Guacamole

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Angie

Guacamole

Confession: it has only been within the last year in which I’ve learned I like guacamole. Always when ordering Mexican, it has been “Sin crema y no guacamole, por favor.” Sometime last summer, Chris had a craving for it, bought some avocadoes, a packet of seasoning mix and mixed it all up. It smelled so good that I tentatively dipped, just barely, a bit of a chip into it. And I was sold. The seasoning mix we buy is a spicy mix, but the other day, we were out and the avocadoes were already halved and ready to go so I mixed in the following.

Ingredients:

  • 2 avocadoes, pitted and scraped
  • 2-3 tbsp. finely chopped red onion
  • 2 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 jalapeno, deseeded & chopped
  • juice of 1/2 a lime
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • salt, for taste

Preparation:

In a small bowl, mash together the avocadoes and mix in the above ingredients.

Posted in Appetizers, Sides, Vegetarian | Leave a comment

Tiramisu Bread

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Angie

Tiramisu Bread

What’s that? Tiramisu in bread form? Oh, yes! Count me in.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 8oz. mascarpone cheese
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp. instant espresso powder
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp. + 2 tsp. Amaretto
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • sweet ground chocolate powder, optional (I used Ghirardelli’s)
  • powdered sugar, optional

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease, line bread pan with parchment paper so that it overlaps on the long edges of the pan, grease parchment paper; set aside.

In a large size bowl, beat together mascarpone cheese and sugar until light and fluffy; about two minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour, baking powder, & salt and beat until combined. Add the milk and stir until fully combined.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the unsweetened cocoa and espresso powder to break up any clumps. Add the Amaretto and stir until powders are dissolved. Add 1/2 of the white batter to the espresso mixture, add the powdered sugar, and mix until fully combined.

Spread half of the remaining white batter onto the bottom of the prepared bread pan. Then add half of the espresso batter onto the white batter, smoothing as you go, but being careful to not mix the two layers. Repeat the process with the remaining white and espresso batters. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, drag through the batter a couple of times to create the swirling effect.

Bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with sweetened cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Loosen the ends of the pan and remove the bread by pulling up on the parchment paper on both sides. Transfer to a baking rack to cool completely.

Adapted from: http://www.jennifermeyering.com/recipes/tiramisu-bread/

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Peach Bread

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Angie

Peach Bread

Sometimes I have the most random thoughts upon waking. More often than not, it’s a random song lyric. Weird, I know. Last week, I woke up with the thought to make peach bread. Peach bread...I’ve never even had peach bread, let alone with all the recipe perusing I’ve done, can’t say I’ve even seen peach bread, but alas, it is what it is. A quick internet search and I found one that was suitable for the making. It’s the perfect kind of bread to complement the nearing of fall, reminiscent of summer and fresh peaches, but just on the cusp of autumn.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted & cooled
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped peaches (the fresh ones at the grocery store weren’t ripe so the 15oz. can of peaches in the cupboard worked perfectly)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a bread pan, and for the first time, I opted to line it with parchment paper with the edges hanging over for easy removal and none of the bread stuck to the bottom of the pan. Grease the parchment paper as well; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, & salt. In a medium size bowl, beat the eggs and then add in the sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring until just mixed. Fold in the peaches. Transfer to prepared bread pan.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Loosen the ends of the pan, remove by lifting the overhang of the parchment paper on both sides and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from: http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/2010/09/20/peach-bread/

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Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Angie

Yellow Cake & Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

While grocery shopping the other day, Chris picked up a box of yellow cake mix, and requested I make it. I told him I would bake him one from scratch and to put the box back.

Ingredients: (For the cake)

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3 tsp. baking powder
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

(For the frosting)

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 5 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tsps. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. espresso powder

Preparation for the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degree. The recipe I used said to choose between a 9×13 pan, or 2 8 inch, or 2 9 inch pans so I opted for the 8 inch pans. Grease and flour, and tap the pans to remove excess flour off; set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Incorporate eggs one at a time, beating fully after each addition before adding the other. Repeat with the egg yolks.

In a large bowl, whisk together the salt, baking powder, and flour. Spoon half the dry ingredient mix into the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Pour in half of the buttermilk, stir, add in the remaining flour mixture, mix, and pour in the other half of the buttermilk, mixing to combine. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Divide the batter into the prepared pans. Since I selected the two 8 inch pans the instructions said to bake for 25 minutes (30 minutes for 2 9 inch pans & 35 minutes for a 9×13 pan). The pans were fairly full and I worried that they would spill over. They did not totally, but certainly baked out to the edges of the pans so that I had to trim it off. I ended up baking for 7-10 minutes longer before removing from the oven and allowing to sit for 8-10 minutes in the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cakes have cooled completely, add the frosting.

