Sweet Morris

Ides of March

2012-03-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

The other day while I was cleaning, I noticed our toothbrushes seemed to be multiplying. I didn't know how this was possible but there were twice as many toothbrushes as people living in this house. (Maybe our friends are slowly moving in and we didn't realize it. First, they leave a toothbrush then next they will want a part of a closet.)

So, I called everyone to grab their toothbrush. My son comes into the bathroom and grabs 4, yes let me repeat 4, toothbrushes. I ask him why he needed so many toothbrushes especially since he is losing his teeth. He shrugged and said he just needed them. I asked him to retire two of them and he could still keep two. The question I have is where did he get the toothbrushes?

Since it is the Ides of March, I decided to make a Caesar Salad.This salad was great. All my children loved it. My husband happened to be in the kitchen when I add the anchovy so he was reluctant to have any. He did however eat the croutons and loved them. So did my son who was very disappointed that I hadn't made more.

Caesar Salad
Homemade croutons (see below)
Caesar Dressing (see below)
Romaine Lettuce
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Clean and dry the lettuce.
Add the lettuce to a bowl.
Top the lettuce with the dressing and Parmesan Cheese. Toss.
Add the croutons and serve.

Homemade Croutons
1/2 loaf of Italian bread, cubed
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley/oregano
salt for seasoning to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Add the cubed bread to a bowl.
Top with the olive oil, garlic powder, and the oregano. Toss.
Spread the cubed bread evenly onto a baking sheet.
Season with salt.
Bake for about 20 minutes or golden brown.

Caesar Salad Dressing
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
3 cloves garlic
1 cup lite mayonnaise
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 anchovie, raw and chopped
black pepper for seasoning to taste

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.
Store in a sealed container until ready to use.

Recipe slightly adapted from Annie's Eats. The dressing originally from The Parsley Thief and the croutons from Savory Sweet Life.

Did you already know.........
-Julius Caesar married three times.
-Julius Caesar was romantically involved with Cleopatra but could not married because Roman law.
-The Julian calendar was introduced by Julius Caesar and the month of July is named for him.
-Julius Caesar was born around July 12th, 100 B.C.

Liebster Blog Award

2012-03-14T01:03:00.002-04:00

I would like to think Emily of Ruf Love for nominating me for this award. I think it is very sweet. Please check out her blog especially for the great food and photos. She makes me want to convince my sisters to have another baby in the family. Babies are so wonderful! We both belong to the Pastry Queen Project which is a lot of fun and I look forward to participating every week. My family also look forward to the great recipes I've been trying out.

Here are the rules:

Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you.
Copy and paste the blog award on your blog.
Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserves to be noticed. (Sorry if someone has more than 200 followers. I used Google Reader Subscribers and Facebook followers as my reference.)
Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment on their blog.

Creative Missy- Missy blogs about recipes and knitting plus inspiration. She also participates in the Pastry Queen Project. The recipes she has made look amazing.

Cupcakes and Kale Chips- Brianne blogs about food and her family.

Growing Brains-Heather blogs about raising 3 wonderful boys and one precious little girl.

Mygrations- Gary travels the world and documents it on his blog. How I would love to travel to a new, exciting destination.

She Makes and Bakes-Emily blogs amazing recipes like a Guinness Challah. Emily also participates in the Pastry Queen Project.

Thank you again Emily!

St. Patrick's Day Green

2012-03-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

Do you wear green on St. Patrick's Day? Not only do we wear green on St. Patrick's Day, we even wear green the night before. Who really wants to be woken up by being pinched? Don't worry no one has been pinched to this date. It is like a game and no one gets caught without green in this household. Plus I wouldn't pinch anyone hard but I couldn't guarantee the kids play by the same rules. I sure don't want to find out.

Last year, I purchased The Perfect Scoop cookbook by David Lebovitz and my ice cream machine gets used often. If my husband had his way, it would be used daily. He has been disappointed lately since I haven't used it once this year. I wanted to continue with an Irish theme that was kid friendly. Since I didn't find one I liked, I decided to create one using the Chocolate Ice Cream, Philadelphia-Style as my template. The end result was delicious!

Irish Mint Chocolate Ice Cream
3/4 cups of Baileys Irish Cream Coffee Creamer
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
6 Tbsp unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 package of Andes Mint Chocolates, 18 pieces chopped
1 cup low fat milk
1/4 tsp mint extract

Directions:

In a large saucepan, mix the creamer, heavy cream, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
Over medium heat, mix the mixture until a rolling boil.
Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the chopped bittersweet chocolate and half of the chopped mint chocolates.
Stir until the chocolate has melted.
Add the milk and the mint extract until well combined.
Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
Add the mixture to an ice cream machine.
Follow the ice cream machine's instructions for the amount of time to mix the mixture.
At the end of the mixing cycle time, add the remaining chopped mint chocolates.

Created by Sweet Morris.

Did you already know..........
-The first St. Patrick's Day parade occurred in New York City in 1762.
-Besides New York, Boston, Savannah, Philadelphia, and Chicago have a St. Patrick's Day parade.
-Every year, Chicago dyes the Chicago River green to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. The city has been doing this tradition since 1962.

Butterflake Herb Loaf

2012-03-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

Are you having corn beef and cabbage this week? We will be having it on Saturday. Since it is on sale this week, I always buy two of the corn beef and freeze one. It freezes very well. I guess that means we will be having Turkey soon since I will need to make room in the freezer.

My husband never had corn beef and cabbage before he married me. His family didn't have any special Irish meal on Saint Patrick's Day. I will also be making this bread. My husband loved this bread. He said it was awesome and would have it every day. My son agreed since he ate the remaining bread for breakfast the next day. This recipe makes 2 loafs. It looks complicated but it really isn't hard. The filling can be changed up. Maybe this weekend I'll add some Irish cheddar, doesn't that sound good?

Butterflake Herb Loaf
dough
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tsp instant dry yeast
4 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp whole white all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry basil

Directions:
Grease a loaf pan and set aside.
In a small pan, bring the milk to a simmer.
In a mixing bowl, pour the milk over the butter.
Add the sugar and salt. Allow the mixture to cool to lukewarm.
When the temperature is around 110 degrees F, add the eggs, yeast, and 3 1/2 cups of flour. Begin to mix the dough.
After mixing for 3 minutes, begin to add the remaining flour until the dough is soft and smooth. The dough should not be sticky.
Cover the dough and allow to rise for 1 hour.
While the dough is rising, combine the softened butter with the herbs in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
After the dough has risen, roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness.
Use a circle biscuit cutter (circular cookie cutter or glass) cut out circles from the dough.
With each circle, butter one side with the herb butter.
Fold the circle in half. and place the folded circle dough into the greased loaf pan vertically. Any scraps place on top of the loaf.
Cover the pan and allow to rise for another hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the loaf pan uncovered in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
If the loaf becomes to brown on top, cover with foil or parchment paper.
Allow to cool for a few minutes and enjoy.

Recipe from King Arthur.

Did you already know.......
-In 390, Saint Patrick was born in Britain. He was not Irish.
-When he was 16 years old, Saint Patrick was kidnapped.
-Saint Patrick was a slave in Ireland for seven years before escaping and returning to Britain.
-Saint Patrick became a priest and returned to Ireland to convert the Irish to Christianity.

Bourbon Cookies

2012-03-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

Any surname with an O'..., you know is Irish. You don't have to guess their family nationality. When I met my husband, I knew he was Irish. (It really wouldn't have mattered his family origins anyways.) Now if he had told me his last name was O'Trouble, I may have waited for a longer courtship.

My nationality is English, French, American Indian, Martian, and etc. I am just kidding about the Martian. I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. I am 100% Earthitarian. Earthitarian sounds more intelligent than Earthling.

Since Saint Patrick's Day is next Saturday, I figured I would make some clover shaped cookies. I could not find a clover cookie cutter. I even had a 101 cookie cutter kit and it didn't have a clover. I ended up making one. I made some with currents and green sugar. I was pleasantly surprised how sweet they were even with the Bourbon. These cookies taste great the first day but the next day they taste a little flat.

Bourbon Currant Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour, sifted (plus more for work surface)
1/3 cup bourbon
1/2 cup dried currants
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth.
Add 1 egg, flour, bourbon, and the currants.
Mix until well combined.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut out desired shapes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg with the heavy cream.
Brush the cookies with the egg cream wash.
Space the cookies 1 inch apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake until pale golden brown about 12 to 15 minutes.
Allow to cool on wire rack.

Recipe from Martha Stewart's Cookies Page 152.

Did you already know......

-O'.. means descendent of ...
-A lot of Irish surnames have a coat of arms.
-There are maps to trace your family clan and surname to a specific location in Ireland.

Since we are all Irish on Saint Patrick's Day, I figured we all need Irish names. I guess I'll go by Brianna next Saturday. Here is a site to pick your Irish name. Hopefully, I will remember to answer to the name.

White on white buttermilk cupcakes

2012-03-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

We've been having lots of birthdays lately. Since it is wildcard this week for Project Pastry Queen , I decided to try the White-on-White Buttermilk Cake but with the chocolate frosting variation. Buttercream frosting is the best.

My oldest daughter isn't a big fan of frosting and she said she could eat the whole bowl of it. Since I had some left over frosting, I decided to store it in the freezer for another day or maybe just hide it from my oldest. If it becomes missing, I'll know why.

This cake recipe was selected by Beth of The Powdered Plum. She used a Jack Daniel's Buttercream frosting. For the cake recipe, please check out Beth's blog.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
3 eggs
4 egg yolks
1/2 cups water
2 cups sugar
3 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted

Directions:

Whip the eggs and egg yolks in a large bowl on high speed for 5 minutes.
In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar.
Simmer the water and sugar until a candy thermometer is between 234 degrees F. and 240 degrees F.
Immediately and slowly, add the sugar mixture to the egg mixture while mixing on low speed the whole time.
Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 7 minutes.
Add half a stick of butter at a time while beating on medium speed.
Let the butter mix for about 20 seconds before adding the next half of stick of butter.
Once all the butter has been added, beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes so the frosting thickens.
Stir in the salt and the cooled chocolate.

Recipe from The Pastry Queen cookbook.

Did you already know.......
-Some types of buttercream are: American, Swiss, Italian, German, and French.
-The Swiss, Italian, and French buttercreams are meringue based.
-The German buttercream is custard based.

Mr. Brevity

2012-03-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

Last year, I thought it would be a good idea to have a word of the week since my oldest would be taking the SAT. The youngest kids didn't mind. They thought it was pretty cool learning new words plus I tried to use fun words like flippant and impeccable. Now, my youngest children tell me how their oldest sister has a flippant attitude all the time. Their oldest sister just agrees with them.

One of the words of the week was brevity. On school days, my son is so slow getting ready for school. He has missed the bus several times since he thinks the world will wait for him. On these mornings, I will say, "Come on, Mr. Brevity. We need to go." Well, the other day we were reviewing our words of the week. I asked my son if he knew what brevity meant. He said yes, it means quick like him because is why we call him Mr. Brevity. So, the next word of the week will be facetious.

If you have a great vocabulary word for the word of the week, let me know. The word I would use to describe this sandwich would be delicious!

