TWD: Tall and Creamy Cheese Cake

This is the last TWD recipe for this year! When I started baking with the group, I thought I needed to bake every week, until I realized how much time and ingredients that took! There are many bakers out there that do participate each week, but unfortunately I'm not one of them. So, it has been a couple of weeks since I last posted a TWD post, but this cheesecake was a great way to finish off December. Thanks goes out to Anne at Anne Strawberry for choosing this week's recipe. This is a nice basic cheesecake that I chose to dress up a bit. I've included the topping recipe, as it's not a Dorie Greenspan recipe. (PS. Happy Birthday, MOM!)



Cranberry Topping
3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 Tbls cornstarch
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar and water. Bring to a boil. reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Combine cornstarch and orange juice until smooth; stir into cranberry mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in pecans. Place in small bowl to accompany cheesecake or spoon over cheesecake once mixture has cooled to room temperature.

Barefoot Bloggers: pappa al pomodoro

This is a classic Italian soup in which leftover bread is used as a thickener. This recipe was chosen by Natalie at Burned Bits, thanks Natalie!

Pappa al Pomodoro (Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics)
1/2 cup good olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
1 cup medium-diced carrots, unpeeled (3 carrots)
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and sliced (I substituted celery)
4 tsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
3 cups diced ciabatta bread, crusts removed
2 (28 oz) cans good plum tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Topping:
3 cups diced ciabatta bread
2 oz thickly sliced pancetta, chopped (or you can use thick bacon)
24-30 whole fresh basil leaves
3 Tbls good olive oil, plus more for serving

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, fennel (celery), and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until tender. Add the ciabatta cubes and cook for 5 more minutes. Place the tomatoes in the bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade and process just until coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the chicken stock, red wine, basil and 1 Tbls salt, and 1 1/2 tsp pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes. For the topping, place the ciabatta, pancetta (bacon), and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold everything in single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until all ingredients are crisp. The basil leaves will turn dark and crispy. Reheat the soup, if necessary, and beat with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up. Stir in the Parmesan and taste for seasoning. Serve hot, sprinkled with the topping and drizzled with additional olive oil. Serves 6.

Merry Christmas!

I love Christmas and all that it means. A baby was born on this day to save me and the world! I especially love that Christmas to me means spending cherished time with my family and eating wonderful food. My husband and I are fortunate to be spending this holiday with our family, as we know many military families are continents apart and only get a phone call. We are thinking of all those serving our country right now and hope everyone has a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Asian Pork Tenderloin and Horseradish Baked Potatoes

My husband and I enjoyed this the other night for dinner. We liked how the glaze on the tenderloin made a nice crust and the horseradish in the potatoes was very subtle. I'm sure we'll enjoy this meal again!
Asian Pork Tenderloin

2 pork tenderloins, 1 pound each

2 Tbls soy sauce

2 tsp dry sherry

1 1/2 tsp honey

3/4 tsp toasted sesame oil

1/2 tsp hot chili paste or crushed red pepper flakes

In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients minus the tenderloin. Preheat gas grill to medium high. Put the tenderloins on the preheated grill and cook for 4 minutes. Turn and brush with soy glaze. Cook an additional 4 minutes, turn again, and brush with glaze. At this point you will cook the tenderloin for another 4 minutes. Continue glazing the tenderloin until a nice crust forms. The meat should take approximately 13-15 minutes total of cooking time. The internal temperature should read 140 degrees. Once the correct temperature has been achieved, remove tenderloins from grill and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Horseradish Twice-Baked Potatoes

2 baking potatoes, scrubbed

3 Tbls unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream, heated

2 Tbls prepared horseradish, drained

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

sour cream

chives

Bake potatoes until soft. Remove from oven, slice in half lengthwise. Remove flesh to a mixing bowl, reserving potato skins as you will put the flesh mixture back in to broil. Add butter, milk/cream, horseradish, salt and pepper to flesh. Mix until well combined and as smooth as you can get it. Add more milk/cream if mixture seems too dry. Pile flesh mixture back into skins, and broil on baking sheet 3-4 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven, top with sour cream and chives.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

I made this Mexican Hot Chocolate mix for my friend, Laura, and included it in her Christmas basket. There was a little mix that wouldn't fit into the jar, so I was able to use it for my "taste-test". I liked how the mix was "chocolaty" enough and had a hint of cinnamon. It wasn't an overpowering cinnamon taste, but it was almost an afterthought once you swallowed the drink. I'm thinking I need to make more to keep here!

Mexican Hot Chocolate (Taste of Home)
1 1/3 cups instant nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup nondairy creamer
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup miniature marshmallows
Additional ingredient:
3/4 cup hot milk

In a bowl combine all dry ingredients; mix well. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place up to 3 months. Yield: 18-19 servings (about 3 1/2 cups total). To prepare hot chocolate: dissolve about 3 Tbls hot chocolate mix in hot milk.

