Taste and Tell

Taco Casserole

2009-07-09T05:13:00.000-06:00

I have to admit - sometimes you all surprise me. I'll post something that I don't think will be very popular, but it ends up getting tons of hits. Usually the sweet treats are the most popular, but the Beefy Tex-Mex Stir-Fry I posted earlier this week was quite popular. It just goes to prove that I really think most of us like simple, easy and fast food!

Here is another taco twist - a taco casserole. I found this recipe in my recipe box, written on a card, so I have no idea where it came from. I'm guessing it probably came from my mom - I should call her and ask! I know it's not much to look at, but it sure did taste good. In fact, I wasn't even going to post about it, but my husband liked it so much that I decided I needed to share!

Taco Casserole
source unknown

16 oz. taco sauce
12 ounce can buttermilk biscuits
4-6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
4-6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1 can sliced olives, drained
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking dish. Spread taco sauce evenly over bottom of dish.

Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Place biscuit pieces in hot sauce, turn to coat. Sprinkle biscuits with half of the cheese and the olives. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

In a large skillet, combine ground beef, peppers, mushrooms, cumin and chili powder. Cook until ground beef is cooked through.

Sprinkle the ground beef mixture over the baked biscuit mixture. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake an additional 5-7 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Blueberry Cobbler

2009-07-08T08:33:00.002-06:00

Did you know July is National Blueberry Month? Check out my post over at the Cafe Zupas blog to learn more about this delicious fruit, and for a Blueberry Cobbler recipe!

Chocolate-Hazelnut Meringue Kisses

2009-07-07T08:20:00.003-06:00

I keep all of my nuts in the freezer. I like to have lots of varieties on hand, and since I don't want them to go bad, I keep them in the freezer to give them a longer shelf life. And because they are basically "out of sight, out of mind," I often forget what I have in there. So, not surprisingly, sometimes I will go into the freezer to discover I have a TON of one kind of nut. And since they don't last forever, even though they are in the freezer, I sometimes have to use some up, just so that I won't lose them.

That is what happened when I decided to make these hazelnut cookies. Hazelnut usually screams out Christmas to me - and yes, I did find this recipe in a December issue of a magazine, but really, these cookies could be enjoyed year-round. In fact, I think they are a great chocolate cookie to eat in the summer, since the chocolate won't be melting all over your hands in the heat!

The recipe doesn't specify whether the hazelnuts should be skinned or not, so I decided to be lazy and leave the skins on mine. And I think that is why they have more of a gray tint to them instead of brown. And they didn't hold their shape as well as the picture in the magazine, but they sure were tasty! If you are a fan of meringue cookies, this you'll love this one!

Chocolate-Hazelnut Meringue Kisses
from Cooking Light December 2008

Makes 4 dozen

1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
dash of salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325F.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely ground. Combine hazelnut mixture, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Place egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold hazelnut mixture and vanilla into egg mixture.

Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon egg white mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe 48 (1 1/2-inch-round) mounds onto prepared baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes or until meringues are done and dry to the touch. (Meringues are done when surface is dry and meringues can be removed from paper without sticking to fingers.) Turn oven off; partially open oven door. Cool meringues in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven; carefully remove meringues from paper.

Beefy Tex-Mex Stir-Fry

2009-07-06T06:51:00.000-06:00

There are times when you want to challenge yourself in the kitchen - cooking with techniques and ingredients that you've never used before. But then there are times when you just want something familiar and comforting. This recipe is for those kind of nights. Growing up, we would have called this a version of taco salad, but I'll just call it good. Familiar flavors that combine together to make something easy, fast and delicious for dinner!

Beefy Tex-Mex Stir-Fry
slightly adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray August 2008

Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 poblano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 pound ground beef
1 tomato, finely chopped
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
salt and pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the poblano, onion and chili powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat, until the meat is just cooked through. Stir in the tomato and tortilla chips and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the mixture among 4 plates and top with the cheese.

Cookbook of the Month Recipe - Buffalo Popcorn Chicken Bites

2009-07-03T06:49:00.000-06:00

Oftentimes, a certain ingredient is what pulls me into a recipe. Especially if that ingredient is one I have sitting in my pantry, and I need a way to use it up. That is what happened here - why I chose this recipe for these Buffalo Chicken Bites. Pancake Mix. Yep, you read that correctly - I made these just because of the pancake mix.