Fried Meatball Sandwich with additional meatballs
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup dried parsley leaves,
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
3 lbs ground chuck
1 lb ground pork
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 buns
4 slices of Provolone cheese
1 jar of marinara sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs.
Add the Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, ground chuck, ground pork, and the Panko breadcrumbs. Mix until well incorporated.
Form 4 patties and the remaining meat roll into desired size meatballs.
In a skillet on medium heat, add the olive oil.
In a pot, heat the marinara sauce on low heat. Stir occasionally.
Add the four patties and cook about 6 minutes a side.
In a baking dish, add the meatballs and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the meatballs look medium rare done. (You will be reheating at another time.)
When the meatballs are done, allow to cool and transfer to a freezer bag to store in the freezer until ready to use.
Cook the patties until cooked through and then top with cheese.
Remove the patties and place on top of the opened bun.
Top the patty with the warmed marinara sauce.

Recipe adapted from The Sandwich King on Food network. Enjoy!

Did you already know.............
-In 1901, the SAT was developed to test intelligence.
-In 2005, an essay section was added to the SAT.
-The SAT is offered seven times a year.
-The average score is 1520 out of 2400.
-It is recommended to score at least a 2080 for Harvard.

Agent P sandwich

2012-03-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

My son never complains about school. Yes, he is in elementary school but he still has nothing negative to say until recently. He came home upset because his class was late to lunch. My son does like to eat. So, I asked him if lunch was his favorite part of his school day. He surprised me by saying no. I asked him what was his favorite part of school. He told me it was snack followed by recess. I should have guess.

Since my the scheduled school lunch was hot dogs, I had to make his lunch. My husband has a choking phobia so any hot dogs are out of the question. I was attempting to make Agent P from Phineas and Ferb. I made this before for the kids on an English muffin and it looked better. My son liked it. His teacher even told him at lunch that she noticed how healthy his lunch looked. Good thing, she didn't see what he had for breakfast just kidding. I meant good thing she didn't see his sister's lunch.

I really need to start making these kind of lunches for myself. I think it would be cooler. I could give you step by step directions on how to make Agent P but Susan Yuen has great instructions. I really need to start trying to make bento box lunches. They just look cool.

Did you already know.......
-Agent P is actually Perry the Platypus.
-Perry the Platypus is the pet of Phineas and Ferb.
-Perry also is a secret agent for O.W.A.C.
-O.W.C.A. stands for Organization Without a Cool Acronym.

Strange things

2012-03-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

Do you ever see strange things inside your house? Do you want an example? I saw my 18 year old daughter holding onto my 8 year old daughter's leg. My youngest son didn't want to be left out so he was on top of my oldest daughter's back. My youngest daughter was trying to escape and managed (I don't know how) to drag both her siblings down the hall. Since my youngest daughter was laughing, I thought it would better just not to say anything. Sometimes, I think that is the best approach.

Shortly after, it sounded like my youngest daughter somehow escaped. Within a few minutes, my youngest son came running to me and ask if I knew where his oldest sister's phone was? I said I didn't. I had a good idea who had it. I think my oldest did too. Soon, my oldest was back downstairs with her beautiful hair a little messed up. It appeared like she retrieved her phone. My husband slept through this whole experience. The things he misses.

My youngest daughter asked me to make peanut butter cookies. I really like this recipe a lot. I made a few sandwiches with jelly in the middle. I think next time we make these cookies we will just have to add ice cream in the middle-just to test it out.

Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup smooth peanut butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Whisk flour and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar and brown sugar until fluffy.
Add the egg and mix well.
Mix in the vanilla and peanut butter.
Slowly, add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
Drop the batter by large spoonfuls onto the baking sheet.
Space the batter about 1 1/2 inches apart.
Dip the bottom of a glass in flour and tap off the excess.
Flatten the tops of the cookie dough ball with the bottom of the glass.
Dip a fork into flour to coat and then make two cross marks across the top of each cookie dough ball.
Bake the cookies about 7 minutes and then rotate the cookie sheet around.
Bake the cookies for another 5 minutes or until lightly brown.
Allow the cookies to cool completely.

Recipe slightly adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies page 184.

Did you already know.......
-In 1973, the first portable mobile phone was made by Motorola.
-Martin Cooper was the first person to make a call using the portable mobile phone since he was the one who created it for Motorola.
-Martin Cooper called Bell Lab's Dr. Engel.
-Martin Cooper had previously worked on creating the first portable handheld police radio.

Tiramisu with Homemade Ladyfingers

2012-03-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

This weeks pick on Project Pastry Queen was Tiramisu. I told my husband about the selection and I wasn't sure if I wanted to make it. He said, "Well, that is too bad." He loves coffee and dessert so this dessert is perfect for him. He didn't even want to share.

After I made the ladyfingers, my children kept eating them. My first attempts of the ladyfingers were not perfect. I was informed some of my ladyfingers resembled a lady's forearm, a man's finger, a witch's finger, and an Easter egg. I figured out (on my last batch) to make a template of the desired shape onto the back of the parchment paper. They may not have looked perfect but they tasted good. At one point, I wasn't sure if I had enough ladyfingers left. I also used white whole wheat flour so I think my ladyfingers didn't rise like they should have. I should have doubled my layer of ladyfingers in my tiramisu.

In addition to the traditional tiramisu, I made a children friendly version. I guess the children's version could be called more of a trifle? I am really glad I made a 2nd version since my son kept asking if he can have some. He was not happy when I told him no but then I showed him that I had made him a smaller one for them and life was good again. Please visit Sarah's blog for the traditional recipe and the ladyfingers recipe.

A piece lacking espresso and liqueur

Children's friendly version of Tiramisu/Trifle:
Ladyfingers
Soaking Syrup (recipe below)
Filling (recipe below)
Cocoa powder
Bittersweet chocolate, grated

Assemble:

Coat a mini loaf pan with cooking spray.
Dip both sides of a ladyfinger at a time in the soaking syrup.
Place a bottom layer of ladyfingers in the dish.
Top the layer with some of the filling then repeat the soaked ladyfinger layer.
Add another layer of the filling.
Top the 2nd layer of filling with cocoa powder and grated chocolate.

Soaking Syrup for the kids:
1/4 cup water
3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, simmer the water and sugar over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Remove the syrup and stir in the vanilla extract.
Set aside to cool.

Filling for the kids:
1 (6 oz) package of cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
4 oz mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

Directions:

Cream the sugar with the cream cheese until fluffy.
Add the mascarpone cheese until well incorporated.

Recipe adapted from the Pastry Queen cookbook.

Should have doubled the layers of Ladyfingers

Did you already know.........
-Ladyfingers was created in the eleventh century by the French House of Savoy.
-Ladyfingers are a sponge cake.
-A popular ingredient in other desserts like trifles and charlottes.

Butterscotch Fondue

2012-03-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

What is your take on fondue? Are you a fondue connoisseur? Or maybe you have never tried fondue? My oldest daughter says, "Fondue is fun." The youngest kids take after their Dad and love dips. Fondue is like a dip but with long forks. They thought it was pretty cool.

Growing up, we didn't snack a lot. So, I don't remember having fondue. I remember large dinners always with vegetables. However, my sister is hip since she has a fondue pot with the little forks. One time, my oldest asked me what I wanted as a present and I said how about a fondue set. So, I have the cool, long stemmed fondue forks which are color coded. Now if you need entertainment, you should watch seven and eight year olds use the forks. I will say my youngest children didn't give up even when they lost half of their food in the depths of the pot. I guess they wanted to make sure their food was cover nicely. Spoons work very nicely to retrieve the missing food pieces.

I really liked this recipe. I usually do not use a crock pot but I thought the kids would enjoy this recipe especially since we were snowed inside. The kids would agree. I will say the original recipe called for corn syrup and I substituted agave nectar (syrup) instead. I also halved the recipe.

Butterscotch Fondue Recipe

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter, melted
2/3 cups agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk
Items to dip like strawberries, apple slices, cookies, cake, etc.

Directions:

In a slow cooker, stir together the sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, agave nectar, and vanilla.
Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours. Stir occasionally.
Whisk in the milk and continue to cook on low heat for 2 hours. Stir occasionally.
Serve with desired dipping items.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.

Did you already know........
-Originated in Switzerland in the 1800s as a way to eat harden cheese in the winter months.
-The fondue pot is called a Caquelon which is the French word for pot.
-Fondue parties were very popular beginning in the 1950s.

Days that start with a T

2012-03-01T00:00:00.001-05:00

I make sure my children do not go hungry but sometimes I do joke with them about not feeding them. They do not even take me serious. However, my niece was over one day and said, "Aunt Jen, I am hungry." As she followed me into the kitchen, I said to her, "Oh sweetie, we don't eat on days that begin with T." She looked at me like I was serious and didn't know how to respond. My children informed her I was just joking. Don't worry I did give her something to eat and I went a step further. I even provided her with a drink. See, I try to be a good Aunt.

My sister told me she tells her daughter that they don't eat on days that end with y but her daughter knew she wasn't serious since that would be everyday.

I decided to try this soup. I will disclose that we like kale. We really liked it. Since a couple of us have a cold, I think it was a good choice. I used a sweet Italian chicken sausage. Next time, I think I will fry the sausage first to make it a little crispy and leave some to use as a garnish for the soup.

Sausage and Kale Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
5 waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 cans of chicken broth, reduced sodium
1 bunch of kale, stemmed and shredded
12 oz. smoked chicken sausage, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Directions:

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes stirring.
Add the garlic and the red pepper flakes, cook for 1 minute.
Add the potatoes and chicken broth.
Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce heat.
Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add the kale and sausage.
Simmer until the kale is wilted about 10 to 15 minutes.

Recipe from Martha Stewart.

Did you already know........
-Kale is a form of cabbage.
-Kale is a good source of Vitamin A, C, and K.
-Kale has about 33 calories for 1 cup.

Breadsticks to garlic knots

2012-03-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Isn't it funny how you can change an appearance of something and it becomes fancy? For an example, you can make pasta with macaroni noodles or Campanelle noodles. You can make breadsticks or more impressive garlic knots. Please feel free to continue my examples.

I asked my husband if he wanted breadsticks or would he prefer garlic knots. He replied garlic knots. The only difference between the two in this recipe is the shape. I have made this recipe before and always made breadsticks. I have no idea how Olive Garden or any other restaurant can get their breadsticks the same size. Even if I used a food scale, my bread sticks still would look different. I don't have time or patience for everything to be a duplicated copy but I was surprised how different each breadstick turned out. My breadsticks are like snowflakes with no two alike. My dough would shrink on some and others would be too skinny. I will never be hired at a breadstick factory. My oldest informed me that restaurants cheat with trays. Now, I have learned the secret of life.

The nice thing about garlic knots are it isn't so obvious the knots aren't exactly alike. The other thing I notices is with the breadsticks the kids want more. "What do you mean Mom there are no more? At the Olive Garden, we can always get more." (My kids really did expect me to have an unlimited supply.) With garlic knots, I can make the knots smaller and twice as many to serve. I did not double the recipe but for some reason my supply did not run out.