Black Bean Soup

I needed something quick and easy to throw together for dinner last night, as I had another function to attend. (I'm looking forward to a night at home soon!) This soup fit the bill and had a lot of flavor for something so simple. I used canned black beans which really cut down on the time. Besides, since living in a high altitude location, I didn't want to mess with dry beans and the experiment to see how long it would actually take them to soften up when cooking. Black Bean Soup (Mesa Grill by Bobby Flay)

1 pound dried black beans, or 3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbls olive oil

1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 cup red wine

3 jalapeno chiles, roasted, peeled, and seeded

1 poblano chili, roasted, peeled, and seeded

4 cups chicken stock, low-sodium chicken broth, or water

2 Tbls fresh lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

I also used shredded cheese and sour cream as a topping.

If using dried beans, pick over them to remove any stones, put them in a large bowl, and add enough cold water to cover by at least 2 inches. Let soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain well. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half. Add the beans and reduce the heat to medium. Add the jalapenos, poblano, and stock and simmer for 30 minutes if using canned beans, or 1 1/2 hours if using dried, until the dried beans are cooked through. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Using a blender or food processor, puree half of the soup and return it to the pot. Bring to a simmer before serving. Ladle the soup into individual bowls. Serves 6-8.

easy sticky buns

These are SO easy and SO delicious! My husband and I had friends staying with us the past weekend, and I made these easy sticky buns for breakfast Sunday morning. It's one of those recipes that after you make it, you wish you had never discovered as they could be addicting.

Easy Sticky Buns - Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

12 Tbls unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces

1 pkg (2 sheets) puff pastry, thawed

Filling:

2 Tbls unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the 12 Tbls butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded Tbls of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture. Lightly flour wooden surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins (I omitted the raisins and substituted with more pecans). Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, invert the buns onto the parchment paper, easing out the filling with a spoon. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Barefoot Bloggers: Coq Au Vin

This is one recipe that had it not been chosen by Bethany, it would have never been made in my house. I frequently see recipes for this dish in various cookbooks and cooking magazines, but it's always been somewhat intimidating to me. I now know I CAN make Coq Au Vin! I have yet to be disappointed with a Barefoot Contessa recipe, and this was no exception. I will say, I'm not sure that I will make this dish again, now that I have completed the recipe. It was good, just not something my husband and I would enjoy all the time. In our opinion, this dish was very rich; perfect for a cold winter's night. I omitted the mushrooms, as neither my husband nor I like them. The other change we would make to the recipe (if we were to make it again) is to take the skin off the chicken. The original recipe didn't indicate that you should remove the skin, but I felt it would have allowed the chicken to soak up more of the wine/broth during the cooking process. Overall, this was a success!
Coq Au Vin (Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
4 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced
1 (3 to 4-pound) chicken, cut in 8ths
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy
1/2 bottle (375 ml) good dry red wine such as Burgundy
1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade
10 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pound frozen small whole onions
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced (I left out)

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.
Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done. Set aside.
Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac and light to burn off alcohol. Put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.

Aunt Mary's Cheese Ball

I'm not a huge fan of cheese balls, but I do like ones with a cream cheese base. My Aunt Mary has made a corned beef and cream cheese ball for several years. When I got married, I asked her for the recipe and have made it every holiday season since. I am attending a potluck this evening and thought the cheese ball would be perfect.



Aunt Mary's Cheese Ball
3 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
3 pkgs corned beef, diced
2 bunches scallions, thinly sliced
dash garlic powder
dash onion poweder
1 Tbl worchesture sauce

Mix all ingredients until well blended, reserving half package of corned beef to cover the outside. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

TWD: Grandma's All-Occasion Sugar Cookies

I always enjoy trying new sugar cookie recipes, and this one didn't disappoint. In fact, the dough was so tasty, I almost didn't get any baked cookies out of it! I had high hopes of getting the cookies decorated before I needed to get this post up and ready, unfortunately I have about 50 other things I need to get done before tonight....so no decorated cookies....just the main thing. I dare say, the plain cookies won't be around long enough to decorate which means at some point I'll just have to make another batch. (Some point being possibly next year for the holidays!) Thanks to Ulrike for choosing this week's recipe!

Monster Mix

This is an easy snack that travels well and gives you a boost of energy. It will also satisfy your salty and sweet cravings! I have bought a mix like this at the grocery store, but after looking at the list of ingredients, I figured it would be very easy to throw the mix together myself and it would end up being a few dollars cheaper in the end. The container in the picture is one I decorated (with the help of my friend, Wanda). It's a glass mason jar with a sticker/wall applique rubbed on the side and jingle bells glued to the top (so you always know who's sneaking in the jar!).

Monster Mix
2 cups cocktail peanuts
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup M&M's
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Pour all ingredients in mixing bowl and mix with spoon or hands until well combined. Put into container of choice. Easy, quick, and satisfying!

Quick post

Sorry for the lack of posts this last week. My husband and I were able to fly back to Indiana to spend Thanksgiving with our families. We hadn't been home for Thanksgiving since we were married (5 years ago). It was great seeing our families (and surprising my mother-in-law who didn't know we were coming). Now I can explain that the post regarding Thanksgiving, that was posted ON Thanksgiving, was actually ready to go before we left. We did have a "mock" Thanksgiving with a couple of friends the Saturday before we left for our trip.