Let me just start off by saying I don't necessarily have a problem with pancake mix. But growing up, my mom always made pancakes from scratch, and that is what I'm used to. And seriously, pancakes take so few ingredients, and ingredients that I pretty much always have on hand, so why not make them from scratch? Well, if you remember a little while back to those sausage bites I made. The original recipe called for "baking mix" but all I could find was pancake mix. So after I made the sausages, I still had half a box of pancake mix in my cupboard, staring at me every time I opened it up. I saw this recipe, and couldn't pass it up!

I'm one of those people that think that you really can't mess something up if it is fried. That is the case here. Delicious little fried bites of chicken. But honestly - I couldn't taste the "buffalo" part that was supposed to be there. Neither could my husband. And I even added extra hot sauce. And even though that element was missing, we still managed to eat way too many of these babies!!

Recipe rating: 3.75 out of 5

Buffalo Popcorn Chicken Bites
adapted from Food Network Favorites

Makes 4 servings

Vegetable oil, for frying
2 1/2 cups complete pancake mix
1 1/4 cups water
10 teaspoons hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)
1 1/4 pounds chicken tenders or chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
Good quality Blue Cheese Dressing

In a deep sided skillet, heat 1 1/2 inches of oil over medium heat to about 350F. Alternately, heat oil in a deep fryer.

While the oil is heating, make the batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of the pancake mix, the water, and 8 teaspoons of the hot sauce.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup pancake mix in another bowl.

Once the oil is heated, toss the chicken pieces in the remaining 2 teaspoons hot sauce, then toss them in the dry pancake mix, coating evenly and shaking off any excess. Working in batches, add some of the chicken to the wet batter, shake off any excess and carefully add them to the hot oil. Fry for about 2 minutes on the first side, flip, and continue to cook for about 2 minutes on the second side, or until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat until all the chicken is fried.

Serve with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks, if desired.

June Cookbook of the Month Review

2009-07-02T08:46:00.013-06:00

What a fun book this has been!! Martha Stewart's Cupcakes was a last minute choice for the Cookbook of the Month for June, but I'm so glad my plans changed and I picked up a copy of this. I had the hardest time just choosing these 4 recipes, so I know that there will be many more recipes to come from this book!

This cookbook is divided into 8 sections, as well as sections for things such as "the basics" and "displaying and giving." If you are a cupcake fanatic, this is a must have for your collection. And even if you aren't a cupcake fanatic, you will find many, many cupcakes in this book to be inspired by.

I had a few mishaps - including sinking cupcakes and a frosting that didn't quite work, but overall, I was quite pleased with the outcome of each recipe. My biggest complaint - and I'm sure I'm silly for complaining about this - is that all the recipes aren't true "cupcake" recipes in my opinion. There are mini cheesecakes and brownies - which I'm sure I'll make some of them, but when a cookbook is sold as a cupcake book, I think it should only contain true cupcakes. (I actually have the same complaint about her cookie book, too - because it contains brownies and bars, which aren't cookies in my opinion...) But the pluses definitely come out on top. A beautiful picture of each creation - which is a huge bonus for me - as well as a large variety of cupcakes. Plus there is something there for every skill level. There are plenty of simple recipes, but I know I will learn a lot from this book as well.

Strawberry Cupcakes 4.25 out of 5

Brown Sugar Pound Cakes with Brown Butter Icing 4 out of 5

L adybug Cupcakes 4 out of 5

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes 3.9 out of 5

Overall Rating: 4.0375 out of 5. Not too shabby!

And onto July's choice...

I actually bought actually bought a different cookbook for this month, but once I got it home, I decided that I didn't love it enough to even choose it for the Cookbook of the Month. So I went to my collection that I received and chose one of those - Food Network Favorites. This book is a little bit older, and a few of the chefs aren't even on Food Network anymore, but the book has plenty of recipes that I want to try. I actually bought this as a wedding shower gift for my sister in law several years ago, and had been wanting my own copy, and was very excited when I ended up getting one for free! Come back tomorrow for the first featured recipe from this book!

Homemade Ice Pops

2009-07-01T10:01:00.003-06:00

Looking for something fun to celebrate with this Independence Day? Try out some homemade Ice Pops - recipe at Cafe Zupas blog!

Salad de Colores

2009-06-30T05:54:00.000-06:00

Summertime usually means lots of salads. I know that on a hot summer night, I don't always even feel like eating, but a big, refreshing salad hits the spot. And this salad is not only beautiful and full of color, but it fills you up without feeling heavy. And it's a great way to get in all your veggies!!