Garlic Knots from the Olive Garden Breadsticks
1 1/2 cups hot water (not too hot to be uncomfortable to touch)
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp butter, softened
4 to 5 cups of flour
1 Tbsp yeast
3 Tbsp butter, melted
sea salt for topping
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

With the paddle attachment, add the hot water with the sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Add the salt and softened butter.
Add 2 cups of flour and mix the ingredients on low.
Add the yeast and add 1/2 cup of flour at a time until the dough scrapes the sides of the mixing bowl clean.
On medium speed, mix the dough for 5 minutes.
Spray a clean working area, a sharp knife, 2 cookie sheet and your hands with cooking spray.
Turn the dough onto the working area and roll the dough into a long log.
Cut the dough with the knife into 24 pieces.
Roll the dough into long rope then loop the dough up and tie it into a knot just like a knot in a shoelace.
Place the knots onto the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
Place the cookie sheet into the cold oven.
Turn the oven to 170 degrees F and allow the dough to rise for 15 minutes or double in size.
Remove the dough from the oven and brush with 1 1/2 Tbsp of the melted butter and sprinkle with the sea salt.
Return the cookie sheets to the oven. Turn the oven to 400 degrees F.
Once the oven is at 400 degrees F cook the garlic knots for 7 minutes. Switch the cookie sheets from top to bottom so both pans will cook evenly.
Cook the garlic knots for another 7 to 8 minutes or until golden brown.
While the garlic knots are continuously baking, mix the remaining melted butter with 1/4 tsp garlic powder.
Remove the golden brown garlic knots from the oven.
Brush the garlic knots with the garlic butter.

Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up! and originally from The Food Network Magazine.

Did you already know...........
-There are more than 750 Olive Garden restaurants.
-Olive Garden belongs to the Darden Restaurants company.
-Darden Restaurants are one of the largest casual dining restaurant company consisting of Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, Smokey Bones BBQ, etc.
-The Darden Restaurants contribute to the Darden harvest. The restaurants contribute their surplus food to help local food banks.

Superhero

2012-02-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

Do you have a favorite Superhero? Superman is my husband's favorite. we have the collection of Smallville on DVD, all the seasons of Smallville. We have many Superman movies even Superman Returns. My youngest daughter's favorite Superhero is Supergirl. She is a Daddy's girl! My son's favorite is Spider-man (which is why our dog is named Parker). My oldest daughter says her favorite is Wolverine. Can you tell who my favorite Superhero is?

I saw this recipe for a pudding drink and I figured I would try it. My oldest did not like it since she isn't a big fan of pudding. My two little ones loved it. Since they are such a fan of this drink, I figured I would post it. I am going to post the original recipe but I used vanilla pudding.

White Hot Chocolate Drink

1 1/2 Tbsp white chocolate flavor instant pudding mix
1 cup milk
Toppings if desired: whip cream, crushed peppermint candies, or chocolate

Directions:

Mix the milk and pudding mix in a microwavable mug.
Microwave for 1 minute on high.
Top with the desired toppings.

Recipe from Disney Family Fun.

Did you already know........
-Wolverine and Spider-man are from Marvel comics.
-Superman and Wonder Woman are from DC comics.
-Superman was first published in 1983.

Sore Back

2012-02-27T00:00:00.002-05:00

My husband said his back hurt so our two youngest children volunteered to message it. So, my husband laid down to see if it would help. My son squeezed the back of his neck like he was chocking my husband. Then my son and youngest daughter karate chopped his back. Just in case my husband wasn't in enough pain at this point, they pushed their elbows into my poor husband's back. My son asked, "Doesn't this feel good, Daddy?" Lesson learned: if you want your back to feel better, do not allow my two young children to help you out. Days later he is still recovering! My husband is so thoughtful that he volunteered for them to do my back next. I ran away.

I asked my son what kind of birthday cupcakes would he like. He said he wanted Power Rangers. I said not what type of decorations but what type of flavor did he want. He thought about it and told me he wanted banana. How many little kids ask for banana cake? I make banana bread all the time but I have never made banana cake before. I figured Martha Stewart would have a recipe for a banana cake. I am glad I trusted my instincts because these cupcakes are great. The cupcakes have a subtle banana taste. To top the cupcakes, I used a buttercream recipe found in my now favorite book The Pastry Queen.

Banana Cake

3 cups cake flour, sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
4 very ripe large bananas, mashed
3/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
Add 1 egg at a time incorporating well.
Add the bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla.
Slowly, add about 1 cup of the flour mixture at a time and incorporate well. Continue to add the flour mixture until all combined.
Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full.
Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Let cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before frosting.

Recipe from Martha Stewart. There is a link for a caramel buttercream recipe which I have not tried.

Did you already know..........
-Bananas are harvested everyday of the year.
-Bananas are the most popular fruit in the U.S.
-The Cavendish banana is the typical banana eaten in the U.S.
-Other types of bananas are Goldfinger, Latundan, Red bananas.

PQ: Pound Cake Rum or No Rum?

2012-02-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

Rum or no rum? Rum or no rum? Dilemma's of life! This weeks Project Pastry Queen was the Totally Rummy Pound Cake picked by Shawnda. I just couldn't decide if I wanted to go with Rum. Why? It isn't because we don't like rum in this household. (If you shy around alcohol, you need to be absent from my husband's birthday bashes.) Since it was my son's birthday weekend, (yes weekend since it was a sleepover), I figured I would make a twist.

I decided to substitute the rum with lemons and blueberries. A lot of snow has melted and I am crossing my fingers for Spring. I really do try to ignore that groundhog especially when he predicts 6/8/12 more weeks of winter-remember I live in Maine.

I thought maybe one loaf pan would be enough. I was wrong. Since I had a lot of batter left over, I did a lot of mini loafs. Another great thing about mini loafs size is they are easier to ship to family members.

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake

1 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted lightly (optional)
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease bread pans with cooking spray.
Arrange the toasted almonds on the bottom of the bread pans.
In a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until fluffy about 1 minute.
After scrapping down the sides, add the sugar. Beat for 2 minutes on medium-high speed until incorporated.
Scrap down the sides of the bowl again and then add 1 egg at a time until mixture is fluffy about 1 to 2 minutes.
In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and alternate with the sour cream until all the flour and sour cream is incorporated on medium-low speed.
Stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and the lemon juice. Mix well.
Gently fold in 2/3 cups of the blueberries.
Spoon the batter evenly into the pans about 2/3 full. Top the batter with the remaining blueberries.
Bake the pound cakes for about 1 hour and 20 minutes for the large loaf pan and about 30 minutes for the mini loaf pans. If the top is browning too quickly before the loafs are completely cooked through, cover the cakes with parchment paper. The pound cakes are done when the cake springs back when touched lightly.
Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen Cookbook page 75.

Please check out the other Project Pastry Queen members posting of the Totally Rummy Pound Cake or if desired a glaze for the pound cake. Then you will have to decide rum or no rum in the glaze. Enjoy!

Almond crust

Did you already know.............
-In 1934, Myers's Rum was introduced in the US.
-(Prohibition ended in 1933 for any curious minds.)
-Myers's Rum is made with pure Jamaican molasses.
-Myers's Rum is matured for about four years in oak barrels.

Southern Charm

2012-02-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Did you know Southern charm is an inheritable trait? My son must have received this trait from his Southern Grandfather. Now, I will admit honey works better than vinegar with me. My son knows this so he continues to call me, his sweet, sweet Momma. "Sweet, sweet Momma, can you make this for dinner?" "Sweet, sweet Momma, can I play the DS?" He even tries for extra points with, "I want to hold sweet, sweet Momma's hand." I will admit I try to be strong and not fold but wouldn't you if someone is calling you sweet? I guess I could change the blog's name to Sweet, sweet Momma but then I would feel old.

In celebration of my son's birthday, I wanted to make him one of his favorite dishes. He loves macaroni and cheese in the blue box. I refuse to make it. I will buy it since it is a dish my oldest daughter likes to cook. She adds tuna fish when she makes it.

I have made this dish several times before and it taste a lot better than the blue box. It is perfect for a weeknight. I know all the ingredients and there is no unknown orange powder going into the meal. The original recipe calls for elbow macaroni but I used Campanelle pasta to be fancy. You didn't realize macaroni and cheese could be fancy, huh? Also, I doubled the original recipe to feed six people as a meal.

Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese

1 lb Campanelle pasta
7 Tbsp of butter, unsalted
4 eggs
12 oz evaporated milk, 2%
1 tsp hot sauce
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
12 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

In a large pot, cook the pasta according to the package directions to al dente.
Drain the pasta and add it back to the pot.
Add the butter and allow the butter to melt. Toss to coat the pasta.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.
Stir the egg mixture into the pasta.
Add the cheese and stir.
Over low heat, stir the pasta for about 3 minutes or until the mixture is creamy.

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown.

Did you already know........
-The Italian word campanelle means bells.
-Campanelle pasta is a fluted, hollow pasta with a ruffled edge.
-Other substitutes for campanelle are gigli, riccioli, fusilli, ziti, etc.
-Check out the National Pasta Association link for even more unusual shapes of pasta.

Fruit Smoothie

2012-02-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

The other morning my son and I walked outside. We could hear a loud strange noise coming from the next street over. My son turned to me and asked me what could it be. (I think the noise was someone testing their generator) I asked him, "Doesn't it sound like aliens invading?" Unconcerned, he shrugged and asked me, "What should we do?" I told him not to worry since I eat my young. I did playfully try to chase him. He thought it was funny. Later in the car, he asked, "What would we do if aliens invade?" What would you do?

I told my son that he would probably go into hiding with his two older sisters with the pantry full of food while Daddy and I would have to fight. (So if we are ever invaded, you will know where to find me.) He told me he would fight too. I wasn't sure if it was just the thought of being stuck hiding with his two older, bossier sisters because that scared him more than facing aliens.

I still was surprised since I would have thought he would be happy with a pantry of food at his disposal which consisted mostly of cereal. I probably have more boxes of cereal than cans in my pantry. So next time you were wondering why I didn't blog that day, we probably ordered pizza, cereal, or a smoothie. I love smoothies. To me, it is a healthy treat. I didn't add any sweeteners to mine but the children did to their smoothie.

Fruit Smoothies

2 cups blueberries, frozen
2 kiwi, chopped
16 strawberries, frozen
1 cup mint leaves, torn
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup milk
optional: agava syrup, honey, or sugar to taste

Directions:
Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Recipe adapted to a smooth from: Williams-Sonoma. For additional juice recipes or to adapt to a smooth, check the link out.

Did you already know.............

-Extraterrestrial Highway is 92 miles long located near Area 51.
-Area 51 is an Air Force Base located about 100 miles from Las Vegas.
-"No federal funds have been spent searching for radio signals from extraterrestrials since 1993" according to the New York Times article.

Blackened Chicken

2012-02-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been to Mardi Gras? Our oldest son went last year. I figured it would be better not to ask a lot of questions. I have been to New Orleans. I stood on the corner of Bourbon Street when I was 19 years old. Mardi Gras had ended the week before so I thought it would be tame. I was surprised at the shops and what some of the shops sold.

Isn't it funny how worldly you think you are at 19? On that day, I walked with two friends down the street gawking. Did you see that? I think my friends did not want to tarnish all of my naivety and took me over to the water. Please don't feel for me. I was the one who wanted her photo taken under the Bourbon Street sign.

New Orleans was a beautiful city and it was the first place I ever tried blackened chicken. So in celebration of Mardi Gras, here is blackened chicken.