I hope to be back in the kitchen this week, trying some new recipes, and to start my holiday baking. In the meantime, I'm catching up on all my messages and checking in on the blogs that I've missed reading during our trip.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are having a pretty low key Thanksgiving this year and since I only cooked enough for the two of us, I decided to try some new recipes. They are updated versions of the traditional side dishes. Have you ever tried Paula Deen's Sweet Potato Balls? They are wonderful! It was hard giving up my Aunt Jo's sweet potato casserole this year, but it was nice trying something new. I also cooked the turkey breast in the crock pot - a first for me. I made my mom's egg noodles, some glazed carrots, rolls, and we had the leftover Thanksgiving Twofer pie from this week's Tuesday's with Dorie.

Glazed Carrots

16 oz baby carrots

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 packet of ranch dressing

Cook carrots until desired doneness. Drain. In same pot mix butter, brown sugar, and ranch dressing. Add carrots and heat until warm. Serves 4-6.

Sweet Potato Balls (Paula Deen)

4 large sweet potatoes

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbls orange juice

1 tsp orange zest

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups shredded coconut

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

8 large marshmallows

Bake the potatoes until tender, then peel and mash them (the potatoes can be baked the day before). Stir in the sugar, orange juice, zest, and nutmeg. Toss the coconut with the sugar and cinnamon. Press mashed potatoes around each marshmallow, then roll the balls in the coconut mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Watch carefully for the last few minutes of cooking; the expanding marshmallows can cause the potato balls to burst open.

Barefoot Bloggers: Mexican Chicken Soup

Even though today is Thanksgiving, I am posting about a Mexican Chicken Soup for Barefoot Bloggers. I made this earlier in the month (as I sure wasn't going to make it for Thanksgiving and give up all the traditional things) and my husband and I really enjoyed the soup! I scaled it down to serve the two of us and didn't measure the ingredients exact, but that's the fun in making soup, you can alter it as you see fit. I will be making this soup again, especially when I have ingredients around that I need to use up. Thanks Judy for choosing this week's recipe!Mexican Chicken Soup (Barefoot Contessa at Home)
4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas
For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.

Happy Thanksgiving, especially to our family and friends! Check back later for a post about my husband and I's Thanksgiving meal!

TWD: Thanksgiving Two-fer Pie

I've skipped out on the last two weeks of Tuesdays with Dorie as I wasn't too excited about the recipes, but I couldn't pass up on this week's pie. My husband LOVES pumpkin pie, so even though this is a twist on the original version, it was enjoyed by both of us! What a great way to combine the two traditional Thanksgiving pies, pumpkin and pecan. Of course, we had to top ours with plenty of whipped topping! We are looking forward to eating the leftovers on Thanksgiving!


Thanks to Vibi for choosing a great (and appropriate) recipe for this week! Happy Thanksgiving!

Breakfast Casserole

It was my turn to provide breakfast for my Monday morning Bible study group this week. It also happened to be at my house, as the regular host is out of town. I enjoy breakfast foods, but my husband isn't a fan, so it's always a nice treat when I'm able to make something for breakfast and share it with others. This morning I made a Cheddar-Ham Oven Omelet, along with Orange-Cranberry Muffins. I love egg casseroles as they are so simple to put together, can be made the night before and put in the oven the day of, and are pretty fool-proof. This recipe is no exception to the above!

Cheddar-Ham Oven Omelet (found in Taste of Home Magazine)
16 eggs
2 cups milk (I used some whipping cream!)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup cubed fully cooked ham
6 green onions, chopped

In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk. Stir in the cheese, ham and onions. Pour the egg mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 12.

It's not the holiday season without....FUDGE

I don't remember when my mom starting making fudge during the holidays....I guess for as far back as I can remember. My favorite part was (and is) licking the spoon and pan after the fudge was poured into the baking dish to cool. My mom always made a batch...or two of chocolate fudge and peanut butter fudge. The peanut butter is my favorite! Since being married and living far away from my parents, I too make fudge every year around the holidays. I remember my mom "hiding" the fudge in large ice cream containers in the garage to keep my dad (and probably us girls) out of it until she needed it for some work function or family affair. I haven't had to start hiding the fudge yet, but it probably doesn't last as long around here as it did at my parents. I always thought the recipe was some BIG secret, until my mom clued me in after I was married and called for the recipe. I'm sure this same exact fudge is enjoyed by many throughout the holidays as you can find the recipe on the side of a marshmallow creme jar....FANTASY Fudge (and it's true to it's name)!

Cookie attempt #2 -- this isn't the chosen recipe!

I tried my second "chocolate chip" cookie recipe this week, only instead of using chocolate chips, I used red and green M&M's. This recipe went straight to the trash! It wasn't what I was looking for at all. Although my husband seems to like flat, crisp cookies, which is exactly how these turned out. So, I'm still on the hunt for my favorite/go-to recipe.

