Pink Parsley

Milk Chocolate-Brownie Ice Cream

2012-03-01T21:12:00.000-08:00

I have been pretty over-the-top-obsessed with brownies lately. I've probably saved close to a dozen brownie recipes in the past month or so, and I just can't get enough. And it's safe to say that ice cream is always an obsession. Now if I had to choose? Put your hands together (Friends, anyone?). This is far and away the best ice cream I've ever made. It's a milk chocolate base, which basically tastes like pure milk chocolate. And then dense, chewy brownies are mixed into the ice cream just after it's churned. It's serious stuff. I've been rationing it over the past week or so, because I could easily just eat the entire quart in one sitting.

When I mentioned to my friend Annie that I wanted to make this ice cream sometime soon, she pretty much insisted that I make it ASAP. And since I actually had a few egg yolks left after needing whites for dinner that night, I knew it was fate. That night, I made the brownies and the ice cream base. While the brownies were baking, I mixed up the ice cream base, and then the next morning I churned and froze it. Easy peasy.

I know it's not summer yet, blah blah blah, but I eat ice cream year-round, so whether it is hot, cold, rainy, snowy, or if you're lucky enough to live in Atlanta and have perfect weather right now - make this ice cream. You won't be sorry.

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Milk-Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream.
barely adapted from The Perfect Scoop, by David Lebovitz

For the brownies:

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1¼ cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
½ cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

For the ice cream:

8 oz. milk chocolate (at least 30% cacao solids), chopped
1½ cups heavy cream
1½ cups whole milk
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
4 egg yolks
2 Tbs Kahlua (optional)

To make the brownies, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, and lightly spray with cooking spray.

Add the butter to a small saucepan and melt. Whisk in the chopped chocolate and stir just until melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour and salt. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula. Smooth the batter into the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the center feels just set. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Cut into small bits to be mixed into the ice cream. (Only half of the brownies are needed for the ice cream. The remainder can be eaten whole or frozen for later use).

To make the ice cream, combine the milk chocolate and heavy cream in a micowave-safe bowl.. Microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring in between. When melted, set aside and set a mesh sieve over the top of the bowl.

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, sugar and salt. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. When the milk mixture is warm, slowly add to the bowl with the beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and continue to heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens just slightly and coats the back of a spoon (170-175˚ F on an instant-read thermometer). Remove from the heat and pour the custard through the strainer into the milk chocolate mixture. Stir in the Kahlua.

Cover and chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator (preferably overnight). Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once frozen, fold in the brownie bits with a spatula. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.

Crab & Avocado Quesadillas with Mango Salsa

2012-02-28T18:53:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful that we've had such a mild winter, but even so, I'm getting antsy for spring and summer. And more specifically, I'm getting antsy for a tropical vacation. Alas, this dinner is as close as I'll be getting for a while, but it will have to do.

I've made a lot of quesadillas in my day, but these rank up there as some of my favorites. The crab and avocado go really well together, and the sweet-spicy mango salsa is a perfect complement. The avocado is mashed up, then the crab, some Monterey Jack cheese, and a few herbs and spices are mixed in. So you basically make a "crab guacamole." Which sounds kind of weird and maybe a little disgusting, but when I tasted it to adjust the seasonings, I pretty much wanted to just grab a bag of tortilla chips and go to town. The mango salsa comes together really quickly, and this recipe makes more than you'll need - I trust that you can find something to do with the leftovers though (see above comment re: tortilla chips). These are quick and easy, relatively healthy, and go perfectly with a margarita. I'm not sure what else you could possibly want?

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Crab & Avocado Quesadillas with Mango Salsa
adapted from Fine Cooking
makes 4 quesadillas

Mango Salsa

1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped small
1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
2 scallions, minced
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup minced red onion
kosher salt

Quesadillas

1 avocado
2 scallions, minced
2 Tbs minced cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup crabmeat, picked over
1/4-1/2 tsp hot sauce (I prefer Choula)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 8-inch flour tortillas
oil, for the tortillas.

To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Set aside while you make the quesadillas.

In a medium bowl, mash the avocado with a fork until it's almost completely smooth. Fold in the scallions, cilantro, lime juice, cheese, hot sauce, crab meat, and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings with additional lime juice, hot sauce, and/or salt.

Prehat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Fold the tortillas in half and brush both sides with canola oil. Cook a few minutes per side in the skillet, until the tortilla is golden-brown and the filling is heated through. Slice into wedges and serve with the mango salsa.

Scoop about 1/2 cup of the avocado-crab mixture onto the bottom halves of each of the tortillas.

Lasagna-Stuffed Portabellos

2012-02-26T18:25:00.000-08:00

I'm of the mentality that you can pretty much stuff a mushroom with any combination of meat, cheese, and herbs and have it be delicious. So one day I was thinking about making a layered casserole/lasagna of sorts, using roasted portabellos instead of noodles, and the idea to just use the mushrooms as a vessel for the filling popped into my head. And lasagna-stuffed mushrooms were born. I suppose I could tout these as a low-carb alternative to lasagna, but truth be told, I'm not into low carb at all, these are actually just a vessel for lots of cheese.

While I absolutely love lasagna and it definitely ranks as one of my favorite foods, the biggest drawback is that I find it to be pretty time and labor intensive. These stuffed mushrooms are the solution to that - quick, easy, and just as satisfying. If you really want to go the extra mile, you could serve the mushrooms over a bed of noodles and get the whole experience. I also had some filling left over, and I spooned it into some button mushrooms. They were just as good served as a smaller portion, and would make a great appetizer or addition to a spread of Italian food.

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Lasagna-Stuffed Portabellos
Pink Parsley Original

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, divided
1 Tbs olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 portabello mushroom caps
1 cup ricotta (part-skim or full -fat)
1/4 cup Parmesan, plus 2-3 Tbs for sprinkling over mushrooms
4 oz. fresh mozzarella, divided
2 Tbs chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
about 1 cup marinara sauce

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Use a butter knife to scrape the gills out of the mushroom caps.

In a small bowl, combine half the garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Brush the inside and outside of the caps with the mixture, and roast cap-side down for about 10 minutes. If the mushroom gives off water, blot it up with a paper towel.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl stir together the ricotta, remaining garlic and Italian seasoning, Parmesan, 3 ounces of mozzarella, basil, and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the marinara into each mushroom cap, then stuff with the ricotta mixture. Spoon about 1-2 teaspoons of sauce over the ricotta, then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella over the sauce.

Bake 10-15 minutes, or until the filling is heated through and the cheese has melted. Serve with additional marinara.

Salted Caramel Brownies

2012-02-23T19:36:00.000-08:00

There are people in the world who don't like sweet and salty together. I just don't understand. That's like saying you don't like kittens. But I guess these people do exist, and in my opinion, they just don't know what they're missing. For those of you who do like sweet and salty, then these brownies are for you. They are the ultimate sweet and salty treat. You have two main components to this dessert - a thick, fudgy, dense and chewy brownie, and a homemade salted caramel sauce. Unlike these caramel brownies, these aren't so much caramel filled as they are caramel enhanced. It's not its own distinct layer - it just kind of melts in the rest of the brownie, leaving them incredibly moist and chewy, with that wonderful sweet and rich taste from the caramel. Sprinkle the tops of the brownies with a combination of fleur de sel and coarse sugar, and the sweet/salty combo is reinforced. And you're in heaven.

I actually made these on a whim one rainy Sunday, and because the temptation to eat the entire pan was just too great, I sent them to work with Joey. He reported back that they were all gone by lunch, and a few people emailed him to tell him how delicious they were. I'd definitely call that a success!

The recipe for the salted caramel makes more than you need for the brownies, but I trust that you can find something to do with it: eat it by spoonful, drizzle it over a brownie for extra caramel goodness, serve it with some ice cream.... or for the ultimate treat: Brownie - ice cream - caramel- whipped cream. Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

Salted Caramel Brownies
barely adapted from Baked: Explorations

For the Salted Caramel Sauce:

1 cup sugar
2 Tbs light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp fleur de sel
1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

For the Brownies:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbs Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
11 oz good quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (preferably 60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
splash of Kahlua (optional)
1 tsp fleur de sel
1 tsp coarse sugar

To make the caramel, combine the sugar and corn syrup with 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Carefully stir them together, trying not to splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 350 degrees, about 6 to 8 minutes. It should be dark amber in color, but keep a close eye on it, as caramel goes from perfect to burnt and ruined in no time flat. Remove the caramel from heat, and carefully stir in the cream. It will bubble up, so be ready! Whisk in the sour cream or Greek yogurt, and set aside to cool.

To make the brownies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder.