Blackened Chicken

1 1/2 Tbsp parika
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 chicken breast
cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine all of the spices. Set aside.
In an oven safe skillet, heat the oil on the stove top over medium heat.
Add the chicken breast and cook for 2 minutes.
Turn the chicken over and the side facing up spray with cooking spray.
Sprinkle a little of the mixed spices on top of the chicken.
Turn the chicken over and repeat on the other side with the cooking spray and the seasoning. Cook the chicken for 2 minutes.
Turn the chicken over again and cover the skillet with foil or an oven proof cover.
Transfer the skillet to the oven.
Cook the chicken in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Time will vary depending the thickness of your chicken breast.

Recipe adapted from Cooks.com .

Did you already know..........
-Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday in French.
-It is the last day of the several weeks of celebration in New Orleans.
-Mardi Gras is the day before Lent begins.

Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Cake

2012-02-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

My son has nice, thick hair. His hair is so thick that when it becomes too long, his hockey helmet doesn't fit. Then he complains it hurts. Don't we all wish we had thick hair problems? This weekend, I finally took him to get a haircut. While we were at his appointment, the hairdresser asked him to look in the mirror. He looked up and said he was having a staring contest with .............himself. His reflection blinked the same time as he did informed us. Lesson learn: it will always be a tie (you hope) if you have a staring contest with yourself. I guess if you are going to race your shadow and want to win make sure to run towards the sun. You should win every time. If not, you need to exercise more or be checked out.

This week for Project Pastry Queen, I picked the Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Cake. This cake is rich, rich, and rich. My husband loved it but he wanted his glaze without pecans. My youngest daughter suggested to make the glaze and pour it over ice cream next time. My oldest daughter concurred with my youngest daughters suggestion. I made a small heart shape cake and little Bundt cakes. I will admit I forgot to toast my pecans and (as you can see) chop them but I think it tasted wonderful just with all the chocolate glaze on them.

Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Cake
Cake:
1 cup butter, unsalted
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Directions for the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a Bundt pan or cupcake tin generously.
Dust pan with flour and shake off any excess flour. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat.
Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.
Add the water and whisk until smooth. Do not let the mixture boil.
Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Add the sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla to the the cocoa mixture.
Whisk until smooth.
Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Whisk until completely incorporated. There may be lumps.
Pour the batter into your greased pans about 2/3 full.
Bake for 40-45 minutes for the Bundt pan or about 20 minutes for cupcakes. The cake is done when the cake pulls slightly away from the sides of the pan and it feels firm to touch.
Allow the cake to cook in the pan for 20 minutes.
Remove from the pan by loosing the sides with a knife.
Spoon the glaze (recipe below) over the cool cake.

Glaze:
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup butter, unsalted
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup high-quality coca powder
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

Directions for the glaze:

Arrange the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Toast the pecans for 7 to 9 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Remove and allow to cool and chop.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
Add the milk, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. Whisk until glossy.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla, salt, and pecans.
Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake (or ice cream).

Recipe found in The Pastry Queen cookbook page 67.
Please make sure to check out the other Project Pastry Queen members posting and variations of this wonderful dessert.

Did you already know.............
-It is believed Christopher Columbus was the first to introduce Europe to the cocoa bean.
-Chocolate didn't become popular in Europe until 1519 when Hernando Cortez observed the Aztec ruler drinking a beverage containing the cocoa bean. He introduced the drink to the rulers of Europe.

Ham, Cheese, & Fried Egg Panini

2012-02-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

As a kid, did you look through the toy catalog and want all the toys? Did you care if it was a doll or a truck? I didn't. My mom would tell us we could only pick one or two items out of the catalog. I thought that was the most impossible task.

As an adult, I have the same problem but with the William-Sonoma catalog. I would like one of these or two of those. Once in a while, I will break down if the price is right and purchase something like a lunch box with cookie cutters for $10. I thought that was a pretty good deal. My son thought it was great since it was for him. I do actually look at the recipes in the catalogs. Since I have an underutilized panini press, I decided to make this recipe. My family said this was a must make again meal.

Ham, Cheese, & Fried Egg Panini
yields: 4 sandwiches

1/2 tsp minced shallot
1/2 tsp honey
2 tsp Champagne vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
12 oz. Black Forest ham, thinly sliced
4 baguette rolls, sliced horizontally
8 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated
3 tsp mayonnaise/ Dijon mustard (optional)
2 cups mixed salad greens
4 eggs
2 Tbsp chives, chopped

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix the shallot, honey, vinegar, and olive oil. Set aside.
Preheat the electric panini press.
In a large skillet on medium heat, add 1 tsp vegetable oil.
Working in batches, brown the ham slices about 1 minute per side.
Transfer the ham on top of the open baguette rolls.
One the other side of the baguette rolls, brush with mayonnaise/mustard or the shallot oil mixture.
Add the salad greens to the shallot oil bowl and toss to coat the salad.
Top the ham with about 1 oz. Gruyere cheese per a sandwich.
Cover the cheese with the other side of the baguette roll.
Place 2 sandwiches at a time in the panini press and close the lid.
Cook the sandwich about 4 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
In the large skillet used for the ham over medium-low heat, add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil.
Crack one egg into the skillet; cook the egg until the whites turn opaque.
Flip the egg over and cook about 1 minute or until desired doneness.
Open the sandwich and add the egg on top of the sandwich.
Top the egg with the mix salad greens and sprinkle chives on top.
Close the sandwich and serve.

Source William-Sonoma January 2012 catalog page 19.

Did you already know........
-Panini means sandwich.

-If you don't have a panini press, use a handheld grill press, brick covered with tinfoil, waffle iron, or a heavy skillet placed on top of the sandwich (or my oldest daughter's suggest use a clothes iron).

-In the early 1960s, Panini sandwiches could be found in sandwich shops around Italy.

Rosemary French Fries

2012-02-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

I would rather have french fries than chocolate. (My youngest daughter would disagree since nothing beats chocolate.) If I eat out with my Mom, she always shares her french fries with me if they are absent from my order. Isn't she the best? She also said she craved french fries with me.

Now, I know french fries are not the healthiest food out there. I don't count them as a serving of vegetables to my children. We try to limit fast food to our children. (The main reason is my son would rather I cook something that will taste good. He has told me so.)

Once in a great while, I will buy frozen french fries. They don't always taste the best. So, I went to one of my trusted sources and searched french fries. Sure enough, I found one and had to try it.

When my husband tried this recipe, he said I should always make our fries this way. I agree with him. I will never buy frozen fries again. I will probably attempt to make sweet potato fries without the rosemary.

Rosemary French Fries
6 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into even lengthwise wedges
5 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more for seasoning)
1/4 tsp pepper
11/2 Tbsp rosemary, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl.
Cover with hot water.
Allow potatoes to soak for at least 10 minutes but up to 30 minutes.
Coat the bottom of a baking sheet with 4 Tbsp of vegetable oil.
Sprinkle the pan with the salt, pepper, and 1 Tbps rosemary. Set aside.
Drain the potatoes.
Pat Dry the potatoes well.
Toss the potatoes with the remaining 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil and 1/2 Tbsp of rosemary.
Arrange the potatoes onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
Cover the baking sheet with foil and bake for 5 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes.
Rotate the baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes.
Flip the fries over and bake for another 5 to 15 and until golden and crisp.
Remove from oven and transfer onto a paper towel lined plate.
Season with additional salt to taste. Serve warm.

Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats and originally recipe found at The New Best Recipe cookbook.

Did you already know..............
-At a White House dinner, Thomas Jefferson requested potatoes made in the French way to be served.
-Potatoes are grown in all 50 states.
-The potato was the first vegetable grown in space.

Heart Pie Pops

2012-02-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day

Every year, I purchase a box of chocolates for my honey (of course) and all the children. This year my youngest children would keep showing me what they wanted for Valentines which included chocolate, pink monkeys, and lots of candy. I informed them that I only purchase one gift for them so they need to decide what they want. They no longer wanted the monkey but chocolate.

Can I eat it now?

I wanted to make something fun for Valentine's Day. When I saw these heart pie pops at Williams-Sonoma, I figure I could make them. My daughter helped me so our pops have lots of sprinkles on them. Also, she helped with the food processor and rolling out the dough. I think she did a pretty good job. She thought they were really good.

Heart Pie Pops
Pie Dough (recipe follows)
1 21 oz can of cherry pie filling
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
sprinkles

Pie Dough (Pate Brisee)
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into little pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup very cold water

Directions:

Add the flour, salt, and sugar to the food processor.
Pulse for about 30 seconds.
Add the butter and pulse about 19 times.
Continue to pulse while slowly adding the cold water into the food processor. Continue to add water until the dough comes together. Do not pulse more than 30 seconds.
Turn the dough onto a clean surface and gather into a ball.
Cut the dough into half.
Wrap each half of dough and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate for at least one hour before using.

Directions for the Heart Pie Pops:

Combine the egg and water in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Roll out the pie dough.
Using a heart shape cookie cutter, cut out two hearts.
Place one popsicle stick into the middle of one of the dough hearts making sure the top of the stick is about 1 inch away from the top of the heart.
Add about 6 cherries in the middle of one of the heart pie dough.
Top the cherries with the other piece of dough. Seal the sides of the dough very well.
Brush the dough with the egg mixture.
Sprinkle the desired amount of sprinkles on top.

Pie Dough recipe from Martha Stewart Living 2002 Annual Recipes cookbook.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Did you already know.........
-The oldest discovered love poem was written on a clay tablet around 3500 B.C. by the Sumerians.
-In the late 1800s, Richard Cadbury invented the Valentine candy box.
-On February 14th, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell applied for the telephone patent.

Wild Mushroom Soup

2012-02-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

Do you like mushrooms? I do. Do you like to call your sisters and invite them over for supper on nights you are serving mushrooms especially since you know they don't like them? I do. I also invite my two mushroom hating sisters over for their second favorite meal of seafood. They decide not to come over on those nights either. I really don't know why.

Don't worry they get even. One sister has tried to convince my youngest daughter that she doesn't like mushrooms either. My youngest daughter has always eaten mushrooms with no problem until recently. I always give her the option of cereal. She normally picks the mushroom meal so I guess my sister will have to work harder.

Wild Mushroom Soup

1/4 cup butter, unsalted
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 lb shitake mushrooms, sliced
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp finely ground white pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup heavy cream
pinch cayenne pepper
salt to taste
fresh chives, chopped for garnish

Directions:
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pan.
Add the onion and cook until transparent about 5 minutes.
Add all the mushrooms and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir 1 Tbsp of flour at a time.
Return the pan to low heat.
Slowly, add the broth while stirring constantly.
Add the pepper, nutmeg, lemon juice, and sherry.
Simmer the soup over medium low heat for 10 minutes.
Add the cream and stir until the soup is hot.
Add the cayenne and salt to taste.
Garnish with chives.

Recipe from The Pastry Queen on page 168.

Make sure to check out the other Project Pastry Queen members posts.

Did you already know............
-Another name for cremini mushrooms are baby bella, Roman, or brown mushrooms.
-Cremini mushrooms are portobello mushrooms.
-Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms are harvested around 40 days while portobello mushrooms are harvested around 45 days.
-Shiitake or button white mushrooms are excellent substitutes for cremini mushrooms.