Salad de Colores
adapted from allrecipes.com

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 bunch fresh spinach, washed, drained and torn
1/2 medium head red cabbage, shredded
2 large carrots, sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
sunflower seeds
crumbled feta cheese
grilled chicken breast, diced (optional)
balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, cabbage, carrots, bell pepper and red onion; toss. Top with chicken, if using, sunflower seeds, feta and salad dressing.

Polenta Bread

2009-06-29T10:35:00.000-06:00

Last week, I shared a recipe for Corn Cake Pancakes, and today it is Polenta Bread. I guess I have a thing for cornmeal lately!!

Back when I was engaged, I was doing all of the research that a bride-to-be does. I was looking at flowers, venues for the reception, and of course - food. I came across a company here in Utah and I was blown away by the food creations they came up with. Unfortunately, I ended up having my reception in a venue that required that they do the catering. This catering company that I drooled over was out of my price range, anyway, but I still like to look at the pictures and imagine how good the food tastes.

While I was doing my research, I noticed there was a place on their website where I could sign up for recipes. And, since I'm a collector of recipes, of course I signed up! I've been getting a recipe a month for almost 4 years now. And sadly, this is the first one I have tried. But after the results, I'll be trying the recipes more often!

This bread was delicious. Probably one of the best that I have tried. Not only does it have a wonderful soft inside, but the polenta really adds to the texture of the bread. This one will definitely be made again!

Polenta Bread
from Culinary Crafts

2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup polenta (or cornmeal)
2 teaspoons salt
6 1/2 cups bread flour

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water.

While waiting for the yeast to bubble and foam, get your electric stand mixer set up with a large bowl and dough hook accessory. Combine polenta, salt and bread flour in mixer bowl. Add olive oil and yeast mixture and mix well. Knead dough with dough hook for 8 to 12 minutes (the temperature of your kitchen will make the difference in the timing.) Dough will be bubbly and light and not too sticky. Turn off mixer and let dough rest for 1 minute in bowl.

Divide dough into thirds and shape into long loaves (or desired shapes). Place on greased cookie sheets. Allow dough to rise in a warm location until the loaves have doubled in size.

Bake for about 30 minutes at 300F. The outside will have a nice deep brown color. If you like a soft crust, brush lightly with melted butter immediately after removing from the oven. For a crusty outside, save the butter for after it is sliced.

Cookbook of the Month Recipe - Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes

2009-06-26T06:45:00.001-06:00

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I love food. I love making it and I love eating it. But if I had to choose one thing to eat for the rest of my life, it would be a simple peanut butter & jelly sandwich. Boring, right? Well, if I really think of it, there are only a handful of foods that I don't get sick of quickly. And peanut butter & jelly sandwiches are one of them. I honestly think I could eat one a day and not get tired of them.

So when I saw this recipe for Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes in this month's Cookbook of the Month, I knew it was a recipe I would be making. And they are so cute, I just couldn't pass them up!

I have made 2 baked goods with natural peanut butter (before these cupcakes, of course). The first called for natural peanut butter, and they turned out wonderful. The second didn't specify, but I was out of regular old Jif that day, so I used natural peanut butter instead. Big mistake. the cake turned out dry and just not very good. So when this recipe said that natural was preferred, I was a bit apprehensive. I shouldn't have been, because it worked out just wonderfully in the cupcakes.

The icing, on the other hand - not quite as great. I do have to say that the icing recipe does not say whether to use natural peanut butter or not. But I figured since I used it in the cupcakes, why not the icing? Well, my icing did not look the same as in the book. And it did not taste good - originally at least. After I followed all the instructions, I tasted it and it was not sweet at all. And an icing needs to be at least a little bit sweet. So I ended up sifting in probably another half cup of confectioners' sugar until it tasted sweet enough for me. The texture was still weird, and I had to put them in the fridge to set up a bit. I'm blaming it all on the natural peanut butter. I don't know how it would work with Jif, but I'm guessing it would be sweeter and smoother!

Recipe rating: (with my adjustment in the icing) 3.9 out of 5

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes
from Martha Stewart Cupcakes

makes 24

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup natural creamy peanut butter
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Frosting, recipe follows
1/2 cup jelly or jam - I used cherry

Preheat oven to 375F. Line standard muffins tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Mix in peanut butter. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, being careful to not overmix. Mix in sour cream and peanuts.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups. Bake until golden and cake tester comes out clean, about 22 minutes*. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.