M & M Cookies (1/2 batch)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
5 oz candy-coated chocolate pieces

Mix butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, mix until well combined. Mix dry ingredients in small bowl. Add to sugar mixture and mix until combined. Stir in candy pieces. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. (I ended up with 2 dozen cookies.)

Simple Lasagna

On the menu this evening is Simple Lasagna found in the most recent issue of Kraft Foods magazine. The nice thing about this particular recipe is you do not cook the lasagna noodles before assembling. There is enough liquid from the pasta sauce, that the noodles cook and absorb the liquid during the baking process. One less dish to wash and less time spent preparing the meal! My husband said this recipe "is a keeper"!

Simple Lasagna (Kraft Foods Winter 2008 issue)
1 lb ground beef
1 egg, beaten
2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown meat in large skillet on medium high heat. Meanwhile, mix egg, 1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese, the ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and the parsley until well blended; set aside. Drain meat; return to skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Add water to the empty jar; cover with lid and shake well. Add to meat mixture; stir until well blended. Spread 1 cup of the sauce onto a 9x13 inch baking dish; top with layers of 3 lasagna noodles, one-third of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup of the sauce. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining 3 noodles and the remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with greased foil. Bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting to serve. Makes 12 servings. (I cut the recipe in half and used a loaf pan.)

Cookie Carnival: Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've been skipping out the past couple of months on the Cookie Carnival cookies, as they really weren't up my cookie alley. When the recipe was posted this month, I was on the fence about it because there are so many chocolate chip cookie recipes and everyone makes them. Rather than skipping out again this month, I decided to go for it, with the majority of cookies being frozen for a cookie drive coming up in December in which I will need a ton of cookies to donate. After making them, I decided I am going on a quest to find MY favorite chocolate chip cookies. This recipe provides soft, almost cakey, cookies. I want a dense, soft, full of chocolate cookie that doesn't spread too much during the baking process. So, over the next month or so, I'll be trying out some new recipes in hopes of finding my favorite. Here's the first subject in which I evaluated:

Oops, Santa must have stopped by to see who's being Naughty or Nice!

The Ultimate Chewy and Soft Chocolate Chunk Cookies - Regan Daley
1 cup unsalted butter at room temp

1 cup tightly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

16 oz. flavorful bitter or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used half bittersweet and half white chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or lightly butter them, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or a large bowl if mixing by hand, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Using your hands, shape knobs of dough about the size of a large walnut and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Stagger the rows of cookies to ensure even baking. Bake 12-15 for smaller cookies, 14-17 for larger ones or until the tops are a light golden brown. If the cookies are neither firm nor dark when they are removed from the oven, they will cool chewy and soft. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. (I halved the recipe and ended up with 3 dozen cookies!)

Chicken Piccata and Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

I needed a main dish to go along with Herb Roasted Onions from yesterday's post and found a recipe for chicken and mashed potatoes off of the Food Network website. Both of these recipes are from Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten) and she served them with the Herb Roasted Onions. I figured if she served them together, it must be good!



Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes
1/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Add them to the boiling water and bring the water back to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn't boil. Set aside until the potatoes are done. As soon as the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander. Place a food mill fitted with a small disk/blade over a heatproof bowl. Pass the potatoes through the food mill, turning the handle back and forth. As soon as the potatoes are mashed, stir in the hot milk mixture with a whisk or rubber spatula. Add enough buttermilk to make the potatoes creamy. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper, and serve hot. To keep the potatoes warm, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water for up to 30 minutes. You can add a little extra hot milk to keep them creamy. Serves 2-3.

Chicken Piccata
2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 extra-large egg
1/2 tablespoon water
3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
Good olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved
1/2 cup dry white wine
Sliced lemon, for serving
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.
For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley. Serves 2.

Barefoot Bloggers: Herb Roasted Onions

This month's recipe was chosen by Kelly from Baking with the Boys. My husband and I both like onions and I knew that roasting them would bring out the sweetness of the onion. The dressing in which you toss the onions before baking them was so simple to put together, used ingredients you most likely already have at home, and added great flavor. We will be making this recipe again on nice winter evenings as an easy side dish.

Roasted Onions (Barefoot Contessa at Home)
2 red onions
1 yellow onion

2 Tbls lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 Tbls fresh thyme (I used 1 tsp dried)
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 Tbls fresh minced parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut onions into wedges. In mixing bowl mix all ingredients minus the parsley and olive oil. Slowly drizzle in olive oil and whisk with mustard mixture. Toss mixture with onions. With slotted spoon, place onions on baking sheet. Bake 30-45 minutes, until tender and golden brown. Toss once during cooking process. Sprinkle with parsley, serve warm. Serves 4.

Using up taco leftovers

Tacos are frequently made in my household because they are quick, easy, and everyone enjoys them. Rather than using the leftovers from this past week for more tacos, I made them in to "Mexican Squares" for tonight's dinner. The only thing I needed to make for tonight's meal was cornbread. Everything else I had already cooked and was able just to reheat the ingredients.