Nutella Molten Chocolate Cake

2012-02-10T12:37:00.000-05:00

I am going to surprise you. I know you have already read the title about what I am blogging about but I will still surprise you. Why is this dessert a surprise? Because this dessert is so surprising easy to make! Not only is it easy, the other surprise is how inexpensive it is to make. Now if you go to a nice restaurant like we did this past weekend, you will be surprised that it may cost $8 for one of these. I know just for one. We took a mini weekend trip up to the Bar Harbor area. (Yes, we know it is winter.)

Since my youngest daughter was 100 months old, I told her she could get any dessert she wanted. Of all the dessert, she picked the $5 Oreo shake. I guess I don't make her enough shakes around here. See I am trying to distract you from the fact that I did celebrate my daughter turning 100 months. My husband just goes with it since he knows he'll benefit with a special treat! No, we didn't buy her a present. Let's not go overboard about this celebration. When she reaches 1,000 months and I'm still around, I'll buy her a present then.

I was really surprised how much the restaurant charged for this dessert since I make it all of the time at home for friends. I was able to make six of these for less than $8 plus I added a little of Nutella to mine! Aren't I fancy? Really, I just happened to have the Nutella still on the counter after making my daughter's lunch.

Nutella Molten Chocolate Cake

6 oz. of bittersweet chocolate (or a package of Baker's Baking Squares)
10 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup Nutella
1 3/4 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup flour
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
fresh berries, additional powder sugar, or chocolate fudge, etc for garnish

Directions:

Grease six 6 oz. ramekins or oven proof glass bowls with cooking spray.
Microwave the chocolate, butter, and Nutella for about 2 minutes so all of the butter can melt. Stir well to combine.
Add the flour and the powder sugar until well incorporated.
Add the eggs and egg yolks. Beat until well blended.
Pour into the 6 dishes.
Bake for 15 minutes. The cakes should be firm around the edges but soft in the center.
Let sit at room temperature for 1 minute.
Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen from the sides of the dish.
Place a plate on top of the ramekin facing down and flip. Top the cakes with your desired garnish. Wait a few minutes before serving since the insides of the cake will be really hot and gooey.

Recipe adapted from the back of the Baker's Bittersweet Baking Chocolate Squares.

Did you already know.....
-Acadia National Park is adjacent to Bar Harbor.
- In the 19th century, Bar Harbor was a summer resort for the Rockefellers, Fords, Astors, etc.
-In Acadia National Park, Cadillac Mountain is where the sunlight of dawn first reaches the continental United States.

What we did in the Bar Harbor area!

Cream Cheese Lemon Hearts

2012-02-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day is less than a week away. My youngest daughter has already completed all of her Valentine cards to her classmates and have brought them into school. I was the same way when I was her age.I always liked to give Valentine cards to everyone. I would even make one for my Mom.

I still really like to give Valentine's Day gifts. My husband leaves for work really early so I leave his box of chocolates in his cars so he will be "surprised"! Since I do this every year, I'm not sure he is really surprised anymore but he humors me. (It is also a good reminder for him about the day.) Guess what? He has never forgotten to give me something for Valentine's Day.

I also give the children a small box of chocolate before school. On a normal day, the rule is no treats before 10:00 am. Valentine's Day is different so I allow one piece before school but only after they have eaten their breakfast.

My husband picked this recipe. The recipe is suppose to be bows but I just omitted the bottom part of the bow. I will give you a warning that the dough is thick so they are hard to pipe. I did make some as circles and some I just rolled into balls and flatten a little. These cookies are really good with a hint of lemon.

Cream Cheese Lemon Cookies

3 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
powder sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.
Cream the butter and cream cheese together in a medium bowl.
Add the sugar and continue to cream.
Add the egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix well.
Slowly, add the dry ingredients.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Add a small amount of dough to a piping bag.
Pipe the dough using a large finely ribbed French tip (like Ateco #865).
Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool and dust with the powder sugar.
Cookies will store for up to 3 days in an air tight container at room temperature.

Recipe from Martha Stewart's Cookies page 156.

Did you already know...........
-One legend about St. Valentine is there was a Bishop Valentine in Roman times who would perform secret marriages. He was later executed on Feb. 14th by the Emperor.
-On Feb. 15th, the Romans celebrated the Feast of Lupercalia (a fertility festival) to honor the Roman God Faunas.

Teriyaki beef

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

This is a recipe my family have been making since I was little. My parents would make it and place it on skewers to marinate. Then they would grill it. When you live in Hawaii or Guam, you can grill all the time. I live in Maine. We have a lot of snow. I could try talking my husband into taking out the grill to cook this recipe but I know it isn't going to happen. You could suggest for me to do it but I try to spend as much time outside in the cold as I can. I run from the house to the car and from the car to the store. Sometimes I even get lucky by talking someone into warming up the car for me. Aren't they sweet?

So I had to adapt one of my favorite recipes for indoors. I am glad I did. I think we will be having this recipe more often now. I have used the marinade on chicken and it is great. My family received this recipe from a friend over 30 years ago so I can not give you where the recipe originated.

Teriyaki Beef
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 inch fresh ginger
1 scallion, chopped
1 lb steak, chicken, or any other desired item you want to marinate

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to a dish besides the lb of meat. Mix well so the brown sugar is incorporated.
Add the meat and marinate for 24 hours.

Recipe adapted from a family recipe.

Did you already know............
-Guam is the largest island of the Mariana Island chain in the Northern Pacific Ocean.
-The tropical island of Guam is a US territory.
-Guam's motto is "Where America's Day Begins".
-45 % of Guam's population are the native people Chamorro.
-Guam is only 30 miles long.

Silken Chocolate Walnut Tart

2012-02-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you make something and you know it came out wrong. The thing is this dessert taste so good. It should have been silky. Mine was not. It should have more crust on the sides. Mine did not. Mine was like a delicious brownie on a tart crust.

When I was making this dessert, I had a feeling my tart pan wasn't large enough. So I had the brilliant idea of placing a parchment lined cookie sheet under my tart. I am glad since my tart did run over.

If you make this dessert, you should use a 10 inch tart pan. I even saw a 10 inch heart shape pan. I recommend this dessert for Valentine's Day. Since I made this dessert with the toasted walnuts, my honey would have know it wasn't for him but for me. Alright, I made this for the children and me! Also you can easily adapt the crust to make this a gluten free dessert and it would be worth making it.

Please check out the recipe and the other Project Pastry Queen members posting here.

Buttermilk Corn Bread

2012-02-03T00:00:00.000-05:00

I will admit that I love Jiffy's corn muffins in the little blue box. If I am going to make chili, I'll cheat with the corn muffins. My Dad would say that isn't cornbread. He is a Southern. At Thanksgiving, his family serve cornbread stuffing. My Mother is a Northern and I live in Maine. I make bread stuffing at Thanksgiving. What I'm trying to tell you is I like my cornbread sweet. Growing up, my Dad would make us cornbread in a cast iron skillet and it was good. I make it from a box.

The reason why I'm telling you this is because I went ahead and made corn bread from scratch. I did. Guess what? It was good. I even offered my Dad some. I would never think about offering my Dad Jiffy cornbread. I want to live. How do you like your corn bread? I guess I should ask if you eat corn bread?

Buttermilk Corn Bread

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease an 8 inch pan.
Melt butter in a large skillet.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sugar.
Quickly add the eggs and beat until incorporated.
In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and baking soda.
Stir in the buttermilk mixture to the sugar butter mixture.
Mix in the cornmeal, flour, and salt until well mix with only a few lumps remaining.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Recipe from all recipes.

Did you already know............
-Jiffy is owned by Chelsea Milling Company in Chelsea, Michigan.
-The Chelsea Milling Company has been family operated since the early 1800s.
-In 1930, Mrs. Mabel White Holmes' twin boys brought two motherless boys to her home. Mrs. Holmes noticed the boys were eating "frightful looking sandwiches" and had the idea of making a mix that would be easy to make. Her husband thought it was a great idea and started to produce the mix at the Chelsea Milling Company.
-When Mrs. Holmes was growing up, their cook would say the "biscuits will be ready in a jiffy".

Boston Baked Beans

2012-02-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

It is funny how certain foods make you think of someone close to you. When we would go to family gatherings, my Nana would bring her baked bean pot full of Boston baked beans. It was a tradition. Any time I have baked beans, I think of her even though she is no longer around. I will admit this recipe is close to my Nana's recipe but not quite what I remember. The recipe is very good.

I hardly ever use dry beans. I normally will buy a can before the dry just because it is more convenient. Growing up, my Dad always cooked using dry beans. I never watched him prep the beans. I just knew he started the beans the night before. The first time I went to prep dry beans; I had to call my Dad since I had no clue. I didn't realize they had to soak overnight then cook them then recook them. What? Now, I just follow the directions on the back of the package. I liked it better when my Dad did all the work. Don't you sometimes miss the convenience of being a kid?

Boston Baked Beans
2 cups navy beans
1/2 lbs bacon
1 onion, finely diced
3 Tbsp molasses
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions:
Clean and sort through the beans.
Soak the beans overnight in cold water.
Simmer the beans in the same water until tender for about 1 hour or longer if needed.
Drain but reserve the liquid.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Arrange some of the beans in a dish/bean pot. Layer bacon and onions on top of the beans. Continue to layer first with the beans followed with the bacon and onions.
In a saucepan, combine the molasses, salt, pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and the brown sugar.
Bring the mixture to a boil and pour over the beans.
Add the reserved liquid over the beans to cover the beans.
Cover the dish and cook for 3 to 4 hours. Remove the lid after a couple of hours and add more liquid if needed.

Recipe from All recipes.

Did you already know.........
-Boston baked beans tend to be sweetened with molasses or maple syrup.
-Before the Pilgrims arrival, Native Americans sweetened their beans with maple syrup.
-The Pilgrims and Puritans did not cook on Sunday to observe Sabbath. They would cook their beans on Saturday and leave them in the oven overnight so they were able to enjoy them hot the next day.

Coleslaw

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Coleslaw is one of those foods you like a certain way. For me, I have to be in the mood for it. I like mine a little sweeter than tangy. My husband likes coleslaw a lot but he loves mayonnaise. Yes, he will eat raw cabbage but only if there is a lot of mayonnaise.

I think the best way to have coleslaw is with barbeque or a picnic. I prefer the picnic but there is too much snow outside and I figure we will have to wait. We have held a picnic in the living room but we have a crazy dog and I think it just wouldn't be pretty. I will admit I did not shred the cabbage but I bought the coleslaw package. It is faster.

Coleslaw
1 cup of mayonnaise
2 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tsp celery seed plus a little more for garnish.
1/2 medium head cabbage, finely shredded
1 medium carrot, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix the mayonnaise, sugar, cider vinegar, and celery seed in a large bowl.
Add the shredded cabbage and carrots.
Toss well.
Taste and if needed add a little salt and pepper.
Top with additional celery seed for garnish.
Chill for at least half an hour and enjoy!

Recipe from Sweet Morris.

Did you already know.....
-Coleslaw word is from the the Dutch word koolsla which is cabbage salad.
-The Ancient Romans prepared a similar dish with cabbage, eggs, vinegar and spices.
-Another name for coleslaw is cold slaw or slaw.