*Keep an eye on your cupcakes - mine were done at about 15 minutes.

Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until pale and fluffy. Add salt and peanut butter and beat to combine. Beat in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Fold cream into peanut butter mixture.

To Assemble

Spread frosting on top of each cupcake, leaving a small well in the middle. Dollop about 1 teaspoon of jelly into each well. Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 1 day in an airtight container; bring to room temperature before serving.

Orecchiette with Sausage and Roasted Peppers

2009-06-25T08:15:00.004-06:00

Whenever I get a new cooking magazine in the mail, I'll typically read it through - cover to cover - marking the recipes that sound interesting to me with either a piece of paper or a sticky note. I usually end up with dozens of markers. And sometimes I'll do the same thing when I get a new cookbook - especially the Cookbook of the Month books. One day, I was planning a menu and pulled a few of my cookbooks off the shelf. My copy of Everyday Food: Great Food Fast is one of those books that has many of it's pages marked. And you would think that I would go through those pages with the sticky tabs, adding a recipe or two to my menu. But instead I picked a recipe that wasn't even marked from when I first went through the book! This is just a testament of just how much I love this cookbook and how good all of the recipes look.

I'm so glad I looked past the absence of a sticky on this page. This recipe was so simple, yet so delicious. And I would have really missed out if I would have just skipped out on this, although I have yet to find a bad recipe from this book!

Orecchiette with Sausage and Roasted Peppers
from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast

Serves 4-6

2 medium red bell peppers, four flat sides sliced off core, ribs and seeds discarded
2 medium yellow bell peppers, four flat sides sliced off core, ribs and seeds discarded
1 pound orecchiette or other short pasta
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat broiler. Place peppers, skin side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; broil 4 inches from heat until charred, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; steam 2 to 3 minutes. Using a paper towel, rub off pepper skins, reserving any juices in bowl. Thinly slice peppers crosswise into 1/4-inch strips; return to bowl. Set aside.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Add roasted peppers; cook until heated through.

Transfer sausage mixture to bowl; add pasta, butter, reserved pasta water, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Ice Cream Bonbons

2009-06-24T08:07:00.001-06:00

It's getting hot outside! For a great treat to cool you down, visit the Cafe Zupas blog to see the recipe for these Ice Cream Bonbons!

Corn Cake Pancakes

2009-06-23T06:14:00.000-06:00

There are some foods that have thousands of different recipes for them floating around the internet - chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon rolls, meatloaf, pancakes... And everyone probably claims that their version is the best version. Well, this just may be a personal preference, but these really were the best pancakes I had made in quite some time!!

This recipe comes from my binder of printed recipes, and I'm sad that I didn't make them before now. I had never had a corn cake pancake before, but I will be having them a lot more often now!

IHOP Corn Cake Pancakes

Makes 16 pancakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat a griddle to medium.

Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

In another medium bowl, mix eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the milk, buttermilk and melted butter; mix well.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with the mixer until smooth. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.

Spray the hot griddle with nonstick spray. Spoon 1/4 cup portions of the batter onto the hot griddle and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until brown. Serve hot with butter and maple syrup.

No Bake Oatmeal Cookie Balls

2009-06-22T10:08:00.006-06:00

Now that school is out for the summer, are you looking for a fun treat to make with your kids? These certainly fit the bill!

These aren't your normal no-bake cookies. Instead, they are a chocolate oatmeal cookie ball that is rolled in powdered sugar - making them quite pretty in my opinion. And they are so easy that children wouldn't have a hard time making them at all. And they are fun, since you get to get in and get your hands dirty! I liked these so much that I made them 3 times in a week for 3 different occasions!

No Bake Oatmeal Cookie Balls
adapted from allrecipes.com

2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, combine the oats, sugar and cocoa. With clean hands, mix in the water, vanilla, butter and peanut butter to form a dough.

Wash hands, then roll the dough into balls 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Roll balls in confectioners' sugar until thickly coated.

Chill 20 minutes before serving.

Cookbook of the Month Recipe - Brown Sugar Pound Cakes with Brown-Butter Icing

2009-06-19T09:03:00.004-06:00

I need some baking advice, and I hope there is someone out there that can help me!! I have an issue with cupcakes sinking in the middle. This happen a lot when I make cupcakes from scratch. Last time it happened, I followed some high altitude instructions, and it seemed to work. This time - not so much. Each of my cupcakes sunk, some quite a bit. I keep thinking that maybe I am over-beating the batter, but I was careful not to overbeat these, and they still sunk. Someone please help!!