Combine the butter and chocolate in a large microwave safe bowl and cook at 30 second intervals, stirring well in between, until the chocolate and butter have melted. Add both sugars and whisk until combined. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

Add three of the eggs and whisk until just combined. Whisk in the remaining two eggs, vanilla, and Kahlua, and whisk just until combined.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the brownies and use a spatula to fold it into the wet ingredients, until there are just small traces of the flour visible

To assemble the brownies, pour half the batter into the prepared baking dish. Drizzle 3/4 cup of the caramel over the brownie batter, being careful not to let the sauce come into contact with the edge of dish. Use and offset spatula to gently spread the caramel evenly over the brownie layer, then drop the remaining brownie batter over the caramel. Again, use the offset spatula to gently spread it in an even layer.

Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached.

Remove the brownies from the oven and sprinkle with the salt and sugar Cool completely before cutting and serving.

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Surprise Weekend in Richmond

2012-02-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in the post last week for Courtney's Virtual Shower, a few of us surprised her with an actual-real-life-in-person visit. To put it succinctly, it was pretty much the most awesome weekend ever.

Courtney from Cook Like a Champion, Annie of Annie's Eats, Tara of Smells Like Home, Elly from Elly Says Opa, and I have an email chain, and we've been emailing pretty much daily for almost a year now. These ladies are truly some of my best friends. We have seen each other through some pretty awesome times and events, and unfortunately some devastating events as well. Through it all, these girls make me so happy, and I feel so so fortunate and blessed to have them as friends.

At the end of 2011, we got the idea to fly to Richmond, Virginia and surprise Courtney with a visit before she welcomes her sweet baby girl into the world. I contacted her husband, Eric, and he was all for it. The hardest part was most definitely keeping it a secret from her. She knew he was planning a surprise for her, so it was really funny to hear her speculate and guess what was going on. But we pulled it off! Sadly, Elly wasn't able to join us for the weekend, and we missed her terribly.

Annie connected through Atlanta, and we were able to take the same flight to Richmond. We both absolutely hate flying, but being able to chat the whole time definitely made it much easier. Basically from the time I met Annie at the gate until we said good-bye on Sunday afternoon, it was a nonstop gab-fest. I'm pretty sure the only silence the entire trip was when we were all eating!

So Eric made dinner reservations at one of Courtney's favorite restaurants for Friday night, and Tara, Annie, and I were waiting at the restaurant when they showed up. She actually walked right past us, and it wasn't until the hostess was showing them to the table that she noticed us. We expected her to go nuts and scream, cry, laugh, etc, but I think she was just in shock. It was still pretty hilarious though. She was pretty much just like "Hiiiii guys..." Sadly we didn't take any pictures at dinner - we were too busy running our mouths and stuffing our faces!

So after an amazing dinner, we headed to the hotel. And then proceeded to stay up way too late talking and laughing. The next morning, we threw Courtney a mini-shower at a local restaurant, LuLu's. The brunch was absolutely incredible. Tara, Annie, and I all ordered the shrimp and grits, which was pimiento cheese grits, shrimp, a spicy tomato-etouffe-style sauce, two poached eggs, and hollandaise. Seriously so delicious. And pimento cheese grits: what a revelation!

After showering Courtney with adorable baby girl gifts and chatting for way too long (notice a pattern here?), Courtney took us out to explore Richmond a little bit. I had my first Penzey's experience, and it was all I had hoped it would be and more. We walked around the store, sniffing spices, talking about food and cooking... and I managed not to completely buy out the entire store ;-)

We then meandered over to a chocolate store that Courtney had been wanting to visit. And Oh. My. Goodness. It was quite literally, chocolate heaven. Every kind of chocolate, candy, truffle, or fudge that you can imagine was there. I have no idea how long we stayed there, but it wasn't long enough. Again, I somehow managed not to buy one of everything, but I definitely did some damage with truffles, chocolate covered espresso beans (I bought raspberry-chocolate, vanilla latte, and Irish cream varieties), peanut butter cups the size of my hand, some caramels, and a cute little Valentine's Day box of chocolates for Caroline.

And then came the part we'd all been looking forward to: cooking together! We actually didn't even discuss what we'd like to make beforehand, or even at all up until that point. So we headed to Courtney's to peruse our iPads, magazines, and Courtney's cookbooks. It was really cold, and actually started snowing, so we decided on comfort food. We eventually decided on my Baked Tex-Mex Pimento Cheese Dip, Chicken Pot Pie with a Savory Crumble Topping, and a fancy pound cake for dessert.

After a quick trip to Starbuck's and Whole Foods, the fun really started, and we got to work! Joey had jokingly asked that if we all cooked together would there be "too many cooks in the kitchen?" But that wasn't the case at all! We just all took turns chopping, sauteeing, cooking, etc. One of two of us would work while the rest of us chatted and took pictures, and before we knew it we were chowing down!

So how ironic is it that when four food bloggers get together, we'd have a massive kitchen fail? The aforementioned pound cake was exactly that. As we dissected the situation afterward, we realized that the recipe was pretty flawed, and I'm pretty sure we are all making it our mission to recreate it with success sometime in the very near future. But we all had a good laugh at the irony of the situation, and luckily Courtney had some Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake on hand so we didn't have to go without dessert. What a travesty that would have been! Courtney to the rescue!

After dinner we just sat around for a few more hours talking. We all knew the weekend was coming to an end, but none of us wanted to acknowledge it. We stayed up so late, that at one point I wondered if we were going to even go to bed at all. But finally, we made our way back to the hotel, where Annie and I ended up staying up even later chatting.

The next morning we said our teary good-byes and headed home. I have been thinking of a way I could describe the awesomeness of the weekend, but I just can't seem to put it into words. I keep thinking of things to mention, and there's so much more that I want to tell you about this weekend, but I feel like this post is already way too long. So I'll just say this. You know how when you hang out with a good friend who you haven't seen in a while, and it feels like no time has passed? That's kind of how it was. We literally talked and laughed the entire weekend. These girls just "get" me. And I love them all so so much. We decided that this WILL be a yearly occurrence, and that Elly WILL be joining us next time. Now to just pick the time and place....

Thanks again to Courtney and Eric for their hospitality. Congratulations again on Baby C, and we can't wait to see you guys again!!

Braised Balsamic Chicken with Tomatoes and Swiss Chard

2012-02-21T18:33:00.003-08:00

We've had a fairly mild winter this year (yay!), so I haven't really been craving all the wintery comfort foods that I typically do. We've eaten a surprising number of salads and seafood dishes, and overall haven't been eating as many soups, stews, and braises as usual. However, this meal was definitely one that we thoroughly enjoyed (on a 60 degree day in January, at that).

Chicken thighs are braised in a flavorful liquid of red wine, chicken broth, tomatoes, and thyme. Anchovies are also used, and while that may seem like a turn-off, I'd definitely discourage you from omitting them. They give the dish a great depth of flavor. After the chicken is cooked, the swiss chard is cooked in the braising liquid, and a balsamic reduction is added to the sauce just before serving.

I absolutely loved the combination of flavors going on. The tomatoes and balsamic vinegar create such a great sauce for the mild Swiss chard and the tender chicken. It was hearty, comforting, and filling, without being overly rich and heavy. I served this over Parmesan cheese grits, but I think it would also be great with mashed potatoes, polenta, or rice - really anything to soak up the sauce.

Braised Balsamic Chicken with Swiss Chard and Tomatoes
barely adapted from Cook's Illustrated

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and skin
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion , halved and sliced about 1/4 inch thick (about 2 cups)
1 Tbs tomato paste
3cloves garlic , minced
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes , drained
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Tbs chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
12 oz Swiss chard , washed and dried
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle both sides of chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering; add chicken thighs skin-side down and cook without moving them until skin is crisped and well browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer thighs to large plate.

Pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat from pot. Add the onion and tomato paste and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon, until tomato paste begins to darken, about 3-4 minutes (if bottom of pot becomes very dark and sticky, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water). Add garlic and anchovy and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, chicken broth, and wine, scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon. Add red pepper flakes, thyme, and bay. Remove and discard skin from chicken thighs, then submerge chicken bone-side up in liquid, adding any chicken juices accumulated on plate. Increase heat to high, bring to simmer, cover, then place pot in oven. Cook until chicken offers no resistance when poked with tip of paring knife but meat still clings to bone, 40 to 55 minutes

While chicken cooks, trim stems from Swiss chard. Roughly chop the leaves.

Also while chicken cooks, simmer balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until thick, syrupy, and reduced to 1/3 cup, 3 to 5 minutes (begin measuring volume when vinegar begins to cling to sides of saucepan). Set aside.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to plate and tent with foil; discard bay leaf. Bring liquid in Dutch oven to simmer over medium-high heat. Add chard greens and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir about 1/3 cup sauce into balsamic reduction to loosen, then stir the mixture into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to sauce, cook until heated through, about 2 minutes, turning chicken once or twice. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chard to serving dish or individual bowls; place c
chicken thighs on chard, then spoon sauce over. Serve immediately.

Note: I halved this recipe with no problems.