Mexican Squares (adapted from Pampered Chef All the Best)
1 pkg corn bread muffin mix (plus ingredients to prepare bread)
1 can fat-free refried beans
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 Tbls southwest seasoning
1 can pitted ripe olives, drained and chopped
sliced tomatoes (optional)
shredded cheese
sour cream
leftover taco meat


Bake corn bread according to package directions in a 8x8 pan. In mixing bowl combine refried beans, garlic, and southwest seasoning. After removing corn bread from oven, spread the bean mixture over the top. Heat up the leftover taco meat, then spread over the bean mixture. Top with cheese, tomatoes, and black olives (I also topped with leftover black beans). Serve with sour cream or any other taco toppings you prefer.

Baby shower Cake

A friend in my Monday morning Bible study group is getting ready to have her second boy in the middle of December. It was decided that we would surprise her with a diaper and wipe shower during our regularly scheduled time together. I was asked to make a cake for her. I already had a cute cake pan and was able to alter the design slightly by adding a fondant blanket to make it look more baby-ish. Here is the final product....

Honey-Spiced Carrots

Just like a cookbook in which you get irritated, I have no picture of this side dish. I made these for the first time last night and after a little tweaking to the original recipe, my husband and I really enjoyed the flavor. I served these with fried round steak, mashed potatoes and gravy.

Honey-Spiced Carrots
4 cups cold water
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 lbs carrots (I used baby carrots)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter or margarine
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground allspice (original recipe calls for 1/2 tsp)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup honey

In a medium saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil over high heat. Add the carrots; cook for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. (I cooked mine for 10 minutes, but I prefer them soft.) Transfer to colander and rinse with cold water. In the same saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the honey, sugar, allspice, pepper and cinnamon and stir until bubbly. Add the carrots and heat, tossing, for 3 minutes or until well coated and hot. Makes 4 servings.

Can't get enough Pumpkin!

I love this time of year and all the pumpkin recipes that come out! It must be something about filling your house with the smell of warm spices and sitting down with a comforting treat and hot chocolate (or coffee if you prefer). This is seriously the easiest recipe I have ever made. I have to give credit to my friend, Wanda, for publishing the recipe on her blog and for making them one morning when I was at her house. Wanda made her muffins in shaped muffin tins and the tops were so smooth. I'll have to ask her how she got the tops smooth, as mine turned out lumpy, but the flavor was just as good. Okay, grab your pen and paper to take down this recipe.....actually, you can probably just memorize it, it's that easy!
Pumpkin Muffins

1 box spice cake mix

1 can pure pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix both ingredients together (add a Tbls of water if you are having trouble mixing). Fill muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes. I tested mine after 15 minutes and they need about three minutes longer. Cool on wire rack, remove from muffin pan after 5 minutes. Enjoy!

TWD: Rugelach

Mmm. Mmm. Good! I have been wanting to try rugelach for several years now. When going through recipes, I always come across a rugelach recipe that I cut out of the newspaper a long time ago...I then promptly skip over it to the next, but always in the back of mind think I'll make it for the "right" occasion. My excuses are up, as I made it for this week's TWD, and I am so thankful I did! Dorie's recipe called for spreading a jam on the dough, topped with cinnamon, sugar, chopped nuts, and chocolate chips, along with currants. I varied mine a bit by substituting dried cranberries for the currants. I loved how my crust was flaky and you could see the layers. I'm looking forward to making this recipe again and playing with the filling. Thanks to Grace for choosing this week's great recipe!

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

I know there are probably a hundred different recipes for this dip floating around and it's almost a staple anywhere you find appetizers, but I just made it for the first time this past week! I needed an appetizer to share at Wine Club and had a craving for this particular dip. The recipe I used comes from Pampered Chef...the only difference being I couldn't find creamed spinach which is what the recipe calls for and instead used chopped spinach. This was so easy to put together, and I didn't have any left to bring home, so I'm assuming it was enjoyed by all. I do think next time I'll look for creamed spinach to see how it changes the texture.Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip (from Pampered Chef All the Best)

1 jar (16 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped

1 pkg (10 oz) frozen creamed spinach, thawed

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 small garlic clove, pressed

1/2 cup (2 oz) grated fresh parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coarsely chop artichokes; place in small mixing bowl. Add spinach, mayonnaise and sour cream. Press garlic into mixing bowl. Grate parmesan cheese into bowl; mix well. Spoon into small oven proof dish. Bake 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Serve with pita chips, bread pieces, or veggies. Makes 2 cups.

Daring Bakers: Home-made Pizza Crust

I was excited to see that this month's challenge was home-made pizza crust. My husband enjoys making his own pizza crust and we've probably tried a dozen different recipes. I've been reading on the Daring Baker's forum that everyone really enjoyed this crust. I know I am in the minority saying that I didn't feel it was anything special. It was fun 'tossing' the dough (which was one of the requirements for the month, hence the picture posted), but I really don't foresee myself making this recipe again. The crust itself was really bland. It was nice and sturdy so it would hold a lot of toppings, but that's pretty much all it has going for it. I chose to top mine with the traditional red pizza sauce, cheese and mozzarella. Nothing fancy here. I've already found the next pizza dough recipe I want to try....hopefully we'll get around to it in the next few weeks.