Besides the sinking, though, these cupcakes tasted wonderful. I'm a sucker for anything with brown butter, anyway, but when I saw that the icing for these was a brown butter icing, I knew I had to make them. Plus the fact that I always have all the ingredients on hand for these is a bonus. These would have really got close to a 5 star rating if they wouldn't have sunk in the middles!!

Recipe rating: 4 out of 5

Brown Sugar Pound Cakes
from Martha Stewart Cupcakes

Makes 28 - 30

3 cups sifted all- purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk
Brown-Butter Icing (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 325F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

To finish, place cupcakes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet; spoon icing over cupcakes and let set. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are glazed; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

Brown-Butter Icing
from Martha Stewart Cupcakes

Makes 1 cup

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk, plus more if needed

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally, until nut-brown in color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and pour butter into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind.

Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk to brown butter; stir until smooth. If necessary, add more milk (up to 2 tablespoons) a little at a time, just until icing is spreadable. Use immediately.

Utah Valley Cupcakes

2009-06-17T09:42:00.001-06:00

Want to know my pick for the best cupcake in Utah Valley?? Head over to the Cafe Zupas blog to find out!

Fiesta Chicken Tacos with Mango and Jicama Salad

2009-06-16T07:45:00.003-06:00

I'm usually about 2 months behind on my posting. So, most of what you see in June (besides the Cookbook of the Month posts) was actually made in April. I'm trying to catch up, but it just doesn't seem to be working right now! Needless to say, some of the details and memories of the meals from 2 months ago fade. But not this one. I remember everything about these tacos, because they were so delicious!! I guess the tacos in and of themselves were just chicken tacos, but the mango and jicama salad on top really brought these tacos to a new level. The sweetness from the mango and the crunchiness from the jicama was such a great combination.

If you are looking to step up taco night at your house, this is the way to go!

Fiesta Chicken Tacos with Mango and Jicama Salad
from Cooking Light March 2009

Serves 4

Salad
3/4 cup (3-inch) julienne-cut peeled jicama
1/2 cup sliced peeled ripe mango
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of black pepper

Tacos
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
1 cup sliced red onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas (we used flour)
1 cup mixed salad greens

To prepare salad, combine first 8 ingredients.

To prepare tacos, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with chili powder, cumin, and chipotle pepper. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from pan.

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add bell pepper and 1 cup onion; cook 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Return chicken mixture to pan; cook 2 minutes or until chicken is done. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Heat tortillas according to package directions. Arrange 2 tablespoons mixed greens, about 1/3 cup chicken mixture, and about 2 tablespoons salad in each tortilla; fold over.

Guacamole Tacos with Tomatillo and Steak Sauce

2009-06-15T06:11:00.000-06:00

I used to be a hoarder. Not to the point where I couldn't walk through a room because every square inch of my house is covered in junk - but I do have to say that I have a hard time giving things up. Before I got married, I had 2 walk-in closets, both full of clothes. Now, I live in an older house with tiny closets, and I have learned to let go of clothes that I don't need anymore. I used to have an unfinished basement where I could store all the junk I wanted to. Now, storage space is a luxury, and I have to be very particular with what I keep. I guess you could say that while, yes, it is hard for me to get rid of things, I never really did before because I really didn't have to. But now, since we space is harder to come by, I have learned to let go of that book report from 9th grade and that sweater from 1996.

The thing that I just can't give up is my recipe collection. Cookbooks, magazines and printouts - they all have their spot in the bookshelf and they aren't going anywhere. But I can also totally justify keeping them all, because really - I do use them. Like the copy of Bon Appetit from 2007. Yeah, maybe it is 2 years old, and maybe this is the only recipe I have ever made from it, but it does prove that I will eventually use them all!!

I had to improvise with this recipe a bit. I went to several grocery stores looking for the kind of chiles that this recipe originally called for. I found one, but couldn't find the other anywhere. So I substituted and used a different chile. (Now I see that chile that I couldn't find everywhere I go - go figure!!) The end product was delicious, although my sauce ended up green because of the chile I did use, instead of red like the sauce in the magazine. The one in the magazine looks more appealing, but I'm sure mine tastes just as good!!