Creamy Stovetop Mac & Cheese - Italian Style

2012-02-19T18:27:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, I used to love going to my friends' houses for dinner. Since I was a vegetarian, their moms never knew what to feed me, and inevitably ended up making the blue box of macaroni and cheese. This was particularly exciting for me because my mom NEVER made it. She always made mac and cheese from scratch, and me being a bratty kid, of course wanted it from the box. Obviously I now see the error of my ways, and I am no longer a fan of the blue box, but Velveeta Shells and Cheese remains as my biggest guilty pleasure. Which is why I've never been tempted to try a stove top version of macaroni and cheese. If I had an emergency craving, I would just turn to the box. But this homemade version comes together in just about the same amount of time, and while it's certainly not healthy, at least it's not full of additives, chemicals, preservatives, and artificial ingredients.

And can one ever have too many macaroni and cheese recipes? I think not. There are just so many varieties, you see. So even if you have a really really good classic variation, it's always nice to have other options as well. You know, just in case you have a specific cheese craving. This particular dinner was born out of necessity. I am usually pretty good about sticking to my menu plan, but one night for some reason or another my planned dinner fell through. So as I surveyed the pantry and fridge, I noticed that I had everything I needed for macaroni and cheese, but we were all hungry, and didn't want to wait long to eat.

Enter stove-top mac and cheese. It's embarrassingly quick and easy, and as I'm about to tell you, this recipe is open to so many variations. I got this recipe from Annie, who used called for a combination of Gouda and Parmesan, and also called for Greek yogurt. She got the recipe from Shanon, who used Emmenthal and creme fraiche. And I used Fontina, Parmesan, and Ricotta. I'd imagine you could make more variations as well: Gruyere, cheddar,Swiss, Monterey Jack, maybe even Brie... the possibilities really are endless.

More Mac & Cheese Love
Classic Macaroni and Cheese

Fonitina, Mushroom, and Prosciutto Shells and Cheese

Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese
Shrimp and Feta Macaroni and Cheese

Fontina Shells and Cheese

Italian-Style Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese
significantly adapted from Macaroni and Cheese, via Annie's Eats and The Curvy Carrot

12 oz. dried pasta shapes (smaller shapes work best)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs minced shallot
pinch of nutmeg
1/8 tsp dried mustard
8 oz shredded fontina or mozzarella cheese
2 oz shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup milk, half-and-half, or cream
4 oz. Ricotta cheese (full-fat or part-skim are both fine)
2 Tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta to al dente, according to the directions on the package.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water (I used to always forget to save the water, so now I put a measuring cup in the strainer while the pasta is cooking, so I don't forget).

Return the pasta to the pot and stir in the garlic, shallot, mustard, and nutmeg. Add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring well between each addition. Stir in the ricotta, butter, and milk, and stir until all the cheese has melted and the sauce is creamy and smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Crab and Brie Stuffed Mushrooms for Courtney's Virtual Shower

2012-02-17T02:00:00.000-08:00

I don't even really know how to start this post about my good friend Courtney. I'm afraid that no matter what I say, it will sound trite and won't convey how much I adore her. She is truly one of the sweetest, most genuine, adorable, and all-around-awesome girls I've ever met. When you have really great friends like Courtney, the distance doesn't really matter so much. We talk almost every day via email and/or text, so it feels like she's right here in Atlanta sometimes. But it's extra awesome when you actually get to hang out in real life. And lucky me, I've gotten to hang out with her three times!

We were roomies at Blog Her Food in Atlanta last year, and of course we stayed up way too late all weekend talking and laughing. Then, I was able to randomly meet her for lunch one day as she was passing through Atlanta with her husband and adorable dog. And finally, last weekend, a few of our blogging friends turned real life friends surprised her with a visit to Richmond! It was a virtual-shower turned real-life-shower, and was awesome to say the least. I'll be posting more about our adventures next week.

Courtney is expecting a baby girl in just a few weeks, so today I am excited to host a virtual shower for my sweet friend. Below are all the dishes that her friends and blogging-buddies contributed, so be sure to visit their blogs for the recipes. And stop by Cook Like a Champion to congratulate Courtney and Eric on their impending bundle of joy! They are going to make the best parents, and I can't wait for them to welcome their little girl into the world!

Amy of Sing for Your Supper has a brand new baby girl herself, so she knows exactly what Courtney has to look forward to! She mixed up a Virgin Peach Sangria to enjoy. This looks so fruity and refreshing, and perfect for a baby shower. I loved drinking mocktails when I was pregnant, and I still do. I can't wait to try this!

Nikki of Pennies on a Platter made these adorable Cream Puffs with Strawberry-Mascarpone Filling. I love this play on strawberry shortcake, and I never would have thought to serve cream puffs this way. So cute!

Annie from Annie's Eats knew that the way to Courtney's heart is through southern food, so she made a sophisticated take on fried okra: Okra-Cornmeal Cakes with Chevre and Roasted Tomatoes. I absolutely love everything about this dish, and I definitely plan on making it myself soon!

Cate from Cate's World Kitchen made these pretty Pink Lemonade Cupcakes. I know the mom-to-be loves lemonade, so what better way to serve it than in a cupcake? Am I right?

Karin of This Wife Bakes is the cake queen, and she baked up this Blood Orange Marmalade Cake I have never heard of blood orange marmalade, but I'm pretty sure I need it in my life stat.

Elly of Elly Says Opa made these absolutely awesome looking Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Meatball Crostini. Seriously, how amazing does that sound??

Our friend Branny from Branny Boils Over made Nutella Swirl Blondies. Courtney, Branny, and I were out for breakfast at Blog Her Food in May when Branny tasted Nutella for the first time. Obviously that is a milestone worth remembering in one's life, so these blondies are a perfect contribution. And how cute are they? I love individual-sized desserts!

Tara of Smells Like Home went all out with these Sweet and Salty Cupcakes. I love the combination, and I'm pretty sure I could eat my weight in these. I also happen to know that Courtney is a big fan of salted caramel, so these are right up her alley. Great job, Tara!!

Shannon of The Curvy Carrot contributed these gorgeous Mushroom and Mascarpone Tarts I absolutely adore mascarpone cheese, and anything with mushrooms is always going to be a winner. Love them!

The lovely Shawnda from Confections of a Foodie Bride made these sweet little Pink Grapefruit Cookies. They are perfect for a baby shower, especially for a baby girl with their pretty pink filling!

These Strawberry Shortcake Sliders from Ryan of Ryan Bakes are so adorable! Miniature food is always more fun, isn't it?! How cute!

Amy from The Gastronome Tart put together these Savory Apple Galettes with a side salad. I love savory baking, and these look insanely delicious!

Kelsey from Apple a Day baked up these gorgeous Raspberry White Chocolate Tartlets. White chocolate and raspberry go so well together, and I know our sweet mom-to-be would absolutely love these pretty little desserts!

And finally, for my contribution. When we visiting Courtney last weekend and were walking around Whole Foods, she let it slip that she'd never tried Brie before. We promptly threw two wheels in her cart, and told her she needed to try it ASAP. So I knew I wanted to incorporate the delicious and creamy cheese into my dish for her virtual shower. These crab and brie stuffed musrooms are pretty much the bomb. Stuffed mushrooms of any sort are always a winner in my book, but stuff them with sweet crab and creamy brie, and you pretty much have the best thing ever. I know that Courtney would love these, and my only regret is that we can't enjoy them together. I miss you, friend! I can't wait to see you again, and I really can't wait to meet that sweet baby girl!!

Crab and Brie Stuffed Mushrooms
Pink Parsley Original

12-16 mushrooms
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup minced shallot
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese (cream cheese can be substituted)
2 Tbs minced fresh parsley
2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup cubed brie (brie, rind removed, cut into 1/4-inch cubes)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup lump crabmeat, picked through for shells
juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms, chop them finely, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss the mushroom caps with 2 tablespoons of oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet, open-side up. Set the bowl aside to use for the filling.

In a medium skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Saute the shallot and reserved mushroom stems until softened, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the mascarpone cheese, and transfer the mixture to the bowl.

Mix in the parsley, lemon zest, Parmesan, brie, and panko. Lightly fold in the crabmeat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the filling into the mushroom caps, and bake 15-20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are browned and the filling is hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and squeeze the lemon juice over the mushrooms before serving.

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Mushroom-Crusted Turkey Burgers

2012-02-14T18:03:00.000-08:00

Last year, Joey took me to one of our favorite restaurants for my birthday. I had a seared pork loin that was stuffed with cheese and prosciutto and coated in a porcini mushroom crust. It was insanely delicious, and I vowed to recreate it then and there. And here we are, almost one year later.... Somehow a mushroom-crusted pork loin morphed into the idea of a mushroom-crusted turkey burger.