Preparation for the frosting:

Add cocoa to a stand up mixer and run a whisk through it to ensure any clumps are broken up. Add butter and cream together until well combined.

Add sugar and milk to cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of sugar followed by 1 tbsp. of milk. After each addition, beat on high for one minute, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Repeat process until all sugar and milk is used. Add vanilla extract and espresso powder. Blend well.

Note: this made so much frosting. It was only after the fact that I read through the recipe again that it noted it makes enough for 3 9 inch cake rounds. Nevertheless, I didn’t add all of the frosting and even so, we wound up scraping some of the frosting off. Both the cake and frosting were delicious. The cake was moist. In the future, I’ll use 2 9 inch cake pans and prepare about half of the frosting.

Source for the cake: http://addapinch.com/cooking/the-best-classic-yellow-cake-recipe/

Source for the frosting: http://addapinch.com/cooking/perfect-chocolate-buttercream-frosting-recipe/

Posted in Cake, Desserts | Leave a comment

Chicken Pockets

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Angie

Chicken Pockets

This is one of those meals that looks rich and fancy  and time consuming, but it’s not! A few ingredients for this and that and you’ve got a delicious dinner in no time. These chicken pockets are fantastic tasting and you’d never believe there are only 4 ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pkgs. of puff pastry sheets, thawed
  • 4 chicken breasts, cut in half, pounded and thinned
  • Spicy brown mustard or Dijon Mustard
  • soft cheese like Brie or Havarti

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with one package of the rolled puff pastry sheet. Brush on a thin layer of either the spicy brown mustard or Dijon mustard, add a chicken breast, folded in half, if necessary, and top with a slice of cheese. Add the other layer of the rolled puff pastry sheet on top. Cut between each section of chicken, securing the edges by seaming them together. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

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Spaghetti Pie

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Angie

Spaghetti Pie & SaladBack side of spaghetti pie

Finding something new to make for dinner that everyone will like lingers constantly in the recesses of my mind. I aim to please, most of the time. When I saw this video play on the Today Show, I was certain this would be a winner; after all, we’ve enjoyed Adam Richman since his Man Vs. Food days and we all like spaghetti.

Ingredients:

  • 16 oz. spaghetti, cooked, reserving 3/4 cup cooking water reserved
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 lbs. ground beef
  • 2 small cans of tomato paste, divided
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups grated cheese blend of Parmesan, Asiago, & Romano
  • 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, reserving 1/2 cup
  • 2 tbsps. olive oil
  • salt, to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a springform pan or 10 inch pie plate with non-stick spray; set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic. Add the ground beef and one can of the tomato paste. Add half of the reserved pasta water and stir well. Season with salt, to taste. Consistency should be like a thick Bolognese sauce. Add more cooking water as needed.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, add the spaghetti noodles, cheese blend, one cup of the mozzarella cheese, and one can of tomato paste. Stir well.

Starting and ending with the meat sauce, create layers of meat sauce, noodles, meat sauce, noodles etc., pressing down as necessary. Top with final layer of meat sauce and scatter the remaining mozzarella cheese on the top.

Bake the pie for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

The original recipe calls for 12 oz. of spaghetti noodles, 1 pound of ground beef/ turkey, and 3 eggs. Since we normally make spaghetti with 2 lbs. of meat, I upped the pasta and eggs. I baked in a springform pan to accommodate the extra. I forgot to place it on a baking sheet until the sauce drizzled out onto the bottom of the pan, burning it to a nice crisp resulting in me cleaning the oven the following day.

The results: Chris and I liked it. Bri said she liked it, but preferred meatballs. Leah, had some, but was simply not interested. We also barely made a dent in it, it was so dense and filling, and while we are usually good about leftovers, there was just too much so once again, the guys at Chris’s work reaped the benefits. Thank God for hungry guys to eat it all up. If/ when I make it again, I’ll stick with the original recipe of noodles, meat, and eggs. I think that a no meat version would be equally tasty, but I know there’s no way Chris would be game for that.