Guacamole Tacos with Tomatillo and Steak Sauce
adapted from Bon Appetit June 2007

Serves 4

4 Anaheim chiles, seeded
4 dried chiles de arbol
1 pound tomatillos (about 10), husked and rinsed
4 cups water, divided
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 teaspoon aniseed
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound skirt steak, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
3 large avocados, halved, pitted
1/2 cups (packed) finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
12 small flour tortillas, softened

Place all chiles in medium saucpan, then add tomatillos and 3 cups water. Cover and boil until chiles and tomatillos are soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool and drain.

Combine tomatillow mixture, garlic, aniseed, and oregano in processor; blend until smooth. Strain, discarding solids. Wipe same saucepan clean. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil; heat over medium-high heat. Add strained sauce, simmer 5 minutes, then add 1 cup water. Bring to boil. Add chopped steak; reduce heat to medium-low and cook until sauce lightly coats back of spoon, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if sauce is too thick (consistency is similar to thin Bolognese); about 15 mintues. Season to taste with salt.

Using spoon, scoop out avocado flesh and place in medium bowl. Add cilantro, onion, and 1 teaspoon salt; coarsely mash with fork.

Place 2 tablespoons guacamole in center of each tortilla; roll up. Place on plate, seam side down. Pour warm meat sauce over tacos to cover and serve.

Cookbook of the Month Recipe - Ladybug Cupcakes

2009-06-12T05:18:00.000-06:00

I think my daughter is teething. I don't know why I am surprised every time she does something a little early. At 4 1/2 months, she's already surprised me plenty. Smiling from basically day 1, being able to hold her head up in the first month, rolling over both ways just before the 3 month mark, and she's getting her knees up underneath her and I know I'm going to turn around one day soon and she'll be crawling already. I have a theory that she just doesn't have any desire to be a baby and she just wants to grow up. (But she's growing up way too fast for me - I wish she would slow down!) But the teething thing - it definitely threw a wrench in my day!

I had planned on making these Ladybug Cupcakes for the Cookbook of the Month recipe for this week. And when I do finally make a decision, I have my mind set and I don't want to change plans. I had promised cupcakes for my church girls, so I set out to make these during the day on Wednesday. But Abbi wasn't really having it. She wasn't wanting to take her naps, and when she did, they would be for a very short time and then the crying would start. And then she wanted me to hold her non-stop all day, and she hasn't been like that for a couple of months now. And of course I choose a labor intensive cupcake for the week!

To top it all off, I couldn't find marzipan to make the ladybugs with, even after going to 3 stores. So I decided to make my own. Just one more step! But I finally got them done, and I was so happy with how they turned out! I think they are so cute!

A couple of notes about the recipes:

I was so excited when I took these cupcakes out of the oven because they were the most perfect from scratch cupcakes that I had ever made. But unfortunately, I wasn't blown away by the flavor. They really don't have a ton of flavor, but the frosting added quite a bit.
When I saw that the frosting for these was a Swiss meringue buttercream, I wondered how they got the grass so green in the picture in the book. (The same picture is on Martha's website here.) And I'm still wondering. I added way more green food coloring than I wanted to, but I couldn't get the grass any greener than I did.
The frosting is much the same as the strawberry frosting I made last week, minus the strawberries.
I think I made my ladybugs bigger than Martha's, because they didn't look right with more than 1 ladybug per cupcake. And I just didn't have the patience to do a ton of spots, but I still think mine turned out cute.

I don't really know how to rate this recipe, because based on taste alone, the score would be lower than if I factored in the cuteness. So the rating is a combination of both flavor and appearance!

Recipe Rating: 4 out of 5

Ladybug Cupcakes
from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Makes 36

Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes (recipe follows)
Swiss Meringue Buttercream (recipe follows)
Red, green and black gel-paste food coloring
7 ounces marzipan (I couldn't find any, so I made some using this recipe)
Cornstarch, for work surface

Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes

3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
5 large whole eggs plus 3 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium. Add whole eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add yolks, and beat until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each. Beat in vanilla.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

5 large egg whites
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).

Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.

With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

To Assemble

Tint buttercream green with gel-paste food color. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small multi-opening tip (#233). Starting at the center and moving outward, pipe rows of grass on top of cupcakes: With tip on surface of cupcake, squeeze bag, then release while quickly pulling up to form 1/4-inch-long blades, making some slightly longer than others.