It was definitely a great adaptation. To coat the burgers, I ground up some dried porcini mushrooms in the food processor (I used my mini-prep for the job), and then coated the burgers with the powder. I kept the burger itself pretty simple - a few simple herbs and spices and a little bit of the porcini powder. Seared in a skillet and topped with Havarti and a little arugula, these burgers now top the list as on of our favorite meals. I love making fun burgers, and Joey said these are probably his favorite that I've made yet. The mushroom crust gets a little crispy in the skillet, and the earthy mushrooms go really well with the turkey burgers and creamy Havarti. The arugula gives the whole thing a bit of freshness and bite. Ready in under 30 minutes, full of mushroom flavor, and relatively healthy - what more could you want?

Mushroom-Crusted Turkey Burgers
a Pink Parsley Original
makes 4 burgers

1 oz dried mushrooms
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/4 lbs ground turkey
1 scallion, minced
2 Tbs minced fresh parsley
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs oil
4 slices Havarti cheese
4 burger buns, split
arugula, for serving

In the bowl of a food processor, grind the dried mushrooms until they are a coarse powder. Reserve 2 teaspoons of the powder, and transfer the rest to a shallow bowl or pie plate and mix in the salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, reserved mushroom powder, scallion, parsley, mustard, and worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Form into 4 equal-sized patties.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat, and add the oil.

Working one burger at a time, coat the outside with the mushroom powder, pressing lightly to adhere.

Cook the burgers 4-5 minuts per side, or until the meat is cooked through. Add the cheese for the last minute or two, and continue cooking until it has melted.

Toast the buns and serve the burgers topped with arugula.

White Bean Salad with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

2012-02-12T20:13:00.000-08:00

Oven-Roasted tomatoes are pretty much my favorite (healthy) thing ever. Whenever I make them, it's hard to save them for the recipe, when really I just want to eat the entire pan as a snack. But it's definitely worth it to save them for this salad. White beans are one of my favorite types of beans, and they are the base of this salad. They are mixed with the sweet and tender oven-roasted tomatoes, pine nuts, lemon, and goat cheese. This is a wonderful side dish, but it makes a great lunch or light entree served over a bed of arugula as well.

I have had a black bean salad with roasted tomatoes saved for quite some time, but for some reason I thought of turning it into a new salad using white beans, pine nuts, and goat cheese instead of the black beans, feta, and almonds. It just goes to show that it is incredibly versatile, and you can pretty much adapt it to any flavor profile you'd like.

I've been making more of an effort to prepare interesting and healthy side dishes lately, and this one was a triple success: easy, healthy, and it made enough for me to enjoy for lunches for the rest of the week! If you want to add meat and turn it into a heartier main-course salad, then I think chicken sausage, grilled chicken, or shrimp would be great as well.

White Bean Salad with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

inspired by Super Natural Everyday, by Heidi Swanson

1 pint cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
1 Tbs sugar
salt and black pepper
4 cups (2 15-oz cans) cooked Cannellini Beans
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup crumbled Goat cheese
Arugula, for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and position the rack in the top third of the oven. Halve each tomato and place them cut-side up on a rimmed baking sheet. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Pour over the tomatoes and top with cracked black pepper. Cook 45 to 60 minutes, or until the tomatoes shrink a little bit and start to caramelize around the edges. Allow to cool to room temperature before using. The tomatoes can be refrigerated in an airtight container (with their oil) for about 1 week.

To make the salad, combine the beans, most of the tomatoes (with their oil), pine nuts, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Gently fold in the goat cheese, and top the salad with the rest of the tomatoes and some fresh black pepper before serving.

Heart-Shaped Cherry-Nutella Pop Tarts

2012-02-09T18:40:00.000-08:00

Last fall, when I made the Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts, I started thinking of possibilities for other flavors. I've got quite the list going, but this time I chose to go festive for Valentine's Day with cherry pie filling. And in a fly by the seat of my pants decision, I decided to do half of them with a cherry pie-nutella filling. Which turned out to be a very wise decision indeed. While I really loved the cherry filling, the cherry-nutella filling was just over-the-top good. And cutting them into hearts just makes them so romantic, doesn't it?

I used the exact same recipe and method as the pumpkin pop tarts, but instead of cutting the dough into rectangles, I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter. I re-rolled the scraps to get a few more Pop Tarts out of the batch, and I couldn't tell a difference in the quality of the pastry at all.

Since cherries aren't in season right now, I used frozen cherries for the filling. I kept it super simple with a little sugar, lemon juice, and a splash of bourbon, then thickened the mixture with some cornstarch.

This was a really fun project, and I think kids would really get a kick out of making these for Valentine's Day.

Cherry-Nutella Pop Tarts
pastry from these Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts, which are from Joy the Baker

For the Pastry:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbs granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
1 large egg
2 Tbs milk
1 large egg (for brushing the dough)

For the Filling:

12-oz frozen cherries, thawed and drained
2 Tbs sugar
juice of half a lemon
splash of Bourbon (optional)
1 Tbs cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbs water
Nutella (optional)

For the Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2-4 Tbs milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar and salt. Add the cold butter and pulse in 1-second increments until the butter is the size of peas. The mixture should also hold together when squeezed into a ball.

In a small bowl, beat the egg with the milk. Add the mixture all at once to the dry ingredients and process to make sure that moisture is introduced to all of the flour mixture. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for a few turns until it really starts to come together. Divide the dough in two, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes

While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling:

In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and bourbon. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and mix in the cornstarch mixture. Cook until thickened, stirring often, 5-10 minutes. Use a fork to mash the cherries. Set aside until ready to use.

On a well floured work surface, press dough into a 3×5-inch rectangle, roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness. The dough should be slightly larger than 9×12-inches. Trim dough with a pizza cutter, creating a perfect rectangle that is 9-inches tall and 12-inches long. Using the pizza cutter, cut each side into thirds, creating 9 squares. Place dough squares in the fridge while you roll out the second piece of dough in the same way. Alternatively, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the pastry.

Brush one set of 9 squares with beaten egg. This will act as the glue for the top layer of dough. Spoon about one to two teaspoons of nutella into the center of each piece of dough, and then top that with one tablespoon of pie filling. If you aren't using the Nutella, just top the pastry with the one tablespoon of cherry filling. Top with a second piece of dough and use a floured fork to crimp the sides closed. Use the tines of the fork to create vent holes in each tart.

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Let tarts rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes while the oven preheats.

Remove tarts from the fridge and brush the tops with the egg wash. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until light golden brown on top.

While the tarts bake, whisk together ingredients for the glaze and set aside.

Let baked tarts rest on a cooling rack to cool completely, and then use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the Pop Tarts. Best served within 2 days.

Lemon-Garlic Linguine with Mascarpone and Shrimp

2012-02-07T19:05:00.000-08:00

This year, Valentine's Day falls on a Tuesday. If you plan to stay home and cook, I'd imagine that you're looking for a quick and easy meal, but still something that's a little more special than your typical Tuesday night dinner. One that allows you to spend some QT with your honey, and one that doesn't take hours of intense preparation. I've got you covered. This pasta dish comes together in the amount of time it takes to cook the noodles. It is quick and easy, uses few ingredients (most of which I bet you already have on hand), yet it seems fancy. Like something you might order at a cute little bistro.

You start out by quickly sauteing some shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a little butter. The shrimp is then added, and since it cooks quite quickly, you basically begin building the sauce immediately. White wine and lemon juice are reduced, then you mix in the mascarpone (yum), a little reserved pasta water, and the pasta itself. Let it all meld, then give the whole thing a big dose of citrus with some lemon zest. And then you're done. Seriously. Less than 20 minutes. A creamy, garlicky, citrusy shrimp and pasta dish. Happy Valentine's Day!

Lemon-Garlic Linguine with Mascarpone and Shrimp
adapted from Fine Cooking

kosher salt
8 oz dried linguine
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
juice of 1 lemon
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs butter
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 small shallot, thinly sliced into rings
1/8 to 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
2 Tbs minced fresh chives
lemon slices, for serving

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil. Add the linguine and cook until just al dente, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, pat the shrimp dry and toss with half the lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, melt the butter until the foaming subsides. Add the shallot, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring continuously, until the garlic is just turning brown, about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook about 90 seconds on one side. Turn the shrimp, reduce the heat to medium, and add the white wine and half the lemon juice.

Bring to a boil and cook about 1 minute. Add the mascarpone, reserved pasta water, and linguine, and toss to coat. Cook an addtional 1-2 minutes, or until the pasta is well coated and the sauce has thickened. Mix in the remaining lemon zest and juice, and the chives. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary, and serve immediately with lemon slices.

Tex-Mex Chicken Stew (Crock Pot)

2012-02-06T18:50:00.000-08:00

I don't consider myself to be a "dog person." I like dogs fine, but I really have no desire to have one of my own. Plus, Caroline is allergic, so having a dog is just not in the cards right now. However, I always had dogs growing up. We had a Doberman for over 10 years, several stray mutts that we took in, and my dad had a Welsh Corgie, Obi (Wan Kenobi).