Adapted from: Today Food

Posted in Italian, Meat | Leave a comment

Chocolate Chip Raisin Cookies

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Angie

Raisin & Milk Chocolate Chip cookies

I may have lost you at raisins, I’m well aware. My family felt like I pulled a fast one on them, and I quote: “It’s like mixing M&M’s and Skittles together. You’re just not supposed to do that.” Well, of course! M&M’s and Skittles most certainly do not go together. I contest; however, that raisins and chocolate complement one another. Raisinets, anyone? Decide for yourself. As an aside, it’s interesting how despite their grumblings, the cookies have steadily disappeared and not by my hand alone.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups raisins
  • 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Add the flour mixture until just blended. Stir in the raisins and chocolate chips. Do not over mix. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Allow to sit for a minute on the baking sheet before transferring to cooling rack.

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Iced Mocha

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Angie

Iced Mocha

Over the years, since my undergrad days, coffee and I have developed quite the relationship. As a child, my favorite ice cream flavor was coffee. I loved the smell of coffee. I remember going into the refrigerator or freezer where mom kept her coffee, cracking the lid, and inhaling deep. Such a glorious smell. But when mom would give me a taste, yuck! It was so bitter, so bold. So not what I liked, but I couldn’t get enough of the smell. It wasn’t until I was a freshman in college when my friend Mike introduced me to coffee made the right way: with cream and sugar. Game changer! Now, I will say, as my tastes have developed, I do enjoy an occasional black cup of coffee to complement a dessert. And, with the heat of summer, iced coffee or mochas are my go to at home. I first tried making these with espresso powder and I was sorely disappointed until I learned how to improvise.

To make faux espresso at home without a fancy schmancy espresso maker, do the following:

Buy a pound of ground coffee. I opted for Starbucks Pike Place. Using a gallon size pitcher, dump the entire bag of coffee in it and fill with hot water. Cover and allow to sit overnight, 10-12 hours. In the morning, over a large bowl, using a sifter or something larger with a tiny strain, strain the coffee/ espresso. Repeat if necessary. Rinse out the pitcher and return the espresso to the pitcher. It will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Preparation:

Using a tall glass, add some ice cubes, drizzle a little chocolate syrup over them, use a packet or two of Stevia, fill halfway with the espresso, top with milk and stir. Voila. Iced mocha at home.

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Peanut Butter & Mini Chocolate Chip Granola

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Angie

Peanut Butter & Mini Chocolate Chip granola

While she may not always like what I make for dinner, Leah is all about this granola for breakfast.

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 2/3 cup raw honey
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla
  • 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and line a large baking sheet parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, add in the oats and stir in the cinnamon and salt. Lightly spray a 2 cup liquid measuring cup with non-stick spray and melt the peanut butter in the microwave at 30 second intervals until liquefied. Stir in the honey and vanilla extract. Add the peanut butter mixture to the oats and coat thoroughly. Sprinkle in the miniature chocolate chips. Spread the mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit to harden. Once completely cooled, transfer to an airtight container to store.

Adapted from: http://www.barefeetinthekitchen.com/2014/07/pb-chocolate-chip-granola-recipe.html

Posted in Breakfast, Granola | Leave a comment

Chicken Lazone

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Angie

Chicken Lozane

Trying something new for dinner is always a gamble. We fall into our routines and patterns, cycling through the standard dinner rotation. The hierarchy of openness to new recipes goes as follows: Chris, Bri, and Leah. In general, Chris is pleased that I’ve simply made dinner, Bri is typically game, and Leah is always the one who is suspect of anything new or remotely modified. She’s been on a kick as of late: “I’ll try a bite, but I won’t like it.” Ugh. Child. Sometimes…just sometimes you end up eating your words, or in this case, eating dinner that you’d committed to not liking ahead of time and wound up liking. Haha! Take that, stubborn child of mine.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 2 tsp. onion powder
  • 3 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. white pepper
  • 2 1/2 lbs. B/S chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • 1/3 cup butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • 2 cups half & half
  • linguine, prepared per package directions for al dente

Preparation:

In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and white pepper. Cover both sides of the chicken strips.

Bring to boil a large pot of water for the linguine. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt half of the butter in the skillet. Cook the chicken, about 4 minutes on each side, or until you cut into the middle and there is no pink. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Meanwhile, boil the linguine. Reduce heat of the skillet to low-medium heat. Add the remaining butter, cream, and half & half to the skillet and stir often until sauce has thickened. As sauce thickens, the linguine will be about done. Drain the linguine, return to the pot, and stir in the thickened sauce to coat the linguine. Dish onto plates and top with a few of the chicken strips.

I served this with baked seasoned zucchini rounds.

Adapted from: http://www.plainchicken.com/2013/05/chicken-lazone.html

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