Form ladybugs: Divide marzipan in half. Working on a surface lightly dusted with cornstarch, tint one portion red and the other black with gel-paste food colors. Form a 1/2-inch ball of red marzipan for each ladybug body, and a 1/4-inch ball of black marzipan for each head. Flatten the red ball slightly into an oval shape, and press the head onto the body. Pinch off black marzipan to make tiny balls for the spots, and press onto the body. Repeat to make additional ladybugs with remaining marzipan. Place one or two ladybugs on top of each frosted cupcake, gently pressing them into the buttercream grass. Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow frosting to set. Cupcakes are best served the same day they are decorated; keep at room temperature.

June Cheese of the Month - Supreme

2009-06-11T08:43:00.003-06:00

Enriched with creme fraiche, heavy cream, smooth, rich, creamy, mellow... Before I even had this cheese in my hands, I knew it was going to be one that I would love, and I was right! In fact, I'd have to say that this is my favorite so far. It is all of the above words and so much more!

I was a bit stumped as of what to make with this cheese, though. We all know I'm not very creative with coming up with a recipe on my own, and internet searches were not bringing me what I was looking for, either. Then I thought to myself - of course! Look on the Ile de France website!

This recipe would be great as an appetizer or a first course. The cheese is quite rich, so one slice is really all each person needs. (Unless you are like me, eating this for lunch and devouring 2 slices!) There are such great flavors going on, but the cheese really is the star.

This is a very soft cheese, and was a bit difficult for me to slice. But once making the toasts, I would let them sit out for a bit to come to room temperature because the cheese just continues to soften and almost tastes melted. This is a cheese I won't soon forget!

Toast with Supreme Cheese and Tomato
adapted from Ile de France

Makes 4 servings

4 slices French bread, toasted
1 clove of garlic
1 seeded, chopped tomato
8 small slices of ham
4 slices Supreme cheese
1-2 tablespoons chives
olive oil
freshly cracked black pepper

Rub the garlic on the top sides of the toasted French bread. Sprinkle the chopped tomatoes on top of each slice. Layer 2 slices of ham on each, followed by a slice of Supreme cheese. Sprinkle chives on top, then trickle olive oil on top followed by fresh pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Pineapple Sherbet

2009-06-10T09:28:00.001-06:00

Did you know that pineapple is in season? Head on over to the Cafe Zupas blog to see this Pineapple Sherbet recipe and to learn more about pineapples!

Citrus-Glazed Salmon with Pamesan Rosettes and Gingery Sugar Snap Peas

2009-06-09T07:14:00.001-06:00

As much as I love to cook, sometimes it is just impossible to get dinner on the table every night. I admit that I usually have a frozen pizza in the freezer for nights when there is just not enough time or when I just don't have the energy.

So when a meal like this hits the table, I have to say - it makes me feel a bit like Superwoman! But really, the secret is that this takes so little time and effort - I probably finished it in about the same time it would have taken to cook a frozen pizza!

I do feel like I need to mention that my husband didn't really care for this salmon recipe. I really liked it, but he just picked at his. I think it's because I made the full sauce recipe, but only made 2 salmon fillets. I think that if you have the correct amount of sauce, the flavor wouldn't be quite so overwhelming.

Citrus-Glazed Salmon
adapted from Family Circle Quick & Easy Cooking

Serves 4

4 salmon fillets, skin removed
salt and fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1 green onion, sliced
1 teaspoon dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon five-spice powder
2 tablespoons sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 450F. Rinse fish, and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Place in a shallow baking dish; set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together marmalade, green onion, wine, ginger, mustard, garlic, cayenne pepper, and five-spice powder. Spoon mixture over fish.

Bake for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness of fish, or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Sprinkle individual servings with almonds.
Gingery Sugar Snap Peas
adapted from Family Circle Quick & Easy Cooking

Serves 6

3 cups fresh sugar snap peas
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
dash of ground ginger
dash of black pepper

Remove strings and tips from sugar snap peas. In a covered medium saucepan, cook peas in a small about of boiling salted water for 2 to 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drain well; set aside.

In the same saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in marmalade, soy sauce, ginger and pepper. Return peas to the saucepan, stirring to coat.

Parmesan Rosettes
from Family Circle Quick & Easy Cooking

Makes 12 rosettes

1 11-ounce package (12) refrigerated breadsticks
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375F. Separate breadsticks and uncoil into 12 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 12-inch long rope.

Tie each rope in a loose knot, leaving 2 long ends. Tuck the top end of the rope under roll. Bring bottom end up and tuck into the center of the roll.