Obi was a great dog, and my dad's sole companion for several years, before he married my stepmother. It was with great sadness that he passed away a few weeks ago. The loss of a pet is always a hard thing to deal with. Sure, they aren't people, but they are your friend. Your companion. Your playmate. No one feels this way more than my friend Branny, and she is putting her money where her mouth is and giving back. For every soup recipe submitted to her "Souper Bowl," she is donating $1 to the ASPCA. I totally forgot to submit this, but she was kind enough to let me turn it in tardy :-) I am dedicating this entry to Obi, may he rest in peace.

Now as for the soup, this is a quick and easy crock pot recipe. Tex-Mex flavors are always a big hit in our house, and this was no different. It makes a lot of stew, and I had plans to freeze half of it to save for a busy day. But I ended up eating it for lunch all week, and before I knew it, it was gone. It's pretty healthy, full of flavor, and the best part: low maintenance! Just let it cook all day, and then enjoy that night. As far as toppings go, you could pretty much go crazy. Cheese, jalapenos, cilantro, avocado, tomatoes, onions, tortilla chips.... the possibilities are endless. You could serve this over rice too. And it would be great with cornbread. There is nothing better on a cold and rainy day than a big bowl of soup or stew. That is, unless it's cooked and waiting for you when you get home.

Tex-Mex Chicken Stew
barely adapted from Slow Cooker Revolution
serves 6 to 8

Instead of chopping all the vegetables by hand, I roughly chopped them and then threw them in the food processor. It dirtied an extra dish, but I was in a really big hurry when I was prepping this, so it was worth it to me.

If you are sensitive to or really love spice, feel free to adjust the amounts of jalapeno, cayenne, and chipotle chiles listed below. This had a little bit of heat but was not overwhelming to us.

This cooks for 4-6 hours on low, but I honestly think it would be fine if you let it go longer than that.

1 large yellow onion, minced
1 green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
2 jalapeno chiles, seeds and ribs removed, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 Tbs chile powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (more if you like a brothier consistency)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained (use Rotel if you like extra spice)
1/4 cup Minute Tapioca
1 Tbs brown sugar
3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
salt and pepper
2 cups frozen corn
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Microwave the onions, peppers, garlic, tomato paste, oil, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne in a large bowl, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Stir the broth, tomatoes, tapioca, and sugar into the slow cooker. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into the slow cooker. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender, 4 to 6 hours on low.

Transfer the chicken to a large cutting board, and when it's cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces. If any fat has risen to the surface in the slow cooker, skim it off with a large spoon (this was not necessary for me).

Return the chicken the slow cooker, stir in the beans, corn, and chipotle chiles, cover, and cook on high until heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro, season with additional salt and pepper as needed, and serve.

Red Velvet Oreos

2012-02-05T20:27:00.000-08:00

Is there a cookie in the world that is more universally loved than the oreo? I dare you to find one. So what if you combined the beloved oreo with a classic flavor combination - red velvet? You will end up with one awesome cookie.

I honestly don't know where I thought of this. I'd been wanting to make red velvet cookies, but most of the recipes started with a box of cake mix, and I don't really like to bake out of the box. So I was just driving down the road, thinking about cooking and food (as usual), and the idea hit me like a ton of bricks. Red. Velvet. Oreos. With cream cheese filling, of course. To me, red velvet is characterized by a light chocolate taste, a bit of tang/sourness from buttermilk, and of course the red color. I've had a recipe for homemade oreos saved for months, so I figured I could just adapt it to my liking. Of course I added some red food coloring and decreased the chocolate, but I was stumped a bit when it came to the buttermilk. Should I just add vinegar? Add a few tablespoons of buttermilk and hope it didn't affect the chemistry of the cookie? And then I had another idea: buttermilk powder. Many people keep it on hand so they don't have to worry about buttermilk going bad. Just like powdered milk, you just add water to the powder. But since powdered milk is often used in baked goods, I figures why not try buttermilk powder? And it worked! These cookies are slightly chocolately with that characteristic buttermilky tang. Fill them with cream cheese icing and you have one addicting cookie.

Now that the Super Bowl is over and it's time to start thinking about Valentine's Day, you should definitely consider these cookies as a strong possibility for a festive dessert. They would be so fun to send in with you child to school, or just for dessert or a special snack. They are literally mixed up in minutes, and before you know it you'll be snacking on your new favorite cookie.

These came out a little bit larger than I'd expected, so I've adjusted the instructions below. I found buttermilk powder at my local Super Target, but I'm sure it's also available at most well-stocked grocery stores.

Red Velvet Oreos
inspired by Retro Desserts, via Annie's Eats and Smitten Kitchen

For the cookies:

1 1/4cups all-purpose flour
5 Tbs unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
3 Tbs buttermilk powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
10 Tbs (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 - 2 tsp red food coloring
1 large egg

For the filling:

4 tbsp. (¼ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 oz. cream cheese, chilled
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

In a food processor or the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, cocoa powder, buttermilk powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Pulse a few times to combine. Cut the butter into tablespoon size pieces, and add them to the bowl and pulse or mix briefly to incorporate. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg and stir in the food coloring. Pour into the mixture and pulse or mix until a cohesive mass forms.

Scoop about 2 teaspoons of batter onto the baking sheet. Continue scooping, spacing the dough balls a couple of inches apart. With moistened fingers, gently press down on the dough balls to flatten slightly. Bake for 9-11 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheet.

To make the filling, combine the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar and salt to the bowl and mix on low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

To assemble the cookies, match them up by size. Use a pastry bag fitted with a round tip to pipe a swirl of filling onto the flat side of one cookie of each pair. Sandwich together with the remaining cookie and press down so that the filling reaches the edges.

Cornflake-Chocolate Chip-Marshmallow Cookies

2012-02-02T17:58:00.000-08:00

I know these sound weird and random, but please don't click away just yet - they are so awesome! Don't worry, I thought the same thing at first too. I recently bought Christina Tosi's cookbook, Momofuku Milk Bar, and this is the first recipe I've made from it. The cookbook is unlike any I've ever read before. Every recipe is incredibly unique, and while many make me scratch my head a little bit, judging by the popularity of the restaurant, they should all be pretty delicious. And to someone who enjoys cooking complicated and time-consuming recipes from time-to-time, this book is spot on. Many of the recipes require you to cook at least one component before you can even make the recipe. And many call for some obscure ingredients that may be hard to find in regular grocery stores, but can be ordered from Amazon. So this isn't really a book that you'll cook from on a whim, but that's okay - it gives you something to plan and look forward to. My birthday is in a month, and I've already chosen my birthday cake from this book. I am way too excited to make it and am practically counting down the days. Anything that makes me look forward to turning 30, right?

So when I came across these cookies and saw that they are one of the most popular items on the menu, I knew I should give them a shot. They do require a "pre-recipe," but it is very quick and easy. Cornflakes are lightly crushed, mixed with a few other ingredients, and toasted. That in itself is incredibly addictive, but add that to the cookie dough with chocolate chips and marshmallows, and you have sweet-salty perfection. The marshmallows kind of melt into the cookie, and the cornflakes give them a lovely crunch. They are giant cookies that should be split between two people... but I ate it all myself anyway. And then I ate another one. One of the best parts about this recipe, however is that the dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week. So I baked a few off earlier, and I'm saving the rest for Super Bowl Sunday. Who wouldn't want a giant sweet and salty chocolate chip cookie that's on steroids for the big game?

Cornflake-Chocolate-Chip-Marshmallow Cookies
barely adapted from Christina Tosi's Momofuku Milk Bar
makes 15 to 20 cookies

16 Tbs (225 g) butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
2/3 cup (150 g) light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (240 g) flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
3 cups (270 g/ about 3/4 recipe) Cornflake Crunch (recipe follows)
2/3 cup (125 g) mini chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups (65 g) mini marshmallows

Combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream at medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg and vanilla, and beat for 7 to 8 minutes.

Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined.

With the mixer on low, add the cornflake crunch and mini chocolate chips. Mix until just incorporated, and paddle in the marshmallows until just incorporated.

Using an ice cream scoop or 1/3-cup measuring cup, portion out the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Lightly press down the domes to form a flat top. Wrap the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 week.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Transfer the dough balls onto another parchment-lined pan and space them at least 4 inches apart. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are light brown and the cookies are browning lightly towards the center. As the cookies bake, they will puff, crackle, and spread.

Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pans before transferring to a storage container. The cookies will keep fresh for 5 days at room temperature and 1 month in the freezer.

Cornflake Crunch
makes about 4 cups

5 cups (170 g) cornflakes
1/2 cup (40 g) milk powder (I used malted milk powder because it's what I had on hand, and it was fine)
3 Tbs (40 g) sugar
1 tsp (4 g) koshe salt
9 Tbs (130 g) unsalted butter, melted

Heat the oven to 275 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pour the cornflakes into a medium bowl and crush them with your hands to one-quarter of their original size. Add the milk powder, sugar, and salt and toss to mix. Stir in the melted butter. As you mix it in, the mixture will form small clusters.

Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 mintues, or until they look toasted, smell buttery, and crunch gently.

Cool the cornflake mixture completely before storing or using in a recipe. It will keep for 1 week at room temperature if stored in an airtight container, or 1 month in the refrigerator or freezer.

Bacon Sliders with Bacon-Balsamic-Onion Jam

2012-01-31T19:23:00.000-08:00

Burgers are great, and I love them, but there is something about sliders that is just so goshdarn cute! I've actually made these burgers three times, and I love them the most as sliders. They are very rich and pretty heavy, so I think the smaller portion is the way to go. Incidentally, they would also make great finger food for the Super Bowl. I'm not a huge professional football fan, but I do love eating snack food, so I definitely always look forward to Super Bowl parties!

So what makes these burgers so great? You start with a pretty simple burger - meat, a few seasonings, and the kicker: chopped bacon. Thanks to the fat content of the bacon, these won't really dry out, so you don't have to worry about overcooking them. However, if you make these as sliders, you should be sure to chop the bacon pretty small so that it cooks fully. No one likes pieces of half-cooked bacon, right? The bacon-balsamic-onion jam is the best part of these burgers though. I don't think I even need to elaborate on that anymore. Bacon. Balsamic. Caramelized onions. The end. FYI it is also an insanely wonderful addition to grilled cheese should you have any left over :) I finished these sliders off with some Gruyere cheese, but I think blue cheese would be really great as well. Or even a super sharp cheddar.

If you are looking for more Super Bowl food ideas, check out the Featured Recipes Page. I've updated it with some great options that will all be well-received at any party!

Bacon Sliders with Bacon-Balsamic-Onion Jam
adapted from Fine Cooking, July 2011, via Cook Like a Champion and Annie's Eats

For the jam:

4 thick slices applewood-smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup water

For the burgers:

2 thick slices applewood-smoked bacon
1-1/2 pounds ground beef (85% lean)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
7-8 slider buns or dinner rolls, split
Sliced Gruyere cheese, optional

Cook the bacon in a large skillet set over medium heat until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to paper towels to drain. Discard all but about 2 tablespoons of oil from the skillet.

Add the onion to the skillet, season with salt and pepper to taste, add the sugar, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover and add a splash of water, then scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, mustard and water. Return the bacon to the skillet and simmer until the liquid has thickened and most of it has been absorbed, 2-4 minutes. Transfer the jam to a small bowl, add another splash of balsamic vinegar, and set aside. The jam can be left at room temperature until ready to serve, or refrigerated for up to 2 days.

To make the burgers, mince the bacon. In a large bowl, combine the beef, bacon, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, mustard, and balsamic vinegar. Gently mix into the ground beef, using your hands or a fork. Divide the ground beef mixture evenly into 7-8 portions (depending on the size of your buns), and form each portion into a patty that will fit onto the slider bun.

Heat a large (preferably nonstick or cast iron) skillet over medium-high heat and add the patties. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they reach your desired degree of doneness (I personally like my burgers cooked to medium-well). Top with slices of cheese for the last minute or two of cooking, or place under the broiler to melt.

Toast the buns, add the burger, and top with about 1 tablespoon of the jam. Serve immediately.

Vanilla Bean Scones

2012-01-29T19:52:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned several times before, my daughter Caroline has an egg allergy. She's actually allergic to several things, but that's the only food allergy (that we know of). I know that I should be glad that it's not deadly, and that she is otherwise very happy and healthy, but to be completely honest, it makes me really sad sometimes. Like when we go to a birthday party and all the other kids are eating cake, and she's eating the graham cracker that I brought along for her. Or when she doesn't get to eat the fun snacks at preschool, and just eats her boring goldfish. Last week was "circus week" at school, and when I asked what she had for a snack, she told me that she had her crackers, but that her friends had "cupcakes shaped like clowns." Luckily, she understands that "eggs can make her sick," but I still feel a little tug at my heart when she misses out. I know it's not the end of the world that she doesn't get the occasional cupcake (first world problems, right?), but I hate that she is limited and restricted, and that she'll probably feel left out as she gets older. We are having her retested next month, so we're cautiously optimistic that she's outgrown it, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up.

In any case, when I make things like these scones, it almost makes me forget about her allergy - they are naturally egg free! And insanely delicious, at that. I used the base recipe from these blueberry scones, and adapted it to my liking - adding a vanilla bean, some vanilla extract, and vanilla Greek yogurt - triple the vanilla flavor! I also decreased the salt a bit and added a little more sugar. I had originally planned to top these with a vanilla glaze, but after tasting them, it definitely wasn't necessary. Not to sound overly effusive, but these are easily the best scones I've ever made. I know that vanilla may sound boring, but they are light and fluffy, buttery, perfectly sweet, and the best part is the crispy top and bottom. They are brushed with butter and sprinkled with sugar before baking, and the sugar caramelizes a bit. So perfect. This recipe makes eight scones, and I'm very embarrassed to admit that I probably ate five of them over the course of three days....

Possibly the best part about making these scones was letting Caroline help me, and then taste one. She loved it, and it was so nice to allow her the special treat. When I make things like this, it doesn't make her allergy seem so bad.

Vanilla Bean Scones
adapted from these Blueberry Scones, which are from America's Test Kitchen
makes 8 scones

8 Tablespoons cold butter, plus more for brushing
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup + 2 Tbs granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 vanilla bean, split open and seeds scraped out
1 Tbs vanilla extract
1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk

Grate the butter on the large holes of a box grater onto a plate lined with parchment paper, and freeze.

Preheat oven to 425, and combine the dry ingredients. Stir in frozen butter. Whisk together the vanilla bean, yogurt, vanilla extract, and whole milk, and stir into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon until just combined. The dough will be crumbly, but that's okay.

Turn out onto a well-floured surface, and knead a few times until it forms a ball. Roll out into a 12x12 inch square. Using a bench scraper, fold the dough into thirds, then fold into thirds again in the opposite direction to form a square. Place on the parchment-lined plate, and freeze for 5 minutes.

Roll out to a 12x12 inch square again. Carefully roll up, as you would cinnamon rolls. Press the roll into a 4-inch wide rectangle. Using the bench scraper, cut into 4 equal-sized rectangles. Then cut each rectangle diagonally to make 2 triangles.

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. At this point the scones can be baked or refrigerated overnight. Brush with melted butter, then sprinkle with sugar. Bake 18-25 minutes, or until golden-brown.

Cornmeal-Herb Waffles with Salsa and Poached Eggs

2012-01-26T20:56:00.000-08:00

Oh man, this was a gooooood dinner. Like, really really good. We felt like we were eating a fancy brunch in a restaurant when we had this - something that we never do anymore, but I definitely miss!

The waffles are of the savory variety, containing just a little sugar. They have cornmeal to give them a nice texture, and chives and cilantro for more flavor. Topped with homemade salsa and a poached egg, this was really and truly one of the best dinners we've had in a while.

And speaking of poached eggs, this was my first time attempting them. I'm happy to say that I had great success thanks to Deb of Smitten Kitchen and her step-by-step tutorial (and thanks to my pal Annie for recommending the tutorial)! My eggs weren't the most beautiful poached eggs ever, but they were definitely tasty. I topped the whole thing with some freshly cracked black pepper and a sprinkle of chives and cilantro. I considered adding cheese to the waffle batter, but it really isn't needed. And I suppose if you really wanted to go crazy, you could sprinkle some bacon over the top. But I personally think this meal is pretty perfect as is.

Make this this weekend. I promise you won't be sorry.

Savory Cornmeal-Herb Waffles with Salsa and Poached Eggs
waffles barely adapted from Joy the Baker

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
pinch of cayenne
5 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 Tbs snipped fresh chives, plus more for serving
1 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
salsa
poached eggs

Preheat your waffle iron as you mix the batter. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and place a baking sheet inside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, buttermilk, and herbs. Make a well in the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined - there will still be lumps, and that's okay.

Cook waffles according to the directions for your particular waffle iron. Keep warm in the oven as you cook them all.

To serve, top each waffle with salsa and a poached egg. Sprinkle with additional chives, cilantro, and season with pepper. Serve immediately.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Tilapia with Blood Orange Salsa

2012-01-24T18:57:00.000-08:00

If you are still on the healthy-eating bandwagon for 2012, here is another super delicious recipe for you. Fish is always a good choice when you're trying to keep things light (unless it's beer battered and fried, that is). Seeing as how all things prosciutto are holy, and winter citrus is my obsession right now, this dinner was destined to be a winner. The only beef I have, however, is that my blood oranges were probably the palest ones I've ever seen. I love the deep red, creepy bood oranges, and these were just a little darker than a grapefruit. It's okay though because they still tasted wonderful.