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH - The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart.
Makes 6 pizza crusts (about 9-12 inches/23-30 cm in diameter).
Ingredients:4 ½ c. bread flour
1 ¾ tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
¼ c. Olive oil or vegetable oil (both optional, but it’s better with)
1 ¾ c. water, ice cold (40° F/4.5° C)
1 tbs sugar
cornmeal for dusting

1. Mix together the flour, salt and instant yeast in a big bowl (or in the bowl of your stand mixer).
2. Add the oil, sugar and cold water and mix well (with the help of a large wooden spoon or with the paddle attachment, on low speed) in order to form a sticky ball of dough. On a clean surface, knead for about 5-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are homogeneously distributed. If it is too wet, add a little flour (not too much, though) and if it is too dry add 1 or 2 teaspoons extra water.
NOTE: If you are using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for the same amount of time. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet, sprinkle in a little more flour, so that it clears the sides. If, on the contrary, it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a teaspoon or two of cold water.The finished dough should be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky, and register 50°-55° F/10°-13° C.
3. Flour a work surface or counter. Line a jelly pan with baking paper/parchment. Lightly oil the paper.
4. With the help of a metal or plastic dough scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger if you want to make larger pizzas).
NOTE: To avoid the dough from sticking to the scraper, dip the scraper into water between cuts.
5. Sprinkle some flour over the dough. Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them. Gently round each piece into a ball.
NOTE: If the dough sticks to your hands, then dip your hands into the flour again.
6. Transfer the dough balls to the lined jelly pan and mist them generously with spray oil. Slip the pan into plastic bag or enclose in plastic food wrap.
7. Put the pan into the refrigerator and let the dough rest overnight or for up to thee days.
NOTE: You can store the dough balls in a zippered freezer bag if you want to save some of the dough for any future baking. In that case, pour some oil(a few tablespoons only) in a medium bowl and dip each dough ball into the oil, so that it is completely covered in oil. Then put each ball into a separate bag. Store the bags in the freezer for no longer than 3 months. The day before you plan to make pizza, remember to transfer the dough balls from the freezer to the refrigerator.
8. On the day you plan to eat pizza, exactly 2 hours before you make it, remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator. Dust the counter with flour and spray lightly with oil. Place the dough balls on a floured surface and sprinkle them with flour. Dust your hands with flour and delicately press the dough into disks about 1/2 inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Sprinkle with flour and mist with oil. Loosely cover the dough rounds with plastic wrap and then allow to rest for 2 hours.
9. At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone on the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven as hot as possible 500° F.
NOTE: If you do not have a baking stone, then use the back of a jelly pan. Do not preheat the pan.
10. Generously sprinkle the back of a jelly pan with semolina/durum flour or cornmeal. Flour your hands (palms, backs and knuckles). Take 1 piece of dough by lifting it with a pastry scraper. Lay the dough across your fists in a very delicate way and carefully stretch it by bouncing it in a circular motion on your hands, and by giving it a little stretch with each bounce. Once the dough has expanded outward, move to a full toss.
11. When the dough has the shape you want, place it on the back of the jelly pan, making sure there is enough semolina/durum flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide and not stick to the pan.
12. Lightly top it with sweet or savory toppings of your choice.
13. Slide the garnished pizza onto the stone in the oven or bake directly on the jelly pan. Close the door and bake for about 5-8 minutes.
14. Take the pizza out of the oven and transfer it to a cutting board or your plate. In order to allow the cheese to set a little, wait 3-5 minutes before slicing or serving.

TWD: Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcakes

This week's recipe was chosen by Clara. She requested that the cupcakes be decorated for Halloween as we are quickly approaching the 31st of October. I made these earlier in the month to share with my Bunko group, which was a Halloween theme and we all had to dress up! My overall impression was that these cupcakes were good, but I am a sucker for box cake mixes...I KNOW, how dare I?! I just prefer my cake moist, and these cupcakes were on the dry side. The frosting was very easy to put together and work with. I have used ganaches in the past that were too runny and ran down the side of my cake...didn't happen with this recipe. I chose to fill my cupcakes with marshmallow creme, which was a nice addition. Peanut butter would have been good too, or even better, nutella (but I've restricted myself from purchasing any more nutella as I have a "slight" addiction!...read....I can eat a whole jar in less than a week with just a spoon!). Happy Haunting week!

Barefoot Bloggers: Vegetable Pot Pie

I am not a pot pie fan, so I was a bit leery about trying this recipe thinking I was going to be wasting ingredients and would resort to throwing it away. Much to my surprise, this is AMAZING! I've already made it twice and both times have been a hit with the recipients. The crust is so easy to put together and rolls out nicely. It reminds me of my mom's pie crust with a slight variation. The sauce is creamy and loaded with flavor and best yet, this pot pie contains what I consider "adult" vegetables. I loved the combination of butternut squash with asparagus tips and potatoes. I've already marked this recipe to make again...it may become a new winter favorite!