In a shallow dish, combine Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Brush top and sides of each knot with the melted butter. Carefully dip the top and sides of each rosette into the cheese mixture. Place rosettes 2 to 3 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Recipe Rewind - Teriyaki Sauce

2009-06-08T06:01:00.000-06:00

I'm a person who doesn't use the same recipe twice very often. There are just too many recipes out there that I want to try. So if I do use a recipe more than once, you better believe that it is one I love!!

I made this Teriyaki sauce back in 2007, and it has remained my favorite recipe for the sauce. It's not thin like the bottled version, but a thicker sauce that is great for not only marinating, but also dipping. And my past post continues to be one of the most Google-d posts on my blog, so I thought I'd re-post it.

I used it here on beef and mushroom kabobs, but it would be equally delicious on chicken or pork. And it's so easy that you'll have to ask yourself why you never made your own before!

Teriyaki Sauce
from Recipezaar.com

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (i used a couple minced garlic cloves)
5 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

Mix all but cornstarch and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan and begin heating. Mix cornstarch and cold water in a cup and dissolve. Add to sauce in pan. Heat until sauce thickens to desired thickness. Add water to thin if you over-thicken it.

Cookbook of the Month Recipe - Strawberry Cupcakes

2009-06-05T02:25:00.002-06:00

I usually have a "go-to" cookbook or two. I'm sure most of you know what I'm talking about. A cookbook (or website) you can go to and get a recipe to make that you know will turn out, because everything you've made from that book has been great. I actually have been making a lot of recipes from 2 cookbooks lately, and they are both Martha Stewart cookbooks. Everyday Food - Great Food Fast and her Cookie book have both been very successful for me. So when I saw that she was coming out with a cupcake book - you better believe I'd be first in line!

I'm so glad I chose this book as the Cookbook of the Month, because I can tell that I'm going to have tons of fun. In fact, I may even get ambitious and post more than one a week.

For my first try out of the book, I debated between these strawberry cupcakes and a rhubarb cupcake. Both ingredients in season, and I really had a hard time deciding. But the strawberry cupcakes won out, mainly because they look so impressive!

I'm so glad I chose this one, because they were delicious!! I did have a couple of issues along the way, though. First of all, I live at almost 4800 ft. elevation. I've never made alterations in my baking for elevation - things usually work out for me. But when I took the first pan of these out of the oven, I could tell things weren't working correctly. They were falling in the middle and they baked way faster than the recipe said. So I went online and did a search for high elevation changes, just as an experiment. I went back and upped the temperature 25F, and baked the next pan for only about 15 minutes. And they came out perfectly! I guess I do need to start making high elevation changes...

The only other issue I had was that I got 44 cupcakes out of the recipe instead of the 34 that it claims. But that seems to happen to me a lot with cupcakes and cookies - I'm not sure why. So the recipe below says that you'll probably get 40 - 44 cupcakes.

Please also note that the recipe does not include the high altitude changes I made.

Recipe Rating: 4.25 out of 5

Strawberry Cupcakes
adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

makes 40-44 cupcakes

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour (not self rising)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large whole eggs, plus 1 egg white
1 cup milk
2 cups finely chopped strawberries, plus more for garnish
Strawberry Meringue Buttercream (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line standard muffin tins with paper lines.

Sift together the flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Put butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer. Cream on medium-high until pale and fluffy. Add the whole eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Change the speed to low, add the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the milk. Beat until well combined. Fold in the chopped strawberries by hand.

Fill each paper liner with batter 3/4 full. Bake, rotating the pans half way through, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 20 - 30 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool for 15 minutes, then turn cupcakes out onto rack to let cool completely.

To finish, fill a pastry bag fitted with a large open-star tip with the buttercream. Pipe buttercream onto each cupcake, swirling tip and releasing as you pull up to form a peak. Just before serving, top each cupcake with a thinly sliced strawberry.

Strawberry Meringue Buttercream
from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries (8 ounces), rinsed, hulled, and coarsely chopped
4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature

Puree strawberries in a food processor. Combine egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of a standing electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).

Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, mix until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.

With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula and switch to the paddle attachment; continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Add strawberries and beat until combined. Stir with a flexible spatula until the frosting is smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

Grilling Secret

2009-06-03T09:14:00.001-06:00

Attention all Utahns! Want to know my secret for the best summer bbq? Head on over to the Cafe Zupas website and check it out!