Tilapia is known to be a very mild and unassuming fish - one that some may call bland - but I call it a blank canvas. Wrap it in prosciutto and you give it more flavor, plus some crispy texture. Top it with the blood orange salsa and dressing, and you have a home run dinner. I served this with a simple chopped salad, but I think it would also be great with some orzo, rice, or quinoa. Or serve the whole thing over some salad greens and make it into a big entree salad.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Tilapia with Blood Orange Salsa
adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

4 filets of tilapia
4-8 slices of prosciutto
2 tsp Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

For the salsa:

2 blood oranges
2 Tbsp very finely chopped red onion
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp finely chopped jalapeno (without seeds or ribs)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper

Preheat the broiler and place an oven-safe cooling rack inside a cookie sheet. Spray it lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

Very lightly season the fish with salt, and wrap each filet with 1-2 slices of tilapia. Sprinkle the fish with about 1 teaspoon of orange zest (total, not per filet). Season with pepper and brush with olive oil.

Cook the fish 6-8 minutes, or until the center is completely cooked and the prosciutto is crispy.

Meanwhile, zest one of the oranges into a small bowl. Set a strainer over the bowl and peel and segment the oranges. Cut each segment in half or thirds. Squeeze the juice from the leftover membranes into the bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Add the orange segments, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno and toss to coat.

When ready to serve, top each piece of fish with the salsa, and an extra spoonful or two of the orange dressing.

Kale & Bacon Omelet Baked in a Bread Boule

2012-01-22T19:28:00.000-08:00

There are certain words that just make my skin crawl. I won't bore you with the (longish) list, but one of the biggest offenders is "brinner." I don't know why I hate it so much, but it just annoys me to no end when people say it. Just say "breakfast for dinner." It's really not that many more syllables. And saying "brinner" doesn't really specify what you're eating: it could be eggs and bacon, waffles or pancakes, omelets, oatmeal, cereatl, etc. It's like saying that you're having dinner for dinner. Or lunch for dinner. I just don't get it. However, I'm certainly not against the concept. One of my favorite dinners growing up was eggs, grits, and biscuits. And I'm up for pancakes and waffles any time of the day.

This is one of those ideas that I was annoyed that I didn't come up with on my own. Bake an omelet in a bread boule. Seriously, how ingenious is that?! This particular omelet was really wonderful - lots of kale, Parmesan, ricotta, and just a little bacon. But you could certainly mix up the add-ins with infinite possibilities. Anything you like in an omelet or quiche would be wonderful here. I am pretty partial to this combination though, partly because it is one of the only times Joey has actually enjoyed kale. And not only did he like it, but he ate all the leftovers for breakfast for the rest of the week. Tha'ts definitely a success, considering that he rarely eats breakfast at all.

This was such a unique presentation of an omelet. I can't wait to play around with different variations. And I think it would be so adorable to bake individual servings in sourdough dinner rolls (or really any roll that is hard and crusty). The possibilities are endless!

Kale & Bacon Omelet Baked in a Sourdough Bread Boule
barely adapted from Virginia Willis, Basic to Brilliant, Y'all!

2-3 thick-cut slices of bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
5 cups kale cleaned, stems removed, and chopped
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs water or broth
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 cup ricotta cheese (part-skim is fine)
1 8-inch round sourdough bread boule

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel to dry. Pour off all but 2 teaspoons of the fat. Alternatively, if you want to make a vegetarian version, skip the bacon and heat 2 teaspoons of canola oil over medium heat until shimmering.

Add the onion and cook until softened and golden, stirring often, about 4 to 6 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low, add half the greens, and toss until they begin to wilt, about 1 minute. Add the remaining greens and season well with salt and pepper. Add the water, decrease the heat to low, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are wilted and tender, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the greens to a large bowl, leaving any excess water in the skillet.

Meanwhile, prepare the bread boule. Slice off the very top of the bread and then remove the inside bread in chunks, leaving a shell. Reserve the bread for another use (croutons, bread crumbs, etc). Place the bread boule on the prepared baking sheet.

To the greens, add the eggs, 1/4 cup of the grated cheese, the reserved bacon, the red pepper flakes, and the Dijon mustard. Fold in the ricotta and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the filling into the bread boule and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes, and sprinkle with reserved cheese. Slice into wedges using a serrated knife, and serve.

Short Rib and Porcini Lasagne

2012-01-18T20:01:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just need comfort food. Like when it's cold outside. Or you've had a bad day. Or your toddler has had a fever for five straight days and it peaked at 106 degrees. Or your three month old baby rolls off an ottoman and hits his head. You know, those kinds of days. This lasagne certainly fits the bill. It's homey, it's rustic, and it's utterly delicious.

If you love short ribs, you'll love this lasagne. If you love porcini mushrooms, then you'll love this lasagne. If you love lasagne, then you'll love this lasagne. It's rich and filling, but a little goes a long way, so you don't have to eat a giant slice to be satisfied. Though you may eat a giant slice (or two) because it's so darn good.

Admittedly, it is a bit of an undertaking from a time standpoint. But it's great for when you want to zone out and forget all your worries and just cook. Nothing is terribly difficult or time-consuming, but from start to finish it will take a few hours - but don't let that scare you away. A majority of the prep-time is cooking the short ribs, so that is inactive. And you can actually make them a few days ahead of time, so that will save you a lot of time the day you plan to serve this. If you are feeling particularly ambitious, you can make your own pasta, but I took the easy way out this time and used no-boil noodles. Which surprisingly taste almost as good as fresh pasta once the whole thing has been assembled and cooked.

Once assembled, this lasagne is pretty awesome. The tender pasta, the short ribs (it's hard to go wrong with short ribs), the earthy mushrooms, rich and hearty tomato sauce, and the creamy bechamel all work so wonderfully together. Yes, it takes a long time to make, but what a perfect project for a cold and dreary weekend. While you're at it, invite some friends over to eat. They will most definitely thank you.

Short Rib and Porcini Lasagne
adapted from Fine Cooking, Dec 2011/Jan 2012

3/4 oz (1 cup) dried porcini mushrooms
2 lbs beef short ribs
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
3 Tbs unsalted butter
3 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (low-fat is fine)
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 box no-boil lasagne noodles

In a small bowl, soak the porcini in 1 1/2 cups of hot water for about 10 minutes. Drain, and reserve the soaking liquid. Coarsely chop the mushrooms and set aside.

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 Tbs of the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the short ribs, in batches if necessary, and brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook until it darkens 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and add the bay leaf. Simmer, stirring and scraping up any browned bits as you go, until almost all the wine has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the reserved mushroom liquid and the tomatoes, and bring to a simmer. Return the short ribs to the pot, along with any accumulated juices and the chopped porcini. Cover and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, turning the ribs every 30 to 40 minutes, until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours total.

Use tongs to remove the ribs from the pot and move them to a plate to cool. Pour the sauce into a heatproof bowl and discard the bay leaf. Allow to sit for a few minutes, until the fat rises to the surface. Be sure to get as much fat off as you can, or the tomato sauce will be greasy. Skim it off with a large spoon and discard. When the meat is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the bones and any fat or cartilage. Shred the meat and set aside in a medium bowl.

Make the bechamel sauce. Melt the butter in a 3-4 quart saucepan set over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and cook until golden, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and add the garlic clove. Cook at a gentle simmer, stirring often, until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Fish out the garlic clove and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix the bechamel sauce into the tomato sauce.

Add the lasagne noodles to a large heatproof bowl or casserole dish. Pour enough boiling water over them to cover completely, and allow them to soak about 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are soft and pliable. Drain the water, and when cool enough to handle, line them in a single layer on a lint-free kitchen towel. Pat dry with another kitchen towel.

Assemble and bake the lasagne. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom of the dish and cover the sauce with a slightly overlapping layer of the noodles. Spread 3/4 cup of sauce over the noodles, and add 1/2 cup of the shredded meat over the sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the shredded Parmesan cheese.

Add another layer of noodles, then repeat the layers as instructed above, to make a total of 4 layers of sauce and meat and 5 layers of noodles. At this point you should have used all the meat, but still have some sauce and cheese left over. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is browned and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with additional cheese as desired when you serve.

Portabello & Black Bean Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano Sauce

2012-01-12T20:31:00.000-08:00

Without a doubt, these chicken enchiladas will forever be my favorite. But it never hurts to try new flavors and combinations, which is why I've also posted enchiladas verdes and vegetable enchiladas. I also have a recipe for shrimp enchiladas that I love but just haven't ever posted. So my point in all this is that I love enchiladas. They will always and forever be one of my favorite Mexican dishes. And anytime I see a new recipe, I'm tempted to try it.

These enchiladas have a lot going for them: they are full of veggies, relatively healthy but still taste indulgent and rich; and the roasted poblano sauce is to die for. It is so flavorful thanks to the combination of chile powder, cumin, and the all-important poblano pepper. That pepper gives the sauce so much spicy/tangy flavor, and I'm pretty tempted to add a roasted poblano to all my enchilada sauces in the future. So so good.

It seems like there are a lot of steps and this is a labor-intensive meal, but if you stagger it and work efficiently, it comes together pretty quickly. First, roast the poblano. Then as it cools, start the sauce. As the sauce is simmering, dice and roast your veggies. Then you can just mix it all together, assemble, and bake!