Baby Back Ribs

2012-01-31T00:00:00.000-05:00

My son kept asking for me to make baby back ribs. I do not recalling if he had ever had baby back ribs before. Why he wanted them? I have no idea. Then we went out to eat and my oldest daughter order ribs. It isn't something she normally orders but she was nice enough to share with my son. Well, he loved them. So, my son has continued to ask for me to make them. I broke down and did it. He told me I did a good job. Guess what he wants me to make him for his birthday meal?

I have never made baby back ribs. I asked the young butcher at the counter about them since I had no clue. He brought me over to the beef section. Luckily, my husband had asked the person packaging the meat section and he was able to give us baby back ribs. See how knowledgeable I am since I couldn't even tell you if baby back ribs was beef or pork. I learned it is pork.

This week I am going to blog the meal I made in sections. So today will be the baby back ribs. Tomorrow will be the coleslaw then followed by baked beans and corn bread. You will need to start the ribs and beans the night before. It is a perfect Sunday meal. Enjoy!

Baby Back Ribs
Dry Rub
4 Tbsp brown sugar, tightly packed
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp onion powder

1 rack of baby back ribs
1 bottle of barbecue sauce (I used Jack Daniels Original No. 7)

Directions:
Combine all the dry rub seasonings in a bowl.
Place the ribs on a large piece of aluminum foil with the shiny side down on top of a baking sheet.
Rub down the ribs on both sides with the dry rub.
Cover the ribs with half the barbecue sauce.
Place the baking sheet with the ribs inside the refrigerator over night.
Preheat the oven the next day at 300 degrees.
Cook the ribs for 2 1/2 hours and the internal temperature is 160 degrees.
Remove from oven and brush with the remaining barbecue sauce.
Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown.

Did you already know.........
-Other names for baby back ribs are pork back ribs or loin ribs.
-Piglets are not used to make baby back ribs but the name is from the where the shorter ribs are found on the hog.
-Baby back ribs are meatier than spare ribs.

American Beauty Cake

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

Do you watch pageants like Miss America? We normally do not but recently we saw a child beauty pageants television show and my youngest daughter thought it was great. She was ready to enter any pageant she could. I didn't want to discourage her but I have a full time job plus a hockey schedule for my youngest son at this time. So, I took the easy route and said, "You know dear those dress cost a lot of money so you really should talk to Grandmom about making you one. Since it is late, you will have to call her tomorrow." Lucky for me, she forgot all about it. However, today she went with my sister and Mom to look at wedding dresses so she may remember after all.

The only reason why I bring up pageants is this week on PQ was the American Beauty Cake picked by Alice of This Home Plate. My cake will not win any pageants for beauty. Now, talent is another category and it would rock. As my son says, this cake is Awesome! Since my cake didn't look the prettiest no matter what angle, I included a more attractive subject. My son didn't care because he was eating.

This cake takes a day to make since it needs to be frozen for at least six hours. It is a rich, decadent dessert. I did cheat and used store bought mousse. Please check out the other members cake for recipes of the mousse. I would definitely make this again especially for a special occasion like an anniversary. My son enjoyed making it with me since all he did was help with the whip cream but took credit for making the whole dessert. Doesn't he look proud?

American Beauty Cake
Cake:
1 cup unsalted butter
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
6 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Mousse
Dark Chocolate Glaze:
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
To make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.
Place the cake pan in a roasting or baking pan to make sure it fits.
Set a metal bowl over a saucepan that is holding 2 inch of simmering water.
Melt the chocolate and butter in the metal bowl stirring until smooth.
Remove the bowl from the saucepan.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together.
Whisk the sugar and eggs into the chocolate mixture until well combined.
Stir in the vanilla and mix well.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the cake pan.
In the roasting pan, fill the pan with hot water to come about two-thirds of the way up the side of the cake pan. Be careful no water enters the cake pan but just surrounds the cake pan.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan and the cake will settle back down after rising. Do not remove the cake from the pan.
On the cooled cake, spread the mousse filling the pan to the top.
Wrap the cake with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours or up to 3 weeks.

To make the glaze:
Place the chopped chocolate in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
In a sauce pan, combine the corn syrup, whipping cream, and vanilla.
After the mixture boils, pour it over the chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth.
Allow the glaze to cool at room temperature.
To assemble:
Remove the cake from the freezer and dip the bottom of the pan in hot water.
Invert the cake onto a plate and then invert the cake onto another plate so the mousse part is on top.
Pour the glaze over the mousse making sure the glaze needs to cover the sides of the cake.
Allow the glaze to set at least one hour.
After the glaze sets, cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.

Recipe from The Pastry Queen cookbook page 84.

Don't you love his million dollar smile with the missing tooth? He looks like a hockey player.

Did you already know......
-In 1921, a beauty contest was sponsored in Atlantic City to increase newspaper circulation.
-In 1923, Miss Mary Katherine Campbell wins the title Miss America two years in a row. Since her winning, a new rule was instated that no woman can hold the title for more than once.
-From 1929 to 1932, the contest is discontinued due to the Great Depression and bad publicity.
-Miss Maine has never won Miss America.
-The 2012 Miss America winner is Miss Wisconsin, Laura Kaeppeler.

Mushroom Burgers

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

I am going to share something with you. After you read what I'm going to tell you, you may want to send your condolences and you can. It may make me feel a little better. You see I am not even 40 years old but my oldest daughter is 18 years old today. 18! 18! It is just shocking. How can this be? I remember being pregnant with her and unable to move so I tried to do a cart wheel. Don not try this stunt. It doesn't work. Your feet will not move off the ground. However, my daughter did decide to enter the world a couple of days later. Maybe it helped? I will never know.

As I've shared before, my oldest daughter loves hamburgers. She could eat them everyday. The other day I was craving a mushroom burger. I occasionally go to this tavern and I order their mushroom burger. It is so good. So this is my creation of trying to duplicate their burger. It was similar but I liked the results a lot.

So I made two of them. One for me to eat. The other one to photograph. I have to try it before I photograph because if it isn't good why take the photo. Good logic, huh? After I took the photo, I went to my daughter's room and asked her if she wanted a mushroom burger because there was one on the counter. She went into the kitchen and then came to find me. She was not happy. "Where is the burger?" Misunderstanding her, I reply, "What do you mean? It is on the counter." "No, it is not. What happen to the hamburger?" I found this to be very funny and replied, "No dear, I asked you if you wanted a mushroom burger. I did not say mushroom hamburger." She then informed me that my mushroom burger is not a burger. She ate it any ways. She even grudgingly told me that she liked it a lot. I will continue to call this a mushroom burger especially since the tavern does.

Mushroom Burger

2 large portabella mushroom caps
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
2 strips of roasted red pepper
1/2 cup of fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
2 slices of Provolone cheese
2 hamburger buns ( I toasted mine)

Directions:

Remove the stems of the mushrooms and clean well.
Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Brush the caps with the oil mixture.
Heat a skillet over medium heat.
Spray the skillet with cooking spray and add the spinach leaves.
Saute the leaves for about 3-5 minutes until they are welted. Set aside in a small dish.
Add the roasted red peppers to the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes.
Set aside with the spinach.
Mix the spinach and red peppers with the Parmesan cheese.
Add the caps stem side down into the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Flip the cap and cook the other side for 5 minutes.
Add the spinach leaves and red pepper cap to the middle of the portabella mushroom cap.
Top the mushroom cap with a slice of Provolone cheese.
Remove from the skillet and place on top of a plate to allow the juices to settle before placing on the bun (which I should have done).

Recipe from Sweet Morris.

Did you already know...............
-Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Lewis Carrol were born.
-In 1880, Thomas Edison received a patent for his incandescent light.
-In 1888, the National Geographic Society was founded.
-The #1 song on US charts was "All for Love" by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, and Sting.

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Fluffy Dinner Rolls

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

I love fresh rolls. If a restaurant serves great tasting rolls, I am so there. I love Panera bread and I am so glad that I do not live close to one. Can you imagine having a futuristic button to press and out came your request like a vending machine but everything was fresh? What would you have in your futuristic vending machine? Panera bread? Godiva chocolate? Fresh picked strawberries?

My sister is so good since she follows a gluten free diet but pasta and rolls are my down fall. No wonder my sister is so small. I know this is the way to convince you to make these rolls, huh?

The best thing about these rolls are how short the start to ready to eat time. I only had a couple of hours to make rolls before my guests were arriving. I needed rolls for meatballs. I normally buy the store rolls but they are gummy. Then you place a meatball inside and it is a bigger mess. The rolls were perfect to serve with the messy meatballs. My husband liked these rolls but his pick would be the Texas Roadhouse copycat rolls posted earlier.

Fluffy Dinner Rolls

3/4 cups milk
4 Tbsp butter
3/4 cups hot water
4 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
4 to 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 package of active dry yeast

Directions:

Microwave the milk with the butter for 90 seconds.
Preheat oven to 170 degrees F.
Measure the hot water from your faucet. The water needs to be slightly uncomfortable to the touch.
Add the hot water, milk and butter to a mixer.
Add the sugar, salt, and 2 cups of flour. Mix for 1 minute.
Add the yeast and mix then add one cup of the remaining hour at a time. Stop adding flour to the mixer when the dough has come together and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.
Continue to mix on medium speed for 5 minutes.
Stop mixing and cover with plastic wrap tightly to trap the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Coat the inside of a 9x13 pan with butter.
Spray your working area with cooking spray.
Place your dough onto your working area and cut the dough into 24 pieces.
Roll the pieces into balls and place into your buttered pan.
Place the pan into the warm preheated oven and let rise for about 20 minutes.
After the dough has risen, turn the heat to 350 degrees with the dough staying in the oven.
Bake the rolls for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!

Did you already know...........
-In 1981, Au Bon Pain Co., Inc. was founded by Louis Kane and Ron Shaich.
-In 1993, Au Bon Pain Co., Inc. purchased Saint Louis Bread Co, a chain of 20 bakery cafes.
-In 1999, the company sold all of the Au Bon Pain business units and renamed the company Panera Bread.
-In 2010, co founder Ron Shaich opened Saint Louis Bread Co. Cares which is a non profit cafe which patrons pay what they can.

PPQ: Petite Pavlovas

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Last weeks, I made Creme Brulee for the first time ever. The main reason why I had never made it before was because I was afraid of the kitchen torch. Isn't that funny? I just would think about all the times my Mom would tell me not to play with fire. Then she went and bought me the kitchen torch one year for Christmas. I didn't use it because I needed the butane. So, the next year (I am serious that a whole year went by) my Mom bought me the butane. Then there was no excuse but to try it out. It wasn't as scary as I thought. I did think it was sort of cool.

Since I could make the Creme Brulee, then I figured I could make the pavlovas too. Don't worry I didn't try the kitchen torch on it. This weeks Project Pastry Queen pick was by Emily at A Gift Nutmeg. The pavlovas are not hard to make but please use caution when it is in the oven. It could brown too dark.

I will share something that surprised me. My husband liked it. Yes, my husband who doesn't eat fruit and occasionally the hidden vegetable liked this dessert. My youngest daughter likes the pavlovas. She keeps asking for the big marshmallow dessert. I took a vote if the family wanted a lemon filling or a raspberry filling. The raspberry won.