Vegetable Pot Pie - Barefoot Contessa Parties
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
2 cups sliced yellow onions (2 onions)
1 fennel bulb, top and core removed, thinly sliced crosswise (substituted celery)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups good chicken stock
1 tablespoon Pernod (I left out)
Pinch saffron threads
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups large-diced potatoes (1/2 pound)
1 1/2 cups asparagus tips
1 1/2 cups peeled, 3/4-inch-diced carrots (4 carrots)
1 1/2 cups peeled, 3/4-inch-diced butternut squash
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions (1/2 pound)
1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley (I omitted)
For the pastry:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and saute until translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the flour, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly add the stock, Pernod, saffron, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the heavy cream and season to taste. The sauce should be highly seasoned.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Lift out with a sieve. Add the asparagus, carrots, and squash to the pot and cook in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Add the potatoes, mixed vegetables, onions, and parsley to the sauce and mix well.

For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the sides, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

A few notes: in red you will see the changes I made to the ingredients. I also halved the recipe and still came up with about 5-6 servings. Rather than dividing the filling among four bowls, I used a small casserole dish and poured all the filling in, then topped with the crust. Thanks Deb for choosing such a great recipe!

TWD: Pumpkin Muffins

I apologize to my 'faithful' readers that I've not been good about posting lately! I've been busy with other things and haven't cooked anything worthy of posting. This week's TWD, Pumpkin Muffins, I posted about a couple of weeks ago, but here's a picture reminder. I'll hopefully be back posting on a more regular basis at the end of the week! I do have a GREAT recipe to post next week for pot pie, so check back!

Barefoot Bloggers: Butternut Squash Risotto

I'm back after taking a whole month off from Barefoot Bloggers! Actually, I was pretty busy last month with other things and the recipes didn't appeal to me all that much, but it's nice to be cooking along with the group this month. This week's recipe was chosen by Rachel and what a lovely fall dish it is! I had never made risotto before and I have to say the hardest part about the whole recipe was actually finding the Arborio rice! I'm glad we liked it because it was a little pricey. This was a wonderful mixture of sweet, savory, salty, peppery, and creamy! We had some leftovers from last night's dinner so I am anxious to see how well it heats up for lunch today. My husband even enjoyed this dish which was huge as I didn't know how well he would care for the roasted butternut squash mixed in to the rice. I'm thinking this would be a nice side dish for Thanksgiving (if you can give up some of your traditional fixings....which I'm not sure I can!).


Butternut Squash Risotto (from Ina Garten)
1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.


In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan. Mix well and serve. Serves 4-6.

TWD: Reverse order

I am usually a "rule-follower" and I'm sure I am breaking the TWD rules by doing my October baking (and posting) in somewhat of a reverse order. However, all of the recipes chosen for this month are ones that I am able to use for functions in which I've been asked to bring something....just not in the order we have been asked to bake them. So while everyone else made Caramel Peanut-Topped Brownie cake (see mine in two weeks!) for today's post, I made Pumpkin Muffins (which everyone else will be posting about in two weeks). I am a sucker for fall foods and pumpkin is a favorite which means I of course, loved these muffins. I shared them with my Monday morning Bible study group where they received rave reviews. I chose to leave out the raisins which were to be mixed in the batter before baking, as I'm not a fan of raisins in baked goods. I'm trying to come up with an excuse to make these again this fall!

Up next week....Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcakes (while everyone else does Lenox Almond Biscotti)

Soup and Cornbread

Here are two "must-try" recipes which are great for cool weather! The hubby and I enjoyed them both for dinner last week and I am "archiving" them in my files to make again.

Chicken and white bean soup
3 cups chopped white chicken meat
1 Tbls canola oil
3 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced

1 onion, chopped
2 cups water
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook chicken until done with your prefered method. (I baked mine and sprinkled some Lemon Pepper seasoning on before baking, which added a little depth of flavor to the soup.) In a stockpot over medium heat, add oil. Saute the carrots, celery, and onion for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables soften. Add water and chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring to combine. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add beans and chicken meat, cook for 5 mintues. If too thick, add broth or water. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serves 6.
I was impressed with how flavorful the soup was considering it didn't call for a lot of ingredients or seasonings.

Sweet Cornbread (found on my friend Susy's friend Jeni's blog....catch that?!)
1 yellow cake mix
1 box jiffy cornbread

Make both boxes of mix according to their directions and combine. Bake in a 9 x 13 greased pan at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes. (I chose to bake mine as muffins and baked for about 15-18 minutes.) This made about 15 muffins, so I froze what I had leftover.
This might be the way I make cornbread from now on, they were so good!

PS. Happy Birthday, Leslie!

Fish and Chips

Do you ever make a meal and it automatically makes you think of a meal you had at a restaurant or takes you to a favorite memory? I had that experience tonight. My husband just received the current edition of Bon Appetit magazine and there was a meal for Fish and Chips. As we were sitting down for dinner, I began thinking about a restaurant in Montana in which the only thing I ever ordered there was Fish and Chips....oh, how I miss Bert and Ernies! My husband and I both enjoyed this version of Fish and Chips (just make sure you use plenty of oil in your pan when cooking the fish...mine stuck a little).