Portabello & Black Bean Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano Sauce
adapted from Eating Well by A Hint of Honey, via Perry's Plate

Roasted Poblano Enchilada Sauce

1 poblano pepper
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. ground chipotle pepper (optional)
2 cups crushed tomatoes
about 1/4 cup water (to thin out the sauce)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped + extra for garnish

Filling

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
12 oz. portobellos (about 4-5 mushrooms), stemmed, gills scraped out, and diced
1/2 onion, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Pepperjack

12-14 six inch corn tortillas
1/2-1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Pepperjack, or a combination)
fresh salsa or pico de gallo, for serving

Preheat oven to 425 F.

To prepare the sauce: Roast the poblano pepper directly over the flame of a gas burner, turning frequently with tongs, until evenly charred. (Alternatively, char under the broiler, turning once or twice, for 5 to 7 minutes total.) Transfer to a deep bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to steam for 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until softened, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika and ground chipotle (if using) and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about one minute.

Peel the poblano, discard the stem and seeds, and chop. Add to the saucepan along with the tomatoes, water, and chopped cilantro. Return to medium heat and simmer, until the liquid has reduced slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and puree using an immersion blender, or transfer to a blender or food processor (be very careful if you do this since the sauce will be piping hot!). The sauce can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated.

To prepare the filling:

While the sauce simmers, spread the mushrooms, peppers, and onions in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and browned in spots, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in beans, 1/3 cup of the enchilada sauce, the cheese, and cilantro.

Reduce oven temperature to 375 F.

To prepare the enchiladas: Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Stack the tortillas on a microwave safe plate and cover with plastic wrap or a damp paper towel. Micrwave 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until they are soft and pliable. Arrange the tortillas in a single layer on a clean work surface.

Spread about 1/3 cup of the filling in each tortilla, and roll them. Place seam-side down in the baking dish. Spread the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese

Bake, uncovered, until hot, about 15-20 minutes. Before serving, top with fresh salsa and garnish with cilantro.

Mocha-Frosted Espresso Brownies

2012-01-10T18:56:00.000-08:00

I have a major weakness for both coffee and all coffee-flavored desserts. Even as a little girl, I loved coffee ice cream. And as much as I try to convince Caroline that my coffee is "yucky," she still likes it and asks for sips when we go to Target (is anyone else incapable of going to Target without also going to the Starbucks in the front of the store?). It was also a cruel cruel punishment that my biggest craving throughout my pregnancy with Smith was iced vanilla lattes. So as much as I love coffee, I'm actually not a huge fan of mochas. I think they are a little too rich for a drink. But mocha flavored desserts? I'm all over those.

Sometimes I just can't leave well-enough alone. I started out wanting to make brownies for dessert one night when we were having some friends over. Then when I opened my cookbook to the recipe I use, the espresso brownies caught my eye. So I figured, why not? And then once they came out of the oven, I thought about how awesome they would be if I topped them with some mocha buttercream. Again, why not? And then I remembered these peppermint frosted brownies that I bookmarked at Christmas, and how I loved the thin layer of ganache on top. And I went for it.

Let me tell you right now that if you make these, you might as well throw your resolutions out the window. Unless your resolution was to eat more brownies. In that case, good job! I definitely should have cut these into smaller squares... but I didn't. These might be one of the most decadent desserts I've ever made, so it should come as no shock that they are also one of my favorite. And definitely my favorite brownie.

Mocha-Frosted Espresso Brownies
inspired by Confections of a Foodie Bride

Triple-Chocolate Espresso Brownies
barely adapted from Baking Illustrated

5 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into quarters
3 Tbs cocoa powder
2 Tbs instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbs Kahlua liqueur (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust the rack to the lower-middle position. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Use another sheet of foil to line the dish perpendicular to the fist piece, leaving another overhang on two sides. Spritz with cooking spray.

Add the chopped chocolates and the butter to a medium, microwave-safe bowl, and cook for 30-second intervals, until melted, stirring well after each time. Whisk in the cocoa and espresso powder until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, Kahlua, and salt until well-combined. Whisk in the warm chocolate mixture, then stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, and spread into the corners with a spatula. Level the surface.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs attached. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Mocha Frosting
adapted from My Baking Addiction, via Smells Like Home

1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
pinch of salt
1 Tbs Kahlua
2 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 Tbs cocoa powder, sifted
1 Tbs instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1Tbs warm water
1-3 Tbs heavy cream

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter at medium speed until light and fluffy. Decrease the speed to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. As it combines, increase the speed and beat until it has all come together. Add the salt, kahlua, espresso, and heavy cream, and increase the speed to medium. Beat until well combined and light and fluffy. Add more cream or sugar to get the consistency you like.

Chocolate Glaze
adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbs butter or vegetable oil
1 tsp Kahlua

Melt the chocolate chips and butter in the microwave. Stir in the Kahlua

To assemble the brownies, use an offset spatula to spread the mocha frosting in an even layer over the brownies. Allow to set for about 10-20 minutes. then pour the chocolate glaze over the top. Working quickly but gently, use a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the glaze over the frosting. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until the glaze is set. Remove the brownies from the pan using the foil overhang, and cut into squares.

Spinach-Artichoke Stuffed Portabellos

2012-01-08T19:20:00.000-08:00

Everyone and their mother loves spinach-artichoke dip. If it is available at a party, no matter how much you make, or how many people are eating it, it will all be gone by the end of the night. It's a perennial favorite for good reason - it's warm and comforting, cheesy, delicious, and it's "healthy." At least that's what I tell myself. It does have spinach. And artichokes. And vegetables = good for you right? Don't they negate the absurd amount of cheese in there?

These mushrooms actually are pretty healthy. They are heavy on the veggies and light on the cheese. And I made them even healthier (and egg-allergy friendly) by substituting Greek yogurt for the mayo, and reduced fat cream cheese for the full-fat version. And of course it should come as no surprise that they are delicious as well. Not only is is hard to go wrong with mushrooms stuffed with spinach-artichoke dip, but they are popping up on several of my favorite food blogs as well. So they are blogger-approved.

Served with a side salad, this was a great light and healthy meal, though I think they would also be great as a side to roast chicken, pork tenderloin, or a steak dinner. The filling itself makes a great dip (I had a little left over and had it for a snack the next day!). It would also be great stuffed into small mushrooms as well - a lighter way to serve that popular dip at a party!

Portabello Mushrooms with Creamy Spinach-Artichoke Filling
adapted from Fine Cooking, December 11/January 12
serves 4

3 Tbs olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 medium portabello mushrooms, stems and gills removed (a butter knife works really well for removing the gills)
4 oz cream cheese, softened (reduced-fat is fine)
3 Tbs nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tsp fresh thyme
pinch red pepper flakes
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
9 oz frozen artichokes, thawed, patted dry, and chopped
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs or panko
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and about half of the minced garlic. Brush the insides of the mushroom caps with the mixture and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Arrange the mushrooms in a single layer on a baking sheet, oiled-side up. Roast until just tender, about 10 minutes. If the mushrooms gave off excess water, use a paper towel or kitchen towel to blot up the moisture.

While the mushrooms roast, mix the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and 1 teaspoon of the thyme in a medium bowl. Stir in the spinach and artichokes and season with salt and pepper.

In another bowl, toss together the remaining garlic, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon thyme, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese.

Spoon the artichoke mixture evenly into the mushroom caps and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Bake until the crumbs are golden-brown and the filling is hot, about 10-12 minutes. Serve immediately.

Chicken Parmesan Pizza

2012-01-05T18:10:00.000-08:00

When people say they don't like leftovers, I have to imagine that they are eating rubbery, dried out meat with limp and soggy veggies. That is not at all how I eat them. I actually really like leftovers because it gives me an opportunity to re-imagine the dinner into something else. This pizza is the perfect use for not only leftover chicken parmesan, but also any grilled, fried, or baked chicken as well. It is most definitely one of my favorite meals - leftovers or not.

And the best thing? It is so flipping easy. Just spread some marinara on pizza dough, top with some chopped up chicken breasts, and then cover the whole thing with mozzarella and Parmesan. It doesn't get any easier. Happy Friday, everyone - here's hoping for a delicious and fun weekend!

Chicken Parmesan Pizza
Pink Parsley Original

1 lb pizza dough
olive oil
cornmeal, for sprinkling
1/2- 3/4 cup marinara sauce
1 cup chopped chicken (fully cooked)
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs chopped fresh basil

Place a pizza stone or upside-down baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees for at least 30 minutes.

Sprinkle a piece of parchment paper generously with cornmeal, and then shape the pizza dough into a 12 inch circle. Brush the outer edge with olive oil. Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce over the dough, and top with the chopped chicken. Scatter the shredded cheese over the top.

Bake 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden-brown and the cheese is bubbly and browning. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with basil before slicing and serving.