Petite Pavlovas with Raspberry Cream and Fresh Fruit
Meringue
4 large egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
With a pencil, trace four evenly spaced 4 inch diameter circles onto the parchment paper. Flip the paper over but make sure you can see the tracing.
In a mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and the pinch of salt on high speed for 2 minutes. The meringue should have formed soft peaks.
Continue to beat the meringue at high speed, while adding 1/8 cup of sugar at a time. The meringue is ready when stiff peaks form.
Spoon the meringue onto the parchment paper using the penciled circles as a guide.
The meringue circles should have a 1 inch rim.
Bake the meringue for about 1 hour. Check the meringues after 30 minutes to ensure they aren't turning brown.
After the meringue has baked, keep them in the turned off oven for at least one hour or over night.

Filling and assembly:
1/2 cup of raspberry or berry jam
1/2 cup of whipped cream

Directions:

Mix the jam with the whipped cream.
Spoon on top of the meringue and top with the slices of fresh fruit.

Recipe from The Pastry Queen Cookbook on page 64.
**Use the left over egg yolks for Creme Brulee**

The inside of the pavlovas

Did you already know..............
-The dessert is named after the famous Russian ballet dancer
Anna Pavlova.
-The dessert was first created in 1926 after Anna Pavlova toured
New Zealand and Australia.
-The desert is a meringue based dessert with a crisp crust but a soft filling.

Orange Chicken

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Chinese New Year!

Today is the Chinese New Year. It is now the year of the Dragon. The Oriental Dragon is a symbol of good fortune. I wish you all some good fortune.

When we order Chinese, I normally do not order Orange Chicken. It is just too expensive to try something new unless it is at the buffet. My oldest daughter is always asking me to cook up a Chinese dish. My oldest daughter loved this dish. We served our chicken with rice.

Orange Chicken
For the marinade and sauce
3/4 cup chicken broth, low sodium
1 1/2 tsp orange zest, finely grated
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
6 Tbsp white vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 lb chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp cold water

For the chicken coating
3 large egg whites
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cup canola oil

Directions:

In a saucepan, add the chicken broth, orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and cayenne pepper. Whisk well.
Remove 3/4 cups of the mixture and add to a large zipper lock plastic bag.
Add the chicken pieces to the bag and remove the excess air before sealing.
Refrigerate for only 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator.
Heat the saucepan mixture over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer.
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water until smooth.
Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan.
Continue to simmer until the sauce becomes thick and translucent about 1 minute. Remove from heat to cool.
Whisk the egg whites until frothy and add to a pie plate.
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Heat the oil to 350 degrees.
In a second pie plate, combine the cornstarch, baking soda, and cayenne pepper.
Drain the chicken of the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel.
Coat the chicken in the egg whites and then coat in the cornstarch mixture. Shake off any excess coating.
Carefully add the coated chicken to the hot oil. Work in batches so the oil isn't over crowded.
Turn the chicken in the hot oil.
Cook the chicken until golden brown or until cooked through about 5 minutes.
Remove the cooked chicken with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
Make sure the oil is at 350 degrees before repeating with the remaining chicken.
Coat the cooked chicken pieces with the sauce.

Recipe found on Smells Like Home. Originally found on Cooking at Home with America's Test Kitchen Cookbook.

Did you already know...........
-People born under the Chinese Zodiac sign of the Dragon are suppose to be warm hearted, energetic, charismatic, lucky at love, and egotistic.
-People born under the Dragon are natural born leaders.
-Some famous people born under the Dragon sign are Joan of Arc, Susan B. Anthony, Florence Nightingale, John Lennon, and Bruce Lee.

Football Crackers

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

My husband loves football. He watches it while he eats his dip and crackers. I decided to give his traditional snack a creative twist. The kids preferred this twist. Can you tell what we will be watching this weekend?

My oldest daughter is very creative so she took the football themed twist to another level with her background.

Football Cheese and crackers
3 slices of cheddar cheese
1 package of chicken sausage, buffalo style
1 sleeve of crackers

Directions:

Take the cheese and using a biscuit cutter press only half of the cutter into cheese.
Flip the cheese over and cut into the second part of the cheese to form the shape of a football.
Cook the sausage according to the directions. Slice the sausage into 1/2 inch circles.
Top each cracker with the cheese and sausage. Can add dressing in between each layers to hold the items together.
Top the cheese with dressing to look like the stitching of the football if desired.

Idea and pictorial found on Gimme Some Oven.

Did you already know...........
-Football evolved from rugby and soccer.
-In 1869, Yale and McGill played the first game of football.
-In 1892, the first professional football player was paid $500 for one game.

Banana Bread

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

When I was a little kid, we lived in Hawaii. In our backyard was a banana tree. My Mom said any time we saw a banana on the tree we wanted it. We did not want to eat it when it was ripe. Today I still prefer my bananas with a little green on them. When they are all yellow, bananas seem slimy to me. My children enjoy their bananas the same way I do.

If we still have any bananas that are ripe, I will either cut them up and freeze them. They make a great addition to smoothies. I will also make banana bread for gifts.

Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
3/4 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 2 loaf pans.
Cream sugar with the butter until well blended.
Mix in the eggs and blend well.
Add the bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just moistened.
Bake the loaves for one hour on the lowest position rack in the oven.
Check with a tooth pick and it should come out clean when inserted into the middle of the loaf.
Allow the loaves to cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans.
Allow to cool completely before slicing.
Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days or 10 days in the refrigerator.

Recipe found in Betty Crocker 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook.

Did You already know..............
-A cluster of bananas are called a hand.
-Banana beer is available for purchase.
-Americans on average purchase 28 pounds of bananas a year.
-A pound of bananas are roughly 3 medium bananas.

Chicken and Rice Soup

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

My husband hasn't been feeling the best lately. I asked him if he wanted me to make him some soup. His request was Chicken and Rice. I have made this recipe several times before for him. My husband loves rice. He prefers rice over noodles so this is his favorite chicken soup.

Chicken and Rice Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 carrots, shredded
2 celery stalks with tops, chopped
2 cups of rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp flour
2 quarts of chicken stock
1 cup chicken, cooked and shredded
3 cups of water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large pot.
Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 4 minutes.
Add the garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute.
Add one cup of rice and stir for 1 minute so the rice toast.
Clear a corner of the pot with no vegetables.
Add 1 Tbsp oil and add the flour to a corner of the pot.
Stir the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Add the chicken stock and water. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir.
Add the other cup of rice and stir. Cook for 10 minutes.
Add the cooked chicken and season to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Recipe created by Jen of Sweet Morris.

Did you already know........
-The flu vaccine lasts at least a year.
-Over 200 viruses can cause the common cold.
-Many studies have shown hicken soup and other hot liquids will make a person with a cold feel better.

PPQ: Creme Brulee

2012-01-16T11:23:00.000-05:00

I received The Pastry Queen Cookbook last month. The neat thing about finally having the cookbook is I can now participate in the Project Pastry Queen. Each week a member will pick a recipe from the cookbook for us to try.

This weeks pick is Espresso Creme Brulee. Since I already have crazy children, I decided to try the rather sweet variation and top it with bananas instead. My husband helped me make this recipe. This is an awesome recipe. If you are looking for a special dessert, this is the one to try!

Creme Brulee

1/4 cup whole milk
2 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
7 large egg yolks
2/3 cups plus 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 banana, thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Lightly spray 6 six ounce ramekins with cooking spray.
Heat the milk with the cream in a pot over medium-high heat.
While the milk is heating, scrap the vanilla bean pod in half and scrap the inside of the pod with a knife. Add the vanilla pod and scraped beans into the heating milk.
Bring the milk to a boil and remove immediate from the heat.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until well combined.
While whisking continuously, slowly add a little of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture at a time.
After blending thoroughly, pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any vanilla pod and any overcooked egg.
Place the ramekins in a baking dish and fill the dish with hot water until it reaches 3/4 up the outside of the ramekins.
Fill the ramekins half way with the custard.
Carefully, place the dish into the oven without allowing any of the water bath to touch the custard.
Bake the ramekins for 1 hour. The custard should just set and jiggle when shaken but not browning or bubbling.
Allow the custard to cool for 30 minutes.
Top each custard with a single layer of thinly sliced banana.
Top each custard with a thin even layer of sugar.
With a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar or broil the custard in the oven 4 inches from the flame until sugar is caramelized and lightly browned.
Serve immediately.

Recipe from The Pastry Queen Cookbook.

Did you already know.................
-Creme brulee is a custard topped with a hard caramel.
-Creme brulee means burnt custard in French.
-The recipe can be found in a 1691 French cookbook by Francois Massialot.

Jalapeno Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

2012-01-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

We finally have snow here. It has been one strange year. I am not complaining since I prefer the warm weather. Since it is so cold, I dress with lots of layers. I also dress my younger children in layers.

The other day my youngest daughter was walking outside and she didn't have her hat. My husband told her that she needs her hat while he is outside without his jacket. I don't even think we were outside but for five minutes but she still needed her hat. My oldest daughter follows my husbands lead and unless I remind her she will try not to wear a jacket.

I saw this recipe on Tasty Kitchen and I asked my husband if I should make them. He said yes then he wasn't feeling good and never got to try them. My oldest daughter devoured them. She isn't even a spicy girl. The recipe does call for Panko bread crumbs. I guess I was in a hurry since I didn't intentionally forget them. I really liked them. Next time, I am going to leave the bread crumbs off. My sister follows a gluten free diet so she could even try this recipe.

Jalapeno Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

12 large mushrooms, cleaned
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 oz. cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
2 oz. cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small skillet, saute the bacon until crisp.
Take the stems out of the mushrooms and place the mushroom caps onto a cookie sheet.
Chop the mushrooms stems.
Saute the stems, pepper, onion, and garlic with the bacon. Cook for 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a bowl, mix the cream cheese and cheddar together.
Add the cooked bacon with vegetables to the cheese mixture. Mix well.
Top the center of each mushroom cap with the cheese mixture.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.
Let the mushrooms rest for 5 minutes to cool.

Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen.

Did you already know.............
-On average, January is the coldest month in Maine and July is the warmest.
-The average temperature in Portland, Maine in January is 31 degrees and in July is 79 degrees.
-In 2009, Maine record low was -50 degrees.
-In 1911, Maine record high was 105 degrees.

Empanadas

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

We recently were lucky to go to a Patriots Game. It was a lot of fun. Everyone was nice and no one acted to crazy including myself. My first NFL game and I forgot to bring my camera so I have no photos to share just the ticket stub.

Well, this weekend my favorite team will be playing the Patriots. Of course, we are going to have company to watch the game. I like both teams so it will be a great game even if my team doesn't win.

For supper, I made empanadas for the first time. I had to create my own filling. My family will not eat raisins or olives. My youngest daughter wanted cheese so it could be more like a hot pocket maybe next time. I served the empanadas with sour cream and salsa. The meal was still very good and I made them in the shape of a football.

Empanadas
Dough:
41/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
2 eggs
2/3 cups ice water
2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar

In a food processor, combine the flour and salt.
Add the butter and pulse for between 20-30 times or until the mixture looks like coarse meal.
Add the eggs and vinegar. Pulse 10 times.
Slowly add the water and pulse until the dough comes together.
Knead the dough one or two times to bring the dough together.
Cut in half and flatten. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 to 6 hours.

