chopped parsley to freshen it all up. You have two ways that you can make these fries and either way will turn out great. If you are looking for the lighter version, follow the recipe, but if you are looking for a buttery pile of hot cheese-y fries go for the parenthesis. At least once go for the more fattening version. Just once.

Parmesan Fries
Recipe by Me

4 Russet Potatoes washed, and sliced into thin fries
1 Large Bowl Ice water
Olive Oil, Plus Unsalted butter for the baking sheet
2-4 Tb Unsalted Butter, melted
Kosher Salt
Parmesan Cheese (obviously fresh is best especially if you use a microplane to grate it, but if you must the kraft will work)
Fresh Parsley

Place the sliced fries into the bowl with the ice water and refrigerate for 30 min. This will help the outside of the fries to cook slower, allowing the inside more time to cook before the outside browns.

Preheat the oven to 425.

Drain the fries well. Melt about 1/2 Tb butter and mix it with about 1/2 tb olive oil. Coat a baking sheet with the mixture and place the fries on the pan. Toss in the oil mixture. Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 10 min, flip the fries and cook another 10-12 min or until beginning to turn golden and tender. Remove from the oven and brush with the additional melted butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and place back in the oven for 5 min.

Remove the fries to a paper towel lined plate, and sprinkle lightly with salt (parmesan is a saltier cheese, so you don't need as much as you'd imagine) and a little fresh, chopped parsley. Enjoy!

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.