Golden Pan-Fried Fish
2 lbs halibut fillets
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 Tbls finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 large egg whites
1/2 cup dark ale beer
3 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil


Cut fish into rectangular sticks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine next five ingredients in large bowl. Whisk egg and ale in medium bowl. Add fish to ale mixture and turn to coat; shake off excess, then turn fish in panko mixture to coat all sides. Place on plate. Heat 3 Tbls oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of fish sticks. Cook until golden and just opaque in center, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining fish. Transfer fish to paper towels; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with tartar sauce. Serves 4.


Tartar Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
6 Tbls sweet pickle relish
2 Tbls fresh lemon juice


Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Cover; chill.


5-minute Slaw
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbls sugar
2 tsp coarse kosher salt
1/4 tsp celery seeds
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 (8oz) pkgs coleslaw mix


Whisk first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Mix in green onions. Add coleslaw mix; toss.

Cookie Carnival:....no cookies for me this month!

I've been a little "cookied" out with all the cookies I've been baking lately with the Tuesdays with Dorie group. I decided to pass up this month's Cookie Carnival recipe, which was Pink Grapefruit Sandwich Cookies....very interesting in my opinion. I'm not a fan (at all!) of grapefruit, which is probably why I was also not going to attemp to make these....they would have eventually ended up in the trash! The recipe is below for those of you that are grapefruit fans! Check out this month's round-up to see the other Cookie Carnival particpants pictures and opinions regarding the cookie. I hope to be back next month to participate!

Pink Grapefruit Sandwich Cookies
You can bake the cookies and make the filling a day ahead.

Makes 15 sandwich cookies.
* Grated zest of 1 Ruby Red grapefruit, plus 1/4 cup freshly squeezed juice
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
* 3/4 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
* 2 large egg yolks
* Pink Grapefruit Cream Filling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl, combine zest with 1 tablespoon sugar; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and remaining sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add egg yolks, and beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in reserved zest-sugar mixture. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the juice, and beat to combine.
3. Turn out dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out disk to 1/8 inch thick using a lightly floured rolling pin. Using a lightly floured 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds and place about 1 inch apart on prepared sheet. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until edges are golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes. Transfer parchment paper and cookies to rack to cool completely.
5. Using an offset spatula, spread 1 tablespoon filling onto flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping flat sides down. Once filled, cookies can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Ingredients for filling
Makes enough to fill 15 sandwich cookies.
* 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
* 2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed Ruby Red grapefruit juice
Directions
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in honey. Add juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until filling holds together and is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and set aside until ready to use.

Daring Bakers: Lavash Crackers with Gluten-free/Vegan Dip

I was excited to read about the September Daring Baker's challenge chosen by Shellyfish (don't really know her first name...maybe Shelly?). I have never made crackers before and I loved that we had the opportunity to make them "our own" by adding our choice of toppings. The second part to the challenge was to serve the crackers with a gluten-free/vegan dip of our choice. Luckily, I have no food restrictions in my household and we are not vegetarians...so I really had to dig for a dip that didn't contain cream cheese, cheese, ect. I chose a hummus recipe by Ina Garten, it was okay, really wasn't my favorite, and won't be one I'll be making again. I served the crackers and dip to the Warren Spouse's Cooking Club participants. They couldn't believe someone would actually go to the effort of making their own crackers, but they all agreed they were very tasty!


Lavash Crackers
I'm told Lavash is an Armenian-style cracker, similar to Middle Eastern or North African flat breads.The key to a crisp lavash is to roll out the dough paper-thin. The sheet can be cut into crackers in advance or snapped into shards after baking. The shards make a nice presentation when arranged in baskets. Makes 1 sheet pan of crackers.

1 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 Tb sugar
1 Tb vegetable oil
1/3 to 1/2 cup + 2 Tb water, at room temperature
Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, or kosher salt for toppings (I used kosher salt and paprika for my topping)

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt yeast, sugar, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball. You may not need the full 1/2 cup + 2 Tb of water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.

2. Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until the ingredients are evenly distributed. The dough should pass the windowpane test and register 77 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), satiny to the touch, not tacky, and supple enough to stretch when pulled. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

3. Ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size. (You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing).

4. Mist the counter lightly with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax. At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap while it relaxes. When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment. Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment. If it overlaps the edge of the pan, snip off the excess with scissors.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Mist the top of the dough with water and sprinkle a covering of seeds or spices on the dough (such as alternating rows of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, kosher or pretzel salt, etc.) Be careful with spices and salt - a little goes a long way. If you want to precut the cracker, use a pizza cutter (rolling blade) and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough. You do not need to separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking. If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting it first.

6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).

7. When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. You can then snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.

Hummus (from Barefoot Contessa's Cookbook)
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
1 1/2 tsps kosher salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
6 Tbls freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbls water or liquid from chickpeas
8 dashes Tabasco sauce

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste for seasoning and serve chilled or at room temperature. Makes 2 cups.