Source from: Smitten Kitchen.

Filling:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 jalapenos, finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 Tbsp of hot sauce or more for spicier
Salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Saute the onion and jalapenos for 5 minutes.
Add the ground beef and brown.
Add the remaining ingredients and combine.

To assemble:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the dough into ten pieces.
Roll out each piece into a circle.
Add about 3 spoonful of the filling into the middle of the dough.
Fold over the dough and seal the two pieces together.
Brush with egg wash.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Does it look like a foot or more like a yam?

Did you already know..............
-Empanadas are like turnovers filled with meat, vegetables, or fruit.
-Empanadas are popular in Latin America, South America, and Southern Europe.
-Empanadas name is derived from the Spanish word"empanar" which means to wrap or coat in bread.
-They can be baked or fried.

Texas Road House Rolls Copy Cat

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

Something about eating in a restaurant that gives you peanuts are cool. I have never understood how steakhouses would think to provide peanuts as an appetizer. I think of steakhouses as an out West kind of thing with cowboys. When I think of peanuts, I think of the South like Virginia. Any insight about the two combination?

I do like steakhouses but we rarely eat at any since it isn't my husband's first choice. We have ate at Texas Road House restaurant a couple of times. The restaurant serves a basket of rolls which are great. When I saw this recipe, I figured I would try it. The rolls are great. I did freeze half the recipe. These photos are from the freezer batch since there were no left overs from the first batch I had made. Yes, they are really good. I even had purchased some cinnamon butter and it was the perfect combination.

Like Texas Road House Rolls

2 cups milk
3 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 envelope of active dry yeast
1/2 cup water, around 100 degrees
8 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs
2 tsp salt

Directions:

Warm the milk in a large pot with the butter and sugar. Heat the milk to just below a simmer and allow to cool about 100 degrees.
Add the yeast to the water and allow to sit for about 3 minutes.
Add the yeast water to the milk and stir.
Add two cups of flour and mix.
Add the eggs and salt to the pot. Stir.
Add 5 cups of flour and mix. The dough should be soft and not overly sticky. If the dough is sticky, add a little of the remaining flour.
Place the dough onto a clean, floured surface.
Knead the dough about 5 minutes.
Place the dough in a grease bowl and flip it over. Cover the bowl and let rise about 1 hour.
After the dough has doubled, punch it down. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Divide the dough into 20-30 pieces. (Freeze at this stage if desired.)
Allow the pieces to rise about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe adapted from: Eat Cake For Dinner originally posted on Good Stuff Maynard.

Did you already know.............
-In 1993, Kent Taylor opened the first Texas Roadhouse restaurant in Clarksville, Indiana.
-There are over 350 restaurants in 46 states.
-Employees are called "Roadies".
-The restaurant's mascot is: Andy the Armadillo.

Burgundy Mushrooms

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

When I was a kid, I did not like mushrooms. I did not like the texture. Also, mushrooms really did not have much of a taste. As an adult, I really like mushrooms. I cook a lot with mushrooms as if you couldn't tell if you read my blog often.

When I lived in Colorado, I use to order marinated mushrooms. The dish was served as an appetizer and they were so good. The restaurant is now closed but I sure miss that dish. These mushrooms look and taste very similar to that appetizer. The recipe takes all day to make.

Burgundy Mushrooms

2 lbs white button mushrooms, cleaned throughly
1/2 liter of Burgundy wine
1 cups boiling water
1 sticks butter
3/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Add the mushrooms, wine, boiling water, butter, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, bouillon cubes, and garlic to a large pot. Stir to combine.
Bring the mushrooms to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 6 hours covered.
Remove the lid and continue to cook for 3 hours, uncovered.
Add salt to taste after the 3 hours.
Serve with bread, as a side dish, or over meat.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook (page 202)

Did you already know.........
-Burgundy wine is produced from the Burgundy region of France.
-Burgundy wine can be white or red.
-A red Burgundy wine is Pinot Noir.
-A white Burgundy wine is a Chardonnay.

Lemon Frosted Cupcakes

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

Do you have a favorite lemon recipe? Is it lemon bars, meringue, or lemon frosting? I love lemonade. Fresh lemonade is the best. My husband knows if we are at a fair I will normally purchase lemonade where they will squeeze it in front of you. Then they will shake it up for you. How can I resist? The only problem is I end up having to share. I tell my children I hope they know how much I love them!

Since I still had some Meyer lemons, I decided to make lemon frosting. I really am glad. The lemon flavor is a subtle taste and not overbearing. My youngest daughter thought they were awesome.

Lemon Frosting
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp fine sugar
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 Tbsp milk

Directions:

Mix the lemon zest and the fine sugar very well. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar, butter, and lemon juice until smooth.
Add a little bit of milk at a time if needed until the ingredients are fluffy.
Add the lemon zest sugar to the frosting.
Top your favorite vanilla cake/cupcakes recipe.

Recipe adapted from I am Baker who had adapted it from a allrecipes.com.

Did you already know........
-The rind of the Meyer lemon is edible.
-Meyer lemons are available from November, December, and January.
-Meyer lemons are sweeter than traditional lemons so less sugar is needed.
-In 1960, the majority of the Meyer lemons in California were destroyed by a virus.

Lemon Curd

2012-01-05T23:29:00.000-05:00

I like lemons especially since they make me think of the spring. My Mom and favorite friend likes lemons too. I asked my favorite friend what type of cupcakes did she want for her birthday. She told me that her mom use to make her a cake with lemon curd in the middle. What a great plan?

When I was in the store purchasing the ingredients, I found a package of Meyer lemons. How perfect! This lemon curd recipe makes a lot. Since I had some left over, I asked my Mom if she would like it. She told me that she will be picking it up. So next time you are thinking about just buying a jar, try making it instead.

Lemon Curd

1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/3 cup fine sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
pinch of salt
6 Tbsp butter, unsalted and cubed

Directions:

Have a bowl ready with a mesh strainer over it for later.
In a medium pan, whisk the lemon juice, sugar, yolks, eggs, and salt.
Add the butter to the pan and turn the heat to low.
Whisk continually until the butter has melted.
Increase the heat to just under medium heat and continue to whisk constantly until the mixture has become thick. The mixture will be ready when it begins to be jelly like.
Remove the mixture from the heat and press it through the strainer.
Store the lemon curd in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Recipe from David Lebovitz.

Did you already know............
-Meyer lemons originated from China.
-Meyer lemons are a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange.
-The lemon was introduced to America by Frank N Meyer in 1908.

Cheesy, Corn and Kielbasa Chowder

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

My oldest daughter asked me to make her a corn chowder like the one I made before. The one I made with all the ingredients she liked. No wonder she was asking for that chowder.

I asked my husband if he wanted soup for supper. He said sure but he wanted chicken noodle. I asked his if he wanted homemade. He said no. The can was just fine. I said alright and I would also make my oldest daughter's chowder. I think he is becoming suspicious of me because he asked what was in her chowder. I told him and he said fine. He didn't want me to make two soups. Opening a can and heating it up isn't hard but he said the corn chowder was fine. I think he likes the chowder too.

Cheesy, Corn and Kabassa Chowder

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 package of kielbasa
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
2 russet potatoes, cubed
1 package (16 oz) frozen sweet corn
4 oz. cream cheese
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 can (14 oz) cream corn
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup chives

Directions:

Heat a large pot with the olive oil.
Add the kielbasa and cook thoroughly.
Remove about 1/2 cup of the kielbasa and set aside on a plate covered with a paper towel.
Add the garlic, onion, and potatoes to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the sweet corn and cook for about 2 minutes while stirring.
Add the cream cheese and stir constantly for about 1 minutes.
Evenly coat the mixture with the flour and stir for 1 minute.
Add the milk while stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
Allow the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add the cream corn and stir. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 the cheese into the chowder and stir. Once the cheese is melted, serve.
Top each bowl with a little of the saved kielbasa, cheese, and chives.

Recipe from Sweet Morris.

Did you already know............
-Kielbasa means sausage in Polish.
-Kielbasa does not refer to a specific type of sausage.
-Kielbasa tends to be a sausage made from pork with the addition of spices and is often smoked.
-Other names for Kielbasa are: kolbasa, kobasa, kovbasa, kobasi, etc.

Herbed Chicken with Sour Cream-Wine Sauce

2012-01-03T00:00:00.000-05:00

Is there a condiment you always have in your house? Besides ketchup and Ranch dressing, we always have sour cream. My husband loves to make a ranch sour cream type dip and always needs sour cream. If I need sour cream for a recipe, I will buy light since I know it will not be touched.

Remember, I'm trying to eat more vegetables for my New Years Resolution so I thought this would be a great recipe to try. My family and I liked it. I served it with a vegetable medley and pilaf rice. They did not even know it was from a healthy cookbook. The recipe has no salt in it and I didn't think it needed it.

Herbed Chicken with Sour Cream-Wine Sauce

1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp ground pepper
4 boneless chicken breast
1/2 cup white wine (I used Schmitt Sohne Riesling)
1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
2/3 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup shredded carrots
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp nonfat/light sour cream

Directions:
Mix the oregano, thyme, basil, and pepper.
Spray the chicken with a nonstick cooking spray.
Sprinkle the herbs over the chicken.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add the chicken and cook the chicken for 2 minutes per a side or until browned.
Add the wine and chicken broth to the skillet and cover. Reduce the heat and simmer the chicken for 20 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and carrots. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and cover to keep warm.
Add the flour and the water to the skillet. Whisk until thickened.
Stir in the sour cream to skillet and cook for a few minutes.
Spoon the mixture over the chicken and serve.

Recipe from Cook Healthy Cook Quick cookbook.

Did you already know.................
-Riesling wines are made from a white grape.
-Riesling wines originated from the Rhine valley of Germany.
-Riesling wines can range from a sweet to a dry white wine.
-Troken Riesling wine is a dry white wine.

Rainbow Fruit Kabobs

2012-01-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

My first post of the year 2012! Since my new year's resolution is to eat more fruit and vegetables, this is the perfect way to kick off the year. I've noticed as an adult I eat more vegetables than fruit. I cook a lot of vegetables which my husband has told me I can stop.

These fruit kabobs are a nice start for my New Year's resolution. These fruit kabobs will make it easier to reach my goal. I used straws to make these kabobs since I have a six year old. He may just think he can use it to poke his sisters-not a good thing.

These fruit kabobs I found on Pinterest? I knew the kids would like it. My son made five of these kabobs and ate them all. He thinks this is cool.

Rainbow Fruit Kabobs
1 pint of strawberries
1 cantalope
1 fresh pineapple
1 pound of green grapes/kiwi
1 pint of blueberries
1 pound of dark purple grapes
20 straws

Directions:

Clean all the fruit and slice to bite size.
Insert the fruit onto a straw. A hole may have to be inserted first by a skewer.
Add the fruit according to the rainbow colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
Any other fruit can be substitute for the same color.

Source found here on Pinterest.

Do I have to share?

Did you already know:
-About 40% of Americans make New Years Resolutions.
-Some popular resolutions are: drink less, become more educated, get fit, and quit smoking.

Did you make a New Year's Resolution?